Lazy or anti-social or rude?

I wasn't a fan of text messaging in the past because it was cumbersome to do it on my old cell phone. Moreover, my service provider charged me an arm and a leg for it, since it was internet messaging, not SMS messaging. Anyhow, now my plan includes text messaging. Even though I am predominantly an "E" (extrovert), I can be anti-social (AKA "I" for introvert). Sometimes, I send a text message instead of picking up the phone.

Pros:

• Quick Q&A
• Short and sweet messages
• Friendly reminders
• Can avoid an unwanted conversation
• No interruptions
• Convenient in hush-hush areas, i.e. movie theatre, library

Cons:

• Slow to type with thumbs
• Possible misunderstanding w/o body language
• Time lag between messages
• Evidence of communication (for nosy people to find)
• Ok or rude to pick up a phone call during a meeting, but unacceptable to respond to a text message

Happy April Fool's Eve!

5 Years ago today, I met somebody special. I will never forget that moment. Since that time, many moments have become worth cherishing. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. However, mere words cannot fully express how I feel. If "you" are reading this: Mahal kita.

Customers are #1

Help
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Ok, one more Dilbert to share... I'm not in tech support per se, but I am in a technical role. When I saw this, I thought it would be perfect to hang in my cubicle. I think I'll scan it in and use it as an opener at my next technical presentation, ha ha.

Today is Friday. I wish we can put up a "closed" sign. Most of our customers are in the Asia time zone, so it would work out to give us Fridays off, or at least half-days. I'd even settle for every other Friday off, even if just summers. I can't wait until the weather is pleasant again. It's not too bad during the day now, but it's chilly in the evenings.

TGIF.

Out, out, you demons of stupidity!!

Out, out, you demons of stupidity!!
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

This is my wallpaper on my computer, that is when I'm not using the caribbean shot. Downloaded from www.dilbert.com. I love Dilbert.

"Sacred stone" in Italian

"Sacred stone" in Italian
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Pleasantly surprised to find another good wine, albeit from California. Since I'm bad at remembering names, I plan on taking pictures of the wine bottle labels from now on. My friend suggesting writing my wines down, but my memory tends to be more spatial/visual.

1 Step closer to Europe

1 Step closer to Europe
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Today, I picked up some travel guide books at AAA. Even though I have a friend in each city, I want something tangible to review beforehand here and carry with me there. I was happy with Lonely Plant for Japan last summer, so I decided to get Lonely Planet for the Best of London. Unfortunately, there wasn't any available for Paris. I have yet to peruse these books, but I'm open to personal recommendations. Suggestions so far include the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame.

On a side note, I'm quite impressed with the services offered by AAA. Besides the obvious services, like maps and auto insurance, AAA also provides:
a) Notary services
b) Passport photo taking
c) DMV auto registration renewal (you get your sticker instantly, no waiting)
d) Plastic spare key in case you (or I) lock oneself out of the car
What else is there?

7 days and counting...

I'm 'N Luv Wit a Stripper

That is the lyric of one of the top songs on the radio at this moment. Can you believe that? I don't know where singers get their ideas. My brother thinks that it will be part of a movie, that is if it wasn't originally written for it in the first place. Here's something crazy: when non-English speakers are jamming to an American song, but don't know what the song is all about. For example, a Korean colleague asked me about a lyric in another song, "We'll go back in the van and do what we can". So what do people do in a van?? Let's just say that it was an awkward moment.

If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing this song yet, click on the play button below for the music video:

T-Pain Lyrics

T-Pain Music Video Codes

Music Video Codes by VideoCure.com

Electronic signature

The use of electronic signatures is becoming more prevalent.  I recall the first time one of my suppliers asked me to sign an electronic pad for his service.  I was taken aback.  True, I should trust our supplier, but how do I know that my signature won't be stolen or sold?  This practice is more widespread nowadays at common establishments, including grocery stores, department stores, etc.  I suppose that the technology is advanced enough to ensure privacy and security, but there is always that chance to fall victim to fraud and identity theft.  I've heard some scary stories out there.  What happens if I decide to refuse to sign electronically?  I guess I have the option to take my business elsewhere or pay in cash.  This is just a random thought I had recently.

