A pretty good day

Austin, April 30th

At around 2 I went with Kai, Steffen and Steve to Texas Paintball. It was the first time that nobody had to sign my waiver as 'guardian', the first time in my live that I sign something completely independent as an adult. That makes me a little proud.

And what makes me even prouder is, that my team of four people beat the other team of 9 or 10 people in the first three plays. I liked the second game best, Steffen and an random guy who was part of our team shot at Kai and the few who actually left the base to shoot at us, while I was running to their start base and eliminated one after another. In the beginning they didn't even realize what happened. All in all I shot today at least 20 guys. But when those guys who own really good high-tech paintball guns came, we had really big problems to win. It's just unfair to play against those guys who have guns who shoot 10 times faster and 20 times more precisely!

I was really happy that we played the map 'Normandy', I played the first time as defender, what actually fits better to me than attacker, because I'm one of the few real Germans there. Kai and I defended one of the dirt bunker for 7 minutes, then we were allowed to leave the hills and attack the attackers. So we cleared the closest truck and used it as protection to shoot on the last two attackers. But suddenly our own people started shooting at us. They, especially Steffens hostbrother Steve, thought we are attackers, that we were with the back to the hills and shoot on the guys at the beach they didn't realize. So we eliminated the last two attackers and had to take care that we weren't hit by friendly fire at the same time. Difficult, but we made it.

Steve seems to be worse to have in your own team than as opponent. Nothing against him as person, but he shot Steffen close distant in the arm, what left a huge bleeding spot. Later he pushed him into a flying bullet at at the last game he pushed me into a bullet. Luckily it hit me in the facemaske, the only place where it doesn't hurt. And then he made everyone of our team shooting at Kai and me. Nothing of that by purpose, but still, nothing of those actions were really helpfull.

After paintball I hurried to take a shower, bought some grapes and went to the movie night a friend of me had at her house. I was about one and a half hour late, probably a little more, but it was still nice. I wainted the fingernails of the left hand of one of the guys, or actually i painted the whole fingers. We watched two movies and talked a lot. it was a pretty nice day.

Last Taks Day

Austin, April 29th

It's the last day of TAKS. I slept in again, had a late breakfast and went to school. I finished my football poster in multimedia and started to put my portfolio together.

In Football the headcoach told us they would make us run untill we die if we are late on monday morning (streching begins at 630) or have any equipment issues. In PhotoJ we watched Finding Nemo and in Theater we played an improv game outside.

It's funny, I just tried the last couple of days to figure out, how I became friends with all the girls in theater class. And Tiffany I got to know at exactly that game, when we sat at exactly the same stone wall and played exactly that game.

At around six I met Tishya and some of her Junior and Freshmen friends at the cinema. We watched Fast5 with a fight between Vin Diesel and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Great movie, but since it's part of the Fast & Furious series I think they should have shown more tuned cars and a lot more car races.

By the way, it's so cool that one of the last scenes is the Asian guy and this girl driving on a German Autobahn towards Berlin. THATS where you drive such sporty cars, in Germany on the Autobahn, were no stupid speed limits stops you from driving a sportscar like it's supposed to be driven: FAST!

On the way back from the cinema I met Steffen, Kai, Hunter and Ashley, and invited them to come to my house to watch Faster.

Taks day three

Austin, April 28th

 Every grade but Seniors have TAKS today, so I slept in. I had a late breakfat and went then to school. We watched the rest of Forrest Gump in History. In Football the coaches threatened to made us run untill we die if we have a equipment problem on monday morning. So everyone checked their equipment. I adjusted my helmet, fits now pretty good. In Algebra we just talked and in English we watched the beginning of a movie with George Clooney. Based on Homers Odysee, but taking part in America.  

Taks day two

Austin, April 27th

Today the Junior have their first TAKS. I skipped the first two classes and went with Kai and Steffen to the mall. We all bought sun glasses, Kain and I bought shirts at Abercrombie & Fitch and Kai got some Jerseys and stuff at at Football Fanshop.

Then we went to school. I did not a lot in Multimedia, because I'm almost finished with my project (football poster) and were more interested in listening to music at Youtube.

In Theater we continued a movie about Broadway musicals.

After school i went with Steffen and Kai to the pool. We fought with whatever we could find there, sticks, the life belt thing, stairs, tables, shoes, whatever we could find. The big loser of today, my left flip flop. It's broken.

We also ate my HUUUGE donut. It tasted great! Kind of like Berliner.

Then we went to my house to watch Due Date.

Taks day one

Austin April 26th

The sophomores had today their first TAKS. Thats a stupid exam the students in grades 9 to 11 have to take. My Algebra class was pretty empty, so we played Phrase Catch.

