Winter updates coming soon!

Happy Holidays, folks! Its been a busy holiday season, and apologize for the lack of activity on my blog-- However, all is not lost; The winter season is upon us and so is the snow season! Pics and trips to be planned to hit up the snow is in the works, so stay tuned!

Geno's Baptism Pics posted on Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclingphotographer/sets/72157622958271566/

50-mile trek today: Iron Horse Trail, Dublin, CA

Link to Iron Horse Trail

~ 25 miles each way, Lots of level ground, and no traffic :)

Here's my performance data:

Mac OS Startup Key combinations for Intel-Macs

Keystroke	Description
Press C during startup	Start up from a bootable CD or DVD, such as the Mac OS X Install disc that came with the computer.
Press D during startup	Start up in Apple Hardware Test (AHT), if the Install DVD 1 is in the computer.
Press Option-Command-P-R until you hear two beeps.	Reset NVRAM
Press Option during startup	Starts into Startup Manager, where you can select a Mac OS X volume to start from. Note: Press N to make the the first bootable Network volume appear as well.
Press Eject, F12, or hold the mouse (/trackpad) button	Ejects any removable media, such as an optical disc.
Press N during startup	Attempt to start up from a compatible network server (NetBoot).
Press T during startup	Start up in FireWire Target Disk mode.
Press Shift during startup	Start up in Safe Boot mode and temporarily disable login items.
Press Command-V during startup	Start up in Verbose mode.
Press Command-S during startup	Start up in Single-User mode.
Press Option-N during startup	Start from a NetBoot server using the default boot image.

Freeware CD/DVD burning software for Windows

http://cdburnerxp.se/

Exercise Day 2: Not too bad

(My last goal to aim for from Exercise Day 1 was:)
- 25:00 Running consistent @ 6mph (without cramping)
- 40:00 Total (with 10-min warm up and 5 min cool down)
- 500 kcals
- 3.0 Miles

What I actually did:

- Woke up early on a *Monday* to make it to work early enough to run (wooo hooo!!!)
- 20:00 Running consistent @ 6mph (without cramping, Yess!!!!)
- 40:00 Total (including 10-min warm up and 10 min cool down)
- 467 kcals
- 2.9 Miles total

How I feel: Great!!

Vacuuum Parts for the old school bagless vacuum

OMG I would never though I could find the specific part, but I did, and here are the websites. Useful if you need parts for your vacuum. Speaking of which, if you have one, when was the last time you changed the vacuum bag/filter?

http://www.totalvac.com/parts/eureka_upright_vacuum_filters.html

http://www.vacuums24x7.com/eubosuse4040.html

"Thinking of you today,

and how you make

the world a nicer place

from all the special ways

you care about your family,

to the thoughtfulness

you show others…

And sending you this wish

filled with loving appreciation

for your warm heart, your kindness,

and all the other qualities

that make you so very special" --

Rest in peace Mama Josie, and I hope we will all be together again someday soon.

Definitely somewhere to try!

http://www.ilovetortas.com/

1. Camaron (Shrimp) Asado Fries
Golden Fries, Plump Shrimp, with Nacho Cheese, fresh salsa, guacamole and our special Cilantro Lime sauce.
2. Torta Ala Diabla
Steak and Onions sauteed in a special fire hot Diabla sauce served with tomato, mayo and beans to cool you down!
3. California Burrito
French fries, Carne Asada, Avocado, fresh salsa, nacho cheese and our special green and red sauces

Open everyday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm

La Torta Gorda
300 Willow Street
San Jose, CA 95128

Exercise Day 1: Beginner's "almost" 5k

Good morning folks,

I was able to get up early this morning to exercise before work. Usually I post this on facebook, however due to the amount of teasing and probably posting spam, I have decided to post all my exercise stuff on here. Usually I try to collect as much information as I can, as the geek that I am likes to make working out "fun"-- i.e. collecting stats and making graphs and visually seeing my progress from barcharts and what not-- (It's a lot more exciting than looking in the mirror and weighing scale :P)

Here's today's stats:

- N0-HR monitor (HR chest-strap needs a new CR2032 battery, hello $20 markup from Radio Shack)
- 36:10 (including 10-min warmup and 5 min cool down, with another 10 min-post stretch)
- 16:10 Running consistent @ 6mph (without cramping! Yaaaay!)
- 443 kcals burned (calculated at 223lbs exercise weight)
- 2.76 Miles covered.

