Date:	2005-03-12 22:40
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	to have tomrrow off!
Music:	TV

Hey peps, getting this figured out, so take a look at some pics from Hawaii!

( jim, grandmom and alyson )

( click for pic )

Date:	2005-03-09 22:44
Subject:	Life with a cat.
Security:	Public
Mood:	sleepy
Music:	golden years by bowie

Some of you know how I thought about getting a cat here in Taiwan. For some reason, making a 16 year or so commitment doesn't count when you are in another country. It is like the money, it seems like play money. Hum? Well, I got one a few days ago. It is gone now. Complete psycho. Poor kitty. I got it free at the "street that gives away free animals on Sunday" street. I said I wanted a friendly one. They gave me not a baby, but more like a teenager one. The first night it hid under my bed and in the morning, had climbed up under my covers. "How cute!", I thought. Long story short, Andy, Shara, Cindy (Andy's girlfriend) and I haven't slept very well these few nights. I have never really met a cat I didn't like. Even the weirdo ones. In the end, I decided that sleep was more important, so I gave it back. Have you ever done that? It was hard, but this cat was koo-koo. Biting my face and then running to my dresser to eat up my plant. But, then if you tried to approach it, it would run away and hide under my bed and meow. This is about 4 am last night. In the end, it was a stray that needed a "cat whisperer". Not up for that job right now. So, I said goodbye and am having a glass of wine. bye bye kitty...

Date:	2005-03-07 21:18
Subject:	hawaii test 2
Security:	Public
Mood:	with a cold and with no voice
Music:	nada

This is a long time coming, but I wanted to tell you all about my Hawaii trip! First, I have to give a big thank you to Tera for teaching me how this whole thing works! Thanks Tera! She is a good teacher. So, my trip…It was awesome! I had so much fun with grandmom, Jim, and Susan. My first thought landing was “The air is so clear here!” My second was, “and I am not going back to Taiwan.” Yea, that worked. Here’s what we did: ate, drank, rested, played cards, shopped, ate, drank, rested, played cards, shopped. I also took a few trips around sola, like to snorkel, climb Diamondhead (I mean, climb the staircase) and to North Beach. I met a girl from Portugal, who was our waitress at a Chinese food restaurant. She invited me to go with her husband, who is Brazilian, for the day. We happened to be there when the world competition for body surfing was going on. I seriously have never seen bigger waves! I braved in a little just to play around, which was fun. I love the ocean! So, that is my short version. Click on the pics below to see some choice ones. Sorry they are so big. My program won’t let me make my pics smaller, so I am going to get a different one soon. Enjoy!
( Jim and I on the highway to see Frank Steer )

last day in hawaii
( click for pic )

Date:	2005-02-28 02:49
Subject:	Chinese Lantern Festival
Security:	Public
Mood:	excited
Music:	(in head) Nightmare Before Xmas, Halloween!

I remember being in Austin this time last year and saying, "I definitely want to see the Lantern Festival next year!" And I did! Hey, you gotta have goals. I went with a student and her husband. Their Engrish is better than my Chinese, but not so hot. I got to practice my chinese, but after 2 hours, I had said all I knew how to. Good thing I have class on Tuesday! Luckily, they are laid back. They are into bird watching, so we listened to bird songs on a cd for the 2 hour drive from Taichung to Tainan. After much traffic, we made it there. We dropped the husband off and picked up my student's sister. Three gals and 300,000 other light-lovers! I was trying to remember the last time I was in such a big crowd and I can't remember. Man alive! Cool thing, tho, I was one of the taller ones, so I could see much more than usual..:)

Ok, my first thought when we turned this corner and I could see the park was Burning Man! You have a huge 3 story Rooster light thing and then the playa around. On the horseshoe, you have other lantern/light creations. Everything from traditional bamboo stuff to Nemo to buddha to abstract. There was even a center camp, being a big stage with live performances and interactive pieces. But, take away freaks, nakedness and drugs and add ocean, buying and selling and tons of picture takers and a crap load more of peps and that was where I was tonight.

Fav moment: Nightmare Before Xmas music (Halloween is Coming)was playing, the Rooster was dancing and blinking up a storm, I am in some tunnel with oversize animal-like-creature lanterns hanging above my head that were made by school children, and they are blowing like crazy 'cause we're next to the ocean and it's windy! I thought, "Where am I!??!"

Not a place for people who don't like big crowds. I sometimes like 'em, sometimes not. Tonight, I loved it! I just really like lights and lots of colors. They felt so good on my eyes. So far, that has to be one of the top five things I have seen/done here.

Date:	2005-02-27 00:18
Subject:	First Entry!
Security:	Public
Mood:	curious
Music:	(in head) sex/city theme

I know some of you are surprised I figured this deal out! It only took me 8 months! :) So, it is Saturday night and my roomie, Shara, and I just watched 4 episodes of Sex/City! She is drinking wine and I am eating crackers. I would join her, but I drank last night. I moved in this new apartment in January and love it! It feels like a home and the peps are cool, both from Canada, one girl and one boy. I bought this computer off the girl who moved out. First computer! I spent last night screaming at it while trying to figure out how to download pictures. What a nightmare. How do people work on these things all day?! Speaking of work, I started my new semester two weeks ago. I have 6 adult classes that I see once a week, 4 kids classes that I see twice a week, and one private student. She is 6 and has down syndrome and is the cutest thing ever. Her parents are loaded and they made their money in Amway! I am going to close now and see if this actually works. bye bye!