Vuja De |
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That strange feeling you get when you realize nothing seems familiar...
Welcome. This page is dedicated to my independant study project for Phoenix IV, Semester I. The project: experience twenty new things. I plan to do things that I haven't ever done before, from trying new foods to streaking--everything's fair game.
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Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Completion! The Synopsis Good gracious. When I decided to do this project, I really didn't think that it would be much work at all. I mean, people do new things every day, right? However, to do it the way that I wanted to (without counting things like "never lived this day before"), it took some thought. It turns out that people get into routines, myself included, and changing that routine up takes some work. To go out of my way to do new things messes with my basic everyday outline of going to school, procrastinating homework and sleep, so I found a place to put it into my routine: procrastination. Procrastination is one of the reasons that I don't think I got as much out of this project as I could have. I did new things, yes. But because I put the project off, it did not turn out quite how I expected it. I thought that this might be a life changing experience, in which I would do a whole lot of new, exciting, strange things that not many people do. But, as it turns out, most of those things are either illegal, entail a certain age or other requirement that I don't meet, or take some amount of effort or work. Because I put the project off, I couldn't put the amount of work required to do some of the fun things that I had planned, so I ended up doing things that I might have otherwise passed up. This was not a completely bad thing. After all, a food fight is fun, but learning to change a diaper is much more important in the long run. So this project does serve as a learning experience. I learned how to make pie, change a diaper, ride a skateboard, work a moped, dye my hair, and usher old ladies in large hats to their seats. So really, I got more out of this project than I expected, but in a different way. I expected, as I said before, to do lots of stupid, new, and exciting things. Instead, I did things that were relatively goodnatured, down to earth, and important to learn. Maybe I did get more out of this project than I thought. So, looking back at the project as a whole, I feel that it was a semi-failure, but also good to do. I learned some new things that might help me down the road, even if I didn't get arrested while doing them. I think this type of thing would be fun for people to do, just not in a graded setting. Go out and do something you haven't done before. Start a foodfight. Eat lunch with someone you've never met. Kiss someone you've never met. Go out and do something stupid. I wish you all luck. G-Fry Number Twenty I just finished changing and bathing Samuel, the thirteen month old that lives across the street. It was quite an experience. I've always been on the "teens can't handle babies" side of the fence, and I'm that much surer (is that a word?) now. Doing that every night, watching him all day...I just don't have the time or desire to do that. Which, I guess, is a good thing. I am only seventeen. I wouldn't want a kid now. This just helped me bolster that belief. I mean, watching a mother clean a babies nose out and realizing that it's a nightly occurrence....I just don't want to be there right now. Twenty down... G-Fry Number Nineteen The second thing I did at Thomas' house was ride his kickin' moped. I ran it up and down the street a few times (even though it's incredibly windy and frigidly cold). It was quite the funness. I wouldn't mind having one myself. His can get up to 40ish mph. I only got it up to 25 or 30. Turning was an experience. It was kind of like relearning to turn a bike, except a heavier, faster, more dangerous bike. It'd definately be fun to have one, and quite eye-catching. Plus, I hear the chicks dig 'em. Nineteen down... G-Fry Number Eighteen Thomas Cook offered to help me come up with the last few required items for this here project. So I went to his house and did two new things. First off, I learned to ride a skateboard. Before today, I could never stand on one and move it at the same time. I also just about learned to ollie. It's the stereotypical guy "sport," so I guess it's a good thing I got it done. Eighteen down... G-Fry Number Seventeen I had planned to not eat at all today, something that I've never done before. About the time I left school, I realized that this is not a good day to finish that out. I have a test to study for, teen court to do, and other various responibilities to fulfill. I didn't eat breakfast this morning, though, and I've never gone to school without eating breakfast before. With darn good reason, too. I was cranky most of the day, I couldn't understand everything I was told (especially in Chemistry), and pessimistic. I felt like Manfred. Oh, well. I've got lunch in me now and I'm ready to finish up the day! Seventeen down... G-Fry Monday, December 08, 2003
Number Sixteen I just finished up running five miles. I had been planning on ten, but then I tallied up how long it would take to run, and realized that I could not possibly do that....yet. I finished out five miles in 50:29. Not too great, but not that bad either. I didn't walk it in or anything. Five miles isn't that much, but I've never run that far before. Hopefully I'll be able to run ten miles by the end of this year. Sixteen down... G-Fry Number Fifteen I just signed up for my very first 5k race. I'm counting this entry as running it, because it occurs after this Saturday, after the project is due. But since I signed up for it and am paying a few bucks for it, I figure I'm not going to miss it. It will be a fun experience and a warm little prelude into my very possible fitness independant study next semester (which includes an all out marathon). Fifteen down... G-Fry Number Fourteen We got inpired by, of all things, TV. Actually, not just any TV. Bad TV. While flipping through channels, my dad caught a few seconds of video from America's Funniest Home Videos. It was a group of college kids duct taping a friend to the wall. Manfred and I couldn't resist. We went out back the very next day (today) and attempted to stick Manfred to the wall behind our house. It didn't work as well on TV, but nothing ever does. See pictures of it here. Fourteen down... G-Fry Saturday, December 06, 2003
