I probably wouldn’t be writing this article if it weren’t for Fili, who has 2excellent articles this week on a similar subject. I suggest that you read those articles to get some background information and another viewpoint.
A few days ago Hui-chen and I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie at the Hsinchu Vieshow theater complex. The theater is in a mall and there are some good places to eat before the movie, and that is just what we did. Enjoying my lunch at the excellent Wasabi restaurant, I was surprised to look up and find a woman standing way too close to me, with that dumb smile on her face that only a local person can give to a person they perceive to be a “foreigner” when they are “admiring” them. If you are not native born and spend any time in Taiwan, you know exactly what I mean. A pandering, condescending smile that is akin to “Awww, isn’t it cute?” that just frosts my ass.
I’ve lived in Taiwan long enough that my personal Chinese conversational skills are sufficient to handle just such occasions.
Photos by MJ Klein and Hui-chen – ATTENTION: FOOD PHOTOS!
This series is a bit out of order. It doesn’t really matter because we did write about some things just as they occurred, such as our 2 trips to Cabela’s. So, to set the timeline straight, now would be when we went on the road trip up to West (by God) Virginia and to Cabela’s.
After we returned to North Carolina, Hui-chen and I relaxed for awhile before my brother John arrived from Florida. Hui-chen decided to make some more Taiwanese style food, since we were really missing home.
This is Hui-chen’s famous stew, with pork and vegetables. It’s as good as it looks and even better!
As most of you know by now, Hui-chen and I went back to the USA for about 3 weeks. The reason for this trip will become apparent in future parts of this series. In Part One, I want to introduce you to a few people and places.
I was exactly one year ago today that I took this famous photograph:
I think it’s safe for me to say that I do not accept the results of the official investigation: “pilot error.” In every photograph where the position of the rudder is able to be determined, it is in the same position: “left.”
While recently writing about shows I’ve been playing, it occurred to me that people might find it interesting to know some of the shows I’ve seen in my life. I’m from the old days when there was so much incredible good music out there, and the radio was actually worth listening to.
I encourage other bloggers to make a similar list of great shows they have seen. OK, not really in any particular order but starting with the first show I did see, here is my list: (more…)
UPDATE: We’ve put a video clip up on Flickr. This is the first of many that we will be posting there or other places as appropriate. Here is the video:
We have been busy! Give me a few days to edit and render the video footage, post it to the appropriate host, sift through the hundreds of photographs and video stills, and I’ll tell you the story. Until then, let me leave you with these photos taken at Taoyuan Stadium:
This is me before the show, doing a quick sound check. I’m using the new Burns Brian May guitar and Vox amp. Btw, I got a haircut because I am sick of my long hair, lol.
There are much easier ways to do it. This was the method that was thrust upon me. I had no choice in the matter.
Wednesday evening my wife found me standing outside the restroom, staring at the sink. Apparently I couldn’t figure out how to turn on the water for my shower. When asked, I couldn’t tell her what the problem was or even how long I had been standing there. We estimate approximately 45 minutes of me staring at the sink.
Lately I’ve been looking to expand my horizons. I’m getting bored with the same thing, musically speaking. Since my 1958 Epiphone has been unavailable, all I have been using for the past few years is a Fender Stratocaster that’s been highly modified. I don’t really like the Strat and I’ve grown tired of it.
I wanted to get a guitar that wasn’t just the same old stuff made pretty. There are a ton of absolutely gorgeous guitars that are basically all the same as far as capability goes. They are mostly based on Fender or Gibson designs, and rather limited. So, the choice was clear for me. I had to get a Red Special.
Hui-chen and I are off in China and Hong Kong on business for a few days. We’ll be back soon with some great photos and stories to tell! In the meantime we’d like to show you some dishes that Hui-chen’s mother cooked during Chinese New Year.
By now, everyone knows that these are the family specialty. Hui-chen makes her own version too, and they are great.
It was just after 3:00 am when I heard a crash and what sounded like breaking glass. I was asleep of course so I couldn’t be sure what happened, exactly. I distinctly remember the sound of something on the roof maybe? Definitely that sound of something hitting concrete and I swear, sheet metal. I leaped out of bed, flashlight in hand and did a floor-by-floor inspection of our house. I found nothing. I looked outside and I saw a familiar person walking around, smoking (that guy is always smoking). This guy is out and about in his parking lot office at all hours of the morning. He has friends joining him in his office (with blacked-out windows) very late at night. I guess the business of running a parking lot with 7 or 8 customers is so demanding that he has to work late at night to keep up with all that paperwork. I saw another person hurriedly exiting the tall building across the street, carrying a bucket. Mind you, this building is unoccupied and there were no lights on. I’m telling you, there is some kind of funny business going on in my neighborhood.
The following morning I went into our second-floor office and I got a big surprise:
