FitTalk - Upcoming Races - 2012 Honolulu Marathon

Wow.  Talk about planning ahead!

I received an email today to register for the 2012 Honolulu Marathon - and guess what!? I'm already registered!

I'll be blogging more closer to the date with training updates - especially for my 165 mile bike ride.  The longest cycling race I've participated in was last year - the 2011 Honolulu Century Ride - a 100 mile cycling event.

Ha.  I guess I won't be a vegetarian for long?! Vegetarian challenge. 

Upcoming Races:  

Nov. 15-16 - SMART Ride - 165 mile bike ride - a fundraiser for HIV/AIDS - Click here to donate!

Dec. 9 - 2012 Honolulu Marathon - 26.2 miles of running fun

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

MusicTalk - Yuna - Live Your Life

It has been a while since I've posted about music.

Right now, I am currently listening to Yuna - a Malaysian native who is starting to make a scene here in the U.S.

Love the lyrics as well as the sound.

Perfect for a relaxing day at the beach.

Update! You can now download this song for free on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Your-Life/dp/B007U3TA1K/ref=zg_3

Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.

AppTalk - Draw Something & TechTalk Android - Windows 7.5

Yes, I admit - I am late to the party!  Normally, I am first in line with my VIP ticket... this time around, the party happened last month and I am just reading about it.  Where have I been?

Well, this wildly popular app started on Facebook (which I do not have), then migrated on to iOS (which I no longer have), and finally joined the Android team - which I am finally excited about.  With recent apps like Temple Run also joining the Android team - there is no reason for me to switch to Apple.

Actually, now that we are talking about switching.  I use both a Dell Venue Pro and a LG G2X and I find myself loving the windows interface, but I use my G2X more often simply because of the applications.

Example - Yelp does not have a check-in feature on their Windows counterpart (Boo!) RunKeeper never works correctly on my Windows phone.  Not to mention a plethera of other applications that are non-existent yet on Windows Phone.  We all have our dealbreakers and these two are for me.

Yes, windows does have good games (albeit overpriced), but if you're into earning achievement points for playing your games - hey why not?!

OK... wow back to Draw Something!

There have been other applications (web, mobile) that have attempted to create this formula, but DrawSomething gets it right.  It's one on one, makes it easier by providing certain characters as opposed to the whole alphabet.  

If you're reading this - you're probably already using it... so I guess I need not say more.  If you don't have this game yet - try it out! It's great fun and there is a free version!

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

PupTalk - Say Aloha to Rolan.

As most of you know, I am a animal lover - probably because I could never have one.  I'm too nomadic for any living creature to be depending on me (including plant life).

Well, here at my new place there are two resident dogs - Rolan and Bailey.

Rolan is a cute pug - that is as chillaxed as me on the beaches of Hawaii.

Mahalo for reading. 

 Until next time.

TechTalk - Moving from Mac (Apple) to PC - Part 1

Hi everyone!


As a former Apple-fan, I never thought I would be writing about this topic - how to transition from Mac to PC.  Over the course of the next month (or so), I'll be writing about how to transition from Mac to PC.  What applications to use, how to perform certain tasks as well as compatible application and hardware.


This week - Why?!
Next week - iPhoto replacement


Why a PC?  I needed a new laptop.  While my 8-9 year? 12" Powerbook G4 was still functioning, I needed something more recent to be able to run certain applications for graduate school.  Well, that and it was time!  I sold my 24" iMac when I left Hawaii, and I decided I wanted a 17" laptop.  I didn't answer the questions - did I?


My main reason - Cost - I purchased a refurbished Dell 17R N7110 (I know, crazy model names) for $580.10 (including taxes and a 17% discount) which included one year of at home home repairs if things were to go wrong.  A refurbished 17" MacBook Pro is $1719.00 (No, Apple doesn't have discounts for refurbished items).  

Source: Apple.com 04/21/2011

Alright, you might say - Max, the specs on the Apple laptop is definitely better!  Let's see.

	Dell 17R N7110	Apple 17” MacBook Pro
Processor	Intel Core i5-2430M (2.40GHz, 3MB Cache)	2.53GHz Intel Core i5
Display	17.3 inch High Definition (1600 x 900) LED Display with TrueLife	17-inch LED-backlit glossy Hi-Res widescreen display (1920 x 1200 pixel)
RAM	6 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz (2 DIMMs)	4GB (two 2GB) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Hard Drive	640 GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)	500GB Serial ATA, 5400 rpm
Disk Drive	12.7X Blu-ray (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM)	8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)

The MacBook Pro has a better processor and a better display, but comes with lower RAM and HD, and doesn't have a Blu-Ray player.  Also, my new Dell has a HDMI connector - I just plug it to my HDTV and voila I can use my TV as a 2nd monitor to play blu ray movies or whatever else.


Now it is true, there are additional costs for owning a PC.  I paid $8.99 for a Antivirus software.


Needless to say, for $1,000++ you can buy an iPad if you really want to join Apple's Ecosystem.  I'm transitioning from Apple to PC and everything that goes with it.  I've left my iPhone about 2 years ago - I had no desire to pay $100/month for a cell phone plan - but that's another blog.

