My reading tools:

Kobo Touch $139 or Kindle for $79
 • Battery lasts 1-2 MONTHS
• Many many many free books on http://www.gutenberg.org/
• E-Ink technology is absolutely amazing, no sore eyes, reads just like paper
• Light and portable
• Saves you money in the long run! Invest in one today!

Let’s Begin!!

And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie
Theme: Crime, thriller, mystery, detective
Rating: 8/10
Comment: I thoroughly enjoyed most aspects of Agatha Christie’s MOST SOLD novel. The novel is very short and is not like any other Agatha Christie novels. I was reading the first 50 pages or so and I kept thinking to myself…. when is Hercule Poirot going to appear!! I love Hercule Poirot! I will warn you that he does not appear in this novel. There is no central protagonist in this novel. It is a free for all. The novel is set on an island called “Indian Island.” Ten strangers are brought together onto this island by a strange letter addressing them to come spend a week here. The island is a paradise until one of the ten dies.

I did not give this book a 10 because, as a Hercule Poirot fanboy, I was expecting M. Poirot to come out to solve the mystery for the readers. He does not do that! Furthermore, the first 50 pages or so was quite confusing with so many characters introduced to you all at once. However, this does not seem to be a problem as Christie constantly reminds readers who is who. “And then there were none” is still a fantastic read that you should pick up right now! It is a short book and you would be able to finish it in a day.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Author: Agatha Christie
Theme: Crime, thriller, mystery, detective
Rating: 10/10 (11 if I could)
Comment:
One of Agatha Christie’s most famous novels is this one: The Murder of Roger Akroyd. The novel takes on a new turn when the narrator is not Poirot’s usual Captain Hastings; rather, another character named Dr. Sheppard. My first impression with this novel was quite neutral. I was very curious why the internet praised this novel with such high awards and ratings. The first few chapters followed quite the standard mystery novels. A murder happens, followed by a string of hints and clues which lead the reader to suspect the half of dozen of characters in the novel. What made me go “WHOAH?!” Well, that is for you to find out. Without spoiling too much of the novel, I can tell you that this type of writing was UNPRECEDENTED at the time and received a very controversial criticism. As times passed by, critics have started to acknowledge the magnificence of such a style of writing. This “WHOAH” factor really brings the book from a 8 all the way to a 10.

I strongly recommend any reader to have a stab at this book. You have to keep track of all the characters carefully, and perhaps you will not be as shocked as I was when you find out this “WHOAH” factor.

The ABC Murder

Author: Agatha Christie
Theme: Crime, thriller, mystery, detective
Rating: 8/10
Comment:
This is one of many Agatha Christie’s mystery novel. This also happens to be my first encounter with Agatha Christie and I realized how powerful of a writer she was. Although not in the same period as Conan Doyle, she definitely does not lose against him. I have come to realize how prudently Agatha writes her novels in a way that reveals to you all the hints yet does not let you quite grasp the facts until the last dozen pages. In the ABC murder, we encounter the famous detective Hercule Poirot, and his faithful assistant Hastings. The two sit around waiting for a case, and voila a case appears. The case follows a series of murder which (coincidentally?) occur in an alphabetical method. After the murder of A-person and then B-person, Hercule Poirot is ever so determined to prevent the C-person from being murdered. Will he succeed?

The ABC Murders did not receive a 10/10 because of such complexity of the case. I had to read some pages twice to fully grasp the case. The narrator jumps back and forth between places and characters and there are simply too many suspects to get a hold of! In the end, I was so confused as to who was what that I had to keep a side note list of characters. In any case, as I have learned with all of Agatha Christie’s novel that she does not like to end things calmly; rather, she likes to twist the ending and give the readers a surprise. And I can vouch that she did just that.

