Started driving
Crossing a bridget to Oregon
Welcome to Oregon
Cannon Beach
Somewhere on the Oregon Coast (North of Newport)
Newport, Oregon
Somewhere on the Oregon Coast (South of Newport)
Three of us
Sea Lions
Thursday, December 30, 2010
End of Year Road Trip
Started driving
Crossing a bridget to Oregon
Welcome to Oregon
Cannon Beach
Somewhere on the Oregon Coast (North of Newport)
Newport, Oregon
Somewhere on the Oregon Coast (South of Newport)
Three of us
Sea Lions
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Parents Visiting Seattle -- Part 3
After two weeks in Seattle, my parents and I went to Honolulu on November 4th.
The weather was very nice in Honolulu. However, due to the low immune system of her body, my mother suddenly developed an illness which causes her immense pain. Except for the first day, my mother spent most the time in the hotel room. The foreign language and the unfamiliar medical system made things even more difficult for my mother. Thankfully, my mother is a doctor herself and she diagnosed what illness she was having. The doctor's visit on Sunday (November 7th) in Honolulu just confirmed her diagnosis. In addition to see a doctor on Sunday and request wheel chair assistance at the airports, my parents had to shorten their US visit.
My parents went back last Wednesday. Right after they arrived in Zhongshan, they went to see a doctor again. My mother is taking medications and receiving treatments. Even though it might take some time for my mother to fully recover, things are under control.
I'll remember to buy medical insurance for my parents when they visit me next time.
The weather was very nice in Honolulu. However, due to the low immune system of her body, my mother suddenly developed an illness which causes her immense pain. Except for the first day, my mother spent most the time in the hotel room. The foreign language and the unfamiliar medical system made things even more difficult for my mother. Thankfully, my mother is a doctor herself and she diagnosed what illness she was having. The doctor's visit on Sunday (November 7th) in Honolulu just confirmed her diagnosis. In addition to see a doctor on Sunday and request wheel chair assistance at the airports, my parents had to shorten their US visit.
My parents went back last Wednesday. Right after they arrived in Zhongshan, they went to see a doctor again. My mother is taking medications and receiving treatments. Even though it might take some time for my mother to fully recover, things are under control.
I'll remember to buy medical insurance for my parents when they visit me next time.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Parents Visiting Seattle -- Part 2
The second weekend of my parents' visit, I had to travel to Canada for a few days. My parents were left alone in Seattle. They told me that they went to Woodland Park.
When I came back, it was a couple days before Halloween. My mother and I did pumpkin carving. My mother enjoyed it.
On October 30th, we went to watch a UW football game. Even though UW lost to Stanford 0 to 41, we had a lot of fun.
On Sunday (October 31st), we went to Museum of Flight with two of my friends.
When I came back, it was a couple days before Halloween. My mother and I did pumpkin carving. My mother enjoyed it.
On October 30th, we went to watch a UW football game. Even though UW lost to Stanford 0 to 41, we had a lot of fun.
On Sunday (October 31st), we went to Museum of Flight with two of my friends.
Friday, October 29, 2010
South Beauty
When I was browsing the gossips online, I found a high-end Chinese restaurant chain "South Beauty". Their website includes menu, which is great. Because I can use it to tell people about some Chinese food.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Parents Visiting Seattle
Parents came last Friday and will stay for a month. A couple days before, I talked to a couple friends whose parents had visited. All of them said that their parents got bored within a week. It seems like I have to find ways to keep my parents entertain.
First day when my parents arrived, my mother commented my apartment was too small for three people. I didn't want to tell her how much I pay for my rent. My father defended me that my place was as big as our first apartment in Zhongshan.
Second day, my parents and I visited Space Needle. It was my first time as well. We also went to Kerry Park. Then had a late lunch in Chinatown.
Third day, we went to Best Buy at Northgate. My parents already started to think about presents for relatives.
Fourth day, I took my parents to the UW campus. They were excited to see the library in person, as they had seen it online all the time.
Today, my parents met my advisor. My mother felt she couldn't express herself due to her lack of English capability.
My parents walked to my office from home themselves this afternoon. I was a bit relief. However, I still concern if they can explore the neighborhoods on their own. I suggest my parents to go to the Gasworks Park themselves tomorrow. Let's see what happen.
First day when my parents arrived, my mother commented my apartment was too small for three people. I didn't want to tell her how much I pay for my rent. My father defended me that my place was as big as our first apartment in Zhongshan.
Second day, my parents and I visited Space Needle. It was my first time as well. We also went to Kerry Park. Then had a late lunch in Chinatown.
