The big 3-0

Well. I turn 30 tomorrow.

I can't say that I've had any particular anxiety [so far] about this completion of a decade, at least not directly related to turning 30. I've had a lot of things on my mind the past half year or even whole year, so turning 30 is nothing.

Anyhow, it just happens that I'll be hiking this weekend, so I get to spend my birthday atop a mountain with friends, breathing fresh air, and - most importantly - being away from the office.

Of course, the flip side is... it's all downhill from there.

We Are Family

I have a sister! =D Almost.

A couple days ago, on her birthday, my brother popped the question, and she said yes! She said yes, she said yes, she said yes! =D

So yesterday, I left work early (way earlier than usual, anyway) and booted up to Taipei for a surprise party for M at the Duckbill darts bar.

I had one Long Island iced tea. And that was it.

Omigosh, it was loaded.

I'm not an alcoholic, but it's not like I haven't had drinks before. But this Long Island iced tea was seriously loaded. And it was with great effort that I walked straight. I'm not sure I succeeded. But yeah, that one drink did me in.

I had 4 glasses of water after showering and zonked out nearing 3am. So this morning, I'm in pretty good shape. =)

So. A family engagement, and a strong Long Island iced tea. Great Friday. =)

Out for a bite

May 1st is Labour Day in Taiwan. But more importantly, it's a stat holiday in Taiwan.

I've been a little down lately, and cooped up at work, so my coworker and I went out to a coffee shop about half an hour out from Hsinchu. The owner used to be the manager at our company coffee shop, but he'd opened his own coffee shop 2 years ago, a quaint shop on a little lake.

When we got there, the owner told us that the tung flowers (油桐花) were in season and recommended that my coworker and I go take a walk into a wooded area, where the flowers covered the grassy area. But it was a little disappointing because the flowers had already wilted and had been trampled by previous visitors to the area.

But worst of all were the blackflies or black mosquitoes or black whatever insects that attacked us on our leisurely stroll. The tiny insects swarmed my calves (I was wearing a dress) and pricked and pricked and pricked and pricked and pricked! Needless to say the walk was cut short and we dodged back to the safety of the road and back to the coffee shop where we immediately applied whatever balm was available.

I've been going crazy from the itch of the bites. I counted 51 bites on my right leg, and 49 on my left. Tiny bites that dot my calves like islands in the South Pacific. I've already used one third of a new tube of mosquito bite cream. Hopefully they'll fade soon, and even more hopefully they'll fade without leaving scar. <=\