Standard my foot
A standardized test, by my definition, is not standardized. It is standardized in the sense that every person who takes it receives the same material, but not standardized in spirit. The SAT is not a test of knowledge or ability, it is more a test of test-taking skills. If you're good at taking tests, you'll ace it. If you suck at testing, well, then, good luck. In all actuality, the SAT is nothing to worry about. It's fairly straight forward, and there are some skills that can be developed through practice. I spent over three hours this afternoon working on those skills, by using a test-prep guide and doing practice sections. If you properly prepare before the big day, the only thing that you'll have to worry about is your rear-end getting sore from sitting in a chair for over three hours. Trust me, it falls asleep.
I'm taking the SAT the day after my birthday, isn't that a laugh? It seems that the College Board has it in for me, and purposefully schedules all of their tests near the beginning of May. But then again, many method books say not to study the day before the SAT, or you'll just burn yourself out mentally. I guess that warrants as the perfect excuse this Friday, doesn't it? Quod erat demonstrandum!
It's been a full day, and tomorrow will prove to be fuller yet. Here's to hoping that I survive.
thinkandrew
Road Rush
I went on a bike ride again today. I went a long the same rural road, that ran along the same stretch of water. It's really beautiful out there, especially with the way that the sun was hitting off of the Budd Inlet today. There were even some boats out on the water. I love cycling, it's very calming. It's just me and the road, which seems to wind on and on. Hills rise and fall, but it's almost unnoticed, and at the very least, forgotten soon after. It's very therapeutic, cruising along at an average of sixteen miles an hour. I feel like I'm going so fast that I'll be "there" in just a few minutes, but there's an infinity to the road, and "there" never arrives. There's a very obvious "runner's high" that I get, although I suppose that phrase is being attributed to the wrong sport. Whatever it is, I had a great time on my bike.
Every once in a while, though, I realize that I am sharing the road with other cars. Since I decided to ride on a more rural road today, I got passed by less cars than I think I ever have on any other ride. Most of the drivers in this area are very courteous, giving me right of way, allowing me to change lanes, and being defensive at intersections. I did get passed by a car full of highschoolers, though, with their year proudly written on their windows with soap. The sound of a revving engine and the screeching of tires was the first clue that I was about to get over-taken by jerks. The yelling of "woohoo!!!" and getting flipped-off was the second. I saw a bumper-sticker on a bike today, it said B.A.D.D. (a play on M.A.D.D.), Bicyclists Against Dumb Drivers. Fortunately, they were the only ones I saw on the street today.
The road I was on only goes one way, so sooner or later I have to turn around and head back. When I ride that road, I normally go all the way to my friend's house, which happens to be by the waterfront, and then turn around and go back home. It's exactly 8.0 miles to her house, and keeping my speed constant, I can get out there and back home in exactly one hour. It makes for a nice work-out, and a pretty ride. I suppose I'll go further down the road eventually, when I'm feeling more fit. I didn't eat anything before I left, either, so I was already quite hungry when I reached my turn-around point. My friend saw me outside, and asked me in to visit. Then, her mom invited me to dinner. It would have been silly to refuse.
My friend's family is building their property from the ground up, and there's still a lot of work that needs to be done. The view is gorgeous, though, looking over the Inlet and having a slight view of Mount Rainier in the background. The kitchen needs to be remodeled, and the garage is yet to be completed, but it will look beautiful, with its picturesque scenery, when it is done. But regardless of their house, their family makes incredible burgers. I don't think I've ever had such a good burger in my life. Or at least in recent memory.
A nice short visit turned into almost two hours, and I didn't leave until 8:15 at night. Judging by the fact that it took me thirty minutes to get there in the first place, I didn't expect to get home until 8:45, which meant that it would be dark out. Being a Boy Scout, I was prepared with a headlamp. All was good, and I made it home safely. As for my next cycling, it'll be tomorrow, when I commute to school.
thinkandrew
Bimbo Music
The most pitiful dragon-head ever to be placed on a Dragon Boat laid afloat in Capitol Lake today, along with three others of its brethren. There were more than just four teams, but they switched out on the boats. The thump-thump-thump of the drums could be heard from across the lake, as people paddled for all their worth. The weather is getting warm again, which means that Olympia is now ready for their Dragon Boat Festival!
In an attempt to "improve cultural diversity", the City of Olympia hosts such a race once a year. There are supposed to be other races that happen in Portland; the teams that compete are mostly the same. One of the teams racing was from my Community College, and they actually won one of the heats! The events began at 9 o'clock this morning, and continued on until 3. We didn't actually show up to check out the festivities until around 1:30. An explanation will soon follow. As far as the Festival itself, it's a rather small one. There were probably a good hundred plus people, most of them "with the team". None of the boats were very beautiful, and all of the teams were slow. But it was all in good fun, and everybody had a great time floating out on the water on a warm day. We only stayed for about forty minutes before we left.
We had arrived so late due to an malfunctioning garage door. It's surprising to find out how much we depend on it, when it's suddenly taken away. What used to be a functional opening became a dead wall, the opening garage door was plugged by a vehicle. It turns out that the torsional spring had broken, and needed to be replaced. For some reason, it's always been the door on the left that has had problems. It didn't even open at all for about six or more months after we moved here. But it's now working again, after barely twenty minutes of work by a skilled technician. Now, we can open the freezer door, take out the garbage, and push a bike outside all without having to move the van in and out.
I took a long bike ride today, doing twenty miles in an hour and fifteen minutes. It's not terribly long, I suppose, but it was a good work-out, considering the speed at which I was going. I rode along rural-roads that snaked by the water-front, which were really beautiful to explore. Mud flats lined parts of the bay, untouched by civilization. It's hard to remember how historic the area we live in really is, regardless of where you are. People have lived everywhere for hundreds of years, and it's all but a distant memory. I suppose it takes twenty miles of cycling to come up with something like that to say.
Returning home, there was some strange pop-music playing over the stereo. My family is a great believer in the public library system, it's a great opportunity for reading, research, and listening to massive amounts of CDs and media that we wouldn't otherwise buy. As it's free, my mom has a tendency to experiment when it comes to choices in music. I'm not a huge fan of pop music, and this CD was a compilation of several popular female artists, including Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Destiny's Child, etc. It wasn't long before we turned it off due to public outcry, my mom deemed it a "bimbo-music CD". Hilarity ensued.
thinkandrew
Washington Weekend
Pinhole Camera at the UW
Washington Weekend comes once a year, when the University of Washington opens up its doors for multiple open-houses in various departments. We've attended it every year since 2005, and there's something new each time. The University of Washington has over 50,000 students, with what seems like just as many departments, so there is always something different to look at. Beginning at 9 o'clock in the morning, we didn't actually arrive until noon. But there was still plenty to see.
The Engineering Open House is what we normally attend, I actually wrote about it a year ago. New displays are added each year, though the majority of them are pretty much the same. Since the Open House is spread throughout the entire campus, we decided to go look at some other departments instead. As the University houses one of the best Medical Schools in the country, my mom was pretty intent on heading over there to take a look. Not only does the UW have one of the best Medical Schools, it also has one of the most confusing medical buildings in the country. Walking into the building via a 2nd floor sky-bridge, we spent a full fifteen minutes wandering halls of labs and offices before we found an elevator that took us to the floor we needed to go to. And even then, we were told to exit the building, and walk over to the next one.
When we finally got to the Foege Building, we discovered that the this area of campus was holding both the Medicine and the Health Sciences Open House. Biomedical Engineering was a field that had intrigued me for some while, but I had never really looked into. The Open House provided me an opportunity to do so, which I suppose is what University Open Houses are supposed to do. It's not very often that you get to monitor muscle activity via electrodes taped to your forearm, handle artificial implants (such as hips and knees, not the *other* kind of implants), or play with an ultrasound machine. The amount of displays was small, only covering one small floor, but it piqued my interest. I will look into it more.
The Medical School's Open House wasn't much larger, but it was every bit as interesting. Tables were on display from the schools of Pharmacology, Dentistry, Nursing, as well as a variety of others. One very interesting exhibit for me, was the Institute for Surgical and Interventional Simulation. I experimented with the actual computer simulations that surgeons are trained on, as well the automated mannequins that provide response to stimulus given during training. It was all great fun, and I'm very glad I went.
