Virus and music (unrelated)

Tags

computer virus, events, Music, Portland, restaurants, Work

I had the weirdest day! First of all, my work desktop got infected with a “blaster worm” virus (nasty!) yesterday afternoon. I swear I wasn’t reading anything fishy! I was looking up some work-related stuff, and was in the middle of replying to an email, when the McAfee window popped up informing me that it was busy killing the rapidly self-replicating virus, and then five minutes later, another window jumped out, with an alarming warning that my files were “leaking to this IP address: ….” AARRGGHH!!! Thankfully, the systems administrator is this unflappable dedicated guy. He came to my aid quickly and took things in stride. Unfortunately, despite his best effort, the virus still couldn’t be cleaned up so I ended up getting a new computer (blessing in disguise!).

The reimaging took 3/4 of the day so today I was operating at 30% capacity without access to all my files. It’s scary how much we have come to depend on technology, how vulnerable we are, and how lost we get when access is cut off, even just for one day. I don’t think I can even do my job without the Internet. The most ridiculous part of this ordeal is that I, of all people, should get attacked by a computer virus. I mean, I am extremely cautious about what sites to access (esp. on a work computer) — I don’t even use Facebook all that much (all my coworkers POST on FB during work hours — I don’t). I consider myself pretty tech savvy and security-minded. A slap in the face, eh? Let’s just say that in addition to feeling surprised and frustrated, I was actually a bit… ashamed. I used to think that only the tech illiterate and people that frequent dirty sites are at risk. Who would have thought?

Then at the afternoon meeting I called a coworker (from another department, in all fairness) by someone else’s name. “I am [her name], not [the other person's name],” she said coolly. “Oops! Sorry!” I smiled apologetically. Oh boy… Note to self: if you are not sure who someone (that you are supposed to know) is, just fake it and say “oh hi!!!”

Things turned significantly better after work. I had dinner with my friend NB at Miss Delta, a “Southern Cuisine” hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the hip and bustling N. Mississippi neighborhood. The food was pretty good (blackened catfish, yum!) but the portion was huge. The service from the much tattooed and very personable waitress was excellent. After that we went to the Alberta Rose Theater for the Agnes Obel and California Guitar Trio show. I was shocked to see that the theater was only 1/5 full. It must be so discouraging for musicians to be playing for such a small crowd (shame on Portland for being the music haven and only 50 or so know about this emerging talent!). But hey, we got great seats — no tall people and their huge heads or big hair in my line of vision — and I had full view of Agnes at the piano. I was absolutely mesmerized by her flying fingers on the keys. She made some changes to the songs on the album, and played a beautiful and aptly titled new song called… New Song! Sigh… How many years would it take for me to play like that? Five? Ten?

During intermission, we approached the entrance where they sold CDs, posters, etc. and chatted with this guy who turned out to be the band manager (who is cute in a bashful artist kind of way). I told him how much I love her music, and that I already had her CD. “You should get the vinyl then,” NB commented. “Hmm… I don’t have a…” I was struggling to find the word  but was drawing a blank. “Vinyl machine,” I said matter-of-factly. Both NB and the manager looked at each other incredulously, raised their eyebrows, and burst out laughing. Vinyl machine? What was I thinking?! I laughed too, and surprisingly, wasn’t embarrassed at all (must be the beer).

All in all, nice change of pace. I feel even more motivated to practice the piano now — one day I will be able to play Riverside.

Music!

Tags

classes, events, Music, piano, Portland

Image from OregonMusicNews

Went to the Portland Cello Project‘s sold-out show Friday night. If I have to use only one word to describe their style, it’d be versatile. From the traditional to the avant garde,  from the classical to the popular, from delicate to epic, from romantic to humorous, they do them all. They also collaborate with various artists and the result is a most diverse and captivating performance. This particular show was of high quality as usual, although it didn’t “blow me away” like the first time I saw them, almost exactly a year earlier. I have all their albums, but none of them is nearly as good as their live performance (there is just something about live music, esp. listening to the intricate layers created by 6-12 cellos backed by trumpets and drums in an old theater). Simply one of the most amazing bands out there! If they ever visit your area, check them out!

I decided to get back on the piano bandwagon. This is my 3rd attempt to get (and keep) a private teacher. The first teacher lasted only a month and I promptly fired him (although in a nice way so as not to hurt his feelings, although I am sure he doesn’t take offense as he’s seen it all) because I wasn’t learning anything new. If I just need someone to listen to me play the two songs assigned the previous week and then say “good job”, without any suggestions or corrections (I wasn’t that perfect!), I can just do it myself. The 2nd teacher was meticulous and gave me tons of feedback, which worked for me, but he was totally flaky because he had all kinds of impromptu trips or shows, and in fact, he canceled on me three times and still owes me one lesson. I gave up on him at the end of last year. I haven’t practiced regularly since the beginning of this year, partly due to a lack of motivation, and partly because I am at a point where I really need some guidance in order to make real progress, because I have no idea if I am playing the pieces correctly.

