tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5996081215090012062024-03-14T02:48:44.248-07:00Discovering A.B.T.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-83626380851787957202012-05-02T06:52:00.000-07:002012-05-02T06:52:03.435-07:00Freaking Rainbow<br />
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<b>4/30/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The long trek back from Hualein was crazy as we drove all
around the mountains during fog and rain. It was, for a moment, like living in
one of those street racing shows; of course we did not actually live the
drifting part, at least not on purpose. The trip was supposed to be short, a
straight shot back to Taipei after visiting the Taroko National Park, but we
decided to follow the road all the way to Taichung before heading home. Through
all the fog and rain, we stopped a few times to take in the sights and the
beauty of being up so high above the world; this is where you stand super high
and pretend to squish people between your fingers like ants. On the brighter
side of things, here’s a freaking rainbow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWo8zVKhVj94iMz0ebj1ZJPI1kx__Oyx0-7_zi51ipr9BrfwvfIHJM-94inL7Z-PtPTl7lCbDoSOb_sbDatrCp1y_jsYptf2EvO_aJs0j5TKjh3wrJB6sbMlXVAuO23EXq7k7TzjiUEmE/s1600/04.30.2012(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWo8zVKhVj94iMz0ebj1ZJPI1kx__Oyx0-7_zi51ipr9BrfwvfIHJM-94inL7Z-PtPTl7lCbDoSOb_sbDatrCp1y_jsYptf2EvO_aJs0j5TKjh3wrJB6sbMlXVAuO23EXq7k7TzjiUEmE/s320/04.30.2012(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After passing Taichung we headed to the next county and got
some food from the night market before heading home. The food, like usual, was
amazing but I could already feel the heart attack to come. A huge bowl of
stewed meat (with all the heart-stopping fatty oil) over rice made for a
delicious meal because of all that rendered fat; it’s things that you never
dream of cooking yourself that makes it that much better. All this for about
6-7USD; pretty soon I’m going to blow up like an oversized balloon (if I
haven’t already).<br />
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-13439837384189765002012-04-29T17:15:00.003-07:002012-05-01T18:28:29.267-07:00Cliffside<br />
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<b>4/29/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Amazing day for landscape photos. Also the day I started
that roll of black and white. I’m super excited to get that first roll
developed and to scan in the negatives to see how they turned out. But anyway,
drove around a bunch today and took in some scenery. Just as we decided to head
onto our way home the weather turned sour but created an amazing opportunity
for some unreal photos. Here is one of the many.</div>
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It may look odd but driving along the coast it was
beautiful. A purplish hue in the center with some light breaking through the
clouds gave it some juxtaposition toward the rain clouds in the far rear. I
wish I didn’t forget to bring those glass ND filters I left at home.<br />
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More contrast. Edited by Vivian from back home! Very nice job, oh how children grow before your eyes.<br />
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-78945150327807408962012-04-29T17:14:00.001-07:002012-04-29T17:14:41.788-07:00Gridline<br />
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<b>4/28/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Today I spend most of my time in HuaLien. I ate some of
their famous wontons and visited a night market here. Although that was all
fun, what came next was crazy. We decided to drive up a mountain to get some
night landscape in; the only problem was that we had no idea what we were doing.
The road was curved in all sorts of sharp turns and completely dark (which at
least made for good photography). So getting up the hill was a task in itself
but after we reached a few prime places for some photos, it was worth the wait.
Although the photos I took did the scene no justice, I thought I would share
them all the same. </div>
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On another note, we hit a dead end and were backing down a
narrow road when a car pulled up to block our way. We got out to ask the guy to
back out first (and that he was going toward a dead line) and when we got to
the car, I swear the entire car went dead silent thinking we were up to no
good. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-13915664469463974772012-04-28T00:27:00.002-07:002012-04-28T00:27:30.093-07:00First in Line<br />
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<b>4/26/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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One of the many benefits of being overseas in Asia: faster
movie release dates. I watched <i>The
Avengers</i> in 3D today and it held up to all my expectations. Generally I’m
not one for the theaters and rather watch it in the comfort of my own home but
in the end, I’m glad I went. The movie is just one of those most-see-in-theater
type ones that was action packed with a decent story. I don’t really care much
for 3D but that was the only opening they had. Time flew by watching such an
amazing piece of Marvel history. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-42601387113302036022012-04-28T00:21:00.002-07:002012-04-28T00:22:54.064-07:00Ninja Camera<br />
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<b>4/22/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Hey guys! Sorry for all this waiting for a new post (for all
7-10 of my followers). It’s just been so completely hectic these last few days.
I again have been recovering from being a little sick; but despite that I still
got in a little sightseeing here and there. A lot of these places I could not
bring myself to bring my heavy camera walking through these dense crowds. Also
went to the beach and walked around there taking a few photos. Overall, nothing
too exciting to share to all my devoted followers. </div>
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Today, there is something interesting to share. I finally
bought a few rolls of black and white and am ready to shoot some. Hopefully I’ll
have some scans in over the next few weeks if I’m lucky. My cousin also got
some black tape that’s not supposed to leave any sticky residue. We spent the
next few hours performing some surgery on a few cameras to hide brands, labels,
symbols, etc. to make our cameras as street friendly as possible. </div>
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Ninja-fied. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-10034526339352925932012-04-14T07:18:00.002-07:002012-04-14T07:18:32.910-07:00Wulai Waterfalls<br />
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<b>4/13/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Waterfalls give a sense of power along with a certain bit of
calmness. I love the overall blur of water as it comes down and hits rocks.
