Sit and think

What I've been doing too much of during the past several weeks,

if only to hold on to my sanity.

"No Parking"

"No Drinking and Singing"

Don't stay still, keep on moving.

Don't play around, there's work to be done.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't a responsible adult.

Summer with Cocoa

...the spoiled rotten 11 year old family poodle.

I spent more than half of August at my parents' place doggysitting while they were on vacation. Cocoa spent more than half of that time either sleeping or napping. Both of us were pretty tired of the rain.

He finally got a haircut after my parents came back. I'm back home, trying to catch up on work, only to discover that my desktop is dying. Thankfully I have a laptop as backup but since my cellphone is dying as well, my finances are going to be hit pretty hard.
Murphy's Law. Such is life.

I'm looking forward to autumn.

Urban poetry

Seoul Metro has poetry printed on most of the safety doors on the platforms. Some poems are good, some are puzzling, some are thought provoking. This one spoke to me that day. I wish I could translate it to exactly convey the feeling, but poetry really doesn't translate well unless in the hands of a brilliant writer.

"Empty Thoughts" by Jung Wijin

Upon the swift steed called time

I furiously ran

sometimes hastening to go faster

with whipping of my hand

Oh no

have I sped too much

before my eyes appears the divided path.
.

.

.

Rainy day bus stop

Seoul Express Bus Terminal. (Yes, I go to that neighborhood a lot and not only because Shinsegae Department Store's wine shop has a good selection and friendly staff.)

It has been raining constantly for the past two weeks. Monsoon season gets pretty dreary but I find myself filming rainy moments more than any other.

After the rain

The cherry blossoms fall.
I did manage to catch glimpses of the blossoms before they passed; my apartment complex is full of them and my parents' neighborhood (where I spent most of April doggysitting) is also lined with cherry trees. Which is good for me, since I didn't have time nor the energy to haul my exhausted self to the flower festivals this year.

My apartment complex, seen from my balcony.

Cherry blossoms in my parents' neighborhood.

Lanterns are up for the upcoming Buddha's Birthday on May 10th.

Although this is only my second(!) post of April on this blog, I posted regularly on the Korea Blog about : Top 10 Korean snacks, How to Bow, Shopping at Doota in Dongdaemun, and other topics.

I still have a bunch of personal winter posts that are waiting in folders in my computer but it seems kind of silly to write them up now, with spring fully here.
You never know. I might get in a contrary mood and post them anyway.

Hoping for some free time in May for serious wining and dining - haven't had much occasion in April.

Last day of March

How time flies.

Bring on April, I'm ready.

Baa baa, sheep!

To be honest, that's what I feel like these days. That's how the media is treating the public. Like clueless sheep. I know I'm not the only one annoyed at the media in the aftermath of the Japan earthquake. I want to know why some channels decide to hype things up and blow things out of proportion while feeding off from unreliable sources. What happened to journalistic integrity?

It's not only sheep. There are also the self-appointed dumb asses who are freaking out like no tomorrow without getting a clear idea of what's going on. The interwebs, so effective in sending out valid information when needed, is also effective in spreading unwarranted paranoia and panic. (Iodine tablets selling out? Geez, people! Get a grip!)


Feeling like sheep, feeling like cussing out all the idiots who are aggrevating the situation, I'm posting these sheep photos in an effort to alleviate the mood.
This sheep series by Korean artist Kim Bumzun, displayed at the Ssamziegil gallery in 2010, is titled "Sheep sakkideul" (Sheep 새끼들), a play on a Korean curse word equivalent to the English "f#ckers".


The satirical humor, the overtly cute factor of the farkin' sheep themselves, the situations they are in; all mirror this human world we live in.

On a side note, I'm rereading Walden. It's my go-to book whenever I feel unsettled and ill at ease. I'm trying to make sense of life, which doesn't get easier to understand the older you get, no matter what the elders say.

