where i ended up.

preparedness

2012-01-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

"Being prepared for any crisis, whether natural disaster or social upheaval, is as natural and logical as exercising and eating healthy foods. Taking care of yourself physically doesn't mean you're a hypochondriac. Having fire extinguishers and smoke alarms doesn't mean you have a phobia about fire. Being ready to protect yourself and your family doesn't make you paranoid.

Whether the fight is verbal or physical, the first law of human conflict is to be able to predict where the attack will come, and already have a counter in place for it. If your lifestyle and values are subject to deliberate or accidental misinterpretation, be prepared to defend that lifestyle and those values as surely as you stand ready to protect yourself and yours."

-Massad Ayoob

from this article on backwoods home.

finally snow

2012-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

it last snowed two and a half months ago. around halloween.
weird winter.

snow is nice. streets become quiet.
away from the city the landscape stays pristine and white.

further out, rides like these are possible.

gotta tune my mountain bike and get out there!

oh yeah. in november '11 i did a cross race.

2012-01-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

that's me on the left, and frank on the right.
at the start of our first cyclocross race.

i'd raced alleycats on my track bike.
i rode mountain bikes before all this 700c business.
i even had a SSCX bike for a couple years and took that to the trails.
it spent a bunch of that time set up fixed too. that was fun.
but i had sold that bike to fund a disc CX riserbar bike.. aka a hybrid,
which ended up being my do-it-all rig.
i never planned on racing. especially being back east, off the bike, and out of shape.
especially in cyclocross, a discipline renowned for being painful and vomit-inducing.

when i goaded my good friend frank into getting a cross bike,
all i wanted was a partner to ride trails with.
i should have known that he'd want to race it; he was an ironman racer.
and i couldn't disappoint him; he had purchased cause i had told him to.

so i bought a clipless setup (i was a clips n straps or flat pedal guy), trained barriers one night,
and went out to staten CX to play in category 4.

to my surprise, i didn't get dead-fucking-last!
i started mid-pack, got passed a few times,
and i even beat my ironman friend by one (1) spot.
74/100 for zero training and having rode maybe 10 miles that month,
i was happy. and amped to race more than just once next season.

then i can have some goals (gasp!) to shape training (gasp!) around.
i thought bike riding was supposed to be fun.
but there will always be weirdos like this:

my blog
by: nofinishline

see you out there in the dirt!

2012 begins

2012-01-16T15:18:00.001-08:00

and what did i take with me from 2011?
like every year before, it came with experiences
that change the shape of what it means to do good,
and the idea of who and what i do right by.

i didn't realize what that even meant for me.
not until i considered what my highest values were,
or that they could change over time.

throughout life everyone will gain some things and lose others.
last year, in order to move forward with one teacher, i had to leave another.
that also meant leaving a brotherhood that for a time meant a lot to me.
i didn't feel like i had a choice.
my pursuit of higher knowledge could not be put into question,
but in its wake i was exposed to others' feelings that made me see their truths.
i crossed the bridge and cannot turn back.
here, the highest value is knowledge.

in 2011 i also left behind what had become my west coast home.
oakland gave me four brilliant years of sun and rain and friendship and paths.
i met many likeminded people who i hope to know for many years.
the weather was fantastic and a winter of rain was easier to endure.
my bike rolled out with me every day, and i got used to it.
...
some day i will ride oakland daily again.

until then, here i am, back in new york!
with much of the family and many old friends,
in the hometown landscape that i used to hold more highly.
i know the city well, so well that what i love and hate about it
are clear to me and that clarity amplifies the love and hate.
so it is as good, as it is bad, to be back.
new york is the city of ambivalence.

that doesn't mean these next years will be happily unpleasant!
these next chapters simply have a more complex landscape to flip through,
and the challenges will be as difficult as the rewards will be worthy.
2012 will see developments, progression, and maybe some big decisions too.

within the past several years, many of my written entries have rounded back,
to the idea that everything anyone does should be done with consideration.
that the right reasons be the cause,
and that even if there is no goal,
there should be progress.

i hadn't in those entries considered the greater values at the roots.
knowledge, justice, ethical responsibility and personal responsibility.
i need these to be strong in my mind, to encourage them,
and move forward with them.

things i dislike

2011-02-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

"the market"
making intangible money off "the market"
consulting about how to make intangible money off "the market"
outsourcing
pretending to care about local economies and still outsourcing

chemicals that are bad for us
chemicals that are bad for us in things we ingest
the approval of chemicals that are bad for us in things we ingest

unsafe practices
unsafe practices with heavy machinery

"the system"
routing "the system" to harm others

not doing something about aforementioned things i dislike

-----

i'll add to the list if i come up with other things later

happy 2011! let it be a healthy year.

2011-01-08T22:16:00.000-08:00

at the end of 2010, i smugly remarked during some conversation
that i had managed to avoid getting sick all year.
then i got the flu. (i really thought i had knocked on wood!)

it was awful; it set in right before i had to fly back to the bay.
6 hours cramped into a window seat, choking down recycled air,
trying not to sound like a biohazard while coughing uncontrollably.
adrenaline got me through the airport and i managed not to collapse.
thank goodness for those moving walkways!
no thanks to having a duffel instead of a wheeled suitcase..

then i crashed hard. several days worth of mostly laying down.
drinking soup and relying a lot on nicole to keep house and my head up.
it had been so long since i'd been this sick, i had forgotten what fever felt like!
though after a few days i certainly had a better grasp of them;
so well that i can almost guess my own temperature (when it's high).
100 degrees just feels slightly warm. can still do most things.
102 degrees makes sudden movement a little tough. and starts aching the neck.
104 degrees is stifling. pretty much bedridden (or couchridden, as the case was).
luckily i'm fairly tough and 104 did not last nor hospitalize me. yay!

now after a week and a half i am nearly a normal person again.
i can teach my classes without coughing up my throat,
and ride my bike (though nearly coughing up my throat in this weather).

fortunately the rest of my time spent back east was mostly pleasant.
i trained a lot with my guro and ironed out some key elements in my training.
got to spend time with just a couple friends who i happened to bump into.
my brother's family brought a new life into the world, my second niece!
she is little and gorgeous and pink and i can't wait to get to know her.
that was amazing, as she was originally expected after i was to leave for ca.
i also got to walk through a blizzard and shovel lots of snow!
then go back inside to spend time with mom and dad.
the house was the haven.

so now we're back west and getting back into the groove.
i plan to ride more, train more, teach more, and shoot more this year.
hopefully i can tell you and show you more this year too.
be well.

aquatic park sunset

2010-11-16T21:18:00.001-08:00

aquatic park sunset
Originally uploaded by mo yun

muir woods

2010-11-11T18:36:00.003-08:00

muir woods
Originally uploaded by mo yun

landing at JFK

2010-11-11T18:36:00.001-08:00

landing at JFK
Originally uploaded by mo yun

down to albany from arlington

2010-11-11T18:35:00.001-08:00

down to albany from arlington
Originally uploaded by mo yun

september

2010-09-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

summer used to be my favorite season.
back when i was younger and more energetic,
and could stay out deep into the warm summer nights.
going to central park at 1am.
riding bikes until breakfast.
then it got too hot.
and i went to bed earlier.

and then autumn became my favorite season.
warm colored trees and leaf covered streets,
cool playful winds and soft gentle sunlight.
great weather for photographs.
fantastic weather for riding bikes.

in the bay area you can find autumn,
but it may only last for a couple blocks and a couple minutes.
and only in a few spots around the east bay.
you get one, maybe two, good moments.
the next moment it's either too hot again,
or the fog has shown its face, and it's cold and damp.
these micro-climates are like channel-surfing the seasons.

i bet this will be something i'll miss when i move back to new york.
maybe.

walrus

2010-07-26T16:19:00.001-07:00

walrus
Originally uploaded by mo yun

caught off guard

2010-06-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

a student of mine recently expressed a significant concern regarding surprise attacks. he could not be certain that he would be ready for an unexpected attack. he imagined being consumed by fear, or not responding appropriately because he was thrown off. here are the thoughts that he provoked.

