April 2008 Archives

My hand was forced, and after much deliberation, I finally decided to part ways with my much-loved 2002 CR-V and upgrade to a new 2008 CR-V. As much as I wanted to upgrade to the EX, I stuck with the LX since I decided I didn't need the extra fluff. (They do have an outside temperature guage on the EX - probably the only thing I really missed out on getting) It still feels like my old CR-V, but definitely quieter on the road and I really like the new instrument cluster.

Some of the styling cues are a bit questionable, but overall I am happy. Some minuses? Less storage space than my 2002 - fewer nooks under the center stack, and no netting on the driver and passenger seat backs. The relocation of the parking break and the transmission lever will take a bit getting used to, but overall I prefer the new design. I was worried that the new transmission location would interfere with my leg, but after driving home and running some errands, I can report all is well.

I no longer have to rely on a tape player for my iPod, but I will now have to go out and get a direct cable since it has an auxiliary plug as well as a iPod nook next to it. I also lost my change drawer and come to think of it, I left the change in my old CR-V!! Oh well. I already want to get a new dash cover - I really liked my old one. The debate still rages on whether or not to get a cargo cover.

Just some first night impressions. I am also glad I didn't get Glacier Blue. I went for the Royal Blue Pearl which is a dark blue, but I think it looks classier on the road.

A New Car!
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.

After six years of reliable service, I upgraded my CR-V to a 2008 model. Here is to six more fun years. I just hope this one is as much fun and I enjoy it as much as my beloved 2002.

More later...

This next week should be full of fun and challenges. My final presentation at work is on Wednesday, and I finally received the new HTML template for the new Charo web site.

I still need to get a new suit, practice some more, and just generally relax to prepare.

On the Charo side, I mainly need to do some cutting and pasting as well as a bit of development before I can show the new site to Charo and some friends for feedback. Thanks to Oszie who really helped put my ideas into being with style.

I do find it interesting that my involvement with the new Charo site and my management training program have been side by side since last November. Sometimes it just freaks me out!

In unrelated news, it appears Spring has disappeared from SoCal. I think we might have had one or two days this year. Now we are right into Summer/Fire Season.

If you have read my entries from my last vacation, specifically this one you will know that my old digital camera had this issue with losing the reference to some photos resulting in them vanishing from the ether. After doing some research, I found a software application that recovers such files of digital media. I was stoked that I was able to recover most of the lost photos from Norway and London, and I had always wondered if I could get my Australia missing photos back.

On Day 7 of my Australia trip, Mom, Gary, and I went to see the Penguin parade. When we arrived, I discovered that about 17 or so photos were missing - mainly of our hotel room and one or two of the journey to Phillip Island. I had actually forgotten about the missing photos until the last week or so when I was going through my Australia photos on Flickr. So in a last ditch effort, I plugged in my media card and ran the program.

I am very happy to report that 7 of the photos have been recovered! They are the photos of the Sebel Suites in Melbourne, a very nice enjoyable hotel that is on the Club Josh recommended lodgings list!

Here is the link to the first of the lost photos that are contained in the Australia photo set.

I had heard about this awhile back, but Paul brought it back into my attention and I read more into it:

It's called the Quake Catcher, and its centered out of Stanford and UC Riverside. Basically they use laptops that have accelerometers and if there is an earthquake with a 4.0M or larger, it collects movement data and transfers it to the servers. It sounds like a networked application a la SETI@Home, but way cooler. They are also going to have little USB accelerometers that you can plug into your desktop computer to record motion.

I can't tell you how excited I am for them to get the desktop one out. I can't wait for my Mac to become the official Club Josh Seismometer!

You know you are killing time when you start to pick up things around the house and cleaning. I am working on a presentation and every now and then I get distracted and wander off and I have to force myself to get back to it.

Posting on my blog is another thing I do when I should be doing something else.

Hmm maybe I will just reminisce and watch one of my favorite Disneyland Parades of all time:

The Mulan Parade featuring George Takei!

Anyone who knows me knows how important this song is to me. Here is a delightfully hip 1976 performance. I just wonder if Nick DeCaro is in the band..

Last Friday, some friends and I gathered to go on an annual ride of Winnie the Pooh. It is hard to believe that it has been 5 years since that fateful day in April 2003 when we all gathered for juice boxes and muffins and hugs from Cynthia Harriss and we threw open the gates to welcome guests. Daniel, Tara, Rachelle, Leslie, and I were all on the opening crew and we went to take a photo in a Pooh ride vehicle to retake the photo that Tara, Rachelle, Leslie and I took the last night of pre-opening training. When Tara gives me the new photo I will post a comparison here.

Upon reflection, Pooh testing and opening were a pivotal point in my life both professionally and personally. It was the first time that I was exposed to the whole "Imagineering" aspect of Disneyland and also what it takes to put together a new ride at a major theme park. Needless to say, I was hooked. I enjoyed the collaborative process it took to get something on this scale done. I enjoyed the networked relationships that I would build (and in some cases maintain to this day). It stings a little bit that Pooh is not the runaway successful and popular attraction we all wanted it to be back in those cool winter mornings cycling beehives and listening to the queue music. Surprisingly though, despite all the naysayers, it does maintain a huge popularity with children. I would go on to be fortunate to be involved with two more attraction openings all because of my experiences opening Pooh.

On the personal level, this is when everything changed. It was weird moving away from everything I knew in the valley to Orange County. I was thankful for the fact my commute shrunk considerably. I do think that I made the right decision back then, and I am happy how things have developed over the last 5 years. Sure there have been many bumps, peaks, and valleys, but nothing that was not insurmountable.

I always find it interesting that April/May/October tend to be pivotal months for me. This year I am working on a final presentation which will in a way determine my career path for the foreseeable future. I just hope that it will be full of more experiences like January-April 2003.

Happy Birthday the Many Adventures, and Thank You.

Go George Go!

Almost as good as the Shat!

Things have been busy at work, but I did get a chance to get trained on a Segway! I am not completely signed off yet, but I did manage to have a couple hours to learn how to get on one as well as ride it around. I was unprepared for the "Segway Shuffle" that people do when they first get used to balancing on one. After getting used to it, I really enjoyed riding it around. I wish I lived closer to the Resort in order to ride one to work every day. Of course, there is also the issue of parking, since I wouldn't be able to park it near my office. Nevertheless, I recommend trying a Segway if you ever get the chance!