This week’s post is another weekly school story/ breakdown. Well, more like a short light-hearted one-sided conversation. Hah. Well, let’s go!

Oh my god, was last week a daze. So last week was Thanksgiving break. One full week of no school, hours of free time, and no work. Something truly looked forward to every year. Well, so was I. Was. In the future, at that point I still will, but given how the after effects of this year’s break were, ehhhhhh. Not really.

Almost every time there’s a long weekend or a break at least 4 days long, I forget everything. Literally. I can never seem to get back into my schedule. Maybe this happens to everyone, but I’ve experienced it multiple times lately. Following Halloween, we got Monday no Tuesday off from school. On Wednesday, when I returned, I forgot my ID. I was panicking so bad because I was terrified some teacher would find out I didn’t have it and would make me stay outside until I did. I remember hearing a story in 5th grade of a boy who didn’t wear his ID and couldn’t go to school unless he found it. I was fortunate enough that my dad was able to bring it to me before school started. The next day, I forgot my chrome book. So once again I had to call one of my parents to drop it off. After a few days, it was normal again. However, this week was also a disaster.

So, on Monday I forgot my chrome book. And in the first half of the week I thought I lost my violin tuner. When I was reviewing for my quiz on Wednesday, I forgot all my proofs and theorems in Geometry. Oh and then I had a hard time reviewing for my Brain Function Test on Friday because I couldn’t get the Olfactory Bulbs/tracts and Optic nerves/chiasms right. I also completely blanked out on my math test for a good 5 minutes before I was able to get into my senses. ( I still got a 104/105 though. Disappointingly, I lost 1 point in a very minor and frustrating error.) I also messed up on one question of my math quiz and didn’t read my writing correctly , so I messed up and lost 2 points.

Before the break begins I’m so relieved and joyous and grateful I get a break. I mean, do you know how much work you get before the break?! Like at least 6 assignments and 3-4 quizzes or tests before. It’s such a relief when you finally get a break. But then it ends and you feel so drained. Breaks are helpful, relaxing, and exciting, but also annoying, troublesome, and tiring. Although I get a lot of time to myself and can feel good in that moment, it’s really difficult to get back into that same work mode again.

After seeing what happens after a 4 day break and full week break, I wonder what’s going to happen after winter break. I’ll be leaving for winter vacation a week early so I’ll miss the last week of school for the 2021 year. So after missing 3 weeks of school, I’m most likely going to be in the grumpiest and most sour mood to exist when I return. I’ll probably have forgotten everything and will leave the majority of my stuff behind at home. Can’t wait for that. It’s funny. I just get back into my regular schedule and routine, and then it’s going to break again.

Apart from that, I’m super excited for the next few weeks. This Monday I literally told myself that days pass by really quick, and it’s only this week full of work before I get free days. Well, less work-filled days. See, next week after Tuesday, as far as I know I have the next few days a bit casual. I may have a quiz in between, but otherwise, it’s gonna be great. Next Thursday I have a Winter Orchestra Concert which I am super excited for. It’ll be my first time performing for a live audience in almost 2 years. I unfortunately wasn’t feeling well the day of my Fall concert so I had to miss that. However, this time it'll be great. I also get to perform as concertmaster for my orchestra, and I am really excited. Especially with the pieces we get to play. Jingle bell rock, Harry Potter, and Ode to Joy. Ode to joy is a kind of tradition each year where all orchestras play a part of the piece together. Jingle bell rock is pretty simple. But Harry Potter is the best. We did a run-through of the whole piece on Tuesday and it was so lit. It’s one of the harder pieces we are playing this year, so it’s a new experience. Because of that, it makes playing it even better. I cannot wait to play it in front of an audience. It’s so energetic in the end as the tempo increases, and it’s definitely an adrenaline rush just from listening.

