Catching the last train

Do you hear it coming?

How exciting: new resolutions, new hopes, new opportunities, new initiatives, new results - a chance to start all over, and to get it right.

It doesn't take long before one realizes how quickly a year has slipped by and how little could be achieved if no planning was done. In fact, many people make long, ambitious list of resolutions, yet very few of them sustained.

Well, one way is to reflect on the events in this past one year and evaluate if I have been productive. It's a question journalists love to ask themselves at the end of every year.

____________________________________________________________

2010 Year In Review

January
Volunteered as an International Peer Advisor for new students; Published my first news story on the school paper; Got rejected on my first tryout for the spring musicale.

February
Completed Community Advisor workshop; Road-tripped to Duluth, Minn.; Paid a visit to UofM's international students association and joined their CNY party.

March

Cibecue, Arizona mission trip during Spring Break.

April

Joined Chi Alpha for an educational trip to the Minneapolis Science Museum, saw the dead sea scroll; Attended the Excellence in Leadership Award banquet, awarded the William Lingren scholarship.

May

Turned 20; Back to Malaysia for summer break; Began internship at Creative Thumbprint.

June

Visited Phuket, Thailand; a dozen camps at church; 19th Boys' Brigade Pesta at Penang.

July

More BB camps; World Cup fever; Appointed a Warrant Officer at 1st Kuala Lumpur Boys' Brigade Company.

August

Back to the states for continued semesters; Switched major from TV Broadcasting to Advertising.

September

A dozen of op-ed; Soft-launched my professional website - The Navigator.

October

Attended Emma's wedding ceremony at the cities; Chi Alpha Fall Retreat at Pillager, Minn.

November

Had a blast at Malaysian Night; Thanksgiving at the Martin's; ISA Annual Passport to the World.

December

Vegas and Arizona trip; Earned bucks working uncountable morning shifts at dormitory front desk.

____________________________________________________________

Before the fireworks go off, while the social networks and phone lines have yet to be buzzed with well-wishes from all around the world, it's time for reflections. I believe 2010 was a year of content. Everything seems to fall into the right spots, with very minimum hiccups and maximum opportunities to learn.

All I wish for the coming 365 days on the Gregorian calendar is to do better. Whatever I had, whomever shall provide, whenever it may be, I want to get the best out of it. Along the way, integrity has to be preserved and perseverance shall prevail.

My wishes to you, fellow readers, are to stay healthy, stay strong, love the people around you, and serve God and His people whole-heartedly. Nothing is too big to achieve, as long as you have a willing heart. Wait no more - go pursue the dreams you have.

Golden Rule: The sky is the limit.

If you haven't accomplished the goals you've set for this year, don't worry! Hop on this last train for the night and be sure to finish up your works soonest possible. When there's a will, there's a way. Though time and tide may not wait for nobody, you can alter the ways you do things and be sure to keep to your crafts. Catching this last train may be the most fortunate thing you could have done for yourself!

So well, all the best, and I shall see you in 2011. Happy New Year! Have a blissful year!

new year, happy new year, 2011, catching last train, resolutions, year in review

Samurai Champloo Manga Animated Series

Samurai Champloo ( Samurai Chanpurū ) is a Japanese animated television series consisting of twenty-six episodes. It was broadcast in Japan from May 20, 2004, through March 19, 2005, on the television network, Fuji TV. Samurai Champloo was created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, whose previous work, Cowboy Bebop, earned him renown in the anime and Japanese television communities. The show was produced by studio Manglobe.

The series is a cross-genre work of media, blending the action and samurai genres with elements of slapstick comedy. It is also a period piece, taking place during Japan's Edo period. The series is interwoven with revisionist historical facts and anachronistic elements of mise-en-scene, dialogue and soundtrack. The series' most frequent anachronism is its use of elements of hip hop culture, particularly hip hop music and the music it has influenced, break dancing, turntablism, hip hop slang, and graffiti. The show also contains anachronistic elements from the punk subculture and modernism, but less prominently. It is one of the first anime TV shows based on hip-hop (Afro Samurai is the other, having been released in 2007).

