I have tried to post a picture that I drew describing my flight back to Missouri. I have tried twice and failed twice...it's a little frustrating. So for now you're just going to have to wait for that one.

But I do have a treat for the couple of people who read this blog. As you may/may not know, I teach freshman literature in Trenton. And keeping in step with Mr. Daut (see 12th grade English IV at Nevada High School), I ask that my students write journal entries. Sometimes my kids really get into what they are writing and sometimes it's like pulling teeth. While many of the entries are simply written for a grade, some of my students write some extremely profound entries. I have decided that every once in a while I will post some of my students writing so you can see what they're going through and how they feel about where they are in life.

So without further delay, here is the unedited entry from one student who wrote on the following topic that I felt was too much fluff but standard for a journal entry:

Journal Topic:
What are you asking for for Christmas?

Response:
I want a lot of things. I wish that it could go back to like it used to be. I wish all my niggas would come back to the hood and take that gang shit somewhere else because that shit ain't for Trenton. That, oh and for my life to be good. That's what I want. "Ho, Ho, Ho" Merry Christmas.