Tasia
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Will she ever find her way?
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Post by Tasia on Dec 7, 2004 19:25:06 GMT -5
Arg. Adolence, why dost thou trouble me?
So I'm livid because my mum won't let me go to D.C.
I was just telling Lumia how excited I was, because I has this three-day school trip to our nation's capital coming up. In two weeks! Yay! It was a bit of an early winter vacation. But alas, my friends, I probably won't get to go because I have a B in math.
A B! A stupid little B! I used to get two or three B's a year, and I was always encouraged to bump it up. But it wasn't the end of the world. But come middle school, I became the Straight A'd Wonder. However, the first quarter of school saw me with a B in math. Ack! My parents weren't that mad, but....now my mum won't let me go because I haven't raised it up.
I can understand that she's dissapointed that I'm not getting all A's anymore. But seriously! Is it that big of a deal? What am I missing here? Math has always been my toughest subject, and it will always be. I'm much better with words and language.
Arg. I'm so upset.
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Post by Calavera Diablos on Dec 8, 2004 3:52:37 GMT -5
B = Above-Average. Which apparently isn't good enough for your parents!? I am angry at them. I think that is completely and utterly unfair. You are a wonder (straight A wonder) and they should be supporting you. You've been working so hard and your grades OBVIOUSLY show that (it's a B for crying out loud). I hope they will soon realize how ridiculous they're being. It's your worst subject and you still not only passed that class, but got above average scores for your efforts. Don't sweat it hon. A "B" is not going to spoil your chances at college, no matter what your crazy elders say. If you were like me and subsequently got D's and F's in every single math class you took and cost your parents thousands of dollars on seven different tutors, then you would have reason to worry. *edit* Yeah, En definitely has more tactful advice. If you want to pursue the A's, then go for it. However, I reacted the way I did since at the highschool I came from, several of my fellow students almost killed themselves from not being able to live up to thier parents ridiculously high standards. I shouldn't have jumped to the worst possible scenario, I don't know how your 'rents work. I just am very sensitive about parents who either try to live through thier child or worry more about thier own social standing and drag thier kid into that stupid game too.
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Post by KoNeko on Dec 8, 2004 21:08:02 GMT -5
I'm not sure what the grading system in the US is like, but if it's similar to Oz, then As and Bs are above average for sure. I mean, yeah, every parent wants to see their child get straight As or something but if it doesn't happen, they'll learn to accept it and deal with it. I mean, I'm sure if the same thing happened in 2 years and you got a B in math and everythinig else was like, A, you'd be on your way to DC for sure. But they're probably just holding abnormally high parentish expectations of you at the moment. I'm with Cally on this one. Your parents will come around. I'm basically numerically illiterate (you should have seen me trying to do the quantitative section on the GRE I did last week, I couldn't even do friggin' algebra) but a few years ago my mum got really cut when I got a letter from my (insanely academic) school saying "please don't do maths methods (i.e. normal stream of maths) because you are too dumb". I ended up doing further maths (read: maths for vegetables basically) and blitzing it, although my real strength was in humanities like history and languages and stuff. In your later years at school you'll find that your strengths may lie in a particular area (like, science, or art, or humanities) and based on that, you will find careers and university choices that are more appealing to you. So basically you do end up specialising or at least narrowing your skill area. So it's just now that they want you to be all fantastic at everything generally, but don't worry about it, they will get over it (and realise that if you want to practice law, you don't need trigonometry ) and in any case, isn't it better that you're super good at one thing, than mediocre at everything?
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moira
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Post by moira on Dec 10, 2004 8:20:05 GMT -5
When I was your age, I had a friend who had parents like yours. When they were young, they did really well in high school (for the ACT his score was like a 32 I think, which is extremely high). So her parents had high expectations of her getting good grades (which she did) but they also flipped out when she got a lower grade than usual. I'm with everyone else on this and say that your parents shouldn't be stressing over a B, because I was like you where I pulled all A's, but I occasionally got the *gasp* A- and the B, but when I did, my parents didn't get upset, because they understood that sometimes you just have trouble understanding things. I hope your parents will come around and realize the same thing, and if it comes down to a confrontation with them to get them to realize it, say you've got a bunch of friends (who have much wisdom wisdom and knowledge for they are old in years ) and bring up all our points. As long as you just continue to try your best, your parents should see that, and accept that effort instead of the grade.
