WOAH!
She used "ZOMG!" and "!!!" ? And in all caps?
WOAH!
After a couple seconds of begging, (my dad thought that me learning to sew was a good idea) my parents ordered a sewing machine for me. A day passed, and no shipping confirmation was emailed. Another day passed. I was friggin scared that the factory blew up or something. And with my luck, the possibility of that happening was as possible as the sun coming up tomorrow. >.<
However, late into the afternoon of the third day, my dad frantically pulled me from a sewing video on Youtube to show me the confirmation email. And it was going to arrive on the 23rd! "Tomorrow!" he grinned. And then he let me do a happy dance as I announced my good news to everyone (who said, "yiippee..." and continued whatever they were doing).
Around 3 pm, the UPS truck came, and brought in the sewing machine. Despite him frowning from heat exhaustion, I caught a small smile from him when he saw me clap my hands repeatedly and jumped in circles on my porch. That's how silly I was being.
The day before, (yesterday) I went to this thrift store to buy crap fabric to practice sewing on.
As soon as I had everything set up, I slowly zoomed through the directions to thread the machine and I started going in a straight line. After 3 lines, (well, the beginning of the first one looked more like waves) I said, "screw that" and went on to hemming the edges, and sewing a bag. After dinner, I sewed a bow together, and tomorrow, I plan to add draw strings (my shoelace) and the bow.
And so, I'll have my first project.
The best part? My dad, who's very critical of stuff, said it was very good...for a beginner. Very good my {bleep}! I made this 5 minutes after getting the machine, the first time I touched it. It was EXCELLENT...AMAZING...SUPERB for a beginner.
(do i sound like a mommy bragging about her child's amazing coloring skills?)
But it was a compliment never the less, so I'm drunk on happiness.
Then again, he pointed to the beginning of the first line and yelled, "What's this? FAIL! F-!" (i have a very nice daddy)
And now, giving presents no longer scare me. If I could give people money for presents, or read their minds and buy them whatever they wanted, I'd love giving out stuff. But unfortunately, my limited social/thinking skills prohibits me from deciding whether or not the victim of my gift giving will enjoy my present or not.
But now! Domo lovers, Domo bags/pillows headed your way. Cute things lovers, little bunny pillows.
Purses, bags, clothes. pillows, curtains(happy birthday! i made you curtains! XP) are now attainable for the price of time! And I don't have to go around thinking, "Crap, do they have this already?" because wha-la! I made it! :)
And a side note,
SMILE!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Gifted and Talented...continued
My friends blogged about their experiences of GT, so I'll go ahead and add that too...
Well. Contradictory to my friend's entrance to the Gifted and Talented Center, I was raised to go in. Although I don't remember 'training' to take the test, my dad informed me that I knew exactly what was going on, and studied for the test. Apparently I memorized the questions I didn't know and brought them home to my dad who explained them to me. I do remember, however, getting the letter and trying to figure out what "eligible" meant.
Since my dad realized that I liked math in early Kindergarten, he set up a study time from 8pm to bed time. I looked forward to that time every day. By the first week of 1st grade, I finished a 4th grade workbook. I was raised to get into the GT center.
All my friends knew about the GT. We played games to help us study during recess, because we thought it was fun. And then I read about my friends not knowing anything about the program and I think, "Wow...so different..."
Even before I knew about the GTC though, my recesses (at least the inside ones) were spent discovering tessellations and making the Great Wall of China out of the shapes. Or using those little blocks to discovering how many blocks were in a cube with a side of 3 blocks, 4 blocks and so forth...
Thinking back, that was the biggest waste of free time I had ever spent. What kind of 1st grader goes around memorizing perfect cubes (I didn't know they were called that though)?! I kinda wish I played tag like the other kids...
And then in 3rd grade, at the beginning of the year, we took the 3rd grade math SOL, I think, to see what we already knew, and I got 100% on it. My teacher explained to me that I already learned the entire curriculum, so I could do "Advanced Math' or something, and I was sent out of the room everyday to do my advanced studies. These were standardized test questions students did to improve their math. It was so friggin boring. And I got lonely doing math outside by myself. :(
And then more people joined the group, and I made friends. But since I was so ahead of them, having done them since the beginning of the year, the time spent outside consisted of chatting, helping them, or doodling.
