Last Monday, BHS students and teachers supported the Bulldogs by participating in Twin Day during homecoming week. The twins I encountered included Emily Maxwell, Megan Lohrke, Julie Hatch, Leeanne Shackelford, Haley White, Lizet Avalos, Jordan Salzaar, Yackeline Sixtos, and Kristen Tirado.

Friends, and true friends. Not the usual way you start a blog right? Well I'm sorry, but I'm not so good at this. My blog is about how I try my best to be that friend, the one who only exists in stories. I'm not perfect, but I try. As a young kid I noticed that despite what I read in stories, I could never find a friend like the ones in those stories. When I finally began to understand, I lost the child's view in life. In the second grade, I began to think like an adult. Of course that put me at odds with the kids who already thought I was weird, not to mention my teachers. In the end, it was always me who got left behind. But because of that, I became determined. I realized that I was never going to find that friend. They didn’t exist.

“You can’t come in here”. These are the words that a Dillard’s manager told my friend and I as we approached the store in Ingram Park Mall one Saturday afternoon. I was in disbelief and very shocked. I didn’t know how to respond. We stepped to the side of Dillard’s in a rage; we didn’t know what was going on. The manager left and we decided to just walk into the store; I mean, they didn’t go into detail as to why we couldn’t, so I didn’t see a problem. We walked all the way around the inside of Dillard’s and then a police officer stopped us. “This will be your last time in here so make a note of it and go tell all of your little friends too.”

I believe that writing songs puts me in my own kind of paradise, once you drop everything…and you set your mind on a vacation, its easy to feel the rhythm and start writing. I vibe on singing and surfing it’s like my medication “ha-ha!” I mean you can write about anything that’s on your mind from motivation to dedication, once im in the zone, my pen touches paper and starts flying. You can start something if you got no control of the thoughts in your mind, like the songs in my notes.

Last week, in our small, small Journalism II-IV class of only four students, we sat around discussing popular topics, including getting another paper copy of the Bulldog Times  into the hands  of BHS students and a documentary which was shown to the Journalism I classes about bullying.

I had never realized the depth of this issue as I have never had anyone bully me, nor do I know how it feels to be teased for not being a part of the crowd. Sure, I have witnessed a few cases of bullying, but nothing too serious….that I know of. Victims of bullying can easily hide the severity of their bullying in fear of consequences from the bully or in most cases, bullies.

While discussing these topics, we decided we wanted to see the same documentary that had been the talk of our newspaper this month. I can honestly say, this documentary, Bullied, has completely changed my perspective. Bullied gives us only a taste of what Jamie Nabozny when through during his teenage years. From being hospitalized for days to running away, Nabozny’s experience with bullying had put him through it all.

I would highly encourage that Bullied  be a part of the many assemblies we attend throughout the school year. Not only has it opened the eyes of Journalism students, but I believe it could open the eyes of an entire school, both students and faculty.

Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, and somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends. ~Author Unknown Throughout my twelve years in the Bandera Independent School District, I have made lasting friendships with people who have made an impact on my life forever. From kindergarten to my senior year, though our fashion senses have changed, and our faces have cleared up, the sweet memories that we share will kindle in our hearts forever.

Fear and pain coats your every word. Astound drowns your every thought. They’re gone. They’re gone. Forever. They’re gone. Death isn’t easy to deal with, suicide is even more difficult. You can’t get their face out of your mind; you can’t remember the last words you spoke to them. You wish they hadn’t done it, and you pray for the families. You send your condolences and hang your head in sorrow. Chills travel your spine and tears sting your eyes. It’s not easy.

Imagine. It’s your senior year. Your last homecoming while in high school. Whether to be sad or excited is a thought that has been going through many of the seniors’ heads for the past couple of weeks.

Bandera High School’s sophomore students decorated their hallway to show spirit for the homecoming football game. “We had meetings to brain storm different ideas and themes,” sophomore President Consuelo Esters said.

Cancer is not a funny word. We hear this word constantly, yet we never believe this six letter word will affect us. This past week, the word I believed would not have any affect on me hit me right between the eyes. Boom! Two people I love were diagnosed with cancer, one with skin cancer and the other with liver cancer. Now this word has a completely new feel to it: fear.