02.07.2006 or "I was showing off Tim"

Today I took on the task of wandering unsupervised through the burning streets of Taichung. The sun was blazing and all consuming. My goal in this cultural melting pot was none other than the omnipitent Mc'Donalds corperation who had set up shop in one of the more heavily congested traffic areas in town. I dont think I will ever understand Taiwan's traffic rules and I resigned myself long ago to accepting that there aren't any. You need to have your wits about you which is quite difficult do do when the sun is constantly blinding you. I felt a little like Zim when he gets lost in the city and his eyes crust over from the suns angry rays.

So I eventually come across M'Cy D's as the kids like to call it, thirsty as a coyote, walking only due to the iminant promise of a large frosty sprite when a young lady scuttles around the counter with a clip board and what I came to realise was a menu check list. Now In hindsight, the girl was very polite and competant in English and having belched out my death rattle request for Sprite and after hearing that the entire building was without water, It may have been a little harsh for me to groan and do a little dropping to my knees mock dissapointment display. But, she added, we do have lots of coffee. I went with the coffee, a large tub style canister of iced coffee lady's and gentlemen. And I dont drink coffee, buts thats what it had come to.

So I get my chinese style Big Mac (Much like an English big mac minus spite, and human soil) and sit there swilling my giant helping of Iced, strong as hell, coffee trying to avoid the ice becase since they had no straws, so they told me and it seemed everyone else but me had them, baring in mind I speak no chinese whatsoever, and feel like im cooling down. Cooling down and also perking up, way up, I wander round outisde for a while and try to find a certain English bookshop and on failing that task decide there is only one thing for it in my wierd hyper caffinated state. Something I have missed ever since I left the pearly gates of Akihabara, thats right kids, you guessed it. Arcades.

I started off slow in seeking out my fix, I potter around the collected sit down machines up on the 17th floor of the SOGO department store. SOGO is one of about three major chains out here and Asia are full of them, monoliths of consumerism which everyone flocks to in their droves. Personally the other main attraction of these places for me is the best air conditioning around. On a hot day, as soon as you step through though doors, it feels like every molecule of sweat is evaporated and replaced with icy pine freshness which I guess they figure puts you in the mood for spending. And spending alot when you count the amount of floors these places have. I digress.

So the bog standard arcades had your KoF series, puzzle games, more KoF, some Metal Slug, the new KoF and powerstone on big muliplayer unit thing, which I was very impressed with since I always thought I was the only one who sung that games many praises. I played some KoF, 2003 I think it was, realised Kula wasnt in it, moved over to KoF XII I believe, one before the newest one which I played in Tokyo anyway. I picked my usual dream team of Kula, Iori and Kyo and got to work. Much a great game later I headed up to the cabinets to wear the remainer of my Mc'Caffiene out through the medium of Dance. Well, not dance, just enthusiatic gesturing and drumming etc. Now Ive never been sure of the name of the drumming game because its always been in Kanji when I have seen it, so if anyone knows, please leave a comment and let me know but it was #8. New songs in Eight are the Mario Theme, Glamourous Sky and a couple of Naruto and Bleach themes, one of which I gained a little confidence on in Akihabara. Therin lies the forshadowing of my downfall up there on the 17th floor, infront of lots of kids, mothers and staff who had gathered to watch the big foreign guy make an inevitable fool of himself. Somehow I thought for my first song, I could take an untested song and nail it on the hardest difficulty and impress all my newly gathered adoring fans. OH how wrong was I. I started out quite well, but soon I began to realise that the amount of energy I was exherting in the first 20 seconds was not going to last me till the end of the song, or even half way through. And you try it next time and you will know exactly what I mean. Ultimately I learned that if your going to show off in front of strangers make damned sure you know what you are doing and for gods sake, dont do it in Asia where they live and breath the stuff. I walked off, tired, shaking and with my head held low. "Too many rocks in my rucksack"

Returning home and realising I had wasted an entire day, I set about the task that I woke up to do today rather than mess about, that was plan a lesson for some kids to learn my language, so that they too can grow up and ramble about entire drivel for a handful of people who have better things to do. I was going in blind and I feel the quality of the final product bespeaks that fact. No, Its alright, I hope, Its just hard to prepare material for children who I have no idea what level of study they are working or have worked at. Tommorrow I should get a call and thats when I place myself at the mercy of the interviewer, with my flimsy bits of paper and handmade diagrams. I honestly hope it goes well, I could do with a job like that. Anyway, I leave you all now, Its late and I need to go prep the aircon so I dont boil in the night. Hope everyone is still good, Ill let you all know how the job interview went tommorrow and try not to ramble for so long next time, Ill sign off with some pics I dont remember taking today...


Mopeds in abundance and the Mc' Highway to Hell


Saving lives, the super cute way!



Got lost, found a temple, they are as frequently seen as 7/11s.
Ironically I took this pic standing outside one.