100th Blog Post

Happy 100 blog posts! In honor of this momentous occasion... I'm going to stop doing BEDA. Kthanxbai.

BEDA 16: Avatar

Blogginglateblogginglate. I am neglecting this project. Sorry, kittens.

Speaking of kittens...





Yeah, I got a new kitty. Her name is Avatar. And she is pretty much the most adorable mammal ever.

BEDA 15: I like cats.

I'm too lazy to make a decent blog post. I'm getting a cat tomorrow. Please suggest names. Kthanxbai.

BEDA 14: AP Cal BC Chapter 11 Test Review

DISCLAIMER: This post is more practical than humorous. It most likely does not apply to you. Sorry.

That said, here are, as dictated by Dr. Crotteau, the problems on tomorrow's test, for those who were not present and/or not paying attention today. Click links to videos on topics for clarification.

1. Does a given sequence converge or diverge?
2. Given an amount of money invested annually, and an equation for the interest rate, calculate the total money after 7 years.
3. Does a given series converge or diverge? If it is convergent, write the sum.
4. Write a decimal as a ratio of two integers.
5. Use a binomial series to expand as a power series, and find the radius of convergence.
6. Given the Marginal Propensity to Consume (MPC), find the multiplier.
7. Find the 7th partial sum of a series to 5 decimal places.
8. Use the sum of the first 9 terms to approximate the sum of the series.
9. Does the given series converge or diverge?
10. For what values does a series converge?
11. Test a series for convergence or divergence.
12. Find the ration of convergence of series (*use ratio test).
13. Find the Maclaurin series for f(x).
14. Find the Taylor series for function centered at a=1; polynomial function (limited number of terms)
15. Use binomial series to expand a function and find the radius of convergence.... (1+x)^k--->|x|=L < 1
16. Find Maclaurin series for a sin or cos function
17. Use multiplication or division of power series to find Maclaurin series for product of e^x and a trigonometric (sin or cos) function.
18. Use a binomial function to expand as a power series.
19. Given a table (evaluation of a Taylor polynomial), find degree of Taylor polynomial (write functions and evaluate for x)
20. Use alternating series estimation theorem to find the interval of convergence of a Taylor series (given error)

BEDA 13: It counts as a blog post, alright?

If you don't understand one or more, just comment, and I can explain.

BEDA 12: Pop Show Music

Annually, the choir program at my school, like most choir programs, has a pop show--a concert of show tunes, pop music, and generally good times. It's pretty swell.

To be honest, the past couple of years, the music selection has been kinda lame. But this year is the bomb. No. It is the atomic bomb. Like, this pop show music selection could blow up a small island.

Inappropriate joke. Sorry.

Songs to be sung include The Safety Dance, Vogue, Carry On My Wayward Son, Soul Man, The Theme from James Bond, and Thriller. So. Stinking. Excited. Can you even fathom the potential choreography and costumes for this thing. *choirgasm*

In case you don't recognize one or more of the songs, here are some videos of them:

SAFETY DANCE:

sanity.exe has encountered an error...

VOGUE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuJQSAiODqI


CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SON:

The guy that looks like Hagrid is killing me.


SOUL MAN:

I mean... I could post the original... but I'm such a sucker for Drake and Josh.


JAMES BOND THEME: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj9P9S8dPZo&feature=fvst


THRILLER:

Due to personal conviction, I would like to say that I do not endorse the occult. But I do however, endorse this pop show.

BEDA 11: Practice AP Test

I had a practice AP test for AP Calculus BC today. Which means I started later on filming and editing my weekly video. Which means I stay up later and get less sleep. Boooooo.

My calculus teacher this year did quite a bit less AP reviewing than my teacher from last year, and after taking the practice test, I think I'll definitely have to do more independent reviewing. I definitely wasn't expecting nearly 1/3 of the test to be on series.

But I mean, at least they gave us free pizza.

BEDA 10: Choir Spring Trip

Okay, so I know I only have 7 minutes left of today. But I'm posting this before midnight, so it counts. Even if I'm just going to go back and edit in actual substance after I finish my physics homework (which will most definitely be after midnight).

BEDA 8-9: Tupperware

I'm not able to blog tomorrow, as I'll be in San Antonio on a choir trip. So much for BEDA, right?

