21 hours to...

Stirke a world-wide, sympathetic response.
Change a country.
Take thousands of lives.


The Japanese earthquake/tsunami.


Surely, it's one of the most catastrophic natural disasters of all time.


Thousands are feared dead, more are left homeless, the country is brought to it's knees between the initial 8.9 magnitude earthquakes, the twelve powerful aftershocks (seven of the measuring at least 6.3 on the Richter scale) and the collosal, 13ft high tsunami, thousands are evacuated after a state of emergency is called due to a nuclear reactors' cooling systems' failure.


It sounds as if it is an excerpt from a disaster movie, or an Aztec prophecy, but those are the facts. And they make for very disturbing reading.


The tsunami was so powerful, it's waves reached across the world, affecting areas as far spread as Russia, Hawaii and Peru. 


The stock markets are in disarray as businessmen and women reach a state of confusion over money and what this disaster will do to affect them...


Yesterday, on Friday the 11th of March, 2011, the world woke up to the horrors that was the Japanese earthquake. We watched together, in terrified awe, at the speed and destruction of the tsunami waves, washing away anything in it's path, be it boats, cars, trains or even houses, there was barely a thing left standing.


And if you managed to survive the earthquake, it's aftershocks, the tsunami and the possible radiation poisoning, you still had to contend with the fires that erupted from an oil refinery in Kesennuma city, home to 74,000 people. Reports tell us that the entire city is on fire. 


It's death and destruction on a scale that very few of us can imagine. Just when we think that it can't get any worse, another piece of "Breaking News" is broadcast. 


So we watch, and we wait. We'll think of the poor Japanese, hell, we might even donate, but as soon as the dust and debris settle, and the fires are extinguished, they are shoved to the back of our minds.


It's sickening that it is the case, but it's true. We are too wrapped up in our own devices, in our own problems, that we do not see the bigger picture and we become ignorant to the pain of others.


Think of the New Zealand earthquake, that took place only two and a half weeks ago. We remembered the victims for a couple of days, a week, perhaps, at the most, unless we were physically or genetically connected to the country or it's victims in some way. 


The Japanese earthquake was 8,000 times more powerful (Yes, that is a real statistic), so does that mean we will remember this tragedy 8,000 times longer?


Don't bet on it.


This saddens me greatly. I love the Japanese, for both their people and their culture. They deserve to be able to live happily and be remembered after their death... they do not, under any circumstances, deserve to be forgotten about after such cruel happenings have taken place. That goes for any race, gender, or age group.


The fact that the Japanese have the best earthquake "proof" technology in the world and the earthquake still managed to cause so much destruction truly is a testament to the strength of nature...


If anything, this disaster really made me realise how lucky we all are. I have loving friends and family, a roof above my head, a comfy bed, running water, food, a car, prospects, some money... Things that we all take for granted but would miss greatly if they vanished.


So please, keep the Japanese in your thoughts (and, if religious, your prayers) right now. They really need it.

Overnight

There was something sadly compelling about Overnight, it's the story of Troy Duffy, the writer / director of The Boondock Saints, Duffy achieved what most people only dream of, he sold his first film script, got to ( eventually ) direct the movie based on that script and also managed to get a record deal for his band and then through sheer ego managed to throw it all away.

I must say that regardless of Duffy's personal failings I did enjoy The Boondock Saints but I haven't as yet seen it's sequel, at it's heart I guess this documentary is a cautionary tale about how wrong things can go when you achieve your dreams.

Be careful what you wish for............

Oops. Missed the chair.

PSYCHOLOGY

Ahhhh man. Half eight in the morning is way too early for me.


Yet, I can still make sexual references?

GAME: Find the boobs.

With the duffdicated nipple.

Yes. I did just make up that word.

ME: It's not Rihanna that I have a lady crush on... it's Hayley Williams.

And her carrot of a microphone.

SARA: Oh yeah! It was Bev that had the lady crush on Rihanna.

ME: I would go gay for Hayley on this bus.

SARA: Just on this bus then? Not anywhere else? Not over by those trees?

ME: What do you take me for?! I am not an animal! 

We were trying to write up our reports, which basically meant me, Lucas and Sara had a wee chat.


Well... I say Sara...


She kind of got nudged to the far end of the classroom because Torry's computers are weird and none of them were working.


After some typing and (mostly) copying, I hear a loud *dunt*.


So I look up to see my Psychology teacher, sprawled out on the floor. He had missed the chair.

Who knows? Maybe he had his reaons...

