08.30.2002 | korea | day 178 | friday

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Weight loss. What a great thing. The latest visit to the scale shows a loss of 2 kilos (4.4 lbs.) in just two weeks! I have expended considerable energy trying to understand just how did and does it continue to happen? I think it's the culmination of a hundred daily decisions, made consistently over a period of time. But specifically what about the areas people tend to focus on in the whole weight management equation?

Such as...

1. Coke. I still drink it though only about a third of what I used to. (Koreans call it cola. If you ask for cola - more accurately pronounced "coh-la" - it's universally assumed you mean Coke, not Pepsi, even though Pepsi is nearly as available as Coke - to the chagrin of free thinking people everywhere.)
   
   
2. Carbs. I eat much less bread than I used to. Most food markets almost treat bread as an afterthought when it comes to stocking a wide variety and it's rarely if ever served with meals. But any benefit from eating less bread seems in my mind outweighed by all the rice I eat.
   
   
3. Fats like sweets, desserts, and butter. I eat much less of everything though I still often indulge when the urge, which is quite real, hits. (You know, like indulging in a nice stick of room temperature margarine, drizzled with hot fudge, for dessert.)
   
   
4. Deep fried foods. Almost non-existent, though potato chips are still available, especially Pringles, and who can resist Pringles? Not me. Nor can I resist (no joke) deep-fried octopus tentacles. Tasty!
   
   
5. Fruits. As if!
   
   
6. Vegetables. Of course I eat truckloads more than I used to but it's not like Korean cooking is totally virtuous when it comes to serving veggies that aren't fried, sauteed, or swimming in some other evil substance.
   
   
7. Multi-vitamins. I took them faithfully when I first got here but haven't bothered with them for about three months. (Doug, what do you call a multiple ingeston of multi-vitamins?)
   
   
8. Exercise. One can't excuse the voluminous walking and biking I do though it's not anything to write home about (So, Richard wonders to himself, exactly what am I doing right now?). I'm not doing anything structured besides moving around from place to place, though that will soon change.
   
   

Since the usual suspects don't explain it, here's my revolutionary thought as to what might be one if not THE biggest variable contributing to my plummeting body mass and the ruination of my extensive Big & Tall wardrobe: milk.

Yes, milk. That wonderful milky fluid, milk. For as long as I can remember, wait, what was I talking about? Oh, yeah, my new physique. Actually I was talking about milk. For as long as I can remember, I've managed to guzzle 2-3 gallons of skim milk a week. Consistently.

Then I came to Korea where, unfortunately, it's not available in large containers and, though I've seen ads promoting civic responsibility in supporting Korea's two dairy farmers, I've managed to skate through the last six months (SIX MONTHS!) by drinking probably less than two gallons! This wasn't a conscious choice, just happenstance. I've always loved milk and I thought ,since I was drinking skim, that quantity wasn't an issue but now I wonder, because of all the variables I've considered, this represents perhaps the most dramatic departure from my previous habits.

Is it possible this radical drop in my dairy intake could be responsible for my dramatic weight loss?

---

Oliver Twist Cast of Characters

1. Oliver Twist, Work'us, Nolly, Ned, Tom White
   
   
2. Mrs. Mann
   
   
3. Mr. Bumble
   
   
4. Mr. Limbkins
   
   
5. Mr. Gamfield
   
   
6. Mr. Sowerberry
   
   
7. Charlotte, Mrs. Bolter
   
   
8. Noah Claypole, Morris Bolter
   
   
9. Trip
   
   
10. Jack Dawkins, The Artful Dodger
    
    
11. Dick
    
    
12. Fagin, The Merry Old Gentleman
    
    
13. Charley Bates
    
    
14. Bet
    
    
15. Nancy
    
    
16. Mr. Losberne
    
    
17. Mr. Brittles
    
    
18. Mr. Giles
    
    
19. Jack Ketch
    
    
20. Mr. Monks, Edward Leeford
    
    
21. Phil Barker
    
    
22. Mr. Lively
    
    
23. Old Sally Thingummy
    
    
24. Mr. Grannett
    
    
25. Mrs. Corney
    
    
26. Mr. Toby Crackit
    
    
27. Tom Chitling
    
    
28. Bull's Eye
    
    
29. Barney
    
    
30. Mr. Grinwig
    
    
31. Bill Sikes
    
    
32. Mrs. Bedwin
    
    
33. Mr. Brownlow
    
    
34. Mr. Fang
    
    
35. Rose Maylie
    
    
36. Mrs. Maylie
    
    
37. Harry Maylie
    
    
38. Mr. Conkey Chickweed
    
    
39. Jem Spyer
    
    
40. Mr. Duff
    
    
41. Mr. Blathers
    
    
42. Kags
    
    
43. Agnes Fleming

08.29.2002 | korea | day 177 | thursday

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Some time ago I arranged to do a language exchange with a student at Kangwon University in town. His name is Yoon Hyun-sung but he goes by his family name of Yoon for short. A friend of an acquaintance works in the English Department on campus and she found Yoon for me based on his English language skills, which are superior, and his interest in improving them - he's studying to take the TOEFL test for the third time. This is an important English language benchmark test which is used, among other things, as a university placement tool in Korea. His scores have been excellent the previous two times he's taken it but he wants to take again to further improve his chances of transferring to a better school.

Now for a list of things we have in common - they're spooky. Like I did, Yoon is majoring in English, and based on his appreciation for Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, he adopted, long before we met, the English name of Richard! Wow! That's the list. I never said it was a long list, just a spooky list. S P O O K Y !

Our plan is to meet twice a week for an hour at a time - one hour studying Korean and the other studying English. I'm thrilled at our fortuitous meeting as we share the common interest of English literature and it appears our alliance is already bearing fruit: today he helped me find and register for a beginning Korean language course which will be taught on the Kangwon University campus twice a week, for 1 hour and 40 minutes at a time, for twelve weeks, for 140,000 won (about $112). I'm full of optimism.

08.28.2002 | korea | day 176 | wednesday

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If a tree in a forest falls and nobody is there to hear it, will the UN World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg still manage to blame it on American wealth?

07.28.2002 | china | day three | sunday

Sunday morning and we were quickly ushered out of our room; too soon in spite of the extra hour Brian had pled for as we hadn't checked in until nearly midnight. Fortunately we had time for a warm shower first and then we made our way back to the foreign teacher's dorm to see if any rooms had opened up. This time a different attendant was on duty and, unlike the night before, this one trusted Brian enough to grant us a vacant room. Brian was upset for a few hours afterwards because he learned there had been a room available the night we arrived in town but the kid on duty chose not to give it to us. Brian's goal during his summer in China has been to live on $100 a week, or about 800 yuan, which by the end of the trip I learned was quite reasonable. Blowing 220 yuan unnecessarily on a pricey hotel room took a big chunk out of that 800 a week. We stowed our bags in our new room and left to eat a late breakfast in the school cafeteria. I ate a couple servings of a pita-type bread, one with hash browns, the other with Spam. Rather greasy but filling.

The steady rain that had fallen all morning didn't deter our plans to visit Tiananmen Square. We caught a bus which seemed to take forever but likely only took 30 minutes. Along the way we passed an endless procession of shops - old and modern, hundreds of bikers - many of them carrying passengers (mostly women precariously balanced side-saddle on the back equipment rack - in dresses no less!), dozens of Chinese food restaurants (oh, to dream of tasting authentic sweet and sour chicken - drool, drool), plenty of poverty mixed with prosperity, at least four McDonalds restaurants, and hundreds more cars than I ever expected - many foreign brands I didn't recognize but also recognizable labels like Volkswagen, General Motors, Audi, and BMW.

The closer we got to Tiananmen Square the more the scenery changed. Small shops and cafes gave way to modern malls, expensive restaurants, and massive office buildings. When I say massive office buildings, I'm not overstating the imposing nature of these modern structures. Whereas Korea has it's share of tall buildings, they tend to be tall and narrow; the large buildings in Beijing impressed me as being equally tall but much beefier in shape. The size and the surprising actual number of buildings put a facade on Beijing that it is prosperous, modern, and open. And sprinkled among the various high rises are the occasional ancient temples and royal palaces. Don¡¯t forget to add an endless parade of bicycle commuters on even the busiest of roads and you¡¯ll have a rough sketch of Beijing.

We paused for a tasty lunch of kung pao chicken in an obscure back alley restaurant and proceeded to walk the remaining distance to Tiananmen Square in a drizzle of rain. By my imperfect estimate, Tiananmen Square is a third of a mile wide by two thirds of a mile long. It¡¯s nothing much more remarkable than a flat plaza flanked on all sides by the most imposing of government, historical, and cultural buildings. A simple pillar forms a monument of some sort in the center and the south end is framed by two dramatic stone statues representing and dedicated to ¡°the people.¡± (Of course the plaza is infamous for the "Tiananman Square Massacre" which was a government quashed rebellion in 1989 and the lesser known "Tiananmen Square Incident," a pejorative term for a similar affair which took place some years earlier at the same site, though on a smaller scale.) I was able to take a handful of pictures but they are unremarkable as the day was overcast and we were still battered by inconsistent rain. After an hour of milling around the square with a few hundred other visitors, we caught a the subway to the next site on our agenda: an ancient functioning Lama Temple.

