check out my new forum — no registration required

You may remember that I started a website last year. For those unaware, this is a math website where you can download my software. I'm thrilled to announce that I've added a forum to the site. Check it out here and tell me what you think — any comments and suggestions are welcome. :-)

Discussion is not limited to math — feel free to talk about anything as long as it's within the rules. Just be nice and use common sense. Although you don't need an account to participate, registered users have access to additional features. For example, they can edit their posts, send private messages and vote in polls. Have fun!

Please note that the server is owned by ProBoards. I don't have control over things like software upgrades and maintenance. However, this is a small price for a great service. If anyone is interested in a forum like this one, simply go to the ProBoards website to sign up for free.

I should get back to studying as finals are coming up. But don't worry because I'll still drop in from time to time. :-)

Currently playing: Alchemy

wisdom teeth removed

I just got back from the surgeon's office and am now in recovery mode. Despite my reservations, the procedure went smoothly — more so than I expected.

An anesthesiologist put me to sleep to spare me the gory details. I must admit I felt like a condemned man about to die. It's probably because I was worried about complications. Luckily nothing happened to me, but that must be some powerful stuff as I was knocked out in seconds.

Everything was done when I woke up. Although my mouth is still numb, that should go away in a few hours. However, the hard part is that I can't eat any solid foods for two weeks. Looks like I'm going to miss out on our New Year's Eve dinner. :\

Currently listening to: "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

back from Tahoe: a return to the slopes

Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas. Or at least I did as Dad took us to Tahoe. Because we hadn't been there in three years, this was nice for a change.

Day 1

Tahoe is about 230 miles from our house, but the scenery alone made the trip worthwhile. One moment that stood out to me was having rice noodles for dinner at a rest area near Donner Pass. It smelled so good that people were turning their heads. On cold winter days, there's nothing better than a hot bowl of soup.

Our hotel was located in South Lake Tahoe. We checked in and watched the news for a bit before going to sleep.

Day 2

I spent the morning playing games on my laptop. Mom thought it was silly to bring a computer on such a short trip. To be fair, there wasn't much else to do when it's so cold outside.

Dad took us on a drive around Lake Tahoe in the afternoon as the weather cleared up. I enjoyed browsing the stores and seeing what's for sale. However, my favorite place was Donner Lake. During the winter months, ice forms on the surface near the shore. As weird as it sounds, there's something satisfying about breaking the ice with a hammer. It's like popping bubble wrap.

Mom wanted to go for a soak in the hot tub after dinner. Someone had the bright idea to put it outside, so we had to endure the cold to get there. I didn't mind at first as the hot tub was quite nice. But the walk back to our room was almost unbearable because we were wet and chilled to the bone. Let's not do that again.

Day 3

Although most stores were closed on Christmas, the ski resorts were open for business. Mom suggested going to Soda Springs as we had never been there before. I had to brush up on my skills but was able to get up to speed in no time. Compared to other ski areas, Soda Springs is our favorite so far.

We stopped for dinner at a Chinese restaurant on the way home. One thing I always get at a Chinese restaurant is fried rice. However, the waiter brought us beef chow fun due to a wrong order. In his defense, the two things sound similar in Chinese. I figured it's Christmas and decided to let it go.

Epilogue

On the whole, this was an amazing trip. Dad is making plans for another one in January as we have Martin Luther King Jr. Day coming up. Less than a month to go!

In other news...

I'm scheduled for a wisdom tooth extraction in two days and am a little nervous. Let's hope everything will be fine. *crosses fingers*

Currently listening to: "Whenever, Wherever" by Shakira

Christmas break is here

School's out for the holidays. I can finally relax now that the semester is over. Hell yeah!

In any case, my family is heading to Tahoe in a few days. All of us are excited about the trip as we haven't skied in a while. Another highlight is that my grandfather Bien-Chuan and his partner Ms. Chen are visiting from Taiwan afterwards. I can't wait to catch up as they haven't been here in years.

But one thing I'm not looking forward to is a wisdom tooth extraction right after Christmas. From what the surgeon told us, recovery can take up to two weeks. Hopefully it won't be that long because I won't be able to eat most foods during this time. *shrugs*

Currently playing: Bejeweled

a great holiday dance

Tonight's dance at LAHS was pretty awesome. Admission was $5 for students with an ASB card and $7 for all others. I didn't buy one this year and had to pay the full price, but that didn't make a huge difference. For those curious, this year's theme was Mardi Gras.

I've been to several dances but enjoyed this one the most so far. It helps that Christmas is coming up. In my experience, events are more fun during the holiday season. Everyone certainly had a great time.

