My Coment on Units

I can tell you that there are so many interesting topics in this level. Especially, I purely enjoyed the topics that ‘Male & Female Communication’ and ‘Canadian English’. First of all, in the unit of male and female communication, the unit illustrates communication differences in genders. The most interesting thing was that when we started to post our opinion about this topic on our blog, many people blamed women as “women talk too much!” Through watching video and lecture, we might realize that it cannot be generalized like that. I mean, the point is not whether women talk more than men but different communicative goals among different genders are important. Secondly, I enjoyed the unit of ‘Canadian English’. Even though, we just watched one video in this unit, I really liked the video so much. The video was all about how English languages were changed among different countries. Specially, even in the border line between Canada and United States, there is a language difference which makes me fascinating.

Text Book Project

International Marketing

　Even though international business is very new topic for me, I could learn not only business terms but also valuable knowledges in order to survive in global word. First of all, there are business terms which were pretty hard to understand. In fact, it uses as specific meaning rather than general. For example, the word ‘orientation’ was hard to assume the meaning, because it has specific meaning as companies’ institution and direction. Secondly I was interested in the part about the self-reference that making judgments and decisions according to a person’s experience cultural belief. The most interesting thing was that if you are aware of yourself-reference, you will have more opportunity to success in international business. ; You might realize how can you improve or change your business by knowing your weak point. This is not only for international business but also the key to survive in global world. It means that even though we have ourselves-reference, if we try to understand and accept it, that will make some difference in ourlives. ; As we broke down our selve-barrier as self-references and became understanding more about each other’s cultural value. And I can tell you that this understanding is a real fortune in my life.

Feedback of Research Project

　　Anxiety, Nervousness, Frustrating that is what I felt during this project. Even thoug I have been through hard time, I would say that this experience gave me a lot of opportunities to improve my language skills in writing and presenting. Firstly, in preparing my research, I learned how to use the library and the data base in order to collect my research sources. In this stage, I got several books and journals which made me fascinating. Second, in writing stage, I had to write in order as writing, according to my plan and sources. The most difficult task was to paraphrase others ideas to represent that into my paper; and cites authors’ name to pay their work back. In this process, I could understand the importance of those kinds of writing processes and the value of citing as well. Thirdly, in the final stage of preparing presentation, I worked on visualizing my content in order to make audiences to enjoy my presentation. ; Actually, I really earned valuable lessons from you guys' presentation and it makes me impressive. In addition, now I fully understand that being a presenter can be a really pleasant experience than ever. Thank you guys who responded at my presentation with cheerful voices.

Discrimination

　It is easy to hurt someone’s heart by discriminating against a person. Even though, it seems like trivial matters, I can tell you that it can cause great pain to somebody. Often, we might discriminate a person, according to the person's appearance as skin or eye colors. As a fact, it is truly unfair that if we treat people differently because of the way of their looks. As an example, our typical reaction or judgment on the different skin colors of people - as the racism towards black people - is an apt instance that which must not be done in any case. Indeed, a person's value comes from his or her way of thinking and belief rather than the way a person's look. Through this unit, I was glad that it reminds me every person has same values within human dignity. And when we fully admit that fact, we can clearly see the person's real value as exactly wh0 the person really is.

Into the memory

Lovely family

　

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(in 2000)

　

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School days

　

(in 2006)

　

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-I'm still growing up! :)

　

Population

Aging of Population

　Thank you for advanced-medical technology that humans are more likely to live longer than before with healther life. Although the average life expectancy has extended, there is a pending question such as the crisis of polulation aging. In fact, population aging is progressing rapidly in many developed countries. The crisis often relates with its burdening of retirement system that retired people often struggle with their health, financial situation. Yet most countries’ social welfare service is not enough to support them to keep their life up. For this reason, governmental supports must be more active in order to improve its public retirement programs such as health care and social security. In addition, as an individual, we might have to prepare for our old age while young, and find a real joy to enjoy advantageous our long term life.

The Lecture about Love

　We were born to love, Castle (a psychiatrist) said when she starts her lecture. At that moment, I could not understand what that means, - and just try to define the meaning- . In fact, her lecture was all about defining love in four categories - Philia (love as a friendship), Romance (temporality love), Agape (absolute love for strangers) and Eros (superego : supernatural desires). If there is a relation between these categories and our natural ability to love, I would say that we are just surrounded by these types of love as the air, whether we want it or not. As an interesting fact, the four types of love relates with our quality of lives that some of that makes our lives to be richer than ever – specially, Philia and Agape - . Moreover, she emphasized that Eros is an important role in our lives that let us be just who we are - however, when people are fallen in love, often forget themselves- . In conclusion, as love has just given us from our birth to utill we die, we will continue to give this to someone just as we were born to love.

