Keeping up with the Joneses

(Jackie's last name is Jones)

So my birthday has 3 chapters. We'll start at the beginning.

Chapter 1 --Taipei

We drank, we danced, we stumbled home. There are some great picture sequences including one where Andy keeps telling me to lick his tongue and I try desperately to push him away. Even better, is the 21 kisses I received from complete strangers in the club--count them, there should be 17 smooches from strangers and 4 from people I actually know.

Chapter 2 --Filipino Magic Raver Party Disco 2000

It seems like we always end up at the Flying Pig, which only happens to be the filthiest of expat bars. But on this particular Sunday, the Filipinos rented it for their only day off (Filipinos in Taiwan are a bit like indentured servants, but I don't think the labor movement's really caught on in Taiwan yet...). Anyways, long story short, we danced with a bunch of Filipinos as part of an elaborate good-bye to three foreigners leaving the same week. Opportunely, the Filipinos also sang me happy birthday. The picture is of me perched on Dave's shoulders watching the 'Sexiest Couple' Dance. It was pretty out of hand.

Chapter 3--Sida, 105

No birthday is complete without cake smashed in your face. This was my 3rd birthday cake in the space of 3 days (my adult class surprised me with cake and flowers, my boss bought one, and Sida bought one), which by any measure is a bit much, but I suppose I didn't eat much of the last one. And I got a sweet hat. This also marks the only time this teacher's gone out hard on a schoolnight...

All in all, this was the BEST birthday I've ever had, mostly because it's the only one where I've actually seen friends. In previous lifetimes, December 19th has always hit Christmas season and people scatter. But Taiwan doesn't celebrate Christmas so my friends here pretty much didn't have a choice.

Stay tuned for my Christmas in Taiwan. Our school put on a huge Christmas production, and I am immeasurably proud of my kids. On a more social note, 2 Chapel Hillians visit Taiwan, and I would like to say it was quite memorable. Let's just say that we all ended up in the hospital on Christmas Eve.