a sweet life

2002-11-05T00:53:00.000-08:00

Missing someone badly...

mood: jetlag

Monday night, well, its more like Tuesday morning. Its already 12:52am. I probably should be sleeping right now but I want to write in here before I do that. I need to get myself back on the right schedule so my jetlag time would go away. I just came back from my 2 week vacation on Saturday. Went to Japan and Hong Kong. The 2 weeks went by really quick, but then at the same time, it did feel like I was gone for such a long time when I walked back in the office. So strange.

So my other half isn't home with me this week. He's still in Hong Kong for another week for conference and meetings. I miss him so much. I never realize that I would miss him this much. This reminds me of us when we were dating. He was in Hong Kong and I was here in the US. Sometimes, its quite unbelievable that I really feel that sinking feeling in my heart when I miss him so much. It really does hurt. Maybe that's what they called "love". And that being in love, I really feel all this when he's not by my side.

Well, I'm getting sleeping so I better go to bed now. Will write more tomorrow or later this week.

2002-09-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hate to be sick...

mood: low energy

I caught a cold this week, its getting worst and worst. Now I'm coughing like I'm going to get an asthma attack. I need to go home soon. I might've gotten it from my dad or someone from work. Horrible. I hate being sick. I like to feel energetic and able to fun around. My body feels heavy and I am getting the chills all over my body. Please don't let me get a fever, that would be horrible.

Although I'm feeling really sick, look what I found on the news.
It's the World's smallest digital camera

An unidentified man holds a unique synergy of digital photography and nostalgia, which is presented by the German Minox company in form of a miniaturized Leica M3 classic camera of the fifties with digital interior at the photokina fair in Cologne, western Germany, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002. The camera has a 1.3 Megapixel chip and can store some 99 images on a 32 Megabyte flash memory and shall cost 299 Euro (US$ 292). It weights 95 gramms and can transfer its images to a computer by USB link cable. 1.546 companies from 46 countries will present their newest developments of photo and video technology at the fair from Sept. 25, until Sept. 30, 2002. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz)

2002-09-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

September 11...

mood: sad

Its been a very sad day today. Lots of tears from all over the US today. Exactly a year ago, over 3,000 Americans died from the terroist attack. Although I don't know anyone particular from the tragic event, I do want to give my deepest sympathy especially to the family of Thomas Burnett and Bill Biggart.

Today, I remember.

My support to 9/11: View my Yahoo! Tribute Tile

2002-09-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

campus...

mood: mellow

Its sure a beautiful place to be everyday from Monday through Friday I must say. And I am very grateful for that.

2002-09-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

short week...

mood: mellow

Time goes by way too fast. Its already 3 weeks since I last blogged. This week has gone by pretty fast. Well, then again, there was only 4 days of work this week since last Monday was Labor Day. Went to Reno with Fred and his mom and brother. Spent one night out there and back on Monday afternoon. Gambled a little, ate buffet, won a cute teddy bear from Circus Circus. It was the first time being there for his mom and brother. I hope they had fun.

So for the past 3 weeks, I took more pictures of course. Mostly digital from the last 3 weeks. Went to celebrate friend's birthday party, or just snapping away for no reason like always. Took some pics of my work campus, traffic accidents, random shots, etc.

So here are some pics I took on my way to work during the weekday. See the traffic, see the accidents, see it all here...

This is what they call "bumper to bumper" traffic.

A truck turned over that morning and spilled gallons of milk all over the freeway. And I started to practice my photojournalist skills with every chance I got...Check it out...

Not too bad for a amateur photojournalist, eh?

Alrighty, enough of that gloomy stuff. Let me share something that's a bit less stressful now. Check out this this seagull image I took while I was on this boat heading out for Whale Watching in Monterey with my family. Although I saw no whales but I sure saw lots of big seagull flying right above my head. And another one of my favorite right below that...

Before I go, I wanna share some interesting sites that I found recently. I really admire this girl's site, its called "Digital Portfolio". Its mainly self-portraits of this one girl. I thought she is quite artistic. She's got some really great self-portrait shots there too.Another amazing site I came across today called "Wrecked", its quite amazing, check it out.

2002-08-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

Friday...& one year + five days today ...

mood: relax

This week has gone by pretty fast. Its already friday but yet, I thought it was only Wednesday or Thursday. Its good that a week gone by fast without realizing it though. That also means I've kept myself quite busy throughout this week to even noticed what day we're on. Tomorrow is the weekend, can't wait. Although I don't have that much planned for the weekend, I still look forward to it though. Looking forward to do nothing and just want to relax.

