The big day has arrived. I moved into the dorms at Berkeley this afternoon, and so begins a new chapter in my life.
One thing for sure is that college is very different from high school. I was nervous at first but am adjusting pretty well. I've met my roommate Scott - he's a cool guy from Southern California. The other six people in our suite are really nice too. Oh yeah, and hot chicks are everywhere. ^_^
Classes don't actually start until the 30th, but new students are encouraged to attend Welcome Week to get a feel of the school. The schedule is filled with activities, including a dance on the 27th. I'm pretty excited.
In other news...
Summer ended on a good note as the Lu family invited us to dinner at HomeTown Buffet on the 20th. Everything was delicious. I had a great time hanging out with Thomas, Connie and Jenny at their house afterwards. Of note is that the Lus agreed to meet on Friday instead of Saturday because I wanted more time to prepare for the move. I truly appreciate their consideration.
Currently playing: The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions
Historical note: Pictures from Move-In Day are available here.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Monday, August 16, 2004
the anxiety is killing me...
I'm moving to Berkeley in six days. The transition to college is no doubt one of the biggest changes in my life. This is really exciting but also scary at the same time. I'm definitely a little nervous. I'll have to admit - the past few days were so stressful that I had an anxiety attack just after returning from Alaska on the 10th. :\
All that having been said, I'm sure everything will be fine. After all, almost everyone goes to college!
In other news...
1. I finally got to try the chocolates I bought in Alaska. They were delicious and worth the price.
2. Because I'll be away from home, my parents recently got me my own cell phone. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Currently playing: Hoyle Puzzle Games (2003 edition)
All that having been said, I'm sure everything will be fine. After all, almost everyone goes to college!
In other news...
1. I finally got to try the chocolates I bought in Alaska. They were delicious and worth the price.
2. Because I'll be away from home, my parents recently got me my own cell phone. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Currently playing: Hoyle Puzzle Games (2003 edition)
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Alaska trip report
Summer has been great as my family just came back from Alaska. I know it seems crazy to go on another trip so soon, but Dad had some miles that were about to expire. Although we just went to the Pacific Northwest last month, this trip was pretty fun.
Day 1
It was a somber morning as we had to bury my grandmother Pi-Tan at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos. The service began at 10 a.m. and lasted around an hour. Following the service, the three of us had lunch with our family friends before heading home to pack up.
The first leg of the trip was an afternoon flight to Anchorage. There was a problem as we checked into the hotel: our room smelled like cigarettes despite being a non-smoking room. How unpleasant. Finding the right person took a while, but management got another room for us. It was almost midnight when we were ready for bed.
Day 2
Our first real stop was Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The route took us through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Because it has only one lane, traffic is limited to one direction and alternates at regular intervals. That was a cool experience.
At over 13 million acres, Wrangell–St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States. This was a nice place, although there wasn't much to do besides enjoy the views. The other downside is that mosquitoes were everywhere. I was bitten several times after just a few minutes. Blah.
We arrived in Valdez a few hours later. One of the most important ports in Alaska, Valdez was our destination for the next two nights. There weren't many attractions, although we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant after checking into the hotel. The food was delicious!
Day 3
Valdez marks the southern end of the Alaska pipeline, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the state. Part of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, the 800-mile pipeline carries oil from Prudhoe Bay to the Valdez Marine Terminal. This engineering marvel made for some neat pictures.
Dad took us to Worthington Glacier in the late afternoon. The glacier looked small from a distance, but we were surprised by its size as we approached. The nice thing is that it wasn't too cold here. On the way back to the car, I noticed one of the doors was open. Oh crap. To our relief, everything was accounted for. That was a close call.
Day 4
Our next destination was Fairbanks. Due to the distance, most of the day was spent on the road. On the other hand, the scenery along the route was amazing and made the drive very worthwhile.
About 15 miles south of Fairbanks was North Pole. The town isn't related to the real North Pole but has a strong Christmas theme. The whimsical street names like Santa Claus Lane and Kris Kringle Drive made for memorable photos. The funny thing is that we came across this place by chance. Sometimes the best things are unplanned.
Day 5
One thing I was looking forward to was crossing the Arctic Circle. Because most rental agencies don't allow their vehicles on unpaved roads - such as the Dalton Highway - we decided to book a tour. Our guide Tank was an outdoor enthusiast who knew everything about Alaska. Of note is that we were the only ones who signed up. That meant we got to take the extra food. Talk about VIP treatment. :-)
The four of us arrived at the Arctic Circle after a four-hour drive. The only feature was a large wooden sign, but stopping here was a unique experience. Tank took some pictures with us before driving us back to Fairbanks. On the whole, the tour was my favorite part of the trip.
