On Christmas Day, Brandon and Nicholas share what gifts they got under the tree and in their stockings.
Merry Christmas from The Yee Kids
Courtesy of Office Depot, the Yee Kids (Brandon, Nicholas, Cameron, and Alexandra) want to wish you a very Merry Christmas! ;-)
Ryan didn't shave yet!
Ryan didn't shave yet!
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
See what happens when you spend all morning updating Twitter, Blogger, and talking to your sister on the phone while watching "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" on AMC? Not good...
Picture courtesy of my HELIO cellphone.
OVERLINKED to the Internet...
Since I am SUCH a gadgety-kinda-guy, leave it to me to get overlinked to the Internet. I'm now combining Blogger, Jott, and Twitter to keep this website up-to-date...oh yeah, and ALL on by way of my Helio cellphone through phonecall, texting, and chat (LOL). Like Maria says, "Whatta NerdBoy!!!" hehehe
Look to the right and you can see what I've been thinking or doing (or thinking of doing) down to the day, hour, minute, or second...scary, huh?
Look to the right and you can see what I've been thinking or doing (or thinking of doing) down to the day, hour, minute, or second...scary, huh?
Brandon, Cameron, Maria, & Nicholas at Slick's
Brandon, Cameron, Maria, & Nicholas at Slick's
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Just after getting haircuts at Slick's Barbershop...they all look rather clean-cut, huh?
Hi everyone, this is me...
Hi everyone, this is Ryan, calling from this car phone, sending this to Jott. It's a service that transcribes telephone calls into e-mails and blog postings. Try it out some time. It works really well. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and have a happy new year and thank you for always visiting RyanYee.net. Talk to you later. Bye. listen
Powered by Jott
Powered by Jott
Blogging using Jott!
I am trying a new service called Jott.com and I am writting this blog by talking into my telephone and it's transcribed and posted here on Blogger. This is a very cool service. If you want to try it, again I am just calling into telephone. It's transcribing and putting this blog right on here for me. So give it a try. listenPowered by Jott
Gee Family Christmas Party 2007
Gee Family Christmas Party 2007 200
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Mike and Anne again opened their beautiful house to all the family for an early Christmas Party for all the local Gee Family members. My two cousins from Seattle, Kevin and Kirk, also drove down for the festivities. I finally met Kirk's wife, Yumi, and their little daughter, Reina. Santa Scott (another cousin) made a visit to drop off toys for all the kids (SEE pictures at www.YeePhotos.com), a Gee Family tradition going back probably 25 years (grin). We topped it all off with a spirited White Elephant Gift Exchange (there wasn't much stealing this year, though...smile). Thanks again to Mike and Anne...was LOTS of fun for all!
Brandon smiling
Brandon smiling
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Took this with my new Helio cellphone...Brandon has a very sweet smile when he wants to ;-) I'm getting a little crazy with this Helio phone, though. I'm texting from the BART, posting pictures on Flickr, and writing blog entries on MySpace. Talk about being hooked up 24/7! LOL. The other day, a man got on the train and sat next to me...then proceded to take his smelly shoes off. I immediately texted Alexandra and gave her the play-by-play. I held my breath from Embarcadero all the way to 19th Street. Why do people feel they can stretchout on the train like they were at home? hehehe...
Cameron sings with school choir
This is a video taken of Cameron singing with the school choir for the season's Christmas Performance. If you know Cameron, standing in front of a couple hundred people to sing is a BIG accomplishment...I couldn't be prouder! GREAT JOB!
Performance of The Little Match Girl
LMG & School Choir 008
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Maria and I take a picture at the ballet studio with Alexandra after the performance of The Little Match Girl. Alex played the role of The Cat and an Angel. I can't believe it was seven years ago that Alex danced the role of the Little Match Girl...can honestly say that was one of the proudest moments of my life (seeing this little 7-year-old dance a full-length ballet). I'm biased, but she was just as good in this performance, too! hehehe
Maria and me at the ballet studio
LMG & School Choir 011
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
This was taken just after The Little Match Girl performance.
A Yee Family Picture
Thanksgiving Day 2007 034
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Here's a picture of the grandkids with my Dad and Teresa taken in Mike and Anne's kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. Out of the seven grandchildren, my niece Deanna and nephew Jason were not there, but we'll catch them for our early Christmas party on December 8th.
Thanksgiving Day at Anne & Mike's House
Thanksgiving Day 2007 052
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
We stopped by unexpectedly at Anne and Mike's house as they were finishing up on the turkey (grin)...oh, don't worry, I picked the dark meat clean (hehehe). We appreciate them letting us just "drop in" on them. This is a picture of Anne, Maria, Alexandra, and me in the kitchen (where else?).
Our Thanksgiving Day Road Trip Adventure
The Yee Family hit the road in search of adventure and good cheer. After the typical start-of-the-day at Starbucks, Ryan and the kids head toward Berkeley to drop off a turkey dinner to friends and then flowers to relatives. Eventually, they end up at home where Maria has prepared a feast. The family is joined by Nanay and Uncle Alex. Lastly, they drop by and visit Uncle Mike, Auntie Anne, and Mitchell.
112007 YeeCAM
Just saying hello on the week of Thanksgiving and sharing some of the changes we've made to the RyanYee.net blog site. Checkout the YouTube video player at the bottom of the webpage.
PODCAST: Ryan calls from his car in traffic...obviously bored ;-)
Ryan Yee and family create moblog postings from the road using an iPhone.
PODCAST: Nicholas introduces his works-of-art
Nicholas is only six-years-old, but his drawings are REALLY good! I was quite impressed by the level of detail...I wasn't aware of his obvious artistic gifts.Wow, was I surprised! As soon as he showed them to me, I insisted that he record a podcast here on www.ryanyee.net and share his artistic creations with THE WORLD!!! ;-)
And without missing a beat, he recorded this "monologue" in one sitting...IMPRESSIVE!
Click on the audioclip below to hear him explain each picture.
PODCAST: Nicholas creates his own battle pack
Nicholas talks about the battle pack he created based on the popular Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon cards. The cards in the pack really demonstrate a LOT of creativity for a six-year-old. Good job!
Sunday morning ramblings...
On this weekend before Halloween, I'm just relaxing with a cup a coffee and typing this up in bed (smile)...lazy Sunday, so to speak. Been VERY busy at work rolling out new Standard Operating Procedures. I must admit, I like it when I'm very busy.
Also, last week, I started a 12-week online course on developing infoproducts. I'm already getting back into the swing of things being a "student" again. Four other classmates and I formed a Mastermind Group that will start meeting by phone every other Wednesday during the duration of the course...think study group in college (grin). They all sound like terrific people with diverse backgrounds that have the makings for a terrific Mastermind Group...can't wait.
