Hey Doc

I was talking to colleagues at the lunch break about what kind of leisure activities people do in Taiwan. Looking back of the things I have done and realized how fortunate I am that I have the opportunity many people can only dream of. It all started when I took that SCUBA class from Mike and Frank. I got to meet so many wonderful friends from all walks of life. I participated the activities they enjoy and later became my passion.
My priority of life is changed for the moment. But when I come back, its the start of round two.

Walking pass TGIF on the way home from the gym, I felt that there is a mug of nice cold beer with my name on it. I can't resist the temptation, went in and ordered a frosty mug of Sam Miguel on tap and a juicy burger to go with. The burger at this place is just OK, but it will do just fine for now. There are only few burger joint in the city. The other one is Ruby Tuesday, which is a little far from my house. I have never seen it in the Bay Area. Maybe its east coast thing. The waitperson at TGIF look just like all other TGIF places, red and white stripes shirt and all the buttons. Oh, there is another one, Hooters. Same tight T and short shorts.
I rolled out of TGIF full to the gill. That 900 calories I work so hard to burn just went all down the drain.

NO, not me of course. This headline in SJM caught my eye - Intel to lay off 1000 managers worldwide. "Its about time", I said to myself. I was just talking to my friend at Intel about a rumor was going around that there will be changes coming in management levels. Its a painful process but they have no choice but doing it. One of the things all large companies must face is how to deal with employee compensations. You want to keep the productive employee happy and keep them in the company by giving them raises and promotions. As time goes on, that employee eventually will hit the ceiling of his/her pay level. So you either move them up or create a new level for them. Pretty soon you have all this levels and all this middle level managers. Not for long, your work became inefficient and your communication was disconnected. I don't have a solution to offer just wondering who's fault is this.
Exactly one year ago today, The cancer took my mother away from us. I have been thinking of her everyday. I am living in my parents' apartment. Everything here has traces of my mother. I hope we have done everything we could to save her. I wish she is with the God she trusted. I miss you so much.

When the goverment of CKS retreated to the island of Taiwan in 1949, constant threats of war between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait were very high. The citizens of the island were trained in how to protect itself in case of the war breaks out. I remember as young as in kindergarten, we practice to hide under the desk in case of an air raid. The city routinely fire up the air raid siren for practice. The sound of the siren still vividly living in my memory.
This morning, 5:00 freaking AM, the siren went off. You see, I live next door to the headquarter of Taiwanese Air Force. That was the source of the siren. My deep down, hidden away subconscious asking, "Are we at war?" Well, I am not going to miss this, so I got up and looked over to the headquarter from my balcony. Good, I saw movements now. I saw solders carrying their weapons with the gas mask on spread across the field. I saw armed solders guarding the perimeter of the buildings. Then a door opened, I saw they carted out their arsenal, heavy weapons, ammunitions. A fire truck came, fire fighter jumped off and started to lay the fire
hose out, then water came, shooting straight to a building in the middle of the compound. I guess they are simulating the building was on fire. Half and hour later, the relief siren sounded, the drill was over.
Taiwan's first family is involving in a scandal of corruption right now. News here, here. After a recall attempt failed, a rumor about the president had summoned the military force in case
of a riot should happens. This drill came at a very suspicious time.
Since photography is my hobby, I have this whole thing on "film". Of course I can not show you the pictures. After all, this involves national security.

Update 7/8 :
Later I found out this was a regional drill. All the streets and bridges were closed to the traffic. Stores were also closed. The busy fish market had stopped their morning trading, lost a lot of business I hear.

I have no idea how fast I went from “in shape” to “out of shape” in just two years. Ever since I moved to Taipei, my workout routine had reduced to just running. I am OK at cardiovascular system part but I have lost my muscle tone from lack of any weight training. I can blame it on the life style here but my procrastination of joining a gym was the main reason. So, yesterday I walked into the gym on my way home, I plank down the money and signed up for a 2 year membership. The young lady helped me with the application, nice looking gal, smiled to me and said, “Gee, you are older then my dad but looked much younger”. I took it as a complement.

I am convinced that the pedestrians in Taipei city are just rude and inconsiderate. When there is heavy pedestrian traffic, people must be aware of your surrounding, be courteous. Many times people failed to understand that simple rule of the road.