eat_me

eat_me
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Bacon wrapped avocado hot dog, was just one of the things I ate last year on my birthday. I think I also had a piece of "birthday" cake at the Met(I spent it in New York). I think the rest was booze, including some weird fruit concoction sitting on the bar. It was a good birthday weekend. I spent it going to concerts(Yo La Tango, Pavement fragments), drinking(often for free), fireworks, the Met, Central Park, Little Boy(great pop culture exhibit from Japan), the Met again, Shakespeare in the Park, great food, drinking and good conversation. What more could a girl want? So, I'm not expecting this weekend to match last year, but it should be fun.

This year I'll be eating grilled pork and drinking cheap beer with my friends and co-workers in Seoul. That's what is on the agenda, but who knows what will happen.

Orginally this was supposed to be about me getting older, now it's about food. Well, yeah I'm getting older. Yep, that's all I have to say for now. Tomorrow(today), hopefully will be fun. I'll let you know. Stories, stories, stories. ; )

Dennis

Dennis
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Wow.
Everyone is growing up.
Being adults.
I feel like this kid looks.
I "play" with kids all day.
That's my "job".
I think I'm stuck in Neverneverland(for now).
But, I'm getting old.
Time to go home.
Wow.

Dongdaemun Cat

Dongdaemun Cat
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

I’m not much of a shopper, actually I’m the shopper sales associates hate. I look, I don’t want help, and I dislike being talked to until I’ve made a decision. Actually, trying to sell my something will often lose you a sale. I’d rather just make up my own mind without any outside interference. In America you can get away with just looking around, but not in Korea. Shopping in Korea is communal just like everything else. Really shopping in Korea is a lot like navigating Gencon. In Dongdaemun, tall buildings are filled with stalls, organized by type of clothing, there are no dressing booths, you learn to eye ball size or dress to be able to try things on in the aisles, which allow two way traffic and nothing else. It’s a bit of a mad house of stick girls (always in pairs), ajimas, food on sticks, and cheap knock offs.

When I first arrived I would try to politely deter hawkers from talking to me by saying “no” and shaking my head. Anything more and then out comes the long explanation and their question, “Where are you from?” which prolongs a conversation I don’t want to get into, I just want to buy a shirt. I’ve taken now to moving fast, avoiding eye contact, or looking interested. I’m a drive by shopper. I also hate bargaining. Tell me what you want, I’ll tell you if I’ll give it to you or not. Which is what made yesterday’s kidnapping unsavory.

I’m looking for a new shoulder bag, so I wandered up to the bag section, not knowing my peril. One, most bag salesmen are men, verses women like in clothing. Also,I don’t care about designer labels, I like what I like(although I did by a Calvin Klein rip off yesterday). So, I saw this black motercycle bag that looked like what I was looking for. I liked, but I realized there was no price tag, which meant it was a bargaining item which meant trouble. The lady wanted to help me, but I said no and thank you and walked away not wanting to waste her time. Unfortunately, I was not so lucky at the next place. The guys would not stop, well shouting at me, a couple of them pulled at my arm trying to get me to go with them, one finally succeeded in getting me into his area almost a hiding hole behind a high display of bags. Behind the door where I thought there would be a mirror so I could see how the bag looked, was a small mirror, a low mini couch, a card table and a catalogue of designer bags while the walls were plastered with pictures of different models. In this little den of selling illegal knockoffs, I learned two things there are different classes to imitation bags and that some famous Korean actress picture was taken with the same bag(which is why several of them had it).

Needless to say, I didn’t get the bag mostly because I hate when they put a calculator in front of you and want you to name your price. Partially because, it’s a just a bag to me. Something that looks nice that you put a book, a wallet, an mp3 player, chapstick and if you’re lucky your camera, oh and a phone. What you want me to pay for is the fact some ones famous has it. You don’t want me to buy the bag, you want me to by a little bit of “fame,” a little bag of glory so to speak. In some of the stalls, t-shirts are displayed with the famous celebrity who wore one like it, enticing Korean women to buy them. To me they are a deterrent, my individualistic nature rebels at the thought of owning something Jessica Simpson wore(beside the fact it’s Jessica Simpson). I can deny the fact others do own what I own until the odd moment when fateful cock up has you staring at your double. But, that has rarely happend to me, or I'm oblivious. Don’t you love tangent posts?