Goal for tomorrow:

- 40:00 (including 10-min warmup and 5 min cooldown)
- 25:00 Running consistent @ 6mph (without cramping)
- 500 kcals
- 3.0 Miles

How wonderful family can be

Today was the final vigil for my grandmother who passed away last week. Amidst the hurt, sadness, and grief from family and friends attending, I saw something that made me smile--it was my nephew asking my niece for a tissue because he needed to pick a booger. I found that to be a genuinely funny :). Got to love kids, and especially when their family :). Thanks Brandon and Katie for bringing a smile to my face :)


-- Posted from my iPhone

Ideas for using cottage cheese

Pepper:Sprinkle cottage cheese with a few dashes of fresh crack pepper.

"Tapioca" Pudding: If you like tapioca pudding, try this low-carb alternative. For each ½ cup serving, mix in ½ tsp vanilla flavoring and 1 packet artificial sweetener.

Summer Fruit: A few strawberries, blueberries, diced peaches, chopped banana, or pineapple chunks sprinkled on top go a long way with cottage cheese. Stick with the berries if you prefer low-glycemic fruits. If the fructose is a concern, try using dash of tropical or strawberry-banana flavored sugar-free drink mix as an alternative fruity flavoring.

Morning Preserves: Add 1 tbsp sugar-free or reduced sugar preserves per ½ cup cottage cheese.

Chocolate Mousse: Add a ½ scoop of chocolate flavored protein (or 1 tsp of cocoa + 2 packets artificial sweetener), 1 tbsp sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix and whip in blender (you may need to add a little water or milk to thin it a little bit). Top with diced walnuts or almonds if desired and chill until set or ready to eat.

Some places to eat:

Some places I came across while watching TV, etc.....

Tommy's Joynt

www.tommysjoynt.com

1101 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94109-6815
(415) 775-4216

My Birthday!

Today is my 32nd birthday :) Per one of the few moments in my life, I feel like I understand. (When you grow up having a hard time being able to understand where one fits-in the world, it is difficult to know how to implement a path, when the destination is unknown) I now know that to understand where one is going, acknowledging where we have been and remembering what we were and help shape where we will be. Someone once mentioned that it is helpful to state things, even the obvious, so here I go:

Hi, my name is Anthony and I am 32 years old. I know that I am a nerd, an engineer, a curious person by nature, who likes to cycle. I appreciate all things in beauty, and look forward to living a minimalistic lifestyle, one without a lot of complications or *things*, whatever they may be. I am fortunate to have a wonderful direct family who are supportive of one another, along with great friends who would do just the same; I have a good career, and I get paid to do what I love-- technical support for a great product! I enjoy photography, travel, and cycling, which all help provide balance.

Balance which is key to being in good health and happiness, which are two wonderful gifts :)

-- Anthony

How to enable Time Machine Backups on a Windows Share

Adapted from here

1. System Preferences -> Sharing -> Computer Name (*rename to something simple if necessary, like 'MacMini')

2. System Preferences -> Network -> Ethernet -> Advanced -> Ethernet ID (save without :)

3. Run command in terminal: hdiutil create -size 120g -fs HFS+J -volname "TM_{ComputerName}" "{ComputerName}_{EthernetID}.sparsebundle"

4. Copy the sparsebundle to the Windows share

5. Run command in terminal: defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1

6. System Preferences -> Time Machine

7. Click Choose Backup Disk and pick network share

8. Click Use for backup

9. System Preferences -> Spotlight -> Privacy -> + -> Select window share under devices

Getting back in the swing of things :)

After my alarm went off this morning ~ 9:00am I had the intent of going to the gym.

