Seoul Cliche

Lator Gator

2008-06-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I've created a new blog, now that I'm back stateside. Someday it will be as funny as this one. Like, when we change our nation language to Spanish. Or Canadian. I'm just sayin.

Please update your bookmarks/ RSS feeds:

Beans and Nuts

Adios, my friends.

SSDD

2008-05-07T19:54:00.001-07:00

Today was my first full day in the office since my return, and although it was lovely to be back on certain levels (friends! english! coffee! mexican food!), I'm struggling to get back in the flow. I think I'm just over this. I'm tired of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting new results. Isn't that the definition of insanity? So, I'm back on the hamster wheel but I'm making plans for a brighter future.

And I'm thinking this is going to be my last post here. I may start up a new blog, but I can't go on being "Seoul Cliched" forever. Any suggestions for a new blog title?

I didn't sleep on the plane.

2008-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Cloverfield
- Gossip Girl Meets Godzilla
- The One Where You Hope They All Die
- I Think I'll Switch to VH1 Now

National Treasure II: Book of Secrets
- What Happened To Nic Cage's Face?
- It's Like a Monkey Skull Wearing a Wig
- No, Seriously, WTF Happened To His Face?

P.S. I Love You
- Does Anyone Really Like Hillary Swank?
- No, I'm Not Crying. I'm Sweating From My Eyes. I Swear.
- Fabulous Shoes & Men With Accents: A Dream Come True

So, I'm home. My house is filthy and my car battery is dead, but my skin is allready improving & I'm unpacked. So far today I've eaten Mac & Cheese for breakfast, taken Sabine to the park, watched 4 episodes of 30 Rock and taken 2 naps. X brought over my Box O' Mail and I'm going to attempt to go through that today and figure out what my financial situation is. But first, I may take nap number 3.

Travellin again

2008-05-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

Jeeves was late to pick me up. Not late enough to be troublesome but late enough to really put my hackles up. I was already in a bit of a tiff because the checkout at the Dormy was a cluster, naturally. Plus, it was about 80 degrees outside and I was standing in the sun, in a black sweater, with all my luggage.

But all is well, and I made it here and through security. I'm in the Singapore Airlines lounge, enjoying small cuts of American Cheese Food on chips with salsa and Hite. Who knew Ghetto Nachos could be so satisfying?

The airport here, and in most countries I've visited, is much more efficient with the check-in and security processes than the US. Of course, the fact that I have a business class ticket really helps too. I caught my self chuckling as I flew past a bunch of people in line and then reminded myself that will be me again soon. I best take advantage of this luxury while I'm able so I'm gonna go grab some more cheese and booze. Maybe I'll try the Chilean wine this time. Or the ice cream. Decisions, decisions.

Got my bags all packed, I'm ready to go...

2008-05-01T03:04:00.000-07:00

After spending the last two hours packing and re-packing I'm finally satisfied that I'm ready to leave, and I only had to throw away 2 outfits to make room for gifts! Keep your fingers crossed that I'm not over the weight limit because I really don't want to have to open these bags at the airport.

I'm so glad to be going home. My stay here has been interesting but I'm starting to have negative thoughts about many things Korea, and that makes me sad. This city can just be very unfriendly and, let's be honest, kinda filthy. My skin and lungs and sinuses are gasping for fresh air and I can't wait until I can spend a day without hacking or having to rinse my eyes because they burn so badly from the pollutants.

That said, I spent most of the afternoon in Insadong, my favorite area of the city. It's the one place that feels unique to Korea and is full of little boutiques and art galleries. It was a beautiful, sunshiny day and I got a slight sunburn walking from shop to shop. I spent a slight fortune on souvenirs, but compared to other cities the prices are pretty reasonable. And I think you guys are probably worth it.

Be home Friday afternoon. XO

Too grumpy to sleep...

2008-04-29T06:48:00.001-07:00

So here is a random link post.

For my design junkies- subscribe to this feed immediately:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com

If you're ever bored and want to know what everyone else is looking at:
http://www.buzzfeed.com

Send your secrets to Frank, or just read about your neighbors:
http://postsecret.blogspot.com

The most depressing blog ever:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/homicidereport

Celebrity Sleeze with witty commentary, except by a strait dude:
http://www.wwtdd.com

When in doubt there is always YouTube:

** I know it's shocking, but yes, they really do use scissors to cut all the food here.

Sad Face, Happy Face

2008-04-27T19:54:00.001-07:00

My lovely little camera is gone. Some scam artist took off with it and some great pictures I took Saturday. Hopefully, my American Express travelers insurance will replace the camera but there is no way they could replace the photo of the Ho Barn. Or the photos of Mere and I doing shots off a particularly interesting ice sculpture at the Icebar. Or the wicked cool pictures I took at Oi, the "Flinstones bar." Ce La Vie.

I'm bummed I won't be able to take more photos of Konglish while here, but the weekend was a lot of fun. Friday was Lotte World and Saturday was neighborhood hopping with Mere. We got our nails done in the subway, did some bar hopping in Hongik, sang our hearts out at a Norebang (Kareoke room) and had some breakfast before going to bed at 9am. I haven't been out that late since college and I remember why now. But it was a great last weekend in Seoul.

Tomorrow I'm going to see about getting some new glasses- opticians are super cheap here so I might as well stock up, no?

The Happiest Place in Korea

2008-04-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to Lotte World, or "Korean Disneyland." Although not quite as large as Disneyland it's certainly a lot of fun. The lines weren't as bad as expected for a Friday night and we managed to hit about about 12 rides in 4 hours. My voice is a little hoarse today from all the screaming.

The Gyro Drop was the one ride that really terrified me. It's a 24 story freefall- at least it's over quick!

Fancy a snack?

These are Korean Good Luck charms, a man and one ugly lady on the right:

Translation: You will bang your head around a lot on this ride so don't complain if you earrings go through your skull:

Korea may be the only place on Earth I'm considered tall:

Hanging with my Hommies - Lotte & Lorry

Is This Burning, an Eternal Flame...

2008-04-25T19:00:00.001-07:00

Thursday night Mere and I went to Olympic Park and had a nice walk. The place is enormous and we got a little lost. Frankly, I was worried we might have to be airlifted out but fortunately we ran into a Burger King and the Day was saved.

The exit from the subway is pretty surreal- I call it the stairway to heaven.

The World Peace Gate & Flag Garden

The Olympic Flame. Duh. Oh, and Starbucks of course.

The Gate at night.

I'll have what she's having...

2008-04-24T01:34:00.000-07:00

This is what a menu looks like at a typical Korean restaurant.

And that is why I don't usually eat Korean food when I'm by myself.

