… “Hell” week and Finals week are coming.

That means I die a little on the inside, because I’m never fully prepared for my finals. I don’t think many people are 100% secure in theirs, but I know I certainly am not!

To recap… I have an African Music and the Diaspora class, followed by British Literature of the 20th Century, followed by Introduction of Sociology. On top of that, 1 hour of piano lessons, 1 hour of music composition lessons, Bowling, and a hour of Independent Study on Theory Pedagogy and college teaching.

Then again, I do want to graduate with a degree in music…

On top of that, I do have a guild to cooperate with temporarily; I plan on helping out my buddies at Lowered Expectations for a week or two until they have concrete raiding evenings. I owe them that much, if anything.

I’ve recently beaten Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and was pleasantly surprised by some of the game mechanics and visuals. I was not a big fan of the “if there’s an enemy, he will have 100% accuracy on Normal mode, and you will be dead very quick”, and the “everything is moving too much and everything is too loud”— I know that this is supposed to be war, but there is such thing as too much sensory overload too much of the time. It was a fun Single Player, but seeing as their Multiplayer is pretty much a cockblock, none for me.

Also, Call of Duty: World at War was fun. I played through it on the 360 with Brian on co-op, so it was neat to play it from a computer PoV… and I had much more fun with it than on the console. I hate First-Person Shooters on the consoles as there is a limited amount of sensitivity you can have in order to actually win.

Batman: Arkham Asylum was probably the most fun I’ve had so far on a game (and I still want to replay through Bioshock), and I plan on going through it again just for kicks. The “predator” aspect of the game fits very well, and the game is very punishing on trying to just charge gun-wielding baddies as you get knocked back and lose health rapidly with only one guy firing at you. The Scarecrow moments were the best parts, and even I got fooled by the “fake game crashing”— I thought I fried my PC for a moment.

—

For my piano juries, just in case anyone really cares to know, I am performing…

• Polonaise in C Minor by Chopin— my longest piece, probably will play with music.  Technically the hardest piece I have because it’s a very delicate and romantic piece and requires a bit of finesse that I don’t have sometimes depending on my wrist.
• Piano Concert in D Major by Haydn— only doing the first movement, but it’s definitely a long movement in and of itself, as the double exposition makes it super stupid long.  Can do this one by memory for sure.
• Piano Sonata III by Bartok— a contemporary and rhythmic piece that I have the best under my hands.

I’m also working on the Pathetique, which is the Beethoven sonata that is very, VERY familiar for its middle section and last section for most theory courses.

My Senior Recital will involve a Chopin block (Nocturne, Polonaise, and Waltz), a Haydn block (the entire concerto), and the Bartok block (I, III, and IV… possibly II if I can get it in)… a break, then some of my compositions (so far, two mallet ensemble pieces, but I plan on having a piano piece, a solo marimba piece, and a woodwind quintet piece).  I’ll use these compositions for graduate school applications.

Stupid music career is getting in the way of my vidja games!  >:O

(Not rly.)

Insurmountable.  Impossible.  Or at least very, very difficult.  I have been charged with the task of coming up with a complete costume design for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream.  Those of you who know me recognize that this should be, perhaps, the coolest homework assignment ever.  “Should be” being the key phrase there.  Under normal circumstances, it would be, but these are not normal circumstances.  I have three weeks to design them.  “Three weeks,” you say, “that should be easy.”  But you forget, perhaps, that I have much more on my plate then merely designing 27+ costumes.  I have, after all, four more classes on top of Costume Design.  And they all have their fair share of end of the semester projects.  I also have to design the costumes of four characters from Romeo and Juliet.  This was changed, of course, at the last-minute, from designing four costumes to designing the complete set of costumes for four characters.  This, as you may realize, presents a much more complicated problem.  Juliet, for example, should really have at least four costumes: the masquerade, her pajamas, her day clothes, and her burial clothes.  In an act of utter rebellion, which is actually out of character for me [when it comes to homework assignments, at leat], I’m saying “fuck it.”  As far as I’m concerned, Juliet only has one outfit, wears a simple black mask to the ball, and sleeps in the nude.

Then I also have to do the scene design for Romeo and Juliet, which I’m sure will be changed on us at the last-minute.  As it stands now, we only have to design the scenery for one scene, but I’m sure it’ll be changed to the whole play, or something.  And to cap off my Fundies of Design class I have to make a winter kite.  No, I don’t have any idea what that is either, so don’t bother asking.  I’ve never even flown a kite, let alone made one; that should make the whole experience just that much more fun [please not the heavy sarcasm].  I have a scene to direct for Directing, which is being presented two weeks from yesterday.  I still don’t have my third actor and I have no idea when I’m going to find time to rehearse.  To make that whole process more fun, I also have to do a production pitch, which as far as I can tell, is going to result in me having to create yet another concept of design.  Yay…..not.

