I had no idea this was how bottle service was done in Taiwan, of course, which is why Dr. Lin and his girlfriend probably thought I was a raging alcoholic as I manically plowed through those seven or eight (small) glasses.… Read More This bar has a bottle with my name on it
Hey Jake. How’s it going? Man, I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since we lost you. By this point, I feel like most people in San Diego have forgotten about you, which is just massively depressing in every way possible. … Read More 10 Years….
This new way is exactly how you handle subtraction in your head, on an intuitive level. You just don’t realize it.… Read More Defending Common Core Math
When you walk into an AT&T store with the intention of buying a new phone, and you walk out thinking you need to switch carriers, then you know something is seriously fucked up with your policies….… Read More AT&T is trying really hard to get me to cancel
Today’s my dad’s birthday. Well… no, actually. Taiwan is 16 hours ahead, so at this point, yesterday was my dad’s birthday. He’s 69 years old tod… er, yesterday.… Read More Happy Birthday, Dad
Is anyone as baffled as I am by a local team choosing the seagull as its mascot? Seagulls are smelly, mean, and really kind of a nuisance, especially when you’re just trying to eat your lunch outside.… Read More Revenge of the Gulls
Melissa and I hiked Torrey Pines yesterday, and I finally remembered to try out the Bubbli app (which I wrote about here) on a “real” environment. I have to say, I’m super-impressed with the app’s ability to stitch together the shots into a single three-dimensional panoramic shot.… Read More Torrey Pines Panorama
Just took this photo from my balcony. I think this means autumn has finally arrived….… Read More Autumn in San Diego
January 12, 2015 I’m sitting at the airport in Taipei right now. I made the traverse up the length of the island from Tainan, and I’m finally heading back to the States. It’s been a long three weeks. Another… oh, 11 hours and 45 minutes, and it’ll be (almost) over. My dad still has a long… Read More Homeward
There haven’t been many over the past three weeks, and that’s why I’m particularly fond of this photo that I sneaked….
January 11, 2015 My morning routine these days is that I drop my mom off at the front entrance to the hospital, then go and find parking and meet her up in the room. (And yes, I’ve been driving in Tainan. I think that might be worth its own blog post….) Just now, as I’m… Read More Good Deed for the Day
January 10, 2015 Did I mention that my dad is kind of a social butterfly? I know I did, but I’ll mention it again: My dad is kind of a social butterfly. Things haven’t been too different despite him being in the hospital. Now that he’s out of the ICU and people can come visit him… Read More Noise Complaint
January 9, 2015 We’re hanging out in my dad’s hospital room right now. The TV is on, and a familiar tune started playing. Turns out, it was a random Taiwanese commercial using the track below, which just happens to be the last thing I wrote about before my Taiwanese adventure: This track is one of my… Read More Convergence
January 8, 2015 Because life likes to kick us when we’re down, I’ve been fighting a nasty sinus infection for over a week now. It got so bad that my mom insisted that I go see a doctor. Well, as it just so happens, we are literally surrounded by doctors. Woo hoo for small victories, right?… Read More My Life as a Gopher
January 7, 2015 Taiwanese hospitals are kind of like hostels. Well, the crappy kind of hostels…. My dad got transferred out of intensive care and into the regular ward today. In the recovery progression, it’s a pretty big step, though he still has a long ways to go. The minimal requirement for transfer out of… Read More Self-Service Hospital Care
January 7, 2015 Dealing with a family member in intensive care is hard enough as it is. It’s even harder when you’re absolutely unprepared for it. And the story of why we’re so unprepared is just sad…. In general, Taiwanese people are kind of superstitious. 30 years in the United States has curbed some of… Read More Why You Shouldn’t Let Superstition Guide You
January 5, 2015 My dad had a big breakthrough today. For the first time in two weeks, he’s fully conscious and cognizant of us. When we talk to him, he can nod and shake his head now, and more importantly, he does so at the right times, so we know that he can definitely understand… Read More Breakthrough….
January 5, 2015 It’s about 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) here in Tainan today, and sunny. Apparently, this is cold for Tainan, because I’m pretty sure I’m the only person in the entire city wearing shorts and flip flops. I barely even see any short-sleeved shirts. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked over… Read More Am I Practically Naked?
January 3, 2015 It’s Saturday night, which means we’ve been back in Taichung for almost four days now. There’s a 7-11 around the corner from my parents’ condo here in Taichung. (Actually, for clarification, there’s a 7-11 pretty much on every other corner in Taiwan.) I went in there to grab a drink the other… Read More A Shiny (8.4-Ounce) Beacon
Wednesday, December 31, 2014 There’s a Tom Petty song I’ve been humming to myself quite a bit over the past week…. The waiting is the hardest part Every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waaaaiting is the hardest part Okay, so the song… Read More The Waiting
Dennis Hong's Attic 