Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Oh no!

Took Anjoli (my 9 year old ) to the doctor today. Turns out she has Acute (Achilles) Tendonitis. Poor babe. She's in a lot of pain. The doc told me to borrow crutches from her school, so we did. She may need them for two weeks! (I hope not). Bummer because she wants to sign up for a girl's soccer team - it starts next week. I will be a "soccer mom" of course and ask nicely if she can maybe attend practice but watch from the sidelines until she's good and ready to play. I am SO tired of her being indoors so much. It's hard - it's so hot, but more than that - there's nothing to DO here in our neighborhood. She really needs to be part of some athletic team. Fingers crossed it will work out.

So I didn't get to have my lunch with my new friend today... I've haven't met her yet (she's a friend of a friend). See- I'm an optimist (most of the time). So we are meeting for coffee Monday morning. She's a physical therapist and she sweetly offered her services (stretching/massaging) to help Anjoli. That was very kind of her.

I am getting used to Taipei (again! We lived here for 6 months last year as many of you know). The scooters really annoy me, as they did last year. The "scooterists" somehow feel they are above traffic laws. I have stopped caring about whether I am going to get hit by one while crossing the street though. My attitude is, "you want to hit me, go ahead." So they just swerve around me. I would love to see an aerial view of traffic here. Cars (especially TAXIS- cabbies are truly insane), pedestrians, scooters - they all just snake around each other. I have spent a lot of time traveling in India where you honestly see your life flash by every 30 seconds if you are traveling by car, so I guess my ticker is used to it. People (for the most part) do obey traffic lights on main drags here though. This is a very un PC thing to say, but one of our friends said he's going to print up a bumper sticker that says: "Fuck you, I'm Chinese!" I know that sounds unlike me to write, but it's SO true! Ok you should never call a Taiwanese person Chinese, but you get my drift.

Speaking of the "F" word. People here are very into wearing t-shirts with silly sayings that often make no sense. Last night at the gym I saw this very demure looking woman - she was maybe 30- with a t-shirt which had Dunkin' Donuts colors and lettering - it had a picture of a glass (maybe it's supposed to be a styrofoam cup) with liquid spilling out of it - and it said "Go fuckin' nuts."
I wanted SO badly to ask her: "Um, do you know what your shirt says?" Of course I DIDN'T, but I am 99% sure she had no idea what it said. I could be wrong! [Anjoli thinks she most likely doesn't know what it says].

One OTHER thing that bugs me is, well, the sidewalks here are very narrow, and sometimes you're forced to walk in the street. I have noticed that in general, people DO NOT scoot aside for you. I am ALWAYS the one to make way! I don't care, but I wonder why that is? Tonight I stepped aside for a woman and her two kids (well, no problem there) and I smiled at her little boy who was probably 4. He looked up at me and kept looking behind, smiling at me, as if to say, "hey thanks!"

The other WEIRD thing (it doesn't bug me) is that, whenever a cop is driving his cop car, he MUST keep his flashing lights on, and that goes for the cops on scooters too. (I saw a cop on a scooter for the first time today). I can't remember if he obeyed the traffic light or not. I'm guessing NOT. :)

7 comments:

Gary said...

Sorry to hear about Anjoli, hopefully she will be better soon. Soccer is a great game. Used to play it when I was her age.

The traffic sounds hellish, especially the scooter thing, although, here in OC it's the opposite, cars pay no heed to people on motorcycles or scooters.. I've had people make 80% of their lane change before realizing I'm right next to them.

I can definitely relate to what you're saying about people who are not courteous on the sidewalk. I don't know what it is about people, territorial? But it's rude, makes you feel like barging into people on purpose. The one that drives me nuts is when I'm trying to walk around the mall and there are three women with strollers sauntering 3 abreast leaving no room for others to walk faster, or obvlivious people who get up to the top of the escelator and stop and look around while people behind them are trying to get by them.. makes you want to yell WAKE UP!!!

Well, hope you are doing well in other ways Sue.

Gary said...

one other thing. Not sure if you were aware, but your Blogger account is apparently still send post confirmations to your cox.net email address, you might want to go in and change that to your new email address. Everyone who posts you will get a bounced email message.

BlackVelvetLace said...

Sounds like some busy traffic over there Sue, BE CAREFUL!! I hope Anjoli heals up Quick!!

~Lace`

grace said...

Ooh, tendonitis is awful, I have it in both elbows, and both wrists, and in my hip, it from doing hair. So painful, she is so young. Lots of stretching, icing, and when the pain decreases keep the muscles strong. oops, sorry not trying to sound like a doctor, just been through it myself, cortisone shots etc.

I love the dunkin donuts shirt, you must have wanted to laugh out load.

take care, xx

ps: like Gary said, I get email non delivery conf. too.

Suesjoy said...

Hi everyone-
sorry about the email thing- that's a new occurrence though!
I will try to take care of it. I thought I fixed it awhile back...
xxxx

lryicsgrl said...

Oh I do hope Anjoli's pain subsides, soon!
I bet her soccer coach will let her be part of the team, until she is ready. My fingers are crossed, though, just in case ;)

Your stories of life in Taipei are fantastic....but, PULEEZE be careful with those scooter people!!! YIKES!

You do sound like your chin is up, and that is good!

I loves ya!
xo

Suesjoy said...

Gary-
Well, one of Anjoli's friends mom is trying to get this all girl team together. They need 20 kids and so far 15 have signed up (Anjoli would make it 16). I found out today that we won't know until after Christmas if there will be a team or not! I really hope so.
Some of the kids told Anjoli she should play for the international team after seeing her play in PE. She has her dad's very athletic genes. I know I am bragging but she's a natural. She won't play w/boys though and I don't blame her - too scary!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way about rude people hogging up the sidewalk, etc.

Thanks Lace!
I will be careful, although now that I am half deaf I am usually in my own little world! Poor Anju is getting rashes from her crutches. I hate to see (anyone) suffer...especially my sweet little babe.

Grace-
aw thanks - great advice - that's EXACTLY what the doc ordered!
Yeah that shirt cracked me up to no end...and she was working out right next to me at one point...

Ta Suzy-Q-Z!
It's going to take about 2 weeks for the tendonitis to heal! I am UP for the most part. Getting used to it here. I am mostly excited about getting Chinese Medicine and learning Buddhist meditation. When in Rome...
:)

Take care you lot.
Peace, love and pink ponies,
Suexxxxxxxx