I never update this thing because I never really think people are reading it lol.
I have one week and one day left in my calculus II class. What really sucks about this accelerated course stuff is that I understand the concepts (mostly), but when it comes time to take a test, I've been cramming so much that my mind just BLANKS. The last test we took was going really well, but it was taking me a while to finish. By the time the class ended, only two people had finished, and he just collected them. When the vast majority of a class doesn't finish a test, doesn't that say that #1 something went wrong in the teaching or #2 the test was just too long? He doesn't see it that way. He thinks he teaches his classes the same way every time, so therefore every class "should" be treated equally.
I know, I know... I wouldn't be bitching if I had been one of the two that finished early. Anyway, so I had to leave one of the questions completely blank, and I wrote "no time" on it... to which he responded, "need to get faster." Bastard.
Welp, my little puffers are still alive and kicking (swimming?), and my snails are breeding like rabbits. The smaller of the two puffers is much more bold. He'll at least swim up to something in the water (like the brush I use to clean their tanks), while the bigger one swims up and down the side of the glass, looking for his escape. At the aquarium, I've changed exhibits all over again, and one of the exhibits I'm working on has a spitting puffer. No, that isn't an actual breed... this particular puffer was trained to spit water at people whenever he wanted food. It's so cute. I've been trying to get a video of it, but he only did it the one time I didn't have a camera.
I can't wait until calculus is over with. After calculus, I have a month long break from school which includes a weekend in Omaha, traveling to Georgia/South Carolina to scope out possible future places to live, and then our HONEYMOON!!!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Calculus and work
That's all I seem to be doing these days. I've been studying so much calculus that it's been entering my dreams on a regular basis. I'm not doing as well as I'd hoped, and a lot of that is because I've been getting anxiety before and during my tests. I've been putting so much pressure on myself that my mind completely blanks when I take these damn tests. I'm still passing, but I'm not happy with my grades.
Anyway, I got two new puffers! These guys are fat and healthy, but not nearly as social as the last two. :( They dart around whenever I clean the tank, and in general are much more shy. Oh well. Hopefully they'll come around. A month or so ago I set up a 5-gallon tank solely for breeding snails (to feed the puffers). I never realized how slowly these things grow. I put around 20 snails (around 1/4" each) in the tank, and within days, I could see little packets of eggs on the glass of the tank. I have tons and tons of little baby snails in there, but they're growing sooooo slowly! At this rate, I'll never be able to make use of these snails.
I also have a new dressage board!
Anyway, I got two new puffers! These guys are fat and healthy, but not nearly as social as the last two. :( They dart around whenever I clean the tank, and in general are much more shy. Oh well. Hopefully they'll come around. A month or so ago I set up a 5-gallon tank solely for breeding snails (to feed the puffers). I never realized how slowly these things grow. I put around 20 snails (around 1/4" each) in the tank, and within days, I could see little packets of eggs on the glass of the tank. I have tons and tons of little baby snails in there, but they're growing sooooo slowly! At this rate, I'll never be able to make use of these snails.
I also have a new dressage board!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
On the fishies
I bought two figure-eight puffers a few weeks ago, and they were doing great--eating voraciously, swimming around happily, etc. But almost three weeks to the day after I got them, one of them was looking rather lethargic, and didn't really eat. I separated him into a little breeding box thing that I have, trying to help him since the current in the aquarium was throwing him around a bit. I also put some Melafix in the tank, hoped for the best, and came down the next morning. He was still alive, but died that afternoon. Same with the other puffer, although that little guy was a fighter. I transferred him into a makeshift hospital tank (a bucket with a heater) and put some anti-parasitic meds in, and he seemed to be swimming around a bit, but he died a few hours later. :( I just didn't catch it in time. I was pretty upset when he died, because he really didn't want to seem to give up. RIP little puffers.
This one was the laid-back, shy one. He had a particular hiding spot that he loved. The other one (the one looking straight at the camera) was aggressive, and would come right up to your fingers and nip, thinking it was food. He would also nip at the bristles of the toothbrush I use to clean their tank.
