Halloween

Austin, October 31st

Sunday again. Why am I always so tired on sundays? But I had such a great day, beeing a bit tired in the morning is okay.

Gary made a incredible good breakfast. It's called Jewinsh Breatfast. Something with lox and bagels. Just delicious.

At about 11 Loran and I went downtown in a gym. Loran said, probably as a joke, that I wouldn't be able to let my phone at home. Like Homer said: No one says that I can something not do without making my doing something stupid. You have pretty sure already figured out, that I don't talk about the greek Homer, but about Homer Simpson. Whatever, I let my phone at home, an I didn't go crazy. 

After that we went to Church's chicken. I think it's not as good as Popeye's, but it was still good.

Back at home I needed my phone... It's already halloween, and I had no clue if I go with Miranda to erika, with or without Maranda to Lauren, or with whoever to Connor.

Finally I went with Miranda to Lauren's. We ate chili and watched a horror movie. I didn't get the story. The sound was to quiet. Miranda dressed up as a hippie and Lauren was a bunny. They two were so adorable!

Then went trick or treat, together with Laurens little sister and a friend of her. They two were dressed as witches. It was fun. I guess the two little girls like my. Or they liked my sword, there I'm not sure. And many people liked my costume.

I have tons of candies. I think thats enough for the rest of the year.

Because tomorrow is school, no vacations unlike in Germany, we left Lauren short after 10. I enjoyed the time alone with Miranda on the ride home. And I'm veeery positive, that she enjoyed the ride home, too!

A pirate's life for me...

Austin, October 30th

One day before halloween. It's time to buy a costume. I spend much more money than I wanted, but it looks really cool. I'm gonna be a pirate! Drink up me hearties yohoo!

Actually I was looking for a demon or a gangster outfit. But I couldn't find something that fit and that I liked. But Gary found a lot pirate stuff. A shirt, a vest, a sword, fake hair at a bandana and some more stuff.

I still don't know if I go trick or treat with Miranda or to a halloween party at Connor's. If possible both.

Later today, Loran, Gary and i went to the boat. We tidied up and cleaned a bit.

And after dinner Loran and I went to the gym. I did exercises for my abs. So boring. And squads. I was already a bit tired, so I could do just up to 180 pounds. More than my own weight, but I know from friends that they are able to do squads with over 400 pounds. So I want at least get twice my weight until June. But for that I have to do that very often. 

I wanna fly so high!

Austin, October 29th

What is a perferct end for that day? I don't know, but listening to music looks like a satisfying end. I don't know why, but somehow I had the words 'I wanna fly so high' in my mind. What song is that? Over the rainbow? Or is that a title? Yes, it is really a title. Now when I'm listening to it, I remember that I used to love this song. Or I loved a song that sounds similar. Uuuhuuuuu, I wanna touch the sky, I wanna fly so high...
I absolutely believe the life is fair. At least to me.
Like, the exchange organisation where i applied last year for a High School year (*cough* EF *hust*), but I had a great class in my new school and a great life this year in Texas.
Or a second example: I had a cold short summer in Germany, but a long hot fall in America. Maybe not the best example, but I just remembered, that I never had 100 degrees in the fall in Germany. Maybe here not either, but this week was a day, wednesday I think, when it was so hot, it felt like much over 100 degrees.
Whatever, what I want to say is: My day didn't start perfect, but it got better and better from hour to hour.
I slept to lang. Actually I didn't relly sleep, but I didn't stand up until 7:40-ish. So I took a shower, got dressed and run to the bus. I was to late. No, the bus was to early, I was sure that there was a driver substitute again. And really, there was one.She drove a bit a wrong route, but at least I had a seat for me alone. I had a little bag of chip for breakfast.
In spanish I got a A grade for my homework. Not a really surprise, it's not that hard to get good grades in US high schools.
When I left the building I was shocked. TOO COLD! The sun is still warm, but why is there such a cold wind? I run to the locker room for two reasons. At first, because we have to run, but the second, and today more important reason, was the temperature. I looked forward to the weight room. At least there it is warm. But when I changed clothes, the coach said the JV teams go on the field for condition training. NOO, in shorts and shirt in the cold. Not funny!
But the exercised were funny. Not when you have to do that, but when you can watch. Some coaches laughed. Sometimes we had to run 60 yard and jump high at every step, soetimes wide. Then we had tu run between 20 and 40 yard line backwards. Or roll over the shoulder. Or first roll forth, than back. Soon we didn't freeze anymore. But I was still happy to go into the building.
Later in study hall, my position coach saw me doing Spanish homework and asked, what languages I speak. So we talked a bit about languages and the German school system.
In multimedia wehave to color a picture. We need three layers, thats the only request. Good, that is something relly fun. Melanie, the girl next to me, had some really funny pictures.
And before theater class I saw Miranda. YAY! But like always, much to short. When I was with some boy from the class in the hallway to reahears a little play, I saw her again! Again just a very, very short time.
Theater class was funny. We have a paper, with a scene on it. Just one or two sentences. Like: You are waiting for the bus. One of you is late, one is crazy, one is ...etc..blabla...
I was a German soldier in the US Army. The only thing I really had to do, was screaming "I'm in the wrong army!" in German. Once I was a druggy, waiing for the bus. "Have you seen Lucy??" "Lucy in the sky?!" I wonder if Michael expected that respond, or if he just randomly said a name.
Caro showed my their class pets after school. A scorpion and a birdspider. The scorpion was kind of sweet. But I wasn't sure if I really should take this spider in my hand. It was a mistake, it tried to build a web on my hand!
I reached my bus just a minute before it left. Perfect timing! But the substitue forgot to stop at my house. Just because i took the bus home, the first time this week, it's not a reason to skip my stop. Every sub before stopped, why didn't she? Whatever, I just had to walk some minutes more, no problem.

In the evening I went with Gary to the car wash, to wash Lorans Mercedes. Sometimes between 7 and 8 came Miranda. Stupid band made her practice. It's no game today, they really could have a day off.

But better late than never. We had so much fun. We stayed most of the time in my room. Kissing, talking laughing. Rest is private.

Go Plagge!

Austin, October 28th

You remeber that Katie isn't my friend anymore? Well, now she is again, I guess. When she came into English class, she ran to me, hugged me and said, she thought of me tha day before. Oh, uhm, wow...

She said, she ate those skittles with the 'crazy core' and had to think of you. Well, that was not exactly what I expected. But okay, why not?

I fist wasn't sure why skittles, and why she mentioned the crazy cores. Then I remembered that I had some days ago Skittles 'with crazy core' (what just means that they have different cores inside than the normal ones). I offered her some and she told me, those were her favorite. 

After school we had to run to the gym. Coach Rushing wanted to leave at 4. That means we had 15 minutes to go to the locker room, change clothes, hurry to the bus and hope to get a place for the shoulder pads. Steffen and I were to late for the pads. So we had to take them with us in the bus. Our tonights opponent is a school somewhere in the Austin Independent School District. We played in the Burger Stadium. Silly name. It's a varsity stadium. I was so impressed when I was the first timein it. But not long. The field was good. The yard marks were great. But that was everything good. It is not really a good-looking stadium. And the Timer and countaer and all that stuff needs to be repaired...

But we had a great game. We were JV black and red mixed. James Plagge was awesome. 3 touchdowns. The last one very short before it ended. He was player of the game, for sure. Without him we had probably lost. 

