Got to Love the Names

Well, the first day of the week is now done with. So far, the kids seem fairly managable. But I must say, this is the best batch of names to date. Some of my favorites are:

Miffy, Jiy, Kimi, Apple, Iris, Joker, and Wynn.

So today started off with the question I always hope they assume: "Do you understand Chineese", one of the kids asked right off. In this situation, where assumed knowledge can make or break discipline, I only had one answer: "Yep."

And it's true: if you just say the 20 or so Chinese words I know, then yeah.

Later this afternoon, some kid came up to me and was like "Hey Apple." Now, that in-and-of-itself is not funny. What IS funny is that the kid had a really heavy accent and it sounded like he was saying "Hey asshole". What we almost had there was failure to communicate.

But yes, today is in the books - beautiful weather today. But the rest of the week is forecasted to be a washout. So I got to get working on what I will be doing tomorrow since I can assume I won't be doing any outdoor activities.

Biomagine and David LaChapelle

It's amazing how busy you can get. Usually when you have time off for a vacation, you travel around. You know, go to the beach, camp in the mountains, travel to another city.

For some of you who are my faithful readers, you know that last June me and my friend Jon started Biomagine. It started off with a torrent of work; detailing our business concept, writing a business plan, creating screenshots, budgets, plans...it was a lot of work. Then after getting into the USC Business Incubator, things slowed down a little. We needed to futher refine the idea, raise some money, and get someone to do the programming.

Fast forward to about late January/early February of this year. Things had slowed to a crawl, but still moving. Right about the time I left for Taiwan, we got some money into the business account and were looking for a programmer (we had one lined up but, maybe as luck will have it, we didn't hire him).

I then left for Taiwan.

You know, sometimes it's only when you least expect things to happen that they do.

The last 3 or 4 weeks seem to have been a torrent of doors opening for Biomagine. Jon had the good luck of running into a guy who happens to run a Columbia-based, invite-only, business club. He was also able to meet with one of the local business grant institutions top people at the business club. We were able to fill the programming position with a top-notch group - and these guys seem to be some talented folks. Now we are revising our original business plan (which is obvious to us now that it was both very poorly written - my fault), looking at ways to raise money, and putting together some serious timelines and goals.

In short, we could have our product ready to be in the market by January 2011, which is both very exciting and very scary. Obviously things come, do, and will come up between now and then: both good and bad, but we are both enjoying the recent rush.

What strikes me as amazing is how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to be traveling the world while also putting together some pretty hefty business strategies. Not only that, but how far technology has come that I can hold a video-conference in real time. This would not have been possible even 5 years ago.

But back to Taiwan...

Today I went to see the David LaChapelle exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art here in Taipei. A lot of his exhibits were - interesting (ha!) - but there were definitly a few that I thought were awesome.

No doubt, something worth seeing if you like to see a lot of celebrities in, uh, well...just Google it haha.

I head on back to work tomorrow - wish me luck. It's been fun having the last 2 weeks off, and as luck would have it great timing to have the last 2 weeks off. Now hopefully both momentum and luck will continue working in my favor!

Until next time...

Updates and Tidbits

I figured that once I said something about the weather being nice, it would change. And it did. Since my earlier post, you know the one of me bragging on how nice the weather was and all, its been nothing but cold and wet. And I just checked the weather report and it's calling for rain through the end of the week. Beautiful....

It's not all bad though. I have managed to buy some good books over here in Taiwan, and so rainy days are ace for reading.

And I think I've had McDonalds for 9 days in a row now. Just imagine if they had Taco Bell over here. Then I wouldn't have a reason to go home...

But I still manage to find fun things to do. This morning, I woke up at 8 am and met some friends at a place called Brass Monkey to watch the NCAA Championship Game. They were from Indiana, so they were going for Butler. I have to say, that the game was one of the best I've ever seen. And the experience of waking up early to watch it was pretty cool too. It's really hard to explain, but living in the future by half a day can really make sports fun to watch. In fact, it's possible to watch a team play 2 games during the same day here. I catch a night cap game when I wake up and I catch the day game before I fall asleep (which I guess isn't the same DAY, but same waking period).

Also, a few people have emailed me since I've been here saying they couldn't leave comments on the blog. I think you have to sign up with google in order to leave comments, you can't just post annonomous comments (I think!).

Yeah, so I am going to buy a new camera sometime soon. Since I broke mine about 2 weeks ago I have decided that I need to get a small pocket sized camera. I think I'll get one in the next 2 weeks or so. And I have found a lot of cool places that I've visited that I really want to take pictures of, so when I get a new camera, be ready for some AWESOME photos. And if you have any recommendations of good camera models, feel free to let me know.

In other news, Biomagine (remember that from last year) has finally gotten a developer company contracted to make our prototype and a lot of other cool things have been strangely, yet coincidentally, falling into place. It's weird how momentum works, but when you've got it, you have to run with it.

And I'll be back in the States in August (well, kind of. When I get back I'll be going with the family up to the northeast and Canada for a few weeks) but there are a lot of positive developments going on so I'm excited to be coming back! So plan accordingly!

A Little of Murphy's Law and a Visit from a Friend

I like to start things off with a good vibe. So, I will start off with yesterday. My friend Laura from the States flew into Taiwan yesterday. She was telling me when I picked her up how she had slept for most of the flight and that I better have the energy to keep up with her. Ha! The words of the inexperienced :)

Here is a summary of what we did yesterday (and a BIG thank you to Michael for being kind enough to show us around all day):

(1) Taipei 101 & Went to the top: The bad thing is that it was raining yesterday so while we were at the top, we couldn't really see anything that was along the bottom. But it was still pretty cool because Taipei 101 does a good job of putting a lot of other really cool things on display at the top. Again, if you go to Taiwan (and even if it's raining), you should go to the top of 101
(2) Walked to the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall: Just imagine a REALLY BIG temple designed to house a museum/shrine to one of the founding fathers of Taiwan (although he only visited Taiwan 3 times in his life). A really cool place to go, where they have a changing of the guard every hour, some kind of weekend market every weekend, and a place to see people flying kites really high. When I get a new camera, I'll take some pics of the place.
(3) Went to the National Palace Museum: We were kind of rushed for time, but we were able to see a lot of cool things here. From the painting and calligraphy galleries to famous pieces from the Qing dynasty palaces and even some religious sculptural arts, this is a place that you must visit if you come to Taipei.
(4) Hot springs in Xinbeitou: Now, I decided to sit this one out and chill out at the local McDonalds (don't judge) the rest of them went to one of the natural hot springs bath houses in Xinbeitou. A refreshing experience no doubt, I will soon be making a visit there to partake in the experience. From the others time there, it's a relaxing, refreshing and regenerating hour-and-a-half.
(5) Taipei Main Station for dinner: If you have never had a pizza rolled into a shape similar to an ice cream cone then you haven't lived. If you haven't had a hotpot filled with tofu, meats and noodles, boiling and flaming for 20 minutes after you get it, then you should ask for the manager. Even food-courts in MRT stations (like shopping mall food-courts) serve high quality foods at non-ripoff prices. And I'm pretty sure the restraunts are profitable.

So if you ever decide to come visit me, expect to be kept busy from the time you get off the plane to the time you finally get to sleep (which will be no less than 17 hours after you land).

Now time for some not-so-good but not horrible news. Since my contract actually runs only through the end of July (which is less than 6-months aggregate), I cannot receive an Alien Resident Card (ARC). This is not a monumental problem, but it poses some difficult issues. One, it causes some contractual issues with the orgainization I'm contracted to work with. The ARC is required to get the national health-insurance (which is a requirement of the contract on their side). Now, minus my cough I've had since I got here and a period of a few days I was sick with god-knows-what, my health is usually pretty good. But kudos so far for the company I'm working with to step up to the plate and their attempts to fix this temporary-breach of contract. Now let's see if they can get a deal in place to allow me to get the health insurance.

