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365great Day 115: thunderstorms

laelene Post in 365great，Tags: , , , ,
07 July 2013
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Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 115: thunderstormsOh how I love a non-severe thunderstorm. I’m not exactly sure why, but ever since I was a kid, I loved when a thunderstorm darkened the sky. I’d sit by the window with my books around me as I snuggled in with a blanket and read to the pitter patter of the rain, the flashes of lightning, and that deep rolling thunder. Sometimes I’d get some hot water or hot chocolate to warm up with as well. When I got tired of reading, I’d stare out at the rain splashing on the leaves of the trees or the blades of grass. I’d look into the varying shades of gray of the storm cloud and get lost in my own thoughts. It was also a great time for me to write in my journal as well. Thunderstorms create a sort of meditative environment for me, which is great for capturing thoughts. I find them to be so great for finding peacefulness.

Thunderstorms and safety blankets

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: ,
05 March 2009
0

Tonight was the first time that it rained heavily here since I arrived, with the thunder and lightning rolling in soon after the winds forewarned us of their arrival.  It started to pour right before we got on the bus to go home, so it didn’t affect us until we reached our stop and found that we’d get absolutely drenched if we so much as went five feet in the downpour.  So, to avoid ruining our nice clothes and shoes, Marylin’s mom kindly drove out to meet us.  Even in the mere seconds we took to get into the car, we got quite wet!

I’ve missed having weather like this.  Thunderstorms are actually really interesting and fun for me, so I didn’t mind, though figuring out how to get back was an issue.  Otherwise, I love to try to catch a bolt of lightning or watch it light up the sky.  The variation of claps and rolling thunder also kept my mind entertained as I wondered just what causes thunder to sound the way it does, like big sheets of metal being shaken around.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been in a storm like this, so it was rather refreshing, and of course always comforting to be inside, sheltered from its worst effects.  I love being inside when the weather outside is dreadful to go out in, which pretty much means either this or a snowstorm.  Either way, it just makes me appreciate my bed all the more and I like to crawl under the covers to be warm and cozy.  It makes me feel safe.

Right now I’m so exhausted I don’t want to brush my teeth and wash my face before getting comfy, so maybe I will just sit here for a bit.  I’m staring at my brand new tube of toothpaste, knowing I should just stand up and use it… and so I shall, then collapse into another night of deep sleep, I’m sure.

Lightning storm!!

laelene Post in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog, video blog，Tags: , , , ,
18 June 2014
0

Ok, I’m a total sucker for lightning. It’s such a wonderful phenomenon and I could stare at a light show for hours (if only the need for sleep didn’t get in the way). Tonight as I was drafting my Love With Food box review, Panda came running in from the kitchen to tell me there was lightning outside. That made me happy, to think a thunderstorm might be rolling its way through.

But when I got outside to look, it was so much better than I could have hoped for. Flash after flash of brilliant light lit up the clouds in the sky. A gentle roll of thunder was barely perceptible in the distance. And boom, boom, boom, the lightning kept coming! It was so quiet and peaceful out – the crickets singing in the night didn’t seem to care about the show overhead. Even Smokey meowed at me to let her out and join me on the porch. Together we enjoyed the warmth of the night, the humidity in the air, and the flashes that lit up our faces.

This is so much better than a fireworks show and I even saw lightning that went up for the first time. Freakin’ amazing. So I dropped everything, got some videos and a picture, and of course put off that review for another day. This is far more exciting to me. Check it out:

lightning behind cloud at night, lighting up parts of cloud in the darkness

lightning storm from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

lightning storm flashes from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Thunder and lightning

laelene Post in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog, video blog，Tags: , , , , , ,
13 May 2014
0

The dark clouds were rolling in just as I arrived home today. I had driven home taking advantage of the warm air by opening my moon roof to the sky and sticking my hand out every chance I got. At red lights, I’d blissfully turn my face up to the gathering clouds, watching their ever-changing patterns. It was serene. At home, I spent the next hour gleefully enjoying the air before the storm. I love this weather! (Certainly have written about it quite a bit too.)

As the workers laid bricks on the new homes next door, I dutifully stood outside on the porch with my camera, determined to catch a photo of lightning this time around. I just can’t get enough of how they split the sky and make the whole area glow. Those crooked lines crawling across the clouds, flashing in and out before I can even react… they’re so elusive. I could sit and stare for hours as they danced around me. I really wish I had a panoramic room since I found myself chasing the light of flashes from one end of the house to the other.

After awhile, the grumbling of thunder began and a light rain splattered down. I watched as plane after plane kept coming in to the airport amid all that insanity. Oh what I wouldn’t give to be on one of those planes, watching lightning flashing around me! I’ve always been fascinated by how things look differently when you’re up in the sky and I wish I could have experienced that. Those lucky passengers. As I admired their good fortune, I noticed that I could hear birds chirping. Strange, since I would have thought they’d be hiding somewhere. Perhaps they knew the storm wasn’t that big, so they stuck around to wait it out and sing it off.

