Reading the Sunday Comics

Anh Vu and Hong Bao, my two teenage boys read comics every week, but I seldom read them. On this Sunday before Christmas, I went to Peet's coffee and picked up this San Francisco Chronicle's Sunday Comics page to read because it was just lying about. (Please click on images to enlarge.)



This reflects my sick feelings about Christmas music in general. Every year around Christmas, everywhere you go -- markets, clothing stores, and so on, they would play the old, boring songs over and over again: "Dashing through the snow..., Jingle bell, jingle bell..., We wish you a merry..., I'm dreaimg of a white Christmas..." and I am sick of them. I guess the new song writers can't write any decent, good songs so they keep recycle these old songs over and over like broken records. This kind of recycling I can do without, and is driving me nuts this time of year.



Good guessing Santy Closs.



What would Santa do with all the poops?



In general, most women are neater than men that's for sure. I have been taking public transportation since I quit driving and moved to Berkeley, and that was twenty four years ago. So far, I haven't seen or smelled any unkempt, grossed-out, and dirty women on the bus, BART, train, and ferry. I can't say the same with a lot of the men though. I trained my two sons to be very clean since they were babies, now they are in their teens and they haven't gone through a day without taking a shower, and this good habit will stay with them until they leave this earth.



One of many human's flaws is greediness.



Diplomatically, she failed misserably, but as a friend, she is honest and straight forward. Would you consider her to be his friend or foe? Friend would speak from the heart, and let you know about your "faults" so you could correct them. Your enemy would exploit, and use them against you.



It is good to know that it's not just me and my son-Anh Vu that are bothered by the excessive use of the word "like" by lots of teenagers in every sentence of their speech. Is it a fad or it is because they don't know what word to use? It makes them sound so incompetent and stupid, not cool. I wish that they could hear themselves.

Berkeley's Public Art

I think every city should have its own public art work. The city of Berkeley has a few of its own, these are the ones that I spotted, perhaps there are more of them around somewhere (if you spot them, please let me know.)



To my son-Anh Vu, this looks like a piano tuning fork. It sits between Center Street and Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley.



This sculpture is on Addison Street and Shattuck Avenue in the downtown area.





La Pena Community Center is on Shattuck Avenue near Ashby Avenue.



The giant ball is near the entrance of University Berkeley campus-University Avenue and Oxford Street.



HERE is in Berkeley.




THERE is in Oakland. These are in between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Adeline Street, and they are about 20 feet apart. I would use different colors to make them stand out more.



As you get off the Amtrak train station in Berkeley, you are greeted by these big, red pillars and the poem.



Underneath the freeway-overpass on Fourth-Fifth Street and University Ave. was very ugly, dark and dirty until they painted it and added the poem.



The bronze man sits on the corner of Fourth Street and Hearst Street.



The sign in the corner says "Do Not Climb on Structure." But someone covered up the word Not.






I found these sculptures in Berkeley Marina around 3 in the afternoon just like the sun dial showed.

Holiday Decorations in San Francisco City, U.S.A.

Berkeley's businesses and stores don't do much for the Christmas Holiday, so my children and I went to San Francisco to do some window-shopping, trying out new restaurants, and seeing the holiday decorations just for fun. Happy Holidays everybody!





Market Street, Downtown San Francisco.




Mission Street near First.







Macy's decoration is all red stars. The Cold War is long long gone, so I guess it's alright to use the red star without being labeled communist.



Neiman Marcus in Union Square.





A mannequin in the Neiman Marcus' store window. This is one beautiful Asian mannequin, so I couldn't resist taking its picture. You don't see that many Asians on the catwalk, let alone an Asian mannequin. I like the green sweater she is wearing -- green of the budding, young and new leaves of spring. They are ready for spring clothes in the winter. Still too cold for me. Brr!




The red cab is not part of the decoration.





Union Square.



Market Street's old and new buildings.



I like the old architecture better.



The cable car on California Street.





This must be a Tony Bennet's heart-"I left my heart in San Francisco..."

Origami Class at Berkeley Children's Library, Dec. 9, 2006

My holiday origami display in the Art & Music Department.




This was my sixth origami class this year, and it was my most diverse group so far. The men, women, and children from a whole spectrum of colors came to my origami class at the Berkeley Children's Library on this Saturday afternoon really represented the ethnic background of Berkeley. Seeing people from Asian, African, Indian, Hispanic, and European descents all crowded around a small table to learn the art of paper folding was so thrilling to me. I love showing people how to do this simple art form-from a small, square or rectangular piece of paper, you could create a box, a fan, a purse, and many other things, which to me is fasinating.

This was also another chance for my son, Hong-Bao to practice using a digital camera. He took most of these pictures. Afterward everybody expressed his/her appreciation, and some people wanted to know that if I am going to teach here again next week or somewhere else. Now, that was worth spending my afternoon. I therefore would like to thank Ms. Erica G., the childrens' librarian and program cordinator at Berkeley Public Library for the oportunity. And I also thank her for making a flyer, and generously providing us with copies of folds, and origami papers.













Wendy W. and Gillian L.













Ms. Gillian L. and her cheerful attitude is always very contagious.




























THANK YOU NOTE:

December 13, 2006

Nga,

Thank you for invited me to your class. It was fun.

Wendy W.