Sunday, January 30, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 12 Stockyards

     Being at the stockyards made me realize where I come from. I was born and raised in Texas. Proud of it too. When you go to the stockyards, you truly see how the ranchers live in Texas, and how they keep up with their cattle. You get the wiff of the cattle smell, carnival rides, concession food, music, dancing, and of course a good time. I can just about gurantee that you will not walk out of the stockyards without something that you bought. Whether it be a shirt, a new fire pit, or even a mop.
     I went to the stockyards today with my family, and we have been to the one here in Ft. Worth. We are from Houston, so we have been to the Houston rodeo and livestock show before, and I ahve to say, the one here is no match to the one in Houston. Houston's show is much bigger, with concerts by different artists, and it is a bunch of fun. But tonight, me and my siblings met a person my parents were talking about after they sat with him at the Marine Birthday Ball. We met Buck Taylor. Buck has played in the show Gunsmoke, and many other western movies. It was really cool getting to meet a person that was in that show, and some other movies. I can honestly say that Buck is my first celebrity to meet.
     It was really cool because he signed a bunch of posters for us, and his wife and him exchanged contact information with my dad, and we are going to go to the Houston show when they go and maybe catch some dinner with them. His wife's name is Goldie, and she is a really nice lady. Both of them are really nice people, and I am really happy that we have had the chance to get to know them.
     Knowing that we might have the chance to grab some dinner with Buck and Goldie Taylor is really fascinating. Sitting at a table eating dinner with a talented actor and artist. Isn't that cool? I can't wait until we can go see them at the Houston show!

Friday, January 28, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 11 Movies

     My favorite thing to do on the weekends. Watch movies. I love movies so much, they keep me from getting bored when there is nothing else to do. I like all kinds of movies. Horror, comedy, action, drama, pretty much anything except documentaries. To me, documentaries are really boring, and I can't sit through a whole documentary. If I had to choose my favorite type of movies, I would choose horror and dance/music type movies.
     My favorite horror movie has got to be Saw. I have seen all of the Saw movies ever since they have started coming out. I love how gory they are, and I like the fact that they are like a puzzle. The victims have to figure a way out of the trap that they are in, and in many cases they have to sacrifice killing another person to live.
     The dance and musical type movies are the movies that I usually watch when I am bored, or in an angry mood. I really like to watch all of the people dance, especially if it is street dancing or competitive. My favorite type of dance movie is Stomp the Yard, and Step Up. I like watching how they come up with the dances, and watching them perform them in the end. As far as musical goes, I really like August Rush. August Rush is one of those inspirational type of movies that really have a good story line to it.
     All in all, I am a huge movie-goer. I love to go to the movies with friends and family, and I love watching movies when I am at home bored, or alone. Watching movies is one of my favorite things to do in my spare time, and I don't think that I will ever get tired of them!


Thursday, January 27, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 10 Married(:

     Yes... I am married. And I am proudly taken(: I got married at Disney World during Spring Break 2010 to the one and only Mattie Martinez. I am so lucky to be married to her! Ok, let me explain.
     We met while we went on a choir trip to Disney World over Spring Break last year, and we hit it off ever since. Now don't get your underwear in a wad. It's not a real marriage, you know how amusement parks have the photobooths that can crop your heads into other people's bodies? We decided to get one done, and we chose to pick the picture that had a bride and groom getting married. We bought the picture, and it looks exactly like we got married... Well, maybe except for our skin tones!
     While in Disney World, we pretty much acted as if we were married. We got each other gifts, hung out, and stuck together throughout the whole trip! Now granted, I was a freshman and she was a senior, so she is graduated now, but we are still good friends. I love my wifey. Mattie Martinez <3 Spring Break 2010
It truly was Disney Magic (:



Wednesday, January 26, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 9 Friends

