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Thursday, December 2, 2004
 Awesome.
This week has come to a nice, slow, easy finish. What started out as me totally freaking out over my English paper is ending tomorrow. I have an hour of Off to do my homework in, and I have Theology last period. There is no way that this can end foully.
Well...wait. Crap. I need to write a thesis for my next paper. Mr. Lamoureux is actually giving us some freedom on this assignment, though, which is unusual. We can write about anything that has to do with Romanticism. Critique a work by a Romantic author, discuss the other himself or herself, etc. Whatever we want. I'm thinking of doing something about the originality of Poe's works, for lack of any other ideas. Poe, I think, would be better able to grasp my attention than anything else in the subject range. Other Romantic authors I've read tend to have ideologies and correlations that I simply don't see. I can understand Poe's stuff, for the most part, and it's interesting. ^_^
That'll probably be the one tidbit of homework I complete tonight. =p
Fencing practice went well tonight. People were actually stretching when I got there at about five minutes after six o'clock. That's much better, compared to last time, where I came in at about six fifteen, and we didn't start stretching until a couple minutes after I got there.
We did the usual warm-up drills: Advancing and retreating across the room, suicides, generic sprints, etc.
Then we did a bunch of crunches, to get our torsos thoroughly worked out. Besides our legs, we use our torso more than anything else in fencing.
After that, the novices went with Coach Liz, and the JV and Varsity went with Coach Hughes. We did some more "simple" drills this evening. The first one went sort of as follows:
Fencer A extends their arm for a low-line attack on Fencer B.
Fencer B parries low, and then moves to counterattack.
Fencer A parries the attempted counterattack.
Fencer B brings their weapon around Fencer A's blade in a disengage, and scores a touch.
The next drill was pretty basic. It was a beat-attack, but on a lower level. In other words, we would smack the opponent's blade out of the way, and then attack around their stomach area, as opposed to their chest.
Then we did that drill, with movement. We would advance and retreat, sort of like a real bout, and then go for the low line beat-attack.
Thirdly, we did a fleche drill. In fencing, a fleche is a sort of charge at your opponent. You put all of your weight forward, and pin them as you run past. Sort of like medieval jousting, without the horses. And, you don't both have to charge.....
It was fun. ^_^
After the fleche drills we did one-touch bouts. Out of my eleven bouts, I won six and lost five. A couple of the losses were unavoidable, but the others were done by just stupid mistakes.
Sort of like headbutting Angela B. in the stomach. >> *cough*
I need new shoes for fencing. The ones I have right now are very dusty and slippery and...yeah. Very little friction. I slide easily. And when I try to lunge low, and I slide, and I'm close.....people get headbutted in the stomach. >.<;;
Well....only one person so far. >.>
Anyways...
After that I fenced my coach for a sort of undefined match. I got the first point, and he decided that we'd got beyond a one-touch bout. =p
So, we go back and forth for a minute, and he gets a touch on me. No big deal. Happens often enough. He has many more years of experience than me. No problem.
Next touch wins. >:D
I just happen to get the next touch, and win. ^-^
'Twas fun. I remember now why I love fencing. Actual bouts are so very exciting, especially against somebody you don't know.
Our Men's team had a 12-0 season last year, and the Women's team had 11-1. And that one was sort of unfair, because one of our fencers was suspended and all of her matches were counted as victories for the other team. There wasn't really any way they could have won under those conditions.
Here's hoping for another great season. ^_^ *raises glass water bottle*
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Wednesday, December 1, 2004
 Update? Bleh.
Heh. I knew this week would get better. ^_^
I got to bed late again last night, because my younger sister had a project to do. Since my computer is the only one hooked up to a functional computer, she needed to use it throughout the night. And because my computer is located in my room, she had to use my room repeatedly as well. So, I tried to outlast her for a while. That didn't work. I fell asleep on my parents' bed. =p
My dad shook me awake when she was done, and I shuffled upstairs to my room. Yay for a couple hours of glorious, wonderful sleep. =)
I was still pretty zombified throughout school today. For the first time in a while, a teacher actually took notice and mentioned something about me getting sleep somewhere other than class. :o
I didn't actually fall asleep, but I kept closing my eyes for short periods of time when we weren't taking notes. I thought I heard everything that was going on, but...maybe I looked totally out of it. ^-^;;
Food usually wakes me up a bit, so after lunch I was at a low-mid level of consciousness. Most of my work is done for the rest of the week, and the weekend is looming large on the horizon. I may not have fencing this Saturday, due to a new coach from another school messing things up. Free Saturday morning = Lots of awesome sleep. 0_0
Maybe, if I'm not doing anything else this weekend, I can get World of Warcraft....and spend the weekend playing it... :o
Seriously. My want of this game is reaching feverish pitch. It's not often that this happens, but when it does, drastic things happen. >>
The same thing happened when I wanted Super Smash Brothers shortly after it came out. I bought an N64, and then I bought SSB. I had no intention of getting a Gamecube until I found out Super Smash Brothers Melee, the sequel, was coming out. Boom, GC acquired. The game and system were mine.
