xchineboix

Sango Japanese restaurant is owned by a 1st generation Japanse.  It has a monthly drawing to award 10 customers with $10 gift card each.  Winners can apply the gift card to the meal purchasing.  There is a small glass bowl that you can drop in the business card or fill out customer survey card to participate the drawing.  After 3 or 4 cards, I got picked up last year and had a free meal.  Then I stop participating for several month because I didn't want owner to feel I am a greedy guy. I visited the restaurant in February.  On the way out, I saw the glass bowl and gave it try again.  I didn't come back until March 15 when buying another meal.  I was surprised to see my name on list again.  Lucky me? 3 years ago, Coke had a drawing in CA supermarkets which even didn't require buying anything.  Athough I am a Code drinker, I didn't buy any Coke that day but did fill out the form.  Several months later I was notified I was one of the winners.  I had to grabbed a friend to go with me because the award was for 2 persons to have a 3 days/2 nights free Carnival Cruise to Mexico.  All meals were included except the tips. The only thing I am still lacking is Lottery.  I am waiting to hit the jackpot.

My involvement with pet bird is quite accidental.  My ex-colleague breeds too many finches and over crowded her cages.  She asked peole in office who want the free birds.  I got 2 from her.  I put them directly uner my kitchen sky light ceiling to have more sun light.  Unfortunately they died one by one 2 months later.  I was confused why it happened. Several months after that misery, my neighbor asked me whether I would be interested in having free parakeet.  His son built a huge cage in backyard and house the birds since childhood.  But now his son had graduated and works out of state for many years.  He just tired of carrying birds for his son and wanted to get rid of them.  I was the first one to show up and picked up a special color, a blue one.  After previous failure, I decided to spend time to study more regarding my new parakeet.  I found out it is a closed family of parrot which needs to be hand-fed and trained since birth in order to have close interaction with human.  Mine is a fully grown up and too late.  In the mean time, I discovered an interesting singing bird called "Canary" and that's how it becomes my favorite bird. Canary, 金絲雀, is famous for singing.  Canary gets its name from Canary Islands, not the islands were named after this bird.  The islands are off north coast of Africa, in line with Spain.  Actually "Canary" means "dog", nothing to do with his singing ability.  Roman empire found the islands' inhabitants bred an extremely large type of dog and named the islands "canis".  "Canis" in Latin means dog.  Years later, the islands are formally called "Canary Islands".  More than 500 years ago,  human also found these islands have many such birds in wildness and called them "Canary bird".  When exactly they became human pet bird is difficult to decide.  As far as I know, the earliest human record shows in 1800s there was a writer recorded in his writing or diary about kids owned these singing birds as entertaining pet during a harsh history period in Belgium and France border region.  Miners and factory shops adults also liked to have these birds accompany them as early detector because this bird dies very quickly if it stays in poisonous gas fume.  These birds also become national treasure of Belgium.  Belgium breeds a special kind of Canary called "Waterslager" famous for his singing quality.  I think probably it sings like beautiful water flow sound. I also got connected to a special store, "Magnolia Bird Farm".  My neighbor told me to get the suppliers from there.  This store is better than the so called "Super Market Pet stores".  It has everything for birds and has in-depth knowledge of all kinds of birds.  It also provides free nail cutting and feather trimming service.  It was founded by bird lover, Frank Miser Sr. in 1955, more than 50 years ago.  2 years ago, stores had a 80-year birthday party for him and all cusomters were invited to have free BQQ.  He is still working at store and hires so many employees.  I figure he may not making a lot of many at all, just a true bird lover.  Here is the link to store Website.  You can see more pictures at my photo album.  Hope you enjoy my own singing canary. http://www.magnoliabirdfarms.com/index.html

It is near the end of Chinese New Year holiday season and my homesick might finally get eased a little bit.  I had enjoyed such celebration for many years since childhood.  It's already buit into my blood stream. During student years, I can bury myself in study and work.  I can ingore that feeling because I had no time for it and need to survive and suceed first.  You can run but you can't hide forever.  The morden transportation and Internet communication really globalize the world and shorten the distance.  The holiday shut down affects the global supply chains.  I can also view Chinese New Year celebration of the other side of the world in front of my eyes and it made me have some emotion reactions.  I had a craving for such holiday. I persuade myself that I already had Christmas and can't have both ways.  It is not off days on the calendar here and you have to work.  I can only try to hum the tune of Chinese New Year melodies in my heart to enjoy it.

