Through my Eyes - "Punahou School"

Orleanna Price

We were in Hawaii because Nathan was asked to be a pastor, or “chaplain” as the woman on the phone said, at some rich school. Poonaho I think it was called. His appointment to see the campus was at noon, and the girls and I tagged along to visit the school.
Punahou School was amazing. Interesting spelling on the main gate, but it was Hawaii and I didn’t know too much about the culture here. It was the largest campus I have ever seen. It was about the same size as the colleges back home in Georgia! We entered through the main gate and saw the gigantic baseball field on our right. Nathan used to love baseball. He said nothing and didn’t even smile as we exited the vehicle. He kept his cold, determined stare as if he wasn’t allowed to love baseball anymore. He wasn’t allowed to love anything anymore, except his faith.
Nathan walked ahead of us, using the directions the woman on the phone gave him to the chapel. I spotted an enclosed bench area close by, and took the girls there to sit and read their books while we waited for father. The girls were going crazy. Every single building here was almost as big as their old school back home in Georgia. They were huge! The classrooms were the size of apartments with every little thing you could think of stocked inside! There were kids all over the place. The girls kept asking, “This is a school? Why aren’t they in class? Why aren’t they learning mama?”
I didn’t know, but they sure looked like they were enjoying life. I wasn’t close enough to hear anything they were saying, because we didn’t want to get too close. From a distance though, I could see that kids were playing cards in groups, talking amongst themselves, laughing and joking around, and I even saw a young couple caressing and smooching behind a wall! Imagine being intimate at school! What would their mothers say? The girls felt like strangers, when really they didn’t look too much different from the students here. A lot of them were of Asian heritage, but many white students also attended the school. There were even students with skin in between a black and a white—more of a brown. Who knows what heritage they are?
The building on our left looked like a castle with a buff and blue crown on top. The most amazing thing about the school was that it didn’t seem like a school. It wasn’t a concrete building with doors and windows and desks. It was so green and grassy with trees everywhere and birds chirping. Everyone was so happy and cheerful. School was fun here.
A light drizzle began to fall, so I led my girls back to the car. I glanced back at Punahou School once more before getting inside the vehicle, and prayed in my head that it wouldn’t be my last.

Nobody Knows

Today in choir, we began singing the song, "Nobody Knows," which is a popular tune in American culture. Whether you heard it being sung by Donkey in Shrek or on the radio, basically everybody can sing or hum the tune to this classic. So when we started singing it today, our teacher Mr. Lippert gave us a speech about how we should sing it. The lyrics for the section we sang today go as follows:

Nobody Knows
Nobody Knows
Nobody Knows
Nobody but Jesus
Nobody Knows
Nobody Knows
Glory Hallelujah

Mr. Lippert's speeches normally aren't anything all too special, but today he had our whole choir's attention and made us all think to ourselves. He told us his interpretation of the lyrics was that we are singing "nobody knows" with the thought in the back of our heads that really somebody does know. Somebody special. He told us it didn't have to be Jesus, but that everyone has that one person who helps them get through the day and that we should all think about that special someone while we sing. He told us that the person that helps get him through the day is his 7 week old son, who he is thrilled to have in his life. Our whole choir spent a minute or so thinking about our own person who ALWAYS knows how we are feeling and is always there for us. For me, it is definitely my girlfriend because she knows me very well and is always there for me. Lots of times when I am having a hard day or a tough week, thinking about her helps me through the sadness and keeps me positive and happy. Now, when I sing that song, I sing it while I think of her in the back of my mind.

David Paterson

After all the Eliot Spitzer business in New York, the new governor has been named. David Paterson is his name, and he is New York's first black governor, and also the second governor ever named to be registered as a blind man. Wow! A blind man is replacing Spitzer as the governor of New York? Talk about some serious changes. Also, I read about how Paterson admitted to having multiple affairs with women while being married to his wife, including a state employee! Now that he's governor, who's to say he and his employee won't start that up again? His wife also admitted cheating on her husband. They claim to have worked it out and are now a family, but I am finding that hard to believe. At the least, why should such an important position and a family that is supposed to be a model family for New York and the rest of the country be filled by people like that? If they can't stay faithful to each other, how are we, the people, supposed to trust him not to betray us? I oppose our government because of all the corruption that is happening inside and because those people only care about themselves! We need to be a lot more careful when choosing our leaders, and I only hope David Paterson and whoever is elected President this year do a much better job in keeping America from the downfall we appear to be heading for.