Guess what, it turns out, there are two (TWO!!) music schools in my neighborhood, AND both of them are just a few blocks away from my apartment (AND they are practically on opposite sides of the same street). I made a few phone calls, and finally signed up for a class that goes from tomorrow to the end of August, although I can switch teachers after 3 weeks. One thing I find really frustrating is that I can’t do much research on the teachers, because there is not much information, and there is always the scheduling issue. Furthermore, even if a teacher has a Master of Music Education, there is no guarantee that you will mesh in terms of learning/teaching styles and personalities. This “personal compatibility” is more important for adult learners than kids. Kids are often forced by parents to take lessons and can’t make decisions on their own. Adults, on the other hand, have a choice because they are paying their hard-earned money willingly for the 30 minutes each week. We want teachers that we are happy to learn from. Of course, that makes it even harder for adults to find a teacher that fits: someone that knows how to teach, that can work with your schedule, and that you like and respect. Sigh… I wish I had the opportunity to learn piano, or any musical instrument, when I was a kid.

But, better late than never! I hope third time is the charm — that I can finally find a teacher that will last more than one month.

The Weekly

Tags

Music, pleasant surprise, Portland, snow

View from the balcony

Drama of the week: snowcalypse didn’t happen. After 2 days of full-on media panic over the “4-inch snow”, and the predictable shopping spree created by folks’ fear about being stuck at home for a week, and the agonizing wait (the snow was first forecast to fall at 4pm, then delayed to 6pm, but actually made its much anticipated debut at midnight), we got a meager 2 inch. It wasn’t even that cold. In fact, it was so sunny the next day that most snow melted by mid-afternoon. As a result, we didn’t get the day off! Sigh, what a letdown!

Highlight of the week: so there has been major construction going on in my neighborhood since last December. Some sort of sewage overhaul. Since my apartment building is in a cul-de-sac and there is only one road out, I have to drive on the torn up, broken, and then shoddily and hastily repaved road every day. Needless to say, I was rather irritated every time I had to make various zigzaggy maneuvers to avoid Grand Canyon-sized cracks and cavernous potholes (okay, I exaggerate, but it was pretty bad). Three months later and the construction is still going, off and on.

Photo from Gregory Williams @Flickr (My road is worse than this!)

Two weeks ago, after another round of steering wheel acrobatics and much wincing and cringing, I was finally fed up and ready to vent. I sent an email to ODOT, got a call back the next day that I contacted the highway department while the local roads were managed by the City. Okay… Three phone transfers later, I left two messages (one to the “inspector”, who was on vacation so I left another message to the general service line). I’d never complained to the government about anything before (it was a tad unnerving leaving my name, address, and phone number on the voicemail, as I grew up in an environment where people are afraid of the country, where the government is something to be feared and shunned, where you will end up in jail if you offend the almighty administration), and honestly I wasn’t expecting any response.

Imagine my surprise and relief last week when I got not one, but two phone calls from two inspectors. They explained to me, very nicely, that the ugly eyesore of a paving is temporary and they will get the construction company to repave the road properly after the project is completed (a few weeks down the road, no pun intended). Wow, I was quite impressed. Sure it took them almost two weeks to get back to me, but they did eventually, and even though there is nothing they can do, knowing that there is an end to this nightmare is still very reassuring.

Great find of the week: Agnes Obel and her debut album Philharmonics (like millions out there, I stumbled upon her music through Grey’s Anatomy). Her voice reminds me of Sara Lov of the Devics, and Julia Stone of the Angus & Julia Stones. They share the same clarity, fragility and sense of intimacy (as if they were singing just for you in an empty room). How can I describe her music? Achingly beautiful and hauntingly exquisite, dreamy, folky, and cinematic, like soundtrack to a movie in muted colors (B&W or sepia). It takes you to a different place, somewhere in the long forgotten past, somewhere with water, woods, old photos, things lost, and people missed. Originally from Denmark, she is another one of the many excellent female singer-songwriters that Northern Europe has produced in recent years — must be the nordic chill and forests. My favorite tracks are Riverside, Philharmonics, Katie Cruel, Brother Sparrow, Just So… but this is really one of those rare albums that you can listen to cover to cover, over and over again. Below is her “official” video (I don’t like the blurry imagery and shaky camera, but there is something strangely compelling about it, and you can hear the song in full):

EC, Angels Rest hike, Tom Waits Goes To the Opera House

Tags

events, friends, Hiking, Music, Portland, running, shopping

Fun-filled weekend!

Saturday got together with EC. Went to Saturday Market, walked around in Waterfront Park, indulged in a sinfully delicious ice cream (Almond Fudge), wore a skirt for the first time (it was in the lower 80s, which to Portlanders, is already HOTT), washed down the most scrumptious pizza with icy beer (hmmm, Heaven!), came home, chatted till midnight. A tinge of sadness has finally crept in as it starts to sink in slowly that she is moving back to LA in three weeks. She is the only friend I have that’s around my age — when will I find someone else like her to have both girlie fun and cerebral conversations with? Sigh…

Hike: Wahkeena Falls to Multnomah Falls Loop

Tags

Hiking, Oregon, Portland

The weather yesterday was so gorgeous it would have been a crime to stay in. It’s not easy to find a trail that 1) is within half hour’s drive, AND 2) I have never been to, but eventually I decided on Angel’s Rest (the full moon night hike was three years ago so I would like to see it during the day for once).