One thing most people don't know about me is that I am not lucid whatsoever when I first wake up. I mean, I respond, but I usually don't remember what I say and can't be expected to make very profound statements. I'm sure other people can just wake up and be productive, but not so with me--I have to fight through this world of half-dream and half-reality before I gain total consciousness.

This morning, in my half-awake stupor, I threw away a tupperware container that I forgot to properly dispose of in my I-just-finished-my-homework-and-all-I-want-to-do-is-sleep stupor. Some people may find it funny that my first action upon waking up was to throw away a Tupperware container (I realized, after a harsh scolding, still not completely lucid, and a later regaining of total consciousness, that a trash bag does not equal a sink). My mother, however, was not amused.

BEDA 7: Teachers are Cool

Hey. I'm going to rant again. Just a warning.

If anything is of import to me, it's education. Education is the foundation of a society--through lack or existence of an adequate educational system, a government can manipulate the members of its society, or the citizens can form a productive system of the people. Every law passed, every court ruling, every class division, and every dollar contributing away from or towards the GDP derives from education.

And let's be frank. Texas, as a whole has an absolutely awful education system. And we're probably the state that needs it the most--what with our massive amount of illegal immigrants and general population, in addition to the amount of stock we hold in the House. Our drop-out rate, literacy rate, and SAT scores are shameful. Seriously, everything is bigger in Texas... except the proportion of the budget dedicated towards education.

The most frustrating aspect of our education system is that it isn't good enough to teach the students that education is important. Most people don't understand the role of education beyond some governmental requirement. I was in the bathroom after fourth period today, and a girl said that she had nine makeup hours. Nine. How does one even acquire nine makeup hours? And the sad part is that she's probably not educated enough to realize the detrimental effects of stinted education.

This year has been particularly enlightening with respect to teachers. In the past, I, along with nearly everyone else, definitely took teachers for granted. It's probably one of the most honorable professions in existence. I could never be a teacher. And this year, I've come to realize how fleeting life is. How easily it changes. How life takes things and people away and gives some things back.

I never want to take my education for granted, because I have been better off then most people. And this year, I've had some of the best teachers of my educational career. They deserve so much more than they have received.

BEDA 6: My Love is a Young Rider

I had a choir competition today. Like, all day. Did you know that choral music is exhausting? Because it is, especially if you're standing and singing for three hours straight.

My brain hurts. And I still feel dizzy.

Anyway, during the sight-reading portion of the competition, we read a piece called "My Love is a Young Rider", which is pretty much the largest innuendo I've ever seen in a choral arrangement. And I've heard the song "Standin' on the Corner, Watching All the Girls Go By", so that's saying something.

The lyrics to the song were fantastic. At one point it said (mind you, I may be paraphrasing) "the young girls on the Platte should stay away from my cowboy, for he pets you, and courts you, and then he leaves to ride other broncos". Brokeback Mountain, much?

BEDA 5: Powderpuff Sign-up

Each year, the sophomore class hosts a notorious fundraiser for prom--Powderpuff Football, in which the junior and senior girls compete in an intense game of flag football. I didn't participate last year on account of my complete lack of athletic ability, but I decided to seize the day and participate this year.

Each of the 95 girls participating either chose or was assigned a number between 00 and 99... excluding the number 69, as the sponsor felt it was too inappropriate. The fact that she took it off the list is even more funny than someone actually having it. Anyway, I inquired as to if numbers with decimals were permitted. After receiving a positive response, I requested the number 3.14.

Yes, dear reader, I am player number pi. This will be glorious.

BEDA 4: Science Fiction

She was born this way. Oh wait, wrong mega-pop star.

Yeah, I'm going to be honest. I don't really have time to blog tonight, what with a remainder of a dystopian novel (Brave New World) asking to be read, the executive branch wishing to be studied, and Calculus begging to be reviewed.

Nevertheless, I'm finding the time to discuss science fiction.

A good majority of my time is devoted to science fiction, in fact. Reading it, watching it, forcing other people to read or watch it, discussing it. But the funny thing is that I wasn't always into that broad sub-genre of literature and film. I mean, I read science fiction books in elementary school, but they weren't my favorite--I was definitely more enamored with the Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, and Anne of Green Gables back in the day.

If I could pinpoint any moment in which I started enjoying sci-fi, and absorbing every robotic ounce of it, I would say it was either after reading 1984 in the eighth grade, or watching GATTACA in freshman biology (still one of my favorite movies). Sometime after that, I started obsessively watching Star Trek, fully aware of its camp value and utter cliche-ness, and reading novels by the likes of H.G. Wells.

