Hotel Room #1 Booked

Deets:
- 3 Adults, 3 nights (2-July to 5-July), 2 double beds, non-smoking.
- $151 per night for 2 nights, with 3rd night free (Ajay, get on this deal.) ~$100 per person.
- I requested a room close to "Ajay Surie" so they may ask you that when you call.
- Non-refundable, so don't back out now, or I will kill you.
- I requested an upper floor room, so we'll see how that goes.
- Confirmation #: 49919658

Get on it fellas.

Cubs

Tickets for the Cubs game (vs. Milwaukee Brewers) are going to run about $100 / each on either 7/3 or 7/4. I'm looking for bleacher seats, which I hear are the most fun. Away from the family sections, and people just hang out, drink, party all afternoon while watching the game.

Anyone have a preference of day? Is everyone interested in going? I can go ahead and reserve the tickets now, or we can try to get some cheaper ones closer to game day (or outside the game, but 7 may be difficult).

CMU News

Mudge C Basement people... check out this article regarding Patina:

http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/creativity/2009/spring/sister-act.shtml

Not sure if any of you are still in contact with her (I'm not), but it is still great news. I remember always hearing her sing from down the hall. She did have a great voice.

Also, Eric Schmidt was our commencement speaker this year, and his talk was pretty entertaining. He's a good public speaker. You can watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiYwUde3wNo

Onward with Chi-town planning

This is going to be a quick post. Comment up. Azim where are you with this planning shit?

We are thinking about staying at the fairmont. I would like to book the non-refundable rate (I saw a couple days ago at 118/room/night.

That is a smoking fucking deal, this hotel is top notch.
Azim is reportedly staying with his brother (lame).
So... There are 6 of us.
Should we get 3 rooms or 2.
I want to sleep in a bed. If we went with 2, 2 folks would have to sleep on a cot (I assume we would reduce their share a bit). Is anyone interested in doing that (Fu/Kanna?)
I mean 65-70/night/person isnt bad, but i know not everyone cares about that stuff.

Please respond as soon as possible.
Alex

Bali 2009

Gents: I would write a shorter blog post but I don't have the time (this is someone else's quote)...

The photos are up on the photo site. http://thehive.dreamhosters.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=3828 (I believe that link will work)

Highlights:
22 hour plane trip on the way there.
Hung out in Singapore (cool city, way too clean, interested laws)

Stayed with my dad in Sanur (the pictures of his place are actually labeled)
He is doing very well, living the dream kick @$$ at his work and moving in some very interesting directions.

If you go to Bali:
Check out Semanyak (the trendy part of the island - prepare to drop some cash though)
Ubud - is supposed to be a spiritual vortex. Mosiac (a restaurant there) just got written up as the best restaurant in asia. All the pics of martinis are from some small place called "Naughty Norries" they have fucking great martinis.
Outside Ubud is the most amazing hotel I have ever stayed at (Ubud Hanging Gardens). If you would consider dropping 300-400 USD for a night, it is fucking sick!!!!!

Make sure you hit the beaches. Stay away from Kuta, it is a tourist trap.
If you have time take the ferry (glorified covered speed boat) to Gilli Islands - they are unbelievable and definitely a great place to take a lady (if you know what I mean).

- If someone knows how to organize pics by events I would be happy to shed some light on which pics were from where. Otherwise wait until I see you, if you are interested.

Bali is very very hot (90's most days with humidity in the 70% range) you don't need much except t-shirts shorts and flipflops - I was sweating most of the time.

Sarah and I had an amazing trip together, it was truly the vacation of a lifetime. We definitely enjoyed each other's company. Sadly, it was not to last outside vacationland. We broke up last week.

To that point (I know I am rambling) seeing as Jack's gf is the only potential guest on the Chi-town trip, I vote we go with just the boys...

I suck at these recaps, look at pictures...

Chicao Planning (Continued)

So I got sick of having email threads die down and people not responding, also I got sick of having nothing posted to this blog in 2 months. Here are the pertinent bits of the transcript of the last email thread:

---
Azim:
After I wrap up classes, I will get on the ball with specific planning
and send out some options early next week.

Azim
(Get on this)

---
Jew:
> Alinea is the fucking bomb.
> We will go with whomever.
(Yes, we are going to Alinea. I've heard you folks talk about it for too long not to go now)

---
Jack:
> Only pass if you want to pass, otherwise let's just go to a different
> restaurant.
>> >> Yo,
>> >> So I made the reservation for alinea for Saturday, 9:15. However,
>> >> the biggest table they have only seats 6. That means with the
>> >> present party, one of us would have to sit out. Is there anyone
>> >> first of all not coming to Chicago? If there isn't, is there someone
>> >> who doesn't want to spend $300 at least on dinner? If everyone wants
>> >> in then I'll make reservations somewhere else. Perhaps L2O... Let me
>> >> know.

(Since Jack has already booked a reservation to Alinea, let's keep it)

---
Kanna:
>> >>> 1) july2-july 5 (i might have to take off that night because i have
>> >>> meetings on monday morning and i'm not sure if they will be
>> >>> canceled yet or not, so if we have any destination dining can we
>> >>> try to do friday or saturday reservations?)
>> >>>
>> >>> 2) just me
>> >>>
>> >>> 3) up for anything anything....maybe some riverboat gambling, a
>> >>> shooting range if we can find one (i really enjoyed that last
>> >>> time), renting some bikes and cruising
>> >>>
>> >>> -kanna