unexpected attacks are just that: unexpected. normal citizens cannot be expected to have their guard up all the time. even law enforcement officers and security contractors can be caught off guard. what happens in this world are not within our control, and that is something everyone has to come to terms with. martial arts training is not some form of magic that will provide an invisible protective shield around you at all times.

as a person concerned about your personal safety, you have to be satisfied with the level of awareness, of your environment and the people around you, that you maintain at most times. you can't be so wound up that you attack anyone that comes near you, but you can't be so relaxed or distracted that you don't know you're being marked and mugged until you're surrounded by three attackers. you have to do the best you can.

in the same way, you can train responses to types of situations. and you need to be confident and satisfied that the training you are doing is the kind you can count on to keep you defended and safe. on top of that, you have to believe you are training hard enough and realistically enough that you can defend and save yourself in bad situations.

if people attack with fists, know empty-hand tactics. if people attack with weapons, know weapons tactics. if people attack aggressively, know how to handle aggressive energy. just like boxers train for fights by sparring in rings, and brazilian jiujitsu practitioners train for competition by rolling on mats, you can train for the street by doing multiple attacker drills on concrete.

you can also train by running. running is an option! getting away from the attack is the safest thing you can do. but in the case that you are required to strike back, you will be glad you have done some sort of combat training.

you might not know when you'll get attacked unexpectedly, but you have the ability to know that you have done all you can to prepare for those times. train well.

Bay Area Pekiti-Tirsia with Maginoo Tim Waid

2010-05-20T16:46:00.001-07:00

Bay Area Pekiti-Tirsia with Maginoo Tim Waid
Originally uploaded by mo yun

This seminar was very focused and well-presented. It expanded my understanding of some movements while affirming my understanding of others. It supplied a framework for delineation and progression. The big picture was emphasized while acknowledging the smaller possibilities that exist. Greatly beneficial.

training ride!

2010-04-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

the tour de cure is next weekend
so nicole insisted we log as many miles as possible today!
after all the running around and route-deciding,
we ended up with about 28 miles with a handful of stops:
berkeley bowl west, rotten city pizza, some crappy shoe store in emeryville,
missing link bike coop, and naia gelateria.
fun day.

the gmap route

bicycle lifestyle promotion

2010-03-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

leaf on wet concrete

2010-02-24T20:03:00.001-08:00

leaf on wet concrete
Originally uploaded by mo yun

cooking

2010-02-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

been very happy with the last bunch of foods i've cooked.

-baked yukon gold potatoes with broccoli, garlic, and dry-fried tempeh
-soyrizo tacos with sauteed collards and onions on corn tortillas
-honey barbecue baked tofu sandwiches on sliced brioche
-sweet shoyu tempeh and carrot sushi rolls
-swedish apple pie
-apple almond cake

everything vegan except the brioche. nobody's perfect.

lake merritt

2010-02-24T11:00:00.001-08:00

lake merritt
Originally uploaded by mo yun

noemi loves elmo

2010-02-21T17:12:00.001-08:00

noemi loves elmo
Originally uploaded by mo yun

oops!

2010-02-05T10:20:00.001-08:00

happy new year!

i went back to new york.
saw the family.
trained.

january i began working at the schools again.
my high school students are the same from last year.
they will learn much this year.
i will learn much this year.

going back to new york for chinese new year
and a kali seminar with my guro's guro.

okiedokie.
the rain is almost letting up?

spread out points

2009-11-30T00:06:00.000-08:00

i mean, everyone who's ever had a blog has been negligent at one point or another. it's the same thing as forgetting to write in your journal for a month or three. except a blog is some level of public and some readers may be expectant and consequently disappointed if you don't publish. or they'll just stop checking back and forget about the blog almost entirely. lucky for me, this blog is so random and personal i only expect friends and family to find it (mostly) unconditionally interesting. and so i thank you if you've made it back to this page.

clearly, i still exist and i still form words and tonight they've happened to make their way onto the net again. their purpose though, remains to be seen.

i could talk about how this year has nearly reached its end, with stunning expediency, at least from my point of view. the moon has phased many times, and the rains have begun to make short, moody appearances. on those days i don't water my plants.

the bay area winter will begin its games of wind and rain and fog and cold mixed with sun and clear blue sky. a six-sided die. rolled twice.

my "bad weather" bike is ready. and i remember the time when my "all weather" bike was also my "street" bike, "mountain" bike, and "trick" bike. my singlespeed hardtail with a disc brake. it made the most sense back in new york; a flat, mixed terrain, technical and crowded arena. it crossed bridges quickly, it descended stairs smoothly, it carved around cars sharply, and it threaded through pedestrians deftly.

the bay area has spoiled me with its endless days of rideable weather and encouraged me with its broad community of cylists of every ilk.

i'm at a point where i confuse myself deciding which bike to ride. that is not a complaint, more an acknowledgment of what has become. these material things, changing the way i interact with the environment, allow me to further explore my body and its relationship to this place.

on i go.

new macaframa upload

2009-08-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Massan from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

one clean shot.

mutiny bikes "let's get mystical"

2009-07-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

always good.

Mutiny Bikes "Let's Get Mystical" Trailer! from Mutiny Bikes on Vimeo.

oakland bicycle film festival 2009

2009-07-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

yesterday was a big day.
the first time the bicycle film festival came to oakland and alameda!
yay for the east bay!

anyways it was to be a badass alleycat race
and badass bike polo tournament at san antonio park in east oakland.
and then a 6 mile group ride to alameda for the films.

events and venues not for the faint of heart.
the race was a bit of a hunt at unmanned checkpoints and a delivery.
the courts were old and worn, covered in leaves and super treacherous.
the group ride from east oakland to alameda was like a bicycle sideshow;
it helped that we had 15 scraper bikes scraping with us. dope.

the racers at the start.

team janky. oakland!

the theatre.

more if you click 'em.

you'll find a snap of brendt barbur, the founder of the festival, and james, the man behind bringing the festival to oakland. good fellas.

enola gay

2009-07-17T12:13:00.001-07:00

Airik Elstracular Spectacular from North of Ten on Vimeo.

bikes are fun!

what exactly are we seeking?

2009-07-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

in one quiet moment in my one small spot on this earth,
i consider the beauty of nature and the wonder of life,
and reconsider the motivation behind all things.
in the beauty of movement and grace, in the martial arts,
we find ourselves trained in destructive, even deadly technique.
how and when did we get to this place in our minds,
in our bodies and memory of bone and flesh and joints and muscle?
was there a time when we resigned ourselves to war?
are we not seekers of peace?

waaaaaarrioooooors

2009-07-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

oops! sorry i let a whole two months go by.

