Done with Tuesday classes for the rest of the year, its still November too!

Yup, thats right. No more classes will be held on Tuesdays for me this year. Tomorrow will be my last Wednesday classes and overall final classes to be held this year.

Asian History no more classes. Liked the class, but I've never be in an environment were there was so little respect for a professor. Unfortunately towards the end I stopped reading the material, since I knew none of them did, and I still knew more then them. Great class though, can't wait for the Final on Dec20th...(sooo late)

Chinese Philosophy is also over. Good thing to. Not because I didn't like the class, quite the contrary. I liked the material and understood the concepts well; although I couldn't say I was enlightened, that takes at least 3 classes on the topic... Its just that the 'group project' made my sense of Dao go out of whack. For our Presentation we got a 13of20pts, I got a 7of8 on my portion, meaning that they gave us 6of12, and their parts were easier. For the Research project we got a 22.5of30. Most of the marks being on their side, however I can't entirely blame them, after all, I did 85% of the work... for those whom read this, I have some information you should value: Quoting Wikipedia, removing the Hyperlinks, and saying its your work, not even giving a source, is Academic Dishonesty. It also does not constitute research, more along the lines of a 5min search, while others spend hours looking for a decent reference. It's not even legitimate work (since its the general info, not linked info at the bottom), but blatant stupidity. To say the least, it killed my interest and discouraged me for the last 1/3rd of the semester because of this. Failure to meet, cooperate, and otherwise really hurts, especially when unlike most people here my grades transfer back as is.

On a more positive note, heres some pics of other things, really just like showing this stuff to others (a continuation of yesterdays post)

Near Happy Valley, these are Christmas Decorations
Strange I know

Clock Tower: Oh no! Late for the first race

James and me: Winning tickets off the 3rd race
I don't care if the photos blurry, Money is Money

Softshell Crab Sushi: Heavenly

Right: Roe over thick sauce
Top Left: Mango and Flounder in Cucumber Role
Top Right: Salon in crispy vegetable roll
Middle Mixed Roe
Right: Swordfish and Caviar (so good)

Bryon and James eating sushi

My Class project for Visual Culture so far. Love how it looks.

Stole this pic from a friend, she said she stopped to take it though

Fall Term Classes over, a Japanese Adventure awaits, then Finals crunch!

Its that time of the year.
When classes end, the only thing you want is for what remains to be over and lastly for Finals to merely not exist.
It's been a bumpy ride. Ups and down classes, the ones I wanted the most I liked the least, and the ones I merely took because it could help me or was marginally interesting I liked the most.
A 'HK education' is nothing like a 'US education.'

About this time too I've been getting lots of comments from my friends along the lines of 'Jake, we miss you,' or, 'When are you getting back,' or, 'Love ya man' (but seriously, no homo). Of all the times to go abroad to, my Senior year. This means that when I go back I just have to make the most out of the remaining semester. Fortunately I get to speak to most often. Plans have also been arranged too: such as a welcome back dinner, party, bar trips with my old roomie, devious and/or dastardly deeds, and maybe drinking some Mimosas on the floor while eating Muchas and listening to Chuck Mangione [Yes, I have done this before].

Well I have my plans now set up for where I will live. Actually really close to my summer housing. It will be in a large house with 3-4 other guys. Not on campus means can be louder, and no RA's... It also means I can listen to some Dethklok at 4am in the garage, roomies permitting.

Heres some pics of my latest exploits

Chinese Pharmacy named: Success Pharmacy

Awesome poster I saw on the street

Horse Track crew: Roomie 'Alex', best mate James, and Bryon whim I'm going to Japan with

Shout out to those at home: Matt Moss, Arbjorn Stokholm, Kelsi Kruger, Cameron Carr, Garrett Garceau, Megan Myer, Andrew Sherman, Andrew Leistekow, Christopher Turpin, Jacob Perry and my dear pal Antinov.

Quick update: Art, lights and a little more

Just thought I'd post a few more pics which I though caught my eye

When in Macau, love the lights

Cutest sign ever...I want cookies now

Ning Ping 360: Giant Budha

Ning Ping 360 gate

Very Prosperous

 

 

Modern environmentalist art

Interesting images I know

Just as quick as it started it ended, thank Goodness

Projects, papers, presentations and tests...'good grief' as Charlie Brown would say.

Finished my Chinese Philosophy paper, most miserable paper I've ever written. Not because I didn't like the top, Guqin Music as an extension of the Daodejing, quite the contrary. I just hate group work, specifically when I feel that I was the group. It's over, thats all that matters. At least the presentation I feel went rather well. No issues presenting, I even called out someone who was talking during it, directly asking them for their opinion of the piece I played. He shut up after he 'answered.'
It might have been a mean act, but it realligned my place in the universe so I'm ok with it.

