Wonder of Wonder

Miracle of Miracles!

A good Monday. Is it possible? Would it take a miracle? Maybe not, but today I got one anyway.

Last week we had a Physics test and I was all expecting to get it back and have a rotton weekend and get over it. Alas, no luck. Our instructor hadn't graded them yet. We were to get them back today. What a way to start Thanksgiving week. Bleah. That's what I was thinking. Previously tests had 105 points possible out of 100 meaning you could get some extra which was nice. This one was 112 possible out of 100. I'd been thinking to myself I'd be happy with an 80%, I just didn't think I'd done all that well even though I couldn't think of a whole lot that seemed majorly wrong to me, a lot of it didn't seem majorly right either.

So I'm in the tutoring lab going over the homework to make sure it's right and our instructor says so the 5 or 6 of us there that the highest grade in the class was sitting at the table. The guy who got the higest on the last test was there so I figured it was him. She tells us it was a 111/112. Zoinks. Then she tells us she's going to embarass that person in class. She pulls out the grade sheet and I look over my score to see if I'm still pulling my "A" after what I thought was a bad test but this "111" in the third test colulmn caught my eye. I had to double check it. I had the high score. ZOINKS! Talk about majorly good news. Dropping my current low test I have 102.29% in the class. Talk about a load off my shoulders. Sure, sure, we have 1 more test and a final before it's all said and done, but still, that made me happy to have done that well. Much thanks to a Heavenly Father who had to have helped me with it as 2 weeks of this test was my sick period where I really got very little done.

My computer class is going well. Duh. Japanese seems to be a solid "A". Though I have a quiz tomorrow and need to hit the sack, but I need to review the vocab. Blah. It's neverending.

There is more to report, I'm sure, as I've not been on daily, alas, the tiredness is catching up with me so I think I best just get to bed asap tonight (already read my stick of Joseph today).

I am still shocked about this test. Wow. Until Tokyo is rebuilt to be stomped again, this is Gojira, signing off.

~G

The Sky Is Falling, Mk II

Or something like that. The boy who cried Godzilla got steped on.

Been a few days. I spent much of my weekend in bed still being sick. I didn't get a lot of study done and I think my Physics test will show it, though after looking over things before class I don't know that study would have helped me much more as all I ever really do is go over the notes, the old homework and try and understand the concepts. *shrug* It's done and I can't do anything about it. I did ace my computer tests on Access, like that's any big surprise. Kanji Quiz seemed to go okay.

I should be hitting the sack early tonight in a hope of kickin' this sickness in the tail and making it go away. I just hope I can sleep. Last night I went to bed at 9:30 and was up at 10:30, 11:30, 1, 3, 5 and the alarm went off at 6. Sure, I got some naps between that but not a good set of solid sleep which is really what the body needs, methinks.

I did make it to Sunday School, primarily because I had to teach and didn't want to let my co-chair down. Had some cute girls in class, that's always a good thing, right?

I have played a little Halo 2 over the weekend. I finished the single-player campaign tonight on Normal skill level. I'm not going to spoil anything for anyone but to say it's totally set up for Halo 3 which you can bet will be on the Xbox 2 or Xbox Next or whatever they end up calling it.

I've got a busy week ahead of me so I'm gonna call it a night.

~G

Happy Holiday

What a great thing to have veteran's Day. Not only do I have some military friends and those who served in the family and am thankful for doing that job that I don't feel I could do. But I have to admit a bit more selfish a bit of relief this year. Even though it has been a fairly slow week in school for me, because my body has been demanding lots of extra sleep I am just glad of another day off this week, even if it means a Friday back at school and then a weekend.

Why am I up at this insane hour for someone who seems to be lacking sleep? Well, insomnia is my chronic rampant disease, if you can call it that. You know how it is, when you body is very tired and yet you just can't sleep? That's exactly what I'm feeling. I could be exhausted right now and probably not get a good night's sleep. Wish I had a reason for what causes it.

I picked up Halo 2, not because I'm a big Halo fan, but because many of my friends have it and my roommies will want to play it so if I want to play something with them, I'll have to have it. Mind you I did trade in a game today. I haven't actually spent cash on a game in a while now. This is good since I am poor. I couldn't pass up this deal. I traded in a game I bought around 15 months ago and got $20 less than what I paid for it. Might sound like an awful deal, but when I consider it was $144 in trade-credit today, I'm okay with that. That'll basically pay for almost 3 other entire games (and has paid for one of them already). I just couldn't pass up that opportunity.

In other news, I went to see The Incredibles a couple of days ago. I did this for 2 reasons. ONE> it's Pixar which means I have to see it and by nature like it. That being said, I like some Pixar more than others (Finding Nemo actually being either last place or tied for last). TWO> the new Star Wars trailer. Sure, sure, I could download it, but I just have this *thing*. I won't watch the trailer on a computer until I've seen it on the big screen (only for Star Wars) and I do my darndest to NOT know anything about the movie except what's in the trailer. I speculate a lot, but don't search out websites with plot summaries, scripts and other such stuff. I want it to be just like when I was a kid -- seeing it fresh and be amazed.

