Technology is great

Recently I performed open heart surgery to my PC as the five years old parts that were in it finally decided to go kaput and not work on me. Now I would say it is quite an accomplishment seeing as the average PC only last about two years for the average person due to various reasons (your operating system clogging up is a major contributor). Me getting five years out of it then means I actually got my moneys worth. But sadly it came to a crashing halt a couple of weeks ago when my PC no longer boot into windows in a stable manner, even when I reinstalled Windows cleanly.

So I rip out all the old computer chip, motherboard, and memory and replaced it with brand new, state of the art ones from Intel, Intel, and Kingston, respectively. Everything else I just reused with the new components as they were still in good shape (not to mention, high quality parts that were not cheap back when I first bought them). A man, what a difference five years make in terms of performance! I was seeing almost 7 times the performance while ripping videos. With new technology also came efficiency, and I bet my newly reconstructed computer probably suck more than half as much power from the grid (hehe, TRON). I mean the exhausted air sure feels much cooler (though I can no longer use it as a space heater).

Feels productive to have my PC running again, as I can schedule tasks for it to do while I am away from home with my mac laptop. And when I am home, having a second computer increases multitasking on so many levels (because there comes a limit where you just can't play a video while photo editing at the same time on one computer). Plus, there is one thing a PC does better than a Mac - being a media center. Hence my PC is also my media center PC thus all my media files go through it, and not my macbook. It is hard to explain to people why having an extra computer on hand is such a boost (much a kin to having a second or third monitor). It is one of those things where you just have to try for yourself. Once you do, you can't go back.

I was just tweeting the other day about how weird it is that I have 8gb of memory on both my computers and yet my first computer back in 1999 barely have 6gb in hard drive space (there was also one picture where it showed an iPhone 4 of today is more powerful than the first colored iMacs). It is during these moments where you think to yourself just how the heck did you live with it back then (Sim City 2000 was the shit). But of course I was not nearly productive with a computer as I was back when I was I think 13? Back then it was all about games and surfing the web. While today it is still about games and surfing the web, the digital artist side of me realizes that the computer and the internet are powerful tools to create and publish my ideas.

My first PC's screen was 13in (one of those ginormous CRT monitors no less), and now I stare at a 30in screen everyday (I had a 20in also, and back then I thought IT was huge). What a difference a decade makes. 

Of course with the rapid pace of advancement in technology comes the great wallet drain also - for those people that choose to chase it. Do I want to be that person? Maybe, I mean who does not want the latest and greatest. However my poor (in monetary terms) upbringing taught me to be (somewhat) frugal, so no I don't go after what is new all the time (still happily tapping away on my original iPad). My Macbook Pro is now two years old, not going to upgrade it any time soon unless my creative software no longer run at a pace that is satisfactory. I think unless something new is so revolutionary that it changes the game, there is just no need for me to upgrade (hey, I held off on upgrading my PC for 5 years did I not?). The last time this happened was when Apple introduced the aluminum unibody Macbook Pros with glass screen and LED backlit LCD. It was so much better compared to my white plastic macbook that I literally just dumped it to my little brother and bought the new one. 

Technology may advance in a fast pace, but it is too expensive to run along with it. 

Case in point for me is when it comes to phones. I am generally one revolution behind everybody else. Remember when color screens first came to cell phones? I was a year behind everybody in getting that. Texting phones? A good two years behind. I still have yet to upgrade to a smart phone, which is already on its next revolution with computing power that rivals small PCs (iPhone 5, come soon please). Of course when it is me that is not paying the bills, I cannot really complain now can I. Though when I get a smart phone the one footing the bill will be me. That is why I welcome the end of unlimited data plans and the introduction of cheaper entry level ones. I probably don't use that much data (in fact as of right now I don't use ANY!), and wifi is so abundant that there is not reason not to use it. The cost savings, extrapolated over a two year contract is substantial. 

Speaking of smart phones as powerful as computers, I think that is where the future is heading. The computer industry have already transitions pretty much from the desktop to the laptop (more laptops are sold than desktops). Even creative professionals can live off of a laptop because computing power are no longer exclusive to non mobile platforms as thermal efficiency in chips improves. Heck I hardly know anybody that don't do there computing on a laptop. Well, the next transition is from laptops to tablets and smart phones. I mean, it is all about getting smaller, and being portable (before that happens, laptops will getting lighter and thinner). But what about actual work? You seriously can't expect to type the great American novel on a smart phone! Actually I think you can, as all you need to add to it is a connection to a monitor and a keyboard. When it comes down to it, the major things we do with computers boils down to these things - internet, games, media, office suites. I can see all this migrating to the smart phone package. In fact, it has already begun. 

