So, this is officially my first blog typed from my new iPad. I told myself I wouldn't ever have a use for an iPad, but that was before I actually owned one. Man this little machine is amazing! Have spent most of the day snuggling in bed with it, downloading apps, admiring how shiny it is and of course, basking in its soft, warm glow.
More about the iPad's awesomeness later. Christmas is clearly upon us and I always make it a habit to post something close-ish to the holidays. It's shaping up to be a very busy few days. Tonight, a bunch of us are heading out to. People's bar on Anhe road for Christmas cocktails. Always nice to get a little festive with people, especially since I might not see some of these people for Christmas.
Tomorrow, foreigners everywhere will be descending on Taipei arena for a midday holiday skate sessh. After that, we're supposed to be doing wine And cheese somewhere for a couple of hours, before the main event at a friend's place. Potluck Christmas BBQ = tastiness. And lest we forget, ample quantities of holiday drink and extras to keep things very merry.
On Christmas day, Elisha and I have decided to get our own bird, watch Christmas movies on Netflix and generally be sloths for the day. We will have seen all our friends by that point in the weekend, so other than a few obligatory calls to friends and family overseas, we will have successfully fulfilled our holiday obligations.
Lout the holiday fun isn't over yet, folks. Not by a longshot. On boxing day, yours truly has the day off and the missus and i have quite the day planned. We'll start with a leisurely breakfast at the diner, followed up by a quick onc through the 101 area before we shop til we drop. This year we decide that it would be more fu to take each other shopping and buy whatever suits our fancy. Now, I did jump the gun a little bit and buy this lovely piece of tech to keep me warm thought the cold winter months, but I still have some money to spend on clothing. Elisha has a small fortune to spend an Monday so I guess I'll be encouraging her to spend, spend, spend.
No firm NYE dans yet, but there are some ideas. I am planning on watching the fireworks from my roof as I didn't get to do it last year and this looks like the first and last time I'll be living so close to 101. We'Ve invited whomever wants to watch to come over, then head out to the event of their choosing. I think we'll likely head out to the big expat party for a bit, then back to a friend's place for the after party. I'm not really feeling new yeAr's this year for some reason, but maybe I just need to get Christmas out of the way first .
Once the dust settles from the holidaze, it's of course time to get back to life and reality. First and foremost is to get back on track with savings and health. I'm not saying what or how yet, but things need to be reeled back in a bit. What better time then new year's? I hate to be a cliche and makes resolutions about health and money, but I do have some ideas and want to put the into effect as soon as we can.
I'll finish by wishing everyone a very happy and safe holiday season and all the very best in 2012.
Catch you next year!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
A Brief History of Communication
I'm going to take a break from the normal whining and post something different today. I recently upgraded my mobile phone and started thinking about its predecessors of days gone by. I also started thinking that I hadn't updated in awhile so it was time to come up with something to post.
What follows is a brief history of the cell phones I've owned, used, and loved.
#1. Motorola 8000 Flip (circa 1997-1998)
My first experience ever with a mobile and I remember the day I took it home. This analog phone could only store 10 numbers, had a clunky battery that lasted about 2 hours, and a floppy aerial. I was still the only one of my friends to have one which made me feel awesome and had all of my friends asking to use it.
#2. Nokia 2110 (circa 1998-1999)
This Nokia was a serious upgrade and featured some of the first digital technology, but was still CDMA-controlled. It could store up to 100 numbers in memory, had games, multiple ringtones, longer battery life and much sleeker. It was also only about $100 and had no monthly contract. That was a big selling advantage for me as I was a poor student with really no money (or need) for a phone.
#3. Nokia ??? (circa 1999-2001)
I tried long and hard to find a photos of this phone, but sadly it has proved impossible. This phone was a small flip phone that did pretty much everything my Nokia did, but just a little bit better. It was also digital technology but no GSM. It was also my first shot at trying out "pay-as-you-go" which better suited my budget (or rather, lack of a budget) at the time. I paid a whopping $259.00 to get this thing (thank-you student loans!)
#4. Motorola H92 (circa.2001-2003)
One of the first GSM models made by Motorola. This phone blew all my others away. Excellent call quality, long battery life, SIM cards, loads of features and the ability to text! Sigh. It was also the start of the silver revolution of technology. I got a corporate rate through the electronics company I was working for so it was affordable. Sadly, this phone was stolen from my car and insurance wouldn't cover it.
#5. Sony Ericsson (circa.2004)
I had pretty much decided to give up on cell phones after losing my last one (and being very, very poor after school with a low-paying job) Then I moved to Taiwan where everyone and their grandmother has a cell phone. I got the cheapest, most basic model which was this phone and it was a chirpy, annoying little thing, but it did its' job well. This phone was lost in a taxi along with my passport, wallet, MP3 player, text books, digital camera and house keys. The phone was the least of my worries and by far the easiest to replace.
#6. Motorola A220 (circa 2004-2005)
The replacement for the previous phone. After I lost the SE, I had to wait until payday and was without a mobile for about 3 weeks. I realized then how dependent I had become on cell phones, but decided to also incorporate a camera into the mix. It had also been awhile since I'd had a clamshell, so this phone had it all and then some. This phone also allowed me to connect to my computer to synch photos and change my ringtone. It was the cats' pajamas.
#7. Motorola V3 Razr (circa 2005-2008)
This piece of tech brought sexy back to phones. Although it is shown silver here, I bought the matte black finish and fell head over heels in love with this phone. While the overall O/S and features weren't that different from the previous phone, the sheer sex appeal of this phone made me feel like a high-roller. It was thin, dressed in black and made me aspire to be just like it. Motorola was king of the mobile world when they brought this out and it took me 3 years before I let go of this bad boy.
#8. LG Shine (circa 2008-2009)
My Razr finally had a problem with its display which prompted me to look for something new. I didn't want another clamshell and most of the other phones were being marketed as entertainment players, so I decided to try another company instead. This phone was the first time I had a sliding phone. It had a nice display, micro SD card and internet browsing! It also featured a 2.0 mega-pixel camera with flash so that came in handy.It was a tad on the pricey side considering LG was an almost unknown company at the time, but overall I was pretty happy with it.
#9. Nokia E71 (circa 2009-2011)
This phone was an absolute treasure and my first smartphone. It had brains and beauty. I can't even list all the features, but it had more than my wildest imaginings. This phone was also the best I had ever owned in terms of battery life, often going 4 days without a charge, but was also compact and lightweight. I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about this phone and I could have been happy with it for the rest of the my life.
#10. Blackberry Torch 9860 (present)
I have toyed with the idea of getting a blackberry since 2009, but wanted to wait until a viable touchscreen option was available. Finally, it was released and I was one of the first in line. I've had this phone for about two weeks now and every moment has been sheer techie bliss. The camera is great, the features+apps comprehensive and the overall look and feel...sublime.
What follows is a brief history of the cell phones I've owned, used, and loved.
My first experience ever with a mobile and I remember the day I took it home. This analog phone could only store 10 numbers, had a clunky battery that lasted about 2 hours, and a floppy aerial. I was still the only one of my friends to have one which made me feel awesome and had all of my friends asking to use it.
This Nokia was a serious upgrade and featured some of the first digital technology, but was still CDMA-controlled. It could store up to 100 numbers in memory, had games, multiple ringtones, longer battery life and much sleeker. It was also only about $100 and had no monthly contract. That was a big selling advantage for me as I was a poor student with really no money (or need) for a phone.
#3. Nokia ??? (circa 1999-2001)
I tried long and hard to find a photos of this phone, but sadly it has proved impossible. This phone was a small flip phone that did pretty much everything my Nokia did, but just a little bit better. It was also digital technology but no GSM. It was also my first shot at trying out "pay-as-you-go" which better suited my budget (or rather, lack of a budget) at the time. I paid a whopping $259.00 to get this thing (thank-you student loans!)
One of the first GSM models made by Motorola. This phone blew all my others away. Excellent call quality, long battery life, SIM cards, loads of features and the ability to text! Sigh. It was also the start of the silver revolution of technology. I got a corporate rate through the electronics company I was working for so it was affordable. Sadly, this phone was stolen from my car and insurance wouldn't cover it.
#5. Sony Ericsson (circa.2004)
I had pretty much decided to give up on cell phones after losing my last one (and being very, very poor after school with a low-paying job) Then I moved to Taiwan where everyone and their grandmother has a cell phone. I got the cheapest, most basic model which was this phone and it was a chirpy, annoying little thing, but it did its' job well. This phone was lost in a taxi along with my passport, wallet, MP3 player, text books, digital camera and house keys. The phone was the least of my worries and by far the easiest to replace.
The replacement for the previous phone. After I lost the SE, I had to wait until payday and was without a mobile for about 3 weeks. I realized then how dependent I had become on cell phones, but decided to also incorporate a camera into the mix. It had also been awhile since I'd had a clamshell, so this phone had it all and then some. This phone also allowed me to connect to my computer to synch photos and change my ringtone. It was the cats' pajamas.
This piece of tech brought sexy back to phones. Although it is shown silver here, I bought the matte black finish and fell head over heels in love with this phone. While the overall O/S and features weren't that different from the previous phone, the sheer sex appeal of this phone made me feel like a high-roller. It was thin, dressed in black and made me aspire to be just like it. Motorola was king of the mobile world when they brought this out and it took me 3 years before I let go of this bad boy.
My Razr finally had a problem with its display which prompted me to look for something new. I didn't want another clamshell and most of the other phones were being marketed as entertainment players, so I decided to try another company instead. This phone was the first time I had a sliding phone. It had a nice display, micro SD card and internet browsing! It also featured a 2.0 mega-pixel camera with flash so that came in handy.It was a tad on the pricey side considering LG was an almost unknown company at the time, but overall I was pretty happy with it.
This phone was an absolute treasure and my first smartphone. It had brains and beauty. I can't even list all the features, but it had more than my wildest imaginings. This phone was also the best I had ever owned in terms of battery life, often going 4 days without a charge, but was also compact and lightweight. I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about this phone and I could have been happy with it for the rest of the my life.
I have toyed with the idea of getting a blackberry since 2009, but wanted to wait until a viable touchscreen option was available. Finally, it was released and I was one of the first in line. I've had this phone for about two weeks now and every moment has been sheer techie bliss. The camera is great, the features+apps comprehensive and the overall look and feel...sublime.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
life-changing moment
really tired today. this is entirely a result of me chugging down coca-cola until 9:00 p.m. last night, thinking i would be able to go to be two hours later. well, that didn't happen and now feeling exhausted.
so, here is the life-changing moment: i will no longer drink caffeine after 3 p.m. because i a) can't metabolize it like i could at 24 and b) need more sleep than 5 hours a night.
so, here is the life-changing moment: i will no longer drink caffeine after 3 p.m. because i a) can't metabolize it like i could at 24 and b) need more sleep than 5 hours a night.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
needs vs. wants
yesterday i was walking into taipei 101 to do some shopping and i just happened to time it so that i walked by one of the anti-capitalist demonstrations which are taking place all over the world. i didn't really stop to pay attention to the demo, but a tiny part of me twinged with embarrassment as i walked into the shopping mecca of 101.
like so many people out there, i have trouble seeing the difference between needs and wants, but i can see them. right now, i would like to buy a new computer, new phone, ipad, work clothes, a new suit, stuff for my apartment, and a whole lot of other stuff. however, i realize that these are wants and not needs. i know that a new computer isn't going to make me a better writer, or design better graphics. i know that a new phone will do exactly what my current phone does, and that i don't really have a good use for an ipad. i have enough work clothes and a new suit will only be worn once or twice a year. as for the stuff i want for my apartment, it's not like i'm sleeping on the floor or watching the wall so i'll survive. however, the effects that advertising, marketing and other power that corporations seem to have over me almost make them feel like wants.
i guess where most of these feelings stem from is that we are taught that if you work hard, then you can play hard. well, at least that's what i was taught and have nearly always stuck to. still, some of the items on my list are big ticket and require some creative saving in order for them to appear in my home. so, saving up for months for things i don't really need and waiting in pining anticipation isn't really a way to go through life. i'm not saying that wanting something is a bad thing, but there is a difference between wanting a thing and wanting more for yourself. this is the real reason i think most people should be up and protesting about.
i just need to realize that a bit more and then the next time i walk by a anti-corporate protest, maybe i'll actually stop and listen rather than buy my overpriced sour cream.
P.S - my last couple posts have been mostly about my disenchantment with taiwan and i have gotten some very nice responses from friends...thank-you very much for your concern, but i promise you things are changing on that front as well.
Monday, September 26, 2011
one of "those" days. (or weeks...)
i had a bad day today.
it just started with me feeling pissed off, likely because my air cond started making a racket about 45 minutes before i actually had to get up. i shut it off and then fell back asleep. fell asleep hard and then felt ripped out of sleep when the alarm went off. after that, it was having no where to take kismet to the bathroom because other dogs were up on the roof, so had to bring kismet downstairs. every other day, there isn't a person in sight but today there were two. one for each side of the rooftop.
you can start to see a pattern forming here no doubt.
the rest of the day was pretty much one irritating event after another. work just generally sucked. the commute home sucked. even dinner sort of sucked, at least until i finally decided to stop cooking and order some mcd's in. now, here i sit feeling a little less frustrated but feeling a blog in here just waiting to get out so here goes.
i think today is indicative of a growing problem that i've sort of been burying inside of me. i don't know how to politely say it and seeing how this is my blog, i think i'll just come out with it: i think i'm starting to hate taiwan. not literally, but figuratively it's starting to happen. i love the people, like my job (generally speaking) and have more friends than i can really handle, but i still feel this sort of annoyance/disillusionment with here. the funny thing is, life has really never been better. i'm eating right, exercising, and socializing on a healthy basis. i make enough money to pay my bills, live in a nice apartment and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. professionally, i've changed my schedule and have a full day to focus on freelancing so what, What WHAT is it? everything is in place and still it's not enough...there must be an underlying reason. i don't want to hate taiwan. two years ago, i couldn't wait to get back here and you couldn't pay me to go back to my old life. now, i have everything the way i like it and it feels....it feels...banal? hi hao?? boring???
i just don't feel "into" this place anymore. i go through the motions, but my heart just isn't in it and i find myself almost resenting those who seem to be into it. i've seen it, been it, done it and even have the pictures to prove it. i feel like i've met no one new in a year (even tho i have) and feel like those i do know well keep replaying the same events over and over again. there has to be more, hasn't there? taiwan can't have revealed all her secrets to me after 5 years.
these feelings have been bubbling up for a few months, but really came to a head after holidays. there just wasn't any sheen to taipei for me anymore. work was still there, with the same lame projects and tedious day-to-day. my friends weren't doing anything new...same parties, same faces, same places. so, i started taking myself out of the equation. being more selective about events, changing up my schedule at work and focusing on some projects that make me happy. while this is positive and fulfilling when i'm able to devote time to it, the rest of the stuff feels like it's just getting in my way.
alright. so, what do i do? i can't very well up and quit my job, nor can i move tomorrow or even within the next year. too many other plans and goals depend on me staying put for a while. i think this might be part of the problem that i'm ready to go, or at least leaning in that direction, but need to be smart about things so there isn't a repeat of 2007-2009. as dull and colorless as life might seem at the moment, nothing compares to the misadventures of canada.
i need to reconnect with this place again. i need to find the joy, the adventure, the essence, the joie de vivre that i used to feel. i'm just not sure how or where to begin. the nightlife feels played out, so no sense in trying that. i think it might be time to revisit some of the places i've been to, but only once. another thing i seldom, or rather almost never do, is go out and walk on the streets with my camera. other than those ideas, escaping taipei now and then is definitely in order. i seem to never remember that most of this country is easily accessible by train or bus or high-speed rail. yet another possibility is taking in some cultural shows, events, festivals and revisiting some museums and galleries.
ok. i feel a bit better now and hopefully once i put my ideas into action, they'll kick me out of this funk i'm in.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
doldrums
Back from holidays so time to update. The last two weeks of vacation have been great…ten days spent in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Taipei Taipei
Now I’m back at work and feeling…sad? Angry? Tired? Whatever it is, it’s definitely some post-vacation funk and I need to find myself an out. I’m just really not that excited to be back…I don’t know if it’s work, the city, the pace, the lifestyle but I’m just not feeling it right now. It just feels like I don’t have much to look forward to at the moment…just working, eating and sleeping. I suppose I should be thankful that I could actually afford to get out of the city for a bit, but I think it’s just part of a deeply rooted feeling I’ve been having for the last couple months or so. That feeling being that my life here isn’t enough. Not enough adventure, money, time, etc. I have these grand ideas of what my life should be like professionally and personally and I don’t feel like I’m achieving any of it. In short, the cold winds of change are nipping at my nose and I need to come up with some way to protect myself from them or let them sweep me away.
I’ve mentioned the possibility of moving to Spain Europe , so it would purely be a practical move. The only problem is that I’m not sure I can stick things out that much longer that way I’m going. It’s not Taiwan
Alright, alright, enough of the pity party already. I just needed to vent a little and actually do feel better now. I think I’m going to start by making a list of the things I want to improve and go from there. Next post I’ll elaborate more on “the plan.”
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
I think I can...
My holidays are so close, I can almost feel the hot sand between my toes and the taste of sea on my lips; tropical cocktail in one hand and a long overdue book to be read in the other. I haven’t looked forward to a holiday this much for a long time and I plan to make the most of it. I don’t really have any plans or schedule, but just going to take it day by day and do whatever comes my way. Only 9.5 more hours to go!
The last couple of posts I’ve taking a break from the normal and posted a couple of articles I’d written for my book. Haven’t really heard anything which I can only assume means that no one reads this blog (or at least not regularly) or everyone is very busy. I’m going with the latter as it makes me feel better. Anyway, the text of the book has been laid out so now it’s a matter of going through and doing some editing, as well as photo shopping the pics, tweaking the design, and lastly finding a printer. I’m going to price out some printing companies and produce about 10 copies (if it’s feasible) just to say I’ve done it. I’m not really setting a timetable for anything, but I guess I’d like to see it done by CNY.
I’m learning lots as and I go and trying to enjoy the process without rushing through it. There are tedious parts to get there, but overall it’s a constructive way to spend my time. When I do finish, it’s going to be hard to find something to fill up the time.
Work has been busy, but there has also been a major development there. One of my coworkers was let go for various reasons; without going into major detail, the tension in the office has gone with my coworker. It’s only been a week but already there has been a major shift in workload and atmosphere. Although I don’t wish my former coworker any ill will, it has to be said that this is a change for the better.
What else, what else…actually, there really isn’t much else at the moment so I’m going to sign off and the next time I write I’ll have lots to share about my vacation. See you in two weeks
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
another lazy post
I haven't gotten any feedback on the last post, but I'm hoping I'll get at least one comment on this one...yet another article from my book as I'm feeling too lazy to write about anything else at the moment.
Thriving & Surviving - Guanxi
One of the most elusive concepts while I have been living in Taiwanese culture is guanxi 關係. Guanxi literally translates into “relationship” and is applied to both personal and professional situations. It refers to the benefits gained from social networks, whether they are family, school, work friends, clubs, or organizations.
From a western perspective, guanxi can be easily misconstrued as the you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-yours mentality, but guanxi is much more than just who you know and what they can do for you. It’s a way to behave in every personal encounter you have which can be mystifying at first, but later make a strange sort of sense. Let’s take tipping as an example. In western cultures, it’s a given that you should tip to say thank-you for the service you receive. In Taiwan, tipping is not only unexpected, it’s frowned upon and sometimes even downright insulting. If you got into the wrong cab and told the taxi driver to keep the change, they might refuse or get angry about it. Due to guanxi, the taxi driver might consider your tip as an act of charity, and when unasked for, this can be a major loss of face. They also might think you’re vying for special treatment by giving them money, putting them in your debt. While it might seem innocuous, traditionally minded Taiwanese take it very seriously.
Probably the fastest way to lose face is to get angry and start shouting in public. Taiwanese people almost never do this, even if they have just cause. Someone could run over their foot, steal their wallet, or cut them off in line and no one says a thing. The thinking is that the person who caused the offense is the one who has already lost face. Basically, you let people away with stuff that would never fly back home because they are embarrassing themselves already. I’ve had to stop myself a couple of times and even had a very uncomfortable experience where I snapped on a mentally challenged high school kid. Nothing says loss of face when you see a sweaty, angry foreigner taking out his bad day on a disable teen in front of about 75 people. Still, guanxi’s a tough pill to swallow and there are a few occasions where I’ve seen Taiwanese people lose their shit. This will literally stop people on the street. (watching someone explode is apparently not part of guanxi)
From a professional perspective, guanxi exists everywhere. In Taiwan, teaching English to any student before Grade 1 is illegal, yet every buxiban offers immersion programs that employ foreign teachers. To keep the Labor and Immigration police away, schools use their guanxi to protect their school. This can either be through who you know, or how much you pay. Schools with little to no guanxi are usually the one’s that are targeted frequently.
Love it or hate it, guanxi is part of life in Taiwan and other Chinese cultures. If get a grasp of the basics, you’ll soon just smile at the moron who just cut the line in 7-11.
Thriving & Surviving - Guanxi
One of the most elusive concepts while I have been living in Taiwanese culture is guanxi 關係. Guanxi literally translates into “relationship” and is applied to both personal and professional situations. It refers to the benefits gained from social networks, whether they are family, school, work friends, clubs, or organizations.
From a western perspective, guanxi can be easily misconstrued as the you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-yours mentality, but guanxi is much more than just who you know and what they can do for you. It’s a way to behave in every personal encounter you have which can be mystifying at first, but later make a strange sort of sense. Let’s take tipping as an example. In western cultures, it’s a given that you should tip to say thank-you for the service you receive. In Taiwan, tipping is not only unexpected, it’s frowned upon and sometimes even downright insulting. If you got into the wrong cab and told the taxi driver to keep the change, they might refuse or get angry about it. Due to guanxi, the taxi driver might consider your tip as an act of charity, and when unasked for, this can be a major loss of face. They also might think you’re vying for special treatment by giving them money, putting them in your debt. While it might seem innocuous, traditionally minded Taiwanese take it very seriously.
