Kite Flying (Attempt)

We (SoCal) are experiencing 4-days heat wave at the moment. It is like really really hot. Since Saturday we have been getting high 90F temperatures and some places even got 100F. Today is supposed to be the last day of summer-in-spring weather before it goes back to normal temperatures of low to middle 60F. Can't wait since I have been donning kain batik (batik sarong) or pareo at home. My aunt would find that very funny since I don't normally wear kain batik. Shorts would be my choice of clothing when the weather is hot but at this new apartment, we don't have any a/c and I find shorts to be not cooling enough.

Anyways, these pictures were taken 2 weekends ago when the weather was in mid 60F and rather windy. Michael decided that he wants to have a kite and bought a 3-d kite in the shape of aeroplane as you can see from the pictures. At first we just went to the park next to our apartment but after a few attempts, we realised that it is not windy enough so we decided to go down to the beach which would guarantee a continuos wind.


While he was busy trying to get the kite up and flying, I got bored and decided to just hang out near the water. It was too windy and too cold to even walk in the water. So I scrapped my plan of wetting my feet. Since I was the one holding the camera, of course I was not in any of the pictures but I was wearing a winter jacket!

Enjoy the pictures. Next time I will try to take the picture of my new bicycle when we are at the beach and I will take some pictures of the campers.

High Speed Rail System

I dont know about you but to me it seems like the biggest news now (besides Susan Boyle) is the high speed train eversince President Obama mentioned it on Thursday. Finally something to be excited about. There's enough bad/sad news already nowadays and everybody is dying for some positive news. Any positive news.

I totally agree that US needs a good train system especially the high speed train to connect from 1 state to another state. I have always been baffled as to why didn't US already have bullet train. The country is huge. People are so used to driving cross country or just driving that it is very common for people to have 100k+ miles on their odometer within 5 years of owning the car. Something that I am not used to until I moved here and it is crazy.

High speed train would help ease the traffic and air traffic congestion. Not to mention reducing the time taken to get from 1 point to another. Imagine if you can travel comfortably from California to New York without having to go to the airport 2hrs prior to your flying scheduled time or queueing for check in or going through the security and not able to bring anything liquid more than 100ml. You would even have a bigger seat than the economy class. Ain't that sweet? It is if only California-New York is in the plan which is not as you can see here. Oh well! Maybe next time somewhere in the future there would be a bullet train connecting California with New York.

But for a start, I seriously think they should at least add LA - Vegas into their plan. No more traveling on the always-crazily-congested-I 15 freeway for 7hrs to go to Vegas since once you're in Vegas, you don't really need a car. Public transportation in Vegas is good and efficient. They even have monorail which is cool. So I am rather disappointed that LA - Vegas too was not in the plan. Please Mr President, could you please add that to your plan?

Dream

Image from Behance Network

I had a weird dream a few days ago. In my dream, Russia declared war on USA and Michael was drafted.

I know it was just a dream but it makes me uncomfortable still. Sigh...

Is That It?

The Star Online, Saturday Mar 28

MIRI: The parents of the baby boy who starved to death because they forgot to feed him have refused to allow a post-mortem to be carried out on the body.

They had claimed the body from the Miri Hospital on Friday after the body was released from the mortuary.

The couple, in their 30s, were not arrested because initial police investigation showed that there was no criminal intention on their part to leave the less than one month old baby unfed as they had been on a prolonged booze binge with their friends.

There had been no marks of physical abuse on the baby, either.

Read more here.

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Are you seeing what Im seeing? The cops did not see anything wrong when people leave their child starved to death while they were out binging on alcohol? They could not find criminal intention in that? What do you think would happen to an infant if left on her/his own and is hungry? Pick up the phone and call for milk delivery or pizza? This just pissed me off. The cop better wake up and bring the parents to justice! Argh! Im so damn angry!

My Obsession

I didn't even know about the books until I watched the movie and was told by a friend that the movie is based on the book series by Stephenie Meyer. I went and bought the first 2 books. Read them and got myself hooked.

At first, I didn't want to buy the 3rd and 4th books yet since they have yet to come out with paperback version but after waiting for 2 months, I decided I have to know the rest of the story and could not wait any longer. So I now have a half-set each of paperback and hardcover for the Twilight saga.

Yes, I have watched the movie. Yes, I have never bought a dvd before. Of any kind! (those that I bought in KL does not count and you know why! lol) But Twilight is different. It is now an obsession of mine. I can't get enough of it. The dvd comes in 3 which include special features and bonus features. And guess what? I watched them all! And if that is not enough, I felt that I have to read the book(s) again and of course I am going to watch the movie, yet again ..... soon after I finished reading Twilight.

Troubling Traits During Recession

As per my daily weekday routine, I watched ABC7 Good Morning America (GMA) every morning for the weather forecast and other news. One section shocked me and I just could not believe my eyes and/or ears. It is unbelievable, despicable and disgusting.

The story is about a couple living in California. They have a daughter. Both worked in sales. The husband loses his job sometime last year and has not been able to find another since so but in the meantime he is the Mr.Mom. He does all the housework, cook, clean, laundry and the whole nine yard that a typical full-time wife/mother would do. The wife is still working. Sounds normal right? It is if she treats him with respect. Not in this case though. She admitted (to the whole nation via GMA!) that ever since her husband loses his work and become Mr.Mom, she has lost a lot of respect for him and keep on bitching about how she wants to be a mother first!

Can you imagine if the situation is reversed? This woman and the family still has a house (it looks big and nice!) and 2 nice cars. A lot of people here in California has lost their job AND home. She should be thankful that at least the husband is taking over her role as the wife and mother to their only child while looking for a job. It is not like he just sits at home doing nothing and she has to do the houseworks when she comes back from work. Looking at her face, she doesn't even look guilty or feels that she is wrong. I really feel like I want to bitch-slap that bitch.

Please go read and watch the news here.

Saturday at the Beach

It has been a long time, a very long time since I walk or jog or run. So when I found out that we were going to have a very nice weather last Saturday, I told Michael that maybe we should go to the beach for a walk.

We parked our car along the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) where they have a few metered parking areas at what they called the dog beach. If you owned a dog (or two or three), this would be heaven! Thank god most owners follow the rule which is clean up after your own dog. *wink*

He walked. I walked. But there were a few meter distance between us since I have short legs. :P He would make a u-turn a few times so that he didn't end up walking too far away from me.

It is going to be awhile (if ever!) for me to get back in shape and back to running but I am feeling really positive about it. Of course as long as the weather is not too cold or to hot.

Among the thousand of dogs at the beach, these two really caught my eyes. I asked the owner if I could take their pictures and he kindly agree. I know he is very proud of his dogs. Aren't they beautiful? And huge! I wish I had paid attention when he said their names but I was busy taking pictures.

I hope we are going to have nice weather this weekend so I can make this at least a weekly activity.