Kirkwood

I just enrolled at Kirkwood, where I will be taking a Calculus I class. The description of the class is "Includes limits, derivative, differentiation, the differential elementary applications of calculus and introduction to integration." The first time I looked at this, it seemed like a foreign language, but then I realized that I already do most of these things in my pre-calc class right now.

I then decided to compare and contrast the descriptions of my current class and this one.

"TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS is the study of trigonometry of right angles
and the unit circle, proof of trigonometric identities, inverse functions,
derivations of trigonometric formulas, solutions of trigonometric equations;
ANALYSIS 1 is the study of elementary functions with an introduction to limit,
continuity, the derivative and application of maximum and minimum, with respect
to polynomial functions; integration and anti-differentiation are also
introduced; ANALYSIS 2 is a continuation of ANALYSIS 1, with emphasis on
applying differential calculus techniques to trigonometric, logarithmic, and
exponential functions"

The only differences I see is that pre-calc has more trigonometry and Calculus has more in-depth content. I will have to see if this class really is easy, though.

Location, Location, Location

Everything I do on Sunday afternoons are in the same mile-radius.

Sometimes I have to work. I work at an ice cream parlor just a few blocks down from my school. I love my job and have fun working there.

If I'm not working, or before I go to work, I play sports. These are all done at my high-school. I play volleyball in the gym with my team and sometimes other teams that practice there. Usually after, but sometimes before volleyball, I also play two other sports.

Sometimes I get people to play ultimate. This is usually a bunch of kids in my grade, some freshman, and some college students. All the high-schoolers are from Kennedy, and most of the college students usually come from Iowa State University. We play on the Kennedy soccer field, where end-zones are marked as goalie-boxes, or sometimes if it is a smaller game, we use the large light-poles on the east side of the field. Also, the field is often a little bit muddy, which makes it easy to fall down in some places. I like this, because it makes the game have more variables, and people can't win off of plain skill and athletic abilities. Finally, the mud makes your shirt look awesome when you slide in it, after diving for a pass.

Phanic is the final sport I play in that area. We play it also on the Kennedy soccer field. We haven't had any trouble with multiple sports at the same time and place, mainly because the schedules of ultimate, phanic, and volleyball revolve around each other. A large chunk of people who play volleyball also play phanic, and ultimate.

Though there are about 5 people who play all three sports, most people who play each one of the sports play only the one sport. This makes sense with the college students, who wouldn't be allowed to play volleyball. But playing ultimate and phanic should be interchangeable. I will work on trying to make all these people who can play multiple sports play all three.

Muscles

Today is Sunday, which means it was my exercise day. Sunday is the day when I play all of the following: Phanic, Volleyball, and Ultimate (frisbee). Unfortunately, I couldn't play volleyball, because I wasn't in town during practice time. Also, I couldn't play phanic, because the phanic group didn't play today. I did, however, get to play Ultimate.

I was on my way back from Indianola. We stopped at a Pizza Ranch, when Chris (my best friend's brother) called me. he asked if I wanted to play ultimate, and I told him that I would be home by 4. He told me that that would be fine if I got some high-schoolers to come play (he is a freshman in college). I agreed, and started a mass text, which proved to be difficult, because my phone only allows me to send a message to ten people, but that is an issue for a later time.

I got 2 "yes, I will come"'s. These were from a freshman and a sophomore, both of which are good and dedicated.

I got to Kennedy about five minutes early. Chris was there playing tennis with a very attractive girl. I remember thinking good job, Chris! But as soon as I got there, she left and Chris challenged me to a game.

Usually with Chris, whatever sport he plays, he is great at. This is true, according to me, because he only plays one sport, as far as I know, which is Ultimate. I expected him to destroy me at tennis, but would give it a shot anyways.

He asked me if I would like to serve, and I said yes. I knew the lingo (love=0, scoring goes love, 15, 30, 40, game, etc.) from when I was very little. Also I have played with my good friend, Alex, a few times. Alex always said that I should join the tennis team, because I am better than half the people there. I was going to, too, but it would take up lots of time and I wanted to work, so I decided against it.

