Rocky Rocky!

Holiday break with family. Checkout Rocky, who is very excited about who is arriving and just has to shove his nose in between and try to get a glimpse on who is it that has arrived.

End of the Year Service Space Wisdom Scroll Event with Rev. Heng Sure

Full house!

All About the Churro

I love Christmas in the Park.  It's my tradition to go and get a hot freshly fried churro there each year.  David came to hangout.  We went to get Indian buffet and then walked at the park and also went to the church where ceremonies were done in Spanish.  It was a lovely time. 

Christmas Party

It's always fun, even Rocky was in the Christmas spirit.  He likes to sleep underneath the fresh Christmas tree in his house among all the presents. 

Onto Powder Bowl Express

Day 5 Snowboarding for the 2011 season
I got out of bed at 3:15am and rolled off at 3:35am for Tahoe. I arrived in Placerville at 6:30am, pulled over to get gas and paid attention to ice in the parking lot. Then I took a 30 minute break at Carrow’s and ate cream of corn out of a 7oz can. I waited for the sky to light up and do the last 50 miles of mountain driving in the light. I took care to watch out for black ice on the road. The truckers with big rigs all passed me, fine by me. They drive 75 mph on the mountain road beyond speed limit, super scary to me. I finally made it to Heavenly parking lot at 8:31am. The lot was mostly covered in ice. I picked a spot that had the least amount of ice. I had made it in my scheduled time. It was hot and nice in the car I had on flip flops. When I stepped out of the car to get my clothes out of the trunk, it was freezing cold with icy wind. I also walked slowly towards the trunk holding onto my car for support to not fall on the ice. It took me another 45 minutes to dress up, lace up and munch on more snacks. I hit the bunny slope at 9:30am. It really takes me an hour to get off the highway and to acclimate.


I spent the first two hours to fully arrive in Heavenly. I felt clogged. It was nice to be here early to have the slope all to myself. It is amazingly beautiful. I was quite scared to ride on the board somehow. So I spent the first 2 hours on my heels. Then I finally switched to toes and I found it to be easier to ride on my toes. I think I figured out why I have trouble on my toes. It’s my stigmatism, when I wear these goggles, I have on contact lenses and they don’t correct my stigmatism. I can’t see with blind spots and sense of depth is off. This is why I can’t be a pilot and fly an airplane. I get it.



Today I graduated to another chair lift and got onto Powder Bowl Express. At around 11:30am I was hungry. I brought a bag of baked goods from Kristine, a lovely gift with 3 clusters of chocolate crisps crunch with dried apricot or mango. It was so yummy. I ate while overlooking the lake at a nice spot. I wore a new coral pink shell today, thin, it is good for 60 degree weather. Today the temperature was in the 30s-40s and I was cold. I had on 4 layers and I was still cold. Today’s park price for Heavenly is $92 for a day pass. It’s a good thing I have a season pass.



I had to head down at 2pm. In my last stretch to snow beach I fell and slid far. Both the braces came off. I could have lost my board. I really didn’t want to leave but it’s time to go. I don’t want to drive the mountain at night. Plus I have been up since 3am and I still have hours of driving to do. At the parking lot I made and arugula salad with giant beans and artichoke. It was yummy, and I finished the rest of cream of corn. While I ate I watched the ice roll of my board on the hood.

While driving on the mountain, I knew there were passing lanes and so I did not pull over for others to pass because all the pullouts had ice and snow on it. The distance was not enough for me to break and slow down, I’d run into the risk of sliding on ice and crashing my car.

I made it to 65th in Sacramento, Starbucks. It was bumper to bumper traffic in Sacramento, I decided to take a break. I ate another plate of salad and took a nap for 45 minutes. I so needed the nap. I woke up because I was cold. My hands itched and hurt from the cold this morning just from walking to the trunk out of the driver seat, so this evening they were dry and cracking at the end of the day. I had cookies and tea before taking off at 7:10pm to drive home. I made it home by 7:10pm.

Holiday Mall Decorations

Hanging out at the mall after lunch at the mall with family.  I like seeing festive decorations. 

My Dad and His Love For His Children

Dad is cooking the Sunday dinner.  It's a regular thing and everyone looks forward to getting together on Sundays when our schedules match up.  He just loves seeing his children and grandchildren.  He begins the day with shopping.  Then he prepares when he gets the food home.  Then he starts to cook soup or stew or both.  And two hours before the estimated family arrival, he begins cooking over the stove.  I am grateful for an awesome father!

