Finals

I've spent the better part of the day thinking of what to put on my finals. This is hands-down one of the best parts about this job. Back in high school and college, we were the ones who toiled and suffered and wasted away during finals week. Now it's time for revenge haha! Hee hee gleefully watch those little freshmen squirm when they get the exam and watch them sweat when they don't know the answer then mark their scores and scribble hundreds of X's all over their little tests with blood red ink MUAHAHAHAAA!!!

Okay, I'm not that evil. But I am a pretty harsh grader. I'm of the opinion "If everyone fails my class, then everyone fails". Fortunately, that's not the case. It seems that I'll have 3 F's out of 60 students, which is a 5% failure rate. The tests really aren't that hard. These students just never come to class. Ah...they are such precious students, following my shining example during my own college years...

I was looking over the midterm exams to see where students most messed up (mostly so I can put the same stuff on the final MUAHAHA!). One of my students' answers was pretty funny:

Question: Some researchers believe that there are high culture and low culture products. What is the difference between these two types of products?

Correct Answer (more or less): [High culture products are transferred from one culture to another without being changed. These products bring a culture's way of thinking to another culture. Low culture products (i.e. food) are changed to fit a different culture's society. They do not impact the society's way of thinking.

Student's Answer: [High culture is for elite, but low culture is for watching television people.]

"Lost"

I feel stupid being here
I don’t belong
I wish I did
Maybe long ago
In another reality
But I know where I belong

In that blue sky
Flying high
Away from this world
Way up high
Wish I could cry
If I could touch the ground
I would die

I’m an alien
I’m a foreigner
At least
That’s what it says on my passport

I’m a strange man
In a strange land
Everything is foreign
Including me

Don’t know where I am
Where I’m going
Where I’m supposed to be
Who I’m supposed to be

For now I stand outside the circle
Outside looking in
I stand inside the audience
Nothing to applaud

Uncle Sejong*

And we’re back to our regular blogging schedule! Sigh…I really am hopeless. Well, I gave it a shot, it didn’t work, so let’s just move on. Hopefully I’ll be on more after the semester is over.

Anyways, the past weekend I went to my cousin's farewell concert. He's the lead singer of a fledgling heavy metal band called Nevada 51. They've enjoyed a good amount notoriety for the past 3 or 4 years, including overseas tours to Japan and Malaysia, but never really made it big. Well, it all came to an end on Friday night in an underground bar deep in the heart of my own university's stomping grounds.

It was a suffocating venue, jammed with about 100 of their adoring fans, which was strange, considering I've seen them play for bigger audiences on bigger outdoor stages. Regardless, they played their hearts out and laughed and cried as they had to say goodbye to quite a fun and exciting chapter in their lives. My cousin really got choked up and couldn't face the fans as he cried. ::sniff::

So why did it have to end? Well, at the ripe age of 24, he can no longer delay the inevitable. He has to go to serve the Republic of Korea in a way that doesn't involve crunching power chords or shrieking microphones. Yup, he has to go to the army. Wonderful obligatory military service. It's not so much "We Want YOU!" as it is "You WILL come!" It even extends to adopted Koreans as well as those born overseas. In fact, just last month another case of a Korean-American getting drafted was published in a Seattle newspaper. The adoptee apparently didn't renounce his Korean citizenship, ergo Korean law still applied to him and bound him to military duty. This has happened to many a young ethnic Korean male, and is, in my opinion, quite an idiotic law. But that's a topic for another time. And don't worry, I've made sure that I am not able to be drafted.

Anyways, my scrawny 130 lb. (est.) cuz is now headed for Iraq. Haha, just kidding. I doubt he'll be sent on active military duty. Hopefully, he'll be assigned a civic post, which consists of patrolling the streets around the army base, standing outside the base all day waiting for rioters, and of course, playing soccer. Or he might be placed in an American unit, which consists of wasting ammunition on stationary targets, getting American beer for cheap, and teaching them how to swear in Korean. In any case, I know he'd rather be jumping on stage, screaming his guts out, and generally having a wildly good time.