I want to clean. Sometimes I have this urge to clean the house, clean the bathroom, clean the itty bitty things in my house. I can get obsess with cleaning when I'm on it, its quite addicting. Even picking weeds in the backyard, I think it gets addicting too at times. When you pick one, you just want to keep picking out the rest until its all gone. Call me weird but I guess it might be a good thing cuz someone's gotta do the job, right? and picking weeds usually isn't a job everyone wants to fight to do so I don't mind doing it. It gives me a good workout and I can get some sun and be outside as well.

So lately, I've been looking at ALOT of photography sites and has been really inspired by alot of sites out there. I've been really inspired with photo blogs. I like to see lots of photography, from amateur ones to professional ones. Ever since I got my new camera, I've been really inspired to shoot more photos. I want to improve, I want to learn all about photography, I want to become a commercial photographer someday... then maybe I can do other kinds of photography... then again, isn't the world of photography quite competitive nowadays? seems like everyone wants to be a photographer.

I found this particular photographer quite inspiring, his name is Michael Kenna. His work is so simple, so quiet and so clean. I love that style. His work is amazing. I want to learn to get that good someday.. just one day... I will get there. Time will let me practice and get there... everyone will just have to wait and see.

Another really inspiring photographer I've been looking alot at recently is Albert Watson. I've learned that he can only see with one eye but yet, he can still capture such amazing photographs, now that's inspiring. Quotes & reviews about Watson that I found.

The book I recently purchased online & is still anxiously waiting for in the mail (cover & back):

Albert Watson - Cyclops

Last of all, here is a flower closeup that I took in Yosemite from my camping trip. Not the best shot but I was testing out my new lense on my new camera to see what closeup effects it can do. Not the prettiest flower but if you were there to "feel" the texture of this flower, it feels just like velvet. That's what's special about it. Not the beauty but the touch of it.

2002-08-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

One year and two days today...

mood: happy

So its Tuesday already. Got back from LA on Sunday nite. Had a fabulous time there with my honey. Road trips are really nice sometimes. You do nothing but spend time together and do alot of sight-seeing together. We woke up and left the house around 7am on Friday morning. Got down to LA around noon and had lunch near Monterey Park. Then we headed to Beverly Hills to check out Rodeo Drive since my honey said he's never been there before. Found out that he HAS been there and just forgot that he's been there already. Met up with my friend Florence & Albert for dinner that night and had buffet in Santa Monica. Walked around 4th Street Promenade at nite after dinner, it was really nice. Things were still open till 11pm, how nice is that.

Saturday, we went to the Getty Center. Spend half the day there. It was really nice there. The architecture of this place is quite amazing. I found out that this museum is the most expensive museum in the US (or the world). It cost around $1 billion to build this, can u believe that?

Here is a picture of the entrance inside.

Then we walked around Melrose Avenue afterwards. Didn't buy much stuff, just wanted to walk around and all. Then Sunday, we checked out Venice Beach and sunbathed for a few hours (not realizing how long we were out there for!) We got there around 1:30pm and thought that by the time we were ready to leave, it would be like 3pm the latest, turns out, it was like 4ish already and we didn't hit the road until 5pm that evening! So we got back home around 11 o'clock that night. It was a wonderful trip though.

So today is already our 1 year and second day of marriage. Its been wonderful. There was lots of ups and downs throughout the year but that is all part of life. There were many good times and of course, some bad times too. I think we both are doing pretty good together. I still find us laughing each day and night especially before bed.

Enough blog for today, got more to write but I should get back to work now. C-ya.

2002-08-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Thinking back ...

mood: happy

Do you sometimes just sit there and think back to some fun & romantics days in your life? mine today is... that one saturday at the County Fair with just the two of us. It was a very romantic day, walking around hand in hand, sipping ice cold lemonade, taking booth pictures...

Did you check out those feet!? *the sepia one is my favorite*

2002-08-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

God Bless Americans...

mood: fresh

Got into work early this morning. It actually feels nice to come in early sometimes. Its quiet here and I feel like I can get more done when I'm here earlier. Too bad its so hard for me to get up, I'm such a night person, sometimes I wish I was more of a morning person. Does that happen as you age though? maybe I should be glad that I'm still not yet a morning person... otherwise, it might mean I'm getting OLD! eek. okay, now I'm just being stupid.

