Wednesday, August 06, 2008
San Francisco, CA to Lewiston, ID
Thursday, July 31, 2008
More on Obama
A shout out to Thom B. of Casselberry, FL for A) being a great friend and B) alerting me to this article!
In ANOTHER entry on Obama, this one actually is snippets taken from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle from yesterday titled, Could Obama Be The First Asian President?
First, the facts:
"He was born and raised in Hawaii, the only majority-Asian state in the union; he spent four formative years in Jakarta, the home of his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro, where he attended local schools and learned passable Bahasa Indonesia. The family with whom he's closest — half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and her Chinese Canadian husband, Konrad Ng — are Asian American. So, too, are the most senior members of his congressional team — his Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse, whose mother is Japanese American, and his legislative director Chris Lu, whose parents hail from China."
Having the common Asian-American experience:
"Evidence for Obama's affinity with the Asian American experience runs true even as one delves deeper into his history. "A lot of aspects of the senator's story will be recognizable to many Asian Americans," says Lu, a Harvard Law School classmate of the senator's who joined the team in 2005. "He talks about feeling like somewhat of an outsider; about coming to terms with his self-identity; about figuring out how to reconcile the values from his unique heritage with those of larger U.S. society. These are tensions and conflicts that play out in the lives of all children of
immigrants."
"TV, movies, the radio ... Pop culture was color-coded, after all," he writes. "I began to notice that Cosby never got the girl on 'I Spy,' that the black man on 'Mission: Impossible' spent all his time underground. I noticed that there was nobody like me in the Sears, Roebuck Christmas catalog ... and that Santa was a white man."
The emphasis on education:
"If the boy has done his work for tomorrow, he can begin on his next day's assignments. Or the assignments he will have when he returns from the holidays") and about his overprotective mother's use of guilt as leverage ("A healthy dose of guilt
never hurt anybody," she tells him, "It's what civilization was built on, guilt. A highly underrated emotion") the Asian American reader's feelings of deja vu will have slipped from amusing to uncanny."
"The senator often talks about the importance of education, the value of hard work, and the need for a sense of personal responsibility," says Chris Lu. "That resonates with a lot of Asian Americans, who feel they've pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, and understand the notion that what we accomplish in life is in large part a measure of who we are as people, and how hard we strive."
It's a stretch, I know, but an interesting intellectual exercise nonetheless.
In ANOTHER entry on Obama, this one actually is snippets taken from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle from yesterday titled, Could Obama Be The First Asian President?
First, the facts:
"He was born and raised in Hawaii, the only majority-Asian state in the union; he spent four formative years in Jakarta, the home of his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro, where he attended local schools and learned passable Bahasa Indonesia. The family with whom he's closest — half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and her Chinese Canadian husband, Konrad Ng — are Asian American. So, too, are the most senior members of his congressional team — his Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse, whose mother is Japanese American, and his legislative director Chris Lu, whose parents hail from China."
Having the common Asian-American experience:
"Evidence for Obama's affinity with the Asian American experience runs true even as one delves deeper into his history. "A lot of aspects of the senator's story will be recognizable to many Asian Americans," says Lu, a Harvard Law School classmate of the senator's who joined the team in 2005. "He talks about feeling like somewhat of an outsider; about coming to terms with his self-identity; about figuring out how to reconcile the values from his unique heritage with those of larger U.S. society. These are tensions and conflicts that play out in the lives of all children of
immigrants."
"TV, movies, the radio ... Pop culture was color-coded, after all," he writes. "I began to notice that Cosby never got the girl on 'I Spy,' that the black man on 'Mission: Impossible' spent all his time underground. I noticed that there was nobody like me in the Sears, Roebuck Christmas catalog ... and that Santa was a white man."
The emphasis on education:
"If the boy has done his work for tomorrow, he can begin on his next day's assignments. Or the assignments he will have when he returns from the holidays") and about his overprotective mother's use of guilt as leverage ("A healthy dose of guilt
never hurt anybody," she tells him, "It's what civilization was built on, guilt. A highly underrated emotion") the Asian American reader's feelings of deja vu will have slipped from amusing to uncanny."
"The senator often talks about the importance of education, the value of hard work, and the need for a sense of personal responsibility," says Chris Lu. "That resonates with a lot of Asian Americans, who feel they've pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, and understand the notion that what we accomplish in life is in large part a measure of who we are as people, and how hard we strive."
