a year with hoon

Cleaning Up.

2008-01-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

I visited St. Ignatius Cathedral today and walked around for a bit after Mass ended. While initially I didn't like having the janitor framed in this shot, I realize now that it makes for a more interesting composition, since it shows a part of the church that is not necessarily what people picture.

My Team.

2008-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

We took a team photo today for our director. This is pretty much everyone sans a few people, including myself. I volunteered to take the photo so that I wouldn't have my sickly self all up in the picture! :P

Gym Time.

2008-01-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

My roommate Timmy's been getting me to go to the gym with him these days. I want to keep my hands Egyptian cotton soft, as Ve says...just kidding. I had to get them for extra support on my palms.

Most Expensive Date Ever.

2008-01-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

My car was hungry on the ride home, so I stopped by the gas station around the corner to feed her. Good thing she takes regular. If not, she woulda gone home hungry. :P

Eat Your Vegetables.

2008-01-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

location: Clement St, Inner Richmond District.

Kirkwood Day Trip.

2008-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

I brought my point and shoot camera with me to my first trip up to Lake Tahoe this snow season. It was good to be back on the mountain.

"Man vs. Wild"

[you may need to click to enlarge to understand the title of this photo]

"First Tracks"

hoon. tones. ngie.

geared up and geeked out.

Gear Up.

2008-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm getting picked up tomorrow at 4:30AM to go to Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe. Apparently there's been about 10 feet of snow that dumped on Tahoe all week, and as the first time going up this year, I'm too excited to sleep!

Full Sink.

2008-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

When things get busy, the dishes need to get done.

The Palace.

2008-01-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

My brother and his friend came to town today to drop off my car and so I took them to Palace of Fine Arts because I assumed that it'd be lit up. I brought a tripod with me so I was able to get this shot. I like shooting at night. :)

Light The Way.

2008-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was just messing around with the long exposure on my camera and I caught this from my balcony.

Waiting To Go Home.

2008-01-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was waiting for the 38BX to go home from work when I caught this angle.

This is why I like working in downtown San Francisco. The skyline in the Financial District is not as suffocatingly dominating as ones seen in metropolises, and yet it still is distinctively urban. San Francisco is just the right size for the Financial District to feel like you're in a metropolis and yet you still can quickly access neighborhoods as unique as the Haight, the Mission, and the Richmond, which makes the city incredibly diverse and versatile. Today was one of those days where I was able to take a small step back and realize how much God has blessed me in allowing me to live in a place like this.

I hope that you're able to find little breaks in the busyness of life to really reflect and be thankful of the blessings. :)

Assessing The Damage.

2008-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

We were walking to Michelle's apartment to get breakfast when we saw this car that got owned by a tree during this weekend's rainstorms. Crazy.

A Night At Lower Haight.

2008-01-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from Michelle & Gina's housewarming party. The rest can be found on my flickr and facebook sites. Enjoy!

End Of The Line.

2008-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

"exit strategy"

The rainstorms today have been the worst in years. With that being said, the buses were running late and after the lady sitting in front of me got off, I was the sole passenger on the MUNI.

"end of the line"

Tag Your Card.

2008-01-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

I took this shot on the light rail to j.giggle's place after work. Out of all of the shots I took, this came out the clearest, but I think I'm going to try shooting on public transportation again...someday.

Is It Over Already?

2008-01-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

I came back to my apartment in San Francisco to find these candy canes placed on our coffee table, and I thought, "Is Christmas really already over?" I decided that until all these candy canes are gone, it will still be Christmas at my house! :)

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

There's no better way to start the New Year than with family. Hope that this year is filled with blessings beyond measure. God bless!

brothers: bigger younger and smaller older.

i like it when they laugh.

In The Air Again.

2007-06-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

I took this shot while on my flight out to Houston this weekend. My noona Amy is getting married and so I'm flying out to join in the festivities. The crazy thing about us is that her parents have been close with ours ever since we moved to LA in '84. In fact, her parents knew my aunt (my mom's older sister) before they knew us, and they helped my parents when we first moved out to Cali. The last time I saw them was when I was seven, during the summer before we moved to Moscow, Russia. We lost touch, but as with all random connections, she found me on xanga, since one of my profile pictures was from when I was like 4.
We've been in touch ever since, and so I'm really excited about this brief family reunion. I probably shouldn't be flying in my current headache/coughing condition, but hey, anything for family.

More Toys.

2007-05-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to buy a flash and get my own 50mm lens. I initially wanted to have the equipment with me by July for missions, but since I'm traveling to Houston this weekend for a wedding, I thought it'd be nice to get it sooner than later. I just hate how the older you get, the more expensive your toys become.

Punk Rock Babies and MFGG.

2007-05-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

For our quarterly offsite, my department invited the punk cover band Me First & The Gimme Gimmes to play at our Summer Kick-Off Bash. I listened to them in high school, so I was excited when I heard that they were coming.

In the middle of their first set, the band's wives walked in with their kids in tow. Each kid had earmuffs on, and it was the most adorable thing, because they were still jamming to their daddies' music. When the two girls just stood in front of their dads' band, I had to steal a shot.

I turned around saw this kid playing with the soundboard. Too cute.

And in the end, me and Brian were able to grab a picture with the band, sans Spike (their lead singer). We think that he was testing out a Google bike and thus was unavailable.

Still Sick.

2007-05-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

The title says it all. With all the stuff I'm taking to try and get better, I feel like a walking medicine cabinet. Please pray that I get better soon!

24/7 Memorial Day BBQ.

2007-05-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Since none of us had to work today, our small group met up in Alex's apartment by the ballpark for a huge barbeque. 1/2 lbs burgers, 6 oz steaks, hot dogs, and NINE gallons of homemade sweet tea by yours truly and Steve Chen made this a memorable 9 hour BBQ. Good times.