The Warriors Race from morehartfilms on Vimeo.

if you're in the BC area in september do this race!

fine day in seoul, korea

2009-05-19T14:35:00.001-07:00

One Fine Day _ in seoul from inkon on Vimeo.

don't know what to call this, but it's nice

2009-05-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Coeur de Pirate || Comme des enfants from Dare To Care Records on Vimeo.

swirling birds above the bus terminal

2009-05-05T18:00:00.001-07:00

i caught this in the fall,
but only now had a chance to upload it.
while waiting for the bike shuttle in sf..

video

2009-04-23T18:05:00.001-07:00

Tous à vélo ! from Jeff BARRE on Vimeo.

bicycle-talk: tonic fab

2009-04-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

tonic fabrication is a small bicycle fab shop out of portland oregon. it's a couple of guys who are really in it for the love of the ride and have more than just a knack for quality and refinement. if you ride hard and like simplicity, it's an easy choice. read more on their site and see what they have to offer.

in any case since my surly suffered some damage some months ago, i decided it was a good time to upgrade and land on a bike that will fill my needs for a long, long time. i knew tonic fab could do that for me, and the supernaut was released at a perfect time. coming from bmx and mountain biking, this was a perfect choice for me as a street-track rig.

click for more pictures.

also posted in the tonic fab news.

idaho stop law

2009-04-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop from Spencer Boomhower on Vimeo.

bicycle-talk: forks for barspins on 700c

2009-04-02T11:03:00.001-07:00

first we have nemesis project's 32mm rake fork, at 395mm a2c.

then from w-base, a 20(!)mm rake fork, at 430mm a2c.

eh.

bicycle-talk: dkg cnc

2009-03-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

american-made components. often synonymous with the best of the best. chris king. phil wood. thomson. white industries. profile racing. if you know bikes, these are names you've heard. maybe parts you own. more likely if you've ever put together a custom build, because you probably took good consideration for just about every single component you installed. from the hubs to the headset. from the pedals to the saddle. from the seatpost to the handlebars. but what about seatpost clamps?

before i got to the arena of custom builds i would just use what came with the bike, like my first new bmx bike or my first second-hand mountain bike. then, whatever the bike shop had would usually do; a good reason i rode a primo viking on my T1 for a few years. luckily my first custom build-up (my brooklyn machine works park bike) saw a salsa flip-off at the base of my thomson post. both arguably the best out there. then when i started locking it up more, i needed a bolt-on clamp. another stroke of luck landed me a used nyc freeride (yay for local! when i was in new york) clamp. my next three frames would come with their own clamps; decent and functional and not too exciting. but should they be?

on the verge of completing another build i find out about this guy dave up in san rafael who's been making seatpost clamps (among other things) for a long time. he actually made the original salsa flip-off with ross shafer. while this next bike will rep a whole lot of oregon, some florida, some japan, italy and australia, i can at least have one part from the bay.

these are really local, simple and well-made, affordable and just plain nice.

http://dkg-cnc.com/bicycle.html

A Physical Autobiography of Sorts

2009-03-12T17:12:00.001-07:00

I have begun compiling and writing in detail Kali the Filipino Art as I have been taught it by Guro Victor Velez and his Sifu Joe Musse. While I have not attended Sifu Joe's classes as a weekly pupil, I have attended several of his 6 hour seminars and am under his pupil's tutelage so I thought it was worth more than mentioning. Guro Victor Velez has been guiding me for nearly 5 years now (since summer 2004) and will continue to do so for a long long time to come.

As it happens, the Filipino Art of Kali has become the strongest driving force in my Martial Arts Career, since I began it more than 10 years ago as a preteen at the Shaolin Kung Fu Overseas Headquarters in Flushing, N.Y. I spent several years there training weekly throughout the year and daily in the summers before losing steam. I had almost learned backflips, done well with the staff form and also learned a sparring form, but I needed a break.

I began cycling. More specifically, riding BMX. (I always needed a physical activity of some sort to outlet my energy and exert my body. Before martial arts I danced a short, but illustrious career, performing at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, Central Parks' Delacorte Theater, the Kennedy Center, and even the White House. This is 13 years ago (1996).) I still ride bikes to this day but it is a passion for another passage.

Jump to late secondary education at Hunter College High School where I participated and eventually directed the martial arts segment of the Asian Cultural Society annual show for several years. Breaking boards, weapons forms, and fight choreography included. Mortal Kombat soundtrack optional but encouraged.

During my first two years in college at Clark University I sparingly participated in a campus "fight club" where a student and MMA trainer held sessions to teach us groundfighting and sparring situations. A handful of guys there referred to me as "flying armbar" for a while. I used spare time to study UFC and PrideFC, ended up buying the Fighter's Notebook, and began bringing my close attention to body geometry, mechanics, and their implication and exploitation in grappling. But, being a short, slim fellow, I soon drifted away from this style.

One year I attended an open style philosophy class, where one assignment was a paper on any subject, but in philosophical terms. Martial Arts was an easy choice, and so I did a good deal of research on several arts from several countries, tracing the backgrounds of their ideologies and that reflection in their techniques. The Filipino styles spoke to me most because of their concept of "defanging the snake", meaning the destructions of your opponents weapons. Translation from weapons-in-hand to empty-hands was also very appealing.

So that year I borrowed my sister-in-law's dusty Kali sticks that she had around from a class she had taken for a long time, bought a couple books on the arts, and began my intellectual studying of the art. When I returned home the summer of 2004, I met my master.

I was riding my bike with my friends along the East Riverside Park, when I rolled up to a group of fellows tapping with double sticks. I recognized it immediately as a Filipino Art. I approached cautiously, and when I was noticed, the Guro turned from his students and met me.

I said "Excuse me, but what school are you with?"

He said "Well, what school are you with?"

I replied "Oh, no, I don't mean to ask like that!"

He smiled and laughed and told me he was kidding. I told him I'd recently become interested in the Filipino Arts and he responded kindly, asking about my martial arts experience, telling me a bit about his teachings, and offering a trial class. I took down his information and gave him mine, and saw him sometime in the next week or so.

We met at the bandshell towards the water from Corlears Hook Park in the LES at 8pm on a Saturday morning. I brought my sticks and an open mind. He brought me everything. We continued there for years, even in the rain, even in the snow. Visible exhalations into the cold winter air while drilling footwork and counter-attacking are among the great memories of training. While we have studio spaces to use now, every once in a while training returns to the park and I value it highly. Artists will understand “en plein air”.

Several years later and here I am, living in Oakland for my second year. I have returned to New York many times to train. Guro and I are in good touch and he is helping me along to my next steps. I am also now teaching Martial Arts at after school programs for grades K -5 and 9-12. I hope to go further in my training and share good things from my training. Let’s see what happens.

filibama

2009-02-15T20:06:00.000-08:00

big wheels

2009-02-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

gonna go ride my hardtail today.

it is almost february!

2009-01-24T20:17:00.001-08:00

and it's been some time since i last slept alone.
and few times that i've slept at my apartment.
i'll fully move in with her by march.
i've given my notice.
there's no reason not to, really.

and i hope to achieve a higher level in kali this year.
it is not without it's obstacles that i train here in california,
and my master teaches me from new york,
but i push on and reach further.
i will be tested for lakan guro when i return.

and i ended up teaching martial arts at a high school too.
an alternative school with progressive programs.
they seem like good kids and i'd like to confirm that soon,
as i would like to bring them stick training as well.

and into this new year i continue on;
riding my bike every where and every day;
training my martial arts with high goals;
teaching my martial arts with good intentions;
and living consciously and looking forward.

happy holidays!

2008-12-31T20:42:00.000-08:00

as the year comes to a close
it becomes a good time to reflect
on what made our year good.
our efforts, our successes,
our memories, our learnings,
our times that have now passed.

and while one year might be a small fraction of time,
in the grandest scheme of things such as a lifetime,
it might also be a great chapter of our lives.
no matter how significant or unnoticed it may have seemed,
we have hopefully still given all those hours to some pursuit.
hopefully.

so as time moves forward and our lives live on
it becomes important to make our time important.
to live each day well so all our days are well.
this i wish for you in the coming year
and all years onward.

change has come

2008-11-04T22:26:00.001-08:00

congratulations to the american people.
let us have a champion once again.
i can be a proud patriot.

nice editing

2008-10-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

different styles of street riding.

mike aitken

2008-10-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

mike aitken is one of the most influential and inspiring bmx riders of our generation. his style, courage, and positive attitude are unquestionably pure, and his skill and prowess are so legendary that his signature frame (or frames; he's up to 3.5 of them at this point) may be the most-ridden frame currently on the streets today.

i remember one of the earliest photos that had an impact on me when i first started riding bmx: it was mike aitken throwing a clicked turndown off a tiny transition on a sidewalk. it proved to me that you could have fun on the smallest terrain if you worked on your skills.

