Today I'm thankful for ...
... awesome friends. We all went a clubhouse today to just have a good time. It was a great gathering of friends, some old and some I would meet for the first time. The food was great, but I think I had way too much sugar!
10 May 2008
09 May 2008
Sabotaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggge!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Rock Band! Of coruse, B got to try his hand at Sabotage. But he is still recovering from the flu, so he wasn't giving it his all tonight.
... Rock Band! Of coruse, B got to try his hand at Sabotage. But he is still recovering from the flu, so he wasn't giving it his all tonight.
08 May 2008
Pearly whites
Today I'm thankful for ...
... a great dentist. I love them. They keep my teeth clean and white. :)
... a great dentist. I love them. They keep my teeth clean and white. :)
07 May 2008
Long time no see
Today I'm thankful for ...
... keeping in touch with old friends. We hit up a dive bar in the FiDi and chatted for a while. I had a really salty martini. Ick. Of course what did I have for dinner when I went home? Mexican. Yeah, I'm crazy like that.
... keeping in touch with old friends. We hit up a dive bar in the FiDi and chatted for a while. I had a really salty martini. Ick. Of course what did I have for dinner when I went home? Mexican. Yeah, I'm crazy like that.
06 May 2008
Mmm mmm ... ick
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not gagging at the amount of batter I ate. There was a special fish and chips place we went to tonight that serves them battered with cornmeal. It was crispy tasty but let me tell you that it was FILLING and GREASY. OMG, so much fat and grease! I'm glad I don't eat this stuff every day.
... not gagging at the amount of batter I ate. There was a special fish and chips place we went to tonight that serves them battered with cornmeal. It was crispy tasty but let me tell you that it was FILLING and GREASY. OMG, so much fat and grease! I'm glad I don't eat this stuff every day.
05 May 2008
Zzzz!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... getting good sleep. I thought I had a bit of a relapse today but it turns out not to be a big deal. Things are fine.
... getting good sleep. I thought I had a bit of a relapse today but it turns out not to be a big deal. Things are fine.
04 May 2008
Well done
Today I'm thankful for ...
... a good playtesting session today. D and I played our little card game we've been developing and it was warmly received. We split up into two games and so we had two game boards going at the same time! We ended up staying really late at the party, pretty much to the end. I learned a couple new games and I hope to play them again soon!
... a good playtesting session today. D and I played our little card game we've been developing and it was warmly received. We split up into two games and so we had two game boards going at the same time! We ended up staying really late at the party, pretty much to the end. I learned a couple new games and I hope to play them again soon!
03 May 2008
Laser harps and drivable muffins
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being in the Bay Area, where being a nerd is celebrated. I went to Maker Faire with B and a couple of other friends. It was a blast. I still haven't had a chance to download my pictures yet but it was a trip to see what people do with their spare time. The Eepy Bird professors showed up, the Diet Coke + Mentos people. They're even selling nozzle kits. :)
... being in the Bay Area, where being a nerd is celebrated. I went to Maker Faire with B and a couple of other friends. It was a blast. I still haven't had a chance to download my pictures yet but it was a trip to see what people do with their spare time. The Eepy Bird professors showed up, the Diet Coke + Mentos people. They're even selling nozzle kits. :)
02 May 2008
Aaaa!!! Okaeri nasai ne!!!!!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... still being in contact with friends in Japan. One was visiting and came by the South Bay. I haven't seen her in like 15 years. I barely recognized her because she grew her hair out. But, man, she's like completely crazy. She's probably a smidge older than me and parties like she's still in her teens. She goes drinking almost every night and still looks waifish thin! How does she do it?! Anyways, we caught up on all sorts of things like the fact she's married and in Tokyo. Cool. I hope to visit her one day!
... still being in contact with friends in Japan. One was visiting and came by the South Bay. I haven't seen her in like 15 years. I barely recognized her because she grew her hair out. But, man, she's like completely crazy. She's probably a smidge older than me and parties like she's still in her teens. She goes drinking almost every night and still looks waifish thin! How does she do it?! Anyways, we caught up on all sorts of things like the fact she's married and in Tokyo. Cool. I hope to visit her one day!
01 May 2008
30 April 2008
Slogging through
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having a productive work day. Sometimes it's really good just to get down and power-code.
... having a productive work day. Sometimes it's really good just to get down and power-code.
29 April 2008
All together now
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Google Docs. Granted, this stuff was absorbed from Writely, but I think it's working pretty well. D and I are organizing our documents online and we have a lot of really good ideas coming together. I think this crazy venture of ours will work out just fine. And having the documents online makes it all that much easier to collaborate.
... Google Docs. Granted, this stuff was absorbed from Writely, but I think it's working pretty well. D and I are organizing our documents online and we have a lot of really good ideas coming together. I think this crazy venture of ours will work out just fine. And having the documents online makes it all that much easier to collaborate.
28 April 2008
No pain, no ... pain!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... this is Day 3 of Prednisone. I think it's working. Really working. I had solid sleep this weekend and I'm feeling peppy. Thank goodness.
... this is Day 3 of Prednisone. I think it's working. Really working. I had solid sleep this weekend and I'm feeling peppy. Thank goodness.
27 April 2008
You still there?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... good friends who don't drift too far. I moved to the City, she got a full-time job. But we still keep in touch. Yay. She came up to the City and we did the dinner thing. :)
... good friends who don't drift too far. I moved to the City, she got a full-time job. But we still keep in touch. Yay. She came up to the City and we did the dinner thing. :)
26 April 2008
New faces
Today I'm thankful for ...
... meeting new people. B had a few friends getting together for a reunion of sorts, so we headed to E Tutto Qua in North Beach.
... meeting new people. B had a few friends getting together for a reunion of sorts, so we headed to E Tutto Qua in North Beach.
25 April 2008
And ... that's a wrap!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... finishing out another week. It has been a bit of a struggle getting things done at work but progress has been made.
... finishing out another week. It has been a bit of a struggle getting things done at work but progress has been made.
24 April 2008
Docs in the cloud
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Google Docs. It's so much better to coordinate things when everyone can see them at the same time. Hooray for online document systems.
... Google Docs. It's so much better to coordinate things when everyone can see them at the same time. Hooray for online document systems.
23 April 2008
Polly wants a song, Polly wants a song
Today I'm thankful for ...
... iTunes' duplicate detection. I'm merging all of my music onto my little laptop's hard drive which doubled in size recently. As a result there are a bazillion duplicates since I'm copying several backups en masse to it. But there's a little menu option in iTunes now that lets me manage this mess. Yay.
... iTunes' duplicate detection. I'm merging all of my music onto my little laptop's hard drive which doubled in size recently. As a result there are a bazillion duplicates since I'm copying several backups en masse to it. But there's a little menu option in iTunes now that lets me manage this mess. Yay.
22 April 2008
Home print shop
Today I'm thankful for ...
... technology being at the point one can run a fairly professional design studio right from their home office. I'm impressed that the quality of home equipment today means crisp, clear, vibrant printing and software that can run on a laptop. Without the project D and I are working on would never have a chance of getting done on a zero budget.
... technology being at the point one can run a fairly professional design studio right from their home office. I'm impressed that the quality of home equipment today means crisp, clear, vibrant printing and software that can run on a laptop. Without the project D and I are working on would never have a chance of getting done on a zero budget.
21 April 2008
Would. You. Like. To. Play. A. Game?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... how about global thermonuclear war? No, let's not. Let's just have a friendly gaming session with a bunch of people that like the same thing. Let's meet in a cafe in San Francisco, where there are lots of other people who want to meet too!
... how about global thermonuclear war? No, let's not. Let's just have a friendly gaming session with a bunch of people that like the same thing. Let's meet in a cafe in San Francisco, where there are lots of other people who want to meet too!
20 April 2008
Lazy Sundays
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not completely committing myself to be anywhere today. I was thinking about making it down to a BBQ in the South Bay but I realized that I really needed to do things like laundry.
... not completely committing myself to be anywhere today. I was thinking about making it down to a BBQ in the South Bay but I realized that I really needed to do things like laundry.
19 April 2008
Mr. West
Today I'm thankful for ...
... a good concert down at the HP Pavilion, even it was a little hard to hear Kanye's words sometimes. It's the venue---I hate the acoustics there. But Kanye put on a good show.
... a good concert down at the HP Pavilion, even it was a little hard to hear Kanye's words sometimes. It's the venue---I hate the acoustics there. But Kanye put on a good show.
18 April 2008
Just chillin'
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being at this place in my life where things seem to be headed in a positive direction. It has been a long road. Of course, who knows what's next around the corner but I do give thanks.
