April 02, 2004
Friday

Oh wow. Such things in the news that I don't pay attention to. I must not get out much. Well it's spring break right now and 1 AM April 2nd, 2004. I'm just online doing my daily P2P exchange of music. Trying to pick up my nightly dose of classic jazz and funk. Sometimes albums are hard to find so I might as well download them. Anyway, I regress...

It's been a long time since I've been on Sitnews to look at how things are going. And there's just a bunch of stuff that I should get to reading on. Like I just read those posts about Revilla students. And it's pretty true, Revilla does get a bad rep. There are plenty of students there that I could guarantee will be more successful than my lazy behind. I know of some really cool people there. There is one particularly beautiful and wonderful vocalist I hope to hear at the Grind one day that goes to school there.

Anyway. yeah. and these days about vandalism and theft. Crazy stuff. McPherson's getting broken into. I was just totally bummed. At first I was like, "This should never happen in places like Ketchikan" But in reality, it does. People just make bad choices and all that jive. McPherson's is a big part of my life as some of you may know I've gotten a lot of my musical growth right there in that very store. There would be days where I was there to rehearse and some days to just visit with Roy, Tina, and Kim. It just sucks that things like that actually happen here.

I've heard there's been a lot of "street racing" going on lately since the weather's been a bit better than our ACTUAL winter. So better watch out for that.

As usual. I'm still on my point to show the alternative things to do other than drugs. This week I actually went to a bon fire. A bon fire without people drinking or smoking. That's amazing. Maybe it's because I was there that affected that. I don't know. But yeah, it's still a problem. I mean nobody likes to acknowledge it as much but still. I've noticed a lot of arrests have been drug related. But that's something that's gonna have to be dealt with through time.

This is my spring break, and I, a senior at Ketchikan High School, took the time to look up news regarding our lovely city of Ketchikan, Alaska. Honestly, I'm here looking up scholarships and applications for college. I've been accepted to University of Idaho, but unfortunately due to just circumstances that I don't even understand. I might not be attending there. Instead Im trying to go for University of Alaska Anchorage. I think it has to do with the money and that my parents really want me to enlist to some sort of military. Army or AirForce. If anyone can help me with that I'd love it. Just e-mail me info about that. Of course I'd be doing music. I've been a big fan of the Air Force and Army Band. As we know In May I believe, the Army band will be here to perform with us at Kayhi sometime.

Getting prepared for college is quite hard. A lot of adults really dont' get how hard it is to even go to the counselor's office and get into that gray file cabinet for scholarship applications. Especially even local scholarships. I admit, I have the worst problem of doing it. I have that mindset that I can't get any of that scholarship stuff at all. I still don't. I know, people tell me "yes Archie you can do it. You just gotta get up there." But it's hard.
Y'know... I do get a lot of positive motivation like regularly. I'd kinda like to see Mr. McClory and Mr. Roberts be a little more involved with students. I mean they're doing great, don't get me wrong. But isn't it the school's job to help prepare these students for the future ahead of them? Well if that is so, why aren't counselors calling students at random to consult with them for maybe 15 minutes out of the day about their future plans. I'd personally like that to have a counselor to just pull me out of class for a few minutes to ask "Archie have you checked your applications and due dates, and have you heard anything from your colleges? how can we help?" and so on...

Because some people are just not self-motivated. Granted, school is supposed to ensure and help growth of self-motivation. But a little nudging wouldn't be so bad. C'mon. Teachers care about their students right? Get on their butts about their future! Humbug! They just don't care. And you hear them say that right? Well it's because we don't care at the moment.

There are definitely days that I do not really think I can make it past graduation. And days that I don't think I'll amount to anything with my musical "talent". But us teenagers - a lot of us do care about what's going to happen in the next few months. Some of us (me being one) just don't know where to start without a little intervention. I know I can't get to college on my own now. Unless I take loans. I'm willing to teach in Ketchikan or anywhere in Alaska for that Teacher's Loan. As long as I can get my degree in whatever schooling I want. UAA seems to be my choice now. But... where to from here? It sucks because what I'm doing now. As a musician... All the things I do musically are simply more fun than sitting in a classroom studying. I'm using what I love to learn and applying it. My schedule for the past 4 years revolved around the big points of the musical curriculum being. Concerts, Basketball Games, Pep Band, SE Tournament, Jerry Galley Concert, and SE Music Festival. I just try to keep my grades up so I can perform. And I think to myself, I guess this is what I'm going to end up doing for life. And I dont' want to do anything else but play music, perform, act, and dance. I love writing and reading new things, but performance is what I love. And it's hard to get through the academic year because of what I'm doing. It's hard to focus. I'm weird like that. A lot of people are like that. They only do things to get by. I am one of those students. Anyways I digress again...

Point is... usually kids don't like hearing from their parents. So have another adult speak to them about their future. because they WILL listen if you talk to them. We're not hopeless. just not well-motivated. Not well-prepared. I don't think I'm prepared for college yet. Believe it. Archie Inoncillo is not ready.

Anyway... One more point in my little moment of time. My attention's been brought to the gas prices in town. I realized they are at usually 1.85 right now at Carrs and Chevron where I usually get my gas. Anyway, my point is... I was reading in the news that in California their gas prices are at about 2.15 per gallon I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong. And it's just a matter of time for us to go. But the question is. Why aren't our prices going up?

Anyway. I know this was a really long read. but I hope it was worth your time. Because. Adults, please know this is something that a typical teenager like myself thinks about during days when he/she doesn't have much to do. We don't all go gallivanting and drinking and smoking everynight when we get the chance. Some of us have done our studying. Well not me. I just figured I'd give a teenage opinion on things. I know what I have spoken about may be QUITE A BIT NEBULOUS. But... if you try to think of what we worry about, then you'd sort of understand. Anyway. Thank you so much for your time. I hope you enjoyed. Pancakes.

Sincerely,

Archie Inoncillo
E-mail: archieatomic@hotmail.com
Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

 

Post a Comment -------View Comments

Submit an Opinion - Letter

Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska