Well. Everyone is doing it...

I guess I should tell you what I have done this year.

January-Can't remember...
February-Got Starcraft II account.
March- Can't remember...
April- Planned totally awesome April Fool jokes.  Didn't do any...
May- Drove for the first time.
June- Got a job!
July- Celebrated the fact that I lived 365 days!
August-  Found out that Emilee Keele was moving.  3000 miles away.  Lame.  Oh, and went on a date.  It was kind of a fail date... And really didn't count as one.
September- Had the best day ever... and discovered Skrillex. Second best day ever.
October- Went to my first school dance.... JUST KIDDING
November- Discovered League of Legends.  Soooooo great
December-  Realized I had one year to live on the 21st.  Had Christmas.  Stayed home alone on New Years and blogged. Totally fine with it.
Have an amazing year 3 people that read my blog.
<3 Spencer.

Finals...

2 down. 3 to go.
I am so ready for this crap to be over.

It is totally true.

From the mouth, of the beautiful Adam Hall

Love, is a lot like Pokemon. You're going to get a starter, and it's going to mean a lot to you. But throughout the game you'll run into plenty of other Pokemon. Some you'll use a Pokeball to catch, and others you'll use a Great Ball or even an Ultra Ball. You're going to run into a couple of rare Pokemon and even a few legendary Pokemon. You might catch them and you might not, but no matter what you do; save your Master Ball. Save your Master Ball for that one Pokemon, that one Pokemon that is truly legendary.

Dear Santa

I want to learn how to play piano.
That is all.

Thankfulness

On this black friday, I will blog about what I am thankful for.
(I know... I should have done this yesterday. But I was napping from all the food that I ate. Sleeping off the calories.)

I am thankful for...
Parents who feed me. Both are amazing cooks. How much more amazing could that be?
Modern Technology
A good school
Great teachers
My job.  I mean really, now many people can say that they run a space ship?
Taylor Swift...
Cello
Piano  (I am teaching myself how to play it. I am excited to learn relearn)
Just music in general. My life would not be the same without music
Day9.  He makes my day happy
Starcraft II and League of Legends.  I'm such a nerd.
Evil Genius, mainly Huk and IdrA and foreigner in general
Emilee Keele.  I miss her
My family.  They are great I love them
Jill Debuck is included in my family.  She is like a sister to me
Harry Potter.  Life would not be the same without him.
Books
My mullet. I <3 my mullet.  Most girls don't.  But oh well.
My friends
Those lucky days when I have less acne than normal
My religion.  I like being in the true one.
Super Smash Brothers.  I pwn at that game
And much MUCH more.
Thank you everyone that has helped me. I love you all

Enough Said.

Dubstep.
This music... besides Taylor Swift, is the best.
(Oh, She won the three biggest awards at the AMA's. ((American Music Awards...)) So when you see her tell her congratulations.)  Back to dubstep.
Some good dubstep artists are skrillix and.... well. Ya. Mostly it is Skrillix that owns the dubstpe itunes. It isn't popular music, but it is dang "sick"
Take a listen.
Have your mind blown from tight bass drops.
<3

...this can't be happening.

Can you believe that?
I got a B.
A B!!!
This... this is the first time that this has ever happened...
I don't know how to handle this.

Household confinement?

So.
Steak Stake dance was yesterday.
I was about to go.
Until my dad told me know no.
I even had a banana costume.
It was super legit.
How much more awesome can that get?

November 1st

Worst day of the year.
Christmas music starts playing...

The time came

I have a mullet.

The time has come.

Im getting a mullet.

Boom... and they are gone

Now is the time of the year where everyone is leaving.

Well, for me that is.
I left my old ward.  

Second ward was the the best ward in the world.
Best leaders, best youth. It was just the best.  

Jameson left on his mission (here is his webiste.  He shall be an amazing missionary.)
He is quite a genius.  He fixes all of our computer problems.
And helps jailbreak iPod touches and iPhones.  

Emilee left on a 3 year anthropological study of the culture in the southeast.
(here is her blog.  It is quite cool)
Then today Sidney left for college.  She has been packing for a while.
She got a totally awesome quilt.  It looks pretty amazing.  

Everyone that left, I shall miss them greatly.  

I wonder if any one else will leave anytime soon...

Gallavanting

This post will be all about me whining. (:

So. This week may be the best and worst week of my life.
It will start monday, when me and my family will go and hike timp cave.
(I will be being lazy and not having good grammar or caps. and all that stuff.)
That will take place monday afternoon. I am way excited.
It will be a blast.
Then on Tuesday, there will be summer seminary. I am way way excited for it.
Then in the afternoon, we are going camping with the family. I am so dang excited. We have never been camping with the whole family in forever. So I am way excited. And Dustin is coming too. What can get better?
Lots of things...

Then, here is where the worst part will come in.
At the Space Center, they have the Leadership camp. That is a awesome camp where they write whole new missions just for it, and it is the coolest camp ever.
That is Wednesday to Saturday

Then our old second ward is having their super activity at Zion's camp.  This would be the last camp ever as our old awesome second ward.
We are going to be repelling, hiking, biking, all that awesome stuff.
Guess when that is.  Wednesday to Saturday.

So, this is my problem.  The leadership camp I am assigned to work.
So if I go camping, then I will be missing work. And that isn't good.

If I go on the Leadership camp, then I will be missing out on camping.
I really don't know what to do...
Help?
Yes. Please help me.

It's my birthday.

Today is my birthday.
You know what that means?
Dr. Pepper and Whoopi pies for breakfast!
Happy birthday me.

Is it bad to say that I don't want to go to church tomorrow?

....make me smarter

So. Most of you know about this show.   It is an amazing show. I love it much.
Sadly, most of you know about this show.  If is a terrible show. I hate it much.
Some of you may know this show.  It is going to be so dang amazing.
I am going to love it. so much.  It is going to be on Nickolodian. Or whatever it is called... but thank GOODNESS for Hulu.

When I was reading the plot stuff... I came across something I did not understand.  The waterbender who is going to be the new avatar needs to learn airbending. She learns it from Aang, Katara, and their son, what'shisface.
I thought that in order for their to be a new avatar, the current avatar must die.
I'm not saying I want Aang to die or something...
But in order for the new avatar to come, Aang should be dead right?
I am just so darn confused.

Remember this?

Remember that AP Test that I took. The AP biology one.
And I studied that whole AP guide. And memorized it.
And all that stuff.
Ya. I got the test results back.
I got a one.
One is the worst.
Five is the bets.
I, got a one.
I don't see how that is possible.
Spencer is angry...

About me

I have had I think 80 posts.  Or something like that.
So, I have decided that it is time for me to do a "About me" post.

So. Here we go.

My name is Spencer Mason Merryweather
I am sometimes called Mary.
I am part of the LDS faith, and very proud to be part of it.
I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, and soul.
I love music.
I love country music the most. Mostly Taylor Swift
I am male.
I work at the pool. I clean it.
I work at the space center.
I fly a flippen space ship.
I can admit that I don't have too many friends, but the ones I have are the best friends in the world.
I enjoy video games, mostly Starcraft II (Ya, I'm a nerd.)
I love my family.
I am the second oldest in a Family of 7.
2 girls, and 5 boys.  :Ya. We win.
I have the best ward in the world.
I am almost an eagle scout.
My board of review is coming up soon...
I should probably start studying for that...
I am 2/3 way done with my Duty to God.
I am 15 years old. I will be of age in One week and five days. (July 18th)
Most of the time I am very unorganized.
Like this post for example.
It is like... all over the place.
I would love  I will serve an LDS mission.
Hopefully Spanish speaking, but I will go where ever the Lord needs me.
My favorite movie is Tangled..
...No. Tangled is NOT a chick flick...
So, there.
I don't think I missed a lot of stuff... Tell me if I did, then I will consider editing it.

Spencer is.....

Spencer is happy because:
Strawberry days
Didn't have to work AT ALL Tuesday
Summer seminary
Strawberry's and cream
Carnival (this will be my first time going in like... forever)
Rodeo
My AMAZING mother made a food website.  And had her birthday.  She is an amazing mother.  She is the best mother I have had so far.  Here's her website.  Look at it. Share it.  Love it.
The heat lost  (weenies...)
Spencer gets to work at the pool
Spencer gets to work at space center (Best. Job. Ever.)
The Parade
Warball after the parade
Working after Warball
Sometimes he stays up till one texting cool people  (:
When Emilee Keele shows me amazing videos about the best instrument in the world.
Spongebob Squarepants.
Tangled
Tangled soundtrack
Starcraft II
Starcraft II sountrack
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift calendar
Taylor Swift poster
Taylor Swift back up poster.....
My mission  (I am... words can't describe how excited I am.  Like I can't wait.  The only reason I would want to grow up faster is to be able to go on my mission sooner.)
My belt buckle
Booth
Bones
Bones cast
Bones writers
Bones creators
My internet didn't blow up afterall

Spencer isn't happy because:
People bash my religion.  Like on Starcraft II the other day.  My username is MormonSkills.  (MormonMadness wouldn't fit...)  And everyone on there thinks that they have to say crap about the LDS church.  And while using raunchy language.  It made me very angry. So.  I told him that our religion is true, I said my testimony to him, and I said that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would love to see him at church this Sunday.
He said a very naughty word and left.  (Don't worry.  Starcraft II has chat filter.  So it just comes up with this (!@#$) when they say something not good.)
Acne.  It.  Is.  Everywhere.  Spencer does not enjoy it.  Maybe some day it will go away.  After my mission.
(I hope this post doesn't make me look like I am a whiner...)

Spencer is very happy because:
Everything I posted at the very top, down to the "Spencer isn't happy because:" part.

Spencer wants to remind you about Summer Seminary.
Tuesday. At 11:00
Brother mangum is teaching it.
I will be there early. About 20 minutes early to be exact.
Will you be a front row Mormon with me?
Love Spencer.  Talking in third and first person.

BTW

Forgot to say in my latter post.
Ya. New Taylor Swift Music Video.
So.
Pumped.
It streams live here.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/655819/taylor-swifts-the-story-of-us-video-to-premiere-on-mtv.jhtml#id=1664349
I'm so excited.  Like... really

Fruit Snacks.

This week, well.... past two weeks, have been intense.
The end of the school year is great, but terrible.
I had... My woods final, my english final is Thursday, I just took my math final. Oh.  Goodness. That was a beast of a test.  Friday I have my business math final, I had my final scale test in orchestra, OWNED my seminary scripture mastery test.  50/50. I'm amazing.  Drivers Ed final is Thursday... And I think that is about it.
I have been studying.  A lot.
That is why I haven't blogged in a while.
I am not required to blog anymore. I used this to get credit in english for my Writers Notebook, but I will probably keep posting stuff, becuase I have just SO many followers that I can't let down.

Why is this post named "Fruit Snacks"?
I'm eating them.
Ya.  Delicious.
Well.
I am going to go play Starcraft.
I mean...
I am going to go "study"
"Study" very very hard.
And win.

Lent, Camping, Testing and Amazing

Lent: My dad just challanged me.  He said that I was addicted to Facebook, my phone, and television, (Which I think I am not).  So to show him. I am taking what I use most and it's gone.  So, for my late lent, Facebook will be gone for a long bit.

