*Didn't expect Youtube to be so clever to detect copyright material so fast nowadays, sigh. My song ranking video last year is still not blocked though. Anyway I hope the videos can work this time.*
How has my taste in music changed for the past year? Let's find out...
My Best Albums of 2011
I decided to change one of the winning albums as I prepared the video pretty early beforehand and at that moment I didn't have much exposure yet to the better album, which was released shortly before my evaluation. That album deserves more in my opinion.
Now to my Top 20 Songs of 2011!
Please access this link...as the video cannot embed properly
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/vC5IkWclzf8/?resourceId=105262004_06_05_99&rpid=105262004
*It may be a little slow, so please be patient. Alternatively you may try the Facebook video*
1st to 10th place!
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Zif79zc0Y2g/?resourceId=105262004_06_05_99&rpid=105262004
Alternatively,
Every year, people are shocked by my rankings. This year, are you?
Actually my song ranking isn't that deviant lah. There are quite a few songs that coincide with 93.3FM top ranked songs and some DJs' personal rankings haha...
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
2011 Review (Movie)
Watched a total of 10 movies in 2011, same as 2010. Hmm I wonder how many movies a Singaporean youngster watches a year on average...
Unlike in 2010 when I didn't watch any Asian movies at all, I managed to 'clock' some in 2011 as my last 3 movies of the year. It's a good balance I guess.
Ok let's take a look at my reviews, starting from the lowest rating. =)
10th: 127 Hours
Rating: 3.5/10
This is like a repeat of two years ago, when 500 Days of Summer bottomed my movie ranking, despite having good reviews from the public. Both movies were generally well-received, rated 4/5 stars on average from publicized reviews. But why that abysmal performance in my personal chart?
I think some of you can start to see the similarities already, just by looking at their titles.
I’m not fond of movies that countdown towards the end, what’s more the countdown timer appears in the title too. And when the countdown ends, there is nothing much beyond that, which basically marks the end of the movie. For a person who enjoys suspense and twist, knowing that the end is coming spoils the enjoyment.
This whole movie can be described in one sentence, which happens to appear in the first paragraph of its Wikipedia entry. I just wanted to check out what this movie is roughly about, and this simple description totally spoiled it. Because the time period appears in the title, people want to know what it refers to, and this means knowing the ending already.
From the time that guy became trapped, I was dreading it already. Partly because it looks pretty painful, and also because I knew what he would eventually do to escape. I wished the gory climax would come quickly. When the climax really came, I wanted to it to end quickly. Where is the enjoyment if you want a movie to end quickly? That explains the rating.
9th: Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon
Rating: 5.5/10
The ratings weren’t good to start with. After the successful first movie, the second installment was a flop. The third one seemed to be going further downhill. Many complained about how the movie is all about scrap metals in combat, ‘clink-clank’ metallic commotion, dizziness resulting from huge moving objects, etc. For the layman, transformers might have lost its appeal, but among fans it’s still pretty popular. This explains why it remains a box office hit, especially in US where it surpassed other blockbuster installments.
I was shivering from the cold halfway into the movie, thanks to the freezing aircon and the empty theatre (the rows in front of me were completely unoccupied, and I was already sitting at the back few rows). At the main climax I became a little bored at all the mindless action. Not to mention the cliché scene of kissing couple right after the fighting has ended.
8th: 一泡而红 (Already Famous)
Rating: 6/10
The style of this movie is reminiscent of Jack Neo’s movies – mixture of English, Mandarin and dialects; extensive use of humour; criticisms on government policies; product endorsement; use of old lady/grandma figure to arouse emotions; happily-ever-after ending, etc.
What’s additional is the internal jokes regarding the media industry and workplace. People who are not involved in the entertainment circle wouldn’t understand as well as those who are. (Eg. getting lost at Radio Gate, etc) Those who have done calefare acting, or have participated in such reality competitions before would probably concur with the happenings in the movie. The insides of the media industry ain’t all pretty.
In one sentence, the story is about a star-wannabe from Malaysia who came to Singapore in hope of entering the acting industry, and finally emerged champion in a star-search competition after a downtrodden path. Like what most reviews mentioned, the plot is a little haphazard with some pacing problems and draggy at certain scenes. I feel that Alien Huang’s character isn’t well-developed enough.
I applaud Michelle Chong for her resolution to produce a movie despite many discouragements. Her impersonating talent is undeniable, but she still has much to learn about film-making.
7th: One Day
Rating 6.5/10
The title is a little misleading, because the story spans more than 20 years, focusing on a pair of ambiguous lovers. However the plot only shows what happened on a particular date every year. They fall in love, get to know other companions, argue, separate, miss each other, come together again etc. This movie further iterates how ‘loose’ Westerners are by sleeping with someone else they just met.
