Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Nightmare Before Halftime - Post #177
All right, you have to admit that's pretty awesome. I didn't set it on autoplay, because I figured that might drive the world crazy, but here it is: our halftime show! On my blog! Huzzah!
So. Overtired.
And YES this counts as a full post. Because I am a minor genius for figuring out how to get it up here when the 'Post to Blogger' button wouldn't cooperate due to the safety settings.
-Iona-
Boom !- Post #176
Different, right? I changed the layout of the blog from the basic black with green headings and white lettering to this; shades of green and white headings and pale blue (maybe robin's egg?) lettering. Why? I needed a change.
It's a combination of being too busy and not being busy enough. I miss band, and I'm throwing most of my leftover energy into swim team. Not that it's getting me anywhere, but I finally understood what Coach Kevin was trying to get me to do with my arms, so that's something. I feel like a dork (well...more so than normal) when I do it, and it kills my shoulders, but that's okay. I really don't mind.
I've started living out of my planner. It's really sad; for every day there's all my homework, things we're doing that day, and what I'm doing that night. Then all around the edges, there's more stuff. Most of it is the progress report grades teachers have let us see so far, but then there's piles of quotes.
~"Can you read this for the court?" "No. Socrates was teaching me to read, but you kinda disrupted that."
~"Nick, why are you wearing gloves?" "Because every other time I've failed a test, I'm not wearing gloves."
~"90% of what I say is either a joke or a flat out lie."
~"Memorization is not learning. I think memorization is crap."
~"I always thought it was Bohemian Rap City."
And that's not the half of it. I like making lists, though. It helps me get my thoughts in order. Writing things down. Why else would I use blogger? It's like a form of meditation that doesn't make you feel sleepy.
Today's been all right, actually. I got up early with my mom to go to the 8 o'clock church service, then there was church school from 9 to 10. That was pretty fun. Emily, Michele, and I won a prize decoding Christmas song titles. Mine was a mini crossword puzzle book. Emily and I were really hyper, for some reason. Maybe it was the cupcake. It had insanely good frosting.
Then my dad drove us over to the YMCA for swim practice. Three 300s warmup, 7 200s freestyle where he worked on our strokes, a 200 freestyle all out off the blocks (2:47), and a 100 warmdown. Warmdown? Man, I'm even starting to talk like him.
I stretched in English last week and went into a streamline. It scared me to death, but Josh thought it was funny.
I still have an English essay and two math assignments to do, so I don't really know why I'm writing this. Meditation, I guess. I like writing. Is that so hard to believe? And who doesn't love talking about themselves?
Until next time.
-Iona-
It's a combination of being too busy and not being busy enough. I miss band, and I'm throwing most of my leftover energy into swim team. Not that it's getting me anywhere, but I finally understood what Coach Kevin was trying to get me to do with my arms, so that's something. I feel like a dork (well...more so than normal) when I do it, and it kills my shoulders, but that's okay. I really don't mind.
I've started living out of my planner. It's really sad; for every day there's all my homework, things we're doing that day, and what I'm doing that night. Then all around the edges, there's more stuff. Most of it is the progress report grades teachers have let us see so far, but then there's piles of quotes.
~"Can you read this for the court?" "No. Socrates was teaching me to read, but you kinda disrupted that."
~"Nick, why are you wearing gloves?" "Because every other time I've failed a test, I'm not wearing gloves."
~"90% of what I say is either a joke or a flat out lie."
~"Memorization is not learning. I think memorization is crap."
~"I always thought it was Bohemian Rap City."
And that's not the half of it. I like making lists, though. It helps me get my thoughts in order. Writing things down. Why else would I use blogger? It's like a form of meditation that doesn't make you feel sleepy.
Today's been all right, actually. I got up early with my mom to go to the 8 o'clock church service, then there was church school from 9 to 10. That was pretty fun. Emily, Michele, and I won a prize decoding Christmas song titles. Mine was a mini crossword puzzle book. Emily and I were really hyper, for some reason. Maybe it was the cupcake. It had insanely good frosting.
