Ode to all my classmates...and teachers!

Well my friends...to all my beloved classmates and teachers...I have been blessed in that all my classes have been very cool, nice and extremely fun.

My teachers, Tsen teacher and Bao teacher have always been so patient with me, much respect and love to them.

To my original classmates...wow...we all came a long way together and I will never forget the love and openess we shared with each other...well maybe I did all that and you guys just had to accept it! hahahaha...

Anthony...my big bruv, never will I forget our times together, you have given all of us so much and yet in many ways ask for so little in return. You took care of my darling whilst I was not here and for that we both love you and I will always owe you! I shall truly miss our conversations...

Albert...bruv, you've gone back to the u.s. but you are still here in spirit. I hope things are going well for you and I am sure the future that is ahead of you is one filled with success and happiness, take care mate!

Linda (Fan-ling)...I hope things are well in Germany and that you are not too tired and stressed due to a life balanced between clubbing/shopping and working hard! Take care and come visit me in the uk sometime...we will go sneaker shopping together! hahahaha...

Jennifer...well my fave swedish chinese girl...honestly I have no idea what you are doing now! hahahaha...its been a long time...lets try and stay in contact ok!? I hope you are doing well at unversity and not getting up to too much mischief!

Kaori...I hope things are well at university and that you are eating and sleeping properly! Don't smoke too much and take care of your health ok? stay in touch!

Chad...ahh chad...take care mate...good luck with everything you do...

Michiyo...you've made it into univeristy and you've come such a long way and matured so much. I am so proud of you.

...finally...to jennfier Ting and Derek...take care...whereever you are!

To my classmates in my second semester...especially YOU SIMON stay cool, don't bum too much as all of you did and most of all my the future bring you happiness and prosperity!

To my third semester class mates, Shiow Gwai, Kym, Mike and christina (!?) your Chinese rocked so much more than mine, thanks so much for all your patience in class whilst I bantered away in my own way and complained to no one and everyone about how bad my chinese was!

To my newer friends who I got to know this semester and have grown close to...

Peter aka future of marketing aka chug monkey aka the young America aka the quiff aka Usagi good luck with your future, thanks for providing endless laughs and listening to me bitch about all types of random things! I will never forget your drunken banter, your many polo shirts and ayumi laughing about your hat hair! hahahaha

Ayumi you took care of michiyo and have helped me so much by listening to my problems. Good luck with your future and thank you so much...

Ikumi...you have been most random especially on Anthony's birthday when you grabbed two pieces of birthday cake, gave a quick wave then legged it! hahahaha...dont forget that your English is EXCELLENT and never let anyone tell you otherwise!

Kevin, my fellow MBC (Men Bitch Club) member, our time spent bitching to each other over the net have been pricless..."do these surrender jeans make my bum look big!?" and of course my seemingly endless Bape Taipei experience was made extra sepcial cause I met you! Take care of yourself and remember...never stop bitching!

To my newest classmates...Jacques, Richard, Jenny, to everyone...it was well random meeting all of you and please forgive my random, uintimed outbursts in class of mass talking and strong opinions followed by three days silence...hahhaha...it was all love!

To people like Stan, Craig and everyone else who made my Sih Dah experience a hundred times better...I will never forget you all.

Mod...10 years old...oh yeah baby...its time to get lashed!

Cool moped outside Mod...

Mod a fine establishment...to get PISSSEEEDDDD!!!

The ultimate bar tender...SAM!!!

Our table near the bar...small and cosy...with plenty of alcohol though.

The party was by the bar...we were not by the bar...hahahaha...

The array of alcoholic beverages at Mod is unbeatable!

A quick light up by Peter aka the quiff aka the young American...

...then the puff...ahhhhhhh...no wander he is nicknamed P.B!!

First a quick smoke...

...then comes the scotch....PERFECT!

David...needs you!

Peter and Anthony...enjoying cigars as bruvs!

David and Dan (my hero of heroes...long live Freshnessmag!!)

Stacey/tracey...whatever her name was!!...Sam and David (I just HAD to be in the picture!)

Peter, David and anthony ...and stacey/tracey...whatever her name was!

Anthony and Peter...pre drunk...

David and stacey/tracey...whatever her name was!

Sam looking completely out of it...I dunno how much this guy had to drink...it was a damn lot.

Sam and stacey/tracey...whatever her name was!

Our table at the end of the night...man...we sure made our mark!

