Showing posts with label manual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manual. Show all posts

Friday, January 21, 2011

In which the semester comes to an end

Konbanwa, minna-san!

It's over. It's finally over. Semester One has finally ended!
We made it through the semester, with a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Congratulations, everyone!

Since today was the last day of classes, we had a party in ICS. The funny thing was, no one brought any plates, so we had to substitute napkins for them! It's okay, though.

Mr. Arkin brought in a big, rectangular chocolate cake. It was delicious! There were also chips and chocolate, which I happily snacked on. And, of course, Zarin-dono brought in her yummy cream puffs! (What's a party in ICS without her cream puffs? *smile*)

While we socialized, everyone's Culminating Activities were up so we could walk around and take a look at them. I was acting a bit drunk, yelling out "67 pages in three weeks! We did it!" to anyone who happened to take an interest in my group's manual. Ha... That's okay, ne?

It is also Zarin-dono's birthday today! She got embarassed whenever someone wished her happy birthday - how cute~! Teehee~
I spent the period drawing something for her. I hope she likes it!

In my English and Science classes, we prepared for the exams.

After writing two practice exams in English, I think I'm well-prepared for the actual one on Monday
afternoon. I have no idea how one can study for the English exam - which is basically writing an essay. So, I plan on going over the handout Ms. Fisher gave us regarding compare/contrast essays and review what happened in each of the literary texts we read before the exam.
In Science, we did a quick review of all four units - Chemistry, Ecology, Electricity and Astronomy. Mr. Pourkhatai gave us an idea of what would be the major focus on the exam. I plan on going over all my Science notes vigourously before thursday.

On the other hand, we wrote our listening exam in French. I found it pretty easy, and I'm confident I will get over 95%. Next year, I plan on taking Latin. It'll help me a lot with my writing, plus I've been planning on learning Latin since Grade 5. (I just never got around to doing it. Ha...)

After exams are over, I plan on creating a LJ account to put my fanfics up. I already have one on FF, but the quality or those on LJ are much better; and I hope to join their ranks. I also plan on drawing a lot more! I have art next semester, so that'll be sure to happen.

I want to become a PP editor - preferably for the Literature section. I'm going to dedicate more time to my writing as well.

Anyways!
My exam schedule is as follows:

Monday
- English @ 1 PM in the Caf.

Wednesday
- French @ 9 AM in S2
- ICS @ 1 PM in 105

Thursday
- Science @ 1 PM in the Caf.

I'll be sure to study this weekend, but right now...I'm just going to take a well-earned nap!

Thanks for the great semester, everyone! Now...we just have to tackle the exams!

---

Current Music: Anti-Paradichlorobenzene - Len and Rin Kagamine
(I actually like Len's version better, but this is amazing as well.)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

In which we all breathe a sigh of relief...oh, wait, not yet.

Konbanwa, minna-san!
In case you were wondering, I just spent the last three hours writing an exam review for Science. Why? Well, Mr. Pourkhatai asked us to. Or, well, no, he assigned it for homework. I feel sorry for whoever gets mine. Ha! They'd better appreciate it, because right now, I'm exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open!

Tonight everyone is scrambling to finish their Culminating, including my group. We are basically done; all we have to do is add in the exercises and finalize everything. So far, there have been ten versions of the manual, all of them with major differences.

A few problems we had were the screenshots and the answer keys. It took forever to write the answer keys; probably because no one wanted to take the time to do work that seemed like homework. Well, I ended up writing the answer keys for the quizzes and part of the exercises. As for the screenshots, we had to remake them because the file name was "Unnamed #1". According to Mr. Arkin, it wasn't professional. There was some confusion about that, but I ended up making all of those as well. Hmm.

I think we should modify our page on the VPCA Wiki so that it's more specific as to who did what. Honestly, I can't remember every exact detail, but I'd like to give a guideline so Mr. Arkin will have a clearer idea of how to dole out the marks. Right now, it just says "collaboration" if more than one person worked on it.

Tomorrow is the last day of Semester One. Can you believe it? It all passed so quickly. Exams are next week, and after that, Semester Two will begin. I won't see Mr. Pourkhatai, Ms. Fisher, Mr. Arkin or Mr. Vretranos anymore; and that saddens me. To tell you the truth, I really disliked Mr. Pourkhatai at first, but now, I'm actually okay with him. He's pretty funny! I will miss Mr. Vretranos a lot - he's my favourite teacher at VP (Sorry, Mr. Arkin!). Next year, I plan on taking Latin, so if that works out, I'll get him as a teacher again. Hooray! *smile*

It was a great year--er, semester--with Mr. Arkin. Although Mr. Vretranos is my favourite teacher, ICS is my favourite class because I have so much fun in it! It's where I met Zarin-dono, and we're really good friends now. (By the way, her birthday's tomorrow. I'm going (attempt) to draw a bishie for her. Shhh! It's a surprise!) Mr. Arkin is also pretty funny, and he can teach much better than most of my other teachers. I'll miss him, too.