So I checked out the news and this morning I found something real cute on Y! News. This photograph of this women who found this 2 day old kitten by some postal vehicle and decided to take it home to nurture. She took her 2 weeks vacation off work to stay home to feed and nurture this little kitten. Its quite sweet if you ask me. I mean, you will never find that happening in China or other parts of Asia. Sometimes I really love Americans, they are so caring and generous that it just makes you want to learn from them. The photograph was real cute too. The photographer got a great shot.

The 2 day old kitten's name is Peanut.

If that kitten was found in China, his life would not have been so good. People in China will definitely leave it there and walk away, or even worst, they will just take it home and cook it or something. And the sad thing is, I'm not kidding at all. I do wonder why people in China (maybe not just China... other parts of Asia too as well) always wants to find an animal and just eat it. Why are they always thinking of animals as food? what are other countries so uncivilized?

Seeing and knowing things like that makes me really appreciate the US. I'm so grateful to God that I was not born in China nor brought up there. I don't want to be one of those people. How can they possibly see such a cute animal and want to ... "eat it"??? Gosh...

I guess this is the time when I just want to say "God Bless America"...

2002-08-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

Babies, birthdays, marriages...single life....

mood: calm

So there are a few guys in my group that are having their birthdays today. I just realized how many of my friends have summer birthdays. A few more weeks, it'll be June and Alice's birthday as well. Then its also my father's birthday on the 13th of this month. Then couple more days, its my anniversary and end of the month is my brother's wedding anniversary as well. I'm feeling really excited for this weekend. I think I'm excited to just go away somewhere fun together alone. We don't really have that much planned for LA. I just wanted to go check out the Getty Center since I've seen pictures of the place and the architecture of it looks really awesome. I wanna take some awesome pictures while I'm there too. Other then that, I just wanna be a beach bum or something and lay out and relax.

So today I was thinking, there are quite alot of people that have their birthdays in the summer. Does that mean, back then, many couples like to make love in the winter when its really cold outside? Its a funny thought but its true though. Which tells me, I was created in January since my birthday is in October. Almost seems like my parents were celebrating a New Year in 1974 or something, ha!

That links me to think about babies in our future. I do sometimes wonder when I am ready to have a bay. Definitely not now is what I know. I'm mentally and physically not ready at all. But I do know that when one is ready to be a mother, timing isn't always right. Women in our generation all want to be SuperWoman and wants a career these days compare to the older times. More and more women seems to have difficulties getting pregnant when they actually want a baby.

That leads me to think that in my life right now, I still don't have many friends that are close to that "mother" stage yet nor even a "wife" stage yet either. Many girlfriends of mine might have thought about it but isn't sure if they are ready yet or not. I know that I am one of the first few friends that have gotten married at my age. Is it because they haven't found "the one" yet? or is it because they are just not ready for that "lifetime commitment" thing with one man?

Relating to that, I watched "Wedding Planner" last nite and the ending of that was a good ending, quite touching too I thought. The father of the bride told her that when he got married with her mother, it was an arranged marriage.

He said that they learned to care fo each other, then that turned to respect, and respect turned to like, and like turned into love. Sometimes I do wonder, do two people just grow to love one another threw time just likes an arranged married? or is there really that "one" person out there that is here on earth just waiting for you two to meet one day?

Sometimes I do wonder, what if I was still single and unattached right now, what would I be feeling and what would I be doing at this moment in my life?

2002-08-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weekends...

mood: mellow

So 2 weekends ago, Fred & I went to Brentwood with 2 girlfriends and their boyfriends to do some fruit picking. The scenery heading up there was beautiful. In fact, I brought my digi cam with me...

My friend Anna brought her dog to fruit picking as well and we had lunch at Fuzio together later on too. Her name is Bambi...

For the past few weekends, I've had a great time. Its been a great summer for me. I went rafting 3 weeks ago with some friends, then went fruit picking, and over the last weekend, I went camping for the first time. Then this coming weekend, I'm going down to LA to celebrate my anniversary. Can't wait. Will post more of my favorite pics up here.

2002-07-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Being grateful...

mood: grateful

Okay, this sucks. I just finished writing a whole blog of stuff and it just all got erased when I tried to post. So I'm just gonna make this short now. So lame, I hate that.

So today there are 2 things I will want to remember. One, my little honda civic reached its 140,000 miles this morning while Fred and I drove to work. Its almost like a milestone for my civic. Its came a long way, 140,000 miles is alot of miles. I've had my car for about 8 years now, there are so much memories with this car. Good ones and bad ones. But I think that's what life is all about though. There is good and bad to everything. That's what makes life balance. I'm all about balance for being a Libra myself.

