Harry Potter

Harry Potter. This name certainly must strike a chord in your mind. These books must make your heart beat a little faster. Harry Potter. Wow. 

What if we all lived in that world? What if there are actual wizards and we're just... muggles? Of course they don't exist. But now I sound like Vernon. 

But haven't you sighed and wished that you were in the book? In Ginny's or Ron's place? Even Harry's place? Ahhh....

Alas, I'm beating around the bush. If you haven't read the series, I cannot say anything other than this. READ. You will be amazed. Awed, even. It will brighten your life, build piles and piles of inside jokes, give you something to ponder, and certainly add a couple British words to your vocabulary. 

But what I really wanted to say was that I think that if you want to discuss Harry Potter with me, or just want to imagine the wizarding world with me, please do. Feel free... think away... you might even start to think things up like Xenophilius Lovegood... no offense, of course. 

Actually, I was just reminded to add to my blog. And I thought this was all too appropriate. As is www.harrypotterfanfiction.com... it's great. But it does include spoilers, to those of you who have been deprived this wonderful series.

I'll wrap up real quick here. Please read the series. And love it. For me? :) Just kidding - do it for yourself :) Either way, don't keep yourself from it any longer. 

I know this post was a little... well, a lot different from my other posts, but I felt the need to put this other voice of mine in. Just so you know. Oh, and not all my other posts will be like this - a huge jumble of words. I hope this post didn't disappoint you. If it did, please tell me about it by commenting on it or facebooking me. :)

Bittersweet

Bittersweet... such a strange word. It gives a peculiar feeling... kind of antagonistic, really. These strange moments can only be described quite simply with bitter and sweet. Recycling those old notes that you spent countless hours on is just so hard, knowing the effort put into them, but it's just so easy to trash them, knowing that they will no longer be used for studying. That moment you walk out the school doors for the last time before summer break and you know you're free. It's so precious and those memories, the people, the comfortingly familiar objects will never be forgotten. Then, the bitter, hard things surface in your mind and you remember the hard times you'll be escaping from. 

"Bittersweet" cannot be fully put into words; it is a state of mind, an intense emotion, sometimes hidden deep inside. 

MLIA

Looking for some summer laughs? MyLifeIsAverage is definitely where you need to be. If you have an ipod touch or iphone, download the MLIA app and you'll have laughs wherever you go! :D It sounds like I'm advertising, but I want to share these hilarious moments with all of you! :) http://www.mylifeisaverage.com! :D

Seventh Grade - Done... With a Mild Case of Nostalgia

It has certainly been an unforgettable year. There are so many memories with friends, teachers, assignments, and people I barely know. Who knew that the dreaded first year of junior high would pass so quickly? Who knew that at the end of it, I would miss it... after just one day of absence? Every single day has been memorable at ICS, and I really hope that I'm not the only one who has come down with a mild case of nostalgia. In IS with Mr. Elliott, I remember staying up until 2 in the morning before his last test, finishing notes. I remember all the laughs we had during movies and how we only got through about 10 minutes a day. "Ploog" and "glassier" bring tears to my eyes. The main speaker leaving the tour guide behind and then meeting up with him after he's walked for 8 days. All these all memories I cherish and I really do romanticize... Most of the tears I shed because of this class are forgotten. Only the beautiful snapshots of the past do I forever keep in my heart. In biology with Mr. McFaul, I remember having "bio" as one of the top words I posted on facebook, and "notes" just below that. Those notes I procrastinated on, those showcases known so notoriously around the school. All of those class periods we all just wasted because we were cracking jokes are all imprinted into my brain. Those times where he would stare at us in disbelief, his hilarious attempts at sarcasm, EVERYTHING from this class makes me smile and miss ICS that much more. In art with Mr. Rayder, I remember when he took my art work and kept it for about 2 months, and I was so scared to ask him where it went. When I finally asked him, he said he had to take a picture of it to put on next year's rubric and power point. I cherish the sheer moment of joy when he asked me if I would leave my art in his class so he could use it as an example for period 5 art. I will always smile when I think of the jokes he made about us, the stories about people misusing the materials, and Mr. Mallet. In math with Mrs. Henry, I remember passing notes through whiteboards with friends and Mrs. Henry catching us and we didn't even care. I'm forever grateful for this free period where I could just sleep and still almost get 100% in her class. In Spanish with Sra. Di-Tolla, I remember making faces behind her back and complaining about her class and her style so loudly that the whole class could hear, but she wouldn't. I remember Bob Esponja and her singing songs to us like we were two years old. But most of all, in tribute to Devon, I remember Little Daddy and his hilarious video. :) In humanities with Ms. Packer, I remember the first day of school where she looked so intimidating and she gave us homework... that I got a B- on. I recall the time when the class was in shock because she told us we could no longer use to be verbs. And then again when she said we couldn't use linking or to have verbs. I remember the sentences she made, the jokes she cracked, the red shoes, the awkward moments, and the exchanged glances between her and myself. As I look back onto this year, I do believe my mild case of nostalgia has become stronger, and I know that based on the ontogenetic metaphor, I have grown from just a child to an adolescent, and I've become more Apollonian and yet also more Dionysian, balancing these vital dualities. ICS, I will miss you so much, and I'm ready for an intense year ahead of me.

