It was weird driving home from Nakamun without starting to panic about next year's studying. I mean, it wasn't a bad weird feeling and it wasn't a nervous weird feeling... Just plain weird. Weird to know that I'm not gonna be on the benches anymore...
Nakamun was a great meet... It kind of felt like a redemption of something. NEXT 1 finally made it to championships and NEXT 2 did amazingly in the rookie division yet again! There were some really tight quizzes and intense moments between taking my melatonin too early (whoops) and being a grade 12 murder suspect, telling people that I heard screaming in the night. I got a really good question right in a really fast quiz, so I was proud of myself for that.
The funny things that happened: Switching rooms on the second night because Lana and I were staying up for the later curfew, Hannah losing her iPod (which was totally not funny but since we scared the living daylights out of a bunch of people who thought that Hannah's poi were UFO's and got ice cream, it made up for it), and the coaches' quiz. Oooh the coaches' quiz. Jon decided to imitate me during a time out... I'm not sure if I'm really that hyperactive during quizzes or if he was overacting... -shrug-. Both quizzes I coached the coaches and in both quizzes I think we got one right answer (which was beautifully mimed) but their imitations were hilarious!
So, yes, I had a great last meet... Being in grade 12 was fun :oP I didn't even cry when they called everyone up for the grade 12 keychain thingys. I think I was just too pre-occupied with the fact that it was such a fun meet.
And, with that, I think I can honestly say that I've had a good year for the most part, and learned a lot, both this season and during my time as a quizzer. I guess this final blog post is a 'farewell' to both the benches and this blog. In the 4 years that I've quizzed I have learned so much and realized that I am capable of so much more than I realized. I am looking forward to whatever happens next (which hopefully involves coaching) and wish all of you quizzers who haven't graduated good luck for next year! And hey, I'll be starting another blog, 'Beyond the Benches', as soon as I start doing coach-type stuff... Who knows? Maybe I'll even make a page for coaching tips that I gather along the way. I will still be accepting tips from other quizzers to put on the site, and if anyone would like to pick up the flashcards from where I left off, feel free.
Thanks to everyone who's been there for me... My fellow NEXTers for being the biggest bunch of bananas I get to hang out with every week, Troy and Jon for being awesome coaches, Patricia and Lana for being awesome teammates and teaching me how to jump, Mrs. Put for sticking around and all the people who put Quizzing together... These have been an amazing four years that I never want back :o)
So question of the blog, everyone: What has been your favourite book to quiz on? Personally, John was my favourite. My personal stats weren't as great that year as they had been previously but I could play the movie in my head and there is so much great stuff in there :o)
So, for the last time...
Quizzers... UNITE!!!
Maegan
PS... See you in 'Beyond the Benches'!!
Well, I finally got around to creating the blog about the Vauxhall meet. The drive was, like, 6 hours so that's naturally where I'm going to start this blog.
We watched, according to my request, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat (I got it on DVD for Christmas), Star Trek, Kung Fu Panda 2... We were watching movies for almost the entire ride, if we weren't sitting around making odd noises at each other. I'm serious. Braeden and I were definitely talking weird almost the entire time we were in the van. We stopped at Scott's Parable where I got 4 CD's for 8 bucks (W00T!) and we continued on to Lindon where we stopped for some amazing lunch and the best pie in the world, and it was generally an awesome ride down.
Quizzing starts, not a great first quiz. I don't remember if I erred out or just didn't do very well but we weren't too happy with that quiz. -shrug-
The hotel was fun... We went to Boston Pizza despite our experience with the wait times there at the last meet, and headed back to the hotel to enjoy it while watching the last 20 minutes or so of the King's Speech. It was interesting from what I remember but I don't remember much... I had melatonin in my system and I was doing flashcards (let me know about any typos... I am sure that there are several)
I woke up against my better judgement at 5 in the morning and tried to focus on my studying as I couldn't get back to sleep. Patricia insisted that 7 was the best time to meet for breakfast so that's when Lana and I went down, eventually no longer making any resemblance to zombies and getting pumped for the rest of the meet.
