Derby + Eclipse + Tomcat for ISYS 403

OK, I've had some serious problems!  But I've managed to figure most of them out and recorded some advice here for those going through the same problem.  I know it probably doesn't even make a whole lot of sense but if you're stuck maybe this can provide some clue for how to get it working:

The problem for me (and there could be many possible ways to do this) was because there are two different ways to run a derby server, and, subsequently, connect to a derby database.  Each method requires the use of different drivers.  You can either:

• Use an embedded driver, which causes derby to run in the same virtual machine as your application -or- 
• Use a client/server (network server) model, where the derby network server is running on your local machine on a certain port (1527, I think).  Eclipse and your Java code both connect to it.

For a web application I recommend the network server method. Technically you can use the embedded server on Eclipse and the Client server for your code if you point them at the same place for the database.

If you look in his code Dr. Albrecht's file uses the network server method of connecting.  You can tell this by two ways:

1. The driver he's loading with Class.forName is
   "org.apache.derby.jdbc.ClientDriver".  ClientDriver is the driver that lets you connect to a server on the network or on your local machine running on a different port.  The embedded Derby would say "org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver".
2. The connection string is "'jdbc:derby://localhost:1527/' + DB_NAME".  In his file that comes out as "jdbc:derby://localhost:1527/ManagersMiner".  Notice how it is connecting to localhost (your computer) on port 1527.  The embedded Derby connection string would be  "'jdbc:derby:' + DB_NAME", or with this project, "jdbc:derby:ManagersMiner".

However, in the instructions when we set up the server in Eclipse you'll notice that we loaded the "Embedded" driver, not the Client driver.  When you set up the embedded driver in Eclipse you pick a file location on your computer for the database and Eclipse connects to that location.  When you start the derby network server on your machine the database location defaults to the location you started the script from, i.e. the derby folder you downloaded + "bin". 

So you see a problem here!  The embedded derby server in Eclipse is looking for a database where you told it to (probably in your home folder where it defaults to)…and the network server is serving off a database in the "bin" directory of your derby installation!

So while you can use the embedded server with Eclipse and the network server with your code, technically, I'll describe two different ways to get this working using either the network client driver for both or the embedded driver for both:

1.  Using the network client driver

To use the network driver you'll want both Eclipse and your program code to use the network driver.  Follow these steps to use the network driver.

