Mercenary Pen's Meticulously Planned Machine of Prose Random Banter #182

[LaZodiac]

Um. Ew. ...

...

Just... ew...

I'm sorry to hear that, Moon. I hope you find a hobby you can enjoy sooner rather than later.

What's so ew about it? By packs I mean three individual packs, not entire placcards of noodles. And they had beef flavored powder!

<hugs> Are you a boa constrictor?

No, but truth be told I feel like one right now. Blurf.

[Coidzor]

What's so ew about it? By packs I mean three individual packs, not entire placcards of noodles. And they had beef flavored powder!

Because you're not supposed to eat bowels. Those are what we put into dog's food and sausages.

I don't even want to think about how you got beef flavored powder into one.

But ... But ... Kenyon.

Ah, Kenyon. Almost ended up going there. Very picturesque. Had a couple of friends who went there.

You're uh... You're welcome?
I'm not sure how I feel about being thanked in the same breath as you discuss crotch-grabbage

Believe you me, after that one doesn't have too much time between breaths.

[Serpentine]

But you have actual reasons why, and they weren't because of your own shortcomings, they were because of teachers. I don't have any excuse for this. With the exception of that one B, which was because of the unfair teacher, and that is why I can bear having it, because I know I wasn't really like that.

Nonsense. I should have sucked it up and coped with the teacher anyway. Everyone has to work with people they don't like at some point, and I should have been able to adapt. But I didn't, because I was sullen and lazy and a teenager. Moreover, that English class was only one of 5, so it hardly accounts for all of it - if I'd done as well at English as I should have, maybe I could have touched on 80, but I doubt it. A few points were my English teacher; the rest was all me.
And the point is: it doesn't matter. Not even a tiny teeny bit. You know who remembers my ENTER score? Me. And my mum, I suppose, but we have issues. You know how many times it's ever been relevant to anything outside of high school itself? Precisely once, when I applied for university, and I would have been fine with a much lower score. And one B - probably even a dozen Bs - isn't going to make any difference on that score.
By all means, strive to improve. Use that B. Examine it, look at why it wasn't an A. But don't tattoo it to your forhead or drag it around like a ball and chain, and for the love of Grod don't flay yourself with it crying "oh wailey wailey wailey!". It does. Not. Matter. Except as a tool for improvement.

[LaZodiac]

Because you're not supposed to eat bowels. Those are what we put into dog's food and sausages.

I don't even want to think about how you got beef flavored powder into one.

Ah, Kenyon. Almost ended up going there. Very picturesque. Had a couple of friends who went there.

Believe you me, after that one doesn't have too much time between breaths.

Ah, my bad. I mean bowls, as in a holding device

[MoonCat]

Senioritis is when you're a senior and realize you only have one year left of the glorious hell hole that is high school. So your grades tank to some degree or another. If you have it really bad, sometimes you lose scholarships. I've got a middling case right now. 've gone from mostly As, a few Bs, and nothing less to a few Cs, mostly Bs, and nothing higher. Really need to get back to my past grades.


But ... But ... Kenyon.

pleasedon'letthathappen...

Is it inevitable? I don't wanna!

No, but truth be told I feel like one right now. Blurf.

squeeeeeeeeeze

Nonsense. I should have sucked it up and coped with the teacher anyway. Everyone has to work with people they don't like at some point, and I should have been able to adapt. But I didn't, because I was sullen and lazy and a teenager. Moreover, that English class was only one of 5, so it hardly accounts for all of it - if I'd done as well at English as I should have, maybe I could have touched on 80, but I doubt it. A few points were my English teacher; the rest was all me.
And the point is: it doesn't matter. Not even a tiny teeny bit. You know who remembers my ENTER score? Me. And my mum, I suppose, but we have issues. You know how many times it's ever been relevant to anything outside of high school itself? Precisely once, when I applied for university, and I would have been fine with a much lower score. And one B - probably even a dozen Bs - isn't going to make any difference on that score.
By all means, strive to improve. Use that B. Examine it, look at why it wasn't an A. But don't tattoo it to your forhead or drag it around like a ball and chain, and for the love of Grod don't flay yourself with it crying "oh wailey wailey wailey!". It does. Not. Matter. Except as a tool for improvement.

I'm not dragging it around! I just got the results about the 95% thing today, and I was depressed. That is the extent. There's nothing I can do to fix the damn thing, and I'll just go drown my sorrows by trying harder to get my next homework project to be really awesome. That's what I do, and that happens to be one of the reaosns I worry, becuase it might turn out my basic ignoring of issues like that after a few days will make my grades plummet like a stone once things get really hard.

