It has been really raining lately and its getting old. That 70 degree weather a few weeks ago really ruined things. I think it switched everyone from "Winter" to "Spring" mode. We were all ready to be wearing shorts and not being bundled up in coats and stuff. Guess not, it's cold, windy, and wet. Pretty soon though it will be nice, and summer won't be long away!

Found this old school project in my desk and thought it was funny. We had to make a magazine about a certain topic. I chose space, and created this gem:

http://www.zolknetwork.com/misc/thomas/space/cover.html

My favorite part is the editorial. I just asked a bunch of redundant rhetorical questions. I also didn't do my research because in 1998 there were plenty of other plants discovered. No internet back then though, so how is one supposed to be current? This was 5th grade, and supposed to be a "fun project" to cap the year.

Also, notice the random book review. I think that was a requirement, and I just put this book in even though it has nothing at all to do with space. Featured on the cover too!

Had "MoeMoe" over for Easter dinner. It was all good and well, we had a good time and the food was good:

My mom made me create menus so my grandma would feel like so was going to a fancy restaurant. She won't remember it, but it was a nice gesture I guess.

Had a pretty good time on the sailboating trip. We were moving my dad's friends sailboat from Seattle to Olympia, where he's going to keep it from now on. So, we headed up about noon on Thursday and met in Olympia. We left my car and all took his up to Seattle, where we prepared the boat to go out the next day. We ate dinner out and went to bed at like ten (slept on the boat). It took me a while to get to sleep because:

1) Had been awake for only 10 hours
2) My dad and I were in a "sleeps two" compartment of the boat that was kind of tight.

The next day we got up at 7 and started to head out. We went about 10 feet before the engine stopped and we couldn't get it to restart. Anywho, we spent the next two hours fixing it, finally the guy whacked something in the engine with a big hammer and it seemed to fix whatever was the problem. We were out in the Sound by quarter after nine.

Little did I know before going, the journey was about 60 nautical miles (each of which are 1.15 normal miles) in a sailboat that motored at around 6 knots (nm per her). Do the math. Ten hours. It was fun for a while, got a little boring, but then, hey, we ate lunch! That occupied me for a while until I decided to take a nap (see dark green line). The rest of the day was just spent headed towards Olypmia, seeing the wonderful city of Tacoma from the water.

We got in about 6:00 at night and decided to eat at a nice little Italian place. The food was really good so we were all happy. We then took my car back up to Seattle (one hour) to get the other's guys car so he could go home. Anyways, that little jaunt added about 2.5 hours to the trip back, which totaled in at 5.5 hours. Good thing was I drove me car, so I got to drive while my dad sat. That makes a longer trip a lot more bearable. Oh, and in Washington top speed limit is 70mph, but everyone goes 10 over like normal, so let's just say we made good time.

Back here in Tualatin now, been home about an hour. I still feel like I'm rocking back and forth on a boat, tis annoying. Oh well, it was better than sitting inside because of the rain here I guess. The weather was sunny in the morning up in Seattle, but got overcast and drizzly in the afternoon.





Click for larger version.

Going sailboating on the Puget Sound with my dad and one of his co-workers. Oh boy, yay! Be back tomorrow night.

Since Mike just has to make us all warm and fuzzy and jealous of his dog, I'll post pictures of my cute widdle cuddly mice.



Creamsicle, looking fat and jolly. Actually, she was all huddled up in "protect" mode because she was scared shitless of the camera/possible predators.



Butterscotch (aka "Hyper" in her youth) was strutting her stuff for the camera. Unlike her shy counterpart, Butterscotch didn't feel uncomfortable out of the cozy confines of their cage.



"I'm just a cute little duberhead, that's all."


So yes, they are cute.

March Madness is finally here! In fact, today in English, we kept relating the book to basketball so much (all the guys mostly) the teacher broke down and let us watch it for the final 20 minutes. We were supposed to watch a movie on a book, but eh, screw that. No real upsets yet, which is fucking up my bracket. Go Pac-10/Gonzaga!

Oh, and I got a haircut!!!

Well, not much new to report. Oregon State basketball made the NIT and will play Wednesday in the first round, so that was cool. Blazers actually won a game... wow. What else? Oh, played golf on Thursday and shot a 115 (par 72). That's an actual score, no cheating, so that isn't too bad. It's only 6.4 shots per hole, with an average par of 4. A guy who went with us shot a 180, so I didn't feel too bad. Stephen had an off day, shooting 98, and I actually beat him on 4 holes.

Got a few warts on my hand frozen off yesterday. It hurts... then they blister up and you can't do anything really. It's fun. So, I've just been watching Championship Week basketball and reading my book for English. Only three more months to go.

Hmmm, I'm with Mike, my hair is getting a little shaggy.

7-6(8-6)

Tennis score, in case you're wondering. It was such a nice day today, its 67 outside right now, that after work Sidney Paul called up and we decided to play tennis. We just got to play that one long set before the sun went down, but it was fun.

Our girls basketball team got to the Chiles Center, where the final eight teams left would battle it out for the state championship.

Their first game was Thursday against SOC Champion North Medford. They were without their point gaurd, who got hurt in their last game so we coasted to a 71-56 win (actually was tied at the half).

The Chiles Center is the homecourt for the University of Portland Pilots, and it holds 5,000. For their first win, about 3,500 people were in attendence, which was pretty good for an opening round game. Tualatin had a lot of students there, not quite as much as Lakeridge or Southridge, but still pretty good for our poor school spirit.

Next up we got the #1 team in the state, 27-0 Southridge. They had recently cracked into the top 25 of a national poll and we steamrolling everyone by about 20 points. I went into the game fully expecting us to be their next victim, but we stayed with them the whole game, only losing by one. It was really fun. Both student sections were packed to the gill (great turnout by Tualatin fans) and it was really loud. We played great but when you're about four inches shorter in every position, it's hard to overcome.

The layout of the Chiles Center has endzone seating behind both baskets, elevated about ten feet above the hoop. Each school was designated one as their student section, and the other, obviously, went to the other school. It was really fun because the other students were far away which encouraged you to yell really loud back and forth. Also, the you could banter back and forth without fear of a fight breaking out, like most games.

Anyways, it was a really fun time. Tualatin got the shaft and had to play the #2 team in the consolation game (they were upset by another team earlier). Anyways, they were pissed, we were drained from our Southridge game just half a day ago and we lost. I didn't go to the game, was sleeping, but we ended up in fifth place.

Next year, just about everyone returns for us, so we should field a really good team yet again. I'm thinking another run at the title is in line... and if they make it back to the Chiles Center, I'll be back. Not in the student section of course, because that would be sad.