Final Times at Ann Arbor

Well that time of year is here, that it is ending soon. And for some reason everything starts to pile up on you, very very quickly. It started out with a ton of school work, studying and writing papers for all my classes, but I also was able to go to two orchestra concerts, a St. Mary Dance and had a mini dance party at Rina´s house with a couple of buddies. Like to dance salsa or swing? Well, we got you covered! Hahaha it was good to spend time with them before I left. But it was also physically exhausting as I started to get sick in the mix of all the packing and studying and hanging I had to do.
What a memorable time!

The Saint Mary Dance with Mark and Ashley

Me Mark and Brad goffing off
at Rina´s garage

I also had my chatecism kids´First Communion. I had worked with these kids all year,w orking for their first reconsiliation the first semester and their first communion for this semester. I had 5-6 graders and after they figured out I am a cool guy, we started to get really into it. They ended up understanding everthing within context of the scripture and tradition and they began to asnwer so many good quality questions that I am not even accostomed to hear from adults. It was great. And then we had rehersal Friday afternoon and the big mass Saturday. I was so proud of my kids: they were ready to recieve Christ for the first time because of all the work I put into them; they were a product of my hard work and focus. It was awesome that I had a direct effect on their lives and they will always carry that. Wonderful. I wish I had as cool a chatechism teacher as they had.

My Catechism Kids

I have to tell you of my intence philosophy paper. It was over Averroes and his question of wether or not God, an unchanging and eternal being can know the changing and temporal world. The argument goes that if God never changes, how can he know things that do change, like the wether, our beleifs and events. How can his knowledge be one even though knowledge must change according to the change of the world? Anyhow, that was my topic at hand and I had to adress a few issues and at the end I made an awesome 2200 word paper. IT was sweet. Took a lot of work and ended up working up till I had to turn it in. Success is beautiful.

This past week I was loaded as well. Friday was hectic. It was the UCO Final. John asked me to make the slide show. So I started to work on it first thing after my Stats final. It took me all week to study for the sucker and I think I did aweful. But you can only do so much. So I worked a lot on this slide show, from that night till 3am then started first thing the following day and went all the way to 5:20. And I was like awwww, dang it! It was the first time all year that we had 80 degree wether and I was shut up all day in my room working on the slideshow. But it was done and even though the event started at 6, I wanted to play ball! So I did! I went out and owned on the blacktop and then get in like at 6:20 and showered and changed and grabbed my magic props and then left to the place. And it was a beautiful day, just wonderful. And the slideshow went wonderful as well. Check it out and tell me what you think.

After being there for a while I took off cause I had a magic show...yes! I had a magic show! First one in a while! Like a year and a hlaf! For those of you who dont know I did magic professionally for 3 years from 10th-12th grade in high school through the summer until I began college, and once I got here I was so involved with classes and the christian community and basketall that there was just no time. But since things were loosining up here at the end I figured out I could take a show and thats just what I did. I grabbed my bag and left the finaly a bit early and got my game face on and went over to the place. And it was AWESOME! I got there and they delayed it for a while so I got to meat all the people there and get comfortable before I started. And then I went all out, which was only appropriate because the host also went all out. They decorated the whole appartment with magic themed stuff and even had magic potion and magic streamers and a magic flag and had a fog machine that went off for my entrance and after each trick. And they went nuts! They loved it! YOu have no idea! There was so much anticipation going into the show, especially scine most people didnt beleive there was an actual magician that was going to perform. But once I got started, epople were ready and went bonkers! Complete bonkers! Lets just say that I amde a lot of friends that night and had another fan club started here in Ann Arbor. It was great. Absolutely great.

DP the Great!!!

As that face attests, I dazzled everyone

What can I say?
I get a fan club everywhere I go

Saturday, the 24th we had a surprise birthday aprty for Rina who is truning 19. We got one of friends Chris Flanagan who has a bike to pick her up for a short ride and then instead bring her to the huron river where the gang was there awaiting. Then we got conoes and took off. It was so much fun! Then of course it started to rain and hail and thunderstorm, and of course the girls got scrared so we had to go to the side of the river and that ment of course that I had to drag the boat back mostly by myself. Hahaha it was such an adventure and I had so much fun. After that we went to Mark´s house to celebrate and that was good times.