We said goodbye to Tank and headed to downtown Fairbanks for groceries. I took the opportunity to buy a box of chocolates from Alaska Wild Berry Products at Fred Meyer. The unusual flavors like fireweed and gooseberry had caught my eye. I can't wait to try them as they sound really good.
The fun ended when Dad got pulled over for speeding - in Alaska of all places. It just happened that he was going very fast because of the downhill slope. This was rather unexpected, especially considering that we rarely saw police. The fine wasn't too steep but still put a damper on our mood. :-(
Our lodging for the night was a cabin in Cantwell. According to the sign, Cantwell has a population of only about 200 people. It was one of the most desolate places I've ever been. Despite the remoteness, the cabin wasn't too bad.
Day 6
I'm glad we bought our groceries the day before because room service was insanely expensive. For example, the full breakfast was around $16 according to the menu. Yikes!
After checking out of the cabin, my family headed to Denali National Park and Preserve for another tour. We saw all kinds of animals, such as bears, elk and moose. Denali was definitely another highlight of the trip. Like the Arctic Circle tour, this one also lasted about eight hours. All of us were completely exhausted when the tour ended.
Back in Anchorage, the three of us had dinner at a Japanese restaurant before returning to the hotel. It was nice to finally get some well-deserved rest.
Day 7
Our flight home was in the afternoon. We spent the morning exploring the downtown and browsing the shops. I wanted to visit the Alaska Wild Berry Products store, but there wasn't enough time. This was unfortunate because I wanted to check out the factory tour and free samples. Oh well. :-(
The flight to San Francisco was uneventful. Our family friend Karen picked us up and gave us a ride home. I was totally exhausted at this point and went to bed shortly afterwards.
Conclusions
This was easily one of our best vacations ever. I enjoyed every moment of the trip, but the Arctic Circle tour was my favorite part by far. Not many people can say they've crossed the Arctic Circle. Denali was also fun as we saw all kinds of wildlife. The memories from this trip will last years.
Alaska is one of the few unspoiled places in the world. Of course, the downside is that it gets extremely cold in the winter. It's certainly not a place I'd want to live. That said, I wouldn't mind a vacation there every so often. :-)
Currently playing: Field & Stream: Trophy Bass 4
Historical note: Pictures from the trip are available here.
Day 1
It was a somber morning as we had to bury my grandmother Pi-Tan at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos. The service began at 10 a.m. and lasted around an hour. Following the service, the three of us had lunch with our family friends before heading home to pack up.
The first leg of the trip was an afternoon flight to Anchorage. There was a problem as we checked into the hotel: our room smelled like cigarettes despite being a non-smoking room. How unpleasant. Finding the right person took a while, but management got another room for us. It was almost midnight when we were ready for bed.
Day 2
Our first real stop was Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The route took us through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Because it has only one lane, traffic is limited to one direction and alternates at regular intervals. That was a cool experience.
At over 13 million acres, Wrangell–St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States. This was a nice place, although there wasn't much to do besides enjoy the views. The other downside is that mosquitoes were everywhere. I was bitten several times after just a few minutes. Blah.
We arrived in Valdez a few hours later. One of the most important ports in Alaska, Valdez was our destination for the next two nights. There weren't many attractions, although we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant after checking into the hotel. The food was delicious!
Day 3
Valdez marks the southern end of the Alaska pipeline, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the state. Part of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, the 800-mile pipeline carries oil from Prudhoe Bay to the Valdez Marine Terminal. This engineering marvel made for some neat pictures.
Dad took us to Worthington Glacier in the late afternoon. The glacier looked small from a distance, but we were surprised by its size as we approached. The nice thing is that it wasn't too cold here. On the way back to the car, I noticed one of the doors was open. Oh crap. To our relief, everything was accounted for. That was a close call.
Day 4
Our next destination was Fairbanks. Due to the distance, most of the day was spent on the road. On the other hand, the scenery along the route was amazing and made the drive very worthwhile.
About 15 miles south of Fairbanks was North Pole. The town isn't related to the real North Pole but has a strong Christmas theme. The whimsical street names like Santa Claus Lane and Kris Kringle Drive made for memorable photos. The funny thing is that we came across this place by chance. Sometimes the best things are unplanned.