White Elephant Party

It's our annual White Elephant party! It's quite fun to see what creative things people brought and what people like to go for. I must say, year after year I find myself missing the mark on what people would enjoy as gifts. This game is always a laugh, a total workout for the abs!

Heart Attack Board Games

It's good times at Yvonne and Rinaldi's!  They throw fun parties and always there is good food and drinks!  We are serious board gamers!

Fun with Gifts!

I am really excited about gifts I got for family and the surprises I have planned!

Holidays!

It's that time of the year! Getting all ready for the festivities!

Don't Hate Fat, Grateful Instead

Day 4 Snowboarding for the 2010 season

All night I kept hearing sparks and seeing them shoot across the room for 4 hours, finally I went to the very super ancient heater in the room and turned the dial to 1 the lowest at 4am.  This seemed to have done it.  I left the restroom window open because it seems the cigarette smell came from there.  Plus I am used to having fresh air.  Air was seriously casino like in there, suffering. 

I got up at 7am and made tea and packed.  It’s getting easier and quicker for me.  I don’t know maybe my state of mind is clearer and less overwhelmed.  Then I drank pumpkin soup and ate the rest of the chocolate cake, then I meditated. 

I loaded the car at 8:40am.  I got up to the top of the tram at 9:40am.  It takes 1 hour for me to get ready and be at the top I guess.  It was foggy and cold so I wore layers.  As the tram lifted up through the blanket of fog over the lake, it was all hot sun.  I was over dressed, too hot.  I had to take layers off, I had a tiny camel pack on, barely fits anything.

As I looked at the fog from above, I wondered if all fog was grey.  The fog and the valley to me represented the Saha World and I am glad there are rides to lift you above it so you can see and feel the sun, the sun has been here all along. 

Snow was slushy.  Falling was painful today.  I am thankful of my butt fat and other fat for cushioning my falls.  A lot more speed gain today on the slopes due to the conditions.  I am certain I can zigzag on my heels.  I can swivel on my heels.  I am both goofy and right footed today.  I have begun standing on my toes and able to lead with my left.  I am getting the general feeling of balancing on my toes.  I am glad I started to do this after watching a teacher train kids, after that I got pretty into it.

It is the speed of falling that gets me concerned more than the speed of downhill.  Today I also stretched the bunny slope ride by going crisscross down the slope instead of straight down.  After this weekend, I feel like I can make figure eights by the end of this season.    I hope to graduate beyond this bunny lift too.  I am pretty excited just thinking about it. 

I started the day with enthusiastic spirit.  As I was on the slope I felt my fatigue.  I wasn’t sore but mostly tired.  I found myself sitting on the snow bank even though my muscles weren’t burning.  I felt mentally slow too.  At one point I thought about leaving 2 hours early.  I thought about lounging out somewhere.  I thought about zipping through the slopes.  Then I decided it was okay to sit on my bum and watch others and rest until I felt like getting up.  It was good to take the time to take care of myself this way and pay attention to current needs. 

I pressed on and began working on riding my toes.  I was so excited, what was that fatigue and calling a day before I even began sweating about?  What pain?  Who is hungry?  Time then flew by too fast!  I headed off the lift at 1:12pm and made it down to the car at 1:30pm.  My goal was reached.  I didn’t quit before reaching my goal.  What a task, to not quite early on and to accomplish what I set out to do.  I need to look at this with the rest of the areas in my life.    

It took me 1 ½ hours to get to Placerville.  The lack of familiarity of the curves in the mountain and driving within the speed limit was good.  Plus the blindness that comes from the shadows and sun of the afternoon through the trees, the almost sunset winter light are just terrible blinding driving conditions.  The sun sets around 4:30pm this time of the year.  My eyes are unable to flip back and forth that fast and in the midst of mountain sharp curves.  It was a difficult drive on the one lane mountain road. 

Entering Sacramento vicinity I started to fade, I ate a piece of chocolate cake.  I needed to pee but I refused to stop the car,  I couldn’t tell  if it was Sacramento or the hours I had been driving or just fatigue, I had to turn the radio on.  My mind went from mountain peace calm to auto pilot driving.  I wondered if it is the pains and stress of the cities that throws me off like that.  I got back at 6:15pm.         

Keep It Fun

Day 3 Snowboarding for the 2011 season

I woke up at 4:15am and I didn’t roll out of bed until 5:35am.  I was awake but I resisted getting up.  It wasn’t me who was unhappy.  I had been foggy headed.  I didn’t get on the highway until 6:45am.  "Oh well, so it goes" I told myself.

