Go here for lyrics
This is my new favourite singer/songwriter out of Hong Kong. Her name is Charmaine Fong, and this is a song she wrote herself. She's usually a lyricist, but as you will see from the video if you play it, she's a very talented songwriter as well. I first came across this song in the music video version, where the singing is a studio cut. I started to wonder if she could actually sing this live, and here it is. She's just as good. I'm really impressed. I hope she becomes more well-known in HK.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
New Electoral System Referendum (click)
Comparison Notes
First Past the Post (FPP) versus Mixed Member Porportional System (MMP)
107 electoral districts and 107 seats versus 90 electoral districts and 129 seats
FPP - you vote for a candidate for one electoral district
MMP - 90 seats are for the Local members, who are the equivalent to the current candidates we vote for in the current FPP system.
- Then there are 39 seats for the List Members. This is what sets the MMP system apart from the FPP system.
List Members
Before an election, each party puts forward a list of members they want to get seats for in the FPP system. If people give 19 of the 39 seats for List Members to Party A, then Party A gets 19 more seats in addition to the FPP vote. If Party B gets 50 votes in the FPP vote, and Party A gets 20 votes, then Party B would win even if it got only 10 votes in the List Member vote. Why? Because the overall total for Party B is 60 votes, whereas Party A only gets 39 votes in total.
What are we voting on?
We are not only voting on a candidate who represents us at the Provincial Legislature. We're also voting for a party. Sometimes, the person you think is the best candidate may not be of the party that you prefer to have running the government. So, in the MMP system, you get to voice both requests. One for the candidate who would best represent you, as well as the party whose policies are most in line with your values.
Since the List Member is selected by the political party and not by us, the public, then how can we make sure that this List Member candidate will work for us? We will have to contact this candidate and convey our wishes to them. This sounds like more work that I have to do to reach a person who isn't necessarily chosen to work for me. So, I'm wondering if this is an effective way for me to make my voice heard?
FAQ Page
Noteworthy is " Can I see an example of how the proposed Mixed Member Proportional System would work?" This question will show you links to the Citizen's Assembly report, where they paint hypothetical scenarios of what might happen, and what implications that would have if we did adopt an MMP system.
First Past the Post (FPP) versus Mixed Member Porportional System (MMP)
107 electoral districts and 107 seats versus 90 electoral districts and 129 seats
FPP - you vote for a candidate for one electoral district
MMP - 90 seats are for the Local members, who are the equivalent to the current candidates we vote for in the current FPP system.
- Then there are 39 seats for the List Members. This is what sets the MMP system apart from the FPP system.
List Members
Before an election, each party puts forward a list of members they want to get seats for in the FPP system. If people give 19 of the 39 seats for List Members to Party A, then Party A gets 19 more seats in addition to the FPP vote. If Party B gets 50 votes in the FPP vote, and Party A gets 20 votes, then Party B would win even if it got only 10 votes in the List Member vote. Why? Because the overall total for Party B is 60 votes, whereas Party A only gets 39 votes in total.
What are we voting on?
We are not only voting on a candidate who represents us at the Provincial Legislature. We're also voting for a party. Sometimes, the person you think is the best candidate may not be of the party that you prefer to have running the government. So, in the MMP system, you get to voice both requests. One for the candidate who would best represent you, as well as the party whose policies are most in line with your values.
Since the List Member is selected by the political party and not by us, the public, then how can we make sure that this List Member candidate will work for us? We will have to contact this candidate and convey our wishes to them. This sounds like more work that I have to do to reach a person who isn't necessarily chosen to work for me. So, I'm wondering if this is an effective way for me to make my voice heard?
FAQ Page
Noteworthy is " Can I see an example of how the proposed Mixed Member Proportional System would work?" This question will show you links to the Citizen's Assembly report, where they paint hypothetical scenarios of what might happen, and what implications that would have if we did adopt an MMP system.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Spa Comparisons
The spas I'm going to compare are Summerhill Spa, Concepts Spa and In Beauty Spa.
Hot Stone Therapy
Summerhill................60min for $90
Concepts..................60min for $110
Beauty....................55min for $120
Reflexology Massage
Summerhill................45min for $55 (Includes hot oil treatment)
Concepts..................45min for $60
Beauty....................55min for $80....$65.25 for 45min
RMT Registered Massage Therapy
Summerhill................60min for $85
Concepts..................60min for $80
Beauty....................55min for $85
Basic Facials
Summerhill................45min for $40....$53.40 for 60min
Concepts..................60min for $75
Beauty....................60min for $75
Advanced Facials
Summerhill................75min for $80
Concepts..................75min for $90
Beauty....................75min for $95
Eyebrow Waxing
Summerhill................15min for $15
Concepts........................... $17
Beauty...................(tweezing) $20-25
Pedicure
Summerhill................50min for $40
Concepts..................60min for $48
Beauty............................. $45
Manicure
Summerhill................40min for $30
Concepts..................30min for $25
Beauty............................. $25
Hot Stone Pedicure
Summerhill................70min for $75
Concepts..................75min for $75
Beauty.................... none
Summerhill Spa
154 Cumberland Street
Toronto M5R 1A8
phone 416-924-0531
fax 416-924-7309
welcome@summerhillspa.com
CONCEPTS SALON & SPA
20 Bloor Street Eest
(Hudson’s Bay Centre)
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3B8
Tel: 416.928.6845
Fax: 416.928.0489
conceptdayspasalon@bellnet.ca
In Beauty Spa @ Commerce Gate
Commerce Gate
Unit 12-16, 505 HWY 7 East,
Thornhill, ON. L3T 7T1
Canada
Tel: 905-7629099 / 905-7629199
I have been to Summerhill and In Beauty spas. The facials I got at each location were different, so it's hard to compare how well the facials were done. Judging by other factors, I prefer Summerhill. Summerhill's decor is very homey, making me feel truly relaxed. The music is calming, and the way they position you on the bed is much more comfortable. During the facial, the aestheticians put a pillow underneath my knees, which allows my body to lie in a natural and relaxing position. During the pedicure, I also lay on a bed, with a triangular pillow underneath my knees. I was so comfortable I fell asleep. In Beauty, however, has small rooms that resemble doctor's examining rooms. The bed is very narrow and so you feel cramped, not relaxed.
My best friend has been to Concepts Spa (Hudson's Bay Co.) and she said they dim the lights to create a relaxing atmosphere. I don't know what their decor looks like, though, and it's hard to find pictures on the internet.
Hot Stone Therapy
Summerhill................60min for $90
Concepts..................60min for $110
Beauty....................55min for $120
Reflexology Massage
Summerhill................45min for $55 (Includes hot oil treatment)
Concepts..................45min for $60
Beauty....................55min for $80....$65.25 for 45min
RMT Registered Massage Therapy
Summerhill................60min for $85
Concepts..................60min for $80
Beauty....................55min for $85
Basic Facials
Summerhill................45min for $40....$53.40 for 60min
Concepts..................60min for $75
Beauty....................60min for $75
Advanced Facials
Summerhill................75min for $80
Concepts..................75min for $90
Beauty....................75min for $95
Eyebrow Waxing
Summerhill................15min for $15
Concepts........................... $17
Beauty...................(tweezing) $20-25
Pedicure
Summerhill................50min for $40
Concepts..................60min for $48
Beauty............................. $45
Manicure
Summerhill................40min for $30
Concepts..................30min for $25
Beauty............................. $25
Hot Stone Pedicure
Summerhill................70min for $75
Concepts..................75min for $75
Beauty.................... none
Summerhill Spa
154 Cumberland Street
Toronto M5R 1A8
phone 416-924-0531
fax 416-924-7309
welcome@summerhillspa.com
CONCEPTS SALON & SPA
20 Bloor Street Eest
(Hudson’s Bay Centre)
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3B8
Tel: 416.928.6845
Fax: 416.928.0489
conceptdayspasalon@bellnet.ca
In Beauty Spa @ Commerce Gate
Commerce Gate
Unit 12-16, 505 HWY 7 East,
Thornhill, ON. L3T 7T1
Canada
Tel: 905-7629099 / 905-7629199
I have been to Summerhill and In Beauty spas. The facials I got at each location were different, so it's hard to compare how well the facials were done. Judging by other factors, I prefer Summerhill. Summerhill's decor is very homey, making me feel truly relaxed. The music is calming, and the way they position you on the bed is much more comfortable. During the facial, the aestheticians put a pillow underneath my knees, which allows my body to lie in a natural and relaxing position. During the pedicure, I also lay on a bed, with a triangular pillow underneath my knees. I was so comfortable I fell asleep. In Beauty, however, has small rooms that resemble doctor's examining rooms. The bed is very narrow and so you feel cramped, not relaxed.
