Typhoon Danas Landed from BuDai Harbor in ChiaYi

I didn't write the journal until 8:15 this evening, after having dinner and taking the meditation.

Monday is full of activities. From 8:30 till 9:30, the online NHK easy Japanese news reading about the riverside Kabuki Procession in Osaka on the first of July to announce the coming Summer Kabuki performance from July the 5th till the 24th. 

Even I have a big Kaburi dictionary on the bookself, I have never seen a Kakuki show in Japan. If I had a chance, I won't mind seeing the Kabuki Procession with famous Kabuki actors on the Gondora drifting along the two and a half kilometers river to the Kabuki Hall.

I took Bus Brown 2 from XinDian to WanFang Hospital in the rain. The bus stopped in the middle of the heavy traffic intersection because there was a crash between a bus and a taxi. I got off the bus. On my way to WenShan Sports Center, I bought a bowl of steamed glutinous rice for lunch for NT50 dollars. I also bought a butter melon bread for dessert.

My friend and I met up at the Ikari Cafe' at the lobby of WenShan Sports Center at 12:45. He ordered a cup of latte upon my request, we shared the pancake with honey and chocolate ice cream. We practiced speaking Korean for two hours. Then he went upstairs to exercise, I took Bus Green 2 back to XinDian, took a nap till 4:30.     

In the afternoon, I watched a DVD, a 2023 Japanese movie “Moon”, by Rie Miyazawa. The once a famous writer couldn’t write anymore. She started to work at a facility for the severely disabled which is located in the deep forest. She witnessed the residents at the facility being treated carelessly or even violently by others workers. I dared not finish watching the DVD based on the social incidence in Japan.  

At night, I learned from the news that the eye of Typhoon Danas made landfall in ChiaYi County's Budai Township late at night. It was the first time PuZi experience such a huge typhoon in 120 years. 

Typhoon Danas 2025

It's almost 9 o'clok in the evening, I decided to write on this blog.

After breakfast, I walked to the food vendor in the neighbor to buy vegetables and fruits. I bought 4 zucchinis, 2 tomotos, 2 corns, 4 potatos, 2 dragonfruits, 3 honeydew melons, two bags of white mushroom. I asked my husband to come downstairs to help me carry all of them up to the 4th floor.

At noon, we had a big pot of corn, tomato, potato, cabbage, port rib soup, and a big pan of fried zucchini, white mushrooms, salmon, bread for lunch. My husband joked about my upsurging appetitie.

In the afternoon, I asked my husband to make dragonfruit milk juice for me after I got up from the siesta. It tasted really sweet and delicious.

At night, we had salmon fried rice for dinner, with eggs, white mushroom, onion. I had two bowls of delicious salmon fried rice. 

Because of Typhoon Danas, it will be raining the whole week next week, the temperature would drop to around 30 degrees celcius.

The First Weekend in July (1/30)

I decided to see Brother Jimmy in person either at WuGu or XinChuang Sports Center whenever I have time, with an aim we meet 30 times face-to-face the second half of year 2025 (1/30).

I like morning hours, reading on the front veranda, having breakfast slowly, taking medication, cleaning the teeth alighment. My teeth didn't feel as painful the third day with the new alignment. Life is about adjustment, take it easy, and let the nature take it course.

I got on Bus 918 at CiJi Station at 10:00, arrived at Taipei Hospital at 10:25. The next Bus 982 wouldn't arrive in 35 minutes, so I walked to the Taipei Hospital to use the toilet. Then I stayed around to listen to GuZheng performance for 10 minutes. While waiting for the traffic light, I saw a purple pouch on the street, I took it to the shop nearby. I was advised to take it to the police station, or leave where it was.

I arrived at WuGu at 11:11, I was told that Brother Jimmy was at the Hi-Life Convenient Store. I stayed at WuGu to mingle with the residents and watched TV till 11:30 the lunch time. I ate one spare lunch box. It gave me a chance to know more about the daily activities of WuGu Center. 

