Emoticons in my blog..

If you noticed, there are a couple of emoticons within my blog.. Recently I've found a way to display emoticons.. All thanks to a blog that I've found..

Thank you Ben.. anyone can have this features too.. Just visit http://ibenjamin.blogspot.com/2007/01/blog-post_07.html

Emotions available:
Smile :)
Laugh :D
Shy :$
Sad :(
Cheeky :p
Wink ;)
Kiss :k
Angry :@
Scared :#
Shocked :o
... :x

Busy July...

Seems like I will be pretty busy the last 3 weeks of school...

First, there is a Japanese oral presentation in class this coming Tuesday. Then there will be a lunch meeting with my Professor on the same day. Then there is the entrance examination presentation this coming Sunday. After that there will be another Japanese oral presentation in class the week after next and then finally a big presentation for my Japanese language class on 20 July, which all the teachers and volunteers will attend.. In between, there will be tests to take and reports to write... Which makes me look forward to the summer holidays even more... :)

My classmates are planning to go Kyoto from 5 Aug to 8 Aug. Yet to book anything.. So that is something I need to settle too as soon as possible... Then Sis is coming over to Japan for a visit, but no dates yet.. My classmates and I are planning to have a study group too during the summer vacation, to prepare for JLPT end of this year... so it should be a fun and fruitful summer holiday... :D

Cleared First Stage

Finally gotten some progress in my Masters admission..

After submitting my application forms for the admission to the Masters Program in GITS, I received a letter from the administration office informing me that I have cleared the 1st screening, which is the documentary screening, for the September 2007 admission. I am scheduled to give a presentation on the 8 July, 12:40pm. I am to give a 5 minute presentation and following that there will be a 10 minute Q&A with the panel of Professors.

Now I just need to re-look at the presentation that I did for Prof. Obi's seminar last week and modify it for this.. I am more worried about the Q&A, about the kind of questions that the Professors might ask... but I think with my working experience, ie. the experience of bull-shitting, I should be able to get through that too... :D

The result of this 2nd screening will be known on the 20 Jul via postal mail.. ie, the last day of this semester... so cross your fingers for me next sunday around 12.30pm... :)

Being Cultured... Again..

Went to another free concert just now... :)


It is a Choir Concert by ＫＡＹ合唱団, held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Center. The ticket is free cos one of the Professors in my graduate school was giving them away... I went to the concert with one of my Masters lab-mate from Indonesia. In fact, she was the one who told me about the free concert and ask if I wanna go.

We were supposed to meet at 4:45pm at Ikebukuro Station, but she called me last minute saying that she will be late due to her son.. So I went there alone...

I had no problem finding the place... I was there around 5pm.. There were so many old folks attending the concert that I was the youngest among those lining up to get into the concert hall... The design of the concert hall was very nice. It has a big organ at the back of the stage... Too bad I didnt bring my camera along...

The concert start promptly at 5:30pm. There were a group of musicians seated in the center of the stage. Then there were about 7 rows of wooden long benches behind those seats. Those were for the choir singers.. then there are seats for the soloist.. the tenor, baritone, alto and soprano.. Imagine my surprise when I saw the Professor who gave us the ticket among the choir singers!! Professor K was the dean of the graduate school a couple of years ago.. now he is just one of the professors... but I am really surprised that he joined such a group... Must have been good to have a passion outside of work...

The choir was all in German, i think.. The information posted on the website was as follow...

J.S. Bach
ヨハネ受難曲 (Johannes-Passion)
指　揮　(Conductor)：　渡辺善忠
ソプラノ(Soprano) ：　五十嵐郁子
アルト(Alto) ：　　永井和子
テナー(Tenor) ：　　畑儀文
バ　ス(Bass) ：　　多田羅迪夫
ピラトアリア(Baritone)：宇野徹哉
オルガン(Organ) ：　草間美也子
合　唱 (Choir) ：　　ＫＡＹ合唱団

It started at 5:30pm, had a 15-min intermission around 6:15pm and lasted all the way till 8pm! As they were singing in German, I must admit that I did doze off a couple of time during the concert.. :P Lots of people were dozing off too, looking at their body language... hahahaha... and also the audience was really made up of 80% old folks... and seriously I doubt if they understand anything that was sang... Overall, the concert was okay...

and busy...

Getting busier the last few weeks..

Had to do research for the assignment of one of my Masters subject.. read several papers to understand the concept behind the new initiative taught so as to be able to comment on it..