Camping: Last weekend we went camping.  We took a 3.5 hour drive to Goblin Valley. Jaden Aland.  Worst person to drive with.  Ever.
His feet smell terrible.
So he takes them off and make everyone suffer. He will take up three seats. And make me sit on the ground.
I got sick of it. He kept bragging how he has 80 pounds over me. So, I challange him.  And guess what. I beat him. Three times. I have a 100% win ratio over him. Ya. I'm a winner. So.  We got there and we set up our camp. We were too lazy to set up a tent so we slept under the stars.  We ate dinner. Brother Anderson went to Austerlla for his mission (That is my dream mission. I want to go there, see a kangaroo, hold a koala bear, and come back with a tight accent)  He showed us what an Australian burger was. It consists of one patty, mayo, (I found out that everyone except me likes miracle whip. That stuff is the WORST.  It smells like Jaden's foot.   So I don't dare imagine how it tastes...) and all that stuff. Then we added beets. When I think of beets I think of Dwight. And his beet farm. And that one office episode where Jim and Pam go and stay at his hotel at his beet farm. So great.  Back to the sandwich... It also had a slice of pineapple. That made it so delicious.  But it gets better.  Caramelized onions, and last, but not least... One fried egg.  That was an amazing burger.

So.  After dinner, Bishop told stories. I love that man, Bishop. He is awesome. He has good stories. Some of them seems like they couldn't be real, but he is bishop.  It's gotta be real.

After story time, we went to our campspot. Outside. With no tent around us.
Brother Anderson comes up to where we were sleeping.  And shows us what is in his gatoraid bottle.  It was a pleasant surprise.  It was a cute... baby.... dimondback rattlesnake. Yep.  Poisoness.  He tells us it was about 15 feet away from where we were sleeping...  and that there were probably more around.
About 10 seconds later we were out of our sleeping bags and running about to camp.
But we didn't know where to sleep.  So, we didn't bring an extra tent... So we slept in the van. Ya.  It was the wussy way to sleep. But I didn't want to die. So it was worth it.

After that we woke up and I cooked breakfast. Like really, I make the best french toast. Ever.
Then we broke camp down and left.  We went to the legit Goblin Valley place. We went boldering.  That was pretty cool. I got a bit of a tan. It was 'sick'.  Then we ate sandwiches, and went repelling.
Oh goodness. He showed us the cliff we will be repelling off of.

That cliff... was 125 feet tall.
That is almost 13 stories. That is HUGE!
I think I almost peed my pants. I was so scared.
But. I did it.
Well. I did it... 5 times. It was so fun after the first time.
Then we got up, prayed for a safe car ride home, and left.
Then the next 3.5 hours were the worst.
Jaden, again, is not the most fun person to drive with.
But I lived.  And it was great.
The best part was when I got home, I blew my nose. My snot was red. Like deep red. That was so cool.

Testing: AP test was today. The first part was so hard. It felt like I didn't know ANYTHING! Like I forgot everything I learned. I had a bit of a panic attack, settled down, and finished the first part, mutiple choice.  The second half was cake.  So easy. Then the second part. The essay part.
That was so... .EASY!  Everything that I studied was on there, so I knew everything. I have a feeling that I am going to pass it. Hopefully get a 5. That would be so cool.

Amazing: Two words. Taylor Swift.
She is amazing.
I love her.
I want tickets to her concert. I would love to go.
That would be so cool.
But... expensive. Way expensive.
So. New music video.  (It won't let me look up a link...) I like this one.
She is very good looking. Hopefully she will randomly come to a walmart in Utah so I can meet her. That would be lovely.

Well. One can only wish.
Good luck everyone testing tomorrow. You all will do amazing.

Eww... Test

I will have a post about my campout that was on Friday-Saturday tomorrow.
Right now I am going to keep this post short.
I have that dreaded AP test tomorrow.
AP Biology to be exact.
So, I am not too prepared.
So what I am trying to say is pray for me.  Please.
I thought I was ready.
I took a practice test.
Oh goodness...
I am not ready.
Lets hope half the people taking the AP test this year are dumber than dirt.*

So.
Wish me luck.
Pray luck for me.
The church is true.
I am going to study.
Then go to bed.
Goodnight.




*The AP test is graded on sort of a curve. Half the people taking it pass.  The other half don't.  So to pass the test I have to be smarter than half the people taking this test.
Just incase you didn't know.  The Whooda thought fact for the day.

AP test... oh joy.

So. 

This post is going to be the most boring post.  Ever. 

I am going to post my study guide. 

I am going to write a real post after my campout tomorrow.  That post will be awesome. 

I am writing this because writers notebooks are due and this will make it have enough pages and... ya.  all that jazz. 

So. 

Here is my study guide. 

Element: substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions.  

C, H, O, N:  Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, make up 96% of living matter.  

Atoms:  smallest unit of elements that still retain the property of the element. 

Protons: positively charged particles. Determine the element.

Electrons:  negatively charged particles.  They determine the chemical properties of the element.

Neutrons: particles with no charge.  

Atomic number: number of protons an element possesses.  Unique to every element.  

Mass number: sum of an element’s protons and neutrons.  

Chemical bonds: interactions between the valence electrons of different atoms.  Atoms held together with chemical bonds form molecules. 

Covalent bonds occur when valence electrons are shared by two atoms.  

Ionic bonds: two atoms attract valence electrons so unequally that the more electronegative atom steal the electrons away from the lesser.  Occur because these ions will be either positively or negatively charge, attracted by others charges. 

Hydrogen bonds: weak bonds that form between the positively charged hydrogen atom of one molecule and the strongly electronegative oxygen or nitrogen of another molecule.

Structure of water: made up of one atom of oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen, bonded to form a molecule.  Water molecules are polar.  The end bearing the oxygen atom has a slightly negative charge, whereas the end bearing the hydrogen atoms has a slightly positive charge.

Hydrogen bonds:  The slightly negative oxygen atom from one water is attracted to the sightly positive hydrogen end of a different molecule.  Each water can have 4 hydrogen bonds at a time.

Cohesion:  Linking of molecules.

Adhesion: clinging of one substance to another

Transpiration: movement of water up very thin xylem tubes and their evaporation from the stomates in plants.  

Specific heat:  amount of heat required to raise or lower the temp. of something one degree Celsius. 

Hydrophilic substance: love water (sugar)

Hydrophobic substance: hate water (oil)

Acids: have an excess of H+ ions and a pH below 7.0

Bases: have an excess of OH-  ions and a pH above 7.0

Pure water has a pH of 7.0

Buffers: minimize changes in pH.  

