| Me versus the Streets of San Francisco |
[Jul. 3rd, 2009|07:43 pm] |
I am now the proud owner of a brand new bicycle. After much deliberation, I bought it from Warm Planet Bikes, which is right next to the Caltrain station on 4th and Townsend. I also bought a helmet and a lock.
So far so good. Except, since I lost the key to my bike lock in Japan back in... February last year (I think, something like that), I haven't ridden a bicycle for over a year.
Also, Nagoya is a pretty flat city. San Francisco is not.
So I rode around for about half an hour yesterday, and boy are my legs tired. I gave up on the last half mile or so (uphill on Broadway from Embarcadero) and walked the rest of the way.
Let's see if I can get my biking mojo back. |
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| Me versus Jury Duty |
[Jun. 12th, 2009|11:11 pm] |
I was called for jury duty this week. Or rather, I wasn't called.
They have a system where they call a bunch of people in for a particular week, and these people are separated into groups. Then, the night before, you're supposed to call in (they have a website, too) to see if your group needs to show up the next day.
So each day this week I called in (or checked the website, it even works from my phone) and they told me my presence was not required. 5-for-5, whoo hoo! In fact, this week, only about 1/3 of the groups were required to show up.
The last time I had jury duty, I actually was picked for and served on the jury. This was back in 2004, and it was a car accident case. The best thing about it was three paid days off from work.
No such luck for me this time. Oh well. |
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| Me versus Street Fairs |
[Jun. 8th, 2009|08:46 pm] |
So I've been slacking on blogging. So sue me.
My days have been pretty slacktastic: day trading and taking care of my mom (giving her medicine, making sure she's hydrated) during the day. Video games and TV at night. Boring.
But it's June already, and in San Francisco that means it's street fair season. From now on through the summer, most if not every weekend there will be a street fair somewhere.
I've mentioned this before, but I hate parades, street fairs, marathons, and anything that blocks up the streets and makes it harder for me to get where I want to go. Now, since I haven't really been going anywhere lately, this hasn't been much of a problem. But this weekend is different.
That's right, the street fair is coming to my block.
Hate, hate, hate. |
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| Two weeks? |
[Apr. 18th, 2009|05:48 pm] |
It's been two weeks since I wrote here last? Yeesh. Well, I haven't actually done that much to write about. Mom's home from the hospital, so the daily routine requires a lot less travel. Other than that, nothing to write home about, so to speak.
Not much news about me, so I'll pass on some interesting stuff I've picked up over the last couple of weeks:
Giant spider leaving SF. We'll miss him. Or her. It. Whatever.
Giants are having a Star Trek Night on April 27. I'm sorely tempted.
Dustin Pedroia is a jerk.
The Brewers' RF is named Corey Hart.
(If you followed me on Twitter, you'd have read all this already. :) It's much easier for me to type out a line or two on the phone every once in a while than write up a few paragraphs a couple of times a week.) |
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| Safe at home |
[Apr. 3rd, 2009|10:59 pm] |
Mom made it home safely this afternoon. Yesterday the bed was delivered (the air pump was defective, so a new one was delivered this morning).
She's not out of the woods yet, she still has a fair amount of healing left and she's still mostly bedridden, but still it's great to have her home. |
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| I was right the first time |
[Apr. 1st, 2009|01:53 pm] |
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I was right the first time, mom is coming home on Friday. Yesterday they said it was going to be Thursday (tomorrow), but they changed it due to the delivery of the bed and other equipment; that's coming tomorrow. |
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| Homeward bound...? |
[Mar. 31st, 2009|11:45 am] |
This last week my mom was cleared to start physical therapy. She's quite weak due to being bedridden for the last 7 weeks or so, so even just sitting in a wheelchair for an hour gets her tired out. Talked to the doctor today, he said mom is medically cleared to leave the nursing facility. She still needs to work on getting stronger, but everything has healed nicely. The release date is this Friday, assuming we get all the preparations done. So now we have 3 days to remodel her and my dad's bedroom, and get all the equipment ready. But that's ok, I'll live with that. Posted via LiveJournal.app. |
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| Change comes from within |
[Mar. 14th, 2009|04:00 pm] |
Hmm, haven't written in over a week. Probably because not much has changed in the last week. Still feeding my mom breakfast every day, still spending hours each day at the nursing facility.
Because she's healing from a bedsore, the nurse has to shift her position every two hours. Pretty much impossible for her to get an extended period of rest.
Me, I picked up some manga at Kinokuniya to pass the time. Been a while since I've read Japanese, so I'm taking it slowly. |
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| More Miscellany |
[Mar. 5th, 2009|10:14 pm] |
Mom is recovering from the latest surgery, which was to close up the wounds. Talked to the doctor today, he said things are healing well and things are on track to get her home before the end of the month.
She's back on solid foods now, too. It's a little surreal for me to feed my mom breakfast, but that's what I did this morning. My dad gets lunch and dinner duty.
