This is not the post you’re looking for….

Yes, I’m aware that everyone would really like to know what’s happen with my personal life, the not so new anymore boyfriend, leaving my job for four months, moving to France for that time … etc.  But tough… lol I don’t wanna write about that right now so neener (It’s my blog I’ll write what I wanna).

So today I went to dinner with Tony and Joel, and played a game after dinner.  Then rushed over to 3C, a local electronics store, to try to by a new laptop (netbook).  Now here is the things about 3C, they have this silly membership thing going on and then you supposedly get much better prices on electronics.  Now the reality is they are a little cheaper than many other stores, IF you get the member price (membership isn’t free mind you, you have to pay for it).  But if you don’t get the membership price then it ends up a bit more expensive than another store.

So every time I go there I play the stupid foreigner card, like I cruse up to the till and then seem deeply perplexed that the price isn’t as advertised.  They explain it’s due to the membership price and as I don’t have a membership I don’t get that price.  Now at this point I used to continue to play stupid and pout a little until they gave up and gave me the member price, but honestly I don’t have the patience for that anymore.  So, when they ask for my membership card I tell them I don’t have one, followed in the same breath with, but they always give me the membership price.

I do it so quick they usually don’t have anytime to think about it.. and merely blink a couple of times… say… “oh Zhan zhi? Uh.. Hao” Which basically translates to “oh, it’s like that? Uh.. ok”.  They look a little unsure for a second and then completely fold like a house of cards in a stiff breeze.  😀  On occasion I run into a hardass or a wannabe hardass who is a stickler for the rules, at which point I just point out that I don’t have to buy my things here and if they can’t be co-operative I won’t.  They almost always cave then, honestly I think in ten years there has been one occasion where I just left the store not buying anything… and simply went to another of their stores (it’s a huge chain).

On occasion they have very good prices and especially after Chinese New Year, you know how after Christmas back home they clear out old stock, same deal here just it happens after Chinese New Year I guess.  Anyway They have a web page that they guy at the store showed me and I spend a bunch of time pootling about on there.  www.tkec.com.tw, it’s actually pretty good if you read Chinese or your browser translates for you.

I was supposed to buy my new computer (a new small laptop) in France because Regis found a some really good prices online in France.  But the computer that I wanted went up in price in France and dropped here.  So VOILA I get a new toy right now! Win.

As I said I went to 3C and unfortunately they didn’t have the exact model I wanted new, so I could have a display model or get a new one a little bit less pimp (sniffle) and save 3000nt (hundred dollars Canada).  But again it’s the membership price, but I rolled over him right at 10pm (just as they were closing) and just informed him that I always get the member price. DONE.  And I got an extra 1000 nt off (well actually the price online was 1000 less than the posted price in the store), WIN.  And when I asked at the original store they told me that it would cost 1500 to upgrade the ram from 2gig to four gigs, but this guy upgraded my ram to 4gigs for only an extra 600nt.  So that means, 10999 plus 600 for a total of 11599 yay, WIN.  That ends up being 3600nt (120cad) cheaper than the computer was going to cost me in France, for a computer that’s a bit better (slightly upgrade CPU, bigger hard drive).

I love getting a deal, possibly more than I love having new toys.  So I get double joy here, new toy to play with and I totally scored a great deal.  Tralala.

Ok it’s Friday which means that a few things are open now and I need to run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get everything done.  😀  Hopefully will post again this weekend.

TEDxFormosa

So I did something silly, I applied to be a speaker for the TEDx thingie in Taipei this December.  While it’s not particularity likely that the powers that be will choose me to be a presenter, you never know I’ve seen odder talks before.  Honestly, I applied because it certainly doesn’t hurt to try, and it would be SO cool if I was chosen to participate.

But what the hell could you possibly talk about?  Have you met me?  I could talk about anything but something that might be TED worthy?  Well the topic is things that work well in Asia, so any innovations, ideas or practices that work and are more Asia specific.  Well I have my board game project, which has gotten me invited to be a speaker to a few different things.  Actually I just finished a speaker seminar type thing today.  This time it was more on conversation classes, which I also have a little experience in, but not really the same passion for.