Yes, as planned, I bought Alexandra the Sidekick LX upgrade when it went on sale Wednesday...it must have been a given because the mall salesman already held a box on the side for me when I arrived at the end of the day around 8PM (that can't be good, could it?). Alex is on that gadget every waking minute, but she also brought home an A+ on a recent Science exam...it's hard for me to think she's NOT focusing on things that are important. She's really a good kid (and a teenager, at that!!).
Maria and I had a "date night" yesterday and went to one of our favorite italian restaurants nearby the house...of course, it wasn't the MOST romantic since my 6-year-old decided he wanted to tag along. So, Maria, Nicholas, and I had a quiet, dark, candle-lit table for three in a corner of the large restaurant as a one-man-jazz band played in the background. It was still fun (grin)...Nicholas tells me he has no plans to ever move away (again, this can't be good, could it?).
My mother-in-law and brother-in-law are on their way in to visit for a early dinner, so I better get offline and clean up a bit (smile). Have a good one.
Also, last week, I started a 12-week online course on developing infoproducts. I'm already getting back into the swing of things being a "student" again. Four other classmates and I formed a Mastermind Group that will start meeting by phone every other Wednesday during the duration of the course...think study group in college (grin). They all sound like terrific people with diverse backgrounds that have the makings for a terrific Mastermind Group...can't wait.
Yes, as planned, I bought Alexandra the Sidekick LX upgrade when it went on sale Wednesday...it must have been a given because the mall salesman already held a box on the side for me when I arrived at the end of the day around 8PM (that can't be good, could it?). Alex is on that gadget every waking minute, but she also brought home an A+ on a recent Science exam...it's hard for me to think she's NOT focusing on things that are important. She's really a good kid (and a teenager, at that!!).
Maria and I had a "date night" yesterday and went to one of our favorite italian restaurants nearby the house...of course, it wasn't the MOST romantic since my 6-year-old decided he wanted to tag along. So, Maria, Nicholas, and I had a quiet, dark, candle-lit table for three in a corner of the large restaurant as a one-man-jazz band played in the background. It was still fun (grin)...Nicholas tells me he has no plans to ever move away (again, this can't be good, could it?).
My mother-in-law and brother-in-law are on their way in to visit for a early dinner, so I better get offline and clean up a bit (smile). Have a good one.
YeeCAM 102107: Nicholas creates his own "Gym Deck" fighting cards
Nicholas introduces his "Gym Deck" based upon the popular Yu-Gi-Oh cards. I think he's been paying attention that Maria, Cameron, and I have been going to our local gym a lot lately. The kid is obviously very observant!
A rare portrait of my Grandmother
091507 - Mitchell's Birthday 2007 008
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
My Dad went back to China and visited some property that was still in the family. A relative said that there was a picture of my Dad's sister in the attic. When the picture was brought down, though, my Dad told them, "Hey, that's not my sister! That's a picture of my Mom!" I know that he has so few pictures of his mom (my grandmother), so I'm sure this portrait of her was very precious, indeed. I took a picture of it at my newphew's birthday party on 09/15/07.
Nicholas, The Ghost Boy!
Halloween is rapidly coming up...take a WILD guess what Nicholas will be for Halloween???
Ah, coffee in the morning ;-)
Maria and I are relaxing in the brand new Starbucks Coffee Shop that just opened this past Monday near my house. I was ALSO one of the first through the drive-thru that morning at 5:10 AM! Just heard a great new album by Gloria Estefan (I like it, gotta get it!) and now they're playing a cool jazzy album by Diana Krall...I could sit here ALL day listening to this! Of course, I couldn't go ANYWHERE without my trusty laptop and portable Verizon Internet connection. How else could I blog you all like this? ;-) If you don't have a portable Internet connection ($59/month), you may wanna consider getting one. Mine is a USB type, so I can literally go to ANY computer, pop the USB modem into it, and voila...Internet access! For those of you who know me pretty well, do you SEE the value here? hehehe...
We're talking anywhere "blogging," "music downloading," "Slingbox television viewing," "MSNBC news reading," "emailing," "YouTubing," "MapQuesting," "Yahoo'ing," "Googling," "picture posting on Flickr," etc., etc. It's a nerdboy's paradise!!!
I have a long weekend this weekend due to Columbus Day (yup, I couldn't believe I get that day off either...hehehe). Have a terrific weekend.
We're talking anywhere "blogging," "music downloading," "Slingbox television viewing," "MSNBC news reading," "emailing," "YouTubing," "MapQuesting," "Yahoo'ing," "Googling," "picture posting on Flickr," etc., etc. It's a nerdboy's paradise!!!
I have a long weekend this weekend due to Columbus Day (yup, I couldn't believe I get that day off either...hehehe). Have a terrific weekend.
Alexandra & Maria see Justin Timberlake
Thanks to my good friend, Judi, we got some free tickets to go see Justin Timberlake at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. I drove Alexandra and Maria down to the arena and dropped them off for a mother-daughter night ;-)
They said the concert was pretty awesome!
I took off and visited my Auntie Willy, Uncle Ed, and cousin Wendy, who I haven't seen in months. As they fed me, we talked about anything and everything, past and present. It was a long dinner conversation that lasted probably three hours. I can't think of a more engaging three hours I've had in the last several months. Fun!
Then, Maria and Alexandra called me to pick them up at our pre-arranged location...got home a little after midnight. What a fun evening...not bad for a Sunday ;-)
They said the concert was pretty awesome!I took off and visited my Auntie Willy, Uncle Ed, and cousin Wendy, who I haven't seen in months. As they fed me, we talked about anything and everything, past and present. It was a long dinner conversation that lasted probably three hours. I can't think of a more engaging three hours I've had in the last several months. Fun!
Then, Maria and Alexandra called me to pick them up at our pre-arranged location...got home a little after midnight. What a fun evening...not bad for a Sunday ;-)
Luis Miguel at Concord Pavillion
Maria and I saw Luis Miguel in concert at the Concord Pavillion last night. We had excellent seats about 7 rows from the stage...terrific view.We first started to like Luis Miguel after hearing the song, "No Se Tu," in the movie, "Speechless," with Geena Davis and Michael Keaton. Their car gets stuck in the middle of nowhere and they hitch a ride in the back of a truck and this song is playing on the car radio while they talk about their relationship. It becomes "their song" and is playing when they make up at the end of the movie, as well.
In any case, it's a really romantic song that got Maria and me exploring more of Luis Miguel's songbook. Obviously, "No Se Tu" is not the only romantic ballad in his repertoire (watch/listen to "O Tu O Ninguna," which was obviously filmed in San Francisco). For years, now, we've enjoyed a LOT of his CD collections. He's one of the few artists that we've always wanted to see, but hadn't...well, until yesterday.
