A day in the life of ...

Year of the Dragon 2012 ...

2012-01-31T14:29:00.000+08:00

There's a new album on the right. Click it.

Beitou Dogs ...

2012-01-29T20:57:00.000+08:00

Coffee on my balcony ...

2012-01-15T17:07:00.003+08:00

My plants:

My cats:

A weed that's been growing out of bricks for two years:

Once a spider's residence, I neglected to pull the weed out. Now I want to see just how big it's actually going to grow ...

Road Rage ...

2012-01-12T21:02:00.003+08:00

Radio Program Production

2012-01-06T12:18:00.004+08:00

This was my final project for the above mentioned course. I used my old Nokia phone as a recording device and pieced the tracks together using GarageBand.

It was a very inspiring project and something I will consider doing more of in the future!

Advertising and Practices - Final Ad Campaign

2012-01-05T20:35:00.000+08:00

My classmate and I scored a 96% for this assignment.

Sweet!

My homework-to-do list ...

2012-01-03T17:31:00.001+08:00

It hasn't looked like this since summer. School's out for winter!

Saturday December 31st, 2011

2011-12-31T10:31:00.000+08:00

For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice ~ T.S. Eliot

Last day of classes ...

2011-12-29T23:31:00.001+08:00

Advertising and Practices = one exam to write

News Reporting and Writing = one feature story due

Internet Journalism = done

Radio Program Production = one 5 - 7 minute radio diary due

Professional Writing = done

Principles of Communication = done
Environmental Dynamics = one exam to write

The countdown begins ... five days to go ... exhaustion set in long ago ... I am so ready for this semester to end.

Two weeks to go ...

2011-12-20T22:03:00.002+08:00

Homework Procrastination ...

2011-12-10T22:00:00.000+08:00

I could do it today although tomorrow will be today tomorrow ...

Professional Writing: Meow

2011-12-02T22:46:00.001+08:00

Cats are extraordinary creatures.

The piece, Cat Bathing as a Martial Art, written by Bud Herron had me crying with laughter, as I'm certainly no stranger to this type of activity.

That is not to say that I bathe the two indoor cats that reside in my apartment; they do a fine job of it themselves. Washing cats removes the luster from their coat, leaving them not as soft and cuddly as they should be.

On the right is Girl Cat, a.k.a. Levi. She is absolute trouble with a capital 'T'. If she's not in it, she's on it, under it or hanging from it — she has conquered every place that exists high and low within her surrounding walls. On the other hand, Boy Cat, a.k.a. Datsun is extremely well behaved. This could be due to the fact that he is a scaredy cat and sleeps 22 hours of the day.

The pair run the house and most days I remain amazed by the ability of their movement. There are stories upon stories that could be told and the best thing is that other cat owners will undoubtedly relate coming back with an extremely similar incident.

My favorite part of the written piece is when Herron mentions wearing canvas overalls, construction boots, steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face mask and a heavy jacket before cat bathing begins — excellent advice the next time I need to get Boy Cat into the carrier for a trip to the vet.

Last Post this November, 2011

2011-11-30T23:16:00.002+08:00

Cold with snow or warm with rain?

I'm kind of content to stay put.

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart ~ Steve Jobs

Saturday November 26th, 2011

2011-11-26T21:58:00.001+08:00

What's wrong with this picture?

2011-11-26T21:21:00.001+08:00

Taken from Curb Your Enthusiasm, Season 3, which aired in 2002.

I'm glad Apple made the flip.

A Nice Surprise ...

2011-11-22T17:25:00.000+08:00

Today my classmate showed me a magazine, which is put out by the university I attend, and one of my pictures is in it! Sweet!

Friday November 18th, 2011

2011-11-18T21:45:00.001+08:00

Fun with Photo Booth ...

2011-11-14T21:11:00.000+08:00

Photo Booth doesn't get used much on this computer of mine. Opening it this evening led to some forgotten photos.

Like.

Meet Flat Stanley ...

2011-11-06T19:51:00.001+08:00

My second cousin, Owen, is in the third grade; and as part of his social studies class, they read a book titled, Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. The story is about a happy-go-lucky boy that was unfortunately crushed by a bulletin board. Yikes!

The now flat Stanley has since discovered that he can see the world by folding himself up into an envelope, mailing himself to different corners of the globe.

What a fantastic idea!

The Flat Stanley project will allow students a sense of realism knowing that the Flat Stanley they colored in has actually been in the pictured places.

I kind of wish I could sit in on the lesson when all of the Flat Stanley's make it back to Mrs. Dietrich's Grade 3 Class!

Morning Coffee ...

2011-11-01T09:36:00.001+08:00

2011.11.01. 9:25AM.

Rainy. No university. No work. Most importantly, nothing pressing in regards to homework! My camera has been collecting dust. I have resorted to taking pictures of my morning coffee.

Mmmmm ... hot coffee!

Monday October 31st, 2011

2011-10-31T20:38:00.000+08:00

Leave closet door open for 2 minutes and out of nowhere come two cats that were only moments ago fast asleep.

New Growth ...

2011-10-23T19:21:00.000+08:00

Professional Writing - Narrative:

2011-10-21T22:24:00.001+08:00

My Mother's Child
Co-Written by: Jimmy Cooper

I am not my mother's child. I'm not suggesting that I disowned my parents — it's just not physically possible to be my mother's child because my mother didn't carry me in her womb like most other mothers do. People seem surprised when I tell them this, especially given our similar looks and personalities. I don't recall exactly when my parents told me I was adopted or if they did at all but I've known for as long as I can remember. I've often wondered what life would have been like had I walked a slightly different path.

My birth mother's name is Kate. She was only nineteen years old when she fell pregnant with me. She was single, working in a tiny hair salon, and anything but ready for the responsibility of motherhood. She didn't have the heart to go through with an abortion so she decided to give her baby up for adoption. She contacted an agency in the area and was told that the hospital could help her make all the necessary arrangements once the baby was born.

Although the uncertainty of how things would unfold came with loads of stress; she wasn't more than three months into her pregnancy when a co-worker informed her that she knew of someone who wanted to adopt her baby. Those words changed everything. Kate felt an enormous sense of relief and was grateful that she may have found someone to watch over this baby growing inside of her.

That someone was a lady named Caroline, whose quiet voice pleaded with Kate about how much she wanted to adopt her baby. Caroline wasn't able to have children of her own but desperately wanted another child. She explained that she and her husband had already adopted a baby boy through an agency two years earlier and the chances of them getting another child this way were very slim. The only alternative was to find someone willing to do a private adoption and that's exactly what Caroline did — I was adopted.

I was only three days old when I left Kate's arms for Caroline's. There was no looking back after that — not until I was seventeen and had enough money saved up to take my very first solo vacation. I decided to hop on a plane to the place where I was born on the east coast of Canada. The thought of looking for my birth mother did cross my mind but it wasn't significant enough for me to consider how to actually go about finding her. That being said, you never realize how close you are to someone; all you need to do is find the right links in the chain.

It wasn't until I arrived in Fredericton that I learned Kate was my grandmother's sister's daughter's coworker and could be reached immediately. Once this link was presented, the big question that wouldn't leave my mind was whether I should meet her or not. I chose not to consult with my mom because I wasn't sure if it would hurt her feelings; but I couldn't help but wonder why she had never told me of this simple connection. The words now or never kept running though my mind and curiosity won me over as it usually does. I decided to press forward.

I was at my great aunt's house when Kate and I spoke for the first time on the phone. We had few words to share despite being of the same flesh and blood. We said so little that it was almost like a silent agreement to meet the following day at her salon — the same place she had been working while I was growing inside of her. I hardly slept that night. My stomach was tied in knots with the realization of what was about to happen. There was a faint sense of finally coming home but it was little more than a shadow in my mind. I arrived early the next day absolutely terrified.

I waited in a windowless classroom that was the upper floor of the salon. Empty chairs that were normally occupied by giggly, young girls aspiring to be hairdressers were instead full of silent anticipation. The three walls in front of me were mirrored from floor to ceiling. I gazed blankly at my reflection, reminding myself to breathe. I was distracted for a moment by the piles of plastic chairs sitting upon two long rows of tables in the center of the room. They made a path towards open cupboards that protruded from the walls. A jury of wigged styrofoam heads with expressionless eyes returned my vacant stare with a silent verdict.

The silence was soon replaced by footsteps climbing the stairs, coming closer and closer. They sounded crisper than any other footsteps I'd ever heard, each clunk reverberating through the room. I could hear my breathing getting louder and louder even as it became more and more shallow. My eyes and mouth were dry. Silence returned to the room as her feet became motionless. All I could hear was the sound of my beating heart. The lady who had given me life was standing directly across from me. We stared. Silent.