Eliot Spitzer

The last month in New York City has been quite eventful in terms of the governor position. It all started when now ex-governor of New York Elliot Spitzer was publicly accused of being involved in a prostitution ring. It turns out he was indeed having sexual affairs with a "girl gone wild" and has officially admitted it. Now, his name is disgraced across the world, and he is obviously out of office. This story is amazing to me, because I do not understand how anyone can cheat on their wives when they have children and a family at home. Yet, the people-elected governor in the most famous city of our proud country is one of those men? To me, the most amazing part about it though is not that he had an affair, but how the Bush Administration might have been involved and also because of his ruthless actions towards bad behavior in the past when he was secretly doing the same thing. See this site for more information on the government's possible hand in Spitzer's impeachment:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8376

It basically says that the timing of Spitzer's downfall couldn't have been better for the Bush Administration, because Spitzer was becoming more public in his blaming of the Bush Administration for our country's falling economic status and financial disaster. He was attacking Bush and the Republicans. No wonder the FBI "accidentally leaked" the wiretap records showing Spitzer's phone call with the prositute and the $4, 300 he paid to have her for an hour of fun.

Job Choices

Just as I was thinking about colleges last night, I have been thinking about possible majors and what I want to do for a living after college. Here is a tentative list I came up with:

Teacher/Coach (Punahou)
Computer Technician
Web Designer
Writer
Hotel Manager (Like my dad)
Run my own business or maybe something with my brothers
Sports Doctor/Trainer


I want to do something that I love. I refuse to grow up and get stuck in a job that I am unhappy with. I will choose passion over money, but I of course want to make enough money to easily take care of myself and a family one day. I want to make a difference in people's lives. I want to help. I want to fight for what I believe is right and spread my beliefs. I don't know exactly what I want to be when I grow up yet, nor do I plan on choosing anytime soon, but this short, tentative list is a good start.

Top College Choices

I've been thinking a lot lately about colleges because I have been receiving some letters from colleges in the mail and thru my email. Also, I have senior friends who have recently been getting accepted or rejected from colleges, and its a very crucial process for teenagers. I am taking the time now to jot down my top choices of colleges that I plan on applying to. Some of them are shaky, and some of them are unrealistic and a lot depends on how far I progress in basketball, volleyball, and in the classroom. Here is my temporary list w/some reasoning:

Stanford University - Always has been my first choice; I love the area
UCLA - Super nice campus; west coast; incredible sports program (not to play in but to go to the games)
UC Santa Barbara - super nice; west coast; volleyball?
Pepperdine - super nice; close to the beach; west coast; volleyball?
Boston College - east coast; good school; connections in boston with my brother
Cornell - hotel school
U Penn - great school
Brown - ivy league
USC - nice, west coast

March Madness

Once again, it is March, and that can only mean one thing to basketball lovers in America: March Madness. March Madness is the nickname given to the NCAA Basketball Tournament that features a field of 65 college teams and where some of the greatest moments in basketball history occur every year. March Madness is where Cinderella stories and dreams come true while defeat and heartbreak are left in the hearts of many young players who either do not make the tournament or suffer losses in the tourney. It is indeed madness, because anything can happen at any given moment. No lead is safe and no point differential is ever enough in a game, because magic is in the air and everyone has basketball fever. The tournament also attracts millions of fantasy players nationally and worldwide, all of whom are filling out their new brackets and competing for money, fame, or props across the country. My friends and I are participating in a fantasy league of our own this year, and my personal bracket is just above this. I have Tennessee winning the championship over UCLA, and I have quite a few upsets predicted! Partially because it is really fun to guess upsets and also because it is more exciting to cheer for the underdogs! I love March Madness and can't wait for the tournament to start on Wednesday! Go Tennessee!