1. Start the Derby server.  You'll need to do this anytime that you want to use your database, and if you were really running a full web server you'd want this to be on all the time.
1. You can follow these instructions.  Essentially, you start the script from the derby folder you downloaded (e.g. "db-derby-10.0.1.0-bin") + "bin".  Execute the startNetworkServer script.  That means that you find the startNetworkServer script in the derby folder you downloaded.  There are two versions of it - one for Windows, one for other operating systems.  If you're on Windows, double click on the batch file version.  Otherwise execute the other version from your terminal.  Don't close the window - leave the program running.  If you ever get a "Connection refused" error, it is probably because you forgot to start the derby network server.
2. Configure eclipse.
1. Under the database development perspective, right click on "Database Connections" and click "New".  Select Derby and give the connection a name.  I called mine "ClientDerby".  Click "Next".
2. Look up at the top, where it says, "Drivers". You'll need to add a new driver
1. To add a new driver, click the plus button to the right of the drop-down.  Choose "Derby Client JDBC Driver", the latest one (10.2).
2. Under the "Jar List" tab, remove the jar that's there and add a new one.  Find your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin" folder and go to the "lib" folder inside it.  Pick "derbyclient.jar".  "derbyclient.jar" is the Java code that gives Eclipse the know-how to connect to a derby database server as a client.
3. Ignore the properties tab for now
3. Change your database name.  I called mine "ManagersMiner". 
1. For your information, the Derby server that you started in step one will serve databases from where it is started.  That means that it will create the database in the "bin" folder of your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin". If you don't want it there you can see this link for more details.  For this project it should be fine if it's there.
4. Don't touch the username/password.  Use the defaults that are already in there.  For some reason it works.
5. Make sure to check "Save password"!
6. Check "Create database (if required)".
7. Copy the URL to your clipboard.  That's the connection string that you can pop right into your code (or Dr. Albrecht's code).
8. Click test connection.  It should say ping succeeded.  If it didn't, make sure that your derby server is started (see step 1).
9. Click "finish"
3. Configure your code.
1. In any code that you are planning on connecting to the database with, make sure you use the client driver.
1. Class.forName("org.apache.derby.jdbc.ClientDriver");
2. After you load the client driver, use the right connection string.
1. Paste the URL from before into your DriverManager.getConnection call.
1. DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:derby://localhost:1527/ManagersMiner;create=true")
2. For the CreateDB.java file, you can use DB_NAME to tell it where to connect instead of hard-coding it in.  Optional
1. DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:derby://localhost:1527/" + DB_NAME + ";create=true")
3. You'll notice that this has a ";create=true" on the end.  This means it will create the database if necessary.  If you get an error like "Cannot find database" it means you don't have this on the end.
4. Connect your project.
1. Make sure your project is created in Eclipse.  Go back to your "Java EE" perspective.
2. Find your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin" folder and go into the "lib" directory inside.  Drag the "derbyclient.jar" file from explorer/finder directly into your Eclipse project.  It will ask you if you want to copy it to your project.  You do.  Then, right click on "derbyclient.jar" in your project (at the bottom) and choose "Build Path" -> "Add to Build Path".  Now your project should be able to run!  You can use the same code in your project as Dr. Albrecht used in his to connect to the database.
3. If you ever get a ClassNotFoundException from your code on that "Class.forName" statement, you probably didn't do this step right.
5. Connect tomcat.  Now that eclipse can connect, we need tomcat to connect to the derby server!
1. Find your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin" folder and go into the "lib" directory inside.  Copy "derbyclient.jar" and now find your tomcat folder ("apache-tomcat-7.0.32").  Go into the "lib" directory with that as well.  Paste the derbyclient.jar from the derby folder's lib to tomcat's lib.
2. If you ever get a ClassNotFoundException from your servlet, you probably didn't do this step right.
6. In order to run CreateDB.java you might have to disconnect Eclipse from your database.  Under the Database Development, right-click on your connection ("ClientDerby") and say "disconnect".  You can connect it again the same way later.
7. Run CreateDB.java if you want right now.  It should work.
1. Verify that the data is there by going back to to the "Database Development" tab, right-clicking on your database connection "ClientDerby", clicking "Connect" if it isn't already, and then checking under "Schemas/APP/tables" to see if all the tables are old.
8. That's it!  You should now be able to connect in both your code and through eclipse.
9. See your tables from the Database Development perspective.  The top line ("ClientDerby") is your connection, the one below it ("ManagersMiner") is your database.  Your tables are under "Schemas/APP/tables".  Run SQL from the SQL scrapbook by right-clicking on your SQL statements and saying, "Execute All".  When you run SQL, you need to include "app." on the front of the table names.  So "select * from app.employee" should run properly.

For our project I strongly recommend using the client driver as described above. The following section describes using the embedded driver for reference, but you shouldn't need to follow these steps if you've followed the previous ones.

2.  Using the embedded driver

To use the embedded driver you'll want both Eclipse and your program code to use the embedded driver.  Follow these steps to use the embedded driver.