Then my dad drove us over to the YMCA for swim practice. Three 300s warmup, 7 200s freestyle where he worked on our strokes, a 200 freestyle all out off the blocks (2:47), and a 100 warmdown. Warmdown? Man, I'm even starting to talk like him.
I stretched in English last week and went into a streamline. It scared me to death, but Josh thought it was funny.
I still have an English essay and two math assignments to do, so I don't really know why I'm writing this. Meditation, I guess. I like writing. Is that so hard to believe? And who doesn't love talking about themselves?
Until next time.
-Iona-
Monday, December 11, 2006
Give Me a Second Here - Post #175
Wow. Only twenty-five until 200. Maybe I'll hit my birthday like I did on 100. That would be weird. One hundred posts a year for the rest of my life. That's...6500, plus the 200 I'll already have...6700 posts. Hmph.
I was thinking, as I tend to do when there's nothing more interesting. I was thinking, and somehow I ended up with the decision that if God is like Mr. J, the Biology teacher, then all the reasons for war can, well, not be explained, but be understood, if you believe in God.
Short detour here, and if you're smart (which you probably are), you'll pick up on the double meaning quickly.
Our biology class is incapable of silencing themselves when the bell rings so we can get to the point and maybe actually learn something. Mr. J has gotten into a habit of making us quiet ourselves down, to the point where it can be fifteen minutes before the end of class when we actually begin.
But why?
He's trying to teach us something. He wants us to quiet ourselves down, and to learn that being quiet when the bell rings is what we're supposed to do. He wants us to figure that out on our own.
It's a little more than that, though. He believes we have the ability to quiet ourselves down, and is willing to wait for us. He is stubborn, yes, incredibly, but also patient.
See it yet? Switch Mr. J with God, our class with people in general, and talking when the bell rings with war, and you've got it.
So I thought of this, and I liked it. It made me happy. I kept finding new comparisons between the two, and they just seemed to go on...and on...
You know how when people shush the ones talking, it just creates more noise? That's kind of like a war for peace. Pretty hypocritical.
I don't know. I mean, how do you get the class to quiet down? Everyone individually has to make that a conscious decision. If someone tries to start up a conversation again, it's going to prompt someone just on the edge of silence to respond. Same with war. EVERYONE has to be on the side of piece. One fight and it all breaks loose again.
I don't know if our class will every quiet down when the bell rings, and I don't know if our world will ever be free of war. But in both cases, the people who understand that refraining from speaking or fighting themselves is one step closer to everyone being quiet or peaceful, well, they understand a lot.
"That's what I think," said Pooh.
-Iona-
I was thinking, as I tend to do when there's nothing more interesting. I was thinking, and somehow I ended up with the decision that if God is like Mr. J, the Biology teacher, then all the reasons for war can, well, not be explained, but be understood, if you believe in God.
Short detour here, and if you're smart (which you probably are), you'll pick up on the double meaning quickly.
Our biology class is incapable of silencing themselves when the bell rings so we can get to the point and maybe actually learn something. Mr. J has gotten into a habit of making us quiet ourselves down, to the point where it can be fifteen minutes before the end of class when we actually begin.
But why?
He's trying to teach us something. He wants us to quiet ourselves down, and to learn that being quiet when the bell rings is what we're supposed to do. He wants us to figure that out on our own.
It's a little more than that, though. He believes we have the ability to quiet ourselves down, and is willing to wait for us. He is stubborn, yes, incredibly, but also patient.
See it yet? Switch Mr. J with God, our class with people in general, and talking when the bell rings with war, and you've got it.
So I thought of this, and I liked it. It made me happy. I kept finding new comparisons between the two, and they just seemed to go on...and on...
You know how when people shush the ones talking, it just creates more noise? That's kind of like a war for peace. Pretty hypocritical.