Jen Han, also known as "NOOOOO!!" (To my NC peeps, she's Judy Pham's best friend. Small world, huh?)

More photos can be found here.

Tea: How a Pro Does It!

2007-05-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

While making the nine gallons of sweet tea for tomorrow's barbeque, Ben "The Stonecutter" Chen decided to whip up some cinnamon-lemon tea for all of us. Since I've been coughing for the past week, it really hit the spot. Ben, one of the owners of The Public (a local restaurant), went into the kitchen and was making this concoction in a skillet! I've never seen tea made like this before, so I had to take a picture.

Rona's Birthday

2007-05-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today was Rona's birthday and we celebrated in grand style at Ben Chen's loft in Potrero Hill. A whole bunch of us got together for dinner, and we got to just chill and spend some time catching up with each other. (Rona is the girl with the "I [heart] Mom" shirt)

I was initially taking a picture of just the ladies, when the fellas all decided to act a fool in the background. :)

More pictures of the night can be found here.

Paris, Je t'aime.

2007-05-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

18 short films directed by 18 world-famous directors about 18 different arrondissements (districts) in Paris. This two hour film made me fall in love with Paris all over again and made me want to go back. While two or three of the stories were not as memorable in my opinion, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would recommend it to those who would love to take a two hour break and travel to one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

A Night With Chung.

2007-05-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Chung (one of the brothers from our small group) performed at a local coffeeshop during open mic. He was by far the most talented and polished performer, and it was great to see him in his element, performing his own songs in front of a crowd that consisted of mostly friends.

Nights like this really make me realize how uniquely talented and gifted God blesses each and every one of us and of how talented the members of my own small group are. Among us we have musicians, designers, animators, dancers, poets, and comedians. I'm guessing it's this uniqueness that allows us to have such good times and memories when we're all together.

Good job tonight, Chung.

Jam Session.

2007-05-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

We had a jam session at Chung's house. It was interesting. I've been trying to play my guitar more often, but it's just too hard to find the time. I've been realizing that there's so much I want to do, I wish there were more hours in a day to get them all done. But then again, with more hours, I'd probably just sleep more! :P

Just Another Friday: Cricket & Bluegrass.

2007-04-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

While Google is always pictured as a chill place to work, Fridays at work are awesome, not just because they mark the beginning of the weekend, but also because there's always something cool going on. After we wrapped up work today, we went to Charleston Park (which borders our main campus) to watch some Googlers play cricket. And that's when it hit me again: what other place can you watch your fellow coworkers play cricket in front of a giant palm tree on any given Friday? haha...

After chillin for a little bit, we headed over to main campus to watch a bluegrass band perform. Man, I seriously need to count my blessings daily when it comes to my employment situation. God is good.

Barracuda Sushi.

2007-04-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Chung, Andrew, Kwang Ho, Sarah, and I went to Barracuda Sushi in Burlingame for dinner. Among five of us, we ordered more rolls than could fit in this single frame. The picture can speak for itself on how good the food was. I'd love to go back just to see Chung order the "Oh! Wasabi!" roll again! haha...

[Stop] Caring.

2007-04-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

There's an alley near my apartment where I park sometimes. Tonight was the first time I noticed that the stop sign at the end of the alley was graffitti'd. I thought it was an interesting shot so I grabbed a quick shot and headed home.

Jones Black Cherry Soda.

2007-04-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Taken at Panera Bread. There's not really an interesting story to go with this. I just took this picture because I thought the framing might be interesting. I just wish the lighting was better.

Oh and just for your info, the Jones Black Cherry soda tastes like cough syrup. Eww...unless you like that taste.

Family Time.

2007-04-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

I spent today with two of my cousins from my mom's side of the family. The beautiful people you see next to me are Daniel and Esther, two of my closest cousins. They're both working in the city and took some time to just chill with me and wander around NY, since I haven't been able to do so in such a long time. It was so great and refreshing to see them, and just being around them helped me really take a break from the deep emotions I've been dealing with recently. So yeah, thanks, you two, for making things a bit easier to cope with and reminding me of the importance of family.

Later that night, I spent time with cousin's son (which I guess makes him my second cousin). His name is Zubin, he's two years old, and is as adorable in person as he is in the picture. Man, I love kids.

Miyazaki Keeps Me Company.

2007-04-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

My mind needs a break. After hearing of my grandmother's passing, I bought the next plane ticket out to Jersey for her funeral service. With all the craziness that's been going on in my life, I was glad that I got some time to just sit and let my brain numb out while waiting for the plane to start boarding.

When I approached the gate, I realized that I had alot more time than expected, so I put in Porco Rosso, one of Hayao Miyazaki's earlier films. It's quite different from his more recent stuff like Spirited Away, but just as entertaining. This was Miyazaki's first film in which he was targeting an older audience, and while the film did seem a bit more "dramatic," it had elements that appeal to people of all ages. Before I sound like another movie critic, I'm just gonna end by saying that I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a good animated feature or anyone who wants to just take a break from life for a little bit.

My 23rd Birthday.

2007-04-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Wow. What I intended to be a pretty low-key birthday turned out to be random yet enjoyable. It started off with me getting to my desk to find the white board decorated by my cubemate Annie.

I didn't really want to make a huge deal at work, because I didn't think it was groundbreaking news, but the day continued with coworkers and friends stopping by and calling to send their birthday greetings, which was really thoughtful of everyone.

At lunch, a group of Googlers from 24/7 and my coworkers in my department headed to main campus for some good grub and good company in what turned out to be a gorgeous day.

As the day progressed, Julie- a friend from 3:18 (a different small group at GrX)- found out that I hadn't made any plans for the day and invited me out to the driving range to chill with her coworkers. I was hesitant in going because it would have only been the second time at a range, and I was a bit hesitant on going because I knew I'd embarrass myself.