Disorder!!! At The Dormy

2008-04-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

2008-04-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

This morning I hopped on the subway and headed over to Nondaemun market to do some shopping and see the Gate. Sadly, some lunatic set fire to the millenia old Grand Gate a few months ago, essentially destroying this national treasure. I knew they were working on restoration but had hoped for a glimpse...no such luck. They've got the thing locked up tighter than Fort Knox and there isn't even a point to posting photos of the pathetic wall around it.

So, I wandered the market for awhile had some lunch and then decided to head back to my side of town. In a stroke of genius I decided that I should head over to the COEX mall first to pick up a few more souvenirs. Mmmmm, hmmm. The mall on a Sunday afternoon. Have I mentioned I don't like crowds? I must be outta my effing mind.

At this point, I've been on my feet for about 4 hours and am starting to get a wee bit cranky so I decided to attempt to see a movie. At the theatre here they have these handy little flyers you can look at to decide what you want to see. So, I picked the two English language choices and began the long road to movie magic.

Movie 1 - American Thriller I know nothing about staring (my crush since 7th grade) Brendan Fraser:

Movie 2 - American Thriller I know nothing about staring Milo Ventima...cutiePie from Heroes:

Armed with my flyers, I went to the ticket counter and tried to figure out what time they played to see if that could help me with my decision. But, of course, that doesn't help at all because the electronic signs move to fast for me to read:

I'm so tired and frustrated that I burst into to tears and start to walk out when, low and behold, I nearly walk into a small sign with todays times printed out and noted with their english titles. So, I went to see Pathology and boy am I glad because now you, my faithful friends and beloved family, don't have to. Although milo does have a pretty cute butt.

Designer Dog

2008-04-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

Designer pets are the new rage in Seoul and I saw this poor character waiting in the salon. Yes, he is getting a perm and I swear I saw him mouth "help me."

Item of the Week

2008-04-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

After NANTA and dinner, Jinju and I wandered around the streets of Gangnam where I bought this delightful product from a street vendor for 2 dollars.

The Face Roller has brought me hours of entertainment, and that's just from reading the packaging. It's a massager for your face, designed to increase circulation and what not. Let's take a closer look:

Apparently it's especially for Conglobated Face and Large Neck. Lucky for me I have both those things! Now, onto the backside:

Dooode...it's going to promote the metabolism of my fattiness and improve laxation in my face! I'm so using this before bed every night.

The Wonderful World of Whisky

2008-04-20T04:47:00.001-07:00

Great font choice for a bar, dontcha think?

NANTA

2008-04-20T04:33:00.000-07:00

If a Korean soap opera & "Stomp" had a baby, and that baby worked it's way through college by cooking at Bennihana's you'd have NANTA, an off-brodway play that supposedly swept the nation in the 90's. Titled "Cookin'" when it toured Kansas and Missouri, it was a show rife with Jerry Lewis esque physical comedy and full of screwball antics. Except set in a kitchen.

Here are a few highlights:
- The "broomstick vs. Whisk nun-chuck" fight scene, resulting in one chef having a broomstick protruding from his rectum and the other stuck in a garbage bin.
- The "showdown with a duck" scene.
- The "gratuitous stripper dance" scene where the lone female star gyrated with a broom.
- My personal favorite, the "singing vegetables" scene. All I can say is "Karma-Karma-Karma Cucumber."

Yeah, needless to say, it was brilliant.

P.S. Are those sparks shooting out of her ass?

Busy, busy bee

2008-04-20T04:22:00.000-07:00

In a much better mood today, although I would still prefer to be sitting in my own hotel room creating this post. If it were up to me I'd be lying on my bed semi-nude with the air conditioning on. Not that you wanted or needed to know that.

Point is, summer is here and it is warm. The girls at the office told me that the last few years there has been no spring or fall here in Seoul. What a pity, those are my favorite seasons.

It's been a busy weekend so I'm going to post a few separate entries in the interest of breaking it up. And then I'm going to go sleep like a baby...I think I walked 10 miles today. Mostly in circles. Enjoy.

meh

2008-04-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

I have been mentally composing a hysterical blog all day but now I am too disgruntled to write because:

A. The internet in my room has been down since yesterday morning

B. 2 different engineers have come to fix it and cannot figure it out

C. They gave me a key to the neighboring room, but apparently I'm on dial up because it took me 15 minutes just to download 6 fricking emails.

D. It's hotter than Hades up in this joint

So, I guess I'm not syncing the servers tonight and I will have to save my blog until I'm in a better mood. But, I did find this the other day which makes me happy. And you thought I was kidding...

Example of a bad logo..

2008-04-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

That's kinda hokey, but it's probably a construction company or something...

Ack!!

Hey Shakes? I win.

2008-04-17T06:38:00.001-07:00

Tee shirt purchasd at Gangnam Station, for 5000W:

And the bag it came in:

Runner's Up:

I'm complete bummed that I was unable to find a single one of these in anything larger than a small/medium. I would rock the last three like no tomorrow if "The Ladies" didn't warp the text beyond legibility. So, if you are lucky enough to be one of my skinny friends you'll probably be getting one of these as a souvenir. Give a shout if you have a favorite!

Saturday, In The Park...

2008-04-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

Silver & Jenny took me to Namsan Park on Saturday to see the beee-yoo-ti-ful Cherry Blossom trees. We took a small hike up the hill to N-Tower, where we were treated to a 360 degree view of Seoul and enjoyed yogurt parfaits at the deli.

Jajang Of Old Was Eaten By The King?

To the North - this is the "downtown" area and includes Iteawon & Insadong:

To the East:

To the South - my hotel is in this one, on the other side of the river. Those are the cherry trees that line the road on the way up.
To the East:

Afterwards, we went to lunch in Gangnam and the menu items were listed in Italian with Korean descriptions. Very convenient as I speak neither language, but I managed to order pasta with Salmon. Unfortunately, it came with a giant helping of fish roe on top that kinda made me gag. Somethings just don't belong in cream sauce.

I tried to post this on Sunday but my computer spazzed out on me so I gave up and took a nap. Which is mostly what I've been doing all week - 7 days later and I'm still showing signs of this cold/flu from hell! I'm off the "guns" and starting to feel better though so I'll try to post more soon.

Fun At The Pharmacy

2008-04-09T03:42:00.000-07:00

I managed to purchase two boxes of what appear to be cold medicine, however, not being able to read Korean I thought I'd pop on-line and see what I'm taking.

Here is the original text from the Myticin manufacturers website:

마이티신엑스 과립은 한의서인 온병조변에 수재되어 있는 은교산을 원방으로 한 제품으로 발열에 의한 각종 염증성질환 (인후염,기관지염 등) 및 감기의 제증상 (입이 마르고 두통, 기침)에 효과가 있어 해열, 진통완화작용을 나타냅니다.또한 성분중 금은화와 연교는 소염, 해열, 항균, 항바이러스효과가 있어서 악성종기나 인후염에 치료제로 사용되고 있습니다.