Originally I set the alarm for 7:30, then 7:45.... and those didn't work :P So 9:00am I got up and assessed my body's condition to see if it was ready to start working out again. (Earlier this week, my roommate mentioned to be weary of my food consumption, especially since I was home-bound this past week, due to doc's orders-- I had to ensure to not go overboard on the comfort food) Since this was day two of having my hand splint off, I was also particularly attentive to the condition of my hand muscles. Anyway, I was able gear up for the gym and off I went :)

Initially I warmed up for about 10 minutes, building from 2.0 mph to 4.0 mph in .5 mph increments, to allow my leg muscles to warm up and become more pliable. After the 10 minute warm up, its up to 4.5 mph for the next 10 mins. Afterwards, HR is good, ~ 130bpm or so, so increased the pace to 4.8, then to 5.0. About 35 mins into the run/jog, I started to feel my legs complaining, so I cut back to about 4.8, then 4.5. All was well until about the 40 min mark. My quads started to cramp up, dropping my speed down to 2.5 then 2.0mph. After not trying to push too hard, I completed a quick cool-down, burning 400 kcals (no HR meter used) travelling 2.75 mi.

I guess its not too bad for starting to jog from being stagnant since last Monday.

If todays pace was set roughly at: 40 mins, 2.75 miles, @ 4.8 - 5.0, I'll try tomorrow's pace @ 4.5 mph max, and see how well I can do.

Happy Birthday Drew!

Today is my brother's birthday :) If he was still around he would be turning 35. (We're all getting older ) Sometimes I forget what it is like to have a brother; other times I feel as if my brother lives on with the the friends and family I have-- Sometimes I feel blessed that I have the best of friends and family :)

I miss my brother with all my heart, since he passed 12 years ago, I hope he is at peace and joined with our other relatives together. Happy birthday Andrew :) I hope you're enjoying the afterlife, and we miss your company. We will all be together again sometime soon; until then, I will look forward to enjoying what each day brings.

-- Anthony

Before I forget.... the route taken during my ride today

Details on today's ride:

32-miles

2700 kcals

Total Travel time 2 hours

Avg speed 17 mph

Avg cadence 86 rpm

Relaxing Sunday :)

Greetings folks,

Just a quick update regarding my weekend..... Was on-call Friday evening until Saturday evening, which wasn't too bad, other than the calls that came in at midnight till 2 am , but that comes with the territory. Chinese food was the comfort food for dinner, and makes great leftovers!

Sunday rolls around, I woke up early and happy (no work-related calls in the middle of the night = uninterrupted sleep of 8+ hrs!!!!) and was looking forward to a great day. Weather report shows that the temps will be in the upper 80's in Alameda Country, which usually results in +5 degrees higher in San Jose..... so I biked anyway, to help add more contrast between my already bad tan lines LOL.... In short, I was able to ride to run my family errands, which = no gas being spent, and 32 miles of relaxing, riding pleasure (with the exception of Evans road in Milpitas, which has some hills) burning ~ 2700 kcals. Which isn't too bad, except did I mention that I also had the Greek omelette from The Country Way on fremont? Yeah so that goes the caloric deficiency--- I think I broke even :P

I spent some quality time with my pops, which was cool, as we were able to catch up on things, as well as plan what we will be doing for my birthday-- Dinner at Harry's High Life; a great place for Ribs and steaks :)

Well tomorrow starts the beginning of a new work week, so I should probably finish tuning the bike and completing laundry for this week.

Have a great evening folks, Happy Sunday!

Windows - Alt Key Numeric Codes -- For those who type in foreign languages :)

Here's a great site that shows a quick recap of the ASCII keyboard codes. (Anytime you need to enter in a punctuation mark or non-english symbol, find the corresponding symbol and its ASCII numeric equivalent here:

http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/international/accents/codealt.html

Then hold down the [Alt] key, type in the 4-digit code and then release the [Alt] key.

