Are you ready for some . . . .

If you want a sport to play and you don't know which one, I recommend football in the fall.  It's a fun sport, but sometimes you can get hurt.  So, you want to be careful where you play.  Like, my friends and I play football on recess.  Sometimes we have to play on the asphalt.  You have to be really careful not to push people down then.

Costume Creativity

If you can't figure out what Halloween costume to wear, think about what you love most or what you're most scared of.  Then you'll have plenty of ideas.  I personally like to think of book characters or movie characters that I've enjoyed over the past year.

But, my uncle Derry is afraid of clowns.  He should go as a clown.  That would be funny!  He'd be afraid of himself. HA!  Hey, Derry, I hope you enjoy this!

Mo Better News!

This isn't so much a tip as a shout out.  Say hello to my new cousin named Moses.  The picture is very cute.  I can't wait to meet him.  I think he'll be very nice.  I know we'll have fun together someday soon.  Right now he lives in Uganda.  Someday soon he'll live in Indiana.  Yay!

Also, it's a shout out to all those people who helped my Aunt Janelle, Uncle Derry, and Katylynn raise money to help pay for the adoption of Moses.  Way to go.

Getting Whatchoowant

If you want to try to trick your parents into getting something that you want, but that they don't want to get for you, you have to tell them that it's useful and educational.  Also, if you find something for your brother or sister and tell your parents you really think they should buy it for your brother or sister because you love him or her, then you might be able to get your parents to buy the thing you really want to reward you for being a loving brother and to make sure they're being fair to you both.  It's really sneaky to do that, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!

Road Rules

To be a good driver you need to be trustworthy.  If you're not, you can kill yourself in a car wreck or ruin your car.  Good drivers make sure that they are not driving too fast.  They protect their passengers.  Bad drivers drive too fast and don't pay attention to the road.  They disobey the law.  Don't be a bad driver.

Being Big and Nice

Playing with little kids is fun. You should do it because it's a nice thing to do and little kids will think you're a nice guy.

Good Reads: Jerry Todd

Jerry Todd books, written by Leo Edwards, are really good. They are set way back in the first half of the 1900s in a town called Tutter, Illinois. Jerry and his gang (Scoop, Peg, and Red) have all kinds of crazy adventures and solve mysteries.

I don't usually like mysteries, but I had to read one for my fourth grade October book report. So I chose Jerry Todd and the Whispering Mummy. . I loved it. It's fast paced, fun, and funny. Those kids from Tutter are just crazy.

I also liked the book because my Grandpa Kip used to read them when he was a kid and then read them to my dad and uncles when they were kids. So I can carry on a tradition by reading them.

Traditions are important. I loved my grandpa and I miss him. This makes me remember him and feel like he's close to me.

My Twenty-Five Cents Worth

My favorite coin is the quarter. They are cool because I collected the state quarters. Plus, if you have four of them, you have a dollar.

What's your favorite coin?

A Skunk by Any Other Name

If you stink, please put on some deodorant. Body odor is gross. Ms. Weatherbee said some of the boys in our class have been smelling bad after gym and recess. So we are all supposed to wear deodorant.

Amen, Ms. Weatherbee!

Dodging Balls and Moms

There is a game I made up called Stair Dodge ball. It's really fun. Throw a couple of inflated balls up the stairs and try to catch them when they come back down. You have to have quick reflexes for sure.

You kind of have to watch out for your mom, though, if she has told you not to throw balls in the house. Just don't let her see you.

Comical Life

My friends and I are writing a new comic strip about our lives at school.  It's really funny and fun to do.

You should make a comic of your life, too.  It doesn't have to be a funny comic strip.  There are graphic novels that are comics that aren't funny at all.  Some are serious and some are action/adventure.  Do whatever fits your life best.

Ours is called "Jack's Life."  My friend Jack is kind of like the main character, even though Jeremy and I are big characters in it, too.  We have the first one pretty much done.  It's hilarious.

Let me know if you want to read it some time.

Acting Out

I'm having a blast in the play I'm in.  I am playing Scrooge as a Young Boy and then a few other non-speaking roles.

If you have an interest in acting, you should.

Karma Sunday

Karma. It's when good things happen to you when you're good and bad things happen to you when you're bad.

My tip is that you shouldn't expect karma always to work.

I told my dad today that he doesn't seem to have karma, because even when he's mean to me bad things don't seem to happen to him. Unfortunately, it seems like karma does work for me. I mean, I seem to get in trouble or other bad things happen when I'm naughty.

Not. Fair.

Coolness 'R Me

There's a new Toys 'R Us Express in the College Mall in Bloomington. Even though it's not a full TRU, just an Express, it's got some awesome toys. I would recommend the Mario and Sonic toys, the RC cars, Legos, or Mighty Beans. I got an RC car yesterday. It's call the Cyclone. It rocks. There's also the Stunt Master and the Stunt Knight. The Knight is better than the Master, but I like my Cyclone best.

I've gotten pretty good at it. I'd say I'm at a novice+ level. I'll soon be at the expert level. I don't know if I'll ever get to the pro level.

You should go check out the toys and see what you like best.

Let's Make a Deal: Family Edition

When you want something that your parents don't want you to have, try to strike a deal with them.

I made a deal today with my parents that I can get a new orange kitten if I feed our cats, Frodo and Pippen, every day and clean their litter boxes twice a week for a year.

Litter boxes are gross, but I really want that kitten!!!

Share the Good News!

When you have good news, share it!

I have good news. I was cast in the Monroe County Civic Theater production of "Scrooge Variations.". I'll be playing Scrooge as a Young Boy, and several other smaller parts.

If you're in Bloomington the first two weeks of December, come to the John Waldron Arts Center and see me in a performance. I'll autograph your program. I'm sure it will be worth a lot of money some day.

Facebook = Stupidbook

Facebook is a really, really dumb thing that people use to communicate even when they could call or e-mail or visit their friends in person.  People who aren't on Facebook then feel left out.  I hate it when people talk about what they did or said on Facebook.  It's bad enough that they mess with the stupid thing; they don't have to talk about it.  Facebook is not the real world, people!

Texting is also stupid.

Just my point of view.

Children of the World, Unite! (For Cell Phone Rights)

I think kids should sometimes have their own cell phones.  Young kids don't need one, but they should get one before they're totally old.

My parents think I'm not going to get a cell phone until I'm 16!  And, then, they say it's going to belong to the car and not me.  Can you believe that?!?

LAME!

They're totally going to change their minds.  Or I'll make them change their minds.