 

Pros:

• Save the trees (environmentally-friendly)
• Create new jobs for this electronic device
• Electronic storage, less storage/waste for receipts
• More efficient gathering of data
• Easier tracking of data

Cons:

• Less control for consumers
• Sensitive information (both credit card number and signature)

11 Bottles of fine wine

11 Bottles of fine wine
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

My friend had volunteered again to pour at an annual wine tasting. One perk of being a pourer is the option to take the "leftovers". She took a dozen opened bottles home, so we have about 1 week or so. Shortly after, I came over to her house to enjoy some of it with her and other friends. She offered to give me the bottles, since I was a wine drinker (AKA pseudo-alcoholic). What a great friend!! The status on my mission impossible: 5 down, 6 to go.

I was drinking wine every night until I got sick recently. Who can say no to free wine? So I picked up the habit again. Some of the wine bottles are better than others. I tried 3 different types of wine from Vina Robles. It was a pleasant surprise to find a good brand. I wonder if I can find it at the local grocery store. If not, then I will have to make the trek to a wine store, maybe the Sepulveda Wine Company in Manhattan Beach. 6 bottles and counting, cheers!

Incredible returns at ING

Sounds too good to be true? 4.75% APR until April 15th, then 3.8% thereafter. My friend has been bugging me to open a savings account at ING Direct. It does sound more rewarding than my measly 1.25% at my credit union. I figured there must be a catch. So I did a Google search, but could only find positive reports by fellow bloggers and reputable sites, such as About.com and epinions.com.

ING Direct is the epitome of on-line banking, since there is no brick-and-mortar establishment and no ATMs. The drawback is the inability to walk up to a machine or teller and ask for money. Less overhead and costs - this is how ING can afford to offer an outstanding interest rate. You must have a current account established at another bank where you can have it linked to your ING account. The advantage is the liquidity of your money in a savings account as opposed to other investment tools like 5-year CDs. However, there is a 2-day transaction period for transfers. Other than that, I don't see any significant cons. If you heard of any, please share it in the comment box below.

I know some other people who have been using ING Direct. So far, so good. I had my friend send me a referral by email, so I got a $25 bonus and he got a $10 bonus when I signed up for a new account. The catch: Minimum $250 initial deposit, but after that there is no minimum required. Talk about a win-win situation. I've sent some referrals to friends, but let me know if you want one.

Moving in Cubicleville

I am packing up my stuff so that my cube will be switched during my business trip. I shall miss my corner cube, no more privacy. I hate moving, but it does give me a reason to throw away stuff.

Multi-tasking at best

Dilbert brightens my day.

First time to lead climb

I went rock climbing indoors with my friend yesterday.  I normally top-rope, but he showed me how to lead climb for the first time.  If you don't know, here's the 3 types of climbing that I know of:

1. Bouldering: No harness used, no partner needed, maximum height = 1 story, disadvantage: no rope = no breaks.
2. Top-roping: Harness required, partner needed to belay for you, maximum height = 2 stories, rope is already established for the route, advantage = can take breaks along the way up.
3. Lead climbing: Harness required, partner needed to belay for you, maximum height = 2+ stores, no rope, so you have to bring your own rope and clip it in on the way up.

Lead climbing is harder since you have to hang long enough so that you can clip in.  You have to drag and pull the rope up with you, so that you can clip it into the next one.  Your partner has to pay attention when to give you slack so that you can move up, but remove the slack once you've clipped in.  You're only as secure as the last clip you put in place, so it's scary if you miss a clip or have trouble clipping in- that's where you pray your partner "breaks" (stops the rope), so that you don't fall much.

 

My friend went up first, so he clipped the rope in on the way up.  So my job was to "clean" it up (AKA remove the clips on the way up).  I might be getting the climbing lingo wrong, but I think you can get the gist of it.  My friend clearly stated, "Whatever you do, don't remove the last 2 clips at the top.  I know this sounds dumb, but make sure you don't do it.  Otherwise, your descent will be faster than it should be."  Sounds like common sense, but I think that's why there are 2 clips.

Puerto Nuevo, Mexico

Admiring the ocean view while enjoying lobster and margaritas with my bros...


View this clip on Vimeo

Too good to eat

Too good to eat
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Happy birthday, Sebastiano!

Dolphins in Honduras

In addition to the whale shark pictures, my buddy in Honduras sent me this video clip.
View this clip on Vimeo

Cookie monster

Cookie monster
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Beckers Bakery in Manhattan Beach, always smells good when we pass by.

