Post #24: Persistence Finally Pays Off

Crazy. Task Master. Mean. Irritating. Scary. If there's a demeaning synonym for 'Persistent', I've probably been called it, both to my face and behind my back. Three years ago, that really bothered me, but now, I really don't care what other people think. I'm still aware, and I try to make sure that I am not being rude, but what other students think of me isn't a big deal anymore. What is a big deal, however, is making sure that what I need done gets done. If that means I have to beat people over the head (figuratively, of course) about getting things done, that's fine. They can hate me and be resentful, but stuff gets done.
The Capstone project has been a very large thorn in my side. I have gone through three theoretical projects and pretty much all of them have not worked out. My latest failed project, Police Explorers, required that I participate in 60+ hours of additional community service, plus a four-day camp at a local military base, and because I am planning on going out-of-state for my higher education, I won't be able to participate for the full year, which means I won't qualify for the program's competitions and awards. And that's fine. Because I'm not going to lie, I really just wanted to shoot a gun once or twice at the target thing, and ride around in a police car and learn some protocols and demonstrate my knowledge of ten-code. Shallow, I know.
On Friday, I went to talk to a community liaison who is teaching the EMT class at my school just to check in about the EMS class I'm taking to see where we are concerning state certification. Long story short: We're now a state approved class. He is going to oversee the forty hours next semester, and I'm going to get certification, along with anyone else who is 16.
The community liaison said that because I continued "bird-dogging" (his word) about the class that: one, getting the state number for the class was accomplished and two, I have left a legacy for future students. From what I gathered, as long as the class is offered to students, the state will certify those students as first responders.
My persistence paid off not only for myself, but for future students at my school. And that's a cool feeling to know that my "craziness" has affected many people in a positive way. And now I have a senior project that is going to work out, and is fairly contained.
"If you can't change yourself, then change your world." - The The
D

Post #23: The Dangers of Obsolete Technology

So, I have a Polaroid Instamatic camera that belonged to my late Grandfather. For the holidays this year, I want to document each day in December with a single picture and compile a scrapbook with those pictures and whatnot.

I just paid an ungodly amount of money for some Polaroid 600 instant film. I got five packs of ten photos. This was the cheapest set I could find, as some of the SINGLE packs of ten cost upwards of $45 each. Now, I understand that no one has used an instamatic for a long time, and all of the film is expired, but I figured that since the film that had been in the camera had been okay, surely the expiration date couldn't mean that much.

So, for my Mom’s birthday last Sunday, I loaded in one of the cartridges and took it to the party. I was only planning on taking a few pictures, no more than two or three, However, the film was damaged and all of the photos looked like this:

All I got was a little hump. 

So, my Uncle, who was in town for my mom’s birthday, told me to just use up the whole pack, and that is exactly what we did. I had everyone fill out the rest of the photo, building on the little hump.

That one is mine. The one previous is by my Grandma. 

I really hope the rest of them turn out and none of the other film is damaged. On the bright side, my Uncle made a really good slow cooker dinner with chicken and garlic and quinoa.

May your photos turn out better than mine.

D

Post #22: Frankie

So, we are starting Frankenstein and we need to be familiar with Bible stories so we can recognize and analyze the references. I recently found all of my bible notes from my East of Eden project, and I have been letting my sister use them for her studies. I went back and reread some of them…

Some are pretty snarky. But, I understand and remember each story. My notes about Job are sort of funny: “Job is a good guy. One day, Satan comes and visits God and says: ‘Job is only good because you gave him so much.’ So God gives Satan power over Job to Satan, but says he can only go against his stuff. Satan says ‘cool.’ Job loses all of his possessions and his kids die. Job still praises God…”

The Job notes continue for nine more index cards. But, I have found these notes help me to understand and remember what the stories are about.  There’s only so much you can learn from Jesus Christ Superstar and Supernatural.

But, I really do enjoy many of the Bible stories. And the New Testament has some good stuff. I can get behind most of the teachings of Jesus.  I am really looking forward to reading Frankenstein and making connections not only to Bible stories, but to Greek and Roman mythology, Shakespeare, and Milton’s Paradise Lost.

I love discussing literature. I love to read. I’m really looking forward to reading something new and something that isn't Shakespeare. (Sorry Hamlet).