With a longer exposure (sadly I forgot my ND filters) I was able to get that
nice ‘soft’ look of the water all blurred together. Such a shame that I’m not
yet ballsy enough to just hope the fence and waddle right up to get a better
shot. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1MeWKrcBfmUDtcBu9z15aK6wwzJ1MPfjrQac6F-rvY0ai-k34gFboB58D4Ht0izbmsDC-uqE62iHMnQ0O933XJ79XNKjnGz762FcIW0vhDoc2x9UsfctIUi8wOBTpPvy-S8RoHA32O3p/s1600/04.13.2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1MeWKrcBfmUDtcBu9z15aK6wwzJ1MPfjrQac6F-rvY0ai-k34gFboB58D4Ht0izbmsDC-uqE62iHMnQ0O933XJ79XNKjnGz762FcIW0vhDoc2x9UsfctIUi8wOBTpPvy-S8RoHA32O3p/s400/04.13.2012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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After all that hiking I went out to a restaurant called Deja
Vu which was opened by the famous Jay Chou. He had two awesome vehicles inside;
a bat-mobile and some type of motorcycle [more like a tricycle if you ask me]. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-58373262939184101922012-04-14T07:05:00.000-07:002012-04-22T06:11:02.836-07:00National Taiwan University<br />
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<b>4/12/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Today I walked around National Taiwan University,
Taiwan’s most well-known school. The campus is stunningly beautiful and has
little cafés dotted around the campus. I saw a few interesting photo ops from
an architectural viewpoint and grabbed a few. The shots only turned out
mediocre so this only solidifies my love for night-time architectural and
landscape photography. For lunch I headed out to the campus commons where I got
a vegetarian plate for about 2USD (50NTD). Taiwan culture has an amazing point
of keeping college kids fed [a bunch of local entertainment shows touch upon
vendors who gives student discounts and let them have free refills]. Needless
to say I was relatively stuffed and the food was great and all too my
satisfaction: lighty salted, mildly spiced, and good priced.</div>
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Another thing I did was to visit a somewhat famous temple
around Taipei. Now this generally isn’t my thing, but I don’t think it would be
a bad idea to go in, light a few incense sticks, wish for things, and be on my
merry way. </div>
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-30926992292094653572012-04-14T06:47:00.002-07:002012-04-14T06:47:13.887-07:00HSR, Again<br />
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<b>4/11/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Time to head back to Taipei from Kaohsiung and hopefully get
more out of Taipei this time. After getting back to my uncles I repacked my
luggage and headed to a family friend’s place. This all took place from about
2:30pm until 8pm. I’m pretty tired and have no photos to show for this day.</div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-42816297276824503172012-04-11T17:11:00.001-07:002012-04-12T02:12:38.358-07:00Love River<br />
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<b>4/10/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Today was extremely interesting. This was my first time ever
on the back of a moped; granted it was 100cc and I’m used to being the driver
of a 600cc. It was such an experience sightseeing at night on the back of a
moped. My ass was rather sore in the end but it was a great experience; how I
miss being on an open-aired motor vehicle during the night. Depending on where
life takes me, there’s definitely another possibility to getting another Yamaha
later on. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the luxury on bring a tripod with me and
that the light was a little offsetting. Ah, the beauty of an L series lens equipped
with Canon’s well-known IS was enough to allow me to lower my shutter to as low
as 1/6 without too much blurred motion [although I did aim to capture some
motion on the bridges to give it life]. But for tonight, I’m rather tired so
I’ll leave you with some landscape/architectural shots.</div>
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-56360920079511180752012-04-09T19:46:00.002-07:002012-04-10T18:42:33.583-07:00Garlic Infused<br />
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<b>4/9/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I’ve been sick the past two days so I haven’t done much of
anything. However, I can write a little about the research I’ve done. I looked
up ways to repel mosquitoes because they’re a pain in the ass to me. It seems
they are reluctant to be around where strong winds are and do not like the oil found
in garlic. So I’ve spend the day setting up the fan in a location that will
cover my bedroom by creating gusts without it oscillating; it was positioned so
nicely that the strongest winds will cover most of my midsection while I sleep
and then hit the wall and then split and cover my head and feet [I like to
think I calculated this with physics, mathematics, and awesomeness]. As for the
garlic thing, slices of garlic in water seemed to do the trick; my room now
smells entirely like garlic but it seems to be a small price to pay to avoid
swelling up bites. Apparently only female mosquitoes are attracted to blood to
help spawn more of these vicious beasts; they generally feed off plants. So
maybe I ought to be flattered.</div>
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Consider yourself informed. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-48794899979721475562012-04-07T04:28:00.000-07:002012-04-07T04:28:29.544-07:00Stinky Tofu<br />
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<b>4/7/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The market today was open and it sure was something crazy,
fun, and unnerving. The waves of people had me worried while trying to juggle
some bags of vegetables in one hand and then my camera in another. Trying to
set the camera and find a great scene was almost impossible with just one hand;
it more of a point-n-shoot kind of day. But seeing a farmer’s market of sorts
was a real interesting site; crowded with everyone trying to get the attention of
vendors. After a few stops, we headed home for some cooking and with
ingredients this fresh and this close, home cooking has to be involved. I
retract my original statement as to how so many people eat out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYz19x2-4DncR8kkEn1VmCvnQcvSUBrPpn7eKnNx5GvXmrkHnlDsV7OC3esYtA1lqknWQnyL2t-dYzdCgNCM4V7Se2RbhwMgkmQ8Ytm_JdmQPXxcxxsV5O_XxqZwZfFG8PEK4_WkzGc4X/s1600/04.07.2012(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYz19x2-4DncR8kkEn1VmCvnQcvSUBrPpn7eKnNx5GvXmrkHnlDsV7OC3esYtA1lqknWQnyL2t-dYzdCgNCM4V7Se2RbhwMgkmQ8Ytm_JdmQPXxcxxsV5O_XxqZwZfFG8PEK4_WkzGc4X/s320/04.07.2012(1).JPG" width="320" /></a>My aunt also came by and I finally had what I’ve been
craving since I landed. Some stinky tofu and oyster pancakes. Sticky tofu isn’t
for everyone but I <i>LOVED</i> it; the
vendor she got it from makes his own garlic chili sauce and he generously
applies it to each tofu. The smell was powerful [in a good way] and was every
way I remembered it; crunchy on the outside, silky on the inside, and smelly
all over. Soon after I headed out to walk off some fat at the local park and
then took a trip out to have dinner at the night markets. </div>
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The night market I headed went to is the biggest in
Kaohsiung and it’s friendly to Westerns (with a good amount of things in
English). Here I had a variety of food which I will try my best to explain.
