The Army

I walk my way out,
Leaving all of it behind.
Run quick,
Don't miss,
Don't get hit.
Explosions sound,
The world goes round.
Mind racing,
People pacing.
Hurry,
Breathe,
Fight.
Loved ones forgotten,
Friendships are rotten.
People are dying,
Nobody's crying.
You have to be strong,
You have to forget.
Your never the same,
When army's your game.

Fights....Wedgies...and The Struggles of Life.

Bullies are one of the worst possible things that you can face in your life. They give you wedgies, they steal your lunch money, and they always beat you up. People face challenges and struggles like this every single day. Sometimes it’s too much for a person to handle and they just quit and stop fighting. THAT’S BAD!! You have to fight the challenges that life throws at you every day. It will make you stronger and it will change you into a completely different person that you never saw yourself being. When you are struggling with something you have to not quit and you have to keep fighting. You might loose at first, but in the end you will shine through with victory. Santiago in the old man and sea deal with some of these struggles that people face every day. Lifes bullies.

Getting beat up is the worst. You hurt all over the place afterward, and when you try to fight back, you never have confidence in yourself to fight good enough. In the Old Man at Sea, Santiago struggles with some challenges in which he needs to fight. He doesn’t want to give up and he is determined to win the fight and have confidence in himself. Santiago is a fisherman who can never seem to catch any fish. He has no friends, except a boy that always comes to visit him named Mandolin. Mandolin is a curious, outgoing, anxious boy, who wants to fish with the fisherman. Santiago is a poor, old, lonely man who is just trying to find his place in his lifetime and trying to fight this struggle. Santiago would talk to anything. Fish, birds, himself! He just didn’t have anybody. “Fish, I love you and I respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends” (Santiago 54) His love and respect for the fish shows that, he cares about the fish and he counts the fish as a friend. But, he is so weak and he is so hungry that he must kill it to survive. Sometimes, you might not feel good after doing something, but when you find out it’s the right thing and that it was the best thing to do, you tend to feel better. Sometimes when a bully picks on you, you loose all your friends and nobody likes you, so you tell on him and he gets mad and beats you up before he gets detention. It might have not seemed like a good choice when you first did it, but in the end, you were glad that you turned that bully in. Santiago was glad when he caught his tuna. He hated to kill it, but in the end he was glad he did.


Wedgies hurt! Who knew that underwear could ride up your butt that high? They make you so tense, and there so unsympathetic. Well, in the old man at sea, Santiago struggles with some pain as well, only his doesn’t ride up his butt. Santiago wants to catch a Marlin. He is so devoted to catching one, that he would risk his life just to get a Marlin. “He woke with a jerk of his right fist coming up against his face and the line burning out through his right hand. He had no feeling of his left hand, but he braked all he could with his right and the line rushed out. Finally, his left hand found the line and now it burned his back and his left hand, and his left hand was taking all the strain and cutting badly”. ( Santiago 82) This aggressive fight for the rope ended up hurting Santiago badly. He got wedgied. He didn’t even care though. All that matters is he caught something big and he had it on the line which lay in his hand. This had to of been a very taunting moment to Santiago.


The last thing that stinks about bullies, is that they steal your lunch money! When a bully tries to steal your lunch money, their not cautious or respectful. They just rip it out of your hand!!!! They fight you for your money! Their so threatening! Santiago gets lunch money almost stolen from him as well, but he stops the bully. It was a very haunting experience from him. “The shark closed fast astern and when he hit the fish, the old man saw his mouth open and his strange eyes and the clicking chop of the teeth, as he drove forward in the meat just above the tail. The shark’s head was out of water and his back was coming out and the old man could hear the noise of skin and flesh ripping on the big fish when he rammed the harpoon the harpoon down onto the shark’s head at a spot where the line between his eyes intersected with the line that ran straight back from his nose.” (Santiago 102) This once in a lifetime experience was planted into Santiago’s head for the rest of his life. The shark tried to steal Santiago’s lunch money (the fish), but Santiago stood up to his bully and fought to keep his lunch money. All you have to do is put your mind to something, and if it means that much to you, and you really want it, that’s all you need is some self encouragement.