For example, if you need to say use the upside down exclamation mark in Spanish, you can type in the following:

Hold down the [Alt] key, type in 0161, and release the [Alt] key. You should now see the ¡ symbol.

Check the site for other cool punctuations and accents on the page :)

Banter about events this week

Good evening folks,

Thought I'd care to share what has been going on with me for the past couple of days. Monday night, I was fortunate to attend my first-ever Raiders vs. Chargers football game up in Oakland. May I say that the Raider Nation is a force to be reckoned with-- Both in the parking lot among all the BBQers and drunk folks, as well as inside the stadium. They are quite a large group who are quite vocal about their beliefs, and sometimes monotone as well. It was an exciting game to watch; the game kept us on our toes (I went with both Raiders and Chargers fans) and the Raiders finally lost by a few points, mainly because of some terrible calls by the ref. Anyway, I enjoyed the game with wonderful company, my coworkers, and also completed the monday night football experience by going to grab some Chicken and Waffles post game. Mmmm..... So we get back home ~ 2am with work the next day. Ouch. Looks like no cycling on Tuesday either.

Tuesday: work then home and sleep.

Wednesday: The option to go to the Shark's infamous Teal and White kickoff was tonite, however I passed up due to being a little too FUBAR after work. Also noticed that I could probably do better in terms of climbing if my gearing was a little different. Up front I had a 54/39 or equivalent. Decided to upgrade to a SRAM RED compact, wth 50/34 instead. We'll see how that goes :) Also met my teammates I will be riding with on the Triathlon this sunday. They are great folks, and I'm excited to be participating and part of their team. Time to go home and sleep.

Thursday: Cycled to work!!! It felt GOOD. Performance metrics weren't out of the ordinary, but today was one of those times where it was fun, felt good no matter how good or bad the time was. I did notice that I can now go up the same overpasses without having to change from the big gear in front, and can maintain at least 15mph going up. Not too shabby ;)

Our triathlon is in two days. Excited and nervous. We'll see how it goes. Last day of training tomorrow.

My Review of Think Tank Shape Shifter, Photographic Backpack

Adorama

Think Tank Shape Shifter, Photographic Backpack

Think Tank Shape Shifter, Photographic Backpack

Worth every penny!

The Cycling Photographer Fremont, CA 9/14/2009

 

5 5

Pros: Adjustable Harness, Comfortable, Accommodating, Roomy, Fits under airplane seat, Strong Construction, Room for small gadgets

Cons: Heavy when loaded

Best Uses: Storing Gear, Transporting Gear

Describe Yourself: Photo Enthusiast

I have recently used this bag for travelling. I had the following gear loaded in the shapeshifter:

- Sony A900 DSLR
- Sony 24-70 2.8 Zeiss Lens
- Sony 70-200G 2.8 Telephoto
- Sony 70-400G 4-5.6 Telephoto
- Minolta 50mm 1.7 prime
- Sony HVL-58AM Flash
- 13.3" Macbook
- Nintendo DS (in case I got bored)
- All connecting cables, memory cards and power plugs, including chargers

Although it was rather heavy, considering most of the weight came from the equipment itself, it wasn't very difficult in managing through the airport. It fit underneath the airplane seat and I flew by TSA security without any problems. If you are looking for a case that can carry all this, is airport secure, and can compress down to just hold the macbook when needed, then this is the case for you.

()

My Review of Flashpoint F-1428 Carbon Fiber Tripod

Adorama

Flashpoint F-1428 Carbon Fiber Tripod, 4 Section Leg Set, Supports 26 lbs., Maximum Height 72".

Flashpoint F-1428 Carbon Fiber Tripod, 4 Section Leg Set, Supports 26 lbs., Maximum Height 72".

