Awesooble!

Stina our cellist and Elinor our pianist are missing in this photo! :(

Yesterday, all our hardcore ensemble practices paid off. We went on the stage all white to honour Dr. Whiteley, and we rocked it. We managed to receive the trophy, and add it to our trophy cabinet! To be honest, I'm rather happy to finally stop playing that song over and over. Now I can concentrate on playing other songs on the violin...

After the ensemble competition, my friend accidentally left with my phone and keys. I had to break my lock open and go get a new lock, before the shops closed. I hurried off to Gallerian, and on my way to there, I had a nice conversation with Mr. Taylor on the train. When I arrived in T-Centralen, I rushed to Clas Ohlson to get my new orange lock. While there though, I recalled Dr. Pratt telling me last Tuesday that he didn't have a working calculator for pH calculations, so as a random decision, I bought him the same calculator that Marius and I have.

When I came to school today, during my first lesson (English with Dr. Whiteley), Maria gave us chocolate muffins, congratulating us for our Pavlovian victory the day before. She also later then promised, that everytime we win, we will always get something baked for our class! Really, this is an awesooble deal, since she's awesooble in baking...

Next lesson, it was chemistry. I gave Dr. Pratt the calculator I bought, and he was simply overjoyed. He gave me a huge bear hug. :) Later on during the lesson, he gave us cake and FINALLY showed us a presentation of him from when he was our age until now. We got to know that he was the biggest alcoholic ever in our age, and that he is extremely athletic. At the end of all the photos and stories though, he asked, "Do you know why I'm showing this you?". Of course we didn't so he continued: "Because I'm 40 as of today".

Can you believe that my random nice feeling of buying Dr. Pratt a present was in perfect timing? I thought that that was just... unbelievable. God's plan? Meant to be? Nevertheless, these series of events can only be described by one word: awesooble.

Crissy man

In our household, we have pretty much gotten used to that every weekend, there is a great possibility of one of our closest friends Criss to come sleep over. It has pretty much been this way because we help him with school-work. Anyway, our apartment is like a second home for him now. :)

It all started with random cookie bakings. After that it became maths... biology... English ... You name it. Criss even has his own toothbrush now, bed and own pjamas here at our place. Normally, we're not exactly that much of a host to be honest. We always have to make a big fuss when receiving guests that's why. Criss is an exception though. ^^

Mom just said right now: "I guess it's nice that people feel comfortable with us". I completely agree. It's nice to know that there are people who feel comfortable with one, so comfortable you get used to having them around. So comfortable, they accept all your good sides together with the flaws. So comfortable, they pretty much know you inside and out. One is so open with one another, that it nearly comes to no surprise to have the door open for that person anytime.

"When all else fails"

"When all else fails" - Marius and my titription for our new dictionary. Yes, we're so awesooble like that. Snowboarding probably made us go in such a mood that we come up with totally random word-phrases...

My arms' in pain. My legs' in pain. My neck's in pain. My torso's in pain...but despite it all, it's totally worth it! :D

I haven't snowboarded for two years, but two days ago, I finally did once again. What can I say? It was totally awesome!!! :D I want to go snowboarding again during the Sports Break!

There is some feeling of adrenaline, outburst of energy, freedom, when going down those slopes on a board. The wind blowing through your face and entire body, trying to stop you from going in such a speed. Each single snowflake hitting my goggles creating a large impact than it really should, due to the speed. No, when going those slopes, I feel alive and unstoppable. It feels as though I am breaking through every single thing trying to hold me back. When going down those slopes on a snowboard, I feel invincible.

Valentine's Eve

It's that time of the year once again. To be honest, I don't really care about this day - anymore. Before, yes of course, you know the usual, "Oh my goodness I hope he asks me out, I hope I get a rose blablabla"... Now, it's more like, "Oh, it's Valentine's?"

Because of my current thinking, I think it backfired on me.

Well, at school yesterday, there was nothing special except for the great helium balloons in the corridors and the roses people were walking around with. I didn't get one, if you were wondering. It was a totally average day. After school, it was Pavlov practice, General Assembly with Tito Frank at church and Criss sleeping over. I was sooo tired by the end of the day (as usual?).

Today however, was different. I went to Jasse's 18th birthday party, and well, yeah. On my way home, Lyon & I went off Gullmarsplan and I had to wait for like 15 min for my tram, whereas Lyon's train was going to come in around a minute. Great, I thought, 15 min by myself in Gullmarsplan during midnight. Ouch. When Lyon's train came though, I turned around and saw someone hug me, it was someone I know and like quite a bit. :) Yay, I wont be alone afterall I thought.

We talked, and really, I love talking with him. He's such a nice person to talk to. We talked about our day, the previous day and of course the day after. Apparently neither of us had plans for tomorrow. Silence... then I changed subject to relieve the awkward-ness.

Eventually, I had to go to my tram so we said goodbye. When I rushed away, he said wait. I turned around then he told me: "I hope you have a nice Valentine's Day". I smiled and said: "Same to you", then rushed away. After that, I realised. I checked my phone, it stood that it was 12.05. Crap, it's Valentine's Day.

I wonder, why did he come in perfect timing at around exactly 12.00, Valentine's day? If I realised that earlier, I wonder what would have happened then, and tomorrow? Well, after that though, I went home feeling like the biggest idiot ever.

