Nick's city reflection

Last week, My teacher gave us an assignment which was to give a presentation based on the city we call home. We had to find out the history, environmental factors, median age, statistical information, etc based on the chosen city. I chose Kuala Lumpur. I was actually nervous to go up to present but I got the courage to do it when I saw how well my friends gave their presentation. I thought they were really brave and presented with courage.

I think I did alright on certain parts. For example, in the historical factors section, I mentioned Kuala Lumpur's founding and when it achieved city status. In the environmental factors section, I mentioned the local vegetation, water supply and the topography. I included some graphics so that the audience could more easily understand what I was talking about. I showed a clear map of the location of my city and I also showed its origins. I gave the right statistical information like the population, and important dates in Kuala Lumpur's history.

To improve my presentation in the future, I would try and understand what I have written so that when the teacher or the audience ask me what it means, I would know how to answer. Instead of just including information that other people can find on websites, I would include information from my own experience that no one else would know of like where the best roti canai is or like which place has the best view of Kuala Lumpur. I think I should also put less animations on my presentation so there is more space to put more information. There is also more information I should include like the Petronas Twin Towers even though I did put in a picture of it.

In doing this assignment, I learnt many things about Kuala Lumpur. I did not know that Kuala Lumpur had its origins in the 1850s. I was surprised to discover that Kuala Lumpur achieved city status only in 1972 , more than a hundred years after it was founded. I had learnt in my presentation that the population in Kuala Lumpur is 1.9million. I also had not known that the Titiwangsa mountains protected the eastern side of Kuala Lumpur from the monsoon rains.

Overall, I think that I didn't do very well for the presentation. I think I didn't put enough effort into my work. I just copied a lot of information straight from websites and pasted it onto the presentation. Also, I didn't make much eye contact with the audience because I didn't memorize what I wanted to say and kept looking at the presentation which was being projected on the whiteboard. I also think I didn't present in a very interesting way.

Here is a picture of my presentation:

If you want to see my presentation visit this link!

https://docs.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/present/edit?id=0AQyiJzjoNVqrZG1mbW14eF8yMGZmeG5kOXho&hl=en

My resolutions

It is finally a new year, 2011, and I have decided to make some resolutions and set some goals that I want to accomplish. Before this I had never made any resolutions or even knew what the word meant! I know some people say that people who make resolutions don't keep them, but this is going to be different! This is my first time and I'm not going to start off on the wrong foot.My first resolution is to work harder at my studies. I need to do this because right now my grades are quite bad. I know I can do better. I want to make my parents and teachers proud. By doing well in my studies, I will have more time to do other stuff, which brings me to my second resolution ...
My second resolution is to get really fit. I am getting flabby and I know it's bad for my health. The problem is that I love food and most of my free time is spent doing passive things like reading, watching TV or playing video games. I don't spend enough time doing healthy activities like sports. I like to play tennis and football but sometimes I find that there's no time for that since I have a lot of afternoon classes. I do play tennis once a week but I really should play more often. 
My third resolution is that I want to become more organized because I am not as you all call it, a "neat freak". Probably my messiness runs in the family. My dad is really messy! His study has piles and piles of books and newspapers and electronic equipment and other stuff. Walking into it is like going on an obstacle course. I am trying to change my destiny by being organized!
My first goal has been to learn more about Greek mythology. Ever since I started reading Percy Jackson and re-reading the Lord of the Rings, I have become fascinated with tales of men and gods. I think it is very interesting. 
My second goal is that I want to be better at football. I love watching and playing football. I support Manchester United and I love to see how well the players pass the ball and work together as a team. Right now I think I am not great at it because my fitness levels are not as good as some of my friends. I want to get chosen for the school football team and to achieve that I have to become much better. 
During the Christmas holidays last year, my family and I went to Penang for a week. We went with my my grandmother, my aunt (who came back from New York City for the holidays), my uncle and his kids. All of us stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel. It was very exciting and fun because there was a great big swimming pool, water slides, and a kids' club where you could play video games, foosball or pool. I spent most of the day playing in the pool and on the water slides. For dinner, all of us kids had pizzas and burgers from room service. The adults preferred to go out for dinner. So it was really fun because we could do anything we wanted in the hotel suite while they were away. I think it's the best hotel in Penang. We returned to KL the day after Christmas so that part wasn't quite fun. But I guess I must have had too much fun during the holiday because I just slept all the way home. But it wasn't too bad because after the Penang holiday I had a few days to play with the Xbox 360 Kinect hands-free video game system which my sister and I got for Christmas. Here are some pictures of my holiday and the Kinect I got for Christmas:

Our Stylised X'mas tree.

My Kinect all set up and ready to go!

My" Ultimate" favourite game!!

The Hard Rock Hotel!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weee! Sliding down was awesome!!!

The Biggest smiles from my cousin Matt and my sis Allegra ; )

So I think I had a really great Christmas holiday. But now that the holidays are over, I am focused on achieving my resolutions and goals. 2011, here I come!