Posts
Appreciating Taiwan's Natural Beauty.
Nobody ROCKS the pigtails like little Taiwanese girls!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Cute Pig Tails
Where in the World is D Today?
Appreciating Taiwan's Natural Beauty.
Nobody ROCKS the pigtails like little Taiwanese girls!
Appreciating Taiwan's Natural Beauty.
Nobody ROCKS the pigtails like little Taiwanese girls!
Some Quit Thoughts AND PICTURES!
2009.02.13 19:50
Where in the World is D Today?
Just Chillin'.
The gym was closed today so this is the perfect time to catch up on stuff I haven't put on the blog because it wasn't monumental. But I know even the most pedestrian event to me can be really fun for someone else. So let me catch you up on ..... stuff.
I was out and about with my camera on Saturday and who did I see?!... That Crazy Taiwanese Dog (TCTD). Today he was on the sidewalk chillin'...., licking his butt (as Always).....
I think this dog needs a name, something other than TCTD. If you have any suggestion please leave one in the comments.
so Hey! why not get a picture?!
Also on Saturday (April 11) I stopped by Starbucks to have lunch with Shaq and Pie. I hadn't seen them in several days. After lunch, which was yummy, we were studying at Starbucks, of course, and I put up a few posts for the blog. Shaq had to go, but Cindy came in shorty after. I noticed her new hairdo and thought it was pretty. It turns out that Cindy, Pie and I all had new hair cuts. Cindy will ALWAYS be the prettiest one!
Where in the World is D Today?
Just Chillin'.
The gym was closed today so this is the perfect time to catch up on stuff I haven't put on the blog because it wasn't monumental. But I know even the most pedestrian event to me can be really fun for someone else. So let me catch you up on ..... stuff.
I was out and about with my camera on Saturday and who did I see?!... That Crazy Taiwanese Dog (TCTD). Today he was on the sidewalk chillin'...., licking his butt (as Always).....
I think this dog needs a name, something other than TCTD. If you have any suggestion please leave one in the comments.
so Hey! why not get a picture?!Also on Saturday (April 11) I stopped by Starbucks to have lunch with Shaq and Pie. I hadn't seen them in several days. After lunch, which was yummy, we were studying at Starbucks, of course, and I put up a few posts for the blog. Shaq had to go, but Cindy came in shorty after. I noticed her new hairdo and thought it was pretty. It turns out that Cindy, Pie and I all had new hair cuts. Cindy will ALWAYS be the prettiest one!
WTF!!!!!!
2009.04.13 14:30
Where in the World is D Today?
Shaking his head in utter Shock!
Have you ever had one of those moments when you see something that just makes you stop in your tracks in utter amazement. Sometimes your response is, "Whoah, that was cool." or "Hmmmm, that's odd. What's that doing here." This morning I was walking along, down a path I'd never been before on a trip to take a special picture for Greta, I saw this ...... this thing.... and was utterly shocked! I wasn't even a whole block from my apartment. I thought I knew my area well enough. I'm not sure what to say about the picture at the bottom of this post. What difference would any righteous indignation make? None really... But I will offer a few balanced words.
Anybody who says the Civil War wasn't about Slavery is writing a bit of revisionist history.
The United States of America with it's broad freedoms is the only place on where the losing side would still be allowed to fly its flag. That's good. (broad freedoms) And Bad. (flying the losing flag.)
That's really all I have to say specifically about this symbol. But I do have questions. There is a story to be told here; questions to be answered. First of all, how did it get HERE?! Is the owner an American citizen? Is it a Taiwanese person who just thought it was cool? Or Maybe a Taiwanese person who has some odd connection or attraction with this? I don't know and I don't want to know. Remember my post Knock, Knock?? Do I Really want to know. In my case ignorance is bliss. I'm ain't knocking on the devils door!I don't want nor do I need to know. Ignorance on their part is.... well.... well just tragic.
Peace
Where in the World is D Today?
Shaking his head in utter Shock!