As you can see, life is full of bullies. There all around us. We deal with struggles every day. They come in all shapes, sizes, and species. Santiago faced many struggles in his life and as you can see, he got through all of them. He got through them because he believed in himself. You can accomplish anything in life, if you just put your mind to it. There are plenty of new challenges and struggles out there that are just waiting for us. We need to find them and take them on. We can work ourselves through everything. Santiago didn’t let his problems slow him down. He just sucked it up, thought of what he was struggling with, got confidence in himself, and went for it. He succeeded. I think it’s time you started thinking about the struggles you’re facing in like and how you’re going to take them on. “You may have lost the battle... But you didn’t loose the war”

Confessions of a Teenage Serial Killer by: Desiree Tocci

January 17^th, 2007

So my name is Jeff. Killer is my alias. You are my new best friend. I tell you everything and you can’t tell me anything back. I guess I decided to start writing a journal because I don’t have any friends. It’s not that I’m not likable I just have a secret that’s all. I’m 15 years old, and I’m a teenage serial killer. I have killed lots of people, mostly classmates though. The number probably ranks around 50-100. I live in a hamlet and there are not many people around here who see things. Here, let me tell you a couple stories about victims I’ve killed. It was Wednesday and it was the 4^th of January I think. It was raining that day. I remember that. I went to science class. My teacher handed back some tests that we had took last Friday. He handed mine back; F. I stared at the F like it stood for Failure. It stood for so much more though, i just didn’t know it.

"Horrible Job Jeff." My teacher said to me.

Man, did I hate my science teacher. He would fail you just because you didn’t have a complete sentence. Crazy, I know.

"You’re a real winner Jeff. Oh wait. YOU’RE A LOSER!" yelled Tony.

God, did I hate Tony too. The bell soon rang and when the whole class left except for my teacher I thought it was time to do my business. I walked to the door and locked it.

" Jeff stop being stupid. I need to go home. You know I actually have people who care about me", my science teacher said with a lip.

" Shut up old man." I yelled.

He looked at me surprised and I looked at him with his death in my eyes. He would so never see his family again and that was his own fault. I made my way over to his desk and he got up and started to move around the room. I followed him slowly, and he ran. He was scared of me. What a failure. I then followed him a little faster and he was getting even more worried now. He then ran to the door and tried to open it. It was locked though and the key was in my pocket. He was at the door struggling now, so I walked behind him and grabbed the back of his head.

" Want the door to open?" I asked.

"Yes," my teacher replied with a shaky voice.

" Sucks for you then", I replied.

I then took his head and bashed it into the door handle. It made a clamor and he fell to the floor with a huge thump. He then was bleeding. Not too much, but he was bleeding. He was crawling on the floor now and I went and sat on his back. He let a gust of wind out and then he started t o hyperventilate. After he did that he just passed out. I then picked up his head again and tipped it back. I pulled out the key that opened the door. I then took the acute end of the key and I put it to his head. I started to carve into his forehead. He was screaming now and crying. Screaming like you could never imagine. I thought he was literally going to scream so loud that his lungs were going to just come flying out of his body! I kept carving until I was done. I carved an F right into the forehead of my science teacher. That F stood for fantastic because may I say, it came out pretty well. Blood was gushing now and so I went to the window and opened it up. In came the rain that was pouring down outside. It took the blood and started to run it down the drain and out of the science room. Good thing I was doing this here. I then walked back over to my science teacher who now was just lying on the floor curled up in a little ball crying. I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. You would have laughed too right? I then reached him and then decided I didn’t want to kill him just yet. In the corner there was a metal pole that was used on a cart to hold things together. I went over to the cart and ripped off the pole. I then carried it over to my science teacher and hit him in the back with it.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"OOOOWWWWWWW!!!!" yelled my teacher bawling his eyes out.

I hit him more until he wasn’t moving at all. I then leaned down to his face to see if he was still breathing. He was. I then took a hold of his head and said,

"Here. I’ll be nice and stop the pain."

I then broke his neck. That was the end of my science F’s and my science teacher. Pretty good right? I think I did I pretty good job. I am very wry you know even though I don’t do well in school. Well, I’m going to go for now I’ll write to you again later.

January 18^th, 2007

Hey best friend. You miss me. Today was interesting. I’m very placid right now so, I am going to tell you all about it. Well I came home from school right? My mom came over to me and was like how was school? And I said that it was good. Then, she asked me if we could sit down and talk. I didn’t know what she wanted to talk about, but I said sure anyway. My mom isn’t affluent, but she gets by with what she has.

