Start of the new quarter in school...well third week already. One more to go after this quarter and I will end my undergraduate classes.
I thought I will be more active in clubs this quarter since it's my last year and the graduate school applications were done, but turns out I am still being a hermit in my room=/... !(宅印)!
Yesterday was pretty fun watching the Golden Globe Awards. AVATAR wins best director James Cameron and best picture drama! Yay! The global box office is like what...1.6 billion dollars already. I think he's going to re-sink Titanic (1.8 billion) soon.
It was a novel experience since I found two websites that provide live streaming of the show, one of them was from Facebook. It's interesting how this process worked. You get to watch the show (need fast internet connection of course), but then you get to interact with community online as you are watching it. There was this chat room next to the screen in which users such as facebook community posted comments. In the video, the hosts actually used questions from facebook users to ask the celebrities. Other devices such as PS3 and XBox also allow one to go online to watch videos while interacting with others online. In a way it was as if one was actually there interacting with thousands of people.
Through this internet community people seem to be connected to events more, but in a way that has a plastic box with semiconductors separated between the real world and ourselves. And too often do most people view the world through this window, whether 15 inch or 50 inch. I guess one of the ideas AVATAR is trying to convey is to wake up, perceive things clearly, and relate to the world first-hand instead of through a barrier.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
Happy Holidays
We're near the end of 2009. Hopefully this year has been pleasant for everyone, and there's always next year to look forward to. I think this year is an eventful year. From internship in Taiwan during the summer to multiple trips visiting friends and families, from happiness to sorrow, I would never forget the things that happened this year.
2010 also marks my 10 years moving to the U.S. I still kept in touch with some of my friends from elementary school, thanks partly to my parents who constantly reminded me to write to them or contact them when we go back to Taiwan. And I think this connection is really integral if I were to return to Taiwan during my future career. Other than family, it's nice to have someone who went along with you during school or events, to have someone that shares a common event with you. I did not really hang out with classmates during middle school or high school. But that's just me...more family oriented. I did make more acquaintances during college, especially during my internships in Taiwan. I think every people we meet bring us new experiences in life. Even if they might not get along with us, we can still learn something from them.
Have a nice winter, and hope next year brings something new and challenging to us.
2010 also marks my 10 years moving to the U.S. I still kept in touch with some of my friends from elementary school, thanks partly to my parents who constantly reminded me to write to them or contact them when we go back to Taiwan. And I think this connection is really integral if I were to return to Taiwan during my future career. Other than family, it's nice to have someone who went along with you during school or events, to have someone that shares a common event with you. I did not really hang out with classmates during middle school or high school. But that's just me...more family oriented. I did make more acquaintances during college, especially during my internships in Taiwan. I think every people we meet bring us new experiences in life. Even if they might not get along with us, we can still learn something from them.
Have a nice winter, and hope next year brings something new and challenging to us.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Vancouver Winter
I went to Vancouver from December 18 to 21. I had a wonderful time there. To make it short, here are the things we did:
Day 1: Arrived at 2pm. Judy and Wendy picked Jonathan and me up. Vancouver International Airport is located next to Richmond, which has a lot of Asians. We went to places such as Stanley Park, Canada Place, and Gas Town. and Dinner was at a Japanese fusion restaurant (called Alpha), combining Japanese, American, and even Mexican food. It was interesting, but not the best of its kind.
Overlooking downtown Vancouver
Day 2: The day was reserved for a trip to Victoria. Judy made Jon and me breakfast and Wendy picked us up for Victoria! Before that we had to wait for the ferry: New experience, but I would do it only if I have a lot of time on my hands. The ferry trip from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay took 90 minutes, but it went by so fast since we were having fun outside on the deck and inside having lunch. Oh, and Tsawwassen sounds like 茶碗蒸...haha.