1. Configure eclipse.
1. Under the database development perspective, right click on "Database Connections" and click "New".  Select Derby and give the connection a name.  I called mine "EmbeddedDerby".  Click "Next".
2. Look up at the top, where it says, "Drivers".  If you followed Dr. Albrecht's tutorial you should have one that says "Embedded" in it.  Use that.  If you haven't followed Dr. Albrecht's tutorial yet, you need to add a new driver.
1. To add a new driver, click the plus button to the right of the drop-down.  Choose "Derby Embedded JDBC Driver", the latest one (10.2).
2. Under the "Jar List" tab, remove the jar that's there and add a new one.  Find your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin" folder and go to the "lib" folder inside it.  Pick "derby.jar".  "derby.jar" is the embedded derby server that Eclipse will run when it connects to your database.
3. Ignore the properties tab for now
3. Select your database location.  This is an important part.  If you're going to run the embedded Derby server with your java application, then I recommend you put it in your project's home folder.  For example, my project is names "ExecSys" in Eclipse and so my database location is: "/Users/sean/prog/workspace/ExecSys/ManagersMiner".
4. Don't put a username/password in
5. Make sure "create a database (if required)" is checked
6. Copy the URL to your clipboard.  That's the connection string that you can pop right into your code (or Dr. Albrecht's code).
7. Click test connection.  It should say ping succeeded.  If it didn't, make sure that the "ManagersMiner" folder doesn't already exist!
8. Click "finish"
2. Configure your code.
1. In any code that you are planning on connecting to the database with, make sure you use the embedded driver.
1. Class.forName("org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver");
2. After you load the embedded driver, use the right connection string.
1. Paste the URL from before into your DriverManager.getConnection call.
1. DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:derby:/Users/sean/prog/workspace/ExecSys/ManagersMiner;create=true")
2. For the CreateDB.java file, you can use DB_NAME to tell it where to connect instead of hard-coding it in.  Optional
1. DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:derby:/Users/sean/prog/workspace/ExecSys/" + DB_NAME + ";create=true")
3. You'll notice that this has a ";create=true" on the end.  This means it will create the database if necessary.
3. Connect your project.
1. Make sure your project is created in Eclipse.Go back to your "Java EE" perspective.
2. Find your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin" folder and go into the "lib" directory inside.  Drag the "derby.jar" file from explorer/finder directly into your Eclipse project.  It will ask you if you want to copy it to your project.  You do.  Then, right click on "derby.jar" in your project (at the bottom) and choose "Build Path" -> "Add to Build Path".  Now your project should be able to run!  You can use the same code in your project as Dr. Albrecht used in his to connect to the database.
3. If you ever get a ClassNotFoundException from your code on that "Class.forName" statement, you probably didn't do this step right.
4. Connect tomcat.  Now that eclipse can connect, we need tomcat to connect to it!
1. Find your "db-derby-10.9.1.0-bin" folder and go into the "lib" directory inside.  Copy "derby.jar" and now find your tomcat folder ("apache-tomcat-7.0.32").  Go into the "lib" directory with that as well.  Paste the derby.jar from the derby folder's lib to tomcat's lib.
2. If you ever get a ClassNotFoundException from your servlet, you probably didn't do this step right.
5. In order to run CreateDB.java you'll have to disconnect Eclipse from your database.  Under the Database Development, right-click on your connection ("EmbeddedDerby") and say "disconnect".  You can connect it again the same way later.
6. Run CreateDB.java right now if you want.  It should work.
1. Verify that the data is there by going back to to the "Database Development" tab, right-clicking on your database connection "EmbeddedDerby", clicking "Connect", and then checking under "Schemas/APP/tables" to see if all the tables are old.
7. That's it!  You should now be able to connect in both your code and through eclipse.
8. See your tables from the Database Development perspective.  The top line ("EmbeddedDerby") is your connection, the one below it ("ManagersMiner") is your database.  Your tables are under "Schemas/APP/tables".  Run SQL from the SQL scrapbook by right-clicking on your SQL statements and saying, "Execute All".  When you run SQL, you need to include "app." on the front of the table names.  So "select * from app.employee" should run properly.

Hopefully this helped!

Sean

P.S. Here is what I'd still love to see (and if somebody out there knows…): A way to start and stop the derby network server through Eclipse!

How Watered Down is Your DNA by Corporate America?

Warning! Long article ahead!

Today in social entrepreneurship we had a rousing lecture by our professor, Ron Lindorf, who is a highly successful entrepreneur. What follows is what he said to us, usually in his words.

Ron, at age 12, experienced his older brother's death, forcing him to confront the reality of mortality at a young age. This, he says, provided the ability to "not care what other people think. There's no bets on death." While in Jr. High, he started a successful window-washing business, employing two brothers from his school at $2 an hour while making $55 from each job. While pursuing his graduate degree in communications at BYU he bought Volkswagen cars for cheap, drove or trucked them down to California, and sold them there for more than a 700% markup. Needless to say his class attendance was not the best. In fact, in 6th grade his report card gave him full marks (a 1) for achievement but the lowest marks (a 3) for effort. He says, "I did exactly the amount of effort needed to get those 1s." Speaking of his entrepreneurial spirit, he said, "I'm not like those other guys. There are those entrepreneurs who are just smart. Captain of the track team, head boy in a group . . . they're the annoying ones. I'm a reluctant entrepreneur. Nobody would hire me and so I just thought, how can I generate some revenue?"

