Easter Sunday BBQ

We had an Easter Sunday BBQ in Sannamdong. I grilled two mackerels and the others put together some vegetable and chicken kabobs. Chatted and listened to Sublime and Bob Marley while the kids and teenagers spent time in the park.

Good weather, good food and good people. Great way to spend an afternoon!

Easter BBQ

And the she finally came over

Ben relaxing on the longboard

She’s getting braver…

Cute little girl

Lisa, Erin, Ellen and Laura

Andrew and Danai

Danai, Josh and Ben

Excellent Food

Sannamdong Gazebo

Mike and Josh

Ben and Danai

 

I Can’t Explain It

How can I put this plainly? Hmm, maybe…last night the bitches was all up on me!

Made for a pretty sweet Saturday night and whatever it was I need to figure it out and bottle it the fuck up.

 

The Great (Hagwon) Debaters

I believe there are defined archetypes of the foreign teacher’s class at a Korean English Academy. It’ll take awhile for me to identify each one, but I promise myself to write an interesting post about that someday soon.

For today, though, I want to express how amazed by, and proud of, some kids I’ve only known for a couple of days. I have a class of 7 middle school kids for whom I normally conduct reading and writing lessons out of a textbook. Apparently, on Wednesdays, that class is supposed to have discussions about magazine articles. That’s a nice change of pace, in theory. However, we’re supposed to use the same edition of the magazine for the entire semester. What’s more is that it’s not even a full-length magazine; it’s one of those TIME for Kids things we used to read in the middle school library.

The kids weren’t into the whole “let’s read about cool inventions and then answer questions about them” plan from the start. So, about three minutes into reading about Siri (come on, these kids want Galaxy Notes!) we abandoned the lesson. The kids puzzlingly said they wanted to have a debate, so I just went with the first debate topic I could think of on the fly, the old standby (as opposed to Ol’ Sparky), the Death Penalty.

I didn’t expect much given that this was a spur-of-the-moment task. Remember that this is an English school. While the kids were working on their arguments (which were coming off the tops of their heads; no research involved for this scintillating debate) a girl actually asked me what the word ‘murder’ means. Another girl asked me if life imprisonment was the same thing as the death penalty. I believe my skepticism was warranted. But, I instructed the kids to develop three arguments for their respective sides and helped them with the wording and accuracy of their claims. They were throwing around stuff like Ancient Babylonia and Yoo Young Chul. It was gonna be interesting, no doubt.

So…go time! The kids went to the front of the classroom one-by-one to present the various arguments for their sides. I pretended to be taking notes on their claims but, in truth, the contents of my notebook were these:

– very impressed!

– these kids are smart as fuck!!

– all with no preparation…this was NOT part of the lesson plan

– how old are these kids

– Formal, polished, prepared in MFing ENGLISH!!!

– where did they learn this? where did they learn how to do this?

– Everyone spoke in front of the class. Voluntarily!

– They organized themselves and worked as a group!

The kids showed incredible poise speaking in front of me and their classmates in a second language and making salient points about a very serious issue. The only criticism I could provide for them was that they introduce themselves by name EACH time they addressed the class. If you’ve already gone up there and introduced yourself once, David, you don’t have to tell us your name the next time; we haven’t forgotten.

Anyway, I gave them some additional arguments they hadn’t considered and I couldn’t do anything but judge the debate to be a draw. The winners had been promised a ton of stickers and the losers not quite as many, but I just gave them all an even (yet generous) number. The kids truly deserved them, to say the least. These are the kinds of days that make a person look with optimism toward the next generation.

 

My Thoughts on Jeremy Lin The Day After

Several years ago there was a piece about the oft-maligned Allen Iverson that, in essence, argued that he should be appreciated more because he can be identified with. At the time, he was as significant an NBA superstar as his contemporaries like Shaquille O’Neal or Kobe Bryant. However, Shaq (standing at 7-foot-1, 325 lbs.) and Kobe (6-foot-7, 205) have physical gifts that are not often found in the general population. Not that Iverson wasn’t physically gifted, because he was, but at six feet (and there were whispers of him standing even shorter than that) he was the kind of guy that we see every single day. No, it didn’t mean that the best guy at your rec league had the potential to be an NBA superstar, but credit had to be given A.I. for having great success as a man amongst giants.