I think the whole board games as an educational tool is a really fun and interesting topic and I feel rather passionately about it.  Perhaps it is just because it allows me to have fun and interact while introducing people to games.  But mostly I think it’s an untapped resource to aid in learning and study.

Regardless, I think it’s pretty cool that there will be a TEDx conference in Taipei this year.  And it would be so very cool to be involved.

Eeep, I’m kinda sleepy and run down from my speech today and getting up early to go running, like a good girl.  That will be all, I’ll keep you posted.  J

The Greasy Spoon

So this little spot opened up, in my neighborhood and the name intrigued me.  I”ve been meaning to drop by and give it a try for ages, but it’s so close to home that I usually just head home and make something or I go to sushi or Vietnamese because they are just as close and I KNOW they are good.

Anyway on my way home from work today I thought.. oh what the hell.  So I swung by and had dinner.  The overview?  It was fine, nothing super exciting, but decent.  I guess I’m spoiled by KGB and Forkers, any other burgers seem to be lacking.  Cute little place though.   I might go there to have tea and study or something.  I really like the cute little tables and chairs outside.

I got a cheese mushroom burger, it came with a side of fries, a soup
(or a glass of juice… weird but cool) and a nice little surprise at the end.  Some little creamy poofs.  I think the creamy poofs were the best part, not because the food was disappointing, they were just such a delightful surprise!!

I took it as a wonder full excuse… as you can see 😀  to play with my camera and take a few pictures of the place and the food.  Mostly because I’m 5 and I wanted to play.

So would I recommend going there?  If you’re in the neighborhood, sure thing go check it out.  It’s a cute place and it’s worth giving a try and deciding for yourself.  But is it worth going out of your way to find? No, not really.  There are a lots of places that are easier to get to and equally as good that are probably more convenient to where you happen to be.

But if you find yourself near or at Wangfang hospital, it’s on

Xin Hai Road Section 4, #254   辛亥路4段254號        02 2932-9698

They are open from noon to midnight. 🙂

They don’t appear to have their own web page but here is a [link] to a review and some comments about it on another site in Taiwan.

Possibly Ugly Topic

You’ve been warned… so don’t crawl up my ass if you don’t like what I’ve written.

So what follows is a perfect example of how and why people can sometimes interpret my actions, words and ideas as cold.  So let me explain.  I’m very sensitive, and if I let it all in then I would be a train wreck all the time.  So as a survival technique I’m forced to use logic to pick and choose.  Anything that I can separate myself from emotionally before the feeling seep in, I do.  I hold them at arm’s length, inspect them and puzzle over them if they are ‘interesting’.

So things happen, planes crash, wars, the twin towers in New York… and I feel nothing.  I choose to feel nothing because it’s feel it all like a big squishy ball of goo or nadda.  Why in god’s name would I sit about personalizing and tearing myself apart emotionally over something that doesn’t directly affect me?  That isn’t really part of my immediate ‘world’.  Doesn’t make any sense to me, so while I’m still able to, I separate myself from any and all emotional tragedy related to the event.

There is war… and I don’t cry.  Millions are killed in a bombing, and I think.. hmm isn’t that sad.  Sad for the people directly affected by this event.  The twin towers came down, a train in Europe is blown up, a bus goes off a cliff, a tsunami, earthquake or typhoon hits and I observe the news with a kind of detached curiosity.  And that curiosity is what gets me in the end…. I can’t just shake my head look sad a pretend to be heartbroken along with everyone else.  I’m not.  I didn’t know them, we weren’t close….  I try to explain and nothing I say seems right.  The look on their faces are of disdain and anger.

How can you be so cold?  This affects us all, people are dying.

You’re all a bunch of hypocrites… people die every day.. I don’t see you sobbing your eyes out over some random homeless man in Siberia kicking the bucket.  What because you didn’t know about it?  Bull shit.  You’re not sad because you didn’t know him, or anyone else who knew him.  You might care if someone showed you pictures and told you his whole life story… and you know why that is?  Because that connects you, makes his life and hardships personal to you.  Voila… now it affects you and your emotions.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much flack I received over my lack of re

Where have all the bloggers gone??

