Digital Portraits With Origami

The idea for combining digital photo with origami came up when I was looking for a picture in magazines to display my origami earrings, but could not find any. One day, it occurred to me that I needed a self-portrait. When an idea was finally conjured up, the rest was easy - I need to take a digital portrait, use Photo shop to make a high-contrast photo, print it out in black and white, and then put holes into my earlobes on the photo to hang the earrings. The photo/origami looked pretty interesting so I wanted to see more portraits with different folds on them. I asked coworkers and patrons if they would like to be my models, and also to appear in a Digital Photo/Origami Show at BPL-Central. The result was seventeen portraits and so here they are together on the walls.

This is the first Digital Photo/Origami Exhibit of myself, co-workers and patrons of the BPL. Origami books that I used for the folds in the show are: Minigami, Origami-Inspired by Japanese Prints, Tea-Bag Folds, Festive Folding, and Origami For Displays.

I would like to thank Ms. Michele M. for her help with the set-up and all my models for their participation in the show.

Hope you enjoy viewing these origami/photos, email me at nga53@hotmail.com if you have any comments and suggestions. Furthermore, please check out nganamasia on You Tube to see more of my artwork.

Thank you very much.

My portrait with a pair of star earrings.

AV Doan is a technology helper/ volunteer at West Branch. He's been a library patron since the age of two. Anh-Vu likes science fiction books, comics and movies.

He graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a Bachelor degree in Atmospheric Science, and presently plans to go to graduate school in the same field.

H-B Doan is a volunteer/student worker at North Branch. He's also been a BPL patron since he was a baby.

Bao is in tenth grade at Oakland School for the Arts, and his emphasis is Visual Art. He reads mostly comics, drawing, history, martial art and military books.

Vivian V. works at North Branch. She's been with BPL for over twenty years. Vivian graduated from University of San Francisco with a major in biology. She likes Salsa dance and passionately loves roses.

Juan C. works at North Branch. He's been with BPL for almost ten years. Juan went to Berkeley High and Ohlone College. He likes to read African American History books, and plays Reggae music with his band - The Razafarianas.

Annette L. is a thirty-two happy year BPL patron, mostly at North Branch, her home away from home. Annette likes visiting local libraries and senior centers, reading and walking. She's very proud of her children. Annette used to travel a lot to Sydney- Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Paris, England and Scotland.

Nick M. works at Claremont. He was born in Pontiac Michigan. Nick attended Ohio State University with majors in English and Fine Arts.
His interests include: arts, films, sports, history, jazz and international music. His favorite readings are Paul Bowles' stories.

Jeri E. grew up in Harlem, New York. She graduated from City College of NY with a BA in English literature. She also earned a Master of Library Science from Columbia University. Jeri works at South Branch  for almost eleven years.

Raffi G. has been with BPL since January 1989. His hobbies are watching movies, reading, playing with his son, tinkering with computers, snowboarding, mountain biking and scuba diving.

Sam C. works at Central. He's been with BPL since 1989.

Lynn M. is a librarian and she's been with BPL for twenty-eight years. Lynn graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in Music and a MLS degree from UC Berkeley. She's helped BPL patrons to find and locate all types of music, and she can't imagine a better and more satisfying job.

Rudy T. works at Central. He studied Library Information Technology Program at City College of San Francisco.
Rudy started as a volunteer at the Oakland Public Library at the age of 10. He also worked as a Library Aide and then as a Library Assistant with OPL. He has a total of 19 years of experience with OPL and BPL. He loves horror movies.

Gwen J. has been with BPL for almost 40 years. She works in Order Unit at Central. Her hobbies are knitting and bowling.

Armin A. is a Children's Librarian with seven years service with BPL. She has worked with libraries in Bombay-India, Edmonton-Canada and here in the Bay Area. Armin has always been a voracious reader, reading books on a variety of topics. She particularly enjoys children's books and non-fiction. She loves being outdoors and spending time with her family.

Adam B. works at the Tools Lending Library/South Branch. He's been with BPL for eighteen years.

Kha R. S. works at North Branch for over nine years. He loves traveling especially to Cambodia, the country of his birth.

Linda works at West Branch.

De Quervain Syndrome and Acupuncture

In June 2007 after seven years with the library, I got promoted to 20 hour Aide (from 15hour) at the North Branch, thanks to Vivian V.(for hiring) and Andrea S. (for encouraging me to take it). Berkeley has four branches (North, Claremont, West and South), but North is the busiest one mainly because it is easier to find a parking space there and also most patrons like our services - some even bring us home-made baked goods and flowers to show their appreciation and gratitude.

After about a few months working at North, I got injured on my right wrist. The symptom is called, De Quervain Syndrome or a Washer-woman Sprain. The city sent me to U.S. Health Works in Berkeley to treat my injury.