Driving conditions was foggy in the valley, cloudy in Sacramento area, and then Placerville was sunny.  My first stop was in North of Sacramento to pee and snack.  Sacramento is very hypnotic sleepy place.  I had to slap myself for drifting on the road.  Then I pulled over in Placerville to pump gas, five gallons for 170 miles.  Then I did my usual pull out into McDonald’s in South Tahoe to use the restroom and just get off the highway.  It was 11am and I took a 35 minute break.  At heavenly parking lot I took my time to dress for the slope and lace up.  I usually loose another 30 minutes just to get ready.  It feels really good to be at Tahoe. 

Slopes today was slushy ice at 60 degree temperature.  I had a lot of speed.  I was better at navigating on my board today with the zig-zag.  I am finding myself to be goofy foot.  It really fells good to be up in the mountain.  I really love the air.  Not busy today on the slopes which I like and this gave me more space to work on my skills.  I want to work on my “S”.  I have trouble with the sensation of turning right, I wonder if it is an ear drum thing.  I have the same trouble on the moped.  I had trouble with putting  pressure on my toes and staying on my board.  I found myself super thirsty today.  The hydropack came in handy. 

I am glad I made the trip out here today.  It really is nice to take a break and take a step back from my life and look at things differently and feel different.  I didn’t mind the slushy slope runs.  It was still lots of fun.  The drive here wasn’t too bad. 

I stayed in an Inn tonight, it’s really a motel called an Inn.  This one has TV that works.  The room I had was no smoking room but it smelled like one though.  I couldn’t breathe in the room.  I need to pack food for the slopes, I was super hungry today. 

Success for the day, I finally was able to stand when unloading off the lift chair.  One of the staff said I should work at Heavenly since I am like there a lot.  I like the kind and gentle spirit of the staff at Heavenly.  They were kind and encouraging, super supportive with their hearts on my bunny slope endeavors.  I feel like a baby learning how to walk for the first time and taking my first steps with people around me cheering me on with smiles in full support and encouragement for success. 

My study and practice of Dharma needs to be more like learning to snowboard; fun, curious, focused.  I think I got lost somewhere in the past two years somehow.  My practice became a place to feel bad and beat myself up without encouragement or support.  It had become a place of punishment, an electric chair.  I don’t know how this happened?  It doesn’t matter.  Stop and change is what matters.  I do recall when I first started, it was like snowboarding and being on the mountain.  I remember now.  Thank you, snowy mountain for helping me remember. 

I See You

Dream

I am looking around the Chiang ancestral home, no one living is around, yet the place is active.  I am there waiting for dad quietly, but I don’t want to be seen.  I hear a male uncle, and ancestor enter, I run for the side gate.  I am spotted and acknowledged.  I keep running and hiding, as I am outside, almost toward the gate and fence, another uncle running up the stairs sees me, it was uncle Charles and he acknowledges me.  I run freaking out.  He had the look of wondering why I was running and freaking out.  I run because I was dodging a male relative at least 3 ancestral generations ago, is an abuser and harms me. 

Learning About Skidding and Snow Chains

Day 2 Snowboarding for the 2011 season
I slept well and warm. I woke up early, I was nervous about the drive home. There is a storm today. I woke up to my car covered in snow and powder still falling beautifully, such a pretty sight. I started at 7am, had tea and packed. I was happy to discover the microwave works.  I ate pumpkin soup and veggie cranberry ham.





I watched what others did, drive on the snow and ice without chains. It didn’t occur to me they all had new car. There was traffic up Heavenly parking lot and a 2 door Benz got stuck on the snow up the hill, all traffic stopped. I too had to stop. This car had snow chains too. I didn’t and when it was okay to go, my car couldn’t, a Heavenly staff helped to push my car and my wheels swiveled to the right and left. I was skidding, but I didn’t know, I was on first gear, it was scary. I burned my car. It was totally scary. And yes I know nothing of skidding on ice and snow, can’t even register or identify it.   
 

I finally made it to the parking lot at 9am. I was scared. I didn’t want to go out to the snow. I worried over the ride home and contemplating staying one more night. But I realized this is an education on driving in the snow and I have to drive in the storm to learn about it. So I braved it and got out of the car. I watched a minivan put on the chains, following instructions on a paper for the first time. I spoke to them and they said they wanted to make sure they can get out later if the parking lot is filled with snow. I worried some more.