Hogwarts 2009

I just read online about plans to create a Harry Poter theme-park and I am so excited! The park is supposed to be a "theme park within a theme park" and it is called "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter." It is set to open as a part of Universal Orlando Resort in 2009, and is going to be the first major Harry Potter-themed environment in America. As an intense follower of my favorite book series ever, I plan on attending this theme park as well as Disneyworld either in 2009 or 2010 after I graduate. My sister lives in Miami, so I figure it will be a great time to travel, see my sister, and enjoy the magical world of Harry Potter all at the same time!

A wild dream

Early February means quite a number of things in Hawaii. Punahou Carnival, Super Bowl, and then the NFL All Star Game also known as the Pro Bowl all occur within the first two weeks of February. It's early this morning, and I'm up because my dad is taking my friend and I to the Pro Bowl! There is a lot of traffic always, and we want to go early so that we can get some autographs before the game from our favorite players. I go downstairs and my dad has McDonalds' sausage mcmuffins waiting on the table for me. He knows me too well. In the middle of breakfast, the doorbell rings and I rush to greet my friend at the door before my mom wakes up! My dad, friend and I jump in the car and head for the stadium. It's a really gloomy day outside. The skies are the darkest shade of gray I have ever seen. My dad notices the clouds seem to be assembling above the giant volcano. I am slightly scared, but I don't want to show it, and my excitement to meet the NFL stars wins me over and I decide that the volcano will never erupt. I convince myself that the clouds are always this grey, and turn the music up louder as if tuning out the grumbling earth beneath our car. Halfway out to the stadium however, things no longer look so good. The car starts rattling, and the ground beneath us is shaking heavily. My dad pulls over to the side of the road and stops. I strap my seatbelt on hard over myself, take deep breaths, and begin to pray that the earthquake stops. To my dismay, the earthquake only increases in strength and I can make out cracks in the road through the gaps in my fingers spread across my face. All of a sudden, BOOM! A rocket of lava lifts off from inside of the volcano and shoots out towards the heavens, an explosion of blazing fire that is stamped into my memory and forever engraved on my eyeballs. People everywhere blast open their car doors and sprint in every direction possible, screaming their heads off. My dad manages to yell over them to my friend and I that we should make a run for UH, because it's close and they have to have a safe place to hide their students in case of the emergency. I bust out of the car, and five minutes later my friend and I have lost my dad in the crowd and the race to safety. Lava is still lighting up the once grey sky, and raining down upon the city. The lava is coming towards us though...and fast. A tsunami of lava is eating up everything on the road, and burning down the greenest city on earth. My friend and I make it to UH at Manoa campus safely, but my dad is nowhere to be found as I constantly scan the crowds for his familiar face. Screaming his name at the top of my lungs, regretful thoughts creep into my head about how I never should have made my dad buy us Pro Bowl tickets, or made him drive us, because now he is in major trouble. His old body couldn't keep up with ours. Cops everywhere are pushing us back into classrooms and not letting us stay outside. Two cops come over by us and start forcing us back into a room. "No, wait my dad is out there! Stop! Find my dad!" I shout at them. "It's too late for your dad now! He's gone!" they yell as they pick me up and throw me into a room. "Wait," is my last screaming attempt and they slam the door in my face.

A new rival

After all these years at Punahou, I thought our biggest rival was Iolani in athletics. I am beginning to realize that Kamehameha is, has, and always will be our biggest rival in at least the sports I play--basketball and volleyball. I have made it to championship games four out of four times for basketball, and once for volleyball. Three out of those five times, we played Kamehameha in championships and only one time have I played Iolani for a championship. In my four years of experience at Punahou playing basketball, I have not once lost to Iolani. I have lost three times to Kamehameha however; twice in the preseason and once in last year's championship game. For volleyball, I have also lost more times to Kamehameha than I have to Iolani including yesterday's heartbreaking defeat to Kamehameha-Blue 25-13, 17-25, 26-27.

