Numerology

In a few minutes, it will be 9:30:09 on 9/30/09. For those who missed the first instance, you are lucky enough to have this happen again in 12 hours. If you missed it the second time, tough noogies. Mark this date as it wont happen again for another 100 years. Some people will find meaning in that, not I. Its just another ordinary day.

Movie Review-Ratings Guide

A while back, I posted some movie reviews. I thought I should explain my ratings guide to give you an idea of what I thought about the movie. My ratings dont really need explanation but I will put them in order from worst to best.

Wish I could get those hours of my life back- When its this bad, I want my admission and my life back

Wait for the bargain bin DVD- If its not something you are dying to see then wait for it come out on DVD then wait a few more months for the price to drop to nothing

Worth the bargain matinee- Not the best but worth taking at look at a cheaper cost

I'd pay full price- Worth the full price of ticket to see it

On The Job-AT&T Park

While I was not actually at the park, I was in very close proximity to the Home of the San Francisco Giants. Originally called Pac Bell Park, the name changed as the owners changed. In between, it was called SBC Park.

It is a very nice intimate park that was planned as a baseball only stadium. A few years have passed and it has played host to a failed startup football league, concerts, and a winter sports exhibition.
In front of the main entrance is a statue of Giants great Willie Mays. As such, it is called Willie Mays Plaza
Behind the park is an inlet from San Francisco Bay. During games, small boats of all types linger in the cove waiting for that random homerun to land within their reach. McCovey Cove is monikered after another Giants legend
The park sits at the intersection of King and Third street. This is the wall along King St

Getting around in Japan

If you are ever in Japan, you can take advantage of the great public transportation they have out there. While you are there, you will no doubt be taking the train at some point. At the Japan Rail, JR, website (www.japanrail.com), you will find a great tool to help you get around. If you look for their Quick Search Hyperdia, http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi , you will find an application that will help you get from point to point, calculate how much it costs, and the time it will take to get there. You begin by putting in the origin and destination stations. Then you specify what time you want to leave or get there as well as other specifics like type of train. For the results, you get several options to choose from, cheapest or fastest. This is great when taking trips around Japan but also useful around urban areas like Tokyo or Osaka.

Predicting the weather

Forecast for the area has been about the high temps that were going to sweep through the area. Triple digit heat to sear the skin of all local residents. In my opinion, we've been furtunate that these predictions of hell on earth have not come to pass.

It seems like being a weatherman is the only job where you can get things so wrong yet still keep your job.

Is It Really Neccessary?

Sure, we all have our apprehensions about using public or semi public restrooms. Some people may even be holding on too hard as they dont want their neighbor in the next stall hearing all the strange sounds coming out of one of our orifices. It may be embarassing but its a natural part of life. After all, how many times has someone recognized you by your shoes, patted you on the back and congratulated you for finally pushing it all out? Maybe a high five for dropping an A-bomb?

Now in Japan, there is a device that will keep your dainty image intact, if you are a woman. Audio devices have been installed to disguise the sound of you urinating or having to go plop plop fizz fizz. When you have to go number 1 or number 2, push the button to have the sounds of a waterfall mask the sound of your own waterfall or the sound of you dumping a load.

Need not worry if your toilet does not come equipped with one. There are portable versions available for purchase. I guess it would seem strange if you took your Ipod and speakers to do the same thing

For Lunch-L&L

Went to a chain of hawaiian fast food joints called L&L. Hawaiian fast food chains are numerous in the bay area due to the portions and inexpensive prices. Typical plates consist of 2 scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad with the main dish. Today I had the garlic shrimp. This was shrimp with the shell on dry fried with garlic. In Honolulus north shore, catering trucks provide this same meal but theirs tends to be suacier with a lot of butter. As an alternative to the heavy carb loaded sides, I opted for the healthy edition with a salad and brown rice. The price seemed a bit high but the food was tasty all in all

On The Job-Market St

Market St is the main corridor in the downtown area. It runs from the Embarcadero in the northeast down to Castro St at its southwestern terminus. Skyscrapers housing major corporate headquarters and offices line the boulevard amidst restaurants and retail. At Kearny St, people gather at Carlottas Fountain every April to commemorate the Earthquake of 1906.

Looking toward the bay and the beginning of Market in the northeast corner of the city.

Some of the tall buildings in and around Market St

Now, looking in the other direction toward the southwest to Castro St. The Gay Pride parade marches down these very same streets

Air Quotes

You know what I mean, right? When someone wants to physically put quoute marks around what they are saying, they will often, with one or both hands, stick up their index and middle finger and bend them once or twice. I think its time to start a revolution. From now on, instead of using the usual air quotes, we will now use...jazz hands!