A Samurai Champloo manga debuted in Shōnen Ace on August 2004. Tokyopop licensed the manga in an English-language release in North America and Madman Entertainment licensed it for an English release in Australia and New Zealand. It is also licensed for a Portuguese-language and Spanish-language release in Brazil and Spain by Panini. There are only 2 volumes in this series.

Samurai Champloo
Genre Chanbara, Comedy-drama
TV anime
Directed by Shinichirō Watanabe
Studio Manglobe
Licensed by

AustraliaNew Zealand Madman Entertainment
CanadaUnited States Geneon Entertainment
United Kingdom MVM Films
Network Animax, Fuji TV
English network United States Cartoon Network (Adult Swim)
Original run May 16, 2004 – March 19, 2005
Episodes 26 (List of episodes)
Manga
Written by Shinichirō Watanabe
Illustrated by Masaru Gotsubo
Published by Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher Australia New Zealand Madman Entertainment
Canada United States Bandai Entertainment
Singapore Chuang Yi
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Shōnen Ace
Original run August 2, 2004 – October 29, 2004
Volumes 2

Dark Reign Manga Animation Wallpapers

The fight against the “Dark Reign” begins as the duty of chronicling Frank Castle’s war journal is passed to new regular team of writer Rick Remender. The Dark Reign's chief power broker assembles a case study of professional criminals on the superhuman grid -scrutinizing threat, loyalty, influence, power, and expendability. In the words of the Green Goblin himself: "Our purpose is to know our enemies - and our enemies' enemies - as we do ourselves."

Dark Reign strikes Marvel’s first family—in an explosive way! Prepared to be blown away as: HAMMER agents attack the Baxter Building. Reed changes everything. The Human Torch suffers a horrible loss and Franklin and Val go shopping. There's Time travel, Alternate realities, Celestials, Eternals, Deviants and Doombots.

Fruits Basket Manga Anime Series Wallpapers

Fruits Basket, sometimes abbreviated Furuba, is a shōjo manga series by Natsuki Takaya. It was serialized in the semi-monthly Japanese magazine Hana to Yume, published by Hakusensha, from 1999 to 2006. The series was also adapted into a 26-episode anime series, directed by Akitaro Daichi. The series tells the story of Tohru Honda, an orphan girl who, after meeting Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Sohma, learns that thirteen members of the Sohma family are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac and are cursed to turn into their animal forms if they are embraced by anyone of the opposite sex. Though at least by the anime it's more of just torso to torso touch that activates it.

The word "Fruits" in the title is always plural; the spelling originates from the transcription of the English word "fruit" into Japanese, where because there is no "tu" sound, "tsu" is used instead. The title comes from the name of a popular game played in Japanese elementary schools, which is alluded to in the series. The 136 chapters of Fruits Basket were originally serialized in Japan by Hakusensha in Hana to Yume from January 1999 to November 2006. These were collected in 23 tankōbon volumes, with the final volume published in Japan on March 19, 2007.

The series is licensed in English in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop and in Singapore by Chuang Yi. The Singapore edition is licensed to be imported to Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. All 23 English-language volumes have been released in North America and Singapore. In addition, Tokyopop released a box set containing the first four volumes in October 2007, and started re-releasing earlier volumes in "Ultimate Editions" combining two sequential volumes in a single larger hard-cover volume with new cover art. The first Ultimate Edition release met with mixed reviews, however, because they exactly reproduce the first two volumes without correcting changed page numbers or prior errors. As of June 2008, four Ultimate Editions have been released, covering the first eight volumes of the series.

Chuang Yi also publishes in Singapore a Simplified Chinese edition as well as English. In Europe, Fruits Basket is licensed in French by Delcourt, in Spanish by Norma Editorial, in Italian by Dynit, in Dutch by Glénat, in German and Swedish by Carlsen Comics, in Finnish by Sangatsu Manga, and in Polish by Japonica Polonica Fantastica. In Latin America, Editorial Vid has released the complete series in Mexico in Spanish, and Editora JBC began releasing a Portuguese translation in Brazil in April 2005.