I served it hard, and it was nowhere close to the in-bounds-box. I tried again, lighter, and I missed again. He got the first point. After this, the tides turned in my favor. Once, he accidentally lobbed a ball right in front of me. I took this chance, and hit the ball as hard as I could and with as much top spin as I could right back at him. It was cool that I could see how much the spin affected the ball's path.

After I won that game, someone else showed up. We put the rackets away and started throwing the frisbee around. When there was about twelve people, we started.

The first two games were the worst. The first game I was, as always, not on Chris's team. I played hard, but after a sprint down-field, I wouldn't run for a little while. My calves hurt very bad. They had hurt since last Friday, when I played a different game of ultimate.

After the second game of ultimate, my calves started to hurt less. I didn't know why, and I still don't know why. I joked that maybe they hurt so badly, they just went numb. I really don't think this was the case, however. But after the second game, I started running harder too. I ran like a sprinter; I ran on my toes. This, I think, uses more calf muscle, but didn't hurt as bad. For some reason, it seems like running om my heels and then on through to my toes is hurting my calves.

Last year at about the same time, this happened to me really bad. My coach was convinced that I had shin splints, but I wasn't so sure. My shins hurt a little, but that wasn't where I felt the pain. I saw the school physical therapist, and she said that it seemed to be the place where my calf muscle attaches to the tendon. She said to just work my calf muscle out by stretching it a lot and doing calf raises.

Maybe I have a bad connection there. Maybe I am just over-thinking this pain. Either way, I'm not going to do anything about it. As baseball season went on, my legs hurt less and less. This will probably happen the same way this year, but I'll try to keep track of it better.

Finances

I got a job about a month and a half ago. I work about three times a week. With the job, came money.

Luckily for me, my parents pay for my car insurance and gas. Also, when I need something (shoes, food...), they will buy it for me. It is just as if I didn't have a job. This lets me save all of my money, if I choose.

And to save is my choice. I put my money in the bank immediately after I get my check. Sometimes I use my debit card, but only when I have to.

This money adds up quickly. I am saving up for a reason. I figure that after college, I will make much more money than I am currently. For this reason, I am not saving for college. Instead, partly because my car is dying, I am planning to buy a vehicle.

I have three main areas of interest. Firstly, a motorcycle. I am going to take the motorcycle class at Kirkwood to learn how to drive as soon as I get a free weekend. I guess I won't know for sure if I like riding a motorcycle until I take that class, but I figure I probably will. I always loved riding my bicycle, and my dad had a motorcycle.

Secondly, I could get a limousine. There was a limo for sale a few months back. I loved it, but my dad wasn't so thrilled. I knew I would have to earn money to buy it for myself, if I chose to pursue that option. This limo is cheap, but old. Also it isn't a stretch, so I wouldn't have to get a special license or anything to drive it. It would just be that cool thing that I have and drive around every once in a while, much like the motorcycle.

My third choice would be a pick-up. Pick-ups are plain cool. They can haul things (like the ping-pong table that I recently had to get a friend to pick up for me), they can haul around people in the back, and they don't get stuck in the mud, like my current car. A down-side is that there is no trunk. Currently, I have my trunk packed full of junk that I use, though rarely.

Kirkwood

This summer, I am planning on taking a Kirkwood class. Kirkwood is the local community college, and offers a Calculus I class. I want to take this class to get ahead in math. I will be done with Calc I before my classmates even start it. I can then take Calc II and Calc III while they are taking Calc I.

Last week, I had a conference with my counselor. I figured out a few things. I could still take German next year. Also, I know how to enroll in Kirkwood. My counselor wrote me up a letter to Kirkwood, which stated that I could take this Calculus class and get high school credit as well as college credit. Also, I learned that I am not yet a Kirkwood student.

I thought I was a Kirkwood student, because I got a letter in the mail with my log-in number and was told that I was accepted. This, I later found out, actually meant that I was an "applicant". This means that I can apply to one of Kirkwood's colleges. I still couldn't take Calculus, because I wasn't a student of the college of Mathematics.

