50, And Still Kickin'!

Yep, that's right, The OCS 360 (Bringing you news since c.* January 2011) is officially 50 years posts old. Quite something isn't it? Here's the stats:

The Blue Rabbit/Mark Twang = 22 Posts
NudgeNudgeWinkWink/Bwana = 15 Posts
The Right Fielder/Elmer Fudd = 13 Posts

Pretty cool, right? I did a run-down of all of the blogs a little while ago just to make sure.

Wow...that's a lot for each of us, but really, go Mr. Worley! You write those blogs! No more procrastination buddy, you've surpassed 10, and now you're in the major leagues (Haha, baseball reference ;).

Also, let's give a hand to Bwana!

No! No! I didn't mean a hand like THAT. I meant it like a nice round of applause. You know, "congrats"?

Ugh, I give up...you audiences are hard to work with, aren't you? Dare I even attempt to say "Lend me your eyes!"?

-Mark Twang-

Formerly the Tangy Twisted Mark Twang,

Something old, something new, something borrowed, and always;

~The Blue Rabbit

*Dictionary time!

   c. - or ca. - stands for "circa", a variation of the Latin

   word "circum" which translates into "around the".

Arm? Yes, two.

Boy, do I love anagrams!

Seriously, you can go from saying "Slot Machines" to "Cash Lost In'Em" (No joke).
But really, I enjoy them quite a bit. It's not the humorous part that's my favorite, but the fact that the possibilities for anagrams are endless! Whether it be Clint Eastwood and his Old West Action, the Dictionary being indicatory, or a dog's tale and a toad's leg (Popped into my head, sorry), it's always great fun to discover something new. However, when you find things that don't make sense, like having a Connecticut  yankee in King Arthur's court, you may want to back up and try again. Yeah, those can be quite the mysterious strangers...

And still, anagrams - both sketches new and old - may have already been discovered by someone else.
But don't let that bring you down, because you should still feel good about having found one. Also, it's like finding a twin to a word. Oh, those extraordinary twins, if you want insight on that, talk to Sierra or Sean Haugen, or even my older brother and sister.

By the way, don't get anagrams mixed up with palindromes. A palindrome is when a word spelled backwards is still the same word (You all know the race car thing, I assume). An anagram is a word, or a set of words, that are a different set of words (or a singular word) when mixed up.

Palindrome: A Toyota's a Toyota
Anagram: Conversation = Voices rant on



If you guys want, comment below (Using a Gmail account) with some palindromes or anagrams you've discovered!


Previously the ever-so Blue Rabbit of the Blog,


Following the equator,

-Mark Twang-

PS: Can you find all of the anagrams and Mark Twain references in this blog post? There's a lot, good luck! (That includes my new name) You can find them among some of these rambling notes from an idle excursion.

The Statue

We truly have some gifted poets here in the OCS high school. The editor, the Blue Rabbit, and even Bwana; not to toot my own horn. Some have the gift of imagery, messages, and rhyme schemes in their poetry. Here is a poem with not only imagery, but a message that all things have to fade; nothing lasts forever.

The Statue
by Effie Johnson

Mossy sits on mossy seat
with frown and furrowed brow,
and though the moss grows 'round him deep
he dare not stir from silent sleep
for fear that he would only be
but dust upon the ancient ground.

Mossy on his mossy seat
erodes himself away
as nations come and go
and past embraces present day
but not so much as one man knows;
though each man shares the fateful pose-
no, not a one among them knows
why Mossy should decay

~Bwana

So Easy

Things are easy.  My students know I don't like to say it this way, but why not?  Things are "So" easy.  It's true.  For some people born into wealth or optimal health, things are easy, or easier than our situation.  However, the truth, though painful, is we see others' situation as easy-even though we have no clue what life is doing to them.
Our students rate their classes as more desireable if there are fewer assignments than another similar class.  Our art and vocational classes are rated in a similar manner.  I can't remember ever hearing, "I don't care whether your elective class is easier than mine, I'm going to take the other class because I want to learn!"  I learned last year in doing a school newspaper that it is so much fun to do a newspaper.  How much fun?  Well, it's fun until you have to do corrections to your article, or it's fun until you have to be sensitive to the people about whom you're writing.  A student told me last year, "can't we just write and have fun?"
Blog class is fun-but it's also work.  We've learned this semester that it's a slow process.  We've learned that just adding "lots" of pictures (The teacher is always requesting pictures, pictures, and more pictures") takes time away from writing.
Doing significant activites in my life is not easy.  I love watching TV (It's not my fault, I got it from my dad!) and eating popcorn.  Easy.  Easy.  Easy.  There is no failure observed by anyone when I watch and eat in the privacy of my home.  Easy.  Easy.  Easy.  I'm not going to stop watching TV, and popcorn is loaded with nutriants.  But I want more than easy.  I want more than what I want! 
Hey Sierra and Alex: Thank you ("Thank you So much!) for being willing to do more than just the easy.  Thanks for each sentence and paragraph composed in your mind and printed on the web.  How about you?  Are you willing to do the hard and difficult?  Life is "So, So," easy!  If it is for you-then reach out to someone for whom life is the opposite experience.  P.S.  Sierra, great blog on prayer-why don't you post it?

