Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

When I started reading this book I couldn't put it down.  It is about the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints.  They hold to the original teachings of the Mormon faith by practicing polygamy.  Some of the men have a few wives, others have had at least 40.  All of the founders of the faith were polygamists and they saw it as a gift and a requirement for salvation.
The book focuses on a family.  There were six Mormon brothers, and three of them decided to become members of the fundamentalist sect.  They became very obsessed with their new faith, and they decided that the wife and baby of one of the other brothers had to die.  The poor wife was newly married and had a baby girl.  She was upset at her husband's decision to join the polygamist sect and was opposed to his wanting more wives.  Two of the men willingly murdered them both because they believed that God wanted them to do that.
The FLDS church has made the news quite a few times over the last few years.  There have been children taken away from these compounds because they were being physically abused or forced into marriage at a young age.  There are many "lost boys" that the sect gets rid of so that there won't be a surplus of single men.  They single those boys out for small things such as wearing long sleeves.
This book is a glimpse into a subculture that is an enigma to most other people.  Though many members claim there is a lot of happiness, there are many former members that are glad to be away from that lifestyle.  I do believe that there can be a lot of love in those families, yet there are still many problems there too.

Comments from CNN about Haiti's Cholera Epidemic

 

I am appalled at all the arrogance here.

 

 

 

MyCollie2

To be quite honest. I'm tired of hearing about Haiti. I got my own problems. The country doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned.

0 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse

godscock

Haitian birth rate has gone up since the earth quake.

1 minute ago | Like | Report abuse

Guest

Haiti has always been a mess. Haiti will always be a mess. Get over it.

2 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse

Dan613

OK, I am for donating, and I actually did. But the question still remains... how do we know how the money is being spent? Is there any way to know? We are talking about millions and millions here... well, maybe my question is sort of stupid anyways...

19 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse

jokers1444

Apparently Jamaica, Barbados, the Antilles, the Bahamas, Martinique, Curacao, the Dominican Republic, and other Caribbean nations don't have any natural disasters. Or they do and they are able to cope. How much money has the US been asked for from those countries?

21 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse

Nobias1776

Like spending tourism $ in those places, and they like getting the tourists and $ too.

16 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse

Alucinanto

"Who will supply clean drinking water? Who will make sure there are proper bathroom facilities? Who will dispose of the waste? Or for that matter, the dead bodies?" Etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum. These are the types of questions about which Zannini is thinking. What happens after all the Haitians ... more

"Who will supply clean drinking water? Who will make sure there are proper bathroom facilities? Who will dispose of the waste? Or for that matter, the dead bodies?" Etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum. These are the types of questions about which Zannini is thinking. What happens after all the Haitians get back on an even keel? Well, before long, there'll be another crisis — except, of course, that by then there'll be even more people in trouble. (Because all the people who were save will have bred another gazillion babies by then.) If sustainability isn't made an integral part of the equation, then Haiti is doomed! For that matter, without sustainability, the whole world is doomed. Think about it! less

28 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse

zoosphere

This seems very tragic. Probably, neighboring countries need to be prepared for the epidemic, and also the safety of aid workers in Haiti are concerned.

28 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse

kittycat5

WHAT ABOUT THE POOR AND ILLITERATE IN A M E R I C A?

36 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse

Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
>
> If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
> Be happy anyway.
>
> The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
> Do good anyway.
>
> Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
> Give the world the best you've got anyway.
>
> You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
> It was never between you and them anyway.

Violet.

My cat Violet passed away.  I am very upset about it.  I have also lost other pets this year.  In May my mother's dog Sam passed away due to an illness.  My two old tomcats passed away last summer at the ages of 16 and 19.  I lost some rescued animals I took care of in Korea.  Now, just as I was returning home, I lost Violet.
Violet was among the best pets I have ever had.  She was a sealpoint Siamese cat that I received in 2006, just as I was returning from my first time in Korea.  She was totally attracted to me and followed me around constantly. She often sat near me and slept with me.  At the end of 2008 I returned to Korea without her. I would have a roommate that wasn't into animals.  I wish I didn't leave her behind.  I came home for Christmas in 2009 and was so happy to see her again.  I cried when she finally came back to my bedroom and walked around me. It would take her another day to finally get under the covers with me again.
On November 16 this year my sister's cat, Sasha was hit by a car and died.  My sister was heartbroken and brought her to my mother's house for burial.  That evening Violet got out of the house and ran away.  It turned out that she eventually found herself in a neighbor's window well of their basement.  She was very cold and didn't eat anything they offered her. They called animal control, where she was put into the town shelter.  Even though she was in a heated kennel, she was found dead in the morning.
I am so disappointed.  I regret leaving her behind.  I wanted to take her back to Korea with me, but I didn't think she would like the tiny apartment I had.  I was planning on going home last summer, at least for the summer itself, but I changed my mind and took a new job in Korea after my last contract ran out.  I wish I didn't do that.  I could have come home and saw my family, friends, and Violet.  The job didn't work out as I had hoped anyways.
2010 was such a horrible year when it came to pet loss, job troubles, and sickness for me. I don't want to relive it.  I thought I had enough, and then Violet had to pass away.  I am thankful that I know what happened to her, yet I wish I had my Siamese cat again.

Things I wanted to do in Korea

1. Visit Cheju Island.

2. Visit Ulleongdo, Oedo, and Geoje.

3. Go to Gyeongju.

4. Hike on the Baekdu-Daegan Trail.

5. Learn martial arts better.

6. Learn how to cook Korean food.

7. Take a boat to either Russia or China.

8. Write something about Korea for a website/newspaper and get it published.


9. Go to the World's Fair in Yeosu in 2012.

10. Visit Seonunsa and Dadohae Haesang Park.


In the end, I didn't get to do much of those things. I made it to yellow belt in Taekwondo, because I had such bad health I didn't get as far a I had hoped. I did want to make a blue belt in a year. oh well.  It doesn't matter, because I had fun anyways.

Being Negative

It is hard to be positive now.  I have had a very, very rough year.  Many things went wrong.  I sometimes felt that I just wanted to go to sleep and not wake up.  At least not in this world. I have just wanted to go to sleep and wake up and find myself in Heaven.  Yes, a place far away from all the problems and heartaches I have dealt with this year.
Yet, I know I must move on.  I can only hold regrets for so long.  I can't change the past.  I can only learn and keep going forward.
Yes, there is always hope.  There is hope in Jesus.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.--Revelation 21:4

Leaving Korea

Two weeks ago I finally left Korea. I had been thinking of leaving for a few months. I do wish I left earlier or had a long vacation earlier.  Things weren't going well for me there.  2010 was a terrible year. 
I know I am  being negative.  Yet, I had many mishaps there that I don't want to relive at all.  I do keep asking myself just WHY I didn't leave last summer for a long break, and try to get back later; or just WHY I didn't leave a few months ago since I did stay there last summer after all.  For many reasons, I wish I just left.
One thing I do have to accept is that I can't change the past.  What has happened has happened.  There is no going back.  In my mind I have been going back and changing things, yet that is all just in my head.  I do have to move on, yet it will take me a few weeks go get everything sorted out.

