Greg, Joy, Megan (Greg's friend), and I are all sitting around Joy's living room. At first glance you'd think it was a quaint cozy evening at home until you realize that all four of us are on our own respective computers doing our own respective thing. This is how the modern person spends an evening together. Kinda sad.
It become truly sad when the thing that brings us all together is the "30 Most Disturbing Twilight Products" article.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
HANDEL'S JUDAS MACCABEUS
I just sat around playing my roommate's cello for the past half an hour or so. It was so fulfilling to just sit down and play my way through Suzuki book 1 + 2 playing and replaying my favorites remembering those years and years of struggle. Years of not wanting to practice, years of finally just sitting down and practicing and not being good at it, years of threatening to quit, years of bajillion recitals and orchestra concerts, years of rental and lesson fees.
And yet tonight after 10 years of lessons/playing and then four years away I could sit down and just play. It was lovely. So I want to thank my parents for the time, energy, and money they poured into my cello playing. I greatly appreciate now.
And yet tonight after 10 years of lessons/playing and then four years away I could sit down and just play. It was lovely. So I want to thank my parents for the time, energy, and money they poured into my cello playing. I greatly appreciate now.
Monday, November 9, 2009
SOGGY SQUISH
I used to hate Raisin Bran. It got soggy and made the milk taste funny.
Now I love it. I can't get enough of it. In fact, I ate two bowls of it today alone. I no longer think it gets soggy or makes the milk taste funny. In fact it's the perfect combination of crunch with squish.
For some unknown reason my house buys TONS of this stuff. Most of the cereals one box is bought and it disappears within a day or two of getting put in the cupboard. But not the Raisin Bran. There is a never ending supply of Raisin Bran, which only adds to my love for it.
Now I love it. I can't get enough of it. In fact, I ate two bowls of it today alone. I no longer think it gets soggy or makes the milk taste funny. In fact it's the perfect combination of crunch with squish.
For some unknown reason my house buys TONS of this stuff. Most of the cereals one box is bought and it disappears within a day or two of getting put in the cupboard. But not the Raisin Bran. There is a never ending supply of Raisin Bran, which only adds to my love for it.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
STUDY STUDY
I'm tired.
It's right in between Week 6 and Week 7. So we're winding up for the end of the term. This is surprising for me because I feel like I've been doing midterms for weeks and yet I still have more to take. Therefore it's odd to be thinking about the end of term and finals. Luckily for me there aren't any major projects or papers due at the end of term, just exams. So I can study how I want, when I want, where I want, etc.
I found the best way for me to learn the information I need to learn is:
1. Go to class.
2. Stay awake in class.
2.5. Pay attention in class/take notes in class even on the mundane stuff. You never know what might show up later.
3. Type up notes.
4. Read through notes, marking things you know for sure you have no idea what they are.
5. Reread notes again.
6. Reread notes again paying careful attention to the information you flagged in #4.
7. Reread notes again.
8. Make flashcards of the notes.
9. Go through the flashcards.
10. Have your brother quiz you on flashcards/notes until you know them cold.
10.5. If #10 wasn't the night before the exam, do #10 again on that night.
11. Do NOT open your notes/go through your flashcards the day of exam. In the middle of the test you WILL start doubting what you got drilled into your head the day before because of that 5 second peak that morning. If you don't know it by that day, looking once more isn't going to make it stick.
And after all that, a couple of weeks later I still know the information.
("Strata volcanoes, such as the ones in the Oregon Cascades, are only found at subduction zones, such as the Juan De Fuca plate and North American plate off of the Oregon Coast, and have andestic magma, which is intermediate-a mixture of felsic minerals (ex K-feldspars) and mafic minerals (ex olivine- one of the most common minerals on earth)...")
Still knowing this information weeks after the last test WILL come in handy not only in life (I mean, come on. Who doesn't need to know the type of minerals in the magma found at various tectonic settings on a regular basis?) but also for when the final exam comes around and I still need to know all that information.
GregUr: If your reading this - I have a geology midterm on Friday. Want to come over Thursday?
On another note:
As I'm studying statistics, I learn a chapter and then allow myself a ten minute break to go look at a map somewhere. GoogleEarth, state topographic map websites, maps in my textbook, geography quizzes on sporcle.com, the giant Corvallis quadrangle on my closet, etc.
It turns my frown from the statistics work upside down.
It's right in between Week 6 and Week 7. So we're winding up for the end of the term. This is surprising for me because I feel like I've been doing midterms for weeks and yet I still have more to take. Therefore it's odd to be thinking about the end of term and finals. Luckily for me there aren't any major projects or papers due at the end of term, just exams. So I can study how I want, when I want, where I want, etc.
I found the best way for me to learn the information I need to learn is:
1. Go to class.
2. Stay awake in class.
2.5. Pay attention in class/take notes in class even on the mundane stuff. You never know what might show up later.
3. Type up notes.
4. Read through notes, marking things you know for sure you have no idea what they are.
5. Reread notes again.
6. Reread notes again paying careful attention to the information you flagged in #4.
7. Reread notes again.
8. Make flashcards of the notes.
9. Go through the flashcards.
10. Have your brother quiz you on flashcards/notes until you know them cold.
10.5. If #10 wasn't the night before the exam, do #10 again on that night.
11. Do NOT open your notes/go through your flashcards the day of exam. In the middle of the test you WILL start doubting what you got drilled into your head the day before because of that 5 second peak that morning. If you don't know it by that day, looking once more isn't going to make it stick.