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Post by Hermoine on Dec 10, 2004 11:58:30 GMT -5
Tasia, I understand you so much. It happens to me too with Math. But just because you got a B now, it doesn't mean you will again, on the contrary, and it doesn't imply that one should feel discouraged. I agree a lot with Moira's last line. It's just a matter of putting it into your head and say "Next time I'll do better", and mean it. That's what I do. You are a really talented and intelligent girl, remember that.
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Post by En Sylvan on Dec 10, 2004 13:30:35 GMT -5
...unfortunately I have no time to write a really sound response, but here's a thought:
Your parents aren't letting you go because they think that will help motivate you to do better next time, right? Or are there other factors at work here? I mean they're parents, so there may be behind-the-scenes issues on their mind. Parents sometimes tell their kids they can't do something for x semi-logical reason when the real reason is y, and y = not enough money OR parents feel insecure about letting the kid do the thing. For some silly reason, the vast majority of parents won't tell their kids if the real reason is money or the parent being worried; I think that's bizarre and unhealthy, but that's just me. Anyway, my point is, your parents may have other reasons besides the B, and some of them may not even be conscious. Like, if I'd gone through three hurricanes in one year and then my kid wanted to go someplace dangerous (even if it were with a school trip), I might be like, "overload! Overload!" without even realising it. Not that I'm saying that your parents feeling overloaded or worried is a good reason not to let you go, I'm just saying the B might not be the only factor.
Then there's the whole thing with parents feeling a responsibility to bring out the best in their kids. Only, parents are fallible, right? If you did your best in math and got a B - which, as Cally quite correctly points out, is above average - then you know you did your best and got graded accordingly and shouldn't be expected to have done better. But your parents might not understand exactly how hard it was to get that B. They might think that since you brought your grades up as far as you did, you could keep going that way, and they think they're reminding you to continue improving. Yay them for actually noticing that you exist and caring about your future, which is more than I can say for some parents - but just remember - they're not you, so they won't always gauge your efforts accurately.
So if the decision is a done deal at this point, just know that I think B is above average and bringing your grades up to all A's is super-impressive... but if it isn't a done deal, maybe you could sit down with your folks and be like, look, math is hard for me. I did my best and I got above average. Maybe we could talk during next term about how I'm doing, and if I'm shooting below where we all want me to be, we could get me into some kind of tutoring program, but for right now, I really want you to know I tried hard and I intend to keep trying hard, so I don't think that negatively reinforcing my efforts is going to accomplish more than, say, your helping me with math next term would do.
As for the trip: there are lots of reasons you should go. 1. Travel broadens experience, and for an observant person, that broadens the mind. 2. Bonding with fellow students / growing experience. 3. You want to go learn about a subject that interests you. That should be encouraged. 4. It'll be as safe as the teachers can make it; they're good at that. 5. Think how much you and your folks would have to talk about when you got home. 6. You particularly want to see (name a couple of things and give really good reasons for needing to see them in person, like not just 'I've always wanted to see this' but more like 'I've noticed how excited the audiences get at presidential inaugurations, and while I guess that makes sense, I still think there must be something about standing on the Mall around all those monuments that makes them feel it more strongly, and I want to understand what that is' or something like that - you know, a specific reason that you need to be in that place seeing that thing. Or like - you're scared about the death toll in Iraq and you keep hearing people talk about it being like Viet Nam, and so you want to see the Nam memorial, to understand what people are comparing the Iraq situation to. You know. Detailed. And demonstrating that you've done a little homework about what you're going to see, and that you're ready to get something big out of being there).
I dunno, dude. I mean, school trips definitely are a privilege, and if your parents think you were slacking, then their decision makes sense. I'm just saying - they might also have other reasons, and they might not be understanding how hard you worked, and they maybe could use some encouragement to see how much you're ready to get out of the trip. No harm in discussion, is there? Plus - asking parents how they feel about something makes them feel understood and appreciated, and that's not always a bad thing to get going, right?
