Mokpo, ROK City

Red Rover

2010-09-29T09:01:00.003+09:00

Went to China for a job interview at an English radio station in Beijing. The interview went well, I think. I'm hoping to hear from the station soon. Let's enjoy some pictures while we wait.

More pictures are on the way...

In the Club

2010-05-30T11:48:00.004+09:00

One of my roles as the host of K-Popular is to create a weekly mash/mix of current and past K-Pop hits. Here is the most recent mix. It should give you an idea of the suffering I experience for two hours a day, seven days a week. Enjoy, if you dare.

In the Club 05-28 by GFNmixer

EDIT: Really digging Soundcloud.com, host for these tracks, so, here are two more mixes from the past month.

In the Club 05-14 by GFNmixer

In the Club 05-21 by GFNmixer

Snowy New Year

2009-12-31T19:19:00.004+09:00

Man, it sucks getting to work in the snow, but, it is worth it for this view from my office.

Happy New Year from South Korea!

From the Phone

2009-12-14T22:48:00.003+09:00

I finally figured out how to transfer photos from my cell phone to my computer. (I bought a cable.) So, here are a few shots from the past nine months. Enjoy.

What Could be Better?

2009-11-24T11:52:00.001+09:00

Beck teams up with Wilco for another installment of The Record Club.

Enjoy!

Record Club: Skip Spence "Little Hands" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Record Club: Skip Spence "Cripple Creek" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Holy Crap...

2009-11-03T12:31:00.003+09:00

...the Blog is Back, Baby!

It's been a busy ten months since my last post. I returned to radio, Jeremy has started talking up a storm, the seasons have come and gone... and, finally, I have decided to resurrect Mokpo, ROK City.

Here are a couple of shots of some of my co-workers: Soo (my co-host), Mike (glasses), Pete (Scottish)...

CLICK FOR LARGE VERSION

More posts coming soon. Booyah!

Khaaaaan!

2009-01-16T08:59:00.004+09:00

Ricardo Montalbán died and Rachel and I are really kind of bummed. He was, after all, our favorite Star Trek villain. Also, one of my all-time favorite commercials featured the beloved "Fantasy Island" star: Cordoba, the Small Chrysler. "Soft, Corinthian leather..."

The original:

The hilarious yet loving tribute:

Wintry Mix

2008-12-05T20:25:00.001+09:00

Rocks, Big and Little

2008-12-02T09:18:00.006+09:00

Been pretty busy, lately, with taking care of the boy and the house and doing some writing. So a progress report is in order for those three items:

1. Jeremy is doing fine. He's close to walking and is already waving goodbye.
2. An unbelievable volume of laundry has built up in the past month. Rachel and I scrounge for something to wear, while the boy has all the drying racks filled with diapers and jumpers and stuff printed with ducks.
3. The writing has been coming along nicely. I am working on a first draft, so I know there will be a ton of editing in my future. Just trying to get it all on the page, first, before I worry too much about the many fixes I'll need to make.

Other goings-on:
Rachel just bought her plane tickets for a February visit to South Carolina. She'll be traveling with Jeremy (while I sleep for two weeks). We're still planning to return to the USA this Summer, but we wanted everyone back home to get a chance to meet the boy before he grew too much.

Meanwhile, here in Mokpo, we were treated, last night, to a beautiful sight in the sky, as Jupiter and Venus shone brightly in close (visual) proximity to the new moon. Here are a couple shots taken from Peace Park. Also included is a picture of Gotbawi Rock, a natural formation the Koreans believe looks like a pair of monks.

Red-eyed and Blue

2008-11-05T08:41:00.001+09:00

Another reason to LOVE Google:

Flim Flestival

2008-11-02T08:57:00.004+09:00

Back at the beginning of October, Rachel went to the Pusan International Film Festival where she had a great time with friends Dave and Camille. Here are a few shots from the unfortunately acronym'd P.I.F.F. Included is a shot of the Krispy Kreme assembly line that has me drooling. (Man, do I miss that "Hot Fresh" sign!)

Moonset, Venus, and Traffic

2008-10-02T19:13:00.004+09:00

Continuing the recent trend of pictures of celestial objects... Some shots of the moon setting over Yudal-san. You can see the Evening Star, Venus, off to the right. Freaking awesome. Click for the large (extra cool) versions, suitable as desktop wallpaper.

Bonus pic: traffic leaving Second Square, just after the moon set.

Another Sunset

2008-09-29T18:53:00.004+09:00

The weather has definitely changed. The days have been cool; the nights have been cold. As our friend Jamie says, "Somebody flipped the switch." Here are a couple shots of (yet) another sunset over the hills on Mokpo's western border. Click them for the full size versions.

I promise to soon write more about our recent adventures, Rachel's new job, and life with Jeremy, but that "life with Jeremy" seems to take up all my time.

Light Up the Sky

2008-09-14T12:05:00.003+09:00

The family went down to Shinan Beach to hang out with some friends around the bonfire. Everyone had a good time and I would have taken more pictures, but the camera died. I was able to snap a few shots before the batteries gave up the alkaline ghost. (Click each for the large versions.)

My favorite of the bunch, our friend Stephen with some K-graffiti:

Warning

2008-09-06T15:48:00.004+09:00

We bought a new washing machine. Here's an ~~unnecessary~~ important page from the instruction manual:

Bob, for one, was happy to see that particular warning.

Caliente!

2008-09-03T23:48:00.001+09:00

Cloud Top

2008-08-21T08:32:00.001+09:00

As we near the end of August, Mokpo's weather is turning a *little* cooler. This morning was fantastic: the temperature was in the upper 60's while a few clouds clung to the hills that surround the city. See for yourself:

Hey, Four Eyes!

2008-08-15T12:21:00.003+09:00

When Rachel had her yearly eye exam, she suggested that, while we were there, I have my eyes checked, also. Now I wear glasses. Thanks, Rachel. Thanks a lot.

Sunset: 08-08-08

2008-08-08T19:26:00.002+09:00

Smoke Monster

2008-07-25T09:20:00.006+09:00

Last Summer, the mosquitoes were pretty bad. Not a single night passed without finding myself under attack by squadrons of the little bastards, buzzing me for hours. Rachel would awake at 2a.m. to the sound of me smacking at the walls or ceiling, cursing and frothing at the mouth, trying to squash a single mosquito- a fruitless exercise, since there were always about a million waiting to take her place. I really thought I would go insane by the time Autumn rolled into this part of the peninsula. When the harvest season finally did arrive, the mosquitoes missed their cue and lingered into November.

