Today I took a civil service exam for work. Yes, I'm a boring state worker. Hey, it pays the bills. Anyway, I hadn't taken a test like this in years. I don't even want the job it was for, so I guess it helps that I didn't really give a rat's ass about how I did on the exam. Some people were studying their asses off. I never understood the whole thing of studying for standardized tests. I remember a whole bunch of people paying all kinds of money to take these intensive SAT-training classes when I was in high school. Most of them agreed that it was a waste afterwards. And this exam didn't really have a lot of things you could study about. Pretty much general knowledge and common sense. When one of the possible answers to a question about why the state doesn't have cleanliness standards for welfare clients is "A little dirt never hurt anyone," you just have to laugh and then disturbingly wonder if someone will actually fill in the corresponding circle to that answer. But still, some people were all worked up before AND after the exam.
The only thing that scared me throughout this whole process was an unwelcome visit from someone I thought I had kept hidden better. One of my coworkers found out that I was cursed with being good at math, so she asked me to help her out with some math equations a couple of weeks ago. She was also taking a math class for continuing ed at the same time, so I helped her with that as well. She would leave me her book at my desk and I would write out the answers to some problems, outlining the methods to get each answer. That was all well and good until I started doing extra equations just for the heck of it. I was even semi-enjoying it. I was skipping ahead chapters, writing down stuff for her to have for future classes. Then, as I was driving home that night, my mind started to wander and I was remembering all of the silly algebraic functions that she would be facing soon. I laughed about the FOIL method and started bopping my head to the "First, Outer, Inner, Last" mantra. Then I started making up problems and doing them in my head. I heard an alarm start sounding, so I looked to see where the emergency vehicle was so I could pull over and let it pass, but then I realized that wasn't the alarm I was hearing. No, this one was in my head. Red lights were flashing and my "Inner Nerd" alarm was blaring at full blast. No! No! Not her! I thought I locked her down in the basement with Crazy Aunt Lenora! Stay down there, no, go away! I keep my inner nerd down somewhere near the room where I harbor my secret shame of having been on the math team for 4 years when I was younger. In my defense, I got my ass right off of it as soon as it was voluntary. But from 5th to 8th grade, I was a mathlete. Oh, the horror. Who does math for fun? Why did I go to those stupid meets? I didn't enjoy it. I was one of those people who was too "cool" to be a nerd. I must have gone to the meets for the free refreshments. Yes, it was probably the lure of the big kegger container from McDonald's that was full of their Hi-C orange drink. That was the sweet elixir of every youth function I attended for years. I still order it every now and then when I go to McDonald's. I then curse them for not having the old school Happy Meal boxes. Who wants a Happy Meal bag? Lame.
I'm off to purge any test-taking demons from my body. I think some Midori shall do the trick. Happy weekend!
Celebrity Boyfriend of the Day: Jake Gyllenhaal
Jakey! I adore the Gyllenhaal. He really needs to make more movies, though. The Good Girl comes close to being my favorite Jake movie, but you really just can't beat Donnie Darko. (I'll be at the midnight screening tomorrow! Why are you wearing that silly rabbit suit?) Dunst, you are a lucky woman.
before & after
2007-09-26 - Follow Me!
2006-09-30 - Site Move & Favorite Entries
2006-09-25 - Evil Easter Bunnies & Rock Climbing!
2006-09-22 - Shameful-Purchase Hiding & A New Dentist Plan
2006-09-19 - Birthday Picture/Video Diary & The Wheelmobile
Copyright 2003-2006 by Sockgirlie. Stealing is wrong.