The Happy Thread V

[Tessar]

^ Epic Lols! ^

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Does that mean that from now on you're no longer a kiwi, but a... SFiwi?

Oooooo... that could be 'San Francisco' or 'Science Fiction'!!!

[GrayMouser]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I'm so happy, I just gotta brag - I am the most amazing math tutor! I always get my students up at least 2 grades, but this one was even better than most - I only had 2 weeks, and the student was at a 63. The only grades left were 2 study guides and the final. We worked together 7 hours over 2 weeks, and of course he got 100s on the study guides, working with me, but he needed an 80 or better for a C in the class (70%). He was at a 63% - and after only 7 hours of tutoring in 2 weeks,


he got a 98% on the stinkin' final!!!!!!!!!!! Go me!!!!!!!! (and him, too, but sheesh! I'm good!

As I've said before- where were you when I needed you back in 1972 ?

Since we don't have the "bow down" smilie I'll give you this one:


Currently tutoring senior high school students for their final English essays on their college entrance exams in July.

This is the second-chance exam for students who didn't get a good enough grade in the first round in February, so I'm dealing with basic grammar and spelling that should have been corrected by their teachers years ago

[GrayMouser]

Originally Posted by BeardofPants

We are all settled in San Francisco! We have an apartment, we have internet, we have phones, our cats are coming on Saturday, and we have cable (now we just need a tv). And I have a part-time job (I hope) to keep me sane while the visa comes through!

Are you wearing flowers in your hair? Peace, love, and groovy

To quote Gallagher, life in California is like living in a bowl of granola: what ain't fruits and nuts is flakes.

Do your cats have to stay in quarantine?

[Tessar]

Hehehe. The one fun part of tonight was the little folk group rehearsal. First ever!!!

Violinist was sick, so just guitar/whistle/piano, but we recorded us working on Danny Boy. As per requests, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgOy-qfDhoc

... I apologize for the fact that the camera is focused on my..... you know..... b'donka-donk-donk. I tilted it down so that no faces would be visible and did not realize that it was right at tail-end-level. Sorry. We all had a hearty laugh about it.

This is definitely the seed of great things to come. And if not that, then certainly some good times. Hehehe. So excited!

[Rían]

Originally Posted by GrayMouser

As I've said before- where were you when I needed you back in 1972 ?

Since we don't have the "bow down" smilie I'll give you this one:

Why, thank you! I really enjoy it!

Currently tutoring senior high school students for their final English essays on their college entrance exams in July.

This is the second-chance exam for students who didn't get a good enough grade in the first round in February, so I'm dealing with basic grammar and spelling that should have been corrected by their teachers years ago

Yeah, that's what I find when I tutor math - there's always one or two things that should have been fixed years ago.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Tessar

... I apologize for the fact that the camera is focused on my..... you know..... b'donka-donk-donk. I tilted it down so that no faces would be visible and did not realize that it was right at tail-end-level. Sorry. We all had a hearty laugh about it.

This is definitely the seed of great things to come. And if not that, then certainly some good times. Hehehe. So excited!

That camera angle is just too funny!

Very nice first rehersal

[Mari]

It sounds really nice Resembles 'You raise me up' somewhat.

[Earniel]

Nice, Tessar!

Originally Posted by GrayMouser

As I've said before- where were you when I needed you back in 1972 ?

Likewise in the nineties. Would have been fun having more than 60% on maths for once.

[Nerdanel]

i sold my first photo ever, yay! someone bought it from our exhibition in the little book shop. didn't expect that. it's not that it made me a lot of money, because it really didn't, but it feels nice to be able to sell a photo anyway.

this is where it begins.. :P


this is the one:

[Valandil]

OK... maybe we need a special thread for this. It's not really a 'vent', so it doesn't go there, it's not totally 'happy' - but I'll put it here because I'm happy it's over. But maybe we need like a 'current events in my life' thread or something...

Anyway - I'm happy it's over! I had to go in for Jury Duty selection today. Twice before I went in to a Chicago location and was not chosen. This time I had to go to a northwest suburban location - and this time I was seated on a jury.

The case was two charges: a Domestic Battery and an Assault (directed at two different people), both misdemeanor charges. The frustrations we jurors had were: both the prosecution and the counsel for defense did a poor job, in our opinions, also there was much question about the witnesses themselves. There was no physical evidence presented. There was little cohesion - not much linear questioning, no timeline or diagramming to help us understand just how things happened... there were also some extenuating (or at least mitigating) circumstances. One person volunteered right away to be our chair - and we went with that. We found later that we probably had the least capable among us serving as chair.

