Korean Lint

Big Changes

2011-05-19T14:46:00.003+09:00

Before I begin, I should preface this by saying I'll be discussing some thorny, difficult issues with religion, morality, and my understanding of the world. Much of what I'm about to say in this and subsequent notes and blog posts will offend and anger a lot of folks. Folks have already told me off for some of this. So, if difficult, provocative conversations about religion are not your cup of tea, don't say I didn't warn you. Feel free to add any comments you like, so long as you do so in a respectful manner. Feel free to disagree, but unless its constructive, clarifying, helpful and enlightens all of us, I'm not interested. Angry polemics will be deleted.

I've concluded that God probably never existed, and 'god' as a concept is most likely a ficticious creation of our minds, reinforced through religious teaching, indoctrination, predominant cultural assumptions, and our fundamental need to answer the biggest existential questions.

In many cases historically, the gods that people believe in are precisely what one would expect from the cultural, political, and historical climate in which they are expressed. In her bestselling book, "A History of God," religious scholar Karen Armstrong, in immense scope, describes literally hundreds of different conceptual iterations & expressions of God, and how each gave rise to yet another version, and descended from endless other versions dating all the way back to pre-history.

Coming to this conclusion has been a long, difficult, and painful process for me, and I've only begun to make sense of it. I can't find the answers to certain problems on my own, & the Holy Spirit (God (if it exists at all) remains silent on some of these matters. I've found both the Bible and books of faith apologists & their answers to my questions about existence to be unsatisfying, lacking, and at times, downright absurd & strange. As I'm coming to discover, while this has all been very abrupt within the last few months of my life, I'm learning that this process started slowly, during the last 8~10 years (& in some cases, much much earlier).

A lot of things, for a long time, just haven't made much sense to me. For a long time, I've been willing to "trust in the Lord, and lean not on [my] own understanding," but that just isn't satisfactory to me anymore, or sustainable. I've finally reached a point in my life where I realize that my decisions affect my life and others. I also turned 30 last year, and for the first time, health and age are telling me about how much my precious and finite time here matters. I can't waste it any longer praying to a brick wall, rationalizing and defending things in my head that just don't make sense to me anymore. I need good answers, not the canned responses to these sorts of problems I so often get, usually delivered with a slick sales pitch and a dash of brimstone. And even if I had good answers, I need some undeniable connection with the divine, a taste of Karen Armstrong's "sense of sacred transcendence."

Finally, late last year, after a particularly frustrating time personally and interpersonally, I openly entertained the proposition that there may indeed be no God, or alternatively, if there is a God or gods, it or they have chosen to remain hidden. I find these suppositions show greater explanatory power over the world and my perception of it. With this paradigm, there is much more congruence between the experiences & perceptions, & what I know of existence & the universe. It simply makes more sense to me.

Several key issues dominate my deconversion. Frustration with prayer is probably the most significant. I simply can't help but feel or wonder if I've been praying to drywall my whole life. Perhaps I'm not talking to the almighty creator of the universe at all, but simply talking to some deepseated part of myself late at night, a simulation of sorts.

But my problems go far beyond that, ranging in scope from logical problems, moral dilemnas, problems with biblical authorship and historicity of key events alleged by Christians, to experiences I've had while traveling and learning about other cultures. I don't have to apologize for an ostensibly 'perfect' God who demands & needs to be worshipped. Why would anything perfect need worship? Or a loving God who condemns you to hellfire (eternally!) for being skeptical about, or 'rejecting' him, or even being simply mistaken about him. I don't have to explain how millions of people who lived & died prior to Christ (or prior to access to knowledge about Christ) may be condemned to hell.

I don't have to 'trust' God to someday explain why humanity suffers hurricanes, earthquakes or why miscarriages happen to good people. I don't have to explain how millions of people around the world seemingly have honestly powerful spiritual experiences outside the Christian faith. I don't have to make excuses for all of the terrible things Christians do & have done, whether that be the Crusades into Palestine 100s of years ago or the current child-sex scandal consuming the Catholic Church, or bombings of abortion clinics. Why would the almighty creator of 400 billion galaxies with 400 billion stars allow himself to be represented by pedophile priests numbering in the thousands and an organization that spent decades actively covering up their scandal? I don't have to explain genocide, rape, murder and all the other ugly atrocious acts committed by the God of the Old Testament. All of this makes more sense, with the supposition that god is ficticious.

More important than all of that, I no longer have to rationalize to myself or to others a God who just doesn't seem to be there. Something that's taken years of my life in prayers, thought, fears, frustrations about his will or the future, but has always been frustrating, and just out of reach to me. I've got a lot of serious problems and goals in my life, and I haven't time anymore for a God that can't or won't give me the direction I need. So its time for me to stop praying and start doing something about these things.

So, to get this off my chest, I'm going to write a series of posts explaining my new thoughts on everything pertaining to this matter. Everything from a new grounding in morality and ethics to reasons why I ultimately left it all behind. I'm not claiming I'm always right. I certainly can't know all of this for certain and I have a lot to learn, but I'm going to tell you all how I stand and how I feel about these matters if you're willing to listen. Feel free to ask any questions or if there is something you want to hear about in more detail, don't be afraid to ask...

Lingering Cold

2011-03-11T14:58:00.004+09:00

The cold air still bites me when I wake each and every morning, pressing me back against my bed and sheets. But I'm reminded the cold will soon relent, as days stretch further into the waning evenings.

Something I Should Do...

2010-08-06T05:32:00.004+09:00

‎"Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

From Grand Gulch Primitive Area Utah

Grand Gulch Anasazi Ruins

2010-08-01T10:34:00.000+09:00

In the Spring of 2003, myself, my father, and our good friends of the Hanson clan, David, Eric and their respective patriarch Craig, embarked on a journey of fantastic proportions.

Grand Gulch Primitive Area lies hidden among slot canyons high on Cedar Mesa in Southeastern Utah. Above are the photographs from that time. GGPA is managed by the Bureau of Land Management to preserve the archeological ruins of the ancient Anasazi peoples who once dwelled here. One can access these canyons only by decending and hiking through the rugged canyon terrain of Utah. Once there, you can literally see dozens of ruins hidden among the coves and overhangs. Most date to approximately 800-900 years ago, pre-historic on the American Continent.

Archaelogists are still piecing together the mystery of their disappearance.

During this trip though, we had a fantastic time exploring the ruins in Grand Gulch, nearby Bluff Utah on the Comb ridge, and other places on Cedar Mesa. While the weather wasn't always the best, the company was top notch and the treasure of ruins was priceless.

If you know the names of specific artifacts and ruins, by all means go ahead and leave a comment, so that I may correctly tag and identify all of them. After seven years, my memory of specific ruins is a bit fuzzy.

Made My Day

2010-07-21T10:51:00.004+09:00

This week I've been doing my semi-annual English Camp for Daebang Middle School. The day was dreary and rainy all morning, and having had some personal setbacks, I just didn't want to be there that day. My mind was elsewhere, on matters bothering me and the funk that has been settling in.

Feigning enthusiasm as best I could, I managed to get through the lessons for the day without infecting my students too badly with my dreariness. Then, with shoulders slumped, and feeling kind of lonely, I slowly plodded home as the rain started, shuffling and dragging my feet. Just one of those days where you feel the rain cloud is there to rain on YOUR parade specifically.

Starting across the crosswalk, I heard the high pitched, girly voice of one of my students, "Mr. Beal! Mr. Beal! How are you! Come here! Come here!"

She smiled, and jumped up and down, beckoning me to join her under her umbrella, and seemed genuinely excited to have time to talk to me personally. Her infectious smile and bursting enthusiasm at seeing me began to come over me. I could no longer resist and began smiling and joking with her, as she walked out of her way all the way back to my place (she doesn't live very far from me), making sure I didn't get wet.

It was obvious she wasn't just interested in practicing English, she genuinely liked me and I had obviously made an impression in one of my classes. She made me glad to be a teacher and content about where I was and what I was doing. All my frustrations seemed worth it for those moments with a doting pupil in the rain.

Amazing how such a small thing can lift your spirits for the day, and make your time in class meaningful again. Needless to say, I had less trouble finding the energy for classes the next day.^^

Ed Viesturs on Mistakes

2010-06-17T08:04:00.002+09:00

A mistake is a mistake even if you get away with it. ~ Ed Viesturs

Hax with More Wisdom...

2010-06-14T08:18:00.000+09:00

Not everything people do is a personal reflection on you. ~ Carolyn Hax

From Grand Gulch Primitive Area Utah

Career Choices

2010-06-10T08:34:00.005+09:00

One of the things I like best about teaching in Korea are the bright, motivated students. A student who wants to learn (even if they do so for all the wrong reasons) is far better than the alternative.

But despite the overwhelming precociousness of my kids, they are still human, and they are definitely still middle schoolers and products of their times.

This morning I taught a lesson in my extra-curricular ESL conversation class. The talking point of the day was:"When you grow up..." "Want to do.../want to..." and a few related sentences and questions were the target phrases.

I think most were getting it, so before I introduce the next activity for practice, I ask one kid the question, :Do you want to be a doctor or a teacher?"

"No, I don't. I want to be a fund manager."

I couldn't help but laugh.

Honesty

2010-06-10T08:29:00.000+09:00

‎"If honesty were actually the best policy, people would use it more often." ~ Amy Alkon

From Grand Gulch Primitive Area Utah

Seeking Love

2010-06-01T08:13:00.000+09:00

"Your task is not to seek for love, but to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it" ~ Jalal ad-Din Muhammed Rumi

From South Korea Highlights 2010

Bummer

2010-05-16T07:52:00.003+09:00

"Is this an outrage or a bummer? Think carefully before you settle into your choice." - Carolyn Hax

An outrage or a bummer indeed. Having mistaken one for the other, in the clumsy manner that only I could ever manage, I've taken the latter and managed to turn it into the former.

People who want details will know that there was a girl involved. There was a bummer. I got outraged. What might have been a great friendship (or more, perhaps?) slipped from my fingers. And I'm mostly to blame.

Which, is a REAL bummer.