Also, are you referencing the NAc Mac Feegle?

[LaZodiac]

pleasedon'letthathappen...

Is it inevitable? I don't wanna!



squeeeeeeeeeze

It's not inevitable as long as you push yourself. But always remember, do not under any circumstances work yourself to death over this. Don't be in a situation where you're studying can hurt you. Also,

BLARUGRHG~

[AtlanteanTroll]

Ah, Kenyon. Almost ended up going there. Very picturesque. Had a couple of friends who went there.

Well, yes. Not like it's also got some academic prestige or anything.

pleasedon'letthathappen...

Is it inevitable? I don't wanna!

I don't know, honestly. I've actually got it pretty bad. But that's because I've just decided to have more fun in my life. As in getting in at 10 on weekdays. It's all up to you.

EDIT: I also have a terrible math teacher, which explain the sole C. I dropped the wrong math class for Choir. Alas.

[Serpentine]

Also, are you referencing the NAc Mac Feegle?

I thought I was referencing old racist cartoons, but that's also a possibility (probably a better one, too).

[Mutant Sheep]

Load of things to say at Moonie, but its all LATE and stuff. Anyways, Moonie, if you're smarter than me, you'll do fine in life. Doing fine is FINE. its GOOD. Being worse than a genius does not detract jack. Even coming close to competing with him is something most people would have decided is impossible, and they'd be offering to hang out in his pool house when he's president of the Moon (And also Australia). Speakin of, this is something that is my backup if I cant do jack in life. Find one of my old friends (probably one of the musicy guys, those dudes were scary) and hangout in their poolhouse. Parties man. They'd be there.

Oh, yeah. Perfect grades are a bad thing, because of the inherent acceptance and unquestioning obedience that it requires. An english class, with a good teacher, lowers your math grade, because you ACTUALLY THINK IN ENGLISH and everything else feels like mindless repetition, intellectually deadening and for life skills... only useful if you were gonna be a teacher.

Senioritis is when you're a senior and realize you only have one year left of the glorious hell hole that is high school. So your grades tank to some degree or another. If you have it really bad, sometimes you lose scholarships. I've got a middling case right now. 've gone from mostly As, a few Bs, and nothing less to a few Cs, mostly Bs, and nothing higher. Really need to get back to my past grades.

*Insert wannabe-Trag statement on the unneeded emphasis on grades and non-understanding hierarchy of school 'progression', which limits everyone's potential by forcing them down the same path until they themselves leap off of it.*

Senoritis is fun though. Most sane colleges have realized that quarter four of the senior year=NOT a legitimate indicator of their work ethic.

[HalfTangible]

You know what I meant. What grade was that?

I expect I'll have B's in college. It's one of the reasons I am freaking the hell out about college. I dunno how I'll be able to get anything done.

Why do you feel inadequate when I say I think you're smarter...?

It's not hurting my performance! I ought to be harder! I should be doing the day-after-tomorrow's homework right now, not talking to you while putting off tomorrow's! I already missed about two hours of homework time today because I gave in and joined an acting class because I felt happier doing acting than I had for most of the summer.

I think everyone I've ever known gets A's in high school. I've never talked to anyone from junior college except you that I know the grades of.

I'm perfectly emotionally stable! I just get sad a lot, and have issues think abandonment! I only dropped out of school because of bullying issues, that doesn't count as a mental problem!

Ehhh... Six or seventh. I don't really remember but i think 6th.

It's seriously amazing how much free time you have in college. I could hardly believe it. Still don't. Even factoring in school work...

I don't. I feel inadequate because you talk like you're an idiot while making the grades of a friggen genius.

Good for you on the acting class.

That's kinda creepy >.>

You don't need to have a mental illness to lack emotional stability.

I'd say acting, but I didn't even audition for the school play because I was so busy with homework at the time. I stopped singing years ago because I was struggling to keep my grades up in FDS while I was being bullied by the teachers. That was the same time I dropped improv, which was just after I was offered a position on the improv group that does public performances. I uppose doing improv had kind of been a goal of mine, but if I dropped it after finally achieving that goal, I dunno if that counts as wanting to do it. I guess I like voice acting, but I've never done that...

Listen. I'm no psychiatrist - I know very little of the human mind. But the thoughts you've been describing match what I've thought for most of my recent school career so much that it's scaring me.