효능, 효과 : 인후염, 편도염, 목감기, 중이염 및 기타 염증 성분 : 감초, 길경, 박하, 금은화, 연교, 영양각, 형개, 우방자, 담죽엽, 두시 용법용량 : 1일 3회,식전 또는 식간에 복용 15세 이상 - 1회 1포, 7~14세 - 1회 1/2포, 5~6세 - 1회 1/4포

And in Engrish, as translated by Bablefish:

The E the mote shoes X granule is becoming the bright person in all bottle instant costume change which is from a herb doctor kyo the mountain the various inflammation nature exchange in the remote area due to a heat generation with one product (piece dyeing which is, bronchitis back) and the cold in Je Jeung Sang (mouth dries and headache, cough) to be an effect alleviates a fever, shows an anesthetic relaxation action. Also gold and silver anger and year in ingredient kyo there is a quenching, removal of fever, a clause germ and a clause virus effect and in the piece dyeing which is a malignant end B it is used with the remedy. Effect and effect: The piece dyeing which is, one way Yum, the neck cold, the tympanitis and other inflammation ingredient: Around the licorice, route, the peppermint and gold and silver anger, year kyo, the nutrition angle and the elder brother dog, the friendly nation it sleeps, wall gruel Yub, it lets, use dosage: 1st 3 times, before or for taking medicine above 15 three - 1 time 1 gun, 7~14 tax - 1 time 1/2 guns, 5~6 tax - 1 time quarter guns

I think my favorite quote is the "elder brother dog, the friendly nation it sleeps." No wonder we have problems with international relations! I'm going to go take 1 time 1/2 guns and go to bed. Wish me luck.

Exclusively designed for well-being of young generation

2008-04-08T04:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't tried this, due to fear of what it would do to my delicate system, but I had to buy it so I could take a photo of the bottle. Beer + Fiber. Yumm.

In other words, all the blooming trees in Seoul seem to have awakened simultaneously on Saturday. This may or may not be related to my current state of fever, sneezing and general malaise but they sure are pretty.

McCain

2008-04-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

I like the guy. Granted, I grew up in Arizona but, I tend to label myself myself Democrat. I just saw McCain on Letterman and it reminded me why this election is going to be better than the last. Regardless of who wins, we have a good selection of candidates that are *trying* to avoid the mudslinging. The way a campaign should be. (she says with breath held)

A Love Letter

2008-04-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

To X, Louis & Steddles – I miss our Sunday Brunches and Happy Hours, plotting out plans for OBD. I miss hitting up the Ter-gat, searching for bargains and writing each others personal ads. I miss text messaging after American Idol to determine who should stay and I miss wine tastings at Jerry’s.

To Miss V – I miss our lunches, talking about work and our goals, knitting and your family. I miss our afternoon walks and conspiring over Fish Tacos. I miss coming over for dinner and being overwhelmed with children and playing the Weeeeeeeeee.

To Gilbert – I miss our afternoon coffee breaks and mini-snark sessions. It’s just not the same via IM.

To NL - I miss happy hour @ Hall Street and Mingo’s, learning more about the amazing person that you are. You inspire me & I can't wait to meet C.

To Sweetcheeks and my FDB’s – I miss lunches at PF Changes. I miss pretending to know sports just to hang out with you & enjoy your company. I might miss drinking your vodka, but I don’t miss losing my shoes. Ya’ll Rock.

To my Arizona (&soon to be CO) peeps & my family– I miss you always, so not much is new. I just miss you more.

To the former Ms. Sox & hubby – see above. I hope you don’t have Rabies from the MouseCoke Incident of 2008. Much Love.

To Monkey – my Boise Girl, I miss our long phone conversations and being able to run everything by you when I have a decision to make. I miss hearing about your crazy adventures at Sonic and all the things you’d never thought you’d say before you had a kid.

To all my other friends – I miss you too. I just don’t have as much to blog about. Drop me a line and keep me updated, I'd love to hear from you.

And last, to Sabine – I miss you most of all. I miss you sleeping beside me...inching closer and closer until you are practically on top of me. I miss our walks and trips to the dog park and how you keep giving me your Kong (over & over & over again) in hopes that I will give you more peanut butter. I miss the way you sneak between my legs when you are nervous so that I will protect you. I’m so sorry baby, I know you don’t understand why I left and I want you to know that I will be a better (dog)mom when I get home. I promise.

Observations

2008-04-01T01:33:00.000-07:00

A few of you have asked about the food and culture so here is a random list of observations I have made over the last few weeks:

It's next to impossible to find a napkin in a restaurant. You might get a wet nap or a cocktail napkin, if you are lucky, but often they will give you Kleenex if you ask.

There are 100's of types of Kimchee and it is served with every meal. Even Italian.

"Personal Space" is as foreign to Korean's as Brazilian politics. I have been elbowed and shoved more than you can imagine. It's not a matter of rudeness but rather that there are simply so many people and so little space.

Copyright infringement is also a foreign concept, as the Michigan Dental logo or Batman lounge attest. Many of the main brands here look identical to American or European brand...just slightly different. It's fascinating to me due to my background in design.

Traffic is insane. I haven't seen anyone get hit yet but I know it is just a matter of time.

Although mostly reserved in nature, there is not as must stigma here about sex. You have to ask for tylenol at the pharmacy but you can buy 14 types of condoms and lube. At the movie theatre there was a commercial for birth control suppositories - I could tell from the imagery and not the text, if that tells you anything.

It is also standard to have photos taken of your newborn baby boy with his penis prominently displayed. I've seen a few in shop windows or during the birthday parties hosted at Amigo's. I think in American the parents would be accused of child pornography, when in fact, they are just proud.

There is a pretty big entertainment industry here, but I see American's selling a lot of stuff. Or a commercial might have Linkin' Park playing in the background. I find the contrast interesting - Korean speech and English lyrics.

As my brother mentioned, the main streets here are incredibly wide. I hadn't really noticed until it was called out but now it seems so obvious. Most of the big streets have 4-6 lanes of traffic in each direction. And it still never moves.

They like it warm here. I have a fan at my desk and wear short sleeves. My office mates are always complaining of being cold.

I love Clive Owen. That has nothing to do with this list except that he is on the TV looking wonderful.

I think I mentioned the address system, or lack thereof. It's very odd to show a cab driver a map & an address and have him be clueless on how to get there.

Although not much different than America, people don't tend to venture out of their neighborhoods often. When I told my office mates that I rode the subway to Gwacheon, a 20 minute trip, they were floored that I had traveled so far. S had not been to Itaewon in over 7 years, though it is merely a $5 cab ride away.

Cabs are cheap. Which is awesome, provided and you can convince the driver where to go.

