The Electricity Monster and the Saran-Wrapped Windows.

Last year, my cousin Jason left to serve our country in Afghanistan. As I was the only one left in the apartment, I inherited the electricity bill. Suddenly, I started thinking about things that I had taken for granted. I knew that CFL bulbs used less electricity, and that heating a house takes electricity, but I had never *really* thought about it. I guess paying for something is a good way to get someone to appreciate something.

Long story short: I went on a year-long quest to reduce my electricity bill.

I switched all the light bulbs to CFLs. I turned down the temperature on the water heater. I did my laundry using cold water. I turned off the water heater completely if I left for more than 3 days. I turned the heat in the apartment down. (Way down.) I put empty containers in my fridge and freezer. And I saran-wrapped my windows . . . .

I first learned about saran-wrapped windows in Minnesota. 3M sells a special film which you wrap around your windows, then you use a blow dryer to make it tight. The film acts as an extra insulator; well, not the film but the air between the film and your window. Or if you have drafty windows, it blocks the draft.

At Lowe's, I found a similar kit for wrapping my windows. I figured the cost would at least be worth the experience and the experiment.




The apartment has a lot of windows. Big windows. Plus the huge patio door. In the end, I needed 3 kits for everything in the apartment.

I started with the window in the left of the picture.

Oh no! It looks really tacky! Just like ... saran wrap!










Ten minutes later, after using a blow dryer. I guess that's why we need the special film!









All the windows and the patio door are now wrapped. (You can see the "saran wrap" running along the bottom of the patio door.)

From Electricity bill

And how did all of this affect our electricity bill? We saved a ton! (Compare JAN 2009 to JAN 2010.)

Actually, I suspect that most of the savings were from simply turning down the heat. However, the wrapping helped keep the little remaining heat inside and the nasty wind outside.

From Saran-wrapping windows

I wrapped even our bay window! (I didn't need any of the stuff in there, anyway.)

I finally met Greg Mortenson.

Greg Mortenson is the author of the nonfiction books "Three Cups of Tea" and "Stones into Schools." The former is #2 on the NY Times paperback bestseller list, and the latter is #3 on the hardcover list. Greg spoke in Seattle in December, and he packed a local university gym. I heard there were about ~2500 people in attendance, and an unknown number were turned away.

I wanted to make sure I got in, so I arrived early: Doors would open at 6:15 pm for a 7 pm talk, and I arrived around 2 pm. No one was in line yet, but by ~2:45 pm, there were ~6 of us, representing 6 different groups. One was a wife (her husband would come later), one worked for World Vision, one was a consultant who had travelled near Pakistan and Afghanistan, one was a recent college grad (her friends would come later), one was me, and one was a family who had come from eastern Washington. The family had driven for hours and rented a hotel room, just to hear Greg talk! (Actually, I would have done the same!) Even though it was cold and rainy, I enjoyed getting to know everyone. We all shared a common passion.

Since I had already read Greg's latest book, and I had waited so long in line, the actual talk seemed a bit anticlimactic to me. Also, Greg is not the typical speaker: he does not speak with the polish or eloquence that a motivational speaker, politician, or salesman would have. But I daresay that Greg Mortenson speaks with authority, and that authority was earned in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and also in his tireless efforts in America. So we all listened.

Greg's talk ended around 8:15 or 8:30 pm, and then the real wait began. Hundreds of people rushed to the stage to get Greg's autograph! It was fairly orderly, and everyone got into line, but it sure formed quickly! I hate rushing, and I was in no hurry, so I went over to talk to a friend (the consultant guy) who had also not gotten into line yet. My friend had to get home to his family, and we tried to estimate how long the line would take. I was thinking ~250 people at 10 seconds per person = 2500 seconds = less than 1 hour. That was a conservative estimate based on what I had seen at other signings at anime conventions, video game conventions, etc. I was so wrong.

It turns out that Greg actually likes to meet people. And talk to them. Greg ended up talking to each person for an average of 1 minute each. 60 seconds each, for 250 people. That's a long time, if you really try to do it. (We have greeting time in church, and I have trouble talking to someone for more than 15 seconds.) And Greg has been doing this across the country for weeks. He must know that he won't remember everyone and that he could get a couple more hours of sleep if he just followed the norm. But he's just that kind of guy.

