HEMNES

Sorry, Linda! The MALM bed frame was really low- so low that it was a few inches of elevation for just a mattress and no box. Ryan's won, and yes, I'm going to have more trouble cleaning it. Hah. Like I've ever cleaned a bed frame. Well, that's because I've always just had the metal thing to hold it up with a wheel on each corner.
I suppose everyone is having a fabulous New Year and that most of the Asians are at Asian dinner parties. New Years over here is quiet, as it was last year when my parents went to bed at about 9:30pm or 10:30pm or something outrageously early like that.
I took 300 pictures, not including the ones that I deleted. It's probably time to upload a few.

3. Mission: SPACE
Choose from two exciting adventures on this mission to Mars. Join the Orange Team to experience intense training on the original voyage. Or join the Green Team for a milder journey with everything but the spinning. Minimum height 44/112 cm. Expectant mothers should not ride.

No life.

I practiced the piano this morning. And a Merry Christmas to you, too.
I also put another layer of paint stain onto the plaque, and my mom wants us to pack for the day after tomorrow, which makes no sense because today is sort of a holiday.
I'm wondering what would happen if I try to charge my iPod with a computer that doesn't have iTunes. Meaning, I hope it doesn't start to try to synchronize with nothing. But if the computer doesn't make it do anything, the theoretically it shouldn't happen, but I'm still not completely certain about it. Maybe I'm over analyzing it. ::EDIT:: I just checked, and I can. ::END EDIT::
Practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice ... Tomorrow is the weekly lesson because we're leaving after that.
Feliz Navidad a ti, tambien.

Write as much as possible.

I always get kicked off the computer to do things today, and I haven't really done taht much. This morning, I "studied" for the PSAT as I was supposed to do after I had breakfast. Then, I practiced the day's worth of a piano concerto. Or maybe that's when I "studied." Lunch came around, and I had bread with duck. My parents got an address plaque that I had to measure, drill, and sand. Then, my dad gave me some sort of stain so I could stain it. Tomorrow, I have to paint it white and screw the numbers onto it. I'm not going to tell you which numbers because it would be kind of dangerous to say that online. The whole job reminded me of Applied Technology, which we had in middle school in 7th and 8th grade. We had to build things and it was almost fun. The one in 8th grade was the best because we built that trebuchet that my parents chucked away before we moved because they wouldn't let me keep it and my partner already had a trebuchet, albeit not as amazingly perfect.
Logan's current status is: ♫ Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk, which definitely reminds me of drugs... don't say anything.
But they don't even apply anymore because now it's: ♫ Violin Sonata in G Minor, Op. 5 No. 5: I. Adagio - Convivium
Ironically, I don't listen to classical music unless I'm playing it or I'm sitting somewhere and someone else is playing it.
W00t! Linda got Blogspot.

Which one?

Linda likes the one on the left, and Ryan likes the one on the right. And Jack... wants both.
Between Linda and Ryan:
Linda: i like the rectangle one
Ryan: theyre all rectangles?
Linda: the one i like U_U
the other one is hard to clean
Ryan: cleaning? bah
Linda: bah?
you dont clean
SHE does
OHHHHH
Ryan: :'(
lololol
i laugh at your tears!
AHAHAHAHAHA
Ryan: maybe she is the wrong one
no cleaning!
Linda: yes cleaning!
Ryan: no cleaning!
no cleaning!
Linda: yes learning
ive made my point
1:55 PM
yes cleaning!
you dont appreciate easy to clean things U_U
Ryan: no i dont