I use google reader.  And there is nothing it read, even the pro bloggers have been slacking lately.  I know that I sure have been slacking.  So what ‘s my excuse?  Lack of inspiration, nothing to say?  Yeah.. right… have you met me?

Chatty Cathy here always has something to say… so what’s the deal.. It’s not like I’ve been hella busy, or even kinda busy for goodness sakes.  But I have been sick.. I hate being sick.  I’m a freaking Whiny ass biotch when I’m sick and I all I want to do is bitch moan and sniffle about how my nose hurts.. I’m sicky poo poo, I’m getting fat because I can’t go do anything for fear of making the sickies worse… blah blah world’s smallest violin playing just for me.

So what have I been up to since Chinese new year.  Not writing about the trip.. or anything that’s for damn sure.  I used to pull out the laptop and typy typy in bed till I got sleepy and then toss it on the floor, lights out.  I used to write in my happy thoughts Journal every night… I haven’t done it in weeks…  oh it’s on the nights stand by the bed but I’m sick whiny and can think of nothing positive…. no you know what that isn’t even it.  I just don’t care.  I’m sick, lethargic and pissed about it.  I just want to feel better.  I was starting to feel good went for a lovely bike ride and promptly got sick again.. fuck you world!

On a less bitchy note.  I went to games today and not only where Sandy and Tarra there but, Wayne who comes up all the way from TaiJung to play was there too plus this guy I ran into at a restaurant and invited to come play actually showed up too.  So we ended up having a nice little 5-4 some (Sandy leaves early).  Got a good game of Blue moon city and Puerto Rico in… W00T.  And now I look wistfully at my games on the shelf.

In other news, my new roommate is very nice.  Seems like a pretty good, cool guy even though we don’t hang out much (diff work schedules, and I’m a recluse in my room).

Total side note… I hate it when my built-in browser spell checker fails to catch things and lets me publish my blog with my jacked up spellings of words… stupid computers.

Ok I’m done.  Sorry I have been epic fail on the blogging front… I promise to try harder…  I have no idea who the heck reads all this bs I write but there seem to be people actually doing it… 😀 that tickles me.  I honestly assume it’s just mom, sis and a couple of friends from back in the day  (it was a Tuesday, the day that is.. did you know that?) most of the time.

Ok bed time.  No more sickies… I demand it.

Thailand 2010

I always find that after going on a holiday that one or two songs kinda stick out for me as the songs of that trip.  They continually remind me of the fun times or things.  They are usually shitty dancy pop songs.. so suck it up!!

Anyway I thought everyone always wants to see your pictures from a holiday but no one wants to slog through 8000 boring pictures of the exact same thing.  So I tried to pic out my favourites (being my holiday I get to pick) and put it to a song or two.

This silly TikTok dancy song played at the beach bars a few times and it always made we want to dance and bounce about.  Unfortunately I didn’t take many picture on this trip.. Tracey did give me some more after I got back but I didn’t feel like redoing the whole thing, it is a surprisingly large amount of effort to put together.

So here is what I put together, hopefully youtube isn’t a bitch and takes it down… whatever if they do I’ll just host it myself 😀

Hope you like it 🙂

PS, the movie the invention of lying is a really cute movie.

Choices!

So I was faced with a choice last Friday.

After work, I stopped at Sababas  on the way to Editing (which is definitely not my favourite thing).  When I got to work, I looked for my phone and realized it was gone.  When I arrived, they told me that had called me and my co worker had answered.  So I called her, and we arranged for her to leave it at the Highlife (like 7 11) near our school for me to pick up later on.

Had a chat with some friends after work, and when I went to get my bike (scooter) I discovered that they had shut it behind some huge locked gate.  And I totally couldn’t get at it, possibly not until

Racisim Rules!

I pretty much lost a friend (will post about that in a couple of days) over this, which sucks.  But then again he clearly wasn’t a very good friend in the end anyway so meh.

