Today marks the first day of semester finals for my kids. Needless to say, there’s been a LOT of cramming and studying going around in this house this past week. Everything from Biology, Earth Science, Global Studies, CISCO, VBasic, US History and Algebra.
It’s kind of a cool re-education process for me - especially the Algebra. Ugh! I can’t even begin to tell you how MUCH I hated that class when I was in high school.
My Algebra teacher’s name was Ms. Libby. She also happened to be the coach for our PomPom/Dance team (yes, which I was a part of. Stop laughing.) I wasn’t doing so well in her Algebra class - and she pulled me aside and told me that if I got a D or less in her class, she’d pull me from the team.
My ponytail drooped immediately at the thought of being tossed off the team.
The weekend before finals - my mother sat me down at the kitchen table with my 4.0 straight-A older sister (bitch) and we studied Algebra until I was blue in the face. Friday afternoon through Sunday evening - straight through. Sometime around late Sunday evening, the lightbulb FINALLY went off in my head and I GOT IT! I was so excited! I didn’t want to sleep that night because I was afraid I would forget it all in my sleep and fail the final exam in the morning.
But - I got to school. I sat for the exam and got a 99%. The highest grade in the class, no less.
Ms. Libby then proceeded to call my mother to tell her I cheated. To which my mother responded, “Oh yea? My oldest daughter is still in a coma after spending the weekend drilling Algebra into Lisa’s head and the two of them probably won’t speak to each other ever again for the rest of their lives - - you want to tell me that again?”
My ponytail and PomPoms were saved! I passed the class by the absolute skin of my teeth!
Ask me what I remember of Algebra today? Zip.
Ask me what concept it was that finally dawned on me that Sunday night? Couldn’t tell ya.
Ask me how many times I had to study my kids Algebra book just so I could figure out what the hell it was that they were asking me help on? Too many to count!
I woke up early today. Fed them a good breakfast. Encouraged the shit outta them. And now I sit here with my fingers crossed hoping for the best. They know their stuff. Chris and I quizzed and tested them all weekend long . . so they should be ok.
God. High School. Good memories? Or would ya just rather forget?
10:05 am on January 18th, 2006
Algebra! ICK! *runs away*
6:21 pm on January 18th, 2006
Sorry to e-mail here about my blog, Lisa. But I’m desperate. Is there a server-wide DOS attack going on?
9:41 pm on January 18th, 2006
Hey La Shawn - I’ve been out of the office most of the day. When I returned, I know that Chris was hard at work on server issues (in that sort of “Don’t bug me now, baby - I’m busy” sorta way)
If I’m not mistaken, the issue should be cleared up and I believe he worked with you on this via the Support Center?
Thanks!
12:18 pm on January 19th, 2006
Lovely website…just wanted to let you know.
9:41 pm on January 19th, 2006
I hated Algebra and can’t remember a damn thing…
High school, have a lot of great memories and a lot of memories I’d like to forget…
11:26 am on January 21st, 2006
Semester finals in January???
11:09 am on January 22nd, 2006
I enjoyed Algebra and Geometry, as I recall. Hated Trig. That pretty much all I can really remember from my high school years. I get invites to Classmates from time to time, and I ask ‘why?’
(for what its worth, I hated Calculus in college, too)