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2016-01-31: Balanced Life and Compassion for 2016!

Thoeny Family Dinner (2015-06-23)

Address: 1022 Belvedere Ln, San Jose, CA 95129, USA       Phone: +1-408-505-5108

From Peter

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

2015 was an eventful year. Looking through the photos I realize, lots of high power rocketry, and lots of HDR photography.

Ladina is in her third year studying linguistics at the University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong. She spent 6 month as an exchange student in Luxembourg. She took this opportunity to travel all around Europe, of course including visiting relatives in Switzerland.

Alexis finished high school and decided to study aerospace engineering at San Jose State University. His first choice was University of Boulder Colorado, but the out of state tuition is at an impossible level. Besides rocketry he found a new passion, working at the Tech Shop in San Jose. They have lots of machinery for metal and woodwork; he can take courses to learn the machines, and can use those machines for his projects - all for free because he works there part time. He scaled back on archery and golf. But boy, he took rocketry to the next level. He got his level 2 certification, and he already talks about level 3. We built a 9 feet tall rocket and launched it several times. The rocket has two flight computers for redundancy, a GPS receiver and ham radio transmitter for location tracking, and two on-board cameras. We also built a minimum diameter rocket out of fiber glass and carbon fiber that went 18,000 feet, pulled 70g acceleration, and reached Mach 2.6 (faster than a bullet). Things need to be designed properly to sustain so much stress to the air frame and electronics. For example, a regular on/off switch for the battery would not work because a switch has a spring that can disengage during high acceleration.

I continue my consulting work with TWiki. It is an up and down business. One major client had layoffs and they stopped paying me and other consultants in June. I am still trying to get that money. Cost of living in the Silicon Valley is very high, and is increasing disproportionately compared to other regions in the USA. Fortunately I found a good consulting job at Broadcom in November as a product manager and manager for internal tools. Work is interesting, I am learning new technologies such as MongoDB (a NoSQL database) and Node.js (server side JavaScript). Interns report to me, sometimes though I feel I would be faster without interns.

The open source TWiki.org community continues to be relatively small. As before, the primary focus is usability and quality. We had a new TWiki-6.0.2 release in November. The dashboard add-on is a popular feature that lets teams create appealing and useful dashboards. We are working (slower than I'd like) 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!

If you follow me on Facebook or Flickr you can see that I am passionate about HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography. I have a new Quality HDR Photography website where I sell prints. In December I had my first exhibition at the German Christmas market in Mountain View where I sold a few prints, including an acrylic glass print, which looks really cool with a spotlight. I was invited to be an instructor at the Digital Photo Academy in San Francisco, where I occasionally teach camera control and composition in the field. Read my photo blog "What is High Dynamic Range (HDR) processing?" if you are interested in learning how the process works. Flickr is the main site I use to publish my HDR photos - 11,000 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.

Family friends from Hong Kong came to visit us in June. We took this opportunity to go for a fun trip through California, Utah and Nevada, including Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

I wish you a balanced life with compassion in 2016, personal growth, good health, lots of success, and last but not least lots of joy!

From Shona

Dear ALL,

Finally two of the triplets from Hong Kong came visiting us in summer, and we had a good time together traveling around.

Everything was fine last year, nothing special, this is the best.

I wish you all a good year 2016! Keep in touch!

Best regards,
Shona

From Ladina (20 years)

Lots of love, happiness, and success for all of you in 2016! I celebrated New Year's in Hamburg with some friends of mine; we all met in Luxembourg where I studied this past semester and decided to welcome 2016 in Hamburg.

I am now back in Hong Kong and am continuing my studies at HKU. I'll be a lot busier now that I am nearing the end of my program, but I'm lucky that I've never found a single course to be boring. Hong Kong itself is exciting to live in, and there's always something to do in the city. You just have to look for it.

From Alexis (19 years)

2015 has brought me a bunch of new things and experiences; from my new lady friend, to attending San Jose State University for Aerospace Engineering (AE). It's definitely been a different experience than high school. I actually get to study and learn about what interests me and what I have a passion for.