Jeremy Lin deserves appreciation for being something of an everyman, himself. Yet, this time, it has nothing to do with his height or strength. No, this one is all about color and perception. Well, I shouldn’t say all, because if Lin were Black, his incredible play over this past week would still be a huge story, it just wouldn’t be important. This is entertaining to folks because it is unexpected to see an undrafted benchwarmer show that he has what it takes to excel in the Association, but it’s meaningful because it shatters the unflattering expectations that people have (had?) about Asian-Americans in sports and, frankly, beyond. In addition to the raucous cheering at MSG, there were camera shots of a few fans looking solemn and pleased–I imagine that these people were feeling a ton of pride at the moment because Jeremy Lin was zooming by a cultural milestone like it was Derek Fisher frozen in the paint.

Personally, I needed to tune in to that Knicks/Lakers game because it was going to be pivotal. Would Lin lead his team to victory and (more importantly) have an excellent individual performance and continue to forcibly change minds about what color people are capable of any particular accomplishment? Or would he have an average performance, thereby negating his prior success as simply an aberration and further cementing the negative stereotypes about Asian-Americans in sports and demolishing the opportunity that anyone looking like him would ever have in professional sports ever again? It may seem crazy, but I honestly think that kind of pressure existed on Friday night. And, for the haters, there would be no excuses for failure even though many valid ones existed. Fatigue? Check. Crappy supporting cast? Check. Competing against a backcourt that had won five NBA championships, and featuring one of the ten best players of all-time? Oh, and don’t forget two seven-footers in the paint and a former Defensive Player of the Year. Umm…yeah. It was almost comical. Yet, as anyone who watched the game, pumped his or her fist, or shouted “Oh shit!” multiple times at a television screen while viewing knows, the guy came through with flying colors. It was more than a passing grade; it was the highest possible score on what was probably the most difficult exam of his life. Unreal. And I’m insanely…check that–Linsanely happy to have witnessed it.

 

Nothing Like Some Rambling To Bring It Back, Baby!

A little hiatus never hurt anyone!

Sittin’ here in the orange checkerboard Calvin Klein knockoff briefs I got in Taipei and thinking I ought to take a photo of ’em. Working on that Gekkeikan sake just to get rid of it. Somehow the taste of it DOES NOT CLASH with the taste of toothpaste from brushing 15 minutes earlier.

Listening to “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” by Milli Vanilli, well…the track just changed to “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida. Anyway, a little sad that I’m gonna miss out on Lisa in Seoul. She leaves in March and I’m getting there late February instead of January. Maybe I’ll have to develop new friendships!

Cousin is asleep downstairs. She was a bratty child who became an immature adult. She’s still classist and acts entitled, but she’s getting a little better than she used to be.

Now the music player is playing Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. I’m so proud of my eclectic taste in music! I’m also aware that I punctuated a song title two different ways in this post. Do you think I’m really gonna pull out my copy of The Elements Of Style to make sure the highlights of this blog post are correct?

I love the subtle humor.

So, what the fuck, Monta Ellis?!? You’re one of my favorite players and I thought you were totally cool. In my mind, I always defend you when critics attack your play, saying you shoot too much and don’t play defense. And I defend you when bigots attack your persona, saying you have too many tattoos and speak Ebonics. Dude, you’re supposed to be a simple country guy who’s not all into this sexting and dishonesty crap. And the Warriors need you. Your team can ill-afford to have distractions like this. Oakland, man. I hope it’s not true, but I just don’t feel there are many women out there with the audacity to totally make up shit like this.

Here’s that photo:

It's My Ass!

Gotta start exercising. Shit’s not even funny anymore.

First thing tomorrow!

The same day I signed the contract to work in Cheongju, the recruiter whose original job fell through contacted me with a new offer. Fuck, man! Now I have to send a “no thank you” letter. Those things are so uncomfortable to write. Can I just ignore the email and let it fade in bolivion? No…gotta be professional. Maybe I’ll have to deal with this guy in the future.

Fucking Mayer-motherfucking-Hawthorne. Damn, this album is good!

Well, what more can I say? Hella much, baby! But I’ve gotta pace myself. See me tomorrow…unless I take another unscheduled hiatus.

 

Seoul Vacation, Part III

My first trip to Seoul was began a week ago today and, although the instant enthusiasm about it has subsided, it was still so wonderful that I’d like to share!  One thing which seems so irrelevant but just tickled me during the entire weekend is a cafe that is now my all-time favorite.  All over Seoul we saw “A Twosome Place”…in Hongdae, in Itaewon, and right outside of my motel.  It’s no different from the myriad other chain coffee shops in Korea (and there are a ton of them: Dunkin’ Donuts, Angel-in-Us, Caffe Ti-Amo, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Holly’s Coffee and the omnipresent Starbucks).

