Category Archives: Witness to my life

End of the Car-less days

Posted on January 8, 2013 by sinyaw

Nov 25, 2012 Americans love to hate car salesmen, particularly used-cars. Very few enjoy the car buying experience. The knowledge on the subject is very asymmetric: the selling side knows about cars and cost structure far more than average buyers. … Continue reading →

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Chasing the Wind

Posted on December 1, 2012 by sinyaw

October 13th, 2012 Visualization did not work! My “thought rehearsals” omitted the repeated mutiny attempts by the wind and the boat. At the end, I prevailed. Same boat, the Mercury, and I showed off my perfectly done bowline knot. Just … Continue reading →

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Baking Bread

Posted on November 28, 2012 by sinyaw

Wife came back from a friend’s with this “super easy delicious bread recipe” that was from a Chinese blog. It was a fan blog for the book “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” It was a “no knead” recipe. … Continue reading →

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三國(8): 曹操

Posted on November 23, 2012 by sinyaw

好不容易請來了神醫,曹操卻把華佗下獄至死. 自己也病亡.現在看來,是腦瘤吧. 三國中,論管理人才,孔明,孟德是頭兩名. 有趣的是他們都不是CEO. 曹操從未稱帝,死時是”魏王”,漢之宰相. 諸葛亮至死也是劉家的家臣,從無反意. 小時覺得曹操是奸臣,重讀三國,倒沒這感覺了. 他是跋扈了些,但始終沒反啊. 說來,他把”漢室江山”,管的不壞.南征北討, 給劉家立了不少功勞. 三國把赤壁寫的太美了. 諸葛神的,周瑜美的，曹操尿的.一戦而三分天下. 但以全局而論,他一直是三國中最強的一支. 蜀吳永遠在他的陰影下. 所以關羽華容道放他一馬,是真毀了劉備的”霸業”. 話說回來,也不是曹操先善待了關羽十幾年嗎? 再給曹操十年,他能一統天下嗎?

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Maiden Voyage

Posted on November 15, 2012 by sinyaw

October 6th, 2012 “You looked at the lake like a puppy at the park,” Wife commented. It was gorgeous day: bright, blue sky, 71°F. The flag on top of the courthouse building was flying, indicating good wind. I packed a … Continue reading →

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李鵠鳳梨酥

Posted on November 7, 2012 by sinyaw

台灣的鳳梨酥,早就走火入魔了.每年比賽,又來什麼”伴手禮”. 台北的”佳德”,隊排到不行.每人限購,還可以排門外上百公尺.套句北京話,”有這麼至於嗎?” 從小,我家吃的是李鵠.只有基隆有賣,每個是紙包的.有人去基隆,一定託帶.一定買幾盒,大家分.孩子們聽到鳳梨酥就衝上來.乖透了. 來美國後,台灣發展了鳳梨酥文化,爭奇鬥艷,五花八門.越來越Fancy. 我們想的還是李鵠.但它只在基隆賣,舊友凋零,沒人可以託買了.每次朋友帶佳德來,都想起李鵠.念一聲. 這次回台,帶孩子去九份逛逛.心裏想的就是廟口的李鵠老店.這店可是清朝(1882å¹´)就在了.真還在老地方(仁三路90號),什麼都沒變. 聽說早年分家,大房留在老店,獨佔基隆市場,不開分店.也保留李鵠這店名. 我們當然就大小包買足了一車. 是他好吃? 還是懷舊? 不重要啦. 吃唄.

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Simple Joy of Life

Posted on November 2, 2012 by sinyaw

Seattle’s October came abruptly this year. It was pleasant 70°F and plummeted into mid 40s in one day. It even hailed in the city and snowed on the mountain. Satellites survive the winter with the faith that June will be … Continue reading →

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讀[昨日書]

Posted on October 19, 2012 by sinyaw

大學那幾年,吃完晚飯,抓把吉他到屋頂,對著夕陽,大唱幾首,大夥一起合.天黑了下去打牌胡扯.不然就看心情,找個音樂迷,這邊聽搖滾,那邊古典,不然還有人專攻鄉村的.淡江的日子,”豐富”得很. 有幾個開始要唱自己做的歌,我們就一起聽.過了幾天,居然要開演唱會,我們當然要去共襄盛舉.吃完飯就散步去.哇!居然還有主持人!收音機裏的陶曉清!李雙澤來鬧了下,楊祖珺個子小但聲音好,都是淡江人.那年頭唱歌那可是每天路邊都是,有勁的人就開演唱會,校園每周都有,我們也沒太在意.後來還有人找了個陳達來唱”思想起”.哇.這是真的嗎?一個走唱的老頭子,嘰哩咕嚕了大半天,氣氛非常鄉土,但沒人聽得懂他在唱什麼.只知道他的詞是隨興編的. 那些居然成了校園民歌的大里程碑.馬世芳的書,寫的是我親身在場的耶.而那天聽完後,大夥散場,不知道某歷史事件剛發生過咧. 這就是當”路人甲”的感覺嗎?

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Certified to Sail

Posted on October 13, 2012 by sinyaw

September 21, 2012 Liking needing a driver’s license to rent a car, I need to qualify for renting a sail boat. This means taking lessons until I can handle a boat reasonably. For Center for Wooden Boats, where I have … Continue reading →

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Why Sail Boat Moves?

Posted on September 24, 2012 by sinyaw

Many civilizations have independently discovered ways to optimize for the wind power. They all learned to sail in all directions, regardless of which way the wind is blowing. There are really only two tricks: the shape of the sail and … Continue reading →

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