But I think the moment that impressed me most was about the last 5 minutes of the 4rth quarter. We were at the 30 yard line and the stupid refs said we didn't made the 10 yards. OF COURSE WE DID! They put the ball some yard back. The other team got the ball. The whole defense was so angry, you could feel it! And when we quarterback had the ball, the whole team run to him, not to tackle him down, no, they oushed him some yards back. he couldn't do anything, every man of the defense pushed. After their fourth down they had maybe 5 yards. With a punt! But it was till hard to make the last touchdown. The score was 14:14 at this time.So close before the end, the next point had probably decided the game. And just seconds before the end, it was decided for us. They played good. but not good enough for the Rangers!

Tutorials

Austin, October 27th

I had to be in school earlier today. The teachers had to sign the gradesheet for football until today, not until tomorrow, like usually. So I had to find some teachers. And we have to go to two tutorials. I was in History tutrial. Not that I needed it, I need in no class extra help, but if the coach want a note that I was in tuts, he should have one. I was just about 10 minutes there.

In school happened nothing special.

In theater class, we had to say something nice to at least one person. The teacher started with some compliments. One was for me. But I had no idae what she said. So I just responded with: What?

Everyone laughed, and she said, she expected me to say that, but it was something nice. Okay, alright.

One told me, that he likes the kind of plays i always take part in. Usually something about sex or drugs/alcohol. A girl said she loves my hair. The other two or three compliments I forgot. i was busy to think about something to say to others. One girl looks really happy when she acts, i really like that. Another girl makes great pantomime, one boy acts always cool and relaxed. And some other compliments.

Football practice was great, but it was soo hot.

Suddenly someone put ice cold water on my back. Great, thanks, I was first angry, I thought it was one of the boys. But no, it was a watergirl, she wanted to do me a favor. Actually, it felt no that bad, it was just the shock. When she warned me before she do that, it feels really good.

At the last prcatice play, I made a huge mistake. I dropped the ball at a scissor route. Just like in a game weeks ago. Oh no, how could I? I trained that so hard. I usually always catch that now! At least I could block the corner backs for the running back, a play earlier.

School, Gym and the Cats

Austin, October 26th

In school I wrote two tests today. They were easy. And because of this tests we have not homework in this classes. And in English we celebrated the end of the second 6-week period. Funny, I'm the tenth week in school, and it's the last week of the second 6-week period.

We played a game. A electronic box gives one person one to three words and we have to explain them. And our group -we were splitted in two groups- has to guess the words. My group lost. Maybe I shouldn't have said that I prefer being in Saige's group than in Katies. Katie wrote the points down, so she didn't play, that's why I said I like Saige's group more. At least she is in one. And again I'm not friend with Katie anymore. We will see how long it takes until we are friend again. I thnk the last time about 3 or 4 classes. Maybe less.

After school I went to the barber shop. I have now short hair again. Yay, I wrote hair, not hairs. Miranda can be proud of me. But I still don't underdtand, why English speaking people have just one hair. I have lots of hair, so shouldn't it be 'hairs'?

That's a good time to ask: Why do you go 'back and forth'? Shouldn't you go first forth, and then come back? Where is back, when you don't even have started with going 'forth'?

There are some other weird phrases, too. But I don't know exactly what they are. I think something with 'one or the other' was one.

And after the barber we went to a restaurant for hawaiian pizza. And then we went to the gym. I haven't been in the gym for such a long time. It was a great workout. I have to take time, for going more often.

Now I'm sitting here. Writing my blog and listening to the music. But just about one minute ago, I heard the cats doing strange noises. Trouble just tried to rape Ms Behavin! What a crazy cat. Don't he know that Ms Behavin has a crush on my?

Cinema

Austin, October 25th

This week is off week. That means we have no game this week. Normally. But maybe you remember that some stupid school skipped the JV game some weeks ago and so one of our coaches could organize a game for this week. YAY! 

But still, today was no football practice after school. And in class we were the whole time in the weight room. The coach has some new cruel exercises... Burpees with jumping on a chair-like thing. If it's the first exercise, it's okay. But not when you do hundreds of liftings before that!

I kind of enjoy the time in that room. You really feel like you have done something.

I came home early. I did homework and in the late evening (about 8 or 9) Steffen and his hostbrother said they are in front of my house. Wow, when they asked me if I want to do something with them, I didn't expect that they will be at my house already. But okay, let's go to the cinema! We watched Social Network. A movie about the beginning of facebook. Sometimes interesting, sometimes boring, kind of funny, kind of lame. It was nice to spent some time with the boys.



Animals and plants

Austin, October 24th

Ahh Sunday... I feel like I should go to church again. Not today, but soon. Either with Steffen, or with Miranda sometime I want to go to that cowboy church again.

But for today I was happy to sleep longer. Then we went to Golden Corral for breakfast. I had the sweetest Carrot Cake ever. Mama's cake is better. I think the touch of Blackforest cherry water was missing.

When we were at home again, I just waited for the evening. Miranda had to go for dinner with me! She told me once that I have no opinion of my own... really? I don't?

'Sunday for dinner. We go to Applebee's!' Actually the only reason for Applebee's was the name.

The food was good. I made Miranda try my fries with mustard. I feel like I'm the only person in the world who eats them that way!

It was great to be there. We talked a lot. I fear she thinks I'm a bit crazy after that evening, but as long as she still likes me, that's okay.

After dinner we went with Lauren to Walgreens. We tried on some halloween masks and the girls smelled some candles. We left very soon. Outside we found a birdberry tree.

On the way back to Lauren's, we drove through a street called Spiderlilly. I don't know why, but today I found many animal-plants mixed things.

When she brought me home we took almost 10 minutes to say goodbye.

We definitively have to see each other more often.



The house of Torment

Austin, October 23rd

The two girls wanted to stay up all night at Erika's house. I told Miranda not to do that, but of course, she didn't listen. In fact she kept me awake untill about 4, then I fell asleep, looking for my phone to answer a text she sent me.

When i woke up, my body started to complain about my favourite sport. Football. Every muscle did hurt. I took a hot bath and a cold shower, then I felt way better. And I wrote again with Miranda. She just stayed up until 5. Good for her, because she had to go to the haunted house with me, the other Germans and some other American friends. She still was very sleepy...

Before we went to the haunted house, I went to Miranda's house. We, Erika and another boy, Hunter, were at the roof. It was amazing, I love her house!

Somehow Erika didn't thought holding her over the edge of the roof is funny. She bite my into my shoulder, but for that picture it was worth it. She's a crazy little girl. And violent! I fear I have not such a good relationship to our drum majors. Two of three had a bad experience with me, I tried to kill them, they said. But I had always a good reason! And they are still alive. But they don't want me to meet the last drum major. 

The haunted house was fun. We had tickets for 8 o'clock, but the Line was already closed, when we arrived there. Luckily the guys from the 8:30 line didn't watch at the time print at our tickets. The first of the two houses was quite boring. Some funny stuff, the 'monsters' were very good dressed and had good make up, but I laughed more than I was scared. Maybe because I was focused on not walking against something, so that I saw the guys just when they already tried to scare the next one. I think I shouldn't have been the first one of our group the most time of the first house. The second one was better. I still wasn't scared, i mean, I know that they are all human, and everything is just fake, and I really must laugh all the time I heard someone scream!

