Korea Fighting!

Years ago I read an article about a man who kept a detailed diary about his life. I think it was 70 years of diaries. Nothing was too insignificant for him to mention.

I remember reading it and wondering, "Yeah, but will anyone ever read those boxes of diaries about him going to the bathroom?"

I guess he often wrote about himself writing...

These days I'm having the opposite problem...

I'm living it up so much that I don't have time to write...

Can you really enjoy life and record it all?

If I had time I would blog about...

* going swing dancing
* getting treated at the Kkunnori restaurant in Jamsil by two friends who insist I'm the luckiest man alive because I know them.
* then getting treated to an hour or two at the Luxury noraebang near Kkunnori.
* the "call" button in Korean restaurants
* Koreans ordering too much food whenever they eat together
* Meeting with Gong Byeong Ho (공병호) for the first time in 10 years.
* how damn energetic Seoul is
* how much fun it is drinking here. I'm sure you can have fun here without drinking, but it would be like going to Vegas without gambling.
* myself being too cheap to buy a real camera.
* and being too cheap to buy myself a new computer (the good thing is that I'm out cruising Seoul instead of cruising the Internet)
* and being too cheap to even buy a new iPOD.....noticing a pattern here?
* drinking Strawberry soju last night--wasn't much soju in it and/or I'm getting used to the taste of soju
* the centers in subways where you can recharge your phone for free (as long as they can find the rechargers)

From today's newspapers

* the hilarious brawls Korean politicians are having--over legislation. If the nation's security were at risk then I could understand the brawls.
* The government is looking for a new slogan. My latest suggestion: Korea Fighting! As in, Korea fighting Japan, Korea fighting history, Korea fighting for its image, S Korea fighting N Korea, Korea fighting itself...
* the South Korean president told the national assembly he won't

intervene in the legislation. I guess he doesn't want to rassle with anyone.
* The hilarious fight I saw yesterday between two Korean friends inside a restaurant.
* Seoul inviting Korean war veterans--a gesture I support, but that goes against those in tourism who don't want Korea to be pictured as a war-torn country
* the smoking rate increasing among Korean men--I wonder if it is really increasing or because the government crackdown has slowed that more are willing to admit it again
* yesterday's solar eclipse...an alert friend sent me a text telling me it was about to happen, my co-workers all risked going blind....
* Koreans are trying to polish their image...but advertising on CNN for a week is a mistake, they should go with Fox News or a different channel that people actually watch.
* the 34th annual forum hosted by the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry...is a 35th really necessary?
* Non-Koreans often complain about some signs not being in English, but Koreans and the Korean government go out of their way to accommodate English speakers
* The Korean government is determined to get Koreans out of their cars and onto bicycles...not sure how the chicks who always insist on wearing high heels will adapt. Plus, the monsoon season might not be the best time to promote such a policy.
* I actually agree with criticism from a Chinese newspaper that the NBA season is too long--the NBA should stop acting like this is the 1950s with teams stopping in different cities different nights, instead have teams stop in different cities for 3 or 4 games a week in one city like baseball.

But then, if I blogged about all of those things then who would read them all?

CJL

How not to get your ass beat by the police

The black president of the United States stupidly commented on the arrest of a black Harvard professor in his own home by a white police officer. Some random thoughts and memories: * I'm sure most people are still trying to figure out who Prof. Gates is. As G.K. Chesterton once wrote: "Journalism consists largely in saying 'Lord Jones is dead' to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive." * Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Gates' arrest was "every black man's nightmare." Perhaps. But having a criminal in my house is even more of a nightmare. Also, having the president of the United States talk off the cuff about me about something he doesn't know is pretty bad. And getting shot by a cop after I escalated a situation would also be worse than getting arrested. Anyway, I have had my own dealings with the police over the years: * Back when I was a college student many many moons ago, one of my brothers and I got stopped by police in Bro...

Teach North Korean Refugees--directions to Mulmangcho Human Rights Institute

DIRECTIONS to Mulmangcho Institute=Easy, easy, easy. Almost like they chose the location for the people who get lost within a block from home... * Bangbae station on line 2, exit 1. Walk to the top of the stairs. * Look to your left. There will be a Woori Bank teller machine. * Standing, looking directly at the teller machine location, walk inside the building to the right of it, under the navy blue sign with the telephone number "587-4145-6..." Walk up to the 3rd floor, room 305. That's it. After you leave the subway exit, it will take you about 5 seconds to get to the building. I don't have a Naver map for it, but if you are driving, use the Bangbae subway as a landmark. Bangbae station (line 2) exit 1 Woori Bank Bd (우리은행건물) #305호 I know people won't believe me, they have been lied to so many times by people in Korea who said a location was "easy to find." I have learned that "easy to find" in Korea means: “Sure, just go down ...

2015-10-09 TNKR tutor flies from Jeju to Seoul

Today is a holiday in Korea, but that didn't mean that studying in Teach North Korean Refugees (TNKR) had a day off. TNKR co-directors Eunkoo Lee and Casey Lartigue joined a class by the tutor in TNKR who has won the "Came the Longest Distance" award. Afsha flew from Jeju Island to Seoul to tutor one of the learners in TNKR. The only way anyone will be able to top her will be if the person flies from a different country! Her student today has been in our program for several months, all of his tutors talk about what a great student he is! Focused, friendly, eager to learn.

Weekend roundup

Kim Heung - sook asks: " Who Needs New Bills ?" When I first saw the headline, I thought: I AGREE!!! In fact, I don't want or need ANY bills, whether old or new! I have a dream job now...After a couple of days at work, one of the managers here told me to give him all of my bills, the company would take care of my expenses. So I say...Who needs new bills!!! Who needs old bills!!! Her essay is about the new 50,000 won bill. That's about 40 bucks. The next largest bill? 10,000 won. That's about 8 bucks. * * * Get a job! In an LA Times piece trying to guilt California taxpayers and the governor to spend more on higher education in the state , Vincent J. Del Casino Jr. concludes by asking how he should explain spending cuts to his students: "Governor, any good one-liners I might use?" I've written some speeches for some prominent people over the years, I'll give this one to the governor for free, "Get a job!" * * * The next borrowed word? ...

Walter E. Williams on Rush Limbaugh

Professor Walter E. Williams will be hosting the Rush Limbaugh Show 8/24/10 from noon-3 p.m. EST. Thomas Sowell will be his featured guest the second hour. In case you can't hear the show or can't wait, you can listen to me interview him back in 2007 (hit the free user button, wait for countdown, then download). We discussed reparations for slavery during one show and the minimum wage on another. By the way, I was really thankful that he agreed to be on my show twice during the three months I was on the air. I interviewed him another time when I was a guest host and he interviewed me on the Rush Limbaugh about a paper I wrote about education in Washington, D.C. When I contacted him and told him that I was going to have my own show and that I would be delighted if he would come on from time to time, he hesitated at first. I waited. He then said it would be okay. I know he won't do anything if it is inconvenient for himself, so I asked if there was a conflict. He said he had...

The Casey Lartigue Show!

Search This Blog