Although I would like to be him, to an extent.
On Saturday my parents decided we should go to Brown, because it's not moderately far away like Penn (which is where I'd like to go, even if I get accepted everywhere else, except maybe MIT if everyone else is also there), or really, really far away like WashU, which I don't know if I even want to go in the first place.
I had already heard stories about Brown, both good and bad, so I wasn't sure what to expect. (I never considered it one of the schools on my "list" though, those selectively few that meet my slew of criteria.)
My first opinion of Brown as we drove into campus to find MacMillan Hall was that it was in the middle of Providence, and therefore very crowded and frantic. Providence isn't by far the most frantic city I've been to, and being a city girl myself, I don't mind cities at all (and in fact, I like them better), but something about the way Brown was structured (maybe the buildings themselves, I wasn't sure) put me off. The buildings I saw were mostly brick red, relatively tall, and I was reminded a lot of Williams by the way it spilled into the city.
Then we found the "auditorium," which was really just a large lecture room (and, coincidentally, a chemistry room). We listened in on the hour-long information session (really just 45 minutes, with a 15-minute Starbucks break—at least there's coffee readily available), which included an Odysseus analogy, and how Brown students are explorers who are motivated by curiosity rather than material goods. Then we went outside, where we saw the huge, huge group of people and the small, small group of tour guides.
So instead of shuffling along in the tour, we got a map of campus and walked around ourselves.
Inside Brown, it's really different from the red-brick-hectic side I had seen earlier. This Brown was, in a way, like Princeton, with its greens and wrought-iron gates and pretty stone and brick buildings. It was secluded, maybe even meditative, and it was really nice in general.
Well, in general, I'm unlikely to consider Brown, since it's more stringent towards international students who apply for financial aid, which is what I am. But it's a nice place, I have to admit, even if it's probably not the place for me.
On a separate note, Newport, RI, where we went next as a side trip (as all of these college visits apparently require side trips to make up for their faraway distance and the effort we made to go there), is filled with huge houses and this one school (Salve? Regina? I can't remember) that overlooks the ocean. We didn't investigate further, but my parents concluded that "you can't possibly learn there with so many distractions."
Also, I have finally collected my letter of ineligibility from the SSA, and two different forms of ID. Now just for the mail addressed to me and to actually know the rules of driving.
(Extra mention to Allison Saint-Cross because he's making my taglist look icky, and I won't be talking about him for a while, at least not that I think so.)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
About Biology
I'm not liking it as much as chemistry. I guess it's inevitable. Chemistry is like, well, using a simile here, my first love. It was the first specific science I'd even gotten into since coming from Canada (where we have clumped sciences until junior year), and it was the first science I'd really, really tried to study. Not to mention I've met some amazing chem teachers along the way (three of our school's most famed teachers, around arena anyway, and in the positive way).
Last year I loved honors chem and thought there'd be nothing better than a continuation of that. This year I went into AP chem, with Mr. Coffee, and I loved loved loved it, even though some areas were shaky for me (and frustratingly, not for Bryant, but that's to be expected). So far I haven't had anything I really hated about chem, not even acids and bases, not even electrochem, not even equations, which felt like rote memorization.
Physics is like that popular, scandalous guy you've always heard of, and you can't believe your luck that he's actually chosen you. My dad's a physics major (albeit chemical and mechanical physics, and my mom and her father are both chemists), and he's always been talking about physics, ever since, well, I started science, probably. Physics is the thing that makes everything else makes sense. I feel like I'm supposed to love it, because it's something so wonderful and so mysterious, and even though I do love it very much and I love making sense of it, I sometimes wonder if it's because of its reputation as much as its mysteriousness.
Doesn't help that when I'm making some "breakthrough" discovery in my physics class, someone else would say, "What is he talking about?"
So what about biology?
Biology is the, uh, rebound guy. Now that I can't possibly take more chemistry classes in high school anymore (although I could try TAing, but I don't know how that will work), I'm kind of in a rut. I want more science classes (I want more math classes too, but, let's face it, I have even less options in math and multi's about the only thing I can take now). Biology's my opportunity to break out andlove take a science class again (aside from AP physics).
There's a reason why nobody wants to be that rebound guy. For one, every time I stare into my bio book (granted, the first unit's called "The Chemical Basis of Life") I keep on thinking, "Hey, that's chemistry!" or "That's sooooo easy. Basic chem stuff, duh." And I'm kind of frustrated, because it's not the advanced chem material I'm used to, but I can't skip it either because every now and then there are fancy words I don't know and concepts that aren't explained fully chemically because they're too complex for a high school textbook.
I have to remind myself, this isn't chemistry, this is biology, and I've got to take a step back and reorient myself. I have to remind myself that my first love's really, really gone (at least for now) and I've got to either love the rebound guy (which I will, as soon as I get over this "I don't really want to work now" period) or I've got to reconsider why I'm stuck with him.
Moral of the story: biology is not chemistry, try as I might to think it is. I will have to deal with that.
