The Topic of Great Randomness

[Mel]

Hey, Gryph, I understand. Actually, you sound like my brother a bit. Apparently he's like one of the top in his Calc test. The difference is, he's kinda smart and he brags, and you're really smart and you don't mention it at all. You honestly put me to shame.

And I hope you do better on you next test! :P

So.....does school drain anyone else? 'Cause seriously, I don't even have enough energy to go to my school's dance. *headdesk* But I don't think I should anyway ---Community Service tomorrow (yaaay), Play practice all day Sunday (boooo). And after school Monday until 9. And after school Tuesday until 9. And two shows on Wednesday. And a show on Thursday (which has critics from other high schools coming -- ) And a show Friday. And Saturday. And two Sunday. No reason the week of the play has been dubbed "Hell Week" in my school for all of eternity....

But it's cool.

:P

In other news......Isn't really weird how knee-socks always smell really bad? It's not really your feet, I think it actually has something to do with the chemicals in the socks. Iccck. :P

And so now, all I have to do is go to the library to get "I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to kill you" for bookity ookitiy club (:P) study for my Latin and World Civ tests, EAT SOMETHING, and finally sleeeeeeeeeeep....

::P


OOh, and practice for my poetry recitation. <-- = love. I really, really, really love reciting stories and poetry. I'm doing Annabel Lee and I am so excited and nervous -- it's a classwide competition and then schoolwide then regional then state then national. I doubt I'll get past schoolwide ( I heard there were some rockin' upperclassmen ) but...wish me luck anyway!


So now I'm out, chillun,

Have a great day, guys! (And I'm actually being sincere here, :P)

[Emi]

PSAT's today... That was fun. Actually I felt it was a lot easier than last year. Especially the math part. Anyone else took the PSAT's today? The only downer was that I had to wake up earlier than I normally do on Saturdays...

Hungry, congrats on beating your best time!!!

Eric, YAY 200!! I'll celebrate with you.. haha..

I just really wanted to see what my siggy looked like... to see if I needed to change the italics thing. I'll edit and write in more stuff...

EDIT: Woo hoo! I did it right!

Anyway, I finished my outline for nano!! Yay!!

AND Sox are winning 10-1 Game 6!!

Wow, I thought I was going to write more.. I guess not..

Dai all!!

[Rhi]

Emi: Yeah, I took PSATs on Wednesday last week. It really wasn't that bad; I think I might actually have gotten a decent score

o gods o gods...I was invited to this Halloween party and I really want to go, and I also really want to invite this guy I've liked for a looonnnggg time to go with me, but I'm too scared to ask, and if I'm going to ask I'm going to have to do it tomorrow and I_can't_do_it! *frustrated and scared* I don't know what it is that's making me so nervous, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that I've never had a boyfriend, have always shied away when a guy is about to ask me out (that's happened once or twice, maybe more that I didn't realize that was what was going on.) I am completely oblivious when it comes down to relationships and have no idea HOW to ask a guy out, or even IF girls can ask out guys...help!

[Tuttle]

I don't like writing short posts but sometimes it seems like a good idea.

Rhi, I'd suggest asking him to go with you as a friend and being open about the fact you like him as more than a friend, and then see if something that would be more than friendship would work out. I'd suggest just saying something like "are you busy at foo time? I'm going to a halloween party and would like to know if you'd like to come" and then if he's being iffy mention that it doesn't have to be a date.

Of course I'm totally not the one to be answering this having not had any boyfriends before my current one, but it seems reasonable to me. *shrug*

Anyways, off to go shopping to get food to make dinner.

Tuttles

[Kathy Li]

In case anybody was worried, the fires are still far to the east of me. It is a little worrying, however, that they're setting up an evacuation center at the local high school, which is only a few miles away from me. The fire is following pretty much the same path as the Cedar Fire, and the drought and Santa Ana conditions are, if anything, worse than they were then, so still nervous and thinking up the list of stuff to shove in a go-bag if I have to evacuate (unlikely). But gusts of 60 mph winds at night is not something normal.

The smoke's the worst part. It's been getting steadily thicker all day, and chances are good it'll continue to worsen for at least another two or three days. I hate being an asthmatic at the best of times, but times like this? Man. A lot of folks in San Diego are going to be getting worse colds than they would have for the next half a year or so. Smoke inhalation not fun. This isn't like being stuck in a room with a smoker--it's a lot worse. And there's nowhere to go to escape it.