The Street Lawyer

Author: John Grisham
Theme: Legal thriller
Rating: 9/10
Comment:
Written by a true corporate lawyer turned pro-bono lawyer, John Grisham demystifies the dirty secrets of big corporate, big time money lawyers. He manifests an ugly insight into the truth of their work. Not only does this novel give you a true insight into the lives of big time lawyers, but also shows you the good and bad sides of both. The story follows the life of a young corporate lawyer who, after witnessing a traumatizing experience, decides to walk away from wealth and fortune, and into the lives the penniless and homeless. At the same time, this young lawyer uses his wit to unveil the ugly truth behind the corporate lawyer world. The style of writing is quite captivating in that not a moment is lost. Grisham does not beat around the bush and punches you with facts after facts which progress the story line. There is no soft mushy “Jane Eyre” type monologues; rather, it is written more dramatic, much more action and this book will definitely keep you on your toes. This book did not receive a 10/10 because the novel was a little too short and left a lot of descriptive details to the imagination of the readers.

Weekly Updates!

Speak Up Mandarin Improv is a great way to start learning mandarin phrases used in daily interactions!
Want to get an internship or a job in China but don’t know where to start? Mandarin Improv is the perfect class for you!

The class is grammar and scenario based: each week will teach you basics of the language and you will apply it to a scenario conversation!

The cost is only $10 for the winter semester ($5 for MCSS members!)

WHEN:1pm every Sunday,
WHERE: McLennan Library, M5-37 (5th floor)
To know find out more! Click here

Lesson Plans

Lesson 1
Grammar and basic knowledge
• The four tones, simple and conjugate consonants
• Theme: Greeting people, introducing yourself
Lesson 2
Singular and plural expression
• Counting
• Expressing plural forms of different subjects
• Theme: Restaurant and food
Lesson 3
Asking questions
• Different ways of asking a question
• Tones involved in turning a sentence into a question
• Theme: Asking for directions and location
Lesson 4
Expressing possession
• Indicating possession of objects and property
• Theme: Shopping
Lesson 5
Negation words, inclusive words
• How to say ‘no’ – there are many ways!
• Putting multiple ideas into one sentence
• Theme: Doctor’s visit
Lesson 6
Past, present and future tenses
• How to indicate different tenses in a conversation
• Theme: Vacation, such as booking hotels and locations of visit
Lesson 7
Time
• Days of the week, telling the hour
• Theme: Time, seasons and date
• Interesting fact? The character for moon is the same as the one for month
Lesson 8
Talking on the phone
• Greeting over a phone conversation
• Differences between a normal conversation and a phone conversation
• Theme: Phone calls, rendezvous
Lesson 9
Comparing things, emphasizing a sentence/idea
• Theme: Watching movies
Lesson 10
TBA: Give us your feedback and decide what you want to learn!

Being a beginner myself, I have some really helpful tips for those of you who want to take up this sport.

The most important tip: Protect yourself

No one will learn how to snowboard without taking a lot of falls and those falls can be really painful. People might tell you “no pain no gain”, but honestly the pain can be so bad, you won’t gain anything else but a trip to the hospital. During last year’s ski trip, I’ve driven people to the hospital for concussion and broken nose and it was not a fun experience.

The main reason people give up learning snowboard is because of a really bad experience or injury. So below are a few tips

Tip 1: Wear a solid helmet. You can rent one for $6-$10 a day, or buy a really good one at Canadian Tire or Winners for as low as $29.99.

$29.99: Kranked Helmet at Canadian Tire.

Tip 2: Wear knee pads. You will fall on your knees a lot and you do not want to limp the next day. If you own knee pads from skateboarding or volleyball bring them. If not you can get some at Walmart or some high end ones at Sports Experts. However, the best deals I’ve found is at Dollarama and they are only $2. Go to the “outdoor tools” or “gardening” section and you will find these:

$2. Knee pad at Dollarama.

Tip 3: Protect your tail bone. This is the most common fracture that you might suffer and it is extremely painful and serious. There are special hip protectors you can buy; but why spend $80 if you can simply take a cushion or small pillow and put it underneath your snowpants. Sometimes a hat or folded sweater can also do the job.

$29.99. Demon shield hip protective belt at allsportprotection.com OR simply stuff a cushion under your pants, it will make your look like Kim Kardashian!

