I've been working with on a graph theory paper with an SJSU professor in the past few months. The cool thing is that we were invited to attend the 18th Midwest Conference on Combinatorics, Cryptography and Computing and present our research. The conference was hosted at Rochester Institute of Technology this year. It was definitely a neat experience.
Day 1
Given the tight schedule, my parents picked me up from Berkeley right after lunch. I had to miss my Math 1A lecture as a result, although Prof. Haiman was cool with that. The plane landed at O'Hare in the evening. I couldn't help but notice how windy it was outside. No wonder Chicago is also called the "Windy City"!
We bought some souvenirs at the airport before catching our connecting flight to Rochester. Because it was almost 11 p.m. when we checked into our hotel, I didn't do much else other than proofread our paper.
Day 2
The three of us met up with Prof. Lee at RIT after breakfast. There was some free time, during which we took pictures around campus. The fall foliage was beautiful.
It was then our turn to present. I was a little nervous at first, but everyone said I did a great job. Speaking of which, my parents and I took the opportunity to listen to other speakers. The topics were fascinating but over my head.
Prof. Lee had other work to do and left for his flight back to San Jose after the conference. However, my family wanted to explore the area a bit more and decided to stay another night. The day ended with a nice dinner at a Chinese restaurant.
Day 3
Happy Halloween!
Our flight was in the early afternoon, leaving a few hours for sightseeing. The scenery along the Genesee River was incredible and made for some great pictures. This was the best part of the trip. The three of us then stopped at Quiznos for lunch. Their subs were delicious!
Dad wanted to visit Syracuse as well, but we were short on time and didn't want to miss our plane. The flight home was uneventful. Back in the Bay Area, my parents dropped me off directly at Berkeley as it was rather late.
Conclusions
Though we were in Rochester for academic reasons, the trip was still enjoyable. This was a new experience as I had never presented at a conference before. I also didn't know Rochester was so beautiful, especially in the fall. Looks like we'll have to go back there soon!
Currently listening to: "Saved by a Bell" by Mike Oldfield
Historical note: Pictures from the trip are available here.
Showing posts with label weekends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekends. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Saturday, May 24, 2003
the party that almost wasn't
Today was fun as we had a party for the Memorial Day weekend. Mom and I did all of the work because Dad is out of town again. The good news is that everyone had a great time. However, the party almost didn't happen.
You see, my maternal grandfather was extremely upset this morning for reason. Though we're not sure what set him off, he was madder than a wet hen. Because our guests were all relatives and close friends of my grandparents, Mom was afraid they'd decide not to come. Had that been the case, all the effort we put into the party would be wasted.
To our collective relief, Grandpa cheered up shortly before the party began. I'm glad things worked out in the end. Old people are so weird sometimes!
You see, my maternal grandfather was extremely upset this morning for reason. Though we're not sure what set him off, he was madder than a wet hen. Because our guests were all relatives and close friends of my grandparents, Mom was afraid they'd decide not to come. Had that been the case, all the effort we put into the party would be wasted.
To our collective relief, Grandpa cheered up shortly before the party began. I'm glad things worked out in the end. Old people are so weird sometimes!
Sunday, December 15, 2002
the worst weekend ever
Hopefully everyone had a good weekend because mine was terrible. Sometimes shit happens.
As you may remember, the holiday dance in 10th grade was pretty fun. I was definitely looking forward to going again this year. However, my mother advised me to stay home and finish an overdue paper for American Literature.
Because I'm supposed to be catching up, she didn't think Mrs. Herrera would be thrilled to see me at the dance. I felt she had a point and reluctantly agreed not to go. Considering that I've been waiting for months, this was a huge let-down. It didn't help that I also had physics, trigonometry and web design assignments. Talk about unlucky — no wonder Friday the 13th gets a bad rap.
Of course, that alone wouldn't have been so bad as there are other things to do. For example, my family loves to go hiking on weekends. But that didn't happen either because the trails were all muddy from the rain. I decided to catch up on TV shows — only to find there was no signal available. Just wonderful.
Another thing is that my favorite online forum is shutting down for legal reasons. It's like a second home to me. Seeing the community disappear really sucks. Other forums just aren't the same. :-(
However, the good news is that I managed to find time for games. RuneScape is something that always cheers me up. I actually reached level 70 Mining and can mine adamantite ore without boosts. Click here for a picture. It only shows my stats because I was too excited and forgot to press Print Screen after leveling up. D'oh!
Update: I asked my mother for RuneScape membership in exchange for giving up the dance. She said that would depend on my grades. I guess it's time to work harder. :-)
Currently playing: Blackhawk Striker
As you may remember, the holiday dance in 10th grade was pretty fun. I was definitely looking forward to going again this year. However, my mother advised me to stay home and finish an overdue paper for American Literature.
Because I'm supposed to be catching up, she didn't think Mrs. Herrera would be thrilled to see me at the dance. I felt she had a point and reluctantly agreed not to go. Considering that I've been waiting for months, this was a huge let-down. It didn't help that I also had physics, trigonometry and web design assignments. Talk about unlucky — no wonder Friday the 13th gets a bad rap.
