ZOOPADOO
I AM BORED!
I’m sorry my posts have been Sucky McSuckerson this month. It has not been a good month, and blogging has really been the last thing on my mind. I miss teaching and I’m scared about grad school. This has also been a really slow year for music, and that’s actually really depressing me.
ALSO, I want to draw but am too stressed out to think.
Bah.
DOdodododo
Leibniz is love. Leibniz is life.
In completely unrelated news, I hate myself and want to jump into the ocean.
UGH
IhatemylifeIhatemylifeIhatemylifeIhatemylife the end.
Happy birthday, USA!
This holiday is always interesting, especially with my group of friends on Facebook. A third are very much “ZOMG ‘MURICA!” and another third seem to be quite ashamed of this country (the last third are pretty quiet, haha).
Some people think the US is the greatest country in the world. Some people don’t. However, regardless of what you think of the current state of the States (ha), I think that this country has a fantastic and amazing history, both good and bad, and I believe that the history itself is worthy of acknowledging and celebrating. Sure, we haven’t done everything right (or even most things right, depending on who you ask), but if you think about all that has happened in the United States in the past several centuries, it’s pretty freaking fantastic.
So if you’re not into celebrating the US as it stands today, I would suggest at least giving a nod to the country’s history. It’s good, it’s bad, and it’s everything in between. And it’s ours.
And I think that’s important to acknowledge.
Now go blow some stuff up.
How many blogs would this blogger blog if this blogger DIDN’T SUCK
Over my 26-ish years on this planet, I’ve come to notice that there are a few (insignificant) things that I do differently than the majority of people I’ve met/seen. Here are some that I can think of off the top of my head.
- If you’re counting off items/tasks/whatever using your fingers, do you start counting using your thumb or your index finger? I start with the index finger, while I’ve seen the vast majority of people start with the thumb.
- You’re in the bathroom washing your hands. Do you put soap on and then water, or do you do water-soap-water? I do water-soap-water, but every time I see someone else wash their hands, they just do soap-water.
- How do you pronounce the “e” sound in “egg”? Does it sound like the “a” in “made” or more like the “e” in “bed”? I remember Sean and Aaron always pronounced it like the “bed” sound, but I pronounce it like the “made” sound. I’ve noticed that most people (those I’ve met and those on TV and such) use the “bed” sound. Similar words with similar issue: leg, peg, Meg, Greg, etc.
- Similar with “catch.” When I say it, “catch” rhymes with “etch”, but when I’ve heard most other people say it, it rhymes more with “batch”.
There’s probably a much greater proportion of people who do these things the way I do them, but I certainly never see those people, haha.
Sorry for the Crap Posts
Do-do-do-DOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I can’t decide what to do about school!
So have a beautiful time lapse of a city I’ve already lived in, haha.
I like this better than the first one.
A Doctor a Day Keeps the Apple Away
I think the more stressed I am, the more apt I am to make really, really dumb jokes.
Example: I keep my iPod Touch next to my bed couch so I have something to write down any genius ideas I come up with during the night (yeah, right).
So as I was falling asleep last night, this is the joke I thought of:
What do you call a paper towel family that’s having a siesta? Napkins!
Just kill me now.
In the key of C++
Cool info for my birthday:
- When you were born there were approximately 5,132,112,262 other people alive on Earth.
- January 15th, 2001
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, launches on the Internet over half your life ago! - 13th Feb 1988
The opening of 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (you were 11 days old) - 9th Nov 1989
The Berlin Wall falls (you were 1 year old) - 1st Oct 1992
The Cartoon Network is first broadcast on television (you were 4 years old) - 10th Dec 1993
DOOM, a science fiction horror-themed first-person shooter video game is released (you were 5 years old) - 22nd Nov 1995
Pixar/Disney animated movie “Toy Story” is released (you were 7 years old) - 19th Nov 1996
Microsoft’s Clippy is unleashed on the world with the release of Microsoft Office ’97 (you were 8 years old) - 14th Jul 2000
A powerful solar flare, later named the Bastille Day event, causes a geomagnetic storm on Earth (you were 12 years old) - 24th Aug 2006
The International Astronomical Union demotes Pluto which is no longer regarded as a planet (you were 18 years old) - 18th Nov 2011
Minecraft, a sandbox indie game is published as a full release version (you were 23 years old) - Out of 100,000 people born on the same day as you, approximately 97,854 are still living.