Probably the fastest way to lose face is to get angry and start shouting in public. Taiwanese people almost never do this, even if they have just cause. Someone could run over their foot, steal their wallet, or cut them off in line and no one says a thing. The thinking is that the person who caused the offense is the one who has already lost face. Basically, you let people away with stuff that would never fly back home because they are embarrassing themselves already. I’ve had to stop myself a couple of times and even had a very uncomfortable experience where I snapped on a mentally challenged high school kid. Nothing says loss of face when you see a sweaty, angry foreigner taking out his bad day on a disable teen in front of about 75 people. Still, guanxi’s a tough pill to swallow and there are a few occasions where I’ve seen Taiwanese people lose their shit. This will literally stop people on the street. (watching someone explode is apparently not part of guanxi)
From a professional perspective, guanxi exists everywhere. In Taiwan, teaching English to any student before Grade 1 is illegal, yet every buxiban offers immersion programs that employ foreign teachers. To keep the Labor and Immigration police away, schools use their guanxi to protect their school. This can either be through who you know, or how much you pay. Schools with little to no guanxi are usually the one’s that are targeted frequently.
Love it or hate it, guanxi is part of life in Taiwan and other Chinese cultures. If get a grasp of the basics, you’ll soon just smile at the moron who just cut the line in 7-11.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
i'v mentioned in a couple of posts that i've been working a book that is part memoir and part travel guide of my time in asia. i'm desperate for some feedback so i'm going to take a break from the norm and post a rough draft of something i've been working on. as part of the book, i'm going to put in several short essays entitled "thriving & surviving" which are observations and musings on cultural differences that exist only in asia. i would greatly appreciate some comments on this....the material isn't exactly sensitive, but i'm mostly afraid of the tone being misinterpreted. i want to tweak foibles here, not create hate literature (although i think i'm pretty far off the mark)
anyway, here goes...
anyway, here goes...
Thriving + Surviving – The Squat Toilet
Spend any amount of time in Asia and you’re sure to come across the squat toilet. It’s a trough-shaped fixture, seated in the middle of the floor in a bathroom stall. The water tank is in the top corner and features a pull chain to flush. There isn’t a seat and you need to position yourself over top of the trough, with your pants pulled away from your bum, while trying to maintain your balance. I like to push my hand against one wall for support, while using my other to ensure I don’t poop all over my pants.
While most homes and businesses have converted to the western-style toilet, the squatter remains in many public bathrooms throughout. If you’re like me, you only encounter the squatter when the situation is dire. It will likely be shortly after you’ve made a questionable food choice that will result in a mad dash to the nearest public toilet. It’s a 50/50 chance of it being a squat toilet. Of course, in a blind panic to use the toilet lest you unload in your pants, you take whatever comes your way.
I still prefer to use a western-style toilet whenever I can. This is due to a couple of reasons. A) Sanitation and B) Less-stress. I know that some would disagree about it western-style toilets being more sanitary (various bums touching the toilet seat, fear of crabs, herpes, etc) but squatters don’t seem that clean to me. There can be (and often is) leftovers that haven’t been washed away, not to mention a garbage pail full of used toilet paper about a foot away. I tend to feel stressed out whenever I have to use a squatter. I’m afraid that I’ll crap on my clothes, or that I’ll slip and fall into the trough. Worst of all, the fact is that there isn’t a water dampening effect from the usual bowl, so the smell is unholy. I’m always worried that the smell might cling to my clothing for the rest of the day. All in all, I poop so I can relieve my body of undue stress, not to create more.
There are a few advantages to the squat toilet that I would be failing in my duty if I didn’t report on them. It is good for your digestive system because there is no grunting or pushing involved. You just simply let go and boom! A nice quick crap. I suppose it can be considered more sanitary because you aren’t touching anything (once you’ve mastering the balancing act). But, isn’t it nice to just sit down and take a break sometimes? To have a little “me” time?
I think I’ve gotten somewhat used to the squat toilet over time, although I will still wait in line for the western-style toilet as long as it’s not go time.
thoughts? comments? concerns? i'd love to hear 'em.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
recent happenings
with june over and done with, it's time to update on what has been happening. it was a really busy month full of birthdays, outings, bbqs, dinners and the usual summer time hoopla. started out the month with leesh's birthday celebrations at dozo. we got dressed up and wined and dined the night away. after dinner, everyone kind of split up for a bit before reconvening at revolver. it's fast become one of the foreigner hotspots, although i'm not really sure why. it used to be called the source, but it was bought by a foreigner and he's trying hard to make it profitable by hosting just about every sort of music event possible. the only problem is, it's a small venue and i've never been a fan of doing the same thing each and every weekend. so, we hung out for a couple of beers and called it a night.
the rest of the month is a blur. work, sleep, plans on the weekend. we had a couple of friends leaving at the end of june so it was pretty much time spent with them, enjoying their company and the last time doing things with them. while it's sad to see them leave, it's nice to have the last lasts over with and finally have a weekend of no obligations. i'm spending it crossing some things off the to-do list, mostly on the creative project side of things.
speaking of to-do list, i've come up with another action plan to keep myself on track both professionally and personally. it may seem a little nerdy, but i have trouble managing my time for things i'd like to do (other than work and sleep) so this always helps if i can do a little bit each day. i've made one in the past and it really helped with some personal goals. this time i've extended it to include some professional goals so fingers crossed that it helps with those in the same way. been following it now for a couple of weeks and so far so good.
i feel i should also comment on the dog since i mentioned her so much a couple of posts back. we've had her surgery and there was a small improvement followed by a week of behavioural backsliding. last weekend, we took her to the doggy daycare and while the facility is impressive, the prices are not. so, we're sort of stuck again as we leave for holidays in three weeks and aren't sure what to do. putting her up somewhere is going to cost an arm and a leg, so this may just force our hand into giving her up. it does feel like a waste after investing so much time and energy these last few months (elisha especially) but i just don't think i can do it anymore. that said, after we went to the daycare facility, she had an awesome week. i think seeing it may have scared her straight.
thinking about the future more and more these days and starting to hatch a scheme for our departure from taiwan. we don't really have a big problem nor are we unhappy, but maybe just feeling a little understimulated or unchallenged? these factors combined with friends leaving always make me reevaluate what i'm doing and plotting the course ahead. when i leave i want a completely different experience so i've been looking into moving to south america or maybe spain. both are solid choices in terms of culture, opportunity and lifestyle so both are strong contenders. i think i am leaning more towards spain (barcelona in particular) because all i seem to hear are positive things. also, i really like the idea of living in a european country with easy access to surrounding countries and a stones' throw from africa. we've started looking into work, downloaded some spanish podcasts and planned our finances accordingly. hmm, i guess we're a little more into than i thought.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
things i'm ashamed to admit (but will anyways)
1. I actually enjoy the taste of McDonalds' cheeseburgers and likely always will.
2. I generally hate old people.
3. I try not to have ugly people as friends.
4. I pretend to like Martinis because I think they make me look sophisticated when all they really do is burn my throat.
5. I sometimes feel bored and tune out when people start talking about socially-conscious problems, especially when a sentence is started with "You know what the real problem is with the world..." It's not that I don't care about the world, I just don't care that you care.
6. I buy Starbucks everyday mostly for the green+white logo on the cup.
7. I feel Taiwanese food is bland +boring for the most part and when it comes to sweets, I think they drew the short straw.
8. I have trouble making a list of ten faults.
2. I generally hate old people.
3. I try not to have ugly people as friends.
4. I pretend to like Martinis because I think they make me look sophisticated when all they really do is burn my throat.
5. I sometimes feel bored and tune out when people start talking about socially-conscious problems, especially when a sentence is started with "You know what the real problem is with the world..." It's not that I don't care about the world, I just don't care that you care.
6. I buy Starbucks everyday mostly for the green+white logo on the cup.
7. I feel Taiwanese food is bland +boring for the most part and when it comes to sweets, I think they drew the short straw.
8. I have trouble making a list of ten faults.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
may update
once again, i've let the blog slip through my cracks of responsibility. so, here is the may update.
starting off the month, of course, was my birthday. i did my standard birthday; took the day off, relaxed, and later met up with some friends for all you can eat bbq. i held off on the big shibang until the 14th because deadmau5 was doing a show as part of the springlove concert. more about that in a bit, though. the following weekend after my birthday was a small, themed get together in tien mu at a friend's house to celebrate cinqo de mayo. i've never really talked about tien mu much, mostly because it's a part of the city i almost never visit. set in the far north, it's home to what i like to call "little north america." basically, it's the whitest part of the city and feels too much like home for comfort...that said, the party was fun but we wrapped things up early to get home to the dog, then on to the W hotel for a few drinks in lavish comfort.
the next weekend was my turn to celebrate and a big group of us headed off to see deadmau5 perform his set. all in all, the show was good, but not great....the music wasn't high energy enough and truth be told, i enjoyed the dj before and after the main act...however, the light show was impressive and it's always fun to go to a big warehouse show. thankfully, we had sent the dog to a friend's place for a sleepover so we managed to get a few hours' sleep after pouring ourselves into bed.
last weekend, we ended up going to see john selway at the loft. again, not really the show i was hoping for...the music was good, but a little too repetitive for my liking. it felt like someone had logged into beatport and just pressed play on their playlist. it seems that a lot of dj's these days are getting complacent...yes, i'm sure it was very technical what you did, but i don't want to hear the same thing go on and on for 10 minutes. or maybe i'm just becoming an old fart...is that possible when you listen to electronic? i didn't think so, but i'm starting to think it might be.
on a different note, i'd like to say that the dog isn't really working out too well. it has only been about 2.5 months but it feels more like 2.5 years. rounding off the top three on the list of complaints are; the constant whining, the lack of toilet training, and the destruction of personal property. we've been vigilant and have been trying many different ways to address her issues, but honestly, it feels like none of it is working. we're walking here twice a day to give her exercise and social time with us. we're taking her upstairs once an hour to go to the bathroom with little results. we've given her countless toys and things to chew but still insists on biting almost everything. in fact, the chewing has gotten so bad that we've had to move everything upstairs so she can't get at it. my once beautiful, grown up apartment has been turned into a dog pen. and to top it off, all the changes we've made and all the things we do for her and she still pretty much whines constantly.
i have to say that i'm not really seeing the benefits of having a dog...it just feels like something else i have to do in my day that i'd rather not, like taking the bus to work. i don't look forward to going home because i know it's going to be all about her. by the time i've taken her out to go to the bathroom, made dinner, ate and then taken her for a walk, it's 8:00 pm. given the fact that i need to get to bed by 10:00 so i can be ready to do it all over again when she starts whining at 5:30, that doesn't really leave a lot of "me" time at the end of the day.
the prognosis is this: the dog (and us) has a finite amount of time to get things, or she's gone. that might not sound very fair, but i'm trying to see it from her perspective - she is alone a lot and if we don't have the time and energy to take care of, then it's not fair to her to expect her to behave in the manner we want. i wish i could just fast forward to 6 months from now and see how she is 'cos then i would be willing to keep going. that said, we haven't thrown in the towel just yet...she is getting her surgery done next week which should calm things down, and as of june 12th she will have her third shots which means she can finally, finally go to doggy day care a couple days a week. another consideration is that summer schedule at work begins on june 1st so i will be finishing up an hour earlier each day, allowing me more time. hopefully, these changes will be a positive influence in the dog's life and we can continue our co-habitation. i really can't continue on the way i have been...rage bubbles under the surface at all times and i am sick of feeling this way.
there, venting feels good...on a more positive note i have come up with a project that is going to get some creativity flowing once again. i've decided to re-train myself on indesign by putting my old blog into a book form...the plan is to use it as a portfolio, showcasing my writing and design skills. it's a big project and will take up a lot of my free time, but i'm going to finish it come hell or high water. i've been thinking of doing this for almost 3 years, but have never really sat down to do it. plus, i figure it's a better use of my time than playing xbox.
starting off the month, of course, was my birthday. i did my standard birthday; took the day off, relaxed, and later met up with some friends for all you can eat bbq. i held off on the big shibang until the 14th because deadmau5 was doing a show as part of the springlove concert. more about that in a bit, though. the following weekend after my birthday was a small, themed get together in tien mu at a friend's house to celebrate cinqo de mayo. i've never really talked about tien mu much, mostly because it's a part of the city i almost never visit. set in the far north, it's home to what i like to call "little north america." basically, it's the whitest part of the city and feels too much like home for comfort...that said, the party was fun but we wrapped things up early to get home to the dog, then on to the W hotel for a few drinks in lavish comfort.
the next weekend was my turn to celebrate and a big group of us headed off to see deadmau5 perform his set. all in all, the show was good, but not great....the music wasn't high energy enough and truth be told, i enjoyed the dj before and after the main act...however, the light show was impressive and it's always fun to go to a big warehouse show. thankfully, we had sent the dog to a friend's place for a sleepover so we managed to get a few hours' sleep after pouring ourselves into bed.
last weekend, we ended up going to see john selway at the loft. again, not really the show i was hoping for...the music was good, but a little too repetitive for my liking. it felt like someone had logged into beatport and just pressed play on their playlist. it seems that a lot of dj's these days are getting complacent...yes, i'm sure it was very technical what you did, but i don't want to hear the same thing go on and on for 10 minutes. or maybe i'm just becoming an old fart...is that possible when you listen to electronic? i didn't think so, but i'm starting to think it might be.
on a different note, i'd like to say that the dog isn't really working out too well. it has only been about 2.5 months but it feels more like 2.5 years. rounding off the top three on the list of complaints are; the constant whining, the lack of toilet training, and the destruction of personal property. we've been vigilant and have been trying many different ways to address her issues, but honestly, it feels like none of it is working. we're walking here twice a day to give her exercise and social time with us. we're taking her upstairs once an hour to go to the bathroom with little results. we've given her countless toys and things to chew but still insists on biting almost everything. in fact, the chewing has gotten so bad that we've had to move everything upstairs so she can't get at it. my once beautiful, grown up apartment has been turned into a dog pen. and to top it off, all the changes we've made and all the things we do for her and she still pretty much whines constantly.
