curtis' blog

I had a good day.  At choir today (the big one) we were getting out a piece of music, “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks” (the minor key version, not the lame Adventist hymnal version) to sing.  Dr. Kibble says, “Michael, you have the tenor II part, right?  And Jonathan, you have tenor I….  And I hear that Curtis has volunteered for the bass solo.”

Yep.  That’s exactly how it happened.  Robby told me later that he turned to Stephen next to him and whispered, “he hasn’t”.  That’s the truth.  Dr. Kibble just does things like that.  She volunteered me for the bass solo.  So, I’m a soloist. 

Also, today was the floor hockey championship game.  We won.  That’s right, two years in a row!  This year we played Norge Ringerike (it means Ringerike, Norway, a municipality) for the “gold” (actually just championship t-shirts, but it’s still awesome).  It was a grand game, and we beat them 4-2.  They got angry after the refs decided to call one of their goals not a goal.  They were completely right in my absolutely unbiased opinion.  One of their guys was off sides, first of all.  They didn’t see that.  What they did see was that the guy kicked it in.  He argued it wasn’t a kick, but he moved his legs forward and the puck rolled off his leg and in.  It was definitely a kick.  And we won with two points more than they did anyway.

So, today was grand.  Total win.

WARNING!!!

This post is really old.  I wrote it in the middle of last semester, at the beginning of October.  I kind of stopped in the middle when I had to go do something.  Then it hid in my “drafts” for eternity.  Well, until now.  Here it is, because I hate things left in “draft”.

—————————————————–

That’s all I have to say about things right now.  Actually, that’s a lie.

Soooooooo, I’m now 20 years old.  Yes, I don’t quite seem it in our videos, but I don’t care.  Anyway, I got what I wanted for my birthday, a membership to the aquarium in Chattanooga.  I’m serious.  I want to see the penguins.  And I can also bring a friend for free every time.  That friend will likely be Brooke, so no luck to all of you penguin fanatics out there that wanted to bum off of my year membership.  Now I just have to go get Brooke her birthday present… it’s coming up in > 1 week.

if (stress >= too_much)
cout << “I can’t take it any longer!!!!” << endl;

I love all my classes.  Especially Fundamentals of Programming, where we’re learning C++.  It’s grand, but sometimes stressful.  It took me way too long to figure out one stupid thing messing up my code for my latest lab.  It was soooooo easy to fix, but I overlooked it.  Anywayyyyyyyyyy…….

On a side note, I’m at the lab trying to figure out what’s wrong with Windows 7 (I know, it’s Windows 7… but seriously, what is it?!).  Why is it dropping its connection????  Well, I’m typing this on the XP machine next to it.  Yeah.

So, as soon as I get my MacBook back from the shop I will be more active on the blog <<edit–that’s obviously a lie; see what’s going on here?>>.  My desktop is always being used for other things, and I rarely have time to blog at work.  Now’s the exception because Win7 is being stupid.

I root for Canada in the winter games. I do enjoy watching USA Olympic teams and individuals, but when the games are in Vancouver, I must cheer from my Canadian half. Now, hockey is a grand sport. It is a Canadian sport. Canada dominates the sport. However, Canada lost last night to America’s goalie. Unfortunately, Canada couldn’t get many shots in. They had more shots on net, but it didn’t work out in the end. Canada still has a shot at gold (only one loss), so Canada and the USA may even play the game for gold. If that’s the case, I will be watching it with the hockey club on campus as I did the game last night.

On another note, Canadian men are dominating curling. I know you don’t care, but Canada is beating the USA as I am typing. If (when) they win this game, it’ll be 8 wins in 8 games. The women of Canada have only lost one game.

Also, my TV tuner card and antenna (splurge purchase of the month) arrived in the mail. I can start recording the Olympics. I’m looking forward to the ski aerials.

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS!!!

I love the word “edification”.  Also, I am teaching a class right now.  Just thought you should know.  I can multitask turn in your assignments through email blog at the same time keep your eyes on your own paper….

Actually, the students are doing things.  I’m waiting for them to complete.  How weird is it that one of my students is my girlfriend?  There’s a rule against that, isn’t there?

So, I’ve submitted my application and updated resume (with a thing on top of the “e”) to the School of Education and Psychology (well, I left it on the desk in the office for Rob, anyway) for the lab manager position.  I’m currently the assistant manager, so I figure I have a decent chance… but the managerial position involves a little bit more.  I know that whether I get the promotion or not, I will be teaching next semester.  So, beware technology in education students!

Wish me luck!

Try our new and improved Insta-Sick Ultra, a nearly invisible product you can find at your local college!  With millions of carriers worldwide, Insta-Sick Ultra is one of the most talked-about products this year.  You can sign up today for free by simply interacting with the people around you.  Yes, it is that simple.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!!  If you think that the highly communicable Insta-Sick Ultra is not ultra enough, we’ll throw in Uber-Insta-Behind-In-Homework 3.5 for free!  That’s right, every product in the Insta-Sick line is guaranteed to make it difficult to keep up with homework and classes.  In fact, people everywhere are proclaiming their combined effectiveness:

“…it…really made me…behind…in homework….” –[Insta-]Sick [recipient]

“I…love…that [Insta-Sick]” –Bob

“[Insta-Sick] is [absolutely amazing] and [effective]” –[thrilled] student

We are so confident that these products will work as advertised that if you are not satisfied with them in any way, we will send along replacements within the week.

