Officially on holiday

It's the day after Christmas. I'm up in the mountains somewhere with my friend, Emile. We're both on vacation till Jan 5th and it's pretty awesome to not have to work. This place that we're at now is pretty cool. Its a cafe/wooden lodge that's perched on a hill. We're the only ones here (friday afternoon) and I can't really complain.

Marcus and Brandon were in town last weekend with their parents and had dinner along with Grace. Afterwards, we met up with Andrew at Hooters (out of all the places in Taiwan, he just had to go to Hooters). So the 5 of us chilled at my place for a bit before hitting the local KTV. Ah, how great it was to hear Brandon sing Temptation and Boys II Men songs -- not to mention him groovin to NSYNC. Good times!

Miss HK will be in town this weekend, so I'm totally lookin forward to that.

Current mood: ^_________^

I [Heart] Tequila!

Roommates and I had a pre Xmas partay on Sat. Let's just say it ain't never dull when there's tequila and lil 420 involved.

Most of the pics are posted on facebook. Enjoy!

Turn right and right again...oh, there it is!

Scootering around the city at nite has its perks. For one, less traffic = less road rage. Proving that I do have memory like an elephants, I found my way to Miramar and once I saw that damn ferris wheel, my problems ceased to exist.

That particular ferris wheel has a special place in my heart. I used to go there with Amanda when we were down or couldn't sleep. I can still remember our talks about the future, the many curve balls in life, enjoying the view from atop of the ferris wheel and me getting freaked out cuz I'm scared of heights. (the ferris wheel is perched on top of shopping mall --i wanna say on the 8th floor?)

While our problems were never really solved, just being away (not to mention being stranded in a suspended tin box for a good 2-3 mins) gave me a sense of calm that I needed. And that is exactly how I feel whenever I see that wheel.

There's a Wal-Mart type store right next to Miramar and we would go 'shop' afterwards. I remember this one time -- I think it was like 2AM and we went to look around and Amanda really wanted an ice cream cone. But no one was manning the counter (duh, it was like 2AM), so she reaches over the counter, pulls out a cone and starts doing it herself. Me, being a goody goody, started to panick (they execute prisioners here!). Of course people saw and when I saw them coming over, I yelled "RUN!"... which is exactly what we did. I know stealing ice cream isn't a big offense, but I'd like to think we were rebels that night -- mutha effin rebels.

Pill Popper

Yes, I've become a pill popper. This effin virus apparently evolved or something and now I'm coughing like crazy and I have fluids coming out of my nose. I stopped by the clinic over lunch and the docs like 'oo~ you got worse...'

No shit, Sherlock.

So he gave me hella pills. Its like Skittles but in different shapes/sizes. Oh oh, and this time around, I got a syrupy thang too (tastes like shit). Or maybe bitter, cuz I totally sound bitter right now.

1.5 hours of work to go.

Tis the season!

OMG.... This might be the longest MIA blogging for me. So where to start? I wonder if I should be like that movie, Momento, and start now and work my way back... but that would be confusing huh and I don't think I have the mental capacity to pull it off. So I will be unoriginal and start with 'where I last left off...'

Where the fuck did I last leave off? ha~ Oh yeah. So I adopted a puppy. A Corgi/Taiwanese mix. Cute as a button, housebroken, extremely well behaved -- but I found out I was allergic to all his shedding. Who would've thunk? Found him new owners after a week of having him and it was heartbreaking to see him go.

Went to HK for an actual weekend getaway (and not some lame ass transfer flight) to meet up with *drumroll please* Carrie and the Wakabayashi's! Thanks again Carrie lah for letting me crash at your place! It was awesome seeing them in HK and realized that it would be our 10 year reunion next year. Time to start planning for a reunion party!!

Moved apts and now I'm learning to adjust to having roommates again. Yes, there have been some roommate issues -- just reconfirming my decision that Taiwanese guys are immature little girls. But whatever, its all about compromising and I will learn to accept his immaturity, but NOT his irresponsibilty. Plus, out of the blue, I got hit with mutha effin virus and it may be karma telling me to stop talkin shit.

[Hey Karma, totally noted! I will stop talkin schmack.]

AND b/c of this mutha effin virus, I took 2.5 days off of work. Yeah, me takin sick days off! I NEVER take sick days. But it was koo cuz one of my roommates caught the lazy bug and kinda didn't go to work either. lol~

So now it's le weekend. I spent all day yesterday in bed, catching up Gossip Girl - season 1. Felt really nice, but I woke today with a sore throat still. WTF! I mustered up all my energy and took the bus to my favorite weekend hotspot, QK, to write this blog and enjoy a couple hours of me time.

Oh, I'm thinkin about adopting another dog again. This time, I'ma gonna rub my face against his fur and if I don't start heezing/die, I'ma taking him home! I also have a bunch of vacation days coming up and I CANNOT WAIT! Don't really have any planned -- which is nice. It'll be Carpe Diem week for me.

So yeah, I think I've pretty much summed up the past couple of months. I left out a few details, but this is good.