Find what you want to do. Find a way to do it than you can accomplish in between classes, then do it. Even if it's not something big or important, as long as it helps you move towards whatever it is you want to do with your life.

[MoonCat]

It's not inevitable as long as you push yourself. But always remember, do not under any circumstances work yourself to death over this. Don't be in a situation where you're studying can hurt you. Also,

BLARUGRHG~

I'm not working myself to death. I'm just a rea;;y unmotivated tudent.

^.^

I don't know, honestly. I've actually got it pretty bad. But that's because I've just decided to have more fun in my life. As in getting in at 10 on weekdays. It's all up to you.

EDIT: I also have a terrible math teacher, which explain the sole C. I dropped the wrong math class for Choir. Alas.

That's why said I'd do acting again this year. Also why I'm doing homework at ten instead of getting reasonable things done.

I thought I was referencing old racist cartoons, but that's also a possibility (probably a better one, too).

everything with pratchett is better.

[Rawhide]

95% thing

Who cares? That is an absolutely damn good percentile. Higher than 95% of the population, ninty flippin' five percent. The only time 3% matters is if you're taking an IQ test to get into Mensa.

Complaining about that score is like asking a gold medal athlete why they didn't break the world record.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Senoritis is fun though. Most sane colleges have realized that quarter four of the senior year=NOT a legitimate indicator of their work ethic.

Don't know if you've noticed this Sheep, but it's the middle of September. Which is the FIRST quarter. Not the last. Homecoming's in 2 weeks, not Prom. These grades will be getting a once-over at least.

That's why said I'd do acting again this year. Also why I'm doing homework at ten instead of getting reasonable things done.

Not sure I follow you, Moon.

[Mutant Sheep]

I'm not working myself to death. I'm just a rea;;y unmotivated tudent.

^.^

...Moonie... have you even NOTICED me? I am the least motivated student to walk the halls of anything considered close to one-day-might-be-close to prestigious schools. I am also lazeh.

Don't know if you've noticed this Sheep, but it's the middle of September. Which is the FIRST quarter. Not the last. Homecoming's in 2 weeks, not Prom. These grades will be getting a once-over at least.

Bah, all of senior year is 4th quarter. Freshman is 1st, Sophomore is second...

Oh yeah. Did you forget your AIm password or something? :P==

[Cobra_Ikari]

I started acting classes again this afternoon.

It was unrelated actually, it was about recovery from the FDS incidents. I doubt anyone knows outside of the forum about my supposed issues relating to self-esteem. Just toss me into a room with Crona and people would have difficulty telling which one of us was talking. Especially considering the Sensory Integration Disorder.

Subtlety, man.

What's senioritis? Do I have senioritis?

Nice! Break a leg! =3

Ah, ok. That's very unusual, then. *hugs tight* =\

Psh. I'm, like, secret agent level subtle. >.>

And I couldn't imagine you ever being afflicted by senioritis. Though if you're not careful, you might burn yourself out. =\

squeeeeeeeeeze

AND DON'T SQUEEZE THE SICK PEOPLE! =P

*snuggles*...also, I hope you feel a bit better. Next time, I'm sure you'll get the top score. =3

[MoonCat]

Load of things to say at Moonie, but its all LATE and stuff. Anyways, Moonie, if you're smarter than me, you'll do fine in life. Doing fine is FINE. its GOOD. Being worse than a genius does not detract jack. Even coming close to competing with him is something most people would have decided is impossible, and they'd be offering to hang out in his pool house when he's president of the Moon (And also Australia). Speakin of, this is something that is my backup if I cant do jack in life. Find one of my old friends (probably one of the musicy guys, those dudes were scary) and hangout in their poolhouse. Parties man. They'd be there.

Oh, yeah. Perfect grades are a bad thing, because of the inherent acceptance and unquestioning obedience that it requires. An english class, with a good teacher, lowers your math grade, because you ACTUALLY THINK IN ENGLISH and everything else feels like mindless repetition, intellectually deadening and for life skills... only useful if you were gonna be a teacher.
*Insert wannabe-Trag statement on the unneeded emphasis on grades and non-understanding hierarchy of school 'progression', which limits everyone's potential by forcing them down the same path until they themselves leap off of it.*

Senoritis is fun though. Most sane colleges have realized that quarter four of the senior year=NOT a legitimate indicator of their work ethic.

Parties? What?

Or you can switch between mindsets and be able to do well in both English and Math. And I object to your saying you don't actually think in math. Very wrong there.

