Lani's Fog Blog

Bohemian Rhapsody, a la Jake and The Muppets

2011-12-02T19:48:00.001-08:00

With the recent release of The Muppet Movie, I had to go to YouTube over the Thanksgiving holiday and watch again their cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". And now, reading on today's SFGate that ukulele maestro Jake Shimabukuro will be in San Francisco tomorrow night at the Warfield Theatre, I thought it'd be fun to put side-by-side both covers of this classic rock-opera song. I love both versions immensely.

New look from something familiar

2011-11-14T18:30:00.001-08:00

After a former co-worker linked a December, 2007 blog entry of mine on Facebook today, I decided after 5 years it was time to give my neglected blog a new look. The colors are completely different, but for those of you who know my roots, it's all too familiar.

With 2011 nearing an end, I look forward to a new year. I've had better years. And, for those of you who call 2011 "two-thousand-eleven", please give some thought as to why we didn't call 1999 "one-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-nine." Prince Rogers Nelson can tell you why. Because he certainly wouldn't be singing it.

Palo Alto Bowl to close

2011-07-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

A teammate (a USBC SF Peninsula Association officer) from my bowling league last night told me Palo Alto bowl is slated to close at the end of August, 2011. As blogged in my last entry, Mel's/Redwood Lanes closed this past May. This will be the second bowling center closing on the San Francisco Peninsula this year.

For someone like me where bowling has been an obsession/passion for the past 3 years, this is very sad. It's clear the demand has waned in this part of the SF Bay Area. The dreamer in me would love to see someone with the resources and knowledge to build a members-only bowling center. I still have Serra and Classic Bowls nearby whenever the mood strikes.

I'm back / The end of Mel's Bowl (Redwood Lanes)

2011-04-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's been another long, long gap between blog entries. After my last entry in October 2010 AND the San Francisco Giants becoming World Champions (woo hoo!), Jeff and I had a lot going on. A new baseball season has started as well as learning one of my favorite hangouts will be closing.

Last Sunday, I bowled at Mel's (Redwood Lanes) Bowl in Redwood City for the first time in several months. I took advantage of an AMF coupon of $1.49 games. It was evident I hadn't bowled there in awhile as I had practice games ranging in scores from 117 to 203. Mike, one of the general managers at Mel's came over about halfway into my visit to tell me Mel's will officially close May 8.

The closing didn't come as a surprise to me. Rumors had been circulating for several years that condos would replace the lanes. My Monday night league at Bel Mateo already have 14 additional teams signed up for league this coming fall. Most of them are bowlers from Mel's. I know overall league bowling has been in decline for several years, mostly because lanes shifted their focus to attract casual bowlers to help increase revenue. Personally, I find many casual bowlers to be a nuisance (see July 14, 2010's blog entry on Bowling Lane Courtesy).

While it'll be fun to have a bunch of new/returning bowlers this coming fall, the closing of Mel's still saddens me for these reasons: 1) Mel's was the place that started my bowling obsession (work league). A 12-lb. house ball with scores of 129 and 132. I bought my own ball and shoes 2 days later. 2) I could almost always get a pair of lanes and practice without much interruption or distraction. 3) Discounts and specials given out all the time. Every time I paid for my games I always got more coupons for future visits.

The good news is that 2 new bowling alleys are slated to open in San Francisco sometime next year as venues geared toward entertainment. The bad news is that it won't do much to attract folks to pursue bowling as a sport.

My San Francisco Giants tees

2010-10-15T23:31:00.000-07:00

Born and raised in Columbus, OH, I grew up a huge Cincinnati Reds fan. As a teenager, I faithfully listened to Reds' radio broadcasts with Al Michaels and Joe Nuxhall, and later, Marty Brennaman, as Al moved onto the San Francisco Giants in 1974. I often kept my own box scores and then would check the actual scores in the Columbus Dispatch's sports page the next day to see how close or far off I was in comparison.

When I moved to San Francisco in 1983, it was easy (and logical) to become a Giants fan. My loyalty cemented after seeing my first game at the 'Stick, against the arch rival Los Angeles Dodgers. During the game, I witnessed 3 separate fights in the stands. WOW. I 'd only seen this kind of intense devotion during football season at Ohio State. With apologies to my friends who are Stanford and Cal fans, your annual Big Game is nothing compared to Ohio State-Michigan games.

So, for the first time since 2002, the San Francisco Giants will play the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series tomorrow at 4:30 PM PDT. Up until a few years ago, I didn't wear team T-shirts or jackets. Mostly because they were in men's styles and sizes. When they started making team clothing for women, that all changed. The tees shown in this picture were all bought this past season. I also have 2 Giants hoodies and wear them often.

I have to admit, I usually don't wear the tees during a Giants game. It always seems the times I did wear them, the Giants lose. A few weeks ago, I was watching on TV a game the G-men were losing wearing one of my hoodies. No joke, as soon as I took it off in preparing to shower, Juan Uribe hit a home run.

The Giants' Tim Lincecum will battle Phillies hurler Roy Halladay. I am excited because Jeff and I will be watching our first Giants playoff game together on a 47" HDTV. GO GIANTS!

My Friend Fog

2010-09-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

Outside my dining room window

After 5 consecutive days of temperatures in San Francisco above 75F, this was a welcome sight to see for a fog lover like me.

I am among the few that really like fog. (notice the title of this blog?)
I don't write often enough about it. I find fog peaceful, comforting, keeps me from overheating, and enables me to reflect.

And, if I get tired of seeing fog, I don't have to drive far to get away from it.

Bowling lane courtesy

2010-07-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

OK, OK, setting aside modesty for a "split" second, I know this image doesn't exactly match the title of this blog entry. Last week, I bowled my 3rd 200+ game this year and I just had to include the picture.

Anyway, as an avid bowler for the past 2 years, the majority of my bowling is not league, but open/practice bowling. When I first learned to bowl at Holiday and Main Lanes back home in Columbus, one of the first lessons given to me was exercising lane courtesy.

What is lane courtesy? Plain and simple, do not disturb the bowler in the lane next to you when he or she is about to bowl. In years past, the lanes had signs posted all over the place explaining this. And if you didn't read the sign and did disturb the bowler next to you, a staff member had no qualms reading you the riot act for your lack of courtesy.

These days, there are no signs and most staff members are out fetching balls out of gutters, putting up or taking down lane bumpers, or fetching food and drink for large group parties.

I know I'm starting to sound old, but I also think lack of courtesy on the lanes is an extension of our hurried, self-absorbed lives. I often find myself coughing up a few more bucks to bowl where it isn't crowded, or to ask for lanes away from the masses, which we've been successful in doing.

Leaving home

2010-07-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's been 3 months since my last post. No excuses (said that before too). I've been spending a lot of time with Jeff (and cherishing every moment of it), bowling (solo or with Jeff) and, putting up my condo for sale.

The picture shown is a view of my living and dining room taken about a year ago. As much as I love this place and the Inner Sunset neighborhood I live in, it's time to leave. Jeff and I want to move in together and need a bigger place to include his sons when they're with us.

No, I won't be moving out of San Francisco. I'll be approaching 27 years living here and I consider this home. But because this was my first owned place, I am going to miss it a bunch.

MUNI, BART and CalTrain in a day

2010-04-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, on date night with Jeff in San Bruno, my car died. I had AAA tow the car to my garage in Belmont. By the time we finished, it was rainy, cold and close to 9 p.m. So I called a cab to take us home. It got us home in 35 minutes, but it wasn't cheap.

As a result, I've delved into much more economical forms of transportation. To get to SFO to my trip to Columbus, I took Super Shuttle, a shared van service. Fare and gratuity, a little over $20. All done online. They always arrive within the specified time window and call within 5 minutes of the van showing up at your door. Since my car was still in Belmont when I returned to SF yesterday, I used Super Shuttle again. Once I got to the designated pickup area, I was off within 10 minutes heading home.

Now home and off the rest of the week, my highest priority in finding a way to Belmont was not the fastest but the cheapest. Jeff's way back to his house last week after getting me home was via MUNI, the 44-O'Shaughnessy to Glen Park BART set the wheels in motion. So, for me the same thing. From Glen Park BART, I took the Millbrae BART line to the end. Once I got to Millbrae, I walked across the platform to CalTrain, bought a Zone 2 ticket to Belmont. It took about 40 minutes before the next train arrived, but it was a short and comfy ride once aboard. When I got to Belmont, I walked about 10 minutes to get my garage and pick up my car.

Had it not been the 40 minute wait for CalTrain, the entire trip would have been only a little over an hour and a half. While it is not something I recommend or would do regularly, I had the time and enjoyed the trek. The entire cost = $7.40 ($2 MUNI + $2.90 BART + $2.50 CalTrain). I know at some point, I will be using MUNI, CalTrain or BART so I ordered a TransLink card online. TransLink covers them all, including AC Transit and Golden Gate Ferry and Transit.

Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year Weekend

2010-02-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

For me, this weekend is not only President's Day, it is also Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year (Tiger), and Jeff's birthday. Felt it only fitting to take today off and fully take advantage of all that's going on this weekend.

While on my way to pin desolation at the lanes, I was listening to KFOG's 10 at 10. Today's theme of course, was Valentine's Day, sweet and sour. One of the sour tunes that got me laughing pretty hard was Sam Kinison's cover of "Wild Thing". The YouTube video is here:

Hope you'll get a laugh out of it too. Sun nien fai lok, Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Birthday, Babe. I love you so much.

PBA on ESPN/ESPN2 - Winter Schedule

2010-01-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

For those of you old enough, you may remember in the 60's and 70's on Saturday afternoons the PBA tour on ABC with the legendary team of Chris Schenkel and Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. as the announcers. You may even remember some of the bowlers during that era: Earl Anthony, Don Carter, Don Johnson, Carmen Salvino, Wayne Webb, Marshall Holman, Mark Roth, Brian Voss, Mike Durbin, Dave Davis, and Dick Weber.

The new generation of PBA bowlers (Chris and Lynda Barnes, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Wes Malott, Rhino Page, Stefanie Nation, Liz Johnson and Pete Weber) can be seen beginning tomorrow on ESPN or ESPN2 until April. Jeff and I have it on our calendars. If you don't find me watching it, it's probably because I'm out there on the lanes honing my game.

Dangers of Multi-Tasking

2009-12-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

As many of you may have read on my Facebook updates Christmas Day, I spent lunch at the home of Sarah and Cara, Jeff's sister and brother-in-law. I got to meet the rest of his siblings and their children and was so honored to get an invite at the last minute.

After lunch, I was then in my car heading across the Golden Gate Bridge to join Amy, Josh, Brian and Anne in San Rafael for dinner. Because of an accident on Lombard Street (one of the main thoroughfares to get to the bridge), it took me 45 minutes in what is normally a 10 minute drive to get to the bridge from my house.

Already late, I finally made it to Amy's and Josh's. Checked my phone for messages and saw that Jeff called. Excited that he called on Christmas Day (and unable to see him as he had to work that day), I called him right back as I was unloading my contributions for dinner. Bad choice. As someone who knows the dangers of talking on cell phones while driving and walking across streets, I should have known better.

While I was chatting with Jeff, not paying attention to where I was walking in the dark (night had already fallen), I failed to negotiate the front step to the house and fell forward. Scraped the top of my wrist (as seen in the picture) and the knuckle below my pinky on my right hand. Amy immediately provided me hydrogen peroxide, cotton and bandages so I could tend to my wounds.

My ego hurt a lot more than the scrapes. All the worse for wear, I was still able to bowl the next afternoon, bandages and all. Even managed to get a 186 in one of my games. Consider me a Timex watch. I take a lickin' and keep on tickin'.

1980 Toyota Celica GT Liftback

2009-12-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

While the picture is a bit to hard to see, my commute this morning on Highway 101 South from San Francisco to San Mateo had me behind for a few miles a white Toyota Celica GT Liftback, circa 1980. For a nearly 30 year old car, it had the typical rust and dents, but from an engine standpoint, it was in decent condition. I couldn't hear loud muffler noises, saw no jerky acceleration, or any blue smoke emitting from its exhaust. My Celica's color was a burnt metallic red.

The car will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the first car I made payments on. Dad actually bought the car (December 1979) and put the loan in his name. I'd pay Mom in cash the monthly car payments. She'd write the check and mail the check and voucher to the bank. It was the car I drove out with Sherman and buddy Stan to San Francisco in August, 1983.

I owned the car until April 1988, when I traded in the Celica for a 1988 Acura Integra LS, a car with its own historical significance (see October 17 blog posting).

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

I have been very lax in posting any recent entries. Aside from being sick most of last week, I really had no excuse. So without further delay, I just wanted to say thanks.

Thanks to my friends and family for supporting me on what started out to be a difficult year. It would have been so much harder without you. Ultimately, the year's end is turning out to be much better than I ever would have imagined.

Thanks to my former classmates at Whitehall-Yearling High School. I've had so much fun reconnecting with you on Facebook and love hearing and seeing snippets of your life. I look forward to seeing many of you on my next visit to Columbus.

