So 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. :-)
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!
Oh yeah... the new Necromancy skill in RuneScape 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.
Currently listening to: "Touch the Sky" by Julie Fowlis
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Sunday, August 27, 2023
first block party since 1995
Hope everyone had an awesome weekend. I definitely had an exciting one because our street had its first block party in almost 30 years!
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 them 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 people "can get to know each other."
Far more people showed up at the party anticipated. Because this was a potluck dinner, there were all kinds of dishes. I enjoyed meeting our neighbors and their kids. It's funny that we've lived on the same street for ages, yet never had the chance for a proper introduction. Several teenagers who attended the event happened to be recent LAHS graduates, so the party also doubled as a mini high school reunion to them. Some people had such a great time that they stayed well past the designed end time.
Given that we rarely ever have 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. :-)
Currently listening to: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge
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 them 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 people "can get to know each other."
Far more people showed up at the party anticipated. Because this was a potluck dinner, there were all kinds of dishes. I enjoyed meeting our neighbors and their kids. It's funny that we've lived on the same street for ages, yet never had the chance for a proper introduction. Several teenagers who attended the event happened to be recent LAHS graduates, so the party also doubled as a mini high school reunion to them. Some people had such a great time that they stayed well past the designed end time.
Given that we rarely ever have 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. :-)
Currently listening to: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
a bittersweet departure from Energous
Today 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 guarantee success.
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.
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.
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*
Currently listening to: "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses
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.
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.
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*
Currently listening to: "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses
Sunday, June 11, 2023
first time at a restaurant since COVID-19
It has been another awesome weekend as we visited a "new" state park and went out to lunch for the first time in three years!
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.
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.
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 too expensive. Considering that we hadn't been to a restaurant since the pandemic, this was quite a refreshing experience.
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. :-)
Currently listening to: "Here and Now" by Steps
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.
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.
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 too expensive. Considering that we hadn't been to a restaurant since the pandemic, this was quite a refreshing experience.
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. :-)
Currently listening to: "Here and Now" by Steps
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
a very busy Memorial Day
I 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!
However, the weekend wasn't all work and no play as I managed to get level 99 Slayer, Firemaking and Mining in RuneScape 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. :-)
In other news...
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.
Currently listening to: "The Best" by Tina Turner
However, the weekend wasn't all work and no play as I managed to get level 99 Slayer, Firemaking and Mining in RuneScape 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. :-)
In other news...
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.
Currently listening to: "The Best" by Tina Turner
Sunday, May 21, 2023
three great weekends in a row
It'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!
An overdue visit
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.
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.
Mother's Day
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 RuneScape on my phone as there was no one my age, but overall enjoyed the atmosphere.
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
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?
Two more get-togethers
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!
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. :-)
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!
Currently listening to: "Rocket Man" by Elton John
An overdue visit
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.
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.
Mother's Day
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 RuneScape on my phone as there was no one my age, but overall enjoyed the atmosphere.
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
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?
Two more get-togethers
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!
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. :-)
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!
Currently listening to: "Rocket Man" by Elton John
Sunday, April 30, 2023
two more day trips and a nice dinner
I'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.
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.
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
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!
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.
May 4 update: Good news. Dad said my car passed the smog check this time. Woohoo!
Currently playing: Angry Birds Friends
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.
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
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!
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.
May 4 update: Good news. Dad said my car passed the smog check this time. Woohoo!
Currently playing: Angry Birds Friends
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