The rest of the meet was kind of a blur. NEXT 1 was either really tired or just not prepared enough... We ended up in consolation in the afternoon despite a WXYZ quiz that went a thousand times better than the rest of the morning. Didn't do too well in consolation either, though, so I guess it was a good thing that we didn't end up in championships... we would've gotten crushed. As Jon said, it was a lesson in humility if anything... A reminder that even if we had a good meet last meet and a good year last year doesn't mean we can study less or not try as hard. I think it was also a reminder that getting into championships, doing well... They're things to be proud of. Puts things into perspective.
NEXT 2, however, rocked the socks off of the meet, winning the Rookie Division finals! (They were amazing. Seriously. NEXT 1 could learn a few things from them).
The drive home was filled with G.I. Joe and studying... Chapter 8. You'd think that I'd give myself a bit of review time after that meet... Heh. It probably would've been a really good idea. But at least I'm really good at chapter 8. Its an easier chapter but I'm good at it now.
From the ride home I went straight to LAJ with Lana... It was an extremely surreal weekend, to be completely honest.
NEXT 2 has been keeping up the good work at practices and seem to be getting better every work, and NEXT 1 has, with renewed focus, gotten back on track and are ready for anything next weekend at the Southgate meet. Well, almost anyways.
Once again, I am studying for my Highland theory and realizing how much my Quizzing is helping my Highland and vice-versa. For example: one thing my teacher told me at my private lesson once that has become my motto for the rest of the year: "They're not neccessarily better than you... You're just not trying as hard as they are." I feel like I haven't been trying as hard this year, and I feel like keeping that in the forefront of my mind will remind me that it isn't an issue of being a 'good quizzer'... It's a matter of effort and trying hard.
Anyways, I'll blog about the upcoming meet another time. I only have up to chapter 5 in flashcards done and I really need those things...
Question of the blog: How was the last meet for you guys? Learn anything new?
Quizzers Unite!
Maegan
Is that even a word? I'm not sure. But April once again is awesome and has reminded me that I haven't blogged announcing the next quiz meet yet, like I usually do! Obviously, Winter break has taken a bit of a toll on my mind (and as my team would testify, my quizzing :oS). But I do have a list of valid excusees including the following (yes, I'm about to list a bunch of excuses for not blogging):
It's January, and not only does my dance school have our recital in the beginning of January, the 25th of the month is Robbie Burns Day, and Highland dancers are naturally super busy around that time. I had a dance performance yesterday and I will have another one tomorrow. If that's not excuse enough, my class was also working on new choreograpy at the beginning of December that we had just over a month to prepare, and I have a championship that I've been preparing to enter in, so I've been super dedicated to my dancing lately. Not that I haven't been trying to study as much quizzing as possible, of course.
Also, I've been really busy with my new job at Jysk. At one point I was working 20 hours in one week, although now it has eased up considerably to 7 hours, 6 this week. I literally wore pieces of dance costumes under my work clothes twice this week.
Annnnd I am now co-directing (coaching and choreographing for, scheduling practices for, writing letters to the parents of) a dance team at my church. Which if you lie in Edmonton you need to ask me about because it is awesome.
So if that's not excuse enough to have been caught up and not available to blog much, you either aren't a dancer, or didn't actually read the last few paragraphs.
But, yes, thus is my life. My flashcards are WAY behind, my blog hasn't been updated since... did I even blog about the last quiz meet? At all? Man, do I have some catching up to do!
So, let's start with the last quiz meet. Lots of fun stuff happened including a massive game of Gump that got slightly out of hand, falling flat on my face trying to do fouettes without warming up, running off to the mall during the break between prelims and championships... and oh yeah, QUIZZING :o)!
We had some really really good quizzes, all of which I am extremely proud of. There was one really crappy quiz which I would prefer not to really talk about, which was our last quiz of the day (Lana almost fell asleep on the benches, actually. It was pretty funny), but it was a fun day in general. Like normal, we took the long way around things, and placed 7th in Championships! Without a stats sheet in front of me I don't remember how NEXT 2 placed, but they did really awesome. In my opinion, they could be in the Senior bracket but *shrug*. They're doing awesome.
Personally, I placed 8th in the championship bracket which is a huge success! Not a personal best, but awesome nonetheless.
This next quiz meet is just... Gah. I'm too tired most of the time to really force myself to get pumped (dancing takes a lot of emotional, mental, and physical energy which I don't seem to have a lot of lately). However, while well-rested and caffienated, the thought of it sends my stomach butterflies insane. Without caffiene I'm not panicking though, so I guess that's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Bad thing because I am WAAAAAY behind and a little bit of freaking out could do my quizzing a lot of good.
