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Friday, May 16, 2008

  • Currently Listening
    Across The Universe [Deluxe Edition]
    By Original Soundtrack
    All you Need is Love
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    Yea, fireworks!

    Don't know why, but the city of Davis decided to set off a large number of fireworks at the nearby park.  Luckily, I could stand in the front of my house and see them.  Yea! We all ran out of the house and stood there watching (the kids were all in their jammies), clapping and cheering when the salutes went off (I really-really like the big booms).  Probably feeds the love of thunder/lighting storms.  Bodes well for the 4th of July; it is the same park where they do their large celebration, and if we can see things from the house-even better.  We used to go to Red Lobster for the 4th...because you could see the huge display Sacramento would put on at Arco Arena from the parking lot there...but between the drive and the fact that the kids are eating a lot more-not terribly viable anymore.  We'll see if Davis does some of the strange shaped fireworks here too (the smiley faces, boxes, hearts, etc). 

    Just a bit of silliness, does wonders for the spirits. 

    Hmmm...

Thursday, May 15, 2008

  • Do you believe that teenage mothers can still be successful at life? Why or why not?

    Yes.  Chronological age of a parent does not determine sucessfullness in life.  Just because someone is a teen when becoming a parent-does not mean their life is over.  If there is determination and support-they can do anything.  But that is true for being a parent at any age...not just for teens.


    Course I am a bit biased on this question...I was barely 20 when I had my first pregnancy-but even now support in raising children is essential. That never changes.

    I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

  • None comes to mind

    Short pause...just taking a mental break from chemistry studying.  I have forgotten some of the equations that I really need to know- I want a cheat sheet for the final-please?

    Not much to say now.  Trying to remember what all I have to stop and do on the way home from studying.  Getting the shots yesterday have messed with my memory-so glad I waited until I didn't have tests the next day. 

    It is only 97 out, not hitting the estimated high yet-but there is time.  I will have to clean the filter for the air-conditioning unit, the girls room was a bit too warm last night.  I know I have trouble sleeping if the room is too hot.

    And this is a very rambling, scattered post-so I am going away now.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

  • Currently Listening
    Across The Universe [Deluxe Edition]
    By Original Soundtrack
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    More on tests

    Things went about as well as expected.  Just different problems gave me fits than the ones I expected to.  The qualitative analysis went much better than anticipated, I was able to follow the solution through to the end and figure out what cation precipitated at each point.  I re-wrote the net ionic equations in my notebook beforehand so they would be legible-so very glad I did.  The voltaic cell was not too bad, it will be interesting to see if Aly or I had the correct E(cell) at the end.  I used a different equation for the copper anode, so it will affect things. 

    Oddly, the one that bothered me the most was the rate of reaction experiment for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.  There was one data point that was really out of line with the others, and when using a linear regression line for finding the rate of reaction...it gave two totally different numbers.  One with had a lower rate/slope, and the one without the point had a higher rate/slope.  I wasn't sure if I should toss the last point-it was at the end of the reaction, and the data could be off.  My method of solving the conundrum...I put both graphs in the test, and solved all questions twice-once for each rate of reaction.  I also put a note in explaining why I did this, and that truly the correct values would be somewhere between the two.  Taking into account the several assorted facts that aren't really relevant here..and would bore people.  Sorry.  Just very glad that one is over, although the actual chemistry final (worth 40% grade) is yet to come.

    And the weather is getting damn hot.  It is calling for weather in the triple digits starting Thursday.  Going to Sunday.  102-100-99-101.  Yuck.  It is awfully early in the year to be getting that hot.  Does not bode well for the summer heat.  Anything over 115 and I get limp.  No public pools open yet either, they are waiting for Memorial Day. Ah, well.  Off to study for the history *quiz* tomorrow.  If I read the physics this late at night it is better than a bedtime story for putting me to sleep.  I'll save that for tomorrow during the day. 

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

  • Currently Listening
    Disclaimer II (Bonus DVD)
    By Seether
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    Test panic

    Mild to moderate test anxiety today.  The lab exam for chemistry is at 2:30, and I am having difficulties with the qualitative analysis lab with the nine pages of net ionic equations that go along with it.  Wrote things in the lab notebook once -badly- so now I must finish re-writing them legibly.  Arrgg.  Must carefully print these things, and try to remember next time so I don't repeat pages of writing.  Big waste of time.

    After this test, down to crunch time.  Both chemistry and physics finals on Monday-starting at 8 am.  This means I must get up almost two hours before, not only to get to school and beat rush hour traffic-but my brain needs time to wake up before fully functioning in the mornings.  Then one day to memorize names/dates for the history exam-which is a blue book essay exam.  Yuck.  My hand tends to cramp after eight pages or so, making driving home tough. 

    I think taking Aly up on going out for drinks after finals will be done...I also get to celebrate this being my last semester at the junior college-come fall I am in UCD.  Up against a slightly more ambitious group of students, so I'm betting my G.P.A. is going to dip a bit.  Ah, well.   I have managed to compensate for the grades I got the first time through college (walked out after two years with a less than 0.500 -less than a D average).  Got a bit of perspective, so this time I actually showed up and did the work.

    Running off to study after my blog break-will come back later and someone posted some questions that I wanted to answer, but need more time to think through.