Wanting to go to New York City

I have been wanting to go to New York City for quite a while now.  The last time I went there was in 2005. I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It was lovely.  I spent four and a half hours looking at artworks of various kinds.  I saw Korean art, Mayan relics, old musical instruments, and much more. I wish I got to see everything.  Later I went back to NYC and saw the American Museum of Natural History.  It was a fun day.
I was hoping to get there when I returned from Korea in 2006.  Thankfully I did get to go to a Broadway play with my family.  That was a good time.
Last Christmastime I tried to go there again, but everyone I knew was too busy to go there with me.
Now, I am hoping to get there soon. I really want to go back to Manhattan and see the museums and Central Park again.

Here are some things that are coming up:
The Morgan Library is having an exhibit on A Christmas Carol and Mozart's original music.
The Museum of Modern Art will have an exhibit that includes Pollock's works.

Going Home

This month was rough.  I have been frustrated again and again.  This whole year has been frustrating. I haven't liked my job situation or my housing situation.  I have had so many negative things happening. I know that I need a break. I think going home for a while is what I need to do. I don't want to be negative, so I must look on the positive side of things.
I do know that I don't want to live with my family for a long time.  I will be 31 years old in March and I want to be on my own.  My family also is always telling me what to do.  It's not fun. I must be on my own so I can make my own choices.
I am going to miss Korea. I do want to go back again next year. Yet for now, I must take a rest. I only decided a few weeks ago enough was enough. I must make some plans for the future.

Gracie: 15 Year Anniversary

Today Gracie has been dead for 15 years, according to my Bible. She was a foster child of a family I knew.  She was HIV+ and passed away at the age of 5.  I loved Gracie very much and she is someone that will always be special to me.
Because of Gracie, I have always felt sympathetic for people with HIV.  I have wanted to do something for people with HIV, most especially children with the disease since they couldn't help being born with it. I wanted to do that in Gracie's honour. Well, I haven't gotten around to much. I do feel that I need to do some activism. 
After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, many orphans who were in the process of being adopted were quickly sent out of the country.  Haiti put a moratorium on new adoptions for a while, just to make sure that the children being adopted out were truly orphans and not misplaced.  I was curious as to what adoption in Haiti is about. I read that Haitian adoptions may take 18-24 months to be completed.  I wish it were faster, so the kids can get to new homes quicker.  I was surprised that HIV+ positive children are available. 
It turns out that new laws in the United States and some other countries have allowed children with HIV to be adopted from other countries. Also, there are much better drugs than before, so having HIV doesn't have to mean a very short life like Gracie had. I am thankful those kids have better chances now.

Peppero Stick Day

November 11 is Peppero Stick Day. Since the day is 11/11, it represents Peppero Sticks.  Those are the stick pretzels that are covered in chocolate.  When I first came to Korea in 2005, Peppero Stick Day was a big deal.  I received many Peppero Sticks from my students. I didn't know what to do with them all, I had some for a long time.  Thankfully, they keep well.
Unfortunately, when I moved into an apartment that summer, I found a drawer filled with Peppero Sticks. I knew nothing of the unofficial holiday.  So, I didn't know the sticks were months old. I bit into a number of them and realized they are all old. I had to throw them all out.  That was a killjoy.

What to Study...

Last month I went to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. I think the campus is very beautiful. I came across many students from a variety of backgrounds who were speaking a lot of different languages. It was great.
I decided to go there to learn more about their graduate programmes. I have thought of many different study options.  I have so many interests that it's hard to pinpoint what I really want to do. I do need to sharpen my skills somewhere though.
I found that Hankuk University has a strong emphasis on "area studies".  They have majors in Middle Eastern & African studies, North American studies, European Union studies, South & Southeast Asian studies, Russia and CIS studies, and Latin American studies. There are also degrees in international law and development.  There is also a dual degree with the University of Peace in Costa Rica in international law and human rights.  Korean, Japanese, and Chinese studies are also offered, being taught in the native tongues.  All the other majors are offered in English.
I do find all of those interesting of course.  Well, I find the Middle Eastern and African studies major to be most interesting of them all, mostly because the Middle East and North Africa is the closest thing to terra incognita you can find on Planet Earth in the 21st century.  Russia and CIS is also interesting because I grew up hearing about the USSR and how terrible life was there.  I saw the huge mass on my globe and always wondered what was in there.  Latin American studies is something I want to learn more about because I have been to South America and have fallen in love with it.  I took Spanish in high school. I did think of studying in Argentina to learn Spanish.

So, where does that leave me?  Well, I have wondered, what could I do with a degree in any of those?  Well, there is always research.  Also, there is translation of literature.  Government employment may also be available.

Yet, I also love the outdoors. I also want to learn more about environmental studies.  I found a programme in Norway.  It is International Environmental Studies.  If I study that, I am sure I won't be sorry.
UMB Norwary, Int'l Environmental Studies Programme
The catch is, they prefer applicants who have previous degrees in ecology, biology, development studies, social sciences, etc.

Sometimes I wish I didn't have so many interests...

SO TIRED

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Taking a Break From Blogging

I have taken a break from blogging. I have been very busy lately.  I went away last weekend on a retreat in Chungpyeong, Gyeonggi-do.  It was with a church group and I had a good time.  I met some very cool people.  We had a speaker from Dallas, Texas. I really enjoyed the music and workshops.  I would go back again.
On Sunday everyone was supposed to return to Seoul after 4 pm, but I had a wedding to attend at 1 pm.  I grabbed a taxi and headed for the bus stop. Thankfully I had been there once before and therefore didn't feel nervous about it.  I took a bus for Seoul and got to the wedding on time.
The wedding was very beautiful.  The bride chose to have the wedding in burgundy, her favourite colour.  She had her bridesmaids in knee-length dresses that were lacy.  She had a gorgeous dress that was very sparkly (in true Korean fashion) with a long train.
One thing unusual about them was the fact that the groom was Korean and the bride was African-American.  There aren't many Korean men around who have foreign girlfriends, yet the numbers are rising.  Usually it's the other way around, with foreign men having Korean women. I have only seen a Korean man with a black woman twice before.  Heck with it though.  I can see that the couple is really in love and I am sure their children will be very cute.
As soon as the wedding was over I quickly headed off to a farewell party back in Gyeonggi-do at Dosim.  I brought some cake from the wedding for everyone.  I will miss the couple, but they had to go home because they got laid off.  They gave a lot of their things away.  I came back with some cooking oil, toiletries, and a keyboard stand. I already got their keyboard the week before. I am happy to have it.
I didn't get back to almost 4 am. I was happy to get home, yet I had to work in the morning. I was acting like a zombie. It was worth it though.

France Has a Burqa Ban

France almost unanimously voted to ban the wearing of burqas.  I think it's dispicable. If women want to wear those because of their religion and culture, then they should be able to do so.  Many women around the world wear burqas and head scarves because they feel that is modest.  It's not always because they are oppressed. 
I used to think the French supported multiculturalism and freedom of thought, yet they seem to be promoting only western values and secularism these days.

Reeces Rainbow

I recently found a non-profit organization that helps children with special needs find families.  Most of the children available have Down Syndrome, yet there are some with other special needs such as HIV, Hepatitis B, cerebral palsy, etc.  Where most of those children are, they are sent to mental institutions when they become 5 years old. It's sad that they are expected to spend their lives in mental institutions because they aren't considered normal.  Most of the kids are in Eastern Europe, mostly Ukraine and Serbia, but many are also in other places like China, Korea, Haiti, etc.
My heart did ache for one little girl, Julia.  She is just a toddler in one of the "laying rooms" in the orphanage.