I'm looking into binaural beats for focus and high brain activity, and I'll let you guys know what my experience is. Right now I'm desperate so I'll try almost anything.
Quesiton of the blog: Do you get less motivated over the Winter months? I sure do.... this happens every year!
Anywhoodiddles. There is studying to be done and I have a dance out tomorrow and I don't really have the time to be blogging :oP
QUIZZERS UNITE!
Maegan
Now, you're probably wondering: Why is April awesome? How would you know that April is awesome at this particular moment? You're in different regions!
April commented on my last blog and reminded me indirectly to write a blog about the quiz meet :oP. Thank you April, I needed a break from writing flashcards anyways (I'd just accidentally written 'since' instead of 'sins' and it's, like, 9 at night).
So. The quiz meet. It was awesome. First of all, my team, Evan, Hannah, and I, were a pretty awesome combination. Y'know, Hannah and I dancing around and Evan awkwardly standing there for, like, half of a time-out wondering what we are doing and... why? So that was fun. The Great-West-quizzers-quiz-out-on-three rule was at first depressing, but it made sense, it being the first regional and all, so who am I to argue? And also, we had a mascot. His name is Elephant. He is an elephant. Cause, y'know, an elephant never forgets. And cause elephants are pretty awesome.
We got to the hotel and decided to have pizza (Me, Mrs. Put, Hannah, my mom, and Lana were staying in the same hotel room). Panago wasn't open anymore, so we went with Boston Pizza, who said they wouldn't deliver (even though when my mom and Mrs. Put went to pick up the pizzas, they were delivering for someone else), then told us that they didn't have 2 of the pizzas we ordered, so they gave us perogie pizzas, which we DIDN'T want, so they had to wait even longer.
Meaanwhile, Hannah, Lana, and I are in the hotel randomly dancing, laughing and trying to buy pop from the drink machine in the lobby.
We had pretty crappy prelims :oP It was actually kinda funny when we got to the afternoon, finished our first quiz in last, then won the rest of the quizzes until finals... Like, WHAT just happened??? Oh, wait. Evan started quizzing out (GO EVAN!). Then Hannah happened. She decided that Evan and I werenot sufficiently stressed, so she waited until question 23 in the tie breaker, when Evan and I were quizzed out and couldn't jump, to jump, get it right (in what seemed like slow motion), and win the quiz. Thank you Hannah.
Anyways. We all did pretty well at NEXT. NEXT 1 went to championships (W00t!), my team, NEXT 2, placed 3rd in consolation, and both of our rookies were phenomenal!! Y'all are gonna have to watch out, they are showing NO signs of slowing down!
Elephant didn't jump at all. He was all distracted by his friend the frog stress ball. *shakes head* He needs to focus more, Elephant does.
We finished the meet at Smitty's as a team, and headed home, I'm not sure about anyone else, but I was pumped, no matter how sleep-deprived I was.
The district meet is already on my mind. Well, not 'already', I guess. It's not too far away. Time to start cracking down on my references and doing more flashcards, I guess.
Speaking of flashcards, I really should work on those, shouldn't I?
If there are spelling errors in the cards, now you know why, at least.
Question of the blog (and you thought I forgot): First meet of the year! How'd it go? How are your rookies doing?
Quizzers Unite!!
Maegan
So, yes, I'm tired right now. I was drilling my references (I didn't even really mean to, I was doing flashcards with the incorrect ones on repeat and I just happen to suck at verse-references) until, like, 1 last night and that's not a good idea, especially when the adrenaline hasn't completely kicked in for today.
Yup. The regional is today! I'm pretty darn excited, and this is Claire and Evan's first meet (they're our awesome rookies who are awesome) and we only have 4 small chapters... Nothing like what we had to do for John!
So, flashcards are done for up to this meet. Link in the last blog.
Annnd How I'm feeling going into this meet. Kinda iffy. Last night we had a pretty good practice but I made a bunch of really stupid errors so that was frustrating. (and by stupid I mean, really stupid, one word off, or just completely missing the question altogether). Everyone else is ready, I think. So bring it on, North people!!