Isomers: molecules that have the same molecular formula but differ in their arrangement of these atoms.

Functional groups: attached to the carbon skeleton have diverse properties.

Polymers: long chain of molecules made of repeating subunits called Monomers.  

Dehydration reaction: two monomers are joined by removing one molecule of water. 

Hydrolysis: occurs when water is added to split large molecules.  

Carbohydrates: simple sugars (glucose, fructose) and polymers such as starch made from subunits. All carbohydrates exist in a ration of 1 carbon: 2 hydrogen: 1 oxygen or CH2O.  The two should be little…

Monosaccharides: monomers of carbohydrates 

Polysaccharides: polymers of monosaccharides.

Energy storage Polysaccharides: Starch, found in plants.  Glycogen, in animals. 

Structural Support Polysaccharides: Cellulose is a major component of plant cell walls. Chitin is found in the exoskeleton of arthropods. I also think in trees.  Humans can’t digest it.

Lipids are all hydrophobic. 
Fats: are made up of glycerol and three fatty acid molecules.

Fatty acids: include hydrocarbon chains of variable lengths.  

Saturated fatty acids: solid at room temp. Linked to heard diseases. (butter and lard)

Unsaturated fatty acids: have carbon double bonds that result in kinks, liquid at room temp. (corn oil and olive oil)

Phospholipids:  make up cell membranes.

Proteins: polymers made up of amino acid monomers.

Amino acids: central carbons bonded to a carboxyl group, an amino group, a hydrogen atom, and an R group.

Peptide bonds: link amino acids, formed my dehydration synthesis.  

There are four levels of protein structure.

Primary structure: unique sequence in which amino acids are joined.  (alpha helix is a coiled shape. Beta pleated sheet is an accordion shape)

Tertiary structure: results in a complex globular shape, due to interaction between r-groups.

Quaternary structure: two or more polypeptide chains into one large protein.  

Denaturation: occurs when a protein is denatured when it loses its shape and ability to function due to heat or a change in pH

DNA and RNA: two nucleic acids. 

DNA: molecule of heredity.  Double stranded helix. has adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine

RNA: single stranded. has adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine. 

Prokaryotic Cells: have a plasma membrane, cytosol with organelles, ribosomes, no nucleus, are 1-10 um. and doesn’t have internal membranes.  

Eukaryotic Cells: have a plasma membrane, cytosol with organelles, ribosomes, nucleus, are 10-100 um and have internal membranes.  

Prokaryotic cells include the domains bacteria and archaea.  Eukaryotic cells belong to the domain Eukarya and include animals, fungi, plants, and protists.

Prokaryotes key details to remember are: chromosomes are grouped  together in a region called the nucleoid, but there is no nuclear membrane and therefore no true nucleus.  No membrane-bounded organelles are found in the cryosol.  They are much smaller than eukaryotes.  

Eukaryotic key details to remember are: a membrane-enclosed nucleus contains the cell’s chromosomes.  Many membrane-bounded organelles are found in the cytoplams.  On average, eukaryotes are much larger than prokaryotes.

Plasma membrane: forms the boundary for a cell; selectively permits the passage of materials into and out of the cell.  

Ribosomes: sites of protein synthesis in the cell. 

Endoplasmic reticulum: makes up more than half the total membrane structure in many cells. Smooth ER has three primary functions: synthesis of lipids, metabolism of carbohydrates, and detoxification of drugs and poison. Rough ER transports…. stuff.

Mitochondria: Cellular respiration takes place here, ATP is created. 

Flagella: usually long and few in numbers. many unicellular eukaryotic organisms are propelled through the water.  

Cilia: shorter and more numerous.  Used in locomotion. 

Plasma membranes are selectively permeable.

Phospholipids in the membrane provides a hydrophobic  barrier that separates the cell from its liquid environment.  

Isotonic solution: there will be no net movement of water across the plasma membrane.  

Hypertonic solution: the cell will lose water to its surroundings. 

Hypotonic solution: the cell will gain water.  Water will enter the cell faster.  

Active transport: substances are moved against their concentration gradient. 

ATP is the main source of energy in the body.

Catalysts: substances that c an change the rate of reaction without being altered.  

Enzymes: are macromolecules that are biological catalysts.  Enzymes change in pH and temp. 

Transduction: the conversion of the signal to a form that can bring about a specific cellular response.

Cell cycle: is the life of a cell from the time it is first formed from a dividing parent cell until its own devision into two cells.  

Human gametes: sperm and egg cells, are haploid.  

Mitosis is the devision of the cell’s nucleus.  

Oxidation: the loss of one or more electrons.

Citric acid cycle: the job of breaking down glucose is completed with CO2 released. 

Alcohol fermentation: pyruvate is converted to ethanol. 

Lactic acid fermentation: pyruvate is reduced by NADH and lactate is formed.  

Chloroplast are organelles that are mostly located in the cells that make up the mesophyll tissue in the interior of the leaf.  

Light reaction occurs in the thylakoid where solar energy is converted to chemical energy.  Net products are NADPH, ATP and oxygen.

Pigments are substances that absorb different wavelengths of light. 

Calvin cycle: Page 87, memorize it, makes ATP and glucose.

Photorespiration: drains away as much as 50% of the carbon fixed by in the calvin cycle

Genes: segments of DNA that code for the basic unit of heredity and are transmitted from one generation to another.  

Locus: location of a gene on a chromosome.

Asexual reproduction:  Single parent is the sole parent.  Provides the sperm and egg. 

Sexual Reproduction:  two parents contribute genes to the offspring.  Sperm and egg.

Somatic cells:  any cells in the body that are not gemetes.  Each one has 46 chromosomes in a human.  

Gemetes: sperm and ova (eggs) are haploid cells. Haploid cells contain half the number of chromosomes.  Sex cells.  

Fertilization: combination of sperm and egg

Meiosis: type of cell division that reduces the number of sets of chromosomes from two to one. 

Phenotype: an organism’s expressed physical traits.  

Genotype:  an organism’s genetic makeup.