Day 5
One thing I was looking forward to was crossing the Arctic Circle. Because most rental agencies don't allow their vehicles on unpaved roads - such as the Dalton Highway - we decided to book a tour. Our guide Tank was an outdoor enthusiast who knew everything about Alaska. Of note is that we were the only ones who signed up. That meant we got to take the extra food. Talk about VIP treatment. :-)
The four of us arrived at the Arctic Circle after a four-hour drive. The only feature was a large wooden sign, but stopping here was a unique experience. Tank took some pictures with us before driving us back to Fairbanks. On the whole, the tour was my favorite part of the trip.
We said goodbye to Tank and headed to downtown Fairbanks for groceries. I took the opportunity to buy a box of chocolates from Alaska Wild Berry Products at Fred Meyer. The unusual flavors like fireweed and gooseberry had caught my eye. I can't wait to try them as they sound really good.
The fun ended when Dad got pulled over for speeding - in Alaska of all places. It just happened that he was going very fast because of the downhill slope. This was rather unexpected, especially considering that we rarely saw police. The fine wasn't too steep but still put a damper on our mood. :-(
Our lodging for the night was a cabin in Cantwell. According to the sign, Cantwell has a population of only about 200 people. It was one of the most desolate places I've ever been. Despite the remoteness, the cabin wasn't too bad.
Day 6
I'm glad we bought our groceries the day before because room service was insanely expensive. For example, the full breakfast was around $16 according to the menu. Yikes!
After checking out of the cabin, my family headed to Denali National Park and Preserve for another tour. We saw all kinds of animals, such as bears, elk and moose. Denali was definitely another highlight of the trip. Like the Arctic Circle tour, this one also lasted about eight hours. All of us were completely exhausted when the tour ended.
Back in Anchorage, the three of us had dinner at a Japanese restaurant before returning to the hotel. It was nice to finally get some well-deserved rest.
Day 7
Our flight home was in the afternoon. We spent the morning exploring the downtown and browsing the shops. I wanted to visit the Alaska Wild Berry Products store, but there wasn't enough time. This was unfortunate because I wanted to check out the factory tour and free samples. Oh well. :-(
The flight to San Francisco was uneventful. Our family friend Karen picked us up and gave us a ride home. I was totally exhausted at this point and went to bed shortly afterwards.
Conclusions
This was easily one of our best vacations ever. I enjoyed every moment of the trip, but the Arctic Circle tour was my favorite part by far. Not many people can say they've crossed the Arctic Circle. Denali was also fun as we saw all kinds of wildlife. The memories from this trip will last years.
Alaska is one of the few unspoiled places in the world. Of course, the downside is that it gets extremely cold in the winter. It's certainly not a place I'd want to live. That said, I wouldn't mind a vacation there every so often. :-)
Currently playing: Field & Stream: Trophy Bass 4
Historical note: Pictures from the trip are available here.
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
buried my grandmother today
It was an emotional day as we laid my maternal grandmother Pi-Tan to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos. You may recall that she passed away two and a half months ago. Her funeral was held in Taiwan, but we asked my aunt Jill to bring her ashes back because she loved America.
The service at was a fairly small affair. The only attendees were Jill, the Shiehs and two close family friends. The ceremony was about an hour long and a sobering experience. As we left the cemetery and headed out to lunch, I suddenly realized just how precious life really is. I'm going to miss Grandma for sure. :-(
In other news...
On a happier note, my family is leaving for Alaska in the afternoon. This will be our second summer trip!
Currently watching: The War of the Worlds
The service at was a fairly small affair. The only attendees were Jill, the Shiehs and two close family friends. The ceremony was about an hour long and a sobering experience. As we left the cemetery and headed out to lunch, I suddenly realized just how precious life really is. I'm going to miss Grandma for sure. :-(
In other news...
On a happier note, my family is leaving for Alaska in the afternoon. This will be our second summer trip!
Currently watching: The War of the Worlds
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Happy birthday to Casey!
Our family friend Mei's son Casey just turned 10 years old. She had a big party at her house and asked us to come over. It was just me and Mom as Dad has to work and couldn't take the day off.
Aside from a few high school girls, the guests were young children and their parents. Though I mostly played games on my laptop, the party was lots of fun. I'd definitely like to thank the Lees for having us over. Summer has been great so far, especially considering that my family just came back from an awesome trip to the Pacific Northwest earlier this month.
Currently listening to: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J. S. Bach
Aside from a few high school girls, the guests were young children and their parents. Though I mostly played games on my laptop, the party was lots of fun. I'd definitely like to thank the Lees for having us over. Summer has been great so far, especially considering that my family just came back from an awesome trip to the Pacific Northwest earlier this month.
