Shopping at IKEA

More shopping at IKEA. This time, it is kitchenware. F and I went there. We looked around, and saw a lot of interesting things that are cheap and good. We did not start wanting to get everything in one trip, but ended up getting everything I need to get me started to use the kitchen.

It is hard to imagine how cheap things can be there. We got plates and bowls, and it is 25NTD per piece. One set of pots and glass lids, and it costs only 3XX NTD. We also decided to get knives, steamer, patulas, cutlery, and the total is only 15XX NTD, which is less than 50 USD.

And the funny thing is that later we went to grocery store, and got some rice, oil, veggie, and a bottle of wine, and the cost of the grocery is more than the kitchenware.

So we cooked some dinner, and this morning I made my own breakfast. It is totally nice.

A Look

Almost everything was delivered today, funiture from IKEA, washer, and refrigerator. I had the bed frame assembled. It is a double bed, and I do not think I could handle the whole assembly by myself. Landlord was there also tonight, trying to fix some of the lights. Most are ok, but 2 transformers broke, so he will come back tomorrow evening with replacements. I put together the coffee table and the sofa. Sofa did not turn out the way I thought it should be. Although I sat on the same model at IKEA; however, this new one still feels very hard, and deep for me. It is probably good for someone who is 6 feet tall. I wondered why I did not see this at the store. I think I could get some soft pillows, for decoration, and also to make it more comfortable. Tomorrow I'll need to go get some sheets, and maybe put together the tv stand and the computer desk and chair.

Should I Flush Or Not?

This morning I went to IKEA to buy some furniture with the big help from MM. After that we went to a nice Thai restaurant. In their men's restroom, I saw this sign. I read and read, and could not decide if I should flush or not after I use it.

Minor Change

Though the space of the living looks big, it is not really easy to utilize the space. What should I put in the space between the living room and the kitchen? A dining table? Not really in this oddly shape of space. So I decided to move the bookshelf in the room th divide the space. Actually I like this better. And believe it or not, I don't think I have enough books or whatever to fill in this bookshelf; however, I still have something to put up there, at least I do not have to see the bathroom from the entrance.

The second photo shows another angle to see the bathroom and another 2 closets. These 2 closets were designed for shoes. The landlord put them at the entrance. I have 2 issues. First of all, I have only 4 pairs of shoes, including my sandles. Secondly, I really do not like to raise my shoes that high. So I decided to move them to this corner, and coincidentally, their widths fit that part of wall perfectly. I'll have to mop them really clean. One will be used for towels, detergent, etc; the other will be used as pantry. Now both open from the left. I'll flip one door, so I can open both from the center (aka, one from the left, the other from the right).

Now I can really move some books and DVD's over as the first step.

Funny Video

It is so funny. I have to keep it here for my own collection. :-)

New Life

So I signed the lease this evening, and will stay here for at least a year, unless I get lucky and win the lottery. This marks the beginning of my life, no matter if it turns out good or bad. Too many moves, too many things happened, too much procrastination, too much consideration. Now that I signed the lease, and I feel more certain of who I am.

No new car, however. Plan has changed over the past 2 weeks. Not knowing of the economy, not knowing how difficult it may become, it is just unwise of me to invest on a new car, especially when cars are expensive, and when I only live on monthly paycheck. I feel lucky to find this place. It has 2 rooms (small however), and a dining area, and a spacious living room. Spacious in my own standard when I currently have nothing to fill in. 2 rooms, so I can have space to walk around, and also the luxury to invite a friend to stay overnight. Bathroom is small, without bathtub. That's the bad thing. The dream of having beauty bubble bath in the cold cold winter night busts, but then I could get a nice dining table for 4. No matter what, because I'm not buying a new car, so I feel even more certain that I could get a few pieces of furniture without worrying too much.

Anyway, I'm happy.

Jiaoxi Hotspring

After our freeway no.5 was open, Ilan is much more accessible from Taipei than before. I have been busy lately, worked all weekend the week before last, felt really tired. It was a good thing to get away for a bit. MM was complaining about the same thing, so we decided to run away from Taipei for a bit.

We decided to go to Jiaoxi. It takes only 50 minutes by bus. We strolled along the hotspring strip, and saw this public place. Although it is public, it is still divided into men's area and women's, and people are all naked in the pool. Cheap, at only 80NTD, but the place is beautiful. Attached photo is a look at the men's pool. The 'tower' is like 3 floors high, so I felt really comfortable inside it.

After that we found a nice local Vietnamese restaurant, and had the most wonderful spring rolls I've ever had. Also cheap. 4 big rolls for only 50NTD. Need to go back again.

It was raining, so we decided to go back to Taipei after lunch. It is only 1pm when we returned to Taipei. It was a very short trip, and I had fun. Sunday night when I was getting ready for the next week, I felt rested, and not as anxious as I normally felt. This is a nice weekend.