And thanks to Jeff, the sweet hunky guy who's been keeping me company for the past 4 months. Thanks for allowing me to get back in touch with you. My 20-year crush on you turned into something most of us only dream about. I love you so much!

20 Years Ago Today....

2009-10-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

Twenty years ago today marks the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area. For most Bay Area residents, they can remember exactly what happened to them that day. It was a bit different for me. I didn't experience the earthquake because I was on a plane flying to Columbus, OH.

About 6 months before the quake, I worked for a very short time for a lighting company in Berkeley. I ended up losing the job 3 months later. At the time, it was pretty devastating, as it was the first job I didn't quit on my own to go to another. I felt lost and wasn't sure what I'd do next. Looking back on it now, I'm glad the job didn't work out. I decided to take some time away from San Francisco and arranged to fly to Columbus to visit my sister Cindy.

In 1989, when it wasn't work, it was usually playing softball. My co-ed team at the time included Jeff, a teammate who played outfield or 1st base. I developed a huge crush on him when we first met. We often hung out with other teammates after games and practices, usually sitting next to each other when the team would go out to eat.

There were a few times Jeff and I would hang out together solo, and it was during those times I'd throw him my car keys and let him drive my first stickshift car, a 1988 blue Acura Integra. The picture of the Integra on this blog entry is very similar to the car I drove, except the color of my car was a lighter shade of blue.

As the date neared for my trip to Columbus, I asked Jeff if he could watch my car while I was away. He agreed and would take me to the airport to catch my flight.

After Jeff dropped me off at SFO and I flew off into the wild blue yonder, I hoped I'd land in time to catch the opening pitch of the Bay Bridge World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's. I arrived in Columbus around 8:30 pm. When Cindy found me at the gate, this is the dialog that immediately followed:

Cindy: There's been an earthquake in San Francisco!
me: How bad was it?
Cindy: I think it was something like a 5 (Richter scale reading). But part of the Bay Bridge fell off!
me: If the part of the Bay Bridge fell off, it was a lot more than 5.

Cindy and I got to her house within a half-hour. Not more than 5 minutes later, Mom calls, frantically wondering if I made it to Columbus or not. I heard Cindy saying on the phone, "she's right here, Mom". I then talked to Mom for a few minutes assuring her I was fine.

My itinerary was to stay in Columbus for 2 weeks and fly back to San Francisco. Mom didn't want me to go back. Even though I had no job at the time, for me it was a no-brainer. I flew back to San Francisco after a 2-week stay.

Forward to the present, 20 years later: I now live in the Inner Sunset district after having lived in the Inner Richmond district at the time of the earthquake until 2002. I'll have experienced 3 more job layoffs but now have a decent job with decent pay. I no longer play softball. I still drive a blue car with a stickshift, but now it is a BMW 325i.

And whatever happened to Jeff, the softball teammate who watched and drove my car while I was away in Ohio for 2 weeks? We lost touch about a year after the earthquake. Over the years, I always wondered what happened to him. After my 9-year relationship ended earlier this year (March 2009), I wanted to get back in touch with people I hadn't seen in a long time.

Jeff was among the first I wanted to contact. I ended up finding him at classmates.com. I emailed him to say hello in late June. We got together for lunch in August. We fell madly in love and have been together since. He's the Jeff that has been subject of many recent Tweets and cause for my stupid grins.

So for everyone living in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 17, 1989, the earth moved. It moved again for 2 other people 20 years later. And yes, Jeff has driven the BMW.

Happy Birthday, Mom

2009-10-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

As I tweeted this morning, today is Mom's 72nd birthday.

Growing up, Mom was boss. She got us up in the morning for school and made us breakfast. She made sure we had lunch money, or packed us a sandwich for those few times we brown bagged it. She went to the grocery store and paid the bills. If we wanted to do a family outing like dinner and movie, we wouldn't go unless Mom wanted to go. If I wanted expensive sneakers such as my Adidas Cross Country with the green stripes or Nike Cortez with the red swoosh, Dad would tell us to ask Mom.

Mom was in charge at the restaurant during daytime hours. I sometimes tagged along with her during summer vacation and used to play in the air conditioned dining room. She always made an awesome lunch like hamburgers, fried rice, chicken or shrimp while there. She knew our neighbors and was friendly with most of our friends that visited our house.

When Mom wasn't working, she played mah-jongg. Lots and lots of it. She'd often take us to homes of other Chinese families, play long into the night and go to work that morning often with no more than a few hours of sleep. Years later, when I'd come back to Columbus to visit during the holidays, Mom was always in search of the next mah-jongg game somewhere in town, even if the weather conditions were less than ideal. She lives now in New York's Chinatown and still plays mah-jongg several times a week.

While I don't see Mom more than a few times a year anymore, she's the main reason why I had such a fun and memorable childhood. I wish she'd take more vacations, but she's happiest when she's busy.

Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you and couldn't have made it without you.

What can brown do for you?

2009-09-19T16:19:00.000-07:00

Last week, I placed an order with Drugstore.com to replenish a few items for the house. I arrange to send most of my online purchases to the office, as I'm not home at the time UPS delivers. I must not have paid attention when I entered the shipping info, as I got this notification from UPS yesterday when I came home from work.

For those times UPS is the carrier and I have to use my home address for delivery (prescription mail orders), I go online immediately after getting the first notice to change the shipping address. This was the first notification ever requiring a fee. While the fee wasn't expensive ($4 for a 4 pound shipment), it still was a charge, probably because of rising fuel costs, thinner profit margins and stiff competition with FedEx and USPS.

This is another reason why I choose USPS over UPS to do personal shipping. It's ridiculously cheaper. For me to send a 2 lbs. package UPS 2nd day air from San Francisco to Columbus would cost almost $26. USPS would charge me for 2nd day air for a large box, $13.50. Only $4.80 for a small box.

So until UPS shows me lower shipping rates, brown's doing nothing for me.

Hot Pink

2009-09-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

As teen sensation Melanie Oudin makes her way through the U.S. Open, there's been some hubbub made about her shoes. Mostly, the pink.

What's the big deal? I've been wearing pink and black shoes since my bowling obsession began this year. It does get attention, but mostly positive. My next fashion statement is to get a hot pink t-shirt with the cursive letter "L" (Laverne & Shirley) style sewn just below the left shoulder.

Best of luck to you, Melanie. It's only the beginning.

photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

Reunion & Anniversary

2009-08-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

Today's date does double duty. In about 2 1/2 hours, Gatsby's in Gahanna, OH will be the destination of my high school's All-Class Reunion. My brother Sherman is in town this weekend to attend festivities. I seriously considered going, but wasn't exactly up for coughing up $350 to board a flight requiring connection to spend the weekend in a hot and humid climate.

Also today is my 26th year in San Francisco. I came out with Sherman and his buddy Stan in my 1980 Toyota Celica to what is now my beloved home city. I now have lived in San Francisco 3 more years than I did in Columbus. But I will always have fond memories of Columbus as the town where I was born and raised.

As Sherman always does after I've attended a reunion, he calls me for a recap (who did I see, what did he/she look like). This time, I should call him.

Scanner-itis

2009-08-08T16:29:00.001-07:00

Last week, I ordered for the first time my own color scanner (Canon LiDE 200) from Amazon.com. Never really had much of a need for one. But since I've been in retro mode for the past year (30-year high school reunion, getting back in touch with classmates, relatives and former co-workers on Facebook), it was time. Plus I'd have at my convenience a fast and easy way to send documents online as well.

The family picture shown above was one of the first old pictures I scanned. I've had it for years, but now am only beginning to appreciate its real value. The picture was taken in summer 1965 in New York City. All of us are dressed impeccably, and my mom looks so Jackie Kennedy.

It then lead me to start putting up old pictures of current Facebook friends and family, tag them, and write a description of what was happening at the time. I've been so tickled to read comments about how these pictures have stirred up memories long forgotten and that my current connections to them directly links to my past.

Smile. Tag, you're it. On my Facebook profile that is.

Rice bowl with top

2009-07-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today I left the office early for my annual OBGYN appointment. The doctor's office is on California Street in the Inner Richmond district. After my visit, I headed a few blocks west for a late lunch at one of my favorite Asian restaurants, Mandalay. I hadn't been there in awhile and needed to get my Lap Pat Dok (tea leaf salad) fix.

Luckily, they were still serving lunch and I ordered the special combination Tea Leaf Salad and Basil Chicken. Delicious. After I got my complimentary soup, they brought out my combination with a bowl of rice, just like the one shown in the picture. What I liked was that the bowl had its own lid, something I'd only seen with larger rice bowls.

I'm not sure why, but I found the small bowl with lid concept to be simple yet ingenious. The lid keeps the rice moist and warm. It made me immediately think of my family dinners in New York's Chinatown, as Dad always takes an empty rice bowl and puts it on top of the remaining rice in another bowl.

It typifies what I admire so much in Asian design: practicality, compactness and elegance.

70th Anniversary of Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech

2009-07-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

As we celebrate our nation's anniversary, I am moved to find out that today is the seventy-year anniversary of Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech. Reprinted from Lou Gehrig's website:

--

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.

"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."
--

While the video does not broadcast the entire speech, I cannot watch the video with dry eyes. The speech is being commemorated today at 15 Major League ballparks.

Come to me, my pretty...

2009-06-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

As Tweeted earlier today, I got my car back from the body shop this afternoon. The car was only gone 5 days, but I missed driving it so much. My rental, a Nissan Versa, wasn't a bad car. It has more headroom, trunk space, and higher visibility than my Bimmer, but it simply doesn't handle and drive as well. It's been my ultimate driving machine for the past 5 1/2 years.

Just a few things I missed: taut steering, the accelerating power and sound of the car's STRAIGHT 6-cylinder engine, stability, suspension, the firm leather seats, the lighted vanity mirror on the driver's side, thermometer (especially in summer to see the wide temperature ranges in the SF Bay Area), and most of all, the manual shifting. And because I would have to push the accelerator hard on the Versa to get decent power, the gas mileage wasn't that much better than my car under typical driving conditions. I know I'm among the minority that drive and enjoy driving stick shift, but for me, it isn't really driving without it.

Welcome home.

It's just a flesh wound...

2009-06-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as mentioned on Twitter, my bumper suffered a scratch leaving an always insane parking lot at the Marina Shopping Center just off Hillsdale Boulevard in San Mateo.

I headed back to the office and drove to AAA's location on Delaware Street. Since it had been 9 years since I last had any body work done, the office explained they no longer have agents filing claims in person. It was all done over the phone. They thoughtfully took into account there'd be people like me who actually still tried to drive to the claims office, as I was offered to go to a cubicle that had 2 phones and could file the claim from there. I graciously accepted their offer.

While on the phone with the claims representative, we were discussing which body shop I wanted to use. Believe it or not, my encyclopediaic memory couldn't recall the body shop I last used 9 years ago. They worked on my last car twice and loved the results both times . Lo and behold, the claims rep said she could look into my file history and found it.

Near the end of the claims process, my cell phone was ringing with a number I didn't recognize. It was Hertz, already checking with me to arrange to the rental I'll need once the car goes into the body shop.

This will be the 6th time in 26 years I will need to have body work done on my car. For living in a densely populated area, it's not unusual. Thus, the reason why rates are considerably higher than what they would be in Columbus, OH. I like the progress that's been made in servicing claims. It's still going to be a hassle, but much less of one than I've had previously.

Microfiber towel - Aquis

2009-05-31T22:15:00.000-07:00

A few minutes ago, I ordered from Amazon.com a large Aquis towel. I first bought these as gym towels for my workouts at USF's Koret Center. These now hang next to my bath towel at home.

Why now at home? Well, for many years, I used 2 bath towels (1 for shampooing, the other for drying the rest of me). Because they are very large and hang on the same rack, they take longer to dry. Once I no longer needed the Aquis towels (my current gym supplies towels as part of my membership), they were sitting in my closet not getting much use. I decided to give them a trial run, reducing the bath towel count to 1.

It's been at least 3 months and I haven't gone back. I bring out a fresh Aquis towel and throw the used one in the wash. My weekly laundry loads are now a lot lighter (especially in the dryer) and don't feel so burdensome to do. I pull the washed Aquis towel out to air dry, which by the next day can be put away. I can't do that with a bath towel. While Aquis does sell towels specifically for shampooing, I buy their adventure (darker colored) towels because they don't show dye remnants after I get my hair colored.

My highest bowling score ever, 221

2009-05-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

Location: Lane 23, Mel's/Redwood Lanes, Redwood City, CA.
Date and Time: May 15, 2009, 7:30 p.m., game 5 of 6.

Last night, I bowled my highest game ever. As seen in the picture, 221. This would have been the last game I ever expected to bowl over 200.

Why? A group of teens were put next to me (Lane 22) into my 4th game. They were clueless about lane courtesy. Most of them were standing on the lane. The youngest one, a boy about 11, stood in my lane and crossed into it several times. It wasn't until the same boy ran up and bowled just as I was in my approach, a staff member took the kids aside and explained to them their actions were distracting me. By then, I was steamed but was determined to finish the game and leave.

