tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28295961659985958922024-03-09T16:50:21.927-08:00Ixfd64's Awesome AdventuresWelcome to my little corner of the Internet — the place to read my random ramblings. Feel free to drop a comment or two. :-)Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.comBlogger425125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-42105282562519080312024-02-26T16:39:00.000-08:002024-03-09T16:48:27.382-08:00another certificate down :DI'm thrilled to share that I've completed my certificate program in natural language processing from Carnegie Mellon University. Like the other programs, this one was entirely online. Of note is that this has been the most challenge course to date. However, natural language processing has many applications, and this was overall quite a worthwhile experience.<br />
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<b>In other news...</b><br />
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I recently hit level 99 Hunter and also 2,700 skill total in <i>RuneScape</i> on my alternate account "ixfd64 rs2" during Double XP Live. As you can see, this has been a productive week for sure.<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> <i>Old School RuneScape</i> soundtrack – "Harmony" by Ian TaylorDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-7667611987581163432024-01-01T20:41:00.000-08:002024-03-09T16:49:49.462-08:00a year of many ups and downsHope everyone had a great New Year's Eve. It's hard to believe 2024 is already here!<br />
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I'll start by saying this has been an eventful holiday season. One highlight is the Hsuehs had us over on Christmas Eve. Lily made us a nice hot pot dinner, and all the food was delicious. It's not often that we get to spend Christmas Eve with other families. I'm grateful the Hsuehs decided to invite us.<br />
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Also worth mentioning is that our neighbor Bob gave us a box of See's Candies on Christmas. I didn't expect any Christmas presents, so this was quite nice. It's definitely something I appreciate. We're lucky to have him as our neighbor.<br />
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I didn't feel like making a dedicated post about this, but I completed the Wharton School's AI for Decision Making program on the 28th. Unlike the MIT course that I finished in October, this one focused more on the business aspects of artificial intelligence. One nice thing about this program is that it's not time-gated — which means you don't have to wait for a course to unlock on a certain date. I was able to finish all the videos and do the quizzes well before the course is due to end.<br />
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Of note is that the Wharton program includes several complementary courses. I spent much of the holidays catching up on the lectures because the courses expire in less than three weeks. It would be a shame to let them to go to waste because they are worth several hundred dollars — and more importantly — cover a lot of concepts. I certainly hope to put that knowledge to good use in my future career.<br />
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Dad has also been working on a huge home improvement project in the past several weeks. You see, our street has had a huge rat problem in recent years. Because they often get into our backyard and shit all over the place, my father decided to convert the gazebo — which he built in 2020 — into a greenhouse for storage. This would prevent rats from getting in and making a mess. I occasionally had to help out because there are tasks that require two people. There's still much work left to do, but the greenhouse should keep the rodents out once it's complete.<br />
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<b>New Year's Eve</b><br />
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Like the previous nine years, my family did not host or attend any New Year's Eve parties. It seems few people are interested in celebrating the New Year nowadays. I miss the feeling of counting down to midnight with friends. Even though there were some public New Year's Events in downtown Mountain View and elsewhere, hanging out with strangers just isn't the same. It certainly doesn't help that food has gotten pretty expensive.<br />
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However, the nice thing I got to watch the 2023 movie <i>The Flash</i> on Blu-ray after dinner. It had over-the-top action as well as some hilarious scenes. I'm a huge Flash fan and really enjoyed the movie despite the critical reviews. Sometimes I think it would be so cool to have super speed.<br />
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<b>New Year's Day</b><br />
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Our original plan was to participate in the New Year's Day Pathways Walk in Los Altos Hills. However, this seemed a little risky due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. We ultimately decided to play it safe and just go for a walk in our neighborhood.<br />
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Otherwise, this has been a busy day as I continued to catch up on the video lectures. I also had to help my dad with the greenhouse every so often. As you can see, this was an eventful two weeks!<br />
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<b>2023 in review</b><br />
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You're probably aware that the past year had many challenges. For one, the economy is still in a bad state. The most unfortunate thing that happened to me was I got laid off in June. Even though I started my own data science consulting firm right after leaving Energous, finding customers is not easy either. Hopefully that changes once we have a website.<br />
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Another thing is that COVID-19 cases have gone back up. Looks like some people were right about the pandemic lasting more than three years. Furthermore, food has gotten pretty expensive as I mentioned earlier. It's been predicted that prices will continue to rise. Good thing my family has our own vegetable garden.<br />
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However, this doesn't mean 2023 didn't have its highlights. Perhaps the most important thing is I've completed two AI certification programs. I'm also around halfway through two others. Those will look good on my resume, that's for sure.<br />
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Furthermore, there were many social opportunities last year. For example, the block party in August was pretty fun. We also had several other get-togethers with family friends this summer. Let's hope the trend continues. :D<br />
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Of course, no New Year is complete without New Year's resolutions. For those curious, my goal for 2024 is to switch to an AI career. I also hope to get at least two skills to level 120 in <i>RuneScape</i> soon. There are also a few other nice things that are slated to happen this year. For example, Derek — the LAHS class of 2004 president — has started to plan our 20-year reunion. I'm definitely excited for the future!<br />