Tomorrow is Primary election for CA.  Here they use Primary to decide parties' nominees plus other local elections or Propositions.  They always combine several elections together to save expenses and increase voting rate.  Any election, you want to have more voters participations to have real representation of people' will. They decide nationwide nominee state by state election.  Therefore Primary is spreaded out for several weeks because candidates can't campaign all 50 states at same times.  Each week could be 1, 2 or several states have Primary on the same day.  However tomorrow is called "Super Tuesday" because there are 24 states are going to have Primary on same day.  It used to be not like this.  But this time many things changed.  Many states move up their Primary date because they want to have more influence on Primary elections.  It happens to have 24 states all have same date for Primary. CA has to choose their Presidental preference for Replublican or Democratic plus 9 Propositions (Referendums) in my area.

I have been very busy in the last 2 weeks.  In the mean time, I have several thoughts.  Maybe I have to jam them through. About 10 days ago, there was avalanche near the resort I ski in December.  It was the only avalanche in 50 years happened in that area.  3 people died and 1 was lucky to get out in time with some scratches.  Yes!  it is very strange because the ski resort is not really high mountain area and is not supposed to have anything like that happen. Well, the area has accumulated 3 feet of snow in few days because it has been pouring rain every day in the proceeding days.  The snow piled too fast in short period of time.  The portion had avalanche is outside of ski resort's track (ski trails) and is not covered under resort's regular maintenance.  That's why this avalanche happened.  I feel sorry for those 3 people perished.  People some time like to ski outside of ski trails to avoid crowds and have fresh snow to ski.  But it not worthy to risk your own life for some adventures.  Something to think about it.

Tongue scrub tool
My previous Japanese dentist's assitant was on maternity leave for 6 months.  His office became under staff and is difficult to book new appointment, even emergency.  The assistant finally decided to stay home 6 months later and not coming back.  The dentist is more 70 year old.  I think he will retire soon and I have better to find new dentist.
A Korean friend told me a American dentist Dr. Azling is good.  I called his office last November but was told the next available spot is in next January.  I almost forgot the engagement until his office called me last week, 1 day before to remind me.  It is a very professional office, 4 registered dental assistants, 4 Hygienists and 3 front office assistants.
I have to fill lots of paper.  The assistant and then Dr. asked me why I changed dentist.  I think they worried about credit issue even I showed I have comprehensive insurance coverage.  Well, I told them the story.  But I was little unhappy and murmur to myself "Doc, I am you're alumnus"
The service is no question about it.  His assistant took X-ray of my full mouth.  The Dr. measure my teeth, one by one.  He told me to replace one bridge I have for years.  It doesn't fit very well and has too much food deposit on the bottom.  He thinks it may have cavity already but he can't see it until take off bridge, because bridge has some metal part inside blocking the X-ray.

Smoking looks like a personal matter but actually is a public issue.  This time I witness more people smoke in Asia.  Especially there are more young or female smokers.  I was surounded with lots of smokers no matter where I moved.  I had no place to escape to.
In US, people are very advanced in control smoking.  It has become a human right and public health problem.  People have the right to smoke if they chose to do so.  But others should have right not to be forced to be a second hand smoker too.  Scientists have proved second hand smoking is one of the major causes for lung cancer.  The control of smoking has evolved in several stages.  First they have minimum age for buying tabacco by checking ID.  Then people complained the smell and many public indoor places have to set up designate non-smoking area.  But this is not too much help either.  As long as you stay in same room, non-smoking area just fool you by not seeing the smoke but you still inhale the air what the smokers blew out.  Therefore many cities start  banning smoking in restaurant, bar and public places.  Then people feel still not eought.  Government moved into next stage, ban smoking in certain outdoor areas such as beach.  Smokers have fewer and fewer available areas to smoke.  Several years ago, many state governments filed lawsuit against tabacco companies because smoking increase government's health cost.  They want tabacco companies to pay for the cost and damage to citizen's health.
Europe has many smokers too, British, French and German.  People smoke everywhere, subway, side walk, restaurant etc.  I hate people smoke inside restaurant because I can't really enjoy a meal.   Recently I saw some progress.  France began banning smoking in restaurant and bar which I think is an unthinkable.  France has cafe and restaurant almost everywhere and used to full of smokers.
I used an internet cafe in CHN to access e-mail.  But there were so many smokers in the room that it was very foggy and I felt like becoming a "Virginia smoked Ham" myself.  I talked the front desk why there is not control of smoking.  Then, I heard a reply from the front desk girl which I think a fabrication and peole were fooled to believe in it.  The girl told me the media reporters wrote a report that the people died in CHN during SARS panic are non-smokers.  Therefore she implied the smoking might be good for health and help people fend off SARS.  I can't believe what I heard.  Even if it was true that all people died are non-smoker, it doesn't prove the other way around, smoking helps human.  Not to mention the non-smoker's story still need to be verified.  People need to have rationale to make judgement what were reported in media, especially in certain media environments.  I think such  news may be spreaded on purpose.  I don't buy such story.  These days, many news were manuplicated by certain groups or entities in ways to achieve certain goals they want without neutral third party to criticize and balance.  Journalists' ethics are very important and they could mislead ordinary people.