Jackie Greene concert

Tags

events, Music, Portland

The opening band, Truth & Salvage Co., is like a fusion of country and hard rock. Despite the bombastic “wall of sound” urgency and the obvious, almost manic, enthusiasm, of the artists, the music suffered a little from a lack of details/layers because it seemed all instruments blended into one gigantic, loud, amorphous sound. Maybe that was exactly the effect they wanted, but it’s just not my cup of tea. The band has a rugged, grungy, almost whimsical look: part country, part hippie, part pirate, part “revolution” (Che Guevara lookalike). 

Jackie Greene finally took the stage around 9pm, and people swarmed to the front and even filled up the aisles. I was shocked to realize that with the hat and beard, he was a dead ringer for Edward Norton in Down in the Valley. He played six songs out of Giving Up The Ghost, but also did a few cover songs (Grateful Dead, Beatles – according to GS, as I am utterly unfamiliar with either), and a couple from his earlier albums. He was all serious, all business, no bantering, very short greetings. All songs were bridged with strumming guitar and light drums so the whole performance felt like an extended track off a progressive rock record. There were a lot of long amazing guitar jamming sessions, which sometimes were even better than the singing part. It was a great show, but I did wish they had done more of his own works than the covers. I saw at least one drunk/stoned guy (playing air guitar, swaying on his feet, stumbling on nothing).

Vienna Teng / Paper Raincoat

Tags

Asian, Music, Portland

The Vienna Teng w/ Paper Raincoat show at the Aladdin Theater last night was absolutely fantabulous! I have been following Vienna’s career since accidentally hearing a song by her on Radio Paradise. Her music is beautiful, introspective, intelligent, observant, a perfect combination of gorgeous melody and well-crafted lyrics, and wonderfully evolving (most evident in her latest album, Inland Territory). She played a full set with a mix of old and new titles. Even though I am familiar with all her songs, it was a true pleasure to hear the different arrangements on the live versions. She might have been a bit nervous at the beginning (or simply just warming up) as she didn’t fully reach the high notes in some songs. However, toward the end, her voice became rich and powerful and just soared. The Grandmother Song was the perfect ending to the show (before the encore, which ended with the sweet and hopeful City Hall). As she belted out her Grandmother’s “advice”, I was almost moved to tears.

The biggest, and best surprise last night was the performance by Paper Raincoat. I listened to a short clip of their music before going to the show, and (erroneously) assumed that they would be a sleepy dreamy act of rainy day music. Well, they are dreamy alright, but by no means sleepy! The music is delicate and exquisite at one moment,  lively and quirky at another, and then, after a quiet tender murmur, they exploded into full “rock” mode with the jamming of guitar and drums, perfectly accompanied by swelling choruses.

Paper Raincoat’s music has a certain genuine and innoncent charm. It has a distinct “indie” sound without coming off as pretentious. It’s hard to describe exactly what “genres” it belongs to – a jazzy folky somewhat symphonic concept band? The music is poetic and imaginative: sometimes nostalgic and melancholy, other times hopeful and vivacious. The multiple instruments create a textured soundscape that reminds me of a blossoming peony whose petals unfold slowly, revealing layer after layer of subtle beauty that keeps you mesmerized. During the live performance they engaged the audience well – a lot of fun clapping-along. After their one hour was up, there was a standing ovation (the theater was only 2/3 full, but most present were extremely enthusiastic and supportive). I had never encountered a standing ovation for an opening act. That’s how good they are.

Oh, and not to be political or anything, but both Vienna and Alex Wong (one of the vocals on PR, a multi-instrumentalist, and producer of Inland Territory) are Asian. There has always been this “dorky/boring” stereotype about Asians, given that they are so woefully underrepresented/misrepresented in the media/entertainment industry. I am just thrilled that finally there are these two astonishingly talented Asian artists in the limelight.

summary, a long one

Tags

books, car, epiphany, fitness, health, Millennials, Music, Portland, running, weather

Got tickets for two shows in April: Jackie Greene and Vienna Teng. I already know that the JG show is gonna be a lot of fun, since his Giving Up the Ghost has been on heavy rotation since I got a copy from a friend , and I enjoyed most of the stuff from his back catalog (specifically, American Myth). Not sure about VT, as her new album is not nearly as immediate and accessible as her previous three, but now that I am listening for the 5th time, I think it’s definitely growing on me.

Trail running: the Weather Genie has been exceptionally generous the past few days – it rained at night and then cleared up the next day. The trillium is now in full bloom everywhere in the woods. I marveled at the perfect triangular structure of the flowers, and even the leaves. The air is fragrant, the road leading to the park is covered by a riot of blossoms. Spring is indeed in full swing. 

• Wed: 5 miles (stitches at mile 3 so walked the remaining 2 miles)
• Thu: 6 miles (PERFECT, almost continuous run, with only a few brief moments to tighten the shoe laces) 
• Fri: 4 miles (a challenging uphill run till the turnaround point)
• Sat/tomorrow: want to do +6.5 miles on LED (depends on the weather, or maybe I should start being a real Portlander by running in the rain)

Being outside like this makes me almost loathe the gym. Still need to decide whether to “freeze” (and if so, for how long) or just cancel the account for the summer. 

