2010: May It Be Mine

Hey, I like what I read! My 2010 horoscopes is actually pretty good. I get excited because my previous few new year horoscopes have been pretty shabby. It has been: not good, no luck, no money, nothing for ya....Gee, what a way to start a new year. But for once, I got a good one. Woo-hoo!

As I read on...hmmm... something about I shouldn't be buying cars, computers, printers and phones when Mercury going retrograde in 2010... no idea what that means, but, heck, I've already bought a car, a PC, a printer and a phone this year, so I think I'm good. Isn't this FABU? It's as if all my stars lined up. Woo-hoo again!

Seriously though, horoscopes are for fun and giggles. Don't let them get to you. Good or bad, we are the only ones that can make things happen for ourselves.

Yes, make things happen and improve them while we're at it. I set a bar for myself to reach each year. 2009 was to GIVE MORE. 2010 will be to DO MORE. I'm blessed that I can so I should. Don't know what awaits me in 2010, but I'll do my best to make my good horoscopes come true.

Happy New Year to Me and to Everyone!!

Not the Perfect10 but It Worked

2000 - 2009. It seems a very long time yet not very long. I started a new job in February 2000 and I'm on my third gig ten years later. I left the comfort of an old familiar place that I worked in for 10 years and ventured into high-tech, back to retail and now in financial services. Funny how things worked but I guessed it was all good because I picked up new things and made new friends along the way.

2000 - 2009. A continued growth period for me. Went back to school after being out for 18 years. Went for my MBA going part time from Fall of 2002 to Spring of 2006. Can't believe I actually made myself going through the studying, cramming for exams and writing papers but that's already a distance memory. Looking back, yes, I would have done it all over again. It was time well spent.

2000 - 2009. A decade of family changes. Jason and Jennifer added 2 more to the Wu family: Brandon in 2000 and Carli in 2004. The total count is now 9. In these past 10 years, we gained quite a few new relatives yet we also lost so many: big Uncle, 4th Uncle, Cousin Cecilia and mom's and dad's many friends, all so dear to us. Mom's stroke was a big blow in 2007. It turned our family up-side down and our lives have not been the same since then. But, we are blessed because we still have each other.

2000 - 2009. It's a profound decade for us humans. I just hope that we have learned from our lessons as we head into the next era.

2000 - 2009. What has not changed? Robert and I are still hanging strong. Through thick and thin, we will be together for a quarter of a century comes May 2010 with Max, Dudu and now Dexter woven into our lives.

Good-bye, the first decade of the 21st century! It was nice knowing you. You could have been nicer but we really can't complain. It's up to each one of us to make things better. You've given us the chance.

Merry Christmas!

Can't believe it's another Christmas! Didn't we just had the last one? Did the earth speed up spinning?

Looking back, it was pretty pathetic this time last year. It was a grey, depressed and cheerless holiday season dragged down by the economy and all the financial crisis. Everyone knew it was going to get worse and no one was looking forward to the new year.

But the new year came anyway. We all faced it head on and people find ways to strive. Here we are at Christmas time again. I say we all have something to be merry about. For me: family, love, friends and health.

Despite the continued greyness around us, splash some happy red and spread the Christmas cheers. Things can only get better from here.

Merry Christmas to us all!

Sent from my iPhone.

Have You Bake Your Apple Pie Today?

Fall weather. Cold air. Dry leaves. Harvest time. Hot apple pie. Freshly brewed coffee. Can't ask for more!!

Apple Pie is easy to make yet it looks like million bucks. You can make very pretty pies that bring on Ooos and Ahhhs. Don't you like that? Here's how:

Start with the right apples. Some are just better than others. Pick ones that are tart, tangy and crunchy. Fuji apples are good ones to use. I don't like the peeling part but someone has to do it. OK... about 6 cups of sliced apples for a 9 inch pie dish. Toss the apples with: 3/4 cup sugar (I only use 1/2 cup because I don't like the pie too sweet), 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and dash of salt.

Prepare pie crusts. Huh, I fess up. I don't like making pie crusts. Too much work for me so I cheat. Pillsbury pie crusts are just as good as homemade. UGh! I know the real bakers are gasping now...
Arrange apple slices in the pie dish and dab the top with 2 table spoon of butter then top off with another pie crust. You can make a fancy top if you're up to it. Go ahead, do a pretty lattice top. I don't, because I get confused which stripe goes where.
Give the top a light egg wash before putting it in the oven. It will give the shell a pretty brown shiny coat when done.

Pop the pie in a pre-heated 425 degree oven and bake for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven. Mine is usually done between 40-45 minutes.

And what do you get? An apple pie that you can show off to family, friends and neighbors. Yes, you really can!! :)

See how easy it is? Even I, who doesn't like peeling, making pie crusts and who has no fancy baking talents can make yummy apple pies. Enjoy making the pie, enjoy baking, enjoy the season, and enjoy with your loved ones.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!

I'm Thankful!

Thanksgiving 2009. We gathered at Jason and Jennifer's house for our annual turkey dinner.