Aishiteruze Baby Romance Manga Anima Series

Aishiteruze Baby, also known as I Love You, Baby) is a shōjo romance manga by Yoko Maki. It was serialized by Shueisha in Ribon from April 2002 and January 2005 and collected in seven bound volumes. It was adapted as a 26-episode anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment and Animax, broadcast in Japan on Animax from April to October 2004. The series is about a teenage boy, Kippei, who becomes the caretaker of his 5-year-old cousin, Yuzuyu, after her mother abandons her. Both the manga and anime have been praised for successfully mixing serious issues with a light-hearted tone.

Aishiteruze Baby was adapted into an anime television series by TMS and Animax. It was directed by Masaharu Okuwaki, with music by Miki Kasamatsu and character designs by Junko Yamanaka and Masatomo Sudo. The opening theme was "Sunny Side Up" performed by Yo Hitoto, and the ending theme was "Nennensaisai", literally "Years-Years-Old-Old" and a play on baby-talk for "go to sleep") performed by Yo Hitoto. The series was initially broadcast in 26 episodes across Japan on Animax from 3 April 2004 to 9 October 2004. It is licensed in France.

Aishiteruze Baby
AishiteruzeBaby-v1.jpg
Cover of Japanese volume 1
(Aishiteru ze Beibe★★)
Genre Slice of life story, Romance, Drama
Manga
Written by Yoko Maki
Published by Shueisha
English publisher Canada United States Viz Media
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Ribon
Original run April 2002 – January 2005
Volumes 7
TV anime
Directed by Masaharu Okuwaki
Studio TMS Entertainment
Network Animax
Original run 3 April 2004 – 9 October 2004
Episodes 26

2010 film year review

After presenting the top 10 of best and worst films here are some notable prizes i created. Enjoy!



Best film of the yearThe girl with the dragon tattoo
Comic book film of the yearKick Ass
Surprise of the yearSolomon Kane
followed by
DevilPredators

Adventure of the year

Resident Evil: AfterlifeThe expendables
Horror of the yearRec 2
Animation of the yearHow to train your dragon


Biggest

Home is Where the Heart Belongs

Many international students, I suppose, must have once been asked: "Do you miss home?"

Being a foreigner myself, this question doesn't seem alien to my daily conversations. This question often leads to my tussle over the meaning of "home."

Home may refers to the motherland of which you are born to; or it may simply signifies a place where you will feel comfortable living at. For instance, my home could be my country of origin, which is Malaysia, or anywhere that I feel contented to sleep-in.

Well, I don't just sleep-in at your house. That makes "home" a little more than a shelter.

Home is where your heart belongs.

It is important for international students to get comfortable with the new environment (on- or off-campus) that they are settled into because this land will literally be the place where they have to spend their next few years.

Hence, it is substantial for these new comers to find an affliction at this new place for which they can call to be belonged. This sort of afflictions may be a group of friends, a club or association, a support group, or straightforward involvement with daily events and routines.

Our school's Center for International Studies has done a good job keeping new international students accompanied from their orientation onwards. Social nights are organized in order to familiarize students with the local community members.

Besides, the International Students Association, the umbrella organization of all cultural student groups on campus, is ever-ready to receive new students with a friendly smile and an understanding heart. Nothing is more embracing than knowing there is a group of professional supports who are there to offer hospitality for someone who knows nothing of the new ground.

Think of home as a chamber for the heart to reside. What constitutes to building the trust to put yourself out there, in a new surrounding?

Get connected. Your heart needs to know there is someone whom you can trust and cling onto in times of need. Expand your horizons: Attend a church, get along with some helpful people and in return you will find how such acquaintanceship can help you build a sense of belonging.

Feeling - more than knowing - that you are secure at a new place is essential to an alien.

Be accustomed to the practical lifestyles of the town, know what are the do's and don'ts, and abide by the laws of the state. A good new citizen will never try to break any traditions of the society. Do test the water before you decide to do something "big," like criticizing the local politicians out loud.

Finally, yet most fundamentally, is to allow your heart to sink into the notion of "being at home."

Nothing aids more than you convincing your mind, soul, and heart that you are here for a reason. Know for sure that you have made a major decision to leave your comfort zone and this could be a turning point in your life. Do not fear, for life is all about growing and learning new experiences. Be a helpful hand to someone else whom may be in similar situations. This helps not only others but yourself to feel belonged to the now-pertained "home."

