Just so everybody on the interweb knows, I'm okay, I'm alive.

I am having a wonderful time, and I don't want to come back!

Zoom!

This is it. This is the last time I will use a computer in this country, actually...I don't know when the next time I'll be using a computer is!
I packed more stuff last night than I thought was humanly possible, and a finished most of my To Do list. I don't have time for courses but I went to chapters and got about 7 books and a bunch of CDs. I'm going to listen to them on the plane, at least get some conversational phrases down pat. Some people from work are going to look after my more expensive stuff (tv, laptop, blender) and the rest is going into heated storage tomorrow. This is is so surreal.

I'm off ladies and gentlemen. Into the wild blue yonder.

Cheers
It's really been a dish.

I'm doing it. Repeat, I'm doing it.

I spoke to my boss. He's going to give me the time off, the receptionist is going to takeover my position while I'm gone. He must have already guessed I wanted to do this (maybe the stacks of travel books on my desk?). He is the sweetest man, he's letting me use my vacation days to get everything ready so as of tomorrow I'm finished at work!! (That's right, two exclamation marks)

I think this is the first time I've actually felt empowered in my life.
I'm going to be flying into Taipei and I've put myself on standby so I could be leaving as soon as next week. I feel like a new person, maybe this will get my writing again...
I hope I can get to a few internet cafes to update this blog. I'm kind of on the fence about it, I want to feel like I have started anew. I did just start this though...and I'm feeling a bit attached already. Who knows...

It seems like I've been planning for this since I got here. My rent is month to month and the majority of my possessions are already with friends and family. I even bought new luggage last month. It's weird how things work out sometimes you just need that little push.

To do:
work out Visa
check out teaching courses
take crash course in Mandarin
Find a heated storage centre
Change some money
Call Carl - get directions to his apartment
Send away cards to everyone so that they know I'm not dead
Buy gift for Dan (boss)
Pack
Breath in, breath out...this is actually happening.

I'm going to be pretty busy getting all this together. I don't know if I'll have time to update, if I don't, I'll be in touch soon my little blog.

T-rawn-tah / Thai- waaaan

My gmail is acting up right now and it's ticking me off. I would even go so far as to say that it's PISSING me off! Damn you google, you're ridiculous with your megolithic powers. I cannot send messages to certain people, I can't get any work done! They keep getting bounced back! ARGH!

I was in Toronto for the weekend, now I remember why I left that ridiculous city.

I'm thinking of going to Taiwan next month, I know it's last minute but I can't stand being in Canada anymore it's getting hard to go to work day in and day out. I've got a place to stay, I just need to learn the language.

I'm talked to Maria my travel agent and see what kind of flights she can get me, looks like I can do it for under a $1000. I would leave March 25....I spoke to my friend Carlos who's teaching english there right now, he's said he'd put me up indefinitly...
I kind of want to do this without telling anyone, not parents, not family, not friends.
Just pick up and run away, I kind of did it when I come here. I just want to do something bigger this time.

I've got an appointment with my boss in an hour. I'm going to try and work out a leave.
I think I'm actually going to do this.

Cooking

I made dinner for myself this weekend. It was delicious beyond belief. Now I know that I'm a cooking fanatic but I think I really outdid myself this time.

I started with:
Triple cream brie baked into crusty bread with a dollop of cold Heinemann’s Couture raspberry jam.

Then:
Bocconcini slices with really ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive old and some super old Balsamic.

Entree:
Chicken Consommé
Baby spinach salad with prosciutto and figs (I can't believe I found figs in season!)
Coq au Vin, I had been cooking this since Friday, the chicken just fell of the bones, so delicious!

Fin:
Crème Brûlée with wild berries, since I picked up that brûlée torch my dessert has been 10 times better. The sugar was so thick and crunchy, it felt like I was in a pâtissèrie! This time I used fresh (not dried) vanilla beans and that added so much flavour. I also switched to a higher quality crème fraîche, which made it so much creamier. I think in this case more expensive equals much better dessert.

Yay for French/Italian fusion cuisine!

First real post. Get drooling boys this one's hot.

Oh man my jaw is squeaking and I don't know why, I think there is a gnome in there operating some sort of winch. Anyway it’s hella annoying.

I went to Aren’t We Naughty today to get a gag gift for a friend, it was fascinating. I was the only person under 45 in there. Old people aren’t allowed to have sex! Especially not with the 2 foot long jumbo-sized jet-black elephant dildo. Later a woman (about 60) bought a set of nipple clamps.
I think it was the first time in my life that I actually said yowza. My eyes went all googley too.
I wonder if maybe she thought it was for self-defense, or maybe some new fangled contraption for baking cookies.

Don't anybody say a word. I love reveling in my ignorance. It could be traumatizing to think of what a grandma would do with nipple clamps. I'm going to avoid that thought at all costs. Even if it involves bending reality just a smidge.

It's been a dish. Cheers.

Introduction

Having a blog is apparently the coolest thing this side of cool town.
Mostly I think I'll just use it to flame.
Why?
Because its the internet, and we all know that there are no repercussions from being brutally honest on the internet.

-Kin