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<b>Currently watching:</b> <i>The Flash</i> (2023)Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-89356244400667973322023-11-26T23:26:00.000-08:002024-02-13T13:43:26.649-08:00a somewhat relaxing ThanksgivingI've been busy lately but still got to enjoy the long weekend. :-)<br />
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We invited the Hsuehs over for dinner on Thursday as we hadn't seen them in over five months. Mom decided not to cook a turkey this year, but did make a lot of other dishes. Everything she made was delicious. Lily's signature braised oxtail was pretty good too. It was great to catch up with Alan up even though we were on our phones the whole time. I guess that says a lot about our generation.<br />
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One of Alan's other friends had also invited the Hsuehs over, so the Hsuehs didn't stay at our house for too long after dinner. However, that wasn't a problem because Mom had asked the Hsuehs to arrive a bit earlier. On a related note, one thing I noticed is that Thanksgiving parties have gotten smaller in recent years. It's been a while since we hosted or attended one with three or four other families. It seems people aren't so interested in "Friendsgiving" anymore. I can't blame them because food is expensive these days.<br />
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Mom's friend Hong-Yeh had been wanting to see her for a while, so we asked her to come over on Friday afternoon. Her son really enjoys cooking and made the entire Thanksgiving dinner for their family. Hong-Yeh decided to share the turkey and cornbread with us. It's kind of funny that we ended up with some turkey after all. The meat was a bit salty but made for some excellent porridge.<br />
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We decided to hike to downtown Los Altos on Sunday as Mom wanted to see the Festival of Lights parade. Of note is that the streets were lined with people. I had no idea the event was so popular. However, the parade wouldn't start even though it was getting late. We eventually got bored and decided to head home. Even though we didn't see the parade, this was a fun experience.<br />
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I spent the rest of the weekend listening to lectures and working on assignments for my online machine learning courses. Some modules are very long and have videos totalling more than 10 hours, but they are quite informative. It's always nice to learn during the holidays!<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Perfect" by Ed SheeranDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-88465968989958209452023-10-29T10:14:00.000-07:002023-12-26T10:32:40.433-08:00ordered a snack box for the first timeSo the Universal Yums snack box I ordered on Amazon just arrived. I've always wanted to try one, but have been reluctant to do so because food is pretty expensive these days. However, you may recall that I recently completed my AI and machine learning certification program from MIT with a perfect score. I figured this would be a good way to celebrate. It also seemed like a nice birthday present for myself as I turned 38 not long ago.<br />
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There were lots of snack boxes for sale, but I settled on Universal Yums because it had excellent reviews and a good weight-to-price ratio. I definitely can't wait to try all the snacks. Seeing them definitely made me feel like a kid on Christmas. I haven't felt this way in probably almost 30 years!<br />
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<b>Currently playing:</b> <i>Angry Birds Friends</i>Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-65269739045992001012023-10-25T19:16:00.090-07:002023-10-26T23:10:42.045-07:00got my AI certificate from MITI'm happy to say I've received my certificate for the Data Science and Machine Learning program from MIT. You can see it <a href="https://olympus1.mygreatlearning.com/certificate/SZBSMQLN">here</a> or on my LinkedIn profile. Of note is I was the only one who completed the program with 600 out of 600 marks. Guess this makes me a valedictorian!<br />
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It's worth a mention that I also completed a capstone course in September and got the certificate for it a few days ago. I definitely learned a lot in the past three months. One thing for sure is that the knowledge I gained will be useful in my future career. On the whole, this was an incredible journey.<br />
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However, the hard work is far from over as I'm currently enrolled in three other programs. I'm about a third of the way through Berkeley's Professional Certificate in Machine Learning and Artificial program and just started Wharton's AI for Decision Making course. Because I now have a good understanding of the technical aspects of artificial intelligence, this seemed like a good time to get on the business side. I'm also starting a natural language processing course offered by CMU in November.<br />
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Even though I'm going to be very busy for a while, I'm quite confident I can handle all these classes. Here's to the new challenges!<br />
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<b>Currently watching:</b> <i>Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</i>Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-69560269785854002702023-10-10T23:34:00.003-07:002023-10-26T23:09:43.396-07:00a quick 38th birthday postJust a quick post to mention my 38th birthday. I didn't really do much today because I've been rather busy lately. However, my mom made me an delicious cake as she usually does. It's too bad we didn't have anyone else to share it with. I must admit I miss the feeling of celebrating birthdays with friends. Hopefully I'll at least get to see my cousin Cathy and her husband Andrew during the holidays.<br />
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On a side note, the number 38 is considered lucky in our culture because it sounds like "triple prosperity" in Chinese. I don't consider myself overly superstitious, but maybe this is a sign of good things to come. Perhaps it means I'll get a cool new job soon. :-)<br />
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<b>In other news...</b><br />
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I reached 2,600 skill total and 99 Herblore in <i>RuneScape</i> on my alt account Ixfd64 Rs2 in recent days. Go me!<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> Prelude and Fugue in A-flat major, BWV 862 by J. S. BachDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-87657222613186418332023-09-23T09:35:00.216-07:002023-10-27T08:00:38.362-07:00a whirlwind summerSo a lot happened in the past three months. It's definitely been a crazy summer. We went through ups and downs, but that's just how life goes.<br />