One thing technology has destroyed in the process of being great is the enjoyment of music. Don't get me wrong, without the mp3 revolution, I would not have 10% of the music I have now. The accessibility and potential exposure to all types of music is one thing mp3s brought to the table. But I think the essence of music have lost some of its luster with the breaking down of albums into individual songs for sale. Albums used to tell stories, and the order of songs is something artist put a lot of thought into. Nowadays they just lump songs together and call it an album. Heck over in Asia, many artists don't even put out albums anymore, instead putting out singles or mini albums. Leave it to the indie artist to still put together albums that have meanings and interconnections between songs.

And when is the last time you actually listened to an album from beginning to end? Radio and per song purchasing has allowed us to pick apart album and just get the songs we want (not to say that is not GOOD). I remember it was still cassettes and CDs, I would buy an album and actually listen to the whole thing. I still try to do this with my digital music when I can, as for sure I don't always buy the whole album for an artist. Enjoy music for what is, because it is not something to listen to while you are doing other things. The meaning, the vocals, the instruments, the production, etc, these things in an album need to be enjoyed in a quiet environment, sitting down, and a pair of headphones on (of course, the highest quality of mp3 you can get haha). Then again, artist needs to put the same thought back into music, and not just cobble some beats and call it a hit just because it is catchy.  

So yes, technology is great. The best thing you can do is leverage it, and not let it go to waste. 

Black Day - random thoughts

Uh let see um don't know where to begin with this one. No Giants game tonight so kind of don't know what to do with myself really. (but don't you have studies?) No not really. I don't think it is senioritis at all (really, it is not haha), but I feel like I have not really done much at all this semester academic wise, and yet it is for certain now that I will graduate in mere five weeks from now (it is mid April already!?)

Just when I think it will be the week I finally give my car a bath, it freaking rains during the days before! It is as if the sky itself does not want me to do it. It has indeed been awhile. The mothership questions why I don't wash my car often, as back a couple of years ago I use to wash it religiously every 2 weeks, the weather be damned. But it is not because I have grown out of my automobile interest, it is just have been things to do with my time? I mean at least my interior is pretty clean! Honestly when it comes down to it cars are just appliances that gets you somewhere and through your productive day. Would I like to a drive a washed car? sure! But it is worth the effort? Eh not when I have more productive things to do - as long as the car is not falling apart of rusting haha.

Went to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown this past weekend - first time in a long time. While there was not really much to see to be honest, but everybody goes for the food anyways (how could you not when there is a whole block just dedicated to food?) It reminds me of the street foods back home in Asia, where at the night blocks will be line up with just foods of all kinds, usually just small finger foods. Nostalgia and bad parking aside, it was just a good opportunity to pig out I guess on some Japanese food that is not made by that Mexican chef in the back of the restaurant.

Well I guess now is as good a time as any to gripe about gas prices again. I finally passed the four dollar threshold during my last fill up (at Costco no less!). Small efficient car not withstanding, it still hurts to have your gas bill go over $40 (those of you that drives SUV, I don't really have much pity haha). It does indeed makes you think twice about making an extra trip doing something that can be combined with another. It also makes you think of ridiculous stuff like taking out all passenger and back seats in order to save some weight (because honestly, 95% of the time its only me?). Then again it was during another blog post couple of weeks back where I said I welcome the high gas prices (in terms of the big picture for America), so I should not be complaining. You know I love San Francisco, but having the highest average pas price in the nation is just one of the side affects (like parking, street cleaning, and oh did I mention parking?)

I did not think it was possible, but I guess one can get sick of costco food. I mean you eat that pizza or hot dog often enough and it just does not taste good anymore. And costco is a such a big foods company, you would think they would have came up with more variety by now (remember when Churros went away and now came back? there used to be Pretzels?). But you know just as you are getting sick of it, you are then reminded the fact of just how cheap the food is. By that time you have no choice but resolve yourself to still patronize. Because $1.50 for a whole meal is nothing to sneeze at, even if your breathe will smell like hotdog for a few hours afterwards. You know what, new business idea - Costco food stands all over the place, and not just exclusive to Costco locations. Imagine what $1.50 hot dogs and soda will make in a place like downtown SF (that hotdog stand by Macy will probably not be happy).