The Research Paper about Graffiti

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　("Taki 183", 1971 in NewYork)

　There are some terms that necessary to know if you are interesting at Graffiti. Firstly ‘Tag’ is the most common type of Graffiti that only a few seconds to put. ; You can imagine that brief scribbling of nicknames or coded identities on walls. Secondly, ‘Throw-Ups’ means that tags in a two-dimensional format. Thirdly, ‘Pieces’ is that mixture of word and drawings that sometimes it will be concerned as masterpieces. Next terms are names for taggers as following their rank. Taggers, who only can perform ‘Tag’ or ‘Throw-Ups’, they will be called as ‘Scribblers’ or ‘Toys’. However, it they produce large pieces as ‘Pieces’, they can earn the title of ‘Writer’ that every Graffiti tagger wants to be.
-Here is a question that I want to ask you guys to　answer!

Q. Have you ever scribbled something on walls? Why or Why not?

(ps. the picture shows that the first 'Tag' in NewYork city in 1971, called 'Taki 183' which brought a huge boom of tagging in NewYork.)

Happiness

*Today is a great gift you've ever had...
　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Shad Helmstetter,2005) 　

What if you won a lottery for millions and millions dollars, would it make you happier than before? Well, suddenly it does, but just for a short period of time. As Mayer stated, the general public believes that an amount of money equals to one’s happiness - and that is what I believed before-. However, According to his statement, it does not work. As he used an example that rich people do not happier than the general public, - even some of them have never felt happy – money does not necessarily make people happy but a close relationship (true friendship, happy marriage) does. Now, Happiness comes to us closer than before. ; Actually, it suddenly arises when you smile to others, and begin to see how much love you’ve received from them.

Research Project

Graffity

When you are walking on streets, you’ve noticed that huge drawings dominate walls, called ‘Graffiti’. It seems like a street expiation as that became familiar with our environment. In addition, shapes of graffiti could be very personal (as a signature) or tribal or cultural. In fact, even a piece of graffiti is as unique as a masterpiece, it will be concerned as a criminal behaviour in some countries, if you draw that without permissions. Anyway, I’m totally inspiring with my topic, and here are some points that I want to figure out.

*A main question: “Is Graffiti art or crime?”

1) The Birth of Graffiti
2) A relation with typical groups (gangs or musicians)
3) Different tendencies in different countries or cultures
4) Graffiti in art fileds

Self-Evaluation Of The Novel Project

　　Losing self-confident in a public speech,

　　　How to break this barrier?

In fact, I was totally losing my mind when I was presenting about my book last week. There would be no else excuse that I was absolutely nervous. However, it might be time to think, how can I overcome this matter? First of all, I noticed some patterns of good presenters, who were speaking with full of self-confident, making clear points to fallow. Firstly, in order to have self-confident, you might need lots of practices. More importantly, in order to practice more effectively, you should practice a front of someone such as your friends or family. Actually, I‘ve noticed that when I am able to practice with my friends – specially who is in same class- it is really helpful in order to get feedback immediately and have a chance to be aware of my problem. Secondly, a person, who presented clear points, basically their content was well organized, and he/she used conjunctions or useful directed words such as “My point is that…” “Let’s move on…” which are really useful for audience to follow them. In addition, even you didn’t make it last time at least you learned from that. ; Actually, I’m trying to keep that in my mind, and say to myself that “Next time, I will do better than before, as being a good speaker.”

The Novel Projet

　 Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures

According to a reader’s point of view, it doesn’t sound like inspired, if a real doctor writes stories about one’s experience as being a doctor.; It is possible to just too realistic as documentary film, if they just want to express their medical knowledge. However there is the doctor who wrote a novel as medical fictions, called ‘Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures’, and ends up with a great success as a Winner of The Giller Prize in 2006.
　Vincent Lam, who is a son of Vietnam-Chinese, his family was emigrated from Vietnam during Vietnam War. Now, he is a young emergency physician in Toronto and also known as talented writer in Canada. ‘Bloodletting & Miraculous Cure’ is his first novel; it has been published into various countries, raked among the best-seller list.

