my new job starts next week and i have to say that i am really looking forward to getting started. it's going to be nice to be doing something that i'm good at, get paid well to do it and flex some creative muscles again. it has been a long year teaching, which i honestly think i am not bad at, but it's really not for me. when i stop to consider the things i enjoy about teaching, it's actually the planning and finding new methods to teach so i guess my new job is going to be a perfect fit. one other positive thing that has come out of my retirement from teaching is that my previous employer wants to utilize my ideas so they've asked if i would be interested in doing a seminar/workshop in january. in essence, give some suggestions and share ideas with other teachers who were once my colleagues. it sounds like a very exciting opportunity and i am considering it heavily...could be the start of a side project or something...that's why i love taiwan...so many opportunities are out there.
speaking of opportunities i actually got one of my designs printed and out there. a couple of my friends are in a burlesque troupe here in taiwan and they were in need so i took a crack at it. came up with a simple, retro pinup girl which fit the bill. it wasn't anything too fancy but i was really happy with the way it came out. so, i didn't ask for payment this time but have gotten some recognition and hopefully it will start to snowball from here. i really enjoy the challenge and creative process so fingers crossed that it turns into more. i'm still considering getting some courses under my belt, not only for qualification purposes but also so i have a better understanding of creative mumbo jumbo. i keep saying that i will take these courses, but keep putting it off as there is always something else that needs to come first. c'est la vie.
as for putting things off, elisha and i decided that it's high time we start to make our house a 'home'. got the ball rolling yesterday by making a list of all the things we could add, improve upon, or repurpose in our place. most of the changes are cosmetic, displaying some photos and art as well as changing things around a bit. we've also decided to slip cover our peeling leather sofa and replace a couple pieces of furniture to give us more space. after making some decisions i mocked up how things might look with photoshop and i gotta say, the place is going to look suave. the idea is to get everything in place before we have our housewarming party which has been put off again and again. the main theme is to blow our friends minds when they walk in the door. dreams of grandeur? perhaps but sometimes dreams have to be lived. on the serious, it's going to be nice to have some peeps around to relax and make them green with envy over our totally rad apartment...lol.
not too much on the social scene this weekend...going to a friends' tonight for beer, pizza and garden while introducing a pair of potential roommates. i mentioned in my last post that a friend had recently returned to taiwan after a four year hiatus, well she is need of accommodation. she is currently schlepping it from somewhere in the mountains of xindian all the way to xinyi/dunhua and that is quite a hike. my other friends' place is a mere three blocks from her job and it just so happens that one of the ladies if heading out on a backpacking adventure for a few months so it's perfect timing. it's not permanent, but it will allow my recently arrived friend to find her feet, save some money and then find something. gotta love it when things like this happen and you can help out two quality people at the same time.
think that about does it...going to try and update more often once i'm back on a regular work sched...until next time.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
staycation +
just wanted to update about what's been going on lately. been back to work now for a full week, but prior to that got to enjoy a two-week break from the grind. we decided this year to just stay put and take in the city...lounge in her parks, eat in her restaurants and explore the hidden corners and well-known favourites. so that's exactly what we did. slept in every morning, took in different areas of the city, napped, swam, went to the beach, and even went for a bike ride. all in all, it was a great two weeks off and nice to be one of those people i envy when taking the bus to work. you know those people, the kind you think to yourself how come they get to hang out in that cafe? well, i was that guy for two weeks. of course, it would have been fine to get away for a couple of weeks to some tropical locale, but honestly it was great to reconnect with taipei rather than racing through the day and regular routines.
now it's back to work and of course, feels like i never left. the good news is that my summer schedule is ending after this week which means a shift back to reality once more. i've really enjoyed the hours this summer but i also enjoy my usual schedule. just more results from students and more that i can do with them...overall, just being more effective.
in other news, we've had a friend both leave and another come back into our lives. kind of juicy news for the friend who left so i'll start there. this couple we have known here (foreigners) have been together for about 8 years and got engaged soon after we arrived. they ended up having a wedding ceremony and we meant to be heading home to the states to get married this week. turns out, the wedding is off and one of the couple has left taiwan for good to return to the states. it was shocking to hear at first, but after some consideration it wasn't too big of a surprise. even though i didn't know them all that well, there were certain telltale signs that things weren't really working out between them...what i mean to say is that they were growing apart and seemed to be leading very independant lives. anyway, that's even red hot gossip and i do feel pretty bad for the both of them. but time as they say, heals all wounds.