Number Thirteen Manfred and I ushered and helped pick up at the Allen Philharmonic tonight. I've never been to one of their concerts before, and (even though it was Christmas music), it was highly enjoyable. Mr. Xeros, the conductor, was amusing, even if he was a little bit harsh with that mother and her baby. And the music was good, too. I recommend to anyone that hasn't been to an orchestra experience before to go and check it out. I'm pretty sure that it's relatively cheap, and it's a good time. I've never seen so many fur coats in one place before, though. A lot of animals died so that old ladies could enjoy they're music in warmth and good fashion. Thirteen down... G-Fry Friday, December 05, 2003
Number Twelve After our chemistry study session last night, Gretchen, Erin, and I (with Gretchen leading) had a meditation session. We did it for fifteen minutes, but we all agreed that it didn't feel like that. I enjoyed the little bit of time (tiny bit really) that I felt it was going right, and I do believe that I'll do it again. In fact, I'm thinking about incorporating it into my probable idea for next semester's independant study. Twelve down... G-Fry Sunday, November 30, 2003
Number Eleven I dyed my hair today. It's a little darker than it was before, but not as dark as I wanted it to be. So we may do it again on Wednesday. The girls that I talked to told me to go with this color because it would "bring out your eyes." So I got Jarrod, we cut my hair, and went at it. Semi-permanent, so it'll wash out in a week or two. But, hey, I've never even had honey brown hair for a week or two! Eleven down... G-Fry Thursday, November 27, 2003
Number Ten We went to the Sugar Cult concert tonight/last night/whatever. It was good stuff. I haven't ever been to a Sugar Cult concert, but I'm not counting that in here. I feel that would be cheating, what with the other concerts. No, no, what I am counting is the fact that the singer of Sugar Cult gave me an autograph. I've never gotten an autograph before, except in yearbooks. Ah. My very first celebrity autograph. Sigh. He seemed pretty unhappy with all the fan-ness, though. But, to be fair, he was probably quite tired and it is Thanksgiving. I'm sure he wanted to be somewhere else instead of signing sweaty little pieces of paper for grinning fans. The concert was fun, though! Ten down... G-Fry Monday, November 24, 2003
Number Nine Just finished up my very first piece of lemon meringue pie. Not too shabby. A little kick and a little...non-kick. Pretty tasty. I won't turn one down later on down the road. Unfortunately, the meringue kinda died a little bit--it didn't get sealed all the way around, so it fell back a little bit on one side. But all in all, not bad for a first pie. Even the crust lived. Nine down... Sunday, November 23, 2003
Number Eight After talking about it a whole lot, I finally made a pie. Two pies, actually. Mrs. Altstatt came over and helped me make 'em, crusts and all. And they're not too shabby, neither. We made lemon meringue and coconut cream pies (pudding pies are easier, or so I was told). It was hectic, all the running and the draining and the crazy pie schemes and such, but we got through with minimal sacrifices (a couple of bad yolk removers done by me) and two yummy looking pies. Tomorrow, I shall taste my first lemon meringue pie. Eight down... G-Fry Saturday, November 22, 2003
Number Seven Nicole and I went to Trees tonight for a concert for which she won tickets from the Edge. I've never been to Trees before, and I hadn't heard of the two bands before, either. The first band, Ben Lee, was pretty cool. The second band, Phantom Planet, was meh. But Trees was a relatively cool place--it had little "wood" poles here and there. All and all, a pretty good night. Plus, I got pizza. Seven down... G-Fry Friday, November 21, 2003
Number Six Oh, good gravy. I ate my first Super Monster burrito at Freeb!rds today. It was about a foot long and, as by Jim's comparison to the width of a cd, five inches wide. And I downed the whole thing. I've never been this full in my life. No Thanksgiving or Christmas has ever stuffed me so full before. I feel like I ate a pig. But at least I've done it. However, I think I'll stick to the good ol' fashioned Freeb!rd instead of the Super Monster. Much more fit to my tummy needs. Six down... G-Fry Sunday, November 16, 2003
Number Five I just sent out my application to Austin College. It's the first application I've sent out. Very scary stuff. I realized the other day that it's possible that I won't get in. Which makes me frustrated, because I spent quite a sizy bit of time on that essay. So it goes. Even if I do get in there, I may not go. I don't think we can afford it. Oh, well. Five down... G-Fry Number Four I went to the Senses Fail concert at The Door last night. I've never been to one of their shows before. Actually, I'd only really heard one of their songs before last night. But it was a rockin' good time. I hadn't even heard of any of those bands before (except Senses Fail), but most of them were pretty good. I really need to delve myself into the more underground music stuff--it's much more fun to listen to. Four down... G-Fry Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Number Three I read in the comics the other day that "Soap is just as good as shampoo." That was from Pickles. So, I gave it a go. And it's workin' out quite nicely. My hair feels the same as with shampoo. It's a tip that I really need to remember in college, just in case I have to choose which part of me I want to smell nice. This way, I can get both. Three down... G-Fry Saturday, November 08, 2003
Number Two I have never gotten a haircut from my friends before, and it's surprisingly good. Not great, but darn good for a spontaneous, free (that right there qualifies as "ubercool") haircut. I think it took about an hour, and I still haven't cleaned the hair up off the floor. That's gonna take a while. Two down... G-Fry Number One The first new thing that I tried for this project actually wasn't my choice; we had to read Hemmingway in Phoenix. I enjoyed it quite muchos. I have to be in quite a literary place to do it, though, because it takes a lot more analyzing and thinking about than normal books/texts/stories/whatevers. I did like it quite a bit, though. I should read a novel of his sometime. One down... G-Fry |