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2015-01-21: For a Purposeful Life in 2015!

The Thoeny Family (2014-12-24)

Address: 1022 Belvedere Ln, San Jose, CA 95129, USA       Phone: +1-408-255-1477

From Peter

We are very late with this year's seasons greetings - again. Better late than not at all.

2014 was an eventful year again. Ladina is in her second year studying linguistics at the University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong. Alexis is in his last year of high school. Gosh, it looks like from next summer on we will be empty-nesters! Alexis decided to study aerospace engineering. He applied to a number of universities in the USA. His first choice is University of Colorado Boulder - because of skiing he said. Alexis continued with his archery. In summer we went to Ohio to the U.S. National Target Championships. Besides launching rockets he also likes to keep up with golf.

My passion is TWiki for 16 years now. My main source of income is consulting on enterprise collaboration, mainly using the TWiki platform. I have two long term clients, as well as other clients on an as-needed basis. We could handle (and need) more clients, the cost of living in the Silicon Valley is very high. TWiki.org has a lot of traffic, we get leads via the open source website. However, the contacts are usually developers and system administrators who like to help themselves. The challenge is to get introduced to management, where we can communicate a higher level message on organizational development and productivity of employees.

The open source TWiki.org community is still relatively small. We have around 100 source code check-ins per month in average. The primary focus continues to be usability and quality. We had a new TWiki-6.0.1 release in October. The dashboard add-on is a popular feature that lets teams create appealing and useful dashboards. We are working on a packaging standard for TWiki applications. My vision is to create a marketplace for TWiki app developers so that we can grow the whole open source ecosystem of TWiki. I invite you to join us!

I am getting more and more hooked on HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography. "Quality HDR Photography" is the brand I am building up for my HDR work. Read my photo blog "What is High Dynamic Range (HDR) processing?" if interested in learning how the process works. Flickr is the main site I use to publish my HDR photos - 4700 people now follow my account. If you like my work you can get beautiful HDR photos for your home or office printed on canvas, acrylic glass, or metal.

In Spring we went to the wedding of Shona's niece in Hong Kong. It was beautiful and fun, so much energy! I took many photos, some posted here, more on Flickr, and more to come.

In November I went to my hometown Schuders in the Swiss Alps to celebrate the eightieth birthday of my mom. I chose to spend a lot of time with my mom and partner in Schuders, a tiny village with 40 people. To be easy on my wallet I traveled just a bit to see friends and family in Zurich, Zug and Chur. I certainly took the opportunity to scout out many scenes for HDR photography, some posted here, more posted on Flickr.

I wish you a purposeful 2015, with personal growth, good health, lots of success, and last but not least lots of joy!

From Shona

Dear ALL,

I'm very very happy for the last Christmas and New Year 2015. Thoeny family member of 4 was together to celebrate the big holiday!

We went to San Francisco to watch the New Year Eve fireworks. It was super good this year, super good weather.

It's a wonderful year 4 me. I hope you All have one 2!

Best regards,
Shona

From Ladina (19 years)

I'm wishing everybody a good start for 2015. I'm returning to Hong Kong from spending Christmas in California with my family to finish my second year at HKU. It's been a great experience, and I cannot wait for Chinese New Year this February.

From Alexis (almost 18 years)

I wish everyone had a superb 2014, and hope for a fun-filled, exciting, and prosperous 2015 to come!

Photos from 2014

Tip: Click on to start the slideshow, then use right-arrow and left-arrow to move around.

