Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

Time flies. It is already the seventh week in this short semester. Yesterday was the last class for ECS. We had presented our speech in the last class. I was in the second group and my candidate number is 13. There were 14 candidates in the group.

The public speaking started at 3.30pm in 1.03A. I sat at the second row and listened to my friends' speeches. Everyone was performing so well. I guess it is because we knew that was the last activity we had for ECS.

When I stood in front of the class and ready to deliver my speech, I was quite nervous. I took a deep breath and started to deliver my speech. I did not know how was my performance. I hope it was OKAY. :)

I love ECS class because I met nice lecturers and many new friends. I learn a lot of new things through this class. This is really a good memory in my life. :D

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

Slappy Hooper!

Who is Slappy Hooper? Well, Slappy Hooper is the best sign painter in the world! I bet you are curious about what I am saying here. :p


Topic of yesterday ECS was "Enactment of Short Stories". The script of my group is "The Legend of Slappy Hooper". We were asked to take a particular role and read the script in front of the class and we were assessed on that. The main character, Slappy Hooper is the only guy in my group, Terry.  I always have fun to be in this group because we have different races of group members and even international students!


Although we were disappointed by the result, but the learning process is the most important, right? Cheer up! =D


So, it's time to continue practising my speech now. The public speaking is on Monday! 


Good night! =)

10 New Words (Fifth Week)

1. Boffin
    (1) A boffin is a scientist, especially one who is doing research.
    : The boffins of Imperial College in London think the may have found a solution.
    (2) Very clear people are sometimes called boffins.
    : A computer boffin is set to make 5 million dollars from his revolutionary photo
      technology.

2. Lampoon
    (1) If you lampoon someone or something, you criticize them very strongly, using humorous means.
    : He was lampooned for his short stature and political views.
    (2) A lampoon is a piece of writing or speech which criticizes someone or something very strongly, using humorous means.

3. Perilous
   (1) Something that is perilous is very dangerous.
    : ...a perilous journey across the war-zone...   The road grew even steeper and more perilous.

4. flare-up
   If there is a flare-up of violence or of an illness, it suddenly starts or gets worse.

5. Masseuse
   A masseuse is a woman whose job is to give massages.




6. Typology
    A typology is a system for dividing things into different types, especially in science and the social sciences.

7. Gigolo
    A gigolo is a man who is paid to be the lover of a rich and usually older woman.

8. Sulk
   If you sulk, you are silent and bad-tempered for a while because you are annoyed about something.
  : He turned his back and sulked.

9. Exasperate
   If someone or something exasperates you, they annoy you and make you feel frustrated or upset.
  : The sheer futility of it all exasperates her.

10. Repository
     A repository i a place where something is kept safely.
    : A church in Moscow became a repository for police flies.

10 New Words (Fourth Week)

1. Imponderable
    : a thing that cannot be precisely determined or measured


2. Apoplectic
    : intense enough to threaten or cause a stroke


3. Agnate
    : a relative whose connection is traceable exclusively through males


4. Enchiridion
    : a handbook ; manual


5. Glutch
   : to swallow


6. Instauration
    : renewal; restoration; renovation ; repair


7. Ravelment
    : entanglement; confusion

8. Pilikia
    : trouble

 9. Mewl
     : to cry, as a baby, young child, or the like ; whimper

10. Histrionics
      : behaviour or speech for effect, as insincere or exaggerated expression of an emotion

Children and The Snow

Do you know what is "Shape Poem"? Well, today Miss Sheba teaches us on how to shape a poem. She begins the lecture with many of the poems that are done by our seniors. This actually gives us so many ideas on what is this topic about.

We are allowed to work in pair or alone. So, I actually work in pair with Pui San (Keryn Kok). At the beginning, it is really difficult for both of us to shape our poem. After discussion, we have come into a conclusion. As the title shows, we choose to write "Children and The Snow". We spend time to make our sentences so that every sentence got the same rhythm and this is really challenging for us.

Have a look on out first try shape poem.




Children are looking out of the window
The town is covered with snow
Children want to play with the snow
The mother's heads nod
Excitement in children showed
Children are standing in a row
And preparing a battle of snow

10 New Words (Third Week)

1. Confiding adj.
    Showing trust; showing that you want to tell somebody a secret
    : a confiding relationship

2. Encapsulate verb
    To express the most important part of something in a few words, a small space or a single object
    : The poem encapsulates many of the central themes of her writing.

