The Mysterious Human Mind

I came home from school today and my dad asks me if I know what "the owl of Minerva" was. Me, being the strange turkey I am, said yes and proceeded to rattle off basic Greek and Roman mythology about how Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and war strategy and that Minerva was her Roman form. I then mentioned that one of Athena's sacred animal was the owl and assuming that also carried over to her Roman form then "the owl of Minerva" could be referring to a special owl of Minerva's. He then read me the two paragraphs to give me context as to how "the owl of Minerva" was used. The paragraphs mentioned the owl flying away and people thinking strategy was no longer needed at the moment, but being wrong later. After he read, I said that I thought that in that context, "the owl of Minerva" was referring to the influence of Minerva. After listening to his protests that we no longer believe in the gods, I then said that it was the symbolism of it, strategy (the influence of Minerva) leaving because it's no longer a key point of focus (the owl flying away).

I walked away from that conversation slightly amazed at how I can remember and rattle off details like that at the drop of a hat, while I struggle to remember how to balance a chem equation or what the unit circle looks like. I chalked it up to my brain being wired for lit and symbolism and all that wonderful jazz. Yes, I realize that most people can do exactly what I did, ergo, it wasn't anything particularly amazing, but it made me think about how something like that came easily to me, as if it were hanging out in the waiting room of my mind waiting to be called on. I looked into it and found the usual Left Brain- Right Brain stuff (which is a little more myth than fact). I came to the conclusion that the mind and brain are mysterious things that we as humans can only hope and dream of someday fully understanding.

Sanders out.

Life Keeps Getting Stranger... Or Maybe It's Just Me

Where to start... Ok...

Email from Oglethorpe that basically says, "Hey, you've started an application to our school. Yay! Finish it and turn it in before Nov 15 and your application fee is waved. But that's not all! Your essay is also waved and the teacher recommendation letter isn't required."

My reaction: Wait, what?! Totally awesome school say what? I've already got my essay, just have to edit it. And my teacher already said he'd write me a letter of recommendation. And I'm applying through Common App... What does it all mean?!

I emailed them and got an answer back from them, which was helpful, but then I had another question and now I'm waiting for that answer back. I've got this, totally.

Econ homework that was on JunoEd... I didn't get that memo. Like legit, didn't get the memo that we had homework on JunoEd. I didn't get the memo twice that week. Evidently we had a JunoEd assignment on Tuesday night and on Thursday night... I didn't get those memos.

Thick envelope from University of West Georgia... Congratulations! You've been accepted to this wonderful institution of learning!

My reaction: Yay! Ok moving on... What do you mean I took that too chill? Am I supposed to be screaming "I got in!" from my roof top?

Watched Shark Tank. Decided that if I had a drone I would probably fly it through my school's hallways terrorizing the freshmen. Then I thought of the Prime Directive and wondered if I'd be violating it... Decided that the Prime Directive doesn't apply because I'm not Star Fleet. And because Star Fleet doesn't exist in our world (but I wish it did).

Decided for whatever reason, that one day I'm going to own some creature (most likely a male cat) and name him Gatsby. And refer to him, like I call Scamp, my current cat, Bud, as Old Sport.

Looked through my Twitter feed, wondered why on Earth I was following Hillary Clinton. Proceeded to fan girl over J Michael Tatum.

And today... Found out one of my teachers is my next door neighbor.

My reaction: I'm done. So done. My doneness level is all the way up here (above my head), when it should be here (just below/at my forehead). By the way, I saw the pictures of your house on your listing, it looks really nice. Babble about neighbors.

I was looking at the house listing last night (I didn't even know my teacher lived there) and flipped through the pictures of the interior... It looks really nice. I was all like, "Dang, I'd buy the house if I had the money." [Me who wants a studio apartment and on the fence about owning a house at all one day]

Yeah, life is strange... Or maybe it's just me. Probably just me. Anywho, Sanders out.