First off, the two drinks I had were pure sugar cane juice [from the browner
stalks which gives a lighter flavor without a sugar crash in the end] and a
jelly drink called Ai Yu with some lime-water. Both very good, but nothing out
of the world. Time for the eats! They had a fried squid in different dry
spices; deep fried when you ordered and either cut or whole (I prefer cut for
sharing). I always love the texture differences when I eat and a fried crunchy
outer shell with a chewy seafood center is always welcomed. From there I tried
these octopus balls which were <b>HUGE</b>
[about billiards size] with about two for 60NT. Next [and final due to the
increasing number of people and my small stomach] were these little … jelly
balls. I have no other way to explain it; tasted like a fruit mocha, but clear.
It was good, trust me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9O61CtqACa8HtWAvMh281fpsWVeptoRDNEdT0omvRW238Qbh1vY6Fb_rVu0zGMzAUEYEuG5kESI2jsv52nCga66Dp5nFynnEVST3CSLz2nT3W4Suzd1PjCZdOgcx_6hskeuL1KfEZWVRi/s1600/04.07.2012%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9O61CtqACa8HtWAvMh281fpsWVeptoRDNEdT0omvRW238Qbh1vY6Fb_rVu0zGMzAUEYEuG5kESI2jsv52nCga66Dp5nFynnEVST3CSLz2nT3W4Suzd1PjCZdOgcx_6hskeuL1KfEZWVRi/s320/04.07.2012%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Well, ran out shortly after since I don’t really like to be
in that close of a proximity to others. They touch, I yell, chaos, blood, food,
Godzilla…it’s a mess. Tried some street (from the hip) again and got another
pleasing shot. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8M9IOyVinF6_Y2s_7W5ex9pAk7BCI3ORMJygG_uKzSrVPoFQ54anWRF1sHn3clNNbxCC-ax0s7orM66vHzBxGevvRdlxfFggaytO7HCeLdiMwb7mpYBI-_SO-nySqW2XoCw5fh3VgPMQ/s1600/04.07.2012%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8M9IOyVinF6_Y2s_7W5ex9pAk7BCI3ORMJygG_uKzSrVPoFQ54anWRF1sHn3clNNbxCC-ax0s7orM66vHzBxGevvRdlxfFggaytO7HCeLdiMwb7mpYBI-_SO-nySqW2XoCw5fh3VgPMQ/s400/04.07.2012%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-45153869408797251042012-04-07T04:13:00.001-07:002012-04-07T04:13:08.275-07:00Beef Stew<br />
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<b>4/6/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Tried to head out to visit a supposedly famous farmers
market today; but they were closed due to a longer observation of the tomb
sweeping tradition. But dinner (and lunch) today was dirt cheap. The cost of
living can change so fast from county to county and district to district. We
had a lot of different breads stuffed with meats and vegetables (bao) for lunch
and had the stewed beef noodles for dinner. Had relatives over but we were in
the ‘who-gives-a-shit and let-us-explode-with-food’ attitude and bought a ton
of food. We were able to feed 7 people [all of whom are adults] for about 700NT
(less 25USD) <i>and</i> <i>still managed to produce leftovers</i>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GxjyrvVFc2MEhjkLssqvnQoxfanWUmdesBuAq2UQKoSydFg_mxsyLxHpPW-vqJM16LEBAHghnM7ilvXkT0CYT1Pzc55MZq3Ws0DRH3fORY74xJL-uiTQ2H3PpsxjNAuSzm_oi167Z4zU/s1600/04.06.2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GxjyrvVFc2MEhjkLssqvnQoxfanWUmdesBuAq2UQKoSydFg_mxsyLxHpPW-vqJM16LEBAHghnM7ilvXkT0CYT1Pzc55MZq3Ws0DRH3fORY74xJL-uiTQ2H3PpsxjNAuSzm_oi167Z4zU/s320/04.06.2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Many people may question the integrity of such a cheap meal
but let me insure you, there were no shortcomings of such a meal; not even the
skimping of beef was present. Another thing about Taiwanese cuisine is that it
is adapted from so many different cultures when different countries ruled
Taiwan. Although similar to others it has its own unique twist and I find it
rather refreshing; most dishes don’t heavily rely on spices and brings out the
natural flavors [from my understanding it’s not easy to do]. Light, fresh,
fililng.</div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-52851294868853196222012-04-05T20:37:00.001-07:002012-04-05T20:37:18.485-07:00CurryLand<br />
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<b>4/5/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Another day, another adventure in the life of me. Today I
made my way down south to Kaohsiung; taking the somewhat famous Taiwan High
Speed Railway. Not as impressed as I wish it to be; rather boring if anything.
If only they’d let me race a sporty Porsche (which I have seen here…although
with pink overtones and driven by too young of a lady who probably had rich
parents) through the traffic infested streets of Taipei. Oh the irony [for
those who didn’t pick up] of owning a sports car in such a heavy congested
country. And those who know me know that I’d droll over a nice and sleek
motorcycle (don’t fool yourself Taiwan, mopeds do NOT mean motorcycles). I did
see a Honda CBR here in the streets but the guy riding seemed to be a pansy and
might as well have ridden a scooter not taking advantage of the power he had
between his legs [don’t kid yourself ladies].</div>
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But I digress, what I really wanted to point out today is
how freaking awesome is the food in Taiwan. Each of these meals cost roughly
$4.5-5USD (about a price of a fast-food meal) but loads more exciting for my
tastes buds and doesn’t make me feel like I’m shorting my lifespan. Even the American
fast-food here seems less greasy than back home. I ate above the station where
they had an amazing selection of cuisine that all came at an affordable price. The
area is broken down into different sections, the two most popular being the curry
section [where I ate] and the beef stew noodles; both smelled great but I opted
for the one with the shorter line. Both were chicken curies but one was more
traditional with the rice and curry and the other was more like a curry hotpot.
