From Six to Two and a Half

When I first got my iBook two years ago, the battery would last for six hours.  This was very impressive.  It continued to last for six hours for about a year and a half.  Last semester, I noticed that the battery life would only be four or five hours, which was still pretty good.

However, over the past few weeks, the battery life has been quickly going down.  Now it’s only lasting around two and a half hours.  I looked on Apple’s website and apparently it’s not good to leave the charger plugged in while the battery is full.  Oops.  I’ve been doing that since I got it unless I’m not near a plug.  I’ve stopped doing that now, but it’s probably too late.  New batteries cost $130 on Apple’s website.  Hopefully I can find one cheaper somewhere else.

Research Methods

One thing that drives me insane about psychology class is the fact that every single one I’ve taken starts the same way.  The first week is devoted to research methods.  Studies, surveys, experiments, and the scientific method.  I’ve had it drilled into my head since Freshman year.

This semester, I am taking a four credit class that’s required for all psychology majors.  Guess what it’s called?  Research Methods.  Guess what the entire class is about?  The Scientific Method.  The entire semester will be devoted to that redundant material that I learn about during the first week of every semester.

Yesterday I had Research Methods and we began to learn about, you guessed it, the Scientific Method.  Then, after that class was over, I had my cognitive psych class.  I bet you can already guess what that lecture was about.  Research Methods.  I think the clock actually went backwards during that hour and a half.

Then, I get to my social psych class this morning and the professor opens up the power point.  Yep, there it was in big font, ‘Research Methods’.  Another hour of learning about that.  All I can say is that I can’t wait until we’re done with this topic in social and cognitive psych.  As for my actual Research Methods class, I just hope we get out of class early most of the time.

Of All the Days to Have a Test

Today was my first day of classes.  Or should I say class.  I only had one today and all we did was spend a half hour going over the syllabus.  We got out early.

We have four tests throughout the semester, one of which is during finals week.  Spring Break is in March and we don’t get any days off for Easter, which is in April.  I was planning on going home the Friday before Easter, skipping my only Monday class, and going back Monday night.

Unfortunately, my teacher for my one Monday class has a test scheduled for the Monday after Easter.  The only time I could make it up would be during finals week.  Why did she schedule a test the day after Easter?  Of all the days.  I’m sure a lot of people were planning on skipping that day.

Fish Water

In order to change the water in my fish tank, I have to suck on the end of the gravel vacuum to get the suction going.  I then put the end in a bucket and the vacuum sucks all the water out of the tank.

In nearly three years of having a fish tank, I have never once accidentally drunken any of the fish water.  Until today.  It was absolutely disgusting.  I choked on it and it got all over my face.  Surprisingly, it didn’t taste that bad.  It didn’t really taste like anything.  It was just really disgusting.

I blame it on the annoying new gravel vacuum my brother bought.  I had a nice gravel vacuum that I used successfully for a few years, but then my brother threw it across the room while he was mad at his fish tank and it broke.  Unfortunately, they don’t make that kind of gravel vacuum anymore and he had to buy one with a wider opening and less flexible tubing.  The stupid thing fell out of my tank and then all the fish water spewed onto my face and into my mouth.

Inauguration Pictures: Part I

I have a very large amount of pictures to post from the Inauguration. I have decided not to put them all in the same post. Plus, I only currently have my brother’s pics on my computer. So here they are!

This is the Capitol Building the day before.

Washington Monument the day before.

White House the day before.

Bus that decided it would be a good idea to try and drive down a street filled with people.

An ambulance that tried to do the same.

After my bro and his class realized they wouldn’t get into the mall, this guy climbed on top of a SWAT team van and started preaching about how everyone needs to embrace Jesus and let him into their lives. Then the cops made him get off.

Then, this other guy climbed up and started speaking about communism.

And, of course, here is the huge never ending line of porta-potties that must have been imported from multiple states.

After All That Hype

My brother and his class did not even make it onto the mall for the Inauguration yesterday.  They went to a gate near the capitol at 4am or something, waited in line for hours, and then they closed the gate before they were able to get in.  My bro said it was completely unorganized.  Instead of getting to be on the mall, he and his class wandered around DC for a few hours and watched Obama’s speech on a TV through a restaurant window.  His teacher and one student (who had tickets) got into the mall, but that’s it.  My bro was incredibly disappointed and I can’t blame him.