And Concord Pavillion is a wonderful venue for this kind of music, being an outdoor amphitheater. We had a great time...
Maria's Birthday at Albion River Inn
I kidnapped Maria on Sunday and took her to Albion River Inn (6 miles south of Mendocino). We stayed at this inn 17 years ago on our 1st Anniversary...thought it was about time we returned. We had a VERY nice room that overlooked the ocean. The view from our patio was breathtaking.
The inn served a terrific breakfast the next morning...again, overlooking the beautiful Albion River. Our room came equipped with a spa tub with a window to the ocean. What a wonderful trip...Happy Birthday, Mady! Let's do it again, soon!
The inn served a terrific breakfast the next morning...again, overlooking the beautiful Albion River. Our room came equipped with a spa tub with a window to the ocean. What a wonderful trip...Happy Birthday, Mady! Let's do it again, soon!
Nicholas shows Mitchell & Curtis how to use ToonTown.com
So, just in case you think the youth of today might have trouble keeping up with the rapid advances in technology this day and age, take a look at these three kids playing on ToonTown.com. I don't think they'll have any problems whatsoever ;-)
Lisa and I have a laugh...
My sister Lisa and I are looking at old family pictures at Mike and Anne's house. We're having a blast. So many memories. If you want to look at some of these pictures too, go to http://www.yeephotos.com/ and check it out. I'll post more pictures later.In this picture, my cousin Scott joined us...haven't seen him in ages, but it was nice catching up with him and his family at the party.
Brandon performs IronMan on Guitar Hero II
In honor of Uncle Alex's Canada IronMan triumph, Brandon (on his own) decided to serenade him with his own version of the song, "Iron Man," on Guitar Hero II. VERY cool!
Deer Valley Dance Squad Performs During Football Half-Time
Here is the Deer Valley Dance Squad performing at this evening's Friday Night football game during half-time.
Alexandra is on the very end on the right when they start to do the line kicks. The team did a great job! Good going!
Alexandra is on the very end on the right when they start to do the line kicks. The team did a great job! Good going!
Happy 10th Birthday to Brandon!
Our family happily celebrated Brandon's 10th Birthday one day early since I was pretty sure I'd have to work a little later on his actual birthday.This picture was taken in Jack London Square just after we had sushi at Yoshi's (SEE building in the background). We walked across the street afterwards and had ice cream and Ben & Jerry's.
Brandon got some pretty cool gifts, like a DNA lab kit, fingerprinting set, and a mailbox (don't ask...). Wow, can't believe he's ten now...time goes by FAST!
YeeCAM: Labor Day Weekend in Review
Hope you had a terrific Labor Day Weekend. I've been off work on vacation for almost two weeks...and I loved EVERY minute of it ;-) I have to go back to work tomorrow and the kids start high school, middle school, and homeschool tomorrow...fun! This YeeCAM is our Labor Day Weekend in review.
Happy Birthday, Uncle Mike
Me and Nicholas wishing Mike a Happy Belated Birthday AND Anniversary. Recorded on Labor Day Monday, 09/03/2007.
Lazy Labor Day Monday!
So far, I'm having a VERY lazy Labor Day Monday. I have to go back to work tomorrow after almost two weeks off (grrrrrrrrrrrrr). I'd like to say I'm looking forward to getting back to work, but I would be lying (hehehehe). I could easily play hookie for another two weeks ;-)Brandon and Nicholas took this picture with me while I was watching the U.S. Open Tennis on TV. I wanted to go workout today, but the health club is closed for the holiday. I must say, I've been doing pretty well exercising one hour a day...sometimes twice a day. I'm definitely keeping my weight in check. Not doing anything fancy. Just mainly "moving" and getting that good ol' metabolism going. I do at least 30 minutes on the treadmill at a pretty good pace. Then, Cameron and I usually workout with the weight machines for another 30 minutes. I'm slowly but surely increasing the amount of weights I use. Believe it or not, we actually enjoy the workouts (grin).
I'm trying very hard not to make these workouts too crazy. I know I can burn out VERY quickly. I'm just keeping at a "regular" and "steady" pace and maintaining exercise workouts as an everyday activity into my life--like brushing one's teeth. It's been one month now and I'm feeling great! Now, it's time to get BUFFED! ;-)
Just enjoying the Labor Day Weekend!
We're in the middle of the long Labor Day Weekend and counting down to returning to work after a two-week vacation and school (Alexandra starts high school, Cameron returns to middle school, and Brandon and Nicholas continue being homeschooled by Maria).Yesterday, we went to a new restaurant that just opened up in town...Cocina Medina. VERY good food! I kept stealing some of Alexandra's chili verde...yum! My pork flautas were pretty awesome, too!
Today, we're pretty much taking it easy enjoying the U.S. Open tennis on TV. We're going for a late lunch shortly. Maria and I (joined by Brandon this week) have already had our morning coffee at Peet's. Nothing like reading the paper and chit-chatting over a good cup of coffee.
The Bay Bridge is still closed for retrofitting. Sure hope they open it up on time for the Tuesday morning commute. Hope you're having a terrific weekend and enjoying the last week of Summer.
Alex Competes in 2007 Canada IronMan
Maria and her mom travelled to Canada last week to cheer her brother, Alex, on in the 2007 Canada IronMan. This is Alex's fourth competition and he finished the 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26 miles of running in a little over 16 hours (WOW). He was definitely a little dehydrated near the end of the race, but he finished ;-)If you want to see more photos, click on the picture to go to the photo set on Flickr.com.
Yay! He did it! Alex completes the 2007 Canadian IronMan
We are soooooooooooooooooo proud of Maria's brother, Alex. As you can see from the snapshot I took on the 2007 Canadian IronMan website, my brother-in-law completed 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26.2 miles of running in 16:36:50!!When I called Maria yesterday, she said Alex was quite a bit dehydrated and needed an IV after crossing the finish line. It must have been terrific to have Maria and her mother there to see him bring it to the finish line.
We are VERY proud of you here back in the States. It kinda makes my 2 miles in 35 minutes on the treadmill look rather silly...I'll just fall back on the fact that I'm in another age category (hehehe). Good job, Alex. You're our hero for SURE!
And he's off and swimming...
My brother-in-law, Alex, is competing in the IronMan Canada again this year...NOW, in fact. He started swimming at 0700 this morning with my wife (his sister) Maria and his mom cheering him on. He finished swimming 2.4 miles in 1:57:56. Yay, Alex! You go!I was watching the postings this morning and didn't see any numbers at the time--this often means the swimmer didn't finish in time.