Gotta run - love you -
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Tasia
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Will she ever find her way?
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Post by Tasia on Dec 13, 2004 19:56:47 GMT -5
Like, if I'd gone through three hurricanes in one year and then my kid wanted to go someplace dangerous (even if it were with a school trip), I might be like, "overload! Overload!" without even realising it.
*gets a great mental image of Nialle clutching a reluctant child to hir chest* ;D Thanks you guys. Your words mean alot to me. I'm feeling alot better about the D.C. trip....which might have something to do with the fact that I'm going! Yeeee! ;D I've been putting a bunch of effort into raising my grade, and my mum has sort of given in to letting me go, now that she knows I'm really trying. Still hoping for that "A", though.
Today, my grandfather fell. I didn't know what happened for a while, other than the fact that he was in the hospital, and my grandmother (with a light but growing case of Alzheimer's) was wigging out. I was totally scared, because when a 77(?) year old man falls down and cracks his heads on a metal dock ramp, it's usually not a good thing.
But get this- he's practically fine! He needed 8 stiches in the back of his head, but did he freak? Not a chance! Now, get this- he couldn't take any pain killers. No anesthesia. No novacain. Nothing. He's tougher than nails. Not to mention the fact that he's not even taking Tylonal to chill post-surgery. Nada.
Glad he's ok though. ;D
As for me, I played in a brutal basketball game today. It was like, whoa. The opposing side had to be the dirtiest, mort violent team I've ever had the misfortune to play. Not to mention a mom in the stands that could pass as Queen Latifa.
Y'all may not have noticed, but I'm very competitive. I'm a good athlete, too. Basketball being my specialty.
Anywho, they were fouling us like there was no tomorrow, and getting caught barely half the time. I took a full elbow to the nose. It's sore and swollen, but I'll live. We lost. But I played really well. I don't take shit from anybody in sports. ;D And I managed to piss off the opposing team by stopping them mightily.
Peace y'all.
Ow. my nose hurts.
~EDIT~
Later, while shaving my legs in the shower ( ) I noticed that in addition to the nose thing, I sustained a BRUISE on my knee the size of a SOFTBALL! Jeezez!
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Post by KoNeko on Dec 13, 2004 20:22:02 GMT -5
*hands Fan a bag of frozen peas* Oh honey. I hope your nose is alright! It always smarts to get smacked in the conk. It sounds like you did really well though despite your injury. (Watch out for black eyes following nose bashes though, for some reason the blood decides to pool up around eye sockets instead of around your nose.) Your grandpa sounds hardcore, man. Anyway, glad to hear about the trip. Have an awesome time, okay?
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Post by Hermoine on Dec 14, 2004 14:25:19 GMT -5
Yay! I'm glad you can go Tasia!! You have loads of fun!! I'm really glad you grandfather's all right and all. I can kind of comprehend the situation...the same thing happened to my grandfather while we were on vacation this summer. Some vacation! But he seems like a never-give-up kind of person and that's good! Hope your nose feels better soon. Despite your injury, and although you might have lost, you did play fair, which is what really counts after all! Great going!
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Tasia
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Will she ever find her way?
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Post by Tasia on Dec 22, 2004 9:23:22 GMT -5
Well, the trip was fun.
It would take too long to relay all of it, so I'll go over the highlights of my tour of D.C.
Day one: Get up at 4am. Leave on the bus at 5. Drive....and drive....and drive...until you reach the Amish countryside. Check out the farms and hear about their culture. Eat an Amish-style luch. Leave for D.C. Check into the hotel and sleep. (I had a big, stupid row with my best friend about wake-up calls. But naturally, it had been forgotten by morning.)
Day two: Tour a whole bunch of monuments. Like, loads of them. Favorite part of the trip: Seeing Iwo Jima. It was like, whoa. All of a sudden, after seeing the WWII memorials and all of the names of the dead at the Nam memorial, I had this surge of hope and pride in my country. Go shopping at a huge mall. Get lost and be late for the bus.
Day Three: Arlington. Need I say more?