Also, we have Holiday Tours on the day after. This is also a tradition with our school where we go around and play for the elementary schools nearby and show the kids there how great the fine arts department is. Band, Orchestra, and choir perform there, and it’s really exciting. When I was younger, it was something I always looked forward to and loved, and I’m really excited that Iget to be a part of it this time. I never imagined I would be in that same place of those musicians who I admired, and would be able to play for kids who would do the same in the following years.

Then, the evening of that Friday I have my first All Region rehearsal. It’s my first time getting into All Region and I’m looking forward to that as well. Compared to All District, I’ll be playing with kids from all over the region of Texas. On Saturday we’ll have one final rehearsal before we put on a concert. Then, on the following Monday I will be leaving for an early winter break. More details on that will come later. But anyways, it’s gonna be great. So many Orchestra live playing days. I’m really looking forward to next week. 

Oh and one last thing. I got to dissect a sheep brain. Twice. It was pretty enjoyable. A lot of people when they see organs or have to dissect body parts they get disgusted and cannot look at it or stand the smell. For me, it was fine. It looked pretty normal. I’d say the most amusing part to me was when my other teammates were completely disgusted by the smell while I was unbothered. It smelled like dead fish, and was oddly normal. The first of the two dissections was a labeling one where we had to dissect and label the interior and exterior of the brain. This included the cortexes, cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, lobes, hypothalamus, corpus callosum, and thalamus. The second day was a mystery disease activity. Our team’s patient had a problem in the Central Nervous System- more specifically the hypothalamus- so we got to dissect another brain to root out our problem. I found it most fascinating how you could see where the problem was inside the brain. Although there was a mix up with the labeling when they were being sent and we got a different group’s brain, it was fascinating to see how the part where there was a problem/disease was most prominent. Here’s a picture down below. 

So yeah. Sheep brain dissections helped me get out of my exhausted state and progress through the long week.

Other than that nothing else really happened. About 87% of my week was just me being done with everything and exhausted, 8% was me being excited for cutting open a sheep brain, 3% was me manifesting the excitements of next week, and the remaining 2% was me thinking life is good. I dunno. Sometime between the week I started feeling good and told myself everything was all right. I have no idea where that came from, but it’s positive reassurance that is comforting to know. That’s pretty much how my entire week went. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and an excellent evening. Bye!

Motorcycles. What a…rather unique topic to write about. It’s a slightly random post today, bringing up two-wheeled motorized vehicles out of the countless others. In reality, I couldn’t come up with anything else. But, I’ve been thinking about this. I myself don’t know much about them. At most, the only thing I could come up with from what I know about them is that they have two wheels and an engine.

I guess this is similar to my Whiskey post, where I randomly wrote on a topic and gave some facts. It’s not bad to randomly talk about something informational every once in a while. Plus, this will be another learning experience for me as well.

Let’s first start with what defines a motorcycle. A two-wheeled vehicle that is powered by a motor and doesn’t have pedals. Given that, we have a basic image in our heads, like the one down below.

But, this is only one of the different types of motorcycles that exist. They look similar, yet each one has a specific purpose and style as to where or how it is ridden. Out of the many different types of motorcycles, I’m choosing to write about 4 types. Standard, Cruiser, Bagger, and Touring. Also, I’m going to be going off of Indian Motorcycles and their bikes for this post.

I also want to explain what cc means. When I write something like 125 cc, I’m talking about 125 cubic centimeters. The cc is used to measure the displacement of a motorcycle engine. A motorcycle’s displacement is another way to measure the volume of its cylinders (hence cubic), or more simply, measures the amount of space the engine’s pistons sweep within one stroke.
More displacement can mean a more powerful engine, but not necessarily more speed. For example, a standard bike can go faster than a bagger, despite the bagger having more cc, because the standard bike is smaller and weighs less.

Fairing is an external metal or plastic structure added to increase streamlining and reduce drag, especially on a high-performance car, motorcycle, boat, or aircraft.