Third day, we went to Best Buy at Northgate. My parents already started to think about presents for relatives.
Fourth day, I took my parents to the UW campus. They were excited to see the library in person, as they had seen it online all the time.
Today, my parents met my advisor. My mother felt she couldn't express herself due to her lack of English capability.
My parents walked to my office from home themselves this afternoon. I was a bit relief. However, I still concern if they can explore the neighborhoods on their own. I suggest my parents to go to the Gasworks Park themselves tomorrow. Let's see what happen.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Zhouqu
For the pass few days, I have heard a lot of news reports from TV and radio stations about landslide happening in Gansu Province, China. However, I had no clue what the news reporters said about the town. I had to check online and found it was Zhouqu(舟曲).
Do I expect too much from the western news reporters?
Do I expect too much from the western news reporters?
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Housing
I was invited to lunch with two friends who, like me, came from China for graduate school at UW. One of them is working on her dissertation on housing in China. Inevitably, I asked her about her dissertation, and we talked about how ridiculously expensive the housing in Beijing has become.
Nine years ago when I just graduated from the university, the housing market in China started to become active. People started to own their residential units and purchase condos. Shanghai had the most active housing market in China at that time. I always heard how rapid the housing price in Shanghai increased.
The skyrocketing housing price and struggles of many people in China facing to buy a house made a TV series "Wo Ju", meaning a nutshell of a house, very popular in China last year. Wo Ju tells the story of a white-collar couple struggling to buy a house in Shanghai. They graduated from renowned Chinese universities and have a 2-year-old child. Yet as they could not afford a house in the city, they end up borrowing money from their relatives. Protagonist Hai Ping's younger sister, Hai Zao, rents an apartment with her boyfriend Xiao Bei, in an attempt to save money for their future house and wedding. Hai Zao then meets Song Siming, a 42-year-old government official, and has an affair with him. Song gives Hai Zao money and other benefits to help her sister's family out. Song is later found guilty of taking bribes and dies in a car accident. Hai Zao and Song's child was born premature and died.
I don't always understand why the housing price in Beijing could start practically nothing and caught up with and surpass Seattle in less than 15 years. Economists like to explain as demand surpassing supply. I can't help wonder why there are so much demand. Beijing is the capital. For people who are not familiar with China, China is a country with a very long history of central control. In other words, China is a country with a very strict hierarchical system and politics is closely related with economy. The center of the politics is also the center of economy. If the housing value are determined by location, location, and location, Beijing, no doubt, is the prime city to live. This justifies why housing is more expensive in Beijing than other cities, but it doesn't explain housing is unaffordable for the majority of the residents in Beijing. I don't define affordable as 30% of a household's gross income. Unaffordable here means even a household uses all their income or acquires all kinds of loans and mortgages, they still can't buy a tiny condo.
My friend who is working on housing in China stated a theory. A very small percentage of Chinese people have got rich. They're looking for high return investments. However, Chinese government control all high profitable industries, and no private investment is allowed. Housing market is the only market that the government doesn't forbid private investment. Thus, money is flooring in, which escalates housing price. That's why so many rich Chinese purchase housing in Beijing even though they don't live there at all. That's why housing price in Beijing is unusually high that owning housing is a unrealistic dream for ordinary Beijing residents.
Nine years ago when I just graduated from the university, the housing market in China started to become active. People started to own their residential units and purchase condos. Shanghai had the most active housing market in China at that time. I always heard how rapid the housing price in Shanghai increased.
The skyrocketing housing price and struggles of many people in China facing to buy a house made a TV series "Wo Ju", meaning a nutshell of a house, very popular in China last year. Wo Ju tells the story of a white-collar couple struggling to buy a house in Shanghai. They graduated from renowned Chinese universities and have a 2-year-old child. Yet as they could not afford a house in the city, they end up borrowing money from their relatives. Protagonist Hai Ping's younger sister, Hai Zao, rents an apartment with her boyfriend Xiao Bei, in an attempt to save money for their future house and wedding. Hai Zao then meets Song Siming, a 42-year-old government official, and has an affair with him. Song gives Hai Zao money and other benefits to help her sister's family out. Song is later found guilty of taking bribes and dies in a car accident. Hai Zao and Song's child was born premature and died.
