Mùa đông lại về. Buổi chiều khi ánh nắng lặng thì thời tiết cũng se lạnh. Cần tìm một chút âm nhạc nhẹ nhàng để sưởi ấm lòng. Khoảnh khắc, volume 4 của Phương Phương Thảo làm được điều đó. Từ “Nỗi nhớ dịu êm” (Bảo Chấn) với phần hoà âm êm dịu, đến “Lối cũ ta về” (Thanh Tùng) với giai điệu blues nồng nàn, đến “Phố mùa đông” (Bảo Chấn) lắng đọng, giọng hát truyền cảm của Phương Phương Thảo sưởi ấm tâm hồn người nghe từ lời hát. Những ca khúc cô cover quá quen thuộc nhưng cách hòa âm phối khí khiến cho người nghe được những phút giây ấm cúng.

1. Connection: Introduction & check equipments (5 minutes)
2. Flat Ground Exercises: Demo “Homebase” position (athletic stance) (5 minutes)
3. Strap in Both Feet to Board: Revisit “Homebase” position with both feet strapped into board. (5 minutes)
4. Skate: Demonstrate skating both directions (10-15 minutes).
5. Magic Carpet: Explain loading/unloading carpet safety. Instructor’s last (30 minutes into lesson).
6. Sideslip: Demo toe edge and heel edge sideslip (10-15 minutes).
7. Falling Leaf: Demo toe edge and heel edge (15-20 minutes).
8. Chair Lift: Explain safety, safety bar, and how to load and unload (1 hour into lesson).
9. J-Turn: Demo J-Turn to left or right (25-30 minutes).
10. S-Turn: Demo Linking Turns (25-30 minutes).
11. Wrap Up: Thank guests for coming (5 minutes).

Administrator’s Name: Donny Truong
Position and Department: Web Designer, College Relations
Supervisor: Carolyn Guyer
Period covered by this review: April 2005 – April 2006

Areas for Discussion

to be completed by the supervisor

Job Knowledge

Like his colleagues in the web group, Donny necessarily keeps up with changes in web technology, learning and refining skills almost constantly. He not only seeks out research and study of both technical and graphic design technique, but also joins and adds to what others in the group share and discuss. As the most senior of our web designers, Donny exhibits a grasp of Vassar practices and expectations that comes from his almost four years of experience here.

Quality Of Work During This Time Period

As ever, Donny can always be relied on to work quickly. And, while his design skills have continually improved over time, this year, I observed a distinctly strong upturn in his ability to hit the mark right away. He himself attributes this to the change in his office location, which puts him in central proximity to the others. His receptiveness to more interaction with colleagues has definitely improved his overall abilities.

Communication

In my opinion, Donny is a born communicator. Moving to the U.S. from Vietnam when he was eleven radically altered his ability to communicate in his new environment. He spent his playground time in those early years trying to learn English. He learned quickly, and even prior to the time I’ve known him, he has been publishing an online blog, or journal, where he reviews music, books, film, and software, and keeps up conversations about life in general with others who read his writing. This past year, he became a rather high-profile figure among the population of the international Vietnamese diaspora, and others interested in Vietnamese culture, for his Flash pieces combining music with images of Vietnam. As a result of his public voice on his own website, he has corresponded with people from all parts of society in different countries. Donny is clearly not a person who needs perfect English to be a communicator, yet he sets as a goal for himself working to perfect it. He has my respect and admiration for that.

Innovation

As a web and graphic designer in College Relations, Donny is expected to respond to assignments with creative solutions. He not only does this, but when numerous versions become necessary, he does not lose patience and always remains flexible. Sometimes, when a refining process has slowed too much, he jettisons it and comes up with a completely new and fresh design that almost always hits the mark precisely, based on all the earlier iterations. This is a wonderful and valuable creative ability.

Working Relationships/Teamwork

Teamwork underlies everything we do in web development and Donny has always participated with great respect and generosity with his colleagues. He quietly listens and is often one of the last to speak in a group discussion, but he does not hesitate giving an opinion if he feels it will help. His willingness to aid others was particularly evident this year as he worked across somewhat undefined boundaries with the new web designer in Development. Donny, who redesigned the Development site last year, helped the new designer to transition into taking over responsibility for it. Ego issues must be put aside in this kind of situation and that never seemed to be a problem for Donny.

Summary of Overall Performance

After almost four years of working at Vassar, Donny clearly shows evidence of his accumulation of institutional knowledge. He remains a steady and reliable web expert, devoted to his work, and always trying to improve. His willingness to carry the extra load we’ve all felt this past year while we were shorthanded was exemplary for how he did not let it noticeably impact his legendary speed.

Lâu rồi không nghe Tùng Dương hát. Trong làng ca nhạc Việt Nam từ trong nước đến hải ngoại, hiếm có được một ca sĩ luôn thay đổi và làm mới như Tùng Dương. Từ album đầu tay Chạy Trốn, Tùng Dương đã thành công trong việc đem jazz và blues vào ca khúc Việt. Với Những ô màu khối lập phương, Tùng Dương biến hóa từ màu sắc trong âm nhạc lẫn trang phục trên sân khấu.

Thời gian Tùng Dương covers lại những bài tình ca xưa tôi không còn theo giỏi nữa. Năm nay phát hành Multiverse, Tùng Dương cũng đã thay đổi nhiều. Tùng Dương không còn gào thét như ma quái nữa. Hơn nữa Tùng Dương đã già dặn đi nhiều. Bằng chứng là ca khúc “Già” của nhạc sĩ trẻ Antoine Lai, Tùng Dương hát lên tâm trạng của tôi, “Nằm chưa được lâu, gần sáng đau nhức khắp người / Ai bán thời gian, cho xin được giá, mua nhiều ngày mới”. Tuy nhiên phần hòa âm cũng rất mạnh mẽ. Càng già càng xung.

