4A Football State

I went down this weekend to see my alma mater, the Concord Minutemen, take on Cahthedral Irish in the Class 4A IHSAA State Football Championship game in the RCA Dome!!! Our boys played hard and did everything they could...but they couldn't stop the 270 avg Irish Defensive line and their QB, HB combo. It was heartbreaking to see these guys work so hard all year to fall in their last game of the season. 14-1 is still no record to laugh at...especially when you are ranked #1 going into this game. I am proud of my boys, and Proud to be a MINUTEMAN!!!

Got home about 11pm and got to see the second half of the ND vs. USC game...a hard fought battle that ended as it has the last 5 years...in a Trojan Victory.

Then at 11 I got to see my Boilers take on the #25 Warriors of Hawai'i. It looked hopeless going into the half 0-17 Warriors, but Painter came out of the Locker Room on FIRE!!! 4 Straight possesions...4 straight touchdowns!!! Scoring continued that Purdue was tied with about 2 minutes to go...Painter was trying to get the ball down the field to at least tie the game...but an interception around the Hawai'i 30 gave them great field position, and another TD 35-42 in the end...but a great effort by my Boilers against a ranked team on their home turf.

Y.a.n.f.f.t.k.o.G.

You are not far from the kingdom of God!!! That was an amazing retreat!!! I feel so refreshed and ready to take on the world. This weekend did so much for me I am so glad that it was there and the timing was amazing...right when I needed a pick me up!!! This weekend showed me what a truely amazing gift my friends are, and the ways Christ is using them to challenge me. I also was reintroduced to one of Christ's most precious gifts...the laying on of hands, being prayed over, and praying over. I finally realized that Christ has been using my friends this entire time...I just hadn't been looking, or paying attention. Christ has been using every form of person too. That guy who is strong in his faith and is like a brother to me...another guy who is working through the RCIA towards being Catholic, I see Christ in him as he counts down the days till he can sit at the table with all his friends...and through a friends roomate, who although not Catholic challenged my faith this weekend, and reminded me of my struggle with faith earlier in life that gave me a better appreciation for other religions. I know that faith can be a hard thing to find...but to know God...NO MATTER THE FORM OF RELIGION!!! is to know peace in life. Thank you Lord for what you have given me this weekend...and prepare me for the weeks to come.

YEAH!!!

So either God reads my Xanga...or this has turned into more of a prayerbook. Practice today was amazing...I have like 5-6 blisters on my hands...I can't feel my right butt cheek...my legs are numb, and my arms are on their way to numbness. I am going to feel it in the morning...and it is going to hurt more than Switchbacks!!! Why so excited you ask...I will tell you...(that was the whole point of the big lead-up right). Because of an exam that like half of the Novice team was taking tonight...they needed someone who could stay alittle longer. I said I don't have an exam tonight. THEY PUT ME IN WITH THE VARSITY CREW!!! It was amazing!!! I think it really helped with my stroke...and with my timing. Usually we are stroking at 20 strokes per minute...24 spm at race pace. These guys were going 30-33 spm...and the boat was set...not tipping from side-to-side like we do in the Novice Boats...It really helped my fear of flipping and drowning in a boat...I got to practice hard and strong without having to worry about the boat and the water. It made life alot easier today. A much needed...God sent...break from reality, and a recovery from being last at the Head of the Eagle.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Life sucks!!! I want out so bad right now. I know i should appreciate what i have but...it is so frustrating...it seems like nothing ever goes my way....Here goes EMO...-

I suck at crew...can't keep the boat straight...can't find a girl, don't know if I want a girl right now...really want a girl...don't know if I am over Rita...Kinda wanna move on to this new girl...classes have so much reading...feel lonely only i have tons of friends...ALCOHOL FUCKING SUCKS!!! why do so many people feel that that is life down here...I don't want to drink but why do so many people around me do it...HELLO, IF YOU ARE UNDER 21 THAT IS ILLEGAL!!! I need out...I want a campus that doesn't have so much alcohol...I love Purdue, I have so many friends here, but it seems like THURS, FRI, and SAT night i don't...why...those are drinking nights...I get left out cause i am the "goodie-goodie". HELP ME!!! I don't wanna leave, I would miss it too much...and all the campuses that don't have alcohol...they are way too small.

Why can't I get life right...I can't get faith right...I keep screwing up...I know God doesn't hate me...but it feels like i am holding up one of those ACME 100 TONS weights...My friends have been there for me...the ones I have let in anyway...But I can't fight it...It keeps coming back...I want out...I need a week to just forget about life and do my own thing...just relax, and do nothing. Just to go out and think, spend some time with friends...and just clear my head from all the shit that is slousching around up there. Sorry about the cussing...I know that isn't like me...but i am that frustrated right now that I need  it to get it all out. I feel alittle better but...tomorrow is a new day that brings new pressures, and I...grrr.

Head of the Eagle in INDY

So I had my first race this weekend...Head of the Eagle in Indy. I am officially a Boilermaker!!! My boat didn't do all that hot, We had a really crappy coxswain, who i am convinced doesn't really understand his job. Coach also put me in stroke seat, which means i am the guy that everyone else goes off of so that all of our oars go in at the same time. I suck at timing!!! Also, about half the guys in my boat I had never rowed with before, so it was very difficult to keep the boat set, and not swaying from starboard to port and back. Other than that, it was good. The best part was when we went under the bridge. It was the most amazing feeling to be sitting in the boat and rowing...first of all under the bridge...but also when we came out the other side...to look up and have people up there cheering for us. I am truely a competing Boilermaker...my friends know how much this means to me...to be able to express my team spirit out on the field of competition...in this case the open water.

On a seperate note...we got back earlier today than i thought we would. And I spent most of the day here in my room...thinking about girls. I want one so bad, just to hold tight. But I don't know...something is telling me no NO!!! My mind is conflicting...I just want it to stop. My roomate gave me this book to read..."How to Hook Your Holy Hunk, Or Trap Your Righteous Fox". I promised myself that I wouldn't get into any kind of relationship untill i finished the book...needless to say...I have worked at the book alot lately. But something still doesn't feel right...like i am going after the same type of girl as before...then again, how do you find a girl who doesn't drink...on a college campus? Let alone...I really need a Catholic girl right now...not that the other religions aren't just as good...I just personally need one who is Catholic. It is hard to find this...and I begin to wonder if i should let up on the drinking part a little...as long as the girl understands that I won't drink. But, that got me into trouble before, and I don't know if I am willing to give into that again.

Any advice anyone may have for me is much appreciated...I pride myself on my friends...and lean on you guys when I am down. Or if you know where I can get a really big teddy bear...that may help too. ::Rachel...do they have a "Build-a-Giant-Bear":: God Bless.

Currently Listening Safe from the Losing Fight By Kids in the Way The end see related