This film also triggers the ‘countdown’ effect, which I dislike. It starts with year 2006(?), jumps all the way back to 1984(?) and begins telling year by year. Naturally the audience will start to countdown (or technically, ‘countup’) in their minds towards 2006. Then something really major happened on that year. The scene is fixated on someone crossing a seemingly safe road (without any cars). Yeah we all expected what to happen next. BAM! A vehicle speeds past and the pedestrian dies. So cliché. Both the driver and pedestrian must be blind. Don’t like this kind of method to kill off a character.
All is not lost for this movie however. There are funny, touching, beautiful, surprising moments too. And I particularly like the scene where they climb up the hill at Edinburgh and look over the city landscape. It makes me feel like going Europe again, especially Scotland.
6th: 星空 (Starry Starry Night)
Rating: 6.5/10
This movie is based on a popular picture book 《星空》 by 几米. Are movie-makers running out of ideas already? Lots of recent hit films seem to originate from published books and novels.
The movie has an imaginative feel. Train hovering in the night sky, origami animals coming into life, lying on the boat gazing at the stars, etc. The plot talks about two kids who are…erm to put it simply, emo, because of their family circumstances, and one day they decided to make a trip to the mountains. I feel like visiting 阿里山 now…
One thing I like about this film is the way it incorporates the concept of jigsaw puzzles. Being a fan of jigsaw puzzles, I was able to relate to certain parts. It also spurred my craving to buy a puzzle (but I’ve no time to assemble it >_<) Not those 1000-pieces ones that can be done within a day of intensive fixing, but those greater than 2000-pieces ones which can take weeks to a month. It’s a long time since I touched puzzles, my hands are getting itchy haha.
5th: 那些年，我们一起追的女孩 (You are an apple of my eye)
Rating: 6.5/10
There has been much hype about this movie since it broke box office records in Taiwan. Before it came to SG, I have already heard a lot about it, such as the cast and music. Even before the official release, quite a few people have watched the sneak preview and all of them gave very good reviews. All these publicity made me feel like watching too.
However it’s not a very good thing when you harbour too much expectations for a movie. It certainly met my expectations, but there was no breakthrough beyond. The bar was already set so high, and there were some minor spoilers along with the reviews and introduction videos.
Another story about ambiguous lovers, with their relationship spanning several years. Quite a lot of vulgarities at the beginning, as well as sexual connotations on erection and masturbation. The plot is quite predictable as there is not much twist. You know the couple is going to get attached and then split again. The only unexpected event that really took me aback was near the ending (those who watched should know which scene I’m talking about haha).
The high school love story is sweet, but I find it hard to relate to my own experiences because my high school life was not very happening. Sigh.
4th: Pirates of the Carribean - On Stranger Tides
Rating: 6.5/10
Despite so many installments produced, I still prefer the first, which really gave me a good impression of this movie and made me continue watching this series until now. Since the 2nd movie, I started to get seasick, struggling to understand what exactly is going on in the plot. Luckily this 4th movie turned for the better.
The plot is pretty simple and linear, like most adventure movies. Jack Sparrow and company search for the Fountain and Youth. When they finally get there, the climax comes, and the movie ends. At least this is much easier to follow than a bunch of pirate-talk, planning some complex conspiracy.
As long as Johnny Depp is still casted in the movie, this series will sell. Mains like Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley can be done away with haha. He is the one who brings all the fun and humour. I like how he seems to be able to escape from any kind of situation, through his agility and eloquence.
It’s expected to have a 5th or 6th movie, judging from his popularity.
3rd: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Rating: 7/10
Without much ado, the movie plunges right into the climax – destroying the Horcruxes and the battle between Voldemort and Harry at Hogwarts. I didn’t recall much of the plot during Part 1, but I could still remember what is going to happen in Part 2. Of course, I think everyone knows the ending already. This actually takes off a bit of enjoyment due to predictability. “Aww come on, we know Harry won’t die” sorta.
The effects were pretty good. Not sure if it’s worth watching in 3D. Plot-wise I think this is better than Part 1, where it felt draggy due to all the slow moments when Harry was wandering in the wild. Part 2 is more action-packed too.
Towards the end the bad guys seemed pretty easy to kill (eg. Bellatrix), and the Horcruxes seemed to become so easy to find and destroy. This is not the film’s problem as I got the same impression when reading the book too. Making a film out of a book is not easy, especially when most people have read it and expect this and that to be covered in the film.