But it was really a visit worth.

After that we went to Macy's, just to look what stuff they have (What you are at the lesbians? NO at the restroom! Bad cell phone quality), and then we got something to eat in Jack in the Box. What a terrible stupid name! But the people there were nice. Erika got a small drink for free, and I got a big cup instead of a small. Not that it really matters how big it is, you can refill the cub all the time, but it was still nice.

Just in case you have never been in a Jack in the Box: when you order you say your name, and they will call you when your food is ready to pick it up. But I guess one of the waiters had a crush on Jessica, he once brought her stuff to the table and he wanted to talk to her all the time.

Then Sivonna, Miranda and I went to Hunters house. He had a movie night. But we couldn't stay so long, Erika and Sivonna, or just one of them, I don't know, had to be home early, so we left at short past 11.

When we were at my house, Erika said somewhen to Miranda and me, now kiss so we can leave... Really Erika? Why? Well i told you she's crazy. And she is mean to me, since I tried to kill her, how she says. Is that really a reason to be mean? Oh and to your question if I write about you on my blog, definitively YES!

Who am I?

Austin, October 22nd

Ladies and gentlemen, it's friday... I kind of love to hear those words. They mean two days relaxation.

But first d last day of school. It's a A-day. So it started with Algebra. I don't know why so many here have problems with Algebra 2. It's really not that difficult. But maybe my class mates are right: I'm a German, I'm just brilliant...

Again, it's friday. Weight room day. It was a hard workout. But it feels like I haven't been in the gym for, like, forever. At least not this week, so I was glad to do something.

And after that I had to prepare my stuff for the game. I got a bag for my shoulderpads, helmet and cleats. And a grey shirt for under the pads. Wow, it smells... clean. You can really see, that the Varsity team is more important. Just Nike stuff, the cleats (well ours are from Nike, too), the pants, the Jersey and the shirt. It fitted much better than the black shirt I usually wear. And it wasn't wet! Then I got a Jersey. Not #34. This one is used by someone else. But from the few Numbers who were left I could choose. I took #9. It fits better than the JV jerseys. But I first couldn't think of, how I should get it on my pads. It is really tigh!

Later I saw, it's hard to get it on, but possible, to put the pads and the jersey on is no problem, but to get them off is a challenge. I needed almost 10 minutes, I guess.

I think my best class today was English. Surprise! We talked about appropriate clothes in different situations. Later we went to the library to get a new book to read during SSR (Something with silent reading, I think). In the library I met Jessica. We talked, of course in German, and very soon we had a bunch of people around us, who wanted to hear us speaking German. We tried to teach them our lastnames. Especially my name is hard to say for most Americans. I  don't kow why, but somehow they say always 'sh' instead of 'ch'. Miranda told me this night, the secod s in my name freak her out. Well, I have only one s in my lastname.

I took some pictures during the game, I will upload them as soon as possible, but somehow I can;t upload anything in the moment.

In the half time our head coach hold the greatest speech ever. Again. He said it some weeks ago. But I loved it there yet, and many others, too, so someone asked him to hold it again.

It's funny, I found the speech in Youtube under: 'I'm a champion' and 'Greatest speech ever'.

After we returned to Vista Ridge, Miranda, her friend Erika and I went to Whataburger. I was starving!

I'm a champion



Thursday

Austin, October 21st

This one will be a short overview too.

The day started great. I called Miranda to wake her up. We talked about five minutes, than she had to get ready. Stupid band practice.

In football the coach called my name somewhen, I have to see the coach for the pads and stuff. I will go with the varsity team to the game tomorrow. Coach Rushing asked me weeks ago if I would like to do that, and yesterday I reminded him of that. A varsity game, thats so cool! The varsity jerseys look much better than ours, and we don't have to take the pads and helmets ande everything in the bus. And we have a real half time break, and a half time show.

In theater we had improve theater plays and a short test. I have 101%. The best you could reach was 103% - 3 points with the bonus question. The question was, how the Dark Ages got their names. And I really got one point for : No Lights!

Not bad, huh?

But then the day go worse. We lost the game, I didn't play, I remembered that I have lots of homeworks to do, the cruise Loran won and want to go with me, starts in two weeks. Not in decamber or somewhen next spring, like they originally said. But in two weeks I have absolutely no time.

And now I go to bed, good night.

Wednesday

Austin, October 20th

Just a short overview, I will write the rest in the next days, but I have not so much time and am very tired.

School was pretty boring. We wrote a test, got some grades back.

In football I didn't do anything. I just talked to some guys and waited until the time is over. I don't want to get more hurt the day before a game.

My Local Coordinator wanted me to call her, so I called her. I really have to phone more. I couldn't understand anything at the first time, I have to get used to it. It's kind of shameful if you have to ask to repeat every sentence....

This is a good day to d** uhm, play football!

Austin, October 19th

The weather was great. Football class was really fun. I cought many balls. In the endzone! Now I just have to do that at games!

And football practice was great too!

We practiced cutting. More or less jump against the hips or legs of the opponent and make him fall. But somehow i hit all the time the floor with my head, so I had a little haedache after that. Then we had run exercises. And then finally plays. I played x-Receiver and sometimes t - don't ask me what that is. Basically I stand next to the quarterback and do... well I dont know. Run some steps, I guess.

I played about 6 periods, 30 minutes. And about 4 periods without rotating. You really start to sweat after a while. It was warm and playing football can be hard work.

I think the best experience at football today was a weird route, where i had the run 3 yards diagonal, then turn around and to the white line. And because I was so close and the defence was somewhere else - they of course expected me to run about 8 ards or something, that's what you normally do there - i got the ball. So I had the ball and BAM, the defence came to me. I crashed into the first guy, pushed him back, run a few yards, and the next guy ran into me. My shoulder still hurts. And then one or two guys hold me around the hips, so I couldn't ran any more.

'Yeah that's my home-slice!' 'I'm proud of you!' Haha, the guys are cool. Did I tell that? James (if you remember, that's the touchdown machine) calls me often his home-slice.

I'm just happy that I didn't got tackled down in the second I got the ball. Our next opponent is sure not as good as our Varsity defence. Maybe I get then a chance to score.

Spanish was not so interesting. We did something, it's calles magic window. Actually really cool. But the most stuff was boring.

In multimedia we had again a sub, and not really something to do, so I played Minesweeper and Spider Solitaire.

And in theater we saw a episode of Who's line is it anyway? or something. It was wth improv theater, really good, and really really funny.

And I saw my girlfriend! That makes me always happy. The only reason why I'm looking forward to the end of the football season is, we will finally have more time.

Gary made a great supper. Or dinner. Or however it is called here. Supper sounds like soup. Or super. Hmm, the supper was super. Something with shrims and potatoes.

Later I chatted with Lauren and somewhen with Miranda. It's much faster than writing text messages, until 12, then it was time to get ready for bed. School wont start later, if we go later to bed.

Miranda? Muah!

Knock the wind out..?

Austin, October 18th

AUUAUAU, sometimes is football really painful. Funny, but painful. I had to run a route close to the quarterback. So I got the ball and BANG one of the defense knocked me down. I looked like a sandwich my meates said. And I felt like one. Or better I felt nothing at firt. Then pain... and then I recognized I could neither breath our nor talk. And that when the head coach asked me how I am! Boy that was funny. I just lay on the grass, and someone picked my up at the jersey and brought me on my legs. The rest of the day my rips hurt. But thats football. My absolutely favorite sport.