Sigh... so, I gave away my two cichlids, since puffers really aren't supposed to be kept with cichlids, and I'll be getting one or two more puffers again soon. When I do it this time, though, I'll be giving them the anti-parasitic as soon as I get them home--apparently parasites are pretty common with these puffers.
The other day at the aquarium, I helped feed the bowmouths! Here's a pic of one:
They're about 5-6 feet long, and they're trained to feed in a really cool way. The tank they're in is a huge, 760,000 gallon exhibit, so it's not like you can just kind of aim for them. They have a pole about 15 feet long, and this pole is dropped as far down into the tank as possible from this "dock" hanging over the tank. The pole doesn't reach the bottom, but the bowmouths are able to find the pole, and they follow (with their noses) the pole all the way up to the surface of the water, where they're presented with fish or crabs on a different pole. Sounds easier than it is. They don't just "follow" the pole--they actually PUSH on it while they're on their way up, and I had to push back with the pole every single time to prevent them from scratching their snouts on the dock. I had to basically use all my weight on the pole to keep them from pushing it out of my reach. These guys are voracious!
This one was the laid-back, shy one. He had a particular hiding spot that he loved. The other one (the one looking straight at the camera) was aggressive, and would come right up to your fingers and nip, thinking it was food. He would also nip at the bristles of the toothbrush I use to clean their tank.
Sigh... so, I gave away my two cichlids, since puffers really aren't supposed to be kept with cichlids, and I'll be getting one or two more puffers again soon. When I do it this time, though, I'll be giving them the anti-parasitic as soon as I get them home--apparently parasites are pretty common with these puffers.
The other day at the aquarium, I helped feed the bowmouths! Here's a pic of one:
They're about 5-6 feet long, and they're trained to feed in a really cool way. The tank they're in is a huge, 760,000 gallon exhibit, so it's not like you can just kind of aim for them. They have a pole about 15 feet long, and this pole is dropped as far down into the tank as possible from this "dock" hanging over the tank. The pole doesn't reach the bottom, but the bowmouths are able to find the pole, and they follow (with their noses) the pole all the way up to the surface of the water, where they're presented with fish or crabs on a different pole. Sounds easier than it is. They don't just "follow" the pole--they actually PUSH on it while they're on their way up, and I had to push back with the pole every single time to prevent them from scratching their snouts on the dock. I had to basically use all my weight on the pole to keep them from pushing it out of my reach. These guys are voracious!
Straight A's!
Yep, I got all A's for last semester. I'm currently taking a six-week Calc I course, and I'll be taking Calc II after that.
It was a miracle that I was able to get into Calc I. I had enrolled in this class a few months ago, and it's the only Calc I class for the Summer 1 six-week semester. Well, I had mistakenly thought that financial aid would carry over into the summer months, but it didn't, and on top of that, I never received a bill--not a letter, not an e-mail, nothing. So my school deregistered me from the class, and I didn't find out until well over a week later. Of course, by then, the class was filled, AND there was no waitlist for it! I was furious, and I called up in tears (I was really upset, as this would put me back a semester), but of course, there was nothing they could do. I even e-mailed the professor, and he was of no help.
Long story short, I checked multiple times a day waiting for someone to drop. The night before the class was supposed to start, someone happened to drop, and I snatched up that person's spot.
So, here I am, taking an insanely fast-paced calculus course. Two of them, actually. I'll be thankful when this summer is over. I hope I'm actually able to enjoy it!
It was a miracle that I was able to get into Calc I. I had enrolled in this class a few months ago, and it's the only Calc I class for the Summer 1 six-week semester. Well, I had mistakenly thought that financial aid would carry over into the summer months, but it didn't, and on top of that, I never received a bill--not a letter, not an e-mail, nothing. So my school deregistered me from the class, and I didn't find out until well over a week later. Of course, by then, the class was filled, AND there was no waitlist for it! I was furious, and I called up in tears (I was really upset, as this would put me back a semester), but of course, there was nothing they could do. I even e-mailed the professor, and he was of no help.