The BC Ferry to Victoria
At Victoria, we went to look at the Craigdarroch Castle built by Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who got rich from Vancouver Island coal. I can't say anything more about that since I didn't want to read all the pamphlet info. $8 needed to go in so instead we stayed outside while Jonathan analyzed different ways to get to the top of the building...I think he played Assasins Creed too much. The Parliament building was the next destination. With Christmas lights and decorations surrouding the corners of buildings over there, it really looked like a holiday season. Very romantic indeed. Furthermore, we went to Butchart Gardens to view more christmas lights. So that ends the Victoria trip and we took the 9pm ferry back to Vancouver, with me having a major sugar coma from all the white center chocolates I had while waiting for the ferry.
Butchart Gardens (looks like a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Day 3: I woke up at 8:30am and admire the beautiful morning... Actually it was raining but still there's a sense of serenity in Judy's house. I could hear every rain drop that flickered down the roof. Maybe because it is located in residential areas, but I live in a residential area in Millbrae and I still hear noises all the time. Jon and Judy woke up later and we went to 鴻星海鮮酒家 (Red Star Seafood Restaurant) for Dim Sum. We met up with Sam at the restaurant and he joined us for the rest of our time in Vancouver. After lunch we were off to Grouse Mountain, the peak of Vancouver. I was quite excited to see some snow. The rain and fog made the experience even more exciting. We also went to "Santa's Cabin" for a photo session with Santa...wait did we get that photo at all??...Anyways after a hot apple cider from the girls and a free screening of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," we went on the gondola and came back down Grouse. Dinner was at a 茶餐廳...I should have ordered the combination because it looked pretty good. We had a pleasant chat at the restaurant about news, trends, relationships, schools, life styles in Canada, and most importantly, Canadian girls!
me, Judy, Wendy, Jonathan, Sam
Grouse Mountain with Santa's Cabin and flooded ice rink
Japadogs...need I say more? Get it if you visit Vancouver. It is on the corner of Burrard and Smithe St. and a new place will open soon in 2010. It will destroy any pre-existing thought you have about hotdogs. Ok that's an exaggeration, but it did provide a novel side of hotdog presentation and taste. The two flavors we tried (beef terimayo and pork okonomi I think) were pretty strong, but it tasted so good each bite I had felt like there was a party in my mouth and everyone was invited.
Day 1: Arrived at 2pm. Judy and Wendy picked Jonathan and me up. Vancouver International Airport is located next to Richmond, which has a lot of Asians. We went to places such as Stanley Park, Canada Place, and Gas Town. and Dinner was at a Japanese fusion restaurant (called Alpha), combining Japanese, American, and even Mexican food. It was interesting, but not the best of its kind.
Overlooking downtown Vancouver
Day 2: The day was reserved for a trip to Victoria. Judy made Jon and me breakfast and Wendy picked us up for Victoria! Before that we had to wait for the ferry: New experience, but I would do it only if I have a lot of time on my hands. The ferry trip from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay took 90 minutes, but it went by so fast since we were having fun outside on the deck and inside having lunch. Oh, and Tsawwassen sounds like 茶碗蒸...haha.
The BC Ferry to Victoria
At Victoria, we went to look at the Craigdarroch Castle built by Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who got rich from Vancouver Island coal. I can't say anything more about that since I didn't want to read all the pamphlet info. $8 needed to go in so instead we stayed outside while Jonathan analyzed different ways to get to the top of the building...I think he played Assasins Creed too much. The Parliament building was the next destination. With Christmas lights and decorations surrouding the corners of buildings over there, it really looked like a holiday season. Very romantic indeed. Furthermore, we went to Butchart Gardens to view more christmas lights. So that ends the Victoria trip and we took the 9pm ferry back to Vancouver, with me having a major sugar coma from all the white center chocolates I had while waiting for the ferry.