When I bowl alone, I often go too fast and don't pace myself. My highest scores have taken place with groups because I have to wait for my turn. I felt hungry and annoyed. I decided to order chicken tenders to help me settle down. Bowled a strike in the first frame. Nibbled on chicken tenders. Then 2 more strikes. Nibbled more chicken. The teens began to notice and got excited when I got to my 5th strike (5-bagger). Then in the 6th, 7th and 8th frames, I didn't spare or strike (open frames) but did get 8 pins each time.

Because I had 3 consecutive open frames, I didn't give much thought about reaching 200. Until I bowled a strike in the 9th frame. I then saw my score was at 191, my previous all-time high. I bowled 3 strikes in the 10th frame, clapped really hard and took a look at my final score. I got so excited I had to go over to the couple I see on Fridays and tell them my score. They both came over and looked at the scoreboard and offered their congratulations as well. The boy who bowled in front of me told me I was awesome. Snapped the picture of the scoreboard. Tweeted and sent the pic to Facebook.

I decided to bowl one more game, just to see how well or poorly I'd do afterwards. Not shabby. It was 181. Called it a night. When I was getting ready to leave, the staff member who spoke to the kids apologized about what they did.

Bowler chick, a la Wade Boggs, has arrived.

Gloom, Despair and Agony

2009-05-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

While it's been pretty much the state of the economy everywhere these days, this YouTube video clip was a regular skit from the corny and burned-into-my-brain TV series "Hee Haw" (1969 - 1992). The show and this song was not one I gave much thought about or willingly admit I watched regularly until recently. Remote controls, channel surfing, and cable TV didn't exist during this prehistoric time, so selection wasn't exactly plentiful.

Perhaps due to personal recent events: 30th high school reunion, my parents' 50th wedding anniversary and my years in California have now exceeded my time in Ohio have triggered this skit and song. Reading some of the other skits on Hee Haw made me realize it really was a simpler time. I took it for granted.

Whatever it is, I'm having a great time linking past memories to present day. And can still sing the song, twang included.

Bath cabinet

2009-04-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I tagged along with Josh and Amy to Ikea in Emeryville. I fully intended not to buy anything, but saw a bath cabinet (as seen here) that I really liked. Solid wood, espresso color. Would match the sink cabinet in my bathroom now. Ended up buying it.

When I got the cabinet home, it wasn't assembled right away. But 2 weeks ago, I got it put up and this is what it looks like in my bathroom. Pretty snazzy.

Introducing Kim

2009-04-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

My cubicle mates Gromit and my magnetic "lobstah" from Boston have a new friend. Her name is, Kim, a.k.a. Angry Asian Girl. Former UC Berkeley student Lela Lee created Angry Asian Girl in 1994. I first came across Kim at my favorite neighborhood gift store, Tutti Frutti.

The cartoon on this tote bag (as seen here) was my introduction to Kim's sassy attitude. I laughed so hard probably because I saw a bit (OK, a lot) of myself when I'm not in such a great mood.

I admire Kim because she says things I would like to say but couldn't, wouldn't and shouldn't. Especially if I want to remain the upstanding, well-loved person I have been for so many years (snicker if you like, as this keeps my ego in check).

Kim now has other friends (Wanda, Deb, Maria and Xyla) and a meathead of a boyfriend named Bruce. Check them all out at the Angry Little Girls website.

Springing forward

2009-03-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in the past 2 weeks because for me there were changes other than setting our clocks an hour ahead a few weeks ago. And I'll leave it at that. My close friends and family know the details. Entries for the next month or so may be sporadic.

Other than my intentionally cryptic announcement, I just joined for the first time in almost 30 years, a formal bowling league at Bel Mateo (very close to work). Signed a membership card, paid dues ($20/year), and bowled 3 games tonight with 3 guys: Jeff, Dave and Mike, who happen to be all awesome bowlers. I forgot how much fun league bowling is. It's more fun than it is competitive, lots of camaraderie and support. Relaxed pace enough that one can socialize with fellow bowlers.

Not that I didn't enjoy my time playing softball, but I wish I would have gotten into league bowling a lot sooner. I am probably having more fun now than I did 30 years ago. Since I began bowling Thursday lunch with the office in February, I've gone 2-3 times a week. I've become hopelessly addicted to the game.

It's not easy being green

2009-03-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Since San Francisco began banning plastic bags about a year or so ago, I bought reusable grocery bags to store in the trunk of my car. My office is located next to Whole Foods and got into the habit of using a reusable bag whenever I went there for lunch.

Or tried. I often would forget to bring it or not bother at all because it was too big for the few items I'd buy for lunch. I later bought a smaller bag specifically for lunch. But again, I'd forget the bag was stored in one of my desk drawers.

Then I found an even smaller and foldable lunch bag as pictured in this blog entry. It cost me only about $2 and easily stores in my purse. Even if I take out only my wallet on my way to lunch, the bag is always near the wallet as my reminder to pull both out.

Whole Foods gives you the option to donate or deduct 5 cents whenever you bring in your own bag. I've brought the bag in often enough that it will pay for itself very soon (if it hasn't already).

The bag is the perfect size and always fits my lunch purchases very neatly. There's even a side mesh pocket to hold a bottled beverage and separates it from hot food. While I'm far from being a poster child of green, having this foldable bag comforts me in knowing I am contributing in a small way.

Bowler Chick

2009-02-21T17:22:00.000-08:00

Since I've blathered on all week about getting back into bowling, my new ball came in today. Immediately after getting the ball, I headed to Presidio Bowl to try out the ball. I bowled terribly.

First, I realized that holding your own ball is not the same as holding a house ball. Second, bend my knees. Third, release the ball a bit earlier to get a better follow through.

My sister Cindy comes in tomorrow and I'll be off work (but accessing email regularly) until next Thursday. I want to squeeze in one more practice session to work on a consistent release, which is my biggest problem right now.

But most importantly, I've got the pretty ball and flashy shoes now. I may not bowl like a pro, but I'm having a ton of fun looking like one.

Bowling in style

2009-02-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

For those of you that follow me regularly on Facebook and Twitter, I've been writing about my excitement of getting back into bowling regularly through a group organized at work.

At the recommendation of my colleagues Albert and Scott, I went online yesterday to bowlersparadise.com. They told me Bowlers Paradise had the best price and selection. I checked out at least 2 shoe and 2 other bowling websites. Shoe websites had cheaper prices, but lousy selection. Other bowling websites had a lot to choose from, but higher priced than Bowlers Paradise.

The shoes in the picture, Elite Athena, in black and hot pink, were the ones I selected. There were 2 other color combinations available, but I wanted some flash. When I got to the checkout section of the shopping cart, I was a bit surprised to be charged $10.95 for shipping, but figured it would have been the same had I ordered a ball, which is much heavier and larger than shoes.

I didn't regret my decision one bit. Bowlers Paradise is located in Sacramento and they shipped my shoes FedEx overnight. I got them shortly after 10 a.m. today, about an hour before I was ready to head out to bowl. The shoes fit comfortably right away and there is a ton of padding around the opening. Everyone noticed them and complimented me on how cool they looked.

Then it was lane time. Aside from Wii bowling, the last time I bowled was about 4 years ago at an outing with my previous company. I bowled a bunch as a kid and was in organized leagues in junior high and through my employer while I was a student at Ohio State. I had my own ball in college (fuschia/hot pink) but not my own shoes.

Now, with my own shoes, but no ball, and some practice on form playing Wii, I actually did a bit better. Scores were 132 and 129. My average in college was never more than 120. I once bowled a 191 (and got a trophy for high women's score - scratch), but I could easily bowl 90 the next game.

Just like it was in college, I had so much fun and got so amped afterwards, I am seriously considering buying a new ball. As much as I'd like to order it online, buying a ball through a pro shop is still the way to go. One needs the tactile experience (feel of the ball, an expert to fit and properly drill the finger holes, etc.)

As it was in softball, I knew I was a die hard carrying my own bag with cleats, mitt and bat. I see myself going down that road with bowling. Already got the shoes. If I get a ball, there's no way I won't have one without a bag.

Memories of Jong Mea - continued

2009-02-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

This morning, I got another very nice comment on the Jong Mea posting I wrote in February 2007. It was from someone who patronized the Columbus location back in the 70's. What made this comment exceptional was that it was from Doug Ritter (Ritterling), a former radio disc jockey in Columbus (WCOL-AM 1230) and San Francisco (KITS-FM 105.3), the only 2 cities I consider as home.

Doug wrote:
Lani-
I believe that you were working the register the night I proposed to my wife in 1978. Jong Mea was our favorite restaurant and a perfect place for me to propose. I was a disk jockey for 1230 WCOL, (the studios were a few blocks down Broad Street) so we stopped at Jong Mea often after I got off the air. Pamela and I are still happily married after nearly 29 years! We still point out the old building to our three kids whenever we visit the city. Perhaps its time for a new Jong Mea?
Thanks for the good times!
Doug Ritter (Ritterling) St, Louis, MO

Well, Doug, if you find this blog posting, I'm speechless at how much our restaurant meant to you. Wow, you proposed to Pamela at our restaurant. Your former radio station holds equally special memories for me as I was a big fan of WCOL-AM in my early teens. In fact, it was the station that got me exposed to Top 40 radio.

During the summer of 1974, I got a bit of spending money thanks to WCOL. The disc jockey called my house at random and asked if I knew how much was in the jackpot. I said I didn't know. The deejay asked me to guess, and I blurted, "$150". It happened to be the correct amount during bonus hour, which I got $300. My mom picked up the check for me at the station. It was the highlight of my summer vacation.

Thank you, Doug, for sharing such a wonderful memory.

Ancient Chinese secret (and it isn't rocket science)

2009-01-21T20:53:00.000-08:00

As I twittered today, I am still flabbergasted as the number of novice chopstick users who insist on holding them from the center and then seeing the sticks cross each other. NO NO NO NO NO. You may as well start counting how many times the food MISSES the mouth. The YouTube video embedded on this blog entry is very short and sweet, and is exactly the way I use chopsticks.

Hey, I appreciate that your attempt to use them is your way of recognizing my ancestry. But it pains me to see how awkward it looks on you. Next week is Chinese New Year so if you want to impress your Asian friends, you better start practicing now.

Jong Mea - Indianapolis, IN

2009-01-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Almost 2 years ago in February 2007, I wrote a blog posting about my family's restaurant, Jong Mea. Today, I got another nice comment from someone who patronized the Mansfield, OH location. I am so honored to hear from those who have commented have such fond memories of our restaurant.

The picture shown on the left, courtesy of flickr.com compatriot Namey McNamerson, is the dining room of the Indianapolis location. I didn't spend as much time here as I did in Columbus, as my parents didn't manage the Indianapolis location until the late 80's.

Again, to those of you who have written, thank you so much for sharing your memories. My parents will be excited to hear that you enjoyed your time at Jong Mea.

In search of shades

2009-01-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

OK, I admit it. I am very brand conscious when it comes to sunglasses. I used to buy sunglasses off the department store rack for about $20. I didn't quite get why anyone would spend $50 or more on a pair of sunglasses. Until I got tired of scratched lenses and stretched out frames year after year. I decided I would splurge and got my first pair of Vuarnets. I had them for about 3 years until I left them on a softball field never to be seen again.

I got another pair of Vuarnet, then Revo, Ray-Ban, Oakley, and the current brand for the fashion conscious, Maui Jim. Since the Oakleys, I have gotten very particular about what I buy. My small face requirements include the following:

Eye size no more than 50 mm
Bridge size no more than 17 mm
Temple length no more than 135 mm
Nose pads that keep the lenses from hitting my cheeks
Spring hinges preferred

My last pair of prescription glasses often drove me nuts because the bridge size was 21 mm and brushed against the inner eyelid, often fogged up and found myself constantly taking them off. My current pair fit so well (no fog up and no taking off) that I'm using those measurements to find the right pair of sunglasses. Which I find to be difficult, because most Maui Jim eye size frames I like are too big.

But tonight I got lucky. I found on eBay, a discontinued style, Bikini, that meets my size requirements for a fraction of the original retail price. I ordered them tonight and should get them later this week. I'm retiring my current pair of Maui Jims because they lack spring hinges and are starting to feel stretched out after 5 years of wear. Tightening the temple screws helps only slightly for a short time.

Can't wait to get them.

Watching reruns not on TV

2008-12-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

Before heading out to Christmas dinner at Pauline's a few days ago, I spent my downtime online. If you haven't already figured it out by now, I'm online constantly. Even a lot longer than I am watching TV anymore. Don't let my athletic tendencies fool you. I, Lani Chin, consider myself a full-fledged honorary and proud member of geekdom.

But what I did online was watch TV. I was at Hulu.com, watching reruns of a favorite NBC program in the 70's (1972-1979), "Emergency!". While it was actor Robert Fuller as Dr. Kelly Brackett, F.A.C.S. (right of center in blog pic) that got top billing, it was Randolph Mantooth as Fireman John Gage (center) that brought hormone overloaded teenage girls like me to watch the program every Saturday night.