The other issue with not having an ARC is a more problematic situation for one of my main reasons for coming here. Without the ARC, I will need to apply for a visa-extension every 60 days. Now with already obataining a work permit, that shouldn't be much of a hassel. But where a problem comes in is this: I currently have a single-entry visa. IF they can only re-issue my visa as how it was originally issued, then if I leave Taiwan to travel to other countries (which I intend to do) then I would have to reapply for another visa (even if its before the current visa expires) because as a single-entry visa, it's only able to be used to enter the country (or stay in the country) one time.

Now, worst-case scenario, I would have to apply for a visa (which is an additional expense) when I return from another country. This is feasible, but it's not something I intend to be done. Hopefully, the issue will be resolved in the coming weeks. The people who are working for the school and deal with these issues are top-notch, hard working individuals whom I have full faith and confidence will do their very best in getting this resolved.

Anyhow...

I will forewarn my readers: I made a lie in my blog post from December 6, 2010 about how I "really couldn't give two shits about politics." Although in certain forms that is true, as a generality, it is not. As my forewarning, I've been able to do a bit of reading and thinking about certain things which I will be attempting to write about in the upcoming week or so. Although this will not be a theme in this blog, it is MY blog and I have a right to write about what is going on in my current thought, life and beliefs. So feel free to comment on them when they appear, or feel free to avoid reading them like the plague. But this is for sure, they may be a little bit...different...than those of prior years.

Until then...

A Few Random Tidbits

It's always nice when you have a week off work. It's even nicer when it's scheduled to have a week off work, but get paid for the week you have off work. What's even NICER is when you have 2 weeks off, back to back, and STILL get paid.

So if you didn't catch my drift, I have this week and NEXT week off to do whatever. Very nice.

And I am almost to the point of getting my bank account opened. I just need to find a Chinese Chop/Seal shop to create one for myself. In Taiwan (and China) a chop (or seal) is a specially carved stamp and are like a signature. In fact, they carry more weight than a signature. If you do business here in Taiwan (or in my case, need to open a bank account), you are required to use a seal to make things official. Also, you don't have to be present during the process as long as a seal is used. So now, I just need to locate one of the stamp making shops and I'll be set (well, at least I'll be ALMOST set to get my backpay...)


There is another thing that I have been always meaning to put on the blog, but seem to always forget. Maybe it's because I fear that some government official will be reading this in the US and enact a similar thing there. But putting ego-inflated paranoia aside, I'll get to my point.

Here in Taiwan, recycling is a big thing - and it's not just a political thing. It's engrained in the culture. It's as much religious conviction as it is personal responsibility.

Here in my apartment, in the parking garage, is the place where people throw away their garbage - and do their recycling. There are about 12 different kind of recycling cans - from hard plastics to soft plastics, to compost, to cardboard to batteries. To recycle is to replenish to earth. To throw away is to pay.

Catch that? Yea, if you end up not recycling something, you have to PAY to throw away garbage. How do they do that?

Well you can only throw away garbage in these special bright pink bags. You buy these bags in grocery stores or other random places. You get 20 of them for around $NT 170 (or $5.50ish). They have these special hologram stickers on them, which say (ironically) "Taipei County Government - Recycle"

So remember, next time you throw something away...at least you're not being taxed on trash - yet.

But yes, on to another topic - the life of a blossoming bourgeoisie. Well, not quite, but I can get use to the weather and lifestyle here. Today (and practically this entire week) the weather has been amazing. Mid-70's, sunny, breezy - couldn't ask for better. On top of that, across the street from Taipei 101 there is a shopping area called New York New York. In New York New York, there is a McDonalds, Mister Doughnut, Starbucks and Stone Creamery. But the best part about that is that all of those restraunts have tables that are outside with a nice big umbrella. So what I've been doing is going there for lunch, bringing a book with me, and staying under the umbrella enjoying every possible minute until dinner.

Now, I'm not saying this to brag. Just saying that (a) good things can't last forever and (b) I hope forever never comes.

Well, it's late and I figure that I should do something productive tomorrow. My friend Laura is coming in on Saturday and I still need to figure out some of the details on which bus to take to the Airport. So, if you come to visit me, I will by then know how I will meet you at the airport. Sorry Laura, but you might be a test subject - hopefully it all turns out well.

Until next time...

Awesome KEW Video

Big shout-out to Tristen for taking the time to put together an amazing video!

Notes from Students

Well, the week is OFFICIALLY over! Now, sometimes I will get notes from students (sometimes with help from a Taiwaneese staff member writing it and sometimes from their own free will) and some weeks I don't get anything. This week, I got quite a few notes...and I will share with y'all these notes, in all their glory.

"Mr. RJ, bloss you happy forever. Alice :)"

"Mr. R.J <3 <3, you very goot teach. bloss R.J happy. you teach me Enghish. good bye Thank you. good teach! Eva"

"Dear Mr. RJ, Thank you you teach me 5 day. I think there are awesome! God blass you! + student, Joyce :) 2010.3.25 (Thursday)"

"Mr. RJ, Thank you. you teacher me English. good teacher Betty"

"Mr. RJ (and puts my name in Chineese) Thank you teach me Engltsh Im very happy. Cindy"

"Mr. RJ. You are nember one teacher I am so happy during your class Thank you! Sarah *"

And now, my two personal favorite notes...

"Dear Mr. R.J: Thank for your teaching. Do you know what I thank? Because you told us some words and sports we don't know! Thks! Student Kayla"

"Dear Mr. R.J: Thanks for your hard teaching. I'm so happy to meet you. On this week I was happy because you teach us some new words and you tell us some sport we don't understand. Sherry"

It's always nice to get notes...I did learn a few things: I need to teach how to spell the word "bless" and maybe do a better job in explaining what Ultimate Frisbee is ("...and you tell us some sport we don't understand.")

Wild Week at Kuolai!

Wednesday is offically over...or at least close enough. It's been a very busy week for me, but it's definitly been more good busy than bad busy...

I do have a few fun names of the kids from this week. I think my favorite is a boy named "Wordsworth". Ironically, he speaks very good English too! There is also a girl named "Jolin", but pronounced "Joel-leen". Besides those, the names are kind of tame. Maybe next time...

On Monday I dropped my camera and when it hit the ground, some of the clips that hold the battery door closed broke. Soooo until I can get a good resolution for that problem, I won't have a camera. And they don't have REAL ducttape over here...they have what is called "Deer tape". And it's not very strong. Ducttape would kick Deer tape in the butt if they ever fought in a cage match. Yeah...

Today I spent the day teaching the kids how to play frisbee. It's amazing how few people over in Taiwan even know what frisbee is, let alone play it. The kids seemed to really love it. It took quite a bit of time to teach them how to throw a frisbee at a stand still, throw a frisbee at someone who is running, and then teach them the basic rules to ultimate frisbee. But once they got the hang of it, they were tearing up the field. And one kid got a little torn up too!

I've never seen a person get 2 broken teeth from a frisbee. I've seen cut lips, or maybe a goose on the eye from being hit by the disc, but never as serious of an injury as broken teeth. But this kid (Billy) managed to get hit in the mouth with the frisbee, not cut his lip or any other physical damaage, but happened to break 2 teeth. But he was true to form and causing problems just a few hours later at lunch, pushing another kid.

Besides that, the weather has been very hot and beginning to feel like South Carolina. The humidity is definitly increasing, but the sun has been out so I'm not really complaining. Maybe I'll even get a tan before too long. As of now, I still reflect more light than the moon off my skin, so I have a ways to go.

Also, a friend of mine said that they will be visiting me in a short time! Laura Durkin!!!! Definitly get a shout out for flying out this way - even if I'm only a stopping point during your trip ;). Hopefully more people will head to Asia, and if you do, you have a FREE place to stay. You just have to eat a snake...

Well, I think that's about it. I need to shower, as playing frisbee for nearly 4 hours in hot and humid weather makes for a cologne that even the French won't wear. Until next time...

Keeping Busy

Well, I'm getting better, so that's good. I was able to have a pretty fun weekend, even with not feeling 100%.

Yesterday, I went to the Calla Lily Festival which is in Zhuzihu. It's about a 40 minute MRT ride - ride the red line to Beitou - from the closest station (which takes a 20 minute bus ride to get to from where I live). From there, you take another 45 minute bus ride around a windy montain road in a tiny crowded bus. Put it all together, and you have a very wild experience!

But it was all definitly worth it. The Calla Lily Festival is a short term festival that goes on during March and April - during the blooming season for lillies. You get there and pretty much walk around different lily "farms" and you can pick your own flowers for $NT 10 each - or about 30 cents per flower USD.

After that we headed back to Taipei. I was hankering for a hamburger so I forced Michael to follow me to the local McDonalds. Now, I am used to seeing interesting looking folks at McDonalds - I mean, I am from South Carolina. We aren't stereotyped for no reason...

Back on point though. I see this lady walk in with a pink fur coat, a pink undershirt, neon yellow pants and high heels on. As I'm looking at her, she is very exact on all of her movements - like she was from some high-class English heritage or something. Michael see's her too and informs me that she is some kind of semi-famous person from TV. She apparently had a short-lived TV program a few months ago and is trying to make it back onto the silver screen.

Well as we are eating, people are lining up to take pictures with this lady. I mean, she was obviously not at McDonalds to eat - as previously noted on what she was wearing, she was also sitting in the very front near the door so everyone would see her.

Well I decide that I need to get a pic with her too - just because I figured why not. I travel 11000 miles, I need to see someone kinda famous. Yeah and this chick was semi-famous for acting (or being?) stupid. I'm guessing kind of like Ugly Betty in the US is famous for being ugly.

So in the past week, I have met 3 "famous" people here in Taiwan: The Governor of Taipei, the Mayor of Taipei, and who I will now designate as "Betty".

But yeah, back to work this week, which isn't really a bad thing. We'll see if I say this after this week. We have a LOT more boys this week than in the past, and 5th grade boys are...how should I put this..."hard to manage". So on the way to work I think I'm going to pick up a cattle prod...

Yeargggg!

Ok, so I'm not REALLY a pirate, but I feel like I've been attacked by them! I've been fighting off a cold practically since I got here and the last 2 days (minus today) have been pretty rough, to say the least. I bloody hate colds, flus, fevers, and that bum feeling of being sick. But I am finally back on my feet, found some vitamins (Good 'ole B6, B12, C and added minerals) and some Theraflu type stuff. Hopefully that'll do the trick!

But I have found out some interesting stuff recently. I will share one of those things with you now:

In America and Western culture, we have a strange belief that the number 13 is unlucky. Buildings don't usually have a 13th floor and all. Friday the 13th is another example. Well I found out that in Asian culture (Chineese, Japaneese and Korean) the number 4 is like our 13. The number 4 is pronounced much like the word "death" in Mandarian. Like really close.

IRONICALLY enough, I live on the 4th floor in my apartment complex. No wonder the rent is so cheap! Gotta love taking advantage of superstitous situations!

Also, a local Taiwaneese friend of mine recently recommended me a book to read. He said it was spot on. The book is called Taiwan A to Z: The Essential Cultural Guide by Amy Liu.

I have gotten about a third of the way through the book and have found it very interesting and helpful on certain things. I will definitly be sharing things from this book from time to time. One thing that I would like to share from it now. Normally I will just paraphrase, but this section seems hard to paraphrase. This comes from the Chopsticks chapter:

Good etiquette when using chopsticks
Never wave chopsticks to point at things or 'direct traffic' in the restraunt.

Pick food up with the chopsticks; don't spear it - only small children are allowed this infraction.

Put your chopsticks down before picking up a cup or bowl.

Never suck or chew the tips of the chopsticks.

Don't stick chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice. This is only done at funerals, when the sticks resemble incense sticks lit for the dead. This is probably the one things most likely to offend the Taiwaneese.

Never use chopsticks as drumsticks to tap on the rice bowl. That's a beggar's gesture.

Don't use chopsticks as a hair decoration, even though in the past women used them as decorative hairpins.

Don't pick up an item and put it right back in the dish. You should aim before raising your chopsticks. Once you touch it, it's yours.

It may be a polite gesture to pick up the best piece of food from the dish and send it to your guest's bowl or plate. If there are serving spoons or communal chopsticks on the table, use those to get food. If not, reverse your chopsticks and use the other, clean ends to pick up the food.
--P. 38

Pi Day

I was beginning to think that maybe I was being too conservative over here! Well today fixed that.

As you know, today (3.14) is Pi Day. So in honor of that, I decided to not think about math.

I also decided that today would be a great day to do a few cool things. First off, hats off to Michael for taking time out today to take me around Taipei. Definitly found some new favorite places to hang out. The Taipower Building MRT stop is going to be a place I will be visiting a few more times over the coming weeks. It's located near the campus of Normal University. I guess the rest of the universities in the city are not normal.

Also, for you art/cultural lovers out there, the Zhongshan MRT stop is very close to the National Taiwan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. The Mueseum of Modern Art definitly had some...interesting...things in it. The museum changes what it shows almost monthly, and this month was the works of Zhang Huan. Look this guy up if you have the time. He definitly likes doing living art in the nude, but some of his stuff actually is pretty impressive.


The National Taiwan Museum is also pretty cool. Has a lot of the aboriginal Taiwaneese culture things on display, as well as some items from the Japaneese Occupation (1890 - 1945). We went through the 2 mueseums pretty quickly, but we were able to see a bank vault, dinosaur skeltons and other fossils.


For food, I didn't disappoint. I really haven't had much "unique" food since my episode with the snake, so I needed to do some catching up. For lunch, I had a traditional Taiwaneese meal...noodles, pig intestine and oysters. Mmmmmm...


For a mid-day snack, I had chicken butt (yes, a chickens BUTT) and chicken heart. They actually were very good...in fact, what you eat at McDonalds as McNuggets or Taco Bell as a 5-layer burrito probably has a worse mix of meat that what I had today. In all honesty, I can see myself having both of those again.


I did have a normal dinner: cheese pizza with pineapples. I didn't want to push my stomach much more today as I'm sure tonight will be fun.

But yes, Pi Day was quite eventful. I'm thinking I will be staying in Sheng Keng for the next few days though...as my bank account seems to be running lower than I would like at the moment. But anyhow, until next time...

Thai Massage

After a long, gueling week with 50-some 5th graders, I decided to do something relaxing and comforting. And somewhat painful.

That's right, I did s Thai Massage...for an hour and a half. First off, I don't think I've ever had any kind of massage before. I kind of knew what to expect because the guy I went with told me what Thai massages were. What I didn't know is that they can be excruciatingly (I know I butchered the spelling...) painful and amazing at the same time.