I really hope his fans write him.

I have some digicam movies, but first I have to edit them, then find somewhere to host them. So for the time being, these HORRIBLE pics will have to do.



* Sejong is actually the most respected King in Korean history. His reign was peaceful and progressive, advancing learning, acknowledging the common people, and establishing the Korean writing system.

Tag

Well, looks like I'm 5 for 7. So I didn't accomplish my goal of blogging every single day for a week. But at least it accomplished my secondary goal: to start blogging regularly. I knew I needed a jump start to at least get me to write something.

Sweet Slumber

Well, it looks like I'll be going to bed at a reasonable hour tonight, 12:04AM as the clock turns. That's good, since I only got 4 hours last night and 3 hours the night before. I'm running empty and looking the part too. I wonder if the bags under my eyes are due to lack of sleep or the stress from teaching. Maybe I got them in the short 3 months I spent teaching elementary and middle school kids...wouldn't surprise me. Well, no matter. I'm just falling in line with the ideal Korean look, which consists of: pale-white skin that would scare a ghost, a rail-thin body that says, "Hey, I'm a junkie", and dark-circled ::PHANTOM:: eyes that would even make Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean" jealous. Of course, the eyes aren't really part of the ideal look, but 11 million people in Seoul could make you second-guess it.

I kid you not, almost every Korean has some kind of visible bag-shape under their eyes. More so on women than men. I think it stems from the hellish high school life they lead here. You know something's not right when high school students are commended on foregoing all sleep and natural instincts of health and body to study. You know something's wrong when it's admirable to get nosebleeds from studying all night. Well, my guess is that's where the bags come from. At the very least, I'm one step closer to blending in.

Failure

Argh, I can't believe I couldn't even blog once a day for even a single week! Truthfully, it wasn't because I was too lazy; I just completely forgot yesterday. I was just too busy, frantically trying to grade midterms and prepare my lesson while still having to get my computer back up to speed so I could actually do the work I needed to do.

My computer is the source of all my problems, truly. And there's nothing more infuriating or frustrating than when technology doesn't work. But then, why do I find myself pouring in hours of effort trying to troubleshoot, to research, and to repair it every time I have a problem? It's some sick and twisted masochistic addiction I tell ya. I hate having the problems, but I guess I love trying to solve 'em.

Anyways, everything is finally working as it should (knock on wood) and I'm ready to get on with everything else I've put off 'til now. One of them being where I left off in my last post. I was going to post some pics 'cause I know everyone would rather see pictures than read my pathetic attempts at writing something interesting. But I haven't organized them yet, so it won't be until the weekend.

The other thing I wanted to share about my Korean studies was this really annoying and obnoxious guy in my class, but after reconsidering it, I decided to spare you the pain and deleted it. Suffice to say, this guy is the epitome of the American sterotype here in Korea: rude, obnoxious, arrogant, self-contained, and devoid of any respect or acknowledgement for a culture other than his own. It annoys me in class and also bothers me that he's just serving to perpetuate this negative image with every Korean he meets. Sometimes I wonder why the teacher doesn't just kick him out, fail him, or at least rebuke him. Sigh, I'm looking forward to finishing this term and can only pray that we won't be in the same class next semester.

Well, I'll have to end on that "blah" note. Gotta go to sleep. 'Til tomorrow.

Sleepless in Seoul

Here I am yet again, 3:25am. I almost forgot to blog today. This once-a-day thing is seriously tough. Today I wasted all my time during the day trying to fix my computer. I ended up reformatting my hard drive, which almost prevented me from blogging today, what without access to an internet-ready computer and all. BUT, I said no excuses, right? Well, that's one reason why I'm still awake. The more valid reason would be that since I spent all day working on my computer, I haven't prepared my lesson plan for tomorrow. So I'm doing it now.

Well, before this post degenerates into a blog about nothing (you mean it hasn't already?), I'll tell you about my Korean studies thus far.

