I can't believe this is my first post since Thursday. I have been remiss. Friday was uneventful. Saturday we finally went on our orientation tour of the surrounding area utilizing the Taylor van and driver. Our first stop was the capitol, Putra Jaya where we visited the mosque, convention centre and other buildings. I mentioned before that the government had built 7 bridges over the lake in an international design contest. One of the bridges is not even connected up as it was to carry the monorail that was never built. It appears someone asked the question why Putra Jaya needed a monorail as no one really lives there. It is a government town and most people commute from KL. You may be wondering if they need 7 bridges and of course the answer is no, one would have done. The lake is not much bigger than Dows Lake in Ottawa. Go figure.
I have some pictures and will upload them soon.
Sunday was a marking day. After 4 hours I was done so we decided to head out to the bookstore we had discovered in the Petronas Towers. We all came back with lots of books. It has by far, the best computer book section of any bookstore I have ever been in. There must be some IT forms in KL driving this volume of IT books.
Jaime found 4 books in the the series she is reading and Shelley picked up 5 titles in the inspirational/success genre.
We ate dinner in a forgettable restaurant in the mall and then headed back home where we attempted to use the Internet. Not a good idea on Sundays for some reason as it is an exercise in futility.
The students are into the last 10 classes of their CPT so they will be stressed out as they add the final features to their game or simply try to get it working the way they want. Eighty percent of the groups are doing quite well. I may call that 80x80 (80% get 80% in their game project). The students having difficulties are experiencing group issues which is not all that unusual. The world is full of people who have difficulty working in groups.
As Mark twain once said, 'Familiarity breeds contempt and children'.
TTYL,
Jim
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday - Yams is here.
Jamie and Shelagh arrived last night about 4:45 pm. We had a very quick supper and then waved goodbye to Shelagh as she headed back to Canada via KL, Bangkok, via somewhere in Asia, via Toronto, to her graduation in Kingston. She will be one jet lagged person when she receives her degree.
Jaime is, of course sleeping in this morning as she went to bed about 9 ish last night which was about 12 ish New Zealand time. Tonight we are heading off to Sunway Pyramid for hamburgers and to purchase a blender. We will leave at 5:30 pm as I have extra help classes until then.
It's a beautiful sunny clear day after yesterday's rain. Not a cloud or any sign of pollution to be seen.
Jaime was in a very bubbly ecstatic as she related the tales of her last month's travels. She certainly had a great time. She also tried on her tailor made suit and clothes she had made for her in Vietnam. She looked awesome!
TTYL,
Jim
Jaime is, of course sleeping in this morning as she went to bed about 9 ish last night which was about 12 ish New Zealand time. Tonight we are heading off to Sunway Pyramid for hamburgers and to purchase a blender. We will leave at 5:30 pm as I have extra help classes until then.
It's a beautiful sunny clear day after yesterday's rain. Not a cloud or any sign of pollution to be seen.
Jaime was in a very bubbly ecstatic as she related the tales of her last month's travels. She certainly had a great time. She also tried on her tailor made suit and clothes she had made for her in Vietnam. She looked awesome!
TTYL,
Jim
Wet on Wednesday
It started bucketing rain just as our lunch hour approached. Michel and I were not to go hungry so we grabbed our umbrellas and headed out to the Asia cafe to arrive dry on top and wet from the knees down. here I sit with wet shoes and socks as I type.
Jaime should be arriving during the next hour or so. I also talked to Jordan and he is quite busy with his classes, coaching and work. He has an orientation session with Coca Cola tomorrow as he a job as a marketing rep during the Olympics. It also counts towards his leadership class at the university as well.
I just looked outside and it is still raining. This is the first time I have experienced more than 30 minutes of rain since I arrived. It is however, the rainy season so it is to be expected.
The students are starting to scramble as the end of the semester approaches. The ones who have been putting things off are really in trouble. They seem to think you should devote the majority of class time with them at this time. I invited them to my 2 hour after school session on Thursday night. It's funny how the A+ students show up for the extra lab time and the students that need it the most do not.
It was ever that way :-)
TTYL,
Jim
Jaime should be arriving during the next hour or so. I also talked to Jordan and he is quite busy with his classes, coaching and work. He has an orientation session with Coca Cola tomorrow as he a job as a marketing rep during the Olympics. It also counts towards his leadership class at the university as well.
I just looked outside and it is still raining. This is the first time I have experienced more than 30 minutes of rain since I arrived. It is however, the rainy season so it is to be expected.