 

TRF                             

Week Of Prayer - 2011

 

This is our guest speaker for Week Of Prayer 2011, Gregory Hannah Jones (He attends Walla Walla University in Walla Walla Washington (Say that five times fast)). He joined the High School - following worship in the mornings - for a sort of bonding time, where they discussed things revolving around things like different ways of worship and Jesus' walking on water. He would also get the High Schooler's to get involved in activities, consisting of things such as trust falls and 'plays'. After this, they would have prayer, and the High School would continue on to their class, which for this week was their first period class (second period was before worship). Today, the last day, he said he would make sure to come back to visit, and he allowed the Middle and High School kids to ask him about himself (interests, "Cat or dog?", and even crazy things like "Koby or Lebron?" and "Star Wars or Star Trek?" (He says he likes Star Wars more!)).

A sincere thank you goes to those who helped out during Week Of Prayer, and an especially big thank you to Gregory Hannah Jones, Jason Kraayeveld, and the band!

Signing off for the quarter,

~The Blue Rabbit

Prayer Scriptures

Prayer is our direct connection with God. Though he knows everything, it makes us feel reassured that our prayers have reached him on the journey from our hearts to Heaven. Prayer is not about informing God but about hoping that our prayers will be answered. It may be in a different way than what we are thinking of, but he still helps us solve our problems. You can pray anywhere, anytime, and for any reason. Here are some scriptures that talk about prayer:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your prayers to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."    -Philippians 4:6-7

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all of the saints."    -Ephesians 6:18

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him."                              -1 John 5:14-15

If you build your relationship around God, you are one step closer to a happier, healthier lifestyle. Prayer is effective.

-Bwana-

Profession (al)

So, I don't know who all knows, but my plan in life is to become a photojournalist. It combines my two favorite things to do; writing and taking pictures. However, I want to stray away from the normal photojournalism parameters. Normally photojournalism is defined by it's significant qualities of timeliness, objectivity, and narrative, which separate it from typical photography. However, photojournalism's definition is this: "A form of journalism in which photographs are used to tell the news piece."

Now, that would obviously undermine my chances of actual writing, due to the photographs normally being the story in their own. So, I plan to be a photojournalist who leans more to the journalism side. Basically, I'll take my own pictures, and write about the experience; without assistance from a big crew or team needed (Which the said opportunity is given at popular magazines like National Geographic and TIME).

Now, why would I bring up the career I'm pursuing, you may ask? Well, Mr. Worley has assigned his Health/PE class the task of looking up colleges that contain opportunities exclusive to their career choice. Basically, we find a college, check the class opportunities for us individually, contact a student at the college to ask questions, and write a report on it, describing the aforementioned things.

Well, for mine - considering the nearby opportunities - I'm stuck between Whitworth University, and Eastern Washington University - which oddly enough are the colleges my sister is between. One is more cost-realistic, but both offer outstanding writing programs, and even photography programs.

And, you may also ask, "Why Eastern and Whitworth? Why not _____ Community College/University/College?" And, I'll answer with this; they're either in, or very close to Spokane, Washington, which is known for it's distribution of popular authors/reporters. Yep, that's right. Basically, if I got lucky and they appreciated my work, I could get a job to work (maybe an internship) in Spokane, while I was going to college. Not a bad idea, don't you agree? Plus, it puts me on the road to a professional job, with the ability to reference the job/internship I could get for the professional job (wherever it may be/bring me to).

Anyways, I have my hopes and dreams, and you have yours. What's important is that we have them. No matter how far away your dreams are from reality, whether you be five or fifty-five, keep believing you can make it, and keep reaching for those stars.


"You may say I'm a dreamer,
        but I'm not the only one."

