Wordless Wednesday: Moonlite Sonata

California Academy of Sciences

My sister's in-laws are visiting from Toronto. I have been meaning to take Sameeha to California Academy of Sciences to see the frogs. She had told me on numerous occasions after watching a particular episode repeatedly that she loves frogs. So yesterday seemed like a perfect opportunity for her to see the frogs and show aunty and uncle something new. 
This place is amazing. It has an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum, and a rainforest all under one roof. Apparently, it exhibits nearly 40,000 live animals including penguins and an albino alligator! 
We started the tour with the rainforest biosphere. The temperature is warm and humid and tourists walk among the creatures as if part of the system. Sameeha got to see the frogs, but I think she was more excited to see the butterflies. 

Then we moved to the aquarium. This place was amazing (sorry for lack of rich vocabulary)! The coral reef exhibit was my favorite part. At this point, I wasn't feeling well so I followed others. 

We had lunch after watching a 20 minute presentation on pollination and an exhibit on African wildlife. After lunch followed a visit to the planetarium. The show was on life and our cosmic connections to the stars. 


It was a fun day!

Memory Markers

I wrote this diary entry a few years ago, and have revised it as time progressed. These events are not particularly life altering, but since I found them important enough to remember and mentioned them in conversations, I decided to pen them down. The items on the list are related to travels, schooling and/or career accomplishments. The entry is in a list format so I deemed it as a perfect opportunity to include it on the blog. I hope to continue adding to it.  In no particular chronological order:

• witnessed a solar eclipse 
• went skiing in NY and actually learned how to ski a few years ago (finally) in Tahoe
• went canoeing at Bayshore Park (canoe capsized; cell phone destroyed)
• went on a hot air balloon ride in Arizona 
• went rock climbing once (and it will remain that way) 
• slept under the stars and watched shooting stars flash across the sky
• watched a bear rummage through the storeroom where food was being stored (at camp) 
• swam with dolphins twice in Mexico
• graduated from one of the world's famous universities
• lived in Berkeley for 11/2 years and witnessed many of its infamous "ridiculousness"
• have educated 85 4th graders in 4 years (not counting summer school)
• rode on camels in Pakistan
• Took a ride in a rickshaw many times when I lived in Pakistan
• saw a sunset in Mexico from a beach resort
• para sailed in Mexico
• sat on a banana boat in Mexico. Didn't fall. 
• jet skied in Mexico
• rode an ATV in Mexico
• saw the Grand Canyon 
• Took a road trip to Reno, Nevada
• gambled (a few quarters in slot machines) in Las Vegas and Atlantic City
• Attended dancing clubs
• Visiting the beautiful landscapes of Northern Pakistan. Learned where I am from from Pappa
• Been a bridesmaid at 2 of my friends' weddings
• went snorkeling in Mexico
• went horseback riding on the beach twice
• went white water rafting twice in the American River
• swam in Mono Lake
• stayed in Costa Rica for 35 days with a local family 
• wine tasting in Napa Valley/Tram ride
• took a gondola ride in Venice, Italy
• danced on top of a bar in Mexico and in a cage (my parents would not be proud of this one)
• auditioned for a part in a movie (didn't get it)
• went shooting at a shooting range
• was an audience member of The Oprah Show
• had a pillow fight with goose feathers flying all around me
• went to see a Broadway show, Wicked
• learned to believe in myself and finally stood up for myself at work
• canyoning in Costa Rica
• zip lined in Costa Rica
• watched the Arenal Volcano erupt
• held a toucan
• shook hands with a monkey, touched a frog and a crab in Costa Rica
• went to the Toubacon hot springs, sat under a waterfall and actually saw (just saw) a bar in the pool 
• went to see the turtle eggs hatch, but ended up spending 2 hours under the open sky with fireflies
• finally smoked my first joint in Puerto Viejo (didn't finish it)
• got a massage and scrub treatment in a resort spa in Arizona
• realized playing golf in Pakistan that it is a difficult sport
• visited a concentration camp
• saw part of the Berlin Wall
• was in a school play in Pakistan and actually spoke lines
• visited the Senate and the House of Representatives
• learned to play the flute 
• taught English in a foreign country
• had a vintage styled photo shoot with a professional photographer
• Met an ex-prime minister of Pakistan, General Pervaz Musharaff in a restaurant 
• rode a cable car in San Francisco on a beautiful summer day
• visited the Hearst Castle
• selected my first car without much thought and love it!
• learned to ride roller coasters with my eyes open

Lucid Dreams 2: Garden Party

So, the watercolor projects are being completed each day. My mom gave me the  picture book, Dew  Drops (which belongs to my lovely niece, Sameeha) with graphic pictures of flowers. I have been practicing my brush strokes and getting quite good at them. I trace each picture first and then transfer it onto watercolor paper and then paint.
This is quite a relaxing hobby. I am enjoying it so much that I even checked out books related to watercolors from the library. The techniques mentioned are quite advanced, hence I am skimming through them for ideas and occasional tips. Even the masters admit that watercolors is more of a challenging medium then oils and/or acrylics. I notice with each painting the task gets easier. Here are some of my latest creations:

Poppy Pop

Titillating Tulips and Morning Glory 

Lucid Dreams: Watercolors

In an attempt to fill my time with fun activities, I have decided to take up water coloring. Last night, I took my father to the nearest Micheal's store and bought myself paints and special water coloring sheets. Today, the morning was spent on a project I found through a website. The website was designed for beginner painters and broke down the process in steps. I was able to use my own color combinations since the colors mentioned were unavailable in my paint set.  I realized I definitely need to work on my technique so I enrolled myself in a drawing and watercolor class through Mountain View Adult Education.

I learned that the painting process is quite fun. I spent about 4-5 hours learning and finishing my first art piece. It is far from perfect and I can see my novice style clearly through the brush strokes, nonetheless, I am proud of it. I took photographs after completing each step.

 

Step1: Sketch ready to be painted

Step 2: Painting the sky

Step 3: Painting the sea

Step 4: Finished!

I

Wordless Wednesday: A Lazy Person's Version of the Road Not Taken

A Stroll in Whisman Station: Cherry Blossoms Galore

It has been a significant length of time since my last blog entry. Life has taken an unexpected turn. I have moved back home after my brief stay in "independence-ville" in Fremont. Blogging was a hobby I started last year and cherished it to a point that I want to engage in it again. Staying true to its original purpose of creating lists, I focus on some of my current favorite daily activities. So here goes:
1. Taking nightly walks with my parents.
2. Having absorbing, thus long conversations with them about anything and everything.
3. And any chance I get, going to my sister and brother-in-law's house and meeting my nieces, especially Sameeha.

With the intention of adding visual affluence to the entry, I took the liberty of taking pictures in an unceremoniously (maybe a little) brisk afternoon walk around Whisman Station.