Feburary 29, 2012

       
For those of you who think today is just another day of the year, Today is a leap day!
How awesome is it to see the number '29' on Feburary calendar.

Since I'm 18 years old at the moment- I'll be 22 when the next leap day comes, Feburary 29 of 2016 (:

Brookfield Place.

Allen Lambert Galleria, as known as the "Crystal cathedral of commerce"

A golden block bounded by Yonge Street to the east, Wellington Street to the north, 

Bay Street to the west, and Front Street to the south.

2012 Canadian International Autoshow.

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

2012 North American Car of the Year.

Hyundai Elantra

As a fellow Korean, I was quiet happy to see her doing well (:

Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Roy Thomson Hall - Main Floor AA26

Jean-Marie Zeitouni as conductor

Karina Gauvin as soprano

 Fauré. Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80

Britten. Les Illuminations, Op. 18

Brahms. Symphony No.4 in E Minor, Op. 98

Apparently the Toronto Symphony has a similar student promotion as that of NAC's liverush called 'tsoundcheck'. I wasn't able to get a descent seat like I used to in Ottawa, but for 14$, I just felt gracious that such program exist to support young people's interest. Being on the first row was an experience that I've never had it before. I was not able to see the orchestra is a wide angled view, but I had a good chance to look closely on the individuals of the first row of strings, soprano, and conductors. Through out the whole concert, I've been quiet conscious of every movements that musicians made: their earnest facial expression, glowing eyes staring on the sheets, moisture filling conductor's face, and the movements of his baton building up. Every movements were genuine. As an observant on the first row, I was quiet shaken by their professionalism towards the music they played. When the show was ended, I had to respond to the orchestra with respect by clapping.

Roll Up the Rim to Win.

the great Canadian tradition continues-

This very first cup got me a free donut (16.67% chance to win) 

I'm already feeling lucky about this season.

Feburary 19, 2012. Future Career.

I have been looking up a couple online forums for geoscience and geology graduates. One of the most debated topic on those forums were regarding employment in the geo field after graduation and there were quiet many responses in both positive and negative manner. I know I shouldn't make up my mind, or assess my future, based on these unconfirmed online sources, but these articles definitely got me thinking on the issues that I have been neglecting, or sort of avoiding.

What kind of occupation can you get into, or what can you do with B.Sc. in Geoscience?

I've always thought that this is an issue for 'future Ken' to find out, but from the tone of the writers on the forum, it's not. My belief, until now, was that I will be able to get the job that I want after graduation if I wanted to- just like how the university easily put the list of possible career next to each major on the information brochure. Apparently, this has become an old-fashioned idea in the last decades.

Where as a major like accounting, business, and management are very related to a certain career- the academic field that I am interested in, is not. It could be looked as a disadvantage for selecting this particular major but in my view, it's better to study what I would enjoy rather than what I would easily find a job with. For aside, I've heard often that even the degrees that once had high employment rate, like engineering, can't get into a line of work since the economic downturn.

However, I am not really worried or pessimistic about finding my career related to the field that I am interested in. As long as I am conscious about the issue and take initiatives from the early stage, I will make it out. Since I'm only a first year student- there will be tons of opportunities that I can take in the next years.


I am going to end this post with a couple of paraphrase from the forums that I want to constantly remind myself:

"...You guys looking for jobs need to network with your classmates and professors in order to find a job. Most young geologist I know got jobs because someone knew someone who was hiring. Your professors know geologist in the industry and you need to capitalize on that. They all have friends who are senior geologists or run their own companies. Pick their brains, befriend a professor, see if you can help them with their research. There is more to getting a Geo degree than showing up and turning in your homework. Network within the small Geo community and it will pay off ... I guarantee you if you work hard and look in the right places you will find a Geo job. There are tons of them out there. I have friends working for environmental, oil, geo tech, and engineering companies and they are all hiring right now. Get out there and good luck."

"...I have to disagree with everyone who is saying geology is a worthless degree. It is a very employable degree that pays well whether you decide to do government, environmental or industry. The value of networking is the key which enhances your career. Most cities have a geological society that meets once a month. That is a great way to network and begin to meet people. Sometimes getting a job takes more than just filling out forms on the internet. Get your name out there. I couldn't find a job, so I googled local geologic-related companies, and I called all one hundred plus of them asking if their were any opportunities available for internship. It felt uncomfortable at first, but after a while I just got used to putting myself out there. Going to conventions like AAPG or the AAPG student expo helps as well.  However, from what I understand, it is fairly unusual to work in oil and gas for an actual oil company without a graduate education... "

Spaghetti.

