San Simeon

Had the chance to go camping with some friends. I'd never been to San Simeon before... actually, I didn't know where it was but I've driven past it several times traveling up Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway. As a matter of fact, when a friend and I went to Monterey last summer we stopped not too far from San Simeon to check out all the elephant seals on the beach.

One this trip, there were 9 of us... some of them camped at this location last Spring so they were regulars. A friend of mine had amazingly never been camping before. And was so excited to sleep in a tent and sleeping bag. Whew! It sure was cold with temperatures in the high 40's and the coastal breeze. I was glad we cheated and brought a propane heater! We cranked that sucker on and stayed nice and toasty at night. In the day time, it was in the high 50's and what a difference the sun makes - shorts, t-shirt and flip-flop weather!

One of the evenings, we went up to Hearst Castle for a tour. Wow! What an amazing place! Just the kitchen alone would be such an awesome place to hangout and cook all day long. The architecture was incredible! A majority of it like the ceilings, a few doors and some wall panels were hand-carved. The swimming pools were fantastic - there were 3 of them. One was lined with gold. Quite extravagant! I wish I could have taken more pictures but flashes were not allowed and each picture turned out too dark.


A friend of mine had a very nice zoom on her camera. This is Hearst Castle.

We went for a short hike (yes, in flip-flops!) and open land is so nice to see compared to city life!

We camped not too far from the ocean.

On Hearst Castle property, I think the plan was for a zoo many years ago. It didn't quite happen but there were zebras on property.

Stopped over at Pismo Beach on the way home for a few scenic snapshots.

Pismo Beach pier...

The 9 of us - Lek, Heather, Stacy, Kate, Boo, Wendy, Kat, Deb and me.

Elephant seals along the beach. Most of these were still young.

Oh! On our way to the beach we came across a bobcat. It was just sitting there on the path, at least 100 feet away... I didn't see it since it was in the shadows and of course, I was without my glasses. One of my friends yelled out for everyone to stop walking... then zoomed in on her camera.

Copper Keister 2

I'm not exactly sure what copper keister means but this is the second time the bike club has gone this route. I think the first time it was called the 70's route. Also, the first time we went one of the girls got heat exhaustion and we cut the ride short. This is quite the ride! In all, if everything went to plan this ride would only take 6 hours round trip. But of course, whatever can go wrong well, sometimes does. I was abit excited because I knew this would be another 12 hour day.

The ride organizer decided that we'd hit up a new breakfast location. I had heard some really good reviews but when we got there, I guess it really is a good place because the line to get a seat was out the door and into the parking lot. With 11 starving women, we decided to go elsewhere - across the street. The parking was empty and they served breakfast, lunch and dinner. But once we got inside I found out it was a bar. They were open and we were the only ones in there besides the server. Something was wrong with the cook and in hindsight, I should have asked if I could make breakfast. It would have been alot quicker and much tastier! We were all busy talking but about an hour went by when all of a sudden we realized it's been along time and we're still hungry! It took 1 1/2 hours to get our breakfast after the server took our order. But we were flexible on time so we ate very quickly and everyone was still hungry. The food was just awful and we were joking around we should have ordered drinks... they probably never made food before.

Two hours after we arrived at the bar, we were ready to go. Next stop was a historical town called Julian. It was an old mining town but is now famous for pies. The route we took were all 70's... Highway 76, highway 79, highway 78. Very scenic and lots of space! It's mostly farmland, wineries and just hills. We definately took the "scenic" route for sure! But all was good because the scenery was so nice and I didn't even notice we were going the wrong way... about 60 miles the wrong way. No one else noticed either.

We finally made it to Julian. The whole town closes at 5PM. Luckily, it was 4:50 and everyone was starving and we stopped for pie and ice cream. It really was good. But honestly, I think my mom's pies are better. What can I say, I'm biased!

Out of all the riders, I live the farthest. I got home around 1030PM... so 14 1/2 hours. We took a few extra hours on this trip. I think last time, it was almost a 12 hour day. We had a lot of new riders and about half the group had never ridden in the dark before. They nervous and were not prepared. I didn't realize it until later but I think there were only a few that had eye protection for night driving. I was wondering why some were riding so slow but they had sunglasses on! Whew, very dangerous. A long day but it was just a nice time riding around, socializing with new friends, etc. I definately think this ride is a keeper. I know we'll be doing this ride alot since the organizer wants to perfect this ride in 6 hours.

So this is what most of the scenery looked like. Quite a nice area.

There were 11 of us total. One rider lives in San Diego so she met up with us once we got closer to her location. I wished I could have taken more photos but I just didn't want to pull off the side of the road into gravel.

Labor Day Weekend

It happened to be one of the best Labor Day weekends I’ve had in a long time. Yet, we were struck with a few obstacles that kinda just made the adventure quite a good story.

Okay, so I’ve been in this biker club for over a year now. I joined a few months after moving here last year and it fulfilled two of my requests – to be able to ride my bike more often and to make new friends. It’s just amazing that this group is getting larger and larger. So much in fact, that there are some folks I have not even met yet!