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As you're probably aware, things had a bad start as I was laid off from Energous in June. Given the current economic climate, the job search looks to be harder than I expected. Of course, finding a job that fits is far more important than getting on as soon as possible.<br />
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We also had to deal with a water leak that caused a lot of damage. Mom wanted to replace our dishwasher and stove as they had started to show signs of age. As a team from Costco was helping us install the new dishwasher, they discovered a huge leak from some broken pipes. We might have never found out otherwise. Heaven knows what would have happened in that case. Getting the pipes fixed cost about $2,500 alone. Replacing the damaged hardwood would have cost even more had we not decided to do it ourselves.<br />
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Some time later, my mom received news that her old classmate Lin-Yao from college had passed away in July. Details are unclear, but word from her husband is that she died from complications of diabetes. Even though she and my mom have had disagreements, this was a huge shock to us. Our thoughts are with Lin-Yao's family during this difficult time.<br />
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However, there have been some good things too. For one, the recession that was predicted to start in July hasn't happened so far. Yet this has not made the job search easier because the tech industry is still in a bad state. But hopefully it means the job search won't get any harder than it already is.<br />
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I've also been focusing more on my studies because this seemed like a good time for a career change. Dad suggested taking online classes because I've been considering an AI-related job. I'm currently enrolled in two machine learning certificate programs, one offered by MIT and the other by Berkeley. Both programs have been very helpful even though the work can be demanding at times. I'm pretty sure a certificate would look good on my resume. :-)<br />
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Our street also had its first block party in about 28 years this summer. We don't have many opportunities to attend gatherings nowadays, so that was quite awesome. It's been way too long since we've been to a good party. Let's hope there will be similar events in the future!<br />
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Oh yeah... the new Necromancy skill in <i>RuneScape</i> is pretty fun. Even though I've been quite busy this summer, I was able to find some free time for games. Hopefully I get 99 Necromancy so that I could use the Max Guild again.<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Touch the Sky" by Julie FowlisDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-26695149972281971022023-08-27T23:37:00.096-07:002023-08-30T16:14:33.327-07:00first block party since 1995Hope everyone had an awesome weekend. I definitely had an exciting one because our street had its first block party in almost 30 years!<br />
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Something I've noticed people in our area tend to be reclusive. People don't often talk to their neighbors except to say hello, ask them to look after their mail before going on a trip, or tell their house is on fire. Unlike in school — where everyone was eager to make friends — people in our neighborhood mostly kept to themselves. I guess we weren't the only ones who felt this way because the Foudeh family decided to host a block party so that people "can get to know each other."<br />
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Far more people showed up at the party anticipated. Because this was a potluck dinner, there were all kinds of dishes. I really enjoyed meeting our neighbors and their kids. It's a little funny that we've lived on the same street for ages, yet never had the chance for a proper introduction. Some people had a great time that stayed well past the designed end time.<br />
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Given that we itrarely ever had to chance to really get to know our neighbors, this was quite nice for a change. I'd like to thank the Foudehs for making this event possible. Saeed — who planned the event with his wife Mariam and daughter Ava — says he wants to make this an annual thing and promises we won't have to wait another 25 years for the next one. I'm looking forward to it for sure. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "We Are Family" by Sister SledgeDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-2375038843970805472023-06-27T17:52:00.115-07:002023-10-10T22:57:36.257-07:00a bittersweet departure from EnergousToday is a little bittersweet as I was laid off from Energous. I can't say I didn't see this coming because the tech industry has been hit hard by layoffs in the past several months. However, losing a job sucks no matter the cirumstance. Even though we are a unique company and don't have many competitors, the market is the deciding factor. Innovation does not always translate to success.<br />
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Despite the unfortunate turn of events, my two years at Energous couldn't have been better. I got to work with an awesome team and learned many useful things. Another great thing about Energous was the catered lunches. Food always brings people together, and the best part is we had a different menu each time. I'm aware that a free lunch is very small in the grand scheme of things, but can't say I'm not bummed.<br />
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One thing for sure is that I'll miss my co-workers. Tomas was a really cool guy and certainly knew how to keep everyone in high spirits. I'm also going to miss Allison as we had so many common interests, and that she was someone I really enjoyed talking to. She was very supportive when she found out I was losing my job. I made sure to give her a big hug before we parted ways.<br />
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Of course, job hunting is always going to be a challenge. I suspect it's going to take longer this time due to the current state of the economy. However, I'm not planning to rush into things because finding a job that fits is far more important than getting one as soon as possible. But wish me luck — I'm going to need it for sure. *fingers crossed*<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' RosesDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-47259835477733551512023-06-11T22:18:00.068-07:002023-07-05T17:52:47.090-07:00first time at a restaurant since COVID-19It has been another awesome weekend as we visited a "new" state park and went out to lunch for the first time in three years!<br />
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Dad took us to Mount Diablo State Park on Saturday as it is famous for its wildflowers. Mom says we've been here before, but that was so long ago that I can't even remember. Of note is that the road leading to the park is windy and doesn't have guardrails. It was quite a scary drive.<br />