     Friends. Do you have just a few close friends, one best friend, or many friends that you don't know that well? That is a question that is often asked between people. My answer? None of them. I have a lot of close friends, I have more than one best friend, and I have a lot of people that I know, but not a lot about them. To you it may seem that you can't have just one best friend, or just one close friend, but to me you can have as many of each as you want. Now, you may not tell your whole life story or all of your problems to all of your close friends or your best friends, you may only tell one or a couple of them. All of my close friends know what my problems are, and a lot of them may know my life story.
     Everybody needs friends. If you were isolated to just being with your family 24/7, I'm pretty sure you would go crazy. I know I would! You have friends in the same class as you, at work, at the same lunch as you, etc. If I was just allowed to hang out with my family and never be able to see any of my friends, I would be locked up in my room because I can't stand hanging out with my family all day everyday. Now granted I do hang out with my friends a lot on weekends, and even after school most of the days, but that is my way of staying out of all the family drama and arguments!
     My friends could make up a whole entire family and that would be my second family. Sure, we may fight and argue sometimes, but in the end it's all good. If you didn't have disagreements with your friends, then y'all aren't normal. I go to the movies, stores, scavenger hunts, restaraunts, pet stores, games, and parties with friends, if I didn't do that I would have no social life. If I had no social life, I would be this sheltered and friendless person. The only reason I get up and go to school in the morning is to see friends. No other reason. You think that I like getting up early to go do a bunch of paperwork and tests? Ummm no.
     School is like my second home because everybody is there. Everybody is at school, you get to hang out with them at lunch, passing periods, and who knows, you could have a bunch of your friends in some classes with you. School is a place where people can escape from family and just chill with friends! If you go to public school, it is more than likely that you have at least 3 friends. I have so much more, but they are the reason I get out of bed in the morning.
  

Bottom line: Friends = Family



Tuesday, January 25, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 8 Published Poems

     I wrote yesterday about me being a published poet, and how I became one. Today, I am going to share the poems that have been published. I hope you enjoy them!

Who Cares? (Published Spring 2008)

Whites
Blacks
Ugly
Beautiful.

Friends
Enemies
West end
East end.

Smart
Dumb
Does anything matter anymore?
Who cares if something is different?
I don't.




A Time For Change (Published Spring 2009)

He has changed our world forever.
He has changed the view on our country
He will forever be remembered as the first African American President
We have made history.

He has put the racial past behind our country
He will help us win the Iraqi war
He shall help put us on a budget to get us out of debt
We have made history.

He may have had a rough childhood, but he will make a great future
He has overcome great obstacles throughout his life, but what an achiever he has become.
He will be the best president our country has ever had
He is... Barack Obama.




She Could Be The One... (Published Spring 2010)

She could be the one who turns this country's past around,
She could be the person who puts a different view on America,
She could be the one who gets us out of debt,
She could be the one who gets us out of this recession,
She could be the one who runs Obama out of office,
Who is She you might be asking?
Sarah Palin
She IS the one...




Life Lesson (Published Fall 2010)

Click, snap, flash,
That's all there is to it.
Click, snap, and flash.

Some people say a picture is worth a thousand words,
But to me, a picture is worth more,
A picture is something that lets you reminisce a great memory of a certain person or thing,

A photograph can bring you closer to someone or something that has slowly lingered away or has been swept away.

My father has said to me many times,
"Smile, you will appreciate this picture once you get older."

And you know what?
He was absolutely right.

If you had not taught me that lesson I wouldn't be able to reminisce over the friends and family that are no longer here with me.

My dad has taught me something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

And that I call, is My Life Lesson.



Monday, January 24, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 7 Published Poet

     It started when I was in 7th grade. I was in a Pre-AP English class, and my teacher Mrs. Bryant had given us a little strip of paper and told us to go to the website listed on it and submit a poem that we had written. The website was a place that anybody in any grade up to 12th grade could go and submit their original poems or essays. Once you submit your poem or essay it goes on to be judged by the founders of the website, if your poem is chosen, you get a letter in the mail saying that your poem was chosen to be published. You would have to fill out the form and give them permission to print your poem in their anthology book, and then mail it back to them.
     Before I got that piece of paper from my teacher, I had never written a poem that was meant to be read by anyone or even published. I never thought that I would be a published author, but a few weeks went by after I submitted my poem, and I got the letter. I was going to be a published poet. Who knew? I was really excited and thrilled that my poem was chosen to be published in a book. Even though the anthologies are not sold in stores, they can be purchased online, and seen at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. The poem that I submitted was a poem that I had written for a book project about racism and segregation, needless for me to say that I never thought that it would have been published. I just did was I was asked to do, and low and behold my poem was published.
     Ever since then, I have been writing poems when I'm in a bad mood, or just not having the perfect day. I seem to write a lot better when I am not in my best mood. When I try to write when I'm in a good mood, or my day was a good day, I get writer's block. I don't know why, but it just comes naturally to me when I am mad. I guess you could say that is one way that I vent my anger, feelings, or opinions. I have a folder full of just roughdraft poems on notebook paper that I have written when I was angry or had something to vent about.
     Since my first poem has been published, I have had the honor to be published three more times. So in all, I have 4 published poems, all from the same website. Every now and then I go to the website to check and see if there are any contests going on, and if there are, I get into my folder full of poems and I submit one. Every time that I have gotten the letter that tells me my poem is going to be published, I get the adrenaline rush of knowing that it's going to happen again, but nothing is going to feel like the first time I got that letter. If you have any unpublished poems or essays sitting around, I encourage you to visit the website listed below and submit it. You may get published, you may not. It is something called taking a chance. If you don't get published, write another one and try again. If you want to be a published author, don't give up on that dream.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 6 My Future