Standard-


The oldest motorcycle style that manufactures have been producing, and a common favorite because of it’s simple design and suiting for all purposes. It has an upright seating position with the handlebar at waist height that offers a balanced riding position.

It has variations from 125 cc up to 1,000cc and can be fit with luggage, a tank bag, or a different seat.

Cruiser-

Designed for cruising, the Cruiser has a lower seat height for relaxed riding position and easy control. The engine sizes vary from a small displacement to 1,000 cc or more. ( Usually from 125 to 1,000cc)

Power cruisers have greater performance than usual, more horsepower, stronger brakes, and better suspension. Thye have higher levels of power, and often come with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and premium surface finishes.

Bagger-

Baggers are more comfortable bikes that can be taken on the open road. They can dominate miles with high-displacement engines . They have saddlebags which offer plenty of storage for riding gear, cargo, or anything needed to hit the road. Baggers have a customizable selection of frame, fairings, and windshields which can keep you from being knocked around by the wind. 

Baggers also can have a two-up seating configuration.

Touring-

Touring motorcycles are perfect for long-distance rides as it has amenities and comfort for both the rider and passenger. They commonly have large displacement fairings and windshields that offer a high degree of weather and wind protection, large-capacity fuel tanks for long ranges, engines with a great deal of low-end horsepower, and a more relaxed upright seating position.

It’s typically larger than most other motorcycles, and has typically large engine sizes to be able to keep up highway speeds, and haul a large amount of extra gear+ clothes. Engine sizes can range from 1,000 to 1,800 cc.

Why do people ride motorcycles?

My guess would be the thrill. I’ve gotten the chance to ride with my dad on his motorcycle a few times, and it’s always been exciting? Why? Because of the thrill. The thrill of going at an incredible speed with nothing but the wind stopping you. It’s something that gives freedom. No one can stop you at that moment from going wherever you want. Nothing holds you back, and allows you to feel that sense of flying because of it’s open build. Although having to sit pressed against someone’s back with a firm non-negotiable grip around their waist isn’t the same, it gives a similar feeling.

I would also say because of what it sounds like. You can’t really hear much when riding due to the wind, but it’s helpful. I don’t remember what it sounds like, but it’s a bit blurred when you ride. You don’t hear a lot of sounds other than the occasional cars and wind whipping past you, and that’s calming as well. It blocks out the sound that can distract you, and lets you hear how fast you’re going instead. You don’t get that type of power and speed with cars or other vehicles, making it much more exciting with motorcycles. That sound also builds the thrill. The faster you go, the more blurred it sounds, and more thrill you get.

It can also be there to burn stress. When you ride, you feel calm. It sort of reboots your system and re-energizes you. It allows you to forget what’s on your mind and just enjoy the feeling of being free, and by yourself.

I also want to include friendship. My dad always shares stories about his rides whenever he gets home, and it always sounds warm when he shares a memory with his friends along the way. Going on a solo trip is great, but it’s better with friends. On that trip, they’ve all put down hectic schedules and work to do one thing you all love, and that’s riding. Either for short trips to close states, or long road trips across the country, they'll be there. You create a special, a new specific bond with your friends when you ride, and that’s another reason why people do it.


Difference between a biker group and biker gang:

When I was younger, I asked this question to my dad. Whenever I thought of a biker, I was always thinking of some biker gang or a person who was bad and rode on a bike while harming people. So when my dad got a bike, I got confused, and a bit worried. He later explained to me the difference.

A biker group, or motorcycle club, is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. They all share the same passion and interest in motorcycles, and that’s why they form a club. Most clubs are either organized around a particular brand or make, or around a type of riding.

Biker gangs/ Outlaw motorcycle clubs however, do not usually adhere to the American Motorcyclist Association’s ( AMA) rules. Some members of outlaw motorcycle clubs participate in criminal activities and organized crime.