Of course, that alone wouldn't have been so bad as there are other things to do. For example, my family loves to go hiking on weekends. But that didn't happen either because the trails were all muddy from the rain. I decided to catch up on TV shows — only to find there was no signal available. Just wonderful.
Another thing is that my favorite online forum is shutting down for legal reasons. It's like a second home to me. Seeing the community disappear really sucks. Other forums just aren't the same. :-(
However, the good news is that I managed to find time for games. RuneScape is something that always cheers me up. I actually reached level 70 Mining and can mine adamantite ore without boosts. Click here for a picture. It only shows my stats because I was too excited and forgot to press Print Screen after leveling up. D'oh!
Update: I asked my mother for RuneScape membership in exchange for giving up the dance. She said that would depend on my grades. I guess it's time to work harder. :-)
Currently playing: Blackhawk Striker
Sunday, July 7, 2002
four barbecues over the weekend
Hope everyone is having a great summer. Or at least I am because we managed to have a barbecue every day for the last four days!
Thursday
So we have an electric grill that's been sitting in the garage. Mom wanted to test it out and decided to invite my grandparents over. She had gotten it as a gift from my aunt Cynthia a while ago. Electric grills are safer and less likely to cause cancer. However, the food was just as tasty as before. Grandpa goes to bed early and wanted to leave after dinner, but this was understandable given his age.
Of course, no 4th of July is complete without fireworks. I got to set some off after the sun went down. One thing I noticed is that there were more fireworks this year. Firecrackers and bottle rockets are still going off every so often. People must be feeling patriotic following the 9/11 attacks.
Friday
We decided to have the Lins and another family over. Only the Lins came as the other family canceled at the last minute. But this wasn't a problem because the Lins were our main guests.
Moonway loved the hot dogs even though he isn't much of a meat eater. I went to get one and found them all gone. Good thing I already had one the day before. Everyone had a great time catching up before Moonway and I went to play games.
Saturday
Mom invited the Lu family as they're also good friends. It turns out their kids love video games too. However, they didn't stay long either because their father Wen-Juei is also an early sleeper. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to spend much time with Thomas and Connie. Hope it's not long before we see them again.
Sunday
Dad had some co-workers over as we had enough supplies. But let's be honest — the same thing gets old after four days. It's going to be a while before I can stand another barbecue. :-)
Currently playing: Pinball
Thursday
So we have an electric grill that's been sitting in the garage. Mom wanted to test it out and decided to invite my grandparents over. She had gotten it as a gift from my aunt Cynthia a while ago. Electric grills are safer and less likely to cause cancer. However, the food was just as tasty as before. Grandpa goes to bed early and wanted to leave after dinner, but this was understandable given his age.
Of course, no 4th of July is complete without fireworks. I got to set some off after the sun went down. One thing I noticed is that there were more fireworks this year. Firecrackers and bottle rockets are still going off every so often. People must be feeling patriotic following the 9/11 attacks.
Friday
We decided to have the Lins and another family over. Only the Lins came as the other family canceled at the last minute. But this wasn't a problem because the Lins were our main guests.
Moonway loved the hot dogs even though he isn't much of a meat eater. I went to get one and found them all gone. Good thing I already had one the day before. Everyone had a great time catching up before Moonway and I went to play games.
Saturday
Mom invited the Lu family as they're also good friends. It turns out their kids love video games too. However, they didn't stay long either because their father Wen-Juei is also an early sleeper. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to spend much time with Thomas and Connie. Hope it's not long before we see them again.
Sunday
Dad had some co-workers over as we had enough supplies. But let's be honest — the same thing gets old after four days. It's going to be a while before I can stand another barbecue. :-)
Currently playing: Pinball
Monday, January 21, 2002
Martin Luther King Jr. Day + Reno trip report
We just came back from a short trip to Reno. It sucked at first because there was barely anything to do. However, that's not a problem because we still had fun.
Day 1
Our trip to Reno with the Liangs in 1996 was awesome. I remember carpooling to Circus Circus Reno and checking out the attractions. But things were very different this time: the streets were empty and desolate. We had no idea what to do because I'm only 16 and too young to gamble. Reno is nothing like Las Vegas and didn't impress us.
I didn't take my laptop because Mom thought it made me look silly on our trip to Tahoe in December. To make matters worse, there was nothing good on TV — only some local channels. Leaving early and going home wasn't an option because the fees were non-refundable. However, the saving grace is we got a voucher for a complimentary hot dog and drink from the bar. So there's that.
Day 2
We didn't feel like skiing in this weather and decided to head directly home. Dad wanted to make the most out of our trip and took us on a drive around Lake Tahoe. Due to the cold temperatures, the ice on Donner Lake covered a larger area than before. It's quite satisfying to break the ice with a hammer.
I spotted a large snowball — likely the remains of a snowman — along the Truckee River some time later. Dad and I decided to push it into the river for shits and giggles. It rolled down the bank and made a gigantic splash as it smashed through the ice. Sometimes it's these little things that make the best memories. Our day ended with dinner at the Kowloon Chinese Restaurant in San Mateo.
