Find X

Some of you may have seen this before, and no, it didn't originate at IA, but my friend Sudheer told me about it there and it goes along with the theme(s)* of the blog nicely so here it is:


*No I'm not exactly sure what the theme is either- someone literaturely inclined, please let me know what you think it is thanks

IAtionary: Children

Child-ren [CHIL-druhn] n.

1. Two or more of Sra. Riggs' students
2. (rarely) Any students of the IA
3. A way for Sra. to address her class; often incorporated into sentences such as "Hello children!" "Hi children! Are we super fired up about learning today?" and "It's exciting, right children?"

Also (rarely) Child [CHAHYLD] n.

1. The rarer singular form of children; What do you need child?

Language of Origin: Riggsian

IAtionary: Fire Up

Fire Up [fahyuhr uhp] v.

1. To prepare oneself, both mentally and physically, for the task at hand, particularly when the task in question is learning; So children, I want you to bring your colored pencils to class on Friday. And remember to come super fired up about learning!
2. To become abnormally excited about a task, however mundane it may be; Oh boy! I get to use the pencil sharpener! I'm fired up about that!
3. inj. An expression of excitement, most often used at the end of a display of many energized sentences and/or gestures; Whoa! Did you hear? I got all new school supplies for the 2008-09 school year, complete with my own set of German Pens! Fire Up!!!

Alternate Spelling: Fire-Up

Language of Origin: Riggsian, obviously

Author's Note: Yes I know I've been using a lot of Señoraisms lately; you'll have to forgive me. They're just sooooo much fun (and there's the added bonus of messing with Sra. Riggs) and besides it's summer so there's not much other IA-related stuff on my mind at the moment...Sheesh, don't get so fired up, it's probably just another of my Jedi blogger mind tricks:)

IAtionary: Señoraism

Se-ñor-a-ism [se-NYAW-rah-iz-uhm] n.

1. Any word or phrase made popular by Sra. Riggs; I love señoraisms! It's exciting!
2. A word or phrase appearing particularly often in the language of Riggsian
3. Any word or phrase that when used in conjunction with a Jedi teacher mind trick results in the creation of a super-fired up writing dream. Its exciting, right children?

Also known as: Sra. Riggsism

Language of Origin: Riggsian

French Students

Hey everyone- quick post today about something that happened last year (my freshman year) in Spanish class:

OK well Sra. Riggs is kind of famous for needing a certain amount of order in the classroom, especially among her school supplies. She loves her school supplies (especially her German pens) and insists that, on the rare occasion when she lets us use them, they are replaced perfectly. Also, the French classroom is right across the hall form hers, so they sometimes 'borrow' her stuff. (This is mostly paraphrased 'cause I can't remember the dialogue- it was more than a year ago- but the idea is captured, right?)

Sra. Riggs: Hey! Why is this out of order?! (I actually don't remember what exactly was messed up- use your imagination) Uggh I bet it was those French students again. They're always doing this!

Clément: (stands up quickly) Hey!

Sra. Riggs: No, not you dear I mean the students who take French.

Clem: Oh, ok (sits down)

The Death Threat Paradox

Students A and B were working together on a project recently. The project was a bit behind schedule, and Student B had still not arrived in class. Student A proceeded to say "I'm gonna kill her if she doesn't show up!" Think about that. It makes about as much sense as the classic "Raise your hand if you're not here." Wow.

DISCLAIMER (I've been into disclaimers lately; what can I say, they're fun XD) : Student A was obviously kidding. I don't want any of you running to the counselors with this, OK?

IAtionary: Summer

Sum-mer [SUHM-er] n.

1. The wonderful time of year when us IA students get to relax for almost two months
2. The time when, due to lack of the IA and its students to surround myself with, I will probably not be able to post quite as often. I will post whatever I can though, so continue to check back! I plan on filling at least some of the time with Señoraisms- they can be quite entertaining, ¿no?

Synonyms:
Fun
Relaxation
Peace
Quiet

Antonyms:
Winter
Homework
Schoolwork
Stress


Language of Origin: Eyebeean; Acronym of "Students Undoing Mental Mandates; Ergo, Relaxation"

Harvey Wills It!

This here post is to introduce you all to the phrase in the title- "Harvey wills it!" I used it in the original Harveyism post, but I just came across the idea that it was entertaining enough to have a post of its own. Obviously, this originates from the fact that people used to use "God wills it" as a justification for absolutely anything they wanted to do, i.e. "The Native Americans are in the way- let's kill them. Wait, that's not ethical, one second: God wills it! There now it's ethical." We Harveyists do not find this entirely comical, as it was used to justify many horrors in the past, but we think there is something funny about the fact that people actually seemed to believe that it worked. Ergo, we say "Harvey wills it" on the many occasions when we have no other explanations for our actions.

AN ACTUAL DISCLAIMER THIS TIME (yes, really): This phrase is not to be used to justify anything truly wrong, and onlyatia.blogspot.com cannot be held accountable for anything that may follow its use. The phrase should be used primarily to explain the unexplainable to non-believers, especially when there is no other way. I mean seriously, what else can you say when someone asks you, "Why are you speaking Martian? I don't understand Martian!" or, "Why did you just wish me a nonexistent Noholidayday? It was nonexistent to me until you told me about it!"

IAtionary: Practical Joke

Prac-ti-cal Joke [prak-ti-kuhl johk] n.

