Photography Blog

Hey, guys! I just created a new photography blog which showcases my photography and edits called MV Photography. The URL is michaelavaleriephotography. It’s still in maintenance but so far, it looks presentable. I hope you like it!

If you want a full scale of the image, you just need to click on the image itself and it will direct you to the full image as well as stating where I took it.

It looks quite plain at the moment but I couldn’t find a really good theme which would only showcase my photos without having to pay for it and this was the only one that I liked that was free.

Maths

So I’ve been going back to being tutored in maths again and I decided that I should hit the books and revise before my tutor came around tonight and tutor me. And I must say, I may have had a heart attack in the process of revising.

When I get back to school in February, I’ll be taking the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Diploma) in my last two years of high school. It is a very demanding and challenging programme and it requires students to give it all they can give. But when I opened that Mathematics Standard Level textbook, I thought that I would be fine when taking this subject. (There are three levels when taking Maths: Core, Standard Level and Higher Level). I didn’t exactly suck at maths nor did I really excel but I wanted a slight challenge and I believed in myself that I could get through the next two years of my life taking Maths SL and getting at least a C average (C is a passing grade so I hope that I won’t be able to get anywhere near a C but C is my last resort when getting a grade).

I opened the first chapter of the book; functions. Oh joy. I never really enjoyed functions nor did I hate it but it wasn’t as horrible as the other chapters. I thought that I should just catch up on the loss of four months of no school and do the first chapter. I did the Skills Test and the Things You Should Know When Doing Functions part of the chapter. It wasn’t difficult at all, thankfully. So I thought, well, this shouldn’t be too difficult. Then I decided to flip through the other chapters and well, my eyes definitely widened. I didn’t understand any of the words and equations and formulas. It was a disaster. Thankfully I have four months before I start school so hopefully I’ll be able to understand or at least get the gist of all the chapters before starting school.

The next two years is going to be one hell of a ride for those who’re taking the IB Diploma. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour. *Kisses my index and  middle finger and lift them both up in the air*. (That was a Hunger Games reference in case you didn’t understand it).

Eye Trick Museum

Today, my Dad, Ate and I went to the Hongik Eye Trick Museum for the first time. I’ve seen plenty of photos from these museums on Facebook but I never really planned on going. Since I lived quite near one, I decided, ‘hey, why not?’. I had my Dad’s camera with me and it would be fun to go.

We took quite a lot of photos but most of them were just of me (just because it was fun posing with the background). There were different types of backgrounds you could pose with: a giant fish eating you, holding an umbrella, feeding someone, catching falling coins etc. In the end, I think, was the best part as you had to go through a mirror maze to get out. I went in first and we ended up going to the same place about three times: the entrance of the maze. Eventually, I went in and managed to find the exit within five minutes. It was quite amusing as there were people who were literally stuck in the maze for quite a while and they were glad when I found it. Quite a few people actually shook my hand and said thank you with a bright smile on their face. Who knows how long it took them to find the exit. Without me, they would’ve never found it.

Overall, today was a really good experience. We walked around Hongik and took a few photos. If you ever find yourself in Hongik University/ Hongdae, you should go to the eye trick museum or just have a look around. There are tons of shops and restaurants and coffee shops. Additionally for those legal readers, there are loads of bars and clubs that you could go to in the evening.

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Random Thoughts

I find it weird yet quite amazing how music can easily change our view on the day or emotions.

Today started off as a bleak as I woke up at ten to eleven pm last night and still haven’t slept yet. I’ve been sitting in my living room drinking water and drawing whilst watching Desperate Housewives. Wow, you’re such a loser. Shush. Yes, I have no life. Not the point but as the sun started to pierce through the thick clouds ever so slightly, I realised how bleak the day was – although some of the bleakness is with the contribution of flipping pollution. But still. Just the sight of a bleak-kind-of-weater somewhat made me feel upset???? Basically, it just made me slightly, well, it made me not happy. It just looked way too depressing and boring. It looked like we could belong in a Silent Hill movie with a Reaper standing in the middle of the street ready to take us to Hell or Heaven or whatever you believe in. (I believe that it’ll just feel like we’re sleeping… for eternity.) Nonetheless, I put my phone on my house speaker and turned on my music. P.S.: it’s not one of those shitty music where the music is all crap pop and shit. It’s somewhat alternative with a slight pop taste and some of my music is slow rock but it did make my day slightly brighter.

But it just amazes me how music just changed my mood so quickly. But then again, I’m still stuck in this house and it’s almost nine am in the morning and I haven’t slept yet additionally, I made an omelette with chicken at six in the morning just because I told myself, hey, it’s six; some people would be awake by now and making breakfast… why the hell not???

