Creepy and Kooky

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Good Morning to You, Hello, Hello

Hi everyone! Must dash in a few for school, but thought I'd drop you all a note since I'm not going to be back until quite late tonight.

Had a marvelous weekend; Teresa came up and we did girly things like shopping and settling in on the sofa to watch movies. Well, TV. Also, there was jam. And potatoes. And lists:





On a more depressing note, I didn't get picked to be employed this summer by the Student Orientation people. Sigh. So, back back to the summer employment drawing board.

But hey, at least my bike's working these days. When they'd replaced the inner tube, they hadn't properly tightened the...something. But now it's all better!

Aaaaand...let's see. I can make roasted potatoes! They're yummy.



But I don't have any paper towels, so they just sit on a plate covered with napkins. So that works too.

Reformation Sunday was fun. Sermon was a bit rubbish, but we got to sing A Mighty Fortress Is Our God REALLY loudly. Belting it out like the good Lutherans that we are. So that was a good time.

But! Now, must dash. Hope everyone's having a good week!

Stop, Bannertime!

I quite like this new banner. It really is looking like autumn here; the leaves have changed colour, and are falling prodigiously. It's very pretty.

Also, picked out my classes today. I got into all the ones I talked about in the previous post, and then picked cardio dance for my aerobics. The big kicker is...they're all Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Which means that, except for one hour on Thursdays (Differential Equations is four units, and so meets four days a week), I only have to go to school three days a week next semester. Granted, they'll be fairly busy days, But three of the five classes I'm taking (econ 102, econ 103, and geog 102) are 100 level. So, that (hopefully) won't be too bad.

The tire in which the nice bike people replaced the inner tube is kinda whacked out. *sighs* Have to drag that back down to them on Friday, see if they can't fix whatever they did to it.

But, I'm off to type up some Proofs homework. My hands are really cold, though. Maybe I'll make up some decaf tea...

Oh, and in honor of the essay test I suffered through today, here's a pretty comic for you all...

We are the young - our lives are a mystery,

we are the old - who yearn for your face.
We have been sung throughout all of history,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in - the rich and the haughty,
gather us in - the proud and the strong.
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.

Church was nice but, umm, I kinda can't count. Because Reformation Sunday is the Sunday before Halloween. Today is the 19th. 19 plus 7 is 26. Hence, there is still one more Sunday in October. Le sigh.

But never mind. It was really nice to go anyway. And I'll just have to go back next week. It's incredibly easy for me to bike there; just straight down one road, without even any lane changes. Getting back is marginally trickier, but still not bad, since there isn't a lot of traffic out at 9:15 on a Sunday morning.

I got up at 6:30, and Spencer was already up and fed. Weird kid, that one.

In other news, I get to register for next semester's classes on Tuesday! That'll be fun. I'm taking econ 102, econ 103, math 335, and math 260 for sure. Also probably going to take geog 102 for a GE requirement, and also probably another aerobics class.

If I do take all of those, that'll only leave me one GE class left, my C1 requirement. Stupid arts. Why can't they offer a class on, like, knitting. Or somethng actually useful. It could still be artistic! Just...not totally dumb. Oi.

But. Right. Physics lab report time. Onwards, upwards...

So close you eyes, you can close your eyes, it's all right...

Tired Theodora is tired. Which is a bit silly, since she slept for 15 hours last night (and you know, most of yesterday afternoon) but still. Sleepy.

But, I had to get up eventually this morning, because I had my first interview for the Summer Orientation Peer Advisor job this morning. (The job, from what I can gather, involves a lot of walking backwards while talking, stuffing folders, reassuring panicked, intrusive parents, and answering the same questions every day all summer. In 100 degree weather. Outdoors.) But hey, money/employment are good. I'm relatively confident about getting a position because they mentioned specifically that they're looking for a variety of majors, and I was the only science major in the bunch that interviewed today (it was a group thing, where we had to demonstrate teamwork/communication/the ability to introduce ourselves rapidly.)