... being at this place in my life where things seem to be headed in a positive direction. It has been a long road. Of course, who knows what's next around the corner but I do give thanks.
17 April 2008
Ikuzooooooooo!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having watched anime for many years. It explains the weirdness in some Japanese movies. Really, what is up with Casshern? Its plot doesn't necessarily have holes but rather continuity problems. It jumps around a bit and there are a few places where the audience just has to believe that a bolt of lightning really can change the world. Oh, and it helps to know something about how spirits from dead bodies can visibly rise and coalesce into a blinding white light.
Speaking of Japanese, my Sony Playstation 3's Blu-Ray drive died. Yeah. The PS3 might not have the "red rings of death" but the more subtle I'm-not-going-to-read-you-disc problem. My old PS2 had a problem where if you played it long enough the discs would stop being able to be read---some overheating problem causing the laser lens to get misaligned I think. It sucks too. I had just gotten the PS3 about 3 weeks prior. But, fortunately I have the Best Buy electronics protection thing so I waltzed in to the store and they exchanged it, no questions asked.
... having watched anime for many years. It explains the weirdness in some Japanese movies. Really, what is up with Casshern? Its plot doesn't necessarily have holes but rather continuity problems. It jumps around a bit and there are a few places where the audience just has to believe that a bolt of lightning really can change the world. Oh, and it helps to know something about how spirits from dead bodies can visibly rise and coalesce into a blinding white light.
Speaking of Japanese, my Sony Playstation 3's Blu-Ray drive died. Yeah. The PS3 might not have the "red rings of death" but the more subtle I'm-not-going-to-read-you-disc problem. My old PS2 had a problem where if you played it long enough the discs would stop being able to be read---some overheating problem causing the laser lens to get misaligned I think. It sucks too. I had just gotten the PS3 about 3 weeks prior. But, fortunately I have the Best Buy electronics protection thing so I waltzed in to the store and they exchanged it, no questions asked.
16 April 2008
Rabbit food
Today I'm thankful for ...
... places like Herbivore that serve vegan food that tastes awesome. I don't know why people have to make fake meat products when you can have really tasty dishes made from veggies. Seriously, I had one of the most awesome strawberry shakes---and there was no milk in it!
... places like Herbivore that serve vegan food that tastes awesome. I don't know why people have to make fake meat products when you can have really tasty dishes made from veggies. Seriously, I had one of the most awesome strawberry shakes---and there was no milk in it!
15 April 2008
Calm seas
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being able to get back on a pretty regular sleeping/eating schedule again.
... being able to get back on a pretty regular sleeping/eating schedule again.
14 April 2008
The man of many voices
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being told about the Robin Williams show at Bimbos 365 club. He is doing a very limited show---two shows---called "Working on Material". And, yes, he's working on material.
A friend got in touch with me over the weekend saying that tickets would go on sale Friday at 12:00 PM. I synchronized my clocks and started clicking away just before the stroke of 12:00 PM. A few minutes later I had a completed order for the tickets! (Apparently they sold out within a couple of minutes.) She was ecstatic to hear the news!
We met up Monday evening about 6-ish and she was already in line. I ran to get the tickets from willcall and back to her. We got a table about 4 rows back from the stage and it was great viewing. A couple we met in line ended up being our tablemates too.
Robin was as crazy as ever, although I would say he is looking a lot older these days. But he still has bountiful energy.
... being told about the Robin Williams show at Bimbos 365 club. He is doing a very limited show---two shows---called "Working on Material". And, yes, he's working on material.
A friend got in touch with me over the weekend saying that tickets would go on sale Friday at 12:00 PM. I synchronized my clocks and started clicking away just before the stroke of 12:00 PM. A few minutes later I had a completed order for the tickets! (Apparently they sold out within a couple of minutes.) She was ecstatic to hear the news!
We met up Monday evening about 6-ish and she was already in line. I ran to get the tickets from willcall and back to her. We got a table about 4 rows back from the stage and it was great viewing. A couple we met in line ended up being our tablemates too.
Robin was as crazy as ever, although I would say he is looking a lot older these days. But he still has bountiful energy.
13 April 2008
Power up
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Red Bull and warm tea. After dillydallying most of the day, I finally got down to get some work done. (I had planned to work the entire day but due to mitigating circumstances I got home later than expected. However, I finally hit that zone of pure focus about midnight and by 1 AM I was definitely rockin' the keyboard. Bursts of caffeine kept me up (and warm) as I coded until about 6 AM. Then I had to finally convince myself that any amount of sleep would be better than none. After all, I had Robin Williams tickets for Monday night.
... Red Bull and warm tea. After dillydallying most of the day, I finally got down to get some work done. (I had planned to work the entire day but due to mitigating circumstances I got home later than expected. However, I finally hit that zone of pure focus about midnight and by 1 AM I was definitely rockin' the keyboard. Bursts of caffeine kept me up (and warm) as I coded until about 6 AM. Then I had to finally convince myself that any amount of sleep would be better than none. After all, I had Robin Williams tickets for Monday night.
12 April 2008
Here comes the sun
Today I'm thankful for ...
... gloriously beautiful weather in San Francisco today. I'm tired of the freezing cold weather. Not that I don't expect the chilly nights out here at the tip of the Peninsula, but lately it has been wool coat weather. I mean, really. It's April. Sure Steinbeck said the coldest winter he'd experienced was a summer in SF, but geez.
Today B and I walked around Yerba Buena Gardens after checking out the Cartoon Art Museum. Each of us had gotten a book and so we sat in the dimming afternoon sun over the park with a light breeze. It was perfect.
... gloriously beautiful weather in San Francisco today. I'm tired of the freezing cold weather. Not that I don't expect the chilly nights out here at the tip of the Peninsula, but lately it has been wool coat weather. I mean, really. It's April. Sure Steinbeck said the coldest winter he'd experienced was a summer in SF, but geez.
Today B and I walked around Yerba Buena Gardens after checking out the Cartoon Art Museum. Each of us had gotten a book and so we sat in the dimming afternoon sun over the park with a light breeze. It was perfect.
11 April 2008
Daddy Dearest
Today I'm thankful for ...
... chilling with the Dad. I got up late and walked down to the back patio. Dad was sitting there looking at some paintings he's working on. Sure I had promised Mom I'd get some dusting done and maybe even polish her teak cabinets. But Dad and I got to talking for a while. It's good catching up with him and I learn a little bit more about him every time I talk to him. He doesn't say much about his life, so it took a lot of prying to figure out where and when he went to school, who were the people he knew, where he went driving in his car, etc.
Mom is similar too. I never got to know her mom (my maternal grandmother) because she passed away when I was really young. I asked about what she was like. Of course my Mom said "oh she was normal" or things she did were "just regular". But I have no context what that really means. I asked if she was boisterous or quiet, if she was into cooking or arts and crafts. I got a few answers but they're still pretty foggy. I haven't even really seen pictures of her.
Also, credit needs to be given to Super Duper, the awesome backup/copy program for Macs. I'm definitely registering this bad boy. Going from my 120 GB HDD to a new 250 GB HDD was so painless it's crazy! I was dreading the upgrade because I've been through it before where you have to reinstall everything. Unless the drives would be an exact image (e.g. same size) I was thinking that I'd have to go through a backup, reinstall, and transfer process. However, Super Duper creates bootable clones of your hard drive and does it on a file-by-file level. So, no downtime! Yay! So if you ever need to upgrade your Mac's hard drives, definitely give Super Duper a shot!
... chilling with the Dad. I got up late and walked down to the back patio. Dad was sitting there looking at some paintings he's working on. Sure I had promised Mom I'd get some dusting done and maybe even polish her teak cabinets. But Dad and I got to talking for a while. It's good catching up with him and I learn a little bit more about him every time I talk to him. He doesn't say much about his life, so it took a lot of prying to figure out where and when he went to school, who were the people he knew, where he went driving in his car, etc.
Mom is similar too. I never got to know her mom (my maternal grandmother) because she passed away when I was really young. I asked about what she was like. Of course my Mom said "oh she was normal" or things she did were "just regular". But I have no context what that really means. I asked if she was boisterous or quiet, if she was into cooking or arts and crafts. I got a few answers but they're still pretty foggy. I haven't even really seen pictures of her.
