Vitas, A Russian Singer

Origami Earrings

These are my newest origami earrings. I used recycled travel magazine, book and letterhead papers to fold these earrings. They are about an inch in length and width and each pair is $15. Please email me at nga53@hotmail.com if you're interested in purchasing them. Thanks.



Berkeley Public Library Logo Book Design.



Dog Book Design.




Dog Painting Book Design.






Cat Painting Book Design.



Khmer Writing Book Design.




Japanese Writing Book Design.




Japanese Brocade Design.










Lantern Design - A modified Bell Design by pushing down and flattening the top of the bell.














Bell Design that I learned from a book.

The Most Dangerous Corners in West Berkeley

The corners at Sixth and Addison streets are the most dangerous corners in West Berkeley. We have been living in this area since 2000 and once in a while my sons and I would hear the screeching of tires and a loud bang of cars crashing into each other, and we would say: "Oh! Oh! Here goes another one!" It happens so many times that we lost count of how many accidents occur in those corners. In June of this year there were two accidents in the same spots that my son and I decided to take some pictures. I was once almost killed crossing Sixth and Addison. The car on Addison was supposed to turn right, but went straight instead. Luckily for me it stopped just in time, so after that close call I seldom cross those corners.



I am on Addison in the corner of Sixth street going toward Berkeley hills.



The sign above the stop sign says Right Turn Only, but lots of people either go straight on Addison or make a left turn on Sixth going toward University Avenue. Some unlucky ones get hit by oncoming traffic on Sixth. Perhaps the sign should be bigger with a flashing turn left only arrow or in neon-color to help people pay more attention and see better.



At the beginning of June this car got hit by going straight toward Aquatic Park from Addison instead of turning right on Sixth. The driver of the other car just sped away. It was a hit and run case, but this gray car guy on Addison was at fault.



I am on Addison street in the corner of Sixth facing toward Aquatic Park direction. Here is another sign above the stop sign says Right Turn Only, but lots of people do not read, obey it or see it.



This car on Addison follows the rule and makes the right turn on Sixth Street.



At the end of June another accident occurs on the same corners, another gray car on Addison made the same mistake, going straight toward Aquatic Park instead of turning right on Sixth and got hit by the red truck. In most cases nobody was seriously hurt. There was an accident around 9 o'clock at night some years ago, a driver who turned left on Sixth and got hit. Her car flipped over and landed on the front yard of a building. It took firefighters a long time to cut the car door open and pull her out. Why doesn't the city do something about it? Are they waiting for somebody to die before taking any actions? Who should be blamed? The city or the driver? Perhaps both, but I think a better solution to the problem is needed to prevent a very serious accident next time to both drivers and pedestrians.

Ru Tinh - Trinh Cong Son - Hong Nhung

Grew up in the sixties in Viet Nam, Trinh Cong Son's songs expressed my yearning for love and to be loved. His songs were full of love for humanity and country. He gave me a voice and feelings that I sang his songs whenever I felt depressed and discouraged.

Trinh Cong Son represents a Beethoven of music at the time and still is even though he's no longer here with us. Music was his life, which I don't know much about, but I can feel and relate to through every word in his songs. They are very very sad, soft like the moon, and very poetic. Each is a lullaby, each is different in its melody, and yet the same in its sorrow and yearning for love. Ru Tinh, A Love Lullaby is one of Trinh Cong Son's jewels that I and most Vietnamese, young and old, appreciate and love. Here's to you Trinh Cong Son, our beloved song writer and poet. Your songs and music will live forever in our hearts and minds.