Sex-linked gene: gene located on the sex chromosomes X and Y.

James Watson and Francis Crick: first to solve the puzzle of the structure of DNA.

Transcription: synthesis of RNA using DNA as a template. It takes place in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.

Messenger RNA or mRNA: produced during transcription.  IT carries that genetic message of DNA to the protein making machinery. 

Translation: production of a polypeptide chain are written as a series of three nucleotide groups; called triplet code.

tRNA: transfer amino acids from a pool of amino acids to ribosome.  

Zygote undergoes: cell division, cell differentiation, and morphogenesis.

Capsid: a protein shell that surrounds the genet material.

Bacteriophages: viruses that infect bacterial cells.

Lytic cycle: ends in the death of the host cell by rupturing it.  In this cycle, a bacteriophage injects its DNA into a host cell and takes over the host cell’s machinery to synthesize new copies of the viral DNA, then breaks out and goes to other cells. 

Lysogenic cycle: bacteriophage’s DNA becomes incorporated into the host cell’s DNA and is replicated along with the host cell’s genome. Then chills

Retroviruses: RNA viruses that use the enzyme reverse transcriptase to transcribe DNA from an RNA template. HIV is a retrovirus.

Genetic Engineering: process of manipulating genes and gnomes. 

Biotechnology: process of manipulating organisms or their components for the propose of making useful products.

Restriction enzymes: cut strands of DNA to make sticky ends, that can be stuck together.

Virus: has a protein coat surrounding it

Biogeography: the geographic distribution of species.

Mutations: the only source of new genes and new alleles. 

Population: a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same are and interbreed.

Five conditions for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium:

1. No mutations

2. Random Mating

3. No natural selection

4. The population size must be extremely large

5. No gene flow

Natural Selection: Not mating just for looks.  Individuals with variations that are best suited to their environment tend to produce more offspring than those with variations that are less suited. 

Genetic Drift: unpredictable fluctuation in allelic frequencies.  Smaller population: more chance of genetic drift.  

Gene flow: population gains or loses alleles by individuals leaving or joining the population.

Speciation: process by which new species arise

Microevolution: change in the genetic makeup of a population from generation to generation.

INDIVIDUALS DO NOT EVLOVE! ONLY POPULATIONS CAN EVOLVE!

Prokaryotes: earliest living organisms

Eukaryotes: appeared about 2.1 billion years ago

Multicellular eukaryotes: evolved about 1.2 billion years ago

Classifications: (largest to smallest) domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.  Remember it this way.  “King Phillip climbed over the fence and got shot.”  So clever.  Or, “Kings play chess on fine grain sand.”

There are three domains of life:  Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

Prokaryotes can be placed in four groups

Photoautotrophs: photosynthetic 

Chemoautotrophs: get energy from oxidizing inorganic substances

Phtothetertrophs: use light to make ATP but must obtain carbon from an outside source already fixed in organic compounds.

Chemohetertrophs:  get both energy and carbon from organic compounds

Pathogenic: produce poisons to cause illness.

Protist: No longer a kingdom.  Term used to refer to eukaryotes that are neither plants, animals, nor fungi.  

Nonvascular: has no xylem or phylum tissue

Seeds: plants embryos packaged with a food supply in a protective coat.

Heterspory: production of two types of spores.  Megaspores (eggs) and microspores (sperm)

Gymnosperms: plants that have a “naked” seed.  Typically on cones

Angiosperms” seed plants that produce the reproductive structures called flowers and fruits.  

Flower: has four parts

Stamens: male reproductive structure, producing microspores

Carpel: female reproductive structures, producing megaspores

Fruits: mature ovaries of the plant. 

Monocots: have one cotyledon in the seed.  (include orchids, lilies, and grasses)

Eduicots: have two cotyledon in the seed.  (include roses, peas beans and oaks)

Fungi: Multicellular hertertrophs that obtain food through nutrients.

Zygote: Fertilized egg

Blastula: hollow ball of cells surrounding a cavity called the blastocoel. 

Gastrula: blastula is “punched in”

Ectoderm: outer tissue layer

Endoderm: inner tissue layer

Blastopore: opening into the gastrula.  Will become the mouth

No symmetry: sponges

Radial symmetry: jellyfish

Bilateral Symmetry: lobsters, humans ect.

Acoelemates: have no cavities between their alimentary canal and the outer wall of their body.

Pseudocoelomates: three tissue layers with a cavity formed from the mesoderm and endoderm

Coelomates: posses a true coelom.  body cavity filled with fluid, and this space separates the animal’s digestive track from the outer wall.

Vererbrates: Have four things that form during their lifetime

Notochord: long flexible rod that appears during embryonic development.  NOT A SPINAL CHORD!

Dorsal, hollow nerve cord: formed from a plate of ectoderm that rolls into a hollow tube. 

Pharyngeal clefts: grooves that separate a series of pouches along the sides of the pharynx.  (Gills)

Tail: formed by the anus.  (Butt)

Birds: have a four chambered heart and endotherms, maintains a warm constant temp.

Leaves: main photosynthetic organ in most plants

Xylem: transports water and minerals UP from the roots

Phloem: transports food from the leaves DOWN to the other parts of the plant

Companion Cells: provide for the molecular needs of the sieve-tube elements. They are connected to the sieve-tube element cells by numerous plasmodesmata.

Bulk flow: movement of water through the plant from regions of high pressure to low pressure.  

Transpiration: loss of water vapor from the leaves and other parts of the plant.

Root pressure: occurs when water diffusing in from the coot cortex generates a positive pressure that forces fluid up through the xylem.  

Pollination: transfer of pollen from an anther to a stigma.

Double fertilization: One sperm fertilizes the egg, the other sperm combines with polar nuclei, forming a triploid giving it food.

Seed coat: protects the embryo and its food supply

There are four hormones in plants.  Well… four MAIN hormones

Auxins: stimulate elongation of cells within young developing shoots.  Produced in the apical mainstream.  Synthetic auxins can be used as herbicides.  This hormone is the biggest of them all, not size wise, but doing stuff wise.  If you have a question about plant hormones and you don’t know what the heck to put and there is this as an answer, PUT IT!