Smoking Kills

Well, I just feel like putting this here, as I find it a worthwhile read.
My friend recently posted a pro-smoking blog, and this is my response to it, translated to English:

"Sam said ...

I ABSOLUTELY do not agree with you. I think you know that already though.

Why you may I ask? Well, it is because then I would really offend someone who was a father-figure to me, someone I care a lot about.

My great-grandfather/uncle was a very famous man in the Philippines, because he was a successful journalist/writer. Billy Balbastro was his name, and at about your age, he began to smoke. He smoked until he was around 40, when he stopped because he had too many cases when he was taken to hospital. He could hardly breathe anymore. He had lung cancer. He died two years ago at the age of 67.

He regretted smoking completely. Why? Well, it took his life. He was very religious, and apologized to God several times. He asked about having more time or to undo everything. This cannot be done of course, so instead, he asked to die in peace on Mother Mary's day, a Saturday. That prayer, was answered.

Despite everything you said, smoking is a sin. You are destroying something sacred, something God has created. God's temple. Sure, you can certainly always say that there is insufficient evidence, but as I said before, it is not sufficiency that counts. That smoking already leads to bad consqeuences should suffice as a reason. God would not want to do something that would kill you - commit suicide?

Is to destroy the temple of God better than not being able to participate in some social communities? Is to calm onself temporarily, better than to remove several years of your life? Is it really worth it to throw away a gift received from God?"

Then, Now and Later?

It turned out that I was one of the priveleged and lucky to go to the Cambridge meeting yesterday. So, Marius, Shuai and I sat on our own green couch during the meeting - the 1337 trio reunited as always. Haha. Ever since the 1337 project week last December, its always been great to see and be with them :)

We learnt a lot there actually, it was very informative. They were quite literal when they said something like this: "Being the few selected and coming from this school, you are one of the best in the world. However,you have to be EXCEPTIONAL. Straight MVGs are not good enough". Our response: Great...

During that meeting, I also learnt that I was not unique in my life-long dream. Apparently, Marius wants the EXACT same thing as me. I was shocked. A medical degree with a PhD in biochemistry. I thought I was special but not anymore! Well, what did they tell us about our aims in life then? Apparently, we REALLY need to start getting work experience... and so, I asked Fr. Kristoff later on that day about volunteering in Josephina Hemmet. However, he responded with an even better offer, maybe Marius and I might be volunteering in Stockholms Sjukhem... :) Shuai on the other hand, being the extreme math genius he is, was nonchalant with his subject of choice - physics.

What else did I get to know about the future? Well, I have decided, my real goal is to come into a university in the UK. That then means that it's not a long time left until I have to apply for universities etc. Apparently, I have to apply for all the UK tests next month and apply to my universities of choice latest this October. Does it sound like a long time? Definitely not even close to enough for me!

What does that then tell me about now? It's not that obvious, it's just that I have to study and spend less days like yesterday. Yesterday, after school, I then went to daily mass as usual, and then Teddy, Criss, Ate and I continued to the Fredagsträffen. There we didn't do anything but chill around, talk, guitar etc. It was nice to be honest. After the Fredagsträffen, Teddy and Criss slept over to our house, but I was so tired that I went to bed and woke up recently seeing them all gone. Sad. I even forgot to help Criss in Biology. :(

It seems like I've been writing quite a lot about the future recently. To be honest, it's because I'm quite scared of it. What if I don't even get anything I write about here? What if, I get the absolute opposite? Only time can tell, and so far, I believe that I still have the chance to make everything happen!

Oh future, must you run after me?

Some typical nerdy natural science goodness:

f(L<3)=(Sam + x)^076.......
√-x/0 = apocalypse - "la racine d'une numéro negatif et divisé par zéro"

If you don't understand our jokes, it just tells you that you're still normal. :)

***

So far, it has pretty much been school-church-even more school-violin-school-SCHOOL... Well, I should not be complaining though, as I am pretty much enjoying it as it goes by. However, it hasn't always been the usual. I actually have done a lot of work lately. Not only for my school (such as loads of PR work several days in a row - for no pay) but also "real" work haha. I can't believe that working can actually be fun. Dancing in the kitchen, why not?

If you think about it, why am I doing all these things in the first place. Why not, take a "chill pill" like what some tell me to do. I'm overworking myself they say. Well, no, I'd seriously be depressed if I didn't do anything. Also, I'm doing it like an investment for the future.

Right now, we have been thinking a lot about our future at school. It's time to make the real decisions. For example, we just decided our electives for next year (I picked: Math E, Chem Extended, Bio Extended and Philosophy A) and this Friday, a couple of people from Cambridge are coming to our school to talk to a selected secret number of ten students, hopefully me being one of them. So far, the future is a rather famous subject.

Well, how about me, what about my future? What do I want to do? To be honest, I want to do a lot of things. Mainly though, I want to be happy, and I want to use my abilities to their maximum potential. So far, being a doctor with a PhD in biochemistry fits this demand quite well. Although, is it really what I want? Is it really my own decision?

I hope that this Friday, I will be in that meeting, among with nine other students, talking to the Cambridge people. I hope that then, I will be able to recieve answers about studying in the UK, maybe in one of those prestigious ones, or why not a Scottish university, I do prefer that actually. I hope that well, whatever the outcomes of the future will be, that it will be suitable and pleasing, for me and everyone around me. :)