Journals
It has been more than twenty years since I joined TWHL.
It was the start of my mapping journey, and now my son has included his level design experience as a part of his college application.
I will check back in ten years. I sure hope TWHL will still be a thriving community.
I turn 52 in ten days.
It was the start of my mapping journey, and now my son has included his level design experience as a part of his college application.
I will check back in ten years. I sure hope TWHL will still be a thriving community.
I turn 52 in ten days.
Well, it turned out that my aviation dream was a big detour in my career.
My reflexes and hand-eye coordination aren't what they used to be, and I hit an obstacle when I tried landing the plane (Cirrus SR20). I never damaged the plane in any way, but my landings were inconsistent--sometimes ballooning, sometimes landing too hard, and sometimes veering off the midline. My instructor could not clear me to fly solo. In addition, my vision was deteriorating after my retinal surgery in 2019. I had to make the tough decision to stop flying and return to medicine.
Now I am about to start working full-time at a new medical practice, and embark on a new but familiar adventure.
My reflexes and hand-eye coordination aren't what they used to be, and I hit an obstacle when I tried landing the plane (Cirrus SR20). I never damaged the plane in any way, but my landings were inconsistent--sometimes ballooning, sometimes landing too hard, and sometimes veering off the midline. My instructor could not clear me to fly solo. In addition, my vision was deteriorating after my retinal surgery in 2019. I had to make the tough decision to stop flying and return to medicine.
Now I am about to start working full-time at a new medical practice, and embark on a new but familiar adventure.
Tomorrow will be the last day that I work as a doctor.
My flight training is taking longer than anticipated, due to various delays, including mechanical problem with the airplanes, sick instructor, poor visibility, and schedule conflict.
I will be a mental health therapist while I complete my aviation training to help the Asian-American community.
https://yellowchaircollective.com/
My flight training is taking longer than anticipated, due to various delays, including mechanical problem with the airplanes, sick instructor, poor visibility, and schedule conflict.
I will be a mental health therapist while I complete my aviation training to help the Asian-American community.
https://yellowchaircollective.com/
I am resigning from my job in two months.
After that, I will do some traveling--first to Taiwan, then Australia, and finally Guatemala.
https://www.signalhillrotary.org/cultural-exchange
I start my instrument pilot training in August, and I should have my certified flight instructor's license by the end of this year.
After that, I will do some traveling--first to Taiwan, then Australia, and finally Guatemala.
https://www.signalhillrotary.org/cultural-exchange
I start my instrument pilot training in August, and I should have my certified flight instructor's license by the end of this year.
My first flight lesson is this Friday.
I have been studying for the past few weeks, learning all there is to know about the Cirrus SR-20 and SR-22.
Flying with instrument is not unlike mapping. You have to know the functionality of all these buttons; you need to have good spatial awareness; you need to understand pitch/yaw/roll.
See you in the sky!
I have been studying for the past few weeks, learning all there is to know about the Cirrus SR-20 and SR-22.
Flying with instrument is not unlike mapping. You have to know the functionality of all these buttons; you need to have good spatial awareness; you need to understand pitch/yaw/roll.
See you in the sky!
I wrote a short autobiography this week: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LZG3wHRploHZS9RXX1UE348zZiUWkfKAcvUAdNYzkJs/edit?usp=sharing
It will be published in an anthology of biographies of 25 Rotarians around the world.
It will be published in an anthology of biographies of 25 Rotarians around the world.
I am planning a race in February of 2023 as a fundraiser for my Rotary Club: https://www.signalhillrotary.org/lb-mutt-run
I'll be in Melbourne in May of 2023 to attend the Rotary International convention.
I'll be in Melbourne in May of 2023 to attend the Rotary International convention.
After 24 years working as a pediatrician, I am going to become a commercial airline pilot.
There is currently a massive pilot shortage in the United States. It's estimated that we need more than 15,000 pilots over the next five years.
During the pandemic, virtually all flights were grounded due to travel restrictions. Many seasoned pilots were forced into early retirement. No flight school remained open during the shutdown.
Now, with lifting of travel bans and fueled by strong consumer demand, many flights are grounded because there is no one to fly them.
I played a small role in getting the world weather the pandemic, and now the world could use one less doctor but one more pilot.
I will be the third-generation pilot in my family. My grandfather flew for the first Chinese air force. He was naval bomber. Both of my uncles flew fighter jets.
I am fulfilling my destiny as I take to the air.
There is currently a massive pilot shortage in the United States. It's estimated that we need more than 15,000 pilots over the next five years.
During the pandemic, virtually all flights were grounded due to travel restrictions. Many seasoned pilots were forced into early retirement. No flight school remained open during the shutdown.
Now, with lifting of travel bans and fueled by strong consumer demand, many flights are grounded because there is no one to fly them.
I played a small role in getting the world weather the pandemic, and now the world could use one less doctor but one more pilot.
I will be the third-generation pilot in my family. My grandfather flew for the first Chinese air force. He was naval bomber. Both of my uncles flew fighter jets.