This was the first real touristy place I visited, crowded with buses and camera-toting sight seers, from such unexpected places like Sweden. The pricey admission charge and the crowds made me wonder how it could still function as a temple but I got a few clues as we entered and walked from building to building. At the entrance to each structure lay a supply in incense and a place to kneel, bow, and worship, which we say a few visitors doing. Pictures inside the temples, as in most places we visited, were not allowed so I was limited to taking shots of the buildings which wasn¡¯t a bad consolation prize though I regret I wasn¡¯t able to capture the increasingly larger statues and idols we encountered as we moved from building to building, apparently moving progressively deeper into the overall sanctuary.

At the time (and as I write, now that my trip is over) I regretted not being able to better identify the differences between the various religious strains common in Asia. Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Confucianism, et. al. ran together in a blur and though I knew the many temples we eventually visited did not all belong to the same traditions, to me, as I suppose to most Westerners, I couldn¡¯t help but glob them all together. Brian called this site a Lama Temple which, he said, is associated with the Dalai Lama, though only in name. The Dalai Lama used to be the state-recognized leader of the religion but at some point he neglected or refused to pay some sort of homage to the government leaders and he was banished from China. (Though religion is supposedly prohited under communism rule, some groups are allowed to function as long as they somehow acknowledge the supremecy of the state government.) And although he still maintains his title, party leaders placed another in his stead who now functions as the official leader of the religion in China. (PLEASE recognize that this is a crude and likely imperfect description of a religion that is alien to me. Hopefully though it is putting the sites I saw into some sort of context.)


The Lama Temple was beautiful and inspiring for it¡¯s size, history, mystery but I was relieved to get away and walk down a nearby quiet, undisturbed street overgrown with trees and moss. We found a similar tourist attraction - an ancient government examination compound - that charged considerably less to enter and had fewer than half a dozen tourists in addition to our party of two. The charm here was plentiful - quiet gardens, mostly decaying structures in the midst of a few restored buildings, wild trees with long limbs and vines, and a stone moat surrounding the primary exam building full of green, stagnant water. The rain had ceased but the air was still heavy and oppressive so Brian and I paused for a good hour to soak in the solitude in attempt to appreciate the history.

Dinner that night included a pile of strange but tasty potato strings at a nice restaurant off campus. A stroll back to our dorm room with a pause to buy a phone card and some water completed our day and we were in bed, exhausted from walking, by 10:30.

07.28.2002 | china | day three | sunday

---

Sunday morning and we were quickly ushered out of our room; too soon in spite of the extra hour Brian had pled for as we hadn't checked in until nearly midnight. Fortunately we had time for a warm shower first and then we made our way back to the foreign teacher's dorm to see if any rooms had opened up. This time a different attendant was on duty and, unlike the night before, this one trusted Brian enough to grant us a vacant room. Brian was upset for a few hours afterwards because he learned there had been a room available the night we arrived in town but the kid on duty chose not to give it to us. Brian's goal during his summer in China has been to live on $100 a week, or about 800 yuan, which by the end of the trip I learned was quite reasonable. Blowing 220 yuan unnecessarily on a pricey hotel room took a big chunk out of that 800 a week. We stowed our bags in our new room and left to eat a late breakfast in the school cafeteria. I ate a couple servings of a pita-type bread, one with hash browns, the other with Spam. Rather greasy but filling.

The steady rain that had fallen all morning didn't deter our plans to visit Tiananmen Square. We caught a bus which seemed to take forever but likely only took 30 minutes. Along the way we passed an endless procession of shops - old and modern, hundreds of bikers - many of them carrying passengers (mostly women precariously balanced side-saddle on the back equipment rack - in dresses no less!), dozens of Chinese food restaurants (oh, to dream of tasting authentic sweet and sour chicken - drool, drool), plenty of poverty mixed with prosperity, at least four McDonalds restaurants, and hundreds more cars than I ever expected - many foreign brands I didn't recognize but also recognizable labels like Volkswagen, General Motors, Audi, and BMW.

The closer we got to Tiananmen Square the more the scenery changed. Small shops and cafes gave way to modern malls, expensive restaurants, and massive office buildings. When I say massive office buildings, I'm not overstating the imposing nature of these modern structures. Whereas Korea has it's share of tall buildings, they tend to be tall and narrow; the large buildings in Beijing impressed me as being equally tall but much beefier in shape. The size and the surprising actual number of buildings put a facade on Beijing that it is prosperous, modern, and open. And sprinkled among the various high rises are the occasional ancient temples and royal palaces. Don¡¯t forget to add an endless parade of bicycle commuters on even the busiest of roads and you¡¯ll have a rough sketch of Beijing.

We paused for a tasty lunch of kung pao chicken in an obscure back alley restaurant and proceeded to walk the remaining distance to Tiananmen Square in a drizzle of rain. By my imperfect estimate, Tiananmen Square is a third of a mile wide by two thirds of a mile long. It¡¯s nothing much more remarkable than a flat plaza flanked on all sides by the most imposing of government, historical, and cultural buildings. A simple pillar forms a monument of some sort in the center and the south end is framed by two dramatic stone statues representing and dedicated to ¡°the people.¡± (Of course the plaza is infamous for the "Tiananman Square Massacre" which was a government quashed rebellion in 1989 and the lesser known "Tiananmen Square Incident," a pejorative term for a similar affair which took place some years earlier at the same site, though on a smaller scale.) I was able to take a handful of pictures but they are unremarkable as the day was overcast and we were still battered by inconsistent rain. After an hour of milling around the square with a few hundred other visitors, we caught a the subway to the next site on our agenda: an ancient functioning Lama Temple.

This was the first real touristy place I visited, crowded with buses and camera-toting sight seers, from such unexpected places like Sweden. The pricey admission charge and the crowds made me wonder how it could still function as a temple but I got a few clues as we entered and walked from building to building. At the entrance to each structure lay a supply in incense and a place to kneel, bow, and worship, which we say a few visitors doing. Pictures inside the temples, as in most places we visited, were not allowed so I was limited to taking shots of the buildings which wasn¡¯t a bad consolation prize though I regret I wasn¡¯t able to capture the increasingly larger statues and idols we encountered as we moved from building to building, apparently moving progressively deeper into the overall sanctuary.

At the time (and as I write, now that my trip is over) I regretted not being able to better identify the differences between the various religious strains common in Asia. Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Confucianism, et. al. ran together in a blur and though I knew the many temples we eventually visited did not all belong to the same traditions, to me, as I suppose to most Westerners, I couldn¡¯t help but glob them all together. Brian called this site a Lama Temple which, he said, is associated with the Dalai Lama, though only in name. The Dalai Lama used to be the state-recognized leader of the religion but at some point he neglected or refused to pay some sort of homage to the government leaders and he was banished from China. (Though religion is supposedly prohited under communism rule, some groups are allowed to function as long as they somehow acknowledge the supremecy of the state government.) And although he still maintains his title, party leaders placed another in his stead who now functions as the official leader of the religion in China. (PLEASE recognize that this is a crude and likely imperfect description of a religion that is alien to me. Hopefully though it is putting the sites I saw into some sort of context.)

The Lama Temple was beautiful and inspiring for it¡¯s size, history, mystery but I was relieved to get away and walk down a nearby quiet, undisturbed street overgrown with trees and moss. We found a similar tourist attraction - an ancient government examination compound - that charged considerably less to enter and had fewer than half a dozen tourists in addition to our party of two. The charm here was plentiful - quiet gardens, mostly decaying structures in the midst of a few restored buildings, wild trees with long limbs and vines, and a stone moat surrounding the primary exam building full of green, stagnant water. The rain had ceased but the air was still heavy and oppressive so Brian and I paused for a good hour to soak in the solitude in attempt to appreciate the history.

Dinner that night included a pile of strange but tasty potato strings at a nice restaurant off campus. A stroll back to our dorm room with a pause to buy a phone card and some water completed our day and we were in bed, exhausted from walking, by 10:30.

08.27.2002 | korea | day 175 | tuesday

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Is there a place alongside a pursuit of spiritual goals for assertive, even aggressive pursuit of temporal goals? Must one sacrifice such trivial things as charity to compete with others who appear to hold no such standards? After recently receiving a tougue-lashing from a co-worker over some problems that could have been rationally discussed and easily resolved, I found myself succumbing to self-doubt and realized I was at a crossroads.

Should I grant a victory to the negative voices in my head, become immobile for fear of offending yet another poor, magnanimous soul, fade away, and acquiesce to those around me with harsher tongues and stronger wills? Or should I instead write such people off as jealous, self-centered hypocrites with nothing but destructive, ulterior motives?

I choose neither. They aren't in my nature, contrary to what some might think. To allow others such dominion over my behavior grates on my nerves and while I acknowledge it may indicate a need for greater humility, I can't see past standing up to gross mischaracterizations of my behavior or personality. Rather I must conclude I have no choice if I am to remain faithful to my own mores but to filter out the harsh language and its symptomatic self-doubt, review my behavior and make necessary changes in light of divine principles, re-examine my long-term objectives, renew my efforts to obtain them, and alternate distracting voices be damned!

07.27.2002 | china | day two | saturday

After a peaceful nights rest on the rolling ocean, I awoke and went on deck to view for the first time the vast, watery expanse. Though I knew the distance between China and Korea was great, it was a little unsettling to see nothing but water, stretching far to the horizon in every direction. The morning was a bit overcast and a haze in the air turned into a light fog as the day advanced and made our lone presence feel surreal.

Life aboard the ferry was somewhat mundane. With so many of us crowded into the econmy bunks and everyone stashig their luggage, bags, bulky boxes, and other miscellaneous items in every available corner of the room, I felt something akin to the faceless lower class passengers stowed away in the bottom decks of the Titanic. Though people were happy, chatty, and friendly, it almost would have been fitting if someone had started playing a sad, hardship song on a harmonica or banjo.