In Football we Juniors got our pads and I got finally my helmet -not the one from last year, it mysteriously dissapeared- and pants.

Hell Yeah! Football is back

Last day before Taks

Austin, April 25th

We started our nature project in PhotoJ. We didn't have enough cameras for everyone, so Carolin and I had to share one. I'm not very sure how it happened, that she got the camera, because she told me that she already has a lot of pictures. But when she saw that I was about to get a really good camera, she suddenly was next to me, and for some reason she got the camera. Then we went outside to take pictures.

In football we had primary day, so I had receiver practice and in the end we played offense against defense. I screwed up a x-cruise. Actually pretty easy, but the last time I did it, Kyle ran into me. How Jeremiah told me last friday, it was not an accident. And I really hurt. So I wasn't totally focused and dropped the ball right after I caught it. That really sucks, I'm going to practice the cruise hard this week!

Easter Sunday

Austin, April 24th

BOOORING day. Everyone spent the day in church or with family, so I had nothing to do.

I went with Loran to a garden center to get some flowers for our backyard, but that was pretty much all I did today.

Baseball

Austin, April 23

Matt picked me up with his really cool Ford Mustang. Coolest car ever (next to the Corvette). We went with his parents to the Dell Diamond to a baseball game of Round Rock Express. They played bad. Highlight of the game, I found out that Round Rocks Number 6 has the last name 'German'! 

After the game Matt convinced his mom to let him drive me home, so I could show him something on the computer, but instead he dropped me off and went to Tiffany.

Good Friday

Austin, April 22

We ended the lock-in at about 7. An hour earlier than planned. Gary didn't respond when I asked him for a ride, so Naiha offered to drive me home.

I went to bed for a couple of hours, until Daphanie came. I got a HUGE donut from her. Did I ever mention that I love donuts?

Then I went to bed again. Then it was time to buy some CD's for my birthday party tonight.

Matt came about an hour early, so we went to the pool. Second was Jordan, but he had to leave very early because of some family things. Gary picked Tiffany up, because her mom is sick. Tishya couldn't stay for a long time, tool. Later came three of the football and three of the soccer team. For some reason a lot of the people who said they would come never came. I learned later that some had to work longer because of Good Friday, other were sick, weren't allowed (because of Good Friday again), test track meetings which were longer than planned and a loong row of other excuses. In addition to that many people couldn't come because of soccer, volleyball and a couple of other sport events. i think celebrating of Good Friday was not a good idea. But we still had fun.

Matt gave Tiffany later a ride home, and then they spend the next couple of days together, too.

I got from Tishya and Tiffany soooooooooo cute cards, and my absolutely favourite gift was a picture of Tiffany and me. I put it on my nightstand. I love this foto, we took it at the day after she got rid of their braces.

Birthday

Austin, April 21

Steffen, Kai and Daniel came this morning and woke me up. At around 12:00. They spanked me 18 times and put a big 18 on me with whip cream.

Then I unwrapped the gifts from Loran and Gary, I got handkerchieves, a Kindle-like thing and a radio controlled car.

When they left, Steffen forgot his cell phone in my bedroom.

Before school I met with the Mexicans, I actually waited for Steffen to give him back his phone, and to get my BIRHDAY BALOON! But he was late so we met before US history.

My History teacher made the class sing Happy Birthday for me.

In the school bus I Ms Charity made everyone to shout Happy Birthday Marc.

Maddi gave me a unbreakable bubble for birthday. That is soo cool!

Later that day I went with Steffen, Daniel and Kai to Bone Daddys. We had to hurry with eating, because Steffen should get a French Award at the school. We still were half an hour late. Since Steffen was the first one who should get a award, we had to wait until all the other languages were done, and he got at the very end his award.

Afterwards we went to the RADD lock-in. We spend the whole night at school, mainly with some cheerleaders we met there. 

Spring Show

Austin, April 15th

I got up early for the morning workout. Like almost every day, so nothing special anymore, but right when I came Coach Vincent told us, that it's sign up day for one of the basball team. That means he will get a scholar ship for a college. And the coach wanted to be a lot of guys there to watch and cheer and so it's a nice morning for this guy. And since we football player are usually some of the first students in school, we should come to that. So I went to the weight room for a little bit to do benchpressing, and then we went to Study Hall for the sign up. We were there until 20 past 8. I returned to the weight room until I remembered that school withh start at 8:45 and I need to get dressed and if possible take a shower. Unfortunately I didn't found Milton, the guy who takes care of laundry and towels. So I couldn't shower. i just washed my hair really quick, shaved, and went to class. I met some friends, but the music today was so bad, I wanted to escape to the quiet class room.