Also, credit needs to be given to Super Duper, the awesome backup/copy program for Macs. I'm definitely registering this bad boy. Going from my 120 GB HDD to a new 250 GB HDD was so painless it's crazy! I was dreading the upgrade because I've been through it before where you have to reinstall everything. Unless the drives would be an exact image (e.g. same size) I was thinking that I'd have to go through a backup, reinstall, and transfer process. However, Super Duper creates bootable clones of your hard drive and does it on a file-by-file level. So, no downtime! Yay! So if you ever need to upgrade your Mac's hard drives, definitely give Super Duper a shot!
10 April 2008
Roll up yer sleeves
Today I'm thankful for ...
... remembering that I had forgotten my Torx T-6 screwdrivers at home. Yeah, that would have made the hard drive replacement impossible. Unfortunately the Macbook Pro has two Torx screws right around the memory compartment. TWO. Just TWO. I mean, really? Really really? Why not just use a standard screw? Maybe it's to deter people from opening up the Macbook Pros casually, but still even the plain Macbook makes hard drive replacement a snap! They even have a pull-tab for it! Anyways, I ran back home after work to get the screwdrivers.
I guess I'm also thankful that I've already been through a hard drive replacement so I knew exactly what to do.
... remembering that I had forgotten my Torx T-6 screwdrivers at home. Yeah, that would have made the hard drive replacement impossible. Unfortunately the Macbook Pro has two Torx screws right around the memory compartment. TWO. Just TWO. I mean, really? Really really? Why not just use a standard screw? Maybe it's to deter people from opening up the Macbook Pros casually, but still even the plain Macbook makes hard drive replacement a snap! They even have a pull-tab for it! Anyways, I ran back home after work to get the screwdrivers.
I guess I'm also thankful that I've already been through a hard drive replacement so I knew exactly what to do.
09 April 2008
What's that smell?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Yelp.com. Yelp is awesome. They helped me find a very out-of-the-way Mediterranean restaurant in San Mateo, Lahmacun Pizzeria. The food was definitely good. If only their location was better they'd do really well.
... Yelp.com. Yelp is awesome. They helped me find a very out-of-the-way Mediterranean restaurant in San Mateo, Lahmacun Pizzeria. The food was definitely good. If only their location was better they'd do really well.
08 April 2008
Shiny ideas
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being mostly free from bugs at work. After slaving through bugs last week I was able to sit down and plan out a new application for our product. I think it'll work and help us grow.
... being mostly free from bugs at work. After slaving through bugs last week I was able to sit down and plan out a new application for our product. I think it'll work and help us grow.
07 April 2008
Wasaaaaaaaaaaaaap?!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... the fact I still keep in touch with my old roommates. I had received some mail that apparently was not forwarded to my new address. So I picked J up and took him home. I also got to catch up on what's happening with him. That's cool.
... the fact I still keep in touch with my old roommates. I had received some mail that apparently was not forwarded to my new address. So I picked J up and took him home. I also got to catch up on what's happening with him. That's cool.
06 April 2008
Zzzz...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... sleeping in. I haven't done that in a while! Sometimes it's the simple things that matter the most.
... sleeping in. I haven't done that in a while! Sometimes it's the simple things that matter the most.
05 April 2008
Arrrr! Thar be me treasure!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being shown where the Pirate Store is. It's part of a creative writing workshop center for kids, 826 Valencia. They have all sorts of great gag gifts and other odd things. I guess if you're looking for inspiration, this would be the place! Plus, don't be surprised if you get "mopped". Ask at the counter where you can find out about mopping.
... being shown where the Pirate Store is. It's part of a creative writing workshop center for kids, 826 Valencia. They have all sorts of great gag gifts and other odd things. I guess if you're looking for inspiration, this would be the place! Plus, don't be surprised if you get "mopped". Ask at the counter where you can find out about mopping.
04 April 2008
Beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being told about the Asylum Street Spankers. What a weird group! It has a folk feel and there's even a song using the saw. Yes, saw. And throat singing. But they're fun and good musicians. We were also really lucky to get seating in the front row of the chairs section. We had perfect visibility.
... being told about the Asylum Street Spankers. What a weird group! It has a folk feel and there's even a song using the saw. Yes, saw. And throat singing. But they're fun and good musicians. We were also really lucky to get seating in the front row of the chairs section. We had perfect visibility.
03 April 2008
All together now...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being part of a company that values human relationships. We had the first of our Thursday Hang-Outs and it was just good to kick back outside the office and take down some wine and hors d'oeuvres.
... being part of a company that values human relationships. We had the first of our Thursday Hang-Outs and it was just good to kick back outside the office and take down some wine and hors d'oeuvres.
02 April 2008
Yeah yeah whatever
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being able to see through a personnel issue we're having right now at work. The problem is that I feel like I'm being micromanaged by someone who isn't even my boss. He's literally dictating my work schedule and trying to withhold information from me that he deems not necessary. It's really frustrating working with this individual because he seems to believe he has the correct answers and is in charge of the roadmap. I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to solve this problem because clearly I'm never going to be able to shout louder than him---he'll find a way to out-speak, out-volume, out-maneuver me. It's tricky. So I think I'm going to try a different approach.
I have been trying to analyze the psychology behind his motivations and I'm fairly convinced that he perceives me as being inferior in a number of ways. He may be smarter, true, but that does not give him the right to try to control me. Firstly, we have two totally different roles---he's more of a developer and I'm more of a designer. Secondly, we have a very different range of experiences---he's into very structured programming, I'm into flexibility to accommodate rapid design iterations. Thirdly, we have different working styles---he always works from high priority to low, I work mostly in that order but if I need to take a "break" I'll pick off some low-hanging fruit.
I've boiled it down to an issue of trust. It is my current belief that he doesn't trust me to do the job right or to do the highest priority items first. However, if he would just stop and examine my track record I think he'll find that I always get the job done, on time, and with better results than originally expected. Just because I don't do everything in his manner does not mean I don't have validity. In fact, many of the misunderstandings lately have come as a result of 1) his lack of proper documentation, 2) difficult-to-decipher logic that is overly complex, 3) his lack of visibility into my current task list which includes items not currently in our bug tracking system.
It is now my goal to try to get him to see my perspective so we can work together. I'm composing a very point-by-point based e-mail (which is how he thinks, not how I usually think) to address very specific issues. I'm hoping he'll at least give it a chance.
This has turned out to be a little more of a rant than a mini blog entry but I'm sure that there will be a number of future entries related to this one.
... being able to see through a personnel issue we're having right now at work. The problem is that I feel like I'm being micromanaged by someone who isn't even my boss. He's literally dictating my work schedule and trying to withhold information from me that he deems not necessary. It's really frustrating working with this individual because he seems to believe he has the correct answers and is in charge of the roadmap. I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to solve this problem because clearly I'm never going to be able to shout louder than him---he'll find a way to out-speak, out-volume, out-maneuver me. It's tricky. So I think I'm going to try a different approach.
I have been trying to analyze the psychology behind his motivations and I'm fairly convinced that he perceives me as being inferior in a number of ways. He may be smarter, true, but that does not give him the right to try to control me. Firstly, we have two totally different roles---he's more of a developer and I'm more of a designer. Secondly, we have a very different range of experiences---he's into very structured programming, I'm into flexibility to accommodate rapid design iterations. Thirdly, we have different working styles---he always works from high priority to low, I work mostly in that order but if I need to take a "break" I'll pick off some low-hanging fruit.
I've boiled it down to an issue of trust. It is my current belief that he doesn't trust me to do the job right or to do the highest priority items first. However, if he would just stop and examine my track record I think he'll find that I always get the job done, on time, and with better results than originally expected. Just because I don't do everything in his manner does not mean I don't have validity. In fact, many of the misunderstandings lately have come as a result of 1) his lack of proper documentation, 2) difficult-to-decipher logic that is overly complex, 3) his lack of visibility into my current task list which includes items not currently in our bug tracking system.
It is now my goal to try to get him to see my perspective so we can work together. I'm composing a very point-by-point based e-mail (which is how he thinks, not how I usually think) to address very specific issues. I'm hoping he'll at least give it a chance.
This has turned out to be a little more of a rant than a mini blog entry but I'm sure that there will be a number of future entries related to this one.
01 April 2008
Can you hear me now?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... finding one little spot in the office that was able to connect to our wireless router. We've been having severe networking problems at the office with our wireless connections and because of that I've been holed up in the back part of the office where I could get a WiFi connection. But it's kinda lonely and dark back there. So I found a little spot near the wall today in the main room that I can use with a strong signal. After a little furniture rearranging I'm set up near one of the whiteboards.
Oh, and I also got to see The Boyfriend after a week of being away. Hugs are an awesome thing. Very awesome.