This year hasn't been as bad (so far!) even though we have had what seems like far more rain than the summer of '07. The lower bug-bite count might have something to do with the door-to-door mosquito fogger. I never actually saw the guy, but he was busy in our neighborhood, carrying some kind of four-horsepower engine attached to a supply of winged-insect-apocalypse. I love that guy.

Sunset

2008-07-19T19:45:00.003+09:00

Belated Boseong

2008-07-14T11:32:00.010+09:00

We visited the Green Tea fields of Boseong only two months ago, when Miss Lauren was here, but it seems like years since that day. Jeremy has grown so much since then- in both size and personality- and has become such a force in this household that I have trouble remembering what life was like before he arrived.

Well, some pictures from the Boseong trip. BTW: if you go, be sure to get some of the green tea ice-cream- it is delicious. As always, click any picture for the large version.

I Love the Whole World!

2008-06-30T20:11:00.002+09:00

Attention Geeks: xkcd is THE SHIT.

The Donuts Are Dunkin'

2008-06-28T13:18:00.004+09:00

Go ahead... Click it!

A Day and a Night in Mokpo

2008-06-28T11:07:00.002+09:00

Public Art

2008-06-26T11:53:00.003+09:00

I still have a ton more photos from Boseong's green tea fields and I will get around to posting them... For now, however, here are a few pictures from the streets of Seoul.

Exactly!

2008-06-23T12:02:00.005+09:00

Thanks again to Cat and Girl for telling it like it is.

Worth the Wait

2008-06-19T00:54:00.005+09:00

Rachel's mom has been in town so I have been busy playing the son-in-law, in addition to playing father of the year. Anyways, enough with the excuses, bring on the Korean hotties of Boseong!

Photographing the Photographers

2008-05-24T11:09:00.004+09:00

More pictures from Boseong...

Here are a handful of shots Rachel and I took of other tourists taking pictures of each other and the tea fields. It's all so meta. (Click any picture for the big version.)

People

2008-05-19T14:22:00.001+09:00

Through the Windshield

2008-05-18T11:59:00.004+09:00

Here are some pictures from various buses we rode yesterday on our way to and from the Green Tea fields. Click each one for the larger versions.

BTW: In an effort to get the 'blog to load faster, I have removed a few of the widgets from the sidebar and reduced the number of posts displaying on the main page. Hooray for efficiency.

Picking a Winner

2008-05-17T20:33:00.004+09:00

Our friend Lauren is in town for a week! We're having fun Korean adventures and taking lots of pictures, so look for 'blog updates all this week. Today we visited Boseong, famous for its beautiful green tea fields. Before I post any of the many pictures from the fields, however, I wanted to share a couple candids of a woman keeping busy in a neighboring bus. These were taken while we were waiting to pull out of the station.

In her defense- and to mitigate some of the meanness I'm feeling for posting these- I must add that the weather has been awfully dry lately and the air in the buses is terrible. So, pick away sweet ajumma, pick away...

Gwangju FTW

2008-05-07T02:21:00.004+09:00

We went to Gwangju to try to pick up GTA IV at Kumho World. No luck. We took some pictures, at least:

Congratulations!

2008-05-05T00:55:00.000+09:00

marriedtothesea.com

Fun with Photoshop

2008-05-02T14:44:00.004+09:00

I've been pretty busy lately, so haven't had the time nor the energy to blog. I did have time to add a third panel to this old Interwebz chestnut:

I guess the validation of my effort will be to Stumble Upon it someday...

Daniel Elmer Salmon Who?

2008-04-19T18:28:00.003+09:00

Here's a truckload of fresh eggs just hanging out on a nice Spring day in Hadang. At least they're in the shade...

The Anticipation is Killing Me

2008-04-14T10:37:00.003+09:00

GTA:IV is out soon... Here's a recruitment video from the Liberty City P.D.

These guys are really spot on. They even mention Free Speech Zones! I hope this augers well for a game I have been anticipating for years.

See you in Liberty City on April 29th.

Awesome-ness

2008-04-12T10:02:00.000+09:00

Another great one from xkcd.

Spring Thaw (2)

2008-04-06T20:08:00.004+09:00

Another great day in Mokpo, though it was a little breezy. We walked up the side of Yudal for a picnic with friends Dave and Camille.

We had some guacamole and chicken salad, a bunch of crackers. Living the life, you know. And we weren't the only ones...

Spring Thaw

2008-04-05T21:49:00.005+09:00

The weather today was spectacular, so Rachel and I took the Littlest Homey down to Peace Park for a couple hours under the sun.

Good News!

2008-04-02T09:11:00.001+09:00

All badges created by OnePlusYou. Sweet.

Rooftop Scooter

2008-03-31T11:09:00.002+09:00

Does this make them yellow trash?

Milestone

2008-03-30T23:44:00.004+09:00

After keeping close tabs on the progress since late last night, I am happy to congratulate Photobucket for reaching 5,000,000,000 images!

That's BILLIONS of images!

The Friendly Skies

2008-03-25T11:34:00.001+09:00

Thanks to Yein Jee!

That Darn Cat!

2008-03-24T22:01:00.005+09:00

You know there's not much happening when I resort to using Disney movies to title blog posts.

To see what is going on, click here for my latest project.

Seoul Trippin'

2008-03-19T20:20:00.005+09:00

We had to visit Seoul to register our boy as an American citizen. Even though Jeremy is only 10 days old, we must have his passport as soon as possible so we can apply for his Korean visa. Apparently, the fines really start to add up if we are late. So, three and a half hours on the KTX, thirty minutes in a taxi, eight sleepless hours in a hotel, a seven o'clock wake-up call, twenty minutes of paperwork at the American Embassy- all because of some imaginary lines on the ground. Whatever: at least we saw some neat-o stuff and ate at the first Subway I've seen in over a year.

Bald Spot and Regular Spot

2008-03-15T15:21:00.003+09:00

Bundle O'Joy and Korean Hospital Breakfast

2008-03-14T13:38:00.001+09:00

This is what Rachel had for breakfast yesterday.

