the melldelrio blog

it didn't work

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:49:00 +0000

self-validation through online networking

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:24:00 +0000

I guess 90% of people I know now know what I did over the 3-day weekend (if you're not in any of my networks, I was on friendster, myspace, linkedin, and facebook).

I signed up for Facebook yesterday (after years of plodding from some friends) and overnight, I went from 0 to 33 Friends. I've been away from the online social scene for far too long that I did not know most of my friends at Friendster have now migrated to Facebook.

My Myspace page is still dead.

Then I went to LinkedIn where my Outlook Contact list churned out several people who now have profiles including, much to my surprise, my PhD advisor (formerly known as The Boss in this blog). Even better, he updates his page! It's a little weird to have him on my Connections. And now, I have to go back and re-do my LinkedIn profile just to make it / him look good. Which sucks because I already find LinkedIn intimidating. I take it for what's it worth but I'm still not comfortable posting my resume as my profile. I'm already messed up career-wise as it is. Oh well, too late now... at least using these networks, I can redirect more traffic to this blog and become famous!

welcome to phoenix

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Mon, 26 May 2008 20:32:00 +0000

Our move back to Phoenix, though hectic, went pretty smooth. It was a glorious day when we left CA with Josh driving a U-haul truck and I driving his car. Communicating over borrowed walkie-talkies, our spirits were high as we made fun of funny signs on the way, such as Little Panoche Road. It was such a relaxed drive that I was able to take a snapshot of the desert vista using my smartphone.

It's been a couple of months and we've totally adjusted. I was surprised how it all came back: the streets, the restaurants, and even the local radio stations. Funny how I judge my familiarity with a place by my knowledge of the local NPR schedule.

Though there are things I had to get used to again to when we moved back:

Due to all the rainfall this past winter, both native and invasive plants have been blooming and pollen count is record high. For the first time in my life, I had seasonal allergy. None of the over-the-counter drugs worked but an air purifier from craigslist did the trick.

Traffic is worse than I remember. But then again, I used to live on campus so I may just remember it fondly as a bicyclist and not as a driver.

Half of my outlook calendar entries got messed up due to the change in the time zone and the fact that Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. But it's still not as bad as Alice Springs in Australia, where I find it funny that their time zone is off by half an hour.

And finally, I had to remember that the Phoenix area is a huge sausagefest. When I was a FOB, I was oblivious to this fact but as I got assimilated in society, I began to observe it almost everywhere. There's about a 3:1 ratio of M/F in most places, and women can capitalize on it. I'm not even a hottie, and I have gotten some favors. Like one time a gentleman at an auto shop gave a me 10% discount without me asking for it. I hoped he was just being nice but then he pointed at my wedding band and said, "That's a nice ring, is that an engagement ring?" It took me by surprise and had to repress a chuckle as I told him it was my wedding ring. This is something I had to get used to again.

Christopher Staples the Artist

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:00:00 +0000

I would like to congratulate my former lab bench mate, unofficial mentor, and good friend Christopher Staples of Florida on the launch of his new website (not to be confused with another artist of similar name):

http://www.christopherrstaplesart.com/

He is a testament that scientists can find success in "alternative" careers. Great Job CRS!

Also learned the meaning of the word "giclée."

climate change?

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:58:00 +0000

Take that! All you people who laughed at me for moving back to the hot desert! It's late May and it's raining! Although we had three days of excessive heat warning last week (105,110,110F) most days, it has been mild and pleasant. I love it!

Three weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:27:00 +0000

Moving to a new place and starting a new job are very stressful and doing them together is even worse. After driving for two days, I arrived in Phoenix late Sunday night, unloaded my car with the help of my in-laws, and ironed clothes to wear the next day, my first day at a new job.