Moving on to my other major, I have a paper to write for American Lit. that’s due two weeks from Wednesday and a major final to study for, that will take place three weeks from yesterday and is thankfully my only real final.  And of course, all the readings I’m supposed to be doing.  I’m hoping the knowledge I gleaned from 12th grade Humanities will be enough to help me BS my way through the end of the semester.

Then there’s Italian, which I am suspiciously not failing.  I’m supposed to be going into the Language Teaching Center to work on the Rosetta Stone software, but I haven’t really had time and when I went to do it on Wednesday, the LTC was closed.  Go figure.  We also have a test coming up, which I’m not at all prepared for and we’re going to have to write a paper.  In Italian.  I don’t know enough Italian to write a paper!

And I’m already behind on everything because I had the swine flu last week.  That’s right, dear reader, I had the H1N1 flu, and let me tell you, it sucked.  I was sick for a week, couldn’t eat solid foods for four days, everything hurt, I had a fever, chills, a cough, absolutely no energy.  Not fun stuff.  So I missed a week of class and now November is basically over.

I had my first breakdown today.  Not first one ever, not even of this semester (those have been happening fairly regularly), but of this whole Insurmountable Task episode.  I sat on my bed, pathetically sobbing, because I have too much to do and I’m being a horrible best friend.  And then I was sobbing harder, because all I could think was “if I’m such a horrible best friend, how can I ever hope to get a boyfriend?”  By horrible best friend, I really just mean neglectful, because I’ve been so busy.  But Doc is very good with guilt trips, so I feel awful [which will inevitably just make me mad at him for making me miserable and then mad at myself for being mad at him when I am being neglectful, though justifiably so].  Meanwhile my cat was sitting in my lap, trying to comfort me with her purring as I drenched her ears in big, sloppy tears.  She’s a very tolerant cat when you’re upset.  And then I realized how pathetic it was that I was sitting in my bed with my cat, crying about how stressed and lonely I am, which only made me cry harder.  But I eventually stopped crying and took my dog for a walk and then came back up here, feeling a bit better.

So now I’m ready to begin this nearly insurmountable task and I will hopefully not have been institutionalized at the end of it.

Here goes nothing….

You’ve found me!
I’ve tossed this website out to friends and family alike.
Not all of you will be interested but now you know it’s here if you ever feel like a look-see!
If you fall into the ‘friend’ category, I’m just gonna go ahead and say keep the comments relatively PG, and know that I’m trying to keep this a relatively family-friendly blog.
If you fall into the ‘family’ category and have now gotten nervous from reading the above, you’ll hear all the stories, there isn’t much to leave out, this is definitely going to keep you up-to-date, I just know that there are somethings you wouldn’t mind missing out on. ‘Cause we all know I’m the type to dance on tables and cause a scene. Diane the exhibitionist they call me.
Kidding! but we all get the idea so lets figure this out…
=]

Oh! but one last note before we start, the header photo you see above is taken from our cruise of Loch Ness. Definitely didn’t expect it to be so gorgeous, but can’t say I minded one bit.

I’m realizing that my updating ritual has essentially dwindled down to nothing. And though I don’t have any great excuses I’ve somehow managed to get to December without creating a blog to document the year. This is something I’m beginning to quite regret. So I will start today. Well, I’ll be honest, it is 2:51am  so I will start ‘this morning’ (no class on Fridays, not to worry). Seeing as my journal has become more of a to-do-list/book I figure I need a better way of keeping track of the year, and this way I can share it with all of youuuu! That’s right, no more waiting on Diane’s bi-monthly emails, in comes the blog to save the day! I’ve been studying for what feels like a month but probably boils down to 7hours or so, and I need a small distraction.
So here it begins. A delayed recount of Diane, abroad.

Please check back regularly. I plan to post at the very least once a week. I can’t yet predict what you’ll be reading, but it’ll either be about silly things around the apartment I feel are worthy of remembering, or my adventures about the town/region/country/continent. =] Sorry, I like to think big.

If you’re reading this, and have gotten THIS far, you’re probably one of those people I love mosttt and please know that I most definitely miss you right now. As I study for my Monday final and work out my 4 projects due over the next 2 weeks, know that I’m thinking of you – though maybe not as much as Jean de La Fontaine – and that I will try to keep my posts as regular as possible.