The snow was falling. I needed my goggles. The snow was fresh soft powder. I felt like I was gliding on frozen butter. It was wonderful, so much fun. Today I successfully did a left to right zig-zag down the slope, very satisfying. I only had time for one run. I had to go back down for my ride home. The ride down the tram, we almost hit the tower because of the wind, a bit scary.

I didn’t want to make any stops so I kept driving. The traffic started on the road way before chain control check. I waited to get chains before the chain control. I pulled over a gas station where most people did too to put on their chains. I pulled up to 4 Indian men from Fresno taking a smoking break to ask them to help me with chains. They were precise by the books kind of guys. They were the right ones to watch and learn from. They too are new at this. They did not have proper snow gear on. One of them had shopping bags for his tennis shoes to stay dry in this condition. 

They had just read their instruction for putting on chain and just did so on their own car. So they followed instructions for chains word by word with mine. Four men were on their hands and knees on black ice in the parking lot without snow clothes, gloves, or snow shoes. I was super grateful, relieved, and happy that I forgot to hand them food or something as thank you.

The restroom was a long line. Lots of families not equipped for the snow were all waiting for the restroom. This was the last place for the restroom until after the mountain passes and in this snowy condition, it may mean hours.


I began my drive with chains on up the mountain to reach Echo summit, slow like everyone else. I have no idea what I am doing. I saw the signs for $30 to put up chains and $20 to take off chains. My chains cost $60. I pulled over at the off chains sign and asked 2 men with their girlfriends to help me remove my chains. They got on their hands and knees reluctantly in front of their girlfriends. I am grateful. I again forgot to thank them with something. I felt I had survived the hardest part so I sat and ate the rest of the spanakopitas. Little did I know the driving lesson has yet to begin for me.

Eight miles in on the road after the take your chains off sign, cars were going 2 miles per hour bumper to bumper. My car slid and skid to the right. I didn’t know what it was about. I wondered if my breaks weren’t working, then finally the car was able to stop, by the use of snow pile by the edge of my lane facing the mountain, fortunately facing the mountain. In these mountain pass it’s either the mountain or down the mountain. Not knowing what that was about, I pulled out continued driving with wheels, breaks, engine on. I then skid to the left, fortunately no incoming car approached. I stopped as the wheels forked to the left all the way. Still, puzzled, wondered if my power steering was in trouble and proceeded to check that it was still working. I got on the lane again and inched a few feet, I skid to the right and turned the wheel to the max to stop skidding to avoid smashing into the mountain. I was super freaking out now. Again, not knowing what was going on, what I needed to do, I pulled the car back on the lane. I was at a complete stop for a long time in traffic. This really saved the stupidity in me from continuing forward and saved my car and life and other people too. I noticed no one else was putting chains on so I didn’t think I needed them. I did not notice they all were SUVs probably with snow tires on. I wondered why would they tell us to take our chains off if we needed them? Finally a Caltran truck rolled by and told me to put chains on again, that conditions changes in the mountain at any minute. I told him I needed help and he said, “good luck” and rolled off.

I pulled to the right to park my car, I got out and turned around and headed for the 1st car behind me to help me. He was a young man with a female driver in a T-Shirt, I asked for his help, he said he didn’t know how to put on chains and so I insisted I knew what I was doing just isn’t strong enough to hook up the chains. Perfect that he agreed, and in reality I have only seen it done once just 10 miles back from four Indian men who read instructions off a piece of paper. But I paid close attention so I was sure I could recall all the steps, at least I hoped to. He was kind to put on clothes and get on his hands and knees to reach the inside hooks of the wheel for both tires. He got all dirty and blacken his hands and clothes in the process of helping me. I did the outside hooks. He helped to secure the bungee chords, which I was not strong enough to stretch and hook up. I was so grateful I handed him grapes as thank you. Forty miles later, I insisted on completing my driving in the snow lesson and removed the chains myself.

It turns out in the summit, the slow traffic was due to a car accident of two cars without chains on ice, not visible to the eye that was covered underneath the fresh powder snow flurries falling from the sky. Both cars were brand new Benz. Fortunately these two cars saved me, I would have been driving much faster if not for this hold up. That would have been me or worse. I would also have hit on coming traffic with all the skidding into on coming traffic mountain lane if not for their accident to block all on coming traffic.  So I came home and watched skidding and learned everything I can off You Tube with driving in the snow.