The Incredibles was... incredible. It really was a load of fun for me, I dug the story and the characters and just plain dug it. The Star Wars trailer was great. It was short, but sweet. I must say (something I've known for years and years but struck me again) that Star Wars would be nothing without John Williams. Maybe, just maybe someone else could have pulled it off, but I'd bet against it. The music for Star Wars is so much a part of it that Williams should claim creative credit along with Lucas. 25+ years later I still here some of the music and feel something swell within me. I can't say that about a lot of music, especially musical scores, and yet some of the world's most memorable movie scores were composed by John Williams. Star Wars, Superman, Jaws... who out there can't come up with at least one bit of those? The new trailer brought it home to me yet again just how important a role the score plays in Star Wars. Wow.

I know a lot of people like the current batch of films a lot less than the originals. I will say I still prefer the originals (and still want the theatrical releases on DVD darnit!) but like the new ones. I don't actually hate Jar-Jar Binks. I can only say I really hope that Revenge of the Sith brings this trilogy to a much better conclusion than the first two films would lead us to believe. There are so many things we know have to happen somewhere (perhaps that's why people like them less, we already know a lot of the story just not exactly *how* it came to be). I've been wondering for almost 2.5 years now how Lucas will end the film. I know how I'd end it. What would you do if you were making it? Where would you end this movie? Guess I'll know 19 May 2005. School's out by then. Booyah! Do I hear another all-day Star War-a-thon? (This is where sitting in the front row gets to be a great boon, I never had to fight for a seat.)

Thanks again to all my friends and family who are serving and did serve our country to defend the freedoms that so many people (including me I'm sure) take for granted.

~G

Fly To Crazy - Going By Car Is Too Slow

What dives you crazy?

I'm sure there are an inordinate number of things that drive me crazy, or sane as the case may be. But I want to mention one of them at the moment. It has to deal with that whole relationship game that people seem to play. Maybe that's my problem, I don't play the game and because of that I can't seem to get anywhere. Course I make no bones about how against that particular game I am so it isn't a new revelation several weeks into knowing someone.

But *that* isn't what I'm talking about. I'm talking about how it really *is* a two-way thing. Relationships, even starting one, works both ways. Even for an old-fashioned kind of guy that I am in many ways, without some effort on the young lady's part, nothing is going to work.

What do I mean? Well, if I call and you're not there, make a return phone call. Even if I'm not there at least I know you cared enough to make an effort. If we set a date -- show up. Might seem a simple thing, but I'm amazed at how it doesn't work that way so frequently. Things do happen in life, and I want to accept that. I have to say from past experience I am a little jaded on the being stood-up thing. When asked for an opinion, if you have one -- share it even if you disagree.

Basically - put in some effort. Now if you aren't interested in making a go of it, or being more than just friends, or whatever -- that gets into the rest of the game which I don't want to get into much except to say please put in enough effort there to politely say, "No thank you" rather than just ignore the person.

Alright end of tirade for now.

I was thinking of doing another shout out to my family, but I think I'll let it wait. Let the night just sail away and take my irritation sail away with it.

See ya next time.

~G

Out of the Mines of Moria

So I missed Friday. You'll never guess why. Okay so maybe you will but just in case you don't here's why -- I was asleep. Not through the whole day, alas, but I went to bed at 8:30 last night. Why fight it, I thought. If my body is telling me that strongly that I need sleep and it seems willing to actually GO TO SLEEP -- I wasn't going to argue. One potty break about 2 in the morning and the next time I looked at the clock it was 7:30. 11 hours, gang and boy did I seem to need it. I wonder why? Maybe I wasn't (am not) as fully recovred from the claws of the illness I was suffering from last weekend and not being able to sleep or sleep well during the week certainly hasn't helped. Whatever the case -- I finally got some sleep. Too bad isn't a bit more regular.

Not a lot to report. I am very glad it was a slow homework week because of the whole bleah thing that was going on this whole week. I do have a computer project (or two [have to check the schedule]) due Monday, but neither should be very hard and if it is two one of them is more than halfway done. Japanese is just study. I do have one physics homework problem that shouldn't be too bad as we did it in lab 2 weeks ago. Funny thing that -- get your lab done when your lab instructor shows up.

Had a chat this week with my roommate, Joe. He and I were discussing why it is, or seems to us at least, why so many people seem to think that a> being single is a problem and b> that the solution to this problem is to do no more than introduce us to any other single person. "Oh look, there's my [niece, sister, 2nd cousin once removed, whatever] she's single. You two should hook up." As if that's all there is to it. Maybe in a perfect world where we all have perfect charity toward each other where those personality conflicts, differences in tastes and socio-economic backgrounds, et al. are unimportant. Maybe then might any two people be able to get together. Alas, in this mortal realm with all it's imperfections -- there seems to be a bit more to it than that. We at least agreed that things don't really work that way and perhaps they do it because they just see the issue of being single in it's simplist form. She's single + He's single. Get them together and then neither is single. 2 problems solved. Pity that they have to see it (or really US) as a problem.

I guess I'll be off. If not that homework, there is laundry that needs to be done. Mayhaps I'll be back later today but if not -- see ya next time.