Last year I loved honors chem and thought there'd be nothing better than a continuation of that. This year I went into AP chem, with Mr. Coffee, and I loved loved loved it, even though some areas were shaky for me (and frustratingly, not for Bryant, but that's to be expected). So far I haven't had anything I really hated about chem, not even acids and bases, not even electrochem, not even equations, which felt like rote memorization.
Physics is like that popular, scandalous guy you've always heard of, and you can't believe your luck that he's actually chosen you. My dad's a physics major (albeit chemical and mechanical physics, and my mom and her father are both chemists), and he's always been talking about physics, ever since, well, I started science, probably. Physics is the thing that makes everything else makes sense. I feel like I'm supposed to love it, because it's something so wonderful and so mysterious, and even though I do love it very much and I love making sense of it, I sometimes wonder if it's because of its reputation as much as its mysteriousness.
Doesn't help that when I'm making some "breakthrough" discovery in my physics class, someone else would say, "What is he talking about?"
So what about biology?
Biology is the, uh, rebound guy. Now that I can't possibly take more chemistry classes in high school anymore (although I could try TAing, but I don't know how that will work), I'm kind of in a rut. I want more science classes (I want more math classes too, but, let's face it, I have even less options in math and multi's about the only thing I can take now). Biology's my opportunity to break out and
There's a reason why nobody wants to be that rebound guy. For one, every time I stare into my bio book (granted, the first unit's called "The Chemical Basis of Life") I keep on thinking, "Hey, that's chemistry!" or "That's sooooo easy. Basic chem stuff, duh." And I'm kind of frustrated, because it's not the advanced chem material I'm used to, but I can't skip it either because every now and then there are fancy words I don't know and concepts that aren't explained fully chemically because they're too complex for a high school textbook.
I have to remind myself, this isn't chemistry, this is biology, and I've got to take a step back and reorient myself. I have to remind myself that my first love's really, really gone (at least for now) and I've got to either love the rebound guy (which I will, as soon as I get over this "I don't really want to work now" period) or I've got to reconsider why I'm stuck with him.
Moral of the story: biology is not chemistry, try as I might to think it is. I will have to deal with that.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Hey, you! Yes, you.
A while ago (back in April) I wrote a post promoting equality amongst my equivalent of Gretchie's "imaginary friends." I had twenty people, because that was the most number of labels I could include, and since it's pointless if I mention someone but doesn't include their label, I just chose twenty people.
Today's lucky people are:
But before all of this, I would like to say that I have started reading the DMV booklet for my permit test, and it's so far going well. I don't know what kind of test they have though, so we'll have to see. And besides, I suck at memorization.
Also... why, why do they use clock hands for steering wheel positions, instead of diagrams? I like my digital clock just as much as the next person, and the only time I use analog clocks are when I'm trying to figure out how much time I have left in a class, and it's become second-nature to me that I don't even know the hours, just the minutes.
Anyway. Let's commence!
Amanda-Amanda's sent out a FB message to me (along with various other people) asking me if I wanted to join her on a NYC trip sometime in the summer. I do, but I have to okay it first with my parents, so I'm holding on responding just for now.
Camel-I don't think I'll ever have another class with Camel. He's being boring and taking Physics B and Calc AB, and somehow I don't think he's going to take AP Lit or any of my other classes. Doesn't sound like him. We don't really talk outside of communicating with Nyx, so I guess we won't really talk ever again.
Dora-Right! Movies, possibly. I still have to get back to her on that as well. So many things happening this summer! I'm glad that summer's finally here. There's definitely less stress right now, which is good, but I think I'm going to be looking forward for school to start, surprisingly.
Gretchen-Can you believe she's behind Irving, of all people, in my tag-list? I can't. Well, I suppose it's because of all the math team things where I mention Irving because he's usually doing something outrageous (but usually less so to some extent) with Mario. Anyway, Gretchen and I need to land in Japan soon. I'm getting a little air-sick right now.
Irving-Mentioned above, and that I probably won't ever see him again, unless I get into Hahvahd (unlikely) or get into MIT (also unlikely) and he happens to bike by because I can't bike by him since I don't know how to bike.
Joss-He still has spiky hair, even though he cut it shorter earlier. I don't know what else to say of him. Not very exciting right now.
Mario-Oh, Mario. What to say of him? I think he's going to have superiority issues next year in math team. To think that he said of Irving's behavior during Moody's, "I think he had trouble realizing who was the real boss. Next year there won't be a question as to who's in charge." No doubt. It's not him.
Matt-Super skinniness aside, he's leaving as well! I somehow cannot process that, even though I could process Irving and Owen and Melissa leaving. I guess it's because he wasn't away on the senior internships, so I haven't really felt him leave. I'm really going to miss him, even if he doesn't talk much.
Melissa-Ambivalent on her leaving. I think things are going to be a lot quieter without her, which is both good and bad. We won't have her cookies anymore as well, so that could be bad.
Micro-I'm trying to communicate to him in sign language, but neither he nor Sonny understands it, so Yuma and I are having a particularly difficult time.