Currently listening to: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J. S. Bach
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
level 99 Firemaking in RuneScape Classic
I finally reached level 99 Firemaking in RuneScape Classic after a long grind. Here is a screenshot of me leveling up. I know this achievement is kind of pointless, but having two 99's certainly gives me bragging rights. :-)
It's a shame RuneScape Classic is no longer being updated. Sometimes newer isn't better.
Currently playing: RuneScape Classic
It's a shame RuneScape Classic is no longer being updated. Sometimes newer isn't better.
Currently playing: RuneScape Classic
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
Pacific Northwest trip report
"Looks like you're about to declare war on Canada." -- me to a kid in Port Angeles, on his firework stash
I just got back from Oregon and Washington with my parents. This was our first visit to the Pacific Northwest in years. It was one of our best vacations ever!
Day 1
The trip began with an afternoon flight to Portland. The plane landed at Portland International Airport a little less than two hours later. Dad rented an SUV and took us to our hotel, located in a quiet place in the suburbs. Lots of people were sitting outside enjoying the fresh air. The nice weather made for a perfect stroll around the area. I then spent the evening playing Field & Stream: Trophy Bass 4 and Hell to Pay on my laptop.
Day 2
The first stop of the day was Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in Washington. The 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in modern times. Dad knew I loved geology and thought I'd like this place. The view from the Johnston Ridge Observatory was breathtaking - pictures don't do it justice at all. This was followed by lunch at Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center as it was almost noon.
We checked into our hotel in Enumclaw and headed to Mt. Rainier National Park afterwards. The mountain was beautiful, especially from a distance. One trail led to Ohanapecosh Hot Springs, the site of a former resort. The springs are quite small but still had water bubbling up.
Day 3
Happy 4th of July!
The three of us went back to Mt. Rainier National Park after checking out of our hotel. One place I really liked was the Sunrise Visitor Center. There was topographic jigsaw puzzle laid out on the table at the gift shop. Though it was quite a challenge, Mom and I managed to put some pieces together.
Dad took us to Olympic National Park in the late afternoon. The highlight of our visit was Olympic Hot Springs. The round trip was a little over 4.8 miles, but that wasn't a problem because the sun sets late at this time of the year. Mom suggested soaking our feet in the water, which we did. There was virtually nobody else the whole time. It was a surreal experience.
Our final destination of the day was Port Angeles. Lots of people started lighting fireworks after sunset. Some even shot them from their boats in the harbor. This was unlike anything in California. But because we didn't know fireworks were legal here, I didn't buy any and had to miss out. This was my biggest regret of the trip.
The city's own fireworks display was also nice. Someone blared "Take It to the Limit" during the finale, adding to the atmosphere. On the whole, Port Angeles was quite enjoyable. Looks like we'll have to come back here in the future.
Day 4
We took a walk along the harbor and made a short stop at Safeway before heading to Vancouver, Washington. The beauty of the Pacific Northwest made the drive worthwhile. Upon our arrival in Vancouver, Mom noticed there were traffic enforcement cameras at every intersection. Holy crap. Just how much money do they make from citations?
Day 5
Our journey brought us back to Oregon. A sign for a U-pick blueberry farm caught our eye as we passed Hood River. The berries weren't only dirt cheap, but also juicy and delicious. The downside is that we didn't have anything to clean them with. Speaking of which, Mom said her tongue felt numb after eating the berries. Yikes!
One of the best-known attractions in Oregon is Multnomah Falls. The three-tiered waterfall was an incredible sight and made for some great pictures. The nearby Multnomah Falls Trail was perfect for a hike. I also enjoyed browsing the gift shop at the center even though nothing was cheap.
The next stop was the Bonneville Fish Hatchery in Cascade Locks. Unlike most hatcheries, this one was beautiful and had a natural feel. It was a nice place to relax before heading to Portland.
Day 6
The flight back to San Francisco was in the early afternoon. Given the schedule, there wasn't much to do besides check out the airport shops. I wish the trip wasn't over so soon, but all good things must end.
Conclusions
All in all, this was one of our most memorable vacations in years. Hiking through the forest to Olympic Hot Springs was a rewarding experience. The same goes for our stay in Port Angeles and picking blueberries. It's hard to say which was my favorite part of the trip. The Pacific Northwest is easily one of the most scenic places in the world. I wouldn't mind moving there when I retire.
Currently listening to: "Take It to the Limit" by the Eagles
Historical note: Pictures from the trip are available here.
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