Dear Son,

I want you to read The Odyssey. You simply can not be a man unless you decide to pick up this book, and read it. This book captures the finer beauties, crude nesses, victories, and failures in life. As your journey to becoming a man begins when you open and read The Odyssey, make sure you note the following information I say.

Your journey may be long, or short in its length. When I was your age, I had stuff to do too. As you venture through this book, you must remember to stop along the way, and take notice. Look for the themes, the action, the adventure, and death that takes place in this epic. Look for the writing; as it is powerful and will make you more intelligent. 

Son, you must pay attention to the war in troy, which started off the book. Don't forget the brute strength of Odysseus, and the reason the war was started; jealousy. Pay close attention to the Odysseus as he is on the island of Ogygia, where he is held captive by the nymph-goddess Calypso. Note Odysseus's heartache to get off the island, and return home to Ithaca and his family. Note the bravery of Telemachus, who ventures off in hopes of returning with news of and or finding his father, Odysseus. He did this knowing the dangers of leaving home. Do not forget the time Odysseus and his men found themselves trapped in the cave of the giant cyclops, Polyphemus. Pay close attention to the intelligence of Odysseus, which he uses to escape the cave.  Never, ever, forget the power of the gods, and the overarching theme of this book; divine intervention. Lastly, pay attention to the return of Odysseus to Ithaca, and the killing at the end of the book. You will enjoy this section of blood, gore, and gruesome fighting. (I will try not to give away any more information.)


Son, whether you enjoy reading or not, you will enjoy reading The Odyssey. You can not call yourself a man unless you read this book. Remember, "Do not cling to your boyhood any longer, it is time you were a man."

“However mean your life is, meet it and live it.” 
― Henry David Thoreau

There are always pros and cons in life. It is in the hard times when we feel nothing is going our way, when we find ourselves in a bad place.  When the feeling of joy leaves  us as stressful days and months come, there will always be other days, other opportunities for happiness. 

It may seem that the winter is almost endless. Sometimes, it feels as if spring will never come. Winter often strikes an unsettling mood upon us, where we can find ourselves lost and off-track. 


To me winter is the most stressful time of the year. My body is pushed to its limits from my daunting winter schedule. During the week, there is no time for relaxation. When I get off the school bus after school, and open the door to my house, it is straight to the study room for homework. After my homework is complete, it is onto hockey, where I do not get home until 9:30 pm. twice a week. To add on to the mess, most people who I spend my day with; including myself, are stressed too, which only makes things more tense.


But who am I to complain, I know my schedule is harsh, but many people are under even more pressure than me. These times are stressful, and often make me cranky; however I am thankful for the opportunities I have. Yes, school, sports, and other daily routines get me stressed, emotional, angry (and many other things), but that is life, and others do not get the opportunities I have.


During the hard times, I try not to dwell on the negative. Many people feel that winter is endless, and cannot wait for spring to come. When I find myself sick of the snow, I think ahead to next year during the end of fall. I can picture myself waking up every morning, peeking behind the curtain, looking out the window, and seeing snow for the first time all year. Although it will not be easy, If you to take the less cynical approach to things during hard times, they will not seem as harsh. 


When hard times come your way, remember; come up with an excuse to make things better.

People in this world are truly ruthless and cold-hearted. In the ballad; Gallows Pole a man is close to near death. The man who is about to hang him; the hangman, is getting ready to hang him. The man keeps seeing his friends and family, of whom he asks to donate gifts to the hangman; in hope of getting let off the hook. Towards the end of the ballad, the hangman states that if the man's sister were to "give her body" to him, the hangman would  let him off the hook. When the man's sister comes, she agrees to give up her body in order to save her brother. His sister gives the  hangman her body, and afterwards the hangman kills hangs him anyway. This ballad once again reminded me of the types of people we have in this world. I know that there are bad people out there, but this ballad caught my attention in particular. 

If you have not yet read Gallows Pole, here is a link: _

Please comment your thoughts on it.

Do I want to get my  work complete?
Handed in; all nice and neat.
Or do I just not feel like
Nows the time to get it done
then go home and have some fun.
These are the decisions of study hall
that we all face.
For you is study hall
The right time and place?

Leaves part from the trees, 
there is no longer a cool fall breeze, 
the sky darkens and the temperature falls, 
and slowly from the sky, the first snow falls. 
The green grass slowly, slowly fades, 
and we are left with much shorter, colder days. 
Spring is slowly coming, 
just wait, we will be playing and running.

Below is a podcast of me reciting my WW Fenn Piece: Human Family by Maya Angelou.

What an eventful end to the week.  It truly is a winter wonderland outside; cold, snowy, animals seem to have perished from the face of our world. Yet during the winter I have found that while inside there is more time to relax and reflect. It truly is tough going outside these days, and my face is so dry it is as if it has fallen off my face, along with the rest of my skin. Unfortunately I can't go back to contact yet in hockey, but feels really good to be playing again. Lets hope the doctor will clear me for contact next week. Its Friday, and I'm excited for the weekend; I'm gonna hit the pond this weekend.  Fitz says there will be a storm next week, lets hope for a snow day!
All is well, and stay tuned for another journal entry later on in the day.

Human Family- Maya Angelou

I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.

Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.

The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.

I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.

I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.

Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.

We love and lose in China,
we weep on England's moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.

We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we're the same.

I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.