I fully support restaurants posting calorie counts right on the menu. It tells me that just about 80% of the item of the menu, I cannot eat! I mean, you really going to have to at least think about it right? Seeing that meal you are about to order is 1500 calories have to people some thoughts (unless they are really hungry). But I will be honest, sometimes it is hard to put into mind that so little stuff can amount to large amount of calorie. Puts into your mind like "how the heck can this little thing be xxxx calories?". It is the eyes playing tricks on us? Perhaps we are so adapted to the visual volume of food that if it does not look like it is a lot, then even if it IS a lot calorie wise, we still won't be satisfied (it is why when I eat protein bars, even if the label say its 350 cal, I still feel like I barely ate anything). 

Case in point: this past weekend I ate at a diner for some American style breakfast and the portions where huge! I mean who the heck needs three eggs, three sausage, three strips of bacon, three pancakes, and a gang load of potatoes JUST for breakfast? (Don't get me wrong the food was fabulous). I ate like half of it and it was already more than I had wanted to eat. Had the restaurant showed the calorie count on the menu I would have passed on it and just ordered some eggs and cheese (like I would make at home, or just a bowl of oatmeal). As Chinese I was taught to eat everything that is given on the plate/bowl, so I feel extremely bad leaving half uneaten to be thrown away (because you really don't want American style breakfast for two meals in a roll, not me anyways).

Whoa times up, going to get off work soon. Until Monday.  

Together We're Giant - 2011 Giants season preview

By the time this blog post goes live I will already be getting ready to watch my first live Giants game of the season! Thank you coupon codes for $20 dollars seats (against the hated Dodgers no less!). It has been high school since I have watched a Giants game live this early in the season (oh good times). Of course this year is doubly special because the Giants is coming off their World (fcuking) Championship and are on a mission to defend it (there is already torture). 

I quite like the slogan of this year’s ad campaign - together we are Giant. It was much better than last year’s “there is magic inside”. However fitting it end up being as it may, I still think the magic inside slogan is quite cheesy and non to hilarious (as sports advertising should be - all the ESPN Sportscenter ads are very funny). In a way I always admired the Oakland A’s ad campaigns as they are always funny and usually puts their players in impossible situations (Tim Hudson’s pitch is so fast that it altered the space time continuum). I just was not feeling the slow motion style commercials of last year.

This year’s Giants ad campaign so far strikes the perfect cord. It honors fans like us that stuck with them and cheered them on to the championship. Of course those commercials are funny as well (imagine looking into your rear mirror and see Brian Wilson riding in the back, or Buster Posey bum rushing you (keep you pants on ladies) after you’ve closed a sale). I mean hey, a championship ball club deserves a championship level ad campaign.

But enough about the ad campaign. Baseball has been back for a little over a week now, and man has productivity gone down (curse you games for taking 3 hours). But then as any Giants fan would do, you multitask. Have the game on while doing something else and just listen to the broadcast and peak in from time to time (positioning is key). One of the reason baseball is my favorite sporting event is that there is a game literally everyday. Meaning there is also something happy to look forward to - unless the Giants lose then even if the girl you ask to marry said yes, it would still be a bad day. 

The past three days was the Giants first homestand which means all the ceremony of banner raising and rings giving was held. It was like the extension of the parade watching those ceremonies. When the championship banner was hoisted up like a pirate flag, I had chills down my spine. When the players, and especially Kruk and Kuip receive their rings, it was well deserved. When Posey got his Rookie of the Year trophy, he choked up when he thanked his lovely wife (so I don’t know ladies, how much more does a guy have to do to prove that is so far from available on the dating circuit?). It was wonderful seeing the celebration happen, and the fact that the games afterwards were dramatic was the icing on the cake (because not winning during a celebration is so Bonds era type stuff). 

Was sort of disappointed that they did not invite Bengie to the ceremony - seeing as he is just sitting on his ass playing with his kids in his home in Arizona. While giving rings to the Giants hall of famers is a nice gesture (listen, the site of Willie Mac finally get a ring is historic), I sort of hope that after 6 decades of not winning, the Giants would honor more players outside of the hall that played for the organization by giving them rings also (like Boston did back in 2004 when they won the championship for the first time in 86 years). I hope that perhaps they are doing so in private. 

Anyways though now that all the good hoopla is done with and we can finally wave the good vibes of 2010 goodbye, it is time to focus on 2011. Clearly the pitching staff is still tops in the league, though Zito’s two outings so far have been troubling to say the least. In a baseball sense, lefties can survive only having a 86mph fastball (looking at you, the great Jamie Moyer). But what they absolutely must have is location and command - something Zito has been lacking since after the all star break of last year. I understand he is fifth starter and all the pressure is off but did he not work on his game at all? I remember saying back last October that if Zito was any kind of a man, he would try to come back infinite times as hard to prove that he is good contributor to the team. Jury is still out on that one.

