I’ve never watched the show completely before but I’ve seen it in passing when I channel surf. The studio set was really small. Audience member size is about fiftyish. The hosts Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang were witty and engaging. They spent time interacting with the audience before the show started which was really pleasant. The show is usually a live one but this episode will be the last episode they will air on TV. That day, taping consisted of 3 cooking segments, 2 talks with guest speakers, and 2 off-studio taped segments. In my opinion they have too many things jammed in the show that there’s no substance and meaty information to be gathered from each segment.

For one hour, I sat on the audience seat area, just watching, smiling, clapping as we have been told to. Unlike in my previous TV show experience, I wasn’t fed in this one even though they presented and cooked 2 recipes. There were no snacks, prizes to be won (like in Ellen), autographs to be signed, and no picture taking (only after when the taping ended)! The only “consolation” was their souvenir shop is selling items half-off. It was boring and disappointing. Oh well, next time I do this, I’ll try Ellen.

Related posts:

1. When I became a live TV audience member…
2. Ellen judges American Idol
3. Good stuffs on TV

The day started with lectures regarding terrorism, disaster psychology and search and rescue. I was most interested with the terrorism topic. Of course in the US it’s very much real. And terrorism wasn’t equated immediately to muslim faction but according to the lecture it could be anyone – from a religious sect, or a political group, and of any race. At 2009 alone, US had 12 terrorism attack.

Since I was looking forward to the field work, the lectures kind of bored me. They were really informative though. For our field work we get to do

cribbing, a little bit of first aid training, and a brief search and rescue. Of course these are all in an ideal situation – no sense of panic, no disaster, everything is scripted. So somehow I felt deflated doing those exercises because it’s all mock-up. The only exciting part I was able to do was put out a fire using a fire extinguisher. We used the water hydrant instead of the regular fire extinguisher type ABC.

We ended the day with the officers of CERT giving out certifications for the completion of course. All in all, CERT is a good training for disaster preparedness. Having that extra training can help alleviate panic and process quick thinking during a disaster. So I recommend people to take this course if it’s available in your community. Knowledge is always handy!

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1. Disaster Preparedness Training
2. BAD DENTISTRY
3. My first blog party event!

For the lomographers, we don’t have problems with E-6 films because we are fond of the procedure called, “Cross-processing”. To cross process a film simply means to process the film in other chemicals than those originally intended by the manufacturer. So different types of cross processing are: e6 in c41, c41 in e6, c41 or e6 in black and white chemicals, films that were made for discontinued processes processed in c-41 or e-6. E-6 in C-41 is the most conventional one. A cross-processed E-6 will give out a saturated, sometimes very washed out, low or strong contrast pictures.

There are many kinds of slide films. To immediately identify them from a c-41 film, slide films usually have “chrome” in the brand name. These films will give different effect. Tip of an x-proer: While shooting, underexpose the film rather than overexpose. When developing, ask the lab to push 2-3 stops. Here are observations from lomographers who have cross-processed their E-6 films:

FUJI

Sensia 100 – magenta shift
Sensia 200- green/blue… even yellow?
Sensia 400- green

Provia 100- green
Provia 100f = cyan
Provia 400F – green
Provia 1600-

Velvia 50-green/blue.
Velvia 100- red/magenta
Velvia 100F- bring out reds and magentas

Fujifilm Fujichrome 64T = Gold/green

Fuji Astia 100 – yellow
Astia 100F- red (with flash, foreground can be white)

KODAK

E100VS under exposure – green
E100 G – no color shift , color saturate
E 100GP – no color shift , color saturate

Kodak Elitechrome 100 – aqua (?)/green.

Kodak Elitechrome 200-mild green/blue color shift, saturated. (shot at 125)
Kodak Elitechrome 400 – no colour shift, just saturation

Kodak Ektachrome 64T-blue

KONICA
Konica Centuria 100 – yellow/ pale green, coarse grain, shadows. Yellow highlights, green shadows

AGFA
Agfa precisa 100 – no colour shift but gorgeous blues, strong contrast

These are some of my cross-processed pictures. I forgot which films they were but I only have Kodak elitechrome 100, Fuji Velvia 100, Fuji Provia 100.

For those who are debating whether to cross-process or not, I suggest you go ahead and cross-process. Personally I love using slide films and have it x-pro. Pictures turn out fun and funky!