Anger

2010-05-08T08:53:00.000+09:00

“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

From Grand Gulch Primitive Area Utah

Gold Dust

2010-04-26T15:38:00.003+09:00

From Northern Arizona, 2003
"Although gold dust is precious, when it gets in your eyes, it obstructs your vision."
~Hsi-Tang

Motorcycles R' Us

2010-04-25T09:15:00.003+09:00

Robin and I return to the repair shop later one evening, only to find the place closed.

Our hearts sink as we pull up to the empty, locked garage bay door. I physically restrain robin from grabbing a crow bar and trying to break in. We drive back home, and Robin agrees to teach me to ride his 125cc motorcycle, his small, black, ghetto motorcycle.

The ignition doesn't work, so he teaches me to kick-start the bike. This takes some effort, but after a bruised calf muscle, I manage to get it going. I hop on back and Robin takes me to some deserted road in the foothills of Jinhae, his home and the town directly South of Changwon.

He gets off and explains the gears, which I am already somewhat familiar with.

"So how do I know if I've hit neutral if the light isn't working?"

"The light will work when the battery charges up again, but don't worry about neutral just yet."

"Now, when I go from first gear to second, how will I know if I'm in neutral or second."

"If you're not looking for neutral, you'll miss it. If you push up hard enough you'll go right past it." Don't worry about that for now."

So he explains where a few more of the controls are and off I go! I get it into first and go a whopping 30 feet without falling over. I then try to turn, but almost drop it, as motorcycles are shockingly heavy and unweildy when unpowered.

"Watch it there! Just try to go straight for now. Worry about turning later!"

"Ummmm..... OK."

I take it again in a straight line, this time with no trouble. So I start down the hill and shift into second. I'm really going now. I hear Robin yelling something but I tune him out and concentrate. There's some traffic! Oh no! Better turn around before I kill myself. I try to turn it, and attempt to control the motorcycle in a turn. Doesn't work very well and I'm going all over the place in first gear. I manage a 180 turn (barely) without falling. Only problem is, my turning radius is far too wide, and I careen into the curb on the opposite side of the street and drop it. Crash! :P

Robin comes running down the hill, his gangly 6 foot 4 inches bounding nearly as fast as second gear. "TYLER! TYLER! ARE YOU OK??!!"

His concern bemuses me slightly, as I crashed the thing at less than 10 kph, and suffer nothing but a slight bruise on a foot. He helps me pick it up and I manage to ride it back up the hill.

Once at the top, I do some loops in a circle at a very deserted intersection.

Suddenly, Robin gets hungry and declares that I have passed the first day's lessons. We head into town late that night, where he shows me his favorite restaurant.

Saturday Night Pool

2010-04-24T15:49:00.004+09:00

오늘밤 마산에 갔어요. 제친구 최인심씨와최정은와같이 닭고기를 먹었습니다.

Despite my previous exaustion from the afternoon's crazy shenanigans, I went to Masan on Saturday night to meet some new friends. I ate spicy chicken with my new friends, Choi In-Sim and Choi Jeong-Eun. I met them both in Masan over the previous two weeks at my Wednesday night Masan Korean class. Both are excellent teachers, and generously indulged my desire to learn their native tongue, despite my poor renderings of Korean pronunciation and frequent grammatical mistakes.

We went to a billiards hall following dinner, where I won 1 out of three matches, with In-Sim winning the other 2 (She's quite talented, but I think I got very unlucky in 1 of the matches). Nevertheless, I'm obviously rusty and need to practice more! There will definitely be a rematch. :P

We concluded the evening with ice-cream cones!

Drive to Busan with Robin Gazdecki

2010-04-24T09:27:00.003+09:00

My friend, Robin Douglas Gazdecki sold me his motorcycle on Saturday. Problem: the motorcycle is parked in the middle of Busan, which is a 2 hour drive away on weekends (45 minutes without traffic). Part of our agreement included me driving him down to Busan so that we could take it to a repair shop (where it apparently needs a new alternator).

Finally, we saw the bike, which Robin had randomly parked in front of a big casino a month earlier. Having told me that battery was dead, we were both shocked to watch the bike start up with very little trouble. So we hopped on and rode half the distance to the repair shop. Unfortunately, it started sputtering out just before we got there, and we wound up having to push it halfway to the place. Scariest part: we pushed it across this intersection between a highway offramp and a 6 lane avenue without median strips. Buses honking and dodging us. Finally we got it to the repair shop and were able to explain the problem to them.

They said it should be finished by Monday night (so that's when I'm driving down with him again. Part of our deal also included me driving him to Daegu that afternoon as well. So that's what I did after we got it to the shop. Daegu proved to be quite a distance though, so by the time I arrived back in Changwon, I was exausted (and far too sick of driving to bother going the distance to Masan to meet friends for the evening).

So, I'm not buying it until its ready, but I'm getting excited. Here's the motorcycle:

From Korean Lint

Alan Watts on Plans

2010-04-19T13:04:00.001+09:00

"No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now."
- Alan Watts on Plans

250cc Cruiser? Well, why Not?

2010-04-18T18:01:00.011+09:00

A friend of mine, Robin Douglas Gazdecki will leave Korea before the end of April, returning to his native Wisconsin. Consequently, he's interested in selling his motorcycles, and thought a series of increasingly desperate-looking Facebook status updates would sell his wares. He offered a choice of two different bikes to me (and anyone else who hasn't blocked him yet). And so, with less thought than I give to purchasing dish-soap, I chose the "cruiser" with the (slightly) bigger engine (which he said tops out at about 100 miles an hour).

But just so you all don't think that I've completely lost my mind, I will mention that Robin has offered to give me a few lessons on the bike before I take to the mean streets of Changwon. This will prove critical, as I haven't been on a 'real' motorcycle since I was 10 years old (and was riding with a friend of my father, Ted Duncan). I rented a 50cc scooter once in Thailand (which hardly counts), but that is about the extent of my experience. Here's my new ride.

Moreover, I think a motorcycle would prove advantageous in Korea in many ways. After driving Carlos' truck for 2-3 weeks, I find the most annoying aspect to driving in Korea to be the lack of parking. I won't really have this issue with the motorcycle. Moreover, during the frequent traffic jams that plague this city, I will be able to bypass everyone on the shoulders with all the scooters and other motorcyclists. The only disadvantages I see include rain and safety.

But I also just realized that I made a major lifestyle choice with very little thought. So I naturally felt I should perhaps learn a thing or two about motorcycles and spent a good portion of this evening reading up on the topic. On Youtube, I sifted through 20 or so videos of boneheads on crotch-rockets that didn't quite make the cut for Failblog. Then I found this very informative video and watched it about 10 times.

비음산 Hiking Bieumsan

2010-04-18T08:51:00.012+09:00

일요일아침 우리는 비음산에 등산을 했어요. 제친구과같이 등산을했어요. 수연씨는 창원한글학당에서 만났습니다. 수연씨와같이 등산을많이 해봤습니다. 수연씨는 2명친과같이 왔습니다. '진니씨는 헬스 클럽에서 만났습니다. 재미있었어요!

Hiking again! The Korean national past-time. This particular mountain is not far from my house (and if you know where to look, one can see roughly where my house is in one of these pictures (but I won't bore you with a description).

This time, I'm hiking with Su-yeon, one of my Korean teachers, and 'Jeanny' an English interpreter/translator at GM Daewoo I met through my health club. Suyeon brought along a couple of her friends from Jinhae and we all joined in the 'Congo line' and marched up to the summit. I had mild concerns about the weather but eventually enjoyed the relative warmth (I couldn't tell if it was the dreaded Hwangsa dust from China, or just overcast weather threatening rain (the rain explained it all later on (and yes, I realize I'm using triple parentheses))).

As usual during a relatively warm weekend, the crowds were out en masse, an army of adjumas (middle aged women in trademark florescent gore-tex rain jackets and perm hairdo-friendly sun visors) were marching up before and after us. So we joined into the 'congo line' and went up with them. Unbelievable how many people.

진해 벚꽃축제 Jinhae Cherry Blossoms & Friends

2010-03-27T10:12:00.000+09:00

Once again across Asia, Cherry Blossoms pop out on trees and hearken the arrival of Spring. Which provides a perfect excuse for getting together with friends and enjoying laughter, merriment, and a day outdoors with no jacket on!I went to Masan, and picked up several friends, including Rachel, Jiyeon, Yoon-young, and Jihee. We proceeded to head to the other nearby city of Jinhae. Despite the overcast weather, I think these pictures speak for themselves. I had a great time, ate some Galbi-jjim (new favorite food) and enjoyed meeting new friends and catching up with old ones. A good time was had by all. Me, Jayeon from my Korean class, and Derek from my OTHER Korean class in Masan. Here's some other pictures of some new people. It was a pretty good day.

Johnny Cash

2010-03-22T11:43:00.000+09:00

Driving around in Carlos' truck, I hear a lot of Johnny Cash on his ipod. Johnny Cash is one of those artists I'd heard when I was young and immediately dismissed due to his age and association with older generations. I wanted NEW music, from the 90's or when I was alive.

But, like brussels sprouts, spinach, or salad, I've now come to appreciate Johnny Cash, particularly his later stuff. Simple, unadulterated folk songs accompanied by a guitar. Like Cat Stevens (in his day) or Bob Dylan, the formula is profoundly simple, yet impossible to emulate.

Here is one of my new favorite songs: Hurt.

Johnny Cash - Hurt from kakofoni on Vimeo.

A new car :P

2010-03-19T12:07:00.006+09:00

I have ineptly stumbled into car ownership (or stewardship, I should say more accurately). After my friend Carlos decided he didn't want to re-contract, he offered to let me borrow his Ssangyong Musso SUV. I've been contemplating getting a vehicle for awhile now, and now one has fallen into my lap.

The arrangement is great, and everybody wins. As Carlos plans on returning to Korea in a few months, he doesn't have to go through the headache of selling his car, and buying a new one (and all the annoying things that entails). With this, he can just add me as a driver on his insurance, and I get to use a car for a few months on my Intl. licence. (just long enough to go some places and do some things I've been meaning to do for awhile now.