So to become a Mathematics student, I need to bring in my transcript (which has my ACT and AP scores on it) and the letter from my counselor.

Also, the summer Calc I class starts on May 24th. This is about two weeks before the end of school for me. I will have to miss about 2 hours of school time for two weeks. I would miss half of 0 hour, 1st hour, and half of 2nd hour.

0 hour is US History. For me, it is a pretty easy class. I feel like it wouldn't be too hard to miss a few days. As my counselor said, a bunch of people have missed lots more than two weeks of class. Also, I could go early to get caught up on anything that I miss.

First hour isn't too hard, either. I have band first hour. After today (Large Group Contest), we don't really have anything to do. We had our last concert a week ago, and I guess I don't know what we will do.

Second hour is AP Lang. This is harder. Since it is an AP class, it is a whole lot harder than US History. The days I will miss, however, are after the AP test. After the AP test, we are making video essays. Missing time in this class will make it hard to keep a good grade.

One solution I though of is switching classes around. The problem with this is that AP Lang is only 0 and 2nd hour, and US History with my current teacher is only 0 hour. There is no way I can rearrange my schedule to miss out on less challenging classes.

I went to the attendance facilitator and asked him what I should do. He told me that he would be happy to excuse me from the three classes I need, as long as I can work something out with the teachers who teach the classes I miss.

Finally, there is the option of not taking this class at all. I really don't want to go this route. Not only will I be a half-year (or even a whole year) behind on where I would have been in my classes, I also would have a boring, non-productive summer.

Leaving

Last year, when all the seniors left school, I was happy. Soon, I would be able to leave school myself (for summer break). Also, the lunchroom and hallways would be much less crowded with a fourth of the school's population gone. One I noticed, though, is that I wasn't sad.

Most people were sad when the seniors left. They had friends that they might not ever see again. Also, if they did see them again, it wouldn't be the same. Moving on from high school is a big step, and people were scared (for others and themselves).

But why wasn't I? I didn't have many senior friends. This is a big reason. There wasn't anyone who I would really miss after they were gone. But still, there were some people who I would never get to see again. Shouldn't I have some emotion?

This brings me back to yesterday, when I was working. Elizabeth, one of my co-workers, was quitting her job. She said that yesterday would be her last day working with me. We might not be friends, but we were always friendly to each other. I play volleyball and sometimes scrimmage the 15 year old kids that she coaches, so we always trash-talked each other a lot. Also, when she was in the back at work, I called that we needed cheddar nuggets (one of the better food items we sell). We did not need cheddar nuggets. I ate the cheddar nuggets she gave me. While I don't think this makes us friends, I think I should still miss her a little. But I don't.

But why don't I? Maybe I miss them just as much as anyone else would in my position, but I just don't react to it as strongly. Or maybe I just ignore that they are leaving, without thinking about it. Does my "missing someone" emotion not work as well, or do I just not get as attached to people as others?

1pm

20 April 2010.

I was sitting in band. Mr. Bird was saying the announcements. One announcement was that Aaron (percussion player) should pick people to play for orchestra. Orchestra is a bunch of string players, and the best few trumpets, trombones, tuba, percussion, and some woodwind players. After a few performances, people started disliking orchestra, and now nobody wants to do it. This is why Aaron was told to pick people, instead of just taking the best 4 or 5 players. Immediately after Mr. Bird asked Aaron to do this, I turn around and whisper to Aaron, "can I play?!"


23 April 2010.

First orchestra practice. I played the suspended cymbal. All I had to do was hit the opposite sides and get louder and louder. People kept walking through the band room to get their instruments, and I would flinch every time they opened a door. I was scared that Mr. Bird might see me playing percussion (I am a trumpet player), and make someone else do it, instead.