Epilogue
Vacations can be fun even on bad days. I'm glad we decided to stay because we ended up having a great time. You generally have to be at least 21 to get the most out of a place like Reno. But that won't happen for another five years. Guess it's time to play the waiting game!
Currently playing: DragonHeart: Fire & Steel
Day 1
Our trip to Reno with the Liangs in 1996 was awesome. I remember carpooling to Circus Circus Reno and checking out the attractions. But things were very different this time: the streets were empty and desolate. We had no idea what to do because I'm only 16 and too young to gamble. Reno is nothing like Las Vegas and didn't impress us.
I didn't take my laptop because Mom thought it made me look silly on our trip to Tahoe in December. To make matters worse, there was nothing good on TV — only some local channels. Leaving early and going home wasn't an option because the fees were non-refundable. However, the saving grace is we got a voucher for a complimentary hot dog and drink from the bar. So there's that.
Day 2
We didn't feel like skiing in this weather and decided to head directly home. Dad wanted to make the most out of our trip and took us on a drive around Lake Tahoe. Due to the cold temperatures, the ice on Donner Lake covered a larger area than before. It's quite satisfying to break the ice with a hammer.
I spotted a large snowball — likely the remains of a snowman — along the Truckee River some time later. Dad and I decided to push it into the river for shits and giggles. It rolled down the bank and made a gigantic splash as it smashed through the ice. Sometimes it's these little things that make the best memories. Our day ended with dinner at the Kowloon Chinese Restaurant in San Mateo.
Epilogue
Vacations can be fun even on bad days. I'm glad we decided to stay because we ended up having a great time. You generally have to be at least 21 to get the most out of a place like Reno. But that won't happen for another five years. Guess it's time to play the waiting game!
Currently playing: DragonHeart: Fire & Steel
Monday, January 22, 2001
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
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
Monday, January 15, 2001
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
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
Sunday, August 6, 2000
back from Willits, CA
The weekend was pretty exciting as my parents and I went on a three-day trip to Willits. It was relatively short compared to our other summer getaways, but we nonetheless had a great time.
Day 1
Willits was relatively close at 180 miles from our house, so our itinerary also included a side trip to Mendocino and Fort Bragg. However, I'm not sure if the detour was worth it. While Mendocino was quite fun when we went there several years ago, the town didn't seem to have as many attractions as we remembered. To be honest, Fort Bragg wasn't that interesting either aside from the view of the ocean.
It was then time to continue on to Willits. The route took us through the scenic Jackson State Forest, making the drive very worthwhile. All of us were somewhat tired from the traveling, so we didn't do much in the evening besides going to a local grocery store for frozen dinners.
Day 2
As my family loves the great outdoors, the three of us went hiking in a nearby nature reserve after breakfast. There weren't many trails in the area, but the redwood groves were absolutely beautiful.
We took the Skunk Train to Northspur and back later in the afternoon. The round trip was just under 40 miles, but the leisurely pace at which the train traveled made the excursion seem like several hours. There was a guy on board that played bluegrass on the banjo, which was a nice touch. On top of that, I chatted with two cute girls on the train. Haha, I'm such a flirt.
Back at the hotel, Dad and I watched Deep Blue Sea before going to bed. It was an awesome movie, even though I had seen it before. This was undoubtedly the best day of the trip.
Day 3
Having had so much fun the day before, it was a little sad to realize that our trip was coming to an end. But there was still plenty of free time, so we spent much of the day checking out the local shops and restaurants, as well as some of the nearby scenic drives. It was well past dinner time when we finally arrived home!
Conclusions
The trip was pretty nice despite being so short. Although many of the places we visited were fairly mediocre, the awesome train ride totally made up for it. That was by far the best part of our vacation. I'm not sure if we'll go on another trip this summer, but at least I still have over two weeks before school starts. :-)
Currently watching: Deep Blue Sea
Day 1
Willits was relatively close at 180 miles from our house, so our itinerary also included a side trip to Mendocino and Fort Bragg. However, I'm not sure if the detour was worth it. While Mendocino was quite fun when we went there several years ago, the town didn't seem to have as many attractions as we remembered. To be honest, Fort Bragg wasn't that interesting either aside from the view of the ocean.
It was then time to continue on to Willits. The route took us through the scenic Jackson State Forest, making the drive very worthwhile. All of us were somewhat tired from the traveling, so we didn't do much in the evening besides going to a local grocery store for frozen dinners.
Day 2
As my family loves the great outdoors, the three of us went hiking in a nearby nature reserve after breakfast. There weren't many trails in the area, but the redwood groves were absolutely beautiful.
We took the Skunk Train to Northspur and back later in the afternoon. The round trip was just under 40 miles, but the leisurely pace at which the train traveled made the excursion seem like several hours. There was a guy on board that played bluegrass on the banjo, which was a nice touch. On top of that, I chatted with two cute girls on the train. Haha, I'm such a flirt.