David at the end of a long nights drinking...heavy!

Last day of class...PARTY AT MOD!

So yesterday was my last day of class, everyone in cluding teacher, well almost everyone came in and jacque introduced us to a Tibetan resatraunt which was well yummy. Yuko came in with her baby also for lunch so it was great! Que much kissing faffy sounds from all of us around the baby!

We hung around at the restraunt for a while just talking and the time soon came to say goodbye. Its a strange process in saying goodbye and good luck to people when you know in your heart that you will probably never see them again...its a bittersweet experience, but a part of life I guess.

The night took us to MOD. I originally planned to meet my hero of all heroes Dan (of freshnessmag fame) for a drink and I remembered MOD were having their 10th anniversary party. Upon arriving there I was confronted by a very drunk bar tender Ah-lwun who was likee..." yo man...get inside its crazy..."
Dan turned up and we went inside where we poured ourselves large scotchs and had some nice food. Anthony and Peter turned up, bought cigars and decided to be daddy like for the rest of evening!
Towards the end of the night we were at the bar itself and Anthony and pete were introduced to two guys, Ah-Pong and another bloke...well random. The three of us spent the rest of the evening talking to Sam and the chick...man forgot her name...hahahaha...and of course bigging up sam to death. That guy is so the bar tender of bar tenders and sooo smooove with zee ladies.

Peter ended up being very drunk (as usual) however anthny was off his rocker...when leaving his face was completely pale and he also walked diagonally into a chair on the way out. At this point as i was the only one half sober i made a move to help him get a taxi however Pete was like "heeeeey do'nt worry man...I will help him..." then proceeded out of the bar and like anthony also he walked into the chair! hahahaa...

so all in all a good evening, in the aftermath of the binge, we did not see pete for about three days as he was 'recovering'...you know alot of alcohol was consumed if peter had a hangover!!

David with his prize after throwing alot of small balls into a tiny basket at a night market...I will miss those days...

This is it...its over...

Well the title says it all, its over...my days as a Sih Dah student are done....I am feeling kinda numb, yet I see the long road ahead and its an exciting yet unknown one.

So many memories...so little time to share them with everyone...the friends I have made, the things I have experienced...the places I have been...the feeling I have felt and shared with those around me...

This time will be the landmark in my life, I found some balance here in Taiwan...and in many ways I owe it all to my friends and random people I have encountered in my time in Taiwan, my ever supporting and loving family back home and most of all to the LIN family! I owe them my life...

My times at ktv...my times in the L Bar...my time in Ban chiow with Kyla, Wesley and Michelle...my times at Dan Shui...my special monday steak days at Sih Ling night market with Anthony...my times at Ichi and MOD...my times in Xi men...my times playing pool...my times at no45...my times in all my different classes...my times at inhouse...the time I spent with my darling...the time spent eating lunch with all my friends...the times I spent at Sih Dah market, my time at bape Taipei with Kevin...my times at Jamaica...these thoughts bring tears to my eyes, never again will I feel this love and passion...

...the time has come to move on...

David...2005...

Michiyo and David.

Well done my darling!!! CONGRATULATIONS~~

So my darling has done it...she has gotten into university...so much blood, sweat and tears but it has finally paid off. I am so proud of you darling, you have made me a happy happy man...

See you soon my darling, I miss you so much...

Peter...the Young American...

Anthony the ladies man...so smooth at the table...

Anthony...the beard...

Ayumi going for a long shot...

Anthony...duh!?

Ayumi with pool cue...that thing is nearly taller than her!

Michiyo hustling as usual!!

Pool Pool Pool...

So...its been many a week now that I have been playing pool with Anthony and Peter. Its nice 'man' time just us having a couple of beers and having a laugh. Sometimes ayumi joins us or even in the past michiyo, but mainly its "just us guys" as peter says.

So where is this haven that we play in? Well its in the East side of Taipei and is two floors above an mtv place (well dodgy place where people rent movies on dvd and watch it in their own room with a big ass screen. Lets say not much 'watching' goes on in these rooms...other dark deeds take place!) and a brothel!

Its usually full of businessmen and Tai Ker types but we usually get a nice table there...

...So if you are in the neihborhood on a Thursday afternoon/evening Friday afternoon/evening or saturday evening...pop upstairs, dont get off at the brothel and join us for a game! We will be the ones screaming at each other in English!