UPDATE:

Yesterday our very own Govern(at)or came to my school! Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used my school as a backdrop to announce the introduction of digital textbooks in math and science! My school was chosen because it's public, a relatively good school, and in Las Virgenes Unified School District as opposed to LA Unified where the teachers are picketing; however, it doesn't really represent the state of CA. He spoke to the AP United States History class, which I'm taking next year. But I probably won't get anything so exciting as a visit from the Governator. He should've made the announcement to all of us in an assembly! Pshh it was mainly a press release. My principal was so excited she was about to float away with joy. You can read more at [link] (the CA Governor's website). The jazz band played, the cheerleaders lined up, and we made a huge crowd of lined up chaos. I got to see him walk by for about 2 seconds total before both he was surrounded and I swallowed up by the crowd.
I feel digital stuff is great--as a supplement, but I would hate having to read full textbooks on a computer screen! Euuugh. When I was in a program at UCSD for the summer, the professors did tons of stuff digitally, but there were still textbooks in the libraries. And not everyone in CA has a computer.

Today is June 9, 2009. It is nearly summer in Southern California. A thorny bush in my backyard is producing an abundance of large, fragrant, yellow and pink roses. The various succulents are sending up tall stalks dripping with flowers from orange to scarlet. The jasmine vine exploded with white star-shaped blooms and perfume. The tomato plant's sprawling tendrils quickly rose up and spread out. Now unripe tomatoes have sprouted from its delicate yellow flowers.
Yet...it's COLD! wtf. They call this "June gloom" but it has never happened for such an extended period of time! I feel like it's winter! As an AP Environmental science student, I blame this on climate change and the extremes it produces! XD (it's true though) But the evenly distributed cloud cover makes for perfect lighting. :]

In AP European History class today, we were shown a Nazi propaganda film, The Triumph of the Will. It is such propaganda, and shows Hitler as glorious. EW! Yet the cinematography was pretty damn good, especially for 1934. Leni Riefenstahl was brilliant--she made beautiful propaganda and helped brainwash a nation.

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Yesterday, June 2, was my half birthday!

So, as a half birthday present to myself, I left school 5 minutes early. Then, I rode in a car through the unexciting San Fernando Valley to the California Department of Motor Vehicles Winnetka. Then, I waited for about twenty minutes, but at least I had an appointment so I didn't have to wait for over an hour. Then, I turned in a bunch of papers and signed something. Then, the DMV employee took my mom's application to add her married name to her drivers' license. Then, I went to get in line at a camera. I got an awful picture taken of me, printed out, and stapled to something that would be a drivers permit soon. Then, I walked to a gray counter that was too tall for me and had seperate stalls on it. I took a 46-question written test, checked my answers, and walked back to turn it in. I passed with 4 questions wrong! (You're allowed to get 8.) Yay! Now I have my permit!

I am super tired though. My other half birthday present was doing almost all the work for a group project in AP European History on comparitive religions.
Today and tomorrow is poetry portfolio day. This weekend i have to do a project for AP Environmental Science. Sooo many projects!

Subject: Taoism - Zhuangzi (also spelled Chuang-tsu)

Tao or Dao: “way” or “ path”

The first form of Taoism was " Philosophical Taoism” or “Lao-Zhuang philosophy,” which focuses on ethics and the inner self.

In contrast, “folk Taoism,” “religious Taoism,” or “Huang-Lao Taoism” incorporates the concept of a divine power, has rituals, and often includes alchemy and magic. It formed by being mixed with Confucianism, Buddhism, tribal religions, and alchemy over the course of history. Today, Taoists are often considered part of the Chinese traditional religion, which is the 5th largest religion in the world.

Yin and Yang: Taiji Tu
• “the Great Ultimate”
• Two parts that together balance each other out and make a whole, Taiji tu.
• One cannot exist without the other.
• Yin is black, feminine, night, and nurturing.
• Yang is white, masculine, day, and active.
• Unlike the Western associations, black is not evil and white is not good; they are just alternate.
• The dots mean that yin is within yang, and yang is within yin.

~FIN~