Fall(ish) List

+ Go to the original Rubios
+ 4 New Maangchi Recipes
- Go to beach 5 times (3 down)
- Experience new food place
- Discover a new place
+ Play Chess 8 Times!
- One ZOO or WAP
- Disc Golf
- Ride Bikes somewhere new
+ Go to a pier
- Go to South coast
- Get a Christmas tree
- 2x Go see the stars (1 down)
+ Watch an anime
- See a sunrise, maybe do a time lapse
- Eat something good in LA

Meteors!

This blog deserves an update.

Jess and I drove out to here to take some pictures of meteors and the stars:


View Larger Map

These are some of the photos we took:

More of the pictures are now on my flickr.

The Original Kayak Experience

Today we got two things accomplished on our fall to-do list. I'm a little tired so I'm just going to upload some photos. Maybe Matt can fill you in on the details later :)

-Jess

Bailey jumping ship!

Warm welcome


Point Loma pride!


Jess + fish tacos!


Matt and the classic bean burrito

New Name, New List

Hi guys, I'm just going to start off by stating that I am going to start posting on a new blogger name. The reason for this is that my blogger account is located on a different gmail account that I've recently started using as my main account. I figured that I might as well make the switch on blogger instead. So instead of seeing the handle "dalartsun," you'll be seeing "moonspired" (which is the tenative name for my upcoming business).

But this post isn't just about me! It's also about our new fall list that's in the works. We still have much to put on it but so far here's the list! Let us know what you think :)

- Go to the original Rubios
- Make 4 new Maangchi Korean Food Recipes (1 down)
- Go to the beach 5 times (1 down)
- Play Chess 8 times! (1 down)
- Experience a new food place
- Go to the ZOO or WAP
- Discover a new place
- Go Disc golfing
- Ride bikes somewhere new
- Go to a pier


-Jess

Good Summer

+ go to point loma seafood/or tin fish
+ have picnic
+ go to zoo or wild animal park
+ take bayley for walk
+ do late night drive around SD
+ visit someplace new
+ go to coldstone
+ go to beach at night
+ have a movie night with cool snacks
+ go to the mall/shopping
+ play stratego again
+ watch season 2 of xxxHOLiC
+ see the baby tigers
+ eat at casa de pico/or coyote cafe
+ go to beach at least 7 times

This was our summer list.  We completed it by going to the beach (#7) and having a picnic on the day before my school started.  It feels good to complete a list of things to do, and it is even better to go out and do things.  I'm especially glad that we got these done despite my heavy workload from summer classes.  We're starting a fall list now, so if anyone has some suggestions, we're all ears.

Here are a few photos from our list.  They include tin fish, picnic, wild animal park, walking bayley, late night drive, new place (summer pops on the embarcadero), mall, stratego, baby tigers, coyote cafe, beach (uploaded 8 actually). 

-Matt

Ow

My body aches...

-Jess

Jupiter

Usually when you look at the sky and spot a bright light, you realize it's an airplane or satellite. For these past couple of days, however, that may not be the case. It's right next to the moon and it's pretty hard to miss (even with my terrible vision), so be on the look out for that bright shining Jupiter in the sky! If you have a telescope, you can even catch a glimpse of its four beautiful moons~

People don't look up and admire the night sky as much. How could they? With all the space junk and flying machinery cluttering the nightscape, wouldn't you think that people would be a little disinterested in taking in the night scene?

At least for these next couple of nights you'll be able to spot a natural wonder in the sky :)

~Jess

These are a few pictures I took.  The first is just directly at Jupiter through the camera.  The second is with my camera pointed at the lens of my telescope.  I don't have an attachment, so it is kind of hard to hold it still and focus, but I think it turned out alright.  You can see four moons if you look at the enlarged image.  Can anyone name them all?  Anyway, the third is just a picture of the moon through the telescope.  I underexposed it a bit, so it is kind of dark, but I still think it looks cool.  There are some more pictures on my Flickr.

It is pretty relaxing to look at the sky at night.  I don't think I can put it better than Jess did, so take her advice and get out.

-Matt

Late Nights

San Diego is a stranger to late-night escapes and comforts. Aside from the millions of 24-hour *insert Mexican name here* Taco Shops (although a couple are only open for 23 or 22 hours...), there are hardly any GREAT late night eats and hang out locations for San Diego night owls.

I've decided to start a late night list of the nicest places in SD to hang out. I'd like to point out that my definition of late night is not "open past 9pm" (which many San Diegans seem to claim it is); my definition is anywhere from 11pm and on!