---
Fu:
>> >>> I've prepended all my answers.
>> >>>
>> >>> On Mon, May 4, 2009 at 11:14 PM, Zhi Qiao wrote:
>> >>> Yes Boys, we need to get a move on. July is fast approaching.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> 1) When are people able to make it?
>> >>> - 4th of July is a Saturday, so I'm guessing people are available
>> >>> somewhere between Thursday, July 2 - Monday, July 6
>> >>>
>> >>> I suspect I'll have off on July 3rd (Fri) or July 6th (Mon). I'm
>> >>> not going to take any days off for this, so I'm only planning for a
>> >>> 3 day trip, but I can travel the day before and morning after so
>> >>> it's 3 full days.
>> >>> fu- At this point I think i can get away with any days I need
>> >>> so something reasonable works for me
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> 2) How many people?
>> >>> - While in NY there was talk of foregoing the usual dude-fest and
>> >>> bringing some ladies along for this trip. If that's still what people
>> >>> want to do, decide which one you want to bring.
>> >>>
>> >>> Yeah, I strongly suspect I'll still be going solo on this one.
>> >>> fu- Do escorts in chicago have reasonable rates for the
>> >>> weekend? Probably not because it is a holiday.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> 3) What do we want to do?
>> >>> - If it's okay with you guys, I'll let Jack/Alex make the
>> >>> 'fine-dining' arrangements. Just let me know what nights you are
>> >>> going
>> >>> to make those reservations and I'll take care of other meals
>> >>> - List some things that you want to do and I'll compile some
>> >>> options for that weekend
>> >>>
>> >>> I'm up for anything
>> >>> fu- im all for them fancy restaurants, here are some of the
>> >>> other places i'd like to try (search for chicago)
>> >>>
>> >>> http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-idiners-drive-ins-and-divesi/index.html
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> We can move this onto the blog, but I wasn't sure if everyone checked
>> >>> it regularly. Let me know if there's something I may be forgetting.
>> >>> See you all this summer... or (Fu, Zhi, Kanna) later this month.
>> >>>
>> >>> Post to the blog. Then if someone isn't responding sufficiently,
>> >>> we can email.
>> >>> fu- didn't see any updates so i thought i'd respond to the
>> >>> email. Maybe opera just has issues with the blog.

---

Open questions:
- Who is all coming (including guests)?
- Confirm on number of days.
Kanna: 2-July (Thur) to 5-July (Sun)
Zhi: I get Fri, 3-July off. So I'm going to fly in Thur night (2-July)/Fri morning, fly back Mon morning.
Fu: 2-July (Thur) to 6-July (Mon)
- Confirm reservations for things that need reservations
- Confirm activities
Zhi: Skydiving? Boating? Hiking? River boat gambling? Biking? Whoring? Cubs game?

Ready? Break!

Chicago Planning

Not that we're running out of time, but I just saw Moto on No Reservations: Chicago, and I became super psyched about Chi-town. For the Foodies on the list, I recommend watching 6:05. Also we need to go to Hot Doug's 2:10.

So just tossing out some ideas:

- For destination dining, for those interested: Alinea, Moto
- For just plain good food: Hot Doug's, Pizzeria Uno/Due
- Cubs game at Wrigley (they are at home from 2-July to 8-July)
- Apparently riverboat gambling is legal in Illinois
- Any combination of water sports, shooting, golf, skydiving, flying. I don't know. Just psyched for some reason.

Feel free to comment on this thread or just start a new post with ideas.

Good Fortune

So as I was listening to our new President* announce that last month, the economy lost 500,000 jobs, I couldn't help but feel fortunate. Those are 500K families who have lost not only their source of income, but also their health care, and perhaps even their retirement savings. It's an uncertain time for all of us, but for those unfortunate many, it is also a desperate one. In that light, I couldn't help but look back at the things I may take for granted from time to time.

I was fortunate enough to have parents ambitious and talented enough to bring me here, so I wouldn't have to toil and suffer as they did.

I was fortunate enough to have a childhood free from emotional trauma and physical hardships.

I was fortunate enough to be surrounded with good friends and mentors throughout school, college, and beyond who pushed me and made me better.

I was fortunate enough to attend a university and a program renowned enough to certify me as capable.

I was fortunate enough to land a job at a tremendously successful company, filled with many talented, inspired people, right as it was taking off.

I didn't choose my profession because of any particular foresight. I didn't choose to study to be a computer scientist in a time when the tech sector was shrinking knowing that when it inevitably expanded again, my skill set would make me valuable. I did it because I liked computers, and math, and engineering. I didn't choose to work at Google because I knew it was best suited to survive any downturn, but because it seemed fun and was an opportunity that I had.

I am still fortunate to have my job, my health, my friends, and my family. Even still, I'd be willing to give up those things in that order. I can always get another job. But I've only got this one shot here, and even that's not guaranteed. I just hope I take the time to appreciate those of you who might read this little blog of my adventures, and for those that I care about who don't. There may be times I complain things don't go as well as they should...glad to be fortunate enough to be able to.

Didn't mean to sound sappy, just felt like I had to share.

*(It still feels weird to think of anyone 'new' as president, let alone Barack Obama)

Gates Hillman Center

The Gates Hillman Complex is really starting to take shape... looks cool. The complex is massive! It really does a nice job connecting main campus to the lower campus toward Craig St. I was going to take some pictures and pass them along but these webcams do a decent job:

http://gates-cam.andrew.cmu.edu/webcam/

In case you didn't know, last year the Henry L. Hillman Foundation donated $10 million toward the project so the combined complex will now be the Gates Center for Computer Science and the Hillman Center for Future Generation Technologies.

Travel Plans for Denver

Southwest.
Depart Apr 10 Fri Nonstop SFO-DEN 3778 Depart San Francisco (SFO) at 4:55 PM
Arrive in Denver (DEN) at 8:25 PM

Return Apr 13 Mon Nonstop DEN-SFO 396 Depart Denver (DEN) at 6:10 AM
Arrive in San Francisco (SFO) at 7:55 AM

Get cracking, Folks!


-Zhi