It's a stretch, I know, but an interesting intellectual exercise nonetheless.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Ernie and Emma
Had a couple hours to kill as my car was getting its first service, so I visited six week old Emma. This goes out to those who believe I have an antipathy towards babies. Not so.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Delacroix, LA
At the end of Louisiana State Route 46 is the town of Delacroix, LA. It is truly the end of the world. I took an afternoon after my hot shower to drive and see what this area looked like. This trip, along with a chat with a resident of Delacroix, Tino, that I met at a local restaurant gave me a peek into what this community was/is like and is experiencing.
New Orleans Round 2
Wading through my email while in Texas a couple weeks ago, I came across a trip being organized by One Brick to bring a group of volunteers to work with the St. Bernard Project and do work on rebuilding houses in the hard hit parish east of New Orleans.
A little background on St. Bernard Parish (SBP). We all heard and saw pictures of the Lower Ninth Ward and the devastation there. The Lower Ninth is the eastern portion of Orleans Parish. So water flooded SBP from the west. But the majority of the land of SBP and the six towns that lie along the strip of land hugging the Mississippi River all sit in one of the "feet" that sticks out into the Gulf of Mexico. So the SBP was also hit with the double whammy of the storm surge from the South and East. Every home and business (68,000 pre-Katrina residents) was declared uninhabitable. This is a community that has to start from scratch.
In chatting with the few locals I (and our group of 22 volunteers) met, three years post hurricane and flooding a sense of acceptance has set in. The stages of grief have been experienced and the event is simply a part of the history of their lives. Certainly, they are sad about it, but it feels like each day is just the next step forward. However, the common refrain from these folk is their high school graduation analogy. The day before the flood was graduation day. Their community and family members were together as one for one last time. The flood dispersed everyone. And even though people promised to return and to visit, 50% of the community didn't or hasn't returned. They are gone physically but not in spirit. At this time, 28,000 residents live in SBP.
Our group was housed at a place called Camp Hope which is a former elementary school in the town of St. Bernard that was transformed into a volunteer center. Being semi-permanent, the facilities are much more plush than the church I was scheduled to stay in last time. Internet facilities, hot showers with plenty of water (although the oil spill on the Mississippi River, this area really doesn't ever catch a break, closed the water intake in SBP and so we were limited on the last couple days) and decent food (morning biscuits were the best) made the experience enjoyable.
Our group of 22 was split to work on three houses. My group, Team Kilz, was sent to "kilz" houses. Kilz is the name of the brand of paint that is used to seal wood after it has been scraped of mold.
We worked on Angelique Street in Violet, LA on Monday and Tuesday. Beachhead Lane also in Violet on Wednesday, Pecan Street in Chalmette on Thursday and Gardena Lane in New Orleans on Friday.
On Tuesday evening, our group (as well as all the NCCC/Americorps volunteers at Camp Hope) were treated to a Bayou dinner hosted by the Perez family, formerly of Chalmette. Paul P. and his family are a family that has relocated to a different part of the state, but come back once a month to throw a dinner to honor the volunteers who are working in SBP. Paul echoed the sentiments we heard all week about loss of community and family, but he also wanted to shard how appreciative he and the New Orleans area are of the stream of volunteers who continue to come down to work. After the federal government response left the people of the area feeling hopeless, the volunteers like us and the love and support offered has provided the people of the area the sense that they are remembered. I will admit that I was moved by the outpouring of appreciation and the need these people have to say thanks. I think for all of us who are usually on the giving side of the equation find it hard to learn to accept help and love. So when we do it, the appreciation is even more emotionally charged.
Most evenings members of our group drove into New Orleans proper to have some good food and absorb the mood. I experienced the food and music culture that New Orleans is known for. One afternoon we finished our house early and stopped by the famous "Musician's Village", which is the blocks of land purchased by Harry Connick Jr. and friends upon which Habitat has build homes. Connick feared that New Orleans would lose a generation of musicians if they didn't have places to live so he simply had them built.
A great week after the three weeks in Texas. The hard work felt good and I slept better than I have in a month. Good friends, who happen also to be from San Francisco, good food and a feeling that I'm doing something to help. The residents tell us not to forget them and to continue coming back to help as there is still work to do. I'm betting I will.