So, if my laptop can't handle WoW and my dad's won't let me put it on his, I think I'll be getting a new computer. *twitch* It will all have to happen soon, though. I'm not sure how long I can last like this. Plus, I don't want to fall behind all of the people who have started already. *more twitching* I really want this game.
Boba Fett is a respected member of a guild that is forming on WoW, and he invited me to join. So, I posted a sign-up on their forums, and I'm awaiting a response. And...yeah...I still need the game. >>
I'm sorry this seems disjointed. I've been typing some, and then flitting off to something else, then typing more, and flitting off to something else. Couple that with the sleep deprivation I've had, and...well....I'm rather off the wall right now. <_>
I think I'll sleep now. _-_
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Tuesday, November 30, 2004
 Brain Fried: Cooldown Time = Hours and hours of sleep
Oy. I got the paper done this morning at 2:15. -_-
It was formatted perfectly. I did everything just as I was supposed to. In my haste, though, I'm sure that the content suffered a moderate blow. I kept regurgitating information over and over again, and not really going into details. This paper was supposed to be in the higher area of 6-10 pages. I scraped five and a third.
But, hey. It's over and done with. I can breathe easy for another couple of days. My next thesis isn't due until Friday. =p
Yeah, seriously. The thesis for our next paper is due this Friday. And he's left the topic of the paper rather open-ended. We are to choose something that has to do with Romanticism and write about it. It can be an author, a work, etc. Now all I have to do is decide, and write a thesis. The high-level outline is due on the 10th, the full outline on the 17th, and the paper on the 3rd. We have the whole vacation to work on the paper. Given the chance, I just know that I would put it off until the 2nd. =(
Hopefully I won't have the chance. >.>
Staying up so late last night left me only semi-conscious throughout today. I kept dozing off and pulling myself back to wakefulness. Thankfully I managed to get through the day, and I actually accomplished enough work so that I can take a nap before practice tonight. _^_
Which is what I'm going to do, after I finish this post. :p
I cashed in a couple of checks today, and I now have enough money to go out and buy World of Warcraft. I don't think my laptop can handle it, but still; I really want the game. Me, Tim, and Matt have all become obsessed with it, and we've even all got our characters planned out. Tim's going to be an Orc Tracker/Hunter. His profession is Skinning and Leatherworking.
I'm going to be a Tauren Druid, with the ability to shapeshift into a number of different animals. My profession is going to be Herbalism and Alchemy. I get to collect various plants to create potions and such. Fun. ^-^
Matt has decided to be a Troll, but I don't think he's decided on a class or anything yet. Well, actually, I think he did. I just can't remember. =p
Heh. We've all totally disregarded the fact that none of us really have access to a computer that can surely handle the game. =p But, whatever. We're hopeful. (And obsessed)
Things will happen the way they happen. And I'll be somewhere in the middle.
Fencing practice tonight. I most certainly want my nap. So, I'll catch you all later. ^_^ Bye!