Marxist

My statuses always begin with "Dear Karl Marx," and then I write something to him. That sounded weird.
We're leaving after Christmas for Orlando, where we will visit IKEA and Disney World. We'll be back on New Year's Eve.
Nothing has really happened recently, but yesterday, we went to Joseph's house. After that, we say "I am Legend." We = Chanyang, Katelyn, Jack, me, and Ketan didn't go to Joseph's house. Ryan and Lacey and Joseph and Chanyang's brother and June and Erin were at Joseph's house. We played SSBM, Halo, the piano, and ate pizza from Hungry Howie's and drank Coca-cola and Vault. Pictures are uploaded if you're bored enough to look at them.
Linda, dear, you're too nice to some people. Maybe that's what makes you so special my intern.
I should probably start the second semester of Physics, but my parents want me to study for the PSAT and MAO. Neither will be very successful, and on top of that, my floating vacation weeks will be used unless it really is a "holiday" for FLVS so that the schedules have been halted, too.
Two of my best friends are finally... ecstatic. :]

You should go biking.

My dad told me that, except when my parents say "should," it usually actually means "must." So, I did, and it was really cold because the wind was being mean and loud. I can't find my black sweater. :( Maybe it got lost at school.
It would be nice if I had transportation or money so I could get you a holiday present. Maybe I'll write cards.
...
I miss my sweater. :(
Well, there's a Bio and Stat test tomorrow. Fun fun fun! Seven more exams to go.
In only two years, we will be the ones who practically die of fear because we will be hoping to receive acceptance letters from some incredible universities. Ryan the GOP Fan might be waiting for Vanderbilt (where Al Gore graduated.. haha).
Yesterday, I listened to three podcasts in Spanish. Two were Spanish Intermediate, except it didn't really seem very intermediary because they were speaking quite slowly, and it wasn't very difficult to understand. Then, I listened to one that was Spanish Advanced, and they were actually speaking normally. However, I couldn't hear all of the words and it was definitely more challenging. Unfortunately, the transcripts require money.

-chomp chomp-

Eating a snack, recharging the iPod, talking to Ryan, and having read Joseph's blog post, I must say that I have absolutely no life. I'm too lazy to finish the post in which I wrote messages to people because it is one of those things you do a lot the first time and then you sort of drop it
My novel review for A Farewell to Arms had 1459 words in it, excluding the information on the corner of the page. Bs-ing the midterm for Physics, I have a solid A whether the teacher grades all the FRQs or not. If my additional seven exams weren't next week, I'd celebrate.
I feel like hanging out with someone. Anyone, I guess. Tell me if you're free. =]

Hahaha.

I got.. lower this year on the PSAT than last year. Because I messed up on the math section and cannot get perfect scores on it as Ryan seems to do each time he takes it. The Deerlake kids took it in 8th grade, too, so they've had it at least three times now. Four for Jack, since he took it a month or two ago.
Today in Stat, Tim showed me one of the prompts for the speaking portions of an AP Spanish test. It was about promoting the business at Niagara Falls, or something. I'm not sure, because I skimmed it before we had to leave for 4th period.
The Euro project is due tomorrow and I haven't finished my last drawing, so buena noche.

Peer Pressure

::EDIT:: They are not in order of importance. So don't feel bad if you're near the end or the middle. :: END EDIT::

We could talk for hours and hours and days and never run out of things to say. In fact, the only times when our conversations went quiet were when we were doing homework at the same time, or when we stayed up past 6:00am and I tried to get you to stop poking me.

Little brothers are so immature and annoying, and you know that you fit some of the description quite well, but we talk to each other far too often. I'm glad I met you, and would never have guessed that a whole person lay beneath the shy, quiet kid. Thank you for helping me when I forget what 5pi/6 means.

No one in the world has ever praised me so much, and it was one of the most amazing things in my life when you said what you said. I will do my very best to remember to call you in thirty years. Last year, when I first heard about you after the MAO Banquet, I had absolutely no idea that we would grow so close so quickly this year. You are far smarter and more intelligent than you will ever admit.

I can't forget you, and I can't forget when your friends told me that you liked me. It was hilarious, just like every single moment we ever shared. We made each other laugh, and before I moved away, I cried. And half of those times, it was because of you, and you will probably never know that. I've moved on, but I know that whenever we see each other, we will have the most amazing time.