I am happy to report that my Dad, to save his sanity and health, has resigned as executor of my Uncle's estate and has turned it over to my cousin Henry. He'll consult but he's gone home to Seattle.
Cafe Du Monde
Sunday, July 20, 2008
45 Down and 5 To Go
The five states left are Alabama, Alaska, North Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee
Indignation Level 3
Ok, on the Carlos P. Levels of Indignation, with 5 being outright moral outrage and incredulity at the audacity of someone or some organization, I am sitting here at Level 3 having had to pay $15 to check my bag in on American Airlines. Ok, they did return my bag when it got lost this past week, but they lost the bag to begin with, so I think I'm even with them karma-wise. But $15 for a service that I think is an entitlement? Am I wrong? (Wow, did I ever think I would ever act like someone who feels entitled to a service?)
I feel like I was being held up by a crook when I had no option but to check a bag since I couldn't have three carry-ons. I mean, Southwest Airlines allows at least the first bag checked free.
I don't like having to pay, but I did so anyway under GREAT mental (as in I didn't take it out on any airline employee) protest.
I feel like I was being held up by a crook when I had no option but to check a bag since I couldn't have three carry-ons. I mean, Southwest Airlines allows at least the first bag checked free.
I don't like having to pay, but I did so anyway under GREAT mental (as in I didn't take it out on any airline employee) protest.
Friday, July 18, 2008
My time has come to a close
As I wrap up my time here in Texas, I have a few final thoughts about this unraveling (and that truly has been the operative term here) of my deceased Uncle's estate. First off, what has come to the fore is that my father and I approach this process differently than my cousin. The forefront of our motivation is that we are here to settle the estate of my Uncle. Creditors get paid off, promises kept and laws get followed to the letter. In my mind, and what has caused some tension between myself and my cousin, is that he and his half-sister are here for asset preservation. Each time I declare a check should be written (and remember I can only voice my opinion as I have no legal power to write checks in this instance) I have been reminded that I am "writing a check out of (their) pockets."
I've also been given further proof of the practice of dealing with problems and affairs as they become known. How much of the pain and work that we are dealing with here is a function of my Uncle just not addressing issues right away. Fines and judgments galore here because he simply didn't pay things (or in many cases probably didn't have the funds to pay his bills). Also, how many lawyers could one person need and deal with at the same time?
On a personal front, I have come to realize that we are really products of our fathers and parents. More often than not, how I respond to a situation is pretty much the same way my father answers. I approach things the same way he does. Cut no corners, honor your commitments and say what you mean. I have watched my Dad deal with this really, really stressful and complicated situation with great calm (ok MOST of the time, it's my Dad remember) but his management of people is something I've never actually seen in action before. I've had to rein him in on some tendencies to want to micromanage people, but overall, he's been great. I'm proud of him.
In addition, I've learned how having financial security as a child and throughout life alters the way you approach the world. It's not that money can buy me anything, but its having the ability to not have to shortchange people or to be able to pay in full right up front. The ability to do so makes life a lot easier and more pleasant.
Now that I'm finishing up service to the family, I'm going to fly to New Orleans to spend a week doing relief work in St. Bernard Parish, east of the city. I need to do some physical labor after having sat around here for the last three weeks.
I've also been given further proof of the practice of dealing with problems and affairs as they become known. How much of the pain and work that we are dealing with here is a function of my Uncle just not addressing issues right away. Fines and judgments galore here because he simply didn't pay things (or in many cases probably didn't have the funds to pay his bills). Also, how many lawyers could one person need and deal with at the same time?
On a personal front, I have come to realize that we are really products of our fathers and parents. More often than not, how I respond to a situation is pretty much the same way my father answers. I approach things the same way he does. Cut no corners, honor your commitments and say what you mean. I have watched my Dad deal with this really, really stressful and complicated situation with great calm (ok MOST of the time, it's my Dad remember) but his management of people is something I've never actually seen in action before. I've had to rein him in on some tendencies to want to micromanage people, but overall, he's been great. I'm proud of him.
In addition, I've learned how having financial security as a child and throughout life alters the way you approach the world. It's not that money can buy me anything, but its having the ability to not have to shortchange people or to be able to pay in full right up front. The ability to do so makes life a lot easier and more pleasant.
