highrise living for a joke like me

In addition to catching up on history notes today (I'm now completely caught up on lecture notes and a chapter ahead in the textbook), I also did some cleaning in my room and some baking.

The cleaning was culling three overflowing milk crates of old school papers down to only the things I really wanted to keep. A lot of it was empty notebooks or emptyable binders, and much of the rest was stuff where the subject was something I might want to keep (history, English, etc.), but most of the actual contents was useless (quizzes with just the answers, syllabi, etc.). Managed to cull three overfull crates (probably four completely full ones) down to one crate of reusable notebooks or binders and a quarter of a crate of stuff I want to save. The rest is in three bags in the recycling, and I'm feeling very accomplished.

[I also found my CD of last year's Vagina Monologues mix, so I may share a few angry feminist mix CDs over the next few days.]

Mom and I also did some baking, the madeleines whose recipe I previously put up. But now, there are pictures!



Delicately cakey and perfect. Though, I think I might add just a dash of lemon zest next time and be very traditional. :D

Also, I was playing around with the spirals of some of the notebooks I disassembled, and I made this:



I call it "Coils". Its tangles represents the complexity of modern-day life. The rustiness of some of the metal shows our disregard for the past. The holes I managed to poke in my hands with the sharp ends (not visible in this image) are signs of the way that our mechanized life hurts the very people who build it.

*snerk* I still have the IB BS ability.

EXTENDED PERFORMANCE
Saving the Republic of Aburiria.
by JOHN UPDIKE
Issue of 2006-07-31
Posted 2006-07-24

( Read more... )

I have three new pairs of jeans. This is cause for celebration. I've been looking for jeans for two years. I have this Platonic Ideal when it comes to jeans: thick denim, black, not too low rise, fitted/tight in the thigh, flared or belled from the knee, longer than ankle length. As is inherent for a Platonic Ideal, these pants just don't exist, and the ones that are close don't fit me. The jeans I did wind up buying aren't perfect, of course, but they're close. They're blue, and I need to wear belts to keep the back from gaping (later I will bitch about about how hard it is to find clothes, but I'm too tired), but that means I now own a studded black-leather belt, so that's cool.

They're also from American Eagle, so I need to get used to the fact that I'm totally selling out. Mini-skirts from Forever 21, business-casual corsetry from Guess, and now jeans from AE. Good Goddess.

BTW, there is a good reason for why I disappeared over the last two weeks. ( cut for medical tmi ) I'm officially done with medical problems for the year, ok? *shakes fist at whatever being hands these things out*

The New Yorker for 31 July 2006 had two interesting articles in it: one about Wikipedia, and another about Ngugi wa Thiong’o, who some of you might remember from IB English. Since their site gets odd about past articles, I'm archiving both articles up here. Links available in a few minutes.

ETA:
KNOW IT ALL: Can Wikipedia conquer expertise?
EXTENDED PERFORMANCE: Saving the Republic of Aburiria.

IB scores came out today. And the wreckage is as follows:

English HL - 5
Spanish SL - 6
History HL - 5
Enviro. Sci. SL - 6
Math Studies - 6 (!!!)
Music HL - 4
EE - C
TOK - B
Theatre SL - 3

Not quite what I was hoping for, but IT'S OVER!

Oh, and don't expect to see me around tomorrow. Sci Fi is doing a Stargate marathon. *giggles and runs off*

( Are You a 90's Kid? )

Heh, so high school is finally over. Not for me, though, because I'm a terrible person and still have work to turn in. It doesn't feel like it's over. Will it?

Not even talking about Thursday's IB Celebration. 'S too depressing.


You Are The Outlaw
"Sure, I'll do it. My way."
Just because you do not conform to the same laws and rules as everyone else does not mean that you are a bad guy. You travel your own path, separate from those around you, with your own reasons for doing what you do. Because of this and your own nature, it goes without saying that you are generally misunderstood. That does not matter much, though, as people love you for being who you are. You are pretty well set in your ways and have no real intention of changing. This can come across as a flicker of arrogance if your not careful. You do what is right for you, and God help anyone who stands in your way.