Mogley-Didn't know he was taking Econ next year. Maybe we'll be in the same class again. He had English scheduling problems earlier, and I told him, "Just get AP English," to which he said, "No way, me?" Our English teacher agreed with his sentiment, and not just because of his horrible grammar (I still can't forgive him for writing lists without commas).
Nyx-Has a super early arena time but has no need for it because of her singletons. I'm slightly envious, but then I remember that no matter who I have they're either not bad or they're unavoidable, so I don't care that much either. And I'll probably have physics with Tea (unless it runs out) so it doesn't concern me very, very much.
Owen-Writing about Owen here reminds me of his alpaca. Also my "choose your own adventure" story. Otherwise he doesn't remind me of anything except that I don't know who's going to keep Dino well-oiled in the next year. We might see an increase in system crashes then.
Reese-I'm talking to Reese on Gchat a lot now. He's using Digsby, which is apparently similar to the device that Tea uses except for PCs. I shall have to try that out soon.
Sonny-He's hilarious, even if he doesn't mean it. He also can't understand sign language or exaggerated waving. Also, I found out how freaky he looked while sunbathing with Scott and the like. A row of guys lying down on the ground in the courtyard just looks weird.
Stella-I don't talk to her nearly as much now. I should. In fact, I will talk to her today as soon as I get this Digsby thing working.
Tamir-Why did I even first mention him? Why do I keep on mentioning him? I don't know. Whatever.
Tybalt-From what I've heard from Kathrya lately, he's exceedingly sweet. This disproves my best friend from back before's theory that all guys are jerks. But then again, I knew that a long time ago. Besides, it doesn't disprove the theory that some guys (ambiguity on how many) are jerks.
Vincent-I need to go over to his house more often if it means more Clue time. I'm addicted to the game. It's unhealthy, I think, both physically and emotionally.
Yuma-I never knew he was so good at go, but then again, Yuma is amazing at a lot of things. We definitely need him on our Moody's team next year. Also, Mrs. MacDonald said that she was looking forward to seeing me (and presumably everyone on our team) next year for Moody's. I think that basically guarantees that, if we don't do something stupid and smoke pot in front of the principal or something like that, we're going to be on a team (if not on a team together) next year.
Whew. Now let's see if anything on my "Noteworthy" list looks better now.
Today's lucky people are:
- Amanda
- Camel
- Dora
- Gretchen
- Irving
- Joss
- Mario
- Matt
- Melissa
- Micro
- Mogley
- Nyx
- Owen
- Reese
- Sonny
- Stella
- Tamir
- Tybalt
- Vincent
- Yuma
But before all of this, I would like to say that I have started reading the DMV booklet for my permit test, and it's so far going well. I don't know what kind of test they have though, so we'll have to see. And besides, I suck at memorization.
Also... why, why do they use clock hands for steering wheel positions, instead of diagrams? I like my digital clock just as much as the next person, and the only time I use analog clocks are when I'm trying to figure out how much time I have left in a class, and it's become second-nature to me that I don't even know the hours, just the minutes.
Anyway. Let's commence!
Amanda-Amanda's sent out a FB message to me (along with various other people) asking me if I wanted to join her on a NYC trip sometime in the summer. I do, but I have to okay it first with my parents, so I'm holding on responding just for now.
Camel-I don't think I'll ever have another class with Camel. He's being boring and taking Physics B and Calc AB, and somehow I don't think he's going to take AP Lit or any of my other classes. Doesn't sound like him. We don't really talk outside of communicating with Nyx, so I guess we won't really talk ever again.
Dora-Right! Movies, possibly. I still have to get back to her on that as well. So many things happening this summer! I'm glad that summer's finally here. There's definitely less stress right now, which is good, but I think I'm going to be looking forward for school to start, surprisingly.
Gretchen-Can you believe she's behind Irving, of all people, in my tag-list? I can't. Well, I suppose it's because of all the math team things where I mention Irving because he's usually doing something outrageous (but usually less so to some extent) with Mario. Anyway, Gretchen and I need to land in Japan soon. I'm getting a little air-sick right now.
Irving-Mentioned above, and that I probably won't ever see him again, unless I get into Hahvahd (unlikely) or get into MIT (also unlikely) and he happens to bike by because I can't bike by him since I don't know how to bike.
Joss-He still has spiky hair, even though he cut it shorter earlier. I don't know what else to say of him. Not very exciting right now.
Mario-Oh, Mario. What to say of him? I think he's going to have superiority issues next year in math team. To think that he said of Irving's behavior during Moody's, "I think he had trouble realizing who was the real boss. Next year there won't be a question as to who's in charge." No doubt. It's not him.
Matt-Super skinniness aside, he's leaving as well! I somehow cannot process that, even though I could process Irving and Owen and Melissa leaving. I guess it's because he wasn't away on the senior internships, so I haven't really felt him leave. I'm really going to miss him, even if he doesn't talk much.
Melissa-Ambivalent on her leaving. I think things are going to be a lot quieter without her, which is both good and bad. We won't have her cookies anymore as well, so that could be bad.