Now, I’m still new to WordPress so I’m working out the kinks, but you should be able to leave me comments on any of these if such is your desire, I’m just not yet sure, that if I were to reply to those, you would get a notice. We will explore and I will update!

And here’s a quick picture, as a sneak peek! I’m well aware that I haven’t yet let anyone in on my Ireland/Scotland adventure and this will soon be changed. Please note the guest-appearance from behind the glass. =]
Much love, and sorry for the MASSIVE delay
Diane.

Temple Bar, Dublin

The AP is reporting that the legendary professional Basketball player Allen Iverson is set to announce his retirement from the N.B.A. Iverson , a former Most Valuable Player for the N.B.A. has been in the league since the 1996 season, in which he was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Iverson

He played with the Sixers for 10 years. During his tenure he was Rookie of the Year, League MVP, 2x All-Star MVP, and led the league in scoring for four years. After his rookie season, during which he led the 76ers in points, assists and minutes, Iverson was named the 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year and was a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

The 10-time All-Star played three games this season with Memphis before taking a leave of absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides agreed to part ways.

The New York Knicks considered signing Iverson last week after he cleared waivers, before deciding he would take too much playing time away from younger players they are trying to develop.

With no apparent interest from any other NBA teams, Allen Iverson is set to retire.

Iverson will always be credited for popularizing the streetball style move called the cross-over, and for his exciting tricky aggressive driving style of play.

He was never the tallest on the floor, just the most dangerous player that always wanted the ball.

Allen Iverson is a sho-in for the Hall of Fame, and I suspect that he can still run with the best of them, given a team that can design their plays to allow Iverson to shoot at will.

I personally enjoyed the years I got to watch him compete in the NBA, and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future.

Thanks for the 100 percent effort Allen Iverson…you were worth watching and you will be missed.

Read the full story here…

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPZfEWbAiIKgjsNDLhC1jiVSsJZAD9C78M580

What is called Economics in my school is actually a form of disguise of two related and equally frustrating subjects: Economics and Accounting. It didn’t use to be merged into one name like this when I was in tenth grade — oh how time has changed everything *drama queen mode: on*. Anyway, the full story is…

The day started pretty smoothly… until I found out that the school’s gate had been closed, meaning I was late. I freaked out when the teachers told me I had to stay in the detention room for 15 minutes as punishment, but then I got over it and used the… uhm… opportunity, if you will, to review all the things I’d studied last night.

I’m very thankful too that, even with 15 minutes removed, the exam proved to be fairly manageable to do. The multiple choice section for Economics and Accounting ranged from easy to medium in terms of difficulty — maybe it’s partly because somehow, prior to the exam, I had guessed correctly what kinds of questions were going to be asked. The essay thingies, however, are killer stuff for someone as careless and detail-ignorant like me. It’s not that I didn’t know how to solve the problems, it’s just that, being me, 88 divided by 22 equals 44 more often than it does equal 4 “-.- I know, pathetic right? And here’s to my dad’s ambition of me entering University of Melbourne’s Business School! Mwahahaha. Sorry Dad. Sorry God.

All in all, I think getting a 75% is more than possible for this one =]

On to Indonesian and History, now. Ciao!

Attachment: a photo for y’all. Inspired by the rain.

Waiting.

You would have to go all the way back to the first season of Dancing With the Stars to find a Final Round that didn’t feature an athlete. One could argue about the athletic status of Helio Castroneves in Season 5 – he unquestionably participates in a sport, but it is not a sport that automatically conveys the physical advantages enjoyed by the likes of Apolo Ohno and Shawn Johnson.

But with its mix of dangerous bloat and brilliant flourishes within that bloat, you could call this DWTS’s Fat Elvis Season. That considered, it is fitting that we have an All-Entertainers Finale. All three surviving contenders know the spotlight well. All three surviving contenders, it must be admitted, have danced for a paying audience prior to their participation. But we have had the opportunity to watch them grow, sweat, and suffer, as well as reveal something of themselves through the performance gauntlet.

No one came in guaranteed a spot in this showdown. Donny recovered from more than one mistake-riddled performance, bouncing back stronger each time. Kelly has taken a sense of self-worth that looked like a small lump of cherry Jell-O, and somehow blossomed into an emotive, charismatic, shockingly poised young woman on the floor. And Mýa has written a textbook on how to work this show to win it; eschewing all drama, carrying herself with modest, quiet confidence, and standing toe-to-toe with her professional partner and earning a hearing for her opinions. Past winning pros like Cheryl and Derek have been able to carry partners across the finish line. Barring the kind of self-destruction of which she has betrayed no hint all season, Mýa looks like she’ll carry herself; and Dmitry, with her.

