ismael chang ghalimi

Tracy from Above

I did my first flight two years ago with my instructor on the right seat and my parents on the back seats. Today, I did the same again, but without instructor. My parents had been to Stockton and Tracy the day before in order to get a glimpse of the extensive agriculture practiced in California, and today we decided to make the same trip, from above. We rented N1361M and flew directly to Tracy (KTCY), for a 1.5 hour flight in perfect weather conditions. I could not think of a better way to spend an afternoon together.

Happy Birthday Dave

Tonight, May and I drove up to San Francisco to celebrate our friend Dave’s birthday. We met at Edinburgh Castle, ate fish and chips, and got our fill of Boddingtons. Not exactly in line with my current diet, but Dave’s birthday happens only once a year, so I figured I could make some exceptions to the rules once in a while… Cheers mate!

Fast Food Nation

Tonight, May and I watched Fast Food Nation [IMDB], a movie directed by Richard Linklater, written by Eric Schlosser, and produced by Participant Production. Starring Patricia Arquette, Luis Guzman, and Ethan Hawke, this movie depicts the darker side of the fast food industry, and the hardships endured by illegal immigrants in the U.S. Highly recommended, even though strongly disturbing.

Barrington Irving

Today, I first learned about Barrington Irving, a 23-year old senior majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, and the first person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe. Barrington started his 5-week flight around the globe on March 23, 2007, on a Columbia 400 entirely built from parts donated by sponsors. Humbling and inspiring all at once! Many thanks to my friend Arnold for sharing this story.

Babel

Tonight, May and I watched Babel [IMDB], a movie directed by Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu, and starring Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt. The movie features three losely interleaved story taking place in Japan, Mexico, and Morocco, and showing how easily you can lose what you love.

Gábor Szabó

The yoga teacher who introduced me to The Mermen also made me discover Gábor Szabó, a jazz guitarist born in Budapest in 1936. Today, I received a copy of The Sorcerer, an LP released in 1967. The entire album is great, but I especially like Mizrab, which was part of the compilation I got from my teacher. Exceptional!

First Smiles

When she was only one or two weeks old, our little flake started making smiles in her sleep. These were not real smiles though, but rather some unconscious contractions of the muscles that one is supposed to use in order to make a smile. Over the past couple of days though, Neige started to make smiles while she was awake and looking at us, after having been fed and while being talked to usually. Pretty cool, if you ask me.

Life Saver

When taking care of an infant, there are a couple of accessories that quickly turn into life savers. A couple of weeks ago, we discovered the soothing power of pacifiers, and more recently we found out what a good swing can do for a crying baby. Ours is the Graco Silhouette, and it must be one of the best gifts we got. Lisa, Kristin, and Bev: thank you so much for it!

Water

Tonight, May and I watched Water [IMDB], a movie directed by Deepa Metha. The movie is set in 1938 Colonial India, and tells the story of an eight-year-old widow who is sent by her family to a home where Hindu widows must live in poverty. Knowing the following sacred texts help understand this extremely moving story.

A widow should be long suffering until death, self-restrained and chaste.
A virtuous wife who remains chaste when her husband has died goes to heaven.
A woman who is unfaithful to her husband is reborn in the womb of a jackal.

The Laws of Manu
Chapter 5 verse 156-161
 Dharamshastras

California Sky Patterns

My friend Dave and I are starting a new project: we will take pictures of Californian landscapes seen from the sky. He will be the photographer, using his Canon EOS 5D with a variety of lenses, and I will be the pilot, most likely flying a Cessna 172 Skyhawk NAV III, which is suitable for his high wing and low speed. Our first reconnaissance flight will focus on coastal areas, looking for a spot where braking waves make for interesting patterns on the surface of the ocean.

Grandparenthood Happiness

Yesterday, I picked up my parents from the airport. They will stay with us for a couple of weeks, spending as much time as possible with their first grand child. Becoming a parent is an amazing experience, but watching my parents so happy with their granddaughter makes me think that grandparenthood is another kind of blessing altogether. Bienvenue chez nous grand-mère et grand-père !