Suction cups = Boob enlarger

Boob enlarger
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

I was at the doctor's office and saw this article in a recent Allure magazine. I've heard of an enlarger for men, but not for women. This invention was originally published in July 1999. Unfortunately, these suction cups aren't very effective. Who would want to wear those things for 10 hours per day? Ouch.

Anal or Analytical?

Scatter Plot
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Today, I realized that the word "anal" is part of "analytical". Not mind-blowing news or anything, but something amusing to me...

The other night, I was compiling all the bills for my roomies and me. Each of us take care of some of the bills on our own, but we don't split it on a monthly basis. I wait until I get scared that I might owe them a fortune, which is about every 6 months. It got complicated, so I started an Excel spreadsheet. Call me nerdy, but it's more accurate and easier to track. Since I had about a year's worth of data by now, I decided to analyze the data in Minitab- scatterplot (see above), pie chart, and stacked bar chart.

It was interesting to find trends or abnormalities. Last year, I had noticed a spike in our gas bill, 3-4 times higher usage than normal. Promptly, our landlord changed out the water heater and now the gas bill is almost back to normal. Who's nerdy now?

Analytical = Anal

Note: On purpose, I removed the units on the y-scale.

Change of plans

I'm a "planner", so I don't adjust well to change. I just found out that I'm not flying out next Thursday. My business trip will be delayed for one week. Now I have to re-book all my tickets and reservations. I know "it happens", but it's going to cost me some money out of my own pocket. Yesterday I had pre-paid for a hotel in Paris, but at least the penalty fee is not much, however the hotel is booked for Easter weekend. Now my hotel hunt begins again. My flight is triple the cost on the holiday weekend, but the company should be covering that. I have yet to tell my other friend who bought his plane ticket from his own pocket, eek. I think I will move my vacation weekends by one week, unless I decide to swap it by going to Paris before London. Back to the drawing board...

A picture means 3 words

A picture means 3 words
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Another pic from our day trip in Rosarito, Mexico. I got this idea from another greeting card, but this one could be good for Valentine's, hmm... Hallmark, watch out!

Art by sMhyla
Photography by Benj

Pet piggy?

Pet piggy?
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Yup, one of my classmates has 2 pet pigs- not one, but two. It was like a free zoo attraction as a break from poker that night. I'm just glad that no one lost their fingers, but I didn't dare pet the pigs.

Another DVD milestone

Recent accomplishment= done watching 2nd season of 24. 2 down, 1 to go- what a great TV series! This will be short 'n sweet since I'm moblogging.

Countdown to Europe

Ok, my schedule is getting finalized.  Most of my bookings have been done, so I'm less worried now.  I've decided to take 1 vacation day before and after my 1-week business trip, so that I can have a full weekend in London and another full weekend in Paris.  I've never been to Europe and I know 2 weekends won't be enough, but it's a start.  I usually don't give my xy-coordinates in real-time, but I'd like some input.

• Thurs, March 30th - depart from US (woo hoo)
• Fri, March 31st - arrive in London, spend the weekend in London
• Mon, April 3rd - work in Cambridge for 2 days, then fly to Holland
• Wed, April 5th - work in Holland, Netherlands
• Thurs, April 6th - work in Cambridge, then fly to Lyon, France
• Fri, April 7th - work in Lyon, then take train to Paris, spend the weekend in Paris
• Mon, April 10th - fly back to the US (boo hoo)

Now I just need to decide what to do with my weekends, i.e. typical touristy stuff like museums and of course some European clubbing.  I am meeting up some friends in London and Paris, so I'm excited to have a personal tour guide, especially one who speaks French.  So much to do, so much to see, in so little time!  Suggestions on what to do in my comment box below would be much appreciated.

I <3 what's his name

I
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

When my eyes set on this t-shirt, I knew it was perfect...

This picture was taken 2 weekends ago at a Pepperdine poker night, but here's a conversation recall about the t-shirt. A few months ago, I was getting my Nano iPod fixed at the Genius Bar in the local Apple store...

Genius looked at me and struck up a side conversation with me, "So what's his name?"

With a look of puzzlement, I replied, "Huh?" I thought to myself, "Does this guy know me from somewhere?? Who has he talked to??"

Genius pointed to my chest. I forgot that I was wearing this t-shirt.

