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Raised on promises She couldn't help thinkin' that there Was a little more to life Somewhere else After all it was a great big world With lots of places to run to Email me: lao.ocean @ gmail.com December Photos Now Playing: Sorak-san The Windmill Salmon Festival Soccer Goal   Where do visitors come from? (Since 20-Dec-04) Fave flowesr: Plumeria Birthday: DEC 31st
Dance like no one can see Love like you've never been hurt Live like it's heaven on earth 
 Let's set it straight - Is the country Laos or Lao?Here's the answer This week... Things that make me happy
Movies I've seen this month
What they're saying about me
"She's a nut! Not too sure how else to describe an "at-first-glance" seemingly quiet girl who dances like a chicken when she thinks no one else is looking, who likes to pass off her "made up" answer for fact, until you look at her and see her hopelessly trying not to crack a smile, who WITHOUT FAIL remembers to put a line of dental floss in her purse before she goes out (and isn't afraid to use it after dinner, thankfully NOT at the table!!). I can always count on her to know the hottest hollywood gossip, and to dance till all hours of the morning with me." "My co-worker just told me that there was a premiere for Bridget Jones 2 last night, just blocks from my work, and we missed it! Hugh Grant, my beloved and the framework upon which my future husband is based, was just blocks away, breathing the same oxygen, and I missed it! If I had a friend here who was as savvy with E-news as you are, this catastrophe would never have occurred!" Guess what I heard... Oh my god!! This donut is so good! - Ras about a Krispy Kreme donut "I want to do! But what is paintball? There is no such word in dictionary." - Suwa, Japanese teacher "I am now skipping church to see if I am going to win my bids!!!" "YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA.....I won the felt tip pens!!!!!!!! Yippeee...."who let the dogs out...arf, arf, arf, arf"...."let me hear you say Y..M..C..A"....oh yah, who's your daddy!!!" - Renee Other favorite quotes:
A gift is an offering. A selfless act that adds something to someone's life. Something that they need. Have you ever walked by something and you just had this feeling that someone you knew would absolutely love it? Faith is believing when there is no rational reason to believe. Homer: "We Americans are England's children... I know we don't call as much as we should, or aren't as well behaved as our goody two shoes brother, Canada... who I should mention has never had a girlfriend... I'm just sayin'..." Anything less than mad, passionate, extraordinary love is a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life, and love should not be one of them. The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. When your heart speaks, take good notes. Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way. It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. Sometimes to see the light, you have to risk the dark. |
The Tera Burn (aka Spaceship Cafe)
3/29/2004
Sung to the tune of Gilligan's Island: Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip. That started from this Korean port, aboard this tiny spaceship. (Tera Burn) The mate was a mighty Happy (Valley) woman, the skipper a dancing queen. Five passengers set forth that day, for (at least) a three hour tour, a three hour tour¡¦¡¦¡¦ The drinks started getting rough, the mate's cookies were almost tossed. If not for the courage of the dancin' crew, the T. Burn would be dull; the T. Burn would be dull. The Kangneungers took ground on the shore of this uncharted little spot, with Catherine, the lao-ocean too, the gay guy, and his biatch, the British bird, the snowboarder and Rachael, here at the Tera Burn! The seven of us (Me, Kate, Rachael, Misty, Giselle, Kiran, & Paul) spent Saturday night in Sockcho, livin' it up at the Tera Burn. I've heard of this bar before from others who have been there, but this was the first I went myself. It's a metallic mass of wonder, that is known as the "spaceship cafe" by Korean. We arrived at the cafe and it DID look like some sort of spaceship. I almost felt like I was entering Heaven's Gate's headquarters, and should be wearing my Nikes. The place was really cool inside - a nice atmosphere. Our Kangneung group started to dwindle as the night wore on, because some people were going to hike Sorak-san the next day. Kate and I ended up being the lone Kangneung survivors as we head to the nori-bang with four other people around 4:40 am. By the time we finished belting classic tunes like Bon Jovi's "Bed of Roses", the sun was rising over the beach. I haven't been up with the sun in a long time, and it was such a beautful, surreal sight. It was one of those moments that really makes you glad you're alive. I'm giving an open invitation for anyone from Sockcho to visit Kangneung. If nothing else, the International Folklore Festival is being held in Kangneung from June 11-27, 2004. To see more pictures from this night, click here.
Breakfast at Tiffany's
3/21/2004
For the longest time, I've been wanting to watch old classics, like "Gone with the Wind" and "Casablanca". Everybody knows about these kinds of movies, but who's actually watched them? I think this generation is used to being shocked and entertained by special effects, so I don't think old movies would hold most people's interests. I try to have an open mind about movies, but I find that black and white movies turn me off. I'm trying to get over that... taking baby steps. The other day, I rented "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (c. 1961, in Technicolor!), wanting to see what the big deal was about. I only knew this movie on name alone. I stopped my urge of wanting to read reviews before watching the movie. Of course Audrey Hepburn's in the movie - she's such a classic beauty. You know what I mean? Nothing like Pamela Anderson or Britney Spears. She's just a simply beautiful woman. In addition, I was surprised to see George Peppard in the cast. You know... John "Hannibal" Smith, from the A-Team! ("In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.")   www.ateamshrine.co.uk
As a young man, George Peppard was pretty handsome, in an all-American, ex-football player, kind of way. As for the story itself? Short on plot, but the characters are the real main point. Audrey Hepburn is quirky, energetic, and just simply lively on screen. It's worth a watch on a Sunday afternoon, but don't expect too much action or plot development. "Cross my heart and kiss my elbow" - Holly Golightly (played by Audrey Hepburn)
A day off?