I just know today will just be a chill kind of day. You know? Bleak weather, soothing, good-beat-yet-happy kind of music with a good hot chocolate and a good movie to watch, type of day. Or maybe just have a whole day just laying in bed and just read a book or draw? But thankfully my dad will be home today from Canada and Mexico. Quite excited. He hasn’t been home in two weeks so it’ll be nice to see him again.

I hope you guys have a good day whether if the weather is bleak or bright as ever. Just remember, it’s Christmas in ten weeks! And best of all, it’s fall! Get your cozy pyjama pants and sweaters on! Have a great day!

Films

Due to the fact that I have way too much time on my sleeves, I’ve been able to download legally around thirty movies and watched all of them within three and a half days. I have been trying to buy and read a book for a while and I couldn’t find the book anywhere here, I decided to watch the film… I never knew the book was turned into the film. But nevertheless, the film was amazing. I loved it so much.

The film is called The Help. Apparently the film has been out for a few years. The film is about a group of domestic workers that worked in America just after slavery era. The film has dark comedy, drama, sass and is just incredibly interesting to watch. It’s quite a long movie but it is very moving and toys with our emotions – in a good way of course. I’ve cried, I’ve laughed and I felt emotionally attached to most of the characters. Anyway, I suggest you guys watch it. You won’t regret it!

P.S: if you watch the trailer, it doesn’t do the movie justice. I watched the trailer after the movie and I think the trailer somewhat ruined the movie for me. It didn’t show the importance and best parts of the film. It barely showed what the film was really about and the background music made the trailer horrible. Also, the trailer was pretty, excuse my language, shit, crap, uhh, trash. But please watch the film. It’s definitely worth it.

Boredom Will Be The Death of Me

For the past few months, I have done nothing but sleep during the day and watch Desperate Housewives, Some Girls, Breaking Bad and Supernatural. (I watch other shows as well but those are the ones I can remember). I am going to be an absolute wreck when I go back to school in less than four months. I have not been sleeping well and my sleep schedule is beyond messed; sleeping at nine am and waking up at eight in the evening.

Every time I try to fix this problem and actually sleep at regular times such as ten pm, I always wake up at three in the morning and can never go back to sleep. It is nearly impossible.

Honestly it is a great way to get the days to go faster because, well, I am basically asleep during the entire day and don’t have to worry about making plans with, sadly, nothing. Dear god, I have no social life. Don’t fret, silly people. It’s not like I cancel every plan and don’t try to be with friends. It’s just that all of them left to different countries and all the friends I’ve made with… changed. Not in a good way to be exact.

It’s hard to make new friends when you don’t go to school anymore and hard to make new friends in the school you used to go to since they’ve all changed in a horrible way: drinking every weekend, getting pissed, smoking stupid things and just being reckless.

I have no idea what to do. I probably should go see a doctor. I most likely will. Things need to change.

Eight-month Vacation

So at the moment I am somewhat enjoying my eight-month holiday. EIGHT MONTHS???????? WHAT????

Well, I am transferring schools and I’m moving to Australia and the school terms in Australia is slightly different to normal school terms. For example, a new school year begins in late January or early February and their summer vacation is during December-January/February instead of June-August/September.

I applied for a school in Geelong called Geelong Grammar School. According to various sites on the internet, it’s apparently one of the most prestigious schools in Australia and the most expensive school in Victoria. Wow, what a rich kid. Geelong Grammar is a co-ed boarding and day school and is found in Corio. Ironic, right? The school is called Geelong Grammar School and it’s in Corio. Either way, the school is absolutely amazing. It’s incredibly spaced out with multiple fields and a well-being centre and equestrian fields etc.

Anyway, I was a student in Seoul Foreign School in Korea and they finished school in early June. During the summer vacation, I went down to Geelong Grammar to have my tour and interview. Additionally I had to send an essay to the school on why I should attend Geelong Grammar, what I’d be able to give towards the school and what I can gain from the school. My interviewee gave me five days to write this essay. I thought it would be quite easy knowing that the topics weren’t that difficult but it took me the full five days to finally give in my essay. I had no idea what I was saying in that essay except for the fact that I am an international student and that I played numerous sports teams and was on the student council three times in my two schools.

Once I sent that essay, I was terrified knowing that I haven’t written an essay in a month and whether or not I have made multiple grammar and spelling mistakes. Once I had sent the email, I sent my essay to my Dad to reread over and see how good my essay was. And luckily for me, MY DAD FOUND A FEW GRAMMAR MISTAKES AND I FOUND A FEW SPELLING MISTAKES. I had read over my essay multiple times but I couldn’t recognise any of the mistakes before I had sent it. This clearly made me incredibly nervous because I knew how prestigious the school was and I thought that my grammar and spelling mistakes would jeopardise my chance of getting in.

