“Koko Sakora” by D Crime ft Sarkodie
by Obolobo
Categories: Personal
It’s a Little Japantown!
by Obolobo
Outside of work, I’m a lazy person. I don’t like to do more than is required. Thus, it’s a bit ironic that I enjoy doing CrossFit. Of course, “enjoy” does not include the hour preceding each session when I run through all the reasons why I could go later in the day or week. And yet, both the physical and the social benefits are clear. CrossFit combines high-intensity interval training with weightlifting. Sessions tend to push members to do routines […]
Categories: Personal
“不為誰而作的歌 Twilight” by JJ Lin
by Obolobo
Lyrics
Categories: Personal
A Passing Thought
by Obolobo
Generally, living in Taipei is mostly easy. Easy walk to get to work; easy taxi/bus/metro ride to countless locations in the city; easy access to so many varieties of Asian food. Time goes by and I hardly notice. Last Thursday was not easy. Around 11am, I noticed the floor wobbling and the lights stirring. After maybe 2 seconds, I realized I was in the midst of an EARTHQUAKE and it continued for 10 more seconds. On Thursday, there was a […]
Categories: Personal
Odd Scene of a Family on Vacation
by Obolobo
Movies portray “happily ever after” once two people tie the knot. They often do not capture the daily, mundane negotiations between partners. Last week my friend and I were heading to Positano and we witnessed a couples’ spat in the making. We were eating gelato at a nearby cafe when I spied a father carrying four pieces of luggage — a stroller for two, a large rolling suitcase, smaller black rolling suitcase, and a backpack — while his wife and two young […]
Categories: Personal
Imminent Shutdown
by Obolobo
Chinese New Year (CNY), February 8, is fast approaching. A few nights ago, my aunt said she couldn’t sleep until nearly dawn. She said she couldn’t figure out why. I’m guessing it’s because she’s nervous about all the planning for the imminent holidays. Starting February 6th, here in Taiwan, most businesses will close down for nine days (5 business days). Some shops have started shutting down today. Many people return to their hometowns for the only extended national holiday of the year. […]
Categories: Personal
8 Hours in Hong Kong on the coldest day in 60 years
by Obolobo
My 90 days in Taiwan are almost up! Instead of traveling next month at the height of Chinese New Year craziness, I decided to do what I didn’t want to do: go to Hong Kong. Sure enough, I bought a $168 round trip ticket – leaving at 9:15am and returning at 10:15pm on the same day. It’s a 2.5 hour flight each way, so I figured I’d have around 8 hours in HK. In 2002, I traveled frequently to Hong […]
“Heartache”(心痛) by One Ok Rock
by Obolobo
This week we had to presentations on our favorite singers/bands or on your country’s political system. My friend introduced us to this very popular, Japanese band called One Ok Rock. Other songs:
Categories: Music, Personal • Tags: Heartache, One Ok Rock
Alternative Voices on China — in English
by Obolobo
Hosted by Kaiser Kuo, an American-born Chinese who has been living in Beijing for close to two decades, Popup Chinese’s Sinica podcast offers an interesting mix of topics. I first learned about Kuo from a segment of “Americans in China” by “This American Life”. The weekly hour-long show reminds me of Mark Maron’s WTF podcast, in that, it’s a bit rough around the edges and less structured than mainstream media. Kuo invites guests who have either been living in China for extended […]
Categories: China, Personal • Tags: China, Kaiser Kuo, Sinica
