Parks and Math: Themes of 8/02-8/05

Kenna and I had a whole baguette to ourselves for lunch on Thursday. This was a rare treat, for Robin and Shelley usually wanted pieces of the baguette. But Robin and Shelley were going out to a cafe, so Kenna and I stayed home, as we had all morning, and shared the baguette.
The afternoon was a little more interesting. We took the Metro to a park that Robin and I had read about in a guidebook. The guidebook description featured a giant head to climb on, a small world, and an underground shopping mall. However, when we arrived, we saw a dismal sight: most of the park had been closed off for construction, leaving just a small play-area and the shopping mall. Kenna still found fun in this, chasing me around and trying to get me to sit in the toy train. It was a brief walk to the courtyard of the Louvre, where fountains gracefully sprayed water and Kenna chased me again.
Friday morning brought more excitement. A friend had informed Robin of a discovery museum, stocked with scientific and mathematical wonders. I had high hopes for the museum, especially the math.
The museum had high-ceilings and a grand feel to it. I could hardly wait. At last, tickets were purchased, and we were in!
After a few diversions, Robin and I journeyed to the math room. It was less of a room than a dimly lit balcony overlooking a display on what looked like chemistry. Beautiful three-dimensional graphs hung on the walls. Some of them included equations, some of which I eagerly copied down to graph on graphing software at home. There was a fascinating interactive model of a bell curve on the other side of the balcony, but the best part was the Pi Room, a circular chamber showcasing the wonders of pi. Even Kenna, who doesn't enjoy math as much as I, seemed to have fun teaching Robin and Shelley digits of pi.
The next day found us visiting Robin's friend's parents in a different city in France. They took us out to a restaurant, where I had some delicious pasta. Kenna and I eagerly drew on the provided placemats with provided colored pencils. I wrote a proof, while Kenna drew a flock of birds. Afterwards, the whole group of us visited Napoleon's home, a grand castle even if it was smaller than Versailles. I enjoyed the visit more than Versailles because there were more props from the family's life showcased at Napoleon's home and it wasn't as crowded.
Today, we took the Metro to a flea market. Kenna purchased some small things. I spent one euro on a set of old, written-on postcards with lovely pictures and paintings on the cover. I plan to glue them on to the cover of my handmade journals to make the journals look better. I got a really neat postcard of Greek ruins at Delphi.
Sadly, it began to rain, dampening our bodies and our mood. We took the Metro again, but this time to the northern part of Paris. I turned a corner and saw the Eiffel Tower looming up at me unexpectedly. After we ate, we closed in on the Tower. Though we didn't go up, we did go to a nearby park for a little bit.
Now everything is quiet. So I can think. . .

Too Much and Not Enough: 7/29-8/01

It seems to be easier to learn a foreign language when in a foreign country. I'm learning more French vocabulary per day than I ever did at home. It is piling up in my brain. Oiseaux is bird, avec is with... I learn it in one of three ways. Sometimes I can figure out the definition of the word I see because it looks like an English word I know or it has a familiar context. Other times, I see a word repeated a lot and later ask Robin for its definition and pronunciation. And when I was with Pierre-Noel (see the previous post), he'd teach Kenna and I animal names in French. He'd say them, then we'd repeat them rather clumsily. We'd make noises, too, sometimes. My vocabulary has expanded greatly.

Notre Dame

We tried to go to Notre Dame the day after we came back from Robin's friend's family's house, but it was much too crowed to go inside. We stood outside and observed, then walked across bridges to see the city nearby. Kenna wanted to go to souvenir shops in the hopes of finding a small treasure, while I wished to explore the local English bookstore. We split up.
At the bookstore, I found a number of interesting books, though there was a surprisingly small mathematics section.

The locks

On the bridge, there seemed to be an interesting custom of married couples attaching locks to the bridge, possibly to signify an unbreakable bond. This was amusing to view. There was a motley collection of locks. Large and small, black and gold. Some couples had engraved their names into the lock, while others had inscribed them in black permanent marker.
The next day, much to the approval of Kenna, we journeyed to large department stores. There was a lot of browsing on the lower floors. Kenna and I grew impatient. At last, we were accompanied to floor 5, which encompassed children's clothes and toys. The highlight was a lovely baby doll, which Kenna purchased on a subsequent visit.
Everyone had high hopes for our Tuesday excursion. After all, what could go wrong at Versailles, the extravagant castle?
While Versailles by itself was interesting--and very extravagant--the crowd of people hampered movement and the view. It took several minutes, at one point, to get from one room to the next. The whole family was tired, hungry, and, I suppose, relieved when we emerged. Luckily, I got some interesting photographs. There was also some unusual modern art mixed in with the paintings and sculptures aged centuries.
Today was a visit to the Musee d'Orsay--a museum of more art. There were some wonderful and awe-inspiring paintings and drawings hanging on the walls. It was also less crowded. Kenna purchased her baby doll. I think it was a pretty good day for everyone.

Nory mange baguette. Tres bien! Oui?

If you would like to see the rest of the photographs that accompany this post, please use this link. The photographs for the previous posts are located here.

