Ten Ten

If you watched the Olympics, or follow international news at all, then you're aware of Taiwan's tense and strange international status. Keep that in mind.

So tonight, I attended a gala banquet at the Marriott Hotel, not far from my apartment. The occasion? This week is the National Day (but really Independence Day) of Taiwan (but really the Republic of China), and the party was hosted by their Economic and Cultural Office (but really Embassy) in Kansas City. Both the food and the entertainment were, appropriately, a mix of Eastern and Western tastes. We did, of course, have to sit through a number of speeches that centered around their achievements as a people and their continued persecution by mainland China. I can hardly blame them, though. In their position I suppose I'd bring my plight up at every opportunity, too.

The evening was capped off with a toast of gao liang jiu, a potent variety of Chinese white wine, made from sorghum, that the Americans affectionately referred to as "White Lightning". It's only a small step above moonshine, actually. It'll put hair on your chest, a bounce in your step, and a hole in your liver.

My parents were also in town for the banquet, so they dropped off a number of items that I'd forgotten at home. Most notably, the rest of my movies, books, liquor, and furniture. So I guess my place is pretty much done now, and ready for guests. Come on down. :) A few shout outs:

Rusty: The Chinese side of the buffet was catered from Bo Ling's. Yum.

Derrick: There is a Folgers Coffee factory directly across the street from my building. If I'm walking home at the right time of the evening, say around 9:00, I can smell it on the production line. I don't even like coffee, but still yum.

James: If you come visit me, I've got a little something for you. And not what you just thought, either.