Ruthless egotism
Feb. 11th, 2003 04:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ravenIt's just after lunchtime at the university hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. I only mention this because two of my favourite people, my aunt and uncle, are currently working there, and they both tend to sign on to Trillian after lunch. Anyway, I have just been informed my seven-year-old cousin Shivani is doing a project in school. I recently discovered that in America they don't tend to do history and geography as separate subjects. They do something else... social-something... anyway, as a part of her project, Shivani had to send a letter to family she had in another country.
My uncle's giving me a heads-up, to expect a letter from a class of Indiana first graders. I will have to reply, which I am actually quite looking forward to. I like Shivani in a disinterested way - that is, once I get over my dislike of children of all kinds, I like her. I have more of a relationship with her elder sister, thirteen-year-old Nupur, who is very unlike me. She's arty, dances and sings and plays the violin, wins talent contests, all that kind of thing. I asked once why all the American children I met seemed to be constantly doing things. They never just do nothing, they never go and just sit, or wander the streets in town, or whatever. They always go to places with the intention of doing something.
I think people round here grow up faster than American teenagers. It might be something to do with the fact they don't seem to drink, smoke, get stoned, or even rebel to the extent of wearing chains on their jeans, at least not when they're fifteen-going-on-sixteen.
Of course, I haven't seen a whole lot of America. To date, I've been to New York, Chicago, St Louis, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Orlando, Seattle, and Vancouver if it counts. So I may be generalising.
Whatever. The Americans were not supposed to be the point of this entry. My day was supposed to be the point. To begin with, this morning has convinced me that I might as well skive all my remaining dance lessons. There's no point in going, no-one even notices my absence.
After that... I began writing the assembly script, which Mrs Williams now has, no doubt to tell me I'm a controversial blasphemer and make me do it again like she did last year. And beyond that... I have been chasing signatures for my five A-level choices (reserve included). I got my English one - Mrs Enstone has written "(Enjoy it!)" next to her signature, which I thought was sweet - and I also got Mrs Williams'. She thought my choices were an odd mix, but she did say I'd find the course a good experience. After she said that, she signed in the wrong place and pencilled in an apology to whoever signs my form for Politics. This was just before I went to put my arms in up to the elbows into a tray of rapidly melting ice, trying to lower the temperature of a beaker of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid. Oh, the fun of it.
Talking of A-level choices, I got a signature from Mr Dunne for my reserve subject, Theatre Studies, but considering I only got 65% for the Drama mock I don't think I'll do well with that. That 65% is probably a C or a B. Yuk. Becca got an A*, and she's been sparkling the whole afternoon. I noticed it every so often - her eyes were lit up. Mr Dunne also told her she has natural comic timing and a flair for comedy in general, and he's a fan of hers. She was surprised. I wasn't.
She and I both talked our way out of doing any Classics this afternoon, and I noticed that even though Classics with Mr Hollinghurst is beyond boring, we do have beautiful surroundings. The sun was shining in the window beside me, and I was looking over the quad and saw it's really beautiful, when seen at the right time and under the right light. The buildings glow red in the sun, and you can see every tendril of the ivy crawling over them. Yes... enough frivolous description.
Ah - mufti tomorrow. Must find something to wear.
Well, that's all my GCSE mock results. I have six A*s (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Classics, French and History) three As (Maths, English, English Lit) and one C (Drama). I'm okay with these.
My uncle's giving me a heads-up, to expect a letter from a class of Indiana first graders. I will have to reply, which I am actually quite looking forward to. I like Shivani in a disinterested way - that is, once I get over my dislike of children of all kinds, I like her. I have more of a relationship with her elder sister, thirteen-year-old Nupur, who is very unlike me. She's arty, dances and sings and plays the violin, wins talent contests, all that kind of thing. I asked once why all the American children I met seemed to be constantly doing things. They never just do nothing, they never go and just sit, or wander the streets in town, or whatever. They always go to places with the intention of doing something.
I think people round here grow up faster than American teenagers. It might be something to do with the fact they don't seem to drink, smoke, get stoned, or even rebel to the extent of wearing chains on their jeans, at least not when they're fifteen-going-on-sixteen.
Of course, I haven't seen a whole lot of America. To date, I've been to New York, Chicago, St Louis, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Orlando, Seattle, and Vancouver if it counts. So I may be generalising.
Whatever. The Americans were not supposed to be the point of this entry. My day was supposed to be the point. To begin with, this morning has convinced me that I might as well skive all my remaining dance lessons. There's no point in going, no-one even notices my absence.
After that... I began writing the assembly script, which Mrs Williams now has, no doubt to tell me I'm a controversial blasphemer and make me do it again like she did last year. And beyond that... I have been chasing signatures for my five A-level choices (reserve included). I got my English one - Mrs Enstone has written "(Enjoy it!)" next to her signature, which I thought was sweet - and I also got Mrs Williams'. She thought my choices were an odd mix, but she did say I'd find the course a good experience. After she said that, she signed in the wrong place and pencilled in an apology to whoever signs my form for Politics. This was just before I went to put my arms in up to the elbows into a tray of rapidly melting ice, trying to lower the temperature of a beaker of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid. Oh, the fun of it.
Talking of A-level choices, I got a signature from Mr Dunne for my reserve subject, Theatre Studies, but considering I only got 65% for the Drama mock I don't think I'll do well with that. That 65% is probably a C or a B. Yuk. Becca got an A*, and she's been sparkling the whole afternoon. I noticed it every so often - her eyes were lit up. Mr Dunne also told her she has natural comic timing and a flair for comedy in general, and he's a fan of hers. She was surprised. I wasn't.
She and I both talked our way out of doing any Classics this afternoon, and I noticed that even though Classics with Mr Hollinghurst is beyond boring, we do have beautiful surroundings. The sun was shining in the window beside me, and I was looking over the quad and saw it's really beautiful, when seen at the right time and under the right light. The buildings glow red in the sun, and you can see every tendril of the ivy crawling over them. Yes... enough frivolous description.
Ah - mufti tomorrow. Must find something to wear.
Well, that's all my GCSE mock results. I have six A*s (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Classics, French and History) three As (Maths, English, English Lit) and one C (Drama). I'm okay with these.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2003-02-11 04:16 pm (UTC)Social studies? Or social science? Depends on the school district, but it's usually social studies...
And congrats on your mock GSCEs! Those grades are more than okay!
no subject
on 2003-02-11 06:07 pm (UTC)And I don't know why you complain. I have been to only three of the cities you have named (Chicago [a mere 90 miles away], St. Louis, and Vancouver [which is not a US city]). Be happy you are as well travelled as you are. Not all of us can do such things.
Why do we never not do anything? Living here, I can say that there are plenty of kids who do nothing, but then again, I have the chance to observe more than you. However, to answer your question - Idleness is punished. I guess I can explain it like this: Parents would rather see you doing something, than have you sitting on your ass. They don't like to see you being "unproductive." At least that is how I perceive things.
You can also view it as though we live our lives one day at a time, and we live each day to the fullest. You don't want to waste a day walking, when you can be having a lunch date with a group of friends or seeing a movie.
I wish I made more sense, but at the moment, I am still partially frozen from shovelling snow and playing with my dogs. Try me back later when my limbs ahnd brain have thawed.
no subject
on 2003-02-12 11:08 am (UTC)