Photos from the Other Night

It's summer.  It's hot.  The UV index is off the charts and it's the prime season for sunburns and serious skin damage.  However, here in Taichung, the sun isn't the only thing that's heating me up.  Take the back of my leg for example.  It used to be a smooth monument to my muscular legs, but now, after an encounter with a certain someone's scooter muffler, it exists as only a scar of what it once was.

Ouch.  Don't mind the prickly leg hair.  This puppy of a blister stuck out about 1/4 inch.  and Was about the size of the first digit on my right thumb. Yea--it was really pleasent.

We recently went to a mountain that is paralell with the sea.  From the top of this moutain we could see the ocean on one side and the vast expanse of Taichung and environs on the other.  Here is the city-side view:

You can see the City and behind that the mountains that stretch through the middle of the island.  Lots of nice mountains to climb on.  

While along the top of this mountain, we met a very, very small dog.  Luna was quite afraid of this dog. 

As you can see, this dog is not much bigger than one of our hands.  But Luna has insisted on curling up on Nick's lap in order to fend off the little freak.  He was quiet and sweet.  Oh tiny little dog.  Oh cowardly Luna. 

Next, here is a picture of Nick and I at yet another seafood wedding.  This time we didn't know anyone at our table and were therefore not obligated to eat anything we didn;t want to.  Also, our table mates were not exceedingly friendly, or friendly at all, so we mostly stayed to ourselver and entertained each other.  It was the best Taiwanese wedding ever.

Yes, I am wearing a shirt.

I love you all.  Hope you are well and happy and good.  And having fun.  Please send me an email or say hello!

Love

jen

Currently Listening The Ditty Bops By The Ditty Bops Sister Kate see related

speedos, words, and frangelico

So it's been a little while since I've updated my xanga.  I'd like to say that I've been to busy or that hordes of amazing things have been happening to me, but, as it goes, I've just been lazy and living the day to day.  But I guess that is why you, dear reader, come here---to read about the day to day.

The beginning of June left me with one less class to teach and a little more free time, so that was nice.  But last week I added two new classes--one of the classes i made up of about 1-2nd graders.  It's something else.  It's their first English class.  I've taught it once and wow.  I don't even really know what to say about it, except that I am not really a teacher.  And I don't like annoying Chinese moms.  I am glad to see my other kids, though.  We've been together for a few months now and they've been pretty swell--even the bad ones.

Editing is going swimmingly enough.  I basically do all of my work from home.  At the beginning of the month, it doesn't put too much strain on my schedule.  However, late writers and sometimes slow translation leaves me with stacks of articles at the end of the month to edit in about a day.  Now that I've graduated college, I no longer stay up all night writing papers--I stay up all night editing articles that someone else wrote and someone else besides her translated.

I also stayed up way late last night finishing writing an article for another magazine--The Voice.  This is the small publication, mostly aimed at foreigners and foreigner lovers that my poems were published in about a month ago.  I volunteered to help the editors out, but ended up getting a 2,000 word assignemnt about airports in Taiwan--that was due in a week.  So I did it, as college taught me, the night before.  And it was fun.  It should be online soon, so i'll post a link.

Next, Nick and I got pool memberships.  I love it.  There is a pretty nice pool a few blocks away from our building.  They have a lap pool, big hot tub, saunas, a frigid pool, and a large warm pool full of different sprayers, spa beds, and massagers.  It's kinda fun.  To save a little money, we only got the morning pass--so we have to get there before 8:30.  I love swimming, so it's great for me.  Nick has gone a few times and likes it, but he is not as much as a swimming freak.  He also has summer class and work, so he can't spend all day at the pool like I can.  Nice.

Swimming isn't huge in Taiwan and it's a little silly.  In the lap lanes, EVERYONE does breaststroke pretty much exclusively.  No one does flip turns or backstroke or fly.  And EVERYONE has to wear a swimcap all of the time.  1: even if you're sitting in the hot tub. 2: even if you don't have hair.  Nick got yelled at for refusing to wear a swim cap--with good reason.  They say it's not "sanitary" but half the people with swim caps have more than 1/3 of their hair hanging out and you're not allowed to wear shoes/sandals/flip flops even in the locker room.  And the floor is slimy.  I'm going to end up with some Asian foot fungus.  Nasty.  On the great side, I do get to ride by bike to and from the pool everyday and swim a lot.  And i'm still belly dancing.  So I am getting into pretty nice shape.

Here are some things you can't find in Taiwan: Speedo swimsuits.  Frangelico.  Ok, specialty hazlenut liquer is a little understandable, but SPEEDOS?  My suits are wearing thin and there is nothing really acceptable here.  No speedo, no TYR. It's weird.  They have a brand "Arena" that is pretty terrible--twice the cost of a nice speedo with about 1/2 the quality.  Merf.  I'll figure something out, though. 

That's about it from here.  I have to get to work and teach my little dudes.  Then I get to come home and edit.  It's a really glamarous life I lead.  Sorry about the gap.  And all of the misspellings.  I'm too lazy to spell check--that's a real editor for you.

Love!
Jen

I'm here. and alive.  Here and alive.

I've just been lazy abut updating, because I haven't taken very many pictures lately.  And I know people like to see pictures better than reading my 'epistles,' as my grandpa so endearingly calls them

I'll real update soon-ish.  Until then, happy June!