... finding one little spot in the office that was able to connect to our wireless router. We've been having severe networking problems at the office with our wireless connections and because of that I've been holed up in the back part of the office where I could get a WiFi connection. But it's kinda lonely and dark back there. So I found a little spot near the wall today in the main room that I can use with a strong signal. After a little furniture rearranging I'm set up near one of the whiteboards.
Oh, and I also got to see The Boyfriend after a week of being away. Hugs are an awesome thing. Very awesome.
31 March 2008
I don't know, what do YOU want to do?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not really knowing what I wanted to do today. I got to spend time with a few other relatives today and even headed out to the mall with one of them. I didn't care what I did so long as I got to the airport on time. It was fantastic getting a chance to be with the smaller group of people. The reunion yesterday was very fun but 30 people is a bit overwhelming. Today we had a lunch between 5 of us, and then I got to hang out with an aunt. It was, I guess, quality time.
... not really knowing what I wanted to do today. I got to spend time with a few other relatives today and even headed out to the mall with one of them. I didn't care what I did so long as I got to the airport on time. It was fantastic getting a chance to be with the smaller group of people. The reunion yesterday was very fun but 30 people is a bit overwhelming. Today we had a lunch between 5 of us, and then I got to hang out with an aunt. It was, I guess, quality time.
30 March 2008
We're all one big happy family
Today I'm thankful for ...
... my cousin who arranged a very large family reunion. It wasn't an extravagant reunion---we had it over dim sum. But it was very very important to me. I had not seen everyone for over 10 years. Since they live up in Canada and I'm in California, it's not like I can hop over to someone's house for dinner or meet them up to play with their kids. (And so many people have kids now!!!) I've been living someone vicariously through the photos my Mom and Dad bring back from their visits up there. I wish I could have been a part of many of the life events that have transpired in the past 10 years, but I guess better late than never. And this reunion was possible by the efforts of one very special person.
... my cousin who arranged a very large family reunion. It wasn't an extravagant reunion---we had it over dim sum. But it was very very important to me. I had not seen everyone for over 10 years. Since they live up in Canada and I'm in California, it's not like I can hop over to someone's house for dinner or meet them up to play with their kids. (And so many people have kids now!!!) I've been living someone vicariously through the photos my Mom and Dad bring back from their visits up there. I wish I could have been a part of many of the life events that have transpired in the past 10 years, but I guess better late than never. And this reunion was possible by the efforts of one very special person.
29 March 2008
You may now kiss the bride
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being able to attend a friend's wedding. He and I worked together at our last company and due to unfortunate circumstances we all were disbanded. But he and I stayed in touch and today he got married! He looked totally nervous but he and his now-wife made it through. I got a chance to meet her and she sounds like a great person. Hopefully I'll see them again in a few weeks when they're back in the area.
... being able to attend a friend's wedding. He and I worked together at our last company and due to unfortunate circumstances we all were disbanded. But he and I stayed in touch and today he got married! He looked totally nervous but he and his now-wife made it through. I got a chance to meet her and she sounds like a great person. Hopefully I'll see them again in a few weeks when they're back in the area.
28 March 2008
Wait, we're there?!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... short plane flights. I flew into Canada today and the whole 800-mile trip took a mere 1 hour 40 minutes. This compared to 16+ hours of driving. While I'd love to drive up to Canada one of these days, I'm not crazy about sitting in a car that long. I'd probably take a long, scenic route if I went by car.
... short plane flights. I flew into Canada today and the whole 800-mile trip took a mere 1 hour 40 minutes. This compared to 16+ hours of driving. While I'd love to drive up to Canada one of these days, I'm not crazy about sitting in a car that long. I'd probably take a long, scenic route if I went by car.
27 March 2008
Ah, grasshoppa
Today I'm thankful for ...
... getting the chance to do a knowledge transfer over to a couple of colleagues. Unfortunately we've all be running so fast on our individual projects that we haven't had a chance to catch each other up on all the new developments. I was able to steal two of my colleagues this afternoon and walk them through all of the new pages and how they interact with the main parts of the web application we're building. Wow, our system is complex. And tomorrow I'm on a plane ... so it's their last chance to learn from The Master!
... getting the chance to do a knowledge transfer over to a couple of colleagues. Unfortunately we've all be running so fast on our individual projects that we haven't had a chance to catch each other up on all the new developments. I was able to steal two of my colleagues this afternoon and walk them through all of the new pages and how they interact with the main parts of the web application we're building. Wow, our system is complex. And tomorrow I'm on a plane ... so it's their last chance to learn from The Master!
26 March 2008
QWERTYUIOP
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having learned to touchtype. Honestly, I don't know how people get by without doing it. One of my colleagues still does the hunt-and-peck. He was amazed of his productivity increase going from pecking with one finger to TWO fingers. Still, I'm betting that he'd get an amazing improvement if he only use the other 6 fingers and 2 thumbs! I learned how to touchtype in highschool and I've been pretty fast ever since.
... having learned to touchtype. Honestly, I don't know how people get by without doing it. One of my colleagues still does the hunt-and-peck. He was amazed of his productivity increase going from pecking with one finger to TWO fingers. Still, I'm betting that he'd get an amazing improvement if he only use the other 6 fingers and 2 thumbs! I learned how to touchtype in highschool and I've been pretty fast ever since.
25 March 2008
One more time
Today I'm thankful for ...
... getting a chance to see The Boyfriend. Unfortunately because of how this week is going to go, neither of us will be able to see each other until I get back from vacation.
... getting a chance to see The Boyfriend. Unfortunately because of how this week is going to go, neither of us will be able to see each other until I get back from vacation.
24 March 2008
I have a bad feeling about this
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not completely losing my temper with my boss. He was supposed to have the designs done today for the new set of login pages but he's still dillydallying on them. We're pretty much out of time right now and I'm fearful of what it'll take to implement them. But still, I'm trying to maintain enough of a professional edge that we can focus on the work and not on the emotions. However, I did make it quite plainly known that I'm feeling anxious and worried.
... not completely losing my temper with my boss. He was supposed to have the designs done today for the new set of login pages but he's still dillydallying on them. We're pretty much out of time right now and I'm fearful of what it'll take to implement them. But still, I'm trying to maintain enough of a professional edge that we can focus on the work and not on the emotions. However, I did make it quite plainly known that I'm feeling anxious and worried.
23 March 2008
I'll be right over...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... my parents living within driving distance. I've probably written about this before but it's really nice to have them just a short drive away. Mom did up a simple but tasty Easter dinner. And of course there was a bit too much food, but it hit the spot. Thanks Mom!
... my parents living within driving distance. I've probably written about this before but it's really nice to have them just a short drive away. Mom did up a simple but tasty Easter dinner. And of course there was a bit too much food, but it hit the spot. Thanks Mom!
22 March 2008
Dahling, you look fabulous!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... people at makeup counters who know how to make people look their best. The Friend needed makeup badly so we visited a department store makeup counter. The guy (yes) that helped us was quite skilled and made a couple of really good suggestions for her.
... people at makeup counters who know how to make people look their best. The Friend needed makeup badly so we visited a department store makeup counter. The guy (yes) that helped us was quite skilled and made a couple of really good suggestions for her.
21 March 2008
Grab on to my hand
Today I'm thankful for ...
... the opportunity to help someone. A friend just needed a getaway from her usual situation and so she's up here for a change of context. Sometimes I guess we all get stuck in life and it takes a perspective adjustment to see things properly. Even if it's not for very long, or very much, hopefully this will help. She was also kind enough to change her flight to a week later due to my crazy-ass working schedule.
... the opportunity to help someone. A friend just needed a getaway from her usual situation and so she's up here for a change of context. Sometimes I guess we all get stuck in life and it takes a perspective adjustment to see things properly. Even if it's not for very long, or very much, hopefully this will help. She was also kind enough to change her flight to a week later due to my crazy-ass working schedule.
20 March 2008
Good teacher
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having patient people teach me how to play pool properly. I did have one really cool amazing run of like 4 balls which left him pretty astonished. Not as astonished as me.
... having patient people teach me how to play pool properly. I did have one really cool amazing run of like 4 balls which left him pretty astonished. Not as astonished as me.
19 March 2008
Tuck flap A into slot B
Today I'm thankful for ...
... a friend who has put together Ikea furniture before. I've done the tables and bookshelves without problem, but this was the first time I've attempted a couch. And, whoa, it's big and heavy! It came in two big pieces with tons of cardboard and plastic wrap. I got a third box with the cover in it.