Froms school is not much to say. I got some 100 for homeworks, wrote a test or a quiz or something else with many questions.

In history we just wrote something and in English we played a game.

In groups of three (me and two pretty girls, YAY) we had to redo a poster, what is somewhere out of the room. One of the groups can see the poster and tell a second person what is on it. And this second person had to tell ther third, me, what the first person saw. So I had to stick some pictures on it or write a bit... The result wasn't very well.. We reversed some pictures, the angle of some other pictures were very wrong.

Then the teacher read some statements and we had to decide weather we agree, disagree or something between. And then we had to explain why. I guess, it was one of the best English classes this year.

More social stuff...

Austin, October 18th

Sunday, finally I could sleep until I woke up from alone. 9h sleep, wonderful.

For breakfast I had a Club Sandwich, yummi!

Then we wnet to the AIDS walk in Austin. It was hot outside! Pretty sure the hottest October I've ever had. Actually I really like it! But beeing 3h in the sun, first to listen some guys talking about AIDS and HIV, and a tranny wanted us to make warm up exercises. WARM UP there??

Then we followed MISS AMERICA through downtown.

There were lots of people walking. And some just watching or holding posters for the AIDS walk. Or passing out water.

After the walk we got an aple or a banana. A sweet, red apple. Yummi!

We were in a museum or something to read some infos about how many people have AIDS and such stuff, then there was the opportunity to get a free AIDS test or donate for AIDS researches or what know I else... I'm very sure that I'm HIV negative. I had enough blood tests the last years, the doctors would have told me if I have HIV. I wouldn't even know how I should have get it.

After the walk I invited Loran and Gary for lunch. Mexican food, again: Yummi! I love that queso.

On our way home we picked Daphanies dog from a care house up, got some cupons for the House of Torment, where I will go to next saturday and ate some ice. But not in this sequence i think.

Later I saw, that the cupons, which would save us 2$ per ticket (we will be about 10 people, so we would safe about one ticket) aren't valid on the day we want to go...

Great... But that has one good thing, I wrote Colleen a text message that I have those cupons, and later that we can't use them, and got a message back with the question, who I am. Collen gave me by mistake the number of ther dad, instead of hers. But now I have her. She don't know how that could happen. And it doesn't matter.

In the evening we watched Grease. I think I knew all of the songs in the movie, but the movie itself I didn't know.

Fot the young guys who read that and don't know the movie, Grease is like an older, better High School Musical. The actors don't look like High School Students, more than College Students.

I love the second last song: You're the one that I want!

Saturday

Austin, October 16th

I came home at 1:30am. So I hurried to go to bed. I slept until 6. Actually I wanted to sleep until 7, but better 6 than 5 or earlier, right?

At short before 8 Gary brought me to the Cox Elementary School. They have their fall carnival today, and I signed in to help to set everything up. Yes I'm a nie guy, I help a completely strange school, and I count that as the first 3 and a half hours of the service hours i have to do for the exchange organisation. I stayed there until 11:30. The last two hours in the sun, it was hot. Maybe i shouldn't wear my jacket, but I didn't want to let it somewhere in a strange building, who knows if I will found it again. It's, exept for my rain jacket, the only one I have, and it starts to getting colder in the morning. And since i don't like to wear shirts with long sleeves much, I need that jacket until I'm in school. Then it's usually warm enough for t-shirts.

Later this day Steffen asked me, if I want to go with him and Jessi to the cinema. After some... communication problems (text messages are just too short, but for what do we have phones?) we were finally in the mall, but the movie had already begun. So we went to some shops until the next movie started. Jackass 3D. A really funny movie. You have to be 17 to watch it here. I'm the only one of us who is 17, maybe was that the reason why they asked me to join... Whatever, we told then that they are just since a short time here and their luggage isn't here yet, so they have no ID cards. But when I showed mine, and I am 17, that it's okay for them to watch the movie. A movie where you have to be 17? What a joke, why 17? Why aren't the limits 16 and 18 like in the rest of the word (or at least in Germany? But at the other side, if it's 18 or older we couldn't have watched.)

Pep Rally and other jokes

Austin, October 15th

The last day of a short week. Tonight is the Game against Lake Travis, on of the hardest opponents. So we had this morning a pep rally.

The music was good, but way to quiet! The cheerleader are okay, but the Star Steppers, our dancing group, is much better.

There was a competition or something, between teachers. I don't know what it was about, something with money... Whatever, there were 3 teacher and one of them got a plate of cream in his face.

Then were the some students, again I don't know the reason, the guys at the micros speak to quiet, and they had to walk some yards blind. Before they got a handkerchief before their eyes, they saw that the "Ranger Crew" put lots of eggs on the floor where they had to walk. Bute when they couldn't see anymore they took the eggs away. It looks really funny, how they walked, andt tried not to smash the eggs.

Back in Spanish class we wrote a vocab test. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Come on, where is the sense of a multiple choice vocabulary test? Even if you don't know the seeked word, you can often say what is not the word, and then you can guess...

Our coach for the weight lifting room, I think he has the very well fitting name Coach Pain, wore a hat like a sargeant of the Army. He made us to stay in two rows and stand like soldiers. To every question we had to answer with 'Sir, Yes, Sir' and at the push ups we had to shout '1 for the sargeant', '2 for the sargeant"... or I think it was that, you could hardly understand him, because he shouted the whole time. he sounded like a real Army Trainer.
After the workout we had to march in two rows, he sung like you can hear it in the Army movies, like Full Metal Jacket. The student trainers filmed us.
We had to do push ups again in the hallways. Great, we stood in two rows, face to a wall. Then we had to do the push ups in two rows, face to the wall. It was difficult to find a possibility to make the push ups withour having the butt of the guy in front of my in my face...

In multimedia we had a sub again...

And Theater was just fun. We played silly games with acting. In one of this games have two people to improvise where they are, what they are doing, what realtion to each other they have, and the only thing they could use were two chairs. But this hairs could not be used as chairs, but, as whatever you needed.
Somewhen someone says FREEZE, and then this guy goes into the play and someone else can leave it. And from the situation they had when they frooze, the new team has to create a new situation. Somehow was Jessicas and my situation something with alcohol...
And with Seth I had a fight about his mom, and with JP a fight about my girlfriend... And once I tried to teach John how to cook a dog... it was a funny game.

In the evening was the Football game, it was one gint joke. We had no chance, before I really knew what happened, Lake Travis had two touchdowns. I jut saw the score and thought, when did that happen? Maybe I should talk less to the people on my back, when I'm there. The final score was 42:0... Go Rangers??
But we had fun, meetng some people we didn't see for ages or totally strange. There was one boy from Jamaica, and he spoke fluetly german. Someone said something like, he lifed some years in Saxony or something. Thats one of the 16 German states.

 After the game Steffen, his hosbrother Daniel, a friend of him and I drive to Wendy's for fries and ice. Then we brought his friend home. We decided to visit Sivonna at the band hall in school. Then we went with some of the band, like Miranda, Sivonna, Colleen... to Whataburgers.
We had much fun there. One girl drve almost her cars in ours (was our fould, we stopped direct behnd her), climbed of the loading area of the truck of someone, and drove on it throught the parking lot. The owner didn't want us to be there, o he ddrove with many stops and go until we jumped off.

