I just completed the worst exam experience of my life.
Now, I'm no spring chicken. I've been through a lot of exams. Lots. Many, many. Gobs.
Nothing like this.
This was my first, and perhaps my last (!), online exam.
I'd gotten nothing but positive feedback all semester from my online instructor and online classmates. Still, I studied just to be on the safe side.
It was a multiple choice exam.
Multiple choice! you cry, What could be easier?
That's what I thought.
85 questions in 85 minutes, with a timer going as soon as you hit go.
The questions were of this kind of format:
You walk down the avenue. You hear a melody in the distance. You see a blue bird. Do you:
a) admire the blue bird
b) consider Thomas Jefferson's role in history
c) link the rise of the combustion engine to current economic theory and the reduction of brown birds
d) toaster
WTF??
Okay, I'm pretty sure toaster is wrong. But I could theoretically do any of the other three and maybe do a jig, too, to that catchy melody I'm hearing and I don't freakin' know why I'm seeing a blue bird to begin with because there's no genuine context given in the question! Maybe if I read it again... nope, still makes no sense.
Now multiply that by 85.
Now, just for fun, throw in technical difficulties.
For approximately 25 of the 85 questions, when I hit the submit key, it gives me an error message whose only option is an "Okay" button. "Okay"??! No, it's not okay! You didn't save my answer and the freakin' clock is ticking! Eventually, it doesn't even allow me that much interaction as it switches to an "already working this request" message but never actually saves my answers!!
Dammit.
I should have picked toaster because I think I'm toast.
29 April 2008
You know the dream where you show up for the test two hours late and naked...
28 April 2008
Carpenter's Cook-off/Someone else will have to charm Helen Thomas
Hubby and I attended the Carpenter's Cook-off Sunday at the Birchmere. This was a benefit for Carpenter's Shelter, which just celebrated 20 years of serving homeless and formerly homeless children, families and adults in Alexandria. I believe the statistic I heard at the event was that 90% of the people they help transition out of homelessness. That's pretty amazing!
I gotta tell ya, even if it hadn't been such a good cause--which it certainly was!--it was a great event to attend and I heartily recommend it for the fun and food factors alone. They had about two dozen great restaurants (Jackson 20--who won the cook-off with their incredible shrimp in remoulade, Asian Bistro, The Warehouse, Southside 815, Stardust, Restaurant Eve, Landini Brothers, Del Merei Grill, Rustico/Buzz, Hollin Hall Pastry Shop--indescribably good desserts! and so many more!) serving up samples of their food! Yum!! Of course, we
had to re-sample the offerings of a number of contenders to be sure we were voting fairly. ;)
They had the Melonheads playing great tunes (Joe Walsh, Chuck Berry, Ike & Tina Turner, etc.), to which the adults and the kids rocked out. All this included in the cover price of $40, $30 of which went right to the shelter.
And then there was the auction. And you know what? We bid on the Helen Thomas dinner.
It was dinner for four with Helen so I figured we could invite somebody else who'd know what to say (perhaps j.m. tewkesbury or hughes ap williams). But the bidding very quickly eclipsed us and some lucky person got this sweet deal for $850.
We got eclipsed on lots of other wonderful items including a two night stay at any Ritz Carlton; a Kennedy Center 4th of July package; private cocktail instruction and sampling for 6 guests at PX; a Morrison House stay, dinner and gift basket and much more. They even had a Shakespeare package and a Nascar package on auction, though not in the same package. :)
I'm pleased that they were able to raise so much money for the shelter, even if it meant we didn't walk away with any of the really cool items.
Birchmere hosts this every year. I recommend you line up tickets early for next year!
PS Kudos to Congressman Jim Moran for making an appearance and supporting the Shelter!
Questions on this, that and the other
On Saturday, I discovered that the Springfield Borders has Frasier seasons 3, 7 and 9 under lock and key with the box sets, even though the other seasons are out flaunting their freedom on the standard DVD shelf. My questions: Why the heck does Borders lock up some seasons and not others? What is the advantage of storing different but sequential items in two different locations? I have for months assumed that they were simply sold out of season 3. It's just a toss of the coin that I asked the information flunky if a nearby store had season 3. That's when he checked the shelf I'd checked and then checked the box set cabinet and, lo and behold, there it was. I sprung season 3 and seasons 7 & 9 were cheering for it, even as they got locked in again.
My scale says one weight. Hubby's scale has me up 3.5 pounds from that. Doctor's scale has me up another 2.5 pounds from that. There's a way to synchronize your clock with the official time. My questions: Why isn't there a way to synchronize your scale? And am I the only one who tries to weigh myself on the scale in the store before I buy it? I bet I have the best selling scale.
Two commercials I love to hate:
- The FreeCreditReport.com commercials. Oh the jingle is catchy and the message--known your credit standing--is a good one. My question: Is there anyone left on the planet who doesn't know they are entitled to a free credit report without going through these shmoes and signing up/paying for their program?
- The new Volkswagen commercial where the new owner keeps pressing a remote alarm every time a young couple gets near the car. My question: Is Volkswagen's targeted demographic assholes??
27 April 2008
The beautiful and multi-talented Jane Seymour
We went to the P&C Gallery in Old Town Friday night for an art opening for, and featuring none other than, Jane Seymour. As there was a large sign demanding no photography, I do not have a picture of Ms. Seymour but I did snap a picture through the window of this self-portrait once we left.
It was cool. We were on P&C's mailing list and hubby made a reservation so we were very Studio 54 when they asked at the door if we were on the list. How rarely are we on any list! Any good list, anyway. Happily, they had a record of the reservation and we breezed in while others stood and gawked from outside.
Seymour is quite beautiful and certainly looks considerably younger than her age (57). She's also more petite than she looks on television. And, oh the talent. In addition to acting, she's an accomplished artist in many different styles and media. It looked like a show of five or six different artists but, as she assured hubby, they were all hers. Of the paintings, I liked the oil seascapes the best. In addition to the paintings, she had painted scarves available, too, and there were two books she'd authored that were for sale and even a pamphlet about the jewelry she's designed for Kay Jewelers. Pretty freakin' impressive.
25 April 2008
Surely this will not stand.
"3 NYPD detectives acquitted in 50-shot killing"
I can't bear to reprint the story here. But if you want the details, click on the link. 50 shots.
Acquitted.
That's a whole lot of crazy.
I will leave you with the last line of the story: "The truth emerged when the smoke cleared: There was no weapon inside Bell's blood-splattered car."