Coming into yesterday's match with Kamehameha, both of our teams were undefeated in league play. Our coaches kept telling us all week at practice how important this match was, because its the only time we get to play them all season since there are no playoffs. It was a must-win game. Personally, I did not have high expectations for our team, which I regret because I wish I had been more prepared mentally for the matchup. I was crummy in warmups, and my team didn't look too much better. I heard Kamehameha players whispering on the sidelines, "They aren't even that good," about us. That pissed me off. We came out hard and destroyed them in the first game 25-13, deflating their arrogant attitudes. I couldn't help but smile thru the net at their players who had been so loud the first game but now were as quiet as mice. Perhaps without realizing it was a bad move, our coach switched up the lineup in the second game, replacing two starters. We looked flat out there, and we let them gain momentum back as they beat us 17-25. The third and decisive game was intense and extremely well-played by both teams. I started off terribly, commmitting errors on the first three points. Our coach called a timeout to calm me down because I was really down on myself. I felt like my lack of heart and my unforced errrors were costing my team and I was doubting myself. My other outside hitter Colin, played a hell-of-a match to help support my poor play and if it wasn't for his great hitting, we wouldn't have even been in the game. 23-23 came however, and we were very much in the game. And even better, I was in the front row. Our teams traded points, with them getting a kill, and then I answered back with a kill of my own. Eventually, the score got to 26-26, and because the rulebooks say there is a scoring-cap of 27, it was last point wins. I went back to serve, and served it in. They had a couple of nice hits, but we had some great saves. The game ended when our middle hitter hit it into the net. The Kamehameha side of the crowd erupted in celebration and their bench players flooded onto the court to jump around and cherish their victory.

I was bitter because I don't like to lose, and I felt that I was the reason our team lost. Plus, I'm used to being the one celebrating after the games, not watching it from a distance. It was a very hard-fought battle between bitter enemies. I am no longer going to overlook Kamehameha in sports, and I am going to consider them our biggest rival until Iolani can prove that they deserve that tag. Look out Kamehameha--Punahou's coming for you.

My Favorite Player: Chris Paul

This is the most inspiring basketball video I have ever seen. For Sports Psychology, I have been assigned to study and track a professional athlete's training habits and lifestyle. I chose Chris Paul, point guard for the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA because he is my favorite player and the player who I try to base my game on when I play. I like him because he looks to pass first and shoot second, and he makes his teammates so much better by distributing the ball and leading his team. I love watching him play. This video has a great story behind it though. When Chris Paul was a senior in high school, he averaged 31 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals per game on his way to becoming North Carolina's "Mr. Basketball" for 2003. Tragically however, during his senior season his grandfather was beaten to death in his own carport during a robbery at 61 years of age. In memory of his grandfather who he loved dearly, Chris scored 61 points in his next basketball game and then intentionally missed the free throw so he could stay at 61 in honor of his grandfather. He walked off the court to hug his father and cried on the sideline. When I first heard about this, I thought it was amazing, and it just made me like Chris Paul even more and I respect him more as a person. He did an incredible thing in honoring his grandfather--may he rest in peace.

Movie Review: Vantage Point *May Contain Spoilers*

It had been a long time since my last visit to the movie theatres, but I decided to make my return last Saturday night to see the movie Vantage Point starring Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, and Forest Whitaker. The movie takes place in Spain, and the entire plot revolves around a 25 minute time period from noon to 12:25. How is that possible? Director Pete Travis takes an interesting and new approach, by telling the story from eight different perspectives. Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox star as secret service agents to the President of the United States, who is in Spain giving a speech. Things go terribly wrong however when the President is shot dead while on the podium. Quaid's character sees the shooter though, and Whitaker's character catches parts on camera. Basically, a wild goose chase occurs from all different angles and points of view in trying to solve the crime and find the person responsible for the assassination of the President. This movie relates to me because I am very interested in politics, and this movie was an example of how corruption can occur within our government, and how even though we think we're prepared for everything, we can't necessarily stop everything from happening. I found it intriguing and liked the story told from different aspects and different people. Overall, I give it 3.5/5 stars! Go see Vantage Point!