My best friend has been to Concepts Spa (Hudson's Bay Co.) and she said they dim the lights to create a relaxing atmosphere. I don't know what their decor looks like, though, and it's hard to find pictures on the internet.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Planning for Winter Country Trip
Dates (pending): Thursday, December 27th, 2007 to Tuesday, January 1st, 2008.
Location: Winter country resort, i.e. Blue Mountain
Resources:
- Blue Mountain Brochures Homepage
- BM Resort Map
- BM Shopping and Dining Guide
To receive further information on any of these events, please call Blue Mountain at 705-445-0231
Lodging:
BM Lodging Brochure
Main Village accomodations:
2 Bedroom + kitchen = $2881.45
1 Bedroom + kitchen = $2202.15
Other buildings including the Chateau Ridge and Rivergrass condos are the same price at the moment.
Activities:
- Main activities page for Blue Mountain
This link will give you very detailed infomation on skiing and snowboarding
- Cross Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing and Caving
We can visit the caves by snow-shoeing. This is a very strenuous exercise for people who have never snow-shoed before.
- Snow-free Caving
If we have a terrible winter without snow, we can still go and visit the scenic caves.
- Spa
We will have to call and check for availability and specials as the date nears. For now, you can view what services they offer, and decide for yourself which style of spa you would like. The Scandinavian Spa is very suitable for men as well as women.
- My Touch, Your Spa
Google Map
- Utopia Spa Salon
Google Map
- Kalola Boutique and Spa
Google Map
- Shopping in the Village
We can just walk around and do some shopping as we recuperate from all this strenuous activity.
- Nightlife and Dining
A list of places
Pricing for Skiing and Snowboarding:
- Beginner lesson and equipment = $54 daytime - Includes 90 min group lesson and lift rides
- For $59, you could have a private lesson for 4 friends. You get more attention from the instructor and will learn better as a result.
- Tubing = $4/ride, $22/8 rides - for when we're too tired to ski or snowboard
Special New Year's Eve Activities:
New Year's at Blue Mountain
a) Special Dinner Gala
b) Adult Party Package - $ are not yet available for A and B.
c) Dec. 30 - Othere is a Torch light parade in the village. We should find some reviews of it to see if it's worthwhile.
Neighboring Businesses
Supermarket at Collingwood Plaza
Loblaws
A&P Supermarket - This one is closest to the resort
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=276+Jozo+Weider+Blvd.,+Collingwood&daddr=Hwy+26+%26+High+St.,+Collingwood,&sll=44.501831,-80.254869&sspn=0.029017,0.079651&ie=UTF8&ll=44.498954,-80.270491&spn=0.029018,0.079651&z=14&om=1
Itinerary:
T.B.D.
Location: Winter country resort, i.e. Blue Mountain
Resources:
- Blue Mountain Brochures Homepage
- BM Resort Map
- BM Shopping and Dining Guide
To receive further information on any of these events, please call Blue Mountain at 705-445-0231
Lodging:
BM Lodging Brochure
Main Village accomodations:
2 Bedroom + kitchen = $2881.45
1 Bedroom + kitchen = $2202.15
Other buildings including the Chateau Ridge and Rivergrass condos are the same price at the moment.
Activities:
- Main activities page for Blue Mountain
This link will give you very detailed infomation on skiing and snowboarding
- Cross Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing and Caving
We can visit the caves by snow-shoeing. This is a very strenuous exercise for people who have never snow-shoed before.
- Snow-free Caving
If we have a terrible winter without snow, we can still go and visit the scenic caves.
- Spa
We will have to call and check for availability and specials as the date nears. For now, you can view what services they offer, and decide for yourself which style of spa you would like. The Scandinavian Spa is very suitable for men as well as women.
- My Touch, Your Spa
Google Map
- Utopia Spa Salon
Google Map
- Kalola Boutique and Spa
Google Map
- Shopping in the Village
We can just walk around and do some shopping as we recuperate from all this strenuous activity.
- Nightlife and Dining
A list of places
Pricing for Skiing and Snowboarding:
- Beginner lesson and equipment = $54 daytime - Includes 90 min group lesson and lift rides
- For $59, you could have a private lesson for 4 friends. You get more attention from the instructor and will learn better as a result.
- Tubing = $4/ride, $22/8 rides - for when we're too tired to ski or snowboard
Special New Year's Eve Activities:
New Year's at Blue Mountain
a) Special Dinner Gala
b) Adult Party Package - $ are not yet available for A and B.
c) Dec. 30 - Othere is a Torch light parade in the village. We should find some reviews of it to see if it's worthwhile.
Neighboring Businesses
Supermarket at Collingwood Plaza
Loblaws
A&P Supermarket - This one is closest to the resort
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=276+Jozo+Weider+Blvd.,+Collingwood&daddr=Hwy+26+%26+High+St.,+Collingwood,&sll=44.501831,-80.254869&sspn=0.029017,0.079651&ie=UTF8&ll=44.498954,-80.270491&spn=0.029018,0.079651&z=14&om=1
Itinerary:
T.B.D.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Hacken's Lee's New Hit: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
花落誰家
作詞: 林若寧 作曲: Eric Kwok 編曲: Eric Kwok
鐵塔以下青翠山嶺
化作了石油站
鐵塔以上一對鸚鵡
也要各自逃難
鐵塔以下都市璀璨
根本不懂感嘆
花瓣吹散 誰在乎誰著眼
聽說發達只有興建
蓋夠八十層吧
聽說過活只有改變
變到再沒童話
聽說進步黑臉琵鷺
儘管犧牲一下
牠一張臉 已給你記憶風化
當櫻花迫於遷往悄靜月球
天高海闊珍惜不夠
雛菊都給安葬以後
換到繁榮誰來內疚
只許燈飾普照地球
不許花園開墾幾畝
鮮花死了 至感慨愛得不夠
這個四月相對乾燥
吻到有裂痕吧
這個八月天氣很冷
再見快樂炎夏
聖誕晚上感到炎熱
儘管燈飾優雅
當天飄雪你可會有些牽掛
當櫻花迫於遷往悄靜月球
天高海闊珍惜不夠
雛菊都給安葬以後
換到繁榮誰來內疚
只許燈飾普照地球
不許花園開墾幾畝
鮮花死了 至感慨愛得不夠
當櫻花迫於遷往悄靜月球
天高海闊珍惜不夠
繽紛煙花閃照過後
望見層層浮雲漸厚
開採山丘斬去木頭
花開花落不可拯救
儘管擁有 怕一切變得罕有
即使擁吻 怕空氣已不足夠
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Going Green
In recent years, a lot of awareness has been raised for eco-friendly lifestyle choices. This ranges from buying organic produce to buying hybrid cars. Let's face it, though. Both of those items are very expensive, much more expensive than the regular environmentally and bodily harmful versions. I live in an area that doesn't have those supermarkets that sell organic produce. As for the car, well, I'll have to get myself a full driver's license before I'll buy a car. Hopefully by that time, I'll be able to afford it!
For now, what I can do is to start by using eco-friendly cleaning solvents around the home. My mom and I have decided that once we finish using up these store-brand cleaners, we'll stop buying them and instead, we'll mix our own cleaning solvents. To do this, I started some research on the internet to find recipes for mixing these eco-friendly cleaning solvents. Here are some websites:
The Grassroots Store
I've been to the location on the Danforth, and I know that there is another location on Bloor St. They have a wide range of pre-mixed powders that you can use to create your own cleaning solvents. You should bring your own containers in which to hold the powders. They also have eco=friendly soaps and shampoos for showering and bathing.