Even though we got there around noon, we didn't arrive back at home until 8:45, due to a combination of slow walking, talking, and lots of traffic on the road. It's a late night now, and I'll head to bed.
thinkandrew
Get Together
It seems that my parents never really suffer from empty-nest syndrome, rather, I do. My brother is up at the University, and my dad travels a lot for his work. For days at a time, there are only three people in the household. With all the numerous activities that happen, I often find myself alone. Alone time is good time, it's time where I can think, get things done, and simply learn to be quiet. But the hustle and bustle of a five person household is a memory that is never lost, and it is always missed. Having so many people in the house at once can be pretty crazy, but it's a good crazy. We play games, make BlinkyBugs, and do just about everything together. The lack of such can take some getting used to.
I've never really had a peer-group before this year, having been homeschooled for most of my life. Going to school has provided access to socialization that wasn't possible before. It's really nice to have a group of friends, friends with whom you can hang out, be silly, and have all sorts of crazy adventures. I've never really felt so much like a teenager before. I've written before about how important it is to take life seriously, and that everything you do now will affect you for the rest of your life. I still stand by that fact, but it is possible to take things too seriously. Lightening up on a situation can sometimes be just the pill needed. An insane group of teenagers can be very helpful in that department.
Two of my good friends came over tonight. We were assigned a Calculus take-home test yesterday, which is due on Monday. I really wasn't available any other day than tonight, so I asked my friends if they would like to come over, and we could do it together. Piano classes filled my afternoons, so they planned to come over in the evening. Since one of my friends would have been at school all day until 7 o'clock, and my other friend was coming straight from a competitive golf game, dinner was served as well. We had a great jovial time, so much so that it almost became unapparent that we were doing homework. It actually became fun to do homework together. I certainly had a great time, and it's something that we should do again real soon.
Humans are very social creatures. We thrive on relationships with others, regardless of whether it's a good one or a bad one. As far as bad ones go, as awful as it may sound, it can be fun to dislike others. While someone may bother you, it becomes almost entertaining when an entire group of people dislike him together. As far as good relationships go, they are paramount to a healthy life. I'm a fairly social person, and will talk to people right off the sidewalk. Having been homeschooled, there was a certain lack of the "social scene". I would not say that I was deprived of friends at all, as I wasn't. It was just a very different culture. I've made many friends since I started going to the SPSCC, and I really am loving it.
When I introduced my friends to my family tonight, I was bringing my own two little worlds together. When we all sat down at the table for dinner, I was happy as happy can be. The night went on.
thinkandrew
BlinkyBugs/Ethnomusicology
My own BlinkyBug creations. While aesthetically complete, they are not as good as the originals. This is mostly due to my poor choice for antenna material, as violin strings (I didn't have any guitar strings in the house) are not stiff enough to provide the more sensitive vibrations. My classmate is getting her hands on some guitar strings for me tonight, and will bring them to school tomorrow. Hopefully, the BlinkyBug invasion will be able to begin soon, and LED eyes and furry legs will be all we'll see.
I already wrote a long discourse last night, about my fascination with BlinkyBugs. I also noted that the entire evening was spent up in Seattle, and that further elaboration would be made tonight. It seems that I write about concerts quite often. Before the one last night, I had just recently gone to one the Friday before. Music is always playing, though, and there are so many that you can go to hear. The concert that we went to was at the University of Washington, and was presented by the Ethnomusicology Department. When the words "Ethnomusicology" and "Concert" are paired together, it's really up to you whether you want to run towards it, or away from it. Take your pick.
Two performing artists had programs that night, though we were really only there for one of them. Joe Santiago, one of my brother's jazz teachers up at the UW, is in the Pacific Northwest as part of an invitational program, and this is his last year teaching at the University. He's a world renowned bassist, and we figured it'd be a good chance to hear him play. Santiago was the second act of the night, the first act was one I didn't even know about until I sat down in the hall. Indian Dhrupad, apparently, is a form of Indian (Asian, not American) classical music. It was very interesting musically, full of modal tunes with very strange melodic intervals. Dhrupad is noted for its differences from other Indian music by its "slower tempo, slower melodic development, and less ornamentation". All those added together made for what I thought to be an incredibly boring program.
I suppose it's an acquired taste, quite obvious by the fact that someone is performing such a concert at all. Ethnomusicology provides many opportunities to hear music from different cultures, but much of it, for me at least, can only be viewed as an educational experience. I would not, by any stretch of the mind, want to rush out and buy a Dhrupad CD. It was an hour long program, of one man droning, while accompanied by a drum and two large stringed instruments that played minimal parts. There were no breaks, no distinct songs, or any thing that is normally associated with a concert. It was merely an hour long drone. Not many people sat throughout the entire concert without drooping eyes, and I was definitely not one of them.
Joe Santiago was certainly able to liven things up a bit, with strong latin beats and a full band. The entire crowd roared when the curtain rose to reveal seven bassists, all playing at once. The program lasted another hour, and we were told to "feel free to dance". Some people in the front row actually took him up on that offer. To the untrained ear, the concert sounded wonderful, it was certainly able to get the crowd up on their feet. I was later told, though, that the organization was actually falling apart. I don't know, it sounded well enough to me. I suppose when you've been rehearsing with them for any period of time, mistakes become blatantly obvious.
thinkandrew
Blinky Bug
I'm a tinkerer. I said so before,
just a few weeks ago, in reference to my subscription of Make:Magazine. It's great fun, to stick my fingers into small places, trying to figure out how to make something, or to figure out how something works. There are all sorts of little electronics projects out there that can satisfy my tinkering urges. The newest on the block are
BlinkyBugs. Made of little circuits that are as simple as can be, these little flashing insects are fascinating to watch. They're even simpler to make, and the instructions can easily be found online. I made one just tonight, the first in what is to be a large family of BlinkyBugs. Most likely, the entire family will make an appearance at the next Club Fair. They're cute little buggers.
The inventor of BlinkyBugs will have a booth at
MakerFaire, which I'll be fortunate enough to attend. I talked to my parents about it, and we were somehow able to fit a weekend trip down to California in our schedule. So in four week's time, we'll be driving down I-5 towards the San Mateo Fairgrounds. MakerFaire is described as "A two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset." I'm not sure if there's anything else to say about it. It's sort of a science fair, but also somewhat of a convention of geeks. It's going to be a lot of fun, and I'm really looking forward to it. Maybe I'll even be able to bring home some more BlinkyBugs!
It's a late night, and it's been a long day. A trip up to Seattle was made, in fact. For a concert. At the University of Washington. I'll tell more about it tomorrow, as well as post a picture of some of my BlinkyBugs. Have a good night.
thinkandrew
Today
Today was a good day. It was a day of few clouds, though the morning was very overcast. The skies were gray when I rode my bike down to school, but the streets remained dry. No rain means no splatter kicking up from my wheels, so I wore my canvas jacket instead of my regular raincoat. It wasn't very long before the clouds cleared away, and the bright sun shone through. It remained sunny with blue skies for the rest of the day, with only enough clouds to provide more of a picturesque scene. So sunny it was, that my friend who went golfing that afternoon got sunburned. Silly her, she didn't use sunblock.
I think I finally decided that I will not drop my Weight Training class, even if it means that I will not be able to work the extra five hours a week. There are six and a half weeks left in the quarter, and the pay is 8 dollars per hour. You do the math. While no small amount, I see no reason to drop a class for it. Besides, I'm enjoying the toned and buff bod that drives the women insane. And yes, I am delusional. This morning, Weight Training class had a full-body workout, which basically means two days of training scrunched into one. It was tiring, though not terribly so. What was difficult was having the time to fit all of the exercises into the fifty minutes alloted, and still make it on time to my Physics class. It was a rush, and I just barely made it in time.
None of my other classes had anything noteworthy happen, though the student for whom I am taking notes for in Calculus decided to show up after a week of absence. She had very legitimate reasons for not showing up the entire of last week, namely, she broke her arm very badly. Slipping off her front steps caused her to break her arm in multiple spots, which required setting and a few pins. I feel bad for her, though it would have been nice to let me know that I'd be taking notes by myself for a while. However, a week's worth of notes are no match for a week's worth of instruction. Good luck to her with that.