	Alexis is creating a bow, the master is watching. In Berkeley, California (2014-01-11, HDR)

	Happy Birthday to Peter: James Humfeld, Ariela & Dan Kikinis, Peter, Shona, Alex Tan. (2014-01-18)

	Happy Birthday to Alexis: Alexis devours a raw oyster at Sushi Kuni, Cupertino. (2014-01-24, HDR)

	Peter with tech blogger Robert Scoble and Sarah Francis, in Half Moon Bay, California. (2014-01-31)

	Preparing Fondue for 180 people at the Peninsula Swiss Club in Mountain View: Pascal Gyger, David Schleicher, Aaron Gutierrez. (2014-02-01)

	Fallen leaves in Palo Alto, California. (2014-02-07, HDR)

	View over the Silicon Valley from Mt. Hamilton. (2014-02-12, HDR)

	Alexis having fun at Mt. Rose, Nevada. (2014-02-18, HDR)

	Raclette dinner at Lake Tahoe: Nora & Victor Heredia, Alexis, Shona, Peter. (2014-02-19)

	Zen meditation with Koraku-sensei: Yvonne Leong, Joe Saxon. (2014-02-22, HDR)

	Alexis slides the cork screw rocket onto the launch rail. At Snow Ranch near Telegraph City, California (2014-03-08)

	Country road near Snow Ranch where we launch rockets. (2014-03-08, HDR)

	Ladina in Japan, visiting Miwa Fujimoto. (2014-03-14)

	Shona at beautiful Hakone Gardens in spring blossom. (2014-03-15, HDR)

	Dinner in the backyard at home: Alex & Siew-Ming Tan, Evelyn Tan, Alexis, Takafumi Nojima, Lingchi Wong, Shona, Rebecca & Elliott Chuang. (2014-03-16)

	Peter explanations how HDR processing works. learn how. (2014-03-23, HDR)

	Alexis and Linda with friends at junior prom. (2014-04-05)

	Old friends from Takefive Software meet after a long time in Palo Alto: Michael Scharf, Peter, Christian Kleinferchner. (2014-04-07)

	Ladina and Alexis at wedding of Wendy Lai and Ting Ho, in Kowloon, Hong Kong. (2014-04-12, HDR)

	Wendy Lai and Ting Ho getting married, in Kowloon, Hong Kong. (2014-04-13)

	Ladina leads the way for Wendy Lai and Ting Ho, in Kowloon, Hong Kong. (2014-04-13)

	Riding the double-decker bus in Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong. (2014-04-14, HDR)

	View from Tsim Sha Tsui to Hong Kong Island. (2014-04-15, HDR)

	Dinner party in Kowloon, Hong Kong: Zeda Wong, Ophelia Lam, Grace Wan, Shona, Alexis, Peter, Vivien Chen, Kennix Wong, Peggy, Raymond. (2014-04-16)

	Dinner party at Causeway Bay, Hong Kong: Kennix Wong, Zeda Wong, Jason, Athena Cheung, Peter. (2014-04-17)

	Yukko Chan performs at Causeway Bay, Hong Kong to protest for press freedom. (2014-04-17, HDR)

	View from a highrise over highrises in Central, Hong Kong. Thanks Athena for the opportunity for Peter! (2014-04-17, HDR)

	Bye bye at Hong Kong airport: Iris Lai, Wing Leung, Alexis, Kennix Wong, Peter, Ladina, Shona, Zeda Wong. (2014-04-20)

	Mediation at Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, California: Jimmy Gao Ko, Koraku Mikami, Joe Saxon. (2014-04-30, HDR)

	Coach Tom Hinojosa teaches archery instructors how to teach. Peter is level 2 now. (2014-05-04, HDR)

	Dinner at the old Mount Hamilton Grandview Restaurant: James, Alissa & Yoshi Humfeld, Shona, Alexis, Peter. (2014-05-04, HDR)

	Peter coached veterans at the Coast Guard Island Alameda, California. (2014-05-31, HDR)

	Committee Members of the Peninsula Swiss Club at Villa Maria, Cupertino: Claudio Bui, Barbara Schicker, Maya Gyger, Monika LaGrill, Maja Schleicher, Sandra Scanferla Eidam, Judith Hage, Monika Ryser, Nadja Kurmann, Anna Ralston, Peter, Walter Gyger. (2014-06-01)

	Dinner at Schneiders in Atherton, California: Ladina, Shona, Mike Schneider, Alice, Peter. (2014-06-11, HDR)

	Golden Gate Bridge, taken at night by Peter. (2014-06-14, HDR)

	Peter at the top of Mission Peak, Fremont, California. (2014-06-15, HDR)