Dear Diary

I never kept a diary as a...well never really. Never had a need for one. Just the other day, I realized that I was indeed starting a diary, this blog. How the hell did that happen?!?! Too late to place blame on anyone. It hasnt been that long since I started this and already Im finding it hard to post something everyday. That was a commitment that I made to myself that I would try to post something every weekday, or at least average that amount. I was going to put down some randome thoughts that float through my mind every now and again but that well seems to be running dry. I dont know how other people do it. They've had blogs for years and are still able to post quite frequently. For those who read this, I dont want to bore you with mundane or boring items, but I can't guarantee that every post will be a gem. Hell, some of my past posts dont even reach gem status. So, bear with me and we'll see where this goes

The fall television season.

The new TV season is about to breach and the head is already crowning. A few of my shows have already started like Supernatural. The series in its 5th season is the story of brothers who fight paranormal and supernatural evil. The started slowly enough against individual occurrences then ramping up to save villages and cities. This season they are set to save the world from the Apocalypse. Who knows, maybe God might evenmake a cameo. Lost will be starting its final season. Thats the only reason why Im watching. I Just want to see how they wrap things up. As with alot of JJ Abrams shows, they lose my interest when they start going off on wild tangents and story arcs. Unfortunaely, Heroes is not doing the same. There is no end in sight yet as they follow the same path of an Abrams series. Fringe begins its second season. Though, I watched most of the first season, I was not an avid fan. However, I will give it a chance. BTW, its another Abrams show. The only reality show that I look forward to now is The Amazing Race. For me, it's like travel show but on a much hurried pace. There are only 2 comedies that I am really involved in, Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory. As we left Charlie in the previous season, he was going to marry his current girlfriend when his ex shows up. He had proposed to her on her wedding day. Now, divorced, she may rekindle the love affair. The boys were involved in one of Sheldon's experiments in the arctic/antarctic region. We'll have to wait and see how they get out of this one

Japanese Dorama-Buzzer Beat

Each season there is a slew of new doramas. Every now and then, if a dorama was popular, there will be subsequent seasons. I average about 1 to 2 per season. This current season, I got caught up in Buzzer Beat. This is about a semi-pro basketball player, Naoki, and the 2 women in his life, his girlfriend Natsuki and someone new that he meets, Riko. I started watching because the actress that plays his girldfriend, Saki Aibou, starred in a previous dorama that I latched on to. She is very cute physically and her character in Zettai Kareshi, was too adorable. She didn't appeal to me at first but started to grow on me as I followed the series. The role that she plays this time is a far departure from that character, almost polar opposites. The show revolves around the love lives of the three, his teammates and coach, and Riko's roommate Mai. The show is about to end as episode 10 aired this past Monday and the special 75 minute finale will air this upcoming Monday.

Favorite Korean Television Show-1 Night 2 Days

In the city, there are some over the air Korean broadcasts on TV. Some of the shows are subbed in english, which makes it so much more enjoyable. There is a reality show that I have begun to watch over the last few months and I am hooked! On KBS World is a show called 1 Night 2 Days, 1N2D. The show is hosted by comedian Kang Hodong and 5 cohorts who are comedians, actors and singers. The show revolves around the six traveling to a destination, spending the night, then the following day. Along the way, there are tasks to be completed and games/challenges to be won. Usually the reward is either food or some kind of comfort item or convenience such as sleeping indoors. There is alot of physical comedy of the childish nature that requires little to no translation, although the subtext of the game may need a bit of explaining. The subs help the 10% of humor which is based on their dialogue with each other and the production staff. The interactions with each other and the punishments they have to endure are hilarious. They do genuinely look like they are having alot of fun doing the show. And the pain and embarassment is very real as well. Subbed and unsubbed versions of the show can be found on YouTube.

Premonitions

Im sure that all of us have had visions and dreams that randomly pass through our minds. The eerie thing about it is that sometimes, these images come true to life. There have been several times in my existence that I have flashbacked and realized that I had dreamt about this before. But, there is one portent that has constantly haunted me since I first saw it. Basically, its my demise specifically in a car accident. The details are not clear. When, I don't know. Where, I dont know. Although it did seem like it was going to happen sometime during the day. It may even be a sunny day. Particulary haunting is because I drive to and for work almost everyday. Every now and again, that thought would pop into my mind as I am motoring.



Do you ever have this?

Overheard...possible last words

At an intersection waiting for the light. A pair of bicyclists coming from my right and an automobile approaching from the left. The cyclists turn left in front of the car and one of them was heard to exclaim "Ha, I forgot I was on a bike!"

New camera from Canon, Powershot S90

A while back, I was contemplating upgrading my current camera. First on my mind was the Panasonic Lumix LX3. Second was the Canon G10. The scarcity of the LX3 has made it hard to find in stock almost anywhere you look. Then Canon released the G11 just recently. I am a Canon loyalist but the LX3 really made me reconsider. I liked all the features that were available in this compact prosumer unit. The only downside was its lack of a decent zoom. The new Powershot S90 was introduced to compete directly against the successful LX3. It has alot of the same features and is comparable in most ways. I will be checking review sites to see how they stack up to each other. If favorable, the Canon is slightly cheaper and should not have the supply backlogs.