So. There's that. Then, I'm getting up early tomorrow morning to go to the 8:00 Reformation Sunday service over at Faith Lutheran. I was having minor philosophical qualms about only dragging myself up for church on the day[s] significant to me as a Lutheran, rather than as a Christian overall (which should, really, mean every Sunday) but I've decided that denomination-specific attendance is considerably preferable to no attendance at all. Plus, Teresa and I attempted to attend Reformation Sunday last year, but were a week late and ended up at All Saints Sunday instead. So, I figure I'm due for a sermon about why Lutherans are a nifty sort of bunch. Or...something.

But. Right. Sleep now.

Oh yeah, and physics exam went badly. It was kinda like this, only not a dream (and physics, not math, because some of those math problems I could totally do.):




--9:26 edit--

Oh, and I just remembered something fun that happened in Logic on Friday. There was this extra credit assignment, to watch the last debate, and then so a write-up on a fallacious argument used. So, people were handing them down the aisles of the auditorium to turn them in, and since I was sitting at the end of the aisle, I collected them up and happened to glance down at the one on top. Which was discussing in depth the arguments presented about the first golf war.

So, I do a little bit of a double take, but figure that it's just a minor typo. But no, she's spelled it that way through her whole (admittedly brief) essay. I giggled inside, but sadly had no one to share it with (but now, there's the whole internet!) . I wish I could see the comments the prof puts down about it...

To riding your bike, midday,

past the three-piece suits...

It's so nice to have my bike back. Liek, srsly. It was okay walking, but this is just so much quicker. If somewhat more stressful in a "oh dear is that car about to swerve out and kill me?" kinda way.

An hey, look! A Thursday night post! I must be doing...physics! Actually, right now I'm not; proofs really needs to get done first. I did a fair amount of physics work earlier, though I still need to review the linear momentum stuff.



Heh. And these are just the sort of directions we're given, too. But! Lab grade is very nearly up to an A. Maybe that'll make up for the train-wreck that my exam[s] have been...

We'll probably get back our calc tests tomorrow; I'm almost hoping for an A. Almost. Just...not quite.

Oh dang, I need to do my logic quiz, too. At least I don't have to get up from my comp to do that!

And, just because Foxtrot is awesome:

And hey, but tonight, I'm walking on the water

And this here sky over Texas couldn't be calmer
You can have my soul back tomorrow
But you can't touch me tonight.

Because life is good and I am awesome.

Calc test went very well, I understand the stuff we're doing in proofs, and I didn't kill anyone in logic. Then, in my post-school environment, I got my bike fixed (though when I say fixed, what I mean is that I took it to my favourite bike shop and got the blown inner tube replaced because though I am awesome, I am not mechanically inclined), hunted down and photographed some radiators for Dad, and picked up from the post office the pretty lovely care package from Auntie Karla:



Oh, and here is one of the radiator pics:



Now, I'm watching the debate. Teresa pointed out, and now I'm really noticing, that McCain blinks an awful lot. It's kinda weird. I don't like how hostile they are, though. But, I'm not a big fan of hostility.

Aha, Obama isn't popular with teacher's unions. Good. No me gusta teacher's unions. Jerks.

But, never mind. I'm off to hunt down some food. Spencer brought me some popcorn earlier, but I probably ought to have some real food.

But hey. It's been a good day...

Because Dad just checked,

I will post. Seems reasonable.

But not a long post, because I really ought to be doing my physics lab report (yeah, again. Funny, it was this time last week that I posted, avoiding my lab report work...)

Today, (instead of regaling you with tales of centripetal acceleration), I will talk about words. First up, words that people in my bible class can neither pronounce, nor define (taken from just one day of lecture and readings):

oracle
cherubim
tabernacle
prostrated

The girl who was reading when we hit the word 'tabernacle' actually stopped, looked up in annoyance, and whinged "But why do I have to read? I don't even know what this word means!"

Can I slap you now? And okay, I'm probably being unkind and/or unreasonable. But GE classes annoy me. Particularly, you know, the people in them.