Admiring Cathedrals: 7/23-7/28

The table is strewn with pencils, paper and assorted books as I type this on a shiny laptop. The cool Paris breeze blows through the open door to the balcony, and it is welcome. The day has turned hot. I step out onto the balcony that overhangs the sidewalk, absorb the noises of the city, and think...

The time difference between Paris and my home of Berkeley is nine hours, making the new time not very easy to adjust to, especially after a long flight. From what Kenna told me afterwards, she awoke at 9 o'clock PM and was unsure if it was day or night. The sky was still bright. (In Paris, the sun set that day around 10 PM.) We got a lot of sleep that night.

The cathedral

The next day, we walked around our area of the city a bit. Kenna found refuge from the heat in a large store consisting mostly of electronics and books, which were in French, a language largely unfamiliar to Kenna and I. In the evening, we visited Robin's friend's brother's family, who lived in a lovely old house surrounded by a green garden containing various fruits, vegetables, and trees. I wish my garden was as healthy as theirs.

The view (click to expand)

The next day, we took the Metro, then the train, to Robin's friend's family's house. The youngest of his children--Pierre-Noel--was roughly my age. Kenna took an instant liking to him, as did I, though he spoke little English and we spoke little French. Our friendship benefited when we visited an old cathedral with numerous intricate carvings. There was a high tower with a very tall staircase, which everyone climbed. The view from the top balcony was excellent! It was a clear day, and we could see very far. Kenna, Pierre-Noel, and I took pleasure in circling the balcony. I enjoyed photographing the cathedral. The stained glass was amazing.

A chateau

The next day, we went on a tour of a chateau. The defense systems were interesting. Most of it was still preserved well, especially the tapestries. They were woven with very fine thread and looked like paintings. It was impressive. The kitchens were large, roomy spaces. Robin liked the ceilings, some of which were made by arranging wood in unique patterns. I liked the tapestries. Kenna liked the gift shop.
Today, prior to leaving, Robin, Shelley, Kenna, and I went to a nearby market. I admired the color of the red bell peppers, some of my favorite foods. There was a chocolate shop in the vicinity, where chocolate was sampled. I devoured a thin piece of dark chocolate (70%) that was delicious. Kenna chose milk chocolate and caramel, which she, too, liked very much. When I return to America, I will miss the French food.

When I return to America, I think now, I will miss a lot of things.

This Morning

Is there a favorite post you miss and cannot find? Now, there is a search bar on the right of the posts. I tried it and it seems to work fairly well.
Kenna and I were playing with Legos this morning. Tiny bricks in plastic bags were ( and still are ) spread all over the floor. I'm glad we have the time for Legos because we are on winter break and there is no school.
Kenna is building a medieval marketplace. The horse and carriage seem to clop along as if they are real. My lighthouse opens a wall to reveal the rooms inside, but the "light" of lighthouse is falling apart, or at least, the bricks attached to it are.

Kenna and I felt slightly sick this morning. We drank warm milk and honey while reading Tintin comic books. (Read this post for recommendations.) But now I am going running. Goodbye.

Tintin Comic Books

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
The Tintin movie is coming out soon, and, in preparation, Kenna is reading all of the Tintin comic books. She enjoys Tintin and the Picaros, while my personal favorite is Red Rackham's Treasure.
The fumbling Thompson twins are enjoyable, and one may think that Professor Calculus's mishearing is a one-time joke, but really, the humor is fairly constant whenever you read it. Kenna likes Captain Haddock and his insults.
If you've never read Tintin books, I'd recommend Tintin in America and Tintin and the Broken Ear. The earlier ones help to establish the characters. There are few ongoing adventures in the collection of books, but I advise you to read them in order.

Review of Cars 2

I, for one, like spy stories. These spies always have neat gadgets, always get away just in time, and always have elaborate back-stories. The spy cars inside of Cars 2 certainly meet all of these expectations, and the effects are marvelous, seeing as how this an animated movie. The water in the opening scene looks real, and the explosions are not to be missed, if you like that sort of stuff. Read more of this review here.

Upcoming Feature

This blog's new Puzzle Central will have puzzles, but I need a puzzle from a reader to put in. (I will give credit.) To access it, go to the top of the blog, just below the title section. There is a bar across the top of the page. Click "Puzzle Central."

Plays and Puzzles

I have an urge to write a play. After all, my summer camp I am currently attending involves plays. We're performing tomorrow, and I'm excited!

In other news, Blogger has a new look. If you create a blog, you already have one, or you have administrator privileges on one, you can see it. It may take me a little while to get used to it, though.

I've been thinking of riddles I've read. If you have one for the blog readers, please post it in a comment. Here's one of the ones I liked:

Henry lives in a very traditional village, but he married two women, and no one complained. Neither died or had a horrible accident happen to them. How can this be?

Try to solve it, and please don't put the answer in a comment.

By the way, the answer to the bacteria one is:

12:59.

