Ginza Restaurant, Chicago

Tower of Pens

TV Japan pen tower doesnt fall easily.

It's also very colorful.

UHaul MR2

As small my 2 seater is, it definitely has more space than anyone thinks it has. It is able to fit at least one golf bag in the trunk and if I am not carrying anyone else in the car, it has space in the passenger seat to pack things like what you see in the picture.

Oh the perks of owning a 2 seater, mid-engine car...

Oh, by the way, I also have a frunk. People may understand it better if I said "front trunk". Ask me about it and I will show you.

Oh the perks of owning a 2 seater, mid-engine car...

The Plague...

...has spread to my bread!

Repair

An awful squeaking coming from the rear left wheel has caused me to rip off the wheel. In turn, I found nothing visually wrong except for my braided right rear tire. I don't think driving on metal is a good thing...is it?

Expensive Parking

The trip to China town proved to be expensive. While parked at the parking lot near the store my mom had to visit for Chinese herbs, I got a hefty $60 parking ticket.

It was for parking on the sidewalk.

$60 for parking is more than a day's worth of parking in any parking garage near Michigan Ave. Ick.

As far as I see, I am not parked on the sidewalk unless the black asphalt is the sidewalk too. In that case the whole parking lot would be the sidewalk.

I will definitely be fighting the City of Chicago for this ticket as the people in the store told me they haven't had any trouble with people parking there in the past 10 years and besides, I'm not parked on the sidewalk.

If anyone has any advice on good ways to fight this ticket, I am always looking forward to it!

Geese

Geese at maine park

Going Green #1

After my girlfriend bought a few of these batteries for her travels, I just needed to get them.

What's my obsession with these white batteries?

This is the Sanyo eneloop. It is a Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) based battery and boy has rechargeable batteries have come a long way. Rechargeable batteries seemed like an expensive alternative to powering any application. With the "Power Pack" from Costco, 8 AA, 4 AAA, 2 C adapter, 2 D adapter, a 4 battery charger and a case is a mere $25 plus tax. ($35 plus shipping on Amazon for those without a Costco membership)

Not only is the price great for rechargeable batteries, these batteries are green. Let me explain.

1) With the great capacity of Ni-MH batteries, these batteries last 4 times the amount of normal Duracell or Energizer alkaline batteries.

2) enloop batteries retain their charge very well. Sanyo says 85% of the charge will still be left on a fully charged battery after a year. Older rechargeable batteries run out of charge by then.

3) These batteries are usable up to 1000 times (meaning 1000 discharge and charge cycles)


What does all this mean? It means green for you and a greener environment:

1) Reduced battery waste
2) Improved charge holding reduces wasted electricity
3) No need for trucks to carry batteries from factory to your local store
4) No need for YOUR car to carry YOU to the grocery store to buy batteries
5) Solar powered chargers available for virtually free electricity


So the next time your wireless mouse runs out of battery, pick up one of Sanyo's eneloop rechargeable batteries to power it. There will be no need to buy anything else, until you use up that 1000 charge/discharge cycle.

Or of course, when we can start controlling computers with our mind.


*This is the first of many to come of my "Going Green" section of my blog where I try to reduce waste and reduce environmentally unfriendly byproducts.

Departure

It will be 7 months together in a week but she will be gone for the next 3 months. She left me with lots to remember her with.

Check out her travels over the next 3 months at: http://schococo.23.dtiblog.com

1 Cylinder, 4 Cycle Engine

It was the first time I got my hands dirty trying to get an old lawn mower get up and running. After a new spark plug, fresh oil, clean air filter, and some love, it was up and running again!

Shoko au Gratin

Oishikatta!

4-Leaf Clover

On my ceiling is the good luck charm I always had.

Fuguta

Huuuge blowfish @ Living Sea aquarium

Banana split

Yamato missed out on delicious ice cream