The students are starting to scramble as the end of the semester approaches. The ones who have been putting things off are really in trouble. They seem to think you should devote the majority of class time with them at this time. I invited them to my 2 hour after school session on Thursday night. It's funny how the A+ students show up for the extra lab time and the students that need it the most do not.
It was ever that way :-)
TTYL,
Jim
Monday, October 26, 2009
Too long Tuesdays
I am currently keeping the lab open Tuesdays until 5:30 pm. This makes for a very long today. I have a group of 20 students who are evaluating an ePortfolio software package called Lectora. Taylor's is looking at purchasing this software for students to make and take ePortfolios. Some students like it, some do not think they would use it. The jury's still out.
After 5:30 Shelley and I are heading out to Sunway Pyramid for supper and the purchase of a blender. It appears that Shelley tires of peanut butter toast (unlike yours truly) and needs a change in breakfast fare. It will probably be Carls Hamburgers for supper.
Jaime and Shelagh arrive back at 4:30 pm at the condo from New Zealand. Shelagh will grab a shower and eat and then catch a cab back to the airport for her trip back home. Shelagh then attends her graduation (same day as arrival back in Canada) and writes her physiotherapy exam later in November. It is then off to the world of work for one of the world travellers. Oh the joys of a 9-5 workday with 2 weeks freedom a year :-)
We are quite looking forward to having Jaime back with us for 2 months.
TTYL,
Jim
After 5:30 Shelley and I are heading out to Sunway Pyramid for supper and the purchase of a blender. It appears that Shelley tires of peanut butter toast (unlike yours truly) and needs a change in breakfast fare. It will probably be Carls Hamburgers for supper.
Jaime and Shelagh arrive back at 4:30 pm at the condo from New Zealand. Shelagh will grab a shower and eat and then catch a cab back to the airport for her trip back home. Shelagh then attends her graduation (same day as arrival back in Canada) and writes her physiotherapy exam later in November. It is then off to the world of work for one of the world travellers. Oh the joys of a 9-5 workday with 2 weeks freedom a year :-)
We are quite looking forward to having Jaime back with us for 2 months.
TTYL,
Jim
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Motorcycle Grand Prix
A motorcycle grand prix was not on my bucketlist but it is now and is crossed off. It was awesome. Steve rented a car for the day and off we went at 9:30 am. We bought the cheaper seats at $30 ringgit and they were terrific as they were on a corner where the bikes had to slow down so I was able to get some great pics. Here are some of the pictures dumbed down to 800x600. They are much better in their native resolution. Double click to see them at 800 x 600.
7 times world champion Rossi being chased by his Yamaha teammate.
500 cc race in the rain.
The pack entering the first corner.
More action in the rain.
This sequence of 6 pictures is backwards.
Picture 5.
Picture 4.
Picture 3.
Picture 2.
Picture 1.
The Kawasaki Pavilion.
Traffic Jam in the 125 cc class.
The main granstand.
Malaysian bikers - 1000's of bikes
He and she (I think)
Defintely he.
Lots of bikes
Bike blondes - Malaysian style.
Picture 1.
The Kawasaki Pavilion.
Traffic Jam in the 125 cc class.
The main granstand.
Malaysian bikers - 1000's of bikes
He and she (I think)
Defintely he.
Lots of bikes
Bike blondes - Malaysian style.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Saturday and all is Good
Today is Saturday morning and while you good folks in North America are out partying on a Friday night, I am up and about sipping my coffee and eating my peanut butter toast. I plan on this being a 'do nothing' day.
Nothing planned and that is okay. I do have to decide to purchase my tickets for the Motorcycle GP online or simply show up and buy them at the track. Being a guy I am tending to show up at the track and buying them at the last moment. Problem is, I am not sure where I want my tickets located. That and I am not sure who is going. Pinning some guys down is like nailing jelly to a tree or herding cats.
I do plan to do some reading, both for pleasure and for work. My students handing in their journals and I have to read them this weekend. However, it looks like I get a break from technology and programming this weekend as our server seems to be functioning okay.
TTYL,
Jim
Nothing planned and that is okay. I do have to decide to purchase my tickets for the Motorcycle GP online or simply show up and buy them at the track. Being a guy I am tending to show up at the track and buying them at the last moment. Problem is, I am not sure where I want my tickets located. That and I am not sure who is going. Pinning some guys down is like nailing jelly to a tree or herding cats.
I do plan to do some reading, both for pleasure and for work. My students handing in their journals and I have to read them this weekend. However, it looks like I get a break from technology and programming this weekend as our server seems to be functioning okay.