In Algebra we did TAKS practice in teams. I felt like drawing so instead of do all the math stuff, I drew little pictures and solved basicly every problem with a picture. I needed 6 pages for 28 problems, the other three guys in my group just one. I feel like I wasted a lot of paper.

Football was fun, we thro and caught balls. Plagge suggested Coach Rushing that I should get an award for the most improved player this year. Well, that easn't really hard, I knew less about football than the freshmen in the beginning of the year. And now I'm proud to say that I help the newbes in the JV team and especially the freshmen.

In history we have a new seat chart. i was looking forward to it, but now I must say, I liked me old seat better. Now I'm very close to the teacher again and can't text during class anymore.

English was alright, we presented our junior Research Project to little groups. I think i had like the leat interesting topic on my group. Maybe the second least iteresting, I don't care a lot about the war in Iraq. but torture (human beings are SOOOO sick) and plasitc surgery are very interesting. I asked the girl who presented the surgery stuff if she has anything done. She hasn't but she want's a surgery. I won't tell what, it's inappropriate and nobodys business.

When i came home, I heard the garage door closing. I thought maybe Loran came just home. Turned out, he and Gary left for a dinner at Serranos right when I came home. At least they were back in time so they could drive me back to school. I had a ticket for the Star Steppers Spring Show. It was awesome. A lot of dancing, and I knew some of the dancers. Collin, Steffen, Kai and I really enjoyed the show, but it was a little bit to long. Two hours and forty minutes!

After the show we went to the flag football game. According to the scoreboard we were losing by one point. but for some rrason we were the visitors in our own staduim! So we won by one point. I congratulated Taylor, she is not just in flag football,  but one of the student trainers as well. So I see her almost every day in the weight room or on the field when she gives us the water bottles.

Then we waited for Naiha, Steffen was mean to me, like often, that's our thing. Being mean to each other, but he is way better. But when I hear the people Steffen knows for months longer than I know them, saying I'm there favourite German, than it's absolutely worth it. 

Steffen and i make either fun of each other, or about everyone else. that's the good thing of being German, if someone annoys us, we cant make fun of them and they just know we are talking about them. A lot of people drives that crazy! 

State Semi Final

Austin, April 14th

I knew it already at the beginning of the playoffs. Our girls soccer team will make state this year. They are damn good. I think they scored about 30 times in maybe four games, and the opponents didn't shoot a single goal.

But now they are in the State Semi Final against a really good team.

They play already at 11 or so, so we got permission to leave school and watch the game. I took the spirit bus to the game in Georgetown. the busses were seperated after lastnames, so I didn't know a lot of people, so I just talked to new people. I talked to a guy called Daniel about music.

I sat with some of the football team, were close to some friends from football and theater, and at the end of the game I sat with Brett, a girl i met a couple of weeks ago. The game was great, but they played dirty. The other tem had to play with just 10 players after about 20 minutes, because one of their players kicked our goalkeeper in the stomach. She didn't even try to make it look like a accident. The goaly lay on the floor to get the ball, the other girl got angry and kicked her. Stupid bi***! That was a reason for a red card. I'm glad that the referee was not so shy with the cards this time. Although, Megan got a yellow card for no reason, at least i didn't see one. I think she played totally fair. And everyone played agressive, that is what girls soccer is about. That's why it's so much more fun to watch (I wouldn't say that the boys game were boring, they have a couple really amaing players this year). The game ended 1:1. We won in th shoot outs. That's a one vs one play. A player runs with the ball from the 35 yeard line and the goalkeeper trys to stop her. It was incredible! I'm so proud of the girls, on saturday they ight became State Champs! The best female highschool soccer player in whole Texas! I need to go to that game!

Class Ring

Austin, April 7th

I got up very early and had already to hurry to get dressed, because the text message that Austin is on the way to pick me up came about 15 minutes earlier than usually. He still came at his nomal time. It was not much traffic and we were fast at the school. We found the locker rooms closed and had to wait until a coach came and opened them. In the meantime I had time to eat a banana to get something into my empty stomach.

I worked out with Austins brother, he has about the same max weight then I do.

Then I did my math homework until class started. Math was boring, but I had fun in football. History and english weren't really interesting either. But the ride home was fun. I talked to some of the girls infront of me. One thought she met my mom, until i told her, that she is at the other side of the world, and pretty sure not somewhere here around.

Later I went with Steffen and Daniel to Burger King and then to a pool. I think it was the very first time in my whole life that I was at Burger King. The fries are good, but the burgers not. I prefer Whataburger.

Later came a text message that my class ring came. And I LOVE it!