2nd: Kungfu Panda 2
Rating: 7.5/10
I didn’t watch the first movie in cinemas. Only roughly ‘browsed’ through it from streaming sites, so I had a little background. I like how Po the panda always thinks about food, his simplistic way of thinking, and innocence regarding his parentage. Does he really think the goose is his biological father?
This film has its touching moments, despite being an animation. The animals are cute. The oriental music is nice. The visuals are superb. While it has exaggerated scenes to make us laugh, there are also realistic moments like the part where Po is shouting to the Peacock from the roof. There are some aspects of entertainment animated films can provide, which live-action films cannot, or hardly can.
And now I shall announce my Top Movie of 2011...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1st: X-men - First Class
Rating: 8/10
Hmm since when did I start watching superhero-themed movies? Although the existence of such superheroes is unrealistic (especially the ‘I must save the World/America’ notion), it gives us hope and admiration. “How I wish I could have such supernatural powers like him”… something like that.
This movie tells about Professor X’s and Magneto’s past. Didn’t know they used to be friends haha. (ok I know nuts about X-men story) I like the part where all the mutants gather together and show off their powers, as well as how they help each other using their unique abilities. Not to forget the underlying message of not hiding your true self even though you can’t fit into society.
Some of you may not be very convinced of my top movie. Probably I didn't watch enough good movies this year. I'm still waiting for films like 'Avatar' and 'Inception', which scored almost perfect and perfect rating respectively for my annual ranking.
Unlike in 2010 when I didn't watch any Asian movies at all, I managed to 'clock' some in 2011 as my last 3 movies of the year. It's a good balance I guess.
Ok let's take a look at my reviews, starting from the lowest rating. =)
10th: 127 Hours
Rating: 3.5/10
This is like a repeat of two years ago, when 500 Days of Summer bottomed my movie ranking, despite having good reviews from the public. Both movies were generally well-received, rated 4/5 stars on average from publicized reviews. But why that abysmal performance in my personal chart?
I think some of you can start to see the similarities already, just by looking at their titles.
I’m not fond of movies that countdown towards the end, what’s more the countdown timer appears in the title too. And when the countdown ends, there is nothing much beyond that, which basically marks the end of the movie. For a person who enjoys suspense and twist, knowing that the end is coming spoils the enjoyment.
This whole movie can be described in one sentence, which happens to appear in the first paragraph of its Wikipedia entry. I just wanted to check out what this movie is roughly about, and this simple description totally spoiled it. Because the time period appears in the title, people want to know what it refers to, and this means knowing the ending already.
From the time that guy became trapped, I was dreading it already. Partly because it looks pretty painful, and also because I knew what he would eventually do to escape. I wished the gory climax would come quickly. When the climax really came, I wanted to it to end quickly. Where is the enjoyment if you want a movie to end quickly? That explains the rating.
9th: Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon
Rating: 5.5/10
The ratings weren’t good to start with. After the successful first movie, the second installment was a flop. The third one seemed to be going further downhill. Many complained about how the movie is all about scrap metals in combat, ‘clink-clank’ metallic commotion, dizziness resulting from huge moving objects, etc. For the layman, transformers might have lost its appeal, but among fans it’s still pretty popular. This explains why it remains a box office hit, especially in US where it surpassed other blockbuster installments.
I was shivering from the cold halfway into the movie, thanks to the freezing aircon and the empty theatre (the rows in front of me were completely unoccupied, and I was already sitting at the back few rows). At the main climax I became a little bored at all the mindless action. Not to mention the cliché scene of kissing couple right after the fighting has ended.
8th: 一泡而红 (Already Famous)
Rating: 6/10
The style of this movie is reminiscent of Jack Neo’s movies – mixture of English, Mandarin and dialects; extensive use of humour; criticisms on government policies; product endorsement; use of old lady/grandma figure to arouse emotions; happily-ever-after ending, etc.
What’s additional is the internal jokes regarding the media industry and workplace. People who are not involved in the entertainment circle wouldn’t understand as well as those who are. (Eg. getting lost at Radio Gate, etc) Those who have done calefare acting, or have participated in such reality competitions before would probably concur with the happenings in the movie. The insides of the media industry ain’t all pretty.
In one sentence, the story is about a star-wannabe from Malaysia who came to Singapore in hope of entering the acting industry, and finally emerged champion in a star-search competition after a downtrodden path. Like what most reviews mentioned, the plot is a little haphazard with some pacing problems and draggy at certain scenes. I feel that Alien Huang’s character isn’t well-developed enough.
I applaud Michelle Chong for her resolution to produce a movie despite many discouragements. Her impersonating talent is undeniable, but she still has much to learn about film-making.