I would describe more to you but my brain has apparently lapsed into some state
of ecstasy while eating the meal that I can’t really remember. But these
pictures hopefully look just as delicious.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCySjlePdySmozQZZ3OtRPMkJ_GPvFupe7u8CgNmIQiNOnyAjmO1mgsFGaJDdqbCDpicpGVHmBzJ1RSVwzkqAKJKnZ_A4HJ8DdwFISivFkHzGCu_MkWZ_m5TIM_SaibNkkulhjA0yFYlx/s1600/04.05.2012(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCySjlePdySmozQZZ3OtRPMkJ_GPvFupe7u8CgNmIQiNOnyAjmO1mgsFGaJDdqbCDpicpGVHmBzJ1RSVwzkqAKJKnZ_A4HJ8DdwFISivFkHzGCu_MkWZ_m5TIM_SaibNkkulhjA0yFYlx/s320/04.05.2012(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RkRK_L-vMHO7KYK0RQwguAhaXAsWCYr4jjay_cFJuRcE0NpdWVv4vjzA90BY6ppb7MXLFzJKFKuugtD_Y61D2jEz3JkPr-9ScAWAXexG1ezPaF9Vw1PmrXGS-gujnP5weEQTebp0EsGU/s1600/04.05.2012(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RkRK_L-vMHO7KYK0RQwguAhaXAsWCYr4jjay_cFJuRcE0NpdWVv4vjzA90BY6ppb7MXLFzJKFKuugtD_Y61D2jEz3JkPr-9ScAWAXexG1ezPaF9Vw1PmrXGS-gujnP5weEQTebp0EsGU/s320/04.05.2012(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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*Any damages that occur from you licking, biting, or
damaging your screen is not my fault. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-21172856876494862642012-04-05T20:24:00.002-07:002012-04-05T20:24:27.718-07:00Pineapple Cake<br />
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<b>4/4/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Today wasn’t too bad. Went to a ‘new’ emerging pineapple
cake place that uses mostly local pineapples (where most of the pineapples used
to make these cakes are imported). This brand only has one store in Taiwan and
boy do they know how to make business! When you first walk in, they don’t care
if you’re just using the restroom. They invite you to sit down for a cup of tea
and to try one of their pineapple cakes; just about everyone who tries it buys
a box or two (I bought two). There’s something about this store that makes it
so much better. It’s like comparing blended pineapple [similar to apple sauce]
that most other companies use versus crushed pineapples that this store uses.
This distinction gives a certain texture and tastes that brings my mouth very
close to a foodgasm. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvCs4G2FD7VAkawQQUX3lHuEZlu3Ux7cGtrJmATafxenMrCFvGyLG8PIhxGYPVTEmmJ4HdBFnznbf5xDXqmUMhjhy_m4vWpybMDjrBCslHUktVoZf0j1FVpI_2bG2KPv7yaqQHWcZtsxG/s1600/04.04.2012(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvCs4G2FD7VAkawQQUX3lHuEZlu3Ux7cGtrJmATafxenMrCFvGyLG8PIhxGYPVTEmmJ4HdBFnznbf5xDXqmUMhjhy_m4vWpybMDjrBCslHUktVoZf0j1FVpI_2bG2KPv7yaqQHWcZtsxG/s320/04.04.2012(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the way back, I wanted to illustrate the craziness of
Taiwanese drivers in their ability to judge the space of cars. If you think LA
drivers are crazy and good at space judgment, wait until you step foot into Taiwan.
Taxis are known for clearing an alley at roughly 20 mph with maybe 2-3 inches
on either side (and mind you, it’s not walls next to you, it’s mopeds parked at
varying depths). You don’t realize this until you’re about ready to get out of
the taxi and you can barely squeeze out [I <i>am</i>
however a larger man than most Taiwanese people]. So here’s a quick picture of
a police station I walked by; not sure how practical parking this way is;
judging by the spray painted sides and flat tires, they are probably used to
block an alternate entrance/exit into the underground parking for the station. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUty3pd1CQcjX6aVA3LsoRiKy8IZ0vhRKyIpp5F9haX41RxUaWVTHd1Gt_IwPe44QxQZLYyKAoetft_77btN6yeRn8SI-Hbipex4OtRGfYum-Nmnug63U7BqMJquHthmr7NfT6loGqEWZg/s1600/04.04.2012(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUty3pd1CQcjX6aVA3LsoRiKy8IZ0vhRKyIpp5F9haX41RxUaWVTHd1Gt_IwPe44QxQZLYyKAoetft_77btN6yeRn8SI-Hbipex4OtRGfYum-Nmnug63U7BqMJquHthmr7NfT6loGqEWZg/s320/04.04.2012(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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On a note: mosquitoes really hate the crap out of me. Or
rather, they <i>love</i> the crap out of my
blood. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-72617823277311775582012-04-03T02:04:00.001-07:002012-04-03T02:04:41.977-07:00Tranquility<br />
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<b>4/3/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Today was rather interesting. Went to look at the lilies and
had some amazing food that I haven’t had before. Afterwards, we went to look at
the rock formation ‘faces’ that were created by the sea salt air and waves. Although
this was interesting, I thought the people were much more fascinating. I didn’t
have a long enough lens to get a worker tending the fields during the floral
part of the trip, but I did manage to get a worker working on cleaning the
area; a kelp gardener if I had to give him a name. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSVCuifaWxKXtQOldXW5xHTK7I8w1iCFyfiBDjbxMK4GBf1tmARnVfO0lqSjyhb9I2PV2cRoAsNm1sJmt1j0FeWwt6GzbWaNv8CSbq1deG1q-drFqG5DPLglssOTkD5Wg-EeCBxjhAjl4/s1600/04.03.2012(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSVCuifaWxKXtQOldXW5xHTK7I8w1iCFyfiBDjbxMK4GBf1tmARnVfO0lqSjyhb9I2PV2cRoAsNm1sJmt1j0FeWwt6GzbWaNv8CSbq1deG1q-drFqG5DPLglssOTkD5Wg-EeCBxjhAjl4/s320/04.03.2012(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also tried my hand at a form of candid street photography
[or beach-photography] by shooting at the hip. This actually wasn’t possible as