	Peter sneaked into a no-trespassing zone to take this shot. The mysterious Fly Gyser is next to the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. (2014-06-21, HDR)

	Railroad passing the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nevada. (2014-06-22, HDR)

	Peter took this photo of folks at the LGBT festival at Mission Dolores Park, San Francisco. (2014-06-28, HDR)

	Peter takes a green tea after meditation at Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, California. (2014-07-12, HDR)

	Moonrise over Sunnyvale, California. (2014-07-12, HDR)

	Venture Capitalist Steve Jurvetson explains his space collection to members of LUNAR, Silicon Valley's local rocket club. See more photos, (2014-07-18, HDR)

	Dinner at home: Alexis, Peter, Shona, Takafumi Nojima, Lingchi Wong, Ken Yuminaga, Alan. (2014-07-18)

	Alexis at the US Nationals in Hamilton, Ohio. (2014-07-24, HDR)

	For a short time we had rabbit Coco with us. Carrots are good for eyes, so he would not really need the glasses. (2014-08-07, HDR)

	Dinner at home: Ladina, Sou Masuoka, Edward, Annette Chang, Alexis, Jin Heo, Lingchi Wong, Shona. (2014-08-08)

	Beautiful sunset at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. (2014-08-11, HDR)

	Beautiful sunrise at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, California. (2014-08-12, HDR)

	Vicor Heredia, Alexis and Peter went for a ride on Flume Trail high above Lake Tahoe. (2014-08-12, HDR)

	San Francisco Bay Bridge at night. (2014-08-22, HDR)

	Going for a hike at the Aquila Loop Trail at the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, San Jose, California: Siew-Ming Tang, Angela. (2014-08-31, HDR)

	The new east span of the Bay Bridge shines, the old one is slowly getting dismantled. (2014-09-01, HDR)

	Peter went to a photowalk in the Ashbury district of San Francisco. (2014-09-06, HDR)

	San Francisco Bay Bridge facing downtown. (2014-09-06, HDR)

	Alexis is testing his tuned LED light at the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. (2014-09-12, HDR)

	John Coker signs in his shiny LED rocket for night launch at XPRS, Black Rock Desert, Nevada. (2014-09-12, HDR)

	The parachute failed to deploy, John Coker's LED rocket came down ballistic and buried itself. This is all that is left above ground. (2014-09-13, HDR)

	We had the privilege to meet Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors. Steve Jurvetson explains our cork screw rocket to Elon. With Alexis, at XPRS, Black Rock Desert, Nevada. (2014-09-13, HDR)

	Alexis helps prepare Steve Juervetson's rocket. It went Mach 2 and reached over 20,000 feet altitude! (2014-09-14, HDR)

	Alexis competes at the California State championship in Sacramento. He is the first in line. (2014-09-20, HDR)

	Shona and dancers rehearsal for the big performance. In San Jose, California. (2014-09-27)

	Peter took this shot at a photowalk organized by photographer Thomas Hawk. (2014-10-16, HDR)

	Alexis and Peter went to the 75th Anniversary Open House of NASA Ames, Moffett Field. This are wind deflectors in the biggest wind tunnel in the world. See railing for scale. (2014-10-18, HDR)

	Johannes Ziegler checking his smartphone at the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. (2014-10-22, HDR)

	Beautiful tree in front of our house. (2014-11-08, HDR)

	Roberta Tachihara explains the Brazilian food she prepared to Koraku Mikami and Emi Ejiri. In San Jose, California (2014-11-08)

	Beautiful autumns scene at Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, California. (2014-11-08, HDR)

	Dinner at home: Mike Schneider, Alice, Jin Heo, Peter, Alexis, Shona, Lingchi Wong, Taka Nojima. (2014-11-15, HDR)

	Peter in this hometown Schuders, Switzerland, with mom Elke Thöny and Otto Müller. (2014-11-21)

	Sunrise in Schuders, Switzerland. (2014-11-22, HDR)

	Peter's brother Jürg Thöny at Elke's 80st birthday party in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland. (2014-11-22)

