Another visit

Well last night I visited my father's friend, Mark, also my father's first employee 30 years ago, in Foster City. He just had an operation to remove about 12 inches of his colon due to colon cancer. His spirits was good and he talks like he was before, brash and loud. But in someways he is humbled a little, I can feel.

He was always the "cowboy" type and the "don't mess with me" kind of person. Very nice guy though. He would do anything for my father. When I was little he took me fishing and he was the first guy I know of that owned a gun. It was "wow" to me at that age.

One night many, many years ago, I went to visit him unannounced, I ran the door bell and when he opened the door a cat ran into the house. He told me to wait outside and immediately closed the door. It was not until about 15 minutes later he opened the door holding a knife and wiping his bloodied hand. He had cut himself with a knife. He said just a small wound and that he had to chase the neighbor's cat away. He complained the cat has been going to his backyard and taunting his rabbits in the backyard and even killing one of them.

He killed the cat that night and threw it somewhere. The next time I saw him after that incident was many years later. I hope he will recover soon.

Body abuse

It is amazing how much abuse a body can take. Mine apparently can tolerate more pain and suffering then some of my friends. Jimmy performed the ritual pictured above; there is a English name for it but I forgot. Ask any Asians and they should know the concept behind it. Interestingly, I saw Anthony Quinn doing it on an actress in a movie which I also forgot. So it is not really unique to the Asian culture.

Anyways, NoNo's friend Newton Niu, traditional Chinese medicine doctor, did some ancient Chinese accupressure on me the other night in my desperate attempts to relief myself of constant back, shoulder, neck and head pains. His way of accupressure or massage is different from others in a way that he uses constant swift series of massage movements in combination to achieve the "Chi" flow. Something like that.

According to him, my pelvis is not aligned so my legs and not the same length and that is why it is affecting the spine and ultimately the shoulder and neck muscles and nerves. Thinking that way, my left side is usually more in pain than the right. And since I carry heavy cameras on my right shoulder, this kind of makes sense. I'll go back for few more sessions and we'll see.


I'm getting my tummy massaged here. Kind of embarrassing, someguy touching my fatty tummy.

Frog Eyes

Posting a blog actually can upset, offend, happify, or alienate my family, friends or anyone who happened to cross path with me. I found that out with my first posting last night. Now I have some sort of reservations on what thoughts I want to share with anyone. Should I have reservations? Probably not. Should I keep a private journal? I already do. So, what the heck, I will take it step by step.

Frog eyes.
NoNo sent me her photo this morning showing her bulging eyes from crying all night. They looked like frog eyes she said. They don’t look that bad too me. NoNo cried all night most likely from missing her son Nio and the sense that she thinks Jimmy is not happy with her. I personally believe that Jimmy is in lots of stress at work and the fact that they have not have the proper signal to proceed with their impending move. All the questions and advices from friends are really not helping much, only adding to the anxiety which is making jimmy uneasy with our discussions on the matter. I know our queries and thoughts are all good in nature and are of curiosity, but; it is because we care that we talk about it.

Everyone, just relax and let the process move on its own pace. Talk about something else next time we meet.

Rehab visit.
I visited Ramsen’s father in the rehab center this afternoon and saw him having difficulties getting up and walking. Just four months ago when I saw him last, he was stumbling a little but not to the point as like today. Kaiser’s doctors have not had any diagnosis on his conditions, yet, for about a year now and his condition definitely had progressed rapidly. Ramsen is not too happy with the health care system the HMO is operating on. There were no set of plans on getting to the bottom of the cause and to root out any possibilities. Sigh... 

He loves me...

yup! Carli is a girl. 

the 3 kicking kids

Caitlin, Brandon and little Carli doing the kicks! Caitlin won 3rd place while Brandon won 2nd place in their divisions! Carli still needs to be more balanced first.

Japanese music video

I forgot the name of the Japanese artist, Junko something. Short production but was fun. Taken by the SAn Francisco Bay overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sunday Brunch

L-R: Jay's COusin, Jay, His girlfriend, Me, Hui Hui, NoNo. Jimmy took the photo. 

Sunday Brunch

Woke up late to meet with my friend NoNo for a Sunday brunch. Hui Hui supposedely wanting to treat us to a nice Sunday brunch at the Westin Hotel in Palo Alto. Surprisingly, other friends were also there enjoying the food. I forgot her name but she and her boyfrined, Jay and his cousin were there. She helped me with make-up and hair for one of my TV commercial production. Even now as I write this, I still do not remember her name. Didn't even ask NoNo. Oh well.

Anyways, when the bill came, We all had to pay our share of $31. Expensive brunch! Wait a mininute, I thought Hui Hui was going to treat us. No one said anything so I paid up. Got stuck in the parking garage for about 10 minutes because we couldn't get out.

On the way home, I met up with Bing and chatted about the work in Shanghai and his plans there. Something major will happen.

Came back home and attemped to fix the leaking sprinkler system. Found out two of the pipes have holes after I dug up the pipes. No wonder my water bill is so high.

Ramsen came back from Washington D.C. and was suppose to leave tonight. I called and found out his father was in the emergency room and is now in a rehab room. He has been having trouble walking. Hope he will be alright. Makes me think about my parents.