Trouble is: Korea is not a great place to drive. On those few moments when traffic actually moves forward, people cut you off and invade your space to the point that your blood boils. (city buses, taxis, and motor scooter delivery-persons are the worst offenders). I've often beaten traffic on my bicycle in this city (but that isn't usually the norm).

Any small amount of time you do save over the bus or bicycle is negated by the time it takes to hunt for and pay for parking (which negates any savings as well). Its almost useless when I travel within a 6 kilometer radius of my home and I really only use it on weekends for day trips and stuff.

I'm not a huge fan of the Ssangyong Musso either. When I first arrived in Korea, I saw Ssangyong cars everywhere. Then someone told me they were going through the process of bankruptcy (apparently having only built SUVs and luxury town cars, the fuel crisis in the summer of 2008 pretty much destroyed them). I could never figure out why they didn't export them to the US. Carlos had raved about how great his truck was and how much he liked it. It was a diesel and sipped gas, and was super reliable. Why wouldn't they sell in the US?

Now I know why they don't sell them in the US. Ssangyong SUVs look alright, but they drive and handle like a 30 foot flatbed! I seriously feel like I'm driving an aircraft carrier on steroids down these obscenely narrow roads.

Korean Language Practice.

2010-03-16T13:45:00.013+09:00

As I currently can't exercise my shoulder (doctor's orders), I've lately been doing a language exchange with a friend of mine, Ha Suyeon. We met at the Changwon Korean Class (,창원한글학당). As I'm incapacitated at the moment, I spend Friday evening's at her Piano Hagwon helping her perfect her English and cobbling together sentences in Korean under her tutelage while high school student pound away at Chopin and Beethoven.

Anyways, I'm supposed to practice these verb conjugations and some of the words. I hope they're right.

소설은읽줄알아요. 하지만 한국에는 소설 없어요. 그래서, 소설을 읽을수없어요.

다음주에 벚꽃을봐고십어요.하지만 그래서,아마도 다음주에 벚꽃을봐고없어요.

Are these right?

Quote for Chahārshanbe-Sūri چارشنبه‌سور

2010-03-16T10:52:00.008+09:00

This Wednesday, millions in Iran will mark Chahārshanbe-Sūri, the Wednesday Feast. This ancient festival marking the last Wednesday of the year (on their calendar), dates to 1700 BCE, in ancient Persia's Zoroastrian Era. People build bonfires in the streets and dance over them. The fires are meant to struggle against the darkness and bring the sun's return in the early morning.

"کوروش کبیر گفت برای
جنگیدن با تاریکی آتش روشن میکنیم و با شادی و نور به سراغ دشمن میروی"

"To defeat the darkness we set the fire and face the enemy down with light and joy." -Cyrus the Great

My friend in Iran mentions this in the context of their struggles against their current government and their desired democratic reforms. Pray that those brave souls standing up to injustice can keep the fire burning until a new and better day arrives.

Better Teachers

2010-03-10T09:26:00.005+09:00

An interesting article in the New York Times Magainze. Problems I suspect many educators and school administrators face.

Building A Better Teacher, Elizabeth Green

Inspiration & Writers in Changwon

2010-03-07T15:16:00.012+09:00

Having neglected this blog for nearly a year, I return again, this time with new found inspiration and motivation for elevating my prose. Encounters and exchanges with two recent friends over the preceding months bring me back here.

Yesterday (Saturday) I spent the better part of the evening with my new friend, who goes by the pseudonym Thomas Tye. While currently teaching English at a Hagwon here in Korea, Thomas is a true "Renaissance" man in every sense of the word. Sporting a burly black mustache and long, curly hair, he also manages to pull off a thick soul patch beneath his lips. Writer, film-maker, martial artist, musician, teacher and traveler, Thomas, his Kiwi friend and I spent the evening exchanging tales of our travels and adventures.

Thomas told me a wild tale of gallivanting around Asia and Europe on credit cards to finance a film project, that ended abruptly and tragically with a crazy story about an unreliable colleague embroiled in gang violence in Spain.

What really inspires me though, is Thomas' industriousness. I first met him last summer, as he promoted his self-published science fiction novel at one of the local expat watering holes. And so this evening, I finally opened to the first page of Finding Jack and began reading. The book is interesting, (to say the least), and I've only just started it, but already the possibilities of what I could possibly accomplish are there.

Thomas is also currently working on film projects for a Film Based ESL website. We both had a great time hanging out.

My other friend, Jack Cobb, is also looking to publish a book soon - a comprehensive guide for Westerners moving to Asia (and Korea specifically) to teach English. I've only read and offered feedback on his introduction so far, but he promises it to be a comprehensive guide to culture, customs, food, work habits and all other aspects of living in an Asian society.

His other project he's discussing is a screenplay drama/sitcom pilot. The basic concept of the sitcom is a foreigner/expat bar in Korea. He succinctly described it as, "basically Cheers meets MASH." It sounds almost crazy to me, but then Hawkeye once said, "Insanity is just a state of mind." Hopefully I can find the time to hang with Jack before too long. As I'm now single again, perhaps that will be more manageable.

MovieESL.com

http://findingjack.com/

True Love and Paranoia in the Hermit Kingdom

Nieces & Nephews

2010-01-26T09:48:00.011+09:00

Finally visited my sister in Tuscon Arizona. As you can see, we visited the Airplane "Boneyards" surrounding Tuscon. My sister mentioned this Aircraft Museum in the Desert, so she and I took my nephew around to see all the airplanes. He had a great time for awhile. But being 2 and half years old, he grew tired quickly. But I had a great time looking at the B-52's!

I had a great time visiting with Noelle, Seth, and bonding with my nephew and niece.

In Prescott. With Grandad and Evorine.

2010-01-24T15:20:00.003+09:00

Here I am, on the plane again. This time to Phoenix, Arizona, where I will see nearly everyone!
I arrive first in Prescott, to visit my grandparents. My Grandad has moved his computer upstairs. It looks as though he's in better shape than I thought. So we all go out to dinner.

Bonus: there's nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground in Prescott. Spectacular.

Baaaack in the U.S.... A ?

2010-01-22T14:44:00.003+09:00

Things move quickly for me again, as I neglect this blog a little longer!

I've just arrived a couple days ago, back in the United States after another marathon jump over Pacific ocean. What I've done so far:

1. Met my parents and took them out for dinner at Ted's Montana Grill. 24 oz. of medium Bison Ribeye Steak. Enough said.

2. Become engrossed in the new Krakauer opus I found at the airport. One of my all time favorite writers has tackled the story of Pat Tillman, the NFL safety with the Arizona Cardinals who quit his million dollar career to join the Army after 9/11. After his death (at the hands of his comrades) the Bush administration tried to cover up its details and use him to promote their foreign policy. But in his best biography to date, master biographer Krakauer paints a portrait of a fantastic, exceptional man who was far more complex and IMHO, more heroic, than most people realize.

Bonus Moral Lesson: DON'T work for the US Army.

3. Enjoyed Skiing at Copper mountain for a few days. Snow was somewhat lacking, but they got some on my last day. Still, snow or no snow, its hard to complain about a few days of skiing in Colorado. I bought a new pair of skis as well. I'm really liking them. Pics coming soon.

4. Meeting my Aunt Dee tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing her and spending time with family.

Links for a New Year

2010-01-02T10:55:00.004+09:00

I am here presenting a new set of links that may be of interest to some people.

mnmlist.com This blog, by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits, shows radical means to escape

"the excesses of consumerism, material possessions, clutter, having too much to do, too much debt, too many distractions, too much noise. But too little meaning. Minimalism is a way of eschewing the non-essential in order to focus on what's truly important, what gives our lives meaning, what gives us joy and value."

ZenHabits.net Same guy with slightly less radical advice for focusing yourself on what's important.

まなてぃ～／シドニーへ行く (The Manatee Goes to Sydney) This blog chronicles my friend and longtime Japanese teacher, Kyoko Nagashima as she spends a year teaching Japanese in Australia.

Ask A Korean Insightful blog about Korean culture, history, and society written by a Korean American. Very poignant and sharp perceptions about race, immigration, and culture.

Caricature of Me

2009-12-18T11:07:00.003+09:00

A student of mine at Daebang Middle School drew this great caricature of me. Definite win.

I'm always flattered by this sort of thing from my students. Wondering if I ever have any impression on kids, these sorts of things always remind me that I do have a positive effect on kids.

This picture I find particularly interesting, as it exaggerates my features and lets me see how other people see me (which isn't so bad as I always imagine it to be).

Rendition of the Universe

2009-12-13T11:03:00.004+09:00

A mindblowing rendition of the known universe, rendered by astronomers at the American Museum of Natural History according to the best astronomical research to date. Definitely puts things in perspective.

Carolyn Hax on Words & Deeds

2009-12-03T11:43:00.001+09:00

"Feel free to write off anyone whose words and deeds don't line up." - Carolyn Hax

From Northern Arizona, 2000-2001

Carolyn Hax on Honesty

2009-11-29T11:57:00.001+09:00

"When honesty results in punishment, the truth tends to linger in the eaves, hoping to go unnoticed." - Carolyn hax

From Colorado Highlights

Charles Gonzalez on Bad Policy

2009-11-21T11:49:00.001+09:00

“The only reason you ever pursue bad policy is when you think there’s some sort of political advantage.” - Charles Gonzalez

Emily Yoffe on Horrible Behavior

2009-11-20T11:52:00.000+09:00

"People get away with horrible behavior by taking advantage of others' natural instincts not to cause a scene." - Emily Yoffe

On Thoughtlessness

2009-10-12T12:11:00.000+09:00

"Who decides what's immature? Is there a manual that says, "Other people can act abysmally, but the Mature Person will suffer their thoughtlessness and insensitivity without complaint"?" - Carolyn Hax

From Colorado Highlights

Robert Strange McNamara 1916-2009

2009-09-25T10:36:00.000+09:00

Until recently, I hadn't heard that Robert Strange McNamara had passed away this last year. An interesting biography on this "Strange" and often contradictory figure in American foreign policy.