I said, "Oh. There's too many of them to remember. Just kidding. He's over there." I pointed to my friend at the other side of the store.

Moral(s) of the story:
a) I like funny t-shirts.
b) This t-shirt is like a tattoo- don't use any specific name(s), so that it can be re-used.
c) I can't remember names.
d) All of the above.

Random phone call or not?

"Hello, sMhyla*. Just calling to say hello. Umm... I know you don't want to talk to me, so I won't f!%$ around with it. I just wanted to call and say hello and uh... I hope you are doing well. Alright? Bye."

This is a random message on my work voicemail today. I played the message over and over until I recognized the voice. This is an ex-boyfriend who I dated off and on during my college years. However, I rarely talk about him, because the thought of him makes me an angry person. We have nothing in common, so we are not friends. To say the least, he didn't make me a better person and I didn't realize it until several years later. I'm reminded of him when I paid $1,000 or more to fix my car from being "lowered". Yes, he had different springs installed as a "gift" to me. It's my fault that I let him, but I didn't realize it would ruin my tires, alignment, axels and boots, much less cause a crack in my exhaust manifold.

Anyhow, I had stopped communicating with him in early 2001. I ran into him at a party on June 2003. I have nothing to say to him, so I haven't kept in touch. Today I get a voicemail from him out of the blue. He didn't give me his phone number to return his call. I don't have his phone numbers. I had changed my cell phone number, but he had my work phone number. Is this a random phone call or not?

*Pseudonym was used in the message recall in order to protect my identity.

No drugs down the drain

When I picked up something from a local pharmacy today, there was a flyer in the bag. The California Pharmacists Association is spreading awareness about "No drugs down the drain". Sounds like common sense, but I didn't realize that medicine is considered hazardous waste. Therefore, flushing pills down the toilet is polluting the environment. Unfortunately, I have done so in the past, but now I know better. I learn something new every day...

Hola from Rosarito

Hola from Rosarito
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

This weekend, it was too cold to lay out on the beach at Rosarito, Mexico, so I played around in the sand. More sand "art" to come...

Puerto Nuevo, Mexico

Puerto Nuevo, Mexico
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Good place for eating lobster and sipping on margaritas, right on the ocean. Puerto Nuevo is about 20 minutes south of the border, right next to Rosarito. Nice sign for tourists, eh?

I'm in The Man's Guidebook

CLICK HERE to read the blog post about the "Guide to Giving Flowers" on the blog called The Man's Guidebook. This blog post makes reference to my original blog post from last month about tulips and carnations (CLICK HERE). I appreciate this blogger for sending me a personal email notifying me that he is using my blog. Read that blog if you want to know things like how to make homemade maple syrup, yum!

Free puppies = Evil hoax

I was told that the "free puppies" offer was an evil hoax. These pictures and emails have been circulating for years, according to the Hoax-Slayer website. How lame.

I'm hot!!!

When you're hot, you're hot. When you're not, you're not. Tonight, I wasn't feeling so hot for the first poker game. My bro, who paid my first buy-in, ended up winning the first game. After that, I was on a serious lucky streak. I was playing "tight" at first, but at one point I was playing and playing since I kept getting good cards. Before I knew it, I was chip leader. My brothers and their friends try to scare me through bluffing, but it doesn't work for 2 reasons. First, I had good cards. Second, I simply don't pay attention in "reading" those signs. I'm not going to give details, but I did win the second game ($50 pot). I must say, some of my impressive winning hands were:

• 2, 7 (worst hand possible), which gave me a two pair after the turn
• Pair of Queens, which became a set on the flop, and then a four of a kind after the turn

As for the third game, I knocked out two players (including my bro) at the beginning, which automatically made me chip leader again. That was a pretty exciting moment in my poker life. When I finally went head-to-head with my lil' bro, my lucky streak ran out. My lil' bro took all my chips from under me. At least, the mula stayed within the family. It's great that I was on a lucky streak, but now I have to learn how to play good with bad cards. I can't believe we played until ~3:00 am. Time to go to bed now, zzz...

Free puppies

Free puppies
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Does anyone have a good home for one or some of these puppies? Otherwise, my coworker's friend will have to them put down. :( I'd like one, but I can hardly take care of myself, much less a puppy.