However, much to my amusement and surprise, I was actually able to consistently make contact and send the ball flying. I guess the whole getting older thing has improved upon my skills in old-people sports like golf! We wound up staying at the range for about an hour and a half, and then we headed off to the next event of the day.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat with Henry and Jules, we headed over to Daly City to meet up with the rest of their small groups for their weekly bowling get-together. While waiting for the lanes to open up, we went across the lot to Tapioca Express, where I was treated to a peach smoothie boba.

It wasn't until I was almost halfway done with the smoothie that I realized it had milk in it. For those of you who don't know, I belong in the community of those who are lactose intolerant. However, luckily, there were no problems to be faced tonight :)

Finally, after waiting for about an hour for our lanes to open up, we headed across the parking lot to the alley to get our bowl on! However, it did not turn out to be the casual, leisurely bowling that I've grown accustomed to.

I learned a couple of very important lessons today: 3:18 small group members are pretty hardcore about their bowling. I haven't seen so many 100+ players in one game ever, and it was kind of amusing to see how into it some people got- i.e. they'd beat themselves up for not clearing each frame. Yeah, for me? I was just glad if I didn't gutterball!

And the second lesson of the day?: Whenever it's your birthday, prepare to be embarrassed. Just when I thought I was in the clear, Julie pulls out this hideous purple boa and a birthday hat, forcing me to put it on to the amusement of others.

Regardless, what was expected to be a pretty low-key birthday turned out to be very eventful after all.

Thanks so much to everyone who called, emailed, im-ed, Facebooked, and whatnot to wish my a happy birthday. As lonely as it gets in this city sometimes, I felt really loved today.

Meet Mark.

2007-04-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Mark is yet another coworker of mine. At a previous department conference, they handed out these authentic construction hats as a memento. Mark decided to rock it with some brown overalls, so I needed to take a picture of him taking five from work.

Family.

2007-04-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

I flew down to Southern California this weekend to visit my parents and brother, who was in town for spring break. While I can't really get myself to call it home because I never lived there, it was great to be back together with them again, regardless of how short it was.

Food = Yum.

2007-03-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

Regardless of where my parents live, every time I got and visit them, the one thing that I always wind up doing is eating. While driving around the neighborhood, a familiar sign caught my eye.

I had to do a double take.

And my eyes did not deceive me. I saw Chick-Fil-A. Having freaked out about getting sweet tea, we decided to stop by, and my brother, getting carried away, decided to get two gallons. I guess the southern lifestyle has rubbed off on him as well!

Later tonight, we went to a sushi buffet. Yeah, you can't go wrong with that either!

Practice Shots.

2007-03-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

A coworker let me borrow his 50mm f/1.4 lens so on the way to the airport, I decided to mess
around and take a couple of shots. I love this lens and am probably going to get the f/1.6 soon. I'm excited.

Thanks to Jane for pulling through and giving me a ride to the Oakland Airport. That was crucial.

Self-Portrait.

2007-03-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ran out of time and energy to look for a picture today, so I decided to take a self-portrait. I know, I got lazy.

It won't happen again, I promise!

Scrub-A-Dub.

2007-03-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

After a long overdue wait, I finally was able to get my car washed today. Now it's sparkly clean. I just hope it doesn't rain anytime soon!

The Hukilau.

2007-03-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Our team had an offsite at a Hawaiian restaurant today in Palo Alto. It felt great to simply get out of the office for a few hours and hang out with my coworkers. Above is a picture of Matt, one of the OGs of our team, and Thu.

A Night at The Public.

2007-03-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

We had our weekly Creative Arts Ministry (CAM) meeting at Ben's restaurant The Public in SOMA. I love coming here, because the atmosphere is chill and the food that Ben prepares for us is great.

A Trip to Pixar Animation Studios.

2007-03-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

This morning, Alex invited us to watch a screening of Disney's Meet the Robinsons at Pixar. The movie was okay, but the storyline was a little weak- Alex explained how Pixar got involved in this project after it was more than half completed, so they couldn't tweak the story to make it work better. Oh well. It was a free movie, so that made it pretty decent!

This was my second visit to Pixar and both times have been very enjoyable. It's so amazing to see the artwork that was used to storyboard and create Cars. While touring the place, I almost forgot my own workplace and the amenities there, and was thinking "Wow! This must be such a cool place to work!" I guess there's alot to say about this area, since there's so many good companies out here to work for.

A Night On the Town.

2007-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we headed to SOMA (South of Market) to celebrate Grace and Timmy's birthdays. I snapped the first shot from the car as we were looking for parking, and although it came out a bit pixelated, I like the b/w-effect.

This is Timmy. He knows Jen Lin from back in NC...Small world. Happy birthday, bro!

We Run This!

2007-03-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Meet my friend Christina. She's a graphic designer at work and we both share something in common: our ties and love for the state of North Carolina. Since it's game day (we're playing USC), I told her yesterday that I'd be very disappointed if she didn't rep any Carolina Blue.
I guess I was convincing enough.

Go Heels!

Last Day in the Cube.

2007-03-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day that the four of us shared our first cube in the new building at work. It's been one of the most memorable experiences so far sitting with these guys- from playing "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" to bringing up bags of honey dipped pretzels and Haribo gummy bears, it's been fun. And it's not like we're splitting up forever either, because we'll still be working together! I'm definitely going to miss the gang tho. Ah such is life....

[l-r] Zach, me, Annie, Lexi

Lunch at Fuki Sushi.

2007-03-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

A few co-workers from my team decided to have lunch at Fuki Sushi in Palo Alto. Good food, good company, good times.

Urban Art.

2007-03-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

While walking home from work today, I was walking through one of the side streets that led to my apartment, and I noticed for the first time how the side of this building was tagged up. While graffiti is considered vandalism, I appreciate "good" graffiti art because it's just one of those elements of a city that give it more character. The only problem is that there's too many bad tag artists out there.