Related posts:

1. Vivitar happy in China
2. Tips on an Affordable Lomography lifestyle
3. Film Photography: Getting Started

Two years ago, I joined a hiking group in our community. We went to Big Basin Creek at Half Moon Bay. It was more than 10 miles hike. That experience ruined my love for hiking. It was long, the pace was hard, and I wasn’t wearing proper hiking shoes. My feet just died. So for the next year or so, I didn’t join any of their hiking trip. Then came my Yosemite trip which hiking was part of the itinerary. Even though the Mist Trail was 3 miles long, the elevation was so ridiculous! It was uphill all the way and I was left trailing behind my group for  good 45 minutes before I could catch up with them.

I decided that next time I went hiking, I have to research the trip properly before I dive into the activity. First, I went and bought me a pair of proper hiking shoes. It served me well in Yosemite. Second, I made sure the distance of the hike, elevation of the area, and the weather for that day before I join the trip. A week ago, I decided to join that same hiking group to a hiking trip at Nisene Marks Park at Aptos. According to the details of the trip, it was 6 miles long with slight elevation. Great! My kind of hike!

Hiking is a good exercise for me. I’ve recently noticed that I’m gaining weight and I’m having a problem losing them. I decided to take up tennis and hiking. I just need to have an outlet for health. Going on a hike also allows me to travel beyond my community. I don’t go out much so this is a good way of seeing places. I like the group that I hiked with. They were all above 40 years old and the hike leader Tom was probably 60y/o. Nonetheless, they were really good hikers. They kept a good pace and they seem not to be panting whereas I was ready to call it quits.

Hiking trails are picturesque. For my recent trip, it was  all redwood trees, redwood trees, and redwood trees. I would have loved to see animals but the only animal I saw was a banana slug. I brought my Vivitar camera with me to take pictures. I would not be surprised if the prints come out greenish! In addition to, that much close to trees reenergized my brain and body. I think I have breathed all the oxygen I needed for the next two weeks.  

The group’s next hike would be at Point Reyes which was 13 miles. I’m going to sit that one out. After the 7-mile hike my feet were tired, my muscles were sore and if not for my weekly tennis workout, I wouldn’t have been able to move properly for the next three days. Even though there’s only a short uphill trail,  my legs were screaming. However thanks to my group who weren’t as fast as younger people, I was able to catch up with them.

Hopefully my endurance will continue to grow and I can participate in longer hikes. But for now, I’d rather have fun hiking.

Related posts:

1. A weekend at Yosemite part 3
2. I hate dental injections!
3. Enjoying a Halloween symphony orchestra performance

1. Research the camera before buying.

There are different types of film cameras but the most important to note is the film type it uses. Most popular and cheap to use is a camera with 35mm film formats. Cameras like Holga uses 120 or 135 format while the Instax cameras use polaroid film. With these different film formats, it will be more expensive to buy the film and have it processed.

2. Try the camera first.

If you have friends who are into lomography, ask them if you can try their lomo cameras first so that you’ll have a feel of it. Join a photography group and share experiences with them.

3. Buy the most basic camera.

Basic camera means without the bells and whistles. You don’t need a gold edition LC-A (SRP: 600USD) to have great pictures or a Dalek Supersampler (60USD) whose difference from the regular Supersampler (40USD) is just the facing of the camera. Moreover, camera accessories can be bought later when you have practiced and learn much of your basic camera.

4. Go bargain-hunting.

Ebay and Amazon sell cheaper lomo cameras than those found in Lomo stores. Google the camera you want and canvass for price. Another best place to look for old film cameras is in rummage sales. I have seen lots of film cameras in yard sales which I passed because I don’t want to be burden with too many cameras but they sell really cheap! Films are also cheaper in Ebay than those in drugstores and don’t be afraid of expired films because the result is better than non-expired.

5. Cheap film processing.

The trick to save on film processing is to process your films without prints. Collect all the rolls, process them and then scan them into cds. Processing films (35mm format) costs 95cents per roll in Target. CDs which can accommodate 5 rolls can sell for as low as 99cents in Walgreens. There is also the option of investing on a film scanner which can save you much if you’re a prolific photographer.

6. Take good care of your camera.

Toy cameras are not really durable. Most are made of plastic. So have a care when spinning that film spool or rewinding that crank because chances are these things may break with excessive force. In addition to, films should be stored in the freezer/refrigerator to maintain their integrity.

7. Travel with your lomo cam.

Maximize your lomo cam by travelling with them. It’s nice to capture your travel with creative shots from a lomo cam.

