Birthday...Taiwanese Style!

Okay, so I've decided that letting Brian handle the blog doesn't get too much done other than pictures. See what happens when you let an artist handle the blog?

So, as you all know....hehe....yesterday was my birthday. First of all, I spent the day at a job interview....Brian and I decided that I should ditch the original job, as they were ripping me off....and because it was my birthday...I got the new job! I actually only have to work for two hours on Wednesday and two hours on Thursday....and I'm getting paid much more for those four hours of work a week than I was for the twenty I would have been working at the other job. Also...it is in the evening, so Madison doesn't have to go to school now. She was actually kind of bummed out about it, but I feel like it is going to be better for everyone. The weird thing is, when I was deciding what to do about the other job...I was at my friend Tiffany's house, and I kept saying, "I think I should quit, but I'm just worried that I'd have to work just as many evenings to make the same amount of money...and where would I even start looking for a job?" Just then, the phone rang...and who was it, you say???? It was someone looking for an English teacher who wanted to be payed an exorbitant amount of money for very little work!! What luck! Actually, I know that luck has nothing to do with it....see, I figured out that Taiwan has better prayer reception in English....because everyone is always speaking Chinese, so when English pops up....it really gets some attention! Joking aside, it was a really good way to tell Brian and I that we are taken care of here....and it helps us to know that we're doing the right things here.

Anyway....once I finally got back from that (four hours...at least an hour on the freeway in crappy traffic...later) Brian took me to TGIFriday's, where every good Taiwanese person comes to experience real Western culture and food (hey..they have ranch dressing, need I say more?). He had invited the Darrows....our American friends...and through the Taiwanese network more people found out about it and wanted to come....all Taiwanese people that I didn't know....but what is a birthday party without guests? So we all had some tasty American food...and then Brian said we needed to take a walk.

Now...let me ask you.....what birthday in Taiwan would be complete without a trip to the Holiday Star KTV? That's right folks! We went to sing some kareoke!!! It was funny, and actually pretty fun, too. You get your own room with two or three microphones, and there is a bathroom so you don't have to leave....convenient for corraling little girls who like to wander. Madison really had a great time, we gave her the microphone a couple of times and let her go wild with "Twinkle Twinkle." It was really cute. Also it was funny because we were there with our Taiwanese friends (new as of last night) and they would sing crazy songs in Chinese....usually love ballads with some awesome duets....funny.

At the KTV they brought me in a cake....it was delicious!! Chocolate with a layer of blueberry preserves and cream layers and filled with Macadamia nuts and all sorts of other yummy things. The top looked like it was chocolate glass...it was beautiful and yummy. We have some pictures...but I'll let the picture guru put those up later. Brian got it from this place that sells yummy cakes...trust me on this one...looks can be terribly deceiving here. Just when you think something looks absolutely delectable...you taste it and it isn't!! Anyway, it was really fun. Kind of surreal to turn 25 in Taiwan...not something I ever saw coming in my other 24 years of life. And they sang Happy Birthday in English and Chinese...funny.

All in all a great Taiwanese birthday.