Average. Moderate.

"The average person puts only 25% of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%."
-Andrew Carnegie

Dare to be the few and far between. You know I will.

12588

That is how many page views my blog has as I start writing this. I will also attempt to write that many things that I am grateful for. Let's go.

1. My ability to sleep.
2. My ability to walk.
3. My ability to read.
4. My ability to use my hands.
5. My sight.
6. The fact that my sight is impaired.*
7. My hair.
8. My teeth.
9. My muscles.
10. My bones.
11. My eyelashes.
12. My ability to hear.
13. My ability to smell.
14. My ability to taste. (Especially)
15. My ability to work.
16. The fact that I don't use heelies.
17. Eyebrows. Not just mine. They complete the face. Like pepper on macaroni and cheese.
18. My huge feet.
19. The fact that I have to shave my face.
20. Working internal organs.
21. The ability to correct defective cells that would otherwise become cancer.
22. Wrists.
23. Ball joints.
24. Ankles.
25. Fingernails/toenails.
26. My digestion system.
27. Some sick DNA I got from my parents.
28. Thumbs.
29. Lips.
30. Pupil dilation.
31. My ability to converse well with others.
32. Gums.
33. Knee caps.
34. Ability to dispose of waste.
35. Lactose intolerance.
36. Swallowing.
37. Ability to jump.
38. My laptop.
39. My clothes.
40. My bed.
41. My desk.
42. The scriptures.
43. Televisions.
44. My glasses.
45. My blog.
46. Preach My Gospel.
47. Books.
48. Movies.
49. TV shows.
50. Que tips.
51. Tooth paste.
52. Cups.
53. Cameras.
54. Plastic.
55. Paper.
56. Pants.
57. Peanut butter.
58. Peanuts.
59. Pears.
60. Pecans.
61. Pleasures.
62. Peas.
63. Plants.
64. Pizza.
65. Pizza.
66. Pizza.
67. Practice.
68. Peaches.
69. Plums.
70. Plumbing.
71. Presidents.
72. Phones.
73. Pictures.
74. Picture frames.
75. Cars.
76. The internet.
77. Shampoo.
78. Showers.
79. Soap.
80. Lye.
81. Deodorant.
82. Hot chocolate.
83. Doughnuts.
84. Plates.
85. Coke Zero.
86. Juice.
87. Cereal.
88. Sorbet.
89. Statues.
90. Flags.
91. My watch.
92. To Kill a Mockingbird.
93. Ender's Game.
94. Star Wars.
95. Back to the Future.
96. Back to the Future Part II.
97. Back to the Future Part III.
98. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings.
99. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
100. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
101. Harry Potter (books)
102. Second book
103. Third
104. Fourth
105. Fifth
106. Sixth
107. Seventh
108. Harry Potter (movies)
109. Second
110. Third
111. Fourth
112. Fifth
113. Sixth
114. Seventh
115. Eighth
116. Lincoln.
117. Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
118. La Vita E Bella.
119. Oscar.
120. The Green Mile.
121. War of the Buttons.
122. Toy Story.
123. Toy Story 2.
124. Toy Story 3.
125. Mumford and Sons.
126. The Shins.
127. Band of Horses.
128. Bon Iver.
129. The Head and the Heart.
130. Muse.
131. Bishop Allen.
132. Imagine Dragons.
133. Journey.
134. The Postal Service.
135. Huey Lewis and the News.
136. Phoenix.
137. Foreigner.
138. Arcade Fire.
139. Passion Pit.
140. The Beatles.
141. Coldplay.
142. Fahrenheit 451.
143. The Princess Bride (book)
144. The Princess Bride (movie)
145. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
146. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
147. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
148. Son of Ranbow.
149. Pixar.
150. The Prestige.
151. Batman Begins.
152. The Dark Knight.
153. The Dark Knight Rises.
154. 30 Rock.
155. Arrested Development.
156. Avatar: the Last Airbender (NOT THE MOVIE)
157. Firefly
158. Get Smart.
159. Psych.
160. The Mentalist.
161. Seinfeld.
162. Castle.
163. The Office.
164. Community.
165. Fringe.
166. Person of Interest.
167. Since there are 1800 people at my school and I know most of them, therefore I will say I know 1000 people that I am grateful for.

 1167. Trevor.

 1168. Maren.

 1169. Nicole.

 1170. Carley.

 1171. Taft.

 1172. My dad.

 1173. My mom.

 1174. Nick.

 1175. Cory.

 1176. Bob.

 1177. Kendall.

 1178. Brock.

 1179. Kadee.

 1180. Nick and Kadee's daughter.

 1181. Alisha.

 1182. Noel.

 1183. Ellie.

 1184. Cory and Alisha's unborn child of unknown gender.

 1185. Holly.

 1186. Brooklyn.

 1187. Elise.

 1188. Megan.

 1189. Lots of other people.

I was really trying to make this list, but I am super tired. I started it this morning. I was busy. Then I am tired. If you aren't on this list, don't freak out. I understand. I am grateful for you.

Thanks.

"You rarely win"

Atticus Finch is a great man. He really would be, if he were real. He knows what courage is. I have read To Kill a Mockingbird at least a billion times. There is a simple quote that really gets me.

"Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win…"

People have seen me persist at one thing. I have been told that it is hopeless. I have been told that my time is not being spent well; that (to use a TKAM reference) Tom Robinson cannot be saved, so why even try? Honestly, until tonight, I never thought of myself as a courageous person. I mean I have always hoped that I was brave, but I didn't know. However, I am.

I knew from the beginning that I was licked. I knew it. There was no denying it. Tom was as good as dead as soon as Mayella Ewell asked him into her yard. But I did it anyway. Why? Because Atticus knew what he was talking about.

"You rarely win, but sometimes you do."

Successful holidays (so far)

I'm picky when it comes to music. I am pretty easy going, but there are certain standards that I feel everyone should follow, like listening to country music only on February 30 or destroying any trace of the Monster Mash. One thing that a lot of people don't seem to agree with me about and that is waiting until after Thanksgiving to celebrate Christmas. I just say one holiday at a time (and if feel the urge to change my opinion on the subject, I will feel the urge to delete your comment(s)).

This holiday season has been really great. Thanksgiving is on Thursday and I have hardly had to deal with the Christmas problem. I am really happy because I completely avoided the Monster Mash this Halloween, so I am shooting for a perfect season. And I have been successful so far. So please, just wait until Black African American Friday (that was close).

Oh, and:

Just so y'all know

I am a catch. Let us be realistic in this scenario. I am all around a great guy.




So that's why all the girls like me (that bit was sarcastic (and also ironic, because one would assume that because I am so great, they would like me (which is also why I made sure you knew I was being sarcastic (which was definitely a necessity)))).