1st Official XMas Get-Together

So I had my first official Holiday Get-Together for lunch today with Juliana... Since I had stuff to pick up from her and momokos to deliver to her - we decided to make just go ahead and make a lunch outing out of it... at our FAVE hangout, too - TGI Fridays, over at Chung Hsiao East Rd... right next to the ever festive, SOGO Department Store... which is nicely decorated for XMAS btw... we got to enjoy their XMAS decor a bit right after lunch, as we walked around the Department store - mainly, the Toy Section, of course!!!

Lunch, as always, is GREAT - nothing like good all American burger now and again... plus the Three To Share Appetizers is always tasty and filling - Potato Skins, Buffalo Wings, plus Mozzarella & celery sticks.... but the food always takes a back seat from our GAB fest.... catching up with this and that and everything in between... 2 or 3 hrs is never, ever enough....

we did an early exchange gift as well... love our SNOWMAN pair from Starbucks & Bumble Bee Molly is just the cutest... so basically I had two firsts today - 1st Official holiday Get-Together plus 1st XMas Gifts for 2009...

COMPLETE PHOTOS HERE

XMAS is DEFINITELY IN THE AIR....

24 more days before XMAS.... I cannot help but get excited even more.... my FAVE holiday of the year is once again upon us.... most of my friends and family knows how much I love this Holiday... and each year, no matter how I say I am just to busy... am always on the go... so I need not put up a tree... somehow, I always manage to put one together at the last minute... XMas is just not XMas without a TREE... and there is something about it that just brings JOY and WARMTH feelings to me, each and every morning I wake up and see it...

Since am soooo missing white Xmasses lately... missing the snow... as I used to make a trip to NEVADA or New York to see snow over the Holidays, when I was still in SF; or Japan or Korea - or anywhere there si snow in ASIA, now that am here in Taiwan... since I know I will not get a chance to see snow again this year, I decided to settle for a white XMas tree...

without minimal budget and just a lot of imagination - I GOT MY WHITE XMas - and I could not be HAPPIER!!! and since it is already DEC 1st, XMas music will fill this house already... and not forgetting to mention, the first of my XMas get together happens for lunch today - with Juliana...

XMas is DEFINITELY in the air, indeed!!!

MORE PHOTOS HERE

DEC. 1st - WORLD AIDS DAY!!!

Don't forget to wear your RED RIBBON and HELP SPREAD AIDS AWARENESS in however you can.... do this in honour of the brothers & sisters - the world over - who has fought this battle and lost... and those who are still fighting the battle... we are all in this together....

READ MORE ABOUT IT HERE:

HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAYS

i liked her better then...

Before she became known, the world over, as LADY GAGA - she already showed so much promise, powerful voice and great talents... I actually like her so much better then... nowadays, as fun as her videos are, I feel that her beautiful voice have been overshadowed by the costumes, the make up, the whole Lady Gaga persona...take a listen and hear for yourself...

and this closes the month of NOVEMBER for me.... looking forward to finishing up the year with you with the festive month of December.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Todd!!!

21!!!

you are now officially a full grown man.... CONGRATULATIONS and WELCOME to the world of the ADULTS.... can you believe I have known you for 11 years??? I have practically seen you grow from a friendly young boy, to a well mannered, young man...

CELEBRATE WELL, my friend.... and here's to many more BDAYS to come....

In Happy Spirits....

No Turkey dinner for me this past Thanksgiving but no matter, we still had a delicious Roasted Chicken dinner... even YUMMIER as am not even a Turkey kinda' guy....

No Friends or Family coming over - scheds just did not work out - but XMas is coming up so for sure I will get my fill... already slated - the Gals (Juliana, Sue & Cecilia) are coming over for an early XMas dinner on the 12th... then soon after I will be off to Manila to spend the Holidays with my family...

No BLACK SUNDAY shopping MADNESS for me as it is just NOT practiced here in Taiwan - still we managed to go about the last couple of days shopping!!! Been moving about "this and that" at home... recycling... figuring out what else is needed.... trying to get the house cleaned up and ready to WELCOME in the 2010....