While making some new friends with this group, we’ve all decided that not only do we want to ride but also to socialize. Riding can be very difficult on the social aspect except when we stop for fuel breaks or a meal – it’s the only time we are able to chat since we’re riding our bikes all over. Then the hikes began, then dinner parties, poker parties, playing pool and even having a beach picnic. It’s really a great group of people. I’m just so amazed that everyone is so friendly, inviting and seeking new friends.

When I was in Texas a few years ago it was very very difficult to make friends and even trying to find decent biker buddies. It was very clique-ish and I was very surprised since it changed so much from the great Texas experience I had while in the military. Then I realized a majority of my friends were no longer in Texas and perhaps that was why it wasn’t the same. Maybe that was why it was so easy to pick up and leave when I found out I was accepted into sushi school and moved to Los Angeles.

I think its people that are changing my perspective on SoCal. I still don’t understand why so many people live here. Sure the weather is great for most of the year but it’s really over populated, there are lots of rude superficial people, traffic is horrid, pollution is just crazy and there’s just no sense of space and definitely nothing serene! I’ve been ready to pick up and leave for the past 6 months or so but then I think of this group and the new friends I’ve made… and want to stay. Yeah, it surprises me too!

So back to this past weekend. One of my new biker friends invited us to the lake for the weekend. There were only a couple of us that had the time off and wanted to go. We left early Saturday and as we were about to leave, she asked if I liked to drive fast. Of course! But then common sense made me ask what do you mean by fast? 80-85mph… Oh, sure no problem. I usually travel 80mph on the highway by car anyway. Originally we were all going to ride together – there were only 4 of us. But I had to return a day early to return to work so I drove my vehicle. And one of the girls was nice enough to ride with me. And Rookie did not go 85… she has this huge monster truck and from what I was informed, the bigger the tires the lower the speedometer reads. So according to her speedometer, she was going 85 yet I was going 95 to catch up. (Yes, mom… I was speeding. Sorry.) And I still couldn’t catch up so I just slowed down to 80 and thankfully, Jayna knew how to get there.

It was so hot out; we unpacked as fast as we could, made a picnic lunch to take with and high tailed it to the lake. Lake Mead is huge! Rookie was driving us to all these coves and we’d swim a bit then move on. Time flew fast and the wind picked up. We moved once more to another cove and when we decided we were hungry and should get back for dinner. We were not able to cross the lake! The winds were so strong the swells were over 2 feet tall! Rookie was worried the boat would capsize although she tried twice to get us home. Several other boaters also tried and had to return to the safety of the cove to wait out the winds as well. The only ones that made it out were the ocean cabin cruisers and even they were knocked around by the wind and waves.

Luckily, we were stranded next to a huge houseboat. We were thinking of the worst and we could perhaps ask them if they could let us sleep over. But 3 hours later, we thought the winds died down enough to try returning to the boat slip. And no, we only were able to cross the lake into another cove. There was a boat there but no one was around. So yes, we ended up waiting and waiting and waiting and the wind never died. There was a lightning storm in the distance and we were worried it would rain (which was in the forecast for the evening). Luckily, it didn’t rain but we did end up sleeping on the boat overnight. Now that was quite uncomfortable! Not the worst situation I’ve been in but just uncomfortable yet we managed to find humor in our delirium… a lot of humor.

The sun rose yet the wind never stopped. It was not as strong at 5AM and Rookie decided to give it one last try. We made it. The waves were crazy huge and it took about 45 minutes to cross the lake and the safety of our boat slip. We were exhausted and ended up taking a nap. We awoke to a very hot RV. What happened?

The air conditioner was on full blast the whole night we were gone and froze the compressor and line. Several hours later and way into the evening, we figured that out and defrosted the line. The A/C was ready to go. We finally made our first meal since that picnic lunch the previous day. Whew! We were starving! With a great dinner in our bellies, we ended up checking out Hoover Dam and just hanging out.

By this time, it was already Monday and we all wanted to go for a little boat ride before I left. I ended up leaving later than planned although nothing else went wrong the remaining time of the trip. The other girls left Tuesday and everyone was wishing for a longer weekend.


This is the arch portion of the new bridge. The road across Hoover Dam will be closed off in a few years due to Homeland Security. People will have to travel across this bridge instead. The arch itself is the largest concrete arch in North America.

This is also part of the dam. You can see the water level of the lake. It is very very low - the top of the white portion is where the lake level usually is.

The new bridge from the road on Hoover Dam.

Guardian angel statues sit near the Hoover Dam tourist building.

As with a climber statue.

Lake Mead - low lake level... as you can see the white portion on the hill is where the lake water usually is.

Lake Mead close to the park entrance.

Paddleboat rides were also available on the lake.

The four of us - Carrie, Jayna, Eli, Rookie

Sunset on Lake Mead as we were stranded in a cove overnight.