So now, do you still miss home?

home, international, international students, home, Home, Heart, Home is where the heart belongs, belongingness, school.

Year review: Top 10 turkeys of 2010

This year was so full of...bad films. Truly memorable bad. Let us sit back and enjoy myself, tearing them apart due to their inexplicable plot holes, cheesy visuals, rotten scripts and lame performances. Some of them though come out as major disappointments due to the high expectations i had for them. Get ready, fasten your seatbelts and enjoy... George's top 10 worst/bad/lame/horrible/dreadful/

A Taste of Vegas + Grand Canyon

Lotsa ups and downs this weekend. Had some fun over at Nevada, the silver state, and is now back to the state of 10,000 lakes. Thank God that the weather isn't so bad these few days but I heard the it will turn icy on Friday, so behold.

Las Vegas is indeed a land of controversy. Let's put it this way, I enjoyed the enormous sights I retrieved from this tourist attraction point, but the practices and activities in the cities somehow disgusted me.

Probably because I have resided in a small town at St. Cloud long enough, I got used to the warm and welcoming community. In someways, I have almost expected people around to be nice. It was hard to imagine how the people in such breathtaking cities like Vegas could be a little cold-blooded.

However, I daresay the awesome architectures in the city of lights cannot be found anywhere else. You can see almost every famous buildings - the New York Empire State Building, Statute of Liberty, Eiffel Tower of Paris, Egyptians' Pyramid, and not to forget, the elegant hotels - all in one focal point. You guessed it right, the city wow-ed me even more when the entire place is lit up at night. No word could really describe how much I was in awe walking along the streets.

The food were rather normal in Vegas. Buffet styled luncheon and dinners are the most popular meals in the hotels while other ethnic foods were considered way too expensive. Yet I supposed I have gained a few pounds from there.

Fashions and styles are overtly emphasized in this high end city. You'll see brands like Gucci, Burberry, LV, etc., all across the main buildings facing the streets. It has somehow made me think they have overdone it. I don't believe a good brand needs to shout its name right at your face. Yet, I see people love it that way. Well.

Another terrific place that I have traveled through this vacation was across the state of Arizona to the Grand Canyon. I would say that was the most memorable part of the trip. It took us six hours of drive - single trip - from Vegas to the Canyons. Nonetheless, the God-created beauty at the canyons worthed all our neck-aches and discomforts we had during the journey. I love how the canyons were connected and you could almost see no ends to the enormous rocks and hills. I want to be back to this beautiful place in the future, and also to hike down the canyons!

It's interesting to explore this 'sin city' as an underage teen. I watch people indulge in so-called the "fun" while losing themselves in the "game." A good church friend of mine reminded me of how Christ has died for us - not for us to enjoy the world - but so we can live eternally. God bless her heart. I woke up from the dream to be a part of this world. Yet many a time I forgot the true meaning of life. This trip has been a mark in my life that would turn me around and check my heart for Christ.

God is faithful. Even when things are sailing smoothly in life, He will give us that alarm to alert us of our attitudes. I pray God saves the sin city to keep from growing more sinful but to be land of true prosperity.

Well, two more days to a brand new year. What's been done this year should really be evaluated and a rigid plan for 2011 needs to be laid out. I hope you had a good time over Christmas and continue to enjoy a bit of the break left, before school starts in full swing again.

Cheerios! [Check out photo album here: Facebook photo album; Watch video of Vegas street here: Youtube A Glance at Vegas]

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Year review: Top 10 best films of 2010

Finally the year 2010 is ending in a few days and its portals will open to our great 2011! So far, we had lots, lots of swearing, heavy effects driven adventures, hardcore dramas, tearful animations and great performances! So let's have a look at this year's films and see what the mind of a genius-that's me baby- thinks about them. I saw more than 40 films on the big screen between jan 2010-dec

Kungfu Panda Animation Series Disney

Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by John Wayne Stevenson and Mark Osborne and produced by Melissa Cobb, and stars the voice of Jack Black along with Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong and Jackie Chan. Set in ancient China, the plot revolves around a bumbling panda named Po who aspires to be a kung fu master. When an evil kung fu warrior is foretold to escape from prison, Po is unwittingly named the chosen one destined to bring peace to the land, much to the chagrin of the resident kung fu warriors.

