Interesting day today, I must say. Started off ok, rode the bus to school, whatever. We had a private conversation in the back like always, just hanging out and blasting music off our cell phones like always (it's just us and we all listen to the same things).
Got off, made it through the first 2 periods, and then everyone that goes to my home school at this alternative school (I do full days at Auto Tech with my core classes integrated rather than stay at my home school all day) gets called down to the office, and we find out we can no longer sit together and can't talk to each other over a private conversation we had 2 hours earlier. Apparently, the bus driver overheard us (was a substitute) and snitched on us, in which the home school called the alternative school and complained etc.
Then, I get called down again, because apparently, I'm wasting my time in class, not doing my work etc. They hand me a packet, as they tracked all my computer usage (was like 34 pages of small print, that contained time on sites etc). 34 pages. From November alone, that supposedly had nothing to do with school. Oooo big whoop. So they wrote a letter and sent it to literally everyone, home, staff, auto tech, home school saying my attitude and work ethic was supposed to change and the like, and they were very concerned I wasn't going to graduate. As this is happening, I raise the point that I have not yet missed an assignment all year. They were like well you always have work to do so there is no reason you should be off task etc (come to find out they blocked all out sites we listen to music on etc, what they didn't know was now that they gave that packet with the blocking systems name on it, I could hack it if I wanted to, but I'm a good kid now so I don't plan on it). I complained that one assignment for my exit project was too long (as everyone else agreed) and that it would be dragged on forever. I consistently said it wouldn't get done. Wasted 3 weeks not doing it. They were like you won't get it done. What do you know, had it done in 30 minutes (4 page essay about what it's like being 18 in America). And I got a 95% on it.
If I'm right, these grades don't look too bad (2nd best in the school to be exact), these are at 15 weeks in.
Economics - 88%
English - 95%
Physical Education - 90&
Auto Tech - 75% (Down a bit, but with reason, will go up with recent Internship at a local shop)
3rd Year Math - 80%
And I'm not going to graduate?
And then, on top of all that, I finally got my 1999 Dodge Caravan into the shop. Brought it the other night. Walked in, saw it was on one of the lifts. I think to myself, cool they did something. Started talking to the teacher and was telling him as far as I knew only one brake line was bad. Come to find out, they are all terrible. They found the one I knew was wet, and chalked up 2 more. They were really rusty. On this vehicle, the master cylinder has a single double back flared line that runs into a distributor block, that separates the single line into 4, and send them to the calipers and drums. Since there isn't much room under the hood, they did this. Anyways, the lines were so rusty and wet in several spots that the fittings had expanded from the rust into the block. If you tried to take them off with a line wrench, the distributor block would break as it was very, very brittle (I just had these lines checked and was told they were fine). The block is about $60-$70 new if I remember, which isn't huge deal as I told him, but the problem is we only get about 2 1/2 hours a day to work, and that's shortened by changing into coveralls, shop clean up and our lesson/lecture in the beginning. He said it would take about a month, so he said he didn't even want to start the project. I was like damn, I need them done as my father plans to give this vehicle to me pretty soon. On top of that, the engine has a rough idle (when it wants too), stalls a lot at red lights and the transmission slips on occasion. Did an onboard diagnostic test, no codes came up (which I thought was odd), and no check engine light on. Did a tune up on it (plugs and wires, oil and tranny fluid change etc) periodically over the summer (plugs/wires in April, brakes in October, power steering in August, oil in October with tranny fluid etc) and it was fine . I think it's probably bad gas, or too much Ethanol. Ethanol makes everything run like trash, especially at 10% (they want to go to 15%). I wouldn't care much if they would take all the additives out of the gasoline but thats another story.
Also, just did front brakes, power steering lines and a new reservoir, and headlights (old ones fogged up big time). Only other things is that rear hatch is bad, and the front shock towers are bad (whole van points down, limiting headlight display to just 20 feet at most, and thats with them adjusted all the ay up). Underneath the engine its wet with oil all over, not dripping but just a little bit wet. Teacher said the oil pan gasket between the pan and the bottom of the oil pan with the plug going bad is very common with the 3.3L and 3.8L (this has a 3.3L). Needs front sway bar bushings as well, but that's it.
Oh, and it doesn't even have 200,000 miles on it. Has been well kept too. Engine is also pretty ballsy for a 3.3L, 180hp and 240ft-lb of torque according to the owners manual. Nothing like 2012 though...2012's with a 3.6L have 300hp and 250ft-lb of torque.....
This is a picture from Wikipedia, but mine is IDENTICAL (no rust etc)
The science and social studies teachers eat together and in the same lunchroom as us, and my friend notice the science teacher took out his phone and was checking the time. Then his face had an expression of Oh, thats what it was. 
