ClappingTree's Web 2.0 » Miscellany

Christmas begins with work?

J.K. — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:32:38 +0000

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND A JOYFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU!

Instead of the familiar scene of the Baby Jesus laid in a manger, the Vatican’s Nativity scene this year will show the infant Jesus in a home that also includes his father’s workshop. No reason has been given for the change.

Does the it look like this Honthorst painting of St Joseph, as displayed on AmericanPapist.com (with an infant instead of a child looking up at St Joseph)?

AN INTERESTING EXPLANATION from Zenit:

Lev [an art historian] said: “This Nativity is not so much a break with tradition but is presenting a new side of the Nativity, revealing a new facet.

“It is trying to represent Joseph’s experience, his dream of what will happen knowing that Jesus will be born and Mary is with child. He had no idea the way it would all work out as he prepared to take on this task given to him by God through a message of an angel. So it is what he imagines in his home amid his work before it comes to pass.”

“This fits Joseph and the acceptance of his call into the story,” Lev continued. “Joseph is never the star of the Nativity, but his role is crucial. So this is not upsetting biblical tradition, but [giving] a different facet, looking at it in a different light.”

“In the Nativity accounts, a mother figure is always there, but this Nativity makes present the importance of the father figure and the fact that he is essential. It’s a reminder that he wasn’t born only to a mother, while providing a source of meditation during this time when we are faced with the battle against marriage and the family. It is a good way for the Church, in nonaggressive and nonpolitical way, to remind us of the basis of our understanding of family through the Holy Family.

“This is a Nativity very much of Joseph Ratzinger, a teaching Nativity. Instead of complacently laying out the characters, this year they are being laid out in a way so we have to think about what this momentous birthday means, think about the circumstance in which Jesus is born, while reminding us of Joseph’s essential role.”

10 Things You Don’t Know About Me

J.K. — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 02:30:39 +0000

I drove a pickup to work and everywhere else for seven to eight years.
I had undergone training in AR-15 weapon handling and taken part in air rifle competitions.
I have travelled in almost 20 countries so far.
I have worked as a post-girl, a relief teacher and a trainee nurse during school vacations.
I used to read stacks of 20-plus books (in English and Chinese) every week.
A primary school teacher wept with joy while reading and praising my Chinese composition aloud in class.
I had four job offers (three unsolicited) while working as a reporter with an IT magazine.
I helped a multinational corporation save millions of dollars a year in publication costs during a period of financial crisis.
Before the actual release of my “A” Level exam results, I literally (and correctly) dreamt of looking at the first three grades in the results slip.
My childhood dream for a long time had been to be a critically acclaimed writer and teacher.

A Brief Bio (Finally…)

J.K. — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 09:32:16 +0000

Finally, a post on who I am — quite reluctantly. Reason: I didn’t see the need to do so. Seemed to me better to let pieces of information emerge as time goes by. My purpose in starting this blog was to reflect on issues pertaining to my work and interests, NOT talk about myself. Still, Jakob Nielsen made a good point on the need for author biographies in weblogs two months ago. So, here it is.

My name is Joo Khim (you can call me JK). I am an educational designer and technologist at an institute of higher learning in Singapore. I also provide training and consultancy on Engineering Communication (a.k.a. technical English or untechnical communication) and web design (a.k.a. information design), as well as the use of blogs, wikis, and other free open-source software (FOSS).

I have worked in both local and multinational corporations over the past 17 years. My work experiences include computer programming, systems analysis, multimedia testing, field interviewing, news reporting, technical writing and editing, staff management, elearning design and development, training and consultancy.

Currently, I’m almost completing a Masters of Art in Instructional Design & Technology (M.A. IDT) program at the National Institute of Education. I’m also a member of the Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education (APSCE) and the Singapore Tertiary English Teachers’Society (STETS). In 2000-2003, I was the president of the Singapore chapter of the Society for Technical Communication.

Masters Results 2004/2005

J.K. — Tue, 24 May 2005 05:59:33 +0000

The results for the last semester are out. So far, the scorecard for my Masters of Arts in Instructional Design & Technology program at the National Institute of Education, Singapore, reads:

Instructional Design Models & Practices – ‘A’
Evaluation Methods & Action Research – ‘A’
Training Strategies & Methods – ‘A’
Multimedia Development I – ‘B’
Technologies as Cognitive Tools – ‘A’
Designing, Conducting & Researching Investigations – ‘A’
Implications of Social Psychological Theories & Research for Educators – ‘B’

Just one more module and a thesis (equivalent to two modules) to complete before graduation. (Taking a deep breath) Here I come!

Yay! First Lap Done!

J.K. — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 15:56:48 +0000

YESTERDAY, CLASSMATE L. informed us via email that the grades for the semester had been posted online. Logged into the portal and learnt with great delight that i’ve scored A’s (Excellent) for both modules.

YAY! All that hardwork over the past two months had paid off. Called project partner W. at once to give him the good news. He was in a meeting, but he also went “Yay!”

Now, with two modules down, my first lap (semester) is done. Six more modules and three more laps to go. Then, a thesis that can take about a year to complete, so i was told. A long way to go — perhaps another two and a half years. Quite a daunting prospect at times. Nevertheless, this is a GOOD beginning!

Now, an enticing four-week TESOL certificate program beckons all the way from Rome, Italy! Surely, “to go or not to go?” is not the question. Rather, it’s when, who and how!