For breakfast I had kimbop and some Pringles, both of which I'd brought with me. Food was available, I believe, from the restaurant on board the ferry but I didn't want the hassle of communicating my order as as I wasn't very hungry anyway, it felt good to be frugal.

I passed the day sleeping watching the horizon on deck, writing a letter home, and reading a two-day old copy of the International Herald Tribune I'd brought with me. Occasionally we would pass a large freighter in the distance, otherwise we were alone. The novelty of taking the ferry began to wear thin, much like the way the thrill of taking a long bus ride or airplane flight starts to become dull as you grow impatient to arrive at your destination.

At length we finally did arrive, on time, at 7:00 PM. For an hour before we reached port, we passed dozens of various hulking frieghters, anchored at sea and dormant, I imagine, so as not to crowd the available docking spaces in Tianjin. An hour passed before we were allowed to disembark but after we did, and after a short bus ride to the customs terminal, I officially entered the country.

What a strange but unremarkable experience to finally walk the soil of a land with such a grand history and such a tempestuous present. Korea has been such a unique and enjoyable experience but the sheer size and depth was, for me, quite a leap in magnitude. On the other hand, the sights and sounds and smells were rather ordinary. Perhaps many people have a similar reaction the first time they set foot in a place that for them has figured so prominently in their own educational upbringing.

If I was eyed with suspicion checking through customs, it didn't register. It only took a few minutes. I exited the terminal and found Brian. We took a very long ride in a cramped, dirty red taxi into Tianjin. We bought tickets at the train terminal and as the next train wasn't scheduled to leave for an hour we walked down a side street to find some food. We settled on a small restaurant and ordered potstickers, a sort of dumpling - quite delicious.

The trip to Beijing took 90 minutes on a cramped, dirty train. Fortunately the weather was pleasant and some of the windows were open which allowed a strong breeze to flow through our car.

We arrived in Beijing around 10:45 PM. A short jaunt on the subway and another taxi brought us to the campus of the university where Brian taught for 12 months nearly four years ago. (It's official name is The University of Science and Technology Beijing.) It was quite late but we had hopes of finding a room in the foreign student's dorm. Unfortunately we were told no rooms were available so we had to settle on a room in the nearby convention center hotel at about three times the cost. (70 yuan or $8.75 for a dorm room versus 200 yuan or $25 for the hotel! Yuan is pronounced quickly and sounds like U.N.) But we were exhausted and couldn't afford to be picky so we paid for our room and finally went to sleep around midnight.

07.27.2002 | china | day two | saturday

---

After a peaceful nights rest on the rolling ocean, I awoke and went on deck to view for the first time the vast, watery expanse. Though I knew the distance between China and Korea was great, it was a little unsettling to see nothing but water, stretching far to the horizon in every direction. The morning was a bit overcast and a haze in the air turned into a light fog as the day advanced and made our lone presence feel surreal.

Life aboard the ferry was somewhat mundane. With so many of us crowded into the econmy bunks and everyone stashig their luggage, bags, bulky boxes, and other miscellaneous items in every available corner of the room, I felt something akin to the faceless lower class passengers stowed away in the bottom decks of the Titanic. Though people were happy, chatty, and friendly, it almost would have been fitting if someone had started playing a sad, hardship song on a harmonica or banjo.

For breakfast I had kimbop and some Pringles, both of which I'd brought with me. Food was available, I believe, from the restaurant on board the ferry but I didn't want the hassle of communicating my order as as I wasn't very hungry anyway, it felt good to be frugal.

I passed the day sleeping watching the horizon on deck, writing a letter home, and reading a two-day old copy of the International Herald Tribune I'd brought with me. Occasionally we would pass a large freighter in the distance, otherwise we were alone. The novelty of taking the ferry began to wear thin, much like the way the thrill of taking a long bus ride or airplane flight starts to become dull as you grow impatient to arrive at your destination.

At length we finally did arrive, on time, at 7:00 PM. For an hour before we reached port, we passed dozens of various hulking frieghters, anchored at sea and dormant, I imagine, so as not to crowd the available docking spaces in Tianjin. An hour passed before we were allowed to disembark but after we did, and after a short bus ride to the customs terminal, I officially entered the country.

What a strange but unremarkable experience to finally walk the soil of a land with such a grand history and such a tempestuous present. Korea has been such a unique and enjoyable experience but the sheer size and depth was, for me, quite a leap in magnitude. On the other hand, the sights and sounds and smells were rather ordinary. Perhaps many people have a similar reaction the first time they set foot in a place that for them has figured so prominently in their own educational upbringing.

If I was eyed with suspicion checking through customs, it didn't register. It only took a few minutes. I exited the terminal and found Brian. We took a very long ride in a cramped, dirty red taxi into Tianjin. We bought tickets at the train terminal and as the next train wasn't scheduled to leave for an hour we walked down a side street to find some food. We settled on a small restaurant and ordered potstickers, a sort of dumpling - quite delicious.

The trip to Beijing took 90 minutes on a cramped, dirty train. Fortunately the weather was pleasant and some of the windows were open which allowed a strong breeze to flow through our car.

We arrived in Beijing around 10:45 PM. A short jaunt on the subway and another taxi brought us to the campus of the university where Brian taught for 12 months nearly four years ago. (It's official name is The University of Science and Technology Beijing.) It was quite late but we had hopes of finding a room in the foreign student's dorm. Unfortunately we were told no rooms were available so we had to settle on a room in the nearby convention center hotel at about three times the cost. (70 yuan or $8.75 for a dorm room versus 200 yuan or $25 for the hotel! Yuan is pronounced quickly and sounds like U.N.) But we were exhausted and couldn't afford to be picky so we paid for our room and finally went to sleep around midnight.

07.26.2002 | china | day one | friday

As I lay in my assigned bed, the ship begins to tremble as we leave port and begin our 24-hour journey to Tianjin, China. The bed is one of many in a large room, built into the walls, stacked bunk-style with only a draw-curtain for privacy. A flourescent light in my 'bed chamber' allows me to read and write. My fellow passengers come and go. A young child with a raspy voice whines incessantly, disturbing my peace.

My day began at 6:00 AM. I woke before the alarm sounded, anxious to shower, dress, and pack, though my train for Seoul wouldn't leave until 9:00. Packing was easy, especially as I was excited to use my new backpack, purchased a few days ago from the underground shopping mall in Myungdong for 25,000 won ($20). "From London," the vendor said as I showed interest in the black Genova bag, thinking perhaps it would impress me to buy it. Plenty of pockets, rain protection built into the design, and a heavy-duty black carrying handle to use when you tire of carrying it on your back are the features that ultimately convinced me to buy it.

I walked out the door at 8:40 to make the walk to the Namchunchon Station. True to form for me, I had to return to my apartment because I'd forgotten something: my Teva sandals. Fortunately I only had to return that once.

I arrived in Seoul at 10:55 with three hours to blow until I had to meet Mi-kyoung. I went to a nearby Chohung Bank branch to exchange won for dollars. Much easier to do than I expected, and rewarding too: I love the look, smell, and feel of American currency. And who can deny feeling a bit of pride that the American Dollar is so universally respected?

The only PC room I could find afterward to check my email and read up on China was a dark, grimy joint several blocks away from Cheongyangni Station. The ick got to me after an hour so I left and returned to the train station complex to wash my hands and eat at a clean place I could trust - Burger King.

What started out an overcast day with a gentle breeze in Chunchon had now turned into a sunny, sweltering day in Seoul. I took a walk to look for a camera shop to buy an extra memory card for my camera. I'd been wondering if I'd exchanged enough money. I hate the idea of being vulnerable in a strange land, carrying around too much cash, but if I run out in that strange land, won't that be worse? I found another CHB branch and traded more won for some American Express Travelers Checks.

I returned for the last time to the train station to meet Mi-kyoung at our pre-arranged site in front of McDonalds. She is the younger sister of Yun-kyoung, Brian's friend in Seoul who has been so helpful getting my Chinese visa and my ferry ticket. She was out of town today so her sister came instead and after she arrived we sat and visited for about 45 minutes before I had to leave to make the journey to Incheon.

The subway ride took a little more than an hour. A short cab ride brought me to the International Terminal #2, port to the Jinchon Ferry, located in Incheon, just west of Seoul. (Incheon is famous for being General MacArthur's landing site when the American Forces helped turn the tide in the Korean War in September 1950. Back then it was a lot of swampy, unuseable real estate but now much of it has been reclaimed and it's home to the new and impressive Incheon Int'l Airport, my own arrival site to Korea almost five months ago.) Several long lines later and I boarded the bus that made the one mile drive to the ferry itself. I boarded at 6:30, found my bunk, explored the ship for 20 minutes, and we departed on time at 7:00 PM.

As I walked to Namchunchon Station this morning, a beautiful white crane with a long graceful neck skimmed and flew along the river that paralleled my path. Though I often see these birds along the river beds and at the lakes, I was touched by it's artful flight and felt it might possibly portend good things as I begin this exciting journey.

07.26.2002 | china | day one | friday

---

As I lay in my assigned bed, the ship begins to tremble as we leave port and begin our 24-hour journey to Tianjin, China. The bed is one of many in a large room, built into the walls, stacked bunk-style with only a draw-curtain for privacy. A flourescent light in my 'bed chamber' allows me to read and write. My fellow passengers come and go. A young child with a raspy voice whines incessantly, disturbing my peace.