Had to spend more time revising my Japanese as the lessons are getting more difficult.. seems like the more I study the more confused I get.. it's like I've hit a plateau in my learning curve.. but so far, I've been able to understand my Senseis' long and complicated instructions in class.. so at least that's a consolation.. all the Jap dramas that I've watched had not gone to waste...

Had to prepare for my entrance exam presentation.. The more I read on IT Service Management, the more I realised the potential for it to grow in future.. however, I would need to be able to articulate what's in my mind effectively to the panel of professors... thus I had been reading up on ITSM from the web...

Before coming to Japan, I thought I would have lots of time to do things that I WANT to do.. but now it seems like there are many things that I need to do... Maybe it's still too early.. after all, it has only been around 12 weeks since I got here... there are at least another 26 months to go... I shouldn't be too anxious., right? :)

Lethargic

The weather in the past week has not been good.. I know.. I shouldn't be complaining about the weather in almost all my recent blogs, but I just cant help it..

The sun rises at around 4:30am and by 5am, it's at the brightest... so almost everyday I woke up before the alarm rings cos the sky is already so bright!! I set my alarm to ring at 7am, but very often I will wake up at around 5am and then will try to sleep again till 7am.. so for the last 2 hours, the quality of my sleep isn't very good, as I am afraid to sleep too soundly less I overslept.... As the weather is getting hotter and becoming more wind-less, I had to leave my windows open for ventilation purposes, so closing the window curtains are out of the questions unless I switch on the air-condition, which will mean higher electricity bills...

So far, this has not seriously affect my concentration during class (aka the lack of quality sleep) but it had (more or less) affected my health.. Was feeling heavy headed and feverish the last few weeks... Hopefully my body can get used to this and adapt accordingly...

New Photos added...

Just added some new photos at dotPhoto..

Some photos taken by me during the 2nd visit to Meiji Jingu with my classmates.. Still waiting for photos taken by my other classmates...
Click here for those photos.

More photos of cup noodles and other tit-bits that I've bought and eaten.. :)
Click here for foodies..

More photos of interesting drinks..
Click here for the drinks..

I will be posting some photos of my classmates and Senseis soon... Stay tuned!!

Character tests...

Which Lost Character Are You ?

Your Score: Kate
You scored 53% kindness, 54% courage, 50% seedy past, and 48% secretiveness!
"No girl's just like me."

You are Kate. You are caring, brave, stubborn, and persistent. You have a checkered past that haunts you. You have yet to tell anyone the truth about pretty much anything, which is certainly not healthy. If you think Jack will judge you harshly, go tell Sawyer or Sun. You're a tough cookie, but everyone has feelings. Start being more honest with the others, and you'll be right as rain.

From: The Which Lost Character Are You Test

=============================================

The Ultimate TNG: Character Test

Your Score: Beverly Crusher
You scored 13 Physically Able, 21 Mentally Able, and 26 Morally Good! (30 is max)


You got Beverly Crusher!
Physically: Low
Mentally: Medium
Morally: High

Beverly is a good mother, whose dedication to her son is only surpassed by her desire to work hard to create change for the entire federation. All doctors care about their patients, but this one cares about the entire galaxy!

Are you happy with your result? This test has made clear your desire to make the world a better place, and you might get your chance. Like Beverly, you're well liked by everyone who knows you. You're not very aggressive, but prefer to use your brain to help those around you. You are warm, giving, and kind, and everyone will vouch on that for you. You'll lead a happy life, to be sure.

From: The Ultimate TNG: Character Test written by lousms

=============================================

Which Star Trek Species R U ?

Your Score: Cardassian
You scored 60 % Aggressivness, 40 % Technology, and 66 % Social Enlightenment!

Homeworld: Cardassia
The Cardassians are a dominant, aggressive people. As a rule, Cardassians are a bit of a paradox. As a group they are aggressive, but a lone Cardassian will be extremely cautious. They are extremely good record-keepers, meticulous about every detail yet their level of technology is not high - their space stations are often found in states of disrepair and their engineering standards are not high. Although they are a war-like people, they are also extremely devoted to family, with a high respect for the elderly, seeing age as a sign of power and dignity. Cardassians also highly value education, seeing knowledge as power.

As a Cardassian, you are also somewhat of a paradox. You're very loyal and can be quite selfless, but you are also on the lookout for yourself and if push comes to shove, your going to take care of numero uno and to hell with everyone else. Your sense of self-preservation is extremely well-developed. Your a moral person, well-educated and respect your elders as being wise people who you can learn from. You're also a brave person and if a fight is necessary, you'll be the first one to start a scrap. However, you'll only start a fight if it's necessary and you've got your friends behind you. You won't needlessly put yourself in danger, nor will you start a crusade alone.