The person who did the massage definitly knew what she was doing. And by knowing what she was doing, she made it as PAINFUL as possible. Last night, since I had walked up a miles worth of stairs, I had some pretty bad leg cramps. To get the cramps out during the massage, just imagine that there are marbles stuck to gum inside your leg. To get the marbles out you have to push really hard down toward your toes. After about 5 minutes on the calf and foot, your leg feels like its floating but your nerves are shot. If you've had one of these, you probably at least get the jist of what I'm saying. If not, I say you should at least try a Thai Massage and see what you think. I feel a lot better after taking it.

Here's another sign I saw tonight...thought it was kind of interesting...



Even after looking in that place, I still wasn't exactly sure what they were selling...Maybe bad gas?

Anyhow, the weather is nice again and hopefully this weekend I'll have somemore interesting adventures.

ALMOST there....

Well the end of the first week of teaching is ALMOST here. It's Thursday afternoon here. All of "lesson plans" are almost finished - I only have to teach one more set for 3 classes and I'm just taking them down to the river.

Some things I have learned this week:

Playing duck, duck, goose can be dangerous. We played it in a room with wooden floors and I was wearing socks. While running (and gloating how the kid couldn't catch me) I decided to have a "knee and wrist meet floor" experience. My wrist is still a little sore (and that happened on Tuesday).

Another thing I learned is that the saw grass here can be much sharper than the saw grass back home. Case in point: I cut my finger and after about a pint of blood gone it showed no signs of stopping. But truth be told, it added a little to my legacy...I was told that some of the kids thought that I was "macho". Haha, I guess I can fool them for a week or so...

Third, the spellings on some bootleg merchandise is hilarious. Harley Davidson was spelled "Harely Avidison" and I've been told Nike can be seen spelled "Nikf". I've seen others, but those two were pretty funny.

In 23 hours I'll be done for this week and then I'll have an entire week off...until then...

Another Week, Another Story

Well today was my first "offical" day of working at the school. Minus a technical probelm with Excel and GoogleDocs in the morning, everything else has gone off ok.

And by "ok" I mean I'm still alive. The kids we have this week are definitley more quiet than the last group, but they seem to be a little less intersted too; maybe it's a tradeoff. Gotta love equilibriums.

Also, I apparently left my apartment this morning without grabbing my camera. That's what 3 hours of sleep will do to you. Thank you insomnia and the people who were talking outside in the courtyard til 1 a.m. And the birds. You are very, very loud at times.

Anyhow, there are some good names in this group: My favorite so far is a guy named "One". Like the number. There's also a kid named "Lion", "Tembo" and "Komizu". Since when is Komizu an English name? Come to think of it, I've heard odder names in the states...

The forecast for this week is rain. Rain, and cold weather. The first of this type of stuff since I've gotten here - I guess the good days of 75 degree days with the sun shining couldn't last forever. Now I'm guessing it's a month or two of 50 degree weather with dreary rain. But it does make for some very good pictures of the mountain fog. Too bad I don't have my camera...

Well there probably won't be much to write home about for the next 2 or 3 days, so if that's the case, until then...

More Fun Stories from Taipei

Where to start? I've got a lot of things to write about on this post, so I'll try to condense it as much as possible.

I'll start with an interesting conversation I had with an older lady, but let me give some context to the story first. Me and Casey were at the night market Friday and were eating and talking when a guy around our age comes up to us and starts talking to us in English. Now two things are interesting about that to start with: 1. He's Taiwaneese but has an Australian accent and 2. In Asian culture people NEVER come up to someone they don't know.

We start talking and he had spent 6 months in Australia working (hence his accent) and his mother invited us over to where they were eating so we could - bond? Anyhow, there is a girl a little bit yonger than me there at the table and somehow me and her mother start talking about US - Taiwan relations (Imagine that - me talking politics!). Now the girl is acting as a translator (she is or had studies in England).

What was interesting was that the mother (who I would say was maybe 50) said that she liked Americans but did not like America. I asked her why is that. I mean, we have pretty much stuck our neck out for Taiwan in relation to their right to be "independent" of China (but still the US doesn't "recognize" Taiwan as a "country"). She said that there were two reasons she didn't like the US: 1. We rip off Taiwan when we sell them weapons and 2. She saw what Nixon did in 1972 as selling out Taiwan for the economic interest of the US. I can't say I can blame her for her feelings. It was very interesting to me because I had always assumed that the people of Taiwan would have a very favorable view of the US - but I can definitly understand where she is coming from.

But this is just one person - you can't please everybody.

Anyhow, now to more interesting things... Today I went into Taipei again. And I didn't get AS lost this time! Anyhow, I decided to visit Taipei 101 - which was the tallest building in the world until the one in Dubai opened up earlier this year (but does that count because last I heard they had to close that building because of electrical issues). It only costs about $8 US to take the elevator to the top. Contrast that with the CN Tower in Toronto. It cost like $36 to get to the top of that place. They even have an outside observation deck where you can see smog for miles. It's quite lovely...

After that I decided to start walking in one direction and see what was around. Now I've decided that I have "explorer ADHD" or something. I start walking and then I see some alley where there are people walking around so I go see whats going on. It's actually a good way to see some interesting and unique things. I'll let the video explain what I mean by that...I found this by walking to where the people were:



Anyhow, I did find out a few things today. The night market in Jiantan was the BIGGEST letdown ever. I thought it was going to be this really cool and big night market - I had heard a lot about it. I mean, it's even called a "Tourist Night Market". No. Not even close. It was at best a food flea market. If you want just some local cruisine (which you can find in most any night market) Jiantan is for you. But I don't think I'll head back there for awhile. I headed back to the night market off the Longshan Temple MRT route. I think that is my favorite night market so far - it's the famous one that I ate snake at last week.

Another thing I learned is that it is very difficult to find dudes sunglasses. I walked around for at least 6 hours today and I only found 2 places that had any kind of el cheapo sunglasses for guys.

But I did find a new place that I will be checking out again. Its called Ximen and it seems to be the place to go. While in Ximen I did the riskiest thing since I've been here: I ate at MCDONALDS! I got the Big Mac (which when I saw it, the only thing that went through my mind was "Where's the beef?") But they gave me a large drink and medium fries and it cost about $4 US. One really random thing though that I noticed was that they just gave me 1 ketchup packet. I'm guessing if I asked they would have given me more, but really?! I mean, isn't it self evident that when you have a medium fry you'll use more than half an ounce of ketchup?

Oh going back to the night market off Longshan Temple. I don't know if this was what was going on, but I'm pretty sure it was. I walked kind of off the main part of the market because there was a wall that had some items on it and I wanted to see if there was anything there I needed. Right as I get to the end of the wall (where it turns into the sterotypical creepy dark alley) a woman comes up to me and starts talking to me. I'm just giving her a blank stare but then she grabs my arm and trys to pull me with her into the alley. Now, the first thing that goes through my mind is that she's a hooker. The second thing that goes through my mind is that she's not a hooker but is working with other people to get foreigners (who will have cash on them) into the alley where someone will pull a knife or something on them. So with this immediatley running through my mind I pull my arm away, turn around and get back on the main market area. So the moral of this story is this: during night time, its not a good thing to have "explorer ADHD". I could be wrong though...but I doubt it.

Anyhow, at the end of the day, I was able to find my bus stop very quickly this time. I think I've memorized where they are all at after last weeks fiasco.

Oh and one last thing, I found this crazy looking rock walk thing. It was the most painful thing to walk on barefoot, but after walking on it I felt really good.

Then I saw the sign and it all made sense.

Finishing the Last Post...

Yeah, I have a little more energy now so I figure I'll go more into detail about what's going on here at the school...



The kids we have here are pretty well behaved. I'm not saying they are angels (or 'angles' here...I'll explain that in a minute) but once they understand what we are trying to tell them, they obey.