Butchart Gardens (looks like a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Day 3: I woke up at 8:30am and admire the beautiful morning... Actually it was raining but still there's a sense of serenity in Judy's house. I could hear every rain drop that flickered down the roof. Maybe because it is located in residential areas, but I live in a residential area in Millbrae and I still hear noises all the time. Jon and Judy woke up later and we went to 鴻星海鮮酒家 (Red Star Seafood Restaurant) for Dim Sum. We met up with Sam at the restaurant and he joined us for the rest of our time in Vancouver. After lunch we were off to Grouse Mountain, the peak of Vancouver. I was quite excited to see some snow. The rain and fog made the experience even more exciting. We also went to "Santa's Cabin" for a photo session with Santa...wait did we get that photo at all??...Anyways after a hot apple cider from the girls and a free screening of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," we went on the gondola and came back down Grouse. Dinner was at a 茶餐廳...I should have ordered the combination because it looked pretty good. We had a pleasant chat at the restaurant about news, trends, relationships, schools, life styles in Canada, and most importantly, Canadian girls!
me, Judy, Wendy, Jonathan, Sam
Grouse Mountain with Santa's Cabin and flooded ice rink
Japadogs...need I say more? Get it if you visit Vancouver. It is on the corner of Burrard and Smithe St. and a new place will open soon in 2010. It will destroy any pre-existing thought you have about hotdogs. Ok that's an exaggeration, but it did provide a novel side of hotdog presentation and taste. The two flavors we tried (beef terimayo and pork okonomi I think) were pretty strong, but it tasted so good each bite I had felt like there was a party in my mouth and everyone was invited.
Japadog stand
Karaoke at Judy's house. My first experience karaokeing at a friend's house in North America haha. Jonathan, Wendy, and Sam clearly practiced a lot. Judy did not sing at all (singing without a microphone doesn't count). That went on until about 4am.
Day 4: Sam brought 鹽酥雞, 甜不辣, and 奶茶. Those tasted most like the ones in Taiwan! We decided to let Wendy take a break from driving us around so we just stayed at Judy's house. The sun came up in the afternoon so Sam, Judy, Jonathan, and I took a walk down the country side to enjoy nature in the midst of urban life. That walk down the old railway came almost out of a painting: Straight rail road extending into the distance with maple trees growing on either side. The cold atmosphere, sunset, and red-brownish maple leaves on the ground formed a terrific end to our trip.
A taste of warm winter fills one's heart
Four days is not enough to absorb everything any city could offer. But I think it is sufficient to experience the beautiful scenery, absorb the colorful weather, observe the different cultures, and feel the zeal of the local people. I know I have.
Thanks Judy and your parents for letting me stay at your house. Thanks Wendy for driving for four days straight. Thanks Sam for driving and hanging out with us. Have a happy holiday and happy new year.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
老狗
My sister and brother-in-law bought a Shih-Tzu puppy eleven years ago. It is the cutest thing ever. "Blue" he is called. He has been through a lot of places: Millbrae, Daly City, Cupertino, Texas (Round Rock), and now he's back in Millbrae with us!
Dog: most loyal friend a human could have.
Dog: most loyal friend a human could have.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Leonid Returns
The Leonid meteor shower. It arrives every year around this time, and this year's would be more intense than that of other years. I decided to look for some meteor showers. I figured it would be a pretty nice break from studying. So I walked out of my apartment and tried looking for some place devoid of light pollution. This is a hard task especially in Westwood where UCLA is located. Everywhere I went there was light shining on my face. It felt like I just finished a play.
So the first place I went was the track field at 11pm. The flood lights turn off after 10pm so it was a fairly nice place to look at the sky even though street and building lights were still visible. I lied down on the bleachers and looked up at the moonless sky. Orion's belt was there, some other constellations I forgot the name of were visible, and so was mars! The faint flickering yellowish dot...Sometimes I wonder if somewhere in the universe other beings were doing the same thing, lying down and watching the night sky. Of course they might be looking at the sky for potential planets to conquer, but I digress.
12am - Anyways onto the next spot: the roof. I went up to a neighboring apartment's roof. So I was technically on the fourth floor. It is a much better place to hunt for shooting stars. I should have gotten some chairs because my neck was starting to hurt. I left after 15 minutes and no sign of paint brush fleeting through the sky.
In the end, I think I saw two meteors. It might have been my imagination but I clearly saw them flew past the sky and disappeared...and no they weren't airplanes :). The whole trip took longer than I thought, but this is how it's supposed to be, random yet engaging. You need to be patient for it. It reminds me of the time we went to Alishan (阿里山) to view the Leonid meteor shower. I can't believe it has been 11 years. My family went with two other families who are good friends with us. We brought snacks, chairs, blankets, flashlights, and binoculars. Since we were in the mountains, light wasn't a problem. And we end up seeing more than 20 meteors after 4 or 5 different locations. Some burnt up really fast, but others created a bright mark even after it disappeared.
