Saturday, June 24, 2006
funny face
i hate this picture, but dave loves it. so, yet another goofy pic of me (with dave looking nice and normal):
Roomies
i just received some cool pictures of us from helen's Flickr site.
here's a picture of the Bingham 1069/ES3114 threesome on helen's 30th bday!
(me, eva, and helen)
it's been a long time. can you believe we've known each other for 12 years?!? we met back in 1994 as naive freshmen in a teeny tiny squalor of a suite in Bingham Hall.
helen and i shared a double that was ~50 square feet (no joke!) which became a single the year after us. grrr....
helen also captured an image of me in, uh, "Death Bunny" action on September 29, 2004.
!!!!!
helen or eva, do you remember what was going on?!? i have no recollection whatsoever of this event.
it isn't a surprise i sometimes goof off like this. some examples:
(with migs, our honorary roomie!)
ahhh, good times....
here's a picture of the Bingham 1069/ES3114 threesome on helen's 30th bday!
(me, eva, and helen)
it's been a long time. can you believe we've known each other for 12 years?!? we met back in 1994 as naive freshmen in a teeny tiny squalor of a suite in Bingham Hall.
helen and i shared a double that was ~50 square feet (no joke!) which became a single the year after us. grrr....
helen also captured an image of me in, uh, "Death Bunny" action on September 29, 2004.
!!!!!
helen or eva, do you remember what was going on?!? i have no recollection whatsoever of this event.
it isn't a surprise i sometimes goof off like this. some examples:
(with migs, our honorary roomie!)
ahhh, good times....
pigeons = flying rats
I have been living in New York for ~6 years now. And I'm not a fan.
One reason: birds fly into your rooms.
No joke. A year ago, a pigeon come into my tiny 100 square foot dorm room. Now, if my windows were wide open and I had bread crumbs lying around, then I would have thought "This is my fault." However, my window was only slightly open, with a fan partially blocking the opening, and I had no food lying around in my room anywhere. The bird managed to squeeze it's way in, around the fan, and then freak out. It kept coo-ing and pecking the window because it couldn't get out. I woke up to the sounds of wings flapping and the sight of a big ol' fat pigeon fluttering around my window. My heart started pumping...fast. It was pretty scary, because they don't look very cute and clean up close. I had to go up to the window, grab and pull the curtain across my face to protect me (in case the bird decided to freak out and attack me), and open the window wider for the dumb thing. Sheesh, talk about a once in a lifetime experience.
So about 2 weeks ago, I had a dream about birds. And lo and behold, I woke up to the sound of flapping wings. My heart almost stopped. I thought, "This CAN'T be happening again!" (And I had moved to a different room!) I got up and cautiously approached my window and saw.... a sparrow! Thank goodness, it wasn't a pigeon, but what in the world was a sparrow doing in my room?!? The smart bird saw me, started flapping, pooped, and flew out the window. Yes, it left me a nice little gift. But at least, it knew where to go and I didn't have to get too close to it.
Conclusion:
Smaller birds have bigger brains.
New York City apartments should come with screened windows.
When I told Dave, he laughed and said, if I hurried up and got my butt over to San Diego, the cat would take care of my bird problems...
One reason: birds fly into your rooms.
No joke. A year ago, a pigeon come into my tiny 100 square foot dorm room. Now, if my windows were wide open and I had bread crumbs lying around, then I would have thought "This is my fault." However, my window was only slightly open, with a fan partially blocking the opening, and I had no food lying around in my room anywhere. The bird managed to squeeze it's way in, around the fan, and then freak out. It kept coo-ing and pecking the window because it couldn't get out. I woke up to the sounds of wings flapping and the sight of a big ol' fat pigeon fluttering around my window. My heart started pumping...fast. It was pretty scary, because they don't look very cute and clean up close. I had to go up to the window, grab and pull the curtain across my face to protect me (in case the bird decided to freak out and attack me), and open the window wider for the dumb thing. Sheesh, talk about a once in a lifetime experience.
So about 2 weeks ago, I had a dream about birds. And lo and behold, I woke up to the sound of flapping wings. My heart almost stopped. I thought, "This CAN'T be happening again!" (And I had moved to a different room!) I got up and cautiously approached my window and saw.... a sparrow! Thank goodness, it wasn't a pigeon, but what in the world was a sparrow doing in my room?!? The smart bird saw me, started flapping, pooped, and flew out the window. Yes, it left me a nice little gift. But at least, it knew where to go and I didn't have to get too close to it.
Conclusion:
Smaller birds have bigger brains.
New York City apartments should come with screened windows.
When I told Dave, he laughed and said, if I hurried up and got my butt over to San Diego, the cat would take care of my bird problems...
humuhumunukunukuapua'a
one of my favorite words in hawaiian (for triggerfish).
my other is lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi (for longnosed butterflyfish).