3. Profligate adj.
    (formal, disapproving) using money, time, materials, etc. in a careless way
    [SYN] WASTEFUL
    : profligate spending

4. Coracle noun
    A small round boat with a wooden frame, used in Wales and Ireland by people catching fish

5. Baglady noun
    A woman who had no home and walks around carrying her possessions with her

6. Predestines adj.
    (formal) already decided or planned by God or by fate
    : It seems she was predestined to be famous.


7. Predispose verb
    1. To influence somebody so that they are likely to think or behave in a particular way
         : He believes that some people are predisposed to criminal behaviour.
         : Her good mood predisposed her to enjoy the play.
    2. To make it likely that you will suffer from a particular illness.
         : Stress can predispose people to heart attack.

8. Homage noun
    (formal) something that is said or done to show respect for somebody
    : The kings of France paid homage to no one.

9. Holler verb
    (informal) to shout loudly
     [SYN] YELL
     
10. Desideratum noun
      (formal) a thing that is wanted or needed

Film Review - Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame

Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame

Directed by : Hana Makhmalbaf
Cast : Nikbakht Noruz (Bakhtay)
Abbas Alijome (Abbas)
Abdolali Hoseinali (Talib boy)





This film is based on the war in Afghanistan. The girl, Bakthtay lives in the caves under the remains of the Buddha statues of Bamiyan. Bakhtay has a dream. She becomes obsessed to attend a newly opened school because Bakhtay is fascinated by Abbas' schoolbook. She wants to know to read. However, she does not have money to buy stationery.



In order to go to school, she has to raise the money for a pencil and a notebook. Abbas asks Bakhtay to sell the eggs of the family's chicken. Bakhtay takes four eggs to the market but two eggs are broken. However, she does not give up to earn money by selling the remaining eggs. She exchanges the eggs to a bread and sells it at ten rupees. With ten rupees, she only gets enough for the notebook, but takes her mother's lipstick as a writing pencil.


On her journey, a gang of boys who is playing a game in which they are Taliban fighting Americans terrorise Bakhtay. They rig the pages from her book to make "paper aeroplane", take away her irreligious lipstick, put a paper bag over her head and pretend to play a stone game with her by burying her alive. "in God's name, let me go to school," Bakhtay pleads.

When Bakhtay meets the gang of boys for the second time again, Abbas pretends that he is dead and he asks Bakthtay to "die" if she wants to live. Bakthtay hesitates. She stands still and she is about to cry. In the end, she realizes that in order to live, she has to die. "Dying", is the only way to be set free.

The symbol used in this film is Bakthtay's notebook. This shows the effects of the war in Afghanistan on the local children. In order to attend to school, the children face many obstacles such as financial problem and bad study environment in the open-air school as well as home. Children could not get a good environment to study especially girls. Girls' school is located in a very far place where it can only be found where they have to walk by following the river direction.



The message of this film is to tell people about the bad effects of war to the society, and the country. War is definitely bringing more disadvantages to this world. As a viewer, I personally think the message of this film is conveyed well because it tells people how hard the life is for the children after the war in their country. This film also makes us to think deeply and teach us to appreciate everything that we are having in our life now.



Rating for this film ★★★☆☆

10 new words (Second Week)

1. askance adv
(IDM) look askance (at sb/sth)
(written) to look at or react to sb/sth with suspicion or doubt, or in a critical way

2. assemblage noun
A collection of things; a group of people
: Tropical rainforests have the most varied and abundant assemblage of plants in the world.

3. douse verb
(1)to stop a fire from burning by putting water over it ; to put out a light
: He doused the flames with a fire extinguisher.
(2)to pour a lot of liquid over sb/sth ; to soak sb/sth in liquid
: The car was doused in petrol and set alight.

4. doula noun
A woman whose role is to provide emotional support to a woman who is giving birth.

5. hedonist noun
A person who believes that pleasure is the most important thing in life

6. transmigration noun
The passing of a person's soul after their death into another body

7. ramification noun (usually plural)
One of the large number of complicated and unexpected results that follow an action or a decision
: These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications.

8. marauding adj.
(of people or animals) going around a place I search of things to steal or people to attack
:marauding wolves

9. extrude verb
(1)To push or force something out of something ; to be forced or pushed in this way
: Lava I'd extruded from the volcano.
(2)to shape metal or plastic by forcing it through a hole

10. mawkish adj.
(disapproving) expressing or sharing emotion in a way that is exaggerated or embarrassing
: a mawkish poem

ECS Day 2

Today is the second day of ECS. The activity for today is "Film Review". We watched a film, "Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame." I am going to update my blog about the film soon. Stay tuned. I knew many new friends in the class today. They are my group members in the debate which is held on this Thursday (12 July 2012). So, this is the end of the day.