So this guy was complaining about how people on Facebook ruined this UFC fight for him, and I commented on him being a whiny baby.  Just jokes (and he was cranky.. but whatever).  One of his friends made some crack about .. “watch out, bitter white chick.  Be careful.”  That shit pisses me off.. seriously there are loads of bitter white chicks in Taiwan, and I’m not one of them.  Even I think they are a little scary and spastic. I replied with something about his winning the ignorant ass award for the day, and he said ” I rest my case”.

This promoted me to send him a PM, because he’s a fucktard and I don’t fight publicly on FB.  That and I thought it would be good for a giggle to see what this ignorant piece of sputum had to say.  Totally WAS.

This is what I sent him:

So what’s this case that you’re resting? That you’re an ignorant racist jerk? Because that is how you came across to the public eye right there.

You realize you’re whiter than I am… and while I do not know you and do not presume to… how long have you lived in Taiwan? How are you’re Chinese skills? While you’re ignorant comments incline me to make certain presumptions about you I would at least give

AlleyCats, Very Disapointing

I guess I should have gone in it’s hey day, although I have been once before a year or so ago and my impression from that visit was meh too.  Last time it wasn’t particularly exciting but it wasn’t especially disappointing either.  I remember thinking the pizza was nice, but not really worth all the hype and to be frank.. not worth they money it costs.

It was my friend who actually asked me to remove his real name from my blog (insert eyeroll here) birthday (aka Frostfox) and we all went to dinner at Alleycats.  We went to the original store, which when I said I wasn’t so impressed last year everyone said I had to go to.

Well as far as first (or second) impressions go, they failed.  HORRIBLY.  Best pizza in Taipei?  Really I think I would have preferred Napoli, you know the greasy cheap shit that costs a couple of bucks.

I ordered the Napoletana: Fresh Tomato, Goat Cheese, Anchovies, Olives and Spinach.  I swapped out a couple of ingredients.. (anchovies for Italian sausage), and mmm sounds delish right!

Well, the whole experience was a disaster.  I asked them to separate my bill, I even ordered completely separate from the other people at the table.  And at the end they Just threw my stuff in with the bill, not a big deal but an annoying detail.  And before you dance around about how

Decisions decisions… and a little bummed out.

Bah, life!  Full of decisions, the hotness for some, personal hell for others. OH OH PICK ME!!   I loathe making a choice, boo what if I pick the wrong one?  What if, even worse, they are equal?  Everyone else seems to have no difficulty with these things meanwhile I agonize over what I want for lunch for Christ’s sake.  Boo

So what is the current crisis?  I guess crisis is a little strong, dilemma I suppose.  What should  I do next?  I love Taipei, I’ve left a few times I’ve even lived elsewhere and I can honestly say I love it there, the climate is lovely and toasty with mild winters, fun easy work, good pay low cost of living.  Sounds great hu?  So what’s the problem!

Well, I’m not Asian, and sometimes that rocks (like when it comes to rules we just get to ignore because we’re not local) and sometimes it sucks asshole, big hairy asshole.  I hate that I have no rights even though I’ve lived there for  nigh on 8 years, really??  Ridiculous.  They have stupid laws that actually discriminate against us, like this new tax law, we have to pay 3x the tax in the first 6 months of every year, no matter how long you’ve been a resident, you think I’m kidding, I’m so not.  Owning property and businesses is silly complicated for us, plus I live in a nation of tiny, or supposed to be tiny people.  So I am constantly inundated with comments like, you would be pretty if you weren’t so fat, and wow you run marathons and work out, so cool.. but how come you’re so fat?  You look terrible today, did you gain weight… the list goes on.  What it boils down to is no matter how much confidence I have, people still look at me like some HUGE beast.  Even the other foreigners get swept up in it, saying things like well if I ran that much I would be thinner than that.  Fuck off.  Yeah, I’m a little chubby (especially right now.. lazy girl on Vaca!) but Jesus, you all make me feel and it sound like I’m pushing 375.  I think my personal favorite is, it’s not your fault foreign people are just fat.  Even if no one says anything, you can see it in their eyes.  Know what I never see?  Admiration, attraction, appreciation in anyway trust me I’ve been looking.