I am fulfilling my destiny as I take to the air.
I co-founded this organization with the project manager of Sister Cities of America, and I created the website this weekend: https://www.minecraftbridges.org/
"Don't be evil" was Google's founding motto.
I watched "Skyfall" for the third time last night, and it occurred to me that all the Bond villains suffered childhood trauma. Some of the trauma were unimaginably brutal (I guess that's an oxymoron, because obviously someone imagined it to fictionalize the background story into the character).
In Skyfall, Raoul Silva was betrayed by his own country, just as Bond suffered a near-fatal friendly fire at the start of the film. The different outcomes experienced by these two characters were determined by their support system. Bond, despite not having any close family ties, had a strong family-like unit at work.
Lyutsifer Safin also suffered unspeakable trauma when he became the lone survivor of an assassination campaign by Spectre. Consequently, he became a ruthless killer and planned to exterminate most of the world's population.
You may wonder how Madeleine Swan emerged unscathed, after she was abandoned by her criminal father and alcoholic mother, and also witnessed her mother's execution. Perhaps she was able to rescue herself by becoming a psychoanalyst.
We are all going through something, and we are all survivors of past trauma. The difference in outcome is how we cope and heal. If we have a secure support system, we can emerge stronger and more resilient. Otherwise, we may live in our own evil lair and plan for doomsday as our personal hobby.
I watched "Skyfall" for the third time last night, and it occurred to me that all the Bond villains suffered childhood trauma. Some of the trauma were unimaginably brutal (I guess that's an oxymoron, because obviously someone imagined it to fictionalize the background story into the character).
In Skyfall, Raoul Silva was betrayed by his own country, just as Bond suffered a near-fatal friendly fire at the start of the film. The different outcomes experienced by these two characters were determined by their support system. Bond, despite not having any close family ties, had a strong family-like unit at work.
Lyutsifer Safin also suffered unspeakable trauma when he became the lone survivor of an assassination campaign by Spectre. Consequently, he became a ruthless killer and planned to exterminate most of the world's population.
You may wonder how Madeleine Swan emerged unscathed, after she was abandoned by her criminal father and alcoholic mother, and also witnessed her mother's execution. Perhaps she was able to rescue herself by becoming a psychoanalyst.
We are all going through something, and we are all survivors of past trauma. The difference in outcome is how we cope and heal. If we have a secure support system, we can emerge stronger and more resilient. Otherwise, we may live in our own evil lair and plan for doomsday as our personal hobby.
With my vast spare time from being a full-time pediatrician, president of the Rotary Club, writing two novels, I decided that I should create the website for my son's soccer team.
https://www.millikanboyssoccer.org/
Granted, they're pretty kick-ass (well, most of the times they try to kick the ball rather than asses, but they do both).
https://www.millikanboyssoccer.org/
Granted, they're pretty kick-ass (well, most of the times they try to kick the ball rather than asses, but they do both).
I created gamingparents.org right around the time when my son was born in 2007. I took the site down due to lack of activities, but I still have fond memories of running the site. I don't have any regrets having ventured into community building.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGJy_0lSKW/?utm_medium=copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGJy_0lSKW/?utm_medium=copy_link
I recently created a new YouTube channel called ADHD Doc. Many of you may already know that I am a pediatrician specialized in helping families dealing with the ups and downs of parenting children with ADHD. This is often the greatest challenge I face as a pediatrician, but this is also often the source of pride and most gratifying reward.
If you or someone you know suffer from ADHD, perhaps these videos can offer some helpful tips and a ray of hope.
If you or someone you know suffer from ADHD, perhaps these videos can offer some helpful tips and a ray of hope.
The pandemic is still with us, but it's not affecting our lives as much as it used to.
Most people around me have been vaccinated, and my parents are getting their third dose of the vaccine tomorrow morning. I am about to get my third dose also.
Scott is in high school now. My 11-year-old gaming desktop finally broke down (well, the main SSD failed). I gave it to my nephew and helped him transplant his HDD to the gaming rig. He's happy that he got such a performance boost.
I lost interest in gaming. Perhaps it's my waning testosterone level, but I just don't get the exhilarating feeling when I game anymore.
River (my dog) is three years old now. I am elected to be the next president of my local Rotary Club. This is the website I designed for our club. I am contemplating retirement within the next 5 to 6 years.
Most people around me have been vaccinated, and my parents are getting their third dose of the vaccine tomorrow morning. I am about to get my third dose also.
Scott is in high school now. My 11-year-old gaming desktop finally broke down (well, the main SSD failed). I gave it to my nephew and helped him transplant his HDD to the gaming rig. He's happy that he got such a performance boost.
I lost interest in gaming. Perhaps it's my waning testosterone level, but I just don't get the exhilarating feeling when I game anymore.
River (my dog) is three years old now. I am elected to be the next president of my local Rotary Club. This is the website I designed for our club. I am contemplating retirement within the next 5 to 6 years.