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We arrived at the park to find that the area with the wildflowers was closed this season due to storm damage. It was also quite windy and chilly outside. The three of us decided not to go hiking and left after lunch in the car. As much as I hate to say this, Mount Diablo State Park wasn't as fun as we expected.<br />
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However, the highlight of the weekend was we got to eat at a restaurant for the first time in over three years. Our family friend Linda had recently moved to a gated community called Rossmoor and had invited us and the Hsuehs to visit her. Our group met at a restaurant there called Creekside Grille. The food was delicious and wasn't <i>too</i> expensive. Considering that we hadn't been to a restaurant since the pandemic, this was quite a refreshing experience.<br />
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All of us then headed to Linda's new home. Linda had bought a blueberry pie from Fatapple's to share. It was so good that some of us had two slices. I mostly played *RuneScape* on my laptop afterwards as there was no one else my age, but that didn't make the gathering any less enjoyable. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Here and Now" by StepsDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-63673414305005504642023-05-30T22:32:00.098-07:002023-06-29T10:12:03.351-07:00a very busy Memorial DayI had a great long weekend even though we stayed home the whole time. For those unaware, my family has a huge organic vegetable garden in our backyard. One great thing is that we had a very successful harvest of fava beans this year. But the downside is it takes a lot of effort to shell and peel the beans. I spent all three days helping Mom as she doesn't get much rest these days. We actually still have much work to do as there are several more plants in our garden. Otherwise, I can't really complain because fava beans are delicious!<br />
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However, the weekend wasn't all work and no play as I managed to get level 99 Slayer, Firemaking and Mining in <i>RuneScape</i> on my alt account Traductus. Because a lot of activities are "AFK-able" these days, I was able to make some gains while helping around the house. Of course, the Double XP Live event definitely helped. So yeah... this weekend was quite productive. :-)<br />
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<b>In other news...</b><br />
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Dad's old thesis advisor Dr. Trick and his wife are visiting from Illinois in a few days, and we've invited over for dinner. I'm definitely excited to see them again.<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Simply the Best" by Tina TurnerDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-86127305130437903452023-05-21T21:58:00.241-07:002023-06-12T10:16:45.306-07:00three great weekends in a rowIt's been a great month so far as we reconnected with people we hadn't seen in a while. We also had two parties for Mother's Day — one at Mom's friend Catherine's house, and the other at ours!<br />
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<b>An overdue visit</b><br />
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You may recall we had planned to see our family friend George last year on New Year's Eve. However, he was very conscious about COVID-19 at the time and didn't want anyone over. But now that the situation has gotten a lot better, George was happy to have us visit him this time. He said he was so excited to see us that he barely had any sleep. I was just as thrilled as this was our first time seeing each other since 2019 due to the pandemic.<br />
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Mom brought some food so George didn't have to cook for us. We then had some ice cream and coffee afterwards. George also gave us some books that Eileen would have wanted us to have. On the whole, the day couldn't have been better.<br />
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<b>Mother's Day</b><br />
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Another highlight is my mom's new friend Catherine invited us to her house on the 13th for a get-together. She made several great dishes, and we were full in no time. I then played <i>RuneScape</i> on my phone as there was no one my age, but overall enjoyed the atmosphere.<br />
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Some time later, Catherine mentioned she was having a problem setting up a new printer. Dad asked me to take a look because I'm good with computers. I was able to get the printer to work after installing a generic driver. I figure I must have saved Catherine and her husband around a hundred dollars. Or at least that's what Geek Squad charges for similar services. :P<br />
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It was our turn to host the next day. Mom invited several friends — both old and new — over for a Mother's Day lunch. She made lots of delicious food as usual. One highlight is that Jenny brought a green tea cake from her friend's bakery. Everyone loved it so "matcha." See what I did there?<br />
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<b>Two more get-togethers</b><br />
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This weekend was also great as we went to George's house a second time. Dad had promised George we would help him clear out the overgrown bamboo in his garden. George got us some Japanese food and desserts while Mom brought a homemade salad. It was great to see get together again in just two weeks!<br />
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As we were on the way to George's house, my cousin Connie called to tell us that she was in town and wanted to meet up. Our original plan was to have a picnic near my aunt Cynthia's house in Cupertino. However, they decided to invite us inside as it was quite warm outside. Connie treated us to some ravioli and a mango custard cake. I wasn't expecting to see her and Cynthia this summer, so this was quite a pleasant surprise. :-)<br />
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However, there's also been some bad news: my aunt Yu-Hua informed us a week ago that Uncle Yeh-Wei was diagnosed with cancer. We're still not sure how far it's progressed as they are awaiting further tests. The good news is this form of cancer is generally considered treatable, but it's still no joke as my cousin Cathy's paternal grandfather-in-law died from it not too long ago. Here's to hoping Yeh-Wei beats the disease!<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Rocket Man" by Elton JohnDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-15485673323391749242023-04-30T23:06:00.157-07:002023-06-07T10:02:43.288-07:00two more day trips and a nice dinnerI'll start with the bad news: my BMW somehow did not pass the smog check even though we had driven it for around 200 miles the weekend before. So that meant we had to drive it around some more.<br />
