Catapulting My Troubles Away

Children enjoy to think of things that they want to be or want to do someday when they become adults. Back in the day it was being a firefighter, carpenter, dentist, astronaut, etc. and nowadays we see children talking about being video game makers or runners of accountant firms (they're getting too smart . . .). As a child, I was uncertain with where I wanted to go in life. In my kindergarten play that had the theme of what we wanted to be when we were grown-up, I was a carpenter. Did I want to be a carpenter at the time? Maybe. My father is one and most children seek their parents as role models. I then converted over to wanting to be a teacher in my early elementary school years. I think the majority of children at that age have dreams of teaching because they want to someday reign over children like they are currently being reigned over. I used to play school by myself with stuffed animals or action figures as my students (I know -- pathetic). I remember a specific account where I had a single pupil, which was a Digimon action figure known as Wormmon, and I taught him math and even made up lesson plans, workbook sheets, etc. Eventually I aged, learnt more about the real world, and figured that teachers, for the amount of work they must do and how they must practically babysit a large room of kids, earn enough money that some must work a second job just to survive. Maybe the reality of it hit me when I realized that I had a hard time maintaining control of my nephew and nieces when trying to get them to behave. Just imagine them multiplied by ten! That's an average classroom. After that, I had fantasies of making video games, then I learnt that the video game industry was stressful and your pay was determined on how well the game sold and et cetera, et cetera. Somehow I got to my current status (and finalized the decision) of wanting to become a computer software engineer. That path will begin in the matter of a few months when I head off to the University of Scranton to major in computer science. I hope my senioritis goes away by the start of the semester.

I spent all day yesterday building a catapult with Matt. Before the government arrests me for making weapons, I'd like to do the pleasure of assuring them that we were forced to construct it as it's a physics project that's due Tuesday. The catapult came out pretty well. We had two problems with it though. The one time when we were testing it, the force from the lever arm was so powerful (due to the spring that we used) that it destroyed the stopper. The stopper was a block of wood held on by two triangular pieces of plywood. The plywood, which I originally had doubts about because it's thin and looks weak, broke. We fixed that problem by taking the stopper apart, doubling the plywood on the sides, and reassembling it. After testing it by flinging an actual projectile, a pine-cone, down my alleyway, a new problem arose -- the bottom of the lever arm where the fulcrum is located cracked down the middle. My father helped by nailing the lever arm where the crack was to hopefully prevent it from splitting more and adding some soft material to the stopper so that this material absorbs some of the force of impact and therefore causing less tension in the lever arm. This absorbent material, however, caused the angle of the lever arm to be less than forty-five degrees when the egg is to be launched from the catapult. Once we got this all straightened out, Matt and I ran over to the Archbald Pothole State Park (and not the infamous section of it but rather the sports complex) and tested the catapult one final time by launching an actual egg into the woods. The egg launched about thirty-seven feet from the catapult, but it veered to the right from the intended trajectory due to the lever arm being at a slight angle. The lever arm didn't crack anymore, thankfully. We're not playing with it anymore to be safe. Before Matt's mother picked him up, we quickly spray-painted the catapult orange and pink. It's safe to say that we may have the sexiest catapult in our class.

Our physics teacher is such a tyrant. Not only is this catapult due Tuesday, but we have a few hundred worksheets due tomorrow, we're supposed to have a one-page paper, about a class lab that we had twenty-five minutes to complete without any steps to follow because we had to make the procedure up on our own about how much potential energy of a metal ball rolling down a rollercoaster apparatus is converted to thermal energy, done for tomorrow even though the class didn't get to complete the lab, and we have another lab due tomorrow that makes very little sense. On top of this I have a calculus test tomorrow on material that I do not understand. I didn't exactly do the homework in there for this chapter either . . . so I'm a worrywart today. I'm also a worrywart in regards to more personal issues that I'm disputing with myself over and that I cannot disclose to the public. I don't even know where to begin with all this work that I have to do. My father expects me to have some scholarships done for tomorrow, I have an English quiz and statistics quiz tomorrow and Tuesday, respectively, I have to start working on my senior project paper that's due April 1st, I'm trying to decide if I want to go on a senior class field trip or not . . . it's terrible . . .

I'm going to go run off and read for a bit before I begin my workload. Have a good one!

[EDIT] -- The intended purpose of the first paragraph was to go on about childhood expectations and then to say, at the end, that "I never expected to one day build a catapult", but that goal got lost in my rambling. If you were wondering why I brought up my childhood goals, now you know why.

My "Bookshelf"

I always like to keep a record of the books I have read in the past as well as books I am currently reading. I have kept lists on many different sites, such as MySpace and my server at brokentypos.com, but they became a bit wearisome to maintain (having to log into my server, accessing the correct port, etc.). Therefore, I'm just going to place the list here which I will update frequently. This is more of a personal thing that you undoubtedly have no interest in. Run away then if you fall into the category of not giving a damn. If you're a curious individual though, feel free to glance at my not the best reading collection. Have a good one!

My "Bookshelf":


Currently Reading:

The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings (also includes Lady Windermere's Fan, Salome, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Ballad of Reading Gaol) by Oscar Wilde

Read "Hard Copy" Books:

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Stephen King Goes to the Movies (featuring 1408, The Mangler, Hearts in Atlantis ["Low Men in Yellow Coats"], The Shawshank Redemption ["Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption"], and Children of the Corn) by Stephen King

Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally

The Hummingbird Wizard by Meredith Blevins **

How to Write & Sell Your First Novel ('97 revision) by Oscar Collier with Frances Spatz Leighton **

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide by Douglas Adams

Gulliver’s Travels And “A Modest Proposal“ by Jonathan Swift

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald *

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne *

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley *

Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance by Gyles Daubeney Brandreth

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

The Warcraft Archive (features Day of the Dragon, Lord of the Clans, The Last Guardian, and Of Blood and Honor) by Richard A. Knaak, Christie Golden, Jeff Grubb, and Chris Metzen

Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2) by Christopher Paolini

Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1) by Christopher Paolini

Harry Potter (series) by J. K. Rowling

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck *

Lord of the Flies by William Golding *

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck *

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Read Electronic Books/Short Stories:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

2BR02B by Kurt Vonnegut

Magician's Merger by Xenophon Hendrix

(*) Required reading
(**) Borrowed from library

Epic Win

After a rather stressful and discombobulating week in which my only topic of reflection was getting my drivers' license, I may finally take a breath, lift the burden off my shoulders, and glance at my glossy temporary drivers' license that now rests smugly in my wallet. God does it feel good.

My only mishap was parallel parking, in which I was nowhere near the curb and got stuck in a dip and had to apply the gas (which is terrifying when you're so close to the barrels) when trying to get closer, but my "guy" (I can't think of a more suitable title at this time) was alright with it and told me to proceed. After the parallel parking, I was calm. I did everything right from that moment on. However, two mishaps could've happened if I wasn't alert and attentive to the road and my surroundings. While practicing with Driver Dan on the course that the test would take me on (God bless him -- he's a great teacher even though I never got used to his car) I never had to once stop at this one stop-walk because nobody ever crossed it while I was driving through with him. So what happens when I'm taking my road test? An elderly woman taking her good ol' time crossing the walk. I'm a patient person having grew up as a hunter and I could've waited there all day if I had to, but when I'm taking a test that determines if I'm going to leave the Dunmore DMV empty-handed or not, I'm going to be a bit impatient to get it over with. My second possible incident could've happened right at the driveway leading into the DMV where I had to turn. Two individuals were walking from the DMV and were about to walk out in front of me without looking but thankfully they looked and stopped themselves. If I wasn't taking the test, I would've checked my rear view mirror and if no cars were coming I would've stopped to let them go, but dammit, I'm coming through because I'm seconds away from passing my test! Oh, and I left my blinker on after making a turn and realized five seconds later that it was still clicking away and turned it off. "Guy" said nothing about it. "Guy" didn't even come out directly and tell me what the result of my test was. He just said, "Go in and get your picture taken."

When I was leaving the DMV with Driver Dan, I witnessed a poor woman fail her test. I was coming around behind the DMV where the test begins and a large SUV-like vehicle was doing the parallel parking portion of the test. I stopped and waited for her to pull into the parking space before I proceeded. I didn't have to wait long. This was what I saw: pull up, reverse to the right, two barrels knocked over, abruptly stopped, pulled up quick, stopped. Failed. If I witnessed that before my test, I would've wet myself. Thankfully my proof of passing the test was in my pocket at the time and I was leaving the DMV (hopefully) for the last time.

I still can't drive. I have no insurance and my father can't set any up until Monday, which is a shame because I have to get to Borders to do research for a paper due Monday that I didn't start yet, and I will need a ride to go to Lauren's softball game on Monday. However, I'm halfway there. I got my license. The hard part is however. Praise the Lord! I wonder what it'll be like driving on my own, nobody in the car to talk to or distract me. I can plug in my iPod and listen to music while cruising down Route 6. I can drive to work now and won't have to depend on my father to take me. Life is great.

I'm going to read my Stephen King book now in peace. I got to a good part before I had to go take my test and I couldn't read with a concentrated mind at the time. Now I have nothing to worry about.

Have a good one!

Another One?