I don't like the electrical outlets - they are too loosely attached to the wall and inconveniently placed - using the hair dryer over the toilet doesn't seem to safe to me.

Vendors hawk their items with a megaphone while driving through the streets. The first week here I thought we were about to experience a coup. Turns out it was just a sale on strawberries.

I'm sure there are tons more but I've prattled on long enough for today. Love you all!

Way Better Than The Stork

2008-04-01T01:32:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

2008-03-30T01:20:00.000-07:00

Huge blog dump coming, you might want to go get a cup of coffee. XO

Friday: Jason Mraz and the W Hotel. Obviously, Mraz was awesome. The venue was similar to The Roseland in PDX so it was nice and intimate. The crowd was all sorts of rowdy and Jason even stopped the show to make an "Important Safety Announcement" about the crowd crushing the folks in the front. The band played a full show and 2 encores, probably about 2 hours of music with the opener. My knees are still sore from standing and jumping for so long.

The Venue from outside:

Jason! This is after the show - he came out to take some Polaroid's of the crowd & play a quick solo:

Afterwards we took a shuttle bus up the hill to the 6-star Sheraton "W" Hotel to have a very expensive cocktail. The hotel is incredibly modern and has some very neat spaces, including an ultramodern bar with 70's style pod chairs. My POS camera refused to accept such modern greatness so photographic evidence is slim.

The light sculptures at the entrance:

The individual bathrooms and sculpture garden:

For X - The one on the right is Kettle One:

Saturday: Itaewon & Insadong. The girls from my office took me out for lunch and then clothes shopping in Itaewon. This was possibly the most humiliating experience of my life because I am a chubster and we had to ask up front if the shop carried "Big Sizes." More than a few shopkeepers laughed in my face, but I did manage to find a skirt that will suffice for the DMZ trip.

The rest of the day was awesome. We went over to Insadong and I got most of my souvenir shopping done before dinner. The girls also bought me a few gifts, which was strange but really nice. I enjoyed hanging out with them and hope they are not just being nice to me because I'm from WHQ.

This is where the ring the New Year's Bell. People in Korea celebrate their birthdays at the start of every year (and their actual day!) so it's a big festival:

A man pounding rice for a traditional snack:

Me and Strawberry Girl, a very famous cartoon. Her best friends are Watermelon Man and Dung Boy. I'm kinda sad they didn't have a Dung Boy statue to pose with:

Sunday: Seoul Grand Park & The National Museum of Contemporary Art. I took the subway all by myself out into the country and the Grand Park. The art museum was nice but I can't say I enjoyed most of the art. There were a few great pieces and a lot of strange stuff. The visiting exhibition was a French artist and her work creeped the pants off me - I seriously could not get out of there fast enough. I guess if the purpose of Art is to inspire emotion it was successful, but I am now terrified of stuffed animals.

The open air sculpture garden, where I enjoyed an Orange Juice Soda:

On the way back I passed Seoulland "where happiness & adventure come true":

I'm pooped from all the walking/standing/shopping I've done this weekend. I almost went to see "Once" at the theatre on my way home, but there was only 1 ticket left and I wasn't in the mood to crane my neck from the front row. So, I'm going to be lazy here instead - maybe I'll go have a Stake at Amigo's!

On a side note, Pan's Labyrinth is possibly the scariest movie I have ever watched in Spanish with Korean subtitles - I have no idea what the heck they are saying but jeepers, it is fascinating.

Fun With Food!

2008-03-30T01:10:00.001-07:00

I think they wanted to use an "H" here (on the back of a cheese package):

The biggest carrots. Ever:

For My NTS Peeps

2008-03-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Name that logo:

Ha!

2008-03-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

I just saw the funniest commercial for French Cafe (coffee drink) featuring the lead actor from "Prison Break." You know, that silly show on FOX about a bunch of macho guys that have been wrongly imprisoned? I guess star Cutie McGee has a softer side he displays in Korean commercials. He was sitting at a baby grand piano on a patio, overlooking the city at sunset. While gently taping the keys he softly sang "Baby, I love you..." I'm not sure if he was singing to the coffee or because of the coffee. Either way, I LOL'd.

Tomorrow night is the Jason Mraz concert and I'm super-excited. We are leaving the office at 5, stopping by my hotel to drop off the laptop and then heading to dinner in Gangnam and the show in central Seoul. It's a sold out show but I think it's a smaller venue so maybe I'll get to see Jason up close. Fingers-crossed. Wheeee...it's going to be awesome!

Curious

2008-03-25T04:45:00.001-07:00

I found this cool site full of web tools and thought I'd test it out with a quick poll.

Another Photo Blog (Mostly)

2008-03-25T02:41:00.001-07:00

Saturday I had intended on going shopping in Insadong but the torrential rains kept me closer to home. During a break in the rain, I decided to try walking to E*Mart (the grocery mega-store). I figured if it started raining again it would be a lot easier to take a cab home and at least I'd be getting some exercise. I never found E*Mart, but I stumbled upon Seolleung National Park, housing the tombs of a former King and Queen.

As you can see, the park is right in the middle of the city. But it's strangely quiet inside and there are lots of places for sitting and walking. In fact, I'm pretty sure the locals just go to walk the loop & watch the birds. Total Admission Cost: $1.

I also found the Lotte Department store and wandered around. It was similar to a Nordstroms - very high end with little boutique-like shops & a huge food court/gourmet foods area. In the ladies room I got caught trying to take a photo of the warning signs on the bidet. You can't see it well but it's all kids doing strange things on the toilet. On the bottom left is a little boy smoking that just cracked me up. Like, yeah, that's the first thing I think of when I think "Danger" & "Bidet."

Saturday night I met up with an American friend of a friend for dinner & many drinks. We met outside the subway and I was enjoying the throngs of people coming up and popping their umbrellas open. I saw a few people get smacked in the face.

Look - it's She's Bar! Right next to Dunkin' Donuts:

M's friend Y - playing the Didgeridoo at the Hookah bar:

Very Drunk People:

I unfortunately didn't get any photos inside the Flinestones bar, but I got a lot of blurry shots like this. I think it sums up my state of mind at the time:

Lastly, I go to the local convenience store just about everyday for snacks or drinks. I was delighted to find a fruit basket today with cherry tomatoes, mini oranges and the biggest grapes I've ever seen. It just made me happy, so I leave you with that.

The Other Boleyn Sister

2008-03-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Working Titles:

Poor Girl Makes It Big, Loses Head

I Betrayed My Sister For This?

Scarlett & Natalie: A Love Story

I Bedded a King and All I Got Was This Stupid Baby

Ain't Karma a Bitch

One Hundred and Twenty Two

2008-03-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

The morning started like any other morning - wake up, shower, dress, log in to work network to chat & check email. Slowly a terrifying tale unfolded...while I slept last night 122 of my colleagues were laid off. And another handful have "fallen off the org chart" and being absorbed elsewhere - wether they like it or not.