There were some tense moments when a nut wasn't going down its bolt---I think there was a manufacturing defect in the threads. But together we powered through it and we got it to eventually lock into place. And then there was the cover-stretching fiasco. It's a good thing there's Velcro everywhere to hold things in place, but still. I'm thinking now that I ought to tip it back and borrow someone's staple gun to really nail that cover into place, literally. I suppose not affixing it would be good so I could wash the cover, but that would also imply disassembling the arms of the chair. And the feet. Ugh. Maybe it's not worth worrying about.
... a friend who has put together Ikea furniture before. I've done the tables and bookshelves without problem, but this was the first time I've attempted a couch. And, whoa, it's big and heavy! It came in two big pieces with tons of cardboard and plastic wrap. I got a third box with the cover in it.
There were some tense moments when a nut wasn't going down its bolt---I think there was a manufacturing defect in the threads. But together we powered through it and we got it to eventually lock into place. And then there was the cover-stretching fiasco. It's a good thing there's Velcro everywhere to hold things in place, but still. I'm thinking now that I ought to tip it back and borrow someone's staple gun to really nail that cover into place, literally. I suppose not affixing it would be good so I could wash the cover, but that would also imply disassembling the arms of the chair. And the feet. Ugh. Maybe it's not worth worrying about.
18 March 2008
Almost there...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being almost done clearing out the living room! It's about time. And there's furniture coming in tomorrow!
... being almost done clearing out the living room! It's about time. And there's furniture coming in tomorrow!
17 March 2008
Gesundheit!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not getting sick. I'm starting to feel icky. :( But I'm still functional.
... not getting sick. I'm starting to feel icky. :( But I'm still functional.
16 March 2008
The little hours
Today I'm thankful for ...
... those few extra moments of spare time that can be spent well with other people.
... those few extra moments of spare time that can be spent well with other people.
15 March 2008
Understanding
Today I'm thankful for ...
... my hairdresser. I've been going to her for the past few years and we've settled on some hairstyles I like and can live with for my low-maintenance lifestyle needs. I don't have time to do hair and while I like to look good I'm not going to spend more than 15 minutes on hair. I actually have a few shortcuts that let me get things done quickly, but in general as close to wash-and-go is best.
... my hairdresser. I've been going to her for the past few years and we've settled on some hairstyles I like and can live with for my low-maintenance lifestyle needs. I don't have time to do hair and while I like to look good I'm not going to spend more than 15 minutes on hair. I actually have a few shortcuts that let me get things done quickly, but in general as close to wash-and-go is best.
14 March 2008
13 March 2008
12 March 2008
Time out!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being able to work from home. That fact let me concentrate on a hard problem and I got through it! Yay!
... being able to work from home. That fact let me concentrate on a hard problem and I got through it! Yay!
11 March 2008
ECHO echo echo... e...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... cellular telephones. They let me keep in touch with people who are far far away that I wish were a little bit closer closer...
... cellular telephones. They let me keep in touch with people who are far far away that I wish were a little bit closer closer...
10 March 2008
Oh the variety
Today I'm thankful for ...
... living in a city where within a block there's some of the best food on this planet. And a great variety of it too. When I moved to this apartment I made sure that it was near transportation and food and that my parking situation would be really close too.
... living in a city where within a block there's some of the best food on this planet. And a great variety of it too. When I moved to this apartment I made sure that it was near transportation and food and that my parking situation would be really close too.
09 March 2008
It won't ... it DID!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having a hatchback and an Internet connection. So, yay, I got to take home a new TV. Unfortunately, TVs are getting a bit larger these days even though they are technically getting smaller. It's all that packaging...
I went online a few days ago and found a TV on sale and thought ... oh cool! The next thought was: delivery or pick-up? Well, I read Sony's website and copied out the dimensions of the packaging. I went back to my car and ... holy ... the box would fit exactly. I mean exactly. With millimeters (if at all) to spare. In fact, when I went to the store to get the TV the guys looked at me as if I was insane.
"If the Internet measurements are correct then there won't be a problem."
"There's no way this is fitting in there."
"Just try it. I can always get it delivered."
They tipped it into the back and ... "oh my ..." ... it slid in perfectly with a couple of millimeters to spare on both sides. Then the tailgate wouldn't close, but I was sure it was capable of closing. I went through my checklist: seats forward all the way, no obstructions, won't close... OH. And then I noticed the seats were reclined. (My car has locking seatbacks to "remember" the recline position.) So I straightened the seatbacks and ... voila. The box actually had a couple of inches to spare! So after shutting the lid I even got to recline my seat a bit.
... having a hatchback and an Internet connection. So, yay, I got to take home a new TV. Unfortunately, TVs are getting a bit larger these days even though they are technically getting smaller. It's all that packaging...
I went online a few days ago and found a TV on sale and thought ... oh cool! The next thought was: delivery or pick-up? Well, I read Sony's website and copied out the dimensions of the packaging. I went back to my car and ... holy ... the box would fit exactly. I mean exactly. With millimeters (if at all) to spare. In fact, when I went to the store to get the TV the guys looked at me as if I was insane.
"If the Internet measurements are correct then there won't be a problem."
"There's no way this is fitting in there."
"Just try it. I can always get it delivered."
They tipped it into the back and ... "oh my ..." ... it slid in perfectly with a couple of millimeters to spare on both sides. Then the tailgate wouldn't close, but I was sure it was capable of closing. I went through my checklist: seats forward all the way, no obstructions, won't close... OH. And then I noticed the seats were reclined. (My car has locking seatbacks to "remember" the recline position.) So I straightened the seatbacks and ... voila. The box actually had a couple of inches to spare! So after shutting the lid I even got to recline my seat a bit.
08 March 2008
It's not quite a winter wonderland
Today I'm thankful for ...
... getting one last chance at the snow. A couple of friends and I headed out to Tahoe on the good ol' Ski Bus and when we got there the situation was looking pretty bleak. It was all hard-packed ice. :( But by midday things were starting to melt a little and so that actually made some of the runs bearable. I stuck to blue and green ones and got really good speed on a number of them. My balance is definitely much more keen.
... getting one last chance at the snow. A couple of friends and I headed out to Tahoe on the good ol' Ski Bus and when we got there the situation was looking pretty bleak. It was all hard-packed ice. :( But by midday things were starting to melt a little and so that actually made some of the runs bearable. I stuck to blue and green ones and got really good speed on a number of them. My balance is definitely much more keen.
07 March 2008
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ... cookies?!
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Girl Scout cookies. OK, maybe I shouldn't be thankful for them because each Lemonade has 75 calories!!! But once a year I love it when I get a little chance to eat sweet stuff. This year's order: Lemonades, Cinnaswirls, and Thin Mints.
Oh, and thanks to the kind friend who ordered them for me and who did NOT eat them herself. :)
... Girl Scout cookies. OK, maybe I shouldn't be thankful for them because each Lemonade has 75 calories!!! But once a year I love it when I get a little chance to eat sweet stuff. This year's order: Lemonades, Cinnaswirls, and Thin Mints.
Oh, and thanks to the kind friend who ordered them for me and who did NOT eat them herself. :)
06 March 2008
A little company from Cupertino
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Apple's Airport Express. Seriously. This is like the most awesome $100 I've ever spent. If you haven't ever seen it, it's part wireless router, part network audio sound card, part network printer hub, part wireless hub. I have been having problems with my old Linksys router---probably a configuration setup---and I was about ready to give up when I remembered I had the Airport Express. So I plugged the DSL modem into it and changed its mode to be a wireless router (all configurable by software) and it worked instantly! Yes, I have wireless back! I just have to move it to the main room where I can route the audio to the speakers...or maybe not. Maybe I'll route it to my stereo in my room?
... Apple's Airport Express. Seriously. This is like the most awesome $100 I've ever spent. If you haven't ever seen it, it's part wireless router, part network audio sound card, part network printer hub, part wireless hub. I have been having problems with my old Linksys router---probably a configuration setup---and I was about ready to give up when I remembered I had the Airport Express. So I plugged the DSL modem into it and changed its mode to be a wireless router (all configurable by software) and it worked instantly! Yes, I have wireless back! I just have to move it to the main room where I can route the audio to the speakers...or maybe not. Maybe I'll route it to my stereo in my room?
05 March 2008
Let's start with your feelings
Today I'm thankful for ...
... B for being able to talk openly about lots of things. I think that's why we get along. Things don't always work as planned and sometimes you need a good long chat on the phone to sort things out.
... B for being able to talk openly about lots of things. I think that's why we get along. Things don't always work as planned and sometimes you need a good long chat on the phone to sort things out.
04 March 2008
Ver 2.0
Today I'm thankful for ...