A pair of eyes precisely shaped like mine with similar lashes and the exact shade of blue reflected back at me from an unfamiliar face. It felt like I was looking into a mirror as my eyes moved down to a nose that also resembled my own; then my dimples and finally my smile. Her teeth were crooked and discolored in places and my mind escaped for a few moments as I thought of the times I had cursed my parents for forcing me to wear braces all those years. Neither one of us knew what to say so we just embraced. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be feeling so I didn't pull away until she did.

I numbly followed her downstairs towards her personal workstation that was situated along a wall in perfect formation with four others just like it. Her co-workers were standing together trying their best to be politely calm but their expressions betrayed their excitement. The salon was sparkling clean with soft shades of pink contrasted by splashes of glossy black furniture and dark cotton towels. I stopped suddenly as my eyes landed on the photographs around the edge of her mirror— I never knew my mom had been keeping in contact with Kate over the years. The photos helped me to relax a little with a feeling of familiarity at what was an otherwise awkward moment in time. Conversation began to flow as I told her about the memories each photo held.

I learned that she and her co-workers had always referred to me with the name she had given me at birth — Cheryl. I felt uncomfortable when they addressed me with it, as if the legitimacy of my existence was trapped in somebody else's memory. My birth certificate had been changed immediately after the adoption but Kate had never given up that name — to her, I was Cheryl, her baby.

Although the lady standing before me nurtured me with her body, she was nothing more than a complete stranger to me. She was never there when I needed someone to mend my scraped knees or bandage my bloodied elbows. She was never cheering from the sidelines. She was nowhere to be seen when her growing girl needed comfort the most.

My mom was. Despite the missing bond that a mother should have with her child, I felt grateful towards Kate for that much.

I think Kate was relieved that her decision left me with a mom who provided me with a lifetime's supply of love — like a real mother should; it just so happens it wasn't the same woman who gave birth to me. I may not be Caroline's child but I am certainly her daughter.

好舒服 ...

2011-10-18T21:33:00.002+08:00

New Photos on the Right ...

2011-10-15T13:11:00.000+08:00

New growth ...

2011-10-10T16:55:00.002+08:00

This is one of the two dragon fruit plants that I am growing; it being the smaller of the two. Cute ... and exciting!

Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness(es) ~ Jean Vanier

High

2011-10-08T05:27:00.005+08:00

Taken from Merriam-Webster:
High and tall mean above the average in height. High implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level. Examples: a high hill or a high ceiling. Tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness. Example: a tall thin man.

Taken from Yahoo 字典:
高（ㄍㄠ） (gāo) tall ; high； of a superior grade or type； (of voice) high ; loud；（ Polite） your respected.

This was one of the new vocabulary words in my grade 5 class last week. When I asked one of my students to make a sentence, he responded with, "Teacher Jenny is very high."

Of course this caused a bit of a chuckle from me while another student attempted to correct this sentence by stating, "Teacher Jenny isn't high."

Still slightly giggling, I agreed, "You are right. Teacher Jenny isn't high ... today."

How could I resist?! It was unfortunate that I was the only one able to see the humor in this conversation!

Teaching English can be a lot of fun sometimes!

Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

2011-10-05T22:22:00.001+08:00

I try not to have road angst here in Taiwan due to the fact that I'd spend a good chunk of my time being angry.

Please bear with me on the above image taken from Google Maps. The blue line represents a mass amount of scooters weaving in and around one another during rush hour, presumably on the mad dash home, hoping to make it through the green light.

The red X represents ONE guy on a scooter who was unfortunate to catch the red.

Please note that turning right on a red is illegal in Taiwan.

Mr. X decides to get off his scooter despite the thirty or so of us lined up trying to get through the small space between the sidewalk and the cars and slows traffic to walk his bike around the bend and then stops everybody so that he can then mount his bike and continue to drive on.

Really?

When you then meet someone like this at the next red light ten seconds away, it's extremely difficult not to push them over and then proceed to say as politely as possible, "You're a dumbass."

Saturday October 1st, 2011

2011-10-01T10:48:00.000+08:00

Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet ~ Roger Miller

Time is tight ...

2011-09-23T13:22:00.000+08:00

... hence the lack of posts.

My schedule for this new semester is kicking my butt. I think I've finally gone overboard by taking on more than I can handle. The small picture on the left shows my schedule:

Yellow = University. Blue = Private Students. Red = Grade 5 Class at a school. Green = Chinese Class.

Please note this schedule doesn't include travel time, homework, prepping for private classes, exercise, eating or climbing.

What was I thinking? Yikes!

Home Sweet Home ...

2011-09-15T20:53:00.000+08:00

Sunday September 11th, 2011

2011-09-11T11:19:00.000+08:00

Please note the arrow and notice the tail that's a little hard to make out. Datsun is under there somewhere. Perhaps a little hot to be doing that, Levi, don't you think? Always the cuddle bum!

Back in Taipei and melting ...

Published ...

2011-09-11T10:44:00.001+08:00

A small assignment for the August edition of Cebu Pacific Air's in-flight magazine! Things to do by day and night in Taipei, a hotel recommendation along with a few useful tips for those visiting the city.

Safety first ...

2011-09-08T21:43:00.000+08:00

Labor Day Weekend ...

2011-09-05T23:40:00.001+08:00

New photos in the Ontario, Canada album on the right ...

Korea on $185US – Day three ...

2011-09-03T21:22:00.000+08:00

Day three started late and my first stop was the massive Gyeongbokgung Palace where the entrance fee is $3,000KRW. I managed to arrive just in time for the changing of the guards. I spent three hours wandering the compound and that was skipping parts of it here and there. It was unfortunate that there weren’t any blue skies for the occasion.

Starving, exhausted and well after the lunch hour, I passed a Quiznos and found myself turning back as I wasn’t sure what else would be around. I had a tasty bacon, turkey and guacamole half sub with a masala chai latte for $12,350KRW which cost more than the Indian food I had had the night before. The a/c and comfortable sofa chair made it well worth the expense.

After a long rest, I walked over to a traditional Korean village called Bukchon Hanok Village. There were plenty of old style houses that appeared to have been restored over the years. The houses spread over a hilly expanse of land and contained many small lanes that twisted and turned every which way. It was easy to get lost in the maze and absolutely worth the visit.

The day was still young so I decided to hop the train over to the N Seoul Tower. I thought I could hike up to the tower but upon arrival I realized I was way too tired and wasn’t totally sure of how to get up there. I did come across a bus stop that showed three buses heading in the direction I wanted to go so I opted to wait.

The bus ride up was fantastic and gave me a sneak peek into the small mountains that exist around Seoul. Once off the bus, I headed up the mountain on foot in search of the Namsan cable car . The ticket cost me $7,500KRW/return and it wasn’t overly exciting. It did grant me a great view of the city but perhaps two ways wasn’t necessary. I knew I wanted to spend some more time on the mountain and that's why I chose to go back up.

Going to the top of the tower would have run me another $12,000KRW so I neglected to go. I spent some time looking through the loads of locks around the tower. It had been a long day and I could feel myself low on energy. I found a bus that took me back down to one of the train stations and found my way home from there.

It was late in the day and starting to rain. My tummy was grumbling so I made my way out to find some food. Since it was my last night in Korea I thought it would be suitable to find myself some Korean food. Most of the Korean places seemed to be all-you-can BBQ and I found myself drawn into a place playing funky jazz with walls that were painted bright yellow accompanied with cool art. Korean food it was not, but great Italian it was. I had a big glass of red wine and a thin crust pizza with tomatoes, onions and jalapenos costing me $16,000KRW. So, so tasty!

I wandered back to the hostel in the rain on my last night in Korea. I had an early morning flight. Next stop was Canada and it was hard to contain my excitement. All in all, I really enjoyed Korea. It’s never really been on my list of places to see but I am glad I was able to check it out. I wouldn’t be opposed to going there again if things work out that way.

Korea on $185US – Day 2 ...

2011-08-31T21:31:00.000+08:00

The hostel included a very simple breakfast of coffee and toast. Despite the Dunkin Donuts directly below, I opted for the free route. I had a few questions for the guy that worked at the hostel anyway before I went on my way to brave the train system.

Although at first intimidating, the trains were actually quite easy to figure out and very convenient. I loved the Korean jingle that plays to let one know the next stop is about to arrive. There were often salesmen on the trains trying to sell things like back braces or toothpaste. They were equipped with headset microphones and had prepared speeches for the passengers. On other occasions I saw blind men walking down the trains with radios hung around their necks that blared music in hopes of attracting just enough attention to get the small baskets they held filled.

