Guess what?

We're moving way to slow for the Science League in Chemistry class.

Therefore I had to teach myself a heckuva lot of the stuff before taking the NJ Science League qualifying test today.

I made 4 of the 5 tests last year and I hope to make all 5 this year. Attend and take, of course. And at least make alternate, though getting on the team is great.

Unfortunately, I have no danged idea how to work hybridization (actually, now I grasp it more) and pi bonds and sigma bonds and oxidation (what's with those odd rules for oxidation numbers anyway?) and I barely remember PV = nRT from last year in Physics, the rest of the Ideal Gas stuff is just over my head...

... yet somehow I beat one of the smartest kids I know onto the team today.

I did not believe it. I go and take the Science League test for about forty-five minutes after school, and in the remaining time I head down to Latin club. The teacher said she'd post the results tomorrow.

So I go and spend the time working on Latin schtuffs and then I get a late bus pass from the Latin club teacher and I'm getting my backpack on when I realize...

I left my jacket in the Science League room.

So I dash upstairs and there are plenty of kids still in the room, apparently those with no other club to go to who are reviewing the tests.

I dash over to where I sat and I'm like, "Isis my-- yeah, my jacket." and I breathe a sigh of relief and I'm turning to go when someone who also took the Chem test is like, "Hey, congratulations!" And I'm like, "What?" And she's like, "You made the team!" And I'm like, "I did?"

Until I go over the problems again in more depth, all I can say is I'm good at educated guesses, or I just got lucky, or there is something to superstition.

Because the Scantron sheets (you know, those test thingies that a machine can grade) we used were recycled: there was already something on the back.

It just so happened that mine had the previous month's science league test for Chem II of the freakin' smartest guy in the entire school. I'm not kidding. He's got the highest GPA in the entire place (4.24, I think). It's crazy.

... anyway that was my day. Even though my morning bus was incredibly late and my late bus had some troubles with some students onboard (ergo more delays) I'm pretty happy I made it on. That material is CONFUSING, and I'm gonna have to know it when we take the regional test.

I'm just glad both my parents have Ph.D.'s in Chemistry.

That stopmo video I was complaining about yesterday... finished but for some final adjustments, I'll be getting it online soon.

My sister just came back from Karate and she's like "I was very good in Karate today so I got a clip!" And I'm like, huh? I go downstairs and she's proudly displaying a little red paper clip that's been slid onto the collar of her uniform.

It's very sweet, really. Kids will appreciate anything.