My day began at 6:00 AM. I woke before the alarm sounded, anxious to shower, dress, and pack, though my train for Seoul wouldn't leave until 9:00. Packing was easy, especially as I was excited to use my new backpack, purchased a few days ago from the underground shopping mall in Myungdong for 25,000 won ($20). "From London," the vendor said as I showed interest in the black Genova bag, thinking perhaps it would impress me to buy it. Plenty of pockets, rain protection built into the design, and a heavy-duty black carrying handle to use when you tire of carrying it on your back are the features that ultimately convinced me to buy it.

I walked out the door at 8:40 to make the walk to the Namchunchon Station. True to form for me, I had to return to my apartment because I'd forgotten something: my Teva sandals. Fortunately I only had to return that once.

I arrived in Seoul at 10:55 with three hours to blow until I had to meet Mi-kyoung. I went to a nearby Chohung Bank branch to exchange won for dollars. Much easier to do than I expected, and rewarding too: I love the look, smell, and feel of American currency. And who can deny feeling a bit of pride that the American Dollar is so universally respected?

The only PC room I could find afterward to check my email and read up on China was a dark, grimy joint several blocks away from Cheongyangni Station. The ick got to me after an hour so I left and returned to the train station complex to wash my hands and eat at a clean place I could trust - Burger King.

What started out an overcast day with a gentle breeze in Chunchon had now turned into a sunny, sweltering day in Seoul. I took a walk to look for a camera shop to buy an extra memory card for my camera. I'd been wondering if I'd exchanged enough money. I hate the idea of being vulnerable in a strange land, carrying around too much cash, but if I run out in that strange land, won't that be worse? I found another CHB branch and traded more won for some American Express Travelers Checks.

I returned for the last time to the train station to meet Mi-kyoung at our pre-arranged site in front of McDonalds. She is the younger sister of Yun-kyoung, Brian's friend in Seoul who has been so helpful getting my Chinese visa and my ferry ticket. She was out of town today so her sister came instead and after she arrived we sat and visited for about 45 minutes before I had to leave to make the journey to Incheon.

The subway ride took a little more than an hour. A short cab ride brought me to the International Terminal #2, port to the Jinchon Ferry, located in Incheon, just west of Seoul. (Incheon is famous for being General MacArthur's landing site when the American Forces helped turn the tide in the Korean War in September 1950. Back then it was a lot of swampy, unuseable real estate but now much of it has been reclaimed and it's home to the new and impressive Incheon Int'l Airport, my own arrival site to Korea almost five months ago.) Several long lines later and I boarded the bus that made the one mile drive to the ferry itself. I boarded at 6:30, found my bunk, explored the ship for 20 minutes, and we departed on time at 7:00 PM.

As I walked to Namchunchon Station this morning, a beautiful white crane with a long graceful neck skimmed and flew along the river that paralleled my path. Though I often see these birds along the river beds and at the lakes, I was touched by it's artful flight and felt it might possibly portend good things as I begin this exciting journey.

08.25.2002 | korea | day 173 | sunday

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What few entries I've written about my recent 12-day trip to China have been moved to a new blog at shylockchina. More posts to come soon, I promise.

HTML Cheatsheet

08.24.2002 | korea | day 172 | saturday

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On August 16 I penned the following:

Let me take this opportunity to remind the Rupert-ian that it was a humble Provo boy, who only lives to serve others and bring happiness to the world, who was the David to his Backgammon Goliath and that said Provoan is still waiting, patiently, for his Championship t-shirt. :P

Allow me to step out from behind the mask and tip my hat to said Rupert-ian for his retort which also follows. (I include it here as the comments on this blog have a habit of disappearing.) I'm aware that most people won't appreciate the genius buried within the text. That's most peoples' loss.

The revised story of David and Goliath - as disillusionedly referred to by [Shylock], but truthfully penned by an Oremite with four kids:


And behold, David took one stone from his quiver, and placed it into the leather pouch on his sling, and slung the sling with great vigor and haste. And it came to pass that the strap on the sling did break, and the stone thereof did err in its trajectory, and did spin dizzily out of control, making contact with no less than three trees and a seagull, before falling limply on the exposed toe of the sleeping giant, causing a scratch.


And behold, the giant, unaware of his assailant until that point did rub his toe, and did wake up, and did put on a shoe, and his armour, and his helmet and shield and bow, and did face toward David, and did exclaim "Behold, I was not prepared for battle at the onset, now I will give thee a good, fair, fight.


But behold, his words did fall on the ears of nobody, for behold, David, giddy with pleasure, had already departed the area, boasting in his own strength, and proclaiming his victory loudly in the streets. And it came to pass that David did continually rebuff the desires of the giant to have great battle, for claimed he, "Behold I have already won avery battle I have had with thee. What need have I at a rematch, for behold my victories stand at 100%." The claim of 100% he also cried from the rooftops incessantly, until, from sheer tedium, the giant did cease tracking the shepherd boy, and pestering him for battle. For behold, the boy did quickly flee from place to place, making himself extremely elusive, and deceptive.


But, the giant did not lose hope and he did not easily moan his loss. For behold, he did know that in a coming day, he would once again cross paths with the fleeing David, and he knew that when that day happened, he would make swift work of the cowardly David. And in this way, he would put an end to the ceaseless complaints from David that he had not, as of yet, received raiment for the upper torso, proclaiming victory for the toe-stubbing that he did inflict upon Goliath.

Priceless.

08.23.2002 | korea | day 171 | friday

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Writing is addictive. And a curse.

08.22.2002 | korea | day 170 | thursday

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I made a crazy mad dash to Incheon this morning - no small feat - to meet Brian who was on his way home and return a duffel bag of extraneous items he didn't want to tote around the mainland for his last two weeks in the country. Generous guy that I am, I offered to do this to save him the hassle of yet another long train ride. What should have been a mere six hour round trip circuit on trains and subways grew to eight hours by the end because of a missed train in the morning and a wrong subway line taken from Seoul to Suwon instead of Incheon. Subsequently I missed two hours of class in the afternoon but the director was understanding and helpful enough to find a substitute and I returned in the nick of time to teach my remaining two hours.

In Incheon we had time for a Koreanized Chinese meal in Chinatown across the street from the subway station - bokum-bop, mandu, and chow mein. We then wound our way up the steep granite steps on the hillside to two stunning monuments. The first was the Korea USA Centennial Monument dedicated in 1982 to commorate 100 of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. Six flying steeples, angled inward and encased in steel shingles, sheltered the square, and two enormous, bronze circular abstractions, looped together stood in the center. Built overlooking the Incheon harbor, they seemed a fitting complement to the better known monument ensconced further up the hill, about ten minutes by foot: the statue of General Douglas MacArthur.

After a bit of trouble we found the small park that serves as the grounds for this flattering monument. I failed to notice the dedication date of the site but the grounds were well kept and we encountered a small crowd of local old men under a small pavilion, likely engaged in a game of "badook" as they sought shelter from the steady rain that was pestering us with our one umbrella.

The simple 12 foot granite column upon which the simple bronze statue of MacArthur stood, dressed casually in a windbreaker and hat and sporting binoculars, belies the grand language in the plaque at the base in which is explained the reason for this tribute to America's five star general and Korean War hero. Words like "genius," "inspired," and "eternal gratitude" described the man and the invasion he led at Incheon which led to the eventual liberation of South Korea as well as the way Koreans feel or should feel about the role the United States and other UN forces played in defending their liberties. Phrases like "the malignant scourge of Communism" and "the eventual reunification of Korea" offer commentary on the still existing division and hoped for resolution of atrocities that senselessly divided this small peninsula. Quite an approbation to a leader and his country.

08.21.2002 | korea | day 169 | wednesday

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OK, I've published China Day Three SO GET OFF MY BACK! :P

07.28.2002 | china | day three | sunday

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{This post has been moved to shylockchina. Thanks for your interest.}

http://www.blogrolling.com/


http://blogaboutblogs.blogspot.com/


www.kazaa.com


www.morpheus.com

08.19.2002 | korea | day 167 | monday

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a china/korea gripe

The worst thing about China: all the second-hand smoke I had to inhale! Korea is bad in contrast to the States but something about China makes Korea feel like a ward social. Although almost all men smoke in both countries (I've seen very few women smoke), China just seems worse. After 4 or 5 days in the country I lost the patience I've had over the last five months and became more than a little irrated whenever a cab driver or someone at a nearby table would light up.

I've seen a t-shirt in Seoul that I'm tempted to buy: one man asks another man, "Mind if I smoke?" and the other responds, "Mind if I fart?" I'll admit to having more than my fair share of 'gastrointestinal pressures' but I do what I can to avoid giving offense to others. Is it too much to ask that smokers do the same? I advocate their freedom of choice and I am opposed to the tactics of the anti-smoking zealots in America in spite of my religion but enough is enough.

I feel the need to rant because a day or two ago I was stuck next to a chain smoker in a PC room who felt the need to blare some annoying Korean music on his computer while I had to breath his smoke as I courteously listened to Rush Limbaugh with headphones! It's his right and no one was stopping me from leaving but I still got annoyed. So I unplugged the headphones, allowed Rush to blare from the speakers, and gave the green light to my 'repressed intestinal energy' and within five minutes he left, visibly annoyed. Hooray! Chalk one up to reciprocal rudeness as a solution to societal problems!