Mtn ride - Rim of the World

Had some free time today to go for a last minutes bike ride. I've been wanting to do this trip since last year when I first heard about it. But I had to wait for the snow in the mountains to melt, then Spring and Summer arrived and there was not any time. So today was the day. Went up to the San Bernardino mountains toward a Lake Arrowhead and then onto a small town named Crestline. This route is called the Rim of the World since it's along the crest of the mountain and in certain spots you can see down both sides.

I also recommended this ride to the bike club I'm in. It might be too late this year since it snows early in the mountains so it might be a last minute trip for the group of we'll put it off until Summer 2010.

The roads were very curvy and in some areas very steep with switchbacks and going only 15 mph in spots. The locals drive crazy fast through these mountains as with the police.

There were very nice views in the places I stopped but there were many more turnouts that I did not stop in.

Company picnic

My first company picnic. I was abit surprised at the organization and things they had for us. We were able to bring family and friends so I invited a friend of mine to go with me. There was a lot of food. It was unbelieveable! And they had carnival rides, elephant ride, rock climbing wall, vollyball, miniature golf - pretty much almost everything you could think of.

Of course, being such a large company, they needed a huge space. I knew the company had a park for employees only but I had never been to it. And it's huge! So huge that I only saw a few of my classmates - and I had thought it would be a small ordeal and I would see all of them.

So here's my friend and I on an elephant ride.



So far, I've been with this company for 4 months. I'm still in training. I've been out of the classroom phase and have been on the job training for the past month. It doesn't look like my supervisor is in a rush to certify me on my own, which is kinda nice but so far no emergencies have occurred where I would need my trainer to actually train me. We have daily routine duties that are the same every day. In a way, time seems to go quickly but not at the same time. We end up working alot of overtime. As the recession hit the restaurant industry, it seems as if in the refinery world, it has not slumped at all or only a small amount.

Monterey

I had a few days off to do an overnighter trip to Monterey. I haven't been there in a couple of years and I've always thought that's a nice place to visit. Some friends of mine have never been so off we went!

In the morning, we walked outside to find ash covering the car. Come to find out the whole area further north was on fire. But the wind was carrying the smoke out to sea. We didn't realize there was a fire until we got home and looked it up online.



Sunset at Carmel-by-the Sea.

Couple of sea otters swimming in the Monterey bay.

Pismo Beach

One of the stops on the 17 Mile drive in Pebble Beach.

Another stop along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. This one is called the Lone Cypress, since the cypress tree is secluded.

Julia Pheiffer Burns State Park. It was really foggy when we stopped and walked around to see the waterfall. An hour later the foggy was slowly disappearing and the sun was shining through.

Me at the beach near Monterey bay.

This bridge is part of the Pacific Coast Highway. It was built in 1932 and it was the longest bridge in that time.

We saw some elephant seals too. As with pelicans and sea lions.

70's Ride

Went on a ride today. It was abit on the long side stretching out for 12 1/2 hours. We were on schedule for the most part until the afternoon began. Then somehow time went faster as we went slower.

Started out in Long Beach - where we usually start off. It would have been 250 miles and should have finished around 3 or 4pm. We went on the highways in the 70's.... 74, 76, 78 and I don't remember the rest of them. Very scenic and I was alittle amazed at how country things got between LA and Oceanside, which is close to San Diego. I think we were only 45 miles away to San Diego.

Isn't it strange at how when one is younger you can't wait to do something? When I was a kid I couldn't wait to get outta the house - get out of the country and into civilization... a big city like NYC, LA or even Chicago. There were too many cornfields, wheatfields and especially cows at home. On today's ride, I thought it strange at how happy I was to see cows. And amazed at the bison. Granted they were penned up but there are actually livestock in SoCal!



We stopped in Oceanside for breakfast. It was a little mom and pop type restaurant supposed to be nostalgic or something, right off highway 101. The roads were great - lots of curves, good scenery and most especially very little car traffic our way. I think it was highway 76, something happened and there were lots of cars stopped and waiting to go.



It was a hot day. Maybe in the high 90's and I was really glad I had packed several bottles of cold water. We stopped several times throughout the ride, which was a good thing. One of the riders had heat exhaustion so we doused her with cold water and tried putting her in the shade but after an hour, we ended up stopping off at a fast food restaurant for some cold drinks. I think that helped everyone cool down. Yup, it was that hot out.




Overall, it was a good ride. It wasn't planned for all day but it was amazing that even though there were a few riders I had never ridden with, everyone was a good sport. I think next time, we'll be more prepared as far as staying hydrated. The ride route was great... not too much traffic. The roads were also great and perhaps SoCal is slowly growing on me. It's strange because the other night I had a dream about purchasing a house. I'm not exactly sure where it was but it was close to the ocean yet in the country where I was able to have a big yard and enough space to finally get my dream dog - a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Kinda crazy, eh? On second thought, maybe that was a nightmare! (That means I'm getting old and ready to settle down. Blah!!!) Knowing that most of the dreams I am able to recall do come true, I'm kinda curious as to where this is at. I don't even know if it was in SoCal but after seeing some of the landscapes on our ride, it could be possible.