Glad to be back.  But the weather is much hotter than I expected.  I knew there was winter cold storm in TWN before I left.  I brought with me the heavy duty jacket and long coat.  They all became useless here becasue the weather here is really hot.  I visited China, Japan and Korea in winter before.  It was very cold and I believed it was below 0 degree or very close to zero but no snow.  I think the moisture in air was too dry to have snow.  I brought goose down jacket but not enough.  Goose down jacket kept my torso warm but not the 2 legs.  My legs were freezing to death when the cold wind was blowing there.  That's why I realized that I need long coat in winter. I have more free time and this is first time to use the TPE's subway system even it has been around for many years.  It took me a while to get familiar with it.  I have to walk a lot in subway system.  It generated more heat to my body.  It is really hot here, almost like summer.  It is warm winter.

TWN here I come.  Haven't come back for a while.  Always can only visit relatives for short period of time.  spent most of time for business trip.  Hope have more time this trip.  Country road takes me home to the place I belong.

I have been trying to find a weeday to go skiing since last week.  There were lots of rain last week.  It should have tons of snow and idea for skiing.  But my Asia supplier has tighted me up for 4 weeks since beginning of December.  We agree to the terms on mid month but the guy simply can't get the shipment ready soon.  I have been waiting and waiting.  It doesn't look like a high tech Co. but low effeciency one.  Finally he told me it ready for pick up on Thursday Dec. 27.  I arranged the carrier to pick up.  I decided to leave very early next day, Friday for skiing to avoid weekend crowd.  If weekend, you just bump into others everywhere.  It is a 90 minutes drive.  I try to come back at night to follow up to make sure it did get pick up.
I only get to do this 1 season every year, approximately 2~3 months period.  I have to calibrate and fine tune to refresh the skills before go on full length slope.  I want to come down in 1 piece of body.  Every year after winter break,  I used to see 1 or 2 classmates came back with crutches and broken legs.  Skiing is a very healthy sport in whole body exercise.  You need to have a break to catch breath every time come down from a slope.  I did come back in 1 body but not sure the pieces of bones have mutiplied or not.  Although I do feel aching muscles afterward, a soaking hot bath should heal my tired body and bruises quickly.
It cost me $92 for 8 hours including lift ($62) and rental ($30).  Normaly it closes at 4Pm because sunset is earlier in winter.  Some Ski resorts near metropolitan may have slopes equiped with night lights.  I usually can have 10~12 runs each days.  The average cost is low.  A ski beanie ( or mask) and gloves are must under freezing wind and temperature.  It is better to ware ski pant which is double-layer and waterproof.  You won't get pant wet during many falls.  It is also better off to have waterproof and breatheable jacket if you could.
If you are first timer, they have class to teach you with a little bit extra fee ($17) under package deal.  If you take guarantee class, cost about $15 more, you can keep taking class until you get it.  They have about 4 sessions each day.  The best time to learn it is under 10 years old or teenager.  If you know how to skate (ice skating or roller skating), you even pick up very quickly.  Most of them have bunny slope for beginner to pratice.
You can pratice or warm up skills in bunny slope

Sunset Beach, south of Long Beach with big ocean container ship visible at distance. Who said vacation has to go out of town and spend lots of money?  Pull my bike out of storage and let me go the my favorite biking trail, the Sunset beach and Hungting Beach.  Feel whole body muscles relaxed and like 100 LB of bags off my mind, the bag of worry, anxiety, pressure, distress, depression from work and daily life etc. Forget not only yesterday, but tomorrow.  Enjoy the current moment.  Forget about people, things, objects and works.  Breathe the ocean breeze that is so fresh and cool.  Feel like 5-year younger and smile to everybody at encounter. My valuable time Beach front biking trail