Related posts:

1. What is lomography?
2. Film Photography: Getting Started
3. Blackbird Fly Camera

If you have watched a lot of Korean movies and dramas, you’ll find that their stories revolved from ongoing themes and getting out of the box seems difficult to do. Here are my observations with Korean shows:

1. There is always a love triangle. Winter Sonata, Autumn’s Tale, Lovers in Paris, The Classic, My wife got married, Wedding, Sad love song

2. Someone always die of a disease and is usually the main character. Autumn’s Tale, …Ing, A love to Kill, A Millionaire’s First Love, Stairway to Heaven, Witch Yoo Hee, 100 days with Mr. Arrogant, Windstruck

3. The hero or heroine usually meets his/her partner by owing him/her money. Coffee Prince, Full House, The Snow Queen, She is Nineteen, My Girl, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Only You

4. There is power struggle over business or inheritance. Cinderella Man, Lovers in Paris, What Happened in Bali, Love Story in Harvard

5. The character involves himself in bad gangs and violent fighting. Volcano High, My Wife is a Gangster, Dirty Carnival, Gangster High

6. There is amnesia and sudden personality change. Save the Last Dance, Stairway to Heaven, 18 vs 29, Winter Sonata

7. The main protagonists are childhood sweethearts lost and reconciled. Spring Waltz, Stairway to Heaven, Love Story in Harvard, Smile Again, My Love Patzzi

8. Character seeks revenge either against his partner or partner’s parents. Green Rose, Bad Guy, Cinderella’s Sister, All In, All About Eve, What Happens in Bali

9. The story suddenly ends anti-climactically – most of the romance movies.

These being said, once in a while a cute story will emerge and renew my love for Korean dramas/movies. Here are some of my recommendations: My Sassy Girl, Goong, Antique Bakery, Autumn’s Tale, My Tutor Friend, Guns and Talks, 1st shop of Coffee Prince, and Kim Sam Soon. Find these titles at mysoju.com.

Happy watching!!!

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1. Animes and Asian Dramas
2. Boys Before Flowers – the Korean version of F4
3. Antique Bakery (Korean): movie review

So here goes my Strawberry Cake project.

Strawberry Chiffon Cake

For the Chiffon cake:

1. Lightly spray a 3-by-8-inch or 2-by 10-inch cake pan with canola oil spray. Line with parchment and flour the sides of the pan.
2. In a bowl, whip the canola oil and egg yolks until combined. Add the strawberry puree and vanilla extract.
3. In a mixer bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Place the bowl on the electric mixer.
4. Add the egg yolk mixture and beat gently just to combine. Scrape down the bowl.

5. Beat at high speed for 20 seconds to fully aerate. Remove from mixer machine and scrape down bowl. Set aside.
6. In another mixer bowl, whip the egg whites to a foam. Slowly sift in the second measure of sugar and whip to firm peaks.
7. Gently fold meringue into reserved batter. Transfer to cake pan.
8. Bake in a 325°F convection oven for about 30 minutes.
9. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly.

Buttercream Frosting:

1. Make sure butter is at room temperature. Mix all ingredients until smooth consistency is achieved. If too thin, put in more sugar.

2. You’ll need 3 batches of frosting: one, for white frosting to pipe around the cake; 2nd strawberry colored frosting with sliced strawberries (to be placed in between cake layers); 3rd, strawberry colored frosting to ice the whole cake.

Assemblying and Frosting the Cake:

1. Wrap your cake with cellophane and refrigerate them overnight so you’ll get better frosting. Depending on thickness of cake, you can halved the cake or just put one cake on top of the other. Make sure the cakes are level. If not cut away and level the top part of the cake with a knife.

2. Brush a small amount of icing on the bottom of one cake and place on cake cardboard.

3. Pipe a thick white frosting around the cake’s perimeter. Then spread your frosting with strawberries inside the white frosting circle. Do not go beyond the wall of the white frosting.

4. Place the next cake layer on top of this cake. Frost the sides and top of the cake. Making sure to smoothen out the frosting. Let it stand for 15 minutes.

5. Make a smoother frosting by placing a dry paper towel on top of the cake and rub your fingers gently and quickly over the towel to smoothen out the frosting.

6. Pipe the sides of the cake with white frosting. Garnish the top of the cake with strawberries.

Chef’s note:

Follow the suggestions in the video. Try looking for a buttercream frosting that is not too sweet. Mine turned out way too sweet. My chiffon cake is moist but not light-as-air-chiffon-y enough. For some reason I didn’t taste the strawberry by the strawberry puree incorporated in the cake batter when my cake was baked. I didn’t taste any strawberry in my chiffon cake. Use fresh strawberries! Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. If your frosting turns runny, refrigerate or put in freezer for a few minutes before resuming frosting. Be patient with frosting, I was not. Research more videos on frosting to get a better feel on how to frost your cake. Better to weigh your dry ingredients than converting them into cups (although that’s what I did).

