I just had to say thanks to Tennisgrl, a very special friend, Natalie (Mat) Patterson, for making xanga such a rewarding experience.

I hope others enjoy the luck of having the opportunity of meeting totally fantastic people as they travel the vast highway of the Internet. I met a few that forever will make their mark on my life, thank you all.

Mat is sexy, unselfish, intelligent, funny and honest. Thanks for taking and making the time you did to be with a friend. I am forever grateful for all of your caring and just being the great buddie you are. I would be remiss and just hate myself if I didn't let the world know how great of a person you are. Some guy out there is one lucky guy.

Good luck! and God Speed in all you do today and in the future. Forever your friend, monty

PS: for u

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray (I would pray)

Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could break away

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway

Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get onboard a fast train
Travel on a jet plane, far away (I will)
And breakaway

Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging around revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but
Gotta keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, breakaway

I'll spread my wings
And I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway

(1) USC 42, Arizona 21

 marsh can get crazy!!

In the last few days, it has been uncanny that I have only met people with problems and more problems. You name it, they got it. It's like life is one big problem and all they can talk about it problems problems problems....

many problems are just being angry at somebody or something.....angry angry

others are just frustrations about home, friends, relationships, money, and some are just not feeling good about one's self, or just mad at one's self for losing control, taking drugs, bad sex, stupid sex, or weird sex, about drinking, lots of drinking goes on around here, beer, wine, hard stuff is all around....some problems are really difficult, parents going through divorce, dad or mom losing job, its just goes on and on...I listen....sometimes that's about all you can do.....just listen:

Dedicated to those who's backpack has no books....only problems:

All my life I've been fall- fall- falling apart,
Been tumbling down quick first right from the start
I never learned just get up and go on
Until I'm just knocked right off of my feet

But it's not the fall that hurts
It's when you hit the ground
Cuz it's not the fall that hurts
It's when you hit the ground

Stumblingly' with every step I take
And it seems I can't get a grip
I'm soon gonna slip
And then I look down
I see the fur ground
Is closening fast again
And then boom

But it's not the fall that hurts
It's when you hit the ground
Cuz it's not the fall that hurts
It's when you hit the ground

So...I'm thinking what problems do I have? what really wrenches my gut?.....

1. I have this uneasy feeling that I may have missed one of the greatest opportunities of my life when I didn't dig into staying for study in Paris.

2. I'ts hard to think how to say to someone you really care for what you know they don't want to hear - it has to be done - and I know it....and it eats me alive.

3. grrrrrrrrrr I really don't have problems at the moment, what I do have is failings....failing to take time out to help others like I used to, not working and paying for some of my own way, ignoring my music - that really gets to me........................"I cried cuz I had no shoes, and then I saw a man with no feet"......gotta put life and reality in perspective.....

what then if not a stack of problems do I have in my backpack?.....I have blessings.....

what more can I say?

1. I have terrific parents and family supporting me every step of the way.

2. I haven't forgotten that life is choices.....I choose to follow the path of just trying to do the best you can with what you have and give thanks to God.

3. I have good health and I am able to go to college - for that I am most thankful.

4. I have trememdous friends and making new ones all the time.

5. I have a thirst to do something constructive in what ever way I can.

This is the last posting on my thoughts on Xanga. The next one will be my last one and another guy fades away into the Xanga dustbin.....

NATALIE PATTERSON  

1 OCT BE THE DAY! SWEET 18!

• Decide what to study (reasonable task) and how long or how many (chapters, pages, problems, etc.). Set and stick to deadlines.
  
• Do difficult tasks first. For procrastination, start off with an easy, interesting aspect of the project.
  
• Have special places to study. Take into consideration lighting, temperature, and availability of materials.
  
• Study 50 minutes, and then take a 10 minute break. Stretch, relax, have an energy snack.
  
• Allow longer, "massed" time periods for organizing relationships and concepts, outlining, and writing papers. Use shorter, "spaced" time intervals for rote memorization, review, and self-testing. Use odd moments for recall/review.
  
• If you get tired or bored, switch task/activity, subject, or environment. Stop studying when you are no longer being productive.
  
• Do rote memory tasks and review, especially details, just before you fall asleep.
  
• Study with a friend. Quiz each other, compare notes and predicted test questions.

General Suggestions for All Types of Tests
Essay Tests, Objective Tests (Multiple Choice, True / False), Problem Tests (Math)

• Rule 1: Arrive early instead of barely on time, so as to be organized and ready instead of in a panic. Try to go into the test alert and calm instead of tense and anxious.
  
• Rule 2: Regard a lapse of memory as perfectly normal; do not let it throw you into a panic. If you block on answering one question, leave it for awhile and return to it later.
  