Why I want a bike:

Like I mentioned at the beginning, I have a dream motorcycle/bike in mind that I want to have when I’m older. How did it come to this, well….I don’t know. Honestly, I never imagined myself ever wanting a motorcycle in the future. I never liked them that much or thought they were great. But one day very recently I guess something clicked in my mind and now I want a motorcycle of my own. 

I guess mainly because they're cool. I mean, look.

Indian FTR

                                                  

Doesn’t this look like a really cool ride to school. You can ride onto campus on this and get off cooly while everyone looks at you in awe. Heh. And maybe because I like bikes in general. I’ve always loved riding bikes. I really love that freedom of my own “vehicle” and going to my friends’ house by myself or hanging out with them. It’s like a form of independence I suppose. But you can’t take a regular bicycle everyday when you get older, so I guess that’s why I decided I wanted a motorized bike instead. ( AKA motorcycle.)

Achievements/Gear:

What comes to mind when you think of a motorcyclist? Probably some person with a vest covered with patches standing next to a bike. Or maybe not. But anyway, usually these vests serve a greater purpose than as protection or a stylish overcoat. They can represent a treasure for some. My dad owns a vest himself, and on it he had many patches of different places he's been. For example, the Three Twisted Sisters. It’s like a trophy. A piece of clothing that shows the different achievements and places you’ve been and have. Or it could just be a way to represent yourself. It doesn’t necessarily have to have patches of your achievements, but to show who you are. To show the world when you ride what it means to be a rider to you, and what you see of yourself.

The bond between a rider and their bike:

You know how ships have names? I’m not sure about big ships, but for small ships the captain or whoever owns it gives it a name. Ever wonder why? Because that’s their partner. It’s their most trusted friends on a journey. Same with bikes. Bikers name their bikes as well because that’s their only companion on the road. The bike is the one that is with them and the one that will take care of them on their ride. The vehicle is the one that’s helping you get there, and is the one that will protect you. You basically trust it to help you reach your destination safely. Giving it a name is like a form of respect. And that respect is the bond. If you treat it right, it’ll treat you right as well. Take care of it, and it'll take care of you as well.

And so that’s all I have on motorcycles and bikers. I hope you all got to learn a little more about them like I did. After doing some research and writing this, I actually became more aware of what it meant to be a rider and understand why they like it more as well.I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and are well. Bye!

It’s been 9 years, and the journey has finally come to an end. Well, partially. Let me be more specific. After 9 years, my journey on the Kumon Reading program has finally ended. It ended some time ago in August, but very recently, something very exciting has brought it up. But before that, let’s travel 9 years back to where it all started.

2012-2013:

I don’t remember the exact details of when I first started Kumon, but according to my parents, it was around when I was 4. I had first started the reading program, and my dad says that this was so I could be able to read. Reading doesn’t necessarily refer to books or text comprehension or just words in general, but instead, it means to recognize something and understand what it means. In math, you read numbers and graphs, you can read different languages, signs, animal tracks, etc. All these are based on the basics of reading, and that’s primarily why my parents wanted me to start with reading before math. Skip forward a year to 2014.

2014:

I don’t remember much of 2014 as well, but there is one specific memory I have. Before I share, let me explain how the programs are structured. In Kumon, there are5th-grade5th-grade different levels, and they each focus on different skills. While both Programs are organized slightly differently, they both have a similar structure of what should be focused on in a certain set, and both have more content in the next level based on what was learned.

Anyways, I’m not sure the exact year this happened, but, after a few minutes of intense calculation and photo searching, I believe it would have been sometime in 2014. I remember how one day, I was told that I would no longer be sitting with the Early Learners, and would have to sit with the older kids. I was pretty much confused at that time, but now looking back, I think it was because I had passed the Early Learning/Developing Skills levels. After that, I remember having to sit with the older kids and do my work instead of with my friends. I think sometime into 2014 I began the math program as well. ( And a side note, it was the year I first started learning the violin as well.)