Hair to the Throne
So I’m ditching my bangs.
I haven’t been without bangs since 8th grade (and even then it was for like a year), but I want to be like any other normal human being and not be so freaking uptight about my hair. I want to be able to go outside without experiencing anxiety about my bangs getting messed up (yes, this is something that happens to me EVERY TIME I LEAVE THE INDOORS). I want to not be constantly worried about whether or not they’re straight.
This is mainly because Calgary appears to be super windy all the time, but also because I feel the need for change.
But that’s hard for me. Change is hard. Change can go die.
You’re probably thinking, “holy hell, it’s just bangs, GET OVER IT.”
But it’s not. I feel…weird without them. I feel very vulnerable without them. I don’t care how damn crazy that sounds, it’s true.
But it’s time to ditch ‘em.
So don’t laugh at my new pic if I don’t have bangs in it; I know I look weird without them.
Okay, bye.
I am upset.
Current mood: wanting to crawl into a hole and die.
Current activity: curled up in blanket in chair listening to music in the dark.
My hand hurts from grading 180 quizzes, 180 homeworks, and about 140 extra credits in the past 48 hours.
My head hurts for other reasons.
My self-worth hurts, too.
This weekend suuuuuuuuuuuuucked.
Derr-nerr-nerr
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! I love you!! We shall hang out and be weird together soon, assuming I survive my last final tomorrow.
Also, you know what would be a cool idea (if it wasn’t illegal…which I’m not sure if it is or not)? Get a group of friends together and have an “open to the public” reading of Shakespeare in the park. Like, each friend would bring a cheap copy of Hamlet or something and would read/act out one of the parts, and people walking by could join in at any time. We could bring a small whiteboard or something and indicate on it which parts were already taken (or just being covered), and people walking by could, if they wanted, just jump in and start reading/acting one of the uncovered parts (again, we could get a bunch of super cheap copies so that passersby could just jump in).
Wouldn’t that be cool? I have no idea how many people would join in a group of strangers reading Shakespeare, but I think it would be super fun.
WOO FINALS WEEK!
Claudia Can’t Sleep
(Claudia can’t draw, either, but that won’t stop this blog from happening.)
Remember when I tried to draw the continental US without looking at a map?
Well now let’s try it with Canada! Apologies in advance. Rough sketch:
Oh gods. Manitoba has an oscillating border, Ontario is NOT SHAPED LIKE THAT, and I think I cut off like 6000 square kilometers from the east coast by Hudson Bay.
Let’s take the rough sketch and refine it a bit, eh?
Yeah, Ontario is still screwed up (the dangly bit that dips down into the US is a lot bigger than in the picture) and I have no idea what happens to the northern part of Nunavut (all I knew is that it breaks up in a triangle-like shape, haha), but I guess it could be worse.
Also, ever notice that a lot of the provinces resemble some US states (or vice versa I guess)?
Think about it:
- British Columbia is like a fat California.
- Alberta is like a stretched Nevada.
- Saskatchewan is North Dakota on its side.
- Manitoba is Minnesota with somewhat straighter eastern borders.
- Yukon is a giant New Hampshire.
- Nunavut is an upside down broken-up Texas.
Also, Canada has a hypothetical four corners like the US (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Territories, Nunavut), but it’s in a super remote area and since the NW Territories/Nunavut boundary hasn’t been totally surveyed yet, they’re not sure if they meet at the corner of the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border.
Oh, Canada.
I HAVE FREE TIME WHAT DO I DO!?!?
[Plays Half Life for three hours then wanders aimlessly about the house]
BlahBla
HEY Y’ALL!