7th: One Day
Rating 6.5/10
The title is a little misleading, because the story spans more than 20 years, focusing on a pair of ambiguous lovers. However the plot only shows what happened on a particular date every year. They fall in love, get to know other companions, argue, separate, miss each other, come together again etc. This movie further iterates how ‘loose’ Westerners are by sleeping with someone else they just met.
This film also triggers the ‘countdown’ effect, which I dislike. It starts with year 2006(?), jumps all the way back to 1984(?) and begins telling year by year. Naturally the audience will start to countdown (or technically, ‘countup’) in their minds towards 2006. Then something really major happened on that year. The scene is fixated on someone crossing a seemingly safe road (without any cars). Yeah we all expected what to happen next. BAM! A vehicle speeds past and the pedestrian dies. So cliché. Both the driver and pedestrian must be blind. Don’t like this kind of method to kill off a character.
All is not lost for this movie however. There are funny, touching, beautiful, surprising moments too. And I particularly like the scene where they climb up the hill at Edinburgh and look over the city landscape. It makes me feel like going Europe again, especially Scotland.
6th: 星空 (Starry Starry Night)
Rating: 6.5/10
This movie is based on a popular picture book 《星空》 by 几米. Are movie-makers running out of ideas already? Lots of recent hit films seem to originate from published books and novels.
The movie has an imaginative feel. Train hovering in the night sky, origami animals coming into life, lying on the boat gazing at the stars, etc. The plot talks about two kids who are…erm to put it simply, emo, because of their family circumstances, and one day they decided to make a trip to the mountains. I feel like visiting 阿里山 now…
One thing I like about this film is the way it incorporates the concept of jigsaw puzzles. Being a fan of jigsaw puzzles, I was able to relate to certain parts. It also spurred my craving to buy a puzzle (but I’ve no time to assemble it >_<) Not those 1000-pieces ones that can be done within a day of intensive fixing, but those greater than 2000-pieces ones which can take weeks to a month. It’s a long time since I touched puzzles, my hands are getting itchy haha.
5th: 那些年，我们一起追的女孩 (You are an apple of my eye)
Rating: 6.5/10
There has been much hype about this movie since it broke box office records in Taiwan. Before it came to SG, I have already heard a lot about it, such as the cast and music. Even before the official release, quite a few people have watched the sneak preview and all of them gave very good reviews. All these publicity made me feel like watching too.
However it’s not a very good thing when you harbour too much expectations for a movie. It certainly met my expectations, but there was no breakthrough beyond. The bar was already set so high, and there were some minor spoilers along with the reviews and introduction videos.
Another story about ambiguous lovers, with their relationship spanning several years. Quite a lot of vulgarities at the beginning, as well as sexual connotations on erection and masturbation. The plot is quite predictable as there is not much twist. You know the couple is going to get attached and then split again. The only unexpected event that really took me aback was near the ending (those who watched should know which scene I’m talking about haha).
The high school love story is sweet, but I find it hard to relate to my own experiences because my high school life was not very happening. Sigh.
4th: Pirates of the Carribean - On Stranger Tides
Rating: 6.5/10
Despite so many installments produced, I still prefer the first, which really gave me a good impression of this movie and made me continue watching this series until now. Since the 2nd movie, I started to get seasick, struggling to understand what exactly is going on in the plot. Luckily this 4th movie turned for the better.
The plot is pretty simple and linear, like most adventure movies. Jack Sparrow and company search for the Fountain and Youth. When they finally get there, the climax comes, and the movie ends. At least this is much easier to follow than a bunch of pirate-talk, planning some complex conspiracy.
As long as Johnny Depp is still casted in the movie, this series will sell. Mains like Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley can be done away with haha. He is the one who brings all the fun and humour. I like how he seems to be able to escape from any kind of situation, through his agility and eloquence.
It’s expected to have a 5th or 6th movie, judging from his popularity.
3rd: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Rating: 7/10
Without much ado, the movie plunges right into the climax – destroying the Horcruxes and the battle between Voldemort and Harry at Hogwarts. I didn’t recall much of the plot during Part 1, but I could still remember what is going to happen in Part 2. Of course, I think everyone knows the ending already. This actually takes off a bit of enjoyment due to predictability. “Aww come on, we know Harry won’t die” sorta.
The effects were pretty good. Not sure if it’s worth watching in 3D. Plot-wise I think this is better than Part 1, where it felt draggy due to all the slow moments when Harry was wandering in the wild. Part 2 is more action-packed too.
Towards the end the bad guys seemed pretty easy to kill (eg. Bellatrix), and the Horcruxes seemed to become so easy to find and destroy. This is not the film’s problem as I got the same impression when reading the book too. Making a film out of a book is not easy, especially when most people have read it and expect this and that to be covered in the film.