Green Technology: the Environmentally Friendly Solution
This article, written by Lana Christian, is very informative as it explains in ordinary English what is wrong with the store-brand products we use in our homes and offices, and then it gives you alternative suggestions to making or buying products that are more eco-friendly. I love the way she ended her article:
"Everything we do impacts the environment. What matters is how big a footprint we leave on it. We need to look through "green lenses" to minimize that footprint. It starts with you."
Laundry--Ugh!!!
Call me weird, but I would rather clean a bathroom than to do laundry. I don't know why. I love clean clothes; I just don't like doing the work to make them clean. I should be shot for saying this because in our modern age, we are so lucky to have these high-tech washers and dryers that make doing laundry so much easier than it was back in our grandparents' days. For those of you who love doing laundry and would like to help reduce the harm inflicted on the environment, here is an article that gives you some basic tips. It talks about how to choose eco-friendly products in the stores. Unfortunately, if you want to read more of the article, you'll have to sign up.
CBC's Article
It's by the CBC. Enough said, just read it.
Vinegar--Ew!!!
I absolutely hate vinegar. The only types of vinegar I'll have is the red ones you use in Chinese restaurants when you eat seafood, and some brands of salt and vinegar chips. The thing is, I'm going to have to learn to accept--not love--vinegar. Vinegar is like the magic ingredient--not as magical as baking soda, of course--to making an effective and environmentally harmless cleaning solvent. Becareful, though, because it's not always bodily harmless. So, read your recipes very carefully and don't experiment with mixing different ingredients unless you've done your research before hand. This page has a gazillion recipe ideas, but don't get carried away.
An Abstract for Annie B. Bond's book
Read the article, and if you like what you see, buy the book.
For now, what I can do is to start by using eco-friendly cleaning solvents around the home. My mom and I have decided that once we finish using up these store-brand cleaners, we'll stop buying them and instead, we'll mix our own cleaning solvents. To do this, I started some research on the internet to find recipes for mixing these eco-friendly cleaning solvents. Here are some websites:
The Grassroots Store
I've been to the location on the Danforth, and I know that there is another location on Bloor St. They have a wide range of pre-mixed powders that you can use to create your own cleaning solvents. You should bring your own containers in which to hold the powders. They also have eco=friendly soaps and shampoos for showering and bathing.
Green Technology: the Environmentally Friendly Solution
This article, written by Lana Christian, is very informative as it explains in ordinary English what is wrong with the store-brand products we use in our homes and offices, and then it gives you alternative suggestions to making or buying products that are more eco-friendly. I love the way she ended her article:
"Everything we do impacts the environment. What matters is how big a footprint we leave on it. We need to look through "green lenses" to minimize that footprint. It starts with you."
Laundry--Ugh!!!
Call me weird, but I would rather clean a bathroom than to do laundry. I don't know why. I love clean clothes; I just don't like doing the work to make them clean. I should be shot for saying this because in our modern age, we are so lucky to have these high-tech washers and dryers that make doing laundry so much easier than it was back in our grandparents' days. For those of you who love doing laundry and would like to help reduce the harm inflicted on the environment, here is an article that gives you some basic tips. It talks about how to choose eco-friendly products in the stores. Unfortunately, if you want to read more of the article, you'll have to sign up.
CBC's Article
It's by the CBC. Enough said, just read it.
Vinegar--Ew!!!
I absolutely hate vinegar. The only types of vinegar I'll have is the red ones you use in Chinese restaurants when you eat seafood, and some brands of salt and vinegar chips. The thing is, I'm going to have to learn to accept--not love--vinegar. Vinegar is like the magic ingredient--not as magical as baking soda, of course--to making an effective and environmentally harmless cleaning solvent. Becareful, though, because it's not always bodily harmless. So, read your recipes very carefully and don't experiment with mixing different ingredients unless you've done your research before hand. This page has a gazillion recipe ideas, but don't get carried away.
An Abstract for Annie B. Bond's book
Read the article, and if you like what you see, buy the book.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Vietnam War: Prior to the War
Interesting facts I didn't know before:
- American "operatives" working for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) had been stationed all over Vietnam during WWII. Their job was to monitor the movement of Japanese troops, helping the Japanese resistance groups and rescuing pilots who had been shot down in the Vietnam.
- American operatives and the Vietnamese worked closely with one another
- Franklin D. Roosevelt had wanted to "liberate" the Indochinese nations from colonial rule after WWII. To him, France and other countries like Britain, had been exploiting the people and the resources of that region for far too long. It was time to put an end to the suffering and exploitation endured by the Indochinese under the French colonialists.
- Indochina refers to: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. During the period prior to the Vietnam War, Indochina was a region colonially controlled by France. Currently, it is known as South-east Asia.
- Winston Churchill, PM of England, disapproved of FDR's plans to dismantle the French colonial empire in Indochina for fear that FDR will want to dismantle Britain's colonnial empire as well.
Truth:
Based on the stories told to me by my parents, the French presence in Vietnam was not all that negative. The French introduced new foods, and they helped to build more modern infrastructure, as well as religious institutions. For example, the French introduced the baguette, a French bread roll. It became so popular in Vietnam that even today, Vietnamese people still eat the French baguette with their own style of Vietnamese deli meats. The French also built modern hospitals, with foreign-trained doctors, using French medicine. For a lot of the infectious diseases that appeared at that time, having modernly equipped hospitals and French medicines helped a great deal. Lastly, the French presence introduced Roman Catholicism into Vietnam. It is important to note that the French colonialists did not force the Catholic faith onto the Vietnamese, and instead they were actually allowed to continue practicing their own religions, such as Buddhism. From there, they went on to build schools that were run by nuns and priests. My aunt, L.M., attended school in one of the Convents in North Vietnam early on in her education. Therefore, in my family, the previous generation had only positive things to say about the French colonialists.
What I would like to know more about:
- Where did each side of the families of both parents grow up? Did their experience with the French colonialists change as they migrated to other parts of Vietnam?
- How much did the French control the education system? How much was left to the Vietnamese to administer on their own?
- Historically, what is known about the French "invasion" and later, their occupation of Vietnam?
Sources:
Indochina @ Wikipedia
The Vietnam War for Dummies
- American "operatives" working for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) had been stationed all over Vietnam during WWII. Their job was to monitor the movement of Japanese troops, helping the Japanese resistance groups and rescuing pilots who had been shot down in the Vietnam.
- American operatives and the Vietnamese worked closely with one another
- Franklin D. Roosevelt had wanted to "liberate" the Indochinese nations from colonial rule after WWII. To him, France and other countries like Britain, had been exploiting the people and the resources of that region for far too long. It was time to put an end to the suffering and exploitation endured by the Indochinese under the French colonialists.
- Indochina refers to: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. During the period prior to the Vietnam War, Indochina was a region colonially controlled by France. Currently, it is known as South-east Asia.
- Winston Churchill, PM of England, disapproved of FDR's plans to dismantle the French colonial empire in Indochina for fear that FDR will want to dismantle Britain's colonnial empire as well.
Truth:
Based on the stories told to me by my parents, the French presence in Vietnam was not all that negative. The French introduced new foods, and they helped to build more modern infrastructure, as well as religious institutions. For example, the French introduced the baguette, a French bread roll. It became so popular in Vietnam that even today, Vietnamese people still eat the French baguette with their own style of Vietnamese deli meats. The French also built modern hospitals, with foreign-trained doctors, using French medicine. For a lot of the infectious diseases that appeared at that time, having modernly equipped hospitals and French medicines helped a great deal. Lastly, the French presence introduced Roman Catholicism into Vietnam. It is important to note that the French colonialists did not force the Catholic faith onto the Vietnamese, and instead they were actually allowed to continue practicing their own religions, such as Buddhism. From there, they went on to build schools that were run by nuns and priests. My aunt, L.M., attended school in one of the Convents in North Vietnam early on in her education. Therefore, in my family, the previous generation had only positive things to say about the French colonialists.
What I would like to know more about:
- Where did each side of the families of both parents grow up? Did their experience with the French colonialists change as they migrated to other parts of Vietnam?
