Why do you work hard?

What's your answer to my question?

I try to find a good answer for myself, but sometimes I am really lost.

Zune HD

What I like about Zune HD:

1. its slick design, simplicity, light.
2. UI is graphical, intuitive and very responsive
3. HD radio cool
4. screen looks fine, battery life seems good

What's missing from Zune:
1. Bluetooth A2DP support
2. playing movies is not as smooth as iPod and Android

What I don't like
1. Zune desktop software sucks, the model is a copy of iTune, but why I need a Windows PC in order to use my media player? Think about Android, which did a great thing, OTA is great
2. (Correct, it allows you connect to unknown SSID)
3. browser sucks, no CJK font support.

“烧发了”

“今天早上我着凉了，所以我烧发了” -- Benjamin Q

Benjamin tried to repeat the reason he didn't need go to school, but he said "发烧" (fever) in wrong order.

Legoland

"Legoland has little lego's, it is wrong legoland" -- Benjamin Q

after an exhausting day in Legoland California.

故事会

今天晚上全家坐在院子里开始讲故事。

姥爷先讲：从前有个人养了一头小猪，小猪常常晚上叫唤，吵得主人睡不好觉。主人决定把小猪送到一天个很远的地方。第二天小猪自己跑回来了。主人就把小猪的眼睛蒙上，又把小猪带到一个更远的地方。后来，主人给老婆打电话，“我不认识回家的路了，怎么办？”，他老婆说“小猪认识回家的路，你让它带你回家吧“。

亮亮讲”有只小老鼠，被monster吃了，老鼠妈妈回来了，又被monster吃了，爸爸回来了，也被吃了。“

妈妈讲了汤姆去海滩的故事。

爸爸讲了乌鸦吃肉唱歌，肉被小狐狸吃了。

姥姥讲大灰狼和小羊，亮亮害怕了。

Book reading: The Innovator's Dilemma

I started reading a new (really old) book: The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail, by Clayton M. Christensen. I was attracted by the book because I have been wondering why big companies cannot defeat small startups.

I only finished the first chapter, the topic of the book is indeed very interesting, and findings are very inspiring. I have no doubt it is a great book to read, especially like us who are in this hi-tech industry. The main argument of the book is that, well-managed big companies can make great success on sustaining technologies: new technologies improving the performance of established products. However, big companies have trouble to catch disruptive technologies: innovations that result in worse product performance in near-term, but typically cheaper, simpler, smaller and more convenient to use. I very much agree the author's point. However, I am slightly disagree that the products made from disruptive technologies are cheaper. Usually, I saw new products radically designed have high price initially, and high margin. For instance, Apple's iPod, iPhone, Amazon's kindle, large-volume SSD hard drives, etc. Typically these products have high profit margin, but smaller market volume initially. And later when more companies invest on these products and competition kicks in, the price drops and products get better.

iPod battery grows a fat belly as it gets old

We bought a U2 special edition 20GB iPod back to 2004, it was expensive comparing to today's iPod lineups. It was used with a dock station in Benjamin's bedroom for playing Baby Einstein when he goes to bed. A few months ago, the round button in the middle stopped working, I couldn't press it. It feels like a mechanical issue. This morning I took the a knife and screw driver, and opened it. Guess what, once it was opened, the middle button started working.



So I closed the case, and the button stopped working again. After reopen it, I realized that the middle button sits on top of the battery, and the hard driver is underneath. See the picture:



Over the time, the battery changed its shape. Isn't it like most of human beings? when you get old, you get a fat belly. ;)
Fix was easy, I peeled off the sponge pad on the back of the hard drive, so it leaves some room for battery's fat belly. With a little surgery, my old iPod is back to work again.

A Day Out With Thomas

Benjamin went to Santa Cruz to ride Thomas train today. It had so much fun. Benjamin was a bit nervous at first when train started moving. Later, he really enjoyed the riding in redwood forests. After the riding, he took a picture with Thomas.

A perfect day in the beach

It is a perfect day in the beach, 60 degree, sunny, even not windy as most of days in half moon bay. Benjamin was so excited to catch or escape waves. In a few minutes, his pants were wet and soon he only had underwear left.