Mike Aitken Retrospective from Fitbikeco. on Vimeo.

so the tragedy is that he has been seriously injured. he crashed while riding and damaged his brain. being a professional bmx rider, he has been unable to get health insurance. given his current condition and need for treatment and care, he and his family could definitely use some aid. you can read more here: mikeaitken.com, and make donations as well. i've already made mine.

i wish mike and his family the best. my hopes are with them.

winter is coming, things are good

2008-10-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

the low temperature in oakland hit the 40s yesterday. today it's windy and it didn't go over 70. the chill is here so my next question is when the rain arrives. but i shouldn't fret. it is only early october after all.

in the meantime i've begun teaching martial arts at the elementary after-school program i worked at last year, and thus far it's been a very positive, challenging, and rewarding experience. i'm encouraged by the children's progress, and my sustained enthusiasm is merely reflective of theirs. the program runs semiweekly and will run through the rest of the school year. i am confident that at the end of the year these children will have learned a solid foundation of martial arts skills.

i'm decidedly conclusive that this transfer to the west coast has provided me with ample life opportunities. not even mentioning the clear benefit that i've been riding my bike almost every day for the last year; i've worked a whole year in construction management that has given me loads of experience, and am beginning my second term at this elementary school where i can make a living sharing my love for martial arts with the future of the world. can it get better?

yes it can! i'm also incredibly grateful for all the wonderful people i've met out here and the network they make up for me. there are dinner parties, and bike rides, and bar gatherings, and art shows, and all these great fun things that i can just jump on my bike to shoot over to enjoy with good company. i really can't beat that.

or can i? i haven't even mentioned the new girl who, in so few weeks, has made a distinctly strong and positive impression on my life. oops, well now i've mentioned her. ;)

to good things; make them happen for yourselves.

bicycle-talk: bmx progression

2008-10-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

i remember when i first got into bmx, something like 10 years ago, and for months the big word in all the bmx magazines was "progression". every issue had a segment, a spotlight, a feature on the next step, the higher level, the further progression. the longer an activity is pursued, the greater the amount of possibilities come into existence.

when i see an image (sequence, to be specific) like this, my mind kicks open another door..

bicycle-talk: macaframa premiere

2008-10-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

Macaframa SF Track Bike Promo from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

MACAFRAMA Trailer from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

the trailers for this film created a turning point (or rather, exposed to me a new style to explore) in my riding career. after seeing them, it became clear to me that there were riders out there really pushing and refining a fixed gear street-style that took serious skill and innate grace.

soon after moving to the bay area, i was riding with a few fixed gear street riders. i was riding my brooklyn park bike. they rode their style, i rode mine. we cruised all around oakland. one of the riders, james, asked me if i'd ever ridden a track bike. i told him i hadn't. he said i should try it out; it's fun.

a while later i was commuting fixed on my cross bike. within a month i was looking for parts to build up a dedicated street fix. the bike came together cleanly. the fit was perfect. the style stuck, the motivation to progress grew, and now i'm absolutely a true believer.

bicycle-talk: bmx cruisers back in a big way

2008-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

sunday is working on these, and they look really good.
sunday bikes.

i want to fly

2008-10-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

i never truly considered the possibility until now.
and it terrifies and inspires me.

i am bicoastal

2008-10-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

so it's been kind of crazy.

i was in new york for two weeks.
it was amazing; wonderful; home.
spent time with family, friends, and the landscape.
rode my bmx bike the whole time; that was ill.

but i was having a hard time with bicoastal pulls.

on one hand new york was the hometown
where i felt like i knew everyone and everything.
faces and streets familiar, pure comfort.
all the things i've grown up with.

on the other hand the bay has been treating me well.
the weather is great and the opportunities abound.
i ride my bike everyday and have met awesome people.

a good friend gave me some insight.
rather than feeling sad about the people and places
that i inevitably miss when i'm here or there,
i will feel happy that there are so many i treasure.
there are so many good people in my life,
that my thoughts are filled and pleasant.

sidehacks

2008-09-22T01:05:00.000-07:00

so dope.

anyways head's up i'm back on the left coast.
update from the past two weeks to come.
i hope things have been well.

bomb down broadway

2008-09-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

i love new york.

finding peace

2008-09-19T21:03:00.001-07:00

and i pull back

reconsidering all my considerations
all that which i feel, here, and with you, him, and her
left alone to slip away

when a soft voice sings and a quiet melody plays

and all i want to see is the sun through the clouds
and all i want to hear is the wind through the trees
and all i want is to be stripped bare of it all

to feel everything and think nothing

a moment or two

2008-09-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

taken to remember 9/11/01.

i'm back in the city on the day.
as far as i travel, as much time i spend elsewhere,
more of my heart will remain here.

today i love:

2008-09-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

riding with good people all sunday.
this included:
-thai breakfast at the temple in berkeley
-claremont dmv farmers market
-bike church at manifesto
-katrina rozelle cake samples on college
-the ethiopian cultural festival at lake merritt

getting over sickness.
flying tonight to spend two weeks in new york.

today i love today and days to come.

green car

2008-09-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

the future is here!
www.aptera.com

bicycle-talk: helmets

2008-09-03T21:15:00.001-07:00

i know that there are some people in my life i only know through bikes and bike riding. but it was made apparent to me the other day, when i ran into a friend that i hadn't seen in a while, that some of these people may have a hard time recognizing me when i don't have my helmet on (and am off my bike). this confirmed that i do in fact wear my helmet every time i ride my bike (barring extraordinarily unforeseen circumstances). it also brought to attention once more the fact that there are a good number of riders in this local area that don't habitually rock a lid.

now. i recognize the fact that riders will ride as they will; many of my friends and family still do not wear helmets even after several years to more than a decade of riding bikes. i mean i grew up riding bmx on the streets of new york, with very, very sporadic helmet donning. but i will thank, personally, a specific someone i recently went to visit in portland for making my helmet-wearing a second nature. it's gotten to the point where i feel strange when not wearing my helmet, rather than when i am wearing it. and this is only within the past few years.

so i might as well just have out my spiel. if you've read this far you're not so sensitive that you'll get into an argument about helmet wearing, and you should know by now that whatever you wear while you ride is fine with me.

i don't think they are the be-all, end-all in safety equipment; they just provide a decent degree of protection for your brain. you can fall down on your side, break a bone or two, break your helmet, and you might avoid a concussion. whereas that same situation without a helmet may result in a plate in your skull along with the pins in your collarbone. you can still be mortally injured while wearing a helmet. just as you could without.

i do think they will provide, if not you, the people who care about you a degree of relief. they might not rest, but they can at least be assured that you're a little protected from the elemental forces of the road. in the least you can wear a helmet for them; your family and friends. you don't want to have to call them from the hospital getting your head wrapped when you could have just told them you broke your arm. i know that's what i would prefer. (though of course i would prefer over that not having to visit a hospital at all.)

anyways enough with the patternless rant; here's me in my helmet looking silly, but safe.

my favorite helmet companies:
giro for the light, vented race lids.
bern for the light, better-coverage bucket lids.
troy lee designs for the light, fancy, full-coverage full-face lids.

insomnia findings

2008-09-03T02:28:00.000-07:00

ok.

why in the heck is urban outfitters selling my home subway sign on the internet?

i didn't realize things like this were so novel. are people buying BART or muni signage? like this?

wow. that's really unexciting.

night riding

2008-09-02T23:55:00.001-07:00

10-something pm. tuesday night.

i felt restless so i grabbed my bike and went out. it seemed almost like a mission; i packed my bag light, attached my lights, tied my hair up, zipped my windbreaker, and threw on my gloves. rolling into the night alone.

the first stop was an empty garage i'd been to once before. maybe ten blocks away. the streets are quiet. there sits one parked car. the floor is dirty, slick, dark concrete that handles you firmly if you slip up. i'm learning to be ambidextrous; i spent a handful of moments skidding, sharpening my bike skills.