And then we drove a bit aroung and tried to kidnap someone we know. It didn't work... More I wont tell.

All in all it was a great day, but the best is, Miranda and I are now really and completely officially together.

Wipe out Cavaliers Nation

Austin, October 15th

I. Love. Football. It may look like just a bunch of boys in pads and helmet run against each other (and this time at least one player bleed, but it was not much). But it is just awesome. Even the JV games, not very big events, and usually -always- we play on a bad field, but it's just great to see your friends play, or play yourself. This game we played against Lake Travis. A district game, so we should win it, if we want to be district champ, and with Cedar park the hardest opponent. A coach held a speach in football class. Something about water drops...

The Lake Travis High School is the home of the Cavaliers, they call it the Cavaliers Nation. (Vista Ridge is Ranger Territory). And the coach said something about the little Cavalier Nation, a island nation. And what happens to an island if there is a tsunami? It will be wiped out. So lets us be be the tsunami, and as one team the Cavs wipe out!

And after an exciting game we finally won 35:14. Steffen made his first extra point!

I was the first time in the kick off team. 

Later at home I read the Game Reports of the JV black team last year... I was shocked how bad they were. I'm happy that I'm this year here.

I'm looking forward for the Varsity Game tomorrow. A big full stadium, a musik show for the half time break -Colleen said they have changed the show, but the ugly dressed Color Guards are still there, poor girls...- and everyone cheers. It's just great.

From school is not much so tell, I had in two classes subs, in football we prepared for the game, and in the last class, History, we have a new class mate.

And again I didn't see Miranda, that sucks.

But tomorrow I will see her for sure. She's in the marching band and it's a pep rally.

But we want to meet before the last class, the breaks between classes are just to short...

PSAT

Austin, October 13th

It's wednesday, and it's NO ranger time today. And we have classes 5, 6 and 8 just about 30 minutes each. And Why? Because of the PSAT's we wrote this morning. It's a training SAT, and that is... yes, what is it? It should help Colleges to find students, or students to get into a College. Or something like that. I just wrote it, because I had nothing better to do. I woke up at 6-ish, so why I shouldn't go to school?

I'm not like Steffen and Jessica, and maybe Carolin (?) who jsut went to school after the PSAT.

But that's maybe because I think I was the only one who had no idea what to do today.

I actually went to my first class, but the dor was closed, so I went downstairs, going outside for a bit. But on my way I met someone I met at the secnd school day. You remember? I forgot which room my registration room was, so I went to my Spanish class. It seems like it was months ago...

So I talked with him and his friends, until the bell rangs. They asked me if i write the PSAT, too, and I answered that I have no idea. He showed me some papers with the names of the students and where they have to go for the PSAT, so I went to this room, and wrote the PSAT.

Actually it wasn't so difficult. I think most of the math part I solved... but at the English part they used words I've never seen in my whole life. So I guessed, what sounds good is the right answer, so easy is that.

I know you should just guess if you can say from at least one answer that it is wrong, because if you guess wrong you loose points, but hey, I'm German, I don't care about what the Colleges think about me. I probably will never go to a American College. Maybe one two Semesters, but graduation and all that stuff I will do in Germany.

So, no pressure, no problems. It reminds me to my Graduation, my average was so well, even with a really bad exam I would have passed. That makes the whole thing much easier.

I wrote my test, after that I learned a bit Spanish vocabulary, and talked a bit to Sivonna and her friend. So after and after I knew everywhere some people. Just in that 'class' I knew 4 people. And I had just with one of them classes.

After the PSAT we had 7th period, Multimedia class. YES! I love that class. And then we had 6th (football), 5th (Spanish) and finally 8th, Theater. Instead of slowly go from the Mulitmedia class to the Theater class, what needs maybe one minute, 5 when I see someone I know -and I usually see Sivonna and Colleen short, and in front of the building with the theater class Emely and since a week Miranda- I run through the whole building, across the yard and to the theater building... And saw nobody. Hopefully that was the only time we have this stupid schedule...

But at least theater was relxed. We watched the rest of Cast Away, then the 30 minutes were over.

So I went to football practice, the only thing that was not shorter today. Of course not, tomorrow is the game against Lake Travis, one of the strongest oppenents. Ohh, I'm so looking forward for tomorrow.

Later at home I made a salad dressing. A real one, not that crap you buy in the spuermarkets. A dressing like at home in Germany, like my mama does it. Maybe not as good, beacause I made a lot of dressing, so I don't have to do it for eauch time we eat salad, but way better than the other stuff. (To much oil!)

The dinner was really good. Spaghetti. And I start to like the breadlike stuff we eat to dinner. Is that really bread? It's so soft.

Today I talked with Sharon, my Local Coordinator. She has to ask some questions like "What's your favourite class', 'Do you have a best friend', 'Is it a boy or a girl'..hrhr, guess what!

The beginning of a short school week

Austin, October 12th

Yesterday Miranda and I, more Miranda, I haven't thought much about the school, thought how much it sucks, that we will be about 10h every day on the same campus, but we wont see us! We have not a single class togehter or even close together...Last week we just saw us at b-days, before I went to theater class. But that would be between maybe 4 and 6 minutes a week... Today is a a-day. Normally we wouldn't see us today. But we decided to met before school at the 'Victory-tree'. We walked together to my Algebra class, but because of my football practice until 6 and her band practice until, who knows? 7?, it was the only time we saw us today.

School was boring, in math we had some easy exercises, in football I just stand at the field, moved somtimes when the coach told me to...

The defense should practice something, but they needed some guys who mark the positions of the offense team. The offense had nothing to do, so some of us helped out at the defense training.

History and English wasn't better than Algebra. We wrote a bit in History and read in English. 

The book is almost as boring as the book I had to read for my German final exams in 10th grade. But just almost, nothing is as boring as 'Alle Sterben auch die Loeffelstoere"!

I definitively have eaten enough fast food for the rest of my live, I can't see the burger and pizza in the cafeteria anymore.

Today Loran and I were finally in the gym again. I feel like I haven't been there for ages!

Student holiday

Austin, October 11th

Today was a student holiday. That means the students stay at home and the teacher have to work... I don't really know what they have to do, I mean, the next report card is ages away. And they have sometimes meetings after school. But I wont complain, they can have so much of these holidays as they want!

For me it meant I could sleep very long.

Then we went to a doctor to get a prescription for a medication, I used to take. Over 80 bucks for a little piece of paper! And for that we waited over an hour. I absolutely dislike physicians!

And then we went to a pharmacy to get those medications. The original would cost over 300$. Waaay to much, I took an other medication with the same effects, but it still costs over 80$. I just bought it because I don't want to spent 80 dollars for a receipt and then don't use it, that would have been silly.

But I don't think I will take them longer, if I can't get them somehow cheaper.

Our coaches don't care about holidays, it's monday so we have practice. But luckily just a short practice.

The receiver coach is sick, so we didn't always knew what to do, warm ups are always the same, but then we needed a coach. Some other coaches supervised us sometimes, but sometimes I just didn't know what to do.

And then we had a lot time to just stand around. A lot of the x-receiver missed practice, too. So I had much to do in the huddles. Two huddles with 3 receiver. Great. The routes I had to run I never saw before... But thats how I learn, just do it!

After football practice Miranda picked Steffen and me up, we drove to Joe's Crab Shack, where Caitlin waited for us. We had dinner there. It was great. 