We don't make our own decisions often enough, Ron says. Growing up in the church, our decision making skill is sometimes crippled. We are a product of the thousands of small decisions we make during our lifetime, and there are plenty of bad decisions to make even in the framework of how our lives are planned out. "Is it better to marry the right person at the right time outside of the temple or to marry the wrong person at the wrong time inside of it?" Ethical decisions are some of the decisions that we don't see as often. Those that have made some bad decisions have learned early on how to make good decisions. We need to make more of our own decisions.

An important factor is an internal locus of control. This is what Ron developed in his high school years after his brother died. This is a critical component of a successful entrepreneur. Changing the world, not letting the world change you. Figuring out that "you don't have to let other people muck around with what you decide."

Ron gave the example of the L.A. Riots. During the riots, not a single 1st generation Korean immigrant with the entrepreneurial spirit had their business burned down. Why? Because the same spirit that pushed them to come to America and start their own business (usually a liquor store), to find a location, and to push for a better life for them and their children pushed them to climb on top of their roofs with AK-47s and illegal semi-automatics and pistols and shoot at the feet of anyone who looked like they were coming to cause trouble. They had that spirit that enables them to risk it all, and then to stand on the roof and defend it when their whole life's work, 10-15 years, is threatened. Not one of their businesses were touched.

"Some time long ago," Ron said, "we all had to decide. We were pitched two different ideas. One said, 'Look, it won't be hard. I mean, you can have security, you can go home at 5 and get a pay check every two weeks, there won't be any risk.' The other one said, 'Hey, it'll be hard. There'll be times when you fail, when you make mistakes, when you risk it all. There will be rough patches. You will have to work from nine to midnight every night after your wife goes to bed. But in the end it will be fair." Every measly human on this planet chose plan B. This is how Ron sees the world. So why can we go work at the post office and show up every morning and salute and go to work and then get off at five and do that for 40 years with nothing changing? We can get up and go to work among the devil's followers for 40 years and do nothing. But can we not come up with ideas about how to make it better? Can we stay an extra hour once in a while to get some things done? A person who does this, he says, will make it to leadership positions. Moving up within the system. Even that is following Christ. Sometimes it seems like forever that things don't happen and all the extra work does nothing. But somehow it will pay off.

Instant gratification. America doesn't know how to put it off. This part kind of led into a discussion about inflation and about how it's a silent tax on the people of the lowest income level and the middle class. So what do policy makers do? They can't tax the people who elect them or they're booted out. The upper level doesn't have enough wealth to keep up with a $10 trillion national debt. So what do we do? We let people overseas buy our bonds. Of course, as Ron says, "it's somewhat patriotic to hose the Chinese when they buy up our debt and then our dollar inflates." He also brought up the fact that as American car makers fire people over here and then outsource to other countries it actually creates a middle class in China and India. Bucketloads of people who would normally earn $1 a day are now earning $3-9 a day. Our world is going on sort of it's own wealth redistribution system.

All the people who originally came from England to this country were the ones who took the risk. They said goodbye to people who they'd never see again for some fantastic story they had heard, sold what they had and acquired a little capital, and risked everything. Every single person in the country has that in their DNA. Maybe it was from a couple generations ago.

So how watered down is your DNA by Corporate America? The fire of creating an income generating activity as a business has gone out of 90% of the people, statistically speaking. Of course, Ron recognizes that not everybody can be an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, this is how he sees the world to explain what he does to himself. The whole purpose of Corporate America, he says, is to preserve the status quo. "'I don't think we can do that.' ' Even if it increases your revenue by $4 million in a $10 million company?' 'Well....'
"It's because they like security! Go home at five and have security."

Entrepreneurs are weird. Talking to many people, Ron has found that entrepreneurs all have some sort of story. Or that all entrepreneurs have some sort of story. They all had to discover, or decide, rather, what he and Gibson (the other instructor of the class) discovered. They don't let what people think affect them. At all.