Tip 4: Protect your wrist. Again you can find some wrist protectors at Canadian Tire or Walmart, or you can simply put some foam or cushion between your palms and your gloves and this will cushion your falls and absorb the shock and damage. I remember when I was learning in-line skating at the age of 8, I fell backward while going downhill and tried to support myself with my hands, I ended up straining my elbow and it took 3 months to heal.

$9.99. Wrist Protectors at Canadian Tire.

Tip 5: Fall properly. Always be in an “athletic stance” meaning with bent elbows, bent knees and hips, so that when you fall you can quickly balance yourself and the fall won’t be brisk and hard.

Learn how to snowboard:

Step 1: Introduction

Step 2: Skating and Stepping

Step 3: Straight Glide

Step 4: J-turns

Step 5: Riding the Chairlift

Step 6: Starting, Stopping & Getting up

Step 7: Garlands

Step 8: C Turns

Step 9: Linking Turns

Weekly Updates!

Here is a great link 24/7 for news EN FRANCAIS!!!
http://www.livestation.com/channels/49-rfi-monde-french

COMPLETE COURSE SYLLABUS
Click here

Weekly Theme Course Notes

This week we went over a very hard topic:Les Entrevues!
Click here

This week we reviewed one of the most important themes:Les Directions
Click here

Here is the newest common phrases and vocabulary: Sur Les Pistes
Click here

Welcome back guys! Today’s theme was generally a review for most of you. The theme was “Les questions”
Today’s theme!
Click here

This is the seventh and LAST week before les vacances!! Also next week we will be having lunch together as a farewell before seeing you again in January!! Les Vacances!
Click here

This is the sixth week for Speak UP!! Also next week will be the last one before exams!! We will resume in January! Chez le docteur!
Click here

This is the fifth week for Speak UP!!: Magasiner!
Click here

Here is the fourth week’s common phrases and vocabulary: Un Rendez-vous Romantique
Click here

Here is the third week’s common phrases and vocabulary: On Se Promene
Click here

Here is the second week’s common phrases and vocabulary: Au Resto
Click here

Here is the first week’s common phrases and vocabulary: Introduction
Click here

What is Speak UP?

The class is scenario based, meaning each week we will teach you how to act in a different scenario.

The cost is only $15 for the year (school year).

WHEN: 1pm every Saturday,
WHERE: McLennan Library, M5-37 (5th floor)
To know find out more! Click here

Some useful links for self- improvements!

Live French News

http://www.france24.com/fr/aef_player_popup/france24_player#

A very long yet useful lesson for basic French grammar and rules

Basic phrases for application uses *recommended*

Located in Chinatown, 1062 St. Laurent,
514-393-1030

A lot of times first years will often ask how come they got refused in this club?

It turns out that it’s probably not the fact that they were using a fake ID but more likely because they were wearing white sneakers.

Many McGillians who experienced frosh think that clubs are places where people go wild in ripped t-shirts with all kinds of stains and signatures because it is their first time drinking. Some even think you have to wear flip flops to get in. Please… I’ve had enough of this. Someone needs to end this misconception right NOW.

Remember that Montreal is a city of fashion, so do not let that thought slip your mind. Thus, one must dress appropriately when you are going for a good night out.

I’m not saying you have to dress meticulously, but I AM saying you have to dress PROPERLY. So here’s a do’s and don’ts:

Don’ts: Wifebeaters, shorts, baggy jeans, cargo pants, colourful sneakers, plain or monocrhome T-shirts, sandles, flip flops, caps, headbands, wristbands, shades, backpacks, sweatpants
Do’s: Dresses, blouses, one-piece, leggings, mini skirts, polos, dress shirts, suits, dress pants, dress shoes, black shoes

So in essence, you want to ook like this:

Lastly, girls do have more flexibility, but please still avoid flips flops and even long dresses because you are not going to a picnic in a park. Remember be responsible and never drink and drive! Have a fun night out!

