Sooooo . . . .

Yeah. Highschool's been great. Independence, lunch, classes, friends, boys, marching band, clubs, awesome wardrobe, etc. It's . . . just hard to describe, from my perspective as a freshman. I'm not quite sure how to put it into words. Like, whenever an adult or friend of my parents asks me, "Oh, Kristen, how's school been?" I'm really unsure of what to say.

So far, in my World History class, we have this hee-UGE semester project. (Dang it my research guide is due next week . . .) It's not due until early January, but we're supposed to choose ANNNNNNYY topic out there (that there's enough information on) and, well, research it! Then along with that, an 8-10 page paper ON the researched topic, and a 3D model to represent it in one way or another. I chose to do mine on medieval criminals and forms of torture; kind of morbid, I know, but I was intrigued by it and really wanted to learn more!! Check out this site-- got some pretty, um, interesting methods of torture on there: http://castlesandmanorhouses.net/medievalwarfare/torture.htm

Along with band, I am currently training for my BLACK BELT with my dad!! It's SO exciting; we'll be testing in April. Just have to remain dedicated. As soon as band season is over, we're off to more classes than ever before. Even THINKING about it gets me pumped!!! :D And on November 19th, we'll also be competing in the Mid-Atlantic Tournament! SO STOKED.

Right now I'm on Fall Break; testing was last week. And quite honestly, I'm feeling pretty good about my GEOMETRY one . . . that's unheard of XD I'm pulling EXCELLENT grades in everything BUT that!! I'm barely hanging on to a B-! (sigh) Maybe it's because band has been taking over my life . . .

That was a nice segue to my next topic: Band season is officially over, which is both good and bad. Good because I have more time to focus on other things now, and bad because I'll miss everybody in the band. We worked so hard this year; 3 competitions, and all 1st and 2nd places! :D I'm excited for next year. I wonder what the next class of freshmen will bring . . .

Well, Happy Halloween, everybody! I'm signing off now; I think that's enough news. More next time ^ ^

<><><>Kristen

EPIC. FAIL. OTL

Well, I haven't posted in eons. But that's gonna change. You see, I would like to update you on anything and everything that has happened in the past 6 months, but that would take too long. This post is simply a notification about the other posts that are to come. So, in retrospect, I abandoned this poor blog for way too long. Thanks for being patient, and I promise I won't make you guys wait this long ever again, unless I abort my account on Blogger! ^_^''

Lent: De-computerizing myself for 46 days

So, as you can infer from the title, I will not be posting for approximately 2 months. As it is, I haven't posted in over a month for awhile (sorry guys . . .)! My family and I celebrate Lent, if you're not already familiar with Easter. So right now, I'm enjoying this box of silicon and wires and memory while it lasts!! Hence Fat Tuesday . . .

Did I tell you guys that I came in 4th place at my District Spelling Bee?? Please notify me if I did, because I don't want to sound braggy in two posts. Oh wait, I last posted 2 weeks before the Bee . . . oh well, I don't feel like erasing all that I just typed T-T I lost on the word "panache", and spelled it like "pinache" instead!! So I was sooo close! My nice mommy got me a custom-made medal later, since I was jealous that only 3rd through 1st got medals :) And we both wanted something to remember it by; thanks Mom!

Next week, my grade is taking an annual trip to Washington, D.C.!!! I can't wait; a lot of preparation has gone into this, and I'm intrigued about the center of our government. And, not to sound like a total geek here (I think this is really cool), at the Air & Space Museum, they have moon sediment from the Moon (duh)! I love astronomy and everything to do with it-- it fascinates me.