2nd: Kungfu Panda 2
Rating: 7.5/10
I didn’t watch the first movie in cinemas. Only roughly ‘browsed’ through it from streaming sites, so I had a little background. I like how Po the panda always thinks about food, his simplistic way of thinking, and innocence regarding his parentage. Does he really think the goose is his biological father?
This film has its touching moments, despite being an animation. The animals are cute. The oriental music is nice. The visuals are superb. While it has exaggerated scenes to make us laugh, there are also realistic moments like the part where Po is shouting to the Peacock from the roof. There are some aspects of entertainment animated films can provide, which live-action films cannot, or hardly can.
And now I shall announce my Top Movie of 2011...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1st: X-men - First Class
Rating: 8/10
Hmm since when did I start watching superhero-themed movies? Although the existence of such superheroes is unrealistic (especially the ‘I must save the World/America’ notion), it gives us hope and admiration. “How I wish I could have such supernatural powers like him”… something like that.
This movie tells about Professor X’s and Magneto’s past. Didn’t know they used to be friends haha. (ok I know nuts about X-men story) I like the part where all the mutants gather together and show off their powers, as well as how they help each other using their unique abilities. Not to forget the underlying message of not hiding your true self even though you can’t fit into society.
Some of you may not be very convinced of my top movie. Probably I didn't watch enough good movies this year. I'm still waiting for films like 'Avatar' and 'Inception', which scored almost perfect and perfect rating respectively for my annual ranking.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Semester 7 Overview
With only 3 less-demanding modules (besides FYP), this semester is supposed to be slack. However I chose to get involved in other miscellaneous activities (mostly Japanese-related) that made my semester busier than expected. This is already my final year in University, and I hope to participate in some fun activities which I won’t get a chance to do after I graduate.
Let’s look at the judging criteria:
Difficulty - Self explanatory.
Workload - Amount of lesson hours per week, assignments, tutorials, projects, self-study required, etc
Lecture/Tutorial/Lab - Enjoyability and understanding
CN4121 – Design Project (Part 1)
Difficulty: ★★
Workload: ★☆
Lecture: ★★
Lab: ★★★
This huge 10MC module is split between 2 semesters. The workload of Part 1 is lighter (about 3MC), with introductory lectures, fundamental training in software and a mini-project. The heavier part, with a more demanding design project, will come next semester.
I feel a little bad for not putting much effort in this module. I skipped lectures towards the end and didn’t contribute much to the project. Much of the work was done during the 2-hour lab session every week. I didn’t bother to spend extra time, nor take further steps in attempting the exercises. Getting desired results from the software can be frustrating at times, but overall it’s rather simple to handle (compared to my FYP software). Though I didn’t communicate much with my lab tutor, I think he is really patient and committed in helping us with our problems, though he’s a little on the strict side especially when conducting the viva test.
The lectures were alright, though I often felt unmotivated to attend and listen. The first lecturer was longwinded, the second was comical and the third was boring…
CN4211R – Petrochemicals and Processing Technology
Difficulty: ★★★★
Workload: ★
Lecture/Tutorial: ★★★
I think this is one of the most useful Chem Engin modules I’ve taken so far. It teaches us lots of practical aspects of the petrochemical industry and the workings of various important processes. Those planning to work in a petrochemical industry should take this module, as it’s very very relevant. It focuses more on qualitative understanding rather than quantitative calculations. The calculations are simple, but applying and formulating them appropriately is difficult as it requires a great deal of understanding, as well as assumptions (otherwise it will be too complex to solve by hand).
This module is taken by one of the most “well-known” professors in the department. Most students tend to shun him, thanks to his initial reputation created during the very first Chem Engin introduction module. However after taking this module, I felt that he is not bad after all. Probably because I’ve become more accustomed to the subject through the semesters and could understand most of what he’s trying to explain.
His questions are nevertheless still on the challenging side. It can be a real killer if you lack understanding on the topic. It requires applying of knowledge beyond the textbook/lecture notes stuff. As an exam tip, he mentioned ”I guess you guys know my style of questions, from tutorials and mid-terms”. I fully agree haha.
There was also an enriching field-trip to Exxon Mobil. Thumbs up to that. =)
JS3208 – Approaches to Japanese Linguistics
Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★★★
Lecture/Tutorial: ★★★★
There is no more Japanese language modules (LAJ) left for me to take, so linguistics studies under the Japanese Studies department is the next best alternative to maintain continuous contact with the language. I’ve taken two JS modules in the past semesters and they were really demanding and strict, especially in the project requirements such as referencing and style. However this module is quite different from the other JS modules, partly due to our friendly and understanding lecturer. I’ve heard much recommendations about her from my fellow classmates. Glad I was able to take this module after a successful appeal even though I didn’t satisfy the prerequisites initially.