Stopped by a spam-bot

I've been posting to my blog via e-mail alot lately, since it's quick and painless. However, I was stopped by a spam-bot yesterday, so I had to log onto my blog site and verify my account. This is one excuse for my MIA status in the blogosphere. I'm also sick again, ugh.

The other reason is my newest obession: Watching the TV show, "24", on DVD. I finished watching the first season on DVD. If I start at a decent time, then I can cram in 1 disc or 4 episodes per night. There are about 6 disc per season. I've got 2 more seasons on DVD to go. I think I'm making up for lost time since I was going to b-school on nights and weekends. Watching TV shows on DVD is great- no commercials, no waiting a week or two in between episodes, whenever I want. Blogaholic turning into a couch potatoe, oh no!

Ex-vending machine junkie

I'm sorry to say that I used to survive off snacks from a vending machine, especially through the two years of b-school. I quit cold turkey on the junk food since graduation. Lately, I started carpooling with my brother to work. Earlier this week, my bro was late in picking me up due to traffic. It was cold and windy in LA, so I scampered back inside to the breakroom. My coworker had been chowing down on a bag of Funyuns the other day, so it sounded good to me at that very moment. Unfortunately, the vending machine was full, but there was no Funyuns. Here's a new tagline, "No fun without Funyuns" (or is this an old tagline?). Regardless, this must be a sign...

Shark in Honduras

Shark in Honduras
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

My buddy took this shot while working with a whale/shark research center in Honduras. People pay him to swim with sharks. Cool, huh? He sent us a movie clip of dolphins too, which I'll post on my blog as soon as I learn how to do it.

Photography by Irish Dave.

R2-D2 stuck in LA gridlock

R2-D2 stuck in LA gridlock
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Look at what we passed on the 405 freeway after work today. We're not the only ones stuck in LA traffic. Click on the picture to get a closer look at R2-D2 in the back seat and the turbobusters on the side of the car. This guy must pick up all the chicks!

Wanna see me sweat?

Revlon 5K on May 13th, 2006
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Join us for the Revlon Run/Walk in Los Angeles on May 13th
More info at: http://www.revlonrunwalk.com

You can support by:
a) Walk or run with us
b) Sponsor our team
c) Cheer for us
d) All of the above

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

My postage stamp

My postage stamp
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Another cool thing to post on my blog.

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Photography by Sparky.

TGIF

The Girls
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

The Girls last weekend, it has been awhile...

I want me lucky charms!!!!

I want me lucky charms!!!!
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

That was the subject line of the email I just received from my collegue/friend. He took a picture from his office window in the UK and sent it to us. Nice guy, eh?

Guess what? That's where I'll be by April Fool's Day! Yup, it will be my first business trip in Europe. UK and France, here I come! I wish I had some vacation time to stay beyond my 1-week business trip. At least, my ex-pat friend can show me the city a little bit on the weekend. I might go to Korea this month too, but that's up in the air. Traveling is one of the few perks about the job. I need more customers in Europe, and I wouldn't mind some in the Caribbean either.

Another anonymous reader

A person browsed my site anonymously through another site, called Guardster. Why?

PS. Or maybe why ask why?

Talented Toes

Talented Toes
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

I saw this guy play at Balboa Park, San Diego. Amazing.

I'll kick your butt.

I'll kick your butt.
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Sign on the door of the locker room at the rock climbing gym, cool. This is the first time I noticed it. Click on the picture to see the fine print.

PS. Hope I'm not too sore from climbing for yoga practice tomorrow. Ugh...

Love & Hate

How can you love someone so much, yet hate them just the same? The feeling of anger swells within, unable to be channeled or understood. Pain, pain, go away.

Miss August 2006

Miss August 2006
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

This is the first time I shared this picture to the public (from a Caribbean cruise, St. Thomas Island). *blush* But I figured this would be the only time that I will be in a swimsuit calendar, ha ha.

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Photography by Sparky.

Your own vintage vending machine

Coke or Pepsi? I prefer Coke, but I failed the taste test in my b-school class last year. But I still say I like Coke. Anyhow, I found this cool gift idea from Costco when I was searching for poker chips (yes, odd, isn't it?).

It doesn't have a price tag from the 1950's though, only $120 at Costco.com or $160 at Amazon.com. The vintage vending machine for Coke holds 10 cans, while for Pepsi a whole dozen. It's not only for Coke, but also beer or whatever 12 oz. drink quenches your thirst.

