A Few of The Rules I Like To Live By

1. Never make a threat you don't intend to carry out.

2. Never say always, unless you mean, forever no matter what, always.

3. Choose your battles wisely, never fight unless you can win, or at least prove a point.

4. Learn to compromise when its needed.

5. Don't, under any circumstances doubt the trust you have in people who have never given you a reason not to trust them.

6. Its not always good to think before you speak, but be wise to your words and stand by what you say.

7. Never take things for granted, not even the small things. "Don't cry because its over, smile because it happened."

8. Never give up, never surrender. Push through the tough times you face, you'll be stronger in the end for it.

9. Don't let anyone push you around. Stand up for yourself.

10. Be an honest and loyal friend only to those that are worthy.

11. Do your best or do nothing.

12. Never put all your eggs in one basket.

13. No cutting, there are no shortcuts in life, if you find one and take it, its the lazy way and you won't get the full reward.

14. Always remember there is safety in numbers, don't rely only on yourself all the time; two heads are better than one, you can always use another set of eyes, and being a self righteous loner can get ugly and lonely.

15. Trust God's word, it will never lead you down the wrong path.

When We Took God Out...Where'd We Put Him?

Elementary/Middle School Killings

1927 – Bath, Michigan – Deadliest school-related killing in U.S. history/"the worst act of terrorism in the U.S. until the Oklahoma City bombing"

1979 – San Diego, California

1983 – St. Louis, Missouri

1988 – Winnetka, Illinois

1988 – Greenwood, South Carolina

2006 – Lancaster County, Pennsylvania


High School/College Killings

1966 – Austin, Texas – Second deadliest shooting on a college campus

1974 – Olean, New York

1982 – Hot Springs, Arkansas

1983 – Ithaca, New York

1985 – Kansas

1987 – Missouri

1991 – Iowa City, Iowa

1992 – Olivehurst, California

1992 – Great Barrington, Massachusetts

1993 – Grayson, Kentucky

1995 – Lynnville, Tennessee

1996 – Moses Lake, Washington

1996 – University Park, Pennsylvania

1996 – West Lafayette, Indiana

1997 – Bethel, Alaska

1997 – Pearl, Mississippi

1997 – West Paducah, Kentucky

1998 – Jonesboro, Arkansas

1998 – Edinboro, Pennsylvania

1998 – Springfield, Oregon

1999 – Littleton, Colorado

2001 – Santee, California

2002 – Grundy, Virginia

2002 – Tucson, Arizona

2003 – New Orleans, Louisiana

2003 – Red Lion, Pennsylvania

2003 – Cleveland, Ohio

2003 – Cold Spring, Minnesota

2004 – Washington, D.C.

2004 – Palmetto Bay, Florida

2005 – Red Lake, Minnesota

2005 – Jacksboro, Tennessee

2006 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2006 – Bailey, Colorado

2007 – Los Angeles County, California

2007 – Midland, Michigan

2007 – Blacksburg, Virginia – Deadliest shooting on a college campus/Second deadliest school-related killing in U.S. history

2008 - Dekalb, Illinois





This is a list of "top" school related killings (top, meaning most severe). Not a list of tragedies in the United States, not a list of shootings in the United States. Do you see how long this list is? Too long. This isn't even half of the horrific things that have happened in the U.S. or even close to a fourth of the things that have occurred in the world. Look at this list, the first school killing occurred in 1927, the next school killing didn't occur until 1966, almost forty years later, then again five years later in 1974 and so on. Since then, increasingly, what has now become almost every year, there have been multiple school-related killings.



There are forty-five schools on this list and twenty-three years, thats roughly 2 schools a year since 1927.



The majority of these killings occurred after 1995. Some of you may be wondering what happened that year that seems to mark somewhat of a turning point in American history. That year, in 1995, is the year the supreme court ruled to "take God out of schools". I'm not saying this was the cause of rise in school-related killings, just a coincidence.



As the number of killings increase we need to pray. Pray for God to move and work in our nation. Pray for the families of those who are killed and those who kill. Originally when I wrote this the day was April twentieth, two-thousand and seven. The day that marked the eighth anniversary of the tragic events of Columbine High School, just four days after the even greater tragedy of Virginia Tech. Both of these events have been engraved in our history and our minds forever. We may not be able to stop these things from happening but we should be able to support the people they happen to and pray that it ends. If you are not a person of prayer then I ask that you just remember the people effected by these events, so their lives may not have been altered or ended in vain. Also, stop and ask yourself a serious question, "what is this world coming to?"



"Without suffering there would be no compassion."

Blut Ist Dicker Als Wasser

Blood is thicker than water. It was originally German but along with everything else, America has taken it and made it their own. It still has the same basic meaning but over the years its umbrella has broadened and it has become about more than just family but the closest of friends that one has.

Blood, sweat, and tears go into every relationship that is really worth having. Without those things there is really no emotion, no attachment. Its a superficial relationship otherwise, no depth, no real conversation. You're limited to the topics of weather, music, and most often the classes you happen to be taking that week. You have those awkward pity laughs and the lull in conversations where someone sighs and stares down as they swish liquid around in their cup just before looking up with that "this is uncomfortable" grin. Why have a relationship that is forced? Whats the point? There can't be one, at least I can not think of the benefit of it. You have your friends that you have fun with and you have your friends that know about your life and you have fun with. There are always maybe a handful of people that are more than that though, the people that see you through all of it, the blood, the sweat, the tears, they're there through it all. Its not the people you share a cup of coffee with cause you happen to see them in the line at starbucks, or the people you make meaningless babble with at the soda machine. Its the people that see you cry while you're crying, not after when your eyes are red. Its the people that sit on the floor and cry with you, not the people that tell you you've done something wrong and ignore the fact that your heart is breaking. Its the people who give you a band-aid and peroxide when you cut your leg shaving. Some may say that your family are the only people you can constantly rely on and trust. In some cases wouldn't we rather make our own family. Its not about who is obligated to stick around or be by your side, its about the people that don't have to be but are anyways. Loyalty, trust, faith, ...did I mention trust, and blood, sweat, and tears. Its about the things we go through and the people that are not only there at the end of it but the people that you see beside you through it all. Blood is thicker than water, you can't share a lunch hour with someone and expect much or call them your best friend, you must share your life with them, trials and tribulations, random banter about nothing to just pass the time and unwind.

This I'm sure has proved to be nothing more than babel to most of you. But I needed to write it, I needed to at least try and explain my feelings on the subject of loyalty and the levels of friendship and relationships in general.

If by not letting others say things that are in my opinion blasphemous and utter slander about people that have been better friends in a short time and have helped me through more things than I can say most people go through in their lives, you think I'm wrong or stupid or this makes me a bad friend to those who are saying it, disloyal or whatever you choose to believe. Then I'd like to say something to you, blood is thicker than water, and I'd like to think my parents did a great job raising me to be the best person I could be and you should really rethink your loyalties if you will sit by and let someone talk about somebody that has been nothing but loyal to you. Even if the person hasn't been anything but loyal, you are no better than the person telling these blasphemous tales. And having a friend like you, thank you, but no thank you. Trust, loyalty, the good and the bad, thats what friends are.

I'm more me now than I have been, I get by with a little help from my friends.

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