This wall wasn't that great, but at the same time, the bright colors caught my attention.

A Hospital Visit.

2007-03-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Toadie had her appendix removed today, so we paid her a visit at the hospital this evening. We were all relieved to know that that surgery was a success and that she would be discharged tomorrow morning. We knew that she was fine because even in her drugged up state, her dry humor kept us all laughing. Get well soon, Toadie!

Church Wildlife.

2007-03-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Someone at church dressed up in this panda suit for Fall Launch. I don't think anyone understood the reason why he decided to do this, but at the same time, with the scratching heads and questioning faces at the mall, I found it to be hilariously random.

"Alpha- Find Me Five Teenagers With Attitude!"

2007-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

While driving down the US-101 today, Jeff and I noticed the communications tower found near Twin Peaks peeking through a thick layer of clouds surrounding the city. With the clouds masking the surrounding area, the tower reminded me of the big zords in the Power Rangers, or something random like that.

Promoted to Construction Work.

2007-03-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

At one of our team building activities, we received construction helmets (to coincide with the theme of the conference). I gathered three of my coworkers (Steven, Helen, and Taj) for this shot. So random.

Tempting.

2007-03-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

So today was the first day of our department's conference in San Francisco. Dinner, as in most work events, was phenomenal, but the thing that really caught my attention was the dessert fondue station, complete with a chocolate fountain. Ugh, too bad I gave up soda and desserts for Lent. Sad.

And for your information, I did not eat this lollipop. I just thought it was fascinatingly huge!

Pirates of Polk Street?

2007-03-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

As I was wandering around my neighborhood to look for a good shot today, I looked up to notice that there was a Jolly Roger hanging off of someone's balcony about seven floors up. As I brought the camera up to my face to take the shot, I noticed something else on the top right corner of the frame. It was a doll of Stewie in pirate garb!

Wow.

Work at Dusk.

2007-03-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

I had dinner with Nara and Liz today on main campus. While waiting for them, I decided to take a shot of one of our main buildings. It was close to dusk, so the sky was a beautiful shade of bluish-violet. This picture does not do it justice.

Meet Julie the Rockstar.

2007-03-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

We had our weekly CAM (Creative Arts Ministry) meeting at Dave's place today. Afterwards, Julie couldn't keep away from playing Guitar Hero. I don't know what the huge hype about this game is, but at the same time, I don't want to try it out either, in case I find it to be addicting! hehe.

24/7 = Full House (part 2)

2007-03-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today, we got the rest of the gang to meet up to do the group shots for the Full House shoot. Again, the weather was incredible and we had a picnic after shooting, so it was just a great day to relax.

[...]

In other news, meet Manimole. I will not divulge this person's true identity, but take a guess anyway!

24/7 = Full House (part 1)

2007-03-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

With Fall Launch approaching soon at church, we 24/7-ers wanted to do something unique. After discussing with Jason an idea that I had, we decided to schedule a video shoot by the Painted Ladies today to basically make a parody of the Full House tv show. The weather was absolutely great and although we met up at the crack of dawn, it was a great day to be outside.

A 24/7 Roleplay.

2007-03-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

So for our icebreaker today, we broke up into teams and we had to re-enact a TV sitcom for a panel of "judges" to guess. This team was assigned to reenact The Simpsons. And yes, Yasuda was Homer.

99 Luftballons.

2007-03-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

After moving to our new building, they had these balloons decorating our offices. For some reason, my first impression of these balloons reminded me of that crazy German song.

Meet Zach.

2007-03-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

Zach is one of my cubemates and a fellow optimizer at work. He's one of the funniest guys I work with and for some reason, he started to fake roundhouse kick me while I was trying to get some work done. I think he just needed a mental break from an assignment he was working on, but quite randomly, he proceeded to show me what moves he could do to wreak havoc in our office. Finally, he completed his mock rampage with a fake shirt tear, a la the Incredible Hulk.

Zach's one of the few guys in my department who's taller than me (he's like 6'7). I should be scared, but he's too goofy to be feared. Maybe I should look at this picture more...

Okay, now I'm scared.

Dashboard.

2007-03-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

I got a ride home today from a co-worker. Since her car's dashboard was placed in the middle of the car's front panel, I had a great angle to capture this shot. I was trying desperately to get a clean and clear shot, but with the low-lighting, I had to wait until we hit a red light for the opportunity.

I can't really explain what it is about the shot that I like, I just do...

The Walk Home pt 2.

2007-03-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

As I was walking home today, I noticed how beautiful the sky was at that moment. Although this wasn't one of my best pictures of Project 365 so far, I like the color contrasts.

Meet Pastor Dave.

2007-03-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Pastor Dave Chae, the head pastor of Great Exchange Covenant Church, joined us for dinner after church today. Since our group was so large, he had to change seats in the middle of dinner to give everyone in the group an opportunity to speak with him. For some reason, all of the younger, single/not-ready-to-get-married-yet individuals were sitting on one side of the table, where the questions were mainly about establishing and maintaining relationships. Conversely, the other side of the table, consisting of mainly serious relationship types and soon-to-be-engaged people were taking the questions to a higher level. Rather than asking about relationships, when Pastor Dave got to that side of the room, the topic changed to family and raising children.

Tonight made me realize that I really got a long way to go...

Biking to Sausalito.

2007-03-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today, a whole group of us rented some bikes and biked to Sausalito, a small town past the Golden Gate Bridge. It was an absolutely gorgeous day to enjoy the weather and scenery. Anyways, I'll let the pictures do most of the talking today.

Simply breathtaking.

hoon. jason. ben. stephanie. lisa. caroline. navin.

giants say "yum."

man vs. city

[...]

This little girl's name is Emily. She caught my attention as we were getting up to leave the park after lunch. I noticed how she was so focused on eating the ice cream cone her dad was holding, and amidst all the determination this three year old could muster, she wound up getting more ice cream on her face than in her mouth.