Back to real life

Mum's seafood tteok manduguk

The Seollal holidays have passed and gone yet my body is still stuck in holiday lethargy. My brain, on the other hand, is overcompensating for the hours it was underused so consequently the mismatch between mind and matter is stressing me out to no end. I need a holiday from the holidays, how typical.

What I've been up to:

Family New Year lunch with tteokmanduguk and banchan. Mum mixes up the tteokguk recipe every year, but it always has some sort of seafood in it.

The chardonnay we had with the meal was strong enough to hold its own with the Korean flavors. Strong but not overpowering, creamy, fruity, not too oaked. Nice balance.

Cold spell relented a bit, but the snow hadn't yet melted on the sidewalks of Cheonggyecheon.

Went to Gwangjang market again to get some delicious street food. I really wanted some soju but it was during the day and I had another appointment that evening so no soju that day.

Also dropped by the W Hotel and lounged about with double espresso and chocolate.

And watched the frozen Han River from the windows.

There were also lots of wine dinners, reading in bed (Umberto Eco was my companion for the past couple of weeks), wasting time on the interwebs, and watching holiday programs featuring K-pop idols.

I think I'll fully recover by this weekend and be back to my regular energizer bunny mode. Perfect for this rabbit year.

2011, keep your head up!

SM Entertainment's official YT channel

...although the now-a-duo DBSK/TVXQ/Tohoshinki thinks you should keep your head down. Still gutted that the group split, but I'm supporting the breakaways JYJ as well, although my Yunho bias keeps me rooting a tad bit more for the ones who stayed.

And behold me, whose first post of 2011 is about a boyband. Oh, well. Some things never change.

I spent the first days of 2011 battling a terrible cold. I still have it, although I can now speak without sounding like a dying carburetor. Luckily my fridge is stuffed with New Year's leftovers that Mum packed for me, which I'm still eating and will probably last for another week. Trying to cook while sick isn't fun, so much thanks to Mum.

Decided not to make grandiose resolutions this year. I do have a key word, though: ORDER. I have been living in a pell-mell fashion for so long; my life could use some structure. Not that I plan to live within strict guidelines or start living a conventional life - I don't think I'd be able to even if I tried - but I realize I could be achieving so much more with a bit more discipline. (Procrastination, I will kick you to the curb!)

We'll see how I did in another 12 months.

Happy New Year~!

Sending off 2010

I recently got a new haircut. Instead of going to my regular stylist, I lugged my lazy derriere to the neighborhood salon (which is 7 minutes away) and surrendered my hair to the no-nonsense-efficient-as-heck ajumma whose scissors snipped snipped snipped in a blur of metallic color. I wound up with a very proper middle school student bowl cut. The haircut isn't bad at all, it's just that seeing my old(er) face underneath that style of youth is somewhat disconcerting. It'll grow out. It's only hair.

Another year is gone. I worked hard and played hard but could've done more serious thinking, read more books, been more compassionate, exercise a bit more. Things left to do for the following year.

I've been very fortunate in many aspects of my life. I'm especiallly fortunate in the people who surround me. Family and friends who tolerate my neurotic extrovert type A personality - they are the ones who help me live my life to the fullest, however sappy that may sound.

Several of my wino friends met up for a 2010 goodbye gathering. We congregated at Doma's. Gina cooked the meal, MJ arranged and set up the whole thing, SH brought wine and gifts, I provided dessert.

And the champagne is chilling.

Gina's made-from-scratch olive pomponette was excellent.

Store bought tuna cubes (from Dongwon) were interesting, perfect canape size.

Oysters on the shell. In Korean, to differentiate them from shucked oysters, they're called 'seokhwa' (석화), literally meaning 'stone flowers'.

"Hamburg steak" under sunnyside eggs and garlic chips.

A "mess" of potatoes and cabbage - Gina's homey dish.

We had several bottles of wine that night.

Dry apple pie, peppermint and chocolate pie, vanilla ice cream,
mini peppermint and lemon meringues.