Seattle Trip

Tags

Portland, seattle, train, travel

A brief summary of my most recent trip to Seattle. 

Had an interesting experience with cab drivers in both cities. The one that took me to the train station in Portland was a 20-30 year-old skinny hippie (for lack of a better word) guy with wispy long hair, heavily tattooed and pierced, clad in vintage clothes adorned with multiple buttons. He seemed a bit spaced out, talking in a seemingly pot-induced euphoric air of peace and love. To cement the quirky stereotype, he told me that he listened to “a talk radio with intelligent conversations”, and loved music by Tom Waits and Nick Cave. The guy that took me back was a quiet and genial Russian immigrant. In stark contrast, the guy that took me to the hotel in Seattle was sullen and rude as if I owed him $500 to start with. He didn’t even get out to help me with the luggage. The guy that took me to the Seattle train station didn’t help me with the luggage either, claiming that he had a bad shoulder, but when we arrived and he saw that I gave him enough tip, he bounced right out and took out my bags, and even helped the next customer with her bags, bad shoulder be damned. Ugh… Even Portland cab drivers are cooler. 

Had my first train ride (in the US) on this trip. The “business class” looked less glamorous than I expected (I was picturing more like a European train I saw on TV), but it was comfortable enough. This train is the better of the two lines serving Portland, but it’s still rather antiquated. For example, the computer system (tracking the trip progress) was still showing the old time (an hour behind) and had to be manually adjusted (and apparently nobody was in a rush to do so), according to the conductor, a good-natured bespectacled man that looked like someone coming out of a 60′s movie. On both trips my car was 1/4 filled at the most, but on the way to Seattle two business women sat in front of me and yakked the whole, to each other and separately on their cellphones. I brought books to read, but the swaying and rocking of the train and its continuous low rumbling sent me promptly to snoozeville. Between half dreams I caught glimpses of lonesome towns, dilapidated houses, and deserted platforms, picturesque in a desolate way, like old, yellowing pictures with a frozen shot of years past. From time to time I was yanked right back from the nostalgic reverie to the modern era in its full glory by heaps, no, hills, of scrap metal or landfills.

My hotel room, in Red Lion 5th Ave, turned out to be an “executive suite.” Wow, it was spacious with squeaky clean bedding, flat-screen TVs, a huge bathroom, and a sweeping bird’s-eyed view of downtown Seattle’s cityscape. I was quite thrilled with the super fast WiFi and the gym (though I used it only once).  

Took the (in)famous Underground Tour (pretty fun, but our guide talked so fast I had the mental image of her tripping over her words and scrambling for balance. 

Did some shopping. 

Did work things.

Came home exhausted.

skulls / party crashers / vampires / apartment saga – victory

Tags

apartment, books, friends, love, Movies, plays, Portland, twilight, vampires

Had two “first” experience last night. First, went to a Third Rail Rep show called A Skull in Connemara. This is my first live stage play so I was pretty excited. The Irish accent threw me off a little but I got the gist of the story. As much as I wanted to love this show, I have to admit I was quite underwhelmed. I was bored out of my mind during the first part (before the intermission) – even a succession of yawning and blinking could barely keep me fully awake. Thankfully the second half finally picked up, with all that skull smashing, blood shedding, and physical struggles (even a very disturbing head-hammering). Although the story was disappointing and on the heavy side (very dark humor), the performance, however, was quite good. The four actors really bought out the characters, and I marveled at their ability to memorize and deliver a long stretch of lines live on the stage – movies stars definitely have it easier!

Afterwards, G went over to pick up her son from his classmate’s party in an exclusive (but not fancy) club. We were the party crashers since only her son was invited. Adults (parents) and kids were about half half, but it seems the grown-ups were having more fun on the dance floor. I felt quite weird at a party full of strangers – obviously underdressed and well, different. Thankfully her son didn’t make a fuss about leaving early so the torture didn’t last long.

Watched Twilight at Laurelhurst in the afternoon. I expected to hear the “screaming teenage girls” but the audience, about half kids half adults, was alarmingly sedate in the packed theater. Is that the famous NW sensibility? The movie – wow, what a dark, soaring, gorgeous piece of work! Admittedly, the story is not exactly original (vampire-human romance meets teenage angst), the lines are over-the-top cheesy (“You’re my life now” – “ I don’t have the strength to stay away from you anymore” – “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you.” – “You’re like my own personal brand of heroin.”… you get the idea – but of course I am just a cynic), and most of the characters have the peculiar tendency to mumble. However, there is something tragically romantic, strikingly beautiful, and immensely mystical about this movie. Maybe it’s the lonesome town and its somewhat quirky residents, or the rainy cloudy Pacific NW bleakness with its sea of lush verdant forests, or the eclectic soundtrack (I can’t stop playing Full Moon after getting this album) that perfectly accompanies, even accentuates, the atmosphere, or simply, the intense chemistry between the two leading characters/actors (doe-eyed Bella/Kristen Stewart emanates an ethereal aura, even though she always acted flustered with the “deer in the headlight” look, while the brooding Edward/Robert Pattinson is devastatingly alluring). Or all of the above.

