Summer updates - swimming, books

August 1st, 2014

My deepest sincerest apologies for not updating sooner. I have been recently consumed in the flames of chemistry homework but have finally finished without being burned to death :-)

I can actually say, though, that my summer is going pretty swell. (ha, I used a retro word there)

Mornings have brought swim practice, afternoons have brought swim practice, and weekends have brought swim meets. It's the best feeling in the world to race, like I might have mentioned in a previous post - and when you're swimming with some of your awesome friends, the experience in ten times better. After skipping quite a few practices in the winter, I think I've actually improved to be way better than I even was before. It does count as a confidence booster, sometimes, which is helpful.

I've also been able to tackle some books I've always wanted to read with this extra summa time. Jane Eyre - finished. To Kill a Mockingbird - finished. While I always say classics aren't my favorite, Jane Eyre certainly is an exception. The perspective is astounding; you're led through Jane's thought processes, and while you certainly might not agree with some of her decisions, it's still interesting.

To Kill a Mockingbird has made the list of my all-time favorite books. There's not that much symbolism, that's true (there's just the occasional symbol like the mockingbird, etc. etc. obvious stuff like that) but the examination and juxtaposition of good and evil is food for the brain. My brain, at least. :-)

I might be posting some random writing samples later. Who knows...

Tell me about your summer in the comments! I've seen that a lot of you just look at my posts and don't comment, and that's fine. Commenting would be great, though. :D

Heading off to TSA Nationals (for Transportation Modeling)

May 5th, 2014

With APs looming around the corner and SAT 2 subject tests slowly creeping up as well, I'm swamped with studying. However, the one bright side to all of this is that after I'm done with testing and the school year, I'll be heading off to TSA Nationals with some other kids in my school.

As you may have remembered from a previous blog post, I competed this year in Transportation Modeling. I competed in the same category last year, only to get second in the state (not good enough to go to nationals, according to my school's standards). This year, after putting countless hours of effort into shaping, carving, and painting the car, and creating AutoCAD drawings and writing essays, I finally got first. In my opinion, Transportation Modeling should be a team project. There's so much work, compared to the other individual projects...and I wouldn't mind working in a team, either. :)

Anyways, Nationals this year is in Washington D.C., at the Gaylord National Hotel! It's absolutely beautiful from the pictures I've seen online. More importantly, it has a pool, so I can still practice at Nationals. The pool itself isn't small either - it looks like an artsy version of the standard 25m pool for swimming.

In addition to Transportation Modeling, I've also taken on three more TSA competitions at Nationals (including promo graphics) for fun. I can't wait - doing promo graphics gives me an excuse to try out my new Digital drawing app.

More updates to come!
For now, good luck to all others taking APs and SAT 2s. :)

TSA Transportation Modeling - Year Two!

March 18th, 2014

After working for a couple months and vigorously cramming last week, I have finally succeeded in finishing my TSA project :D
I'm doing the same competition as last year, Transportation Modeling. It's individual, and this year's theme was alternative energy vehicle.

Here's some pictures of the car (I tryharded this year):

 

The washers on top of the car allow a detachable windmill and solar panel to stick to the car, as seen in the upper photo.

Guess what kind of paint I used to paint the car?

Nail polish. It was holographic, and I only used half a bottle. If you're looking for nail polish, I strongly recommend Color Club Halographic Hues--they're not exactly exorbitant in price, but they're not cheap either. The quality is astounding, compared to the nail polishes of more esteemed brands. I thought I needed 4 bottles to paint the car...and I only used half a bottle. That was after three coats.

 

Anyways....enough digression. Comments? Feedback?

as a really random side note, my display has stars that light up. :)

Energy Use in the Modern Economy - SHP review

2/13/14

Let my start off by saying: HAPPY REALLY BELATED NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Thank you all for being such loyal readers <3

Recently, Columbia SHP's first semester ended and the second started. Now, I'm taking Modern Psychology. Last semester, I took Energy Use in the Modern Economy. That class was definitely worth the time, and the teacher was awesome. I learned an unbelievable amount, and I've actually been able to apply it to everyday life. Although the class does focus on energy use, and the different types of fuels and their characteristics, there's a decent amount of math and physics involved (which conveniently allows me to work on math and physics while also learning about something I'm interested in. Win-win. :D).

I know the second semester selection window passed already, but for any of you SHP guys, I would strongly recommend picking Energy Use. Even though it may not sound the most impressive, you can really use the information you learn.