It's the year of the rabbit next year.
I had brought along a tiny bunny to photograph.
(Originally a cell phone accessory. Cut off the strap, made a cap to hide the fastener.)
Doma gave us plush bunnies that double as speakers when connected to a MP3 player.


Cheers!


May the new year bring you all the happiness and joy and growth to make life meaningful.
See you next year.

And so it's Christmas

Christmas tree lights at Shinsegae Department Store (Gangnam)

Aaargh! So when did this happen? It's already Christmas?
I'm in panic mode. It's because by the time the holidays roll around, I finally realize that the year is nearly over and I have to look back at my doings (and undoings) for the past year and start serious evaluation, which is something for which I'm truly not in the mood. Year's end is party time! I don't want to be all pensive and sober, so I'm procrastinating the contemplation bit for a teeny bit longer to take advantage of the festive atmosphere.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays, wherever in the world you may be.

Genius kid guitarist Jung Sung Ha plays for you:

Me20

The whole country (or to be more specific, Seoul) has been in an uproar for the G20 summit for the past few weeks. Security levels were hiked up (although nothing compared to the '80s), various campaigns were launched for public awareness (some were ridiculously patronizing), and all that you heard on the news was G20, G20, G20.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take in the various G20 related sights and events - including seeing Gyeongbok Palace which is open at night for the first time in its 615 year history - because I am absolutely swamped with work.

However, in an effort to maintain my sanity, I am taking a mini-break from work to very belatedly participate in the "25 facts about me" meme. In the spirit of the G20, I have changed it to the Me20.

Here goes:

1. Got a new tablet (Wacom Bamboo) and am trying to get used to it. Nothing is going to replace graphite on paper but I have to adapt to the digital world, don't I?

2. I suffer from chronic low blood pressure, bloodshot eyes and dark circles, bouts of insomnia, hard to manage hair, and unreasonably high expectation of others.

3. The last time I've been to the States was over 20 years ago. I've been to Canada in the mid-90s but that's the last time I've visited the American continent. Whether work or leisure, it has always been either Europe or Asia on my itinerary. I want to visit the Napa Valley and the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, although I'm hoping that the latter will show up in an Asian city someday.

4. My favorite color is true red but I don't look very good in it. I wear a lot of boring colors (grey, black, brown, beige, khaki) with a variety of blue jeans and black trousers.

5. I personally like having short short hair but EVERYONE prefers my having longer hair. Seems that it makes me look less "scary" (which I'm quite sure is an euphemism for "bitchy"). It's in the messy middle stage now.

6. Was a yuppie in the fashion industry for over 10 years before I quit to be this freelance writer/editor/translator/designer/planner/consultant. Never regretted it. I still adore fashion; it's the business part that was dreary. I get satisfaction everytime a headhunter calls me up - if they're still asking for me after all these years, it means I did an adequate job.

7. I will not discuss politics nor religion online.

8. People always expect me to smoke but I don't. I get horrendous headaches from second-hand smoke so I can stand up to a couple of hours with smokers but that's it.

9. Socks are my best friend. My feet are always cold. I even wear socks to bed; big, fluffy, warm, sleeping socks.

10. I keep mentioning things about Seoul and Korea on Twitter and other online platforms because I constantly had to explain to people where Korea was when traveling and it's become a habit. It was a shock to discover how little was known about this country of mine. I honestly think Korea is one of the countries that benefited most from the internet and the internet generation. At least, I don't get "So you guys speak Chinese?" as often anymore.

11. Besides taxes and bills, most of my money goes to eating out, wine, coffee, and books. My doll spending has curbed down considerably, which is good for my wallet!

12. I'm the bestest babysitter. Kids adore me. I adore kids. However, I have no intention of having any. The world has too many children already and it doesn't need another with a totally neurotic mother.

13. My Amortentia would smell like vanilla, freshly baked baguettes, Korean pine trees in the rain, bergamot, and dark black coffee.

