taipei, taiwan
i’ve been writing every day, but the content is questionable – it needs to be reviewed. less travel journal and more abstract and sloshy philosophy.
but getting back on target.
leaving for the philippines early thursday, back a few days later. that’s going to be an adventure in itself. i guess i’m supposed to give a speech somewhere. i bought some clothes, so i will look different every day. i think that’s important.
when i get back, i do have a place to go. a room at a horseback riding ranch, back up north a bit. this will give me some space out of the city, but it will also make it a long commute to things that i’m doing down here, so there will be some scheduling of time to take into effect.
making good steps forward with my tai chi. six months into my daily training and instruction, and i’ve learned the skeletons of the 8-form, 24-form, 37-form, and 42- form. All the basic checkin points memorized so i can work my way through them. I’m supposed to be learning the sword form but my brain is goopy and adding an actual physical element (even a plastic sword) makes everything way trickier.
i have met a few people i’ve assigned some importance to. people that make time slow down, anchor me to an external reality for short periods.
the mosquitos are an actual limiting factor of life. they hunt like tigers, and i have angry red spots on hands and elbows and ankles. even with long pants and sleeves they get through – morning, noon, and night, regardless of weather, and they follow me into where I’m staying, hiding on my clothes, waiting to get me later.
peppered throughout are lessons. i saw a title on a bag of some kind of snack and said that title doesn’t suit my idea of a good time. i opened the bag later, having made my way through all my other options, and they were amazing. I should have been snacking for days. I got them by accident, tucked in a bag as a giveaway during a bus tour. Somehow I was the American accented fella leading a rendition of “You are my sunshine”. Have we talked about this?
Not everything is so abstract. I am writing about eggs under armpits. Or springs pressing on shoulders from the outside, so that you expand your chest, yang against yang, and give your body room to flow.
I’ve been spending about two hours per day studying chinese. Just through apps, books, programs. Not really with people yet, other than comparing notes. It is a deep pool to dive into. I imagine though, that if a person knows English, and maybe Portuguese and maybe Chinese, that person’s options will open up like a can of beans, pre-cooked. Goes with anything. Good nutritional advice.
Stick with the program.
Stick with the discipline.