The house was ominously empty for several hours, after my little brother went off for his various Monday afternoon activities. It can be very daunting, how many different things young children are involved with. I have no doubt that I will put my own children through the exact same trials, trying to make them do everything I didn't do myself. I assure you, my children will be piano-playing cycling backpacking math whiz physics genius gymnasts. Not necessarily in that order.
But being that the house was empty, it provided ample time for me to be lazy. But time was of the essence, so I practiced piano and mowed the lawn instead. It's been more than three months since we've had to mow the lawn at all, and now it's growing so fast. It just sprouts out of the ground, unlike winter time, when it was growing slower than hair on a bald man using a defective batch of Rogaine. The bugs were all over the place too, leaving itchy spots among the green grass stains on my ankles.
And the evening came. The TV was used, dinner was eaten, and I spent quite a few hours vegging out in front of the computer. And now it's time for bed.
thinkandrew
Sleepiness
There is much sleepiness being felt in this household right now. Everyone else is asleep, save myself. A post on this blog will satisfy the rest of my night, and I will head to bed soon. There is not terribly much to write about, though as I look back on that sentence now, I realize that it is an untruth. A lot of things have happened over the past twenty-four hours. The Spring Planning Conference was a complete success. My little brother celebrated a birthday. I got a haircut. My older brother is back at the UW. We watched Spider-Man in the car. I'm just too lazy to talk about any of it too indepth-ly, if "indepth-ly" is even considered a word.
A weekend doesn't quite feel like a weekend when you've been grinding yourself into the ground during the entire 48 hour period. It has been a very productive weekend, though. The Spring Planning Conference consisted of one of the most un-rowdy group of Scouts I have ever had the pleasure to work worth. However, un-rowdy doesn't necessarily mean un-lively. They weren't disruptive either, though the line between staying on-task while paying attention, and falling asleep, is rather thin. I was placed in charge of organizing team-building activities and games-for-fun, which was quite enjoyable to do. I introduced the game "Tickle-the-Pickle" to our Troop, and I believe it will go down in history. What a way to be remembered.
My little brother celebrated a birthday, and he is now a teenager. That is a scary thought, just as when he started having double-digits in his age was a scary thought. The celebration at home was not terribly large, though mom did spend about 7 hours slow-roasting a hunk-o-meat. The Spring Planning Conference just finished this morning, too, so a very large sheet cake and twenty scouts helped to wish my brother a Happy Birthday. Why don't all my blog readers post comments to wish him a Happy Birthday too?
Taking multiple tries to type a relatively simple word is a sure sign of digital (the finger kind, not the computer kind) fatigue. A nocturnal period of rest awaits.
thinkandrew
Spring Planning Conference
For years and years, the event I'm about to attend was called the Annual Planning Conference. It was the weekend at which the youth leaders of my Boy Scout troop met, received various forms of training, set goals, and planned for the following year. Each Senior Patrol Leader heads up this event once, thus, there is one in the Spring, and one in the Fall. Since it was semi-annual, the name "Annual Planning Conference" became inaccurate. Recently, and without my knowledge, the name on the calendar was quietly changed over to a more descriptive name, "Spring Planning Conference". After all, we must be accurate.
The
Fall Planning Conference happened last October, while I was the new Senior Patrol Leader. It went very well, and the weekend was a total success. Hopefully, this weekend (and the new Senior Patrol Leader) will work just as well, and we'll have a very productive Conference. Since I joined the Troop in Fall '04, I've been to pretty much every Planning Conference that has been held. The format for them is all the same, with training and goal setting on the first day, with games and activities scattered throughout the day and into the evening. The second day deals with mostly troop planning and decision making, such as what summer camps we'll be attending next year, and what trips we want to apply for. The success of the Conference can really depend on the ability of the Senior Patrol Leader to, well, lead. I've seen some really good SPL's, and some really bad SPL's. We'll find out more this weekend, I suppose.
My Scoutmaster asked me to be in charge of organizing the various games that the Scouts would be playing, to keep them lively and on their toes. The games last Planning Conference were run by a different group of scouts, and seemed to go very well. Young Scouts seem to have a mind of their own, though, and half the games that are planned never actually make it onto the ground. It's quite a trick to make the most ridiculous games in the world sound fun, but that's what I'm going to attempt.
And so, I'm posting on my blog at 7:45 in the morning, before I head off. Please be sure to read the older post from last night, barely 8 hours ago. And I'll see you all tomorrow evening.
thinkandrew
Music Tonight
The Arts Center at my college is a funny place. A lot of great things happen there, and I really never know what to expect as I walk through the building. The Arts Center is the newest building on campus, only just having been finished and open since last Fall. I remember visiting the campus, and seeing the large construction job that has turned itself into a first class establishment. I've written about many great concerts that have taken place there. Unfortunately, most of those concerts have not been very well advertised. But the people that work there will learn to get better, and I'm sure the entire community will be getting more benefit soon.
It's Friday today. As far as classes go, Friday is a fairly nondescript, I only have two that I have to go to. Japanese is at 8 in the morning, and Calculus starts right at 12 noon. Once Japanese was over, and having nothing to do until 10 o'clock (when my shift begins in the Math Center), I decided to go practice some piano in the Arts Center practice rooms. While practice room pianos are notorious for being terrible, free time is at a premium, and it's worth it to just go ahead and do whatever can be done. I got in a good half hour before I decided to move on to something else. Walking through the hallways of the Center, I was surprised to hear chamber music. Accomplished musicians are not something you hear very much of at a Community College, most of the classes held there are lower level music and keyboarding classes. I decided to investigate.
Walking into the main auditorium, I was struck to see four musicians on stage, obviously practicing for some sort of concert. Even more was I surprised when someone told me that they were practicing for a concert tonight. I recognized two of the musicians instantly, they were on violin and piano; I had seen them before in other concerts. A viola and a cello played along, though I did not know who they were. I sat in the back for a good ten minutes, intrigued by the unfamiliar music. Suddenly, the pianist stood up, pointed a finger at me, and said "You! Would you like to turn pages for me?" Surprised by his sudden offer, it took me a moment to respond with an unsure "Sure!". The music they were playing was a Quartet by Gabriel Fauré, in C-minor Opus 15. It was really lovely music, and it was much more enjoyable by being able to hear them close up, right on the stage. 10 o'clock passed, and we reached 10:15 before I said I needed to leave to head to work.
It was then that the pianist asked me if I would like to help him turn pages at the concert tonight, as his son would not be able to. Quickly thinking over my schedule for tonight, I considered it. Good music, free concert, seat on stage? Definitely too good to pass up. I said I would love to, and was at the Arts Center at 8 o'clock tonight. It turns out that the pianist is a good friend of my piano teacher. All of the members of the quartet are phenomenal musicians, all playing very well, with a very good feel for the music. Chamber music, which normally bores me to sleep, was never so lively.
It's funny what can happen when you wander through the halls of an Arts Center.
thinkandrew
A Year Long
I have decided to resume blogging. It is an interesting activity. I myself read many other's blogs, so I decided that I would like to retry doing so myself. Certainly I can find enough interesting things about my own life that other people would be willing to read. Hopefully what I find interesting to post will be good reading for the rest of you as well. I will try to update approximately 3 times a week. It's exactly 10:11 pm right now, so my first real post will not come until tommorow. That shall be the grand opening of this blog. I hope you read it!Today is April 19th. It is a Thursday. Exactly one year ago, it was April 19th, but it was a Wednesday. I was introduced to blogging a long time ago, and semi-maintained one for quite a long time. The only reason that I started one was because I heard that members of Blogger.com were given invitations to beta-test G-Mail. It wasn't long before that blog petered out, and disappeared forever. But reading others' blogs inspired me to write my own, and it wasn't long before ThinkAndrew.net was born. It sounds ridiculous, I know. I'm writing this at 11:30 at night, and will probably regret it tomorrow morning.
Much of this blog originally started as a bet. The very first post said "I will try to update approximately 3 times a week." Currently, I am at 346 posts, which is just shy of one post per day. The days missed can all be accounted for by summer activities and Boy Scout weekends. Obviously, the bet was that I wouldn't be able to post once a day. This bet was with
Ethan, and has pretty much resulted in me winning. However, as the goal was only to post once a day, many of my posts are not necessarily of quality writing. I do, however, try to post at least 500 words at a time.