After lunch, I joined Brother Jimmy at Hi-Life at 12:10 in a sudden rain. I saw Lady C was sitting with Brother Jimmy. C is 38 years old with two married older sisters. Then we invited Boy B to join us. B was 32 years old, married. His 5 year old daughter is with a foster family. B's father passed away, and called Brother Jimmy "Daddy". Upon B's request, I paied for three kinds of frozen food he chose at the HiLife. Bother Jimmy also enjoyed the warmed up frozen food. I am happy that Brother Jimmy is surrounded by many caring and friendly resdients at WuGu. I got on Bus 982 at 13:05, transferred to Bus 918 at XinPu station, arrived in XinDian at 14:20, took a rest till 15:00.

In the afternoon, I saw a DVD about a romantic tale when Yuri, a high school student, has a disagreement with her mother and decides to flee, ultimately seeking refuge for the night in an abandoned World War II bomb shelter. Upon awakening, she discovers that her surroundings have transformed into a bygone era. The romance between the high school student and Kamikaze team member later motivates the student to go to college to become a teacher. 

Back on My Feet Again

I didn't turn on the desktop immediately after I got up in the morning. I waited till late in the afternoon after I came back from the solo hiking in the mountains to check the emails on the computer.

Life is pretty much back to the everyday routines. I am feeling much better than the previous two weeks. My appetite came back and my weight increased. I still can't stop coughing from time to time, to get the attention on the public bus, and in the city library. 

I got up at 8:15 this morning, enjoyed a peaceful reading moment on the front veranda, drinking a big glass of warm water, followed by a glass of soybean milk with cereals, then I took three kinds of medicine to cure the coughing before I put on my teeth alignment.

It's the second day since I put on the 14th teeth alighment yesterday evening. The second day is always hard, becasue the teeth are adjusting to the new positions. It usually takes about 10 days for them to get sturdy to bite and to chew.

I took 10:35 Free New Taipei City Bus to the top of DaTong Mountain trail. The new bus driver was a young man. The old one quitted at the end of June. It's a pity because I have known the old driver since the COVID time.

 I got off the bus at the terminal station at 11:20, walked all the way down for about five kilometers. Along the way, I saw many flowers blossoming, many species of butterflies chasing one another, and many birds singing merrily. It was a quiet and peaceful hiking with the air full of vitality and engergy.

I decided to take a recess for 25 minutes leaning on a big tall tree. I took a delicious apple and a peeler from may backpack. It was relaxing sitting on the grass sidewalk, savoring the peeled apple, looking up at the green tree leaves against the blue sky with a few white clouds flowing here and there.

The breeze was really nice in the mountains. When I arrived at the end of the trail, I saw the big digital temperature monitor of Taipower Building showing 35 degrees celcius, I felt the heat waves rushing at me all of a sudden. I went into a local ZongZi store to quench my hunger. I got on the free bus at 1:50, arrived home at 2:30, took a long nap for one hour.

I took Bus Green 13 to the JingXin City library to reserve six books on line and borrow 7 new arrival DVDs. It was my lucy day. If I had my husband's library card with me, I could have borrowed 14 DVDs home.

The first DVD I watched was “In Broad Daylight (Chinese: 白日之下)”, a 2023 Hong Kong crime drama film directed by Lawrence Kan, from a screenplay co-written with Tong Chui-ping, about the abuse of patients at a local nursing home. While watching the DVD, I can’t help think of Brother Jimmy at New Taipei City WuGu Rehabilitation Center. Brother Jimmy is lucky to live with friendy disabled people to keep his companies, the center was managed by a caring and knowledgeable Center Director.

The 14th Teeth Alignment

It's been almost two weeks since I last wrote this blog. I am so proud of myself that I started wearing the 14th teech alignment this evening. I must confess it was extremely hard to keep the teech alighment on, 24-7 a day, especially the past two weeks period when I had a serious cold.

I saw a Chinese Medicine doctor in my neighborhood twice two weeks ago, took the Chinese medicine for a week. Then my husband accompanied me to visit Ci-Ji Hospital Monday evening, to see the Western Family Medicine doctor. I had X-Ray taken, blood drawn, sputum collected for consecutive three days, and I took home 4 big bags of western medicine, including Amoxicillin 1,000mg bid. I was loaded with drugs of the east and west on my desk. And my weight dropped drastically to 51.5Kg, a super skinny Sherry for the first time in my life.