Pre-6th Grade and Woodlands

Hello. I haven't posted anything in a while. But the biggest news is that I'm going into 6th grade, which means I have to get used to a whole new school and a new type of schedule (different teachers for almost every subject).
Anyway, my family went to Mendocino Woodlands and stayed in wooden cabins. We had to light fires for warmth. It was pretty fun.
If you like any one of the three templates I've tried over the last three months better than the others, please tell me.

Learn more about this project
This project is made with Scratch, which you can learn about on its website. It's about a poor circle that has lost its E and has to find it. Use the arrow keys to move. Can you finish it?

A Math Puzzle

Dr. Ferbergerral had a new type of bacteria. Every minute, the bacteria in the tray would split in two, creating two new bacterias.
Dr. Ferbergerral went out for lunch at twelve o'clock PM. He was a very precise man. At one o'clock PM, he checked back on the bacteria and got a real shock. "Oh, no!" he exclaimed. "The tray is full of bacteria!"
At what time was the tray half full? Post your answer in a comment. If you are trying to solve this puzzle, please do not look at the comments.

I got this from a card deck of math puzzles. I may post more math puzzles regularly.

Having Fun With Harp Seal

Some stuffed toys are really fun to play with. Some aren't. Kenna, my sister, and I both know that our stuffed toy harp seal pup, dubbed a "big fish" because of its resemblance to the fish, falls into the former category. The big fish is cute, and it provides a starting point for many interesting stories. Kenna and I also have a joke about this toy, so playing with it is quite fun.

Here's a picture of the real harp seal pup.

If you have multiple toys imitating the harp seal, you can have a little family. Kenna, after learning a few facts about this fascinating creature, claimed the smaller grey seal was the mother, while the larger white one was the baby.
Ongoing games provide yet more possibilities. The "big fish" was a welcome addition into a game that Kenna and I had been playing for a while before.
Also, I gained useful art skills in owning the pup. Now I am better at drawing harp seals.
These are all ways to play with toy harp seals. Can you think of some more?

Changes

After a long while, I'm back with an new post. First, I want to draw your attention to some changes I made to this blog. The theme, including the background is new. Some of the elements on the sidebar have been rearranged.
For me, the big tests of the year are over. It should be a relief, and it is for most people in my class, but to me, it just means more homework and less fun art projects. The science testing wasn't that bad, anyway.
I don't have much else to report now, but I may be adding new features sometime soon, so watch for these.

New News

I know, I know. It's been a while since I've posted anything. So I just want to draw your attention to the new look of my blog. I just changed it because I was bored of the regular look. It's a possibility that I will change this blog up regularly. Also, I will add some more new stuff and take advantage of Blogger's awesome features.
I just came from an overnight camping trip. I slept in a cabin with 6 other females, and they were very nice and funny, too. I advise that you bring gloves on a trip like this, because I think my hands were the coldest part.
If you have a blog, add new features! Then challenge your faithful readers to find them all.

Best of 2010

2010 is almost over, and it's time for my yearly "Best of..." post. 2010 was a good year. I started 5th grade and got the hoped-for teacher, and I had a great 10th birthday party. So I'm starting with...
Best Technology of 2010

1. That app for the IPad where you sing into the microphone and it can tell what pitch you sing at. That is so cool! This was a hard choice, not because there was so much great technology, but because there was so little. I'd put some great medical invention here, but I don't know any from this year.

Funniest of 2010
I can't remember all the funny things said this year, so I'm putting the most recent one.

1. "Every two years, I get to pick out an ornament. This year, I'm picking this one." 

                                   --my sister, Kenna. If you knew, you'd laugh, too.
Grossest of 2010

1. Probably the dream I had last night. I would not like to mention it here, because it might give you a secret weapon against me. One thing I can say: bugs.

New Words for 2010

1. Bruere (brew-ERE) Canoli, basically, or some other dessert. ex. "We ate bruere at the Italian restaurant."
2. Romulicious (rom-you-LISH-iss) Used to describe something. The emotion expressed in the voice specifies what you think of the thing. 

Powers of 10 Video

I once saw a beautiful video at a science museum and have been searching for it ever since. Now, on 10/10/10, my parents inspired me to search for it using Google. You can watch it here.

My First Post With a Location

I wanted to try out a new location thingy I found while I was posting. You can do it, too, by making Blogger in Draft your default dashboard.

HTML Testing Grounds

Have you read my other blog?

Fish

Kenna and I play this game a lot. Try it with a friend.

1. Think of a color. Don't tell your friend. Tell your friend to try to think of the color when you do this to her. 
2. Hold your friend's hands tightly with both hands. If you want to close your eyes, you can.
3. Think as hard as you can of your color. If your eyes are open, you might want to look at something that has that color on it. If your eyes are closed, that's fine, too.
4. When your friend guesses the color, tell them if it is right or wrong. Kenna and I like to celebrate when we guess the correct colors. 
5. Switch positions, so you get a turn to guess the color.

We recommend that you take long breaks between guessing the correct color. Make sure your hands are warm enough. 

The title is "Fish" upon request. This game has no real title. Can you think of one?

Tesseract