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Monday, November 29, 2004
 Duaaaaaaaah
I really should not be updating right now....*twitch* Gah! My paper is still on page two! It's 10:00! *twitch* *twitch* *twitch*
I have all the material I'll need, except for one little thing, and it's holding up the whole creative process! *spazzes out*
Even after I get the paper done, I have to go back and put in all the special little formatting things Mr. Lamoureux wants us to put in! *more twitching*
I'm on AIM now, trying to search out someone with the knowledge I require. (Un)fortunately, the only person I can find willing to talk is my friend Tim, and all he's interested in talking about is World of Warcraft. Which, by the way, we both desperately want to own. We've already got out characters all planned out and such; we just need the actual game. :p
I'll need to get a new computer for this, as my dad's computer is messed up at the moment and my laptop probably isn't half as good as it would need to be for a game like WoW. I was planning on getting something new, anyways, as my laptops too heavy to carry around anyways. One of the main reasons behind me getting a laptop was the mobility, and hey, now that's pretty much a null issue. If I can't do that, I might as well get a desktop computer that can handle games, right? =p
Especially with such great games that are out for the computer. >.>
Yes. Right. I'm seriously spazzing out right now. I have every confidence in myself to get this paper done, and done well, but when I hit a stopping point like this piece of missing information, then everything gets bottled up inside and I start talking/writing in long run-on sentences like this one. *takes a breath*
I nearly panicked when I realized I hadn't updated, and that resulted in me coming here and spending time away from my paper, which desperately needs the time I am spending on typing this. *brain fizzles some more*
o.o.........
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Sunday, November 28, 2004
 BLARG
Wait for it....
Wait for it....
BOOM!!!
There we go. ^_^
That was the sound of Ben's head exploding from all of the pressures he is feeling right now.
He has a paper to write that is due Tuesday. As of this moment, he only has about half a paragraph of his introduction written.
I got the title page done...
Oh, silly me! He got the title page done, as well! What a perfectly infinitesimal bit of progress! :D Kudos to you, Ben.
Anyways, going further. He also has a take-home test to finish for English tomorrow. He doesn't quite understand some of the questions, and he can't go on AIM to ask people for help. Because if he does, he will be stuck there, draining more precious time away from the paper. Life's grand. ^_^
The paper isn't actually due until Tuesday, but Ben is working tomorrow night. That eats up a nice three and a half hours of the afternoon. Add in a buffer period of procrastination, and he has about five hours* to do the paper and whatever other work he has by then.
*Five hours, if he stays up until midnight. Heh heh heh.
As if all of this stress put on by himself wasn't enough, Ben's mom gets into the picture. She carefully picks her way through Ben's doorway, and tells that he needs to pick up his room. Then she goes on to lecture him about how he should be working on his paper!
MIXED SIGNALS!
MIXED SIGNALS!
WOOOP! WOOOOOOOP! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!
IMMINENT FAILURE! IMMINENT FAILURE! IMMINENT FAILURE! IMMINENT FAILURE!
And that's just about where things were before Ben's head exploded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have all of the material to work with, and an outline to go by. I just can't bring myself to start working on it! >_< I keep finding something else to do, and it's eating up my time.
*slinks away quietly* >:D
I really wish I had enough time for a walk.
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Saturday, November 27, 2004
Rwar...
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Procrastinion is King
So, Ben, you've been home for four hours. What have you accomplished during that time?
I ate lunch. Cauliflower, with cheese.
I also sent in one of my decks to Pojo.com to be reviewed. Hopefully it's a unique enough idea that the deck reviewer's will actually take a look at it.
I also fiddled around with some Lego robotics stuff. If I can get things set up right, my obstacle course will have spinning devices of doom. I'm sure the mouse will just love that. XD
I've yet to get a mouse for this project, and I haven't got a tank for the mouse, either. Good thing the project's not due until January. :0
Ehrm. Eric had made plans for laser tag and a movie tonight, but I haven't heard from him at all today. It's very possible that the plans fell through, but it's equally possible that he just forgot to get ahold of me today. Such is Eric.
I got the title page of my English paper done, as well as the first paragraph of the Introduction. It's not much for four hours of time, but it's better than absolutely nothing, which is what I would normally have done at this point.
I think I've finally stumbled upon the answer to my difficulties in these papers. I'm getting A's and A+'s on pretty much every other writing assignment I get in any class. And yet for my English class I've consistently received C's for my past two papers. Both are acceptable, considering the consequences, but I just know I can do so much better!
So, I can write good in everything besides English. What's the difference? Where's the distinction in the assignments?
The research!
I'm too dang lazy to do comprehensive research on a subject! And even once I have the research, I don't want to compile it into something a minimum of six pages long! >_>;;
In Theology, we are given newspaper articles to write "Reaction Papers" on. As the terminology expresses, the papers reflect what we think about the topic in the article. I've gotten an A+ on every one thus far. Distinction: We're given an article to glean facts and ideas from. Mr. Leone also finds that I can express my ideas rather clearly in writing.
In history, we have Document Based Questions (DBQ's) to write. Essays questions that require several pages to answer effectively. I've gotten the highest grades on those, too. But again, I'm provided with the research. "Document Based" means that we are provided with articles and the like from which we are to draw our conclusions.