Another turbulent year for the world, fortunately, our family is going through it without major hiccups. Life is not always perfect, but we got more than some others: health, jobs, creature comforts and we have each other.

Over the years, I have learned to appreciate and enjoy what I already have in life and not what I want in life. HAVING is a good thing. WANTING will keep you itching for more. Wanting to win the lotto just can't beat having the opportunity to share the

Thanksgiving turkey (and all the trimmings) with the ones you love. That, is priceless!

Life is good all things considering. For that, I'm thankful!

p.s. Again, I'm thankful that Jennifer tackled the 25 pound turkey. Great job, sis!

To Blog or to FB?

If you blog, would you blog less or stop blogging altogether now that you're on Facebook? This was a survey question that I found quite intriguing.

What's the difference blogging here or posting updates on Facebook? Does any one care?

I have not thought about this before but, yes, couple of my buddies blog less now that they're on Facebook. What causes the behavior change? Is it just one less thing to keep up or human nature at work?

I guess Facebook offers instant satisfaction because your captive audience (your FB friends) will most likely respond to your postings (and favorably too) no matter how trivial they are. Blogging, on the other hand, may be a lonesome activity with no admiring fans. And by the way, how many of you actually read my blog???

We human animals thrive on recognition, connection and interaction and I think that's probably the main difference between Facebook and blogging.

I see that popular blogs will continue to have their own place but smaller personal blogs will probably migrate to other social network sites over time especially if they offer a platform to blog too. I would be interested in learning what others think.

Here's the thing: in order for more people to read this blog post, I'm going to have to post it to my Facebook page. Hmmm.... intriguing indeed.

Happy Birthday to Me!

So, here I am older and wiser at 46. Or, perhaps I should say the new 36 since 40 is the new 30.

I'm a birthday hog because I do not stop celebrating. Yes, so much to celebrate. I have good health, a good family and many good friends. My life is simple and uncomplicated and I have a job that feeds me and keeps me comfortable -- although I do have to pay the credit cards back. I'm very busy but I still have time to read, to eat, to drink, to think and to enjoy everything in life.

I go back to a warm sweet home every night and I have a honey who is always there for me. My friends love me and my dog adores me. What else more do I want in life?

Yes, there are bumps here and there but someone big up there watches over me. I am truly lucky and that's something to celebrate.

"I like life, life likes me. I like life and life likes me." Yes. Life can only get better from here. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Fall in New York

I have visited NY in all seasons since I go there once a quarter. This time, I got to see the Fall face of New York (again). Well, more specifically, the fall look of Manhattan - Grand Central Station.

Not much fall color to see in Manhattan - at least not near the Grand Central Station. Just grey buildings and yellow taxi cabs. I didn't even see brown dry leaves on the streets. The weather was still rather warm. It rained last Tuesday and Wednesday but more like the summer storm than the winter rain. Some street vendors started roasting chestnuts but I thought it was too warm still.

Time Square, as always, was full of neon colors and people but no Fall either. It was a place where time stood still. Come any day any time, and you will find that it always looks and smells the same.

October 17, 1989

If you were in the San Francisco Bay Area that infamous day, then you will remember exactly where you were and what you were doing at 5:04:15pm when the earthquake hit.

I was in the Controller’s office preparing payroll with her when everything on the table started moving then the floor started shaking. We looked at each other not registering for a moment. Then, the big glass window started flexing – yes going in and out like it was going to blow. There was a rumbling sound coming from nowhere. I remembered the Controller let out a scream and docked under her desk. She didn’t even invite me. I stood for one or two seconds longer then I bolted out her office like a bunny, flew into my office and dove under the desk. That was when the big shake really started and it seemed like it was never ever going to stop. I remembered I even cried out Mommy!!! because it was very scary and I thought that was it. If you were here that day, you know exactly what I mean.

When the earth finally stopped shaking, all of us rushed out of the office to the parking lot. There was a surreal quietness outside - no sounds, no alarms, no birds, no cars... Everything seemed frozen except the ground was still swaying…

We regrouped and everyone looked pretty shaken (literally). I called mom and dad right away. I was lucky to get through because the phone lines were jammed soon after that.

There was still electricity in the office but no radio signals (so eerie to hear just statics…) so we didn’t know what was happening at first. Then slowly, we got news that BART stopped running; the Nimitz Freeway buckled; and the unbelievable news that the Bay Bridge had collapsed. It felt like we were being attacked by aliens like in The War of Worlds.

So I was stranded in Oakland (my then office was on Hegenberger Road). No bus, no road, no BART, no bridge, no way home. I went to a co-worker’s house in Alameda since I had nowhere to go. I finally got hold of my parents around midnight and found a ride back to the other side of the bay. Albert was on his way from Oakland to SF to go pick up his wife so he swung by to pick me up. We took the San Mateo Bridge and as we approached the western span, we saw the entire SF skyline pitched black. It was like the whole city was swallowed by a monster.

Home never seemed so warm with lights on and everyone safe. Our house stood tall and nothing fell. We were truly blessed. I said a prayer before going to bed. It was an awesome act by Mother Nature but why some have to suffer?