Like not wanting his ass to be bitten off.

The part that was so hilarious was the fact that he stayed on the floor for two minutes. Just staring at everyone in the class, with his arms crossed like a mummy...

Dod.

ENGLISH

Got our personal reflective's back, Mrs Fulton said that we were supposed to mention society as a whole in our essays.

Our English class' collective face

 resembled this.

I swear, Ms Alba did not make us aware of this.

Then again....

She didn't even teach us well enough for us to realise that this is an example of bad spelling...

Bad spellers: Putting the "cool" in "Shcool".

She was saying that a majority of essays that she's had to read over the years had a few common problems...

Mainly:

A) Explicit descriptions of emotions.

"I was really scared of the dog."

B) Trying to a long period of time into one little essay.


C) Treating the essay as their journal entry...

 MEGAN: Oh noooo... I've done that! I don't want to hand it in now!! *hugs essay*

MRS FULTON: Personal essays are a bit like show and tell, it's the teachers chance to find out all the gossip...

Ahhh, now we know why the teachers insist on writing personal...


Apparently, some kid admitted to being abused in his/her personal essay... That takes guts to write. Poor thing. I would like to know how that was dealt with...


Was in the queue at break (wasn't doing queue duty, but I was meant to) and I asked Ashleigh:

ME: Is you next?

...


That's what an A in Higher English gets you folks.

DOUBLE MATHS

Gaaaaah. My double period of hell.


Had a nice little chat with Sophie and Calum though, (Dougal wasn't in, I thought he was skiving but it turns out he had a music exam) Sophie showed me her Mum with a cake and Calum showed me pictures of his Mum posing at Stonehaven beach.


Sophie had her phone on full display for about ten minutes (and, not to mention, answered it in the middle of the class), whereas Calum had his phone under the desk for a minute and was asked:

MR HUGHES: Is that a phone I see Calum?

Why do you hate Calum Mr Hughes?

Only violence like that is an acceptable

 reason for hatred.

Put the hammer down Calum.

And put some clothes on.

The good thing is that we got a five minutes break, so we went down to the Hot bar.

CALUM: I'll never forget the time that someone went up to get an icecream at Jimmy Cheungs... the machine broke and ice-cream started flying everywhere.

Bad things happen at Jimmy Cheungs.

ME: One of the girls in my year was at Jimmy Cheungs, and they had a bottle of ketchup, so they were shaking it to try getting the ketchup out and looked behind them... there was a man standing behind them, covered in ketchup. They had left the top off.

But, we had to go back up and "learn" something soon enough, so we went back upstairs. Mr Shaw spotted that Sophie had on a red and white top and asked...

MR SHAW: Where's Wally?!

He's behind you!

Lunch was funny. Went over to see Lauren because she was lonered, but some of her friends came over... 

GIRL: ... I've got no sauce.

LAUREN: Go get some sauce then.

GIRL: You go get it for me. 

LAUREN: Why the **ck would I get it for you?!

GIRL: Here's my accord card!

LAUREN: Get it yourself!

Laura is coming out of the queue.

LAUREN: *shouting* Lauraaaaa! SAUCE!

Laura comes out of the queue without the sauce.

GIRL: She didn't get my sauce. 

Go get the sauce then!!

Megan was away to go do her Music exam, Lauren said that her cover of "Memories" from cats was enough to move you to tears.

GIRL: I want to go see her sing!

LAUREN: Go on then!

GIRL: I will, if you get me some sauce.

LAUREN: How does that work!?!?

Went to see Mrs Fulton though, cause Megan needed to hand something in. She was freaking out majourly so you want to know Mrs Fulton's advice?

MRS FULTON: Think of your blood pressure!

Soothing. 


We went to music after that, I just listened to her playing timpini and singing. She's so talented. I swear. I think she freaked out some little kids though, cause she was talking about her lucky underwear and threw her clothes off in a dramatic fashion.

She's a drama kid though, what sort of fashion do you expect her to undress in?


(NOTE: She only took her jumper and blazer off... She wasn't doing her exam in her underwear.)


I like very few fourth years (mostly due to the fact I know very few Fourth years) but most of the ones I like are in the one drama class:


Sam
Ben
Jenny
(Yes, their class is tiny)


So I was speaking to them all before they went into class.


Love Jenny-Claire.

JENNY: How do you know Lauren?

SAM: How do I NOT know Lauren!?

ME: Hey! You're going to start Rumours!

The only exception.

Loved how she brought up the France story...