10 new words (First week)

1.Swizzle
noun
a mixed alcoholic drink, especially a frothy one of rum or gin and bitters:
a rum swizzle
verb
[with object]
stir (a drink) with a swizzle stick:
he would swizzle it into a froth and pour it out for us

2.Calends
plural noun
the first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar.

3.Guerdon
noun
a reward or recompense.
verb
[with object]
give a reward to (someone).

4.subjacent
adjective
technical
situated below something else.

5.replicant
noun
(in science fiction) a genetically engineered or artificial being created as an exact replica of a particular human being.

6.tristesse
noun
[mass noun] literary
a state of melancholy sadness:
lamenting a lost love, he leaves us poised at the lip of a chasm of tristesse
post-coital tristesse


7.Personalty
noun
[mass noun] Law
a person’s personal property. Compare with realty.

8.Flibbertigibbet
noun
a frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person.

9.Piffle
noun
[mass noun] informal
nonsense:
it’s absolute piffle to say that violence is ok

10.Piety
noun (plural pieties)
[mass noun]
the quality of being religious or reverent:
acts of piety and charity
[count noun] a belief which is accepted with unthinking conventional reverence:
the accepted pieties of our time

ECS Day 1 in IMU

Hello!

Today is the first class of English Composition Skills class (ECS). So, I am in Group C. Mr. Zaid is teaching us how to share the link from a particular website to our own blog.

Here it is,
Mr.Bean

Next, we are going to embed a video. (I'm hungry now as I didn't take my breakfast this morning, so I choose Mr.Bean-cooking spaghetti , this episode is funny. LOL)

Sadly to say, the line in too slow, I am unable to get the HTML from youtube. Nevermind, here ends this blog entry and ECS class.

Lunch time!

Saturday

A lovely Saturday! I was watching 乐龄歌艺大赛 with parents at night. There was an very old uncle singing a song and I don't know what happened to my mum, she just laughed non-stop with dad when she listened to that song. Both of them laughed for so long, I was just sitting there and got stunned by my cute parents. I feel warm with their laughs. They are so cute. Again, I love them. I'm smiling now. The relationship between my parents getting better each day. So tomorrow is Sunday, dad gonna cook Hakka Mee for us. First try on dad's Hakka Mee. Well, is he really going cook it? Not sure thou..haha..but he will surely cook breakfast for us, coz it is sunday! =D Happy weekends with family! =D

Simple day

I'm so happy now because everyday is just so simple. My parents are with me everyday, my dog is staying at home with me when parents are working. Yes, I'm excited for June to come because my degree starts in June, yet sometimes I wish June comes slower because I enjoy to be at home with my parents. What did I do at home? Haha well, every morning I wake up at 8am something ( without alarm!) and I sweep the floor, clean the house, cook dinner for family, everyday is just so simple. Life is so good to be like this. =D

Mother's Day!

So today is Mother's day! I love my mummy very very very much! She is my dearest in this world! Don't forget my dad is y dearest too! :*) This morning my dad cooked breakfast for four of us, dad, mum, youngest bro and me. Yes, my eldest bro and sis are studying outside, they aren't at home for this special day. =( What did my dad cook? Well, he cooks 面粉茶果,again. Haha, dad actually cooks this "misn fen cha guo" every Sunday. The difference for today is, mum isn't helping him any. He cooks for us, washes all the plates and bowls, clean table, cut papaya and mangos for us, mum just sitting at the living room and read newspaper after she eats. I love Sunday because I feel warm from my family! I love them so much! And for dinner, we didn't book any table in any restaurant for this celebration. We just had a simple dinner. Dad brought us to Mentaksb, Princess Cafee for steaks and chops, too bad the Cafe was full! So we change to another Chinese restaurant, and it was full with people too! At last, we ate chicken rice at Sin Sek Kee. Haha, who asked mummy herself said no need to book at all last few days ago. =p Than, we went to Starmall, just for a short walk. Great Sunday and great Mother's Day 2012! It would be best if my eldest bro and sis are here with us too. =*)))) thanks mum, thanks dad, thanks my parents. I love you all! =D

First post,again.

This is another first blog. Why "another"? Well it simply because I have so many blogs before this but ended up with nothing and deleted them one by one. So, I make a new one again. #telling myself that I MUST NOT delete this blog in the future# So, let's just have a short simple "introduction" post. Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I feel grateful that this year I'm able to celebrate this special day with my lovely mom, because I did not celebrate with her last year as I was having my exam in my college. I love you, Mom. =*)