Broadway and The Tempest

*Caution: Slight spoilers to The Tempest by William Shakespeare*

In my lit class, we are currently reading The Tempest. It's pretty good so far and I find it interesting. However, there are moments when I'm reading the play that all of a sudden a random (or maybe not so random) song from Phantom of the Opera, or another broadway show, starts playing in my head. For instance, in Act III, Scene II, after Miranda and Ferdinand decided to get married, Prospero closes the scene by saying,

"So glad of this as they I cannot be,/ 

Who are surprised withal; but my rejoicing/ 

At nothing can be more. I'll to my book;/ 

For yet, ere supper-time, must I perform/ 

Much business appertaining."

 So for some reason, I hear in my mind, the stanza of All I Ask of You, the Phantom sings,

"You will curse the day you did not do!/

All that the Phantom asked of you!"

Of course there's also the tune that I've assigned to Ariel' song when he lured Ferdinand to Prospero. I did a mix of a couple of the melodies that are constant throughout Love Never Dies, the beginning of Beautiful and the middle of the Prologue of Love Never Dies.  

Of course, Les Miserables makes it's own appearance when Miranda and Ferdinand first meet and my mind can't help but bring up Valjean's part in the reprise of A Heart Full of Love and if my memory serves me right, at some point my brain decided that The Confrontation from Les Mis would make a good background track to the play.

I'm pretty sure these aren't the last moments that my brain will drag up show tunes to go with something I'm reading. As for The Tempest, I'm pretty sure something will lead my mind to some other song to play in the background. So for now, Sanders out.

Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM

Or so they say... It's not 2 AM now though. It's Monday. I'm still working on this essay for lit. I have the required 500 words but I'm still working on it to round it out. I have a few more points to make that my argument is sold. Anyway, I have some random song from Love Never Dies stuck in my head. Gustave singing, "Mother please I'm scared/ Something something something something/ Someone strange and mad, taking me and something me." Yeah I can't remember all the lyrics but that's what I've got in my head (Is there music in you head/ Have you followed where it lead/ And been graced with a taste of the beauty underneath). Still, this wasn't going to be post filled with Love Never Dies references. Strange really, I've been making Star Trek references all weekend. In fact, I've been sounding like a Star Fleet officer in my head lately. I'm not sure if I sound like one now, but if I do I find that unsurprising. If anything, I tend to hear Data in my head as I think my thoughts, if that makes any sense. Sometimes it's Picard, sometimes it's Kirk or Riker. But it's usually Data, maybe even LaForge at some moments... Anywho, I've developed a deep fascination with the USS Enterprise's... string for lack of a better term. I love the USS Enterprise-D in ST: TNG. But I also like the USS Enterprise that Kirk captained in ST: TOS. I've been watching The Original Series lately. I've retracted my earlier judgment on Captain James T. Kirk and I can now say that I like him. I "grew up" watching ST: TNG and I'm used to Picard's way of doing things but Kirk has a different quality to him. However, to compare the two would be like comparing a Philly to a Hoagie, both sandwiches yet very different. Anyway... It's now almost 1 AM and I still have to finish this paper. My hair is out of my way and I'm getting back to work. Sanders out.

Color-Coding Life

Can I color code my life? No? Yes? Maybe? Meh, I'd probably [no most likely] just ignore my color coding. Anyway, my life is currently chaotic. I've got an environmental lab report due tomorrow at midnight. I've got a presentation to give in environmental tomorrow (finished my presentation already). I've also got math work that if I don't do, my teacher will turn into a dragon and bite my head off then spit it out because I have the mind of a future lit major and not a STEM person. (Insert my lit teacher's sigh here). I'm also awaiting the call of a fellow trainer because we are training together on Saturday and I have yet to know my part. So right now I'm taking a break from work and I'll get back to it eventually. Or not... Sigh I've come back to typing this post about two hours later... Can of worms that has been open and now... I don't know how I'll be able to operate tomorrow... Because reasons. Eh, Sanders out.

Tag: Zombie Apocalypse Book Tag

What to do: I have 5 books picked at random. Each book will answer two questions. The first name I see when I flip through the book without looking will be in that team.