A similar site to Hulu.com, Joost.com also features films and TV shows. The best part: both sites allow you to view the shows for FREE. I took a look at Joost last night and found, for me, it doesn't offer as much as Hulu. Hulu also has many other current TV programs (Family Guy, Fringe, Chuck, Heroes) and feature films also available for viewing.

It's a great option when there's nothing interesting currently on TV to watch. Check it out sometime.

TRN360.com (Total Recruiting Network)

2008-12-20T10:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I worked from home and met Lisa for lunch in the neighborhood. While it wasn't the 3+ hour sessions we had as teenagers at the Ground Round in Columbus, Ohio, we got our girls' time in to catch up.

One of the topics of discussion is a startup founded by Lisa's brother, Terry Burris. Terry is a legend among legends at Whitehall-Yearling High School. He received High School All-American and All-State honors in track, and in 1974, was Ohio's UPI Basketball Player of the Year and went on to play basketball at Ohio State.

Terry's company, TRN360.com is a resource to assist high school athletes (male and female) obtain opportunities to continue their athletic careers in college. This resource is ideal for those athletes who aren't the Michael Jordans and Mia Hamms in the world. Rather than bore you to death on why I love this idea, please go to the website directly to get more information.

Hell On Wheels

2008-12-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

Pictured to the left is the latest in the fleet of junk from the neighbors from hell. I have to admit the noise and seedy visitors have all but disappeared.

I think the C.W. Nevius column in the San Francisco Chronicle published a few weeks back really did make an impact. Compared to what it was previously, it's a major improvement. However, the house still sticks out like a sore thumb.

The dilipidated truck with the white and blue covers in the driveway hasn't moved. An old washer that looks like it hasn't worked in 30 years sits on the wall to the right of the stairs leading to the house.

I wouldn't be surprised to find the truck gone in the next few weeks because it isn't DMV registered. Slow but measurable progress is being made.

A Matter of Loaf and Death

2008-11-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

I've been a HUGE Wallace and Gromit fan for about 15 years. So when I found out there's a new short feature film (like "A Close Shave" and "The Wrong Trousers") that is debuting on December 3, I got all excited. Problem is, it will only be shown in the U.K. and Australia. No date announced as to when it will be available in the U.S. It's likely this will be featured later in 2009 in an animation film festival.

I'm glad to hear that creator Nick Park has returned to the short feature format. While I did like "Curse of the Were Rabbit" very much, the short features have a lot of charm, wit and sight gags packed into 30 to 60 minutes that a full length feature tends to drag out. And while Mr. Park stresses this is being tailored for British audiences, I think that's great. Much of the charm of Wallace and Gromit is because it is very British.

Jolly good.

Neighborhood Nuisance, part 2

2008-11-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in my last blog posting, my neighbors across the street were likely the subject in a recent San Francisco Chronicle column. The picture from that entry was taken in June. The picture showing in today's entry was taken 2 days ago.

It does look like some effort is being made to spruce up the house. The house was painted about 2 months ago, but there hasn't been any progress since. The upper right window displaying a fan is still broken. The dilapidated truck in the driveway is now covered loosely with blue and white covers. There's still debris scattered around the outside areas.

This past week, a camper shell from a truck was sitting on the curb in front of the house. It moved to the sidewalk yesterday. Today, there is a bunch of metal debris sitting where the camper shell was. As I vented on my Twitter postings this past week, the sound of someone rummaging glass in the garbage bins could be heard for several hours late Thursday night.

Come on. I don't live in Pacific Heights or St. Francis Woods but I consider my neighborhood, the Inner Sunset, to be nice and a desirable place to live. It's inconsiderate, uncaring bums like my neighbors that rob me of my homeowner pride in one of the most desirable cities in the world.

Next step: Notify the Department of Health about the eyesore sitting in the driveway. Slowly but surely the problem will be eradicated. I want my peace and quiet.

Neighborhood Nuisance

2008-11-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

Today, San Francisco Chronicle columnist C.W. Nevius wrote about my San Francisco neighborhood, the Sunset district and our fight to rid urban blight.

The description of the house and its occupants accurately describes our neighbors across the street. I wrote about them in a previous blog entry this past July. Pete and I are certain the article is about these folks. The San Francisco police visit this house regularly.

On my way home from work November 4, 5 SFPD squad cars were in front of our house, 2 of them blocking my driveway. I had to circle around the block to give them some time to finish their "visit".

This past weekend (as described in my Twitter posting), a motorcycle roared up and down the street all evening. I called the non-emergency number and the dispatcher said they'd look into it. Within an hour, the noise stopped. It's apparent the SFPD keep a close watch on this house. It's helping, but it will take some time before the problem is completely eliminated.

Until then, I have to grit my teeth and put up with it. Just as I end this blog, the motorcycle just roared down the street. Again. Sigh.

Voice to a face

2008-11-13T21:41:00.000-08:00

The past 2 months have been nothing but reunions. First, it was seeing my family to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Less than a week later, it was my 30th high school reunion. Now, it's connecting to former classmates and co-workers (mostly from my previous employer) on Facebook and LinkedIn.

If any of my Facebook friends find some of my comments about "seeing you for the first time" a bit strange, it's because 2 of my recent connections were former store/studio managers I knew over the years were people I only talked to over the phone. I've never met them in person. I talked to them so much that I would recognize their voices immediately when they'd call.

A small world now only smaller. And for me, not in a bad way.

Film drought

2008-11-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

As an avid independent/art house film goer, I am a bit frustrated with the current choices of films now. The last film I saw was "Elegy" (Ben Kingsley, Penelope Cruz and Dennis Hopper) at the Angelika in New York. That was over 3 weeks ago. The last film Pete and I saw together was "Burn After Reading" over a month ago. We usually find a mutually agreeable film to see at least once or twice a month. I can't help but think the lack of selection is a trickle-down effect of the economy.

Hey, I'm up for escapism in a dark room with strangers for 2-3 hours. I'm even up to sucking up and fighting the cattle prods at an AMC or UA theatre to see a GOOD wide release film. But I'd rather be burning up with fever than sit through "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" or "Beverly Hills Chihuahua".

I felt all flushed with fever...

2008-10-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

I spent this past weekend entirely resting and drinking tons of cranberry juice and water. I had UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). This was my second bout in 7 years.

This bout of UTI first started last weekend during my trip to Columbus for my high school reunion. I intentionally put it off hoping it would work itself out, or get to the doctor's office once I returned home to San Francisco.

It was understandable, but not advisable. The fever and chills began 2 days after I got back to town. Did I visit the doctor then? Nooooo. I've successfully ended colds and flu after a fever and thought the same would apply to a UTI. It doesn't. I finally reached the doctor and she said she couldn't see me. She advised me to visit the UCSF Screening & Acute Care Clinic immediately. The visit would cost me the same as a standard co-payment to the doctor's office.

When I left the office, it was clearly evident how ill I really was. I was in my chill cycle. The outside temperature got up to 82 degrees before I cracked open a window. Usually when the temperature goes above 65, I'd have the air conditioning on as soon as I start the car.

The nurse at the clinic saw me within 10 minutes. She took my temperature and seemed a bit alarmed when she told me it was 102 degrees. I provided a urine sample and within another 15 minutes, the attending resident called my name and confirmed I had UTI. She prescribed me a non-penicillin (I'm allergic to it) antibiotic. I got it filled at Walgreens within the hour.

My fever was so bad that I soaked through my pillow case, the bedsheet, 3 T-shirts and a towel over the course of the weekend. Pete was wonderful, constantly filling my glass with cranberry juice and getting me to eat when I wasn't hungry (also an indicator I was sick). By Saturday night, my body temperature returned to normal, which is around 97 degrees.

The cause (which I won't specify) of both episodes of UTI was the same. In both cases, I failed to do something I should have. Let's just say cranberry juice is back in my diet and I will always do what needs to be done to prevent this from happening again.

Whitehall-Yearling High School Reunion - Class of '78

2008-10-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

My long weekend in Columbus is about to wrap up. I came in Friday night to attend my high school reunion. This is the 3rd reunion from my class that I've attended. And like the others, I had a wonderful time. The turnout for what was a class of under 300 was small and intimate.

Most of the attendees were people I'd seen at the previous reunions, but there were a few I hadn't since seen since high school. It was wonderful to catch up. My brother Sherman knows a few of my classmates very well, and as he has at my previous reunions, called the next day to get a recap.

So to those I saw last night, already Google'd to check out this blog and see what else I'm up to, it was great to see you. Hopefully it will be in 5 rather than 10 years that I see you all again.

GUYS: Gary, Terry, Tom, John, Bob, Randy, Tim, Joe, Ed, Bill, Pat
GALS: Barb H., Barb K., Andi, Eva, Cindy, Cindi, Patti, Melody, Tina, Kim, Sharon, Cris, Karin, Michelle, Tracy, Kathy, Lori, and special thanks to Jennifer for helping Barb H. organize. This evening wouldn't have happened without your help.

Go Rams!

Bermuda

2008-10-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

If you've haven't been following my Twitter postings, I just returned today from a Royal Caribbean cruise from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ to Bermuda. It was my first cruise ever to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

My parents love to gamble. The original plan was to spend a few days in Las Vegas. My brother Sherman then took it one step further and decided a cruise would be better. Everything my parents like to do would all be in one place. It turned out to be the best gift for them.

Mom and Dad pigged out at the buffet at ALL meals. They stayed in the casinos at least until 1 a.m. Slept in and napped whenever they wanted. After 2 days, we stopped going to our assigned dinner table because we preferred the variety and flexibility the buffet offered. We were booked in one of the luxury suites, so we got satellite on a flat screen TV and the option to watch whatever DVD's were in the library. Dad self-serviced himself frozen yogurt everyday after lunch and/or dinner.

For me, I brought my laptop but couldn't get wireless access. I ended up going to their online center, but they charged $0.55/minute for usage. I needed my online fix, so I coughed up the bucks. Twenty minutes goes by really quickly. I treated myself to a Swedish massage, and used the gym facilities twice during our 5-day cruise. My brother Sherman, the fitness junkie, went to the gym daily. My sister Cindy sat out on the balcony outside our suite to gaze at the ocean for hours on end. Everyone got what they wanted out of the cruise.

It looks like this is going to become an annual outing.

Update to "Eye on the Bay" segment

2008-09-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

As I was setting the DVR for 11 a.m. tomorrow on KPIX, the episode featured is not "Eye on the Bay". It is very possible that I may not find myself in a rerun. Oh well.

A claim, albeit BRIEF, to fame

2008-09-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

Back in June, KPIX contacted me to do an interview about fog on their newsmagazine show, "Eye on the Bay". I was told the segment wouldn't appear until September. I had been perusing their website for the past few weeks to see if it was coming up on any of the program listings. There was a feature about fog last night, but wasn't sure if this was going to include my interview.

I had it marked on my calendar to watch it. I ran an errand at Target after work and didn't make it home in time. Sure enough, the person who originally contacted for the interview emailed me this afternoon to tell me it was on. It's up on Eye on the Bay's website now. And if you are among the many friends and family I notified today on Facebook, Twitter or personal email and haven't found out about my TV appearance, then you've been under a rock for the past 6 hours. Or dead.

Just in case you STILL don't have it, here's the link. My last name was incorrectly said as "Chang". But hey, at least my first name was pronounced correctly. For those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area, the segment will air again on Sunday, September 28 at 11 a.m. on KPIX (CBS), channel 5. Crunched for time on your way to brunch or football game? No problem. You'll only have to watch the first 6 minutes. I appear twice in that time frame. It's a good as time as any to fire up that DVR.

Autographs cheerfully provided upon request.

Diet Coke. Just for the taste of it...

2008-09-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't touched regular soda (or pop, as they say in parts of Canada and in Ohio) in over 20 years. Even when I did drink it, about the only drink I could gulp in semi-massive quantities was Mello Yello. My dad (today's his birthday) liked Mello Yello so much that he used to hide his supply from us.

When I decided to give up regular soda, I tried Tab, Diet Rite, Diet Pepsi, Diet 7up, Diet Sprite, Diet Dr. Pepper and a bunch of others I won't bother to mention. To me, Diet Coke was and still is the best tasting. Even over regular soda (which I have no desire to drink anymore). I used to opt for Diet Pepsi if Diet Coke wasn't available. But Diet Pepsi is nasty and would rather have plain, still water instead.

I then tried to go the route of giving up soda altogether. Including diet. This was successful for about 2 years. I switched to fruit drinks, iced teas, flavored vitamin and sparkling waters. The energy and fruit drinks don't have as much sugar as regular soda, but still too much. Sparkling water is good, but doesn't neutralize strong tasting food, isn't as satisfying or available. I still drink iced tea, usually green and diet.

So, after too many drowsy, dragged out afternoons at the office, I returned to Diet Coke. This time, I ventured off into other variations. Diet Coke w/Lemon made with Splenda, decaffeinated Diet Coke, a vitamin fortified version, Coke Zero, with Lime, and with Cherry.

