1. The Terminator
2. Gone With the Wind
3. Love Story
4. Jerry Maguire
5. Sudden Impact
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey
7. Goldfinger
8. Casablanca
9. A Few Good Men
10. Donnie Brasco
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
AP English Literature Exam
I had the AP English Literature and Composition exam. As per College Board rules, I cannot discuss the free response for 2 days, and I can NEVER say ANYTHING to ANYONE about the multiple-choice. (The punishment for breaking this sacred commandment is that a band of either ninjas or pirates will come and attack me, I think. I wasn't paying full attention to the 30 minutes of instructions).
Last evening, I was trying to study for the exam (reviewing literary terms, going over characters and themes of books I read years ago), when I realized that John would be doing a live chat. Although the chat wouldn't be considered studying by some, I think it was. Not only was poetry read, but iambic pentameter was discussed, and so I think it counts as studying.
After I finished my essays for the free response section, I had about 20 minutes left. I had already spent fifteen minutes during the multiple-choice section idly staring around the gym (they had about 100 of us in the gym of a nearby church to take this exam), and I had no particular urge to repeat that fun experience.
On an AP exam, if you cross something out (with just a single slash-through), it cannot be graded or considered by the readers. I wrote a two page letter to my reader, informing them about the Green brothers and the Nerdfighter community. I included my thoughts about how I would have loved to have used one of John's book for the third essay, but I wasn't sure that the AP graders would consider it of equal literary merit to, say, The Great Gatsby or The Grapes of Wrath.
Once my letter was finished, I still had three pages left in the book. I used a page writing down lyrics to a couple They Might Be Giants songs. I informed the reader that he or she was, in fact, older than he/she's ever been, and now he/she's older still. (Also, I let the reader know that time is marching on). Once that was concluded, I discussed how the sun and Hank are both masses of incandescent gas, gigantic nuclear furnaces.
With ten minutes and two pages to go, I was nearly out of ideas of what to write, and still refusing to sit in silence, staring blankly around the room until the time period had ended, I decided to jump start my preparations for the Spanish Literature exam next Friday by reciting (okay, writing, but I recited it in my head, so that counts for partial credit) a poem for the reader. ("A Roosevelt", by Ruben Dario, if you're interested). I didn't finish the poem, but I was able to cover just about 2/3 of the poem in the two pages I had left, and time was called before I could lament the lack of available writing space.
All in all, it was a good exam.
Last evening, I was trying to study for the exam (reviewing literary terms, going over characters and themes of books I read years ago), when I realized that John would be doing a live chat. Although the chat wouldn't be considered studying by some, I think it was. Not only was poetry read, but iambic pentameter was discussed, and so I think it counts as studying.
After I finished my essays for the free response section, I had about 20 minutes left. I had already spent fifteen minutes during the multiple-choice section idly staring around the gym (they had about 100 of us in the gym of a nearby church to take this exam), and I had no particular urge to repeat that fun experience.
On an AP exam, if you cross something out (with just a single slash-through), it cannot be graded or considered by the readers. I wrote a two page letter to my reader, informing them about the Green brothers and the Nerdfighter community. I included my thoughts about how I would have loved to have used one of John's book for the third essay, but I wasn't sure that the AP graders would consider it of equal literary merit to, say, The Great Gatsby or The Grapes of Wrath.
Once my letter was finished, I still had three pages left in the book. I used a page writing down lyrics to a couple They Might Be Giants songs. I informed the reader that he or she was, in fact, older than he/she's ever been, and now he/she's older still. (Also, I let the reader know that time is marching on). Once that was concluded, I discussed how the sun and Hank are both masses of incandescent gas, gigantic nuclear furnaces.
With ten minutes and two pages to go, I was nearly out of ideas of what to write, and still refusing to sit in silence, staring blankly around the room until the time period had ended, I decided to jump start my preparations for the Spanish Literature exam next Friday by reciting (okay, writing, but I recited it in my head, so that counts for partial credit) a poem for the reader. ("A Roosevelt", by Ruben Dario, if you're interested). I didn't finish the poem, but I was able to cover just about 2/3 of the poem in the two pages I had left, and time was called before I could lament the lack of available writing space.
All in all, it was a good exam.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A Fresh Start.
I've always liked the end of first semester in school. It means a fresh start, a chance to begin again, a better and more knowledgeable person.
I've been listening to my iPod on random as I study for exams, and the song "It's a New Day" by will.i.am seems to be continuously playing. The inauguration is in less than a week.
It's a good time to be alive. :)
I've been listening to my iPod on random as I study for exams, and the song "It's a New Day" by will.i.am seems to be continuously playing. The inauguration is in less than a week.
It's a good time to be alive. :)
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Resolutions
So far... not so good. I got the first half of the week, and that was about it. I'm telling myself that I shouldn't expect a 100% effort at the very start, but I still do want it. I guess I'll just tell myself "maybe next week", and renew my commitment.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009
For the first time in my life, I'm making a New Years Resolution that I know I'm going to work at maintaining, a resolution that I truly and wholly want to succeed. In addition to my "main" resolution, I have other small resolutions, but those won't be my focus for 2009.
My resolution:
I want to be a healthy person.
This has a lot of different facets that I'm slowly adding on to, but I want to eat regular and healthy meals, exercise more frequently, get enough sleep, and just have a generally healthier life. (I'm also going to cook more, which goes along with the healthier eating).
I am officially starting on Monday, January 5th, 2009. (It's 2009 already. Wow.)
(Perhaps writing this message and maybe further updates will help inspire me to maintain my resolution?)
Best wishes and hopes for a happy 2009.
My resolution:
I want to be a healthy person.
This has a lot of different facets that I'm slowly adding on to, but I want to eat regular and healthy meals, exercise more frequently, get enough sleep, and just have a generally healthier life. (I'm also going to cook more, which goes along with the healthier eating).
I am officially starting on Monday, January 5th, 2009. (It's 2009 already. Wow.)
(Perhaps writing this message and maybe further updates will help inspire me to maintain my resolution?)
Best wishes and hopes for a happy 2009.
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