Sociology Final came early, totally nailed it. Topic was on Chinese evolution of food culture, fortunately I did my report on McDonaldization and food culture. I got a 14of15 on the mid-term, and I expect another 14of15 on this one. Really like the readings, shame I'm no longer a Sociology Minor...Wha? Thats right, Linfield isn't offering enough for me to graduate, so now I'm a History Minor. Either way, the sociological readings are always interesting.

I write this with only 1 more project left. My Visual Culture project on evolution or artistic references. Hieronymus Bosch is a pretty cool guy. I actually use the Fleet Foxes album cover I posted last time as a reference to his work. After that...I"M DONE! Already did the final for this class. So just need to show up and I get my pts. Of all my classes in HK, I enjoyed it the most. Primary reason, never had a reason to look at artistic styles before, now that I have I feel I have a greater grasp of 'what is art.'

MTR Sign telling you it's not appropriate to eat food on it

Hello sign

Whaaa? You can do this? Must try

These are all over Red Bar near the IFC

MTR Station post

HK Monopoly Version!

Such a cool building! Must go!

Found this in my first folder, so
interesting. As the girl I was traveling with said,
"It looks like a building met a dream and lived
happily ever after"

Centre...center...centre...

Monkeys are good at giving directions

That concludes this weeks delusions. I'll be at the Happy Valley Horse Track to celebrate.

Pre-Finals Crunch, Brain Moosh, a Fieldtrip and an upcoming adventure

Its that time of the year where everything which could happen at any time just so happens to hit all of a sudden, creating a massive collision of projects, papers, group failures, lack of sleep, and desire to stop existing all coincide.
I am writing this while taking a brain-rest from a paper. Its ~Noon on 11/21 (Sun) now. I have:
HIST Reading+Quiz (Tues), Philosophy 8pg paper and presentation (Tues), Chinese Sociology (Final), Visual Culture Project (Wed). all this coming week. Add in not even starting some of that, and failed group work...makes things tough. Either way, When its over its over, and hopefully my liver can handle the consequences.

Its fair to say I'm rather flustered now. Fortunately though I just found a band called Fleet Foxes, and I feel their amazing! Blue Ridge Mountains and Quiet Houses are my favorite songs by far. Listening to them on repeat while I do all my work.

Album cover

Went on a Sociology Field Trip on Sat (11/20/10), really neat. New Territories for temples, then to the HK Cultural Museum and lastly a Shrine where I burnt lots of incense.

Temple front

Temple shrine

Puppies!

Look at the little puppy...wanted to put it in my bag and leave

English fail? I Dunno
Toilet or To Let ___, you pick

Really liked the sign/imagry

Highly recommend people to go here

I want a Palanquin to be carried on...

Gifted from the Emperor

Super cool Building!
Can't figure out the inspiration/style though

Temple Incense

Holy Shrine

I'm going to Japan right before finals! A few days in Tokyo sounds amazing.
Leave 12/2  at 12:30 PM. Arrive Beijing at 3:40PM. Leave 4:40 to Tokyo-Narita.
Leave 12/6 Hanida at 1:50PM. Arrive Beijing 4:50PM, leave at 6:30pm, get to HK at 10:05PM.
Then I have 2 days to cram for my Chinese Philosophy test, then 2 more for Medical Econ. Both classes I have negative outlooks, but oh well? Achieving some Zen takes effort, and the likely grade-dip will be worth the experience and likely ulsers I'll get over them.
I plan to goto the Ramen museum and purchase a few Japanese School Girl mini-skirts and some other ridiculous things there, mostly for pranks.

Before I go, a picture of me. Since I do not have ego issues at all and am not a narcissist...

Studly

My and my roommate

Strange Images in the Land of the Dragon

I love the titles I make some time

I thought I'd offer a few interesting pieces of art, architecture, and imagery from HK.

Found in the MTR. Obviously there is no transliteration of 'Scooter'
I really like how they convey the message rather well, yet the person
looks like they are prancing about

Traditional Chinese Ascetic meets Western Culture variant
of Commercialization

For a very-expensive store, I really like how the ad is so
large and the "PP' for Pacific Place is swayed over the ad

A bar in Admirality, looks like Hard Rock Caf'e. Simple yet attracting
Really like the color transition and placement of the 'slogan' along
the rim of sign. Very basic shape structure

I think this add is wonderful! The purple and black contrast very
well, It spells out 'no' twice (via the palm and fingers), and directly
tell you want needs to happen; then there's consultants and
specialists to deal with it to

Very fancy, simple sign for a prestigous place.
I notice the symbol for Mountain, so i assume its
'Pearl at the tip of the mountain'

Super effective of telling me the consequences
Why the Water Department needs to say this
is another question though...

Just love how this