Coke Zero is bitter and nasty and in no way, shape or form tastes like regular Coke. Only marginally better than Diet Pepsi. All the other Diet Coke versions are likable enough, but whenever I return to original formula Diet Coke, I notice the taste difference right away. Not too fizzy and very satisfying.

Gulp, gulp, gulp. Long live Diet Coke.

San Francisco, August 1983

2008-09-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

Last month was my 25th anniversary in San Francisco. While reading a discussion thread in Yelp! asking for native San Franciscans to comment about what their childhood experiences. I'm not a native, but it made me realize in 25 years, many things about my transplanted city have changed.

Stonestown Galleria was an outdoor mall with mostly mom and pop type shops and very few chains. What is now Macy's was Emporium Capwell. Petrini's Supermarket was where McDonald's now is.

Marine World was in Redwood City where Oracle now is.

Bridgepointe Shopping Center in San Mateo was Fashion Island Mall. One of the store's anchors was Whole Earth Access. A skating rink was located inside the mall.

Potrero Avenue and 16th Street was the San Francisco Autocenter. Pete worked there as a delivery driver.

Highway 480 dominated the skyline at my workplace on Davis and Broadway. It was torn down completely after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.

Royal Theatre on Polk and California, Regency Theatres I and II on Van Ness and Sutter, Northpoint Theatre on Powell and Bay (saw "Ghostbusters" and "Top Gun" there), Parkside Theatre on Taraval Street and 20th Avenue (saw "Field of Dreams" there).
Crocker and Security Pacific were major banks. Crocker merged with Wells Fargo, Bank of America acquired Security Pacific.

Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) was the dominant discount airline carrier, very similar business model to Southwest Airlines.

Wow, recalling these makes me realize how long I've been around.

How to Be a Leading Hollywood Player When You're Lazy

2008-09-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

Ricky Gervais's new film, Ghost Town is due for release on September 18. Pete and I saw the trailer when we went to see Vicky Cristina Barcelona last week. While doing my regular surfing, I came across an Esquire article Ricky has written and it's hilarious. You can also read it here.

The Best Advice Is: Be in charge. Then you can do anything. If you're not in charge, always play characters who have your haircut. That saves an hour in the morning. No wigs, no beards. Forget it. I had to wear a beard for one day. Ridiculous. Forty minutes. No. My haircut: ten minutes. And don't choose ridiculous costumes. Choose normal clothes. Ordinary trousers, ordinary shoes that you can put on yourself. Costume: five minutes. Hair and makeup: ten minutes. That's it. No costumes. No wigs. Own haircut.

Two: Do your own accent. You don't want to have vocal coaching. Don't do anything that needs skill. If there's a scene and it says " . . . rides a horse," say, "You do not need me to ride that horse." Because you'll have to learn how to ride a horse. That could take, like, two weeks. Too busy. Too much trouble.

Three: Always say that your character should be sitting down. Don't ever be standing at the beginning of a scene. So if it starts off, "There's a knock at the door, you get up and answer the door," you'll be up and down for eight hours. Convince them that you should sit there and say, "Come in." When we were filming Ghost Town, I tried to convince the director, David Koepp, that we should do a remake of Ironside together. It's the old TV drama with Raymond Burr as a detective in a wheelchair. Also, I've always wanted to play someone in a coma. Just comes out of it at the end. I was really jealous of Colin Farrell when I found out that Phone Booth was shot in just 16 days. Some of it, he was sitting on the floor of the telephone box. One location, sitting down.

Four: If there are long and complicated monologues, cut them. Say, "I don't think I'd say that." No one will think you're being lazy; it comes across as integrity.

So if any directors are reading this, I will work every day. I will give it my all. I will give it everything. I will give you 100 percent between the hours of, say, eight and six. And that's from pickup to wrap. If it's, like, two miles away, you can't go, "You'll be picked up at six, it'll be over at eight." You're having a laugh. My pickup is no earlier than seven-thirty. I'm not a maniac. I have to be wrapped by six. Five-day weeks. I only shoot in London and New York. No night shoots. No wigs. No nudity--that's more for the general public's sake as opposed to mine. And let's not go on and on with it. Let's try to keep it under five, six weeks. So, Spielberg--your move.
--As told to David Walters

RIM Blackberry Curve 8310

2008-09-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

Toward the end of July, I bought my first smartphone, a RIM BlackBerry Curve 8310 to replace my Sony Ericsson W600i. Like the Nokia that preceded my Sony, the phone contains all of my must haves in features: Bluetooth, speakerphone, cameraphone (which is now standard in most cell phones). I originally had no interest in getting a smartphone, but since my current employer permits us to expense the cost up to $200 on smartphones, I had to take advantage of the offer.

It's now going on my third month with the BlackBerry. In order for me to feel like I was taking full advantage of BlackBerry's features, I changed to an unlimited data/text/e-mail plan. I'm glad I did. I added Twitter, my Yahoo! e-mail, NYTimes for mobile and Facebook to read messages when I'm not on my laptop. I e-mail and send a lot more text messages now, but because I can access this so quickly, I'm also finding I'm more much attentive to the phone than ever before. At work, I find myself constantly looking to see if the flashing LED is red, which means I have a new text or e-mail message.

Two features that my Sony had that my BlackBerry doesn't are a countdown timer and flashlight. I found a free countdown timer from NorthCubed and inexpensive flashlight at Handango. The timer isn't quite as good as Sony's. The loudness can't be adjusted and once time has elapsed, it turns off with no reminder. So if it goes off and I don't know it, I'm SOL.

I don't have yet my work email setup on the BlackBerry. It isn't a requirement (at least not yet) for me to have it installed. I won't be pushing for it anytime soon.

Quarter of a Century

2008-08-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

Today is my 25th anniversary in San Francisco. My brother Sherman, his buddy Stan and I drove my 1980 Toyota Celica GT Liftback (front of it shown in picture behind me) from Columbus, OH to San Francisco in 4 1/2 days.

Our first stop was in Lawrence, KS. We almost didn't get a hotel that night because our stop coincided with parents helping their kids onto campus at the University of Kansas. Second stop was in Cheyenne, WY. Third stop was in Salt Lake City, UT. Last stop was Reno, NV. Our route was I-70 West until we reached I-25 North in Colorado, then finished the rest of our trip on I-80.

We stayed with my cousin Wilgee and his girlfriend (now wife) Amanda in San Bruno when we got into town. I started my first full-time job with The Sharper Image the following week. Unfortunately, The Sharper Image went out of business earlier this year. There will be a reunion party at Gordon Biersch in early September.

Twenty-five years later, about the only things that haven't changed are that I still wear exclusively Levi's jeans and live in the Sunset district. Except now I live in the Inner Sunset. My first residence was in the Outer Sunset.

San Francisco, CA. My home sweet home.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

2008-08-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

Fully into middle age, I have been a dedicated user (35 years) of Sea Breeze astringent, ORIGINAL FORMULA. About 3 years ago, the manufacturers developed a new formula, Actives. Like New Coke, it never should have been made.

EWWWWW! At the time I bought it, I had no idea it wasn't the original formula. I immediately realized it when my skin felt sticky and didn't feel the same refreshing tingle as I always did. I compared an old bottle to the new one and noticed Original Formula wasn't labeled on it.

I then found AmericaRX.com sold the Original Formula and bought a few bottles. A few months later, I found out Drugstore.com sold it. Woo hoo! I was already having difficulty finding it on store shelves, so I was relieved to know I could now purchase it from a website I regularly use.

Home free! Or so I thought. This past weekend, I went to Drugstore.com and found it was no longer available. I Google'd to see where else it was available. It was comforting to know that there's a website, Tami's Clock, with numerous comments from other incensed users about the attempt to kill our beloved astringent. I've tried Dickinson's Witch Hazel, Clean and Clear, Sea Breeze astringent Sensitive Skin formula, and a few others. NONE of them work as effectively as Sea Breeze astringent, Original Formula.

As of today, eBay merchant AmericanRx.com sells Original Formula. AmericaRx.com, where I bought a few before I found them at Drugstore.com no longer sell it. CosmeticMall.com and Amazon.com have it listed but is currently not available. A few beauty supply stores do sell in larger quantities, but some comments from Tami's Clock say it isn't Original Formula.

For now, Sea Breeze astringent, Original Formula, can now still be purchased online, but where to get it has become increasingly difficult.

High School Reunion Update

2008-08-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

After a hectic 2 weeks, I wanted to update a posting no matter how brief it would be. I found out (not surprisingly) today that the 30-year reunion tentatively planned for this month is to be combined with the all class reunion scheduled for October.

Because I'm committed to a Bermuda cruise to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary in the same month, it is likely I won't attend. The person planning the reunion has been ill and wasn't able to do much. I'm puzzled because there were 4 people on the planning committee for the 25-year reunion and not sure why someone else didn't step in.

I'm a bit disappointed as I attended the 10 and 20-year reunions and had a blast each time. I seem to be among the minority that actually had fond memories of high school. Yes, there were the cliques, peer pressure, and constant wondering where one was in the pecking order. I wasn't extremely popular, smart or athletic but did well enough in all of these that I managed to be remembered among my classmates many years later. Of course, being one of only 3 Asians in my graduating class certainly didn't hurt either.

As I've gotten older, family gatherings mean a lot more. High school reunions don't come often but family comes first.

Bag Hag

2008-07-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight I ordered 2 bags online. My first stop is always eBags. I've been a customer of theirs for at least 10 years. I've been using exclusively the carry-on suitcase I bought from them at least 7 years ago for only $40 and like the Energizer bunny, it's still going strong.

This order from eBags is a bit different from my previous purchases. I noticed on the website a link at the bottom of the page for AAA members. It brought me to AAA's website and entered my zip code as requested. I was then brought back to eBags's site under the AAA/eTravel store link powered by eBags. The best part is that as an AAA member, I'm eligible for a 20% discount and free shipping for orders $75 and over. Way cool.

The Baggallini nylon bag pictured is one of the 2 items I ordered tonight. I got it at 20% off. but the second item, my Victorinox Lund (a mini-backpack to replace my faded Eagle Creek) was not. The total was just under $83, so I qualified for free shipping.

I ordered the nylon bag for my upcoming cruise with the family in October. Since this trip will last a bit more than a week, I'll need more clothing than my carry-on will fit. I've been flying for the past 3 years without checking in luggage and I'm not about to start now, especially since many airlines now charge for it. The bag folds into a pouch and plan to take with me in my carry-on. I will ship the rest of my clothing to Sherman before I fly out and pack them in the nylon bag once I'm in New York.

As for the new mini-backpack, I've been eyeing one for the past 6 months. My 10+ year old Eagle Creek is quite faded and lacks the compartments the newer mini-backpacks now have. I really liked The North Face's Pandora. It comes in a bunch of awesome colors, but it doesn't have what I liked about my Eagle Creek, an external water bottle holder. The Victorinox Lund has one, and all of the other requirements I wanted: padded shoulder straps, color, 2 storage sections and most importantly, it's small.

While the trip is still over 2 months away, it is never too early to plan ahead. Especially the way air travel is these days. I'll do whatever I can to minimize my time as cattle prod.

Push the Cush (Top, that is)

2008-07-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my brother Sherman flew in from New York for a long weekend visit. He stayed with us last night, headed to Sacramento with his buddy Cliff tonight, and will return to San Francisco to stay with us Sunday night before he heads home.

To give Sherman online access away from home, I gave him free rein on my Sony Vaio. Not an issue since I bring home my work issued Lenovo T61 everyday. My Vaio always sits on the Belkin CushTop I ordered last October. Sherman commented while using my laptop, he liked the cushioning, height, and angle the pad provides to make typing so much easier.

So, before dinner, I went online to Overstock.com and ordered a CushTop for Sherman. Same color as mine, in chocolate. Only $28 with $2.95 shipping. While Pete has an i-Mac and doesn't need one, he liked the design and practicality and wrote about it on his blog this past January.

UPDATE: Amazon.com is selling this for $18. Because it's under $25, they'll get you in shipping, $7.35, but the total is still about $5 less than Overstock.

Miracles do happen...

2008-07-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my sister Cindy's birthday. We called her tonight because both of us had a better chance of reaching her. After exchanging the standard pleasantries, I was flabbergasted to hear she finally got a computer.

While it wasn't a laptop with wireless access, but a desktop with high-speed cable internet access, it's a good start. For years, she was adamant about using a computer only at work. She was about the only person I knew in our generation without a computer.

It's been very frustrating for Pete and me for the past few years not to be able to communicate with Cindy electronically. Because of the time difference, we can't call her because she's asleep or vice-versa. Plus, most of our pictures are now posted online and I would only be able to show them to her if we were both near a computer.

Now I have to be careful about overwhelming her with all that I do with computers and the internet.

Ch-ch-ch-chia

2008-07-14T23:45:00.000-07:00

As previously written in my July 2 blog, the amount of spam I am now receiving has increased considerably since I opened a Facebook account. What puzzles me to no end is how many of the spam I'm getting address me as "Chia".