It's been a little over a month since I started studying Korean at Ewha Women's University, the #1 women's university in Korea. That's right, Women's University. I'm in the midst of a bountiful abundance of beautiful, intelligent and eligible bachelorettes in this land flowing with milk and honey. Yup, you know what that means. I am still single and not dating. How is this possible? Well, you know. I try very hard. ^^ And every time I talk to any male acquaintances about taking classes there, they always say, "You go to Ewha? Oooh..very gooood. I'm envy you."

Anyways, class has actually been quite helpful. I've actually learned quite a bit already. Like how I can't even spell "to laugh". Or how I don't know how to say "movie theater". My speaking and pronunciation are the best in the class (which is a sad reality), but my vocabulary and grammar are at the bottom of the barrel. However, despite these shortcomings, I enjoy it and I'm starting to surpass even the Japanese students and their high-tootin' grammar knowledge. Having class 4 hours a day really helps you improve. But of course it kills my free time.

There's one more thing I'd like to share about the class, but that'll have to wait 'til tomorrow. I have class everyday at 9am, so I get up around 7:45. So if I go to sleep right now, it looks like I'll get 4 hours of sleep tonight.

Close Call

Whew, I had just gotten into bed when I realized that I didn't blog today. So I jumped out of bed right away and got down to typing. Yeah right. I actually spent a few moments in a quandary concerning my oath made last night and the other promise I made to myself: that I would start going to bed early.

You see, for the past few weeks I've only been getting 5 hours of sleep each night. There are various reasons for this, both noble as well as ignoble. But without getting into that, this lack of sleep has earned me: A) grogginess in the morning, B) drowsiness in the afternoon, C) lack of motivation at school, D) lack of motivation at work, E) a cold, and F) a general edginess to my temperament.

So there I lay in bed, wondering what I should do. Risk losing more sleep and continue to suffer all the aforementioned consequences? Or sleep soundly knowing I have proven myself unable to keep a simple 7-day promise? Well, luckily the solution presented itself through my loud next-door neighbors.

They're actually not all that loud. The walls are just too thin. I mean, I can hear the stupid Windows XP boot sound when they're turning on their computer. I can even hear them putting things into the microwave. But the worst has to be hearing them laugh. I assume there are two girls living together there. Either that or pre-pubescent boys. Or maybe one is a boy and the other is a--ahhh, whatever. Anyways. When they laugh it's just so sudden and unpredictable, it always catches me off guard. And it's a stupid laugh too. Kinda spastic and high-pitched. In any case, the walls are way too thin and that's one of my excuses for always going to bed late.

But isn't this all so fortunate for you, my faithful reader? As an indirect blessing, you are treated with another post from yours truly. And though the last few posts have not been especially deep or informative, don't worry. The next one will actually be about SOMEthing rather than, well, nothing. As the last few posts have been.

BTW, my place is actually quite nice, bigger than my old place, but not as new. Anyways, I'll post pics up tomorrow.

One Week

So, my posts have been far and few between...averaging about once a month. Not exactly what I had planned, but well, you know how I get sidetracked. There are so many things that happen, and I always tell myself that I'll post tomorrow, but I guess tomorrow never comes. Same goes with emails. Procrastination is a battle that I am destined to fight and lose every single time. It's no use.

Therefore, since I have capitulated to my habitual tendencies of tardiness and response times of a slothful sort, and am in no way, shape, or form suited to the disciplined regimen of a long distance runner, I have decided to sprint for one week. Yes, I will blog and email my brains out for exactly one week.

It's been one week since you looked at me
Cocked your head to the side and said, "I'm angry"
Five days since you-

Err, anyways.


This second week of the fifth month of the fifth year of the second millenium, I declare that I will post on this blog once every day! NAY!! Let it be TWICE per day!!! Err, actually let's make it once per day is good. Yes, ONCE per day!!

Ahh, now that that's out of the way, I can watch some TV until I have to blog again tomorrow...