But I just couldn’t get over the ridiculous name.  I repeated it to myself and the girls a thousand times over the weekend.  Damned good sandwiches, good coffee and a nice atmosphere in each one.  How could I possibly go to Holly’s Coffee when I could go to A Twosome Place?  So now, of course, the trick is to actually visit the place as a twosome…we’ll see what happens.

I stayed in a motel while Tina stayed a block away at her friend Kristine’s apartment.  Visiting Kristine’s was my first experience in one of the high-rises that pepper every city in Korea.  Her apartment was nice, modern and spacious but she had only been there for a month so the decoration was a work in progress.  One more thing I should mention is that Kristine has been to an Air concert.  You may know from reading this blog that the Air live show is unreal and Kristine’s simple accomplishment has instantly rocketed her to the top of the list of the most attractive and desirable women I have ever met.

I did not eat any Korean food while in Seoul.  There was snacking and a Korean fried chicken restaurant, but the eating highlights were the Italian restaurant and the Hard Rock Cafe in Itaewon, the America of Seoul.  Tina, Kristine and I agreed that the garlic bread sucked at the restaurant but that everything else was divine.  Fresh Caesar salad, margherita pizza and gnocchi…hot, chewy, savory and a lot of it.  I promise I will make a return trip.  If the Italian place was divine, then the Hard Rock Cafe was the best the Earth had to offer.  I went for it: a giant bacon cheeseburger, fries and a non-corresponding mojito.  That meal was killer (literally!), it hit me like a ton of bricks a few hours later and would have been the best thing I’ve had in three months if they didn’t replace limes in Korea with lemons.  Very satisfying.  More to come!

 

Back, Baby, Back!

I suppose I’m in a regularly-scheduled rut at the moment.  It’s not just a blogging rut, either, but an activity rut during the week.  Of course, I’m out and about on the weekends trying to utilize every precious weekend minute to the fullest, but the weekdays just cause me to lose all energy.  It’s a combination of things: long work hours, the sudden cold snap in Changwon and the fact that I’ve finally learned to work the torrent application on my computer.  The result?  Haven’t jogged in over a week (thought I did play soccer with a bunch of British guys…very skilled, those guys), I’ve been spending many daytime hours in the bed and I had not taken a shower when I sat next to the cute Mongolian woman in my Korean class (it’s a semi-long story).

Another example of the rut is that every word prior to this sentence was written on November 27 and I’m just continuing the post on December 1.  I haven’t even been able to complete a draft!  But I’ve broken out of it a little bit lately.  Room is spic-and-span, made oatmeal cookies twice for two separate Thanksgiving get-togethers, got plans to visit Seoul in the works and, baby, I played table tennis today!

Sarah and Pieter are way in the back there and we enjoyed the place so much.  Only 6000 won per hour!  I took a look at the ping-pong equipment, though.  115,000 won for a brand-new paddle!  That’s $75!!  Ended up saving my money and spending it on some pretty good pork and vegetables!

Shrimp, quail eggs and NONROASTED peanuts!

Korean Fine Dining

Yeah, man, nothing like some quail eggs to give that sense of accomplishment.  And let me top it off with a treat.  I bought the 4000 won microphone from E-Mart so that I could use Skype on the computer, but I’ve also used to it to make a recording of that song I wrote.

Korean Girl by The $ynchronizer (feat. Zero 7)

I used the Alvin voice because the lyrics are inherently silly (“Buy you some lingerie so I could earn your trust”??)  But I think it works well and I’m proud of it.  I definitely have to write a couple more in the near future and maybe even some original music, wouldn’t that be nice?  Okay, I’m back, baby!!

 

My Wednesday

It had been awhile since I had contacted my sister, so I stayed up last night until almost 3am at the PC bang emailing and chatting with her on the instant messenger.  As a result, didn’t crawl out of bed until 10am this morning, but after a quick shower and a breakfast of eggs, tomato, toast and carrot-orange juice, it was time to go shopping!