Back at the hotel, Dad and I watched Deep Blue Sea before going to bed. It was an awesome movie, even though I had seen it before. This was undoubtedly the best day of the trip.
Day 3
Having had so much fun the day before, it was a little sad to realize that our trip was coming to an end. But there was still plenty of free time, so we spent much of the day checking out the local shops and restaurants, as well as some of the nearby scenic drives. It was well past dinner time when we finally arrived home!
Conclusions
The trip was pretty nice despite being so short. Although many of the places we visited were fairly mediocre, the awesome train ride totally made up for it. That was by far the best part of our vacation. I'm not sure if we'll go on another trip this summer, but at least I still have over two weeks before school starts. :-)
Currently watching: Deep Blue Sea
Monday, May 29, 2000
Memorial Day weekend report
I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!
The highlight of the long weekend was when my parents and I went hiking in Pinnacles National Monument with the Lin family. The place was very hot and dry when we went there for the first time a few years ago, so I had preferred to stay home at first. Moonway wasn't too interested in going either, and opted to play computer games at my house instead. Hell, even my mother wasn't a big fan of that place.
However, Dad insisted on going there anyway because this was something our two families had agreed on. The good news was that the weather turned out to be slightly cooler than expected. But to be honest, the monument wasn't super interesting save for two small caves and a handful of unique rock formations. That said, it was still nice to hang out with Moonway for the entire afternoon. I also suggested inviting his family back to our house for dinner, but Mom wouldn't hear any of it. Oh well.
Currently playing: Asphyx Assault Fighter
The highlight of the long weekend was when my parents and I went hiking in Pinnacles National Monument with the Lin family. The place was very hot and dry when we went there for the first time a few years ago, so I had preferred to stay home at first. Moonway wasn't too interested in going either, and opted to play computer games at my house instead. Hell, even my mother wasn't a big fan of that place.
However, Dad insisted on going there anyway because this was something our two families had agreed on. The good news was that the weather turned out to be slightly cooler than expected. But to be honest, the monument wasn't super interesting save for two small caves and a handful of unique rock formations. That said, it was still nice to hang out with Moonway for the entire afternoon. I also suggested inviting his family back to our house for dinner, but Mom wouldn't hear any of it. Oh well.
Currently playing: Asphyx Assault Fighter
Tuesday, September 7, 1999
Labor Day weekend report
The long weekend was pretty fun as Mom's friend Ann invited my family to her place again, this time for an overnight stay. Ann lives kind of far away in Walnut Creek, so we are lucky to see her twice in just seven months. Although there weren't that many other things to do in the area, my parents and I greatly enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage.
We don't usually go on long trips on Labor Day weekends too often, so this was rather nice for a change. :-)
Currently listening to: Duke Nukem 3D soundtrack - "Aliens, Say Your Prayers" by Bobby Prince
We don't usually go on long trips on Labor Day weekends too often, so this was rather nice for a change. :-)
Currently listening to: Duke Nukem 3D soundtrack - "Aliens, Say Your Prayers" by Bobby Prince
Sunday, December 27, 1998
back from another Tahoe trip
Christmas break has been pretty good so far. Or at least it should have been, considering that my family just came back from another two-day trip to Tahoe. :-)
For this trip, the three of us decided to go back to good ol' downhill skiing at Boreal Mountain Resort. The Shiehs again accompanied us as they also love to travel. Even my uncle Harrison and maternal grandparents came along this time!
Judging by our experience, I'd say downhill is a lot more enjoyable. It does mean falling down more often, but it's also much less exhausting than cross-country skiing. To be honest, I don't think we'll be doing cross-country again anytime soon.
This trip also had a few skidding incidents. The road conditions were actually worse this time because of a recent storm. In one instance, our Volvo got stuck right at the edge of a steep ravine. This was a most frightening situation; Mom was yelling at me to get out of the car in case something happened. However, it wasn't long before a Good Samaritan stopped and helped us get the car back onto the road. That brave guy certainly deserves our gratitude.
The three of us were ultimately stuck in the mountains for several hours as a result of the frequent skidding. To make matters worse, there was almost no cellular reception. By the time we got out of the area, our relatives were already home. Perhaps we ought to rent a four-wheel drive next time.
Conclusions
Although my family has been to Lake Tahoe numerous times before, it's one of those places that never get old. Both of these trips were quite enjoyable despite the mishaps. Dad is actually planning a third one for either the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend or winter break. Oh yeah, and I still have another week before school starts. :-)
In other news...
The Liang family has invited us to their New Year's Eve party. There's no better way to celebrate the new year than with family and friends!
For this trip, the three of us decided to go back to good ol' downhill skiing at Boreal Mountain Resort. The Shiehs again accompanied us as they also love to travel. Even my uncle Harrison and maternal grandparents came along this time!
Judging by our experience, I'd say downhill is a lot more enjoyable. It does mean falling down more often, but it's also much less exhausting than cross-country skiing. To be honest, I don't think we'll be doing cross-country again anytime soon.