I woke up and went back to work the next day as usual. The office was surprised to see me but they were even more surprised when I handed the Controller the timecards all calculated and ready for payroll that day. How that happened? Well, in my rush to get out the office, I grabbed my bag and the timecards for whatever reason. I went over them while stuck in Alameda. No, it was not job dedication. I think it was more of a natural response and a subconscious act to maintain some control over my life. No matter what happens, life goes on.

Instant Starbucks

So it's like not enough to have Starbucks at every street corner, the company now wants you to carry its coffee with you so you can enjoy it where there is a cup and hot water.

Introducing... the Starbucks Instant Coffee. Ugh!

Today, the Barista tried to sell me a pack of Starbucks instant coffee for $1.95 and I get a free cup of coffee. Sounds like a deal so I went for it.

Hmmm... it even has an interesting description: it's microground coffee. So I guess we should feel good that it's still grounded coffee beans- definitely not Folger's. Good work Starbucks CMO!

So why am I doing in Starbucks when I'm a Peet's fan? Well, Starbucks does have more comfortable seating area than Peet's. I usually buy a cup of Starbucks coffee during lunch so I don't feel too guilty hogging a table and two chairs at lunch time. It's my way of "renting" a space for a break.

I still love you, Peet's, but don't go instant on me now.

A Ducky Sunday

I've been wanting to try this "Seared Duck Breast with Cherries and Port Sauce" recipe, but where do you find duck breasts around here? I've seen frozen whole ducks and duck legs but duck breasts are hard to come by even the smoked ones, So, this recipe has been in my "someday-to-do" file.

Luck would have it that while checking out the meat market at the Ferry Building last Friday, I saw fresh duck breasts! Wow! Of course I got to get some, but heck, why are duck breasts so expensive? I got two for $16. Ugh! Are they less ducks than chickens? Don't know... I never paid attention to ducks before.

Side note: I like how the meat company packed the meat. They weighed first then vacuum-sealed the meat. I wish they can do that at the Chinese meat markets.

I happened to have cherries, albeit the sun-dried kind, and port at home so can't even NOT try. This was an expensive experiment though. Like I said on my Facebook page, there was no room for errors. I was hoping that it didn't come out tasting like Chinese roast duck. That would have been a major disappointment.

The recipe was pretty simple. The ducks breasts were easy to cook. Pound, score, sear, and cook the duck breasts until done. Let them rest. Meanwhile, add shallots, cherries, port and honey, to the pan to make sauce. Voila! It was pretty darn good but I have work harder on the presentation next time. :)

So here are some pictures to share. I say if you can find duck breasts, give the recipe a try. Enjoy with a nice glass of red. It tastes like a million bucks!

Happy Birthday, Dexter!

The little puppy no longer. Dexter turns one year old today. He went from a 40 pounder to 100 in 9 months. Maybe more, not sure, because we can't find a scale big enough to weigh him. My last attempt was when he was at 70 pounds and when I was still able to lift him to a human scale.

The little pup is now much taller than me when standing on his two hind legs. He likes doing that too just to make a point. He is tall enough to see what's on the counter and what's cooking on the stove. HAZARDOUS!! His nose was cinched a little by the heat last week because he was too close to the range. Luckily, Dexter doesn’t know the taste of human food so he has no idea what good stuff he is missing.

The little pup is becoming a good communicator. He is very good at using his front paws to get your attention. It’s his version of high-5. Be careful though, a whack from him will send you spinning. Dexter also has a “man voice” now – that’s what the store manager at Pet Food Express said. No more puppy yelp. He now has a commending bark that echoes. He is a dog with few words but you do have to listen to him when he has something to say because he will stand in front of you and talk until you take notice.

Dexter still has cute little white teeth and big floppy ears. The ears still flip backward like he is wearing them in buns. Other dog people have told us that it will happen less because the ears will stiffen up as he gets older.

So how much more will Dexter grow? Don’t know yet. He will stay on puppy food until at least one and a half years old. He should be around 140 or 150 when he is full grown. At last measurement, he was about 30” tall at shoulder and 41” long but that was three months ago. He is still small compared to some Great Danes in the park but I’m not complaining. He is just right in my opinion.

So, happy happy birthday my little four-legged man! Great to have you here and it’s even greater that you share the same birthday as Grandpa.

The Elusive White

Is it just me or a common occurrence with us middle-age folkies... You were brushing your hair and all of a sudden, you thought you saw a flash of silver white in the mirror.

Yeeks! Is it a white hair you wondered... You stopped brushing, got closer to the mirror, flipped your hair looking for the source of that white flash. You parted your hair right to left, left to right, front to back and back to front. Nothing. Hmmm, must be a reflection of the light - sometime shiny black hair reflects light you know...

OK, back to brushing. Couple of strokes later, you saw it again! Ugh!! That's it. Now there was an urgency to find that white hair because it had no business being there.