Now that I'm finishing up service to the family, I'm going to fly to New Orleans to spend a week doing relief work in St. Bernard Parish, east of the city. I need to do some physical labor after having sat around here for the last three weeks.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Thank You to the Staff of American Eagle in.....
Fayetteville/Bentonville, AR. That's where my lost bag turned up. I got a call this past Monday from my branch of Bank of America to call a woman named Diane C. with an area code of 479. I know my area codes, but this one was a new one to even me. I called the woman and end up talking to a man there named Dave who says that the American Eagle at XNA (Northwest Arkansas) has had my unmarked bag for a couple weeks. They searched through my bag and found the teller receipt for a $500 withdrawal I had made at my local branch because I knew I was going to need some petty cash here in Texas and wasn't sure when my cash card would arrive. I put the cash and receipt inside my bag and that was the only piece of identification inside my bag.
The agents in Arkansas convinced their local Bank of America to contact my branch and have my branch call me to have me contact the agents in Arkansas. I did and Dave didn't feel comfortable with putting the cash back in the bag. He therefore was willing to take the cash and turn it into a money order and stuck it back in the bag. The bag was then expedited on the first flight out of Arkansas back to DFW where I picked it up the next morning. I am still amazed at the good in people and how this worked out. These wonderful people will be getting a huge gift sent from me when I return to San Francisco.
For those of you keeping track, this is the second time my camera has been lost and returned to me. The first time was last year in Panama, when I left my camera in the car of a couple that gave me a ride. They tracked me down because they called Continental Airlines because the couple and I had sat next to each other on the plane flight down. My camera is now on the third of its nine lives.
The agents in Arkansas convinced their local Bank of America to contact my branch and have my branch call me to have me contact the agents in Arkansas. I did and Dave didn't feel comfortable with putting the cash back in the bag. He therefore was willing to take the cash and turn it into a money order and stuck it back in the bag. The bag was then expedited on the first flight out of Arkansas back to DFW where I picked it up the next morning. I am still amazed at the good in people and how this worked out. These wonderful people will be getting a huge gift sent from me when I return to San Francisco.
For those of you keeping track, this is the second time my camera has been lost and returned to me. The first time was last year in Panama, when I left my camera in the car of a couple that gave me a ride. They tracked me down because they called Continental Airlines because the couple and I had sat next to each other on the plane flight down. My camera is now on the third of its nine lives.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
This is San Francisco and the Bay Area at its best
Many of you know that I am a huge devotee of Richard Florida (Juliet, if you're reading this get cracking on "Rise of the Creative Class" because this posting is exactly what he's talking about), so here is what's happening at Intel in Berkeley.
Check this link about street sweepers helping collect air quality data.
P.S. Make sure to watch the video link to see that there is a person out there who perhaps, is more expressive with their hands while talking, than I!!!
Check this link about street sweepers helping collect air quality data.
P.S. Make sure to watch the video link to see that there is a person out there who perhaps, is more expressive with their hands while talking, than I!!!
July 2008 = Texas and the Southeastern USA
Early in the morning of June 28th, 2008 (as in 12:30AM), having parked my car at friend Tony's (or marriage fame) house in Oakland, taking BART back across the Bay to SFO, rushing through the concourse and being the LAST person on the American Airlines #1441 to Dallas/Fort Worth, I handed my black roller-bag to the stewardess at the door of the plane to have it gate checked. She asks, "does anyone have a gate check tag?" No one does. She ASSURES me that the bag will make it into the baggage area below and show up in Dallas as the flight is scheduled to stop in Dallas and the plane cleared before the next flight boards.
Three and a half hours later, I stand at the baggage carousel, looking longingly at the circular metal device spinning around and around with no sign of my black bag in sight. Stupid is as stupid does.
The reason I was on this flight was that I was to attend my Uncle's funeral in Arlington, TX. Nothing out of the ordinary there. However, I was asked by my father and cousin Henry to extend my stay for another two weeks to help them unravel my Uncle's estate.
