Recently I got a request from a friend in Taiwan asking me if I can get an iPhone for her. Since I already heard so many people in Asia talking about it, naturally, I thought it's released in Asia, but apparently not yet.
So I talked to another friend who's in Taiwan and already owned an iPhone about his experiences. Obviously he got it from some acquaintances too, and spent similar amount of money as buying it here -- compare to original price + sales tax, he spent only 10-20USD more. It's a good deal if you're getting something like this from the US back to Taiwan.
I have to admit, iPhone is pretty cute and handy, I would like to have one too, but only if i can pay $99 to get one. I guess it's probably because I am not working in the IT related field, therefore I am not that a big fan of high tech gadgets. Or my natural-born stinginess is stopping me from getting anything that's depreciating.
More likely, I am brain-washed by the stoneaged moblie phones in the US (comapring to Europe and Asia) and didn't feel the need of getting something really cool. No, I don't think I am too old for cool things, I am just have different thoughts, I like stuff that can create more physical values.
My friend who already owned the iPhone told me that it's actually pretty slow comparing to his other 3G phone. Honestly, I think 3G phone is cooler and faster, it should be more useful than iPhone (that's another evidence to prove US cellphones are in stoneage, iPhone doesn't have 3G). But iPhone has very nice interface and sleek design, that's why people love it, even though it's still slow in Asian standard.
This statement triggers another thought: if it's not that great, why would you spend that much amount of money on it? Sorry my friend, I am not doubting your decision, it's just because I live in a stoneage place, I don't see many cool phones around, therefore I haven't felt the need to have a really nice one. I know if I am in Taiwan, I might want to get a super cool phone too. Here, I have no one to compare with, so there's really no need to get something like that. Plus, everyone I know that owns an iPhone or Smartphone or Blackberry, couldn't help themselves but checking work emails anytime anywhere they can, it's like being haunted. It's of course very convenient, but sometimes I really just want to have a nice face-to-face conversation with them, so, please stop playing your cellphones!
Finally, I read lots news about Taiwan's living expense going up fast but the salary isn't, and lots people complaining life is tough. Well, with average $1000-2000/month (before tax), and many people spending $400+ on each cellphone, maybe the newspaper is a bit exaggerating.
11/16/2007
10/31/2007
The Great Asia Trip
When talking about our hometown to Americans, I always say "our hometown in Asia." two reasons, first, it gets tiring to say Taiwan is an island outside China, nope we're not under China government. second, Eddie's home is in China, different from Taiwan. So it's always easier to say "we're going back to Asia" instead of saying "we're going to beijing coz Eddie's parents live there and i'll go back to Taiwan myself coz it's hard to get Eddie a Taiwan visa...why? coz he has chinese passport... well, you know, the situation between taiwan and china is kinda tense... blah blah." it's just endless.
So, after couple years of waiting, we finally get to make this "going back home" trip happening! Eddie is pretty excited coz he hasn't gone back to two years and same to me, haven't seen my dear friends for more than 2.5 years. gosh i miss you all!
except the excitment of see my family and friends in taiwan (they're probably the only reason that makes me feel taiwan is my hometown, other than that, the whole island is kinda going downhill, i felt sad about that), i am also excited about visitng beijing. it's a whole new place to me, and i've heard enough about it, even read the map of it (yes i like reading map, it's a great restroom reading material). i'd bet i can easily find out 10 things i don't like about Beijing (actually, i already have couple of them on the list), but i am still excited to see a whole different place with an outsider's vision. a photographer's point of view.
it'll be interesting. i think.
hopefully the shopping for fake brand-name stuff will be interesting too, ha!
So, after couple years of waiting, we finally get to make this "going back home" trip happening! Eddie is pretty excited coz he hasn't gone back to two years and same to me, haven't seen my dear friends for more than 2.5 years. gosh i miss you all!
except the excitment of see my family and friends in taiwan (they're probably the only reason that makes me feel taiwan is my hometown, other than that, the whole island is kinda going downhill, i felt sad about that), i am also excited about visitng beijing. it's a whole new place to me, and i've heard enough about it, even read the map of it (yes i like reading map, it's a great restroom reading material). i'd bet i can easily find out 10 things i don't like about Beijing (actually, i already have couple of them on the list), but i am still excited to see a whole different place with an outsider's vision. a photographer's point of view.
it'll be interesting. i think.
hopefully the shopping for fake brand-name stuff will be interesting too, ha!
8/29/2007
Social Outcast
Have you been a social outcast? I think I did, so far twice in my life. They all happened in school, unfortunately, a place that requires highly social level to survive.
There might be once in your life, you entered a new school, finding yourself in a totally unfamiliar environment, you feel like to blend in eagerly, and found there's a group of cool kids you can hang out with. This group of cool kids might have better fashion than others, might have better performance in studies or clubs, might have a better relationship with teachers. So you want to be one of them.