Am I the only one that like Zito’s new stache? It reminds of the Office episode when Jim, Dwight, and Michael covertly went to another branch to steal their copier (they wore stache similar to Zito’s as a disguise). 

But yeah other than Zito for now, the rotation and the bullpen is solid. The lineup is looking strong too. DeRosa the super utility man is back healthy. We have Cody Ross for a full season. Panda lost 40 lbs and is looking REALLY good on the plate. Rowand looks to be the best late inning pinch hit replacement guy on the planet (his 12 million dollar salary notwithstanding). Freddy is now hopefully fully healthy, and if so can have a monster year of gettings hits and being on base. Tejada (despite the roids connection) have always been a professional hitter, and he is without a ring so after seeing his teammates get theirs it should fire him up for the whole season. It might still look like a bunch of misfits, but man you can not pay for chemistry for its weight in gold (how is just buying a bunch of guys with talent working out for you eh BOSTON? - hurts me to say this because the AL team I root for is the Redsoxs).

No I did not forget he super rookie Brandon Belt. Sure he is struggling a little right now after the big homerun, but I hope management will see to give him all the time he needs, because from the the brief time I’ve had a chance to look at him, he is going to be a good player. The fact that he has a tremendous eye and can work the count is something that is unique in the Giants Lineup (over the past decade other than the guy name Bonds we have been notorious for being a swing happy team. For that reason alone is worth keeping Belt in the big leagues. Above average fielding and endorsement from Will Clark himself is just extra benefits. I really hope he works out because ever since JT Snow retired, the Giants have been searching for that cornerstone first baseman from the organization. Shoutout to those that came before Belt - the likes of Niekro, Ortmeier, Bowker, and Ishikawa.

And the team is still managed by the smart guy named Bruce Bochy (I am big fan because his head makes mine looks tiny in comparison - and I have a large head). So what more can I say, on paper we have a solid, division winning capable team that is worth watching every single day. This is probably the first year I am not screaming at the team to get a bat, though perhaps this year would be get us a fifth starter that can throw above 90 (is Zito the Todd Wellemeyer of 2011?). 

But there is one shortcoming of the team that I can find - the outfield defense (and Torres just strained his tendon!). I am semi ok with Burrell in left (power hitting that can’t field playing the left field has been a Giants tradition for years, right Barry?), but Huff can’t possibly play the right field well, especially during the home games at AT&T. The problem with the NL is that there is no DH so you can’t just stick guys like Huff or Burrell in that spot. The center fielder will have to cover a lot more room than normally required due to the limited range of the sides. Torres can do it, but do we really want him to have to? 

I guess the problem solves itself once Cody Ross comes back from injury, which brings the bigger conundrum: who are we kicking off the lineup? One would naturally assume Burrell, but as we saw his power is very valuable. My guess would be that between Huff, Burrell, and Ross that it would just be a rotation of sorts with a fine juggling act between starts and off days. And I have confidence in Bochy to do that. Huff should improve to at least average as he acclimates more and more going back to playing the outfield again. I mean a manger should never complain about having too many solid contributors on the team.

It is going to be a good season watching Giant’s baseball - America’s pastime, and the best distraction from “real” life. 

沒有你煩 我有多煩惱 - random thoughts

The sun can be really deceiving. I woke up this morning seeing massive rays of sunshine and said to myself that okay, today will be a warm day. Well of course I was wrong as it was a freezing cold day today (that wind gust sure helped a lot). Compounding the problem is me only having two layers on. Could have drove home after internship to get more layers but was too lazy and did not want to waste gas. I mean I am indoors most of the time. All I have to do is survive the trip to the car. A teacher just walked in saying its actually sprinkling outside as well. GREAT. 

So I took a week off of blogging as last week was my last and final spring break and I just did not have time to write (it makes sense, trust me). Overall I had a wonderful time during the break, even though I spend three days of it at my internship. But those three days was not lost as I immodestly say I was a big contributor to the company ramping up for its Groupon launch, which occurred Wednesday of last week. I mean hey, pictures don't take and edit themselves (in the future perhaps). 

During the three days I actually gain real world experience using photoshop for the first time. But you say wait, if I am a photographer, should I not be using photoshop already? The answer is not really. Photoshop is really for heavily image manipulating. For simple to semi intensive post processing on all my photos, I use Lightroom, also made by Adobe (lightroom - digital, darkroom - film. get it?). That being said, photoshop really is a wonderfully and powerful too - the point where some of the stuff you can do on it should be illegal (haha). 