The five books that I picked at random:

Zombie Team
Black Beauty
The first person to die: John... Well, he was the coachman... Not sure how much help he would have been in the apocalypse
.
The person you trip to get away from the zombies: York... Can't say I feel sorry about that. I wasn't fond of him, mostly because he submitted to his mistress' will to easily.

The Book Thief
The first person to turn into a zombie: Rudy... Oh... Rudy. I actually liked him. Oh well, he's a zombie.
The person that trips YOU to get away from the zombies: Liesel... Well, that wasn't very nice Saumench.

Pivot
The idiot of the team: Cyrus... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Love it! He's actually not that much of an idiot but still... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

The "brains" of the team: Alexander Harper... Oh god... Lord help us all... Anyone but him... I mean he's smart but not in a good way... Why me?

Days Gone Bad
The team's medic: Zola... Ok, I can deal with this. Zola is awesome anyway.

The weapons expert: Damian... YES!!! The necromancer is my weapons expert!!!! Not going to die tonight!!!!

The Warrior
The brawler: Rory... Never mind we are going to die... Not Rory, he's just a child.

The Team Captain: Zeb.... YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definitely not going to die! Zeb can keep everyone in line... I hope...

Sooo that's my wonderful team... Though I think Alexander would kill me before the zombies do since Cyrus is there too. Man that's actually terrifying to think about.

 I tag Stellah over at The Little Book Nerd's Life and Shouni at Through the Book Portal and anyone who wants to do this tag. It was actually pretty fun.

Tag: Seven Deadly Sins

1. Greed~ What is your most inexpensive book? What is your most expensive book?
My most inexpensive book(s) would be the free ebooks I get. My most expensive book(s) are my photography books. I pay good money for the good stuff.

2. Wrath~ What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?
I guess Rick Riordan to a degree. He'll do his plot some way and I'm ready to throw the book at the wall. But then I'll love the book and be appalled that I wanted to throw the lovely thing against a wall.

3. Gluttony~ What book have you devoured over and over again with no shame?
My favorite romance novel that I just bought (today I might add) an actual physical copy of. I've read it like twice in three months and I'm probably going to devour it again pretty soon.

4. Sloth~ What book have you neglected reading due to laziness?
Game of Thrones... It's just so long.

5. Pride~ What book do you talk about most in order to sound like an intellectual reader?
Shakespeare... Hamlet is my favorite. To be or not to be that is the question and all that jazz. I've been reading Shakespeare since middle school. Right now we're reading The Tempest in AP lit and while most are trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I'm like, "Ooo that just happened... Oh this is totally that... And then he did that... Going on my sticky notes." Hmm.... Yup, pride, I've got it.

6. Lust~ What attributes do you find attractive in male (or female or both) characters?
I like my guys to be slightly intelligent, to have some form of common sense or gain some sense by the end. I like them to be slightly smooth operators (with some smooth talking) and they have to have some form of special skill (be it a hidden talent. their livelihood, whatever, just some kind of skill). I love a clean delivery of a one liner and sarcasm when needed.

7. Envy~ What book would you most like to receive as a gift?
Anything by Brenda Novak. I'm currently after 1001 Books to Read Before You Die. I want the Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (my AP lit teacher has a copy and I saw the inside of it last week... It was... AWESOME). I also want a book on 3DS Max 2015.

So that's the Seven Deadly Sins tag... I tag Stellah over at The Little Book Nerd's Life and Shouni at Through the Book Portal.

Tag: The Opposite Books

Hey there! The Opposite Books Tag was created by minhaestante on YouTube.

The first book in your collection and the last book you bought

I don't remember the first book in my collection. It was most likely a book about horses, dogs, or some kind of picture book. The last book I bought though... It was either a thick volume of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Game of Thrones, or some kind of photography book. Yeah, I really don't know.

A cheap book and an expensive book

The most expensive book I've bought with my own money is a $50 photography book about posing. It was so worth it. I consult that book often and I love it. The cheapest book I've gotten was Barnes and Noble's volume of F. Scott Fitzgerald for $7.18.