Forcefield

2008-03-13T08:20:00.005+09:00

Surprise!

2008-03-12T20:04:00.003+09:00

Breathe Now, Think Sweet Things...

2008-03-11T23:54:00.006+09:00

...and I'll think of all the right words to say.

Life: Day Two

2008-03-11T15:34:00.000+09:00

Wow... Just, Wow...

2008-03-10T23:27:00.004+09:00

Oh, Boy

2008-03-09T17:27:00.002+09:00

Wish us luck...

Regular Service

2008-03-05T11:53:00.013+09:00

Went for a walk yesterday with my nine-months-pregnant wife (per doctor's orders) and found this coffee machine:

Is it just me, or does the machine look like it should be dispensing Metamucil?

"Now the only thing that spoils our fishing trips... is rain."

Speaking of ease and consistency, here's some video from a recent trip to E-mart on the #13 bus:

The More I Think About It

2008-03-03T23:08:00.006+09:00

Every once in a while, in the midst of the most horrid, unbearably lame sketch comedy, there appears a musical guest that makes the ghost of Paul Westerberg's solo career stir in its bargain bin cemetery.

So, even if the show is complete shit, at least somebody behind the scenes has decent taste in music. Or maybe they just got lucky?

Perfect

2008-03-03T18:44:00.003+09:00

----------------
Listening to: Wilco - [February 26, 2008 #24] Hate It Here [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Some Randomness

2008-03-03T01:06:00.006+09:00

Here are some stop-gap photos for your viewing pleasure.

As always, click for the bigger version of each.

Happy February 29th!

2008-02-29T12:36:00.006+09:00

Not much to report this time. Waiting for the baby to arrive. Walking around the neighborhood a lot. Shopping for a recliner that will be comfortable for a nursing mother. Mostly I just wanted to post on the 29th.

BTW: As per Jamie's suggestion, if the baby had been born today, we would have named him Lee Pierre. (Think about it, but not for too long.) Anyways, there's still time...

How about a song of the day? Muzzle of Bees by Wilco

Zam.

Jive Turkey

2008-02-26T14:34:00.003+09:00

(Thanks to Dave and Camille for the birthday drumstick: it was delicious and strange-y!)

Miss, Hit

2008-02-22T12:24:00.005+09:00

We missed the eclipse, what with us being in the wrong hemisphere and all, but Wired has some pretty cool pictures of the lunar event here.

Another space show we missed was captured on video:

Now that's the kind of work I like to see done with my tax dollars.

Total Eclipse Tonight... Except in Asia

2008-02-21T17:25:00.007+09:00

Yeah. There's a total lunar eclipse tonight, unless of course, you live in Eastern Asia. Here's a nice graphic from NASA (click for the large, easy-to-read version). I won't be able to see any of the action, so you can do your own damn math to figure your best viewing time.

(Seriously: Korea is right in the middle of the S.O.L. zone. Oh, well.)

Also: I added four more designs to my CafePress shop. Look over in the sidebar for the links. There's no pressure to buy, I just enjoy sharing. Heh. Heheh.

Potty Mouth

2008-02-20T18:02:00.011+09:00

We never thought about raising a child when we started raising the dog.

His name is Jack and he's a cute little bugger. Mostly, he's a good dog. When he's bad, however, he can be a real pecker-head. "Jack," we shout at him when he jumps on people, "off!" Yes. Here we are in Mokpo, South Korea, and if the neighbors could understand what we are shouting, they might wonder why they keep hearing "Jack off! Jack off!" being shouted across the rooftops.

When the dog is in the kitchen trying to raid the trash can or in the bathroom for a midnight snack of cat-poop, we yell, "Screw!" I think I picked up that one from Catch-22: Yossarian is trying to have a conversation with another character and a junior officer walks into the tent. "Screw," he says, hooking a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the subordinate should get scarce. Anyways, the dog hears "Screw!" and knows to get scarce.

The cat, though far more vicious, is much smaller than the dog. When the dog is sniffing his little kitty-behind or trying to get up a game of tag with the reluctant white devil, we tell the dog, "No cat!" This usually suffices to warn the dog that he's taking his life into his paws messing around with the feral feline terror. "No cat!" also works with any animal smaller than the dog: squirrels, chipmunks, birds, other small dogs. It's kind of a catch-all for "Don't be stupid. That thing will mess you up."

So, anyways. Little Gandalf will be here soon enough and he'll hear these things being shouted at the dog on a pretty regular basis. Pretty soon he'll be talking and soon after that he'll be interacting with others among his age group. Oh, my god. What will the other parents think the first time our boy tells one his little friends to, "Screw!" Or when another kid gets too close and Gandalf screams, "Jack off!" And how will Gandalf use "No cat!"? I can't imagine, but it should be embarrassing, I'm sure.

In other news:
I started my own CafePress shop. Click the banner below to look at the t-shirt I 'designed' using a nice public domain photo from the NASA archives. Mariner 9 is the first human-built spacecraft to reach another planet, so it deserves a t-shirt, you know.

Another visit to the baby-doc this weekend and hopefully a baby soon. Rachel is getting a bit antsy. I think her exact words were, "I am never going to be not pregnant." (She says this a lot, along with "David, rub my shoulders" and "I am going to kill you.")

Heat Death of the Universe

2008-02-15T17:12:00.014+09:00

Korean pop superstars, Big Bang, were in town this afternoon for a handshake session with their Mokpo fans. Rachel sent me down to Skool, camera in hand, to document what we assumed would be madness. The reality was something less than Beatlemania, but greater than the release of, say, the second Harry Potter book. The kids were all behaving well: there were no tears, no screams, no hysteria. Many of the girls carried roses, presumably to give to their favorite member of the five boy boy-band. (Tae Yang may be the cute one, but Seung-ri is the funny one!)

Though the whole scene was kind of silly, I have to admit that one frigid NYC morning waited I for five hours to get INXS tickets.

Oh, and another time I waited for six hours to get Metallica/Guns'n'Roses tickets. (Faith No More opened!)

BTW: Read about the Heat Death of the Universe here- so you know just how very clever this post's title is.

Guess Who I Found!

2008-02-13T17:00:00.006+09:00

I was on the road to ~~Damascus~~ Jamie and Leah's apartment...

Haha. J/K! I'm still a heathen!

Send in the... WTF?