	Otto Müller at mom's 80st birthday party. (2014-11-22)

	Peter's brother Christian Thöny at mom's 80st birthday party. (2014-11-22)

	Peter at mom's 80st birthday party. (2014-11-22)

	Regula Baumgartner-Bünter, Jürg Thöny, Luzia Thöny at mom's 80st birthday party. (2014-11-22)

	Elke Thöny at her 80st birthday party. (2014-11-22)

	Group photo at Elke's 80st birthday party: Peter, Christian Thöny holding Julie, Sina Tschirky, Rico Castelberg, Reimer Hintzpeter on top, Luzia Thöny, Regula Baumgartner-Bünter, Jürg Thöny, Elke Thöny, Otto Müller, Stefanie Thöny, Birte Dittmer. (2014-11-22)

	Peter takes this reflective shot at the bus station in Chur, Switzerland. (2014-11-25, HDR)

	Beautiful sunset below Schuders, Switzerland. Peter took this selfie with a timer. (2014-11-25, HDR)

	Beautiful sunset above Schiers, Switzerland. This is the Girenspitz. (2014-11-26, HDR)

	Sunrise at the Maiensäss above Schuders, Switzerland. (2014-11-27, HDR)

	Tram station at the Paradeplatz in Zürich, Switzerland. (2014-11-27, HDR)

	Meeting old friends in Zürich: Balz Sieber, Silvia Frommelt, Peter Zbinden, Nicholas Python, Jürg Thöny, Regula Baumgartner-Bünter, Peter. (2014-11-27)

	Julie Thöny with her horse in Oberägeri, Switzerland. (2014-11-29, HDR)

	Chur by night, as seen from the Restaurant Hofkellerei. Peter went to school in Chur, Switzerland. (2014-11-29, HDR)

	Bärenloch in Chur, Switzerland. (2014-11-29, HDR)

	Arcas square in Chur, Switzerland. (2014-11-29, HDR)

	Mom Elke Thöny paints on porcellain in her studio. (2014-11-30, HDR)

	Peter's uncle Simon Thöny with his hunting rifle, in Küblis, Switzerland. (2014-12-01)

	Shona playing Mahjong, in Fremont, Calfornia. (2014-12-06)

	Committee Members of the Peninsula Swiss Club at the Samichlaus event in Los Altos, California: Maya Gyger, Walter Gyger, Nadja Kurmann, Monika LaGrill, Maja Schleicher, Sandra Scanferla Eidam, Barbara Schicker, Peter, Peter Ryser, Monika Ryser. (2014-12-07)

	Christmas mood at the Santana Row, San Jose. (2014-12-11, HDR)

	Jin Heo and Alexis ready for the party. (2014-12-18, HDR)

	Wonderful sunset at the Mt. Rose Ski Resort, Nevada. (2014-12-22, HDR)

	Alexis prepares sauce Hollandaise with help from Tadao & SaAn Kurosawa. (2014-12-25)

	After vegetarian lunch at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas near Ukiah, California: Larry Rosen, Harry, Ladina, Alexis, Shona, Siew-Ming Tang, Evelyn Tan, Alex Tan, Bailey Tan. (2014-12-26)

	Larry Rosen overlooking his kingdom with vineyards, at Lake Mendocino, California. (2014-12-26, HDR)

	Half transparent ghost Alexis on a footbridge at Montgomery Woods State Reserve, near Ukiah, California. (2014-12-26, HDR)

	After family dinner in Menlo Park, California: Vinny Che, Ken, Shona, Peter, Rebecca Che, Ladina, Raymond Che, Alexis. (2014-12-27)

	Häppy New Year show in San Francisco. We went there with Humfeld family. (2014-01-01, HDR)

	The paella is ready for fellow rocketeers! JJ Juan, a rocketeer and Susana Galeano at the Snow Ranch near Telegraph City, California. (2014-01-03, HDR)

	A high power rocket takes of at the LUNAR rocket event at Snow Ranch near Telegraph City, California. (2014-01-03, HDR)

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