The idea of being laid off is terrifying to me. In my current state of debt there is no way I could survive on unemployment, and frankly, the job market sucks right now. So I feel pretty bad for those 122. I don't know exactly who they are or what they did, but it sucks. And the way the company is handling these "re-orgs" sucks too.

For instance - a friend was offered a choice: take this job (in my department, and which she does not want) or you can quit. But if you quit, you will not get severance or benefits. Nice huh? Meanwhile, that job was a rare opportunity for advancement in my group - and it's been taken away. Needless to say, I'm not in a pleasant mood.

Another Day, Another Dalla'

2008-03-20T02:32:00.000-07:00

I woke this morning in a really great mood, ready for a fantastic day. And then I logged in to my work email. Ugh. I've been frustrated with many of our business practices for a long time, but you don't realize how bad things are until you try to explain it to someone else. I feel that we've hired these bright young PAs to help us out but have thrown them in to a broken system & are expecting them to fix it. If we don't rethink the way we currently operate we are going to be in a world of hurt. Anyway, I don't want to go into a lot of detail on the world wide web, but it's been a long week and I'm looking forward to Friday.

I'm so deep in football illustrations and red tape that by the time I come home I just want to crash. Last night I managed to go out and explore some new areas but chickened out when it came to trying a restaurant. It's not so much that I'm afraid of the food, but that I don't know how to order when a menu consists of listings like this: 밥 사발. I don't want to point at something and end up with the Raw Eel Delight. So, I bought some premaid meals at the 7-11 and ate in front of the TV. Hopefully after I'm here a little longer I'll grow some cajones and spend more weeknights out on the town.

Tomorrow night I'm going to see The Other Boleyn Girl with Jinju and Danny. I really have no interest in this particular movie because, well, it looks pretty bad. But, I thought it was so nice of them to invite me. I had mentioned that I really like the movies but that I didn't know how to read the schedules and buy a ticket. I think they feel sorry for me - but who cares! I have Korean friends!

I bought a subway pass the other day so I'm ready to test out some new areas. I'm thinking of going either to Insadong, which is the more traditional area of temples & markets, or to Hangik, the local artsy neighborhood near a major university. We'll see how I feel - I reserve the right to change my mind at the last minute and go to E-Mart.

Finally, I've been looking into tours of the de-militarized zone (DMZ). You can only go with one of the guides and you must wear appropriate dress (no jeans, no tee shirts, etc), which means I have to buy some new clothes. I'd like to find some nicer things anyway so I can keep up with the cute girls at the office. So, keep your fingers crossed that I can find some XXXXXL dress pants this weekend. Cause I *Love* shopping so much.

Oh, and that little jingle that the washing machine plays? It has gone from charming to evil.

Slow Night

2008-03-18T03:50:00.000-07:00

Exhaustion hit me like a wave this afternoon so I came home and crashed. I'm not sure if it's still jet-lag or maybe allergies but I could barely keep my eyes open. I was too tired to venture out & ordered a chicken salad from room service. I liked the spicy chili vinaigrette but I'm not a big fan of baby corn & pickles in my salad. Odd.

While dining, I watched "Alone in the Dark," one of the cheesiest movies ever. Staring Christian Slater & Tara Reid, it is based on a video game and there is probably some cult following. It was sooooooo bad. Really. Grade-A cheese. Awesome.

So, no new tales to tell. I think I'm going to have a cup of Green Tea ice cream and go back to bed. Another strange movie is coming on starring Sean Astin & Vinnie Jones. Maybe I'll get lucky and there won't be electricity-discharging alien monsters running amuck in this one. *Update* It' about a time-travelling bank robbery. Maybe not.

Also, my washing machine plays cute little music when it is done. Charming.

St. Paddy's Day

2008-03-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today I told my offices mates about St. Paddy's Day and that I was planning on going out for a drink at the local Irish Pub. Jinju wanted to come with, so after work we hailed a cab back to my hotel so I could drop off my laptop (Jeeves was mysteriously absent). While here, she helped me talk to the front desk about my broken dryer and they sent maintenance man over. Convinced that I was an idiot, he proceeded to give us a demonstration but, low and behold, he got the same error message. Turns out the drum is not draining properly and therefor won't dry. So, a repairman is coming tomorrow! Yay! Clean clothes! Without having to hang things from all the chairs!

Next, we sauntered over to the bar for a pint and shared a Caprese Salad. This being an Irish bar in Korea, I was a bit surprised that the Italian salad was so dang good. Afterwards, we wandered through the shops of Gangnam, stopping for Japanese style snacks and Cold Stone Ice Cream. I really enjoyed chatting with Jinju - I learned that she went to college in London and then worked in marketing before landing back here. She lives with her parents (as most unmarried Koreans do) and is amazed that own a home and "have to do all that cleaning!" We talked about the dating culture here, children, dogs, BBQ (backyard, not tabletop), coffee and movies. All in all, not the St. Paddy's Day I expected but a great one none the less. I leave you with a few random thoughts for the day:

• Why do I giggle every time I see the word "dong"? Maybe it's time to grow up.

• Maybe I should stop mentioning "dong" in a blog my parents read. (Sorry!)

• Tomorrow I'm buying tickets to see Jason Mraz. Sora & Adrianna are coming with!

• Why, o why, are the sewers here so pungent and prolific?

• This weekend I WILL take the subway

• Jinju said she'll go with me to Lotte World. Weeeeeee - Korean amusement park!

• The people I work with here are amazing. In fact, the people I work with in general are amazing

• I sincerely hate the elevator in this hotel. It is evil.

• I miss my dog, I miss my friends, I miss my bed...but I am so happy and thankful to have this experience.

Highly Entertained

2008-03-15T02:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been quite, my coworkers flew in on Wednesday and it's been non-stop fun. They have been traveling to different factories and fabric mills for 2 weeks are a bit crispy at this point. Anyway, Wednesday was Sara's birthday and we had a girls night after dinner. We went to JJ's at the Hyatt where they have live (English) music and dancing.

This is where we met Steven, a "Korean man from London." I think the velvet smoking jacket really say it all:

Thursday night I skipped out on the festivities and caught up some sleep. I wanted to be prepared for the Friday night festivities. First we went to dinner - pretty much half the office was there and we had a lot of fun. Look at all the food and booze:

Next we headed out for drinks, where I taught everyone about "Pineapple" shots and subsequently have photos of all my coworkers with double chins. I may also have some blackmail fodder, but I'll keep those private. For now.

Today I took it easy - watched a movie, struggled with the washer/dryer, discovered my calling card is bunk and took a tour of the neighborhood. I found some interesting things and am looking forward to exploring more.