Have you ever had one of those moments when you see something that just makes you stop in your tracks in utter amazement. Sometimes your response is, "Whoah, that was cool." or "Hmmmm, that's odd. What's that doing here." This morning I was walking along, down a path I'd never been before on a trip to take a special picture for Greta, I saw this ...... this thing.... and was utterly shocked! I wasn't even a whole block from my apartment. I thought I knew my area well enough. I'm not sure what to say about the picture at the bottom of this post. What difference would any righteous indignation make? None really... But I will offer a few balanced words.
Anybody who says the Civil War wasn't about Slavery is writing a bit of revisionist history.
The United States of America with it's broad freedoms is the only place on where the losing side would still be allowed to fly its flag. That's good. (broad freedoms) And Bad. (flying the losing flag.)
That's really all I have to say specifically about this symbol. But I do have questions. There is a story to be told here; questions to be answered. First of all, how did it get HERE?! Is the owner an American citizen? Is it a Taiwanese person who just thought it was cool? Or Maybe a Taiwanese person who has some odd connection or attraction with this? I don't know and I don't want to know. Remember my post Knock, Knock?? Do I Really want to know. In my case ignorance is bliss. I'm ain't knocking on the devils door!I don't want nor do I need to know. Ignorance on their part is.... well.... well just tragic.
Peace
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Everybody Needs A Good mentor
2009.11.04 17:18
Where in the World is D Today?
Keeping a level head.
2009.04.11 16:39
My Job has all types of personalities. Some of which I find very taxing on my nerves. It's way at every job right. Still we need some one to help us along the path. My helper and Mentor at work is Will.
Will is a gentle 6'3" with a Chinese guy with a R & B, NBA soul.
He helped me laugh with just a smile when one of my co-workers was referring to Taiwanese as "these people". The lefty liberal in me wanted to snatch her baldhead. (That's a phrase I grew up with in KC) But Will has been telling me to just ignore them and let stuff go. So when this happened, I looked down at him and he gave me smile that let me know it was ok and I just cracked up.
Will is a critical cog in my new job and Taiwanese growth machine.
PEACE!
Where in the World is D Today?
Keeping a level head.
2009.04.11 16:39
My Job has all types of personalities. Some of which I find very taxing on my nerves. It's way at every job right. Still we need some one to help us along the path. My helper and Mentor at work is Will.
Will is a gentle 6'3" with a Chinese guy with a R & B, NBA soul.
He helped me laugh with just a smile when one of my co-workers was referring to Taiwanese as "these people". The lefty liberal in me wanted to snatch her baldhead. (That's a phrase I grew up with in KC) But Will has been telling me to just ignore them and let stuff go. So when this happened, I looked down at him and he gave me smile that let me know it was ok and I just cracked up.
Will is a critical cog in my new job and Taiwanese growth machine.
PEACE!
My Routine - Chillin' with Pie and Shaq at Starbucks
2009.04.11 13.00PM
Where in the World is D Today?
Letting the Sunshine In?
I haven't done a very good job of keeping up on my blog, except for some of the crappy stuff that happens. Sooooo.... I'm going to keep it light for a little while, lest you think that I am hating my life here. Because the opposite is more true. I like my life here.
Things have really settled into a routine-ness (Yes, I know that's not a real word.) that is quite mundane. Here's my basic day. I get up, take a shower, get dressed, go in the kitchen, take a deep sigh to relax because my roommate seems to enjoy having trash in the apartment. I eat breakfast and walk to work. I smile and say "Ni Hao!" to three different street side shop clerks on my way. I get to school, turn on the computer have a seat and check to see if I have good email. The answer is usually nope.
I then proceed to find "a happy place" in my head. (Some of the people I work with are just soooooo.... hmmmm....... The nicest word I can find is dumb. I then proceed to teach some of the most fabulous children around. Then I walk home, more smiling and waving. Ni Hao! Get home, change and off to the gym or Starbucks. "Hello Darryl!" Usually one, then the other. Get some dinner, go home Starbucks is my Cheers. It's the place where everyone knows my name.That's Sunny and Winnie in the picture.
