Goodbye, Aunt Ceil (2016-03-05)

I flew from Seoul to Texas to attend the funeral of my late Great Aunt Ceil. I got the bad news last week, then after I got the date of the funeral, I started making plans to be there.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2016/03/137_200579.html

I'm glad I came here. I last saw my Great Aunt in March 2014, at her sister's (my grandmother's) funeral. There were tears during the funeral, but the funeral was as she had lived--love, joy, optimism.

We had a lovely time reflecting on her life, older relatives telling stories. I learned many things about her and about my family. The best thing was seeing my aunts and uncles. One of my uncles threatened his patented "bear hug," but he was not alone in carrying out the threat.

* * *

Last year one of my lovely aunts passed away (and one of her sons passed away around the same time), but I was busy with so many things that I didn't return to Texas. I could only send condolences, and greatly regretted it.

* * *

Some random thoughts:

* People who think I am tough on people who show up late at events need to meet my relatives. I picked up some tips this weekend about how to deal with people who don't know what time it is...

* In Korea, people often tell me that I look like some black person in the news. I reject these comparisons: I do have some relatives who look somewhat like me. None of them include Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson.

* Everyone was delighted that I flew in from Seoul to attend the funeral. Funerals are for the living, not the dead, so I suppose it means something when people travel long distances to say goodbye to a loved one.

.* Yes, I have had enough to eat during this trip. When people in Korea ask me why I am in Korea, I will now start to answer, "To avoid my relatives who always try to overfeed me. I don't want to weigh 400 pounds."

* If you are one of those people who complains about people taking selfies or about people taking photos with others, then.. you must be someone planning to live eternally and think everyone around you will also. Plus, you are a busybody idiotic analyst. Five years later, several of the relatives from this funeral have themselves passed on. We aren't here for long, let's enjoy the party while it lasts.

* * *

Bear Hugs in Texas, published in the Korea Times a short time later.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2016/03/137_200579.html

Bear Hugs in Texas, published in the Korea Times a short time later.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2016/03/137_200579.html

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

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Random photos from today

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By Casey Lartigue, Jr. “Have you ever been to North Korea?” This is the question I am almost always asked here in South Korea when people learn that I have become an activist for North Korean escapees. My response is curt: “No.” “Do you plan on going?” they ask next. My answer remains the same: “No.” When they start to ask a follow-up question, I cut them off: "No." People are often just trying to make conversation, I know, but I am blunt for a reason: I am not interested in going to North Korea as long as North Koreans are held captive. I could go one day, but for now, I can do without a government-guided tour by " men-stealers and women-whippers ," to borrow a phrase from American abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. I don’t mean to criticize people who have gone to North Korea for political, educational, business, religious reasons or just plain curiosity. However, some people push me on the issue, ― and I push back. A good friend wh...

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