- How much did the French control the education system? How much was left to the Vietnamese to administer on their own?
- Historically, what is known about the French "invasion" and later, their occupation of Vietnam?
Sources:
Indochina @ Wikipedia
The Vietnam War for Dummies
Monday, August 06, 2007
Lady Jane Grey, 1537-1554
"Many Englishmen also expressed concern that Mary favoured for herself a Spanish marriage which might bring in Spanish nobles to rule England in place of Northumberland and his colleagues. Northumberland arranged for his son Lord Guilford Dudley to marry the Protestant (and anti-Catholic) Jane, hoping through him to gain control over his new daughter-in-law and the reins of England."
"At the time of Edward's death, without Edward's will (which had dubious legal standing, since it ran contrary to the Third Succession Act), the crown would have passed, under the terms of the Third Succession Act and of Henry VIII's will, to Mary and her male (not female) heirs [...]Jane thus did not feature in the line of succession prior to the last draft of Edward's will of June 1553. Only in the last draft did Edward finally include Jane Grey as his heir presumptive, knowing the line of succession included no Protestant-born male children."
"There is little recorded of the doings of Jane as Queen from the 11th through the 13th, most likely a result of illness. Jane herself thought she was being poisoned by the Duchess of Northumberland (her husband's mother), but there was no evidence this really occurred."
"On the 14th, Dudley led a troop of 600 with him, carrying an odd assortment of weapons that had been acquired at the day before. Crowds pressed to watch the men leave, but none bid them God Speed."
"The people started to revolt, crying for Mary to be made Queen. Jane ordered the gates to the tower locked and the keys brought to her."
"Gratefully Jane rose and stepped down, embracing her father as she wept. After a time she finally asked, "Can I go home?" This poor innocent girl actually thought it might be that simple. But alas it was not to be."
"Within only nine days, the people of England had overwhelmingly declared their support for Mary, [...] Mary had Jane and her husband imprisoned in the Gentleman Gaoler's apartments at the Tower of London for high treason, although their lives were initially spared."
"The Protestant rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyatt in late January 1554, [plus] Jane's father (the Duke of Suffolk) and other nobles joined the rebellion, calling for Jane's restoration as Queen." This lead to the pressure that Mary should execute Jane in order to stamp out any other revolters' dreams of restoring a Protestant ruler.
"Jane was then taken out to Tower Green, inside the Tower of London, for a private execution. With few exceptions, private executions applied to royalty alone; Jane's private execution occurred on the orders of Queen Mary, as a gesture of respect for her cousin."
At her death, she read the psalm "Miserere mei deus," pardoned the executioner, and tied the handkerchief around her eyes. Unable to see where the block was, she reached out for it and felt nothing, then started to panic, saying "What shall I do? Where is it?" Someone close by guided her hands to the block, and when she lay herself upon it, she said her last words: "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" Then she was executed.
Sources:
EnglishHistory.net
LadyJaneGrey.org
Lady Jane Grey @ Wikipedia
"At the time of Edward's death, without Edward's will (which had dubious legal standing, since it ran contrary to the Third Succession Act), the crown would have passed, under the terms of the Third Succession Act and of Henry VIII's will, to Mary and her male (not female) heirs [...]Jane thus did not feature in the line of succession prior to the last draft of Edward's will of June 1553. Only in the last draft did Edward finally include Jane Grey as his heir presumptive, knowing the line of succession included no Protestant-born male children."
"There is little recorded of the doings of Jane as Queen from the 11th through the 13th, most likely a result of illness. Jane herself thought she was being poisoned by the Duchess of Northumberland (her husband's mother), but there was no evidence this really occurred."
"On the 14th, Dudley led a troop of 600 with him, carrying an odd assortment of weapons that had been acquired at the day before. Crowds pressed to watch the men leave, but none bid them God Speed."
"The people started to revolt, crying for Mary to be made Queen. Jane ordered the gates to the tower locked and the keys brought to her."
"Gratefully Jane rose and stepped down, embracing her father as she wept. After a time she finally asked, "Can I go home?" This poor innocent girl actually thought it might be that simple. But alas it was not to be."
"Within only nine days, the people of England had overwhelmingly declared their support for Mary, [...] Mary had Jane and her husband imprisoned in the Gentleman Gaoler's apartments at the Tower of London for high treason, although their lives were initially spared."
"The Protestant rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyatt in late January 1554, [plus] Jane's father (the Duke of Suffolk) and other nobles joined the rebellion, calling for Jane's restoration as Queen." This lead to the pressure that Mary should execute Jane in order to stamp out any other revolters' dreams of restoring a Protestant ruler.
"Jane was then taken out to Tower Green, inside the Tower of London, for a private execution. With few exceptions, private executions applied to royalty alone; Jane's private execution occurred on the orders of Queen Mary, as a gesture of respect for her cousin."
At her death, she read the psalm "Miserere mei deus," pardoned the executioner, and tied the handkerchief around her eyes. Unable to see where the block was, she reached out for it and felt nothing, then started to panic, saying "What shall I do? Where is it?" Someone close by guided her hands to the block, and when she lay herself upon it, she said her last words: "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" Then she was executed.
Sources:
EnglishHistory.net
LadyJaneGrey.org
Lady Jane Grey @ Wikipedia
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Why Are People So Captivated by the Alchemical Wedding?
The (Al)Chemical Wedding Of Christian Rosenkreuz
- edited and published by Johann Valentin Andreae
- the 3rd Rosicrucian "Manifesto", published in 1459
- Describes a journey over seven days, in which Rosenkreuz is invited to marry a husband and a bride inside a castle of miracles.
- Chemical developed from the ancient science of alchemy, which believed in the "Sacred Marriage."
The Rosicrucian Order
- Formed by a group of German protestants during the early 17th century.
- Philosophy is stated in three manifestos: Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis, Confessio Fraternitatis, and The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz
- Tells of the journeys of Rosenkreuz, who travelled into the Middle East and learned Islamic philosophy
- Different groups have 3 interpretations of these writings: they are either true stories, parables, or they are writings by Francis Bacon, who used C. Rosenkreuz as a pseudonym.
- Some have even concluded that the Rosicrucian Order was a hoax or prank because its origins are so nebulous and the origins of the so-called "manifestos" so mysterious.
- aims to unify ideas in science, art, philosophy, politics and religion
Sources:
Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz @ Wikipedia
Order of the Grail.com
Rosicrucianism @ Wikipedia
- edited and published by Johann Valentin Andreae
- the 3rd Rosicrucian "Manifesto", published in 1459
- Describes a journey over seven days, in which Rosenkreuz is invited to marry a husband and a bride inside a castle of miracles.
- Chemical developed from the ancient science of alchemy, which believed in the "Sacred Marriage."
The Rosicrucian Order
- Formed by a group of German protestants during the early 17th century.
- Philosophy is stated in three manifestos: Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis, Confessio Fraternitatis, and The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz
- Tells of the journeys of Rosenkreuz, who travelled into the Middle East and learned Islamic philosophy
- Different groups have 3 interpretations of these writings: they are either true stories, parables, or they are writings by Francis Bacon, who used C. Rosenkreuz as a pseudonym.
- Some have even concluded that the Rosicrucian Order was a hoax or prank because its origins are so nebulous and the origins of the so-called "manifestos" so mysterious.
- aims to unify ideas in science, art, philosophy, politics and religion
Sources:
Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz @ Wikipedia
Order of the Grail.com
Rosicrucianism @ Wikipedia
Friday, August 03, 2007
Researching Background into "Satan's Kingdom" Part 2
Click on the title of this post for part 1.
My fascination with this town continues. I'm particularly interested to know if Satan's Kingdom really existed. Here's the description of the haunted house in Isabella Taves' story.
"The three-storey house was built into a big boulder of black rock, which formed one wall. A Boston architect had built it for his wife, but she had died shortly they had moved in and he wanted no part of the place" (42).
Devil's Hopyard
"Unlike the traditions associated with places named for the Devil, legend and history blend together in the accounts which explain the origin of Satan's Kingdom and Satan's Ridge, both in New Hartford. According to legend, Satan once used the rocky gorge of the Farmington River bearing his name as his exclusive playground."