This module has the smallest class size I’ve ever experienced in NUS, with a mere 10 students. Lessons were really interesting and informative. There were so many things I didn’t realise before although I’ve been studying the language for a long time. This module also made me more aware of the similarities and differences between Japanese, English and Chinese.
Since non-natives cannot learn foreign language through the ‘natural’ way, grasping the technicalities seems to be the only way to improve our sense of grammar and construct appropriate sentences that sound natural.
CN4118R – Final Year Project
There is nothing to rate on this module since it’s mostly OTOT. Like Design Project, this module is split over two semesters, with the bulk of the workload in this semester. I’ll write a complete review about FYP at the end of next semester.
With most of the time spent on FYP, trying to complete my written report before the deadline 2 weeks later, this holiday doesn't feel like one at all. Anyway a new semester is starting soon. Back to mugging...
Let’s look at the judging criteria:
Difficulty - Self explanatory.
Workload - Amount of lesson hours per week, assignments, tutorials, projects, self-study required, etc
Lecture/Tutorial/Lab - Enjoyability and understanding
CN4121 – Design Project (Part 1)
Difficulty: ★★
Workload: ★☆
Lecture: ★★
Lab: ★★★
This huge 10MC module is split between 2 semesters. The workload of Part 1 is lighter (about 3MC), with introductory lectures, fundamental training in software and a mini-project. The heavier part, with a more demanding design project, will come next semester.
I feel a little bad for not putting much effort in this module. I skipped lectures towards the end and didn’t contribute much to the project. Much of the work was done during the 2-hour lab session every week. I didn’t bother to spend extra time, nor take further steps in attempting the exercises. Getting desired results from the software can be frustrating at times, but overall it’s rather simple to handle (compared to my FYP software). Though I didn’t communicate much with my lab tutor, I think he is really patient and committed in helping us with our problems, though he’s a little on the strict side especially when conducting the viva test.
The lectures were alright, though I often felt unmotivated to attend and listen. The first lecturer was longwinded, the second was comical and the third was boring…
CN4211R – Petrochemicals and Processing Technology
Difficulty: ★★★★
Workload: ★
Lecture/Tutorial: ★★★
I think this is one of the most useful Chem Engin modules I’ve taken so far. It teaches us lots of practical aspects of the petrochemical industry and the workings of various important processes. Those planning to work in a petrochemical industry should take this module, as it’s very very relevant. It focuses more on qualitative understanding rather than quantitative calculations. The calculations are simple, but applying and formulating them appropriately is difficult as it requires a great deal of understanding, as well as assumptions (otherwise it will be too complex to solve by hand).
This module is taken by one of the most “well-known” professors in the department. Most students tend to shun him, thanks to his initial reputation created during the very first Chem Engin introduction module. However after taking this module, I felt that he is not bad after all. Probably because I’ve become more accustomed to the subject through the semesters and could understand most of what he’s trying to explain.
His questions are nevertheless still on the challenging side. It can be a real killer if you lack understanding on the topic. It requires applying of knowledge beyond the textbook/lecture notes stuff. As an exam tip, he mentioned ”I guess you guys know my style of questions, from tutorials and mid-terms”. I fully agree haha.
There was also an enriching field-trip to Exxon Mobil. Thumbs up to that. =)
JS3208 – Approaches to Japanese Linguistics
Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★★★
Lecture/Tutorial: ★★★★
There is no more Japanese language modules (LAJ) left for me to take, so linguistics studies under the Japanese Studies department is the next best alternative to maintain continuous contact with the language. I’ve taken two JS modules in the past semesters and they were really demanding and strict, especially in the project requirements such as referencing and style. However this module is quite different from the other JS modules, partly due to our friendly and understanding lecturer. I’ve heard much recommendations about her from my fellow classmates. Glad I was able to take this module after a successful appeal even though I didn’t satisfy the prerequisites initially.
This module has the smallest class size I’ve ever experienced in NUS, with a mere 10 students. Lessons were really interesting and informative. There were so many things I didn’t realise before although I’ve been studying the language for a long time. This module also made me more aware of the similarities and differences between Japanese, English and Chinese.
Since non-natives cannot learn foreign language through the ‘natural’ way, grasping the technicalities seems to be the only way to improve our sense of grammar and construct appropriate sentences that sound natural.
CN4118R – Final Year Project
There is nothing to rate on this module since it’s mostly OTOT. Like Design Project, this module is split over two semesters, with the bulk of the workload in this semester. I’ll write a complete review about FYP at the end of next semester.