My father was named executor of the estate. His job in this case was to assemble a list of the assets and liabilities, proceed with whatever probate court issues needed to be handled, ensure the value of the estate is evenly divided between my two cousins, and be done.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE. I am not at liberty to reveal any of the details of the case but my Uncle had some unorthodox financial practices and so the three of us are basically trying to understand how to "follow the money." We really do need one of those big poster board charts you see on television shows where pictures of suspects are put on the board and lines are drawn between major characters to show relationships. In our case, substitute pictures with boxes that represent corporations, accounts and creditors.
It's been a slow slog, and I find it particularly challenging because I don't have a set path to go on. In my regular life, I set things up so I can make a list and be able to work through it systematically because I know exactly how to accomplish each and every task. In this case, I struggle to even come up with a strategy to accomplish my part of this case.
However, I have to report that these past couple days I've had some moments of success. I will report that yesterday, I managed to establish an online account with the Texas Secretary of State's Office and in a 45 minute flurry of brilliance determine, download and print out a bunch of information that will help us determine what parts of the estate will eventually need to be transferred into the trust, to eventually pay off debts and then be divided amongst my cousins. And David D., I did say "thank you."
I will report that I have told my father and cousins that I will work during the week, but that my weekends are mine. This part 4th of July weekend, I flew to Orlando to visit my friends David C. and Thom B. David and I took Saturday afternoon to get on an airboat and go look at alligators in their native swamp environment and then went to Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral. The rest of the time, I took advantage of their couch to nap, watch television and commune with my inner potato. This upcoming weekend, I fly to Atlanta to visit a potentially someone special.
The weekends have been fun, but I've also decided to no throw myself a pity party and to enjoy the evenings as well. This past Monday, I attended Raising Sand, which is a concert with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Last night, my cousin Henry and I enjoyed the Texas Rangers/Los Angeles Angels game here in Arlington. A highlight was not only that Texas beat the Angels, but we also won free tacos in the fifth inning because a Rangers player hit a home run. Thanks, Chris Davis!
So, that's been my July so far. I was fearing what I was going to do this July since the India fellowship fell through. I had to believe that it was going to reveal itself to me, and it most certainly did. I am chalking this all up to the category of "service to the family."
Three and a half hours later, I stand at the baggage carousel, looking longingly at the circular metal device spinning around and around with no sign of my black bag in sight. Stupid is as stupid does.
The reason I was on this flight was that I was to attend my Uncle's funeral in Arlington, TX. Nothing out of the ordinary there. However, I was asked by my father and cousin Henry to extend my stay for another two weeks to help them unravel my Uncle's estate.
My father was named executor of the estate. His job in this case was to assemble a list of the assets and liabilities, proceed with whatever probate court issues needed to be handled, ensure the value of the estate is evenly divided between my two cousins, and be done.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE. I am not at liberty to reveal any of the details of the case but my Uncle had some unorthodox financial practices and so the three of us are basically trying to understand how to "follow the money." We really do need one of those big poster board charts you see on television shows where pictures of suspects are put on the board and lines are drawn between major characters to show relationships. In our case, substitute pictures with boxes that represent corporations, accounts and creditors.
It's been a slow slog, and I find it particularly challenging because I don't have a set path to go on. In my regular life, I set things up so I can make a list and be able to work through it systematically because I know exactly how to accomplish each and every task. In this case, I struggle to even come up with a strategy to accomplish my part of this case.
However, I have to report that these past couple days I've had some moments of success. I will report that yesterday, I managed to establish an online account with the Texas Secretary of State's Office and in a 45 minute flurry of brilliance determine, download and print out a bunch of information that will help us determine what parts of the estate will eventually need to be transferred into the trust, to eventually pay off debts and then be divided amongst my cousins. And David D., I did say "thank you."
I will report that I have told my father and cousins that I will work during the week, but that my weekends are mine. This part 4th of July weekend, I flew to Orlando to visit my friends David C. and Thom B. David and I took Saturday afternoon to get on an airboat and go look at alligators in their native swamp environment and then went to Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral. The rest of the time, I took advantage of their couch to nap, watch television and commune with my inner potato. This upcoming weekend, I fly to Atlanta to visit a potentially someone special.
The weekends have been fun, but I've also decided to no throw myself a pity party and to enjoy the evenings as well. This past Monday, I attended Raising Sand, which is a concert with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Last night, my cousin Henry and I enjoyed the Texas Rangers/Los Angeles Angels game here in Arlington. A highlight was not only that Texas beat the Angels, but we also won free tacos in the fifth inning because a Rangers player hit a home run. Thanks, Chris Davis!