But, just as I was about to call Maria and say Alex did a good job anyway, BAM, his time posted. I called about 5 minutes after Alex got out of the water and ran to continue on bike...112 miles to be exact. According to the screenshot, Alex completed the first 40 miles so far in 2:34:48. WOW, he's good!
Once Alex gets past the swimming portion, he's pretty much homefree because he's an awesome biker and runner (his real strengths)!! The kids and I are cheering him on from home. GO ALEX!
Working Out at In-Shape - 3 Weeks and Counting!
The Yee Family is getting fit! We joined a brand new fitness club that's one block away from our house. It's 60,000 square feet and has racquetball, basketball, and indoor AND outdoor pools. It also has a kids area that has video games, rock climbing, and other activities - Brandon and Nicholas love it!
I'm proud to say that Maria and I workout EVERY morning at 4 AM when the club opens (since I have to leave for work at 5:10 AM). Then, when I get home, the kids like to go again at around 7 PM. So, I've been exercising a couple hours a day. Those of you who know me know THAT's quite a feat! hahaha! My heart rate is already dropping on the treadmill even though I'm walking at a pretty fast rate.
Oh trust me, I'm going to be hecka fit!
Dave Koz plays "You Make Me Smile"
Dave Koz played this at the Rodney Strong Winery this past weekend. Found this on YouTube. The song is "You Make Me Smile."
YeeCAM 080707 - Dave Koz And Friends Concert
Our friends Gary and Val treated us to a FANTASTIC concert at the Rodney Strong Winery in Healdsburg today...Dave Koz and Friends (David Benoit, Phil Perry, and Kelly Sweet)! Wow, what an AWESOME concert...and the Chardonnay wasn't bad either (grin). It was a LOT of fun...thanks so much, Gary and Val. We owe you BIG TIME!
Bourne Ultimatum was AWESOME!
I saw this movie tonight with Cameron and Junior. WOW, it was AWESOME! Go see it...highly recommended!
072807 - Weekend in July 048
072807 - Weekend in July 048
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
This is kind of a funny picture of Alexandra and Nicholas goofing around in the car while I was shopping at Best Buy. That look on Nicky's face is priceless! LOL
What a GREAT Birthday yesterday!!!
It's back to work today...bummer, especially when I had such a terrific birthday yesterday. Just wanted to share all the pictures we took...thanks to Maria and the kids - I had a wonderful day! Click on this picture to go to the photo set on Flickr.com.
Ryan's Birthday!!!
Well, today is my birthday and I took the day-off. Click on the video to see what we've done to celebrate sooooooooooo far! ;-)
Last day being 44...
Okay, this is it. I turn 45 tomorrow! To mark my last day as a 44-year-old, I went for a physical--my first since maybe 1997. Just wanted to make sure nothing was going to fall off, etc. hehehe. I'll be damned if they didn't decide to give me a tetanus shot--my left arm is sore after 6 1/2 hours. Anyway, with the exception of the 10 pounds I've put on over the last year, Dr. Eichel gave me a relatively clean bill-of-health. I'm taking tomorrow off to spend with the family...I think I'll buy me something real nice (grin).
Nepal reviews 'living goddess' decision - Yahoo! News
Nepal reviews 'living goddess' decision - Yahoo! News -- Wow, I don't think I've EVER heard about this "living goddess" status in Nepal. How interesting, even though the current living goddess is in deep trouble for having traveled abroad -- a big no-no traditionally. Nepal may strip her of the "living goddess" designation. Read about it by clicking on the link above.
20 Dates for Under $20 -- Yahoo! Personals
20 Dates for Under $20 -- Yahoo! Personals -- Maria and I tried Date #1 a few weeks ago...yup, it works! We did Date #10, but that was with the kids in Alameda, so I'm not sure THAT counts! LOL! There ARE some good ideas on this list of cheap dates...wonder which ones I'll try next? ;-)
FILMED BY BRANDON: Nicholas discusses his drawings
This video was totally directed, recorded, and produced by my 9-year-old son, Brandon. He's using a camcorder for kids that he just picked up today. I didn't help him at all. He learned how to use the camera right out of the package by reading the directions. WOW, pretty cool!
Yeah, Yeah! Met Usher at Everett & Jones BBQ
Well, now THIS was a nice way to end the weekend. The kids wanted to eat BBQ at Everett & Jones in Jack London Square, Oakland.While we were eating, in walks Usher, obviously in town for Tuesday's All-Star Baseball Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Alexandra and Stacy couldn't stop staring at him even though I ordered over $100 worth of BBQ (we have a BIG family...hehehe). They waited patiently for him to finish his meal before they ran over to his table with my iPhone to take a picture. Some lady offered to take the picture and it was a good one with Alexandra, Stacy, Junior, and Cameron in the picture. Unfortunately the 'ol bitty pressed the wrong button, DAMMIT!
Well, Usher and date started to head out the back door and into their car parked on Broadway & 2nd. My heart kinda sunk because this really was a once-in-a-lifetime for the girls. So, I chased after him onto the street and asked him to PLEASE take another pic with the kids. He was nice about it, though he warned me NOT to sneak a picture otherwise he wouldn't let me. Of course, I promised not to shoot until he was ready (LOL). He told Alexandra, Stacy, and Junior to run over to join him and he said, "Ready, set, go!"
SNAP!
I took the picture, thanked him, and there you have it. Slightly blurry, but hell, Usher wasn't about to wait much longer. Hehehe. In any case, he made their day! Thanks, Usher!
A Wimbledon Weekend...
It's Sunday morning...
Maria and I have been up since 5:30 AM to watch the Wimbledon Men's Final...Federer vs. Nadal. WOW! What a GREAT match so far. At the time I'm blogging this, Federer leads 2 sets to 1, but Nadal is about to win the 4th set being ahead 5-2. They just said on TV that Federer has never had to play a 5-set match at Wimbledon. This is getting REAL good.
We watched Venus Williams win the Women's Final yesterday...good for her! She played awesome.
Maria and I have already had coffee at Peet's Coffee, picked up two dozen donuts (I have 8 kids sleeping at my house...don't ask...hehehe), and read the Sunday paper. Now, we're just relaxing and enjoying the tennis match.
Oh, by the way, Nadal JUST won the 4th set...we're onto the 5th and final set...WOW!
Maria and I have been up since 5:30 AM to watch the Wimbledon Men's Final...Federer vs. Nadal. WOW! What a GREAT match so far. At the time I'm blogging this, Federer leads 2 sets to 1, but Nadal is about to win the 4th set being ahead 5-2. They just said on TV that Federer has never had to play a 5-set match at Wimbledon. This is getting REAL good.