the second stop was a cafe a little farther and took a bit longer. it gave me an endpoint and a reason to breathe hard. it's a slight uphill for a few miles but you can carry your momentum through the dips to conserve energy. by the time i got there my shirt was damp and i was thoroughly warmed up. so i took my time and slowed down for a bit. got a tea, sat, thought, and wrote. i asked myself many questions, trying my perceptions, challenging my tendencies. somewhere along the way i found a moment of clarity, an edge through the haze that broadened to become a clearing. i immediately stood up and left. i found what i needed; it was time to go home.

resetting myself in my accoutrements, i set back onto the pavement. it took less than one minute to gather my rhythm, and i was off. i arrived at each light just as they turned green, threading between the cars just as they began to move. i gained speed. the pavement that was smooth, i savored. the pavement that was rough, i floated over with no effort. i pulled left and right for the few cars that passed me, spotting their headlights and hearing their engines well before they pulled forward. i caught and passed them later, at the next lights. i maintained my speed, adjusted my rhythm to the flow of the lights. i never had to stop.

after the last light turned green before my block, i let the muscles in my legs go loose and free. the momentum pulled me the rest of the way. i needed nothing but understanding.

travel-talk: portland recap

2008-09-01T23:21:00.000-07:00

people keep asking me, "how was portland?", and the most frequent response turns out to be, "pretty mellow. really mellow." i think that about sums it up.

now i'm not really trying to talk it down or anything like that; i was certainly occupied, entertained, and having a good time. i got to ride my bike around new streets, paths, and around a brand-new-to-me landscape. i ate at many good vegan-friendly joints. i played at a couple arcades, watched a couple movies, and hung out in a bunch of parks (they're everywhere!!). i spent time with good people.

but it definitely felt small. and slow. very slow. and shallow. i don't mean superficial, but that it was not densely populated like the cities i'm used to. it was a strange composition of urban and suburban that i couldn't quite feel natural in. i was there for a week and still not acclimated.. even if by then i was familiar. i rode a lot, and covered a lot of ground in those days. but i covered less ground in less days when i was in vancouver, and still feel more comfortable with that city. maybe.

in any case there is one thing i came to realize about portland, whether it was the geographical location or weather or interpersonal conditions, is that i thought, reflected, and introspected a lot out there. my mind was catalyzed towards understanding myself and my position on this earth. i wrote a lot. i made decisions about my perceptions. it was meditative; and completely unintentionally so. it is just the way it turned out to be.

i shot some photos, but not many. of the 75 taken, i only chose to post 15. that's only one out of five. i'm not sure if it was the shooting conditions or my state of mind, but it almost felt like shooting with film. i was very choosy about what i shot. some just didn't come through for me, while a few really felt right. so here are some, and this is where i leave you. i don't have much more to say about portland. even if i will probably return there sometime for sometime. oh to realize the importance of some people.

a few more on my flickr.
oh i must note that the sky was amazing almost every day while i was there. i could sit and watch the clouds go by forever.

back in the mix - holy crap it's september

2008-09-01T00:13:00.001-07:00

after a botched attempt to check my bag (15 minutes too late?)
onto saturday evening's 6pm flight from portland to oakland,
i stayed one more night in the other cool port city of the west coast.
it's funny how tripped out one could get over something as small,
insignificant as missing a flight. well at least in this recent context.
maybe i'm just lucky i didn't need to be anywhere fast.
and had a place to continue staying until my next flight.
so i kept my cool and went with the circumstances.

but sunday morning came through for me!
and here i am back in the bay area,
back rolling on my bike almost immediately.
back in the mix with all them bike people.
back to the local spots and familiar streets.

but yeah, i'm tired from everything,
so i'll do a proper portland recap in the morning.

on the move

2008-08-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

i'm heading up to portland oregon tomorrow morning to visit a good friend.
i will be bringing my bicycle (thank goodness for generous friends with bike boxes).
i also hope to shoot some photographs worth sharing.
i'm very thankful i can take time to go on trips like these.
hopefully these travels will give me good energy to share with others.
i'll be back in the bay in a week, and back to the usual foolishness.

music means a lot to me

2008-08-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

i listen to music every day.
it inspires me, energizes me,
calms me down, brings me back,
and helps me live well.

so i have a lot of respect for this guy.

The Archive from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

this weekend was great

2008-08-17T22:52:00.001-07:00

saturday:
fix without dix had a fabulous vegan bake sale at montano velo!
they're raising money for a portland FW/OD summit.
i stayed there for hours nom-noming on goodies!
they even provided the soymilk, music, and good vibes!
i ended up picking up a new cycling cap too,
from local clothing designer and darling victoria jarvis! sweet!
(who will actually be moving to portland this week! lucky northwest.)
later on bbqing it up at my friend jason's house was chill too.

sunday:
lazy wake up, roll over to bike church at manifesto! so easy..
congregate for a minute over coffee and generously provided breakfast;
this morning was donuts, apple cobbler, and even waffles!!
oakland folks are some special kind of rad, that's definite.
and then cruise out to the city for the bike swap!
it was huge! there will be pictures up later i'm sure.
such a great event with a super fun, friendly turn-out.
i won a reload messenger mini bag off $2 worth of raffle tickets!
then back to the oaklandish radio regatta at lake merritt.
a beer with the fellas and filles and it transitions to a good evening.

here's a snap from outside the bakesale. a crop from a maribeth image.

being on my bike everyday really makes my life extra enjoyable.

up in the sky

2008-08-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

from my doorstep.
thursday afternoon.
were these clouds.

i wonder what clouds you saw where you were.

art-talk: kathleen lolley

2008-08-12T18:12:00.001-07:00

kathleen lolley's work is about to go out at giant robot sf.
it's really nice stuff.
view/buy some here.

martial-talk: live blades

2008-08-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

in other news i'm also stoked that i waited until now to pick up real swords. while it had been a long time coming, having trained with them in the past, the blades i recently purchased arrived at such an opportune time.

i'd been in sparse touch with my guro back in new york,
and having been also too caught up with work and bike riding,
i'd slacked a bit with my martial arts training.
i mean i always pick up my sticks,
and run through drills here and there,
but when you don't have to fight someone else's energy
you have to be careful that your own energy doesn't stagnate.
solo training is good training, but it requires much diligence.

so when my espada y daga set arrived this weekend,
it was a wonderful jump-start to revitalized training.
i'm very excited to be able to switch, at will,
between rattan and sharpened steel.
my edge awareness will improve considerably,
as will my live hand awareness.
your body knows it does not want to be cut!

anyways keep tapping!

bicycle-talk: fbm sword

2008-08-05T23:28:00.001-07:00

man i'm glad i waited out on picking up an fbm sword.
new updates: much nicer dropouts and a seat-binder in the seat-stays!!

okay so they're just pieces of metal to some people.
to bike people these are beautiful, usable works of art.

and it may be a while until these both hit production,
but i have no doubt it will be worth the wait.

(in case you didn't know, fbm is one of the most respected bmx companies in the business. the sword is their foray into the fixed gear field, and it's certainly a good one.)

bicycle-talk: bashguards

2008-08-04T11:26:00.001-07:00

i never realized how much i paid attention to the bicycle industry until i began to see trends crossing over. i can probably attribute this to the fact that i ride so many different kinds of bikes. from bmx, to mountain, to cyclocross, to fixed gear. (road is a whole different story.) when you ride bikes to shred on them, there are certain things you need to consider. strong wheels (36h!!), a solid cockpit (1 1/8"!!), etcetera. anyways i'm likely to go on a tangent if i don't focus so here's what i was thinking about recently.

if you ride a fix in any sort of freestyle manner, and check up on the progress of the such crews as mash, maca, bootleg, peel sesh, and rat cult ripping it up across the country, you may have seen this guard pop up in the east.

this is the milwaukee "crusher". the first of a few iterations to come from milwaukee bicycle co/ben's cycle.

now here's a rather new (in the past few years) concept: let's throw a bashguard on track cranks so we can grind on the chainring. without the guard you're likely to trash your chain and/or fuck your chainring. and good god why would you grind on an $85 track chainring that would get mutilated on the third attempt? let's protect that with a $120 bashguard that you can't even rotate once the side you grind on is worn down to the chain. ok. sorry.