I spent about a year here for physical therapy two or three times a week. The physical therapists at U.S.H.W. were very nice, but the doctors were all businesslike, and I usually had to wait 30, 40 minutes or sometimes more to see the doctor for about 5 minutes or less, just to get his or her prescription for therapy.




With this injury, I could not do simple tasks like combing my hair, brushing my teeth and so on without feeling the pain. I had to wear a splint all day at work and also at home and even to bed. Physical therapy and Ibuprofen pills helped ease the pain- they had me do stretches, put on ice-pack, heat, wax, and massages. The doctor also gave me two shots of cortisone, but I still could not flex my wrist and the pain was still there after a year of treatment. She then suggested surgery, but I told her I wanted an alternative method of healing - acupuncture. She seemed upset and said that acupuncture is not going to do me any good. I asked for a discharge and gave acupuncture a try.



I heard that Kaiser uses acupuncture to heal its patients so I asked my Kaiser doctor for a referral to see one. They sent me to Amy Lee on Telegraph Avenue for the treatment.





As a child growing up in Viet Nam, I had used Chinese herbal medicines as treatment for common illnesses, but I had never had acupuncture and I was ready to try this ancient Chinese method of healing that I've heard so much about.



This is one of the rooms at Amy Lee's acupuncture office.

Kaiser pays for twelve acupuncture sessions a year. At first I went to see Amy Lee once a week and then twice a month. After seven treatments I was feeling better and at the end of the twelfth, there was no more pain in the wrist and I now can flex it a little.



There is less pain when the needle goes through compared to the common injection when you get your childhood immunization shots. I would say even less pain than an ant's bite.



Every things in your body are interconnected, in order to create the balance and promote blood flow, Amy put needles on my leg and feet as well even though I only have pain on my right wrist.



If one needle insert gives me more pain than others, I would let Amy know so that she could take it out and reinsert it.



With all the needles in place, Amy put some music of my choice - a classical Chinese music, turned off the light and let me relax for about an hour. She also prescribed some herbal pills for me to take every day.

The Chinese have been using acupuncture for thousands of years, it has to work. If you have body pains, try this ancient method of healing as an alternative to pills and surgery. It worked for me.

Radio Frequency Identification Machines at BPL

This is one of the Radio Frequency Identification machines the Berkeley Public Libraries - Central, North, Claremont, West and South - have been using for about five years now, but you would be surprised that there are still lots of people who do not know how these simple self check out machines work.

It is much easier and much simpler to use than the Automatic Teller Machine at the bank. The screen asks you to choose either English or Spanish. Then it will show you how to scan your library card barcode. Picture instructions are on your right, a readout of your name and materials that you've checked out is on the left.



After you scan your barcode, a video instruction shows you how to place your a stack of books (three or four) on the platform in front of you.



The reading on the left shows the list of materials that you have checked out so far.




If you check out DVDs (or music CDs) you will then need to press "continue", the instructions will show a picture of the locker box and how to put the DVDs in one at a time.



Put the DVD in.


Give it a little push.


It will pop out when it's done. A small red square on the right side of the box means locked, silver means open. Keep doing the same until you finish unlocking all DVDs.



The machine will give you the receipt at the end with due date for your materials and a list of things that you have checked out.



Take your receipt and you are done. Simple, painless and fast. I timed the process and it usually takes about one second for each item. The trick is not to place anything on or near the platform before you scan your card bar code. The machine can only do one thing at a time - first it has to read your card before it can read your book or whatever, and then just follow the instructions on the screen.

I taught my son, Bao how to use this self checkout when they first put it out, he was nine at the time and now he's the expert in using these RFIDs. It really bugs me when I hear an adult complaining about them or not knowing how to use them. One man said: "These are stupid machines, they never work. I have been using them for hundreds of times, but they always give me trouble." Others said: "I want a human contact, I hate machines." I observed a middle aged man taught his young daughter how to use it the wrong way by trying to put the book bar code under the card scanner. I told the daughter that the machine does not read the book barcode, just place it on the platform. The man got mad and said "It does read the bar code, see!" I replied "That's because she places it on the platform." The next time he would have his daughter doing the same, but one book was too thick to fit under the card scanner so he had her flatten up the book instead - open it half way so the book barcode will fit. I said "Sir! it's not reading the bar code." But he wouldn't have it "Why you keep messing her up!" So I let them be, they will find out one of these days when they encounter a very thick book that will not fit under the card scanner either way. I hope.

People who hate these RFID machines are even more ridiculous, but they do come in to use the computers and the OPAC. How can you hate machines when we are surrounded by them: phones, washers, dryers, rice cookers, cars, airplanes, clocks, computers, ATMs, VCRs, DVDs, TVs, microwaves, and so many others. They are wonderful tools and inventions that make our works and lives easier. I wonder if these people use any of these machines at all? But most people old and young like these self checkouts. They said things like: "Wow! They are great! I love these! Wonderful machines! Fast and easy to use!" and I agreed with them full heatedly: "I like them too, aren't they great?"