Yannick: The most practical camera they can get. You have to get a camera that you can carry around. Today people are all around the place and if they want a really good camera they need a camera to follow them around: cameras like Sony Nex series, Olympus Pen series, and Panasonic G series. Back then these cameras did not exist and that’s why you see people buy Canon Rebels because they were the smallest ones available that enable you to take good shots. Now that Nex camera came out is truly amazing, it is small but you have everything you need in a big camera. For sure the kit lens is a bit limiting but the image quality is really good for low light conditions.

Yuxin: What is the price ranges of these cameras you are mentioning?
Yannick: Around 700-900, so it is comparable to the Rebels.

Yuxin: What about shooting videos?
Yannick: the Nex-3 offers quick autofocus that you would find in a camcorder. This saves the user a lot of trouble because they don’t have to manually focus. It is much more user friendly in that sense.

Yuxin: Do you think Nex series or Panasonic G series lost functionality when it traded for a smaller size?
Yannick: Not really, but for some advanced settings there are some shortcomings. Such as access to bracketing and stuff like that. But now that I’ve tried the Nex-3 and customized to my needs, it blurs the line between the big cameras and the small Nex-3. A tip is that you really have to upgrade the firmware to v4 because it is a new camera and Sony is constantly improving it with updates.

Yuxin: What do you like the most about the Nex-3?
Yannick: It’s super light and it can take photos that are nearly as good as a big camera. Sometimes you don’t realize the weight of a full frame camera because when you are in a working environment you have the adrenalin, but when you are going around with friends you do feel the weight. So the Nex-3 is really an innovation.

Yuxin: Why would you recommend starters to stay away from an entry level dSLR?
Yannick: Because it’s a big investment, a good camera and a kit lens is around $1500, and everything else will just cost even more. In the past I’ve convinced a lot of people to buy a dSLR and over 30 of them that used to go to photo shootings with me stopped taking photos now. So, if you are serious about photography and are willing to make an investment then get a good dSLR, but if you just want to get some high quality pictures when you are out get the smaller and cheaper Nex-3.

Yuxin: Sony Nex series only comes with 3 lenses, do you think it is limiting?
Yannick: Yes, if you shoot in low light conditions. But in August sony is planning to introduce more lenses. They already have a 16mm pancake lens that is good for low light, but they are coming out with a 24mm f/1.8 and a 50mm f/1.8 with image stabilization.

Yuxin: What advice do you have for someone who really wants a dSLR?
Yannick: Like I said before, it’s a big investment but once you make the investment you have to shoot every day. I shoot cups, flowers, buildings, people and everyday I train my eyes to see things differently. Now, they do it naturally. So if they are really serious about it, get one. But if they want to get one because of they are jealous of their friend’s photos on facebook or if they want to look pro then I would advise them to skip the dSLR’s and just get a Nex-3, it’s a whole lot more practical and the user will probably carry it around more and use it more.

Yuxin: What if someone already owns a dSLR but doesn’t use it very much, what advice would you have?
Yannick: I have a few pieces of advice for them. One is always carry a camera around with you every day. Consider buying a bag not just to fit your camera but also can hold your water bottle, your umbrella, your make up (for girls) and all the everyday stuff. Carrying one bag is much easier than two. Once you get to take your camera out you have to bring the photographer in you, so take a picture everyday, finish and post it, this way your photography will never die out.

Interested in food photography? Here are nine camera angles and examples that will help you create mouth-watering pictures.

Choosing the best angle, when shooting food, comes from a good observation and an inner feeling. Before composing your image, try to enter into a visual meditation, move calmly around your subject and simply observe with your bare eyes. Just keep in mind that this meditation cannot be long-lasting, as you know that freshly prepared food will not continue to maintain that “fresh look” for more than a few minutes.

Photographing food is very similar to photographing people in a sense that each person has her best side. Considering the variety of food out there, diverse cooking and presentation styles, the final results are endless. This array of unique subjects creates an opportunity for infinite camera angle choices.

Angle 1: Head-on Zen:

The camera is completely centered to the subject. This created a very clean contemporary look and feel. Tip: Keep the props to the minimum.

Angle 2: From Above:

Camera is positioned directly above the subject and perfectly centered. This angle produces a very contemporary, graphic look.