~G

TGIF!

Oh wait, it's Thursday.

Feels enough like Friday cause the HW was done a while ago. I could and should study more for my tests next week, but the work to turn in is done. YAY!

Good thing too since I feel like sleeping. Alas, I can't sleep in since it's not Friday, but at least I won't be fretting about undone homework.

Ya know, I don't have a lot to say tonight... just not in the mood. Be good, gang, we'll see ya next time.

The Sky is Falling

Okay, so maybe not exactly, but I wouldn't mind dropping a house on someone after my own personal tornado ran through town. Why? Well, yesterday is Physics Lab day for me. I show up, my lab group shows up, other lab groups show up. Our lab instructor doesn't show up. After some 45 minutes of working on our lab without the least bit of help but seemingly starting to make sense of it -- we got a visitor who told us we had to leave. Not could, but *had* to. Wish I'd got her name but alas, I didn't. So we're in class today and our teacher tells us that we had to make up the lab. US? The ones who showed up at our scheduled time and were working on our lab. *WE* have to find extra time to get into the lab? Excuse me? How is it we get penalized for our lab insturctor not showing up and being told to leave? None of my lab group is very happy about it and we've decied we're just going to blow this lab off. Tough beans. If our teacher decides to take issue with it, so be it. We've made our choice. She will drop our lowest lab score, though I still feel it unfair to get a zero when I was there, ready and willing to do my work and was told to leave.

Okay, rant over. Mostly. The news is 8 hours old and still gets my goat when I think about it. So I'll not think about it for now.

Well it appears as if the election is over. Least that's what I'm seeing in the headlines that Kerry conceded the Ohio votes to President Bush. I am glad it is done. I don't think waiting would have changed anything, and wouldn't even mind having waited. Let's just not go through the nonsense of several recounts we did 4 years ago. Whomever you voted for, I want to say thanks for voting. I never cease to be amazed at how many people just don't care.

Last night I couldn't sleep. I went to bed at 10ish and laid there for a while, got up and watched Santa Clause 2 'cause I'd enver seen it. Midnightish I still wasn't sleepy. So I decied to read a little bit. Instead of reading the novel I've been reading, I pulled out Tai-Pan by James Clavell. If I had to pick a single favorite novel in the world, it would be this one. It is a historical fiction about the beginnings of Hong Kong following the story of Dirk Struan and his company. It is the time of opium smuggling, the Chartists, the Tea Clippers, and the beginnings of steam engines. I first read this book back in 7th grade or so, I was about 12. So for the last 20 years it has been a favorite of mine. Clavell tells a story in a way many others do not. The sequel to this is called Noble House and follows the company 150 years later in the 1960s. Aside from the prologue, the rest of the book (over 1300 pages) covers a mere 8 days. Incredible. Anyhow, I'm already 200 pages into Tai-Pan again. I do so dig it.

Whelperz, I think I'm going to go read a little more, or play a bit of a game. I have got my HW done for tomorrow. YAY!

See ya next time!

~Gojira

Back in the Saddle Again

or should I sing "On the Mend Again".

Ahh, feels good to feel this much better overnight. I wouldn't say I'm at 100% but a lot closer than I was yesterday. Much thanks for a Father in Heaven who has restored His Priesthood authority on the Earth in these latter days. I did make it through school but by did I want to take a nap by the time of my third class, alas, didn't get one after school either and here it is coming up on 10 and now I'm not sleepy. Shakes head. I have the luck, don't I?

Well tomorrow is Election Day. Do go vote. I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. I know who I am voting for, if you've read my stuff you can probably guess. But my telling you isn't going to change your minds. I just want people to vote. That's what makes the process work. I will leave this parting comment on this topic -- don't forget to flush the Johns. *snort*

Our Access final project is due in a couple weeks. Seems like a long time away, but I don't want to save it until the last minute. Even though I've managed to do alright with everything so far. I have to create a database with a minimum of two tables and a variety of other conditions. I hope what I've done so far is acceptable. I really don't want to have to start over. Seems like I'm one of maybe 2 people in class that get it. I spend almost as much time in class as the intructor helping people and still manage to get my work done correctly and on-time while others still manage to not get things completed and make mistakes that would have been easily avoided if they'd asked for help. *shrug* Course, I was young once too. Make 'em work for peanuts for 10 years then maybe they'll get motivated to do it.

Can't believe it's November already. 1½ months of school left this term, kinda scary. I need to get registered and how. Seems like it was just a couple weeks ago that I was trying to get ready for this term and here it is more than half over. Time never seemed to go this fast before. Certainly not when I was a kid, even summers which went faster than the school year, didn't go by this quickly. Course time is an illusion made up by mankind so perhaps that e'splains (or sums up since there is no time) it.

Anyhow, illusion or no, man made or what not -- I am somewhat bound by it's constraints right now and need to get headed to bed to perhaps sleep (though unfortunately I'm not counting on it right away -- and no cricket to blame it on tonight).

Remember -- when in doubt, add desu. (Okay, nobody'll get that, but what the heck.)

~Gojira