i don't even work in the bike industry but i can tell you bmx (kink, fbm, standard, s&m, macneil, tree, etcetera) and mtb (blackspire, mrp, e. thirteen) have been working on bashguards for years and years. my favorites of recent are:

animal's for bmx. simple, small, inexpensive, durable.

and e. thirteen's for mtb. light, inexpensive, and close to indestructable. (tom lamarche runs one of these. smart fellow.)

so yeah, other companies have made similar and successful products already. what's your point? my point is: they've pioneered and then evolved the concept over much trial and error; the footwork has already been done! why not look to the experienced? do-it-yourself ethics are great, but don't waste money or resources. the bike-shredding precursors have shredded the way. bmxers ran those 3/16" chains for a while, mtbers smashed through many a paper-thin bashguard before figuring what was the best way to protect your drivetrain from ledges and rails, rocks and tree trunks (respectively).

milwaukee's newer stout guard and polo guard are decent second and third introductions to the fix-freestyle market. so check those out if you really want to smash up your track drivetrain.

times goes by

2008-07-27T02:06:00.000-07:00

and i've been kept busy.

with what?
so much has gone on,
it gets to be hard to say.

besides the work,
and all the monthly, weekly, daily, hourly,
little things that make up ones life
and yet are so unnoticeably minute,
it takes some effort to pick out
those extraordinary moments.

i will report soon.

night and day

2008-07-04T03:43:00.001-07:00

night
Originally uploaded by mo yun

the view from the hotel in downtown vancouver.

and day
Originally uploaded by mo yun

click them for more in my photostream.
or i'll just post some more from there. heehee.

what to do, what to do

2008-06-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

there's been so much going on i have trouble keeping up.
even though the school program is out for summer,
and my other job is a bit slow right now,
it seems that there's always some happening.
which is great, don't get me wrong.
but in an effort to record,
where do i start?

highlights have been for sure:

1.
attending my friend and student's
(from the after-school program)
martial arts tournament last week.
he competed in karate kata,
weapons kata, and sparring.
he won two trophies!

here's him kicking stomach!
he's only 7 years old!

2.
spending an entire day up in point reyes
with my uncle and auntie and
a handful of their family friends.
we hiked out to the beach,
and then back up and out
to a ridge where we could see elk.

it still amazes me just how easy
it is to get out to places like these.
if you have a car, that is..

3.
well i've been riding my bike a ton.
that should come as no surprise.
i've finally found a few riders
that i can always hit up
for all sorts of sessioning.

and i've also been racing a bit,
and feeling pretty good about it.
i'm excited for when i return home,
when i can race my home streets.
i really can't say why i haven't before..

4.
i've also found truly interested
potential students to teach kali.
this possibility brings me much hope.
as i may be teaching a program
next year at the elementary school,
i need to make this summer
very productive and progressive.
i am hopeful i can make that happen.

5.
i'm going to vancouver next week!!!
the last time i visited was 3 years ago,
and i'm still psyched on the place.
i'm bring a bike; it's going to be ill.

6.
oops, almost forgot nick and inner sunset.
a friend and i went bike riding,
met up with another friend,
continued bike riding,
and then chilled at the second friend's house,
where we played with music all evening.
i am sparked to learn an instrument again.
and just to get into music again. yes!

7.
damn there's a bunch of stuff huh!?
sorry not too many pictures..
but yeah there's a bunch of stuff
going on this weekend in oakland!
music events, community parties,
bike riding and food eating, etcetera.

i seriously hate leaving oakland these days.
it's warmer, cooler, and cheaper.
forget about the city! east bay! haha..

anyways i guess i can say life is good.
in short.

riding a lot

2008-06-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

this weekend is going to take its toll i'm sure.
i rode almost all day today!!

this early afternoon i hit up joaquin miller park with my friend james. we went fixed gear trail riding and it was fun as hell! i thought that simply riding a hardtail helped you with your line, but on a cross bike (i took the tricross out today) that whole perception is magnified. you've gotta be on your TOES when descending rock gardens on thin tires and carbon parts. definitely not what i'm used to.

and then we returned to oakland and continued on with our track bikes! i dunno how many cumulative miles we rolled but it was a few. and tomorrow i ride again! to thai brunch in berkeley. and then street sessioning with photos. fun fun fun, i will admit. i just can't make time for anything else but riding my bike. and maybe i'm happy that way.

the oakland scrape 08

2008-06-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

okay so i raced my first alleycat this past weekend!
it was a fundraiser for the SF bicycle messenger association,
or more specifically their broken bones fund
that helps out messengers that have been injured on the job.
i mean shit; i give props to (and envy) those who are able to ride all day for work.
but considering how many hours and miles you spend on the road on that job,
and the potential for disaster is much much higher and more serious.
so this was a good opportunity to show respect, help out, and also have fun!

the race started at lake merritt and spanned a good bit north and west of oakland.
super hilly, super fun, with a great turnout (180 registered racers!!).
anyways i don't really have that much more to say about it;
i had a great time, made a few new friends,
placed in the top third of the field,
and took home a few t-shirts.

here are photos of the racers from one of the checkpoints.
(shot with a phase one p25!!!)
here is the flickr photopool as well.

postscript:
i admit, i never thought i'd ever race an alleycat.
i mean i never thought i'd ever ride a fixed gear either!
after years of dismissing it and sticking to bmx,
and being convinced that i was real fast on my brooklyn.
i just can't deny its simplicity and smoothness.
and how effortlessly fast they go.
yes; i am loving it.

the new colors of bmx?

2008-06-01T01:20:00.000-07:00

forget the neon/hypebeast bmx colorways of yesteryear.
will the new trend be uni-color bikes (that aren't blacked out)?

from the fit site:

from the kink site:

not that it matters all that much to me,
i'll still build my bikes rather conventionally toned,
but i saw both these bikes with a day of each other. wild.

the beat goes on

2008-05-17T01:38:00.000-07:00

the beat of my feet on pavement (rare)
the thump of my knees pushing through revolutions
the hop of my back wheel through traffic

time is running
and with each step something happens
and something changes

i may have more to say
just not today

capabilities

2008-05-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

it was the tour de cure.
a national fundraising bicycle ride
for the american diabetes association.
i registered in february
and rode yesterday.
on team lanesplitter.

the numbers:
i rode 50 miles.
on a fixed gear of 70.9 gear inches.
meaning i spun 44,682 revolutions
in sometime over 3 hours.
...i slept 13 hours last night.

it was a beautiful ride through napa.
the morning was foggy and overcast and cold,
and i was freezing in a short-sleeve jersey,
but i rode hard enough from the start
that i stopped feeling anything
until the sun came out later.

the trees and fields in the valley were pretty
when i had the chance to look at them.
(my focus was on pace and safe riding.)
the slight hills crested over the warm green
and under the bright, clear, blue sky.
one early pass had lush, arching tree cover
from both sides of the road.
that was a beautiful minute.

by the last third of the 50 the muscles in my elbows
were sorer than they had been in the morning.
(i slept in a hammock the night before,
and woke with strange tensions in my limbs.)
my knees, calves, and hamstrings began
taking turns telling me how they felt.
my back and butt were fine though;
an affirming feeling.

on the last mile i pulled a sprint out of me
and it was about all i had left.
it was a happy completion.

time flies!!!

2008-04-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

holy crap it's already mid-april!
i sent in my taxes yesterday (yay?)!

situation normal, business as usual.

newish photos on flickr from heading up to marin this past weekend,
a day off the bike and on the beach,
much needed.

and now i'm back to riding my bikes.
took my brooklyn to work yesterday,
remembered how much fun freewheel flying is.
especially downhill on that bike. sweet!

snuck into high-level parking garages last night with daniel and our bikes.
fun like a scene out of carnival street life. fun on bikes!

have a good mid-day of the mid-week!

days go on

2008-03-31T21:22:00.001-07:00

apologies to the readers for the recent ebb of entries.. the past weeks have seen a great high and a sorrowful low; such that compose the reality of living, and teach you to uphold your strength and still embrace your vulnerability.