So now I must say fare-thee-well; it's bedtime (ugh). See you on Easter Sunday, everyone!
<><><>Kristen

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

So, as you can clearly infer by the title, I am celebrating Chinese New Year!! Tonight is the Eve; right now, according to my clock, there are only 4 hours and 58 minutes left of the Year of the Tiger. At midnight starts the Year of the Rabbit! In case you don't know, the Chinese calendar goes by the 12 zodiac animals: first the Rat (I was born in that year!!), then the Ox (cow), Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Viper (Snake), Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar (Pig). Your year only comes every 12 years; 3 years ago was my Year of the Rat. Now I must wait until 2020 until it comes back around again. So, there you go, just some Chinese trivia for you! :D

I am going to wear all red and gold tomorrow-- those colors are good luck. Black is bad luck, but, you know, sometimes it's the only neutral available that coordinates with an outfit-- thus, that piece of the tradition is no longer in my family. I'm still wearing black shoes, whether they like it or not!! This year is also the first Chinese New Year that my family will be celebrating without Mah-mah (my grandmother). She died last year in late April-- if you look back through my archived blog entries on the right column, look for the entry that is titled "For Mah-mah". It has a video of special pictures and moments with her, as well as last year's Chinese New Year. My uncle made it, so I hope you enjoy it!

By the way, I have some rather exciting news (to me, at least). I broke my comment record of 4, and got 6 on my last post! I don't blog very often, nor do I have a lot of followers, but your comments on my previous entry really meant a lot to me! Thanks for the algebra sympathy and advice, and I think it's agreed that "Girls rule, Boys drool."

Tomorrow is also the day of a test-- a band test, actually. I have to play the Concert F Scale 2 octaves on my trumpet; we are also competing for chairs. Sadly, I'm a little worried about this, since my range has gone down when I last got my braces last January. Normally I wouldn't be a little scared. There's a 99% chance that I'll be getting them off on Valentine's Day, but that 1% is what's standing in the way. My orthdontist wants to make sure that my teeth are in great shape before pullin' those train tracks off. This relates to band because once I get my braces off, my range (highest note I can play) will go up immensely! So I hope I can get First Chair tomorrow . . . . (those of you who don't know what First Chair is, just look it up! I really don't feel like explaining-- I gotta go practice anyway!)

Gong Xi Fa Chai! *
<><><>Kristen


*That's "Happy New Year" to y'all in Chinese.

Life in the Eyes of an Algebra-flunkee, As of Now:

Okay. So if you read my previous post, you'll know that for last quarter's exams I didn't do so hot on the Algebra one. I didn't this time, either. However, I did improve by that 1% I predicted!! Unfortunately for me though, my algebra teacher said that if you got a 65% or under, you should start worrying. Talk about pressure-- if I don't get at least a 70% by the end of the year, I won't pass, or I'll have to retake the course in high school. I SO do not want that to happen. So my parents and I are looking for a different tutor, as of now.

On Friday, I bought myself the Amazon Kindle! It's an e-book that can hold up to 3,500 books and other types of literature for you all on one pencil-thin slab of silicon, plastic, and wiring. In other words, a book computer. The first book I bought was Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater. It's reeeallly good :D Of course, now I'm broke, since it cost $150! I saved up a lot. Fortunately, this was perfect timing. Next Thursday is Chinese New Year, and I'll get lots of money then!

For you female readers (I highly doubt any of the male species has ever read this blog), have you ever just wanted to blame the world on boys??? I know for sure that I have. You try so hard to be true to yourself and others, and it ends up hurting you because the boy you like doesn't like you for that. That's how I am right now. This particular guy just doesn't seem to make sense-- I think he likes me, and I also kind of like him back. But then he turns around and calls this other girl hot whom I don't even know . . . . any advice? (sigh) Things would be a lot easier if they all were just straightforward without being weird . . .

Sorry. This is one of the rare times you'll ever see me vent on this blog. I hate to dump all my academic and social stresses on you guys, but it just feels good to get it out there. If you have anything you want to add, just comment!