So we finally get a 90-minute competition night – it’s not really any relief, since tomorrow is the plus-sized Season Finale. Even with some conspicuously long commercial breaks, and our Finalists performing three dances a piece, it would have taken some God’a-mighty padding to fill that last half-hour. I would never say they’re incapable of it, nor reluctant to do it. But we have been spared.

KELLY OSBOURNE/LOUIS VAN AMSTEL – Argentine Tango – 26/30

We’re treated to an extended montage before each couples’ first routine; wherein we review their journey to the Finals. Kelly’s memory does not offer much insight – apparently she felt joyful when she did well, and felt really terrible when she messed up. The video does better to remind us just how she has matured. Carrie Ann drops in on rehearsal to teach Kelly how to appear hot-and-bothered in Louis’s arms for the Tango. And I would happily make a joke about that, but it sure seems to have been the secret to taking Kelly to the next level. This Argentine Tango is her sharpest, sexiest, most overpowering dance of the season by any rational measure. She and Louis merge in performance to a greater degree than ever before. That newfound speed she teased us with last week has her feet cracking like whips; and she is doing things without even looking like she’s thinking about them that would have made her quit the contest two months ago rather than attempt. At least one of Mýa’s challengers has just declared that this contest isn’t over.

Freestyle – 24/30

Kelly’s freestyle rehearsal really encapsulates her season – she’s injured, she’s unsure, she has body issues, she’s teasing Louis; then, gradually, she trusts him and she tries. She’s right to mock Louis’s street dancing, though – I have seen it many times and he always looks like a goober. Doing a disco queen boogie to “I Will Survive” is just as much a microcosm – there are mistakes, and laughs, and moments of glorious confidence and fun. You can actually see a wordless conversation happening between her and Louis as they stumble, shake it off, and decide together to grin their way through it. That makes it feel alive and immediate. It’s far from perfect, and yet it’s triumphant because she’s not apologizing or beating herself up. Kelly of Week One never knew she could be this bold.

MÝA/DMITRY CHAPLIN – Paso Doble – 30/30

Mýa’s look-back montage focuses heavily on her contentious encounters with Len at scoring time. With hindsight, it’s clear that a good share of the tough love was intended for Dmitry, so he would lay off the gimmicks and really use Mýa’s incredible assets properly. Mýa responded noticeably better to the nearly-abusive underscoring than the pro. When Len enters the studio for pointers, he immediately assumes the role of demanding teacher, and Mýa likes it like catnip. If she has any weakness, it’s that no one’s sure what her upper limit is in terms of power and out-and-out ferocity. This paso doble is absolutely designed to test that, and you can see her reaching for it. She has to make up some of the muscle gap with attitude and swagger; but she has plenty of that. Impressive, and admirable considering how far afield it is from her more-familiar routines. The audience is happily on their feet again. Looking like there’s going to be a lot of that going around. And the judges bring out the straight 10’s – even Mýa looks surprised by that.

Freestyle – 27/30

You can see Mýa’s eyes gleam as she talks about throwing all pretense of safety out the window with her freestyle. She wants to “make history”. Dmitry tries to speak softly through his terror and recommends something conventional. In the end, she defers to his choice, and then commits to pushing for the most challenging choreography available within it. That they did all this calmly sitting on the floor illustrates what has made them different from the other couples throughout. He creates a jive/jitterbug hybrid to “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray; and it’s remarkable how far away this is from what Mýa does best. We live for those tight flicks and those lusciously-disciplined limbs; as energetically and perfectly as she bops and grins, it just doesn’t rouse like we know she can, like we know she SHOULD in her freestyle. I’m typing this before the judges say what they think – I think Dmitry let her down again, and she should have done things her way. They actually agree with me, and deal out the grumpiest set of straight 9’s you ever saw.

