In my computer science class I always sit next to this Chinese foreign exchange student and sometimes he just says the most hilarious things. He can't speak English very well, so half the time I am just staring at him with a blank face. First we were talking about KFC and he was wondering if I had ever been to the very first KFC and if I liked the buffit (as he called- aka "buffet"). Then he asked me if I was going to Crimson Nights, but I told him I had more fun eating binge food and watching an episode from one of my favorite TV series (Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Malcolm, Anne of Green Gables, Alias, Battlestar Gallactica, Stargate, Glee, Chuck, to name a 'few.') Anyhow, I responded by asking if he went to the 1st one they had and he said he did but that it was "very American party with lots of sexy dancing." Apparently they like to do Karaoke in China for parties, or at least that's what I got from the rest of our conversation.
In other news, this week was just about as god-awful as the last. Lots of working until 11pm and waking up at 5:30am. In fact, I did that today, and haven't really done anything except school, homework, travel and work, but I am still going (for some inexplicable reason...I will probably just randomly pass out like a psychotic narcoleptic, but oh well)! I did get my first check today, which was more than I have probably ever had in my whole life at one time, but of course it will all be going to pay for my lovely college tuition. *_*
Another interesting thing that happened to me was while I was taking a survey for the U of U about orientation. It wanted to know my sexual orientation. I didn't know which was most appropriate: gay, bi, straight (but obviously not transgendered because that's too expensive). I was having another personal indecisive dilemma until I saw asexual...
if (philophobic && virginal && non-reproductive) {
return asexual}
It is the perfect option for people who believe that everyone should only have sperm and egss extracted, which are cryonized and then the person is sterilized. Or for people who are simply afraid of intimacy or just feel incredibly awkward when other people touch them. I would have to say that I am one of those crazy people with absurd paranoia disorders (my mom is super paranoid about what we are doing, so maybe it is genetic or simply a maternal trait?). For example, I am scared that someone will hear me peeing in the bathroom or that I am breathing too loudly when I run. Either I am seriously disturbed or insanely insecure? Well, that was sufficiently awkward, now you know some of my darkest secrets don't you feel so special (for the 2 people who even periodically read my rants)?! :)
Oh, one last deep dark secret...I love singing Madonna on my computer microphone! I got this program called FL Studio and it has tons of features like multiband equalizers, autotuning, reverberators and all kinds of other weird things. And also anything by Kristin Chenoweth (Glee, Wicked, Pushing Daisies- you name it!). Ok, I am now going to go to bed before I say anything that might jeopardize national security or something. ;) And also leave a memo to myself to never write in my blog when under serious sleep deprivation...au revoir!
WoD: Ornithorhynchus: The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...courtesy of Wikipedia.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Dearth and Disconcertment
Let me begin my story about 6 months ago. It is summer and all I am doing is my daily chores and watching TV, at this particular time: Alias. This is where my chess addiction spawned from. Sydney's father challenges a random man that he can checkmate in 9 moves. I just had to wonder how anyone could do that? It just so happens that he is the CIA's foremost Game Theorist. The applications of game theory to both chess and reality were intriguing to me, so accidentally downloaded a bundle of books on the subject. It was not quite as exciting and blatantly applicable as I had probably anticipated, but I guess that is somewhat irrelevant for the moment. The prisoner's dilemma and the Nash Equilibrium (developed by the guy from A Beautiful Mind) were interesting, at least from what I actually understood. It was also just a lot of jargon on economic theories.
Anyhow, getting to the point...On Monday my political science professor took a vote from the class to change our first midterm's weight grade from 30% to 25%. I scored 95/100, so it is obvious that 30% would be better. Usually I am pretty passive and tolerant of people, but when you start messing with my grade things quickly change. I basically vowed never to let GPA get in my way and made it a goal to always and forever get a 4.0 because I had gotten screwed over so many times in highschool (not that my 3.89 HS GPA was bad, just not good enough to compete, apparently). So I raised my hand symbolizing my opposition in this. However, disconcertment quickly descended upon me as soon as I realized I was the only one raising my hand and everyone was staring at me.
Things became worse today after my professor asked me to stay and talk with him after class. Just for the record, the only people he has said this to is if he sees them texting and playing their computer all through class or because they failed their midterm. I was totally befuddled at his request, but did as he asked.