One thing that added to the time was that stack of books on the table. But that's not what you think. They sold all of Greg's books there, but that was at a table way in the back of the gym. The books you see are books that Greg is giving away. Yes, he would give away his own books. What would happen is that Greg would start signing whichever book you gave him, and he would talk to you, and in talking to you he might decide to give you another of his books. For example, if you had kids he might give you the children's version of "Three Cups of Tea." Or if you were a poor student, he might give you another book. Remember that family that had driven from eastern Washington? Greg gave them a *box* of books to take back to their school.

From Greg Mortenson

Anyway, I was still waiting around 11 pm, and my consultant friend had had to go home. (I feel bad because he really wanted to meet Greg and shake his hand.) I got in the very back of the line, and I talked to the others there. That was also enjoyable.

When I finally got to meet Greg, it indeed felt anticlimactic. I shook his hand, he apologized that I had to wait so long, I thanked him for everything, and I asked him to sign three of his books. He asked if I was a student, and I said no (I'll bet he would have given me a book if I had been), and that was pretty much it. I left around 12:15 am.

You know, there was a point near the end of "Stones into Schools" . . . I was reading in bed, and Greg was writing about one of his friends in a dire situation, about a school that needed to be built, and the ensuing winter that would arrive in a couple weeks time. I put the book down, and I lay in bed and prayed for Greg's friend. I am pretty sure that I have never prayed for a person in a book. Nevermind that the book was telling me about a past event, that winter had already come, and that Greg was only pages away from revealing his friend's fate. I prayed because if there was any chance that God could intervene--God being beyond both space and time--then I needed to take that chance. It was that important to me. I end with that story to show what kind of impact Greg's story has had on me.

As it turns out, my prayer was answered.

Cheers to Greg Mortenson!

Some stuff from my 2009

Since I spent two whole entries on Greg Mortenson and "Three Cups of Tea," I was going to finish the trilogy and describe my experiences when Greg spoke in Seattle. But I will wait until later. Instead, I will catch up on some other events, starting with the most recent.

For Christmas, Mary and Mom flew into Seattle.

Are these Christmas ghosts?

Nope. Rather, my cousin Chris decided on the ultimate Christmas gift: the Snuggie! Everyone in the extended family got one, except the babies.

From A Snuggie Christmas

I am not sure what Chris' wife, Olivia, thought of the idea. But in Chris' defense, I had thought about doing the same thing.

Hmm, perhaps that isn't much of a defense.

From Trinity Lutheran concert

In early December, I took Grandma to an alumni concert. Grandma graduated from Trinity Lutheran College, I think in 1979. That means she was 60! As you can see in the picture, Grandma looked pretty good for 60. I guess that helps explain how she can still be so active today, past 90.

From Wai's baptism

In November, my "Uncle" Wai got baptized. It was pretty cool. Wai gave a very energetic testimony. His joy was very inspiring. I know Wai also works very hard in his business (a submarine sandwich shop).

From Ryan and Vi's wedding

In September, I flew to Los Angeles to see my friends Ryan and Vi get married. Ryan and Vi were both undergrads at Caltech when I was a grad student. I do not have any great pictures of them at the wedding. Fortunately, their photographer had that covered. Three that I really like are here, here, and here.

From Library book sale

Also in September, I went to the Seattle Public Library's semi-annual book sale. This is a big event, and it happens once in the fall and once in the spring. They hold it in an old airplane hanger. There are something like 250,000 books, most for $1. The line to get in wraps around the block, literally. And many people are serious about their books: they bring portable luggage racks and several boxes, and many even have bar-code readers!

At the library sale, I bought like 12 copies of "Three Cups of Tea" for $1 each. But that is really part of another story. Next time!

Greg Mortenson is speaking in Seattle on Tuesday!

I got behind on updating this blog; sorry. Briefly, I spent much of the last month tutoring two (unrelated) students in math. Even though I have always been good at math, I do not think I am a very good tutor, at least judging by my past experiences. So, this time I spent a lot of time preparing for my sessions. I also tried to utilize a special memory program called Anki. Anyway, my tutoring is over for now, so back to programming. Best of luck to my students!

