Which for some reason has me wondering how many people on campus have swine flu.  This article explains that they don’t have numbers because they stopped testing people for it. But prior to the summer, 98% of people with flu symptoms tested positive for H1N1, the Swine Flu. Also, since they stopped testing, roughly 10 to 20 people were showing up daily with flu symptoms.

What do you do for the swine flu? The same thing you do for any other flu. Sleep and take lots of fluids.

Goodnight.

The weather is hot but in a few weeks we will be feeling the chill of fall.  Luckily, it will never get too cold for an outdoor farmer’s market. El Cerrito Plaza’s Farmer’s market convenes twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays and it’s great because it’s a block away from the El Cerrito Bart station.

There is also the Gourmet Ghetto Farmer’s market that meets on Thursdays and works for people who prefer the bus. I would say for Berkeley students and visiting family, these two are the most convenient.

I can sit here and enumerate every farmer’s market that I can think of  or I can send you here where you can find a spreadsheet created by another blogger. Aw the world of blogging is so giving.You can thank the creator of that spreadsheet by going to his blog and showing him some love.

Ever since I can remember being on campus, there were annual or biannual strikes against the campus by one of the campus unions. Apparently, todays strike involves the Professional and Technical Employees union and faculty and staff. Usually the disparate campus groups don’t agree. But in light of recent budget cuts, that were made on top of last years budget cuts, the atmosphere is becoming unlivable over there.

I worked on campus for 8 months last year as an Advisor to undergrads in the College of Environmental Design and did not accept the offer to move up to the grad department full time.  Why? Because the pay was not enough to make up for all the bureaucracy.  The manager was threatening to ban all printing. Yes!  I understand that we live in a highly technological age with digital signatures and all but there will be a price to pay for adding that technology. Then to consider banning printed paper forms of communication before the digital signaturing system is implemented is just plain mad.

So to all my brothers and sisters on the picket line, I wish you victory in this somewhat insane battle for proper supplies and pay.

A friend of mine just transfered in as an MCB undergrad this semester. Apparently, her first midterm is next week.  Can you believe that? That’s nowhere near the middle of the semester. This class has three midterms she informed me, in which case, it’s a misnomer. I managed to avoid the sciences almost entirely but I guess they just call all their exams midterms because they are all very hard and weigh heavily on one’s grade. I have to say, I miss a lot about being an undergrad and envy how energized she must feel right now but I don’t envy all her midterms.  Good luck students!

I live in Albany, just North-West of Berkeley, near the University Village where Berkeley houses their student families. Albany has a small hill near the shore. On the north side of this hill is a creak that marks the line between the border between Albany and El Cerrito. This creak is also the line between Alameda County and Contra Costa County.

On this hill in Albany is a park aptly named, Albany Hill Park. In this park is the most fantastic rope swing. The rope is tied to a Eucaliptus tree and the length of the rope is easily 30 feet.  At the bottom of the rope is a plank with a hole in the middle through which the rope was pulled and then tied underneath.  I caution that the rope seems to have once broken and the fate of the swing rider at the time of breakage is unknown (to me). The rope swing is a must try-a true bonding experience to share with a loved one.

It may be surprising that Berkeley doesn’t have a reputable place for Asian Food, especially not Chinese. Sure, you are thinking that Durant’s Asian Ghetto and the North Campus spot on Hearst should suffice. But let’s face it, these restaurants emphasize cheap eats, not quality food.  It’s sort of an odd discovery but I am realizing that the highest density of good, “authentic” Chinese food is in El Cerrito, just north of Berkeley. I will go so far as to say that Chinatown in downtown oakland, doesn’t offer a greater variety. Why? Because Oakland chinatown is more of a grocery shopping hub. There are some restaurants but only a few that are even Chinese! And within those there are a whole range of restaurant types, like bbq vs dimsum, vs hongkong dining, etc. So you only get one or two of each.  Plus there are Vietnamese and other Asian restaurants taking up prime real estate.

El Cerrito being a hub for Chinese food seems odd but then you consider the condo developments on Pierce Street and the 99 Ranch shopping center in the Pacific East Plaza and it all makes sense. First on the list is a familly favorite, Yummy’s on San Pablo. Whenever my dad comes to town, for some reason we go to Yummy’s. He’s not even a huge fan of Chinese food and he won’t eat it unless it’s top quality.  But we go and sit and he talks about how inexpensive and consistent the food is every single time.  Next on the list is Chef’s Chinese Restaurant in El Cerrito Plaza. I have had three independent recommendations to try this place out. It’s right next to Trader Joe’s and people rave about this place.  Finally, I want to mention Daimo at the Pacific East Plaza on Peirce Street.  I have to say that this place is crawling with people every time I pass by. It gets good reviews too but the clincher for me are all the asian folks who eat there. That’s got to be the best sign for determining authenticity.

At least on the Daily Cal is regarding three UC Berkeley alumni who were hiking around in Iran and were detained.  The first time I saw news of that on the SF Gate, I was not as moved as I should have been. I guess a part of me is still a little callous to careless American behavior abroad.  Now that a month has passed, I am beginning to worry.  These were not my classmates and I have no connection to them except as a fellow alumna.  I am always amazed at how deep that connection runs for me.