I don't know. I mean, how do you get the class to quiet down? Everyone individually has to make that a conscious decision. If someone tries to start up a conversation again, it's going to prompt someone just on the edge of silence to respond. Same with war. EVERYONE has to be on the side of piece. One fight and it all breaks loose again.
I don't know if our class will every quiet down when the bell rings, and I don't know if our world will ever be free of war. But in both cases, the people who understand that refraining from speaking or fighting themselves is one step closer to everyone being quiet or peaceful, well, they understand a lot.
"That's what I think," said Pooh.
-Iona-
Code Monkey Like You - Post #174
Saturday: Really, really bad swim meet, but Emily kept me company.
Sunday: Kind of fun day doing church stuff, then shopping with Rachel and Christa.
Monday: Very uppy-downy sort of day.
Highs lately were Rachel convincing me to get a shirt I really liked, those caramel cream things, those funny green blocks you use for flower arranging, Code Monkey, it being a day 4 today, and some very cool people.
Lows were bandish sorts of things, most of my classes, swim team, and some not so cool people.
Go listen to Code Monkey. Then come back and tell me it isn't amazing. You won't be able to. It's free to download if you can find the link, according to Jonathan Coulton himself when he was interviewed on NPR.
I need a vacation. Erin's making me want to go to camp with her this summer...I wish. That would be insane.
Here is a very, very, very funny comic about bassoons.
Eh. Life is iffy.
-Iona-
Sunday: Kind of fun day doing church stuff, then shopping with Rachel and Christa.
Monday: Very uppy-downy sort of day.
Highs lately were Rachel convincing me to get a shirt I really liked, those caramel cream things, those funny green blocks you use for flower arranging, Code Monkey, it being a day 4 today, and some very cool people.
Lows were bandish sorts of things, most of my classes, swim team, and some not so cool people.
Go listen to Code Monkey. Then come back and tell me it isn't amazing. You won't be able to. It's free to download if you can find the link, according to Jonathan Coulton himself when he was interviewed on NPR.
I need a vacation. Erin's making me want to go to camp with her this summer...I wish. That would be insane.
Here is a very, very, very funny comic about bassoons.
Eh. Life is iffy.
-Iona-
Friday, December 08, 2006
To Make a Movie - Post #173
Today was pretty awful. So much boredom, and feeling useless, and feeling out of place...it was pretty bad. But swim team made it better.
I was going third to last out of eight in our lane on the 150s freestyle, but first on the 150s odd...whee! And Emily and Josh were there...and Tina...and it was fun. Coach Kevin swam two and a quarter laps underwater...steamlined....only kicking...no breathing...crazy, but awesome. Then, I was in the front lobby after practice talking to Emily and my mom, and he did that tap - on - the - shoulder - then - go - the - other - way thing. That was out of nowhere, but it made me laugh.
Then I came home and found some new songs I want to make music videos of my friends too...One Original Thing by Cheyenne Kimball, Bring It All Back Now by S Club 7, Coming Back for More by Ashlee Simpson, and One Girl Revolution by Superchick. See what kind of dorky songs you get while surfing YouTube? But if you've ever seen any of my videos, you'll get why I like these songs. Or maybe I'll explain it to you. I'm in that kind of a mood.
One Original Thing
First of all, I just love the idea of this song. It's kind of cool - looking for something to set you apart and make you special. Isn't that what everyone really wants? The song has a great beat. It's upbeat without being too pushy, which is really what you need to keep the clips from getting too lengthy. Then, of course, there's the fact that I can picture my crazy friends doing stuff to fit the lyrics of this song.
Bring It All Back Now
Some older kids did a dance to this song in the Frisbee talent show when I was really, really little (a.k.a. second grade or younger), so it kind of makes the song more fun. It's so...I don't know, happy and cheerful and dancey. I like it. Go away.
Coming Back for More
I love the opening tune to this song. It's so...I don't know. This whole describing thing is making me hyper!!! Beware. This is song is so much about being crazy about a guy, but I could take it for being obsessed with life in general as well. Cuz we're cool like that.