Micro-I'm trying to communicate to him in sign language, but neither he nor Sonny understands it, so Yuma and I are having a particularly difficult time.
Mogley-Didn't know he was taking Econ next year. Maybe we'll be in the same class again. He had English scheduling problems earlier, and I told him, "Just get AP English," to which he said, "No way, me?" Our English teacher agreed with his sentiment, and not just because of his horrible grammar (I still can't forgive him for writing lists without commas).
Nyx-Has a super early arena time but has no need for it because of her singletons. I'm slightly envious, but then I remember that no matter who I have they're either not bad or they're unavoidable, so I don't care that much either. And I'll probably have physics with Tea (unless it runs out) so it doesn't concern me very, very much.
Owen-Writing about Owen here reminds me of his alpaca. Also my "choose your own adventure" story. Otherwise he doesn't remind me of anything except that I don't know who's going to keep Dino well-oiled in the next year. We might see an increase in system crashes then.
Reese-I'm talking to Reese on Gchat a lot now. He's using Digsby, which is apparently similar to the device that Tea uses except for PCs. I shall have to try that out soon.
Sonny-He's hilarious, even if he doesn't mean it. He also can't understand sign language or exaggerated waving. Also, I found out how freaky he looked while sunbathing with Scott and the like. A row of guys lying down on the ground in the courtyard just looks weird.
Stella-I don't talk to her nearly as much now. I should. In fact, I will talk to her today as soon as I get this Digsby thing working.
Tamir-Why did I even first mention him? Why do I keep on mentioning him? I don't know. Whatever.
Tybalt-From what I've heard from Kathrya lately, he's exceedingly sweet. This disproves my best friend from back before's theory that all guys are jerks. But then again, I knew that a long time ago. Besides, it doesn't disprove the theory that some guys (ambiguity on how many) are jerks.
Vincent-I need to go over to his house more often if it means more Clue time. I'm addicted to the game. It's unhealthy, I think, both physically and emotionally.
Yuma-I never knew he was so good at go, but then again, Yuma is amazing at a lot of things. We definitely need him on our Moody's team next year. Also, Mrs. MacDonald said that she was looking forward to seeing me (and presumably everyone on our team) next year for Moody's. I think that basically guarantees that, if we don't do something stupid and smoke pot in front of the principal or something like that, we're going to be on a team (if not on a team together) next year.
Whew. Now let's see if anything on my "Noteworthy" list looks better now.
A Land Before Time
First of all, I would like to mention Argon. Did you know that he's going to Spain for a entire month (or was it six weeks?) and will be speaking Spanish for most, if not all, of the time? He will come back perhaps the second Reese, Spanish-wise, and the two of them might carry on Spanish conversations when they see each other and effectively exclude me, because all I know in Spanish are "hola," "muy bien," "buenos dias," "buenas noches," "hasta luego," "hasta mañana" with the fancy ñ that I can never find, and various numbers due to my French background. So I will understand if they greet each other in the most simple way possible, but other than that I will simply prod them to speak English, or, if possible, French.
Those of you who know why I've suddenly decided to talk about Argon when there is not really a story about him will probably know where I am going next.
(Also, I am still two behind, and I need to talk about other people.)
Dino.
I'm trying to figure out what he means to me, right now and in general. I guess I first started wondering this when I heard about him asking Lauretta to prom. Prom is a pretty significant event, and although I knew I wasn't going, I thought I would at least be a little jealous. But I took it just as any other bit of gossip, a little regret that no one really asked me, but other than that I didn't feel much.
Then came his semi-obsession over her, which I thought I'd mind as well, but I didn't.
So I mean, do I really like him? Or was it simply my subconscious nagging me that I really, really want someone to like, for the sake of liking them, and I just happened to choose Dino? I know he's got some redeeming qualities, but he's also got a host of annoying ones that sometimes I wonder if he's worth the trouble. And I've come from a long history of troubled half-relationships, so it's all the more shaky what I really think and what I think that I think.
I don't know if I'm capable of jealousy. I think I am, which is sad, but I'm okay with that. I don't know if I'm capable of being jealous of Lauretta. I can't muster the energy to do so, can't really say that I dislike her because, honestly, I don't. Not in the least bit. I don't know if I'm capable of being jealous because of Dino. I think that, in some aspects, prove that I'm not crazy over him, even if I'm slightly obsessed. I also realized one day that I wouldn't die or do everything in the world for him, which I would almost do for Argon (so I guess I didn't need to mention the whole Spanish thing after all), and I found that a bit unsettling.
I could say he doesn't really mean anything to me, but that would also be a lie. It's a lie I tell myself every time I watch him walk by in his usual strut, his hands on his backpack straps. It's a lie every time I make up an excuse to talk to him.
My eyes still follow him down the hall, even if I don't talk to him. I don't want to talk to him, and he doesn't want to talk to me, so we've agreed on that at least. I tell myself it's stupid, and it is, but I can't help myself. It's a bit of a dilemma, to say the least, but I've got an entire summer to figure it out.