Anyways. To our Southern counterparts: Good luck wherever you are (I'm unattentive and I have no idea where you guys are quizzing. Heh.), and to the rest of the North peeps: See y'all in Edson!
QUIZZERS UNITE!
Yeah, I know this is kinda last-minute for most of y'all but I FINALLY got some flashcards done. I mean, I had some done before but not enough that I was about to post about them. That would be embarassing. But anyways: FLASHCARDS! Knock yourselves out, kids: http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1507808/t1g3So. We at WCD are approaching quiz meet #1... the regional. My outlook on this meet: Positive. We have some pretty die-hard rookies and I'm actually caught up all the way for once! No cramming for me! I'm not stressing yet (well,no more than I usually do at quizzing) but that'll come in due time.
Speaking of cramming, the week of chapter 3 (2 weeks ago) we had pretty much THE worst practice ever. We as a team made, what was it... 17? Errors IN A ROW. Blech. It was horrible. Thankfully last week we redeemed ourselves and had some amazing quizzing going on!
Tonight is an important practice for me... This will give me an idea of what I need to be studying this week right before the meet... Which verses and sections I need to work on more than others. Not that I won't be studying it ALL but y'know. I didn't post this in the last blog, but for every error I get this year in practices, I write that verse out for one page... 30 times. Yeah, probably overkill but I figure that it's constructive in the end. Besides, it keeps me busy and errors suck. After Great West I did something similar (every verse once for every error I got there... Never ended up finishing that) but it was WAY too much and too sudden. Heh heh.
So... That brings me to the question of this blog (I can't believe I've been able to keep these up)... I know I already asked about weird quizzing habits, but I never asked about studying... Do you do anything weird when you're studying that nobody else does (or is willing to say they do)? For me, it's the 30-verse thing, and probably the fact that if I take breaks, I lose every bit of motivation to study I had. I have to study in lonnng sessions or I just don't. Every
Anywhoo. I'm going on for too long. *steps off of soapbox*
Quizzers Unite!!
Maegan
For starters: Yes, it is excusable that I didn't post last week because the first quizzing practice was TODAY. Aware as I am that most of you started LAST week, I didn't have much to post about.
Well, things are a bit weird this year... John and Laura won't be on the benches with us (tear, tear), and we have some new awesome quizzers (who are doing amazing by the way... Just sayin). As much as it won't be the same, and as much as I complain and complain about that, I am looking forward to seeing how this year goes, and how our rookies all handle the awesomeness that is quizzing.
Today I got, 4 errors? I think. I'm not sure. 3 of the 4 said errors were in the same verse. Ouch. 1 Peter 1 hasn't been treating me so well. But ya know what? I'm out for revenge on Peter this week. Yes, I will study so much that my quizhelper won't know what hit... him? I guess it would be a male since I'm in a committed relationship with... him. Anyways. And next week... NO errors! No stupid errors, no 'I didn't hear the question' errors, no 'stare-blankly-and-hope-that-I-don't-have-to-sit-here-for-30-seconds-cause-I-have-no-idea' errors... NONE! (Yes, I know I shouldn't make that promise but I can dream, right? *sigh*)
Oh, and a question... When an answer is out of context, and it is in the first answer, but the main word in the first answer is in context (not in a rookie division scenario... I'm talking championship finals situation) could that be challenged because the PHRASE isn't in context? I think so but I thought I'd check with my expert blog readers.
By the way, I know you guys studied over the Summer. I've been getting visitors consistantly from May till now so I'm taking that as a sign that you've all been studying. So I think I should expect some fierce competition at the next meet, right, guys? Right?
Flashcards should be started up between a few days and a few weeks from now :o)
So. Question of the post. How did your first practice go? How's 1 Peter treating you (or mistreating you)?
Good luck, all, in the new year, that in cludes you, coaches, officials, and parents who have to deal with the quizzers!
Quizzers Unite... 2011/12!!!
Maegan
Well. I stopped the title before it became a song reference. Are you proud of me? I'm proud of me. Are you proud of me? LOL!
Anyways. I totally disappeared, didn't I? Yes... I vanished sometime during the last quiz meet and I haven't blooged about it and I feel like a terrible person for it. So here's the down low on the last quiz meet.