Enough to handle semi-pro gear

The Cycling Photographer Fremont, CA 9/11/2009

4 5

Pros: Sturdy, Case can fit ball head, Good Stability, Lightweight

Cons: No leveler, Meager instructions, Rubber feetspike design

Best Uses: Stabilization, Photography, Reducing Noise (ISO Reduction), Long Exposures

Describe Yourself: Semi-pro Photographer

I was looking for a good quality tripod that can accommodate all the gear that I have. So far, the unit has met all my expectations. It is a solid and lightweight tripod that I consider semi-pro. Original specs state the tripod can stand over 6.5ft tall, without needing to extend the center column. I am about 5'10, and with the extra height added, this allows me to keep the last section of the tripod legs retracted for added stability. I bought this unit to hold the following combination of equipment:

Sony A900 DSLR
Sony VGC-90AM Vertical Grip
Sony SAL-70200G 70-200mm f/2.8 Telephoto lens
Sony SAL-70400G 70-400mm f/4-5.6 Telephoto lens
Sony 2470CZ 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
Sony HVL-58AM Flash

As some of you who are familiar with the SAL70400G lens, it can extend longer during zoom, and can throw off the center balance. This was not an issue when mounted on this tripod :) Total max weight of my gear can be up to ~ 8 - 9 pounds. This tripod held it steady without any issues. This was used in combination with the Flashpoint F-3 Ball Head.

The soft carrying case can also accommodate the tripod and the F-3 Ball head without any problems (unlike the reported lower models) and also has a smaller inside pocket to hold the allen key and small wrench)

Drawbacks of this unit are regarding the missing leveler, as well as the foot design. It includes the spike already integrated with the tripod leg, and if needed, a rotation of the outer rubber part of the leg end extends out and over the spike changing the end into a rubber nub. However, I can see over time the rubber nub wearing down and eventually exposing the spike again after some outdoor use.

()

Weeklky Geeky Entry: Remote Xwindows login GUI

Good article Written by Ajo Paul to get this configured:
http://ajopaul.com/2007/11/23/remote-login-to-linux-from-windows-non-vnc/

Windows software:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/

This evening's ride back home burned 1147 (4631) kcals, covering 14.87 (59.49)mi in 1:03:00 (3:55:08). Today (cumulative total)

BTW: Flat tires suck as much as replacing them.

Day 2 of 9 training

I started training for the SC triathlon coming up on Sept. 20th in Santa Cruz. I'll be participating on a relay team with a couple of folks from my company :) As the date comes closer by, I have started to build up my base mileage to prepare for the event. My goal is to complete 9 days of commuting to work via bicycle. So far, I have completed 1.5 of 9 days. We'll see if I can keep this up this week and next week, so far so good :)

Post-ride thoughts yesterday

Sunday afternoon was great, who could ask for more? I was able to meet up with some frat-brothers for a Labor-day BBQ. Good food, great company. Afterwards, we headed out to meet with a co-worker to go mtn. biking. We cycled around Arastadero Preserve, near Palo Alto, CA. After biking ~ 5.8mi, we called it a day. Interesting though, with what we saw there. We say a Maroon-red Tesla drive by, a pair of llamas that we being walked along the trail. Interesting day. topped off with a trip to a Taiwanese restaurant where I was introduced to this dessert pictured above. It was shaved ice served with a brown-sugar syrup and includes up to 5 toppings. I chose red-bean, green-bean, lychee, and condensed-milk. It was wonderful! It was similar to Halo-Halo, a Filipino dessert dish, although this one had a good twist.

If you know of a place that has one, I would definitely recommend to try it, especially after a hot day. (Thanks Rex!)

[Edit] Addition to the previous pst

I also wanted to say many thanks to Erica G. and Jay C. in NC for allowing me to experience first-hand what the cycling experience of rolling hills are. I felt the burn, and it felt good :D You two have rekindled my spirit for getting up early in the morning and cycle :)

Hope you guys kick some major butt in the upcoming MS200!

Finally!