By coincidence, one of the AE majors I met was an employee at TechShop San Jose, where I currently work. It turns out this was one of the cooler opportunities I experienced. For those of you who do not know, TechShop is THE place to build your dreams and ideas, and for me that meant learning how to use machines only industry professionals use. This fit perfectly with my projects and major. And finally, it led me to 2016, wherein I met a TechShop member working at NASA, and a few days later, he hired me to help build an airship. But more of that next year, and regarding 2016...

I hope everyone has had a great 2015, and I further hope and wish for the best for everyone a great 2016!

Photos from 2015

Tip: Start the slideshow and use right-arrow to proceed.

	New Year's fireworks in San Francisco. We went to Embarcadero with friends. (2015-01-01, HDR)

	Peter invited paella chef JJ Juan to cook for the LUNAR rocket club at the Snow Ranch in California's central valley. It was fun and yummy! Sadly, 10 days after this event he got diagnosed with leukemia. He passed away just recently, we will dearly miss his contagious entrepreneur mind! (2015-01-03, HDR)

	Peter participated in a Hatsumode event in Berkeley, a Mikkyo-zen way to celebrate the New Year. Kids enjoy their lunch. (2015-01-11, HDR)

	On Peter's birthday we went for a hike in Santa Cruz. The sunset was amazing. (2015-01-18, HDR)

	We celebrated James' and Peter's birthday at a Japanese restaurant in Cupertino. With Yoshi Humfeld, James Humfeld, Alexis, Elyssa, Torii family, Peter, Shona, (2015-01-24)

	Music band at the yearly Fondue event with 200 people in Mountain View, CA, organized by the Peninsula Swiss Club. (2015-02-07)

	We played tourist and took the boat to Alcatraz. This is a main prison corridor. (2015-02-08, HDR)

	Dinner at home with Heredia family. With Juan Pablo Heredia, Carlos Heredia, Victor Heredia, Nora Heredia, Peter, Shona, kid, Alexis, Takafumi Nojima, Lingzhi. (2015-02-10)

	At Snow Ranch east of Stockton, California. With Pan family, Jin Heo, Shannon Lucas, Alexis. (2015-02-14)

	At a party with mahjong friends in Milpitas, CA. (2015-02-15, HDR)

	Alexis and Peter work on the fins of the 9 feet tall rocket. (2015-02-21)

	Dinner at home. With Lingzhi, Takafumi Nojima, Alexis, Charlie Sun, Marie Sun, Peter, Shona, Chin & Praxis Bays, Bailey & Siew-Ming & Alex Tan, Elvin Choy, Cherry Choy. (2015-02-21)

	Our living room is a rocketry workshop. (2015-02-23, HDR)

	Moss at an abandoned cow ladder at the Deer Hollow Farm in Cupertino, CA. (2015-03-01, HDR)

	We went to William Colburn's workshop in Hollister, California. Bill is an 80 year young rocketeer legend. He started experimenting with rockets when he was 12, invented sugar propellant motors, then worked on ram jets, pulse jets, bi-liquid engines and hybrid rocket motors. Bill was an Aerospace Engineer on the Apollo Lunar Project, designing some 5 mission critical pyro systems for the Apollo flights. (2015-03-11, HDR)

	Alexis prepares his rocket for fiberglass lamination. (2015-03-17)

	Dinner at home with Siew-Ming Tan, Jingzhi, Takafumi Nojima, James Humfeld, Alyssa, Shona. (2015-03-21)

	At Hakona Gradens in Saratoga, CA, after meditation. (2015-03-28, HDR)

	Ground testing the black powder ejection charge for the L1 rocket in our backyard. (2015-04-03)

	Kids hopping with the Easter Bunny at the Peninsula Swiss Club in Los Altos, CA. (2015-04-05)

	Alexis and Peter went to Colorado to check out the University of Boulder. Peter went into the mountains to witness the sunset. (2015-04-10, HDR)

	On our last day in Colorado, Alexis and Peter went to see an abandoned silver mine in Silver Plume. It was pitch black when Peter crawled into the mine. He put the camera on a fence for a long exposure and was positively surprised by the result! (2015-04-13, HDR)

	Peter rubs the lucky bucket in the abandoned Phoenix Gold Mine east of Denver, Colorado. (2015-04-13, HDR)

	Golden Gate Bridge at night seen from Fort Baker. (2015-04-25, HDR)