     I may only be a Sophomore in high school, but I have my future pretty well planned out when it comes to college and what I want to do after. I have known for a few years that I want to be a lawyer when I get out of college. I want to go on and be a prosecutor and help put people behind bars that don't deserve to be walking the streets freely. I want to move back to my home area of Houston and get accepted to the University of Houston and major in Law. After my four years there, I hope to go on to a good law school, maybe at UH, I'm not quite sure yet, and graduate from that.
     Ever since I was maybe about 12 or 13 I had made up my mind of what I wanted to do when I was older. I love to watch any type of law show, my favorite show is Law & Order: SVU. I also watch the original Law & Order, The Defenders, CSI: Miami, and Hawaii Five-O. If it is a show about lawyers, or anything to do with solving cases you can bet I am into that show. People say that I am good at arguing, which is a great trait for a lawyer, and if you knew anything about me and my siblings, I am really good at fighting for what I know is right. I don't want to be a lawyer just because of the money they make, I want to be a lawyer because I think that I would be a good one.
     I have decided to be a prosecutor because I see all of the people committing murder, kidnapping, raping, and abusing other innocent people that get away with it. Everyday there is someone that is killed, raped, or abused by someone and we can't have those people out on the streets. As a prosecutor's job, they put those criminals behind bars. I want to be a part of a team that does that. People that have kill people out of cold blood don't deserve to live. Two words. Death penalty.
     A lot of people are for the death penalty, and a lot of people are against it. I did a speech last year in my speech class about me being for the death penalty, and there were people that were for it and against it. It is a very strong topic to talk about, but it is something that serves a good purpose. Someone that murders an innocent person should be put on the death penalty. If that murderer gets a few years in jail, he is just going to get out and do the same exact thing to another person! People say that they have changed, but they still have that craving for the feeling of killing someone once they have already done it once before. If you put those people on death row, they have a chance to think about what they did. Some people might come to their sense and realize why they are there, but there are still the people that don't care.
     This world would be chaos if we didn't have lawyers. Defenders or prosecutors. When I graduate from college and law school I am going to become a part of a team that puts criminals that deserve to be behind bars behind them. And I honestly can't wait until I am.


Saturday, January 22, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 5 Homeless

