First, I want to say: I'm really journaling about all this to keep myself motivated, and to have a written accounting to look back on, in case I want to see how I was doing in which subjects at any particular point. I'm sure you guys are sick of reading it! Sorry!

So I took all the real pretests in class tonight. (Well, I took Reading last week, Science, Social Studies, Math and Writing tonight.) All my scores were high enough to qualify for taking the actual GED testing. Unfortunately I have to have 12 hours in class before I can register for that. So I've done everything I can/was supposed to do, and finished it in 9 hours. I still - in order to ensure that I get credit for the 12 hours so I can take the dang final test - have to sit in class Thursday night, for another 3 hours, doing nothing.

THEN, on Aug. 2nd I PRE-register for the GED tests (wtf is their fascination with those three letters? PRE... pretests, more pretests, then a post test, then... a GED pretest, then, pre-registration... *sigh* I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere cuz I'm still in the "pre" stage!)

And then sometime after 8/21, I'll actually get to take the GED tests. I have to wait WEEEEKS for something I had pretty much finished in 9 hours.

Have I mentioned that patience is not my strong suit?

So anyway - actual in-class pretest scores, which DO count (and must be a 500 or more to qualify for pre-registration) are as follows:

Math: 520 (yeah... not the greatest, but on the GED test, I can score as low as a 410, so I'm safe.)

Social Studies: 610 (Carla made a 750! YOU GO GIRL!)

Science: 680

Reading: 690 (I'm actually disappointed with this score... I can do better.)

Writing:  I took the multiple choice part, and the actual score is impossible to calculate because of the essay that we don't write/get scored in class, but at this point, with just the score from the multiple choice portion, Mr. Johnson said even if I score the lowest possible score on the essay part, I still meet the 500 point requirement. Thank you Mrs. Myra Helms for being the most awesome senior English-Lit teacher ever! (For those who make fun of my spelling/grammar issue... Ha! See, it does serve a purpose!)

Now if only I had a dollar for every point I scored on my tests, my life might not fall apart. I can't wait till the end of August to take the real thing!

Want to hear something funny? Obviously, I never graduated high school. Class of '89 walked without me. That never bothered me - the 'not walking' part anyway. But when Carla and I finish these classes and actually have our GEDs, we get to walk in the SPCC GED graduation ceremony in May 2008. I didn't think that would be that big of a deal to me, but I'm kind of excited at the idea.

Took all the pretests online

*sigh* I've done more tests for my GED than I've taken pregnancy tests... and consider who you're talking to, that's a lot!

Now keep in mind that these don't actually count - they're like practice tests so *I* can gauge where I'd stand on the actual GED tests right now if I were to take them.

I have to earn both a minimum score of 410 on each test and an average score of at least 450 on all the tests with a minimum total score of 2,250 and no single test score below 410. Make sense?

So, my online scores were:

Science: 620
Reading: 600
Social Studies: 580
Writing: between 550 & 650 (my best estimate because there's an essay part that effects the actual grade here, and obviously, I don't know how the instructor will grade my essay)
Math: 480
Giving me a total of (using the lowest Writing grade) 2830 points, and an overall average of 566, which meets all the minimum requirements plus some.

I'm happy with that :)

I'm still going to study the math more, and brush up on my essay writing skills, but for now, I'm content.

Wednesday Observations

Osmosis doesn't work, for the record - not for learning anyway. I literally fell asleep IN the math book, face first on the couch last night. Then, this morning, I did the math preGED test online. Didn't score quite high enough... missed one too many. More studying is in order :)

Took 2 language/reading pretests in class. Aced them.

Working on Social Studies now. I learned something - I suck at charts, but not as bad as I suck at Trig so I can deal.

The instructor is pretty cool with letting us handle it as we see fit, as far as what subjects we do, and when, and with the timing of the tests. So I'm going to do the Social Studies preGED in class Tuesday, then head for the Science. Once I score high enough on those, I can totally concentrate on Math, and I can study my ass off over the break and be ship shape for the actual testing when we start the Fall semester.