Some interesting (and cool) things that they do over here in Taiwan that you would NEVER see in the US (thank you Bill Green and the likes...) is that the kids actually WORK. For example, before lunch, the food has to be brought down from the kitchen area that is in a seperate building up a flight of stairs. The kids are required to get the food and bring it down and put it on the table in the cafeteria area (although one kid did drop the grapes today - FAIL!). After a meal, the kids are required to sweep the cafeteria, clean the tables, clean out their dishes and return the pans to the kitchen. Not bad for child labor!

As for the work side, this week I'm more of an observer. I was able to put together my first 2 days of lessons (we have short days Mondays and Fridays due to Orientation and getting the kids to peace out). I'm going to be teaching a set on photography and tie it into things like outside stuff (teaching words like tree, bird, snake, cloud etc), city stuff (bus, skyscraper, dead bodies), and other things like that. I think it will be interesting...whether it works or not is a different story.

My food experience here at the camp has been very positive. For at least the next 2 weeks we will have a restraunt cater for us. They are making all the food here onsite - and it's pretty damn good. After the first 2 weeks the powers that be may decide to get a professional catering service or keep what we got. As of today, my vote is to keep these current guys.

Back to the names thing. I have been pretty amused with some of the names so far. Names ranging from "Black" to "Mix Ting" to misspellings such as "Angle". I've even heard there is a kid named "Wee Wee" or something. I'm still waiting for Obama.

And on Obama, they are obsessed with anyone who is black. Every black person is Obama to them. Ironically, aligators are also Obama. I'll have to research that a little...

Well, I think that's all for now. Not sure if I'll have anything new to post til the weekend, so if not, until then...

Kuolai English Wilderness Opening Day!

So today was pretty cool...we had our opening day here at the school but I must say I am pretty tired. It's amazing that these kids are between 10 and 12 (5th graders) and they are being sent away, for the first time ever for some of them, to a school where they don't understand much - if anything - for a full week. Some of them are definitly doing pretty well, but the majority of them are like I would be if I were in their shoes right now. I'm going to put a videos up of what today was like, so hope you enjoy (I'll try to put more up later)...



Anyhow, as I am tired and it takes a long time to put videos up, I'm going to sleep...

Banqiao Night Market, Taipei City

Today I finally made my grand arrival into Taipei City. Lucky for me I had some good guides to get me to the places to see (thanks to Aaron, Rika and all the others). We started our grand tour of the city by walking to a pretty good vegetarian restraunt. It's amazing how good veggies can taste when they are prepared by someone who knows how to cook them. We also had some kind of tea that is made from leaves of some kind of tree that is found only in southern China. I forget the name of it, but its very similar in taste to tea made out of mushrooms (or so I was told). After that, we all made our way to the Banqiao Night Market Area. We stopped for a tour of Longshan Temple, where Michael was kind enough to give me an immersion experience on how worshippers go through a ceremony. It was a bit foreign to me, but definitly was a learning experience. After leaving Longshan, we headed for the Night Market - a.k.a. The Snake Market. Seriously, if you EVER have a desire to eat foods that might be taboo or found only in certain parts of the world, THIS is the place to come. Everything you can imagine is here. From duck heads to chicken feet to fresh snake (but I'll get into that in a minute). The night market also is pretty much like a Wal-Mart for those of you still in the states. Most anything can be found here. I bought myself a nice hat, some curtains for my apartment - so I can walk around naked and not have to worry about peeping toms ;) - a speghetti pot and a lot of different types of foods... ...one of those being - SNAKE. Yes, I actually ate snake tonight. Not only that, FRESH snake. This thing was literally killed right in front of us. They chopped him up, put him into water, cooked him, and served it as soup. They also gave us complimentary snake venom and blood to drink. Just so you know, we didn't drink the blood, but me and Aaron took care of the venom...well, he kind of sniffed it... Also, the snake blood and venom is HEAVILY dilluted. It's like 98% of something - smelled like vodka, but who knows - and maybe 2% blood or venom. So any kind of poison has been neutralized by the time it gets to my pallete. Tonight I also had pure cane sugar juice, potato balls, sushi, rice wrapped in tofu, coffee jello thingy...honestly I had a lot of different things that I can't quite remember them all. Anyhow, I think tonight was very exciting...although I don't think I will be trying snake again anytime soon. And yes, it tasted like chicken (turkey actually) and it is so bony that it's actually very difficult to eat. If it wasn't that hard to eat, I probably would try eating it again. But as a short side not, last night I tried to order duck at the local night market...being I don't speak Chineese, I figured the best way to order was to look the guy in his eyes and say: "Quack". I think he got a kick out of it, because he proceeded to make me an amazing dish of duck........and squid...and octopus...and liver of some sort...and 2 other mystery meats. I thought it would be a good idea. Maybe it was...but only if I was a big fan of seafood :/ Anyhow, I think that's it. Until next time...

Kuolai Wilderness Experience

So I have been here a few days and have had a pretty good time so far. I think I beat the jetlag by not sleeping until the night I got in town (and my flight arrived around 5:45 am...so it was a bit difficult).

So far I have spent the majority of time here at the school. The schools name is Kuolai English Wonderland and it's situated in almost a paradise in the mountains. The weather has been sunny and warm since I got here. This morning I even saw a bamboo viper snake (it was dead but still cool to see)

One thing that is very important to have is a dehumidifier. I bought one last night at the "French Walmart" and think that it will be one of my largest expenditures (NT$3000). But being that my passport was beginning to rollup because of the humidity, I think it was necessary.

The city that I am living in is Sheng Keng - which translates into "The Hole". Ominious sounding. The apartment is about a 10 minute walk into the city. There is a night market right down the road every Tuesday and Friday - and they have some GOOD food there. There is another night market about a mile and a half away that's open every night.

I've been having a little fun with the Taiwan people who work at the school as translators. I asked them if they knew any southern slang...then proceeded to talk with words such as: y'all, yonder, bo, aint, feller...I think they enjoyed it.

So far I think that this is going to be a pretty fun experience. The people I work with are all helpful and friendly and the locals seem to get a kick out of us Americans.



And yes, I know these pics had NOTHING to do with what I wrote. Deal with it.

Touchdown in Taiwan

I'm enjoying my little cage where I am stringing together christmas lights.

Just kidding.

I must say this: the way to Taiwan was flawless. Everything ran on time. I had two window seats and was in an aisle seat on the long flight (which I was able to sleep around 5 hours on). I am pretty tired right now, but still have 4 more hours of work to do today and then going to get some real Taiwaneese food. Hopefully I won't have any issues with that.

The school I am working at is in an unbelievable location. I'll get some pics up of it soon. I have also been givin a laptop computer, will soon get a cell phone, and found out that I will be living at my apartment by myself. We'll see how that goes...personally I think I'll like it.

Hate to make this one so short, but I have to go do a few things here...

Frank Turner/Flogging Molly Concert

I must say this: It will be hard for there EVER to be a better concert than this one!

We got to the Fillmore Center in Charlotte pretty early yesterday. The doors opened at 7 and we were there around 5:45...best possible decision we could have made!

When we got into the place, we were able to get front row standing area "seats". Not only that, before the concert started John and I were able to meet Frank Turner! We got an autograph from him and two of the other band members and when I told Frank that I would be in Taiwan and that he needed to take his tour there, he told me that they had JUST booked a Hong Kong show and he said if I emailed him, he would put me on the guest list. That's pretty solid.


The concert was amazing. All three bands (Architects, Frank Turner then Flogging Molly) were ace. The concert started right at 8 and went til 11:45. My ears hurt (and so does my body...lets just say when your standing in the very front and there are a thousand people cramming up against you, it can get a bit uncomfortable).