DONNY OSMOND/KYM JOHNSON – Cha-cha-cha – 27/30

Donny’s survival instinct took over the moment he couldn’t beat the judges with personality in Week One. Even now, as he watches his old performances, he’s criticizing the technique. His determination to fight against his age and bad posture habits probably contributed a lot to the loyalty of his fan base – they could see him working beyond the threshold to earn their esteem. Bruno is the chosen guest tutor for the week, and you have to think some executive in the bowels of ABC is hoping to spin their unexpected goof-off chemistry into a sitcom called “The Mormon and the Queen” or something. Donny’s cha-cha isn’t deliriously fast, nor complex, but after an awkward start it is as smooth as the disco beat under it. Donny is doing his best sly strut and having fun at it – if he missed a move here or there, he’s not going to tell you about it right now. It’s a really inviting dance, working the crowd like’s always known to, but with impeccable posture and musicality now to round it out. Carrie Ann’s bringing the flirty giggle back! And for Donny, of all people. Has she only just noticed that he’s been improving his hips for weeks?

Freestyle – 30/30

Now when Donny and Kym say they’re doing Broadway, I consider it the right call. It’s the word that unifies all Donny’s best qualities and gives him the strongest chance to do something memorable. He and Kym have a different, but no less effective, relationship than Mýa and Dmitry; Donny is far more deferential, but also wears his passion on his sleeve, which Kym knows what to do with. You can immediately see the difference in excitement between his routine and Mýa’s – he is such a natural for tux and tails, and he shows so much humor and savoir faire as he and Kym high-step their way through “Back in Business”, one of Stephen Sondheim’s Dick Tracy tunes. This brings him full circle – in Week One he had showmanship cold, but had no technique. Now he is the fully-formed dancer version of himself, and just made his best argument for an upset. The first non-Mýa 30 score of the season won’t hurt either.

Megamix Challenge – All Contenders – Viennese Waltz, Samba, and Jive

Humphrey Bogart once said about the Oscars “The only way to find the best actor would be to let everybody play Hamlet and let the best man win.” This didn’t stop him from accepting the Oscar he won; but it is a surprise that it has taken this long for the DWTS producers to pit the contenders against one another with identical choreography. Season 2 and 3 pro Nick Kosovich has the task of crafting a routine that will pass through three different styles; the rehearsal footage focuses primarily on Kelly freaking out and feeling unworthy compared with Mýa, and Donny feeling uncomfortably old. Even the segment editors assume there will be no drama with Mýa.

The dance segments are so brief; for a non-professional eye, it is difficult to focus long enough on any one couple to learn anything useful. Mýa is as polished and on-the-beat as ever, but doesn’t grab the spotlight – Donny and Kym have the benefit of the center floor position and the bright-red outfits to draw the eye; plus he is doing the man’s half of the choreography, so it’s not even a complete side-by-side comparison. He presents the most personality, while Kelly just looks discombobulated after her elegant share of the waltz. Conceptually there’s promise to this idea (much in the way they had the finalists design different routines for an identical song back in Season Three), but in this version, for voters I fear this will simply serve to reinforce already-held opinions.

3rd Place, 26 points: Kelly/Louis (total 76/90)
2nd Place, 28 points: Donny/Kym (total 85/90)
1st Place, 30 points: Mýa/Dmitry (total 87/90)

Next up: The Grand Finale!

To celebrate the Holidays I am going to post a free winning pick for every day of the week starting on Thanksgiving and going all the way to Sunday. I will also post some great sportsbook bonus so you can take advantage of some of the best in the business! Take time out to be thankful for everything in life and remember the troops that can’t be home on Thanksgiving.

Want all of my top rated plays for this week for free? Just sign up and play at any sponsor and you get them all for free! Email me at mregaw@yahoo.com for the plays!

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

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Free Pick for Thursday November 26th, Turkey day!

Texas @ Texas A& M

Texas has already clinched the Big 12 South and will play Nebraska in the

Happy Holidays!

Championship game but they can’t afford to get caught napping here. This will be no problem for Texas as they are focused on going to the Championship game after the loss last year that put them out. Texas A&M has flopped in six of nine as dogs of 20 points or more and in 10 of 12 ATS off a home win. The Longhorns have scored at least 41 points in their four previous road games this season. They are 23-12-2 ATS in November and get a blowout win here.

Play: Texas -21

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Free Pick for Friday November 27th

Alabama @ Auburn

Auburn enters this game with revenge after getting blanked last year. Alabama is going to the SEC Championship game against Florida so this game is a warm up. The Tigers have covered seven of 11 against Alabama and the home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five showdowns. The Crimson Tide dropped nine of 13 ATS when giving up more than 11 points on the highway. Auburn will not win but they will keep it close.

