latest random updates

because given the lack of updates on my part, why not.

1. i am now a senior software test engineer. hooray, a real promotion! however, they are promoting so many people that 'senior' is starting to lose its meaning...

2. somewhere i lost my watch, and it's driving me nuts

3. ski season is officially over. in my first year of skiing (ever) i put on skis 8 times in 4 trips and can now manage green slopes. it's definitely a lot of fun, albeit bad for my knees and pricey for a sport

4. must work on life goals... but i don't wanna! ...sigh...

5. both my camera and phone are dying. it is quite frustrating =(

6. finally bought a new laptop. despite my new found the ease of carrying just a tablet around, there are still things laptops they cannot manage. like, actually sorting/editing/posting my photos

7. i really hate corporate fluff words and phrases. examples, "it adds value", or "it's an opportunity"

8. oh clamp, how you bring out the hikikomori in me. listening to certain anime music has revived my interest in clamp manga, namely the events of tsubasa chronicle and xxxholic

9. sometimes i feel like the world is just going crazy and radical and polarized with no end in sight

10. i need to limit my usage of Drafts. this post was sitting unpublished for days...

lessons learned from skiing

things i learned from skiing for the first time last weekend:

i have acclimated to colder climates. my cozy parka from madison was actually too warm for me

my legs are weak sauce. which means, i need to work out more, which has been difficult lately since my knee still hurts from twisting it over the holidays

intense sports still require a lot of courage. downhill skiing and other friction-less sports are not for the feint of heart

the big toe is vital for walking. my ski boot did not fit quite right, which caused my toes to squish up and leave me with bruised big toes. the toes still hurt when walking


overall fun and much easier than snowboarding (for me). more trips are scheduled already. interesting start to the year.

Hello 2015

As severely evident by lack of posts, I became rather lazy towards the end of 2014, which was opposite of what I wanted to happen. Or perhaps the swing between 'social' and 'hermit' was just a lot more evident, I can't decide.

Anyway, a look back on 2014 through themes, because I can:
Firsts - had a lot of firsts in 2014. From my bucket list, I visited Japan (as a first solo international trip), watched a sunrise, participated in a music video, and went snorkeling in the ocean. Other significant firsts included outdoor hot springs, snowshoeing, bamboo forests, formal first dates, and sadly had my backpack stolen (with laptop, tablet, and lots of other things... sigh)
Travel - besides the various trips to Vancouver BC, Austin/Dallas, and San Francisco, I finally made a trip to Japan, relaxed in Hawaii (Maui), and explored the Olympic National Park
Weddings - attended several weddings, many of whom are long-standing friends. Also saw many newborns on my newsfeeds, which made me reflect on my current track into "adulthood"
Festivals and events - the memorable ones were ECCC, Video Games Live, Adventura, Fremont Fair, paintball, Underground Tour, NW Tea Festival, NW Chocolate Festival, Apple Festival, MOHAI, and local orchestra concerts
Hikes and active outings - the Pacific Northwest continues to amaze me with all its beautiful scenery. Made 5-6 hikes around the Cascades, trekked near Mt. Rainier, explored the Olympic National Park, and hiked to Scenic hot springs. Also embarked on the Pipiwai trail in Maui
Family - for once, my family visited me to spend Thanksgiving exploring Vancouver BC. This year also gave me a glimpse of dealing with an ailing parent, through my own and watching coworkers
Job - frustrations with new processes and certain characters in the office were offset by closer friendships with coworkers and finding my voice
Social media - I became much more active on Instagram yet supremely lazy posting photos (3000 photos from 2014, unfiltered)

Overall, I'd say it was a growing year. More awareness in everyday aspects of people's lives.

