click to see next header image
April 2004 »

The Getty Center

March 31, 2004 - 3:18 AM

I visited The Getty Center for the second time in my life today. I left the house around 2 and arrived 25 minutes earlier than Mapquest suggested. After paying the 5 dollar parking fee, I proceeded into the parking lot, where I luckily found a spot next to the elevator. I walked into the room and saw a curious box in the corner.

Bags need to be checked in if they don't fit in the box. (paraphrased) Interesting.. I checked the dimensions of my bag and they appeared to be the perfect size. I smiled and got into the elevator, then the tram, then walked around and visited the exhibit.

I'm not a major art guy. I don't find myself being that interested in artifacts or stupid relics from the past.. but something about The Getty Center really drew me to the work. The pieces displayed are mind boggling. You can see some pictures of them inside my gallery, but they really don't do any of the pieces justice. One piece in particular was a statue that was created with wood and other materials. I was looking down as I entered the room.. when I looked up I was just stunned by its realism. Up close, the garments on the statue were made of wood, but appeared to be clothlike. It all shone in the sunlight that was streaming in from a small window near the ceiling.

The architecture too, was amazing. In one room.. I was taking a picture of a statue. A lady behind me was taking a picture too. Her flash went off. No flash photography. The security guard repremanded her, but instead of taking it like a man, she pointed her finger at me. Ass me out? I smirked. "His flash isn't going off" the security guard said as I got up and left the room.

Later, my second encounter with secuirty guards wouldn't be so great. As I stepped into my last exhibit, the secuirty guard walked up to me. I looked around with confusion as each step closer made the entire floor of the room squeek. He stepped past me and looked at my bag.

"That needs to be checked in."

I shrugged and departed from the museum, but before I got to my car I stuffed my bag into the box one more time. Checked in my ass.

It was fun. I enjoyed the museum a lot more than I did when I went with SLA, but then again, I didn't even browse the museum when I went with SLA.. we just fucked around.

With that said.... going places is cool. I'm trying to get out and do things that people normally wouldn't do. Going to the Getty or blah blah. The only problem is I'm running out of money. Life is tough. Spring Break is almost over... I want to do so much more!

The day in pictures.

Leave a Comment (5)

Back.

March 29, 2004 - 1:51 AM

Wow. I've certainly reached a point in my cycle that requires a lot of alone time. I guess every couple of months or so I get into some kind of weird depression that can only be cured through time alone. I've resorted to photography to get my mind off of my mind. I drive alone on the freeway, with no set destination.. thinking to myself in the silence. When I finally find a place to stop, its only for a little while, and only to look around.

I've picked up a heavy passion for photography. Wherever my adventures lead me, I carry my camera and make sure to snap off a couple frames. Today I went to Riverside with Loc to take pictures of the VSA Riverside Culture Night (in my gallery), but I went to Dana point and other places days before that.

I've been away. I no longer want contact with people. I just want my time alone to recooperate. Check my gallery for new photos (Riverside) and photos of my car as well. As always, take care.

Leave a Comment (1)

Google: phidong?

March 23, 2004 - 11:07 PM

I've been seeing a lot of google hits to my page from people searching "phidong" lately. Pretty interesting. My hits on this personal site are now surpassing philoader.net. LOL.

Leave a Comment (5)

Upcoming Schedule (Finals)

March 22, 2004 - 2:07 AM

Its dead week.

Monday
8:00-10:00am - physics final
1:30-3:30pm - calculus final
4:00-9:00pm - all chem all the time

Tuesday
10/11:00am-9:00pm - chem

Wednesday
8:00am-10:00am - chem final

The end.

Leave a Comment (11)

Stress.

March 21, 2004 - 10:51 AM

I hate it. I think i'm going to vomit. frown

Leave a Comment (3)

Bored. School. Camera. Update.

March 19, 2004 - 11:59 PM

School is getting tough. I finished two finals (horribly) today and I have two more coming up on Monday. After that, I study for another two consecutive days and then take my last final on Wednesday. I have summed everything up in the following.

The Good
2 finals are over.
Chem final is multiple choice now.
Week ends on Wednesday.

The Bad
3 finals to go.
Physics and Calculus on Monday.
Running out of time.

With that said, I'm off to bed so I can wake up early and work on like 5 chapters of Calculus and Physics. At this point, I'm not even hoping for luck. I'm hoping for a miracle.

Here is something fun for you guys though. My camera bag. Enjoy.

Leave a Comment (3)

Schedule sucks.

March 16, 2004 - 10:08 AM

What the hell? Theres only 1 waitlist per subject and 1 class open per. None of them work together. I'm fucking screwed.