Also worth mentioning is that I saw my crush but didn't have the courage to invite her to dance. Social anxiety sucks. :-(

Currently listening to: "A Puro Dolor" by Son by Four

fun and games at homecoming

LAHS celebrated homecoming with a pep rally. Because the theme was "Games" this year, there were many skits about video games. Some people actually dressed up as Mario characters. I've been a Nintendo fan all my life and really liked the performances. One guy even arranged his own version of the Super Mario Bros. theme!

To a geek like me, this was a memorable assembly. It's too bad I couldn't get it on video. I didn't have my camcorder and don't know of any sites that host videos for free. Hopefully someone will post some online. Otherwise, you'll have to use your imagination. :-(

Currently listening to: Super Mario Bros. theme by Koji Kondo

on turning 16

I'm officially 16 and old enough to drive. However, this isn't something I've given much thought to. Because school is within walking distance, there's no reason to get a license at this time. Although I do plan to eventually get one, that's to worry about later. You can only do so much without a car.

Of course, no birthday is complete without presents: my aunts Jill and Cynthia gave me red envelopes containing $100 each. I'm blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. Jill and Cynthia are both very generous. But damn... this makes me feel guilty because $100 is no pocket change.

volunteering at the library

I started volunteering at the Los Altos Library today to fulfill my graduation requirements. LAHS students need to complete 100 hours of community service before they can graduate. Because it's so close to my house, the library seemed like the perfect place to volunteer. For those curious, I'll be shelving books and non-feature videos from 7 to 9 p.m. on Fridays.

About my first day

Mom dropped me off at the library after dinner. I met my supervisor Shirley and her manager Andy — both really nice people. Shirley showed me around before teaching me the basics. I was able to start working immediately as everything is pretty simple. It feels great to give back as the Los Altos Library has always been a useful resource.

a tribute to America

In response to the devestating terrorist attacks two days ago, LAHS held an impromptu assembly to honor those who lost their lives. School officials and student leaders spoke about unity and offered counseling services. Afterwards, the Main Street Singers performed patriotic songs. It was a poignant experience.

Students were allowed to skip the event due to its emotional nature, but most showed up. I guess they felt a duty to be there.

Currently listening to: "America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates

regarding current events

In case you haven't seen the news, terrorists hijacked four aircraft and flew them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It's been reported that the Twin Towers have collapsed while the Pentagon suffered serious damage. I must admit this looks like something out of a disaster movie.

We didn't do much today as our eyes were glued to TV screens. According to government officials, Osama bin Laden is responsible for the attacks. Assuming that's true, then it's time to launch some cruise missiles up his ass.

At any rate, my thoughts and prayers are with those affected by today's events. I hope they get justice.

Currently reading: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

another high school dance

Hopefully everyone had fun at the back-to-school dance. As before, the event was free for students with an ASB card and $5 for all others. I didn't buy one this year and had to pay an entrance fee, but it was a good deal nonetheless.

Compared to the dance last year, this one was no less enjoyable. I actually stayed the whole time. One thing for sure is that LAHS knows how to put on great events. On a related note, there's also has a holiday dance in December. It's definitely something I'm looking forward to.

Currently listening to: The Sounds of the Canadian Rockies by Orange Tree Productions

back to LAHS for 10th grade

I'm back at school for my sophomore year. It feels so different when you're no longer a freshman. I wish summer wasn't over but am excited to see everyone.

One nice thing is that I don't have zero period and can finally get some sleep. But what I do have is Ms. Bradley's 7th period chemistry class. Although it means staying late, this beats getting up at 6:45 a.m. anytime. I'm actually excited because chemistry has always fascinated me. You get to blow shit up, not to mention Ms. Bradley seems really nice. Guess I can't complain. :-)

Currently listening to: "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang

went to see Pearl Harbor

Dad took us to see Pearl Harbor as we hadn't been to the theater in a while. I enjoyed it despite the critical reviews.

Pearl Harbor focuses on entertainment and is not historically accurate. However, the action scenes and special effects were impressive. It's a long movie at over three hours, so an intermission would have been nice. On the whole, this was a worthwhile experience. I'd love to watch Pearl Harbor again when it comes out on DVD.

Currently watching: Pearl Harbor

Java programming class

Summer school has started for me. I'm taking a Java class at Foothill College this year. You may know I do have some coding experience. However, this is my first formal programming class.

Java is platform-independent and runs on many operating systems. RuneScape is a game that's written in this language. Of course, there's a big difference between school and the workplace. I don't expect to make a game like RuneScape anytime soon. But this is nonetheless a great learning experience.