The first week was a shock to my system. When I showed up at work on Monday, I had to deal with the frustrations of government paperwork and HR. By Tuesday, I knew I was grabbing the bull by its horns when already I had to interview a candidate for a teaching position in the department. And then by Wednesday I was in front of students teaching my first class in years. I was exhausted. Even worse, I forgot how dry it gets in the desert and my body had to adjust. I had a constant headache, just like a hangover, except that it lasted for days. By the end of the week, I felt that my immune system was working overtime, probably a combination of stress, dehydration, and whatever bug I caught on campus. It was hard to imagine that I was still in San Francisco on a lab bench a week before that.

The second week was much better. I began to understand my responsibilities, saw what needed to be done, and even made suggestions regarding my summer workload to the department chair. It was empowering that he actually listened that for the first time, I felt that I might actually like this job. Which is a very scary thought for someone like me who never had a regular 8-hour job before and who has not yet accepted that this is the end of a science career. So even though I like my new corner office, I shivered when I saw a Rolodex and immediately hid it in one of the drawers. I won’t treat this as a desk job.

The third week was a real challenge. First, one of the lab teachers who was expecting her baby gave birth three weeks early on Monday morning. I had to help a substitute find her way around when I myself don’t know where things are. Then responsibilities like safety compliance found their way on my desk. I’m responsible for three teaching labs and I’m sure we are in violation of at least half a dozen regulations. I had to attend trainings including fire prevention, lab safety, and order processing. And in the middle of it all I had to teach cell biology.

Then personally, it was tough spending Valentine’s Day and my birthday away from my husband. We talk for hours that I racked up quite a sum on my cellphone bills. And though my parents-in-law are the best hosts, giving me enough space, listening to my crazy stories, and taking me out to dinner often, it’s still different, especially since I’ve never lived in pastor’s house before. I’m probably overstaying my welcome not only because I am impeding on their alone time, but also because I started destroying their house the morning I decided to dye my dark hair and ended up getting stains all over the walls and carpet. Let’s just say, JS and I have a repainting project sometime soon.

A way to deal with times likes this is for me to establish what I call a “control center.” It could be as simple as a folder with all my important documents, a briefcase, or in my current situation, an improvised home office. I set up my laptop and all my gadgets on a folding table in the guest bedroom and it’s been helping me sort things through. In fact, it is where I am typing this blog entry right now. I even have my own internet connection, which was surprisingly fast, considering I am using my modded Palm Treo as a modem over Bluetooth in a tethered mode (Sorry it’s technical… I just wanted to brag because it was the best investment of my hacking abilities so far).

The good news is that our move to Phoenix will finally be over soon. JS got his transfer, we found an apartment, and will do the big U-haul move next weekend. I will fly out to CA Thursday night, finish packing on Friday (including my worms), drive Saturday and Sunday, move in our new apartment Sunday, and Josh will start his new job Monday. This is not so different from what I did a few weeks ago, it’s like déjà vu. I call it, The Move Part II. (We actually plan a third move later this year as we are thinking of buying a house. But I don’t even want to think about that yet.)

A world left behind not so long ago

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 23:34:00 +0000

Once again, I found myself alone with my car facing an open road, the same one I travelled two years ago going the opposite direction. It was a shadow of “the great mel migration”. No pomp and circumstance. No email announcements. Just a quiet trip back to my stomping ground. In the back of my head, I was singing “Midnight train to Georgia” with some changes.
SF proved too much for the man,
so he’s leaving a life he’s come to know…
Literally (and figuratively) a different tune from two years ago when I was singing “Living on a Prayer.”
We’ve got to hold on to what we got,
it doesn’t make a difference if we’re ready or not…
Some people in my last lab expressed shock when I gave a two-week notice. They don’t know that my plan of escape took more than a year of preparation. For the most part, the execution was perfect, except I did not count the timing to be right in the middle of a Mercury Retrograde, the significance of which can easily be Googled. There were delays, miscommunications, forgotten suitcases, and missed opportunities.

Interview Snafu

Applying to 11 different positions in one company is probably not the best strategy for a job-seeker. But out of desperation, I did it to one company and was actually called for an interview. Unfortunately, the secretary made a big mistake of giving me the wrong job code. I spent a whole weekend preparing job interview answers for Assistant to the President, which I thought was a glorified secretary, and I even practiced saying, “Coffee, tea, or me? They’re all hot.”