Eh, so that’s shopping in Korea. I get to do the fun kind of shopping later today, book shopping. : ) Right now I’m finishing up Jonathan Lethem’s “Motherless Brooklyn” which has me convinced people are tourettic(or maybe I am). Wouldn’t it be nice to occasionally tear away, when things are too smooth, tearing with words of vulgarity into an indifferent world, that will quietly ignore your mad ravings like the passing of a breeze.

Well, enough raving. I hope people are good. Cheers.

Naengmyon

Naengmyon
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

The weather has been deceptively nice, spring nice, with days which barely cause the skin to bead. It’s been too nice, but I’ve been enjoying the lovely cool nights while they last. I have to say cool nights are some of my favorite days to go walking, unfortunately in my toilet(Hwajeong sounds like toilet in Korean) there isn’t much of a view unless you love neon. It’s starting to move into the rainy season, mornings dawn grey and threaten light sprinkles to full on down pours. In the afternoon it tends to pass, but soon there will no longer be these bright moments which heat up the afternoon. Currently it’s still a dry heat, rather than the soggy heat that will be coming. Summer in Korea requires carrying a large umbrella, sunglasses, a fan, and a handkerchief at all times(or at least that is what I am told). We’ll see. For me it’s skirt season, which shows how un-Korean I am, since for Koreans skirt season is in winter. The guys would love winter in Korea. ; ) A student has already told me to cover my stomach up(not much was showing), Korean women tend to not show any stomach because it’s bad for the womb. I’m not joking here. But I’ve always been a bad Korean, so why stop now. ; )

Koreans are still World Cup crazy, we have a shot to make the next round if we do well next game against Switzerland and France doesn’t walk over Togo. I will use the nation of Korea as an alarm clock tomorrow. The game is at 4 am, so when the game get interesting they’ll wake me up, all I need to do is leave the window open.

Food, Korea is all about food. No, really social things revolve around food and the giving of food. Food is very important and most Korean food is good for you, or at least that is what they will tell you. Summer food, is namyeong which is a type of wheat noodle, thing like angel hair. It tends to be served as replacement for the bap in bimbibap. Or the favorite way is to eat it with chilled broth. Another favorite summer treat is shaved ice served with crushed red beans(azuki), and then other fruit and fruit syrup. Ice cream is dirt cheap too. I had a bar yesterday made of a honey and chestnut mixture which was okay.

More of the summer, when summer officially arrives

Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.

Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Hi,
It’s been a bit of an odd day, or days. I’m not sure what is going on, we’ll see where it goes.

Right now I know, there are some days when waking up, getting a good beer, eating some curried fritters on a patio is the only way to start a day, especially when you’re sitting with a friend just shooting the shit. I also know, it’s not wise to bait me when it comes to inequality. I was correct in assuming the Korea screaming would eventually wake me up this morning(Korea vs. France 1-1). Only in Korea would a goal scored in Germany wake me up that early(5:30-ish). I went to the gym early because I needed to DHL a resume and cover letter during the break. I then picked out paper, swore at the spy and junk filled computers at work so I could print out the said cl and resume, did lesson prep, taught and headed down to City Hall(almost an hour by subway) to mail my cl and resume. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I got lucky I literally walked out of the subway and ran into a FedEx. I headed back for classes. I did a lesson on DaVinci which was fun. And checking things out I may have found a place in Chicago. I responded to their ad, but now I have to wait to see if they like me. It would be perfect if it worked out, as would the job. See, that’s the thing. It’s too perfect. I feel confidant in my cover letter and resume. I feel both the job and the apartment would work out perfectly for me and that is what has me worried. At the same time I feel slightly punchy, some thing is bothering me and I can figure it out. I don’t know. Am I getting paranoid because nothing is wrong, but things are going good? I hope not. I’m really excited about the job, I hope I get it. Maybe it’s just the waiting that’s bugging me and having to seek approval. I dislike rejection. So, sounds like the only thing odd is me. Sorry, I just kind of needed to sound off a bit. Things really are good. Ah, ah well.