I was actually pretty relaxed by the time we got to our first quiz, probably too relaxed. A group of us quizzers got together and got a tour of Ambrose University (they have an amazing music room, by the way), and we had watched Tim Hawkins for most of the drive, so we weren't really in the worst mood. Dropped my stuff off at the hotel where my mom and I were staying, went out for supper and showed up a bit early, not that it was a bad thing. Talked to some people, got pumped up, went to announcements, and trekked upstairs for the first quiz of the meet.
Jon and Patricia did really well in the first quiz, but I erred out. Talk about a bad move right off the bat. I couldn't think about how everyone else was doing as much cause I just kept thinking about how stupid all of my jumps were and how much of a moron I felt like for getting the questions wrong that I did. It was not a good quiz, in my opinion, and after the quiz Jon and I ripped up the score sheet into several pieces. My mom took me out for ice cream right before DQ closed, and we watched a movie. WOAH! What happened there? I wasn't studying? Like, really? Yeah. I freak myself out, too.
I admit, I still didn't sleep very long but when I woke up I wasn't in a panic like I usually am during quiz meets. Which was odd. But on to the stuff we care about, right? The quizzing. The morning quizzes went a LOT better than the quiz the night before and we all felt better in the end of it all, making it into championships and stuff. We were excited, like we always are when we do well, and even though we took a long road in the afternoon, didn't make it to finals. We had some amazing quizzes, impossible questions, Patricia banged her head on a microphone (then got the question right) and we had an all-around good time. Jon, Patricia and I all made it to Great West and we're all going, after I talked their heads off and threatened to kick Jon. Heh heh. I'm not violent.
BUT WAIT! There's more! We all went to Great White North practice together!! YAY! That was fun. My quizzing was... off... Patricia didn't feel too good either, but the day was fun. Before the practice, Patricia and I went looking around at Home Hardware, then I felt bad for just hanging around in the store and bought tic tacs. :oD.
The practice itself was great. I got some good advice on jumping, challenging tips (no, I'm not gonna dedicate an entire page to challenging. Maybe.), and TONS of motivation.
Anyways, Great West is a day after tomorrow, and I have a LOT of work to do... I'm gonna go finish up the flashcards! Up to chapter 18 is up... I apologize for the wait and the rushed-ness of this blog!
Quizzers UNITE!
Maegan
Tomorrow! Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrooooooow there'll be suuuuuuunnn! Just thinking abooooout.... Tomorrow! Wipes away the cobwebs and the sorroooooow till theres noooooone...
Yeah. The quiz meet? Its tomorrow. Lets all break out into song. From Annie. Yeah. We're all that cool. Who's ready? Not me! Although, when am I ever ready for these things?
So... after arranging rides and everything to and from Calgary, NEXT had an epic practice today! Our last-minute stuff always goes well... even though today we were all acting unnaturaly protective of our specializations and stuff... we're trying to all get really great personal scores to get into Great West and that I guess is turning us all into total divas... LOL!
Preparation for the meet... I'm going to wake up early tomorrow morning to get my flashcarsd done and getting everything ready for the meet tonight so I have nothing to worry about tomorrow morning. Around this time every meet, I usually have my cards done. Unfortunately, this time I don't. I apologize.
Here at NEXT we have decided (well, at least kind of decided) that we are going to attempt to avoid the candy, sweets, and any form of unhealthy food that we may come across for this entire weekend in attempts to have sharper minds and healthier bodies for quizzing. Jon's theory is that the 'junk' food will slow us down and we won't quiz our best. Or, ahem, as Patricia would say, beyond our best. Hopefully this is the right move, or at least a good one that we can keep up. I guess I'll have to switch to herbal tea to keep me awake, huh?
Well, I have flashcards to do, sleep to try to get, and a bag to finish packing.
Question: What is the most important item you have at a quiz meet, other than studying materials?
So... until we meet again, QUIZZERS UNITE!!!
Maegan
Yes, an entire blog just to let everyone know that I'm done my flashcards for up until this weekend's quiz meet as of last night and they are ready for use!
Here's the link again:
http://www.flashcardmachine.com/891179/5q5v
Thanks for nobody yelling at me :o)
I'm reserving all of my freaking out energy for the next blog... you have been warned. That's why I'm not freaking out on this one :o) Quiz meet this weekend... who's ready????
Quizzers UNITE!
Maegan
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