Second Life ( experiential studies)

After taking almost a couple of days to finally install “Second Life” into my macbook pro. I finally started playing and my first impression of the game was “what in the world is this?”, yes. It took me quite some time to accept the game as it is. Honestly I was expecting the graphics to be abit more high tech but it was just normal. Compared to the other games that I’ve played before.

Virtual Travel to Mexico

I like looking at the writing on the ground. Its really colourfull but I doubt there is the writing in real life. However, the man with the head tilted is not my cup of tea.

I like seeing the colours of the flowers. They may not seem too real but the colours still catch my eye.

The flowers look 2 dimensional but the reason I took this photo is because of the butterfly. the way the wings move seem really real.

Straylight

The view from this place is spectacular. I love the scenic view. The water and the trees blend well.

Just like the name. the colours on the screen is really mesmerizing and catches the attention.

I love looking at the tree and the way the leaves are flowing down. There is a place I’ve been once before and this place reminds me of it.

Kowloon

Kowloon is a place of calmness and tranquility. Not much is here but the simplicity of it all just brings us to a place we’ve never been before.

The sound that came out from this place was fine. Not really my type of music I would say but it was fine. The ambience of the place was really like in Chinatown.

I didn’t really understand this place but the signboard really took my attention.

I liked this place because it had all the small screens as though we were looking into something else. The reality made us believe that it was something real.

SS Galaxy Cruise Ship

As a person that likes fashion. Looking at the pictures on the wall just inspires me.

The deck of the ship looks simple but still real. The picture shows the full scale map of the ship which is very big.

The playground looks small here. But the trampoline looks way way big. I love looking at the way it works.

Mystery Spot Santa Cruz ( experiential studies )

When I was in US, I visited this place called ' The Mistery Spot'. It is located an hour away from the city of Santa Clara. The place is in the jungle where we had to climb a few steps to reach from the starting point itself.

Here is some history and knowledge on the place ;

The Mystery Spot is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California. It is a circular area of effect around 150 feet or 46 meters in diameter. Within the Mystery Spot you will be stunned as your perceptions of the laws of physics and gravity are questioned. But don't take our word for it, come and decide for yourself!

The Mystery Spot was discovered in 1939 by a group of surveyors and opened to the public in 1940. The Mystery Spot has amazed and perplexed hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world, and many return time and time again to experience these puzzling variations of gravity, perspective, and height.

Some speculate that cones of metal were secretly brought here and buried in our earth as guidance systems for their spacecraft. Some think that it is in fact the spacecraft itself burried deep within the ground. Other theories include carbon dioxide permeating from the earth, a hole in the ozone layer, a magma vortex, the highest dielectric biocosmic radiation known anywhere in the world, and radiesthesia. Whatever the cause is, it remains a mystery.

Honestly to me, it was a very unusual experience because we would standing not at a 90' angle.

My trip to Ulu Yam Selangor ( experiential studies )

On the 7th of July, I went with a few friends to a waterfall to take pictures. The waterfall is located somewhere in Ulu Yam, Selangor.

The main reason of going there is to take pictures for our VR assignment "Panorama". However, after staying there for almost 5 hours, we didn't get the shots that we wanted because the clouds were dark and it looked like it was about to rain.

However, we did get a few cool shots here and there.

The place caught my eye because it was somewhat located near the city but it still contained the natural sense. The water was clear and the surroundings were still maintained clean. They didn't make the place into a commercialized place like our society usually does.

My experience in AMERICA ( experiential studies )

Since I have practically nothing much to talk about today. I thought of sharing the experiences that I had in USA.

I went with the whole family as it was a annual family vacation. I practically go to the USA every year to go shopping and as well to go sight seeing. This time we went to San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.

From what I saw, the people there have more manners than we do. Though some of them can be a little rude at times. They speak softly regardless to whom they're speaking too.

My favourite place had to be Los Angeles. We stayed there for 3 nights. The hotel that we stayed in was callled The Four seasons Beverly Hills. It was actually so exciting to stay there because it was said to be a hotel full of celebrities. Fortunately I didn't get to see any of them. The city was a mixture of both glamorous and the simple life. You could almost see the difference. From being surrounded with huge mansions, mercedes benz and range rovers to small houses and raggy toyotas.

Our trip to Aquaria and Petrosains.

On our second trip for the class. We went to Aquaria and Petrosains located in KLCC, Kuala lumpur. We first went to Petrosains. We were able to gain knowledge on oil pumps and how those workers live in such high pressured surroundings. Petrosains is a place where we get to explore things outside of the norm. Petrosains is designed as a moderns and contemporary centre that allows visitors to touch, feel and manipulate the exhibits on display. The interactive feature of petrosains' exhibits, combined with a touch of theatrical and futuristic elements offer visitors a more constructive learning experience.

It took me about an hour to finish the whole tour as it was my second time going into the exhibit. Not much was to be done as it was all not so new to me. However when I got to the parts where the exhibits were very interactive. I had some fun playing with them.