on a much better note, a good friend of ours has returned to taiwan once again. steph arrived on thursday night and we basically picked up right we were left off. hung out on friday night with some drinks in the park and caught up in the four years that we've been apart. we have her back for a year and it's nice to round out the social circle a little more.
now it's back to work and of course, feels like i never left. the good news is that my summer schedule is ending after this week which means a shift back to reality once more. i've really enjoyed the hours this summer but i also enjoy my usual schedule. just more results from students and more that i can do with them...overall, just being more effective.
in other news, we've had a friend both leave and another come back into our lives. kind of juicy news for the friend who left so i'll start there. this couple we have known here (foreigners) have been together for about 8 years and got engaged soon after we arrived. they ended up having a wedding ceremony and we meant to be heading home to the states to get married this week. turns out, the wedding is off and one of the couple has left taiwan for good to return to the states. it was shocking to hear at first, but after some consideration it wasn't too big of a surprise. even though i didn't know them all that well, there were certain telltale signs that things weren't really working out between them...what i mean to say is that they were growing apart and seemed to be leading very independant lives. anyway, that's even red hot gossip and i do feel pretty bad for the both of them. but time as they say, heals all wounds.
on a much better note, a good friend of ours has returned to taiwan once again. steph arrived on thursday night and we basically picked up right we were left off. hung out on friday night with some drinks in the park and caught up in the four years that we've been apart. we have her back for a year and it's nice to round out the social circle a little more.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
things are looking up
summer has arrived! the day is longer, the weather much warmer and the whole city just seems to be soaking in the summer. along with the change in the weather has also come changes in schedule and lifestyle. i'm now working the summer camp which means getting up early 5 days a week, but also means that i finish up by 4:30. so, instead of seeing the sun in short bursts i now get a full two hours after work. feels great and of course, the upcoming money won't also be too bad.
i've also started to go to the gym this week. been blasting my delts, quads and all the rest in an effort to try and shed a few pounds. just completed day 3 and so far, so good. i have also combined this gym routine with some better dietary choices...the increase in energy is already starting to work, but this could just be a case of mind over matter. whatev, as long as it works, i'm down with it. working out has also given me reason to not think about the lack of money in july due to our recent move. really takes the edge off of worrying when you're literally sweating buckets instead of figuratively.
speaking of money, something quite interesting happened last night, or at least drew to a close. my story starts back about 3 months ago when i started receiving nasty correspondence and voicemails regarding an unpaid student loan. i finally decided to call and sort things out and was told i had to pay back $1200 dating from a loan taken out in 1996! it smelled fishy right from the start, especially since all my loans were supposed to be officially paid in full january 2008. i sort of let things slide over the last couple of months as i really didn't see the need to start paying back something which was already a decade past due. however, revenue canada didn't see it my way and has been harassing me ever since.
last night, i decided it was time to look into this a little more. i called back the number left on VM and they asked about payment dates and the rest, but when i responded by asking for supporting documents to verify that this loan was still outstanding, i was directed to another service. i posed the same questions to their representative who probed a little deeper. to make a long story short, she contacted the issuing bank and it turns out that the loan has in fact, been paid and that i am in the clear. i'm still a little in shock about it but it still feels good to know that i was right.
i don't know, but maybe, just maybe these small changes i'm making in my life are starting to pay off. maybe it's the exercise, or the extra working hours i've put in. maybe it's the fact i'm showering before bed but whatever it is, i just hope that it continues 'cos things are most definitely looking up.
i've also started to go to the gym this week. been blasting my delts, quads and all the rest in an effort to try and shed a few pounds. just completed day 3 and so far, so good. i have also combined this gym routine with some better dietary choices...the increase in energy is already starting to work, but this could just be a case of mind over matter. whatev, as long as it works, i'm down with it. working out has also given me reason to not think about the lack of money in july due to our recent move. really takes the edge off of worrying when you're literally sweating buckets instead of figuratively.
speaking of money, something quite interesting happened last night, or at least drew to a close. my story starts back about 3 months ago when i started receiving nasty correspondence and voicemails regarding an unpaid student loan. i finally decided to call and sort things out and was told i had to pay back $1200 dating from a loan taken out in 1996! it smelled fishy right from the start, especially since all my loans were supposed to be officially paid in full january 2008. i sort of let things slide over the last couple of months as i really didn't see the need to start paying back something which was already a decade past due. however, revenue canada didn't see it my way and has been harassing me ever since.
last night, i decided it was time to look into this a little more. i called back the number left on VM and they asked about payment dates and the rest, but when i responded by asking for supporting documents to verify that this loan was still outstanding, i was directed to another service. i posed the same questions to their representative who probed a little deeper. to make a long story short, she contacted the issuing bank and it turns out that the loan has in fact, been paid and that i am in the clear. i'm still a little in shock about it but it still feels good to know that i was right.