Presidential Speech

I'm running for class president and I've got real tough competition. I'm hoping my speech will win me over a lot of our grade members! This is it:

What's up class of 2010
My name's James I am your friend
I'm up on stage, to speak to ya'll
about being your president come next fall
I've been at Punahou since the Wilcox days
I've seen a lot of things up to this stage
And I must admit, Academy is great
not too many things that I really hate
but I have ideas, a few things I wanna do
to make Junior Year unforgettable for you!

HOW YALL DOIN!!
Now that I have your attention, I would like to revert to my caucasian self and speak proper english. As you all know, the class president runs all of your assemblies. As your president, I can assure you all fun, funny, and best of all...SHORT assemblies next year. I know that now, all of us come to assembly and count the minutes till we are released, but I want to make those precious minutes as exciting as possible for all of you! As for ideas to help make the Academy a better place for all of us, I am 100% open to hear. I want to know what all of YOU think our school could improve on, and then I can promise my full attention towards making your wishes come true. I will strive to organize more class events, such as more dances to go along with Junior Function next year! Cafeteria food? I'm thinking a snackbar weekly chicken special...maybe Popcorn chicken! What I'm trying to say is, vote James for President, and I will make sure the Junior Class is well represented next year! Thank you.

Malama Jam

Malama Jam has become one of the most popular concerts on Oahu since it was first created by River Kim and Tierney Morikawa back in 2004. River and Tierney are both Punahou graduates of 2007, and I have known River since I was in 1st grade, because he is one of my best friends' brother. River is a personal hero of mine for multiple reasons. He is a selfless and genuine individual, who truly cares about others and is willing to put them before himself. He reaches out to those less fortunate than himself, and that is why he created Malama Jam. Malama Jam is an annual concert arranged and planned out completely by students, and featuring student bands from schools across the island. The best part about it however, is that all of the proceeds are donated to a charity that the students choose at the beginning of each year. Some of the charities that have benefited by Malama Jam already include Children's Alliance, IHS, and HUGS. This year is the first year Malama Jam is being coordinated without the help of River or Tierney because they are off at Yale and Harvard, respectively. River's younger brother St. John and I are on the commitee this year to help carry on the wonderful tradition, and help continue what River proudly started.

I was very pleased when I was informed I was chosen to be on this year's committee, because giving back to the community is something I not only love doing, but I feel like I need to be doing. Going to Punahou School for the last eleven years is a blessing, and few others are as lucky as myself and I look at this as an opportunity to help those less fortunate. I want to help provide opportunites for those who rarely get any, and I want to help make a difference in the lives of others. Malama Jam is such a great event, and I am proud to say that this year's concert is going to feature some wonderful entertainment and a diverse silent auction featuring items from companies and businesses across the state. World-famous surfer Carissa Moore has even been kind enough to donate one of her national-competition-winning surfboards to the auction this year! Overall, this year's concert should be one that no one will want to miss! April 6, 2008 at Mamiya Theatre at St. Louis High School. Be there!

Humans

Humans are the most diverse, highly capable and physically and intellectualy advanced living organisms on earth

Backyard Sanctuary

Nothin goin my way
at my house today
my mom disagreeing with every word i say
gotta get outta here
change the mood around
find a good place
to maybe chill and sit down
without hearing anything but my breath makin a sound
or better yet get out to my basketball court
grab a ball, put on a jersey, play my favorite sport
finally im outside, feel the fresh air
no more screamin in my ear or any other affairs
just me and the hoop, a man's best friend
wishin I could stay out here until my life comes to an end

I wrote this short poem because this was exactly how I was feeling today. I was stuck at home, forced to do chores, and I was insanely bored! My mom kept demanding more and more things to be done, and I couldn't help but argue against her. I really needed a break from her and the pointless pacing I was doing around my house, so I went to my sanctuary...in other words, my backyard. It was just one of the many, many occasions that basketball has saved me because it is a constant in my life that is always there when I need to turn to something. Basketball is my savior.