The Survivors

Rina´s response to her guitar birthday cake

Sunday I went to Christ the King for the last time and then went to packing, or trying to pack. Always so much stuff going on its so hard to get down to it. And that followed on monday. I was working on packing. I fannialy got my boxes so I went to work. I had 3 medium to ship with books and shoes and some clothes and 2 large ones to pack with jackets and winter clothes and bedding. And my roomates that are in that same philosophy class were studying up a storm. But I went to a party instead. I went to this blueplex party in Ypsi. Its the women´s household there and they were having an end of the year party cause Eastern Michigan was done with the school. And that was cool. Got to hang out with some women that I have never met before and chill with the guys.

Blueplex party

Tuesday was weird. I woke up and I wasnt feeling good. Like at all. I got up early to start studying on my exam. I was up by 8 and went to study. And all of assuden I feel asleep at 11...and then woke up at 1! I was like, holy cow! ANd right then I get a text message from Will the Head Manager to come meet him at the office to get my Letter Jacket! So I run over and we got to Schembeckler Hall were football is and I got my jacket right away! And It looks tight! Just thing, I will always have this jacket. It is something that I can wear and have and is a simbole of Michigan and I am apart of that great legacy. I see old men come to Crisler all the theime wearing their old letter jackets. Some day I can too. THis is awesome, a distinction, a recognition that I can keep forever. Really really cool. Ad no, its not just like a high school letterman, this si a varsity Michigan Letter Jacket. Its ligit; the real deal.


Then I was on the move again. I shipped my 3 boxes with the help of Bethie. Then I had to go back and forth and get stuff done. And then I took a nap. Slept for liek another 2 hours. I really was feeling light headed and buzzy and my stomach was not good. But I kept on moving cause I had too. Then the dormtroopers went to go play lazertag cause there was a tuesday special. And of course I wanted to go and show my aweful colour blind skillz. But I was still feeling really bad. But you either live happy or die tryin, so that what I did. And it was fun and I didnt do as bad as I thought I would. THen some of my buddies came over to the Dude for the last time to hang with me. Of course there were the dudes but also Rina, Ashely and Bethie and her sister Sarah. It was like the last time we would see eachother to perhaps late August. So we made the best of it makeing fun of eachother in scategories. It was great haha and Brad is so FUNNY! Finally whern his girlfriend left that boy is amazing! He is so funny and so much fun to be with. Dang, Bethany should just stay up there and let Brad be Brad! Jealousy?...yeah, you could say that. But dang he was so much fun. It was a pretty emptional goodbye but its all good, Ill be back in 4 months!



Weds was another full day. I woke up feeling aweful. No work out. Study. Study...cant dang it! I had to pack them last boxes and clean. THen I had to go to the basketball office one last time to pick up some things. Then I had to get a blue book and then this and that. So I finally get to Angell Hall super worn out super tired and sucked out of energy and I had 30 minutes to get ready for my final, of which 10 were spent in the bathroom. Yeah, it sucked. But the final didnt turn out to bad, nt at all. They were either short essays or long essays which allowed me to explain myself. And what was better yet, even thoug I didnt get to go over the topics study wise, I was able to talk and explain most of them with MArk and Ashley the day before. So I had at least thought of responces and I just wrote them out! Wow, that was awesome! Thank God.

But the day was far from over. I got back and did my best to finish packing my boxes for storage. Everything that was not in those boxes had to go with me on the plane. I called Bethie and she came by to take me and the boxes to the Caldwells. That was funny too cause I played a little joke with Rina, saying I was not going to be at her house to drop off the boxes but really went to surprise her only to find that she wasnt there because I told her I wouldnt be there haha. BUt then we found eachother and us 3 went on a tour of Eastern Campus. It is a very clean and nice looking campus, well, except for the dorms. THey have a lot more dorms than I thought they would, being a communer school. I thought, who would ever want to say they live int he dorms at Easter? hahaha. They looked like prison cells! THey really did hahaha. But the rest of campus was very nice and clean. It reminded me a lot of Delmar College here in Corpus. It was nice and modern and clean, but you know what, it had no passion, it had no soul, it had no antiquity of style that really shone off to the rest of the campus. It was not beautiful or while or charming like the Ann Arbor Campus. It was not alive. But thats ok; not every campus has to be as cool as Yale or Notre Dame or Michigan. Haha

I got back to the empty dorm at 9pm to meet with the guys. It was our very last time that the fellowship of the Pentadude would be united. It was the last time. We went to David´s house and built a bon fire and talked and smoked pipes and chilled for a long time. It was great, becasue a lot of these guys are seniors that are moving on. And for the rest of us, well most are in household int he summer there in Ann Arbor but I am back in Texas. So either way, i might not see them for 4-8 months. It was a very special moment...well, besides the fact that I became super sick. My stomach was killing me and I was so light headed and dizzy and baaa it was awesful. I stayed next to the fire to stay warm. But when I left it I was shivering like mad even though I didnt feel that cold. I dont know...all I know was that it was my last night there in Ann Arbor and it was suppose to be super cool but I was feeling awful but I tried to make the best of it.

