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Testing… and more testing

Last week I took the FCAT Reading and Math tests. Today there was NRT (Norm-Referenced Test) testing. It was brought to you by the people who brought you the FCAT, but the tests were shorter and a bit different. Of course, all this standardized testing has resulted in non-standard scheduling on testing days, which is kind of weird. Is there any end in sight? Not in the immediate future, because next Wednesday and Thursday are mid-term exams. Then it’s spring break, so for a week I’ll hopefully be able to relax and enjoy the little things I used to do before this semester, like listening to music, playing with my band, computer programming, and — oh yeah — blogging.

Today there was something interesting actually happened, though. A bossa nova group playing the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim (think “The Girl from Ipanema“) played in the school auditorium, and several dignitaries were in attendance. The ensemble, headed by Jobim’s son (I think), was due to play at a local performing arts center along with an orchestra, but for this rehearsal it was just the lineup of guitars, piano, drums, bass, flute, and (of course) vocals. Since the auditorium only holds half the school, we listened in shifts, and my half got to hear “The Girl from Ipanema,” probably the only song anyone was familiar with. It was a good way to get out of class, that’s for sure.

Is your name Bob? How about Fred? Or maybe Jim Wilson? If you answered yes to any of these questions, check out those sites. Or even if you didn’t, check them out anyway. Who’d have known there was a site for people named Jim Wilson?