Angle 3 Tilt Towards:

Camera is tilted right, so the subject tilts counterclockwise and the dish is welcoming you in, motivating the spectator to indulge in image.

Angle 4. Tilt Away:

Camera is tilted left, so the subject tilts clockwise, pulling away from you, engaging the viewer the desire to follow.

Angle 5. Close up and personal

Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject. It won’t bite. Or will it? When you are shooting close ups, the point of reference loses its importance, so any camera angle will produce an appetizing image or not?

Angle 6. Above with Perspective:

The camera is positioned above the front of the subject, then the camera is tilted up until the subject fills the frame. The photograph will maintain a graphic dynamic composition that will engage the eye to scan the image from the foreground to the background.

Angle 7. Diagonal:

Turn you camera so the subject starts in one corner and ends in the opposite corner, breaking the space diagonally.

Angle 8. With respect to the Line:

When looking through the viewfinder align the edge of the frame to any line you see in your subject. In this case three parallel lines were aligned. This created a very monumental and unusual composition, granting unprecedented importance to this slice of a regular cake.

Angle 9. Gentle tilt:

The camera was tilted just slightly to the left. Why? Because the human brain likes to scan things by section. If the camera had been levelled, then the middle wedge would create a horizontal line that would divide the composition in two sections and forcing the eye to travel away from the center. In this case, we would have our eyes flow freely though the whole image while stopping only at the focal point. The “gentle tilt” is the technique that creats this effect.

Conclusion:

Try to forget about the rule of thirds and everything you just learned, just move around your subject and really try to see it and when you see it, draw the camera to your eye and start framing. Keep your mind clear, no thinking. When you start getting a warm fuzzy feeling entering through your stomach and spreading to your chest, just push the button.

THE YOUTUBE SENSATION

We first met up with JReyez in February of 2009. I heard his first mixtape, and was amazed by his lyrical ability so we invited him to our first annual dance competition as an MC and rapper. I remember being surprised at how shy JReyez was when I first met him. He spoke few words and remained very humble, so I was more shocked when he went up on stage and mastered his sets with unbelievable confidence and energy. Later that night, we took JReyez and his manager to Tonic for another set. The ambience was so live that I wasn’t going to let JReyez sit there and look lost, so I decided to break the ice.

“Do you find it difficult to be an Asian Hip-hop artist?”

“It’s hard. Y’know,” he said as he threw me a one-sided grin. “I face a lot of obstacles because I’m Asian. But I love what I do so I do everything myself, I shoot my own videos and edit them ’cause it cost a lot of money to hire someone else.”

“That’s really inspiring, so what’s the greatest motivation behind your music?”

“My greatest motivations are my friends around me, we all have good ambitions, we’re all on the same path and the work we put in shows how much we want it. I go through a lot with my personal life so I write about it into my music and that’s really what inspires me to write the lyrics to certain songs.”

Less than a month later, his career took off on YouTube with his cover of “Wedding Dress” by Taeyang which earned him over 3 million views. A year later we invited JReyez again to perform at our “Academy of Heroes” show alongside Nigahiga, Brian Puspos, JR Aquino and others. As he got off the full-size limo bus that we rented for them, he gave me a firm handshake.

“Sup?” he said. “J.”

“Sup?” I greeted, as I nodded back and those 4 alphabets were all I heard from him until later that night after the show.

I guess not much has changed over the past year; JReyez was still as quiet and as concise as before. I’ve always wonder if by “J” he meant JReyez or Justin, his real name, but I guess the J in JReyez stands for Justin.

When the word change is brought up, we cannot forget about the change that happened in JReyez’s career. 2010 was his year. He “reyezed” to internet superstardom. He has gone on many tours and performed all over Australia, Europe, US, and Canada. I have been a subscriber of his YouTube channel since 2008, and I saw his fan base and viewership take a steep rise with each song that he posted. If I had to choose one word to describe JReyez, it would be “witty” since he’s extremely good at advertising himself and extending his fan base. He has collaborated with many different people in many different songs: other rappers, singers, comedians and even Jin, one of the most well-known Asian MCs.