i don't know, but maybe, just maybe these small changes i'm making in my life are starting to pay off. maybe it's the exercise, or the extra working hours i've put in. maybe it's the fact i'm showering before bed but whatever it is, i just hope that it continues 'cos things are most definitely looking up.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
fast forward
i came to a realization the other day that almost everything i do, i do quickly. i speak quickly, walk quickly, type quickly, brush my teeth quickly, cook everything on high, eat within about 15 minutes, and devour everything i read. when i make decisions, i make them quickly. when i am trying to be creative, i do it quickly. when i learn something new, i don't want to put in the time, i just want to be good at it now. it's also never a case of what i'm doing now, it's what's next.
so, what's all the rush about?
i've decided i need to learn how to slow down. the main question is, how do i break 33 years of fast habits? i figure the best way is to start simply. i've really decided to slow down my walking as a starting point. it feels weird to walk at half my pace but i am slowly getting used to it. i think the biggest reason i walk so quickly here is to get out of the crowds and the heat, but if you walk slowly, the crowds and heat aren't so bad. i've also tried to slow down the way i talk and take my time to enunciate my words...especially when teaching. again, it feels strange to speak slowly and honestly, i feel like i've suffered a head injury. of course, i can only speak slowly for a short time before my brain is screaming at my mouth to keep up.
i have to be honest and say that i've never really understood how slow people can be...well, so slow. it's almost agonizing to me when people can't meet deadlines, walk too slowly, or can't be some where on time. in fact, it's an absolute mystery to me. i think it might be the way my brain is wired or something...not that i think better thinks, just that i think more? not too mention my energy levels which at time seem boundless. because of this, living fast just seems like an efficient use of my energy. isn't faster better in a lot of ways? it makes me on time, lets me get more done and enjoy things a lot quicker. all in all, i've always thought of doing things quickly as the best way. but maybe, just maybe i'm the one who is wrong.
there is an idea which is gaining in popularity called the 'slow movement'. followers of this credo believe that a return to a slower-paced way of life is the way to solve a lot of problems socially and health-wise. the slow movement states that people have lost their connection to the natural rhythms of the world. it also states that technology may not have actually improved our lives as intended, but just helped to increase the tempo of modern lives. essentially, the slow movement is a way of returning to simpler way of life, through less reliance on material goods and money, while also focusing on important things such as family and personal relationships. this is known as 'downshifting.'
while this may sound great to some in principle, i'm not so sure living this lifestyle would work for everyone. my opinion is that if everyone were to adopt this movement as their own, what would happen to society? there would be a major shift from community to individual. it sounds more like a cult of 'me' and that can't be a good thing, can it? still, there is something to be said for this idea of slowing down but a fine balance needs to be found. like anything in life moderation is key. moving at full throttle through life comes in handy, but i just need to take some time stop to smell the roses too.
so, what's all the rush about?
i've decided i need to learn how to slow down. the main question is, how do i break 33 years of fast habits? i figure the best way is to start simply. i've really decided to slow down my walking as a starting point. it feels weird to walk at half my pace but i am slowly getting used to it. i think the biggest reason i walk so quickly here is to get out of the crowds and the heat, but if you walk slowly, the crowds and heat aren't so bad. i've also tried to slow down the way i talk and take my time to enunciate my words...especially when teaching. again, it feels strange to speak slowly and honestly, i feel like i've suffered a head injury. of course, i can only speak slowly for a short time before my brain is screaming at my mouth to keep up.
i have to be honest and say that i've never really understood how slow people can be...well, so slow. it's almost agonizing to me when people can't meet deadlines, walk too slowly, or can't be some where on time. in fact, it's an absolute mystery to me. i think it might be the way my brain is wired or something...not that i think better thinks, just that i think more? not too mention my energy levels which at time seem boundless. because of this, living fast just seems like an efficient use of my energy. isn't faster better in a lot of ways? it makes me on time, lets me get more done and enjoy things a lot quicker. all in all, i've always thought of doing things quickly as the best way. but maybe, just maybe i'm the one who is wrong.
there is an idea which is gaining in popularity called the 'slow movement'. followers of this credo believe that a return to a slower-paced way of life is the way to solve a lot of problems socially and health-wise. the slow movement states that people have lost their connection to the natural rhythms of the world. it also states that technology may not have actually improved our lives as intended, but just helped to increase the tempo of modern lives. essentially, the slow movement is a way of returning to simpler way of life, through less reliance on material goods and money, while also focusing on important things such as family and personal relationships. this is known as 'downshifting.'
