Next Monday, I take my licensing test. In relation to other kids, a little late (I'm 19 and a half), but it doesn't bother me. I didn't, unlike other people, have a family member to teach me how to drive (my mom doesn't drive - never felt comfortable driving a card, and my dad died when I was six months old). Also, in high school, my grade held much more importance than driving. And, the tumor last year pushed it back a little further. I've been lucky to have a deputy sherrif that my mom happens to know 'tutor' me the last few weeks. I knew how to 'drive' before then, but I needed a little more practice after the tumor. Last week, I had plenty of practice in parallel parking - not near as bad as I thought it'd be (although, the first time I tried, I hit a trashcan or two).

I'm a little nervous, but I think I'll do fine (as does my mom). I'll let everyone know how I do, and then I'll be able to complete a trade I have with Bob and KHarmon.

On a related note, you are probably wondering why my mom didn't feel all that comfortable driving a car. The answer - she doesn't trust all the other drivers on the road. And, I can't blame her. Alot of the people in the world pay no attention to traffic lights, signs, etc - alot of children have been killed recently in our county. During high school, three teens were killed. One of them I escorted at fall homecoming my senior year. She was also our AP English teacher's daughter. I still remember the day she was killed - I took the ACT that day (and so did she - she was on her way home from taking it). It was really hard on her father - he missed around three to four + weeks of school - which is entirely understandable. Eh.....another one of ff's long blog rants. Ok.......God bless to all.

On the 20th, I begin my first year of college. Through years of hard work and plenty of studying, I was lucky enough to gain a large scholarship from my college (going to Western Kentucky U.) It's near a full scholarship - tuition and normal rooming are paid, as well as about $250 per semester in books. I'm thankful to God that I was fortunate enough to gain this - if it wasn't for it, I wouldn't be able to attend.

Through my doctor, I was able to get a private room based off of the past medical condition. For this, I have to pay $150 extra in rooming per semester. Also, a meal plan (10 meals per week - that'll do for me because I'll try to come home on the weekends) runs around $1000 per semester. Thanks to God, I've also got $1250 per semester through a state scholarship that all KY students are eligible for. I'm barely sliding by the first semester cost free, as I also received a $200 and $250 one-time scholarship. For the other semesters, I'll be cutting it close. At the moment, I'm doing another $600 scholarship essay, to try to help out a little.

Now, to my point for the whole story: It costs ALOT to go to college. I don't see how the students who receive no help at all can make it. I worked as hard as I could during my academic career, and ended at a 4.0 GPA, and a 30 on the ACT. But....I'll still have a hard time (I know that the expenses I might have to pay aren't high, but neither I or my mom have a lot of money). Therefore......I just can not understand how these other students do it. I feel sorry for the future students who plan on going to college, as college expenses are going to get higher and higher.

So to all children on TCC in middle or high school - do one thing: study, study, and study!! Do all that's possible to lower the cost. I know, you think it's too early to worry about college, but it isnt. If you establish good habits now - it'll be easier to attain a good grade in high school - and that will help when the time rolls around for scholarships. Apply for all possible scholarships, even if you don't think they'll be needed. I didn't think I'd need more....but I might.

Ok....another long blog. God bless.

I've been a baseball card collector almost all my life. When I was about five, each weekend I and my mom began a routine of going to my aunt's house. We'd stay there all weekend, and come back on Sunday to get ready for school the next week. During 1994, they'd get me packs of Fleer Ultra baseball, which we found at a little store nearby. I fell in love with the 'Hitting Machines' insert - some thing about the design had me hooked. Whenever I opened a pack, I'd feel a tinge of disappointment if I didn't pull one.

After this, I think I was hooked on the hobby in general. For the next....5-10 years, either my mom or aunt would buy be a few packs a week. Of course, they were all retail - I went to a hobby shop once, but the prices were just too high. Through this weekly process, I, over the years, accumulated a collection of star baseball players. Of course, they were base and inserts - I'd never heard of a game-used or autographed baseball card. Now, that collection has became a quite large one. I've almost been a non-stop collector (I've had a year or two break here and there), and a large part of my collection consists of MLB star base and inserts. I've got anywhere from 10-1090 cards each of the big players - I have the most of Ripken, at.....104, I think. Around 60-70 of Ken Griff. a similar total for Bonds, Sosa, and so forth.

Another large part of the collection has been made of promotional sets, like Post, Tombstone, Yoohoo, National Pastime, etc. Out of either 94 or 95 Post, my mom mailed off for 4 certified autographs of Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Bob Gibson...and....eh, I can't remember the third player.

Recently, I got caught in the frenzy of game-used - I think my first pull was out of a retail box of 99 Ovation - a Greg Maddux jersey. Another notable retail pull was a 2002 (or 03) Fleer Insider Tools of the Game game-used of Sosa (my favorite player at the time).

I continued collecting hobby-wise last summer (and that's the last I will for a while). I bought a bit too much, lol. Around 10-12 + boxes total.....when I would've been better off to stick to Fleer Authentix and UD Reflections. I did GREAT out of those. Out of the Fleer: A dual Manny/Torri Hunter patch /10, a David Wright game used jersey /10, two Roger Clemens jersey (one /75), and, to me, one of the coolest cards I've pulled - a Sosa jersey with the Majestic logo. It's not a patch - just a normal jersey, other than the logo.
Out of reflections, I pulled a David Wright/Reyes auto /99 - one of the best in the collection.

Ah.....the blog is now a little too long. God bless.

Phew.....here in Kentucky (as it is almost everywhere else) it is hot, hot, and....hot. Last temp and index reading - 95/103. Been under a heat advisory all day (and until 8 PM Central) and probably will be tom. and Thursday. I'm inside most of the time, except for taking the dog out, but even being out for a short period of time is tough.

I'm preparing for college on August 20th - I'm going a little early for a little program for entering Freshman named 'MasterPlan' - helps the entering Freshman get acquainted to the college atmosphere. As alot of you know, I'm entering college a little late. I was due to begin in the fall of '05, but a brain tumor found in May of 05 delayed me. It was taken June 15, 2005 at Vanderbilt - thank God it was benign. It was faith and trust in God that pulled both me and my mom through.

I'm excited about college, and nervous at the same time. I haven't had alot of contact in over a year with the people in my graduating class, and also since I've been in a classroom. But, I'll make it - I know that God has some thing planned for me - otherwise, he wouldn't have pulled me through the tumor.

While at home, I became interested once again in collecting, and I have started to focus on David Wright and Sammy Sosa. I have to admit that the collection is rather small, but it's there. 11 David, and 64 Sosa (70 after two trades). I know the DWright will be hard to boost, but I'm not really all that concerned about how large it becomes. I've got a nice jersey, a nice patch, and an autograph (two, including a TTM). Just looking for a bat card, and a little more inserts and base.

Eh, it's a bit long, and I don't have alot of experience in blogging, but.....I think I got the important talk out.