Oooh, my blood is boiling. My name is NOT Chia. Thanks to the lovely spam gods out there who now equate me to a ceramic animal figurine. Please stop. It's annoying and insulting.

No Crunch/Fizz Zone

2008-07-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

Since my gum surgery last Thursday, soft, mashed and pureed food have become my best friends. This is food I already enjoy and find quite satisfying. Specifically they included:

eggplant stir-fry & baba ganoush
hummus
mashed potatoes
ground beef or turkey
rice
pasta
scrambled eggs
oatmeal
soup

I've had to avoid crunchy food such as chips and nuts. My beloved Diet Coke has also been on hold because of the carbonation. While the recovery period hasn't made me miss work, the dull ache lingers enough not to workout this week.

Now I know what it's like for old folks without choppers. Something to look forward to in my golden years. Sigh.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2008-07-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight we attended a late afternoon game at AT&T Park to see the San Francisco Giants versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While the rivalry is still fierce, but not the intensity I remembered at my first Giants-Dodgers game 24 years ago at Candlestick, the games are always fun to watch.

It didn't look good at first. Barry Zito, the much maligned pitcher, was the starter and gave up 2 runs in the first inning. But those were the only runs he gave up and it enabled the Giants to stay in the game. They scored 1 run in the 6th inning, then rallied with 4 runs in the 7th inning to win the game, 5-2. Zito ended up with 10 strikeouts and the victory.

We got to the game early and got to see batting practice. Munched on some yummy chicken tenders, garlic fries and Ghirardelli hot fudge sundae. Best way to spend a Saturday at the ball park.

Spam-A-Lot

2008-07-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know I setup a Facebook account last month. It's been great as I got invites from people I hadn't heard from in years.

While it could be coincidental, I've noticed my spam e-mails have increased considerably since the Facebook account opened.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Everyone gets spam and tons it of it. But getting repeated spam for the same products is what I'm noticing a lot more. Pepsi is a prime example. They spammed me 5 times with the same e-mail within 4 hours at least 3 times this week.

If the idiots really knew me, then they should know it's a lost cause. I'm a Diet Coke woman through and through.

graph courtesy of McAfee

Love? Thy Neighbor

2008-06-27T23:40:00.000-07:00

As usual, I'm taking in my daily dose of absorbing useless information online. It gets me first round selection at trivia games and keeps me busy on Facebook movie quizzes. But this power must be harnessed and not abused. However, this is not to say that offers of food and/or money will be immediately refused.

While perusing SFGate.com tonight, I came across an article on a website that enables frustrated folks to air their gripes (anonymous postings are accepted) about their not-so-pleasant living experiences at rottenneighbor.com.

In the 2 years we've lived here, we have a neighbor that fits that description to a tee. Slamming car hoods at 1 a.m., visitors who park and/or block other neighbors' driveways, dog howling, persistent but futile attempts to start cars. Visually, the house is a major eyesore.

I haven't placed a posting yet, but I might find myself doing so immediately upon finishing this blog entry. Grrr...the car door(s) just slammed for the fourth and fifth time in less than 10 minutes.

In the heat of the night

2008-06-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

This past week we had the third heat wave in San Francisco in a little over a month. For me, this was the worst because it lasted almost 3 days. Hot days are usually, at most, 1 to 2 days.

Thursday night (6/19) I showered at the gym and again after I got home. It turned out not to be a good idea as it left my skin primed for ravenous mosquitoes. As it was last month, I ended up with at least a dozen bites on my arms and ankles. I slept probably all of 3 hours that night.

Friday night (6/20), was even worse. Evening breeze was non-existent. At 9:30 p.m., it was still 81 degrees outside. I was still sweating and decided to head to Crepevine to pick up a salad for a late dinner. I didn't eat the salad until at least 10 p.m. Because of Thursday's mosquito rampage, I decided not to shower. I wiped myself down with a cold towel and then sprayed insect repellent to ward off any further damage from the mosquitoes.

Yesterday morning (6/21), I pulled up all but one of the blinds in the living and dining rooms to keep out the sun. The only window blind left open was to accomodate a screen for ventilation. It was also my lookout for any incoming ocean breezes. I must have looked out every half-hour to see if fog was on the distant horizon. The ocean breezes started to pickup at about 11 a.m. Relief was in sight.

This morning, my old buddy Mr. Fog returned. Turned off the fans and closed the windows. My standard lounge attire of sweats, long sleeves and slippers cheerfully worn again. Che and Jawa no longer splayed across the rug.

Back to a typical summer day in San Francisco!

A blast from the past

2008-06-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today on my way home from work, I had to do a double take to make sure my contact lenses hadn't been inserted inside out. As I was approaching the exit at 19th Avenue/Highway 1 from 280, a Chevy Chevette appeared in the lane to the right of me.

Pardon my car's dashboard hogging the bottom of the screen. It's not easy snapping a picture while making sure I was maintaining my speed in the fast lane (yes, I was over 65 mph).

I haven't seen a Chevette in probably 20 years. Model year is likely from the mid to late 70's. I'm not sure if the owner drives this car full time, but it did appear to be in decent shape repainted in the color seen. This wouldn't be a car I'd necessarily want to preserve, so it's my guess it possesses some sort of sentimental value.

The pathetic part is that I would have been of driving age when the car first came out. Ouch.

My Andy Warhol moment

2008-06-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

If any of you read my Twitter postings late last week, KPIX (CBS-5) contacted me to be interviewed for "Eye on the Bay", a local newsmagazine. They found me when they entered "fog blog" into Google. My blog came up first in the search results. They were looking for bloggers who live and/or write about fog in San Francisco.

The interview took about an hour to complete. They had me read some of my recent Twitter postings, took shots of me typing on my laptop, and actually had me walk on 9th Avenue and Kirkham Street to answer a few questions about my thoughts on fog.

I apologize if this posting sounds a bit vague and distant. But as I'm finding my blog has reached a lot more people than I would have ever imagined, I need to omit certain details to preserve the privacy of others, including my own. I have always been a very open person, but I also know these days I have to watch what I say. It's easier to withhold rather than retract.

The segment is due to air sometime in the fall. It's very likely to be a short segment, so don't plan on getting too excited. I've never seen myself on TV, and I'm already worried I'll look fat. On HD. I'll keep you posted.

Situation normal

2008-06-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

This past week, we had another warm spell. Not like it was last month where temperatures in San Francisco reached record highs in the mid 90's. But for a longtime fog resident (11 years in the Sunset & 14 years in the Richmond district), this was uncomfortable.

The picture of the lovely fog returning was taken on my way (Portola Drive) to work this morning. As I said on Twitter this morning, a welcome sight for my sore eyes.

SF Bay Area's microclimates

2008-06-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

As we reach summer here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the temperature ranges are at their most extreme. Today, the temperature in San Mateo was 20 degrees warmer than San Francisco. A year or two ago, I blogged about my commute home and detailed the temperature readings. I've lived here for almost 25 years and still find this fascinates me.

Even in San Rafael, the largest town in Marin county, has major temperature ranges. Whenever we head to the Tretakoffs, it can 5 to 8 degrees warmer from where we exit (Central San Rafael) compared to when we reach their house (near McNear's Beach).

Today's commute home (temperature readings from my car's thermometer):

Leave the office in San Mateo (near Hillsdale Blvd.) at 5:05 p.m. Car thermometer reading: 83 degrees.
Head north on Highway 101 (not "the 101". We are NOT in L.A.). Temperature at 3rd Street Exit: 85 degrees.
Another 3 miles north, now in Burlingame. Temperature: 80 degrees.
Two miles more, in Millbrae: 77 degrees.
Now at the San Francisco International Airport exit. Temperature is now 72 degrees.
Now on Highway 380 heading to 280 in San Bruno: 67 degrees.
Drive about 8 miles until I reach the 19th Avenue/Highway 1 exit: 63 degrees.

Many times once I reach 380, the fog kicks in full force. The sun disappears and the cold air is blowing strongly. I like my fog. Today it cooled off, but no fog.

Dining room enhancement

2008-06-03T23:33:00.000-07:00

Last week, Lisa and Michael stopped by for a short visit at our condo. Lisa had been over a few times before, but had not seen our living room "makeover". I gave them a grand tour of the rest of our place. At 916 square feet, this took about 5 minutes.

Because of the views we get (especially on sunny days), Lisa said she'd love to sit in the dining room and look out. It made us realize as nice as the dining room is, we really don't spend much time in it.

A few months ago, we moved the bookcase from the living room to the dining room. Pete also added some more pictures on top of our built-in buffet, which gives the room a library kind of look. We do eat in the dining room on weekends we get takeout and I'll snack there on occasion with my laptop, but we don't sit there for hours on end like we do in the living room.

So Pete and I agreed we want to put a sitting chair in front of the window. The picture shown in this blog entry is one of the chairs (from Target) we're considering. Since we got a real coffee table for the living room, we moved the storage chest to the front of the dining room window. It multi-tasks (ideal for small spaces) as a seat, second coffee table and viewing area for Che.

Due to a recent vacation policy change at work, my accrued vacation hours were paid out to me last week. I also got my tax relief money. I put some of the extra money in my Roth IRA but left enough cushion to buy the sitting chair and pay what insurance didn't cover on next month's gum surgery.

My contribution for stimulating the economy.

Los Angeles Times

2008-05-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

As a San Francisco resident for almost 25 years and frequent visitor to New York City (parents and brother live there), I consider myself a urbanite. So that I get an idea of what's going on in my favorite big cities, I've had bookmarked SFGate and the New York Times for several years. This past year, I added the Los Angeles Times.

For me, 2 reasons:
1. Timothy Parker's online crossword puzzle.
Updated daily and 3 colossal crosswords published on Sundays. My crossword fix is achieved sans pencil and/or ink smears and dog-eared paper (from too much erasing).

2. The entertainment section.
Entertainment is what put Los Angeles on the map. My favorite feature within the entertainment section are the photo galleries. A recent one titled, " 'Indiana Jones' and the Rip-offs of Doom" contains a selection of photos accompanied with a story. Numerous other photo galleries links from previous publications are also listed. Reading these hones my movie/TV trivia skills.

If nothing else, it also gives me perspective on how different these cities are to San Francisco and why I live here.

Foster City library

2008-05-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

I took my car this morning to Costco in Foster City to get my tires rotated. I bought the tires at the South San Francisco/Daly City location about 2 years ago which includes free rotation and balancing for the lifetime of the tires.

The first time I rotated the tires in SSF/DC, it took about 3.5 hours. I did shop while waiting, but shopping for me at Costco never takes more than an hour. I was able to kill another hour with a magazine to read, but still had another 30 to 60 minutes before my car was ready.

Now knowing I had at least 3 hours to kill, I researched nearby wi-fi spots to Costco locations. The nearest wi-fi in Daly City was the library at Serramonte. But it's about 2 miles away and would require me to sprint across multiple lanes of traffic to get there. Foster City's library was only 2 blocks away from the nearest Costco, so I decided to head there.

It's been probably 15 years since I last visited a public library. The only other public library I've been to in San Mateo county was Millbrae, which was a decent size. Foster City's is much larger. Free wi-fi is all over the library, and there's 6 tables with outlets specifically for plugging in laptops. There's 3 plug-in outlets on each side, so one could conceivably set up an office while there. There's also a few desktop computers with free internet access, and not surprisingly, all of them were occupied.

I left the library after about 2.5 hours. The heating/cooling system was rattling loudly and so was my stomach. I headed back to Costco and picked up a quick lunch. My car was just being worked on, so I spent another half-hour and picked up some cold cuts and cheese. I checked back at the tire center around 2 p.m., immediately got my keys and departed for home.

All in all, a fairly productive day. It was so much better to kill time at the library as opposed to the cemented stoop at Costco's Tire Center.

Bite me

2008-05-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

Well, that's what the mosquitoes did during our hot spell last week. I currently have at minimum 15 red welts on my arms and legs from the carnage. Mosquitoes have always loved me from the time I was a child. I really think my scent somehow whets their appetites. As a teenager, I had bites so bad that it swelled my eye shut.

As Chico Escuela would say, "Fog is bery, bery good to me..."

All hot and bothered

2008-05-15T21:45:00.001-07:00

San Francisco and many other Bay Area cities set record high temperatures today. SF was a sweltering 96ºF. We've currently got 3 fans going and our kitties Che and Jawa are quite listless. Fortunately, a nice sea breeze kicked in while we were out for dinner, but it'll take another day or two for our apartment to cool down.

Che is plopped out in front of one fan. Jawa is a few feet away from the other. At our old place on hot days, Che could be found spread eagled on the kitchen or hallway floor. They're adorable to watch, but I sympathize because I know it's not comfortable for them right now.

I often find polarizing opinions of the few times it gets hot here. Like our cats, Pete and I find it uncomfortable. Most of my co-workers enjoy the heat. Fortunately, a garage in my building, underground parking, and air conditioning at the office and in my car minimize any prolonged exposure to heat.