Another nice weekend

This weekend is almost like summer, very sunny, sky is blue, clear and very warm. On Saturday morning, Benjamin, Dad and Mom went to see a puppy, actually there were three puppies. There are labrador retrievers. The mom dog is a brown one, looks very strong and tough, and the owner told us that the father dog is a black one. There were 6 puppies, and half are brown and half are black. When we went there, only black ones are left. Puppies are almost 2.5 months old, they are big. They welcomed Benjamin with a big hug and lick, which scared Benjamin away. Benjamin soon changed his mind and said no to puppies. At the end, we disappointed the owner.

The second day is again sunny and warm, Benjamin, Ethan, Dad, Mom and Uncle Roger went to Stevens Creek Reservoir Park. Last week, we headed to the wrong direction and didn't find the reservoir. This time, we didn't miss it again.



We found something interesting on the way to the lake. Can you find something in the water?



Here is the last picture with Ethan, Dad and Mom, all smiling. Uncle Roger is the great photographer.



Looking forward to the next weekend!

我家的菜院

春天到了，Benjamin帮爸爸在院子里种了一些菜。

旁边的葱是去年奶奶种在大盆里的，爸爸把它们挪到了地里，现在长的好大！



草莓


西红柿


青椒和茄子

Spring Hiking

It is a nice Sunday again. Benjamin's buddy, Ethan, calls a hiking to Stevevs Creek Park. Dad, Benjmain, Ethan and Ethan's dad
went to the park. We planned to go to reservoir, but lost direction at a crossroad. We climbed on hiking trial and enjoyed fresh spring air. After hiking an hour, we are tired. Benjamin and Ethan got some refreshment, it is strawberry and orange.




On our way back, we talked about creatures in bush, snakes, mountain lions, etc. Finally we saw the creek, Benjamin and Ethan decided to fish.

Weekend activity

It was a nice and sunny Sunday after several weeks rain.

Benjamin, Dad and Mom went to San Antonio Ranch to get some fresh air. The ranch was so popular that we waited 15 minutes to get a parking spot. We walked from the parking lot to the farmer to meet pig Dad and Mom (the last picture). Unfortunately, they waited too long and tired, so they were taking nap.

Cooking With Friends

Benjamin and his two friends started to "make some food" using the sand from the sandbox. As they chose their vessel the friends started to fill it with sand. Slowly they took turns stirring the mixture. Tyler began to suggest ideas as to what they might be cooking. After much deliberation they all decided on a big pot of soup. This pot was so large that they began to come up with a plan for moving the soup in order to add more water. Eventually they all grabbed a side of the pot to move it together. 

Block Structure

  Benjamin is drawn to using blocks. His favorite activity inside the classroom is building with blocks in all sorts of ways with his friends. On this day Tyler and Benjamin built a corral for the animals. Each of them exchange ideas of what should happen next.

 Tyler and Benjamin are usually found in the block area together creating new designs and shapes.

-Kristen

Weekend activities

We went to library today and Benjamin was doing some research on the floor.

Benjamin demonstrates his trains and trucks on his bed.

A Box Can Be Anything

  On Tuesday Joni brought a large narrow box into the classroom. The children jumped right into it and began to use it as a train car.  Benjamin stood back for awhile then quickly joined in. He smiled widely and pretended to pull the steam release chain. "Woo, woo", he sang loudly. The children all had different ideas of where they should go in the train. Some of the ideas included Disneyland, the Beach and the Market. After awhile the children all coordinated tipping the box to one side so that they could fall onto the floor. "Ahh, crash!", they said as they laughed.

-Kristen Maya

New Train Set

Mommy bought Benjamin a train set, it took daddy 3 hours to assemble them together.

But, it looks very nice.

From Benjamin's Train Set

February 4, 09

I observed Benjamin playing again today outside with is two buddies, Benjamin Grimes and Jerry. They used clay, forming it with their fingers. At first they poked their ingers into large chumps of clay. Then after a while they ripped off smaller pieces and began manipulating them between their palms. They seemed surprised when the pieces started to form into small balls or long "snakes". After Benjamin discovered this, the other children became excited and started watching intently, mimicking his movements. The children smiled as they came up with stories about what each of them worms ate.

From teacher Kristen's note.

Feb 3, 09

Benjamin's relationship with his friends has been growing strongler and stronger. After lunch this afternoon Benjamin ran toward the coach where Benjamin Grimes was sitting. As Benjamin Grimes saw Benjmain coming, he outstretched his arms and embraced him with a big hug. Both boys laughed them stopped to watch each other. I checked in with both of them to see if they were ok. They both nodded their head and began to hug again. Also, throughout the day, Jerry kept asking the teachers, "where Benjamin Qian?"

From teacher Kristen's notes.