Which desert? The desert I visited most recently was outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. I remember hollows between the mountains where trees grew. The indigenous peoples who once lived in that area inhabited these hollows, and didn't often leave them during the hotter parts of the day. That summer the temperature was well above forty degrees Celsius, and we had to cut our trip short because my brother-in-law's car lacked the kind of air conditioning that could cope with that kind of heat.
2. The USA, England, France, Australia - which one is different? Why?
I would say France is different because their national language is French. I could pick the USA for obvious, rather political reasons but that seems like low-hanging fruit. There's also Australia, which is the only country in the southern hemisphere, and England, because it still has a royal family (even though Australia's still part of the Commonwealth).
3. What someone does in a movie theater.
I suppose they watch movies, unless they have romantic reasons for being there. I eat popcorn at every other movie I attend. I get tired of it and have to take breaks. Sometimes I drink cola and other times I drink beer. If I haven't eaten enough before the movie I'll buy a corn dog on the way in.
I wonder if there are any adult movie theaters left in the world. You'd think they would all be sitting in the dustbin of history by now, but one never knows.
4. Name three places you'd like to go someday. Why?
Right now I'd like to go home. I'm off work in about forty minutes, and even though today was super chill I'd like to go home and watch the rest of a movie I was watching the previous evening. Something from the 90s with Michael Keaton. I can't remember the name.
I'd like to go visit my parents in the States next summer. Hopefully the USA can avoid implosion for that length of time. The news out of that country, especially for one who doesn't live there anymore, is extremely worrying. Americans... are you OK?
In terms of non-familial travel I'd like to visit South Korea and Japan again. I'd like to spend a week in Busan and then another week in Hiroshima. I doubt such a trip will happen anytime soon, but you never know.
5. What do I know about Brazil?
I have a friend who lived in Brazil for a while. He says that the women there are achingly beautiful. Beyond that most of my knowledge comes from the James Bond franchise, which often features Brazil as a location. I believe that in one of the Roger Moore films he and Jaws fight it out on the cable car/gondola which goes up to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. Was Barbara Bach the Bond girl in that particular installment? I can't remember.
6. What you might find in the USA.
Oh man. Again, low-hanging fruit. Let me turn instead to things I like, which are: my mother, my father, my sister, my brother, the Taco Bell grilled stuffed burrito, brands of beer I could only obtain in Taiwan with great difficulty, national parks, hiking trails, waterfalls, delicious pizza, hamburgers which are truly spicy, Mexican food that really tastes like Mexican food, tribal casinos, bookstores with an overabundance of books I'm willing to read, bridges shrouded in fog and overpriced concerts that I'd be genuinely excited to attend.
7. Wedding day, holiday, birthday, weekend - which one is different? Why?
I would say weekend, because it happens every week and is thus less special than the other three. You could also say wedding day because (ideally) your wedding day only happens once in your life, or holiday because holidays are specific to each country, or even birthday because that is a special day specific to you as a person.
8. What someone does at the beach.
If I'm at the beach I'm probably swimming. Swimming is one of my favorite activities. Back when we lived in Hengchun I went to Nanwan (South Bay) quite often, and my wife and I had a little schedule worked out for that activity. This schedule consisted of (a) renting a beach umbrella, (b) changing into our swimsuits, (c) going swimming, (d) eating at Cowboys Bar & Grill and then (e) getting slightly drunk at either Cowboys or one of the other restaurants.
If my wife stayed home and I was visiting Nanwan with a friend we usually skipped directly to (e).
9. Name three good pieces of advice for a son or daughter just before they get married.
Will my daughters ever get married? I find that possibility hard to contemplate. Are they dating people now? I have no idea. I'm somewhat afraid to ask them.
But this question came up during an adult English class I taught not long ago, and I remember what my answer was. It went something like: 1) if a man ever hits you, leave him, 2) be careful with your money, and 3) don't forget that you have a mom and dad who are always ready to help you in times of need.
10. What do I know about flowers?
Not much. I'm really not interested in flowers. If I remember correctly they grow a lot of flowers around the middle of Pingtung County, in places like Zhutian and Linluo. Many of these flowers are sold in the large flower market in Taipei, and many are also exported to other countries.
11. What you might find in the ocean.
You'd find fish. When I think about it I haven't had good fish and chips in a long time. I remember being in a coffee shop across from the Neiwei Arts Center LRT stop and thinking their fish and chips smelled very good. If that place is still open I should give it a try.
12. Wood, metal, plastic, stone - which one is different? Why?
I'm going to say plastic, because as a petroleum product it's the only material not found in nature.
13. What someone does on vacation.
What will I do on vacation? I already talked about that in the Winter Plans entry a few weeks (?) ago. In the most general sense I tend to sleep more, wake up later, consume more alcohol and eat more Western foods. I also spend more time with my cats.
14. Name three talents or skills you'd like to have (but don't). Why?
I'd like to be able to speak other languages, especially Japanese or Korean, but I've never really gotten that ball rolling. For a while I was messing with a melodion and an accordion in our school music room, but I haven't made much headway on those instruments either. I sometimes think that I should delve more deeply into some of the apps and websites I use at work, but I later forget about it and the cycle, I'm afraid to say, continues.
15. What do I know about baseball?
I know the Mariners did very well last season, but the gold ring eluded them. Who were the last two teams? The Dodgers and the Blue Jays? I remember a couple friends discussing the World Series during a poker game, but I don't follow that sport with any regularity. (American) football is more my thing. Go Seahawks!
16. What you might find in the jungle.
I'm typing this within scooter/bicycle distance of the Zhiben Forest Recreation Area, a site which is for all intents and purposes a jungle. In that place you might find poisonous butterflies and moths, venomous and non-venomous snakes, muntjacs, deer, birds and if you're extremely lucky a Formosan black bear. Whether or not it's possible to find a clouded leopard in the Zhiben Forest Recreation Area or any other part of Taiwan is a matter for debate. One thing you'd definitely find is mosquitoes. That place has a lot of them.
17. Tea, coffee, milk, fruit juice - which one is different? Why?
Let's say milk, because it's an animal product, notwithstanding that type of coffee bean excreted by... ferrets? Mongoos(es)? Mongeese? What's the plural of "mongoose," anyway?
18. What someone does in a car.
I think the number of local people who have sex in cars is much higher than is generally assumed. When I ride my bike or run I see many cars parked along out of the way avenues, and it's hard not to imagine people having sex in those vehicles.
When I go to work every morning the first thing I do is buckle my seat belt. After that I begin driving, and during my journey I'll talk to myself, shout nonsense or sing along with whatever music is emanating from my cell phone. I'll also have conversations with my wife, though we don't commute together every day.
19. Name three of the best things about your country.
Again, low-hanging fruit. Let me instead dig deeper, and say a commitment in certain sectors to constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the separation of church and state. Now of course I'll say this and someone will respond with something like, "Hey dude, haven't you read the news lately?", but keep in mind that I said "certain sectors" above. Can Nixon's "silent majority" be taken as a kind of ironic truth? I sure hope it can.
20. What do I know about coffee?
I know that I'm drinking it right now. 7-11. Latte. Large. Hot. Yesterday I had the same thing and a Coffee Plaza besides. In case you're less familiar with Taiwan, Coffee Plaza 咖啡廣場 is a cold coffee drink sold in most Taiwanese convenience stores. It's a terribly unhealthy beverage to consume on a regular basis, but I like it sometimes.
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