Biology Majors RULE

From today's XKCD:


YES!
YES!
YES!

- Jonathan

Wait, What Happened?

It's happened so fast- I haven't even had to to think since it began- I am in Seussical.


So perhaps I should start with from the beginning. Yes, that seems prudent. Well, it all began in a hazy misadventurous conception of potentially trying out for the spring musical, Seussical. Tuesday, the first day of auditions fell on top of me like a ton of bricks in much a similar fashion that the one ton anvil from ACME Inc fell on Wiley Coyote. I found myself, suddenly, thrust into an audition process where anxiety ran through me like the cable cars in San Fransisco, dictating my actions and movements.

The first audition (as it is a two day audition, providing to chances to humiliate yourself thoroughly) went as well as it could have as I sang (I think I sang better then than I have even in my life). Then the directors turned to me and asked me which monologue I had prepared. S.O.B.- I had to have a monologue?! the thoughts raced through my mind. I quickly explained to them that I wasn't aware that those seeking no major role, so a chorus role, would have to have a monologue ready since they wouldn't have any lines anyway. No bother! they exclaimed. One of them suggested I try the Pledge of Allegiance in "character." Oh shit. So I tried. And I should be deported for my performance, seeing as I COMPLETELY BOTCHED THE SINGLE PLEDGE I'VE MADE NEARLY EVERYDAY FOR MY PUBLIC SCHOOL CAREER. I panicked, bid them a good-day, and rushed out of the room and left promptly, certain that they had been stifling laughs while my back turned the corner out of the room.

The second day, if at all possible, was more disastrous than the first. We were taught a dance in two hours (the boys and the girls each taught a slightly different dance). Then, three at a time, we were sent up to the gallows/stage where they would judge us. To make things worse, they asked that we do the same dance twice. I failed. Utterly. No single performance has ever made me so ashamed of my self as did that little dance.

However, half a rotation of the Earth later, I discovered that I had been "called-back". This perplexed me, not only because I had honestly done so horribly that I wanted to melt into the backdrop of the stage, but because I had already told them that I had no aspirations of having a principle role with any lines. However, there was my name, clear as charcoal on a clean slate of glass, written up on the wall, for the part of "Mr. Mayor". Given two hours, I frantically memorized the part, tried to find a suitable yet manageable character voice, and then learn, 30 minutes to go, that I also had to learn a new song. Shit. So I did, frantically. I went second because the girl that wanted to go first decided that I should be her husband for the scene. Great. I began strong, in a great character voice, and then something miraculous happened- I, Jonathan, who has memorized 250 digits of pi, can recite numerous telephone numbers of his friends', and creates mnemonic devices which have helped an entire class to pass an exam, began to forget my lines. My neurons were acting out the cubical-ed office anarchy sketch portrayed in countless movies, where the tallest structures were upturned chairs and important papers were being shredded. Of course, in this case, one of those important papers being shredded was the monologue I was supposed to have memorized. Fortunately, my "wife" for the scene helped me along in a very golden-anniversary type moment, finishing my sentences for me, helping me to pick back up the lost steam (as it was a very mad monologue) and continue to chew out our nonexistent child. Again, despite having a mulligan, my singing went far better than my acting.

So, despite more than 24 hours elapsing, the Cast List has not been posted online, as it had be promised. However, a few hours ago, a friend called me to congratulate me on getting the part for Mr. Mayor. Needless to say, I was stunned, but I recovered quickly, finding out that, indeed, I had been selected for the part I was called-back for, and that it would have a quite a few lines.


So, in the span of three days, I have effectively lost all chance of maintaining a social life in January (since rehearsals are nearly everyday), but have probably gained a dozen and a half new friends, and inherited a whole bunch of anxiety. But hey- it's all worth it. =]

- Jonathan

Key Lime Frustration 2

Oh- and I burned half of what I baked.