As I sit here writing this blog entry (and arguing with Andy about whether tea or coffee is better), I'm also reflecting on the past five months. This start to high school has been amazing, and I'll never forget it.

---

Current Music: Nishiki no Mai - Gakupo Kamui and Gakuko

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

In which we start to wrap things up

Konbanwa, minna-san.

When you have a bad day....feast on chocolate! Or any other comfort food. For me, it's usually cookies, but I practically ate an entire bag already so I'm resorting to chocolate. And somewhat toned down Vocaloid music. I love the BLAZE music video. At first I was only going to download the song, but then I saw how...*ahem* cool Kaito and Len looked and decided to take the video. I mean, who can resist Len with a shuriken? *fangirls*

Err...yes. Well, today Mr. Arkin taught us how to print and laminate a PDF (or, well, any document, really) at Staples. I don't think my group will have to do that, since Tasfia's father owns a printing company...or something like that.

Speaking of Culminating, we're almost done! I'm finishing the Answer Keys up tonight and will add them in along with the references. The link will be up before everyone gets to class tomorrow. I also have to recreate certain screenshots. Phew! Luckily, I have no other homework.

Which brings me to my next topic. I completely failed my French and Science presentations today! *cries* I messed up some timing in French and in Science, I completely forgot what lines I was supposed to say. I want to apologize, but my friend told me not to apologize so frequently. *wince*

Exams are quickly approaching, and everyone - including I - is scrambling to review everything for each subject they have to write an exam for. I'm almost done my French notes, but I doubt I need to spend so much time on them. I'm most worried about Science and ICS. I will go on an extensive training (studying) regimen once this final Culminating project is handed in.

Wish me luck!

---

Current Music: Child's Garden - Len Kagamine, KAITO Shion, Gakupo Kamui
I'm actually listening to an entire playlist. My favourite Vocaloid songs are (in order):
  1. Meltdown - Len Kagamine, KAITO Shion (Originally sung by Rin Kagamine)
  2. Paradichlorobenzene - Len Kagamine
  3. Romeo and Cinderella - Nodoame (Originally sung by Miku Hatsune)
  4. Uninstall - KAITO Shion (Originally sung by Chiaki Ishikawa for the anime Bokurano; the lyrics were rewritten for a yandere KAITO)
  5. Magnet - any couple (Originally sung by Luka Megurine and Miku Hatsune)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

In which Mr. Arkin gives us advice for the exam

Konbanwa, minna-san.

Oh my. Jenny really got me obsessed with Vocaloid. (Zarin-dono, soon you'll be glomping KAITO and Len too! Yes, I know they don't exist in real life, but has that ever stopped me from loving someone? *cough cough Shizu-chan and Firo cough cough*) I can't stop listening to their songs! And somehow... I think I'm starting to love Len more than KAITO... No!!! Don't worry, KAITO, I'll always love you...

Ahem! Ah, well, sorry about that. I get emotional when it comes to...er...yeah. Anyways! Today Mr. Arkin prepped us for the exam next week. I can't believe three weeks passed so quickly! But it's the harsh reality. Culminating Activities are coming to an end, while teachers are reviewing the semester's curriculum with their classes. In English, Ms. Fisher gave us a practice exam (shortened, of course) in hopes of getting us used to writing essays on the spot. See, the English exam is, in essence, writing an essay. It's sort of hard to study for that - all one can really do is practice! I've also gotten the test format from Mr. Vretranos, my French teacher, and of course, Mr. Arkin. Mr. Pourkhatai, my Science teacher, will give us the exam format around Thursday.

Besides giving us the exam format, Mr. Arkin gave us some exam writing strategies. Like how we should bring a timepiece (I have to get that watch this weekend!) so we don't spend too much time on one question; and how if we can't finish any one question in the allotted time, we should just move on (of course, we should write something down!). Moreover, we should always do the easy questions first.
I'm very grateful to you for doing that, Mr. Arkin! Arigato gozaimasu~!