I don’t use a neck-strap so I just held the camera loosely and took photos in
portraiture. I got two different people before I had to leave (again to accommodate
my relatives) but I really liked this photo of a tour group walking by on a
narrow bridge. Something about it feel interesting, but I’m not sure why. It
sort of has a sense of tranquility to me in this mess of tourists. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIHlXTlDryLlI-LPMRd8VGz-k-c7Hzj13qS8pLXglze6nJzahm7bZGb-h0ZR97xPZJiYrg1JyYHGLvSaFe4e3EXt6bJyb5WMvbmes-FbgXTxg3y4VsUs6sryJrb_5zR47bT1my7n4m4sa/s1600/04.03.2012(2)edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIHlXTlDryLlI-LPMRd8VGz-k-c7Hzj13qS8pLXglze6nJzahm7bZGb-h0ZR97xPZJiYrg1JyYHGLvSaFe4e3EXt6bJyb5WMvbmes-FbgXTxg3y4VsUs6sryJrb_5zR47bT1my7n4m4sa/s400/04.03.2012(2)edit.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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Hopefully it’s the first of many good days. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-12932566933762049352012-04-02T06:47:00.000-07:002012-04-03T01:46:58.690-07:00Afterward Silence<br />
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<b>4/2/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Spend the day like a chaffer/babysitter. While all my
relatives are at work, I had the pleasure of chilling with my grandpa who met
with a few friends he hasn’t seen in years; not too bad, right? Well, they all
speak in Taiwanese (and another subsection called Haka) while I know next to
nothing; although they don’t think I’m smart enough to completely understand so
I don’t even need to eavesdrop when they talk about me. So I just sit there and
wait; I could be playing games on my phone but I don’t want to seem like an
arrogant asshole who doesn’t have respect for elders [cause I can’t wait for
the day I get old and embarrass the shit out of my grandkids in public]. So
there I sit…waiting for the inevitable doom when drags me into the conversation
whereas I’m <i>forced</i> to participate and
nod my head like I understand everything that’s going on; I mumble my answers
and they hear what they want. They laugh and I smile and think to myself that I
have no fucking clue if I’m laughing with them…or being laughed at. The minuets
pass in agony as I talk to myself like a crazy. Once they figured out that I
was a photographer, they asked me to take some candid photos of them talk, “for
memories” for some shit like that. Um, that’s not candid anymore (especially if
you ask me to stop taking things from that side of you and go the other way).
But in the end, I guess it’s good that it makes others happy. Another thing
about families/friends/Chinese in general is that we <i>LOVE</i> to fight over the check; this is why I love trying to pay
sometimes. I’m too young for them to ‘accept’ me paying for [insert thing here]
everyone older hordes me to try and get the check away. It’s like watching
seagulls fight for food, but more of a scene. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv_SzUYdcC3fOhN2ivzy9nLd3ELJ8zS81xVkWTC_pt28Cw8oYb7yjnkp-CapJFXjTC2VVsRbydDpaGGJM4Wmy0V2PBz3dyr0iPIjeKTYe8dd3m8LlOuBDjw6uVfe3FIDQvizUv8u7RtyH/s1600/04.02.2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv_SzUYdcC3fOhN2ivzy9nLd3ELJ8zS81xVkWTC_pt28Cw8oYb7yjnkp-CapJFXjTC2VVsRbydDpaGGJM4Wmy0V2PBz3dyr0iPIjeKTYe8dd3m8LlOuBDjw6uVfe3FIDQvizUv8u7RtyH/s320/04.02.2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I still haven’t gotten to do any exploring as no one will
give me a damn key to the place. I’m about ready to backpack a few days and
hole up in some shady hotel that may double as some sort of love shack. But at
least I’m doing my own thing and getting a new ‘perspective’ on things; nothing
like the walls shuttering with moans from next door to change my views on
things. But it should be all too bad; tomorrow I’ll be able to do some
landscape photography (I hope) since one of my cooler aunts will be taking me
to a flower garden thing. Hopefully it isn’t all too crowded and I have a nice
few workers tending the field. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-14652972802030288852012-04-01T15:38:00.000-07:002012-04-01T15:38:41.458-07:00Chaotic<br />
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<b>4/1/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Cutting it short today. I did come back to Taiwan for some
family business and what it really ended up being was about 180 [I think, we
rented out 18 tables for lunch seating 10 each] fellow ‘Chang’ relatives
getting together to pay respects then have the noisiest meal ever. Not really
able to write much as not much has happened. Here’s an overview photo of what
it looked like.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdUtWMXkFL76HbpyC39kqD2q3pUFspTlG5oy4fwRkbiz81p9KchYqDJQKjA_4oNfi9UqtD8RADhdw7kO0Mhh2EEDi_5HgKGwawqqJShZ9hkvsjc-DWnIgDx0ZXqMHmdhyWj_8OSstNnwi/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdUtWMXkFL76HbpyC39kqD2q3pUFspTlG5oy4fwRkbiz81p9KchYqDJQKjA_4oNfi9UqtD8RADhdw7kO0Mhh2EEDi_5HgKGwawqqJShZ9hkvsjc-DWnIgDx0ZXqMHmdhyWj_8OSstNnwi/s400/IMG_0517.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Like the Flood from Halo. Chaotic. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-48935778737879565672012-03-31T05:57:00.000-07:002012-04-01T15:42:23.261-07:00First Day Haze<br />
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<b>3/31/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Cats and dogs: never understood why that mean heavy rain but
it’s been raining today. At least the weather isn’t too hot and humid [for now].