[A quick aside here, yes I know everything in my blog is one aside after and another on. Deal with it! :) Anyway, I walked into Starbucks last Sunday after going to the gym to see if Shaq, Pie and Cindy were there. The place was packed and as I come in, as if rehearsed, the whole staff says very enthusiastically "HELLO DARRYL!" Everyone looks up! I just smiled and waved at everybody. It was the funniest thing I had seen in a week. I love this Place.] So I worked, eat, go home, Sigh another big sigh when I go to the kitchen for water. Then to my room for the rest of the night.
There's nothing exotic to my life. My life plays out just like everybody else in the world. There's some sleep, some smiles, some frustration, some working, some playing and back to sleep. The only difference, I live in a country where they speak Chinese. The rest would look like any other place in the. And I like that.
That sameness of routine and hopes and desires binds us all together. And after a week where North Korea attempted launching another missile with only Lord knows for what purpose, I smile and rest in the comfortableness of routine.
Where in the World is D Today?
Letting the Sunshine In?
I haven't done a very good job of keeping up on my blog, except for some of the crappy stuff that happens. Sooooo.... I'm going to keep it light for a little while, lest you think that I am hating my life here. Because the opposite is more true. I like my life here.
Things have really settled into a routine-ness (Yes, I know that's not a real word.) that is quite mundane. Here's my basic day. I get up, take a shower, get dressed, go in the kitchen, take a deep sigh to relax because my roommate seems to enjoy having trash in the apartment. I eat breakfast and walk to work. I smile and say "Ni Hao!" to three different street side shop clerks on my way. I get to school, turn on the computer have a seat and check to see if I have good email. The answer is usually nope.
I then proceed to find "a happy place" in my head. (Some of the people I work with are just soooooo.... hmmmm....... The nicest word I can find is dumb. I then proceed to teach some of the most fabulous children around. Then I walk home, more smiling and waving. Ni Hao! Get home, change and off to the gym or Starbucks. "Hello Darryl!" Usually one, then the other. Get some dinner, go home Starbucks is my Cheers. It's the place where everyone knows my name.That's Sunny and Winnie in the picture.
[A quick aside here, yes I know everything in my blog is one aside after and another on. Deal with it! :) Anyway, I walked into Starbucks last Sunday after going to the gym to see if Shaq, Pie and Cindy were there. The place was packed and as I come in, as if rehearsed, the whole staff says very enthusiastically "HELLO DARRYL!" Everyone looks up! I just smiled and waved at everybody. It was the funniest thing I had seen in a week. I love this Place.] So I worked, eat, go home, Sigh another big sigh when I go to the kitchen for water. Then to my room for the rest of the night.
There's nothing exotic to my life. My life plays out just like everybody else in the world. There's some sleep, some smiles, some frustration, some working, some playing and back to sleep. The only difference, I live in a country where they speak Chinese. The rest would look like any other place in the. And I like that.
That sameness of routine and hopes and desires binds us all together. And after a week where North Korea attempted launching another missile with only Lord knows for what purpose, I smile and rest in the comfortableness of routine.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Forget the phrase "Ugly American"
2009.04.08 23:44PM
Where in the World is D Today?
Trying to find a way to say, "I am fed up with stupid, arrogant white people" and NOT sound like a Racist Wanker.
I am not going to attempt to try and preface what is about to follow with any type of semantic prophylactic to justify my statement about. It is what it is. (Sorry Greta, I know you hate that phrase.) I will make a quote from the movie The Barbershop though, "Is this the Barbah shop?! If we cain't talk straight in the Barbahshop, where can we say it?!" This is my Barbah shop! (If you're Taiwanese, ask me to explain it later. It will make more sense in person.)
There have been three places where I can answer the question, "How was your day?" with the following statement, "Mannnnn,(insert a heavy sigh) these people." Those three places are my house, the Barbershop and Church. What is in the sigh is experiential. You would have had to live through some of the indignities that comes with being Black in a world where white folk are running everything. That was my life growing up in the U.S.A. during the 60's, 70's, etc. I am just old enough to remember some pretty things in America. But having said that, I have a WONDERFUL life. This is not a rant on oppression from previous generations. No, this is a rant about moving to another country, Taiwan. I can not say enough how much I love Taiwan and it's people. I have made wonderful and what I am sure will be lifelong friendships.