14. Music used to be a huge part of my life, when I wasn't certain of who I was and what I wanted to be. I needed reassurance and comfort; music did it for me. Now, I don't "listen to" as much as I "hear" music. Weakening of my eardrums as I got older and my being unable to listen to music in transit (following advice from the doctor) may have affected this change.

15. If I could be a fictional character, I would choose Edna Mode from the Invincibles. "Dahling, it's just so fabulous to be me, dahling!"

16. Famous people I'd like to meet, greet, wine and dine: J.K. Rowling, Umberto Eco, Salman Rushdie, Chung Myung-Whun, Murakami Haruki, Tim Gunn, Joaquin Phoenix, Anthony Bourdain, and Tablo. I'm too lazy to state reasons.

17. I like "teddy bear" guys because I'm so damn skinny. You gotta have some cushion when you hug someone.

18. My group of friends runs the gamut from debutantes to indie artists so consequently none of them mingle together. My best friend Rumi, who has heard of everyone in my circle, once speculated that if all my friends were put in one room together there would be numerous groups of people speckled here and there all staring at one another in awkward silence. Pretty accurate, if you ask me.

19. I'm thankful for my parents and siblings, despite our hangups and all. It means we're normal. Sorta.

20. "Swamped" is currently the most overused word in my vocabulary. For obvious reasons.

Back to work.

Let sleeping dogs lie

Or in this case, let one sleeping family poodle lie.

August is coming to a close. I spent most of the month at my parents' place doggysitting while they were on holiday. (Not having a 8-to-7 job makes me a very convenient dogsitter.) Although it wasn't truly "take care of the dog" but more of a "watch the dog sleep" kind of thing. Powersleeping on the sofa, on dad's chair, with a red blanky in my lap (a true lap dog), and smack in the middle of my pillow when I got up for a blink second.

There are rare moments when he does play, but it's quite impossible to get a decent photo.

So, waddaya want? Camera click = instant eye opener. He always looks like he needs a haircut.

Ten years old, and he has the whole family trained just the way he wants.

Sweltering summer keeps on goin'

Summer heat rages on but that doesn't mean I can lie back and do nothing. I've been mad busy, running around north, south, east and west. I spent so much time waiting for buses in the burning sun, dripping sweat like a new water gwishin - deodorant was my best friend this month.

Waiting for the bus at Paldalmun (Paldal Gate) in Suwon. A very different atmosphere from Seoul downtown bus stops, it's on one side of a roundabout that encircles the gate. Paldalmun is a part of the 18th century built Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO cultural heritage site.

I stood right in front of the open doors of a makeup shop to take advantage of the cool air conditioning they were wasting.

Fiery hot days and tropic nights

Kids playing in the water fountains at Gwanghwamun Plaza

(Photo from Yonhap News)

Is it hot as heck where you are as it is in Seoul? It's a sticky, stifling, fry-an-egg-on-the-hood-of-your-car, watch-the-steam-rise-from-the-city-asphalt, shirt-will-be-wet-after-a-5-minute-walk, sweltering, melting hot hot hot summer here.

Summer is my favorite season (I'm so bad with cold) but wow, is this year's unrelentingly brutal. My brain cells have gone on vacation. I'm letting them play for a bit more; they've been on overdrive for quite a while.

Listen to the rain

Before the thunder and lightning went into full-on party mode, I ventured to go out because I was all out of veggies. I had initially wanted to sing "Bohemian Rhapsody" (very badly) while shooting but an alarming number of people were around so I chickened out.

P.S. What my apartment complex looks like.

P.P.S. Uber-short, because the rain started pounding sideways and I was getting all wet; uber-shaky, because I was trying to avoid puddles while walking.

Skillful procrastination

I have been listening to this song all day, the opening lyrics running through my head over and over, most likely because of a final deadline this week. I'm not freaking out over it, though. One thing I like about being old(er) is that I don't go maniacal stressed-out control-freak batshit crazy as much as I used to. (Hey, I'm blogging in the midst of this - proof enough.)

As the song looped on endless replay, I wondered: are there moments in life, are there moments in my life that I want to replay?