We were also able to shake hands with the Flogging Molly bassist and I caught a water bottle that they threw into the crowd. But I was thirsty. So I drank it. Ha.

Also, thank you Jesse for letting us stay at your place last night. Woke up this morning and my body hurt. But it was definitly worth it!

The List of things left to do...

I really hate it when there are things that need to be done, but the completion of the tasks are completely out of my control.

Two examples of this are (1) receiving the sub cert from Arizona and (2) waiting to get my glasses in from H. Reuben (or however you spell it...)

But there are also things left to do that ARE in my control...I just kept pushing them off...

Included in that list are my tax return, Biomagine's Form 1065 tax return, an oil change for my car (looks like I'll leave that one to the parents...thanks mom and dad!), laundry - which seems to be no fewer than 8 loads...., cleaning up my room and desk area, ACTUALLY packing...

Yeah, it's kind of depressing to think about it. The worst part is I only really have maybe an aggregate of a full day left to do this. I'm heading to Charlotte for the Frank Turner/Flogging Molly concert tomorrow and won't be getting back til Saturday afternoon. Then I'm leaving at 4:35 on Sunday (which means I need to be at the airport at 3:00 - damn you bin Laden). So pretty much tomorrow morning (which I will sleep through) and Saturday night are the only times left to me to get this stuff done.

Maybe working at McDonalds til this recession/depression/collapse is over wasn't such a bad option...less stressful...

The Final Week

The final countdown has begun. This upcoming week will be my final week in the States for a year, but it will not go down without some fanfare (but I'll get to that in a minute).

This weekend has already been pretty nice. We got about 4 inches of snow (maybe a little more) yesterday. I must say that the snowman that was created by Will, Paula, Karen and myself was...well...art. And art has its own special meaning to us all.

For all things Taiwan, things have finally fallen in place. The Arizona Department of Public Safety FINALLY came through and I got my clearance card on Thursday. This allows me now to get my substitute teaching certificate - which is mandatory in having since I will be working for the government. Also, I finally located a power converter (thank you Target for not carrying those anymore...) and also was gifted a pair of GORTEX army boots.

Looking into my travels, it appears I will have to pay $35 dollars for a baggage fee - LAME. Delta charges for ANY bags - which most airlines only charge for additional bags. I will be sure to eat a lot of peanuts and enjoy the planes...facilities...

But this last week is going to be pretty good. Normal weekly activities but come Friday, I'll be in Charlotte for Frank Turner and Flogging Molly. Been waiting for this concert for awhile. The tickets say no cameras...they have got to be KIDDING!

This week my goal is to figure out how to set up this blog to where I can just upload the videos that I can make through my web-cam. It'll save me time typing and I'll probably have more interesting things to say, than type.

Anyhow...until the next post...

My Trip, According to Google Maps

So I figured I would Google Map my trip to Taiwan. I really wanted to know how many miles I was going to be traveling between Columbia and Taipei. So I decided to go to Google Maps and in the Get Directions I put in Columbia,SC and Taipei, Taiwan.

It's 11,719 miles away, 13 hours ahead, and a very interesting route to take...

a. its over 11,700 miles
b. it says i have to kayak across the pacific ocean for about 6500 of those miles
c. i then have to jet ski from japan to china for almost 500 miles
d. then i swim 100 miles from china to taiwan
e. i need to buy a kayak, a jet ski and get some red bulls

I will be taking donations for these needed items ;)

More Taiwan Stuff

soooooooooo

The plan - as of now - is me leaving for Taiwan on February 21...18 days from now!! It's getting really close, but I am excited and ready for it.

I sent off my visa application papers on Monday, got a call from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO...which is like their embassy, since we don't actually recognize Taiwan as a country...or as part of another country...) saying I filled something out wrong, but in 5 minutes we got it all straightened out. So now, I'm waiting for the multiple entry vistor visa to be processed and my passport to be sent back to me.

And this should take all of maybe 10 business days (I'm thinking I could have my passport back by Saturday).

Contrast this with my application process for a substitute teaching certificate from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. I sent in their requested things for my clearance card on January 4, and as of today, still haven't even gotten my clearance card back from them. After the clearance card has been processed and sent to me, then I can apply for a teaching certificate which should take about 2 weeks (and without this, I cannot get my work visa, and hence, won't be getting paid til that is processed). I've talked with a few people who are already over in Taiwan and they all say that I probably will be in Taiwan before I get my teaching cert, but that once its receieved someone can just scan it over and it should all be groovy.

Things I still need to do include setting up my IBan routing number, but since my primary bank is a small credit union, I need to set up an account with BoA or Wachovia (Wells Fargo for those who REALLY care). I still nneed to get electrical adapters, and I need to get a new pair of glasses, since mine are broken.

But in other news...

FRANK FREAKING TURNER CONCERT ON FEBRUARY 19!!!! I've been looking forward to this concert for a long time. The ticket says no cameras...which is truly a bummer if they are enforcing that. Camera phones? I think so. Oh, and he's the supporting show for Flogging Molly. Best. Concert. Ever.

Well, I think that about does it for now. I'll be back with something interesting to write about soon. I just know it...

So...as of now...it's NOT legal

So how does the law read as of today? And what is the Obama administration trying to pass?



Seems to me that Judd is right.

Good Recent Book Quotes

There is a very strong temptation...for government forces to act outside the law, the excuses being that the processes of law are too cumbersome, that the normal safeguards in the law for the individual are not designed for an insurgency and that a terrorist deserves to be treated as an outlaw anyway. Not only is this morally wrong, but, over a period, it will create more practical difficulties for a goverment than it solves. A government which does not act in accordance with the law foreits the right to be called a government and cannot expect its people to obey the law. Functioning in accordance with the law is a very small price to pay in return for the advantage of being the government.

-- Sir Robert Grainger Ker Thompson, Defeating Communist Insurgency: Experiences from Malaya and Vietnam (1966)

The Nazis and Fascists were convinced that they were, as an admiring Anne Morrow Lindbergh called them, 'the wave of the future.' To celebrities from the West the societies created by the Duce and the Fuhrer were impressive. They seemed efficient. There were no strikes, no demonstrations, no disrespect for authority. The Gleichschaltung – political coordination and the elimination of opponents – of Hitler’s new order meant more productive assembly lines, organized holidays for workers, and an inspired patriotic youth…The young were the most ardent Nazis, but enthusiasm for the regime was found among Germans of every age and on every social level. They had always been a regimented people, and did not seem to mind the loss of personal freedom. They rallied to the slogans “Gemeinnutz vor Eigennutz” (“The Common Interest before Self-interest”) and “Kanonen statt Butter” (“Guns instead of Butter”). Those who preferred liberty and butter absconded or remained silent. In the Third Reich Gleichschaltung wasn’t for everybody, just everybody who wanted to live.

--The Last Lion: Alone 1932 – 1940 P. 506

Law arms the weaker, when the cause is just.

--The Theban Play P. 98

Philly and Boston Part 2

Well, I had to cut short my other stops...a foot of snow in Ocean City (and their lack of snowplows) made it non-accessible. While back in the DC area, we got around 6 inches of snow.

Anyhow, back to the Philly and Boston overview...

History

First, Philadelphia:

Obviously there was a lot of things to see in Philly when it came to history. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, old churches. Independence Hall was a very nice stop. They offer free tours inside the building, with someone who will tell you about the history of the rooms and take questions from anyone if they have them. Obviously with the signing of the Declaration of Independence taking place there (not to mention everyone of importance during the Revolution being there at one time or another) it's worth seeing.


The Liberty Bell is in a stand alone modern looking glass building across the street from Independence Hall. It is also free to go see...just make sure you don't have any weapons on you...