And after all that, a couple of weeks later I still know the information.
("Strata volcanoes, such as the ones in the Oregon Cascades, are only found at subduction zones, such as the Juan De Fuca plate and North American plate off of the Oregon Coast, and have andestic magma, which is intermediate-a mixture of felsic minerals (ex K-feldspars) and mafic minerals (ex olivine- one of the most common minerals on earth)...")
Still knowing this information weeks after the last test WILL come in handy not only in life (I mean, come on. Who doesn't need to know the type of minerals in the magma found at various tectonic settings on a regular basis?) but also for when the final exam comes around and I still need to know all that information.
GregUr: If your reading this - I have a geology midterm on Friday. Want to come over Thursday?
On another note:
As I'm studying statistics, I learn a chapter and then allow myself a ten minute break to go look at a map somewhere. GoogleEarth, state topographic map websites, maps in my textbook, geography quizzes on sporcle.com, the giant Corvallis quadrangle on my closet, etc.
It turns my frown from the statistics work upside down.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
SLAP OF HANDS
There are many sports that are "team sports." Soccer, basketball, football, the list goes on. And I'll give them that yes they need a team to play them, but in each one of those sports the potential for stars to stand out is huge. Every one of those has individuals celebrity associated with them.
I believe one of the reasons crew has not gotten this sort of fame is because there is no room for stars. No room at all.
And that's why I love it. The word "team" takes on a whole new meaning. And it's not just sitting on that starting line next to some of the most prestigious crews in the nation, knowing that somehow all four of you aren't going to stop rowing until you're two thousand meters down that buoyed lane.
Team is finishing a test piece on the erg and turning to the girl next to you and slapping hands. No words, just a slap. It's the slapping of hands after Every Single piece day after day because you both did it. It's turning to that girl who has been with you stroke for stroke across millions of meters, having her look at you and remind you that what you just did was extraordinary.
Your time isn't taking you to the Olympics, heck it's not even getting you a seat in the boat for the weekend race, but what you just did was extraordinary.
It's extraordinary because you didn't get it for the spotlight. You did it for that slap of hands from a Teammate.
And that's why I row.
I believe one of the reasons crew has not gotten this sort of fame is because there is no room for stars. No room at all.
And that's why I love it. The word "team" takes on a whole new meaning. And it's not just sitting on that starting line next to some of the most prestigious crews in the nation, knowing that somehow all four of you aren't going to stop rowing until you're two thousand meters down that buoyed lane.
Team is finishing a test piece on the erg and turning to the girl next to you and slapping hands. No words, just a slap. It's the slapping of hands after Every Single piece day after day because you both did it. It's turning to that girl who has been with you stroke for stroke across millions of meters, having her look at you and remind you that what you just did was extraordinary.
Your time isn't taking you to the Olympics, heck it's not even getting you a seat in the boat for the weekend race, but what you just did was extraordinary.
It's extraordinary because you didn't get it for the spotlight. You did it for that slap of hands from a Teammate.
And that's why I row.
Monday, October 19, 2009
M
We have a love seat that came with the room. It's greenish gray and not very attractive. This really bugs my roommate M. Today I came home to a purple sheet covering it. It's a pale ugly purple that just makes the couch stick out in the room. Sticking out in a room where five girls have their stuff is a BIG feat. Everyone has pictures, colors, posters, etc all over the place that there is no overwhelming theme at all. But M decided that our ugly couch needed something to make is less ugly and since one of our walls is purple picked up sheet to "match" it. The wall is a deep purple that I love, the sheet is a pasty icky fake purple that I hate. It also cost $30. M didn't go to Goodwill to get said sheet. No. She went to Bed Bath and Beyond and got one with good thread count. And she wants us to pay her back. I'm not going to. I had no problem at all with the old couch, in fact I liked it better then new covered couch.
All of this happened half an hour ago. Just two minutes ago, M just told me she knows an upholster that could reupholster our couch if we wanted it. I didn't know what to say...I wish I had my headphones on so I could pretend I didn't hear this.
On top of this I have not had that great of a day. Lots of little frustrations and stresses adding up and M is acting like it's a crime that I've been gone all day (class, fiddle lessons, meetings with advisor, practice, student athletic leadership board, midterms) and now wants to talk to me. Ugh.
All of this happened half an hour ago. Just two minutes ago, M just told me she knows an upholster that could reupholster our couch if we wanted it. I didn't know what to say...I wish I had my headphones on so I could pretend I didn't hear this.
On top of this I have not had that great of a day. Lots of little frustrations and stresses adding up and M is acting like it's a crime that I've been gone all day (class, fiddle lessons, meetings with advisor, practice, student athletic leadership board, midterms) and now wants to talk to me. Ugh.
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