Looking Back/Thank You

On my journey to Wal-Mart about an hour ago I was trying to come up with things to write about. I haven’t had much time to think with all the stuff that is going on right now in this last week of school. So I just laid out a list of events that have been taking place:

I just recently got back together with my girlfriend Marie, which is going great if you were asking. She seems shy but she’s just as much of a goofball as I am.
I am currently going through a rap phase, which, aside from thinking, was my main reason for the trip to my workplace. I had to have Dave Chappelle’s Block Party on DVD. I just recently bought the soundtrack to the movie, which led me on to by Phrenology by The Roots (Great CD check it out if you like good (not-corporate/gangster) rap music.)

But of all the things that shot through my head when searching for a topic to write on the one I kept coming back to was school. At first I didn’t really want to write about it because all of my sentiment had seem to be used up in “This Blog is Killing Me” but this is the end of grade school. It is the biggest accomplishment for many of us to date, what deserves to be written about more at a time like this? After twelve years of going to school we have finally come to the end. And I thought: what better a way to finish it off but a look back on what started me off on this journey into the unknown.

First Grade: I had Mrs. Ramage and begged to hear her telling of “Boney Legs” (the classes favourite book) everyday. This is where I learned my months and how to count to one hundred.

Second Grade: I had Mrs. Wayne, a Philipino woman wouldn't stop reminding us how hard a time she had in her homeland and felt it necessary to throw hyperactive kids against desks. She went on and on about how hard life was for people back in the Philippines, which I think is about all I learned. It was quite the opposite from grade 1.

Third Grade: I had Mrs. Tamara, a woman with soft-spokedness that rivals that of our own valedictorian. And whose biggest defence against acting up students was to yell her whisper of “Don’t do that” which was about as effective as the League of Nations (sorry, I wrote a Social essay today and I’m slightly stuck in the mindset.) I learned cursive writing.

Fourth Grade: I had Mr. Lorenz, a bigger fellow who taught most of his lessons using cartoons. Computers were introduced to our school about this time and the word-processors made my cursive writing obsolete, I would never hand-write again.

Fifth Grade: I had Mrs. Graham, a lady who you knew by looking at her, had to be a gym teacher. The woman illegally pushed her religion on us forcing us to say the Lord’s Prayer everyday after O’Canada. ‘Tis a shame I didn’t know what I know now, I could’ve saved myself the breath.

Sixth Grade: I was sad to have Mrs. Zazula because the other sixth grade teacher allowed his students to make model rockets, which they would shoot off at the end of the year. I quickly found out that the rockets were the only advantage to having the other teacher and found home in my wonderful last year of elementary.

Shortly following my graduation from Coalhurst Elementary School my family and I moved to West Lethbridge and I took up grade seven at Hamilton Junior High (HJH.) This was a very hard thing to do because the only person I knew was James Inglis, and he went home every lunch hour. I spent most of the beginning of the year riding my skateboard up and down the sidewalk to the side of the school at lunch. And retreating home to cry in my room after school. After a while though, I found my passion in the Drama room. I let it all hang out and performed the crap out of any part I received. Comedy is a wonderful thing and my ability to make people laugh quickly made me many friends I still have to this day.

After three years at HJH my friends and I moved across the field to the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (LCI.) I met with many of my best friends in the first class I ever had at LCI: Drama. And in that very same class found the inspiration to follow the path of a Drama teacher. Over the years my classes in Drama taught me to be more outgoing and meet as many people as possible. It brought me the life lesson I will always live by: Don’t care what other people think about. In my time at LCI I have completed many courses, learned many things and met so many fantastic people. Thanks to you guys I’ve come from knowing no one to knowing everyone, mind you it did take me 6 years. Thank-you to everyone who has ever taught me anything, or made me laugh or laughed at me. I will not forget any of you who have changed my life even a miniscule amount. High-School has shown me such a wonderful time and I write this in hopes that after I sign your yearbook tomorrow and the connection is broken you will know how great a time you’ve given me. At the risk of repeating myself: I Thank You.

-Teck

From the bottom of my heart