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Dad decided to take us to WinCo Foods in Tracy on the 22nd as it is about a 100-mile round trip. Despite the current food crisis, some items have dropped in price. I was expecting the prices to be the same as last time, so this was nice for a change.<br />
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I should mention that the sardines we got at WinCo were delicious. We loved them so much that we bought several cases — probably enough to last us two or three years. I could tell the cashier had a surprised look on his face. He must have thought we were preparing for a zombie apocalpyse. :P<br />
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We went for another drive the next day as weren't sure 100 miles was quite enough. Dad decided to take us to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park as this was another place we hadn't been to in a while. One nice thing is our library has been loaning out state park passes. Because we got to park for free and didn't have to walk all the way from the entrance, this gave us more time to hike the trails. We actually discovered an overlook on Pipeline Trail that had great views!<br />
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Another highlight is our family friend Lily invited us to her house yesterday for dinner. She and her husband Aaron were in China for a quarter and had asked us to maintain their house. To return the favor, the Hsuehs treated us to a home-cooked dinner after their trip. I enjoyed all the food they made. So yeah... April has been a great month.<br />
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<b>May 4 update:</b> Good news. Dad said my car passed the smog check this time. Woohoo!<br />
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<b>Currently playing:</b> <i>Angry Birds Friends</i>Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-8388324614231071362023-04-18T12:33:00.005-07:002023-06-05T13:38:20.535-07:00a busy but awesome weekendIt had been a busy few days as we had to replace some water pipes that had been leaking for a while. We also had to repair a fence gate. I also had to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for a work demo. However, the weekend wasn't too bad otherwise as we went to a party at my mom's friend Carol's house!<br />
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Several weeks ago, my dad noticed the water bill was much higher than normal. We did an inspection and found that some leaks in at least two pipes. I hate to think how much money and water was wasted as this had been going on for several months. However, our neighbor Bob was had kindly offered to help us with the repairs. We agreed to do this on Monday as Bob needed to get parts. In the meantime, my dad and I also repaired a gate to our backyard after it fell off its hinges.<br />
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The other thing is my BMW failed a smog check a while ago. We were told there was a problem with the oxygen sensor, and that the best way to reset it is to take the car on a drive of around 50 miles. Our plan was to go to WinCo Foods in Tracy on Sunday as that was about the right distance. But it just happened that Mom's friend Carol invited us to her house in Pleasanton for lunch. As you could imagine, the three of us were more than happy to oblige.<br />
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In any case, all the food was delicious. Everyone had such a great time that we stayed for several hours. I really enjoyed the party even though there was no one else my age. We had planned to still go to WinCo Foods afterwards. But the three of us decided to leave that to another time as it was a little late. I then had to work on a PowerPoint presentation for a demo scheduled for today at 10 a.m.<br />
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Bob came over this afternoon to help us replace the pipes. Even with his help, this was a huge job and took several hours. I was also quite busy today due to some work-related deadlines. However, the good news is I found some free time after dinner and managed to hit 2,600 skill total in <i>RuneScape</i> on my alt account Traductus. Didn't think that would happen so soon. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Now We Are Free" by Lisa GerrardDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-6597683944453817922023-01-03T13:32:00.245-08:002023-04-17T21:53:00.826-07:00obligatory first post of 2023Hope everyone had a great holiday break because mine was pretty awesome. :-)<br />
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<b>Prelude</b><br />
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For starters, there was a nice holiday lunch at Energous on the Wednesday before Christmas. We had lots of great Mediterranean food. One cool thing is we had a raffle this year. You had to dress up or otherwise show "Christmas spirit" to be elegible. I wore a Christmas-themed sweater a knit cap, and ended up winning a $100 gift card for Amazon. So that was nice.<br />
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<b>Shutdown week</b><br />
<br />
The break had a good start as we watched the new Batman movie on the 23rd. It was somewhat darker than most other Batman films. I didn't like it much as Christopher Nolan's <i>Dark Knight</i> series, but it wasn't a bad movie by any means.<br />
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Mom invited my cousin Connie and her kids Dean and Desiree to our house for lunch on Christmas Eve. She gave them her old art supplies after finding out Desiree was into watercolors. She and Connie both love art and immediately started to paint after lunch. Everyone definitely had a great time. Connie had to leave soon afterwards, but it was so nice to see her again so soon.<br />
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One nice thing about Energous is we shut down during the holidays. I forgot about this and still went to the office. Imagine my surprise when I found no one there. Oops. On the bright side, I can't complain about having three "extra" days. :-)<br />
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Mom wanted to go to WinCo Foods for groceries as everything there is usually cheap. Dad took us to the store in Tracy as that is the closest one to our home. Due to the recent food crisis, the stuff at WinCo had also gone up in price. I can't say I'm too surprised. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable day trip as we hadn't gone too many places lately due to the pandemic.<br />
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We later saw <i>Terminator: Dark Fate</i> on Blu-ray Disc after dinner. It was defintely one of the better <i>Terminator</i> films. We didn't do much on the 29th but did get to see <i>Eternals</i> the next day. Despite the critical reviews, I don't think <i>Eternals</i> was that bad at all.<br />
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<b>New Year's eve</b><br />
<br />