Twilight, true to its fantasy genre, is in its heart an escapist’s tale. It takes you back to your 17th year, when everything was awkward and frustrating, yet exciting and full of possibilities, when you seemed to be trapped by your teenage status as the world was blossoming right in front of your eyes, when time was a commodity to lavish instead of sand seeping through your fingers, when the air seemed to be electric with expectations and mysticism, when the commonest amongst us daydreamed of being special – meeting amazing people, seeing spectacular things, being rescued from the insufferable mundane reality and transported into an alternate world of myth, legend, and high drama. This is, essentially, a Cinderella/Superman story, only with a vampiric twist. It seems in this kind of story, the vampire (whether it’s Edward in Twilight, or Mick in Moonlight) is the self-loathing rescuer that refrains from killing humans and is reluctant to turn his lover into his own kind, while the human (always the woman – Bella or Beth), is so inescapably and irrevocably in love that she is ready to give up everything to be turned.

What’s with our fascination with and glamorization of vampires? Does that reflect our fear of death and the unknown, our yearning for immortality, eternal youth, and super powers, and our desire to be with our loved one forever? What do such stories say about our tacit recognition and affirmation of gender roles (man saves, woman sacrifices)? Even as I am having these “deep thoughts”, and even though I am no longer a teenager, I still find the story irresistible (just like how I gushed over Harry Potter a while ago): I want to know what will happen next because I care about the characters (the whole Cullen family, Bella and her emotionally stunted Dad, the mysterious Native Americans that are bound to play an important role in events to unfold). In fact, I care so much I just bought the whole series from Amazon – if I put them on hold from the local public library, I would be #300+.

Oh yes, an unexpected twist to my apartment saga: I won! Got a call Friday from the apartment manager, who informed me that his boss agreed to keep my rent as is, as long as I sign a six-month lease. That’s EXACTLY what I wanted, but I wasn’t expecting that she would actually change her mind. In fact, I was going to check out an apartment on Sat. I was stunned and elated. I don’t know what he told the boss because she already rejected my rejection once. No matter what, I was grateful and happy. I will stay where I am at least for the next six months.

new shoes / rain is back

Tags

Adidas, fitness, Portland, rain, running, shoes, shopping

Bought a pair of Adidas Supernova Glide at REI today. I tried the latest incarnation of my old faithful, Asics GT-2140 (a snug fit but the arch support rubs against the part of the arch close to the bottom of the foot), Mizuno Wave Inspire 5 (comfortable but the cushioning seems a bit weak), and Nike Air Max Moto 6 (nothing special – the same as my current pair). However, Supernova Glide blew them all out of the water the moment I put them on. The fit is perfect (no slipping heels) and the cushioning is thick and responsive. Tried them out at the gym in the afternoon. My right heel was really tight and after about half an hour (2 miles), it started aching again so I had to stop. Well, at least I lasted half an hour – I couldn’t even run with my current 2 pairs of shoes (Ascis 2120 and Nike Air Max). This is my first pair of Adidas shoes and guess I will keep it for now. Did yoga afterwards – will do a lot more yoga before my heel is healed. Ugh!

Rain is officially back to Portland. Yay! I am actually happy to see rain again. Weird (not so weird for those that have lived here for a while), I know.

Jazz, Coraline, Dengue Fever, & Dollhouse

Tags

coraline, dengue fever, Dollhouse, friends, jazz, Movies, Music, Portland, TV

Went to Jimmy Mak’s Friday night w/ EC. We arrived around 8pm and it was already standing room only so we just hung around in the back. However, less than an hour into the show, a table freed up and we got two prime seats facing the stage.

The opening band, Andrew Oliver Kora Band is amazing. “Soul-stirring” is THE word to describe their music. The kora is like a cross between harp and guitar (oh wait, it IS a harp), but is louder than an European harp and has a “rounder” (for lack of a better word) timbre than that of a guitar. I esp. liked the kora solo, but all the other pieces were awesome. The band had a very playful interaction with the audience and there seemed to be great dynamic between band members too. During intercession EC and I had the requisite “girl talk” – we decided that we wanted to have a son like the keyboardist (the grinning curly-haired cute boy is like an adorable puppy – he stirs up all your maternal instinct), marry the bassist (he looks like “good husband material” – despite his Spock haircut – plus I am a sucker for dimples), have a dramatic, intensely romantic, but ultimately failed, love affair (before the marriage of course) with the kora player (he looks like the tragically artistic type, even though he reminds me of Joe in Lipstick Jungle), have the drummer as your best guy friend, and… we don’t know what to do with the trumpet player. Not that we would ever even go up the stage to talk to any of them, but it was harmless fun to let loose for once and “objectify” guys.