We watched Venus Williams win the Women's Final yesterday...good for her! She played awesome.
Maria and I have already had coffee at Peet's Coffee, picked up two dozen donuts (I have 8 kids sleeping at my house...don't ask...hehehe), and read the Sunday paper. Now, we're just relaxing and enjoying the tennis match.
Oh, by the way, Nadal JUST won the 4th set...we're onto the 5th and final set...WOW!
The iPhone is MINE, dammit! ;-)
I got one! I got one! I got one!And don't think for a second that all my kids are sick of hearing about it...hahaha. Yup, I stood in line (but ONLY for three hours) and got the very LAST iPhone at the AT&T Store near my house. No, I didn't get the 8 gig version because they ran out by the time I got to the front of the line. But, trust me, the 4 gig works JUST fine. I purchased the cheapest AT&T phone plan (don't need it really since I already have a blackberry with the company). For $59/month, I can watch unlimited YouTube (and EVERYONE knows I watch THAT!), unlimited websurfing using Apple's Safari browser, and unlimited e-mail (ALL of my email accounts!!!). I've been one happy camper this past weekend. No, I didn't have ANY activation issues with my phone. And surprisingly, I had absolutely NO buyer's regret--that tells you something about this phone. Get one! Get one! Get one!
Ryan Yee on MySpace.com
Okay, you knew I'd have to breakdown eventually and officially sign-up for MySpace.com. I've been avoiding it like the plague...surely it was just a teenybopper site for the under 20 set, right? I've been watching Alexandra and Cameron use it for over a year now--I truly had no interest to set up yet another blog, social networking site, or photo/video sharing page.
But, like Microsoft, Google, and iPods/iTunes, it's hard to avoid something that EVERYONE uses. We over 40 folks have to face technological advances with the fearlessness and wonder of our younger peers ;-)
I set up my MySpace page in one morning...tweaking the backgrounds, playing with colored text, adding a slideshow, picking JUST the right music, writing a new blog entry, blah, blah, blah. I must say, it looks pretty good: www.MySpace.com/ryanyeeonline.
And I now have three "friends" if you wanna call them that: Alexandra, Cameron, and Stacy (Alex's friend). LOL, I'm soooooooooooooooooooo popular.
But, like Microsoft, Google, and iPods/iTunes, it's hard to avoid something that EVERYONE uses. We over 40 folks have to face technological advances with the fearlessness and wonder of our younger peers ;-)
I set up my MySpace page in one morning...tweaking the backgrounds, playing with colored text, adding a slideshow, picking JUST the right music, writing a new blog entry, blah, blah, blah. I must say, it looks pretty good: www.MySpace.com/ryanyeeonline.
And I now have three "friends" if you wanna call them that: Alexandra, Cameron, and Stacy (Alex's friend). LOL, I'm soooooooooooooooooooo popular.
WOW, 18 Years Strong!
Today, Maria and I celebrated our 18th Anniversary with the kids. We ate at Mimosa Cafe, which is right next door to the beauty salon that Maria had her hair done on the morning of our wedding (not planned, but kinda cool). We took the kids to play in Astro Park, which is right across from Our Lady Of Lourdes where we got married. We meant to take some pictures nearby, but I think we forgot ;-)
In celebration of our anniversary, I put together another slideshow to the music of Eric Benet, "The Last Time." We decided that this song was pretty much written about us...love ya, Mady!
In celebration of our anniversary, I put together another slideshow to the music of Eric Benet, "The Last Time." We decided that this song was pretty much written about us...love ya, Mady!
We saw Pixar's "Ratatouille" today!
Our family had a night out at the movies and saw a pre-screening of Pixar's "Ratatouille." It was EXCELLENT! The kids and Maria took me out for an early Father's Day and we all enjoyed the movie. Tomorrow, Maria and I celebrate our 18th Anniversary, so we wanted to do Father's Day early. Anyway, this movie will be out next week, I believe. Take a look at the clip from YouTube below.
Maria and Me at The Police Concert
I'm having a terrific vacation week...I keep telling my company that I may NOT be returning! Maria and I saw The Police yesterday night at the baseball stadium. I was wondering where all the over 40 folks were hiding in the Bay Area...we found them last night at the concert! LOL
I haven't been around so many drunk, pot-smoking people in the last 10 years (grin)...we smelled like a combination of Cuervo and marijuana...I think we were getting high on second-hand pot while Sting sang "Don't Stand So Close To Me." Thank goodness I'm not at work this week...not sure I'd pass the random drug-testing (hahaha). We had a GREAT time...saw Mike, Anne, and Cousin Wendy in the audience, as well!
I haven't been around so many drunk, pot-smoking people in the last 10 years (grin)...we smelled like a combination of Cuervo and marijuana...I think we were getting high on second-hand pot while Sting sang "Don't Stand So Close To Me." Thank goodness I'm not at work this week...not sure I'd pass the random drug-testing (hahaha). We had a GREAT time...saw Mike, Anne, and Cousin Wendy in the audience, as well!
Eric Benet Sings "The Last Time"
This is OUR song (Maria and me)! Eric Benet sings this on Larry King Live with David Foster on piano. Hmmmmmmmm, maybe this will be our 18th Anniversary song ;-) ENJOY!
ENCORE Homeschooling Share Fair 2007
Every year, our homeschooling program holds a year-end share fair for all the families. The kids share some of their projects that they did during the school year. Also, the kids receive various achievement awards from the "parents" during an awards ceremony. Very nice program.
1997 ARCHIVE: Alexandra Teases Cameron
The title kinda speaks for itself. These two are now 14 and 12 years old and they STILL fight and tease each other (LOL).
Brandon and Nicholas discuss their day
Taken on 052607 (over the Memorial Day weekend) using my new Flip Video camcorder, which is about the size of a regular digital camera. It takes great video and transfers directly to my laptop through the USB port quickly and easily. Brandon discusses what he did over the weekend and Nicholas recalls seeing a brush fire in the valley.
Alexandra & Stacy Take Off to Washington, D.C.
The girls were videotaped at SFO getting ready to catch an 11:05 PM flight to Washington, D.C. Alexandra and Stacy will be in D.C. for one week visiting all the historical sites with 100 or so other kids from their school. I was working onsite and filmed this using my new Flip Video camcorder.
Tribute to My Mom: Belated Mother's Day Remembrance
This was one of the first slideshows I put together using Photostory. I had just scanned some old pictures of my mother, who passed away back in 1983. I really just wanted to practice using the software and threw this together in about 10 minutes. I added a song by Chris Botti with Paula Cole on vocals - I didn't think it would turn out this touching. Guess I didn't realize how much I missed her. Note, the opening is an audioclip of a message my mother left me on my old answering machine reminding me to set my clock back for Daylight Savings Time...hehehe, funny how the silliest things mean so much years later. (smile)
Ryan & Maria - It Might Be You...
