HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 Taipei 101

http://youtu.be/4tNNSGa95V8

It's the second day of the new year now.  Day one was really good for me.  I don't remember the last time I actually felt like the new year would be good.  So much went well for me over the past couple of days that I have no choice but to feel good about the future.

 I got to talk with a very special person for a short time. Probably one of the most positive and happy people I have ever met.  That was one of the good things that happened.

I managed to stay up until 7:00am.  This might not seem like much, but I haven't stayed up past 2am for a long, long time.  I only had a couple of short power naps on the train ride home.

I spent the evening with a bunch of people I haven't seen since October.  It was a really nice evening.  We watched the Taipei fireworks from the  rooftop of a friends home.  I got video but this blog won't let me load it up so you can watch it.  I tried compressing it and even changing the file type but nothing worked.  Sorry, this is the only thing that has gone wrong this year.

One thing that almost went wrong was I told to many people about something I was planning for the future and when I got home I had a message waiting for me that made me think maybe those plans would fall through.  Good news was it was a false alarm.  Still on track with those plans.

I thought about making some new years resolutions but I am not a big fan of those.  I think I will just hope that the good feelings I have been having will continue throughout the year.

An update on the book writing.  I have to admit to a form of laziness here.  Not much has happened on this front.  Still hoping I will get it together and get that book written.  I don't really want to be an English Teacher for the rest of my life but a writer sounds like just my thing.


Since I didn't so a blog in December I will tell you about it now.  December was  a very up and down month.  My best friend came for Christmas.  This was the best thing that could have happened.  I really don't like the Christmas season.  The stories are really nice but it's a little hard when you are not with the ones you love.






Getting to spend time with her made the season a
lot better.  Especially since I had a really bad week at work.  I probably would have quit and gone back to Canada if she hadn't been here.  I guess I am still feeling a little culture shock.

   

This is my bestest friend Jen               

We went on a day trip while she was here.  I didn't realize how much I needed to get out of the city until we went to Lion's Head Mountain(it has a different name in Chinese)

This was at a temple we found at the top of the mountain called Wanfo Temple.  He looks happy and comfortable.  Something I aspire to.

 Wanfo Temple

There was some nice hiking, which I managed without to much huffing and puffing.  I even got a few nice pics out of it.

I don't  think Jen wasn't overly impressed with my hiking abilities.  I think this is her "don't be so pathetic" face.

All in all this was a really relaxing day.  It was nice to get away from all the noise of the city.  You don't realize how much stress noise causes until it is gone.

I'm sure I will be going back here in the near future.  It was cheap to get there and now that I know where to get on the bus it will be easy to get there too.

A final word.  I hope everyone had a nice NYE.  Here's to having a wonderful year coming and hopefully I can continue writing this blog (and maybe my book!) and taking pictures of the places I visit.

Best wishes.
Jason.