---

things in the bay have been well. i now work two part-time jobs like one full-time job;. they are both quite different and across the city from each other, so i get a nice little bike ride in between them during lunchtime.

i've met my fund-raising goal for the tour de cure i'll be riding in may. training rides have gone well. riding in general is great and i'm feeling stronger every day.

carrying my camera more often means shooting more photos, so check out my flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thatkidnate/ and there might be something new.

that's about it for now.
be well.

life passing

2008-03-23T23:53:00.000-07:00

and i don't have words for it
because for life's passing
language is meaningless

in itself it is simply a part of the cycle
yet its repercussions are felt through every branch of the tree
we will hurt, then pull together and draw strength from each other

in the least, i will remember his strength and spirit that always will be

new life

2008-02-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

this photo is for my brother and his wife and their first daughter.
she was born on february 20th, 2008.

pics of house

2008-02-22T00:25:00.001-08:00

entrance hall/bike alcove

my bigass room

my housemate daniel and his lady jennifer

developments

2008-02-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

all right i guess it's time for another update!
time's been ambling along at its own pace and i'm doing my best to keep in a good rhythym.

first thing's first; i fixed my bike!
i had finally got around to proper (high) seat heights, tall skinny wheels and drop bars that it would get to this at some point or another. having been a street singlespeeder for so many years i wasn't about to get more complicated with gears... anyways, i love it it's great fun! it also makes sense since i'm training for that long ride in may: my friend dan had brought up the notion that, since i was already going to ride it singlespeed, i should consider fixing it as it's better for longer rides because your legs don't have a chance to build up lactic acid and cramp. good call. i tell you what i've been riding miles and miles everyday with some new friends and i'm certainly getting my spin on and beginning to understand cadence much better.

unbikerelated? not too much.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
GONG HAY FAT CHOY!
the new year in the bay was pretty understated. i can't really complain because i came from one of the best chinatowns in the world; chinatown nyc represent for all my days. haha. but yeah i took thursday off and went to chinatown. relaxed and spent some time during the weekend with the family out here. not too bad. but not new york, where my homies danced as lions and sold chinese new year tees. and i'm sure all my immediate family got together and ate REAL well, and spent some good times yelling together and at each other. ah new york. i'll be home soon.

oh i've been shooting photos more.
you can wet your toes (maybe) in what little photostream i have on flickr that i will attempt to deepen as the year goes on. you can view it at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thatkidnate/

anyways i hope your mid-february is giving you positive feeling toward the rest of the year. that's all i got.

how we chinese guys ride bikes

2008-02-03T00:48:00.000-08:00

a month already?

2008-01-28T23:58:00.000-08:00

i guess it has been.
how quickly it passed.
yet how long it seemed..

unknowingly, i had quite an eventful month!

i moved on the first to a new room in a cool apartment in north oakland/temescal. i'm right by a bike shop, a pizza spot i frequented even before the move, and tons of korean restaurants. not to mention quick riding distance from downtown oakland, berkeley, and the macarthur BART station and bike shuttle. my life definitely got a lot easier.

an interesting note on the move though: i shared the room for the first week with ellie, the girl who previously rented it. she hadn't a new place yet and i couldn't possibly put anyone out, especially someone who seemed (and proved to be) pretty cool and nice. so we hung out a bunch and got to know each other. she eventually found a place in berkeley and seems to be doing well. the funny thing is, we met legitimately in the evening of january first, having already had an exchange earlier that day when my cousins (who helped me move) and i went for pizza at the aforementioned spot where it turns out she works.

i went to a gun show with a bunch of friends. we were among the few minorities in the place, sticking out like so many sore thumbs. they had old guns and new guns and knives and antiques and swords and really just all sorts of junk. it was pretty neat. especially how the NRA was at the entrance proposing to buy our ticket if we signed up with them. to do what? i'm not quite sure. i was impressed they even approached us, a chinese guy, five latins, and one half black half japanese fellow.

i worked a shift at a bingo parlor. my friend frank works there one evening a week and last week they were shorthanded, so i came through. oh my goodness was this an experience. selling tickets to all these intense gamblers of all races, backgrounds, and generations with all their good luck buddhas and teddy bears.. what a sight. within a few hours i had the splittingest headache, and i can't remember the last time i'd gotten a headache. i doubt i'll ever do that again.

donut shop robbers were apprehended a block away from my house!! okay this story is nutters. so late last week a couple guys robbed a donut shop about half a mile from here. they were tailed back to a house where they holed up, but the police showed up, shut down eight square blocks and were able to get him out. my housemate daniel and i were talking about the situation and heard the POP POP shots that we later found out were the bean bag rounds they used to subdue the guy. oh oakland, you make a brooklyn boy feel right at home.

i joined a team for the tour de cure, a bike ride fundraiser to fight diabetes. this is going to be cool! it's a ride through napa valley in may. i'm doing the 50 mile route, unless i man up by then and push for the century. we'll see how long rides on my ss cx bike go in the next months. you can donate/sponsor me here: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC557228030?pg=personal&fr_id=5065&fr_id=5065&px=4027477 i'm on team lanesplitter! (the lanesplitter is the pizza spot mentioned twice already. daniel my housemate also works there and is captain of the team. woah!) i'm gonna rock a lanesplitter jersey! sweet! but i'm still doing the ride in baggy shorts.

for my job i am beginning to do work at other sites, and feeling like a real construction management rep. with my own master key and everything. i also applied to another job at a fabrication studio. but i don't want to jinx anything so i won't say more.

and lastly, for my art i am shooting more, and working on images more, and i picked up a printer so i can hopefully print some good images for a portfolio or something of that nature.

okay i'm hitting the mental wall now, and i feel like i've said enough anyways. like my life is really that interesting? the most important thing is having the right attitude and spending your time well. that is the purpose. if i can be so convicted..

lack

2008-01-16T00:42:00.000-08:00

sorry for no posting.
things in transition, in limbo, in development.
i'll fill it all in soon. and add photos too.
in the meantime watch my brother's big head.
and me and my wonderful sis-in-law.

this is just another day

2008-01-01T01:32:00.000-08:00

days like these, in between years,
how are you looking back?
and how are you looking forward?
it feels like the time to reflect.
accepting the tribulations,
learning from the mistakes,
priding the accomplishments,
cherishing the good times,
and most importantly:
planning the new ones.

this is just another day.
that happens to be the new year.
full of opportunity. and potential. and promise.
will you make this year what it could be?
for yourself and those around you;
do well and you will be well.

happy holidays y'all

2007-12-29T22:30:00.000-08:00

good wishes from my family to yours
peace and love into the new years

returning

2007-12-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

it seems with every trip i take comes the dreaded night before traveling. that might not mean anything to some people, and it would make more sense if it meant nothing to me, given my comfort and ease with the actual process of traveling.. but the nights preceding trips continue to bear on me like a third carry-on.

it isn't something i understand that well (not like i've tried very hard, anyway), but it's even been when i'd be returning to worcester from new york, or vice versa, or like the time pat and i went to the pacific northwest. and definitely about every trip i've taken to another continent i definitely spent the entire nights before packing. ever. so. slowly. and distracting myself with bike videos or music because i'd be stressed the fuck out. it's like whenever i'm about to go anywhere further than a few hours, i get an anxiety about uprooting, leaving my home, finding a new one, if even for a few weeks.

in august i probably had the worst time ever. because that time i really was uprooting. and taking with me whatever i could carry, really. having my bike shipped later was just a necessity for sanity. otherwise it was me and my bodyweight in luggage. trying to find my place in the bay.

tonight i pack again for the west coast. i've been living there for four months now, and while i still can't call it home, i look forward to returning. and only three days ago i was tripping like i didn't want to leave new york again! now i've been here for two weeks of bitter, cold winter and have gotten a solid reminder of why i moved in the first place. the weather, the people, the opportunities for exploration. if i really am finding myself, this is probably a good place to start.

so while i haven't gotten anything together in my bags, i realize all i really brought was a couple shirts, my laptop, and my camera gear. on top of that i think are few things my folks will probably ship for me. maybe there is a loose end here or there that i can pick up and tie in the morning, but for now, perhaps i will actually sleep tonight. after a nice hot shower in MY bathroom. which i'm going to get to now.

well, i guess i'll see you in california?

