More Toys For Moi ...

I recently acquired a thing called "Sticky Pod." It is a metal platform with three big suction cups that one can mount a camcorder. Here is a video I created using the sticky pod. Click here to see the video. Enjoy!

Do Foods Ever Disappear?

Yesterday, I was shredding cheese, and thought it would be nice to make some quesadilla for lunch. Mm, Quesadilla! After shredding, I looked for some tortillas, which I knew I had. To my dismay, I could not find any! I felt something was fishy.

Fastforward to today. I found remains of tortillas, or rather plastic packaging, in my backyard. I solved the mystery of disappearing tortillas. Apparently, my dog smuggled them out, and chowed them down. I also found other food packaging.

Lesson learned: Do not leave any food in my dog's reach! I know I will go hungry if this continues.

Should I Keep This Card?

I have this signed Miles Simon card. I don't know how much this is worth. I used to live next door to Arizona basketball players at Star Pass Apartments in 1997. My roommate scored this signed card when she went to complain about their loudness. Of course, I asked her for it. I figured he would hit it big one day. I was proven wrong.

Simon is still big in many people's mind. He was the MVP of 1997 NCCA Championship Game. Arizona has yet to win another with even better talents.

Maybe I should frame it real nice and give it away as a gift. Hmm. What to do?

BRILLIANT!

I started cleaning my office yesterday, because it's been sometime since I cleaned. Needless to say, my office is full of paper everywhere. It turned out most of the paper madness is due to bills. Paid bills. Since there are personal information, I cannot just recycle. I need to look and segregate recyclables from needing shredding. This is a sheer madness!

I decided that I need to go paperless. I mean why keep getting bills stuffed with bunch of other useless junk. I was able to go paperless with two credit card companies, one electric company, and one telephone company. Citibank Mastercard offered me $5 credit for going paperless. Yeah! The City of Phoenix was the only one who does not yet offer paperless billing. Phoenix should really catch up with the times.

I want to say brilliant loudly. I just went paperless for four out of five billers. I look forward to not receiving bunch of useless paper that gets shredded or recycled. I am happy thinking about killing less trees!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Help Me Decide ...

My black and white photo class is coming to an end, and I have to submit my final project in two weeks. Please help me pick out the best six photos. My final is about litter.

Gutter

Soda Can

Broken Bottle

Mac Trash

Potato Chips Bag

Shopping Cart

Coffe Cup

Butts

Coke Cup

Bier Can

Life Poster ...

I found this website by Mike Matas, which gives instructions on how to create a poster with 98 photos. I followed the instructions and created the above poster of my 2005 summer trip across western states. COOL!

Has Your Car Ever Been Stolen?

I was out and about taking pictures this morning. I felt the need as the final project is due within two weeks. I drove to Copper Square and parked around 3rd st. and Fillmore. The street was nearly empty, because it was early in the morning on Saturday. I was walking around and taking photos when I saw a red convertible. It was a same make and model as mine. My heart was suddenly pounding. What is the chance of seeing another 2006 red MX-5? I was starting to panick.

I was looking for any clues that would set this car apart from mine. I left the top down, but this convertible had it down. That was not a good clue. Most importantly, this car had differnt wheels. Eureka! THANK GOD!!!!!!! It was not MY CAR.

More Photos From B&W Class

Weed

Wall

Disoriented

Accumulation

Reflection

Untitled

Burnt Cactus

Cliff

Untitled

Agave

Untitled

Do You Hate "Blair Witch Project" Like Video ...

I think I nearly puked when I saw "Blair Witch Project" in a theater from all the shaking movie footages. I realized from that experience that I do not want shaking in my home video footage. While I have consciously reduced shaking when I can by holding camcorder with two hands whenever possible. This is still not a great solution, because I still see shaking. Especially when I am moving with subjects.
I recently became aware of a cheap steady camera contraption that will reduce shaking when I am moving with the subject. It is supposed to cost $14, but it is going to cost me more like $17. It was very easy to put together. I only added tennis grips to the original plan. I am going to shoot some steady shots. Yeah! Find the plan here.

Movie Recommendation: I am highly recommending "Cinderella Man." Ron Howard sure knows how to make an epic like movie like the olden days. It has actions for guys, a real moving story line for gals, and it is an all around good movie.

Marathon Update: I gave up on training. I had this convenient excuse, cold for a week. It feels great not to run for a whole week. I think I will go for a run today for fun.

Score Cards Are In ...

I went to What Ales Ya to pick up my score cards from the local homebrew contest. It is always fun, frustrating, and interesting to read the judges comments. I can think about how I can improve my brewing practices.