So are we going to work among the devil's followers our whole lives and lay down and die when the riots start? Or are we they type of person that crawls up on the roof with our AK-47 after risking everything to come to America and start a business? Internal locus of control! Don't let what other people think affect you! Trust more in the Atonement! We're supposed to make mistakes. Honest mistakes. Learn wisdom in thy youth. How? We have to learn through experience. Ron advises to work for somebody else for five years to make mistakes on somebody else's time and money. But don't just sit around!

Anyway, needless to say, an hour and a half of listening to this brilliant, accomplished, spiritual, driving, caring man was something.

At a Break

Today is the lull before the storm.

Yesterday was a very cathartic day.  I went to Chemistry, as always (every day at 8am!), came home, and saw an email that told me I had won the Freshman Learning in the Light of Faith essay contest.  Guidelines can be found at the essay contest website.  Yes, there is a grand prize of $500.  Winning was totally unexpected!  41 essays were entered.  Here is the essay, written the day before the deadline:

Quandary

It is soot black. Rural Idaho has no streetlights; one would be hard pressed to say the two-rut weed patch meandering around the country is any sort of a road, let alone a street.  No moon shines.

If the outside is soot, inside the garage is soot burned a thousand times over, coated with pitch, ensconced in the blackness of a glistening stallion, and laying at the bottom of a five hundred foot pit.  Black as night.  Blacker than night.

Stumbling through the garage, my toe is stubbed by an unknown solid.  By feeling around with hands I can deduce the texture and shape of a wooden box.  Why is it there?  What purpose does it serve?  I can’t tell in this overwhelming darkness.  Everything seems jumbled up, patternless. 

Secular scientists the world over comfortably establish the metaphorical ground on which they stand and then reach out into the darkness carefully until touching something.  By feeling around the object they may deduce various physical properties about the object or even its identity.  However, there is no illumination.  It is meekness as a disciple-scholar that allows one to bring the lights up and see not only the box but also how it fits into the garage’s overall pattern.

First year biology, Brigham Young University.  Evolution unit.  Nobody is late for today’s class: Discussion on Science, Evolution, and Creationism.  Apparently there are not many people disinterested in this subject; most, like me, are listening intently.  As we read the BYU evolution packet I remember Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s assertion that “Restoration theology is expansive, not constraining” (Maxwell 6).  I must remember to keep an open mind about evolution and the processes whereby organisms adapt.

Scientists have documented natural selection really happening.  During a drought on Isle Daphne Major of the Galápagos, medium ground finches’ beaks increased in depth considerably, heightening their ability to survive eating harder seeds (Freeman 506-08).  Over time, this natural selection leads to evolution.  The process is occurring.  The problem I was left to grapple with is how this process fits into the larger plan presented by the Bible and Book of Mormon, which I know are true with far more certainty than evolution.  How is this reconciliation possible?

The answer is through meekness.  Both Maxwell and Cecil O. Samuelson Jr. cite meekness not as just one of many characteristics of a disciple-scholar, but as the chief characteristic of a disciple-scholar (Maxwell 12-15; Samuelson 44).  Nephi, the Book of Mormon prophet, is a quintessential example of meekness.

While journeying in the wilderness, all of Lehi’s sons lose the use of their bows.  When Lamen, Lemuel, and even the stalwart Lehi murmur, Nephi humbly makes another bow and asks his father, “Whither shall I go to obtain food?” (1 Nephi 16:23).  This meekness is one of the characteristics of Nephi that qualifies him for his glorious vision in chapter 11.  Nephi’s vision sheds light upon the mysteries of Lehi’s dream.  The big picture is shown and the individual events are explained.

At the end of the lecture the only pragmatic statement on evolution was that Adam and Eve are the primal parents of our race.  At first I wished something more tangible could be given out, but perhaps this quandary is best put to rest by the words of a wise roommate on the subject: “It’s not hard.  That’s what faith is all about.  You know the important stuff; you don’t need to know everything yet.”

Still dark.  Almost as quiet.  Unable to get anywhere without running into another quite-solid object, I call out quietly.  To my surprise, the deep baritone tone of my father’s voice rings out strong and true.  “I’ll get the light, son.”

Gradually, light fills the room from the dimmer switch.  A path materializes out of the darkness and confusion melts away.  Noticing my interest at the suddenly clear box, my father reminds me, “That’s our Christmas box I made.”  The box fits neatly into a clear grid pattern.  As I thread my way through the narrow, before-unseen path, my father puts his arm around me and together we walk inside.  I don’t yet need to see what else I could have bumped into.

