Christmas Break Well Under Way

I am so enjoying this Christmas break! It still feels weird to not have homework to do, a paper to write, or a project to finish. I've been working with my horse, reestablishing some semblance of sanity and respect, and he's doing better. At least, he's not so spastic, he's still a bit pushy.
Went to see Sherlock Holmes on Christmas Day, after waiting since July to see it, and I was not disappointed. True, it is one of those "based on the characters of..." movies, but there were really no major elements that came totally out of left field, nothing that doesn't have at least a touch of base in the original books (such as the boxing scene which I have already heard grief over... in the second chapter of A Study in Scarlet Holmes is described as being an expert boxer). Maybe Robert Downey Jr.'s Holmes is a bit wackier than I had envisioned based purely on the original stories, my sister remarked that the character reminded her of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow in Curse of the Black Pearl, eccentric but wiley. All in all, an excellent movie.

Another Good Read

Scanning my Favorites tab this morning for the first real time since Wednesday, checking up on news of the outside world, I ran across another gem of an article. It amazes me how many things people tell me are my or their rights that really aren't, and Mr. Napolitano did a great job of setting the record straight, and drawing the line in the sand between human rights and goods/services. Interesting how nationalized healthcare seems to infringe on a few of the real rights... or, perhaps I'm just young and bitter. ;-)

I Heart GraphJam...

Taking five from intense studying for finals tomorrow to bring another chunk of randomness to the Zone. May my finals not go as the graph suggests.

Fortune Cookie Fun

I think someone is trying to tell me something. At dinner tonight, one of the options was an Asian style something or other, and there were fortune cookies at the end of the line. My roommate and I each grabbed one, and opened them at our table. Mine read "One way to learn more is not to hide your ignorance." Roomie's read "Read in order to live." Maybe Grove City specially orders academic themed fortune cookies for finals week. Or it's an odd coincidence. Are there coincidences at all? Hmmm... I need to stop philosophizing and get back to studying...

The Student's Finals Prayer

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not flunk;
He keepeth me from lying down when I should be studying.
He leadeth me beside the water cooler for a study break;
He restores my faith in study guides.
He leads me to better study habits
For my grades' sake.
Yea, tho' I walk through the valley of borderline grades,
I will not have a nervous breakdown;
For Thou art with me;
My prayers and my friends, they comfort me.
Thou givest me the answers in moments of blankness;
Thou anointest my head with understanding,
My test paper runneth over with questions I recognize.
Surely passing grades and flying colors shall follow me
All the days of examinations;
And I shall not have to dwell in this university forever

Final Exams and Mindless Ramblings

Final exams start on Saturday for me... I have three in a row that day. I may be an idiot for it, I could have swapped them around for a less demanding schedule, but at this point I want to be done. Fortunately, the first one is Business Calculus, and the torture will finally end. At least I'm pretty well assured of passing if the final goes just as well (or bad) as the in-term tests. I'll be glad to not have that hanging over my head while I study for Physics and Microeconomics, my two other tricky classes.

I don't get out until late, and Christmas is unfolding at home WITHOUT ME. Grr. At least once I do get sprung I get to stay home for a while and see my family for more than a couple of days, and mess with the horses and other animals. I want to curl up in a ball by the woodstove and lose myself in a good book that I won't be quizzed on the next day. I need another series to get hooked on while I'm waiting for the next Inheritance book, though. Now, I've been told I'm weird too many times to expect much sympathy for this, but almost don't want the suspense to end. When the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, I remember almost crying as I started reading, because I knew how close I was to knowing the end of the story, and to not having another installment to look forward to. Of course, there's a growing list of nonfiction that I want to read building up on my desk as well. Maybe I really am twisted, but I love looking at a stack of books that I really want to read. :D

Climategate

Now, Climategate has gotten tons of coverage by tons of people with tons more authority to speak on the topic than I do, so I won't pass much comment except to send readers here to get a brief overview of what the tumult is all about. Oddly, many people I've talked to don't even know about all the ruckus. Here in the Land of No Cable/Satellite TV, I don't hear much of the mainstream media coverage (the above link was found via LRC), except last weekend a major news station reported that a major figure mentioned in the Climategate emails had said that the whole thing was rubbish and not to worry, that the planet is still warming.

Anyway, this link was sent to me, and is worth a watch and a laugh:

Sweet Little Pony...

Well, I can see how my Christmas break will be spent... reteaching basic manners to my horse! Between my being away at school on weekdays, the colder weather, and nasty conditions keeping him from the turnout time he deserves, he was an absolute pig to deal with last weekend. Not being mean, just an 800 pound horse that thinks his sense of humor carries over to the person holding the lead rope (not the situation), and that I'm willing to put up with rushing, fussing, and performing Airs Above the Ground on the way to the pasture for turnout. Not behavior I'm willing to live with. I'm really looking forward to break so I can deal with his "sugar high" attitude. I can't cut his grain any further, he only gets a single handful (and I have tiny hands...) to keep him happy while his "brother" eats his own feed. Its just going to take regular turnout and groundwork/riding out to get my obedient, sweet little angel back. I hope the weather cooperates.

Sorry, no pics of Scout's spazz attack, but imagine the picture above, but a fuzzy brown horse with one blue eye being led by a girl in snow pants, rubber boots, and a hunting coat. Funny image in hindsight, but not a scenario I wish to repeat.

Christmas Lights on Steroids

I love frittering my time away on useless frivolity, and let's just be honest that frivolity runs rampant this time of year, even when school demands a moratorium on frivolous activity (I actually relish the opportunity to use the word "frivolous", I misspelled it in a bee back in the sixth grade...). A great favorite of my Christmas surfing is watching these Light-O-Rama displays on YouTube, so I thought that I'd share. My roommate informs me that just as I hit play on the video, she finished listening to A Mad Russian Christmas on her iPod. Great minds think alike :)

The Semester Starts to Wind Down... Or Is It Up?

Finals approach, and papers are due. One of them in particular I've actually grown rather fond of over the course of the term, written on the compatibility of capitalism and Christianity. I've made my concessions, and a stand or two, over it, and I'm about ready to hand it in tomorrow.

I forget about the existence of "The Grove City Bubble," as it is affectionately known on campus. I go home for Thanksgiving break and I hear all sorts of news (via CNN, at least they give headlines and I can Google further information) about Climate-gate, Dubai's monetary troubles, etc. It's amazing how the outside world with its current events melts away when you're buried under a snowdrift of writing and turkey. And I can't research it much more than I am now without shirking on my scholastic duties! Bring on Christmas Break!!!