damn you soda popinski

Duck and move!  Duck and move!.
Monday in Taiwan and it was time for a “shift-change.” Most of the crew from last week took off and a new crew came in this weekend. Anthony’s here, and we already did some tromping around the city, some good eatin’, and some cocktailin’ at the hotel bar.

Honestly, and not to brag or anything but, I’ve been living like a king this past week. Nay, not of my own doing – these country just treats you like one. They open doors, pour drinks, wish you good evenering and good afternoorn, it’s totally awesome. The other night I was lounging on a plush couch with my legs spread wide in a I’m-all-man pose, drinking champagne while house beats rumbled from the ceiling and waitresses called me “boss.” I handed out business cards at 3am to other “industry” types in some crazy dance club. In some ways I love it here, but I am pretty ready to go home.

The other day I went to the local computer market (a two story “mall” that’s bursting at the seams with computer and electronics equipment), and bought a better controller for the anticipated Zelda64 marathon that will be my flight home. It’s smaller, more accurate, and the force-feedback works. It should make Zelda’n much more better, and more force-feedbacky. I haven’t had much time to play it lately though, as we’ve been busy running around the city visiting this customer and that customer. We did, however, get together in the hotel bar the other night, all with our laptops, and have a marathon NES session. We played Tyson’s Punch Out! for like four hours, just sitting in a corner drinking beer and trying to beat Soda Popinksi. It was awesome, once the crew saw me playing some old NES they all wanted them. Nerds to the bone man, how embarrassing.

Anyway, today is kind of a “free day” where we had some time to come into the office and work instead of being carted around the city by some maniacal van driver. Pat got in early this morning so I’m actually writing now as I watch him present his material to some customers. For me, tomorrow is the big presentation day – thinking about 200 people per class and I’m doing two pretty much back to back. I’ve been working on my material and trying to bone up for questions. Hoping it all goes well. Then we do the crazy two-customer-a-day days on Wednesday and Thursday, and get Friday off before we fly out Saturday morning. I can already tell it’s gonna go faaaast.

So, you know, usually when I go to Taiwan I write all about the crazy junk I eat. Well, I think I must’ve gotten used to what was once “crazy,” because the urge to write about food hasn’t struck me this time. I mean sure, I have eaten some interesting stuff on this trip, standard fare really: octopus, fish eyes, shark fin, coagulated pork blood, etc. We didn’t, however, order the “fried intestinal tract” or “stir fried chicken testicles.” No crap man, they eat everything over here! Oh, and we went to Hooters! Hooters in Taiwan y’allz? yeah, uh-huh. We took to calling it “Hoot” since the “ers” part was actually on the back of the shirt – these women may be hot but they ain’t fillin’ out no Hooters tee. Not only that, but Hooters Taiwan don’t be compromisin’ y’all – sure they have wings, but they also have all manner of cooked undersea-life goodness. I actually stole a menu that had some pictures of the waitresses, including ours, I’ll post it tomorrow if I can remember.

Well, that’s it for me. Huh? Still hard-up for some more quality reading? Check out Ben’s site then, he’s been updating more regularly and even posting little web-narratives punctuated by pictures which are teetering dangerously close to the edge of blogdom. The kayak and Advantage stories are good, so quit being such a pussy and check ’em out already.

OK, I gotta run? Pat just got in today and wants me to show him where the hookers from last week’s story work. Dave out.


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2 Replies to “damn you soda popinski”

  1. Dave – thanks for the cheap shot. I´m going to tell Sharuan the real, rather than blog-censored version of the Hammertime story you told me after all those shots at the bar last night . . . you know, the one with the sex in it.

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