Other news for other people who deserve tags so as not to linger in the small-font phase:
Julie has already left, and Tea is leaving... tomorrow? I still can't believe so many people are leaving this summer. I don't know how we will cope next year, when we all go off to college, but that is not very, very important right now because of Math Prize! Math competitions make me happy. Well, science competitions too, but there's too little of them that I can participate in.
Gretchen gets mentioned here because we most likely will be getting our permits together, although I don't know how my lack of SSN will work out, so uh, I'm really sorry, but is it possible to extend the day after Monday? I know Tuesday doesn't work, but does any other day?
Avon is also mentioned because she is staying, as is Cammie because she is Cammie, and tomorrow I will have an entire post (hopefully) filled with all the other people who are pitifully puny because I don't nearly talk of them enough.
Those of you who know why I've suddenly decided to talk about Argon when there is not really a story about him will probably know where I am going next.
(Also, I am still two behind, and I need to talk about other people.)
Dino.
I'm trying to figure out what he means to me, right now and in general. I guess I first started wondering this when I heard about him asking Lauretta to prom. Prom is a pretty significant event, and although I knew I wasn't going, I thought I would at least be a little jealous. But I took it just as any other bit of gossip, a little regret that no one really asked me, but other than that I didn't feel much.
Then came his semi-obsession over her, which I thought I'd mind as well, but I didn't.
So I mean, do I really like him? Or was it simply my subconscious nagging me that I really, really want someone to like, for the sake of liking them, and I just happened to choose Dino? I know he's got some redeeming qualities, but he's also got a host of annoying ones that sometimes I wonder if he's worth the trouble. And I've come from a long history of troubled half-relationships, so it's all the more shaky what I really think and what I think that I think.
I don't know if I'm capable of jealousy. I think I am, which is sad, but I'm okay with that. I don't know if I'm capable of being jealous of Lauretta. I can't muster the energy to do so, can't really say that I dislike her because, honestly, I don't. Not in the least bit. I don't know if I'm capable of being jealous because of Dino. I think that, in some aspects, prove that I'm not crazy over him, even if I'm slightly obsessed. I also realized one day that I wouldn't die or do everything in the world for him, which I would almost do for Argon (so I guess I didn't need to mention the whole Spanish thing after all), and I found that a bit unsettling.
I could say he doesn't really mean anything to me, but that would also be a lie. It's a lie I tell myself every time I watch him walk by in his usual strut, his hands on his backpack straps. It's a lie every time I make up an excuse to talk to him.
My eyes still follow him down the hall, even if I don't talk to him. I don't want to talk to him, and he doesn't want to talk to me, so we've agreed on that at least. I tell myself it's stupid, and it is, but I can't help myself. It's a bit of a dilemma, to say the least, but I've got an entire summer to figure it out.
Other news for other people who deserve tags so as not to linger in the small-font phase:
Julie has already left, and Tea is leaving... tomorrow? I still can't believe so many people are leaving this summer. I don't know how we will cope next year, when we all go off to college, but that is not very, very important right now because of Math Prize! Math competitions make me happy. Well, science competitions too, but there's too little of them that I can participate in.
Gretchen gets mentioned here because we most likely will be getting our permits together, although I don't know how my lack of SSN will work out, so uh, I'm really sorry, but is it possible to extend the day after Monday? I know Tuesday doesn't work, but does any other day?
Avon is also mentioned because she is staying, as is Cammie because she is Cammie, and tomorrow I will have an entire post (hopefully) filled with all the other people who are pitifully puny because I don't nearly talk of them enough.
Friday, June 18, 2010
SUMMER IS HERE
If you didn't catch on to my enthusiasm in my intense usage of caps, let me reiterate that.
SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE! NO MORE JUNIOR YEAR! WE ARE SENIORS!
Today was amazingly awesome even though it was the day I had the most finals for (two, as opposed to, uh, one, or, uh, none). I was freaked out yesterday for physics, because I remembered from the midterms that I barely knew centripetal forces and I definitely bombed the waves/optics/weird-stuff test. Luckily, I did pretty well on modern physics, so it can still save me. Somewhat. But the finals were awesome. They were almost ridiculously easy (don't know for sure, because I don't know what I got, although Möhre asked me if I wanted to go check with him), and way better than the midterms for sure. Health was so-so, but it's health, and it's the last class of—OMG LAST GYM CLASS. Ahem. Yeah. So I didn't really care, and I got an A for the final, so despite my non-participation, I'm hoping for maybe an B+/A-, which will placate my parents as well.
But then, then, school was OVER (see my interspersed caps in testament of my excitement). I walked with Zephy and Vincent and Jennifer home (or sort of home, since we dropped by Vincent's house to play Clue first), and then my mom told me to clean up my room for the guests tomorrow. So I spent two hours cleaning, which was not fun, but the good thing was that I had NO HOMEWORK, so cleaning was okay.
Then I went over to Julie's house for her birthday party, and we had lots of fun, but this requires a very long time to explain, and I am now sort of short on time because I have more cleaning to do. So I will just say that we had lots of fun and rolled around in the grass and talked and ate and lit marshmallows on fire. There will be more coming, but after my permit cramming, so I will stop here.