Miranda and i were holding hands under the desk...

Steffen was dancing to the music, and Caitilin wastalking, we all had fun and I made everybody try the crab legs. 

It was a great day, just way to short... 

What a wonderful world....

Austin, October 10th

The time is running, one fifth of my stay is already over.

Two months ago I left Germany, my friends and my family.

But I don't really miss them. Not yet. Here is still too much new for me, too much to discover, too much I've not done yet. I don't have time to think about what I would do in Germany right now.

Hmm, probably I would get up right now, it's 2:12 here, that means 9:12 in Germany. So, Good morning everyone!

This day started very relaxed at the boat. Watching a movie, but it was so boring, that we somewhen wanted to go in the water. But the air was cold, the water not much better, so we dicidet to go somewhen else, it's not worth to risk to get sick.

Now we had the difficult decision: Going to the gym, home or staying at the boat. I wanted to go to the gym. A little bit workout and then sauna. Then we eat something at a McDonald's and now we are home again.

I waited again for a message that Miranda is at home. Like I later heard she sent one at about 1, but somehow her phone don't sent itr, or my didn't receive it. So I stayed awake until 3:30.

But I could sleep until 10 so it's no problem, I have my almost 7 hours sleep.

For breakfast we wear at 'Mighty Fine' or burgers and fries. Then I bought my khaki pants for gameday, finally, the half of the season is over. And I found a nice shirt. And they had really cool leather jackets. But they were a bit too big, and very expensive. But I like them, they look great. Loran bougth two shirts, too.

 

In the afternoon Miranda picked me up. We went to her house. It's huge! We wanted to watch Crank 2. Or I wanted, she let me choose. But something didn't work, so we watched Little Frankenstein. Well, we don't really watched it, we baked cookies. Huge cookies.  

I especially liked our 'M':

Don't look like a M anymore, huh? But it was one. We ate it together. It was really fun.

Later we decided to see a movie. The only movie I really thought would be interesting was Easy A. But I saw it before... So we flipped a coin. My favourite method to make decisions.
So we went to Easy A. She didn't know the movie, and I had no problem with watch it  a second time.
The drive to the cinema was fun. The road is seldom used by someone, so we didn't had to take care of the street so much.
Hmm about that following I thought a long time. I don't want to write to much about that. No details, they are not your business. And I agree with Miranda when she says it's kind personel. But I think I should mentioned it, because it was something I really enjoyed.

So let's see how I can write it.
When we reached the cinema we left the car, I came to her side of the car, beacause she had to take something from the backseat and so I waited for her. We mad a bit fun, like the whole time and somewhen we just stared in the eyes of each other. Well, she wore sunglasses, so I'm not sure where she looked at.
And she just said 'do it'. In fact she said it twice, because I didn't understand what she wanted from me... But the second time it was clear.

We kissed...

Take a break

Austin, October 9th

Miranda wrote me at about 1am. She said she had fun at the game yesterday. The Ranger won!

It's crazy that the band was at home just at one! They have a competition today, so they had to be in school at 8:45-ish.

But I could sleep as long as wanted, an I did. I really needed some sleep. So I stood up at 11, made myself some scrumbled eggs. And recocnized that I'm alone at home. So I watched Scrubs, eat the eggs and some donuts and chatted with some old friends in Germany.

Then I found a message in my cellphone. Gary is at the pool. Loran is working.

Just when I wanted to join Gary he came back. And when we wanted to leave again for swimming, Loran came. So we waited until we changed clothes and we three went together to the pool.

The water was ICE COLD!

I pushed Loran in the water, then I juped into it, before he could push me in, too.

I swum two lines and left the water. Too cold.

So I just lay down in the sun and fell asleep. Unfortunately a leaf fell right under my clavicle. Now I have a white mark, Loran said like one of these stickers on bananas, where the leaf was. Looks funny.

For dinner we had meatloaf (its like a huge 'Frikadelle'), potatos and corn. Yummi!

Then we watched 'Big Daddy', a funny movie. Like the most of Adam Sandler.

Now we want to leave for the boat. I haven't been there for ages.

Oh, I just got a text message. I don't understand what exactly the rues are. But Vist Ridge has a 3rd place for their first music piece. Congratulation! They just played the second time and wait for the results.

Friday

Austin, October 8th

Almost 1 o'clock am. I have to go to bed. Miranda went just to bed, too. So I don't have to wait for more texts. Colleen and Brittany are in their beds, so facebook gets boring, too. And I have school later, I need some sleep. Goodnight.

This morning I didn't feel good...
But during the day it was better.
In the school bus I wrote some texts to Miranda.
In Spanish we had a sub. He talked first about maskots of College football teams, and how boring the University of Texas mascot is... Some of the students wanted to hit him for that.
Then he told us of the best football game he ever saw. Guess which game it was.
How should you know, most of you weren't there. It was the game Vista Ridge vs Cedar Park from last friday. It was really a good game. But it could have been better. For example when Cedar Park didn't got the extra point just seconds before end of the game.
 We should have watch a Disney movie in Spanish, something with three cows and a ranch... but something doesn't work, so we watched it in English. Nobody did really take care of the movie. We had a quation sheet, but somewho read the solution for everyone, so I had much time to talk or write some more texts...

In football class we were in the weight room. Like every friday. And after that we were in the study hall. Watched a video of the last game. The sub was right, this was a great game. We played really good.
Then I talked to the guy next to me.
knock know. Who is it? Banana!
I didn't get the joke. What means he with banana?
Miranda wrote me soetimes, because she was is bored. And I wrote back.

After class we should stay for some minutes, because our Headchoach wanted to talk to us. Because of drinking alkohol at weekends. We have following rule: No alcohol during football season.
He said he heard again about plans of some players to party and drink. And this time with names.

In Multimedia we started using photoshop. It's an great programm. I'm looking forward to learn how to use all these functions. But just working on the computer is somewhen boring. So I wrote some texts to Steffen and Miranda.
The guy who used to sit in Multimedia next to me left class, and the girl at the other side had to do some assignments (homework), so we didn't talk much.

In lunch Steffen and I sat by some guys from the Marching band.

In Theater class we had a sub, too. The guy from this morning again.
We watched this movie, Cast Away. The beginning was kind of boring. But in the end it got better and better. Or worse and worse for the main person, but that made the whole story interesting. This time I answered the questions all by myself, if I knew the answer. I couldn't always pay attentions, I tickled Tysha, talked to dam, wrote texts to Jessica as long as she sat to far away to talk to her, and to Miranda, until she had to go to bad practice. She is in the marching band and they play tonight at the game.

By this way, I wrote way to much texts. Some hundreds in this week. Miranda and I sent each other about 200 messages since we know us. And thats last Sunday.But if I'm bored or not allowed to speak (like sometimes in Study Hall after football practice) it's a easy way to keep busy and I can get known the people around me better.

After school Loran and Gary picked me upa n we went to Joes Crab Shack. We had shrims, crabs, corn, fries and some other sea fruit stuff. It was really good.

Later today Gary and I went to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. While we watched the donut production we got two donuts for free. Then we bought 12 other donuts. They have no donuts with chocolate filling... But Strawberry and Custard, whatever that might be, tast good, too.
We ate some there, but the rest is for tomorrow. Donut breakfast! I'm so looking forward that I can't sleep. And I promised Miranda I will stay wake until she sent me a message from her home. So I'm still wake. It's almost 12. This school buses are so slow.
Whatever, it's friday, I can sleep tomorrow.