Our original plan for New Year's Eve was to visit our family friend George in El Cerrito as we hadn't seen him in at least three years. However, he's very conscious about COVID-19 and prefers not to have visitors. We of course respected his wishes. I also hoped to check out some New Year's Eve events, but decided against it due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases.<br />
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Otherwise, things weren't too bad as we got to see <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> after dinner. I paused the movie about five minutes before 9 p.m. so we could watch the Times Square ball drop. We then continued the movie after the fireworks. I then played <i>RuneScape</i> and watched the countdown in San Francisco before going to bed. It's hard to believe 2022 was over.<br />
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I must admit I miss celebrating the New Year's Eve with friends. Our <a href="https://ixfd64.blogspot.com/2015/01/happy-2015.html">last New Year's Eve party</a> — whether at our house or elsewhere — was eight years ago. Counting down the seconds in a chat room just isn't the same as doing it in person. :-(<br />
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<b>A fresh start to 2023</b><br />
<br />
New Year's Day started out with a nice morning hike. It's not often that we get such nice weather at this time. We later saw <i>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</i> on Blu-ray Disc. I definitely loved the special effects. Continuing the multiverse theme, the three of us watched <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i> the next day. Although everyone says <i>Everything Everywhere</i> was better, I personally liked <i>Multiverse of Madness</i> more. But that's just me.<br />
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<b>2022 in review</b><br />
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On the whole, this wasn't too bad of a year. For me, the highlight is we got to see my aunt Cynthia and cousin Connie several times. It was great to see Cathy and her husband Andrew as well. As you can imagine, these reunions were long overdue.<br />
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However, the worst thing about 2022 is the current economic situation. Dad and I bought a bunch of stocks, and most have dropped in value. Of course, the war in Ukraine doesn't help either. Can you believe we still don't have world peace?<br>
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Another consequence of the current crisis is the increase in food prices. For example, even a modest meal can cost up to $20 or more. It's expected that prices will continue to go up throughout this year. Let's hope this isn't the case. Even without the pandemic, this puts a damper on things.<br />
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But the New Year brings new opportunities. On that note, my goal for 2023 is to improve my time management skills. I also plan to get my first skill to level 120 in <i>RuneScape</i> this year. Hope it's not too ambitious. :P<br />
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<b>January 9 update:</b> Didn't feel like making a separate post about this, but I just hit level 99 Herblore in <i>RuneScape</i> on my alt account Traductus. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently watching:</b> <i>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</i>Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-63499828270909434262022-12-13T16:22:00.004-08:002022-12-13T16:26:44.970-08:00level 99 Farming and 2,500 skill total in RuneScape on an altI hit level 99 Farming as well as 2,500 skill total <i>RuneScape</i> today on my alternate account Traductus. It's hard to believe I actually got a 99 on a second character. :D<br />
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I originally created this account around May 2001 as a mage pure for PvP. Although I made quite a few kills, the fun came to an end when Jagex nerfed magic. To be specific, players could no longer cast more than one spell a second. I therefore decided to quit PvP and use this account to experience the game as a "new" player again. As you can see, he is catching up to my main. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently watching:</b> <i>The Lost City</i> (2002)Dannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-14553393448807940522022-11-30T16:51:00.005-08:002022-11-30T16:54:49.848-08:00our first "normal" Thanksgiving since 2019Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I certainly did because we hadn't had a "normal" Thanksgiving in three years. It also helps that my company had a great Thanksgiving lunch the day before. :-)<br />
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<b>Thursday</b><br />
<br />
Our original idea was to invite my aunt Cynthia and cousin Connie to dinner at our house. But life sometimes has different plans. Connie had signed up for a turkey trot and couldn't come, and Cynthia had already accepted an invitation to a potluck at someone else's house. I figured we would be spending Thanksgiving alone.<br />
<br/>
However, the good news is that Connie later called and said she still wanted to see us. We were more than happy to oblige and invited her over to our house on Friday for lunch. Another highlight is we got to see Cynthia after all. Even though she couldn't stay for dinner, she still came to visit us twice — once in the afternoon and once after the event ended. So that was nice.<br />
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<b>Friday</b><br />
<br />
I was thrilled to catch up with Connie as we hadn't seen each other since Cathy's wedding three summers ago. Mom made us lots of good food as she always does. Even though it was just the four of us, everyone had a great time. We also wanted to invite Cynthia over, but she was in Carmel for a day hike. However, she did want to see us again and invited us to go over to her house the next day for dinner. As you could imagine, this was a pleasant surprise.<br />
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<b>Saturday</b><br />
<br />
We took a stroll to World Market after breakfast as we hadn't been there in a while. I got some potato crisps from the UK as well as several chocolate bars. Despite the food prices these days, the items weren't too expensive.<br />
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I also helped my dad pick the apples and persimmons from our trees. He wanted to harvest the fruit before the birds got to them. One great thing is that two people working together can get things done in half the time.<br />
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All of us then headed to Cynthia's place. It was certainly a pleasure to see her and Connie again. Cynthia made us a nice hot pot dinner, complete with cod and lobster. I wasn't hungry at first because dinner started around 5 p.m. or so, but that didn't matter because everything was really good. She also brought out a Basque cheesecake for dessert — which was absolutely delicious. We then had a great time talking about music and the arts. Although my uncle Dong didn't join us for reasons I'd rather not discuss, that didn't make the evening any less enjoyable.<br />