... for T.M.'s help in making Ver 2.0 possible. Let's just say that 2.0 is fully functional and performs to spec.
... for T.M.'s help in making Ver 2.0 possible. Let's just say that 2.0 is fully functional and performs to spec.
03 March 2008
Collaboration
Today I'm thankful for ...
... some colleagues at work who are taking the time to help pair-program some things at work. There are some sections of code which are turning out to be much more difficult than predicted, so a couple of us are pair-programming a section.
... some colleagues at work who are taking the time to help pair-program some things at work. There are some sections of code which are turning out to be much more difficult than predicted, so a couple of us are pair-programming a section.
02 March 2008
Bumper cars ... not
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not hitting cars on the way back home. After working all day at the office I finally called it quits late and made it home in one piece.
... not hitting cars on the way back home. After working all day at the office I finally called it quits late and made it home in one piece.
01 March 2008
I can has Internets konnekshun?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having a working DSL line! OMG. It's the little things. After several days of not having working DSL at home (and when it worked it was only 10% of my provisioned rate) I finally got through to tech support this morning. Voila! I now have 2.5 mbps down and 420 kbps up! AND, I hooked up my wireless DSL router this morning and things are great! Well, except for one strange thing: for some reason Firefox doesn't work with Google but works with everything else. Go figure. (Safari works fine.)
... having a working DSL line! OMG. It's the little things. After several days of not having working DSL at home (and when it worked it was only 10% of my provisioned rate) I finally got through to tech support this morning. Voila! I now have 2.5 mbps down and 420 kbps up! AND, I hooked up my wireless DSL router this morning and things are great! Well, except for one strange thing: for some reason Firefox doesn't work with Google but works with everything else. Go figure. (Safari works fine.)
29 February 2008
What goes around ...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... recycling. I got rid of a big pack of cardboard today and it all fit into the recycling bin with a little pushing. And yesterday I went out and did the Green Citizen electronics recycling and got rid of a stack of computer equipment that had been following me around for a while. One of the things was a near-pristine Gravis Ultrasound Max sound card that I had used back in a 386 computer eons ago. I was going to Ebay it, but finally I just decided it was better to get rid of it. And so it went. Even the guy who assisted me at Green Citizen gasped when he saw it.
... recycling. I got rid of a big pack of cardboard today and it all fit into the recycling bin with a little pushing. And yesterday I went out and did the Green Citizen electronics recycling and got rid of a stack of computer equipment that had been following me around for a while. One of the things was a near-pristine Gravis Ultrasound Max sound card that I had used back in a 386 computer eons ago. I was going to Ebay it, but finally I just decided it was better to get rid of it. And so it went. Even the guy who assisted me at Green Citizen gasped when he saw it.
28 February 2008
Double half-caf no whip grande soy cappuccino latte with room
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Starbucks' custom ordering. I like my drink and I like it a certain way. While ordering it I found out the barista actually liked the same drink. Grande five-pump soy chai latte.
... Starbucks' custom ordering. I like my drink and I like it a certain way. While ordering it I found out the barista actually liked the same drink. Grande five-pump soy chai latte.
27 February 2008
The sound of silence
Today I'm thankful for ...
... no meetings. Wednesday is No Meetings Wednesday. And we've been pretty good about that. Yay. I actually did get a lot done. I was able to put on my headphones and fall into my little audio cocoon while basking in the light glow from the LCD screens.
... no meetings. Wednesday is No Meetings Wednesday. And we've been pretty good about that. Yay. I actually did get a lot done. I was able to put on my headphones and fall into my little audio cocoon while basking in the light glow from the LCD screens.
26 February 2008
Power up
Today I'm thankful for ...
... almost being done moving. I'm seriously tired of breathing in dust and the last dregs of my belongings are leaving the house now. I am aiming to be out by Thursday but the last bits still are here. I did finally get the bed up and I can sleep on it, but the new apartment is an absolute disaster. When I get some shelving set up I'll be able to clear out a lot of boxes that are clogging the main areas.
... almost being done moving. I'm seriously tired of breathing in dust and the last dregs of my belongings are leaving the house now. I am aiming to be out by Thursday but the last bits still are here. I did finally get the bed up and I can sleep on it, but the new apartment is an absolute disaster. When I get some shelving set up I'll be able to clear out a lot of boxes that are clogging the main areas.
25 February 2008
Wii like it
Today I'm thankful for ...
... management not balking at me bringing the Wii in. It has turned into a great little afternoon distraction to relieve tension in the office. Warning: the next few posts are going to be mostly about work and moving...
... management not balking at me bringing the Wii in. It has turned into a great little afternoon distraction to relieve tension in the office. Warning: the next few posts are going to be mostly about work and moving...
24 February 2008
Downsizing
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having lived in cramped conditions for two years. In those two years at my old apartment I got rid of many many things. Once again I find myself in rather small digs, but at least it's a smidge bigger than before. I moved a few more things over today and moved a bit of furniture around inside the new place. The living room isn't as crowded as it was before, although there's barely any walking room. The important thing is that everything should fit OK and then I can begin getting rid of more stuff. Like comics. I've been carrying them around forever and I think its time to sell them off. Oh and those two boxes of magazines? They have to go. And some books should be sold off... Hopefully I'll make enough room that I'll be able to have a TV again.
... having lived in cramped conditions for two years. In those two years at my old apartment I got rid of many many things. Once again I find myself in rather small digs, but at least it's a smidge bigger than before. I moved a few more things over today and moved a bit of furniture around inside the new place. The living room isn't as crowded as it was before, although there's barely any walking room. The important thing is that everything should fit OK and then I can begin getting rid of more stuff. Like comics. I've been carrying them around forever and I think its time to sell them off. Oh and those two boxes of magazines? They have to go. And some books should be sold off... Hopefully I'll make enough room that I'll be able to have a TV again.
23 February 2008
Still alive
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not getting sick. I am really drained after having moved big furniture in the early morning followed by a long night of doing the Chinese New Year scavenger hunt. That was an absolutely miserable experience---although good friends help make it somewhat bearable. It turned out that a major storm system moved in on us and we were constantly in the rain and the cold, blustery wind. Combine that with stress, a lot of walking, and San Francisco hills, and you have the recipe for pneumonia. But we made it through with all clues but one and Gordon Biersch kept us warm afterwards. I was also really lucky to get my car out of the garage at 11:58 PM, two minutes before they would have closed!
... not getting sick. I am really drained after having moved big furniture in the early morning followed by a long night of doing the Chinese New Year scavenger hunt. That was an absolutely miserable experience---although good friends help make it somewhat bearable. It turned out that a major storm system moved in on us and we were constantly in the rain and the cold, blustery wind. Combine that with stress, a lot of walking, and San Francisco hills, and you have the recipe for pneumonia. But we made it through with all clues but one and Gordon Biersch kept us warm afterwards. I was also really lucky to get my car out of the garage at 11:58 PM, two minutes before they would have closed!
22 February 2008
Saran wrap
Today I'm thankful for ...
... big-ass rolls of stretchy plastic wrap. I wrapped up just about everything big with some bubble wrap and then put stretchy plastic wrap around them. The roll is just a really oversized version of food plastic wrap that has an elongated spindle so you can grasp the roll with two hands and literally run around the object you want to wrap.
I got the idea from people back on the job who had to move server equipment between labs. Rather than unbolt and pack equipment people would leave server racks completely assembled. The trouble is that cords get tangled, they fall off the rack unsecured, there's other little things that bounce and roll around. So, if you wrap the entire rack in plastic wrap then everything stays put and all you have to do is unwrap the rack when you arrive at your destination.
So, I shielded all of my big furniture with bubble wrap or furniture pads to provide some crash protection, and then I used the plastic wrap to hold them in place. It turns out this is really quick to do and works insanely well. The plastic gives you a grip surface and it's also somewhat water resistant. Plus lets you secure just about anything in place, and with non-rectangular objects.
... big-ass rolls of stretchy plastic wrap. I wrapped up just about everything big with some bubble wrap and then put stretchy plastic wrap around them. The roll is just a really oversized version of food plastic wrap that has an elongated spindle so you can grasp the roll with two hands and literally run around the object you want to wrap.
I got the idea from people back on the job who had to move server equipment between labs. Rather than unbolt and pack equipment people would leave server racks completely assembled. The trouble is that cords get tangled, they fall off the rack unsecured, there's other little things that bounce and roll around. So, if you wrap the entire rack in plastic wrap then everything stays put and all you have to do is unwrap the rack when you arrive at your destination.