One Girl Revolution
Oh, come, on, you have to see how insanely fun this music video would be. I get all excited just thinking about it...that would be really fun to make. Music...lyrics...rhythm...so much fun.
I'm kind of tired, and we have a swim meet tomorrow, then Sunday is church, swim practice, and the movies with church, so I'm off to bed...ciao!
-Iona-
I was going third to last out of eight in our lane on the 150s freestyle, but first on the 150s odd...whee! And Emily and Josh were there...and Tina...and it was fun. Coach Kevin swam two and a quarter laps underwater...steamlined....only kicking...no breathing...crazy, but awesome. Then, I was in the front lobby after practice talking to Emily and my mom, and he did that tap - on - the - shoulder - then - go - the - other - way thing. That was out of nowhere, but it made me laugh.
Then I came home and found some new songs I want to make music videos of my friends too...One Original Thing by Cheyenne Kimball, Bring It All Back Now by S Club 7, Coming Back for More by Ashlee Simpson, and One Girl Revolution by Superchick. See what kind of dorky songs you get while surfing YouTube? But if you've ever seen any of my videos, you'll get why I like these songs. Or maybe I'll explain it to you. I'm in that kind of a mood.
One Original Thing
First of all, I just love the idea of this song. It's kind of cool - looking for something to set you apart and make you special. Isn't that what everyone really wants? The song has a great beat. It's upbeat without being too pushy, which is really what you need to keep the clips from getting too lengthy. Then, of course, there's the fact that I can picture my crazy friends doing stuff to fit the lyrics of this song.
Bring It All Back Now
Some older kids did a dance to this song in the Frisbee talent show when I was really, really little (a.k.a. second grade or younger), so it kind of makes the song more fun. It's so...I don't know, happy and cheerful and dancey. I like it. Go away.
Coming Back for More
I love the opening tune to this song. It's so...I don't know. This whole describing thing is making me hyper!!! Beware. This is song is so much about being crazy about a guy, but I could take it for being obsessed with life in general as well. Cuz we're cool like that.
One Girl Revolution
Oh, come, on, you have to see how insanely fun this music video would be. I get all excited just thinking about it...that would be really fun to make. Music...lyrics...rhythm...so much fun.
I'm kind of tired, and we have a swim meet tomorrow, then Sunday is church, swim practice, and the movies with church, so I'm off to bed...ciao!
-Iona-
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Ring Around the Moon - Post #172
There's a ring around the moon. I ran outside to see how the Christmas tree looked from the window, and I saw it. It scared me to death. It mas huge, looking like a planet was about to crash into Earth. I immediately did two things.
1. Stopped looking at it, to prevent hysterics and all.
2. Went inside and googled it.
According to Nasa's website, this is actually quite a common phenomenon. The article says:
"...it is an atmospheric effect. The ring around the Moon is caused by the reflection of Moonlight (which of course is reflected sunlight) from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. The shape of the ice crystals results in a focusing of the light into a ring. Since the ice crystals typically have the same shape, namely a hexagonal shape, the Moon ring is always the same size."
I wonder why they capitalize the 'm' in moon?
So, now I know WHY there's a ring around the moon. It doesn't make it any less freaky (comets and meteors kind of scare me too), but at least now I know why.
I tried to take a picture of the ring, but my camera didn't like it much, so here's one I found online as well. The blue sky is offline, the black one I just took. It's creepier when you're outside with your toes freezing and it's huge and right above your head and too big to take in all at one glance. That, I believe, qualifies as scary.
-Iona-
I wonder why they capitalize the 'm' in moon?
So, now I know WHY there's a ring around the moon. It doesn't make it any less freaky (comets and meteors kind of scare me too), but at least now I know why.
I tried to take a picture of the ring, but my camera didn't like it much, so here's one I found online as well. The blue sky is offline, the black one I just took. It's creepier when you're outside with your toes freezing and it's huge and right above your head and too big to take in all at one glance. That, I believe, qualifies as scary.
-Iona-
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