• Rule 3: Make certain that you fully understand the test directions before attempting to solve any problems or answer any questions.
  
• Rule 4: Plan how you will use your time during the exam. Quickly look over the entire test and divide up your available time as appropriate to the number and type of questions that you find. Then be careful not to mismanage your time so that you find yourself with insufficient time to answer all the questions.
  
• Rule 5: Read each question carefully and completely before marking or writing your answer. Re-read if you are at all confused.
  
• Rule 6: Ask your instructor for help in interpreting a test questions that is unclear or ambiguous to you. He will probably want to clear up the misunderstanding for everybody if the question really is misleading or confusing.
  
• Rule 7: Be careful not to give any impression of cheating.
  
• Rule 8: Do not be disturbed about other students finishing before you do. Take your time, don't panic, and you will do much better on the test.
  
• Rule 9: If you have any time left over, edit, check, and proofread your answers. Use all the time available to eliminate careless errors and to improve your answers as much as possible.

Special Suggestions for Objective Tests

• Answer all questions in order without skipping or jumping around. Identify doubtful answers by marking in the margin and recheck these as time permits after all questions have been answered.
  
• Do not linger too long on any one question. Mark your best guess and move on, returning later if you have sufficient time.
  Reread all questions containing negative wording such as "not" or "least". Be especially alert for the use of double or even triple negatives within a sentence, as these must be read very carefully to assure full understanding.
  
• Check for qualifying words such as "all-most-some-none", "always-usually-seldom-never", "best-worst", or "smallest-largest". When you see one of these qualifiers, test for truth by substituting the other members of the series. If your substitution makes a better statement, the question is false; if your substitution does not make a better statement, the question is true.
  
• Watch for modifying or limiting phrases inserted into the true/false questions. Instructors often use inserted names, dates, places, or other details to make a statement inaccurate.
  
• Be alert for multiple ideas or concepts within the same true/false statement. All parts of the statement must be true or the entire statement is false.
  
• Be alert for grammatical inconsistencies between the question stem and the answer choices on multiple-choice questions. A choice is almost always wrong if it and the stem do not make a grammatically correct sentence.
  
• Be cautious about changing your answer to a true-false or multiple-choice question without a good reason. Your first "guess" is more likely to be correct than are subsequent "guesses", so be sure to have a sound reason for changing our answer.
  Apply the same approach to answering both true/false and multiple-choice questions. The same techniques will work equally well for both, since multiple-choice questions are basically true/false questions arranged in groups.
  
• On matching exercises, work with only one column at a time. Match each item in that column against all items in the second column until you find a proper match, marking through matches about which you are certain, so that it will be easier to match out the rest about which

Special Suggestions for Problem Tests

• Write down hard-to-remember formulas, equations, and rules before you actually begin working on the test problems.
  
• If you are unable to work a problem, go on to the next one and come back to it later if time permits.
  
• Even if you know that your answer is wrong, turn in your work, because you may get part credit for using the right process.
  
• Show all the steps in your work and clearly identify or label your answer so that it can be quickly found.
  
• Whenever possible, recheck all answers in a different way from that employed when you did the work. For example, add down a column of figures when rechecking if you added up the column when you first solved the problem.
  
• Take time to write legibly and make your corrections, if any, as neat as possible. Most instructors react subjectively to the appearance of papers to be graded, so let neatness work for you rather than against you.
  
• Leave ample space between your answers. You may need it for new ideas or additional details when you return later to re-read what you have written.
  
• If you encounter a question that you think you can't answer, leave it to be answered last, but don't leave it unanswered. You may get partial credit for even a poor answer, especially if everyone else also had trouble answering this same question.

If you have too many "yes" answers to these next items, then you are in trouble!

• Lack of a study schedule
• Priorities unclear (What to study first)
• Failure to use short blocks of time constructively
• Failure to use long blocks of time constructively
• When sitting down to study, usually too tired or listless to study
• Leaving tasks unfinished; jumping from one task to another
• Studying on bed & falling asleep
• Daydreaming
• Can't resume studying after study breaks
• Spending too much time socializing, playing games or sports
• Unable to say "no" to invitations and requests <
• Making unrealistic time estimates <
• Attempting too much at once
• Getting behind in one course because of having to study for another
• Getting involved in unnecessary details
• Accomplishing very little in relation to the amount of time spent studying
• Distracted or frustrated by cluttered desk
• Not having or unable to locate needed materials
• Study area faces a window, door, TV, phone or other distractions
• Interruptions by outside interference (phone calls, visitors, noises)
• Frequently waiting until the last minute before starting to study or begin major project (i.e., Procrastination.)
• Feeling of intense panic while taking tests

Here are a number of suggestions that students have found helpful when preparing for exams: