Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Thursday, February 3, 2011
And The Knowledge That You Have Emerged
Sometimes, we all need a little inspiration. Things will come back, slowly, once I figure out how to deal with being stressed and on the verge of a meltdown every single day... And so, in the meantime, if you have never watched this, you MUST:
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A Year's Accountability
- Learn United States customary units.
- Learn about the technicalities behind my camera functions.
- Make a perfectly fluffy sponge cake.
- Apply to medical school.
- Learn NYC geography.
- Have one of my recipes achieve 話題入り status.
- Read 50 books, of which three must be The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- Learn Japanese geography.
- Fall in love with someone who doesn't make me hate myself.
- Watch 12 movies.
- Travel to 5 completely new places.
- Get drunk, if only just once.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Found a Fabergé Egg During Move In?
One of the downsides to an e-mail address that failed to expire is being hit by a barrage of now-irrelevant messages as the semester begins. I deleted most of them simply based on their subject lines, but then one such subject line caught my eye: "Found A Faberge Egg during move in?"
What?
What?
"If anyone found a faberge egg in storage during move in, please let me know.I don't even know where to start. Maybe this is a really stupid joke...?Thanks!"
Monday, August 23, 2010
Can You Imagine?
I received this in an e-mail several months ago at the height of finals period, and it was just too good to not share somehow. It took me a while to think of putting it here, but now it is forever preserved.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Overheard in the Shuttle
A Krok gets on the shuttle at Lamont and the driver immediately shakes his hand.
Driver: CONGRATULATIONS!
Krok: Uh.. is this going to the Quad?
Driver: Aren't you getting married?!
Krok: No... I'm going to go sing.
Driver: Oh. I thought you were dressed like that because you're a groom.
Driver: CONGRATULATIONS!
Krok: Uh.. is this going to the Quad?
Driver: Aren't you getting married?!
Krok: No... I'm going to go sing.
Driver: Oh. I thought you were dressed like that because you're a groom.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Superheroes, or Crazy and Compulsive?
Several days ago the March-April issue of the Harvard Magazine was released online, and one of the articles, "Nonstop," details the lives of over-scheduled Harvard students. At the beginning of the article, before any analysis by deans and other academic experts as well as by the writer Craig Lamberg himself, are a number of specific examples that Lambert finds particularly illustrative. Here is the opening paragraph:
In fact, even just the first clause would be sufficient to establish the problems underlying this article; "You wake up each morning with a fever"? Really?
The article goes on to describe Cooper as "super-active" and Harvard undergraduates overall as "superheroes" that do "3,000 things at 150 percent." Words such as "astonishing" and "unbelievable" are tossed around as laudatory adjectives. What I cannot understand is why the article consistently refuses to address the fact that the lifestyle led by Cooper and the other highlighted students is unhealthy, and why officials such as Judith Kidd (former associate dean for student life and activities) can only say "They are unbelievably achieving." David Friedrich says, "Yes, it can often be frenetic and [done] with an eye toward résumés, but learning outside the classroom through extracurricular opportunities is a vital part of the undergraduate experience here." So vital that these "superheroes" are almost chronically sick?
I understand what Cooper means by feeling as if every moment at Harvard needs to be utilized to the fullest extent. While I do not always do that, it is an admirable and ambitious goal that recognizes the unique array of opportunities the campus offers. Yet more important is a person's health and his/her future--it is simply not reasonable to "wake up each morning with a fever." There is something seriously wrong with a person who thinks that lifestyle is sustainable or okay, and an environment that fosters that kind of behavior. Why does the article not take a hard look at the attitudes that drive Harvard students to overschedule themselves the way they do, and the administrators who look the other way?
For the article to feature these students as if they are in some way superior and exceptionally gifted is simply irresponsible journalism. There is nothing wrong--in fact I might argue that there is something exceptionally mature--about prioritizing adequate nutrition and sleep, taking the basic number of classes, and joining a reasonable number of activities. After all of this is over, will every moment of the whirlwind that is Cooper's four years really have made a difference? Or will it all have been one long blur, while Olivia Goldhill will be the one to come away with memories?
"People are going nonstop, and there are a lot of negative implications. You don’t have time to dedicate to your friends or to yourself—or to thoughts that you haven’t been taught to think."
For all of the intelligence that is supposed to exist within these venerable gates, Goldhill may be the only one who understands anything at all.
You wake up each morning with a fever; you feel like a shadow of yourself. But no time for sickness today—the Adams House intramural crew has one of its thrice-weekly practices at 6 A.M., and you…will…row. Some mornings, you watch the sunrise from Lamont Library after hitting your study groove there around 11 the night before and bushwhacking through assignments during the quiet time between 3 A.M. and 5. The rower and late-night scholar is Becky Cooper ’10.
In fact, even just the first clause would be sufficient to establish the problems underlying this article; "You wake up each morning with a fever"? Really?
The article goes on to describe Cooper as "super-active" and Harvard undergraduates overall as "superheroes" that do "3,000 things at 150 percent." Words such as "astonishing" and "unbelievable" are tossed around as laudatory adjectives. What I cannot understand is why the article consistently refuses to address the fact that the lifestyle led by Cooper and the other highlighted students is unhealthy, and why officials such as Judith Kidd (former associate dean for student life and activities) can only say "They are unbelievably achieving." David Friedrich says, "Yes, it can often be frenetic and [done] with an eye toward résumés, but learning outside the classroom through extracurricular opportunities is a vital part of the undergraduate experience here." So vital that these "superheroes" are almost chronically sick?
I understand what Cooper means by feeling as if every moment at Harvard needs to be utilized to the fullest extent. While I do not always do that, it is an admirable and ambitious goal that recognizes the unique array of opportunities the campus offers. Yet more important is a person's health and his/her future--it is simply not reasonable to "wake up each morning with a fever." There is something seriously wrong with a person who thinks that lifestyle is sustainable or okay, and an environment that fosters that kind of behavior. Why does the article not take a hard look at the attitudes that drive Harvard students to overschedule themselves the way they do, and the administrators who look the other way?
For the article to feature these students as if they are in some way superior and exceptionally gifted is simply irresponsible journalism. There is nothing wrong--in fact I might argue that there is something exceptionally mature--about prioritizing adequate nutrition and sleep, taking the basic number of classes, and joining a reasonable number of activities. After all of this is over, will every moment of the whirlwind that is Cooper's four years really have made a difference? Or will it all have been one long blur, while Olivia Goldhill will be the one to come away with memories?
"People are going nonstop, and there are a lot of negative implications. You don’t have time to dedicate to your friends or to yourself—or to thoughts that you haven’t been taught to think."
For all of the intelligence that is supposed to exist within these venerable gates, Goldhill may be the only one who understands anything at all.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same
A lot of people think I hate chemistry. This isn't altogether true, although I'm pretty sure I don't love it like certain people in the department do (or act like they do, it's sometimes hard to tell). Despite all of the ups and downs--and it feels like there have been many more downs than ups--I've never left the concentration for whatever reason, aside from the fact that sociology classes I was taking became increasingly annoying and inane (even though I still loved the material). If I were going to do college again I would do it all differently, but I suppose that's life. My GPA and my experiences are just what they are, and I'm sure (I hope) that in the end everything will all come together, and the little details won't matter anymore.
Anyway, the point is--tonight definitely encapsulated one of the reasons I am still a chemistry concentrator. A bunch of us went over to Dr. Tucci's house for dinner, met his lovely family, and sat around eating and talking. I hadn't made connections with much of the department after I made my close friends, so tonight was a great chance to connect with other people and realize that they are much friendlier and funnier than I thought. It's nice to be part of a community, even if it does only materialize in my last semester :)
Anyway, the point is--tonight definitely encapsulated one of the reasons I am still a chemistry concentrator. A bunch of us went over to Dr. Tucci's house for dinner, met his lovely family, and sat around eating and talking. I hadn't made connections with much of the department after I made my close friends, so tonight was a great chance to connect with other people and realize that they are much friendlier and funnier than I thought. It's nice to be part of a community, even if it does only materialize in my last semester :)
Friday, January 29, 2010
2010 US Nationals: Free Dance
Well, it's been a while. Between picking classes and family visiting, I haven't had any time to really keep up with the things I usually follow. I have finally decided what I am taking this semester (Independent Research, Evolutionary Biology, Quantitative Methods in Sociology, Experimental Physical Chemistry, and French--yay), though and everything seems to be slowly settling into place. Well, everything except lab. My cells are acting weird and I'm not sure why.
So this happened like a week ago, but at last I've found the Free Dance (for the last five groups) from Nationals. It was a great competition and I was pretty excited about it, although the scoring in the OD (between Meryl Davis & Charlie White and Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto), considering the twizzles, was a little strange.
Tanith & Ben skated first out of the final group, and because I'd somehow made it through the better part of the season without seeing their program, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were skating to Caccini's Ave Maria. Yes, Ave Maria in general is a classical fallback, but it seems that the Ave Maria most people immediately think of is Gounod's, followed by Schubert's, and this will raise the visibility of Caccnini's version. Caccini's version is the most dramatic, though, so it worked well for them. Their black-and-white costumes were appropriately plain (color-wise) and dramatic (glitter- and cut-wise) at the same time, although I'm not sure if I would have designed a similar costume. I was glad to see that Tanith's hair was tied back. Anyway, in terms of their skating, I thought they did really well--their twizzles were fast and together, and their lifts were elegant and smooth. Their trademark move, where Tanith stands on Ben's skate and arches her back, was used really well and emphasized one of the climaxes of the music. They looked very happy at the end of their performance and after they saw their marks, and I think that even though they did not become the first team to win six National titles they have a lot to be proud of.
Next was Kim Navarro & Brent Bommentre. They were also dressed in black and white, though more simply so, and I think I prefer this set of costumes within the black and white scheme. Their program got off to a slightly shake start with the first set of twizzles, when Kim let go over her foot too early, but they recovered well for the second set. Tonia Kwiatkowski mentioned that their FD is supposed to represent their partnership, which seems really sweet (although I'm not sure exactly how the representation works... maybe through the lyrics of the music ("One" by Mary J. Blige)). Their lifts were pretty eye-catching, and the simplicity of their costumes helped accentuate the line of their positions. Kim & Brent looked very emotional at the end, and you could see them mouth "Thank you" to each other. Sentimental favorites indeed. I thought their program component scores could have been a little higher, but good performance all around. Too bad they're not going to the Olympics.
Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein are really the future. You can always tell which juniors will be successful as seniors because they make a dramatic move right away, and this team is no exception (so far). Their costumes were the first that really seemed to be costumes as opposed to crazy outfits, and their music (a "classical waltz") was soft and elegant. Very different feel from the first two teams. Their first set of twizzles seemed just a tad bit messy, but their alternating arm movements in the second set really stood out and was timed perfectly to the music. Kwiatkowski mentioned that they seem to have gained a lot of confidence since winning Junior Worlds last year, and although I didn't really follow them last year she seems to be right--they skated with the power that comes from confidence. They actually beat Navarro & Bommentre in the technical score, but lost out significantly in the program component score, which is sure to go up as they gain more experience.
Then came Meryl & Charlie. They skated to Phantom of the Opera, which is completely overdone, but of course they managed to make it their own anyway. They jumped right into two combination spins, which had great spead, and everything just took off from there. The straight line --> rotational lift had numerous quick position changes, and highlighted the tension of the main theme before the music cut to "Music of the Night." I wasn't such a huge fan of the musical transitions and cuts they decided to use, but they were definitely able to change their style and feel according to that of the music without sacrificing speed. Charlie made me a little nervous on their second straight-line lift, although Meryl's position was really amazing. Their twizzles were fast and controlled (they made sure it was nothing like the OD), and they built up the program's excitement to the end to receive a standing ovation (although I absolutely hated how they suddenly switched the music--the change was way too obvious and abrupt). Their scores were absolutely through the roof (yay Nationals!) despite receiving a deduction (?), and easily beat Tanith & Ben.