So, I shielded all of my big furniture with bubble wrap or furniture pads to provide some crash protection, and then I used the plastic wrap to hold them in place. It turns out this is really quick to do and works insanely well. The plastic gives you a grip surface and it's also somewhat water resistant. Plus lets you secure just about anything in place, and with non-rectangular objects.
21 February 2008
There's many fish in the sea
Today I'm thankful for ...
... sushi. I went with a friend to a local sushi place and had some of the tastiest sushi I can recall in a long time. We did this sashimi special with fish served over crushed ice. I think it was toro and maguro that tasted the best. I don't use soy sauce and wasabi unless I think the fish needs it. I believe good sushi should have its own taste and anything else just takes away from it---if you want to alter the flavor you might as well buy some fish sticks and smother them with the barbecue sauce of your choosing. That said, I really don't get the ama-ebi head thing. Ew.
... sushi. I went with a friend to a local sushi place and had some of the tastiest sushi I can recall in a long time. We did this sashimi special with fish served over crushed ice. I think it was toro and maguro that tasted the best. I don't use soy sauce and wasabi unless I think the fish needs it. I believe good sushi should have its own taste and anything else just takes away from it---if you want to alter the flavor you might as well buy some fish sticks and smother them with the barbecue sauce of your choosing. That said, I really don't get the ama-ebi head thing. Ew.
20 February 2008
Calendars
Today I'm thankful for ...
... giving myself a month to move. I've learned my lesson well about quick moves: nothing ever goes right and you'll end up only straining/hurting yourself if you try to do things in anything less than 3 weeks. It turned out that there were problems with the phone line, the DSL, and the carpets needed cleaning. Plus I needed to just figure out the layout of where things were going to go and have time to shop for the basics. Everything seems to be going well and getting completely moved before the end of the month seems very very doable.
... giving myself a month to move. I've learned my lesson well about quick moves: nothing ever goes right and you'll end up only straining/hurting yourself if you try to do things in anything less than 3 weeks. It turned out that there were problems with the phone line, the DSL, and the carpets needed cleaning. Plus I needed to just figure out the layout of where things were going to go and have time to shop for the basics. Everything seems to be going well and getting completely moved before the end of the month seems very very doable.
19 February 2008
Boxes and boxes
Today I'm thankful for ...
... able-bodied friends. My move has been a little stilted due to a number of variables. People I originally thought might help changed their availability and others I didn't expect look like they're going to participate. This should be interesting!
I totally appreciate ppl helping me move, but it seems I've reached that point where getting professional movers is going to be the next necessary step. It's also the point where I'll probably start getting furniture too.
... able-bodied friends. My move has been a little stilted due to a number of variables. People I originally thought might help changed their availability and others I didn't expect look like they're going to participate. This should be interesting!
I totally appreciate ppl helping me move, but it seems I've reached that point where getting professional movers is going to be the next necessary step. It's also the point where I'll probably start getting furniture too.
18 February 2008
Bumper cars
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not getting hit at the Serramonte Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond. OMGWTF. Those are the absolute worst parking lots EVER.
Firstly, the Home Depot parking lot is horribly marked. You enter down a drive which T's: an immediate branch takes you under a canopy, the other sends you towards the roof. The signs for which direction you drive under the canopy are posted some 30 feet above the road---like anyone is going to look up there! I ended up going down a 2-lane road which actually was the wrong direction. The stalls were also 90-degree perpendicular to the road so there's no indication that I was going the wrong way. And the canopy is orange and the wrong-way signs are red---two colors relatively close together at a glance.
Secondly, the traffic flow is wrong. Once you're under the canopy there are huge signs saying "Exit", but those only take you around and put you back under the same canopy which would force you to make a secondary revolution with no exits!
Thirdly, it's way too crowded. There are too many options. It would have been better to branch off the traffic and keep things going in a larger circle than a couple of tight circles.
And over at Bed, Bath and Beyond there are too many entrances to paths in the parking lot which creates a lot of gridlock. Plus people drive too fast. Oh, and I forgot to mention the half-spaces: tiny spaces that are too shallow because someone thought putting decorative trees in very large planters was a good idea.
UGH.
Bad interface design!!!
Overall I had a horrible driving experience there.
... not getting hit at the Serramonte Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond. OMGWTF. Those are the absolute worst parking lots EVER.
Firstly, the Home Depot parking lot is horribly marked. You enter down a drive which T's: an immediate branch takes you under a canopy, the other sends you towards the roof. The signs for which direction you drive under the canopy are posted some 30 feet above the road---like anyone is going to look up there! I ended up going down a 2-lane road which actually was the wrong direction. The stalls were also 90-degree perpendicular to the road so there's no indication that I was going the wrong way. And the canopy is orange and the wrong-way signs are red---two colors relatively close together at a glance.
Secondly, the traffic flow is wrong. Once you're under the canopy there are huge signs saying "Exit", but those only take you around and put you back under the same canopy which would force you to make a secondary revolution with no exits!
Thirdly, it's way too crowded. There are too many options. It would have been better to branch off the traffic and keep things going in a larger circle than a couple of tight circles.
And over at Bed, Bath and Beyond there are too many entrances to paths in the parking lot which creates a lot of gridlock. Plus people drive too fast. Oh, and I forgot to mention the half-spaces: tiny spaces that are too shallow because someone thought putting decorative trees in very large planters was a good idea.
UGH.
Bad interface design!!!
Overall I had a horrible driving experience there.
17 February 2008
Spaces
Today I'm thankful for ...
... having a little space. Since I have been moving a couple of carloads each day I have cleared out a lot of space in my old apartment. I can actually see the walls now!
... having a little space. Since I have been moving a couple of carloads each day I have cleared out a lot of space in my old apartment. I can actually see the walls now!
16 February 2008
Still dreaming
Today I'm thankful for ...
... thoughts about the business. I haven't let go of a few ideas I have been working on, and I even have a working prototype. It just needs some serious polish and a couple of additional features and then it can be released. I so want to get this out there and to start doing something useful with it. I would love it if it could pay my bills...
... thoughts about the business. I haven't let go of a few ideas I have been working on, and I even have a working prototype. It just needs some serious polish and a couple of additional features and then it can be released. I so want to get this out there and to start doing something useful with it. I would love it if it could pay my bills...
15 February 2008
Who says veggies aren't tasty?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... vegetarian Indian food. For those people that eat Indian food a lot it's probably pretty obvious that there are plenty of all-veggie dishes that are super tasty. You have to admit that the Indian and South Asian regions are masters at spices. Without the need for meat you can have a very filling and flavorful meal.
... vegetarian Indian food. For those people that eat Indian food a lot it's probably pretty obvious that there are plenty of all-veggie dishes that are super tasty. You have to admit that the Indian and South Asian regions are masters at spices. Without the need for meat you can have a very filling and flavorful meal.
14 February 2008
13 February 2008
Geek is chic?
Today I'm thankful for ...
... Dad introducing me to computers, and that I stuck with them. Lately this stupid Macbook Pro has been giving me tons of problems. It couldn't see its firewire port and it wasn't able to sleep. I tried resetting the NVRAM and PRAM according to many guides on the Internet. I took it to the Apple store and they said I might incur a $300 repair and would be out of a computer for weeks.
That is just not going to work for me.
I use my personal laptop also as my work computer. I have many professional licenses on this machine and I can't easily transfer them off. I have insurmountable deadlines too.
So my solution was to figure out if it's a software issue or a hardware issue. My guess is that it's both: Parallels taking over my firewire port and not letting a process sleep; and an aging hard disk that probably is littered with errors from being bumped while it was writing. I got a new 160GB hard disk (40GB more than what I currently have) and after reading many guides I decided to crack open the Macbook case...
Wow, talk about a bazillion screws. Seriously. I had a strip of tape where I could tack the screws so I could remember what order to put them back in. There's probably 2 dozen mini Phillips and Torx-6 screws! But I did it, ever so gingerly moving ribbon cables and unlocking this and that. With the new HDD connected and a fresh Mac OS X install the computer functioned as good as new, sleeping and all. Now I knew that it was most likely a software problem.
What's more interesting is that I swapped the drives back to my old 120GB and now the computer sleeps just fine too!!! I don't get it! My best guess is that jostling the laptop around loosened something and one day when I slept the computer while my Mighty Mouse was on probably put it into a weird power state. By taking out the RAM and swapping the hard drive I think that helped to reset any stuck bits, and the fresh Mac OS X install helped cleanse the rest of it.
Anyways, I'm glad that my introduction to technology happened when I was young and I was never discouraged from pursuing it. There are many girls who get frustrated by being too geeky, but sometimes you just have to follow your passion I guess?