So, that's been my July so far. I was fearing what I was going to do this July since the India fellowship fell through. I had to believe that it was going to reveal itself to me, and it most certainly did. I am chalking this all up to the category of "service to the family."
Monday, June 23, 2008
Dr. K. Wendell Chen (1937 - 2008)
The obituary for my uncle, from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
ARLINGTON -- Dr. K. Wendell Chen passed away Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Arlington at the age of 70.
Funeral: 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Moore Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation: The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials: The family suggests remembrances be made in Dr. K. Wendell Chen's name to the American Red Cross China Earthquake relief Fund The American Red Cross
Dr. Chen was born in Anwhei, China and came to the U.S. in 1955 to attend the University of Washington in Seattle. After graduating from UW with a B.A. in Physics (1960), he pursued his post-graduate education at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. and received a PhD for Physics (1964). Dr. Chen then took a position as an Assistant Professor at Princeton University, N.J. (1964-1972), a Professor at Michigan State University (1973-1979), a Senior Scientist at Fermilab in Batavia, Ill., and a Senior Scientist a the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland (1980-81). From 1981 until his retirement, he was a professor and director of the Center for Accelerator Sciences and Technology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He served as a member of the panel in high energy physics for the National Academy of Sciences and also was a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Dr. Chen was instrumental in the consortium for the Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) Project which took place in Waxahachie, TX.
Survivors: Dr. K. Wendell Chen is survived by his son Henry R. Chen of San Francisco, and daughter, Kristina M. Chen of Los Angeles.
ARLINGTON -- Dr. K. Wendell Chen passed away Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Arlington at the age of 70.
Funeral: 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Moore Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation: The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials: The family suggests remembrances be made in Dr. K. Wendell Chen's name to the American Red Cross China Earthquake relief Fund The American Red Cross
Dr. Chen was born in Anwhei, China and came to the U.S. in 1955 to attend the University of Washington in Seattle. After graduating from UW with a B.A. in Physics (1960), he pursued his post-graduate education at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. and received a PhD for Physics (1964). Dr. Chen then took a position as an Assistant Professor at Princeton University, N.J. (1964-1972), a Professor at Michigan State University (1973-1979), a Senior Scientist at Fermilab in Batavia, Ill., and a Senior Scientist a the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland (1980-81). From 1981 until his retirement, he was a professor and director of the Center for Accelerator Sciences and Technology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He served as a member of the panel in high energy physics for the National Academy of Sciences and also was a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Dr. Chen was instrumental in the consortium for the Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) Project which took place in Waxahachie, TX.
Survivors: Dr. K. Wendell Chen is survived by his son Henry R. Chen of San Francisco, and daughter, Kristina M. Chen of Los Angeles.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Opera At The Ballpark?!?!
This past Friday night, I attended my first opera. The odd thing about it was that I watched it not at the War Memorial Opera House at Civic Center. Instead, I watched it on the big screen from Section 108 in AT&T Park. Each year, the San Francisco Opera simulcasts a performance onto the screen at the ballpark and the admission is free. The general public can bring a blanket and plop right down on the field and watch an opera.
The name of the opera I saw was Lucia di Lammermoor It's the story of love being sacrificed for the "good" of the family and in the end death is rampant and no one ends up happy. I was amazed at how emotionally invested I became in the story and performance. Once the final curtain came down, I sat there catching my breath and coming back to the reality that I was actually cold in the night air at the ballpark.
I was impressed with the performances of the main characters, but was particularly impressed with the Lucia's (the Soprano playing Lucia) ability to sing with equal volume and range while laying down. On more than one occasion, Lucia was flat on her back on the floor and she sounded exactly the same as were she standing up.
Lastly, I have to thank the man who played the character of Raimondo for arranging for my special "Friends and Family" ticket. He and I met at a dinner a couple weeks back and he was able to swing these special tickets for me. This is why I was sitting in Section 108 and not out on the field.
The name of the opera I saw was Lucia di Lammermoor It's the story of love being sacrificed for the "good" of the family and in the end death is rampant and no one ends up happy. I was amazed at how emotionally invested I became in the story and performance. Once the final curtain came down, I sat there catching my breath and coming back to the reality that I was actually cold in the night air at the ballpark.