You dropped whatever you were doing and determined to find that white hair. Finally, many minutes later, you found it. It was a stubby white thing hidden in your full black hair. IT HAS TO GO!! You tried pulling it out with your fingers but it kept slipping away. So, you got a pair of tweezers: aim -- squeeze -- yank -- OUCH!! You looked at it triumphantly but it was your perfect black hair. The white one still standing tall. UGHHHHH!

Dramas! Dramas! Middle-age dramas!!

It's Perfect Kind of Summer

What a gorgeous day! Warm and sunny. May I dare hope that this is the start of our Indian summer?

Indian Summer. Sounds exotic doesn’t it? But it actually means FAKE summer. It’s what Mother Nature ekes out in late summer to comfort those of us who brave these cold summer months.

Real or not, here in San Francisco, you are finally able to wear shorts, tank tops and apply sun screens. You can even sit outside by the piers to enjoy the sea, the breeze and the view.

For those who came in July and shivered in the fog, come back. You won’t be disappointed by our fake summer. We save the best for last.

Soul Food

Sue and I have planned a dinner at Acquerello Restaurant more than a month ago. She said it is a fu-fu place but it's worth every dime. I told her that I wanted to try and I would start saving $5 a day so I can afford it.

So with money in our pockets, off we went last night and we were not disappointed. Menu offering included 3-course, 4-course, 5-course or the almight 7-course chef's tasting menu. If I could, I would have the 7-course (and more)... but I settled for a 4-course meal with wine pairing. Every bite was a delight and every sip brought up happy bubbles. Yes, it was heaven!

Check out reviews on the restaurant. I won't repeat what most people say. I totally agree that it's worth all the stars. Further, it has the Michelin stars!

Back to back, I had a great lunch today. I had a chance to try out RN74, a Michael Mina restaurant! Two fantastic restaurants in 2 days? Who can ask for more?

By the way, RN74 stands for Route Nationale 74 in France which passes through Burgundy. What's that mean? YES, GREAT WINES!!

But even with great food and wine, a great dining experience MUST be shared with friends and people who enjoy and appreciate as much as you do. We took time to chat, catch up and share the great tastes.

My tummy is very happy but my soul is even happier. A great time with buddies over great food and wine is just priceless.

Cheers!

Tweet Tweet, Hurray!

Time to Tweet. I signed up for a twitter account today. Honestly, I don't think I'm ready to tweet yet, but I want to try it out for myself since I see more and more ads containing twitter links. It’s twittering everywhere!

It didn’t take long at all for this twittering thing to go from a micro blogging site to become an instant marketing tool. It's hype to tweet and it's useful if you can tweet it right.

What gets me is the the long list of contact info we exchange with people nowadays: name, address, phone number, email address, IM address, profile links (LinkedIn, Facebook), blogs, and yes, your twitter address so I can follow.

What's next?

Summer in New York

Hot. Humid. Sun. Rain. Lighting. Thunder. I understand that this is New York summer. Maybe a little bit more dramatic than usual.

Big rain clouds hover on some parts of the city. Where they cover, the sky goes dark and it pours. During heavy down pours, even people with umbrella gave up walking because you would be totally drenched except your head! Ask me!

Rain or not, the ladies are in their summer apparels. Tank tops, short skirts and sandals. Don't dress like this when visiting SF in the summer. You need sweat shirt and thick pants. Don't forget the parka!

I didn't have an umbrella yesterday and I got wet like a cat that was scooped out of the water. I remembered to take a big umbrella from the hotel lobby this morning but it was perfectly sunny. Sigh!

I was cooped up in the hotel for the past two nights but today I'm set free. Thank you Weather God! Happy Hour at the Whiskey Blue Bar with the office folks. Dinner at the Sea Grill at the Rockefeller Center with my cousins.

Not a bad way to end this visit. No complaints.

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A Joy Ride through City Streets

Happy Friday Folks. BART had a problem during the afternoon commute which stopped all the trains going south last Friday. Everyone all had to off board at the 24th Street station. BART did not mention where we could go from there. Just get out, good bye, good luck.

Poor commuters spilled out to the streets above the station and flooded the plaza. 24th and Mission. Where the heck is this place? We were like little lost ants trying to figure out our next move.

I figured that one of the buses will get me out of there. I caught a bus, 49 I think, hoping that it was going south since it said Alemany which I recognized. I asked this guy next to me if this bus would take me anywhere near Glenn Park, City College or Daly City. He told me that I should have caught 14 or 26. Oops, wrong bus. But what the heck, it was going south so I decided to ride for a while. After some stops, the nice guy told me that I really should be getting off. I wisely listened.

I waited for bus 14 or 26 next. 26 came but turned the corner before it stopped. I chased after it, got on and asked the driver the same question. Funny he didn't know but another nice passenger told me that the bus would take me to Balboa Park, and from there I could take 29 or 54 to go to the Daly City BART station.

At the Balboa Park station, I noticed more people were coming out of the station. BART still wasn't running. The sidewalk was crammed with people. The street was jammed with cars and packed buses. I squeezed on the 54 along with other poor souls who were trying to find the way home. It was a long way home.