Cytokinins: Stimulate cytokinesis or cell division.  

Gabberellins:  work in concert with auxins to stimulate stem elongation.

Abscisic acid: slows growth often acting antagonistically

Ethylene:  Is a gas.  It plays a role in programmed cell death.  Shedding of leaves in the fall. 

So.  There we go. 

That's what I must learn by Monday. Wish me luck. 

I love Disney...

A few days ago.
We ordered a movie.
It is called Tangled.
I haven't seen it before.
I had the chance to see it in the theater.
But when they asked me if I wanted to go... I was asleep.. and was angry they woke me up.
So I said no and went back to sleep.
But we finally watched it.
Best. Movie. Ever.

I have watched it four times since yesterday...
The music is awesome.
The people in it are awesome.
And rapunzel has the coolest eyes in the world.
This movie is just awesome.

Blood

Everything I eat tastes like blood...
A few days ago, I got a something that I could go and get a free happy meal.
So.... I did.
And my hamburger tasted like blood.
Yesterday, the noodles we had for dinner tasted like blood.
I am not enjoying this.  At.  All.

Accident Prone?

Caution: This post contains pictures that are gross, sick, and epic. Look at your own risk.



Over the past few weeks...
My toe has been hurting.
The past week it didn't look that right....

Mmmmmmmmmm.... I don't think it looks right.
And I have another one on my other toe.
Both toes.  Look, like this.

(Thank you Young Women on Tuesday that I danced with for not stepping on my toe. I really thank you.)



Today, I went longboarding.  It was good weather.  48 degrees.... rainy.... stormy.  Perfect.

I was going down.
And went from the sidewalk to the road... and I fell.
This is the COOLEST injury I have ever had.

Do you agree?

Love, Spencer.

It is all over.

Thrid term has left us.
It is the shortest term of the year.
But totally doesn't feel like that.
There are only a few days we have off of school.
And all the teachers do their huge tests or projects.
Like English we had our research reports.
I did the salem witch trials.
It was so awesome to learn about it.
It was the coolest.
Learning about the people who died...
And got pressed to death with rocks.
So "ill"
(I am starting to refuse saying sick. It is overused.)
We had our scales in orchestra, and our solos.
And we have regions in a month.
We are no where near ready.
According to Mr. Beck...
Here is suck                                      Here is us


------------------                                   ---------------------
Suck line^                                       Suck line^




                                                        =============  Thats us.  We are worse than suck.


He was nice enough to tell us stright up.  He is such a great teacher.
(Right after he told us we were worse than suck... he had us play again... we were the best we have ever sounded.  His teaching works.)
In Drivers Ed, we had our articles due.
Biology we are overloading for the AP test.  I'm just so excited for that.
Math is just hard all the time.
We had our scripture mastery test in Seminary. I got 54/54.  I am just so awesome.
Woods, well, we never do anything in woods.
For the past few days I have been playing hackey sack outside.
I am pro.
I made my longboard. It is sick, I mean ill.  Yes.  ill.
Business math is just so darn boring.
We finish about 30 minutes before the bell rings every time.
So, I just play tetris friends after.
It is the coolest game ever.
It is competitive tetris.  Against people.  Very fun. So very fun.
So.  Ya. I'm so happy third term is over.  I have enjoyed it very very much... NOT.
Fourth term... I wait your loving embrace.
It started with a minimal day.
That's a good sign that it  will be awesome.

11th. The best day of the month.

Hart's.
Pretty much a Pleasant Grove thing.
I have only seen one other hart's in one other place.
At on this day, every month.
They hand out free drinks.
Yes. Free drinks.
Once I have a car, every 11th, I will be going down many times a day.
It is held because Test Out, some place on PG, I really don't know where it is..
But I am glad they have been in business for 20 years. That is why it is being held.
I love them.
I love free drinks.
I love deals.
I love PG.
I love Utah.
I love a lot of things...

Miss Mandi

Dear Miss Mandi. 

You are pretty much my favorite. 

I found out you have a blog. 

So, I have been reading it for the past few (lots) minutes. 

It is amazing. 

I like you cat. 

She is hot.

Have I told you I have always liked you?

You are pretty much my favorite person. 

You finger mustaches are the best. 

I plan on growing one for Mustache March.

I thank you for the gift I got for my 14th birthday. 

I still remember it. 

I think that is the only gift I have ever remembered. 

Anyways. 

I just wanted you to know this. 

You will probably never read this.... 

But anyways. 

Have a good day Mandi. 

Love, Spencer.

And I never knew...

The past few days I have found out a lot of stuff. That I never knew.
I learned that math is very hard.
But when Mrs. Smithson is teaching it, it is much easier.
I also learned that my toe isn't too healthy.
A few days ago. It started to hurt...
Then it started to bleed.....
Then it started to secrete puss.
I went for a few days wondering what I had.
Then. My mother told me what I had.
This.
The first paragraph pretty much sums up what I have felt/or had. Swelling. Pain. Redness.
Ya. It isn't pretty.
Then I was informed that sometimes you have to have a surgery to reverse it...
So. Darn. Excited.
After I found that out my mother told me to soak my foot in hot water.
And when I was soaking my foot.
I was watching this show.
Best.  Show. Ever.
I don't know why I haven't experienced this show earlier!
(Probably because I have never had cable...)
But yes.
This is, hands down, my second favorite cartoon.
Because nothing in the world can beat Spongebob Squarepants.
Nothing.
So. That is how my weekend went down.
I also went longboarding for the first time.
It was exciting.
I enjoyed it.

I'll be dope.