A Tribute to Hawaiian Wildlife
dave and i have a saltwater tank: (some pics in the early stages)
when it comes to tropical creatures, we are the ultimate nerds. yeah, we're the types that start screaming, "oooh triggerfish! oooh humhumu! oooh butterfly fish! oooh lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi! oooh sailfin tangs!" (okay, it's usually me shrieking through my snorkel with dave barely understanding what i'm saying. and when it's something rare, like a cowfish, eel, or turtle, my shrieking gets louder Louder and LOUDER)
and that is why Hawaii is one of our favorite vacation spots!
here's a compilation of pictures we've taken from our last 3 trips to O'ahu (January 2004, March 2005, May 2006). some of our favorite snorkeling spots and creatures we've seen (and managed to capture shots of. not the easiest thing to do when you don't own a waterproof digital camera):
Hanauma Bay - our most favorite spot. it's a MUST if you are visiting...tons and tons of fish (especially big ol' parrotfish crunching at the coral. and you can hear the loud "crunch! crunch!" in the water!) and turtle spottings are pretty common if you go out far enough. i don't have many pictures here and am waiting for my last batch of underwater photos to be developed and scanned...
Waikiki Beach - if you're staying in Waikiki, this is the perfect spot for a quick dip and snorkel. it's within walking distance and free! just go to the pier down towards the Diamond Head end, before the Aquarium, and snorkel on the right side. there aren't tons and tons of fish, but if you're patient, you can see some cool stuff:
humunukunukuapua'a (aka Rectangulated, Reef, or Picasso Triggerfish) - one of my favorite fish. you gotta check out these guys in the wild! they are so much bigger and ROUNDer (like a football!) than those in pet stores.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picasso_triggerfish
"State Fish: humuhumunukunukuapua'a. This is still the unofficial State fish, because the Hawaiian State Legislature has never gotten around to making it official. One translation says that the name means (loosely) a fish put together in pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, with a face like a pig. Another rumored reason for the name is that when it is caught and brought out of the water it snorts like a pig. (One of its defensive characteristics is its ability to puff up somewhat, wedging itself between rocks or in coral recesses. When it is brought to the surface, this puffing is released, making the snorting noise.) The word "pua'a" in Hawaiian means "pig". According to this version, the name, humuhumunukunukuapua'a literally means "Fish who comes out of the water and sounds like a pig" - so who knows?"
moray eel - i've seen one once in Waikiki (2005) and once in Hanauma Bay (2006).
moorish idol - this is the scarface guy, Gill, in Finding Nemo. very elegant in the water. one of the most difficult fish to keep in captivity. i think they have a 100% premature death rate, so don't ever buy one from the fish store!!! they will die of starvation!
Shark's Cove up in North Shore is another popular snorkeling spot. however, it is a terrible place to snorkel during the winter season due to large swells and very rough water.
march 2005:
but our last trip this past may was perfect. check out the calm water!
may 2006:
so far, we've had turtle sightings in Waikiki (while surfing 2005) and Hanauma Bay (i saw 2 frolicking, but didn't have a camera). finally, we had a camera and found a green sea turtle that was a total ham:
swimming (flying?):
eating:
taking a breath:
up close and personal:
squid - we saw a small school (?) of teeny tiny squid! they were only a couple inches long and here's a picture of 2 of them. can you find the squid?
schools of fish - name the fish...
me in my snorkeling gear (i'm waiting for the other set of pics to add in dave in his gear)
and yes, i did finally find the elusive lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi on this trip. but alas, no pictures. :( but you can think of Tad from Finding Nemo:
my other is lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi (for longnosed butterflyfish).
A Tribute to Hawaiian Wildlife
dave and i have a saltwater tank: (some pics in the early stages)
when it comes to tropical creatures, we are the ultimate nerds. yeah, we're the types that start screaming, "oooh triggerfish! oooh humhumu! oooh butterfly fish! oooh lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi! oooh sailfin tangs!" (okay, it's usually me shrieking through my snorkel with dave barely understanding what i'm saying. and when it's something rare, like a cowfish, eel, or turtle, my shrieking gets louder Louder and LOUDER)
and that is why Hawaii is one of our favorite vacation spots!
here's a compilation of pictures we've taken from our last 3 trips to O'ahu (January 2004, March 2005, May 2006). some of our favorite snorkeling spots and creatures we've seen (and managed to capture shots of. not the easiest thing to do when you don't own a waterproof digital camera):
Hanauma Bay - our most favorite spot. it's a MUST if you are visiting...tons and tons of fish (especially big ol' parrotfish crunching at the coral. and you can hear the loud "crunch! crunch!" in the water!) and turtle spottings are pretty common if you go out far enough. i don't have many pictures here and am waiting for my last batch of underwater photos to be developed and scanned...
