Searsport — One interesting kid

Kean Ripley, seventh grader at Searsport District Middle School says he actually likes school and enjoys going to see his friends, learning math, and especially gym. Kean grins as he tells me about that one time he beat fellow students at “Sharks and Minnows” — one of his first greatest accomplishments yet this year. What he likes most about math class is going on ALEKS or KHAN ACADEMY. He is proud of being almost in the next level of ALEKS. “I'm doing pretty good, I am almost in MS Math,” says Kean.

One time Kean forget about his milk in his locker. He never realized it until other students confronted him about the sour smell.

From Pac Man to Red Dead Redemption, Kean also loves his video games. He hopes to be able to design and test his own video games when he graduates. “I will probably get 3-4 years of college” explains Kean, “because to engineer video games, you need to create them with the math."

Kean plays Airsoft, what is commonly mistaken as real violence, but it is actually a toy. “In my words, airsoft is like a sport. You have guns that look real, but are not. It's good to have a lot of protection on, and gloves so you don't get welts from getting shot.”

Kean knows how to make an airsoft grenade. “First get a small soda bottle-something plastic, fill it with airsoft bullets, then close the cap, poke a hole through it, stick a wick through the hole so it feeds through the bullets to the bottom of the bottle. After you light it, the spark will travel down the wick into the bottle, igniting all of the bullets causing them to go everywhere as the bottle bursts open.” Kean has also invented an airsoft slingshot, by stretching and tying an elastic exercise tool to two tree tress. He would then take a handful of airsoft bullets, secure them to the line by closing them off with his hand, haul it back and send the bullets airborn. “It's pretty useful. The most you can probably sling shot is from thirty and forty pellets.” Kean's next idea is to add more onto his invention by using duct tape and an extra line, in hopes of slinging 60-70 bullets.

Kean won his first Airsoft war on Saturday, Feb. 2. He totally skunked Matteo Albanese (Yes, my brother) — the one who introduced Kean to the sport. “Matteo is my mentor, he taught me all the ways of Airsoft,” explains Kean.

Kean says he's the next Adam Sandler. He is always making his friends laugh at school. Kean likes to tell jokes, pick on Cyrus, and back talk to teachers. When I ask Kean how he thinks his future looks based on all of this, he replies “Look at these abs!” Besides his silly character, Kean has what it takes to keep up with schoolwork, and be successful. He believes that after he graduates, he will be the reason that Matteo has Black Ops Thirteen. As most of us know, whatever comes out of Kean's mouth is usually followed by a laugh.

Feelin' Famous?

First of all, I would like to shout out to Uncle Clyde and Gramp in Jackson. I have been being a wonderful niece and granddaughter. The whole newspaper writing is working out great for me, even though a lot of my columns are not in news style writing. So what do I have that is crazy to talk about this week? SNOT. I know that sounds gross, but do you ever go to the doctor and they ask you what color your boogers are? I am already projecting lots of laughs but, seriously! It gets way better. So like most random topics, that was one that recently hit me across the forehead last night. Thanks to a little googling, I can provide everyone with a list of snot colors and their meanings:

Clear mucous: This is perfectly normal. If you are producing too much that wouldn't have quite the right texture and thickness, then it may be prior to allergies.

White mucous: This is also perfectly normal. This comes from eating and drinking dairy products. All that fat in dairy products make the mucous thicker and sticker. When you get sick from a cold, staying away from dairy products is said to help with congestion and easier breathing.

Yellow mucous: You may have a virus or sinus infection. This is good that you see a neon snot color though because it means your body is fighting off a virus or infection — the common cold is one. Dark yellow however, may be bronchitis.

Green mucous: It is green because of a pigment that mixes with the mucous. Your sinuses may be inflamed. If they swell, mucous becomes trapped in your nasal passages. If this happens for too long, then evil bacteria and fungi will start growing inside your nose. It is important to get some antibiotics, especially if symptoms last for more than a week. Don't be alarmed, the green is just going to signal a bacterial or fungal infection.

Blue mucous (seriously): Pseudomonas Pyocyanea. Are you the 1 in 10,000 people who have this rare snot color? I can't say much more because the website really only says if your blue snot thickens and lasts several days, then to see a doctor.

If you are interested in reading more about your snot and some odd things about changing snot color then be sure to check out this website: http://cocopreme.hubpages.com/hub/snotdecodedwhatdoessnotcolormean

Want something to think about that is not related to snot (thank god). Has anyone ever dared to press that “I'm feeling lucky” button on google?