"Jeff, I feel as a mother I should know more about you", she started.

"Whatever", I replied.

"Ok. So I don’t really see you at all and I think that you need to come out of your room more and learn to actually communicate with me. I want you to take the lock off of your door as well. I want to go inside", she said.

"Ok first. I don’ t want to talk and communicate with you and second of all I am not taking the lock off my door because it is my door and it can be locked if I want it to", I replied.

What my mom didn’t know is that I lock my door because in the inside of it, there are things I don’t care for her to see. Here ill explain my room to you so that way you can get a feel for what it looks like. My walls are black. I freshly painted them like a month ago. There is red drips splotched all over the black. It looks like a body exploded and the blood flew onto the walls of my room. A cool way to look at it right? So anyway, my bed is located on the floor. I only have a sheet and its white. I don’t really like to sleep with a whole bunch of blankets. My carpet has stains on it from when I came home with tools of which I used on my victims. There is a mirror in my room that is to the right of my bed and on the mirror I have some pictures of some people. I have a picture of my mom and I and I have a picture of my friend Jess that I have known since 3^rd grade. Neither of them knows that I’m a serial killer, but that’s for me to know and for them to find out. I think that the chance of me not being a serial killer anymore is just irrevocable. I also have a bevy of knives. I like to collect them. I also have a gaff from when my dad and I use to go fishing. Since he died though, I don’t use it. Now lets get back to me and my moms conversation.

"You shouldn’t be talking to me this way Jeff. I am your mother and I control your happiness and what you do. It could all be destroyed right before your eyes", she replied.

"Is that a threat?" I asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Yes", she replied. "Yes it is".

"Very well then", I replied.

I got up and walked into the kitchen. My mom watched me, but she didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t really care to ask. I walked over to one of the drawers that lay in the kitchen and I opened it up. I looked inside to see my reflection looking back at me. It was in a butcher knife and it was perfect. I then got the knife into the palm of my hand. It was so smooth and just absolutely perfect. Let me use a metaphor for you so you can get exactly how nice it was. The knife was a sheet of glass. It was so reflective and so sharp and big. It would cut just like butter and I was very excited. I could feel my blood starting to boil and it was about to burst. I turned and put the knife into the back of my pants, so the handle was sticking out and it was ready to be used. I went back into the living room and up to my mom who was now lying on the couch. I walked over to her and I sat ontop of her. I looked down at her and I stared at her for a minute.

"What are you looking at Jeff", she asked.

"Nothing. I was just taking one last picture." I replied.

" What are you talking about?" she asked.

I then pulled out the knife and stabbed it right into her heart.

"That’s what I’m talking about", I replied and pushed it in harder. It went completely through and I could just hear the sound of her organs ripping and her heart slicing into different pieces. My work was done. So then I got up washed my hands and then made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Isn’t that a cool day? I know right? Well I have to go. I have to get ready to go outside. I think I want to go for a walk. Bye.

January 25^th 2007

Hey best friend. Sorry I haven’t written to you in a while. A lot has actually changed. Hard to believe it or not I have a girlfriend! Yea. Remember how I told you I had a friend named Jess? Well, her and I hung out yesterday and now were dating! I didn’t tell her that I’m a serial killer because I don’t think its necessary. Well, me and her are going to hang out today so I’ll write to you tomorrow and let you know how things went.

January 26^th 2007

Journal I am so pissed off right now. Jess is cheating on me! Yea I know right? What a jerk. I caught her yesterday. It’s vague who she was with, but that doesn’t matter. She doesn’t know I did though, but oh will I make her pay for that. I have a plan and everything about how im going to do it. Ill tell you about it tomorrow. I’m going to go do what I need to do now. Bye.

January 27^th 2007

Well I did it. It’s over. Want to hear what I did? It’s actually pretty bad. I can’t believe I just said that. Ok here it goes. So I went to her house and knocked on her door. She answered and greeted me with a hug. It hurt to get a hug from someone you thought loved you and then you find out they don’t. I walked into her house and brought her up to her room. I then told her I was thirsty and so she went to go get me something to drink. I then very quickly and quietly moved around her room. Her room is purple with flowers on the walls and a pink carpet. Her scent floated around in it too. She always smelt like lavender. I then went around and around until I found what I was looking for. Duck tape. I then shut the lights off and waited. She walked into her room.