So first a general thing I wonder; am I the only one who feels bad when a relative
treats you to food and you can’t finish so you stuff yourself to be ‘appreciative’
of the food? After only a few meals here, I realized that the culture is
extremely big on eating out [or ordering out but eating in]. Hopefully this
trend doesn’t last or I might be finding a dent in my sad little wallet very
soon, but the pricing isn’t bad for the quality and quantity of food delivered.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nrtj1pVfwZUUgTp85yHpzzxHZ7pnZZaPmbBkwVoU3BayhlscjM8xo-PO6XiJCYV53t7vLv8fEnib3v-Js0YX2bSaZ99r6Uz-gb7_DAGK5C-ql5uFZEaIVcHRlEQaNF0-Rsbp2TAmfpnP/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nrtj1pVfwZUUgTp85yHpzzxHZ7pnZZaPmbBkwVoU3BayhlscjM8xo-PO6XiJCYV53t7vLv8fEnib3v-Js0YX2bSaZ99r6Uz-gb7_DAGK5C-ql5uFZEaIVcHRlEQaNF0-Rsbp2TAmfpnP/s400/IMG_0465.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sometimes visiting relatives who are from a close-nit
neighborhood, I feel like a caged animal; some type of proud trophy oh an
extended family legacy. As we went out to the market during the morning to buy
the next few days of fruits, I was paraded around and introduced to the vendors
as the some sort of photography professional [I wish]. But it’s nice they think
so much of me. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Still suffering from jetlag (it’s a serious illness, trust
me), I feel the need to move and do something at odd hours. I want to head out
at night but I don’t have a map; a pen and paper is what I usually use so maybe
I’ll do that. I’m excited to bounce between relatives and can’t wait until I
meet up with my cousin again. He recently acquired a Leica MP Custom and he
says I can borrow it a few times for some black and white shooting; the presence
of the camera makes me feel like I’m in some sort of camera porno. But due to
the cost, I’ll be sticking with my tiny rangefinder for now. He also develops
his own negatives, something I didn’t get a chance to do in college. Before all
you film geeks go ape-shit about how developing is curial to know, I just
started shooting film again about 2 weeks ago. </div>
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This is about it for today, haven’t been able to keep my
head on straight all day due to jetlag. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-72736387534146532452012-03-30T13:56:00.000-07:002012-03-30T14:07:38.032-07:00Epic Flight<br />
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<b>3/30/2012</b></div>
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Hey guys. So after a long 33 hours after take-off from SFO
[a good 16 hours <i>longer</i> than
expected], I’ve finally landed in Taiwan. Now, I was a little peeved at first
at how long it took it get to where I wanted to be, but in the end it was an interesting
detour; I can now say that a night was spent in Japan [without losing a
considerable amount of money]. So, let’s recap what happened in these 33 hours.</div>
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Place taxied out of the gate and got in line to take off;
then a fleet of asshole private jets decided they didn’t need to wait in line,
putting us from position 3 to something like 9. Then after that we were told we
lost our spot (you don’t say??) and had to make another loop around the runway
for take-off. That set us back about one hour [which is better than I expected
since last time I flew direct we were late by 2 hours]. After about 3 hours in,
the captain told us that there was a window issue in the cockpit [not properly
sealed = loud high pitch noise] and that it was a danger psychologically to the
crew for a long 9-hour flight. We took a detour to land and switch planes (and
pilots) in Seattle. I couldn’t really complain about this since I rather them
land with a sound mind in Seattle than suffer through a chaotic breakdown as
they decide to see if they can barrel-roll a 767 onto a runway. </div>
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So this unintentional setback meant missing my connecting
flight in Japan. But Delta, trying to keep their customers’ happy, rebooked my
flight for the next day and paid for my room in a nearby hotel along with
dinner and breakfast. Sadly, the meals were both set and I couldn’t be a dick
and order the most expensive things on a menu (not even beer was included,
bummer). After dinner it was about 3-4 hours of sleep, breakfast, and back on a
bus to the airport; breakfast was really good, a buffet of Japanese cuisine was
a welcome relief to the American food stuffed down my gullet during my flight.
I’ll post up a picture of the buffet with a link some later since I’m trying to
only do this one photo a post thing. In the end, I’m a little glad for the
longer layover; gave me time to adjust my jetlag beforehand (Taiwan and Japan
only share a 1 hour difference), walk around the airport, and buy some
interesting things.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-QEG049AQShyphenhyphenUIovB75mw3I-VEhMWwIn9ArEJa2PHQTjl4KPDGKgsmeltL7dPOMCNT4C3Im2fHbABvghbyeeivXHuxkAlEwFtRk_takMda0uWE3wWa3pn8KW9rp3IFYUhoVRrb7hQAzQ/s1600/03.30.2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-QEG049AQShyphenhyphenUIovB75mw3I-VEhMWwIn9ArEJa2PHQTjl4KPDGKgsmeltL7dPOMCNT4C3Im2fHbABvghbyeeivXHuxkAlEwFtRk_takMda0uWE3wWa3pn8KW9rp3IFYUhoVRrb7hQAzQ/s400/03.30.2012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So here’s a cute little picture of what I bought; good chocolate, small beer, and some social cigs. Cheers and hope this
isn’t an omen to the rest of the trip. </div>
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-3990641225850871702012-03-24T22:10:00.002-07:002012-03-24T22:10:57.785-07:00Lucky Hand<br />
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<b>3/24/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Now I may be slightly intoxicated at this moment but I just
realized how damn lucky I am. My family of course has been such a great
support; but my friends are another huge driving force behind what I do. I know
that I may have mentioned this many times, but I’ve been dealt a lucky hand of
cards. I have friends that support what I do and really want me to succeed. I’ve
held jobs where my managers and co-workers are the funny bunch of people. Just
coming back from two dinners (yes, I’m a hippo, leave me alone) with two sets
of friends made me realize this. Although I do become more ‘loving’ and ‘emotional’
when I drink, I strongly believe that what I write now is something that is
hard to express when I’m sober. </div>
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The first dinner I had was with my ex-co-worker (Brian) and
ex-manger (Baker). Talking with them made me realize that I have it pretty
well; already let go from my job but without regrets I can cook a nice meal and
enjoy it with them over a few glasses of wine and a few [although maybe a
little too much] captains and coke’s. We talked about everything and anything;
what I’ve learned from this conversation was that determination is the best
motivation for anything. What we want to achieve can always be done, in time of
course. All the awkward stories we shared and loud laughs we enjoyed really
makes me wish that I had much more time to connect and get to know them better.