Nothing is more important than health, I knew it before, I now know it more in depth. This morning, I had an online Japanese class from 8:15 till 9:00, an online English class from 10:30 till 11:00. Then I went to Ci-Ji Hospital to deliver my three days sputum samples to the labortory. When I went downstairs, I decided to stick around to see an annual performance at the auditorium from 11:30 till 12 noon.

In the afternoon, I went to Wheatland Care Center to lead the group activities for two dozen senior citizens from 1:30 till 3:30, then I went to XinDian Sports Center to exercise for 40 minutes. 

For senior citizens, the muscle strengh is important to keep healthy. I must be more disciplined to visit the sports center regularly. God help those who help themselves.

In the evening, I read the book review on "Output Encyclopedia for Converting Learning into Results 学びを結果に変えるアウトプット大全" by Shion Kabasawa. I am going to borrow the book from the Taipei City Library to see the better picture.

The author begins the answer by stating that a child’s brain is different an adult’s brain, specially on how information is processed. The two keywords here are input and output.

Input is considered as all behavior that may increase your amount of knowledge about a specific subject. Classic examples are listening to a lecture and reading a book. Output is considered as all behavior that is a manifestation or expression of what you know, or what you feel. Examples are writing a book, talking, and taking photos.

The kids’ brain is finely tuned for learning from input, while adults’ brain no longer recognize input as being essentially important for learning. An adult needs to output in order to fix new concepts.

There are three rules of output:

1 – A frequently used memory is stored as long-term memory.
Recall a memory at least three times in two weeks and it will be recognized as an useful piece of information then stored as long-term memory.

2 – The learning curve is proportional to the speed you complete the cycle of input-output-feedback. 
When starting to learn about a subject, one should first input, then proceed to output what you just learnt, then get feedback. Without a proper feedback, one cannot properly enter the next learning cycle.

3 – The golden ratio for learning as an adult: time spent inputting/time spent outputting = 3/7.

Half Way Done

I woke up at 6:00, but didn't get up until 7:10, I still coughed a lot last night, but I am feeling much better.

The dental appointment was at 9:15.  

Exercise

I didn't get up until 7:45 this morning. I still had a sore throat and coughed a lot last night. As soon as I got up, I had a bag of antitussive syrup I brought back from Seoul Korea last December. My Korean gave me a box of 20 strawberry flavored syup bags as a gift. Just about I wonder when I'm going to use them, I had a cough at the right time. I shall take a bag twice a day until I get well, and give away the rest of them to my Korean language teacher.

From 8:15 till 9:00 this morning, a Japanese conversation class was held. Everyone took turns reading useful sentence patterns. The homework would be uploading the recording of self made sentences.

From 10:30 till 11:00, the topic of 623 online English conversation class for today is about the Exercise. There are many aspects of exercise, both physical and mental. Sound mind, sound body, and vice versa. Going to the fitness center regularly not only builds muscle strength, but also stimulates the cardiovascular blood circulation, provides energy to the brain. Exercise is something we can't do without to live a healthy life.

Health is a journey. This journey is fluid and everchanging. Health changes, morphs, and adjusts, but it does not end. It is to live our life to the greatest and fullest way possible. Keep in mind to always move toward to improve the quality of life.

From 1:30 till 3:30 in the afternoon, we had fun playing many games at the Wheatland Care Center, including hand marking the individual Vision Board, the guessing of Ah expressions, Karaoke, and aerobic dancing.

I took a long nap from 4:30 till 6:30, because I felt tired, maybe due to my cough. But my body temperature remained the same.

After dinner, I watched Standford Executive Briefings No. 7 Skills, Techniques and Strategies for Effective Negotiations. It is very challenging to be a mediator.

I printed out the authorization letter from relatives in China. Brother Jimmy and I will go to the XinDian Court to get the power of attorney.

Kelly's Partea Room

I got up at 6:30 this morning in a fantastic mood, I didn't wake up throughout the night. I moved away a shoe storage rack yesterday afternoon, to make more room for my bed at night in the living room. 