You know those occasional mornings when you can wake up before you need to? Today was one of those days. I was able to get up early enough to have breakfast (Chocolate Rage GU) gear up for work, and cycle :) < 45 mins travel time (50 mins total) covering 14.5 miles, and burning close to 1200 kcals. Feels good for catching up to last week's vacation :D

Also we have the Santa Cruz Triathlon that our company will be participating in on Sunday Sept. 20th. I'm excited and honored to be competing and representing Data Domain in a corporate health function. Imagine, someone who had a terrible un-healthy lifestyle now getting into corporate competitions!! Even if I come in last place, it is an honor and an achievement by any stretch of the imagination to turn my lifestyle around 180-degrees.

I would love to reach out and thank those who have been supportive of my BS especially since they already recognized how was hiding how I truly was, a adult kid without direction in life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I now know that I don't have to be afraid of who I am, what I am or where I will be; I am in the driver's seat and set my own goals and aspirations.

I hope that my actions can truly mimic those I look up to and provide inspiration for others to follow suit-- All it takes to get on a good path is baby steps :)

Have a great week everyone :)

-- The cycling photographer

Post NC Trip thoughts and ramblings

In a nutshell, a word to describe this weekend was "Wow". From taking a red-eye flight, rooming with the celebrants, to road cycling, then becoming an unofficial photographer for Danniel's baptism, this weekend was quite jam-packed with memorable events.

I visited a coworker and meet her family-- her two kids, Kaiya, and Aiden. After a great 30 mins of enjoying their great company, we (Erica, Jay, and myself) set out for a challenging 30-mile trek on roads filled with rolling hills near Wendell, NC. It was a beautiful ride complete with great company. I have only to look forward to meeting folks locally who are just as fun and entertaining.

On to Friday. Friday rolls around, we were able to visit Tyler's workplaces, both the movie theatre (that does dining as well), as well as his firehouse. Beautiful spots, both of them. Photos will be included.

Saturday comes along. The big day for the little one, Danniel's baptism. What a great kid :) He is such a people-oriented and friendly person-- inspiring and cute.

Sunday sneaks around the corner, with our flight departing from RDU at 6:15 am. (In PST timezone, that's 3:15 am. Ouch.) We pull an all nighter, head out to RDU and make it on the first flight. Our stopover was at Minneapolis, MN for about 2 - 3 hours. What a great place! The airport was more like a mall rather than the other hectic transfer points like ATL or DFW. (Those two are another can of words meant to be opened on a nother day)

All in all, what a wonderful and perfect time to have taken a vacation. Good memories, great company, and memories that have been recorded.

PS: Cookout grill and Bo'Jangles are the bomb. Cheddar-style burgers with a peach-cobbler shake rock!!!

Arrived in Atlanta, GA on our way to RTP, NC.

Wow... interesting flight. We flew from SFO to ATL, and midway through the flight, we heard a dog. WTF????? Anyway, I was amazed that this dog was travelling first class..... had a better seat than we did. Wow, the life of a dog, and their wealthy owner. More power to them.

Anyway, I found it interesting how chippery folks are here in the morning... After red-eye flights, my interactive vocabulary with other folks has dwindled down to single-syllable responses.

1 more hour until our next flight departs, then off to RDU. More updates to come.

All packed....

Heading out to North Carolina tomorrow.

... All my gear packed, and ready to go.....

Time to go to sleep.

Unix Rocks!

My first blog. Ever.

Greetings folks! Welcome to my first official blog/banter entry.

Current thoughts: Great Jazz music playing in background. I am looking to find a venue to post my random occurrences that I can call my own. Separate from myspace, or facebook, just somewhere I can post my portfolio, and anything that I come across..... applescripts, quotations, anything noteworthy or cool. One thing I figured is that we have a multitude of tools available to help document our day to day lives creatively, in my case, I would like to accomplish this digitally, with photos, cohesive sentences, and posts.

I hope you find this as an exciting journey as I am.

Hope to see you around during a photo or cycling adventure!