Kid, you're turning into a girl-magnet! Stop it! Haha, I'm kidding. Anyways, you're always a step (or a few steps) smarter than me on a lot of math-related things, and I really admire you for it. You're intelligent and last year, Freed was determined that you would be the most successful out of the froshies he knew after all of us grow up. You annoy me relentlessly, but it's all good because you're marvelous.

You're such a nice guy. It's too bad you got taller and older. I feel sorry for those girls.

Maybe you don't remember this, but near the beginning of the last school year, you wrote two incredibly long emails with advice about school to me because I'd asked a few questions. You probably would have continued to write them if I didn't stop questioning you, and that is only a small example of the great person you are.

If I had to choose someone to be my big brother, then I would choose you. You're incredible. Patient, kind, understanding, talkative, caring, and obviously smart, you always make me feel glad to know you. I smiled so much when some good things happened to you, and you deserve a lot more because you don't think you do.

It hurts me to see you cry every now and then, but it seems like you aren't going to be so sad now, and I'm glad. One of my closest friends used be your best friend until you didn't have any classes with her. I know why she would have been your best friend because it makes a lot of sense.

It's kind of sad that you like him.

You blew me away with your persona, and I'm trying to forget about you, ignore you, and it doesn't matter if I want to hate you because it is not possible. On another note, I saw her last week and she was really pretty.

You have so many hidden talents and one of the biggest smiles in the world. When you were sad, I could not live knowing it was true. I'm going to work on my angles just for you.

At the end of the year when I finally really and truly realized that you existed, I wondered why I had never spoken to you. This year has proven that it was dumb, and you are great. You cheer me up and sometimes, make me forget how sad I am.

It's too bad we don't see each other very often. It is really cool to talk to you on extremely rare occasions. Don't think so badly of yourself. I know you'll get mad if I keep trying to persuade you that you're a really good person, but it's so true that I feel the need.

Why do you know who everyone likes? You're such a gossiper but I'm glad to be related to you. I know we'll talk more often next year because of MAO. That's what nerds do.

I miss seeing you every Saturday, but the reason why we did is so negative that it's all good overall. We still don't talk enough, but I get along so well with you and your mother. So I miss you even though I see you every day at school and talk to you almost every day of the year in some way.

We agree on aspects of life so much, and it's sad that we don't get to talk to each other because we're so busy at different times. Complaining is easy and hilariously fun around you.

I want to hear you play the piano. No excuses.

Often, you get really controlling around people who you barely know. It might hurt you in the future, but I can't ever tell you that directly because you would hate me for it.

Our parents knew each other before they were married. I didn't know you existed until about 6th grade. You are an incredibly patient older brother to your younger brother, and a crazy-smart Chinese kid. We need to hang out some day again.

You're never going to stop amusing me. I can't see myself having feelings for you, and glad of that. It was creepy for your mom to know that she met my mom because my mom didn't realize that she did. It is also a little creepy for you to talk about me to random preppy guys who happen to know me. Or how a random girl at Homecoming waved enthusiastically to me because you knew me, and I had no idea what to do but say "Hi" back. But you're a cool kid.

You have fly hair and I'm really glad to have you as a friend.

You have really weird hair, and I hope I didn't scare you too much.

I thought you were great, but the more I know you, the less patience I have. I try to accept the way you are, but the way you are gets in the way of our belief systems. I'm sorry. When I wave at you, it takes a lot of effort for me to smile.

We teased you a lot last year. Being amazing friends is so much better, but it's fun either way and we know you know that. We're going to go driving and shopping and all that girly stuff when we get older and it's going to be marvelous.

You care so much when I'm sad, and it means a lot. People may think you're annoying, but you're such an affectionate person.

I DO NOT WANT TO BUY CHOCOLATE FROM YOU.