I still remember the first week of residence when I bought a can of spaghetti sauce and pasta and looked up internet to find out how long I had to boil the pasta. Making a simple spaghetti by pouring a microwaved sauce was one step for a boy who never cooked before and one giant leap for... well the days ahead of me.

Since then, Spaghetti has become one of my major cuisines and there has been a lot of progress and improvements- thanks for both my mom and the intrigued attempts for the better taste- and these pictures indicate the current stage.

I guess the university education isn't the only thing I'm getting out of this year.

A can of soft drink or a glass of red wine will do the job (:

Spatiality.

Elgin Street Public School taken in March, 2011

"Human memory is profoundly spatial, and we remember, understand, and live in places that are loaded with past associations, people, events, smells and fears. Becoming an urban citizen is in part the learning of collective memories and meaning of place."

- Professor Andre Sorensen

My Childhood, Life, and WRC.

This wasn't taken on an actual track- it's just a snow covered street in Toronto with tire track

As a young boy, there was nothing more fascinating to me than cars. Many of my relatives did not have to think too hard for my gift idea, since I was an auto enthusiast who was madly in love with diecast and toy cars. One of the best childhood memories was visiting an auto-show with my dad and spending the whole day walking around looking at shiny new cars. I still remember the time I used to go to my uncle's room and play hit titles of the original Play Station, like Need for Speed- Hot Pursuit (1998) and High Stakes (1999), Driver (1999), and Gran Turismo (1998).

But there was one title that I couldn't handle because of the difficulty, and that was called 'Collin McRae Rally'. Unlike the others, that particular game required precise controlling of speed and corner skid, and a detailed adjustment of the car setting for each run. The part that I didn't like the most, was that the game was time-challenge based, rather than competition amongst drivers.

Since the beginning of this year, I've started playing 'Colin McRae Rally 2005' and browsing around the World Rally Championship website, from time to time. Originally, it was an attempt to bring out a nostalgic challenge, but in the past months, I've been really into this whole new culture of the WRC and the joy of driving. 

If you think about it, 'Rallying' is such an unique and interesting concept. Unlike any other motorsport like  Nascar or Formula 1, WRC is always being held in wild terrain, from ice to tarmac, and unexpected weather- which demands patience and improvising skills of the drivers. Speaking of drivers, 'rallying' is the only sport that requires a 'co-driver' who reads the map and informs ahead. Even within the video game, it's impossible to drive properly without carefully hearing the given instruction of a co-driver like "50m,  Jump caution, into immediate right hand bend severity 2 tightens". The Driver, or the gamer like myself, then visualizes the terrain on the head and decides the amount of brake to put, the direction of wheel, and desired gear level.

If I may apply my phony philosophy into the subject, I would say the world of rally represents many aspects of life: You aren't always going to be on a smooth tarmac with crowd cheering beside you, sometimes you'll get on a rough gravel that can flat your tires or mud that will make you loose control. If you have your map thought out, that's great, because you'll know when to hit the gas pedal or brake pedal. However, it's still okay. As long as you are focused and listening to the co-driver, you can improvise and choose the right passage; often co-drivers could be your partner, friends, family, or mentors. The chemistry is a key to success. Sometimes you might be overconfident and refuse to slow down around a corner. You can get lucky and go through it several times, but you'll eventually crash into a tree or roll down a valley. However the WRC consists of many rallies- you might be forced retire on that round, but there will be another set coming up. At the end, life is not about competing others on the same motor way at the same time, but it's about an individual's challenge of reaching the desired goal within the amount of time desired.

Feburary 12, 2012

February 7, 2012

 Hollister, California

"There is a drainage culvert here. Do you see the offset? That is the San Andreas fault,

Passing right through there. It's the plate boundary.

So that you can have a nice glass of red wine and talk about geology. 

And you know, life doesn't get better than that (: "

- Professor Nick Eyles

TV shows that I'm watching.

   

An episode of a good tv show can make the awkward gap between classes more enjoyable.

The following is the list of TV shows that I'm frequently watching.

Same directors from 'the Office', using Parks and Recreation department as their new Dunder Mifflin Paper company. Amazing Bureaucratic humours and Interesting co-workers relationships. Many SNL casts appeareance.

 literally one of the most intense and creative comedy show I've ever seen. Each episode contains unique subjects and story line, with various attempts for cinematography techniques. Tons and tons of pop culture reference- however, you don't necessarily need to know them in order to laugh.

