The Final Countdown

1. When I finally decided to go to OSU. I think I had subconsciously chosen OSU in the back of my mind months before I sent in my acceptance letter. It just took me a much longer time to actually commit.  “So yes, there is a correct choice,” and I finally realized that the Ohio State University is the correct choice for me (Currie 264).
2. Winning the Angela’s Ashes paper for my character Grandma Sheehan. I cannot even guess how many hours I spent revising and rereading those few pages. But when Ms. Serensky announced my name, I filled with joy and thought to myself “Oh, pleasure, pleasure!” (Wilde 2).
3. Passing the physics exam. I have never felt particularly strong in science, and physics seemed like an entirely different language to me. If I had “weeks, or months, or even years” to study, I may still have not understood angles of reflection (Kesey 158). But, somehow, I managed to pull off a passing score. I still suspect divine intervention. Or a grading mistake.
4. Painting my face. I love art classes even though I have no discernable artistic talent. Even the simplest tasks in painting class, such as making a color wheel, proved difficult. For the final project, we all had to paint a giant portrait of someone’s face. Since “We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces,” I decided to paint my own face (Wilde 47). Maybe the painting did not look exactly like me, but I felt really proud of my work and the portrait at least resembled a human.
5. My Capote paper. Near the end of AP English 11, I felt unnerved by the increasingly open-ended topics for Ms. Serensky’s papers. After we watched Capote, we wrote a short paper comparing the movie to the book and I could not decide which source to pull quotes from, among other concerns. I did not feel very confident at all when I turned in the assignment. However, I got the paper back with a sticker and one of my highest rubric scores to date! Getting a good grade always “makes everything you have suffered worthwhile, in retrospect” (Currie 261).
6. Mark Wood. What’s that you say? Who is Mark Wood? If you do not know, then you must have been living under a rock. “He is not one who’s sole aim is enjoyment,” my friend, he has played as the string master for the Trans-Siberia Orchestra and wears possibly the tightest pants ever created (Wilde 23). Freshman year, Mark Wood came with his electric six-stringed violin, “the Viper,” to play with our high school orchestra. We played classical music with a twist, as well as rock. He played with us during the concert and had many enthusiastic solos. He also descended from the ceiling in flames. Ok, that is a lie, but everything else is true. I hope that each and every one of you has an opportunity to meet this man.
7. Understanding French. In French 4 last year, everyone in the high school French program went on a field trip to the art museum. The younger kids would get a tour and presentation in English, while the higher levels had a tour spoken only in French. I, naturally, wanted to go on the English one, but got stuck with the French-only version. The tour guide started talking and I wanted to say, hold it “I told you I’m not up on this talk” (Kesey 69). But as I listened, I started to realize that I could comprehend what she was saying. And the more I listened, the more sense it made!  
8. To Kill a Mocking Bird assignment. For Honors English 10, we had several assignments revolving around Harper Lee’s famous novel. One project allowed us to make a newspaper for the town of Maycomb; one side of the newspaper detailed the town events when the book took place and the other side dealt with present day events. I got really into the assignment and found vintage advertisements and wrote a FDR-style “Fireside Chat” as one of the articles. I felt “a happiness so strong” when Ms. Beach asked to keep it as an example for future classes. (Currie).
9. The first time I made it onto the blog banter. No matter what, you know you want to get on that banter, you want the recognition. “What other reason would we have for submitting ourselves to” the brutal work that goes along with AP English (Kesey 59)? Ms. Serensky first mentioned my blog after I wrote about a dream in which I had a lobotomy, much like McMurphy. I just had to make it to the point where English completely ruled my life and subconscious in order to earn a spot on the banter.  
10. Surviving freshman biology. For those of you who did not have the experience of being in either of my biology classes freshman year, you should feel grateful.  “Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned,” no one can top what we poor freshman endured (Wilde 44). One of my classmates was unknowingly tied to his chair and fell over when he tried to stand. One of the people who sat near would hum some song from a Disney channel movie every day. THE SAME SONG. Another student tried to leave class thirty minutes early after he fell asleep and thought class had ended when he awoke. But, I survived and even learned a thing or two.

 

Here are some classic quotes about Mark Wood from his official website:

Celine Dion - "It's amazing what he can do with a violin and a bow"

The Professor - WFBG - Altoona, PA - "Not only are his CDs curious listening, they are astounding listening, as Wood breaks acres of new ground . . . I need not say more - listen and discover Mark Wood for yourself . . . [It] is THAT impressive."

CBS News - "You gotta see this guy to believe it!"

http://www.markwoodmusic.com/html/about.html