-D

Post #21: Checking Off The Little Boxes

While I run the risk of sounding like Hermione, I like taking tests. Tests have right answers and wrong answers, unlike my life right now. Tests have no grey area. My life is filled with grey area. My Mom often tells me that I see everything in black and white, and until recently, I didn't agree. But, as always, she's right. I do think in black and white, and in lists and in outlines. I like rules. I like checking off boxes. Mr. Burge says that I need to stop being so concerned with checking off the boxes and be more concerned with doing things that I love and building a platform to use after I graduate. But with colleges and scholarships and school and graduation, I need to think in lists. I have post-it notes everywhere with reminders and things I have to get done. I feel more organized when I have little boxes to check off.
Tests give you a structured view of where you need to improve. They say "Yes! You mastered something" or "No! You need to work on something".  Checking off boxes does the same thing for me.  The little boxes say "Yay! You accomplished something" or "Hey! You need to work on this!"
I want to enjoy life, but I am more concerned with the idea that if it doesn't get done right, it will snowball into something that will be too hard to fix later. I know that I'm going to graduate, and I know I'm going to have an A in English. But everything else is just too hazy to make out.
I am doing things I love. I'm writing, and I'm going to work with our local Police Explorers program. I'm working on my first responder certification. I'm writing a blog twice a week.
I just also love to check off little boxes. I like to feel like I'm getting things done and that I'm accomplishing something.

Signing off from way out on the Eastern side of the State,

D

Post #20: Memorization

Hamlet proves himself to be fairly good at memorizing things in Act Two, Scene Two, by reciting a speech he remembers one of the players performing a couple years ago. I'm pretty sure if I were that adept at memorizing things I would never have to study again. Second to Telekinesis/Telepathy, that would be the best superpower ever.
But, I don't, and like everyone else, I have to practice something in order to memorize it. I chose Hamlet's speech in Act Four; Scene Four because I think that it is arguably the most important speech in the play. It demonstrates Hamlet's struggle to prove to himself and to Old Ham that he is capable of avenging Old Ham, and righting the wrongs committed by King Uncle-Dad. It also demonstrates that Hamlet likes to whine and hear himself talk. All Hamlet wants to do is avenge his father and still hasn't, even though the only thing preventing him is his own cowardice. Fortinbras, on the other hand, is leading an army to their deaths over a pice of crappy land.
I love public speaking. I love acting. But I also think I would rather write an analysis and take a test than perform in front of the class. I am still a little self-concious about my lisp, courtesy of my retainer. I know that it's a whole heck of a lot better than it was back in September, but it still plagues me.
And I'm really not sure how to come in costume. I have some black clothes and a sword, but I definitely do not have a suit of sables. I looked through my costume bin, and I did find my ugly holiday sweater. It has gold sequin reindeer prancing about. I did not find anything that resembles something a Danish prince might wear en route to England.
If I were en route to England, it would probably be via airplane, and thus I would wear something warm.
From this point forth, my thoughts be on memorization, or my grade be nothing worth.

D

Post #19: Mixtapes

So, this week, I learned a that a really close friend of mine had never had a mixtape/compdisc (compdisc is short for Compilation Disc) made for her. This mad me sad, mostly because I was raised on a healthy diet of classic late night TV, books, and mixtapes/compdiscs. I recently found all of the mixtapes my Mom's best friend made her in high school and I've been working through them. There's some awesome stuff on there, like this song by the B-52's. And there's something about the way cassette tapes sound that is so exciting for me. It's not the warm sound that comes from vinyl, but a noise that sometimes sounds like it's going to get eaten and warped and give out. It's a good noise. A scary one, but fun nonetheless.
I think that we often see compdiscs as something you would make for your significant other, but I think that they should be made for anyone you love.
My mom used to make them for my Uncle and Grandpa, and vice versa. I love mixtapes. I love music. Compdics are an easy way to share that love with the people I love. My friend likes country music, so I put some Randy Travis on there, but the rest of the songs are total 80's awesomeness.
Her gratitude and excitement for the compdisc this morning made my heart happy. I hope she loves (or at least kind of likes) all of the songs. I tried to keep it basic. There's nothing too weird on there. Most of the songs are fairly mainstream. I hope. I think my view might be a little skewed.

Thank you to all who have served to protect our freedom.

-D.

Post #18: College (Pricing Is Not) Fair

I went to the college fair today at UNR. Then I came home and lied on my floor for a while. Some of the schools were fifty thousand a year. That's two hundred thousand dollars for a bachelor's. Yikes. Education is important, but 200k? Really? Even with the scholarships and whatnot, who could afford that without landing in mountains of debt?! Not me, that's for sure.
As I look at the piles of college information scattered on my bed, I am compelled to just lie on the floor some more. Some days I'm really excited for college and I can't wait to graduate and start a new chapter in my life. Other days, I just want to lie on my floor and not get up.  I will be one of the first couple of people in my immediate family to go to college. My Grandpa went to college, as did my Mom and my Uncle, but most of the rest of my extended family went right into their careers.
I want to got to college! I want to get that degree in Creative Writing and/or Criminal Justice! I want to do things! But I also want to lie on my floor for the rest of my life. Mr. Burge said we would be continually hit with the two-by-four that is our future, and I've been trying to dodge it as much as possible, but it's exhausting.

The career expo next door was a lot more helpful. There was a law enforcement table with packets for the local police explorers program! I think that might be my capstone now. I think I want to be a police officer. Or a paramedic. And a writer. And a princess.

Worse comes to worst, I'll get along. - Billy Joel

D