have you met someone who...

- accepts you completely for who you are?

- sympathesizes with your worries and troubles?

- offers comfort and encouragement when you're down?

- stands by your side no matter what?

- fights your enemies with you?

- spends time with you when you need it?

- shares your joys with you?

- understands when you are kidding and when you are not?

- knows that you don't always mean what you say?

- you are willing to do all of the above to?

Helloooo... I'm right here!

Okay, so I meant to write something like this for a long time already. Seriously, Taiwan culture and US culture = so different! "No way!" you say? Allow me to explain.

One of the "strange" things Taiwanese like to do is to speak about or for you to another person while you're sitting right there. Apparently, this is rude in American culture. And yes, I know. I'm pretty sure I'm guilty of this on occasion. It's habit and it's hard to break. Now you must think it's weird why we do this. I mean, you're sitting right there! Why not direct the question to the actual person and let them speak for themselves? I think that is because we were taught from a young age that it is bad manners to brag. Then it was probably taken to the extreme where we'd think it's bad to even state the facts like "I graduated from UCI" or "I have a GPA of 4.0 (No, I don't)" when people ask you, even if we said it in a tiny squeaky voice to prevent people from thinking we're proud of this achievement. We just feel oh-so-guilty. So, how can we share our joy in (and sneakily talk/brag? about) our achievements, especially the ones they don't ask about? Well, you get the next person to say it for you, of course! If someone else says it, you cannot be charged with being arrogant! Tadaaa... I am awesome because she said so.

I only spoke for you because I loved you so much that I wanted others to know how great you are.

movie 5

So my friend told me that they saw movie 5 in Taiwan. He said there were thunderstorms that day and in the middle of the movie, the power went out! Right as everything went pitch black someone yelled, "VOLDEMORT!"

I wish I was there to witness that scene!

Book 7

I finished it!

...so sad and happy at the same time. I'm amazed at how everything fit in together. I think I might have to reread books 1-6 to catch all the details. My favorite line in this book is, "He must’ve known you’d always want to come back." Their friendship is really something, isn't it?

BTW... I wonder why my background changed colors? I thought it was green?

Hi, I'm 23 and you?

I keep getting asked about my age! grrr... The old people, the young people, teachers, students... everyone is curious! Why does it matter anyway? Maybe I need an "older" hairstyle.

Like this?

Yesterday, the new guy in my office asked me my age so I responded by saying, "A lady's age is supposed to be kept a secret, right?" I thought I was so smart and was secretly praising myself for cleverly evading the question but nooo... He said, "Oh, isn't that only for older women? You are... Well, I'm just asking because you look so young." Sigh... So then we had like 30 seconds of awkward silence until he got it and said, "Oh, so you just don't want to tell me." Then walked away. Okay, there must be a better way to get out of this situation. What should I do next time? What would you do?