It was nice to finally get a little respite from the rain yesterday laorencha.substack.com/p/slivers-of...

I couldn't write this yesterday as I had to work all day, but it's a story I wanted to tell laorencha.substack.com/p/the-drunk-...

Just some general life thoughts on language learning, what I'm planning for 2027, and what success means for someone who lives abroad long-term laorencha.substack.com/p/a-controll...

I mostly complain about the state of transportation on Green and Orchid Islands, and a lack of information for travelers in #Taiwan (or perhaps they don't read the information?), but I do see real areas for improvement, especially in public transportation across the country.

Fractures Emerge Between GOP’s Pro-Pedophilia, Extremely Pro-Pedophilia Wings

Rebel Island starts out quite well and is engagingly written, but the last few chapters on this history of #Taiwan fall off a cliff laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

Sometimes, the media is not terrible when it writes about #Taiwan! laorencha.substack.com/p/lets-look-...

I wasn't really sure what to call this post, but both issues discussed in it ultimately boil down to Chinese bullying laorencha.substack.com/p/standing-u...

So tired of the propaganda trip of that MAGA-haired sellout laorencha.substack.com/p/i-am-so-si...

Book review of Mother Tongue (about #Taiwan in the 1980s and learning Taiwanese) by Linda Petrucelli laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

I've definitely thought at least one thing that is illegal to say too openly

I think I rambled a little in this one but I just wanted to say it. laorencha.substack.com/p/stop-denig...

The British gunboat what now

A book review of Revolutionary #Taiwan by Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

It took me awhile to write this and even longer to post, but it's really how I felt after finding a picture of myself from 2003 laorencha.substack.com/p/a-curvaceo...

In which I take on No Self-ID and the #Taiwan Statebuilding Party for being anti-trans laorencha.substack.com/p/transgende...

I'm on the Bookish Asia podcast talking about my favorite #Taiwan fiction! open.spotify.com/episode/2MUk...

I have lots of short-form opinions about current events in #Taiwan. Enjoy these bite-sized thoughts before Lunar New Year gets into full swing laorencha.substack.com/p/its-flash-...

Nicholas Kristof's recent NYT op-ed about #Taiwan set my teeth on edge. This is what happens when you lived in Taiwan half a century ago and asked two friends instead of reading a fucking poll laorencha.substack.com/p/when-it-co...

Not everyone is wrong, but most people are. laorencha.substack.com/p/almost-eve...

Do I really need to explain why the #Taiwan legislature are doing a "nuh-UH I'm rubber and you're glue and I locked the principal out of the classroom" strategy? laorencha.substack.com/p/for-the-ta...

I review Nathan Batto and Emily Beaulieu's book about brawling in legislatures in #Taiwan, #Ukraine and beyond! laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

I'm being facetious, but really only a little laorencha.substack.com/p/does-anyon...

Ten more books about #Taiwan? Don't mind if I do laorencha.substack.com/p/ten-more-g...

I think I've found the best book to give friends and loved ones to learn more about #Taiwan, available for pre-order or Kindle now laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

That's not to say I didn't like it! laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

And I'm not sure how I feel about it. laorencha.substack.com/p/taiwans-fo...

I dunno. Who, in this dispute that was ultimately about what freedom of speech does or doesn't mean in #Taiwan, was right? Probably not the Little Grass, but perhaps my friend. laorencha.substack.com/p/handling-a...

I tell you a lot about myself in this post, but it's in service of discussing #Taiwan's healthcare system.

I wanted to write an article that covered every single argument for why #Taiwan is a country (from another perspective, every argument against why it's a part of China) so I only needed to offer one link to Internet chuds. Now, you have one link to send chuds, too ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/28/a...

Classic 2am rant about #Taiwan needing to draw a line between making strategic choices, vs. cozying up with fascists -- personal stuff in there too laorencha.substack.com/p/no-i-wont-...

Conservatives love to darkly say stuff like “you aren’t prepared for what’s next, we’re not going to be moderate anymore, you have no idea what you’ve unleashed” and then cry like babies when you call them fascists

A solid "based on a true story" historical novel about twentieth century #Taiwan with an exceptional translation by Timothy Smith laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...

Even I was surprised how long it took for my neighbors in #Taiwan (same apartment for 14 years) to start treating me like I really lived here instead of a temporary weirdo, but it did eventually happen. A flooded back room a few weeks ago made that clear. laorencha.substack.com/p/without-an...

I'm still not convinced I should care about Ko himself, but the court of public opinion is fascinating. laorencha.substack.com/p/should-i-c...

Any other #americansabroad (in #taiwan or anywhere) who read the news from the US and don't want to visit at all because it looks like a dangerous shithole? Are we overreacting? I really don't know. laorencha.substack.com/p/through-th...

look, think of it this way: he’s probably not dead, but he is in bad enough shape that we will almost certainly get to run this back a number of times over the next 3.5 years and maybe one of them it’ll actually happen

he'll always be dead in our hearts

I will never understand how American elites managed to convince themselves that uncivil debate — not fascism, not impunity and not widespread indifference to facts — is the defining problem of our time. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...

This book is only nominally about #Taiwan but I did a #bookreview anyway because it's absolute trash. laorencha.substack.com/p/i-read-the...

I wasn't too enthusiastic about yesterday's vote in #Taiwan, but I have some takes anyway.

As someone who does occasional travel writing and acts as an unofficial tour guide to friends and family visiting #Taiwan, I have some thoughts. laorencha.substack.com/p/is-interna...

I moved to Substack and wrote about my recent (second) trip to Orchid Island (蘭嶼), #Taiwan! laorencha.substack.com/p/weather-st...

Here you go. #Taiwan recalls. Boo. laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-do...

This already feels like old news after that complete fuckin slaughter goddamnit

I attended both rallies (anti-recall/KMT and pro-recall/pan-green) for #Taiwan Total Recall Day. Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...

Taiwan Ministry of the Interior releases English-language air raid safety guide. This year, urban resilience drills will combine air raid, evacuation and traffic control measures across public transportation, shopping centers and government sites.

I felt I had to talk about the budget vote in #Taiwan, the $10k tax rebate, Taipower etc. but what I really wanted to show you was the New Taipei legislator who gave out trash bags as gifts because he faces a recall laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/week...

I love to see it (pro-recall bus ad in #Taiwan)