<><><>Kristen

Life in the Eyes of an Almost-Highschooler, As of Now:

This week is the week of no homework and big projects-- End Of Quarter Tests and Science Projects. Today we took the Algebra exam-- 80 questions there to laugh and say in your face, "Betcha can't figure me out!! You'll NEVER know the right answer. I will confuse you . . . . MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Ugh. Evil algebra. Last quarter, I completely flunked it with a brilliant 59%-- I'm extremely thankful that it didn't count against us. However, I did really well on the literature/english test. I got a 94%, which was the highest score in the class tied with someone else's 94%. I forget what I earned on the science one. Aaaahh, I'm really anticipating my algebra score. All I want to do is at least improve.

Our science projects are due tomorrow; I finished mine two weeks ago, along with the analysis paper. Then I finished a project that won't be due until mid-February; trust me, getting just one project out of the way helps save time for bigger ones. (whew), I'm on a roll!! My project was about the impact different types of kicks had on a target in Tae Kwon Do; I used four different kinds of kicks, a large kickbag, and Dad as the assistant. The whole process is really complicated, so that's all I'll tell you.

I also won the Spelling Bee-- again!!! I won it in 4th grade, but then I had to move. I won it last year and placed 5th in the District Wide Bee-- this is my last year to do it, so I hope I make it really far! :D Now moving on to a different topic. For yet another project I had to do, I was required to read a book and write either a new ending or epilogue for it. I jumped at the opportunity to do this. Since the previous book I read had a rather unsatisfying ending (it was even the last book in the series), I was really eager to write it. Once I get a grade on it and finish typing it, I may post it out for you guys to read.

This Friday, my grandfather is being accepted as a citizen in the U.S. He recently took the Citizenship Test-- he was from Malaysia. His ceremony is going to be so exciting, I can't wait to tell my social studies/history teacher! Heh heh . . . at my dad's Citizenship Ceremony, I had this blue raspberry lollipop ^_^ I was maybe four back then. When it was time for pictures, my lips and tongue were all blue!! So this time, I'm begging mom to buy us some blue lollipops and perhaps make a "reenactment" of that memory (:

Let me know your thoughts and ideas about all of this; Peace out, everyone!
<><><>Kristen

It's That Time of Year. . .

Well everyone, December has been great. I can't get the fact that Christmas was already a week ago past my brain. I received many wonderful gifts from my relatives and friends, and I can't wait to use them all! Oh, and I'm also going to share my wonderful gift wrapping skills in the pictures below. Meanwhile, I shall blog about what I've been doing for the past few days. I finally got the chance to watch The Phantom of the Opera with my sister--that is the one and only movie that has ever made me cry. Seriously--if you don't cry at the end, then I don't know what's wrong with you. (not meant to be offensive, I'm still in the shocked mode since it made me cry.) Aaaaaaahhh, Patrick Wilson is an amazing actor!!! (sigh) Now I have all the opera songs on my ipod. Honestly, the whole movie/Broadway show is pretty much singing--if you added up all the dialogue, it would only equal about 2 or 3 typical book pages.

Right now I'm supposed to be helping my family take down Christmas decorations; we always hate doing that since it takes so long. We worked so hard to put them up, and it's always sad to say farewell to the Yuletide season for another year. . . I got some pretty amazing gifts this Christmas!! I hate to use the word "stuff"; it's so mundane, and it make me sound like I am treating these gifts like another item to go in my closet or on my desk. In truth, that's what they really are, but I like to think that they are special (:

This year, I didn't want to do just the generic-wrapping-and-sticking-a-bow-on-presents thing; I wanted to add some flair to my wrapping skills. And most of the time, I use a bag to conceal gifts for birthdays instead of Christmas. So, here are the pictures of the gifts I wrapped as previously promised:

Yeah, it has only a bow, but the wrapping paper was great quality.

I drew all over my dad's. . .

Candy cane tinsel--gotta love it.

That bow took me fifteen minutes to make; I have big fingers.

I stamped the paper bag all by myself.

It looks like a birtday present, but I wanted a break from the Christmas paper. Besides, it was for my aunt, and she likes butterflies!

Hope you guys enjoyed the photos, and Happy New Year!

<><><>Kristen