Just for Fun :)

Ever had tons of homework and absolutely no motivation to do it? Yup, well right now the Olympic Games are on and steak is cooking....and homework is piling. Please comment with your horror homework procrastination stories or something interesting about mid-winter break or about the Winter Olympics! :)

The Pantech Impact

I recently got a new phone, the Pantech Impact. It's pretty new and not a lot of people have it, so here's a basic review. I've had this phone for about a week and it is absolutely an amazing phone. It comes in two colors, blue and pink. The blue one has a black interior keyboard and the pink one has a white keyboard. Now about the phone. The Pantech Impact is a "clammy" phone; it opens up instead of slides. The front is a touch screen for dialing and you can access your address book, messaging, recent calls, and the music player. Once you open the phone, the keys and screen light up. Although the interior is not a touch screen, everything is easy to get to and the keys are really easy to use. The only thing I think could be improved is the camera. It is in an awkward position and your finger tends to cover it when taking a picture. Also, it has two megapixels, which is normal for a phone, but a lot of others have three megapixels. But most of all, it has a really slow camera reaction. Once you press the camera button to take a photograph, you must remain in position for at least two seconds before the camera takes the picture. But other than that, the Pantech Impact is a great phone for avid texters, first-time phone users, and phone pros :).

Finals and Procrastination

Finals strike fear in the hearts of many scholars of our generation. It is an entire week of testing for 6 different classes on what you learned. This week is one not to take lightly. It feels like the fate of all of the school years to come resting upon these bubbled answers or written explainations. For people who have studied hard in the previous weeks and constantly practiced the information learned will not really need to do too much extra studying for these exams. But for the majority of the population of students, procrastination feels too good to be true until a couple of nights before the first final exam. You find yourself cramming information into your brain that takes weeks of repitition to master, and studying for 3 hours each night for each subject. For these procrastinators, here are a few good tips that I followed. Create flashcards for every subject possible. They are usually for key term definitions or for learning a different language. Quickly review these cards twice a day (not in a row) and for short amounts of time. Also be sure to shuffle the cards after every time of use so that you don't memorize them by the order they are in. But most importantly, make a finals study schedule and detail it with the information you need to study that day for each subject. Create this study schedule so it covers the two weeks prior to finals week and the studying needed during finals week. Even though this schedule is hard to follow, try your best and keep it in a visible area so whenever you have spare time you can complete a couple items on the schedule. After you are done reviewing the notes, using flashcards, and other studying, take a nap because your brain processes the information more thoroughly in your sleep. Then, finals will no longer be so intimidating to you. Rather, it will be a week to focus with short days and light studying.

ICS

For many people, International Community School, ICS, is a mystery. The question often is: What's so great about ICS? Well, many often emphasize "focus week," but that is merely one week in the entire school year. True, it is exciting, but what about the rest of the school year? And here begins the battle of RJH vs. ICS. RJH has electives, ICS does not. This point can be argued either way, good or bad. Personally, I don't like having electives because having a class for only half the year usually makes you to learn the information with less depth and repitition. Also, the choice is often difficult and the results sometimes disappointing. ICS is a much smaller school people wise and facility wise; the grades are 7-12, and there are only about 400 people. The building is just a square and two portables, making it virtually impossible to get lost or to be late for class. But most of all, the teachers are ecstatic to introduce people to the ways of ICS and get you comfortable before throwing the big projects out. 7th grade teachers: International Studies - Mr. Elliott - 6 foot 6 inches tall (wow), teaches in the cottage (a portable), and has his policies: If the assignment is late, NO CREDIT. His motto: Participate once a day to keep your grade an A. In this class, pay attention, take notes, complete the homework with some thought, and you will be successful. Science (Biology) - Mr. McFaul - One of the most fun teachers in the school, often the favorite of the sevvies :). He is somewhat notorious for his notes (in cornell format along with all of the rest of the classes) but they are bearable without procrastination. IMPORTANT: Check his portal site often for new assignments; he sometimes doesn't mention them in class. Also remember to always ask for permission and to wash your hands before touching or handling any of the critters in his room. Art - Mr. Rayder - He is my personal favorite. He is a fun teacher, he tells us horror stories about Bob the papercutter and previous students who have enraged him. As long as you clean up after yourself, stay quiet while working on art, pay attention, and stay engaged, you will be on his good side, and that is important. You will most likely find yourself looking forward to his class. Math - Mrs. Henry - Well, some would say she is a fun teacher, but since I'm in CMP 7 against my will, I have different opinions. She occasionally gives us candy, and lets us play math bingo...(a waste of time). She is extremely loud. Also, don't be a showoff in her class. If you know the answers, don't blurt them out because other people could still be thinking. Spanish - Senora Di-Tolla - She is hyper. This is an unusual description of a teacher, but it is quite appropriate for her. You can see her passion for Spanish is great. It's hard to believe she is not a native speaker because of her fluency and perfect Spanish accent, in fact, her grandparents are from France. You MUST participate in class and the tests will be a breeze. Humanities - Ms. Packer - She is a notoriously strict grader and teacher. On the first day of school, she was the only one to give us homework, and she seemed kind of annoyed at us. But now, she cracks jokes, writes interesting sentences, and is very clear about her standards. At first you will get very "low" grades. But then, since Ms. Packer doesn't give As unless the writing is perfect, you will discover how proud one can be to get a B or B+. The 8th graders say she improves dramatically by second semester. If you take good notes, participate in class, and pay attention, then only about 15 minutes of studying on one or two nights prior to the test is necessary. Most importantly, you will learn that it is possible to live without to be, to have, or linking verbs in your writing. ICS is definitely an excellent school and I am looking forward to seeing some views from RJH or undecided people.