Tuesday's Tunes: September

I guess I will go ahead and continue the trend of posting some choice vintage pop tunes. Though I only recently saw this trippy video from the 70's (if you couldn't tell), I've been a long time fan of Earth, Wind and Fire, and specifically, their song "September," a perfect way to usher in the Fall.

September
By Earth, Wind and Fire

Suggested Reading: Atomic Robo

Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne (Vol. 1)
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener

"In 1923, Nikola Tesla's career is in its twilight... until he unveils a robot with automatic intelligence - ATOMIC ROBO! After decades of dealing with all manner of weirdness, Atomic Robo and the so-called Action Scientists of Tesladyne become the go-to defense force against the unexplained! See ROBO take on Nazis, giant ants, clockwork mummies, walking pyramids, Mars, cyborgs, and his nemesis, Baron von Helsingard, in his first trade paperback graphic novel."

One word  sums up this book: FUNTASTIC! Ok, that's not a real word...but it should be.

With the comics industry focusing their attention on an increasingly older readership, titles like Atomic Robo remembers a key ingredient to reading comics: fun! Atomic Robo is fifty percent Indiana Jones and fifty percent Hellboy, which translates to a healthy amount of Nazis getting beaten up. The first volume in the series is a rollicking adventure and where Hellboy is steeped in myth and magic, Atomic Robo gives us a world a rich world of comic book science: brains in jars controlling giant robots, gigantic radioactive ants, and so much more.

After borrowing the first volume from the library, this became my first electronic comic purchase via the Comixology app on my iPad. Check out the gruff but lovable Atomic Robo on whatever medium you like to read your funny books!

hsiehdy on Pinterest

Hello readers,
I signed up for Pinterest back in the Spring on a whim...and have actually continued to use it. It's eclectic (just like this blog), but some of you might get a kick out of it:

http://pinterest.com/hsiehdy/

If you do check it out, be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think of my Pinterest cultivating skills, or lack thereof.

Taiwan Through Pictures: Part 2

For the first part of this post, check out Taiwan Through Pictures: Part 1.

Wow, it's been 5 months since my trip to Taiwan. That will teach me to wait too long to post about my trips in the future! Unfortunately my memory is getting fuzzier and fuzzier, but hey, that's what pictures are for!

The favorite stop on the trip for both me and T was Sun Moon Lake. A lot of natural beauty here, although it rained the hardest on our way to the lake. This is how I found out my jacket that I packed for the trip was water resistant, as opposed to waterPROOF. You live and you learn. But the thunderstorm finally broke over night, lending us the beautiful view form our hotel room above.

We had the opportunity to visit a Hakka village, enjoy their cuisine, and even make some Hakka tea, which was a mix of green tea powder, black sesame, white sesame, puffed rice, and a couple of items I can't quite remember (in the baggie has either pine nuts or peanuts). Suffice to say, it was all very tasty.

At one of the rest stops, there was signage for one of my favorite Taiwanese soft drinks, Apple Sidra, a caramel-colored apple soda. My other favorite is Hey Song Sarsaparilla, which I guess is like a more medicine-y tasting root beer. Perhaps more of an acquired taste, T is unfortunately not a fan.

For the rest of this post, I will merely share the rest of my pictures, with the occasional caption. This will hopefully teach me the importance of writing things to down during or shortly after my future trips.

Outside the Beitou Hot Spring Museum

Best. Pork. Ever.

We had some delicious mango and strawberry snow from this place, but not as much fun as posing with their mascot.

While I don't know when our next trip will be to Taiwan, I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go with my family, and to show my wife a bit of the motherland!

Tuesday's Tunes: Summer Breeze

The original version of "Summer Breeze" has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. It's an inoffensive, catchy but not too catchy tune perfect for the waiting room of a dentist's office. It was also featured in an early episode of "How I Met Your Mother," in case it sounds familiar to you and you're a fan of the show.. Lucky for us, Jason Mraz did a nice cover of the song, getting this catchy tune into the ears of a new generation. It's the perfect chill song for closing out the summer season, enjoy!

Summer Breeze
Cover by Jason  Mraz