Consolidation

August 21, 2008

Originally written back in 23rd June 2008

Picking up from where I left off, I will be receiving my package in a weeks time, turns out my University lost my parcel because as it was sent to the Uni addressed to me which threw a spanner in their works. Pretty pathetic actually.

The last 2 weeks have been pretty quiet as expected. I managed to secure MGS4 a day before release and then could not find a PS3 console for the life off me. The following day, on the official release I managed to snag a console but with another copy of MGS4 included.

I had Uni on both the Wednesday and Thursday and attended classes as per usual. My last day of Australian University for the year was a very uplifting one I think. I concluded classes with my favourite class, this class is definetly a favourite of mine, I feel very empowered by the other students in the class, the tutor and the work that we study. I also received some chocolates from another student in gratitude and got a photo with my Chilliean friend so it was all very positive and encouraging.

After that I had a meeting with another tutor about an assignment which again made me feel very pleased. This day I think represents how my language courses have come of full circle and talking to this tutor it became readily clear just how significant this field of education is. I feel relieved that this has finally hit me because I have been forver misunderstanding these courses but now I “get it”.

Of course, with this business out of the way I headed home, to cristen myself with some Metal Gear Solid 4. ^_^

I got home at roughly 2pm, I cleared the house of distractions, did a little bit of labour and then got stuck into my game. I ensured that I first understood how to play and got a grip of the new controls, it took me quite a long time to settle in actually. So I played MGS4 for the next few days and then spent just as long writing and rewriting my 4500 word critique. By Sunday MGS4 was out of my hair and I just had my revision and another major assignment to worry about. I finished the assignment in a day and while I think that it was a severely flawed piece of writing I really wasn’t fussed either way.

Since Tuesday I have been revising Chinese and Marketing; the two remaining exams. As of today; Monday I feel reassured that I will do well in both. I know that there are things in the Chinese exam that may simply throw me but I don’t know how better to prepare, every week I practice Chinese on all levels. I do a lot of speaking, I stick the new vocab and grammar into sentences and then get my friends to point out my mistakes. I know what my problems are but I know that from experience only more study over time will improve my vocab recollecting finese. So I feel sufficiently equiped to tackle the exam and do okay, like the other gradable content I am not too fussed.

Marketing has been a significant time hole for me. While there is definetly an adaptive skill in marketing, there is no denying that at this stage memorization is the way to learn and it is this which will determine if I pass or fail the exam. I think that I have most of it down though and I’m not too fussed with whatever happens so long as I pass and do okay.

I feel like I have gotten my worth out of these and infact all of my subjects so these final “skill testers” really are of little importance. What is important is that I understand what the course is trying to illustrate for me and that is what I feel that I have obtained.

I’m looking forward to a much more diverse lifestyle once the exams are over. This period is usually a down period for most people I know so I just try to soak it up. Afterwards though I hope to jump back into a more variable, social lifestyle.

The Consolidation Part

Since I’m in down period I have managed to formulate a handful of future plans and ideas which I just wish to run through. The main goal is that I want to pack down and consolidate my online usage. Not that it is excessive by any stretch because it’s not. Rather I just wish to make it more effective so that I can better use my time.

To begin with I really do want to lessen my use of instant messaging. I mean I barely use them as it is and the conversations usually amount to nothing of great interest. So I have trimmed back my contacts and lessended my usage. I’d like to instead focus a little more on emails which is like my new best friend.

To justify this, I’ve realized that online discussion is highly problematic. The lack of visual suggestion in communicative text totally destroys context, creates misunderstanding which then breeds a culture that blows my mind with frustration. Since I have become part of the blogging crowd I’ve realized how acceptance and realization of these aspects by bloggers and their readership creates a much more positive environment. Places like forums, chat rooms and instant messaging on most accounts feel like banging your head against a wall. They all have their means though such as checking up on friends or whatever (and for that point I will use it a little) but otherwise it is all pointless fluff.

I’ve got strong feelings about the internet as a social tool, simply I hate the idea of tecnology corrupting someone’s social well being so my main goal is to ensure that when I am “social” online (I hate saying that >_<) that it is worthwhile and not just filler. I hope that makes a little sense.

I also got myself a Twitter account (http://twitter.com/danielprimed) which I don’t mind using regularly and want to continue to use while I am in China. I still want to continue utilizing sites like flickr and delicious as well as they are pretty useful. Otherwise I think that I will primarily be networking, commuicating and working primarily in email or blogs.

I also want to set a few short goals relating to the Gamer blog now that most of the tertiary hardship is over for a while. Basically I just wish to streamline the blog a little, I’ve already made some small changes but content wise I want to shorten my posts while making them more jam packed in the process. I feel that these 1500+ pieces don’t fall in line with what people are accustomed to reading online, unless there is a significant reason and while the posts are fine I feel that the reason does match the word count and hence this is where I am failing. I also want to make clear a few previous discussed points and bring them to a close.

Well that concludes another, rough outline of my life in the past 2 weeks. I must say that all that I write here is so atrociously written it’s embarassing. That is the point of the scribble pad after all. ^_^

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