: ) Oh, how do I know I’d like to have these people as my roommates they asked, pirate or ninga? They also asked about music, books and cheese.

Cross your fingers people and think warm thoughts.

LA is EATING Korea

CNN Class
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Los Angeles is eating my children.

I’m losing another one to the monster they call the city of angels. Gold mountain still lives on. It’s even in the name. The Chinese call America, Beautiful land. I think part of that has carried over to the Koreans. The Chinese for America is mei, Korean mi, miguk.

America is the land of opportunity, which in Korea is education. Education has ruled this land since Confucianism, and maybe even before then. Parents put education first and foremost in their children’s life even before family. There is special term that has arisen in Korea, for families where the wife and children live abroad while the father remains behind to work. The child gets the advantage of an education in an English speaking country, which is considered most advantageous. The mother takes care of the child, which is her primary duty. While the father forces his underlings to go out drinking with him so he doesn’t go home to an empty house. The term has to do with seasonal birds, maybe geese, migration. LA is the biggest draw for my kids because it has the largest Korean population in the States, so they can get sponsored by family there. Chain migration, of a sort.

In many ways it’s also advantages because it gets them out of the Korean school system which seems solely in place to administer endless tests and for it’s redundancy. From what I can tell they seem to go to school twice, once at the public school, and then again at evening and weekend hagwons. The birth rate in Korea is plummeting due to the cost of education children. Many of my younger students don’t have siblings, and if they do their family has money. Between the piano lessons, the English lessons, the science classes, the cost add up even before the eventual cost of going to college. The best university to go to in Korea is Seoul National University(where the infamous Dr. Hwang taught) but it is trumped by Harvard. Only the best, only perfection, but where will it take you.

Personally, I think some of these kids are going to burn out. I asked my kids, if you could take a vacation any where in the world, no matter the cost where would you go and what would you do. They all responded, sleep, eat, and play. Very few really wanted to do anything else. Mostly it was sleep, eat and play. It did really seem like they cared where they went, so most picked America.

I think it is important to try and do the best for your child, but some times you have to think about the cost. I’m actually glad these kids are going it will be a great experience for them. Both of them are really bright, and will do well. I guess I’m just blowing off some steam.

Korea 2 Togo 1

I don't know.
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

It is after 1 in the morning here, and impossible to sleep. Now one in Korea is sleeping unless they are in a coma. Seriously, I've never heard as many sirens or car horns as I have tonight. I have my window open for the breeze but along with the wind I'm catching singing, yelling, car horns, drums, and the sound of firecrackers. The game ended about an hour ago, but they are still going and will be for a while. Ah, there they go again singing the official song. Unfortunately they are going up against either France or Switzerland next. But, tonight they don't care. They won the first game. Korea is an increadably nationalistic country. Most people today were wearing their "Reds go Together" or "Go Korea" or "Red Devils" shirts. And football is a big deal in this country after the 2002 World Cup. Hopefully they put up a good game against France.

For Xee, Josh, and Friends

For Xee, Josh, and Friends
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Last week I went with some friends to a Buddhist temple across from COEX mall. COEX is a modern monstrosity of a city air terminal, shopping mall, movie theater, wax museum, and convention center combined(I‘m pretty sure I‘m forgetting things). But just across the street there is a very nice Buddhist temple with a huge stone Buddha statue easily three stories high, which is illuminated at night. The afternoon was beautiful and free so we walked around the temple buildings, up the hill winding our way to the statue. That’s one of the great things about Seoul is it’s hilly. Seoul is an a valley, but rarely is it flat. I love the curves and bends of Seoul’s geography. It allows one to stand in front of a small wooden pavilion, brightly painted with swastikas and knot work on to a modern behemoth of plate glass and chrome, both of which are Korea. Actually it was a very Korean afternoon, we later crossed back to COEX tipped back some cheap Korean brew and headed out to a little samgapsal place we found on a windy back street. Samgapsal is grilled pork, which you wrap in lettuce or sesame leaves, with condiments and other additions like kimchee or grilled garlic. It was very good, and the ajima who ran it loved us. Mostly because Zack could speak some Korea(Korean girlfriend). The Koreans love it when waegoks speak Korean. Jasmine’s friends find it greatly amusing when I try.