Last time, I wrote about Greg Mortenson, author of "Three Cups of Tea." Well, tomorrow (Tuesday), he will be speaking in Seattle! Greg's latest book is "Stones into Schools," and it is a follow-up to "Three Cups of Tea." I bought "Stones into Schools" on the day it came out, and I already finished reading it. It was really great throughout. In its first week out, "Stones into School" was #2 on the NY Times Bestseller List (behind Sarah Palin's book).

I realized that what I love about Greg's story (and the stories of his friends in Pakistan and Afghanistan) is not just how inspiring it is, but how convicting it is to me. I have so many more resources than Greg and his friends, but they are so much more resourceful. My resources are somewhat tangible/worldly things such as time, money, relative youth, health, and education. Their resourcefulness seems to come from the intangibles. Clearly, I still have a lot to learn. But I know that I already have more than enough worldly resources to start making a difference in the real world. I would say that we all do; perhaps we simply have to make that choice each day.

Greg's talk in Seattle is limited to 2,000 people, first-come, first-served. I look forward to arriving several hours early to make sure that I do not miss out. If anyone wants to join me, let me know!

Greg Mortenson speaking in Seattle on 12/15.

I sometimes get confused about why I write this blog. I usually look for a fun picture of something I did recently, to convey that to my friends and family that I may not have spoken with in awhile. But at the same time, I am not sure if this is the right time or place for that.

This time I will talk about a nonfiction book that I read earlier this year: "Three Cups of Tea." It is the true story of Greg Mortenson, an American who has been building schools in poor villages in Pakistan (and now Afghanistan).

What I love about Greg's story is how unbelievable it is--and yet how simple it is. I feel like many of us are so afraid of trying to help the world, to really give ourselves. But with Greg, here is a man who at one time was arguably less educated than us, had less money than us, had less connections than us, was less computer-savvy than us, had less to gain, and was even more self-absorbed than us. But, he made a commitment out of love, and he kept trying until he finished it. And through the process, Greg found himself transformed, and now he is transforming the world.

Nowadays, I would guess that Greg is less healthy than many of us (40+, overworked, and stressed), has way less time, has family commitments just like many of you (two young kids and a wife), and he has already done so much to help others. He should just quit, play it safe, not risk his life over in Pakistan/Afghanistan, and manage the front office. But he doesn't. He keeps running his race.

As far as I know, Greg Mortenson doesn't profess any religion (although his parents with Christian missionaries). But I see in him more of Jesus than I see in, well, almost any of us.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)

I was surprised and delighted to learn that Greg has a new book coming out on December 1, "Stones into Schools." It tells what has been happening since "Three Cups of Tea." Even better, Greg will be speaking in Seattle on 12/15 (no tickets, first come, first served). I think he spends half the year speaking across America and other places, then half the year in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Anyway, if you have trouble believing that someone in today's society--especially an American--could model Jesus' love, his servanthood and his sacrifice, then read "Three Cups of Tea." (There is even a children's version.) I think you will come to admire Greg Mortenson, especially because of his imperfections. But just like with Jesus, we need to move beyond admiration and on to imitation.

Let's go!

Vacation summary: Penny Arcade Expo (PAX)

The Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) was September 4 - 6. It is a convention which combines video games and board games. They go together surprisingly well. :-)

The prince from Katamari Damacy.











The PC Freeplay room. PAX provides all of these computers for people to play PC games! It may be hard to see all the rows of computers, but there were probably 256 computers available. And this was just one half. Another ~256 spaces were reserved to "Bring Your Own Computer" (BYOC), for mostly hardcore gamers.

The Peregrine gaming glove. That's the black glove that each person is wearing. They can use that as an input device to the computer, while still being able to type with both hands. It certainly looks cool/geeky.

"The Emissary" dining and gaming table. It is expensive ($2000 - $3000), but it's also a cool idea: if you don't finish a board game, you can just cover it up and save it for later! IKEA should make one of these.

A shop had these cute Super Mario Pepsi caps. Isn't it cool how the characters are all pixelated? Presumably, these caps were available in Japan on Pepsi bottles, for free! (And even $5 for just the cap seems reasonable.)