There's no research involved in either of them.
Now, I ought to find out what I can do to fix this problem.
So, in other words, you're going to do research?
>_<
I guess not.
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Friday, November 26, 2004
*twitch* *yawn* *snicker*
My parents are really getting on my case about my paper. -_-;;
I hadn't really gotten any work done on it until this evening when my mom came upstairs for a little chat. I got the whole "it's for your own good" speech, and how developing good habits now will save me later in college. I'm sure she's right, but the message just doesn't sink in enough, apparently. I've spent the last half hour or so procrastinating. :o
Although, I have gone out and found a number of websites I can use as sources for my paper. I've got my materials out, too: My outline, some scrap paper to take notes on, and my English book. Everything's all set and ready to go. Except me, I guess. :o I'm very much inclined to play a game or start building an obstacle course for a small rodent.
I just remembered, too. I'm working tomorrow morning, from 8:45 to 1:00. x_X;;
It'll be my first Saturday morning working, I believe. I don't know if I'll be able to function at that hour on a Saturday. :p It'll be a nice addition to my paycheck, though; one hour and fifteen minutes more than usual. With my recent raise, that will turn out nicely. :D
My bank account has pretty much been depleted, believe it or not. *cries of shock and alarm*
I had $900 some-odd in there. $800 of it has been loaned out. $80 are still in my "control" and about twenty of it was spent here and there.
My parents are having difficulties making the due dates on bills match my mom's pay days. So to cover those bills and some incidentals, they've borrowed $750. My older sister borrowed $20 from me about a week ago for gas, or something, and then asked me tonight for more money so that she can go out to the movies and dinner with friends. Being the nice banker loan shark brother that I am, I shelled over the money. She promised to pay me back on Sunday, when she is paid. We shall see. =/
Furthermore, life goes on. I've still two days left to my vacation, and I play to make use of tomorrow night. Eric's home from college for the vacation, and he's gathering a group to go play laser tag and check out The Incredibles. It promises to be a good time, if it all works out. Eric's plans sometimes have the tendency to fall through. =p
And in the stretch of time between work and fun?
SLEEP!
Work on my paper. =_=
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Thursday, November 25, 2004
Happy Thanksgiving. ^_^
I hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving. Mine was very nice. I slept in, and still had plenty of time to play around before we went to my aunt's house for dinner. I played Soul Calibur II, which is my newest method of time consumption.
Newest method of procrastination, you mean?
Same difference. v_v;;
I've not started yet on my homework, which consists of an English paper, an English take home test, and random other assorted things due later on next week. I have a good feeling about this next English paper, but I'm of the mind that that good feeling will disappear should I decide to procrastinate.
Oh, yes. I have an optional Psychology project. It's extra credit, and it's worth two test grades. :o! If I get a one hundred on it, it will count as two one hundreds in her gradebook, which would be absolutely incredible.
So, the project. We have to buy a mouse, of the small and domestic variety. We're to take care of it, bond with it, and then train it to do something; i.e. go through a maze or an obstacle course.
Now, this sounds like an awful lot of fun. I'm just concerned about how much time I'll have to put into it, and where will I put the mouse? :p
My room is a topic of great debate, because the temperature fluctuates. I have my space heater on while I'm in here, making it nice and warm. But, I'm not allowed to leave my space heater on when I'm sleeping, or when I'm away from my room, because I don't have a smoke detector up here. If a fire was started by the space heater, the whole house could burn down. :o
So, anyways. Whenever my space isn't on, the temperature in my room drops significantly. We're getting into winter here in New England, and unlike California, that actually means something here. =p Winter is cold here. It isn't "nippy" out. It is frigid. The cold would kill the mouse, if not the fluctuation of temperature.
Regardless of the location issues, I've already resolved to make an obstacle course out of Legos. =p
Mrs. Bednarz showed us some of the things kids in the past have used: mouse-sized ladders, tight ropes, and see-saw like contraptions. The mouse will not naturally want to cross the tight rope, and they don't particularly care for the movement of the see-saw as they walk or run over it. I intend to use both in my obstacle course. :D That, along with some random other twists and turns, I think ought to get me an A. Provided I can train the mouse to do it. Also provided I get the mouse. =p
I have until Jan. 4 to turn in a video tape of my mouse going through the maze/obstacle course twice in a row. I'd really like to give it a shot. ^_^
Now I'll get back to tidying my room and building an obstacle course.
