(Here follows Priscilla waxing optimistically philosophical. Be warned.)

I'm amazed at how even the worst possible situations result in something good. This morning, I had my SAT 2's in writing, physics, and math 2c, all of which I wasn't really prepared for. I had no hope of being ready for Physics, as the test is intended for students who may have taken two years of Physics, compared to my one year. Because I spent all my time cramming for Physics, I didn't even think of studying for Writing and Math, which would be signing my own death warrant. I really didn't want colleges seeing these scores.

With a sense of impending doom, I started through the Writing test, only to feel less and less comfortable throughout my essay. By the time I finished my essay, 1/3 of the way through the test, I was becoming physically ill. I'm not sure if it was just breakfast disagreeing with me or anxiety due to the tests and the gargantuan fines I was racking up at Blockbuster and Premiere due to my forgetting to last weekend's 6 rentals in (I woke up at 4:30 AM, unable to get back to sleep, when I suddenly realized this). Despite the fact that the clock was still running, I excused myself to the restroom. Over the next 15 minutes (out of a 1 hour test, mind you), I got sicker and sicker, eventually throwing up. There's a pleasant mental image to start your day. When I gained enough strength to return to the room, I cancelled my scores and left.

Naturally, as my parents are in Italy, my sister is out of town for the weekend, and Cindy and Nick (two New Zelanders living with us while my parents are gone) don't have immediate access to a car, I got the sheer pleasure of driving myself home. Blegch. Because I needed some semblance of resolution in my fragile state, I decided to go to Blockbuster and Premiere to return the videos. Because I got out so early from the SAT 2's, I would be able to turn them in before noon, saving me another day of late fees for Blockbuster. Because it was on the way, I also gassed up my car, which was getting low on fuel, and because they were advertising on the street right next to the gas station, I supported a bunch of middle school chorus kids as they held a car wash to raise money for a trip to New York City. Though I still felt like hell, it was only the fourth or fifth circle of hell, rather than the treacherously miserable inner core of hell I had felt earlier this morning.

Let's consider the two ways my life could have gone today. In one leg of the Trousers of Time*, I dutifully took the SAT 2's like a good girl, not getting sick, and failed miserably, as expected. I would spend the day in a slump, never really cheering up until the post-Graduation slumber party later this evening. I would agonize over whether or not I was able to deactivate the score choice thingy, fretting about what could happen if Cornell or Penn got my scores. My car would still be dirty and dangerously low on gas.

On the other hand (or "leg", if you want to continue the Trouser metaphor), after getting sick and miserable during the test, I ended up with a far better conclusion to the story. I didn't waste 3 hours of my life on tests that could only hurt me, rather than help me. Many colleges nowadays have the option of taking your ACT score instead of the SAT and SAT 2 scores when you apply, and because I did so well on the ACT, I would probably use that anyway. I got a car wash. I did my part helping an ambitious group of kids get to New York. I returned the videos. And I arrive at home an hour before my last test would even be over. My life is awful and marvellous at the same time.

And so ends my vuagely philosophical synopsis of the day. Hurrah. Wipe your feet on the way out.

* See "Jingo", "The Science of Discworld 2", and various other joyous Pratchett novels