It kind of has me wishing that I either got hired a lot sooner [or at least
hung out with them earlier] or that I wasn’t heading off to Taiwan so soon. I
really hope that when I get back that I’ll be seeing them soon.</div>
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My second dinner was with the crew we called the ‘Disneyland
seven’ [the same hotpot group from an earlier post]. This group is like my
family away from home. We share amazing memories together but unfortunately, I’m
a year older than them. I just wish that we formed this group a lot sooner than
the beginning of this year. What I really hate is that when we all say ‘we’ll
keep in touch’ that rarely happens. What are the chances that you still keep in
touch with the people you meet a long time ago? Anyway, I really do hope that
after I get back from Taiwan that we will reconnect and remain friends for a
long time. <br />
<br /></div>
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Unfortunately, there’s no picture today either. When things
become blurry, it’s best not to carry a heavy camera. But use your imagination:
think of a beautiful family scene, add a bright sun, add some unicorns, and
maybe a tree. That’s my picture.</div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-73032168169756015922012-03-23T19:05:00.002-07:002012-03-23T19:05:53.350-07:0035mm Film Lives!<br />
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<b>3/23/12<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Today I decided to really put the film camera to the test. I’ve
already run about 3 rolls of film through the Canon Canonet 28. These were done
without a battery meaning that I didn’t have a meter. Because I wasn’t too sure
about how they’d turn out, I only wanted to develop the negatives without
printing (much cheaper option). But I realized that there were a few photos
that I did want to develop. So I went out today and bought a few Zinc Air
batteries to replace the banned mercury type batteries; a little DIY with some
tin foil allowed me to make things work. </div>
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<br /></div>
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After shooting a roll around my apartments, I sent them
straight to developing. Now I know all the ‘pros’ generally do it themselves or
may send them out to better companies but a local RiteAid worked fine for me.
The pictures that turned out were completely awesome with bright colors
[although I really wish I was shooting some things in black and white]. The rangefinder
is an amazing camera with sharp focus if done right. It’s just so fun to use!
It’s semi-lightweight [well, it is compared to the monster 5D] and has a quiet
shutter; it’s something that doesn’t draw too much unwanted attention to me as
I find interesting subjects to photograph. Hopefully I’ll get a scanner in the
near future to show you all some photos, but I just hope there are amazing
things that Taiwan can show me. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-21304047854132408342012-03-20T19:32:00.001-07:002012-03-20T19:32:58.357-07:00One New Entry<br />
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<b>3/20/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Hello world! It’s been awhile and I wanted to assure you
that I am not dead (nor in prison) and have just been busy working on some
personal stuff (and by personal stuff I mean cramming in computer games before
I leave for my trip). So today I started to become more active in my ‘studies’
and read up on more photography blogs and researching equipment. On that note,
I finally got my new Manfrotto MK394-PQ tripod. This is a great and sturdy
tripod; the attached ball-head mount gives me so much freedom that a video
tripod restricted for me. With only one easy knob, I can control 3-planes of
movement at once. TRUST ME, an [decently] expensive tripod is a much between investments
than buying a couple of cheapo tripods. But I digress, here’s what I came to
talk about.</div>
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<br /></div>
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THE FLOOD! [Well, not literally but figuratively…I think]
Today’s studies were based on the act of ‘editing’ as I have learned again from
Eric Kim. As he stated, a lot of ‘editing’ is referred to the post-processing
of photographs, but it really does start much, much, MUCH sooner than that.
Editing is done right after you stick in your memory card into your computer
(and even sometimes before); we use our eyes and mind to select the photos that
stand out the most. A lot of ‘photographers’ now are zombies that ‘flood’ the
net with ALL their photos. Now I admit it, sometimes I adopt a ‘too-tired-to-give-a-fuck’
attitude and upload most of my photos. But I think limiting what we show DOES
make a stronger statement. Before when 35mm/analog film was the industry,
everyone had to be picky; with digital people just shoot almost everything
without filtering their shots. So let’s try something interesting (and see how
long I’ll last). For each post I’m only allow to post up to THREE photos,
although I’ll be aiming to only post ONE. We’ll see how that works out. [Is it
cheating if I link an album with a few more photos in a post?] </div>
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So here’s the ONE photo to start it and sum it up. The new
tripod, a newly pre-owned rangefinder, and my little dude representing the
power of ONE. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZURMvOzJyCw-ztew3smCiQncRGAT3aOMeOYVNpUJqZ2Qgfu8uokFqX3CVG_MXm2dHQST_nyqDoh57S0AWE5tZjQna2FykL0t6nA5_JtlmwALZdVWh1ftUPNWebcPOz7RUGovkizN-sM_/s1600/3.20.2012(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZURMvOzJyCw-ztew3smCiQncRGAT3aOMeOYVNpUJqZ2Qgfu8uokFqX3CVG_MXm2dHQST_nyqDoh57S0AWE5tZjQna2FykL0t6nA5_JtlmwALZdVWh1ftUPNWebcPOz7RUGovkizN-sM_/s400/3.20.2012(1).JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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P.S. As I’m sure you’ve all figured out by now, I have no
clue what the differences are between using ‘()’ or ‘[]’. I’m just going to use
them interchangeably for now, so it doesn’t get boring for you. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-32566010386033640502012-03-15T22:53:00.002-07:002012-03-15T22:53:59.938-07:00Cameragasm<br />
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<b>3/14-15/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This post is covers two days (more or less) because most my
new toys arrived by then and I didn’t want to make two separate posts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDIrMM3dfeCNTFPAWlu4qM7Zw4I6kj5GnYoUX3-r2e7xt5kPWel2ykKFtPlyBKhAuJ336QUKEmCnpb3wk3ya6-EHjTaoUMdtrAwLSZSmBoRbQ6DEbB5XSw5SU4XUtngdUTn727hp7ccvA/s1600/3.15.2012(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDIrMM3dfeCNTFPAWlu4qM7Zw4I6kj5GnYoUX3-r2e7xt5kPWel2ykKFtPlyBKhAuJ336QUKEmCnpb3wk3ya6-EHjTaoUMdtrAwLSZSmBoRbQ6DEbB5XSw5SU4XUtngdUTn727hp7ccvA/s320/3.15.2012(7).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first to arrive was my 32GB compact flash card. This was
