Category: Misc.

AP: “An American T-shirt company has a solution for their fellow citizens who want to vacation in Europe without having to answer questions about U.S. politics–pose as Canadians.”

“Ninja’s killed my family–need money for kung fu lessons.”

It occurred to me today that some of you, dear readers, might be curious as to how I spend my days. So here goes. A typical Day in the Life of Newley Purnell. (This is a week day, mind you.)

–Sometime between 8:30 a.m.-ish and 10:30 a.m.-ish: wake up.

–Sometime between 9 a.m.-ish and 10:15 a.m.-ish: go to the gym OR drink coffee and eat breakfast and read OR drink coffee and eat breakfast and watch CNN International OR drink some coffee and do some writing and then eat breakfast.

–Sometime before noon (since Jill and I usually leave for school at 12:45 p.m.-ish at the latest): take a shower.

–1:30 p.m. (at the latest; sometimes earlier): arrive at school and begin preparing for the day’s classes.

–2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: beginning-level class (15 kids between the ages of 7 and 9).

–4:30-5:00: lunch (yes, funny to be eating lunch at 4:30 p.m., but that’s way too early to eat dinner, and besides, we eat dinner after school).

–5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: intermediate-level class (depending on the day, between 6-8 kids approximately 10 years in age).

–7:10 p.m.-9:10 p.m.: intermediate-level (7 kids between the age of 10 and 12) or, depending on the day, beginning-level classes (7 kids between the age of 7 and 8).

–9:30 p.m.-ish: go home and cook dinner OR pick up dinner on the way home OR eat at a night market on the way home.

–Sometime between 10:30 p.m.-ish and 11:30 p.m.-ish: arrive home. Watch TV OR watch a movie OR check emails and update this site OR hang out with friends and drink an oat soda or two.

–Sometime between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.: bed.

So there you have it. My day consists of many “betweens” and “ishes.” That’s a good thing. Also, it’s fortunate that we’re night owls by nature.

…photo tour of Libya. Wanna see what Kaohsiung, the city I call home, looks like? Check out the 6th picutre down.

(I’m kidding, of course. There’s actually way more smog here.)

First of all, more on our Thailand beach trip.

It was excellent. We ate a ton, including a special Thanksgiving buffet (we were staying at an American resort; besides having tasty Turkey Day vittles, the place also featured tall doorways and high-up-on-the-wall shower heads and the like, which was fabulous since I crack my noggin at least three times a day here on the miniaturized Taiwanese infracture here).

We also did a lot of lounging by the pool; smiling Thai attendants brought us fresh slices of pineapple, cool, lemon-scented face cloths, etc. It was really great. And it was tough coming back to industrial Kaohsiung. I can tell you that for sure.

So. Other stuff:

–The Jayhakws’ “Rainy Day Music” is a fabulous album. Just so you know. I’ve had a copy of it (courtesy of Chris D. via Sheila B.) for nearly a year, but have only just recently begun to appreciate it.

–Today a girl in one of my classes, Emily, received a call on her mobile phone; the thing beeped and she looked embarassed and said sorry and reached into her pocket and switched it off. Guess how how old she is.

Eight.

Eight years old.

And she’s got a cell phone.

—“Hack Yourself” is an insightful, if unfortunately named, tract on achieving happiness.

–Funny: “The Jerry Seinfeld Dictionary of Terms and Phrases.”

We’re back in Taiwan after an exceptionally relaxing visit to Thailand. More soon.

Jill and I leave tomorrow morning for 5 days of fun and sun and sand in Phuket, Thailand. We’re meeting Jill’s parents there. I know, I know: it’s a tough life we lead.

Happy Thanksgiving in advance. Back at ya on Monday.

More than simply a miscarriage of justice? You decide.

Remote control rifle range debuts.

A 1,420-calorie burger. Wow.