Taiwan is convenience exemplified. As in Japan, convenience stores abound in Taiwan. Within a block radius from Angela's apartment are at least two 7-11s, one Family Mart, and a Niko Mart. Not only can you dash into a convenience store to pick up a drink or a hot dog, you can also pay your utilities bill. Simply present your phone bill (they come printed with a bar code) to the cashier, hand over the money, and you're set!

Random note: while schlepping myself over a good portion of Taipei yesterday to apply for an Alien Residence Certificate, I noticed that just like the U.S., Taiwan's police officers drive Ford cars. Huh.

A-ha! Success at last after an exhausting search on Google for the artist who composed "A Maiden's Prayer." Interestingly enough, the source of my information is a website entitled--what else--Sounds of Taiwan: Chanting Buddhists, Musical Garbage Trucks, Flatulent Scooters, Night Market Nakashi. Back to the song at hand, "Modlitwa dziewicy" (A Maiden's Prayer) was written by Tekla Badarzewska-Baranowska, a Polish composer. Covers of this song have been done by many, many country-music artists, as a search on Google will reveal.

I felt an incredibly sense of accomplishment today because last night I took out the trash, a task that when finished left me quite relieved. "So what," you may think to yourself. "What's the big deal?" Well, in Taipei, every day (except Sunday) is trash day. The tricky part is, the trash truck comes only once and you have to meet the truck. So if you miss the truck, you have to wait another day. In Angela's neighborhood, folks gather around the corner near the apartment at 9:30p.m. Garbage collection trucks play either Bethoven's "Fur Elise" or "A Maiden's Prayer" (by whom, I don't know) in that tinny, ice-cream truck way (my brother Galen and I were really confused when we went to Taiwan in 1990 and heard the garbage collection music for the first time). Anyway, I hauled ass after my Chinese lesson yesterday so that I could pick up my drycleaning, dispose of the trash (which, as you know from reading this blog, is full of funky stuff), and the drop off more dry cleaning.

TC pointed out it's usually not possible to withdraw NT$100,000, as NT$20,000 is the standard maximum for one time. However, I think I will let my blog entry stand as is, because it does illustrate what silly things us foreigners do.

I've also decided to keep this blog devoted to my adventures in Taiwan. Commentary on articles I come across online will go to electronic paths. (Hint: there is something new.)

I had quite a full and varied Saturday. After a lovely brunch at Very Very Good Bistro with Linda and Eugenio, we went to FNAC, where Linda gave me a crash course in salsa, merengue, and ska music. One of the best ways to learn something is to be guided by someone who is very knowledgeable and can point out the best examples and describe the differences between them.

Afterwards, we went to their tailor. Lately, I have been hear a lot about custom-made clothes. My interest was piqued when the Asian Wall Street Journal ran a feature story on custom manufacturers in Hong Kong. Then, Tom mentioned his bespoke shirts. Later, while helping Wayne move, I learned that many of his suits were tailored in Taiwan. Linda and Eugenio are planning on getting essential career items done before they leave Taiwan, and invited me to go along. The tailor has a good track record and gives great deals to the two because of all the business Eugenio has brought them (the Latin American diplomatic community in Taiwan goes there because of Eugenio?s recommendation).

While advising Linda on colors and cuts, I, too, succumbed to the lure of well-fitting clothes. I am getting an Egyptian cotton white shirt made, with French-cuffs, covered buttons, and a monogram. And all this for NT$800--about what I paid for a shirt at the J. Crew outlet last year. I also learned I could get a suit made for about NT$10,000. There is no way one could get a custom-made suit for less than US$300 in the U.S. I'm thrilled.

Later, Don and I went to a party that I had heard about from a person that I met on Thursday. Upon arrival, we discovered that we were the only straight people at the party. The party was like any other party, although I suspect a woman was trying to hit on me--definitely a first-time experience. I found the experience interesting and amusing, and also distressing--not because I am homophobic--but because regardless of whether the interested party is male or female, there are responsibilities and courtesies that should be observed when one is not able to reciprocate to the overture.

Whew, I'm tired. I suppose it's a good thing I can no longer blog as if I don't have a regular job. I'm actually feeling stressed, as I try to figure out my boss' preferences while under tight deadlines. I also feel really silly sometimes, as I am familiarizing myself with the all-Chinese versions of our software system. I'm usually okay with Microsoft products (one benefit from years of Microsoft domination is that I have memorized the locations of most functions), notwithstanding the fact that I printed out a Power Point presentation today when I intended to merely save it. I am still struggling with Lotus Notes, which I have never used.

Yesterday I was rather psyched when I arrived at work because I had first went to the Bureau of Consular Affairs to pick up my passport, with my new residence visa inside. Whoopee! With the visa, I can stay in Taiwan indefinitely. And with my passport, I was finally able to pick up my new ATM card and check my account balance, filled by my very first paycheck. Yay!

I'm immensely relieved that the ATMs at the International Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)--the bank that UMC uses to pay its Taipei employees--has an english option. Trying to withdraw money is very confusing when you can't read the options. Joaquin said that before he figured out which button was which at the ATM near his work, he once withdrew NT$100,000 when he had meant to withdraw only NT$10,000.

Today (or actually, yesterday) was Taiwan's Labor Day. We had the day off from work. I didn't realize we had a holiday till Monday. This keeps happening to me in Taiwan. One of my co-workers or a friend will say something about a holiday a couple of days before the said event, and I respond, "oh really? I didn't know that. Thanks for telling me because I would have gone to work otherwise!"

Despite the fact that today was a holiday and thus, theoretically, an opportunity to sleep in, I did not get a chance to do so because I wanted to have breakfast with my friend Jeff. He is an equities analyst at JP Morgan Chase here in Taipei, so I figured, catch him before he goes off to work (those analysts never take Real Holidays). I asked him to call me when he woke up, and then I would meet him for breakfast. Jeff woke me up at 9:15a.m...I guess if you are one of those who regularly get up around 6a.m., then that's really sleeping in...but not for me!

Later, I took my sleep-deprived self to get a haircut at Jen's stylist. Apparently, this is also President Chen Shui-bian's stylist, although I'm not about to take style cues from Taiwanese politicans. Though the hair salon is located in the Presidential Office, it is open to the public. Jen's haircuts have looked great, and (the biggest draw) the cuts are cheap - NT$380 (about US$11). At that rate, I could afford to try it out at least once. Linda and Eugenio also went to get their hair cut. When I left, Linda's hair was still being worked on, so I can't ascertain the quality of the final result, but Eugenio's cut was very nice. As I told them, Eugenio looked like he could be the kind of guy that dates two women at once (i.e. very suave).

The other benefit of getting your hair cut in Taiwan (espeically if you are tired, as I was) is that they give you a nice scalp massage while shampooing (mine felt like I was being massaged for at least twenty minutes). Later, they had me sit in one of those massaging chairs while rinsing my hair. Ahhhh.

Oh, and I like my cut very much.