	Alexis surprises a girl with burning lights spelling "SP?" to ask her for the senior prom. She said yes. (2015-05-01, HDR)

	Wine glass in the backyard. (2015-05-05, HDR)

	Alexis and Chantal Naugle at the senior prom photo shoot at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, CA. (2015-05-16, HDR)

	Ladina came home in early summer. At Ladina's birthday party with Yuka Gheeno, Alexis, Ladina, Shona. (2015-05-18)

	At the blue hour after sunset in Santa Cruz. (2015-05-24, HDR)

	Hurray, schools out! At Alexis' high school graduation. (2015-06-05, HDR)

	At Alexis' high school graduation: Ladina, Shona, Alexis, Peter. (2015-06-05, HDR)

	Alexis and Jin leave for South Korea. At SFO with Peter, Alexis, Jin Heo, Shona, Ladina, Jin's mom, Jin Heo, Sopan Shewale. (2015-06-07)

	My Lindor is so small - with Alex and Evelyn Tan. (2015-06-17, HDR)

	Peter got US citizenship this summer. (2015-06-18)

	Knoop II, the 9 feet tall rocket is almost ready for launch. This is a frame grab from the on-board key chain camera. (2015-06-20)

	Alexis collects his rocket after successful flight in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. (2015-06-20, HDR)

	Alexis carries his 9 feet tall rocket back to the camp. (2015-06-20, HDR)

	Alexis with Kennix and Zeda Wong at Morrow Bay along the legendary Highway 1 on the California coast. (2015-06-24, HDR)

	Kennix Wong and Ladina in the Danish town Solvang, California. (2015-06-24, HDR)

	Peter gets stopped by police in Hollywood, California. (2015-06-26, HDR)

	The Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas has an amazing architecture. (2015-06-27, HDR)

	Ladina performs a back flip among an amazing scenery at Zion Park, Utah. (2015-06-28, HDR)

	The Extraterrestrial Highway in Central Nevada; Area 51 is to the left. (2015-06-30, HDR)

	Alexis skips rocks at Mono Lake in California. (2015-07-01, HDR)

	Dinner at home with Zeda Wong, Ladina, Shona, Peter, Kennix Wong, Alexis, Takafumi Nojima. (2015-07-02)

	Kennix Wong and Ladina at the famous Lombard Street in San Francisco. (2015-07-03)

	Kennix and Zeda Wong leave California - at SFO. (2015-07-04)

	A train passes by at dusk in Alviso, California. (2015-07-09, HDR)

	Walter Gyger explains his aircrafts at the open day at Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, CA. (2015-07-11)

	Peter participated in a photo walk at San Gregorio State beach near Half Moon Bay, CA. (2015-07-19, HDR)

	Peter's sunset photo of San Gregorio State beach got featured in NBC Bay Area's OpenRoad show. Watch the video at http://bit.ly/1LgBA9U - Peter's HDR photo is featured at 1:48. (2015-07-19)

	View of downtown San Francisco from Yerba Buena Island. (2015-07-25, HDR)

	Alexis laminates a minimum diameter rocket with carbon fiber. (2015-07-29)

	Alexis cleans the carbon fiber on the minimum diameter rocket. The dust is very abrasive, hence this space suite. (2015-07-30)

	Alexis explains the minimum diameter rocket to Victor Herdia in Incline Village, Nevada. (2015-07-31)

	Peter's brother Christian Thöny came to visit us to join us for a rocket event at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. This is on the way to the desert in the middle of nowhere. You can drive for half an hour without any cross traffic. Alexis is driving, Christian is working on a presentation. (2015-07-31)

	Dinner at the Black Rock Desert with Christian, Alexis, Peter. Photo taken by Steve Jurvetson. (2015-08-01)

	The minimum diameter rocket is ready for launch. With Alexis and Christian. It reached 18,000 feet, pulled 70g acceleration, and reached Mach 2.6 (faster than a bullet). (2015-08-01, HDR)

	Alexis, Christian, Shannon Lucas and Steve Jurvetson track Alexis' rocket. (2015-08-01)

	Relaxing in a hot pool next to the Black Rock Desert. With Steve Jurvetson's son, Shannon Lucas, Peter, Christian, Steve Jurvetson. (2015-08-01)