I don't always understand why the housing price in Beijing could start practically nothing and caught up with and surpass Seattle in less than 15 years. Economists like to explain as demand surpassing supply. I can't help wonder why there are so much demand. Beijing is the capital. For people who are not familiar with China, China is a country with a very long history of central control. In other words, China is a country with a very strict hierarchical system and politics is closely related with economy. The center of the politics is also the center of economy. If the housing value are determined by location, location, and location, Beijing, no doubt, is the prime city to live. This justifies why housing is more expensive in Beijing than other cities, but it doesn't explain housing is unaffordable for the majority of the residents in Beijing. I don't define affordable as 30% of a household's gross income. Unaffordable here means even a household uses all their income or acquires all kinds of loans and mortgages, they still can't buy a tiny condo.
My friend who is working on housing in China stated a theory. A very small percentage of Chinese people have got rich. They're looking for high return investments. However, Chinese government control all high profitable industries, and no private investment is allowed. Housing market is the only market that the government doesn't forbid private investment. Thus, money is flooring in, which escalates housing price. That's why so many rich Chinese purchase housing in Beijing even though they don't live there at all. That's why housing price in Beijing is unusually high that owning housing is a unrealistic dream for ordinary Beijing residents.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Food, Eating
Growing up in China, I was not particularly introduced to a religion or encouraged to take a religion. Some of my friends teased me that I was a communist. Well, I don't have a religion, but I consider myself as a socialist or an unbeliever of capitalist more than a communist. However, I take what I eat and what restaurants I go seriously and adventurously.
Even though sandwich is simple and fast, I don't like to have it for lunch. I don't like American hamburgers or pizzas. Not because they look cheap or unsophisticated, it is because I don't find them tasty. Ordinary meats such as chicken and pork from American supermarkets are tasteless. I have to buy organic kosher chicken and organic pork (I wish I could find organic kosher pork.^_^.). I didn't know how to cook until 22 when I moved to the states. I made international phone calls to my mother to ask how to cook. However, at the second year when I started cooking, I invited ten people for dinner and cooked all the dishes.
One thing I enjoy most while traveling is to try local cuisine. I had an unforgettable time at a local restaurant in Seoul with a friend who introduced me to eat live octopus, a famous Korean dish. I still remember the moving octopus in the plane when the waitress bringing it out from the kitchen. I also love telling people funny stories about food. I have told many of friends the experience my parents and I had on eating larvas. Exploring different restaurants is one of my favor activities.
Not surprisingly I enjoy "No Reservation", a travel TV show on food, and like the TV show host, Anthony Bourdain. I even bought one of his book - Kitchen Confidential. I'm reading it every morning during breakfast. I'm having a good time. I found Bourdain's comments on vegetarians amusing.
Even though sandwich is simple and fast, I don't like to have it for lunch. I don't like American hamburgers or pizzas. Not because they look cheap or unsophisticated, it is because I don't find them tasty. Ordinary meats such as chicken and pork from American supermarkets are tasteless. I have to buy organic kosher chicken and organic pork (I wish I could find organic kosher pork.^_^.). I didn't know how to cook until 22 when I moved to the states. I made international phone calls to my mother to ask how to cook. However, at the second year when I started cooking, I invited ten people for dinner and cooked all the dishes.
One thing I enjoy most while traveling is to try local cuisine. I had an unforgettable time at a local restaurant in Seoul with a friend who introduced me to eat live octopus, a famous Korean dish. I still remember the moving octopus in the plane when the waitress bringing it out from the kitchen. I also love telling people funny stories about food. I have told many of friends the experience my parents and I had on eating larvas. Exploring different restaurants is one of my favor activities.
Not surprisingly I enjoy "No Reservation", a travel TV show on food, and like the TV show host, Anthony Bourdain. I even bought one of his book - Kitchen Confidential. I'm reading it every morning during breakfast. I'm having a good time. I found Bourdain's comments on vegetarians amusing.
Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.
.... Amoebas, however, are transferred most easily through the handling of raw, uncooked vegetables, particularly during the washing of salad greens and leafy produces. So think about that next time you want to exchange deep tongue kisses with a vegetarian.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Like a Marathon
Finally sent my first draft out this morning.
Hopefully I can be in time to do defense in July.
At the meanwhile, I'm still looking for a job.
At least, summer finally came.
Hopefully I can be in time to do defense in July.
At the meanwhile, I'm still looking for a job.
At least, summer finally came.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Travel
Last week, my parents finally had their first oversea trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Apparently they had a good time. My mother can't stopping telling me what they had seen on their trip. My father emailed me some nice fun pictures they took. That's what I like about traveling: seeing new places, meeting new people, and sharing stories.