i have to say that i'm not really seeing the benefits of having a dog...it just feels like something else i have to do in my day that i'd rather not, like taking the bus to work. i don't look forward to going home because i know it's going to be all about her. by the time i've taken her out to go to the bathroom, made dinner, ate and then taken her for a walk, it's 8:00 pm. given the fact that i need to get to bed by 10:00 so i can be ready to do it all over again when she starts whining at 5:30, that doesn't really leave a lot of "me" time at the end of the day.
the prognosis is this: the dog (and us) has a finite amount of time to get things, or she's gone. that might not sound very fair, but i'm trying to see it from her perspective - she is alone a lot and if we don't have the time and energy to take care of, then it's not fair to her to expect her to behave in the manner we want. i wish i could just fast forward to 6 months from now and see how she is 'cos then i would be willing to keep going. that said, we haven't thrown in the towel just yet...she is getting her surgery done next week which should calm things down, and as of june 12th she will have her third shots which means she can finally, finally go to doggy day care a couple days a week. another consideration is that summer schedule at work begins on june 1st so i will be finishing up an hour earlier each day, allowing me more time. hopefully, these changes will be a positive influence in the dog's life and we can continue our co-habitation. i really can't continue on the way i have been...rage bubbles under the surface at all times and i am sick of feeling this way.
there, venting feels good...on a more positive note i have come up with a project that is going to get some creativity flowing once again. i've decided to re-train myself on indesign by putting my old blog into a book form...the plan is to use it as a portfolio, showcasing my writing and design skills. it's a big project and will take up a lot of my free time, but i'm going to finish it come hell or high water. i've been thinking of doing this for almost 3 years, but have never really sat down to do it. plus, i figure it's a better use of my time than playing xbox.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
disillusioned
i feel like a kid who has just found out santa claus isn't real.
let me explain. yesterday, i found out that Greg Mortensen is a sham. For those of you who don't know, Mortensen was a mountaineer with an endearing story about how he started the Central Asia Institute. The CAI's mission is to build schools in underpriveleged parts of Central Asia, specifically remote parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He co-wrote a book entitled Three Cups of Tea about his experiences. The story is obviously romanticized and exaggerated, but it paints a portrait of a selfless man who wants to provide education to those in need to combat a host of problems. Not only that, Mortensen provided his HUGE fan base and supporters with the tiniest candle flicker of hope in a place where people, both living in these regions and abroad, sorely need. Too much horror seems to come out from that part of the world and anything, ANYTHING positive is warmly received. Well, the candle has gone out.
When I first read Three Cups of Tea, it wasn't because it was on some bestseller list or won some award. I simply saw it on a shelf, read the blurb and picked it up. I was immediately engrossed by his tale. I was so touched by this man's spirit that I have personally recommended the book to hundreds of people. Furthermore, I have written articles based on his experiences to teach people about the grand things he has accomplished. For a time, I simply couldn't stop raving about Greg Mortensen. In fact, I recently recommended that my boss read his book and have based an entire unit in a text book I'm writing around him. This book is for students and I couldn't think of a more positive example of how a human being should behave.
This was all before yesterday. As I was researching a related unit about charities, I came across http://www.charitynavigator.org/ which gives comprehensive information regarding charities all over the globe. I typed in the Central Asia Institute and was looking over some of their stats which seemed amazing. Then, I noticed a small 'advisory' concerning this charity. I clicked on the link and the shitstorm began. Last Sunday, 60 Minutes did a piece on Greg Mortensen and it was nothing short of a scandal. Of course, I was in denial and thought that this is the same network that Dan Rather used to work for so their credibility is in question. I continued to read further and discovered a related essay written on http://www.byliner.com/ by Jon Krakauer, author of Into the Wild. Krakauer was a staunch supporter of Mortensen at the beginning, but quickly came to realize just how much of Mortensen's experiences were fabrications. Krakauer continues to dissect and disassemble all the facts from the fiction. And there isn't much truth left after sifting through the wreckage.
When I found this out yesterday, I went through all the classic stages; denial, anger, remorse, and then...? well, I still haven't reached acceptance yet. I have to say that things don't look good for Greg Mortensen and I can't imagine what he'll do next. All I really have to say is: why? Why would you do this to people? Not only the people you were supposedly helping abroad, but for the millions who wanted to believe in something good. I know I may have been naive for believing something so wholeheartedly, but I don't want to be that jaded and for the first time in a long time, I actually did believe.
I'm not angry anymore Greg, I'm just not a believer.
let me explain. yesterday, i found out that Greg Mortensen is a sham. For those of you who don't know, Mortensen was a mountaineer with an endearing story about how he started the Central Asia Institute. The CAI's mission is to build schools in underpriveleged parts of Central Asia, specifically remote parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He co-wrote a book entitled Three Cups of Tea about his experiences. The story is obviously romanticized and exaggerated, but it paints a portrait of a selfless man who wants to provide education to those in need to combat a host of problems. Not only that, Mortensen provided his HUGE fan base and supporters with the tiniest candle flicker of hope in a place where people, both living in these regions and abroad, sorely need. Too much horror seems to come out from that part of the world and anything, ANYTHING positive is warmly received. Well, the candle has gone out.
When I first read Three Cups of Tea, it wasn't because it was on some bestseller list or won some award. I simply saw it on a shelf, read the blurb and picked it up. I was immediately engrossed by his tale. I was so touched by this man's spirit that I have personally recommended the book to hundreds of people. Furthermore, I have written articles based on his experiences to teach people about the grand things he has accomplished. For a time, I simply couldn't stop raving about Greg Mortensen. In fact, I recently recommended that my boss read his book and have based an entire unit in a text book I'm writing around him. This book is for students and I couldn't think of a more positive example of how a human being should behave.
This was all before yesterday. As I was researching a related unit about charities, I came across http://www.charitynavigator.org/ which gives comprehensive information regarding charities all over the globe. I typed in the Central Asia Institute and was looking over some of their stats which seemed amazing. Then, I noticed a small 'advisory' concerning this charity. I clicked on the link and the shitstorm began. Last Sunday, 60 Minutes did a piece on Greg Mortensen and it was nothing short of a scandal. Of course, I was in denial and thought that this is the same network that Dan Rather used to work for so their credibility is in question. I continued to read further and discovered a related essay written on http://www.byliner.com/ by Jon Krakauer, author of Into the Wild. Krakauer was a staunch supporter of Mortensen at the beginning, but quickly came to realize just how much of Mortensen's experiences were fabrications. Krakauer continues to dissect and disassemble all the facts from the fiction. And there isn't much truth left after sifting through the wreckage.
When I found this out yesterday, I went through all the classic stages; denial, anger, remorse, and then...? well, I still haven't reached acceptance yet. I have to say that things don't look good for Greg Mortensen and I can't imagine what he'll do next. All I really have to say is: why? Why would you do this to people? Not only the people you were supposedly helping abroad, but for the millions who wanted to believe in something good. I know I may have been naive for believing something so wholeheartedly, but I don't want to be that jaded and for the first time in a long time, I actually did believe.
I'm not angry anymore Greg, I'm just not a believer.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
5 years in Taiwan (and still smiling :)
Wow. It's a hard fact to wrap my head around, but I have officially been in Taiwan for
5 years. Sometimes it feels like longer, but most often than not it feels like I'm fresh off the plane. Am I a glutton for punishment, or can I just not get enough of a good thing? I'm pretty sure it's a little of both with a cup of stubborness and a pinch of curiousity mixed in for good measure. Whatever the case may be, it's been....memorable.
