Robot

This post was meant for yesterday, but I was far to tired to type anything that would have made sense.
So we went to the robotics competition bright and early, we set up the table display, which featured brilliant posters, and videos with some fantastic dramatic music thrown in for effect. Then we flipped through the little book to see when we would be going up for each section (you see there are 5 different sections to the competition, robot performance, oral presentation, engineering notebook, table display, and team spirit.)
As it turns out we were first up for oral presentation (the part that I worked on) so the group of us went in and did the best oral presentation known to man. Then two of the judges had questions for us. Russ took the one question and answered it brilliantly, you know your doing good when you impress the engineer. The third judge didn't even have a question, she just said that we managed to answer everything in the presentation. So we left the room all happy. I seriously cannot think of a better group of people for the oral presentation. They have no idea how much I was loving them right then, well I always do, but I particularly thrilled at that moment!
So we proceeded with the rest of the day, I mostly stayed at the table display to answer any questions that the judges had about its layout. I rather enjoyed being surrounded by the videos and photos that I designed, with the specially edited music in the background. So as the day came and went we had a few judges come by and we answered their questions.
Once all of the robot rounds had finished we discovered that we weren't in the semifinals for robot performance (Thanks to some faulty equipment, not the fault of any of our people), so naturally people started to look a bit defeated. But I figured that since Robot Performance is the smallest part points wise in overall we could still win this (The 6 teams going to Alabama are the top 3 for robot performance and top 3 overall.) I figured that we did well on Oral which was worth a good deal of points.
Well after 2 and a half hours of waiting for the judges to calculate points, at this point the play music for people to dance to, which is nice and all but at that point all we really care about is who won.
So after the music had stopped they decided to first announce the awards that don't have point values. We didn't take anything there but it didn't matter to us anyway. Then they announced spirit and sportsmanship, that does hold a point value, we came in 3rd if I'm not mistaken we were thrilled. Next was the Engineering notebook, we didn't place in the top 3, and thus the depression felt by some earlier came back, but then they began to announce the oral presentation awards, which happened to be one that I really cared about.
I was really hopping to place in the top 3 for it. They announced 3rd place, not us, so I figured ok, we got 2nd then, nope not so much, at this point I must be honest there was a shred of doubt in my mind that we may not place at all but then they announced 1st, Northeast high school, I've never been so happy in all of my life! It is always nice to see that something which you have worked countless hours on payed off.
Then came the awards for  Robot Performance (which we knew we weren't placing for see the above problem.) At this point many figured that we wouldn't be going to Alabama this year, but I still held out hope, after all you never know whose going to win overall. Then they announced it "The fourth team going to Alabama is Northeast High School" We were thrilled, we were all jumping up and down and cheering, we took the picture with the trophy and then waited to see who the other two teams would be, we were all hoping it was Baldi since they're brilliant at robotics and quite frankly just some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. And before you knew it, they announced Baldi came in 1st Overall, so naturally we started cheering for them too! So we packed up for the day all happy and cheering all the way back to the bus, but not before I "borrowed" the oral presentation trophy, I wasn't letting that baby go! Needless to say it is sitting on my desk as I write this, but don't worry I will bring it back in on Monday to put in the office =D
After we got back it was still early so the oral presentation team went to celebrate over at Ernie's. I gotta tell you it had to be one of the best days of my life. Now I just have to wait 31 days to be back in Alabama. Well that's all for now. Thanks for reading. Oh and posted below is a picture of the oral presentation trophy, just in case you didn't believe I smuggled it home lol.

The Impossible Planet

School was still pretty empty today between the combination of the SEPTA strike, the supposed uniform "rebels," and the great deal of illness that seems to be spreading like wildfire. Garfield pushed the test back from today to tomorrow, not that I think it will help much, when your out for over a week it can not be expected for people to have somehow absorbed the source material. Oh well there is really nothing that we can do about it I suppose. My job for today called and canceled and I must admit I was quite content that I would be able to get home earlier than usual.
It seems no matter how many times I fix the oral presentation for this robotics competition, There is always something left out. On the bright side the practices are going well, though in pieces. The presenters are great, the only problem is that there is always someone calling people away during the practices.
Hopefully tomorrow will go well, but only time will tell. Till then thanks for reading.