After petrosains, we then went to Aquaria which is something like underwater world. They had fishes in aquariums right inside a shopping mall. The fishes were nice to see but the species of fish were very limited due to the space constraint. I actually finished the tour in less then half an hour which is counted pretty fast. However, i really enjoyed the part where we had to stand on the conveyor belt and the tank would be right above us. It was for sure not my first experience but seeing sharks and sting rays swim right above you can be very exciting.

Make it happen ( experiential studies )

I'm not sure whether this is related to experiential studies or not but hey, it has something to do with human emotions and behavior so why not :)

I've been having issues with this person for quite some time now. He apparently has a big attitude problem and avoiding him is not as simple as it seems especially when he's your cousin. He was the youngest child in the family for quite some time but later he got a little brother making him a big brother with more responsibilities. Unfortunately since he's been too comfortable with being the youngest with the least responsibilities, not that he has a brother. He is not accepting them like a real person.

He's been putting blame for his own actions on other people but himself. He's been pushing other people to face the consequences for his own actions which I find very annoying. He's 23 this year and he's still in Pre- U which I find odd.

Over the years, I've seen many people with these attitude problems. They go through life wanting to be somebody but all they do is sit on their chairs, face their laptops and wait for a miracle to happen. I think that when you want something to happen, you have to make it happen. You have to work towards what you want and make it happen.

People these days are taking life for granted. They think everything will happen according to plan but that is not necessarily true. Things might take a turn for the worst. Nature might change its course and turn the tables around.

In my opinion, in the century we're living now. We need to make our own rules and our game plans. We must no longer sit and follow the ancient times.

I definitely don't think that Donald Trump became a multi-billionare just by sitting on his leather seat. I also don't think Bill gates made it to the top of the list by staring blankly into space waiting for something amazing to happen. They themselves made it happen. They became what they wanted to be. Not what the had to be.

Week 6 ( creative studies )

Analogy ;

Life is like a chilli. You may expect something bad from it, but somehow it may just surprise you and give something good.

Love is like a candle. You never know when it might just blow off.

Seeing an ice cream melt is like seeing life as it is. Practically everything good must come to an end.

Love is real and available for everyone. It does not count race, religion or colour. It unites two people together in a very powerful way.

There is nothing much that can be said about coffee other than it just starts the day in a very good way.

week 5 ( creative studies )

Methods of Creative thinking ;

Evolution ;

This is a way of improving something good into something better. It is somewhat a change in time and place.Many of the very sophisticated things we enjoy today developed through a long period of constant incrementation. Making something a little better here, a little better there gradually makes it something a lot better--even entirely different from the original.

Synthesis ;

With this method, two or more existing ideas are combined into a third, new idea. Combining the ideas of a magazine and an audio tape gives the idea of a magazine you can listen to, one useful for blind people or freeway commuters.

Revolution ;

This is where we make a whole new idea out of nothing. It may contain or look like something that has already been created but it is actually new and not yet been seen.Sometimes the best new idea is a completely different one, an marked change from the previous ones.

Reapplication ;

Sometimes making something new does not necessarily mean we need to build a whole new idea out of nothing. We could definitely take some pointers from the older versions of something and make it better. Somewhat revamp the whole situation. Look at something old in a new way. Go beyond labels. Unfixate, remove prejudices, expectations and assumptions and discover how something can be reapplied.

I am fascinated ( creative studies )

Okay I am just so in love with gadgets that have a different look or made in a different way.

AWESOME!

A wooden laptop sleeve.

A wooden alarm clock.

A wooden stapler.

Juxtaposition ( creative studies )

Juxtaposition in the Dictionary ;

juxtapose |ˈjəkstəˌpōz; ˌjəkstəˈpōz|

verb [ trans. ]

place or deal with close together for contrasting effect : black-and-whitephotos of slums were starkly juxtaposed with color images.

DERIVATIVES

juxtaposition |ˌjəkstəpəˈzi sh ən| nounjuxtapositional |ˌjəkstəpəˈzi sh ənl| adjectiveORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French juxtaposer, from Latin juxta‘next’ + French poser ‘to place.’Wikipedia ;Random juxtaposition refers to the stimulation of creativity in problem solving, design or other creative pursuit by confronting two unrelated concepts or objects, usually the goal or problem to be solved on the one hand and a randomly selected object or concept on the other. Similar to an oxymoron.Juxtaposition is like putting two different objects, drawings or paintings side by side and see it work together as one. It will show somewhat a similarity along the lines of being different. They may not meet at one certain place but as a whole, they would definitely show or imply the same meaning and gesture.An example of juxtaposition would be this poster for the sensation exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts of London that was designed by ' why not associates '. Based on this website " sexwithshrimps.wordpress.com", they wrote that ; Juxtaposition is the deliberate placement of contrasting images side by side. The word is formed from the Latin “juxta”, which means near, and “position”.