Leave a Comment (3)

I suck at life.

March 15, 2004 - 5:07 PM

Oh man.. I suck at life. Reset please.

Leave a Comment (2)

Minor fixes.

March 14, 2004 - 8:40 PM

After like 4 months of not touching the design of this site, I have taken 5 minutes to fix 2 minor bugs that have been driving me nuts.

1) Tabbing in the comments section actually tabs over to the post button now, instead of main navigation. The problem? I forgot to add a tabindex="5" to the post button.. D'oH!

2) All the input boxes are now orange. The problem? My css was messed up.

Ahh.. everything is good now, though. grin

Leave a Comment (4)

My journal online. Keke.

March 14, 2004 - 4:54 PM

I'm starting to wonder how much juicy information I can put here.. and people STILL won't read. I love my journal.

Leave a Comment (3)

Just bought.

March 14, 2004 - 4:05 AM

Viking 512MB Compact Flash Card
Price before rebates: 99.99
Rebate: -30.00
-----------------------------------
Final price: 69.99!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

@ amazon

Thank you slick deals. Thank you Thy (sis) for lending me your CC. grin

Leave a Comment (4)

Journaling Online.

March 13, 2004 - 5:07 AM

When I was about 8 years old (the furthest back that I can pretty much remember) I recall people having these little books they'd scribble in. On those old TV shows, they'd protect all the secrets with their life, and everyone who weren't the sole owner of the book would do anything to get a glimpse at it. Periodically, they would begin writing..

Dear Diary,
My life sucks. The world hates me. I'm emo.

Wait, thats present day. Believe it or not, online journalling started a long time ago. It didn't become a success until the original Blogger, Livejournal, Deadjournal, and Xanga hit the scene. I remember about 4 or 5 years ago my sisters journaling (they're 4&7 years older than me) and me seriously not giving a fuck about it. Look at me now, four years later, in their exact shoes. Doing all the things I thought was stupid, but really.. its trendy now. Everyone and their mamma has a Xanga, whether to record aim conversations, post ridiculous surveys, or you know what? Write in their fucking diary and complain about everything the world has to offer (which isn't much). Its amazing how I remember my sister typing her diary in word documents and saving them with passwords when I was like 8 or 9, the TV shows portraying the sacred book of secrets.. all the oldschool, and now nearly a decade later.. nothing has changed.

Nothing? Well, I guess you'd be wrong making that assumption. When LJ, Xanga, Blogger, etc. hit the scene, it created a whole new genre of keeping that old diary. So, whats the difference?

1. Public Diary -- What happened to the sacred days of password locking that word document or hiding the cheaply "locked" diary under your bed and protecting it with your life? Those days are gone and while most online journaling sites do allow private entries, there really isn't a point. The entire reason that people BLOG is to get attention. Why the hell do you think 90% of the people who blog are emo? Look at me, I'm so sad! The world hates me! I'm emo!.

There really isn't any point of online blogging unless you get attention for it. Girls post gay webcam pics of their half naked bodies, guys post their hardcore gangster pics, and the rest of the people write vague journal entries in their online slang. WeNt To ScHoOl ToDaY. It Was AIiGhTz. PoSt ComMenTz AiiGhtz? I'M OuTz.

2. Generalizations -- Society is a brainwasher. They feed you things and make you believe what they want. Society tells women that their fiances or boyfriends, or guys in general should give them a fat diamond ring as a sign of their love. If a guy gives a lady a small dinky band, hes a puss that doesn't really love, right? 2 months salary my ass. I remember as a little kid, I used to be brainwashed that diaries were an outlet to write the deepest secrets and feelings. To create relief for yourself from the world. Gossip, your sins, whatever. While more people write in their journal than ever, it has become just another friendster with words. Lets be popular and watch everyone we can, even though we don't read them. Lets put on another mask in our lives and pretend to be people that we AREN'T!

Doesn't that defeat the purpose a little? Once people turned to journals as their only friend, someone they could be TRUE to, themselves, and now its just the same act they play in real life. Censoring what they don't want, keeping what they do. They work to build this false image of themselves, hiding behind the facade of sadness and mourning for their pitifal lives. Sad.. boohoo. I'm shedding tears for you faggots.

So with the birth of online blogging came the end of specific journaling. And while people might conclude that journaling is at it's highest peak, EVER, it really isn't. I'd say its in a lull because people aren't fucking journaling, they're putting on shows. Pathetic shows.

Anyway, to the reason why I'm posting all of this..