I’m super busy, but that doesn’t keep me away from StumbleUpon. Tonight I found the most comprehensive online handwriting analysis tool I’ve ever found, so I decided to try it out. ‘Cause why not?
According to the test, here’s what my handwriting says about me (parts I agree with are bolded):
To begin the analysis, the subject’s handwriting shows some rigidity and tautness, as if the forward movement of the pen has been carefully restrained. This indicates a somewhat more conformist and conventional personality than the average. The subject leans more to the conventional in dress and behaviour.
The heavy pressure used in the script indicates that the subject has an above average activity level. She enjoys having plenty to do and dislikes being delayed or obstructed. She has a need to work off excess energy in an active occupation or leisure pursuit.
The handwriting shows a few signs of a perfectionist personality. The subject may seem somewhat more orderly and methodical than the average person, perhaps being a little over-concerned with small details and fussy about trivial matters.
She will prefer to abide by the law, and perhaps appear more reliable and conscientious. She may also be undecided about the best course of action to take, and appear to have a number of self-doubts.
Certain embellishments within the handwriting indicate an above average level of worldliness and sophistication. The subject may attempt to appear more poised or sophisticated than the average person.
She may seem emotionally detached and superficial in personal relationships, even if her feelings are deep and genuine. She may sometimes appear sceptical in her approach to life and possibly has a lower faith in human nature as a result.
A number of artful simplifications in the handwriting show that the subject has an above average intelligence. She will be able to tackle a more intellectually demanding career than the average person.
A number of sudden sharp pressure increases in the writing also indicate instability, nervousness and a quick temper. The writer is probably more likely to fly off the handle than the average person, and will become hostile and aggressive when frustrated.
Many signs of curtailment in the handwriting indicate that the subject has trouble giving free vent to her emotions and feelings. Her emotional control is total and consistent. In situations of great joy or grief she probably remains passive and uninvolved. As a result, she may find it hard to maintain close relationships or be very much liked by others. She makes matters worse by feeling embarrassment in the presence of people who readily display their emotions.
Because she feels incapable of expressing emotions, she will tend to remain calm and cool in situations which might cause other people to panic. This is sometimes an advantage, but because she is unable to respond appropriately at times when deep feelings must be expressed she tends to lack empathy.
There are cases of isolated ambiguity throughout the script which shows that the subject is over-concerned with concealment. She is attempting to cover up, and keep aspects of her personality or private life hidden from view or cloaked in mystery.
This type of handwriting is found in professions which demand a high degree of confidence keeping, such as lawyers, bankers and doctors.
It is wrong to interpret isolated ambiguity as a sign of a deceitful personality, but it does show a need for the subject to hide some part of her personality or background which may cause embarrassment or anxiety.
There are a few indications in the handwriting that, at the time of writing, the subject was suffering from mild stress. This may be temporary, for example if she was upset, tired, or working against a deadline. However, the subject may be living at an unacceptable level of stress, one which is beginning to affect her physical well being.
These are warning signs in the handwriting, and indicate that the subject should pause and reflect on those aspects of her lifestyle which may be causing long-term difficulties. She should try to reduce them whenever possible, relax more frequently, and perhaps take more exercise. Stress can be beneficial, but if allowed to get out of control, it may prove a hazard to mental and physical health.
Pants:
I’m not wearing them.
Whistle While you Twerk?
This is freaking catchy, yo.
Well today was eventful
- Took my algorithms test at 12:30, then my mom and I headed towards Pasco to go see BRIAN REGAN! On the way there, we drove through a torrential downpour and then through some MEGA wind. We also saw herds of tumbleweeds catapulting themselves into the roads like lemmings.
- Once we got to our hotel, I made coffee, ‘cause I just always do that at hotels, then drank like three sips of it ‘cause I put way too much Sweet n’ Low in it, then screwed around in the fitness room before going to the show.
- Brian Regan was, of course, hilarious. We spent the rest of the night watching “Say Yes to the Dress” ‘cause absolutely nothing else was on and the hotel internet was very slow.
YAY! Thanks for the late birthday present, mom!