But then, the next night, my Dad had rung up at around ten-o’clock in the evening and told me to check my email. I wasn’t too keen as my Dad did sound quite disappointed. But there I read, “Congratulations, Michaela Valerie Dawson” on the subject and I started yelling and screaming out in joy. I was so happy. I honestly thought I wasn’t good enough for the school hence why I was so nervous. But hey, I made it!

So now, I will be sitting in my house in Seoul for another sixteen weeks awaiting for my first day in Geelong Grammar. I am incredibly excited since this’ll be the third school I’ve moved to and my first experience as being a full-boarder. I honestly can’t wait and I wish the days would go faster!

Random Thought

I was having a conversation with my best friend on snapchat about a utopian world and this is what I conjured.

You know how that a utopian world is basically a world that has no flaws and is basically perfect in every way? What if that eventually people become lunatics in this utopian world since it’s too perfect for them to comprehend and it just turns to pulp… And eventually the utopian world no longer exists. And I thought what if we’re living in a utopian world and we’re in the point in life where we lived the perfect world and couldn’t take it anymore. I sound absolutely mental but think about it… Just a reminder, this thought was conjured at three in the morning.

Feminism.

Now, before all of you go ape-like and crazy-mad at me, I have an opinion. Like anybody else, anyone can express his or her opinion in any form whether it is to blog about it, post it, caption an image about etc. Everyone has opinions on controversial topics and just topics in general. The most controversial topic that I want to talk about is: feminism.

Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of equality of sexes. Meaning, women want to be equal with men.

Now, I don’t disagree with this topic but quite frankly, when people read or see the word feminism, they instantly think about absurd, downright ludicrous women who fight for only women and women only, whereas others truly believe in equality between both sexes.

Now what I’ve seen lately is that women have tried the ‘nude bikini top’ where it is basically a bikini of a nipple. Women have been seen wearing these on beaches and in pool areas and some have been warned not to do so because showing breasts in public is against the law or just wrong and inappropriate.

Some women I’ve read about have been taking this topic and definition to a level in which is the opposite of what is meant to alert people about. Some women have been provoking their rights and causing wars between the law and men.

Some may say that feminists are only for women and only women can be feminists. If you believe in that statement, you clearly are just proper idiots and need to educate yourself on the definition of feminism. Men are allowed to believe that men and women should have equal rights. However, this opinion is not very popular amongst men, as some will be perceived as ‘weak’, ‘gay’, ‘stupid’ etc.

I’d go on but what are you thoughts on feminism? In my opinion, to some degree, it’s quite important that women do have equal rights but then again, I think that men should have equal rights as well.

“New year, New me”

To be honest, that statement: new year, new me is so overrated. Seriously, that’s what everyone says every year on December 31st or January 1st and if you actually think about it, you stay the same person as you were a day ago. You don’t change significantly in 24 hours (unless… yeah). But you get my point. The only thing that you can do is grow from the person you are today. Honestly, that’s what you do everyday. You grow from experiences and I guess that’s what makes you, you. That fascinates me all the time.

Look at it this way; everyone you see or talk to and so on all have different stories. They all have different experiences that makes them what they are now. Doesn’t that intrigue you??? Because it definitely intrigues me a lot. Strangers on the bus or in the car next to you could be having the best day of their life or having the worst or just having a mediocre day like everyone else. They could be going on with their lives: going to school, dropping their kids off, earning money for the family etc. and I’m here sitting on my desk chair and trying to pass time. (I really need something to do).

But as for new years resolutions, try to make a resolution that isn’t too hard to complete and is reasonable. The main resolutions everyone does is: go the gym, have a healthier diet, be more healthy, go out more etc. They’re all the same and I guess everyone just want the same things. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with those resolutions, in fact they’re great because that means it’s a benefit for you! You’re much healthier and you have a better social life, maybe.

As for resolutions, try to make a resolution that you can stick to. Like for me, I made a resolution that I’d go the gym more and eat healthier but that obviously didn’t happen. I haven’t been to the gym in about a year and half. I just found it hard to get myself to go there and work out. I mean, when I did go to the gym, I felt really satisfied with myself but I just didn’t see myself continuing with it. But if you can get yourself to do that everyday then I’m pleased and kudos to you! For resolutions, it’s better and more useful is you set up a deadline. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, you can give yourself a goal and a deadline. This way, it’ll help you push yourself to reach the goal. And maybe if you’re trying to have a healthier lifestyle, lay off the junk food and just have it once a month. Lay off the fizzy drinks and stick to water. Go for the healthier food products. But it’s okay to eat something unhealthy once in a while but try not to eat too much of it!!!

Anyway, I hope you all have a great 2014 and let’s make this the year that we improve ourselves and make us a better person!