I want this to be the last camera I buy.

Travelogue-Philly Phinal

I went back on my word and forgot to post this yesterday. Anyway, here goes. How can you start the day without a good breakfast? I started my last day in Philly with buttered Rye toast and jelly, potatoes, 2 eggs over easy and scrapple. Scrapple is an amalgam of grains and pork scraps. It does not really taste like much so a bit of ketchup helps. It was a generous portion that I could not finish At Reading Terminal Market, they have an area devoted to Amish products. This area does not open until Wednesday, unlike the rest of the market. Maybe it takes them that long to get here from Lancaster on their horse and buggies? Aside from what you see below, they have a selection of pickled items in barrels next to the jarsI had breakfast at their eatery, The Dutch Eating Place, but they also have a barbecue joint, bakery, and candy shop. The bakery smelled wonderful as the aroma first hits you when you enter this corner of the market. The offerings of muffins and cakes were just as generous as my breakfast and I believed I could not finish one if I purchase something
With my appetite sated, time to get to the airport and board the 9 hour flight home. This includes 2 stopovers in Austin and San Diego. We fly right by the city on our departure. The white mass in the middle is the Pennsylvania Convention Center. I stayed on the north side of it. North being to the right and slightly down
A last look at the skyscrapers of Philly as it phades into the phar away

I'm back

Flew home yesterday. The flight had 2 stopovers, Austin and San Diego. By the time I got home, unpacked, and washed up, I was too tired to finish up the remaining photos and post them. Since the time difference was only 3 hours, I figured I should be able to come into work today. I will post the final stuff later today

Travelogue-Philly Day 3

My last full day and time to visit some remaining sites and finishing up some errands. I went to City Hall and check out the Observation Deck. Thats at the level just below the base of the statue of William PennFrom on high looking to the northwest, that tallest buiilding is Comcast Center. To the right, the boulevard leads from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to Logan's Square and to City HallThere are alot of public art pieces all throughout the city. These game pieces are just north of City Center

Another familiar work is this found at Love Park which is within walking distanceAt Comcast Center there is this large LED screen that throws up random moving images. At the bottom left is a statue of a man and a boy. If you look up, you will see statues of men and women walking the beams and support structure

Travelogue-Philly Day 2

During the months of May to October, the city of Philadelphia offers trolley service called the Philly Phlash. There are 27 stops around many of the siteseeing spots around town. It runs from 10am to about 6pm. There wasn't one in the direction I was initally heading towards so I walked to my first destination, Independence Hall. Tickets are required for entry. They are free of charge from the visitor's center and indicate what time your tour begins Across the street is the Liberty Bell Center where you can go to see some crack

One place that holds a place in the hearts of some movie fans is the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Rocky Balboa ran up the staris in preperation to fight to fight Apollo Creed. Rocky lost. Won the rematch in Rocky II and the movie prop statue was put up for Rocky III. It was removed from the top of the stairs a while back the replaced at the base of the stairs a few years backOriginally, I was planning to check out Chinatown tommorrow. But, being hungry and tired, I did not want to go too far for dinner.

With the help of Yelp, this place had good reviews. I had an inexpensive dinner of seafood noodle soup with hand drawn noodles for under $6

Travelogue-Philly Day 1

Hersheys and hoagies are the theme. Drove 2 hours to Hershey, PA for the chocolate company's chocolate themed attractions. I drove through some scenic areas and noticed a few oddites that caught my attention. For example, flashing strobes on red stoplights, "Wait for Green Light" signs at stoplights, and Dutch Wonderland. I did not attend the amusement park but visited the Chocolate World for the factory tour. As it turns out, the tour was not an actual factory tour as it is at the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield. This was more like The Haunted Mansion or Its A Samll World ride at Disneyland

Whats a stop in Philly without trying cheesesteak? The epicenter being the street between Pat's and Geno'sAn unadultereated sandwich from Geno's. Soft chewy bread with slices of beef married to cheez whiz and onions. Geno's onions stilll have some crunch and a bit more bite as they are not fully cooked. This really cuts through the greasyness of the meatLiterally a stones throw away is the competition, Pat's, that pre-dates Geno's.Here we have a Pat's augmented with extra onions, mustard, and a pepper. Aside from that, basically the same. However, this one seem heftier and somewhat larger. The meat was not always tender throughout. The onions were cooked through more and in turn sweeter.

