From wine tasting in Temecula to Killer Whales in SeaWorld, my vacation in San Diego has been pretty relaxing and stress free so far.  Thank goodness most of the Wildfires are now under control, despite a smoky haze in the skyline.  We were blessed with a little bit of rain two days ago; San Diego really needs it due to all the burnt-out hillsides I’ve seen the past couple of days.  The weather over here is very warm and a little smoky but not too hot to keep me indoors all day.

I always look forward to my morning jog every time I am visiting San Diego.  My relatives live in the northern part of the city, where the bright sunshine, beautiful weather and scenic surroundings allow me to enjoy an energetic jog to start off my day.  In Canada, the cold weather hardens my senses when I go out for a jog, but jogging in California is like a hazy dream similar to the melodic tunes as commonly found in my MP3 player.

I’ll be heading up to Los Angeles later today to visit my Sister-In-Law and Nephew.  My Crazy Sister will be coming along for the trip.  I also need to do a little more shopping before I leave for home this coming Tuesday. 

In the meantime, here’s some crazy picture of me and my family.  We got a little intoxicated at SeaWorld.  Believe it or not, they allow you to drink everywhere in the famous tourist destination.  Enjoy!

I am holding the red bottle of Budweiser.  Yes, my cousin Eric was kind enough to carry me around in my intoxicated state.

My Crazy Sister and Cousin Jennifer.  Please ignore me in the background, unless you’re someone I really don’t like! (You know who you are!) hahahaha…

Eric Looking for some Man-Love in the parking lot

We’re all wet from the Atlantis Ride!  A great way to wake us up from all the alcohol!

My flight leaves for San Diego later today.  A close friend of mine is also vacationing in the area, so we might meet up and watch some wildfires (hahaha).  Anyway, I better keep this post short since my flight is about to leave very shortly.  Cheers!

I was hoping to visit San Diego this week for a little vacation.  Instead of basking in the sun, I may end up dealing with the wildfires currently engulfing Southern California. 

My Crazy Sister will also be accompanying me during the visit.  We have a lot of relatives and friends living in Southern California so our accommodations will not be a problem.  Most of my relatives live in a pretty safe area away from the wildfires.

I was planning to see the San Diego Chargers play at Qualcomm Stadium this week against the Houston Texans.  Unfortunately, the stadium is being used as a makeshift shelter, where over 10 thousand evacuees are currently staying.  It looks like the game will be cancelled and played somewhere else.  What a pity, I was pretty excited to see the game, since yours truly is a big fan of NFL football.

I have a feeling the next week will be pretty adventurous.  I’ll try to give an update when time permits.  But for now, I look forward to a warm (and smokey) vacation!

As a self-employed individual, I tend to suffer from cabin fever because I am stuck at home throughout the day.  This is why I frequently pack up my laptop and head to a coffee shop, where I can actually get some work done.  It’s a refreshing change from time to time.  However, I do have some requirements for a suitable coffee shop or Internet cafe, like a fast connection and good food.

There are many coffee establishments in my area offering free Wi-Fi.  Sure, connecting to the Internet for free can prove to be beneficial, especially for penny pinching individuals but sometimes such a service can have some pretty big pitfalls.

Free Wi-Fi also means a plethora of laptop users at any given time.  Many of the popular establishments I used to frequent tend to be overcrowded, where I literally had to fight for a seat and a table.  Another problem with free Wi-Fi is the potential for abuse; moreover, there’s a big opportunity for individuals to hog the bandwidth.  What really irritates me is when users download an excessive amount of movies, music files or any large file available to them.  They also slow down the connection for other users who simply want to connect.

To rid myself of these problems, I only go to establishments where users have to pay for Internet connectivity.  Not only does a usage fee filter out unnecessary overcrowding, it also provides a peace of mind that you would otherwise not receive at a coffee shop offering free Wi-Fi.  The extra cost is not a bother for me at all, since I expense the fee to my business.

Starbuck’s Canada has been offering Wi-Fi services for quite a while now.  Their usage fees are pretty decent and a perfect fit for people like me.  Plus, anywhere you go, there’s a Starbucks to be found.  The internet service is provided by Bell Hotspot, so I can also connect to any Wi-Fi access point using this service.  Just imagine how much more crowded Starbuck’s can be if Wi-Fi was offered for free.  A scary thought indeed.  

I tend to find less laptop users at most Starbuck’s locations in my area.  The connection speeds are consistently fast, since the usage fee will limit the amount of people using the service.  There’s also enough tables and seats to be found, along with suitable power outlets.  However, just in case a power outlet can’t be found, I bring along my trusty APC Universal Notebook Battery.  I always have more than enough battery time to finish off my work.

If you’re a business professional or a power user, sometimes paying for Wi-Fi is worth it.  You’ll be able to surf and work at speeds comparable to the high speed connection you have at home.  There are no bandwidth hogs to worry about, connection problems and throngs of laptop users looking to grab an I.P.  You get a peace of mind, albeit with a fee to scare away all those leeches.