Evolution of BOB

Today began quite dully actually, although there was all of the chaos brought on by the SEPTA strike and the new uniform policy. While chaotic, it did empty out a great deal of the school, which I must admit was quite nice. Nothing really happened in any of my classes. Took a calc test, I'm pretty sure I passed.
Then came after school, we had a gentleman from downtown come to film us for a documentary about robotics, BEST specifically. He filmed me doing the intros to the different parts of the documentary. I'm curious to see how it turns out. He also got some good footage of the team practicing with the robot and practicing for the oral presentation which is finally close enough to done to practice with. Although as of this minute, I've been working on it all night, I only need one more picture to complete the slide show, but I won't be able to get it until Friday.
The playing field still isn't finished but it should be by tomorrow. It is bound to be a long couple of days but with any luck I will survive them. Well goodbye for now, thanks for reading.

The Age of Steel

To say that today proved interesting would not begin to describe today's events. My day began like any other I came in to school exceptionally early had a conversation pertaining to how unfair and awful the uniforms are. Then I got down to my advisory to discover that I would be interviewed today, only no one knew who or why. They were looking for a diversified group of magnet students to interview, the diversified adjective lead to one of the funniest statements of the day. A friend of mine volunteered to go and be interviewed as well only to get the now classic response "That's ok, I already have a white boy," maybe you had to be there but we all got a kick out of it at the time.
Next I received what I think must be one of the greatest letters of recommendation of all time. Never in my life have I read something so touching and for that I will always be grateful to the author. So first period came and went without much eventfulness, second period came with news that we would be having a test on Thursday and Friday (Oh the joy of it all!) Third period I came down to the magnet wing once more to try and figure out more about this interview thing, which I was then told would take place at 11:40 in room 141, sounds fine right?
Next, I go to my fourth period psych class, which is quite possibly one of my favorite classes ever, then it happened, the great blackout of '09, well it wasn't so great really as it caused me to get to the interview later than the scheduled time, but it was ok since no one else could make it either. When I did get to the interview it was more of an oral survey, with very little room for actual input. So I left there and flew through the now shortened 6th, 7th, and 8th periods.
Now here is the interesting part, Monday is normally the day that I would have my computers group meet, and I would show them something new. This was not the case today, due to a certain robotics competition I was forced to cancel my computers meeting. Get this the reason was so that they could use the room and so that they could use me to complete the oral presentation and use the other computer manager to work on the robot. As you can imagine I was pretty pissed off that I had to cancel one of my favorite times of the week just so that I could be used for other tasks that are for a group that I never even technically joined.
So I went a bit insane, partially because I had to cancel my meeting and partially because I had skipped lunch. But I quickly got over it thanks to the support of several very good friends. Even at this moment I am still working on some of the finishing touches for the oral presentation. But I must say that the photos that I took have turned out to be absolutely brilliant and I cannot wait to show them off. Well I suppose that is all for now, I've ranted enough for one night. Till next time...

The Unquiet Dead

So tonight I went to GAMP's Halloween mixer with one of my absolute favorite people in the world. Let me tell you these people know how to throw a party. Everyone working the party was fantastically costumed, then as you walk in there is the world's cutest corpse lying there (this would be the person I mentioned above.^) There was a live band (all GAMP people) and they were absolutely brilliant. Not to mention I was there with one of my all time favorite people (I don't think I mentioned that enough yet)
I would like to note that everyone there, EVERYONE got that I was the Mad Hatter (not an damn Leprechaun) Which might just go to show that people from GAMP obviously read more or just get out more in general than half of the idiots in NEHS regular. Seriously though everyone got it, they all knew the Mad Hatter, I really don't see how there are so many idiots at NEHS that have never heard of the Hatter but oh well its not worth arguing about. Just thought I would point it out. So for now have a good night and a Happy Halloween, thanks for reading. Till next time...

