Wow, how do I convey through words the encredible experience which was prom? To put it simply: I had a blast! To start off, you can view the first batch of pictures to get an idea what it was like, although I don’t have any pics of the Galveston trip up yet.

Saturday afternoon I dropped by Mike and Melinda’s to show off my tux to them and momma Rory before heading over to Becca’s house where our group got together before leaving for dinner. The parents went crazy with picture and then the limo bus picked us up around 5pm to take us to dinner. We ate at the beautiful restaurant of Artista’s. The food was incredible, although pricey, and the staff treated us very kindly. I definitely recommend a visit. After dinner we walked around the Arts Center and took pictures in front of the fountains and the little park. Then the limo driver came back around and took us to the dance!

We arrived at Hotel Sofitel sometime around 8:30. What a sight! The place was very glamorous, although very similar to last year. Walking down the grand staircase was pretty cool, as last time. The huge “reception” area is sunk well below street level, with the hotel built over it, and you can look up and their is no ceiling until the room of the hotel, with bridges crossing over it, to creat the allusion that you are outside. There was one giant differenace, though: this was my prom! And I knew just about everyone. Anyways, we walked around, took pictures, and greated all my friends. Finally we go to going into the second room which held the dance floor and got our groove on! I love the dancing… so much fun.

The only negative part about the night was that around 11:45, Katie started to feel sick and had to sit out. Our group left the dance around 12:15 anyway, so she got to get home fast. She ended up not being well enough to go to the After Prom Extravaganza (APE), which was a let-down.

Speaking of which, after the dance everyone goes back to the school were the parents have transformed the school into a completely different place. Once inside, you don’t even recognize anything. This year’s them was Mardi Gras and over $80,000 was spent on decorations and prizes. When you arrive, you’re greated by a live band and people throwing out beads and prizes. You then proceed down a walkway to check-in booths before proceeding inside to the world of Mardi Gras. I won’t go into much detail, but the event is from 1-6:30am and filled with hypnosis shows, games, giant blow-up obstacle courses and events, a full casino, cherokee, food, drinks, etc, etc, etc… It’s just huge! Everything you do earns you “APE Bucks” which you can use to by tickets for $1000 each. These tickets have your number on them and you place them into price buckets to be pulled from at the end of the night in a raffel for different prizes. I was running around all night and finally sat down to a black jack table with my friends for twenty minutes and won $70,000 to put into prizes. Later, during the prize drawing, a I won a brand-new television! Two girls in my group won $1000 cash between them. There were tons of great prizes to be had.

After APE, we all headed back to our houses to catch some sleep before driving to Galveston later that day. I bounced around between three different beach houses, having a blast and hanging out with everyone. That’s a whole other story, so maybe later. For now, I’ve got to catch up on things back in the real world. More pictures to come, also!

So many great memories were made… wow, I will remember this forever. Sunday night at all the beach houses was a blast…

“Hey, Michelle, we’re swinging really high.”
“Ya, we are…”
*Crash!*
“I guess a little too high.”

That’s right – prom is here!! I am so excited and tonight is gonnna be such a blast. (Tonight? I mean, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday!) Finally got my refitted tux just a few minutes ago, already almost got in two serious car wrecks, but nothing can go wrong now. Gotta get ready, so I’ll see you guys next week! I’ll have lots of pics c/o my mom’s new digi cam. See ya!

I’m finally beginning to realize the disgusting, twisted brutality and perversion of the Muslim religion and it’s factions. I am outraged to the utmost extent at the merciless murder of Nick Berg at the hands of these monsters. The ignorant, lieing media needs to wake up and start preaching the truth: that we are in a war against terrorism, Al-Qaeda, and the extremist faction of the Muslim religion (which, if you didn’t know, its more than 30% of the total!) and that these animals do not hold to the same moral code that we do and will show no reserve when it comes to destroying us. It’s time we wised up, began supporting our military, and cut out all the stops and attack full-force.

I am at a loss for words, my anger is consuming me… Many words I’d rather not utter come to mind. This was an innocent, a civilian… and it’s not the first time this has happened, by far. Finally, hopefully, someone is paying attention, though.

Watch the video. But be warned: it’s very graphic and sickening. Watch with your own discretion. Here’s a translation of what’s being said:

Sheikh Abu Mus’ab Alzrqawy slaughters an American with his hands and threatens Bush with more

A statement to the nation

The praise of Allah for all Muslims with his support and the humiliating of those who attempt to defeat Islam and who attack it and who entice the unbelievers with their cunning.

The one that appreciated the days countries with its justice and the prayer and the greeting on from above the Islam lighthouse by its sword as for after :

The Islamic nation

You rejoice at the first signs of the dawn that have started that have granted the wind of triumph. Allah was benevolent to us in Al Fallujah, granting us victory

On one of the days of Allah and that was known to Allah alone

The Islamic nation

Does any excuse for waiting remain? How the free Muslim sleeps, with his eyelids closed.