Then I found out, on the day itself, that I was being interviewed for a Program Manager position. But it didn’t solve the problem. I applied to two very similar Program Manager positions and it wasn’t clear which one I was being interviewed for, and I was much too embarrassed to admit it. So during the first set of interviews in the morning, I was just winging it. By lunchtime, I was crashing and burning. The worst question was, “What are your skills that are relevant to this position?” One of the scientists I talked to was very frank and said, “I’m not impressed.” Funny thing was that I actually admired her for having the courage to say it out loud. In the afternoon, when I talked to HR and the VP of the company, I finally got clarification regarding the position. Unfortunately, the damage was done. In the end, I felt like one of those American Idol contestants who knew right after their audition that they just wouldn't make it to Hollywood. They didn’t call me back. But I didn’t count on it.

Fortunately, that day, as I was waiting in PHX for my flight back to SFO, I checked my messages and I heard from my alma mater, ASU. It was from the department chair who interviewed me last December, and again in January. He said he was impressed and basically gave me a job offer over the phone. The official offer letter came weeks later. Our move back to Phoenix just got a green light.
The Move

So I took up this job which involves lab management, teacher supervision, and also teaching. That meant I needed to start ASAP. The semester already begun and so did the class I had to teach. A professor was just filling in for me until I get there. I had to negotiate my starting date to buy time for the move because we weren’t ready. JS was still waiting for his company to transfer him to Phoenix and we didn’t have anything packed. Also at that time I was still doing benchwork in the lab and had to organize all my samples and notes and even make a powerpoint presentation.

After many versions of our moving strategy, JS and I decided to split the move in two trips. I will keep my 13-yr old car for a couple of more years, drive it to Phoenix, live with his parents, and start working at ASU. In the meantime, he stays behind in CA as he awaits his transfer, start packing the rest of our stuff and organize transfer of utilities. Finally, I will fly back to SFO, and we will drive back together.

It sounds simple and it actually is working. But it’s been quite a busy month.

Leaving SF

With all the excitement, JS and I wanted to make sure we did many things to enjoy SF together before I left. We ate at our favorite restaurants, visited beaches and parks, and met up with friends.
And then in my lab, I had a couple of going-away dinners and a farewell party that was supposed to be a surprise but wasn’t really (that was good because I don’t like farewell parties). It was bittersweet when I realized that I did make a difference and people will actually miss me. Funny how I have spent a lot of effort planning my escape from this lab and when the time came, I was a little hesitant to leave. Still, it was time to move on. In my “thank you” email to everyone, I mentioned,

After hundreds of targets, thousands of oligos, a record of 600+ minipreps in a day, and thousands of federal funding spent on DNA sequencing, it's time to put down the multi-channel pipette, hang up the lab coat and leave the bench for a while.
So one Friday, I worked in the lab until 4 pm, went out for dinner with JS at Banana Island, packed some clothes on Saturday morning, jumped in my car (with a new stereo system and speakers), started my two-day eastbound journey, and come Monday was starting a new job. Thinking about it now, it was a little crazy, but I knew that the faster I move, the sooner things will settle down.

I wasn’t afraid of the long drive because I have done it before. Even better, I drove eastward so I was not facing the sun, and did not get any tan, unlike before. Since ASU was paying for my work-related relocation, I splurged and booked the Sheraton for the first night of my road trip, rather than a seedy motel. It was nice and relaxing… until I realized I left my suitcase at home, which had most of my clothes. So on the second day of my road trip, I not only lost one hour when I crossed the state borders due to time difference, but I also lost five hours in the outlet stores off the freeway. I’m not complaining! I had a good excuse to go shopping.

day of all days

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:44:00 +0000

I've been up since 2:30 am enjoying this day and having a headstart on the tons of greetings I've been getting from all over the world and from a wide range of time zones.

I have waited four years for a date like this to show up on a time stamp of a blog post.