BACK IN THE DAY OF THIRD YEAR:

We were on the bus back to Britain from France and I fell asleep. The bus moved a corner or something and I ended up smacking Sam... with my head... on her head. UNCONCIOUS HEADBUTTING!

CONFESSION OF A MOVIE GEEK:

I have no recollection of that.

SAM: It's because you were asleep!!

ART

Kelly walked in with a face like a brick.

ME: What's wrong?

KELLY: I swallowed a sweet whole! *makes a weird, choking noise* 

This goes on for the whole of Art.

KELLY: *starts prodding throat* Oh! The sweet's there. I'm not poking myself in the throat again.

Then it turned into a geography lesson... here's a question for you:

What's the capital of Venezuela? 


Lauren xxx

Forgetting memory: How ironic.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN.


Last prelim. For Psychology.


Done today. Means I only had one class (SCORE)


I really wanted to do well in it though cause Dod gave us all a good luck message...

"Hope everything goes well with your Psychology Higher."

I love Dod as much as I possibly can before going into weird creepy mode and turning Dod into a bit of a pedophile.

LE PEDOPHILE!

I think that the prelim went okay. Will tell you for sure next week though. Think I failed the NAB in it but oh well... That's what resits are for.

Everyone else found it kind of difficult. Escpecially the memory section, which they were complaining about not being able to remember...

OOOOOH the irony.

Went down to the Hotbar with Scott, Sara and Lucas (shortly after getting stopped by Mrs Murray for the boys not wearing proper school uniform) and played some Pokemon (in Scott's case).

As said in my previous blog, Kincorth Academy is incredibly tolerant to geek culture. Playing pokemon excessively is not considered to be a bad thing.

Scott has played the game for FIFTY HOURS.

Which, in itself, is quite shocking, but remembering that the game has only been out for six days... 

Turns out, he can identify Pokemon by their noises now....

FREE + ART

The first part of my free period was spent helping Kristina write up rotas for prefects in Mr Hughson's (Depute head) room.

We were interrupted though...

THIRD YEAR: I was dropped in a puddle.

Me and Kristina shoot eachother a look.

MR HUGHSON: Are you hurt?

THIRD YEAR: No, I'm freezing.

He goes to get changed.

ME: I haven't heard that one before.

MR HUGHSON: Believe it or not, I have. 

Went to art after that. Turns out that Kati turned up to do the psychology prelim... at the wrong school.


Woooooooooow.


Cutest thing I've heard all day?

LAUREN: *Looks at Rachel's packet of "Cherry Bakewell tarts"* Oooh! I love the cherries.

RACHEL: I don't like the cherries.

LAUREN: They are the best bit!

RACHEL: I don't like the cherry but I like the bakewell.

D'awww! 


Scariest thing I've heard all day?

ZOE: My dancing coach just texted me saying "I have something for you tonight".

Eeeek! 


Lauren xxx

Hairdryer on wheels.

Somehow, I don't think this is what

 was meant by that.

P.E.

The usual change, sit, change technique was used.

But me and Kelly were doing the dumbbells!!

Who do you think I am, Hercules?!

That's more like it.

Oh. And we were NOT "pumping iron".

In fact, we were rolling plastic.

Ch'yeah.

Dumbbells roll surprisingly well.

But we got bored of that so we invented a new game: Basketweight.

Yup, you guessed it. A mixture of weight lifting and basketball.

Dangerous? Yes. Potentially lethal? Yes. But that's the fun of it all!!

Megan's hair looked gorgeous again yesterday. I'm so jealous of it! She comes to school everyday with a kickass new hair style. And you wanna know what she says?

MEGAN: I didn't even need to brush it this Morning.

I wish my sleep patterns loved my hair that much.

I know small child. Do not worry.

I feel your pain.

My Mum and Dad went to this 6th year information night on Tuesday night.

Well... It was hardly going to be Tuesday at 6am was it?

Anyways, we found out the goss for 6th year at Kincorth Academy, or as me and Linzie refer to it:

"*Referring to the P.E. department* A dump in a sh*thole."

Here's a little summary for you all:

1. The current format of registration in the Morning (Each year is divided into roughly seven registration classes) will be abolished and replaced with a new format, where each registration class has several pupils from EACH. YEAR. (That's going to be an epic fail, let me tell you now.)
2. No psychology or sociology.
3. No Accounting.
4. No photography.
5. Almost all of the subjects we choose to take in Kincorth Academy... well... they WON'T be studied in Kincorth Academy. Turn attention to number 6.
6. We are merging EVERYTHING with Torry, Harlaw and Grammar. Boo.
7. Ms Alba is coming back (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!)
8. I've been recommended to take pictures of cracks.

