wow, i never post.  i think it's because i feel like i'm talking to myself, but i'm really bored at work today, and i guess that's the whole point..  :O

i got back from sarsia on saturday... it was really fun!!  i hadn't visited taiwan in 23 years, so it felt good to come "home".  there are so many cute logos out there, from the gas station's dog to the 7-11 type store's smiley face... also, the scooter situation is out of control!  i had heard about them before, but on my first cab ride we nearly took out 4 scooters, i was freaking out!  to top that out, the cabbie popped in goldeneye and started watching a friggin movie while he was driving in rush hour traffic.  *sheesh*

it was weird being out there during SARS:  they required masks at palace museum, took our temperature before entering the mall, and in general, there was definitely paranoia in the air.  we were going to go to snake alley one night, but there was an outbreak at the neighboring hospital (they had to shut it down!) so i didn't get to go.

i didn't get to drink as much pearl milk tea as i had hoped, mainly because i OD'ed on milk tea in the first few days, and i didn't know how to read or say anything else in chinese except for "pearl milk tea".  damnit!  it was kinda cool speaking chinese.  i really suck, but a lot more came back to my memory than i expected... my accent sucks so bad -- on two separate occasions, the cab tried to drop us off at the wrong hotel... "fu du da fan dian"  i guess more than one hotel sounds like that??????

anyhoo, maybe i will try to post pictures later...

this forward is SO TRUE!!

----------------------------

Men's Merit/Demerit Guide

For thousands of years, men have tried to understand the Rules when dealing with women. Finally, this merit/demerit guide will help you to
understand just how it works. Remember, in the world of romance, one single rule applies: Make the woman happy. Do something she likes, and you get points. Do something she dislikes and points are deducted. You don't get any points for doing something she expects. Sorry, that's the way the game is played.

Here is a guide to the points system:

SIMPLE DUTIES
You make the bed.....+1

You make the bed, but forget to add the decorative pillows.. ...0

You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets.....-1

You leave the toilet seat up.....-5

You replace the toilet paper roll when it is empty......0

When the toilet paper roll is barren, you resort to Kleen! ex.....- 1

When the Kleenex runs out you use the next bathroom.....-2

You go out to buy her extra-light panty liners with wings......+5

In the snow .....+8

But return with beer.....-5

And no liners.....-25

You check out a suspicious noise at night.....0

You check out a suspicious noise and it is nothing.....0

You check out a suspicious noise and it is something.....+5

You pummel it with a six iron.....+10

It's her dog.....-400

AT THE PARTY

You stay by her side the entire party.....0

You stay by her side for a while, then leave to chat with a College
drinking
buddy.....-2

Named Tiffany.....-4

Tiffany is a dancer.....-10

With breast implants.....-18

HER BIRTHDAY

You remember her birthday.....0

You buy a card and flowers.....0

You take her out to dinner.....0

You take her out to dinner and it's no! t a spor ts bar.....+1

Okay, it is a sports bar.....-2

And it's all-you-can-eat night.....-3

It's a sports bar, its all-you-can-eat night, and your face is painted
the
colors of your favourite team.....-10

A NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS

Go with a pal.....0

The pal is happily married.....+1

The pal is single.....-7

He drives a Ferrari.....-10

With a personalized license plate (GR8NBED).....-15

A NIGHT OUT WITH HER

You take her to a movie.....+2

You take her to a movie she likes.....+4

You take her to a movie you hate.....+6

You take her to a movie you like.....-2

It's called Death Cop III.....-3

Which features Cyborgs that eat humans.....-9

You lied and said it was a foreign film about orphans.....-15

YOUR PHYSIQUE

You develop a noticeable pot belly.....-15

You develop a noticeable pot belly & exercise t! o get ri d of
it.....+10

You develop a noticeable pot belly and resort to loose jeans and baggy
Hawaiian shirts.....-30

You say, "It doesn't matter, you have one too.".....-800

THE BIG QUESTION

She asks, "Does this dress make me look fat?"

You hesitate in responding.....-10

You reply, "Where?".....-35

You reply, "No, I think it's your ass"......-100

Any other response.....-20

COMMUNICATION

When she wants to talk about a problem:

You listen, displaying a concerned expression.....0

You listen, for over 30 minutes.....+5

You relate to her problem and share a similar experience......+50

Your mind wanders to sports and you suddenly hear her saying well, what
do
you think I should do?".....-100

You have fallen asleep.....-200

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE MONTH

You talk.....-100

You don't talk.....-150

You spend time w! ith her. .....-200

You don't spend time with her.....-500

You seem to be enjoying yourself.....-1000

Game Over - YOU LOSE!!

this forward is SO TRUE!!