A book with a male protagonist and one with a female protagonist

Male protagonist... Hmm... Black Beauty. It's one of my favorites and is about so much more than just a horse. If you've never read it or have read it before and didn't think much of it, I recommend giving it a closer look, you might be surprised. Female protagonist... That's actually hard because nine times out of ten I find female protagonists annoying. OH! The Book Thief! It's another favorite and currently on my list of books to reread.

A book you read fast and one that took you long to read

Within a day of downloading it, I read The Warrior by Ty Patterson. Sooo good, needs some more editing, but still reallly good. Game of Thrones... I'm still reading it and I got it like three or four months ago! It's really good though.

A book with a pretty cover and one with an ugly one

I love the original Twilight series covers. They represent something within the book and are just so simple and clean. I haven't really come across any cover that I think is ugly.

A national book and an international book

I guess for national book, I'm going to go with a classic. The Great Gatsby. I liked it a lot once I got into it and loved the symbolism and how Fitzgerald conveyed American society in the 20's. For an international book I'm going to go back to The Book Thief because I really liked how it was set in Nazi Germany and how it drove the plot.

A thin book and a thick book

Thick book... Hmm... My photography books. They're think and full of info and techniques for me to learn. I love them. A thin book... Well, there's my copy of The Tempest. That book is thin. pretty sure it's not even half an inch think.

A fiction book and a non-fiction book

Non fiction book... My favorite non-fiction book is on I don't own but wish I did. It's called The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge and it's got a little bit of everything in it. From horse care info to trivia about movies and media with horses, it's one of my favorites. For fiction I'm going to go with Pivot. It's told from the perspective of a killer trained as a child. It's awesome and different. Though in some parts it really isn't for the light hearted. If you can't get through some of the most gruesome twisted episodes of Criminal Minds then I don't suggest reading it.

A romantic book and an action book

Ok so for an action book I'm going to say Days Gone Bad. It's about a necromancer and it was awesome! I loved it! Now for romance.

I admit it. I love sappy romance. I love the courtship, the problem that nearly tears the couple apart, the resolution and the fluff after. Romance is great to unwind to. Whether it's a romance novel or a piece of fan fiction I love romance! My favorite romance novel is When Lightning Strikes by Brenda Novak.

Simon O'Neal's causing trouble again. And it's up to Gail DeMarco to stop him. 

Gail DeMarco left Whiskey Creek, California, to make a name for herself in Los Angeles. Her PR firm has accumulated a roster of A-list clients, including the biggest box office hit of all—sexy and unpredictable Simon O'Neal. But Simon, who's just been through a turbulent divorce, is so busy self-destructing he won't listen to anything she says. She drops him from her list—and he retaliates by taking the rest of her clients with him. 

Desperate to save her company, Gail has to humble herself by making a deal with Simon. The one thing he wants is custody of his son, but that's going to require a whole new image. He needs to marry some squeaky-clean girl who'll drag him off to some small, obscure place like Whiskey Creek…. 

Gail's the only one he can trust. She agrees to become his wife—reluctantly. But she isn't reluctant because he's too hard to like. It's because he's too hard not to love!

I love that book and I've read it twice withing a three month period and thinking about reading it a third time. That's the most I've ever read a book actually. I think I need a physical copy now. I've got it on my iPad but I think I want something that will last longer.

A book that made you happy and one that made you sad

Book that made me sad, Each Little Bird That Sings, it's the only book I ever cried over, that ending. A book that made me happy would have to be... When Lightning Strikes or any other sappy romance that I love. 

So what about you? What books would you choose? 

This is Ted

I have a favorite chart. Yes a favorite chart. Yes, Ted is that chart. Here's a picture.

So in girl scouts there are different levels of girl scouts. Daisies are kindergarten through 1st grade. Brownies are 2nd grade through 3rd grade. Juniors are 4th through 5th grade. Cadettes are 6th through 8th grade. Seniors are 9th through 10th grade. And ambassadors (not shown on the chart) are 11th through 12th grade.