2008-02-13T11:58:00.004+09:00

This is what I saw from the roof, this morning, while walking the dog:

We've seen the "clown" costumes before, but still have no idea what the hell they're all about. If anyone can explain the cultural significance of this display, please- please- leave a comment.

(Click for the large version.)

The Dog, the Cat, the Wife, My Lungs

2008-01-29T15:40:00.000+09:00

The Dog: knows something is going on. Rachel wakes up each morning with the dog sniffing her very pregnant belly. When he gets in trouble and yelled at by me, he trots over to Rachel and hides/protects her. He's become very protective of his chair. He's been barking at the slightest noise from outside, especially drunk Koreans passing our building at three in the morning. Right now: he's asleep in his chair, on his blanket. If I were to try removing the blanket to then cover him, I would lose a hand.

The Cat: has been climbing up my ass. He also knows something is up. He's been crying for food. Crying to get into the bathroom. Crying to get out of the bathroom. Crying for water. Crying to get in my lap. Crying for no reason. Lately he's been digging his claws into my arm when I'm not paying attention to him and waking me each morning by clawing at Rachel's suitcase. Right now: he's asleep on the bed, and being somewhat smarter than the dog, is actually under the blankets.

The Wife: is on a short fuse. She's feeling very pregnant and is having trouble sleeping. Gandalf must be practicing karate or playing 9 Ball in there- either way, she can't get comfortable at night. She is sick of Korean food, sometimes, but doesn't want anything specifically American. We had pizza yesterday and that seemed to make her happy. Right now: she's downstairs at the school, teaching Charley when to use the articles "a" and "an". Let's hope he picks it up quickly lest his head is bitten off.

My Lungs: are feeling much better now. I haven't had a cigarette for 8 days. After smoking for 17 or 18 years, I thought it would be impossible to quit. I'm not out of the weeds yet: I keep a pack of NosmoQ's around to help when I get the craving and I'm going to skip the weekly poker matches for a little while, just to avoid the temptation. My boy will be here in just a few weeks and I want to be done with the habit before he arrives. Right now: Man, I would kill for a cigarette.

So, between the insane pets, the pregnant wife and the nicotine fits, it's been a tough couple of weeks. It's all okay, though. Because that's my boy:

Click that beautiful face to see the full-size picture.

So Much to Learn

2008-01-27T15:17:00.000+09:00

I came across a great post at coolstuff.com showing some "safe handling tips" for new parents. Here are some of the highlights:

Man, that's a lot to take in.

From the post:

...the pictures seem to be from a book by David and Kelly Sopp. All credits go to them, for the marvelous book! If you like it, you can buy it on Amazon, as it would make a great gift: CLICK HERE.

My Favorite Dream

2008-01-15T01:37:00.000+09:00

Here's the latest from one of my new favorite webcomics, We the Robots. Be sure to visit the site and maybe click through the archives. Good stuff!

(Click the image for the big beautiful version.)

BTW: I'm still enjoying chatting with my peeps over in the Plugoo chat box. I did, however, move the chat box below the fireworks picture. So just scroll down to get a hold of me through the i-tube. Keep the yammer coming!

Goose Egg

2008-01-14T18:51:00.000+09:00

Come on, people. In a post, a few days ago, I asked for ideas for baby names... and received ZERO response. Nada. Zilch. Jack squat.

Alright. This baby is not going to name himself. If we don't get some feedback, he's going to be called Gandalf and Rachel's mom is going to kill us.

In other bairn-related news...

This weekend, we visited the clinic for a check-up and found out all is well with mother and child. Another sonogram for the baby book! If any of the Western community here in town has a scanner, we'd love to scan and post some of the in-utero pics of our pride and joy. Or if any of you know of a Korean version of Kinko's, that would be great. Until I get these pics scanned, let me just tell you, we have a 3D shot of the kid and he's a cutie! (In lieu of a baby pic, here's a picture of Mokpo Harbor that Rachel snapped last year.)

Thanks to the few of you who have used the Plugoo chat box over there to the left of this post. I've enjoyed talking to you! It's nice to know this humble little 'blog has a dedicated reader or two.

----------------
Listening to: Beck - [Stray Blues #05] Lemonade [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Ill Communication

2008-01-11T18:29:00.000+09:00

For those of you who cannot get enough Dave in your diet...

Look over there in the sidebar for the box that says, "Talk to Dave!" See it? Okay: now enter a nickname and type something in the appropriate fields. Good. Now hit enter and and the magic of the intranets will transport the words right into my brain (assuming said brain is awake and logged in). I'll just as magically respond with words of wisdom and/or despair. Voila!

It's like television, only you can see much further!

If you want to add this neat little widget to your blog, be sure to visit the folks at Plugoo.

What, Me Worry?

2008-01-07T16:16:00.000+09:00

At my core, I am an optimist.

In a month, I will be thirty-six years old. In two months, I will be a father. Sometime this summer, Rachel and I have to decide if we will remain in Korea for a third year, move to another country where she teaches ESL and I play stay-at-home dad, or return to the U.S. It's a lot to consider in a short span of time.

Maybe we'll stay in Korea and watch as the Republicans steal another election and the United States ~~begins~~ continues to disintegrate under the heel of corporate political influence. Maybe the Democrats will win and, emboldened by a perception of weakness in America, terrorists will strike again and again within our borders. Maybe a third-party candidate will rise from the stink of Nader's failure to... ha-ha, just kidding.

At my core, I am an optimist. I have read too much science fiction to be anything else. Asimov's Foundation and the 30,000 year sweep of psychohistory, Roddenberry's Federation of Planets, Heinlein's long-lived residents of Tertius led by Lazarus Long: these are the shining examples of mankind's destiny where the only problems are The Mule, the Trouble with Tribbles, and finding Time Enough for Love.

The smudge on my rose-colored glasses can be found in other science-fiction: 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are the two best known examples of Dystopian futures. There are thousands more in short story and novel forms. All carry a central message: man will destroy himself. For all the invasions from Mars, killer comets, solar events, for every galactic calamity to befall the Earth, there is always a character who sells out the human race on some scale, large or small, for personal and usual temporary gain.

I say again: at my core, I am an optimist. But, I am disappointed in people. I see the potential in our human race. I see the wonder-filled futures our greatest minds have imagined. And I see us pissing it all away... just in time for my boy to grow up in a world that has failed.