I was impressed with the performances of the main characters, but was particularly impressed with the Lucia's (the Soprano playing Lucia) ability to sing with equal volume and range while laying down. On more than one occasion, Lucia was flat on her back on the floor and she sounded exactly the same as were she standing up.
Lastly, I have to thank the man who played the character of Raimondo for arranging for my special "Friends and Family" ticket. He and I met at a dinner a couple weeks back and he was able to swing these special tickets for me. This is why I was sitting in Section 108 and not out on the field.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Signs That I Am Getting Old
During my week long visit to Seattle, I happened to pick a weekend that coincided with my high school graduation class' 20th year reunion. I graduated high school in 1988. It doesn't seem as if 20 years have passed, there I was. Yikes.
The more impactful event(s) that gave me a clear sign that I am advancing in years was all the discussions I had about medical problems. First off, my Mom had to have surgery on her eye because she had developed a hole in the back of her eye where the light is supposed to focus. Then, my Uncle in Texas is suffering mightily from renal failure and a multitude of other ailments. My Dad and I sat down to talk about his estate planning and then when I was out to dinner with a couple high school friends, Kristin S. and Vickie L., more than half our our conversation revolved around the medical issues facing our parents.
The more impactful event(s) that gave me a clear sign that I am advancing in years was all the discussions I had about medical problems. First off, my Mom had to have surgery on her eye because she had developed a hole in the back of her eye where the light is supposed to focus. Then, my Uncle in Texas is suffering mightily from renal failure and a multitude of other ailments. My Dad and I sat down to talk about his estate planning and then when I was out to dinner with a couple high school friends, Kristin S. and Vickie L., more than half our our conversation revolved around the medical issues facing our parents.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Marriage for All
As we all have heard, the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on gay marriage last month and so, it is now legal for any couple, regardless of their residence, to get married within the state of California. My friend Tony O. (who grew up in Seattle, was one of the kids who was in the intro of the show Boomerang and has a huge love of Frangos) got married to his partner of 10 years, Brian B. The following are photos.
The Groom, Tony, and the groom, Brian
The printout confirming their ceremony time.
Tony proudly holding and displaying his marriage license.
The wedding party
City Hall is full of San Francisco history and being the politico, I had to include the following pictures. They speak volumes in their silent and regal manner.
So some final words on gay marriage. In the end, I think gay marriage will spread throughout the entire nation because it will become an Economic issue for states that do not allow gay marriage. Gays will vote with their feet and move to places such as Massachusetts, Vermont and California. States will soon realize that they need to institute inclusive laws simply to retain the talented gay men and women that already reside in those states. As usual, it comes down to Economics, baby!
City Hall is full of San Francisco history and being the politico, I had to include the following pictures. They speak volumes in their silent and regal manner.
So some final words on gay marriage. In the end, I think gay marriage will spread throughout the entire nation because it will become an Economic issue for states that do not allow gay marriage. Gays will vote with their feet and move to places such as Massachusetts, Vermont and California. States will soon realize that they need to institute inclusive laws simply to retain the talented gay men and women that already reside in those states. As usual, it comes down to Economics, baby!
Obama Has His Work Cut Out (Part II)
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the interaction I had with my female barber who is a native of the Philippines. Remember how she was a huge Hillary Clinton supporter and for the general election wouldn't go out and vote for John McCain, but instead just refuse to vote because a) disappointment/anger at the fact that Clinton didn't win the Democratic nomination and b) that Obama won't name Clinton as his vice-presidential candidate.
However, this past week, I had another encounter that blew my mind even more. It was the Monday after Father's Day. The US Open had gone to an 18-hole playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. That day, Dad and I played a round of golf in the morning and were sitting on the clubhouse patio at 1PM. I was sitting across from one of Dad's friends when he stated, "Tiger can win but no way Obama should win." Those in the know, I will identify the man who made this statement as a heavy smoker. :)
Once he said that, I basically, in Mandarin Chinese, asked him to explain the reasoning and why he made the statement that he did. I was in no way deferential to my elders, especially one of my Dad's friends. The table of 12-15 fellow golfers and friends of my father fell dead silent. The guy blustered for a couple seconds and then in English exclaimed, "No politics." At this point, the mother of a good friend of mine asked me to explain why I supported Obama. In my stilted Chinese, I explained as best as I could, talked about how he lived a similar life as I did. Obama and I both went to elite independent secondary schools that were dominated by wealthy Caucasians. I always felt as if I was on the outside looking in. I never felt included even though I was there at the school. I know that I've always felt as though I had to achieve at a higher level just to be on par with the majority of my classmates.
