Giggles and Musings

My life in well...... not a nutshell. I will be telling the world what is going on in mine (my world that is).

Thursday, March 22, 2007

CSAPs

Yesterday I did the last CSAP test of this year. Only one more year of CSAPs left. What are CSAPs you ask? They are:

Colorado

Student

Assement

Program

Next year (Sophmore year) is the last year we have to take them. But then we have to start taking the SATs and the ACTs, both of which I have already taken. Oh well I didn't get the best scores so I guess that's a good thing.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

On Quoting Shakespeare















On Quoting Shakespeare

If you cannot understand my argument, and declare ``It's Greek to me'', you are quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger; if your wish is farther to the thought; if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept not one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (on your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days or lived in a fool's paradise -why, be that as it may, the more fool you , for it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luck would have it) quoting Shakespeare; if you think it is early days and clear out bag and baggage, if you think it is high time and that that is the long and short of it, if you believe that the game is up and that truth will out even if it involves your own flesh and blood, if you lie low till the crack of doom because you suspect foul play, if you have your teeth set on edge (at one fell swoop) without rhyme or reason, then - to give the devil his due - if the truth were known (for surely you have a tongue in your head) you are quoting Shakespeare; even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I was dead as a door-nail, if you think I am an eyesore, a laughing stock, the devil incarnate, a stony-hearted villain, bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then - by Jove! O Lord! Tut tut! For goodness' sake! What the dickens! But me no buts! - it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare.

Bernard Levin

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Romeo & Juliet

I am reading this play for Literature and Composition and surprisingly, I really like it.

The first Shakespeare play I read was A Midsummer Night's Dream in 7th grade (also for school). I didn't really like it, but I think that was because I didn't understand it.

Now, reading Shakespeare again, I understand so much more. We started it just after I watched Shakespeare in Love for the first time, so I think I was also just more interested.

I also, shortly after we started the book in class, bought and watched Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. This has really helped me understand the play a lot more. I really like the way the movie is done even if I think Baz Luhrmann is insane. I can't say enough about this modernized version of Romeo and Juliet.

I think this play is a classic for a reason. There are so many people in my class who hate it and I just don't know why.

Another thing is that so many of our sayings today were originally written by Shakespeare. I think that it is amazing how many of his old English sayings translated into modern English. Also, some of the most famous lines in the world are from this play.

For example:

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East and Juliet is the sun.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.


So, maybe Shakespeare isn't as outdated as everyone thinks. So much of this play is more vulgar or cutting edge than you realize at first, because it is disguised by the old language.

I don't know about you, but I like Shakespeare. I definitely believe that he is the greatest playwright of all time.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Rory Gilmore wannabe

I am too easily distracted; I can't get anything done.

I often neglect my school work, so it wasn't any surprise that I had quite a few "missing" assignments this quarter.

I still don't like it. I don't like how easily distracted I am, how easily I can convince myself to do something other than work.

The problem is once I start I can't stop. So, say I just don't do my homework for a week. Then the next week when I decide to try and fix it, I can't get out of the rut. I just keep finding other things to do. Before I know it, I have neglected two weeks of homework.

And on in a cycle it goes.

Also, my grades tend to fluctuate. I get As in first quarter, bad grades in second quarter. Better grades in third quarter and then As again in fourth quarter.

I can't get away from the temptation to do other things instead of my homework. My room is filled with books and DVDs.

The only place I can get away from the temptation is in the shower. My showers have now become my favorite part of the day.

To get any work done, I either need to have someone checking on me constantly, an assignment that I want to do, something that I can't do unless I finish my homework, or a really bad grade that I need to get up. (And that last one doesn't always work.)

I want to write a book, but I fear that will never happen because I am not focused or determined enough. I have promised myself now that my grades will get better and be steadier. I just don't know how I'm gonna do it.

All I have to say is I wish I was Rory.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Driving

On Sunday (a week ago), I went driving for the first time. My drivers' ed class was starting on Tuesday and I didn't want to be the only person who had never driven.

Steve took me to the Buttermilk parking lot and taught me how to drive. There were pylons in the parking lot and they made good obstacles because when I hit them, they didn't damage the car in any way. I only hit one the first night.

I basically drove in circles for an hour and a half. I also did some U-turns and some braking practice.

Steve said I was pretty good, but I think I scared him a couple of times because I kept getting progressively faster. Also, a couple of times when I was trying to stop, instead of hitting the brake, I would just press my foot down harder on the accelerator.

Mom said she wouldn't drive with me until the state said it was okay. And my response was, "I don't know, Mom. The state lets a lot of very incompetent people drive. Maybe you shouldn't trust them." And she responded, "Remember you said that."

We went driving again on Monday and I hit another pylon. But I didn't just hit this pylon, I killed it.

I drove around for a while and Steve took some pictures.

I really enjoy driving, but I wouldn't trust myself on the road yet.

I also wish my mom would drive with me. Well, maybe when I'm more experienced.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Vow of Silence

(this was written on the evening of March 1, 2007)

Today at school, we did a Vow of Silence, meaning we couldn't talk from midnight February 28th to midnight March 1st.

Not everyone participated and it wasn't like we were just shutting up for no reason; it was for a cause. All proceeds were going towards building a school in Kenya.

I participated and it was really hard because not only am I used to talking, I am used to blurting out the first thing that comes to m mind. (I babble a lot.) I woke and couldn't talk. I said one word before I left the house, "Shush." Then I got to school and saw how many people were doing it made it a little bit easier.

But I got more frustrated when it felt like everyone around me could talk, but I couldn't. The kids who had lanyards and had gotten sponsors but were still talking made me so mad, I wanted to scream at them, but I didn't.

I did however have a couple of paper conversations and one computer conversation. Even my teachers were doing the Vow which made class interesting.

I barely made it through the end of school. Let me tell you I hate not talking especially when people all around me are talking. Then school got out and I saw people who had seemed like there were really doing it in school start talking the minute they exited the building, that was frustrating too. I felt like the only person who had followed the rules.

Then I got to my mom's office and she wasn't there and I couldn't call her to find out where she was. I finally had to get one of my mom's coworkers to call her (Thank you, Lila) and tell her I was there and I was wondering where she was and when she was going to be back. It turned out she was skiing with Steve. So she cam and picked me up and brought me home.

I still can't speak for another 7 hours, luckily I will be sleeping a significant amount of that time.

And because I know you're wondering, this Vow of Silence was not just in my town, it was nationwide and through this organization called Free The Children, which is the largest children to children organization in the world. Also, today my school raised more than 9,600 American dollars, enough to build a 2 room schoolhouse in Kenya. There were articles in The Aspen Daily News today and there will be one in the Aspen Times tomorrow.

I'm a freak

This is the video I made and posted on Youtube. It's a bunch of pictures of the four actresses who are in Charmed.