Sadly, I can't remember what I did the last time a leap-year day came around. What I do know is that I started this blog shortly after, as shown on my archives. And according to Blogger, this is my 200th post (probably not counting the ones I recently purged) and another one of the trivial milestones that I take note in life.

Thank you to all those who have sent me wishes and to all those who used up a second or two of their lives to think, "Hey, it's February 29!"

Start of a new era

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:07:00 +0000

No, there is nothing wrong with your browser or your rss feeder. This is a real post on this blog. You’ve probably given up on me by now but at least I did not reach a year since the last post.

So what has happened to me? Right now, I’m coming down with what I call Post-Postdoc Stress Disorder (or PPSD). Though I’m technically still a postdoc, the past two years didn’t turn out to be how I hoped they would and so I’m moving on. As the song goes, “Thanks for the memories even though they weren’t so great.”

I always think of blogging as a way to share good experiences and insights. I didn’t want to rant so I stopped blogging here. I started two other new blogs but they had other themes. This is my real blog.

I cannot change the past. However, I could sure delete them from my blog history! So I did the unthinkable. I purged some old posts from this site. It’s a good thing there weren’t many. But for those who have visited before, you will notice that my archived posts are even more sporadic than they were.

There are some good things I got out of this experience. I enjoyed living in a big city, riding the train with the rest of the working class, interacting with smart people, and now the ability to say “Been there. Done that.” I realized that an academic career is not for me and knowing something is not a good fit is one step closer to a better path. I also formed lifelong friendships with some special people and they know who they are.

Aside from that and my improved pipetting skills, not many things have changed. I did embrace my geekiness, bought tons of gadgets, modded three cellphones, became a wooter, got my first laptop (Thinkpad X61s), and now live between my Palm and Outlook. I also became hippie-fied and started a worm bin (packratcentral.weebly.com). And as you can notice on my sidebar, I sold out to Amazon Associates and Google AdSense. I did make up for commercializing my blog by finally putting a photo on the header banner.

As I was editing my archives, I realized I have three posts entitled “end of an era,” one for each year from 2004 to 2006. So I decided to call this one “start of a new era.” It’s time for a new beginning both in life and in blogosphere. In a few weeks, we’re heading back to Phoenix. I will lift myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.

Both JS and I want changes in our lives. Actually, he did an amazing thing and lost 25 lbs within the last 2 months. While he has a new physique, I, on the other hand, had a hair make-over the other day… Hey it counts! This is the most expensive haircut of my life! The transformations have given us some boost in self-confidence that we just had to take a photo of ourselves.

Presenting the new us:
Here’s to new beginnings.

saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 05:16:00 +0000

10 March 2007
Things to do:
9:30 oil change/check tires for car
10:30 drop off inkjet cartridges at walgreens for refill
10:45 pick up dry cleaning
11:00 pick up package at UPS
12:00 go home and take a nap
4:30 get married
5:30 dinner

lab joke of the day

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:54:00 +0000

Someone wrote this on our lab whiteboard:

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

Nerdy joke... same level as having a 10X ddH2O stock.

big weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 20:18:00 +0000

This US labor day weekend is quite busy for me (I'm still not used to having labor day aside from May 1st so I had to write "US" there).