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Dad wanted to leave shortly after 7 p.m. as Cynthia also goes to bed early nowadays. As much as I wanted to stay longer, Cynthia looked a little tired. Of course, that's not a problem because we have plans to get together again around Christmas. :-)<br />
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<b>Sunday</b><br />
<br />
We didn't do a lot on Sunday as we had already done so much in the past three days. However, my family did go for a stroll in our neighhborhood twice. I also completed some quests on an alt account in <i>RuneScape</i> as well as studied some Python.<br />
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On the whole, our Thanksgiving break was much better than expected. I definitely can't wait to see my cousin Cathy and her husband Andrew in December. Less than two weeks to go!<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach BoysDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-34375720581002049642022-10-10T23:04:00.036-07:002022-10-20T12:16:16.608-07:00obligatory 37th birthday postSo today's my 37th birthday. It's hard to believe I'm turning 40 in three years. I guess I'll no longer be considered "young" soon. Hope rejuvenation becomes possible before I get <i>too</i> old. :P<br />
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I didn't have much of a celebration — which has been pretty standard — but Mom made me a lovely birthday cake. It was absolutely beautiful and tasted really good too. I'm sure people would beat down our door if she ever decides to start her own bakery business.<br />
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We also invited two couples to our house for lunch on Saturday. Mom's friend Suzie is a foodie like me and also loves to take food pictures. Her husband Kim is from Denmark and brought us some delicious homemade Danish pancakes. This wasn't a birthday party per se because it had been planned for a while, but it's always nice to have people over.<br />
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Another nice thing is my cousin Cathy said she sent me a package. She says it should arrive in a week or so. Can't wait to see what's inside. :-)<br />
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<b>October 17 update:</b> I just received the package that Cathy and her husband Andrew sent me. Inside was a heart puzzle containing all kinds of sweet messages. Love you two. <3<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> Piano Sonata No. 10 by WolfgangDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-16240587789357551732022-09-10T14:55:00.178-07:002022-09-14T11:42:13.797-07:00maxed my RuneScape accountI finally achieved my childhood dream of getting level 99 in all skills on my <i>RuneScape</i> character. It only took me 21 years. :-)<br />
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In the early days, level 99 skills were all the rage. Even a single 99 was a monumental milestone. People considered it a big deal when Zezima became the first person to get level 99 in all skills. I remember looking up to the other top players like Yogosun and being in awe of their dedication and perseverance.<br />
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But it's no secret <i>RuneScape</i> has gotten easier over the years. For one, the best training methods can give up to one million XP per hour. Double XP weeks, daily challenges and microtransactions have made things even easier. One could argue that having all 99's is no longer as "cool" as it used to be. However, this is still a big deal to me because it's been something I've dreamed about for a long time. I'm also proud to say I've never spent any extra money on Treasure Hunter.<br />
<br /><a href="https://i.imgur.com/58uE44T.png">Here</a> is a screenshot of me getting 99 Invention. I've also posted a <a href="https://i.imgur.com/HpUlOtN.png">second screenshot</a> that shows my current stats. In any case, my next goal is to take a break from skilling and work on the other requirements for the completionist cape. I also want to get into PvM and take on the harder bosses. Hope I don't die too often. :P<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "The Final Countdown" by EuropeDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-91973854534865389322022-05-30T21:47:00.070-07:002022-06-23T17:02:12.597-07:00not a bad Memorial DayHope everyone had a great long weekend. For me, the highlight is we invited the Hsuehs to our house for lunch on Sunday. Our <a href="http://ixfd64.blogspot.com/2021/06/leaving-silicon-labs-long-road-to.html">last time seeing them</a> was about a year ago. I didn't get to see their son Alan this time as he already had plans, but this is normal for our generation these days. In any case, Mom made lots of great food as always. :-)<br />
<br />
We didn't do much on Saturday and Monday because we were still a little tired. As you might remember, my mom's friend Rong-Rong and her husband David <a href="http://ixfd64.blogspot.com/2022/05/a-visit-from-afar.html">stayed with us</a> for three days about two weeks ago. Hosting guests can be very stressful at times. On the whole, the Memorial Day long weekend wasn't too bad.<br />
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<b>In other news...</b><br />
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I finally got my car back from the repair shop on the 20th. It now looks even better than it did before. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> Trumpet Concerto by Joseph HaydnDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-83432932146401256672022-05-13T11:12:00.165-07:002023-03-20T21:24:44.049-07:00a visit from afarIt has been pretty exciting this week as we invited my mom's friend Rong-Rong and her husband David to stay at our house for two nights. For those unaware, my mom is a member of a women writers association and became acquainted with Rong-Rong through the group. Although they kept in touch on Line, this was their first time meeting in person because Rong-Rong lives in Spokane.<br />
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Because the Lovelesses are passing through the Bay Area while en route to a wedding in Los Angeles, the couple asked to crash at our place. Mom had been looking forward to meeting Rong-Rong and was thrilled to host them.<br />
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I had to sleep in the master bedroom because we let the Lovelesses use my room. Giving them the master bedroom would have been the most convenient for everyone, but this is said to bring bad luck in some traditions. On the bright side, Rong-Rong gave me three bags of chocolate for my troubles. :-)<br />
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<b>An impromptu party — our first in almost three years</b><br />