Waikiki Beach - if you're staying in Waikiki, this is the perfect spot for a quick dip and snorkel. it's within walking distance and free! just go to the pier down towards the Diamond Head end, before the Aquarium, and snorkel on the right side. there aren't tons and tons of fish, but if you're patient, you can see some cool stuff:
humunukunukuapua'a (aka Rectangulated, Reef, or Picasso Triggerfish) - one of my favorite fish. you gotta check out these guys in the wild! they are so much bigger and ROUNDer (like a football!) than those in pet stores.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picasso_triggerfish
"State Fish: humuhumunukunukuapua'a. This is still the unofficial State fish, because the Hawaiian State Legislature has never gotten around to making it official. One translation says that the name means (loosely) a fish put together in pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, with a face like a pig. Another rumored reason for the name is that when it is caught and brought out of the water it snorts like a pig. (One of its defensive characteristics is its ability to puff up somewhat, wedging itself between rocks or in coral recesses. When it is brought to the surface, this puffing is released, making the snorting noise.) The word "pua'a" in Hawaiian means "pig". According to this version, the name, humuhumunukunukuapua'a literally means "Fish who comes out of the water and sounds like a pig" - so who knows?"
moray eel - i've seen one once in Waikiki (2005) and once in Hanauma Bay (2006).
moorish idol - this is the scarface guy, Gill, in Finding Nemo. very elegant in the water. one of the most difficult fish to keep in captivity. i think they have a 100% premature death rate, so don't ever buy one from the fish store!!! they will die of starvation!
Shark's Cove up in North Shore is another popular snorkeling spot. however, it is a terrible place to snorkel during the winter season due to large swells and very rough water.
march 2005:
but our last trip this past may was perfect. check out the calm water!
may 2006:
so far, we've had turtle sightings in Waikiki (while surfing 2005) and Hanauma Bay (i saw 2 frolicking, but didn't have a camera). finally, we had a camera and found a green sea turtle that was a total ham:
swimming (flying?):
eating:
taking a breath:
up close and personal:
squid - we saw a small school (?) of teeny tiny squid! they were only a couple inches long and here's a picture of 2 of them. can you find the squid?
schools of fish - name the fish...
me in my snorkeling gear (i'm waiting for the other set of pics to add in dave in his gear)
and yes, i did finally find the elusive lauwiliwilinukunuku'oi'oi on this trip. but alas, no pictures. :( but you can think of Tad from Finding Nemo:
Monday, June 19, 2006
fried twinkies?!?
did you know the San Diego County Fair is one of the largest fairs in the U.S.? it's got everything: tons of rides, games, FOOD! and Animals! not just your typical dog and cat animals... they've got llamas, chinchillas, and a whole lot of cows (rows and rows and rows of bovine), sheep, and pigs. with judging and blue ribbons and all that... we spent 4-5 hours at the Fair on saturday and didn't come close to seeing everything that was there.
The Fun Zone at the San Diego County Fair:
the ocean on the other side:
i won! i won!
have you ever seen a fried twinkie?
our friends sacrificed their tummies to try the famous (infamous?) deep-friend twinkie. they said it was quite good with the melting creamy filling...
but there were some rumblings of the stomach afterwards. hmmm...and i'm not sure it was the good kind. i might still have to put that on hold for the future.... although they did precede the turkey with some corn dogs, funnel cakes, and massive turkey legs (a la the Renaissance)...
the "deep-fried-everything!" cart:
i'm curious about the oreos, olives, and avocados...
oh, but i DID try the deep-friend Snickers bar! (no picture though, but here's a link with images before, during, and almost after consumption) it was crunchy and gooey and all sweetness yummy. dave wasn't a big fan of the peanuts, but everything else all melted in the crunchy funnel cake crust was pleasantly surprising... and most importantly, my stomach survived the experience intact.
check out the top picks of the fair.
i can't believe we missed the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs!!! :(
Monday, June 12, 2006
do you want a Smart car?
did you hear?? the Smart car may be coming in town!
dave and i saw one of these suckers in Taiwan 2 years ago and have been dying to try one out...
dave and i saw one of these suckers in Taiwan 2 years ago and have been dying to try one out...
a simple mind, a simple life...
i guess i should explain...
it doesn't take much to make me satisfied with life:
an experiment that works-
a good meal-
a nice glass of sangria/margarita/mojito/bubble tea-
good friends-
an afternoon of disc-
sweet loving from the furballs-
a nurturing and supportive family-
and spending time with my hubby-
wouldn't you consider this a nice simple happy life?
that's all i ask for...
it doesn't take much to make me satisfied with life:
an experiment that works-
a good meal-
a nice glass of sangria/margarita/mojito/bubble tea-
good friends-
an afternoon of disc-
sweet loving from the furballs-
a nurturing and supportive family-
and spending time with my hubby-
wouldn't you consider this a nice simple happy life?
that's all i ask for...
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