Random...

I think they need to invent a word for this phenomenon:

Whenever I get a new follower on Twitter, I'll usually click on their profile to see if they're for real or if it's just some solicitor type thing. A new follower popped up a couple of days ago and it turns out it was a real person whom I didn't know.

I searched for this person's name to check out their profile. To protect the innocent, let's say this person's name was Michael Smith. When I searched for this person, I mistyped it, Michelle Smith. What popped in the search were two people not at all connected with Michael Smith, one of which had just tweeted about how strange and cool Davis, California was, my hometown...how random, no?

Okay, maybe on paper it's not that interesting (or at least it was one of this, "you had to be there" moments"), but still...

...it blew my mind. I think I will call this phenomenon/coincidence thing "Charlie."

I didn't capture the look on my face when this happened, but I'm pretty sure it looked like this:

And the winner is...

...Hunan Chinese Restaurant. I demanded a re-count, but it seemed clear Hunan beat out Ding How (argh). We chalked it up to an off year for Ding How and an exceptional entry for Hu

The contestants of the 3rd Annual Davis, California "Prawn-a-thon" were
Ding How (reigning champion of the first 2 years)
Wok of Flame
Jade Garden
House of Chang

First real time on the course...

...not bad...but not good.



This is only here because it's just a funny picture:

Day in San Francisco

My buddy Steve came out to California to visit and see the west coast premiere of his piece, Shoshoni Peak, with the Sacramento Youth Symphony Chamber Music Workshop. After the busy weekend ended, we took a trip out to SF to see the sights....below are some highlights (maybe) of the day trip (we went on Monday).


Just for Jaclyn:




Nice foggy view of the Golden Gate Bridge




The lesser famous, but really LONG bay bridge...




That funny looking triangle/pyramid building




At the crossroads between Little Italy and Chinatown...Chinese inspired Italian architecture or Italian inspired Chinese architecture?




Don't let the angle fool you...this was really steep.




Steve taking a picture of me taking a picture of Steve. We also were about 300 feet apart.

What a great week of music making

After a total of 8 concerts (6 in the last five days), the 2009 Sac Youth Symphony Chamber Music Workshop finished it's 20th season this past Sunday. What a fabulous group of musicians. Here's the photo after the last concert, with all the mentors, some coaches, and other senior participants (the director of the group, Susan Lamb Cook, is seated with flowers).

Great Concert on Thursday

This day was long...rehearsal all day, Four Seasons performance at lunch, then a chamber concert at the University Retirement Community in Davis that evening. This group pictured performed beautifully: first two movements from the Ravel String Quartet, Ibert and Milhaud Wind Quintets (players not pictured), Mendelssohn Op. 12 string quartet first two movements (that was my group!), the entire Beethoven Op. 18, No. 4 C minor quartet, and the Mozart String Quintet in G minor last movement. Great job everyone!!!!!!!

11th Annual BBQ

My friends and I have been doing this since the summer before Junior year in high school (98!) and this year was as awesome as ever.



Original and faded tall guys...(the Orange twins)


With random Asian dudes?



Um?


With Jac


Just before the fireworks

Coolest shirt, EVER

Shame on you if you don't know the Arrested Development reference.