So cute...

Emily with her ice cream beard.

Small Group Randomness.

2007-03-02T21:00:00.000-08:00

I really like the framing of this picture. With everyone seeming to do different things, it kind of reminds me of a Norman Rockwell picture.

[...]

So Rona and Jesse both decided to rock zip-up hoodies to small group today. While Rona has a tendency of looking cute in her threads, Jesse looked like he wanted to either mug me or shank me. I thought it was an interesting juxtaposition.

The Walk Home.

2007-03-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

This is the famous historic Regency Center. I pass by this huge structure every night on my walk home from my shuttle stop. Apparently there's a big ballroom inside and it's one of the few venues in SF that can hold massively huge events. Meh, it doesn't really look THAT big from the outside though...

Well...maybe.

Put the Lime in the Coconut.

2007-02-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Since I was able to make it to main campus to visit the weekly Mountain View Public Library Bookmobile, I decided to swing by Charlie's to grab a burrito for dinner later on tonight. Then, proceeded stop by Pacific Café, our Asian-themed cafeteria. I was surprised to find out that they were serving kimchi, japchae, and kabli. Yes, Korean ribs, or as I like to call it, meaty awesomeness. And on my way out, I grabbed a coconut for some fresh coconut juice.

Yum.

[btw, the title and theme of the picture comes from this song. drew, I know you get it!]

Meet Petey.

2007-02-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

Petey is a yellow Labrador whose owner works on my floor. He's the friendliest dog I've met so far while working at Google.

At our old building, Petey's owner would let him off the leash and wander around the office, which he absolutely loved. There would be times when I'd be at my desk, focused on my work when I feel a nudge and notice him trying to get my attention. In fact, one time, he dropped a tennis ball in front of me and the backpedaled, while waiting excitedly for me to do something with it. Apprehensively, I rolled the ball in his direction, at which he ran full force to attack the ball, then he proceeded to drop the ball at my feet again and backpedaled, awaiting my response. This went on about ten more times and then finally, when I knew I had to get back to work, I lured him back to his owner with the same tennis ball.

It's dogs like him that make me really appreciate the dog policy that we have. And I'm definitely glad we don't have cats here.

Another First Day.

2007-02-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today was our first day in our new building. Over the weekend, my entire department moved to a new building about a mile south of the main Googleplex campus. And in typical Google randomness fashion, the Stanford marching band (yes, the same ones that got run over by the Cal Bears) surprised us by playing their fight song in front of our building. They were all dressed up in very random costumes, and none of us really knew what was going on. I go there late and took a couple of pictures of their post-performance flight.

I found out later that they actually snuck inside and took a whole lot of our food as well. I dunno if this is true or not, but I think it is. Man, hearing that news had memories of my college days come flooding back. I still remember as a freshman, the advice I got from upperclassmen that I should take advantage of any opportunities on campus that offer free food.

Man, it's only been eight months, but college seems like so long ago...

The Perfect Storm.

2007-02-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

The gang checked out of our cabin at 11am this morning, thinking that we'd have enough time to make it back to the city in time for church. Unfortunately, we made the crucial mistake of not checking the weather and sticking to our own schedule. For some reason, missed the memo that about a foot and a half of snow had fallen overnight. If we had paid attention to what was going on around us, we would have definitely left earlier. Instead, our ignorance to the forces of nature surrounding us made for a very interesting ride back.

Some of the images I saw on the road were absolutely astonishing. When exiting off the highway to get to the nearest gas station, we noticed that the cars were moving at such a slow pace that even one of them had a snowman placed on top of its roof! Yeah, in my 22 years on this earth, including my experiences growing up in Russia, this was one of my most intense snowstorms to date.

It normally takes some four odd hours to drive up to Lake Tahoe from San Francisco, However, on our return trip, a massive snowstorm hit, causing the roads to become treacherous and backed up as far as the eye could see. It took our car a total of four hours to simply travel three miles to get on to thehighway leading out of Tahoe! Yet even with a total travel time of about nine and a half hours, our car was the fastest one in our fleet of three vehicles that made it back to the city. From what I've gathered, Jeff's car engine actually gave out, stranding him, Jason, Lisa, and Toadie (C.Park) up on the side of the road. After talking to them, I found out that they'll have to spend the night up there and find a different way back into the city tomorrow.

I hope they're alright.

Ecstatic.

2007-02-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

I couldn't control my excitement of being able to snowboard on fresh powder. Miss Lisa shared the same excitement with me as we shared a tide up on the ski lift. With 18 inches of fresh snow this morning, the conditions were absolutely amazing. Today definitely made up for the lack of any trace of winter experienced two weeks prior at Snow Globe.

Meet Jane & Chung.

2007-02-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

These cats represent two-fifths of Team Awesome, our car that headed out to Lake Tahoe. Jane is one of my homies out here in SF. She's a straight down-to-earth NorCal gangsta, no-nonsense hood chick with a fobby twist. And Chung? As a diplomat's kid, which means he's more superinternational than me. Although he's Korean, he grew up mainly in South America, which reminds me of someone else I know back in NC (*ahem ahem* dirrrty susy!! *ahem*). Oh, and he's a compulsive liar. haha.

No, seriously, don't believe a word he says.

.: Anticipation :.

2007-02-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of packing up my gear for the weekend. I'm waking up early tomorrow to get to work real early. The reason? 24/7 has planned a Tahoe trip this weekend and I want to beat traffic if possible. It's supposed to be the best snow all season, so I'm really excited about going up.

I can't wait.

Mr. Potato Head.

2007-02-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone gets a Mr. Potato Head at work, for reasons that none of us really know. These fellas have been perched on a ledge for quite some time now and I was going to save this shot for a rainy day when I couldn't find any inspiration to shoot anything. However, since we're moving soon, I decided to seize the opportunity to take the shot before it was too late.