She has Cockayne Syndrome, which causes premature aging.  It is a very rare condition, there are less than 100 cases in the world.  It's so sad that she is stuck in a crib all the time.  I posted some messages on facebook for her support, and some bloggers also helped her.  Well, in the end, her adoption fees were finally raised by another adoptive family who met up with her when they were adopting another child.
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2010/09/most-important-post-i-have-ever-written.html
I am very happy for her.  She will be adopted soon.  Yet, she is one of many children that are stuck in those places, some who never see the light of day.  I do wish that every child had a loving home. 
Now, I am hoping that little Tori with cerebral palsy will find a home and also avoid being bedridden for life.
http://www.helpfortori.blogspot.com/

I can't donate much money for them because I have a hard time just taking care of myself.  But, I can just spread the word online.  Hopefully, I can make a difference.

Sunday

Today I cleaned my apartment. It still needs some cleaning, but I am glad to have done some laundry and dishes.  I also threw away some junk and mopped the bathroom floor.  I still have to tidy up my main room some more. It does look better than before, even if the cleaning isn't done. 
I went to the Jubilee Church.  http://www.jubileeseoul.com/  I had a good time. I like the sermons they have there. I have decided to get involved with the Jerusalem Ministry, which is a ministry for orphans.  I can go to an orphanage and teach the kids some skills, such as helping them with homework and such. Korea has many children's homes.  Some kids are there temporarily, until they can go back with family.  Others are in need of adoption. I am not sure what I will be in for.

Spunky, 1991-2010

My old cat Spunky died two days ago. He was 19 years old.  My mother was with him when he died.  He was buried next to Midnight who died last month at age 16.  Poor cats. They did live long lives. I do hope to be able to see them again someday in a better place.

Suwon

This week I went to Suwon and decided to explore the area. I found a temple and old fortress, Doksanseong.  It was a bit grueling to walk up the hill in the heat.  I didn't realize the temple was so far away from the road. I found a small temple with a little stone pagoda in the front with many small statues of Buddha on it. I went inside the temple and saw many small statuettes of Buddha that all looked the same.  They were white and each had an electric light in front of them to resemble a candle.
I walked around the wall and saw some good views of Suwon. I do think Suwon is a nice area.
I later had some doengjang jiggae at the mall near Suwon station. It was good food and I would eat there again.  At 6,000 won it wasn't bad.
I have thought of moving outside of Seoul to find fresher air and less crowding.

MOVING AGAIN

I was thrilled to finally move to a new apartment last month. I HATED that lousy studio apartment my school had me in. There were mould and centipedes.  I wanted to knock the place down myself, but a wrecking crew was already assigned to the task.
Well, I got a little place in Sangbong.  I didn't have time to really settle in there because I had to make trips and get many things done. I found out the neighbors were complaining about my cats.  Toby does have a knack for being talkative (crazy boy) and unfortunately Toby and Kyocki came down with diarrhea and made the place stink.  I cleaned out the cat box but the neighbors were already on the phone to the real estate and made their case against me. It would be either myself or the cats, so I choose the CATS!!!
Toby, Kyocki, Mindy and I will be moving to Kangnam tomorrow.  It will be a cat-friendly home and also has a BATH TUB!!!  I want a tub.  I love laying in the tub and reading a good book.  Since the weather will be getting colder shortly, I will be happy to sit in a warm tub.
I also reserved a large cat tower for the cats to climb on.  I hate moving, but I am glad to go to a new  home that will be in a better location.

R.I.P. Midnight 1994-2010

Last Friday my mother and I talked on the phone and she told me Midnight, my old cat, finally passed away.  He was a kitten my sister found in a parking lot when we were camping.  I took off my shoelace and tied him to our tent. We later brought him home. He was a cat that loved purring, climbing things, and sometimes cuddling.
One thing about Midnight was his attitude of superiority.  Even though we had one dog and two other cats when we got him, he became the leader of the animals. Nobody dared cross him.  He sat where he wanted and never took any crap from the other animals.  He liked butting his head on people, against the leg, or even against someone else's head if he wanted something.
I do remember one funny incident when he chased a dog out of the yard.  Some neighbors of ours had a new chocolate labrador and it liked going into our yard to poop. Midnight would chase him out.  I saw him arching his back, sticking his tail straight up in the air with the fur fanned out like a bottle-brush and he hissed loudly. The dog ran off.  I couldn't stop laughing.
Midnight was recently getting thinner and thinner and my mother knew he was dying, so she made him a box to lay in.  He didn't want the box and wanted to go in the basement. He never came back upstairs. My mother later went down there and found him laying in the open, looking peaceful. She said she would bury him in the morning because it was raining outside and dark.

Asperger's Test

According to this test, I lean towards having a diagnosis for Asperger's Syndrome.  I already know I fit the profile for someone with ADHD.  Oh well, nobody is perfect.  What I do know is that I have an I.Q. of a gifted person (130+).  It is a double-edged sword, though. 

http://www.rdos.net/

Muan White Lotus Festival

Last Sunday I went to the White Lotus Festival in Muan.  Muan is a suburb of Mokpo.  I wanted to go there on Saturday, spend the night there, and then go back on Sunday.  I had to work on Saturday at the veteriniarian, so I had to make a one-day trip to Mokpo.  I was surprised how beautiful it was out there.  There were many rice fields, small hamlets, and many nice mountains in the distance.  I went there alone, and it was a 4-hour bus ride from Express Bus Terminal.  There is a small bus terminal in Muan that offers sporadic service to and from Seoul, but Mokpo is a busier bus terminal that offers many rides to and from Seoul.
Muan had many cariactures of a white lotus all around the town.  Many street signs, business signs, bridges, and garbage cans had pictures of white lotus flowers or a cartoon character of one.  It reminded me of my trips to Leominster, Massachusetts when I would see many apple designs everywhere because the town is the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed.
The festival was held at a large pond that was filled with lotus flowers that were white.  The flowers, however, did have some pink edges.  Many blooms were spent, others were still buds, and some in full bloom.  There were walkways built into the pond so tourists could have a close-up view of the flowers.  There were also boats that could be rented to paddle on a course.
Teahouses were set up for people to try both cold and hot lotus tea.  There were teas made from the roots, leaves, and blossoms of the lotus.  They were served by people wearing hanboks.  I liked the teas.
There were entertainers from North Korea.  They were a troop of women who sang many songs and did various traditional dances.  I felt sad for North Korea, where most of the people are starving.
Going home was tiring. I went all the way back to Express Bus Terminal and took a taxi home. I went to bed past 1:00 am. I am glad I went, even though it was a long day.

Some things I want to do here

This weekend is a Mud Festival. Yes, a MUD festival. It looks like lots of fun.
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=1058524
The Boryeong Mud Festival has "healthy mud" at Daechon Beach. People have mud baths, mud packs, mud everything.  It looks like fun.

Here is a street art festival in Gwachoeon from 29Sept-3Oct.
http://www.gcfest.or.kr/eng/

10/15-10/17
International Jazz Festival
http://www.jarasumjazz.com/2010/teaser/
25,000 won for tickets

Oct 1-12:
Lantern Festival in Jinju
http://www.yudeung.com/09E_index.php

I went to that site and it said the 2009 festival is cancelled because of the "new flu".  Wow.  It's 2010 and also that last flu scare was a joke.