And he sees that Islam is slaughtered and can be seen bleeding its dignity

And the shameful pictures and the news of the evil humiliation of the Islam people men and women in Ghareb ‘s father prison then where the jealousy and where the zeal and where the anger about the Allah’s religion and where the jealousy for the Muslims sanctities and where the revenge for the honors of Muslims and Muslims is in the crosses prisons .

As for you are the Islam clerics then to Allah we complain about you, you see that Allah have founded the argument on you by the Islam young man who humiliated the strongest force in the date then broke its nose and destroyed its pride

We came to you that you learn from them the reliance meanings and derive from their doing the lessons of sacrifice and redemption to when you remain as the women you master only the slapping language and know only the way of wail and weeping

Then this appeals the world freemen and this it begs Kofi Annan and a third begs Amr Moussa and fourth he demands peaceful demonstrations and as if they did not hear to his saying ( ( O you the prophet incited the believers to the fight ) )

You were fed up with the fight of the conferences and the oratorical battles ohm came to you that you take the jihad way and carry the sword that sent by it the prophets master

And we beg from you that you do not be involved as usual in the denial of what will do it satisfaction of the Americans

He has ordered the prophet – peace be upon him – and he is master the merciful are with the slitting of the necks of some prisoners and their slow killing

And for us it is an example and a good example

As for you, the Roman dog Bush, I hope you are displeased and we wait for you with God’s Help tough days and you and your soldiers today who tred Iraq’s land will regret it.

And she dared in it to the Muslims fever

And another message to traitor Pervez Musharraf then we say to him that we in wait for your meeting with your soldiers

We demand of the American and will take revenge for the blood of our brothers in and Iraq and elsewhere

And as for you and the Americans soldiers wife then we say that we offered to the American administration this prisoner in exchange for some of the prisoners in Abu Ghareb prison but they refused

Then we say but if the dignity of Muslims and Muslims in Abu Ghareb prison and others is worth theur blood and souls

we tell you to know that the coffins will arrive to you one coffin after another, as your people are slaughtered in this way………

Then you kill the polytheists where you find them and you take them and count them and place them where they can be seen.

Allah is the greatest and the honour to Allah and to its messenger and to the militants

And our last claim is that the praise of Allah is the Lord of the Worlds

Abu Mus’ab Alzrqawy
Prince of Al Tawhid group and jihad
Iraq
22 Rabi I 1425
*******************
11/5/2004

And you see the slaughter, your fighting brothers suspend the head of this unbeliever on one of Baghdad bridges so that they teach a lesson to others from the infidels and serves as a witness to the honour of the Muslims.

Please read this note regarding the posting of the video, written by the staff of NIN:

To date, no single article, image or video that was ever published on this site has generated as much response as the video of Nick Berg being brutally murdered. Before presenting it to you, we spent a great deal of time in thoughtful consideration of the victim, his family, other victims before him and the additional victims yet to come. As indicated in the above analysis by Laura Mansfield, Mr. Berg will not be the last to suffer the same fate at the hands of radical Islamic fundamentalists.

Even as seasoned veteran investigators and analysts, we were very disturbed and brought to tears by what we saw. More importantly, we were angered not only by what we saw, but by the way the “mainstream” media has engaged in selective reporting of certain events in the war on terror. Using the convoluted logic of political correctness and not wanting to assault our sensitivities, they have by default or design instead chosen to insult our sensibilities. It is our collective belief that despite its horrific nature, every American adult needs to view this footage so they might fully understand the brutality of our enemy and the danger that we truly face as a nation. Until that is accomplished, we will continue to bring you the uncensored truth, as painful as it is, and as unpopular as some wish it to be.

I am sick. It’s time to go to God in prayer.

To Desiree… Yes, I’ve been to Ponchos’, although it doesn’t even compare to Pappasito’s! I love the fajitas… oh, so good and the tortilla machine is awesome.

Well, I’m pooped. Tonight was draining, more useless and ridiculous drama on the home front. I had a great talk with a good friend after church, though, which I just got home from. Direction from God I seek.

I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
- Psalm 34:4-5

May God’s grace and peace be with you.

This is the week preceeding prom and every day is assigned a dress-up theme. Today was “teacher” day and I got decked out as one of my more eccentric teachers, Mr. Ballew. I wore black slacks, white sneakers, a green button-up shirt untucked, and a green/black tie to match. The funny thing is, Mr. Ballew wore the same shirt I was making fun of!

Anyways, after third period I walked past the teachers’ lounge with my friends and we saw that they were having catered Pappasito’s for lunch (my favorite). My buddy suggested that I try to get some, so I ran over to Ballew’s room and asked to borrow his teacher I.D. for the day. He said, “Sure!” I then went back to the lounge and had a friendly conversation with the weight staff about student council, the teachers on the hall, etc and in the process got myself free fajitas for lunch!

Tomorrow is “hip-hop” day, so be prepared.