I still don't wanna have "inflammation of the seniors". Like, I could do stuff. I wanna spend a gap year learning everything I missed in school as well. What if the sane colleges don't recognize that time because they think it counts as that?

Ehhh... Six or seventh. I don't really remember but i think 6th.

It's seriously amazing how much free time you have in college. I could hardly believe it. Still don't. Even factoring in school work...

I don't. I feel inadequate because you talk like you're an idiot while making the grades of a friggen genius.

Good for you on the acting class.

That's kinda creepy >.>

You don't need to have a mental illness to lack emotional stability.

Listen. I'm no psychiatrist - I know very little of the human mind. But the thoughts you've been describing match what I've thought for most of my recent school career so much that it's scaring me.

Find what you want to do. Find a way to do it than you can accomplish in between classes, then do it. Even if it's not something big or important, as long as it helps you move towards whatever it is you want to do with your life.

That'll probably lower my already tenuous work ethic. Nothing like more free time to make me totally abandon all pretense of studying.

I'm not a genius. Although that's probably not a good measure anyway... And by the standards of so-called genii, I'd not be having these lows a's and stuff. (Although I don't use that standard, because it is pretty ridiculous if you think about it.)

Thank you. It went well. Turns out my crush is there. Along with the dude who has a crush on me. Wednesdays are now officially Soap Opera days in my life.

Well, I assume they have A's. I don't ask anymore, people kept glaring at me because they thought I was trying to flaunt my own grades.

I'm emotionally stable.

So? You're smart, nice, and someone I look up to. Why wouldn't I want to have your school career, assuming that B's really are the highest you can get in college without being my brother.

I don't think I should do what I want in life. It's probably a bad idea.

[Elemental]

Don't worry about it MoonCat. You're probably smarter than I am. And even if you aren't, you're a lot more accomplished than I am.
Seriously, don't get worked up about it.

However, because I know that talking about something like this rationally never works; I shall relate my tale of woe and hardship and try not to cry at my broken and shattered dreams.
Someone start up the mournful music. Possibly a violin if you can manage it.

Spoiler

Show

A long time ago, when I was in grade eleven in High School... okay it was three years ago... I took all the difficult subjects but switched out biology for music because the study of living things had never interested me. Things were looking up, I was born with an impressive intellect, a curiosity concerning the nature of things and the ability to grasp and understand difficult concepts.
The first half of the year was great and I did really well, the second half was a touch difficult, but I limped through and got everything done, though I had to drop physics. So I was doing five subjects, not six.
But when grade twelve came around, everything fell to pieces. The work load increased. Assignments attacked me from every angle and I began to feel anxiety like I had never felt before. I began missing practically whole weeks of school due to stress and I attended maybe a tenth of my Maths C classes. By the time mid year block exams were upon me, I was seriously behind in everything. I managed to sit the Chemistry and English exams, but I panicked before the others and walked home crying. I had a nervous breakdown that evening and dropped school, and to this day, I have not graduated.
I tried Distance Education the next year, but that too, fell apart on me. I tried a course this year in Business Administration, and I failed that too.
And this is after years of being exceptionally gifted. I used to get straight A's in everything until grade ten, and even then I was near top of almost everything.

Long story short: There are times we just have to accept that ninety-five is really good and that trying any better is a futile endeavour.
Aim for excellence, not perfection.

[MoonCat]

Who cares? That is an absolutely damn good percentile. Higher than 95% of the population, ninty flippin' five percent. The only time 3% matters is if you're taking an IQ test to get into Mensa.

Complaining about that score is like asking a gold medal athlete why they didn't break the world record.

My opinions on Mensa are similar to those belonging to David Mitchell. And it's really more that it should be incredibly easy to get into the 98 percentile, because apparently only 22% of the school (or state, I don't remember) passed at all. I don't know why I couldn't even do that in my best subject last year.

If I can't do anything besides that, then I ought to have honed it to the level of world record. Not that that would work as an athlete, but I feel so sure I could have done something better.

Not sure I follow you, Moon.

Well, I could be sleeping. Or doing next week's homework.

...Moonie... have you even NOTICED me? I am the least motivated student to walk the halls of anything considered close to one-day-might-be-close to prestigious schools. I am also lazeh.

Bah, all of senior year is 4th quarter. Freshman is 1st, Sophomore is second...

Oh yeah. Did you forget your AIm password or something? :P==

I'm likely less motivated than you, just aiming for something else so my unmotivated seems... motivated.