Secular science explores boxes in the dark.  I would rather explore boxes in the light with the Maker close by, exploring the ones that He tells me about, listening to how the box fits into the larger pattern, and meekly trusting Him explicitly.

Works Cited

Freeman, Scott. Biological Science. 2^nd ed. New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2005.

Maxwell, Neal. “The Disciple-Scholar.” Learning in the Light of Faith. Ed. Henry B. Eyring. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1999. 1-18.

Samuelson, Cecil O. Jr. “The Importance of Meekness in the Disciple-Scholar.” Learning in the Light of Faith. Ed. Henry B. Eyring. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1999. 35-48.

On top of that great news, I took our Chemistry test and was very pleased with my score on the multiple choice section.  What I love about Chemistry is the sense of wonder emanating from our professor.  He truly sparks that natural curiosity about the world in his students.  I was wondering the other day about the hard water deposits on our glasses after we do the dishwasher.  Having just studied about solubility and acid-base reactions I was curious as to how detergent manages to tie up ions in the water.  I learned that the harder the water, the more detergent needs to be used.  Knowing what I know now I can equate that to Ksp and the five solubility rules.  I would be interested to learn more.

After the test I played some Super Smash Bros., which I haven't done for a while.  It was quite fun.  After that I took some soup up to a girl in our ward who is sick, then went to eat dinner at the all-you-can-eat cannon center (or cancer center, as my biology professor calls it).  Stuffed, our Freshman Academy community walked to the Marriott center, where one of our roommates performed in a celebration of Christmas with folk dances around the world.  Very fun.  After that I was privileged to go to the creamery with some friends, then come back and play catch phrase.  Overall, a very, very good day.

Today there is hardly anything going on.  Tests and assignments are mostly over.  It is the slow inhalation of air before the "final" push.  Finals are the week after next and everything is wrapping up in classes.

Furhermore, I got my Elks Lodge Scholarship form turned in a couple days ago and they just notified me that the Byrd scholarship checks are on their way.  These are both beneficial to my financial situation at college and I was excited to hear about them!

Until next time,

Sean

The Here and Now

OK, so it's time for a real update.

Preference was great, both nights.  The first night we took Panda Express food up into the canyon and ate it around a campfire, and then roasted starbursts.  After that we went to the dance, which was either ice skating or an actual dance. We skated until about 15 minutes left, and then danced.  It was quite fun - I love ice skating and haven't been for a long time!  I need to learn to stop though...

On Saturday we made homemade pizzas and then went to a fun dance at the Wilkinson Student Center.  After that it was ice cream!  It was very fun as well.  We danced and had a grand old time.

Rori and I holding our hanger to roast starbursts on on Friday night (7 Nov 2008)

Amanda and I after our date on Saturday (8 Nov 2008)

So preference was quite fun.

I just bought Jesus the Christ, by James E. Talmage, at the bookstore.  So far it's a really, really great book.  I'm only done with the first two chapters though, but I'm plugging away on it.

That reminds me: for mission prep this last little bit we had to talk to 10 complete strangers about the gospel.  It was difficult.  Talking to strangers is uncomfortable sometimes, but it's good practice.

School is going well; chemistry is difficult but getting easier, biology is surprisingly easier than I thought it would be, missionary prep is great, English is my lowest grade but one of my favorite classes, and next semester should be fun.  Signing up for classes is stressing and confusing.  I want to take general ed classes, but I want some fun classes as well.  I want to take more advanced classes in my major but I'm not sure if they will transfer with me if I decide to switch schools.  A fine balance must be struck between fun and hard, general and specific; a academic quadruple point, if you will (closely related to chemistry's triple point).

The weather is very nice.  Today is the perfect temperature - bordering on jackets.  Sunny and bright, the clouds hover high overhead, wispy threads of cotton.

If I think of anything else, I'll throw it up here.

Latest Update

Right now I am a bit frustrated.

Today, the 11th, is my priority registration date for BYU.  I stayed up until midnight to register for classes, but every other BYU sophomore did as well, it seems.  The website is running extremely slow.  Five minutes after every click I get a response.  Not only that, but it's hard enough deciding on classes as it is.