The people who didn't get their Mosaic Projects yesterday got to see theirs today. I wish my background showed up - I don't know why it didn't! And poor Zarin, too... I'll leave it to her to explain what happened.
Ne, I worry about her. She stresses much more than I do! It's not good to work one's self up like that; especially when exams are coming round next week.

Well, talking and prepping for the exam took up most of the period, so we only got about ten minutes to work on Culminating. It's due on Thursday, so we must wrap everything up tomorrow! I'm working on the Answer Keys to the exercise Shreya made right now, and I plan on finishing everything up tonight. I need to talk to Lisa about proofreading the manual, because I don't want to edit something she already did - it'd be a waste of precious time.

I'm off now!
Oyasumi, minna-san. Mata ashita!

---

Current Music: Child's Garden - Len Kagamine, KAITO Shion, Gakupo Kamui

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

In which Pearl starts to feel the pressure

Kon'ichiwa, minna-san.

I came home this afternoon to find my mom lying on the couch, reading newspapers. What a scare. I had completely forgotten that she said she might take a day off because of the excessive amount of snow.

Which reminds me. This morning I was fifteen minutes late because of the traffic jam on Victoria Park caused by the snowstorm last night/this morning. It took...forty-five minutes to get to school by car; whereas on a normal day, if I left at the same time, it would only take twenty to twenty-five minutes. The funny thing is, I got there a few minutes after my teacher, Ms. Fisher. And I wasn't even the last one to get to school in my class.

I didn't really have a great day. I only got six hours of sleep (which, strangely enough, is actually more than I usually get these days) and spent three quarters of an hour in the morning in traffic, so...please excuse my irritability. I almost forgot that I hadn't already attended ICS earlier, and mistook my Period D class (French) as the last class of the day. Imagine my surprise when I didn't see anyone else at their lockers.

ICS seems to get shorter and shorter. I don't feel like I'm getting a sufficient amount of work done. Nevertheless, last night I typed up the good copy of the About the Authors page and helped Lisa finish part of Test One. I have also been asked to edit half of the Glossary terms (the definitions) and edit the If Statements Lesson. I still have to complete a few more flow charts.

Suddenly, I feel like a world of work has been piled on me.

I want to do as much ICS as I can tonight, but I have to allow time to practice for my English CA. My group is presenting tomorrow; and I don't want to be the one to bring our marks down. So I have decided to finish my Science first (as it's due tomorrow), then work on ICS until eight- or nine-ish, and finally, spend a few hours practicing my lines for English.
Hopefully I stick to this schedule.

Wish me luck, minna-san!

---

Current Music: Meltdown - Len Kagamine & Kaito Shion

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

In which Pearl questions her sanity

(Or, in which Pearl's brain becomes so fried that she can't act sane.)

Konbanwa, minna-san!

Well, I'm certainly quite a bit more upbeat than I was the week before Winter Break. I feel like I shouldn't be, considering Culminating Activity deadlines and the ever-terrifying exams are quickly approaching. Then again, this might just be my way of keeping myself sane. Yes...acting crazy to keep myself sane...what a reasonable explanation.

I wonder why people stare at me strangely when I say "This is so interesting!" about a crime fiction/mystery novel. Or a show where something - doesn't matter what: vehicles, trains, airplanes, houses, barren fields, etc. - blows up. Or a chase scene. Or a gunfight scene. Is it strange to like that?
Meh. Castle always says (and yes, this is part of the introduction to each episode) "There are two kinds of people who spend their lives thinking of ways to murder people. Psychopaths...and mystery writers."
I relish in that kind of stuff.

Anyways, before I completely forget what we did in ICS this morning, let me write it down here.

Today was basically another work period for the Culminating Activity. (Why do I capitalize that? Is it simply an example of how much it towers over me; an example of how much of our mark this is weighted on?) Yes, er, well. I made some necessary edits to the About the Authors page, since Shreya joined our group. Lisa had asked for it to flow better (see, before I had tried to follow the model of a short About the Author[s] blurb in the back of a fiction book), so I had to change a few things.

Last night, Shreya sent me the glossary terms she wrote. I put those up on the Wiki. Looking over them, I feel like we'll have to do some editing. The language is not exactly professional, but that's okay. At least she has the basic idea. Don't get me wrong - I'm very glad she's so eager to contribute to our project. But...the grammar Nazi I am, I just...I'm picky about these things.

Which reminds me, as soon as exams are over, I need to reply to my pen pal (sort of) on FF. I still remember the days when we sent several messages back and forth on the same day.

So, for tonight I have to finish the flow chart about Tutoring Turing and the edits to the AtA page. Lisa will (hopefully) send me the rest of the introduction so I can put the two parts together.