So mingle with your Insta-Sick Ultra -using friends today!

*Insta-Sick is not for children or old people and is not effective on those immunized.  Not tested on animals, especially swine (the CDC loves swine).

———————————————-

In case you’re wondering, I’m not feeling well.  I don’t know what it is, nor do I care.  So what if it’s swine flu?!  It’s the flu!!!  It probably isn’t, but it doesn’t make a difference.  Anyway, don’t let me cough or sneeze on you.

Definition:  sound made when Robby finishes singing in an I Cantet (definition of I Cantet [by the way, I just made up the word]:  I Cantori demonstrative quartet/octet [in today's case, quartet]).  It’s good that Robby and I have had a lot of time to practice our part, but it can only go so far in alleviating nervousness.  I think we sang alright except for the occasional squeak, quivering breath, and sigh.  It doesn’t get any easier, Robby.  You just get more used to it.  Wait, I guess that makes it easier in a way… whatever.  It just doesn’t completely go away.  Stupid fear of singing to a crowd of more-musically-talented-than-Robby-or-I peers will haunt you through I Cantori.  Why did we join? you ask.  It is worth it.  Just come to our final concert and you’ll see what we mean.  Until then, happy whewaaaahhoooooos to all I Cantori members!

was awesome.  I got a lot done.  I moved in the dorm, got ready for classes, began classes, etc.  I also had to take an exam.  A placement test, to be more precise.  For more precision, it was for Music Theory I.  If you fail the test, you have to concurrently enroll in Basic Musicianship.  If you get between 60 and 70 percent, they “strongly recommend” that you concurrently enroll.  If you score above 70, they figure you’re good to go.

Well, I really didn’t know there were that many kinds of 7th chords.  Or clefs.  What’s an alto clef?  Or tenor clef?  I had to guess on questions concerning things like that.  Anyway, I got somewhere between 60 and 70.  And I’m not going to take an extra 3-credit-hour class.

I also figured out there was a 28% pass rate.  Seriously.  I guess years of choir paid off for yet one more thing.

One more thing… why would they test you on what you are not expected to know, but are expected to learn in the course?  It’s like saying “to get into Beginner’s Algebra Class, you must answer the following questions:  y=x+34*3(x^2)……..if you can’t, you must take Supplement to Beginner’s Algebra Class……..”

I also got a nice bonus from the radio station for working all summer.  Yeah, buddy!

This week is not going too poorly, either.  So far I’ve played 4.5 hours of volleyball (soon to be 5.5 if this evening goes as planned), rearranged the dorm room so that we can keep the futon AND couch (we can now comfortably seat all the occupants of our wing and the next one over in our room), and salvaged a Pentium IV computer (minus most of the parts) from Hickman Science Center’s free box.  And it’s only Monday evening.

I’m 19 years old.  I’m turning 20 in October.  I can’t move out of the dorm during the school year until next October.  Boo.

In the meantime, I’ll be living back in the grand ‘ole room 2593.

Does anybody know of an inexpensive futon anywhere around the Collegedale area?

I’ve almost finished moving.  I am finishing up my laundry while it still takes no quarters.  One more load in the SUV.  Then I’ll be officially moved.

Sooo…..  Robby is going to be manning the Writers’ Club (Writer’s Club, Writers Club, whatever) booth at the organizational showcase tomorrow.  I will be manning the WSMC radio station booth.  Robby will get the satisfaction of a job well done.  I will get the satisfaction and the money of a job well done.

Existentially.  Interminably.  Fivesyllablewords.  Isthisannoying?  Iwillstopitthen.

On a totally related note, we went bowling last night (me, Brooke, Robby, Christen, Tyler).  Brooke won the first game and I won the second.  Brooke and Robby were the only two that broke 100 on the first game.  I was the only one that broke 100 on the second.  That’s pretty sad.  I wonder how much a membership at Holiday Bowl costs.  We need to work on that.  As we all know, “practice makes [you slightly less horrible]“.

I downloaded fifty-something episodes of MST3K over the last two days.  Oh, yeah.  That’s Mystery Science Theater 3000 for those of you less fortunate people.  It’s awesome.  These guys keep running comedic commentary on the worst movies ever made.  It’s hilarious.  And we’ll be good for the next year or two of Saturday nights.  I also downloaded a couple seasons of A Bit of Fry and Laurie.  I love cable internet!

On the subject of TV (yes, I watched too much this summer), I’m looking forward to the new show White Collar on USA.  Go look it up.

Sorry for the seemingly random rambling.  I’m a little bit tired.  Volleyball tonight will make it go away.

Fun stuff, let me tell you….  The School of Education and Psychology is implementing a new online portfolio system (LiveText) that all the faculty and Rob and I have to train for.  It looks great to me, but it involves a long day.  A very long day.  Ah, well.