We also got to see both an old Methodist church and a very large Mason building, side by side, directly in front of the State House. Didn't get to explore them, but figured I'd mention them.

Boston:

The Old North Church, were Paul Revere had his signal laterns for the British landing, was pretty cool. They actually still use the church too. The original lanterns used are still displayed in the steeple of the church.

Paul Revere's house is about 2 blocks behind the church. This whole area of town still has a very old timey feel to it. It's definitly a bit more upscale in price (and Italian) but nice to drop by and see. About 3 blocks east (if the North Church is to your back or south) are the Irish eateries. The TD Garden, where the Bruins and Celtics play, is about 3 blocks south of the Old North Church. Very navagatable and close quarters.

Although I didn't get a chance to see it, a Bunker Hill memorial is maybe a quarter mile from the Old North Church. So there is a lot of historical landmarks all around Boston.

Anyhow, like I said in my last post, I enjoyed Boston the most, but both cities have their own draws. If you like museums and maybe a bigger city feel, but want to eat at TGI Fridays or go to Best Buy, then Philly is for you. If you want to be in a more college centered city, with a lot of old churches, historical landmarks, ethnic areas, and local eateries and not feel like you are looking up all the time, then Boston is for you (oh, and if you hate the Yankees too).


****Correction**** by state house i "obviously" meant city hall. thanks doug for the correction. ;) 2/3/10

Philly and Boston Part 1

The past 4 days I've been to Philadelphia and Boston. Never been to either before.

There are a lot of things I could write about: the hotels, the cities, the people, the experience, the toll roads, the history...

Let's start with the cities.

Philadelphia:

The city was built pretty compact (at least in the area I was in). There were a lot of skyscrapers, underground parking garages, historical sites, museums and entertainment centers built all within a 2 or 3 mile circumfrence. You could start at Independence Hall and walk 4 blocks and be at the State House. Looking from the State House you could look in all directions at very modern (and tall) skyscrapers. Walk another 4 blocks and you would be in the heart of the edcuation district, with libraries, parks/monuments, museums and art institutes.



The people were fairly friendly in Philadelphia...although one lady me and Beau ran into made a fairly poor assumption. Let's just keep it at that...

I think that Philly will give DC and Miami a run for their money for having the least patient drivers. They love their horns. It's like drag racing, where its a reflex of green light to gas pedal. In Philadelphia, its green light to horn reaction time.

We did get to see Body Worlds 2 at the Franklin Museum. Kind of creepy, but definitly an experience you should have if you go to Philly between now and April 18. Not as long to get through as I was thinking it would (took us about 75 minutes, and we were going slow) but for $19, it's not bad.

And I can say I had an authentic philly cheesesteak sandwhich. It was good.

Boston:

Boston is much more spread out than Philly. And there seems to be at least 20 universities and colleges just in Boston. We spent our time mostly in the financial district (give a mile in any direction from there). Never got to get over to the MIT side of Boston, but I made it a priority to see Fenway Park first. When there are baseball games there, it must be a madhouse. Fenway probably takes up less room than Capital City Stadium in Columbia, SC, is lined with restraunts, bars, and even a high school directly across from the stadium (I would have never passed high school had I gone there).

I got to walk the city by myself on Thursday and saw a few historical sites. Also got to see where the Bruins and Celtics play. We did get slammed by a snow storm Thursday night, but it was actually pretty cool.



Surprisingly, there are quite a few parts of downtown Boston where it's quiet. Kind of eerie. But judging by the cars parked along the road and the way the townhouses look, you need to have a net worth in excess of $2 million to live in that area...just my guess.

Personally, I liked Boston better than Philly, but maybe I'm biased being a Red Sox fan. And in neither city did I ever feel unsafe. I actually felt safer walking the streets of these cities than I do walking up Gervais Street in front of the State House in Columbia (then again, these were the very upscale areas). Go figure...

Toll Roads:

I got to say that there is no way I could have spent less than $70 on toll fees. The roads are very well kept on these roads, but damn...cut me some slack! Aren't these roads originally paved with taxpayer dollars through the Federal Highway Funds which are taxed through gasoline taxes? Maybe the idea behind it is to keep gridlock down, charge drivers to use the roads, which will cut down on unnecessary trips. I don't know, but I know this: To hell with toll roads.

Well, it's 1 a.m. and I am very tired. No sleep last night and drove for 8 hours today. I'll finish the rest of this later...probably on Monday.

To the north, to the north...

Well, I'm in DC right now...been watching the football games all day and so far am very pleased at the outcomes (I was pulling for Indy and am HOPING the vikings can pull out a victory).

It has been raining all day so there really hasn't been much I could do. Yesterday I went into DC...walked around all the touristy places (the big pointy thing and the white building with the dome on it) and also went to the Library of Congress. Never had been there before but have to say I was very impressed. They had a 5 panel map from China from like 1602 of the world...and it was VERY accurate. I was shocked.

Also found out how to take a tour of the white building with the dome on it (aka capitol building). You can go in person or click here to go to the website.

Tomorrow me and Beau are heading to Philly. We are staying at more of a bed and breakfast called Society Hill Hotel. I know absolutely nothing about Philly, the area, or where this hotel is...but I know it's gonna be fun!

I'll try to get some pictures up as well. But until then...

Hilarious

The Sleep Talkin' Man...

Northeast Expedition

So looks like I have my trip to the Northeast planned finally. I will be going to DC (Jan 22 - 24), Philly (Jan 25, 26), Boston (Jan 27, 28), back to DC (Jan 29) and then Ocean City, MD (Jan 30 - Feb 1).

Should be a lot of fun...never been to either Philly or Boston before. Then the Frank Turner/Flogging Molly concert in Charlotte is on February 19...following that up with my flight to Taiwan (which I finally booked). Leaving for Taiwan on February 21! More to come on that though...

New Toy

So I have been looking for an instrument to USB cord for awhile and today I finally found one. I went to target and got one for $45, which compared to the "bundle packages" I've seen at Best Buy and others (which included software and other crap) this was not a bad deal. The cable was a First Act 10-foot cable.

I went ahead and bought the cable and downloaded both Audacity and Cool Edit Pro (free music creating software) and my only current problem is that the sound card on my laptop will switch between the speakers and the USB cable. So in order to hear what I just played out of the laptop speakers, I need to unplug the USB cable. I see future difficulties (and repair bills) but it works for now.


Whats cool about the Cool Edit Pro software is that it will also allow me to layer sounds too...so if I were to add a microphone and/or another instrument, I can layer them to sound like it was a full band playing. Pretty cool I think.

Oil Reserves

So I have been doing some catch-up reading on some older The Economist magazines. Came across something I thought was interesting. This is from the June 13 - 19, 2009 issue, page 101:

Although the price of oil peaked at $147 a barrel in 2008, the world's proven oil reserves - thoses that are known and recoverable with existing technolog - fell only slightly, to 1,258 billion barrels, according to BP, a British oil company. That is 18% higher than in 1998. OPEC tightened its grip slightly in 2008, and commands slightly more than three-quarters of proven reserves. Saudi Arabia and Iran together account for almost one-third of the total. Venezuela, with nealy 8%, has the largest share of any non-Middle Eastern country. BP reckons that if the world continues to produce oil at the same rate as lst year, global supplies will last another 42 years, even if no more oil reserves are found.

I find it amazing how oil reserves in the past 10 years have actually GROWN by 18%, but the price of oil (and as of today, its spot price is $82.66/barrel) has grown by over 400%!

Taiwan Bound?