After that, I pretty much relaxed into a normal learning rate, without my 8 o'clock learning block. I can't say that I don't wish that I used that time better, but thatcertainly did free up my recess time, now that I could care less about how much mulch was inside the playground... ;)
What I learned from my experiences is that it's good to learn, but when it's taking up your precious recess time, it's gone too far. I should write down to tell my children that...
Smile!
Well. Contradictory to my friend's entrance to the Gifted and Talented Center, I was raised to go in. Although I don't remember 'training' to take the test, my dad informed me that I knew exactly what was going on, and studied for the test. Apparently I memorized the questions I didn't know and brought them home to my dad who explained them to me. I do remember, however, getting the letter and trying to figure out what "eligible" meant.
Since my dad realized that I liked math in early Kindergarten, he set up a study time from 8pm to bed time. I looked forward to that time every day. By the first week of 1st grade, I finished a 4th grade workbook. I was raised to get into the GT center.
All my friends knew about the GT. We played games to help us study during recess, because we thought it was fun. And then I read about my friends not knowing anything about the program and I think, "Wow...so different..."
Even before I knew about the GTC though, my recesses (at least the inside ones) were spent discovering tessellations and making the Great Wall of China out of the shapes. Or using those little blocks to discovering how many blocks were in a cube with a side of 3 blocks, 4 blocks and so forth...
Thinking back, that was the biggest waste of free time I had ever spent. What kind of 1st grader goes around memorizing perfect cubes (I didn't know they were called that though)?! I kinda wish I played tag like the other kids...
And then in 3rd grade, at the beginning of the year, we took the 3rd grade math SOL, I think, to see what we already knew, and I got 100% on it. My teacher explained to me that I already learned the entire curriculum, so I could do "Advanced Math' or something, and I was sent out of the room everyday to do my advanced studies. These were standardized test questions students did to improve their math. It was so friggin boring. And I got lonely doing math outside by myself. :(
And then more people joined the group, and I made friends. But since I was so ahead of them, having done them since the beginning of the year, the time spent outside consisted of chatting, helping them, or doodling.
After that, I pretty much relaxed into a normal learning rate, without my 8 o'clock learning block. I can't say that I don't wish that I used that time better, but thatcertainly did free up my recess time, now that I could care less about how much mulch was inside the playground... ;)
What I learned from my experiences is that it's good to learn, but when it's taking up your precious recess time, it's gone too far. I should write down to tell my children that...
Smile!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Gifted and Talented
On the request of my friend, I am supposed to write a blog about the Gifted and Talented Center. And now I've given away where I live too, I think. Yippee... =__=
Said friend informed me that another friend, and a third friend, all agreed too write a blog about this topic.
Alright lets go...
People, such as teachers and mature-like students repeatedly tell us, those in the GTC, are not better than those in "base." Other people, who are more blunt in what they say, such as egotistical students and blunt teachers reveal that actually, we are better. How does the GTC work, exactly though? Apparently, all 2nd graders take an IQ test, and those w/ IQ's over a bar get put in the center. Or, as one of my friends did, a parent can request their child's placement in the center.
After this, in 3rd grade, the teacher reminds us that we are not better than those who aren't. We just "learn faster." They push us through two years of math, so that we are learning almost a year ahead. And then in 6th grade, we have an opportunity to skip another year of math, so that we're learning Algebra I in 7th grade. Base, however, has this opportunity as well, although more people in the GTC apply. Hey, what is this? It's all math!
How about language arts, science, and social studies? Honestly, science and social studies are taught nearly the exact same way. The only difference? In 6th grade, for the science fair, our expectations were a lot higher, and our EDD had to be filled out a certain way, where Base just answered questions. And Language Arts? That was taught a whole lot stricter than base. Where my brother got away with ending his essays with, "Well, that's all I have to say, so bye!", I would have been marked off for that.
Moving on to middle school, 7th grade (and I just narrowed down what counties I could be living in). Now, the teachers reveal that actually, because we're in the GTC, we're expected to behave better. If a substitute comes in and finds that we're talking, she informs us that we're a shame to the GTC. So much for equality.