Ironman

Last week, someone asked me why I was on a diet, since I don’t really need to lose any weight. The answer is that I have set for myself the goal of competing in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, before I turn 45. As any Ironman, it’s a 2.4 miles swim, followed by a 112 miles bike ride, and completed by a 26.2 miles run (same as a marathon), but it’s also the most selective triathlon race in the world, with only 1,700 athletes participating every year. I am 33 today, so I am starting what could be a 12 year project, for no other reason than having a good challenge to get me out of bed every morning. Today, I was on my bike at 5:30 AM for a 17.3 miles ride under the rain. Now, my legs hurt…

New Workout Program

I am starting my eleventh week of daily workout, and decided to spice things up a bit. Instead of riding a stationary bike on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will run for half an hour, following half an hour of upper body weight lifting. On Tuesday and Thursday, I will replace the lower body weight lifting and stationary bike ride by an hour and a half of outdoor cycling, riding a slightly longer loop than the one I did last Saturday. I started this program today, and ran 3.5 miles. It’s not that great, but the last time I ran must have been fifteen years ago, so I’m pretty happy about it. Let’s see where all this takes us…

BabyBjörn

Today, I am trying to catch up with blogging, while taking care of our little flake. Fortunately, one of our friends gave us one of these wonderful BabyBjörn baby carriers, and I am typing at the computer while Neige is sleeping, tightly tucked against my belly. Awesome!

Update: I managed to find some time for another ride today, and completed the loop through Pagemill Road, Moody Road, and Foothil Expressway. The climb on Alpine Road was pretty tough, but I managed to complete it without one stop. 29.5 miles in 2 hours and 15 minutes. Time for sleep now…

Arastradero Road Found

Last week, I could not find Arastradero Road. This week, I double checked the map, and made the right turn on my ride coming on Alpine Road. This made for a very nice 20.4 miles loop, even though it felt a little bit short. For the next ride, I will try to make it around 30 miles by taking Moody Road and Foothil Expressway. Then, I’ll go for a 40 miles loop on La Honda Road and Skyline Boulevard.

The Boys of Baraka

Tonight, May and I watched The Boys of Baraka [IMDB], a documentary directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. The movie follows a group of Baltimore inner-city, at-risk, African-American boys selected to be sent to a private school in Kenya for two years. If you need to be reminded of the deep inequalities that exist in the United States, and want to learn about ways to address them, I strongly recommend that you watch this piece. Enlightening.

Supersonic Business Jets

When I was a kid, I loved playing with LEGO, learning about planes, and reading Tintin comic books. One of them, Vol 714 pour Sydney, featured a supersonic business jet called the Carreidas 160. I used to love the design of that plane, but did not think that supersonic business jets would ever be developed. Well, it seems that I was wrong, and not one, but two of them are currently being promoted by private companies, the Quiet Supersonic Transport developed by Supersonic Aerospace International, and the Aerion Supersonic Business Jet. Honestly, I cannot wait to get a ride on one of these…

Saving Face

Tonight, May and I watched Saving Face [IMDB], a romantic comedy directed by Alice Wu and starring Joan Chen and Lynn Chen. The movie is about traditions and clash against cultural expectations within a Chinese-American community. Highly entertaining.

Resuming IFR Training

The Cirrus SR20 (N824JA) I have been flying for my IFR training has been grounded for about two months, due to a fractured crankcase. A new engine had to be ordered and installed on the plane. This replacement has just been completed, and I can now resume my training. Next flight scheduled for week after next.

Kabul

Today, my team from work went for lunch at Kabul, a small Afghan restaurant in San Carlos, CA. I had been there a couple of years ago, but had forgotten about the place. The food is excellent, and the service quick enough for a short lunch break. Highly recommended.