5 years. Sometimes it feels like longer, but most often than not it feels like I'm fresh off the plane. Am I a glutton for punishment, or can I just not get enough of a good thing? I'm pretty sure it's a little of both with a cup of stubborness and a pinch of curiousity mixed in for good measure. Whatever the case may be, it's been....memorable.
- open yourself up and the rewards are untold
- humility
- what racism and stereotypes feel like
- patience (an ongoing lesson)
- the value and importance of a support network
- you can go home, but you can never go back
- frustration can be a positive emotion if it fuels the fires of change
- first impressions may be important, but they are not the only impressions that should leave a mark
- it is possible to have a life and be happy doing; in short, to have it all
At times, my time in Taiwan has been trying; the language a pain, the enigmatic cultural differences seemingly insurmountable at times, as well as the sheer amount of obliviousness exhausting. At the same time, I encounter something or someone that brings my joy and wonderment almost daily. That keeps me coming back for more, but more accurately, that's what makes me stay.
Thanks Taiwan; I'm happy to be here and look forward to what else you have in store.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
CNY - part I
just a quick message to say Happy Year of the Rabbit to all my Chinese friends! the holidays are here and so far, just relaxing and taking it easy, snuggling up to our next xbox kinect. actually, feeling kind of sore from playing but that is the whole idea behind interactive games.
xin nian kuai le! gon xi fa cai! will write more after i actually do some stuff during my vacation.
xin nian kuai le! gon xi fa cai! will write more after i actually do some stuff during my vacation.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
the skin i'm in
Skin is a soft outer covering of an animal, in particular a vertebrate. It performs the following functions:
1.Protection: an anatomical barrier from pathogens and damage between the internal and external environment in bodily defense; Langerhans cells in the skin are part of the adaptive immune system.[3][4]
2.Sensation: contains a variety of nerve endings that jump to heat and cold, touch, pressure, vibration, and tissue injury; see somatosensory system and haptic perception.
3.Heat regulation: increase perfusion and heatloss, while constricted vessels greatly reduce cutaneous blood flow and conserve heat. Erector pili muscles are significant in animals.
4.Control of evaporation: the skin provides a relatively dry and semi-impermeable barrier to fluid loss.[4]
5.Storage and synthesis: acts as a storage center for lipids and water
6.Absorption: Oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide can diffuse into the epidermis in small amounts, some animals uses their skin for their sole respiration organ (contrary to popular belief, however, humans do not absorb oxygen through the skin).[5]
7.Water resistance: The skin acts as a water resistant barrier so essential nutrients aren't washed out of the body.
Or at least, that's what wikipedia has to say on the matter. I'm writing this blog to complain about skin, more specifically, my skin.
I have what you dermatologists term sensitive skin. This doesn't mean that it's sensitive to the touch or something like that, but rather that it is sensitive to the environment. This is mostly due to the fact that I have a skin condition called eczema. For anyone who doesn't know what eczema is, allow me to enlighten you: eczema, also know as topical dermatitis,is an itchy rash which forms on the skin in red patches. It can be brought on by changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. It can also be triggered by allergies (food and seasonal) or periods of stress. all sufferers are born with this condition and it can be passed down hereditarily.
i've had eczema my whole life. as a child, there wasn't a winter that went by without me suffering some kind of flare up. the areas affected were usually around my wrists, ankles, behind my knees and the crooks of my arms. as i got older, my eczema became more like dry patchs on my torso, legs and arms. by the time i reached college, i was experiencing full blown bouts that lasted the entire winter months. i particularly remember one winter before coming to taiwan where my upper lip and right eye had eczema around them while i'll patiently waited for a dermatologist appointment. i went a whole winter with a badly chapped upper lip and darkened eye...you have no idea how tired i was of being asked if i was either growing a mustache or had gotten into a fight.
there isn't any cure for eczema. it is something i had to deal with and will continue to deal with for the remainder of my life. of course, this isn't a debilitating disease like many others, but it is something i have to deal with almost every day of my life. i've tried a range of treatments, from naturopathic to strong medical treatments. the naturopathic treatments tend to be tedious and expensive, as well as gradually ineffective. the medical treatments provide tremendous results, but can have some serious side effects, such as skin cancer.
since coming to taiwan, i haven't really had any episodes. this is due to the the humid climate and moderate amounts of sunshine that encourage vitamin d and folic acid. no matter what tho, i have chapped lips about 40% of the time and still feel itchy most days. i've pretty much given up on any kind of chapstick as eventually, it either irritates the skin or my lips become so dependent on the moisture that they stop producing moisture on their own. on average, i pretty much have about 7-10 days a month where my lips are normal, not peeling, inflamed, split or itchy and red.
during my last trip to canada, i experienced a full on attack. it started out being itchy and dry (which i expected given the cold, dry weather) but by new year's eve day escalated to a point where i had no choice but to visit the emergency room and get a prescription for cream that would help things. (at a cost of $94 a tube) within a day of using the cream, the eczema pretty much went away.
sometimes, all i really want is to completely change the skin i'm in. if a skin transplant were possible, i think i would spend just about any amount of money to have it done.
in the meantime, i just have to make do with what i have and get things under control.
1.Protection: an anatomical barrier from pathogens and damage between the internal and external environment in bodily defense; Langerhans cells in the skin are part of the adaptive immune system.[3][4]
2.Sensation: contains a variety of nerve endings that jump to heat and cold, touch, pressure, vibration, and tissue injury; see somatosensory system and haptic perception.
3.Heat regulation: increase perfusion and heatloss, while constricted vessels greatly reduce cutaneous blood flow and conserve heat. Erector pili muscles are significant in animals.
4.Control of evaporation: the skin provides a relatively dry and semi-impermeable barrier to fluid loss.[4]
5.Storage and synthesis: acts as a storage center for lipids and water
6.Absorption: Oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide can diffuse into the epidermis in small amounts, some animals uses their skin for their sole respiration organ (contrary to popular belief, however, humans do not absorb oxygen through the skin).[5]
7.Water resistance: The skin acts as a water resistant barrier so essential nutrients aren't washed out of the body.
Or at least, that's what wikipedia has to say on the matter. I'm writing this blog to complain about skin, more specifically, my skin.
I have what you dermatologists term sensitive skin. This doesn't mean that it's sensitive to the touch or something like that, but rather that it is sensitive to the environment. This is mostly due to the fact that I have a skin condition called eczema. For anyone who doesn't know what eczema is, allow me to enlighten you: eczema, also know as topical dermatitis,is an itchy rash which forms on the skin in red patches. It can be brought on by changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. It can also be triggered by allergies (food and seasonal) or periods of stress. all sufferers are born with this condition and it can be passed down hereditarily.
i've had eczema my whole life. as a child, there wasn't a winter that went by without me suffering some kind of flare up. the areas affected were usually around my wrists, ankles, behind my knees and the crooks of my arms. as i got older, my eczema became more like dry patchs on my torso, legs and arms. by the time i reached college, i was experiencing full blown bouts that lasted the entire winter months. i particularly remember one winter before coming to taiwan where my upper lip and right eye had eczema around them while i'll patiently waited for a dermatologist appointment. i went a whole winter with a badly chapped upper lip and darkened eye...you have no idea how tired i was of being asked if i was either growing a mustache or had gotten into a fight.