First stop was to Seolleung to see the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. The grounds surrounding the area were full of lush greenery and this made the trip worthwhile. The smells and sounds of nature were amazing! The tombs themselves were blocked off and not easy to see. The stone sculptures that were in sight were facing the opposite direction in which one was allowed to view them. Needless to say it was a little disappointing. One could enter the Tomb of King Seongjong at 10:30 and 2:30 for 30 minutes. It was going on 11:30 when I was there and I wasn’t willing to wait around until the next opening. It took about one hour to wander the area; the ticket was only $1,000KRW.

On the train ride back to the hostel, I was beginning to notice that the younger generation had their eyes glued to iPhones or something similar more often than not. Even when traveling in groups, each would be buried in entertainment offered on their individual devices rather than socializing with each other. I also noted that the older generation was smiling at me a lot. I suppose I looked like a tourist with my camera and map in hand; however, Korea came off as a very friendly environment.

I went to a French Café for lunch and grabbed a latte along with two items from the bakery; both were delicious and ran me $8,900KRW.

Second stop was to the impressive Deoksu Palace which sits in the heart of Seoul. I arrived just in time for the changing of the guards. With the entrance fee only being $1,000KRW, it was no wonder that the grounds were bustling with people. The day was hot and the skies were fabulously blue. I spent a few hours strolling and treated myself to a quiet rest in a shady park to observe the surrounding atmosphere.

Third stop was over to the Cheonggyecheon River. This river flows right through the city center and runs about 8.4 kms. Kids were wading in the shallow water while others were dawdling along without a care in the world. I saw signs advertising a light show in the evenings, so I decided to walk around the city in search of dinner in order to pass the time.

There were an abundance of restaurants in the area and it was hard to choose one. I wandered past a place called Taj Mahal and I ask who can walk by a restaurant with such a name and not go in? Certainly not I! I had tasty tikki masala Paneer along with garlic naan and masala chai all for only $12,500KRW. Yum! Day two was quickly coming to an end and still no Korean food.

Cafés of all sorts were everywhere. You could be standing at one Dunkin Donuts and spot another not too far off in the distance. The city was full of foreigners as well, way more than we have in Taiwan. That being said, I didn’t see many English schools around nor did many Koreans speak much English; the level certainly lacked compared to that of Taiwan. One thing I do know is that I prefer being in an Asia where I can communicate with others. Some Mandarin was around which brought familiarity.

After dinner on day two, I returned to the river to view the light show that wasn’t overly moving. Exhaustion set in on the way back to the hostel and I was looking forward to some rest. Day three was sure to be more busy.

Korea on $185US – Day 1 ...

2011-08-28T23:40:00.001+08:00

Being a full time student has unfortunately hindered my travels to some degree. I had $185US leftover from my trip to Las Vegas last year and I decided to use this for my time in Korea. First stop was to trade that money which allowed me $193,330KRW. Second stop was to the airport information booth to find me a map of the city and the trains. I let out a small gasp when the lady showed me the complex train system. I told her where I needed to go and she highlighted one stop on a map of what seemed to be hundreds and pointed me in the right direction.

Signs were clearly marked for the trains and I was feeling quite confident. Upon reaching two opposing escalators, the signs became misleading and I wasn’t sure if both led to the same tracks. I took my chances and went down one knowing that I could always go back up if it was the wrong way.

I noticed a lady aware of my confusion before heading down and once I had reached the tracks, her son was waiting to ask me if I needed help. She didn’t speak any English but her sons and husband spoke a bit. We chitchatted while waiting for the train; they were quite curious about why I was there. The husband eventually asked me which son I thought was more handsome and I could only politely answer that I thought both were. Although they got off the train before I did, the wife made sure to point to my stop on the tiny lit map above the exit doors so that things were very clear.

I reached my stop and followed the instructions given to me by the hostel I was staying at which told me to go out exit number two. The problem with that was that there was a yellow square with a two inside of it as well as a green circle with a two inside of it; they headed in opposite directions. I went towards the square and then towards the circle and then back towards the square before stopping to see if I could find someone working for the train. Apparently that wasn’t necessary as a young guy approached me immediately to offer help. He told me a few important things about the trains while walking me exactly where I needed to be. Fantastic! I was quickly becoming very impressed by the niceness I was receiving from the people of Korea.

The hostel was called Hongdae Guest House and it was recommended by an acquaintance. It was only OK in my opinion. The window of my room sat above a very busy road and the hum of traffic was constant. There was no common room so it wasn’t easy to meet others, only the ones staying in the same room. There were a lot of young guys staying in my room who seemed to be partying it up into the wee hours of the morning. They weren’t very considerate of the few that weren’t partaking. I lacked in sleep over the three nights and decided that may be my last time doing the hostel thing. The price was right, however, at only 20,000KSW per night and so was the location; it was situated perfectly.

It was early evening by the time I reached the hostel on day one and I wasn’t up for doing much due to the fact that the night before consisted of a staff party at an all-you-can BBQ and beer place and I was just recovering from my hangover. I went to a night market up the road and wandered around looking for a place to eat. I ended up with a big Japanese beer (3,700KSW) and a Turkish Donar Kebab (5,000KSW) to go and both hit the spot. I spent some time studying the map of the city and searching the Internet making plans for the following day which I knew would be a busy one; and that it was. There’s a new album on the right although my pictures do not overly impress me this time around.

Wednesday August 24th, 2011

2011-08-25T07:59:00.000+08:00

Three nights in Korea with US$185 that was leftover from Vegas. Pictures and stories to follow soon.

One more sleep ...

2011-08-19T09:21:00.000+08:00

Sunday August 14th, 2011

2011-08-15T22:08:00.000+08:00

2011-08-05T23:10:00.001+08:00

Thursday August 4th, 2011

2011-08-04T20:25:00.000+08:00

It seems to be growing as it approaches. Late summer cleaning started today although the rain hasn't arrived as of yet.

Wednesday August 3rd, 2011

2011-08-03T11:13:00.002+08:00

Looks like we are in for a wet weekend as typhoon 梅花 heads straight towards Taiwan. My apartment is in dire need of a clean which may just force me to finally get it done!

My apparent nemesis ...

2011-07-30T02:07:00.000+08:00

I recall facing this spot two years ago and not being tall enough for the reach or brave enough for the leap. I opted to be lowered and remained a bit disappointed that I couldn't make the move to join the rest of my fellow climbers on the top of what is known as "Whale Head".

Out of nowhere, it appeared before me again last weekend. I was just shy in my stretch but found the courage to spring off the wall only to find that the hold was much thicker than anticipated and my fingers scrambled before sliding off.

Studying this photo allows me to see my next attempt.

Soon ...

Road Trip ...

2011-07-29T11:02:00.000+08:00

I first learned about 朱銘美術館 Juming Museum last summer while at home nursing my broken leg. It was reintroduced to me during a History of Western Art class that I took at the university. Over one year later, I finally found the opportunity to take the trip; and what a trip it was!

Two of us drove scooters, taking our time on the way. The trip was exactly 1.5 hours. Signs were clearly marked in English along the main road and luckily my eyes caught the tiny sign written in Chinese only which required us to make a u-turn back to the small mountain road that leads up to the museum. Not sure why the signs are in English up until the most important part; the turn off. 外國人, 加油！

The museum was most impressive and that's putting it mildly. It sits over a huge land mass in the mountains and it took us a few hours of strolling in the hot sun to complete. Part of it was under construction which made the walk a bit longer as we couldn't loop, we needed to backtrack. Although scorching, it was an absolute pleasure. I most definitely need to go back a bit closer to evening time for some shots.

Next stop was the historic street of Jinshan for some food and cold beer. Time allowed us to stop for a jump in the ocean as well. We found ourselves at a beach resort but were turned down at the door as the beach is reserved for the guests until 6:30pm. The gate we found ajar with no cameras told us otherwise. The water was wonderful!

There's a new album on the right. Click the pic ...

A taste of her own medicine ...

2011-07-20T12:06:00.002+08:00

Girl Cat, aka Levi, has developed a nasty habit this week of meowing incessantly between 5am and 6am. The sun is already up by then and I guess she believes I should be too.

After carrying on for ten minutes or so, I finally get up to make sure she isn't dying; and I am very aware that she's not. As I do, she skips with joy (literally has a jump in her step) down the hallway all the while purring with delight. What's going through my mind is, 'you'd better run cat because I am about to pound you'.

It's going on noon and pictured here is how I find her. I don't think so, cat! It's time for your rude awakening although it's a real shame it won't quite have the same effect.

Fun with my flash ...

2011-07-16T20:13:00.000+08:00

and food. Best salad ever. From my kitchen.

Keep on that path ...