From: The Which Star Trek Species R U Test written by MadameBoffin

More tests...

In medieval kingdom, I AM .... THE BLACK KNIGHT!!

Your distinct personality, The Black Knight, might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. Your overriding goal is to win. You approach each task or situation as a contest to be won strategically and efficiently. Because you can control your feelings, it is not unusual for you to charm, as well as successfully delegate tasks and responsibilities to the more emotional types. You are often
concerned with what's in it for you. You seldom involve yourself in activities where you can not foresee a reward for your investment or effort. On the positive side, you can be analytically empathic and logically persuasive. On the negative side, you may be unemotionally manipulative as well as impulsive. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.

Test taken at http://www.cmi-lmi.com/kingdomality.html


====================================

The Mythological Goddess Test

Your Score: Minerva
Indeed, you are 70% erudite, 29% sensual, 58% martial, and 41% saturnine.


Another virgin Goddess (Diana or Artemis being the other), Minerva was, just like her Greek counterpart Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Freedom as well as an all powerful Goddess of War, which made her a most formidable opponent indeed.

Among the many disciplines that fell under her control were: writing, the sciences, architecture, embroidery, and just about anything else dealing with artistic skills, wise counsel, and of course battle and warfare.

Like Athena, owls were considered sacred to Minerva, representing wisdom. She was a very wise warrior, respected by the Roman legions.

She was also, no kidding, the Goddess of Women's Rights and patroness of career women.

From: The Mythological Goddess Test

====================================

The RPG Class Test

Your Score: Mystic Theurge
48% Combativeness, 20% Sneakiness, 58% Intellect, 55% Spirituality

Brilliant and spiritual! You are a Mystic Theurge!

Score! You have a prestige class. A prestige class can only be taken after you've fulfilled certain requirements. This may mean that you're an exceptionally talented person, but it probably doesn't.

The Mystic Theurge is a combination of a cleric and a mage. They can cast both arcane and divine spells, and are good at both, making them pretty terrifying on the battlefield. They have more raw spellpower than just about any other class.

You're both intelligent and faithful, but not violent or deceitful. I guess that makes you a pretty good person.

From: The RPG Class Test

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The Angel Test

Your Score: Uriel
So you need Healing (25%), Knowledge (60%), Inspiration (70%), and Strength (31%)?

Archangel Uriel is the Angel of the Earth and the keeper of the mysteries which are deep within the planet. According to Corinne Heline: "The beautiful Uriel stands guardian over the activities of the summer. The ripening of grain and the floodtide of blossom are under his guidance. He also supervises the Nature Spirits, those fascinating little sprites who inhabit the elements of earth, air, fire and water, and who lend so much to the beautification of all nature.

Nature with all its wonders is the ultimate symbol of creation and creativity; it is the purest source of ideas and aesthetic thoughts, and we are an inseparable part of it. Knowing this will help any artist and scholar. Uriel assists us in experiencing beauty through a heightened sense of appreciation, aids us in finding our true talents and stimulates our creativity and inspiration for artistic expression in its many forms.

Uriel is described as being the swiftest in wisdom of all the Archangels. One of his most important tasks is keeping record of all existing knowledge and of each and every event that is yet to come. Considering that, it's not surprising that he also grants the gift of prophecy. He is the great instructor who teaches us that art and study are for experiencing the joy of liberation that comes as wisdom is gained.

Uriel promotes compassion and peace. Most emphatically, he will dispel darkness with light at times when we are feeling depressed, angry, victimized, or confused. At those times, he helps release anger, unforgiveness, and other negative emotions that may be clouding our vision and judgment. In this respect he helps counsellors, teachers and everyone seeking truths, and supports them in the many twists and turns in their spiritual journey.

A Bit of Trivia:
Uriel is considered the Angel who helps us with natural disasters and is called for to avert such events, or to heal and recover in their aftermath. He is one of the four greatest Archangels, the other three being Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel. Among his symbols are the scroll and the book. He corresponds with the Earth signs, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Uriel is often confused with Ariel, the Angel of nature, wild beasts, and courage, who is also credited as the overseer of the earth spirits. They are not stated as equivalents of one another, so it appears they are actually two different angels. However, they are so incredibly similar; it's easy to see why authors of websites, books and journals keep switching around the first letter of their names whenever they feel like it.

From: The Angel Test

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The Famous Jedi or Sith Test

Your Score: Yoda
You scored 71% wisdom, 51% aggression, 62% power, and 68% morality!