To my surprise I found many missing clothes, shoes, bottles, little items, such as earphones, in the hidden junks beneath the shoe rack. Things I could have worn out iron shoes, to search high and low with no success, appeared right in front of my eyes. I don't have to go to the flea market, my home is like one to enjoy the fun treasure hunting game.

I left home at 10:30 for a lunch appointment at an English tea house--Kelly's Partea Room near MRT Qilian Station. I arrived 30 minutes in advance, walked in the lush neighborhood. There were benches in a small hilly park right in front of the tea house. As the tea house didn't open till 12 noon, I enjoyed sitting on the bench reading books under big tall Madagascar Almond trees waiting for my friends.

The hostess is an authentic English tea specialist. She used to study with the tea house owner how to make English tea traditionally and professionally. We started lunch with vegetables and fruits salad and spicy Chinese dumplings, followed by various afternoon tea, Darjeeling spring tea, flower tea, and Masala milk tea. In the quite and beautiful tea house reserved for three of us only, we learned the art of English, how to hold the tea cup, how to eat the English scoons with jam and cream. We talked for four hours till 4:30 in the afternoon.

From 9:15 till 10 o'clock in the evening, we had an online Toastmaster magazine reading about how to pick up a speech topic. https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/apr/back-to-the-basics-speech-topics

I highly recommend the video made for the Toastmasters International by Ramona J. Smith 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking made, How to Pick a Captivating Speech Topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw2TZv56qO4&t=10s

Podcast on YouTube

I got up at 6:30 this morning feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. I only woke up once to use the toilet last night, thinking of making more room in the living room by moving some junks to the roof floor. Danshari is a Japanese way to optimize the things at home,  Dan (refuse), sha (dispose) and ri (separate) to minimise the belongings. 

People can danshari everything, but exercise and sleep. Adequate exercise and quality sleep are so important that we can't do without. Exercise improves brain function and plasticity. Sleep is an effective way to rest. During deep sleep stages, glucose metabolism increases supporting both short term and long term memory. Human growth hormones are secreted leading to growth and development of the whole body. Energy is restored and mood is boosted. Blood supply to nerves increases. Cell regeneration takes place, so does repair of heart, blood vessels, tissues, muscles and bones. Immune system gets strengthened. Blood sugar gets controlled.

I browsed the entire "The Diary of a CEO" as fast as I could till 9:30. I agreed all 33 laws the author mentioned, and the last but the least 33th law, learning never ends. After reading the book, I wish I could apply some laws in life to become a better CEO of myself. 

I rode my bike to meet up with Brother Jimmy at the XinDian Sports Center at 10 o'clock. We exercised for one and a half hours. Brother Jimmy went back to Xindian to rest at home by bus. Brother Jimmy told me that he was happy with a walking cane in hand, people gave away seat on the bus immediately to an old man with gray hair and a walking cane.

On my way back home, I encountered the downpour all of a sudden. I took the opportunity to walk in Rock Pizza for lunch for the first time. After lunch, I went to JingXin Library to return books and DVDs. I read a few newly arrived fashion magazines before I rode my bike home in the rain.

In the afternoon, I watched a TED talk by Catherine Price about happiness. The secret to happiness is just to have more everyday momens of fun. Feeling fun makes us healthier. Having fun fills life with playfulness, connections, and flow of energy.

At 5 o'clock, I took off the teeth alignment to record the NHK news to share with Monday NHK Japanese news reading group. In the begining, I recorded the news with the alignment on, but it was hard to articulate. When I took off the teeth alignment, I felt more at ease reading the news.  The more I read the news, the better result I achieved in terms of pronunciation and intonation. Maybe I could have a new career as a YouTube podcaster? From a CED to a SEO? Just joking! 

In the late afternoon, I didn't take a nap as usual, as I didn't sleep tight last night, I decided not to take a late afternoon nap, in order to sleep through the entire night.

After dinner, I watched Japanese and Korean language podcasts for two hours. Learning, speaking, and thinking in foreign languages made my day of happiness. 

I felt a little sore throat in the evening, maybe I caught cold in the rain in the afternoon. But I didn't drink too much water, because I didn't want to wake up to go to the toilet. 