2011-07-15T20:30:00.001+08:00

Friday July 15th, 2011

2011-07-15T08:37:00.000+08:00

I guess all the hard work I put in for second semester paid off as I managed to rank first in my class! I am absolutely thrilled!

Semester 2: PRO 6 - CON 2

2011-07-13T22:31:00.003+08:00

Friday went quick at the university only having Sociology in the morning and my afternoons off. And by off I mean having a Chinese class and then teaching two private students taking me to 9pm each night.

We spent our first class understanding a sheet of classrooms rules, then making our own and taking a vote on the ones that seemed most important. Were any of them followed throughout the semester, you ask? No, of course not.

We spent another class on how to read a textbook and the lesson came with handouts and everything. Awesome. That same day, we were given a revised list of the classroom rules as if they were of importance.

The professor was from Taiwan and although she had lived in the states for ten years one wouldn't be able to tell so much. I would imagine her and I to be very similar in age give or take a few years. It was interesting to be taught Sociology from a different mindset.

Her lectures were kind of boring but made sense. Her PPTs were taken directly from the textbook. She pretty much gave us the answers to memorize for both of the exams. I scored 100% on the mid-term. Who does that in university?

All that being said, I give this class a PRO. The above only reflects the awesomeness in the Taiwanese education system. Note sarcasm. It's affordable but questionable.

I did learn a lot in this class mostly via self-reading. I have the same professor next semester for Environmental Studies or something to that degree. My fingers are crossed for more perfect exams.

I am a genius.

Year 1: done.

Semester 1: PRO 6 - CON 2. GPA - 92% - 5th in my class.
Semester 2: PRO 6 - CON 2. GPA - 94.67% - possibly 1st?!

Continue on? ✔

Semester 2: PRO 5 - CON 2

2011-07-11T10:57:00.000+08:00

Thursday afternoon was reserved for Psychology. The professor was from the Philippines and demanded full attention from the class, no messing around. She'd randomly call on people, and everyone got their turn, keeping the class on their toes.

I wasn't sure what to think after the first two weeks of classes had been canceled. When we finally came to meet the instructor, she was late and seemed unprepared. Throughout the course, her notes were hard to follow and sometimes her words didn't match the PowerPoint but all in all she taught some great things. A lot of it was familiar and what wasn't made absolute sense.

We covered a lot of material over the 18-week course. Being a field professional, she had many stories that ranged from great to disturbing to questionable. Although her tests were multiple-choice, they were brutal. I could narrow the questions down to two answers but then found myself debating over which one to pencil in as both seemed to fit depending on how one looks at the situation.

I did better than expected on the mid-term and remain unaware of the score on my final. The grade showing on my transcript is high so I must have done well! I'd almost be interested in Psychology II if the university offered it.

Shakin' things up ...

2011-07-07T09:06:00.000+08:00

9am and already 4 earthquakes marked for this morning ... these following the 14 earthquakes that Taiwan experienced yesterday.

2011-07-06T23:26:00.001+08:00

Semester 2: PRO 4 - CON 2

2011-07-06T08:46:00.001+08:00

Thursday morning, I opted out of a Modern China (elective) course and into a third year program called Introduction to Film Analysis which caused quite a kerfuffle with the university admin staff. Apparently not following MCU's four-year mapped out plan to an exact tee is considered unacceptable as this implies free thinking which isn't commonly practiced here in Taiwan.

The university urged us to change back to Modern China and most students did but I've always believed in pushing the limits so I decided to take my chances and opt for the course that interests me; this is university after all. Intro to Film was instructed by one of my favorite professors and I knew it would be a great course and that I would actually learn something.

I'm not much of a movie watcher so picking apart films was a new process for me and it was one that I quite enjoyed. We were introduced to many genres of films from Film Noir to Westerns along with Foreign Films and Anime cartoons. Most things he showed weren't of great interest but the class wasn't about how good the viewings were, it was more about understanding the meaning behind the director's ideas.

Although I still don't have much interest in film, I learned a lot over the 18-week course and managed to do very well on the tests which resulted in a near perfect grade on my transcript. I will be studying with the same professor next semester for two different courses and am quite excited about that. I like spending my time and money on things that are 100% worthy. Life is short and learning is grand!

Fun with Photoshop ...

2011-07-04T22:46:00.002+08:00

Nothing is permanent except change ~ Heraclitus

Semester 2: PRO 3 - CON 2

2011-07-03T21:01:00.000+08:00

I didn't have any classes on Wednesdays and this allowed me to spend my afternoons at the climbing gym. It was a great way to spend my days off. A most definite PRO.

Semester 2: PRO 2 - CON 2

2011-07-03T04:42:00.001+08:00

Tuesday afternoon was exactly the same as last semester for part two of English Reading and Composition Writing although we were given some tough assignments this time around. I wrote about the origin of my name, followed by a piece identifying myself along with an ID card I made using Photoshop.

Other assignments included a 16-sentence narrative to describe a life experience and analyzing a problem and offering advice from the perspective of a psychotherapist. We read pieces from Plato and were asked to write about morality using the Ring of Gyges as an example. The last paper was based on Life's Lessons according to Zen.

Each piece allowed me to try new writing styles though I was not fully pleased with most of my completed works. The teacher gave a lot of critique and helped me become aware of areas that could stand improvement.

I always looked forward to this class, curious as to what would be discussed each week. It's a great feeling knowing that you don't want to miss a second of class. Time well spent = PRO. Entertaining professor = PRO. Life knowledge = PRO. Thank you, Dr. O!

Friday July 1st, 2011

2011-07-01T16:28:00.003+08:00

And just like that, it's July.

Semester 2: PRO 1 - CON 2

2011-06-28T09:57:00.004+08:00

Tuesday morning was spent in the same classroom with the same instructor as last semester for four hours of Multimedia Applications. We touched upon the very basics of text, sound, video and images along with Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Flash.

What about a whole semester of Illustrator and a whole semester of Dreamweaver and a whole semester of Photoshop? MCU doesn't offer Multimedia Applications II but they most definitely should.

I like this class due to the fact that it's hands on. Our professor asked the class to do one final project, breaking us up into eight different departments each being responsible for a certain element. I was a secretary for the Producers and it was much like an office job — I got in a lot of Facebook time.

Posted from last semester:

The classroom was like a freezer. Signs hang on the A/Cs requesting that they not be switched off. Although Taiwan is considered to be warm year round, it can get cold. One day, the temperature dropped to nine degrees and I swear the machines were spitting out ice. The teacher obeyed the signs and refused to turn them off. The students, however, rebelled. Off was not an option so we turned it to the least offensive setting we could find.

It's been an exceptionally hot summer so far and it is real unfortunate that the A/Cs weren't spitting out the ice as per last semester. Instead, they hardly let any cold air out at all and then during our last class they broke down completely — on the day we were required to give presentations.

An empty classroom was right across the hall with working A/Cs but no attempt was made by the university to move us. Instead we got to sit in a boiling classroom in one of the highest buildings on the highest floors and have workmen come in and out trying different solutions as we gave our presentations. Talk about distraction.

The lady from MCU whose job it was to stand there and oversee the workmen should have made it her responsibility to find us a cooler classroom. Perhaps the one directly across from us, the one that someone locked when we went in there to cool down? That would have been a good choice.

This class marks the first PRO of second semester with many more to follow, I'm sure.

Semester 2: PRO 0 - CON 2

2011-06-26T13:41:00.000+08:00

Monday afternoon was a required gym class that didn't grant any credits. This semester we played ping-pong and basketball.

I don't recall there being a ping-pong test but I may have been absent. We had a test based on our ability to shoot layups but I wasn't there. I managed to miss a good chunk of classes this semester and it is fortunate that it didn't reflect in my grade.

We had another test that required one to throw a baseball through a white circle that was painted on a wall. We had 10 tries to get it in 10 times. I neglect to see how this prepares one for the working world.

As per the university's request, we needed to be tested on the rules of basketball. Since there were 30+ students with one net most of the semester, we weren't really taught much so the teacher asked us to write an essay on the NBA.

MCU states that we take this course to promote physical fitness yet there I was writing a report. Hmm. Most students sit and chat during this class or sneak out after attendance has been taken. So although MCU's intentions are good, I'm not sure they are realistic.

The lack of participation certainly lies on the responsibility of the teacher and not the university itself; however, with a shortage of space and equipment, it seems that perhaps the onus goes back to that of the university.

I was usually left feeling quite frustrated by the end of Monday. I hate spending my money on things that waste my time.

Fun with Photoshop ....