Currently playing: RuneScape

Canada trip report

Summer has been good so far. I went to Canada with my family and had a great time. Having gotten out of school a week and a half ago, this was the perfect way to unwind after a busy semester. Read on to find out more!

Day 1

We had just left the house when I realized we didn't bring music. I figured it didn't matter, but my father insisted on going back to pick it up. Good thing he did because we left the garage door open. It's hard to believe we only found out by chance. Talk about divine intervention — someone must have been looking out for us.

Soon we arrived at SFO for the flight to Spokane. It lasted about two hours and was quite comfortable. Dad rented a Nissan Pathfinder and headed for Lethbridge. He chose a route that took us through Glacier National Park and Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park — together known as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and situated on the border. One popular stop along the road is St. Mary Lake. You won't believe how beautiful the views are.

An album by Orange Tree Productions called Going to the Sun caught my eye at a gift shop. Dad bought it for me because I really liked the music. Everyone loved it as we listened to it in the car. I wish this genre was more popular.

Back in 6th grade, my teacher Joan once told me she saw a hot spring in Glacier National Park during a trip to the Rockies. However, there was no such spring even though I was on the lookout the whole time. Joan may have been thinking about Yellowstone National Park because she visited it on the same trip years ago. I appreciate the information nonetheless.

We continued on and arrived at our hotel in Lethbridge a little over an hour later. All of us were eager to get some rest after a long drive.

Day 2

Vegetarians can skip this one: the day began with a visit to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. As the name suggests, this wasn't exactly a haven for buffalo. Plains Indians hunted bison by driving them over cliffs. Such a fall would be deadly — or at least break their legs. Unable to move, the animals were slaughtered and butchered. It's as brutal as it sounds. I don't think PETA would approve.

Green fields stretched as far as the eye could see as we crossed the Canadian Prairies. Of note is that there were prairie dogs everywhere. Mom ran over one when it darted in front of the car. She felt terrible even though this was almost unavoidable. Shit happens sometimes.

Our next stop was Calgary so we could visit the Chinese Cultural Centre. One exhibit is a replica of the Terracotta Army buried with emperor Qin Shi Huang in his tomb. I read somewhere that the army contains over 8,000 sculptures. Imagine the resources needed for such an endeavor. It's certainly quite impressive. We then took a stroll through Chinatown before heading to Canmore.

I was also hoping to visit Edmonton later. Home to over 800 stores, West Edmonton Mall is the world's largest shopping center. Spending a day here would be an interesting experience. However, this wasn't an option because Edmonton was too far. At least it's something to consider for the future.

Canmore turned out to be very scenic. The light rain and mist made it even more so. Our hotel was right next to the mountains. I also had fun checking out the local Safeway store. On the whole, Canmore was my favorite stop.

Day 3

Banff and Jasper are among the world's most famous national parks. Two well-known attractions in Banff are the iconic Lake Louise and its namesake village. Both are popular during the summer. Jasper also has great spots, such as the spectacular Athabasca Falls. Pictures simply don't do them justice.

We later stopped at a natural spring along the route. Perhaps this is the one Joan had seen. It's right off the highway and can be reached by a short hike. You could see it bubbling like a witch's cauldron. As weird as it sounds, these things have always fascinated me.

I found another album by Orange Tree Productions called The Sounds of the Canadian Rockies at a visitor center. Dad decided to get this one too. Although we felt Going to the Sun was better, there were still some good tracks.

Jasper National Park also has a town that shares its name. Our hotel for the night was Sunwapta Falls Resort Rocky Mountain Lodge and is located here. Mom says this was the best hotel we stayed at during the trip. I couldn't agree more.

Day 4

All of us woke up around 7 a.m. and had trouble falling back asleep. So we figured this was a good time for a walk around the lodge. Mom has always encouraged me to get up early because the air is fresh and crisp. It made for some wonderful memories even though we didn't go far. I could easily spend a week or two in the Canadian Rockies.

Yoho National Park also has beautiful views. An adjacent town called Field was no less scenic. Dad decided to take us to Lake Revelstoke to see the dam and the Columbia River. But soon he realized it was too far after looking at the map. We turned back after stopping at a roadside restaurant for dinner. Oh well... maybe next time.

On the bright side, the restaurant was a cozy little place. I really liked the atmosphere, and the waitress was friendly and attentive. From what I remember, the food wasn't bad either. :-)

Day 5

We went hiking in Kootenay National Park and visited the Paint Pots. Located near the Vermilion River, the Paint Pots are a group of springs that were once used as a source of ochre. It's so named because the water contains minerals that give it a variety of colors. Unlike the spring in Jasper, these were much quieter.

