I'm really struggling to write new posts because of wonderhowto, lifehacker, theawesomer, and howstuffworks.
Cyclically, I binge on websites like these. I've been in the grip of a serious bender.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Year of The Rabbit
Found this little diddy via theawesomer. Were you born in '87, too? If so, enjoy.
39 Degrees North: 兔年 Year of the Rabbit from 39 Degrees North on Vimeo.
39 Degrees North: 兔年 Year of the Rabbit from 39 Degrees North on Vimeo.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Chinese New Year
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| Inflating for TO |
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| Sun almost over the Mountain at the campsite |
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| Only Fire and Stars |
 |
| Hot spring at the campsite |
 |
| Catching air |
This is what I've been doing with my Chinese New Year vacation. I'm hard-pressed for internet time, so I"ll put words with the pictures later.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Some Firsts
There have been a few firsts since my last post. Here they are:
First Time I...
...Went To an Office Party
I had my first ever office/work party last week for Chinese New Year.
Generally, I think my colleagues are incredibly reserved and mild-mannered. Not quite walking on eggshells but the guard is always up at work, I feel. At the party, everyone got a little drunk and it was nice to see.
The younger teachers were all sauced on wine and noticeably red-faced. It's acceptable and encouraged to peer pressure the boss into binge drinking. People line up to take shots with the boss like it's a 21st birthday party. What a Western office might call "sexual harassment" the Taiwanese office calls fun: during the shot line, one of the teachers held out her leg and said to the boss hammily, "I'm wearing red panties."
Getting the boss drunk is standard because, next, bonuses and gifts are handed out.
All of the bonuses came and red envelopes in odd denominations. Red signifies luck and joy (ahhaaa, red panties). Even numbers are unlucky, four particularly because in Chinese it sounds like the word death. There isn't a fourth floor in hospitals. The elevator goes from 3 to 5. A lot of things here are dictated by superstition. Gift-giving being a good example, following a complicated set of parameters and protocol.
I think a celebratory dinner like this one also follows some sort of established protocol. Throughout the whole process there were a bunch of theatrics - the Taiwanese love microphones.
Altogether, I was happy with my first office party and of course the extra cash.
...Enjoyed Myself In a Nightclub
Ok, not first, but I could count sincere instances on one hand, nonetheless. A few weekends ago, when the weather was too crummy to paraglide, I took the opportunity and went north to Taipei to visit a friend and go out for a night.
The club was cool because every couple of hours was interjected by a staged performance: flair bartending, dancers, dancers dressed in Darth Vader costumes with light sabers. It broke up the monotony of, well, being in a club.
I met some cool people and drank tequila with them, like this guy from Texas. Whenever I meet someone from Texas, I break the ice by asking, "Have you ever shot anyone?" So far, it has always been well-received. I'll quit using that line when someone replies in the affirmative.
It was also a nice opportunity to hit on blonde girls. Not many, though, in the sea of black hair. Regardless, I was swiftly rejected by like all three of them. Makes sense, I think my lifetime ratio of fail to succeed is in the neighborhood of like 10 or 15 to 1.
Hindsight, I have fallen into a scrub-like state of existence while living in my small village and people in clubs are trendy. Next time, I'll dress up and wear my hollering cap. The hollering cap is an unreleased fitted hat. Whenever I wear it, things fall for me - it's scary. I didn't buy the hollering cap, it came to me during spring break. I was pretty obliterated that entire week so I'm hoping I didn't make a Faustian bargain.
More about the hollering cap later...
... Owned a Paragliding Wing
I am starting to buy my very own paragliding gear, first purchase being the wing. New paraglider smell totally eclipses new car and new shoe smell.
The gear is costly and consumes most of my disposable income, but it's a lasting investment. Also, I got it at akiller really good price.
Today, I practiced some ground handling and it inflates brilliantly.
I don't want to post much about paragliding on stahlamerican, though, because I think it makes sense to start a paragliding sideblog in the spirit of organization and niche readership.
... Ran Completely Out of Contacts
I always test the limits of shipping because I forget to order contacts until I'm on my last pair. This time, it didn't work, and I enjoyed the fruits of my laziness and -1.25 uncorrected vision. My contacts came the same day as my paragliding wing - cosmic sign or coincidence? Whichever, it's sure nice to see individual blades of grass again.