"The most widely-circulated legend tells of the many times Satan has been seen, sitting on a huge boulder at the top of Chapman's Falls, playing his violin while the evil witches of Haddam stirred a "hell broth for a charm of powerful trouble" in the cauldron-like potholes formed in the rocks below."
New England Towns.org
""In the eastern part of this town there is a rough and mountainous district, formerly designated Satan's Kingdom; and the few inhabitants who lived there were in a measure shut out from the rest of mankind.[...]"
My fascination with this town continues. I'm particularly interested to know if Satan's Kingdom really existed. Here's the description of the haunted house in Isabella Taves' story.
"The three-storey house was built into a big boulder of black rock, which formed one wall. A Boston architect had built it for his wife, but she had died shortly they had moved in and he wanted no part of the place" (42).
Devil's Hopyard
"Unlike the traditions associated with places named for the Devil, legend and history blend together in the accounts which explain the origin of Satan's Kingdom and Satan's Ridge, both in New Hartford. According to legend, Satan once used the rocky gorge of the Farmington River bearing his name as his exclusive playground."
"The most widely-circulated legend tells of the many times Satan has been seen, sitting on a huge boulder at the top of Chapman's Falls, playing his violin while the evil witches of Haddam stirred a "hell broth for a charm of powerful trouble" in the cauldron-like potholes formed in the rocks below."
New England Towns.org
""In the eastern part of this town there is a rough and mountainous district, formerly designated Satan's Kingdom; and the few inhabitants who lived there were in a measure shut out from the rest of mankind.[...]"
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes: A Class Divided
This film was first aired on Frontline, the television news magazine show. It features two separate experiments conducted by Jane Elliott, a teacher. She tries to teach both children and adults the meaning of discrimination, and what it feels like to be discriminated against.
Catching Up on Movies
Since the school year had ended, I've been catching up on watching dvds. Here are some of my thoughts (not really a review).
The Lake House
What a lovely movie. It's a romance starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. Jack moves into the glass lake house that his father built for his mother when he was a child, and in his red mailbox, he finds a letter written by a woman from the future, Kate. They start writing letters to one another despite the fact that they're on two different space/time continua, sharing their daily ups and downs, ideas on life, relationships and so on. Soon, they realize that they are each other's soulmates, and that's when Jack tries to find Kate and meet her in person.
What I found surprising about this story was how easily I allowed myself to get drawn into the impossibility of it, and how willingly I suspended my disbelief so that I could watch the two characters finally come together in the end. The best part of it is that the ending is not as predictable as one might think. I was hooked. Another surprise in this movie was Reeves' acting. Normally, I find him very boring to watch because he doesn't really use a lot of facial expressions or his voice to convey emotions and make the character that he's playing believable to the audience. I don't hate Reeves like some people do, but I wouldn't deliberately go to a theatre to see his newest movie. In The Lake House, he was actually very good. He actually used a variety of facial expressions, and his voice actually acts as much as he does.
Sandra Bullock was excellent. I think she has really grown since her Speed days to become a well-rounded actress. In this movie, she imparted a strong sense of loneliness, vulnerability and a slight sense of frustration at her predicament. She is also strong and practical, knowing when things have become too fantastical and puts a stop to it. Seriously, how can two people from two different times meet?
After seeing this version, I would like to see the original Korean production on which this Bullock/Reeves version is based: Siworae. I wonder if the original Korean ending is the same as the American one?
The Premonition
This movie, again, stars Sandra Bullock, along with Julian McMahon and Kate Nelligan. This movie turned out to be completely different from what I expected at the beginning. The beginning really does look like a suspense-thriller, and a bit spooky, too. In this story, Linda's husband dies in a car crash, and the next day, she wakes up to find that he's still alive. Soon, she figures out that the days of the week are happening out of order. She has to find out how to prevent her husband's death the next time Wednesday comes around. But, then she finds out some info about her husband and now she's not sure if she wants to prevent his death anymore.
I really liked this movie, surprisingly, since I had only heard rather negative reviews about it.
The Lake House
What a lovely movie. It's a romance starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. Jack moves into the glass lake house that his father built for his mother when he was a child, and in his red mailbox, he finds a letter written by a woman from the future, Kate. They start writing letters to one another despite the fact that they're on two different space/time continua, sharing their daily ups and downs, ideas on life, relationships and so on. Soon, they realize that they are each other's soulmates, and that's when Jack tries to find Kate and meet her in person.
What I found surprising about this story was how easily I allowed myself to get drawn into the impossibility of it, and how willingly I suspended my disbelief so that I could watch the two characters finally come together in the end. The best part of it is that the ending is not as predictable as one might think. I was hooked. Another surprise in this movie was Reeves' acting. Normally, I find him very boring to watch because he doesn't really use a lot of facial expressions or his voice to convey emotions and make the character that he's playing believable to the audience. I don't hate Reeves like some people do, but I wouldn't deliberately go to a theatre to see his newest movie. In The Lake House, he was actually very good. He actually used a variety of facial expressions, and his voice actually acts as much as he does.
Sandra Bullock was excellent. I think she has really grown since her Speed days to become a well-rounded actress. In this movie, she imparted a strong sense of loneliness, vulnerability and a slight sense of frustration at her predicament. She is also strong and practical, knowing when things have become too fantastical and puts a stop to it. Seriously, how can two people from two different times meet?
After seeing this version, I would like to see the original Korean production on which this Bullock/Reeves version is based: Siworae. I wonder if the original Korean ending is the same as the American one?
The Premonition
This movie, again, stars Sandra Bullock, along with Julian McMahon and Kate Nelligan. This movie turned out to be completely different from what I expected at the beginning. The beginning really does look like a suspense-thriller, and a bit spooky, too. In this story, Linda's husband dies in a car crash, and the next day, she wakes up to find that he's still alive. Soon, she figures out that the days of the week are happening out of order. She has to find out how to prevent her husband's death the next time Wednesday comes around. But, then she finds out some info about her husband and now she's not sure if she wants to prevent his death anymore.
I really liked this movie, surprisingly, since I had only heard rather negative reviews about it.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Mr. Shiny & New's Blog
This blog belongs to my friend's husband, and it has a lot of funny articles. Lots of good recipes, too. Here's a sample:
Border Guard
This entry tells of an experience my friends had when they decided one day to rent a car and drive into the US to do some shopping. This is part of the exchange between the husband and the border guard.
""What are you going to do in the US?"
"Drive around a bit, go shopping"
"So you rented a car, drove all the way from Toronto, just to drive around here? You realize you're entering a foreign country?..."
Border Guard
This entry tells of an experience my friends had when they decided one day to rent a car and drive into the US to do some shopping. This is part of the exchange between the husband and the border guard.
""What are you going to do in the US?"
"Drive around a bit, go shopping"
"So you rented a car, drove all the way from Toronto, just to drive around here? You realize you're entering a foreign country?..."
Shameless Promotion for The Shutter
This kind of film begs a second viewing, as many of the setup elements are cleverly disguised as background color, and don't really attract attention to themselves -- in fact, one of the major plot elements turns out to be a gigantic maguffin that ultimately has nothing to do with the real story...
-a review from Bloody-Disgusting.com
-a review from Bloody-Disgusting.com
July Highlights and Lowlights Part 2
This summer, the Gang isn't going anywhere for vacation because Thai and Cat have to save up money for their wedding next year. *YAY! Congrats!* Instead, we rented my colleague's cottage in Coboconk.
We went on the weekend of July 21st, for 2 nights and 2 days. The drive there took about 2.5 hours, but could have been less if there wasn't the traffic jam, and probably if they (Thai and Eddie) had stuck to the directions given by Beth. Anyhow, by the time we got there, it was 10pm. It was dark, and the signs were hard to read. Because there are no street lights on the cottage roads, we had to rely on the car's headlights. When we saw the number to Beth's cottage, we started to drive into what we thought was the front yard. We stopped, however, because there was actually a swamp in front of us. We backed out and kept going on the road to see if there was another entrance, and sure enough there was. We got out of the car, went around the back and saw the backyard patio deck, and it was gorgeous even in the dark. We couldn't wait for morning to come so that we could actually go outside use the patio deck.