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Unfortunately vivitar UWS is not produced by Lomographische so it’s not considered a lomo cam hence my pictures are not “lomographic”. But to take away the technical aspect and blur the boundaries of lomography, this art of photography is simply put, a casual, snapshot photography. With any film camera you can achieve a lomography effect, which are “over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring, "happy accidents," and alternative film processing that are often considered part of the "Lomographic Technique."

The world of Lomography has 10 golden rules, which defines their philosophy and approach to photography:

1.  Take your camera everywhere you go
2. Use it any time – day and night
3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it
4. Try the shot from the hip
5. Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible
6. Don’t think (william firebrace)
7. Be fast
8. You don’t have to know beforehand what you captured on film
9. Afterwards either
10. Don’t worry about any rules

Pretty common sense huh? Take out the word "lomography” and you can apply these principles in whatever camera you are using. Currently models marketed by Lomographische AG include:

At present, the technicality of “lomography” is less strict and includes any analog cameras, which basically have the sole purpose of creating the thousands of Lomographic expression (whatever they are). Hence for the next posts I will be using the word lomography interchangeably and freely.

To learn more about the world of lomography, visit their site: lomography.com.

Related posts:

1. Tips on an Affordable Lomography lifestyle
2. Blackbird Fly Camera
3. Film Photography: Getting Started

In the Bay Area, 4th of July festivities are celebrated in different cities. Redwood City is famous for it’s Independence Day parade. Not only do they have parades but also carnival rides, booths, and family fun activities. Only this year that Redwood City didn’t have its fireworks because of city budget reasons. San Francisco offers live bands in different areas of the city. This year at Pier 39, they had live bands and the fireworks there. I would love to watch the fireworks in San Francisco but it was reputed to be crowded and unruly so I skipped that. San Jose has this big concert and fireworks, Mountain View is the same. So if you’re in the area and want to participate in the celebration, just google the city’s event information.

As for my celebration I went to the one at Leo J Ryan Park at Foster City. I prepared the picnic and my mom and I arrived in the site past 6pm. Fireworks show was at 930pm. So why did we came early? In this kind of event, the city usually closed down the streets to the event area. Last time, I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to see the Redwood City fireworks up close because we weren’t able to enter the viewing area because the roads were closed already. So it’s really important to go in early. I don’t know if the venue was too big or there weren’t just many attendees but the place wasn’t really super crowded considering this city has the only fireworks across many cities.

We were able to secure a spot in front of the amphitheater where a band, Skynnyn Lynnrd was set to perform. We had our chinese food picnic (gyoza and fired rice), ipod touch, and for my mom her phone with bejeweled game. For the next 3 and half hours we were just enjoying the band playing. I also had to insert the thing about bathrooms. The venue had portable toilets all over the areas but boy was the line too long (like zigzagging long). So better use the bathroom before you go to this kind of event. Foster City had the celebration going on for the whole day. They had dog parades, family parades, booths, diffrerent music bands playing throughout the day. I was only after the fireworks so we came later.

At exactly 930pm (I really love American time), the fireworks started. We had a nice view from where we’re sitting. We were up close that looking up cause me stiff neck. The fireworks weren’t spectacular unlike previous ones I’ve seen but I had fun watching it and it’s fireworks. I just love fireworks!

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2. Happy year of the OX!!!!
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THE REGISTERED DENTAL ASSISTANT (RDA) LAW & ETHICS EXAMINATION HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

Recently the Dental Board of California (DBC) learned that the integrity of the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) Law and Ethics written examination, which is one of several statutory requirements that needs to be successfully completed to obtain California registered dental assistant licensure, has been compromised. Exam administration at all test sites has been temporarily suspended until the DBC can investigate the breach and develop a new written examination…

As DBC is aware that this will affect licensure for many candidates, we are focusing our efforts to remediate the situation as soon as possible. Although currently DBC does not have an expected date for the new exam, DBC’s Web site will be used as an outreach modality to keep all stakeholders informed. Please visit DBC’s Web site for updates.

We will work diligently to minimize the delay in licensure and wish you success in achieving licensure in the State of California.

Actually this has been posted for 2 months already. I don’t know if my exam was part of the leakage but without receiving the test result for the Law and Ethics exam yet, I think it is. I called up DBC a lot of times and I’ve been passed around to one voicemail after another. One particular counselor named Laura, was helpful to pass me to her manager. But there has been no response from the manager. Laura couldn’t give me an update of my license and it seems they are so tight-lipped about the RDA licensing.

So tough luck for all of us who took the exam and for the future applicants because this will cause serious delay. Up to now I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting. The Dental Board definitely needs to step up their game because it’s unfair for us applicants and it doesn’t hurt to post updated information in the web to keep us from wondering what has happened to our application.

Related posts:

1. How to apply for RDA in California
2. California RDA written exam
3. California RDA practical exam