McNamara gained fame and acclaim originally as defense secretary for John F Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and his notable accomplishments included engineering the war in Vietnam, and developing US defense doctrine for nuclear war that exist to this day. He was known for ruthlessly applying the cold, calculating precision of mathematical statistics to decision making.

Despite being the architect for America's invasion and conflict in South-West Asia, he later became a tireless advocate against war and America's militaristic and agressive foreign policies. In his later years, he became a tireless activist for nuclear disarmament and the ever present danger that nuclear weapons pose.

Ironically, McNamara later became an outspoken critic of his own war, saying,

"None of our allies supported us. Not Japan, not Germany, not Britain or France. If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."

Death of the Whiz Kid: Robert Strange McNamara 1916-2009

On Poverty

2009-09-23T10:28:00.004+09:00

"Poverty is not created by the poor but by the institutions and policies that we, the better off, have established. We can solve the problem not by means of the old concepts but by adopting radically new ones." ~ Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank for Micro-credit

Grameen Bank

People With Super Memory

2009-09-22T11:05:00.004+09:00

Here's a guy who lost his cell phone. I'd be panicking because I would never be able to remember all the numbers. This guy didn't because he'd already memorized all of them. He also remembers the scores of every Pittsburgh Steelers game he ever saw. And the final scores. Since he was 7. Researchers can show freeze frame pictures to him from the games, and he can name the game, date, and score of that game.

According to researchers, he has a rare condition that gives him a super powerful memory, known to researchers as super-autobiographical memory. And there are only four people known to have the condition. Their minds, likened to video cameras that never stop running or a computer hard drive that downloads every web page visited, can recall trivia and minutiae from everyday life that some of them find unbearably stifling.

According to the article, the condition is closely linked to obsessive compulsive disorder, and researchers suspect it may be more common and undiagnosed.

Either way, I personally think it would be wonderful to have a super powerful memory that could be accessed like a Google server. Imagine an enormous memory with no limits to what you can recall? I'd be able to learn every Korean word after hearing it only once? How cool would that be? Heck, I could learn every Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Latin, Greek, and French as well!

4 People with Super Memory, by David K. Israel

Mental Floss: Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix

Carolyn Hax on Train Wrecks

2009-09-21T11:29:00.003+09:00

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

"Any voyeur will tell you, the best view of a train wreck is from the high road." -- Carolyn Hax

Ulleung Island / 울릉도

2009-08-03T15:09:00.004+09:00

I woke up in the strange bed and house to look outside to clear blue skies and puffy white clouds. Having arrived here the night before, from Pohang, I was eager to get started and explore what promised to be a wild frontier-like wonderland of natural beauty off Korea's East Coast.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Ulleung Island, which lies a few hundred kilometers off of Korea's East Coast, is a remote outpost for squid farmers who nestle into the coves and outlets where the rocky, rugged volcanic topography allows practical human settlement. Ulleung is slowly growing into a tourist attraction for hikers, fishermen, and photographers eager to enjoy its pristine natural beauty and remote wilderness experience (which is of course slowly disappearing as more tourists arrive).

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

After some trouble finding the trailhead, I eventually found the proper path leading to the summit of the tiny volcanic island. Ulleungdo didn't disappoint, and while these pictures don't nearly do it justice (clouds obscured all the views for most of the hike), I found the entire place splendidly wonderful. Here is me at the summit of the island and mountain, also known as Sanginbong (성인봉). I think the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

한글을공부합니다

2009-07-22T14:15:00.000+09:00

As I have the afternoons off for the following two weeks (I think), I've decided to get cracking on learning Korean, a task that has been relegated to the back burner since I arrived for a variety of reasons. I've hired a woman that goes by the name of Nain to help me learn and study the language. She teaches at the Changwon Korean class I attend, runs a similar class in the nearby town of Masan, and tutors privately in English and Korean. She is arguably one of the best Korean teachers at the Changwon Korean class, and I've made more progress with her in one evening than I do in 3 classes with other teachers.

One reason I've been putting this off is that I want to develop good habits early on, conjugating verbs correctly, spelling, listening and pronouncing all the new vowels and consonants still difficult for me. I've finally found someone who can help me do this properly, and is capable of answering all my questions.

So, for the next two weeks (at least), I'll be in Masan City, meeting with Nain, and conjugating verbs. Wish me luck! :P

Daebang MS English Camp 대방중

2009-07-20T13:59:00.000+09:00

This week I've been teaching the half day Daebang MS "English Camp," an intensive English conversation course at one of my schools. The informal, laid back format appeals to me, as I'm given a wide latitude to present my own ESL and English conversational materials.

The kids are all super friendly, and we look to be having a good time, most of the time anyways.

BEST PART: We finish work at 12:30! So I can now go do my own intensive language course. Only instead of teaching English, I'll be studying Korean.

Thomas Jefferson on Arguing

2009-07-01T14:22:00.002+09:00

From Japan Highlights

"It is as useless to argue with those who have renounced the use of reason as to administer medication to the dead." ~ Thomas Jefferson.

A Nugget from Dr. Seuss

2009-06-30T14:07:00.003+09:00

From Colorado Trail

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” ~ Dr. Seuss

More Monday Morning Thunderstorms

2009-06-29T10:20:00.007+09:00

It was a dark and stormy... morning? An ominous forboding of things to come this week? Perhaps, but either way, the ferocity of the rain this morning woke me early.

It's nice to see the rain. Even a newcomer to Changwon like myself can tell there is a bit of a dryspell in what is supposed to be the region's "rainy season." It will keep things cool for most of the day as well, so I won't have to worry about sweating too much at work.

Unfortunately, I can also say that this level of rain isn't sustainable and not the best type. At this level of intensity, the rain will wash right off the mountains, contribute to erosion, and generally not be absorbed into the local aquifer. This rain will run off into the sea, testing the capacity of Changwon's storm systems more than recharging trees and plants with life.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-06-29T10:05:00.007+09:00

I've wound up seeing a lot more movies here in Korea than I ever really thought I would. Two reasons for this: the group of friends I've fallen in with really enjoy films, and going to the movies is a very cheap activity here (around 5 USD to see new releases in the evening and even cheaper in the mornings and afternoons).

So, with Roger, Carlos, and Lily's family and new friend 'Claire Erica' Lee, we saw the new Transformers movie. I wasn't expecting much, but I actually really liked it. I was disappointed that during the final sequence though, action took place at several different locations across Egypt and Jordan. One moment they're on the pyramids, then next minute they're 3 countries away in Jordan, wandering through the Lost City of Petra. Then they're running through Karnak Temple in Luxor (hundreds of kilometers South of both locales)! But the Egyptians and the Jordanians must be laughing their heads off at the nonsense in this one!

Despite the best efforts of geography teachers like myself, I'd almost be willing to forgive this due to the rabble's completely hopeless lack of understanding about geography (almost), but it gets much worse. Anther scene has the characters walking through the front door of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Then they walk out the back door of the museum... into an Air Force bone yard obviously in Tuscon Arizona! Come on!

These are just a few of the eye-roll inducing plot discrepancies in the movie. It might actually be fun to see it again and see how many more ridiculous things I didn't notice.

Seriously, how stupid do they think movie audiences are? Then again, for folks willing to shell out money to watch a sequel to a movie based on a TV series produced to sell a line of plastic toys in the 1980's, I don't imagine the producers had high minded viewers in mind. This movie is a great ride, but be sure to leave your brain at home, lest critical thinking ruin it for you.

Flakiness & Lethargy

2009-06-27T09:19:00.003+09:00

I'm so often busy during the week that during my downtime, I often don't have the capacity or the will to get anything productive done. Whether this is due to exhaustion or lethargy I can't be certain, but it's affecting me.

Just this last weekend, my friend Krista invited me to join her on a weekend whitewater rafting excursion. I was excited and pumped to go, but when it came time to book the trip, I couldn't find the time, or I often "spaced" it out. Now she's undoubtedly having the time of her life, while I'm having a lazy weekend again in Changwon.

What's wrong with me? I'm not sure. There are tons of things I'd like to get done, from the important (sending home a package of goodies for my parents, wiring money home to invest, booking a vacation, etc.) to the mundane (arranging furniture for more room, spending my REI dividend check, studying Korean).

Now that the consequences of my inaction have hit (I'm not rafting or bungee jumping this weekend). I'm reviewing once again the principles behind simplifying your life:

1. Identify what's important to you. 2. Eliminate everything else.

What might I be able to eliminate from my life, and make it more manageable? Will this help me become the weekend warrior? Or the Saturday sloth?

Simple Living Manifesto: 72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life

George S. Patton on Thinking

2009-06-26T16:54:00.004+09:00

From Australia

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking." ~ George S. Patton.

Another Politician's Infidelity

2009-06-25T21:42:00.006+09:00

Of all the things going on in the world today, what with genocide in Darfur the Iranian crackdown on vote protesters, and Kim Jong Il's wild threats, you would wonder why I'd choose to talk about Mark Sanford's sleazy infidelity.

Why? Because like this article says, his confession is so fundamentally different from those politicians before him that it is unexpected and unique. An aberration. Unlike the genocide in Darfur or the Iranian voting scandal (whose outcomes are tragic and unfortunate, yet sadly predictable), Mark Sanford is perhaps showing genuine remorse for his actions and laying out everything. His confession amounts to political suicide and perhaps marital suicide.

As the editorials below mention, most politicians caught in an infidelity engage in a typical pattern of minimizing it as a short lived lapse or personal failure, showing remorse, and then trying to convince people you still love your dear wife and God has forgiven you. You avoid accountability until it becomes politically imperative to do otherwise, explain it away as a short mistake, and then go on the offensive when your adversaries or the press exploit it. I won't rehash how Clinton and Edwards tried to pull off this script. (To say nothing of GOP Senator Larry Craig's laughable "wide stance" whopper when the vice squad got him in the bathroom).