I was talking to somebody today about whatever.

her (12:18:59 AM): and i dont think u should be reading my xanga anymore
phi dong (12:19:11 AM): why not :o
her (12:19:17 AM): cuz ur starting to freak me out
phi dong (12:19:21 AM): ?
phi dong (12:19:36 AM): people just don't realize how my information they're giving off :o
her (12:19:45 AM): cuzz.....u have way too much time on ur hands
phi dong (12:19:55 AM): nah
phi dong (12:19:58 AM): it only takes one read
phi dong (12:20:00 AM): to catch info
phi dong (12:20:16 AM): you're not the center of my free time
phi dong (12:20:17 AM): :o
phi dong (12:20:21 AM): i pick up just as much info
phi dong (12:20:24 AM): on everyone else too
phi dong (12:20:25 AM): grin
her (12:20:29 AM): ok
her (12:20:35 AM): but i would still liek u to stop reading it
phi dong (12:20:40 AM): why? :-(
phi dong (12:20:56 AM): if you don't like people reading, you should make it private grin
her (12:21:04 AM): *sigh*
her (12:21:17 AM): )#$(*#@()*#@$()#$
phi dong (12:21:20 AM): ?
her (12:21:20 AM): #O$U##U$@(*#$)@#
her (12:21:23 AM): <>:o
phi dong (12:21:25 AM): <>:o
her (12:21:35 AM): i hate it that i have to censor every goddamn thing!
her (12:21:38 AM): i had a stalker before
her (12:24:23 AM): i hate when ppl jump toconclusions
her (12:24:31 AM): when they dont kno me at all
phi dong (12:24:49 AM): you don't have to know someone to judge them
phi dong (12:24:52 AM): you're doing it right now

Oh right. So you post on an online journal, soliciting people to read, posting in other xangas so people reciprocate the favor and post comments in yours so you can feel loved and wanted. This is precisely the reason why i don't post in a Xanga or Livejournal. I don't like the attention people try to gain when they do that kind of lame postwhoring. Yeah, so you do all this then you expect people NOT to read because you DON'T want to censor?

Fuck. Please. I don't get how somebody can write in an online journal and not expect people to analyze their lives. That is, after all, what the main purpose is, isn't it? To gain enough attention where people think your life fucking sucks and lends out a hand and says, "Aw, I'm sorry sweet thing.. everything will be ok." and then you deny them and say, "I'm so emo! The world hates me!"

Oh.. and for the record. If anyone ever judges me and tries to ride the high and almighty horse, fuck you. Thats the most hypocritical thing I've ever heard in my whole life.

1) Make an online journal. Be read.
2) Judge people. Be judged.

There are just some inevitabilities that cannot be avoided and those two, and the persuit of hapiness, failure, and death (in that order) are 3 others.

Enjoy your online journaling everyone. I hope you all suffer, because I know you do according to your journals. Fuckheads.

Leave a Comment (13)

Moron Part Deuce

March 13, 2004 - 3:18 AM

phpeasynews*: hi
phpeasynews*: hello
phi: sup
phpeasynews*: dude
phpeasynews*: you will not post this on ur site will u?
phpeasynews*: i need to talk about
phpeasynews*: something
phpeasynews*: thats on your site
phi: sup?
phpeasynews*: is http://www.phidong.com/
phpeasynews*: ur site
phi: maybe
phi: why?
phpeasynews*: http://www.phidong.com/archives/000198.html
phpeasynews*: u have a log there
phi: yea
phpeasynews*: i own a hosting company
phpeasynews*: now
phi: ok
phpeasynews*: google link here
phpeasynews*: now
phpeasynews*: if a person was looking for a background on my name
phpeasynews*: theyed com accross that
phpeasynews*: now theyd read it
phpeasynews*: and most likely say fuck off
phpeasynews*: would you be able to delte it
phi: why?
phi: i have freedom of speech
phpeasynews*: grrr
phi: you pretty much brought it upon yourself
phi: http://www.phidong.com/archives/000198.html
phi: read the convo again
phpeasynews*: yea i know
phpeasynews*: but i never new you would post it
phi: well, you shouldn't try to take advantage of people
phpeasynews*: fark
phpeasynews*: so its there for ever
phi: pretty much
phi: who would search phpeasynews* like that anyway
phpeasynews*: ok lets see
phpeasynews*: someones looking at my site
phi: if you build a reputation for yourself, then people won't care
phpeasynews*: thinking about buying a plan
phpeasynews*: they search for my name
phi: Ok.
phpeasynews*: to see history
phpeasynews*: that comes up
phi: From December 2003
phpeasynews*: yeah
phpeasynews*: it still comes up
phi: Well, I'll tell you what. My site isn't that big. When you prove yourself, I'll get pushed on to page 8.
phi: I'm not going to go censor my journal for anybody. Its simply not what I believe in.
phpeasynews*: ugh
phpeasynews*: you not ganna post this either?
phpeasynews*: i hope not
phi: Lol.
phi: you should learn your lesson
phi: :-)
phpeasynews*: so ur ganna post this to?