Not quite Anonymouse

From the website: "Many mice surf the web under the illusion that their actions are private and anonymous.Unfortunately, it isn't so. Every time you visit a site for a piece of cheese, you leave acalling card that reveals where you're coming from, what kind of computer you have,and other details. And many cats keep logs of all your visits, so that they can catch you!This service allows you to surf the web without revealing any personal information.It is fast, it is easy, and it is free!"

Someone recently viewed my blog site through Anonymouse.org. This person thought he/she was being anonymous, but my handy dandy sitemeters tell me otherwise. One sitemeter says the host location is in Germany, but the time zone was in UTC+8:00, CCT - China Coast Time, Russian Federation Zone 7. The time zone doesn't fit the location, but I know that anyone can change the time zone on their computer. I learned that Anonymouse.org is a company based in Germany, so I'm sure the "secret admirer" is probably from Asia, not Europe. My other sitemeter wasn't fooled by Anonymouse.org- the location is Beijing, China. Ni hao!!!

This isn't the first time that some person(s) tried viewing my blog site anonymously. Sure, privacy is sacred, but minimal information is shared on a sitemeter, so...

The question of the day is: Why would someone in China not want to be tracked while perusing my blog?

Update: This person was reading a couple of my posts for at least a half hour, but first read my recent post about Schmap wanting to use my Vegas pics (CLICK HERE to read that post). I just agreed to release the rights to Schmap. While perusing Schmap.com, I noticed that one of the Schmap locations is Beijing. 2 + 2 = 4?? But why the secrecy?

My own magazine cover!!!

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

My official Flickr badge

My official Flickr badge
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Now I'm official!

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

My tummy hurts

I think I had a bit too much wine last night. Alcohol is not agreeing with my stomach at this moment. I didn't puke, but I wish I had since it needs to get out of my system one way or another (not to be graphic). I don't really have a hangover, but I'm laying in bed eating crackers and sipping on water. When I drink alot, I tend to wake up early, like 8:01 am today. I don't know why I can't sleep in, since I only got 6.5 hours, but I definately need more beauty sleep than that. I guess 6 glasses of wine is too much... Argh...

Save 10% for my flowers

I figure you'd want to save some money when you send flowers to your special lady in your life... Mother's Day is the next holiday (May 14th for those guys who forget the date, but not their mom or wife).

www.ftd.com/giftideas or 800-SEND-FTD
Promo code: 9347
Expires 06/30/06

You're welcome :)

PS. The last time I received flowers (a long time now), the flowers came with an advertisement, so I thought I'd share the savings.

Lost ID = No partying :(

I'm so sad. My roomie just realized that she lost her driver's license, which means she won't be partying with us tonight. We haven't partied together recently. I can't believe we need a stupid ID. Can't wait until we have electronic chips inserted into our skin, so we can't lose it. She doesn't have her passport with her, so she has no other form of ID. I wish there was a way we could get her into the club, darn it!

Our pic is on the internet

Girls at Club Saffire
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Ok, my bro is not the only cool one in our family. I just remembered that a photographer took our picture at Club Saffire last Fall, but I never saw the picture. So I looked up IntheSceneMagazine.com and found us (CLICK HERE to check us out and other pics). I think it's a competitor to the 944 magazine that my bro was in last month, but 944 only covers San Diego and Las Vegas, but Los Angeles is next. I haven't been out in awhile... We're going to party it up in the South Bay tonight, so maybe I'll have some cute pics to share later.

4,177 Pictures and counting

Tonight, I was uploading pictures and noticed the last picture file number. Here are some data points to give you an idea...

• CIMG0001.JPG, 08/20/05
• CIMG2921.JPG, 10/18/05
• CIMG4177.JPG, 03/02/06

So I clicked my new camera roughly 3,000 times in the first 2 months, but most of that was in the first 2.5 weeks when I was on vacation in Japan. Since then, my capture rate has dropped. In the last 4 months, I've barely snapped my camera another 1,000 times. I'm not as digital-crazy as I once used to be. Lately, I have not been my social-butterfly self. When the digital camera is flashing, I insist on being the photographer rather than the subject. One other reason for my camera shyness is that I'm not feeling so good about myself (that's another story).

