It was seven years ago this week that I arrived in Taipei with a Lonely Planet Mandarin phrasebook, a suitcase and a laptop. The only people I “knew” in town were my former landlord’s parents, whom I’d met several times during their visits to San Francisco. They were super nice people, but the language barrier prevented us from communicating without an interpreter; I had their … Continue reading Only in Taiwan – Episode 6: Seven Years a Laowai
Suggestion is an interesting and elusive power. Sometimes a suggestion may persist long after its freshness has expired. Aside from an unshakeable and abusive relationship with nicotine, I have few compulsive behaviors on an everyday scale. The main odd, compulsive behavior is most likely how I carry money, and to a certain extent, ID and other cards. First of all, I don’t carry a wallet. … Continue reading (Not) Only In Taiwan – Episode 5: Protect Your Valuables
It had been a while since we sat down for a solid jawbone with Rajah Cheech Beldone, King of the Gypsies, one of our all-time favorite pseudonymous characters hailing from Alberta, Canada. The interview questions were answered online over the course of two days. Shortly after receiving the original twenty Qs, Beldone wrote back, saying roughly: ‘Hey man, can we change Questions 2-8? I really … Continue reading 20 More Questions with Beldone
If there’s ever been a bit of unsolicited advice that I would wholeheartedly share with my child, it’s that nobody likes a whiner. People who complain all the time are a drag, and they’re generally more than willing to bring you down with them. That said, my life in Taipei is somewhat stagnant. All work and very little play. But I don’t like to complain … Continue reading Only in Taiwan – Episode 4: Fruit Beer?
Timogan’s new blog, Taipei Scooter Style, celebrating the culture of Taipei’s predominant form of transport — the scooter. Or as locals like to call them, “motorcycles”. The scooter is the go-to vehicle in Taipei, but it’s not just a transport tool. It’s a home-away-from-home, a seat that carries you where you want to go, a magic carpet that expresses your identity. Check out the first … Continue reading Taipei Scooter Style
If you’ve ever seen someone go from hero to zero, you know that the fall from grace does not always come with a warning signal or a flashing red light. And it’s really hard to have a hero in a place like Taiwan. So many people I know, myself included, have vested interests and agendas that restrict our capacity for compassion as well as courage. … Continue reading Only in Taiwan, Special Lazy Bastard Edition
The Lazy Bastard Guide to Mandarin: An Abridged Corpus of Axioms, Vocabulary and Purported Meanings. eBOOK NOW AVAILABLE AT VOOK http://store.vook.com Continue reading The Lazy Bastard Guide to Mandarin: An Abridged Corpus of Axioms, Vocabulary and Purported Meanings
