Santa Cruz

So I got a chance to go down to Santa Cruz this weekend. It sits right on the ocean and is apparently the place for surfing. I didn't do any of that though.

Culture Shock

I'll be honest, since I've been out here I've been anxiously awaiting the moment when culture shock set in.

Let's face it, the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most culturally diverse areas in the country. There's a large mix of Asian and Indian, with a growing Hispanic group, all mixed in with your run-of-the-mill Caucasian. I was expecting it all to be a little off setting. Not bad, mind you, but certainly unfamiliar and, well, foreign.

But, amazingly, that really hasn't happened. I've met a wide variety of people, and been in some parts of town that feel like you're walking through another country, but I've been more encouraged by it than anything else.

And the food is excellent.

But there was another part of this life that I wasn't expecting. A part that has snuck up on me, leaving me blindsided and a little weirded out. The world of using disposable income.

This has been something that I've been aware of happening to me. (I mean, who else goes six months without buying a couch? Right?) But I think it really hit home today when I bought a few new clothes, something I had been putting off for about six months or so. All totaled it was around sixty dollars, which really isn't too bad, but I almost felt dirty buying them.

Needless to say, I don't know how to live in a world with disposable income. I guess this is what you get after six years of scraping by in collage.

Why don't they teach courses in this?!?

Justin Shorts

I'm still leading the development of the front-end at work. This has caused many nights of frustration and many days of self-doubt. But things make progress and I have a presentation to give two Mondays from now.

I looked at my wardrobe and realized I have way too many black / earth-toned shirts. So I'm currently on a mission for color.

I need a haircut drastically. I'm investigating cutting it myself, but I don't know if I have the resolve.

Phone Home

So I had been meaning to get to the Stanford Dish to take some pictures and I finally did it this morning. I even woke up before the sun did! The computer said it would be raining all day. But apparently computer's don't always tell the truth. This is all new to me. So I'm taking some time to let that fact sink in.

The Stanford Dish area is just off the Stanford campus in Palo Alto. There is a walking path that goes up along the ridge of a small mountain. It's always pretty full of people. It's also about half a mile from where I work. It's strange to be in the heart of Silicon Valley and still have spots like this. Of course, all of technology is not lost, as can be seen from the really large satellite dish.

The last two are actually from "vista points" off the interstate. They over look the San Andreas fault. They also seem to be hubs for talkative amateur photographers.

And let me know if the new layout style messes up your display. I'm just messing around with it, so it might change, but I'm sort of tired of just letting pictures roll down the screen. And I have to do SOMETHING to compete with a cute baby. I mean COME ON, have you been looking at the baby pictures lately?!?

Monterey

So last weekend I went down to Monterey with some friends. Its definitely pretty down there. Unfortunately I didn't get any time to see the seals that lounge on the beach. I saw a few on the rocks though.

We spent Saturday at the aquarium and at a place called Point Lobos, which is right on the beach. Lots of interesting sea life at both places. It was a little cloudy out, but definitely a fun time.

Remember: Click for biggie size.

Yosemite: Day Two

I'm pretty exhausted right now. I've spent the past few evenings in San Francisco hanging out with friends, and it's a 40 minute drive home every night. Then an early morning! Fun, but definitely tiring. This weekend I'm heading down to Monterey, which should be a lot of fun. I hear it's really pretty. And they have seals on the beach. They're not penguins, but what are you gonna do, right?

These are pictures from day two of the Yosemite Trip. We hiked about two-thirds the way up Yosemite Falls. Very tiring, but the views were amazing!

Remember: Clicking the pictures makes them more life size.

When you're stopped at red light, get out and look at the river! Everyone's doing it! California!

This is the river you follow into the park. To the left is a gas station. I decided not to take pictures of the gas station.

Another big rock. Otherwise known as a cliff.

This was looking out from halfway up the mountain.

Another shot. A different angle. Look! Snow!

Half Dome. Two-Thirds Sky. Full Excitement.

The river on the floor of the valley. Taken from a position that would have made Dad's hands sweat.

The culmination of a day of hiking. Yosemite Falls!

Okay. Bed!

Yosemite: Day One

Well, Yosemite managed to out live the expectations I had. And I'm quite okay with that. I only wish I had more time to spend there. I'm sure I'll be heading back sometime soon.

What I did get to see was amazing though. The valley is a something that really must be seen to be believed. So how about some pictures from day one of two. Expect day two pictures soon.

I'll probably be posting the text adventure soon. But I'm really tired right now.

I moved cubes again. I'm averaging a move every two months.

Hint: Click the the pictures and they get a little bigger.

Bridalveil Falls: Find The Rainbow

A Big Rock: It Probably Has A Better Name

We Stalked A Deer: The Women Watch

Here's The Deer!: Don't Feed The Animals

There Goes The Deer!: We Didn't Feed The Animals

Playing Games At The Lodge: I Came In Second

The Room At The Hostel: I Had The Top Bunk

New Camera

I got a new camera! I can take pictures with insane depth of field or even completely over-exposed.

Or I can take pictures of tonight's dinner and some books on my shelf. I'm good either way.



Also, I will spending most of Friday and Saturday in Yosemite National Park, so hopefully I'll have plenty of pictures to share.