Whine whine whine, I hate this whole line of discussion because no matter how you go about it, you come off as a

Canada is Rough

Seriously, it must be a horrible place. With all the complaining and dissatisfaction people have.

I met up with a friend the other day and she was very aggravated with out how much people whinge and whine all the time about how hard their lives are.

Seriously is life all that bad here?  Ok the cost of living is a little higher, you might have to work a little harder.  It’s not the neverland that living in Asia can be.  But Really?? There are good and bad things about every place, I’ve lived in a few countries and I’m not claiming to be an expert, but honestly there are things I HATED, and there were  things I just love love loved about each place.

Brazil, was FANTASTIC but I hated the insincerity of the men there, drove me nuts that while they worshiped women.. their ‘you’re so beautiful’s  became rather aggravating (to me anyway).  But I loved the fun social atmosphere, the friendliness etc!

Taiwan, Is great low cost of living, lack of rules is fun, but it’s hella frustrating all the cultural issues that

Canada D’eh, Canada Day and Everything Between

Photo’s may have to wait but here is me trying to catch up.

See the thing is after the beach party I had to pack and then I had to battle (again) and then go to the airport then plane then in Canada but tired/lazy. Sigh so here I am with many things to catch up on.

The Canada D’eh Beach party was pretty good, it felt like less people this year but really it’s hard to say because it was a pretty large area plus there was a typhoon threatening the north shore so no one knew what the weather would be like.   This year it was in Dan Shui, which was nice because it was only 10-15 minutes from the MRT, downside they had MAD security with drug dogs and stuff.  Not that it hugely mattered to me but they did pilfer my smirnoff ice 😦  (s’ok I went back out to the parking lot later and chugged them… 😀 ).  Ah did I mention I was all kinds of sick and decided to go for dope up on cold meds and drink :P.  Mostly just hung out on the beach, munched on free/cheap promotional foods (thanks McCain’s and That Mexican place), and  drank.  Post all that there was some dancing and a little Colby O’Donis concert.  He was decent but the show was VERY short, and then I decided to head home (you know how it is when sicky and tired).

I worked all day Monday and was kinda running around trying to get some last minute stuff done.   I had tried to be slick with some money stuff with this cheque thing and in the end I decided it wasn’t worth the couple hundred NT I was going to save so I just wired my money home the normal way.  Plus I had to pack some stuff away so my friend Toby could live in my room for the summer.  That worked out quite well, I needed someone to help me cover my rent for the summer and he wanted to try out living somewhere other than where he is.  And if you’re going to test the waters, my room is a pretty awesome place to do it in (My house rocks, I’ll admit it I miss it a little, I miss my computer A LOT).

Gah and like running around trying to get everything done last minute wasn’t enough???  There was one of those big F-ing spiders in my room!!! WHY.. what did I do wrong? 

Balls, I hate The Government sometimes

GRRR I’m going to write the mayors office or something.  They did the same mental thing last year.  All the Holidays in Taiwan follow the lunar calendar, and dude to stroke of ASS almost all but one of the Holidays this year fall on a Saturday or a Sunday.

Now, what happens in these circumstances in every nation with a REASONABLE system in place?  They just give you the preceding Friday or following Monday off, They do it in All the cool Countries damn it.  I thought Taiwan wanted to play with

I don’t like the busy…

I’m just not a fan of being busy, with work or anything it seems.  After this weekend, I’m realizing I just don’t like being too busy.  I had a good time this weekend, but I was really busy and I had a good time.  But at the end of it all I felt sulky that I was so tired and busy.

We had our first race on Thursday, as I mentioned in my last post, and then on Friday we had our second race.  The odds of us drawing such hard teams again were very slim, sigh.. but we ended up racing the team that won the whole thing.  Oh well.  We tried.

