Finally, after weeks of preparing for exams and studying for hours on end (obviously with some short breaks in between) my exams are over! Goodbye Year 10 and hello transition into VCE! I know that there probably should be a longer post tonight but I was out pretty much since I got home as we had a family event on. Still though, normal length posts should resume tomorrow. It is going to be such a great and relaxing weekend, I cannot wait. Excitingly, I am going to see Catching Fire tomorrow which is going to be AWESOME! It came out today in Australia by the way and I just can not wait to see this wonder on the big screen. Also in exciting news, I won a family pass to see King Kong Live on Stage in Melbourne again so hooray for that! I won it through Luna Park's Facebook Page. The competition was: "For your chance to win one of 5 family tickets to King Kong in Melbourne, simply comment on this photo with which ride you think King Kong would go on at Luna Park and why?" My submission was as follows:
"I would have to say The Spider. It would come from two instincts: One to be the king of the world (and a giant spider could really get in your way) and another to save his love, Anne Darrow. I can see how a Giant spinning spider could cause this giant ape to get a little territorial."
So much excitement in such little time! See you tomorrow!
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 November 2013
Saturday, 24 August 2013
#BloggerProblems
As this is the 152nd post on this blog (I know, can you believe it?) I have encountered a number of recurring issues regarding daily blogging. I guessed that today was about time I shared some of these. Before I continue I just have to say that what I am writing about is not from just recently and some have been problems since the very beginning. So do not fall under the impression that daily blogging is easy. At times it can seem so, even to the blogger, but it is only afterwards that you realise how much time you spend each night just writing a post. Let alone finding inspiration, thinking about what you are going to write and sharing it out via Twitter and Facebook. So let's get started with Blogger Problems!
The first major blogger problem is finding inspiration. I know I say this a lot but good inspiration is sometimes not so easy to find. Sometimes I write posts about events that took place a long time before I actually posted about it. Often if I have something to write about and come across some more inspiration then I will save that extra inspiration for a time where I have none. For instance, at the moment I have a number of post ideas ready to go should the need arise. This comes especially handy when I need to schedule posts if I am going to be absent but still, it is so hard when I have a long spell of a boring life. This boring life of mine does ruin my blog-writing from time to time. Repetition is also a big problem with Blogging. You know that post I wrote earlier this week about Repetition? I wrote the whole introduction for that post about competition. Then I realised that I had already written a post about competition so I continued the post as if I had already known that. Yeah, if you did not pick that up then well I have nothing to say to you because it was a really bad cover up, even for me. Another blogger issue is time constraints. I am going to let you in on a little secret that everyone should know by now. The posts that come out late at night without any pictures and much context are done on my phone. This is mainly because during the day I am too busy with homework and all the other stuff I have going on so yeah, that is a big issue for many bloggers.
Life as a blogger is not always an easy one, see you tomorrow!
Monday, 19 August 2013
Repetitiveness
Competitiveness is both a good thing and a bad thing. Sometimes competition can come from many different angles and each angle has its own drawbacks. Along with these drawbacks however there are often a few positives that can make our lives better. Sometimes competition can spur us to better and greater things while at other times it can dishearten us. Competition in small amounts can be a good thing but too much competition can have the quite the opposite effect. Sometimes we can even get carried away sometimes and lose ourselves in the competition. Too much of a good thing rarely leads to yet another good thing, do not forget that.
By this point I realise I had already written a post on competition in May so go read that if you wish (link to the right or on the word "competition"). It is times like these that you realise that daily blogging is sometimes not easy and even the inspiration you find, however new, can lead to a topic you have already written about. If you managed to get through that introduction without getting confused by the title then well done. I myself began writing this post as if it was going to be on Competition and from there I actually found my topic that I am actually typing about now. That is, obviously (well, obvious if you can read), about repetition. Sometimes we repeat ourselves without realising it or tell someone a story you told them last week because you forgot who you had told. Sometimes repetition can be annoying but at other times it is necessary. This is particularly true when it comes to learning. Having something told to you a number of times can actually help you to learn it and research has proven this to be true. Although, you do not really require research to know this. Basically, for Daily Bloggers or any blogger really faces the challenges of finding new inspiration everyday and sometimes this can be tricky. This is especially so during the Holidays or weekends where you might not actually do anything and therefore have no new experiences to inspire you to anything. Unless of course you right about laziness or the silly dog.
Repetition is annoying, see you tomorrow!
Repetition is annoying, see you tomorrow!
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
The Way Way Back
So tonight I attended the screening of The Way Way Back (see below for trailer) which is such a good movie. Before I go on I would just like to thank Mix 101.1 for allowing me this opportunity and for selecting my entry as one of the winners of the competition. I attended the screening at Hoyts Melbourne Central which are great (large) cinemas. The Way Way Back stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette and Allison Jenney among others. It's a great story of a shy 14-year-old Duncan who goes on Summer vacation with is mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Duncan has a hard time fitting in but finds an unexpected friend in Owen, the manager of the local Water Park. Along the way he also meets a girl and grows in confidence. It is a touching and relatable story and is not superficial at all. I really recommend you see it and give it a 4/5 which is a very good score. Even my 17 year-old brother enjoyed it.
I believe all the actors played their role very role. If you are not thinking of going as you believe it will be an all-comedy movie with a very superficial story line I tell you to disregard your prior knowledge. It may have actors like Steve Carell but it is still a touching and relatable story that will leave you hooked until the end. Toni Collette plays the role of Duncan's mother very well and portrays the emotions the character is going through very well. It really is one of those movies you have to go see as it has both comedy and drama which complement each other. Liam James also plays the role of Duncan exceptionally well and really does remind me of someone very awkward. Duncan is still trying to find his way around the social world and does have some elements of a socially awkward teenager. However, when he gets a job at the local Water Park his confidence increases tremendously and he you see a definite change in his persona from the beginning. In short, which I am sure I have actually said a lot above, The Way Way Back is a success that I highly recommend you go and see.
Thanks again to Mix 101.1 for the opportunity, see you tomorrow!
I believe all the actors played their role very role. If you are not thinking of going as you believe it will be an all-comedy movie with a very superficial story line I tell you to disregard your prior knowledge. It may have actors like Steve Carell but it is still a touching and relatable story that will leave you hooked until the end. Toni Collette plays the role of Duncan's mother very well and portrays the emotions the character is going through very well. It really is one of those movies you have to go see as it has both comedy and drama which complement each other. Liam James also plays the role of Duncan exceptionally well and really does remind me of someone very awkward. Duncan is still trying to find his way around the social world and does have some elements of a socially awkward teenager. However, when he gets a job at the local Water Park his confidence increases tremendously and he you see a definite change in his persona from the beginning. In short, which I am sure I have actually said a lot above, The Way Way Back is a success that I highly recommend you go and see.
Image Source:
Thanks again to Mix 101.1 for the opportunity, see you tomorrow!
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Getting the Most out of Language Perfect
It's halfway through the Language Perfect World Championships and there has already been more than 70 million questions answered! Today I just want to write about how you can get the most out of this awesome resource. There are many things you can do to get the most out of Language Perfect in your studies, with your friends and for recreation. Language Perfect really is an awesome resource for all LOTE students and I recommend it to all schools to get involved. It actually does improve test scores and it becomes a competition between students to a point where they forget that they are actually learning. Language Perfect really is your unfair advantage.
Studying for a LOTE subject? Language Perfect is the site for you. There are so many different languages on this site so whether you are studying Japanese, Chinese, French or Italian there are lists for you to study. Often if you have a school that signed you up you will have the words from your textbook loaded under your language and so if you have a test you can often just study the lists for these subjects. However, there are times when you may only need to know a few words from this list and so on the home page where it tells you your scores there is a yellow box that says edit lists and from here you can search for the words you need to learn and add them to your own list which you can name and save. This way you can study only the words you need to know and not the extra vocab that you would find in the textbook. I use this a lot when I am studying for vocab tests in French and it helps me so much that I rarely get more than two words wrong and usually get full marks. So next time you want a fun technique to study, look no further than Language Perfect.
Language Perfect is also a great resource to use with friends. My own friendship group actually use Language Perfect a lot and it is one of the things that link us together. It is something that we can talk about such as who is beating who and who has done which list. It has just become something that we have become accustomed to. The best way to use Language Perfect with friends is to set goals for each to achieve such as earning 1000 points and the first person to do this will win. Another way to do this is to set a list and the first person to finish it wins. Working with friends is also a good thing because you enjoy yourself so much that you actually forget that what you are doing is study. At first, Language Perfect seemed more of a tedious task but since working with friends it has become a lot more enjoyable. It just goes to show that doing things in groups can be a whole lot better than individually.