That night, as we unpacked, Cat cooked some noodles and wontons for us for snack. Some people were worried about the quality of the water, and that was a funny story. Beth left me a note that says I have to switch on the water pump. I went to the wrong switch, and after thinking that I had turned it on, there still was no water. Finally, after speaking with Beth on the phone, I figured out which switch it was, and the water started flowing from the taps. I had to convince everyone that the water was clean and not stinky like at the first cottage we went to years ago in Cobourg. It turned out the water was fine and nobody complained about it after the first night. We were all dead tired, so we went to bed early.
The next morning, we a simple breakfast, and after I made sandwiches for lunch, the gang went out on the fishing boat. This was the weekend before the workshop presentation for summer school, so I had to bring some work with me to the cottage to work on. I brought my laptop with me, and on Saturday morning I worked on the presentation script and my article reflection. After lunch, they all came back early, to my surprise. Eddie had a scowl on his face because everyone else couldn't hold it on the boat and had to come back to use the facilities. LOL!! In the afternoon, they convinced me to go out on the pedal boat.
Cat, Clare and I went out on the pedal boat while Thai and Eddie got back in the fishing boat for more fishing. The lake was beautiful, and the water was very clean. We went around the cape and saw two small islands, which we agreed to set as our goal. When we got there, we realized we couldn't dock because there were too many rocks underneath, and we were afraid of lodging ourselves between a crack somewhere, so be back pedalled and to return home. On our return, we were pedalling against the current, and it felt like we weren't going anywhere despite the fact that we were pedalling a lot harder than before. That gave us a good laugh. We got went the wrong way the first time and entered the wrong inlet. We had to come back out and look for the other inlet, which we found easily because the other two girls recognized a Canadian flag on a cottage by the shore. We approached it and saw our inlet. By that time, we were tired so we took a break.
That evening, we had a BBQ for dinner, after the three of us took a nice nap. It was funny because after going out on the pedal-boat plus taking a nap, it was still only 3:30. Time went by so slowly! After getting up from our nap, we started preparing the food for the BBQ as well as the pasta for tomorrow's lunch. That night, the BBQ was great. After dinner, after cleaning up, we played a bit of Wii, and then we watched the horror movie called The Shutter, a Thailand production. Thai and Eddie were thoroughly scared (muahahaha!). Mission accomplished! After that, we had some dessert and went to bed.
The next morning, Thai made us pancakes while I made sausages and fried eggs. I'm not very good at frying eggs and sausages at the same time, so I had to do one thing at a time. It took me an hour! Fortunately nobody complained. After breakfast, I prepared the cucumber salad and the pasta salad for lunch. When that was done, we decided to go for a short hike. After we put on our sunblock and started up the main road, we realized that we could actually go hiking at the Scarborough Bluffs. So, we returned to the cottage again and started packing up. This itself took an hour and a half. By the time we were done, we decided to just leave for the Scarborough Bluffs.
It was a wonderful experience.
We went on the weekend of July 21st, for 2 nights and 2 days. The drive there took about 2.5 hours, but could have been less if there wasn't the traffic jam, and probably if they (Thai and Eddie) had stuck to the directions given by Beth. Anyhow, by the time we got there, it was 10pm. It was dark, and the signs were hard to read. Because there are no street lights on the cottage roads, we had to rely on the car's headlights. When we saw the number to Beth's cottage, we started to drive into what we thought was the front yard. We stopped, however, because there was actually a swamp in front of us. We backed out and kept going on the road to see if there was another entrance, and sure enough there was. We got out of the car, went around the back and saw the backyard patio deck, and it was gorgeous even in the dark. We couldn't wait for morning to come so that we could actually go outside use the patio deck.
That night, as we unpacked, Cat cooked some noodles and wontons for us for snack. Some people were worried about the quality of the water, and that was a funny story. Beth left me a note that says I have to switch on the water pump. I went to the wrong switch, and after thinking that I had turned it on, there still was no water. Finally, after speaking with Beth on the phone, I figured out which switch it was, and the water started flowing from the taps. I had to convince everyone that the water was clean and not stinky like at the first cottage we went to years ago in Cobourg. It turned out the water was fine and nobody complained about it after the first night. We were all dead tired, so we went to bed early.
The next morning, we a simple breakfast, and after I made sandwiches for lunch, the gang went out on the fishing boat. This was the weekend before the workshop presentation for summer school, so I had to bring some work with me to the cottage to work on. I brought my laptop with me, and on Saturday morning I worked on the presentation script and my article reflection. After lunch, they all came back early, to my surprise. Eddie had a scowl on his face because everyone else couldn't hold it on the boat and had to come back to use the facilities. LOL!! In the afternoon, they convinced me to go out on the pedal boat.
Cat, Clare and I went out on the pedal boat while Thai and Eddie got back in the fishing boat for more fishing. The lake was beautiful, and the water was very clean. We went around the cape and saw two small islands, which we agreed to set as our goal. When we got there, we realized we couldn't dock because there were too many rocks underneath, and we were afraid of lodging ourselves between a crack somewhere, so be back pedalled and to return home. On our return, we were pedalling against the current, and it felt like we weren't going anywhere despite the fact that we were pedalling a lot harder than before. That gave us a good laugh. We got went the wrong way the first time and entered the wrong inlet. We had to come back out and look for the other inlet, which we found easily because the other two girls recognized a Canadian flag on a cottage by the shore. We approached it and saw our inlet. By that time, we were tired so we took a break.
That evening, we had a BBQ for dinner, after the three of us took a nice nap. It was funny because after going out on the pedal-boat plus taking a nap, it was still only 3:30. Time went by so slowly! After getting up from our nap, we started preparing the food for the BBQ as well as the pasta for tomorrow's lunch. That night, the BBQ was great. After dinner, after cleaning up, we played a bit of Wii, and then we watched the horror movie called The Shutter, a Thailand production. Thai and Eddie were thoroughly scared (muahahaha!). Mission accomplished! After that, we had some dessert and went to bed.
The next morning, Thai made us pancakes while I made sausages and fried eggs. I'm not very good at frying eggs and sausages at the same time, so I had to do one thing at a time. It took me an hour! Fortunately nobody complained. After breakfast, I prepared the cucumber salad and the pasta salad for lunch. When that was done, we decided to go for a short hike. After we put on our sunblock and started up the main road, we realized that we could actually go hiking at the Scarborough Bluffs. So, we returned to the cottage again and started packing up. This itself took an hour and a half. By the time we were done, we decided to just leave for the Scarborough Bluffs.
It was a wonderful experience.
July Highlights and Lowlights
Summer school is over. =D =D
July happened so fast I can't even remember much of it. So here it goes...
Summer School
I saw my friends from last year again, Sherrie and Peter. Later, while talking to the instructor, I learned that many of my classmates from ESL Part 2 last summer had taken the Winter course. I heard they were quite a handful as well, LOL!
I met two new friends this summer, and their names are Jung and Michelle. Jung is a Korean immigrant who came to Canada and first arrived in one of the prairie provinces. Imagine that, your first winter in Canada and you have to suffer it on the prairie. Brrr...Jung is a high school teacher for the Peel Board, and she is a very organized person. She had to put up with Sherrie and me for the last two weeks of the course as we prepared our final major workshop. Michelle also works for the Peel Board, but as an elementary/junior teacher. She is soft-spoken, but very funny. Both Jung and Michelle were such wonderful people to work with.
Everyday after class, we went to Jung's condo to work on the presentation. We would stay there until about 10pm at night, then go home to sleep, and wake up 5 hours later to go to class. This happened for two weeks!! During this time, I only had dinner with my parents once, and that was because we were taking the in-laws out to dinner.