The Difference a Day Makes

2008-01-03T17:09:00.000+09:00

After several days of snow and sleet, Mokpo is finally seeing some sunshine. Though we're happy the sun is out (seen below, it is actually setting over Mt. Yudal), Rachel really wanted to see a foot of snow on the ground so she could have a day off.

All is well with us here in southern South Korea. Last year was among the strangest of my life, full of both joy and grief. Here's hoping 2008 is twice as happy and only half as sad.

In other news, Rachel and I have finally reached our wit's ends trying to come up with a name for Baby St. John. Leave a comment (click "Comments" below) if you have any suggestions. Remember these few guidelines:

1. The baby's middle name will be "Allen", so the first name must work with that.
2. The first name must have at least two syllables so we can effectively yell it across the neighborhood at dinner time.
3. No made-up, yuppie, ghetto or hippie names. For example: Soda, Skyler, Synomius, and Starshine are all out of the running.

That's it. If you have an idea, please feel free to share. If you suggest the name we choose, there might even be a cash award.

Happy New Year from Korea

2007-12-31T23:56:00.000+09:00

Merry Christmas from Bob and Jack

2007-12-25T23:23:00.000+09:00

Live Music (from Cat and Girl)

2007-12-19T02:47:00.000+09:00

Here's the most recent posting from one of my favorite web-comics, Cat and Girl.

Click it for the large version and be sure to visit the artist's site.

1851 Hours Since Install

2007-12-05T13:00:00.000+09:00

We've been in Mokpo for just over a year and I can just barely recall those bewildering first few hours as Rachel and I walked around the city after the long drive down from the airport in Seoul. The flight over from the States was long, but- thanks to the miracle of pharmaceuticals- I slept through most of it and was fresh as a daisy as we stepped out into the rotten fish smell and weak, early morning light. We walked down to the open air market and watched as the stalls were set up by sleepy-eyed Koreans. We walked through Shinay (downtown) and I was happy to see the golden arches of one of the two McDonald's here in town. I bowed at every local we passed and practiced spitting in a manly, Korean way. (Rachel: "Easy. You're trying too hard.")

Since that first morning, I have made a lot of friends among the Western community and among the Koreans staffing our regular bakery, vegetable stand and bodegas. I have eaten a lot of good food (including McDonald's, which tastes better 7500 miles from home). I have seen drunk Koreans passed out on sidewalks and had to step over their vomit, seen one drunk Korean slapping the hell out of another (just last night, in fact).

I have enjoyed innumerable death-defying taxi rides, bus rides and even an afternoon on a tandem bike that was scarier than any cab, bus or roller-coaster I've ever ridden. Rachel and I are waiting for our son to be born and that's scarier than... well, everything.

There's so much more wackiness I'd love to share, but like those first few hours, it's all kind of hazy as new impressions are constantly flooding in...

It's been a great year.

(BTW: This post's title comes from the Firefox add-on, Time Tracker. I installed it on November 26, 2006, and since that date, Rachel and I have spent 1851 hours on-line. So... 375 days ago: that's an average of 4.936 hours a day on the Internet. Boo-yah.)

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Listening to: Beastie Boys - [Hello Nasty CD01 #10] Flowin' Prose [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Elitist Scum: That's Me

2007-11-09T14:35:00.000+09:00

First, a brief rant. Then a comic!

Complaining about the state of modern music is like pissing in the wind. You poseurs who swallow everything corporate-rock radio spews at you can keep your Linkin Park and Seether. The music is created on an angst assembly line and has no merit. NO MERIT!

I have had (and read) arguments about how crappy rock has become and the chief defenders (read: apologists) always return to one of two points. The first: "That's just your opinion." Sure, it's just my opinion, but that doesn't make the music any better. Those bands still suck. Their music is still predictable. The albums won't grow on you if you listen to them repeatedly. At best, after a decade of hanging on to that Avenged Sevenfold CD, you'll have a shiny coaster and memories of puking up your guts at so-and-so's keg party.

The second point is just ridiculous. It usually goes something like this: "It's music for teenagers. Think about what you listened to when you were that age." This is just bullshit. I could handle it if that was true, but I have listened to these radio stations and, in between advertisements for strip-clubs and happy hour at the meat-market, most of the callers are in their twenties or older. If this is music for teens, it's time for an entire generation to grow up.

Man, I feel old after all that. Anyways, here's the comic (from xkcd). Click it for the big version.

BTW: The new Wilco album is kicking back:

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Listening to: Farmer John- Premiers [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

White Wizard, White Cat

2007-11-05T12:24:00.001+09:00

Not much to report from the Land of Morning Calm. This past weekend we had a small beach party and today we got a new washing machine: good times.

Rachel is feeling a constant pressure on her bladder, so she spends most of the day in transit to and from the bathroom. When you stop to think about it, it's really kind of disgusting that there's a little person growing inside of her. The miracle of life is gross. Don't think I'm not excited about the bun in the oven... I'm just squeamish about the baking process. (And the umbilical cord that falls off two weeks after the child is born. Ick.)

Here's a picture of Baby Gandalf. You can't see much, but it's a little early for yearbook photos. (The baby-shaped silhouette is actually just a coincidence. The actual baby, when the picture was taken back in September, was still only a few centimeters across. If you click on the picture, you'll see the large version with the OB/GYN's cursor marking the little guy's location.)

And finally, here's a picture of Bob, the Best Cat Ever, napping in the sock drawer.

BTW: Thanks to Travis and Bella for the use of their scanner!

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Listening to: 08 - Upgrade (A Brymar College Course) [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Ten Years After

2007-10-30T11:32:00.001+09:00

Back in April, Rachel and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary. Our second year of marriage is progressing nicely- there's a boy-child on the way, we've signed on for another year in Mokpo, the dog and cat are happy and content... Tomorrow marks another anniversary in our life together: it has been ten years since we met for the first time.

1997: Tim Miller had just hired a cute little high-school girl as a promotions assistant at WOMG where I had been working for about six months doing many of the odd jobs delegated to part-timers. We were both scheduled to man the booth at the Richland Mall Halloween party. Jay Philips was hosting the event along with his wife, Sunny- he was dressed as a knight, she as his maiden fair. Rachel and I wore station t-shirts and handed out stickers to an endless line of ghosts, witches, and Ninja Turtles, all the while laughing and talking and laughing some more.