Language Perfect is not just a study tool but also something to be used for recreation. Look at all the people already on 18, 000 points in just 4 days! These people must really enjoy Language Perfect and they are not alone. I too use Language Perfect for recreation and it really is just fun to get that extra thousand points and a certificate for the trouble. It can be so fun that you do not even realise you are learning new vocabulary. Just through trying to get points I have learnt just as many new words as I have revised old ones. To get the most out of recreation on Language Perfect I suggest having a look around at all the different languages to find one you might enjoy learning. It doesn't have to be the one you are studying in class. Just this year I have looked at Italian, Japanese, Maori, Latin and French when I only actually study one of these at school. So do not forget that just because something sounds like a study tool does not mean it cannot be used for fun as well.
May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!
Image Source: http://www.languageperfect.com/
Studying for a LOTE subject? Language Perfect is the site for you. There are so many different languages on this site so whether you are studying Japanese, Chinese, French or Italian there are lists for you to study. Often if you have a school that signed you up you will have the words from your textbook loaded under your language and so if you have a test you can often just study the lists for these subjects. However, there are times when you may only need to know a few words from this list and so on the home page where it tells you your scores there is a yellow box that says edit lists and from here you can search for the words you need to learn and add them to your own list which you can name and save. This way you can study only the words you need to know and not the extra vocab that you would find in the textbook. I use this a lot when I am studying for vocab tests in French and it helps me so much that I rarely get more than two words wrong and usually get full marks. So next time you want a fun technique to study, look no further than Language Perfect.
Image Source: http://www.languageperfect.com/
Language Perfect is also a great resource to use with friends. My own friendship group actually use Language Perfect a lot and it is one of the things that link us together. It is something that we can talk about such as who is beating who and who has done which list. It has just become something that we have become accustomed to. The best way to use Language Perfect with friends is to set goals for each to achieve such as earning 1000 points and the first person to do this will win. Another way to do this is to set a list and the first person to finish it wins. Working with friends is also a good thing because you enjoy yourself so much that you actually forget that what you are doing is study. At first, Language Perfect seemed more of a tedious task but since working with friends it has become a lot more enjoyable. It just goes to show that doing things in groups can be a whole lot better than individually.
Image Source:
Language Perfect is not just a study tool but also something to be used for recreation. Look at all the people already on 18, 000 points in just 4 days! These people must really enjoy Language Perfect and they are not alone. I too use Language Perfect for recreation and it really is just fun to get that extra thousand points and a certificate for the trouble. It can be so fun that you do not even realise you are learning new vocabulary. Just through trying to get points I have learnt just as many new words as I have revised old ones. To get the most out of recreation on Language Perfect I suggest having a look around at all the different languages to find one you might enjoy learning. It doesn't have to be the one you are studying in class. Just this year I have looked at Italian, Japanese, Maori, Latin and French when I only actually study one of these at school. So do not forget that just because something sounds like a study tool does not mean it cannot be used for fun as well.
Image Source: http://www.languageperfect.com/
May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Competition
Competition can be a good thing as well as a bad thing. It can be used to motivate people to aim for something higher. It could even be used as an incentive such as if you do this you will beat that person you have always wanted to beat. However, it can also be used as a de-motivator and can sometimes cause more harm than good. Sometimes too much competition can lead to psychological issues which are certainly not good.
Competition is one of the best motivators around. It acts as an incentive for someone to do something just for that thrill they get when they win or beat someone. Sometimes we have people we have never been able to beat and so when the opportunity arises to change this, we take it. I know some people who wouldn't do something unless it meant beating someone. A good example of this is my friend Xavier and Language Perfect. Xavier is obsessed (and I mean me to Hunger Games obsessed) with beating me in Language Perfect. Even though he cannot access it from home he still spends hours during school to gain points. Currently he is beating me but by a very small margin so I will overcome him pretty shortly. So competition can be used as something to motivate a person to do something, it is quite an effective motivator as well.
However good competition may be too much of a good thing often leads to a bad thing. Too much competition can have a big effect on a person's life. Sometimes competition can even control their lives to the point where things are being ignored just so that they can beat that one person they have always wanted to beat. Again, I use Xavier and Language Perfect as an example. Xavier, as he is unable to go on at home, has to go on during school and this does not mean just lunch time and recess. He does it during class time which means he is missing out on prime revision material (it's revision week for us) which could have a negative impact on his exam scores next week. Other cases of competition being a bad thing is for those around the person (or even the person themselves) who might develop psychological issues from this competition such as trauma, obsession or depression. So no matter how good competition may be, too much is not good. Competition is very important but we need to keep careful watch on how much competition we have. Some competition is good but too much is bad.
May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!