7/29-8/1
Percussion festival.
http://www.sacheonpercussion.org/2008en/main/index.php
This site describes the 2008 festival though. hmmmm

8/5-8/8
MUAN WHITE LOTUS FESTIVAL
This is in Mokpo, near the ocean.  It looks awesome. I love flowers, especially white flowers. I have been wanting to go to Mokpo because I almost took a job there.

Mr.James

Mr. James of Japanese McDonald's commercial fame being stupid as usual.
He is a stereotypical "gaijin", or foreigner in Japan. Yes, he makes the typical westerner look ridiculous. The Japanese love him. I think the real gaijins of Japan want to club him like a baby seal in the Arctic.

Adolf Hitler 1/6 Occult History of the 3rd Reich (1)

Leaving Korea

It looks like I am leaving Korea soon. It may be indefinitely. I have no desire to stay at the job I am currently at and I haven't found another job. I haven't really liked this job anyways because high school is tough. I don't relate to the students or faculty well. I didn't like high school students much even when I was one myself.
I don't know what to do. I should just go back to the USA near my family for a while and maybe take classes at my alma mater.
I know I will miss Korea, but I also am tired and worn out and am in a big need of a break.

Animals I have lost/saved in Korea

Today I found out that 'Xander, a cat I took out of the shelter last week died this morning. He had a gangrenous infection on his leg and so he died this morning. A few weeks ago I lost Mongmong the puppy because he had water on the brain. Last year I buried two kittens (literally) because they had problems like parasites. It is sad to lose animals. Yet, I should focus on those that I have saved while I have been in Korea:

1. Nixie, a cat I pet-sat for someone who had to leave Korea.


2. Jasmine, a lovely calico I bought at the street market. (in a new home)


3. Suzy, Jasmine's sister whom I also bought at the street market. (in a new home)


4. Kyocki, a cat whose owner had to return to USA and her family wouldn't let her take Kyocki with her. (in a new home)


5. Pearly, a Persian with a bladder infection that was in the kill shelter. (in a new home)


6. Snowy, a Turkish Angora that was in the kill shelter for a few months. He was starting to get renal failure. (in a new home)


7. Onyx, a Russian Blue in the kill shelter. (in a new home)


8. Toby, an orange kitten I found near Gangbyeon Station.


9. Lucky, a tabby kitten from the kill shelter. He had skull fractures that healed and left him with some blindness and deafness, but his hearing and sight have improved.


10. Pepper, a mutt from the kill shelter. (adopted by someone)


11. Mr. Bojangles, a shih tzu (adopted by another English teacher)


12. Nora, a poodle


13. White poodle now living in Kangnam.


14. Shabba, a puppy now living in Goyang-si


15. Max, a maltese now living in the USA


16. Kkam-ko, a maltese now living in the USA


17. Alexander, a Yorkshire terrier now living in the USA


18. Moe-moe, a maltese now living in the USA


19. Max #2, a maltese now living in the USA


20. Spike, a bulldog now living in the USA


21. Ralph the shih tzu


22. Peanut the yorkie


23. Mutt now living in Pyongtaek with a U.S. military family


24. Jack the mutt


25. Zinnia the kitten


26. Catbert the kitten

Kitten Rescue

Last Monday I was walking near City Hall and I found a noticed a pen. I had never noticed it before. Inside the pen were a few animal carriers and I saw that one of them contained two kittens. They had no food or water and their eyes were shut with mucus. They looked very frightened in there. I immediately pitied them. I had to quickly go back to work because my lunch break was nearly over.
After work I walked over to the pen again and noticed the kittens were gone. On Tuesday afternoon I walked into City Hall and then asked what happened to the kittens. I was told they went to the shelter. I knew which one they were talking about. I later contacted them.
On Wednesday evening I went to the shelter by myself. I couldn't wait for them to be transported to the veterinarian. I know it often takes a few days for that to happen and I know I didn't have a few days.
It turns out the animal shelter is in the middle of NOWHERE. I saw rice fields while on the bus. I arrived late in the evening. A worker quickly brought out the two kittens by the scruff of their necks and dropped them on the counter in front of me. She wasn't very nice. Another lady later apologized to me and said that some of the people there weren't used to foreigners.
The nice worker helped me find the bus stop and I finally made it to the veterianarian at almost 10:30 pm. Thankfully it is a 24-hour place. The vet on duty helped clean their faces with saline solution and a fine-toothed comb. Their faces were caked with mucus.
I have been visiting them often and they have been doing better. I have been helping feed them with a syringe and wash their faces. Yesterday they both sat on me for a while being content and cried when I left.

Some pictures from May

Tired and Worn Out

Today I went to work and I had to spend time talking with other teachers about my presentation class for next week. I am not looking forward to it. The class will be open to other English teachers in the area.
I went to taekwondo later in the evening. I was already tired when I arrived at class. I haven't been able to attend practices much lately because I had so many things happening. When I arrived in Korea in January after Christmas at home, I had an ulcerated wound on my leg. I didn't go to taekwondo for two weeks so that it could heal. Later I had sicknesses, birthday parties to attend, and trips to the veterinarian after I got involved with animal rescue.
I haven't been doing well in taekwondo lately. I have been getting rusty at it. I do want to keep attending practices, but it's not possible to go as often as I can. I live far away from the dojang now. The problem is that I have to take a bus and then two subway lines in order to get there. I have been looking for a faster route.
When I first arrived in Korea I wanted to start learning a martial art. I started work in the afternoons, so I would go outside for a walk in the mornings and then went to the roof to practice stretching exercises. I was in a lot of pain at first, and then the pains went away after a while.
I finally joined a dojang when I started my newer job. I started doing well. I know that I was never very good at sports because I didn't have the greatest eye-hand coordination. I slowly but surely started getting better at it.
Lately, though, I have been so worn out. I haven't been having good health lately. I am constantly stressed out and I have been very depressed. I do need to make some changes in my life. I have decided I am NOT interested in working at the high school anymore. I don't feel that I am meant to work at a high school. I am looking for a job where I can spend most or all my time teaching adults. I would like that a LOT better.
I have been enjoying the animal rescue volunteering, but it has also been draining me too. I have been going to Kangnam at a vet to help with animals taken out of the shelter. I have taken some animals out of the shelter myself and have found homes for them. Unfortunately, so many of them were sick when they come out. I also don't want to take any more animals into my home because I live in such a small place. I am glad to say that some animals I fostered are now in other homes.
I do need to pay more attention to what I really like to do and what I don't like as much. I also need to think positively.

"Mushrooms", by Sylvia Plath

The Collected Poems--1959

Overnight, very

Whitely, discreetly,

Very quietly, our toes, our noses

Take hold on the loam,

Acquire the air. Nobody sees us,

Stops us, betrays us;

The small grains make room. Soft fists insist on

Heaving the needles,

The leafy bedding, Even the paving.

Our hammers, our rams,

Earless and eyeless,Perfectly voiceless,

Widen the crannies,

Shoulder through holes. We diet on water,

On crumbs of shadow,

Bland-mannered, asking little or nothing.

So many of us!

So many of us! We are shelves, we are

Tables, we are meek,

We are edible, nudgers and shovers

In spite of ourselves.

Our kind multiplies: We shall by morning

Inherit the earth.

Our foot's in the door.

Where to Study?!