Last time, baby!
The Pentadude will live forever in our hearts!

Of couse I got back at the Dude at 2:30am and slept in my bare matrice in my clothes and zipper hoody to stay warm. I got up at 6am to get my bags and meet my godmother, Miriam Torrez and drive to the Detroit Airport. And it all worked out. I had to make sure my luggage would change with me cause I was going American half the way and Contenental the rest. And of course I was stuck in the plane for an hour and a half on the runway with American (cause American sucks, every time) and then missed my other flight and got back to Texas 2 hours after the original plan, but the fact was that I was back, in Texas, that once used to be my home and now where I reside for 4 months of the year. It felt like I haddnt been gone. I felt like I jsut seen my parents and brothers, even though my brothers looked taller and my parent slooked older, haha, but you get the picture. It was good to be home, in hot, humid, and sun-killing flat Texas. Its good. Yee-hawww!!

Spiderman, Cops, Evacuations and Konvicted

This day was awesome. So here is the groove: Apparently some girl´s purse was stolen during a lecture and jsut when the robbers were getting away, Spiderman came out of no where and kicked their butt! But dont worry, if Spiderman woudlnt have stopped them the cops would have. And I am not exaderating here: the cops did show up, and blockaded the corner with police vehicles, assult rifles and bullet proff vests and parametics and the whole enchillada. And who caused it?...well, I was appart of it, I admit.

So this is what happened. We had out alst musicology lecture, one of the most borring classes ever. I dont know how this man did it but he makes music boring. I just dont understand it. So 2/3 of the classes I skip and get school work or basketball work done and look at the slides latter and the other 1/3 I go and sleep during the lecture and just wake up for music videos, and then look at the slides latter. Either way, you get the idea: the lecture is a waste of time and I think Napolian Dynamite could make music more interesting. Anyhow, this was our target. Game plan: Will Cannon and Chris Flanagan were going to run in with Ski Masks and take a planted girl´spurse and run to the other side of the auditorium and just when they get there I was going to jump up from admist the crown and yell "HEY! You cant do that!!!" and the dude stops and turnes arund and Spiderman jumps over the little railway and takes him out and his partner and return the purse and missiona ccomplished. So why do it in class? Cause its boring and we want to make it exciteing and perhaps we want more youtube views. Either way, it was a good idea. So...what really happened you ask?...

We finally got to a musician that I knew and liked, namely Shakira. And then we were going to watch a music video to display her artistic qualities, so right when the dudes run in the lecture, the boring professor guy turned off the lights, so that when you heard this scream and me yelling and everything it was all dark with only the light of the projector making a faint gleam around the bodies. And then someone else flying throught the air, namely spiderman and more yelling and finally the lights turned on and there was apparently 2 full grown men in ski suits fighting a guy in a red webbed suit...and some random guy filming the whole thing (who knows who that was). And so out of horror, one finally sees that this is all acted and planned out. Well, apparently it didnt happen soon enough because there were 2 people who called 911 while the commotion happened. So after the whole thing, everything is laughing and I sit back down casually and the professor asked what just happened and the reason behind it and was making jokes the hwole time and someone says that spiderman made a previous apperance a tthe campus and everyone is laughing. So he goes on with his lecture and this older man comes in and walks to were the proff is standing to try and talk to him but the boring proffesor didnt see him. So when he does finally turn around to see this big bald guy he gives a shrike and asked where he came from. So the dude says, well, we are on emergency lock down because of reports of an assult and the police are evacuating the whole building. The professor looked at him and said "Well, I have a minute and a hlaf of lecture left and I intend to use it." And so we did and everyone left and got their term papers laughing and stuff. People were asking me about it and it was all merry.