Still. I'm lucky--my house isn't anywhere near the threatened zone. But the fire is moving my way, and the odds are against the fire fighters. We'll see if we've learned any lessons since 2003...

There are things you think that are important. And then there are things that are important. Life has a way of reminding you.

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

I know this is a one-liner, but good luck, and stay safe. *hugs*

[Rhi]

Oh my gosh, Kli, stay safe!
On a completely different note...HE SAID YES!!(see earlier post) Sorry for the screaming, I'm incredibly exhilerated I asked him this morning, and he said yes without even any hestitation or anything! I was so nervous, but I got the words out, and it paid off! Yay!

[EricG1793]

Kathy! I didn't even realize you were in California anywhere near the danger zone! Goodness! *Shows how much I pay attention to people's "location".* I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about. The fire's still far away from you, and even if it does come close, you'll definitely have plenty of notice. Either way, stay safe (and healthy, from all that smoke)!

Great job, Rhi! Have much fun with him.

*Sigh* The Forums aren't getting as much traffic/participation now that Chat's "retired".... *Sigh* It's slowed way down. I'd be willing to do a lot to get Chat to come back and get more traffic back on the site so we could have more discussion....

Well, speaking of fires we had a fire drill today. It interrupted my writing a letter from a character's point of view to one of the character's friends involving the story we just read. Well anyway, I know I've complained about the Science teacher. Not only is she getting increasingly demanding, she's getting rather nasty now, too.... She was SCREAMING at someone at the other end in the hallway, for what reason I have absolutely no clue, right after we got back in the building. my SS teacher is loud. She uses loudness as humor, and sometimes in... anger. She's also a no-nonsense type of woman. She's really funny a lot of time (notice my signature, I put something she said there). When the crazy Science teacher was screaming, I think she slammed her door shut, close to where the Science teacher was yelling. Nyeh nyeh evil teacher! I found this very... amusing. We had a substitute for Reading while this was happening, and she briefly walked into the hallway while this was going on, but came right back in and closed the door and told us not to make a sound. Wise; because after the Science teacher stopped screaming she would realize that she was breaking absolute silence and notice that all the other doors were closed because of her. I don't think the other teachers like her much, either.... My poor Science teacher last year; I was complaining to her this morning about my current Science teacher, how she's increasingly demanding and getting rather nasty, too... well, her screaming this afternoon pretty much put the last ingredient into the dark, hideous potion of her ways.

Our Math classroom (my homeroom) has a divider wall that folds away if we need a combined room for a big meeting or something (during the open house it was folded out). When the wall is straight, dividing the two rooms, there's a handy door in the middle of it so the Math and Science teachers can take shortcuts and go through the wall rather than all the way around in the hallway. Once during Math... the Science teacher attempted to come through the door. The door opens in to the Math room. There was a desk in the way of the door. She tried to open the door and the door hit the desk. It really scared me, seeing the Science teacher stick her head through the door and glaring at the student in the desk that was in the way.... It scared her, too. Once we were doing a lockdown drill, when we have to get away from the windows and the doors. After the drill I said to my homeroom (Math) teacher, "Um... what if the Science teacher was the terrorist? She could just come through that door and kill us all." She said, "Then we'd all be dead." Since the Science teacher was screaming today, whenever I look at that door, I always worry about her coming through it, screaming about something....

OK, well, I really needed to complain about the Horrifying One; I'm sorry for all of you who have to endure hearing of such a sad story.... Seriously.

[Kathy Li]

Oh, I'm safe. It's my condo I'm worried about. It's safe for today. But tomorrow and the next three days are a bit more up in the air. The neighborhood where I was at a wedding on Saturday has already had houses burning down. This is not just a brush fire. This is a firestorm. There are eight simultaneous fires going on in Southern California from LA, and a few more down in Mexico. Plenty of notice doesn't necessarily happen in this situation. My power just went out. You wanna know why they tell you to have a transister radio...?

The thing about a big disaster like this is that the infrastructure goes out. Power, water pressure, police services, gas lines, things you count on being there all the time can suddenly cut off and be gone for days--even weeks. Disaster preparedness comes down to making sure you can weather those outages and keep going.

Certain things that are ok for day-to-day use suddenly get overloaded beyond capacity: roads, hospitals, phone lines, etc.