Last were Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates, skating to "Canto Della Terra," which initially reminded me of a less breathy Enya in a different language (it's not--it's Italian opera). Evan definitely had a friend in the audience. :) Their twizzles were spot-on and their lifts dramatic in all the right ways. I was really happy to see that none of the top teems seemed to be trying the old ice-dance trick of using crazy costumes to distract from the actual skating (but can someone do something about Emily's hair?). In the end I felt much more emotion from Kim & Brent and I think their performance was stronger, but Emily & Evan are clearly the much better technicians and they deserved to place 3rd.
The other team I hunted down online was Jane Summersett & Todd Gilles, who skated to a "rock & roll medley." They are always so energetic and fun to watch, which worked with the music well, and despite everything I always find myself secretly hoping that they'll place. Unfortunately Jane fell out of her first set of twizzles, and their skating seemed a little slow in comparison to the later group. Their signature curve lift was definitely the highlight of the performance. :) According to Kwiatkowski they changed coaches early in this season, and have improved their edges and closeness. I really hope they keep skating.
So this happened like a week ago, but at last I've found the Free Dance (for the last five groups) from Nationals. It was a great competition and I was pretty excited about it, although the scoring in the OD (between Meryl Davis & Charlie White and Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto), considering the twizzles, was a little strange.
Tanith & Ben skated first out of the final group, and because I'd somehow made it through the better part of the season without seeing their program, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were skating to Caccini's Ave Maria. Yes, Ave Maria in general is a classical fallback, but it seems that the Ave Maria most people immediately think of is Gounod's, followed by Schubert's, and this will raise the visibility of Caccnini's version. Caccini's version is the most dramatic, though, so it worked well for them. Their black-and-white costumes were appropriately plain (color-wise) and dramatic (glitter- and cut-wise) at the same time, although I'm not sure if I would have designed a similar costume. I was glad to see that Tanith's hair was tied back. Anyway, in terms of their skating, I thought they did really well--their twizzles were fast and together, and their lifts were elegant and smooth. Their trademark move, where Tanith stands on Ben's skate and arches her back, was used really well and emphasized one of the climaxes of the music. They looked very happy at the end of their performance and after they saw their marks, and I think that even though they did not become the first team to win six National titles they have a lot to be proud of.
Next was Kim Navarro & Brent Bommentre. They were also dressed in black and white, though more simply so, and I think I prefer this set of costumes within the black and white scheme. Their program got off to a slightly shake start with the first set of twizzles, when Kim let go over her foot too early, but they recovered well for the second set. Tonia Kwiatkowski mentioned that their FD is supposed to represent their partnership, which seems really sweet (although I'm not sure exactly how the representation works... maybe through the lyrics of the music ("One" by Mary J. Blige)). Their lifts were pretty eye-catching, and the simplicity of their costumes helped accentuate the line of their positions. Kim & Brent looked very emotional at the end, and you could see them mouth "Thank you" to each other. Sentimental favorites indeed. I thought their program component scores could have been a little higher, but good performance all around. Too bad they're not going to the Olympics.
Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein are really the future. You can always tell which juniors will be successful as seniors because they make a dramatic move right away, and this team is no exception (so far). Their costumes were the first that really seemed to be costumes as opposed to crazy outfits, and their music (a "classical waltz") was soft and elegant. Very different feel from the first two teams. Their first set of twizzles seemed just a tad bit messy, but their alternating arm movements in the second set really stood out and was timed perfectly to the music. Kwiatkowski mentioned that they seem to have gained a lot of confidence since winning Junior Worlds last year, and although I didn't really follow them last year she seems to be right--they skated with the power that comes from confidence. They actually beat Navarro & Bommentre in the technical score, but lost out significantly in the program component score, which is sure to go up as they gain more experience.
