Whoa, I've got a blog?!

So, I haven't posted anything on here in years.

I'm at an interesting place in my life right now. I'm feeling kind of lost, kind of scared, and very hopeful. In a few months I'll be moving to Tampa with my girlfriend, and I couldn't be happier about that prospect. Right now I'm living at home with Dad, looking for a job, and diving into as much Theological study as I can.

I'm going to try to start updating this blog on a regular basis. I'm doing this both as a challenge to myself to commit to something, and as writing practice. It kind of disgusts me how bad I write now compared to two years ago. Use it or lose it, I suppose.

I'll try to make a more proper revival entry before the weekend.

My life, now.

Things have been pretty busy since school started again. I'm a senior now. And being a senior is just like being a junior, which was just like being a sophomore, which was only a little different than being a freshman.

For the most part, I'm really enjoying my classes. I like and get along with all of my teachers, which has never happened before.

This is my daily schedule (because you're interested):

Pre-School
6:30- Wake up, eat breakfast
7:00- Swim laps, take shower, get dressed, etc
8:45- Go to school
School
1st Period- Reading Books for Pleasure (Seriously, it's a class)
2nd Period- Economics Honors (Matthews is one of the best teachers I've ever had, awesome class)
3rd Period- Creative Writing (My favorite class of the day)
Lunch
4th Period- AP Literature (Challenging and interesting)
5th Period- Tennis (I love having a workout break in the middle of the day)
6th Period- Marine Science (I played with a shrimp today)
7th Period- Algebra II (Funny teacher, frustrating class)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have night school from 5-7, but I should only be in there for a few weeks. I've got a pretty heavy work load this year, but I enjoy most of the work. I think I've learned more in two weeks than I did for my first three years of high school.

I'm going to try to update this blog at least once a week. We'll see how that goes.

The following is an essay on Christianity I wrote for Creative Writing.

Daniel Pinney

Mr Jordan

Creative Writing, pd 3

8/25/08

I believe in living by my faith. Throughout the history of Christianity, we haven’t exactly done the best job of representing ourselves. My goal is to change the way people perceive the Christian faith. I believe I can do this, if only by a small degree.

I believe in a specific type of Christianity, and that type is best defined by explaining what it is not. I do not believe in a Christianity populated by people whose hands have spent countless hours preparing food for their friends and families, but have never handed a plate to the homeless. I don’t believe in a Christianity that expresses hate in any way. And most importantly, I don’t believe in a Christianity that mingles with, or tries to control politics.

My Christianity is different. “Do as you would be done to” is the core of my faith. This has led me to the best experiences of my life. The happiest I have ever been was in a third-world jungle country, in mud huts with native villagers. I’ve walked through the ghettoes of Atlanta giving away clothes to overjoyed children. I believe my faith has led me to make a difference in the lives of others.

I believe in a Christianity of outreach. I believe that pure and true Christianity would be a society of believers, working together to better the world around them. A society that feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, takes care of the sick, visits the incarcerated, and comforts the grieving. That is what I want to see. That is what I want to have a hand in creating. My goal is perfection; my goal is unattainable. Therefore, by continually striving for it, I never stop rising to new levels.

I believe I’ll be rising for the rest of my life.

It's that time again

Last night, at four in the morning, I was in bed watching soccer. I don't particularly like soccer, as a sport. I hate watching soccer, as I do most sports. So why did I spend three hours on the edge of my bed staring at these human stallions sprint up and down a field? It wasn't very exciting. There wasn't even a goal scored until the 48th minute. So why did I stand up, pump my arm, and scream "Yes!" when that goal was scored?

Because it's the freaking Olympics.

I'm not a big fan of most sports, and I can often be found making fun of people who spend their time watching other people play them on television. But every four years, I become obsessed. I watch every Olympic event I can. Last night was my first this year. I've often wondered why the Olympics steals my heart, courts me furiously for a couple of weeks, then leaves me standing out in the rain as it hails a cab, saying "I'll be back, baby. I promise. I love you so much, stop crying. Please stop crying, you're embarrassing me."

And I think I know the answer. Somewhere in my soul, deep deep down, we're all the same. Americans, that is. At a base level we all share one desire.

We want to see America stomp every other country on God's green Earth in the face.

Seriously. The Olympics is the only time I get even a little patriotic. But it's extreme.



By the way, we made it look like we were playing a team of retarded gorillas last night. I'm pretty sure I saw three of our players lay down a blanket and have a picnic at the beginning of the second half. I'm sure the Japanese are all in their underground techno-bunkers designing some transformer soccer playing erector-set robot players for the next Olympics. They'll never regain enough courage to face us themselves again.