And without further ado...

I'm going to take this very rare opportunity to post twice in a thirty minute period to finally deliver to all of my adoring fans:

THE TOP 10 FOOD AND DRINK ITEMS I CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT IN TAIBEI!!!
(Woooooo, party)

10. Caramel Apples cut into wonderfully easy to chew pieces (they are also covered with marshmallows, oreos, trix, etc. and so forth) Praise Allah
9. Seaweed Spring Rolls--they are huge, cheap, and have mayo on them too...what's not to like?
8. Niu Rou Mian (aka motherfucking sweet deliverance in a bowl OR beef noodle soup) Just try to stop me from eating this every day of the week. Try...and I will kill you
7. Mango Ice/Any Type of Ice--Mango or strawberry on top of shaved ice mixed with condensed milk. I...words fail me
6. Anything 7/11 sells (there's a reason there is one on every corner)
5. Zhua Bing--The most wonderful, bad for you thing EVER. Salty, garlic-y, delicious-y bread from heaven. If there were more emporers in China or if there ever was an emporer in Taiwan this would be the next nominee
4. Dumplings. Why? Do you even have to ask?
3. Banana Juice--I can't believe I ever even thought I hated banana flavored items
2. Anything with RED BEAN PASTE in it. Rachel Krause and I are going to open up a Red Bean Paste cafe in NYC. Just you wait.
1. Zhenzhu Naicha aka Pearl Milk Tea--I drink this at least once a day, usually twice a day. The ladies at the Girls 9 Dormitory know me and they know what I like.

Very tired...and getting less sleep by the day

This entry should maybe be retitled "Burning My Candle At Both Ends" as that will be the way in which I refer to my life from now on.

Last Sunday was definitely the big no sleep day (as I went to bed with the dawn...around 6:30 and got up at 8:00 because I had "things to do") and I think I finally understand Jeremy Gordon's view on the world.

No sleep is a bad, bad thing, but it apparently makes my tones better or so my danbanke teacher would have me believe, but he's also CRAZY and his English name is Fredrick (you have to say it with a French accent or he gets pissed) so I don't take him that seriously.

The wonderful Scott Divine, who will be one of the few people staying with me for three years, and I have finally figured out exactly what we need to do to apply for grad school and it turns out that I only need to take the really hard Chinese placement exam if I want to get into the Social Work school. Apparently, I have a keen ability to pick the one department in which you actually have to be fluent in Chinese (and maybe even Taiwanese) to apply. Wooooooo...

BUT, other than that the weather has been getting much cooler and winter might even be approaching!!! Yay!

I'm going to see a German production of A Doll's House tonight, which is obviously intensely exciting and then I think I might try to go to sleep, although there are citywide preperations for massive Halloween partying in effect.

I ask you, though, who needs partying when you have an air conditioner and a pillow? Not this girl, definitely, definitely not this girl.

Oh, and I love Sarah Schillaci.

Laziness

As you can tell, my usual sloth while abroad is beginning to kick in. Never fear! I am actually doing things here/am busy out of my mind. I am going to try to be better about posting when this week is over, but just so you know I am safe and not being stupid, I extended my VISA yesterday and while at least be staying for another 2 monthes (or another 3 years, whatever). I am also finally beginning to look at grad schools although I just found out that I have to take a very, very hard Chinese langauge ability test to get into the Social Work school at Taida. The Chinese government is going to hear from me about this one (I am shaking my fist as I type). It's okay though, if I don't get into the Social Work school, I am definitely going for the Graduate Institute of Labor Research or joining the military. There are always options...

This is what we like to call a QUICKIE update

Top Ten Things that Have Happened in The Past Few Days:
10)Realized that candied apples with marshmallows stuck too them are even better than candied apples without.
9) Finished my decades. Do with that what you will.
8) Spent a fabulous Moon Festival Weekend (also happened to be Mountain Day Weekend...huh...)in Miaoli...bbq-ing! I know, absolutely amazing! Had a great time entertaining the Taiwanese folk there and got more sleep than I had in weeks.
7) Ate a bagel.
6) Went to see a modern dance performance of important traditional Chinese rites of passage. It was beautiful, but very, very slow...
5) Was taken on what might have been a psuedo-date by a Taiwanese lesbian. She's kinda strange and won't stop calling, but also "apparently" has a girlfriend. Suspicious? I think so.
4) Was told a dirty joke about turtles in Chinese by the 60 year old man hosting the bbq in Miaoli (also the man I might be engaged to...)
3) Attended the rallies protesting Cheng Shuibian's AVARICE in the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Area. There is a great picture of Adam standing right in front of Si Made out there somewhere.
2) Discovered just how amazingly AWESOME my danbanke (one-on-one) teacher is. I hope to be friends with him forever. He sings and gives me food...what could be better?!
1) Spent way more on bubble tea than I would care to admit.

Ummm...

I think I accidentally have a Taiwanese girlfriend and am engaged to a 60 year old ex-teacher.

:)

Rules, Rules, Rules

Sarah, I can't deny that you won my proposed contest, but you know I can't deny a request for kisses.

Candy for you, kisses for Brad. It's only fair.

I promise "Top 10 Foods and Beverages" is coming soon as well as a segment I like to call "The Usual Suspects." Sorry for the delay.