... Am Using My Own Internet (in Taiwan)
And not pirating my neighbor's wifi. I just bought an external hard drive and my moral compass red flags pirating while pirating. Come on, that's just too much pirating. Pirating. I had to.
Pirating.
Done.
...Found a Song That Is Unequivocally Terrible
This is a monumental milestone for me. I've always been hard-pressed to find songs that are without any redeeming qualities whatsoever. Well, I've found one. I dare you to listen.
Xiu Xiu's cover of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Furthermore, I dare you to recommend a worse song. It's not likely, but you can try in the comments section.
.
First Time I...
...Went To an Office Party
I had my first ever office/work party last week for Chinese New Year.
Generally, I think my colleagues are incredibly reserved and mild-mannered. Not quite walking on eggshells but the guard is always up at work, I feel. At the party, everyone got a little drunk and it was nice to see.
The younger teachers were all sauced on wine and noticeably red-faced. It's acceptable and encouraged to peer pressure the boss into binge drinking. People line up to take shots with the boss like it's a 21st birthday party. What a Western office might call "sexual harassment" the Taiwanese office calls fun: during the shot line, one of the teachers held out her leg and said to the boss hammily, "I'm wearing red panties."
Getting the boss drunk is standard because, next, bonuses and gifts are handed out.
All of the bonuses came and red envelopes in odd denominations. Red signifies luck and joy (ahhaaa, red panties). Even numbers are unlucky, four particularly because in Chinese it sounds like the word death. There isn't a fourth floor in hospitals. The elevator goes from 3 to 5. A lot of things here are dictated by superstition. Gift-giving being a good example, following a complicated set of parameters and protocol.
I think a celebratory dinner like this one also follows some sort of established protocol. Throughout the whole process there were a bunch of theatrics - the Taiwanese love microphones.
Altogether, I was happy with my first office party and of course the extra cash.
...Enjoyed Myself In a Nightclub
Ok, not first, but I could count sincere instances on one hand, nonetheless. A few weekends ago, when the weather was too crummy to paraglide, I took the opportunity and went north to Taipei to visit a friend and go out for a night.
The club was cool because every couple of hours was interjected by a staged performance: flair bartending, dancers, dancers dressed in Darth Vader costumes with light sabers. It broke up the monotony of, well, being in a club.
I met some cool people and drank tequila with them, like this guy from Texas. Whenever I meet someone from Texas, I break the ice by asking, "Have you ever shot anyone?" So far, it has always been well-received. I'll quit using that line when someone replies in the affirmative.
It was also a nice opportunity to hit on blonde girls. Not many, though, in the sea of black hair. Regardless, I was swiftly rejected by like all three of them. Makes sense, I think my lifetime ratio of fail to succeed is in the neighborhood of like 10 or 15 to 1.
Hindsight, I have fallen into a scrub-like state of existence while living in my small village and people in clubs are trendy. Next time, I'll dress up and wear my hollering cap. The hollering cap is an unreleased fitted hat. Whenever I wear it, things fall for me - it's scary. I didn't buy the hollering cap, it came to me during spring break. I was pretty obliterated that entire week so I'm hoping I didn't make a Faustian bargain.
More about the hollering cap later...
... Owned a Paragliding Wing
I am starting to buy my very own paragliding gear, first purchase being the wing. New paraglider smell totally eclipses new car and new shoe smell.
The gear is costly and consumes most of my disposable income, but it's a lasting investment. Also, I got it at a
Today, I practiced some ground handling and it inflates brilliantly.
I don't want to post much about paragliding on stahlamerican, though, because I think it makes sense to start a paragliding sideblog in the spirit of organization and niche readership.
... Ran Completely Out of Contacts
I always test the limits of shipping because I forget to order contacts until I'm on my last pair. This time, it didn't work, and I enjoyed the fruits of my laziness and -1.25 uncorrected vision. My contacts came the same day as my paragliding wing - cosmic sign or coincidence? Whichever, it's sure nice to see individual blades of grass again.
... Am Using My Own Internet (in Taiwan)
And not pirating my neighbor's wifi. I just bought an external hard drive and my moral compass red flags pirating while pirating. Come on, that's just too much pirating. Pirating. I had to.
Pirating.