The Puma store is in the same building as the O’Brien’s Irish Pub and was the first destination.  The store was smaller than I realized and although there were rows and rows of incredible and colorful shoes (God, those shoes were nice!!) they had very few tracksuits.  Also, the woman only had extra large in one of the less-appealing designs.

Next stop was the Lotte Department Store.  As I parked my bike I noticed Vanessa, whom I’d met at the bar Saturday, walking into the store.  I parked the bike quickly and ran in to catch her but was puzzled at how I’d lost her.  Anyway, the men’s sporty clothing is on the 4th floor and up there I took a little tour.  Fila, Adidas, K-Swiss, Head were all there, plus some brands I did not recognize.  Unfortunately, I did not see any matching jackets and pants.  The jackets were really nice-looking but the pants all came in black, dark blue or white.  I pantomimed to the Adidas clerk that I was looking for bright green pants to coordinate with a nice bright green jacket but she pantomimed that they had none.

Last stop was the Kappa store.  I recognized the man-woman back-to-back logo from somewhere although I know it’s not big in the U.S.  I have seen it here and there in South Korea, however.  Unlike the Puma store, the Kappa store seemed to be ALL tracksuits.  The clerk came up as I sifted through and pantomimed that a sale was going on…2 tracksuits and a t-shirt for 129,000 Won.  That’s $103!  No tax!!  To put in perspective, the first tracksuit I ever bought (that purple velour one from Vegas) was $175 before tax and I had brought 200,000 Won with me to ensure I had the money to buy one.  So, that was pretty cool.  Oh, and they had XXL.  I’m not even a fat guy…I think I just like clothing that runs small.

Off to work.  I decided to email Vanessa since I still don’t have a phone.  Looking at her writing on my notepad, though, and I was just a bit skeptical.  It read: vanessa@hotmail.com.  WOW.  Going on faith, I wrote a sincere email but, of course, it bounced back.  That’s some bullshit.  We had been talking for like 90 minutes.  Pieter laughed at (with?) me when I told him and Monica said not to worry about it.  I won’t worry.

The young kids are kinda wild.  It’s tough because they have the worst classroom discipline as well as the worst English skills, so I must be very demonstrative to maintain class control.  I’ve noticed that the Korean teachers often have students stand outside the door holding their hands over their heads.  I used the “Stand outside” even in the U.S. (until I was informed that I can’t do that because I need to be able to see al of my students), but I might have to upgrade to the “Hands Up” thing.  The kids are great; I’m not complaining, but it was that kind of day.

I had run for three days straight in the morning before today and I did not want to break my streak, so I laced ’em up at 11pm and hit the route.  The start was rough.  Felt kinda lethargic, but I seemed to pick up energy halfway through the run and I was barely tired once I finished.  Another shower, clothes washing and handwriting practice for the Korean language class tomorrow, took photos of the apartment and down the street to write this 2am blogger post.  And now I’m going to bed.  Good night!

 

Photo Album

Today, I went through all of the photo prints I had stashed away and digitized most of them with the scanner.  They are all up on Flickr now. Ignore most of the dates because many are incorrect, but there are dozens of photos showing many friends and happenings over the years.  Imagine if I took my camera along more often!

 

Squeezed for Money

In Tahoe, after being down a little bit more than I was willing to be, I made a recovery during my last run at the $5 Blackjack table to finish at -$100 for the weekend — perfectly acceptable.  I had not anticipated the various upcoming charges, however.  $90 for the adult basketball league, $305 to get the Apostille-certified criminal background check and $327 to clear that goddamned warrant from 1999 for running a stop sign on my bike.  VideoXY was right; I needed to get that thing cleared so that it wouldn’t raise a red flag during my visa application, but I was pissed while forking over that money.  I drove to the Santa Clara County courthouse this afternoon and the clerk smirked as she read the charge to me.  She said I could pay the cash or see the judge.  I had the money in hand but had to ask, and the earliest I could see the judge would have been September 5 so there went my money.  Things got a little dicey lately because I had trouble getting my transcripts last week, too — the school wouldn’t issue me any because I’m behind on my student loan payments, so that’s gonna be another major chunk of change just so I can get this application sent.  I guess these painful days of teaching summer school will be worth it.

Despite the setbacks, I’m still commiteed.  The HR person from the school district has been calling me with interview dates but today I told her that she didn’t need to, that I’d be taking a job outside of the district.  I won’t say it’s quite all-or-nothing yet, but it’s certainly all-or-no-job-in-September so I’d better close the deal as quickly as possible.