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This morning I saw the terrible news from Japan (earthquake + tsunami if this is your only news source). While most people are trying to figure out how to rescue victims, I figured out how to help the country recover: exploitation of snow monkeys.
 
They were featured recently in a GE commercial adjusting the temperature of their hot spring. When I was there, I didn’t see any temperature gauge so that commercial was obviously staged. GE, an American leader, showed us a working model of how to exploit the snow monkeys.
Other possible exploitation:
1. Create a game about getting to the monkeys
It’s not as simple as hail a taxi outside your Tokyo hotel and you’re there in twenty minutes. My experience was more like descend through the 7 levels of the Tokyo subway, ride 3 bullet trains (the first 2 were the wrong ones), ask for directions from the old lady with no teeth (bonus points if she understands you and you her), ride the rickety bus, guess where along the 30 km route is the best stop (minus 1 point per km you were wrong), and hike through the enchanted forest (bonus points if you successfully dodge the rival dung throwing monkeys).
2. Snow Monkeys can provide personal services
Their specialties include:
Dietitian – They’ll keep you on your diet by stealing any food you try to put in mouth and realizing you’ve fallen off the wagon, they’ll rummage through your backpack and “confiscate” anything you may have hidden there.
Photography Assistant – it always seems to be snowing near the snow monkeys (duh right?), so your camera lens needs to be wiped continually. The monkeys already “clean” your $6000 lens with their bare hands. They should change for prompt on site service like that.
3. Make a Boot Camp for Bullies
Drop your wayward child there and the first thing he’ll do is look one in the eye and maybe give it a little shove. In no time your child will learn his lesson since it confrontational to look monkeys in the eye and they are super territorial. With about 100 monkeys to one wayward child there is no way he will be the “big ape” and will learn humility on the bottom of the totem pole during poop clean up duty.
In all, I wish Japan a speedy recovery and hope you all can go be financially exploited by the exploited snow monkeys. Maybe one day, they’ll overthrow “Hello Kitty!” as the symbol of Japanese cuteness.
Posted 1 year, 2 months ago. Add a comment
“Happy moment”
“Angry birds or facebook”
“Someone is comfortable”
“Not my baby”
Posted 1 year, 2 months ago. 1 comment
Dear friend,
people say that time cures all wounds and I hope it will get better as time passes by… the time since you have left us. A lot of people would laugh at me for mourning my loss, some would understand it and a few would share it. With so many people dieing each day a death of an animal loses its weight, but it is as real as anything else to me. There is an empty space in my house and in my heart that you used to fill and each day I try to fill it with fun memories of you. The memories from the good old days…
The past few months were hard, life is hard with a brand new baby. It was filled with sleepless nights, fatigue and crankiness for me and loneliness for you. If I could only have explained that it would all be worth it at the end; that you would have a new friend and partner in crime. For you it probably seemed like the end; life would never be the same again. We reached the end so soon, a lot sooner that I have anticipated or wanted to admit to. All the warning signs were there, but I was too tired to react.
I will never forget that Christmas morning; the trip to the ER with you. All I wanted to was rest; all you wanted was for me to take care of you. Thank you for giving us a few more days together; thank you the wonderful years before that day. The memories of you last night with me still flash before my eyes – the horrible ride to the doctor; you with a breezing mask on in a cold big room full of strangers; your resting place – a cardboard box in a shape of a coffin. You seemed so peaceful, so quiet – as if you were just taking a cat nap. You have finally found the peace I wasn’t able to provide anymore.
There will be others – there already are, but they won’t ever be you or replace you. Life will never be the same for both of us; and I am so glad you were a part of mine.
Posted 1 year, 4 months ago. 1 comment
Some weddings are reserved. Some are traditional. Others are fun.
  
Then there are the ones that can only be described as a party.
 
Gail and Julia said beautiful vows, kissed, then started dancing out the recessional and the celebration never stopped.
  
The ceremony and reception were at Garre Vineyards in Livermore, a stunning location. Because of the cool summer weather the grapes had just turned a vibrant purple.
 
It was the ideal location for this fun couple. As evidence as the day progressed so did their shoes: starting with formals and ending in matching converse sneakers inscribed with “I heart Gail (Julia)”.
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago. Add a comment
It was a scorcher of a day: 105 in the shade and no shade to be seen.
  
Rudy stood sweating out each moment waiting for Danielle his bride to make her entrance.
  
Radiant, she walked slowly down the aisle with a smile to Rudy.
  
The ceremony was brief and beautiful.
 