The other thing is that I bought a SLR camera, finally. A Canon Elan 7, then I got the 28-135mm lense. I've been wanting a nice camera for a long time but never wanted to fork out the money for that, now I finally did... its also sorta for my 1st year anniversary gift Fred he said. Its sweet, I love it and I can't wait to use it soon on the weekend. Freddie is gonna be my little guinea pig. I'm sure he won't mind.

I'm feeling really grateful today. Grateful that I have the money to buy the camera I like. Grateful that I have a Honda my father bought for me when I graduated from high school. Although he never really said its a high school present, to me, it is and I feel really grateful. Its exactly what I always wanted back then. White, 2 door, automatic, with sunroof, EX and I got exactly what I wanted. I know that not many people will be able to get a brand new car after high school, well kids from my school probably did, but then again, I live in the rich area near Danville so I shoudn't compare to them. I feel spoiled enough already.

Well, enough writing for today before this gets erased again. Till tomorrow or the day after or the day after and after...

2002-07-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

What is happiness?

mood: down

Why is it that those who have less seems to be happier than those who actually have more? In our society today, is it really "less is more"? I'm starting to see it more and more true. The more we have, the more picky we get with our lives and the more complicated things get. I guess those who have less, have less to worry about, that's why they seem to be happier with their lives no matter what happens to them.

Sometimes I wish I can see my future in a crystal globe. That way I wouldn't have to make big decisions in life perhaps and it will just be there for me to see and help me out with deciding things in my life. I know I am a very indecisive person. That is only because I am always afraid that if I made the decision, then I wonder the "what if" it was the other answer, what would have happened if I chose the other path rather than what I chose today? If I could see my future, I probably would, even if its just for a minute. I do wonder what lies in front of me as I continue to age, day after day, year after year.

I know I sound really depressing right now, maybe I sorta am. I probably shouldn't be, well, I know I shouldn't be, let's say that. I guess I'm down because "he" is down so that makes me down. I guess that's what they called, when two becomes one, what he feels is what I will feel. I feel him when he is down eventhough he is not next to me. Strange as it sounds but I guess maybe that's what married couples feel from one another. Its a connection perhaps?

Happiness to me is right now but only if I saw that "he" was happy as well. I'm pretty much content with my life as it is. I'm married, I have a great caring husband, I have my own house, 2 cars, good friends, good health, and a close healthy family. What else am I asking for in life? the ones I love most are all healthy and that is the most important thing to me in life right now. Of course, the more I have, the more I'm happy with but then again, whether I have more or not at the moment, I'm still very content with my life. If I was to die tomorrow, I would be satisfy with what I have and what I've accomplished and achieved in life.

I still wonder how other people in this world interpret this ultimate question in life... "what exactly is happiness?"....

2002-06-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

GOOD MORNING WORLD......

mood: happy

So far, its been a great morning for me today, I recently moved into my new cube, I love it here. I got the window view and all so I love it very much. So today, no one is closing my blinds and telling me to close this and close that, so happy. I'm having a great morning.

So my brother just bought a brand new car last nite. I'm happy for him. He got this BIG Honda Pilot, black, really clean, big and nice. Now I'm debating whether or not I should get a used BMW or wait for the new Mini Cooper S to come out. Decisions, decisions. I really can't decide.

Well, better get started with work. Just wanna share what a great morning I'm having so far today.

2002-06-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

zzzzzzzz......

mood: sleepy

good morning! early friday morning, here in the office at 8:34am, wow, i'm early, only because i had to get a ride from my bro this morning. had to take the volvo over to the dealership to get the oil and filter change. getting up this early isn't so bad after all, i actually didn't feel TOO tired when i got up, that's a good thing. well, just wanted to drop down a note before i start my day off, that's all.

2002-06-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

a new blogger is born ...

so this is my first posting here on blog. i found this site through my friend dshih. he's got his own blog site too and i thought it might be interesting to start my own too. esp since i haven't written in my own diary for so long, this can be my online diary or something. i can share all my wacky feelings online here about my life.

but i am still confused about how i can actually get this whole thing setup. and also, i wonder who actually reads this stuff besides me and besides friends that i share my blog page with. are other people actually able to search for me under the directory? i want to add the "comment" link at the footer of my blogs but i am going nuts trying to find out where that part is that i can add that. it can't be that hard, other people all have it on their site.

anyone out there that i don't know reading my blog? how does this really work? am i just talking to myself here? how do i post pictures up here? questions questions so many questions....