The guy in the foreground is Reggie Fils-Aime, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America! He was playing Wii Sports Resort, and he asked me if I wanted to play him! We played table tennis.






A normal match is to 6 points, but we went into multiple tiebreakers. I finally won, something like 11 - 9. Reggie plays with intensity!




Setting the Guiness World Record for most people playing the Nintendo DS in one room. I played Puzzle Quest. (Thank-you to Joel G. for letting me borrow it!) I think there were less than 1000 people, so there is a lot of room to grow.

From PAX, day 1

An artist was paid to make this "Bioshock 2" mural on the floor of the convention center! You could watch him work on it each day of the convention.

From PAX, day 2

The board-game checkout room. Hundreds of board games. Best of all, there were thousands of people available to play with!






The chalk artist has made a lot of progress on the mural. Very beautiful.






Giant Connect Four. This was part of the Omegathon, which is sort of a wacky/epic elimination tournament.

From PAX, day 3

Joe Cochran and I had an epic game of Dominion. I think the final score was 78 - 77.







Of course, the best part of PAX was hanging out with old friends and making new ones . . . even if one turned out to be a Cylon! (From the board game for Battlestar Galactica.)

The God of coin flips.

In my life, I have had at least three experiences that I consider . . . supernatural. The first was my move to Minnesota and my time there. (Click here for one entry.) The third was when I donated a large sum of money and later received almost exactly the same amount of money. And the second? That is below.

---

It was January, 2008. I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area and working at Genentech. I was also trying to find God, to know if he really existed.

I had a pamphlet entitled, "How Can I Know What God Wants Me To Do?"; it was from May 2006, when I was deciding if I should leave Minnesota and return to California. The pamphlet mentions a story about Francis Schaeffer, a well-respected Christian pastor and author. When he was 19, Francis had a crucial life decision to make. Francis prayed and wept, but he was still unsure of God's will.

Finally, in desperation he took out a coin and said, "Heads, I'll go."

It was heads.

Then he pleaded, "God, be patient with me. If it comes up tails this time, I'll go."

It was tails.

"Once more, God. Please let it be heads again."

It was heads.

And Francis Schaeffer went.

That story was frightening to me. After all, it was just a coin! What if it had flipped the other way?

Schaeffer later said that he would never advise anyone else to use the same method of finding God's will. My first reaction was, "Of course! Don't put your fate in the hands of a coin! Schaeffer sure was lucky!"

However, at some point I began to think, "Why do I assume that it was simply luck? What if it really was God?" Schaeffer's God was the God of the Bible--an all-powerful, all-knowing God. If God were really out there, then he could make a coin flip heads or tails three times in a row. God could make a coin flip heads ten times in a row, if he wanted . . . .

I had read in the Bible that we are not to test God. Nevertheless, God had had mercy on Gideon when he asked for a sign, and God had had mercy on Francis Schaeffer. Maybe "testing God" and "asking God" were qualitatively different? Maybe the former is done with a poisonous heart, but the latter can be done with a humble heart?

So, I decided to ask God for a sign, like Gideon and Schaeffer had done. I asked God to show me if he was really there. I asked God to be merciful.

And, I asked God to make a coin flip heads, ten times in a row.

I had a pen and a piece of paper to record each flip as it happened. I had a quarter. I promised to do all ten flips and record them, whatever the result. For each flip, I would place the quarter over my thumb, flip the quarter into the air, let it land on the ground, and record that result.

Of course, even if God were there, he might not answer. One could argue that I had nothing to lose: if the flips looked random in the end, then maybe God had just declined to do anything.

I can only say that I tried not to have that mindset. I was trying not to test God, but rather to sincerely ask him, beg him, for help. However, I naturally braced myself for any "bad news."

I put the quarter over my thumb. I think I was trembling a little. And I held my breath.

<flip>

Heads.

"Heads!" I thought. "Maybe I should just stop here?" However, I had promised to do ten flips, so I kept going.

<flip>

Heads! That's two.

<flip>

Heads! Three.

<flip>

Heads! Four.

<flip>

Heads! Five.

<flip>

Heads! Six.

<flip>

Heads! Seven.

<flip>

Heads! Eight.

<flip>

Tails.

Tails. After eight heads in a row, the ninth flip was . . . tails. What?!