=(

- Jonathan

Key Lime Frustration

Whenever I'm stressed out, bummed, or sad- I bake.


Today I baked about 10 lbs worth of food.

- Jonathan

Oh What A Harry Situation

Halloween is 12 days, 2 hours, and 38 minutes away. Shit.

Here's what has to happen:

• 12 of my friends have to come to a location yet to be determined, fully costumed, early on Halloween
• On the 25th, a half dozen of said friends must come over to make their wands for the event
• The rest of them will have to do it at some other time (yet to be determined) or have someone else make it for them
• I have to make a fire shooting wand from scratch
• I have to finish up the UV light wand
• I have to wait for the UV invisible ink marker to arrive and then draw footprints all over the Marauder's Map
• I have to sand, paint, and draw on Phil's (Draco Malfoy) Nimbus 2001
• I also have to give it its signature twig tail and stand (still not made)
  
• Need a place to host this with LOTS of kids ages 2-12

So that's everything I could think of that's left. I've done a ton already and that just represents what's on my mind for right now.

S T R E S S

- Jonathan

Up To Speed

Alright- get ready for a seemingly unending assault of updates on the various facets of my life. Don't say I didn't warn you..


Today, while taking what is notoriously referred to as a mental health day (it's when you skip school because you feel like you'd rather have an unexcused absence than have to face seven periods of torture), I got quite a bit accomplished on the Harry Potter Halloween props!

I am 90% done with sculpting the head of the Nimbus 2001 broomstick for Phil, and I must say- I am doing a damn fine job on it. All that remains to do on the Nimbus, after I finish the head, is to (potentially) lacquer it, paint it shiny black, make a super aerodynamic and trimmed tail of twigs, spray paint the tail, assemble the tail clasp band, assemble and paint the faux stand, and finally do the lettering on the head of the broom. So I'm like 60% done. Honestly.

I also got Aragog up and running, so he's nearly done. I just need to devise a better system to strapping him down to the car so that I can still access the batteries, or I'll just have to keep them fresh until the day of an just strap him in place with no room to access the batteries. Complicated.

Buffy still needs a pulley and rope, but otherwise she's good to go.

I have a party scheduled for the 25th of this month where everyone will come over and make their own wands. I'm really excited, because this is usually a lot of fun! I need to start assembling and stripping down lengths of wood though, and I need to buy more colors of lacquer, more super glue, and also find appropriate winding or other handle material. I have my work cut out for me. I still need to find a play to host this thing.. whoops. I'll just figure that out when they come over.


My unhealthy Apple addiction is about to get a whole lot worse. This Tuesday (being the 14th of October, 2008), they will release a new line of updated MacBooks, MacBook Pros and so on, so forth. I keep catching myself thinking that it's Monday and that the new Macs are coming out tomorrow. It's sort of debilitating because it means that I can't focus for anything more than five minutes. Bummer. =]


I am getting, however slowly, better at composing simple melodies on these chord progressions I keep coming up with. Last week I wrote some basic Halloween inspired music and yesterday I formed a melody that I think works with it. We'll see how that turns out.


On the cooking front, I have been doing a lot of baking recently. I'm still looking for the perfect fool-proof cookie recipe, but it doesn't seem like one exists on this dimensional plane. Whatever, I mean, I can settle for making the world's best cakes; cookies can just be my kryptonite.


AP Biology is really fascinating, but it's kicking my ass. 'Nuff said.