I have been looking at www.topuniversities.com to research different universities. I would prefer not to study in the United States since the USA is notorious for its high tuition. I also want to stay out of the United States. I am not interested in living there right now.
Some places I have looked at include:

1. 
   Concordia University, Montreal


2. United Arab Emirates University


3. Stellenbosch University, Western Cape, South Africa


4. Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand


5. Mahidol University, Thailand


6. Tsinghua University, Beijing


7. Hong Kong University


8. Alexandria University, Egypt

OK, that is quite a varied list.

Random thoughts

I do feel better about Mongmong's death. That was a little yorkie puppy that I had taken out of the shelter. It wasn't in good health and I was told it had water on the brain. I had some medicine for it. It was beginning to do better, it was starting to be able to stand up and eat and drink on its own. This week he deteriorated some more and finally passed away yesterday morning. I felt bad, but he is not suffering now. It is also a load off my back, because I was wondering what to do with him. If he survived, I would either have to find a home for him or take him to the USA with me. I doutbed anyone would want him, so I would have to take him along, and the cost of veterinary care is so much more expensive in the USA. I feel bad that he died, but it is also something I don't have to deal with anymore.
My time in Korea is getting shorter. I haven't found another job yet. I talked to my neighbor this morning and she said her place is hiring. It's a school for little children. I don't really want a job like that. I worked at a children's English school last year and I really didn't like it. I would rather teach adults or older children. I don't feel that I have a talent for teaching small children. If I am going to work with kids, I would want to have a co-teacher with me.
I do feel overwhelmed with so much to do. I know that I am going to get rid of a lot of my things here. I do feel that I need a makeover with my wardrobe, so I am not saving a lot of my clothes. I have many clothes sitting in the USA, so I won't have to buy new things right away. If I am not coming back to Korea, I have to get a crate for my guitar, start mailing things home, and do something about my pets. My family said they don't want any more animals. My sister now lives in a small place, I didn't realize how small her place is.

Mongmong

I just got off the phone and I found out that Mongmong passed away this morning. It's OK, he was suffering. The poor puppy had water on the brain. I went outside to have a little cry and now I have to go back to teaching. I hate having to put on a happy face when I don't feel like it.
Mongmong, I'll see you in a better place.

Neutering

I saw a dog being neutered today. It was interesting. The dog was put under anesthesia and fell asleep. It was then quickly shaved and the veterinarian quickly put the scalpel to the dog's scrotum. He pulled something up and tossed it aside. Then he quickly started stitching the dog up. Again he quickly pulled something out and then started stitching the dog up. It was over very quickly, once the dog was under the knife it was less than twenty minutes. I didn't even know what I was seeing, I kept thinking "so when is the operation REALLY going to start?". It was done so quickly that I was surprised how fast it was. I got to see the dog's little sacs after they were pulled. They were so small.
I am appalled at how many pet owners won't get their animals fixed because they think it's cruel or too much of a big deal. It isn't. Yes, neutering and spaying is cruel, but the animal gets over it soon. It is much crueler that so many animals die in shelters because they can't get homes. So yes, SPAY AND NEUTER!!!

Sunday

I went to the doctor and she told me that I have mild hyperthyroidism. It's not an extreme case. That's good. She said I don't need medication.

Blaise Pascal

"We sail within a vast sphere, ever drifting in uncertainty, driven from end to end."
Blaise Pascal

Volunteering at the Vet's Again

I went to the veterinarian to volunteer again today. I did see one atrocity. A tiny female poodle was there. She had just came from the shelter that day. The poor dog had fur that was so matted that it had pulled away from the skin. The dog's skin was mostly bare and the fur was in long stringy mats. The fur was all shaved off by the vet's assistant. A friend and I did help hold her for a while. A large tick was pulled off her face. I noticed her ears were dirty, so I told the vet to clean them out. His assistant took out lots of black stuff and ear mites. The ear mite infestation was very bad. I hated seeing a dog in such a bad condition. I held the dog while the vet scraped some skin off it to test for diseases. Thankfully it was only dermatitis, but the dog's skin was all flaky everywhere.
I am happy to say that dog is being adopted by a friend of mine. It will stay at the animal hospital for a while and will later go home with her. I am glad it has a new chance at life. I do wish that people who don't want their animals would give them to another home rather than neglect them like that.

I shaved a very matted white poodle. I had never shaved a dog before. I did once shave a little bit of a Yorkshire terrier's face to get rid of some muck that built up in its eyes. This was a dog entirely shaved myself. The mats were very thick and it had some yellow dye in its ears and tail. There are many dogs in Korea that have dyed fur. I think I did well in shaving it, I only slightly knicked its rear leg. It wasn't too bad. I did feel pleased with myself. I am going to put up some new photos of it on the internet so that it will be more likely to get adopted.
I also washed a dog with someone else. The dog was malnourished, but not too badly. It was going to a home soon. We must have pulled about 15 ticks off it.
I have been told that maybe I should get a job with animals.

What to do, what to do

My time in Korea is shortening. I am not sure if I will be gone for good or not. I have been thinking of what to do with myself. I just sent out three resumes for other jobs in Korea, and I have also inquired about another one. I haven't had any feedback yet. I am wondering what is going on. At least I can hear "there's nothing available now". I was talking to my friend from college last Sunday (who is also here in Korea) and she was lecturing me on the phone. She told me that I have to start thinking seriously about what I am going to do with myself. If I can't find anything in Korea, I have to look at options in other countries. If I go to stay in the USA indefinitely, then I should be sending out resumes over there for a job.
She is right that I do have to think about things like that. So far, going to the USA means living with my family until I leave home again. I really don't want to live with my mother for a long time. I do love my mother, but I also want to be on my own. I am thirty years old now and I am old enough to take care of myself.
I don't see many options in the United States for me now. I have only a degree in English, which could help me to work in an office. There are not many jobs in my area for me. I am already overqualified for most of the jobs since I have a bachelor's degree. The best thing for me to do would be to relocate.
There are some cities that are not too far from me, like Hartford, Boston, and Providence with more opportunities than my small town.
I like the idea of study better. Yet, since I am THIRTY now (I still am in denial) I must be quick. I finally sent in an application to study at Stellenbosch. I did fill in one earlier, but it landed in my junk mail. I have had a number of friends here telling me how great the place is. I have to send in my transcripts.
I should also look at some other places. I KNOW I have to not put all my eggs in one basket.