Not THOSE sort of cracks.

Taking pictures of cracks in machinery in the oil field.

Laugh it up! To say that Linzie and Kelly did would be an understatement.

ART

Having a discussion with Kati about her pets.

Remember the discussion I had with her about  her baby names?

Well. 

KATI: I had a hamster once, before it died. I called it Erin September.

ME: Wait! You're going to name your baby Erin September too?

KATI: Yeah.

ME: Not Erin September two... Unless...

KATI: Yeaaaaah, just carry on the name? Erin September the third.

Can just imagine how the conversation between Erin and Kati will go when she's been conceived, born and grew up a little (cause Kati isn't even pregnant yet. Thought I'd add that in)

ERIN: Mum... How did I get my name?

KATI: I named you after my hamster.

Kelly added more spiraled bits of metal to her globe fascinator. It's slowly turning into a wearable deathtrap.

DOUBLE ENGLISH

Mrs Fulton is actually hilarious. We were reading through MacBeth and she stopped every ten or so minutes to tell us a story.


Best thing though?

MRS FULTON: I almost killed myself yesterday, it was so stuffy so I opened that window, it swung round, hit the daffodils and it all went out the window! My daffodils, the water, my vase...

MS SHAW: YOUR vase?

MRS FULTON: *sudden realisation* Oh! It was your vase! I'm so sorry! It wasn't a family heirloom was it?

Ms Shaw leaves the room.

MRS FULTON: I forgot it was her vase... Lucky that no-one was standing underneath or they would have gotten a vase and a dozen daffodils over their head!

I don't mind MacBeth, but Mrs Fulton's stories beat Shakespeare's hand down.


She was teaching us about manipulation of men and how Women RULE at it.

MRS FULTON: I am not allowed to drive my Husband's car. He's allowed to drive mine, but I'm not allowed to drive his. Well, you know the really  bad winter we just had? My Husband has a giant 4x4, and it only takes him ten minutes to drive to his work. I have a hairdryer on wheels and it takes me an hour and a half! So I start putting ideas into his head. "Oh... It's meant to be aweful weather this year... And the hill that I have to go up is awefully dangerous..." and he says "Oh yes...". Nothing more was really said about it until we came back from our Holidays in October, we stepped off the plane and there was snow on the ground. "It's snowing!!" he said. By the end of the day, a brand new 4x4 was bought! *looks happy with herself* "Oh, I can't have you driving up that hill with your hairdryer on wheels". There you are ladies, just make the men think that it's their idea and you can get whatever you want!

Billy kept sniffing, so she went onto another story:

MRS FULTON: Me and my Husband were at a hotel to celebrate my Birthday, not too posh but still, quite fancy, and we went down to Breakfast, he ordered a Black pudding, but I think that they are disgusting so I went for the poached eggs. Well... The girl next to me had a cold didn't she? It was a quiet room, so all you heard was *sniiiiff*... *sniff Sniiiiiiiff*. And what was I eating? Eggs. Runny eggs. *shakes head*

She went onto telling us about her experiences with exams and how her stomach would rumble throughout. AND how she passed out in front of a class of first years, on their first week of the new School. She wasn't feeling well to begin with and she bent down to pick up a water bottle off of the floor but she fell down in a heap. Boom. Collapsed. She said that she woke up to a crowd of little faces asking "Mrs Fulton.... are you okay?". "Go get Mr Howden!". Blank faces. "Go get anyone!"


Was looking through a magazine at Lunch (Hold your horses kiddo, it was More or Okay before you start insinuating) and it was Ashleigh's, and I was facing her (i.e. reading the magazine upside down) so that one of the pictures looked as though it had gravity defying boobs.

THIS is the most child friendly picture I could find when 

searching for Gravity defying boobs...

Jennifer did NOT look happy when Lewis called her Mum fit...

Uh oh!

DOUBLE BIOLOGY

Passed my NAB. Wooooo!

30 out of 40 with only five minutes revision? I'll accept that.

They boys were talking about Pokemon.

Hey, I don't know if this is applicable to the rest of Aberdeen/Scotland/Britain/Europe/World/Universe but you are never too old for pokemon.

I am actually in love with Psyduck.

We are going to elope to Switzerland and "evolve".

I thought... you were aware of that.

Last period: I felt so happy for Abie.