Our hotel was located in Invermere. Although not far, the journey took longer than expected due to traffic. To complicate matters, there were many slow cars. One guy had a bunch of trucks behind him and wouldn't let them pass. He finally exited the freeway — just as we rolled into town. Yeah... that didn't help much.

Titan A.E. was on one of the cable channels. It's a science fiction film that came out a year ago. I decided to watch it while my parents went for a walk after dinner. Despite the critical reviews, the movie actually lived up to my expectations.

Due to the high latitude, Invermere has long daylight hours in the summer. I'm pretty sure the sun didn't go down until 10 p.m. or so. Imagine my surprise when I checked the time!

Day 6

I woke up with an itch on my arm and thought it was allergies. But then I noticed they appeared to be bug bites. Dad reported it to management and asked them to send someone over. However, the guy didn't seem too concerned and only asked a few questions. He didn't seem to be doing his job. Dad wasn't satisfied with the response and plans to file a complaint soon.

Invermere is located very close to Lake Windermere. I enjoyed strolling along the shore in the morning — the atmosphere was peaceful as we were the only ones there. Sometimes it's these little things that make a trip memorable.

Mom found a place in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park called Lussier Hot Springs and figured I'd be interested. Getting there took a while as it's hard to go fast on the gravel without damaging the car. Several other families were also here. We put our feet in the water and found it to be just the right temperature.

Fort Steele Heritage Town was our next stop. It happened to be a warm day — the perfect excuse to get ice cream at the café. Soon we arrived at the border between Canada and the United States. Of note is that there is a nearby duty-free shop. I got some maple leaf cookies because the price was too good to pass up. Although the cookies are delicious, they are also high in sugar.

We arrived in Spokane around dinner time and went to grab a bite. Our first stop was a Chinese restaurant in the suburbs. It seemed a nice place, but the menu only had a few choices. Mom had a bad feeling and wanted to go elsewhere. We still left a tip so as not to be rude.

Day 7

I was a little sad that the trip was almost over. However, there was still time to explore Spokane as we had a few hours to spare. Dad took us to downtown so we could check out the shops. One cool thing is that there are sky bridges that connect the buildings. Spokane doesn't seem like a bad place to live.

Soon it was time to head to the airport to return the SUV and catch the afternoon flight back to San Francisco. I got some rest on the plane as there wasn't much else to do. We picked up our car at the airport and got home around 6 p.m. after an uneventful drive. Dad suggested dinner at Mountain Mike's Pizza to save time. Going out to eat after a trip is always a nice bonus.

Conclusions

Canada is a beautiful place with much to see. All of us love nature and enjoyed the trip. I really liked Canmore and wish we got to spend more than one night there. Of course, the rest of the trip was great too. One downside is that Canada has a relatively small population — which means it can be lonely at times. But it's good to escape the busy city life once in a while.

Currently listening to: Going to the Sun by Orange Tree Productions

finished 9th grade

Summer has started for me. I can finally catch my breath after a busy school year. One thing for sure is that I'm not a freshman anymore. Hell yeah!

However, this felt like a long semester. It's probably because we did so much in recent months. For me, the hardest part is studying for finals. Hope I did well on them because the questions were quite tough. In any case, now's the time to relax and enjoy a well-earned summer.

On a side note, my dad is taking us on a trip to Canada in a few days. It's really exciting because we haven't been there in a long time. :-)

Currently playing: Wasted Sky

remembering Cory Redington

It's with a heavy heart that I post this: the LAHS administration has informed us that our classmate Cory has taken his own life. As you can imagine, this is devastating news. Although we didn't have many classes together, he was always smiling and very kind to me. I'm going to miss Cory for sure. Our thoughts are with the Redington family during this incredibly difficult time.

Even more tragic is the fact that another student had hung himself earlier this year. I wish people would get help before it's too late. Given recent events, no one was in the mood to celebrate summer. Our end-of-year assembly and yearbook signing party have been canceled. Of course, this doesn't compare at all to the loss of such young and promising lives. :-(

Currently reading: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

spring break report

I'm admittedly a little sad that spring break is almost over. Although we were all a little busy and didn't go far, that doesn't mean we didn't have a good time.

Big Sur day trip

Dad took us to Big Sur as we hadn't been there in a while. I must say the scenery along the route was spectacular. We even stopped for lunch at a restaurant in Pacific Grove. The view from the patio was amazing while the food wasn't too bad either.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park was beautiful and made for an enjoyable hike. One could easily spend the entire day here. I also had fun browsing the gift shop. It's too bad Big Sur is so far away because I would love to come here more often.

