Category Archives: Life

Goodbye, Steve Jobs

Posted on
Reply

While hunched over my Java textbook on the fourth floor of the university library, I gazed out the windows and saw rain clouds hovering over Pomona. Earlier that morning, my mom complained that it was supposed to rain yesterday. The clouds knew something I didn’t.

At 4:38pm PDT on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011, a flood of Twitter updates moaned that Steve Jobs has died. I didn’t know him personally, but I was stunned. Looking around the huge room, I was unsure if any other students realized the tragic news. (If they were on Facebook or Twitter, I assume they did.)

I found it difficult to focus the rest of the evening.

Fact: I didn’t own an Apple product until the iPod Classic (3rd generation), and the MacBook Air (late 2010) I bought in March 2011.

As a sixth grader, I was part of a group with fascinating computer chops. (Or, something like that.) While I honestly don’t remember much, we demonstrated a slick presentation made for our parents and faculty.

Along with my still functioning iPod Classic, those are my only personal experiences with Apple products. Steve dangled all this stuff in front of me for years. Now that I can finally see myself going completely Apple, he’s gone.

My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all the lives he’s touched (directly and indirectly).

Thank you, Steve.

Shopping at BevMo

Aside

4

The other day, I went to BevMo with James to help him pickup alcohol for a party.

At checkout, the nice lady at the register says, “Wow, it looks like you’re throwing a party.”

Is there any way to buy a large amount of alcohol without looking like a bunch of college guys with generic alcoholic tastes, or is it inevitable with a low budget?

James muses that the small selection of alcohol he bought makes that look obvious.

Nothing would be too easy

Posted on
2

I can’t wait to finish the quarter with my last final exam (Microeconomics).

The one-week break before the next quarter, I’m really tempted to be like Peter from Office Space and do nothing. I have a backlog of TV episodes from the past several months which I’d love to watch. I’d also get plenty of sleep.

That would be too easy.

I’ve neglected the cleanliness of my desk, which has a physical inbox stuffed four inches high. (Funny enough, I keep my digital inbox processed to zero most of the time.)

I need to purge. I have so many unused things items.

I would love to learn HTML and CSS beyond simple tinkering, then use the Headway theme for WordPress[1. Thanks to Matt Mullenweg for generously buying it for me.] here at All Narfed Up.

My good friend, Javier, has dove into learning HTML and CSS this past week or so. Next, he wants to learn MySQL and Ruby on Rails. His excitement is inspiring, and another driving force for me desire to jump back in again.

How about my backlog of photos to process?

I’m also spending some time with my girlfriend since she’s on vacation for a few days. Fortunately, she planned some of her vacation days to coincide with my week break between quarters. :)

It’s easy to write all of this. Unfortunately, I need to “ship” if I truly want a sense of accomplishment. I wrote several months ago that I wanted to get my desk cleaned up.

I’ll have time to process neglected photos.

I won’t have an excuse this time.

P.S. I realize it sounds weird that I’m looking forward to doing stuff during my break.

The 4-Hour Body and slow-carb dieting

Posted on
6

On January 3rd, 2011, I started the slow-carb diet as recommended by Tim Ferriss through his latest book, The 4-Hour Body. I’ve jokingly went into the diet because “I just want to lose enough weight so my stomach doesn’t jiggle when I brush my teeth.” (Thanks Kevin James!)

I loved The 4-Hour Workweek, so when I saw Tim’s next book soon to be published, I got excited.

While I recommend the book to get a broader image and background, here are the rules:

  1. Avoid “white” carbohydrates.
  2. Eat the same few meals over and over again.
  3. Don’t drink calories.
  4. Don’t eat fruit.
  5. Take one day off per week.

I guess you can read the main part of this chapter at Gizmodo. You can also read a sample chapter at FourHourBody.com (a well-written introduction, in my opinion).

I’m also taking suggested supplements (500mg of calcium twice a day and 500mg of magnesium every other day[2. I talked to Paul Stamatiou and he suggested this since the IU intake from Tim's magnesium suggestion might be too high for a daily dose.], respectively). I was trying to eat guacamole for potassium once a day, but I sometimes don’t get around to it, so I’ll pickup a bottle of potassium the next time I buy groceries.

  1. Even though I love rice, bread, and potatoes (fries), I’ve dealt with it.
  2. Since I’m on a routine during the week regarding school, this is fairly easy.
    • Breakfast: 1 cup of Fresh and Easy liquid egg whites (26g protein)[3. I believe this is cheaper than Eggology, so I'll stick with it.]
    • Lunch:
      • At school: 3-item plate at Panda Express[4. It's on campus. Too easy. It has to be more conducive over Carl's Jr or Taco Bell.], consisting of mixed veggies and three chicken selections
      • Home: 26-30g protein by way of prepackaged burger patties from F&E, a plateful of pre-washed spinach, and 1 cup of black/pinto beans (14g protein)
    • Dinner: 26-30g protein by way of prepackaged burger patties from F&E, a plateful of pre-washed spinach, and 1 cup of black/pinto beans (14g protein)
  3. I rarely opt for soft drinks, so this wasn’t a big deal.
  4. Aside from smoothies from Jamba Juice or Robeks, and an occasional banana, I didn’t eat too much fruit.
  5. Yay for cheat day! If I remember, I keep a text file I edit throughout the week with food I’d like to devour on cheat days.

I realize that this sounds fairly bland, but I don’t need to emphasize epic meals during the week. I’m simply trying to maintain the habit, and my epic meals will occur on cheat days. I’ll try to add some variation to the kinds of meat I buy in the future. After all, I really don’t cook too well.