08.18.2002 | korea | day 166 | sunday

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When I was teaching my Housewives class on Friday I told them about my weight loss. They asked how much I'd lost. I had to tell them in kilograms and since one kilogram is about 2.2 pounds, I told them I'd lost 4 Kg which is 8.8 pounds (at the time I didn't realize I'd actually lost 10.4 pounds!). They were so impressed - one woman piped up and told me I'd lost a baby! Hilarious! I countered by saying I'd be happy if I could lose 2 or 3 more babies. I have a lot of fun teaching them - once a week for two hours. They show so much concern for my welfare that I often tell them they are my 12 Korean mothers.

The topic of discussion for the day included a page in the textbook about a fortune teller. That led into a class discussion comparing American and Korean supersititions. Here are some of the more memorable ones I can remember:

• it's bad luck for a taxi driver to pick up a woman wearing glasses early in the morning - go figure
  
  
• it's bad luck to a store if the first customer of the day doesn't buy anything - therefore, I was told, many Koreans prefer to shop in the afternoon or evening so they don't feel obliged to buy something
  
  
• it's good luck if it snows on your wedding day - so, many Koreans bring cans of aerosol snow to spray above the bride and groom at weddings
  
  
• if a bride cries at her wedding, her first child will be a boy, if a bride laughs at her wedding, her first child will be a girl
  
  
• the woman who catches the bride's bouquet is predicted to get married herself within six months but if she doesn't, she'll never get married - therefore (I learned at the Korean wedding I attended) the bride usually selects someone to catch her bouquet who is already either engaged or close to becoming engaged
  
  
• it is bad luck to write your name in red ink
  
  
• the number 4 is bad luck since the the Korean words for "death" and "4" sound similar
  
  
• Koreans don't leave their chopsticks sticking up out of the bowl when they're done eating - it represents death.

omegawatches.com

machinima.org

daveseslcafe.com

oup.com/elt

ekno.lonelyplanet.com

onlinecalls.net/econ

newworldtele.com

Korea websites, page 54, Lonely Planet

kexpat, liszt, soc.culture.korean

seoul.classified.co.kr

yonsei.ac.kr - language course

TESLJB-L mailing list, page 71, Lonely Planet

GlobalPOV - privacy company

eeggs.com

dir.yahoo.com/computers_and_internet/software/easter_eggs/.

08.17.2002 | korea | day 165 | saturday

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Today I enthusiastically and egocentrically announce that I have lost 10.4 pounds since arriving in Korea 5 1/2 months ago! Try in vain to imagine how ecstatic I am.

08.16.2002 | korea | day 164 | friday

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A certain BYU graduate living in Orem with four children, endless church callings, more coins than he knows what to do with, an affinity for a vampire named Buffy, a penchant for college football and volleyball, and the past holder of the title: BYU Intramural Backgammon Champion, recently disparaged the "Comments" on my blog. He noticed they all clump together and don't adhere to the entries they're meant to address. I'm working on the problem and should have it fixed soon.

And let me take this opportunity to remind the above mentioned Rupert-ian that it was a humble Provo boy, who only lives to serve others and bring happiness to the world, who was the David to his Backgammon Goliath and that said Provoan is still waiting, patiently, for his Championship t-shirt. :P

08.15.2002 | korea | day 163 | thursday

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Yet another holiday today; what a great country. It's Liberation Day, celebrated on August 15 in "memory of the Japanese acceptance of the Allied terms of surrender in 1945."

08.12.2002 | korea | day 160 | monday

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After ultimately enjoying David Copperfield so much, I've embarked on a Charles Dickens reading spree. Yesterday I finished Oliver Twist and I'm am already 100 pages into Great Expectations. I am enjoying the great variety and depth of characters as well as the treasure trove of memorable quotes. Accordingly, I've established a new blog called Book Report to share these things with any who may also find them interesting.

08.12.2002 | korea | day 160 | monday

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recently sent . . .

Dear Malena 'Mae'

After your countless emails, dozens of letters, untold post cards, too many care packages, costly phone calls, a plethora of telegrams, a dirth* of faxes, daily warm and fuzzy feelings I get that tell me you are thinking of me, more bouquets of flowers than I can shake a stick at, a gaggle of tel-exes, two singing telegrams, and even a smoke signal saying you love me, that least I can do is send you this postcard to say hi.

Your mentor, model, and mime instructor, Richard.

* OK, I later realized I meant to say 'dearth' not 'dirth,' which isn't even a word, but unfortunately it has the exact opposite meaning I intended: a scarce supply; a lack of]

---

Lonely Planet: Korea recommended reads

guides




1. Berlitz: Korean for Travelers
   
   
2. In Introductory Course in Korean by Fred Lukoff
   
   
3. Korea's Golden Age by Edward B. Adams
   
   
4. Korean Guide: A Glimpse of Korea's Cultural Legacy by Edward B. Adams
   
   
5. Lonely Planet: Korean Phrasebook

history/politics




1. Korean Old and New: A History from the Korea Institute at Harvard University
   
   
2. Korea: Tradition and Transformation by Andrew C. Nahm
   
   
3. The Comfort Women
   
   
4. True Stories of the Korean Comfort Women by Keith Howard
   
   
5. The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History by Don Oberdorfer
   
   
6. Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History by Bruce Cummings
   
   
7. The Abacus and the Sword: the Japanese Penetration of Korea by Peter Duus
   
   
8. The Confucian Transformation of Korea by Martina Deuchler
   
   
9. Confucian Gentlemen and Barbarian Envoys by Martina Deuchler
   
   
10. Korea's Golden Age by Edward B. Adams (recommended read before visiting Gyeongju, Korea's living museum

travel




1. To Dream of Pigs by Clive Leatherdale
   
   
2. Korea and her Neighbors by Isabella Lucy Bird Bishop

business




1. Troubled Tiger: Business Men, bureaucrats, and Generals in South Korea by Mark Clifford
   
   
2. The Chaebol by Steers, Shin, and Ungson
   
   
3. Korean Dynasty: Hyundai and Chung Ju Yung by Donald Kirk

07.27.2002 | china | day two | saturday

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{This post has been moved to shylockchina. Thanks for your interest.}

07.26.2002 | china | day one | friday

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{This post has been moved to shylockchina. Thanks for your interest.}

day 156

Two days back in the country now and the rain has finally paused. The streams and rivers have tripled in size since I left and the rain was still falling in relentless torrents as I returned to Chunchon and Weesing. I was unable to write in my journal each day while in China but I've managed to take notes on everything I did each day. I will fill in the blanks and post my actual journal entries in serial form over the next two weeks. I also have almost 200 great pictures from my trip and will post some of the best on my page at Ofoto.com. You need an invitation to view the pics so contact me if you'd like to see them and haven't rec'd one.

Read What Leftists Hate Most by Chris Weinkopf at FrontPageMagazine.com

day 142

low-fat vs. low-carb

"The nightmarish prospect is that the government's incessant exhortations to eat less fat and more carbs may have inadvertently contributed to the obesity epidemic that has expoded out of control in the last two decades. The supposed link is that low-fat diets inexorably drive people to eat more carbs, which often make them hungrier, can make it harder to burn off fat and can increase triglycerides, which increas the risk of heart disease, the very danger that low-fat diets are trying to avert. Instead of low-fat diets, some researchers say, we should emphasize low-carbohydrate diets, the very opposite of the current approach." - quoted in the International Herald Tribune; see The National Institutes of Health

day 141

Today is Wednesday and I will leave for China Friday afternoon. I'll take the train to Seoul early in the morning to do some last minute shopping and errands and then I will meet Yun-kyoung, Brian's Korean friend who has been great helping me obtain my Chinese Visa and making a reservation on the ferry and picking up the ferry ticket itself. All of the legwork for these things had to be done in Seoul which would have made so much more work for me. We will meet so she can give me the visa, my passport which she needed to get the visa, and the ferry ticket.

My plans were almost siderailed. A few days ago I came down with a mildly nasty case of athlete's foot week:swollen left foot (CURSE THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BODY! - deaf left ear, broken left arm while a paper carrier for The Salt Lake Tribune, broken left hand on my mission, sliced the tip off my left middle finger while working at The Pizza Press in Tremonton, athlete's foot on the left, left-lopsided mouth when talking. Where is my cowlick? LEFT SIDE! Where are all my girlfriends? They LEFT me! But I digress...), itchy, painful to walk, and an internal infection in the foot itself on top of it all. Mr. Kim helped me find a determatologist who diagnosed the problem and gave me medication and ointment. It feels much better now so I'm not concerned about walking but the doc said it will take several weeks to completely heal. I've never had this problem before so I can't help wonder if I got it from the high humidity or perhaps I picked it up at a public bath.

For what it's worth, I found it interesting that this dermatologist was a woman. She was totally competent, not that I would expect any less, but I was impressed nonetheless. If you guage how advanced a country is by the opportunities available to both sexes, I'd say Korea is doing pretty well.

Brian's tourist visa to China expires on August 6th so he wanted to come back with me close to that date. The school break ends on the 4th so I took a couple extra days off and I think we actually will return on the 6th. So, if you count the travel time on the ferry, that makes for a 12-day vacation. Not bad, huh? (Actually I think I would trade it all if I could come home for a week and go to the Utah Shakespearean Festival - very sad to be missing it.)

Of course I'm excited to go to China but I think it's more of the mild, calm, assurance of "I know I'm doing something cool and unique" - excitement of adulthood, not the mega-hyper, tremble in the knees, constant surge of adrenaline, "OH MY HECK I THINK I'M GOING TO BURST A VEIN AND DIE THIS VERY MINUTE IF I DON'T GET SOME KIND OF SATISFACTION!" - excitement of childhood.