But, I had an interesting ride through the streets of San Francisco. How often do I get to do that? I went through valleys and climbed the hills. I knew I was going the right way because I saw fog waiting at the horizon.

It took me almost 2 hours to get home on Friday. Can't complain though. I at least know that there is a way to and from work if BART does decide to go on strike.

So I think there is a message in this. I'm going to buy a lotto ticket and here are my numbers: 49, 14, 26, 29, 54 and the mega 4(for my 4 rides).

Pinot: Flat or Sideway?

"You Drink, We Flatten" says this sign above a booth at the Justin Herman Plaza. People stopped by to check out the flat wine bottles with the wine labels still intact. The bottles were quite unique and they made little wind-chime sound in the soft breeze. I think they make good a conversation piece especially if you're the one who drank the wine beforehand.

I asked the lady how she made them. She said the process required high heat but also had to be taken slowly -- about 24 hours to flatten the bottles.

So What Do You Do With Flat Bottles? Besides showing them off, you can use it as cheese trays, small plates or spoon rest. Cool. I better hurry up and bottom-up.

So I'm thinking that I can flatten the double magnum Wente wine that Nancy gave me. It will be pretty impressive, but I'll have to drink it first. I think it's 4 750ML equivalent.

Wine and cheese, anyone?

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

A Conversation Between Dogs

Deja Vu

SOMA. My turf from 2000-2003. I Walked down from Market on 2nd Street to meet Mike at the 21st Amendment this afternoon. For a brief moment, it felt like I was still working in that area because everything is so familiar.

It has been more than 5 years since I walked on this street. Things did not change all that much. Starbucks still there; Subway, the credit union, Tempura House, the Irish pub, the camera shop, the copy place, Maya, the little coffee shop, the corner parking lot all still left standing... The 21st Amendment is still around serving its summer watermelon beer. Hey, we're in another economic downturn. Hmmm... did I have a Ground Hog's Day?

But, Nothing stands still. Wondering what happened to the folks who used to work with me. Are they better or worse off today?

How about myself? So much has changed in my life in the past 6 years. I visited my old turf two jobs later. Wow. Wondering where I will be or what I will be doing this time next year...

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OK, Back to Work... Sigh!

A week of freedom from work. I still woke up at the same time but instead of rushing out the door, I got to enjoy coffee and newspaper leisurely. So nice not to think about work for a week. Priceless... Hmmm, come to think of it, I did have to pay for this freedom with my vacation time so not free.

Aside from doing all the things that I don't usually have the time for, I met up with old buddies, had good dinners and even a night out on Thursday (NightLife at the California Academy of Science). I actually got time to shred like crazy and iron 8 pairs of pants and 10 shirts. I cleared away my desk and cleaned the crystals on the chandeliers. It was nice to complete all these things that were on my checklist for the longest time. The feeling of accomplishment was actually more relaxing than going away on a real vacation. REALLY!!

I wish that I have kick back weeks like this every week. But, in my world, it would mean UNEMPLOYMENT unless I win the lotto.

Tomorrow is Monday and I go back to the daily rush. Life is not perfect but I'll have the next vacation to look forward to.

Happy Monday!

A Little Something from the Past

Yahoo has been on the move to close down business units right and left. First it was Jumpcut and now Yahoo 360 Blog. I really don't use both services much but I do have both accounts -- just had to try them out - had to be with the time, you know. Very much like the dot-bomb days... Anyway, I had total of 2 blog entries on the Yahoo Blog and I had to archive them or they will be deleted forever. You know how sensitive I'm with lost memories. So, I want to capture them here.
***************

AUTHOR: sutsen
TITLE: Entry for May 25, 2006 - Graduation Tomorrow
DATE: 05/25/2006 23:35:55
STATUS: publish
BODY:

So, I'm finally graduating. I'll be in the hooding ceremony tomorrow. I have never imaged that I would be part of another graduation ceremony. When I attended my undergraduate ceremony 19 years ago, I thought that was it...

Not too sure how I feel about all of this. I went back to school because I wanted to challenge myself. So, now I did it. What did I prove? What's next? There is still so much to learn in the world. Law school? Medical school? I'll be the world's oldest intern!!!

A bartender license looks reachable. It may be fun too... I bet I'll be able to make some serious tips giving business advice while bartending.

--------

AUTHOR: sutsen
TITLE: Entry for May 18, 2006 -My First Blog
DATE: 05/18/2006 01:43:01
STATUS: publish
BODY:

I turned in my research paper yesterday. What a relief!! I can't believe it's done. I'm actually that close to the end of the tunnel!

I have carried the paper with me in my backpack and in my brain for the past 4 months. I thought it was going to be about 35 pages long. With every edit, the number of pages kept going up... it went up to 39 then 42... much longer than expected. I guessed I really got something to say.

I turned in my paper to Dr. Meeks two weeks ago. He suggested some changes and happily signed it off on 5/10. I took it to Dr. Castaldi on 5/12 hoping that he would just signed it - with eyes closed - please, please, please.