I paused briefly. I would have paused longer, but I had already decided to do all ten flips. I could wait until after that to think about what this meant.

<flip>

Heads! Nine heads and one tails.

It was heads, one last time.

Or was it the last?

"What if I keep going?" I thought.

<11th flip>

Heads!

<12th flip>

Heads!

<13th flip>

Heads!

<14th flip>

Heads!

<15th flip>

Tails.

<16th flip>

Tails.

Two tails in a row. I decided to stop . . . .

---

From Coin flips

A recap of what had happened: I had asked God for ten heads in a row, as a sign that he exists. I flipped eight heads, then one tails, then five heads, then two tails:

HHHHHHHH-T-HHHHH-TT

So, I had really asked for one thing to happen, and technically it didn't. But a strangely similar thing happened instead. What do I think this all meant?

First, I feel that God truly answered my request: He exists! (Or, more honestly, at least something God-like exists, or some things.)

Second, God can indeed flip coins. Whether it is three flips in a row, eight, fourteen, or fourteen thousand, God is in control. He is stronger than the laws of probability, the laws of physics.

Third, God is paying attention. I was only one person, in my room alone, out of a world of 5+ billion. Is it more likely that he just happened to be passing by as I was making my request, or that he is actually aware of everything everywhere?

Fourth, God is relational. I am not sure how to explain this. Assuming that God would reply, I sort of expected one of two responses: a clear "no" (randomness), or a clear "yes" (ten heads in a row). However, God knew me enough and cared enough to give me what I personally needed. Again, I don't know how to express the personal nature of my request or the personal nature of his response, and there are some things that I have not mentioned. But, I will say that what he gave me was more than I had asked for, and more than I had even imagined. (See Ephesians 3:20.)

I close with a clarification: Almost two years after this event, I am still seeking God, and asking him to find me. I believe there is someone out there, and he is incredible. However, is he the God of the Bible? And what does that really mean, since millions or billions of people believe in the same Bible but interpret it differently? I am still trying to figure that out.

Whatever the truth is, I at least believe in a God of coin flips, and I am grateful that he is here.

I hope this will help you know that you are not alone.

Vacation summary: pre-Penny Arcade Expo (PAX).

The Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) was September 4 - 6. I had a lot of fun there, but I also had fun hanging out with friends beforehand.

Several friends from the Game Developers Conference (GDC) were in town for PAX. The day before PAX, I explored Seattle with two of these friends, Joel and Adam. We visited a famous bakery, the Essential Bakery Cafe. They helped us find the house that inspired the movie "Up"!

From House from "Up"

The story behind this house and its owner is, well, enough to inspire a Pixar movie. And my pictures do not do it justice. Check out this story from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. A more recent picture than that is here. Finally, the latest chapter on this story is here; it explains the banner on the house.

Incidentally, the development surrounding the house contains a Trader Joe's, which I like. I am glad that the owner got to live this life out as she wanted.

Next, we checked out Gas Works Park. If you check out the official site for the park, it doesn't look special. However, I think it is awesome! Here, Joel raises the "ring of triumph" atop the hill at Gas Works Park.

Joel and Adam look out at Downtown Seattle. The strange pipes in the background are the old gas works.




Here I am!

From Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park juts out into the water of Puget Sound, leaving a clear view of downtown.







We also visited Green Lake Park, which is also very pretty.

Then, on the freeway, we were eyewitnesses to an accident! Two cars bumped into each other on the side, and one went careening off the freeway and into a ditch. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Finally, a dozen of us gathered at my place to hang out and to eat pizza and Ezell's Famous Fried Chicken. It was a great way to end an eventful day and to prepare for three days of video games, board games, and friends at PAX!

Remembering September 11.

I had an extremely fun time at PAX 2009.

However, for this entry, I want to take time to remember 9/11. It does not seem like it was 8 years ago. I still remember what I was doing at the time: I was in lab, because I had been working overnight to analyze a protein that I had made. I needed some liquid nitrogen for the CD (circular dichroism) machine, and when I called the chemistry supply center to deliver it, the guy on the phone told me what had happened. I am a bit ashamed to admit it, but I did not even know what the Twin Towers or the World Trade Center were. (I have never been to New York, and to the East Coast only sparingly.) Of course, Caltech soon cancelled all work for that day, and some of us gathered at a friend's apartment to watch the news for hours upon hours.