1. Please see Fooling Someone

IAtionary: Fooling Someone

Fool-ing Some-one [FŌŌL-ing suhm-wuhn] v.

1. Please see Practical Joke

IAtionary: Writing Dream

Writing Dream [RAHY-ting dreem] n.

1. A pen or other writing utensil that is so smooth that one feels as if one is in a trance-like state when using it; . Riggs: I love my German pens! They're a writing dream!
2. Any writing utensil that is so much fun to use that it can overcome the desire to cease that is inherent to writing, actually making one wish to write
3. A utensil that allows the user to entirely forget what s/he is writing, allowing the sensation of dreaminess to take over the body
4. Stabilo [shta-BEE-low] pens, made in Germany


Also known as: German Pens [jur-mmun pěnz] or Un Sueño de Escribir [oon SOOEN-yo de es-cree-beer]

Language of Origin: Riggsian

IAtionary: Pollution

Pol-lu-tion [puh-LOO-shuhn] n.

1. The act of putting false information on Wikipedia for the sole purpose of proving to students that it is unreliable
2. The act of betraying the trust of the millions of loyal, decent, honest people that donate their time and effort to make the site worthy of its populaity

Language of Origin: Belzytese to Wikipedian

Specific Origin of the Term: Goody Belzyt admitted to the offense; the term 'pollution' was coined in reference to this concept: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollution (Get the irony?! I love Wikipedia)

I Want to Rock and Roll All Nitrate and Permanganate Every Day

This was the title of a worksheet we did in chemistry. Others tests/quizzes/labs/worksheets, all courtesy of Mr. Davies, have included:

-I Have a Burning Desire for Chemistry (We got to burn stuff)

-Chemistry Clicks Your Bic (A lab were we used Bic lighters)

-The Photoelectric Effect, Photons, and Phun! (Yes there was an !)

-Chemistry Is Not A Federal Crime! (Where we messed with the copper in pennies)

-I WHOOSH I could remember this stuff (A quiz about a lot of reactions that explode)

-Quiz Me on How to Say "Stoichiometry" (You guessed it- a stoichiometry quiz)

and finally...

-Chemistry Gas Laws Quiz: What Charles' Law Really Boyles down to...

(Click the links if, like me, you're not very chemistrarily gifted. No chemistrarily is not a word. It is now.)

ToK Orals

What does this say about our priorities? I'll leave that to you...

BTW don't forget to forget Noholidayday is today! Have a nonexistent one!

IAtionary: Jedi Teacher Mind Trick

Jed-i Teach-er Mind Trick [jed-ahy tee-cher MAHYND trik] n.

1. Any method employed by teachers that results in the students learning something against their will; Sra. Riggs: I put the day of the week on the board in Spanish every day in hopes that you will learn them- it's a Jedi teacher mind trick!
2. Any unexpected or unconventional action performed by a teacher; usually has a hidden meaning or implication for the students; Miss Guest's habit of dramatically waving her hands and doing a different voice for each number when explaining a difficult mathematical concept can be considered a JTMT because it means we will remember it
3. Almost anything the teachers do to make us remember things; often used sarcastically to describe a normal method; Sra. Riggs: No, homework is not a waste of time! Theoretically, you actually learn from doing your homework! It's a Jedi teacher mind trick!

Language of origin: Riggsian (or Riggsese, take your pick. Personally, I prefer Riggsian)

IAtionary: Juniority

Jun-ior-i-ty [joon-YAWR-i-tee] n.

1. the state or condition of being older than the sophomores and freshmen, but not older than the seniors
2. the juniors' equivalent of seniority; he used his juniority to cut in front of the 10th graders in line, but he was not able to pass the 12th graders

Also:
Sopho-mor-i-ty [sof-MAWR-i-tee] n.

1. the state or condition of being older than the freshmen, but not older than the juniors or seniors
2. the sophomores' equivalent of juniority

IAtionary: Use Diction

Use dic-tion [yooz DIK-shuhn] v.


1. To annoy or bother an IA lit teacher, particularly Miss Belzyt
2. To use any concept learned in class to make fun of the teacher, almost always in a light-hearted, fun way, as in accusing the teacher who taught one about fallacies of committing fallacies. For further reading, if you have the patience, see the hilarious story we read in Lit class a while back, Love is a Fallacy, at http://www1.asknlearn.com/ri_Ilearning/English/631/elang-ilearning/page3a.htm
3. To improperly use a concept learned in class in a situation where it does not apply

Origin of the term:
Near the beginning of the year, Miss Belzyt told the class that "Diction is word choice" (no I will not cite that). She then proceeded to say that it was improper to say that an author 'uses diction' because everyone picks words to write with. It is better to say what kind of words are used. Some time later, when she asked the class to discuss a story we had read for homework, Student P raised his hand and (purposefully) said that the author uses diction, to bother Miss B, as we all love to do. She pretended to get all upset about it (yes I'm sure she was pretending) and told him that that was wrong. Ever since, we go through a similar ordeal each time we read anything, and it's funnier each time. It's even come so far that it can be used in just about any situation. If Miss Belzyt asks a question that you don't know, the answer can always be 'the author uses diction."

A quick note about #2: wow that's soooo much fun to do. Read a bit about fallacies on Wikipedia or somewhere and start accusing teachers of them. They are remarkably easy to find if your eyes are open- everyone does it, even the most prestigiously trained IA teachers. The effect you're going for is well illustrated in Love is a Fallacy- get as close to that as you can. I've come pretty close a few times:)