So I hope this list grows and grows... or I'll be having to drive out to L.A. at night to get my late night cravings!

Tajima: open til 2am weekdays and 3am on weekends (excluding Sunday)

Basil Thai Kitchen: open til 3am

Sombreros: open til 2am? (yes this is Mexican, but you know what? Sombreros is SPECIAL)

Tea Station: open til 12am weekends

Korean Hometown Restaurant: open til 2am

Studio Diner: open 24 hours

Lestat's Coffee Shop: open 24 hours

Night & Day Cafe (Coronado): open 24 hours

Min Sok Chon: open til 2am

The Living Room: open til 2am

Know any others? Let us know!

-Jess & Matt

The Soloist

This film reminded me of Slumdog Millionaire, which I hated. Although this is based on a true story, it too seems like nothing more than a fantasy for most of the real homeless out there. A lot of them aren't crazy, and they still can't get out. I was also somewhat bothered by the film's portrayal of African Americans. "The White Man's Burden" kept popping into my head, but not enough to really upset me. This was especially true when Nathaniel beat Mr. Lopez to the ground.

"Take up the White Man's burden--
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard--"

Probably not the message they wanted to get across, but I wish I did not have to consider the possibility.

Other low points included the Winamp-like music visualization and the scene with the doves flying over Los Angeles. Still, it was a decent film overall and the acting was above average.

-Matt

Ahhh.... the story of a crazy black homeless person and a white samaritan/reporter... There's a little passion for music here... and a little crazy there... and a couple druggies everywhere.

This movie had great acting and a great atmosphere, but a lousy plot. Matt put it in the best phrase possible: the white man's burden. It depicted the homeless as all mentally insane and/or dependent on drugs. It made them all seem extremely violent and delusional as well as incapable of accepting any outside help. While this may be a true story, it only captures one perspective at the homeless community... which is disheartening.

Meh. Oh yeah~ and I completely second the trippy windows media player visual blaaaah that occured for about 5 minutes in the middle of the movie. Jeez.

-Jess

One More Year

So I decided to stay at UCI for one more year to do a Political Science Major and a Conflict Resolution Minor on top of the Sociology Major I already finished. ;o

Four More Years

CNN: "President Obama said today that he told government lawyers to object to a court-ordered release of additional Defense Department photos showing alleged abuse of detainees because the release could affect the safety of U.S. troops and "inflame anti-American opinion." Obama's decision was a reversal of what the White House had previously said on the issue, and it drew swift criticism from the ACLU."

So basically he's Bush #2. Glad I didn't get my hopes up.

House

So this season pretty much redeemed itself in its last couple episodes. I won't go into details on how epic I thought the last episode was (Ah... Hugh Laurie, your acting skills amaze me) but I will just jot down some ideas and predictions I have for next season:

• In "Under My Skin," when House and Wilson are determining what could be causing House's hallucinations, they test everything on the list - except "Trauma." I have a feeling that this factor is the culprit behind what triggered House's hallucinations.
• If the previous point is true, then my suspicions lead me to believe that House received this trauma either in Season 4's finale "House's Head/Wilson's Heart" or this season's "Locked In." While Season 4's trauma would make sense (in its connection to Amber), "Locked In" is also a candidate because it is the episode before Kutner's death and there are hints that House's brain is slightly damaged (ie: In the last scene where Wilson is warning House about being alone, House's vision/image of Wilson gets blurry and fuzzy).
• Since the "Fore-teen" relationship is doomed to fail, I'm going to assume that we'll be revisiting episodes centered around Thirteen again. Her role this season lightened up in the end (and it almost became as minor as when she was first introduced) but I think that's only because the writers didn't want to push our buttons with introducing such a radical end to season 5.
• I'm anticipating whatever the writers have in store for all the Chase/Cameron fans. With House committed to the psych ward, they'll probably help fill in his spot at the hospital. They've hinted at more screen time/involvement by those two characters... I'm crossing my fingers!
• Honestly, as fun as the visual would be... I would cringe at the sight of seeing House in a straight jacket... but I have a feeling this might happen.

That's it for now :) If anyone has other ideas, please do post them here!

3

:)

THE SILENT MURDER OF CLIPPY

It has recently come to my attention that in the new Microsoft Word 2007 there is an absence of "office assistants." You may be wondering what these office assistants are... I believe the name "Mr. Clippy" will help jog your memory. After doing some research on the matter, I've discovered that Clippy has been scrapped.

