The Undating Service

This was on the BBC News website this morning. I guess there's enough chickenshits out there to create a profitable business opportunity.


Agency makes breaking up easier

Three reasons to end the relationship are passed to partners. A German businessman has set up a "separation agency" - a service to inform unsuspecting spouses and lovers their partners no longer want them.
Bernd Dressler will deliver the bad news - for those too scared to do it themselves - for 20 euros (£13) by phone, or for 50 euros (£33) in person.
The efficiency and directness of Mr Dressler's manner has earned him the nickname The Terminator.
The 52-year-old compares his company to a dating agency but "in reverse".
"We have had dating agencies for 30 years. If you want to have a new partnership then you have to quit your previous one.
"I think it's the same market - just in reverse," Mr Dressler told the BBC.
The message can be delivered in a "sympathetic or direct manner". Mr Dressler said that most of his clients do not want any further contact with their ex-partner.
The client is asked to provide three reasons why they want to terminate the relationship - these are then passed on by the agency to the former lover.
"The time is right for this service. Many clients are unhappy in their partnerships and they want to end it in a neutral way," Mr Dressler said.
The former insurance manager said he has been fortunate never to have witnessed any extreme emotional reactions.
"I am only the messenger," he said.

S'more Kenting photos

Here's a few more photos from Kenting.


Chicks on the beach.


Another speedo clad man. If you want to buy a bathing suit up here, the ladies' ones tend to be rather prudish and reminscent of the 1950s. But the guys likes the skimpy.

Julie and I, she's from Montreal. Even though I reapplied sunscreen at least 5 times and sat under the umbrella the whole time, I still got scorched. The sun does not like me.

The main drag.

Kevin and Laurie, offset by square blue tile.

Spontaneous Trip to Kenting

So I was supposed to go camping last week with a couple of girls I work with, but it was cancelled due to typhoons - which made it the third attempt to get out of Taichung this month that was twarted (the camping trip was originally going to happen the week before, but the girls decided they wanted to go see West Life in Taipei. I was also planning on going scuba diving this weekend, but it also got cancelled).

So on Friday when my friend Emily wrote me and said "there's a night bus that leaves at 2:00am and gets to Kenting around 7:00, let's go tonight." I said, "shag it, why not?" So we packed our backpacks, went out to a club and hopped on the 2:00 bus. Here are a few pics of the beach and stuff.


Men in speedos! We were trying to figure out where they were from as the Taiwanese usually avoid the sun.


Peachy beach.

Emily and I in the hotel room.

Taiwan boys hopping off rocks.

Me on the street, fresh off the 7 hour bus ride.

Banksy

I've been reading up on Banksy this week. He is the guerrilla graffiti artist who managed to change the tracks on Paris Hilton's cd to things like "What Am I For?" and "Why Am I Famous?" He also managed to sneak a fake cave drawing of a man pushing a grocery cart into the British Museum and no one noticed it for 2 days (he says 3, the spokesperson for the museum says 2). His paintings on the West Bank security barrier are amazing. I love shit disturbers (is that a compound word? Shitdisturber. Shit-disturber. There must be a proper way to spell this). Here's a link to his site.

http://www.banksy.co.uk/

Planning on going camping in Sun Moon Lake this weekend....of course, there's a typhoon a-comin'. Stupid nature, always interfering with my plans.

Peas out!

Bridget

funny for forty-one

Hey, I was looking at the "blogger dashboard" thingy and I have 40 posts on my blog. This is post 41. Does that make me a prolific blogger? What do I have to do to be prolific?

Hey, I was looking through my "jokes" folder on my hotmail account (I am sooooo organized with my separate folders! I may even have a folder for the emails that you sent me! That is, if you send me enough emails. You might want to get on that. Then, you'll have your own folder) and I found this thing my friend Anne sent me. It's the best cookbook ever. I think I may have sent it out to people before......anyhoo, here is the description and the link.

The introduction was written by some chick, it's not me, I don't work for a financial publishing company. That's why I'm writing in italics, to be clear that it's not me.

Bridget

Introduction

I work for a financial publishing company. Which means that sometimes, I get some random swag from companies, brokers or mutual funds. Usually pens or those little squeezy stress ball things. That stuff sucks.But one time, a company sent me their employee cookbook. It sucks, but in a completely awesome way.