You listened to them carefully, trying to talk like them (even though they don't respond you), some of them could be pretty mean to you but some of them might try to be nice. You might regard those being nice to you as your best friends in school, but later, you found they are still so loyal to their group, being nice is simply part of their tender nature.
Slowly you felt like you got to know them, became friends with them, blended into their group. You're so happy. But wait a minute. Those who you regarded as your best friends, weren't necessarily regarding you as their best friends. They didn't even know where your hometown is, didn't have a clue you have birthday even!
So pathetic! you thought to yourslef, and blended out as your blended in, quietly. No body noticed. You are a social outcast.
Being a scoail outcast sucked up my energy, and made me deny myself. It's very bad for my health, mentally. So i came up with a conclusion that, by erasing the memories of that group of kids, i'll become a happier person. At least for now. Maybe one day when all the scars were gone, I'd like to see you guys again. You're not bad people, really, I just don't like the way that you made me hate myself.
There might be once in your life, you entered a new school, finding yourself in a totally unfamiliar environment, you feel like to blend in eagerly, and found there's a group of cool kids you can hang out with. This group of cool kids might have better fashion than others, might have better performance in studies or clubs, might have a better relationship with teachers. So you want to be one of them.
You listened to them carefully, trying to talk like them (even though they don't respond you), some of them could be pretty mean to you but some of them might try to be nice. You might regard those being nice to you as your best friends in school, but later, you found they are still so loyal to their group, being nice is simply part of their tender nature.
Slowly you felt like you got to know them, became friends with them, blended into their group. You're so happy. But wait a minute. Those who you regarded as your best friends, weren't necessarily regarding you as their best friends. They didn't even know where your hometown is, didn't have a clue you have birthday even!
So pathetic! you thought to yourslef, and blended out as your blended in, quietly. No body noticed. You are a social outcast.
Being a scoail outcast sucked up my energy, and made me deny myself. It's very bad for my health, mentally. So i came up with a conclusion that, by erasing the memories of that group of kids, i'll become a happier person. At least for now. Maybe one day when all the scars were gone, I'd like to see you guys again. You're not bad people, really, I just don't like the way that you made me hate myself.
8/18/2007
New Finding of Blogger
I haven't been writing or logging here for a while, and just couple days ago I found out Blogger made lots improvement on customization, which is a great deal to me since i'm too lazy to find out how to add customed codes to the template.
So, all of a sudden, I started to like this place again. There are much less people visiting me here (that means i could say more non-sense), I can upload bigger photos here (best resolution so far among the several blogs I have). The only disadvantage is that I haven't been writing in English for a while and is getting slower when writing.
This year I made a new year resolution of reading more books and started to read at least two books each month (romance not included, except English ones). Considering what my major is in college, my reading speed is incredibly slow (shame on me). But I am still trying, and I already see myself improving a bit.
Another new year resoution I made a promise of writing diary.that's rgiht, diary. journals that you wrote everyday, is called diary. And I am seriously doing it, although there are some days that I forgot to write or I was camping and forgot to bring a pen to the tent. It has been pretty good, i missed maybe less than 10 days so far. and i just switched to a new diary couple days ago.
Let's see how long i can keep it up. Gan ba de Lizzie!
So, all of a sudden, I started to like this place again. There are much less people visiting me here (that means i could say more non-sense), I can upload bigger photos here (best resolution so far among the several blogs I have). The only disadvantage is that I haven't been writing in English for a while and is getting slower when writing.
This year I made a new year resolution of reading more books and started to read at least two books each month (romance not included, except English ones). Considering what my major is in college, my reading speed is incredibly slow (shame on me). But I am still trying, and I already see myself improving a bit.
Another new year resoution I made a promise of writing diary.that's rgiht, diary. journals that you wrote everyday, is called diary. And I am seriously doing it, although there are some days that I forgot to write or I was camping and forgot to bring a pen to the tent. It has been pretty good, i missed maybe less than 10 days so far. and i just switched to a new diary couple days ago.
Let's see how long i can keep it up. Gan ba de Lizzie!
4/05/2007
Wisteria
I've never seen Wisteria before my visit to Dallas this March. My aunt grows some in the backyard, it blossomed the day before i left, just in time for me to catch its beauty. A casual beauty i would say.
1/17/2007
New Year 2007
Some people might be able to imagine how it feels like having lots of things happening at a short time but also feels like nothing happened at all.
So, that's how I feel about my life right now. I am losing words to describe my feelings, losing the ability to feel cheerful about life as well. Probably this is how it feels like to have no goal in life.
Unfortunately, "melancholy" is how I started the year 2007.
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