I have to sleep though. The couple hours I've been getting (because I'm up all night studying) isn't helping any. Sleeping brain cells are simply not absorbant.

1st day of class

The instructor was late. Ha! He's a funny one I tell ya. Not so great at explaining concepts, but hey, we weren't bored!

A girl I went to HS with is in my class - she's not getting her GED, she's what they call Pre-D... no idea, don't ask.

So anyway, class. He let us each decide which subject we wanted to start with. He suggested we start with the ones we are best in, to get the out of the way. Did I listen? Of course not - had to start with math.  So I took the (yet another) mathematics pretest, and BOMBED - I am telling you, the other one was graded wrong, seriously. But, you know what? I brought home the book and I've been studying all night, well, since I got home at 9 anyway.

The book explains a concept, gives you several examples, shows the work and the right answer etc... Then there's a practice exercise. You answer the Q's then check the answers in the back. I'm really getting it, because the answer key explains WHY the answer is what it is. 

Hell, I even did square roots for the first time ever tonight lol. And it doesn't suck too bad.

So I'll study and practice some more tomorrow and Thursday and then go back to class on Thursday night and try another pretest. I actually think I could do a LOT better already. With a couple more days I'm sure it won't be an issue. I just wish this is how high school math class had worked!

I'm really psyched about this whole thing. I'm going to hate the summer break! Next Thursday is the last class until August 21st, and that'll suck!

Anyway, I'm sleeping with the book on my head and hoping for osmosis! Night all!

And the results are in!

Alright, there were 4 portions of the test, but they combine the 2 math sections when they score it all, so there are actually only 3 scores. The lowest you can score is a 0. The highest is a 12.9 (as in 12th grade 9th month)

I got a 12.9, a 12.9, and a 12.9  Wooo hooo!

The whole point of taking the classes is to get you to a point that you can score a 12.9. Since I'm already at a 12.9 in all areas, I could, concievably, go ahead and take the pretests (there are 5 pretests to take before you can actually take the final GED test.)

Unfortunately, because it's a government funded program with a high drop out rate, the government won't turn over the funding until you have to proven that you're not going to drop out, by attending 12 hours of class. That's 2 weeks of class (3 hrs per night, 2 nights per week.) And you can't take any of the pretests until you've done those 12 hours.

There are only 2 weeks left before summer break. It doesn't start back up till August (8th, or 16th, but I'm not sure which) so I won't actually be able to get my GED until after that.

I *know* I've waited 18 years... but I don't want to wait anymore. I *know* August isn't far off at all, but patience is not my strong suit!

(and for the record, I have no freaking clue how I scored a 12.9 on the math. Seriously. It frightens me that they don't expect you to know more math than I do in order to graduate.)

GED Placement Testing

So there were 2 rounds of testing... the first was ridiculously easy... it just gave them an idea of what level you should be tested on for the actual placement. The second one was longer, more in depth, and a little harder.

There were 4 sections - 2 English, 2 math. I know I aced the Englih portions. No worries there. I even think I did OK on the one math section. The other math section I made lots of crazy faces at and really struggled through. (do any of you 35 year olds remember how to divide fractions, or know whether multiplying 2 negatives results in a positive or negative result? And good lord, no I DON'T know how to calculate the volume of a cube.)

So I go back tonight to find out what my scores are, what classes I'll need, and what my schedule will look like. Last night I was just so relieved to be done with the test - today I'm terrified of the test results. Guess I just need something to be freaked out about lol.

A New Logo for Team Nova '07

More 4th pics :)

Being delivered ...

And doused!!! Happy birthday Erin!


These are a couple shots of the load of kids in my yard while we decorated the float on the 3rd... This is BY NO MEANS alllll of the kids, there were more, just not in thiese pics lol




This is Alex, Hunter and Bren (the 3 stooges) while we waited for the parade to get moving


This is the front of the house where we had the cookout after the parade. Do the banners rock or do the banners ROCK!?