while this may sound great to some in principle, i'm not so sure living this lifestyle would work for everyone. my opinion is that if everyone were to adopt this movement as their own, what would happen to society? there would be a major shift from community to individual. it sounds more like a cult of 'me' and that can't be a good thing, can it? still, there is something to be said for this idea of slowing down but a fine balance needs to be found. like anything in life moderation is key. moving at full throttle through life comes in handy, but i just need to take some time stop to smell the roses too.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
changes pt.II
all moved in! feels great to finally be here...the place is already more than i expected. i guess all the blood, sweat and tears that went into finding the apartment really has paid off. i can't explain it, but this place just feels like a better 'fit' than our last place. my only complaint is that we haven't been able to take advantage of the pool just yet, but that's the weather's fault. of course, today it's finally stopped raining and it's sunny, but the pool is closed on monday's. oh well, lots of time to get my swim on.
alongside the move and all these other changes are some personal one's as well. i've decided that it's time to really start taking better care of myself physically. we have a gym downstairs and i've already begun on the path to good health. been looking into workout routines and that starts today after work.i've also decided that i'm going to start cooking more, getting back into eating healthier and knowing what i'm putting into my body. this means giving up fast food and actually going grocery shopping. that part of the plan started on saturday...i already feel better but this might just be in my head.
i'm also going to ease up on the drinking as that has been the major theme over the last couple months on the weekends. just feeling lazy and feel like i'm missing out on life sometimes when i spend half of my sunday sleeping it off. of course, it's fun to go out on the social scene, but it's definitely time to change things up with some more activities other than raising a glass to my mouth several times.
on a different note, i've also decided it's time to challenge myself. i need to learn some more chinese, get back into photo/design and get serious about some career goals. i've got a lot of hours this summer, but when it's done i need to get some more writing happening, or go back to school part-time. it's not that i hate teaching, but i have to say that i really don't like teaching children at buxiban. just not my style and i find myself dreading work. it's been the same story before, only this time as it's my 2nd time doing it, a lot of the old irritations have reared their heads a lot sooner. for my sanity and what's left of my patience, i need to get out of teaching children and start doing what i want to do.
on a wholly different note (and just to see if i could do it) i've given up facebook for seven days. what's the big deal you may ask? well, i realized the other day just how much i actually log on to facebook and am trying to remind myself what the world was like beforehand. i'm on day 3 and not suffering any major withdrawal symptoms which tells me that i really don't have a problem....however, it is amazing how much facebook has become a part of my daily routine. when stopped at a traffic light, my first instinct is to go for my mobile and see what's happening in my news feed. i still have 4 days left and really have no worries about keeping my promise to myself. plus, i always have twitter to tide me over.
alongside the move and all these other changes are some personal one's as well. i've decided that it's time to really start taking better care of myself physically. we have a gym downstairs and i've already begun on the path to good health. been looking into workout routines and that starts today after work.i've also decided that i'm going to start cooking more, getting back into eating healthier and knowing what i'm putting into my body. this means giving up fast food and actually going grocery shopping. that part of the plan started on saturday...i already feel better but this might just be in my head.
i'm also going to ease up on the drinking as that has been the major theme over the last couple months on the weekends. just feeling lazy and feel like i'm missing out on life sometimes when i spend half of my sunday sleeping it off. of course, it's fun to go out on the social scene, but it's definitely time to change things up with some more activities other than raising a glass to my mouth several times.
on a different note, i've also decided it's time to challenge myself. i need to learn some more chinese, get back into photo/design and get serious about some career goals. i've got a lot of hours this summer, but when it's done i need to get some more writing happening, or go back to school part-time. it's not that i hate teaching, but i have to say that i really don't like teaching children at buxiban. just not my style and i find myself dreading work. it's been the same story before, only this time as it's my 2nd time doing it, a lot of the old irritations have reared their heads a lot sooner. for my sanity and what's left of my patience, i need to get out of teaching children and start doing what i want to do.
on a wholly different note (and just to see if i could do it) i've given up facebook for seven days. what's the big deal you may ask? well, i realized the other day just how much i actually log on to facebook and am trying to remind myself what the world was like beforehand. i'm on day 3 and not suffering any major withdrawal symptoms which tells me that i really don't have a problem....however, it is amazing how much facebook has become a part of my daily routine. when stopped at a traffic light, my first instinct is to go for my mobile and see what's happening in my news feed. i still have 4 days left and really have no worries about keeping my promise to myself. plus, i always have twitter to tide me over.
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