In 8th grade, the curriculum between GT and Honors balances out a little, and besides going in a teeny bit deeper, the biggest difference is the books we have to read for English.
So, what really is the difference between GT and Base? We're taught more things (barely), and we're left to learn more things on our own.
Now lets rewind all the way back to 1st and 2nd grade. I remember being in the pull out GT for Math and Language Arts (what do you know...) and the way they taught me was so much different than how the actual GTC is. Pull out fostered creativity, branching into different topics of the same level. They actually let you ask questions and help you figure it out yourself. It's out of the box. It was fun to learn. Maybe it was because we already mastered the curriculum, and they weren't in any hurry to teach us 3rd grade things, so they let us explore 2nd grade things instead.
GTC, on the other had, goes by the book. A checklist, almost. "3rd grade math, check! 4th grade math, check!" For science and social studies, questions are not tolerated if not relevant. GTC has to move forward, pass the tests, be a grade ahead. It's in a little box. You don't need to be able to think for yourself. If you just learn what the teachers teach you, you'll be okay.
I blame it on the SOLs. If we didn't have regulated tests, maybe teachers would relax about sticking so close to the curriculum. Maybe instead of moving to the next chapter if we're ahead, we could explore the current chapter.
Now fast forward to 9th grade, High School. If you live in the United States, you may know that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is the best high school in the country. It's a magnet school, I think it's called, where students have to test to get into the school. TJHSST is the high school version of the GTC, except soley based on science, math, and technology. And from what I know, it's a lot more like the 1st and 2nd grade version of GTC. It's more based on what the student thinks, what the student can figure out for themself. They actually have to know how to think for themself.
And so, with that rant over with, I will need to go practice piano.
SMILE!
Said friend informed me that another friend, and a third friend, all agreed too write a blog about this topic.
Alright lets go...
People, such as teachers and mature-like students repeatedly tell us, those in the GTC, are not better than those in "base." Other people, who are more blunt in what they say, such as egotistical students and blunt teachers reveal that actually, we are better. How does the GTC work, exactly though? Apparently, all 2nd graders take an IQ test, and those w/ IQ's over a bar get put in the center. Or, as one of my friends did, a parent can request their child's placement in the center.
After this, in 3rd grade, the teacher reminds us that we are not better than those who aren't. We just "learn faster." They push us through two years of math, so that we are learning almost a year ahead. And then in 6th grade, we have an opportunity to skip another year of math, so that we're learning Algebra I in 7th grade. Base, however, has this opportunity as well, although more people in the GTC apply. Hey, what is this? It's all math!
How about language arts, science, and social studies? Honestly, science and social studies are taught nearly the exact same way. The only difference? In 6th grade, for the science fair, our expectations were a lot higher, and our EDD had to be filled out a certain way, where Base just answered questions. And Language Arts? That was taught a whole lot stricter than base. Where my brother got away with ending his essays with, "Well, that's all I have to say, so bye!", I would have been marked off for that.
Moving on to middle school, 7th grade (and I just narrowed down what counties I could be living in). Now, the teachers reveal that actually, because we're in the GTC, we're expected to behave better. If a substitute comes in and finds that we're talking, she informs us that we're a shame to the GTC. So much for equality.
In 8th grade, the curriculum between GT and Honors balances out a little, and besides going in a teeny bit deeper, the biggest difference is the books we have to read for English.
So, what really is the difference between GT and Base? We're taught more things (barely), and we're left to learn more things on our own.
Now lets rewind all the way back to 1st and 2nd grade. I remember being in the pull out GT for Math and Language Arts (what do you know...) and the way they taught me was so much different than how the actual GTC is. Pull out fostered creativity, branching into different topics of the same level. They actually let you ask questions and help you figure it out yourself. It's out of the box. It was fun to learn. Maybe it was because we already mastered the curriculum, and they weren't in any hurry to teach us 3rd grade things, so they let us explore 2nd grade things instead.
GTC, on the other had, goes by the book. A checklist, almost. "3rd grade math, check! 4th grade math, check!" For science and social studies, questions are not tolerated if not relevant. GTC has to move forward, pass the tests, be a grade ahead. It's in a little box. You don't need to be able to think for yourself. If you just learn what the teachers teach you, you'll be okay.