An instant rapport developed between us: we both loved the station's music (especially The Beatles!), we were both movie snobs, and, though neither of us would have chosen to spend a Friday night at the mall, we made the best of an opportunity to people watch (and mock). We also jumped right into the first of many push-and-pull, confrontational conversations we would have over the next few years. (BTW: These conversations still happen, only now they usually end with Rachel telling me to "shut the hell up," as is her wife's prerogative, of course.)

We worked together often, after that night. Promotions, air-shifts, station emergencies (like when the CD tower broke and we had to play Christmas music for 10 overnight hours, manually cuing each song, praying it would be ready to play before the previous song ended)... she seemed always to be there. Little did I know she was plotting a future for us.

I don't think she planned for our current situation: married, living in Korea, and expecting a child... Oh well, life really is full of surprises, and though we've had some rocky times here and there, I wouldn't change a thing. In her less confrontational moments, I think she'd admit the same.

Happy Ten Years of Knowing You, Baby... With little Gandalf on the way, I look forward to many more decades of friendship and laughing and talking and laughing and love and always laughing...

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Listening to: 08 - In My Life [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Good News Everybody!

2007-10-29T10:56:00.000+09:00

We had a great walk with Jack this past Saturday, down at Peace Park and in Hadang. The weather was perfect and the weekend crowd was a little thinner than usual. We enjoyed pizza in a cup, while Jack was gang-petted by a bunch of little kids. I saw my first dancing-girl grand-opening- a sight I had heard about many times, but always seemed to miss. There was even a guy holding the two purses of his pair of female companions.

Scroll past the pictures for the good news...

...and now for the good news: WE'RE HAVING A BOY! Rachel visited the OB/GYN last week and had her monthly ultra-sound. Everything is progressing well, the baby is twitching and sucking its thumb and we couldn't be happier. Now all we need is a name... what do you think about "Herschel"?

ATM Assignation

2007-10-15T11:18:00.000+09:00

Oh, thank Jebus- Rachel returns tomorrow. It's a good thing, too, since I was starting to lose it. Apparently, I'm not the only one: On Friday, while I was waiting my turn outside a busy ATM, I was approached by a 50 year old Korean woman. She motioned for me to remove my headphones and, in pretty decent English, asked where I was from.

"USA," I said, and pointing to myself, "megook (American)."

"Oh, meegook," she responded excitedly, taking my hand in both of hers "How long Korea?" she asked.

"One year."

"You teacher?"

"No," I said, "my wife is a teacher. I play Halo and clean the house." This, I think, went over her head, though she did seem a little disappointed to hear I have a wife.

"Oh, wife-oo." Still holding my hand.

"Neh," I said- Korean for yes.

"You come have copi (coffee)?"

"No, I'm waiting for the ATM, then I have to pay some bills. Sorry." By this time others had skipped past me to use the machine, and I was stuck waiting a bit longer, still holding hands with this strange little person.

"Okay," she said and stared longingly(?) at me. Finally and gently she dropped my hand. Then she leaned in towards me- I saw it coming and wished I had a sneeze or something ready- and puckered her lips. "Kiss me?" she asked.

"No!" I didn't quite shout it but I felt bad for denying her. Hey, she just wanted a little loving, but there was no way in hell she was getting it from this white boy. "I am married," I said, hoping she would think I was just a shy, devoted married man- and not that I was grossed out by those cracked, dessicated lips.

She took it alright. Gave me a big smile and said, "Okay! Bye-bye." She walked off and blended with the busy sidewalk traffic.

I made it to the ATM, payed the bills, and found my way home to a long, hot shower. The sooner my wife arrives in Mokpo, the sooner life can return to normalcy- or what passes for normal in this strange place.

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Listening to: Frank Black - [Teenager Of The Year #01] Whatever Happened To Pong [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Blogposts from the Edge 3

2007-10-03T20:59:00.000+09:00

My Dearest One,

I have only a few moments to scrawl this message before my squad moves out into the field. Today we are leading an assault on yet another unimportant hill. Sometimes I think the boys up in HQ forget we are real people under all this armor. Day after day- and every single night- we huddle in our bunkers, ducking sniper fire, and wishing we were home. The worst part is listening to incoming artillery and waiting for the one with our name on it. Then it's up and out of the bunker and into the jaws of enemy fire from where most of us will not return. That's how I got this new stripe on my sleeve. Sarge took one for the team last night and I got a field promotion. I hope the extra cash will buy you something pretty. I hope the extra stripe doesn't buy me the farm.

It's not all bad, of course. Basic training was cake after all those years on Papa's farm. Learning to run with the armor was the toughest bit: you have to develop a kind of gliding gait and let the suit's internal actuators handle the load. Firearms and grenade training were fun- after the endless hours of safety instruction. The weapons are pretty neat and all pack a hell of a punch, which is good and bad since the enemy has the same tech.

Let me tell you about the enemy, the Reds. Those dirty bastards are master snipers at distance, but will happily stick you with a brute grenade to save a rifle round if they can get close enough. They are a scourge on the face of the earth and- though the conditions are horrible, the food little better than excrement and the weather as likely to kill you as one of their bullets- they must be stopped.

But enough of that. Let me tell you about the boys in my squad. (That's them in the picture with me on the far left.) They all swap stories about the "sweethearts" back home: bawdy tales of fast cars and faster women, with each trooper trying to outdo the last in terms of debauchery and sin. The Chief, stoic that he is, never participates in these bull sessions, so when it come my turn to share I follow his example and I keep my lips sealed.

The one time they pressed me on it I broke all their hearts. I told them about your apple pie and baked ziti. I told them about your angelic voice and how your solos in the church choir leave nary a dry eye among the pews. I mentioned the time we drove up into the mountains to return that red-tailed hawk to the wild. I mentioned the aluminum can drives and food drives and winter coat drives. I told them of every kind thing I ever saw you do and how our devotion is pure and beautiful and unspoiled by the distance between us, the war I'm fighting.

I told them why I fight: for the love of a good woman, for her safety, for our child that she still carries and his future. Like I said, I broke their hearts. Like mine is breaking here without you. That war is hell, everyone knows. What most people fail to realize is the hell within, the worry and unabated anticipation of return home. Whether in a body bag or as a decorated hero we'll never know- not until the constant pop and snap of high caliber rifle rounds stops echoing and the bombs stop falling, waking us from dreams of the farm and apple pie.