And so I give you the Mr. Potato Head Quartet. Yes, indeed it is random.

Trampoline + Dodgeball = Genius!

2007-02-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today, my department went on an offsite to Sky High Sports in Santa Clara, where we played trampoline dodgeball. I'm still perplexed that not one's come up with this concept until recently, because it's an amazingly random and beautiful marriage of two wonderfully silly old school activities. This is one of those random things that I'd probably never end up doing on my own, but I'm glad I got to check it out.

Sadly, I just know that I'm gonna be sore tomorrow. Oh well, yet another normal day at work.

The Palace.

2007-02-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

I worked from home today and got some time to explore a part of the city with Gina and Jane. We went to the Palace of Fine Arts, which was a photo extravaganza for me. Although I liked how many of the shots turned out, I conservatively chose to post only one to save the others for later (in case I'm at my wit's end looking for a new shot).

Peace.

2007-02-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a shot at church today, and I noticed this verse over one of the stairways leading to our sanctuary. With many of the things that have been going on with my friends recently, this is a real encouragement. So amidst the mountaintop experiences and the valleys, we need to be reminded of this truth.

Jason's 30th Birthday.

2007-02-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight, we celebrated our fearless ding-dong leader's birthday by surprising him with an over-the-hill retirement birthday party. Props to all those for their great job in organizing and setting up the party while keeping it all a secret. It was priceless to see his reaction as he opened Dave's door to find 30+ people dressed as geriatric retirees.

At the end of the party, Jason got his face smashed in traditional 24/7 tradition. Instead of waiting to get caught off guard, he was gracious enough to take it like the old man that he is!

Afterwards, we went to karaoke, which is always a blast. But I think this time around alot of us were tired. Either way, it was a great night.

Tinymobile.

2007-02-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

This "car" has been chillin in front of our building for the past few days. Question: because it has only three wheels, what is the name of this? It's not a tricycle because it's motorized. Trimobile? No...I'm gonna stick with tinymobile.

Hotel Carlton.

2007-02-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken in front of the gate to my apartment. I don't know anything about this hotel, but I like how the size of the sign in relation to the building. At least it gives me a landmark for people to look for when they're trying to find my place.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T21:00:00.000-08:00

Several guys and gals from 24/7 decided to meet up for dinner tonight. Jason and Christina hosted the event at Christina and Erika's apartment. Erika and I arrived late because of a detour at Target. We arrived at the apartment with dinner in full swing,and the apartment decked out in cheesy Valentine's Day decorations. After dinner, Chung serenaded us with some original tunes and then we wound up jamming to some worship songs.

Tonight reminded me about the beauty of fellowship and friendship. And not just because it was Valentine's Day.

Meet Will.I.Am.

2007-02-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Will.I.Am, the brainchild of the Black Eyed Peas, visited us at work today. Unlike John Legend, who actually held a concert for us, Will.I.Am sat down and had an interview session with our host, and then proceeded to show us the processes he takes to produce a beat. He brought in recordings he made from the previous night of him on the drum, keyboad, bass, and mic (he had a 4 minute freestyle recording about Google) and edited, spliced, and mixed them to create a hot ringtone.

It's always a trip for me to meet such talented individuals. Society glamorizes their celebrity to make us think that they're completely different from us, but this interview session revealed to us that he is a very down to earth guy. In fact, he's quite dorky, which made the entire event quite entertaining. For example, he'd explain to us that he needed to enhance the bass using a plug-in on ProTools to "bootify" it. Without it, the bass apparently had no booty. Hehe.

During the meet and greet, my camera decided to die on me. So props to Pam Shore for coming through and taking this pic of the day for me.

Cold Heat.

2007-02-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

Due to a miscommunication between my landlord, me, and the power company, we haven't had heat in our apartment for over a week now. It wouldn't be so bad, except we have hardwood floors. I've resorted to showering at work, which I've grown accustomed to now, but I'd love to be able to enjoy hot water in my own house. Today is supposed to be the last day of no heat, as the PG&E guy's supposed to come tomorrow and turn on the gas again. I can't wait to get feeling in my toes again.

Meet Faith

2007-02-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend, more than other weekends, was way too short. And no matter how much time I do take to take off to spend with her, it's always too short. I find myself at the airport getting ready to leave even though it feels like I just got there.

While some people may think I was crazy to fly back for two days, I don't regret one bit of it. I got to spend time with her. I got to step inside the Dean Dome once again with her. I got to see my church family. So even though I did only spend about 50 hours in Chapel Hill, it was well worth it in my book.

It's the smallest and simplest things during reunions that I enjoy the most. Watching movies together. Talking about nothing. Being goofy. And it's those things that I miss while I'm out here.

Until next time...

The Champs are Here!

2007-02-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

My return to North Carolina this time around was sweetened by watching a UNC-Wake Forest game with Faith in the Dean Dome. The game was a blowout, as we steamrolled WFU 104-67. But the highlight of the game came at halftime. when we honored the 1957 and 1982 NCAA Championship teams by celebrating their 50th and 25th anniversaries. The members of both squads were greeted with a roaring standing ovation, and rightfully so.

If you look at the right of this picture, the last four people you see are Sam Perkins. "Big Game" James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and the legendary Dean Smith. Yes, you heard me correctly, the champs were back in the building.

Grounded.

2007-02-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

My excitement in seeing my girlfriend this weekend was dampened pretty badly with my flight being cancelled as I was driving to the airport. I was informed by way of a voicemail recording about the cancellation and how they decided to rebook me on a route that would begin five hours later and get me into RDU at around 2:30AM, After frantically calling the 800 Delta number and a 40 minute hold, I discovered that I was rebooked to an American Airlines route that would go by way of Dallas-Fort Worth and get me into RDU by 12:50am-- two hours past my original arrival. I also discovered that there was an already-delayed flight that was departing for DFW promptly and if we arrived early or the flight out of DFW was delayed, I still had a chance to board an earlier flight that would get me in at 10PM. Although I was very disappointed about the intial cancellation, I knew that I had no other choice, so I decided to take my chances, knowing that it was a long shot to begin with.However, it was never meant to be. The earlier DFW-bound flight actually left later than projected, getting us in about half an hour after the first RDU flight departed.