As I naively waited for him I peered aimlessly around the classroom. I was totally took by surprise when he began speaking. My voice instantly became frail, face red and eyes watery. (Please note that I have an irrational fear of authority figures and when they seem mad at me, then I can't help but freaking out. I am pretty stoic or mask feelings with sublimity.) Basically, he thought that I hated him or something. That I didn't agree with anything he said and totally resented his teaching methods. he even went to ask me if I was a "loner." Not sure where he got the idea and nerve to ask that, but ok. I have to wonder if this was all triggered somehow by me raising my hand about a stupid 5% grade weight change? I was not consciously acting any different than I had been previously. I admit I had found some of his teaching methods stupid, but I still went to class, the early morning reviews and did well on the midterm. I don't even care if the teacher is a total bitch, so long as I learn the material and I am given a fair chance to earn the grade I deserve.
I am honestly still a bit confused about the whole thing, it was all sort of overemotional and surreal. I don't know where this is going or where it might end, I guess only time will tell. Let's just hope more random semi-intimidating conversations are not on the agenda again because they are annoying and I have to write a 50,000 word rant about them! It also has left an uneasy feeling whenever I think about the class, which I don't like. It was a lot better before the midterm. He said he would give a book to the highest scorer in the class. I am highly motivated when it comes to academic competition enhanced by positive reinforcement. Now that feeling seems to have washed away. Anyhow, I need to get back to my homework before I go to work. Oh, I also have to pay tribute to Madonna for making the Power of Madonna Glee episode a reality because it was epic!
Words of the Month:
Disconcertment: anxious embarrassment.
Dearth: an acute insufficiency
Anyhow, getting to the point...On Monday my political science professor took a vote from the class to change our first midterm's weight grade from 30% to 25%. I scored 95/100, so it is obvious that 30% would be better. Usually I am pretty passive and tolerant of people, but when you start messing with my grade things quickly change. I basically vowed never to let GPA get in my way and made it a goal to always and forever get a 4.0 because I had gotten screwed over so many times in highschool (not that my 3.89 HS GPA was bad, just not good enough to compete, apparently). So I raised my hand symbolizing my opposition in this. However, disconcertment quickly descended upon me as soon as I realized I was the only one raising my hand and everyone was staring at me.
Things became worse today after my professor asked me to stay and talk with him after class. Just for the record, the only people he has said this to is if he sees them texting and playing their computer all through class or because they failed their midterm. I was totally befuddled at his request, but did as he asked.
As I naively waited for him I peered aimlessly around the classroom. I was totally took by surprise when he began speaking. My voice instantly became frail, face red and eyes watery. (Please note that I have an irrational fear of authority figures and when they seem mad at me, then I can't help but freaking out. I am pretty stoic or mask feelings with sublimity.) Basically, he thought that I hated him or something. That I didn't agree with anything he said and totally resented his teaching methods. he even went to ask me if I was a "loner." Not sure where he got the idea and nerve to ask that, but ok. I have to wonder if this was all triggered somehow by me raising my hand about a stupid 5% grade weight change? I was not consciously acting any different than I had been previously. I admit I had found some of his teaching methods stupid, but I still went to class, the early morning reviews and did well on the midterm. I don't even care if the teacher is a total bitch, so long as I learn the material and I am given a fair chance to earn the grade I deserve.
I am honestly still a bit confused about the whole thing, it was all sort of overemotional and surreal. I don't know where this is going or where it might end, I guess only time will tell. Let's just hope more random semi-intimidating conversations are not on the agenda again because they are annoying and I have to write a 50,000 word rant about them! It also has left an uneasy feeling whenever I think about the class, which I don't like. It was a lot better before the midterm. He said he would give a book to the highest scorer in the class. I am highly motivated when it comes to academic competition enhanced by positive reinforcement. Now that feeling seems to have washed away. Anyhow, I need to get back to my homework before I go to work. Oh, I also have to pay tribute to Madonna for making the Power of Madonna Glee episode a reality because it was epic!
Words of the Month:
Disconcertment: anxious embarrassment.
Dearth: an acute insufficiency
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