Group pictures were taken then the party retreated to the cool shade of the reception hall and the celebration began.
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago. Add a comment
Most Americans are convinced that summer ends on September 21st; well even though I have lived in this country for a number of years I disagree with this ridiculous statement. My summer has always ended on September 1st – the first day of school in Ukraine.
Every year going to school on that first day brought bitter-sweet feelings to my heart; on one hand – this day ended my freedom: no more sleeping in, doing anything you want, swimming in warm seas and eating lots of ice cream. On the other hand I missed seeing my school friends every day, learning a few interesting things and helping plan various school activities. Most writing classes (weather is was Ukrainian, Russian, English or German ) had you write a “What I did past summer” paper. It seems like an international phenomenon, since I have heard that kids in US also have to write those every year. I didn’t like writing as a child; even as an adult it was a struggle for me in college. I had to squeeze out every sentence out of myself and dreaded the “What I did past summer” ordeal every year. It didn’t make much sense to me then – why would a teacher cared what I did that summer; they weren’t there! It seemed like an easy way out for the teachers – just make kids write those papers and you don’t have to come up with any other homework for a few first days. Maybe it felt like extending their vacation for a bit…
I can definitely see now how important that exercise was, how nice it is to look in the retrospect on things you have accomplished, wonderful moments you have experienced and how much you have grown (literally and in any other way). Maybe that’s why people keep journals; perhaps one day I will start one and gladly spend a few minutes a day recording everything that has happened… maybe one day…
I’ve had a really great eventful summer, met so many wonderful people, made a few good friends. This is why I am making myself record the highlights of last few months, before it’s too late, before it gets replaced with some junk in my memory. This is my photography site, so I will record things of that nature.
The emotions were high during Keela and Lester’s wedding, the makeup girl had to clean Keela’s face a few times… It was very touching to see how happy she is to be getting married that warm summer day.
After the ceremony and a ton of family pictures we all got to enjoy a beautiful meal with these awesome cupcakes. It was a well deserved treat for everyone.
Then there was Courtney and Travis’ wedding in Briones National Park – it was so refreshing, relaxed and casual. It reflected the bride and groom’s personality so perfectly.
And instead of the cake the couple wanted everyone to gather next to a fire and make s’mores – what a fun idea!
In July I got to travel to the mountains near Santa Cruz for Ken and Wendy’s wedding, the ceremony was in the middle of a redwood forest and we had to take a steam train to get there.
Needless to say Ken and Wendy are very fun and adventurous people.
It has been my dream to photograph a wedding in a Japanese tea garden ever since I visited that country. There is something so surreal and tranquil about them. So this summer I was able to take pictures for beautiful Yosita and Nanny’s wedding. We had a great time taking pictures of them in every beautiful corner of the garden.
I love the brides that love taking pictures – it makes my job so much easier. Versie probably was a super model in the previous life, she rocked her wedding dress and posed for me like a pro. Rashad was a little camera shy at first, but Versies’ contagious confidence caught up with him pretty fast!
My last wedding of the summer was Chris and Amanda’s wedding at the Oakland LDS temple. They reminded me so much of Chris and I when we got married. Young and cheerful, I hope they will keep this spirit alive for years to come.
It was a fun and eventful summer, now I can start looking forward to the new adventures this fall.
Posted 1 year, 8 months ago. Add a comment
Any photographer is lucky to have a friend; a very patient friend who will not mind sitting in front of the camera for hours while the photographer gets everything just right. The composition, lighting, exposure, focus… all of those vital parts that can make or break a photo so easily. Your dedicated friend doesn’t question your skills or your vision; follows your every direction. The friend doen’t ask “What is wrong with my chin? or my shoulders?” to your command “Chin down! Sit up straight!”
I am lucky enough to have a friend like that…
Posted 1 year, 11 months ago. 1 comment
Like most women I like shiny things: jewelry, sequin dresses, reflection of the mirrors (well, most of the time.) So every time I get to travel internationally I take my time looking though the duty free magazines with jewelry and watches. For some reason swarovski crystals are always featured in them. I enjoy looking and the perfect pictures of the necklaces and earrings and choosing which ones are my favorites. Don’t get me wrong, I have never bought anything of the duty free magazines before. But the idea of owning such an eye-catching beauty just feels good.
That’s why I was so excited to find these natural swarovski crystals on a hike at Point Reyes a few weeks ago.
Continue Reading…
Posted 2 years, 1 month ago. 1 comment
It’s probably very obvious that I don’t have kids yet (otherwise this blog would have been overtaken by their pictures.) I do have a pet, a Siamese cat Coco. She is more than just a pet, she is a full member of our family. Coco uses every opportunity to voice her opinion on very important and not so important issues. Coco, like any respected Siamese cat, has an attitude. Coco also has a boyfriend, my neighbor’s cat Metou.
Their relationship is a complicated one, they chase and attach each other one minute and can’t wait to go out to play together the next. Over two years we (the human owners that were chosen to take case of these two) have been privileged to be entertained by Coco and Metou ruining around the hallways, fighting for treats and having to clean up their fur after real “cat fights.” To sum it all up – it has been a lot of fun. Too bad that at the end of this month Coco and Metou will not longer share the same hallway; this pair will have to part. But they will have fond memories and scars to remind them of each other.
Here is a picture of cute Metou. We will all miss you!
Posted 2 years, 2 months ago. Add a comment
Continue Reading…
Posted 2 years, 2 months ago. Add a comment
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