Everyone ranted about you endlessly. You turned out to be more amazing they could ever describe. Your future boss is going to adore you.

It's amazing that you value life so much, and I really admire you for it. You brought me up onto my feet, but I didn't tell you that for no apparent reason.

I'm glad I make you laugh.

You have the most beautiful piano in the world, and I am sooo jealous.

I know where you live. And I shouldn't.

Alright, I'm done for the day. There are so many people I left out of this post, and it would take a very, very long time to write something for everyone. People I left out never read this, so it should be okay. If you don't think you're in it, then please tell me.

Reminders for life.

After the recital, on the way out the room, almost ten random audience members told me I'd played really well. One of them was a really elderly-looking lady in a wheelchair. She asked me how long my fingers were, and gently took my left hand between hers to see. It was so sad to see her sitting there, too old to move or to learn to play the piano, but she was so happy to have attended the recital.
One little Chinese girl's father got the step-stool for her, and pedals were attached to it so it could hit the piano's pedals. She didn't use it, but it made me remember all the little kids out there who have them. I never actually used one, but my piano teacher did have a sort of step-stool for me around 1st grade. By the time I found out about the special piano stools with the pedal extensions, I was too tall to use one.
I realized the English novel review is due next week. It was elating.

Yo MAO.

At the end of Hunter's presentation.. well.. near the end, she had Chairman Mao in her hell circle. T.T However, it was a really really nice powerpoint. I said "nooo...." and the whole class laughed. That was yesterday.
Today was the Mini Mu, and my gosh did I do the most random things. Erica and Sarah took almost all of my pictures, and I'm really glad they used my camera because now I have a bunch of the pictures that were used in the powerpoint by Mr. Goldstein, since Freed has the same camera. They used his cord on my camera, and it was wondrous.
In the beginning, I walked around, helping out with little tasks, eventually staying in Mrs. Chan's room, where all the proctors congregated, and Kavita and Freed spoke to them about their jobs. I took out a cafeteria bench with Candace so the mothers could set it up for lunch. After the proctors had gone, there was a lot of trouble in 8200. We felt really bad for Yige, the hall monitor there, because there were so many problems that he was overwhelmed trying to fix things. Overwhelmed because there was just that much; he was doing a really good job. When I went to visit him, most of the commotion had dissolved, and I ended up just helping Diana and Linda with two of the many elementary schoolers who were raising their hands to ask questions about the test. Apparently, one little boy didn't know what to do with the scantron. As I walked away from Yige to go out the door, he said, "Hey, do you like _______?" I said, "Why?" and he said something along the lines of "So you do!" Yeah, great reminder of something horrid as I walked down the stairs, trying to push it out of my mind. So, as things settled down, Carolyn and I went to the courtyard with Sarah and Erica, where the kids came and did some disputing after the first session. I left Carolyn to go back to Freed's, walked to the auditorium and back with Erica in lost search for a piano that I might be able to use for a few minutes, came back, and helped Logan and Marshall with scanning. Overall, scanning was quite smooth, but there were a few solvable problems here and there. The good part is that the program worked, which it hadn't yesterday before about 5:20pm. I stayed around for the awards ceremony until the powerpoint started.
The recital went smoothly for me, although I did make a lot of little mistakes. It seemed to be good to the other people who were there, so I'm not too regretful about it for once. Ah, much better than last year when I played a really short and boring and weird thing by Scarlatti. Chopin is so much better.
I've got about 157 pictures at which to look and possibly upload and I love that because pictures... Well, I'm not going to rant about pictures. Or put up the Christmas tree this year.

All the good fishes were taken.