     Today me and my family went to lunch at Cici's before we started running errands. While we were eating, a man starts to set up an easel with his drawing utensils. Me and my mom look at each other with a weird look on our faces that says "who would do that in a Cici's??". When he is done setting up, he puts up a sign that says "Cartoon of you" to advertise that he would draw a caricature of you. He soon started to stand next to his easel that he had just set up and wait for any customers. Right before me and my family got ready to leave, a girl went up to him and asked how much it would cost for him to do one of her and her friend. I couldn't quite figure out what he had told her but I heard him say "If you deliver this pizza for me I will do it for you for free", when me and my mom heard that we thought that was really weird and a little bit creepy. When we got up to leave we saw him drawing the pictures of the girl and her friend, and I have to say he really was a good artist.
     When my family and I were loading into our car, we look over and see a man sleeping on a bench. It didn't take us long to figure out that he was homeless. Just before we pulled out of our parking spot my mom noticed a pizza box and a drink sitting at the end of his feet. Right then I knew the artist inside of Cici's had bought that pizza and asked the girl to deliver it to the homeless man sleeping on the bench. While we were backing out of our parking spot my mom asked "I wonder if he needs another blanket to stay warm", almost right after we said that me and my other siblings agreed we should go and get him one and bring it back to him. We were driving down the road to go home to get a blanket for him when we decided to go to CVS Pharmacy to get him not only a blanket, but some food and some other things he might need.
     We walked into CVS and started looking around for stuff that the man might need. Needless to say, we walked out of the store with a snuggie, hand sanitizer, wipes, a bag of pretzels, chapstick, a rain poncho, a water bottle, and a recycable bag to carry it all in. At the checkout counter I looked and saw that we had just spent about $50.00 on someone that we didn't even know or had met before. When we got to the Cici's parking lot again we noticed a group of kids out there talking to the homeless man, as we walked up to hand him the stuff that we got him the kids said "Oh good, they are helping too". As we gave him the stuff we bought, the other kids went on their way. I could tell that the guy was very suprised and confused as to why a family of strangers were giving him this bag full of stuff. My mom went up and rubbed him on the shoulder and everything we did brought a smile to his face. As we were walking away to load back up into our car, he called out and said "Where is y'alls church?", I turned around and told him that we went to Fellowship of the Parks. He didn't know where it was so my mom told him where it was and gave him directions, we invited him to go and check it out and I told him that we go to the 11 o'clock service.
     After he asked us where our church was, my mom told him that it is still good that he has his faith and hasn't lost it. He told us "Oh yeah, people want me to be mad at God, but why be mad at God? I'm not mad at God, I'm mad at the Devil. The Devil uses the laws and legal ways to put people like me where I am today". When we were getting ready to go back to our car he said "Thank you, y'all are really good people". I guess he saw the smile that I had on my face when he told us that because when we were in the car leaving, he waved with a big smile on his face.
     Ever since then, I have been in the best of my moods today. Our deed today reminds me of a movie that I watched a while back called Pay It Forward. We saw a man order a pizza and a drink and gave it to a homeless man, the kids saw that and bought him something, and we saw the man buy him pizza and that inspired us to go out and buy him things he might need. Pay It Forward is a movie about the same exact thing that we did today. If the world would pay it forward and do something nice to someone that they don't know, the world would truly be a better place.



Friday, January 21, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 4 Music

     Music. That one word describes my life. Music is what I do, like, and love. I have loved music ever since I was little. I dream of auditioning for American Idol one day, I am in choir at school, and I listen to music all day everyday. One of my favorite shows is glee. I love the way they shake up other artists' songs and give it their own spice. Glee and American Idol are my two favorite shows of and about music. I love the story line on Glee and how they use music to explain their problems, and I love to see how far people go in American Idol. I dream of getting that golden ticket from the judges on American Idol. One of the things on my bucketlist is to audition for American Idol, and I intend on completing that this next season.
     Music is one of the best things that was ever invented. I listen to music all day no matter what kind of mood I am in. Whether I am mad, sad, embarrassed, or having one of the best days ever I am listening to music. You can find me with my headphones on my head, music playing from my radio or xbox in my room, or watching music videos on MTV just about everyday. Whenever I want to zone out, all I have to do is put on my headphones and blast up my iPod.
     You can name any type of music and I will probably tell you that I listen to it. I listen to just about every type of music there is. I grew up in the country so yes, I listen to country. Hip Hop, Rap, R&B, Rock, I'm telling you, I will listen to anything as long as it is playing notes, and has a beat. My favorite thing to do in my free time if I'm bored is to watch musical type movies. I absolutely love the movie Rent, and August Rush. The music in those two movies are really good, and that is one of the many reasons why they are my favorite movies.
     Music is one of my best friends. No matter what, music can't and won't let you down. If you are in a bad mood, pop in a cd and it will cheer you up! Music can never let you down or disappoint you no matter what. You will always have your favorite song or your favorite artist that you like to listen to. You will always find another band that you like listening to, another musical you will love, or a cd that you must have. Music is around us forever and without it our population on this world would have nothing to do. Music for many people the only thing that they have, and for them music is their life. Music is their life. Music may be your life. Music is my life.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 3 Cancer