About 3000 people died in the 9/11 attacks.

I will close with part of a speech by President George W. Bush, delivered on 9/20/01:

"Presidents come to this chamber to report on the state of the Union. Tonight, no such report is needed. It has already been delivered by the American people. . . . My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seen for itself the state of our Union -- and it is strong."

I always liked that turn of phrase.

Next Tuesday, I fly to Los Angeles for a week. Two friends from Caltech are getting married (Ryan and Vi), and the reception will be at my old dorm/House, Avery House. It promises to be a joyful time, a festival.

Trip summary: San Diego

After going to Anime Expo in Los Angeles, I spent a week in San Diego. This was in July.

From Balboa Park, San Diego

My cousin Gayle took me to the "Body Worlds 2" exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Body Worlds is beyond text description, and they did not allow photographs. But you can check out their website. The most profound parts of the exhibit were 1) a human head showing all of the blood vessels in it, and 2) a display with real preserved human fetuses and embryos. (The exhibit noted how the embryos had been obtained. I do not remember exactly what they said, but I was satisfied.) Actually, the entire exhibit was definitely worth seeing.

The huge tree in the picture is just outside the museum. That tree is off-limits now, but Gayle said that, when she was a kid, people could climb on it.

I saw the Pixar movie "Up" with my cousin Lance. Then we went to Barnes & Noble, and I saw the strangest book: "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." I do not know which was more disturbing: adding zombies to "Pride and Prejudice," or the fact that this new version was a New York Times bestseller (and had no doubt outsold the original, at least recently). Nevertheless, I thought this would be the perfect gift for my cousin Jason, who both likes zombies and aspires to be a high-school English teacher.

I also went to the San Diego Zoo with my friend Steph. It had probably been 15 years since I had last been there.









We had a great time, but of course we did not see everything. I really enjoyed the seal show, which included this hawk. The hawk actually flew right above our heads, and I was totally tempted to stick my arm out and see if he would land on it. But seeing the hawk in person, one realizes that he (she?) could easily maim any person he wanted to.

From San Diego Zoo w/Steph

My favorite part of the zoo was actually not the wildlife, but this. Around that signpost is not ivy; it is a person! You can see more by clicking on the link below the picture.

From Hom dinner

We had a Hom family dinner at Gin Lai Sen. In the picture are my Uncle Jim, cousin Karen, and Auntie Evelyn.






The impetus for going to San Diego was the wedding of my friend John Love. John and I were in the same lab at Caltech; now he is a professor at San Diego State University. Our friend Possu was also there.

From Wedding of John and Therese Love

John's bride, Therese, seemed very nice.












I did a few other things in San Diego, but I did not take any pictures. I stayed a couple of days with my cousins Will and Nora, and Nora introduced me to the TV show "The Next Food Network Star." I also played some board games with my friends Elliott Davis and Aleck Lin (and Steph).

Next week is PAX, the Penny Arcade Expo! I went last year and blogged about it. Wil Wheaton will be there again!

One year later.

I was planning to show pictures from my trip to San Diego. However, this time I would like to reflect on the past year.

From My last Genentech Ho-Ho

One year ago, July 31, 2008, was my last day at Genentech. I was doing postdoctoral research studying human genetics and the disease lupus. There were many nice things about that situation; nevertheless, I decided to quit, and also to move from San Francisco to Seattle. The picture is from my last meal as a Genentech employee.

Why did I decide to do this? In hindsight, it was due to three F's.

The first "F" was "Flash," as in Adobe Flash. Instead of studying lupus, etc., I wanted to make some computer programs. But not computer programs for scientists; rather, programs that my mom, sister, or even grandma could use and would want to use. The programming language that I chose to use was Flash. I had tried to program in Flash while I was still a postdoc, but I really wanted to try programming full-time. So, that is why I quit.

The second "F" was "Family," as in my mom's side in Seattle. In recent years, I had gotten to know my dad's side (mostly in Los Angeles and San Diego) much better than before. However, I had spent very little time with my relatives in Seattle: two weeks every summer when I was a kid, and one wedding a few years ago. So, that is why I moved to Seattle.