I miss the excitement of childhood.

day 140

Doug kindly directed me to an article about blogging. I haven't read it yet but will comment here when I do.

day 138

If you've never had cause to question the morality, audacity, and lack of shame of the Left's agenda, DO NOT skip this interview with Peter Singer, the so-called 'godfather' of animal rights and a professor at Princeton University. The group that conducted the interview, CNSNews.com, is also a great place to visit.

L I N K S

political commentary

• Rush Limbaugh
  
  
• Jewish World Review
  
  
• National Review
  
  
• Conservative News
  
  

news

• The Daily Herald
  
  
• The Salt Lake Tribune
  
  
• Korea Herald
  
  
• The International Herald Tribune
  
  
• The Deseret News
  
  

tech

• Cnet
  
  
• ZDNet
  
  
• Radio Shack
  
  
• The Sharper Image
  
  

search

• MSN
  
  
• Google
  
  
• Yahoo
  
  

woodworking

• Woodworkers Source
  
  
• Woodworking.com
  
  
• Woodcraft
  
  
• The Woodturner's Catalog
  
  

health

• MSN Health
  
  
• WebMD
  
  

miscellaneous

• Blogger
  
  
• Star Trek
  
  
• Wade Cook's Stock Market Institute of Learning
  
  
• Strategic Forecast
  
  
• paypal.com
  
  
• kazaa.com: file sharing service
  
  
• enetation
  
  
• geocaching.com
  
  

blogs

• andrewsullivan.com
  
  
• Glen Reynolds - lawyer, University of Tennessee, political
  
  
• Virginia Postrel - political
  
  
• Mickey Kaus - political
  
  
• Doc Searle - technology
  
  
• Lori McLeese - English teacher in Korea
  
  
• Becky - France, miscellaneous
  
  
• Jim Romenesko's Media News - journalism
  
  
• Emedia Tidbits - Poynter Institute, journalism
  
  
• John Hiler's Microcontent News - the online magazine for weblogs, web-zines, and personal publishing
  
  

korea

• Chunchon Puppetshow
  
  
• bada puppets
  
  
• Chunchon, Kangwondo
  
  
• Chunchon, Korea
  
  
• tour Kangwondo
  
  
• The Korea House
  
  

auction

• ebay
  
  
• uBid
  
  
• SciQuest
  
  
• auction.newline.com
  
  
• Egghead
  
  
• WebCharity
  
  
• Amazon.com
  
  

webradio

• London jazz
  
  
• New York classical
  
  
• Seattle classical
  
  
• Dallas urban adult contemporary
  
  
• Beethoven classical
  
  
• KNAC rock
  
  
• Bluegrass Country
  
  
• Shoutcast.com
  
  
• live365.com
  
  
• live-radio.net
  
  
• radiotower.com
  
  
• Spinner
  
  
• MusicMatch.com - download RadioMX player, MusicNet, Pressplay, $39.95
  
  
• Echo.com - uses RealPlayer
  
  
• PenguinRadio - uses RealPlayer
  
  

miscellaneous

• Fishing Creek Farm
  
  
• MyFamily.com
  
  
• US Embassy in Seoul
  
  
• EFLweb - Korea
  
  
• US State - travel
  
  
• Atzavara - atzavara@multiplo-x.es
  
  
• Sneakemail
  
  
• Stickopotomas.com
  
  
• anti-spam
  
  
• kazaalite.com
  
  
• Levenger
  
  

for digital photos, ZDNet recommends...

1. computer
   
   
2. digital camera
   
   
3. scanner - Epson Perfection 1650
   
   
4. photo editor - Microsoft Picture It! Publishing Platinum 2002
   
   
5. photo printer - Epson Stylus Photo 785EPX
   
   
6. online photo album - Ofoto
   
   

creative word processing options

1. StarOffice 6.0 - <$100, 5.2=free
   
   
2. AtlantisNova - from Rising Sun Solutions, free (no spell-checker), Atlantis Ocean Mind - $27
   
   
3. WordWeb - free dictionary & thesaurus; WordWeb Pro 2 - $18.
   
   
4. OpenOffice - free, "the leading international office suite"
   
   
5. Winapm 2.80
   
   
6. Stickies
   
   
7. KarenWare - Directory Printer, Disk Slack Checker
   
   
8. Pricelessware
   
   
9. OnlyFreeware
   
   
10. Ad-Aware - scans and removes spyware.
    
    

day 137

(originally posted 5/13/02)

As you may know, I am a devoted fan of Rush Limbaugh. His program recently led me to an article at National Review online, written by John Derbyshire titled Why Don't I Care About the Palenstinians? It's a tough read but a brilliant commentary on the never-ending trouble in the Middle East and it echoes the frustration I have with the Palestinians.

Please don't mistake my tone or reference to this article as a dismissal of the complexity of the conflict in the Middle East. I don't for a minute believe that the problems between the Israelis and the Palestinians will disappear if we just adopt the attitude that the Palestinians are a hopeless cause and don't really want peace.

(Although it's difficult for me to NOT adopt that attitude myself - living on the opposite side of the globe, untouched by the senseless, never-ending death and violence, and less educated than I ought to be on the origination of the State of Israel in 1967 and the conflicts preceding and following it.)

I am simply offering my honest reaction to a situation that appears to be escalating beyond the levels that already seemed more than anyone should have to bear. ANY one group can get bogged down in their own list of offenses and justifications for revenge but where and when does it end? At what point do you decide to move past it all, look forward, and live for the future?

(originally posted 5/18/02)

Tammy recently shared the disgust she felt when she read Eminem raps U.S. vice president's wife

She said, "This is the kind of thing that disgust me in America. This is the kind of thing that is going to destroy America. This is the kind of thing that I feel so powerless to do anything about. It just irks me to no end that I have to sit and hear about this crap and I can't shut him up!!!!!!!!!!! Free speech????? What about the ears that sometimes end up hearing that junk?! What about the teenagers who are so influenced by it because we can't control everything they do and they don't alwyas know the difference between right and wrong? I wish somebody would assassinate this guy. I wish the terrorists would have flown those airplanes into the MTV music awards---I would have celebrated. I'm not joking. I would not have considered Janet Jackson, Eminem, or any of those "watch me with my baggy pants hanging down to my knees and my sunglasses on and my bandana around my head, and my chain hanging out of my pocket and my 'cool' way of walking with my hands swaying from front to back as if I'm somethin' special" jackasses a loss!!!!!!!"

Wow! THAT is what I call a passionate response! I agree it's despicable to use such inflammatory rhetoric, especially when it is clearly used for such transparent, self-aggrandizement. Even more offensive to me is that he would target the wife of someone I hold in such high regard.

What I love (notice my sarcasm) is how extremists like this use the phrase "free speech" to defend what they do while dismissing any moral obligations they have as members of society to remember the influence they exert on other people. But don't you dare bring up that argument because you'll be accused of imposing your morals, religion, or standards on them and taking away their agency! The Constitution and the Bill of Rights be damned if we don't couple it with the moral responsibility we all have as recipients of the sacrifices of our ancestors!

I don't know if I'd go so far as to wish assasination or a terrorist plane crash on eminem or the MTV Music Awards but I certainly share your feelings (which I'm inferring you have) that many people place WAY to much importance on most celebrities as if we should aspire to be like them and if we fall short we are somehow inferior. So many people have their priorities mixed up. I don't believe it's the job of the government to fix these problems. I believe that's the role religion plays in the American equation and if you remove religion - whatever faith, as so many people are wont to do, good-bye USA.

(originally posted 5/19/02)

Nicholas D. Kristof's article Arafat and the myth of Camp David in the International Herald Tribune added to my understanding of the challenges facing the Palestinians. Of course the problems they face are complex. Who could intellegently deny they're under tremendous pressure and working against overwhelming odds and still it seems they have yet to demonstrate a consistent, real desire for change.

(originally posted 5/20/02)

Feminism hijacked by George Will. Ever the voice of reason, Mr. Will tackles what I consider to be one of the two most pernicious agendas to hijack society's attention and resources: feminism.

Coed dorm rooms -- a big yawn? by Mona Charen. Ms. Charen addresses my second vote for destructive attention and resource killers: the homosexual lobby.

Some passion about Israel by Marianne M. Jennings. "There will be no peace or Nobel without Reaganesque blunt force. Communism's tyranny was defeated, not with negotiations, but with a show of military strength coupled with clear oratory."

Photo-partisanship by David Limbaugh. Subject: why it is hypocritical of the Democrats to complain about the Republicans' use of a September 11 photo of President Bush to raise campaign funds.

(originally posted 6/11/02)

Charity: Perfect and Everlasting Love by Elder Gene R. Cook. Not exactly a political reference but it struck me with such clarity when I watched to it the other day I felt it deserved a link. I plan on reading it and devouring it again and again.

day 131

A Korean Wedding

Yesterday I was privileged to attend the wedding of one of my now former co-workers from Weesing, Seung-mi. I went with David and Bomi Orr. David used to work at Weesing and is the person I corresponded with to get a job in Korea. His wife Bomi is Seung-mi's sister. They are both LDS, though Seung-mi is not, and they have two children: Keana, about three years old, and Shyann, five month.