1 May 2010.

I was working at Parlor City, a local ice cream parlor. Mr. Bird came through the drive-through. This was the second time I saw him. Last time, he saw two of his students (Hailee and me), and asked how many Kenned Band students worked here (at the time it was just us two). Because of that, I told him that another of his students just got hired ten minutes ago (which was very true). He said that that was pretty cool, and then asked me if I was going to be at the orchestra rehearsal tomorrow. I told him that I had practice, but would probably be there. He said cool, and that he would see me there. I guess he's playing the bass guitar like last year.


2 May 2010

Volleyball is at 1. Orchestra is at 1.

AP Tests

Recently I've noticed that there is a big test coming fast. The AP test was scheduled for next week a few months (at least) ago. I never realized just how close they were until a couple days ago. I'm only in one AP class, so I'm not too worried. I heard that the AP Lang test wasn't extremely hard to get a passing grade on, but I'm still a little worried.

This is the kind of thing that I don't like: a huge test that makes or breaks it for the students. I could so all the AP Lang projects and homework and work very hard all year to get all As, but if I don't do well on the test, I don't get the credit.

My solution to this problem is to not take AP classes, or at least not many. Next year I will take from 0-3 AP classes. I may or may not go into any of them.

One is AP German. My plan is to go to Drake, where I don't need any foreign language requirement at all. Why, then would I waste my time with German? Also, getting college credit in foreign language has never been a goal for me. The most language I would ever have to take to graduate any college (that I am considering) is four years of high school. I am only considering AP German at all because it is easier than German 4. The way this works is that there are so few German students that German 4 and AP German is one class. Therefore, the tests are the same. The only difference is that AP German students get a little more homework. But when the AP student gets a B on the test, it counts like an A. When the German 4 student gets a B, it is still a B. Also, all homework in German is completion points, so every assignment that AP students do raise their grades. But German, in any form, is still not needed for me, and a waste of time (in regards to requirements).

The next AP class I am considering taking is AP Economics. I haven't taken the high level AP social studies classes (Human Geography, World History, European History, and US History) since freshman year, when I took Human Geography. I hated it, but hear that it only got worse from there. I am glad that I didn't continue, and am hesitant to get into AP Econ. It is more of a math class (I think), so it should be easier for me than a class like AP Government. A downside is that I would not only have to take 3 terms of AP Econ, but also one term of government. As it is, I am trying to take fewer classes, not more. Also, I can take econ in college faster.

The final AP class I was considering taking, but highly doubt I will pursue, is AP Calculus. Instead of taking this class in 3 terms, I am going to take it over the summer at Kirkwood (only Calc I, not AP Calc). I like this idea because I will be done with the class before my classmates have even started it. Also, I don't have to take an AP Test that makes or breaks me, depending on how well I think in a certain couple hours on a certain day. By taking this summer class, I will be able to take Calc II and Calc III during school. This is why I wanted to take fewer classes: to allow me time to get to Kirkwood and back. By the time I get to college, I will be two classes closer to taking the actuary tests, which will show companies that they should hire me. Also, my field is harder than many, so 2 fewer classes can only help the course-load.

Author Study

I joined forces with John to do our author study. MY plan of not researching worked very well. Not only did I not do any work, but I didn't have to argue with John about who we should pick. It turned out that the guy he found is very, very interesting.

Augusten Burroughs lived a very rough childhood, which became the inspiration for his writing. Almost all of his books are memoirs, so his early life would have had to be very important. His parents were both writers, but split up while Burroughs was just a child. Burrough's parent's psychiatrist adopted and took care of Burroughs. His reflections on life became his main theme, but he didn't present it in a horrible, feeling-sorry-for-himself way. Burroughs makes his literature funny. In one instanse, he tells about how sometimes, though his parents weren't religious, they would use Jesus' full name: Jesus Fucking Christ. That night, he prayed to Jesus Fucking Christ. Things like this made Burroughs considered the 15th out of 25 of the funniest writers on earth.

I was talking to a friend of mine, who knew who Augusten Burroughs was. She said, "Yeah! That's the guy who wrote Running With Scissors!" She told me that it was a really funny book, and movie. Since this is one of Burroughs' most famous books (possibly because it is also a movie), both John and I are going to read it. I will borrow it from this friend, who has and likes it.