This trip also had a few skidding incidents. The road conditions were actually worse this time because of a recent storm. In one instance, our Volvo got stuck right at the edge of a steep ravine. This was a most frightening situation; Mom was yelling at me to get out of the car in case something happened. However, it wasn't long before a Good Samaritan stopped and helped us get the car back onto the road. That brave guy certainly deserves our gratitude.
The three of us were ultimately stuck in the mountains for several hours as a result of the frequent skidding. To make matters worse, there was almost no cellular reception. By the time we got out of the area, our relatives were already home. Perhaps we ought to rent a four-wheel drive next time.
Conclusions
Although my family has been to Lake Tahoe numerous times before, it's one of those places that never get old. Both of these trips were quite enjoyable despite the mishaps. Dad is actually planning a third one for either the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend or winter break. Oh yeah, and I still have another week before school starts. :-)
In other news...
The Liang family has invited us to their New Year's Eve party. There's no better way to celebrate the new year than with family and friends!
Sunday, December 20, 1998
Tahoe trip report
I just came back from a two-day trip to Tahoe with my parents and cousins.
Our families went cross-country skiing at Royal Gorge right after school ended. The original plan was to go to Northstar-at-Tahoe, but that place didn't have cross-country ski areas. The Shiehs have been to Royal Gorge several times, and my parents and I had never done cross-country before, so we thought we'd try something new.
Compared to downhill, cross-country was simpler but much more exhausting. Due to the strenuous workout, all of our legs were completely sore by the time we were finished. On the other hand, it's probably safe to say that we burned lots of calories. Cross-country skiing was overall very different from what we had imagined.
The trip also had a few mishaps: our car skidded several times on the way home as the roads had become extremely slippery due to the accumulated snow. It was quite frightening, to say the least. The vacation was nevertheless so much fun that we're thinking about sneaking in another one next weekend!
Our families went cross-country skiing at Royal Gorge right after school ended. The original plan was to go to Northstar-at-Tahoe, but that place didn't have cross-country ski areas. The Shiehs have been to Royal Gorge several times, and my parents and I had never done cross-country before, so we thought we'd try something new.
Compared to downhill, cross-country was simpler but much more exhausting. Due to the strenuous workout, all of our legs were completely sore by the time we were finished. On the other hand, it's probably safe to say that we burned lots of calories. Cross-country skiing was overall very different from what we had imagined.
The trip also had a few mishaps: our car skidded several times on the way home as the roads had become extremely slippery due to the accumulated snow. It was quite frightening, to say the least. The vacation was nevertheless so much fun that we're thinking about sneaking in another one next weekend!
Sunday, April 26, 1998
back from camp
I just got back from Camp Costanoan, a retreat for students with disabilities. Because many of my classmates have been there, my parents decided to sign me up so that I could experience it as well. This was my first time being away from the rest of my family for an extended period of time, so it was a pretty big challenge for me.
Day 1
Mom and Dad dropped me off at the camp in the afternoon. I was a little nervous at first, so my parents did their best to convince me that everything would be all right. They went home after making sure I could check in, and so began my adventure.
I was introduced to my counselor Andy after signing in. He was very nice and made me feel more comfortable. I soon met the other kids and their counselors in our group, and we spent the rest of the afternoon getting acquainted with each other. One of the students in the group was a guy named Brian who sounded a bit like a girl and acted a lot like one. He seemed rather friendly at first, although he definitely gave me the creeps.
There was a dance in the evening, and I got to swing dance with my friend Chelsea. While I absolutely suck at dancing, this was by far the best part of camp. I'm usually shy around girls, but it wasn't much of a problem as Chelsea and I are in the same class and know each other pretty well.
It was rather late when the dance ended, so we went to bed shortly afterwards. I had trouble sleeping at first because I wasn't used to being in an unfamiliar place away from my parents. The fact that I was sharing the cabin with all those strange people didn't help the issue. After what seemed like hours, I was finally able to doze off with the reassurance from a counselor.
Day 2
Saturday was long and tedious. There wasn't much to do aside from the group activities, so I spent most of my free time hanging out with Andy and the other counselors. Brian later joined us for a few games of cops and robbers some time after lunch, which was was a great way to kill time.
I wish I could say that all was well, but this unfortunately not the case. Things went downhill in the afternoon, when one of the counselors started picking on me. I don't quite remember his name, but I think it was Derek or something similar. In any case, that guy was a complete asshole. He made me so upset that I was about to bash his head in with a rock when another counselor talked me out of it. I'm rather glad I didn't follow through as I would probably have gotten into huge trouble otherwise.
I later bumped into Brian again in the cabin. This encounter was less than pleasant: he accused me of peeking at him while he got dressed, and then threatened to do something bad to me. I don't understand why anyone on Earth would want to peek at creepy naked guys. Let's just say my positive impression of him just went out the window.
The evening ended with an art workshop of sorts. It wasn't that interesting, but I nevertheless took the time to appreciate other people's talents. The good news is that I was also able to reconcile with Derek. All I had to do was tell him that I didn't like what he was doing, and he apologized for his actions. That worked like a charm; I guess violence really isn't the answer after all.