I must go now, my lover. May you have peace in my absence and remember our song...

There's a far and distant river
Where the roses are in bloom
A sweetheart who is waiting there for me
And it's there I pray you take me
I've been faithful, don't forsake me
I'll be with her when the roses bloom again

Your Loving Husband and Faithful Soldier,
David

Blogposts from the Edge 2

2007-09-24T14:05:00.000+09:00

Dearest Rachel,

Another short note, here, to keep you up to date on the Mokpo season.

Last night was spent in engaging and fruitful conversation at the Old Mokpo home of Jamie and Leah. Joining the soirée was Rocky Mountain Mike; Cary and Lacey; new addition to the Mokpo scene, Laura, late of Minnesota; and native residents Tim and his wife, whose name I heard over and over but was unable to parse. Also attending, and the belle of the bash, Peanut the dog, an incurable flirt who passed through more laps than a Heinlein heroine.

Our gracious hostess prepared an interesting Mexican dish that was one part cheese, one part sour cream and two parts delicious, all wrapped in soft tortilla. The refreshments were even more exquisite than the bon mot Mike produced at the expense of a certain young lady (whose name will go unmentioned here for it was a scandalously rich remark that will be repeated and savored over the coming months regardless of my own discretion.)

Later in the evening, Leah and yours truly locked horns in a debate regarding the relative merits of snobbery and the (devolving, I contended) aesthetics of popular culture. It was a friendly pow-wow, of course, though I am afraid our Canadian friend has been subverted by the doctrines of Spielberg, Donner and Cameron. All philosophers, true, but to my mind, poor substitutes for Altman, Hitchcock, and Boorman. In the end, however, we were able to agree on one fact: Toy Story is a great motion picture.

The evening wrapped up rather late, so I am writing this with very little sleep on a cloudy Mokpo morning and I've only time for a short siesta before returning the favor of hosting for friend Jamie. Electronical gaming is on the menu.

"I hate it here,
When you're gone..."

As always, I remain your loving husband,
David

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Listening to: God Only Knows [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Blog Posts from the Edge 1

2007-09-21T13:33:00.000+09:00

Dearest Rachel,

In speaking to your father, my esteemed father-in-law, I have learned of your safe arrival in Columbia. This is very good news, as I have spent this past night in an apprehensive state, and in dreaming all sorts of terrible dreams. That is past, now, since you are in good hands with your family. I understand you are catching up on some much needed sleep. Good for you!

News from Mokpo is minimal. The dog, Jack, misses you, of course. He has been moping since your departure. Actually his despondence set in when he realized you would not be home from work to feed him. I have tried to engage him in games of 'Fetch' and 'No Bite', but, alas, he is too crestfallen for frivolity. I have planned a short hike for this afternoon to try to raise his spirits.

Our favorite, fuzzy, feline menace, Bob, is nonplussed by your absence. He has been his normal aloof self. Last night, as I drifted off to sleep, we held a staring competition. I awoke this morning with his eyes boring into mine, so I must assume he was the winner.

Beloved friend Travis has updated his MySpace page with dozens of photos, so be sure to leave a message and compliment his burgeoning aesthetic skills. I will see him and his wife, the beautiful Bella, later tonight as we dine with our cousins from the Northwest, Cary and Lacey. Shabu-shabu is on the menu and I am skipping lunch to leave room in my interior pantry.

A strange odor has invaded our home: it smells like burning rubber mixed with low tide. I have been sniffing the air from room to room, trying to discover its cause- to no avail. I guess it is coming in from the outside, its source some kind of tire fire-cum-fishkill. Hopefully, the breeze will soon offer relief from this malodorous olfactory assault.

This meager note is all I have to write for the moment. Please respond soon, as a single word from you will do wonders for my outlook.

You are my heartbeat.

Your loving husband,
David

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Listening to: Sparklehorse - [Sick Of Goodbyes -single CD2 #02] I shot a dog [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Oh Lord, She's Stuck in Incheon Again

2007-09-20T01:04:00.000+09:00

Rachel is traveling back to the states for a few weeks to recharge the batteries before we begin our second year in Mokpo and the adventure of parenthood. Her trip is not off to a good start, however, as she is stuck in an airport hotel in Incheon. Cursing.

After four hours of sitting inside the plane, on the tarmac, Delta has arranged to put all the passengers on a flight first thing in the morning. It really screws up her connecting flight schedule from Atlanta to Charlotte, NC, but at least she has internet access and a hot-tub in her room.

**Update** Rachel is arriving in Atlanta around 10:30am and connecting to arrive at Charlotte/Douglas at 1:30pm. Wish her luck!

**Update 2** She made it! Rachel is resting safely in her old bedroom at her parents house. I'm sure she'll have a couple days suffering from jetlag, so if you're on her list, just be patient and you'll get to bask in her presence soon enough. (When I say 'bask' I mean it! She's freaking GLOWING- but don't tell her that. "I don't want to glow," she says. "But you're pregnant. You don't have a choice," I say. "No! Do not want!" "Too bad..." Anyways, it goes on like that for a while then one of us leaves the room.)

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Listening to: Sparklehorse - [Good Morning Spider #14] Ghost Of His Smile [foobar2000 v0.9.3.1]
via FoxyTunes

Free Money

2007-09-18T18:28:00.000+09:00

Hi there. Here's a bit of shameless self-promotion for your Tuesday. Enjoy!

I have a bit of audio/video editing work posted at GeniusRocket.com that's waiting for your vote of confidence. There's a chance for me to earn $250 and the approval of my peers. Just click here and you'll be taken to the site. Feel free to poke around, be sure to watch the video and give me a good rating by clicking on the stars below the video player. You are, after all, my friends and family.

Leave a comment if you have any questions about GeniusRocket or my entry.

OK. Self-promotion ends now. Thank you!

Another Strange Saturday in Peace Park

2007-09-12T14:01:00.000+09:00

This past weekend we went to Peace Park with Dave & Camille and Jamie & Leah. (It sure is weird being a real person: hanging out with couples, expecting a baby, worrying about taxes and the future. Psht, whatever.)