It took a lot of commitment to post every day. Missing a day was a horrible thing, and I punched myself for days after missing it. The majority of the days I missed were from weekends during the summer when I went camping, or a few week-long trips that I took with the Boy Scouts. I missed a few posts during the winter time, when the huge storm on December 14th knocked out our power for three days. A few of my posts during the summer were not written by me, but by my family and friends. I tried very hard to make the goal of a daily post. I came very close, and am happy with what I have. 346 divided by 365 equals 94.8% of the posts for the year, well within the accepted margin for error.
A lot of things have happened in a year, and many of those events made their way onto my blog. I'll be able to scan across my blog, and relive what I did in the past twelve months. I've gone up two ranks in Boy Scouts, been Senior Patrol Leader, begun going to a Community College, went to Philmont, played in numerous piano competitions, and even started Jazz Piano lessons. My older brother has gone off to University, and my younger brother is now a teenager. This blog chronicles my life, and is literally my auto-biography. I hope you have all enjoyed it.
And this blog will continue on. I've had 47 unique views on my blog today, and I've just broken 5,000 hits (since November) this week. Maybe it will increase, maybe it won't. Whatever happens, I'll keep writing. I hope you all keep reading it.
thinkandrew
Physics Tests
It seems as though every time a physics test rolls around, I suddenly gain a lot more popularity points. What's nice is that those points seem to stick sometimes. On Sunday, the night before the harder-than-normal take home quiz, a friend of mine stayed until 10:30 at night, completing it. Tonight, the night before the in-class-and-harder test, a different friend of mine stayed for the same amount of time. I was glad to do whatever I could for both of them, and also enjoyed their company as I studied myself.
I'm not much of a studying person. I would say that I am an academic, but I find no joy in sitting down for hours on end, reading mindlessly from a text book. Learning is a social activity for me, one that requires interaction and a good amount of fun. Most of my studying for my classes occurs in the Math Center, where I "help out" my classmates. More correctly, it's a collaboration that benefits both parties. Tutoring on the subject just helps to make sure that I know what I'm talking about, and be able to explain it in a cohesive fashion.
Hopefully, my friend that came over tonight will be able to do very well on the test tomorrow. My friend is very intelligent, to be sure, but simply has a problem concentrating and not getting distracted. We were able to get some serious study time in tonight, and I think both of us have a much better grasp on what we'll be encountering tomorrow. It's going to be an exciting test, we'll see how it goes.
thinkandrew
Why?
* English major Cho Seung-Hui identified as killer
* Teacher, concerned at his writings, took him out of class
* She went to police, university for help but without clear threat, nothing was done
* Search warrant reveals bomb threat found
These are some of the headlines that are constantly updated on
CNN.com. A
constantly developing story of the most horrific school shooting in the history of our Nation is one that never ceases to amaze. The fact that someone could somehow have developed such a disturbing and perverted mind is simply beyond comprehension. It's difficult to grasp the magnitude of evil force that simply consumed Cho Seung-Hui to do such a despicable act. It's a tragic story that will stay on through the channels of history, always as a dark spot on the face of education.
"The peace that is associated with learning has been disrupted", said a speaker at a memorial service held at the Virginia Tech campus. It's a thought that weighs heavily on my mind. The world is so fleeting, and is full of so many "what ifs". What if it happened here, at my college? What if a man walked onto our campus, and began to open fire on all the students? What if the man standing in the cafeteria line next to me pulled out a gun? What if I tried to stop him? What if I ran in the other direction, instead? It's all uncertain, and it makes me cringe to even think about it. There's a sense of gloom over everyone that thinks of it. I almost wish that I never heard about it, so that I could go on in ignorant bliss.
But I did hear about it. And each person must react differently. Thousands of students at Virginia Tech responded with mourning, as well as a mass unification. Many of my friends at school simply reacted with disbelief, as it is nearly incomprehensible that such an act of violence must take place. Others react with utter childishness at completely immaturity. A friend of mine said the following, verbatim:
"Hey dude, he was South Korean! I thought we were all chummy chummy with the South Koreans!"
I almost slapped him in the face. Instead, I simply told him to keep his mind on his homework. Such disregard for a tragic event was completely disrespectful. But at the same time, I realized that it was not an effort to be rude, rather it was simply an idiotic thing to say at a completely inappropriate time. However, it doesn't really dampen the resentment that I currently feel towards him. Jerk.
There were acts of heroism that burn like a candle's flame in total darkness. Liviu Librescu, the head of the Engineering Science and Mathematics Department at Virginia Tech barred the door with his own body, as he ordered his students to flee through the windows. A 76 year-old man, a Holocaust-Survivor, saved the lives of dozens of younger folk. I would like to say that I would be able to do something like that, but it is doubtful. No one really knows what they are capable of doing until they're backed up against the wall.
The country lies on shock. I lie in shock. I can't understand it, neither can so many others. But time moves on. The country will rally. The students of Virginia Tech already have. We will survive this, and with the grace of God, carry on with our lives in peace. God, help those victims, and bring comfort to those who mourn. Amen.
thinkandrew
Opportunities
The butt-end of a Concorde turbojet-engines.
Opportunities come by all the time, but it's really up to us whether we want to take advantage of them or not. In hindsight, there are always so many things that we could have done, but didn't. We had the funds, why didn't we invest in buying that corner-lot house? I had chance to take a class on black and white photography, it's really too bad I decided not to. Hindsight is truly 20/20, and it can be difficult to accept that what is done is done. So many chances were missed, which is easy to see when we look backwards. What's difficult is realizing those opportunities from the front face.
My bicycle was an opportunity. Originally, the plan was to save up until I had enough funds to buy the bike on a one-time-cash-down payment. The way my funds were coming in, I would have had enough money by mid March. However, an end-of-year sale came along in December, with a preferable model choice being discounted. I'm normally all for sticking to my guns, and following the first plan. But I had the chance to get the bike now, and have another fifteen percent discounted, too. The drawbacks were that I would have to go in debt with my parents. After some consulting and deliberation, I made the choice to go ahead and buy the bike then. It was the right choice, and I'm certainly glad I did it now. I've had an extra three months to get some real miles into the road, and it cost me less than it would have.
A new choice that I have to make within the week is a bit more difficult. Working at the Math Center over the past six months has been a complete adventure. Getting the job, planning a schedule, suffering budget cuts, and then re-planning a new schedule has been a roller-coaster ride. A constant search for more paid hours has always been in effect, and a new opportunity is now presenting itself. The 9-10 o'clock hour, which was a gap between classes for me, was once scheduled as a "peer tutoring hour", namely that it would be a volunteer-only hour. Seeing as how there were other classes I could take in that hour, I signed up for Weight Training. However, my boss just made it possible for me to work during that hour, getting in an extra five hours a week. That's a very attractive offer, it will double my total hours.
However, to do so, I must drop my weights class. It's too late to drop it without receiving an "Withdraw" on my transcript, the deadline passed last Friday. I was just beginning to enjoy the class, too, so it would be too bad to stop taking it. Getting across campus hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be. But the more I look at it, the more I realize that the purpose of having a PE class is just to have the accountability. Showing up every day becomes mandatory, and I exercise during times that I probably wouldn't. The routines are simple, and I could do them on my own, at some other time during the day. The question is, will I? Is an extra five hours a week worth it? I'm not quite sure yet. Any comments?
A future opportunity just presented itself to me, too. The Boy Scouts of America has a National Youth Leader Training program, which is taught at the local level. Participants are selected by their Scoutmasters, and my Scoutmaster offered me one of the slots. Bushmaster (the name of the program) lasts an entire week, and teaches various Scouting skills, as well as how to implement them into an effective Scouting program. I've heard many good things about this program, and I readily agreed to attend. This was one choice that I didn't have to think about.
We make hundreds and hundreds of choices each day, and each of them has a consequence. However, there are some major milestones that are crossed, those that will make a much bigger impact on the rest of our lives. Realization of what those opportunities truly are is the key to making the right choice. While the phrase "make good choices" might be reminiscent of an embarrassing parent in a public situation, that adage rings true for everyday life. Every opportunity that we see has to be grasped. I've never heard of anyone saying they wished they had done less with their lives.
thinkandrew
Late Night
It's a late night tonight. I suppose every night is inherently late, and whether we quantify it as late or not depends on how late we stay up. Since it's currently past midnight, I guess it qualifies as "late". Late nights are not uncommon to me, but it's rare that I have so much to do during the night. With such a late night, tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun, with only a few hours of sleep.