The Panda is but a humble waiter in his father's noodle restaurant. By night he dreams of greatness as a kung fu fighter so fierce, he takes down the enemy with "overexposure to pure awesomeness." A quirk of fate lands Po the unlikely title of Dragon Warrior, and the even unlikelier job of actually learning kung fu and using his gelatinous-ness to defeat the evil Tai Lung.

Although the concept of a "kung fu panda" has been around since at least 1993, work on the film did not begin until 2004. The idea for the film was conceived by Michael Lachance, a DreamWorks Animation executive. The film was originally intended to be a parody, but director Stevenson decided instead to shoot an action comedy furry Wuxia film that incorporates the hero's journey narrative archetype for the lead character. The computer animation in the film was more complex than anything DreamWorks had done before. As with most DreamWorks animated films, Hans Zimmer (collaborating with John Powell this time) scored Kung Fu Panda. He visited China to absorb the culture and get to know the China National Symphony Orchestra as part of his preparation. A sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2, is in production and set for release on May 27, 2011.

The Incredibles Animated Disney

The Incredibles is a 2004 computer-animated superhero comedy film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The starring voices are Craig T. Nelson as Bob Parr, a superhero called "Mr. Incredible" who is forced to give up saving people's lives; Holly Hunter as his wife; Sarah Vowell as their teenage daughter; Spencer Fox as their young son; Jason Lee as Mr. Incredible's most avid fan; Samuel L. Jackson as Bob's friend; and Elizabeth Peña as the beautiful assistant of a vengeful supervillain. Bob's yearning to help people draws the entire Parr family into a battle with the villain and his killer robot.

The film won the 2004 Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, along with two 2004 Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature. It also received nominations for two other Academy Awards, won a 2005 Hugo Award, and was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 2004 Golden Globes.

The story is set in a world where some people have superhuman abilities. Two of these superpeople, or "supers", are Mr. Incredible, who is exceedingly strong, and Elastigirl, who can stretch her body into almost any shape. Mr. Incredible has a bright but foolhardy young fan named Buddy, who invents gadgets and wants to be Mr. Incredible's sidekick. Mr. Incredible rejects Buddy and other would-be helpers, telling them "I work alone." The film begins in the city of Municiberg, with a busy day of crimefighting and the wedding of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who call themselves Bob and Helen Parr. Shortly afterward, lawsuits from injured bystanders lead to a political backlash that forces all superheroes to stop saving the world and live normal lives.

Canvas 2 Romance Anime Series

Also known as just Canvas 2, is a dating sim by F&C FC01 with a 24-episode romance anime produced by Kadokawa Shoten based on the game, along with a manga series of the same name. The series focuses on the lives of some students and teachers at Nadesico Academy both at school and their private lives. The main character of the series is Kamikura Hiroki, who lives with his younger cousin Elis. Hiroki is training to become a full-fledged art teacher while also trying to take care of Elis. When his childhood friend Kiri starts working at the school, drama begins to flare as he has to juggle his work, private life, and the feelings for these two important girls.

Alternative Titles:
Canvas2 ~Rainbow Coloured Sketch~
Canvas2 (Chinese (Taiwan))
Canvas2 ～ (Japanese)
Genres: Comedy Drama Romance Slice Of Life
Episodes: 24 Episodes
Status: Finished
Airing Date: Oct 02, 2005
Kamikura Hiroki is an art student at the local school Nadesico Achedemy (High School and colledge level) that tends to be an arts teacher in the future. He is also the advisor to the high school arts society where his cousin, Housen Ellse attends. While Ellse is a painter like Hiroki, Hiroki seems to have given up on his dreams and no longer paints. There appears to be some mysterious trauma in the past for both of them that have changed them. Meanwhile, the high school hires a new PE teacher, Kikyo Kiri. On the first day, she bumps into Hiroki and is stunned. Here is the boy she confessed to and he refused her.