Typhoon in Progress

This is now the second time that I've woken up in the middle of the night/early morning. The first time my excuse was that someone called that phone lent to me at 3 or 4 AM and the phone setting was on like on full blast-nearly gave me a heart attack. Afterwards, it took me around an hour of surfing the net before I got sufficiently tired again.

This time my excuse is the extremely loud typhoon raging outside.
For those like me not familiar with Asian weather...

ty·phoon /taɪˈfun/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[tahy-foon]

1.	a tropical cyclone or hurricane of the western Pacific area and the China seas.

2.	a violent storm or tempest of India.

3.	(initial capital letter) Military. a. a single-engine British ground attack aircraft of World War II. b. NATO's name for a class of nuclear-powered Soviet ballistic missile submarine carrying 20 multiwarhead missiles.

(courtesy of dictionary.com)


The doors and windows are rattling, the wind is howling, and the rain is beating down. That definitely is a part of it but I'm guessing I still have some jet lag since I feel pretty awake now. In fact, I feel like watching an episode or two of "Alias" in bed...though I probably shouldn't since it's 5:43 AM now.

I'm actually looking forward slightly to an uneventful day inside, surfing the net chilling in my air conditioned room and watching my "Alias" DVD while eating instant noodles and other snacks. My legs need a rest, though I think I might be gaining some weight for all these lavish meals. Oh which reminds me, the other day my aunt and uncle took me to a niu rou mian (beef noodle soup) place and they asked if I wanted a large or small bowl...well I said large. Then when it came I realized the folly of my choice.

It's funny how Americans assume they eat so much just bc the portions might be larger than their European counterparts bc this Taiwanese large was the biggest I've ever seen! I was extremely full but I made myself eat everything haha. (The scary part is that I am known stateside for my voracious appetite, hence my nicknames, "piggy," "small pig," and the lovely "black hole pig.") The small bowl is the equivalent to the standard bowl that most Chinese-American eateries use stateside (and a small bowl here would have been enough to satisfy my hunger-I've learned my lesson). I was told that at another niu rou mian joint, their small bowl is even larger than that place's large!

Which brings me to this paradox, why is it that Taiwanese ppl eat SO MUCH (much more than Americans do), but they are SO THIN?! I asked my uncle that and his response was frank...that Americans are fat....Okay...granted that may be so but WHY aren't Taiwanese ppl fat or fatter than Americans?? I'm assuming two variables in play here, since Taiwanese consume larger quantities and yet are slimmer, it must be A) they eat healthier foods 2) they exercise more. I'm guessing it's a combination of the two but probably more emphasis on variable A).


Update 6:27 AM

The rain is pouring so hard and relentlessly that I can barely hear my music which is on full blast.