Leave a Comment (3)

Some pics w/ my new lens.

March 13, 2004 - 3:07 AM

Its sharp. I can tell you that. tear

poops

poops

Leave a Comment (0)

Lens coming today.

March 11, 2004 - 2:16 AM

I think my lens is coming today. I'm not going to Physics discussion. I think I'm going to fail.

Saw Ray today for the first time since we graduated. I kind of knew he went to UCI but I've never seen him until today. It was pretty weird. Smart kid, should've went to like UCLA or something. I'm kind of worried about school, but at the same time my mind isn't worrying and its making me worry more. Theres a lot of things to do and not enough time to do it. I feel like I'm seriously running out of real estate.

Part of me wants to give up my dreams. I'm not even sure if this is exactly what I'm looking for in my life. Environmental Engineering? I'm baffled. I want to succeed because I hate failure, but at the same time I feel like I'm stepping down the wrong path. I tell myself, "Do it for the challenge..." over and over and over, but I am unable to move on. My failures in Physics, Chem, and soon to be Calculus somewhat hint to the fact that this isn't the right scene for me, but if this isn't what I'm destined to become, then what is?

Life is just filled with uncertainties that I must uncover for myself. I hope the answers come soon. At least to my finals.

Leave a Comment (0)

Equipment list is swelling up.

March 9, 2004 - 11:04 PM

I bough a couple flash accessories .. and another lens.

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. tear


canon powershot s50 - 550
extra battery - 12
canon digital rebel - 1024
2 extra batteries - 22

canon wireless remote - 30

canon 50mm f/1.8 - 100
tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 - 320
sigma 70-210mm f/2.8 - 360
77mm uv filter - 12
77mm lens cap - 4


sigma ef500dg flash - 189
stroboframe camera flip flash bracket - 70
canon off camera shoe cord - 50
omnibounce for flash - 10
pocket bouncer and soft box - 50

velvet and white cloth - 30

slik 300dx tripod - 100
bogen 3016 monopod - 24

2 256mb cf cards - 100
20gb mp3 player w/ cf card d/l function - 210

trekker bag for carrying - 70
soft lenses, infrared filter, other filters - 80
cleaning supplies (pec pads etc) - 70

total: 3487 (inc. shipping)

Leave a Comment (1)

VSA Basketball Tourney

March 7, 2004 - 11:48 PM

Loc invited me to go shoot the VSA Basketball Tournement with him in Santa Ana, so I drove over there 2 hours late and arrived at the gym. It was air conditioned in there, but not enough to keep the blistering sun from affecting my sweat glands. I was dying :o It was one of the most sticky experiences of my whole life. I think I got more excercise holding up the big lenses than the guys playing in the tourney!!

It was my first time shooting basketball though. ISO 800-1600 is f'ing noisy. We had a moment where we were using each other's Sigma EF500-DG's as master/slaves and setting the flashes off. At that point I was able to shoot 200-400 ISO no problems. My rotational CF card method still works, suprisingly, with RAW .. so I have no problems there. I got to try out some of Loc's equipment.. HOLY SHIT! 70-200 f/2.8L is fast compared to my first gen Sigma 70-210mm.. :o While I'm not going to upgrade to the L anytime soon, I've decided to get a 28-75mm f/2.8 Tamron instead of the Canon 28-105mm IS lens (which Loc has both of :o) Most of the shots in the gallery are taken with his Tamron lens. Its a little faster than my Sigma and its a f/2.8. Speed >> all. grin

So I learned a bit about sports photography and I made my mind up about some equipment I'm going to get. Definitely going to get another Sigma EF500 Super flash.. and I'm definitely going to get the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. Its only a matter of time now. tear

As for the tourney.. it got pretty competitive. I'm pretty much set on only taking sports pictures of competitive events. Pussy trial runs aren't so fun because people don't go all out. UCI ended up winning the damn thing, which was pretty fun to watch. So, so far.. DRIFT + BASKETBALL (competitive sports) = the win.

[ view my pictures from the tourney ]
[ view loc's pictures from the tourney ]

Leave a Comment (3)

April 2004 »