a surprise since I didn’t expect to get it until after the camera. My next
arrival is my Acme Made Photo Messenger Bag. Both weren’t a big whoop until my
camera came in. The Canon 5D MKII, what a beauty! This heavy set camera weights
in at almost 4lbs with the 24-105mm f/4 L attached. Something about the sheer
weight and size just feels right attached to the 5D. The next step (after
waiting ages for the damn battery to charge fully) was to take test shots
testing out all the features, modes, and video quality. I cannot believe how
dumb I felt using this new camera; the learning curve for this monster is super
steep. </div>
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I know I have the misconception (along with many others)
that only amateurs shoot with auto while all the pro-photographers (protogs for
short created by other icons) shot in manual. Controlling the ISO, f-stop, and
shutter speed to gain the perfect shot was something that I was NOT ready for
at the time. But hopefully the next week I’ll be able to get better at it. I’m
already developing an eye to what ISO should be used depending on the weather. </div>
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After this, I started to play with my bag and the many ways
to fit the camera into the bag for easy access. After about 30-40 minutes of playing
Tetris with the bag and camera, I found a way to fit the set along with an
extra 20-35mm lens for landscape photography. Style combined with stealth was
the first thing that came to my mind. However, carrying the bag around me the
whole day while I worked and walked around I realized that one thing was compromised
in the design: comfort. A fitted shoulder pad would be a much welcomed relief
when you plan on doing some photography all day (I was about to say street
photography but using a 24-105 might be too up-in-your-face for that). Weight and
comfort aside, this should make a splendid pair during my walk through Taiwan. </div>
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Well, now that I’ve shared this with the empty world of
blogspot, I feel no different. Despite all the excitement and passion that I try
to put into my work, it feels like a fucking waste. Just need someone to clap
me on the shoulder and say ‘good on ya, mate.’ </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgnKTprJ0yjr692gg6D4O9-hY-l9q3CLFeEsSiq9w6Pj4Hqz6SJWafRJ6Khs5DFcSU2RIN_lpmgCAxZWIppwoa4XZHhQCut7zWq_iNOLRr_EXI8DReNlNLMCXBeCT670Rd8k7M9UJe2R5/s1600/Mondavi+Sensory+Parking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgnKTprJ0yjr692gg6D4O9-hY-l9q3CLFeEsSiq9w6Pj4Hqz6SJWafRJ6Khs5DFcSU2RIN_lpmgCAxZWIppwoa4XZHhQCut7zWq_iNOLRr_EXI8DReNlNLMCXBeCT670Rd8k7M9UJe2R5/s400/Mondavi+Sensory+Parking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFYPH9I6Tg95DtmZcFgQLnA7n0yZt9y8R04fwC7G63y0EkY2N3T62rXDh5mLUg3td-eizBdO4by6X4YFMx4rgk32VT9GRrtN2pjwdL2RXEBqvgnOwG3Cd8VxbHGrQpgArlMQfZzYpHTB_/s1600/Mondavi+Wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFYPH9I6Tg95DtmZcFgQLnA7n0yZt9y8R04fwC7G63y0EkY2N3T62rXDh5mLUg3td-eizBdO4by6X4YFMx4rgk32VT9GRrtN2pjwdL2RXEBqvgnOwG3Cd8VxbHGrQpgArlMQfZzYpHTB_/s400/Mondavi+Wide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(decided to try some long exposures. not bad for a first try)</div>
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<br /></div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-53701745007966758012012-03-13T09:39:00.000-07:002012-03-13T09:39:10.959-07:00New Toys<br />
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<b>3/12/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Work has finally started to die down and with the trip soon approaching,
I’m starting to get anxious about the purchases of two new babies (my
aforementioned 5D MKII and my new pre-owned Canon Canonet 28). I tried to share
my interest with some close friends but it seems like the overbearing concern
was why work backwards? That’s interesting that someone would ask something
like that; I’ve never really thought of it either. It’s always been in the back
of my mind to get into some 35mm shooting (since I started in digital and was
self-taught for the most part) and the entire rangefinder concept has been sparked
by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalRevCom?feature=chclk">DigitalRev </a>and <a href="http://erickimphotography.com/blog/">EricKim </a>with their street photography (and many other)
videos. </div>
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Watching <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/erickimphotography">Eric’s vBlogs</a> made me want to jump back into video
again (it was my main area of study in college). What if I made review videos and
hope that it’d get some crazy response and I’ll get a sponsor? My brain really
needs to stop getting my hopes up just to shatter them a little bit later. But I’ll
keep all my (few) viewers out there updated as my new toys come in. Aside from
that, I ended up getting that <a href="http://www.acmemade.com/product/The-Union-Photo-Messenger,53,13.htm">bag </a>I was considering early. Maybe I’ll write a
review about it and see where that goes. </div>
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My blog is pretty empty don’t you think? Maybe you should
leave some comments. And maybe I’ll give you a cookie. </div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599608121509001206.post-27303959275383569912012-03-09T20:31:00.002-08:002012-03-12T19:58:47.421-07:00Cute:Handsome<br />
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<b>3/9/2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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What crazy idea has stemmed from drinking too much last
night? In my previous post, I asked my waitress if I was more cute or handsome.
Could this become a game? There have been a series of posts about these types
of interesting things; the most popular (and controversial) in Taiwan as far as
I know is the <a href="http://www.wretch.cc/blog/angelduck777/">Taiwanese student in France who decided to kiss 100 strangers</a>. Well, I
obviously can’t do something like that; when a guy asks strangers for kisses it
will be borderline rapist but when a girl does it, they’ll think it’s
acceptable. Well, I’d like to keep count to see if they think I’m cute or
handsome. If it they’d like to give me a kiss, I won’t be the one to deny it. </div>
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Her name is Summer. Works at Bistro 33. That much I know (or
at least can remember). My only regret was not being able to capture a picture
in the very beginning. The one who answered a question, to solve a debate, to
start another poll. What interesting things may unfold with this?</div>
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Adventure time! Count as of now? Cute 1 / Handsome 0</div>
</div>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443838145622665445noreply@blogger.com0