Me = Clumsy

My calves keep getting branded from scooter exhaust pipes! I have a half moon shape burn mark on my right calf and something that looks like an "X" on my left calf. WTF!!!

So much for wearing capris....

Financial Crisis 101

http://biznik.com/articles/financial-crisis-101-the-way-it-works?category_id=money-financing

Kristi sent me this article explaining the financial crisis in lame men terms. Great read!

Thanks Kristi lah!

Boot Camp (ing)

Day 1 boot camp: 26 mins / 3km

Day 2: 33 mins / 4km

Day 3: OT-ing

Day 4: 40 mins / 5km

Day 5: 40 mins / 5km

Day 6: rest

FREEDOM!

I'm FREEEEEE!

Tonite was my last 'business english' class. Some of the students came up to me after class and was like "why aren't you teaching this class anymore? we like your style! you have such a great voice, but we didn't understand what you were saying..." lol!~

so yeah, I'm freeeeeee!

I also told my landlord that my company's shipping me off to China end of Nov/early Dec. Just a lil white lie cuz I'm planning on getting a place with 2 other folks and I want my deposit back (since my year contract ain't up yet).

Now I can start workin out again. Must get back on the mill el pronto!

[...]

I wonder if its possible to be burnt out by doing absolutely nothing.

Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, .... Poe?

Its 12:39am. I want to SLEEP! But I can't. I won't. I hate insomnia!

Carrie recommended flipping through a philosophy book, but I wanna go straight to the pills. Grr.

So here I am blogging -- hoping the rhythmic sounds on the keyboard will slowly, but surely, put me into a deep slumber soon.

Taiwan was hit with another typhoon this past weekend. Can you believe that shit? 3 freakin typhoons in a month. That's gotta be some kind of record?! I got Monday off (which was sweet!) but I'm dreading Tuesday morning and all the unread emails at work.

Woolly Mammoth

There's a woolly mammoth exhibit going on right now at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. I've been meaning to go for the longest time (its in town from 7/1~11/4) and kept putting it off. I had read in the papers earlier this year about how researchers excavated a preserved woolly mammoth and I found that super interesting for some reason.

Imagine my shock when the exhibit came to Taiwan!

Now that I've seen it, my feelings are split over the exhibit. For one, it was a whole mammoth like I thought it would be. The exhibit had 3 separated body parts. 1) just the head 2) a foot 3) partial head/face of a baby mammoth. I mean, it was cool to see, but I was hoping for something straight out of hollywood (add a few cavemen next to it -- just kidding).

A nice surprise was to see people of all ages enjoying the exhibit. Sure, the little kids were running around and being annoying, but I'd like to believe they learned something.

Another tidbit of my life this week was venting about my teaching performance. Elite English has an online website for teachers and students to log onto to schedule classes and rate teachers. The rating system is a simple (+) for good, (-) for bad. Well, at one point, I was at 2 (which is good), but for some freakin reason, I'm now at -1. WTF!

I dont think I get docked pay, but its like a slap in the face. The (-) points came from my EC1 class on Fridays and yesterday in class, I was like "who gave me a (-)!?" I'm assuming the girl students were the one's giving out the (-)'s cuz it was all boys yesterday. Man, girls are beeyotches. Ha~

The guys in the class last nite said not to worry... they'll log on and give me (+)'s so I won't be (-) anymore. Aw, how sweet.

1 little sheep, 2 little sheep, ...

I survived another typhoon. Go me!

It's 12:51 am and for the nth night in a row, I can't sleep. Having a 3 day weekend didn't really help much to 'fix' my sleeping problem. In fact, I think it made it worse cuz I just slept in all 3 days. So what's been on my mind thats making me an insominiac chica? I have no clue. Or maybe I do and am just too damn stubborn to admit that I need change. So much for stability, normalcy and not living like a nomad.

I am a firm believer in fate and the powers that be, so I know change will come soon. My most recent experience was the idea of getting a new cell phone. I bought my Nokia phone in April and right when I had the date/time set, I was already tired of it. But considering the phone wasn't cheap, I stuck with it. Fast forward to 4 months later, my lovely sister drops my previous phone (sony ericsson) down the toilet and will need a replacement.

Ah, fate works in mysterious forms. Not really knowing if the Sony Ericsson phone was truly dead, I did a price comparison on this new Sony Ericsson flip phone that I've been eyeing. Not cheap, but doable.

And then fate struck again -- this time in the form of a cab door. Friday evening... the weather dreary and typhoony (yes, that's a word). I decided to cab it back home and totally forgot that my phone was in my pocket. Well, the damn phone fell out right when I was getting into the cab and the freakin door slammed onto the screen. (must've been some effin good timing too) So the screen went berserck on me and I had to get a new cell phone. WTF~ I think I was more annoyed than happy at the situation, but regardless, the nokia is being fixed as I type and now I have a new phone.

Fate~

PS. I've decided to fuck the bikes. Going on this fate thang, it ain't THAT hard to buy a bike and for some reason unbeknownst, its a fuckin pain in my arse. So instead, I'm gonna save the money and hopefully head to HK/Beijing in October to meet up with Kristi and Kei! Now that sounds more awesomey than some overpriced bike that'll most likely get stolen -- even if its parked right next to a police station.

