28.04.2004 ~ 1:10 am
finally, my compy recognises the chip.
Friday, 23rd April
we have to wear wristbands. it's like a festival without the music.
sitting in a hockey... field? pitch? place, waiting for our events (mine were all on saturday).
dinner in a Chinese all-you-can-eat, where i explain the difference between British and American meanings of the word "fanny". much fun, especially when when Herlinger is sitting two seats from me.
massive ice-creams at Marble Slab.
checked into the dingy Ramada Inn amidst terrible weather (this pic was actually taken next morning). can you imagine getting married there?
the beds are bouncy. Megan manages to bang the headboard against the wall, making everyone rush to our room, thinking that we are killing each other. Emily is a pro.
party at the room of three Andrews. Karaoke with iPods.
one of the Andrews takes out his all time favourite DVDs and we watch Kill Bill on his PS2. it amuses me but disgusts Emily, so we watch Pirates of the Caribbean instead. i leave just before the exciting conclusion to wash my hair.
upon exiting, i find Zach (Astronomy and Remote Sensing partner) sitting in the doorway of his room with pictures of the many astrobodies we have to learn. my knowledge is less than unimpressive. "M31?" "Andromeda." "HCG87?" "Stephan's Quintet?" "no, galaxy cluster" "tell me about Centaurus A" "er... radio galaxy..." "what about 1C 418? NGC 3132? G1? Abell 39? ARP 188? HCG 64?" "OHMYGOD!!!!!!!!"
at 1:20 am, having obtained the knowledge needed (but never tested on the next day, the bastards) i returned to my room to take that shower. Emily is alseep, but Megan manages to tell me that i can be an arse and make loud, watery noises. i am in and out of the bathroom in 18 minutes, but my hair feels soapy. ("it's the soft water.") thank the lord for big beds because there are only two. Michelle has my iPod and i feel uncomfortable without Aqualung lullabies.
wake up at 6. hair still very wet. "continental breakfast" contains unidentifiable pastries. and strawberry Philadelphia. drink coffee, but that was shit too.
rainy and disgusting. jeans very wet. find out that it is a long walk between waiting area and testing area. last-minute learning.
Astronomy. Zach is genius. but i am cleverer and suggest that we sit in the front corner so our whispers are not audible by other competitors. i sit on the left because i am left handed and so we can read as we write and save time. an oriental girl with the same hair and glasses walk in. we stare at each other. they have laptops!!! we swear a lot but manage to get it done. Zach is disappointed at its easiness. i smile at the judges.
Dynamic Planet (rivers and lakes). they decided that Michelle and i are to do this 4 days before. the test has nothing to do with the rules, and involve graph plotting and reading comprehension. strange. we disagree on the meaning of "discharge", the basis of the whole test. (i am right. ha.)
Remote Sensing. Zach forgets books and runs back to get them. test has nothing to do with rules again - more about satellites than the images they take. more underbreath swearing.
weather suddenly wonderful after being stuck in tests for three hours straight. A&M quite pretty, after all.
Manish prefers UT.
bowling shame. i am the worst. (notice L's scores)
awards ceremony postponed by an hour. Stephanie slips into a puddle and frisbee is played. i am the worst.
silly superstition about sitting at the very back. evil man makes us go forward, so we get fourth overall. i am happy, however, because Zach and i won the first first prize for Astronomy. we rock.
oh ohh! and extremely cheap shoes at Payless. buy one get one half price. very happy. wanted to buy white whore-heels badly, as feet are made for ridiculous 4-inched creations. however, i have to be sensible:
what do you think?
<< SciOlymp State. >>