While his political opponents are right to point out his hypocrisy (he voted to impeach Clinton on what he described as moral grounds and moralizes about the sanctity of marriage in his position on same-sex marriage), I also kind of think many have been too quick to judge and condemn. Perhaps there is a time and place to consider his behavior and the discrepancy between what he says and does.

But based on his confession, here's a guy who is obviously broken and torn up about the whole thing. He obviously senses the ramifications of his actions not only to South Carolina and his family, but to his colleagues and even his mistress. Unlike Craig or Clinton, who immediately launchrd into a cynical, calculated damage control to salvage their careers, could Sanford actually be taking it all in and figuring out how to do the right thing?

Heartless: The Disturbing Glee at Mark Sanford's Downfall, by John Dickerson

Something Real: Did Mark Sanford Admit to a Sin Worse than Sex? by William Saletan

Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic on Mark Sanford

Thought for Wednesday

2009-06-24T11:48:00.004+09:00

"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you. But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." ~ Don Marquis.

From Thailand & Cambodia

Another Thought For Tuesday

2009-06-23T13:33:00.005+09:00

"There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." ~ Nelson Mandela

From Colorado Trail

Kodak Kodachrome Film Retired at 74

2009-06-23T10:18:00.007+09:00

It wasn't so long ago that people waited two days to a week before they saw their vacation photographs. If you wanted to take more than 30 shots, you carried extra rolls of film. If you wanted to send them to friends, you kept the negatives and ordered copies (or made them yourself if you had access to a darkroom). My toddler nephew will no doubt be flabbergasted to learn people actually went to the supermarket to develop pictures into prints or that we even bothered doing so.

Before the days of digital photography, when people still stored their photographs in big heavy albums on bookshelves instead of servers and hard drives, Eastman-Kodak was an enormous company, even considered a 'tech' company at one time. The relentless onslaught of digital photography technologies have slowy pecked away at the company, which is now a hollow shell of its former self after a reorganization, and struggles to survive in the digital age.

First, companies stopped developing new 35mm cameras around the turn of the century. Now they hardly manufacture them anymore, as most everyone buys a digital camera. With the exception of a few 35 mm SLR and medium format size cameras that still have tiny niche markets, one might be hard pressed to find a simple point and shoot.

Now, Kodak has retired what was once their flagship product responsible for building their brand name. Kodachrome film, once the bread and butter of Eastman-Kodak, has slowly declined over time, and as of this year, the company will no longer manufacture the product.

I took a black and white photography class in university, and learned to develop black and white film in the dark-room. Although I only shot on black and white film, and usually used Ilford B&W film instead of Kodak (I found it often easier to work with and more forgiving of my beginner mistakes), I know many professional and amateur photographers will sorely miss using Kodachrome, as they've no doubt grown accustomed to using it over time.

Many famous images from around the world were shot on Kodachrome film, including photographer Steve McCurry's haunting 1985 National Geographic cover of an Afghani refugee girl. So for the sake of sentimentality and nostalgia, I'm linking up this slideshow of famous Kodachrome images. How many of them can you recognize? How many of the locations can you identify? How many have you visited?

KodaChrome Slideshow

Tribute to Kodachrome: A Photography Icon

National Geographic

Kodak.com

Ilford Photo

Image © Steve McCurry

Mafia Wars on Facebook

2009-06-22T20:15:00.005+09:00

I've spent the evening skipping the gym and I'm doing something I'm not particularly proud of: playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. A new friend of mine, Jean Bradberry suggested it.

I haven't been playing long, but I'm already noticing some things about it: It uses simple psychology to reinforce your behaviors. It does this primarily by using game-play to improve your game character and earning money. The catch though, is you have to keep returning to the game for more later on. Your character can also acquire different items to assist in you (which in turn require more money and more gameplay).

The whole premise reminds me very much of Blizzard software games, primarily Diablo 2, and World of Warcraft, where developing your characters becomes an obsession over time. Needless to say, one can easily purchase items in gameplay with your credit card (which I assume is how Facebook and/or the Mafia Wars Game developers make money).

Anyways, I've bought a bunch of abandoned lots for income, and I expect to be selling them soon enough for some commercial lots where I'll build some apartment complexes. My character is still a low level "street thug" where I'm busy mastering the "mugger" skill and the "corner store hold-up" skill (I've already mastered "collect on a loan"). If I build 34 apartments I can earn the "slumlord" title. But I'm still only level 6 (I can expand to Cuba at level 35).

My friend Jean claims its an interesting and intelligent game worth giving a try at. He says it teaches you a lot about psychology and interpersonal relationships. So I'll see where it goes.

Monday Morning Quote

2009-06-22T09:40:00.005+09:00

Back at work today, grinding away for the pay. Big thunderstorms woke me up at 5 AM, followed by pounding rain that's no doubt testing the limits of Changwon City's storm sewers and drainage systems.

Even as early as my student teaching experience, I could recall the weather's slight, yet noticeable effect on student temperament, behavior and performance. I suspect a thunderstorm of this magnitude is unsustainable though, and that by the time I'm in class it'll be difficult to notice, as rain will slow to a trickle. And besides, the kids in Changwon are fairly docile anyways. So I'll leave you all with the obligatory bit of wisdom below, (this time from Albert Einstein) and a sunset over Colorado's Tenmile Range.

From Colorado Trail

"Teaching should be such that what is offered is perceived as a valuable gift, and not as a hard duty." ~ Albert Einstein.

오랜만이다

2009-06-19T20:02:00.012+09:00

I went to dinner tonight and visited the home of Park Jeong Heon and her husband, Cho Jae-Hoon . I previously met them about 6 months ago, on my first arrival in Changwon. Park Jeong and her husband both work as English teachers in Changwon, in local Middle and High Schools respectively. I met Mrs. Park when she used to work at Annam MS, but after she transferred away, I hadn't seen either of them for nearly six months, although I gratefully remembered their help with a broken boiler at my apartment some time ago.

Despite having not seen them for some time, they live in one of the tall apartment buildings towering over the Daebangdong neighborhood and have two small children. Not more than 5 minutes walk away.

We had some great conversation and shared a lot of laughs that night, as we exchanged stories about our jobs and they shared some Korean language with me (not to mention delicious food), Both were eager to see me learn their mother tongue. They also have two energetic little kids running around their flat, who undoubtedly make them smile most of the night.

I also promised I'd return the favor soon, and cook peach cobbler for them. They have an oven, so all I need to locate in this town is white cake mix (not always easy in East Asia). But when I do, I'll be sure to share it with them.

New Friends in the Park

2009-06-19T20:02:00.011+09:00

So my new friend Vicky Erasmus loves playing her guitar. And she seems bent on getting all her friends to gather in Yeongji Park park late every Friday night for drinks so she can serenade us with guitar music and a bongo drum.

I wandered down there after my dinner party, as the night was still young (sort of) and I'm glad I went there this week as well. I wound up meeting an interesting guy who has lived here for nearly 11 years and teaches English literature at a University in Masan. Jean Bradberry works at Kyungnam University, and teaches literature classes, ESL, and film appreciation.

He'd also lived in Saudi Arabia for a year as an ESL teacher. Needless to say, we had some fun exchanging stories for awhile about our time in the Arab world.

He's also got a background in psychology, and had a lot of interesting insights into some personalities we've observed here in Korea.

Erich Fromm on the History of Man

2009-06-18T20:39:00.004+09:00

From Thailand & Cambodia

"The history of man is a graveyard of great cultures that came to catastrophic ends because of their incapacity for planned, rational, voluntary reaction to change." - Erich Fromm

From Thailand & Cambodia

New CS Friends Both Near & Far

2009-06-18T19:15:00.000+09:00

One thing I really like about Couchsurfing.com is the open and refreshingly uninhibited drive to meet random people. I've made several friends through the site already (although sadly, they never seem to show up ON THE couchsurfing website).

How this relates to today: I ate dinner tonight with some new friends I met through Couchsurfing.com. Jiaqi and Candice, a couple from Singapore, sent me a message asking if they could surf my couch as they would be in Busan for the weekend. They didn't realize that I also lived in Changwon, where they are staying till the end of July for a study program.

Nevertheless, they wanted me to show them where they could find a Boshintang restaurant, and I happened to know where one was. So I took them there! I also brought along a new Kiwi friend, Julia Davies, who I met at the Korean class, and they dragged along a French colleague of theirs doing their same program.

I also got a message via CS from a young woman studying English in the Philippines from Changwon. Kim Na Rae just dropped me a note out of the blue, wanting to get to know me. So I told her my story, teaching kids at Daebang MS, and my time in her hometown. She says she wants to study English when she returns. Perhaps I'll meet her in November then.

Jiaqi & Candice's Wordpress

김나래 (Kim Na Rae's Website)

Couchsurfing.com

창원 한글학당

2009-06-17T20:00:00.007+09:00

Back at class again, the Changwon Hangeul Hakdang (Hakdang is small school?) for those of you who can't read the title. Learning Korean is proceeding much slower than I would like for a variety of reasons. Mainly because I have no time. I'm finding it difficult to find the time to both practice, study, and speak. I'm just not finding the hours in the day to study as much as I would or should, consequently, the learning is going more slowly.

But I am pleased to announce a giant leap forward: I can now read and write pretty well (not that I can understand much of what I'm reading or writing, but hey give me a break). So I thought I'd make a few observations:

1. Korean is proving more challenging to hear and speak than I originally anticipated. There are several vowels, consonants, and these unusual double consonants that are indistinguishable in my ears. I simply cannot hear the difference between them and its proving quite frustrating.

2. The Korean script is every bit as functional and elegant as they say it is. My Korean friends and colleagues insist that it is a "scientific" script, but I think they mean in the sense that it was a language designed and constructed by academic scholars, as opposed to a writing system haphazardly cobbled together and improvised by anyone and everyone over thousands of years (as my own heaping mess of a mother tongue happens to be).

And while I'm not sure I'd apply the term "scientific" to describe the writing system, it is remarkably simple and straightforward to learn (as it was designed to be), and arguably Korea's greatest cultural achievement. You have consonants and vowels. Each character can have 1-2 consonants and 1 vowel (roughly). Anyone familiar with writing Chinese characters or Japanese will readily take to writing out Hangul with little trouble.