2011-06-23T23:52:00.001+08:00

36°+ blue skies + no daytime work = perfection. New photos in Juiciest June. 愛台灣。

Semester 2: PRO 0 — CON 1

2011-06-22T08:33:00.001+08:00

Grades are in the process of being posted so here goes. Monday morning started with Introduction to Electronic Media. A more appropriate title would have been Introduction to Wasting Time. Eighteen weeks gone and the only thing I learned was that the instructor should not be teaching at a university (in English); because by teaching I mean direct reading off his PowerPoint done with poor intonation and mispronunciation of many words.

Books were not required for this course as the professor provided us with material although it was quite dated. Perhaps this course was meant to be called the History of Electronic Media? I should mention that all readings were copied and pasted directly from these handouts. Yawn.

Three weeks prior to our tour of ICRT, he repeatedly pushed the radio station, made us watch a video of last year's class (twice) and then spent three hours on giving us directions. Google Maps is fairly self explanatory, no?

The course outline and the class content didn't match up exactly. We ran around the history of Radio. He showed us Pirate Radio and as the film played he continually told us what was going to happen before it happened. He wins a prize for the worst person ever to watch a movie with.

Our mid-term project consisted of two reports titled "My Favorite Radio Program" and "My Favorite TV Program", both to be 700 - 900 words. Some classmates complained that was too much so he agreed to extend the date for one assignment. After stating he would give two grades and average those out, I spoke to him privately noting that I only had the opportunity of one grade since I had submitted both reports together as per his original instruction. Brownie points? Ask and you shall receive; a week later my grade had magically raised by 5%.

On to the history of TV and cable. We viewed EdTV since it has TV in the title? This is purely a guess on my part. Most of the semester was spent in the 50s. We ventured into the 70s but only briefly before heading back to the 60s. What about the 80s? The 90s? 2011? Hello?

A guest speaker came to discuss cable television within Taiwan. He had a half hour of material but it seemed that the professor had planned on him being there for a full two hours; and with no backup plan, the teacher made him stay. It was a little awkward.

A tour of Taiwan's Public Television Station was OK, but I didn't learn anything. Next class, the prof introduced satellites by showing us documentaries on war while he slipped out of class with phone to ear. Unfortunately, I had stopped tuning in weeks prior.

Don't get me wrong. Outside of class, the professor seems like a nice guy. He's a retired professional that has done well in his industry. Is he suitable for Electronic Media in today's world? Nope.

Things you shouldn't do in class: answer your phone (number of occasions), throw on a movie and disappear, show up for a half hour and then excuse yourself for a meeting (twice).

Introduction to Electronic Media = an expensive movie theater with somewhat sucky choices and uncomfortable seats.

And so it begins with CON in the lead. I do feel confident that PRO will win in the end but this class certainly did not make the cut. Not even close.

Monday June 20th, 2011

2011-06-21T03:23:00.001+08:00

June just got juicier ... new album on the right.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T08:27:00.002+08:00

Any man can become a father but it takes someone real special to be a dad. My dad and I have developed an awesome relationship over the years. My only regret is that I don't get to see him more often. Although life has taken me to the opposite side of the globe, I know that my dad remains by my side!

Dad, I miss you every day and am so looking forward to our time together in a few short months! I hope you have a great day! You deserve it! I love you!

夏天! 太陽！沙灘! 好！

2011-06-14T23:33:00.009+08:00

Sunday June 12th, 2011

2011-06-13T09:57:00.002+08:00

I can't help but smile at how juicy June is going to be as I sip on my homemade grapefruit, orange, lime, pineapple and ginger juice. New photos in the album on the right ... click it ... you know you want to.

School's out for summer ...

2011-06-10T23:36:00.002+08:00

Being a full time student stops for the moment. One week of rest before I become a full time teacher again. I have much to say about this past semester and words will follow soon ...

Road Trip ...

2011-06-06T16:32:00.006+08:00

Last minute planning made for a fantastic scooter ride through a few different mountain passes popping us out on the coast for the long weekend as Taiwan celebrated Dragon Boat Festival. We made it from door to door in less than two hours; just in time for a yummy BBQ feast along with LOTS of wine followed by late night skinny-dipping in the ocean! Awesome!

The morning after was off to a slow start as hammocks were present on the rooftop of the beach house. We finally mustered up the motivation and took off to explore more of the mountains surrounding 頭城. We came across a deserted resort that looked as though it hasn't been operating for years. I was able to locate it on Google Maps (pictured below) but unfortunately it doesn't offer the name of the facility.

The day was scorching but pictures were plentiful. The afternoon was spent relaxing on 外澳 beach which eventually led us back to BBQ feast time. We ate extremely well, drank loads and shared a lot of laughs between friends. Sleep was short and the party continued on the next morning not too long after it had stopped.

Good times always need to come to an end and it was unfortunate that time had arrived. Since it was 35° on the way home, we made a stop at the river in 坪林 for a much needed cool down. As luck would have it, Egrets were nesting in the area and we were able to get some shots although I need a much better lens! There's a new album on the right.

And like that, it's back to the grind. Four days left of university with one presentation and two exams. I am ready for it to be done although I am not ready to go back to work. I really do prefer holidays, but who doesn't?!

Random Nothings ...

2011-05-21T13:47:00.004+08:00

Saturday, May 21st, 2011. It's 30°outside. Time is soaring by at an amazing speed. Perhaps even quicker this year than last, if that's possible. It's been an excellent year so far with most things working out in my favor.

I've not left words in weeks and I suppose that's because my time hardly goes to me. It gets pulled in this direction and that. I find myself attempting quick ten-minute naps throughout the day but they are never much help.

I have three weeks left of uni and am quite ready for it to be done. I will be buried under assignments until summer vacation starts. I should be doing homework now but here I am, procrastinating.

Seems I am going to need a vacation from my summer vacation. I will be doing 35.5 teaching hours per week this summer. One of my coworkers has decided to leave Taiwan and that luckily means a FT job for me.

Although thankful, I find myself shivering at the thought. I can't remember the last time I was required to work that many hours in a one-week time frame. Probably back in Canada 2002.

I made an attempt to get out of the summer camp program this year. It's only six hours per week but will take two of my mornings away. I still might try and talk my way out of it.

I need to fit in swimming, climbing, hiking, Chinese class and most importantly the sun. It is summer after all.

My mom and my Aunt sent me a book some time ago called Stuff on my Cat. I really think I should make a book titled Cat on my Stuff.

Cat in my Stuff?

I could absolutely come up with one photo a day.

Check out the link below. Good stuff!

You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-bound Pets takes that burden off your mind.

Jaunting around Southern Taiwan ...

2011-05-04T12:22:00.006+08:00

臺東 - Taitung

恆春 - Hengchun

佳樂水 - Jialeshuei

愛河 - Love River

鵝鑾鼻 - Eluanbi Lighthouse

船帆石 - Chuanfanshih

Get lost ...

2011-04-27T22:10:00.007+08:00

A few weeks back, I spent some time with friends on the northern coast of Taiwan. We went off in search of a waterfall using the car's GPS which meant that we couldn't listen to music. Sure that we were on the right track, we switched off the GPS and put on some tunes.

It was only seconds before an iPhone was pulled out of a pocket to put us back on the radar. Technology seems to be taking the fun out of getting lost which is exactly what I did today.

I missed a turn and ended up in what seemed to be a tiny abandoned mountain village. I stumbled upon bits of interesting randomness.

Empty houses and a Mercedes with a flat sitting out front. I am glad I don't own a GPS. It's important to get lost sometimes.

Retracing back to familiarity is the easy part.

Looking back in time ...

2011-04-22T22:43:00.010+08:00

My three-month trip to India was about one year in the making. Saving enough money and negotiating the time off with my boss was tricky but manageable.

Before the trip, I did lots of reading about the culture so that I would have some idea of what I was getting myself into. I'm not sure that any amount of reading could have prepared me for what was actually presented.

Here is one piece of many (with some edits) to follow. Written on my blog in January 2009 regarding the plane ride over:

The plane consisted mostly of Indian men. I saw two wives that were both holding infant babies. Three or four other foreigners were on the plane as well, all male. The long ride over seemed to be a quick introduction to India and it wasn't overly impressive.

The plane had thirty rows, the first ten being business class. I was in row twenty-three. One of the flight attendants started serving row ten and over one hour later she still hadn't reached my row.

All international flights offer free alcohol. The men were ordering vodka straight up. The flight attendant would serve about three or four rows and just as she moved the cart forward, the few rows she had just served started turning on their service lights requesting more drinks. She would serve them and then once again move further down the aisle but only to have those she had just served turn on their lights frantically looking for a refill. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen and it continued on and up to the point where people from the back of the plane started getting up and going to the cart for drinks. The flight attendants were more like bartenders.