What a peaceful way to start the evening. Thunderstorms calm and excite me all at once, and always bring a sense of contentment.

moon shining in distance as storm clouds creep across sky

When I first looked out, I noticed the moon just peeking out in the distance.

glow of light from lightning flash brightening storm clouds

For the longest time I got no more than the glow from a lightning strike.

dark grey storm clouds brewing in sky

That same view without the flash of light!

lightning bolt from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

 

Construction guys kept banging away as the storm brewed. Here are some freeze frames:

flash of lightning in thunderstorm

thin lightning bolt in thunderstorm

unfocused shot of lightning in sky

Then the one flash I did capture confused my lens and made it blurry.

lightning flash from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

 

Such a quick burst! Totally explosive.

giant glob of lightning flashing from thunder clouds

cat laying in kitchen behind screen door

Smokey was really enjoying the weather too.

airplane lightning from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

 

If only I was on that plane!!!

plane flying near lightning bolt

plane engulfed in light of lightning in thunderstorm

small streak of lightning stretching horizontally across sky

I managed to get a little horizontal one!

curling lightning bolt in dark sky

I changed my view from east to north and was rewarded with this beauty. Success!!!

365great Day 208: clouds

laelene Post in 365great，Tags: , , , , ,
08 October 2013
0

365great challenge day 208: cloudsOh what a brilliant skyline we had this evening as the sun was setting. The light came at just the right angle to create an amazing hue on the clouds lingering overhead. You could see everything from golden yellow to deep purple and it was stunning. If the clouds weren’t there to reflect the light, we wouldn’t have nearly as cool a view. I also enjoy thunderstorm clouds, with their deep grey menacing look bringing thunder, lightning, and rain. It’s the perfect time to curl up with a hot drink and get cozy as the pitter patter of the rain and rumbling of thunder create a symphony of sound. On the flip side, those super fluffy white clouds floating ever so peacefully overhead is striking too, especially against a rich blue sky. It’s always fun to look up and see what sort of clouds are blowing by; it’s great entertainment.

Yuzen: my first subscription box!

laelene Post in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , ,
03 August 2012
8

I’m beyond thrilled that I finally got a package today!  Exactly one month ago, I first got into this whole subscription craze and ordered the anniversary special from blissmobox.  Unfortunately, that meant that I’d have to wait until early to mid-August to get my first shipment (and I have been waiting rather impatiently).  Luckily, a few days ago I came across Yuzen when I was checking up on one of the blogs I follow.  Everything about this brand appealed to me – the name, the aesthetics, the eco-friendliness of their choices, even their messaging!  I tried really hard to resist, but honestly I couldn’t.  When I caved, I decided that I wanted this to be a special gift from my boyfriend (haha :-P).  So, I brought it up to him and spent some time convincing him.  I’m an extremely persuasive person, so of course I got my way and he put in the order to get this box indefinitely – yippee!

I feel really fortunate that they still had July boxes available and the very next day, my package was sent out!  Now it’s a mere three days later and I got a wonderful surprise at my front door.  🙂  It’s a good thing that a thunderstorm came rolling by, since I only discovered the package when I went to bring in the chairs from outside.  Either the post lady didn’t ring the doorbell, or all three of us in the house missed it.  Anyway, I’ll stop babbling so much and share some pictures, which I was very obsessive about taking.  I meticulously documented just about every single move I made.  Another day I’ll go into why I instantly loved Yuzen so much.  Today it’s all about joy and happiness and fulfillment and excitement and… ok ok, on with it:

collage of yuzen july box from arrival on doorstep to opening of box

They make it so beautiful! The experience of opening the box is worth savoring.

Upon opening the box, a fantastic scent wafted up – I nearly rushed through the opening process to get to it, but I took a deep breath instead.  After all, this is all about bringing a little zen (and happiness) to my day, so why not take it slowly and truly appreciate every little thing?  The inside card includes a lovely message from founders Jen & Ted about the wonders of summer, which inspired July’s theme of “bringing joy, discovery and a celebration for the senses.”  They sure did accomplish that!  I also got a wonderful surprise when I saw the note from Panda (the boyfriend): “This is for my Panda Bear: a monthly commitment to a happy relationship.”  Yay!  <3

collage of yuzen july box including ribbon, yuzen paper, and info card

I can’t wait to re-purpose the decorations, especially the Yuzen paper (which I will turn into origami jewelry to be sold at Panda Loves)!  When you open up the card, there’s information on each of the brands included in the box, as well as why they chose it.  I definitely appreciate this information and soaked it all in.

