I need to learn what?

The tone of 太 should have clued you in...

And woah, you started on Chinese some time back huh! Don't mean to sound patronising, but that's some foresight.

Yeah, well, I didn't hear "颱風" often enough to realize it.

Yup, started learning Chinese in '88. But if I really had foresight, I would have moved to China in '89 and started my own business....

Somehow I thought you were younger...

My wife says that I act immature. Personally, I prefer the term "youthful".

1989 was probably not the best time to be opening a business . . .

Ah. 太风 would make too much sense!

I remember 台风 because my mnemonic for 始 （as in 开始）is a woman starting a taifoon, and that then gives me the first character of the name of the storm.