4. This isn't to say though, that it isn't without its pitfalls and traps for the uninitiated, as one can definitely find odd idiosyncrasies, as one could in any written language, I imagine.

3. Korean seems to place even more emphasis on polite forms and tenses than Japanese does. I'm still too early into things to know for sure, but this appears to be the case.

4. After learning the language a little better, Korean presents more problems for Romanization than I anticipated as well. This would definitely make the language more of a hurdle for Korean learners from Western speaking languages.

As for the class itself, I'm making a lot of new friends, and I'm enjoying every one's company quite a bit (and I'm hoping they feel the same way about me).

창원 한글학당 Changwon Hangeul Hakdang Korean Class

Khalil Gibran on Volcanos

2009-06-16T18:02:00.004+09:00

From Thailand & Cambodia

"If your heart is like a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?" - Khalil Gibran

Upheaval in Iran

2009-06-16T10:08:00.008+09:00

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. ~ Mohandas Gandhi

The big event now: Iranian supporters of Mousavi claiming election fraud take to the streets by the hundreds of thousands in cities across Iran. News reports say information in Iran is difficult to come by, as the Iranian government blocks key websites used by protesters, restricts journalists, and cuts off cell phone and satellite TV usage.

As reliable news slows to a trickle, journalists and others are turning to Twitter, of all sites, as a means of gauging events inside Iran. Protesters are working hard to get information out. The protests themselves have taken most by surprise. All the analysts and pundits seem to have a grasp on the political situation there, but are wondering if the protests are unsustainable and will slow down in the days and weeks ahead. Or will a violent crackdown on protests end the upheaval more abruptly? Would it backfire and further destabilize the government in the short term or the long term?

All valid questions for sure. But Iran, being so enigmatic and difficult to grasp by Americans, through a complex bitter history between Iran and the US (and perhaps much of the West), cultural barriers, and ideologies, few people have any good answers. Nobody's quite sure what will happen, and nobody is quite sure about the correct response the rest of the world should take. So, I shot off a Facebook message to the one aquaintaince I knew in Iran, and am currently awaiting her take on events.

I'm not expecting much from this person, as Facebook and Twitter are reportedly blocked inside the country and the government and its dissenters are engaged in an electronic duel of sorts. Email and internet speed in general are reportedly greatly slowed, as protesters scramble to send news and camera phone images out on hastily assembled proxy servers and the government scrambles to shut them down. If I do hear or learn anything about events, I'll put it here, in solidarity with those brave souls willing to stand up for freedom, justice, and democracy.

But while there are many caveats and pitfalls in writing about Iran (my last attempt to write on the subject was met with some very angry replies), I feel safe saying this much:

1. The election itself looks very, very suspect to me. While I have no proof, the accounts I've read (including Iranian law ignored requiring a waiting period before announcing results) have me pretty well convinced the election itself was fraudulent, rigged, or whatever. Given the huge new turnout reported, accounts of demographics and the electorate in Iran, and the enthusiasm people had in opposing Achmadinejad, I find it difficult to believe Achmadinejad won by nearly 2/3 majority. Then again, I'm not surprised that it was rigged to begin with.

2. While many in the US might disagree with me, I feel it was prudent, in the least, for Obama not to respond immediately. He showed a good deal of foresight in understanding that many would try to make this "about the US." He knows a heavy handed involvement would only make things more difficult for those trying to dissent and that blaming the US is a common tactic the regime uses in dealing with its own failings.

3. I would hope those engaged in protests don't lose courage or become disillusioned with a lack of immediate progress. I would hope they would ultimately embrace a long, drawn out nonviolent dissent modeled after Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. or Nelson Mandela.

Extreme Sheep Herding

2009-06-15T21:05:00.008+09:00

Seeing as my day was a complete fail, I shamelessly used my facebook status to get my friends to cheer me up. I don't advise doing this too often, as people will begin to see you as a bit of a downer, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.
Anyways, Dan Simmons, an all around cool dude, proved thoughtful enough to provide this link. So these guys use LED light fixtures on sheep and have very well trained dogs and use the sheep to create large formations visible on the opposite hillside. Extreme sheep herding folks. That's right you heard me. The fireworks at the end were priceless.

Reminds me of my days playing saxophone in High School for the Mustang Marching Band. Although I was usually marching, so I don't recall seeing much besides the other marchers in front of me. I'll bet people in the stands had quite a show though. Fortunately we didn't need dogs barking orders at us (although our band director, Mr. Smith, could get pretty loud with the megaphone sometimes).

Recession Wrecking Friendships

2009-06-15T18:09:00.006+09:00

I had a bad day today. For a variety of reasons I'm not going to recap all the sad events. So instead, I thought I'd offer this piece about the economic recession ending friendships and dividing people into rich and poor, or employed and unemployed. Like the author suggests, I also feel this is a trend that started long before last year's market crashes.

To be completely fair, people naturally gravitate to others who are like themselves. This is a natural occurrence and there isn't anything wrong with it in and of itself (caveats). People naturally relate to others who have more in common (I don't exactly hang out with NASCAR fanatics because I just can't relate, just as those folks probably wouldn't want to relate to someone who spends his time rambling pseudo-intellectual drivel on his stupid blog) But I think everyone should find it sad and wrong that socio-economic lines increasingly define those divisions.

My own countries' shrinking middle class and its division into the very rich and increasingly poor over the last 30 to 40 years is visible in a numerous of ways. Suburban and Ex-urban communities price people (and diversity) out of neighborhoods by only building houses for certain "market segments," making communities less diverse and increasingly dividing communities and cities into areas with wealth and forcing those without it into communities with none. The problem compounds itself, as people in poorer communities lack examples of successful, hardworking people (who've long ago left for gated communities on some highway exit).

Even the fall of GM symbolizes the trend. Their business model in the 70's had 5 brands, with Chevy at the bottom, followed by Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac at the top. Now Buick only survives because the Chinese like them, while Pontiac and Oldsmobile are gone, as their markets disappeared. Now that Hummer is gone, GM's only viable products anymore come from Chevy's affordable transportation (from Chevy), or a luxury brand for the well to do (Cadillac). This means that Americans are increasingly struggling to make it at all (and buying the cheapest car or truck they can). Or oppositely, they're living on top of the heap (and keeping up with the Joneses by getting that new Caddy).

I remember a friend telling me once how she was at times uncomfortable with the wealth in her suburban church, as she felt socializing with them was often too expensive, or feared the conspicuous consumption would price other folks out of socializing there, ultimately hurting the church's mission. A valid concern and one I suspect many churches I've attended struggle with at times.

So I just asked myself: How many friends do I have that are significantly different from myself economically? academically? politically? As I expected, not very many. Is this wrong? I don't know. But I would hope that new realities brought on in the recession between friends whose status used to match up don't end friendships and relationships, which acts as a cohesive that society needs, especially in times like these.

Friends without Money: How the Recession is Wrecking Friendships Across the Land by Emily Bazelon

SLATE

Music in the Park: Twitter Style

2009-06-13T13:15:00.004+09:00

Seriously, I just don't get Twitter. I know its the new thing and all, but the whole premise doesn't make any sense to me. What's the point in limiting yourself to 140 characters or less? Anyways, since I'm not on it:

My new friends gather in Changwon's Yeongji Park. On Friday Nights. For music and drinks. We all had fun. I met new friends.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Paris' Birthday Party

2009-06-13T13:10:00.008+09:00

Asian cultures often place emphasis on a child's first birthday, as most infant mortality historically (and still) passes by a child before that age. Once a child reaches 1, its a safe bet they'll make it to adulthood. Consequently, the first birthday party is often a big event and a major life milestone, like a bar mitzvah, graduation, or wedding.

So what does any of that have to do with me? Well, I had the opportunity to attend the epic birthday party extravaganza of Paris, the daughter of Lily Toh, a new mother in our Korean class. Lily was kind enough to invite(and quite enthusiastic about) people from the Changwon The party is more for the adults, as I'd never seen a kid's birthday party with beer and soju, but it was quite an occasion and evidently a big deal for Koreans and Lily (who comes from Taiwan). They had a DJ, an MC, and a dancing woman who put on a show, had raffle prizes, and rivaled a wedding reception.

Here's Lily and her husband. The birthday girl is staring at me while I balance a spoon on my nose.

Busy Busy Busy

2009-06-12T13:14:00.003+09:00

Lately I've been finding my hectic lifestyle and schedule far too unsustainable. This last week particularly, I had a difficult time keeping up with anything. What do you do when there just aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done?

For a number of reasons, things become breathtakingly stressful and busy for me on Tuesday and Wednesday, when I have to meet all my deadlines for the week and still make my Tuesday evening Korean language class (something I don't want to sacrifice). If I can get my last lessons prepped in time for early Wednesday, then I know I've done it, and feel tremendously successful. I can relax a little after I make it through Wednesday, but by then I have nothing left in me to get ahead for the following week.

Please advise.

Carolyn Hax on Caring People

2009-06-11T22:05:00.005+09:00

" People who care about you will care about the effect they have on you." -- Carolyn Hax

From Thailand & Cambodia

Priorities & Options

2009-06-10T11:33:00.004+09:00

From Northern Arizona, 2000-2001

"Never allow somebody to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option." --Unknown.

Travelers & Tourists

2009-06-09T10:58:00.002+09:00

"The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see." - G. K. Chesterton

From Egypt 2007

G. K. Chesterton on Travel

2009-06-08T10:39:00.001+09:00

"The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land." -- G. K. Chesterton.

From Egypt 2007

Dear Irritating Vegetable Truck Guy,

2009-06-07T09:01:00.001+09:00

Dear Irritating Vegetable Truck Guy,

I've got a bit of an issue that I'm hoping we can come to an agreement about. I know you've gotta make a living just like everyone else and I know that you do this by selling vegetables and fruit in my neighborhood from your truck.