IBA - Saddlesore

So with my new found free-time, I've already completed a mini-adventure. I was pressed for time so I didn't take any pictures. Well, I did take 3 photos - to keep track of my mileage as part of the paperwork to send in. Most of you know, one of my dreams is to ride the Iron Butt - it is an 11 day motorcycle ride and 11,000 miles. It's a contest more for myself to see if I can do it and of course bragging rights. Other than that, it's quite useless.

I didn't do the Iron Butt ride, although I found out there are some pre-requisites. And the Iron Butt is on a lottery basis. Not everyone that applies can ride. So I figured I would complete as many pre-requistes as possible.

First, is the Saddlesore. It's 1,000 miles in 24 hours. Someone I just met did this awhile back and eventually would also want to do the Iron Butt. She was suppose to go with me - but schedules change. One other person showed interest too but again bad scheduling. So I went by myself. Seems like all my long rides are solo. It's kinda nice too - gives me time to think, get away from civilization, more time to think, eat junk food, oh did I mention more time to think? Yeah, I do miss my alone time and just being able to hear silence - but in this case, all I heard was the rumbling of my bike as I was riding the interstate, oh yeah and my iPod.

But since moving to LA, there is constant noise - I guess that's the part of the seasonal trail I miss the most... listening to the quiet and nature - seeing the animals, mountains, beaches, etc. Maybe I'm just turning into the country rustic the parents raised me to be.

Anyway, the Saddlesore is all documented. To qualify, you actually need witnesses to verify the date, time and mileage on start and end. So I left yesterday morning at 425AM. Behind schedule but still was able to beat the morning traffic and I plotted out my way going East. My turn around point was in Winslow, Arizona. I decided I wanted to ride 500 miles and out and return. I could have returned more soon but wanted to be sure to get the 1,000 miles so I went an extra 70 miles just in case some parts did not count - everyone's mileage counter is not quite accurate and I didn't want to go all that way to find out I was short a couple miles. I had estimated a return time of midnight although I had until 425AM... and actually got back a few minutes before 11PM. Yup! Definately good timing... 18 1/2 hours of riding.



This is me at my turn around point in Winslow, Arizona. I wanted to keep track of my mileage so I took a picture and it looked kinda cool with the reflection. Riding long distances I like to wear my full-face helmet. Keeps the elements out. It also keeps people minding their own business. By this I mean, when I wear my 1/2 helmet around town people point, stare, honk or whatever else you can imagine when they see there's a girl riding a motorcycle. It also draws more attention at the gas stations... strange men come up to me as I'm refilling my gas tank and start talking. Kids and mothers come up (I guess women are less intimidating on a bike) and they ask if their kid can sit on my bike or have their picture taken on my bike, go for a ride, etc. I have no idea why either - there are plenty of women motorcyclists around. Women riders are actually a growing industry. Anyhow, I'm not a carnival ride as I often say to even some friends... I know quite the jerk, right? So a full-faced helmet is a bit more discreet and I think, more safe when riding solo.

But back to my story... I really think back support is the trick. I took a luggage bag and just leaned up on it the entire trip. Of course it was full of snacks and water - I knew going through the desert would be quite warm and the mountains maybe alittle cool. But those mountains were downright cold! And the desert was very hot. I couldn't tell whether I should strip or layer because I had to pass through a couple mountain ranges and a desert. And I can't leave out the rain...

I was so excited about this trip that I wasn't able to sleep. If anything I got about 3 hours in so I was alittle worried that I would have to cancel this trip and try again at a later time. But I layered up pretty good and was quite warm. The cool morning air felt quite nice. Then as the sun rose, it got warm and I'd get alittle sleepy and it would rain. Then I'd wake up from the pelting - it kinda hurts going 80mph then the rain would stop. Then I'd dry off and warm up and get sleepy again. And it would rain again. That happened for almost 250 miles. Then the mountains came and the rain wouldn't stop. It was a good thing I remembered to wax my windshield! I always forget and when it rains the water just sticks to the windshield and I can't see - no windshield wipers. But with the wax, the rain just falls right off. It was awesome!

Flagstaff was a really nice area with mountains and trees. I almost regretted having to keep going. Then there was the dust storm. Luckily, my turnaround point came soon and I only had to ride 100 miles in the dust. Couple of cars were on the side of the road. I guess there was too much dust in the air the the vehicles couldn't run properly. But at least there were lots of police out helping everyone. The sad part is that the rain and dust mixed and clogged up my air horn... yup, and I don't know how to clean it. Luckily, I didn't have to use it on anyone but I really wanted to push the horn button. When I did, no sound came out.

Then on the return trip, there was lightning. Nothing to be scared of though. All in all - the elements were not a bother since I've ridden through way worse on other rides. I think the most difficult part was trying to stay awake. I was so tired. I pulled over a couple times for a quick nap but there was no way I was going to not finish this ride - especially after going 600 miles. After the turn around point, I was in the homestretch and there's no turning back after that. No way!