So for 2015, a new set of goals:
1. Do something life changing, ex. house, dog, career, relationship, car (at least one of those)
2. Be less selfish
3. Finish projects that I start
4. Do at least one social activity a week
5. Find the balance between being vocal and being patient


PS - a small shoutout to curiousnotions, because she may not know it, but reading her posts inspired (and reminded) me to write my own :)

unique labor day weekend trip

Last weekend was a unique Labor Day weekend trip to San Francisco

• Within 4 hours of landing, 3 laptop backpacks were stolen from my brother's car, including mine which was filled with all sorts of travel gear
• On the 2nd day, I feasted on a 4 course meal with 4-5 dishes for each course at a delicious dinner rehearsal
• On the 3rd day, I attended a wedding for a friend I have known for 20 years. That's 2/3 of my life!
• On the 4th day, I was bonding with family over dinner over topics I never thought I'd chat with them on
• On the 5th day, I helped with a homemade Japanese feast featuring ramen, and enjoyed more lively conversation
• Coming back to Seattle, I started feeling incredibly lonely
• Once home, it really hit me just how much stuff I lost from that stolen backpack

Now my brain is in all sorts of weird nostalgic and social thoughts and notions.

The oddest part was, losing my laptop and tablet (among other things) felt more like a release. It let me enjoy my stay instead of focusing on my gadgets. Maybe that's why I enjoy travel so much, I tend to disconnect and enjoy life instead of constantly playing with toys.

Anyway. Interesting trip this time around, and not because of the destination.

dusty blog

hello dusty blog.
summer is almost over, and i feel unaccomplished.
yes, i did move to a new apartment, traveled to sf and austin/dallas, attended(ing) friends' weddings, and hiked some
but something is gnawing at me inside
i have been feeling unsettled, bored, and annoyed
my sociability is waning
the tendency to be timid and push people away is coming back
i've been a terrible friend/sister and forgot to send some birthday gifts
i feel like i make lots of friends but have trouble keeping them
maybe it's just the seattle gray hitting me harder than usual.
or maybe i'm lacking a purpose in life.

well. can't keep moping about it.
first thing's first. finish unpacking my boxes and setup the apartment. over two months after i moved in =P
then, explore my new neighborhood some more

irgh. moving.

if i had to give tips for local moves with as much stuff as i have, they would be:

- buy yourself a dolly

- use some or all eco-boxes (ex. frogbox), and use with the above

- try to have at least a week overlap between leases for loading, unloading, and cleaning
- buy mr. clean erasers. they are magical

farewell belltown, i'll always remember you fondly, except for the money you drained out of me.

and hello older body, as my back is killing me lately... sigh

dusty collection of links

so dusty that i can categorize these further

-interesting-

the lewis model of cultural types is really neat

why are there missing nyc subway letters?

socially awkward is different from being creepy

long but interesting look at silicon valley, youth vs. old

-amusing-

if you need a smile, look no further than animals vs furniture

or, how dogs react to magic tricks

or, a english bulldog puppy rolling down a hill!

'The Expert'... sadly applies so well to tech

if miyazaki films were like other anime

-life and stuff-

apparently i exhibit most of the highly sensitive habits

life lessons for the 20s and to apply in the 30s

wanz (aka thrift shop feat. wanz) filmed 'Get Lucky' at my office (skip to 2:43 if you're looking for me). and, the red stapler made it in.

latest 10 thoughts

Oh hi blog. How's it going? Been a while...

1. Japan was awesome. Solo travel was superbly exciting, albeit lonely
2. I HATE apartment hunting. Also not looking forward to packing and moving when the precious summer days are beginning...
3. Speaking of summer, it's gonna be an uber busy one. Wee!
4. It amuses me that some people at work think I am an extrovert
5. I'm happy for all my friends getting married and otherwise engaged. Unfortunately it highlights my singleton status...
6. Green onions grow super easy, so why do I keep buying them then?
7. New favorite rice topping - hijiki
8. I'll get to my huge photo backlog eventually
9. Shishio arc in Rurouni Kenshin was just meh. I think I've watched too much anime to feel attached
10. I'm not getting any younger...

Belated baking post - sugar cookies with strawberry icing

Sugar cookies with strawberry icing, made end of April

Recipes: sugar cookies here and strawberry icing here

When it says "sifted powdered sugar", sift the damn powdered sugar. The icing came out too sugary and lost the strawberry freshness, tho most people didn't mind

Day 7 - Sayonara Tokyo

Half day in Tokyo to unwind before flying home, and technically my 8th day there.
Overall awesome trip. I will definitely be back again.

Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park

Akihabara

Chicken Nabe

Souvenirs galore