That's totally cool and I've got no problem with that. I think once or twice I even bought some tangerines from you (and they were pretty good too). I don't even mind you blaring your recorded sales pitch on your loudspeaker. For half an hour at a time. Hey, I worked in sales once (telemarketing and door to door commercial carpet cleaning), so I know exactly how tough it can be sometimes. I can respect that too. I mean, everyone's gotta make a living, right? So live and let live I say.

The problem I have is the hour of day that you blare your recorded sales pitch. I think we can both safely say that nobody wants to roll out of bed and shop for vegetables at 7:30 AM on Saturday or Sunday morning. This is the second time this weekend alone you woke me trying to tempt me with your heaps of persimmons, radishes, cabbage or lettuce or baby tomatoes or whatever.

You've been blaring your loudspeaker at the whole neighborhood and I've watched you, nobody's buying your stuff that early (perhaps this is why you drive off at 8:15, after the whole neighborhood is awake). You see, the only thing a loudspeaker sells at an hour like this is resentment and hatred. Perhaps this is why most people in this town prefer to live on the 15th floor of an apartment building, where they can't hear people like you?

Hey, its OK, I understand you're a farmer. You get up early when your rooster crows and get hard to work on the farm before the sun rises. That's cool man. I respect that. But you've gotta respect us too. On weekends, us city slickers. don't want to get out of bed and shop for groceries until at least 9:30 or 10:00. If you show up at 9:30, I might even start buying stuff from you again, instead of getting angry about being woken up by your megahorn and boycotting you (as apparently the rest of the neighborhood has as well)

A Man Who Made My Dream His Reality

2009-06-06T15:03:00.006+09:00

My friend Krista Lee connected me with her cousin's website, a man who has been traveling, trekking, and photographing Southern and Central Asia for over two years. He's making this fantastic website with wonderful images of his formidable and ever growing mass of epic travels, journeys, and adventures.

I've spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon now reading about his varied adventures from China to India to Vietnam and Laos, and I'm more and more excited about making such a journey myself. I'm already including some of the places he visited into my itinerary already.

While I wonder about my ability to plan a journey as fantastic as his, and desperately hope my own stories are half as exciting and interesting as Micah Hanson's, I somehow have a faith and confidence they will be.

People like Micah prove the axiom that 'Fortune favors the bold.' Those who step out beyond the point of no return are the ones who reach the destinations no one else can manage. The ones who swim beyond the shore, saving nothing for the swim back witness new horizons and discover new lands. I must remember this principle, and never fear to hold back out of trepidation or cowardice.

Micah Images: Across Asia

Monument Valley Album

2009-06-06T12:06:00.009+09:00

Here's my full album from my trip to Monument Valley. A pristinely beautiful canyon area in the heart of the Navajo Nation, this Tribal Park and fantastic landscape has become synonymous and representative of the Navajo Nation, the landscape and its culture.

Longtime friends Jonathan Dunn, Will Turnage, and 'Kaise' (last name forgotten) drove up to the park from Prescott, Arizona during the Winter of 2000. I've long since forgotten the name of Kaise's friend who is also pictured. Regardless, we all had a good time, despite mother nature snowing on us overnight. After some time getting our cars unstuck, we had a blast driving down wide dirt roads covered in snow before entering the Tribal Park.

I've often wondered what happened to Jonathan Dunn & Will Turnage since, as I lost touch after moving to Flagstaff to attend NAU. I know Will Turnage moved to Alaska to become a bush pilot and Jonathan was on a track to head into the Air Force. I've searched for them on Facebook and other places with no luck. Perhaps someday they'll Google themselves and find this blog entry.

Navajo Parks & Recreation

Dinner with Yoon-Ji

2009-06-05T18:18:00.006+09:00

After work, I took the bus to Jinhae to have dinner with my new friend Yoon-Ji, who recently finished her student teaching internship/practicum gig at Annam JHS.

She's having a great time relaxing again, and soon expects to be finding work as a teacher. Yoon-Ji speaks with fantastic English, and talking to her was very interesting, as I got a lot of perspectives and thoughts about Annam JHS and teaching in Korea from a perspective that I wouldn't otherwise here about.

Yoon-Ji also had a lot of interesting things to say on a whole range of other topics as well. She also shares with me a real desire to travel and see the world, something she feels she hasn't had a chance for.

From Dr. Seuss

2009-06-05T11:03:00.008+09:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -- Dr. Seuss

From Climbing with Melissa McCann and Paul B, Paradise Forks, March 2002

Thoughts on the Auto Bailout

2009-06-04T09:53:00.008+09:00

Here's an interesting idea about how the arranged auto bailout might long term save GM and the UAW from both themselves and each other. It was an idea that sort of crossed my mind when they announced that the UAW would be taking quite a bit of GM and a majority of Chrysler stock. By giving the union and therefore the workers, an ownership stake in the company, they'll have a more vested interest in the long term competitiveness and viability of the company.

Now welded to the companies they are dependent upon for survival, they'll be forced to make decisions as owners and executives now if they want to protect their workers and even the Union itself. I think it might actually hold some promise in helping the company become more competitive long term.

Whether any meaningful and effective change comes from this new arrangement remains to be be seen. Nevertheless, as the author notes, the irony in the workers owning production would definitely have Marx rolling in his grave. I'm not sure this is quite what he had in mind.

Which Side Are You On?: How the UAW's New Ownership Stake Will Defang The Union, by Daniel Gross
Anyways, I thought it was interesting reading.

And now, for a rambling rant:

I'm growing increasingly concerned about all the taxpayer money being poured into GM and Chrysler. While I think that this may be necessary, given current economic conditions, I'm concerned this may never end. The Obama administration hasn't firmly stated that these are the last bailout dollars he's willing to give to the companies, just that they don't anticipate doling out any more cash to Detroit.

The other thing that concerns me is all the cash being doled out to companies that aren't viable and haven't shown any sort of plan to change their ways to become viable. Despite collapsing, I don't see Chrysler or GM doing anything radically different to change things around.

If the federal government is going to be the new financier, they need to start thinking like an investor, which means putting capital and money where it could be most useful. If we want to save the auto industry in America shouldn't we be using this money more wisely? Ford, which completed its restructuring and has turned itself around quality wise and sales wise is the only company in Detroit that's worthy of taxpayer dollars (and is probably the only car I'd consider buying if I was in the states right now).

I find it despicable in some ways that GM may ultimately benefit from the epic cluster they created, whereas a better company like Ford may get put at a competitive disadvantage by not having access to all the cheap government capital.

And why keep pumping money into dull, old companies at all when there are new startups begging for capital to get off the ground? If the government is the new investor, shouldn't the government also consider sexy new startups like Bright Automotive and Tesla Motors just as much as dinosaurs like GM and Chrysler? After watching the slow motion train wrecks of GM and Chrysler over the last 15 years, would Tesla really be all that much riskier an investment?

Then again, Tesla doesn't have a huge lobbying arm in Washington, or hundreds of thousands of workers and suppliers in dozens of congressional districts (to say nothing of the UAW's political clout). Its kind of unfortunate how many of these political decisions pretty much get made before they're even presented.

And for folks interested in the future of the American Auto Industry:

Tesla Motors

Bright Automotive

From Carl Buechner

2009-06-03T15:50:00.005+09:00

From Colorado Highlights

"They may forget what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel." -- Carl Buechner

Daily Thought on Life

2009-06-02T15:44:00.001+09:00

From Diamond Down 2003

"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching." -- Unknown.

Tom Krause on Failure

2009-06-01T15:29:00.004+09:00

From Colorado Highlights

"There are no failures, just experiences and your reactions to them." -- Tom Krause.

Going to the Country

2009-05-31T21:30:00.006+09:00

For all of you who are curious about who I've been hanging out with lately, here's a picture of me taken today in the Korean countryside with a new group of friends. Sonny invited fellow classmate Chantalle and myself for a day at the home of one of the dedicated volunteers who give up their time so that us pasty white folks may one day speak the Korean tongue.

No lessons took place, just a lot of good food and socializing. We also played Frisbee and badminton in his substantial yard. I got to meet Sonny's rambunctious child as well, who is cute enough to get away with all sorts of hilarious antics.

Cheers! for all the epic hospitality in Korea that never seems to run dry!

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Chantalle falls asleep on the couch, until my camera click wakes her up.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

The whole gang out front.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Our venerable and generous host.

Boshintang with Friends

2009-05-31T13:39:00.003+09:00

I made it back to Changwon in time for Boshintang with friend and colleague Lee Soon Jeong and her husband. The three of us had been planning this for quite awhile, but our schedules never quite messhed well enough to arrange the outing.

Bonshintang is a traditional Korean soup dish made from dog meat, and translates to something like, "invigorating soup." It is indeed quite delicious and quite invigorating, and more often eaten in the summer months. In recent years however, its become less and less popular due to perceptions about eating dog meat (What would the other G 2o nations think?) and unfortunately seems to be on the wane.

Nevertheless, I'm quite happy they showed me this delicious restaurant, and will no doubt be returning in the near future.

More Ridiculous Scavenger Hunt Pictures

2009-05-30T21:18:00.004+09:00

Well, here we go again with more ridiculous scavenger hunt pictures. My first batch of them was obviously not enough, as the loony nonsense of that day went on for quite some time. Here are some examples of the things we did all day. There were over a hundred different things. Here's a few. I'll be loading more shots later into my Picasa Album as I feel like it.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

"#47. Take a picture of someone with a baby on their back."

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

"#35: Take a picture of someone giving a team member a backrub.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Our team. Go team. Krista on the left. Jannell and Amy from the right.

Samgyeopsal & Terminator: Another Long Day

2009-05-30T12:16:00.005+09:00

Another long day for me. Fortunately the weekend is near and I'll have time for some sleep. Almost immediately after work, the Daebang MS teachers held a dinner party at the local Samgyeopsal Bistro for the student teachers wrapping up their short term practicum program at the school. No less then 4 were English teachers.

I had a great time laughing and joking around with all the English teachers there.

But I'd also committed to watching Terminator: Salvation a week ago with some friends from my Korean class. I finally managed to watch the new movie this week, and really enjoyed it. While the film wasn't perfect, it was quite good, and a great flick to watch.