"Jeff? Jeff where a re you?" she called.

I came out at her and covered her mouth I then went to her bed and took part of her comforter and stuffed it into her mouth. Her cry could not be heard and it was perfect. I then turned on the light and took the duck tape and taped her down to her bed. She looked at me and was crying. Her parents weren’t home so they couldn’t help and her phone was out of reach. I then looked at her.

" You think that you can play games with my feelings? You think that you can just date me and think you can get away with dating someone else? I don’t think so. So now you’re going to pay Jess. I’m a serial killer and congrats. You’re my next victim." I said with a smile.

She looked at me and was moaning and crying her eyes out. I didn’t care though. I cut open all of her clothes and I raped her first. She was so weak after I did that. She fought and fought and fought but I was no match for her. After I did that I smacked he r across the face. I took out a knife I had in my pocket and carved a broken heart into her chest. Drips of blood streamed down her shaking, trembling, weak, and disgusted body. I smile with enjoyment. I then untapped her and she just lie there, not moving. I then went over to her and I laid down next to her rubbing my hand up and down her stomach. I didn’t care that it was covered in blood I just wanted to rub her tummy. I then sat up and looked at her. She was so pretty and I loved her so much, but she broke my heart and didnt even care. I then took out the knife and I sliced it through her heart. She coughed and spit up some blood and then before I knew it she was dead. I looked at her for a little bit and then I got up and I walked out of her house and went home. I didn’t sleep well last night. All I could think about is the look on her face. It seemed like it hurt me more then I thought it would. I couldn’t believe I did it. Dismorning I was so upset with myself. What have I become? I would keep asking. Journal what do you think? Well, I decided that I was going to go and try to get help, but I thought it was going to take a long time. GET THIS JOURNAL! They said that they would get back to me and they just called back and hour ago and told me I had an appointment booked for tomorrow! Isn’t that wonderful! It was as easy as remembering to breathe. I can’t believe it. I guess people are always there for you when you need it, you just need to try. You need to work for what you want and fight for what you need. I did and I can’t wait to go. I hope that they don’t put me in jail for this. I’m only 15! Well, I have to burn you now journal because I don’t want to ever read any of the stuff I have told you I did ever again. It’s too horrible and I hate myself too much for it. So I guess this is good bye. You are a really good listener.

The Value of a Phone Call to a Blade Slicing Through Ice!!!!!!!!!

Have you ever valued something too much? Have you ever lost something of great value to you? Have you ever never realized how much you value something till its gone? A lot of times people have to go through these questions when they value something. I know what it is like to loose something of great value to you and it’s not a great feeling. Now, I hold onto the stuff that I value, because those are important things to me, and I dont want to loose them. I have valued something too much and it ended up destroying me and the people around me. I have realized that I valued something when it was too late, and it makes me wonder why I didn’t show that I valued it before. When you really value something make sure that, that value is aware of it. Do you value something?

The buzz vibrates through my pocket as the vibration forms a smile across my face. I drop whatever i'm doing just to reach in and grab it. As I reach into my pocket, my phone and I connect. It’s like the bond between us is unbreakable. I pull my phone out of my pocket, and it graces me with its image of electricity and beauty. It is an addiction I can not break as its current pulls me in each time. I open my phone to see the screens light fill up my eyes. My eyes trace over the grammar not missing a single punctuation mark. The words fill up in my head as I finish reading the message. I touch the keyboard and before I know it im surfing my way through my phone. I start it off with a simple hey and before I know it, it’s developed into something more. My fingers fly across the keyboard and im filling up my screen with tons of words and phrases. My mind is racing with information and excitement as I see the mailbox form on my screen and the message appear "Sent". My blood starts to rush as I wait for the message across my phone to reply “New Message". When it appears I can feel everything in my body go nuts. I get all excited and before I know it, my phone is open again and im typing faster then before. My mom has me go to the store with her and my excitement soon turns to disappointment. We enter the car and then my mom informs me that I can bring my phone along. Hearing those words just made me so happy. I run to my phone like a kid running to presents on Christmas morning. I run into my house running to my room, and there it is, my phone. It calls to me as it sits on my bureau so far away from me. I go to it and it feels so good to know it is back in my palm.