Of course, things never go the way I want it to go. Against all convention that 2nd reader really doesn't care about what you write, Dr. Castaldi wanted to read my paper first before he signs off. Urrrr... I almost threw up! What's up with that? What if he doesn't like my paper? What if he refuses to sign?

Dr. Castaldi emailed me Thursday night, "you left your sunglasses in my office." Gee... I guessed I saw darkness before me and I didn't need no stinky sunglasses as I walked away from his office....

My tummy didn't feel good for the next few days not knowing the fate of my paper... but I still had to work on the consumer behavior presentation and paper. I kept telling myself: need to concentrate on what is on hand... no time to worry about the unknown... do what needs to be done and worry later...

Good news came Sunday morning. Dr. Castaldi emailed, "it looks very good..." He wanted me to edit the conclusion a bit. Other than that, he was ready to sign off. I was so happy that my minor edit turned into a 5-hour writing session. It was done and, I was so done, yesterday at 5:15am!!!

As I took the signed research paper to the Business College, I felt a tremendous weight lifted. I haven't felt that way in a long time! This is almost it!!! Now, I just have to finish up the paper and prepare for the 10 chapter final for Consumer Behavior, go to graduation on 5/26 and my school life will be completely over. Wow!

As I left to go back to work yesterday, I called Mommy, Daddy and RK - I'm ready to celebrate! We met at Palomino for a pre-final-pre-graduation celebration!

Life is good

*************
Can't believe that I'm out of school for that long.... time flies whether you're having fun or not.

The Past Disappeared When You Don’t Backup

Yap, you guess it. I didn’t backup as often as I should have, and now part of my past that I relive through photos is gone forever.

I know I'm supposed to BACKUP. But, just one slip and I’m paying for being lazy. I should have backup more often but you may agree that it’s easier said than done. *sigh*

I still have my past before 2007 but I didn’t back up all 2007 through the present because I kept telling myself that I’ll get to it when I get a chance. Well, sometimes there is no luxury of waiting. Sometimes there is no second chance. So, just do it. Just do it when you think of it.

Lesson learned: DO NOT EVER trust any storage drives no matter how great they are. I got a brand new external drive to store my photos and it crashed after 2 months. My intent was to use it as the master storage unit for all my pictures and keep CD copies as backup. I wanted to centralize the picture filing for easy retrieval and I was paranoid that the PC/laptop drives were going to crash (how ironic). I moved everything into it -- a cool 500 GB space – but boldly erased the copies on my laptop, PC and cameras BEFORE I made duplicate sets. Augh! How foolish of me to think that was ok!! I can’t even blame my bad luck ducklings. The fault is all mine. :(

Luckily, I got some photos back via data recovery software and some of them are out there on websites, in emails and with others. I’m now in the process of rebuilding my past. I'll be able to recover some but a part of my past is gone without a trace. It's like it never existed.

BACKUP! BACKUP! and More BACKUP! People. You never want to be in my position. No money in the world can buy back time and memory. Capture them through pictures and videos and safeguard them for the future. They are priceless.

Missing DuDu

Happy Birthday, Dudu! You would have been 13 today. You would have been called a senior dog but I bet you wouldn’t have looked like one.

Daddy and Mommy miss having you around. Your favorite apple tree is blooming now. We’re sad that you won't be here to pick your apples.

Are you with Max, Beau and Finnigan? Is Max still the inquisitive one? Is Beau still the distinguished one? Is Finnigan still the protective one? God, we miss you all.

A big WOOF-WOOF to you. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A Little Victory for the Day

A TALKING JEEP WRANGLER. Little do I know that cars of nowadays are totally computerized. For the past 12 years, I have zipped up and down in my littler basic hardy bimmer and never have to pay attention to this kind of stuff. Then come along this little Jeep telling me what to do.

One chime here if I didn't do this; one blinking indicator light there if I did that. The instrument panel has about a dozen different colorful icons with dinging sounds. It's kind of hard to read them all when they light up at start up.

So I finally solved the ESP problem. Well, it wasn't a problem. The Jeep was just thinking hard. The service people finally had to re-flash the chip -- kind of like zapping the brain -- so everything is back to normal now, until...

CLICK! YOU'RE NOW LOCKED IN. I was tickled pink when I discovered that my Jeep automatically locks the doors when I start driving. How cool is that? I know it's nothing new but I never had it before. But there is always a downside with things being so automatic. You get used to it, then you get lost when it stops working. Yap, my Jeep decided that it didn't want to auto-lock the doors anymore all of a sudden. I just can't figure out what happened. I've done nothing. Why? Why? Why? Not that I miss it, but it WAS there.

INQUIRING MIND WANTS TO KNOW. I've been googling these couple of nights. I'm determined to find out what the heck is going on. I thought it may have to do with the chip re-flashing. If so, then it would have been a programming issue not a part failure (so I hope). After couple of nights of searching, I'm happy to learn that it's a program issue, and there are plenty of people out there with the same issue!

It was amazing to learn that owners can actually program their cars nowadays. Click here. Switch there. For example, I can reprogram the Jeep to auto-lock at 15mph and auto-unlock all doors or not all doors. I can even program it to shut up or not to beam light like a beacon. Wow!