I'm not sure why I like it. I suppose I just enjoy reading and watching outlandish and pessimistic visions of what humanity could be or may have been. I enjoy how (literally) alien the conflict described is to the boring hum-drum of much of human life. And I like forming conspiracies, and being frightened out of my wits by just how similar dystopian life is to many Earth societies.

I don't have a better conclusion to this, so here's a video:

BEDA 3: Choir Kids like to Creep

Each year, choir competes in a UIL competition. And because not many parents can attend the actual competition, there is a spring preview, typically hosted at a local church.

I don't have too much to say about it, other than choir kids really like to photobomb. (Photobombing is the art of creeping in other people's pictures.) I'll let the pictures I took speak for themselves on this one.






On an unrelated note, I went to a Georgia Tech "meet and greet" for accepted students this afternoon. But really, it was more of a meet and greet with alumni. I mean, it was definitely informative, but there was only one other acceptee in attendance.

I really think I want to rush this fall. It's seeming more and more of a good idea, especially at a largely male school like Georgia Tech. Don't judge me.

BEDA 2: Pi in your Face

So, raise your hand if you promised to blog every day in April, and then completely forgot about it the second day. Oh, just me? Whoops.

I suppose I'll compensate for the lack of yesterday by double-posting today. That's right, twice the fun. But not really.

A few weeks ago, the Math and Science Club celebrated Pi Day, which traditionally falls on March 14th... but we celebrated it March 22nd. But it's okay because pie is delicious. Speaking of which, a new restaurant called the Pie Garden just opened. It's like iHop, except with more pie, worse food, worse service, and more old people. Do not recommend.

Anyway, I don't really understand the point of pi. I mean, I understand that it's the ratio of the circumference to the diameter, and that it's used in many, many equations, but things would be so much easier if it were the ratio of the circumference to the radius. Like, the whole radians thing where you have to multiply by two? Ridiculous.

Watch this video for a better explanation.

Yeah, I think I'm going to refuse to use pi in Calculus, opting to use tau instead. That'll go over well.

Pictures from Pi Day?






Yeah, Math and Science Club is cool.

BEDA 1: Wreck 'em

Click the picture. Click it.

Oh, hey. This is awkward. We haven't seen each other in a while. Sorry for neglecting you. This (my inability maintain any interest in anything for more than six months) is exactly why I should never be trusted to take care of babies or puppies for an extended period.

Anyway, today is April 1st. And I'm not clever enough to come up with some elaborate joke. So instead I'm blogging. Actually, today is the first day of BEDA, or Blog Every Day in April, if you prefer. I figure that since I took March and most of February off, I should compensate by going on a massive blogging binge. Which may result in another massive purge as I become more and more disillusioned with the idea of high school.

A lot has changed in the last month. A lot of things I haven't blogged about. I suppose the most notable is that I will officially be a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech. But don't worry, I won't forget to wear my seatbelt. You know, seatbelts can be the difference between life and death in a car accident.

Wow, tangent.

Yes. I will be attending the Georgia Institute of Technology, majoring in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and partaking in the Honors Program. Which means I'll also be a helluva engineer.

Why Georgia Tech, you inquire? I was accepted to Georgia Tech, along with Baylor and Tulane, by applying early action. It's a great school, particularly for engineering, and is a very well-known name for graduate programs and the working field. It is quite academically rigorous, which is a quality that I was particularly looking for in a school--first in foremost, I am going to college to learn, not to party. Oh, and there are a lot of Asians.

I wasn't accepted to most of the other schools I applied to, which were admittedly schools that I thought were out of my reach. My philosophy was to apply to as many outstanding schools as possible, and cross my fingers that I would get into one of them. I must have applied to too few schools, or not crossed my fingers hard enough.

But I definitely don't want you to pity me, as I'm extremely excited for next year! Georgia Tech is tied with Caltech as the #4 engineering school in the country, ranked only beneath MIT, Stanford, and UC Berkeley. It is an absolute honor to be part of such a program, and I'm very anxious to meet all my fellow jackets and get out of Texas.

Also, I spent like five hours on skype today with a potential roommate. She's crazy rad. And she's a nerdfighter. NERDFIGHTER! We're basically going to be best friends.