So this is a record for me... I've never gone 1,000 miles in one day. I've ridden 12 hours in a day and I've ridden 700 miles in one day but this is quite the new record. Oh yeah, once I finish this paperwork I'll be getting a certificate, pin and patch. So... when is the next one? Oh! But there's another ride called the Bunburner. 1,500 miles in 36 hours. That will probably be alittle too easy because people do the Saddlesore and Bunburner at the same time. After their 1,000 they get a hotel room for sleep and finish out the remaining 500 miles the next day. Easy... but maybe that will be next.

Reading people's reviews, I seem to be average. Most people complete the Saddlesore in 18 hours. Hmmm. There's a Saddlesore California ride... going 1,000 miles in 24 hours only in the state of California. Maybe that will be next. Who knows. But I'm up for another ride. Anyone want to come with?

The bummer part is a friend of mine whom I haven't seen in 3 years came to visit me at Bangkok Samurai. She didn't know I'm no longer with them. I met her on my trip to Antarctica and have been trying to meet up with her since but bad scheduling hasn't made it possible. Huge bummer.

bye bye Bangkok

So the three of us partners in Bangkok Samurai have had way too many debates. Since I just got a new job elsewhere, I won't be available to work full-time at Bangkok Samurai, as planned. The silent partner decided she didn't want to be silent anymore and the third partner's wife wanted to take over. With so many changes, the stress level has increased and I have found out people are not whom they present themselves as under 'normal' conditions. I guess this re-enforces the knowledge that I've learned so many years ago in the military - stress can bring out the best or the worst in people. It's how people deal with stress that really matters.

Anyway, the partner's wife and I have been butting heads since she took over. I've had enough of the blame game and have decided to call it quits on this project. Actually, two of us quit and the remaining partner and his wife will be the sole owners of Bangkok Samurai.

It's a bit saddening but in the long run, I think it's good for each of us. I know now when I do open my future restaurant not to have business partners - just wait until I can afford it myself. If anything, Bangkok Samurai was a learning experience. I didn't realize there were so many permits and paperwork that needed to be signed off by the city and county.

Not to fret though, I'll have my hands full with the new job. Perhaps with more time off, I will be able to go on more mini-adventures!

Vacation time

Whew! I'm on vacation. My new job gave us all new hires 2 weeks vacation only after 2 months of being hired. This is day 5 of vacation time and most of it has been spent getting ready to open Bangkok Samurai. Our grand opening is set for June 17th and we're projecting to be very busy. I'm actually shrinking the menu for that day since I'll be the only sushi chef and of course, cannot make rolls as fast as I'd like to. But that is still a work in progress.

There might be some changes coming soon. I keep y'all posted.

air horn

Since moving to LA, I've been almost wiped out on numerous occasions by careless automobile drivers while out on a bike ride. Last week was not any different. Unfortunately, in order to go to a nice serene location, you have to get onto a congested freeway.


I've been dreaming of getting an air horn ever since I lived in Texas, which was quite a few years ago. It's like one of those items that you really want but slides down the priority list whenever something more important arises. It was always wishful thinking and perhaps on a birthday/ special occasion request list.

But again, LA drivers make me a little nervous. After being almost side-swiped while on the bike I decided I was going to get one. Finally! But which one? There are several brands on the market and of course, Harley-Davidson has their own brand, which is how I first heard of them. My current horn is ok but this one is fantastic! I wasn't too keen on the way it looked because of the duel trumpets but once I heard it, I was sold.

I just happened to go to a local biker shop and they were installing a Howard's air horn. Just awesome!

So there is. A duel trumpet air horn that will definately wake up anyone that veers in my lane.

Welcome to the world of being a process engineer

Whew, what a stressful week! So this was finals week for the new job. Classmates have been saying that it was okay to bomb the walk thru and the written and we'd still keep our jobs because they would let us re-test. Plus, there isn't a thing called being fired. You are just re-educated until you pass. Anyway, I didn't want to fail. I wanted to pass on the first shot so studying was my life from Friday the previous week thru last Tuesday. We had two finals - one walk thru, kinda like a hands-on test and one written. Again, like in all the tests we have to get 80% or better. Wednesday was everyone's walk thru. And two people failed. And they got kicked out of the program. Yes, they got fired. Our class was in total shock. As were the instructors... There is a new training manager - our instructors boss who makes the final decision. Since he's new he wants a higher standard, more difficult tests and rules to follow. Our class size shrank to 16. Our second final was suppose to take place Thursday. I think the instructors were more upset than we were. They postponed the final until Friday. That scared all of us although it gave us more time to study. Thankfully, everyone passed. When we first began they told us there were only 15 slots open. Meaning only 15 people were going to retire this year. So we knew some of us would not make it. Then as we got to know the instructors, they informed us if all 18 of us pass they would have to take all 18 and it's never the class that drops people but usually, once we get assigned to our plant area people quit because they fail to adapt. So going by the instructors, no one ever fails a test and no one ever gets fired in the schooling portion. But then some problems arose. Even the remaining 16 students are not needed. No one wants to retire this year. So where would they put us? They still don't know. Usually after you pass the final, you are informed of which plant you will be working at. We have 2 more weeks of school and then they want us to take a one week vacation. It's crazy! I've never worked anywhere that you get a week vacation after 2 months. Usually it's a week off after a year of employment. It's perfect timing because Bangkok Samurai is suppose to open during that week. I guess we are a special class. People tell us that all the time. Of course, on the 4th day of work our place of duty was at Disneyland (1/2 hour away). Yup, they fed us a buffet breakfast, had to listen to a 4 hour lecture, then they provided a buffet lunch. On top of that the company bought each employee a ticket to play at Disneyland for the rest of the day! Amazing, eh?

