傑森’s One Photo A Day

Tag: Taiwan

  • A Bowl of Cellophane Noodle Soup

    A Bowl of Cellophane Noodle Soup

    After taking care of some long overdue paperwork for Mom’s health care, we went to a nearby, rather popular duck meat restaurant for late lunch. I ordered a bowl of cellophane noodle soup with duck meat for her. It turned out to be a huge oversight on my part..

    The duck meat was too tough for her to bite and chew. She ended up leaving most of the meat in the bowl, which was supposed to be the most enjoyable part. Since her teeth were not in good shape, it scared me watching my Mom trying to separate the meat from the bone with her mouth.

    The saddest part might be that I could see she actually would have liked the duck. She really tried to enjoy it but clearly it was way too difficult for her to eat. Only then I realized that I forgot to bring the set of plastic utensils I usually carry in my bag..

  • Recycled Messages

    Recycled Messages

    There’s an elderly woman who collects recyclables behind our building. Apparently she’s not in good health these days. She used those assumed recycled cardboard boxes, hand wrote these messages informing that she is ill and not collecting recyclables at the moment. She also begs people not to leave anything there anymore, as her existence there has always been somewhat controversial.

    I thought these seemingly scattered cardboard pieces were interesting. I was planning to recapture this scene at night. To my surprise everything was already gone.

  • Night has Fallen

    Night has Fallen

    This image was captured when I went out getting dinner while Long-Term Care personnel helped my Mom bathe at home.

    I’ve been at that spot several times in the past two, three weeks. Sometimes I just stared at a distance, not really looking at anything. My mind went blank for a brief moment, then reality came back as it always does..

  • Nangang HSR Station

    Nangang HSR Station

    We concluded another short trip with our Mom this morning. Like a tradition, each time I return to Taiwan I always take her to Taipei, mainly to visit our father’s resting place. I’ve been doing that since many years, even though she has never suggested that on her own.

    I never understood the relationship between my parents. Now with Mom’s Alzheimer’s, what she remembers or feels about my father has become more or less like a blur. If our father were somewhere watching, what would he want to say to his wife? To his kids?

  • Mung Bean Pastry

    Mung Bean Pastry

    We took a train to the north today around noon time. I picked two of the pastries my sister has brought. One was Mung Bean Pastry and the other with curry flavored stuffing.

    “Which one would you like?” I asked my mom.

    “The one with mung beans then.” she answered without much hesitation.

    Watching her slowly and carefully biting into the relatively soft pastry, a wave of unknown sadness filled my heart.

    I wonder how much longer she’d be able to travel like this. Or rather, how much long she’d be able to travel at all..

  • My Red Repurposed Bag

    My Red Repurposed Bag

    This red bag was a shopping bag from a bargain store in Kaohsiung that no longer exists.

    A few years ago I found it tucked away in a neglected storage cabinet. It was supposed to go into the garbage. On second thought, it’s a nice size bag, pretty sturdy, and the material would be perfect to contain stuff that needs to be recycled. Since then it has been used as this household’s recycling bag when I am back here at home.

  • My Ever Changing Hometown

    My Ever Changing Hometown

    Every time I come back and see this view, I’m reminded how much has changed since I left for the country that now I call home. This ever changing cityscape always amazes me, mixed with a vague nostalgic sadness.

  • All Equal but Not The Same

    All Equal but Not The Same

    Often I think about why for some people the idea of that we are all equal is so difficult to grasp. When common sense and mutual respect no longer exist, what is there that could unite people? The world seems to have lost its moral compass and people are increasingly becoming more self-centered. Are we headed toward societal collapse?

  • Urban Forest

    Urban Forest

    Sights like this are common in Taiwan. They are generally welcomed as long as they are within their own property and are not causing problems of any sort.

    We have a few pots of various plants on our apartment’s front balcony. We truly enjoy the greenery when we look out through the French window. However, there are flocks of birds gathering on the branches every single day. Hearing bird chirping is nice most of the time, but the droppings are becoming a problem. Now I wish there was a way to keep the birds away from visiting our balcony.

  • Anonymous Public Announcement

    Anonymous Public Announcement

    Today I found this hand-written note attached to a cardboard box at our small community park. What it says is basically asking whoever is here to practice common courtesy and keep the park clean. We probably will never know if this sign has any kind of impact, but I applaud the effort.