Hey Doc

I found a couple of interesting websites that feature photos that looks like a miniature model set but it was an actual real life objects. Such artists like Miklos Gaál, Toni Hafkenscheid, Just to name a few.
Later I found the techniques they used, or better yet, the tool they used to make such photos. Lensbaby makes a bellow lens to use on 35mm SLR cameras. You manipulate the lens with your fingers to get the focus where you wanted through the viewfinder. Because of the narrowing the focusing area, it creates a visual sense of looking at a miniature model set. My first try turned out pretty good. Got two out of twenty five shots I took.
Here is a sad news. My good friend Tom's father died suddenly three days ago. Last time I saw him was at the Oscar party at Stan's house. He looked pretty happy after a full meal and wine. You will be missed, Mr. C.
Hurricane Rita is closing in on the Gulf coast. Millionss of evacuee jammed the freeway for miles trying to leave the area. I don't think any of the freeway systems in the US is capable of carrying such traffic flow. I will just go find a shelter locally and hope for the best.

I love flipping through the Architectural Digest or the Interior Design magazines for their photographs. Ever since I owned a house, my interest had switched to the design aspect of the magazine. For someone who lives on salary, there just isn't a lot of money for me to play. I can only dream to build my own house until I got a taste when my sister ready to rebuild their's five years ago.
Start from getting the drawing from the architect to the finding a general contractor is full of anticipations. The day the construction broke ground is where the real fun starts. I thank my sister who had implemented few of my suggestions into their house that made me felt its also part of my project.
My friend John and Mary is going through the same thing. They are building their dream home on a five acres land they bought two years ago. I was visiting them this pass weekend, saw the
project gets underway. I am really happy for them.
My friend Isela and Christy are training for their half marathon that is coming up in one month. We went for an easy 10 mile run at the Los Gato trail. I have had long runs before but never up to 10 miles. We finished in 1 hour 39 minutes. Now I have a target to shoot for next time I run this distance again.

Every Friday, San Jose Mercury News has this section called "Eye". Its an entertainment guide for the Bay Area. Of course, it does not lack of restaurant ads. I noticed in this issue, there were 6 ads of AYCE buffet. If you don't know what this is, you pay a flat fee, you can eat as much as you want at the premise (no doggy bags). Some places will change extra if you have lots of left-overs in your plates.
Are we becoming such a pig that there is demand for more of this type of restaurants ? Yes, I admit that I go to those places myself. I like the varieties of the food they serve so I can taste each of them. But I regretted everytime because I always over-ate. You automatically get the feeling that you need to eat until you get your money's worth because they let you eat ALL YOU CAN.
Since there is no restriction on how much food you can take, people tend to take more then they can consume or simply did not like the taste, so much of the food ended up get thrown away (I don't even want to think that they may recycle it).
Over consumption is bad for the resources. How many lobsters or crabs they have to catch to fill up that large tray which got emptied in a blink ?
So next time you step into one of those restaurants, eat like your normal will and think conservation.

I was about to abandon this blog because of personal reason, plus, I was not very motivated for just about everything in my life at the moment. BUT, I am going to give it another chance. First of all, 7/14 was the sadest day in my life. My mother, wrangled with cancer for four years had passed away peacefully surrounded by all the members of the family. As much as we didn't want her to leave but it maybe better off for her then suffer from failling health and the spread of the cancer which made her unable to take in any food.
Another blow to my life occured in May when someone broke into my apartment and got away with my camera gears, yep, all of them, packed nicely in my camera bag. Who ever did that to me, I wish you fall off the cliff and die while using my camera.
I am visiting my sister right now. Really enjoy the cooler weather here. This is my first real Summer spent in Taipei in who knows how long.
US got a wakeup call from hurricane Katrina that our govement agencies are so ill-prepared to handle a major catastrophe like this. We Californian should learn from this that someday we will face the same situation. Plan to be on our own for at least one week without outside helps.