Saturday October 31st, 2009

Wow. November. I find myself unwell and without a voice. Unsure of what to do today, I turn around to see this. Not a great capture, but it gave me something to write about.


I'm glad they like each other. I didn't really give them much of a choice. I had Datsun for one month before I brought Levi in. I remember her first day here well. I was unsure of how to properly introduce them to each other so I let them figure it out for themselves. I, literally, dropped her off and ran out the door as I had a class to teach.

I remember coming home from work and Levi was nowhere to be found. And I mean, nowhere. I was baffled.

As I stood in the kitchen, scratching my head, I decided to look under the fridge as it was the only place I hadn't looked. Sure enough, there she was. I immediately became nervous as I thought she might char herself to death. How horrible would I have felt?

Pretty horrible.

I didn't want to move the fridge so I let her be. It took her two days to come out. It's funny. I sometimes find myself wishing she would go in hiding for two days. Especially when it comes time to writing my homework. She constantly walks off with my white eraser. Try finding it on white tiled floors.

Her nickname Muffin has turned into 麻煩 ... it almost sounds the same and is more appropriate, really ...

Sunday October 25th, 2009

A post, at last ...

This post has been days and days in the making. After all that time, I'm sorry to say it still doesn't amount to much. Between Chinese classes, writing homework, memorizing characters, work and the bit of exercise I fit in, blogging has been taking falls on the list of things to be done.

My camera has been on the table, collecting dust. Actually, that's not true. I have been taking it out but it returns home, unused.

I've declared my own personal typhoon morning. It seems late in the year to have one lingering around. There is a good chance it's going to ruin my plans of heading to the coast this weekend.

I did make it out to 龍洞 last weekend. I cruised out Sunday morning, making it there in about 40 minutes. There wasn't much traffic which left the roads free to me! The ride home was a different story. The coastal highway is two lanes and heading in the direction of 台北 always means bumper to bumper traffic. Thank goodness for the thick wide shoulder.

I found myself racing home, aiming to make it in under an hour. Halfway home, a scooter was down on the road. Ambulance. Cops. I slowed it down a notch. Ten minutes later, another scooter. A huge pool of blood was under the pieces that were scattered about. I was reminded of how vulnerable one is on a scooter. I didn't beat my previous time.

It's Friday. It's absolutely pouring outside. I spent the majority of yesterday being wet. My Chinese class starts in fifteen minutes. I can picture myself sitting there with damp clothes. At this exact moment, I am very thankful for this time. Sometimes you have to take a time out.

It's almost 8am. It's strange. My initial thought is what I wouldn't give to be sleeping right now. But thoughts of treating myself to a coffee, cleaning my apartment, going to the pool for a workout and hitting Costco seem to be overriding it. Damn it ...

Monday October 12, 2009

My dreams have turned into stroke order and radicals. Chinese writing is consuming my time and invading my rest. I'm not sure how to make it stop.

Some days I feel as though I'm in over my head while on others it seems like this is the push I need. University in Chinese has been exhausting.

And speaking of exhaustion ... 6am comes awfully early.

Rest ... a.k.a. the drawing board.

Saturday October 10th, 2009

I was having a browse through the newspaper while waiting for the oil to be changed on my bike. This caught my eye. I love the way the knife is protruding from her shoulder in the bottom pic. Awesome!

Monday October 5th, 2009

At some point throughout the night, Datsun was curled up on the corner of my bed. Unaware of him, I stretched out my legs which led to me booting him off the bed.

I wonder what it would be like to be in a deep sleep and then the next thing you know you're mid air on your way to the floor without any warning.

I mean, that just doesn't happen to us.

Poor little guy.

Study Time ...

This is what I have to put up with. She does look rather content ...

Sunday October 4th, 2009

There were a series of earthquakes, eleven to be exact, from midnight until 6am. The biggest was around 1:30. Magnitude, 6.3. From the looks of the weather, the first typhoon has arrived. As per the satellite, it doesn't seem to be big. I was hoping it would allow for a day off tomorrow as I still have much Chinese homework to do.

The second typhoon shows that it will change direction in the next day or so and head up past Japan. I love the way you can clearly see the eye of the storm.

I'd like to get out for some exercise and find myself bothered by the fact that the gym where I live is closed. It certainly takes away some of the appeal when the 'club med' doors are closed. There has been no sign of reopening, only talk as to how expensive it is to run the facility.

I may try and get a membership at the University so that I can work out after my Chinese class. If I do that, however, I am unsure about where my homework will fit in.

Time. These days, there is never enough. I suppose that's what makes it precious.