Play: Auburn +10

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Free Pick for Saturday November 28th

Arkansas @ LSU

The loss for LSU was a tough one that will linger over to this week. Arkansas has pulled off the upset against LSU the last two seasons. The Razorbacks are 11-6 as road dogs and the visitor is 6-3 in the past nine meetings. The Tigers are 2-14 as SEC home favorites and they have floundered in 27 of 34 ATS at Baton Rouge in November. Arkansas knows hwo to beat LSU and will do it again.

Play: Arkansas +3.5

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Free Pick For Sunday November 29th

Indianapolis @ Houston
Houston will be playing on a short week and they have to get Chris Brown in the right mindset for this game. Houston has cashed eight straight as home dogs and won six of those eight SU, the only two losses at the hands of the Colts by a total of four points. The Colts have struggled within the division, dropping 14 of 21 ATS, while the Texans are 6-2 at Reliant Stadium versus AFC-South citizens. Indianapolis has won six of seven at Houston, but failed in five of seven ATS. Houston finally gets the win against the Colts.

Play: Houston +3

I hope when he wakes up he can teach me a thing or two about Economics and Accounting for my final exam tomorrow.

Now you wonder who’s really more prepared. I don’t blame you.

 

finals coffee house

Originally uploaded by redroofventures

The college ministry at First Evan Church has a pretty cool idea. During finals week they host a late night coffee house. Just a place where students can come and hangout, drink coffee and worry if they studied enough This is the shirt they provided.

So this week I will be preparing for finals, no thanksgiving for me thank you. But I will say I am prepared to start this studying train …. I have put my personal life on hold… and need to disable facebook because yes I have a problem. THen I will start to study for my first finals ever…as a 1L law student… Yikes I’m nervous. What if my exam soft doesn’t work. Speaking of, I have a Mac and if you are a law student at many universities you have come to discover that macs are not compatible with the exam soft system… yes so you either have  to get boot camp and have windows on your computer, get a new computer, or write your exams. I have decided to borrow a computer, and man was it a head ache to try to get it to work. The IT guys are NO help, and me because the computer retard as I am started to panic, all because I didn’t know the password to the main name on the computer and neither did the owner… so basically my friend saved the day by re-loading the computer… and making it lose everything that was on it before… hence taking away the password, bingo… after leaving the computer in the library which the librarian that is always nice was bitchy, I went to class came back finished the reboot… and took it to the IT guy and then downloaded exam soft SUCESS, can we say thank jesus that worked. Finally something after going wrong first went perfectly right.  Now I am off to study civ pro, and hopefully be prepared to ace my final.

Love,

More positive happy 1L student

It’s Hell week!!

Even though it’s my second Fall semester, I don’t remember having had so many projects and tests clumped together last year.  This year in the span of one week I had/have 3 tests and 2 final projects due.  It doesn’t seem too bad of a situation, at least not unless I tell you that all 3 tests were on the same day and that I’ve been procrastinating on those projects! =X

Strangely enough, I’m actually looking forward to one of the projects: compressing a picture by converting it to a matrix and then doing the Singular Value Decomposition.  The other project is just a simple Blackjack game I’ll try to implement with a queue, but I’m more nervous than excited about it.

Also, I’ve managed to always write on days that are multiples of four.  I promise it’s not being done deliberately.

There is nothing exclusive about having a cup of Nescafe in the morning. It’s not Starbucks or any other big bucks coffee, but get this: I don’t normally include drinking coffee in my daily to-do list. So why am I doing it today, you ask? Well, the finals are creeping around the corner, and starting from now on, I will have to study myself to death, even if no napping and staying up very, very late are required. Yeah right, like I could do that. HAHAHA. Wish me luck ;]

The seasons mend their ruin as they go,
For in the spring the narciss shows its head
Nor withers till the rose has flamed to red,
And in the autumn purple violets blow,
And the slim crocus stirs the winter snow;
Wherefore yon leafless trees will bloom again
And this grey land grow green with summer rain
And send up cowslips for some boy to mow.
But what of life whose bitter hungry sea
Flows at our heels, and gloom of sunless night
Covers the days which never more return?
Ambition, love and all the thoughts that burn
We lose too soon, and only find delight
In withered husks of some dead memory.

- Desespoir, Oscar Wilde

The MBE is

• General Tips
• 3 Step Approach for the MBE
• 6 Step Approach for the MBE
• 6 Step Approach to for the MBE

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Even for 3L’s, law school exams could create confusion and anxiety. This professor talks about the biggest pitfalls he sees in law school exams.