I'll post in a bit about preference and classes and such, but right now I'm concentrating on registration and sleep.

Quick note, though - today I was excited to get my very first perfect score on a test in college!  Biology midterm exam!

Lagoon and Preference

Today was a fun-filled day.  After waking up early to take a picture in Provo canyon for our English publication that another girl and I are in charge of, two-thirds of our dorm and some of our FHE sisters went to Lagoon today.  We rode Wicked and the Spider several times, and we also rode the Colossus, the Jetstar II (we squeezed three into one bench seat), the Rocket, Cliffhanger, the trans-park lift, and the Samurai.  It was my first time on the Samurai - every single other time I've been there it's been closed for maintenance.  I loved it.  It was so exhilarating, and wasn't even very nauseating like it looks.  We then went to a hypnotist's show at Lagoon and laughed hysterically at the antics of the unfortunate.  Trevor, our neighbor, went up to be hypnotized but it didn't take hold on him.  We went through a haunted walk-through with strobe lights, glasses that made the walls look 3D, scary costumes jumping out at us, and a very real, very good joker in the style of the recent movie.  The first hypnosis show was at 5; at 7 we went to it again.  This time Dallin and Richard went up on stage.  The hypnosis didn't take on Richard.  Dallin was hilarious.  Dallin sang a gibberish rap, tried to sell us shoes that he was wearing backwards, thought there was a cell-phone in the shoes, got very cold and very warm, smelt a range of odiferous pseudo-fumes, was amazed by the hypnotist turning invisible, and more.  Our rib cages will be quite sore tomorrow from laughter.  Overall it was a very fun night, with fun people and fun activities.

Then I got home and there were arrows from the door to the fridge and in the fridge was a plate of crackers and cheese with a note on it saying, "To figure out who I am answer the following:  This type of cheese contains all 4 letters in my name, one of which is repeated (3 different letters...).  It is an Italian whey cheese commonly used in LASAGNA.  Good luck."
Anyway, so that's fairly exciting!

What now?

Well, all's quite on the Western front!  Bio's relatively easy, chem's relatively hard, mission prep is relatively nice, life science seminar's relatively boring, and life's relatively great!

More later, for sure.  Just wanted everyone to know I'm still thinking about this blog!

College

Well, perhaps it's time for a review of the many intriguing, exciting, and sometimes boring events that happen at New Student Orientation (NSO).

I moved up to BYU on Wednesday, after spending the night at my uncle's house in Provo.  My family accompanied me to check in and helped me move my copious boxes up to the room.  After they left, my roommate and I were the only ones at our apartment, as our other four roommates would not completely show up until Friday the 29th, when our last roommate finally moved in.  Our roommates seem pretty cool and I hope we have a great time living under the same roof.

NSO has been fun so far.  We were put into Y groups and go everywhere as a group.  We get lots of free food and do many fun and boring activities (each activity is not fun and boring, but most activities are fun and few are boring).  We have listened to lots of information about campus, been led by a very fun and very cool Y group leader (who is also our peer mentor for Freshman Academy), eaten lots of food, and listed to lots of live entertainment.  We have seen a very humorous presentation on the Honor Code and Jericho Road came and preformed live for us.

There are lots of people here.  Lots of people.  I like the feel of the campus.  The Honor Code and the people here are very strong in the spirit and the gospel.  We begin everything with a prayer, and embrace the whole "disciple-scholar" thing.  It is very cool.

And very expensive.  I spent $540 on books.  For my first semester.  Crazy, eh?  Although today I did get my scholarship rebate direct deposit - I logged into my bank account and thought I logged into somebody else's.  The number surprised me!  I like scholarships...  Now I can pay for the new MacBook Pro I bought last week.  It has shipped but now I'm waiting for it to arrive and will be very excited when it does!

There are lots of people here who are willing to help.  We have an awesome peer mentor, an awesome RA (resident's assistant), an awesome college advisement center, and more people.

Today I watched the BYU Women's Soccer game, and tomorrow I will watch the football game.  I found myself doing something I've never done before - cheering on the Cougars.  It paid off - we won the soccer game 4 - 1.  It was a good game.  I guess that while I'm at BYU, at least, I must become a cougar fan.  Ah well - I must find the courage to plunge into the world of the blue.