San Diego Comic Con 2014

An interesting comic con. A year after missing out because of a trip to Singapore, I was back, thanks again to San Diego’s FM radio 94.1 comic con correspondent Dexter Odani! The layout this year was all kinds of weird and there were definitely a lot more displays outside of the convention than previous years. Companies took huge booths outside the convention center to feature Constantine, Black List, Assassin’s Creed, Game of Thrones, and much more. Inside the convention hall the summer hollywood movie blockbusters no longer held center square and they really separated the games from the comics from the movies this year.

As always the cosplayers came out in full swing, even in pretty hot heat. Super impressed! At the end of the day, I came out of the convention to check out the zombie walk and catch up with some coworkers. Long day but always fun to people watch!

Photobombing the News

photo from Times of San Diego
http://timesofsandiego.com/business/2014/07/15/top-biotech-illumina-plans-major-expansion-city-help/

Press conference at work today announcing our new future building. PR tapped a few of us to represent. Nice break in the middle of the day. Oh and I met San Diego’s mayor Kevin Faulconer.

fun fact: they were very adamant that we turn off all cell phones so nothing would disrupt our CEO or the SD mayor’s press conference speech. in the middle of their speech…BOOM…BOOM. sounds of dropped weights from upstairs weight room. guess no one told them there was a gym above us. that’s us laughing about it in the photo at the top.

Company Shutdown: Intense week!

A recent company employee survey indicated people were struggling with work/life balance, senior management decided the answer was to give everyone a week off and have us spend it recuperating, spending time with families, and gearing up for the second half of the year. Plus with people taking time off for July 4th weekend, there’d be reduced productivity anyways. GREAT idea!

The thought was to take the week easy, do some easy reading and rest. Most of it was really chill, but man there were intense moments. USMNT soccer’s down to the wire world cup game vs Belgium. Watching that at the San Diego Del Mar fair was quite a memorable experience.

Brazil vs. Columbia World Cup Quarterfinals: goooooooooooooooooooool!

Watching Brazil vs. Columbia in a house full of Brazilians is a whole ‘nother thing! Every save and penalty was pandemonium and this was an amazing picture capture by one of K’s uncles. Neymar’s injury at the end really put a damper on the mood but their in the semi’s with a shot at the finals. These people love their seleção brasileira futbol.

Giants vs Padres: This was insane.

Eugene’s wife got him Giant’s tix for father’s day because he’s a bay area nut. They have a 3rd kid on the way and it was a really sweet gift to let him relax his mind before the new one arrives (g’luck E!).

The original seats were great, the lowest I’ve ever been at a baseball game. We went to get garlic fries in the bottom of the 2nd and when we came back a couple was in our seats and it looked like they were talking to their friends. The guy asked us if we’d be willing to switch seats and he pointed to seats a few rows lower. We agreed and he showed us his ticket and they’re row 11…that’s 4 rows from the dugout!!!

It is seriously a whole new experience when you sit so close to the dugout the players can actually hear you. Combine that with an extra innings win for the Giants to stop a long losing and offensive slump and it was FUN!! thanks Eugene!