Monkey Quote: Episode 9

"The strange fact is that the world goes on against all reasonable odds. A hundred years, and even unimaginable evil is just called history."

Japanese vs Taiwanese Noodles

On my first weekend here in Fong Yuan, which was only 2 weekends ago, none other than the great man himself - Richard 'Noodles' Hall - graced these streets with his presence on a visa run from Japan. I greeted him at the train station with 2 chocmilks and 2 seaweed rice triangles in my hands and we headed directly for the night markets.

Although we didn't pass go, we collected $200(New Taiwanese Dollars that is - think $6) worth of whatever the street vendors would dish us up and rounded the night out by shooting some baskets in the arcade.

The next day, a Sunday, was the best of my time here in Taiwan so far. It was performed in chapters... To the best of my memory this was the order of events...

Chapter One - Fairy Toast
When I awoke Big Daddy Noodles had already been up and raring to go for about 3 hours. We wandered down to the breakfast place in my apartment block and Noods was introduced to the lovely Amy, the breakfast lady, by my future CIA housemate, Hans. We ate something that could best be described as 'fairy toast' and headed for the hills.

Chapter Two - Ol' Browner II
On the way we happened upon a bowling alley and decided to roll a few frames. It was just like the old days at Rosemount when you could enjoy $1.50 games. I even found a bowling ball that resembled Ol' Browner - my faithful bowling ball that was damaged beyond repair by the great Sec Fire of 2001.

Chapter Three - Some Beef with Noodles
By taking 3 wrong turns, Noods and I found our way to a little family-run lunch place that served ridiculously good beef noodles and laughed raucously as we put horns on our heads and gave the 'moooooo' in lieu of knowing some kind of 'chinese words'. Delicious!

Chapter Four - Much Needed Perspective
We headed up past a winding street market, through a park and up into the hills. From the top, with sweat on our brows, we could see the whole little town that I now call home. It was some much needed perspective, offered in the most literal way.

Chapter Five - Pants
We made our way down the hill the long way and used a shapeshifting building as our guide to get back home in the fading light. On the outskirts of town we stumbled upon a shop where some all-class shopping was performed. I became the proud owner of some new pants that rival the 'classic series' that Jussy found for me in Paris.

Chapter Six - Terror on Chow Street
We ate all that we could and wasted terrifying amounts of food.

Chapter Seven - Golden Microphones
After looping the town and arriving back where we started, the guys that sold us pants took pity on us and decided to take us on their scooters to Karaoke. Here, Noodles and I went song for song for 3 hours in a room with a plasma screen, a projector and countless couches all to ourselves. Avril Levine and Elvis Prestley found their way onto our playlists as instant money. Not to mention (which is such a crazy expression as obviously it's about to be mentioned) there was all you can eat hotdog pastry things. It's an odd concept - use your imagination, or if that's a little lacking, get some weiners and donuts and combine...

And that's the end of our story about one of the world's greatest days.

Noodles' stay was only really 3 days. It was sad to see the big man go, but it makes me wonder where on earth the next great adventure of us will be.

Choice

Ever since seeing Kung Fu Panda I’ve pondered the concept of destiny finding you on the path you take to avoid it… How so much of my time and resources are spent on decisions – worrying if I am making the right ones – regretting decisions I’ve made and the doors that have been closed on me – watching life move on and mistakes become cemented.

But is any of it real?

After I finished my 10-day intensive training course in Taipei I came down to a little town called Fong Yuan to live. It’s about 15 minutes from the 3rd largest city in Taiwan – Taichung. It’s surrounded by mountains and there are several walks you can take just out of the city that make you feel like you’re way out in the countryside. The city itself has everything you could want – including 10-pin bowling, an abundance of karaoke, a 35 meter pool with sauna, steam room and spa, badminton courts… you know, the essentials.

Last Sunday I took a drive through the mountains for a few hours and found myself in an incredible hot springs where I soaked myself for an afternoon/evening and blissed out.

And yet, I’ve been in a tailspin of almost-made-decisions. I’ve been looking for something else, anything to get me free of this place. Something easier, safer and more familiar. A job that I am good at, not one that I have to learn. I have talked to so many friends and family members and every time I hang up the phone I have made a new decision. Then slowly that decision begins to erode and I am back to the land of indecisive clouds.

A few days ago I got an email from my ex-wife – a picture of her new-born baby girl… decisions.

The big impersonal force out there that some call god doesn’t seem to care about why we make the decisions we make. It just receives the orders and carries them out – regardless of reason.

And perhaps, the best way to live is to let destiny be, and get on with the journey - one pretend decision at a time.