So I go outside and meet with the buddis and I am just lauhgin out loud and start saying that the copps evacuated the hwole building and everything and then Alex was like, dude, be quite, dont talk so loud and right before I know it I turn around and there is a cop standing righ behind me! "Excuse me but I have to ask you to leave the premise torwards the street. This place is being evacuated." Oh dear. So apparently somone had reported that a gun was invloved and so as we walked out we saw that the entire block was surrounded by police vehicles and cops were everywere with bullet proff vests and there were assult rifles and the whole shabom...and yeah, me and 3 others caused it. Hahaha. So David, being the good citizen he is, turned himself in and told the cops what was going on and that there were no guns involved so that they could lower the alarm. So I go and talk to him and help him out and yes, it was quite a sight to behold and I felt like I had just gotten away with murder when in reality I was just having fun and didnt do anything wrong at all. It was great.


I went to play ball and owned and it was great. Hit 3 3pointers starit in the last two games to seal them up. THen I took off to see that there were 8 missed phone calls from the guys and all these texts messages. Apparently the DPS wanted my camera to prove that there were no guns invloved. Hahaha. It was great. And then later that nigth I went to Rina´s house and while talking to her father who works up in North Campus with the Engenering school said that they had gotten an alert fromt hre Univeristy to all the faculty about an apparent assult at the MLB on central campus and that they woudl be notified later with the details. Then they got another one later saying that it was a bunch of students that had made a superhero act. And so he is saying this and me and Brad, who were both in it look at eachother and just start laughing. We were like, uh, that was us, we caused all that. And he was like, What?? And we told him the whole story and it was awesome. We talked and laughed for about half an hour. Ahh it was awesome. What a day. I dont know if I will ever be able to top that. Dont worry, the movie will come out soon when the DPS gives us the ok.

Check out the Report

Thanksgiving and tough week at school

Well, thanksgiving was comming up and everyone was gonna go home...but me. I was stuck here...but things turned out not too bad. It was great for the break. I needed a break. I was falling apart. And things where only going to get worse afterwards. I have 2 solid weeks of hell and then I get to go back home the 14th for the first time since August. It is code named the Fortnight of Hell. So anyways...

I was loaded with basketball. Had a bunch Weds. Thursday we had practice int he morning. Then we got off the after that. I went to the Seromics for thanksgiving and it was a bunch of fun. I had a good time with the pies and stuff. Also, the little boy Juan Pablo is awesome. Me and paulina and Natalia went to go see Walle at night and then snuck in to see the last 30 minutes of The Dark KNight. Awesomeness. I cant wait till it gets out in BlueRay. Haha. I was so glad. I spent the night there, got up early friday, and then go to practice...again.

We had practice and walkthrough friday nigth. And it was fun. I am so tired right now, I dont remember what happened, it was too long ago and I am tired, hahaha. But afterwards we had to go to the office to get this newsletter for coach Beilein done. Apparently the manager who was suppose to get it done didnt come the last 2 weeks so it was not done. SO I took the burden and got to work and got a few to help me out and it was good stuff. I also got these sweet posters up for our game goals and stuff. Dang, I am leading the way in the second wave of managers. Its kinda cool.







Then Saterday we had our game against Savannah St. This game was crazy. For one, we hardly had any managers at all because of thanksgiving break, so I had to go up and film. But the game itself...oh what the drama! We had terrible practices leading up to the game, so I anticipated us stinking, but I had no idea this bad! You wouldnt have htought we had beated #4 UCLA the week before! We came out terrible and them awesome. We were missing everything and they were making everything the whole first half. They were making ugly buzzer beating shots. Everything. In fact they only missed 6 shots the first half, going 71.6% from the floor and 100% from 3s (6-6). So we went into the locker room quite...down by 20...yes, down by 20 to a terrible terrible team.




We came back in the second half and had a 15-0 run. The rest of the game we were trying to inch up on that 5 extra points. Finally in the last minute we were able to make it. Then, before you knew it we were tied with 30 seconds left in the game and they had the ball. Yeah, it couldnt get any more intense...but wait, it did. We fouled them 3 times in a row so that they kept having to take it out of bounds (cause we were not in the penalty). The last throw in there was 3.5 seconds. Well, as they pass it, our freshman Zach Novak (remember this dides name... this 2-star is gonna help our team a lot, just wait) lunged and tipped the ball out in front of him...only to grab it himself and run down the court at full blast next to Manny Harris to finish the game with an emphatic two handed dunk at the buzzer!...only for the ball to bounce out of the rim after time had expired! Yes, that is right, we could have won the game at the buzzer with a game ending dunk and ...it went out...so then we go to overtime. It gets better...