Basically, this company has a lot of potluck events. The cookbook's intro tells a charming story of favorite dishes and taste-offs and like, five whole requests for a company cookbook. So everyone made their favorite recipe which was then professionally and earnestly photographed using lots of ugly table linens and fake flowers.

Employees were encouraged to tell the story of the recipe ("I done found this recipe on the back of the cereal box") and give a suggested wine pairing ("Boone's").I also think everyone was required to use at least one package of shredded cheddar cheese. Just a guess though. http://www.amalah.com/photos/the_company_cookbook/breakfastthing3.html

p.s.Because Diana is batshit crazy.

It's okay to be jealous of me....

....because all the cool, choice shit happens to me. I have a horseshoe up my...nose. Check it out.

From January 31st to February 4th I get a free flight and expense paid trip to, Iowa City! While I'm there, I get to meet and interview potential teachers for the school! So four full days of meeting fresh-out-of college, young Americans from the Midwest. Rad shit.

And, I also get to go with Bih Hua, the principal of the school and my boss! I really feel that once we're out of Taiwan and away from the school and the helm of responsibility that she's going to cut loose and par-tay! I foresee a wild road trip to Mexico! Tequila and gigolos! Thelma and Louise will look like a pair of fausty, rheumatic, bingo-addicted nuns compared to us.



Bridget

My brother is a rock star.

Patrick has put out an album, this is what he has to say about it.


I've finished work on my first solo album and I am releasing it myself right now. The album is just labeled Patrick, but of course if you know me then you know how much I hate titling pieces. its all produced with everything by me except some violins and drums. you can go on http://www.myspace.com/thebookburners to check out some of the tracks. I'm pretty happy with it and it's been getting a good response from the people who have heard it. anyway thats all my news. bye bye.

If I ever get out of here, I'm going to Kathmandu....

....and I am going to Kathmandu! I leave Oct. 6th and come back to Taiwan on the 22nd! I've always, always wanted to go to Nepal and since this is my last year and since the situation there has calmed down somewhat due to the king reinstating the House of Representatives in April, I said, screw it, I'm going. October is supposed to be the best month to travel there, it's the beginning of the dry season but the air is fresh and clean from the end of the monsoon season. Very, very excited! I'm going to take buckets of pictures and shop with abandon.

Not much else going on....I'm going hiking this weekend and will be trying to hike as much as possible so trekking in Nepal won't completely kick my ass. Next weekend I'm going camping in Sun Moon Lake with 2 girls from work. We were supposed to go this weekend, but they decided they wanted to go to Taipei to see West Life....anyway, no comment. Then on the 22nd I'm going scuba diving in Kenting. So busy but fun times ahead. I haven't been getting out of Taichung enough lately.

My work schedule has changed and I now don't have to be at work until 8:30 am.....change from 7:30 am all summer....which sucked. So, I'm trying to get better at calling and emailing people as I feel I've been really slack lately.

That's all, my boss just walked in and I have to go do work related things.

Bridget

Something I did not know....

....was that Alice Cooper is apparently, a great golfer. I hope he kicks Bobby Euwing's ass.



Stars' smiles hide golf rivalry
By Nick Dermody BBC Wales news website

Stars turn out for celebrity golf Not everyone takes up golf because they need something to do after giving up hard liquor.
But that is what veteran shock rocker Alice Cooper did.
And 25 years of practice have made him a top shot in the American team in this year's celebrity golf tournament at the Celtic Manor Resort in south Wales.
The visitors hope his five handicap will help them to victory after losing to the Europe team in the final shots at the inaugural event last year.
Professional golfer Colin Montgomerie heads the Europe team, which includes veteran celebrity golfer Bruce Forsyth, 78, and Dutch footballing star Ruud Gullit, who has an impressive seven handicap.

The celebrities attended a gala dinner at the event's opening night on Saturday, and some were frank about the rivalry behind the smiles and camaraderie of the amateur fund-raising three-day event.