Well, it looks like I am finally getting somewhere with this teaching English in Taiwan adventure. The past 3 weeks I have applied to many places, gone through a placement agency and used (my brothers) networks to get things rolling. But let me make some observations:

1. I am thinking that when schools ask that you come in for an interview in person (that is come to Taiwan without the knowledge if you will be hired or not) they are saying "We'll call you..."

2. When I paid the University of South Carolina $200 per semester in "technology fees" and it still takes them OVER 3 months to get me my diploma, I think there is a problem. Being I graduated on December 14 and they said that we should receive our diplomas in March, this could cause some problems with my work visa for Taiwan. If transcripts don't work, I'll be camping outside the registrars office until I get my diploma. And I'll do it too...

3. For the school that I will be working at, some kind of teaching certificate is required. Now, most of the other ones I applied to didn't require this, but it's fine. But what is interesting is that I will be a certified substitute teacher in Arizona. I haven't even been to Arizone before...

4. When a placement agency sets up an interview with you, and then they stand you up, you make sure you give them a shout out. Thank you Reach To Teach Recruiting. Luckily, it was my backup school in Korea. So no worries.

I have a feeling this will be a very interesting next couple of months. No doubt, there will be setbacks, but hopefully I can stay on top of these things and get moving.

More to come...

Atlantic City - Bruce Springsteen

A little of this, a little of that

So I finally graduated. Yep, I made it. Somehow.

This past week, I have done a little bit of traveling. On Thursday, I headed to Charleston with some friends. Played a little basketball (got schooled) and did a little running (got cramped). That night, we went to downtown Charleston and went salsa dancing. By the way, I can't dance. No matter how hard I try. It's impossible. But that has never stopped me.

We went to Southend Brewery and Smokehouse for the salsa dancing. They had a $5 cover charge. Never have been a fan of a cover charge. But I guess since they had a live DJ and had to pay him, they needed to pass on those costs to the consumer. Thanks capitalism.

There were several things I liked about Southend. For one, it was a microbrewery (well, they had their own beers, but their "vats" were encased and really small, nothing like Hunter Gatherer here in Columbia, so I think that they make the beer elsewhere). I tried two of their beers and had to say that they were actually very good - and only $3.50!!

Another thing I liked was that the restruant was actually 3 stories (they have both an elevator and stairs) and they have a "gawking" area set up so you can look down on the people below you. On the 3rd floor, they have another bar, dart boards and a few pool tables. Unfortunatley, they had already closed the bar - or so the bartender told me - so we couldn't play pool. Ever hear of coin slot operated tables?! Anyhow...

The music was good, the atmosphere was overall friendly (minus the short stocky black guy who came over to where we were sitting and said "this is my table" like 8 times. Yeah, I heard you the first time.) I would defintly recommend hitting this up if you're in Charleston sometime.

Then Friday I went to Aiken, SC and Augusta, GA. Never really have been to either of them before. Didn't actually do anything in Aiken. But Augusta was a very nice place. They have a great layout for their downtown, with parking on both sides of the street and parking lots built in every other block in the middle of the road. Very nice, very convienent, and very busy.

We went to a place called Firehouse (I think) and it was pretty interesting. In Georgia, unlike South Carolina, they don't have a smoking ban in bars. Not a big fan of laws governing our actions, but have to say I do like SC's laws a little better. But they had fair prices on their drinks (domestics seemed priced about $2 each) and they had a few local microbrewery beers on tap. Besides Firehouse being where the local wildlife of Savannah hangs out, it was a good place. Had a pool table and a very tiny bathroom. Just FYI's. I was also told the womens bathroom had showcurtains for dividers. Now that's classy.

Next up for me will be - hopefully - Boston and Philly. Maybe NYC? I don't know yet, but I'm going to try to get up that way sometime after Christmas. More to come...

Been an interesting past couple of days...

Yesterday, randomly around lunch time, my cell decided to just stop working. The screen just blanked out, no warning...just bam! But since it was still under the factory warranty, they sent me a new one (in less than 24 hours!) for free. Unfortunatly, they couldn't transfer any of the data I had...so all my contacts, pictures, videos - lost. And I had some good stuff in there. Oh well.

Tonight, I saw my first ever "professional" play - in America. I had seen Chicago and The Tempest in England years ago, but I had never seen a professionally done play before. I saw Rent, which from what I was told had a great cast. I thought it was pretty cool and think its something everyone should do.

Today was my last day at the governors office. Not much to write home about. I have to say that the internship was, for "experience" purposes, almost a complete waste. Minus the fact that I was able to sit in on a state supreme court hearing (Sanford v. Ethics Committe) and got to make a few contacts at some of the state agencies, all I can say is that the opportunity cost made me lose out in about $700 per month. So not cool. Not cool at all.

Tomorrow is my last day at Avista. I've been there for 2 and a half years, and although I really do love the people I work with, it's time to move on. I've been a "glorified" telemarketer and think I max out on what I could learn about a year ago.

Graduation is on Monday. Ironically I have my last final that day too. Way to give me a parting middle finger there, USC. But come 3:30 on December 14 (and me passing a certain final that I took on Monday) I will be done with college - and none too soon. Burned out doesn't begin to explain it. But I made it, with a double major in business (accounting and management) and a minor in political science.

Right now, I'm trying to get a job teaching english abroad. I'm concentrating my efforts in getting into Taiwan. Not really sure why - I know almost nothing about the Asian culture. But maybe that's why I want to do it - no real predisposed biases and something that I can only learn from. It would be a year long thing and I could be leaving as soon as the end of January. I am all for it, but I may have started my application process a little too late. If it's meant to be, a door will open. Or the security system will be off so I can knock open the door......

Ray LaMontagne

Ray LaMontagne is in my opinion a more chill artist than Jack Johnson, but has a much wider variety of songs, and a much better lyric writer. Here is a sample of one of his songs...listen to the words, I think they will blow you away...

The End of Ideology and Beginning of Wandering

So for many, this may come as sort of a surprise:

I really couldn't give two shits about politics.

You see, after all the reading I've done over the past 4 years, the conversations I've had with people of all persuasions, and working for a politican for the past semester (yes, the famous Governor Sanford of South Carolina), I must admit, politics is too much banter, too little governing.

So at the ripe old age of 23, I'm looking for something new.

So what will it be? It's easy for me to get into anything. I love sports, music, friends, beer, dogs, cats, long walks on the beach, roller coasters, zoos, snow, sun, and sleeping. Food too.

With this in mind, what encompasses all of the things I love most? I thought long and hard about it. At least 6 minutes.

And I came up with an answer...

Travel

Yes, I think the next thing that I will begin to do, begin to study, begin to write about, begin to live is travel. And as a college graduate with a business empahasis, finding time right now to travel should be no problem.

So with the political ideology behind me (but don't confuse that with me saying I will never dive into the subject again. It's just I'm going to be focusing on others things for the next chapter of my life) the new passion will be travel, and all that it encompasses.

And lucky for me, it's a lot. So far, I'm already planning a few trips around a Frank Turner/Flogging Molly concert; also looking at hitting up DC, Boston, and Philadelpia. Even an outside chance of doing that teach english abroad in Taiwan for a year. Imagine that?

Well, I guess I have to graduate college first, so I better get back to studying for my finals - my final finals. Strange how real this is...

Ouch

For the crap FOXNEWS gets...it's good to be the king

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/

Good Website

Be part of the grassroots movement that will soon be called "un-American activity" and send this to all of your Obama/ex-Obama friends...

http://www.iamsorryivotedforobama.com/

De-Cap and Trade

Enjoy <-------

40%

With the new Nigerian-Russian oil deal, about 40% of oil and gas to western europe is now controlled by the Russians.

Personally, I am a bit concerned.