It was then time for bed again. Having gotten more used to the environment, I was able to sleep much better.
Day 3
This was the last day of camp. The program ended well before noon, so it wasn't long before parents started picking their kids up. The staff put on Disney's Hercules in the meantime, and we were about halfway through the movie when Mom and Dad showed up. I was extremely glad to see them again, and they were obviously very eager to see me as well. Mom went as far as counting how many hours she had to wait before she could pick me up, and she even considered sneaking to the camp to make sure I was safe. Too hilarious.
Conclusions
Camp Costanoan certainly had its ups and downs. The highlight of the program was last Friday's dance, which was loads of fun. It was also nice to get to know the other campers and their counselors. Speaking of which, I'll have to admit that some of the kids really creeped me out. I was actually afraid to use the shower out of fear that someone would steal my clothes, and ended up being a stinkin' pile of sweat by the time camp was over. Come to think of it, I was probably a little paranoid.
However, the worst part of camp was when Derek kept making fun of me, which really pissed me off. You'd think a counselor would know better than that. I cannot fathom why Camp Costanoan would hire a jerk like him. Perhaps it's karma, considering that I've done my fair share of picking on Andy too. :\
On the bright side, Derek was an anomaly that did not represent the other counselors, most of whom were decent people. I guess I'm very lucky I wasn't assigned to him.
To be honest, the negative experiences have somewhat put me off. This isn't to say that Camp Costanoan is bad; it's actually a great place to meet new people, not to mention that most of the staff are extremely nice. That having been said, I may be interested in going there again when I'm older. But for the time being, I prefer family vacations. :-)
Currently watching: Hercules
Release date: June 27, 1997
Day 1
Mom and Dad dropped me off at the camp in the afternoon. I was a little nervous at first, so my parents did their best to convince me that everything would be all right. They went home after making sure I could check in, and so began my adventure.
I was introduced to my counselor Andy after signing in. He was very nice and made me feel more comfortable. I soon met the other kids and their counselors in our group, and we spent the rest of the afternoon getting acquainted with each other. One of the students in the group was a guy named Brian who sounded a bit like a girl and acted a lot like one. He seemed rather friendly at first, although he definitely gave me the creeps.
There was a dance in the evening, and I got to swing dance with my friend Chelsea. While I absolutely suck at dancing, this was by far the best part of camp. I'm usually shy around girls, but it wasn't much of a problem as Chelsea and I are in the same class and know each other pretty well.
It was rather late when the dance ended, so we went to bed shortly afterwards. I had trouble sleeping at first because I wasn't used to being in an unfamiliar place away from my parents. The fact that I was sharing the cabin with all those strange people didn't help the issue. After what seemed like hours, I was finally able to doze off with the reassurance from a counselor.
Day 2
Saturday was long and tedious. There wasn't much to do aside from the group activities, so I spent most of my free time hanging out with Andy and the other counselors. Brian later joined us for a few games of cops and robbers some time after lunch, which was was a great way to kill time.
I wish I could say that all was well, but this unfortunately not the case. Things went downhill in the afternoon, when one of the counselors started picking on me. I don't quite remember his name, but I think it was Derek or something similar. In any case, that guy was a complete asshole. He made me so upset that I was about to bash his head in with a rock when another counselor talked me out of it. I'm rather glad I didn't follow through as I would probably have gotten into huge trouble otherwise.
I later bumped into Brian again in the cabin. This encounter was less than pleasant: he accused me of peeking at him while he got dressed, and then threatened to do something bad to me. I don't understand why anyone on Earth would want to peek at creepy naked guys. Let's just say my positive impression of him just went out the window.
The evening ended with an art workshop of sorts. It wasn't that interesting, but I nevertheless took the time to appreciate other people's talents. The good news is that I was also able to reconcile with Derek. All I had to do was tell him that I didn't like what he was doing, and he apologized for his actions. That worked like a charm; I guess violence really isn't the answer after all.
It was then time for bed again. Having gotten more used to the environment, I was able to sleep much better.
Day 3
This was the last day of camp. The program ended well before noon, so it wasn't long before parents started picking their kids up. The staff put on Disney's Hercules in the meantime, and we were about halfway through the movie when Mom and Dad showed up. I was extremely glad to see them again, and they were obviously very eager to see me as well. Mom went as far as counting how many hours she had to wait before she could pick me up, and she even considered sneaking to the camp to make sure I was safe. Too hilarious.
Conclusions
Camp Costanoan certainly had its ups and downs. The highlight of the program was last Friday's dance, which was loads of fun. It was also nice to get to know the other campers and their counselors. Speaking of which, I'll have to admit that some of the kids really creeped me out. I was actually afraid to use the shower out of fear that someone would steal my clothes, and ended up being a stinkin' pile of sweat by the time camp was over. Come to think of it, I was probably a little paranoid.
