My heart's battering my ribcage like an angry eagle pecking at a glass cage. I'm so unbelievably nervous, it's not funny. The car stops inside the school grounds. It's time to hop out.
When I step inside, there's an electric buzz in the air. Lots of students chatter excitedly with each other. The walls are a splash of colour. It gives the effect that a paintball has just been fired at me and hit an invisible wall. Roman numerals, mathematical designs, and mobiles are hanging from almost every single part of the ceiling and walls.
After I plod forward a bit further, I'm greeted by my team. Since I'm a Year 5, it's essential that I'm not alone. There's Cameron, the checker, who could probably spot a mistake in my working without even looking at it. Apart from him, there's another member of my team: Jordan, who quite possibly cheated on the practise exams, and then, of course, there's me.
"Your time starts... NOW!"
Everybody begins to frantically scribble down anything that might help solve the problems the judicators give them. As for us, we start flying through the questions. 'This isn't so hard,' I think to myself. 'Surely the other questions won't be this easy!'
It turns out, I'm right. Around two thirds of the way through, we hit a bummer. I can't figure it out, Cameron can't find where I've gone wrong, and Cameron just sits there, twiddling his thumbs. We decide to pass on that question- it's not as if the others will crack it straight away.
"And STOP! Hand in your papers!"
Everybody does, and I'm hoping, praying, that we've done enough. Unfortunately, it's my bedtime, and prizegiving isn't until nine, so I have to come home.
When I arrive at school the next morning, everybody's clapping, and I don't know why. Then it hits me- I've won! 'Perhaps I'll come back next year,' I think. I do: and the returning champions win again!!!!
Later, Jacco
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Monday, 11 February 2013
My Goals for 2013
ABBREVIATIONS: MG- My Goal, MS- My Strateg(y/ies), WMSM- What Might Stop Me (from achieving my goal)
SHORT TERM GOALS
1) MG- To learn to ride a bike by Week 7
MS- To try regularly and not give up!
WMSM- I get lazy, forget, or get bored.
2) MG- To sell 3 boxes of chocolates
MS- To go 'round door-to-door for about an hour each week
WMSM- Nobody likes chocolate, I eat them all :P ...
3) MG- To regularly cook dinner by the end of the term.
MS- To learn lots of recipes and actually cook!
WMSM- I forget, or accidentally burn the house down!
MID TERM GOALS
1) MG- To pass the Year 9 book with B+ or higher!
MS- To practise my maths and learn everything in the book.
WMSM- The maths is too hard, the test doesn't go ahead...
2) MG- To pass cooking with 4+ in everything
MS- To learn everything Miss Holdsworth teaches, and do what she says.
WMSM- My cooking gives everyone food poisoning?!?
3) MG- To have posted at least 12 more things on my blogs.
MS- Come up with ideas for posts and go on the computer!
WMSM- The internet is down, I can't think of ideas...
LONG TERM GOALS
1) MG- To win Taupo Mathsmatters again.
MS- (see MS for Mid Term 1)
WMSM- Some smart kid wins, Mr Murray stuffs up yet AGAIN...
2) MG- To win the Waikato Spelling Bee in Term 3
MS- To practise my spelling often
WMSM- I'm sick on the day again, the judges give me a SUPER hard word...
3) MG- To not come last in Cross Country again.
MS- Carry on running and not give up!
WMSM- I get winded AGAIN, or... I get lazy. :P
Those are my goals... So...
Later,
Jacco
SHORT TERM GOALS
1) MG- To learn to ride a bike by Week 7
MS- To try regularly and not give up!
WMSM- I get lazy, forget, or get bored.
2) MG- To sell 3 boxes of chocolates
MS- To go 'round door-to-door for about an hour each week
WMSM- Nobody likes chocolate, I eat them all :P ...
3) MG- To regularly cook dinner by the end of the term.
MS- To learn lots of recipes and actually cook!
WMSM- I forget, or accidentally burn the house down!
MID TERM GOALS
1) MG- To pass the Year 9 book with B+ or higher!
MS- To practise my maths and learn everything in the book.