A whole thursday without football

Austin, October 7th

What the heck?? My alarm clock rang at 5 am. Just like yesterday. Why didn't I changed the time yesterday? Stupid...

So I feed the cats and had breakfast. The cats tried all the time to 'sit' on the table too. Then I went to bed again.

In Algebra we wrote a quizz. Way to easy. Everyone says Algebra 2 is hard, but even the little bit I didn't learned in Germany is easy to do...

And because Cedar Park cancelled our game, the Black team had not practice. So the coaches could focus on the Red and the Varsitys teams. And it was boring. I did a bit for history, played some games on the Ipod of somewho. Or wrote some text messages. But it was still hard to stay wake.

In US history we wrote something like a travvel jounal of a south european, traveling to America. The teacher told something about a group of old immigrants and new immigrants. I'd prefer to write about the old ones, because they include Germans, but our topic was the new group. South Europe, East Europe and Asia. But all in all it was boring, too.

In English class we had an sub (Vertretungslehrer). We wrote a quizz about the book we read in class. But actually I don't know what it's about. I'm always so tired in the 4th period.

The sub said my answers look good, but he don't know the book either, so I doesn't mean anything. This guy was a funny teacher.

Later some of girls in that class took some photos.

It's stupid to be so tall in a country of small girls. Well, actually are in all countries most of the girls smaller than me. But I hate it, it I'm the very tallest in a picture.

After school I took the bus home. It was a long boring drive. 45 minutes, because we had to wait forever at the middle school. And then Mrs Charity almost forgot to stop at my street.

For dinner we were in a pizza restaurant. Hawaii pizza. yummi!

And then we went to Schlotzskys, originally for ice cream. But then we ate there pizza, too. Then I got a ice.

Later Gary and I watched a recorded episode of Glee. Much better than the last episode. There they sund every other minute something from Britney Spears. And it sound everything same...

This time it was about religion. Way better.

But I still prefer Scrubs, that we watched after Glee.

And I wrote much more texts. (SMS are in the USA called text message or just text). Mainly to Miranda.

100 %

Austin, October 6th

I told you, my group made a great pantomime play in Theater class, didn't I? We got 100%!

It's nice to get good grades just for having fun.

And in Spanish I got a 96 in conjugation of stem changing words. We did it at the computer. In 5 minutes we should conjugate as much words a possible. A programm gives us the word and tells how it should be conjugated, like, I, you, they...

My first try was a 93. We were just allowed to reach one comuter grade in. I wanted to make a better grade, so I deleted the 93 and tried again. But this time I was under time pressure, I forgot that it's wednessday. Rangertime... the classes are shorter to have time for 29 minutes sensless sitting around.

My grade was worse, so I tried again, but the bell rang. Crap, I have no grade to submit... I have to come back after school to do it again.

So I came after school. But I had to wait 45 minutes for the teacher. At least I wasn't the only one who waited for her. If I was, I had left after 20 or 30 minutes...

But I waited, and now I have 96%.

But I missed half of the football practice. Because i have no game tomorrow, it's not as bad as in every other week. Soon after I arrived at the field, the x-receiver of one team wanted to rotate with me. I play the plays, he plays three. Puuh, it was hot. I run the whole way to the locker rooms and then to the feld and then I had to play. I was in every little break at the water machine.

Onother good thing about no game tomorrow: I could go to the gym with Loran. Normally I don't do that on wednessdays, or at least no hard workout, because I want to be fit for the game. 

Later I chatted with two girls from my school and did homework until almost 12pm. And now I go to bed. 

Nothing happened

Austin, October 5th

Not really an interesting day. In English I had to present my project. A photostory with a selfmade poem.

I hate my recorded voice... But the pictures are really good. Good job dad! He sent me most of the pictures I needed.

We have a new seatplan in English class, so I couldn't talk with the girls I talked the last weeks. So I talked to one of them after school. We walked, the arm around each other, through the school. I think some of my football team mates saw us. They made jokes about me and that I always have a bunch of girls around me.

Later I've heard from someoe of the marching band, that the girl I walked with has a bad reputation in the school.

Not that I really care what strange people think about me, but maybe I should stop to walk around with her... But to me she seemed nice, and the guys in my English class don't look like they have aproblem with her.

Whatever, today someone told me, that I have no school on monday. Great, so I have time to met friends. In the moment are my plans for monday, to go to Miranda. One of the girls I met at the paintball game.

No football

Austin, October 4th

Great, I just wanted to publish my post, but somehow it's deleted... So once again:

It was a terrible day. The coaches said they have no opponent for the black team this week. Our regular opponent cancelled their JV teams and Cedar Park, which should play against us instead, cancelled their b-team. So I wont have a game this week, if the coaches find no other school.

That ruined my day.

It started so nice, with a big breakfast in an ice cold house. Maybe I should get dressed before I go to breakfast.

Then a ride in a warm school bus. There was an other bus driver than usually. Is Miss Charity sick? I hope not.

In the hall I met Jessica and Carolin. One of the rare times I see Carolin, because I have no classes with her.

Then I had a boring spanish class. Followed by football practice of the special teams. So I had just to stand around again. But after some 20 minutes or so we went to the weight room. I added 10 more pounds at the squads. I'm curious how much I can add until June. Or to the ed of football season. I'm not sure if I will stay in football after November. The coach said something about extra games and try-offs. So maybe I will stay, maybe not.

Multimedia was just relaxed. I worken on some pictures. OP art is that called what we do in the moment. In two days we have to subit our best picture and then I will upload it here, too.

Theater was fun. We played again.

My group had a play about alcohol. In short: I danced in a club, Jessica saw me, brought some drinks. We drunk, went to the bar and drunk more and more, until the barman kicked us off the club. We went to my house and into my bed... At the next day I fell out of my bed and find a stranger in it - Jessica. She woke up, was shocked to find herself in a strange bed. I kicked her out of my house. I went to my kitchen and wanted to drink a beer. Then I rememberend, that I remember nothing from the day before. So I throw the bottle away and drunk water. Just as a little moral for our story. And all that without saying a word. Pantomime.

It's funny, I like to act.

Later today I had a good lunch, self made tacos from Gary. Then I did my homework and chatted with some girls from my school. From Germany was nobody online. I guess they are all in their beds. The school starts in Germany in a few hours.

It's funny to know, that you just go to bed, while your friends have to get up soon.

Guns up ranger

Austin, October 3rd

Today was just great. I was the first time in my life playing paintball. And I loved it. It was so much fun, and I got known many new people.

I was there with Steffen and some guys from our marching band. I met two of them in the lunch period and one them is in my Theater class. But everyone else I didn't knew until today.

We had to wait until everyone was there, so we -I- started to smash some of the paintballs that lay on the floor. And of course we got dirty. We put the pink color in our faces, not our own of cousre, but in the end we had pink paces and dirty clothes. And we didn't even start. But it was fun.