Which Classic Story Role Do You Play?
brought to you by Quizilla


:: how jedi are you? ::

So much work to do. *dies* If I tape my monologue to my head, will I absorb it via osmosis? *sigh*

To Do:
~ memorize monologue
~ theatre journals
~ college-y paperwork
~ teach myself the light stuff
~ Of Mice and Men recording and essay

1. Where did we meet?
2. Take a stab at my middle name:
3. How long have you known me?
4. When is the last time we saw each other?
5. Do I smoke?
6. Do I believe in God?
7. When you first saw me what was your impression?
8. My age?
9. Birthday?
10. Color hair?
11. Color eyes?
12. Do I have any siblings?
13. Have you ever been jealous of me?
14. What's one of my favorite things to do outdoors?
15. What's one of my fav. things to do indoors?
16. Do you remember one of the 1st things I said to you?
17. What's my favorite type of music?
18. What is the best feature about me?
19. Am I shy or outgoing?
20. Would you say I am funny ha ha or funny sarcastic?
21. Am I a rebel or do I follow all the rules?
22. Would you consider me a friend, an acquaintance, or a good friend?
23. Would you call me preppy, slutty, average, sporty, punk, hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else?
24. Have you ever seen me cry?
25. If there were one good nickname for me what would it be?
26. Are my parents still together?
27. If I had broccoli stuck in my teeth would you tell me?
28. Do I drink and/or do drugs?
29. What is my worst fear?
30. Are you going to post this and see what I say about you?

~ Friday: went shopping with Shagun, which was amazing, and bought the amazing graduation dress
~ Saturday: saw Star Wars; am going to have to see it again, because I'm not sure whether I liked it or not
~ Sunday: washed the floors!
~ Monday: took the music exam from hell; so much to do, not enough time
~ Today: calc final and music final (2 down, 5 to go); rainy, wet, and cold

Wow, my week's been heading steadily downhill.

Oh yeah, and just because you are an amazing classical violinist and all that, it doesn't mean you know everything there is to know about music. Just because you were right about that piece of music on the exam, it doesn't mean I was wrong either. And even if I was, it doesn't mean you can talk about it all day, at the top of your lungs, including during English class. It doesn't matter that you identified it as Mahler four hours after the exam; it doesn't change what you wrote on the paper, especially because you thought it was Bolero during the damn exam! *breathes* Ok, better now.

Some times I wish my life were more, and less, interesting than it is right now. More interesting because right now it's dull as dirt. Less interesting because the one complication I've got to deal with right now is something I really don't want. Ah, well, at least I have schoolwork to amuse me. *le growl*

Second part of Math Studies was equally lovely. AND AND AND I did Calculus and it didn't die! *squee*

And now my right hand is going to fall off and crawl under a rock and die. Two English exams in one day = bad shit for the hand with the pen.

Your Birthdate: April 19

Your birth on the 19th day of the month adds a tone of independence and extra energy to your life path. But at the same time, it poses a number of obstacles to overcome before you are able to be as independent as you would like. The number 1 energy suggests more executive ability and leadership qualities than your path may have indicated. A birthday on the 19th of any month gives greater will power and self-confidence, and very often a rather original approach. However, a somewhat self-centered approach to life that may be in conflict with some of the other influences in your life. This 1 energy may diminish your ability and desire to handle details, preferring instead to paint with a broad brush. You are sensitive, but your feeling stay somewhat repressed. You have a compelling manner that can be dominating in many situations. You do not tend to follow convention or take advice very well. Consequently, you tend to learn through experience; sometimes hard experiences. The 19/1 is a loner number and you may experience feelings of being alone even if you are married. You may take on a tendency to be nervous and angry.

Calculus raped me and left me to die. But Math Studies picked me up, apologized for Calc being heartless and cruel, and fed me chocolate. *sigh* I love IB.

But, 6:30. Gawd, how am I going to get up that early?<

And Beware! I may not have nukes, but neither did he. *snerk*