The dog had a blast, the bipeds a great time and, as usual, the Koreans put on a freak show for us. There were kids dressed as anime characters, kids doing magic and playing instruments. There was an exhibit on reproduction and proper condom use and Dancin' Dave even won the chance to make a wish. Good times. (Click any picture for its large version.)

The Rain, the Park and Other Things

2007-09-05T10:04:00.000+09:00

Typhoon Fitow is apparently going to clobber Japan over the next couple of days. Here in Mokpo, we were worried the storm would cross the island and hit the southern tip of the Korean peninsula.If the models hold true, however, all we'll see is a little rain. Here's the latest projection from Weather Underground:

It's already been raining for a few days, though I don't know what that has to do with the typhoon. Maybe it's just that time of year? Fortunately, the temperatures have dropped almost twenty degrees, almost overnight: from the 90's into the 70's. Unfortunately, the rain has prevented us from leaving the house. (BTW: Jamie [North Carolina] totally called this one. We hung out with him and Leah on Thursday of last week. When we complained about the heat he said, "Don't worry, when it changes, it'll be like somebody flipped a switch." And he was right- two days later that switch was flipped and it is blessedly cool, if ~~a little~~ very damp.)

Oh yeah... Rachel's pregnant! We're expecting our first child on March 13, 2008. She's at about three months now and we are both very excited. Wish us luck!

Inconstant Moon

2007-08-27T13:10:00.000+09:00

I hope you'll have clear skies for tomorrow's lunar eclipse. There's a viewing guide here, or here. In anticipation of the light show, enjoy a couple pictures from last night's moon-set over Yudal-san (Mt. Yudal.)

The pictures here don't really do justice to what was a beautiful sight: the moon setting behind the mountain's mist-shrouded peak was all very Lord of the Rings and worth every mosquito bite I received while taking the photos.

Bonus Jeju Picture

2007-08-21T22:23:00.000+09:00

Well, Jon made it back safe from his China trip. He stopped in for some video games, this afternoon, and brought his digital camera. Here's a picture he snapped from our first day in Jeju. (I wanted to get a picture of the burning truck, but Jon, the bastard, wouldn't let me stop for camera batteries on the way to Seogwipo.)

(BTW: I know I said no more Jeju pictures, but, come on, it's a truck... on fire!)

Jack Skippy

2007-08-05T11:39:00.000+09:00

We finished a jar of peanut butter and, instead of scraping the last bits out, we gave the jar to the dog. He licked and licked the inside of that jar until it almost sparkled. As you can see in the picture, he was in heaven. By the time he was finished he looked like he was coming down off a three day bender: peanut butter DT's are not cool.

End of the Line (Jeju Photos 7)

2007-08-02T09:56:00.000+09:00

Here are the last of the Jeju photos, thank you Jebus! We had a lot of fun, but frankly, I'm pretty sick of posting these damn things.

The first few are from the Manjanggul Lava Tubes which formed sometime between 300k and 100k years ago. Just in time for a quick visit on our way to the ferry terminal.

The rest of the pics are from the trip home. I have to say, arriving in Mokpo- after only three days away- really did feel like coming home.

Whew! Glad that's done... now I can play some video games and relax.

Dime Stores and Bus Stations (Jeju Photos 6)

2007-08-01T16:15:00.001+09:00

Our final day on Jeju started early. Our ferry was leaving at 2pm and we wanted to see the World's Longest Lava Tube... Here are some pictures from the bus ride to said tube. Included is a shot of Jon with the ladies at the Jeju Folk Art Complex who were very sweet to a couple of traveling white boys.

BTW: The title of this post is from a very excellent Bob Dylan tune: "Love Minus Zero/No Limit". Hear a live verion from 1992 (at San Jose State University).

Man, is this post multimedia or what??

Seogwipo Sights (Jeju Photos 5.1)

2007-07-31T15:33:00.000+09:00

The first picture in my previous post is probably my favorite from the Jeju trip. So, I decided to play with it a little in Photoshop. Here's what I came up with.

As Rachel pointed out, it has a Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil look to it. Not what I was looking for, but I'm (mostly) happy with the result, nonetheless. If only I could get the blur tool to work a little better...

Seogwipo Sights (Jeju Photos 5)

2007-07-31T01:57:00.001+09:00

Jeju's southern city, Seogwipo, was very clean and definitely tourist oriented. Lots of the people we met spoke English, especially many middle age and older residents- in contrast to Mokpo where it's mainly the kids who stop to say "hello" on the street.

Here are some pics from around town. (Click for the big version of each.)

International Flavor (Jeju Photos 4)

2007-07-29T10:19:00.000+09:00

The Koreans love English. From t-shirts with ungrammatically-funny phrases on their fronts to consumer products, movies and television, they like to see that good old Roman Alphabet in print. Doesn't matter if the English makes much sense. Doesn't matter if it's out of context, anachronistic, or just plain weird- as long as it's in English.

Here are three different hotels we saw, in Jeju, with a nice international flavor.

And here are some more Jeju pics... in English.

So, none of these is very funny. Try Engrish.com for a look at the good stuff.

More from the Waterfall (Jeju Photos 3)

2007-07-26T01:08:00.000+09:00

More pics from beautiful Jeju-do. The first is another AutoStitch composite. The rest are from Jeongbang waterfall.

Click each for the big version.

Chasing Waterfalls (Jeju Photos 2)

2007-07-24T16:04:00.001+09:00

Having finished his year of teaching in Korea, Jon is off to China for a few weeks. Rachel and I wish him good travels and no dysentery...

We had a lot of fun in the city of Seogwipo, on Jeju Island, but we both agreed: the Jeongbang Waterfall was the best part. We sat at the base of the thing for a couple of hours, enjoying the cool breeze and refreshing spray. Here are some pictures from the trip. The last picture is a composite I made using AutoStitch.

Look for more pictures from Jeju... coming soon.

Jeju Photos 1

2007-07-22T13:22:00.000+09:00

I love digital cameras: snap as many pics as you want; no film to load; no counting down to the next reload; no waiting for development; in short, instant gratification.

I took nearly 500 pictures during my trip to Jeju Island with my good chin-gu, Jon. In fact, I took too many pictures for one post. So, let's throw a few at a time against the blog-wall and see what sticks.

I'll post them in mostly chronological order, beginning with our departure from Mokpo.

Remember: click a pic to see the large (suitable for wallpaper!) version.