Done.
...Found a Song That Is Unequivocally Terrible
This is a monumental milestone for me. I've always been hard-pressed to find songs that are without any redeeming qualities whatsoever. Well, I've found one. I dare you to listen.
Xiu Xiu's cover of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Furthermore, I dare you to recommend a worse song. It's not likely, but you can try in the comments section.
.
Friday, January 28, 2011
I'm Here
So much to post and it's going down tomorrow(ish).
Seriously, expect an avalanche of material. Get ready!
Sidenote, if you are ever in a real avalanche and not killed from trauma, you'll likely be buried and disoriented. Don't forget that gravity still works - you can spit or drop something to re-orient yourself and dig out.
Seriously, expect an avalanche of material. Get ready!
Sidenote, if you are ever in a real avalanche and not killed from trauma, you'll likely be buried and disoriented. Don't forget that gravity still works - you can spit or drop something to re-orient yourself and dig out.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Guilty Pleasure - Rap Covers
I like listening to rap covered in non-rap genres. Don't drink the hatorade.
Hugo's "99 Problems" and Lissie's "Pursuit of Happiness" are my favorites. They both skip the kitsch and crank out songs that really really really work. I hear them and think, "wow!" Then I'll even mouth, "wow!" to myself and nod my head a little to reaffirm the prior approval. Hands down, my two favorites:
Hugo cover of "99 Problems" by Jay Z
Lissie cover of "Pursuit of Happiness" by Kid Cudi
Told you.
The following are more of a ploy but still worth a listen if you have some time to kill or are trying to force a "rap cover" playlist.
Ben Folds cover of "Bitches Ain't Shit" by Dr. Dre
some bluegrass
The Gourds cover of "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Dogg
Emmett and the Black Mountain Scorpion Bluegrass Experience Gang cover "Get Low" by Lil Jon
and lastly...
Spoken word cover of "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Dogg (bc you need to chill after so much awesome)
Hugo's "99 Problems" and Lissie's "Pursuit of Happiness" are my favorites. They both skip the kitsch and crank out songs that really really really work. I hear them and think, "wow!" Then I'll even mouth, "wow!" to myself and nod my head a little to reaffirm the prior approval. Hands down, my two favorites:
Hugo cover of "99 Problems" by Jay Z
Lissie cover of "Pursuit of Happiness" by Kid Cudi
Told you.
The following are more of a ploy but still worth a listen if you have some time to kill or are trying to force a "rap cover" playlist.
Ben Folds cover of "Bitches Ain't Shit" by Dr. Dre
some bluegrass
The Gourds cover of "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Dogg
Emmett and the Black Mountain Scorpion Bluegrass Experience Gang cover "Get Low" by Lil Jon
and lastly...
Spoken word cover of "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Dogg (bc you need to chill after so much awesome)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Things I Found Secondhand
I am looking for a backpacking tent. My paragliding coach recommended looking at a surplus/secondhand store called Bbbobo. I spent some time scoping for a tent today with no luck. However, I did find...
... A breast pump. Being both childless and boobless, I didn't know these existed. I am still trying not to believe they exist in a secondhand store.
It's gonna take more than a few floppy discs to store George Michaels MP3 rips, though.
These are glasses filled with stones.
... A breast pump. Being both childless and boobless, I didn't know these existed. I am still trying not to believe they exist in a secondhand store.
 |
| 2MBs!!!! KICK ASSS! |
It's gonna take more than a few floppy discs to store George Michaels MP3 rips, though.
 |
| No Chinese on the box; shame on someone but not the usual suspects. |
These are glasses filled with stones.
 |
| Insert wooden penis caption here. |
Maybe I won't find a tent. It's still fun looking, though.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Save the Sugar
This morning, I noticed some little ants crawling around in my sugar bowl while I was sweetening my tea. I paused to think for a moment, then ultimately decided to drink the tea and save the sugar. "Bear Grylls would do it," being my justification.
Congratulations, you are now privy to the inner workings of my brain.
Congratulations, you are now privy to the inner workings of my brain.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Cool Paragliding Pics
Here's a really nice photo album of my paragliding. Check it out! Photos were taken by my coach's cousin.
Full album here.
Major hat tip. Thanks, George!
Full album here.
Major hat tip. Thanks, George!
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