It should cool down considerably tomorrow. Can't wait.

August 2008 high school reunion

2008-05-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got a classmates.com e-mail notifying me a new guest "signed in" to view my profile. I don't have too many, but it's nice to know who visited. It was one of the guys from my graduating class. He was one of the popular guys, so the 17-year old in me got a thrill out of it.

I then noticed a bulletin board posting from another classmate who mentioned that a 30-year reunion (OK, so you now know how old I am) is currently being planned for this August. I attended the 10 and 20 year reunions and had a lot of fun. As it stands now, I should be able to attend the 30-year reunion.

If the reunion does indeed take place in August, I'll be faced with the challenge of finding attire to look hot in and stay cool.

An Unforgettable Act of Sportsmanship

2008-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

As a former softball junkie and torn ACL victim, a college softball game played earlier this week between Central Washington and Western Oregon grabbed my attention.

Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky hit her first home run with 2 runners on base. After Sara rounded first base, she tripped and tore her ACL. The umpires told Western Oregon Sara would not be able to score with help from anyone on her team. Western Oregon's coach asks the umpires if she can make a substitute. They tell her no. It later is determined the call is incorrect, but in no way does it diminish what transpires next.

Mallory Holtman, Central Washington's first baseman, asked the umpires if she and a teammate (shortstop Liz Wallace) could carry Sara to touch the bases to make the home run official. It brought tears to my eyes and reinforces why playing sports isn't always about who wins.

Central Washington lost the game. What Mallory and Liz did would have NEVER happened in a men's game. Period.

Scream for Ice Cream, the sequel

2008-05-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

It has been a little over a week since my I raved about Dreyer's Slow Churned Butter Pecan. Well, the next trip to the grocery store was last weekend, and we tried a new flavor, Take The Cake. It tastes just like yellow cake. Sprinkles included. MMMMMMMM.....

Luscious, tasty, satisfying. Not overly sweet and definitely fulfilling. My compliments to the flavor developers at Dreyers. You're coming up with some yummy tasting ice cream at half the guilt. I'm jealous of the tasters that work at the plant. If any of you should happen to call in sick, I'd be more than willing to sit in for you pro bono.

Gotta scoop me up a bowl right now.

Old is new again

2008-04-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

I first heard this song this past Sunday on the drive home from the gym on KLLC-FM (Alice 97.3 FM). I heard it again on the drive home from work today and have been singing the song all evening. The singer is Duffy (Wales native, first name Aimee), song title is "Mercy".

This is the first time in 10 years I was so taken with a song as soon as it came on. To me, the sound is a mix of Aretha Franklin and the Supremes in their prime. The last song to get me hooked so quickly was The Tragically Hip's "Poets" in 1998.

I know I'm old. From what I'm reading on the internet, the song has been out since January. As a teenager, hearing a song that's 3 months old would have been considered ancient.

We all scream for ice cream

2008-04-20T09:39:00.000-07:00

I really feel sorry for those that are lactose intolerant. As a passionate cheese lover, I'd weep for days mourning the loss of grilled cheese sandwiches, a slice of Swiss with my turkey on wheat, or milk to dunk my Oreos in. Most of all, the oozing, warm sensation in a Gordo's flour quesadilla with shredded pork.

The other loss would be ice cream. More so for Pete than me. We rarely share a pint of Ben and Jerry's as he can eat one on his own faster than he can drink 2 cups of coffee. Straight out of the carton is his preferred method. Putting it into a bowl is a big time waster.

In the past year, Dreyer's has put on the market their line of reduced fat and sugar flavors marketed under "Slow Churned Rich & Creamy". Other brands I've had of "reduced fat" = "reduced taste". While it isn't god-awful like lowfat cheese, it doesn't satisfy like real ice cream does.

I then started to notice how often I was seeing "Slow Churned Rich & Creamy" flavors showing up in the checkout lines. I finally asked a woman in front of me if the ice cream was any good. She said yes, but not the enthusiastic-jumping-up-and-down kind of yes I was hoping to get. It wasn't until they went on sale that I finally put one into my cart.

Mint Chocolate Chip was the first flavor I got. It is one of my favorite flavors of ice cream. This version is good, but not great. Better than most reduced fat ice creams I've had. Almost as satisfying as premium ice cream. Now I understand the woman's reaction in the checkout line. Then a limited edition of peppermint came out during the Thanksgiving-Christmas season. Oh man.

And this past week, Butter Pecan. I really like it. An "oh man" in my book. Standard versions of Butter Pecan ice cream are usually too syrupy and rich for my tastes. But Dreyer's version does it right. Enough to satisfy my fix, but not too much that I have to be wheeled out on a gurney. I had some last night and finished the remainder in the carton this morning.

For a middle-aged foodie, it's enough to hold me over until my next visit to the grocery store.

Hollywood Chinese

2008-04-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Last night, Pete and I went to go see Arthur Dong's documentary, "Hollywood Chinese" at the Sundance Kabuki. It was the first film we've seen in awhile, as there hadn't been any films recently that I found compelling.

As an avid art house film goer, trivia geek and American of Chinese ancestry, this was my kid-in-a-candy-shop kind of film. In general, I find documentaries fascinating and very informative. What made this film standout was the history of Chinese and Chinese-Americans in Hollywood cinema.

This included the "first" official Hollywood film featuring Chinese-Americans, pioneer Anna May Wong, and extremely insightful and candid interviews from a who-who's list of Chinese in cinema that included: Tsao Chin, Lisa Lu, Nancy Kwan, James Hong, Amy Tan, Wayne Wang, Ang Lee, Justin Lin, B.D. Wong and Joan Chen.

As discussed in Jeff Adachi's "The Slanted Screen" (2006), the documentary touched upon the not so positive portrayals of Asians in cinema. But "Hollywood Cinema" goes further. It points out the strong, prominent roles native Chinese such as Chow Yun-Fat, Jet Li and Jackie Chan have gotten in recent years. American born actors such as Michael Wong (Russell's brother), Lee-Hom (Alexander) Wang, and Maggie Q had to go to Asia to get the meaty roles they were unable to get at home.

Had I been born and raised in California, I think my calling would have been in film. Since I wasn't, documentaries like "Hollywood Chinese" fulfill for me "what could be".

photo courtesy of DeepFocus Productions

new specs

2008-04-08T20:46:00.001-07:00

It has been over 2 years since my last eye exam. I intentionally put it off because of my layoff last September.

Now that I've been back to work since late January, my benefits include the Vision Service Plan. Frames were now over 5 years old, so this would be a great time to get them replaced.

I was unable to get my preferred afternoon appointment, so I got the first available morning opening and got permission to work from home. Once I finished the exam, I then immediately started looking at frames.

Pete said he wanted to go with me to help me decide, but he was still asleep from working night shift. Dr. Fong took this picture as shown above on my cameraphone. I could then show Pete what I wanted to get. The frames are Anne Klein in black. I look best in black metal frames with small lenses and nose pieces due to my small eyes and tiny nose bridge. Large and/or plastic frames press up against my face and fog up.

There was also a pair of Kate Spades that I liked. But they didn't have quite the pizzazz the Anne Kleins do. Pete and I really like them. Hope you do too.

Bugs Bunny - Daffy Duck - Elmer Fudd trilogy

2008-04-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

I watched this on YouTube last night and it brought back a ton of fond memories. This animated trilogy is one of the funniest of all time. I laugh so hard everytime I watch. Enjoy.

Goodbye, Columbus (oops, I mean Skybus)

2008-04-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

I just learned today that Columbus, OH based Skybus Airlines shut down operations. As a Columbus native, this airline provided the best option to fly direct to my hometown. It never happened. Skybus opened just about a year ago (refer to previous blog posting) and after I lost my job, planning a trip to visit Cindy got pushed down the priority list.

Now it's back to the dreaded spoke-and-hub system to visit Columbus. Another reason why I haven't gone back to Buckeye country in 2 1/2 years. Run my butt off to the other side of the terminal to dodge an endless sea of pedestrians, strollers and luggage to catch a connecting flight due to depart in 15 minutes is not my idea of fun.

another sports jock ad

2008-03-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

Be honest. At the beginning of this TV ad, how many of you initially thought the person was a man in drag?

Largest cities in 9 Bay Area counties

2008-03-21T20:33:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in yesterday's blog, I asked if anyone could name the largest city from each of the 9 San Francisco Bay Area counties. It's likely you would have told me to go jump in a lake because I've got nothing better to do with my time. But, for those who eat up this kind of useless information, here they are:

1. Santa Clara - San Jose
2. Alameda - Oakland
3. Contra Costa - Concord
4. San Francisco - San Francisco
5. San Mateo - Daly City
6. Sonoma - Santa Rosa
7. Solano - Vallejo
8. Marin - San Rafael
9. Napa - Napa

I actually did contemplate making future entries with trivia questions, but Cliff Claven immediately came to mind. A female Asian-American Cliff Claven. Not someone I would exactly look up to or aspired to be as a child.

Perish the thought.

San Francisco Bay Area counties

2008-03-20T21:23:00.001-07:00

This August will be my 25th year as a San Francisco resident. Wow, a quarter of a century. When I first moved here, the San Francisco Bay Area was just over 4 million residents.

The 2000 census for the 9 county region was 6.7 million. As of July 2006, Wikipedia lists the population at 7.2 million, making it the 5th largest metropolitan area in the U.S.

Geez, that's almost double the size since I first moved here. Despite the high cost of living and the highly competitive job market, I still wouldn't live anywhere else.

Once I started reading about each of the counties, it piqued my curiosity where they ranked in terms of population. When I tallied up the numbers, it really didn't come as a surprise to me. They are (taken from 2000 census listed in Wikipedia):

1. Santa Clara

2. Alameda

3. Contra Costa

4. San Francisco

5. San Mateo

6. Sonoma

7. Solano

8. Marin

9. Napa

Bonus: Can you name the largest city from each county? I know these can be found on the internet, but if you've lived in the Bay Area long enough, at least 5 of them should be obvious. Answers will be posted tomorrow.

What not to wear

2008-03-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

At lunch today, I headed to Hillsdale Mall to exchange a blazer I ordered online from J.Jill. I seem to be buying a lot of their clothes lately. Like Eddie Bauer, most of the clothes at regular price are too expensive, so I wait for them to go on sale when the price becomes much more reasonable.

Once I found another blazer (also on sale) to exchange, I was at the counter waiting for the associate to ring up my total, another woman came up to buy a sweater. She initially wasn't going to get it, then she changed her mind. What caught my attention was that she bought the sweater in a size small. Not usually a problem, but the woman was at least my size if not bigger. I'd be bursting seams out of most size small sweaters. She said buying the sweater would make her go on the diet she should be on already.

To me, this makes no sense. I'd wager the $70 she spent on her sweater that she'll never wear it. She'll end up giving it to a friend or donating it. On the other hand, if this was a wedding dress the diet would have started last year. Women wanting to look slender in their wedding dress, that's another part of womanhood I never got. Bust your butt for a year to fit into a dress that several sizes too small for an event that lasts for ONE FRIGGING DAY. Sorry, missy, I have more important things to think about.

After I left J.Jill, I headed to the food court to grab lunch. There's a Japanese place that makes a pretty mean chicken teriyaki bowl (I go light on the teriyaki) that I frequent. On my walk there, I must have seen at least 3 teens wearing henleys and sweaters with the buttons ready to burst. While it's not OK to wear something baggy and hanging, there are more girls that think it's acceptable to wear clothes 2 sizes too small.

Once I got my food, I sat down at one of the tables and in front of me was a girl, probably no older than 20. She was wearing a heavy waist-length fleece lined coat in flip-flops with her midriff showing from the back of her low-cut jeans. I really don't get it. Wear REAL SHOES + top long enough to cover backside = no heavy coat.

When I finished lunch, I got up to leave and I saw two women wearing what looked like their pajamas trying to decide where to eat. Both were in sweats. One of them was wearing a long-sleeved undershirt with no bra underneath. And she wasn't exactly flat-chested.

Where are Stacy and Clinton when you need them?

Abrupt resignations

2008-03-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm going into my second month with my new company. The pace isn't nearly as hectic from my previous job. I've gone into a different kind of business and know I have a lot to learn. I've been told it takes about 6 months before one is completely comfortable with the position.

Then again, if one already knows it isn't going to work out, he/she should leave and look for something else. But after 2 days? This past week, the Marketing department (located across from me) hired a new associate. I introduced myself to her a day later and provided a brief job description. She asked me if I liked the work. I told her I did.

She abruptly resigned the next day. I suspected this when I didn't see her after 2 days and noticed her name in the company directory was no longer listed. I don't know the reasons why she quit, and likely won't ever know the full story. But I'm really surprised. I've worked many jobs, and even a few temporary ones I abhorred. But I always stayed for the duration of the assignment. Fortunately, those assignments were no more than a week long.