Next, new words I've learned since I started college. Well, the ones I thought neat enough to write down:

proband
prosopagnosia
scapegrace
amphictyony
eschatology

Eschatology and amphictyony came from Bible class, prosopagnosia and proband came from a research paper I did for Marriage and Family Relationships last semester, and scapegrace... I don't remember where that came from. But I think scapegrace is a particularly awesome word, and intend to use it in my next paper, if I possibly can.

Anybody learned any neat words lately?

Also, next week's Bible essay midterm got pushed back a week, which is an absolute grace, since I have physics and calc midterms next Friday and Wednesday, repectively, to worry about.

Aaaaand, let's see. Spencer banged his (injured) knee into his computer table about twenty minutes ago, which made it start bleeding again. It's really, fine, but he's more than happy to take the excuse to watch some more TV on his comp, rather than taking a shower/going to bed. Ah well. He's a grownup now. (Also, he only has one class to worry about staying awake for tomorrow. Oi.)

And yay for Mom and J coming up tomorrow! It's tres exciting! *Does happy dance* I can't wait. Hee hee!

And, in order to fully enjoy my time with them, I should get back to work and finish all my homework before they come. *le sigh* But hey! Tune in to this spot next week, same physics time, same physics channel...

Gentlefolk of Newport,

Or should I say "hats and cats,"
Please lend an ear
'Cause I want you to hear
Some really shimmering sharps and flats.

"I'm not one to attribute every activity of man to the changes in the climate. There is something to be said also for man's activities, but also for the cyclical temperature changes on our planet."

She did it again! Thank you Governor Palin, but I believe we covered this in your last interview. Really, the best commentary on this would have to be Oliver Burkeman, over at the Guardian, who says, ""I'm not one to attribute every activity of man to changes in the climate," Palin says. And who could argue with that? I made spaghetti bolognese for dinner last night, and I can confirm that it wasn't because of changes in the climate."

Well said, Mr. Burkeman. My lunchtime meal of tinned ravioli really had more to do with the economy than climate change, but that's a whole different discussion.

Also, Sarah dear, you really ought to work on your pronunciation of words like, oh say, nuclear. Not that, apparently, your people haven't been working on it, but it needs a little more fine polishing.

Yes, Teddy watched the Biden/Palin debate this evening. The Gender and Multi-Cultural Department was showing it, and it was pretty fun. The food totally beat out the entertainment (full Costco spread!), but it was a good time. I think I'll drag Spencer to the next one (Presidential, on Tuesday).

But for now, physics lab report. Fortunately, tomorrow's proofs test is canceled, but I've still got a fair amount of work to do. Also, my back tire is completely flat. Sigh. Have to get that fixed this weekend. Ah well, not that big a deal.

Now, you all stay away from changes in climate, y'hear? Goodness only knows what it might do to your activities...

Wrapped Up In Books!

Meme time!

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next seven sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

"Even for prophets like Hosea, Amos, and Ezekiel who may never have uttered a word in Jerusalem itself, the city and its Davidic dynasty play an important role. The only prophetic books in which there is no explicit reference to Zion or David or Judah, namely Daniel, Jonah, and Habakkuk, belong to a context where the centrality of Jerusalem, and in particular the temple, was never in doubt. In the case of Hosea and Amos it is likely that words originally adressed to the cities of the northern kingdoms (Samaria, Bethel, Gilgal) were later adapted for a Judean audience, either by the 'men of Hezekiah, king of Judah' sonn after the fall of Samaria in 722 BC, or more likely under the same conditions that led to the composition of a Judean 'History of Israel' from Moses to Jehoiachin."

And no, that's not seven sentences, but darned if I'm going to type up four more sentences from Prophesy and the Biblical Prophets. Though it's been sitting here on my desk for the past week, so I suppose it's about time I got some use out of it.

Right, back to studying proofs. First test is on Friday, but the prof has been sick for the past week, so there've been no office hours and minimal assistance during class. I mean, I feel bad for the guy, but couldn't he have pushed the test back or something? Well, never mind.