Kidnapping in Korea

One big difference I have noticed between the USA and Korea is the amount of freedom Korean children have in comparision to their U.S. counterparts. I see children everywhere walking to school by themselves, outside playing with other children, and taking the buses and subways without adults accompanying them.
The way Korean children live is a far cry from most American children, who usually only leave the home with an adult with them. Parents there are so paranoid about kidnapping and molesting that children have little freedom. Parents say things like "You have to watch your children all the time", "You can't turn your back for a second", and "Things aren't the same as when I was small, it's more dangerous now". Most American children live their lives inside, and leave the house when a parent is willing to drive them somewhere.
I have envied the Korean children for their ability to walk the streets without parental supervision. I envied their families for not having the constant worry about kidnapping.
I did realize that kidnapping is something that is rising in Korea. About 50 children are kidnapped every year. It's something that Koreans seem not to want to talk about. I have seen pictures of missing children in my mail when I get bills in the mail. There is a photo, the child's name, and some information on where the kid was last seen. I have noticed that some of those children have been missing for at least five years, some of them for at least ten. I asked other Koreans about the kidnapping trends and they say "maybe they just got lost", "we don't know how many go missing", and things like that. It shows that Korea likes to pretend it isn't a problem.
I do think that Korea wants to pretend that kidnapping isn't a problem because they don't like to look bad. They want to keep things appearing nice, so they don't want to talk about such tragic things. I think kidnapping is the worst thing that a parent can go through, most especially if the child isn't found for many years or at all. At least if the child dies and the parent can bury it there is some sort of closure, but if the child is missing for many years, there is no knowing what really happened.
In the United States, kidnapping is quite common, but the statistics show that the majority of children kidnapped in the U.S. are taken by people they know, not strangers. Actually, most kidnappings are done by non-custodial family members. Other kidnappings occur among acquaintances. The stereotypical kidnappings are more rare. Those taken by strangers are only just over 100 children a year.
Now when I come to think about it, if 50 children a year are kidnapped in South Korea where the population is 50 million, then a child has about a 1 in a million chance of being kidnapped. In the USA there are about 100 kidnappings of children to 300 million people. If the USA has only twice the amount of stranger kidnappings with six times the Korean population, then the statistics show that there is more of a likelihood of being kidnapped in Korea than in the USA. Yet, the Korean statistics don't say why these children were taken or who took them. I do wonder how many of them are taken abroad by overseas family members or who was sold into sexual slavery.
I do think that kidnapping is very sad, and I do wish that more things would be done about it. Yet I do think that the USA is too paranoid about it. If more people were outside, then it wouldn't be such a big deal to let children out alone. Unless it is an area with an extremely high crime rate like Los Angeles or Chicago, then I do think it's only too paranoid of parents these days to keep their children inside.

Speech Contest

I was given a script that was written by a student for a speech contest. I am supposed to give comments. The Konglish is comical, yet I do understand this person's point of view. Here is the script:

To My Dear Mom, and To the Future Hope-to-be Moms

I could smell fusty and stinky smell again out of the rest room, and it's the very same thing that I've been used to every morning. What is this smell? Yuk!(seeming like to vomit right away) Bye the way, before long then I became to know that mom's smoking. That beautiful woman, who has such a beautiful daughter, really had been doing it. I was captured by a great shock and even had to stay few days without a word. I began to hate mom. I disliked her. So I decided to write to her.
Mom! Are you my mom? I can't live without you but could you? Are you going to leave me alone on this world and would you like to say untimely farewell? No way! Never, Never! Then I'll follow you right after.
Ladies and gentlemen, I saw quiet much of my friends suffering mental and physical problems from smoking of their parents around me. Musty smell really drives me to be like to throw up and it burrows through my clothes to cause others to get me wrong as a smoker in school. But worst of all, I become to restless about the feeling that parents could pass away from lung cancer in any moment. But the most important thing that we should look around is that children are exposed to lung cancer through the smoking of their parents.
Dear future mothers and fathers!
Do you want to see your children hanging around coughing and choking surrounded by cigarette smoke? Do you want to see your pretty little daughter's lung burt off to black? Do you really hope to see your children's neck having a hole? When, later, they are blaming you crying and saying "all because of you" just before their death, then would you mumble some irresponsible words that you had to quit it looking at their pale faces?
My fellows, try to recall now. The faces of your lovely family. Time is too short for us to love them enough through out the whole our lives. Why would you choose to live in the smoke of cigarette with our short lives? Why should you make your children to shed tears from their eyes?
God doesn't want us to live in the hazy and dusty cigarette smoke. He gave us the blue sky and let us breathe clean air freely hearing the songs of beautiful birds.
Thanks for listening.

School and allergies

I am glad to say that my fever is gone now. I am finally feeling a lot better. I like that. I really do wish that I didn't have such bad springtime allergies. I took off some work last week because of my allergies and my work is mad at me. They think I was off having some fun, even though I later came back to work with the skin under my nose raw from so much blowing. During a meeting with other teachers I sneezed and a lot of snot came out of my nose and I had to quickly leave the room. I felt embarrassed and wished I had a tissue on me there.
I really do feel tired of working with children. I do admit that I am not very good with children. I don't feel I have good skills with them. I really don't want to deal with children at my job. I know I will be happy to leave this job. I don't want to be cynical or have a bad attitude, so I will try to make the most of things for now. Yet, I am not interested in teaching children anymore. I feel constantly stressed out, depressed, and feel at a loss of what to do with them. I just feel that I have reached my emotional threshold and can't tolerate it.
I feel upset at my workplace for acting like they own me. The Korean culture feels that their work is so important, that it is such a major part of their life and most important. People work for long hours and will go to work even when they are very sick. They are less tolerating of people taking sick leave. Students are the same way, many students are in school even when they are ill. It makes no sense to me, I think that sick people should stay home.
I was told by the director (who told me off very coldly last Friday) that he wants me to put into writing what I did with my time, why I thought it was a good idea to take off work, and how I am going to work for the rest of the time I am here. It won't happen. I won't put anything into writing because it could later be used against me.
On Monday I will go back to the hospital I went to and try to get a doctor's note. I had trouble getting one in the first place because few people there could speak English and few signs were in English. The prescription I showed my job wasn't good enough.
I do admit it. I don't want to do any more working with children. I don't like it. I will never again take a job that requires me to spend time in charge of them. I just don't feel like that is my talent. I decided that I will never work with children again.

Puppy Adoption

A U.S. military family adopted a puppy I put on the animal rescue site. I was wondering how they were doing. This is the reply:

"Hello! Thanks for your message, and for wondering about us. We are doing great with the little girl, who we have named Charlie. She is an absolute gem and other than a little cough (which we will get some meds for on monday in Osan) and a tiny bit of food aggression she is awesome. She loves my kids and plays with them nonstop. She is a little ball of energy! My older dog is getting along okay with her. They have had some scuffles, but they both know their respective places now. I think Matilda is happier now because she gets to go outside more often! We are keeping Charlie in a kennel at night and are in the process of housetraining her. It is slow going but she's getting the idea. I am trying to bribe her with hot dogs and it's been sorta successful. lol. Once we got her home and washed she seemed to settle right in and now it feels like she's been here forever. Thank you so much for all your help in this process. You definitely helped us find our newest family member.

Sincerely,
Tara"

Well, even though I don't feel good today, this does make me happy.

Animal Rescue Korea

I have been getting involved with "Animal Rescue Korea" (ARK) lately. I started with it last month. I do have some good things that happened with it, and some things that were not so good.
Well, for the good things, I placed a death-row shih tzu with a neighbor. I also had two malteses and a yorkshire terrier sent to the USA. One maltese is living with my sister and the other with a co-worker. I have two more malteses that will go out soon. I do feel good about saving those dogs.
On the sadder note, I took in a yorkie that I knew had one working lung. I figured I could just keep it for a while and then find a home for it. It eventually started falling over and having what appeared to be seizures. It is at the vet that works closely with the shelter. Thankfully he is doing a lot better now. I know he misses me a lot. I do have to find a place for him if he recovers.
I got a kitten last week and it has been sneezing. Thankfully it has been eating, drinking, and using the litter box. I brought it to the vet today for some medication and nebulizing. I do hope it will be fine.

Sickness

Since about last Tuesday I have been feeling ill. I have been very tired and having a stuffy nose. I have also been having lots of phlegm and chest pains and it is difficult to talk sometimes. I went to the doctor yesterday and he prescribed some medicines. He said I have symptoms of common cold and tonsillitis.
I didn't go to work today. I wanted to rest. I did end up doing some laundry and cleaned my floors because I needed to do that badly. I do think that I should still go to bed early. I am already feeling a bit better, so that is good.
Last night Master Kim, my taekwondo instructor, called me because I didn't to to class last week or this week. I told him that I have been sick. I felt good that he cares about me.