So there is all 16 of us. Isn't technology interesting? They took a picture of us and it was transposed to an edible film. This is the transposed copy which was put on our congratulations/ graduation cake.

Earthquake #2

Some classmates and I were meeting up at another location after school for a study session. The area is not that great so when the elevator started shaking we just thought it was a really crummy place, vowed not to ride in it again and take the stairs instead! What we didn't know was that it was an aftershock earthquake from the other night. This one was a 4.1 magnitude. It wasn't so scary because we were all together wondering what was going on. There was also a sonic boom sound so we all just assumed it was an airplane. Until of course, one of the classmates said it was an aftershock from the same epicenter.

Earthquake!

My first kinda big one. Was home alone watching a movie when my walls started shaking. At first I thought it was my neighbors running up and down the stairs since they rattle the walls. But the shaking lasted a longer time. Then I got alittle worried since it kind of reminded me of when a helicopter is about to land with all the wind velocity stirring everything up. I really thought a plane was going to crash. But then I figured out it was an earthquake. Switched the movie to the news showed it was a 5.0 shake on the richter scale with the epicenter 7 miles from my place... and 2 miles from the LAX airport.

As I keep watching the news, it's been reduced to a 4.7 magnitude earthquake with people feeling the shake about 100 miles around. I guess there were a few aftershocks of 2.5 and 3.1 but I didn't feel those at all.

It's a good thing I was paying attention to an earthquake preparedness website after the last earthquake that happened last summer. It was a 5.2 but it was 40 miles away. After that, I bolted down as much stuff possible - pictures, shelving, etc. and made an earthquake safety kit in preparation for a big one that's suppose to be coming at anytime.

Thankfully, with this preparation nothing fell and nothing broke in my apartment.

May 1

Wow, a new month already! Time is flying by sooooo quickly.

So here's an update... construction for Bangkok Samurai is on hold. The construction crew needs to order some part and we've been waiting for it for a week now (and I have no idea what part we're waiting for - construction is one of the business partner's responsibility). So until we get that one part, construction is on hold. The hole in the ground is getting bigger and some pipes have been lined up and ready to be assembled for the greasetrap to be installed.

As for work, this new job is so different than anything I've done. I'm alittle lost but am trying to keep up. If we spoke about something in the medical field, I could understand a decent amount of terminology and definately in the food field, I can certainly hold my own in various processes, terminology and technique but this class is about refinery work. Pipes, valves, pumps, drivers, etc. Yeah, say what? I do have a better grasp on pipes and valves. Of course, we tested out on it and everyone passed. Thankfully!

Monday is our big test on pumps. Tuesday is our test on drivers... and starting next week until June, we have a test every day - and one big book per subject. Yes, everyday! Talk about in-depth training. But it's good - at least everyone starts off on the same page and understands an operator's job in detail, step by step...and we climb twice a week.

Luckily, my group only climbed once this week - yesterday. Our first climb and we went up to 100 feet. Whew! Talk about muscle fatigue. On this column, there was a landing every 25 rungs so you can take a breather. We're suppose to wait for the ladder to clear so there's only one person on the ladder at a time. In the meantime, everyone can rest on the landing but all the guys in my group wanted to race so they all ran up the ladder at their turn... me of course, was the slowest, all out of breathe and pounding heart! By the time I got to the top, the guys were all rested and ready to go back down. The other girl in the group wasn't as fast but scaled the ladder quickly.

What a view! You could see almost the whole refinery. I just didn't want to go back down... my arms and legs were very tired. My instructor kept kept yelling quit hugging the ladder because I would stop to hug the ladder for a few minutes. A brief breather on the landing just wasn't enough time to recover... so I'd go 12 rungs or so and hug. This morning he asked if I was scared but no, I wasn't scared... I was trying to rest my biceps and forearms because they were so burning tired... I thought I was going to let go so I'd hug instead. It took a few minutes to get down but I made it. If we were higher, I would have asked to base jump! But for that you have to been extremely high and have a parachute. Huge bummer.

One of the girls in another group actually let go and fell today. Luckily, it was only 8 rungs worth before she hit the landing and didn't break or sprain anything. Muscle failure... she just couldn't hang on. It certainly made the instructors nervous.