Export Helles

Entry Number: 1-D-2

Final Assigned Score: 26

Place Awarded: Bronze

Bottle Inspection: excellent pop; proper fill w/ label fragments left on bottle; filled properly

Aroma: Slight DMS appropariate. slight solvent note. low hop aroma (5/12); light DMS aroma w/ malty sweetness appropriate. subtle solvent smell in background. little to no hop aroma. fruity esters. (6/12); clean grainy slight DMS aroma (7/12)

Appearance: Golden yellow, head white deminished quickly, slight haze (2/3); moderate head retention and color to style, slight chill haze (2/3); good head retention & color, slight chill haze (2/3)

Flavor: malty sweet, low hop flavor, solventy flavor, possibly from fermenting at a high temp. or fermenting too long on trub (12/20); malty with little to no hop flavor true to style. some fruity esters and alcohol hashness with dry finish. some oxidized flavor as beer warms up. (10/20); strong esters to solvent notes, very low malty flavors, slightly oxidized flavor (10/20)

Mouthfeel: medium mouthfeel. stingy mouthfeel attributed to source of off flavor (3/5); medium body with medium carbonation. slightly astringent and harsh (3/5); good carbonation, slightly astringent (2/5)

Overall Impression: Off flavors detract from a good beer. found the beert to be slightly more bitter than appropriate. good base, correct off flavors and a good beer should arise (4/10); malty to make good base beer, but slightly problematic. lower fermentation temps or racking beer off trub earlier may help (4/10); too many fruity esters, almost solvent (5/10)

Super Saison

Entry Number: 16-C-2

Final Assigned Score: 33

Place Awarded: Silver

Bottle Inspection: good fill

Aroma: hints of honey, slightly herbal, low spice aroma (8/12); some honey with some alcohol. subtle spicey aroma. no esters (citrus like) were detected (8/12); slight clove smell, some of alcohol, slight aroma from spices, no hop aroma (7/12)

Appearance: Pale orange color is good, lacks head (2/3); pale golden color with little/ no head upon pouring. slightly cloudy. (2/3); no head when poured. color is near perfect and clarity is to style (3/3)

Flavor: pleasant spice flavor with undertones of citruss, honey and alcohol in higher forms. some warming character (13/20); initial flavor is fruity with spicy character as it warms. alcohol is evident. little to no hop flavors with enough bitterness to balance. the spicy character overpowers the malt (13/20); spicy flavor with a hint of cloves and maybe some honey. bitterness from hops is balanced by the sweetness. needs acidity to balance flavors(14/20)

Mouthfeel: medium body, CO2 a little low for style (3/5); medium bodied with a light carbonation level. alcoholic warmth. the carbonation is a little low for style (3/5); mouthfeel is great for body. the malt comes through. the alcohol is evident in the finish. low acidic nature for style (3/5)

Overall Impression: appropriate and pleasant spice flavors and an enjoyable beer. lacks acidity and complexity of a Belgian Saison (7/10); this beer is a little too full bodied and lacks a complexity/balance between the spicy and malty flavors (7/10); Need more carbonation to ???? head to foam. great overall flavor but the sweetness and body need to be offset by some acidic (6/10)

A Short Video of Squaw Peak ...

It rained this morning. What a refreshing change! Here is a time lapsed video of Squaw Peak. Click here for the video.

A Short Video of Sedona Trip ..

Hope you enjoy my short video about my trip up to Sedona with Colby and Josh.

Click here for the video.

Boys' Trip to Sedona ...

Colby was going to work on his Sedona property with his bro-in-law last Friday, and invited Josh and I to go along. Of couse, I said I would go. It did not take much convincing as I think any excuse to get away from the city is a good one.

I drove to Colby's house Thursday evening in order to drive up together. Colby and Amy, his wife, were putting their kids to sleep. You know, giving a bath, brushing teeth, reading a story, etc. There were many Moments, which I tried to capture on my camcorder.

By the time we were able to leave, it was a little past eight. We drove to Josh's and picked him up. We stopped at a Circle K to air up a couple of tires on Colby's trailer. While Colby was working, I bought a package of SnowBall and a package of Chilli Cheese Fritos. Two of my favorites from college. We ate, drank, and talked all the way up to Sedona. I thought the trip was shorter than I remember.

I fell asleep once we got into the town of Sedona. I don't know what happened, but massive fatigue set in. I woke up to rattling truck. It turned out Colby and Josh were trying to park the trailer by driving back and forth. I still could not get up and help them set up. All I remember is laying down a sheet of tarp and putting my sleepingbag on top before crashing. I slept outside under the stars. It was a bit windy and cold. I occasionally woke up to admire the complete darkness and bright stars, which I don't get to enjoy in Phoenix.

I woke up a little earlier than the other two. It was a little chilly because it was breezy. I took care of my morning business first, and walked around a little to waste sometime. I did not want to prematurely wake the boys up. When the others woke, we were ready for breakfast. We ate mini donuts, bagels, and bacon. Mm, BACON!!!

Colby called Mark, his bro-in-law, after breakfast to see what work we were going to do today. Lucky for us, he was working on his house in the morning. We decided to take a stroll around his property. We shared stories, joked around, and just being silly and goofy. I took pictures and video footages for fun.

Soon it was lunch time. We ate Carolina style pork sandwich. Mm, PORK! After lunch, Josh drove the backhoe to Mark's. We did some yardwork for Mark before heading back to Phoenix.

It was a nice lazy FRIDAY!