soupy says

Wow, 2005, what a year.

This time last year I was exactly where I was right now: at my Aunt's house in Allen, TX. If there is one thing I can count on, it is my family's Christmas holiday celebration schedule.

Let me see if I can sum up '05 at 8am in the morning...

Jan: I brought in the New Year with Katy, Elliot, DP and some of Katy's friends from high school. We ate at Bahama Breeze, and then took the party to a Marriott. I found out that the fact that Martha Stewart lost her door decorating contest in prison was common knowledge, and that I shouldn't spend a whole evening drinking Austrian potato vodka. The next day I bought Fast Food Nation and read during the drive home. I started my last semester of my senior year of college.

Feb: I went to classes, I guess. Hey, Feb is a short month.

March: Spring Break '05! My brother was living down in Tempe, AZ, and my parents and I met there and we went to Sedona, AZ. After my parents left, I flew to Las Vegas, NV to spend part of the week with three fabulous friends from high school. I then flew back to AZ to spend the rest of the week with Aaron in Tempe. (I timed it right so I spent my first 21+ St. Patrick's Day in two different states. Boo-ya.) After returning to school, I had my professor look me in the eye and tell me that I should go to Grad School. Talk about a confidence boost, but then I still managed to get caught up in Senioritis, Ah well.

April: I made new friends! I started spending time with the Army boys downstairs, and I got to see a different side of life in San Antonio. Plus, they fed me.

May: I graduated! I drove back to Colorado with my parents, and then got a job as soon as possible.

June: I went back to San Antonio for my very first college friends wedding. I submitted my Peace Corps application.

July: Katy and Elliot came to Colorado. I met them up in Snowmass and spent the Fourth of July with Elliot's family (and Katy). I then met Katy and Elliot up in Boulder to help Elliot look for an apartment. They then got to see the glory of Parker. :p Oh, my birthday was the 25th. I went to work.

Aug: Katy and Elliot come back to Colorado! This time to move Elliot in to his new place. We finally got to eat at the grilled cheese restaurant. It was good. Shay also moves back home, and Aaron and his sister Jen help him get his stuff back home. I think took Aaron and Jen to see CU and CSU for future grad school possibilities (for Jen). I had my Peace Corps interview and recieved a nomination.

Sept: I went to Montana to work for Project Vote Smart for a couple of weeks. Then I quit my job as soon as a got back.

Oct: I did my first big solo road trip. I drove down to Albuqurque, NM to hang out with Beth. I then went to San Antonio to spend time with Granny and to go to Alumni Weekend. I had my same professor as mentioned above tell me that I would be a good fit at University of Washington (he is an alum).

Nov: I went to three days of Matt Nathanson concerts. In a row. The Boulder show was the best. Oh, then flew to Korea, and then I flew to Taipei the day before Thanksgiving.

Dec: Rocked out in Taipei most of Dec. I then flew home the 19th, drove to Dallas on the 20th, and then San Antonio on the 22nd...then Houston on the 25th, back to San Antonio on the 28th, back to Dallas on the 30th, and then I will go back to Denver on the 2nd. Like I said, the usual family schedule.

I anticipate the beginning of 2006 to be less mobile than the end of 2005. As soon as I get back home, I want to get Dr appts done so maybe I can find out where I'm going for the Peace Corps. I'm also looking to take the GRE in March, and I keep going back and forth on taking a college course.

Anyway, Happy New Year!

Bill on Illegal-Immigrant Aid Draws Fire

Churches, social service agencies and immigration groups across the country are rallying against a provision in the recently passed House border-security bill that would make it a federal crime to offer services or assistance to illegal immigrants.

So, if someone came to a soup kitchen, you would have to ask to see their green card?

Oh look, here's another little gem.

The legislation would make it a federal crime to live in the United States illegally, which would turn millions of illegal immigrants into felons, ineligible to win any legal status

The article says that several Congressmen don't think the measure would pass.

One more thing

White House officials have emphasized in recent weeks, however, that Mr. Bush still believes that any immigration legislation should include a guest worker program that would grant millions of undocumented workers the right to work temporarily in this country.

The House bill does not include a guest worker program, but the Senate is expected to consider such a plan early next year. A guest worker plan would give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants. If that were to happen, the measure outlawing assistance to illegal immigrants might be removed or end up having little effect.

But advocates for immigration said they were still deeply disheartened that Mr. Bush and members of Congress had not spoken out against the House measure.

I have started a post about being a solo female traveler, but let's be honest, I'm not sure if I've ever finish it. So, I'll just sum up the message.