Moving to the opposite side of the world. A few weeks ago I had a very different experience. I was meeting Jasmine and a friend for dinner on base. I had never been on base before. As we were signing in, I got a call from Zack about Thailand, so I was distracted as we walked out of the booth, up the slope and out into the parking lot of the Dragon Lodge, suddenly I was back in America. The Dragon Lodge looks like a standard American red brown hotel, which it is. Walking towards the hotel, I had the strange sensation of walking back into America. From the sports bar with flat beer and mediocre pub food, to going kid in a candy store crazy about finding apple sauce, in a store that felt like a corner Walgreens, I was back but not. Later we piled into a private car and drove to get gas, past a Burger King. I sat in the back staring at all the signs whipping by in English. The trees had grown high, so none of the Korean neon signs could be seen only a few high rises. It was an odd feeling, feeling like I was back in the States. It made me feel incredible nostalgic, but at the same time comforted.

In three months I’ll be flying back to the States(it‘s the thirteenth here). I’m going to Thailand from the first of Sept. to the 12th. I will probably be flying home in the 13th. I maybe out in New York from the 15th for a birthday. Who knows? Three months is a lot of time. Who knows what will happen in that time. I know I will have birthday. The rest is a mystery, but that’s good. I’m looking forward to enjoying my last few months in Korea. I’m looking forward even more to roaming around Thailand. And, I’m looking forward to seeing friends and family again. I don’t know what will happen when I get back, but it’ll be.

Wow, a much longer post then I intended. I really just want to say, I light some candles for well everybody. So, hopefully some good karma is coming your way(Earl style ; ) ). I light special ones for Xee and Josh, they know why. Mwa! Love ya.

Soccer worship

Soccer worship
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

These pictures were outside of the Sejong Art Center. I found them amusing, even with out knowing what they say. Actually, that is probably why I find them so amusing. Feel free to head over to the Flickr site and caption some.

Korea is in full World Cup swing. I still need to buy a shirt and learn a dance. Yes, there is an official dance, along with the song and all of the other "Reds Go Together" merchendice. More about the World Cup later. June 9th is the first game. There are going to be alot of tired, hungover people the next day. They better win. It's going to be war if they don't advance far.

Wishes

Tree Lanterns 9
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Done. No, just starting really. I woke up early this morning and had some extra time so I started my first draft of my resume. It's still three months and a vacation to Thailand away, but I'm moving forward and that's good. It's shaping up to a productive day. In a couple minutes I'll head to the gym. Later, I think I'll get out and find a coffee shop. I need to review some Korean and maybe get some reading done. It's a beautiful sunday. Later, I'll come back make some dinner, watch "In the Mood for Love" one of the best movies ever. Maybe do some more reseach on Thailand. It's a good day. Love good days.

Sh*thead

I've never played sh*thead before, but when playing it with a Kiwi, a Brit, and a Irishman some things becomes blatently obvious. One, when you go to get music they will fix your cards for you and not in a good way. No wonder we threw the tea in the harbor, dirty cheaters. Oh well, I still beat the Kiwi and the Irishman. Irony. Another thing is that no one cusses like an Englishman. How I envy the ablity to string together, "Bugger, wanker, f*ck, sh*t, bloody, piss, tit," etc. and not seem like a f*cking posser. The game was fun but the language was even more entertaining. American English is such a pale specter when it comes to colorful and humorous expressions. So if I come back and a few odd expresssions have crept in to my speech, blame it on the Commonwealth. I'm having a true international experience. The Irishman might be burning me "Father Ted" how fun is that. : )