Sherrie, Jung and I really learned a lot from this project. For one, we learned about a lot of the dominant theories that currently back-up the ESL programs throughout North America. Secondly, we also learned about advocacy and how that is so important for our ESL students. And last but not least, we learned about how to do professional presentations. We owe a lot to our instructor, Karen, who instilled in each of us the confidence to go and stand in front of 21 of our colleagues and teach them about Academic Language Learning Strategies (A.L.L.S.). This was hard work and it was also nerve-wracking. So much preparation went into problem-anticipation and solution alone. That was one of the most exhausting aspects, to anticipate what problems we might have with the content of the workshop, the delivery, and then the other miscellaneous things that could make or break your whole workshop, depending on how well you prepared yourself for them. The stress was magnified by the fact that we only had 2 weeks to plan this workshop, plus do all the research to gather information.
Sherrie joked at the beginning that we would do so well that by next spring, we'd be invited to present our workshop at the Celebrating Linguistic Diversity conference at OISE/University of Toronto. Soon, that wasn't just a joke, but rather a motivational incentive. In the end, we felt very good about our presentation. Our grade wasn't stellar, but that was because our instructor and the evaluator were looking for opposite things in the criteria. That's okay, though, because really, it's the process of creating and delivering a workshop that counts. I never saw myself as someone who is capable of doing something like this, and now I've done it.
On the morning of the workshop, we arrived at the classroom and realized that there was no electrical outlet near the front of the classroom where the screen was. In our foolishness, we chose not to re-check the room the day before. We were stuck because we didn't bring an extension cord. Jung came up with the bright idea of using the television stand as the extension cord. It worked, but not very well since there was a cord stretching across one corner of the room. During my initial speech, I got caught inside that corner.
The next problem we experienced was a major one: more than half of our audience was late. We can't afford to wait longer than five minutes, but then that means there would be people trickling in during our presentation. That was very annoying and unprofessional on their part. Even though they didn't have class that day with their own instructor, they had a workshop that they signed up for. They should have arrived on time and treat the workshop with the same level of importance as a class. This created so much unnecessary stress for us.
I had one blackout moment in the middle of the presentation where I got tongue tied because I was so nervous about having the blackout. Instead of taking a deep breath like Karen had instructed us to do, I got anxious and tongue-tied.
In the end, we got some very good reviews by the students.
I feel most grateful to Karen, who prepared us so well for the workshop that we were able to go into it with confidence and conviction.
Now that summer school is over, I'm going to get working on prepping my courses! *YAY* (sarcastic).
July happened so fast I can't even remember much of it. So here it goes...
Summer School
I saw my friends from last year again, Sherrie and Peter. Later, while talking to the instructor, I learned that many of my classmates from ESL Part 2 last summer had taken the Winter course. I heard they were quite a handful as well, LOL!
I met two new friends this summer, and their names are Jung and Michelle. Jung is a Korean immigrant who came to Canada and first arrived in one of the prairie provinces. Imagine that, your first winter in Canada and you have to suffer it on the prairie. Brrr...Jung is a high school teacher for the Peel Board, and she is a very organized person. She had to put up with Sherrie and me for the last two weeks of the course as we prepared our final major workshop. Michelle also works for the Peel Board, but as an elementary/junior teacher. She is soft-spoken, but very funny. Both Jung and Michelle were such wonderful people to work with.
Everyday after class, we went to Jung's condo to work on the presentation. We would stay there until about 10pm at night, then go home to sleep, and wake up 5 hours later to go to class. This happened for two weeks!! During this time, I only had dinner with my parents once, and that was because we were taking the in-laws out to dinner.
Sherrie, Jung and I really learned a lot from this project. For one, we learned about a lot of the dominant theories that currently back-up the ESL programs throughout North America. Secondly, we also learned about advocacy and how that is so important for our ESL students. And last but not least, we learned about how to do professional presentations. We owe a lot to our instructor, Karen, who instilled in each of us the confidence to go and stand in front of 21 of our colleagues and teach them about Academic Language Learning Strategies (A.L.L.S.). This was hard work and it was also nerve-wracking. So much preparation went into problem-anticipation and solution alone. That was one of the most exhausting aspects, to anticipate what problems we might have with the content of the workshop, the delivery, and then the other miscellaneous things that could make or break your whole workshop, depending on how well you prepared yourself for them. The stress was magnified by the fact that we only had 2 weeks to plan this workshop, plus do all the research to gather information.
Sherrie joked at the beginning that we would do so well that by next spring, we'd be invited to present our workshop at the Celebrating Linguistic Diversity conference at OISE/University of Toronto. Soon, that wasn't just a joke, but rather a motivational incentive. In the end, we felt very good about our presentation. Our grade wasn't stellar, but that was because our instructor and the evaluator were looking for opposite things in the criteria. That's okay, though, because really, it's the process of creating and delivering a workshop that counts. I never saw myself as someone who is capable of doing something like this, and now I've done it.
On the morning of the workshop, we arrived at the classroom and realized that there was no electrical outlet near the front of the classroom where the screen was. In our foolishness, we chose not to re-check the room the day before. We were stuck because we didn't bring an extension cord. Jung came up with the bright idea of using the television stand as the extension cord. It worked, but not very well since there was a cord stretching across one corner of the room. During my initial speech, I got caught inside that corner.
The next problem we experienced was a major one: more than half of our audience was late. We can't afford to wait longer than five minutes, but then that means there would be people trickling in during our presentation. That was very annoying and unprofessional on their part. Even though they didn't have class that day with their own instructor, they had a workshop that they signed up for. They should have arrived on time and treat the workshop with the same level of importance as a class. This created so much unnecessary stress for us.
I had one blackout moment in the middle of the presentation where I got tongue tied because I was so nervous about having the blackout. Instead of taking a deep breath like Karen had instructed us to do, I got anxious and tongue-tied.
In the end, we got some very good reviews by the students.
I feel most grateful to Karen, who prepared us so well for the workshop that we were able to go into it with confidence and conviction.
Now that summer school is over, I'm going to get working on prepping my courses! *YAY* (sarcastic).
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Ideas for Frankenstein, ESLBO
A Chemistry Lesson--Tools in a chemistry lab
1. Bunsen burner http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jkn/Chem%20151%20Manual%20Intro1&2_files/image030.jpg
2. Test tube http://sps.k12.ar.us/massengale/images/strawb2.jpg
3. Flask http://science.csustan.edu/JTB/LABWARE/LAB-GIFS/Florence-flask.gif
4. Shake flask http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0533e/T0533E12.gif
5. Clamp http://www.biologicalprocedures.com/bpo/arts/1/52/m52f4sm.gif
6. Graduated cylinder http://science.csustan.edu/JTB/LABWARE/LAB-GIFS/Graduated-cylinder.gif
7. Beaker http://core.ecu.edu/chem/chemlab/equipment/images/beaker.jpg
8. Funnel http://core.ecu.edu/chem/chemlab/equipment/images/funnel.jpg
Geography
1. Map of Switzerland http://www.european-vacations.tv/images/maps/switzerland-map.gif
2. Wuertenberg, Germany http://www.yorku.ca/ontbw/img/bw-map.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/KgrWuerttemberg.png/464px-KgrWuerttemberg.png
3. Ingolstadt, Bavaria, GEM http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/tour_germany/oberbay.gif
http://www.coletta.de/kolonien/Koenigreich%20Bayern%201914%20+.jpg
4. Mont Blanc http://www.ski-montblanc.com/IMAGES/UltraTrailTourMontBlanc.jpg
5. Map of France and Chamonix (X) http://www.martynhicks.co.uk/personal/pics/chamonix/francemap3.jpg
6. Mer de Glace glacier, France http://www.answers.com/topic/mer-de-glace
Students can make a travel brochure for these cities or countries.