Our AP Euro book: Sand's novel Indiana (1832), about an unhappily married woman, was read all over Europe. Her notoriety- she became the lover of the Polish pianist Frederic Chopin, among others, and threw herself into socialist politics- made the term GeorgeSandism a common expression of disdain for independent women.
-sob-
On another note, Lacey wrote an INCREDIBLE note to me on her blog: You are quite possibly the best person I've ever met. I haven't known you very long but I feel I can say that without any hesitation. No one's been that accepting of me in every way. That willing to help me, no questions asked. You understand. I wish you would think of yourself better because I think of you in the best possible way. You are AWESOME!!!
It really made my day a lot brighter to know that anyone would be so happy to know me. And oh, did we have fun torturing Blair at lunch today.
We're frantically getting ready for the Mini Mu, and it will be amazing. I have to leave at 2pm for a recital at the Westminster Oaks Retirement Center, and I really hope I don't mess up for them. "Them" meaning the old people for whom I feel sorry.
After school, by about 5:30pm, I was supposed to wait for my mother to take me home. It started to get dark, and she still hadn't come. I knew she was on her way by about 5:45pm when I called her, and as the sun was mostly set, I sat on the sidewalk and started to just think, ignoring my surroundings (which included a fellow jazz band member who kept asking me to buy his World's Finest Almond chocolate that I didn't want). I couldn't help it, but all the day's reminders of that one guy kind of built up and tears started coming out of my eyes. Thankfully, Michelle, Logan, and the band kid were too far away to notice. I couldn't let my mother see me crying, so I stopped myself with plenty of time to spare. It felt miserable to know that I still missed... things. Or wanted them. It's getting so tiring, as this post probably is because it started off sort of lighthearted, even though it kind of was an allegory. Well, actually, the Chopin thing was an allegory.

short

Clara gave me some albums through my memory stick and hers because mine ran out of memory. It was pretty amazing because she gave me so much. :] I'm excited to hear it and I've never had such an increase in songs at once.
Lacey was absolutely right. A case would be really helpful.
Ah, time for dinner.

Schedule Conflicts

December 8th:
7amish-4ish Chiles Mini Mu
11am-4pm Come Visit Caroline
3pm-5ish Piano Recital

Januaryish:
Howard Wilson Piano Contest
MAO competitions for which I have paid

April _?_:
FSMTA District Concerto Competition
MAO State

May 9:
AP European History Exam not in Orlando
May 9-10 FSMTA Competitive Events including the State Concerto Competition in Orlando

Studying

The lesson was moved to today and Freed isn't picking up his cell phone. I can't visit Caroline because of the Mini Mu and the recital, which actually overlap anyways so I REALLY can't visit her.
We survived another week of sophomoreness, so we have about two weeks to study for exams and we haven't even begun reviewing.
Anna had a little rant about study time, so here's mine.
The amount of time studying is inversely proportional to how much you understand the information and how easily you can process the extraordinary details that you need to make a very high A. At this school, most teachers don't really teach you the information, and for that, one needs to study more than just before a test to be safe. You can always cram the night before and it works, but you can't cram a lot of information so it depends on the class. There is no way of measuring studying by set hours such as "two and a half" or "five." You stop studying when you have a satisfying feeling that you understand everything and know the information that goes with it. The time it takes to do that is not something you can compare across classes. Anna may only need two and a half hours to cram for her math test, but I do not think Joseph would be able to successfully memorize a few chapters from his AP World History book in that time. It's all up to you, and if you don't feel like studying, it's your decision. Asian people do not all study five hours straight every day. That is a stereotype and I am proving this by not having done any homework today, and it's already 9:24am! There is no way I will be doing Euro for five hours straight. It would be extremely tedious and boring and worse than it already is.
The pep rally was a mediocre waste of school time. I really enjoyed how our classes were shorter, so I suppose it was okay. I talked to Lacey and Brianna part of the time. The acts didn't really contain much talent and some of them were very disturbing. After that, Jazz Band Reh went to 5pm, so it was still mandatory to stay at school actually doing something. This is further proof that I did not spend five hours studying because I went to bed at about 10pm and I had to have eaten dinner and checked my email and played around with my graphing calculator with MirageOS.