May 25th, 2016

Hard core runners are like Germans.  They have zero sense of humor.  They think they do, but they don't.  There isn't much that you can search on the internet that doesn't come up with a result, and that is one of them.  My guess is that those people are so insular so as not to really interact with the community outside of their hard core running, so they think they are funny in their own group but are totally invisible to the rest of us...except when I gun the car engine next to them on the street.  Our May Coffee morning at the Center, we had a lady come to talk about running in Taipei and while she was quite good, zero on the chuckles.  I prepped a couple of gags to throw at her to test my theory...one that I thought she would think is funny but isn't, and one that cracks me up but knew she would look at me in disbelief.  See if you can guess which is which...

Q: How do you know you're a dedicated runner?
A: When your treadmill has more miles on it than your car.

Q: What's the hardest thing about running cross country?
A: Telling your parents that you're gay.

So what is going on around these parts?  It is earthquake season..  Mentioned last time that we had a swarm of +5 a couple weeks ago and there have been dozens between 3 and 5 since.  Can't feel them much on street level, but do roll up on the 16th floor. 

It is also Dragonfly season.  Forget about it until all of a sudden, I am in a swarm of them when I'm out and about.  Am a big fan as they are totally ancient and haven't changed in 350 million years, and their method of flight is beautiful.  Also, they are totally uninterested in my blood, unlike the biggest killer on the planet. This little gal got some of my blood, but paid the ultimate price. 



In other big local news...we're getting a new Family Mart.  The one a block and a half away is closing and a new one is opening up only a block away.

This is the view from the corner of our apartment and you can see the new sign at the end of the street.

So excited...it's gonna have food, an ATM and toilets.  To be fair, they all do and the fact that there are open public toilets everywhere should be high on those lists of things Taiwan does better than anyone else.  The food that is in all of them however is an abomination.  Have detailed it before, but the smell in all of the convenience stores here is uniformly awful

Yesterday was moving day...moving the stock up the alley to the new one...

From the old one.

They seem to do the moving of these stores from one location to another a short distance away a lot.  It's probably due to them wanting to get a slighltly better location with more traffic, but I suspect that after a certain amount of time, the build-up of oil from the nasty food bins gets so thick that it becomes impossible to clean and the place is in danger of spontaneous combustion

Finally in local news, the new President, Tsai Ing-Wen, was sworn in last Friday.  All of her public statements are well thought out, deeply veiled acknowledgement that it will not be business as usual with China, and the Chinese have responded predictably with not so well disguised threats.  Their hopes of reuniting with Taiwan in a One Country/Two Systems arrangement is dead.  As the mainlands economy evolves from heavily subsidized manufacturing to consumer based, Taiwan had better hope it goes well, otherwise, they are gonna need a distraction from their unhappy populace.  Nothing distracts the people like a good military intervention.

The kids and I head out in a week and as the good Virgo that I am, am feverishly getting ready.  I already have my clothes put aside...one of the yearly routines is to look for clothes that are on their last leg so as to abandon them at the end of summer to save room for the new stuff we need to buy.  In looking at the t-shirt pile, there were some old friends that were so worn that I had to say good-bye to.  These are all from the 90's and wore them sparingly for decades, but when walking around here, need to wear light colors so as to no absorb so much heat.  My white tees have therefore taken a beating.

First is the commemorative t-shirt they gave away on Santa Anita Derby day in 1998.  Pit stains, and holes make this one too disgusting to even wear to bed.  Loved this one as the cartoons of the horses were so well done. 

Plus, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet was on the back (he finished second to Indian Charlie thist day).  I bet on Classic Cat cause I thought his karate ghi was the coolest...he  came in fifth.. 

Also said goodbye to this Nordstrom shirt they gave us on the 100th anniversary celebration.  Can barely see the logo anymore and it had a softball sized hole in the armpit.  I was only 6 months into my career at Nordstrom at the time, and they asked if I would give a short testimonial on what the company meant to me at the big celebration, which had something like 4000 people at the convention center.  Think I did OK and included a crack aimed at the Nordy boys about how I wasn't tall and Sweedish, but still felt like a shoe dog.  I never did learn why they asked someone with so little time at the company to do so, but was still a good memory and am sad to lose this piece of personal history.

And most regrettably, had to get rid of this gem.  It has been worn so many times that it is thin to be transparent.  You can see my areolas.   Bought this on our honeymoon in Paris in 1994.  We were taking a self guided walking tour on Ile St Louis and it said to stop for a gelato at Berthillion.  If I close my eyes, can almost taste that great ice cream and feel the warmth of the sun on an idyllic day strolling with my lovely bride.. 

This is likely the last installment before the summer break.  It's gonna be a good one this year and am looking forward to seeing friends and family in DC, Baltimore, California, Portland and Seattle, as well as seeing some new things.  Have driven through Philly but have never walked around and budgeted a couple days there.  We're also gonna see Denver and drive through Utah, seeing some national parks and Salt Lake City before driving through Nevada to see my mom in SF.  Good times and hope to share them with you in the Fall.  Stay cool.