However, the worst part of camp was when Derek kept making fun of me, which really pissed me off. You'd think a counselor would know better than that. I cannot fathom why Camp Costanoan would hire a jerk like him. Perhaps it's karma, considering that I've done my fair share of picking on Andy too. :\
On the bright side, Derek was an anomaly that did not represent the other counselors, most of whom were decent people. I guess I'm very lucky I wasn't assigned to him.
To be honest, the negative experiences have somewhat put me off. This isn't to say that Camp Costanoan is bad; it's actually a great place to meet new people, not to mention that most of the staff are extremely nice. That having been said, I may be interested in going there again when I'm older. But for the time being, I prefer family vacations. :-)
Currently watching: Hercules
Release date: June 27, 1997
Sunday, April 19, 1998
Crater Lake and Northern California trip report
"Look at me, I'm Santa Claus!" -- another kid in the hot tub, after putting foam on his face
As crazy as it sounds, my family just came back from another spring break vacation. We visited Crater Lake in Oregon and several other places in Northern California on this trip. It was loads of fun, so be sure to read about our adventure!
Day 1
Our first stop was the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree in Myers Flat. As the name suggests, this was another one of those trees that people can drive through. The admission also included access to a three-story tree house that was built inside the trunk of an ancient redwood. The tree house wasn't that impressive, but it was still fun to go inside.
The next destination was the Redwood National and State Parks as there were some hiking trails in the area. This was only our second time here, so it was quite a fresh experience. The three of us then continued to Trees of Mystery in Klamath to see the iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The rest of the attraction required an entrance fee, so we didn't go in. I figured this wasn't a big deal, considering that we had already seen plenty of big trees elsewhere.
As evening neared, my parents and I arrived at our hotel in Crescent City after driving a total of almost 400 miles. All of us were kind of tired, so we didn't do much else before going to bed.
Day 2
Our main stop of the day was Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. According to scientists, the namesake lake was formed after a volcano called Mt. Mazama destroyed itself in a massive eruption several millennia ago. I'm glad I wasn't there when that happened. The water-filled caldera didn't appear very large on the map, but it was hard to believe how big it really was when we got there.
We didn't stay for long except to take pictures as the weather was rather chilly at the lake, but I nevertheless thought Crater Lake was the best part of the trip. The lake wasn't the only attraction in the park as we also hiked some of the nearby trails. The scenery was no less impressive than that of the other places we visited.
The three of us were exhausted from all the traveling, so we decided to relax in the spa after arriving at our hotel in Yreka. While we were in the hot tub, this kid from another family proceeded to scoop up the foam in the water and smear it on his face, pretending to be Santa Claus. That was just gross - I mean, heaven knows what's in that stuff. *shudder*
Day 3
This was the last day of our trip, but there was still so much to do. The three of us took a detour to check out Whiskeytown Lake on the way home. There wasn't much to do here as the lake is mainly used for boating, but we got some great pictures. One interesting feature of the lake was the huge funnel-shaped spillway where excess water drains. But it was also kind of a scary sight as falling into it would mean certain death.
We also took pictures at what appeared to be a winter recreation area of sorts. Strangely enough, my parents and I were the only ones there despite the abundance of snow. I'm guessing it's because it's not winter. There were few other attractions on the way home, so the rest of the afternoon consisted of driving. This was no easy task as Yreka is almost 350 miles from our house.
Conclusions
The forests of the Northwest Coast are among the most beautiful places I've ever seen. As someone who loves the great outdoors, I enjoyed every part of the trip. The highlight of said trip was Crater Lake; it's a shame there aren't any similar places in the Bay Area. While I'd love to have a vacation home in the mountains, that will only happen if I win the lottery. But I can dream, right?
I have to go back to school tomorrow as this is the last day of spring break. Dealing with the holiday blues is always going to be the hard part of coming back from a vacation. On the other hand, summer is coming up in just two months. :-)
In other news...
I'll be going to Camp Costanoan next weekend. I'm a little nervous about it, to be honest!
Currently playing: SimTown
As crazy as it sounds, my family just came back from another spring break vacation. We visited Crater Lake in Oregon and several other places in Northern California on this trip. It was loads of fun, so be sure to read about our adventure!
Day 1
Our first stop was the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree in Myers Flat. As the name suggests, this was another one of those trees that people can drive through. The admission also included access to a three-story tree house that was built inside the trunk of an ancient redwood. The tree house wasn't that impressive, but it was still fun to go inside.
The next destination was the Redwood National and State Parks as there were some hiking trails in the area. This was only our second time here, so it was quite a fresh experience. The three of us then continued to Trees of Mystery in Klamath to see the iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The rest of the attraction required an entrance fee, so we didn't go in. I figured this wasn't a big deal, considering that we had already seen plenty of big trees elsewhere.
As evening neared, my parents and I arrived at our hotel in Crescent City after driving a total of almost 400 miles. All of us were kind of tired, so we didn't do much else before going to bed.
Day 2
Our main stop of the day was Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. According to scientists, the namesake lake was formed after a volcano called Mt. Mazama destroyed itself in a massive eruption several millennia ago. I'm glad I wasn't there when that happened. The water-filled caldera didn't appear very large on the map, but it was hard to believe how big it really was when we got there.