In graphic design and page layout, juxtaposition may be used to present two or more ideas so as to impart a relationship between them. Juxtaposition may imply similarity or dissimilarity, demonstrating that two things are essentially the same or quite different. This may only be clear from the context of the work as a whole. Many designers use juxtaposition in their work with the implicit intention that readers work out the connection themselves.

My mind map ( creative studies )

Creative Gadgets ( creative studies )

I was doing on the internet just now so I ended up googling fun stuff and this is what I got. Some of them really really caught my eye. After looking at them, they made me feel like getting it for myself.

Now this would way way cool in my house one day.

Week 4 ( Creative studies )

This week we are asked to explain thoroughly on mind-mapping.

A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study,organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing.

By presenting ideas in a radial, graphical, non-linear manner, mind maps encourage a brainstorming approach to planning and organizational tasks. Though the branches of a mindmap represent hierarchical tree structures, their radial arrangement disrupts the prioritizing of concepts typically associated with hierarchies presented with more linear visual cues. This orientation towards brainstorming encourages users to enumerate and connect concepts without a tendency to begin within a particular conceptual framework.

Based on " wiki-how", this is how we create a mind map.

Generate a topic. What will be the focus of your thinking? Your topic should be no more than a few words. By keeping your topic simple, you will be able to understand more aspects of it through the map. A broader topic will give you more with which to work in the future.

Place that topic in the center of the page. Write it in bold letters. Circle or place a square around the topic

Start writing what comes to mind. As you generate thoughts, draw a branch from the main topic. Keep it to as few words as possible. Print clearly.

Begin branching. Try to extend your thoughts from one idea to the next. Draw lines between thoughts to create lateral thinking. Number your ideas to create organization.

As new ideas come forth, draw a different branch from your topic.

Repeat branching until all your ideas appear on the map.

Week 3 ( Creative Studies )

In week 3, we were given a slide about Novelty, Innovation and Invention.

Novelty in the Dictionary ;

novelty |ˈnävəltē|

noun ( pl. -ties)

1 the quality of being new, original, or unusual : the novelty of being a married woman wore off.

• a new or unfamiliar thing or experience : in 1914 air travel was still a novelty.• [as adj. ] denoting something intended to be amusing as a result of its new or unusual quality : a novelty teapot.2 a small and inexpensive toy or ornament : he bought chocolate novelties to decorate the Christmas tree.ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French novelte, from novel‘new, fresh’ (see novel 2 )Wikipedia ;

Novelty (derived from Latin word novus for "new") is the quality of being new. Although it may be said to have an objective dimension (e.g. a new style of art coming into being, such as abstract art or impressionism) it essentially exists in the subjective perceptions of individuals.

It also refers to something novel; that which is striking, original or unusual. The term can have pejorative sense and refer to a mere innovation.

My perception of Novelty is just being able to create something real and unusual. Something even more out of the box. Something that not just ordinary people can think about or make up.

Innovation in the Dictionary ;

innovation |ˌinəˈvā sh ən|

noun

the action or process of innovating.

• a new method, idea, product, etc. : technological innovations designed to save energy.

DERIVATIVES

innovational |- sh ənl| adjectiveORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin innovatio(n-), from the verbinnovare (see innovate )Wikipedia ;Innovation is a change in the thought process for doing something, or the useful application of new inventions or discoveries.^[1] It may refer to an incrementalemergent or radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations. Following Schumpeter (1934), contributors to the scholarly literature on innovation typically distinguish between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully in practice. In many fields, such as the arts,economics and government policy, something new must be substantially different to be innovative. In economics the change must increase value, customer value, or producer value. The goal of innovation is positive change, to make someone or something better. Innovation leading to increased productivity is the fundamental source of increasing wealth in an economy.Based on my perception, innovation is something like changing something for the better. Car companies make innovations every single day to make their cars are always better and bigger. They think hard to make them more conventional and at the same time fit for the economy.Invention in the Dictionary ;

invention |inˈven sh ən|

noun

the action of inventing something, typically a process or device : the invention of printing in the 15th century.

• something, typically a process or device, that has been invented :medieval inventions included spectacles for reading and the spinning wheel.• creative ability : his powers of invention were rather limited.• something fabricated or made up : you know my story is an invention.• used as a title for a short piece of music : Bach's two-part Inventions.ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense [finding out, discovery] ): fromLatin inventio(n-), from invenire ‘discover’ (see invent ).Wikipedia ;An invention is a new composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social behaviors adopted by people and passed on to others.^[1] Inventions often extend the boundaries of human knowledge or experience. An invention that is novel and not obvious to others skilled in the same field may be able to obtain the legal protection of a patent.Based on my perception, an invention is making something that will be good use to people. It may be manipulated from something old but it will still have that new touch on it. Most inventions bring good reflexes to the world.