Lights! Camera! Action! I've been really trying to find a way into the Drama department at school, without taking the class itself, mind you, and I think I've found it. See, for Pack Attack ( a sort of rally of school spirit related skits put on by each club at school), French National Honor Society decided to put on a spoof of Dora the Explorer with Napoleon Bonaparte as Dora. Needless to say, the skit that ensued was as random as it was funny. However, after the rally, the head of the Drama Department asked me when I was going to try for any parts in upcoming plays. That gave me something to think about, I'll tell you that. So, come Monday, I resolved to go to a Cattle Call, where the Drama 3 and 4 kids were holding auditions for parts they needed filled for a directing project they're doing. I got called back for 4 parts. I've only been to two callbacks and I've gotten both parts. I'm sort of loving this. I probably won't go to the other callbacks just because I can't stand to have the pressure of potentially deciding between parts (as I could only take on two, what with my hectic and rather inflexible schedule). "So that's that, and no harm done." - Cornelius Fudge


On the subject of Harry Potter, I am slowly trudging my way through the Goblet of Fire, seeing as The Scarlet Letter has consumed the majority of my reading time and mental capacities. I despise that book for what it does to my brain.


So yeah. Delivered in a rather cacophonous fashion, those are the updates thus far on the majority of the major points in my current life. Yep.

- Jonathan

Substance Abuse Haiku

A new addiction
Sweet high I cannot forget
I cannot quit you.

- Jonathan

Comprenez? Évidemment pas.

Je cache quelque chose que vous ne pouvez pas comprendre.
Je cache un nombre de secrets.
Ils sont tout énigmatique.

Weekend of Cliches, Chants, and Cloth

Despite the fact that when I turn to look over my shoulder I glimpse a seemingly roofless pile of homework towering as a mini Everest in my bedroom, I am in a downright good mood.

Now, as to where my good mood stems from, I'm not terribly sure. It could be because of my decent-if-not-excellent weekend with my mother or because my dad isn't home right now. Oh, right, let me tell you about that! So I'm doing my Biology vocabulary but decide to take a little break after finishing approximately one half of it. When I stumble out of my bedroom, discover an empty house; my father is no where to be found and the car is missing. My father snuck out. My father snuck out. How weird is that?! Shouldn't I be the one doing the escaping? What does he have to do in secret? I guess I'll never know in time to post it here because he still hasn't come back. I could call, but please- why ruin the obviously brilliant cliche where I sit in the overstuffed armchair smoking a pipe in the dark while I wait for the household miscreant do surrepticiously edge his way in?! No, this is too good of a chance to pass up! Details later!


Perhaps on a more sensual note, I experienced one of those moments this weekend where you lose track of the direction and bearing of date and time. I was at the FSU football game this weekend and 30 minutes for the alleged kickoff but it started pouring. So my parents and I made the quick executive decision to just leave and head for Hooters for wings and to watch the game there. Granted, we weren't the only ones trying to get out of the rain and it turning into a fullscale exodus. Once we were in the relative comfort of cover, we inched our way in the chaotic mess around the inner track of the stadium. And it began as a quite rumble, almost undecernablem but within a few short seconds the noise sorted itself into a chant. It washed over us and everyone couldn't help themselves but to join in, chanting the FSU war call. As ridiculous as it sounds, I felt a Seminole connection. I felt like a Native America, trudging with my comerades as we weather the storm. It was just one of those hair-raising experiences I'll never forget.


Unrelated, my mother and I went out and got the makings for Phil's Halloween costume. We are constructing him a Slytherin quidditch robe, complete with leather fastener and lining. It's going to be wonderful. If only the sewing machine would have worked. Damn.


So that was my weekend at a glance. Enjoy the last few hours of weekend yourself!

-Jonathan

It's All Work AND Play

Well, the title is true! I've been doing considerably more studying this year, and yet somehow I still manage to fit in a decent social life complete with fun projects. Tis nuts.


On Saturday we had another study group at Starbucks. I swear, I've never done that much Biology so fast! It left me borderline comatose. The good news is that we're finally starting chapters with topics we can sink our teeth into and digest something of substantial value. For example, these next two chapters all about biochemistry and water. Friggin' fascinating stuff. .. .. I am such a geek. -.- . *closet geek!*

Today, we had another study group (same bunch from last Friday's study group) and we did a decent amount of work. Who am I kidding?! We did very little. Just about 5 questions apiece. The rest of the time we joked around, listen and critiqued music, examined the possible sexualities of the barrista, made fun of Shuyao's "yellow snow" drink, and discussed broad biology topics. I'd still call that a productive study secession! Sort of.