This show is simply legend - wait for it - dary! Currently watching 5-6 episodes per day. That says it all. (:

February 3, 2012.

         
The Guardian has published an article named 'Top five regrets of the dying', based on the book written by Bronnie Ware, an Austrilian nurse who spent past several years working in a palliative care. The following is the list, as witnessed by the author.

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.


The wisdom has left me some sincere thoughts, so I thought I might post it here.
The original article can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying
 
 

Snow Patrol in Toronto.

There are numerous alternative rock bands that I'm into, but Snow Patrol has been always on the top.

Tunes from their albums have made my days and nights so pleasant and refreshed my mind all the time.

I don't know if it's because of their band name, but the songs always remind me of the winter times I had in Ottawa. Perhaps it's because I often heard them while walking to school in a snow covered morning or skating on the canal. 

For the most of people, Snow Patrol would be remembered as the band that sang 'Chasing Cars',

but for me, this band is remembered as a band that is like a hot chocolate on a cold winter day in Ottawa.

-

p.s. I guess I don't have to visit Northern Ireland just to see this band (:

p.s.2  I'm crossing my finger that I won't be having a final exam on that evening.

January 29, 2012

There is a part of a day when snow turns its plain colour into this stunning colour- R154 G86 B114

However It's a meaningless colour data measured by the Photoshop, which won't reflect my feeling nor yours.

So I highly recommend you to take a closer look at the colour of snow, around a sunset, when you get a chance.

I hope you could also appreciate this lovely colour and its crystal sparkles, 

and the awesome feeling of crunching you get, while walking on snow that no one ever did (:

This Week's Grocery.

Our campus doesn't provide residential meal plans, so I have to cook for myself for the most of the time (unless I grab a Subway sandwich in cafeteria).  When I tell people about this, many of them get surprised and look at me in different eyes. Going grocery every weekends and looking up recipes on the internet was definitely not the kind of first year college life I expected nor dreamed of, but I gotta be honest- it's not bad :D 

Oh.

To whom it may concern,

The picture does not reflect the amount of food or the kind of foods that I eat every week. Many of the items that you can see from the picture are for othe long-term, not daily basis. I bought 4 bottles of spaghetti sauces because my favourite brand was on sales (which doesn't happen very often) and got more potato products than usual (hash browns, patties, fries) because all of them ran out at the same time (Yes).

I have more vegetables and fruits in the fridge. Really!

Sincerely,

A Healthy Consumer

January 21, 2012

I went a grocery shopping as usual but heard a song that I have forgotten about it for a while. It sounded very familier and I was able to whistle the melody by heart when the song was only at its intro. Since the unexpected encounter, I've been on a massive search for the title of this song but I haven't been really successful. It's a bit hard to find the song without knowing any of its lyrics.

This is literally killing me and I don't think I will be able to sleep until I find out about the identity of the song.

-

Search boundary is limited to the New Age genre-

Remembering Metcalfe Street.

Well, this is not an example of well composed photo for sure; There is an inappropriate window grid that blocks the view and the reflection of stairs is appearing on the photo like a ghost. Moreover, there is no unique subject that particularly stands out within the frame, other than this plain view of the Metcalfe street and some building around it.

However, this is the photo that I can simply stare at it for hours and unconsciously revisit my piles of memories, including those thoughts and feelings that I had at the time. If I may use a cliche to describe it, I could literally feel 'A rush of blood to the head'. What make this ordinary picture special for me is, not what I see from it, but how my feelings are attached the space and the scene. An articulated perception.

The Metcalfe Street has been my home for the past four years; during the period of the arrival to Canada until the last summer- the high school graduation. It was also the street that I could see from my window  day and night and walked through spring to winter. 

The earliest memory of the street is when I just arrived in the city and visited the Museum of Natural Science with my mom and sister. From that point: There were times my mom used to drive me back home from a baseball game, and as she drived I could feel the spring breeze through my hand hanging out of the window and see the late- summer sun that is about to set. There was time when Metcalfe Street became pseudo- Elgin Street and took over all the traffic, when Obama first visited Ottawa as a new president elect. There was time I used to walk on the street with the girl that I liked; Who would've known that a simple walk could be such a nervous-breaking, an unforgettable experience.  There were times I used to walk around in the midnight, with my camera strap on my shoulder, exploring the empty city. Walking on a street with no presence of automobiles, humans, and noises have been one of my favourite experiences and looking at this photo always remind me of that. There were times I used to walk back as late as 2am from the uOttawa library to home and woke up at 6am to go to band practices. Looking at the piece of Parliament building every morning always reminded me where I live.