The man that sat directly across from me must have rung the service bell fifty times. The light above his seat was on more than it was off. I kind of wanted to break every one of his fingers. The flight attendants were annoyed by his constant badgering and eventually ignored him which caused him to become more of a ... you know what!

Others threw their garbage in the aisle and the flight attendants walked over it or kicked it out of the way instead of picking it up. My chair was continually bumped and I was feeling rather annoyed at the end of hour number four.

Welcome to India!

I landed in Delhi quite late in the evening and spent my first month traveling through the north. It has proved to be the most challenging travel to date for me.

Let's start with the Indian News. One thing of interest was the section that contained faces of the unconscious or the deceased. It stated where and when accidents had occurred and estimates of ages along with special features. The hospitals had no idea who these people were and put photos in the paper in search of identify. Empty eyes staring back at me didn't go well with my morning chai.

Oh, the chai. Little stands were everywhere and if you had 4 or 5 rupees you'd find yourself able to buy a few delicious hot mouthfuls served in a paper or plastic cup. Yum!

Men dominated the north — it's a real man's world. Aboard a Delhi city bus, we drove past a huge billboard with one third showing a picture of a man and his name stated just below. It looked as though he might be running for mayor. The majority of the sign had big bold red letters that said, 'I hate working women'.

Awesome.

Armed guards roamed the streets of Delhi. On two separate occasions, the main roads were temporarily closed due to the President coming and going. And by closed, I mean the sounds of loud horns and hums of traffic being immediately drowned-out by quick blasts of whistles and sirens. Men with big guns were running and yelling. I followed the locals in fear having no idea of what was happening.

The Mumbai attacks had happened three months prior and I recall thinking that my father would re-kill me if I actually managed to get myself killed in India. Traffic was stopped and everyone was removed from the main road, standing behind armed barricades. We were left waiting for what seemed like an eternity, which is about the same time it took for my heart to return to its normal pace.

The food was definitely the best part about Delhi. So, so delicious! In most of the north, really. OK — in ALL of India, the food was absolutely fantastic! I couldn't stop eating!

I booked a three-hour train to Agra but it took well over six hours to get there. This is when I started to learn that waiting is key in India.

Words cannot even begin to describe the beauty of the Taj Mahal. It was massive in size and powerful in its stance and left me breathless. Being as mesmerized as I was, I found it hard to finally drag myself away. Truly a sight to see!

Definitely worth note: Admission Fee Locals - 25Rs ($0.56US), Admission Fee Foreigners - 750Rs ($16.80US).

A week and a half into my trip had given me a variety of experience. Some days I would arrive home feeling amazed but on others I found myself in tears — every ounce of my energy drained.

I opted for the bus throughout my travels of the north. They often drove in the oncoming traffic lane for the greater part of the journey. I was always very thankful to get off the bus in one piece!

Quotes taken from my blog during my travels:

I got harassed in Jaipur. Not overly pleasant, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

It is nice to be out of the chaos that surrounds you as soon as you step outside the door of your hotel. - said in Pushkar.

I now find myself, after being on a horrible sleeper bus, in Udaipur. The bus left Pushkar at 1:00am and arrived in Udaipur at 8:00am. The roads were so bumpy that it was impossible to get any sleep. On top of that, the guy working on the bus actually tried to grope me. How unprofessional of him. Instead of a handful, he got a foot in his chest. I was going to log an official complaint at the bus station in Udaipur, but there isn't a station here. Only a small stand littered with rickshaw drivers and none of them are going to care. They'd probably find it quite humorous.

I had a really nice room in Udaipur, splurging at 450Rs a night. I decided to stay there a few extra days to catch my breath. It was fortunate that I met some great travelers at this point as India was really starting to test my patience. I had a lot of feelings of frustration.

Udaipur was one of my favorite spots in India. Drought was very apparent; however it was flooded with beautiful mountain ranges and amazing sunsets to go along with — and then there was the BEER! Beer made India a lot easier to swallow.

Alcohol was not available in the north (unless you looked hard enough) nor was meat. I spent the first month and a half of travels being a vegetarian.

I eventually braved the newspapers again only to find most of it incomprehensible. Police officers beat up young kids for stealing 10Rs? Someone left a three-year-old child in the streets of Delhi? What?

Quotes taken from my blog during my travels:

Yesterday, I saw a little boy that couldn't have been more than two. He was playing in a pile of garbage on the side of the road wearing only a shirt, no pants. He was covered in flies and looked as though he hadn't been given a bath since the day he was born.

I don't know if I'm going to be strong enough to make it through the next two months. I don't want to comprehend some of the realities I've seen.

Ah, India. What a crazy place. I feel as though you constantly need to be on guard. Every person who approaches you has some form of ulterior motive ... mostly to do with them getting your money, among other things. It seems very few can be trusted.

Last night I went for the best dinner I've had in India so far. I will go back to the restaurant this afternoon as the chef has offered cooking lessons for free. I, of course, will give him a donation for his time and obvious talent! Very looking forward to lunch!

This place amazes me although I'm not sure I like it here so much. The sights are spectacular yet shocking. The sounds are fantastic with prayer calls four to five times a day and the constant hum of traffic, horns and birds! Aroma after aroma from various food stalls make my mouth water only to then turn a corner and be smacked in the face with the smell of urine.

I miss hot showers and clean fluffy towels and raw veggies and brushing my teeth with running tap water. These to me are simple things in life yet they are only luxurious thoughts to so many others.

Ending up in the desert town of Jaisalmer was not in the initial plan but most certainly should have been. Being approximately 100km away from the Pakistan border was interesting; jet planes cruised overhead every hour or so. I went on an excellent two-day camel safari!

One thing I admired about Jaisalmer was that the strays didn't seem to be starving. Most of the street animals along the way were quite shocking for me — I found myself fighting back tears more often than not. In Jaisalmer, each family is required to provide a minimum of two Chapatis for the cows and dogs that wander the streets.

Quotes taken from my blog during my travels:

It's hard to believe I've been here almost four weeks. I remain up and down about India but the last few days in the desert have really changed my mind. I spent a lot of time talking with the guys that took us out on the trek and their stories are great. It's an amazing life they lead and by no means an easy one.

One thing I will say about India is that it continues to fascinate me — positively and negatively. Either way, it opens my mind to different ways of thought.

I started becoming aware of what growing up in India would be like. Many people in the north didn't seem to have basic mathematics skills. I recall ordering a coffee in Jodhpur at 20Rs and an omelet at 30Rs. The waiter, who seemed to be about 20 years old, got out a calculator to do the math. After handing him a 100Rs note, he again pulled out the calculator to figure out the change.

I spent many days reading on the pillowed floors in the restaurant of the guesthouse where he worked. If he wasn't serving, he was often staring into space. I wonder why a guy his age wouldn't take the time to teach himself basic math knowing he would need to use it every day. Weird.

Quotes taken from my blog during my travels:

Goa. India has been a dream of mine since my early 20s. It's been my main goal for the past year. I worked hard to get where I am today and much to my disappointment; I'm about ready to throw in the towel.

Last night, just after 10pm, I was in bed with the lights out and the TV on. I heard a funny noise outside the balcony of my window and it was moments later that I heard the window being pushed open and then in came hands attempting to move the curtain out of the way.

I arrived exactly four weeks ago today and feel as though I've given India a fair chance. I see that I have had to change the person I am. I walk with my head down and sunglasses on to avoid lustful glares. I've also learned that the shaking of hands is most definitely a no-no. It's draining, really.

I look around and see other travelers having the time of their life. I wonder why it is that I am not ...

I imagined myself spending a month or two in Goa but left the area fairly quickly.

I had 2 months to go with no game plan. I started borrowing South East Asia guidebooks with Laos in mind, perhaps making a stop in Northern Thailand and then heading back down into Cambodia. I thought it would make for a nice little trek with the time I had left.

Being not too far from Hampi, I decided to jump over for a quick look and I am so, so glad that I did! What an awesome place!

The landscape in Hampi is captivating. I'm not even sure I can properly begin to describe it. It's loaded with old temples, ruins and massive boulders which sit oddly on balance with smaller boulders. Imagine a gigantic rocky desert, with greener than green fields containing palms, banana trees and rice fields. Another must see!

I stayed in Hampi for over a week and collected my thoughts with some real cool folk. My shoes were stolen at one point but persistency paid off. I sat in a small room that was meant to be a police office until someone found them for me — and someone did, as I knew they would.

I was starting to learn how to play. I stopped looking at South East Asia and started really looking at India — Southern India. So many places too little time.

Quotes taken from my blog during my travels:

It is the most beautiful palace I've seen in India so far ... stunning! - said of MySore palace

The south is so much different than the north. The food is spicier! The women actually work! And they speak to me! Best of all, men don't consistently use their penises as hand rests.