Batman, The Club - I envision goth kids:

Some light Saturday traffic and sidewalk parking:

The nearest movie theater...I'm going to have to figure this out:

Who doesn't love Young Dong?

hmmmm...

Day 1 & 2

2008-03-11T04:35:00.000-07:00

Shakes and I went to the mall on Sunday to have some lunch and experience Korean life. We tried talked about seeing a movie but were to overwhelmed on how how to order a ticket in Korean. Here is a movie poster you might recognize, except not:

So, we decided to go to the Aquarium instead (also in the mall). It's just like most aquariums except in the middle you hit this Disneyland like area where they just put fish in anything they can find. Like washing machines or mailboxes.

My personal favorite was this little monster of a fish that reminded me of the Merman in Tombstone, Arizona. I may have nightmares for the rest of my life.

On our way out of the mall we stumbled across this millennia old temple, that is still a functioning church.

Also, it seems that the kanji I have tattooed on my neck now translates to "flower pot." Silver says that she recognizes the ancient meaning but that the asian languages change very often so this is a common phenom. At least it doesn't translate as "Piss Off."

Day 2
Worked pretty solidly throughout the moring and then went to traditional lunch. I asked the team about it and they said they went to lunch together everyday. Kinda a nice change from our solitary lifestyle in the US. Anyway, I had a roe based rice bowl and it was quite lovely.

Managed to spill an entire bottle of ginger root based energy drink on my lap, resulting in Shakes dreaming up the name of Gingerpants. Between this and the tattoo I may never be known as Kate again.

Later IK came up to me and asked if I wouldn't mind having dinner with the group. He asked if my jetlag was okay and I told him that I was tired, but would love to come out to dinner. He told me we would drink Soju (Korean Whiskey/Vodka) and it would kill the cold. I, of course, agreed.

We went out for traditional Korean BBQ and it was wonderful. The only problem I have with these meals is that they NEVER stop bringing out food. I seriously don't understand how they are all so thin. They just eat and eat and eat.

Also, the cows blood soup is not so bad - I didn't eat the coagulated bits but the broth is quite nice.

Just for X:
The girls here keep a toothbrush in the office bathroom for oral hygenene, but also keep a dishrack for the coffee mugs they wash there. Many of the toilets here have automatic seat covers and they have mouthwash dispensers in the bathrooms. Newcastle costs 12$ per bottle but oftentimes the boss takes you out drinking on the company dime.

Time Travelling is tough on the system

2008-03-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

I seem to have caught a cold so I'm feeling pretty groggy but, I am safe & sound in Seoul. The traveling went pretty smoothly, only a few exceptions. Like the United desk at Portland where about 300 angry people waited in line for one agent. Genius!

Anyway, once in San Fran I had the option of waiting for 30 minutes for the shuttle or to walk, but going back through security. I made the wrong choice and walked but I had plenty of time. Once in the proper terminal I went into The Red Carpet Club, which is giant museum like lounge with free snacks and drinks, where I ordered my 2 complimentary cocktails at once & surfed the internet for a few hours. Definitely more fun that sitting gate-side.

On board the plane I was very pleased with our seats. We had the ones that recline almost into a full sleeping position- it really is amazing compared to coach. Not only are the seats comfortable but they just shove food & beverages at you constantly and they don't get grumpy if you ask for another soda. We even had a menu to choose our main course from - I think the last time I flew the stew just dropped a plate on my tray without saying a word.

Look at all this leg room!

Our flight arrived early in Seoul and I was delighted at how well organized & maintained the airport was. I've never been through a smoother customs/luggage/immigration process. I think I was in the car with Jeeves in less than 20 minutes from landing. Hurray for efficiency!

Jeeves (the driver) is a man of very few words. In fact, hello was the only one he spoke for the first 30 minutes of our drive, and then suddenly he flipped open his cell phone and started barking at someone. I've quickly realized that I'm never going to understand Korea. I can't even pick out syllables must less recognizable sounds. And every conversation sounds angry, even when laughing!

Made it to the Dormy In and managed to check-in. The "helpful english-speaking" staff is not so much the later, so it was a comedy of errors as the clerk tried to explain what I needed to sign...I think i signed a lease for the first 30 days, but not the last 30. I have no idea why and I'm hopeful that I will not be evicted. I may have to look into this further - at the time I just wanted to get to my room.

Called Shakes, also entertaining, as I didn't have his room number and had to call the front desk for a transfer. It took a few minutes to give the name. "No, B as in Boy, Bombay, Boolim...no, no, not P - B," you get the idea. Anyway, eventually I said Nike? and she looked him up that way. Oy Vey. After he showed me how to work the heater (it was 90 degrees in the room) we headed out for a little walk and some grub.

So, less than 24 hours here I've tried Kimchee and Hotpot. I had a nice mushroom & seafood hot pot which is like a thick soup served boiling hot at your table. It was a little bland (I was hoping for spicy to help with the cold) but had some good flavor. I also have a general idea where all the local fast food and bars are...I'm sure it'll all make sense soon, but for now it's pretty disorienting. Most streets in Korea don't have signs or names so you find things by their building number. As in, the order in which the building was built in that district. So, building 80 Jamlil would be the 80th building built in Jamlil-Dong (Dong = neighboorhood, try not to giggle too hard). Or something like that...the point is, I've got to learn to navigate by landmark.

I think I'm starting to ramble so I'm going to go now. Here are a few pictures, I'll post more soon. XO.

The Room:

The view:

I'm taking votes on what this is, Shakes says cereal dispenser...

Here are the instructions, leave a comment with your vote!

Yeah, they're both for me.

2008-03-07T10:37:00.001-08:00

Hey, it's noon somewhere.

Yes, you are freaking out... man.

2008-03-06T22:40:00.000-08:00

Bonus points to anyone that gets the title quote...

Anyway, everything is packed and ready to go, I've got a cab reserved for an ungodly hour and I'm hoping I can manage to calm down enough to catch a few zzz's. My emotions have been up and down today, I just have to tell myself that 2 months is not a lifetime - it's too easy to get caught caught up in the things you'll miss rather than the excitment that is coming.

For instance, I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone at the Korea site and to trying kimchee. I might even try the "Squid doused in the fire of a 1000 suns" that Shakes keeps raving about, but probably not the Squid Jerkey... and I've been warned repeatedly that Sea Cucumber is NOT a vegetable, so that might be out. But there are lots of other things to look forward to.

I've never been to a city as big as Seoul. I mean, the logistics are mind-bottling - how do you fit 10 million people into 200 square miles? According to Wikipedia that's 44,000 people per square mile... I hope my neighbors use their Dial. And then there is the history: a sort of history that we westerners just can't fathom. For comparison, Portland was settled in 1843. Notre Dame Cathedral was finished in 1077. But Seoul first appears in the books in 18 BC. I can't wait to see the buildings and temples that have been around for nearly 2000 years. Now, that's what I call quality craftmanship.