Then came Meryl & Charlie. They skated to Phantom of the Opera, which is completely overdone, but of course they managed to make it their own anyway. They jumped right into two combination spins, which had great spead, and everything just took off from there. The straight line --> rotational lift had numerous quick position changes, and highlighted the tension of the main theme before the music cut to "Music of the Night." I wasn't such a huge fan of the musical transitions and cuts they decided to use, but they were definitely able to change their style and feel according to that of the music without sacrificing speed. Charlie made me a little nervous on their second straight-line lift, although Meryl's position was really amazing. Their twizzles were fast and controlled (they made sure it was nothing like the OD), and they built up the program's excitement to the end to receive a standing ovation (although I absolutely hated how they suddenly switched the music--the change was way too obvious and abrupt). Their scores were absolutely through the roof (yay Nationals!) despite receiving a deduction (?), and easily beat Tanith & Ben.
Last were Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates, skating to "Canto Della Terra," which initially reminded me of a less breathy Enya in a different language (it's not--it's Italian opera). Evan definitely had a friend in the audience. :) Their twizzles were spot-on and their lifts dramatic in all the right ways. I was really happy to see that none of the top teems seemed to be trying the old ice-dance trick of using crazy costumes to distract from the actual skating (but can someone do something about Emily's hair?). In the end I felt much more emotion from Kim & Brent and I think their performance was stronger, but Emily & Evan are clearly the much better technicians and they deserved to place 3rd.
The other team I hunted down online was Jane Summersett & Todd Gilles, who skated to a "rock & roll medley." They are always so energetic and fun to watch, which worked with the music well, and despite everything I always find myself secretly hoping that they'll place. Unfortunately Jane fell out of her first set of twizzles, and their skating seemed a little slow in comparison to the later group. Their signature curve lift was definitely the highlight of the performance. :) According to Kwiatkowski they changed coaches early in this season, and have improved their edges and closeness. I really hope they keep skating.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
About to Senior Spring
I'm assuming that starting school before Labor Day and finishing finals before Winter Break was supposed to make Winter Break, well, longer. I'm sure it did, but it doesn't feel that way at all--I still remember my Chemistry 160 final quite vividly, as well as much of break itself. Such is life, I suppose.
Choosing my last set of classes (!) means that I will no longer be able to continue with my newfound and currently short-lived fascination with Cookpad, at least until Spring Break, during which I might be too busy anyway. Since my Bûche de Noël and 海老餃子 attempts:
Apple-Yogurt Cake, which tastes like cheesecake if you do it right, minus the fat. I'm not sure if the flash makes it look better or worse.
http://cookpad.com/recipe/695989
Avocado Dip. Almost like guacamole, but not quite (although just as good, if not better). Ridiculously easy to make.
http://cookpad.com/recipe/428520
I wish my classes could be written up as neatly as this. But alas, I have no idea what I want or need to take. I thought I did, a few days ago, but now all I have are vague categories: physical chemistry, sociology (pending petition), elective. Thankfully I know that I am definitely (95%) taking Evolutionary Biology and the lab-research class, but the rest is completely up in the air. Ugh... Happy Shopping!
Choosing my last set of classes (!) means that I will no longer be able to continue with my newfound and currently short-lived fascination with Cookpad, at least until Spring Break, during which I might be too busy anyway. Since my Bûche de Noël and 海老餃子 attempts:
Apple-Yogurt Cake, which tastes like cheesecake if you do it right, minus the fat. I'm not sure if the flash makes it look better or worse.http://cookpad.com/recipe/695989
Avocado Dip. Almost like guacamole, but not quite (although just as good, if not better). Ridiculously easy to make.http://cookpad.com/recipe/428520
オレンジゼリー, made with Cara Cara oranges from Costco (some of the best oranges I've ever had). Proof that price doesn't always = quality.
http://cookpad.com/recipe/771287
http://cookpad.com/recipe/771287
I wish my classes could be written up as neatly as this. But alas, I have no idea what I want or need to take. I thought I did, a few days ago, but now all I have are vague categories: physical chemistry, sociology (pending petition), elective. Thankfully I know that I am definitely (95%) taking Evolutionary Biology and the lab-research class, but the rest is completely up in the air. Ugh... Happy Shopping!
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