WMSM- The maths is too hard, the test doesn't go ahead...
2) MG- To pass cooking with 4+ in everything
MS- To learn everything Miss Holdsworth teaches, and do what she says.
WMSM- My cooking gives everyone food poisoning?!?
3) MG- To have posted at least 12 more things on my blogs.
MS- Come up with ideas for posts and go on the computer!
WMSM- The internet is down, I can't think of ideas...
LONG TERM GOALS
1) MG- To win Taupo Mathsmatters again.
MS- (see MS for Mid Term 1)
WMSM- Some smart kid wins, Mr Murray stuffs up yet AGAIN...
2) MG- To win the Waikato Spelling Bee in Term 3
MS- To practise my spelling often
WMSM- I'm sick on the day again, the judges give me a SUPER hard word...
3) MG- To not come last in Cross Country again.
MS- Carry on running and not give up!
WMSM- I get winded AGAIN, or... I get lazy. :P
Those are my goals... So...
Later,
Jacco
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Can He Jump... Or Can't He?
Hello, faithful readers! School's back and running and here's my first writing piece of the year! Enjoy!
The water seems kilometres below me, crashing into dangerous-looking rocks with great force, spewing algae everywhere. There's a deathly silence, apart from the occasional 'tweet' of a bird or a 'CRASH' of a wave. My foot slides across a slimy brown piece of wood, freaking me out. I'm only halfway up this cubical terror, but already scared. How did I get myself into this mess?
It all started when I leaped onto the bright orange pontoon at Acacia Bay. I slid along the shiny, rubbery surface, and into the water. SPLASH!!! Playing with my friends, I had truckloads of fun, dipping and diving.
One of my friends, Lucy, asked me the question: "Hey Jack! Do you want to jump off the box?" That's all she said, but she sort of hinted, "Don't be a chicken! I'm a girl and I do it all the time!" So, of course, I accepted the invitation.
That's how I got here. That's how I got stuck in this situation, struggling to climb up, and jump off, a humongous metal box. It sounds easy, but believe me, it's not. Even after all the chanting and peer-pressuring, I can't do it. Lucy might be able to do it, but the thing is, she's a lot more adventurous than I am.
BUT, all is not over. The adult supervising shows me another spot, where I can jump off rocks to my heart's content. Water seemingly bungy-jumps around me, but not TOO violently. Hills and houses in the background, combined with the beating sun, give peaceful thoughts to my mind. It might NOT be the grand prize, the Jump Off The Box award, but at least I get the 'Consolation Prize for Rock Jumping'.
That's all for now folks.
Jacco Out.
The water seems kilometres below me, crashing into dangerous-looking rocks with great force, spewing algae everywhere. There's a deathly silence, apart from the occasional 'tweet' of a bird or a 'CRASH' of a wave. My foot slides across a slimy brown piece of wood, freaking me out. I'm only halfway up this cubical terror, but already scared. How did I get myself into this mess?
It all started when I leaped onto the bright orange pontoon at Acacia Bay. I slid along the shiny, rubbery surface, and into the water. SPLASH!!! Playing with my friends, I had truckloads of fun, dipping and diving.
One of my friends, Lucy, asked me the question: "Hey Jack! Do you want to jump off the box?" That's all she said, but she sort of hinted, "Don't be a chicken! I'm a girl and I do it all the time!" So, of course, I accepted the invitation.
That's how I got here. That's how I got stuck in this situation, struggling to climb up, and jump off, a humongous metal box. It sounds easy, but believe me, it's not. Even after all the chanting and peer-pressuring, I can't do it. Lucy might be able to do it, but the thing is, she's a lot more adventurous than I am.
BUT, all is not over. The adult supervising shows me another spot, where I can jump off rocks to my heart's content. Water seemingly bungy-jumps around me, but not TOO violently. Hills and houses in the background, combined with the beating sun, give peaceful thoughts to my mind. It might NOT be the grand prize, the Jump Off The Box award, but at least I get the 'Consolation Prize for Rock Jumping'.
That's all for now folks.
Jacco Out.
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