And a psychadelic acid-trip pic... the kids had glow sticks as we waited in the dark for the fireworks to start

4th of July

So, OMG was in the local 4th of July parade yesterday :) MAN what fun! 1/4 of our total membership showed up to ride and walk along. Here's a few pics... our professional onsite photographer hasn't edited/posted hers yet - I can't WAIT to see them!



And here is Terra's July 4th get up LOL!


After the parade we headed home an undecorated the float and headed over to one of member's homes for a huge cookout. I tried to count how many showed up to it... even more than for the parade I think. It was huge. And more fun than I can even explain. (pics soon to come...)

They all (50+ people) decided to say Happy Birthday with water balloons LOL. I was drenched. Then came cake... actually 2 cakes... one with MY FACE on it... if you know my friends, you know what jokes that lead to ;)

We hung out till after 11 last night and came home EXHAUSTED. Terra was asleep in the van before we even pulled out. She's such a good kid. If only they stayed 4, it's the perfect age. Unfortunately, they turn 13, or 16, or even 17... and they make you wonder why becoming a nun seemed like such a bad idea back in the day...

It was an awesome day. It's only been since we opened OMG that I've really HAD friends... I mean, I had friends, but not like this... It's awesome to have this group, where all the families come together and hang out like family. I really think of a lot of these women as my family... Guess you'd have to know the dynamics of my fucked up (real) family to understand why that's so special to me.

Anyway. It's 1am, and I need to at least petend to get some sleep - I have a playdate to o to in the morning! :)

r blog

Rosie O has a blog. I love her, and her blog, and her poetry, and her photos...

You can ask Rosie questions, and she comes through and answers selected ones. She gets so many in a day she can't answer them all. I asked her a question today. I've asked it before. I asked for her support in the Heart Walk. Who knows if she has even read mine. Seriously, the volume is staggering.

at 12:09, I asked Rosie question #1304:

even if you don't donate, please post this, so others can? https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=211173&supId=160575062

She's big on children's charities. But the AHA isn't really a children's charity now is it. I hope she posts it, or that I get some sort of response. I doubt I will.

So. How's the weather?

It's been ridiculously hot and humid here the last few weeks. Tonight we had a dry thunderstorm... pretty, but useless. We have what they call a "drought" here in NC every summer (of course, every time it flurries, they call it a blizzard too) so it would have been nice to get the rain, but then again, the rain seems to just add to tomorrow's humidity... My yard is green and my garden is blooming, and I haven't watered in weeks, since they instated the water conservation mandates (even though they don't technically apply to me, it just feels irresponsible to water right now...) so it must not be much of a drought.

My garden. LOL. It's a wreck. The heat and humidity make weeding even more miserable than it normally is, so the crab grass is taking over. I added a water feature several months ago... the wild life loves it. We have butterflies and dragonflies and hummingbirds. Actually, we have all sorts of birds that always seem to travel in pairs. And rabbits by the dozen too, not so thrilled with them, they really like my hostas.

We also have, because of the water feature, mosquitoes. Not so happy abut that either, and I've been contemplating ways to combat them. We considered some disks that ya throw in the water that kill the larvae, but I try to stay away from chemicals ...not that I'm claiming to be "green" at all... I do like my seven dust and the ocassional spritz of RoundUp... but I was afraid these disks would kill my water lilies. So I thought about some fish, but once the temperatures started hitting the 90's, the water got to be like a bath, with no shade, in full sun all day, and limited oxygenation. I don't want to kill fish, so we opted not to buy any and even try it.

So, I thought and I thought, and decided frogs would be good. I went on OMG and asked anyone if there was a creek or pond near their house where I could snatch some tadpoles and start a froggie community. The answer was a resounding no. No tadpoles anywhere. So I figured I was stuck with my mosquitoes. Until tonight. Tonight I heard music. The songs of frogs, right there in my garden, from the water. It didn't turn me on much, but I'm hoping I just don't understand the language of froggie love, cuz I want to see some serious tadpoles swimming in that little pond, and soon! And until I do, those frogs better be feasting on my mosquitoes dang it!