Today I finished my longboard.
I was making my longboard in woods.
I glued two plywood boards together and made a board.
I engraved a pictrue of a giraffe on it.
Most amazing thing in the world.
I bought some trucks and wheels, bearings, hardware and grip tape for it.
I won't be making any more purchases for a LONG time.
The total cost for this was...
*drumroll*
In the hundreds...
*continue the durmroll....*
One hundred and fifty..... five.... dollars.
Ohmywow.
I thought that I would only cost not that much.
Maybe 70.
Nope.
Only over double that.
But man, it is worth it.
The trucks are the pretty much best you can get
The wheels are sector 9, which are amazing, and they are blue.
Double win.
And it has a giraffe.
That is just the best.
So, when you see that kid riding down the street, with his wristguards and oversized helmet, (because I don't want to injure myself more that I have...)
That is me.
Attempting to be cool.
Tell me if it is working.

Recipe for fun

One day.
I was convinced to come to Summer Seminary.
Well.
Brother mangum said he would punch my face in if I didn't.
So I decided to go.
I got there.
He told the famous "Youth conference Chocolate milk story"  (If you don't know it.... ask me. it is funny)
Then. He talked about the best thing on earth.
SLED PANTS!
He told us how to make them. And how much fun they are.
After that, I have always wanted to try them.

Want to know how to make them.

Get some garbage bags with the little drawstrings on them.
Then.  On one of them. Poke holes in them for your feet.
get the drawstrings and put it over your sholder like a pair of suspenders.
Then. Get another one and poke holes for your arms and head.
Then. Sled down a snowy hill.

I have everything I need to do it.
Except for one thing.
Whenever it snows.
I get my hopes up and say, "YES!  I can sledpants after school!"
Then. When I get home.
It is a balmy 82 degrees. No clouds. And leaves on the trees are starting to bloom.
So. Lame.

So. The news people said it is suppeost to snow overnight tonight.
If it does.
You will see me at a hill somewhere. At like 8 in the morning.
Before it even has a CHANCE to melt.
Will I see you there?

What did I do this Valentines day?

I learned very important tips on how to get the ladies. 

Who did I learn these tips from?

I learned them from the Chick Magnet himself. 

Link.

So. I will end this. 

I shall tell you this. 

Happy Valentines day, and for you single people... Day after the Grammies.

You did what where?

What do these two dashing men have in common?






Well. We both are really, really, really good looking, and that they both like to only half dress. Cameron doesn't like shirts.
I don't like shirts.
Cameron sometimes doesn't like to wear pants.
I sometimes don't like to wear pants.
It's like we are brothers or something.

Something else we have in common is...  We both sleepwalk.   When I sleepwalk. I walk around my house, and when anyone askes me if I am sleepwalking, I yell at them, "NO. I AM NOT ASLEEP." (And sometimes, on very rare occations, I accidentally swear in my sleep.)  And I wake up the next day, asleep in my bed, and I go upstairs and Sidney shows me a video of me sleepwalking and she laughs. I demand her to delete it. Becuase if that were to go viral.... I would not be pleased.

Cameron on the other hand... He does something much different. But equally as amusing. So, here is the story.

Last night, me and mother are sitting at the kitchen table watching Heros. It is a good show so far. But, anyways, we are sitting there. She is decorating her hundreds and hundreds of cookies when Cameron walks into the room.  He stands by the garbage can for a few seconds. Then, in the blink of an eye, rips off the lid, pulls his pants down, and is about to urinate in the trash can. My mom runs towards him and tells him that he can't go peepee in there. So, he causally walks, with his pants half way down, opens the pantry, and starts to pee in there.  I am a few feet away roflawling.  My mom picks him up and carries him to the potty to finish with.... what he was doing.

This was the most funny thing of my life.  He has done this other times, but this was the first time I have witnessed it.

So. We sleepwalk.  I say stuff in my sleep. He pees in his sleep.  We make a good duo.

Phantom of the Opera

Tuesday, I went to see the Pleasant Grove High School's production of Phantom of the Opera.
It was the most amazing thing I have seen in my life.
The orchestra was pretty amazing. (I tried out to be in it, but.... I didn't make it.)  *Insert sad face here*
It is just... amazing.
I am going to be seeing it again.
Yes.
Two times, I will have seen it.
I wish I would have seen it earlier.
Because if I would have...
I would have gotten a ticket for every day this week.
If you haven't seen it.
Then you are out of luck. All the tickets are sold out.
But there is a matinee you can attend.
I would tell you the time.
But people who read this blog are either:
1: Someone who has already seen it.
2: Someone who is already in the darn play, or work as stage crew or something of that sort.
3: Some person from Mongolia that accidently crossed over my blog.  (I found out something, you can look at your stats on your profile thing, and it tells you where people are reading your blog from. It is cool to look at.)

So. That is why I am not telling you the time of the Matinee.
And because there are a limited amount of tickets and if you come... I may not get a ticket.
So. Ha. Haha. HAHAHA.
Love. Spencer.

Can... I get a different picture?

So, I went to the DLD to get my permit yesterday. 

I arrived there, during the very pathetic snowstorm, and stood in line. 

I passed the "As of 8/1/2006, we no longer accept pocket sized birth certificates."  

It made me laugh.

We got up to the line, and the lady had me sit in the chair and look at the camera thing. 

I smiled.... 

She took forever. 

I stopped smiling for about half a second. 

The flash HAD to go off just then. 

I got my number and sat. 

There was an Asian couple behind me. 

They were talking in some sort of not American language... 

It was quite annoying. 

They talked... and talked... and talked, and their were no stops in their sentences. 

My number got called, I went up. 

He had me fill out some more forms, sign here, had my mom sign here, here, here, here, and here. Oh, and don't forget here.

Then I took my eye exam. 

Piece of cake. Thank goodness my eyes are like... amazing. 

So, I went over... and took.... the test. 

They have cool little touch screen kiosks.  They were quite nifty. 

So, I sat down and took it. 

The kid sitting next to me, about five minutes after I sat down, stood up to see his results. 

He got about 46 percent... 

Now I was getting quite nervous. 

I finished the test. 

I got 43/50.

Not the hundred I was looking for, but I will take it. 

They gave me my permit. 

I looked at my picture. 

It looks like I just got booked into jail... 

I look like a thug. 

Who has been thuggin around town. 