Last month, I referred a friend's wife to work for another friend. The friend's wife resigned after 1 day. Like the Marketing person, both have husbands with well-paying jobs so quitting wouldn't exactly put them out. This isn't the case for 2 former co-workers. As of last week, they still haven't found work and are seriously considering leaving the Bay Area. One is married but brought in a majority of their income. The other co-worker is single.

For me, 2 days is not enough time to know to quit a job. Plain and simple, I can't afford to. One income in my household isn't enough to pay all the bills. I try to choose work I like doing. I've been successful in most cases. The jobs that ended before I wanted them to provided me adequate compensation to take the time to find another job.

New rug shown with chairs

2008-03-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, our red recliners came in. Today, our rug came in from Overstock.com. It looks very similar to the rug Pete originally ordered from HomeDecoratorsOutlet.com that ended up torn when we got it.

You may have already noticed the chairs look redder than they did in yesterday's picture. Yesterday's pic was taken in the early afternoon. Today's picture was taken in the evening with room lighting.

Last phase of the makeover is a new corner TV stand in the same the red motif as Pete's armoire and octagon-shaped end table. It won't be available until April. But we're ready to show off the room to our friends now.

Red leather recliners are here!

2008-03-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

At 11:20 a.m. this morning, I heard outside the window a truck stopped on the street. Like Ralphie on Christmas morning, I immediately went to the window to see if the truck was from Macy's. It was. My Red Ryder BB guns arrived.

The delivery guys brought up and assembled the guns, uh, recliners in about 10 minutes. Pete put the LC-4 aside in the dining room. We sat in the chairs for a bit. Then we sat on the couch and admired the chairs from across the room.

Our rug from Overstock.com (which replaces the torn one we got from HomeDecoratorsOutlet.com) should arrive in the next 1-2 days. We'll need to sell the LC-4 as we no longer have room for it. Now that we can see how much room the recliners take up, getting a corner TV stand is no longer an option but a necessity.

Pupsicles at the Iditarod

2008-03-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

While reading my morning news, I sometimes take at a look at SFGate's Day in Pictures. The picture, courtesy of AP, is taken from this year's Iditarod.

As a mainlander, I know very little about the Iditarod. I went to their website today and it's chock full of information on anything and everything about this longtime winter event. If you buy from the Iditarod store, the purchase is put into a sled rather than a shopping cart.

The race is currently in Day 8, which is about halfway before the finish. If I can convince myself to brave the cold (it's 4 degrees Fahrenheit in Nome right now), I would love to see this event.

sunset in the Sunset

2008-02-26T21:21:00.001-08:00

I left work around 5:10 this evening and had a 6:30 appointment for a cut and color in the Outer Sunset with my longtime hairdresser Lucy. I've been a client of Lucy's since 1985.

I got to Lucy's salon (Virtuoso) at about 6, so I had about a half-hour to kill. I sat in the car listening to my CD and then began to notice a really nice sunset. So I pulled out the cameraphone and took the shots seen on this blog entry.

All of the pics were taken while sitting in my car on Judah Street and 32nd Avenue facing west. The first pic is my view from the driver's seat. The second pic is the sunset from my rearview mirror, and the last pic is the N-Judah streetcar taken across the street speeding east.

Not bad for a cameraphone.

Rain, snow or fog + wipers on = Headlights ON

2008-02-23T23:19:00.000-08:00

It would seem many drivers in California still don't know since summer 2005, one must have headlights turned on when windshield wipers are in use due to rain, snow or fog. On my 15-minute drive to the gym today, I must have seen at least 7 cars without their headlights turned on.

These are probably the same drivers that talk incessantly on their cell phones and hold up traffic because they are engrossed more on their conversation than they are on driving.

Please turn on your headlights. This is to make yourself visible to other cars, pedestrians and cyclists. And while you're at it, hang up, shut up and drive. It can wait until you've reached your destination.

Neti pot update

2008-02-21T20:45:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit over a week since I first began using the neti pot in hopes to wean myself off nasal sprays. I'd been off Rhinocort for about 4 days and only took oral antihistimines. My travel neti pot arrived today from Amazon, so it reminded me to provide an update.

Unfortunately, life without nasal spray didn't last long. A few days later, my nose felt like it did after swimming when water gets inside. My head felt congested and my throat sore. It was time to return to a nasal spray. This time, Nasonex. The good news is that unlike Flonaise, Nasonex works. Flonaise burned and stinged and had no effect whatsoever for me. Nasonex didn't. I started to feel the effects of it almost immediately. I'll save at least $15/month by switching my prescription to Nasonex.

In conclusion, the neti pot is a great supplement to nasal spray, but not enough to rely upon completely alone. For me, it will be an effective aide should my allergies go through really bad patches when sprays and pills aren't quite enough.

New sofa & coffee table

2008-02-17T22:35:00.001-08:00

As mentioned last week, I ordered a new sofa from Scandinavian Designs and a coffee table from HomeDecorators.com. You can also see the new flat screen LCD TV off to the left in the picture.

Our living room transformation to achieve the urban look is almost complete. I've wanted this look for as long as I can remember. My siblings both have gorgeous living spaces and I always felt like our furnishings were one step above struggling college students.

We pretty much complete our makeover when the rug Pete ordered arrives at the end of the month and our red leather recliners come in the first week in March. Neither will arrive in time for next week's Academy Awards, but I'll find another excuse to show off our living room makeover.

Nasal spray vs. Neti pot

2008-02-16T18:23:00.000-08:00

If you've been following me this week on Twitter, I just began using the neti pot to treat my chronic sinus problems. My original intent was to switch to Nasonex, but remembered an unsuccessful attempt to switch to Flonaise about 10 years ago. I then decided this would be a good time try out the neti pot. Perhaps this could wean me off nasal sprays completely.

It's been 4 days since I stopped using Rhinocort and started administering jala neti (nasal irrigation). The last time I was without Rhinocort was during a conference in Fort Worth, TX in 2003 and my sinuses were miserable. The use of the neti pot so far has been quite effective. While I'm blowing my nose a bit more than usual, I've been able to breathe through both nostrils REGULARLY and not sneeze as much.

So far, I have yet to hear any negative results of using the neti pot. I've had relief from watery, itchy eyes by using contact lens saline solution as a rinse, so it made perfect sense to try the same process for my nose. After all, sneezing and watery eyes are the body's reactions to rid itself of pollen and other allergens. The neti pot only speeds up the process to prevent the uncomfortable reaction.

I'm hopeful continued use of the neti pot will further reduce sneezing and nose blowing to a bare minimum. Benefits for the body and wallet. Rhinocort was $50/prescription at my previous employer and is $35/prescription at my current one. I've since ordered a second neti pot (non-breakable) that I'll be able to take with me when I travel. I'm still taking oral antihistimines. That might be something I'll still have to continue using. Updates to follow.

Ms. Money Bags (for now)

2008-02-09T20:38:00.000-08:00

We're on a rampage. Now that I'm back to work with leftover severance and an upcoming $3K tax refund, we've (mostly me since Pete already bought the large screen TV) made numerous big ticket purchases over the past 2 weeks.

As mentioned in Pete's blog entry January 21, he referenced the Mesa Sofa from Scandinavian Designs. I bought it this week. It will be delivered next Tuesday. It took quite some time to make a decision. Once we did, it seemed to get the ball rolling.

The next big ticket item is the quilted bag pictured on the left. It is my new, girly and sophisticated briefcase bought today (in black) from Edwards Luggage called the Knomo Toyah. I'll be taking my first business trip in my new job to attend a conference in Atlanta next month. Because I was issued a company laptop, I know I'd need to take it with me. I could have ordered a bag from the office, but I wanted a bag with style. And something I would be proud to carry my Sony Vaio in if needed.

I was very selective about the requirements. No leather. Too heavy. I'd been carrying a gorgeous Coach leather messenger bag for about 5 years. I'd been carrying Coach leather purses for even longer and switched to jacquard fabric about 3 years ago. Man, what a difference in weight. Wear and tear is less visible too. Bag also had to be sleek yet roomy enough to carry my papers and checkbook.

The Knomo Toyah fit the description perfectly. It's lightweighted professional elegance. It will also serve double duty as my purse when I travel on business. This will keep intact my ability to carry-on luggage only. I can't wait to carry it to work with me on Monday. Like Tiffany & Co., there is a unique serial number given to each bag and can be registered online. I did that once I got home.

Third of the big ticket purchases is our new coffee table. It is the table Pete has pictured on his February 1 blog entry. I ordered it from HomeDecorators.com. We ordered our dining room rug and hallway runner from there when we moved into our condo last year. If I can get Pete to agree, it will also be the place where we'll order the corner TV stand in the same motif as Pete's armoire and octagonal end table.

Last big ticket purchase today was our leather recliner chairs. After admiring Josh's and Amy's Mission-styled recliners for years, we thought that's what we wanted in our place. I found some leather ones online at Macy's this past week and went for a test drive. I brought Pete out today for him to try the chairs out. He liked them, but not as much as he originally thought.

We then saw another recliner in red (Pavia Club Style, as shown in picture) which looked like a regular leather chair. This is what grabbed our attention. I reclined back and it felt very comfortable. Pete preferred it in the upright position. Which is why we really liked it. It's unassuming and multi-tasks well as a chair and a recliner. I phone ordered it tonight about an hour ago. It's on backorder but will be delivered around the first week of March.

When we first moved into our condo in July 2006, we knew it'd take time to get it furnished in the urban, sophisticated style we liked. We pretty much didn't do anything until this past Christmas. Then Pete bought the big screen TV. Snowball effect took place shortly thereafter. Next is the installation of wall cabinets in the bathroom.

First Week

2008-02-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my first week at my new job. So far, I've been very impressed. There is a huge difference coming from a struggling company to one that's doing well. When I started my previous job 6 years ago, I took a $12K cut in pay. I accepted this current job at $9K more than what I earned before my last one ended.

Day 1: Spent first few hours going over benefits package. I can opt for Kaiser or Blue Cross for medical coverage. Kaiser is free. Blue Cross for single coverage is $35/month. I was paying $90/month at my previous employer. When I reached my 5-year anniversary, it was reduced to $65/month.

Got my tour, introductions to my department associates. Around 3 p.m., IT comes by with my computer, a brand NEW laptop in a humongous cubicle in the back row. I notice later that most managers get the larger, back cubicles. This is my first job with "manager" in the title. Woo hoo!

At my previous job, I got a 7+ year old desktop (eventually replaced) with an even older screen monitor. It was inside a cubicle with a crappy desk chair which took 3 years before the mailroom guy took pity on me and gave me a new one. In 6 years, I moved at least that many times. And each time I moved, I'd be down for a day because I had a card terminal and dinosaur dial-up modem that required a specific phone line routed within my cubicle. When I left the company, I still had the SAME monitor.

Day 2: Attended first all-hands company meeting. CFO introduces me as "the blogger" and one of two new members of the Finance/Operations/Business Systems team. Found the vending machine only charges $0.25 for soda. Twelve cans would only cost me $3, still less than what Safeway or Target charge for the Diet Coke cartons I used to buy because the vending machine charged $0.65 at my old office.

Day 3: Sit in my first meeting with the other departments I'll interact with regularly. My reporting manager also issues a companywide e-mail with yet another introduction. I get over the next 3 days numerous return e-mails from various staff members welcoming me. I am floored at the warm reception. I found it interesting that all of the welcome e-mails except one are from men. Hmmm....

Day 4: Receive my first assignment to follow up with customer phone messages. It is likely in response to a recent mailing they received and have questions about it. I check to see if I have the correct resources to provide answers to the customer inquiries.

Day 5: Contacted and spoke to 3 customers. Two had questions I could address, but bring up other questions where I need to go back and find out the answers. It's bagel Friday at the office, so I grab a bagel and half a muffin as an afternoon snack. I also am asked to draw numbers for the office Super Bowl pool, so there is verification that we are "SOX compliant".

Overall, it is a major contrast from where I worked previously. The office is brand new, having only moved this past August. Friendly, warm, and many of them very smart. I have underground parking. A credit union ATM (co-op'd with mine and no-fee access), upscale grocery store, restaurants and free gym (courtesy of the company) are all in the same complex.

The last time I worked an office this cushy was during the dot-com days with a company that failed to generate enough revenue to stay in business. The company where I am now has been around for 10 years and a profitable business model. At least so far, I earn more money and don't have to work nearly as hard.

Life is tough. NOT.

Returning to work

2008-01-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I start my new job at a high-tech company in San Mateo. The job has everything I could ask for: excellent location, salary and benefits. The company has been around 10+ years and is in growth mode.

Finding this job took me about 3 months (technically 4, but I don't count the month between Thanksgiving and New Year's where no company does much), which is about how long it's taken me to find work after my previous layoffs. I've been very fortunate to receive generous severances from each of the layoffs. Without it, I would not have had the luxury to be selective about where my next job would be.

Bottom line, losing a job sucks. But living in the pricey San Francisco Bay Area, layoffs, job elimination, and companies dissolving or relocating is a fact of life. For me, being in the same job in this area for an entire career area is naïve, and will get me nowhere if I want to advance.