RamblingDyna

I've been soooo busy these past two weeks that I neglected my blog. Like a plant without water and proper sunlight, my blog has laid dormant in the dark lone corner. Time to rejuvenate and give it a kick start! Ding dong...Bueller? Bueller? I'll start by summarizing why I've been away. Two weeks ago I played SF city tour guide host to my friend (and former Sega of Japan colleague) who visited me from Tokyo for four days. Half the time I was working so thank god she knew how to take public transportation by herself (Bay Area Rapid Traing (BART) and the MUNI cable car). Since s he stayed in the heart of Union Square, we walked through Chinatown all way to Northbeach. Strange, but for a Friday dinner night, Chinatown wasn't busy with the usual foot and car traffic. Northbeach was pretty oh hum as well. Yup, it's the effects of the poor economy. Last Tuesday , I was in downtown San Mateo for dinner and it was a ghost town. A sign that more people are making their...

I’ve been stationed in a major San Francisco shopping mall for the past two weeks so I wanted to get as far away from the stores and crowd as much as possible. So I headed out to one of my favorite city places that still maintains it natural non- commercialized beauty - Ocean Beach. It’s not corrupted and inundated by Starbucks, major chain retail marketplaces and four star hotels. I’m proud to say it’s been immune to major retail development and influences. It’s not Malibu, Monterey Bay, Seaport Village (San Diego) or its half sister, Pier 39. Like the various districts (boroughs), Ocean Beach has its own vibe and subculture. The other reason I went to Ocean Beach is that it’s been awhile since I’ve jogged the trail that runs parallel to the main road Great Highway. I blame the cold snap that hit us in early December. 49 degrees was the highest temperature today. That's dam cold for us here but mild compared to the freezing temperatures that the east and the midwest have to endure...