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.