Singer Ronan Keating was the most blunt about what was really going through the minds of the guests, who signed autographs for the dozens of fans waiting patiently at the hotel entrance.
He said: "We really want to win. We won the cup last year and we want to win again this year. We want to keep it in Europe."
Bruce Forsyth has emerged as the secret weapon on the Europe team. Not least since he scooped the £10,000 diamond pendant for winning the nearest-the-pin contest in Saturday's warm-up session.

Former Dallas star Patrick Duffy is in the American golf team
It is Cooper who is lined up against him. And perhaps with good reason, as he outworks Tiger Woods when it comes to getting in his practice.
He said: "I play more than Tiger plays. I don't play as good as Tiger plays, but I play more.
"I quit drinking 25 years ago, and I took up golf as the substitute. So I told my wife, 'well I drank every day, so I should play golf every day' and somehow that convoluted logic made sense.
"So that's what I do. I live in Arizona and I get up and I'm on a tee at six-thirty every morning."
And underneath the smiles - there was no make-up - the rivalry runs just as deep. He said: "When you need to make that shot - all of a sudden it's real serious."

These four 15 year olds had a successful day's autographing hunting
The competition was just as fierce among the autograph hunters.
Samantha Stribling, 15, from Caerleon, was the most successful of four friends who spent the day watching the golf and then collecting autographs - and kisses on the cheek - from the celebrities.
Samantha had 33 names in her book. She said: "We met all the celebrities. We came last year and had loads of kisses then. "
The fans queued for up to four hours as the stars made a red carpet entrance to their gala dinner.
But the event may be just as tough on the competitors, whether they want a drink or not.

Cindy's Arostic Poem

Thought I'd post this as I thought it was funny and it freaked me out a little at the same time. This is from Cindy, she just started grade one. Very smart, high strung little girl. She's infatuated with her classmate Alan and dedicated her arostic poem to him (minus the lines about candy canes). "I like Alan too much." Oh Cindy, it's the only the beginning.

Few more pictures.

Here's a few more pictures from the party I had last weekend. This weekend was fun too, I just didn't take any pictures of it.



This is April, she's from Sin Jawn's................

.....and Jon Brooks, from Gambo I believe.

Nick doing suggestive things with a bottle of Taiwan draft while Ryan is appalled. Here's a clearer picture of Megan and I so you can see how cute we are.

The Mole Man

Many of you who I knew in Toronto will remember Laura, my fabulous friend and former roomate when I lived on Roxton Road in Little Italy. She's now living in Oxford and has a nice little blog (there's a link on the right, "Laura in Oxford". Anyway, there was link to this great little story, "The Mole Man of Hackney," check it out.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/story/0,,1839538,00.html

Stressed out? Go beat the crap out of someone.

This is an article from the BBC news website. I just wonder if they have staff functions where they hire people to dress up as angry custumers for the staff to beat up and in turn, release their own stress caused from the problems of their daily lives. Very glad they have "psychology students" to help out.


Chinese 'anger bar' is a big hit

Customers can release anger caused by the problems of daily life. A bar in eastern China has come up with a novel way of attracting clients - they are allowed to beat up the staff.

The Rising Sun Anger Release Bar in Nanjing lets customers smash glasses, rant and even hit specially trained workers, state media reported.

The owner, Wu Gong, told China Daily that he was inspired to open the bar by his experiences as a migrant worker.

Most of his customers were women working in the service or entertainment industries, he said.

The bar employs 20 men who have been given protective gear and physical training to prepare them for the job. Clients can ask the men to dress as the character they wish to attack.

'Attractive idea'

Passers-by were divided on the idea.
"Pressure in today's society comes from just about anywhere, from family or from work, from your boss or your girlfriend. We get no place to vent anger," said salesman Chen Liang.

"The idea of beating someone decorated as your boss seems attractive."

But another man, Liu Yuanyuan, said violence was not the answer.
"If people really feel angry, they should adjust their lifestyles or seek psychological treatment," he told the daily.

But Mr Wu can meet that need, too. For the most stressed-out cases, counselling is available from psychology students recruited from local universities.

....and yet another friggin' goodbye dinner.....

.....alright, and this was last night. This is my friend Ryan who just moved back from Alberta. We're in some Taiwanese restaurant with harsh lights called "Fish Beer House" or something where, indeed, we consumed fish and beer.