The Girl Scouts' big thing is being girl led. This means the girls get to be involved and make choices and decisions, however that varies from age group to age group. What this chart shows is how much the leaders are involved and how much the girls are involved from beginning to end. You see that the daisies have some involvement, while over by the senior side the leaders still have involvement, so no one group ever gets total control. The general goal is to reach a point where the girls can lead their meetings and the leaders move from the leader role to more of a mentor/adviser role.

What I love about the chart is that it visually shows where the girls should be in their roles for their age group. For instance, a browning, 2nd or 3rd grader, can do more than make a choice. They can brainstorm ideas. If the troop is out camping, they can chop vegetables or collect fire wood or watch a pot and make sure it's not about to boil over. They can do things and 9 times out of 10 they want to SHOW you they can do something. In a tiered troop that in addition to daisies and/or brownies has older girls that are seniors and/or ambassadors, the older girls can lead the younger girls in getting a badge that they share. There are two badges that I know off the top of my head that is shared across the board through all the age groups that earn badges (daisies are a special in that they are learning what girl scouts is all about), those badges are the Girl Scout Way badge which is about what girl scouts are about as well as some of our legacy, and the First Aid badge. To me the Girl Scout Way badge is the best one to have the older girls lead the younger with because it's simple and easy and really shows full circle what girl scouting is about, being girl led.

So that's my favorite chart. I just finished my training to be a facilitator (trainer) so I can train leaders in various things, such as the new leader training, things about badges, as well as various other things. I plan on bringing that chart with me every time I train because that chart is important I think that leaders should see that chart more often. Anyway, Sanders out.

Language of Flowers

I recently read something that had to do with the language of flowers. It was really well written and I was intrigued by how the story was able to move forward without any actual dialogue. To express his gratitude to his new boss and his boss' assistant, he sent his boss' assistant flowers with the message, 'These flowers represent you.' The flowers he used were plum blossoms, which mean long-lasting beauty, and dahlias, elegance and dignity. To his new boss, he sent campanula and lemon blossoms, to express his gratitude and the fact they have to be discrete [meanings with respect to the named flowers]. He and his boss, who's first job in high school was with a florist [for this story that is], continue to use flowers as a way to communicate. A yellow carnation from his boss to show disappointment when he screws up. An oxeye dasiy (patience) left on his boss' desk during long cases. After a particularly hard case, daffodils (respect and chivalry) on his boss' desk and a piece of agrimony (thankfulness) in his own pocket. They resolve a fight through the flowers and as they slowly enter a relationship with each other, they use flowers to admit their feelings for each other, and not just by using the classic red rose. Flowers are again used to confess their love to one another. It's a great story and I'll admit it, it was a fanfic, a Suits fanfic, called An Expression of Feelings (linked if you want to read it yourself). But it was beautiful and eyeopening. I didn't know there was a whole language to flowers. I knew some flowers had a meaning to them, but didn't know that it went deeper than just love and friendship.

Anyway, I looked into it and it's sooo cool! I found out that one of my favorite flowers, marigolds (yellow, but the color doesn't affect their meaning) mean grief, cruelty, and jealousy. Meanwhile, the petunia, a flower I generally don't care for because they look sad to me even if they are at their peak of beauty, has a complex meaning and the giver should understand what the petunia means before giving. Carnations have various meanings depending on their color. Some of them can be used in reply to something like a declaration of love. The red carnation means yes. The yellow carnation means rejection (or disappointment, I've seen both). The striped carnation means many things, No; Refusal; I can’t be with you; Wish I Could Be with You, as well as maybe or indecision. However, some of the others mean something other than an answer. The pink carnation is often used as a symbol for a mother's undying love (or really undying love in general), but it also means 'I'll never forget you.' The purple carnation means capriciousness, and the carnation in general means fascination, or divine love. The point is that the language of flowers is beautiful and complex. It's something that takes time and effort in order to convey exactly what you mean. I plan on looking further into it and maybe even one day use it myself, probably sooner rather than later. So for now, here's a cyclamen, Sanders out.