Nice! Break a leg! =3

Ah, ok. That's very unusual, then. *hugs tight* =\

Psh. I'm, like, secret agent level subtle. >.>

And I couldn't imagine you ever being afflicted by senioritis. Though if you're not careful, you might burn yourself out. =\

AND DON'T SQUEEZE THE SICK PEOPLE! =P

*snuggles*...also, I hope you feel a bit better. Next time, I'm sure you'll get the top score. =3

Thank you.

<hugs back>

Yuuuuup.

Ooh, blaze of glory sounds nice. Maybe if I snap one day in school I'll at least be remembered after I'm gone, even after not achieving anything great like others.

That actually was done to me once. I punched them. Very, very feebly. Although I'd only gorged on soda and chips, not everything LaLa had.

Top score would be cool. I don't know if I can tohugh. Which is rather my issue with myself.


@ Elemental: Yup, just cried on my goddamn science homework. I am really sorry man. <hugs tight> I don' even know what to say...

[AtlanteanTroll]

Bah, all of senior year is 4th quarter. Freshman is 1st, Sophomore is second...

I wish that was how high school worked. Really, I do.

EDIT:

Aim for excellence, not perfection.

No, no, no. Aim to scrape the bottom then outdo yourself by more than you could have ever dared to have hoped. That way you're never disappointed.

For example. Dad told me repeatedly I'd never get into NHS. Mom said it was unlikely. I applied on a lark. Ended up getting in and now I'm supposedly in the top 1% of students in the country. lolwut?

[MoonCat]

No, no, no. Aim to scrape the bottom then outdo yourself by more than you could have ever dared to have hoped. That way you're never disappointed.

For example. Dad told me repeatedly I'd never get into NHS. Mom said it was unlikely. I applied on a lark. Ended up getting in and now I'm supposedly in the top 1% of students in the country. lolwut?

I wish I could do that. But I'm not a genius like you. Good for you man.

[AtlanteanTroll]

I wish I could do that. But I'm not a genius like you. Good for you man.

Man, no. I'm not. That's the thing. (EDIT: I am not being modest. I have genius friends. Three of them. My intellect is nothing like theirs'.) Just apply. I had at least one B the year I applied. And I was pulling mostly Bs through sophomore year ... What I'm trying to say is that a B isn't a big deal.

Although, NHS is sort of messed up in that it doesn't solely consider academics. It also considers character and volunteer work. Which it really shouldn't. But whatever, I'm not complaining.

[Elemental]

@ Elemental: Yup, just cried on my goddamn science homework. I am really sorry man. <hugs tight> I don' even know what to say...

Don't worry about it. Had you actually said anything I'd either currently hate you or be sitting on the lawn sobbing.
Actually, I'm crying now because I decided, somewhat foolishly, to check that I got events in the proper order. I didn't, but correcting my mistake would make me feel worse.
Anyway... Don't be concerned about my problems. They're severe sometimes, and I most certainly am not fine. But I don't want to burden anyone and I have a really supportive family and great friends.

[Cobra_Ikari]

*snuggles*...Mooonieeeee, you disaapeared! D=

Didn't even say hi, or nothin'.

I assume you were looking for Zodi, though, she just left before you got on.

[MoonCat]

Don't worry about it. Had you actually said anything I'd either currently hate you or be sitting on the lawn sobbing.
Actually, I'm crying now because I decided, somewhat foolishly, to check that I got events in the proper order. I didn't, but correcting my mistake would make me feel worse.
Anyway... Don't be concerned about my problems. They're severe sometimes, and I most certainly am not fine. But I don't want to burden anyone and I have a really supportive family and great friends.

*snuggles*...Mooonieeeee, you disaapeared! D=

Didn't even say hi, or nothin'.

I assume you were looking for Zodi, though, she just left before you got on.

dude, it's a quarter to 11 on a school night, I was checking to see if I'd gotten any emails before going to bed.


In fact, good night y'alls. Seeya... tomorrow. Maybe. I might be busy, three of my teachers assigned really big projects today.

[Reinboom]

Who cares? That is an absolutely damn good percentile. Higher than 95% of the population, ninty flippin' five percent. The only time 3% matters is if you're taking an IQ test to get into Mensa.

Complaining about that score is like asking a gold medal athlete why they didn't break the world record.

I'm out of context of the conversation, but I just want to point out that this is a wonderful metaphor. I think I shall make use of this.


