JONIZZLE

Ximeeeeeeen DING!
L-R: Chris Yu, Nancy Yu, Wil, me, Michael, HoChie, Dave, Roger, ND. That's a lot of dudes. And Wil, you look so close to Nancy. Ah hee hee hee!

- I'm glad I was able to fit one XD picture in. I should have taken one when I was there my first night here with the other STL kids. Oh regrets regrets.
- I've been having the most amazing and succulent and juicy peaches the past few days. My grandma says theyre expensive (like 25NT) for Taiwan prices, since they come from Japan. But yea, they're amazing. Think a girl would like it if I called her succulent?
- Trying to go to NYC to work on TAF and see Augustana. Yes, just what I need, more time away from "home." But it would be worth it.
- I only have two days left here, and well, I am quite sad now that my time is running short. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. I miss America when I am in Taiwan, and Taiwan when I am in America. I was sitting in the MRT, and a sudden feeling of sadness hit me when I saw "Yuansan Station" come up on the screen. Yes, Taipei MRT, I really do love you.
- My left pectoral is noticeably larger than my right one. I can't figure out why, unless its because my right side is more toned due to being a righty. I know some of my female friends are more "developed" on the left side since they are right handed, but thats fat and not muscle. Anyways, I need to balance it out. Needless to say, it's a good conversation starter. "Dude, feel my boobs, this one is bigger right?"
- Maybe my left side is bigger because I have a big heart! thump thump, thump thump. Haha. Oh I'm a dork.
- HOT POT! I WILL EAT YOU TOMORROW HOT POT!
- We played basketball today, and I saw a few kids coming up wanting to play with us. I could right away tell they were American (well I guess having a white kid with them didnt hurt) and then overheard them speaking English. They walked up and talked to me in Mandarin. I just stared at them. And then said, "Hey whats up guys, we're American too." Har har. And of course, we knew some of the same people, since us Taiwanese folk are crazy connected.
- There was also a little boy playing who looked a lot like Tiffany Kuo. He was cute. JUST LIKE MY LEETLE TIFFANY.
- I'll be back Saturday morning around 10am. I wonder how many voicemails I will have.
- Surgery for J-Eck tomorrow. Best Wishes to my "Britney Spears." Gosh darn I miss my SIUE people.
- Trae Mc: So I was driving through St Louis
Trae Mc: and they played Augustana on the radio
thendxcrd: whoa
thendxcrd: awesome
thendxcrd: did the djs say anything?
Trae Mc: and the dj was like "this is a group I have never heard of. They are called Augustania"
thendxcrd: hahaha
Trae Mc: as in Augustan-eeah

I am proud of myself. I saw this MTV vj here on tv last week, and I saw her again a few nights ago, and well, she was really pretty. I've probably been trying way too hard to figure out who she is, but it was a fun challenge since I had to go through Mandarin characters and websites instead of English ones. But I did it.

Ladies and gentlemen: Katherine


Looks a little Erin Yamaoka-ish, no?

Anyways, this is two posts with pictures of celebrities...so I'll stop.

OHMYGOD TAIWANESE COCKROACHES ARE SO BIG AND I JUST HAD TO KILL ONE WITH THE ELECTRIC SHOCK RACKET BUG KILLER THING AND I ZAPPED IT FIVE TIMES BEFORE IT DIED OHMYGOD OHJEEZ.

In other news, you should all really buy all three Augustana songs on iTunes or other music services now since the cd is being pushed back to October I hear. That's too long to keep yourself from indulging in good music. Boston will always be my first Augustana love, but Bullets, and moreso lately Stars and Boulevards, have really won me over and are amazing. They run through my head all day, and I walk the streets of Taipei listening to them when I'm walking on my own. The music video is always I kick to watch too. I'm so happy for Jared.

So yea, I might be in NYC soon, and hopefully on July 11th. Augustana at the Mercury Lounge. Margaret, Jenny, you two come. Alex, Dave, ND, yes, we all go. Huzzah!

