my pic...

Shot this a few months ago with GF's Nikon D80, using an 18 - 200 mm VRII zoom lens. He calls it my "award-winning" pic:) Unfortunately the focus is a little bit off...and the bee's colours seem a bit over-exposed:(...haha, that's my amateurish interpretation! Comments?

another day in paradise:)...

Well, it's been more than two weeks since I have flexed my (typing) fingers...at least in this forum anyways:) My trip home has come and gone...been back for 2 weeks...and been busy with work...which, in a sense, is good...it prevents me from being homesick or lonely...

Had a craving for Vietnamese food today...the cheapest place I knew of was in Van Nuys...30 miles away...just finished at the gym and the thought of a plate of food for 5 bucks was irresistible...although, when one factors in the gallon of gas it takes to go there and the gallon to come back...it's more like 11 bucks per plate:( But I refrain from doing math sometimes...haha:P The food wasn't as good as I expected...I shouldn't deviate from my norm!!! But I did manage to snag some snacks at the Chinese supermarket next door;-) That helped decrease my plate's cost:)

It's always interesting driving on the 101...Van Nuys, for those that don't know, is just off the 405/101 junction, close to LA. First off, I guess I am spoiled living and working in Camarillo and TO, respectively...it was maybe 26 C in TO and 23 C in Camarillo (don't ask me to convert to Fahrenheit...smoke would rise from my big head:P)...in Reseda, it was 36 C (according to my car's gauge)...and in Van Nuys, it was 34 C...when it was all said and done, the hot tea was quite refreshing:P J/K, haha!

Coming back was an adventure...I still can't get over this...every time I go to LA or its vicinity...I swear I am driving alongside some of the finest drivers on this fair planet! Perhaps, due to the short duration of my existence...these have to be the best!...ppl changing lanes to avoid others (who merge without looking in their mirrors), but doing so without looking in their own mirrors...and hence, I get to observe the near synchronous lane changing by two cars, in two different lanes...with one of them cutting me off at 75 mph! Gotta love that! Then there are the geniuses who believe they will get to their destination faster by zipping in and out of all five lanes on the freeway...it amuses me the most when I actually pass them while staying in one lane:P I could go on, but will refrain for fear to boring you to tears!

Till next time...cheers! ;-)

Some thoughts at 1:30 in the morning...

Maybe when one factors in the time...what I have to say...and what I am thinking is perhaps best left for another time...but will ignore conventional wisdom for the time being:)

Just some vague thoughts floating in my head...well, to be honest, they are not vague, but though I try to be honest in how I pen my thoughts, a part of me refrains from opening up totally...

When there is history involved...it appears impossible to change the misconceptions, ideas, perceptions...both good and bad, I suppose...(I know it's not impossible, but often it feels that way)...making mistakes is part of life...and learning from them, sometimes slowly, is one of the lessons... However, there are times this seems like a futile process! I had some reminders of this tonight...it seems the closer the ppl are...the more they cling to what was done and said before...at times, ignoring what happens now...and on occasion, using that past to, in essence, support and reinforce the "reflex" ideas about an individual. This frustrates me!

How can one counteract this? Cut the ties, and make new ones? Trying to repair, what were once, strong roots seems an exercise in futility...esp. when the other has no interest (or sees no reason) to feel the same way. Is it wise to do everything to appease that individual? Or ignore what cannot be changed? I am not sure...