I already gave a few details on the late night Friday night. Searching for wood projects all over the camp was fun in a way, though it's not something that I would recommend to for others' sleep habits. I visited parts of Camp Thunderbird that I've never been to in the light, much less in the pitch black of night. The warehouse is a creepy place when it's dark out, the dimly lit large "Flammable" sign didn't help either. Many locked doors added length to our search, before the man with the keys drove his truck down with a box full of projects for me. A short twenty minutes was spent trying to figure out how they went together, before I finally headed off to bed.
Tonight was an equally long night, one full of academic pursuits rather than Scouting ones. A friend of mine showed up at the door right after dinner time, to work on our Physics take-home quiz. It was unannounced and unexpected, but welcome nonetheless. My mom was perfectly fine with it, being that "I brought home a friend". Apparently, when difficult take-home quizzes are assigned, my popularity-rating goes up exponentially. I got calls from five different people tonight, all asking for help. It has somehow become accepted that Andrew is the person to call for answers, regardless of whether he knows the material or not. After about a solid three hours, though, the Physics problems were done, everyone was happy, my friend left, and I was ready for bed.
But wait! The bed is not yet ready for me to sleep in it. Yet more studying has to be done. I have a Japanese chapter quiz tomorrow morning, of a difficulty that should not be too hard. My Japanese teacher is very proud of the fact that she actually planned out the entire quarter this Spring, with dates for all the quizzes, and assignments for each weekend. I guess I have reason not to be worried about the test. There is still some homework that needs to be done, though, which will take a while. However, I am going to finish it all tonight, and not another thought will be spared on it.
On another note, I did a lot of shopping today. I went with my mom to buy a new microwave, to replace the wall-hanging microwave that has become dilapidated. A bike ride with my dad became a shopping trip, as we passed store after store that we wanted to see. A trip to Olympic Outfitters provided a chance to try on that pack that I've been wanting to purchase. A trip to another local store provided a birthday gift buying opportunity. A ride past the town's best bike store which was having the best bike store's best sale led to buying a water bottle holder for my bicycle. My backpack got noticeably heavier as we pedaled home. I'll sleep well tonight.
thinkandrew
Mom & Me
There's a realization that comes to all that are seriously devoted to Scouting. Sooner or later, it becomes apparent that when you give back to Scouting, you gain even more. There is a whole other world of Scouting that can be discovered by coming from the other side. Giving to others, rather than receiving, can be just as meaningful. I love Scouting, and it's a huge part of my life. A friend of mine asked me to help staff at Mom & Me Weekend, and I readily agreed.
Mom & Me Weekend is a two day event, where Cub Scouts and their mothers come to camp, and participate in all sorts of different activities. Cub Scouting is something that I missed out on, so helping out with Cub Scouts is my first time through the experience. It's great fun, to help younger Scouts, and to watch them grow in Scouting. At this specific Mom & Me, we had BB Gun shooting, Archery, Wood Projects, Handicrafts, Games, and Cooking. There were five different groups of Cub Scouts, and these groups were rotated through each station. As there were six different stations, there was one station that would get a break during the day.
Arriving the night before, the Cub Scouts got settled into their cabins, and attended a campfire program that I was part of. This was my first Mom & Me, and I felt instantly assimilated into the group. Most of the other staff members were Scouts that I've worked with before, so it was fairly easy to get into the swing of things. Singing silly camp songs and doing silly skits was great, especially watching the laughter that it brought to the Cub's faces. The campfire lasted a good hour, though it felt like it was over in fifteen minutes. After that, a staff meeting was held, where responsibilities were assigned for the following day. At that meeting, it was decided that I would be running the Wood Projects.
Having that assignment, myself and some other people that came to help just for the evening went to check out what supplies we already had. The way that Wood Projects is set up is that there is a kit, with a set number of pieces, and each Scout gets one kit. I explain the instructions to an entire group at a time, and they build from those kits. Getting to the boxes that held the pre-fabricated kits, it was obvious that we would not have enough. 18 kits for 47 Scouts is not a good number. It was a very long night, as we scrounged up every project we could find, from all over Camp, leftover from the previous summer. Eventually, just enough were found, and we were golden.
Running Woods was today was something of an experience. There's not many other times where I've experienced so much constant noise. Have 47 Cub Scouts stream through one area in about five hours, all armed with hammers and nails, and it will become apparent why my ears are still sore even now. Most of the Cubs had done such projects before, though I was often called on for help. It was amusing to realize that some moms are complete perfectionists, not accepting anything less than the best for their kids. This was sometimes taken to an extreme, when I had a mom ask me for replacement kits, because the pieces didn't exactly match up. I even heard several "Johnny! You're doing it wrong! Let ME do it!" But a lot of vocal encouragement, steady hands, and many bent nails, led to forty-seven happy Cub Scouts.
Staffing Mom & Me was really one of the highlights of my month. It's amazing how much work really goes on behind the scenes. I was completely impressed, my friend (the big man on campus) really runs a very tight ship. Everything went just like clockwork, and there wasn't a hitch to be found with the Scouts. So impressed was I, that I filled out an application to staff at Cub Scout Summer Camps. Already having a hectic schedule, I told my friend that I had no idea when I would be able to work, but would love to nonetheless. It's not a question of if I will work, but how much I will be able to work. While staffing at camp, I'll be giving back, and at the same time, receiving even more.
thinkandrew
I am sore
My body is sore. I am physically and mentally drained, but at the same time, full of energy. It seems that that would be impossible, but it's a feeling that many others have probably experienced at one time or another. I'm just really tired at the moment, and would like to fall into a deep slumber for an extended period of time. But at the same time, I'm excited about tomorrow, what it has to offer, and the upcoming weekend. It seems that I live a life full of paradoxes, and I fully enjoy it.
Weight Lifting class has been harder than I expected, and at the same time, more enjoyable. There isn't terribly much that the teacher can teach you over the ten weeks that class is in session. Once a student has learned how to use a weight room, the different exercises, and the proper technique, what else can the teacher show you? I think it's more about accountability than anything else. Having a scheduled time to have to work out with a grade on the line is a very big incentive for me to show up to class. I didn't think that I'd enjoy the class so much, either. I actually look forward to heading to my weights class, where I can "feel the burn", so to speak. The scheduling isn't as difficult as I thought it would be, especially if I simply ride my bike across campus. I've made it to every class on time so far, and I think I'll wait a little longer before I decide if I'll keep the class.
Physically, though, the class has been fairly difficult. Weight lifting hasn't been difficult to the point where I am incapable of exercising, it's more of a challenge than anything else. It's a challenge to meet goals, to follow a routine, to meet a certain standard. It would be silly if I dropped my GPA only because I did poorly in a Physical Education class. Besides, it'd be nice to finish the quarter with a totally buff bod. And yes, I did just say that.
Mentally, this week has been some what of a drag. It seems to me that all my teachers got together and decided that this week would be "bore Andrew to sleep" week. I love school, and love to go to class. Everything that we've been talking about in Physics and Calculus has been very interesting, it's just frustrating because I see no practical application to what we are learning. I am a very hands-on type of person, I often look over my physics and math in my own time to see cool and new ways to use them. But it seems to me that right now we're just learning techniques to say we can use them. I suppose the applications will become apparent soon, and I hope that moment draws nearer.
A test of my mental skills comes tomorrow, when we have the first Calculus test of Spring Quarter. I won't say that I've been studying my brains out for it, because I haven't. Nor am I unduly worried. But when the fact that there will be a test just sits in the back of your mind for a whole week, it can be tiring. And once it's over tomorrow, I'm free for the weekend.
This weekend should be rejuvenating, and I'll come back to school full of yet even more energy and excitement. I'm spending the weekend out at Camp Thunderbird, where I'll be staffing a Cub Scout event labeled "Mom and Me". As an older Scout, I will be guiding little Cub Scouts and their moms through different activities, such as knot tying, camping skills, outdoor cooking, etc. It should be great fun, and I look forward to it. It means more pictures, too!
thinkandrew
Laundry List
And yet another one.