This is a slideshow created for Valentine's Day. The song is by India.Arie.
Did you see American Idol last night?
I think Melinda Doolittle got robbed. She should NOT have been booted off American Idol. She is by far the BEST singer. SEE YouTube.com video below.
Cameron and I attend GAME 4 of the NBA Playoffs
In celebration of Cameron's birthday, he and I went to Game 4 of the NBA Playoff between our Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz. The only seats left were in the luxury boxes (oh, poooooooooor us ;-) We have a terrific time...too bad our team loss. Well, it was still a pretty awesome experience!
Lexi Dancing "Get It Shawty"
This video was taken last night at Alexandra's school's Talent Show. She did GREAT! Enjoy...
Blogging from the WaterPark
Okay, I KNOW I've never done THIS before? The boys wanted to go to the local waterpark today (it's getting up into the 80s here), so here I am (white as a ghost) sitting under the shade blogging on RyanYee.net (hehehe). Oh, don't worry, I'm going into the water sometime during the next four hours (grin). But, since I haven't done a very good job keeping my blog up-to-date lately, I figured this would be as good a time as any...so here we go...
First of all, I am SUCH the nerdboy...I'm blogging on my wireless laptop, I'm watching TV on Slingbox, AND I'm listening to XM Satellite Radio. I have two books with me that I plan to read between now and 4PM. As Maria would say, you are SUCH the nerd! I'm really not that bad, but I can't help but take advantage of ALL technologies that we have available at our fingertips.
...the sad thing is that I just bought my 9-year-old a small, on-sale laptop and he's rapidly continuing the nerdboy tradition (LOL).
Back at the waterpark, there's only a baby and his mother and some young boy swimming laps. We are the ONLY people here in this huge waterpark. It just opened for free swimming at 12 noon, but it's already 12:30 with no one else in sight. LOL, this is going to be fun! Nicholas is playing splash on the steps of the pool while Brandon is snorkling (don't ask...) and Cameron is swimming under water. They're having a terrific time.
Speaking of Cameron, he and I are going to celebrate his birthday with our wonderful Golden State Warriors. I have tickets in the luxury box for Game 4 of the Round 2 Playoffs. Just found out last night that we're facing the Utah Jazz (sorry Houston, we would have liked to see Yao Ming, too!). I've never been in a luxury box before and my friend Violett thinks I'm more excited than the birthday boy (LOL), which is probably the truth! I'll let you all know how nice it was...do you think rich folk mind someone with a digital camera snapping away? LOL!
Well, my work is done here...blogging out. Have a wonderful week everyone!
First of all, I am SUCH the nerdboy...I'm blogging on my wireless laptop, I'm watching TV on Slingbox, AND I'm listening to XM Satellite Radio. I have two books with me that I plan to read between now and 4PM. As Maria would say, you are SUCH the nerd! I'm really not that bad, but I can't help but take advantage of ALL technologies that we have available at our fingertips.
...the sad thing is that I just bought my 9-year-old a small, on-sale laptop and he's rapidly continuing the nerdboy tradition (LOL).
Back at the waterpark, there's only a baby and his mother and some young boy swimming laps. We are the ONLY people here in this huge waterpark. It just opened for free swimming at 12 noon, but it's already 12:30 with no one else in sight. LOL, this is going to be fun! Nicholas is playing splash on the steps of the pool while Brandon is snorkling (don't ask...) and Cameron is swimming under water. They're having a terrific time.
Speaking of Cameron, he and I are going to celebrate his birthday with our wonderful Golden State Warriors. I have tickets in the luxury box for Game 4 of the Round 2 Playoffs. Just found out last night that we're facing the Utah Jazz (sorry Houston, we would have liked to see Yao Ming, too!). I've never been in a luxury box before and my friend Violett thinks I'm more excited than the birthday boy (LOL), which is probably the truth! I'll let you all know how nice it was...do you think rich folk mind someone with a digital camera snapping away? LOL!
Well, my work is done here...blogging out. Have a wonderful week everyone!
Taking Pictures on My Grandparents' Front Steps
Ryan Yee writes:I didn't have time to write in my blog last weekend, but our family revisited my grandparents' totally remodeled house near Chinatown last Easter weekend. They both passed away many years ago and the old family house went to my uncles. They took over three years to remodel the three floor house and the results can be seen in pictures I uploaded to www.YeePhotos.com.
This picture is similar to all those family pictures we use to take in the "olden days" where ALL relatives stood on these big red stairs and had their pictures taken. I'll have to find some of those old ones and post them here on www.RyanYee.net. It sure brought back some great memories.
We also had an Easter Egg Hunt in our neighbor...it's become a new family tradition. I'll post a picture on my next blog posting. Have a terrific weekend.
YeeCAM 033107 - Darn, I Have To Go To Work!
I'm on my way into work on a Saturday. Hope this doesn't become a "habit!" Hope you're having a nice weekend, though ;-)
YeeCAM 032407 - Now I've REALLY Lost It!
Here I am playing with my new Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision...my family says I've really lost it now! Yeah, I look pretty stupid LOL!
YeeCAM 031807 - Eating Everywhere on a Saturday Night
Yesterday, we started out just going for dinner. But, as the evening progressed, we added shopping, lasertag, and ice cream! LOL, wow, THAT was fun!
YeeCAM 031707 - Brandon Discusses His Day
Brandon reviews the day's activities and contemplates where the family should go to dinner. Nicholas jumps on the bed in the background.
YeeCAM 031507 - Trying Out Our New Webcam
Ryan and Brandon try out the new webcam. No, we didn't really have much to say today (grin).
Celebrating the BIG 4-0 with Maria's Brother, Alex
031007 - Uncle Alex's Birthday Party 105
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Hehehe, Alex ain't the type to worry about posting his age on the Internet (grin)...he'll never catch up to me and Maria anyway (haha).
Yesterday, we celebrated Alex's birthday with probably 25-30 of his friends, colleagues, and fellow "Iron Man" trainees. It was a lot of fun. If you want to see more pictures, CLICK HERE.
Alex is a great guy. Such a diverse group of friends from all over...that really says a lot about him as a person, too. Congrats again, Alex! And thanks for inviting our family to celebrate with you and your friends.
Celebrating Alexandra's Birthday
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Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Here we are at The Elephant Bar celebrating Alexandra's Birthday. Her two friends, Stacy and Jr., joined us. We had to wait 50 minutes to get seated, but that's pretty typical during the dinner rush. It was worth it!