What I'm talking about is living in Taiwan and still getting treated like I'm invisible and meaningless by white people. How Crazy is that?! (Actually, if you think it through to its logical conclusion, if there is a group of people who are convinced that they are superior in their home country, they are likely to think they are superior everywhere in the world.) It dawned on me last night as I walked down the street and tried to give a friendly smile, a gentle gesture to say, "Hello fellow traveler, I hope you're having a find day and that you are safe and well so far from home." and in return being completely ignored or dismissed is quite annoying. To have someone look right at you at completely ignore you or to make eye contact and then have them look away is an interesting social occurrence. I'm afraid I've seen that look before. This isn't something I've imagined. I've seen it my whole life at various points in one form or another. And I have to say, I really do not understand that mind set.
I also made the mistake early on in my experience here in assuming that if I saw a non-Taiwanese face, it was American. That's not true. Western looking do NOT = the U.S. So forget the phrase Ugly American. It's Ugly Westerner.
(Warning: Here comes the "making nice" part.) Having said all of that, have I had wonderful relationships with white people. Of course! And though it is cliched, My Best friends in the U.S. are white. (Boy! This is a really complicated blog entry. Bear with me, I'm almost done.) If you know anything about me and my life at all or if you've kept up or read now any of this blog, you know you could call me many things, but racist ain't one of them.
Remember I mentioned taking a walk last night, well as I walked I met for the FIRST TIME in my nine weeks here, White Westerners who initiated contact with me and were friendly and gracious. It was two young men that were Mormons, RLDS, (I'll explain that one later too.) So, I know there are some westerners here who are not snotty. Score 2 for the Latter Day Saints. Your stock just went up considerably with me!
So...... to close, if you're a westerner here in Taiwan and you happen to see a Black guy desperately trying to make a connection through facial expressions, give a brotha a head nod for pete's sake!
(I know all of that was a meandering ti raid, thanks for hanging in there with me while I got that bad ju ju out of my head. I promise to write something lighter next time.)
Peace!
Where in the World is D Today?
Trying to find a way to say, "I am fed up with stupid, arrogant white people" and NOT sound like a Racist Wanker.
I am not going to attempt to try and preface what is about to follow with any type of semantic prophylactic to justify my statement about. It is what it is. (Sorry Greta, I know you hate that phrase.) I will make a quote from the movie The Barbershop though, "Is this the Barbah shop?! If we cain't talk straight in the Barbahshop, where can we say it?!" This is my Barbah shop! (If you're Taiwanese, ask me to explain it later. It will make more sense in person.)
There have been three places where I can answer the question, "How was your day?" with the following statement, "Mannnnn,(insert a heavy sigh) these people." Those three places are my house, the Barbershop and Church. What is in the sigh is experiential. You would have had to live through some of the indignities that comes with being Black in a world where white folk are running everything. That was my life growing up in the U.S.A. during the 60's, 70's, etc. I am just old enough to remember some pretty things in America. But having said that, I have a WONDERFUL life. This is not a rant on oppression from previous generations. No, this is a rant about moving to another country, Taiwan. I can not say enough how much I love Taiwan and it's people. I have made wonderful and what I am sure will be lifelong friendships.
What I'm talking about is living in Taiwan and still getting treated like I'm invisible and meaningless by white people. How Crazy is that?! (Actually, if you think it through to its logical conclusion, if there is a group of people who are convinced that they are superior in their home country, they are likely to think they are superior everywhere in the world.) It dawned on me last night as I walked down the street and tried to give a friendly smile, a gentle gesture to say, "Hello fellow traveler, I hope you're having a find day and that you are safe and well so far from home." and in return being completely ignored or dismissed is quite annoying. To have someone look right at you at completely ignore you or to make eye contact and then have them look away is an interesting social occurrence. I'm afraid I've seen that look before. This isn't something I've imagined. I've seen it my whole life at various points in one form or another. And I have to say, I really do not understand that mind set.