The History of "Feel No Way"

Five times. Five times. That is the number of times my mom has asked me the same question: "James, what does "Feel no way" even mean?" Every time I hear it, I smile, casually turn my head to face her, and say, "Mom, it means "No worries"." Of course, my mom is referring to the name of my eight member island/reggae band Feel No Way, of which I am the lead singer.

This band began back in April of last year, 2007, when my good friend Phil enthusiastically came to me with his idea and plans for a new band. In other words, Phil was the scout, and he recruited myself and all of the other members of the band, which was and still is made up of eight sophomores at Punahou School. These eight are: Phil, who is our guitarist and leader; St. John, who plays ukulele, sings, and plays keyboards; Geoff, who sings and plays ukulele; Ryne, who plays the drums; Kainoa, who plays the bass; Dylan, who plays the saxophone, keyboards, and sings; Thurston, who plays the bongos; and myself, James, and I sing.

After just a couple of "Jam seshes" consisting of playing songs we liked, eating, talking story, and fooling around we realized that we weren't that bad, but we were not very serious, and it seemed like just a fun activity to do every month or so. Then, we were invited to play at two parties, and after both of them were successes, Feel No Way had taken off, and officially hit the music scene. Thurston's sweet sixteen in the summertime was the first time we played in front of about fifty of our best friends. It wasn't the smoothest show, but the kids danced and for only having played together three times before, we did a good job.

Sadly after that however, Feel No Way was quiet for a very long time due to football and basketball practices, and heavy conflicting schedules between group members. We could never find the time to jam together again until December...five months later. Our dream was to follow our predecessors, Auana, a band made up of seven members of the Punahou Class of '07, and play at the Punahou Sophomore Luau for our peers in March. After that one December jam session, we had none in January. Sophomore Luau was getting closer, and I was becoming afraid that we would never be able to play, or even worse that we would never be able to play WELL. I'm not the most confident person in the world, and as for singing in front of my entire grade--I was terrified. I was not thrilled about getting up on stage with barely any band practice and not too much confidence in us. However, we pulled our act together throughout the month of February, refining our songs and headed into the luau full speed ahead with a full tank of gas!

March 1st was a night that I will never forget. That fateful night of Sophomore Luau was Feel No Way's greatest performance to this date, and one of the best nights of my entire life. We all arrived early to help set up our equipment in the cafeteria. We were set to play at 7 pm, after Manoa DNA played for an hour in the gym from 6-7. The deans didn't expect too much from us, and expected us to play a few tunes while the kids ate. They thought wrong. Feel No Way rocked the house, and shook the cafeteria for the full hour time slot we were allotted. The kids ate, they danced, they sang along, and many of them fully participated, which added heavily to the level of our performance. Everything seemed to come together for the band, seeing as how we were relying a lot on luck without too much practice time. St. John, Geoff, Dylan, and I sang well; Phil played his guitar solos with ease; Kainoa was solid on the bass; Ryne nailed his drum entrances; Dylan glided thru his saxophone solos; Thurston did his thing on the bongos. Everything turned out perfect!

Feel No Way has become the talk of the Sophomore class as far as music goes, and has received a lot of recognition since their performance at the luau. They now have three more shows already lined up for the summertime, including a big opening for Natural Vibrations, an extremely popular Island/Reggae band in Hawaii at a graduation party. It's amazing to think that this has lasted almost a year now, and we have already done so much more than we ever would have thought. Performing is truly a wonderful experience, and the adrenaline that builds up can't be matched by many things in this world. "Feel No Way" has even more of a meaning behind it to me, because when I think of the words, I know that that is how I like to live my life. I try to be smooth, easy-going, not complain so much, and just be as happy as possible. I want to spread joy everywhere I go, just like Feel No Way spreads its joyful music and melodic messages at each performance. In the wise words of Steel Pulse: "Life without music, I can't go..."