Day four: Smithsonians! We checked out the American History one first, which was all about pop culture. Then we had a choice, whether to visit the Art museum or the Natural History Museum. My group of friends chose Art, but I heard Natural History was way better. Then, we were all going to go to the Air and Space museum. But I personally requested to visit the Botanical Gardens, and I guess the Administrator likes seeing students actually excited about visiting a museum. So he took me and 7 other students who thought it might be cool. It was awesome! Next, the Holocaut Museum. That was heavy. I really don't want to tell y'all what we saw there, but it broke my heart. Later....eat dinner and load up on the bus. It snowed at dinner. Now some of these kids had never seen snow, so everybody rushed out and played in the parking lot. I've seen snow a few times, but I don't remember actually seeing it fall. I know I have seen it, but I guess I was a bit too small to remember what it was like. Then we get on the bus and drive throught the night. Get home at 7am. I didn't sleep more than an hour. Stupid bus seats.
It was cool, though.
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Tasia
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Will she ever find her way?
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Post by Tasia on Dec 28, 2004 9:58:44 GMT -5
My birthday's coming up. So, yay, and all that. A bunch of my friends and I are going to see Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I've read the first book, and about half of the second one. Funny little books. The way they're written is very ammusing. I mean, how the author stops to explain words or phrases in context. It's like someone is really talking to you. Someone ramble-y, like myself. ;D Anyway, the movie is supposed to be very good. Jim Carrey's hilarious, so I'm sure it'll be enjoyable. Not much else going on. Winter hol's find me bored and lethargic. But I'm ok today, because I'm listening to good music and I'm going with my da to Orlando. It's something to do. ....just wanted to mention how grateful I am to have y'all here to talk to. Everyone's so sweet and ego-blisteringly sympathetic. I love you guys.
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Tasia
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Will she ever find her way?
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Post by Tasia on Dec 29, 2004 7:45:18 GMT -5
Ok, last night I couldn't get to sleep, so I put on some music and wrote in my journal. Not an online journal, just a regular old book. Anyway, I didn't have much to say, so I started planning out a story. It turned out to be Fantasia's story. I'm not sure how much I like it, but I might have to put it up in Flourish and Blotts anyway. I need to write.
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Tasia
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Will she ever find her way?
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Post by Tasia on Jan 2, 2005 8:09:30 GMT -5
Today I am nothing but sunshine. I think I'm actually glowing. ;D That's because I've been basking in the warm light of my birthday. Huzzah! It should be fun, anyway. And now, to vent my feelings, because I am ridiculously happy even though it's only 8am........ ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Two people on TD either remembered or cared to notice that I'm fourteen today! That alone made it worth smiling. Tata for now.....love Tasia
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Post by En Sylvan on Jan 2, 2005 18:58:43 GMT -5
I think it is completely unfair that you get to share your birthday with Jacob Grimm, eldest of the two Brothers Grimm (he's 220 today if you want to know)... and all I get is boring Bobby Fischer, chess genius
Happy birthday, blue-love. ;D Try not to celebrate by writing down the macabre legends of a very sad and gruesome people, k?
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Tasia
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Post by Tasia on Jan 12, 2005 21:45:38 GMT -5
Nope, no macabre for me. Although I did sit through a series of rather unfortunate events. It was cool. Ok, tonight I listened to my Flogging Molly CD in its entirety, which I guess I hadn't done before, because I was struck by how beautiful and deeply distraught the songs are. (For those who don't know, which I'm assuming is most of you, Flogging Molly is an Irish rock band. You can listen to a few of their songs on Launch, but they're all very loud and fast. Which is fine by me, I love their bold rock songs. But what your can't hear are their slow, sweet songs.) They speak so often of home. Their music shows how much they love Ireland, and their families, and the lives they once knew there. But most of all, you can hear their longing for it, and their indescribable pain at being ripped from their country. It's terribly sad and beautiful. It makes me feel deeply proud of my Irish roots and closely connected to the land that bore my ancestors, and yet at the same time I feel as if I have never truely known Ireland. I don't know what it feels like to be severed from the only place I've ever known and loved. I don't know what it's like to know I'm leaving and never coming back. But somehow I do know that I love the Emerald Isle, and that part of me belongs there. God, I've got to get across this ocean. Maybe next year.
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