On his awesome panda longboard. 

So... 

Now I get to wait six months to be able to get another one for my legit license.

Hopefully that won't be too long. 

World record.

Seven.
Yes, seven is the number.
The number seven represents the amount of times I sneezed in a row.
Why didn't I tape it and send it into the world record place.
I am very proud of myself.
I also held a duck today.
And ate nasty raw fish.
It was terrible.

We had a churchball game today.
And we lost.
But it is alright with me.
There is always next time.

Today, I have a mission.

I will be hard, but it must be done. 

The DLD and me/I

So. There was this one time.
Me and my mother were on our way down to the DLD.
About 5 minutes into the drive, I asked my mom if she brought everything that we needed.
She said that she thought she did. (She thought it was my responsibility
We show up.
Oh, you need a lot more than a birth certificate. Which was all we brought.
So. Looks like we will just have to go next Monday.
Because we will have a lot of time next Monday.
It is minimal Monday.
And Olivia, prepare to get beaten in our permit race.
I've got this in the bag.

As of 8/1/2006, which was four years ago, they no longer accept pocket size birth certificates.

(That is what the picture says, sorry for the bad photo. I'm not cool enough to own a legit camera.)

Permit time.

In a few hours.
I will sit in a room.
And pass my permit test.
And get my permit.
Win.

Oops... Didn't mean to say that.

You know those times.

Where you say something, either when you were mad at someone, or were angry, or sad, ect. 

And you didn't mean to say it. 

Well. One time my mom was having one of those bad days. 

And she said something, that, hopefully, she didn't mean to say. 

I will tell you about this time. 

At the end of this post. 

You should laugh. 

Here we go. 

One day, a few years back. I was a 13 year old. 

I had lived for approximately 4745 days. Give or take a few hundred.

Anyways. 

I was in the seventh grade. I had just taken up the instrument of cello. 

It is quite a cool instrument. 

And that is where we will start this story.

As some of you may know, when you first start an instrument, you are terrible. 

Especially if you are starting a string instrument.  Becuase you don't know how to make a good sound, and all that good stuff. 

So, me, not knowing how to play good, because, I was indeed... A noob. 

I sat down to practice my 25 minutes. That is what was required for a good grade in that class. 

And I started. 

And I sounded... horrid. 

My mom walks in, after probably dealing with a fight between my younger syblings. 

And she yells, and I QUOTE, "Spencer! Stop and racket. You sound like a DYING COW!"

Right there. 

Right there, I stood up, with a tear or two in my eye(s). 

(Sidney is standing there, the whole time, laughing. I am pretty sure she peed her pants.)

And I walked down in my room. 

And I think I cried. You would too if your mother told you you sounded like a dying animal.

So, she came down and apologized. I forgave her. But Sidney still teases me about sounding like that. 

Well, there is my funny story. 

Did you laugh?

That is pretty much my main goal in blogging. 

Brighten up peoples days, with laughter. 

From, Spencer

Right now

At this very moment. 

I am blogging. 

Sitting at the computer, my popcorn is popping in the microwave. (Mostly becuase we don't have an apricot tree.)

I am listening to the BYU basketball game. 

Because BYU is kind of cool. 

And Jimmer is, well, pretty much amazing. 

My popcorn is done, hold on, I am going to go and get it. 

The biggest problem with popcorn is you never know if the popcorn button on the microwave will either not cook it long enough, or will burn it.

This time it is burnt. But when you add salt and melted butter, it still tastes good. 

BYU is up by 6. They are doing quite good. 

Have I told you Jimmer is amazing?

Well, he kinda is. 

I have some assignments that are due tomorrow. 

A math assignment. 

My biology homework.

My biology 100 question practice test.

And I still need to read my scriptures. 

I just finished the section that is 117 verses long. 

Took me a few days, but it is finished. 

I am proud of myself.

I practiced about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

I practiced so much becuase I found my solo that I am going to play next year. 

It is quite amazing. 

I will make it sound amazing. 

Well. I am going to listen to the rest of the game. 

Becuase it is quite an amazing game. 

From. Spencer.

I am...... a nerd.

For those who don't know of this.
I work at the CMSEC.
For those who don't know what the heck that stands for, it is pretty much just the Space Center.
Most of you have been there.
And hopefully most of you enjoyed it a lot.
If you haven't been there ever, it is amazing.
I enjoy it.  Working there, that is.
There. I am more commenly known as Mary/Merry.  (Don't you love slashes?)
I am called that because.... well... because of my last name. It is Merryweather... Ya.
There are many reason I work there.
The people there are awesome.
Like The Vandenbos's.  They are Brittney and Nicole.
They are twins. But you would never tell it if you looked at them.
It took me about 3 years to figure this out.
Brittney has brown hair, and can get mad at people when they deserve it.
Nichole is blond and you would never see her mad.
Ever.

Some of the other people are Jaden, or sometimes called Ginger.
Because he is a red head.
We try not to make fun of him too much.

Then, there is Victor.
He is pretty much the coolest person you would ever meet.
(Besides Dan Palmer of course)
But, he is pretty much the best.
He runs the place.

He also runs a blog.
He is pretty much an amazing writer.
Why hasn't he written a book?
That remains a mystery.

So. You should read his blog.

http://voyagerslog.blogspot.com/

It is pretty awesome.  As I have previously stated....
From. Spencer.

Not a single B.

This term.
There wasn't any B's on my grades.
Which was surprizing. Becuase the week before the term ended every class I had an I, (which means incomplete. It was because of my scales,) and the rest were B's.
The end of the term has to be the most stressing time.
You have all the big projects. But what I have never understood is why teachers assign those assignments.
They are just setting themselves up for a bad weekend.
They are going to have 3 days to grade all of the projects they have assigned their students. Which is usually 250+.
Why don't they just call it good.
Maybe teachers like staying up till four in the morning the day that grades are due grading assignments.
Just maybe.

This man named Todd.

He is my friend. On facebook. He finds funny picutres.
Most of them make me laugh. Here are some of them.