Saturday (yesterday): Since JS works on Saturdays, I have started putting in lab hours on that day, too. Yesterday, though, was very relaxing and I worked only on my notes at home (I finally caught up on updating my lab notebook). When JS came home from work, we played some tennis. Then afterwards, we went to Japantown for some dinner and tried to find a good karaoke bar. Dinner wasn't so good and we failed miserably on the latter. The first place we went to was a place where you actually rent the room for $20 an hour and since it was just the two of us, it wasn't worth it. The second place had a bad selection, a very mean lady host, and they were charging $2 per song. The last place, which was supposedly the most popular karaoke place, was dead for a Saturday night although we were there early (before 10 pm). They had a minimum of $20 per person to get in, unless we stay in the bar area, which we did. The song selection was pathetic, and they didn't seem to be too accomodating to us. I started to have a bad feeling about the place. Before long, some Japanese girls dressed up like hoochie-mamas started showing up for work there. They started to sit down with some clients on the dimly lit tables. It seemed like we stumbled upon a karaoke place that was a front for a strip club. I'm convinced that the girls were GROs (guest relations officers), just like the infamous ones in the Philippines - I had to explain that to JS. When JS was ready to sing, and he was the first one for the night, the DJ couldn't even figure out how to make the LaserDiscs work. Eventually, he was able to finish one song but we were already frustrated and so we asked for our tab. They ripped us off with $15 for one beer and one glass of Sprite. They do charge strip club prices (that is according to JS... how would I know?) . Frustrated, we went home and watched Food TV while lounging half-asleep on our couch.

Sunday: Today should be more eventful. We're currently packing for our trip tomorrow and also preparing for the Tool concert. We decided to try to blend in with the crowd so we'll dress up in black and wear as much dark make-up as we could... it should be interesting how we'll end up tonight (JS is currently working on his hair in the bathroom). I promised myself I will go to this show with an open mind. Two different people told me that a Tool concert is a "spiritual experience" - I don't exactly know what it means but maybe next Sunday, I'll be a convert to this "church of Tool". I've been listening to heavy metal most of yesterday to desensitize myself. But I'm bringing a pair of ear plugs just in case.

Monday & Tuesday: Since Monday is usually JS's day off and it's a holiday, he doesn't have to work on Tuesday. It's very rare that we can have a real weekend together so I decided to take Tuesday off as well and take a trip to Yosemite National Park. We're driving there tomorrow. Since we're coming on a weekday, we were able to get accomodations at the last minute. I didn't want to invest the time, planning, and equipment for real camping so I got us a cabin with our own bathroom. I even upgraded our reservation to a Bed and Breakfast. I've never been there and I'm excited. I might actually use my film SLR camera, which has a better lens than my small digital one, although it's bulky. I want to see a bear but I don't want to encounter it.

I just learned that Blogger is updating it's services. It's perfect timing because I want to re-do my whole site. So watch out for it... it will have a new template.

winner again

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 22:50:00 +0000

Wow, I must have done something good because I won again! Yesterday, there was a scientific vendor fair with the usual door prizes. I joined the raffle but I wasn't there for the drawing. Later on, someone said that they thought they heard my name as a winner. I thought that they might have given whatever prize I won to someone else because I wasn't there to claim it. But today, I got an email telling me to claim my $40 worth of gift certificates to Chevy's Fresh Mex restaurant. I've never been to this Mexican chain. My father did celebrate his last birthday in one of its locations last year. Unfortunately, I was not able to go because I was finishing up school. Now is my chance to try out this restaurant.

I wonder what I'll win next week...

free tickets

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 01:56:00 +0000

I won football tickets! I got this email today:

I join many random promotions and then forget about them. This was an unexpected surprise. I thought at first it was a joke or spam... but it turned out to be legit! I had to pay ticketmaster $7.50 for convenience charges (they forced me to pay for them to email the tickets and won't accept "will call" for pickup). Nevertheless, that's something to do this Friday night. I can't wait for JS to get home so I can tell him the good news.

craigslist

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 22:02:00 +0000

I sold a pair of TOOL tickets yesterday, and another pair this morning. I not only got my money back, I made a net profit of $90! I could have made more but I didn't want to be exorbitant (I'm not that kind of a scalper). Yet I didn't want to sell them for face value when I know how much they are worth on the streets. So I aimed for a price that was reasonable. I listed them on craigslist last Wednesday and now I'm rich(er)!

Craigslist.org has been good to me here in San Francisco (where it actually started). I am a veteran of ebay but not craigslist. When I moved here, every other person I met kept talking about it so I tried it. I remember my first purchase: a filing cabinet. I was a little scared to meet up with the seller in Potrero Hill where he lives, some parts of which are ghetto. But it turns out, he lives in the expensive area. And not only that... he was hot! He could have been a model for all I know. He was rich, gorgeous, and with the way he did our transaction I could also tell he was smart. I thought, if everyone in craigslist is like this guy, I'm in!