Rest of the week I slept the prerequisite 10 hours per day and the other time I watched baseball (its back!). Cannot wait to go to my first live game of the season next season (thank you $20 bucks tickets). Also managed to sneak in some spring cleaning to my room. Basically I threw out anything that I have no touch in a year - surprising ended up with a sizable bag of stuff. Nothing like a clean and tidy room to relax and be productive in.

End of spring break means only 7 weeks until I am absolutely done with academia (for now). So now when I post the "I'm done!!!!!!" status (well tweet, since I do that now), it does indeed actually mean I am done - with the whole thing. Sad? eh maybe not really? Looking forward to it actually. Finishing everything up and having a blast at the entrepreneurship graduation ceremony. After that it is straight to debt counseling and unemployment line.

But honestly I don't know what I am doing after graduation yet. Well I do for the most part. The clear choice is get a job (probably cannot avoid this...) and work for a company using my business degree to gain experience, and then a year later or so file for graduate school to get my MBA (Berkeley? Stanford? Harvard? you like my 3.65 GPA? eh probably not). That path seems the logical and safe (?) choice (and one that my parents would approve, and as long as I am staying under their roof still, well...).

However recently I have given thought to actually start doing photography seriously (meaning actual paying jobs), at least on a part time basis. This past year I have really grown to enjoy doing photography, even the tedious editing and publishing. It has actually become something I use to procrastinate with to avoid doing my actual school work. But what I am apprehensive about is that doing it for "real" will leave me burned out and actually turn hating the hobby which I really like. That is definitely not what I want.

Who knows really. I have been getting really positive feedback - but then again, they are my friends (haha). Digital photography is so incredibly assessable - with enough time and equipment you can practically emulate what any other photographer can do (and your wallet will suffer, believe me). So then what boils down to is each individual's style and eye for composition. Thankfully post process editing can tremendously differ between each photographer than finding your own style is not that hard. The reason I can blow through processing pictures at a reasonable pace is because I already have a set of "rules" that I know my photos will need to have and the rest is just finer tinkering to each individual shot. 

Anyways, this is not my photography blog, so I shall stop. Speaking of blogs though, recently I actually bought domain names for them! Of course I went with GoDaddy, because their overtly sexualized commercials did an absolutely fantastic job in enticing the key demographic that I am proudly a part of. Anyways if you look up at the URL instead of chenhealy.tumblr.com, it is now healychen.com (perhaps proving once and for all my name is incredibly unique?).

Why did I buy a url? because it is cool (duh!), and only cost me like 50 bucks per year for two domains. Besides if you are going to brand something and is sticking to it, you better lock up the .com url before someone steals it first. This exactly what happened with my photography blog - junctioncreative.COM was taken, so instead i had to settle for junctioncreative.CO (it was cheaper though). I'm not in the mood nor have the pocket books to contact and buy out whoever owns the .COM (turns out to be a flash engineer of some sort, the website is very minimalist). As for now is still just a hobby.

My computer of 5 years of age have been crapping out again. I think the hard drive is on its last legs (which makes sense, because hard drive are generally only warrantied for 5 years). The machine still works fine, and can rip through all my high definition files just fine. I would like to relieve it and buy a new Mac, but I just don't have the funds to swing it right now. But then you ask don't I already have a Macbook Pro? Well yes, I am typing on it right now. The thing is, once you have owned two computers simultaneous, you can never go back to just one, especially if one is a desktop and the other one is a notebook. The amount of multitasking is just tremendous for productivity. Not to mention when you are away from home the one that stays home can continue to do whatever you schedule it for (because video ripping and converting takes quite a long time). This phenomenon also applied when you starting adding multiple monitors. I maybe a converted minimalist, but sometimes you just need multiple machines to get the job done more efficiently. 

That 5 year old PC that is crapping out, I actually built myself. Back then I was very big into the whole build your own pc thing. It was not that hard to be honest, accept for all the tinkering afterwards. And it can be quite a mess with boxes, cables, and sleeves all over the place. Ultimately it was quite satisfying to having built something so relatively complete with your bare hands (nothing like pushing power and booting it up for the first time). 

But I am getting old, and I grew out of that phase. Nowadays I just want to buy a computer and turn it on without all the hassle (its why I buy Macs). Sure it is less satisfying then making something of your own, but as you find out time disappear faster as you age and there are some things that are just not worth the time to do when other people can do it perfectly (because time is money). Honestly I can see myself pretty soon even off loading the washing of my car to the machines (or someone else) because I just don't have the time to take out 4 hours of my day to do a full detail anymore (hence my car has not been washed since September - thank you rain!)

Anyways, the weekend is going to be a nice one.