I suddenly feel as though three months isn't going to be enough. Go figure! I have so much more I'd like to see which means I most likely will bring myself back to this insane place!

The north and south really are like night and day. It was a whole other world in the south and it was one that I enjoyed immensely!

Power cuts were frequent and it would remain off for the majority of afternoons. Armed guards were still stationed throughout the south. They wore brown uniforms and had big, long guns but seemed to be taking public buses. That struck me as rather strange.

On one trip, two armed guards got on the bus sitting down across from me. One placed his gun across his lap so the barrel was aiming towards my leg. That was the second time I'd had a gun pointed at me in India. I can't say as though I feel very comfortable around them.

Quotes taken from my blog during my travels:

Men like to pee wherever and whenever. You can be walking behind a guy and all of a sudden he just stops, turns around and totally whips it out with no consideration of his surroundings. It's crazy. I hate that I'm totally used to it and can even anticipate it at times. Not good.

Alleppey. Seven weeks in and was doing extremely well in avoiding seeing a 'number two' incident until two days ago. Passing a shallow body of water close to the main road, I catch a glimpse of a guy standing ankle deep in water and plop it goes. Yikes! What kills me is that not even twenty meters away there are five ladies also ankle deep in the same water doing their laundry. Are they oblivious as to what is happening beside them?

I am in Kolkata, 41°. It's hot and noisy and polluted. I am trying to force myself out of this chilled room to head to the market for food. I'm not sure it's going to happen today.

From Alleppey, I traveled down to the southern tip of India. The backwaters in Kerala were remarkable. Diving in Lakshadweep was extraordinary. Kanniyakumari is where the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet. Brilliant!

From there, I went inland and up through Tamil Nadu, slowly making my way towards Kolkata.

There aren't any quotes, as I wasn't doing much blogging. I was having the time of my life instead!

I can't say enough good things about the south. I'm so glad I stayed and I definitely will go back.

No question.

Thursday April 14th, 2011

2011-04-14T14:19:00.003+08:00

Fun, fun website: Wordle

The words above came from one of my school writing assignments. I guess it's fairly obvious what the assigned topic was.

Trick Art Exhibition ...

2011-04-13T17:05:00.002+08:00

Click for more info: National Taiwan Science Education Center

Sunday April 10th, 2011

2011-04-10T18:44:00.002+08:00

Thanks for participating in my school project ... here it is:

2011-03-29T16:40:00.003+08:00

How I see myself and how I hope to come off in the eyes of others are two very different things. I remain content to be a loner, trying not to care much about what others think. I learned long ago that it's not necessary to please everyone in life. I set high standards that keep me motivated and dedicated to reach the goals I set.

When people ask me who I am, I always respond with Jennifer. Simply, I am a Canadian living in Taiwan who really enjoys rock climbing and working hard at being the best photographer I can be.

Due to the fact that I'm involved in many activities, it's easy for me to become a new identity to fit in with those in my presence. There are definitely moments when what I show and what I feel conflict. That being said, I have been referred to as versatile and resilient. These two identifiers have allowed me to experience some wonderful things in life.

Technology makes it easy to keep in touch with others. I requested of people that I've known for ages, family, co-workers, classmates and fellow travelers to give me one word that they identify me with.

Adventurous was the most popular, followed by independent, fearless and determined. The great thing about this project was being reminded of some long forgotten vocabulary like analytic, magnanimous and steadfast. One tends to speak in a simple manner when living in a world that doesn't revolve around English.

Language has played a significant part in my life since making the move abroad. As I work with the list of characteristics given to me through the eyes of others, I realize it shapes into a nice outer identity and apparently I am seen exactly how I strive to be. However, that is not to say that all personalities come naturally to me; I fail miserably at many of them. Expressions are mere words perceived differently by those in the line of sight.

It seems that self identities are built up based on the inaccurate and sometimes accurate perceptions of others. Identities change as often as the day's light. Who I am today doesn't have to carry on into tomorrow. I have the ability to control who I want to be and allow others to view me as I want to be seen. To me, identity remains to be exactly that — unforeseen and ever changing.

Following is my favorite response said by my climbing partner and this alone inspires me to push on even harder, "Some of your friends would describe you as tough shit, as you have been known to break a leg and jump back on the wall to conquer an overhang with a pin still in your leg".

Tough shit.

Wednesday March 23rd, 2011

2011-03-23T09:03:00.001+08:00

Monday March 21st, 2011

2011-03-21T18:49:00.002+08:00

Who needs a lower back support pillow when you have a cat? This is a new habit for the Datz Man. Hopefully it will stop once the hot weather arrives.

I usually put the folded white pillow shown above behind my back while working on my computer. Boy cat now likes to climb on the top edge where he's barely able to keep balance. That doesn't stop him from using my back and the chair to help him maneuver downward.

While working on this, his face happens to be conveniently in line with my ear and if I don't move my body forward in a timely manner, he shows his frustration very vocally.

Once in his desired spot, he does let me lean back on him. I only wish I could adjust him up a bit higher and then maybe as an extra added bonus ... a constant purrrrrr.

Fun with Photoshop ....

2011-03-19T16:38:00.001+08:00

... and procrastinating on my homework.

Sunday March 13th, 2011

2011-03-13T21:26:00.004+08:00

Enjoying the 23° weather ...

Trying out my new flash ...

The only photos I've taken this month.

Photography being on the back burner causes a frown ...

My Chinese Medicine ...

2011-03-13T21:10:00.002+08:00

... also — and more preferably — known as Lotus Seeds.

Saturday March 12th, 2011

2011-03-12T16:08:00.003+08:00

Brought to you by the letter 'H'.

Homemade hot pot ... Homework ... Hot coffee ... Heater ... at Home ... Happy!

Best quote EVER ...

2011-03-06T20:26:00.008+08:00

When I asked my friend and climbing partner to give me a word that describes me, this was in part of his response ...

"Some of my friends would describe me as tough shit, as I have been known to break an ankle (leg) and jump back on the wall to conquer an overhang with pins (one pin, three screws) still in my leg."

Written by: Scott Salopek (no link as he's not famous yet)

Case of the missing sock ...

2011-02-28T15:43:00.002+08:00

I've heard the myth about washing machines eating socks but only now do I believe it to be true.

I've NEVER worn the pictured blue sock(s) out of the house as they don't stay up due to lack of elasticity.

Washed them the other day and 'them' has now turned into an 'it'.

I've looked everywhere and it's nowhere.

Only one remains. Really.

It's the weirdest thing ...

坪林 ...

2011-02-27T20:02:00.003+08:00

New photos in Fine-Tuning February. Click the link ➜ ➜ ➜ ➜ ➜

Fun with Photoshop ...

2011-02-22T22:59:00.002+08:00

Elective 選修 (xuan3 xiu1)

2011-02-18T22:41:00.002+08:00

Function:
noun

Meaning:
[count] US : a class that is not required in a particular course of study ▪ She's taking several electives this year. — called also (Brit) option

We need to 'choose at least two courses' from the 'Humanities and Arts' section, where ten courses are shown as being offered. One has been chosen for us this semester. It shows as an elective but is actually required since it's the only course within this section being offered. They will open one more for us next year which gives us the two we need. Thrilled that I'm able to "choose" those classes.

Being allowed two electives this semester, two were offered to us. Awesome. I spoke to my Australian professor to ask if he had any classes. He's teaching a third year film analysis course. It conflicts with the one above. Since they are both electives, I opted out of Modern China. This is when I first learned about "Required-Electives" which are 100% of all electives at the moment.

They can't find teachers. There aren't enough students. No empty classrooms as was told to me in the meeting. Understandable. Also disappointing. I'm not sure how much time I can spend in an environment where choice is not an option.

Once again, I'm confused. Uh-oh.

Tuesday February 15th, 2011

2011-02-15T21:41:00.004+08:00

Oops.

One of these just happened to come home with me today.

And this was after a 400NT oil change turned into paying 2700NT ($90CAN) more for some needed replacements. Important parts though, like a tire, an air filter, back brakes ... just to name a few. She runs like a charm.

I didn't mean to buy a flash. I went into the shop to see about having my camera cleaned and the next thing I knew ... ❤

Fun with Photoshop ...

2011-02-13T20:31:00.002+08:00

Little Miss ...

2011-02-13T16:44:00.006+08:00

Other aliases: Muffet, 麻煩 (máfán) and Girl Cat.

She, on the other hand, thinks my camera must definitely be a toy. Every time it's pointing in her direction, she feels the need to paw at it. If I sit at a distance, she comes close enough to put her snotty nose directly onto the lens filter. Awesome.