Next week. PC's answer to iPhoto

Mahalo for reading. 


Until next time.

Monthly Challenge - May Preview

This idea for next month's monthly challenge came to me while I was eating.  

Most of my diet consist of a dish (some sort of meat) and rice.  It dawned on me that I was really craving some broccoli - then it hit me.

Why not try being a vegetarian for a month!?

That is exactly what I will be doing for the month of May.  If you have any vegetarian recipes - please feel free to post them in the comments or shoot me an email!

Wish me luck!  I haven't been a vegetarian in ages!

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

TravelTalk - How to be Nomadic - Tip #1

I was inspired to start this segment by a friend who is heading to Alaska.  She has been asking for tips and tricks of the trade and here we are.  Being nomadic and traveling from place to place does not mean that an individual is out of touch with the rest of the world.  This sort of depends on the person.  For me, technology is a part of my life and how I keep in touch with people and it is integral to have certain technologies whilst traveling.  I mean now more than ever most things can be found online - how to get from point A to point B (no I am not talking about google... o_O)

Alright - tip #1 - Invest in an unlocked Quad-band cell phone.

I know - sounds stupid right!?  Well, if you are here in the U.S. and you're planning to travel soon - specially overseas, I really recommend an unlocked phone!?  Why!? Saving $$$ - have you ever traveled overseas with your smartphone?! The roaming charges are ridiculous - especially for texting and data.  AT&T charges an INSANE amount for DATA!!  $199.99 for 800MB - and if you have AT&T you're probably paying $30 for 3GB (3,000 GB). Seriously AT&T?!  Not to mention that 2 year contract. EW. (seriously!?)

Courtesy: AT&T website (04/19/2012)

My number one pick for a world phone is none other than a Blackberry.

I love an unlocked quadband blackberry if you are traveling to Central or South America or India.  Blackberries may not be as popular as they once were here in the U.S., but overseas they are great.  Most places you can get a pre-paid SIM card and you pay a really inexpensive plan.  In Guatemala, I was paying $20/month for Blackberry plan with 100 minutes.  Most of the people in Central and South America has a Blackberry, so you can use an application BBM (Blackberry Messenger) so securely IM other people for free - it doesn't count as a SMS.

Well, you might be saying, I'm not going to use a Blackberry here in the U.S. and I want a phone that works here and overseas.  You are correct!  My #2 recommendation is any unlocked Quad-band Android device.  

While we are on the subject, I might as well save you some $$.  You should buy a phone outright with cash. Sounds ridiculous right?!  Well, you can head to eBay and buy an unlocked Blackberry ($100-$200) or an unlocked Android device ($200-$400).  You might be paying more upfront, but you can save money here in the U.S. as well.  If you have an unlocked phone you can pick your carrier (one that takes SIM cards).  I personally recommend SIMPLE mobile. $40/month unlimited SMS (including international SMS), phone calls and internet.  No tax or other hidden fees.  A comparable plan with Sprint, AT&T, T-mobile or Verizon will cost you at least twice as much!!

Alright, I know its probably not what you expected for the first tip of being nomadic, but hey, keeping is touch very important.  You never know where you will be in the world and who you'll run into.

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

BlogTalk - 10000+ Views

Thanks for reading my rants and raves about the most random things in the world.

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

TravelTalk - Dominican Republic - in Pictures

Alright. Photos of Dominican Republic are finally here and since I am having trouble with my uploading mechanism, photos are completely random, in no particular order and in no particular structure.  Dominican Republic is a beautiful place.  Like most beautiful places, there are also places considered to be dangerous and also a large class difference.  Though my time there was short, I pretty much covered most of the country.  From North to South as well as East - brown sandy beaches to white sandy beaches with crystal clear waters.  I've also included some pictures of accommodations as well as some pictures of lifestyles of the locals.

  

              

   

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

LifeTalk - A Month Off

Wow... Sort of unexpected I just literally took a month off of life.  No blogging, minimal working out, I was sick for a week.  

Though some aspects of my life were not that exciting, some parts has also been moving quite fast.  

I'll be blogging quite frequently in the next month... mostly because.. guess what?  

I start graduate school on May 7th.  I will be working on a Master in Public Health.  ME!?  Who would have thought?!  Considering I was very anti-school and very pro-learning life through experience, I think the educational system does have certain advantages - especially once you have lived life a little bit.  

Also, I've made a complete transition from Mac to PC.  Yes.  I'll be blogging about the transition and what I hate/love about the PC/Mac world!  Hint - I have abandoned iTunes.

That's not all, I've signed up for a race - I'll be keeping you posted as soon as I get the registration in the mail.  Just a note - it will be the longest race I have ever participated in.  Bring it on!  

I do finally have pictures of Dominican Republic and that will be the highlight of my next blog.

Oh guess what!? I'm not a blond anymore! 

Birthday is also exactly 2 months away! Gasp! What to do!?

Also looking for a host... looking to budget travel for 1-2 months!

Wow... I started working out again and it was my 100th activity using the application RunKeeper.
(that's a lot of calories!)

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.