I feel like writing another entry. When you have the urge to write, the urge to express yourself through the art of words, then by golly you should do it. I have no need to be formal. I can go as e e cummings as I want to in my blog entries. If somebody wants to criticize me, then so be it. I'll be sure to let it go into one ear and out the other. However, I do sometimes write so much that either my typing finger will begin to ache or I'll get a headache. That recent entry I wrote about my school's curriculum which was supposed to act as an informal guide really did a dandy on my head. I walked away from the writing of that post feel quite feverous. I was also sick at the time, home from school with a viral sinus infection, so maybe that explains the feverous headache a bit.

Did you ever play the computer game called Doom? I never did until recently, when Chris and Ryan suggested that I download the game in order to play at LAN Party Saturdays that Ryan has at his house. The only attendees of the party are Ryan, Chris, and me, but three is enough to have a blast over a game where you, well, blast the hell out of demons with an array of firearms, rockets, laser guns, etc. It's also the only time where I get stressed out enough to curse over the game. That's why I don't play video games anymore that require skill to play -- I don't have the skill and as a result I get high blood pressure. Television and video games, two entertainment elements that I grew up on as a child, I no longer incorporate into my life. Sometimes I'll get trapped in to watching television when I walk by, see something interesting that my mother and/or grandmother is watching, and I sit down to watch it with them, but this rarely occurs. Video games, besides the occasional playing of Runescape, Trickster Online, or Doom, don't exist to me anymore. I seem like I have more free time when my mind is not distracted by these entertainment means. I already don't trust television -- I see it as a way for the government to distract us and to brainwash us with falsities. I also hate our society sometimes and by watching TV, which depicts our society, it's like standing by the doors leading into Wal-Mart for a day and witnessing a few fender-benders, a few couples fighting, some road rage, a few shoplifters -- y'know, the usual. I don't believe video games are used to distract though. Video games were invented for the pure joy of interacting with a virtual environment, and they still present that joy today.

I best stop writing before I get another feverous headache. Yet again, have a good one.

Homework Break

Big day in two days. Why? Friday is the date of my road test. Yes, I am eighteen years of age, a senior in high school, and I still do not possess my drivers' license. I actually got my permit only recently too around the middle of November. I'm slow at developing these practical skills, I guess. I learned how to tie my shoes at the age of twelve and learned how to ride a bike only a year later. Other life skills, such as cooking, doing laundry, mowing the grass, etc. I still do not know. I ought to learn them soon. I'll be sent off into the ugly world in a matter of three months after graduation. Well, actually that's a lie. I still have four years of staying at home during college to learn those skills. I'm only going to school about fifteen miles away at the University of Scranton.

My mother is downstairs calling everybody, receiving calls, and gossiping away. There was a crash on Route 107 (initially she was told that it was on the Casey Highway [or maybe it was business Route 6] which is on the opposite side of the valley) -- a "bad accident" as she phrased it. It was so bad that a helicopter had to land at a church hall in East Jermyn in order to get the injured person(s) to the hospital as soon as possible. I think she lives for these events sometimes. These horrific events, reality television, and yelling at me -- that's her livelihood in a nutshell. There's nothing better than going downstairs to brush my teeth or to grab a bowl of chips and see my mother and grandmother watching television and having debates about what color the girl's dress is on Dancing with the Stars. However, accidents, like these, do highly concern me. I believe I adopted this trait from my mother, which is that whenever I hear about a crash or some other type of accident, I immediately start to fear and have anxiety about if one of the people in the crashes is somebody that I love and care for or is a good friend of mine. Even if I'm not friends with somebody but I still know them, I don't want to wish that anybody gets hurt in such a terrifying way as an accident. Actually, upon hearing of the wreck, my first instinct would normally be to call Lauren to check up on her (unless I was originally talking to her -- then I would know that she was safe at home or wherever), but I know that she's at softball practice at the school and not out on the road. This wreck also instills fear in me because the place of the accident, Route 107 near the gas station, is a spot where I drove by with my father on my way to visit Lauren for a quick minute only two hours ago. What happens if I went two hours later?

My mind is nuts like that. I scare and worry myself all the time. For example, I have been stressing so much about my road test on Friday that I'm about to flip. I should have no reason to be concerned. I drove fine today for almost two hours. However, whenever I go out driving with my driving instructor who goes by the name of Driver Dan, I get nervous and make a few mistakes. I was a mess on Monday. I screwed up parallel parking a few times, forgot to turn off my blinker a few times, ran over an ocean of potholes, had two different mishaps at this one stop sign (I swear that his brakes need to be readjusted), forgot to turn on my blinkers before regular parking (I always remember to do so for parallel parking), and . . . ugh. Not a good day at all. I'm going out again tomorrow so hopefully I can make up for Monday. I'm not fond of his car and I have to use the same one for Friday. I like my PT Cruiser . . . not that blue thing with bad brakes that he owns.

I best be gone. I have supper ready for me on the table. It'll get cold soon. Have a good one!