Since I started (52 days ago), I’ve lost 10 pounds and dropped one pant size. Tim notes that while losing fat, you’re gaining muscle, so the scale won’t reflect that.

My problems

  • I haven’t measured myself regularly. When I made initial measurements, I used a slightly pliable metal tape measure, but it’s so annoying, I haven’t done it in awhile. I’ll order the Orbitape Body Mass Tape Measure right away. (Nick Momrik loves his Withings WiFi Body Scale, but it’s pricey.)
  • I don’t drink enough water when I’m at school. I need to buy a sturdy, reusable water bottle.
  • I don’t think I’m eating enough protein. Tim says it’s safe to snack on 5-10 almonds, but I shouldn’t be hungry between meals.

To be continued

While my schedule has helped keep me on a routine, these past several weeks have flown by very quickly. I’ll continue to stick with the slow-carb diet in hopes to get back to my figure in high school. :)

P.S. I know I didn’t include my actual numbers. I’m keeping them relative because I’m slightly ashamed of how bad I’ve gotten.

Related

My Super Bowl XLV windfall

Posted on
Reply

Earlier for lunch, I got a fortune cookie that said: “An unexpected windfall will be yours.” Well, I’d be putting some money into a couple pots for the Super Bowl ($1/square) pool and questionnaire ($5).

While I didn’t win anything for the pool, I got the most questions correct and won $30! (Minus the ten squares I bought for the pool, so I really won $20.)

Here’s the transcribed list of questions:

  • What team will win the coin toss? Packers
  • Which team will score first? Packers
  • What will the first score be? (TD, FG, or Safety) TD
  • What player will score the first points? Jennings
  • How many TD will be scored in the game? 7
  • How many FG will be scored in the game? 4
  • How many interceptions will there be? 3
  • Will Jerry Jones be flashed in his suite (from kickoff to the end of the game) more times than turnovers in the game? Yes
  • Will Kobe (game from Saturday 2011-02-05) outscore both teams? No
  • What defense will get the most sacks? Steelers
  • What team will score last? Steelers
  • How will the last points be scored? (TD, FG, or Safety) TD
  • Will the Packers cover the point spread of -2.5? Yes
  • Will the game go over or under 45 points? Over
  • Who will win the game? Packers
  • Who will be the MVP? Aaron Rodgers
  • What will the final score be? 34-27 (So close! Actual final score: 31-25)

One point per question. Ties go to the closest final score.

P.S. Congrats to the Green Bay Packers! I’m definitely a fan (second to the Indianapolis Colts).

Twenty four hundred miles the wrong way

Posted on
2

While patiently waiting for my HTC Droid Incredible, I checked my Ontrac tracking number at Amazon Wireless.

Ontrac shipment 2010-12-29

That’s 2,397 miles out of the way.

Ontrac shipment map 2010-12-29

The direct route, which I’d like to expect, is 528 miles.

Non-Ontrac shipment map 2010-12-29

Can you explain this nonsense?

Update 2010-12-30 8:15am PDT – Thanks to Shaun in the comments for the explanation.

It arrives today. Here’s the updated tracking information (note how the earlier tracking is removed):

Update 8:45am PDT – Ontrac left the box on my door step fifteen minutes ago. They didn’t knock and I’m slightly angry. Anyway, the tinkering begins after it’s fully charged.

TRON: Legacy

Posted on

On Tuesday night (12/14), I saw a screening of TRON: Legacy (3D) at Club Nokia in Los Angeles as part of Nokia’s promotion, N8 First Look.

The 3D wasn’t overwhelming, but subtle additions enhanced the experience. If you can’t clearly remember the original version, you’ll be okay. (I’m talking about myself. I didn’t get a chance to re-watch the original TRON.)

While the plot line could have been improved, I loved the film. I recommend it.

Thanks to Donna from WOMWorld/Nokia for the invite!

Ankle problems on someone else's wedding day

Posted on
2

A couple nights this week, I experienced leg cramps. One was a bit more severe because both sides of my leg — calf and whatever you call the opposite muscle — cramped somehow. How do you stretch both simultaneously?!

I don’t stretch (exercise) enough.

  • Thursday night, I decided to stretch my legs before going to bed. I think I stretched gently. I didn’t try to force it.
  • Friday morning, my left ankle felt “odd.”[1. My right ankle is my bad one, which I broke in high school. I still have one pin in my ankle.]
  • By that night, I’d give the pain 4 out of 10. I had a slight limp.
  • It’s finally getting cold here in Los Angeles, too, so that might be another factor.

I knew where this is going. It would take 4-7 days to recover.

If I didn’t have upcoming events, this wouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately, I’m photographing a wedding today.[2. By that, I mean it's wonderful that I'm photographing someone else's wedding, but unfortunate that I'm having ankle problems.]

All I could do is pray. I prayed for bearable pain so I can capture Judith and Rob’s wedding day.

This morning, I’d consider my prayer answered. (Thank you.)

I have a few more hours before I head out, but I have faith I’ll endure through the subtle chaos. As for the rain, everything is indoors and the couple hasn’t brought up concerns, so I won’t dwell on it.

P.S. Yes, I realize I need to see a specialist about my ankles. When I get health insurance, that’s at the top on my list. For the record, I photowalked the streets of Philadelphia, New York City, and Brooklyn for about five days. It had to be 4-5 miles/day. I’m glad my ankles didn’t go out.