In my opinion, I give the edge to Geno's for the texture and the flavor of the onions. I had to eat both to get the imperical data I needed for this article. I may not need breakfast tommorrow

Travelogue-Philly

Captain's logue, stardate...Sorry, just channeling my inner Captain Kirk. I am on the second leg of my flight to Philadelphia departing from Denver. I wasnt sure I was going to be on this flight. The flight that originally left the city was delayed an hour. That hour being the cushion before this flight takes off. I have not travelled/flown much in my life. In all the times that I have flown, this is only the third time that I needed a connecting flight. The workers at the counter were sounding very optimistic that we would be able to make it to Denver in plenty of time to make on board to Philly. I was not so confident as time ticked away and we still had not boarded. I was fortunate enough to get a seat in the first aisle on the flight to Denver. Im starti8ng to get used to all the legroom. On my last flgiht, my trip to Japan, I was able to reserve an exit row seat, roundtrip. Ten minutes remained as we pulled into the gate. After the plane came to a stop, I jetted out of the plane, down the gangway, and straight to the first counter to get information on which gate I needed to hurry to. Info recieved and processed. Found the gate and liesurely boarded with the expectations of finding a full plane expe t for the other passengers who were bearing down on the plane. To my surprise, there were many seats in to choose from. I found a window seat with an empty seat between myself and fellow passenger. The previous flight was full. So, now I can relax until we land.

Con't
I made it into Philly. Im staying near the airport for the night. I got to my motel, although my GPS kept wanting me to drive into a guarded parking lot. Its getting late here, 12:15am, to tired to look for dinner. Til tommorrow

Disconnected

For the past several years, the Bay Bridge will be closed over the Labor Day weekend due to construction of a new eastern that was damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake. It was shut down at 8pm last night and scheduled to re-open at 5am on Tuesday morning. here are alternate bridges and routes to get around the closure but they are all much more distance intensive. This will definitely not be the last weekend it will be closed as there are still several more years remaining before completion. For Friday, the one work day the bridge will be shut down if all goes according to plan, commuters will invariably either take the day off or find other means of transit. Fortunately for many, BART workers have not gone on strike due to contract talks a few weeks ago. If they did decide to walk out and it strung out over this holiday weekend, there would be hell to pay. BART is planning on longer operating hours in lieu of the closure. I dont cross the bridge much myself. Luckily, I will not need to cross the span this weekend. However, I did almost forget about the closure when making my plans this weekend. Whew, crisis averted.

On The Job-The Marina

I happen to be by the area known as The Marina. The northern portion is lined by a long open field known as Marina Green with a marina at one end and Fort Mason on the other. Many high-priced homes that border the Marina Green offer million dollar views of the bay.Alcatraz Island is clearly visible to the northeast The Golden Gate Bridge off to the northwestA quick glimpse of the Exploratorium and The Palace Of Fine Arts as you enter the former military base called The PresidioThe former military base has been rehabbed into a multi-use area containing businesses and shops. The area has been opened up to hikers, bikers, and nature. Here the GG Bridge is back set to a reclaimed area of land set aside as a nature preserve

Favorite Movies-Black Hawk Down

Ridley Scott retells the true events of a mission gone bad, very bad in Somalia. US Army Ranges and Delta Force are sent in to capture the heads of the local militia who rule the region. Packing for what is presumed to be an easy mission, the military is unprepared for what is to happen. The situation deteriorates almost immediately as they take fire while trying to withdraw from their helicopters. A newbie private falls out of his helicopter while the pilot tries to avoid RPG fire. Casualties mount and confusion reigns. Ground vehicles are packed to their limits. Planned routes are cut off. Other helicopters are downed.

Josh Hartnet plays the role of the newly appoint chalk leader when an eplileptic seizure befalls their commander. Hoping to get everyone out alive is foremost in his mind as he takes his men into battle. Situations become dire as they are left to fend for themselves while waiting for long overdue reinforcements. You can almost feel the hopelessness as they fight on through the night against the onslaught of Mogadishu.

Tom Sizemore seems to play the same type of character he played in Saving Private Ryan. He non-chalantly walks along the battlefield as rounds whizz by and men are trying to take cover. Cool under fire is an understatement. Battle-hardened or foolish, thats not for me to say.

Great execution of the movie, the gritty realness of the events, and white knuckle action ranks this up there with Saving Private Ryan, another one of my favorites.

Going To The Hospital

Going to the hospital is a mixed bag of emotions, either visiting someone or being admitted yourself. Sometimes being in the hospital signals the end is near. Other times, it could mean a new lease on life or even a new a life. I have been fortunate to enough to stay clear of the hospital for most of my life. Though, within the past year, I had to be admitted for a short stay. Recently, my mother had been admitted for chest pains and my father has been in and out for a number of ailments. Im sure that both of them will be alright. In this case, the hospital is a place of healing and the outlook is good. The hospital is a place where births that are celebrated and life-saving surgeries to rejoice about. After all the hospital is a place to get well.

I will not dwell on the flip side.