However good competition may be too much of a good thing often leads to a bad thing. Too much competition can have a big effect on a person's life. Sometimes competition can even control their lives to the point where things are being ignored just so that they can beat that one person they have always wanted to beat. Again, I use Xavier and Language Perfect as an example. Xavier, as he is unable to go on at home, has to go on during school and this does not mean just lunch time and recess. He does it during class time which means he is missing out on prime revision material (it's revision week for us) which could have a negative impact on his exam scores next week. Other cases of competition being a bad thing is for those around the person (or even the person themselves) who might develop psychological issues from this competition such as trauma, obsession or depression. So no matter how good competition may be, too much is not good. Competition is very important but we need to keep careful watch on how much competition we have. Some competition is good but too much is bad.
May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
YouTube's April Fools Antics
So, as you may have already heard, YouTube played a little April Fools prank on its many users just two days ago (1st April). It took the form of a video titled "YouTube's ready to select a winner" and not only did this appear on the official YouTube channel but an email was sent out to all users that claimed to have a "big announcement from YouTube". This email included the video and it was quite a convincing one.
The video basically said that YouTube was actually a competition for the best video of all time and that every video uploaded (regardless of view count [yes! I was in for a shot]) was an entry into this competition. It then went on to say that on midnight of that day YouTube would literally stop allowing uploads (or "entries" as they put it) and would be shut down for the next ten years in order to find the best YouTube video. In 2023 there was to be an official relaunch of YouTube with all videos deleted besides the winner's. This was made evermore convincing as, following this video, there was a 12 hour live broadcast (yes, I will link this down below) of two "hosts" reading out the nominations (I actually feel sorry for those people as the video went for over 12 hours!). They also had some YouTubers also discussing the competition in the original announcement video which gave it a bit more credibility. So yeah, I was pretty worried (I mean, where else can I offload all my crappy videos? Vimeo? Coolvid? I have standards) but then I re-watched it on the computer and they had added a "Happy April Fools Day 2013" thumbnail and that was also in the description so I started to think it was an April Fools joke, which it was. YouTube you got me, you bastards. I actually did some research (by this I mean frantically reading the Wikipedia page on YouTube) and what I learnt about their April Fools Day antics calmed my nerves.
In 2008 the prank was that all links to videos on the YouTube home page were redirected to Rick Astley's music video: "Never Gonna Give You Up". This has since become known as Rickrolling
The video basically said that YouTube was actually a competition for the best video of all time and that every video uploaded (regardless of view count [yes! I was in for a shot]) was an entry into this competition. It then went on to say that on midnight of that day YouTube would literally stop allowing uploads (or "entries" as they put it) and would be shut down for the next ten years in order to find the best YouTube video. In 2023 there was to be an official relaunch of YouTube with all videos deleted besides the winner's. This was made evermore convincing as, following this video, there was a 12 hour live broadcast (yes, I will link this down below) of two "hosts" reading out the nominations (I actually feel sorry for those people as the video went for over 12 hours!). They also had some YouTubers also discussing the competition in the original announcement video which gave it a bit more credibility. So yeah, I was pretty worried (I mean, where else can I offload all my crappy videos? Vimeo? Coolvid? I have standards) but then I re-watched it on the computer and they had added a "Happy April Fools Day 2013" thumbnail and that was also in the description so I started to think it was an April Fools joke, which it was. YouTube you got me, you bastards. I actually did some research (by this I mean frantically reading the Wikipedia page on YouTube) and what I learnt about their April Fools Day antics calmed my nerves.
Link to YouTube's "Announcement" Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H542nLTTbu0
Link to the live nominee announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGeMGqVKD6A
I learnt that YouTube had featured an April Fools prank every year since April 1 2008.
In 2008 the prank was that all links to videos on the YouTube home page were redirected to Rick Astley's music video: "Never Gonna Give You Up". This has since become known as Rickrolling
In 2009, when you clicked on a video on the YouTube Home Page the whole page flipped around (Like Google did for the search "How to do a barrel roll"). YouTube then claimed that this was their new layout.
In 2010, YouTube released a feature called "TEXTp" which translated the colours in the videos into random upper case letters. YouTube claimed this was to reduce bandwidth costs by $1 a second, they sure fooled somebody.
In 2011 YouTube celebrated its "100th Anniversary" and released a "1911 Button" as well as uploading some silent films of the early 20th Century
In 2012, a DVD icon was added next to the YouTube logo which lead to a video about "The YouTube Collection", a collection of every YouTube video for home delivery on DVD, Video Cassette, Laserdisc and Betamax tapes.
You already know what YouTube did this year. So yeah, I wonder how many people YouTube fooled but I found this year's to be the best so far with so much intricate detail included.
May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!
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