With most of the time spent on FYP, trying to complete my written report before the deadline 2 weeks later, this holiday doesn't feel like one at all. Anyway a new semester is starting soon. Back to mugging...
Sunday, December 25, 2011
It's snowing! (VIII)
The weather is getting cold lately due to the continuous rains which can last the entire day.
Since October, I've gotten caught in the rain several times, and there are many instances that the rain has greatly inconvenienced me. The worse is, it starts to rain when I'm about to leave home. It rains heavily as I tread under my small umbrella, and becomes lighter when I finally take shelter...
Glad that Tanya shares the same sentiments too. She must be equally annoyed I guess.
Let's keep the temperature, but not the rain...
On usual days I tend to kick away my blanket instinctively during my sleep, but these days I find myself snugging cozily under my blanket all night till the morning.
But then I find my sensitive nose sneezing away too...sigh.
I often try to imagine how I would live in a winter country, or countries with temperature significantly lower than SG's.
I think I might freeze from the cold. Or end up avoiding outdoors by locking up myself up at home all day. Perhaps a constant flu will hunt me as well.
Maybe my dress sense will improve too as I'm willing to put on more clothing. In SG I prefer to keep things simple because I sweat easily. I rarely (almost never) wear an unbuttoned casual shirt over a T-shirt.
Office wear will definitely be more bearable under cooler conditions.
How nice would it be to eat hot spicy food when you're freezing cold. A hot bath would be heavenly too. How about exercising and sweating out at the cold outdoors? I've never experienced that before but I suppose it wouldn't be as physically draining as exercising under the hot sun, high temperature. As for swimming, hah...there is a reason why swimming pools in temperate countries are usually located indoors.
No cold winds please...I've enough of that. They are welcomed during the hot summer though.
Almost forget...Merry Christmas to all =)
Since October, I've gotten caught in the rain several times, and there are many instances that the rain has greatly inconvenienced me. The worse is, it starts to rain when I'm about to leave home. It rains heavily as I tread under my small umbrella, and becomes lighter when I finally take shelter...
Glad that Tanya shares the same sentiments too. She must be equally annoyed I guess.
Let's keep the temperature, but not the rain...
On usual days I tend to kick away my blanket instinctively during my sleep, but these days I find myself snugging cozily under my blanket all night till the morning.
But then I find my sensitive nose sneezing away too...sigh.
I often try to imagine how I would live in a winter country, or countries with temperature significantly lower than SG's.
I think I might freeze from the cold. Or end up avoiding outdoors by locking up myself up at home all day. Perhaps a constant flu will hunt me as well.
Maybe my dress sense will improve too as I'm willing to put on more clothing. In SG I prefer to keep things simple because I sweat easily. I rarely (almost never) wear an unbuttoned casual shirt over a T-shirt.
Office wear will definitely be more bearable under cooler conditions.
How nice would it be to eat hot spicy food when you're freezing cold. A hot bath would be heavenly too. How about exercising and sweating out at the cold outdoors? I've never experienced that before but I suppose it wouldn't be as physically draining as exercising under the hot sun, high temperature. As for swimming, hah...there is a reason why swimming pools in temperate countries are usually located indoors.
No cold winds please...I've enough of that. They are welcomed during the hot summer though.
Almost forget...Merry Christmas to all =)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
东京三夜 - Asakusa (浅草)
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| Tokyo Sky Tree - Towering high into the sky at 634m. Almost twice as high as Tokyo Tower, and the second tallest structure in the world. Will be opened to public next May. I would definitely want to visit this! |
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| Wedding in traditional costumes |
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| Entering temple grounds |
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| Sensoji 浅草寺. Oldest temple in Tokyo. |
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| Japanese are not very religious actually. They don't visit temples or shrines on a regular basis. Asking them their religion is like asking a Singaporean Chinese whether he/she is a Buddhist or Taoist. |
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| China pavilion? |
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| Feels like I'm in China lol. |
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| Street in front of the temple grounds with rows of stalls selling expensive souvenirs. Souvenirs in Japan are expensive everywhere so it doesn't matter actually. |
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| The famous Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), often seen in Japan's tourism publicity. I was interviewed by Japan's Broadcasting Company NHK here. The interviewer (sounds like from China) was surprised that Singaporeans could speak Mandarin "so well". I still hope I could watch my interview one day. |
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| Ladies' carriage. Should SG trains implement this too? |
Saturday, December 17, 2011
North Sea Road Chapter 10 - Toya （洞爺）
Toya is famous for its beautiful lake, with a little island in the middle.