	One night we had a severe sandstorm in the Black Rock Desert. Our dome-shaped tent turned into a question mark. The tent survived the storm thanks to flexible fiber poles. (2015-08-01)

	Impromptu business meeting and tech demo in the desert. Christian Thöny explains Cedes' vision technology to VC Steve Jurvetson. (2015-08-02, HDR)

	Farewell Black Rock Desert! With Peter, Steve Jurvetson, , Steve's son, Christian, Alexis. (2015-08-02)

	Swiss August First event in Los Altos, CA, organized by the Peninsula Swiss Club. (2015-08-08)

	Ladina leaves us for Hong Kong. Ladina, Shona, Alexis at SFO. (2015-08-09)

	Alexis got his US citizenship in the summer. (2015-08-20, HDR)

	Dan Woods visits us and joins us for dinner. With Alexis, Dan Woods, Peter, Shona. (2015-08-27)

	Photographer Jerry Downs in his elements. Peter joined one of his photo walks in Sausalito, CA, organized by the Digital Photo Academy. Peter loves his playful nature, here he makes a funny face. (2015-09-13, HDR)

	Peter joined a photo walk by legendary HDR photographer Trey Ratcliff in San Francisco. Trey talks to a big group at sunset. (2015-09-19, HDR)

	Peter had the opportunity to meet HDR photographer Trey Ratcliff at a party in San Francisco. (2015-09-20)

	Peter enjoys the blue hour after sunset at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park near Richmond, CA. (2015-09-20, HDR)

	We have fun at Balls, a crazy high power rocket event at the Black Rock Desert. Alexis throws grains of rocket fuel into the fire. (2015-09-25)

	A high power rocket takes off at the Black Rock Desert. (2015-09-26, HDR)

	Having more fun burning even bigger grains of rocket fuel at the Black Rock Desert. (2015-09-26)

	Alexis helps a friend prepare a rocket at the Black Rock Desert. (2015-09-27)

	Chinese mid-autumn party at home. We walked with lanterns around the block. (2015-09-27)

	Peter's mom sends a subscription of the local "Prättigauer" newspaper from the region in the Swiss Alps where Peter grew up (near Davos where the international conventions are held). While in the Black Rock Desert, Peter sent a photo to the newspaper of him holding their newspaper. They reported on it on the last page. It states that Peter is from San Jose, Canada. We did not find that on the map (2015-10-03)

	We went to a TCC (Tripoli Central California) rocket launch event in the California Central Valley in a big field near Fresno. This is Alexis' 9 feet tall rocket taking off at dusk, 20 minutes after sunset. The rocket has a sparky motor, the sparkles are burning titanium flakes. (2015-10-17, HDR)

	Alexis and Chantal Naugle walk over farm field back to the TCC rocket camp. (2015-10-17)

	Sunset at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz along Highway 1. (2015-10-25, HDR)

	Peter likes to join meditation class with teacher Koraku-san at Hakone Gardens, CA, on Saturday mornings. (2015-10-29)

	Mirror image at San Francisco's Mission Bay. House boats are surrounded by new development. (2015-11-04, HDR)

	Shona at a Chinese dance performance in Sunnyvale, CA. (2015-11-22)

	Selfie with a selfie stick. At a Chinese event in Sunnyvale, CA. (2015-11-22, HDR)

	Alex Tan. (2015-11-26)

	Abandoned bottle in the marshlands of Alviso, CA. (2015-12-06, HDR)

	Peninsula Swiss Club committee members at the Samichlaus event in Los Altos, CA. (2015-12-06)

	Peter sells his prints at the German Christmas Market in Mountain View, CA (2015-12-12)

	Alexis commutes to university with his reindeer bike. (2015-12-25, HDR)

	Peter dragged Victor Heredia down a double-black diamond chute; Victor is now chute-proof! At Mt Rose Ski Tahoe. (2015-12-28, HDR)

	Victor Herdia invited Peter to go on a back country ski tour. Peter realized that he is out of shape - he had to stop more often than not to catch some breath. It was worth while! High above Lake Tahoe and Incline Village, Nevada. (2015-12-29, HDR)

	New Year's fireworks of San Francisco, as seen from Yerba Buena Island. (2016-01-01, HDR)

	Alexis works part time at the Tech Shop in San Jose. (2016-01-03)

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