The Doctor Dances

Well due to unforeseen amounts of business I have not been able to write any entries since Tuesday, so allow me to catch you up on the latest events.
Wednesday was nice, I finally got the first in the series of class rankings, turns out I rank 3 outta 698 seniors at NEHS, not bad huh. Wednesday was also the day that I met with one of the producers for Tony Danza's Teach to talk about dates that they would be coming to work with SPARC, I feel so important lol.
Thursday, aka yesterday, I spent the day in Washington, DC with some of my best friends. It was a combination NHS/SPARC trip to the Smithsonian. They exhibits were brilliant, I even managed to get my picture taken with the original Kermit the Frog! Only the greatest amphibian known to man. It was absolutely Fantastic. Since there was a 3 hour bus ride up and back Josh and I took the chance to watch, re-watch in my case, Kill Bill Vol 1 and Vol 2. Nothing gets the old blood pumping like some good ol' fashioned Kill Bill action. When I got home, at 8:30pm no less, I got an email from another producer of Teach asking when the December flight would be taking place so that they could come down with Mr. Danza to watch.
Today, I took both Psych and Gov tests back to back and I think I did pretty good *knock on wood*, since it was the day before Halloween, I decided to go in dressed as the Mad Hatter, which many people loved, especially the hat, which makes me look about 7ft tall =D
Later tonight, I shall be attending GAMP's Halloween mixer/dance, with one of my favorite people in the world <3 So I shall don my Hat and become mad once more, not that I ever stopped. Till next I write, have a good one, and thanks for reading.
~Mike

The War Games

Today was simple enough, people seemed relieved to see that I was back in and alive, which is always a nice feeling. I was interning in the magnet office, much as I do most of most days, when towards the end of the period, I get sent to the dean's office *gasp*. It wasn't for anything bad, get this they needed to have some formatting work done to their word processors on their computer so I spent the rest of the period getting them up and running. I find it amazing how all of these people can fin you when they need you but you can never seem to find them when you need them. Oh well now the Dean's office owes me a favor.
Enviro went ok, a bit disorganized as expected, turns out I'm acing the class, always a nice notion. We have to present our power point on the deciduous forrest biome tomorrow. I'm sure it will be great. Ms. Government came back today that was fun, not. She is giving notes for two days straight and then we have a test oh joy! Calc went really well Mr.Calc spent so much time going over last nights homework that we didn't have time to have any assigned tonight. Mr. English is still on a quiz kick with the third in four days being tomorrow. Its like these people have nothing better to do.
Then we come to SPARC, a program for which I hold an incredible amount of love. However all it seems to have for me lately is a wealth of work. With the robotics completion rapidly approaching we are killing ourselves trying to get everything ready. It seems to fall mostly on the shoulders of myself, Josh, Mrs. Robotics, and Mr.Retired, funny how that works out really. The most ironic part is that I never even signed up for robotics, it was kinda just thrown to me. Ah well that's life I suppose. Tomorrow is the day that I tutor from 5:30-6:30 so that will be another 12-hour day, at least it should be fairly pleasant. Although we get senior class ranks tomorrow and I have a feeling that the damn IB multiplier, also known as the most unfair thing in the entire world, (no that wasn't bitter at all), will bite me and mess with my ranking. Damn IB.
And on that note have a pleasant time until next time.

Born Again

I've decided that it was about time that I penned a blog, well not penned since that would be almost impossible, but you get the idea. Well here it goes.
Today was indeed interesting, I woke up with all intent of living out a normal Monday, till I made the realization that with a 101 fever, I should probably just go back to bed. It always seems that these damn colds come at the most inconvenient time, I know what your thinking is there really a convenient time for a cold? Well yea there is actually its called time when you have nothing to do. So this cold managed to kill both my weekend and my Monday, blasted thing. Oh well at least I am back to my normal self now, well at least as normal as I ever am.
A great deal of people got in touch with me to see how I was feeling. I must say that I am truly touched by this. There is no greater comfort when one is sick than knowing that there are people who care about you.
Unfortunately it seems as though it is never worth taking a day off. I will be stuck making up a quiz for English and a worksheet for psych tomorrow. Heaven only knows what will be going on with Enviro now that Garfield has returned, I wonder if she will realize that we did not learn anything while she was away.
From what I have heard the great Gov teacher has pulled another disappearing act, I wonder if she ever intends on reappearing to class soon. Not that I'm complaining about her absence mind you, but I always find it funny how she comes back out of nowhere and expects us to have the next chapter memorized.
I'm currently going insane trying to get all of the robotics presentation ironed out while at the same time working on college apps. Oh well I suppose that's enough for now. I will probably write again soon. Till then. Hopefully you'll enjoy this blog and come back for more of the bloggy goodness.