... Dad introducing me to computers, and that I stuck with them. Lately this stupid Macbook Pro has been giving me tons of problems. It couldn't see its firewire port and it wasn't able to sleep. I tried resetting the NVRAM and PRAM according to many guides on the Internet. I took it to the Apple store and they said I might incur a $300 repair and would be out of a computer for weeks.
That is just not going to work for me.
I use my personal laptop also as my work computer. I have many professional licenses on this machine and I can't easily transfer them off. I have insurmountable deadlines too.
So my solution was to figure out if it's a software issue or a hardware issue. My guess is that it's both: Parallels taking over my firewire port and not letting a process sleep; and an aging hard disk that probably is littered with errors from being bumped while it was writing. I got a new 160GB hard disk (40GB more than what I currently have) and after reading many guides I decided to crack open the Macbook case...
Wow, talk about a bazillion screws. Seriously. I had a strip of tape where I could tack the screws so I could remember what order to put them back in. There's probably 2 dozen mini Phillips and Torx-6 screws! But I did it, ever so gingerly moving ribbon cables and unlocking this and that. With the new HDD connected and a fresh Mac OS X install the computer functioned as good as new, sleeping and all. Now I knew that it was most likely a software problem.
What's more interesting is that I swapped the drives back to my old 120GB and now the computer sleeps just fine too!!! I don't get it! My best guess is that jostling the laptop around loosened something and one day when I slept the computer while my Mighty Mouse was on probably put it into a weird power state. By taking out the RAM and swapping the hard drive I think that helped to reset any stuck bits, and the fresh Mac OS X install helped cleanse the rest of it.
Anyways, I'm glad that my introduction to technology happened when I was young and I was never discouraged from pursuing it. There are many girls who get frustrated by being too geeky, but sometimes you just have to follow your passion I guess?
12 February 2008
We agree to disagree
Today I'm thankful for ...
... opposing points of view. I don't see eye-to-eye with my boss or the other designers on the team all the time. I think that's a good thing. Without this we probably would sink into mediocrity and complacence. Sometimes we don't always communicate our intentions effectively (which leads to misunderstanding), but when we are able to ensure everyone is on the same page each of us has something valuable to contribute.
... opposing points of view. I don't see eye-to-eye with my boss or the other designers on the team all the time. I think that's a good thing. Without this we probably would sink into mediocrity and complacence. Sometimes we don't always communicate our intentions effectively (which leads to misunderstanding), but when we are able to ensure everyone is on the same page each of us has something valuable to contribute.
11 February 2008
And now presenting ...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... the Commonwealth Club bringing influential people to public forums. Tonight's presentation was from Donald Norman, author of The Design of Everyday Things. I've only read about half of it but what I did read made interesting common sense. Still, when you think about it, what is common sense? What is the science behind making something so obvious as to not require extensive thinking? How do you take advantage of cultural and global customs to infer meaning? How do you make things consistent without making them too much the same?
... the Commonwealth Club bringing influential people to public forums. Tonight's presentation was from Donald Norman, author of The Design of Everyday Things. I've only read about half of it but what I did read made interesting common sense. Still, when you think about it, what is common sense? What is the science behind making something so obvious as to not require extensive thinking? How do you take advantage of cultural and global customs to infer meaning? How do you make things consistent without making them too much the same?
10 February 2008
Happy birthday to youuuuuuuu....
Today I'm thankful for ...
... birthdays. Celebrating them is such an awesome thing, even it's a small group. D and I missed out on a friend's birthday so we took him out for a little dinner at this place with a little N'awlins style. He had redfish tacos and enjoyed them as well as D's stories.
... birthdays. Celebrating them is such an awesome thing, even it's a small group. D and I missed out on a friend's birthday so we took him out for a little dinner at this place with a little N'awlins style. He had redfish tacos and enjoyed them as well as D's stories.
09 February 2008
You spin my right round baby right round round roun
Today I'm thankful for ...
... alcohol. With which even the most off-key singing becomes tolerable. Even beautiful. Hooray beer.
... alcohol. With which even the most off-key singing becomes tolerable. Even beautiful. Hooray beer.
08 February 2008
And over the hills we go
Today I'm thankful for ...
... J and D for going skiing. Yes, skiing---not boarding. D called me up a while back and mentioned that a friend was going up to Tahoe for the weekend. I wasn't sure I could get away from work, but it looks like I got all of my big-ticket items done. So I am now in a little time share with a couple of other friends and we'll be getting up bright and early to hit the slopes. This will be D's first time on snow! (It's wonderful that 3 people I know have learned to take the snow this season.)
... J and D for going skiing. Yes, skiing---not boarding. D called me up a while back and mentioned that a friend was going up to Tahoe for the weekend. I wasn't sure I could get away from work, but it looks like I got all of my big-ticket items done. So I am now in a little time share with a couple of other friends and we'll be getting up bright and early to hit the slopes. This will be D's first time on snow! (It's wonderful that 3 people I know have learned to take the snow this season.)
07 February 2008
Lalalalaalala
Today I'm thankful for ...
... musical comedies. A good friend and I had gone boarding a few weeks back and on the return trip there the ski bus showed Once. It turned out to be a really cute movie, a musical comedy. It was filmed documentary style and had a couple of actors I didn't know before---the credits list them as "guy" and "girl". It is well worth the watch!
... musical comedies. A good friend and I had gone boarding a few weeks back and on the return trip there the ski bus showed Once. It turned out to be a really cute movie, a musical comedy. It was filmed documentary style and had a couple of actors I didn't know before---the credits list them as "guy" and "girl". It is well worth the watch!
06 February 2008
Mmm...sacrilicious...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... lots of good pizza choices. The photo meetup met at Goat Hill Pizza in SOMA and it was pretty good pizza. Granted the crust was quite hard, but the pizza itself tasted really good. Cheeses and other toppings were perfect.
... lots of good pizza choices. The photo meetup met at Goat Hill Pizza in SOMA and it was pretty good pizza. Granted the crust was quite hard, but the pizza itself tasted really good. Cheeses and other toppings were perfect.
05 February 2008
Play that funky music...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... neighbors that don't mind a little loud jam session. Where we work is in a set of live/work studio apartments and apparently the neighbors are tolerant of us making noise. We typically play the stereo loud, but that's nothing compared to an amp blasting out tunes. We had an after-work jam with a laptop, a keyboard, and a guitar!
... neighbors that don't mind a little loud jam session. Where we work is in a set of live/work studio apartments and apparently the neighbors are tolerant of us making noise. We typically play the stereo loud, but that's nothing compared to an amp blasting out tunes. We had an after-work jam with a laptop, a keyboard, and a guitar!
04 February 2008
Well...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... well I don't know if I should be thankful quite yet but I just took possession of a key to a new little apartment in the basement of a house. It'll be a totally different lifestyle to be sure. It's going to be relatively quiet except for the grandkids that will be running around---there's a mother-in-law unit behind mine where the landlord lives. She's good-natured and I'm hopeful that this opportunity will work out. Now I just have to figure out how to complete this move.
... well I don't know if I should be thankful quite yet but I just took possession of a key to a new little apartment in the basement of a house. It'll be a totally different lifestyle to be sure. It's going to be relatively quiet except for the grandkids that will be running around---there's a mother-in-law unit behind mine where the landlord lives. She's good-natured and I'm hopeful that this opportunity will work out. Now I just have to figure out how to complete this move.
03 February 2008
Nine long months
Today I'm thankful for ...
... being able to watch friends go through having kids. It seems these days a good number of friends are starting to have families and it's encouraging watching them go through the laborious process of the nine long months and then the many sleepless nights thereafter. Then at some point there's the family and little kids are running amok.
... being able to watch friends go through having kids. It seems these days a good number of friends are starting to have families and it's encouraging watching them go through the laborious process of the nine long months and then the many sleepless nights thereafter. Then at some point there's the family and little kids are running amok.
02 February 2008
Thems my peeps
Today I'm thankful for ...
... game-playing people. It was fun! About a dozen or so people playing games, talking, Rock Band, etc.
... game-playing people. It was fun! About a dozen or so people playing games, talking, Rock Band, etc.
01 February 2008
Tip up your cup and throw yer hands up...
Today I'm thankful for ...
... not having bought tickets to the Foo Fighters tomorrow. It turns out that by not doing that I can go to a couple of parties friends are throwing. Yay!
... not having bought tickets to the Foo Fighters tomorrow. It turns out that by not doing that I can go to a couple of parties friends are throwing. Yay!
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