I got a new cork board this weekend! Here are some pictures:

^^Sideways-but my calendar and caricature of my pastor

^^ My sketch of my preaching pastor crying out "He is risen!!" (though he's never said it)

^^ Awesome postcard for Chicago University that shows the caffiene molecule, and then my tack interpretation of it!

So I will hopefully be a little more organized this year... >.>


On a completely different topic, I've turning into a planning behemoth. Scary, right? Well, I'm actually planning a huge Halloween party, where we'll all dress in full Harry Potter regalia and pretend to witches and wizards while we pass out candy to little kids. Hopefully, through the help of basic chemistry and some firecrackers, we can cast magic spells. It'll be a night of absolute enchantment (no pun intended). Tonight, I fixed up a 3' spider and 2' bat with some scary red LED lighted eyes! It was a lot of fun, doing a small project like that- but the fun will really grow exponentially when you find out what I'm doing with them. Aragog (the spider, aptly named after the giant spider from Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets) will romp around on a small RC buggy, chasing down some of the miscreant children. On the other hand, Buffy (the ironically named bat) will take to the sky in the form of a fishing wire zipline and swoop down to terrorize the parents. Granted, repeatedly launching this would be exhausting, so I'm considering towing Buffy by means of another small RC truck I have.

Here are some pictures of the frightening pets:


^^ Aggghhh!!! The red eyes!! So creepy!!

^^ You know, there's a Visine for that..


So yeah.. that's been my weekend in a nutshell. We'll see how this school week unfurls.

- Jonathan


PS- Leave a comment if you'd like to join us for the Harry Potter fun!

The Scientific Method Hard At Work

Initial Observation: I have to study harder and more often.

• Hypothesis 1: The classes have more material to cover in a given chapter over a given time. Subsequently, I have more independent studying to do.
  
• Hypothesis 2: The teachers are conspiring against us.
  
• Hypothesis 3: This is just me complaining about having to work when there really isn't that much more work anyway.
• Hypothesis 4: The teachers are conspiring against us.

Procedure:

1. Go make a milkshake.
2. Compare last year's and this year's planners for increased assignments.
3. Record any disporportionate differences.
4. Dance to Rhianna.

• Observation 1: Milkshakes are cold and frothy.
• Observation 2: My old planner is tatty and frayed.
  
• Observation 3: The number of assignments is substantially different.
• Observation 4: Umbrella is an awful song. Disturbia is significantly better.
  

Conclusion: Junior year is going to be substantially harder than the two years prior.

- Jonathan

Take A Deep Breath And Don't Blink

We are all so damn young!

I had a little epiphany today while waiting for a person in the school parking lot when it struck me. I tried to imagine myself next year, applying to college, and the year after, attending college. That's only two years off! A little more than 700 days! Will we all mature more in the time in between? Perhaps.. but to be quite honest, I'm begining to have a little terror in my heart when I realize that it could be tomorrow that I am doing what the class of '08 is doing, and attend college classes. Give or take a few 700 days.

But seriously, when do we all mature to the point that we are "ready" for college? I can't say quite yet, since I'm not attending college, but I can try and piggy-back on the emotions of those going off to college now. After reading several college move-in and first class stories on blogs this past week, it seems as if a lot of last year's seniors that are starting college all seem to be a little unprepared mentally for this four year (hopefully) degree. I guess they might feel more assimilated once a week or two rolls past, but it does seem like they too feel a little overwhelmed. Then again, who am I to speak for them? However, it made me realize that my turn is very soon. Somehow, this made me a little lonely.