You know I can’t even remember what happened after the race on Friday, something though.  We decided to host a BBQ on Sat as we all had to go back to the race area for the closing ceremonies anyway.   I went for a bike ride that morning.. and bloody well fell down like 2 mins from the house.  Was totally my own stupidity and fault, but that didn’t dull the pain.   I was faced with a choice, go home and clean my wounds (but likely be lame and stay there), or just keep going and clean up when I got home.

Yeah me I chose option number two, my logic being the pain is the worst in the first thirty minutes.  Adrenaline cuts the pain, so f%$k  it I should just go.  The only really bad bit was when I stopped in HsinDian for a min and I started to sweat… damn it all to hell that stung like a bitch!!  The little old man that informed me I was bleeding and asked if I was ok was pretty amusing though.

I made a video that I will edit sometime soon, (so I say).  Oh and when I went outside to make  video of my injuries I checked the mail and HOORAY!  My samples have arrived, Nadine is now forgiven.  I was so stoked that  I checked them out all sweaty bleeding and dirty, while Shane was chasing me with antiseptic trying to clean the cuts :P.

After the BBQ, which was awesome btw, we all headed up to the closing ceremonies.  And then to see Terminator (which was fine but nothing compared to Star Trek, which I loved and I’m going to marry

WTF Scary wasp

OMIGOD… so I came in from taking out the garbage and was horrified to find this in my room.. I was a huge was and squealed like a sissy… But I definitely won.. although the chemicals I used are making me dizzy.. so.. maybe I lost a little.. I definitely lost my dignity…

So I made this video and here is a link to the scary wasps and their freakinesshttp://www.vespa-bicolor.net/main/vespid/polistes-gigas.htm

SHUDDER

Crazy Japanese Store in Taipei

Tracey and I went to the Japanese store… t’was amazing amounts of fun !

This is part two .. it’s first because I just modified and moved an older post…

Tiny fun things.. plus every item you’re ever seen for sale on tv!!

And the first half of the trip to the silly store with the

Where have all the weevils gone?

I’m avoiding my life and avoiding talking about it.. ( there is nothing much to talk about other than I have a bad temper).

On to the weevles!

So I have become a popcorn junkie I pop it myself because I don’t want an entire bag .. that I heard a rumor that the butter stuff in there is like cancerous or something (it’s a rumor I heard about something bad and I’m not in the mood nor am I inclined to research as I don’t really care :P).. My popcorn kernels chill in the pretty tall blue glass container on the counter top.

A little while back Tracey made a crack about weevils ( they love chillin’ in my rice), and I mentioned how it was funny but I’d never seen them in there. Now let’s get something clear… weevils so don’t stress me out. I mean in the rice.. I couldn’t really care less, honestly, they amuse me… besides they float so

Stealing ‘Cak’ from the kitchen :D

Chinese New Year ‘vacation’ has begun, and the temperature has dropped 20 degrees in the last 48 hours.  Awesome sauce… 😛

So far I have had Dinner with Tracey and Mike, lunch with the girls, did a little shopping, drooled over some more sexxxy shoes, and had a Chinese Class with Jane.  Where she regaled me with tales of her adventures in Thailand last week with the boys from work. :D.

I came home to find that the pretty gal I share a house with made cake… yum!  Aka cack or cak (old joke from uni).  And I have been stealing it from the kitchen bru ha ha !  Think I’ll go nick another little slice .. tee hee.

That will be all for today.

(ps I’m grumpy)

The cleaning fairies came to visit!!!!

So we have a maid.. and I love her. She is one of my most favouritest people, shoe comes over chats pleasantly and cleans MA HOUSE.   And not to say I don’t enjoy speaking with her, I do she’s really sweet, BUT…. what I really love is when she comes by while I’m at work cleans and goes.

I always come home and completely forgetting that she was meant to come by and discover a wonderfully beautifully clean house.  YAY…   Today was one of those days.   She arrived (I’m assuming) just after

Chinese Funerals, make it stop!

Damn it all to hell. Someone in my bloody neighborhood died. Now normally. this would just make me feel a little sorry for the people who lost someone dear to them….

