EPISODE EIGHTEEN: Sarsvivor, The Global Outbreak.

You know that feeling you get when you look out the window, and something just isn't quite right? Like, a certain leaf on a certain tree bugs you, or the air has a hint of danger about it? Well, this has nothing to do with that. "This" is the result of craziness and hype and hysteria and some other things put in between. "this" is SARS, the so called epidemic that is supposedly on the resurgance.

There are all these banners all over the place with the word SARS on it. Me being Chinese illiterate, I can only assume they are about how to prevent SARS and some other crap. When I landed at the airport some sleazy looking nurse handed me a leaflet that taught me "how to keep out SARS" with helpful suggestions like "take a shower" and "record your temperature over ten days". These freaky people with temperature measurers are everywhere...if you want to enter a bank, you gotta get this thing pointed at your head and if your internal temperature is 1 degree above normal, don't expect to get in. Same goes for supermarkets, government buildings, monuments, if it's remotely popular or important, expect a temperature privacy invasion.

Yeah. That's my rant. It's quite annoying to always get your temperature checked. I'm going to a place called "Hua Lien" which supposedly has nice scenery tomorrow and I come back in a few says. I...think I've said that already. Hmm. Also, today I went to a Migrating Bird Park (but didn't see any birds) and went to try to watch a sunset, but that was ruined because of the petrochemical smog and crap in the air.

The New Year is comin. While my mum's brother's son (is that my cousin?) is out having fun with friends, I'm sitting here in front of a screen hitting buttons. Such is life. But I guess I don't mind, really. It's kind of relaxing. Ah! New Years Resolutions! Let me bullshit some up right now, which I probably won't follow.

1. Study really hard for 7th Form.
2. Get a girlfriend.
3. Be so totally awesome and cool that people will shatter into ice cubes if they can't handle the cool.
4. Eat healthy and stay healthy.

I don't think any of those are actually attainable, but isn't that the point of a resolution, to set a stupid goal which you realise you wouldn't get in a year anyway? I think so. Taiwan is so cool. I want to come here more often. I might study here, but that depends on what they offer. Maybe. I don't know.

Hmm.

I went to this crazy as templeshrinething today as well. They have all these Asian deities/gods which you pray to if you want certain things. Like, there's one for study, one for strength, one for health, one for love, one for conviction...you name it there's probably one for it. It's crazy too cause people burn incense for each one they pray to, and the average person prays to most of them (about 15?). That gives that person 15 incense sticks to light. Imagine about 200 people burning that amount of incense...and the incense that comes out...it's not pretty. My eyes hurt so bad after walkin through the main hallway thingmie.

Another funny thing is that people who want to add lights to counterbalance their bad foretold horoscope thingmies (that is, good luck their bad luck) do it through the temple/shrine thing...but there are so many people who do it, they get numbers and wait for their numbers, like a bank...and they have security guards, like a bank. You have to wonder how much money they make from that. Yeah.

Fireworks are going off now. New Year is in about 2 1/2 hours.

TV! TV!