Where childhood summers with play dates and ice cream slipping behind me, I feel like we're being slung up the roller coaster at an exponential rate. Don't get me wrong- I like the here and now, there's a time of nostalgia and I'm not trying to cling to the past, but I do certainly feel like I'm about to be flung off the face of the Earth is this ride goes any faster.

I feel like that if I blink, I'm going to miss entire weeks out of my life. I know it's still a ways off before I have to even think about applying, but living vicariously with these seniors who went off to college, I certainly feel the pressure.

- Jonathan

Here's To All You Good Intentions

No, no- I did not make a grammatical error in my title, I meant it.


See, I have a problem that I am sure is ubiquitous amongst the human race. I start off with these great ideas, promise myself that I will do them, promise others I will do them, but when push comes to shove, nothing comes to fruition. It's a disease, if you ask me.

For example, this summer, I wanted to build a treehouse. Not some dinky-ass lame piece of crap lumber suspended perilously two feet off the ground. No. I wanted the 25 square foot platform, complete with rope ladder, trap doors, and ultimately roof. All of this a modest seven feet off the ground. So May rolls along, nothing happens. June rolls along, "Oh, as soon as July starts!". Yeah right. Turns out, a lot of my friends went to the Mu Alpha Theta Nationals in July. July rolls along. Nada. So it's August 24, and all I have to show for hours of intense research and thinking are four lag screws and a few plans. How's that for failure?


So what is this post ultimately about? It's to say sorry to all of my great ideas (sane or otherwise), and to pinky-swear that I will complete these unaccomplished tasks. I'm talking to you; LED Thowies Party, Treehouse, DIY USB Nerf Guided Missile Launcher ( "DUNGML" for short- but I like to say it like "Dung-Mill" because of the added imagery! ^-^), and Cure for Cancer! Okay, okay- within reason- but still! I will try!

Inspired,
- Jonathan

The First Week

My first week as an upperclassman was awful; until I realized how good it was.

Going into the Monday back to school, there wasn't as much trepidation hanging in the air as there usually is. It was the anxious waiting for that infernal schedule that got me. Did I get all the classes I asked for? Are all my friends in my classes? Did I get the AP Language and Composition teacher I wanted? Why are there so many questions in a row here?


So Monday started with its usual high energy back-to-school zeal and I learned what was to be my future schedule for the year within an hour of getting to school. I got exactly what I asked for. What did I have to complain about? Everyone else might have awful schedules and be put in the wrong classes, but I was fine. Until I met my new history teacher.

Mrs. Barbacci is the bane of me. I would rather gnaw off my right arm than spend a half hour, let alone 50 minutes, with her. She is just the sort of heinous and insipid totalitarian dictator I left when I passed Coach Sprinkle's Pre-AP ACCEL World History class. She is a control freak to the degree that she has requested that if we have a pencil in need of sharpening, that we raise our hand and she will sharpen it for us. I think I'd rather perform a magic trick with her forehead and my freshly sharpened writing implement.

However, the one redeeming quality of her class is that, since it is not an AP course, it is exceedingly easy. I can handle easy. I took Coach Sprinkle's class and ate it for lunch, and I suspect nothing will change here. Except, of course, that I will undermine her every attempt to seem smart by beating her to answers by blurting out the answer before her lazy neural connections have a chance to synapse. I suspect that, however, in the meantime, I will remain quiet and collect my "A"s like paychecks.


I spent a great portion of my summer wishing on shooting stars and the mythical "11:11" that my Junior year would be easier and good to me. It took a week to realize that, thus far, my wish has been granted. As if Mother Nature knew best, Mama Fay swept across Florida at a racing 10 miles per hour to intimidate our new superintendent into letting us off Friday. Though it's been raining here for nearly 48 hours straight, it is this relaxing beat of summer's tears striking and rolling down my window, as if to say "goodbye", that made me realize how wonderful this school year might be. I will miss this summer, but I know that it's time to move on and confront my studies for what could be the greatest battle yet. Only time will tell.

- Jonathan