~The Blue Rabbit

Class Pictures

In order: Scuba Diving, Ground School, Art, and The Blog classes.
Not Shown: Auto Mechanics (Mr. Fox & Herbie Sisson)


Pictures Courtesy Of:

~The Blue Rabbit

Time Marches

TIME is "funny."  Maybe "interesting" is the way to talk about TIME.  We're able to track it but can't seem to control all the minutes in our existence. Our wish at this blog spot would be to harness TIME and blog everyday.  How fun it would be to get everyone reading theocs360blogspot.com, but realistically that is rather difficult.  We would need to put daily information that you cared about in our blog.  Tough to do given the TIME restraints.  There is a nagging question that has settled in my mind.  Why don't I sit down and do what I'm doing now for a few minutes everyday?  Too easy to procrastinate, too easy to take a break, to easy to view this as an after lunch class that meets every other day, too easy to say I'm only going to do this during class time, and it's very easy to assume that we'll all get an A in this class.  So, we'll keep doing our best.  Enjoy.

Elmer

Today, people refer to poetry as an art whereas back in 3000 B.C., it was a simple tool of communication between each other. Poetry acted as a means of recording historical events since writing was not yet common in society. As time progressed, poetry became lyrics and songs would be sung by various individuals. Greeks became credited by molding poetry into writing that we use today. Poetry is defined by the Greeks as "something that is made," so Bards became poets, meaning "the makers." Many structures affiliated with poetry include rhythm, rhyme, metaphor, simile, etc. Here is a poem written by one of the students here at OCS:

Veiled Garden

Brisk gusts of wind fill the air

A purifying drizzle drains ugliness

Glistening with rain and frost,

Her slender fingers, insipid and moist,

Extend to grope the iron gate
Creak, the bars release to divulge a spacious
Plateau splashed with early sunshine
A familiar fragrance

Disintegrating cobblestones echo

With every click of her velvet heels
White silk with a tinge of periwinkle
Surges and drapes over untainted lilies
Her now bare feet memorize the ancient pathway,
While the convivial smells engulf her senses.

Deeper, deeper, her mind is lost…

A familiar fragrance

Underground; a musty place darkened by earth

Candles are lit with some mysterious magic

Every step carries her through cavernous tunnels

Stone columns, roses, and thorns

Convert this shadowed tomb into a veiled garden

Stone upholds, roses bloom, and thorns tease

But these roses are everlasting, eternally alive
A familiar fragrance

Gradually, numb toes grasp the marble floor, a forward thrust

Her heart thumps, sweet memories rekindle

An inscription lies etched upon the granite sarcophagus,

Language unknown to this world is translated

“This Veiled Garden Will Protect the Dead Forever”

Tears torrent down her face, joined by strident sobs
Quiet words are uttered from her parched throat,

“Mother, Father…the roses are blooming again…”

-Anonymous

~Bwana~

"For the Birds"...No, the Twins

A twin huh? Those lucky enough to have a twin should know by now that there are ups and downs to this interesting topic. What is a twin you may ask? A twin is two babies that have similar generic codes and were once apart of the same embryo. I myself am a twin, and my other half is 13 minutes younger than me. You wouldn't believe we were twins even if you stuck us together and examined our "similarities." Many people who have met us say, "Are you really twins?" And we'll say, "Yes.""Really? I never would have guessed." The situation changes however when you are an identical twin; various people have said they are freaks of nature, but we shouldn't down the identicals out there. (Wonder what that would be like)?

The situation differs again. If you live with your twin, you become attached to them. When you graduate high school you think man, I really miss my twin. Separation can or cannot be difficult, it all depends on how big of a connection you have with your other half. Aside from being a twin, I have a 23 year old sister living in Arizona.
Married, has a child; they are quite happy. Yet, I never had such a strong connection with her as I do my brother. Sure I miss her now, but she is my family so of course I would miss her, but not in the same way. Part of the reason could be that she treated us wrongly in the past, but many older siblings tend to do that, especially if you are 9 years younger than they are.

For the most part, I have no regrets being a twin.

~Bwana~

What've You Got To Risk? - Day I

A game of strategy and luck in the crisis of world domination. This is a war, a war which enthralls each player in a position of thinking in order to stay in the game. But this time, the stakes are higher. When it comes down to facing a teacher, two gaming twins who are experts on strategy, two others who excel at war games, and several who are new to the front lines, who will win? But wait, it gets even better; this time, it's fought between two maps, with the "every man for himself" rule still in play. Also, you have a capitol you have to keep safe, for if you lose it, you lose it all. Who will be victorious?

Who will win

The Game Of RISK?

This will be the first part in a short series we will do involving the Lunch Club's current game: Risk

We will do a semi-short post each day the club meets, adding in information regarding the current epic; who's out, who's conquered a continent, and how many people are left in the game overall.