And its not like, I ain’t trying to get over you it’s just hard to look at all the seasons pass me all the time

- I visited my grandpa in the hospital today. He's been bed-ridden for almost two years now following a stroke, but he has shown drastic improvement since the last time I was here. Today, my grandma was yelling at him to tell him that I was there to visit him, and she's almost brought to tears everytime she does it, which makes me sad, because I think she's afraid he wont recognize me. But today he heard, and he opened his eyes and looked right at me. And then he looked at my dad. My dad says its the first time hes done that to him in a year and a half. And I guess it takes a lot of energy to just do that in his old age and state. So that was nice. Every time I leave Taiwan, I wonder if it's the last time I'll see the patriarch of my last name, who I owe a lot too for my comfortable upbringing, but never knew very well.
- All I need is a trucker hat and a 45-year old girlfriend and you can call me Ashton Kutcher. Yea, I think I looked like a yuppie tool today in baby blue Lacoste and a wristband. But I like it.
- I miscalculated my days here in Taiwan. I'm going home in 6 days. I thought I'd be here for a full 3 weeks, its only 2.5.
- Buma Bula hot pot yesterday. It was everything I missed and more.
- I still heart visiting the Taiwan, but it's not the same without Ming, Michelle, Albert, Anna, and everyone else (and I saw the old list from last summer, it was ridiculous how many people were here) who was here last year. So maybe it's good I'll be going back home soon.
- Since I've been playing tennis a lot lately, I'm starting to watch tennis more. Wimbledon is fun, and Maria Sharapova is so hot. I mean really. So hot.
- My aunt is going to take me fake LV shopping. Hot dang. I also was at an 80% off Burberry sale today, and I saw these cute purses I would buy for say, Erika and Adrienne. But 80% off Burberry is still more than $100. Sorry Erika.
- Karen and Steve Lin (who's band Freefall is on iTunes now!), Wil and the Hochie, JH Eric Kao, and ND will be here soon. And making plans with campers (not you jtang) is hard. Oh my.

I love you.



One, last, phone call from you it wouldn't hurt much, I'd just like to hear your voice and pretend to touch, any inch of you that hasn't said it all or read it all, I sung my life away.

Hi my name is Jon and I ridiculously regret missing this:



add "Find wedding present for Sam and Lindsey" to my list of things to do before I go back.

Things left to do in my 10 days in Taiwan:

- Visit my Aunt, and maybe an Uncle, both on mom's side
- Find jade bracelet and ring
- Eat buffet hot pot
- Meet up with TAF youngns
- Play ball at least once against the natives
- Find soccer jerseys

I've noticed I lost my love of taking a million photographs. I've taken like, 7 pictures so far. Or maybe its just because I was here last year, and I havent really seen many people that I dont already see often, and everything I'm doing I did last year.

yea...we'll see.

"home"

4)
a. An environment offering security and happiness.
b. A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.

ok.

Huzzah!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

TAF in 41 days.

Congratulations to my good friends Samuel Culli and Lindsey Miller unifying in holy matrimony.

I really really wish I could be in Springfield to witness it.

I went to a lunch banquet today for an engagement party, and there was a lady there who looked ridiculously similar to Ryan Wang's mom, only a bit taller. She might have been a distant relative. So maybe Ryan and I are distant relatives? That means my statutory male TAF crush would be related to me, and that would only make it even more wrong. Har har. Incestual statutory male TAF crush. Indeed. I love you Ryan.

But yea. Let this be a lesson to each of us. You might be related to your TAF crush.

I say "I aint no hollaback grrrrlll" and "whoopsies!" in high-pitched funny voices while in crowded night markets, and so many people give me stares. I dont even do it THAT loud or noticeable, but I still get an impressive amount of stares. Haha. I love confusing the natives.

IM A CRAZY AMERICAN!

Maybe too crazy.

**********************************************************

Carolyn Huang: May 2 - June 4
Michelle Hsu: May 11 - May 19
Jessica Fu: May 16 - June 7
Betty Lee: May 18 - June 1
Ruth Ann Day: May 23 - June 6
Roger Lin: May 24 - Aug 26
Dave Hsu: May 25 - Aug 27
Christine Chen: May - Aug
Angie Huang: June 10 - June 27
Mike Weng: June 10 - Mid July
Steven Wang: June 10 - Mid July
Jon Lee: June 11 - Jul 1
Alice Wang: July?
Karen Lin: June 25 - July 7
Steve Lin: June 25 - July 7
Wil Chung: June 26
HoChie: June 26
Andy Yang: June 28
Justin Tang: here
Owen Chang: here
Steven Hsieh: here
Grizzle: May 26 - Aug 18

Augustana music video up on their site. Coooooool.

Saw Batman Begins. It was good. I should make a movie, and call it Coolman Begins. That'd be fun. And probably obscenely stupid. But stupid funny. Well, to me and Brian.

I just came back from one of the most amazing meals of my life. My aunt Yvonne took me out to dinner tonight, and well, theres this amazing little French establishment only a few blocks from my grandma's house. Literally a wonderful little slice of European culture in the middle of Taipei, Taiwan. The meal started with wonderful homemade French bread and foie gras. I've had foie gras twice in my life. Once last Christmas in Lyon, and now here in Taipei. Nice little side vegetable-cheese skewer accompanied this. Then they brought soup out, then a spicy shrimp spaghetti, and then the main dish of this ridiculous lobster. It was cut down the middle in half, covered in cheese. and you were able to just pick it right out. I'm going to take people there. The ambience of the restaurant was beautiful too. Small and cozy with artwork, tres elegant.