..or back here in new york. you know, my ultimate return. ;)

through the trees

2007-12-23T22:28:00.000-08:00

on the mountains by the sequoias.

where the heart is

2007-12-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

returning to the city this time around
this time from across the country
even if only after a few months
i've never felt a stronger belonging
to the streets, and to the people
a belonging that empowers me
i draw energy from the city
and the city draws me home

in the japanese tea garden

2007-12-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

that month went by fast

2007-12-01T11:56:00.001-08:00

much like this entire year, now that i take the time to look back on it.
has it really been that long? i ask like, did i really jump that far?

anyways this past month...
antonio (bona's bf) went back to brasil indefinitely.
bona (my best housemate) went to toronto for thanksgiving.
she left max and nina (her dogs) in LA with a friend.
jeff (another housemate) brought another dog to the house.
jude (jeff's pitbull) is only a puppy, so she needs attention and training.
bona, max and nina have all returned, so they've all met and are acclimating.
it's already a bunch of strange interpersonal dynamics, now's it just more of em.
all these house matters may become moot to me, as i may be moving.
haha. we'll see about that.

interesting stuff i've done...
i went to sacramento with a few friends and met some serrada escrima dudes.
getting to train a bit with guys with experience was fun and refreshing.
i got sick and was a sniffling mess for a few days, but spent more time
anticipating the sickness and trying to prevent it, and then recovering.
i rode my 3rd san francisco critical mass last night and had a great time.
it went on for nearly 5 hours, was faster paced with fewer riders (still hundreds)
and there were at least 3 sound system bikes. so there were always jams!

december has the potential to be way more exciting,
with friends visiting and my short trip home.
so i'll definitely be taking way more pics,
and can hope to make up for this wack month of entries.

happy holidays.

riding around

2007-11-12T22:13:00.001-08:00

rolling through downtown oakland today,
i took a different way home and found some neat stuff.
like a ghetto ramp setup under the freeway.

plywood on hay bales! you'd never see this in new york.
it was in a weird space too, where it seemed like there had been construction.
there were pipes laying all over, and tool boxes, and crates full of nails.

(sorry it's blurry, this was handheld and it was getting dark fast)

anyways, i spent a bit of time there, nice little spot, and kept rolling.
happy i now had a decent default spot to session.
then i came across this little dude.

poor fella, thrown out with a bunch of other junk.
i felt bad, so i took him home. and his friends.

i guess i'll get them a fishbowl, or aquarium or something.
oakland is funny.

the perks of the job

2007-11-08T23:22:00.000-08:00

this is what a million dollar view in san francisco looks like.
from the roof deck of the 22nd floor's southeast corner unit.
that goes for 2.8 million.

(open in a new tab to see full length, it doesn't fit in the template, and i'm too lazy to try and figure out an html fix)

okay so it's not that impressive scaled down for the net.
but standing out there, seeing all the way down mission to the water,
turning around and catching the fog crawling over the hills,
it's pretty ill...

otherwise, work sucks in general. boooo.

another week

2007-11-04T22:49:00.000-08:00

begins tomorrow.

halloween came and went.
my birthday came and went.
the weekend came and went.

on saturday i rode my bike around,
thru oakland, berkeley, and emeryville.

and then i went to yeshi and becca's party in the city,
that brought me the strange realization
that there are SO many kids from clark out here.
and many within the last couple months or so.
i am having a SUPREMELY UNORIGINAL EXPERIENCE.
as it turns out. oh shit.

haha just kidding.
ok, i'm going to take some pictures
when i take wednesday off from work.

oh wait, the other day, coming home from work,
i was on the train reading kafka on the shore,
and when i got to my stop i decided to stay on,
to continue reading, and look out the window.
this is what east oakland looks like from the train.

sometimes i forget all about it; i moved to california, didn't i?

changing moods and shaking houses

2007-10-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

i was so ready to write a grumpy, mad entry tonight,
about how work sucks, and i'm trying not to get sick,
and there was glass on the bike path,
and one light was green for only 3 seconds,
and just general bitterness i'm feeling this week..

when i arrive home to packages from my mom and dad.

now, care packages i got at college were one thing,
always great chinatown snacks and homey things,
cause they knew i missed home badly when i was at school.
but these 2 packages could not have come at a better time,
and could not be any sweeter. i had tears in my eyes..

my dad had sent me biking gloves i'd asked him to,
and had added all the signature "det" goodies,
that i could receive anonymously and still know he sent.
a bike light, special toothpicks, a couple pens,
a chinese photography magazine, a raw food bar,
trail mix, an 8gb! usb drive, and money in, get this,
a "north american hunting club" wallet!
the F-ing best, det, the F-ing best.

and my mom, bless her heart,
she sent me my birthday gift and card early,
i'll open it when the time comes,
and SELF-ADDRESSES STAMPED ENVELOPES
and PAPER to write her with.
note the pretty flower stamps too.
i couldn't believe what i saw.
if you've met my mother you know,
she is the sweetest little lady ever.

*begin note to parents-
i really want you two (ma and det) to know,
i love you both so very much.
more than anything in the world.
you give me such a wonderful life.
-end note*

so, as they requested, i finally took a picture
of myself in my room.

just kidding.
that's a model unit in the building where i work.
i go through checking off checklists of defects
and blemishes in the construction of the units.
it's called punch-list and back-check. blah.
there are only a few apts furnished like that,
to show potential buyers and leasers,
the rest are bare bones and much less glamorous.
it can get boring, but i do get to wear a hard-hat.

but these are my real digs.

it's simple, but it does me all right.
i sleep fine at night, and have enough room to breath.

sorry for the long-winded post.

oh and soon after i shot those photos,
i felt my first west coast earthquake!
the house shook for maybe 4 seconds!
thankfully nothing fell down. crazy!

anyways, peace, love, and sun coming through the clouds.

the place

2007-10-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

so i'm living in west oakland.
this apartment on 14th by mandela parkway has been home for nearly a month. it's still pretty bare, i have a bed/futon, a couple lamps, an open closet, a bamboo shade, all from ikea of course, and my bikes and plants in a corner. there are three windows, two face the yard and are really nice. here's the biggest one.

the nicest thing about living in oakland is its familiarity,
because for so many reasons, i feel like i'm in brooklyn.
it's one stop on the train across the water from the city.
it's more laid back and much homier than the city.
it's much easier and more pleasant to ride through.
the city is like the city, and it's cool like that,
but i guess i'm more of an outer boro type cat.
at least to come home in the evening to.

here are my plants, i like them.

work and bike update to come.
i'm working two jobs these days...
and riding two bikes too. that's nice tho.

hello holler

2007-10-23T03:11:00.000-07:00

i started a new blog!
i'd love to start out with a compelling, thoughtful, interesting post,
but it's 3:16 in the morning and i'm still trying to figure out
why i started a new blog. i have xanga, but i barely wrote
and people barely read. i could just keep a journal instead.
which i do.

anyways, i may have figured it out.
to break it down, for myself and others,
this blog will be an east coast to east bay experience log.
all my close friends back in nyc and boston and wherever else,
will perhaps be convinced to come out here and join in on the fun.
or stay where they are or go somewhere else cause it's cooler.

the point is, it's a wonderful thing to travel,
and explore, and experience new places.
a full life is very difficult to live out
on the same dozen or so square miles.
and the world is vast, and offering, and welcoming.
maybe.