Marching the Way Victorious

Wait for It...

by Derek Taylor January 01, 2024

All along, it was as if there was a voice saying, “Wait for it. . . Wait for it…” That is one of the most important things I have learned in this life is to wait for the punchline.

Posted in #Aggies, #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #Biochemistry, #blackstudents, #Champions, #Child Abuse, #ChildAbuse, #comedy, #Confidence, #Courage, #Depression, #empathy, #faith, #GriefPsychology, #Grieving, #Healing, #innerpeace, #Ja, #JamesKeith, #JimmyKieth, #laughs, #MentalHealthAwareness, #mentalillness, #Parenting, #psychiatry, #Recovery, #SuicidePrevention, #Survivor, #survivors, #Swimming, #UCD, #UCDavis, #WoodyHarrelson, #wrestling, Entertainment, Forgiveness, JamesDayKieth, Love, Mathematics, Psychology

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One Good Day

by Derek Taylor January 02, 2023

When it came to intensity with a chainsaw, Leatherface had nothing on Skip Cain. Highlights of that day included Skip having me pull my lunch up into the tree on a rope, because he suspected, probably accurately so, that I would not want to climb back up in the tree once I climbed down.

Posted in #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #coaching, #Construction, #football, #manhood, #Pickups, #wrestling

Identity Crisis

by Derek Taylor September 24, 2022

I was the opposite, because I picked the wrong time to have an identity crisis.

Posted in #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #Blackface, #blackstudents, #confessions, #faith, #happiness, #innerpeace, #LouisArmstrong, #MInstrel Shows, #Music, #Sex, #Trumpetplayer, #UCD, #UCDavis, Entertainment

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The Slap Heard Around the World

by Derek Taylor April 19, 2022

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”

Posted in #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #Autobigraphy, #Bible, #BibleStudy, #Child Abuse, #faith, #Healing, #innerpeace, #MentalHealthAwareness, #mentalillness, Forgiveness, human behavior, Justice, Oscars, Psychology, Will Smith

That's Entertainment

by Derek Taylor February 26, 2021

The closer you are to someone the more likely you are to laugh with them and not at them. When someone is telling jokes about another race or religion and there are no people from that race or religion in the room with them, then they are more likely laughing at them than with them.

Posted in #AlJolson, #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #Americans, #Blackface, #blackstudents, #Christianity, #Christmas, #ChristmasGifts, #Jews, #Judaism, #LouisArmstrong, #MInstrel Shows, #Music, #pizza, #Trumpetplayer, #wrestling, Foodie

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When the Journey is Done

by Derek Taylor October 30, 2020

You’re left with just a picture that survived a dream. You want to hide away from the world and it’s crazy schemes. If you could stand within this moment, Catch hold of what’s left by the tide, You might sweep away the silt And see what my love means.

Posted in #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #Americans, #Grieving, #MentalHealthAwareness, #YoungLife

It is Still Gift Giving Season!

by Derek Taylor March 11, 2020

I can blame my friend and fellow American High School alum Tim Marymee for exposing me to Jimmy Buffet during our trips to Skip’s Cabin at the end of the summers during our junior and senior years of high school, but I cannot hold him at fault for this repeated nightmare...

Posted in #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #Christmas, #ChristmasGifts, #GiftGiving, #GriefPsychology, Football

The Stalker

by Derek Taylor December 08, 2019

Sometimes I just wake up in the morning and there it is invading my thoughts, screwing with my self-concept, smashing my ambition. I turn to ask, “HEY –WHO LET YOU IN HERE?”

Posted in #Aggies, #AmericanHighSchool, #Depression, #MentalHealthAwareness, #SuicidePrevention, #TheStalker, #UCDavis, #wrestling, #YoungLife

Skin is Deep!

by Derek Taylor September 28, 2019

Just as when I commented on Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and the State Attorney General Mark Herring’s use of black face, I must preference my remarks by first confessing that I appeared in blackface in my high school yearbook.

Posted in #AllInTheFamily, #AmericanHighSchool, #ArchieBunker, #Blackface, #MInstrel Shows, #MissouriCompromise

Harmonic Convergence

by Derek Taylor August 16, 2019

The world had already begun to anticipate the Harmonic Convergence which would occur when six out of the eight planets of our solar system would align marking the end of a 52 cycle epoch of the Mayan Calendar, but I was about to participate in a harmonic convergence that though smaller in scale would be personally much more satisfying and memorable.

Posted in #AmericanHigh, #AmericanHighSchool, #ASL, #deaf, #EarthQuake, #HarmonicConvergence, #OaklandAs, #SanFranciscoGiants, #UCD, #UCDavis, #WorldSeries