One of my memorable trips was my European trip a few years ago. I took a plane from Paris to Roma. After I arrived, I found the airport was somewhat small, and not crowded at all. I had to walk a few minutes to the train station where only one clerk was selling tickets. With help from a couple from Eastern Europe, I purchased my ticket to the center of Roma. Within half an hour, I got onto a train. I started to doubt if I caught the right train when I saw the sign of Roma was the opposite direction where the train was heading. I asked a lady sitting close to me if the train was going to Roma. The lady said her English wasn't good and told me to ask other people. Then I asked a young fellow who was reading an Italian newspaper sitting next to her. He looked at me and smiled, and told me this train was coming from Roma. Maybe he felt that he should make me feel ease, he added I didn't need to worry, and I could stay on the train to the terminal and the train would go back to Roma shortly. I relieved and thanked him. When he was waiting to get off the train, he saw me again. He asked me where I came from. I told him that I just flew from Paris. He asked me if I was a Chinese. I said yes. Then he started speaking Mandarin to me! I couldn't even tell if he was a Chinese.
A friend joined me in Roma the next day. After 3 days in Roma, my friend and I planed to fly to Berlin to visit our friend. When we got to the airport, my friend was looking for our flight. After quite some time, he still couldn't find it. He checked the tickets again, and he found that we came to the wrong airport! There are two airports in Roma: Ciampino airport and Fiumicino airport (the main airport). Then I remembered how small the airport when I first arrived in Roma. I didn't remember the name. I guess it was Ciampino. The airport we were at now was big and full of people. I guess it is called Fiumicino or Leonardo da Vinci airport. Neither my friend nor I can speak Italian. The airline tickets we had were booked in Danish. Neither of us doubled check the tickets before we came to the airport. Both my friend and I complained about the Roma airports with such difficult names for foreigners. Ciampino and Fiumicino, they should just call Cappuccino.
We missed our flight and had to purchase new tickets. The worst thing was that my friend couldn't find his luggage when we arrived in Berlin (he got his luggage before he went back home). It was very expensive to buy the last minute tickets. It was priceless to see my friend cursing from Roma to Berlin.
One of my memorable trips was my European trip a few years ago. I took a plane from Paris to Roma. After I arrived, I found the airport was somewhat small, and not crowded at all. I had to walk a few minutes to the train station where only one clerk was selling tickets. With help from a couple from Eastern Europe, I purchased my ticket to the center of Roma. Within half an hour, I got onto a train. I started to doubt if I caught the right train when I saw the sign of Roma was the opposite direction where the train was heading. I asked a lady sitting close to me if the train was going to Roma. The lady said her English wasn't good and told me to ask other people. Then I asked a young fellow who was reading an Italian newspaper sitting next to her. He looked at me and smiled, and told me this train was coming from Roma. Maybe he felt that he should make me feel ease, he added I didn't need to worry, and I could stay on the train to the terminal and the train would go back to Roma shortly. I relieved and thanked him. When he was waiting to get off the train, he saw me again. He asked me where I came from. I told him that I just flew from Paris. He asked me if I was a Chinese. I said yes. Then he started speaking Mandarin to me! I couldn't even tell if he was a Chinese.
A friend joined me in Roma the next day. After 3 days in Roma, my friend and I planed to fly to Berlin to visit our friend. When we got to the airport, my friend was looking for our flight. After quite some time, he still couldn't find it. He checked the tickets again, and he found that we came to the wrong airport! There are two airports in Roma: Ciampino airport and Fiumicino airport (the main airport). Then I remembered how small the airport when I first arrived in Roma. I didn't remember the name. I guess it was Ciampino. The airport we were at now was big and full of people. I guess it is called Fiumicino or Leonardo da Vinci airport. Neither my friend nor I can speak Italian. The airline tickets we had were booked in Danish. Neither of us doubled check the tickets before we came to the airport. Both my friend and I complained about the Roma airports with such difficult names for foreigners. Ciampino and Fiumicino, they should just call Cappuccino.
We missed our flight and had to purchase new tickets. The worst thing was that my friend couldn't find his luggage when we arrived in Berlin (he got his luggage before he went back home). It was very expensive to buy the last minute tickets. It was priceless to see my friend cursing from Roma to Berlin.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Entertaining News
While I was running hierarchical models, I checked out the China Daily and found a piece of news "Guangxi nails diary scandal official". Receiving bribery of $71,000 in 8 years, this Guangxi official could face "a sentence of at least 10 years in jail if convicted". Out of curiosity, I did an online search in Chinese. It returned quite a lot of links focusing on his diary detail recording his extra marital affairs with five women. At the same time, quite a few people considered he was not a bad official.
I just can't help bust out laughing in the office.
I just can't help bust out laughing in the office.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Friday, March 05, 2010
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