I walked home afterwards, in the cool (it's been raining) Taiwan night. I didn't have my iPod, so I just sang to myself. It was a wonderful time. I'm looking out the window to my right and I see the world's tallest building. What a night. A combination of my two international loves, France and Taiwan.

"You and your love of lychee"

Taiwan, Taiwan.

I just saw Steve Lin in another commercial. On his apartment TV. And blogging about it on his apartment computer. But he's in the States. Apparently there is another commercial with him too. I'm going to find it.

Taiwan!

So I'm here back in the home island for the second summer vacation in a row, and it's been great so far for the first 26 hours here. But first, I will tell you about my flight here.

I used my dad's flyer miles to come here, and since there was limited availabilty, his miles could only be used for a seat in business class. So I took business class, and business class is amazing. AMAZING. First, of course, I was able to skip the massive line to check in at LAX and go to the business class queue. From there, you get to go to the lounge and relax in nice seats, read newspapers, and watch tv. And they have a nice array of snacks and beverages. When I go back, I think the business class lounge in Chiang Kai Shek Int'l has dim sum, hehe.

After hanging out in the lounge for a few hours, I boarded the plane in the short line, and within 1 minute of sitting down in my HUMONGOUS seat, I was offered fresh squeezed orange juice. Theres a nice 10 or 11 inch personal screen to watch movies and most amazingly, the humongous chair can recline into a bed. A fully horizontal bed. I was dumbfounded. And of course the pretty stewardesses come around often with more drinks, hot towels, and serve better than normal airline food. But the reclining chair...my God. If only I had someone to enjoy it with me. They have electrical outlets too! I could use my laptop for the whole 11 hour trip if I wanted to! Waah. And lastly, when I went to baggage claim, my luggage got a priority tag on it and came out first, so I again didnt have to wait. Baller. But ok I'm done.

As for awesome Taiwan, I came back and my ahma quickly had me eat some bahtzang and asian pears. I hung around, took a nap, and then went to hang out with Angie, Mike, Steven, and other stl-area kids. The ones i didnt know should be coming to TAF. Huzzah! We went to this museum thing and then to Mitsukoshi and Ximen Ding. A lot of walking, and well, I was about to crash due to jet lag by like, 6pm, but I fought it and had fun. The rain was a downer though, and we werent able to take a Ximen Ding photo. We will just have to make sure that we go back there, as long as certain someone comes back to Taipei, right right?

Oh Taiwan, how I love thee.

Taiwan here I come.

Last year at TAF, a Manchester RA asked to take my picture. He told me it was for the Manchester website. But you know, I was dressed like a tool that day. Pink polo shirt and plaid shorts, with a popped collar of course. Maybe they just took it to make fun of my outfit. Hah.

Congrats to Chris and James, my Tampax Runstopper teammates, for getting drafted in the 3rd and 23rd round of the MLB draft on the past two days.

Chris = Under Armour endorsement deal = Free Under Armour gear for the Tampax Runstoppers. Huzzah!

My goodness. Professional darts is amazing. And intense...

Go Cubs (Fan)!

A good story, sounds like fun.

In other news: Augustana is the free iTunes download of the week. So go download it. For free.

Carolyn Huang: May 2 - June 4
Michelle Hsu: May 11 - May 19
Jessica Fu: May 16 - June 7
Betty Lee: May 18 - June 1
Ruth Ann Day: May 23 - June 6
Roger Lin: May 24 - Aug 26
Dave Hsu: May 25 - Aug 27
Christine Chen: May - Aug
Angie Huang: June 10 - June 27
Mike Weng: June 10 - June 27
Steven Wang: June 10 - June 27
Jon Lee: June 11 - Jul 1
Alice Wang: July?
Wil Chung: July?
Grace P: May 26 - Aug 18

There should be more, but I'm not keeping track anymore. But hey, I'll be there in a week, huzzah!

Embrace, the band Augustana will be opening for later this month, is good. Actually, all the bands Augustana has opened for are good. Snow Patrol and Stereophonics. Alright!

Back in the fall with our kids. Look how short Alex's hair is.


I have about thirty photos of Fu washing her face and brushing her teeth.


Tampax Runstoppers on offense


Pi Phi Formal


Justin slept, I took pictures with Erin. Haha.


Second funniest picture of the year after "punch me in the throat."


Springfield, IL barcrawl. Anyone want a shirt?


A reoccuring trend eh?