1. Bunsen burner http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jkn/Chem%20151%20Manual%20Intro1&2_files/image030.jpg
2. Test tube http://sps.k12.ar.us/massengale/images/strawb2.jpg
3. Flask http://science.csustan.edu/JTB/LABWARE/LAB-GIFS/Florence-flask.gif
4. Shake flask http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0533e/T0533E12.gif
5. Clamp http://www.biologicalprocedures.com/bpo/arts/1/52/m52f4sm.gif
6. Graduated cylinder http://science.csustan.edu/JTB/LABWARE/LAB-GIFS/Graduated-cylinder.gif
7. Beaker http://core.ecu.edu/chem/chemlab/equipment/images/beaker.jpg
8. Funnel http://core.ecu.edu/chem/chemlab/equipment/images/funnel.jpg
Geography
1. Map of Switzerland http://www.european-vacations.tv/images/maps/switzerland-map.gif
2. Wuertenberg, Germany http://www.yorku.ca/ontbw/img/bw-map.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/KgrWuerttemberg.png/464px-KgrWuerttemberg.png
3. Ingolstadt, Bavaria, GEM http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/tour_germany/oberbay.gif
http://www.coletta.de/kolonien/Koenigreich%20Bayern%201914%20+.jpg
4. Mont Blanc http://www.ski-montblanc.com/IMAGES/UltraTrailTourMontBlanc.jpg
5. Map of France and Chamonix (X) http://www.martynhicks.co.uk/personal/pics/chamonix/francemap3.jpg
6. Mer de Glace glacier, France http://www.answers.com/topic/mer-de-glace
Students can make a travel brochure for these cities or countries.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Updates from June
Highlights:
1. I celebrated my birthday one week early with the Gang. They surprised me by taking me to dinner at Saigon Star. That's when I discovered that Saigon Star had been renovated, and now it looks just like all the other Asian fusion restaurants, like Spring Rolls and Asian Legend. That's not a bad thing, except they changed their menu, too! All the former authentic Vietnamese dishes have all been expunged to make the menu more presentable and easier to read. That means that there's a lot less variety to choose from now.
After dinner, we went to see a movie, Shrek 3. The reviews weren't all that positive, and at the end, some of the Gang said it was quite boring, and I have to admit, the beginning was a bit boring. But, it was still very funny the rest of the way. I liked it and that's what matters most! =P
Then we went to have dessert at Kelseys. We ordered some finger foods and then two apple crumbles a la mode. The waiter even put two candles on it, the sparkly kind when it burns. It was so pretty! For gifts, I got a $50 dollar gift card from T&Ca, and then I got an elegant chrome watch by Guess from Cl. and D.
It was a fantabulous night!
2. On Friday afternoon, I went downtown to the World's Biggest Bookstore to buy a textbook for my summer school course. While riding the subway, I was reading Speaker for the Dead, the 2nd novel in the Ender Trilogy by Orson Scott Card. A stranger sitting across from me interrupted me to ask me if I liked the sequel, b/c he apparently doesn't think sequels are any good. I told him he should try it b/c in some ways, it's just as good as Ender's Game. Some ways.
He went on to tell me about the books he likes, and then I asked him his opinion on Robert Sawyer. Surprisingly, this stranger doesn't think very highly of Sawyer either. He was trying very hard to say that Sawyer is a self-obsessed, self-gratifying and self-promoting writer, but he couldn't say it. I could guess though b/c that's how I found Sawyer as well when I met him. The Stranger said that Sawyer believes he's a much better writer than he is. A lot of his ideas aren't that original. I TOTALLY AGREE!
Anyway, I thought that was so weird how I bumped into a total stranger who also doesn't like Sawyer. To be fair, I only met Sawyer once, and I haven't read any of his novels, only heard and read excerpts. But, the thing that is strange is that I don't feel like I want to read any of his books, especially after having met the writer and have heard the writer read live. This is very unusual b/c what has happened in the past is that when I meet a writer and I listen to him/her read live, the experience is so special and magical that I get sucked into the hype. This time, it was totally the opposite. Could you believe that?
How sad.
3. On Friday night, my mum had to go to her friend's house to help out with preparing the food for the next day's BBQ. My dad drove her, so I was stuck with babysitting Steph. She was okay at first, but then she realized that my parents were gone, and so she started to cry. I asked her if she wanted cookies, and she said no. Then I asked her if she wanted milk, and she said yes. So, I gave her the heated milk and I was hoping she would fall asleep after that. Boy was I wrong!
She wasn't feeling secure enough to fall asleep without my parents at home, so she sat up watching TV. Then she wanted to have cookies, so I gave her the cookies so that she won't start crying again. She had the cookies, and then went back to watching TV. A while later, she wanted to get out of bed and go look for my parents. I wouldn't let her b/c then she'll start crying again. But, she cried anyway. As I was helping her out of the bed, she vomited on me and the blanket! EW!!
I remained very calm, though. I was very surprised with myself. I took the blanket off the bed, put our clothes into the washer, and washed all the sheets. I didn't get to bed until 1:30 am. My parents came home in the meantime, and my mum was not pleased. She glared at Steph and the toddler almost started to cry again.
4. Finally, on my birthday, I stayed at home and filed. I have to file my stuff right away and organize everything, otherwise, I won't feel like doing it any more in the future.
1. I celebrated my birthday one week early with the Gang. They surprised me by taking me to dinner at Saigon Star. That's when I discovered that Saigon Star had been renovated, and now it looks just like all the other Asian fusion restaurants, like Spring Rolls and Asian Legend. That's not a bad thing, except they changed their menu, too! All the former authentic Vietnamese dishes have all been expunged to make the menu more presentable and easier to read. That means that there's a lot less variety to choose from now.
After dinner, we went to see a movie, Shrek 3. The reviews weren't all that positive, and at the end, some of the Gang said it was quite boring, and I have to admit, the beginning was a bit boring. But, it was still very funny the rest of the way. I liked it and that's what matters most! =P
Then we went to have dessert at Kelseys. We ordered some finger foods and then two apple crumbles a la mode. The waiter even put two candles on it, the sparkly kind when it burns. It was so pretty! For gifts, I got a $50 dollar gift card from T&Ca, and then I got an elegant chrome watch by Guess from Cl. and D.
It was a fantabulous night!
2. On Friday afternoon, I went downtown to the World's Biggest Bookstore to buy a textbook for my summer school course. While riding the subway, I was reading Speaker for the Dead, the 2nd novel in the Ender Trilogy by Orson Scott Card. A stranger sitting across from me interrupted me to ask me if I liked the sequel, b/c he apparently doesn't think sequels are any good. I told him he should try it b/c in some ways, it's just as good as Ender's Game. Some ways.
He went on to tell me about the books he likes, and then I asked him his opinion on Robert Sawyer. Surprisingly, this stranger doesn't think very highly of Sawyer either. He was trying very hard to say that Sawyer is a self-obsessed, self-gratifying and self-promoting writer, but he couldn't say it. I could guess though b/c that's how I found Sawyer as well when I met him. The Stranger said that Sawyer believes he's a much better writer than he is. A lot of his ideas aren't that original. I TOTALLY AGREE!
Anyway, I thought that was so weird how I bumped into a total stranger who also doesn't like Sawyer. To be fair, I only met Sawyer once, and I haven't read any of his novels, only heard and read excerpts. But, the thing that is strange is that I don't feel like I want to read any of his books, especially after having met the writer and have heard the writer read live. This is very unusual b/c what has happened in the past is that when I meet a writer and I listen to him/her read live, the experience is so special and magical that I get sucked into the hype. This time, it was totally the opposite. Could you believe that?
How sad.
3. On Friday night, my mum had to go to her friend's house to help out with preparing the food for the next day's BBQ. My dad drove her, so I was stuck with babysitting Steph. She was okay at first, but then she realized that my parents were gone, and so she started to cry. I asked her if she wanted cookies, and she said no. Then I asked her if she wanted milk, and she said yes. So, I gave her the heated milk and I was hoping she would fall asleep after that. Boy was I wrong!
She wasn't feeling secure enough to fall asleep without my parents at home, so she sat up watching TV. Then she wanted to have cookies, so I gave her the cookies so that she won't start crying again. She had the cookies, and then went back to watching TV. A while later, she wanted to get out of bed and go look for my parents. I wouldn't let her b/c then she'll start crying again. But, she cried anyway. As I was helping her out of the bed, she vomited on me and the blanket! EW!!
I remained very calm, though. I was very surprised with myself. I took the blanket off the bed, put our clothes into the washer, and washed all the sheets. I didn't get to bed until 1:30 am. My parents came home in the meantime, and my mum was not pleased. She glared at Steph and the toddler almost started to cry again.
4. Finally, on my birthday, I stayed at home and filed. I have to file my stuff right away and organize everything, otherwise, I won't feel like doing it any more in the future.
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