Cameron Make Honor Roll
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Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
This picture was taken of Cameron at his middle school's Honor Roll Ceremony. Both Cameron and Alexandra made the Honor Roll for the second straight quarter. We're very proud of both of them. See more pictures at www.YeePhotos.com.
Wow, we're having a college FLASHBACK!
After a lot of running around with the kids this President's Day, Maria and I dropped them off at home with Nanay, who is visiting for a few days, and took off to the newly opened Cham Am Thai Restaurant--just the two of us ;-)
Maria said she had to work on her lesson plans for homeschooling tonight. I suggested that we head to a relatively deserted Starbucks in town...she agreed. Now, she's sitting in a quiet back area in the coffee shop and writing up her lesson plans. I'm sitting next to her totally logged into the Internet and surfing and blogging away on a wireless connection. We're laughing because this SOOOOOOOOOOO reminds us of sitting up on the fifth floor of Moffitt Library on the campus of U.C. Berkeley studying way into the night sneaking sips of coffee.
We're definitely having a deja vu moment.
Our youngest one has already called Maria on her cellphone twice, but he's just letting us know that he's watching his Teen Titans DVD.
This Starbucks is almost completely deserted and stays open for another 90 minutes. The counterlady already offered me food samples on the house so that we'd try some of their products. Since we just ate about an hour ago, I'm not REALLY hungry, but I'm sure that'll change in 30 minutes or so ;-)
This is fun!
Maria said she had to work on her lesson plans for homeschooling tonight. I suggested that we head to a relatively deserted Starbucks in town...she agreed. Now, she's sitting in a quiet back area in the coffee shop and writing up her lesson plans. I'm sitting next to her totally logged into the Internet and surfing and blogging away on a wireless connection. We're laughing because this SOOOOOOOOOOO reminds us of sitting up on the fifth floor of Moffitt Library on the campus of U.C. Berkeley studying way into the night sneaking sips of coffee.
We're definitely having a deja vu moment
Our youngest one has already called Maria on her cellphone twice, but he's just letting us know that he's watching his Teen Titans DVD.
This Starbucks is almost completely deserted and stays open for another 90 minutes. The counterlady already offered me food samples on the house so that we'd try some of their products. Since we just ate about an hour ago, I'm not REALLY hungry, but I'm sure that'll change in 30 minutes or so ;-)
This is fun!
Valentine's Day at Menara Moroccan Restaurant
021407-Valentine's Day 012
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
If you've never had Moroccan food, run (don't walk) to Menara Moroccan Restaurant in San Jose. It's been around for over 25 years or so. Maria and I went there on Valentine's Day (don't pass on the Menara "Magic" drinks...juice mixed with rum...delicious!!). We had a 7-course meal with chicken (that literally fell off the bone), lamb, meat/nut pastry, couscous, and a terrific dessert. VERY romantic, I might add ;-)
Go to www.YeePhotos.com to see more pictures.
We FINALLY got it -- the Wii is OURS!
Okay, I finally did it...I got my hands on that elusive Wii. But, OH, was it ever so challenging!
This morning, I woke up rather early, went to get coffee at Starbucks, picked up a Sunday newspaper, and drove back home to drop everything off with Maria. I decided I wanted to go to the flea market since there were no dark rainy clouds threatening to wash it out. Boy, was I wrong...I guess everyone endured the rainstorm last night and planned on not selling at the flea market today. I was the ONLY one there, no cars in the lot, no vendors, no nothing!
I decided to round up the family and go get dim sum...as I was changing and shaving my head, I happened to glance at the Sunday paper I bought earlier. On page 2 of Target advertisement, my eyes fell upon a simple ad that said, "Nintendo Wii on Sale Sunday; limit one per customer."
Oh hell! I've been up all this time and didn't know they were going on sale this morning...now it was 11:30 AM and the store's been open for sometime now. I rallied the boys into the car and literally FLEW to our local target (a good 15 minutes away). Ran into the store, hurried to electronics, browsed the glass case, and saw a big, empty shelf! Yikes!! I asked the salesman if he ran out of Wii's and he said, "Yeah, about an hour ago." Oh dammit!
But, being the nice guy that he was, he mentioned that the Lodi target still had seven units in stock. What? Really? Lodi? Where's that? He retrieved the address and phone number of the store for me and I called them to get directions. It was a good 30 miles or so away.
I called Maria on the cellphone and asked if she wouldn't mind if we went to Lodi...she signed, "Okay." The whole family got in the car and drove FAST to the Lodi store. Cameron and I ran in--I couldn't help but notice that a young guy standing near the door had already purchased two Wii's (I subtracted two in my head from the seven in stock). I hurried through the aisles and saw another guy with a Wii in hand (okay, minus one more from the stock). Got to Electronics...to my joy and happiness, I saw about six units on the shelf. Obviously, the original count was a little off.
Me to the salesman, "I'll take it!!!"
We celebrated my conquest by lunching at the local Lodi Chili's (lol).
And what did YOU do today? ;-)
Ryan & Maria Celebrate Chinese New Year
021007 017
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
I'm getting VERY good at taking our picture with one hand. It's all in the centering of the camera's lens (hehehe). Here we are at the restaurant last night celebrating an early Chinese New Year with the whole family (father, siblings, and their families). Lots and lots of food! Afterwards, we stopped over at Fenton's Ice Creamery to top off the evening with what else...ICE CREAM!!! And of course, it was raining hard last night.
The Yee Grandkids Enjoy Early Chinese New Year
021007 010
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
We all gathered for an early Chinese New Year dinner hosted by my Dad on Saturday, February 10th. The food was VERY filling. We took lots of pictures if you want to check them out at www.YeePhotos.com.
Picture: (from L to R) Brandon, Nicholas, Jason, Mitchell, Cameron, Deanna, & Alexandra.
The 13 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions : Yahoo! Finance
The 13 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions : Yahoo! Finance -- As Maria and I prepare our taxes, I happened to stumble onto this helpful article on the most overlooked tax deductions. Who knows? It may help you...thought I'd pass it forward.
Cosmic Bowling Night
020307 005
Originally uploaded by Ryan Yee.
Took the boys to late night Cosmic Bowling with strobelights, music videos, and blacklight bowling pins. We were there until well after midnight ;-) We all had a LOT of fun! They played five games over two hours (we could have stayed for three). Great deal at $15 a piece--we're already planning our next bowling night. It reminded me and Maria of going out late into the morning on the weekend with friends. Of course, that didn't include any 5-year-olds, but we're crazy that way!