From Age 60

I got up at 7:30 this morning, woke up twice at night, and went to the toilet once. I got up late, because I slept on my comfortable queen size bed. I think sleeping in the living room is a better option for me, to sleep the entire night, and to get up early. 

It was sunny and bright outside. According to the weather broadcast, it rains throughout the whole week. It is not bad if it rains in the afternoons, to cool down the temperature in the evenings.

From 8:30 till 9:30, the online Japanese reading group takes turns reading the news about the importance of team forming with family and friends to avoid being ripped off the saving and property by scammers and fraudsters. It is easy for senior citizens to become victims of money cheating. The Japanese government has recently published a pamphlet to guide people above age 60 how to form a team before their cognitive abilities deteriorate. A team with family and friends is necessary and urgent to protect personal belongings and properties. 

https://rcfg.keio.ac.jp/pahahul/2025/03/Building_a_team_from_age_60.pdf

Three Korean language group members met for lunch at a restaurant near WanFeng Hospital at 11:30. I had fried pork chop and three side dishes for NT$105 dollars. I didn't order the most popular tomato fried rice with fried pork chop, because I didn't want to have too much rice. After lunch, we walked to WenShan Sports Center and I had a big glass of ice latte at Ikari Cafe'. We studied the Korean language for one and a half hours from 12:30 noon till 2 o'clock. Then I went up to the fitness center on the 2nd floor to exercise for one and a half hours.

Comparing with DaAn, I became more fond of WenShan Sports Center for several reasons. Firstly, the female rest area at WenShan is much bigger and brighter. There are tables, chairs, hair dryers. and free WiFi. I felt more at ease taking a break during exercise routines. Secondly, Ikari Cafe' is on the first floor where I can read and write, and mingle with friends. Thirdly, on my way back to XinDian by Bus Green 2, I stopped by the Kingstone Bookstore to read a few new books on the shelves with light background music in the air. There are many empty tables and chairs and not many people in late weekday afternoons. It's a perfect retreat for me.

After dinner, I read "The Diary of a CEO--the 33 laws of Business and Life" by Steven Bartlett on my huge CEO desk.

Law 1: Fill Your Five Buckets in the Right Order, Knowledge, Skills, Network, Resources, Reputation

Law 2: To Master It, You Must Create An Obligation to Teach It

Law 3: You Must Never Disagree

Glamair Korean Restaurant

I didn't get up till 7:45, obviously I slept better on my queen size bed in my bed room. I don't mind sleeping in the living room during the weekdays to feel the freedom. On weekends, no BBC broadcasing is available on the radio. I can use my bedroom without being disturbed by the news.

Talking about the news, I just couldn't help googling the controversial news about US military parade President Trump has long wanted on his 79th birthday. He saw his command of the military as a sign of his strength. He no doubt is the most powerful person in the world. But he can't solve the ongoing and upcoming wars at places on earth. Who knows what the future holds for him and the mankind?

At 12 noon, I had lunch with Jane, a NTNU Mandarin speaking Toastmaster member, at Korean Restaurant Glamair near MRT DaPinLing station. Jane told me her wedding news, and we shared ideas about her coming wedding events both in Vietnam in March and in Taiwan in April. 

At Glamair, the side dishes are free and all you can eat. The minimum charge is NT$350 per person. We spent a total of NT$900 for spicy doboki, japchae noodles, and steamed egg with mentaiko cheese. After lunch, we walked across the street to Starbucks. 

I ordered white chocolate macadamia cream cold brew plus flavoured pearls, Jane ordered raspberry-flavoured boba pearls. The Starbucks summer boba refresher drinks 2025 were good. My sweet and nutty cold brew was good till the last drop. To my surprise, the cafe' was packed with people, singles, friends, families.

We took Bus 909 to DaAn Sports Center to exercise for one hour. It was the first time Jane used the fitness center. Today I only collected 8 tomatos on the treadmill because Jane felt too warm in the fitness center. We went to HoPing Senior High School bus station together.  She took Bus 275 home. And I took Bus 909 back to XinDian. I took a nap immediately after I arrived home.

In the evening, I tried steaming cabbage and sliced pork belly for dinner for the first time. I think steamed dishes are healthy.