You, there, yeah, you, the female that is reading this. Have you ever thought about traveling by yourself (domestic or international)? Well, can you leave the house by yourself without constantly fearing for your life?

You do? Good. Then you have the ability to travel alone!

Abstinence Clearing House goes to Taiwan. (pdf)

Thousands of university students heard that only abstinence until marriage provides 100 percent protection against sexually transmitted diseases, unexpected pregnancy, and heartache.

That's right abstinence guarantees that you will not get your heart broken. ever.

I have discovered that it is important to spend time with your family because it reaffirms who you aren't.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Man, my body is all sorts of messed up. It's just after 7pm on Monday here in Denver, but it is just after 10am on Tuesday in Taipei. I couldn't sleep nearly as much as I would have liked on the flight from Japan to San Fransico which was frustrating for a few reasons, one being that the best movie that was playing was Kindergarden Cop.

Since I've been home, I've eaten pizza, exchanged gifts with my family and eaten Christmas cookies. My body is ready to crash, but I need to shower, finish unpacking and re-pack for the drive tomorrow.

I got the airport to discover that my flight was delayed. Boo. I got rid of the my coins after buying fruit at a coffee shop, ate free samples from the duty free shops and then I wondered around the international terminal until I found a free Internet room. Sweet. I didn't go to bed last night because I want to sleep on the plane. I doozed off on the bus ride to the airport, but I haven't hit the wall yet.

I talked to Mom last night, and she was going to decorate X-mas cookies. Heck yes. I'll be back home just in time for the good stuff.

Since leaving the United States, I have put my "vegetarianism" on hold. I did not see how it would be possible to avoid meat if I had no idea what the hell I was eating. Back home, I try to restrict myself to free-range, vegetarian feed animals. (I do this forvarious reasons.) I'm not militiant about it, and I pretty much forget about it while at my Grandma's. (And plus, if I'm going to lapse, it might as well be for the home-cooked, good stuff.) However, during my six weeks on the road, I have discovered that I have, for the most part, lost my taste for meat. Now, I have had some really amazing, tasty little creatures, but my favorite dishes have been meatless. I would pick tofu over meat. That's right. Tofu over meat.

Forget about veganism though. Bring on eggs and cheese.

currently listening to Josh Kelly, "Small Town Boy"

Yes, I am still alive and well in Taipei. I leave Monday. I really cannot believe that in just a few days I will be thrust back into a mess of jet lag, culture shock, holidays, and family time. My adventures have been wonderful. I am very thankful that I got to spend so much time with Katy. We are making an effort to avoid the fact that we have no idea when we will see each other after i leave Monday.

Yesterday, Katy, Katy's friend (from Colorado!), and I enjoyed a delicious lunch of Indian food. While eating, I thought about how much I love Indian food, and how I want to go to India because of the food. Then I thought, "Wait. There are lots of Indians in Britain. I wonder if Indian food is cheap there." So, today, I asked a Brit, Katy's friend Charlie.

He said, "In the US, how much is Mexican food compared to American food?"
"It's about the same."
"Yeah, that's what it is what Indian food is like in England. Sometimes cheaper."

I am moving to England.

Anybody want to go to Southeast Asia in the spring? Tonight I saw pictures from someone's trip to Cambodia, and those and Valerie's pictures from her trip really make me want to go. Maybe I should wait till I get home before I start thinking of more travel plans. Eh. Whatever.

Oh my, I have let this lapse so long that I will fall back on the old standby: a bullet list!

• This country loves its corn.
  
• It is a lot easier to get around someplace when you are almost always in the presence of someone that has spent four years studying the language.
  
• People here are heavier than Koreans.
  
• I knew that I had been in Korea a while because when I came I freaked out when I saw an ad with an Asian woman in a bra.
  
• However, even though it is much warmer, fewer women wear short skirts.
  
• It is cool to watch someone cut noodles.
  
• Taking out the garbage here is the biggest pain in the ass.
  
• Due to how expensive it is to go out, there are "pay a fee for all you can drink" bars.
  
• Taroko gorge is beautiful, but the Lonely Planet's info about it sucks.
  
• There are a lot of tourist places that can really only be enjoyed if you have a vehicle. That's annoying.
  
• Trails and museums shut down randomly. That's annoying.
  
• Mass amounts of scooters on the road are fucking scary.
  
• The museum of Contemporary Art and the Artists Village are cool but way too small.
  
• No more seats on the train? Well, if you really want to leave, for the same ticket price you can stand!
  
• I have eaten shredded ice topped with fruit and peas. And I liked it.
  
• "Pay by the weight" buffets are brillant.
  
• You know when you have been in Taiwan for a while when you think, "I should have gotten bubbles in this tea."