the 13th week

the ampitheater at North Park

Monday. After school I did a cardiovascular workout on the treadmill, and then I wrote ten pages on a possible story: Starseed: Resurrection. 

Tuesday. After school Lee & I went shopping, and I got a white shirt and some felt-tip and colorful sharpie markers. Back home Chris & Pat D. joined us, and I crafted a homemade dinosaur t-shirt. I dropped Chris & Pat off at their house (after Chris stuck my umbrella out the Jeep window and broke it); down the street Don, Angie, and Bryon were over at Shane's house. We joined up with them and went to Lee's Small Group. It was fun, the lesson was on the Beatitudes. The night culminated with Lee and I running around the Southard's house roaring like velociraptors. Darrell was upset, the neighbor was yelling at us. The neighbor got on his phone and Bowden shouted, "He's calling the cops!" I snapped at Amanda, Ashlie, and Lee, "Disaster strikes! We're leaving!" We ran out to the Jeep and jumped in. I gave a last raptor shriek out the window and we roared out of there. 

Wednesday. I was going to wear my dinosaur t-shirt to school but decided against it. Kristin and Ashlie were disappointed. Ashlie wasn't feeling well throughout her day. It was warm and rainy all afternoon, and then the rains passed. Chris came over (Lee was working), and we offered to pick up Pat D. and bring him over, but he growled, "Your place is too boring." So Chris and I went for a walk, and we were messing around with a doberman behind a chain-link fence, and the owner came out and yelled at us. We dropped off some library books and got non-alcoholic grape juice from the Drug-Mart across from his house. 

Thursday. My pregnant goldfish died today. Right after the fish tank started making weird noises. Coincidence? Lee came over after school. We went to the bank and I cashed the money I got back from taxes: $70, woo-hoo! But Mom took all but ten of it for debts. Lee & I went to Kroger's and did some grocery shopping, and I got two kick-ass dinosaur posters. Pat D. came over, and we crawled up Farmer's Hill, got all scratched up, meandered through the cornfield, hiked over to North Park and explored the new ampitheater, and we went to the frog pond. Debbie, Chris & Lee's mom, was running the trails. We hiked through the woods and found a dismantled fort, God only knows how long it'd been there. When we got back to the house Chris was waiting in the living room. We shot some pool and goofed off outside, and we played some music with the Jeep's back hood open and music blaring. Chris & I were the "raptors" team, and Amanda and Lee were the "parasaurs". Debbie picked up the guys, and Dad and I played some pool together. Dewenter has a cool blog, but he cusses in it: no! 

Friday. Another one of my fish died last night. I really think something's wrong with the fish tank. I'm reading The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in study hall. It's amazing. There was an accident out by the farmer's market, made me late for work. Ricky and I had a blast at work, reading Globe magazines, throwing erasers in the fans, throwing stuff at one another. Some guys tried to start a fight our new bagger, Ryan; Trey and Linda chased them out. Back home I lost in a game of pool to Mom. Aunt Teri & Grandma M. came over. I burned incense and went to bed. Amanda's in Gatlinburg for the weekend with her friend Aly.

Saturday. Aunt Teri notices that I've been losing weight. It's good to see improvements. Work was slow, it has been ever since construction started next door. I took the Jeep to Wal-Mart to get an oil chance, and after picking up Mom, Aunt Teri and Grandma, we went out to eat at Fuddrucker's. I got loads of cash from them for my birthday, and Dad gave me some money he owed me from something, and I refueled the Jeep and dropped them off at home and picked up Lee, and we went to Family Christian. I finally got the dino-skin Message Bible I've been eyeing, as well as a cool necklace. We went to 1/2 Price Books with Chris & Pat, and I bought the Scientific American book on dinosaurs. Amazing stuff. Chris & Pat went to a concert with Hank, and Lee went to work. Dad went to setup, and Mom, Aunt Teri, Grandma & I went to Drug Mart. I got sunflower and pumpkin seeds, a graph notebook, some pencils, and Mom bought me sparkling grape juice (though all the adults got liquor). We ate dinner at Subbie's. Dad & I played basketball when he got back. Lee came over after work, and Chris, Pat and Hank swung by, ringing the doorbell and hitting windows, and scared Grandma half to death! Dad is mad. Lee and I passed out.

Sunday. I wore my dinosaur t-shirt to church, per Lee's begging. Some people were weird about it. Some of the students even mocked me for it. One girl said, "My brother used to be into dinosaurs, when he was five years old." And everyone laughed. I hate it. Chris & I went to K-Mart after church, drove out to Salvation Army (but they were closed), and we went to Best Buy and I got the Bf1942 expansion set. Dewenter loves it. Grandma & Aunt Teri left, and the guys and I played D-I-N-O basketball (kinda like the game "Horse"). Lee & I sat out on the front porch in the sunshine, and I told him I don't really like dinosaurs anymore, that I hate them and never want to get back into them. "Good luck with that," he said, looking at my homemade dinosaur t-shirt. Dad joined us for some basketball. Amanda came home from Gatlinburg and Chris broke my glasses. He really does break a lot, doesn't he? We all hung out until 10:00. Pat D. is on spring break. I wish ours were already here.