Taxes. What is widely regarded as the scourge of society is actually one of the foundations of civilization as we know it. Without them, Governments would not be able to function, education could not be funded, and those potholes on your street never would have been filled (assuming that they were at all). It seems that everyone is always complaining about filing their taxes at one point or another, increasingly so now, as the deadline of April 16th looms closer. However, these complaints are always self serving, and it's almost impossible to satisfy anyone. Whatever the tax situation is, there will be a complaint. I'm not excluding myself from this generalization, either.
This year, I had the great privilege to file my taxes for the first time. Since I'm actually being paid by an employer to work at the Math Center, and I receive a monthly paycheck, I am required by Federal Law to file my taxes. An amount of my paycheck is withheld every month, to guarantee that my taxes are paid. However, since I earn so little, I will receive a full refund within two or three weeks. To get that refund, though, there are so many forms to fill out, things to mail in, and hoops to jump through. I figured the easiest way to file taxes would be online, but it seems that easy is a relative term. There was an error on my report, because I did not fill out an area that was completely irrelevant to me. When I was finally able to get to that menu, all I had to fill in was twenty rows of zeros.
It was an experience, though. I need to start getting used to filing taxes, as I'll be doing it every year for the rest of my life. It's quite a hassle, but it's a necessary hassle. And at the end of the month, I'm going to get a check from the IRS. You have to admit, that's pretty cool.
My family is finally replacing our microwave tomorrow, and it's really about time. While the house we live in is not that old, the above-stove hood/microwave combination was manufactured only a month after I was born. The thing is positively ancient, and has the scars to show it. The microwave part of it is fine, but the hood part leaves much to be desired. Being an Asian family, we tend to stir-fry a lot in our house. It's become quite obvious, especially with the sticky greasy stain on the cabinets right above the range, the grease that the hood/microwave is supposed to channel away. My mom is terribly excited about the new appliances that are coming in. The new hood came in the mail a few days ago, and the large white metal appliance is leaning up against the corner. A man is coming to install it tomorrow, which will include cutting a six inch hole in the roof of our cabinets. A table-top microwave will soon follow. If this means fried rice without yellow walls, I'm all for it.
thinkandrew
Tuesdays
A Tuesday afternoon is normally fraught with constant activity, running around, and general mayhem. On a regular Tuesday, I teach two or three piano lessons, and attend/lead a Scout meeting, and that's just in the evening. Tuesday is without doubt the busiest day of my week.
And yet today, it was not so busy. The rest of my family had gone to OMSI for the day, while I was in school. The house was curiously quiet, and it was actually quite nice. I was able to get some studying done, as well as a good amount of vegging out and practicing piano, in that order. It's Spring Break for the local school districts, so there was no Scout meetings. I was actually able to watch the entire of American Idol tonight, a show that I normally miss because it's scheduled the same time as my Scout meetings. A travesty, to be sure. Someone should complain. House M.D. was on too, which I am also beginning to enjoy. I normally don't watch a lot of TV shows, but those two are the exception.
Plenty of rain also kept the air very cool today. It seems that wacky Washington weather has struck again, following the same formula that it has for the past three days. A very overcast and drizzly morning leads to gorgeous mid-morning/afternoons, after which it plunges into an even deeper inclement weather pattern. We actually got a lot of hail right around noon today, and it was gone within two minutes. A cold rain persisted throughout the rest of the day, that was not very welcome as I rode my bike up the hill. While my rain coat kept the top half of me dry, a lack of rain gear for the lower half of my body lead to having jeans clinging to my thighs for about half an hour.
It was a sleepy day at school, too. At almost every class (except my Weight Training class, which I am considering not dropping), I spotted at least three different people that were nodding off. It seems that teachers like to coordinate and provide informational yet boring lectures all on the same day, in an effort to amuse themselves. While I didn't fall asleep, I was amused by the sleeping actions of others. Classes today just simply weren't engaging enough. It seemed that most people shared my opinion, as everybody silently left the room.
What has been a sleepy, relaxing day replaced what would normally be a hubbub of activity. It's kind of nice, really. It means that I can go to bed earlier, and feel more refreshed in the morning. Wait a minute, that never happens. Even when I have the extra time, I seem to always go to bed after 11 o'clock. That's not good.
thinkandrew
FreeWrites
FreeWriting is a tool that is used by many people to loose a flood of words. It is writing in its most raw form, without any editing, outlines, or planning. The rapid flow of words just come directly from head to paper, the first thoughts that come to mind are penned down. I often use it to cure the infamous writer's block, as do many other writers. Any subject can be freewritten on, and often any random subject is chosen. It's an exercise in expression, one that I try to practice regularly. Here are some results.
#1. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog, regardless of whether the dog wanted him to or not. It was actually unnecessary for the fox to jump over the dog, as the fox simply could have walked around the dog. The dog was not unduly fat, nor was it prone in such a way that walking around it would have been an inconvenience. However, the fox felt that displaying such a jump would serve to increase his physical prowess over the lazy dog. The dog, being a lazy dog, simply did not care enough to worry about being less fit than the fox was. Thus, the objective of the quick brown fox was not achieved.
This may simply be because the fox was brown, and the dog was white. Such a result comes from age old racial tensions, which have obviously not yet been resolved. In a sense, then, the fox won anyway, as even though the dog did not care that the fox was jumping and he was not, the fox displayed superiority over the dog. The dog, finally awakening from his stupor, realized that it would not be good for his reputation to have a brown fox jumping over him. The other white dogs would laugh. In an effort to save his reputation, the dog made a feeble attempt in nipping at the fox's brown, bushy tail. He was not successful, and this only served to drive the brown fox into laughing fits. The dog rolled over, trying to get his legs underneath him to give chase, but years of watching cars go by and only chasing them in his imagination had lead to weak legs. The fox, feeling jolly from seeing an adversary that could not seek revenge, headed home to make some shrimp gumbo.
#2. My girl wove six dozen plaid jackets before she quit. My girl is obviously not a very goal-oriented goal, otherwise she would have woven more than six dozen jackets. Six dozen jackets is not a small amount, to be sure, but it could not have taken her any more than one or two work days. It may have been that she was in a time of dire monetary need, and only had enough time to weave six dozen jackets, collect the payment, and then head off into the sunset. That is a problem at my clothing factory. Many of the girls (most of my employees are female) work only for a short period of time, before they are required to move on. The employee turn-over rate for the plaid-jacket-market is huge, averaging around one girl every gross of jackets. If the girl that we are currently talking about was above average, she would have made more that a gross, possibly even twenty dozen. But only having made six dozen, which is half a gross, she is a half average girl. Rumor has it that everything she does is half average. She only does half her homework. She only swims half laps at the pool. She only eats half of a chicken-nugget. She is half average, and perhaps that is all she ever will be.
Both of these freewrites were begun with
Pangrams, sentences that contain every letter of the alphabet. If you go and check, you will find that to be true. It may be that my freewrites may inspire some sort of emotions in you, a deep feeling that comes from deeper interpretation than I ever even experienced while writing these. On the other hand, they may be seen as windows into the thought process of a very unique individual. It is the rawest form of my writing expression. Would you like to see anymore? Leave comments! Appreciate it, while I go toot my horn and boost my ego even more.
thinkandrew
Easter Sunday
It's Easter Sunday, and we're all celebrating the fact that He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! A great Easter Service after a very powerful evening service on Good Friday was the perfect thing to make me realize once again how incredible it is that I'm standing on this Earth at all. A deep appreciation settled down on everyone in the church service, and we all walked out completely rejuvenated. The pancake breakfast being served helped, too.
For the remainder of our Easter Sunday, we actually spent the day up at the Weyerhaeuser Rhododendron Species Garden and the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. Having a Mom with a green thumb often finds us at various botanical gardens, where we often spend hours just wandering. I'm not complaining, as these gardens provide the perfect place to practice photography. But at the same time, pollen was out in force today, and it got kind of tiring cleaning it out from inside my ears. It was really a beautiful garden, though, covering over twenty acres in woodland forests. The Bonsai collection had sixty displays of beautiful miniature trees, collected from all around the Pacific Rim. It's a very patient art form, one that takes years before any results are apparent.
The trip to the garden had us out of the house from 11 o'clock to 4, with no lunch in between. A famished family of four (the fifth didn't come home from University for the weekend) stopped at Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits on the way home, for the fourth day in a row that we've eaten out. That's rather strange for us, as we nearly always cook every meal at home. To eat out is not irregular, but to do it four days in a row is almost unheard of. But the craving for fried chicken made the trip totally worth it. My tastes have been sated.