To sum up my post tonight:
SUMMER IS HERE!
SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE! NO MORE JUNIOR YEAR! WE ARE SENIORS!
Today was amazingly awesome even though it was the day I had the most finals for (two, as opposed to, uh, one, or, uh, none). I was freaked out yesterday for physics, because I remembered from the midterms that I barely knew centripetal forces and I definitely bombed the waves/optics/weird-stuff test. Luckily, I did pretty well on modern physics, so it can still save me. Somewhat. But the finals were awesome. They were almost ridiculously easy (don't know for sure, because I don't know what I got, although Möhre asked me if I wanted to go check with him), and way better than the midterms for sure. Health was so-so, but it's health, and it's the last class of—OMG LAST GYM CLASS. Ahem. Yeah. So I didn't really care, and I got an A for the final, so despite my non-participation, I'm hoping for maybe an B+/A-, which will placate my parents as well.
But then, then, school was OVER (see my interspersed caps in testament of my excitement). I walked with Zephy and Vincent and Jennifer home (or sort of home, since we dropped by Vincent's house to play Clue first), and then my mom told me to clean up my room for the guests tomorrow. So I spent two hours cleaning, which was not fun, but the good thing was that I had NO HOMEWORK, so cleaning was okay.
Then I went over to Julie's house for her birthday party, and we had lots of fun, but this requires a very long time to explain, and I am now sort of short on time because I have more cleaning to do. So I will just say that we had lots of fun and rolled around in the grass and talked and ate and lit marshmallows on fire. There will be more coming, but after my permit cramming, so I will stop here.
To sum up my post tonight:
SUMMER IS HERE!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Busy, Busy, Really Busy
I decided to tie off some loose ends in my life lately, or at least with regards to school. In particular, I talked to my counselor yesterday about my dysfunctional classes (namely English) during lunch, and then after school I made several trips around the school trying to figure out what I had always told myself I would do, but never got around to it.
Well, I saw Mr. Booth before stat, and I asked him if he would write a college recommendation for me. He asked me to talk to him after school, so I did, and we came to a rather nice agreement (after staring at some funky multi graphs). He also told me that there will be a final math team meeting for the year next Wednesday (note: more on this to come), in the Community room. It is to be a food affair, I gathered, and it's held then so the seniors can come back from their internships (ending this week).
So if anyone was wondering when the last math meet will be, read on.
I then went to find Dr. Moles to discuss my pending AP Bio issue, but I had no idea where his office was. I tried the bio cluster first, but I didn't see him, and instead, I saw Ms. Sherbert, who told me where his office was. She then proceeded to tell me that the math meet was on Tuesday, which confused me a lot. I told her that Mr. Booth had mentioned Wednesday, so now we will have to wait and hear.
I also finally talked to Dr. Moles, who set me on the holy grail towards AP Bio.
After that, I borrowed the required reading for AP English, which is somewhat similar in plot to GWTW, so I will once again be using that as another one of my summer reading material.
Latest update today: math meeting is on Wednesday. No sushi, I suppose (although anyone who wants sushi can drop by the calc classroom early next Tuesday before the party officially starts). Also, Dino has recommended that I bring pudding, although he won't be there so it doesn't matter. I could always bring some pudding on Wednesday as a parting gift for Irving and Owen. I'm sure they'll appreciate it.
Now for things I've still got to do: HUSH portfolios, finish Othello, stat project (but it's coming along nicely because of Fathom's awesomeness), get signed up for bio somehow, and revive my clubs.
Well, I saw Mr. Booth before stat, and I asked him if he would write a college recommendation for me. He asked me to talk to him after school, so I did, and we came to a rather nice agreement (after staring at some funky multi graphs). He also told me that there will be a final math team meeting for the year next Wednesday (note: more on this to come), in the Community room. It is to be a food affair, I gathered, and it's held then so the seniors can come back from their internships (ending this week).
So if anyone was wondering when the last math meet will be, read on.
I then went to find Dr. Moles to discuss my pending AP Bio issue, but I had no idea where his office was. I tried the bio cluster first, but I didn't see him, and instead, I saw Ms. Sherbert, who told me where his office was. She then proceeded to tell me that the math meet was on Tuesday, which confused me a lot. I told her that Mr. Booth had mentioned Wednesday, so now we will have to wait and hear.
I also finally talked to Dr. Moles, who set me on the holy grail towards AP Bio.
After that, I borrowed the required reading for AP English, which is somewhat similar in plot to GWTW, so I will once again be using that as another one of my summer reading material.
Latest update today: math meeting is on Wednesday. No sushi, I suppose (although anyone who wants sushi can drop by the calc classroom early next Tuesday before the party officially starts). Also, Dino has recommended that I bring pudding, although he won't be there so it doesn't matter. I could always bring some pudding on Wednesday as a parting gift for Irving and Owen. I'm sure they'll appreciate it.