Star and meteor gazing requires patience and some luck. The longer you stay focused, the more chance of actually seeing something and getting a result (this is true not only for star gazing by the way). It was a nice adventure through the night looking up in space, witnessing the phenomenon that is rare to obtain.
So the first place I went was the track field at 11pm. The flood lights turn off after 10pm so it was a fairly nice place to look at the sky even though street and building lights were still visible. I lied down on the bleachers and looked up at the moonless sky. Orion's belt was there, some other constellations I forgot the name of were visible, and so was mars! The faint flickering yellowish dot...Sometimes I wonder if somewhere in the universe other beings were doing the same thing, lying down and watching the night sky. Of course they might be looking at the sky for potential planets to conquer, but I digress.
12am - Anyways onto the next spot: the roof. I went up to a neighboring apartment's roof. So I was technically on the fourth floor. It is a much better place to hunt for shooting stars. I should have gotten some chairs because my neck was starting to hurt. I left after 15 minutes and no sign of paint brush fleeting through the sky.
In the end, I think I saw two meteors. It might have been my imagination but I clearly saw them flew past the sky and disappeared...and no they weren't airplanes :). The whole trip took longer than I thought, but this is how it's supposed to be, random yet engaging. You need to be patient for it. It reminds me of the time we went to Alishan (阿里山) to view the Leonid meteor shower. I can't believe it has been 11 years. My family went with two other families who are good friends with us. We brought snacks, chairs, blankets, flashlights, and binoculars. Since we were in the mountains, light wasn't a problem. And we end up seeing more than 20 meteors after 4 or 5 different locations. Some burnt up really fast, but others created a bright mark even after it disappeared.
Star and meteor gazing requires patience and some luck. The longer you stay focused, the more chance of actually seeing something and getting a result (this is true not only for star gazing by the way). It was a nice adventure through the night looking up in space, witnessing the phenomenon that is rare to obtain.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Yellow Sponges
Burger King is pretty good at doing this. First they had the Indiana Jones toys last year, and then they have this Spongebob Squarepants toys this year. I have to get all of them right? So yes, I did collect all 8 Indiana Jones toys last year. And after spending 8 meals fattening myself with double cheeseburgers, fries, and small drinks, I got all 8 Spongebob figures.
Here's all eight of the characters, along with the acutal figures. I do not plan on selling them so I open the cases and wrappings.
The boxes also have a little surprise. It's a puzzle of a Spongebob picture...anything to get people like me to collect them all huh. I always fall into their trap! (raise fists)
By the way, the end result is usually less satisfying than when we're anticipating it. In this case it's the puzzle gimmick. The placement of the image just seems (tu)...
The material for the toys are pretty good. It's not the usual light-weight plastic. Instead this has a sturdy feel to it. I'm not a big fan of the cartoon, but these figures are cute and the theme (truth or square) is a neat idea. All the characters have some sort of rectangular shapes. This is it for Spongebob Squarepants, or 海綿寶寶 as they call it in Taiwan.
Hey maybe I'll put the BK Indiana Jones toys up too when I go home.
Here's all eight of the characters, along with the acutal figures. I do not plan on selling them so I open the cases and wrappings.
The boxes also have a little surprise. It's a puzzle of a Spongebob picture...anything to get people like me to collect them all huh. I always fall into their trap! (raise fists)
By the way, the end result is usually less satisfying than when we're anticipating it. In this case it's the puzzle gimmick. The placement of the image just seems (tu)...
The material for the toys are pretty good. It's not the usual light-weight plastic. Instead this has a sturdy feel to it. I'm not a big fan of the cartoon, but these figures are cute and the theme (truth or square) is a neat idea. All the characters have some sort of rectangular shapes. This is it for Spongebob Squarepants, or 海綿寶寶 as they call it in Taiwan.
Hey maybe I'll put the BK Indiana Jones toys up too when I go home.
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