For more information on Clippy's murder, please visit this link: To Kill a Paperclip

RIP CLIPPY.

-Jess

"The online Help feature in the 2007 Microsoft Office system has been completely redesigned, and the new design does not include the Microsoft Office Assistant. Find links to more information about how to quickly get the help you need in the See Also section."

-Microsoft Office Word Help (F1)

Let's be honest. This was an execution.

-Matt

The King and the Clown

I really thought this movie was just OK. It had great costume design and a few great exchanges between the characters, but the plot dragged and in the end I didn't feel anything. Decent movie at best, so I'm not sure why it is so popular. Oh well!

-Matt

I was really looking forward to watching this movie because it was so highly rated in Korea... but it turned out to just be odd... I think everyone's personality was just so puzzling that I couldn't learn to like a single person. Hmm, the soundtrack was fitting for the movie, but I don't think I'd listen to it on the side. Hmph~

-Jess

Change?

Recently I have expressed concern with President Obama's rhetoric and actions during his first few days in office. I have had trouble voicing this concern without being called a premature cynic, something I contest. Critically questioning the actions of public officials is the only way we can morally accept or reject our government's actions as justified.

My main concern in recent weeks has been Obama's reluctance to discuss the Israeli invasion of Gaza. When he did discuss it, he took the side of Israel, claiming self defense as justification for the attacks. Despite their positive coverage in the U.S. media, these attacks were a continuation of Israeli aggression, and can be easily considered state terror with discriminatory intent. There has been almost universal condemnation of Israel's actions amongst other foreign nations.

The article below is something I found today that articulates my concerns with words that far surpass my own. I hope anyone reading my short bit here can take the time to read Chomsky's far better article. Upon doing so, it will become clear that there is indeed reason for concern, even now so early in the President's new term. One should never blindly accept rhetoric without taking some time to look into reality.

Noam Chomsky: "Obama on Israel-Palestine"

As far as I am concerned, there is little evidence that there will be significant change in any realm of government foreign affairs, and hardly any change domestically. I will save my second claim for another entry. Obama's rhetoric is well crafted and very convincing, but his actions imply, for the most part, his intention to maintain the status quo.

Obama should reject with no uncertainty the the United States Government's historically unwavering support for Israel if he intends to bring about positive change in the world and restore our image in the global community. He, too, should critically inspect Israel's actions as imperialistic and immoral. Let out the old, bring in the new, and make sure it is founded in morality as opposed to the last 8 years.

Sullungtang

In the Josean dynasty, Koreans regularly made nationwide sacrifices to their ancestors. King Sejong of Joseon had visited the sacrifice himself, and had eaten a meal with the people of Joseon. In order to increase the food supply in Joseon, King Sejong ordered them to invent dishes that could feed the maximum number of people using the least amount of ingredients, and seonnongtang (tang meaning "soup") was one of these. The sole ingredient used in the preparation of seolleongtang is the leg bones of an ox (nowadays cow). At that time, this food was called seonnongtang, and it is now called seolleongtang (or Sullungtang) for easier pronounication.

It's the first days of rain here in Southern California... We decided to visit a sullungtang house in Garden Grove to warm us up and wow... what a great restaurant to eat at!

Here are the highlights of Han Woo Li:

• Incredibly nice waitress and great service
• Affordable price for great meals ($7.52 per soup)
• Amazing side dishes - which by the way indicates how delicious the food at a Korean restaurant is
• The BEST shik-hae (cold rice punch drink) that I've had in a while. It was a refreshing dessert
• Really high quality sullkungtang and yukgaejang (spicy beef and noodle soup)

Anyway, if you're ever in that area, we highly suggest you try this place out.

More information and my full review on the restaurant...

hanulttang

Korean lesson #1:
hanul/ttang: heaven/earth

하늘만큼 땅만큼 사랑해 (hanul mankum ttang mankum, sarang hae): As much as heaven and earth, I love you

Life is Wonderful

It takes a crane to build a crane
It takes two floors to make a story
It takes an egg to make a hen
It takes a hen to make an egg
There is no end to what I'm saying

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
It takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction

La la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Al la la la la

It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to make you yawn brother
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished

(Chorus)

It takes some silence to make sound
It takes a loss before you found it
And it takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to make you care
It takes a hole to make a mountain

(Chorus)

It is so meaningful
It is so wonderful
It is meaningful
It is wonderful
It is meaningful
It goes full circle
Wonderful
Meaningful
Full circle
Wonderful