Intermission 1

I just want to apologize for the slow progress of the Taiwan Journals. It’s now August, and I’m still writing about stuff that happened in March. I hope I can still remember enough to convey my thoughts accurately.

It’s been slightly difficult to sort out what to write first and what to write later; also difficult to guage how serious of a discussion I should have. My goal is to look away at the mainstream political struggles in Taiwan, while wondering about Taiwan’s society and my place in it. How can I make it interesting, yet not pretentious; thought-provoking, yet human?

I’ve been lazy, as always, to really figure out how to balance those questions, and so I’m stuck on the Taiwan Journals. I don’t want to give up writing them though. There are still a lot on my mind, and I want to get them down. So hopefully I can have a bit more to post very soon.

Preface

So perhaps some people are reading this and saying, why is Ting starting a blog?

I’ve always dreamed of having a little room for myself where I can dabble in a little of this or that. A simple table and a simple typewriter (or better yet, a regular notebook and some pencils with HB lead), and another huge table for drawing or painting or whatever I feel like doing that day. Instead I’m sitting in front of my computer somewhere right now...

I suppose some sort of place to put up unfinished pieces of work would be good enough for now though. So here it is. Enjoy it in the same way you would enjoy your five year old cousin’s drawings from kindergarten art class.

Now there are a few guidelines I’m following. First, I’m not posting about my daily or weekly updates of my life. Some of you may know that I keep a journal with me almost all the time, in an old fashioned spiral notebook. I do my writing about daily life in there, and that’s just for myself. Sometimes the articles will be about my thought on life, but it wouldn’t be a day to day record. Second, I don’t really appreciate insulting comments, and I will cut them. I also don’t want to pick fights about politics. Any constructive discussions is always welcomed.

Ok that’s basically it. For the next couple of weeks I will be posting the following things: a couple of pieces about my trip to Taiwan in March, an old story from two years ago, and portions of a new story I’m working on. I hope you guys like it.

I hope you guys like it. Maybe that’s why I’m doing this blog thing.