Since then, I have purchased and sold a variety of things on craigslist: from bike racks to football season tickets, I find it very useful to have this free online "bulletin board" for anything under the sun. No more yard sales for me! Another interesting thing is the different kinds of people I have encountered: from beatniks to metrosexuals. Even though none of them have been as attractive as the first guy I met, I get this sense of connection with "real people" since I meet them in person. Whenever I arrange for a meet up, I get this tingle of excitement. It's like online dating without the date.

Speaking of online dating, our 2-year anniversary is in a couple of weeks. I guess bookofmatches.com, just like craigslist, worked out well for me. That's the website where JS and I got connected. It's the BoM!

Happy Lammas Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 00:54:00 +0000

August 1st is a cross-quarter day known as Lammas.

tool excitement

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 17:31:00 +0000

My relaxing Saturday morning was interrupted when JS called me from his work and asked me to buy Tool tickets from Ticketmaster.com. This is one of his favorite bands. He missed them when they were in Oakland a few months ago because he was too late in buying tickets. When he found out that they will come back in September for another concert and the tickets were going on sale at 10 am today, he asked me to buy them for us. Some concerts sell out in a matter of minutes so at 9:50, I was on my computer with my credit card ready for the purchase.

On my first try, which was almost a success, I was able to reserve tickets for General Admission on the Main Floor (closest to the stage). However, I wasn't able to fill out the forms fast enough and the website gave up my reservation within a few minutes. I started panicking.

I tried again. This time, I found lower level seats at the same price. They were not as close as the previous ones but they have seat numbers, which might mean some semblance of order. I can imagine this concert would be full of drunk and doped up people. I didn't know what to do. Do I want to be close or do I want to be comfortable/safe?

I did the ticket search several times getting different sections each time. Getting overwhelmed and running out of time, I ended up buying SIX tickets. Three pairs for three different sections! I figured, as popular as Tool is, I can always sell the tickets on craig's list or on ebay. In that way, when JS gets home, we can take our time in deciding where we want to sit (or stand) and which of the tickets we can put up for sale. Nevertheless, after the adrenaline rush. I realized I just charged my credit card almost $450! What a morning.

this week in the media...

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:56:00 +0000

my brother was mentioned when of his colleagues wrote an article about being a philippine scientist...

one of my best friends was interviewed by a local TV channel when a scary even happened in her son's day care...

another one of my best friends finished her first triathlon today...

stay-at-home mom with a mission

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:21:00 +0000

My friend Trina featured me in her blog. She gets postcards from all over the world through postcrossing, as well as directly from friends. I was too cheap to buy a real postcard so I got her a free take-away postcard from a bar.

Trina's one of the brightest people I know, and it's obvious once you start reading her blog(s). She's one of those people who are too smart for school and went through the college freshman (sorta hippie) awakening and ended up changing majors, schools and countries through college. It's interesting that I know two people like that and they both finished degrees in Anthropology.

A self-proclaimed atheist, Trina expressed her dissatisfaction over the Philippine education system way back when we were in high school. Public schools have low standards and most private schools are run by catholic nuns. She told me that when she would have children, she would teach them at home. Years later, she stuck with her plan and is currently homeschooling her son. Interestingly, she brings him to Sunday school (to find loopholes, perhaps?) Anyhow, I'm very impressed with her commitment. I don't know anyone else who would dedicate that much time and effort in educating their own children. It's very inspiring.

funny

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:37:00 +0000

I'm clearing out my inbox and I found an old email from my friend Doug. I didn't want to delete the link that he forwarded me so I'll just post it. It's pretty funny:
Lord of the Rings: an allegory of the PhD?

