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- November 2, 2015
Day 12 Reflection: Visiting the Source of Personal Demons
November 2, 2015Read moreMonday, November 2, 2015. Sorry for the belated update! I’ve been unable to write much about the Taiwan Trip lately because (1) I’ve getting in the car with Dad at every chance so I can spend more time with him as he drives and (2) My Uncle has embarked on a campaign to show me all the modern conveniences of Taichung City, soft-selling me on the idea of living here for longer stretches of time. Dad’s been driving quite a bit (which he hasn’t done for 20 years) because of a medical issue in the family; I feel better when I’m in the car with him. I’m actually writing this in the lobby of a hospital. For this post, I’ll just talk extemporaneously about a few personal observations I’ve had! (more…)
- October 28, 2015
Day 11-12: The Appliances of Taiwan
October 28, 2015Read moreWednesday, October 28, 2015. After Monday’s oral surgery to insert two dental implants into my jaw, I’ve been taking it easy. There has been little pain and no bleeding, and I’ve been carefully taking antibiotics and using the Chlorhexidine rinse to keep bacteria controlled. However, I’ve been really tired and have been having headaches accompanied by a lack of appetite, so not a lot has happened in the past few days. So, I’m going to dig into the photo archives and show some pictures of machines that are just a little different from what I’m used to seeing in the USA. (more…)
- October 27, 2015
Day 09-10: Dinner and Dentistry in Taichung
October 27, 2015Read more
Monday, October 26, 2015. The past two days have been about getting ready for the dental implant operation I had scheduled for Monday morning at the Faith & Glory Dental Clinic, which happens to be run by my uncle Ezra here in Taichung. I remember when he first started his practice in Taichung back in the late 70s, his license to practice in California serving as credentials for a higher standard than perhaps was typical in Taiwan at that time. His first office had a chair that predated ultrasonic drilling, using actual mechanical pulleys to power the drill. It’s all quite different now! Lasers seem to be involved! Anyway, since a dental implant requires drilling into the jawbone followed by a lengthy healing process, Uncle invited Dad and I out to dinner at a luxury hotel called The Lin, as after the surgery I would not be able to chew anything for a while. (more…)
- October 25, 2015
Day 06-08: Settling into Taiwan with Dad
October 25, 2015Read moreSaturday, October 24, 2015. It’s been difficult to keep up with my daily updates, but perhaps that was to be expected. The first full day in Taiwan was pretty much a sleeping day, and the second day in Taiwan was for settling-in and just reconnecting with Dad and getting situated.
- October 24, 2015
NaNoWriMo 2015 November Word Counting Calendar
October 24, 2015Read more
You can always download the most recent version from my Nanowrimo Calendar Page! It is updated by late October every year.I’ve just uploaded this year’s NaNoWriMo Word Tracking Calendar for 2015! Go grab it and write some words! It’s a great way to quantify and visualize your daily word count with respect to the 50,000 word goal.
If you’re not familiar with NaNoWriMo, it’s a novel-writing effort that takes place every November around the world. The goal is to write the words to prove to yourself that yes, you can do it! They don’t have to be good words, because the underlying premise of NaNoWriMo is getting unstuck and writing!
To sweeten the pot, you even can win prizes when you successfully submit your 50,000 word document on November 30. And even if you don’t win, you’ll find great company in other “wrimos” writing together in libraries, trains, and coffee shops around the world. I really enjoyed it when I did it in 2012. This calendar helped me keep the pace very well.
This Year’s Calendar
For instructions and the actual PDF download, please visit the following page:
Dave’s Word Counting Calendar Page
Good luck everyone! Have a great National Novel Writing Month!!!