Another memory I have about Kumon doesn’t exactly relate to the program itself, but how it’s helped me. I remember when I was in 1st grade, we were taking a quiz and I remember it being in addition. Vertical, aka ‘stacking’, the addition of 3-digit numbers. I very specifically remember how I already knew how to do this and kept saying it to myself when I first saw the paper. I’m not sure if this is entirely true, but I think I was the first to finish and was surprised to see my classmates struggling. I do not know what my 7-year-old brain was thinking, but that is what I very clearly remember of that year.

2015:

2015 is one of the years I have specific memories from. I moved from Ohio to Texas in 2015, started writing a blog very shortly after I moved, and began a new school in a new state that year as well. It was a spur of fast-moving changes that were overwhelming and complex at that time. Anyways, before I had moved, we had taken A LOT of Kumon packets with us so I still had that habit of Kumon, and to keep me working until school started, or we found another Kumon center for me to attend. I remember lying around in an apartment with piles of Level CII packets around me. I remember working on a made-up story about a woman called Petite Mama who lived far away and sold crops. Fascinating what the brain remembers, isn’t it?

I do remember when I started at a new Kumon Center. It was a new building, a new Instructor, and I was terrified. I eventually got used to it, and slowly started picking up from where I left off at my previous center.

2016:

There was only one change that happened that year. My mom started working at the Center so she could take over. Because of this, two things happened. One, I would have to start going to after-school care, which I dislike very much, and two, I would no longer go to the Center run-person. Since my mom worked there, she would bring me the packets regularly.

Another thing that happened was that I was chosen to take the CBE (Credit by Examination) test for math. I think that at that time, they wanted to see how it would go, and for that, there were 7 kids, including me, in 3rd grade who were chosen to take it. Out of that, 6 of us passed, and in 4th grade, we all took 5th-grade math. From that moment until now, I've been taking accelerated math, and am currently taking Geometry in 8th grade.

2017:

4th grade. The main part of 4th grade was 5th-grade math. It was a bit complicated as I was taking math a grade higher than normal, and because I had only learned the previous course over a few months. It was really fun though. I enjoyed taking it. I have a memory from this year as well. We were learning fractions, and I couldn’t help but beam through the entire lesson as I had learned how to use fractions long before. I just couldn’t help but feel good that I knew something others didn’t. Not in a smug, “Haha, I know more than you do!” way, but more, “Oh, I’ve learned this before!! I know how to do this!” way. It’s like when you know what something means or can do something that others haven’t, and the teacher lets you show the others or be an example. It was one of those moments.

2018:

Okay, 2018 was a terrible year for me. I’ve mentioned and complained many, many times how much last year brought me down and how much it set me back, but I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that this had happened previously before as well. It wasn’t for all subjects, but more for math. I struggled HEAVILY that year, and most of my grades consisted of B’s and C’s. I don’t remember a time I ever got a 100 that year in math.

There was a point I got a 54 and had to completely redo the test to pass. I remember the amount of embarrassment and shame I felt on myself that day, as I could feel my classmates watching me, sitting there with tears rolling down, as my teacher explained what I did wrong to me. Although it was in a corner of the classroom, I could feel them watching my every move. It was the most humiliation I felt that day, and I was so ashamed of myself. I prided myself for being in accelerated math, but I had dropped so low I didn’t even know if I should still be proud or not. When I told them, I knew I had let them down and was frustrated with myself. I just couldn’t bring myself up from where I was that year. Although it got better, I was still so low and doing terrible that year. The best score from that year was 94. After that incident, my dad said that I had to get above a 90 to earn his trust back. I worked the best I could and managed to get a 94. It’s not one of my best memories of that year, but it was the fuel for my determination to not slip again the next year.