TTYL,
Jim
Thursday, October 22, 2009
150 Posts
This is my 150th post since I commenced this blog last February (2009). I think I will celebrate with a glass of wine tonight. This morning I am going to ask the students for a volunteer to demonstrate their game project at this moment in time and space. Some of the games are going to be commercial quality. I am hoping one or two students will volunteer. If not I will volunteer them.
I think back to the sorry state of their IT skills, not to mention the complete lack of any programming skills at the start of this semester. They have come a long, long, way. However, I suppose that is not surprising as 85% of them are here at the sponsorship of the government, having been selected from the country at large.
This weekend the boys are off to the races and the women are off to the shopping malls. Therein lies the difference in the species. I can't remember if I have expounded on my theory of why there are no women explorers. Before you bring up Emelia, you can't really count her as she managed to get lost over the Pacific ocean somewhere and ended up missing, never to be found. Anyways my theory is illustrated nicely in the opening sentence. Maybe at some later date, don't want to alienate :-) I am a poet and didn't know it!
So how are the boys in the department back in the Ottawa Catholic School Board (just realized again how long that name is). Is Lisa filling Larry's shoes? Is Larry wearing shoes these days? Is Gabe still obsessing over the little things? Is anybody listening to Gabe? Is Grasshopper still in search of enlightenment? Is Francis still the man with the answers now that he sits at the top of the mountain? Has Doogie actually shown up with his boat or is it still a figment of his imagination? Does Doogie still wear his shirt out? Has Katie Brown trained the new guy and can guys actually survive in the Robodome? Is Gino still enjoying the Monday morning meetings and what is the hot topic of those meeting? Is Hazel gone for good or has she resurfaced in some other role? Is Betty claustrophobic since the renovation and who fetches her lattes now that House has left the building? How many hours does Tom work in a day and how long can he continue to do those hours? Is file management still an issue? What technology has the Board banned lately? Has Gary crashed his bike yet? Does John still talk as much? Has anyone heard from wicked Wensley and has she completed the move up the valley? Will Bob survive solitude with the daily Grills? How is Burke coping with retirement? Is Fox still jumping at the least sound? Does he feel safer with House on the other side of the world? How are the quiet ETI's Liz and Dan? Is Liz Klassen still alive? Is she reading my blog? Is anyone coming to visit other than Brent? Can I call you January 1st from the pool? Why does Larry call me a divergent thinker?
So many questions, so little answers. It was ever that way Grasshopper :-)
TTYL,
Jim
I think back to the sorry state of their IT skills, not to mention the complete lack of any programming skills at the start of this semester. They have come a long, long, way. However, I suppose that is not surprising as 85% of them are here at the sponsorship of the government, having been selected from the country at large.
This weekend the boys are off to the races and the women are off to the shopping malls. Therein lies the difference in the species. I can't remember if I have expounded on my theory of why there are no women explorers. Before you bring up Emelia, you can't really count her as she managed to get lost over the Pacific ocean somewhere and ended up missing, never to be found. Anyways my theory is illustrated nicely in the opening sentence. Maybe at some later date, don't want to alienate :-) I am a poet and didn't know it!
So how are the boys in the department back in the Ottawa Catholic School Board (just realized again how long that name is). Is Lisa filling Larry's shoes? Is Larry wearing shoes these days? Is Gabe still obsessing over the little things? Is anybody listening to Gabe? Is Grasshopper still in search of enlightenment? Is Francis still the man with the answers now that he sits at the top of the mountain? Has Doogie actually shown up with his boat or is it still a figment of his imagination? Does Doogie still wear his shirt out? Has Katie Brown trained the new guy and can guys actually survive in the Robodome? Is Gino still enjoying the Monday morning meetings and what is the hot topic of those meeting? Is Hazel gone for good or has she resurfaced in some other role? Is Betty claustrophobic since the renovation and who fetches her lattes now that House has left the building? How many hours does Tom work in a day and how long can he continue to do those hours? Is file management still an issue? What technology has the Board banned lately? Has Gary crashed his bike yet? Does John still talk as much? Has anyone heard from wicked Wensley and has she completed the move up the valley? Will Bob survive solitude with the daily Grills? How is Burke coping with retirement? Is Fox still jumping at the least sound? Does he feel safer with House on the other side of the world? How are the quiet ETI's Liz and Dan? Is Liz Klassen still alive? Is she reading my blog? Is anyone coming to visit other than Brent? Can I call you January 1st from the pool? Why does Larry call me a divergent thinker?
So many questions, so little answers. It was ever that way Grasshopper :-)
TTYL,
Jim
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