Monday will be our 4th week in training... and 4 more weeks to go. With the economy still bad, only 15 people are retiring this year so there are only 15 positions open. We're still wondering who in our class is going to be the 3 people kicked out or drop out. But the instructors said most everyone finishes the training, it's only after we get to our respective plant that people quit (mostly the women). Either it's not really what we were expecting, don't get along with co-workers or just don't like the work.

But everyone is still surprised at how big our class of women is... 8 out of 18. We've been told repeatedly, usually there are only 2-3 women in a group of 25, like in the group hired 5 years ago... out of those 3 women, only 1 stayed. The other 2 quit within the year. And a friend of mine said there were 5 women out of 19, hired 2 years ago... and luckily all 5 still work there. From what I hear, the work isn't difficult but the valves, pipes, pumps, etc are very heavy. In todays class, I went to pick up a 6 inch pump cover with one hand thinking it's small and light but I could barely lift it! It weighed almost 30 pounds and had to use both hands. I guess if anything, I'll gain some muscle endurance!

breaking ground

Our restaurant blueprints have been approved! Initially, we were informed it could take up to 9 weeks for the city's approval and 9 weeks for the fire department. Thankfully, both of them have been approved in 6 weeks! So we've begun construction in the back of the kitchen and broken ground for the grease trap.

The grease trap, is a device that traps all the oil/ grease that would exit through the drains. It catches it and prevents build-up, blockage and back-up in the water pipes. It's mandatory in this city for all new restaurants. Eventually, the trap will be installed the the floor replaced and it will be underground... and out of sight.

This hole will be a new pipe for our prep sink. The previous restaurants in this spot were fast food so they have their prep sink in the front of the store where customers could see them. Since it's a small store, there wasn't any room for a prep sink in the back so we decided to forgo an office area for a prep sink to make food preparation go more quickly. The front prep sink will actually turn into a handwash sink for the cooking staff and waitresses.

Construction should be finished the end of May or early June. We're still opening as soon as possible but it looks like we are not able to open any sooner.

In the meantime, I've found a new job. Last Fall, I felt like I was getting burned out alittle on the food world. I wanted to try a different field. After a bunch of testing, they were suppose to hire the end of Decemeber/ beginning of January and when I didn't hear from them, I had thought I didn't make their cut. That's when some friends and I decided to open a restaurant versus being employees in a restaurant. We signed the lease and began making restaurant plans. Then out of nowhere, I receive a phone call asking if I am interested in the job position. Whew! What a choice... so my business partners and I spoke and I decided it would be better to work part time at the restaurant and full time at this new company.

It's quite a handful so far. I'm currently in training - they even have their own school, which is 8 weeks long. Even with schooling, we have to maintain an 80% or get kicked out. It's amazing to hear the instructors speak about us. There were 2,000 applicants and after the first test, there were alittle over 500 people that still qualified, after the second test there were 297 people. The instructors informed us that usually in the past this last test would disqualify almost everyone with only 60 remaining.

But I guess with the tough economy more qualified people are applying. They interviewed all 297 people. No wonder why it took so long! Then more testing... and more testing... and more testing... and more testing. With the final 18 people they chose for this class. And there are really only 15 slots open so they know 3 people will be either drop out, kicked out or the individual will change his/her mind about working for this company. Again, the instructors have said this is the most women that have applied too! There are 8 females in the class... they said there are usually two classes of 25 students with only 1 or 2 being women.

This is only week 2 of training and to be honest, I'm still unsure of what I'll be doing. I know the it's shift work. I'll be working as a refinery operator in an oil refinery... maybe I'll have to turn a few valves and conduct equipment checks but everyone says its a really easy job. The only difficulty is of course it being shift work. And everyone I speak with is a 25-30 year veteran and preparing to retire within the next few years. So it really must be a good job... everyone is old - the only young people are the new hires!

the big "C"

This whole new year has kind of caught me off guard - medically speaking. First, I found out I have an ulcer - which is a little bit of a relief to know I have an answer to why my stomach hurt so much all the time! It took 3 months to find out... the emergency room doctor had mentioned something about my stomach when I had food poisoning last October. They took x-rays at that time. But by the time he called me and my primary physician was available - well, I found out soon after the new year began.

Then these past 2 weeks has been a bit stressful because some tests results didn't come out very good. I went in for a regular check up but the doctor said something was wrong. Then she said I have cancer but need a biopsy for more information. It took awhile to get that appointment then, it took 2 weeks to get the biopsy results.

All stressed out, I began thinking of how I could go about accelerating my lifes' "to-do" list. What could I prioritize? I didn't get very far with the list since life has been extra busy with work and the new restaurant. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. Being pre-occupied with some abnormal cells, I kind of been going through life in a blur - not really paying attention but just going through the motions. Until last week, daydreaming at work, I chopped off almost a quarter inch of my thumb while making sushi. That woke me up just a little bit. Luckily, it's healing quite well.

