For the first couple of years of my website, I used Blogger. It served its purpose for a while, but I wanted more control. I purchased this domain name, and have been struggling to update it on a regular basis. This was partly due to my inexperience in creating an effective website, and partly due to my laziness. I’ve created a better website, and with the help of WordPress, I’m now able to update my journal very easily. I’m still pretty lazy, so I still may not update my journal often.

My server updated some things on their end, which made it easy to install WordPress. I was using b2 for my journaling, which is actually the predecessor to WordPress, but there hadn’t been any updates to the software in several years. Also, the comments were getting flooded with spam. I shouldn’t have any problems with it now that I’ve got it running. It took me all day, including most of the time I was in classes this morning, to manipulate the PHP code they provide to make it look like the rest of the website. I took two Java classes as Young Harris College, so I’m not completely unfamiliar with programming languages, but I’ve never really worked with PHP before. It was mostly guess work and trial and error. But here’s the finished product.

You’ll notice below each post the option to leave a comment. If you don’t see a link for comment, you can always click on the entry’s title, and that should give you the option. Just fill in the required info and you’ll be able to let me know what you think about my post.

Also, there’s a search feature found under the “Previous Entries” column. I’ve played with it a little, and it seems to be working.

I also recently completed the Contact page. I’m not really sure why it took me so long; I suppose I forgot about it. You are able to place a call to me directly from the contact page. Just click on the “Call Me” button, enter your name and number, and GrandCentral will call you, then connect your call to my phone. It calls my home, cell, and office, so wherever I am, I’ll be able to answer.

This semester I’m taking three classes, a big jump from one class last semester. My supervisors were generous enough to let me work from 2:00 PM until 12:00 AM Friday through Monday from now until I finish the semester. This may not sound like a great deal, but that means that I get Tuesday through Thursday off. It also allows me to take all of my classes on Tuesday and Thursday. It’s a big relief not having to go to school at 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM, and then go to work at 2:00. I technically only have one day “off” all week, but it’s far better than being active for 17+ hours a day. So far I like my classes. I’m taking Police in America (if I don’t get an A in this one I’ll be mad…), Criminal Law, and Social Issues: Perspectives in Sociology. Social Issues is an online class, but from the way things have been going so far, I’ll spend more time on that class than the others. I guess with traditional classes, just showing up is enough to show most teachers you’re interested in the class. With an online class, you have to participate in discussions threads, post comments and article reviews, as well as online tests.

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My grandfather passed away on Christmas Eve. He was admitted to the hospital a little while back, then the nursing home for rehab, then back to the hospital. It’s amazing how quickly things happen. Dad, Andrew and I all went to the hospital earlier that day and prayed over him, talked to him, and sang Christmas carols. He tried to talk to us, but no clear words came out. He sang and prayed with us. His lips were moving the whole time.

It was great to see all of the family that came for the funeral. There were many tears, but just as many laughs.

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One night while I was patrolling the rear of a shopping center, I observed the brake lights of a parked minivan quickly go on and off again. Considering that I didn’t see anybody in the car, I thought it was suspicious. I drove up a little closer to the vehicle, but still saw no one inside. I told the dispatcher that I was out with a suspicious vehicle, and approached it with my flashlight in hand. Upon closer examination, I found two 17 year old boys sitting in the front seats. They looked at me in shock. I motioned for them to roll down the windows (if I hadn’t, they probably would have left them up). Here’s our conversation:

Me: Hey, what are you guys doing?
Driver: Oh, we’re just hanging out.
At this point I did not see, hear, or smell anything illegal. But I did have a good idea of what was happening.
Me: So… you’re not smoking weed?
Driver and Passenger: Um… well… um… we…
Me: So does that mean you are smoking weed?
Passenger: Yes, sir.
Me: Do you have any left, or did you smoke it all?
Driver: I smoked all of mine.
Passenger: I’ve got some.
Me: Well give me what you have.

They both handed over their pipes and what was left of their marijuana. I called their parents to come pick up the car, and so they could yell at them before they went to jail. One of the mothers said, “Enjoy your ride!”

(It’s little things like this that make me happy.)

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