My blades hit the ice and i'm in another world. It’s so smooth as it glides along the bottom of my blades. As I swerve I can feel my edges grip and I know im in control. The cold air brushes my face like the wind in the nice cool fall. I start up the power and I can feel my energy building. I start flying around the ice and I prepare for my first jump. As I make my way around the ice I can feel my heart beating, like its about to jump out of my chest. I get ready with strength and energy and before I know it I take off. The moment in the air is so indescribable. The twirling feels amazing and I prepare for landing. As I land on the ground I stick the landing and my heart stops racing for the moment of time. I can feel the feeling of accomplishment run through my veins. I love it. I love it so much that I prepare for another. This time I go for a tougher one. The pressure is building and my heart is racing. I hope I land it. I take off and I feel it go wrong. My body starts to flinch and I go down hard. The feeling of my body smacking against the ice is like a glass shattering against a wooden floor. I lay on the ice feeling the feeling of defeat and it stinks. I work my way up and I make my way off the ice. Another day will come.My name comes over the loud speaker and the audience starts to chant my name. My heart starts to race and I can feel my blood pumping. I make my way out to center ice and I position myself for the best moment of my life. I wait for the music to start as I stand shaking in position. My music starts and so do I. As soon as I feel the ice moving beneath me, a smile forms across my face and I get a confidence I didn’t have before. I move across the ice feeling the pleasure erupt! The judges smile at me and I know that im doing a good job. I finish my program before I know it and the audience erupts into a chant and clapping. I feel so good inside as I wave and skate off the ice. I got first place.

I value both my cell phone and my first ice skating for different and similar reasons. My cell phone gives me the ability to talk to anyone anytime. I love it. It has a keyboard too, which allows me to text faster and easier then just a regular phone pad. It’s about worth $150.00, but to me it is more then that. I always worry about it getting ruined or destroyed or lost so I make sure that I always keep a close eye on it. I always make sure that its secure and that nothing will ever happen to it. My phone is my life and without it I would die. Something my phone does not have that my ice skating has, is that it can not win me awards.My ice skating gives me the ability to get exercise, work hard, and accomplish my goals. The edges are unbelievable and the feeling is even better. The jumps make it all worthwhile and the spins are something else. I always worry about falling when i'm in the process of skate, but I always risk it anyway. My first ice skating competition was priceless. My first time on the ice in front of a huge crowd was just indescribable. Knowing that there were people there watching you and knowing that you’ve accomplished learning what you needed to, and was going to do well was the best feeling in the world. Ice skating is different then a cell phone by a cell phone being able to use internet if it wants to. Ice skating doesn't have shortcuts either.

Both of my values are also the same in a couple ways. You can go all over the world with them, you can tell people about them, you can borrow them, you can be good at using them, and more then one person can have them or be doing/using them. By having these things in common it makes it really easy to do both. You don’t have to worry about having to give up a value for another. I value both of these things a lot and I never will forget / give them away. Without these things in my life/ or were in my life, I would not be where I am today. Values can changeeverything. Without them, your whole life would change from where it is now. Do you value your parents? Well, if you do, just think about what it would be like if they weren’t there after you were born. What would your life be like now? How would your life be different? What would have happened to you? That’s how my values make me feel. Maybe you should think about yours....

The Value of a Phone Call to a Blade Slicing Through Ice draft 1

Have you ever valued something too much? Have you ever lost something of great value to you? Have you ever never realized how much you value something till its gone? A lot of times people have to go through these questions when they value something. I know what it is like to loose something of great value to you and it’s not a great feeling. Now, I hold onto the stuff that I value, because those are important things to me, and I dont want to loose them. I have valued something too much and it ended up destroying me and the people around me. I have realized that I valued something when it was too late, and it makes me wonder why I didn’t show that I valued it before. When you really value something make sure that, that value is aware of it. Do you value something?