----------------------------

Men's Merit/Demerit Guide

For thousands of years, men have tried to understand the Rules when dealing with women. Finally, this merit/demerit guide will help you to
understand just how it works. Remember, in the world of romance, one single rule applies: Make the woman happy. Do something she likes, and you get points. Do something she dislikes and points are deducted. You don't get any points for doing something she expects. Sorry, that's the way the game is played.

Here is a guide to the points system:

SIMPLE DUTIES
You make the bed.....+1

You make the bed, but forget to add the decorative pillows.. ...0

You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets.....-1

You leave the toilet seat up.....-5

You replace the toilet paper roll when it is empty......0

When the toilet paper roll is barren, you resort to Kleen! ex.....- 1

When the Kleenex runs out you use the next bathroom.....-2

You go out to buy her extra-light panty liners with wings......+5

In the snow .....+8

But return with beer.....-5

And no liners.....-25

You check out a suspicious noise at night.....0

You check out a suspicious noise and it is nothing.....0

You check out a suspicious noise and it is something.....+5

You pummel it with a six iron.....+10

It's her dog.....-400

AT THE PARTY

You stay by her side the entire party.....0

You stay by her side for a while, then leave to chat with a College
drinking
buddy.....-2

Named Tiffany.....-4

Tiffany is a dancer.....-10

With breast implants.....-18

HER BIRTHDAY

You remember her birthday.....0

You buy a card and flowers.....0

You take her out to dinner.....0

You take her out to dinner and it's no! t a spor ts bar.....+1

Okay, it is a sports bar.....-2

And it's all-you-can-eat night.....-3

It's a sports bar, its all-you-can-eat night, and your face is painted
the
colors of your favourite team.....-10

A NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS

Go with a pal.....0

The pal is happily married.....+1

The pal is single.....-7

He drives a Ferrari.....-10

With a personalized license plate (GR8NBED).....-15

A NIGHT OUT WITH HER

You take her to a movie.....+2

You take her to a movie she likes.....+4

You take her to a movie you hate.....+6

You take her to a movie you like.....-2

It's called Death Cop III.....-3

Which features Cyborgs that eat humans.....-9

You lied and said it was a foreign film about orphans.....-15

YOUR PHYSIQUE

You develop a noticeable pot belly.....-15

You develop a noticeable pot belly & exercise t! o get ri d of
it.....+10

You develop a noticeable pot belly and resort to loose jeans and baggy
Hawaiian shirts.....-30

You say, "It doesn't matter, you have one too.".....-800

THE BIG QUESTION

She asks, "Does this dress make me look fat?"

You hesitate in responding.....-10

You reply, "Where?".....-35

You reply, "No, I think it's your ass"......-100

Any other response.....-20

COMMUNICATION

When she wants to talk about a problem:

You listen, displaying a concerned expression.....0

You listen, for over 30 minutes.....+5

You relate to her problem and share a similar experience......+50

Your mind wanders to sports and you suddenly hear her saying well, what
do
you think I should do?".....-100

You have fallen asleep.....-200

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE MONTH

You talk.....-100

You don't talk.....-150

You spend time w! ith her. .....-200

You don't spend time with her.....-500

You seem to be enjoying yourself.....-1000

Game Over - YOU LOSE!!

i went to barnes & nobles on monday to get a guidebook for my trip to taiwan... but THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY!!!  there were books for china, hong kong, korea, singapore, thailand, japan, and every other asian country in that area, but not a single book for taiwan.  i checked in the china books too, but all i could find was a quarter-page reference to taiwan's history.

how discouraging!!  :(  i know that the u.s. doesn't formally acknowledge taiwan as a country, but still, don't people travel there sometimes??  :O  it's so lame...

i leave for my trip tomorrow!!  :()  (that's me wearing my duckbill-shaped mask)  see you when i return!

yum.  if you haven't tried the reese's peanut butter eggs yet, you HAVE to try them before easter!!  they are SOOOO GOOOD.  i've been eating genevieve's eggs all week long (sorry!!) and we pounded a whole bag already!  i gotta go to the store today and stock up before sunday... you gotta try it!

6 days until i go to asia to get SARS!  :/