The wedding was a mix of Western and Korean tradition. The wedding hall was white, elaborate, and, like the ceremony itself, quite indistinguishable from similar sites in the West. The bride and groom wore a traditional white dress and tuxedo, as did the family members who arrived early to greet the guests. A gift table was set up to receive presents and from what I could divine money appeared to be the most appropriate and common gift. As Seung-mi marched in, escorted by her father, traditional music was played on the piano. Her husband, already standing in place, marched part-way down the aisle to take Seung-mi from her father, which he did with a deep bow.

Both ceremonies actually consisted of a lot of bowing which of course isn't uncommon in Korea but it was remarkable to me how much both sets of parents were involved in both ceremonies and the deep, sometimes fully-prostrate, bows to them seemed to signify a great amount of respect and gratitude for the parents' roles in producing the bride and groom.

What I assume was the actual legal part of the ceremony consisted of nothing more than a long speech from the man performing the rite, an exchange of rings (which I was told is somewhat uncommon as part of the ceremony), a lot of clapping throughout it all, and a return march down the aisle.

The bride and groom were very solemn throughout it all and rarely touched each other, let alone held hands. After they marched out of the hall, they returned for professional pictures. Although I'd recently bought a digital camera in the hopes of taking my own pictures, the two video cameramen who roamed the hall throughout the ceremony mostly got in the way and prevented me from getting anything really meaningful. The final picture the photographer took was of friends and non-family guests surrounding the bride and groom.

The Korean portion of the ceremony took place a short time later in another very small room with limited standing room. Dressed in brilliant traditional clothing, arms folded with elbows outstretched, and looking very solemn, they sat at a low table as more pictures were taken with immediate family. As his parents and then her parents sat at the table, the bride and groom repeatedly bowed to them, three times, fully prostrate. Seung-mi had to be helped up and down each time as her costume was very restrictive.

The table had a variety of Korean food that appeared to be more for show than anything else with the exception of what appeared to be roasted chestnuts. Each set of parents in turn gathered up large handfuls of the chestnuts and ceremoniously threw them into an embroidered white apron stretched between the bride and groom. Then, what I think was soju, a Korean alcoholic beverage, was served in a small cup and passed around the table for everyone to take a sip.

Of course this was a very important day and everyone was very happy. Afterwards food was served in a basement cafeteria: kimchi, octopus, rice, hot peppers, Korean-style sweet and sour pork, and a dozen other things I couldn't identify, all served in the traditional Korean way as side dishes. It was a unique experience and I enjoyed myself immensely.

day 131

David Copperfield

It's not often I've read a book of such scope and magnitude as Charles Dickens' David Copperfield. My only motivation in reading it is that it was the biggest, cheapest book I could find at Media Play before I left for Korea that was also a classic, an area I've wanted to concentrate on recently. I knew nothing about the book and I never anticipated it would take me over three months to read and become one of the most difficult books I would ever undertake. At over 800 pages and full of the language commonly used when it was published in 1850, be prepared for a challenge.

In the end, the undertaking was more than worth it. The story purports to be the autobiography of the fictional character David Copperfield. It was originally published in serial form in England and then later released in book form.

I have little worthwhile to report on the book other than how it affected me. I can't recall reading a secular book that had such a profound impact as to make me want to be a better person. Copperfield recounts the people and events of his life from birth through, I believe, his early thirties. Without preaching, he weaves a credible and vast cross-section of experiences that show the triumph of honesty and hard work, the consequences of deception, and the importance of character. The book contains, by my count, 44 significant characters, most of whom wind up reaping the consequences of their actions, good and bad. Just as Dickens expressed his fondness for Copperfield, I was sorry when the book came to an end.

In perhaps the same way I am enamored by Shakespeare, David Copperfield won me over through Dickens' insights into human nature. His observations are keen, succinct, and timeless. This book was a chore but I am a better person for reading it. I am conscious that may sound silly but it remains a statement of the truth.

Memorable Quotes

"Barkis is willin'." -Mr. Barkis, page 60.

"I feel as if it were not for me to record, even though this manuscript is intended for no eyes but mine, how hard I worked at that tremendous short-hand, and all improvement appertaining to it, in my sense of responsibility to Dora and her aunts. I will only add, to what I have already written on my perseverance at this time of my life, and of a patient and continuous energy which then began to be matured within me, and which I know to be the strong part of my character, if it have any strength at all that there, on looking back, I find the source of my success. I have been very fortunate in worldly matters; many men have worked much harder, and not succeeded half so well; but I never could have done what I have done, without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one object at a time, no matter how quickly its successor should come upon its heels, which I then formed. Heaven knows I write this, in no spirit of self-laudation. The man who reviews his own life, as I do mine, in going on here, from page to page, had need to have been a good man indeed, if he would be spared the sharp consciousness of many talents neglected, many opportunities wasted, many erratic and perverted feelings constantly at war within his breast, and defeating him. I do not hold one natural gift, I dare say, that I have not abused. My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest. I have never believed it possible that any natural or improved ability can claim immunity from the companionship of the steady, plain, hard-working qualities, and hope to gain its end. There is no such things as such fulfillment on this earth. Some happy talent, and some fortunate opportunity, may form the two sides of the ladder on which some men mount, but the rounds of that ladder must be made of stuff to stand wear and tear; and there is no substitute for thorough-going, ardent, and sincere earnestness. Never to put one hand to anything, on which I could throw my whole self; and never to affect depreciation of my work, whatever it was; I find, now, to have been my golden rules." -David Copperfield, page 559

"There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose." -Mrs. Strong, page 610

". . . I should be thankful to him for having saved me from the first mistaken impulse of my undisciplined heart." -Mrs. Strong, page 611

"It's very much to be wished that some mothers would leave their daughters alone after marriage, and not be so violently affectionate. They seem to think the only return that can be made them for bringing an unfortunate young woman into the world - God bless my soul, as if she asked to be brought, or wanted to come! - is full liberty to worry her out of it again." -Betsey Trotwood, page 613

"Of all my books I like this the best. It will be easily believed that I am a fond parent to every child of my fancy, and that no one can ever love that family as dearly as I love them. But, like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is David Copperfield." -Charles Dickens

Significant Characters

A nearly exhaustive list, probably of interest to no one but me.

1. David Copperfield - title character, also called "Trot " or "Trotwood" by his Aunt Betsey, Mr. Dick and some of his friends, "Daisy" by Steerforth, and "Doady" by his wife Dora.
   
   
2. Clara Copperfield - David's young unfortunate mother.
   
   
3. David Copperfield Sr. - David's father who died before he was born.
   
   
4. Betsey Copperfield - David's fictional sister, kept alive by his Aunt Betsey.
   
   
5. Pegotty - David's "nurse" or nanny from childhood.
   
   
6. Betsey Trotwood - David's aunt and guardian.
   
   
7. Mr. Chillip - David's childhood doctor.
   
   
8. Mr. Murdstone - David's wicked stepfather.
   
   
9. Miss Murdstone - Mr. Murdstone's cruel sister.
   
   
10. Mr. Barkis - the town carrier and eventual husband to Pegotty.
    
    
11. Mr. Dan Pegotty - Pegotty's brother, uncle/guardian to Ham and Emily.
    
    
12. Ham Pegotty - Emily's noble, betrayed fiance.
    
    
13. Emily Pegotty - Ham's cousin, David's first childhood crush.
    
    
14. Mrs. Gummidge - Mr. Pegotty's "lone and lorn" housekeeper.
    
    
15. Mr. Omer - the town undertaker in David's hometown.
    
    
16. Mr. Joram - Mr. Omer's son.
    
    
17. James Steerforth - David's popular but deceptive schoolmate.
    
    
18. Mrs. Steerforth - Steerforth's wealthy mother.
    
    
19. Rosa Dartle - Mrs. Steerforth's tenant, victim of Steerforth's cruelty.
    
    
20. Littimer - Steerforth's butler.
    
    
21. Traddles - David's childhood schoolmate and adult friend.
    
    
22. Sophy Traddles - Traddles' wife.
    
    
23. Mr. Wilkins Micawber - David's inept but well-meaning friend.
    
    
24. Mrs. Emma Micawber - Mr. Wilkins' wife.
    
    
25. Mr. Wickfield - town attorney, provided room/board for David.
    
    
26. Agnes Wickfield - Mr. Wickfield's daughter and David's best friend.
    
    
27. Uriah Heep - Mr. Wickfield's 'umble employee/business partner.
    
    
28. Mrs. Heep - Uriah's equally spineless mother.
    
    
29. Mrs. Crupp - David's London landlord.
    
    
30. Mr. Francis Spenlow - David's employer at court and Dora's father.
    
    
31. Dora Spenlow - David's "child-wife" bride.
    
    
32. Jip - Dora's annoying little dog.
    
    
33. Julia Mills - Dora's bosom friend.
    
    
34. Mr. Jorkins - Mr. Spenlow's silent business partner.
    
    
35. Miss Clarissa Spenlow - Mr. Spenlow's sister, Dora's guardian.
    
    
36. Miss Lavina Spenlow - Mr. Spenlow's sister, Dora's guardian.
    
    
37. Old Creakle - Traddles' tormenting schoolmaster.
    
    
38. Miss Mowcher - a wise dwarf, introduced to David by Steerforth.
    
    
39. Mr. Dick - Betsey Trotwood's mentally-challenged but insightful tenant.
    
    
40. Doctor Strong - David's schoolmaster, would-be author of the Dictionary.
    
    
41. Mrs. Strong - Doctor Strong's young wife.
    
    
42. Mrs. Markleham - Mrs. Strong's overbearing mother.
    
    
43. Jack Maldon - Mrs. Strong's cousin and would-be suitor.
    
    
44. Martha - a servant girl who helps Emily run away with Steerforth
    
    

day 128

My clever nephew

I hope Natalie doesn't mind but I want to share a quote from her five-year old son Scott in a letter she recently sent me. I can't remember the last time I've laughed so hard.