there isn't any cure for eczema. it is something i had to deal with and will continue to deal with for the remainder of my life. of course, this isn't a debilitating disease like many others, but it is something i have to deal with almost every day of my life. i've tried a range of treatments, from naturopathic to strong medical treatments. the naturopathic treatments tend to be tedious and expensive, as well as gradually ineffective. the medical treatments provide tremendous results, but can have some serious side effects, such as skin cancer.
since coming to taiwan, i haven't really had any episodes. this is due to the the humid climate and moderate amounts of sunshine that encourage vitamin d and folic acid. no matter what tho, i have chapped lips about 40% of the time and still feel itchy most days. i've pretty much given up on any kind of chapstick as eventually, it either irritates the skin or my lips become so dependent on the moisture that they stop producing moisture on their own. on average, i pretty much have about 7-10 days a month where my lips are normal, not peeling, inflamed, split or itchy and red.
during my last trip to canada, i experienced a full on attack. it started out being itchy and dry (which i expected given the cold, dry weather) but by new year's eve day escalated to a point where i had no choice but to visit the emergency room and get a prescription for cream that would help things. (at a cost of $94 a tube) within a day of using the cream, the eczema pretty much went away.
sometimes, all i really want is to completely change the skin i'm in. if a skin transplant were possible, i think i would spend just about any amount of money to have it done.
in the meantime, i just have to make do with what i have and get things under control.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
holidays
finally found some time to update my blog...just got back on monday from a 10-day christmas vacation in canada, and this first week back has been hectic and didn't really go as smoothly as i had hoped for. i'll elaborate more on that later, but here's a timeline of our awesome holiday.
dec.23rd we boarded the plane at 7:30 p.m. for our 13-hour, direct flight to toronto. everything was smooth as silk in terms of boarding, immigration, and all the usual pre-flight routines. the flight was comfortable as it wasn't fully booked, and we were one of the lucky ones who had an empty seat beside ours. what a world of difference those extra 15 inches of seat space can make to cramped up limbs. landed safely, got a text from justin (who was chilling with a $12 heineken at the pearsons terminal 3 bar...ouch!) to say he was waiting for us, then on our way to london to spend the night. arrived kind of late but was feeling wired from the trip.to remedy this, melissa poured caesars and ordered domino's just the way i like it. all that gusto within such a few short hours was enough to put us to sleep.
dec.26th - boxing day - decided to hit up some of the sales down in london. got some awesome deals and came away with a full work wardrobe. managed to get home around 6:00 p.m., had a quick nap and then had the weishars and a few friends come over for some christmas drinks and snacks. ended up being another late one, but finally called it a night around 3:00.
dec.23rd we boarded the plane at 7:30 p.m. for our 13-hour, direct flight to toronto. everything was smooth as silk in terms of boarding, immigration, and all the usual pre-flight routines. the flight was comfortable as it wasn't fully booked, and we were one of the lucky ones who had an empty seat beside ours. what a world of difference those extra 15 inches of seat space can make to cramped up limbs. landed safely, got a text from justin (who was chilling with a $12 heineken at the pearsons terminal 3 bar...ouch!) to say he was waiting for us, then on our way to london to spend the night. arrived kind of late but was feeling wired from the trip.to remedy this, melissa poured caesars and ordered domino's just the way i like it. all that gusto within such a few short hours was enough to put us to sleep.dec.24th - up early thanks to the effects of jet lag, but we took our time with a leisurely breakfast of peameal bacon BLT's (my favourite!) followed by a long overdue shower, starbucks run, and then home to hanover. i have to say, for the first time in a very, very long time, i was excited to go to hanover. we arrived at my mom and dad's to lots of hugs, a few tears, and a very home for the holidays atmosphere. we spent a few hours just talking and catching up, wrapping a few last minute presents, before heading out to elisha's house to spend the night. it was great to see everyone and together we ate, drank and were merry.
dec.25th - woke up at 8:30, hung out with the weishar clan for a bit of brekkie, then i went back into town, got showered up and went to durham to see my grandma campbell. she unfortunately had a stroke about two weeks prior, so she couldn't have a long visit, but she seemed happy that we were there and it felt good to see her again. after that, we headed back to my parents place and awaited elisha so we could open our presents. now, how things used to go in the campbell household was me waking everyone up at a ridiculous time to open presents....this year we didn't open presents up until 1:30! unreal, but it certainly made christmas last a lot longer than it normally does. everyone was spoiled rotten with loot.
around 3:00 p.m., the rest of the family started to arrive and dinner followed suit. we were not disappointed by the table laid before us. i know i keep talking about the food, but man, it had been a while since i had eaten so well and so much. a great day.
dec.26th - boxing day - decided to hit up some of the sales down in london. got some awesome deals and came away with a full work wardrobe. managed to get home around 6:00 p.m., had a quick nap and then had the weishars and a few friends come over for some christmas drinks and snacks. ended up being another late one, but finally called it a night around 3:00.
dec.27th - finally, after 3 full days of feasting and festing, it was time to relax and hopefully eat some salad or something instead of the rich repast i had been gorging myself. didn't do much else but lie around and start to make some plans for NYE. went back out to the weishars and spent the night as the sib-in-laws were planning on leaving the next day for home.
dec.28th - our admin day; time to do some banking, drivers' licenses, etc. not my favourite day by any stretch of the imagination, but always necessary when you're at home.
dec.29th - another glorious day to do nothing...just relax in the afterglow of christmas
dec.30th - see above
dec.31st - our final day in hanover. we started to say our farewells early as elisha's mom had to work...after that, it was elisha's father as he dropped us off at my parent's place. we hung out for the afternoon, drove to london and said our goodbye's as they drove back to hanover. we decided to spend NYE with justin and melissa and their friends and it turned out to be a lot of fun. got to bed around 4:30 a.m. which was a little scary considering we had to be in toronto later that same day, but fun nonetheless.
jan.1st - spent the day lounging and attempting to relax, but in fact becoming increasingly anxious about the long day ahead. eventually, it was time to go and catch the robert q airbus to pearson int'l. said our final goodbye's of the trip and then a few more hours wait before boarding the plane for a grueling, 15-hour flight back to taipei. add the trip time + the fact that we technically left on jan.2nd + losing 12 hours to int'l date line means we got back on jan3rd. painful, but worth it.
that was the trip. great time visit with fam+friends. the first week was a little rough. we were meant to head back to work the day we arrived but decided upon touchdown that wouldn't be happening. returned to work on tuesday and wednesday, but then i got sick on thursday and ended up having to take off at lunch and also friday. not really the productive work week i had in mind, but my body just had enough.
it is good to be back, but i have to be honest when i say that for one reason or another, it was a lot harder to leave this time than previous visits home. i'm not sure why, but it has spurred me to reevaluate my 'indefinite' timeline here in taiwan. in short, it's time to get focused up and set out what i came here to do. this by no way means that i'm done with taiwan, but that it's time to stop messing around and get serious about crossing a few goals off the list.
speaking of goals, i guess i did make some new year's resolutions for this year, or rather, a new year's mission statement. my theme for last year was 'grow', so this year it's going to be 'improve.' while this might seem pretty generic, it has two advantages; 1) i can apply this principle to everything i do currently in my life ex. diet - improve eating habits by eating organic and 2) it's simple and easy to use without having to come up with elaborate plans as to either keep or implement lofty resolutions. this idea of the mission statement really worked for me last year....i managed to improve my working situation, financial situation, health and eating habits, met some new people and even achieved a few other things unlooked for. this year, i just want to enjoy what i have but improve upon them; professionally+personally.
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