Ben Darwish Trio started around 9pm. The group is vastly different from AOKB: they didn’t banter (much) with the audience, seemed to be very serious overall (not a trace of the easy-going fun and genuine joy demonstrated by the previous band; not much chemistry between band members either), almost more classical than jazz (the pianist is genius no doubt and the other two guys are both virtuosos too), and had mostly very long pieces (the first one must have been almost 20-minute long). Skill-wise, they are excellent to the degree of breathtaking, but emotionally a bit too clinical and self-indulgent for my taste (or at least my state of mind that night).

The food: the wine is pretty good, although a bit on the warm side, the calamari is way too soggy (should have ordered the antipasti), but thankfully the Tiramisu didn’t disappoint.

Watched Coraline 3D this afternoon. The 3D effect is pretty neat, the colors are sumptuous and vivid, but I found the story rather bland. In fact, I managed to doze off a couple of times. Yikes! I’d like Neverwhere to be made into a film – it has a far more interesting (and intricate) story.

I am finally infected with the “Dengue Fever” too (thanks to EC, who adores the band). How do I describe the sound? It throws me back into some sort of olden days: walking down a crowded dusty street on a restless afternoon and this is the music coming out of roadside shops, or being in a bustling club on a hot humid night with dancing girls, smoking men, free-flowing alcohol, romance, and intrigue… I know this imagery is a product of stereotypical exoticism, but I can’t help it! The songs are extremely catchy (the not understanding the lyrics part doesn’t bother me at all) and the woman has a soaring voice that’s not exactly my cup of tea but is very befitting to the music style.

The 2nd episode of Dollhouse is better than the pilot – ideological innuendo aside (“Four brothers, none of them Democrat!” – this is FOX so what else do you expect?). At first I thought Alpha is actually the FBI agent Ballard, that they are just two split personalities that don’t talk to each other so the guy doesn’t even know it (that is, one personality doesn’t know the other)! But of course that doesn’t make sense, as the Dollhouse knows Agent Ballard is investigating so they know what he looks like, and since Alpha is a former “Active”, they will know his face too. So… unless Ballard has gone through extensive plastic surgery to dodge the pursuit of Dollhouse, he is not Alpha. So… who is Alpha?

Who's Your City? – Richard Florida

Tags

books, city, lifestyle, moving, Portland

Like Snoop (whose author was actually referenced in the book), this is another one of those”You are What You [Eat/Use/Watch/Listen/Wear/Own...].” The author seems to have done extensive research on this topic, and the data and explanations seem plausible. I only scanned the book, as honestly most of the “revelations” covered are already widely known, if not just plain common sense (or stereotypes). The only original thought from the book is the “Bohemian/Gay – Housing Price Correlation”, which I find to be right on the money (e.g., the “gentrification/up-and-coming neighborhoods” are often first discovered by creative, but not necessarily rich, types, before they are flooded by yuppies) so I will give him kudos for that. Nonetheless, I am rather underwhelmed by the broad stroke generalizations, esp. when they actually contradict with each other. Take his assessments on Portland Oregon as an example:

Portland earned high marks for being “open”, “artistic”, and delightfully weird:

“This kind of openness has been a powerful draw for Portland, putting it on the map as an indie-rock Mecca… it’s often quipped that Portland is the place where hipsters go to retire…. the most plausible explanation for the city’s influx of rock migrants is… its openness and creative vibe, its affordability real estate and aesthetic character… It might not be enough to lure the glitterati, but Portland’s combination of affordability, natural beauty, and laid-back weirdness is an independent artist’s dream.” p. 174-175

However, just 25 pages later, Portland became a place for conformists: 

“The second cluster I call conventional or dutiful regions. Regions in this cluster score high on agreeableness and conscientiousness as well as extroversion, but low in openness and neuroticism. The regions that stand out here are mainly … as well as Indianapolis and Portland, Oregon… dutiful regions… would be a good fit for people who are hardworking, friendly, trusting, helpful, and compassionate. In some respects, these regions could be thought of as perfect for model citizens… are good places for people who like to socialize with a relatively small number of close friends and family… dutiful regions will be a poor fit for those who are artistic and creative and who constantly need to be trying out new and different things.” — p. 199

Maybe Portland is just a very schizophrenic city? 

Anyway, this book will be of interest to people new to the US, but for those that have lived here and relocated before (therefore have done the homework on researching cities), it’s not really offering a whole lot of new, useful, applicable information that you can’t find elsewhere on the Internet.

dictionary app / weekend recap

Tags

friends, iTunes apps, Portland, restaurants

Reading Into Thin Air prompted me to consider buying an iPod Touch dictionary app (I love Jon Krakauer’s books but they are definitely more lexically sophisticated than most nonfiction on the shelves). I downloaded WordBook first and felt cheated after firing up the app and hearing the machine generated pronunciation audio made by “Cindy”, who sounds like the female version of HAL (only worse – at least HAL can pronounce the words correctly). Cindy’s pronunciation often sounds weird, if not downright erroneous and sometimes even laughably ridiculous. iTunes app store really needs to be more like the music store by offering a free “preview” or limited-time “trial.” WordBook is at least cheap ($3.99), but paying for something that I hate makes me a bit more hesitant/cautious to make big purchases in the future. After another round of comparison, I bit the bullet and bought the American Heritage Dictionary app ($29.99!), the one I originally wanted to buy, but was lured away by WordBook and specifically its promise of pronunciation audio (I should have heeded the warnings by the handful of reviewers who gave low ratings). Now, AHD is what I call a real dictionary: good interface (quick to boot up with various features), excellent content (includes usage so you will understand the context the word is used in), and what do you know, clear & CORRECT pronunciation from a non-annoying voice! In the end, you do get what you pay for. 