Now for things I've still got to do: HUSH portfolios, finish Othello, stat project (but it's coming along nicely because of Fathom's awesomeness), get signed up for bio somehow, and revive my clubs.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
An Eye for an Eye
The modern, Ginny version of this age-old adage (I think it originated in the Bible?) would be: an English class for an English class.
This is very difficult to explain. Instead, I will borrow Gretchen's amazing aerial seating charts and apply them to my schedule mess, because, yes, master schedules were out today! I spent my entire afternoon pouring over all of my classes, and effectively did no work at all, whatsoever. Now it's just... arena. But that's another story for another day (a.k.a. later in June).
Here's the picture:
Note how French and Multi(variable calculus) are encircled and have spikes (more like failed squiggles) around them? They're singletons, so they're fortified in their positions. Drawing can happen whenever, so it doesn't matter, and because of my English/econ/physics triangle (they can only switch spots with each other), it's effectively squeezed out my area studies class and forced it to become a singleton as well. This wouldn't be so alarming, except that now my other English class, speech (or the fancy name "Rhetoric and Persuasion"), now does not have a spot. Then there's also gov, which, well, let's face it, is pretty much uneventful.
But wait—I've got a free! Because I don't have gym anymore, I can have a free, which will be effectively used into resolving my other annoying schedule conflicts. So, after using Bryant's amazing scheduler, I have figured out my dream schedule (nothing on whether I can actually get it or not).
It consists of sharing econ, physics, multi, and two frees (one each semester) with Tea, unsurprisingly. I'd also like to share more classes with other people, but few people take the classes that I take, or else they all want that English class that I can't go to because of my French class. And best of all (I think), it chooses between the lesser of the two evils in terms of gov teachers, with no harm done, because my drawing class fills up the other spot perfectly.
Julie and I discussed our schedules earlier, along with other topics, including the possibility of a future robotic world (much like the Jetsons) where we'd all be computer engineers. Aside from the fact that Dino would be obsolete, we decided that Bryant would be the ruler of this new world, and that he would have a throne made out of things like iPods except that he would invent them. We were at a loss for names though. So later on, I asked Bryant himself, the conversation of which is copied directly here and will end this schedule-conflict-bogged day:
Yeah. Me neither. I was going to tell him that it was okay, I wasn't bothered by it, but I'd gone to dinner by then, and I came back over an hour later, so I decided against it.
This is very difficult to explain. Instead, I will borrow Gretchen's amazing aerial seating charts and apply them to my schedule mess, because, yes, master schedules were out today! I spent my entire afternoon pouring over all of my classes, and effectively did no work at all, whatsoever. Now it's just... arena. But that's another story for another day (a.k.a. later in June).
Here's the picture:
Note how French and Multi(variable calculus) are encircled and have spikes (more like failed squiggles) around them? They're singletons, so they're fortified in their positions. Drawing can happen whenever, so it doesn't matter, and because of my English/econ/physics triangle (they can only switch spots with each other), it's effectively squeezed out my area studies class and forced it to become a singleton as well. This wouldn't be so alarming, except that now my other English class, speech (or the fancy name "Rhetoric and Persuasion"), now does not have a spot. Then there's also gov, which, well, let's face it, is pretty much uneventful.
But wait—I've got a free! Because I don't have gym anymore, I can have a free, which will be effectively used into resolving my other annoying schedule conflicts. So, after using Bryant's amazing scheduler, I have figured out my dream schedule (nothing on whether I can actually get it or not).
It consists of sharing econ, physics, multi, and two frees (one each semester) with Tea, unsurprisingly. I'd also like to share more classes with other people, but few people take the classes that I take, or else they all want that English class that I can't go to because of my French class. And best of all (I think), it chooses between the lesser of the two evils in terms of gov teachers, with no harm done, because my drawing class fills up the other spot perfectly.
Julie and I discussed our schedules earlier, along with other topics, including the possibility of a future robotic world (much like the Jetsons) where we'd all be computer engineers. Aside from the fact that Dino would be obsolete, we decided that Bryant would be the ruler of this new world, and that he would have a throne made out of things like iPods except that he would invent them. We were at a loss for names though. So later on, I asked Bryant himself, the conversation of which is copied directly here and will end this schedule-conflict-bogged day:
Moi
hey bryant
if you ever became the future leader of a theoretical technology-driven world
and you had to build a throne out of devices that you invented
what would you name those devices?
19:26Bryant
hmm i honestly have no idea
19:27Moi
any general guidelines?
like would you put your name as a part of it?
19:28Bryant
not overtly
maybe subtly
19:28Moi
okay
thanks
19:32Bryant
Ginny: hey bryant
814380525 is now known as Ginny.
(6/4 - 7:26:20 PM)
Ginny: if you ever became the future leader of a theoretical technology-driven world
Ginny: and you had to build a throne out of devices that you invented
Ginny: what would you name those devices?
Bryant: hmm i honestly have no idea
Ginny: any general guidelines?
Ginny: like would you put your name as a part of it?
Bryant: not overtly
Bryant: maybe subtly
Ginny: okay
Ginny: thanks
814380525 is now known as Ginny.