But in Taiwan they like to make everyone suffer along with them. They play something that is actually more annoying than an army of bag pipes… with wailing, drums and HORRIFUL (that’s right I said horriful) singing. They like to start it bright and early and it goes on for hours, days and even weeks.

I’ve always wondered why some of them carry on for ages (one was more than a month of all day torture) and this most recent one seemed to be wrapping up after a few hours.

I have a theory…. how long you get to annoy and inconvenience people after your die is directly proportional to how important you were considered to be in life. That dude who’s funeral drove us to the brink of snipers on the

Superman Needs to find a new Home

So I was thinking today.. who the heck even uses phone booths these days.. it’s almost like something that belongs in a museum.   And it’s SO weird…. I mean I remember when cell phones were the size of bricks and hell expensive.  No one had one.. so you used those public phones or phone booths.

Seriously though, outside of airports (and even then not often) when the heck do you see anyone using a pay phone?  Even more elusive than the pay phone… the pay phone that chills in it’s own booth.

This all came up for me because I park really close to this phone booth everyday in the mornings, and while I’ve obviously noticed it before it’s never really grabbed my attention.  Today when I pulled up to work (while trying to pry my frozen fingers off the handlebars) I was totally shocked to see some dude in the booth… using the phone.  Then I did a mental double take, why the hell is that so damn weird?  Dude is just using the phone.  LOL

That’s all 😀

Dining: Bongo’s In Taipei

So we kicked off the year with some laziness and food, which I mentioned I think in my post yesterday (checking checking.. no I did not.. :P).

Bongo’s

(one of the first of this burger places to open in Taipei) {review}

#3, Alley 5, Lane 74, WenZhou St
(02) 2365-6059
Hours: 11:30 am-10 pm
Cash only. Smoking area outside.

I went for a run yesterday 🙂 and after that just shivered in my room until it was time for dinner. Tracey made reservations for Bongo’s and got us a table outside. She did this because she is a mean heartless cow and hates Melissa and I. LOL.. ok, she did it because usually sitting outside is totally

Welcome to 2009

I don’t know what everyone got into for new years this year.

You know, I’ve never been that huge on the crazy new years parties. I grew up in a tiny lame ass town, and was so not one of the cool kids so I wasn’t at those parties. When I went to Uni, I was a competitive boxer so not drinking the year I really would have tore it up. Or I was at my mom’s in Smithers. So I haven’t really been into the new year thing, even when I have gone out it’s been messy and ranged from horrid to some kind of fine.

This year I didn’t want to go out and do the crazy drunken thing so we ended up going to Emma’s house to have a few drinks and watch the fireworks. That was kinda cool because her building is kinda smack dab in the middle of Taipei 101 and

Faux Christmas 2008

So this year I was a little grumpy about Christmas but in the end it was pretty nice, several of the people who forgot to let me know they got my cards, got back to me in the last couple of days 🙂 .

Melissa, Jodie, Arden, Tom and our roommate Adam joined us for dinner last night. Tracey and I managed to get the turkey and dinner all prepared with minimal mishaps and injuries…. besides the potato slicing tragedy of 08.. (which we hilariously misnamed 09 in the video).

As per my usual MO I hadn’t had a shower or in anyway prepared myself for

Fluxuations… my oh my

Dude… what is with the weather lately? And before I get the whole song and dance of.. blah blah blah… you’re Canadian, why you being such a sissy, do you know how cold it is here… I just want to say one thing. Shut up. 😀 I am completely aware I’m being a bit of a hypocrite, and I’m ok with that. Plus I’m going to be all logical and justify why my sniveling makes sense and all the pansies in Canada are wussies :D. And my justification will ever go beyond the usually ‘it’s my blog and I’m the little princess’ logic that I usually employ. (Those of you who were unaware of that tactic please ignore what you just read ;). )

So I mentioned that Sunday was a lovely day, it was 25 to 27 degrees, sunny and lovely.  Quite out of character for the time of year but I sure wasn’t complaining especially given as I had that race. Holy crap did Monday turn around… it was raining and cold as hell.  We’re talking 11 degrees.  Now I know that 11 degrees isn’t all that cold, I’m not retarded but a drop in