Wednesday March 31st, 2010

Demolish the bridges behind you, then there is no choice but to move forward - Fridtjof Nansen

How fitting that this quote made its way into my inbox this morning. For some time now, I've been standing in the middle of a bridge unsure of which direction to go.

I find myself inching to the side of the unknown while watching the side that holds things dear to my heart crumble under my feet.

And as that bridge collapses, I realize that certain things left on the other side will become inaccessible to me.

But I continue to edge my way slowly across, knowing that I can't teeter anymore.

The remains on the other side can no longer be appreciated as the bridge ceases to exist.

A new bridge will need to be built.

淡水

Perhaps the highlight of the trip ...

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Please be sure to read the fine print ...


Awesome!

Friday March 26th, 2010

While digging through my stuff looking for some documents, I happened to come across this. Way back when, my brother used to do art work for one of the English magazines here in Taiwan. This is one of his drawings.

About six years ago, I was teaching at a girls catholic high school with my long time friend, Pete. Our classrooms were side by side. My class had 25 students, give or take, and the girls ranged from grade 9 to grade 12. I gave them some of my brother's work and asked them to create stories around them. The one above was probably the most entertaining.

Living in Taiwan has been an amazing experience. It's hard to believe seven years has almost come and gone. I first landed in Taiwan on April 1st, 2003. The initial plan was to be here for one month. Some plans are meant to be broken, I suppose.

Today is my father's birthday and although he finds himself without internet access at the moment, I know he'll come across this note in the very near future. Happy birthday, Dad! I miss you and love you very much! I hope the day is everything you want it to be.

Wednesday March 17th, 2010

I love that my cats have the ability to make me laugh out loud. It's mostly from their stupidity, but it's still entertainment at its best.

I came home tonight to see Datsun lounging on a chair, half awake from his long daily nap. Levi was nowhere to be seen which is unusual as she's usually by the door before it opens. I heard a muffled meow and thought it was coming from one of the back rooms. I set off to see if she'd locked herself in one of the bathrooms, once again. I then realized the persistent panicked meows were coming from the front of my apartment.

She was out in the hall. It's been a long day and I know I'm tired but I didn't even see her slip out. She wasn't overly impressed!

As for Datsun, he was fully awake by this point and me coming home is always when he gets all of his unused energy out for the day. He loves tearing back and forth through the apartment like a speeding bullet taking out everything is his path ... including Levi. I've only been home twenty minutes and it's quite apparent that she's not having the best evening so far!

Too funny!

Monday March 15th, 2010

Something tells me 2010 is going to be a year of big change. Not just within myself but also within the people that surround me. Some are scheduled to get married, some will bring new lives into the world. Some will move on to new places or countries while others will return to their homeland.

As for me, I have set some goals and am currently pursuing a little each day. With change always comes excitement and nervousness. Change seems like it is a step in the right direction at this point in my life.

Change ... essence ... keep it coming ...

Wednesday March 10th, 2010

Quite sometime back, I changed the alarm on my mobile so that it wasn't so intrusive. This morning, I couldn't figure out what the small ringing bell was until I looked at the clock beside my bed which read 7am. I guess it's been sometime since I've needed to be woken up.

The temperature here in Taiwan has dropped down to 10°. It's certainly a change considering I was in shorts and flip flops only three days ago. I decided the best thing to do this morning was jump in the shower to allow my hair time to dry before having to head off to class.

I got a call at 7:20 telling me to go back to sleep as my Chinese teacher is unwell. So ... here I sit, showered, fully awake and cold. Brrr.

I have the heater pointed in my direction which means my two cats are huddled close by. They must notice the drastic drop as well!

I'm unsure of how to spend my morning yet thankful to have it off. I've noticed the dog owners are bundled up in winter hats and coats. It's not encouraging me to want to head outdoors until absolutely necessary. Tomorrow calls for highs of 22°. I say bring it on ...

Looking up ...

Thursday March 4th, 2010

I've been consumed with work, exercise, errands and study. Unfortunately, the previously listed do not require camera in hand! The weather has been fantastic with temperatures being in the high 20s. No complaints here although there will be some this coming Sunday. A cold front is expected to hit Taiwan which means no more shorts, tanks or flip flops. I'm not looking forward to pulling out warm clothes again.

I plan to hit the 建國花市 this weekend. My balcony is in dire need of some plants. Now that I feel confident enough in my speaking ability, I am going to have someone recommend plants that require very little effort as I don't have much of a green thumb! I don't use my balcony as much as I should and having some life out there may change that.

I should be on my way to the pool for a swim but that seems to require much more motivation than I can muster up at the moment. I've enjoyed having my mornings off for the past five weeks. This week will be the last as I am back to Chinese classes three mornings a week as of Tuesday. I am looking forward to giving Mandarin another big push although I'm not sure where exercising will squeeze in.

That being said ... I guess it's time to get out for a morning jog. My skin is turning back to a nice healthy shade of brown ... better get me some while the getting is good!