At this point, I realized I should hold my tongue and keep quiet the rest of the lunch. When Dad and I got in the car, I asked him whether or not the opinion stated by the one man was a majority opinion. Immediately, Dad shook his head no. But then he promptly stated that Chinese are racist against African-Americans. The Chinese put the Caucasian race at the top of the food chain and the African-Americans at the bottom. He then made the argument to the effect of "What has Obama done?" and "What is really meant by CHANGE?" He also drew a parallel between this upcoming election and the Kennedy election of 1960, in which Kennedy overcame the stigma of being a Catholic. I then came back with the argument that Kennedy was an intellectual who surrounded himself by those who were the best and brightest. I believe Obama would as well.
At this point, we came to a impass and left it at that. Yikes, Obama really has his work cut out for him to convince voters like my Dad's 60's and 70's year old Asian friends to vote for him.
However, this past week, I had another encounter that blew my mind even more. It was the Monday after Father's Day. The US Open had gone to an 18-hole playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. That day, Dad and I played a round of golf in the morning and were sitting on the clubhouse patio at 1PM. I was sitting across from one of Dad's friends when he stated, "Tiger can win but no way Obama should win." Those in the know, I will identify the man who made this statement as a heavy smoker. :)
Once he said that, I basically, in Mandarin Chinese, asked him to explain the reasoning and why he made the statement that he did. I was in no way deferential to my elders, especially one of my Dad's friends. The table of 12-15 fellow golfers and friends of my father fell dead silent. The guy blustered for a couple seconds and then in English exclaimed, "No politics." At this point, the mother of a good friend of mine asked me to explain why I supported Obama. In my stilted Chinese, I explained as best as I could, talked about how he lived a similar life as I did. Obama and I both went to elite independent secondary schools that were dominated by wealthy Caucasians. I always felt as if I was on the outside looking in. I never felt included even though I was there at the school. I know that I've always felt as though I had to achieve at a higher level just to be on par with the majority of my classmates.
At this point, I realized I should hold my tongue and keep quiet the rest of the lunch. When Dad and I got in the car, I asked him whether or not the opinion stated by the one man was a majority opinion. Immediately, Dad shook his head no. But then he promptly stated that Chinese are racist against African-Americans. The Chinese put the Caucasian race at the top of the food chain and the African-Americans at the bottom. He then made the argument to the effect of "What has Obama done?" and "What is really meant by CHANGE?" He also drew a parallel between this upcoming election and the Kennedy election of 1960, in which Kennedy overcame the stigma of being a Catholic. I then came back with the argument that Kennedy was an intellectual who surrounded himself by those who were the best and brightest. I believe Obama would as well.
At this point, we came to a impass and left it at that. Yikes, Obama really has his work cut out for him to convince voters like my Dad's 60's and 70's year old Asian friends to vote for him.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Room 413
The school has undertaken a huge, multi-stage, upgrade of its facilities. The centerpiece is a new Upper School building. For those of you who haven't been on campus in a while, it looks a lot different.
The new entrance from Lincoln Avenue includes locked gates and a receptionist to greet visitors in the tower on the left
At the top of the Steps of Knowledge (honestly, that's what they are called), one has a view of the new Upper School directly ahead, the world languages building on the right and the new Read Library (were the language patio used to be).
The front of the new Upper School building. On the first floor, the rooms nearest camera is the Upper School Office. A full service cafeteria can be found further down.
Headmaster Paul C. (his back to us) describing the features of the new cafeteria to faculty members.
The northwest corner of the new Upper School building. My new classroom is the corner room of the 2nd floor.
Room 413
The west facing view from Room 413
The 2nd floor hallway. The five classrooms on the right are assigned to Chen, Akiyama, Reinke, Barankin and Scott. On the left, biology rooms assigned to Brakeman and Vann.
The gap between the new US building and the old MS building which will also be apart of the Upper School.
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