It's over though - and I think we got the right outcome. The judge seemed to think so. Went long though. We started there about 9:00 am and were probably pulled to the courtroom around 10:00 am. By 11:30 we had completed questioning of potential jurors and the case began. We heard opening comments and then the prosecution's first witness was questioned by the prosecution. After lunch we had the cross-examination. Then two more prosecution witnesses, then three defense witnesses (including the defendant... who really did not help himself). We had a long 'snack break' and wondered if some kind of plea deal was being worked on - but then we got called back for closing arguments and then sent into deliberation. Probably about 3:30 or so.

Because things were so murky in the courtroom presentation, we went long in deliberation. Finally got done about 9:00 or 9:30, but it was 10 pm before I pulled out of the parking lot and was not home until 10:45. Just glad I don't have to go back there in the morning!!

[Tessar]

I'm freakin' myself out a little bit. I am absolutely blowing through my math practice problems for tomorrow's test like it's nothing.

O_o

I don't know how I'm understanding these equations, but they make 100% sense to me. And it's not just that I can apply the formulas, but I can actually reason through them without having to see the formula some times.

I'm so used to struggling and not quite understanding, or having to memorize the formulas/rules and not understanding why I need to apply them that this is kind of freaking me out.

Fifth time's the charm? >.>

[Midge]

I'm happy. I've made a decision (sometimes that is one of the hardest things to do)! When I learned about the Chiari malformation that I have, one of the treatment options is this surgery where they take off the back section of your skull, put a patch to hold your brain up and then put your skull back together.

However, my case is not severe enough to warrant such a surgery and in my case, surgery is not recommended. We'll just sit and watch it. It hasn't changed much in 8 years, so I don't expect it to get worse.

But now I know what's happening! Yay!

[Nerdanel]

had an interesting day today...

we went out to paint ant pupae, but since it started raining, we headed back early. when we arrived at the boat, we saw the station car elegantly rolling into the water on the other shore (we were on an island). apparently someone hadn't put the handbrake on properly.



it took quite a while, but eventually, the janitor managed to get it back up...



then we went and visited the janitor's puppies, and they had a great time with heikki's dreads...





the day ended with running, swimming and eating
followed by football/soccer, swimming and having a really nice beer...

[Tessar]

Puppies!!! O_o


I'm so excited... and nervous... but mostly excited!

The trio today went super well. I'll post a recording of it if I can get my hands on one. I'm sure I had plenty of things that could've been better, but my teacher was very, very excited with how I sounded. He thinks my technique is pretty much in place, so now we're just going to start singing a lot of arias and tweaking technique as we go.

I also just got tentatively hired to sing in the chorus for an upcoming performance with the local opera company. It's going to be the Gounod Romeo and Juliet, which is beautiful.

I just got in contact with a great vocal coach, and I'm going to work with him on Thursday.

It sounds like I might have another job lined up to do part time work with a local woman who is part of a huge non-for-profit thing to benefit poor children, and she needs someone to do book keeping for her. I was recommended to her by a friend, so we'll see if she hires me.

Lots of good things happening. I hope I can keep up with it all.

[Mari]

Sounds great!

[Earniel]

A summer thunderstorm! An actual summer thunderstorm, wheeee! There's nothing like it, when inside the house it's sweltering hot, to go outside and just stand in the rain for a bit with the warm, wet stone of the terrace or the wet grass under your bare feet.

[Tessar]

I BOUGHT A BIKE!!!!!!

It's soooooo much fun. O_o I haven't ridden one in about ten years. I'm sore, but not too badly.

When I bought it, I thought, "Oh geeze, what have I done? This is stupid. I don't need a bike."

Then I got home, hopped on, and started riding and I thought, "I WILL NEVER GIVE UP MY BABY." >.>

See this is why being an adult is awesome. I decided I wanted a bike, and I GOT ONE. None of this, "Mummy and daddy, may I please have a bike? I would like one ever so much!" "But Tessar, you don't need a bike! No! It will probably just collect dust. Now eat your lima bean and radish soup. You have too much imagination for a boy your age!"

>.< Well stick that in your pipe, imaginary mom and dad who are nothing like my own parents. I CAN BUY MY OWN AWESOME BIKE!!

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Nerdanel

i sold my first photo ever, yay! someone bought it from our exhibition in the little book shop. didn't expect that. it's not that it made me a lot of money, because it really didn't, but it feels nice to be able to sell a photo anyway.

That is wonderful! Congrats!!

*dodges Tessar's bike*

[Mari]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

A summer thunderstorm! An actual summer thunderstorm, wheeee! There's nothing like it, when inside the house it's sweltering hot, to go outside and just stand in the rain for a bit with the warm, wet stone of the terrace or the wet grass under your bare feet.

Yes, unfortunately I can't seem to get the heat out of my room. Had a terrible time sleeping last night And let's not even mention the train tour from hell I've been on yesterday... at several moments I thought I was going to faint. And I'm not a fainting-type of person.