The third "F" was "Faith," as in faith in God, specifically Jesus Christ. Since 2005, I have been much more proactive about seeking faith, and in a related sense, truth. For example, the Bible describes Jesus Christ as dying and being raised from the dead. Did this really happen? While I was living and working in San Francisco, I had a lot of help trying to answer these questions, but I still was not sure. I did not have to quit or move to Seattle in this case, but the change would hopefully allow me more time and flexibility to pursue faith. Also, I really respected the faith of my grandma in Seattle, and I thought I might learn something from her.

So, with regard to the three F's, how has the past year gone?

Flash: I learned a lot, and I made some real progress on two programs. It is probably a lot more than I would have done if I had stayed at Genentech. But in terms of programming full-time, I honestly have failed. I will chalk this up to laziness, and I need to do better with my remaining time.

Family: I have gotten to know my grandma; Auntie Nancy and Uncle Paul; cousin Chris, his wife Olivia, and their daughter Jubilee; cousin Jason; Auntie Audrey; cousin Brian; cousin Michelle (and her newborn son Braden!); and Uncle Gordon, Auntie Marlene, and their kids Brendon and Sydney. Some better than others. And I have also gotten to know extended family, such as my Auntie Nancy's relatives. When I consider how little I knew beforehand--for example, I had never even met Jubilee before I moved--it has been quite rewarding.

Faith: I have read some books, joined some study groups, visited some churches, talked to many people, read the Bible more, and prayed. But I still am unsure. I am still uncommitted. However, I definitely think I have learned a lot over the past year, and I now practice daily quiet time and Bible reading. I feel more at peace with my spiritual progress than when I was in SF ... at least I think I do.

So that is how things look to me now. I do not regret my decision to quit my postdoc and move to Seattle, but clearly I still have a lot of progress to make.

I was thinking about how things would be if I had stayed at Genentech. I would probably have more money. For everything else, who knows? However, I know some things that probably would be gone: all of the experiences I have had up here in Seattle. All of the pictures.

From Roof cleaning

I will close with just one. My Uncle Ron was visiting from Fresno, and we were cleaning my Auntie Nancy's yard and roof. I was on the ladder, and Uncle Ron let me snap this picture of him.

I cannot explain why I like this picture, even to those who know Uncle Ron. But I feel that having even one picture like this means it was a good year.

Trip summary: Anime Expo in Los Angeles.

I was in Los Angeles (LA) and San Diego for a trip. In this entry, I will cover the LA portion, which was basically Anime Expo 2009. Next time, I will cover the San Diego portion.

Anime Expo (AX) was held at the LA Convention Center. This was my first time at AX since 2005, and my first time as a dealer. I was a dealer because my friend Richard had just started an anime store, and I offered to help at his booth. Here is the dealer's room before opening on Day 2 (of 4).

I spent a lot of time with another friend, whom I will call Mika, who also helped out at the booth. Notice the car being swallowed by the ivy? That belongs to Mika.



I got to see my friend Justin Simonson, from the Game Developers Conference. Here, Justin is channeling his rage into a hadouken from Street Fighter.



There were some great single costumes ...







... some great pairs in costume (these are from "Last Exile") ...










... and some great group gatherings! (These are from "Trigun." In the bottom row is Trigun's creator, Yasuhiro Nightow!)

From From Mike: AX day 3

We spent a lot of time working at the booth. This was my first retail experience, and I really enjoyed working with old and new friends. However, it was a little hard on everyone's feet. We needed those pads that they have behind fast-food counters. (I am on the left; Richard is on the right.)

From Anime Expo 2009

After the last day of AX, we had to pack up the entire booth and put everything back in storage. We celebrated the thoroughly-exhausting-but-fun convention with Korean BBQ at Manna restaurant. (From left to right: Lucan, Gary, me, Mika, Stephen, and Richard.)

Overall, AX was awesome, and I am really glad that I went!

Special thanks to Amy Wong, for letting me stay at her place while she was in Australia, and to Mika, for driving me back and forth every day (in the car *not covered* in ivy)!

Next time: A summary of the San Diego portion of my trip!