We didn't stay for long except to take pictures as the weather was rather chilly at the lake, but I nevertheless thought Crater Lake was the best part of the trip. The lake wasn't the only attraction in the park as we also hiked some of the nearby trails. The scenery was no less impressive than that of the other places we visited.
The three of us were exhausted from all the traveling, so we decided to relax in the spa after arriving at our hotel in Yreka. While we were in the hot tub, this kid from another family proceeded to scoop up the foam in the water and smear it on his face, pretending to be Santa Claus. That was just gross - I mean, heaven knows what's in that stuff. *shudder*
Day 3
This was the last day of our trip, but there was still so much to do. The three of us took a detour to check out Whiskeytown Lake on the way home. There wasn't much to do here as the lake is mainly used for boating, but we got some great pictures. One interesting feature of the lake was the huge funnel-shaped spillway where excess water drains. But it was also kind of a scary sight as falling into it would mean certain death.
We also took pictures at what appeared to be a winter recreation area of sorts. Strangely enough, my parents and I were the only ones there despite the abundance of snow. I'm guessing it's because it's not winter. There were few other attractions on the way home, so the rest of the afternoon consisted of driving. This was no easy task as Yreka is almost 350 miles from our house.
Conclusions
The forests of the Northwest Coast are among the most beautiful places I've ever seen. As someone who loves the great outdoors, I enjoyed every part of the trip. The highlight of said trip was Crater Lake; it's a shame there aren't any similar places in the Bay Area. While I'd love to have a vacation home in the mountains, that will only happen if I win the lottery. But I can dream, right?
I have to go back to school tomorrow as this is the last day of spring break. Dealing with the holiday blues is always going to be the hard part of coming back from a vacation. On the other hand, summer is coming up in just two months. :-)
In other news...
I'll be going to Camp Costanoan next weekend. I'm a little nervous about it, to be honest!
Currently playing: SimTown
Sunday, April 12, 1998
Eureka trip report
I just got back from a two-day family road trip to Eureka. The vacation was totally awesome despite being somewhat short.
Day 1
Eureka is a little over 300 miles from our house, but the drive didn't seem that long as there were so many attractions along the way. Our first stop was the Drive-Thru Tree Park in Leggett. Its main feature was the Chandelier Tree, which has a tunnel cut through it to allow cars to drive through. This was an interesting sight, although I couldn't help but feel bad for the tree. I'd say the Drive-Thru Tree Park was overall my favorite part of the trip.
As my family loves the great outdoors, my parents and I went hiking in Humboldt Redwoods State Park before continuing on to Eureka. The trails were absolutely amazing, especially with the beautiful redwood groves.
All of us were kind of tired from all the traveling, so we didn't do much in the evening except relax in the spa at our hotel. The hot tub was quite nice!
Day 2
It was time to find out what Eureka had to offer after a good night's sleep. There wasn't much to do other than visit the harbor and check out the local stores, but we still had lots of fun. One interesting attraction was the giant hammer in front of Pierson Building Center, a supplier of home improvement products. The hammer is actually quite famous; I imagine it's brought in a lot of business for the store.
We also came across an office building that housed the local branches of the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. I wanted to go in and take a look as geology is one of my major interests. The office was closed for the weekend as is normal for government agencies, so we just took a couple of pictures outside. It was then time to head home after a long day.
On the whole, my family really enjoyed this trip. The nice thing is that spring break has only just begun, which means there are plenty of opportunities for us to visit other places. I'm definitely pretty excited.
Day 1
Eureka is a little over 300 miles from our house, but the drive didn't seem that long as there were so many attractions along the way. Our first stop was the Drive-Thru Tree Park in Leggett. Its main feature was the Chandelier Tree, which has a tunnel cut through it to allow cars to drive through. This was an interesting sight, although I couldn't help but feel bad for the tree. I'd say the Drive-Thru Tree Park was overall my favorite part of the trip.
As my family loves the great outdoors, my parents and I went hiking in Humboldt Redwoods State Park before continuing on to Eureka. The trails were absolutely amazing, especially with the beautiful redwood groves.
All of us were kind of tired from all the traveling, so we didn't do much in the evening except relax in the spa at our hotel. The hot tub was quite nice!
Day 2
It was time to find out what Eureka had to offer after a good night's sleep. There wasn't much to do other than visit the harbor and check out the local stores, but we still had lots of fun. One interesting attraction was the giant hammer in front of Pierson Building Center, a supplier of home improvement products. The hammer is actually quite famous; I imagine it's brought in a lot of business for the store.
We also came across an office building that housed the local branches of the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. I wanted to go in and take a look as geology is one of my major interests. The office was closed for the weekend as is normal for government agencies, so we just took a couple of pictures outside. It was then time to head home after a long day.
On the whole, my family really enjoyed this trip. The nice thing is that spring break has only just begun, which means there are plenty of opportunities for us to visit other places. I'm definitely pretty excited.
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