So these past 2 weeks, I've just been waiting for the biopsy result. I finally got it today in the mail. Thankfully, it came back negative but it was recommended I return in a few months for a check up - just to make sure.

My mother is coming for a visit - she actually was coming to attend the doctor's office with me for the biopsy results. So she'll be at my place all the while I'll be at work. It's just been too busy and there's not enough time to take vacation days.

The restaurant is coming along extremely slow. There was a new law passed for the new year requiring an extensive checklist of requirements for all new restaurants. We actually have to break ground and re-do some pipes, install some city mandated equipment in the floor and it really looks like we'll be opening in June. If we're lucky, perhaps May. In the meantime, my living room is beginning to look like a restarant with dishes, fish case, containers, etc all over the place. My garage and my business partner's garage are both full of restaurant equipment as well. We're just waiting for the city approval so we can begin construction. It takes 5-9 weeks to process the paperwork. The construction should only take 2 weeks.

Bangkok Samurai - Coming Soon

Well folks, this is going to be quite the adventure. Perhaps a never ending one but at a minimum a learning experience to remember. A few of you know that I've been wanting to open my own restaurant for some time. At 32, I still think I'm too young - need more experience but an opportunity popped onto my lap that I couldn't refuse. So, with that being said some friends and I are opening a restaurant soon. It's called Bangkok Samurai - Thai and Japanese Cuisine. Yes, my partners are Thai and they will be taking care of the Thai side while I take care of the Japanese side - more specifically, sushi.

We signed the lease last week and have been frantically hunting down distributors for food, equipment and everything else in between. Needless to say, it's been one long week! There are not enough hours in the day so I've been living on about 3 hours of sleep a night and still working full-time.

We decided to have some construction completed so although I'm aiming for an opening the first week in April, realistically I've been told June. We'll see how this goes! Hehehehehe.

So this is what the restaurant looks like now. We still need the construction crew to come in and make a sushi bar. Then we'll install the equipment. It's a really small place - maybe seating for 30-36 people. The downside is we cannot serve alcohol... the city requires 2 restrooms for any establishment that serves alcohol and we only have one. But I'm sure we'll be okay without it.

We decided to keep the drapery. It's kinda cool looking. The previous business was only open for 6 months before then went out of business. It's a fairly new building - just a few years old. Two businesses have been here in the 1 1/2 years since it's been constructed, so our odds are a bit tough. But we keep thinking optimistically the third time is the charm. I know with the economy not very good, it'll be even more difficult opening a restaurant and it might not be the smartest thing but it's a risk we're willing to take. There are so many restaurants going out of business, there are a lot of leases available and perhaps less competition.

another day in the life

When some friends invited me to lunch and a bike ride, I accepted. I just got my bike fixed last weekend - all the normal stuff like oil change, service, replaced gaskets, etc. I haven't been riding as much lately but decided to go. One because I haven't taken it out since I got it fixed and secondly, because it was such a nice day out.

Riding my bike is a straight shot from my place to my friends. Just get on the highway and go. Yup, going 85mph on the highway is a good speed. Believe me if you will but some of the vehicles pass me by like I'm stopped in traffic! The flow goes abit fast and I usually enjoy riding to my friends house. Today must have been a fiesty day, I just wanted to go a bit faster than average. And with my bike just fixed it felt like a brand new bike. Everything ran so perfect, how could I not want to ride fast?

So we went to our usual spot riding around in the canyon and to a biker hangout. The past few times we've gone it's been a bit boring. The speed limit is only so slow and of course, regular cars go really slow. But to day thankfully the Super Bowl took away alot of traffic and the roads were free to be the speed demon, I wanted to be. And speed demons we were! Riding around the hills and on the curves were so much fun. Good practice too! One of my friends just got her bike license a few months ago. In 4 months, she's already racked up over 1200 miles! She's getting braver and braver - and today was the first time she rode on the highway. She's almost like a biker natural... and it's so great to have other people to ride with!

So today was a really nice bike ride. Great weather and people to ride with. I kept thinking, I really like my bike... and still 9 years later, I'm still saying what a nice bike! Yeah... that Harley and I have been buddies going on 9 years. Amazing, isn't it? Whew!

First ride of the New Year

First ride of the year. A really nice day out - everyone bundled up thinking it was going to be cold but it was 87F! Quite warm - especially with thick leather jackets on. Rode down Pacific Coast Highway all the way down to San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point from Long Beach. Again quite different with stop and go traffic - stop lights all the way down PCH. But all the same it was nice riding with a group of friends. 

We also stopped on the way back to a place in Aliso Wood Canyon Wilderness Park. Nice curvy roads and hills. Once on the top, called "Top of the World" we took a break to enjoy the view of Catalina and San Clemente Islands in the distance. These islands are part of the Channel Islands and back in the day, the Channel Islands were controlled by the US Navy. Now most of the islands - 5 out of the 8 - are the Channel Islands National Park where it is preserved and protected by the Channel Island Marine Sanctuary and run by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Temple Hill, Top of the World

Carolyn Wood Knoll, Top of the World