demos: messenger bag & travel mug

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 01:36:00 +0000

I recently joined KQED (the local NPR/PBS station) and I got my membership gifts today. It was perfect timing because during their pledge drive, they were giving away two of the many things I was thinking of buying:

messenger bag
I've outgrown the standard student backpack but I'm not yet ready to switch to a briefcase/purse to go to work. I was looking at messenger bags, which are popular in SF. A particular brand, Timbuk2, started in the city inspired by the commuting lifestyle. The one I got from KQED has a similar style, without the hefty price tag.

stainless steel travel mug
I used a hand-me-down plastic travel mug for years but when I started using it with the espresso maker, which was so hot, the plastic reacted and eventually got a permanent burnt taste. I threw it away and was looking for a stainless steel mug and found one through public broadcasting!

small internet

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:38:00 +0000

I bought a Motorola E815 from Verizon a couple of months ago and slowly, I have been expanding it's functionality. The phone provider disabled a lot of features but with the help of discussion boards such as Nuclear Elephant and Howard Forums, I have been hacking it. Recently, I have modified it so I can have Internet access without using the Verizon server (and I don't have to pay the $5 a month fee). It should still count my airtime minutes but at night and on the weekends, I have unlimited access anyway. (I still haven't gotten my latest bill so I still have to check if I was indeed successful in dodging the system).

Although the internet connection on my phone is slow (like a dial up modem), it amazes me that there is a smaller version of the Internet I've never encountered before. I'm still getting used to a more text-based edition of google, yahoo and msn. It's as if I have discovered a whole new world. I'm getting obsessed right now... browsing mobile websites, learning how to add games, etc.

The downside is that I'm getting a bit detached to the real world. Like last Sunday, it was a beautiful day and we were driving to the beach but I was too engrossed on my phone to appreciate the scenery. When I realized what I was doing, I had to consciously make an effort turn it off. This phone brings out the nerd in me.

the s's come to town

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 01:24:00 +0000

JRS and DAS were in town last weekend to visit their son and me. I brought them to one my favorite parks... Golden Gate Park. The first time I was there, I didn't know they had a bison park and I did a double take when I was driving by and saw buffalos within the city of San Francisco. So I was excited to bring my guests to the park last Saturday, and in my head, I sang...
Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Home, home on the range

Here's a picture of me at the Japanese tea garden with Buddha.

We also went to the deYoung Museum within the park. On the 9th floor of the tower is a spectacular 360 degree view of the city. I love the photo of JRS and his reflection.

I don't get this painting of two white squares diplayed in the exhibit.

Last Sunday, we took a winery tram tour at the Benziger family winery in Sonoma Valley. We originally planned to hit three wineries, but after the first set of tasting (they gave us 4 tasting as part of the tour), I was buzzed and we just drove around before going back to the city. I know, I know I should have spit out the wine after tasting it to avoid getting intoxicated. But why waste wine, especially when they charge $29 per bottle?

Monday was the day for the touristy spots, including the beautiful Palace of the Fine Arts, which was under renovation.

We all had fun and we're glad they had time to visit us.

hello summer... here comes the fog

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 22:48:00 +0000

"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

A quote rumored to have been said by Mark Twain, is a saying that is almost a San Francisco cliche. The fog is rolling in. I never knew that the fog is very dynamic, but come day or not, it moves and swirls around this area.

demos: bromeliad & bag

noreply@blogger.com (Mel) — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 01:42:00 +0000

bromeliad
I like having fresh flowers at home, but cut flowers don’t last long so I end up buying every couple of weeks. Yesterday, we had a farewell dinner for a visiting scientist in our lab, who is going back to New Zealand. I helped him out when he was looking for an apartment and he ended up joining our carpool. He gave me a present… a nice bromeliad garden, which really livened up our living room. Bromeliads are popular in tropical regions, such as the Philippines. This one is potted and should last a long time. Now, I will always have fresh flowers in the house.

canvas bag
A bonus demo is that the bromeliads came in a nice canvas bag. It was exactly what I needed because I avoid getting plastic bags when I go grocery shopping. I was actually contemplating on buying one at Trader Joe’s but never got around to it.