Change is inevitable

The landscape of technology has evolved drastically over the past few years. Facebook, Twitter and Google have become household names in less than a decade, and children are now growing up in a world of instant gratification where waiting is a thing of the past. In areas where desktops once ruled, netbooks and tablets that offer mobile solutions now dominate. It’s hard to believe that not long ago, all these services and devices were nothing but an overlooked novelty — their existence known only to a limited few in the tech world. And now, even your mom has an iPad 2.

Back on track

Ran 6.27miles out in the rain for a total of 65mins. Although the pace is  slower than usual, I’m finally back on track with my new schedule!

Wise advice on a tuesday night

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” -Buddha

Google’s plan for world domination

I always knew Google had a secret plan to take over the world. A few months ago, I predicted Google would go into broadband and telephone, create a monopoly in communications technology, discover how to send tastes, feelings, and emotions through fiber optics, make holograms the standard in long-distance communications, and then proceed to take over the world. Lo and behold, as I was perusing through their 2010 annual report, I found this–the first step in their master plan:

“Recently we announced a new project to build 1 gigabit per second fiber-to-the-home broadband networks for one or more U.S. cities and towns between 50,000 and 500,000 people. This access is about 100x faster than most people have today. We asked communities to come back with ideas, and one mayor had an unusual response:

‘I, William W. Bunten, mayor of the city of Topeka, Kansas, urge the citizens of Topeka to recognize and support the continuing efforts to bring Google’s ‘Fiber for Communities’ experiment to our city, and do hereby proclaim that for the month of March 2010, the city of Topeka will be known as Google, Kansas’

From such quirky tributes and detailed applications, we have seen a lot of interest in Google Fiber. Our goal with this project is to show what’s possible by driving technological development of home Internet connections at a faster rate. If we succeed, it will benefit users everywhere, as well as our own services, which can debut amazing new capabilities using higher speed connections.”  -Larry Page

Pigster goes to the vet

So we finally brought Piggie to the vet over the weekend and discovered that she was allergic to the dog food we’ve been feeding her…after 8 years. She always had this lingering odor that we thought was natural of all pugs, but apparently it had been the dog food all along. Now she smells like a regular dog.

Volunteer magic show at NYU

This afternoon I performed a magic show for a small group of former orphans from China and their new American foster parents. It was truly uplifting to see their faces light up as I performed the tricks. My routine included the impossible arm twist, a spongeball routine, the color changing hot rod, a rising card trick, and linking paperclips. The 4-hour carnival-themed event was organized by NYU’s China Cares club and by the time it was over, my body was exhausted but I had a renewed sense of spiritual energy and happiness because I, if only for that brief moment, somehow contributed in making their day. I was introduced to the event a mere 2 nights prior and I jumped on the opportunity to volunteer. To top it all off, I also learned how to make balloon animals after perusing how-to instructions on the back of the balloon packages!

5k| Top 100 reflection

When I started this blog I wanted to document 100 days as I trained to get into the top 100 of a local 5k run. Following an intensive training schedule by Hal Higdon for 7 weeks, I was miraculously able to pull off the goal in 55 days. I don’t think I could have done it without the help and encouragement of everyone who followed along. I am very grateful for all my readers, especially the ones who stuck by  since the beginning: kevarcen, asliceofart, and seebritrun. Go ahead and check out their blogs! Alright guys, now it’s time to go for 75th place! =)

p.s. I will no longer be posting every day about my runs, but will instead post the workouts as part of my Twitter updates(on the right column).

5k|dayfiftyfive: Mission accomplished!!!

It’s been several months since my first 5k.

Back then I focused on just finishing the race as I observed the different strategies and techniques others were using.

This time around, I aimed to get into the top 100 after 7 weeks of training with Hal Higdon’s intermediate 5k schedule.

Yesterday was race day. Over 1,000 runners showed up at the JFK Airport.

I ate half a bowl of oatmeal 2 hours before starting because I knew I would get hungry right before the race.

Once I arrived at the airport, I started to warm up by jogging around the parking lot.

During the race, I focused on conserving energy during my first mile and not slowing down until I crossed the finish line. I was motivated by this old lady that zoomed past me during mile 1. I tried my best to keep up with her but soon after mile 2 she was nowhere in sight.

I pushed extra hard in my last quarter-mile segment to pass 3 people at the last minute and ended up 93rd.

Mission accomplished! (Just barely)

Result: 93 out of 1232 with a time of 23:10.7

Thank you all for your support!

Next up: Top 50? =)

5k|dayfiftyfour: Please don’t jump you big chunk of metal

My cousin flew over from Chicago for a freelance gig this week in New York so I decided to show him around. We headed over to K-Town for lunch on Wednesday and I wanted to show him the Event Horizon Exhibit afterward but didn’t have the time that day. I finally stumbled upon the statues by Antony Gormley in Madison Square Park later this week and I would have to say it’s one of the more interesting exhibits currently on display in New York. Antony’s statues can be seen scattered over the sidewalks and rooftops of many famous landmarks including the Flatiron building, and it’s quite an intriguing piece of work. In fact, it’s so convincing that passer-by have called 911 after seeing these haunting silhouettes. Don’t worry though, the police department has been notified of where each statue is located before opening day.

Antony Gormley originally created Event Horizon for London’s Hayward Gallery as part of the Blind Light exhibition in 2007. The sculptures were installed on bridges, rooftops and streets along the South Bank of London’s Thames River. In this New York incarnation, Antony Gormley has adapted this exciting project to Manhattan’s unique and awe-inspiring skyline. (via Event Horizon)

Photo credits: James Ewing (for more pictures click here)
+Progress: Today was my last rest day before the race. After going to the doctor’s for my annual blood test(only to find that I didn’t have to draw any blood-.-) I went to Roosevelt Field Mall to do some shopping and bought Manhunt and Viewtiful Joe 2 for less than $5 each at GameStop. The last time I bought a game for my PS2 it cost $60. That goes to show how long I haven’t played video games.

5k|dayfiftythree: Adventures of a dead goose

Although we planned to go to Roosevelt Field today, Christine and I ended up going to the Salt Marshes  in Marine Park instead because of the insane traffic on the infamous Belt Parkway. The cloudy weather built up a good amount of suspense before we stumbled upon a large goose carcass on the dirt path. After the initial moment of shock and disgust, we did what anyone in their right mind would do…we took a picture of it!

+Progress: Rest day!