collage of yuzen july box taken apart layer by layer until all products visible

I carefully took the products out item by item until I found them all.  There are Lotus Wei flower essence mists to help you connect with your inner beauty, a Primavera facial scrub to renew your skin, some Himala Salt for a pure addition to your meals, Teatulia teas to enjoy an organic & healthy beverage, a People Towels hand towel to save the world from paper towels, and Kopali Organics mulberries as a superfood snack.  I absolutely love these products; what a great selection from Yuzen!  I’ll reserve my opinions on the products for some other posts before this one gets too long.  Excuse me while I go try them all!  🙂

Back east, eventually

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: , , ,
05 June 2011
0

Today Panda and I finalized plans for me to go out to DC again and I’m really excited!  This time it will be a long weekend for the 4th of July and I’ve been told the fireworks at the National Mall are fantastic, so I definitely plan on going to check it out.  Ultimately I’m just really looking forward to having a little vacation and traveling a bit.  I miss the east coast and the weather out there, especially since LA has been brisk most days and we’ve barely had a summer day in the past two years.  I’ve almost forgotten what a 90+ degree day is like.

I’d actually like to have a thunderstorm during one of the days I’m there.  It’s been so long since there’s been a torrential downpour with lightning brightening the sky.  There’s something very comforting about staying inside, dry and warm, as the world outside  blows around and everything gets wet.  That’s my favorite time to curl up with a book, blanket, and hot drink.  It’s been so long since I’ve read a book!  I tried to get back into it awhile ago and borrowed one from the local library, but I ended up returning it a few weeks later after only getting through a few pages.  I don’t really have the patience for a lot of books now.  Perhaps I should get around to listening to the audiobooks I have that have yet to be completed.

But I digress.  As I was saying, I’m looking forward to returning to the eastern side of the country and I’m actually looking forward to living there again at some point.  I think that Panda’s long-term future will be there, even if in the short term he takes some opportunities to work elsewhere.  As much as LA has to offer, I’ve been here long enough that I’m ready for a change again.  For now the best I can do is little spurts of vacations out there, but in a few years I’d like to go to school out there for my MBA and then live there after graduating.  I may be the only one who enjoys humid, hot weather!  😛

Summer!

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: , , ,
17 April 2011
0

Wow, it’s been so long since we’ve had nice warm days in LA!  The past couple of days have been a real treat, since we pretty much skipped right over the summer thing last year and went straight from a brisk winter to a cool fall.  I think I only remember two days being moderately warm in all of 2010.  I feel like I’m finally coming out of hibernation after a year and a half of chilly weather and boy does it feel good!  It makes me want to actually go outside and do things on my time off rather than hole up in my room on the computer like I’ve been doing.

I’m really excited to start inviting people over for pool parties and maybe even barbecues, if I can figure out how to work the grills we have poolside.  I think I might also consider wandering around the Century City mall every now and then, enjoying the warm evenings as I browse storefronts and munch on Pinkberry’s.  What a relaxing way to spend a Friday night after a full week’s work.  I’m really looking forward to the increase in activity that the higher temperatures will bring.  Also, I haven’t craved frozen yogurt in the longest time, probably because it hasn’t been hot enough to make me want something to cool down with.  I’ll be adding that back into my diet now, for sure!  Nothing like a good old yogurt parfait from Pinkberry’s to satisfy my froyo cravings.

This past week was also the first time I’ve gone to yoga class while it was still light out.  That was pretty amazing for me too – I’m so used to associating class with the darkness of the night, but now it still feels like daytime when I head over.  I love having long days of sunlight.  Thinking of long days, I’m almost nostalgic for the warm summer days of the East Coast and Midwest, where we’d sit on the porch and watch fireflies as we ate watermelon or drank lemonade.  Too bad there are no fireflies here and as of yet no juicy watermelon in the fridge.  I can’t wait to see Panda in Virginia this the summer and recreate some of those great memories of my childhood.  I’d rather have days of thunderstorms and flash floods if it meant I could also have beautifully warm nights.  It’s certainly better than the tepid summer we experienced last year.

The joy of weather

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: , ,
27 January 2009
0

As my mom and I wandered through a store last month, we saw a section of rakes on sale and it made me wonder who in the world would need one here, where all there are are palm fronds.  I miss having the seasons and I can’t recall the last time I raked a pile of leaves and jumped in them.  There’s something so simple and wonderful about that experience, which certainly can’t be replicated in Southern California, where all the leaves in one county would be required for such a pile.

I also miss the snowfall and waking up to a world whitened overnight, a thunderstorm with bolts of lightning illuminating the sky as thunder roared, and the various other phenomena to be found in other parts of the country.  I don’t mind being rained on, which is probably why I loved England so much.  It’s so nice to curl up with a hot drink and your blanket as the world outside rages on.  I always feel so safe when I am inside, hidden away from the downpour, yet still privy to watching it through the window.

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