We played togehter and against some guys from Cedar Park and some other. We had mixed groups.
It was really so much fun. In the first some games I hit just 2 people. But I got hit very often. Even when I said I'm out some guys shot at me.
Once I got hit at my mask. Shouted that I'm hit. Stand up to leave the ground, and four balls hit my in the stomach. That was really not nice.
Then we played 'Normandie'. I don't know it is the name of the field where we played, or we just called it because I said to Steffen in looks a bot like D-day. We had to strom a beack and some hills, where other guys are hided.
It was great, I marked two or four people. I'm not sure, at least had four people to leave the ground after I shot at them.
The only bad thing at Normandie were some plants with spikes. They stick on your clothes and hurt you.

Once I lay at the beach, trieng to get the spike things away from a very bad place (my thigh) and the paintballs flew just centimeters above my head.

But that field I liked most from the big areas.

Later, we were the last people who were still there, six of us played at a small area. Three against three. It was awesome.

The first game I shot all three of the others. I run behind them, they had no chance.

Before the next game Steffen and I sung the German hymn. Loud so the 'enemy' could hear us. One reason was to annoy them, the other, because it is Day of the German Unity. Well not really a reason, but that was why we had the idea to sing.

Some of them had a paint grenade. And he said it has my name on it... I shot three balls on his back the game before. I didn't want to hit him three times, I just didn't expect to hit him with just one...

Very soon I was in the middle of the field. My comrades were behind my, but the others shot so fdast, they couln'd move. Luckily I could escape the grenade, but they couldn'd escape me... So we won again.

Then we changed to another area. We played well, but this time I got hit at the shoulder. Michael got one of them I think, but then they hit him too. Steffen alomst got them, but he run out of the balls. So we lost this time. But it's okay, it's boring to win everytime. And we had so much fun, I didn't really care who of us won, we came as one group, so it doesn't matter, right?



After the game we painted us each other again. Well, mostly I painted. I gave Miranda a war paint. And she draw a smilie on my. In the end most of us, especially Miranda and I, were totally pink...

But it was a great day, we really have to do that again.

Happy Birthday Gary

Austin, October 2nd

I'm pretty sure I wrote all that before... but I can't find my blog entry from today anymore, so I start again...

Today is GARYS BIRTHDAY!

So we were out for breakfast, in a restaurant called Chili's. The hostesse there is a class mate of me, I'm pretty sure she is one of the three or four Ashleys in my English class.

I had shrims. I like shrims, and self made fries. 

After breakfast we were in a Goodwill shop. They had lots of funny halloween stuff. I love the black 'unknown phantom' dress. And the nurse dress. Of course I wouldn't wear it,, but there are some dirls in my school I'd like to see in that... 

Back at home Gary unpacked his presents.

From me he got a 'Original Swiss Officer knive' from Victorinox.

No I don't make advertising, I just like the Victorinox cross more then the Wenger cross. This are the both companys who produce the 'Original Swiss Army/Officer knives'.

Actually, they are both not 'original'. The Swiss army uses just one model of this knives -for both, swiss officers and normal soldiers-, with less functions than the most of the civil models have. And they are not red. A long time they were silver, but I think since one or two years they are black or dark green. I would love to have one of the really original knives.

I'm a bit jealous that Gary has a swiss pocket knive and I don't, even if I gave it to him... My knives are soo fare away. In Germany I was used to have one all the time, in school, when I met friends, when I was camping. Not that I was often camping, or used it often in school. But if I had needed one I've had one.

Here of course I would never take on with me to school. I read in a German newspaper about having knives in American schools. Absolutely No Go! You will be suspended from school for that...

Later we three walked the 1.000.000$ trail. I'm sure it has a name, but I just know it as the million dollar trail or just 'the trail'.

We wanted to do that since I'm here, but first we had not time, then I was unable to find it alone, and then it rained so hard, that it was under water for weeks.

Some parts are still under water, and it's dirty, and everything is broken. Some trees are dead, at some are just the top leafes still green. It didn't look like a one million dollar trail. Maybe if everything is repaired, but now it just look dirty.

Somewhen we changed from the trail to the high way. We saw a turtle in the river under the bridge we were walking along.

We stopped at a restaurant for dinner. We had spicy shrims and chicken.  Loran asked me if I want a Heineken. It was of course just a joke, but the waiter looked a bit shocked.

The rest of the day Loran and I spent in the gym.

Rangers vs Timberwolves

Austin, October 1st

I can't believe how fast the time runs... Yet October... Hey, then soon is Halloween. My second Halloween in the USA. I hope this one will be as much fun as in Toledo, OH.

I had a eye doctors appoitment this morning. It had not make sense to go to school for 10 minutes and then go to the doctor -my way to school is more than 10 minutes, and its in the other dirrection like the eye doctor- so Gary and I went to the 'International House Of Pancake' for breakfast. Then I went to the doctor. My eyes are okay. At least with the contacts. In the next days I will get some new contacts. But now I can still use my one-month-lenses.

But now I had to go to school. I was there at about 10 o'clock, so I had 15 minutes Algebra 2. And great... they wrote a quizz, so I can go after school to the teacher and write it then...

Like every friday we were in the weight room during football class. I did a good workout. Particularly proud am I still of the squads or squas or how they are called. Two 45 pounds and two 10 pounds weights plus the stick.

For this week our Seniors (hmm why do I think this were the Seniors?) have prepared something special. Car Bash!

They organized two cars, sprayed one of them green. On both Cedar Park and stuff like that and we students could bash them in our Lunch time.

After school I wrote the quizz. I needed just about 12 minutes, but I missed my bus... So I had to wait until someone could pick my up.
When I stood outside, PJ asked my, if I can help to push one of the destroyed cars behind the school. Why not, I have nothing better to do, so I helped. We were about 10 boys, and still it was hard to do.
10 boys for one car?? Yes, later we saw that the emergency breake blocked the wheels... Stupid.
We hit the car a bit with the hammer, after we brought it to the parking lot behind the school. Some of the light bulbs weren't destroyed, and the mirror were still where they should be. Well, now not anymore.

In the evening I went to the Football game. Vista Ridge Rangers versus Cedar Park Timberwolves.
The JV black team -my team- beat them on thursday, the JV red team lost. So now I wanted to see which Varsity team is better.
There I met Steffen and Jessica, two Germans, Adam and Johnathan, two guys from my football team, Moraia, a girl from my theater class and Torri, a grl from my English class. Later I met some other people I knew. Many of the football team, but some others, too.
Steffen and I waved to some of the marching band. And I waved to y spanish teacher. I was not sure if she saw me, so I stopped, right when she started to waving back.
We shouted for Sivonna. She is one of the conductors of the marching band. But she didn't hear us.

It was a exciting game. Cedar Park scored very fast. But we could score, too. Then they again, then we. In the 4th quarter we had more points. Everyone was happy. But about 20 seconds before end Cedar Park made a touchdown. It was 34:35. If Cedar Park makes the extra point it's 35 for both.... but they did not kick the ball for one point, no, they made a second touchdown. And this it worth 2 points... 36:35. And just a few seconds to play.
Our team started a great attack, but at the 40 yard line they were stopped. So we lost against the rivale Cedar Park. The first time in this season that our Varsity team lost.  
It was a sad atmosphere. First everyone was so happy and suddenly almost everyone was quiet.
Of course we clapped and sung for our team, but it was completely different then the last game I saw.

But I have to see the positive things. My team was the only team who was able to beat Cedar Park. And it was the first time, that Vista Ridge JVs could beat them.
The JV black and the Varsity team have now the same numbers of wins and losses in this season, but the black team has a longer winning series.

Always look on the bright side of life...