Otherwise, I've been semi-passively watching the market crash. Yesterday there was a "sucker's rally" where prices went up a bit, then resumed going down hard today. Sigh. So hard to be optimistic these days. |
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| Optimism is good |
[Mar. 1st, 2009|06:35 pm] |
Talked to the doctor this evening. He said my mom is doing much better now, and she's strong enough to have surgery to close up the bedsore wound tomorrow morning. She's going to need general anesthetic and a breathing tube again. Last time it took almost a week to get the breathing tube out, since my mom's trachea is a bit constricted due to a past tracheotomy. So I joked with her, "If you have anything to say, say it today." She made a face at me. Optimistic case is that if recovery goes as planned, she'll be home in about 2 weeks. I can live with that. Optimism is good. Can't say I'm glad this is happening, but I am kinda glad I'm home in SF while it's happening. It would suck being half a world away. Posted via LiveJournal.app. |
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| Misc. trivialities |
[Feb. 26th, 2009|06:41 pm] |
- The 5 most-used apps on my iPhone: 1. New York Times
2. TwitterFon (yes, I do have a Twitter account)
3. Enjoy Sudoku
4. iSports (mainly for the daily trivia questions)
5. Shazam, for those problematic "name that tune" moments on the radio. Honorable mention to Bloomberg, USA Today, and Sportacular. I got some iTunes Store gift cards for my birthday so I'll look into actually getting something nonfree soon. - I found out today that the API Legal Outreach trivia contest is on March 28 this year. I haven't participated since 2005, so this year the Jedi Mind Tricks (team name picked through trial and much error over the years) should be making a comeback. - I tried watching the first episode of Dollhouse on hulu, and I wasn't terribly impressed. Not sure how many more chances I'll give it. Eliza Dushku is easy on the eyes, at least. Posted via LiveJournal.app. |
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| Life needs an update button |
[Feb. 21st, 2009|04:55 pm] |
My mom is out of the hospital, and she's been in a skilled nursing facility since Tuesday. The effect is more or less the same, she's not home yet. But the doctor said she may be able to go home sometime next week after the course of IV antibiotics is done.
I've been at the hospital every day, most of the day. I guess if I didn't have an iphone I could amuse myself in other ways, like by sleeping or playing PSP or DS games or whatever, but I do have one now so I can stay somewhat connected to the outside world.
Hmm, I need a new default icon now that A-Rod has admitted to steroid use. I guess I'll switch to Alexander the Great until I find something else. |
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| hippo, birdy, two miis |
[Feb. 13th, 2009|10:23 pm] |
Yay, birthday. My best present today was my mom getting her breathing tube out, and her first words being "Happy Birthday!" My cousin said, and I agree, that's a very mom-like thing to say.
Then again, I haven't opened any of my other presents yet. I still think this one will win.
I had coffee crunch cake from Eastern Bakery as my birthday cake. Mmm... coffee crunch cake. I don't think I've had that since the last birthday I had in the USA, 4 years ago. My dad said when he went to buy it, another woman was at the bakery, also buying coffee crunch cake. It's as if it were popular. |
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| I love ICUs |
[Feb. 12th, 2009|09:53 pm] |
Using some reverse psychology here. Mom is still in the ICU, and still has the breathing tube in. I'm knocking on wood furiously when I say the plan is to take it out tomorrow morning.
Other than that, she's progressing, the wound is healing and the infection is under control. She's been an amazingly good sport, considering she hasn't been able to talk (with the breathing tube in) since Monday.
This afternoon a VP of the hospital came to visit, I guess he was just walking around visiting random patients. That reminded me of the scene from "Big" where Tom Hanks' character is promoted to VP, and his friend asked, "Does that mean that if the president dies, you become president?" |
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| ICU, do you? |
[Feb. 10th, 2009|04:22 pm] |
Due to some swelling in the air passage, the breathing tube needs to stay in and my mom will stay in the ICU at least one more night. The good news is, all other signs are improving, so the amount of poking, beeping, and blood-drawing is way down. She looks a lot more rested today, despite not being able to talk. Posted via LiveJournal.app. |
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| Tell me why I don't like ICUs |
[Feb. 9th, 2009|05:09 pm] |
So my mom had her surgery today, and the doctor said it went well. She's back in the ICU recovering. She has a respirator in, due to the general anesthesia, so she can't speak.
She's been in the ICU since Friday night, which has definitely helped stabilize her condition but it's been bad for her consciousness. There's always something beeping or buzzing, the lights are always on, people are poking you, the blood pressure band is squeezing your arm every half hour, and the overall effect is you can't get much rest. I don't think she's gotten much sleep beyond naps since she got to the hospital.
The plan seems to be to leave the respirator in for the night, and take it out tomorrow morning. By then we'll have a better idea of when she can come home, or at least get a regular room so she can actually rest some. |
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| I don't like hospital food |
[Feb. 7th, 2009|12:20 pm] |
My mom is in the hospital. We took her here yesterday afternoon to treat an infection. She is now being treated with IV and antibiotics, and seems to be in good spirits, although she's in the ICU for close observation. She'll be here at least through the weekend. I have hope that she will come out of this OK. Right now all we can do is wait and see how well she reponds to treatment. Posted via LiveJournal.app. |
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| Stimulating |
[Feb. 3rd, 2009|06:27 pm] |
I made some money out of a trade I made by mistake today, so I decided to go stimulate the economy today:
- I went out and bought a gift for my niece's birthday
- I bought a mocha at Starbuck's
- I got a haircut
- I bought some lottery tickets
Hmm, most of that is money I would have spent eventually anyway. I gotta work on this economy-stimulation thing. |
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| Nice game |
[Feb. 1st, 2009|09:29 pm] |
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I picked the right year to come back to the USA to watch the Super Bowl. :) |
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| It's like spring... |
[Jan. 31st, 2009|05:08 pm] |
The weather has been fantastic lately. Sunny, slight breeze, just a little nip in the air to remind you you're still alive. ...except it's freaking January dagnabbit. There has been so little rain here that drought conditions are imminent. Never fear though, the Chinese New Year Parade is coming up next week, and if forecasts hold up, the tradition of rain on the parade will be upheld. Posted via LiveJournal.app. |
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