Currently, here are the stats: (Name, Color, Continent Focus, Continents Captured)

Board 1: Old Board

• Sierra, Blue-1, Eur.-1, None
• Alex, Black-1, Asia-1, None
• Effie, Green-1, Africa-1, None
• Aliviah, Red-1, S. Am.-1, None
• Brynna, Yellow-1, Aus.-1, Aus.-1

Board 2: New Board

• Liam, Green-2, N. Am.-2, None
• El Zorro (Fox), Yellow-2, Africa-2, None
• Sean, Red-2, Unknown, None
• Marissa, White-2, Aus.-2, None
• Grant, Black-2, Eur.-2, None

Board's 1 and 2, respectively

So, those are the boards. By technical terms, Brynna, one of the new ones, is currently in the lead with 1 Continent captured on the Old Board.

The next part will be added next Tuesday, following the Lunch Club's meeting.

Prepared to take down El Zorro,

~El Conejo Azul (The Blue Rabbit)

The Lunch Club - Every Tuesday + Thursday...at Lunch

It all began as a joke a couple of weeks ago, but has now spawned into a nice little creation.

The Lunch Club was first thought of as Mr. Fox and some students in the lunch room were talking and just having some fun, with a few laughs here and there. Then someone (the person is unknown) decided to say something about them being a little club. So, Mr. Fox started talking about making a club (jokingly, of course) where they would play games "like Risk and stuff" during the regular HS Lunchtime.

They had no idea that their little joke could become something as cool as The Lunch Club.

Suddenly, the idea became reality, as do quite a few other things in this world. During worship in Mr. Claus's room one day, Mr. Fox spoke up and said the words nobody had honestly yet expected: "The Lunch Club will meet for the first time on Tuesday, tomorrow." Through all of the joyful uproar in the room, I just barely managed to catch "We'll also be meeting every Tuesday and Thursday, so bring your lunch and come play a game."

However, Tuesday came, and no meeting. No, the Lunch Club hadn't met yet, but there was still hope for it. As Wednesday passed, and Thursday arrived, people still wondered a bit about what happened on Tuesday, and a portion of those people were told on Thursday that they would be meeting that day - during lunch, of course. And hey, what a better game to play for the first day than Bananagrams! A personal favorite (especially of those who were there for English 9/10 that one day) of several people, this practically nailed a sign on the English room's door for this wonderfully thought-out get-together.

So, here are the rules:

Every day you show up, you get a point.

These points can be put towards an event or something (still not totally decided, working on it).

If you win that days game, then you receive one point for every other person that showed up that day.

The ending points you have for that game (you don't have to win) also get added to your score.

Currently, here's the scoreboard:

Grant Slavens: 13

Mr. Fox: 10

Brynna Gregg: 5

Effie Johnson: 5

Aliviah Garcia: 4

Liam Nutt: 4

Marissa Veldman: 3

Alex Grantham: 2

Sean Haugen: 2

Alicia Susol: 1

Julia Bailey: 1

And now, I'd like to extend my invitation to the others in the High School
who are reading this:

What do you think? Did I do a good enough job?

Blue-in' it up,

~The Blue Rabbit

I Believe in Miracles

So here is the story. It was this last weekend that I was browsing on the computer with my mother and making chicken burgers with garlic rosemary mayo spread. That was when my mother asked me the artist of the song I Believe in Miracles, which was Hot Chocolate. I searched the song on Google and the first couple of options that came up were I Believe in Miracles - Hot Chocolate and some other random video. The picture on the video itself was of a mouse with his back turned to the camera. Curiosity spread across our faces, so we watched the video of this mouse dancing for a piece of cheese...on a mouse trap. Watch to see what happens, will he get the cheese?

-Bwana-

Are YOU Laughing?

Somebody is, and this time we caught it on video! Yep, this is going to be The OCS 360°'s first shot at putting a video on the website! Let us know if it works in the comments section below the post! (You need a Gmail account to do it, though)

Anyways, PICTURE TIME!

And now for the video!

Effie: You liar!

Alex: So? :P

Effie (End of video): You're in trouble.

Alex: For what? With who?

Effie: With me.

Alex: By the way, Mr. Worley, it's ready for uploading!

Mr. Worley: Oh really? How'd it turn out?

Alex: Well, I don't know. Effie, how'd it turn out?

Effie:...Good...from your point of view.

Alex: We've got a winner then, Mr. Worley!

Always quite honest, and enjoying laughs, (Effie: Yeah, right. Liar! ;) )

~The Blue Rabbit