Actually from the Toya train station, we had to take a bus to Lake Toya, followed by another bus to Mount Usu (for the ropeway). However we took the last bus for the latter journey, and there was no way back. There were no taxis around too (imagine being stuck in some place many times more ulu than Lim Chu Kang). We were about to walk all the way back to Lake Toya (takes around an hour), when we met a really really helpful Japanese who offered to drive us back. Not sure if hitching a ride is common in Japan, but I'm really thankful for his kind assistance.
Rather than just sending us back to Lake Toya, he also brought us to other places of attraction around the area, inaccessible by public transport. He even went further to bring us back to Toya train station so we don't have to take another bus from Lake Toya to Toya station.
Glad to end this Hokkaido trip with such a friendly encounter. This is precisely why I feel like returning to Japan again and again. The attitude of the locals really makes a big difference to a tourist's experience.
And now, back to Tokyo!
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| At night, fireworks can be seen at Lake Toya (for visitors staying at the hot spring resort). |
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| No $$$ (I mean ¥¥¥) to take the cruise to the island. |
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| It would be so nice to jog around this lake. |
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| A young volcano lava dome still actively growing. 昭和新山. As the name suggests, it began to form during the Showa period (around WW2 years). |
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| Up up up the ropeway! |
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| We're at the top on Mount Usu (有珠山), but we still have to ascend the steps to the topmost observatory area. |
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| I feel like I'm at the top of the world! |
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| 沧海桑田 |
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| Wow...what's that ultra-tall mountain protruding out of the clouds? |
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| As this is a live volcano, there are smoke/steam ejecting from several spots. |
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| The caldera. No one knows when it will next erupt. |
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| View of 昭和新山. As you can see, the dome is still very small. |
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| Mother Nature |
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| Argh...I missed a chance to take a good photo. (The ticket office had already closed) |
Actually from the Toya train station, we had to take a bus to Lake Toya, followed by another bus to Mount Usu (for the ropeway). However we took the last bus for the latter journey, and there was no way back. There were no taxis around too (imagine being stuck in some place many times more ulu than Lim Chu Kang). We were about to walk all the way back to Lake Toya (takes around an hour), when we met a really really helpful Japanese who offered to drive us back. Not sure if hitching a ride is common in Japan, but I'm really thankful for his kind assistance.
Rather than just sending us back to Lake Toya, he also brought us to other places of attraction around the area, inaccessible by public transport. He even went further to bring us back to Toya train station so we don't have to take another bus from Lake Toya to Toya station.
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| I just wanna say 'Arigato gozaimashita!' (Thank you very much!) |
Glad to end this Hokkaido trip with such a friendly encounter. This is precisely why I feel like returning to Japan again and again. The attitude of the locals really makes a big difference to a tourist's experience.
And now, back to Tokyo!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
North Sea Road Chapter 9 - Sounkyo （層雲峡）
Some facts about Hokkaido:
- Its size is close to that of South Korea, more than twice of Taiwan, about 100 times that of SG.
- Its population is comparable to that of SG (only 10% difference).
- It has the least population density among the other prefectures in Japan.
- During winter, drifting ice can be seen at the northern sea.
A visit to another hot spring resort. Unlike its name, the place is not really shrouded within the cloud layers.
Before leaving the resort, we soaked ourselves in a hot spring. Felt refreshed for a while...before becoming sleepy after that...zzz.
- Its size is close to that of South Korea, more than twice of Taiwan, about 100 times that of SG.
- Its population is comparable to that of SG (only 10% difference).
- It has the least population density among the other prefectures in Japan.
- During winter, drifting ice can be seen at the northern sea.
A visit to another hot spring resort. Unlike its name, the place is not really shrouded within the cloud layers.
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| I wish I've a car to access these scenic sites easily. |
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| Finally reached, after taking an almost empty bus for the nth time in this trip. |
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| The place was eerily tranquil and quiet. There were hardly anyone in sight when we explored around. |
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| 远离尘嚣 |
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| No more bus! Walked about 3km for 45min to reach our next destination. The beautiful greenery, mountains and rivers were motivations to keep us walking. |
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| A spider came out when we turned on the tap! Eeek! |
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| One of the two famous waterfalls in this gorge. Just like sheets of cloth. |
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| It would be scary if it moves... |
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| Climbed up this treacherous woods to view both waterfalls side by side from the top. It's really really steep! Pant...pant... |
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| Galaxy （銀河） & Meteor （流星）. |
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| Interactive display of the Daisetsuzan National Park in the visitor centre. |
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| The best icecap view I can capture of Daisetsuzan （大雪山）. Can't imagine how spectacular it will be during winter. |
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| Got bear around here...eeek! |
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| Lake surrounded by mountains |
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| Peaceful |
Before leaving the resort, we soaked ourselves in a hot spring. Felt refreshed for a while...before becoming sleepy after that...zzz.
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