The Daily 49er discussed the University Library opening hours during the final week at:

http://www.daily49er.com/news/library-to-stay-open-all-hours-of-finals-week-1.2090295

One of the concerns that I see is a potential “rave” at midnight–a ritual/celebration that happens at many state universities. I post here a video clip just to demonstrate this phenomenon:

at UNC Chapel Hill

Today is a quiet day.  Not in all appearences, however.  The halls fill with students, rushing to their next lecture, lounging on the plush couches that scatter the typical arts building lobby;  eating lunches,  meandering on their way to meet friends for a rather burnt but satisfying £2 coffee.  Yet, sitting at a computer automatically renders one an ‘off-limits’ person.  There is the universally understood rule that you never disturb a typing college student, unless previously given invasion rights.  So, in this world it is quiet and the outside just flows around you; you’re not disturbing it, only changing its course. 

Snatches of conversation invade one’s musings, or the searching the cheapest memory boosters – as exams loom in the very near future.  Though the reality check that is as cold as the winter winds that have set in for the duration, will wait another week.  Studying is still a vague thought of the future, as the library braces itself for the onslaught of students it will see over the next three weeks.  A revision week will find the library achingly empty, as students take those glorious 10 days to travel, sleep in, and relax.  Studying can wait.  Until the week of the exam arrives, and suddenly one waits for hours to enter the stuffy halls of the over-packed reference section.   Study groups massing on every flat surface and in every quiet room that can still be found.

But why would one wait that long?  Who should bother with staying up all night, memorizing the sequence of events that lead up the completion of a publically commisioned fresco?  Do it now, while there are still open spaces amongst the books that will reveal all the answers to you.  But again, why bother?  Your odds of finding a study buddy, or someone who’s taken that exam before, exponentially increase the later into crunch time it gets.  Despite studies showing that cramming is not the way to learn – we aren’t trying to learn – we’re trying to memorize, for the duration of the next 24 hours.  And besides, if you actually went to lectures (ahem), you wouldn’t need to cram – you’ll merely spend the day refreshing your memory – no worries.

We all study as well as we can, desipte the professor’s cautionary tale that we will need to pledge a vow of undying loyalty to the library.  Perhaps for the simple reason that if you know how to study – what works for YOU – you don’t need an excess of words and a lack of sunshine for 2 weeks.   If you need absolute silence vs. soothing classical music, or the stiff desk chair vs. a squishy sofa, then so be it.  And if you have to spend 2 weeks vs. 2 hrs.  in the library, then do what helps you best.  Even if that includes a weekend trip to a foreign country 2 days before the exam.  (more on that later…) 

The ebb and flow of student life is marked by time.  Not the standard passing of time that the majority of the adult world operate in.  Students, as adults, lead life in their own unique time zone.  Where years last ‘nine months’ (who knew??), and an hour is ‘50 minutes’ (why does the world make everything shorter??), and weeks are defined by their weekends.  The cheapest cup of coffee, the cheapest flights, and the easiest profs define the life of a student.  And the world wonders why we operate differently – haven’t the world maps been updated?  There’s a new time zone now: College.

The BATB2 has now come to an end, and the winner is Chris Cole!! The last battle was epic, and it was a very close match.

Go check out the Final Battle.

The results of the BATB2 are

1. Chris Cole
2. P-Rod
3. Cory Kennedy
4. Torey Pudwill

…that planet Earth turns slowly.

Time flies, whether or not you’re having fun.  This is the extent of what I’ve learned this semester.  Just kidding, but time really does fly.

It’s about that time.  Finals.  <sigh>  I’m feeling OK about things this semester, but I’d rather just get them over with early than wait until the last week, quite literally, of finals to take the majority of my finals.  My last exam will finish at 10pm on 12/17.  Yep, not a typo.  10PM.  I already informed my sister that I will not be giving her a ride the next morning.  I plan on sleeping in and watching Saved By the Bell.

So, what’s getting me through the 2 days of class and work I have this week?  Hmm, maybe the fact that Thanksgiving is this Thursday!  The family from Kansas is coming up and I have the entire weekend off of work.  Life is great.  I am eager to impress all of the Persings with my culinary skills.  I get to ‘make’ the Green Bean Casserole, but it’s so easy that it doesn’t count.  In addition to the casserole, I will attempt to make Brie en Croute (with cranberries, almonds, and raspberry jam) and caramel apple pie.  An appetizer, side dish, and dessert.  Yumm!  (Added bonus, the brie happens to be on sale at Target this week.  Score!)  I can’t wait to see the Black Friday ads in the paper (not that I’m going to do much shopping on Friday…).  I love Thanksgiving!

By this time next week, I hope to have my outlines pretty much completed, my ADR final paper on its way to done, and to be in bed.  So until then, back to work.