I tried for couple of days following the programming sequences but there are couple of variations on the Internet. I tried them all but none seemed to work. Heck, I even tried my own combination of buttons and timing of button pushing. None to avail. The funny thing is you don't know if you're programming it to enable or disable the function because it's the same sequence for both! So, I would go through the sequence, then drive it to test it. It was quite amusing. Well, nothing worked.

Not giving up, I gave it another shot this afternoon. I picked this variation of the sequence: cycle the key from Lock to On 4 times and leave it at the Lock position at the end of the 4th cycle and click the power lock downward once. A wonderful chime came on, Voila! It worked this time.

What a great feeling of conquering! Small, insignificant but it made my day. :)

For Jeep Wrangler owners: check out the JK-Forum. Great place to learn about the talking Wrangler.

Now, I am ready to have serious fun!!

A Blissful Afternoon

Just Gorgeous! Today is one of those pretty days. Not a cloud in the sky and the sun shines warming, not blistering. It may be too hot inland but it's just perfect by the coast.

I put out the sun umbrella and dust off the patio furniture. I think this is the first time this year. It was either bad weather or no time to enjoy. I actually got both good weather and time today! Wow! What a pleasure to just being able to sit back and relax! Can't ask for more!

Well, maybe I can ask for more days like this.

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Still Going, Going...

I wonder if my poinsetta sets a record for everlasting. It's still a pretty red and green plant from Christmas. It sits atop of the file cabinet by the window in my office. I don't pay much attention to it except watering it every couple of days.

Perhaps poinsetta can last very long given a chance. Too many times, it just get ignored and neglected after the holidays. Don't they deserve a life after serving its purpose as holiday decoration? Now I feel guilty.

Not sure how much longer my poinsetta will last. I think sooner or later the red pigment will fade. Perhaps it's a lucky plant being at the right place at the right time. Or perhaps, this little plant wants to make a point.

Note to self: You don't know how far you can go if you don't try.

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Follow Me , Little Bad Luck

Recalled that I'm the queen of bad-luck-come-in-three's (or fours)... Yes, I still have the little ones following me like little ducklings following whatever they were imprinted on first. Just great, isn't it? Why can't little $$$ follow me instead?

Here's my latest: great Wrangler but with a ESP indicator light eternally on. Brought it to the dealer since it's still under full warranty. They had to order the ESP switch the first time. Light still on after replacement. Now they said another part has to be ordered. I'm still waiting two weeks later. How can it be for an American car?? Oh ya, I forgot it's Chrysler and Chrysler is rumored to go under. Here's more... when the guys opened up the panel the second time, they also disconnected something so now my AC doesn't work along with the light on the fan cluster panel. So now 3 things that I need to remember to get fixed. Then this morning I discovered a nail in my right rear tire so I have a slow leak. I'm getting it fixed this afternoon. Knowing my luck, I probably have a bad leak. *sigh*

OK, people, how do I tell my little bad luck duckies to go away? All advice welcome!

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Unpredictable Weather. Unpredictable Life

The weather is haywire. It was super sweaty hot, and then overnight, the temperature dropped to bone-chilling levels. Hot. Cold. Calm. Gusty. Beautiful blue. Foggy gray. Jacket? Coat? T-shirt? Sweater? Long pants? shorts? Cap? Scarf? Heck! We need them all. Can’t even predict what to wear for the day because it may be warm in the morning and cold in the afternoon. Nobody knows.

Yes, nobody knows what would happen in our lives.

Very sadly, I learned of a couple's split recently. They seemed to be the luckiest couple standing on top of the world: good looking, a beautiful home, a comfortable life, world travelers, good jobs, a great dog – all before age 40. Their relationship was even time tested. However, just like the weather – no body knows. Love was blown away like the wind and left no trace - just like that. House sits empty. Things moved out. Each going separate direction. The poor dog stands in the middle.

It bothers me because I know them both and I saw their love blossomed. So, it's difficult for me to see it ends and how it ends so dramatically. It was worse than a hurricane. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything anyone can do about it...

Here today gone tomorrow. Like the old Chinese saying, “there are always unpredictable wind and rain.” Dress appropriately until the next change. *sigh*

My Little Dream Came True

Ever since I was a teenager, I always dreamed of owning a Jeep Wrangler. Yes, a convertible Jeep sparkling under the bright sun. Me driving and a dog sitting next to me and together coasting down along a scenic road…. Ahhh…doesn’t that sound just cool... Every time I start my little daydreaming, RK would ask why a dog and not him. Well… I got this dream way before I met you, babe.

Unexpectedly, my dream came true two weeks ago. I was browsing through craigslist, and this perfect Wrangler popped up. It was exactly the one I wanted: a hardtop, black-on-black Sahara. Yes, I was very particular with the one I want. No 4-door, no soft-top, no dual color tone and it has to be an automatic….

RK and I went to check it out up in Petaluma. It was a 2007 beauty with 9,743 miles. One look and I knew it was mine.