Walking to work

It takes me about 15 minutes to walk to work. It's all uphill. Thankfully the road winds a bit so it's not too bad. I quickly got dressed and left the house and was walking to work and realized that there was something in my trouser's leg. I was already running late so I went to work. I soon went to the restroom and pulled out a pair of underpants. Thankfully those didn't fall out in front of anyone. That would have been embarrassing.

wiped out

I don't feel good today. I woke up being achy and having a sore throat and a headache. I made it through the day by taking naps between classes in the teacher's lounge. I do hope I feel better soon.

What Shall I Do Next?

I have been wondering whether or not I will stay in Korea. I know I need a vacation. My contract ends on June 30. I can stay in the country for 30 days without a valid visa. Well, most likely, I will be flying out on July 1. I haven't bought tickets yet. I do want to see some things before I fly out of here. I especially want to see Gyeongju, the ancient capital city. There are awesome tomb mounds and ruins to see. I also still haven't been to Cheju Island, the biggest island off the coast of Korea. It's a popular honeymoon spot for Koreans.

Rescued pets

Well, I have some friends who volunteer at a pet shelter in the Seoul area. I was shocked to find out that many dogs and cats there are purebreds, and not just any purebreds, but the fancy kind that people spend lots of money on. Many are maltese, poodles, minature pinschers, shih tzus, and yorkies. There are persian and angora cats there.
My friend had a bunch of dogs pulled off "doggie death row" and has rehomed some of them. I am glad. Well, I got in on it and just had these pulled. I haven't met them yet and well, I have them up on the internet. I already got some response. I know my mother doesn't want any more dogs, her two are enough. Any more pets have to either be mine or I have to give them away.






My friend and I worked to get this dog pulled out. It had been beaten by someone, probably a drunk. It is a 4-month-old yorkie puppy. It had been at the shelter since March 9, and it finally got pulled out yesterday. I found that it was responsive when taken out of the shelter, and supposedly went through surgery today. It got sponsorship. Whoever beat that dog should be ashamed. Some people just make me so angry!!! >:(

Worn out

I have been so tired and worn out lately. I need a vacation. I also need more sleep at night. meh

Birthday Weekend

I spent Saturday night at "Berlin", a restaurant in Itaewon area of Seoul. I invited some friends to celebrate my birthday. We had a good time. The restaurant is co-owned by someone in my taekwondo dojang. Five friends were there. The food was great. I found that one former co-worker of mine is leaving Korea soon. I had thought she signed on for another year, but it looks like she's not staying that long. I am glad I invited her.
I had some salad with balsamic dressing (my favourite) and feta cheese. I also had some chocolate volcano cake. Later we all had some cupcakes.
On Sunday, my actual birthday, I wasn't sure what to do to celebrate it. I hung around the house for a while in the morning because I was still tired from Sunday night. I got a phone call from my family. They say things are going fine at home. They are loving the kittens I brought over during Christmas break. I watched some old "Sesame Street" videos on Youtube to remenisce about my childhood.
I decided to then get out of the house and go to a museum. I thought a palace would be nice, but it was still chilly so I thought an indoor activity would be better. I got on the subway and found myself headed towards the National Museum of Korea and decided to go there. I was glad I did. I went to the Inca (잉카) exhibit for 10,000 won. I saw lots of statues, jewelry, and all kinds of artifacts. I saw Pizarro's painting, sword, and armour. There were some other weapons of the conquistadores who conquered the Americas for Spain. I was reminded of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has a great exhibit on ancient South American history.
In the main building (free admission) I went to an exhibit of Uzbekistan. I found that Alexander the Great had conquered lands extending that far. I didn't know he went as far east as present-day Uzbekistan. Central Asia is one area of the world that I am very intereted in. Uzbekistan, along with Kazakhstan (forget Borat), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikstan, and Turkmenistan are all very interesting. There were all kinds of artifacts from there.
I later looked at an exhibit of a shipwreck near China from the 1300s. It had all kinds of interesting things like seeds, bowls, weapons, and much more. It was a time capsule. Quite interesting.
Later I met some more friends at Pizza Hut in Guri. I had some margherita pizza and went to the salad bar. Later we went to Baskin Robbins where I had some Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream and also a scoop of Sumatra. I had a good time.

BOTANY!

There are some botanical delights that I want to partake in this year:
#1 Garden of Morning Calm (again) They are having an exhibit on North Korean flowers of Baekdusan this Spring.
#2 Oe-do. It's pronounced "way-do". It is an island that's one large botanical garden owned by a couple. About 40 gardeners take care of it.
#3 Cherry Blossom Festival at Yeouido. It's fun to rent a bicycle there and ride around underneath the blossoms that fall like confetti.
#4 Tulip Festival in Suwon.
#5 Rose Festival at Seoul Grand Park in late May-mid June. It's fun, I've been twice.
#6 Odongdo or Seonunsa, people go there for the old Camellia flowers.
#7 Cosmos Festival at Hangang Park in Guri
#8 The Flower Show at Lake Park in Ilsan, late April and early May.
#9 Maehwa (apricot blossom) festival in Jeollanam-do. (March)
#10 Children's Grand Park during Cherry Blossom time.

Going to the Doctor

The doctor said that I have mild hyperthyroidism. It's not extreme, but I do think it has been the cause of a lot of my problems. I have had some insomnia, anxiety, hair loss, etc. Thankfully my hair loss has finally stopped. I also am thankful that some anxiety has left me too. I do think I need to take it more easy and get more rest and relaxation when I am not working.

A Day at the Resort

I went to the Vivaldi Resort yesterday with other faculty from the high school. I had the choice to either go skiing or swimming. I chose to go swimming. I didn't have a swimsuit so I went to buy one on Monday night. At Lotte Mart I found a funky 4-piece white swimsuit with black and gold designs on it. It is a bikini that comes with a tank top and a skirt. Korean swimwear is a bit different than Western wear. Koreans also require people to wear swimming caps in the water, so I got a bright pink cap. I should have gotten a dark one because it clashes with the swimsuit. I also got a pair of pink goggles. Yes, I felt like such a dork in my swimming get-up. It didn't help that I still have marks from psoriasis on my legs. I do think that the marks should be gone within a few months.
I got in my swimwear (everyone changes in front of everyone else) and headed for the pool room. The pools were all crowded. It was nice that there were jets for us to sit near. We could hold on to some rails and let the jets massage our backs. I put the bottoms of my feet near some and let my feet get massaged.

Should I Stay in Korea or Not?

This is a question I have been asking myself. "Should I stay in Korea or not?". I love Korea a lot, yet I have been having my doubts about staying here. I love the friends and acquaintances I have made here. There are still many places I want to see that I haven't seen yet. I have my favourite haunts. I like the dojang I attend.

Yet, I also feel that I want to move on. I only have a degree in English, just a simple bachelor's degree. It isn't worth much at all. I love books and I am greatful for many things I learned while getting the degree, yet I wish I studied something else. A degree in English can get someone a teaching job as long as they have teaching certification, which I don't have. I don't want a career as a middle or high school teacher anyways. A master's degree or higher can get someone a job as an editor or a professor. I have neither of those degrees.

