Picture and Updates

A few of you have commented on the new layout of the blog, and yes, I did take the picture and make the banner. I created the banner with a program called Gimp, which is fantastically free. Photoshop for poor people (read: me). A great blog, I Can't Save Money, directed me there a couple months ago (for other poor people: check out the blog, it's a great find). Gimp is perfect for those who enjoy touching up pictures, but have no business pursuing photography/design professionally (read: me, again).

The photo is from the local temple. I've written of another temple before, but this one is beautiful, and rich with history. A great place to visit if you're in the city.


One last thing. On the subject of bookstores, I found a shop that sells works in English! It's amazing. Now, I honestly believe I have more books here in Taiwan than they do a selection (despite their 4 floors of shelf room), but I'll take what I'm given. (Heaven on Earth? Maybe.) I picked up a book. No, it wasn't The Dark Knight paperback- though that was an option. Instead, I opted for Tuesdays with Morrie, a book that's been on my list to read for years. I've never met someone who had read that book that I didn't like. Plus it was small and light. Lighter than a t-shirt light.

Everything I do from this point on, I've got to keep airport baggage in mind.
Home Stretch.

Excuse me, sir? Your nerd is showing.

I'm really excited for this. It's sad, but it's true. If you know me well, you know it's true. And I'm sure you're thinking to yourself that, yeah, it's sad too. Oh well, that doesn't change the fact that this was pretty much one of the best movies ever filmed. Heath Ledger was brilliant. You and I both know that. So stop trying to find reasons to argue with me.

Thanks to my recent pre-Taiwan purchase of Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul, along with the nice people over at Batman-On-Film.com, who recently did a whole PODcast on the depth of the Dark Knight, I've been able to merge my love for my childhood superhero and my semi-closeted status as an amature philosophy buff.

I really don't think there's another superhero that deals with the complexities that Bruce Wayne/Batman faces. There's the age-old debate that Superman is better. And I'm sure one of you Superfreaks are going to point out how Superman had Christ-like qualities in the newest movie, but here's my response. First off, the latest Superman movie kind of sucked. It was a bore. You think that if there was a guy who had super-human strength and calling, you'd make him a little more interesting. And secondly, I'm pretty sure that's just bad theology.

So don't go there. You still lose.

If any of you are as big a geek as I am when it comes to the Batman, check out the BoF website. Their already starting to track rumors of a followup Nolan/Bale flick. (I'm sure you've probably heard the murmurs about Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Penguin, or Johnny Depp as the Riddler... don't worry, they're just rumors)



Batman doesn't seem to have quite the fanfair here as it does back home. There's an occasional shirt (from the 90s or before), and doodads like this one (image: right). But nothing lining the streets or aisles at the department stores.

That's okay. I guess that's why I'm an educator.