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.

~Theodore Roosevelt

Finals are quickly approaching for us college students, and usually that means lots of time in the library and plenty of sitting.  Usually this is a time when we get so busy, we let our health fall off track.  It is easy to keep up a healthy day-to-day regimen while still getting all of your studying and papers completed.  Another plus is that exercise and a balanced diet will give you more energy and keep your head clear during this stressful time.

Eating

Don’t let your eating habits slip because of time crunches and stress.  Stress is an emotion that can trigger hunger, even when it is not necessary.  To avoid emotional eating, fill your stomach up with lots of protein and fiber rich foods that will prevent hunger and give you plenty of energy for your study sessions.  Some foods to load up on for the week:

• Dried fruits- raisins, prunes, etc
• Nuts- especially almonds and walnuts
• Dark chocolate (don’t overdo it)
• Lots and lots of water!

Exercise

It’s easy to think you won’t have any time to exercise during finals.  Consider the time that you’ll spend sitting at a computer, watching t.v., listening to music, etc, and not studying.  All of this time could be spent getting a little workout into your day.  If you go to the gym, even to get a short workout in, bring some notecards or study guides with you to review while your on a bike or eliptical machine.  The time you spend at the gym is well worth it.  You’ll feel good about your workout later, and the energy it will give you will help you study later.

Don’t want to go to the gym?  Take a walk.  Clear your mind with some fresh air while getting a little cardio exercise in.  Too cold outside?  Raining? No problem!  Do some quick exercises at home.  Find videos on youtube or do your regular routine.  Now would be a good time to try some yoga or pilates to calm your body and focus your mind.

The most important thing is to not let the stress get the best of you.  By keeping a happy, healthy, and clear body and mind you can keep the stress from building too much.

Do you think you let stress get the best of you during finals?

photo credit:  flickr

It’s Thanksgiving break!

That means that I get to spend time with the family, the kid, and some family members who come in from out of town.

Yay!!!!

And all I have to work on is two presentations, a paper and about three dozen insects to sort through.

Seriously…I love insects, I really do. They were my first introduction to science and they have some of THE coolest adaptations to life on earth.

Did you know that some Chironomids can actually survive being freeze-dried?

Did you know that some male parasitoid wasps need to develop as parasitoids inside female wasps…eventually killing them?

Did you know that the viruses which disable the immune systems of caterpillars infested by braconid and ichneumonid wasps actually do this by forcing the caterpillar to produce proteins which mimic proteins used in innate immunity and downregulate the immune system by tricking it into thinking nothing at all’s happening?

They’re the most incredible animals on earth!

But, honestly…taking 17 hours at a time sucks. It SUUUUCKS! I can’t say that enough.

Still, though…it’s really rewarding. Like when you look over your grades from one of your classes and realize that you’ve only missed one point in the whole damn lab. Or when you bring up a random subject like codon bias and make one of your professors think of something they never realized before.

Or when a girl in class is waiting for a moth to hatch from her pupa and gets an ichneumonid wasp instead, and you turn dissapointment into wonder by explaining what exactly just happened (from oviposition to eclosion, no less).

Or when you become the life of a party by explaining malaria’s role in maintaining sickle-cell anemia through the heterozygote advantage after drinking half a bottle of Jager.

Then, you realize exactly how incredible everything is all over again.

This semester’s been a lot of fun, but it’s been a lot of work. I’ve been religiously observing no-sleep Tuesdays and Three-Hour Nap Wednesdays. I have absolutely no idea how I’ve kept going, but I have…and it’s been working (kind of).

After this week, I have three weeks of school. Then I start my last semester at Iowa State. I don’t know what I’m going to do after I graduate yet…I’m either going to graduate school or applying for vector biology jobs in Florida.

We’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, check out this post about Wolbachia at The Butterfly Diaries! It links back to one of my older posts at my old blogspot blog. Probably not my best science writing, as it was mainly a practice blog…but that’s not necessarily for me to decide. Read it, see what you think.

Oh…and something I never explained in the post they link to: The Toll proteins.

The Toll proteins are proteins which float around in the cytoplasm of a cell bound to each other. When they hit something like bacterial lipopolysaccharide, they separate and move to the nucleus and act as transcription factors for genes involved in various immune system pathways. Insects actually have very similar systems and this part of the immune system is very highly conserved.

Anyways, there’s your weekly smattering of my brainpan onto the interwebs. Enjoy!

Oh…and for the record, I am actually working on something awesome.