Edit: (having read the context)
The 'not being at the top' of academics is kind of an oddity to me, and getting worked up about it is an even sillier concept.

Personally, I was a straight A student until Grade 11... and then various medical problems shut me down. I graduated with something like a 2.8 GPA (out of 4). That is, "barely graduated".
I then moved 2000 miles away to go to university. After a rocky year of university (medical problem shut me down in the 2nd semester). I then became homeless for a little while (medical problems, ahoy!)

That was 5.5 years ago. I now work in what I would consider a dream career and have surpassed most of my university friends.

[Cobra_Ikari]

dude, it's a quarter to 11 on a school night, I was checking to see if I'd gotten any emails before going to bed.


In fact, good night y'alls. Seeya... tomorrow. Maybe. I might be busy, three of my teachers assigned really big projects today.

*coughs*...and who was claiming not to be a dedicated, hardworking, responsible student now?

Night, sleep well, and feel better. *hugs tight*

[Mynxae]

Don't worry about it. Had you actually said anything I'd either currently hate you or be sitting on the lawn sobbing.
Actually, I'm crying now because I decided, somewhat foolishly, to check that I got events in the proper order. I didn't, but correcting my mistake would make me feel worse.
Anyway... Don't be concerned about my problems. They're severe sometimes, and I most certainly am not fine. But I don't want to burden anyone and I have a really supportive family and great friends.

Ele, this is why I should come back to live with you... I hate it when I hear you've been upset, because it makes me feel like I wasn't there for you *hugs* *bakes chocolate cake and sends it off*

[Elemental]

Ele, this is why I should come back to live with you... I hate it when I hear you've been upset, because it makes me feel like I wasn't there for you *hugs* *bakes chocolate cake and sends it off*

I'll be okay. I've made it through years of this whether you were living here or not.

[Heliomance]

Whatever you say about your work ethic, it has to be a hell of a lot better than mine or there's simply no way you'd get the grades you do. If you get those grades without putting much work in, then you are a certifiable genius, with one of the highest raw intelligences I've ever come across.

People on the whole do not get straight As. Your assuming everyone has an A in everything is downright silly. I don't know if you think I'm smarter than you or not - personally I suspect I'm probably not - but I can tell you that you're getting far, far better grades than I ever did. At GCSE, I got A* in the four subjects I cared about (Maths, double science and German) then the rest of the subjects were scattered through A-C with a D in Drama. I have never ever been a straight A student, because my work ethic was non-existent. Unless you are world record level intelligent - and probably even then - having smarts but no work ethic gets you the kind of grades I got. It does not, never has, and never will get you straight As.

And frankly, if you don't have the native smarts, then working hard can only get you so far. So stop putting yourself down. Your grades put the lie to your words, they are empirical proof that you work for them.

[Devmaar]

<snorts> I have a terrible work ethic. I put everything off until I'm doing things at 12 at night, I spend most of my time in class doodling, and I never do a serious rewrite of essays before I turn them in, I just do them on the fly. I spent my fourth period class (which was on a laptop in the library) taking to the people I wanna be friends with instead of studying. I spend my math class trying to put serifs on my handwriting and spend History making jokes and internally freaking out about the dude who keeps putting his feet on my chair. I appreciate the compliments, and I certainly wish I had a work ethic, as that is actually something of value I could use, but I don't, and I really have no idea about the grades. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.

Whatever you say about your work ethic, it has to be a hell of a lot better than mine or there's simply no way you'd get the grades you do. If you get those grades without putting much work in, then you are a certifiable genius, with one of the highest raw intelligences I've ever come across.

People on the whole do not get straight As. Your assuming everyone has an A in everything is downright silly. I don't know if you think I'm smarter than you or not - personally I suspect I'm probably not - but I can tell you that you're getting far, far better grades than I ever did. At GCSE, I got A* in the four subjects I cared about (Maths, double science and German) then the rest of the subjects were scattered through A-C with a D in Drama. I have never ever been a straight A student, because my work ethic was non-existent. Unless you are world record level intelligent - and probably even then - having smarts but no work ethic gets you the kind of grades I got. It does not, never has, and never will get you straight As.

And frankly, if you don't have the native smarts, then working hard can only get you so far. So stop putting yourself down. Your grades put the lie to your words, they are empirical proof that you work for them.

I was going to say almost exactly this.
I know people who get straight A/A*s.
I know people who are really smart but don't put the effort in.
I know people who are averagely smart/slightly above but work incredibly hard.
These groups do not intersect.