     Cancer. One word that nobody likes to hear. Whether it be bladder cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, throat cancer, or any of the other types of cancers there are out there. I'm sure we all know of at least one person that is living with cancer, a survivor of cancer, or was taken away from us by cancer. Every year Central High School helps to donate to find a cure for breast cancer. Last year, I didn't really think about what cancer could do to someone, I just knew that there were a lot of people in the world that are living with it. This year was different. At our pep rally at the end of the Breast Cancer Awareness week, all I could think about was my Aunt Bet.
     Earlier in 2010 my great aunt was diagnosed with three types of cancer. She is currently living with bone, bladder, and breast cancer. When I purchased my t-shirt, and bracelet for the BCA week, the only thing I thought of was what my money was going towards. All of the money CHS and KHS raised was donated to Susan G. Komen to help find a cure for people just like aunt bet. Aunt bet has been living with cancer for a few months now, but she is fighting it with a very positive and brave attitude. We all know that God is on our side and she will pull through with flying colors.
     Before I was born, my other great aunt, aunt ruthie, was diagnosed with colon cancer. I don't know much about it and how she got through it because I had not been born yet. All I know is that she is here with me today and she is healthy, to me that is all that matters. When we found out that aunt bet was diagnosed with those three types of cancers, we knew God was on our side and with the right treatment, prayers, and the support of family and friends that she will make it.
      When I visited aunt bet last weekend, she looked great. Her hair was growing back, she wasn't that sick, and she looked like herself. Every time I get to see her I thank God that she is doing better and how well she has progressed. Like I said, we all know that she will come out of this with flying colors, it's just a matter of time!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 2 My Hero

     We all have heroes, whether we admit it or not. For most people, their heroes are one or both of their parents, or maybe even a celebrity that did something that made them that person's hero. Who is my hero? Without a doubt my hero is my grandma (Meme). My grandma has been there every time I have needed someone to talk to, or needed some help. Me and my grandma don't really have a grandmother/grandson relationship, we are more like life long friends. Ever since day one my grandma has been there for me, and I know that she will be until our last day on earth.
     A lot of people say that I am spoiled by her, and yes, I may be, but that is not the reason why she is my hero. My grandma was born in a family with nine other kids, and in a family that didn't have as much money as the other families around them. She grew up in a strict household with her dad being a preacher at a Baptist church. All of the kids out of that family didn't go to college because of their funds. How did they make enough money without going to college to raise their own families and get off on their own? Faith. They all had faith growing up with their religious background, and that is what keeps them going through everything, whether it be financial problems, family problems, or health problems.
     My grandparents have been hit pretty hard with how the economy is now. Neither of my grandparents have a job, and their only source of income is Social Security. They live in the same house for more than 30 years. The same exact house that they raised their children in. They have had to evacuate many times because of living in the galveston area, and from the hurricanes. The house is slowly falling apart and needs some work done. On top of all that, my grandpa has heart problems and health problems. He has been in and out of the hospital for awhile now, and he may be sick at times, but both of them are staying strong. Yes, there may be health problems, and the house they live in may not be in the best of conditions, but one thing keeps them and our family going. Faith.

                                             My grandma is and always will be my hero.

                                                              Love you Meme!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

31 Day Challenge- Day 1 Who am I?

Who am I? That is a really good question.. If you don't know me, my name is Adam Hundley. I am from a small town just outside of Houston called Alvin. I have lived in Keller since I moved here when I was four. I come from a family of huge baseball fans, and yes, I am one myself. My first and foremost favorite team is the Houston Astros, afterall that is where I am from. But of course, my second favorite team is the Texas Rangers! My favorite players are Josh Hamilton, and Nolan Ryan. I am a huge music fan, without music I simply wouldn't be able to keep my sanity. I listen to music when I am mad, sad, not having a good day, when I am having the perfect day, when I am in the car, and when I go to bed. Without music, I would have no life. My favorite band is Three Days Grace, and I would give anything to be able to see them in concert. I listen to anything from country to hip hop to rap. If it is music and it has a beat then I will listen to it! I hate to admit it, but I am also a Facebook addict. I am on Facebook all day everyday, whether it be on my phone, iPod, or my laptop. I also like to get on Formspring to see if anyone has asked me any questions.. Yes, I know, it is a little weird liking to answer questions that are being asked anonymously, but I like to see what people ask me! If you want to ask me a question then click on the link attached (: But that is who I am. An avid baseball lover, music craver, and Facebook addict. Any questions? Yes? If so, feel free to email me or contact me on Facebook.. Just follow the link!

www.formspring.me/adamhundley34
www.facebook.com/adam.hundley34