Still thinking about that one. Thankfully, it doesn't need an urgent answer, like most of the pondering I tend to do.

One more song:

Epik High

http://www.mapthesoul.com

http://www.itunes.com/epikhigh

Summer nights, ordinary moments

Crossing the Dongjak Bridge, Seoul Metro Line 4

With the exception of horrific sardine-can rush hours, I generally like public transportation. Instead of listening to really loud music through car speakers (which I usually do while driving), I like to eavesdrop on other peoples' conversations, try to guess what song a person is listening to by the fractions of noise and beat that escape their headphones, count the number of people who are wearing black shoes sitting in the opposite row, laugh along with the crowd to the radio program the bus driver has on, look at peoples' faces and imagine their lives and histories.

I also like filming those ordinary rides. Catching moments that just are. Enjoying the juxtaposition of all the reflections and overlaying images from windows and city lights and the camera lens. Fleeting moments that can mean absolutely nothing; moments that make up for much of our everyday life. Grainy footage, scratchy audio, it doesn't matter.

Perhaps I'm in a melancholy mood. This summer is going by far too quickly.

World Cup 2010 - Thanks for a happy June

My desktop wallpaper of June, courtesy of Naver

So we're out. We made it to top 16, but Uruguay, or should I say Luis Suarez, made us bid farewell to World Cup 2010. Such a disappointment. Not only for the team, but for the whole nation that was in absolute festival mood.

Of course the tournament lasts till July, but the other team in red that I was rooting for, England, got trashed by Germany (with probably one of the most controversial judgement mishaps in World Cup history), so my interest is running thin.

June was bliss, though. I realized how important looking forward to things are, whatever the consequences might be. Hoping for things, dreaming for things.
And obviously I wasn't the only one who felt this; the whole nation was in an economical, political and social rut, needing something, anything to uplift our spirits so the World Cup was just what we needed.

Korean portal site Naver, updated their main page logo banner almost every single day according to the dreams and hopes we had, ending with poignant thanks to the Taeguk Warriors and the memories they have given us. (We Koreans are a sappy, sentimental bunch.)

Naver wasn't the only one playing around with logos:

This month for us, love was indeed football.

How many hardcore fans actually wore red underwear, I wonder?

Almost everyone had the red t-shirt, of course.

Or other paraphenalia.

Many rewatched highlight scenes on touch screen media poles in metro stations,


or participated in an event endorsed by a celebrity. (Yoo Jae Seok in this one.)

I know I'm not the only one who drooled over our footballers on storefronts.

It's quite likely that shop and building owners were most lenient about graffiti this month.

Some fans went to the max, creating mindboggling works of cute. Like the husband and wife duo "Ramble couple" who made a World Cup themed lunchbox. The rest of the photos (and other recipes) are on their blog: http://blog.naver.com/autolian

I wonder if they took down the special "rooting zones" set up by big corporate sponsors like SK Telecom, now that we're not in it anymore.

"Once again, Dae~ Han Min Guk!" T-stadium in Myeongdong.

Completely red building, big screen display.

The steel frame structure was covered in red by shiny discs linked together, with cheering messages written by fans.

I wrote one, too. "Always rooting for you!"

Panorama clip:

Going home after the final game. Almost two in the morning. The city of Seoul ran their public transportation system several hours longer than usual (it was a Saturday) to accomodate the fans who were cheering in public places. This is Samseong station, line 2.

I had to change to a bus after the subway. It was drizzling. A young couple was desperately trying to catch a taxi; they were halfway out in the deserted street. Had we won, I don't think they would have looked so forlorn.

Don't want to end on a sad note, cause "we had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun!" - that sort of thing. We're still damn proud of our players and their efforts; we have supported them, support them, will support them no matter what. (If you have been in Korea during a World Cup year you know that's not hyperbole.)

Last World Cup related photo will be red devil masks of my favorite cutie Lee Chung Yong and the brilliant Park Ji Sung.

And so life goes on.