It has been a very long weekend that has been full of things to do. The coming school week almost seems like a period to relax, after all the stuff that I managed to cram into two and a half short days. But school always is a constant, as is homework. Which I have yet to complete.
thinkandrew
Museum of Flight
Flight has intrinsically intrigued man since the dawn of time. I have followed that mold. Even as an experienced international air-traveler, I'm still excited every time I board a plane. The thrill of being in the air, even while in the comforts of a passenger airliner, is always present. Even if I'm not in a window seat, the deep rumble as the engines of the 747-400 put out 62,100 foot-pounds of thrust is exhilarating. I haven't been in a plane for quite a while, and I miss that sensation. The Museum of Flight in Seattle aided in sating that need.
My club at school, the Science and Math Allowing us to Realize Tomorrow club (S.M.A.R.T., an acronym not of my own creation), has gone on one other field trip since the beginning of the school year,
a trip to OMSI in December. Searching for another field trip to go on, someone suggested the Museum of Flight. I'm a huge fan of flight museums, and have been to several. Apparently, I just can't get tired of them, as we spent about six hours there today. My fascination with flight started from my very first encounter with airplanes, and it still continues. Going to the Museum of Flight gets better each time, as my understanding deepens.
There was a special exhibit of gliders today, which were on display with the Seattle Area Soaring Club, a club of para-gliders and hang-gliding. Para-gliding is similar to hang-gliding in the fact that it's a non-powered flight, but instead of flying with a fixed rigid wing, para-gliding involves hanging from a large sail-like parachute in a harness. It was presented as the simplest and cheapest form of human flight available, a label that was very attractive. I was lost in the tales they told of cross-country flights, including one man who started in Eastern Washington and made it all the way to Montana, completely skipping Idaho. Tandem flights are available with a qualified instructor/pilot, something that I may look into.
A large collection of planes was held in a paved area on the other side of the street, there were a few that were open for boarding. When inside an airliner, it simply feels as if it's an extension of a building, one that moves and deposits you in a different location. While viewing planes from a far, they seem large, but at the same time, minuscule. To fully appreciate the size of these flying behemoths, they must be viewed from the ground. A Boeing 747 is tallest at its tail, reaching a whopping 48 feet. A Concord was open to board, which was an exciting experience. The Air Force One from the Johnson Administration was also present, and it was a lot of fun to disembark from it, pretending that we were important individuals descending with great importance.
It was a very fun trip to the Museum of Flight today. That place just gets better and better every time I go. Flight is fascinating, and I'll be dreaming of soaring as I go to bed.
thinkandrew
Toys
I remember when I was younger, every time we entered a mall, the first store I would look for is the toy store. It's the one where every child's eyes are drawn to, the store which every child wants to walk in to. Whirring gadgets, simple blocks, puzzles, and all sorts of games make up the stock of toys that a good toy store has. They're so much fun to shop in, that I could have stayed in a good toy store for hours on end. I still enjoy going to the toy section, if only to see what's on the shelves now. Preferences change with age, and what I wanted ten years ago is very different from what I enjoy now.
There was one little airplane, a die-cast model airplane that couldn't have been more than two inches long. I'm not sure where it came from, I think I traded something for it with a friend. I just remember seeing it, and thinking that it was the coolest toy I'd ever seen. One way or another, I was able to get my hands on it, and played with it for so long. It eventually found its way into my treasure-box, filled with other cool knick-knacks that I'd collected over the years. That box eventually emptied and disappeared, as I cleaned out junk from my room. Tastes among children change very fast, especially among toys. What was the hot item on the shelves six months ago now can't even be given away. I don't know where that model airplane is anymore, nor do I particularly care. As all people do, I've moved on to other things.
Like my bicycle. I bought my bicycle in December, and have been out on it quite often, since the days have been getting longer. The story of my getting my new bike is pretty similar to the story of getting my airplane. For one reason or another, I just simply decided that I had to have one. I saved, saved, and saved, and also researched high and low over what the perfect road-bicycle for me would be. My dad took me to the store several times to test ride different models, until I settled on a particular one. I promised myself that I wouldn't buy it until it went on sale, and when it did, it wasn't long before I bought it. I've been enjoying it a lot now, and just went on a 26 mile bike ride today. I doubt that my bike will go out of fashion for myself, though.
Timeless toys tend to be toys that actually hold real value, or are intrinsically interesting to the consumer. Other toys that I've really valued is our collection of LEGOs. My older brother and I amassed a fairly large amount of LEGO sets, and played with them for years. Some of my fondest memories include floating our mini pirate-ships in the bathtub, and "drowning" the mini-figures that would be eaten by plastic sharks. Mom always supervised, of course, to make sure that no LEGO pieces got flushed down the drain. My ship was the pirate ship, and my brother had the Imperial Guard ship. His was cooler in the fact that it had five sails, instead of my two, though mine was a
pirate ship, which balanced out the cool factor. They're sitting in my little brother's room now, who gets to enjoy three kids worth of toys.
My little brother had a friend over today, who completely took to the pirate ships. In fact, he asked me if I would be willing to trade it for one of his own sets. Having had the pirate ship since I was four years old, it's not hard to imagine why I politely declined. Those toys are my heirlooms, ones that I'll give to my own children to play with. Toys for me are a very personal thing, that I'll treasure forever.
thinkandrew
Lost Hours
My Weight Training class may not last as long as I thought it would, at least not for me. I had said previously that it fit perfectly into the 9 o'clock slot, right between my Japanese and Physics classes. That, however, I found to be untrue. Getting across campus to my Weights class in the five minutes alloted between classes is extremely difficult, considering the fact the teacher is an Attendance Nazi. If you're a few minutes late, it's the same as if you didn't show up to class at all - she'll not mark you down as present for attendance. Rushing back from Weights to Physics is no easy feat, either. For these reasons, I may not continue taking Weight Training. I'll give it until the end of next week, when I can drop the class and still get no record on my transcript. We'll see.
I have attempted to make it to class on time, though, and have been mostly successful. Only twice have I made the cross-campus jaunt, as the first few days of school are days when the teachers are still trying the kick the class into gear. My plan for traversing the quarter-mile across campus was a simple one. The moment my Japanese teacher finishes, I run downstairs, hop onto my bike, and then ride as fast as I can to the gym. Once there, I deposit my bike in the bike locker conveniently located right next to the door, and then go inside and change into my work-out clothes (required for attendance), and go to class. It seems to be a pretty full-proof plan. But it isn't.
First of all, I didn't account for all the people that would be walking UP the stairs at the time I was trying to go DOWN. It seems that the tides of the crowd are highest right around 9 am, and everybody is trying to make their way up the stairs at that particular hour. Swarms of students jostle shoulders, and make it difficult to make it down fast as possible. The same problem presented itself while on my bicycle, the fact that large amounts of people don't allow a cyclist to go any faster than the average walking speed. Also, it seems that not all bike lockers are made equal. For some odd reason, the bike locker next to the gym is about half a foot less wide than the other bike lockers, making it nearly impossible for me to fit my own bicycle inside. It took my about three minutes of trying to realize that, before I was able to somehow jam the door shut, and snap shut the padlock.
There was no Weights class today, which was a welcome relief. I was able to spend the hour practicing piano in the Arts Center, which is a good thing, as I don't practice nearly enough. While a dead hour in any schedule is undesirable, it's simply not worth it to kill myself trying to get from one end of campus to the other. I would most likely get more exercise from doing that, then from actually participating in the class. Next week is coming soon, and I will make my decision then. But for now, the prospects for my Weights class and my fake-tanned teacher aren't looking good.
thinkandrew
Math Geek
It takes a certain level of geekiness to be able to look at an answer to a
mathematics problem, and immediately have the word "Awesome!" pop up into my mind. I will not deny it, I reached that level today. The fact that I was even looking for such math problems is incredible. I enjoy math, I always have, and always will. It's a quantification of substances, a unifying of concepts, a derivation of puzzles. When all the numbers fall into place like a finely-crafted jigsaw puzzle, that's when I get excited. The answer works, only works one way, and is irrefutable.