(6/4 - 7:26:20 PM)
Ginny: if you ever became the future leader of a theoretical technology-driven world
Ginny: and you had to build a throne out of devices that you invented
Ginny: what would you name those devices?
Bryant: hmm i honestly have no idea
Ginny: any general guidelines?
Ginny: like would you put your name as a part of it?
Bryant: not overtly
Bryant: maybe subtly
Ginny: okay
Ginny: thanks
o wow sry idk what happened
Yeah. Me neither. I was going to tell him that it was okay, I wasn't bothered by it, but I'd gone to dinner by then, and I came back over an hour later, so I decided against it.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Light Up My World
Here's for cryptic puzzles:
I recently, with the help of several staunch members of the Confederate, realized that to follow in the footsteps of a blue-coat Yankee who has but all the reasonings of a chicken would not only be extremely foolish, but no longer my intent as well, and therefore I return to Fairhill under the lures of the harp.
Lest you think it is some complicated play on words that has a really fascinating answer, I'll reassure you that: a) it just uses rather obscure references, and b) the answer is related to me, and can be summarized in perhaps one sentence, but expandable at will.
Anyway, today I am beginning to think that I am attracted to morbid things. How else should I explain my tendency for spotting dead (albeit cute had they been alive) critters on the ground? This morning I found a dead, squashed baby bird as I was walking to my bus stop. Then, in the afternoon, as I was coming home from picking up the mail, I saw a dead mouse.
Today, Nyx and I also made esters (they're fats with a COOC component) out of organic acids and alcohols. Esters are supposed to (for the most part) smell good, because they're the stuff that gives fruits and flowers their nice smell, but the stuff they're made out of are supposed to (for the most part) smell awful. Like rotten cheese and smelly socks all blended into one and left on the counter-top under the sun for a week awful.
We succeeded in making esters that smelled like gasoline-laced Jolly Ranchers, nail polish removers, and wintergreen. We also made one that had a white precipitate and stuck to the bottom of the test tube, and we had to use concentrated sulfuric acid to get it out, and because we had water in the tube already, the solution bubbled and spluttered out of the tube.
All in all, not too bad. At least we made one thing that smelled nice (the wintergreen).
Also, another not-so cryptic puzzle:
I'm such a coward, because I'm running away from my problems right now. But I don't know any other way to deal with it, even if this will hurt more than it will heal. Ugh. I thought it was complicated enough already. Why does it have to be even worse than it was before?
I can't wait for summer to start. Now. Wait, no. I can't wait for master schedules to come out, now, and then for arena to be here, and for all of my classes to be perfect (or as perfect as they can be) and everyone else's classes to be perfect (kind of impossible, I know), and then summer to start.
These last few days will be dreadful. Oh, and, when will US portfolios start? I'm beginning to think it's going to be a last-minute cram, and if it is so, then I'll most likely be too busy for my liking.
I recently, with the help of several staunch members of the Confederate, realized that to follow in the footsteps of a blue-coat Yankee who has but all the reasonings of a chicken would not only be extremely foolish, but no longer my intent as well, and therefore I return to Fairhill under the lures of the harp.
Lest you think it is some complicated play on words that has a really fascinating answer, I'll reassure you that: a) it just uses rather obscure references, and b) the answer is related to me, and can be summarized in perhaps one sentence, but expandable at will.
Anyway, today I am beginning to think that I am attracted to morbid things. How else should I explain my tendency for spotting dead (albeit cute had they been alive) critters on the ground? This morning I found a dead, squashed baby bird as I was walking to my bus stop. Then, in the afternoon, as I was coming home from picking up the mail, I saw a dead mouse.
Today, Nyx and I also made esters (they're fats with a COOC component) out of organic acids and alcohols. Esters are supposed to (for the most part) smell good, because they're the stuff that gives fruits and flowers their nice smell, but the stuff they're made out of are supposed to (for the most part) smell awful. Like rotten cheese and smelly socks all blended into one and left on the counter-top under the sun for a week awful.
We succeeded in making esters that smelled like gasoline-laced Jolly Ranchers, nail polish removers, and wintergreen. We also made one that had a white precipitate and stuck to the bottom of the test tube, and we had to use concentrated sulfuric acid to get it out, and because we had water in the tube already, the solution bubbled and spluttered out of the tube.
All in all, not too bad. At least we made one thing that smelled nice (the wintergreen).
Also, another not-so cryptic puzzle:
I'm such a coward, because I'm running away from my problems right now. But I don't know any other way to deal with it, even if this will hurt more than it will heal. Ugh. I thought it was complicated enough already. Why does it have to be even worse than it was before?
I can't wait for summer to start. Now. Wait, no. I can't wait for master schedules to come out, now, and then for arena to be here, and for all of my classes to be perfect (or as perfect as they can be) and everyone else's classes to be perfect (kind of impossible, I know), and then summer to start.
These last few days will be dreadful. Oh, and, when will US portfolios start? I'm beginning to think it's going to be a last-minute cram, and if it is so, then I'll most likely be too busy for my liking.