And this concludes our lesson for the day. The next time I write I'll be on another continent and in a very different timezone. Keep your fingers crossed that someone remembers to pick me up at the airport!

The Final Countdown

2008-03-05T20:52:00.001-08:00

Dropped Sabine off at V's tonight and I'm a bit sad. It's amazing how quiet the house is without her little claws click-clacking over the hardwoods. And it smells a lot better without her constant gas...just kidding (sort of). I miss her already but know she is in excellent hands.

So, there is less than 48 hours until my departure and everything is coming together. I got my new laptop today and spent most of the day fixing all the stuff the IT guys messed up. I guess I'm good to go as I've managed to successfully log in from home and have skillfully mastered the Photobooth application - something that could be highly addictive.

Yesterday I went to the Mac Store seeking the elusive 17" laptop bag. They had several very nice but overpriced bags that I was willing to purchase, but didn't because the sales guy was such an ass. Yes, I passed on a sale out of spite. Sadly, I have no conviction and I went back this afternoon to sign over my firstborn in exchange for said bag. It should be very handy for carrying all my crap to and from work- it even has a special place for my ipod!

Pretty much everything else is taken care of too, with the exception of packing. I've always been a last minute packer so I'm not too worried about it. Besides, ya'll know I don't wear anything except black tops and jeans - it's not like I'm really going to miss some critical piece of wardrobe.

Murphy's Law Strikes Again

2008-03-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

I woke up energized this morning and ready to cross things off my list. I had grand plans of getting a bunch of work done before heading out for a long lunch break at the emissions testing center, followed by a few shopping errands. So, I logged on to DEQ's website to get directions and, low and behold, they are closed on Mondays. Okay, initiate plan two - move DEQ to tomorrow and take care of the shopping today with V. Everything was going swimmingly until we hit the parking lot at Target and discovered that I had a flat tire. Ugh, here I am, ready to leave for two months and I have to deal with all this automotive crap for a car that will just be sitting in my drive way. Go figure.

Anyway, it turned out okay. I bought some fix-a-flat, dropped V at work and took the afternoon off determined to clean up that to do list. I got the tire repaired and they must have sensed the crazed look in my eyes because they didn't charge me. I made all the other stops on my list, got quotes for airport shuttles and, although I haven't found a new laptop bag, I'm confident that I've done enough shopping. I even came home and took a cat nap. Now, let's just hope that stupid car passes emissions tomorrow.

P.S. A little icing on my day - I just got that speeding ticket in the mail and it's 200-fricking-dollars! For 10 miles over the speed limit? That's $20 a mile people- how on earth is that justified? It's not like I was driving through a playground of children!

When in doubt - Eat!

2008-02-28T20:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a rough week and to counteract the stress I've eaten my way to hapiness. So much for watching the weight - I'll have to save that resolution for next year but what else is new? In terms of trip planning things are simultenously coming together and falling apart. For everything I get done something else pops up in it place...but at least it's moving.

Had a bit of a meltdown today and spent close to two hours venting to my boss. I feel better knowing that she is aware of the challenges we are up against, even if she might be powerless to change them. On the good news, an email from Shakes and my little meltdown have resulted in me getting a better computer to take with me. Score one for the good guys.

I had to do a tutorial on the expense tracking system today and apparently whoever designed the tutorial doesn't have much faith in the users. The tutorial was "hosted" by an animated aircraft named Planey - something that I would have been really impressed by if I were, say, seven years old. Anyway, I made it through to our destination with Planey's help and now I am an authorized user. Unfortunately, the program doesn't work on a mac so I won't be able to use it anyway. I'm going to end up FedExing my reciepts over and my boss gets the pleasure of itemizing every one. Sucker.

My passport & visa arrived at HQ today so I should have them in my grubby little hands tomorrow and my new itinerary has been confirmed. I picked up my meds at the VA and it *only* took an hour and twenty minutes. One thing the VA pharmacy is good for (besides cheap drugs) is making you appreciate how precious your time is.

Finally, I took Sabine to the vet and she is okay - she has some swelling on her left ear that hasn't gone away and I wanted to get it checked. The doctor thinks it's either irritation from when she got nipped at the dog park or it's from violently shaking her head due to allergies. Either way, she was not very concerned about it and Sabine must be okay because today she not only learned to type, but she started her own blog! Check out the link on the right. Special thanks to Auntie V for helping her out - it really made my day!!

Did you get the memo?

2008-02-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

It seems that everyday another item comes up that needs to be addressed during my trip, and I'm starting to stress out. I'm soooo tired of the corporate red tape and worried about the lack of support network. I'm irritated that new projects keep popping up for the LCC, when they can't even handle what they've got right now. I'm concerned about taking on "training" tasks while not receiving any back-up for my regular workload. April is the busiest month for me in my normal category, usually leading to mad amounts of overtime. Last year I had 2 temps devoted to help me and barely made my deadlines. This year I have no temps, 3 more styles and have to re-name all of my carryover product...supposedly I can use the LCC to help me, but isn't their lack of training the reason I'm going over there in the first place?

To top it off, one of our PLM's told me a story about being tricked into eating "cows blood soup" while out in Korea. When he asked if that was tofu floating in it they explained it was coagulated blood & mucus. Yumm-o. I'm down to try new things but if anyone tricks me into eating something gnarly I have no problem retaliating with projectile vomit.

**Footnote: The LCC is the new PA team in Seoul. We use a lot of acronyms at work - I have a binder with at least 3 pages of them and I swear we come up with a new one every week. My personal favorite is MIU. It's what I do when someone submits an URGENT request but doesn't explain what they need. I just Make It Up.

Update

2008-02-25T15:37:00.001-08:00

So, after speaking to my colleague (see link on right for Shake N Bake) that just arrived in Seoul, I'm switching my flight out of Portland for an earlier one. Due to a delayed flight he ended up missing his connection, spending the night in San Francisco and then having a 5 hour layover in Tokyo. So, I'll be leaving PDX at 730AM...maybe I'll be taking a cab to the airport afterall.

Also, it's snowing there, our hotel rooms are decent but the hotel is kinda sketchy, Jeeves doesn't speak a lick of english and the city is "odiferous." Interesting.

Travel related items rattling around my brain...

2008-02-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

I'm having a hard time concentrating on all the things I need to do. So, in an effort to procrastinate I will post all the stuff I need to get out of my head. Let the brain-dumping begin...

- I hope my passport & visa come back this week. I had to actually send my passport out to San Francisco and it makes me nervous. I asked the travel guy about it and he said they had "Only lost 2-3 in the last few years." Thanks buddy, that's very reassuring.