Một ca khúc nữa của Antoine Lai, “Đàn ông không cần khóc”, cũng khá ấn tượng với lời ca như, “Đàn ông ngại khóc sợ khi khóc ra rồi sẽ không nguôi / Đừng buồn tôi ơi / Đàn ông biết khóc là đàn ông biết yêu cuộc đời”. Tùng Dương hát rất cảm xúc với bài phối semi-classical.

“Phản chiếu” là ca khúc do chính Tùng Dương sáng tác với ca từ quái lạ: “Tự đầu độc chính mình / Hủy diệt từng tế bào / Vùng vẫy tiềm thức / Thành muôn trùng khát khao”. Phần orchestration tối đẹp hợp với các hát truyền cảm của tác giả.

Multiverse là một album mới từ nội dung với giai điệu nhưng không quá khó nghe.

I attended the indoor training for new instructors this morning. It was quite a large group. There were more ski than snowboard instructors; therefore, I went with snowboard.

We introduced ourselves. Most skiers had 15 to 30 years of experience. I had four. Most snowboarders had 8 to 12 years of experience. I had two. I will probably be one of the oldest snowboard instructors.

After the brief introductions, we split up into two camps. I went with the snowboard camp. We did some activities together, including teaching a subject drawn from a helmet. I got “Red light, green light.” I zipped through it. In retrospect, I should have asked for participants to play the game.

Then we went to the outside learning center and two instructors walked us through the very beginner lesson. It didn’t look too bad.

Everyone on the snow school team were friendly and cool. I am looking forward to the season.

This morning I took our Toyota Sienna 2018 SE over to anh Hùng to replace the brake pads and rotors. I text him two days ago and he recommended that I buy the parts from Toyota. I preferred Toyota’s genuine parts over aftermarket anyway. I called our closest dealer get a quote on brake pads and rotors for four wheels. He gave me a price that was over $900. My wife ordered everything online and I came to the dealer to pick up and everything cost $400. That was crazy.

In any rate, the technician took a look at our car and told me that I only needed to change the rear pads and rotors. He took 40 minutes to replace and charged me $70. I was surprised. He did an excellent job. I am definitely coming back to him to do more services. He lives only 15 minutes away from me. He is honest and he doesn’t charge an arm and leg. He only takes on jobs that he could do. It’s hard to find people like him nowadays.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 2 Rear Rotors: $150
• 4 Rear Brake Discs: $50
• Labor: $70

Total: $270

Note: Toyota Sienna 2018 SE at 80,000 miles

A couple of days ago, I scrolled through screenshots of websites I had designed more than a decade ago. Many of these sites are now defunct. Nevertheless, I want to keep an archive of my past work on my portfolio.

I wish I had kept my early projects back in 2000. I graduated from La Salle University in 2001. That means I have been creating websites for at least 23 years.

There were times I wanted to do something else, but I have no other talent. The only thing I am decent at is web design. It pays the bill and helps me raise my family. I am grateful for that.

I don’t know what the future will hold. I hope I can continue to survive until my retirement.

It’s official. I am joining Vail Resorts as a ski and snowboard instructor at Whitetail. My first day will start as soon as we get some snow. My job depends on you, Mother Nature.

When I first started to ski, I learned my first lesson at Whitetail. Now I am part of the team. I would like to teach skiing and snowboarding because I love both sports. Skiing is easier to get started. I taught a few kids to ski and they could get on the lift themselves and ski down the green slopes at the learning center.

Snowboarding is more challenging to get started. I struggled quite a bit and I had to figure out how to get over the learning curve. I only snowboarded for two seasons. All the learning techniques are still fresh in my mind. If I have to pick one sport to teach, I would go with snowboarding.

It’s going to be an exciting winter!

I picked up this book at a public library book sale. I didn’t care about a listicle book, but the author is Pamela Paul. I used to listen to her podcast, read a few of her books, and enjoyed her writing. This book, in particular, didn’t do it for me. I liked some of the things she wrote including “Boredom,” “The Period,” and “Looking Out The Window.” For many, I just needed to read titles such as “The Phone in the Kitchen,” “The Rolodex,” and obviously “Old Tech.” With 100 things, they either hit or miss. I love the typesetting though. Scala, designed by Martin Majoor, is such a readable typeface.

Album đầu tay của Hồng Nhung, Đoản khúc thu Hà Nội phát hành vào năm 1997, với những ca khúc sâu lắng về Hà Nội. Chẳng hạn như “Nhớ về Hà Nội” của Hoàng Hiệp, Hồng Nhung hát với những hoài niệm, “Dù có đi bốn phương trời lòng vẫn nhớ về Hà Nội / Hà Nội của ta, Thủ Đô yêu dấu / Một thời đạn bom, một thời hòa bình”.

Sau 27 năm, cô hát về Hà Nội qua những ca khúc của nhạc sĩ Nguyễn Duy Hùng, trong album Đài phát thanh công cộng, với tâm trạng tươi vui và lãng mạn. Với “Đọc báo công cộng”, cô hát hồn nhiên trong nhịp điệu bossa nova như đang tung tăng trên đất Hà Nội: “Đã qua, mùa đông lạnh tê người từng lối đi / Hàng cây lại rung động vì nắng xuân / Rực rỡ cùng hoa cỏ và lá non”.

Từ con beat dập dìu trong “Gốc Hà Nội” đến giai điệu r&b dồn dập trong “Cà phê Hà Nội” đến một chút funk trong “Phố cổ”, Hồng Nhung, Nguyễn Duy Hùng và nhạc sĩ hoà âm đã đem lại một không khí mới và tươi trẻ về Hà Nội.