One of the most powerful Jedi of all time, you possess the best of all worlds. Your wisdom is vast and unquestioned, and you use it for good. You are an amazingly powerful and skilled fighter, and only use aggressiveness for battle, and only battle when necessary. Lastly, your sense of morality is without peer. You always do what is right, and know that the dark side is hollow and unnatural.

From: The Famous Jedi or Sith Test

I'm sorted to....

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Your in-depth results are:
Ravenclaw - 13
Hufflepuff - 10
Gryffindor - 9
Slytherin - 7

What D&D character am I?

Neutral Good Elf Ranger Paladin

Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.

Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.

Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.

Secondary Class:
Paladins are the Holy Warriors. They have been chosen by a God/dess to be their representative on Earth, and must follow the code of that deity, or risk severe penalties. They tend towards being righteous, but not generally to excess.

=======================================================

Detailed Results:

Alignment:
Lawful Good ----- X X X X X (5)
Neutral Good ---- X X X X X X X (7)
Chaotic Good ---- X X X X (4)
Lawful Neutral -- X X X X X (5)
True Neutral ---- X X X X X (5)
Chaotic Neutral - (0)
Lawful Evil ----- X (1)
Neutral Evil ---- (-1)
Chaotic Evil ---- (-3)

Race:
Human ---- X X X X (4)
Half-Elf - X X X X X (5)
Elf ------ X X X X X X (6)
Halfling - (-3)
Dwarf ---- X X X (3)
Half-Orc - (-2)
Gnome ---- X X (2)

Class:
Fighter - X X (2)
Ranger -- X X X X X X X X X X X X X X (14)
Paladin - X X X X (4)
Cleric -- (-4)
Mage ---- (-2)
Druid --- X X X (3)
Thief --- (-1)
Bard ---- (-2)
Monk ---- X X (2)

================================================================

Took this online quiz at URL: http://www.zinious.com/dnd.php
So which character are you??

Feeling under the weather...

Don't know why but have not been feeling very 元気 the last few days... been feeling feverish almost every night.. and my head seem very heavy too.. Have no idea what to do about it, except to slowly eliminate the possible causes one by one.. Everyone in my class wasn't feeling too well either.. I think it should be the weather..

It's hot like hell for a couple of hours, then suddenly it rains and the wind is freaking cold at times. No wonder they have summer holidays here.. It's not yet summer and already I don't feel like studying or doing anything.. Can't imagine how it will feel when it is really summer... unlike in Msia/Spore, where the rain does indeed cool down the earth and lower temperature, the rain here is more like a nuisance, it doesn't have any effect on the temperature but just make the whole atmosphere more miserable.. It's not heavy, as in raining cats and dogs, more often then not, it's like a quick shower.. irritating.. U can't go out without an umbrella, but sometimes it's too much of a nuisance to carry an umbrella for such a 'light' rain..

The lessons have become more difficult and the more I learn the more confused I get.. Everyone in the class felt the same.. After 2 months of learning the polite form of the Jap language, we were told that conversations and reports/thesis/newspaper are all in normal form!! No wonder we can't understand what the local Japanese are saying.. One of my Indon classmate said that it will take at least 6-9 months before one can understand and converse with the local Japanese. So I shall not be too hard on myself for not comprehending ordinary Japanese conversations... Slowly, all the 先生s are speaking faster and in longer and more difficult sentences during class.. As a consolation, I am able to understand (almost 90%) what the 先生s are saying in class now.. All thanks to the Japanese dramas I've watched so far.. they really helped in letting me being familiarized with the conversation speed.

Earthquakes..

Have been in Japan for more than 2 months now.. experienced a couple of earthquakes.. not too strong, just minor shaking..

The very first quake I experienced was during the night, around 9pm.. I was surfing the net then suddenly I felt as if I was getting nausea and the floor was moving.. I thought I was falling sick or something.. then I realised that the water in the pep bottle was moving.. It wasn't my imagination nor that I was sick.. it was an earth quake!! It lasted about 15 seconds.. During this time, I didn't see anyone panicking in the dorm so I just stayed in my room.. I don't want to look like a fool running out from my room when no one did.. the table in my room seems sturdy enough so if there is ever any big one, I know where to hide.. :)

懒散。。Lassitude...

Today is just the 2nd of the week, yet it felt as if I haven't had a good rest for a long time.. Am just feeling tired and lethargic.. Just got back from school.. was just teaching one of my Jap class classmates, a Korean lady, some Chinese in the school canteen and in the same time practicing my Japanese with her..

Went to Meiji Jingu again with classmates from my Jap class last Saturday. There are 4 of us, one American, one Finlander, one Korean and me... I will post some of the interesting pictures we took on that day soon..

So sian...