We had a gorgeous weekend and I took the top down for the very first time. Dexter got in, poked his head out the top. We posed for the camera. RK said we were too color-coordinated. Well, I guess it was meant to be.

A Bite of the Big Apple

Back to NY. First trip this year. Weather was fine but temperature in the 30’s. I heard I missed the snow the week before.

Instead of walking about town, I ate my way through town this time. OK. I could only hit one per night so four different restaurants last week. Can’t complain at all. It beats eating salad and burrito with a beer in the hotel room.

My eating partner: Debbie, our controller who was visiting the NY office at the same time.

Monday: Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant. A classic, traditional restaurant tucked inside the Grand Central Station. We each had a platter of oysters – no sharing – and I had a squid salad for entree. It was not a California squid salad that's light with a tangy dressing. It was ALL SQUID. I was totally squid out!

Tuesday: Japonais New York. Complete different from the night before. The place was hip and modern. Great tasty food and the décor was FABU! The prefixed 3-course dinner was awesome. It was in the Union Square neighborhood. Nice little district with actions. I really felt like I was in New York!

Wednesday: Surya Restaurant. Modern Indian food. My first try of goat meat and had a theme-inspired cocktail: Indian Rose. It was lovely. The only thing about Indian food is that all dishes look alike. The restaurant was in West Valley. So, I really got to venture out of the midtown area.

Thursday: Riki Japanese Restaurant. Back to the Grand Central Station area. We had eyes for Japanese ramen to chase away the chills. We had originally wanted to go to a ramen place, but after hiking over – in the rain – we found it closed. Ugh! Not giving up, we searched the surrounding blocks and found this restaurant. We ended up not having ramen but sashimi and a pitcher of draft beer. Yes, walking makes you thirsty even in the rain.

Friday: home. I had plenty of good eat but I miss home cooking.

Vernal Equinox

Spring arrived today precisely at 7:44am EDT. Why 7:44am EDT? This was when the sun crossed the earth equator and evenly split today’s hours into equal part of day and night. From this day onward until the first day of summer, we will gain a little more daylight each day.

Of course spring time only applies to those of us living above the equator. The folks down south are just starting to experience the onset of the fall season. It’s still Equinox for them, but they will lose a little bit of daylight each day until the first day of their winter (our summer).

Life is fair, isn’t it? You gain, you lose.

Enjoy the season, everyone!

Saving Daylight

Our Office Manager puts out a memo reminding us that daylight saving time starts this Sunday (3/8). But, this is only in the US. France and the UK won’t change to DST until 3/29. Brazil has already changed to DST on 2/15, and Hong Kong doesn’t have DST. So, it will be fun trying to figure out who is at what time in the next couple of weeks.

What’s TIME any way? There seems to be no standard around when DST should start or end or should there even be one at all. We are all kind of playing with our own time. Why do some countries have DST and some don’t? Hmmm... I'll need to do some research.

Daylight saved but not time. I’m not complaining though. I wish we are on DST all the time. Right now, to gain extra daylight means I have to get up extra early. It will be good to have “the night is still young” feeling. Although we may lose an hour of time on Sunday, we will gain more with one additional hour of daylight. There’s so much we can do in that one extra hour of daylight:

• Gardening
• Walking
• Reading
• Washing car
• Eating outside
• Simply enjoying that there is light

Dexter’s Tale: A Day in the Park

Robert and I took Dexter to the San Mateo doggy park last week figured that we should let him get used to being with other doggies.

We've taken him to Point Isabel couple of times but he did not have a chance at full play. For one, he did not have all his shots. Two, it was right next to open water and we weren’t sure if he was going to jump in and swim away.

The doggy park at the San Mateo Shoreline Park looked to be a safe place for his first social outing. It was clean, spacious and enclosed by chain-link fence. It was even divided into big dog and small pooch areas and a rest area for their people too – very thoughtful.

SET ME FREE! We first didn’t want to let Dexter walk off-leash. Never have done that with him outside of the house and didn’t know how he was going to behave being with so many new dogs. So for the first 10 minutes or so, I kept him on the long leash while he got acquainted with his new friends. One dog person suggested that we set Dexter free and let him play at will. She said the doggies would know that he was a puppy and would treat him accordingly. Dexter would have a chance to use his puppy skills naturally. Besides, where could he go anyway? Good point. So Dexter was set free.

DOG GONE WILD. Actually, Dexter behaved beautifully. He was friendly, curious and playful. He had no problem with doggies licking him all over. He did not bully little dogs and he endured the big ones checking him out. Won’t be for long though… Dexter will be bigger than any of them in no time soon.

It was a blast seeing the doggies at play. They knew exactly what to do and their communication to each other was amazing. It was fun watching them wagging tails, taking turns chasing each other around and the most important sniff-sniff - and respectfully too! It was controlled chaos.

These were the lucky dogs who got love and attention and the luxury of play. I thought of the million more doggies in the shelters and wished they could all have such an opportunity…


Dexter was exhausted and as dirty as he could be at the end. He is now officially broken in.