Old Skool

Listening to old skool tunes.

Qtip's Westside
Sir Mixalot's Baby got back
Salt n Pepper's Shoop
Jay Z's Big Pimpin
Not really old skool, but I love Twista's Hope [featuring Faith Evans]

Flight Mini, RD 806, Flight Mini, RD 806...

My heart (and wallet) is torn between these bikes.




Flight Mini 0
20 speed @ 20 pounds (!!)
US$600

Pros: lightweight, compact, great for long distances, super uber cool design
Cons: expensive as hell, must be parked indoors for constant fear of being stolen



RD 806
6 speed @ 30 pounds (foldable)
US$200

Pros: foldable, design is cool, easy on the wallet
Cons: heavy (for a foldable), might not be great for long distances/hills (only 6 speeds)

I'm gonna head to the Giant store later and ask the store owners if they have this model in stock:



Flight Mini 1
18 speed @ 22pounds
US$ N/A

Pros: lightweight, compact, great for long distances, cheaper than Flight Mini 0
Cons: still more expensive than the RD 806 (i'm assuming), fear of getting stolen

Sigh... why are bikes all of a sudden so freakin expensive!??!?!

Biker Chick

Kinda splurged and bought me self a folding bicycle!

It's still at the shop and I'm debating if I should switch from the 16in wheels to the 20in wheels and maybe add suspension... Oh, how my life revolves around these life altering decisions~ =P

Back in routine

Its Sunday.

Sunny (finally) and I'm at my regular Sunday hot spot with a cool cup/glass of green milk tea and a slice of thick toast with peanut butter. I can't recall how many Sunday's have started off like this, but sadly, its' been at least 5-6 weeks that I haven't been here.

Alas, another summer is ending and here are my top 10 moments:

1. Moving into my fobulous apt (marks the first time I'm able to pay for shit on my own. lol)
2. Flying home to attend my sisters graduation and visiting folks
3. Kunming biz trip and meeting senior citizens from all over
4. Hamburg biz trip
5. Tracy visiting Taiwan
6. All the layovers at the Hong Kong International Airport
7. Getting 3 extra classes at Elite English
8. Saw Tsai Jian Ya (famous singer) live at Room 18. (she is freakin awesome singing live!)
9. KTV nite with Tiffany, Claire and Emile
10. All the C1O gatheringments

This is only a drill

I stopped by the bank yesterday to deposit a check and right when I gave the teller my deposit slip, loud ass sirens starting going off. I thought I won a prize or something, but the bank manager was like "ma'am, you can't leave the bank for the next 30mins. please take a seat..."

I was thinking to myself wtf is going on? The security guard did a whole lock down and cars/scooters on the street had to park it on the side and most came into the building. It was then that I remembered that the city initiated a practice drill just in case a neighboring country were to attack.

Since I didn't bring my cell phone, I had to use the banks to call the office and let them know I was kinda, sorta held hostage and not skipping out on work. When I told Anny, the marketing assistant, of the situation, she thought I meant the bank was being robbed and I was one of the hostages. Aiya~

So yeah, htat's my exciting story.

Heading out to RM 18 tonite to see 蔡建雅 live! Hope I can get a pic with her.

Hamburg Debrief

Ok, catching up on my blog...

Hamburg trip:

Only one word can sum up my biz trip to Hamburg, which is AWESOME! The product development seminar was 4 days of blending, flavoring and ntm's (non tobacco materials such as filters, paper, package). The objective of the seminar was to create a factory made cigarette that would be accepted by society and garner mutual respect between smokers and non smokers. I'm sure ALL tobacco companies want a product like that. lol~

At at the end of the 4 days, we presented our 'product' to a panel of judges and partied afterwards. Ryan, a brand executive in the Shanghai office, and I were the only Asian people there and when we were at a posh lounge bar after dinner, decided to teach the rest of the folks Chinese drinking games. It was totally awesome. And everyone really got into it.

---- break ----
I'm at a tea shop and there's these 4 girls (jr.highish) and 1 girl has a coach bag and 1 girl has a gucci bag. yeesh~
--- break over ---

I extended my trip an extra 3 days/2 nights b/c I thought the next time I would be in Hamburg would probably be in a really, really, really long time. I met up with my old boss, Oliver, who currently splits his time between Hamburg and London. Him and his gf took me out to a few hot spots and it felt really nice to see him again.

Top 5 moments in Hamburg:

1. Cruisin Reeperbahn (red light district)
2. Teaching "hai dai" drinking game to the Imperial folks
3. Meeting Imperial folks from all over
4. Learnin about blending, flavoring, etc
5. Eating all the cold cuts and bratwursts!

Reboot

Took my laptop to tech support on Monday to get rebooted. Great thing is that it's running a helluva lot faster. Bad thing: I need to find another copy of Office, redownload a bunch of shit (that will probably make my laptop run slower) and figure out what websites were in my favorites file. sigh~