MRS DUNCAN: What's advantages of Breastmilk?

EMMA: It's full of antibodies.

MRS DUNCAN: Yes, but think economically...

ABIE: *Throws pen up in air dramatically* IT'S FREEEEEEEEE!!!

Felt like singing "Hallelujah" for her, she's been dying to say that for an advantage.

Me and Linzie got a piece of chocolate thrown of our heads by little seccond year neds...


Linzie threw it back at them. Cause she's maaaaaaad. 


RAWR.


Lauren xxx

Eating a crepe on pancake day...

Cause I'm mad!

If the plate was my Maths class....

And my thoughts were the caption....

Then I would be this crepe.

Today kind of sucked. Three buses drove past me today, one of them was a yellow bus, and caused Lewis to say:

The yellow bus drove past @Penguingonemad ohh well Lauren you were never meant for a yellow bus !! :) 

What a cutie! Haha, Michelle would always point out the yellow buses and say that they were designed for me.


I love my friends.

P.S.E.

We had some girl come in from this homeless charity called the cyrenians.


She said the word "heartbreaking" quite a number of times, which Sara picked up upon and said (quite loudly) in the corridor...

SARA: Oh it was heartbreaking! That was heartbreaking! Is everything heartbreaking?!

She was standing about one metre away from her...


Awkwaaaaaaaaaard.

BIOLOGY

We were getting told a "classic" today, about the 2nd year who almost got strangled by a hoodie.

Don't be fooled by it's smiley face.

It's deadly.

The gas taps were on and one girl was complaining of feeling sick. What's the next thing that happened? She fainted. Then, her unconscious body slid down and her hood caught on a gas tap, she was suffocating.

Eek.

Mrs Duncan asked some boy to unhook her, which he did, and then began to praise him:

MRS DUNCAN: It's good that you did that as soon as I told you to.

CLASS: Why?

MRS DUNCAN: She was strangling... She could have died.

CLASS: OMG!

Oblivious young ones. 


Jason was displaying his political views to the class... Again.

ABIE: *Whispering* Shut up.

MILTON: I swear someone just whispered shut up!

Our class is one big family reaaaally.


Met Kelly at breaktime, what a kid that is.

KELLY: My Mum is orange!

ME: *confusion* That's... nice?

Turns out she meant that her Mum had a phone that uses the Orange network.


Orange Wednesdays! Aaaah.


We were talking about swallowing tablets too.

LEWIS: I used to pracise swallowing by practising on...

KELLY: PLEASE finish that sentence.

LEWIS: Tic tacs. 

Shake your tic tacs Lewis!!

DOUBLE ART

I wish I would do something in art...


It's getting me down! I'm making no progress.


Talked to Kristina and Kelly for the whole two hours, so I was happy!


Want to see TK Maxx's mascot?

Stabby!

Lunch was boring. As always.

I wish we could just fast-forward it to make the day go faster!

Lewis got a half eaten sweet chucked off of him...

All together now.

EWW!

LEWIS: Feels as though I've got rabies....

Mwaha! 

DOUBLE MATHS

Maths can go and die painfully, in a hole.

This is what my answers are like in Maths.

I swear, the only good thing about Maths is Calum, Sophie and Dougal.

Even if Calum and Sophie "fell out".

Calum refused to make eye contact with Sophie so what did she do?

WHACK. Right on the back of the head!

But other than that? Hatred towards the course, even if we've finished it.

I don't know, I just feel so stupid. Can't do Maths. At all. Just want to go into foetal position and cry in that bloody class.

Doesn't help that Mr Hughes thinks I can do it. I can't.

I miss Halle.

Sorry, that was random, but she's gone!

Away to New Zealand to compete in the World championships for TKD!! I'm so excited for her!! But still, miss her like crazy :(

How was everyone else's day?

Lauren xxx

Sold Out: A Threevening With Kevin Smith

I guess it would be fair to say I'm not a Kevin Smith fan, I have really enjoyed a couple of his movies, thought some others were OK and was bored stupid by Dogma.

Something I did enjoy was the previous two volumes of An Evening with Kevin Smith, they were funny and genuinely interesting but this third volume didn't do much for me at all, the behind the scenes tales from Die Hard 4 while mildly amusing in places were pretty much what I would expect from a big budget Hollywood production.

I guess this time around it just felt like Smith is running out of stories to tell which is a little shocking to me since I would think that Hollywood is the kind of place that would be an endless source of amusing stories to tell but apparently I was wrong or at the very least maybe I was expecting too much.