Dom and I were invited, somewhat at the last minute, to travel to Taiwan for the release of the Chinese version of the one red paperclip book this week, so we won’t be able to make the paperclip weekend.  It’s very exciting here, but Taipei is a crowded, muggy, polluted, giant Asian metropolis, so have it be known we’re not out carousing with a fill in for Kipling in any way!  It’s been a crazy blur adjusting from a 12 hour time zone difference and being shuttled around to different events, all pretty much completely confusing and really, we have no idea what’s going on.  But that’s half the fun, I guess.  We’ve also ingested many parts of animals that neither of us knew existed.  Which is equal parts exciting, disgusting, and delicious.

As many people already know, I announced that we’re going to trade the red paperclip house, and if you didn’t know that already, well then here goes: We’re going to trade the house!  I know this announcement has/will be met with excitement, disbelief, disappointment, and possibly both acid reflux and goosebumps from others, but it’s time to start another adventure.  Dom and I would like to spend time closer to her family in Quebec (they’re a really close family!) and we both have come to the conclusion that it’d be much better for Kipling if the red paperclip house is lived in rather than left vacant much of the time as we travel around doing silly things like eating squid eyes or whatever they were.  So, the gauntlet’s been thrown down and I’ve already received hundreds of offers for the house from all corners of the globe.  I originally had a deadline for trade offers of July 11th, but I’ve lifted it as it proved too stressful to make up my mind on a deadline.  There’s no deadline on trade offers now so if you’d like to make an offer for the house, please get in touch with me!  The tough part now will be the decision who to trade with, and I’ve spent the better part of the Summer trying to make a decision on the matter.  Rest assured, I will trade the house with someone who has the best possible intentions and recognizes the importance of the house as both a historical and tourist attraction for the community.

Both Dom and I wish everyone the best time ever this weekend, and eat a prairie oyster for us!

Have fun,

Kyle (and Dom)

Taipei Taiwan, Aug 28, 2008.