The buzz vibrates through my pocket as the vibration forms a smile across my
face. I drop whatever i'm doing just to reach in and grab it. As I reach into my pocket, my phone and I connect. It’s like the bond between us is unbreakable. I pull my phone out of my pocket, and it graces me with its image of electricity and beauty. It is an addiction I can not break as its current pulls me in each time. I open my phone to see the screens light fill up my eyes. My eyes trace over the grammar not missing a single punctuation mark. The words fill up in my head as I finish reading the message. I touch the keyboard and before I know it im surfing my way through my phone. I start it off with a simple hey and before I know it, it’s developed into something more. My fingers fly across the keyboard and im filling up my screen with tons of words and phrases. My mind is racing with information and excitement as I see the mailbox form on my screen and the message appear "Sent". My blood starts to rush as I wait for the message across my phone to reply “New Message". When it appears I can feel everything in my body go nuts. I get all excited and before I know it, my phone is open again and im typing faster then before. My mom has me go to the store with her and my excitement soon turns to disappointment. We enter the car and then my mom informs me that I can bring my phone along. Hearing those words just made me so happy. I run to my phone like a kid running to presents on Christmas morning. I run into my house running to my room, and there it is, my phone. It calls to me as it sits on my bureau so far away from me. I go to it and it feels so good to know it is back in my palm.

My blades hit the ice and i'm in another world. It’s so smooth as it glides along the bottom of my blades. As I swerve I can feel my edges grip and I know im in control. The cold air brushes my face like the wind in the nice cool fall. I start up the power and I can feel my energy building. I start flying around the ice and I prepare for my first jump. As I make my way around the ice I can feel my heart beating, like its about to jump out of my chest. I get ready with strength and energy and before I know it I take off. The moment in the air is so undescribable. The twirling feels amazing and I prepare for landing. As I land on the ground I stick the landing and my heart stops racing for the moment of time. I can feel the feeling of accomplishment run through my veins. I love it. I love it so much that I prepare for another. This time I go for a tougher one. The pressure is building and my heart is racing. I hope I land it. I take off and I feel it go wrong. My body starts to flinch and I go down hard. The feeling of my body smacking against the ice is like a glass shattering against a wooden floor. I lay on the ice feeling the feeling of defeat and it stinks. I work my way up and I make my way off the ice. Another day will come.My name comes over the loud speaker and the audience starts to chant my name. My heart starts to race and I can feel my blood pumping. I make my way out to center ice and I position myself for the best moment of my life. I wait for the music to start as I stand shaking in position. My music starts and so do I. As soon as I feel the ice moving beneath me, a smile forms across my face and I get a confidence I didn’t have before. I move across the ice feeling the pleasure erupt! The judges smile at me and I know that im doing a good job. I finish my program before I know it and the audience erupts into a chant and clapping. I feel so good inside as I wave and skate off the ice. I got first place.

I value both my cell phone and my first ice skating for different and similar reasons. My cell phone gives me the ability to talk to anyone anytime. I love it. It has a keyboard too, which allows me to text faster and easier then just a regular phone pad. It’s about worth $150.00, but to me it is more then that. I always worry about it getting ruined or destroyed or lost so I make sure that I always keep a close eye on it. I always make sure that its secure and that nothing will ever happen to it. My phone is my life and without it I would die. Something my phone does not have that my ice skating has, is that it can not win me awards.
My ice skating gives me the ability to get exercise, work hard, and accomplish my goals. The edges are unbelievable and the feeling is even better. The jumps make it all worthwhile and the spins are something else. I always worry about falling when i'm in the process of skate, but I always risk it anyway. My first ice skating competition was priceless. My first time on the ice in front of a huge crowd was just indescribable. Knowing that there were people there watching you and knowing that you’ve accomplished learning what you needed to, and was going to do well was the best feeling in the world. Ice skating is different then a cell phone by a cell phone being able to use internet if it wants to. Ice skating doesn't have shortcuts either.

Both of my values are also the same in a couple ways. You can go all over the world with them, you can tell people about them, you can borrow them, you can be good at using them, and more then one person can have them or be doing/using them. By having these things in common it makes it really easy to do both. You don’t have to worry about having to give up a value for another. I value both of these things a lot and I never will forget / give them away. Without these things in my life/ or were in my life, I would not be where I am today. Values can change
everything. Without them, your whole life would change from where it is now. Do you value your parents? Well, if you do, just think about what it would be like if they weren’t there after you were born. What would your life be like now? How would your life be different? What would have happened to you? That’s how my values make me feel. Maybe you should think about yours....