My mom and sister on the other hand, had a great time.  They got into the mall near the Washington monument and while they were no where near the capitol building, they were able to watch on the jumbotrons and had fun.  My sister (who was wearing her Gryffindor scarf) even had her picture taken for a French newspaper.  Unfortunately, she doesn’t know which one.  The gate they entered through was very organized and they didn’t have to wait long.

Both my sister and my mom got pictures.  My mom’s are on a disposable camera (old school, I know) and my sister’s are on her digital camera.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get some of hers soon.  Might have to wait a while for my mom’s pictures, though.

Historic

Where were you when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001?  Where were you when the tsunami hit?  When Hurricane Katrina hit?  When the London underground was bombed?  I, along with many other people of this generation can answer those questions in a blink of an eye.

I was in French class when the planes hit.  At home when the tsunami hit.  On vacation at a resort in Pennsylvania when Hurricane Katrina hit.  On my way to driver’s ed when the underground was bombed.

The night Barack Obama was elected is another one of those ‘Where were you when…?’ type of things.  I was in my dorm room, talking on the phone with my family, when it was announced that he won.  It is a night I will remember for my entire life.  It was my first presidential election, and the man I voted for won.

His inauguration is going to become yet another ‘Where were you when…?’ type of things.  We are all going to remember where we will be tomorrow when President-elect Obama becomes President Obama.  Whether you’ll be at work, at home, or lucky enough to be in Washington DC itself, you’ll remember.

This election is historic for many reasons.  The word historic has been used so many times it is quickly becoming cliche, but it still remains true.  I am not merely talking about the fact that Obama is African-American, either.  This also signifies the end of the Bush Administration, one that many of the country have deemed ‘the end of an error’.

Obama also did a wonderful job reaching the people.  He made the younger generation excited about voting.  I was excited about voting.  Whether this is due to his age or the mere fact that he is able to string a sentence together, I do not know.  The point is, is that this election had record turn-out at the voting booth.

The country is also deep in an economic crisis.  One that is reminding people of the Great Depression.  Franklin Roosevelt was elected during that and turned the country around.  Obama’s election is reminiscent of that.  Only time will tell whether Obama will turn the country around, but I believe he will.

No matter where you are tomorrow, think about the historic moment that is taking place in Washington DC at twelve noon.  Obama’s inauguration is significant in so many ways.  It is truly a ‘Where were you when…?’ moment.

Believe it or Not

There is a food that Benny doesn’t like.  I never thought we’d find anything he disliked, but we did.  We had fish on Saturday and my dad wanted to give Benny a piece of lemon to see what he’d do.

So, I held out a piece of lemon and Benny sniffed it and backed away!  I tried this numerous times just to see if it was a fluke, but it wasn’t.  He does not like lemons.  This is the dog who will sit there and drink hot Buffalo wing sauce with his tail wagging a mile a minute.  This is the dog who would eat hot salsa and beg for more.  This is the dog who actually likes wasabi.  But he does not like lemons.

Ew, Gross

My mom and sister went grocery shopping today and left Benny home alone.  They were almost out of the neighborhood when my mom realized she left her list at home.  So they drove back and my sister ran in to get the list.

She got in the house and didn’t see Benny anywhere.  Then she grabbed the list and started to look for him.  He was standing on our dining room table!  Just standing there doing nothing!  So my sister scold him and told him to get off.

And what did he do?  He peed on the table and then got down.  Ew.  We eat on that table.  He went out just before they left, too.  We think it was more of a submissive/scared type of peeing.  He used to do that a lot when we first got him.  I think he was just scared that he got caught.  But that is seriously so disgusting.

Where Has All the Money Gone?

I got to work today and one of the managers had to sign another cashier off her register in order to have me sign on.  Normally, when a cashier takes the till out of the register, they sign off so the managers know that there isn’t a till in it.  When you leave the till in, you stay signed on.

So, since that person was signed on, everyone assumed the till was still in the register.  I signed on and rung up the first order.  The guy I was ringing up handed me a twenty and I typed it in and hit the ‘cash’ button.  The drawer pops open, completely devoid of a till.  Apparently, one of the other managers had told the other cashier to pull the till, but she never signed off.

I had to call a manager over and ask her to bring me a till so I could give the guy his change.  That has never happened to me before.  It was actually really funny.  The guy who I was ringing up thought it was funny, which was good.