We headed further south to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to see the famous McWay Falls. Even from a distance, the falls were quite impressive. Although there are fewer trails, this was also an amazing place. On the way home, the sunset and the ocean view made the drive worthwhile.

Pescadero day trip

Another place we visited was Pescadero. It was a small town with a few shops and restaurants. Dad also took us to the nearby Pigeon Point Lighthouse afterwards. Even though there were wasn't much to do here, exploring new places is always an adventure.

I spent my free time studying for Spanish class as we have a test coming up. Sometimes it can be tricky to memorize all those words. Otherwise, the break couldn't have been better.

Currently listening to: The Instruments of Classical Music: The Cello

started playing RuneScape today

RuneScape is a new online RPG that came out about a month ago. It's made by a company called Jagex and runs in the browser. All you need is to have Java installed on your computer. I decided to sign up after having played their other games. Some features aren't yet available as the game is in beta stage, but there is already so much to do.

You may know I don't often play online. However, this game is really fun so far. I plan to check out some more areas in the next few days. Feel free to hit me up — my character's name is "ixfd64" if anyone wants to say hello. :-)

Currently playing: RuneScape

a weekend do-over

I was sick last weekend after a friend got the flu and passed it to me. But things have been looking up now that I'm feeling better. It certainly helps that I got Friday and today off due to teacher in-service. :-)

So my dad took us to Half Moon Bay on Saturday as we hadn't been there in a while. Strolling along Pillar Point Harbor never gets old even though we always come here. One cool thing is you can buy fresh seafood right off the boats. Our last stop before heading home was Princeton Seafood Company for clam chowder. It's one of our favorite traditions.

Dad also took me to Menlo Park this morning to visit the U.S. Geological Survey office. I enjoyed checking out the exhibits in the public areas. You can even go inside one of the buildings to see the seismographs. It's too bad my father had to leave due to work-related reasons. Side note: the USGS sounds like a cool place to work after I graduate. But that's way down the line as I'm only a teenager.

I also saw Supernova on VHS a few days ago. Despite the critical reviews, the movie wasn't too bad in my opinion. Another nice thing is that I didn't have to study for finals. On the whole, the weekend was awesome.

Currently watching: Supernova

getting the flu sucks

To cut to the chase: things haven't been great because I was sick the whole time. It got so bad at one point that I missed a few days of class. Damn... there goes my shot at perfect attendance. :-(

So the Lins came to my house about a week ago. I then played video games with Moonway for a few hours. He had the flu at the time but told us it wasn't contagious. Mom wanted to wait until he got better, but the Lins insisted on showing up. I was eager to see Moonway and agreed to it against her advice. It turned out to be a huge mistake because I got the flu shortly after.

Hanging out with friends just isn't worth getting sick over. I regret not asking the Lins to reschedule. However, the silver lining is that this gave me more time to prepare for classes. I also had a biology quiz on Wednesday — which isn't exactly easy — but Mrs. Williams was kind enough to let me take it at home. Shh... don't tell anyone!

It sucks we had to cancel our plans for Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we obviously couldn't go anywhere. But the good news is that there's no school this Friday and next Friday due to teacher in-service. Hope I recover soon.

Currently playing: Unreal

back to school again

School has started for me now that Christmas break is over. I'm not thrilled about having to get up at 6:40 a.m. four days a week for my biology class. It's also freezing cold outside, not to mention I still have the holiday blues. Sometimes I wish we didn't go back so soon after the New Year. But at least it's nice to see everyone. :-)

Currently reading: The Meteor Crater Story by Dean Smith

happy new millennium

I can't believe 2001 is here. According to the Gregorian calendar, the new millennium starts this year. It sounds counterintuitive, but that's what the experts tell us.

New Year's Eve report

Of course, the dawn of a new millennium is certainly something to celebrate. Although we're still recovering from our trip, Mom invited the Liangs over for dinner. It was very exciting even though I was mostly glued to my laptop. At least in my experience, having a party right after coming home helps with the holiday blues. :-)

2000 in review

I don't think anyone will disagree that 2000 was awesome. For one, our recent trip to the Southwest U.S. was one of our best vacations ever. It helps that I'm now old enough to appreciate things. Another highlight was visiting Willits last summer. Traveling is always something to look forward to. On the academic side, graduating from Egan was an important milestone.

The only blemish was when my learning skills teacher Mrs. Roth sent me to the office for saying "shit" too many times. So much for free speech. But because I'm on good terms with Mrs. Satterwhite, she only gave me a warning as opposed to a suspension. It really does help to have friends in high places.

At any rate, school starts tomorrow for me. I have a 7:20 a.m. biology class and probably shouldn't go to bed too late. Take care, everyone.

Currently playing: Final Doom