Away with the GIANT TV we have had for over 10 years - taking up so much room - and IN with a new, and sleek FLAT SCREEN, finally!!! Even the OVEN got replaced so you can BET am looking forward to more goodies from master chef, marketchow....

So, that's how Thanksgiving was spent this year.... and am just fine with that!!! Okie dokie... Happy Sunday to you all.... we are off to another day of shopping for more household stuff and even some XMas Gifts.... (^_*)

"effective dare"?

remember the NO JAYWALKING sign, found in Taiwan, I posted last Friday, the 13th... well, this one TOPS IT!!! Found in one of the Highways, outside of Manila - this one actually DARES the JAYWALKERS to TRY THEIR LUCK!

LITERAL TRANSLATION: "Go Ahead M*TH*RF***R, Just Try And Cross" - LOLS!!! and this has been this week's edition of Fridae Funnees...

ATROCITY at its WORSE!!!

It PAINS me to follow up my Thanksgiving Wishes with something as awful as this - but we all need to know and do what we can, so as their senseless deaths NOT BE FORGOTTEN...

"why do some People still feel and think that VIOLENCE is the only way... there is enough NATURAL DISASTERS & DISEASES in the WORLD afflicting and killing us all -- we need NOT RESORT to KILLING EACH OTHER, too!!!"

JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THE CONDEMNATIONS OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Yep, it is that time of the year again to GIVE THANKS to all the BLESSINGS we get in life.... and as corny as the picture banner maybe - I TRULY am THANKFUL for Life, Love, Family & Friends!!!

Wishing You and Yours a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!!


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JUST A REMINDER: Our TYPHOON RELIEF DRIVE II STARTS TODAY!!!!

For More Info Pls Click Here

Joseph Gordon-Levitt on SNL

Thank God for YOU TUBE... was able to catch this.... more reason why Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a FAVE and definitely one to WATCH FOR!!!!

more Days & Nites with Lala

Photos are also from earlier this month's trip to Kaohsiung, visiting The Wu Residence & of course, Lala the Dog... always such a pleasure and fun trip - Lala is looking old but can still keep up with us running... and still as sweet and playful as ever.... the pleasures of having a dog really....

now, Liya would rather we call him Laifu - as every single Lab in Taiwan must be named Lala - so she does not want him running over to just anyone who calls him... but heck, I have grown accustomed to Lala and actually feel it has such a nice ring to it... so he will always be Lala to me!!!

Complete Photos Here

AND HERE HE IS HAPPILY SWIMMING!!!

The Quaint Town of Lugang

Earlier this month, en route to KAOHSIUNG, we decided to stop by and pay a visit to the township of Lugang we have heard so much about how lovely the old town part from may people but never ever got a chance to go.. so we made it a point to leave a bit earlier and stop by there for a few hours then on to Kaohsiung in the evening time...
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A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN:
Founded in the early eighteenth century, Lugang (鹿港) was once one of Taiwan’s busiest ports. Along with Tainan and Manka (Mengjia, today's Wanhua District of Taipei), Lugang was considered one of Taiwan's three largest cities, giving rise to the saying "The first is Tainan, second is Lugang, and third is Manka (Mengjia)."
Domestic and foreign tourists invade Lugang on weekends and holidays to relish its easy and friendly pace. On Lunar New Year, visitors from all over Taiwan walk through its winding alleys, pray at the 400-year old Longshan Temple (龍山寺), or stroll along Chungshan Road (中山路). Famous Lugang delicacies include flour milk with sesame balls (麵茶加麻恅).

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Albeit the actual Old Town is not so big, about 3 streets long, it was still truly worth the trip... such a nice quaint town... old & traditional shops, antique housings, delicacies and such friendly people.... very pretty & ornate temple.... delicacies to try, of course..... and we were even treated to some shaking by a QUAKE that HIT Taiwan while we were there....

SEE OUR FUN PHOTOS HERE