As for plenty of notice, well. Hopefully. In an ideal world. But right now, the direction and scope of the fire depends on the wind. Winds change. The Santa Anas are gusting at 70mph out in the east--more like 20 or 30mph where I am--this is why the fires have spread so rapidly. In about 12 hours, the Witch Creek fire's burned thousands of acres. And the wind is headed straight for places that are within five miles of my home, and (unfortunately) have already hit places where my friends and coworkers live. I'm lucky, my parents live somewhere even father southwest, so I have a fallback point to flee to, so I won't be on a cot in a high school gym or bunking out at Qualcomm Stadium, like a lot of folks.

All I can do is sit and wait and try not to load the infrastructure: use as little power as I can. Keep off my phone (emergency calls take priority). Keep off my cell phone (emergency crews are coordinating via cell phones). Try not to run the water (they need that to fight the fires). Don't take any unnecessary trips--keep the roads and freeways clear for evacuees. Get the word out that I'm ok, and let other people spread it. Pack my go bag. Plan what to put in the car if the evacuation order comes, and then stay calm and rational.

Like most wizardry, it comes down to looking at the system as a whole and worrying about the big picture, while saving as much energy as possible to do the most good with. I wish I could breathe freely. Then I could think about donating blood or getting supplies to people. But if I can't actively help, then I can at least get out of the way of those who can.

So, for those of you about to google California state websites, or San Diego TV station websites, or the Red Cross--stay off those servers--leave 'em for the folks who really need to know when and where they have to run. Try NPR.

At least I don't have to go to work today or tomorrow...

[magicalmike]

Well, stay safe Kli. All the best. *huggles*

Now i was going to talk about my increasing homework and all the test i have tommorow but nah. Ugh short post for me to.

[Kathy Li]

Thanks. All the good wishes and huggles help, too. As does having an internet connection. [grin]. Basically, I think that all these natural disasters are one reason Southern Californians are generally laid back--after this, what would seem exciting?

As I said, we've been through all this before with the Cedar Fire. And we're well aware that Santa Anas and drought conditions are likely to persist through until January. At which point we get the rain and the mudslides start, because all the vegetation that would have held the dirt to the hillside burned off in the fire.

When we're not having earthquakes that is. [grin]. It's the price you pay for living somewhere where the real estate prices always go up, the beach is only 15 minutes away, and the sun shines most of the year. You take the bad with the good, and that's just how life goes.

[Birdhead]

(Oh, oops, here we go.) I'm so relieved! I actually popped by to check in on you, Kathy, so I really hope you and yours are well, and you're dealing with the asthma as best you can. *hugs*

[Kathy Li]

HEPA filters are good good things to have around the house! I'm running it on low becuase our power grid's at 40%, and if the power cuts out, I'm leaving. But I think I'm pretty safe from the fire, now. The neighborhoods near me, which were evacuated have been "de-evacuated." And the wind conditions are due to start changing this evening, with (hopefully) Saturday bringing the full-on offshore flow.

The firefighters still have a helluva job cut out for them, though--probably another full week before the fires are close to contained. And the wind directional change is actually not great news for them--as it just turns the fire around and probably not on the same path it came in on.

[EricG1793]

Well, I have a suggestion to the firefighters.

I realize that it's not possible to get such a high amount of these at once, but still, if they could obtain enough, it would definitely help some.... Get many of those big, huge, powerful fans (like the type they use to inflate hot air balloons) and blow the flames in the other direction, where they were coming from. At the same time, of course, spray the fire with water. Maybe even spray the blades as they're turning, and they'd spew out a jet of water and fast-moving air at the same time. Of course, it's not NEAR possible to obtain that numerous amount of fans that they're be able to surround a fire that's miles around... but still... it WOULD probably work, right? Seriously.

[Emi]

Um, Eric, I'm confused... haha!! It's okay, I get confused easily, but if you think that would work...

So glad you're safe Kathy. Hope the fires die down soon .

On another note, my English class is doing an advanced career research project. Well, I think it's a project. We have to conduct an informational interview with someone in the field you want to pursue a career in after you get out of college, or graduate from high school. But I have a slight problem with mine... You see, I want to go in to something with the film industry. Like; write, direct, produce, and act in my own movies. So, conducting an interview with someone in that field is really tough, especially when that person has to be real!!

Luckily, my sister and I happen to be big fans of Kevin Smith, and she told me to send an E-mail to him. You know, to see if he would do it. I signed up for his forums, and I could PM him anytime I want to... but I'm just a little nervous. Also, I need to find out what exactly this project is about, or even if it is a project. Haha.. I guess I should have been paying attention in class.

Mmm.. that was a long rant about a subject.. hee hee!! Sorry.

Well, I'm off to watch the World Series!! (go sox)