Year: 2013
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Songs of the Fisherman
This is the longest piece I’ve learned. Consisting of eighteen sections, Songs of the Fisherman 漁歌, like many other guqin pieces, portray the retreat to an existence that is immersed in the natural rhythm of the universe. The earliest printed version dates to 1546, and the associated original preface depicts Mao Minzhong 毛敏仲 leaving his…
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Star Trails for Christmas Eve
For this Christmas Eve, I thought it would be interesting to post star trails taken from Loma Linda. Surprisingly, there were many more visible stars over lighted San Bernardino. Flight paths from air traffic in and out of nearby airports add some interest. This picture was captured last night from the south slopes, with settings…
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Of the Father’s Love Begotten
One of my favorite Christmas hymns, Of the Father’s Love Begotten is based on the medieval plainsong melody Divinum Mysterium, which first appeared in print in 1582 as part of a song collection known as Piae Cantiones. Coupled with the Latin poem Corde natus by Aurelius Prudentius, it takes on the form of this Christmas…
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Thanksgiving Lunch
Once again, it’s that time to gather with friends and family, giving thanks for everything. This year, we had friends from Hangzhou—Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Zhejiang University Children’s Hospital.
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Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group Kayaking
Timing, they say, is everything. But that may not always be the case. It’s 4:57 pm—twelve minutes past the agreed-upon time, and only the few cars dot the East Campus lot without a stir. Jackson and friends are late. Bjorn and I had arrived ten minutes ago; we are now stopped in the middle of…
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Dialogue of the Fisherman and the Woodcutter
While this melody is quite ancient, even by the time it appeared in print in 1559, Dialogue of the Fisherman and the Woodcutter 漁樵問答 remains a popular tune in today’s guqin repertoire. Two popular motifs are intertwined in this piece. The title clearly underscores Daoist themes—that one gains special knowledge by immersion in nature, in…
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Colorado Fall Color
This year’s Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Councilors’ meeting took place in Denver, and this being peak season, both for fall foliage and for the elk rut, I took time afterwards to do some sightseeing. The original plan was to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. The US government shutdown had happened the day before…
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Flowing Spring of Jade Stream
Sitting on a large boulder by the waterfall, I recorded this ancient piece—Flowing Spring of Jade Stream 碧澗流泉. Like many guqin melodies that express motifs from nature, this one is supposed to evoke the mood of a gentle brook cascading over rocks. Normally accustomed to playing on a guqin table, this is my first time…
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Autumn Meditations at Dongting
This short melody, dating from 1549, depicts the fall season at Dongting 洞庭湖 in Hunan 湖南 province. This lake basin is fed by four river: the Xiang 湘, Zi 资, Yuan 沅, and Li 澧. The piece is divided into three parts, with the first and last parts in one key, and the middle part…
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Marion Mountain Trailhead to Little Round Valley
We had hopes of making it to the summit. Jackson and Corey had planned this trip for the Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group weeks ago, but today, thunderstorms and lightning threatened the exposed peak. We turned around at Little Round Valley, which was just a little more than a mile from the top. A small group…
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Part 6, Return to Seattle via Victoria
The next morning, cruise director Dave treats us to a backstage tour behind the Princess Theater. We leave the open ocean and curve back into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Suddenly, Andy discovers that we have cell reception! It’s a straight line of sight to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, and Port Angeles is starboard. Sequestered…
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Part 5, Alice’s Birthday at Sea
It’s Alice’s birthday! It will be a day-at-sea celebration. Maître d’ Jean Paul Musiu and executive chef Joel Directo demonstrate curing salmon with sugar, salt, cracked pepper, and fresh dill and making Caesar salad from scratch by whisking together chopped garlic, capers, black pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, pasteurized raw eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and optional…
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Part 4, In Juneau and Skagway