Met up with EC Saturday in Fire on the Mountain on Burnside. The place feels like a dive bar or diner (extremely casual and loud). The wings were delicious (and hugely messy because of the wonderful yummy sauce), but the wait staff had a bit of a typical Portland attitude (ignored me for full two minutes even when they saw me standing there). I actually like the N. Portland location better as I have a fond memory of good service the one time I was there. I was disappointed to hear that she would be moving back to LA this summer. I had hoped she would be moving from Salem to Portland next year but apparently her heart is in LA with her family, and also because of the career/education opportunities.

"Just when I thought I was out…

Tags

Portland, snow, weather, winter

… they pull me back in!” says Snow. Yes, it’s snowing, AGAIN! 

I am sooooo lucky to be witnessing this amaaaazing once-in-40-years weather – I shouldn’t have said “this is it” yesterday coz clearly this ain’t over!

White Christmas

Tags

Portland, snow, weather, winter

Took a three-hour walk from home to LED, then on to TJ & FF, and got coffee from JV en route. I wanted to see Forest Park before all the snow melts, and it was already starting. Instead of velvety smooth, snow drifts on the ground are now slightly porous and look like rocks that have been eroded by years of wind and rain. Snow either tumbles down from trees, or melts into icy raindrops that give your skin a strangely pleasant sensation. There are “100% natural ice sculptures” everywhere – shimmering, half-translucent icy/snow that takes on the shape of leaves or whatever it clings on. It was a magical walk – I even saw three snowmen! 

It started to rain late afternoon. Guess this is it, the biggest/longest stretch of “arctic blast” for Portland in decades. Despite all the inconveniences it has caused, it’s been fun.

trekking to the gym

Tags

Portland, snow, weather, winter

Emboldened by yesterday’s trek to the grocery store and haunted by the (delusional) image of rust forming in my joints after so many days of being confined to the apartment, I decided to walk all 15 blocks to the gym. It doesn’t sound too far, and it isn’t, but it took me at least half an hour one way (didn’t bring my watch so the estimate might be off). After much slipping (the packed-down snow has now become part ice) and trudging (the slick sidewalk prompted me to deliberately walk on – or in – the snow accumulation) and comical arm-flailing, I finally reached the gym, sweating profusely (no warmup necessary!). The workout was fine, but with all the walking and bag lugging and apparel changing, I think I will do the “organic” thing tomorrow by perambulating in the park instead (please don’t rain!!), or better still, taking a “long march” to Trader Joe’s (exercising and shopping – two birds with one stone!)… 

On my way to the gym a bus slowed down beside me. “In a hurry? Wanna get on the bus?” the driver called out to me. “It’s okay. It’s just a few more blocks,” I said, surprised “Are you sure?” he said. “Yes, but thank you!” I said. “You are welcome,” he called back and the bus went ahead. Awwwwww… isn’t that sweet? Such heartwarming friendliness from random strangers still amazes me and touches me in a weird way (as in, “the world is beautiful” and “should pass on the good karma”).

A walk in the snow

Tags

Portland, snow, weather, winter

It was “supposed to” be clear today but the flurries came mid-morning and never actually let up. The wind did die down so I decided to take a photo walk, since I didn’t really need anything. I was in for a shock! I knew the road condition was bad, but until I actually stepped into the snow that had accumulated on the parking lot, I had no idea it was “that” bad – the snow came all the way to my mid-calf. The whole neighborhood was transformed from a verdant garden to a winter wonderland: cars half or fully buried, houses framed with domes of snow, trees lined with white ribbons, roads covered by undulating snow mounds, and even the most mundane things such as trash cans, fire hydrants, and benches, were magically transformed into something pretty by the pristine white coat. The snow was not super soft and fluffy like that on Mt. Hood and made a pleasant crunchy sound when I walked on it. 

People were surprisingly cheery: there was a sense of (sometimes tacit) camaraderie amongst the brave souls that were out and about, through a nod, a smile, or a short exchange about the weather.  Some trudged in snowshoes, while others struggled in sneakers. I even saw a girl running in a thin layer of Under Amour shirt and matching capri. Wow! At a street corner a guy was telling a passer-by about the doggie snowboots (red boots for the paws) on his lab. As if on cue, all the elusive condo dwellers I had never seen came out to clear their driveway. Most cars on the road were trucks or SUVs, but I saw a jeep spinning its wheels stuck at an intersection. 

After picking up some pastries I took a short but nice walk in Forest Park. Even snapped a picture of a cute woodpecker! I was toying with the idea of lugging all my workout stuff to the gym on foot as I was itching for a workout, but decided against it after the earlier walk. It’s just way too much of a hassle and a bit too far under the current circumstances. Gosh, I really really need to go to the gym. If it continues to snow like this I am seriously considering running outside like that girl I saw today.