And that's it, everyone has shagged off somewhere else and I have no more goodbye dinners/drinks/meetings/tearfests in the immediate future. Not until the end of the month when my boss leaves, I'm throwing a barbeque for him as I am a glutton for punishment. And barbequed meat. 

The Party That Evolved

This was my patio at the "happy hour" post-work drink thingy that turned into a party on Friday night. See, I didn't want to have a party as I figured everyone would have plans to hit the town, so I just arranged for my coworkers to come over early in the evening for a couple of drinks and then people would go their separate ways.

Little did I know that these people don't make plans. Good thing I didn't have any either. So people remained on the patio until 3:30am. I put that picnic table together myself. Some sturdy, no? 

....and goodbye dinners....

This is Nick (left) and Ryan (right), Nick is Megan's sigificant other and Ryan (Nick's friend from home) just moved here and inheirited their apartment, scooter, furniture and Nick's teaching position. He is the reaper of the spoils. 

More friggin' goodbyes

This is my friend Megan, she lived on the floor above me and her and her boyfriend Nick just moved to Saigon on Saturday. As I have moaned about in earlier posts, there's been an exodus of my friends lately. It sucks.

Favourite words

Was sitting around imbibing with friends a while ago and we started talking about words we like. Below are two of my favourites. I'm going to try to start using them in sentences together.

From the Dictionary of Newfoundland English (there's a link to the right)

badness: n Phr for badness: with mischievous intent; for devilment. 1947 TANNER ii, 712 'Just for badness,' as [the Labrador trapper] says. T 100/2-64 He'll tell that story so true, for badness, that the other feller would believe it. T 325-66 Fellers dressed up and frighten 'em. They used to do that for devilment. It was badness they used to do that for. C 71-28 [She] told me that if I stepped on a beetle we would have rain. Sometimes I would step on one for badness just to see the consequences. 1975 LEYTON 33 [He'd do it] just for devilment that's all, just for badness.

And this was one of my "word of the day" emails last year;

booboisie \boob-wah-ZEE\, noun: A class of people regarded as stupid or foolish.

Until then, he'd dismissed Hollywood as a purveyor of machine-made fodder for the booboisie, but he found, much to his surprise, that the movies weren't nearly as bad as he'd claimed. --Terry Teachout, quoted in "Writing Mencken," by Kathryn Jean Lopez, [1]National Review Online, November 15, 2002

He was primarily a radical freethinker who noisily waged war against the booboisie. --Richard Lingeman, "Disturber of the Peace," [2]Washington Post, November 3, 2002 _________________________________________________________
Booboisie is a blend of boob and bourgeoisie. It was coined by H. L. Mencken (1880-1956), American editor and critic.

References 1. http://www.nationalreview.com/ 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Input needed - waddya like?

I'm currently at my computer adding songs to my MP3 player. I've been listening to a lot of Bloc Party and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah lately. Would like any suggestions as to new music I can check out via the internet or good internet radio stations as the music exposure here in Taiwan is a bit weak. I mean, Air Supply came to Taichung a while ago and apparently they rocked the house, but I still feel limited somehow.

Also looking for input on good books. I just finished reading "The Power and the Glory," by Graham Greene, which was fantastic. Now reading fluffier stuff, "Good In Bed," by Jennifer Weiner, it's about an overweight woman who's exboyfriend writes a column about what it was like to date a "larger" lady. It's good, but it feels like the author watches too much Sex and the City.

Been going through tons of old photo cds trying to make a collection of my favorite Asia pictures. It's tedious. So much shit. So many crappy pics of "this is the hotel room we stayed in," or "this is what we had for lunch." Messy beds and dirty plates. No one ever looks at pictures like this, why take them? Perhaps I'm just not sedimental. Anyway, it's 11:00pm and I'm crapping out. Bed.

Bridget

I can't get the Newfoundland blogroll sign to appear.

As you can see, I added the blogroll to the side there, but the stupid sign won't come up - it's supposed to be a Newfoundland flag and the title "Newfoundland blogroll." But instead it's just a box with a red x on it. Anyone know how I fix this? Computers are stupid.