Friday, July 13, 2007 - Again

Noelle HATES groups projects. Let me say it louder. I HATE group projects. There aren't many, if any, other things that I truly hate, but group projects are definitely on my list. I knew that I disliked them a lot, but today really confirmed that I hate them.

So my brilliant concept of Little Hollywood gets what? A FUCKING B!!

Yes, it may seem like I am overreacting or going over board or whatever, but at this point, I don't care what it looks like. I stayed up until TWO THIRTY working on this alone. Now, if I knew that "we" were going to get a B, I would have done the power point this morning, as it wouldn't have mattered. This working as a collective unit thing isn't fair. I hate to be bratty and say it, but it's not fair! Why should I suffer and be responsible for someone else's lack of initiative? After the second pointless "meeting" that we had, we really didn't get much done, so I started it by myself, hoping that they would pull themselves together and we could use my additional idea as a backup, but by Thursday, the day before, we were pretty much going with everything that I had originally planned on Wednesday night. They were all freaking out thinking that we didn't have much to present, but oh little did they know about me! They wrote a few good key things, but generally, it was pointless to work as a group.

Mr. Baker pulled each group out after the presentations to review, and goes over each person individually, in addition to the whole concept. Bottom line: the loan was approved, and he thinks that it is a great business venture.......BUT!......of course everyone has flaws. He didn't like that each person didn't present all of their slides at once, and that someone didn't know the material well enough (duh!), and that someone else didn't explain clearly, and for me, well shame on me, I was standing at an angle instead of straight ahead.

Mr. Baker: So okay guys, I thought it was great, you get a B!
Group: OH WOW great!
Noelle: (silence)
(After)
Group: Noelle, aren't you glad, we got a B!
Noelle: No.
Group: Why! Oh come on, it is the first project, it is okay!
Noelle: So! It doesn't matter. A B is a B. Not an A. I put in effort for an A, not a B.
Group: Oh you're just overreacting, it is just a B, a B is good.
Noelle: Don't you guys understand how easy this was? And to get a B? It is a let down to myself. Perhaps you have different standards. It just doesn't sit well with me, okay. Enjoy your B!
Group: We can always do better next time!
Noelle: (thinking to myself) yeah, you can.
(A little later)
Group: Oh, I think no one got an A, everyone got a B
Noelle: okay
Group: See, so we did just fine!
Noelle: um, okay...great

Okay, so I am an elitist. THERE I SAID IT. Regardless of common interpretation, elitism isn't always that bad. I don't discriminate or anything or make it too apparent. I can't help what my outlook is and how I think. I don't think I've hurt anyone, so deal.

I finished up my Physics homework during lunch and then made it there a little before being just on time. The test wasn't that hard, although I wasn't 100% on everything. I am pretty sure on several of my answers though. It always worries me when I finish tests early, even though I actually looked it over at least 5 times front to back before it was collected.

Electronics was again weird. I didn't enjoy it, but the 2 hours always seem to slowly pass. It began to rain, and then pour, and then hail, so we all stood at the window for a minute watching it. Towards the end everyone got bored or finished and began arm wrestling. JD lost every time! Even to Mr. Peterson AND Kevin (the TA)! They got Kevin to arm wrestle. I never would have guessed it.

the view on the way from Doherty to Hamerschlag today

This was so creepy and eerie. It was chilly outside and pretty dark to be only 5. We saw this suspicious bright white cloud nestled in between the trees and behind the dorms on the hill. It was moving really oddly. At a different speed from the rest of the clouds nearby and like it could turn into a tornado any moment, although that isn't how tornadoes are formed. It started to drizzle on the way up, but I don't think that it started raining again, although there was a little thunder. For some reason it never rains lightly in Pittsburgh. It is either just drizzling or pouring.

I split a delicious pizza XL between 4 people from Lucci's. We ordered it on campusfood.com and they delivered in less than an hour. It was great. The pizza was kind of runny, and they were cut into long slim slices, but it was still good, no matter how greasy.

So after sitting in the lounge for about an hour, maybe 2, on my computer, the charging icon goes away. Goodbye to this AC adapter. It has lived a short life. 2 months. I decided to chat with HP, but my computer died midway through the chat. I went upstairs to get my other one, when I got caught in there tape of foolery. After explaining my situation about the warranty and repairs in an a simple question, the guy investigated my case and then offered to have it shipped back and repaired at no cost. He then said that a case/work order was filed and that I would receive a confirmation call in 5-10 minutes. 20 minutes later I get a call from India. "Hello? Is this Ms. Manning?" Haha, Ms. Manning. Hey that's me! So the checks all of the addresses and details and such, and then mentions something about buying the warranty. I mentioned that the first guy told me that I didn't have to get the extended one since I contacted them 2 months ago and they didn't properly address the problem and it returned. SECONDS later I get another message from the chat guy asking if I got the call. I tell him that they guy on the phone is asking me to purchase the warranty, and I also ask if that was part of the deal, even though he said it was completely free. So then he goes into some spiel about how it is a good idea although it is $119 for a year. The guy on the phone goes and speaks to his supervisors and then comes back with "Okay the box will be at CMU on Monday to ship back! Bye." I end the conversation with the online guy and he gives me the tracking numbers and sends the email verification. Minutes later, I get another call from India about purchasing the extended warranty. What is their problem. Did I not say "no, I don't think so" like 40 times already. So two hours wasted, and I have finally come to a conclusion.

I ended up figuring out the problem with the laptop myself. I realized that there wasn't a problem with any of the AC adapters. It was the computer. Specifically the pin or power jack. I touched it with a pen lightly and it wiggled. Not good. That means that there is a loose connection, electricity is not being transfered well, and there could be a short soon. This explained a lot. It was getting hotter and hotter until the contacts were burned/melted off of the inside of the adapter. The chill pad really couldn't help this. I hope that they actually fix it this time, or else I hope that spare adapter lasts me until August when I can get it back to CompUSA.

The second full length SAT Diagnostic is tomorrow, oh wait...today, at 9am. Perhaps I'll do better with 2 weeks of SAT prep? I can actually go to sleep early! A bunch of people are going to go see Harry Potter tomorrow as one of the organized trips, but I think I'll just go along and see Licensed to Wed instead. Sleep! Before 2am! Wow.