Super Bowl on Yahoo! Food
Super Bowl on Yahoo! Food -- If you still haven't planned your Super Bowl menu for tomorrow's game, you may want to click on this link ;-)
Nicholas & Brandon
I like this picture of the two boys primarily because Brandon (on the right) didn't close his eyes to avoid the flash. This picture was taken on 02/01/07 and their Dad harassed them until they agreed to take about six pictures in a row (LOL). They're good sports. You can see more pictures at our family picture site, www.YeePhotos.com.
A house in turmoil...paint, paint, paint!
Quick update--our house is moving right along with all the stuff we're doing to it. Yesterday, the painters started painting Alexandra's room and Nicholas and Brandon's room. The kids are doing a room-swap. I'm sooooooooo glad we hired reasonably-priced painters to do the job with all the prepping and wallpaper-peeling that went on. They had to prime the walls first, too. Today, they're back and finishing up the two rooms, then moving onto the hallway and staircase. Then, on Monday, they'll paint our master bedroom--we picked "Zen" colors (smile). Should be a wonderful "retreat" when we're done. In a week, we move on to the total recarpeting of our second floor. Lastly, our new bedroom set is delivered. Maria and I have waited oh some 12 years to get all this done--we're quite excited on how this will all turn out. Have a wonderful weekend!
Magazine: McDonald's coffee beats Starbucks - Food Inc. - MSNBC.com
Magazine: McDonald's coffee beats Starbucks - Food Inc. - MSNBC.com -- WOW, now THIS was a surprise! My Dad and I often eat breakfast at McDonald's right before work and let me tell you...their coffee is quite good (I thought it was just me...hehehe).
Forget Yale -- Go State - washingtonpost.com
Forget Yale -- Go State - washingtonpost.com -- Being a father of four young children, this recent Washington Post story on clever ways in which those in the "middle class" plot a reasonably-priced college education for their children hit home big time. I definitely agree with the "first two years at a community college" idea.
A Disappointing Day...
Guess I'm feeling a little introspective today. Don't really want to say why, but it was a very disappointing day on a personal level. Just wanted to blog for a bit for distraction and relaxation more than anything. I came home early today and Maria and I went out to Chevy's with Nicky and Brandon. We used our Christmas gift card (thanks again, Stephanie) and enjoyed a nice Friday afternoon lunch, just the four of us. I played one of those games on the back of the paper table cloth with Brandon. He's really funny how he tries to just play "for the fun of it," but then turns quite strategic and competitive in order to win. He covered 15 squares to my 12, so it was really a wipeout (grin). Nicky's been under the weather, but he enjoyed the grilled chicken. As for Maria and me, we BOTH went for the Mandarin Blush flavored vodka drinks (hehehe...hey, I wasn't working ;-)!!!! We toasted with Brandon (and his water) and Nicky (with his chocolate shake) to "just being happy." Really in the end, that's all we can do sometimes. Take the many blessings you receive in life, pick yourself up, and start another day with a smile...disappointments fade in time.
Top 10 Chinese Holiday Calendar for the Year of the Pig (2007)
Chinese New Year may be China’s biggest excuse for a party, but it’s not the only one. There are many Chinese holidays throughout the year, and most have their own special celebration food. Because Chinese holidays are based on the lunar calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar changes from one year to the next. Here is a Chinese holiday calendar with dates and information about the major festivals and significant days in 2007, the Year of the Pig (also called the Year of the Boar).
Top 10 Offbeat Hotels - MSN Travel Articles
Top 10 Offbeat Hotels - MSN Travel Articles -- I found this article on the Top 10 Offbeat Hotels in the world...I love this kinda stuff, so I didn't want to lose it. Thus, I'm blogging it on my website for future reference. I've heard about the Ice Hotel in Quebec before. Sounds like fun to me!
Up late again...
Well, I'm typing this at 2:17 AM Saturday morning. I was so tired when I got back from work on Friday that I slept for 4 hours. Now, here I am awake...and blogging away ;-)
Tomorrow, Maria and I have 1-800-GOTJUNK coming over to pick up lots of funiture that we've got to dump before we recarpet the whole upstair floor of our house. We've been here for 11 years, so I would say it's about time. Maria picked out a nice style of carpeting that will match our modern asian funiture we already bought during Christmas time for our bedroom. The kids are switching rooms, etc. Our house is a total mess...lots going on over here on weekends (grin). We're excited though.
I joined Classmates.com a couple days ago. My friend, Peter, contacted me on the site and the only way I could communicate with him was to join this site. I really didn't mind, though. I've found about four other friends from high school that I made contact with, as well. It's really a pretty neat social networking site. Relatively cheap, too...$56 for two years.
Lastly, I'm not sure how this "new" Blogger works and all, but I'm sure I'll figure it all out over the coming days/weeks. Have a terrific weekend.
Tomorrow, Maria and I have 1-800-GOTJUNK coming over to pick up lots of funiture that we've got to dump before we recarpet the whole upstair floor of our house. We've been here for 11 years, so I would say it's about time. Maria picked out a nice style of carpeting that will match our modern asian funiture we already bought during Christmas time for our bedroom. The kids are switching rooms, etc. Our house is a total mess...lots going on over here on weekends (grin). We're excited though.
I joined Classmates.com a couple days ago. My friend, Peter, contacted me on the site and the only way I could communicate with him was to join this site. I really didn't mind, though. I've found about four other friends from high school that I made contact with, as well. It's really a pretty neat social networking site. Relatively cheap, too...$56 for two years.
Lastly, I'm not sure how this "new" Blogger works and all, but I'm sure I'll figure it all out over the coming days/weeks. Have a terrific weekend.
Alexandra & Nicholas goofing around
I think Alexandra took this picture herself using my digital camera. Though it's a little too bright, it captures their total "goofiness" quite well. Really like the expression on Nicholas' face.
New Year's Day at Barney's Burgers
This is a picture of Maria and Cameron taken at Barney's Burger in Berkeley on New Year's Day. For more information on The Yee Family's "BIG ADVENTURE" on that day, go to my Yahoo! 360 site.
Five Principles for Happiness in 2007: The Automatic Millionaire - Yahoo! Finance
Five Principles for Happiness in 2007: The Automatic Millionaire - Yahoo! Finance I thought David Bach had a lot of good points in this article--wanted to pass this onto friends and family for the new year. David Bach is the author of The Automatic Millionaire, something I'm working on for 2007 (grin)!
Happy New Year's from The Yees
Here we are at Mimi's Cafe after enjoying a wonderful dinner together as a family. Uncle Alex joined us with Nanay and both stayed overnight at our house to celebrate and bring in the New Year. We just finished watching the ball drop in Times Square...I made "Mandarin Blushes" just like the kind you can get at Chilli's (yum!). We hope you had a wonderful New Year with your family. All the best to you in 2007!