Even though I'll eventually visit Ottawa again in the future, but it's hard to tell whether it's going to be feel the same as I left. Regardless, this is the street that I can recall my high school years and think about my confused adolescent times.

Washington, D.C.

One of the courses that I'm taking this semester is called the 'Cities and Environments' (GGRA03H3S). It's an introductory human geography course that looks at the characteristics of modern cities and environmental issues, and their interconnections. Some of the major topics include: urban forms and systems, population change, climate change, water scarcity, planning for sustainable cities.

Interestingly, one of the sections of this week's assigned reading was about the history of the development of the political capital Washington DC, the city that was designed to reflect the national identity, which I've been twice.

My first encounter with the city was on the year of 2004, when my family travelled through the East coast of the North America. At the time, I was in around grade 5 or 6 and this city full of political infrastructures and memorials didn't really interested me so much. It was probably because my lack of understanding or knowledge on the American history, but it was also because of my strange obsession (or idolization) of the cool- good ol' New York City, just like anyone who would be visiting the States for their first time. 

Luckily, I had an opportunity to visit the District of Columbia again during the last Christmas break, thanks to my roommate who is from Virginia and have offered me accommodations. It was very refreshing to explore around the political capital of a nation. The bureaucratic atmosphere somewhat reminded me of the Wellington Street of Ottawa, but it was in whole 'nother different level. 

The following paragraphs are taken from the book 'Cities and Nature' (2008) by Lisa Benton-Short & John Rennie Short. I want to leave these paragraphs on this post because they do reflect of what I've seen  in the city and provide good narration for the unique characteristics of it..

"The development of political capital, Washington DC, underscores the attempt to embody political ideals with a developing sensitivity to the natural world. The 1791 design of the new federal capital reflected the struggle to create a space representative of American ideals and aspirations. The city was from the beginning rich in the physical and symbolic expressions of democratic ideals and a reflection of the formulation of national identity." 

"The neoclassical spatial order of the capital city was partly inspired by monumental planning trends in France. Common in France was the use of radial patterns imposed upon orthogonal streets, which offered an urban typology for expedient circulation, enchanting entry vistas and possibilities (space) for defining neighbourhoods. Within these monumental plans were symbolic spaces. Designing celebratory public spaces in squares and semicircles was supposed to give the city an air of grandeur, delight and edification. All of these planning elements were well known to L'Enfant and eventually incorporated into his design." 

"Central to the plan were two hills- one called Jenkins Hill, which would be the site of Congress and the other to the west would be the President's Palace (later called the White House). L'Enfant intended the two critical government buildings to be separated by space, a metaphor for the need to separate the branches of government. "

"L'Enfant's broad vision of a capital of buildings, public squares and promenades reflected the new country's optimistic outlook. It was a design intent on celebrating a ceremonial city, the center of national government and culture. The plan was on an immense scale, far beyond the size or even expectation of the government at the time."

Luftpost.

I received a post card from my good friend who is currently studying 

at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.

Best of wishes from Canada, Moritz!

Professor Nick Eyles.

I'm taking an Environmental Science course called 'Introduction to Planet Earth' with Professor Nick Eyles, who have filmed a mini-series documentary on CBC, as part of the David Suzuki's 'the nature of things'. Although I've only been to his lecture once so far, I could already sense that this course is going to stimulate both my interest and knowledge in Geoscience.

My professor uses his own book as a course textbook and recommend his students to watch his documentary series on CBC website. He is also a self-claimed motorcycle enthusiast. How boss is that!

Megabus.

Early reserved ticket for New York to Toronto: 12$

Writing this post on Free Wi-Fi courtesy : Priceless

National Gallery of Art.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The last time I've been to this museum was when I was in grade 5 or 6, still living in Korea. On that summer, my family rent a car and traveled the Northeast region of the United States and Canada for the spirit of vacation. Of corse at the time, I was not able to speak English nor felt the need. Although I was not able to read much descriptions nor understand the science , the scale of the museum and the variety of the exhibits totally blew my mind.

It's only been 6 years from that point, but so many things have changed in the meantime. 

Although the exhibits of the museum still fascinated me, I couldn't stop thinking about my past self.