Long story short, I checked multiple times a day waiting for someone to drop. The night before the class was supposed to start, someone happened to drop, and I snatched up that person's spot.
So, here I am, taking an insanely fast-paced calculus course. Two of them, actually. I'll be thankful when this summer is over. I hope I'm actually able to enjoy it!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Had a dream about Holmes on Homes...
Yep, I dreamt that his show came to my house in Omaha (the one I'm TRYING TO SELL), and he dug up the basement, and then, in typical Holmes, saw some things in other parts of the house that needed fixin', and fixed it. In my dream, I had a shower in the basement that some contractor screwed up.
Apparently, the crew got bagels (except, it was more like a bunch of bagels plastered together like a cake), and I took a piece... then worried that maybe I should have bought the crew bagels. I also apparently had left some food out the last time I was in the house (months ago), and was worried they all thought it was gross. I worry too much.
I'll post life updates some day, lol. Short version: I'm getting good grades this semester, and got screwed by the school for my summer schedule. Bastids.
Apparently, the crew got bagels (except, it was more like a bunch of bagels plastered together like a cake), and I took a piece... then worried that maybe I should have bought the crew bagels. I also apparently had left some food out the last time I was in the house (months ago), and was worried they all thought it was gross. I worry too much.
I'll post life updates some day, lol. Short version: I'm getting good grades this semester, and got screwed by the school for my summer schedule. Bastids.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Newest aquarium pic!
I'm getting much more comfortable working at the aquarium. I'm still a little leering sticking my hand into an aquarium/exhibit I'm not familiar with, but now I can clean out an exhibit with venomous fish without feeling anxiety, lol. I think I'm most fond of the little rays that I take care of. When I feed them, I put the food under each ray, and they vacuum it right up. I'd like to have one, but they require a fairly large aquarium. Hm, maybe the next aquarium I get... ;)
Here's an updated pic of the setup. I put an additional filter in it (not pictured) since the one in this pic is only rated for 45 gallons, and the fish I plan on getting are messy. The driftwood has made the water all cloudy, so when I get back, I'll have to do a water change. Right now, it's cycling and building up healthy bacteria, so I'll have to wait to put fish in until that's done.
As far as school goes, I've been getting frustrated with my precalculus class. We've missed 4 days because of snow/sick prof, and he complains about the fact that it's put us behind... yet he proceeds to waste at least 15 minutes of every single class BSing. We had a test on Friday, and I don't even have the grade, but I know I did poorly. I sent him an e-mail as soon as I got home saying I was getting frustrated because we weren't given any homework, and could he please give us some practice problems to do so that we (I) can study more efficiently? His reply completely dismissed my worries. He said, "Don't get frustrated. One test won't kill you." What the hell? He's basically saying, "If you get a C, that's good enough. Here's a pat on the back." Great way to motivate your students, professor. Oh, and he never agreed that he would assign us some practice problems. What a lazy professor! Seriously. If only I could transfer into another class. GRRRR!!
Here's an updated pic of the setup. I put an additional filter in it (not pictured) since the one in this pic is only rated for 45 gallons, and the fish I plan on getting are messy. The driftwood has made the water all cloudy, so when I get back, I'll have to do a water change. Right now, it's cycling and building up healthy bacteria, so I'll have to wait to put fish in until that's done.
As far as school goes, I've been getting frustrated with my precalculus class. We've missed 4 days because of snow/sick prof, and he complains about the fact that it's put us behind... yet he proceeds to waste at least 15 minutes of every single class BSing. We had a test on Friday, and I don't even have the grade, but I know I did poorly. I sent him an e-mail as soon as I got home saying I was getting frustrated because we weren't given any homework, and could he please give us some practice problems to do so that we (I) can study more efficiently? His reply completely dismissed my worries. He said, "Don't get frustrated. One test won't kill you." What the hell? He's basically saying, "If you get a C, that's good enough. Here's a pat on the back." Great way to motivate your students, professor. Oh, and he never agreed that he would assign us some practice problems. What a lazy professor! Seriously. If only I could transfer into another class. GRRRR!!
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