I also made the mistake early on in my experience here in assuming that if I saw a non-Taiwanese face, it was American. That's not true. Western looking do NOT = the U.S. So forget the phrase Ugly American. It's Ugly Westerner.
(Warning: Here comes the "making nice" part.) Having said all of that, have I had wonderful relationships with white people. Of course! And though it is cliched, My Best friends in the U.S. are white. (Boy! This is a really complicated blog entry. Bear with me, I'm almost done.) If you know anything about me and my life at all or if you've kept up or read now any of this blog, you know you could call me many things, but racist ain't one of them.
Remember I mentioned taking a walk last night, well as I walked I met for the FIRST TIME in my nine weeks here, White Westerners who initiated contact with me and were friendly and gracious. It was two young men that were Mormons, RLDS, (I'll explain that one later too.) So, I know there are some westerners here who are not snotty. Score 2 for the Latter Day Saints. Your stock just went up considerably with me!
So...... to close, if you're a westerner here in Taiwan and you happen to see a Black guy desperately trying to make a connection through facial expressions, give a brotha a head nod for pete's sake!
(I know all of that was a meandering ti raid, thanks for hanging in there with me while I got that bad ju ju out of my head. I promise to write something lighter next time.)
Peace!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Man Law
2009.04.07 10:30 PM
Where in the World is D Today?
Averting my eyes.
I joined the group Man Law on Facebook maybe about a year ago. I think the idea got started with the Miller Lite commercials featuring Burt Reynolds, Jerome Bettis and some other noteable and not so noteable men debating rules such as, What is the proper waiting period for a guy to date his best friends Ex-girlfriend. The come to an agreement and this old wrinkly guy writes it in the Man Law book.
On Facebook you can add your own laws. I have neither the patients or the desire to add anything to the Facebook site. And why should I when I just want to tell you, not the entire Facebook world. So here goes. Besides, I only have one law. Maybe there will be others later but this one is pressing. Here goes...
When standing in the locker room, you may only answer the phone if it is your Wife or your Kid. You have 24 second shot clock to explain that you just came out of the shower or just undressed to take a shower and thus are completely naked. After the time has expired you MUST either get off the phone or put a dang towel on! Option two is preferred.
I know that I am in a different world, but I personally can not think of anything so important that I need to stand around nekkid in a room with other men around and talk on the phone. By all means answer the phone if it's your wife or child. That is what good men ought to do. (I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt sense I don't speak enough Chinese to know for sure.) But make it quick, OK?! And put a dang towel on!!
By the Way, my condolences to the women of Taiwan.
Peace
Where in the World is D Today?
Averting my eyes.
I joined the group Man Law on Facebook maybe about a year ago. I think the idea got started with the Miller Lite commercials featuring Burt Reynolds, Jerome Bettis and some other noteable and not so noteable men debating rules such as, What is the proper waiting period for a guy to date his best friends Ex-girlfriend. The come to an agreement and this old wrinkly guy writes it in the Man Law book.
On Facebook you can add your own laws. I have neither the patients or the desire to add anything to the Facebook site. And why should I when I just want to tell you, not the entire Facebook world. So here goes. Besides, I only have one law. Maybe there will be others later but this one is pressing. Here goes...
When standing in the locker room, you may only answer the phone if it is your Wife or your Kid. You have 24 second shot clock to explain that you just came out of the shower or just undressed to take a shower and thus are completely naked. After the time has expired you MUST either get off the phone or put a dang towel on! Option two is preferred.
I know that I am in a different world, but I personally can not think of anything so important that I need to stand around nekkid in a room with other men around and talk on the phone. By all means answer the phone if it's your wife or child. That is what good men ought to do. (I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt sense I don't speak enough Chinese to know for sure.) But make it quick, OK?! And put a dang towel on!!
By the Way, my condolences to the women of Taiwan.
Peace
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