Personally, I've always delved deeply into the sciences, mathematics being just one aspect of many. For all my Malaysian readers, they'd call it "Science-Stream". However, there is a very big difference between the utilization of mathematics in the sciences such as physics, chemistry, etc., and the use of mathematics purely for the sake of mathematics. My physics professor best described it in these words: "There is a constant battle between the physicists and the mathematicians. The mathematicians are always trying to develop new forms of math that work, but are completely useless, while the physicists are trying to find out ways to use those techniques." Often, there are many aspects of math that work, are incredible, and give me warm and fuzzy feelings all over. But I can rarely think of a single way that any of those techniques could be used at all. I am sure there is a whole universe of sciences that I can't even begin to imagine, where those techniques would be utilized, but I have not yet seen them.
And I want to see them. I am currently enrolled in a community college, as part of my high school education. I will graduate in the spring of '08, after which I will go to an accredited four-year University. As I'll already have two years of college education, I will graduate from a four-year University in two years. Once I get to my University, I will have to choose a major. For a long time, it's always been clear to me that I would study engineering. However, I recently have taken to the idea of studying more math, and getting a degree in it. Both fields are heavily associated with all that I love to do most, they just use the techniques different ways. It now seems, though, that I won't have to choose one over the other.
Looking over the University of Washington's
Department of Mathematics website in my spare time just goes to show again what level of geekiness I have achieved. I was looking at the requirements for graduation with a
Minor in Math, only to realize that not much more from what I already have is involved. When I graduate from the community college, I'll already have all of the math classes required for a Minor, which I got get simply by applying for it. It's only a few steps up to a Major, and I could easily double-Major in both mathematics and some field of engineering. This was exciting news for me, and I hope to follow through with that plan.
But for now, I will focus on what I am doing at the moment. The night grows long, and it's getting quite late. The hard past few days are still weighing down on me, and I need to get every minute of sleep that I can. I am sure that I'll be dreaming of numbers while I slumber.
thinkandrew
Dead Tired
I am currently completely physically drained. I am almost as tired as I have ever been in my life, almost as much as the days after I got back from Philmont. There is a physical threshold to which lack of sleep can be tolerated, and apparently mine is not very large. A very late night full of physical activity has left me extremely tired, and having to wake up with only four hours of sleep, and head off to school didn't help either. A very long long day has lead to tonight, where I am about to crash, but still can't manage to pull myself away from the computer. At least until this post is finished.
It probably wasn't a good idea to go on that long bike ride yesterday afternoon, which lasted for almost an hour. It felt very empowering at the time, but sore arms and legs in the morning are the trade-off. Lifting large rocks for the garden yesterday also strained muscles in my arm, so the soreness just persisted that much more. A long night of mopping floors kept me up until 2:30 in the morning, when I was finally able to go to bed. And today, a day full of classes, meetings, teaching piano, physical fitness tests, and Boy Scouts has lead me to where I am right now.
With just the tiny bit of strength I have left, I tell you of what has led to my fatigued state. A long night of sleep beckons, and I will be very grateful for it. Tomorrow promises to be an equally long day, though not as tiring. It's going to be fun, too, as there is the possibility of going to the vintage clothing store in downtown. I'm an old-style romantic, don't you know.
thinkandrew
Spring Quarter Classes
The first day of school is a ubiquitously exciting day for schoolchildren around the world. It is only until about the second week that the excitement dulls, and about the second month that what was previously experienced as excitement plunges into the depths of drudgery. But for now, while the feeling is still fresh, I look forward to each day of school. Apparently, most of the people on campus today felt the same way I did, and walked with a spring in their step. Technically, this is not my first day of school, as it is now April 2nd. However, it is the first day of Spring Quarter at my college, and that has to count for something.
The series of classes that I have been taking has been continued into the third term, and they're all with the same old teachers. However, unlike Fall and Winter Quarters, two of my classes have changed classrooms, and one of them has changed times. My Japanese class is now at 8 in the morning, and has moved from the conveniently located classroom right next to the Math Center, to one on the other side of campus. My Physics class is now held in the same building, one floor above. This poses problems for me, as I have an 8 o'clock class, a 10 o'clock class, and a 12 o'clock class. An hour break would be nice, if I were able to work in the Math Center during that prescribed time, but it is not possible due to the budget cuts that we have been receiving. Thus, I decided to fill that hour with another class. What class could I possibly choose, one that would not go over my 18 credit prescribed-by-the-school limit?
Weight Training. It's a Physical Education class that is worth 2 credits. There are many of that class scattered throughout the day, mostly to serve as fillers for those that want to fill up their schedule. A 9 o'clock slot fit my schedule perfectly, although in hindsight I hardly see the point of registering for such a class. Being the naturally buff stud that I am, I don't need a community college class to improve my already chiseled physique. Realistically though, it's simply a class that I was curious about. The use of a free gym is quite nice, though the knowledge of how to use the equipment provided is even nicer, which is why I'm taking the class. I'm beginning to have second thoughts, though.
The teacher for Weight Training can most readily be described as an Attendance Nazi, one who will take tardiness, missing work-out clothes, leaving early, or any other such excuse as a reason to take a point off the attendance record. 98 points is the cut-off for an "A" letter grade. While her implementation of the policy may not be as severe as written down on paper, the slight margins is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. A two week period is allowed for me to drop the class without having any record show up on my transcript. I'll give it the full two week try-out.
So for now, my schedule entails starting at one end of campus for Japanese, going to Weights (which is conveniently located on the other side of campus, about a quarter-mile away), coming back to the same building for Physics, and then going to Calculus (which is right next to the gym). It seems that I'll be getting enough of a workout, just getting to my classes. Be prepared to see me finishing school with a totally ripped bod. Really.
thinkandrew
Food Coma
Tonight was a night of satisfied gluttony. We went to a restaurant so full of authentic Chinese food that our mouths were watering before we even reached the exit on the highway. The incorrectly translated name - "Sze-Chuan Bean Flower Restaurant" - hid the true quality of the food served. It seems to be one of those secret little gems known only to those already converted, as the floor seems to be quite empty when we go there to eat. It's not uncommon for me to finish multiple bowls of rice, and sit back in the car with my belt loosened and fall asleep from the food induced comatose. Many restaurants advertise "Real Chinese Food", but this is the one place I've found to really live up to that statement.
We hardly ever eat out. It's just been the familial culture that meals are prepared at home, and we eat together over a dinner table. I don't remember ever having bought a TV Dinner, or something that we just pop into the microwave. The occasional Papa Murphy's Pizza does get put in the oven, and we'll watch a movie together as we chew on slices of pepperoni and mushrooms. But other than that, nearly every meal served at our house is prepared from scratch. Mom cooks a lot, and I help out for a few of the meals. I enjoy cooking, and it's definitely a useful skill to have. It may sound alien to some families that we cook for every meal, and that it is an unsurmountable amount of work. But in reality, the satisfaction of a quality dinner overrides the tiring work, which in actuality isn't that much.
As for restaurants, they just don't excite us. I'm not a huge fan of any restaurant in the town that we live in, though there are a few that I enjoy going to. I have enjoyed some very good meals in local restaurants, but they're not pleasurable enough that I can't wait for our next trip there. As for Chinese restaurants, I try to veer away from most of them. They advertise "Authentic Chinese Cuisine", but nothing could be further from the truth. Low quality ingredients are thrown together in a somewhat-Asian fashion, but they cannot recreate the delicate and flavorful dishes that we love so much. Most of them simply serve cheap imitations of Chinese food that has been altered and adulterated to appease the uneducated American palate. No thanks.
But the "Sze-Chuan Bean Flower Restaurant" serves
real Chinese food. It's Chinese food that I dream about, food that I tell all my friends about. I enjoyed tonights meal so much, I'll be telling all my friends about it for days. I've already made my friends promise to go with me some day, where we'll gorge out on hot and spicy dishes until tears come from our eyes. Whether they be tears of joy or tears of spiciness doesn't matter. I just know that that's where I can go to get real Chinese food.
Tomorrow's the beginning of a new quarter. An 8 o'clock class means I'll have to go to bed earlier that I usually do tonight, which I'm actually finding to be easier than I would have thought. I'm finished posting on my blog right now, and it's only 10:30. I normally finish writing these two hours later. This gives me plenty of time to pack my school bag, and prepare for a long day tomorrow. I'm not unduly worried. The first day of Quarter is always filled with syllabus reviews and short lessons.
thinkandrew