The crew makes up time, getting us to Juneau only slightly later than scheduled. A shuttle bus drops us off at the tramway station, and we walk the rest of downtown. The old St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church welcomes tourists like us and worshipers alike. Andy and I make a quick pass through the State…
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Part 3, First Glimpses of Alaska
Golden morning light bathes the docks and the town of Ketchikan. We decide to do a walking tour of this first stop in Alaska. We’ve escaped—from the contiguous states and the rocky seas. Turning onto Creek Street, the famous historic red light district of old Ketchikan, the stench of dead fish pierces our nostrils. It’s…
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Part 2, From Seattle to Inside Passage
People, all trying to escape onto the cruise liners, jam pack the Smith Cove terminal. The entire hall swirls with excitement of the upcoming vacations. The process takes a long time, but we finally board the Golden Princess, have a late buffet lunch, and go through emergency drills. Soon, the horn blasts through all of…
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Part 1, Sightseeing in Seattle
It’s Friday, and we’re off for vacation to celebrate Alice’s birthday! Dad and Mom went up earlier to do some Seattle touring and shopping while the rest of us worked. After a really busy week, we all meet up. It is going to be an escape of sorts—that’s what the cruise line advertises, anyways. The…
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Harmony of God and Men
Long ago, before there was Chinese writing as we know it, before we have the seven-stringed guqin, before the great flooding, a celestial being appeared and warned of the imminent danger. This account is attributed to Emperor Yao 堯 (c. 2300 BC), who received the celestial while he was offering a sacrifice. Being a zither…
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Alice’s Early Birthday Party
So, it’s less than two weeks to Alice’s birthday. Today turns out to be the best day for everyone’s schedule. Like back in 2011, we’re celebrating in the courtyard again.
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Firmiana Leaves Dance in the Autumn Breeze
No other tree conjures up as much literary imagination as the Chinese Parasol Tree (Firmiana simplex). According to tradition, it is only the Firmiana that the phoenix chooses to alight upon. The autumn season is closely associated with this tree, whose broad leaves turn to gold and drop, supposedly one leaf each day. Its lightweight…
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Mono Basin and Little Lakes Valley
The gentle drizzle continues for the whole night, and by the next morning, everything outside the tent is completely soaked. We organize all of the food according to the grid, and then we pack up and set out toward Mono Pass. Cloud cover cools our climb above treeline. Right at the Pass, we stop for…
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Mount Baldy Peak
We left Loma Linda a little after 5:00 am. By 6:20, we were on the trail, ascending up the Baldy Bowl Trail, otherwise known as the Ski Hut Trail. At the Hut, we have breakfast over scenic views. The mileage varies, but on one report, it is 4.2 miles from the Manker Flat parking lot…
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Senior Farewell Banquet
This year, Jon Allen, Ben Chen, and Adeel Husain finish residency. Jon and Ben will be starting fellowship in Spine Surgery, at UC Davis and UC San Diego, and Adeel will fellowship in Adult Reconstruction at the University of Pennsylvania. Research award recipients went to Adeel Husain and Kenny Jahng. Adeel won second place for…
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Landscape through the Zoom Lens
This morning, after my run, I took out my zoom lens and explored the yard. Summer season just started, and a whole new set of foliage and flowers are on display.
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Montana and Colorado
Even though I had gotten up at 3:30 am and arrive at ONT on time, I’m too early; the plane has a mechanical problem, and the airline takes an hour to fix it. It would have been nice to sleep in. Luckily, I make it to Denver just in time for my connecting flight to…
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School of Medicine Graduation Weekend
This weekend’s events, with the Baccalaureate sermon by Leslie Pollard and Commencement address by Jeff Cao, and the story of the Good Samaritan, were a wonderful reminder and challenge to live a life of service. Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him…
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Post-Meeting Sightseeing in Istanbul
Part 3 I visit the church in Beyoğlu on Saturday morning, enjoying the fellowship and the lunch. I even tried out the organ in the balcony. Back at the Çırağan Palace, a wedding is taking place out along the Bosphorus while we party at the ABJS banquet. Ed hands the presidency over to Miguel. On…