brainylady

Minako asked me if knitting is popular in Taipei. Honestly, I don't really know. Unless I've seen something with my own little eyes around here, I probably don't know that it exists. Not only is there the language barrier with people and media alike (e.g., no local English news or other TV programming), there is no English version of the Yellow Pages (or any telephone directory). Now, think about this for just a moment. Imagine moving to a new city and wanting to find something, like, oh, say, a yarn store. Without Yellow Pages. And say you want to, oh, say, hire a mover / buy paint / get cable / have your scooter fixed / find a place that sells buttons / whatever, but there are no Yellow Pages. It's exasperating. As for local knitting, I know this: I've never seen anyone else doing it. I've never read a feature in the local papers about it (though I'd love to: "Knitting in Taipei: the new karaoke"). There are no large yarn stores. The four small -- and we're talking small -- shops I've found have sad selections of yarn. The one in my new neighbourhood that I was so excited about is almost entirely stocked with zany Gedifra novelty yarns. Instead of a nice, sensible Wellness or Fifty-Fifty, there are shelves of highly impractical Carioca and Cubetto. Hello? Where are people buying the basics?

I like it when I click on a link and it opens in a new window. Some people don't. Here at Brainylady, we're all about choice. So please take note of the new feature on the right: a clickable box that lets you decide whether or not to open new windows. I just want you to be happy. And then leave me a comment! Or leave your mark on my guest map! Then we're both happy. :o)