I also had some problems in Kumon that year as well. In Kumon, there are achievements you can make such as G by 4 or J by 6. They’re reaching specific levels in or before you reach a certain grade. In this case, I was aiming for G by 4. The problem was, I kept failing the test. This happened mainly because I didn’t do so well in the packets. Both for math and reading. Every time I got corrections back, it would just be red pen after red pen on each page. I went easy on everything. I had no real interest in doing it and didn’t bother to do the corrections no matter how many times my mom told me to. I think because I kept struggling in Kumon, I developed that habit when working, of not paying attention to my work, and that affected my grades that year. This set me back some time in the Program, and I do hope it never happens again.

2019:

After taking that vow to never drop so low in math again, I aimed to work hard and do my best in middle school. It was a new year, a new school, and a new environment. I wanted to start over and put my best effort into Kumon and my academics that year. One particular thing I loved about Kumon that year was that it had started teaching me algebraic functions. However, I didn’t do it…properly. I’m going to confess something I know is wrong, and I have kept to myself for some time now. I had looked up the answers for Level J several times. I had done the work though.  Looking back I regret it, as it was a reason I was set back once more, and because it is wrong. 

 Although I tried to compensate for it, it doesn’t fix the fact that I could have done the level once, and correctly.

2020:

We all know this year. Ah yes, the year you all know. The year where I did not push myself and was very relaxed when working. Yeah. I don’t think you need more explanation. For Kumon, it went well. I started level J for reading and was almost done with my second attempt at Level J for math. Math was slow because of that extra time, but Reading went by really fast. I completed Level J and started K that year. A little more than halfway through the school year, I completed Level J and started Level K. And that brings us to this year.

2021:

At the start of this year, I was on Level K for math, and Level L for reading. Was. Meaning, I finished Level L this year. I finished it this August5th-grade5th-grade and completed the entire Reading Program. Looking back, it has been an incredible journey to get this far. I’ve gone through so many ups and downs during this, and it only feels like yesterday where I was on level FI. Time goes by so fast, and who would have known that I would be done with the Reading Program after 9 years. I’ve done all the levels, and seen every part of it to get here, and now it’s over. I still have math, and that’ll take who knows how long. ( It finishes at Level O) Right now, I’ve completed Level K, but I’m stuck on reviewing it before I test. ( Maximum and Minimum are giving me a hard time.)

I’ve slowed down a bit since school started, in Kumon, but I’m trying to bring that stamina and determination to complete the Program back. After I complete the Math Program, I’ll be done with Kumon entirely, and have done both Programs from start to finish. This is my goal. I’ve already gotten everything else completed in the Math Program, and completion is the only thing left.

Apart from just completing the Reading Program, something even more amazing has happened. So, in Kumon each month there are certificates that come. Based on your grade, Level, and Level place for that month, you get a ranking along with other kids in that same category. I recently got mine, and I have “ranked 1 out of 4098 students in 7th grade in the USA, by reaching L 200 by August 2021.”

Ever since I’ve received my first award, I started aiming for higher. There are 4 “ranks”. Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. I first started getting Gold, and that’s when I decided to work harder to get Platinum. I’ve started to get all Platinum for a few years now and to be honest, I’ve never thought further about my ranking. However, after seeing what my rank for August was, my new goal for math is to climb higher and rank 1st for math as well. In August, I ranked 848 out of 9302 students in the grade by reaching K 180. It’s okay, but it could be better. It could go higher, and now I want to work so it becomes 1.

Reading ranking

Math ranking

Kumon has helped me come a really long way. It’s helped me in so many ways other than just Math and Reading. It’s helped me learn to work independently by learning new concepts and understanding them myself, working through difficult problems I may not understand, and applying what I already know to go further. It’s helped shape my working style and method in order to get things done efficiently and correctly. Although I’m relieved I’ve finally finished the Reading Program, I know I’ll miss it. Maybe long after I’ve completed both programs, I’ll still want to go back and do Kumon again. It’s been, and still is, a part of my daily life for a very long time, and I want to keep working and doing it until the end. I’ve gotten this far already, and giving up would be a waste. So, I’ll keep working to complete the Math Program.