XJapan was recently in Taipei for part of their new world tour.  After a decade of hiatus the fans went nuts.  Part of Yoshiki's idea was to include dance and fashion into the concert, so halfway through there was a modern dance preformance followed by a fashion show.  I've done tons of shows over the years, but this one was a totally different experience.  25 thousand screaming fans. CRAZY. All in all the guys put on a great show, and they are seriously dedicated to their fans... they spent just over half and hour saying goodbye.... walking out on stage with a almost lifesize doll of their past bandmate Hide who passed away in 1998 as a memorial.  The band brings him to ever preformance...
 

So last night, i went to go watch one of my favorite broadway musicals. Andrew Lyodd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. I actually grew up listening to the score and watching the dvd, but finally being able to see it live was great!   As Kara Dioguardi always says.."you guys can REALLY sing!",  and it never fails to amaze me how talented these people are.  Watching broadway live is such a great experince because when they sing, you almost... feel the music down to your bones.  I get goosebumps everytime. Anyone who has the chance should really try to go and see it.   As funny as it sounds I've never really been starstuck by any actor or musician, but meeting a broadway preformer, especially from one of my favorites..ya...i think i would be pretty starstruck.  Just being in the presence of someone with such great vocal talent would leave me without words. 
assolutamente perfetto, thats all i can say!!!

A couple weeks ago we discovered a small kitten hanging around our building. She was  in need of medical attention and i found myself really worrying about her well-being. So like always, i googled.  I came across various vets and animal hospitals, but one place that really caught my eye. Animals Taiwan, a shelter here in Taipei. I called and spoke to a girl who really offered all the help she could. She found me a vet close by and advice on catching her. A couple mornings after on the way out, we found her lying on the street in even worse shape, and it became obvious to me she needed help right away. We took her to a place in Shi-zhi city, a charity animal hospital offering free medical help to strays.  The Vet said she would need to stay for some tests and treatments. Unfortunately, the next morning she passed away. I guess she was just too weak. (sad, i know)  But the positive thing about this story was the discovery of Animal Taiwan.  This shelter is housing many dogs and cats who were found by AT's rescue team. They hold a no-kill policy so the animals are offered a temp home for as long as it takes to find them a nice family.   After looking through the website, i decided i wanted to be a part of it and decided to join their volunteer Team. A great group of people who donate their time to help out however it is needed.  My first visit was Tuesday afternoon. I will admit at first glance it was a little overwhelming to see all the dogs that are actually there. I walked 2 of them across the street in a nice park by the water and also visited with the cats.  My first walk was with Elvis, the true Veteran of the shelter. He is an Older dog, with 3 legs ( he was caught in a trap)  He's a lovely gentle dog who happens to be a favorite of everyone.   The second was Nanook, also with 3 legs. He was abandoned by a previous owner and after getting his leg badly infected, it had to be amputated.  But i can say it hasnt affected him much, because he had me stopping to catch my breath.  I will definitely be spending a lot of my time there now, and i hope some of you can too. These animals are so loving, sweet and adorable that i would adopt them all if i could.  It's really sad to hear stories of people who abandoned them randomly throughout the country, or people who intenionally hurt them because they are no longer wanted.   Yes, at first glance some may seem shy or a little withdrawn, but thats only because of what has happened to them before. So all they need is a little time to gain some trust before they come out of their shell and show you how great they are.
 If you are considering making an addition to your family,  I urge you all to seriously consider visiting AT or any shelter near you before buying an animal from a pet shop. You'll leave feeling great about yourself, and even better you'll have a freind for life!
Check out the website www.animalstaiwan.org   They have all info you need, and profiles on the animals living there.
xoxo

Wow, its been awhile. With all the social and blogging sites out there now it's so easy to loose track of things. Promise i wont stray so easily from now on..