I can't feel the pressure. Is that a bad thing?
Nevertheless, we're making good progress. Hm. That's probably why.

I'm feeling wistful now. Mm.
I think I'll go talk to my friend on MSN for a bit. He's always fun to talk to.

Mata ashita!

---

Current Music: Victory Korea - Super Junior
[Zarin-dono, you'll be happy to know I've gotten somewhat addicted to their songs. And Amy, too, if you're still reading my blog.]

Friday, January 7, 2011

In which the first signs of exhaustion appear

Konbanwa, minna-san.

I'm scared. Very scared. The lack of sleep resulting in drifting off at certain times in class is getting out of control again. Today, when walking home, I only had to climb two very short hills and it got me wheezing. Moreover, those incessant, painful headaches I get are annoying me. These are the same things that happened last year, before I went into my period of exhaustion. Now, this wouldn't terrify me as much if it wasn't January; that is, exam month. I absolutely cannot afford to get sick now. Besides, exhaustion is frightening in itself.

Today Mr. Arkin asked us to send him the link to our PDF files (for the Mosaic Project). There were a few problems with most of them, so we were asked to resend them. Ah. I should go do that now, before I forget.

Done! *smiles wryly*
That project has caused me a lot of pain.

Now, my main focus will be on Culminating. Luckily (in a way), there is no CA for Science, so I won't have to worry about that. And the French CA appears to be much simpler than the ones for English and this class, ICS.

Zarin-dono and I edited and improved our group's proposal in class today. Strangely enough, that took the entire period. Huh.

As I have mentioned before, we are writing a manual (similar to the Topic for Dummies series) teaching the reader about Selection.
I have been assigned the Introduction to the book, the About the Authors blurbs and the Glossary definitions. Writing out a lesson for one of the components of Selection would've been fun to do, but oh well. I'll take what I get.

I plan on finishing the Introduction tonight so I can send it Tasfia. She'll edit it into the manual.

Over the next two days, I plan to do as much as I can between the About the Authors blurbs and the Glossary. I want to finish at least one blurb, but am aiming for all of them to be done.

I'd also like to edit the book. I love editing others' work. But after my meeting with Mr. Arkin a few days ago, I wonder if my corrections are, well, correct. I hope so. It would make me feel really guilty if they weren't.

On another note, we got our exam schedules today. My ICS exam is on the same day as my French one. Luckily, I have my Science exam last - more time to study!

I'm off to work now.
It's back to class on Monday!

---

Current Music: Motteke! Sailor Fuku (Lucky Star OP) - Aya Hirano, Emiri Kato, Kaori Fukuhara and Aya Endo
^I can do the dance, too. Except for the high kick. I'm not flexible. 

Thursday, January 6, 2011

In which Pearl blows up at her computer

Konbanwa, minna-san!

I'm taking this opportunity to relax a little since I finished all my homework, and all that's left to do is write this blog and make some progress on Culminating (for ICS). Of course, I do plan on working on that, but I need a break first. However, I plan on going to sleep by midnight at the latest tonight. I've only gotten seven hours of sleep in the past two days!

Today Mr. Arkin introduced us to CutePDF, a program which allows an user to convert web pages into PDF files. It's very easy!

Nevertheless, I had some problems when I tried to convert my Mosaic Project's web page into a PDF file. In the PDF file and the print preview, the text got pushed down, and there was a vast amount of blank space to the left of my image. This annoyed me to no end because no matter what I tried, I couldn't get the layout to be the same as my web page. So I posted up my question on the Discussion forum in the class Wiki.

Since no replies had been posted, and I wanted to finish this trivial task quickly, I asked Zarin-dono to take a look at the print preview for my web page, to see if it looked the same for her. Surprisingly...it didn't. Later, when Mounir (thank you so much!) answered my question, he said the same thing. It still shows up strangely on my computer, so I guess there must be something wrong on mine. I'm not sure what, though, but if I remember, I'd like to ask Mr. Arkin tomorrow.

Now, I can officially say that the mosaic project is over! From tomorrow on, I will be focusing solely on the Culminating Activity. As I said before, my group is writing a manual. It's an interesting process, and we even set up a Wiki so we can plan and communicate with each other.

Exams are coming up, too, so I need to start gathering my notes and summarizing them. I plan to type out all my notes for all my classes so that I have a neater, shortened copy that is easier to study from.

So! Until tomorrow, minna-san!

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Current Music: Bleed it Out - Linkin Park
(Suggested by one of my very close friends. Unfortunately, the latter part scares me quite a bit.)