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We also treated the Lovelesses to a nice dinner yesterday. Rong-Rong also wanted to invite her friend Hong-Yeh over because they had known each other for some time. Mom was more than happy to oblige. Both the Lovelesses and Hong-Yeh also brought food to share. It's been a while since we had a party like this!<br />
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Another highlight is that my aunt Cynthia also stopped by our house. She had come to drop off a gift as Rong-Rong had done a big favor for her a while ago. Cynthia had other errands and couldn't stay for more than a few minutes, but at least I enjoyed hearing about her and Cathy's recent trip to Europe. Given that the pandemic has limited our opportunities to get together, this was nice for a change.<br />
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I was admittedly a little nervous because the pandemic isn't really over. COVID-19 numbers have actually gone up in the past several days. However, the "good" news is that Omicron and BA.2 have shorter incubation periods. I should be fine as long as I don't get sick after a few days or so.<br />
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In any case, let's hope the pandemic will finally end this year. I'd definitely love to have some "proper" gatherings without fear of catching the virus!<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "American Pie" by Don McLeanDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-24174107633286680532022-04-12T22:15:00.100-07:002022-04-22T17:00:34.563-07:00level 99 Archaeology in RuneScapeI'm excited to share that I just reached 99 Archaeology just two years after the skill was released. You can go <a href="https://i.imgur.com/QlFFtUJ.png">here</a> to see me level up. It's not the best screenshot because I didn't realize the tooltip was in the way and obstructed the view of my stats. In any case, this one of my fastest 99's ever, especially considering that I've mostly had an on-and-off membership. I only have to get two Invention before I finally get the max cape after all those years. :-)<br />
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It should be noted that there is a lot of content associated with the Archaeology skill. Let's hope it doesn't take me <i>too</i> long to get level 120 and the Professor and Guildmaster qualifications!<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon JoviDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-76318738051753487802022-03-29T22:00:00.079-07:002022-04-05T18:36:26.828-07:00some bad news about my car...So my father got into a car accident a few hours ago. It's the other driver's fault because he was speeding and couldn't slow down in time. He tried to change lanes instead and ended up hitting my 2013 BMW 328i from behind.<br />
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First the good news: my dad wasn't hurt at all. As you can imagine, this is something I'm very grateful for. Furthermore, the other car narrowly avoid hitting the gas tank and possibly causing a fire. Someone was watching over him.<br />
<br />
But the bad news is that there's quite a bit of damage to the car. Even though it is still drivable, the inner fender is touching the tire. There's also a loud noise when the car goes above a certain speed. It's also a little pain to see that big gaping hole. We therefore decided to stop using the car to avoid further damage.<br />
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Dad called our insurance provider, and it looks like the repair costs will be covered. However, this will likely take a while as the body shop needs to do an estimate and don't have the parts. On the bright side, the car should look as good as new once the repairs are done. :-)<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major, BWV 848 by J. S. BachDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-16293400408858337662022-02-01T22:54:00.135-08:002022-02-03T21:08:51.839-08:00got the iPhone 13 Pro MaxYou may recall we got the iPhone 6 Plus almost seven years ago. However, that is much longer than the average life of a phone. Due to their age, each of our phones has started to have problems:
<ul>
<li>Mom's phone had a short battery life</li>
<li>Dad's phone had a broken Home button</li>
<li>my own phone had become unusable due to a "ghost touch" issue</li>
</ul>
After careful consideration of our options, all of us agreed it was time for an upgrade. Dad decided to get us the iPhone 13 Pro Max due to the high ratings. Verizon also lets you trade in an iPhone 6 Plus to get up to $350 or more in bill credits.<br />
<br/>
But switching to the new plan was a pain in the ass. Dad chatted with an agent and placed an order, but never got information on when the phones would arrive. He contacted customer support again but got disconnected due to inactivity several times. Only after some phone calls did we find out they had not processed the order. As a consequence, the phones didn't arrive until after several days.<br />
<br />
The good news is that setting up the phones and transferring the data turned out to be a very simple matter. I was able to start using mine right away. Although the other two could not send or receive calls, the issue went away after several hours. At least we didn't have to call customer support again.<br />
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In any case, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is awesome. One cool feature is the voicemail transcription. It's nice to be able to tell when a message is spam without having to listen to that crap. Another nice thing is that the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a much longer battery life. I can also run newer apps that don't support the iPhone 6 Plus. <i>RuneScape</i> on the go, anyone? :-)<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> "Infernal Galop" by Jacques OffenbachDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829596165998595892.post-18968343311019705112022-01-06T16:27:00.002-08:002022-01-06T16:29:30.277-08:00third time's the charmI just got my booster shot at our local Safeway store. Let's hope that's the last one we'll ever need for this pandemic. Although there were several people in line, the process was pretty quick compared to getting my first and second shots. Another nice thing is that Safeway gave us a 10% discount for our next purchase. It should certainly come in handy because we go to Safeway all the time. :-)<br />
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Because it's only half of a normal dose, the side effects should be less severe. However, some people have reported the opposite. For example, my boss said he didn't feel well for a few after getting his booster. Let's hope that's not the case for me!<br />
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<b>January 6 update:</b> I felt a bit lethargic yesterday due to the side effects. However, the good news is that I'm feeling a lot better now after a good night's sleep.<br />
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<b>Currently listening to:</b> Rondo alla Turca by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartDannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09345501619043143297noreply@blogger.com0