Futhermore, JReyez not only has taste in music but also taste in his design. He designs all his promotion materials and his YouTube banner, take a look and you will see that it looks a lot more professional than the average banner you will come across on YouTube. Many who have listened to JReyez’s old mixtapes might criticize him for recycling lyrics from his older, less famous, songs and they recommend that JReyez put more effort into music rather than marketing.

However, JReyez shrugs off most of the radical, ill-written criticisms he gets on YouTube by using logic expressed in perfectly grammatical English. He knows what he needs to do and he won’t let any “haters” stop him. He understands that music is important but successful marketing is more essential.

In today’s industry, marketing is “make or break”. What is good music if no one hears about it? I remember once over lunch, Jason Chen, the Taiwanese American YouTube singer, once told me that JReyez was the best marketer he knows on YouTube. So clearly JReyez knows what he is doing because with the help of internet, it is becoming increasing easier for passionate, talented young artist to rise to overnight fame and the competition is fierce. Sadly, nowadays pure talent is not enough. A good example would be Rebecca Black. Although she doesn’t fall under the talented category, Black’s sudden explosion to fame proves the importance of marketing.
You have to understand that JReyez works hard and doesn’t take a break.

When I first met JReyez in person, he was standing with his crew from Nu-Lite at the hall of Cegep Maisonneuve reciting his lyrics and practicing for the show. In fact he practiced the entire time he was there and completely blew me away with his performance that night. He has set himself a high goal and he is determined to achieve it. He’s also extremely bright. He knows that in order for a major label to sign him, he needs a larger following and he has to be marketable. This is why I have a lot of respect for him and I commend him for putting so much effort in marketing himself since his strategy has paid off. His cover of Kpop songs extended his fanbase to a larger crowd in Asia and his recent collaboration with Jay Park, ex-leader of the Kpop band 2PM, further strengthened his popularity amongst that crowd. I can tell that he is constantly looking for new opportunities and for new fan base to breach into, so I was really happy for JReyez when I learned that his “Black and Yellow” cover was featured on the main page of YouTube. All in all, I guess JReyez’s status has really changed for the better; he’s now easily one of the most popular hip hop artists online.

Unfortunately being an event planner myself, the change that affected me most was also the change in his status. He is no longer an underground startup who would drive himself from Toronto for six hours just to perform in Montreal; now he comes with a big price tag and would not settle for anything less than a luxury limo, the size of a grey hound, equipped with leather sofas and large flat screen TVs. Not surprisingly, came also the demand for 4 star hotels, per diem and all the goodies real celebrity deserved. I guess, he is a real celebrity now, at least in the cyber world, but in the end it doesn’t matter because he is sure treating himself like one. Sadly, I didn’t get to spend too much time with JReyez at the Academy of Heroes because I was too busy handling too many things. The show was definitely one of the biggest ones we’ve produced and it was a huge success. I owe a lot of the success to JReyez who ended the concert with a bang. I can never forget the energy level in the building when he performed “Wedding Dress” with Tommy C. The cheering was so loud that I can barely hear the microphone and I was standing right next to JReyez on stage. It didn’t matter because the fans loved it. Montreal loved it. And for that I’m still grateful that his ability “to make people scream till they lost their voices” did not change.

Later that night, I drove some of the artist back to their hotel room and I was trying to get JReyez to do a simple shout out video for us.

“Hey bro, can you do a little shoutout video for us?”

“No.”

“Huh?” I was definitely perplexed.

Did he really change that much? Surely, he must be pulling my legs. I really wanted the shoutout video because I know it was valuable for my association, the McGill Chinese Students’ Society (MCSS). In the end, I guess I cared too much about MCSS to make me give up after one try, so I threw back at him the same grin that he showed a year ago, pouted and begged,

“Pleeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?”

“Ha, I’m just joking man. Of course I’d do anything for you. So tell me what you want me to say.”

I got the shoutout video and felt exhausted after a long day, so I left shortly after.