I also am dissatisfied with the jobs I have had in Korea. My first job involved teaching both adults and children. I liked the job itself. My problem was that I had a certain coordinator that was very cruel to me. She offered me no help and constantly badmouthed me. I would only hear about issues with my teaching after the head directors of the company would tell me about them. It wasn't fair.

The next job I had was at a hagwon (kid's school) I had for six months. I hated it. I hated, hated, hated, hated it. I never hated doing a job so much. I hated every minute of it. I have vowed to never work with children again when I have to be with them by myself.

My current job is at a high school. The other teachers here are very nice to me. I can see that they care about me. I just have a lot of trouble keeping the students motivated. No matter what I do, I can't seem to keep most of them interested in the class. I am frustrated most of the time. I have been very depressed with the whole situation. I shouldn't take it to heart, students rarely want to learn.

I do feel that I should go back to school and study something else. There are study options on Sundays at the nearby Seventh-day Adventist university. I did sign up for religion but dropped out after a few weeks because I found one of the lecturers to be extremely boring. I didn't want to spend my Sundays indoors listening to him when I could be outside either hiking or touring Seoul.

There is another graduate programme that's available in Public Health. I find it to be interesting, but I have worried that the degree may be worthless for me. I am an American citizen, and if I choose to ever go back to the USA to live, it may not be able to get me a job. The degree is supposed to be useful for a test that can be taken in the USA, yet I am still skeptical. I know that the USA is an arrogant country and deems many foreign degrees to be useless. And again, I don't think I want to spend my Sundays indoors when I could be outside taking photos, visiting museums, and hanging out with friends.

This all brings me to realise my first love: the great outdoors. Ever since I was a small child I have been fascinated with plants (especially flowers), animals, biomes, geography, and just anything that has to do with biology. When I was in primary school I would spend time in the meadows and woods and could identify many wildflowers. I picked up salamanders, rocks with mica, caught tadpoles, and ate edible plants. I poured over books on flowers, birds, rocks, and fungi. Later in life I have backpacked on the Appalachian Trail, gone to Korean flower festivals, and visited botanical gardens and flower shows worldwide.

So, I now ask myself, why not try to study what I really love? Why not just go back to university and study Biology? My main interests would be in Botany and Environmental Science. If I can spend my life studying and preserving what I love the most, I know I will be very happy.

Truly, such things are offered in Korea, but I would have to learn enough Korean to study those things first. It would be much easier to go to an English-speaking country for study. I have been looking at Andrews University, where I used to attend from 1999-2001. Yet, going back to an old place may not be a good idea, as things won't be the same as before.

I am going to be 30 years old in less than two weeks, and I do need to be thinking about my future. Staying in Korea can let me spend more time with my friends here, I can spend more time in the dojang and go to next year's tournament in North Korea, and I can save more money. It is all something to think and pray about.

Garden of Morning Calm on Feb.19

Jasmine and Suzy getting fixed

My mother scheduled Jasmine and Suzy to be fixed on Feb. 16. They are the two kittens I rescued here in Korea and brought to the USA when I visited my family on Christmas vacation. When they were brought over they had to spend 24 hours in their carrier because two of the three flights we were on were delayed because of weather. Thankfully they came to their new home safely.

Recently the poor tiny kittens had already been in heat and were up at all hours making a racket. They are about 7 months old according to the vet.

My mother caught Suzy and put her in the carrier. When Jasmine saw Suzy in the carrier she quickly panicked and ran all around the house. My mother and aunt tried in vain to catch her. My mother gave up and drove only Suzy to get fixed. Jasmine is rescheduled for Feb. 22. Suzy made it through the surgery well and will go home in the morning.

Lunar New Year

I went to Itaewon on Saturday night. I had some food at an Indian restaurant. It was OK, I had some curry with nuts and potato. The food wasn't spectacular, if I ever eat there again I'll try another dish.

Twenty-five Random Things About Me

This is a challenge going around facebook. I do challenge any of my blog readers to do the same if they wish:

1. I once observed a bolt of lighting striking my home while I was inside it. There was no fire or mark left behind. That was weird.


2. I have broken two bones in two separate incidents.


3. I have always been a vegetarian


4. I have been enrolled at ten different schools


5. I have type O- blood.


6. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are gods of cinema!


7. I grew up near the lake with the longest name in the world: Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg


8. I HATE ONIONS


9. I am very interested in botany. I would love to be a botanist, even as an amateur.


10. I can't dance!


11. I am the owner of a flute, glass flute in D, tin whistle, guitar, mandolin, and soprano ukulele...


12. I taught myself how to crochet


13. I love reading travel narrative and wish I could be the next Freya Stark or Rebecca West.


14. I have been a fan of National Geographic magazine since I was 6 years old.


15. I have never ordered anything from Kentucky Fried Chicken.


16. I own at least 500 or 600 books.


17. I can pick things up with my toes


18. I like almost any genre of music or film.


19. I am a big fan of post-impressionism


20. I wish I were in Paris during the Roaring Twenties


21. The best food in the world hails from the Mediterranean.


22. I was once stuck in an airport for 32 hours. I passed time by buying a copy of Warped Passages by Lisa Randall. That is how I became interested in pop-science literature and physics.


23. I generally don't wear orange, yellow, or brown.


24. I have no loyalty to name-brand clothing.


25. I am allergic to bee stings

Scary Dave on "Don't Let the Bastards Keep You Down" *EXPLICIT*

This man calls himself "Scary Dave". He has a Youtube channel called "The Church of Dave". He has many videos where he has his rants. They are fun to watch because he's so enlightened. Yes, his videos do have lots of swears and yes, I'm not much into cursing, yet well, that's his style and that's the way it is.



I do wish I took this man's advice in this video a long time ago. I shouldn't have listened to people who told me I couldn't do things the way I wanted to do it. I kept being told "don't spend your money on another university", "don't go abroad, establish yourself in the United States", "get a job that's in lots of demand, even if it's boring", and so on. What for? I wasted a few years of my life because I listened to that stupidity. Never again am I going to listen to people's negative talk. I am proud of myself for breaking conventions, getting out of my home country so I can experience the world, and finally doing things I want to do.

Some of My Favourite Music Videos of ALL TIME!!!

When I was a preteen and young teenager, I was hopelessly addicted to VH1. Here are some of the best videos of that time period, in my own opinion:

#1 Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer"
This music video is so trippy. Gabriel had to sit still for an entire day to have that stop-motion animation done around his head. I love the dancing poultry.

#2 Madonna's "Take a Bow"
This video was filmed in Spain. The matador is so sexy. :D

#3 Queen's "Save Me"

This was the first music video to combine animation with real footage.
#4 Jon Secada's "If You Go"
Every jilted lover's fantasy. You can somehow "rescue" the object of your affections from that other person.
#5 Janet Jackson's "Love Will Never Do Without You"
This features two male models.

#6 Celine Dion's "The Power of Love"
Celine Dion's sensual video at the start of her career. Too bad her work later became hackwork.
#7 Elton John's "The Club at the End of the Street"
A fun animated video. It was animated because Elton John was spending his time with the family of AIDS victim Ryan White.

#8 UB40's "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You"
This is a beautiful cover of Elvis' famous song.

#9 Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More"
This Alice in Wonderland set is fun.

#10 Blind Melon's "No Rain"
The Bee Girl is laughed at, goes around trying to be accepted, and then finds peace and happiness when she arrives in a field full of fellow bees. It is a metaphor for the lives of lots of us.