currently

grab yourself a cup of coffee, it's time for another life-catch-up session. here's what I'm currently up to...

adventuring: all over Taiwan. Husband's cousin and one of my NJ friends are here visiting this week, and we've been trying to show them everything Taiwan has to offer. we've already devoured some xiao long bao and taken them for a ride to Maokong on the Hello Kitty gondola, and this weekend we will be traveling to Taroko Gorge for some hiking.

loving: that the weather is starting to cool off [at least a little] here and the grocery stores have imported some tiny pumpkins. obviously, I had to buy one for the apartment. it's kind of turned into a tradition these past few years.

editing: photos from Hong Kong, photos from Taroko, photos from this summer... ok I still have a HUGE backlog of pictures. I've been doing my best to not take SO many this week, but it's difficult when faced with mountain views and colorful dragons.

struggling: with scooter issues. our scooter decided that it was going to break down this weekend while we were all the way downtown and it was pouring rain. we took a cab home, and Husband and I went back the next day and thankfully found a shop nearby that could fix it. [until the next day, when the scooter we were borrowing from a friend broke down on our way to the train station.]

lifting: Husband and I have been keeping up with our weight lifting, and I was really impressed that I increased my max deadlift by 10kg in one month.

creeped: by the old man at a nearby temple who made the cut-throat gesture at us while we were visiting the other day. I have no idea if we did something wrong or offensive [we weren't even taking pictures] but the four of us walked away as quickly as possible.

geeking: over the blog I designed for Husband. if you're a teacher, or have interest in world history and geography, you might want to check it out.

reading: Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. I've mentioned before the shelf over at out school full of books left by past teachers... this was one I grabbed because I had heard of it and never read it. how do I say this? it was more depressing, and less sexy, than I had expected. not that it was bad. it was just different from most of the other vampire-related things I have read.

grateful: for the comments you all left on my posts about blogging with heart and my solo travels in Hong Kong. have I mentioned lately that I love you guys?

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currently

let's take a time out and chat about what's been going on lately around here, behind the blog. currently, I am...

sipping: NOT a pumpkin spice latte. fall has definitely not arrived in Taiwan yet. it's feels like 95F out most days. and, well... Taiwan doesn't believe in the power of the PSL so I won't be having one anyway [or a peppermint mocha this winter. humph.] regular coffee it is.

watching: True Detective. holy cow this show was good, in a really dark and twisty down-in-the-bayou way.

exploring: local cafes and coffee shops. a friend and I visited the Casa de Socrates [seriously, I love the names of things here] cafe on the nearby college campus. the shelves were stacked with books, and they had four cats... two of which were kittens. I don't think I need to say I'll be going back.

geeking: over my football cake pops being featured on the New England Patriots website. if you're a little confused [or a new reader] I used to have a baking blog and make adorable things like cake pops all the time, before I became gluten intolerant and moved to a kitchen that only has a toaster oven. when I created these cake pops in 2010 I had no idea they would turn out to be such a hit [even almost 5 years later.]

editing: my book manuscript. I don't mean with a real, professional editor. just the edits I marked up myself. but once that's done I'll be [hopefully] ready to put it in the hands of a select few trusted individuals for some feedback before I send it to a real editor.

listening to: Jungle. some friends of ours showed us their amazing videos this weekend and I can't. stop. seriously, these guys have got some moves. on roller skates, no less.

anticipating: my friend and cousin-in-law's visit in a few weeks. I love playing tour guide around Taiwan, and I'm excited to and share our home with them. and eat xiao long bao, obviously.

teaching: my Build Your Own Blog class at Husband's school. I have 8 students, all with very different ideas, and I'm excited to help them put their own blogs together. getting into the teacher mindset is a little weird for me, but I'm hoping it gets easier as the semester goes on.

bugging out: over bugs. we found another cockroach in the apartment. lucky number ten was actually a live one. Husband had to squish it for me. and then the next day I discovered a spider, who escaped my efforts to end him. oh, the joys of living in a tropical climate... time to get sprayed again.

planning: our trip to New Zealand next year. I am so excited. like, fireworks-cartwheel-homerun excited. we are still in the early stages of figuring out where all to go, what to see when we get there, and how to travel between. I think we are going to be using a blend of car rentals, camping gear, trains, and camper vans. if you've been to NZ and have any suggestions, hook me up with some links below!

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currently

it's been a while since I've done a "currently" type post, but I'm taking a break from travel stories to share a few updates on everyday life. [or as everyday as things have been lately.]

creating: things with stamps. not that I really need more crafty things... but I picked up these tiny letter stamps the other day. the stationary store here is one of my major weaknesses. at least I didn't buy any more washi tape?

considering: a blog redesign. ok, I'm pretty much always considering a blog redesign. but lately I've been thinking it's time to either suck it up and learn how to do some proper coding, or bite the bullet and shell out some cash for a professional. recommendations on designers [or coding tutorials] are welcome.

recovering: from a "get your foot stuck in some rocks while crossing a stream and fall in" incident. my brother and I went hiking by Wulai Falls yesterday and in our quest to adventure my clumsiness got the better of me. my foot has a lovely bruise developing, but thankfully the rest of me [and my camera] escaped unharmed.

packing: for my flight back to America next week. last summer before flying back I was sick, so just grabbed clothes and shoved them in a bag. there was no planning, and when I arrived and unpacked I found my summer wardrobe quite impractical. but this year I have a list! I may not get everything together to do a "3 months traveling the USA" version of my "10 days in Bali" packing post, but I'm confident that the right things will at least make it into my bag this time.

sweating: every day, all the time. summer is here in full force. it's been hot and humid... so much that even the tigers were swimming when we visited the zoo. I'm definitely looking forward to the cooler temperatures of a Michigan summer!

reading: Game of Thrones. I read books 1-4 back in 2008, but I had pretty much forgotten everything that happened after the Red Wedding. I've caught back up and passed most of what is happening on the show this season now, though I'm saving book 5 for the flight back to the US. usually I'm a huge fan of books over movies/shows, but HBO has really done a great job of editing and streamlining the story. they cut out a lot of extraneous things and give you more of what you want [in my opinion]

adventuring: all over Taiwan. last weekend we went to a baseball game in Taichung, have been in or through Taipei at least twice this week, and have been exploring Hsinchu as well. I love having visitors and getting to play tourist. a part of me is definitely ready for a break from Taiwan, but traveling around and seeing all the sights reminds me that despite all the challenges I really do love it here.

planning: for upcoming posts. I have plenty of Disney and then the non-Disney of Tokyo left to share, as well as Taroko Gorge and our current Taiwan travels. it seems to me that I always encounter a stretch of time where I travel a lot, and the posts end up stretch out over the following months. hopefully you won't be too confused as I post about Japan and Taiwan while back in the states!

craving: some Din Tai Fung soup dumplings. thankfully I'll be able to indulge my craving in a few hours, as we have plans to take my brother there tonight. DTF is on our "must-do" list with visitors, and I need to get my fill before leaving for summer.

what are you up to currently?

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Amy. she drinks her coffee americano style, extra hot, with steamed soy and a bit of honey and blogs about gluten free cooking, marriage, and life in Alaska over at Lovely Does It.

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