Anyhow, the only other person(s) I know who could beat my capture rate would be my twin brothers. They bought their first digital cameras last year. I wonder what is their last picture file number. For my mom's birthday on Sunday (lunch, Balboa Park, and IMAX film), I snapped my camera 110 times, but only kept 99 pictures files. I would have taken a few more, but my battery died since I hadn't charged it for a few weeks. My brother #2 beat me with 131 pictures, but I'm not sure how many he deleted. I wonder if there is a OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) for digital camera picture taking, because that might run in my family! Hee hee.

Now back to reality, I seriously need to look into taking a digital photography class. I want to focus on more quality, than quantity. People tell me that I have to buy a nice digital SLR, but I wonder if there are any classes for the digital point-and-shoot cameras. Not everyone has or wants to shell out the mula for a digital SLR. At least, I can take a picture, then delete and shoot again if necessary- the beauty of digital! I've been practicing 4,177 times so far since August, but that's not even including the shots from my previous 2 digital cameras. Hmm... I wonder what the total times I've snapped since my first digital camera I got as gift on my birthday in 2002. Hmm...

Schmap wants to use my pics

Here is an email I recently found in my Flickr inbox...
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Alexandra Moss
Subject: Schmap: Las Vegas Photo Short-list

Hi smhyla,I am writing to let you know that two of your photos with a creative commons license have been short-listed for inclusion in our Schmap Las Vegas Guide, to be published late March 2006.

[I removed the link, but here's a screen shot]

Clicking this link will take you to a page where you can:
i) See which of your photos have been short-listed
ii) Submit or withdraw your photos from our final selection phase
iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides
iv) Download and preview a sample Schmap Guide.

Our submission deadline is Sunday, March 5. If you happen to be reading this message after this date, please still click on the link above (our Schmap destination guides are updated frequently - photos submitted after this deadline will be considered for later releases).

Best regards,
Ali Moss,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides
----------------------------------------------------------

Hmm... Supposedly, the photos in their guide will link to my original photos in my Flickr account AND they will display my Flickr name right next to the picture. Supposedly, this guide is free for consumers to download, but the company does make a profit off the advertising. They had to ask me for permission since I assigned a Creative Commons License for non-commercial use of all of my digital pictures. They are offering publicity for me, but no $$. Hmm... I have 2 days to release the rights for them to use my 2 digital pictures from Vegas (see below). What shall I do?

It's raining, it's pouring...

sMhyla is not snoring.  Yup, it's raining again in SoCal.  Originally, the weatherman (or woman) predicted it would rain Tues-Thurs, but it only rained one day earlier this week.  This morning, I wake up to it pouring.  Darn, at least TGIF.  I was hoping to do something outdoorsy since it seemed nice during the day.  It's been hot during the day, then cold at night.  One more day to go until the weekend.  8+ hours and counting...

My blog etiquette

These are my own guidelines, but I expect my "secret admirers" to treat me in the same respect. In no particular order...

• No blogging about work (I like my job and I want to keep it)
• Use pseudonyms or nicknames (real names are not preferred, but common first names might be ok, i.e. John)
• No revealing location in real-time (don't need stalkers)
• No revealing location in pictures or writing, meaning I will try to smudge/blur using Photoshop anything identifiable in pictures, i.e. street names, company names, name tags
• Notify a friend if I blogged about them, i.e. send them a link to the particular post
• Inform a friend that I like their story enough to blog (Nowadays, a few friends will preface a conversation by saying, "sMhyla, you can't blog about this, ok??" When it's explicitly stated, I will keep my promise.)
• Be open and honest in my blog (sometimes too open, I'm sure, but as I mentioned before, it is my blog)
• Respond to comments when I see fit and time permits (don't want to be a blog snob)
• Modify/delete comments that are disrespectful (I've only had to assert this right on two occassions so far)

I'm sure I'm missing somethings on this list. I reserve the right to modify these guidelines. For my fellow bloggers, what's your blog etiquette?

My lil' bro (AKA brother #3)

Lil bro and me
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

This is bro #3. Lately, I've been talking a bit about bros #1 and #2, but not much about bro #3. I don't get to see bro #3 as much since he's still in college. I like my lil bro. I felt like posting a picture of the two of us that bro #2 captured last weekend.

PS. If you haven't noticed... I love taking pictures, but lately I haven't been in any pictures. Not feeling so good about myself, ugh.