Lam's stories present doctors’ lives into the real world. According to this novel, even though doctors have no miraculous cures, they just struggle to keep on track, often feel frustrated about their job or relationship just like us. For this reason, leaders can regard characters in same light with themselves.; Therefore readers, who are willing to experience various lives, will satisfy by this book.

Male and Female Communication Patterns

　If there are any different communication patterns between men and women, where does it come from?

The answer is that because of differences in childhood socialization between girls and boys, it might influence their attitude. In fact, mostly girls and boys tend to play with their own gender, and both build different types of socializing patterns. For girls, they tend to build their relationships based on communications. For example, girls’ playing patterns are more likely relating with a communication as playing with Bobbies or playing house. Furthermore, little girls create special intimacy by exchanging their secrets in order to develop their friendship. However, boys are based less on taking but more doing things together as physical exercises. Furthermore, boy’s groups are more lager than girls’, and more hierarchical so the role of power is more important rather than the role of communication for them. In conclusion, these typical socializing patterns of boys and girl, it might influence them to make differences in their communication patterns.

Evolution

　
The Evolusion of Literature

　We've been through Charles Darwin’s theory, ‘The Origin Of Species’, makes big difference in Biology and human beings. The most impressive part is that we can find the idea of evolution in every filed as Literature. Specially, I would like to look through relation between the idea of evolution and Literature which seems like no relation to each other. In fact, we can easily find that many modern novels are just evolved out of classic ones. As an example, Bridget Jones's Diary is in fact a modern adaptation of that Austen classic, ‘Pride And Prejudice'. As the author of Bridget Jones's Diary said, Austen was her inspiration, and the major characters of Austen’s, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were transformed to Mark Darcy and Bridget Jones. Indeed, Bridget is just like Elizabeth, who is opinionated, strong-willed, impulsive, and passionate. Furthermore there are many mirror scenes like their first meeting and Mark Darcy struggles against falling Bridget just as Mr. Darcy does against falling in love with Elizabeth. After all, Bridget Jones’s Diary, like Pride and Prejudice, is preoccupied with marriage. In conclusion, as the most favorable traits are likely to survive over generation to next, Austen’s strong characters and plots were successfully inherited into modern as Bridget and Mark Darcy. Even though we might not realize that we are surrounding by evolutionary changes, the theory of evolution might help us to understand what's been carried so far.

Language Learning

Who is a Good language Learner?
Evryone wants to be a good language learner but it seems like so easy for some people who have favorable atitudes toward their learning.

Firstly Willing to make mistakes is an atitude of a good language learner. You might think that doesn’t make a sense at all but it does. For example, we can find that characteristic from children who usually don’t care that whether they make a mistake when they are speaking – that is why they absorb languages more quickly than adults. The point is that you shouldn’t afraid about making mistake in your language learning because it is a very good way to learn new language and you will learn from that mistake at least.
Practicing languages as often as possible is the other atitude of good language learner. Basically it is a basic fact that if you do practice more, then you do more better than before. As a explanation, learning language is like a marathon, so if you practice more before you run, your hart and muscle are getting stronger enough to run the whole distance. In addition, I am trying to make good environment for practicing English by enjoing my english novel book and watching television dramas in English and chatting with my classmates as much as I can ; these are my favorite things.
Having a good self-image and lots of confidence are the last points that which leads us to be a good language learner. For example, if we have positive thinking that you have great desires to learn new languages, it might help you to have more motivations for your learning. As an another example, when I have self-confidence that I'm able to learn and getting better skills than before, it helps me a lot to get confidence to stay with English more efficiently. Otherwise I would not be able to learn if I lose my confidence.

Are super skyscrapers good?

No. Corn

1)Expensive : Basically a cost of building skyscrapers is extremely expensive which costs more than billions of dollars at least. For example, The Millennium Building in Honkong, it took 10billion dollars to complete the building. In addition the costs can’t be covered by just a company or a government only, so it wouldn’t be easy to cover its expensive individually. Furthermore even if it is completely built, still the cost of maintaining building is expensive such as maintaining elevators and supplying electricity and water.

2)Emergenesy situations : It might be too bad if there are emergency situations in skyscrapers including natural disasters and artificial disaster also. For example in Japan, as earth quake often attacks cities, it might be possible that skyscrapers are damaged by earth quake which might bring a serious consequence of damaging people as well. As another example, from 9/11 attacks, we already know that how the consequence can be worse than ever, as about two thousands people were died. Hopely, there will be no more disasters on skyscrapers but we don’t know, whether there will be blood or not.