Quote from G. K. Chesterton

2009-05-29T12:46:00.004+09:00

"The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost." -- G. K Chesterton

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Why I Can't Stand Soccer

2009-05-28T22:16:00.005+09:00

The only spectator sport I have much interest in is American NFL football. I can watch a good basketball at times, and have been following the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs this year, but I'd rather watch mildew grow on my bathroom floor than soccer or baseball.

I can't remember where I heard it said, but some sports commentator once penned something like this: "Soccer is like caviar. It doesn't go down well, and nobody really knows why anybody likes it." Soccer is the kind of sport that's meant to be played rather than watched.

Well, today on the Fail Blog, I found an even better explanation for my disdain of the sport. Allow me to present this short clip of these two soccer playing buffoons:Seriously dudes, what is the matter with you two? Could you be any more, stupid, transparent, fake, pathetic or immature?? First of all the guy was asking for it because he gets all up in his face about something that was no doubt as dumb as what eventually transpired. Then the guy second guy barely touches him and acts like some victim who got headbutted. Come on! Man up already and quit acting like a testosterone deficient, insecure, underdeveloped 7th grade bonehead!

In all fairness I must concede that these types of monkey-house antics are not limited to soccer, as the NBA has its fair share of prima donas and hot heads. But I've never seen anything in sports quite as stupid as this. The sad things is, I the few soccer games I have been unfortunate enough to watch I've seen enough of this kind of thing to turn me off to the sport for good. What a complete lack of personal integrity. How these guys can look at themselves seriously in the mirror after nonsense like this is beyond me.

On Robots & Terminators

2009-05-27T17:19:00.009+09:00

I've been doing a really cool lesson recently about robots. They had this passage in our textbook at Daebang middle school they wanted me to use. They had these silly robots that look like pet dogs and this text tells how they "can read newspapers to old people." So I spiced it up a bit with a whole bunch of military UAVs and cool pics from the latest Terminator movie, in a desperate bid to hold the attention of 14 year old boys.

I think they had a fun time, with the kids later drawing robots and writing up sentences about what their robot "can" and "can't" do (I'll let you guess what the target sentence was that day). But while the kids seemed have fun, all it did for me was make me want to see the new Terminator flick that much more, (hopefully this weekend).

Anyways, I found this interesting article from a guy in Slate Magazine speculating on whether evil robots could ever take over the world. Some interesting facts gleaned from it as well: Apparently there are already 12 thousand unmanned ground vehicles already in Iraq and Afghanistan (a scary thought) and over 7000 UAV's. I'm surprised that the article didn't touch more on the Aegis combat system and the integrated and increasingly automated digital networks that already are, and will increasingly be managing targeting and fire control for all the services (and eventually the UAVs and robots).

The author also claims its only a matter of time before military robots are fielded that will make autonomous decisions about engagement.

Gaming the Robot Revolution, by P. W. Singer

Video Quote From the Most Interesting Man

2009-05-26T22:08:00.004+09:00

Today's bit of wisdom comes from the most interesting man in the world. Who knew such enlightened sagacity could be found in a 17 second beer commercial? I like this dude as well. This is how I see myself in 30-40 years.

New Climbing Album from Back in the Day

2009-05-26T11:32:00.004+09:00

I've been meaning to post this album up for awhile now. Back in the late summer of 2001, my friend Geremiah Jeronimo Gentry, "Miah" and I scaled a big ole' granite crack up on Prescott's Granite Mountain in Arizona.

It was a great climb and a great day, despite the monsoon rain we got in the afternoon (we got soaked, but by that time had finished the day's most difficult pitches). We got out on this knife edge ridge at the very end. The ridge stood up about 250-300 feet off the deck and was wildly exposed. See the album below.

Carolyn Hax on Problem Relationships

2009-05-25T15:22:00.004+09:00

My all time favorite advice columnist has to be Carolyn Hax. She often tackles the toughest of questions and always has a clever way of reducing complicated interpersonal issues into easily understood metaphors, making the thorniest issues obvious. She also does this and usually manages to save face for the people who write in to her.

Carolyn Hax on relationship problems: "If your boat really is leaking, I wouldn't suggest blaming it all on the ocean."

From Italy & Belgium

After the Storm

2009-05-24T22:05:00.003+09:00

After what was the busiest, most hectic weekend in months, the hurricane speed of life during the last couple of weeks finally abates and I have an evening to myself. I should be planning for classes tomorrow, but I'm not productive. I can barely manage to cobble together this blog entry.

For the first time in awhile, I find myself... lonely, melancholy, and lethargic.

From Northern Arizona, 2002

Scavenger Hunt & Music Festival in Daegu

2009-05-23T21:56:00.005+09:00

Went to Daegu to visit my new friend Krista Lee. She invited me to her town to see some big music festival/shindig thing that was going on. So I boarded a train on the other end of Changwon and went up North to Daegu, Korea's third largest city.

I had no idea what to expect, but apparently some organization of foreigners was running a scavenger hunt event that is apparently quite popular in the city. As it was only myself and Krista (we wouldn't meet up with her friends till much later) we had to join another team, where we met Amy and her friend.

Anyways, from the pictures below, you can guess that the scavenger hunt was absolutely bananas.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Dinner with Jo Sung Chan's Family

2009-05-22T21:44:00.004+09:00

My new friend Jo Sung Chan, another teacher at Daebang MS, invited me to his home Friday evening for dinner. After a short tour around Gimhae, I got to meet his family in their lovely home. They took me out to eat what was the spiciest and most delicious Chinese food I've ever eaten.

He has two very cute daughters as well, who were both tons of fun. His older daughter spoke English quite well, and was super eager to teach me Korean, giving me the names for dozens of items and objects in the restaurant.

From South Korea Highlights 2009 ~

Korean Alphabet Game

2009-05-21T22:24:00.006+09:00

A good time killer. Here's a Korean Hangeul script game to practice learning the Korean letters. There are a couple of them and some more games I found but this is the one I played the most. I can waste a little time playing this and pretend its educational can't I?

Seriously though, its great practice. Unfortunately, I'm wishing I'd found this a few weeks ago when I started seriously learning the language. I like that it isn't at all connected to Romanized Korean, which is a crutch that's easy to fall into.

Korean Alphabet Game 1

Korean Lint

Big Changes

Lingering Cold

Something I Should Do...

Grand Gulch Anasazi Ruins

Made My Day

Ed Viesturs on Mistakes

A mistake is a mistake even if you get away with it. ~ Ed Viesturs

Hax with More Wisdom...

Not everything people do is a personal reflection on you. ~ Carolyn Hax

Career Choices

Honesty

‎"If honesty were actually the best policy, people would use it more often." ~ Amy Alkon

Seeking Love

"Your task is not to seek for love, but to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it" ~ Jalal ad-Din Muhammed Rumi

Bummer

"Is this an outrage or a bummer? Think carefully before you settle into your choice." - Carolyn Hax

Anger

“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

Gold Dust

Motorcycles R' Us

Saturday Night Pool

Drive to Busan with Robin Gazdecki

Alan Watts on Plans

250cc Cruiser? Well, why Not?

비음산 Hiking Bieumsan

진해 벚꽃축제 Jinhae Cherry Blossoms & Friends

Johnny Cash

A new car :P

Korean Language Practice.

Quote for Chahārshanbe-Sūri چارشنبه‌سور

"کوروش کبیر گفت برایجنگیدن با تاریکی آتش روشن میکنیم و با شادی و نور به سراغ دشمن میروی""To defeat the darkness we set the fire and face the enemy down with light and joy." -Cyrus the Great

Better Teachers

Inspiration & Writers in Changwon

Nieces & Nephews

In Prescott. With Grandad and Evorine.

Baaaack in the U.S.... A ?

Links for a New Year

まなてぃ～／シドニーへ行く (The Manatee Goes to Sydney) This blog chronicles my friend and longtime Japanese teacher, Kyoko Nagashima as she spends a year teaching Japanese in Australia.

Ask A Korean Insightful blog about Korean culture, history, and society written by a Korean American. Very poignant and sharp perceptions about race, immigration, and culture.

Caricature of Me

Rendition of the Universe

Carolyn Hax on Words & Deeds

"Feel free to write off anyone whose words and deeds don't line up." - Carolyn Hax

Carolyn Hax on Honesty

"When honesty results in punishment, the truth tends to linger in the eaves, hoping to go unnoticed." - Carolyn hax

Charles Gonzalez on Bad Policy

“The only reason you ever pursue bad policy is when you think there’s some sort of political advantage.” - Charles Gonzalez

Emily Yoffe on Horrible Behavior

"People get away with horrible behavior by taking advantage of others' natural instincts not to cause a scene." - Emily Yoffe

On Thoughtlessness

"Who decides what's immature? Is there a manual that says, "Other people can act abysmally, but the Mature Person will suffer their thoughtlessness and insensitivity without complaint"?" - Carolyn Hax

Robert Strange McNamara 1916-2009

On Poverty

"Poverty is not created by the poor but by the institutions and policies that we, the better off, have established. We can solve the problem not by means of the old concepts but by adopting radically new ones." ~ Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank for Micro-credit

Grameen Bank

People With Super Memory

Carolyn Hax on Train Wrecks

Ulleung Island / 울릉도

한글을공부합니다

Daebang MS English Camp 대방중

Thomas Jefferson on Arguing

A Nugget from Dr. Seuss

More Monday Morning Thunderstorms

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Flakiness & Lethargy

George S. Patton on Thinking

Another Politician's Infidelity

Thought for Wednesday

Another Thought For Tuesday

Kodak Kodachrome Film Retired at 74

Mafia Wars on Facebook

Monday Morning Quote

오랜만이다

New Friends in the Park

Erich Fromm on the History of Man

New CS Friends Both Near & Far

창원 한글학당

Khalil Gibran on Volcanos

Upheaval in Iran

"کوروش کبیر گفت برای
جنگیدن با تاریکی آتش روشن میکنیم و با شادی و نور به سراغ دشمن میروی"

"To defeat the darkness we set the fire and face the enemy down with light and joy." -Cyrus the Great