The snow continues…

Tags

Portland, snow, weather, winter

It’s the 2nd day I am under “house arrest” by the snow. This “arctic blast” is worst than the one that last weekend. The parking lot is now completely blanketed by a thick crunchy layer of snow. I heard two of my neighbors *attempting* to plow the snow out from under and around their car but eventually gave up because the snow is hardened by the ice on the surface. My car is buried up to the tires. According to the weather forecast the snow is not going to melt anytime soon (not until Wed!!!). I am going crazy staying in, but feel thankful that I live relatively close to a grocery co-op so worst comes to worst I can just walk over to buy food. The balcony floor is mostly covered too. I took a few pictures and it was actually kinda nice to step out to breathe in the clear crisp winter air, if only for just a couple minutes. Today is the first day of winter – the weather really lives up to it.

first snow / party / interpreter of maladies

Tags

books, culture, friends, Jhumpa Lahiri, neighbors, Portland, snow, weather, winter

Yay! First snow this winter!!! Winter is not my favorite season, and snow not my favorite thing, but mostly because of the inconvenience (the scraping & driving), not because I don’t appreciate the poetic swirling of snowflakes and the magical landscape of white on green. I even ventured out (attempting) to meet EC and gang for lunch, but didn’t make it. The freeway was at a standstill, and my 2WD was doing rather poorly on the road (swerving and skidding even at low speed). As I was already late and didn’t want them to wait for me, and given the driving conditions I didn’t want to become another one of those “snow-weather-accident-statistics”, I turned back and headed home. Even that short stretch of road took me half an hour. I pray that schools will be closed on Monday. Interestingly, even though the freeway was paralyzed with traffic, the Fremont Bridge was deserted. My neighborhood almost became a ghost town if not for a few shivering figures chasing after their dogs and (ridiculously brave or simply insane) runners.

When I was sweeping the thick fluffy layer of snow off the car on the apartment parking lot, I said hello to a guy in his 50/60s, who was doing the same thing. After a while, a pickup truck drove by and stopped. A woman called out to me and said: “My husband is worried about you. Your car might not do well on the road. We have a 4WD so if you are stranded somewhere give him a call and we can help you.” Her husband, the guy I just saw, handed me a card with his phone number and told me their apartment number. OMG?!! Good samaritan in my apartment building? This is so amazing – they actually “worried about” me and offered to help? I am by now so used to the tepid, if not downright chilly, relationships between neighbors in this complex that I was so shocked and touched I didn’t know what to say. I thanked them and said I would call them if that happened.

This is my first REAL Christmas/New Year in Portland. Technically it’s not, but I “escaped” to somewhere else the past two years. This time, I don’t feel like traveling anymore. For the first time I feel so settled in here that I want to stay and just savor the moment. Just sit back, breathe, and relax. That’s all I want.

Friday night went to CM’s “hors’ d’oeuvre party.” I was surprised that she invited me. She is teaching faculty that I work with every term. We might have lunch once per year to discuss classes and so on, but being invited to her house for a “social” party was definitely unexpected. I said I would check my calender even though I knew I had nothing on Friday night. My first, instinctual response was “no…”, as I thought it’d be awkward to “mingle” with all the other teaching faculty in her department. What do I have in common with them? Small talk is not exactly my forte either, and plus I have been quite a shutin lately. However, part of me was interested, curious, even a bit excited, about seeing these people outside of work. After talking with EC and GS at length and a lot of soulsearching, I decided to say yes.

And guess what, I actually genuinely had a great time. There were a few people I have worked with, but meeting new people was really not as “exhausting” as I thought. Never much of a “networker”, I ended up talking to most people. The conversations flowed easily, and when one ended, we just drifted off to chat with someone else. I had planned to leave after one hour but ended up staying over three hours. The food was delicious, and there were at least a dozen wines. I am so glad I forced myself to go, even though I was still thinking of excuses of not showing up on my way there!

Finished reading Interpreter of Maladies by the beautiful and talented author Jhumpa Lahiri. Her writing style is simple yet exquisite, her tone warm and tender, her portrayal of characters and their life predicaments honest and sympathetic. Even though she writes about people of Indian heritage, the themes are so universal the stories transcend ethnicities. The author is adept at observing the most minute details to expose the most private inner workings of the human heart. Sometimes the stories resonated with me so much I felt almost vulnerable, as my eyes welled up in tears. The book is a wonderful collection of short stories, although a couple of them (A Real Durwan & The Treatment of Bibi Haldar) are not quite on par with the rest. I am esp. thankful that the author didn’t intentionally “exoticize” either her writing or her stories (maybe a little, in my least favorite stories aforementioned), as I am sooo tired of reading books with “pidgin English” (or of the sort) written by native speakers who try too hard to contrive a poor imitation of the “ethnic speak.”

It seems my houseplants are having a growing spree, in WINTER! My rubber plant didn’t grow an inch the whole summer, but since November, it’s been sprouting new leaves like crazy. The dragon tree doesn’t seem to have changed much to the untrained eye, but to me it seems have become more luxuriant.