I blame it on the SOLs. If we didn't have regulated tests, maybe teachers would relax about sticking so close to the curriculum. Maybe instead of moving to the next chapter if we're ahead, we could explore the current chapter.
Now fast forward to 9th grade, High School. If you live in the United States, you may know that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is the best high school in the country. It's a magnet school, I think it's called, where students have to test to get into the school. TJHSST is the high school version of the GTC, except soley based on science, math, and technology. And from what I know, it's a lot more like the 1st and 2nd grade version of GTC. It's more based on what the student thinks, what the student can figure out for themself. They actually have to know how to think for themself.
And so, with that rant over with, I will need to go practice piano.
SMILE!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Hate
Isn't that spiffy...Red is a color of love AND hate...I wonder what idiot coordinated that... -_-
Hate makes you ugly. Forgiving others is so much better. But then why do people not forgive? I forgive easily, probably because I haven't been offended enough not to. Or, being easily distracted, I forget about the offense before I can react to it. (haha...but seriously) But thinking about it, I considered the obvious (but not so obvious to me) fact that maybe people don't WANT to forgive. But does that mean the like feeling hatred towards that someone else? Is it comforting?
Most grudges I hold are just teasing grudges, grudges that I hold for fun and that I would easily lift when I felt like it. I hold grudges to see if I can, or to show the fact that indeed, I can, to the non-believers (shun the non-believers. :P)
So I didn't understand. Is hating on others a...positive feeling? Or maybe...is it because you don't feel that others DESERVE your forgiveness? Most likely, I think...
Following that, I thought, if the other person honestly didn't deserve forgiveness, is it still that bad to not forgive them? I think that...(#$%^! my nail polish chipped...I took so much care not to chip it this time...my 3rd failure. Pooh.) ...it depends. For example, if a man cheated on his wife (or a woman cheated on her husband, to remain un-sexist), I'm sure that the grudge against his wife would become tiring and simply a burden. So it would be best to just forgive her.
But what if the scenerio consisted of a bully and the bullied? Would it be okay to forgive the bully, even if another offense was in the seeable future? What if it seemed like the bully let it go, and decided to stop?
Oh yeah, and in both circumstances, the person didn't apologize. I know, I know, that's silly. But I grew up in a family that apologizing wasn't a great deal. It usually was an unspoken mutual agreement to let it go.
If I had more readers, I'd ask for your opinion, but the fact that this blog is more of a venting system for me... >.<
Well, despite this somewhat depressing blog, don't forget to
SMILE!
Hate makes you ugly. Forgiving others is so much better. But then why do people not forgive? I forgive easily, probably because I haven't been offended enough not to. Or, being easily distracted, I forget about the offense before I can react to it. (haha...but seriously) But thinking about it, I considered the obvious (but not so obvious to me) fact that maybe people don't WANT to forgive. But does that mean the like feeling hatred towards that someone else? Is it comforting?
Most grudges I hold are just teasing grudges, grudges that I hold for fun and that I would easily lift when I felt like it. I hold grudges to see if I can, or to show the fact that indeed, I can, to the non-believers (shun the non-believers. :P)
So I didn't understand. Is hating on others a...positive feeling? Or maybe...is it because you don't feel that others DESERVE your forgiveness? Most likely, I think...
Following that, I thought, if the other person honestly didn't deserve forgiveness, is it still that bad to not forgive them? I think that...(#$%^! my nail polish chipped...I took so much care not to chip it this time...my 3rd failure. Pooh.) ...it depends. For example, if a man cheated on his wife (or a woman cheated on her husband, to remain un-sexist), I'm sure that the grudge against his wife would become tiring and simply a burden. So it would be best to just forgive her.
But what if the scenerio consisted of a bully and the bullied? Would it be okay to forgive the bully, even if another offense was in the seeable future? What if it seemed like the bully let it go, and decided to stop?
Oh yeah, and in both circumstances, the person didn't apologize. I know, I know, that's silly. But I grew up in a family that apologizing wasn't a great deal. It usually was an unspoken mutual agreement to let it go.
If I had more readers, I'd ask for your opinion, but the fact that this blog is more of a venting system for me... >.<
Well, despite this somewhat depressing blog, don't forget to
SMILE!
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