My bro #2 is famous now

I went to San Diego last weekend for my mom's birthday. Last Saturday night, my brothers and I go clubbing to my fave club, On Broadway, in the Gaslamp District. One of the best, if not the best, clubs in San Diego, if I may say so myself. Anyhow, we were hanging out in the club when I noticed a bunch of magazines strewn across some cocktail tables. I picked a magazine up and started browsing. It's called, 944. I thought it was some area code. My brother #1 came over and mentioned that it's a new magazine for San Diego. Last month, the magazine provided a list of all the hot spots in SD. Cool. When my brother #2 joined us, he took the magazine and flipped to a particular page, then gave it back to me. I looked and found myself staring at my brother's picture. Wow.



My brother was with his friend at Club Aubergine about a month or so ago for the "Four Seasons Art Experience". I rolled up the magazine and put it in my jacket. My brother said that the magazine was free at places, like 24 Hour Fitness. However, the list price on the magazine cover says $4.99. I bet it's a marketing scheme to offer it free in the clubs, gyms, and such, since it's new. The magazine dedicates a whole section for "nightsites", which is a compilation of pictures from different nights at various clubs. I imagine that each of these clubs pay for that half or full page of advertising. Everyone wants to see their own pictures in a magazine, which causes instant talk about the magazine and the clubs. Sounds like a win-win situation. Interesting concept.

Tonight, I was thinking about the magazine, so I googled it. Sure enough, I found the website, www.944.com. Bingo. I found my bro's picture on the internet too. Cool. So now I'm blogging about it. CLICK HERE for the pic and the magazine. It's more than just a photo storage place, since you can vote on the picture and suggest a caption or email about the pic- crazy, huh? Apparently, 6 other people already had voted. My bro and his friend got a 4.33/5.0, not too shabby. What caption shall I suggest? "Dude, that's my bro!!" or how about, "Ooh la la." May sound immature, but how often do you get to see your own friends and family on the internet or in a magazine?? Everyone should be able to celebrate their few seconds of fame, or in this case the few seconds of fame of their brother. Props to my bro #2.

Dr. Seuss = 102 years old

Dr. Seuss Birthday
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Today, several volunteers, including me, read Dr. Seuss books to elementary kids. Read Across America Day is in honor of Dr. Seuss. When I went to school (if I can remember that far back), there was no such day or maybe I just missed every March 2nd. Mr. Geisel (AKA Dr. Seuss) would be 102 years old today. I know his real last name, since he bequeathed a hefty amount of $$ to build a spaceship-looking library at my college (Geisel Library).

Even though I only read 15 minutes each to 2 different classes of 4th grade students, it was very fulfilling. Although 30 minutes may sound short, it was a good 30 minutes that I wish could be longer. The kids were sincerely interested in having us read to them. They asked several questions. I'd like to do it more often, but having a job hampers that idea. Besides, the kids might appreciate it less. This kind of experience sometimes make me think that I should either take up teaching/tutoring and/or have a kid or two of my own. I think the former is more likely than the latter, even though my patience/tolerance would need some improving of course.

Anyhow, I've been out of the volunteering mode until now. I'm excited to reignite that passion of mine. On that note, the season for 5Ks for good causes have begun. I will be spearheading my own team, so there will be more info to come. If anyone else in the blogosphere has some good cause, please share.

Happy Bday, Dr. Seuss!!!

In honor of Dr. Seuss, it's also Read Across America today.  Don't forget to read to a kid or two today, or every day of the year.

Squished tomatoes

Awhile ago, I had bought a dozen tomatoes from Costco, but I never ate them. For some reason, I like to buy food and let it go to waste. So I decided to throw it out today. I tossed the tomatoes into the trash compactor and turned it on. Then I opened the trash compactor to discover squished and splattered tomatoes. Oops!

Walk for Recovery, March 26th

Brother #2 recruited me to join him and fellow SDAACs for...

Who: You and anyone who supports a good cause

What: The Annual California Walk for Recovery (from alcohol, drugs, and mental illnesses

When: Sunday, March 26th, morning (mark your calendars)

Where: Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

How:1) Walk: Register on-line at http://www.walkforrecovery.org/ by March 17th, then show up
and/or
2) Volunteer: Go to the volunteer sign-up link at http://www.walkforrecovery.org/

See you there!