I guess it is more intimidating to draw Taliban fighters than Caltrain passengers.
2024-08-09
2024-08-08
2024-08-04
Dream this morning
Arrived at the airport too late, with the boarding pass showing “too late” instead of the gate information.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/206373601/BoardingPassTooLate
2024-08-02
Minority owned bank
During the pandemic I listened to a podcast about the importance of minority-owned banks and decided to put some money in the form of CD in one, with very low interest rates around that time.
When the CD matured a few years later, the bank continued with that low rate even though the interest rates had become significantly higher due to inflation.
This made me realized that banks are banks, and they are not necessarily better for their customers just because they have a different kind of ownership.
So I closed my account in the next CD maturity event.
The online banking system actually didn’t allow me to do that; fortunately their customer service was great and I was able to talked to a very nice (and obviously minority) agent to close the account.
2024-07-31
The real breadboard – creating an electronic sandwich
I usually prioritize hands-on experiences during conferences over recorded programs that I can watch later.
I noticed this satirical workshop on creating an electronic sandwich by etching a real bread with metals so that it can be connected with wires and chips and programmed to play different animated dot patterns.
2024-07-30
5 parties in one evening
I went to 5 parties between 5:40 to 9:10 pm today, spending a little bit time, eating a little bit, and chatting with a few people at each:
- a posh bar at a hotel, quiet, high quality food, and a few select guests;
- a sports bar at a hotel, many people, bar food, so loud that conversation was nearly impossible;
- rooftop lounge at a chic hotel, open space to dissipate noise for conversation, hors d’oeuvres, medium crowd;
- sit-down dinner at a landmark restaurant, a few select guests, good food, stayed longer than other stand-up parties;
- a billiard bar with pool tables, bar food, raucous crowd.
And took some photos while walking between these parties:
2024-07-29
Last-minute paper presentation
On Thursday right before my flight to the conference, the first author informed me that his visa was rejected and prefers to give the paper talk by playing his pre-recorded video instead of having another coauthor present on his behalf.
We had not received any materials (talk video and poster) on Sunday evening, and it was decided that I would stand in for the fast-forward 10 minutes before the session started.
28 minutes before the start of the paper session on Monday morning we finally received the video. While I was on stage playing the video another co-author brought back the printed poster, right on time for the poster session at the end.
2024-07-25
RTD from Denver airport to downtown
The train from Denver airport to the downtown Union station took slightly over 30 minutes, similar to driving but cost less than Uber (10 USD), and I managed to sketch a few passengers during the ride.
2024-07-18
Trespasser hit by train that I was in
My morning train ride was smooth and I was able to get a good view of a passenger with interesting features for a quick sketch.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/186107513/PortraitsMotoGStylus/modules/1155266287
When the afternoon train I took was about to arrive at my destination station, it stopped short of the platform. The conductor announced that there was a trespasser hit by the train and there would a delayed for maybe 2 to 3 hours, during which nobody is allowed to disembark while the scene is being cleaned up by medical staff and investigated by the police.
Given that the train was already easing into the station, I guess it was probably an accident (someone crossing the tracks to catch the train) instead of an attempted suicide (which logically would aim for train passing through a cross point at high speed).
After some probing around I sneaked to the front of the train car and started to surreptitiously drawing some passengers before the train geared towards the station after a better-than-expected 1.5-hour delay.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/186107513/PortraitsMotoGStylus/modules/1155374999
https://www.behance.net/gallery/186107513/PortraitsMotoGStylus/modules/1155374997