The Datz Man ...

2011-02-13T16:20:00.003+08:00

Other aliases: Big Eyes, Little Man and Stump Le Roo (he's missing half of his tail)

He hates having a camera in his face which is a real shame. I tried using a Macro lens to capture those amazing eyes but having a tripod in the same room as him proved to be too traumatic. Pussy.

Fine-Tuning February ...

2011-02-07T00:32:00.006+08:00

New album on the right ... Click it ... ➩ ➩ ➩ ➩ ➩

PRO 6 — CON 2

2011-02-04T22:16:00.010+08:00

The last class and the last post for this series of PRO vs. CON is Public Relations. The PR professor happens to be our class director and the person I spoke with for two hours about University procedures. He certainly was the only lecturer that seemed sympathetic towards the students that aren't native speakers of English. He would often translate more complex thoughts or words into Chinese and also liked to use it for humor. Being able to laugh along with my classmates was a good feeling.

The professor mostly read from the textbook which meant I didn't need to find time to do it myself outside of class. A good student probably would have but the content was very familiar and made perfect sense. Breezing through this class without effort and ending up with an A+ = another definite PRO!

I hope there are more classes like this next semester. Trying to juggle a fifteen-hour work week on top of FT uni can be tricky. The secretary of my program has suggested twice that I stop working. If I could get money to magically appear in my bank account, I most certainly would.

I won't start on rants about the University itself as the CONs will probably surpass. Besides that, the sun has decided to join us during this Chinese New Year holiday. No work means time for play!

PRO 5 — CON 2

2011-01-30T09:55:00.013+08:00

I had a hard time marking the Photography course offered by the University as a PRO. Since I have a huge interest in photography and I quite like the professor, tallying it as a CON didn't feel right either. Sixteen weeks passed by but I did not learn a thing.

This was the course I was most looking forward to upon entering MCU. We had one quick lesson on composition and another on lighting. Two or three classes were spent looking at featured photographers' prints although most of them didn't blow my mind. We watched three or four movies that were sort-of photography related but I feel that I can watch movies on my own time.

We were assigned a David Hockney project which required some knowledge of photo editing. It took me an hour to come up with this which the teacher then used as an example for the class. Most of my classmates had no idea how to complete the project.

Our final presentation was to show our work at an exhibition. This is what I quickly came up with. We needed five to eight of our photos from previous assignments — the topic was temples — which the professor requested be displayed on a 30 x 40 template. Again, many students were baffled so one classmate took it upon herself to help a good majority of the class.

I wonder why the professor wouldn't have taken a few weeks to run around the basics of Photoshop and/or Lightroom. These two programs go hand in hand with digital photography, do they not? I'm afraid to say that our time could have been used much more wisely than it was.

And that's not to say that the movies we watched weren't entertaining. I enjoyed them. The thing is, if I'm going to be paying this kind of money to watch movies, I want big comfy seats with surround sound, not uncomfortable old wooden desks that are hardly big enough to hold a book.

There are no other photography or photo editing courses being offered in English. If I take the one or two courses that are available in Chinese at a different campus, it's won't grant me credits. Sad news, indeed.

I best stop here before this PRO becomes a CON.

PRO 4 — CON 2

2011-01-29T14:49:00.007+08:00

I aced the Journalism and News Editing course I had on Wednesday afternoon which was taught by a professor from Australia. This was the other class I looked forward to each week.

The prof was strict in his teaching style and in full control. He will be instructing us for many of the required courses which is good news. I believe I will be able to learn a lot from him and wish more professors would follow in his footsteps.

Nothing but great things to say, so I will leave it short and sweet! Tuition is paid which means another semester awaits! I placed fifth in my class overall and am thrilled about that! If I push myself a bit harder next semester, I may be able to get myself in the top three. Maybe!

PRO 3 — CON 2

2011-01-27T19:42:00.003+08:00

The elective 'History of Western Art' was offered on Wednesday morning. It's a great class taught by a Canadian professor who will retire after this next semester — and she should. Teachers need to show patience which she has absolutely none of.

No messing around in this class. It was like boot camp. I appreciated her style of teaching because I agree with it. She had control, as she should. It is her class after all. She seems to be one of the only ones making an attempt at teaching responsibility.

She was knowledgeable about her subject, no question there. After each lecture, she gave specific instruction to depict the period of art or artist she had spoken of. Most of my works looked like that of a grade-schooler yet I was one of very few that had a perfect portfolio.

One class, she made us tape paper underneath some desks and paint on our backs so that we could experience a brief moment of the four years that it took Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. From cave art, to mosaics, to stained glass and painting, one never knew what the next class would hold.

It was tough in the sense of there being a TON of readings but, unlike Economics, I found myself finding the time to get it done. I learned a lot in her class and there's no question that the western thought process worked out in her favor. Another definite PRO which puts PRO in the lead. Nice.

PRO 2 — CON 2

2011-01-25T18:49:00.010+08:00

On Tuesday afternoon I had an English Reading and Composition Writing class which is mandatory for all students. The professor is American but I won't hold that against him!

This was the class I looked forward to most each week. His lessons were interesting and entertaining. FINALLY! There were no tests, only portfolios to be submitted. The six writing assignments he gave allowed me to explore new styles of writing. A few were quite challenging. I really enjoyed having someone critique my work as I am looking for guidance in that department.

We will be stuck with him again next semester or rather he'll be stuck with us. I look forward to it. Western thought process = a definite PRO.

PRO 1 — CON 2

2011-01-24T17:08:00.007+08:00

Tuesday morning was reserved for Information Technology. We had four hours of class yet only three credits were offered upon completion. The content we learned could easily be covered in a two-hour session. Most assignments took ten minutes to complete. I tried to use my time wisely by preparing for other classes, usually my Chinese lesson. The systems didn't allow me to type in Pinyin so one of my classmates taught me how to use ㄅㄆㄇㄈ along with the tones on a keyboard. Very useful.

It was hard to decide if this class was a PRO or a CON. It weighs at the midpoint but I decided to go against having a balance on these PRO/CON rants. I chose PRO as I did learn some useful things that will come in handy not to mention I like the professor. His teaching style is a bit unusual but it made the class entertaining. I chuckled on more than a few occasions.

The classroom was like a freezer. Signs hang on the A/Cs requesting that they not be switched off. Although Taiwan is considered to be warm year round, it can get cold. One day, the temperature dropped to nine degrees and I swear the machines were spitting out ice. The teacher obeyed the signs and refused to turn them off. The students, however, rebelled. Off was not an option so we turned it to the least offensive setting we could find.

Our first lesson involved learning about what a desktop is and what icons are. And then about hardware and software. The professor would give us a link to different Wikipedia pages and then we'd have to submit assignments based on our understanding. This was all done via Moodle. If the homework wasn't submitted in a somewhat timely manner, he'd disconnect our systems from the real world.

His favorite question during the semester seemed to be, "Are you with me?" I'm afraid most students were not. The majority were quite busy with life on Facebook and MSN.

We continued on to study the basics of Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Next semester we study with the same teacher who will be teaching us Multimedia Applications. I hope it proves to be more a bit challenging the second time around. Staying at MCU is desirable but I am currently looking for some SERIOUS motivation.

PRO 0 — CON 2

2011-01-23T08:49:00.006+08:00

The University has a Phys-Ed program that is a required course yet no credits are given upon completion. This suggests to me that my time is not worth anything.

The size of the gymnasium in relation to the number of students is not even comparable. There's no space for movement nor was there enough equipment.

The first part of the semester was badminton. We weren't taught the rules of the game but how to hit a shuttlecock with a racket. What? It was quite interesting to see how many students actually had trouble with this. We had a few shorts weeks to practice before the test. Yes, a test.

We had a flexibility test and a standing long jump test. I was beginning to wonder if I'd unluckily been sent back to grade two.

Volleyball was introduced after the mid-terms. Again, the rules were not taught. If you were lucky enough to get a ball, you were to bump it up and down by yourself to prepare for the test.

Each student was also required to do a sit-up test along with a running test.

TEST! TEST! TEST! I thought this was supposed to be gym class?

Shouldn't one at a university level be old to enough to decide whether they want physical activity in their life or not? I have a hard time calling what we were asked to do physical activity. It was a bit of a joke.

A large number of students had never played either sport so why not teach the rules of the game and play instead of being tested. Besides that, Taiwan really should consider introducing these types of activities at a grade school level, not University.

Due to a recent broken leg, I had a doctor's note which excused me from most of the tests. However, if you fail to complete any of the tests, you cannot graduate. Wow. I don't know what else to say here. I would prefer that my time be used more constructively.

So looking forward to next semester where we are likely to have a table tennis test. Please note sarcasm.