Comment Commentary:
Mimmi: I'm glad you stopped where you did. u_u;; I set myself up a number of times in that last post.
Ben: You're a loser. Why'd you leave yourself so open to things like that? :o
DDG: *burn* *kill* *destroy* *defeat in TSC2* Happy Thanksgiving! And thanks for the visit. I'm now up to 3005 visits. ^_^
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Wednesday, November 24, 2004
kfkjfghksjfhgkjfhsdjh
I do so enjoy half-days of school. ^-^ Everything is so easy and concise. Teachers clump together what it is you need to know, and give it to you. Either that, or they screw around all period. Both are acceptable. =p
The important thing about today is: I survived it, relatively unscathed.
I was late to school today, because I desperately needed a shower after last night's practice. We got a good amount done last night, considering that we were forced into the gymnasium, with some of the basketball players. =/
Coach made a couple more comments about my speed, which just sort of swelled by head a bit. >>
"Yeah man, when you came to Thames River that one time, you scared the crap out of me."
Then later, in a drill.
"This here, ladies and gentlemen, is the fastest fencer I saw who came to Thames River this summer. *pause* Of course, he only came once, but hey..."
We were doing a fairly simple parry riposte drill, but he was placing emphasis on our fast and correct recoveries. My bladework was perfect, he said, but my footwork really needed some help. I wasn't actually lunging, I don't think. I was sort of hopping forward with one foot. Coach told me to work with certain individuals on my footwork when I got the chance.
Then, from simple little parry riposte exercises, we moved onto a double bind. 0_o Slightly more complex. It goes something like this:
Fencer A extends his/her blade out.
Fencer B attempts a bind of Fencer A's blade.
Fencer A disengages their blade and moves it upwards to another line.
Fencer B circles their blade around to catch Fencer A' blade in a second bind and score.
It's a simple concept, but hard to put into action. Both people have to concentrate on the drill in order for it to work right. Even at a slow speed. >>
Anyways. School.
I had French first period. I got back my quiz/test from the other day on the imperfect tense. 95% ^_^ The only thing I got points off on was somewhere I put an accent where there shouldn't have been an accent. Silly little irregular verb. =p
I took a test in Pre-Cal. The period was shortened, so that added some time-related stress to the mix. I'm confident that I did well, but I won't believe that I aced it until I see it. Mr. Pukstas has innumerable ways to spot imperfection in our answers. *rolls eyes*
English was spent discussing Transcendentalism and Ralph Waldo Emerson. I was once again fortunate, and we did not have to turn in our take-home tests just yet.
We talked a bit more on cults today in Theology, and got another reaction paper. :D I love writing reaction papers for Theology. It's just so much fun to try and find an angle that none of my classmates will take, and exploit it. The first reaction paper we had to write dealt with the terrorist incident in Russia with the school children.
My classmates agreed with the article's author: Oh yeah, terrible stuff. Those guys are evil.
I brought into question the definition of evil. :p I criticized the article's writer for being biased, and defended the terrorists. Mr. Leone was quite surprised, and very impressed.
In our second reaction paper, we had an article about teenagers dying in car accidents. My classmates related their own life and experiences to the article. I blamed the teenagers for their own deaths, and basically called them stupid.
So, yeah. We got an article about the Pacer's game, and how one of the players attacked a fan or so. The article is just dripping with things for me to bring up. The biased author, the fan who threw the cup, and basketball player; oh, it's just awesome. I can't wait to get started.
We talked a bit more about our mouse conditioning project in Psychology, which I will relay further information to you about later.
We learned about Trusts and Holding Companies in history today, particularly those in the Gilded Age. We turned in our DBQ's about the motives of Imperialism, and I will be awaiting my grade come Monday.
Last period I had Off, so I wandered down to Mrs. Kainz's room and hung out with Angela, Angela, and Mike, a couple of my Senior friends. A short time later, it was 12:00, and the bell rang. School was out for the week(end). ^_^
I came home, and I've been puttering around ever since. Listening to my Evanescence CD, watching movies, playing Gamecube, and working with my Yu-Gi-Oh cards. My older brother and sister are both home, which is pretty cool. We get along so much better now that we see each other less.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody, and enjoy the time spent amongst family and friends. :)
P.S. Last I looked, my site had 2999 visits. Somebody bump me. =p
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