I'm here

A great man once said, "One's travels are the pigments with which one's portrait is painted." I also once said, "To best preserve one's portrait, one must travel to more temperate climes." Well, I missed on that last part. Taiwan is hot.

Yes, I am in Taiwan. In Taipei City to be exact. This blog will chronicle my life here (or, more likely, what I would like my life here to be) for those who might be interested (Mom and me).

Let me begin by saying that despite the vast leaps in technological advancement that our civilization claims to have made, I have empirical proof that we have digressed since the days of Jules Verne. In his day Phileas Fogg could circumnavigate the globe in eighty days. Careful planing and determined effort notwithstanding, it took me all of ninety-four days to make it from Gainesville, Georgia to Taipei City, Taiwan. Maybe it is because my name is not Phileas. Maybe it is because my name is not Fogg. Whatever it is, Phil could somehow make it farther in less time on his elephants and wind-powered sledges than I could in the most up-to-date commercial airliners. All in all, I think this episode to be a humbling lesson to the human race. This human raced another one who is now nearly one-hundred and fifty years old, and he smoked me.

The trip itself was as pleasant as it possibly could be. On my right sat a man named Roger. I found out that he was born in Peoria at 8:53 am on October 3, 1969. That he lived there for thirteen years before moving to Chicago at which time he lost his dog, which was named Gopher. That he is disappointed in the career path he has taken, but he feels that he was pushed into it by a domineering father. That he has been divorced two times, but now has an interest that he really feels is the one he has been waiting for. That he has been dealing with a rash under his left arm for a few weeks now that has him worried. Then the plane took off from LA. I think there was someone sitting on my left; it was an elderly lady if I am not mistaken. Somehow during the journey I was able to break away from Roger long enough to incite three riots, vote 11 people off the plane (all from first class), and devise and establish a new form of representational government to govern the plane. Over all, it went pretty well.

I am now staying with a couple who graduated from CIU. They have been kind enough to put me up until I can find a place of my own. They are also helping me get situated here. It is really a blessing to have them here.

I have an interview lined up with a school on Friday. I will be teaching a short lesson there. I think it will be dealing with the true causes of the American Civil War. Keep that in your prayers.

Will keep y'all posted. Y'all do the same for me.