So I was expecting to get to RDU at 12:50AM. But then, I was screwed over once again.

The captain of our RDU flight emerged from the jetway to inform us that there was a maintenance light that turned on, forcing me into another delay. After all was said and done, I wound up getting into RDU at 2AM, a good three hours past my original arrival time.

This is why I hate flying domestic. Regardless of the airline, the domestic fleet is always outdated, old, and one flight away from breaking down. There are ridiculous airport taxes that get attached to my ticket, which pay the TSA to "randomly" search me every time I fly anywhere. The crapshoot that they call a flight itinerary, which always seems to change. Need I go on?

Raindrops.

2007-02-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

I looked out my window today to notice that it was raining outside. I liked how the raindrops were streaking across the window. I was pleasantly surprised that my new point and shoot was able to capture the shot with the depth I wanted. While I did admire the rain in a photographic standpoint, I didn't necessarily like it altogether. Rain only meant that I'd have to walk from the shuttle stop in the urban wetness later that evening.

It could've been worse though.

Just as it should be.

2007-02-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

After work, I went to Ray & Joyce's place to watch the UNC-Dook game at Cameron. Being the first of two rivalry games we play this season, we had high hopes of beating them on their home court for a second season in a row. Joyce (Faith's older sister and UNC alum) and I were anxious to see a blowout, since our team had improved considerable in this new season. However, the game turned out to be a lot closer than expected, with Dook surprisingly leadin until five minutes left in the game.

Needless to say, we came back and beat 'em on their floor again. I love this. It was a great night.

Mo Money, Mo Problems.

2007-02-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

To my excitement, we returned to the city at around 2pm. This had been the earliest I've ever been at home on a weekday since I started work and I was both excited to enjoy the day in the city and exhausted from the trip. However, once I got home, I wound up recuping and napping. When I woke up, I was disappointed to find out that it was close to dusk. And while I wanted to simply enjoy the rest of the evening indoors, my lack of walking the typical daily 2+ miles to and from my shuttle stop left me feeling uneasy, so I decided to go for a walk.

Since it was still nice, I decided to walk to Chinatown, since I haven't really walked through that neighborhood at night. While m original intent was to look for a shot that would embody the nightlife of that area, I stumbled across this phrase tagged on the side of a Bank of America building, The juxtoposition of the statement and the institution was no doubt deliberate, yet I still found myself drawn to it boldly tagged message. I think it has somethig to do with the fact that although I've only experienced four months at my first real job out of college, I somewhat feel the tension between the desire for money and the desire for something more. Sure, money can get me nice things and get the bills paid, but deep down inside, I know that it's not what wholly satisfies me. While the temptation is still there to get more to get comfortable, I have come to the conclusion that I'd rather be satisfied with knowing how to wisely use what I've been provided with than always hunger for more. I guess it has to do with my upbringing- looking back, I realize that we were by no means well off (but at the same time not poor either), yet my parents made a conscious effort to not let money, or lack thereof, become a factor. Unconventional as it may be, it has shaped my value system to what it is today. So although I didn't find the shot that I intended to take that nght, I left Chinatown satisfied.

In the words of the late great Biggie Smalls, "Mo money, mo problems." Or rather, in this context, "Money makes us tired." But that's merely looking at it in the standpoint of the pursuit of money. What I'm trying to say is while earning money is hard work and often tiring, no matter how much of it you have, if used for the right purposes, it's all worth it in the end.

Snowglobe 2007: Just Another Day at Work.

2007-02-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

My company has an annual ski trip up to Lake Tahoe, which I was looking forward to since I started work. Although I heard people raving about past trips, I had absolutely no idea what to expect and was anxious to experience this event firsthand. I wound up signing up on a day when most of my small group friends/co-workers were going, which made the trip that much more memorable.

I spent most of the day snowboarding with Caroline, Jesse, and Abe, and in the evening, we met up with the rest of the gang. While the schedule of events stated that there was a after-ski party later that evening, I wasn't expecting it to be a big deal. However, in hindsight, I can honestly say that it was far better than the holiday party (which also blew my mind). I spent most of the night with the crowd I went boarding with, along with Christina, Gina, and Jeff, although we would also do our own thing and mingle with other friends. All in all, I like work days like these! Needless to say, this was an amazing day, and I'm already looking forward to next year!

Erin and Caroline: co-workers, yet Dookies.

[props to Jesse for the first picture]

Cheap Good Food.

2007-02-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

PPQ Chicken Noodle House is one of the few restaurants we frequent after church on Sunday nights. This is mainly because there are only a handful of restaurants that can seat large groups without making reservations in advance. All in all, the restaurant, although being limited in serving only chicken dishes, is pretty good. But then again, I don't really go for the food anyway.

Interior Design.

2007-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Jason and I met up and went to Christina and Erika's apartment before heading out to celebrate Hannah's birthday. While the girls were eating a quick dinner, I noticed the postcards that were hanging on their kitchen wall. Project 365 has trained me to pay more attention to things that I normally overlook. Along with the postcards, I realized that their apartment decorated with various colorful photos and images- all things that distinguish it as being feminine.

These collection of photos intrigued me the most. And my observations in their apartment made me realize that I'd like to improve the aesthetic value of my apartment as well. But whether or not I actually will, I dunno. We shall see...

Meet Erika.