Overtime, we are doing pretty good but they are staying with us. Freethrows were huge for us this game. There we roll. We are winning by 2 points. A few seconds on the clock. They have the ball. As the clock rolls down and they are using up the clock, one of their players takes a ballsy contested shot at the short corner over our players to sink nothing but net with 5 seconds left to tie the game. I was for sure thinking we were going to have to suffer more...but, well...just listen.

(Zack Novak`s tip for the steal with 3.5 seconds left)

We pass the ball in, notice, with 5 seconds left, to Manny Fresh...he dribles once, tosses the ball half way through the court to DeShawn Sims at the women´s 3point line and shoots immediately with 0.8 seconds over one guy...and...and...nothing but net at the buzzer! The players jumped all over him and we finished a scare to a terrible team. Yes, we were down by 20 to Savannah St. But you know what? We know now that we can come back from a 20 point deficit and still win in 20 minutes. So over all good. Next...Duke, thats right, Duke Rematch 12/6. You be ready and square...

(DeShawn Sim`s shot with 0.8 seconds for the win)

(Our team extatic after the win)

BigTenNewtork Highlights

First Entry!

Hello World. My name is Daniel. You can call me DP. I am 18 years old, and my birthday is in 9 days. I am a freshman at the University of Michigan. I am in the school of Kinesiology, studying Sports Management. I am currently a manager for the Men's Basketball Team, so yes, I know Belien, Manny, at the rest of the gang.

Its March 24th right now. I just finished writing the second phase of a very indepth exsecutive project for my sports management 101 class. My group is proposing a Insulated Evaporative Cooling Cap for Adidas. Dont beleive me? Check out our model at:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/71245.asp?source=Nextag&keyword=71245&cm_ven=NewGate&cm_cat=Nextag&cm_pla=APPAREL&cm_ite=71245

Besides that, I am busy with many other things. For the record: I hate econ. Its terrible. Baaa. And my English 225 professor hates me. Movement science is hard but I have a B in it. I have no idea what I have in SM101.

Yesterday was my bro's birthday. His name is Carlos and he turned 8...I mean 16. I call him Hotdog. Others call him Carlito Tostido. Whatever you call him, make sure he acts his age. Hes a smart cookie, and finally starting to grow and mature as well.

I have less than a month to go. Today is the 24th. I leave April 19th! Its a saturday. I finish the 15th, so I will have wednesday through friday to get ready for the trip back. I cant wait! News on my summer plans to be announced.

Some cool news: Well, Michigan did not make it to the NCAA tournament. I guess that isnt cool news. But it is cool cause now it is individual training, so I dont have to go everyday and give my 4 hours of life for free anymore...only an hour and 1/2 now. The Hockey team won the CCHA Championship. You can read about it here: http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/03/24/IceHockey/Straight.To.The.Top-3279831.shtml . Terrelle Pryor went against the maize and blue and went to their scarlet and grey arch enimy instead: http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/03/20/CampusLife/Pryor.Spurns.m.For.Ohio.State-3276829.shtml . Something cool just popped up on the Michigan Daily. The University got a few million dollars by the millitary to make a spy bat. Pretty much this mini bat robot will be 6 inches long, a 1/4 of a pound, and completely life sustaining. It will recharge its battery from the sun, the wind, vibrations, and even dipping in water and letting it evaportate. It will be able to detect motion, heat, and send video and audio information to troops. This thing is rad; totally 21st century technology. I am so excited! It reminded me of batman, haha. Check out these two links for more info: http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/03/24/Academics/u.Helping.To.Develop.BatLike.Spy.Plane-3279852.shtml and http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6409 for a concept picture. Awesome, isnt it?

Umm, lets see. It snowed friday. So we had a white Easter! It was really cool! Today I felt like I had to get rid of the coat for once, so I just went around campus in my shirt. The sun was out and the snow looked real pretty. It was only 33 degrees outside, so at least it wasnt freezing. It felt great.

Well, this blog seems adicting. Anyone who really knows me knows that I live to explain everything in detail. So this blogg looks like the place for me. DP's Blog. I like the sound of it. And hopefully you do too. So if you like what you see and want more, let me know and give me a holler! Go Blue and talk to you later. Cheers -DP