"Now I'll tell you Scottie's latest questions. Last week while riding in the car he asks,

'Did Jesus make the moon?'

I answer 'Yes.'

'Did Jesus make the sky?'

'Yes.'

Did Jesus make himself?'

???

The next day he asked,

'When is Jesus coming again?'

I answered, 'I don't know when he's coming again but what do you think we can do to get ready for him to come?'

Scottie answered emphatically, 'We can clean our room and do the dishes!'"

day 116

Sweet revenge

The most rewarding and frustrating group of students I teach are pre- and early-teen middle-schoolers. They have matured to the point where you can have semi-intelligent conversations with them which are facilitated by the fact that their language skills have also advanced beyond "Hi. How are you? I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

HOWEVER, they can be little SNOTS! To quote Mr. Schroeder, my 9th grade English teacher at Pleasant Grove Junior High, "All educators consider jr. high students to be the armpit of the school system." Bingo! These little brats can be rude, insensitive, ungrateful, non-responsive, and above all, disrespectful. The way they snicker, point, tease, drop BRILLIANT little English words like "fat," "crazy," and "homo," really displays their supreme intelligence. English swear words and that universal bird that always manages to get flipped only make teaching these little angels the ultimate experience in pleasure. HA! So, before I start sounding cynical and disheartened, here's a rewarding bit of revenge I exacted yesterday.

It actually began on Wednesday. I'd dismissed the students and as they filed out of class behind me, several of them patted me on the back. I'm no slouch and I immediately wondered if they were sticking signs on me. I thought no and dismissed the idea. But later, in the teachers lounge, Carly and Moon found two stickers - one that said, "I'm crazy!" (Korean children LOVE this English put-down!), and "I love Cally." (Their misspelling, not mine.) I was furious and ready to give it all up for five minutes. Then I realized what a small thing it was and how I've been guilty of doing the same thing myself. So, how to retaliate?

On Friday, the next day I taught the class, I had Yeddi, the 10-year old daughter of Mrs. Kim - one of our Korean teachers, who often hangs out in the teachers lounge and has perfect English, help me make up nine signs (for nine students, an almost even split of boys and girls), written in Korean. They said things like "I'm ugly," "I stink," "I'm crazy," and "I like girls." When I entered class I had all the students line up and face the wall as I taped one sign to each student's back, since I couldn't really guess who'd been responsible for putting the signs on me.

Actually I'd earlier singled out two students I was confident wouldn't have done it - two well-behaved girls (Ja-young and Seung-hee) - but I made them submit to this punishment as well though their signs said, "I'm pretty," and "I'm smart." This was great fun. Before I let them return to their seats I took several pictures and then made them keep them on for the entire hour. They were unhappy with this punishment but I took great satisfaction my little juvenile revenge.

What made it even more embarrassing for them and more humorous for me was that a few other teachers had heard of my plans so they crowded around the windows that surround the classroom and as their own students gawked at my little ritual and their teachers told them, "See, this is what happens when you're bad."

The little thing that kind of spoiled all my fun but ultimately made me laugh even more at the futility of trying to get payback was that only eight students were present that day. The one missing student, Jae-chul, was, after the adamant convincing of the other students, the one who had actually put both signs on my back so he wasn't even in class to receive his punishment! And, unknown to me, they said he wouldn't be coming back as his mother had decided not to send him to the hagwon for English lessons anymore but get him a private tutor instead. But when I asked the students if they'd known about the signs on my back when he'd done it, they admitted they did so I condemned them for being just as guilty. Little devils.

day 116

Two big Saturday adventures

Two cool adventures today. Small and meaningless to others perhaps but cool and fun for me.

Adventure #1. The front tire on my bike went flat yesterday so I headed to a nearby bike shop this morning to get it repaired. Remember that I know practically no Korean so any time I head out the door to do things like this I have to either rely on the other person knowing a little English or on hand gestures. I arrived at the bike shop, showed the owner and his wife the tire was flat and they immediately began working to fix it. After 10 minutes they couldn't find a hole so I assume the problems was with the stem which they replaced. The whole process took less than 15 minutes and when it came time to pay, the refused to accept any money! How nice is that? I would have gladly paid 10,000 Won ($8) for the convenience of the fixed tire but they wouldn't hear of it. I plan on going back next week to buy a patch kit and a pump.

Adventure #2. This is the really cool one. After taking care of my bike it was time for lunch. Becaue of my limited language skills I've never ventured into any of the more than a dozen Korean family restaurants in my extended neighborhood. It's made it frustrating when I want to eat out and I don't have the luxury of a Korean speaking partner. Too heck with it, I thought, I'm tired of being too chicken to find a place to eat on my own.

The big problem after the language barrier is that Korean restuarants, I've been told and noticed, normally cater to serving meals to two or more people and here I was alone. So, caution thrown, wind involved, a handful of Korean phrases in my notebook, and I began my hunt.

The first two restaurants turned me away once they understood I only wanted to order for one person. A little embarrassing but expected. The third little restaurant I wandered in was a little corner place. It was empty and the owner, a middle-aged woman, was asleep in the corner. I interrupted her, "Ahn nyung haseyo?" She immediately jumped to her feet, listened to my plea, and happily seated me, appearing to completely understand that I only wanted to order for one. After ten minutes she brought me a bowl of brown rice (the first time I've seen BROWN rice served here),a bowl of some kind of radish-tasting noodle to be mixed with the rice, an oyster/noodle soup that tasted fine plain but tasted even better when she mixed in some (hot) Korean red pepper paste. She hovered over me throughout the meal, making constant remarks and I guess suggestion in fast Korean. (Why she thought I'd understand I don't know but even I find myself speaking in full English to foreigners when I know they don't understand, hoping they'll divine what I'm saying, somehow.)

The whole time I'm eating, feeling so proud of myself for taking the risk of finding a place that would serve me traditional Korean food and not just resorting as I've so often done to McDonalds, Burger King, or KFC, I was reminded that this is where the adventure lies. Even while you live in a foreign land you can so readily retreat to the safety of your apartment, losing sight of the wasted opportunities that lie inches outside your door.

I know some will think this is all so elementary and that it will only convince them how dense and slow-witted I am at times. Regardless, I felt the need to record for my own benefit, if for no one elses.

day 114

No more TV

I went to the Hyo-sin Sauna, a public bath in Chunchon, before class today. So relaxing. It's my second time there and my fourth time to a public bath since coming to Korea.

Yesterday was my 12th anniversary since coming home from my mission. Nothing more significant to me than simply noticing the coming and going of the date and marveling at the passage of time.

I got rid of my television and VCR a week ago yesterday. It's been a real security blanket for me since I've been here, something nice to come home to hand watch each night. Lately though it's become much more of a waste of time and I've wanted to just take it back to the school but was afraid I'd go into some kind of withdrawl shocks. I finally did it though and it's been one of the best decisions I've made in recent memory. Make all the arguments you want about the evils of modern television but I'll defend how it's gotten me through some pretty long stretches. Ultimately, for me though, it's been doing more harm than good. I'm sure I'll be able to outlast the urge to retrieve it (made easier since Carly took it for herself at my invitation).

~ not finished yet ~

Provo vs. Chunchon

Provo, Utah

• Population -
  
  
• Density -
  
  
• Size -
  
  
• Temps -
  
  
• Precipitation -
  
  
• Elevation -
  
  
• Geographic coordinates -
  
  

Chunchon, South Korea

• Population -
  
  
• Density -
  
  
• Size -
  
  
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Utah vs. South Korea

Utah

• Population - 2,233,169 (2000 census).
  
  
• Density - 26 people per square mile (10 per square kilometer).
  
  
• Size - 84,904 square miles (219,900 square kilometers), more than twice the size of South Korea!
  
  
• Temps - January: 19 - 36 Fahrenheit (-7 - 2 Celsius). July: 64 - 92 Fahrenheit (18 - 33 Celsius).
  
  
• Precipitation- 8 - 16 inches (200 - 400 millimeters) annually.
  
  
• Elevation - 6,100 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level.
  
  
• Geographic coordinates - ?
  
  

South Korea

• Population - 48,324,000 (2002 estimate).
  
  
• Density - 1,261 people per square miles (487 per square kilometers), one of the highest in the world.
  
  
• Size - 38,322 square miles (98,480 square kilometers).
  
  
• Temps - January: 19 - 33 Fahrenheit (-7 - 1 Celsius). July: 71 - 83 Fahrenheit (22 - 29 Celsius).
  
  
• Precipitation - 54 inches (1,370 millimeters) annually. Rainfall is concentrated in the summer months (June to September).
  
  
• Elevation - lowest point: Sea of Japan - 0 feet, highest point: Halla-san - 6,261 feet (1,950 meters) above sea level.
  
  
• Geographic coordinates - 37 00 N, 127 30 E.
  
  

day 104

Cripes I thought this internet apathy was over but it remains. Tomorrow is a holiday - election day - and I'm planning on catching up then.

day 96

I'm getting over a prolonged aversion to the internet and emailing. It happens to me every now and then, I don't know why. Unfortunately it means I've fallen behind on my journal entries, a problem I plan to rectify soon.