2007-02-02T21:00:00.000-08:00

Erika is a trip. As a member of our small group and a fellow Googler, we often share rides on Fridays to attend 24/7 in the city. On this particular evening, we decided to take the shuttle to Monster Park and carpool with Jeff to small group. As Christina and Jeff were busily chatting away in front of me, I was enjoying watching a movie on my laptop when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Erika whipped out her ginormous headphones that she brought from work. Although I tried to ignore the site of my petite friend in her massive headphones, I noticed a few minutes later that she had even more humorous mannerisms.

I looked up from my screen to see her head bobbing up and down, not to a steady beat, which indicated that she was in that nodding off stage. And while her head was bouncing to the rhythm of the shuttle's engine, I noticed that her fingers were still typing at lightning speed. And then the following thought came to mind:

"I've heard of sleep-walking. But is she sleep....typing?"

I proceeded to laugh and document this event. So yes, among other reasons, Erika, and her alter ego Audrey, is a trip. I guess I'll have to explain Audrey in a later entry as well...

An Evening with Shane & Shane.

2007-02-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that this has been the third concert I've attended in the past four days. Crazy, I know. The Shane & Shane concert was brought to my attention last week, and without prior knowledge of John Legend's visit, I decided to join the group that were going to this concert. I even left work early to meet up with Lisa and Daniel and we headed off to Berkeley to meet up with the rest of the gang. While the night was pretty long, as I got home at around 11:45PM, I really enjoyed this evening.

This has been the third time I've seen Shane & Shane live, and each time is extremely special. To have a pair of my favorite contemporary Christian artists lead a congregation into worship is something absolutely incredible. Although much of their set was the same as the concert I went to in September in Cary, NC, I enjoyed it immensely.

This last picture was taken as they sang "Embracing Accusation," a song that Shane Everett wrote about how the devil often twists the Word to try to bring us down. It isn't on any of their albums yet, and having heard the testimony to the song and the actual song live twice now, it's an incredibly moving piece. The context of this song is taken out of Galatians 3:10-14, where we are often misled into forgetting the last two verses, but instead focus on the curse of our sin. But, as they sing, the devil sings over us the first two verses, and forgets the refrain...Jesus saves.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham
might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
-Galatians 3:13-14

Meet Heba.

2007-01-31T21:00:00.000-08:00

Heba, one of my co-workers from my start date, came to work this morning wrapped in this massive scarf/shawl looking thing. I was convinced that it was longer than she was, and after we determined that it indeed was, I proceeded to have a little fun.

I know that most of my work pictures are of us goofing off or of random things, and this may give you a false perception of my job. In all honesty, we really do get work done- it's just that in order to liven things up and keep work from becoming Office Space, we try to have a good balance. Or else someone may be driven to the point of setting the building on fire, a la Milton Waddams.

Meet John Legend.

2007-01-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

Three-time Grammy Award winner John Legend came to work today and performed a sixty-minute set. This was the third time I've seen him live- the other two times being at Duke LDOC '04 (when he played the keys for Kanye West) and UNC Homecoming '05 (where my a cappella group Harmonyx opened for him). His performance included breaks where he entertained questions from our host and from the audience. Although I wish he performed several other songs (like "So High"), I really enjoyed the set.

Overall, it was awesome to have him come to work. I'm always amazed whenever I see him perform, and personally, I'm really glad to see him rise in recognition and success. The first time I saw him at Duke, he was literally an unknown star and I knew he was going to become somebody someday. And the following year, he performed at Carolina literally two weeks before dropping his first album "Get Lifted." Although he was still somewhat unknown, those in the college scene and the music scene definitely knew who he was at the time. So yeah, to see him evolve from a no-name artist to a superstar was awesome.

We arrived at the venue about an hour prior to the performance to get good seats. We were literally sitting in the very front, and it was just a great atmosphere for him to play in front of a packed crowd. During the Q&A session, I decided to ask him who his favorite artists were to collaborate with, to which he responded Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas and Kanye West. He also mentioned that he's played with greats such as Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John. To see him come so long and have to pay his dues for six years after leaving Boston Consulting Group and the typical business track to pursue his passion in music was truly inspiring.

After his performance, he spent time shaking hands and taking pictures. I wound up telling him then that I saw him perform at Duke and UNC several years before that, and for a brief second, I noticed him smile as he recalled those performances.

"Wow, that was a while back, before 'Get Lifted,' right?" he asked.

Something about his response made me really appreciate him more. I know that so much has happened since then, yet him remembering his early performances and the audiences that embraced him back then made him seem that much more down to earth. I left main campus thinking, "Dang. I can't believe I work here..."

Meet Mike Chang.

2007-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

After work today, Caroline and I met up with Mike Chang (Duke '07), who was in town for an on-site interview at Google. After a long detour to find his hotel, we wound up eating at the Creamery in Palo Alto. It was great to see him and catch up with him over a meal. I hope he gets the job.

A Chris Tomlin Night.

2007-01-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Jeff, Hannah, and I went to San Jose to see Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Louie Giglio in the "How Great Is Our God" tour. The concert was held in a packed SJSU Event Center, and it was awesome to see the place filled with worshippers from all walks of life.

I was bummed because we were under the impression that Matt Redman wasn't going to be there. However, much to my surprise, after Chris led us into worship, he invited Matt up on stage to join him. With a powerful message by Louie Giglio about the majesty and glory of God's power- as seen in His creation of the universe and the stars- the night was just what I needed.

I included another picture of Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman leading us into praise below.

My block.

2007-01-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

I have to confess that I wasn't in the Project 365 mentality today. Although I was out on the town all day, I wasn't looking for a shot and realized that the day was coming to a close. Earlier in the day, as I was returning from a trip to Union Square, I saw an angle that was interesting but thought nothing of it. However, when I realized later that my time to find a shot was short, I grabbed my camera and ran outside. I actually like this angle better in the night sky, with the building lit by the streetlights. Anyway, it is what it is.