- I need to fuss around with the new expense tracking system. There is some concern about wether it functions on a mac or not and I'd rather find out now so I can make alternate arrangements. Also, I need to find out if I can scan my receipts and email them or if I'm going to need to FedEx them back to the states. If I don't submit each and every receipt my AMEX doesn't get paid and I'm responsible for the late fees. And frankly, since the opening balance is going to be in the $5k range, I don't want to see that bill.

-As my mom keeps reminding me, I also need a calling card. My manager is checking to see the status on that. We thought they came directly with the AMEX but I guess they are mailed separately... it would be really nice if there was some sort of accurate information out there about the corporate travel policies and proceedures.

- I should get my new computer this week. Okay, it's actually a 4 year old laptop and not the sleek killing machine that I'd like, but it will be my lifeblood over there. I'm hoping for enough time to get files transferred over and things set-up the way I like. I'll also need to test out my new SecureID keychain thing and make sure I am smart enough to use it.

- When I get over there I am going to ask for help purchasing tickets to see Jason Mraz in Seoul, and ask about regional travel opportunities. I'd like to take advantage of my new location as much as possible, so I'm thinking a weekend trip to Hong Kong or Tokyo. Also, J suggested I move my departure date back a week and go to Thailand or Bali on vacation...I'm not sure I can do that due to time restrains, the fact that I already miss my dog and have deadlines at work, but I like the idea. Maybe moving it back a few days would be doable.

- Lots of personal errands to run, and no motivation to do so. I have some clothes to return, travel books to purchase and a vet appointment for the beast. I have to go to the VA to pick up my meds, which took 3 hours last time (for sinus medication! It's not exactly a rare drug!). I'm having a spare key made for my brother, who is going to keep my lawn from eating my house, and I need to set up dates to drop of my plants and dog with their caregivers. My truck is overdue for an oil change and the tags are about to expire, so I have to go to DEQ and I need to leave a blank check with X so she can pay the speeding ticket I got last week when it comes in the mail(whoops!). I need to borrow an electrical adapter from X, reprogram my thermostat, pack, update the iPod and set-up a bill pay schedule.

- I have lots of things to do for work too, like developing reference materials for the new group, creating list-serves, working with our new designer on processes, updating my CFE (yearly evals), working on CFE projects, emailing my team(s) to make sure they send me recaps of our major meetings & get me what I need for next season, planning a workload calendar, and continuing to work on my current (never-ending) season. Oh, and I have to remember to set out-of-office email and voicemails.

- I filed my taxes today and I'm only a few dollars poorer...a step up from last years $1500 payment, but still not making sense. I can't figure out how I can have nearly $20k in deductions but still owe money. Also, I think the IRS and my Employer could both use some lessons on how to provide clear & concise information. I mean, how am I supposed to know what my "principle business code" is when I don't actually own a business? Bof.

Finally, several of you have asked about my official itinerary, so here that is:

From: Portland Int'l Airport, OR (FIRST CLASS!!!!)
10:20 am, Friday, March 07
To: San Francisco Int'l Airport, CA
12:07 pm, Friday, March 07
Duration: 1 hour and 47 minutes

From: San Francisco Int'l Airport, CA (BIDNESS CLASS!!)
1:39 pm, Friday, March 07
To: Seoul Incheon Intl Airport
7:35 pm, Saturday, March 08
Duration: 12 hours and 56 minutes

From: Seoul Incheon Intl Airport
2:10 pm, Friday, May 02
To: San Francisco Int'l Airport, CA
8:33 am, Friday, May 02
Duration: 10 hours and 23 minutes

From: San Francisco Int'l Airport, CA
11:00 am, Friday, May 02
To: Portland Int'l Airport, OR
12:42 pm, Friday, May 02
Duration: 1 hour and 42 minutes

This turned into a much longer post than I expected, but I do feel a bit better now. Maybe now I can finish the jersey illustration I've been working on since Friday!

Benny Hill is alive and well

2008-02-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

Do ya'll remember when Benny Hill used to have those moments set to music where everyone was running around in caos? Well, this week was a lot like that for me. The best example was this afternoon when we had conference call planned with the new team in Seoul. Apparently H gave D the wrong number to call, so we ended up talking to the big boss (IK), who was unable to either transfer us or give us the correct number to call. We didn't know what our number was either, since we were in an unfamiliar conference room. So, we had IK call *company* to ask for the conference room in order to procure the correct number so he could relay that to the team in Korea. If my explanation sounds complicated and insane you should have witnessed the actual "meeting." I have deep concerns that this whole trip is going to be complicated and confusing. Moving on...

My travel has been officially booked and I will be leaving the states on March 7. I leave Korea May 2 only to return to Portland 2 hours earlier the same day after a 15 hour flight. The space time continuum has been breached. I will be flying first & business class, for the first & probably only time so I plan to take pictures regardless of the dirty looks I get from fellow passengers.

This afternoon I submitted the paperwork for my business visa and received my corporate American Express. I find it ironic that the two have nothing to do with each other yet sound the same. Anyway, it took me 3 tries and multiple phone calls to get the paperwork in order for the visa. I love when you are instructed to "fill the form out very carefully" but not given any instructions. I didn't have any of the info in regards to my sponsors, local address, type of passport (mine is an "OR" for ordinary) nor did I have my full itinerary yet, which I was supposed to enclose. Not to mention the fact that all of the date formats were different on the form (i.e. 2008/02/21 v. 02/21/2008), I mean, shoot - how hard is it to pick one and stick with it?

I'm sorry if this blog is disconjointed (is that a word?) but it's been a nutso week. To exit on an up-note I will include a video from my new crush. His names is Jason Castro and he is on American Idol...normally I kinda loathe that show but this kid just makes me happy, so enjoy.

Hotel

2008-02-19T20:12:00.001-08:00

We recieved our hotel reservations today for the "Dormy Inn Serviced Residences." Here are a few photos I took off of the Dormy's wesite:

You can also check it out yourself:
http://www.dormy.co.kr/xa01.htm

The rooms look pretty nice and include amenities such as kitchenettes and washing machine. From what I hear the clientel is primarily asian business men, which is why they have a "complimentary male sauna." Thats fine, gentelmen, keep your sauna - I've got a bidet to keep me entertained. And then, I'll head down to the Amigo lounge and have me a "tasty Korean stake."

Seoul Cliches

2008-02-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome! This new blog is devoted to my upcoming 2 month trip to Seoul. I will do my best to keep it updated and post pictures of my exciting travels. You wouldn't believe the list of Seoul cliches their are, and how many people thought of them before me. I just spent the last 30 minutes trying to come up with a blog name that wasn't allready taken. Here is a short list of blogs or websites that allready exist:

Seoul Glow
Seoul Asylum
Wandering Seoul
Window to the Seoul
Seoul Mates
Chicken Soup For the Seoul
Seoul on Fire
Heart & Seoul
Seoul Sister