3/18/2004
Will we actually be getting another day off in April??? Let's only hope! April 15th is a Thursday, and that's the deadline for Americans to file their taxes. I don't really want to think about how long it's been since I've filed my taxes.
The Warehouse... mentioned
3/18/2004
So I'm here at my computer at noon, procrastinating on going to the gym. I don't teach until 4:40pm, so I really have no excuse NOT to go to the gym. Instead, I was on Dave's Esl, reading a post on yellow dust. When somebody posts a message, sometimes they put their website as a signature. I happened to click on this person's link, because the site name sounded interesting - www.lostseouls.com. Once there, I check out his blog and find out he's Helen's friend (she lives here in Kangneung too). There are a couple pictures of her and mention of his trip to Kangneung during a long weekend. The thing that I took note of, was that he talked of going to "The Warehouse" under his March 2nd entry. Well, I guess I should stop saying only "he". His name is James, and he's a friend of Helen's. Actually, I do remember James coming to the bar a couple times that weekend, but didn't talk to him. This was part of his entry: "It's a good job we did get something to eat, because after "The Warehouse", (a newly opened Hip-Hop bar where the DJ was skateboarding round the pool table in between picking tracks) closed we went back to "Bumpin'" and stayed until the owner finally told us to call it a day/night/morning at 6:45am." That DJ, was Ryan, of course.
St. Paddie's Day
3/17/2004
I'm not Irish or anything, but I like to celebrate holidays. Just some info I found about St. Patrick's Day:
Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ. There are several accounts of Saint Patrick's death. One says that Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 A.D. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the "evil eye." Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin city Enjoy a green beer today!
The ideal age?
3/16/2004
There was a little poll in USA Today, (conducted by Harris Poll) asking people people what the ideal age was, if they could stop time and live forever in good health. The numbers ran from 27 to 59. People in the age group of 18-24 thought the best age was 27 (which is how old I am now!). And the people in my age group (25-29), thought the best age was 31!!! It was a little surprising that the lowest number was 27 years old. If I could live forever, I think the best age is 25. You're still old enough to do whatever you want, but are still a young number. Since I'm close to be 31, I definitely don't want to be it. What do you think? What's the ideal age?
Chris & Rock
3/11/2004
Can you believe it? I've never had a celebrity encounter. Well... In high school, I did go on a Portland talk show, AM Northwest, after I won their contest of best idea for a date under $50. Still, Ed Bosley is only a small time celebrity in Portland - I wouldn't count that. So, I live vicariously through other friends or random strangers. This was an amusing article about a New Yorker who bought a cell phone, but was given Chris Rock's old number! Needless to say, there were a lot of celebrities calling. Lately, I've been listening to Virgin Radio, and really like it. I found it on Shoutcast.com, which is a site where you can listen to different radio stations around the world - you just need Winamp as a player. I found it surprising that usually, the most popular radio station is one from Korea, playing KPop. Virgin Radio plays a good mixture of 80's and current music. Playlists included Sinead O'Connar, Tracey Chapman, 80's new wave, 80's (Aqua Net, sponsored) heavy metal bands, Coldplay(!), Oasis, Travis, and Sterophonics. It's nice... I've been introduced to artists that I've heard about, but haven't had the time to download, ummm, I mean... buy their CDs. Another Catherine Rose into the world: "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star
Colin
3/9/2004
I'm so glad Colin Ferrell not only has looks, but some common sense... Colin Farrell does not want to be confused with rapper and accused statutory rapist R. Kelly. The other day on the Paramount lot in Hollywood, Colin met Lindsay Lohan, the delicious star of "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen." (a picture of her) "I will," said Colin, pocketing the card. Then a clang! clang! warning bell went off. "By the way, how old are you?" "Seventeen" she replied, trying to make it sound like 27. Colin handed her back her card. "Thanks, maybe in a year or so." And then he hot-footed it back to work.
Instant Coffee Taste Test
3/8/2004
I'm having today to reflect on, and write about last night, as I was too tired to go into detail in my previous entry. Of course, the night turned out to be longer than I had anticipated. I hadn't counted on dancing to house music for an hour or so, but was doing it because there were people actually dancing! In actuality, I don't even really like house music. This may sound stupid, but dancing to music that doesn't have words I can sing to, gets boring fast. Lyrics give me a time frame for a song. I have an idea when a song will end, if I happen not to like it. A song is typically three minutes, right? But when you listen to techno, the songs seems to go on FOREVER! Can you imagine Britney Spears singing a song for 5 to 7 minutes? Can she even speak in a continuous thought for that long? Maybe I'm missing something. I really DO want to REALLY like techno and house, but I just don't get it. I can appreciate it artistically, but most of it sounds the same to me. During the night, a male friend insisted that we had a heart-to-heart talk. He was drunk, and I was just trying to listen and be polite. He kept insisting that "we're friends, right?". In replying "yes", he then wanted me to divulge my deepest thoughts and dreams.... to "break down my walls". I think that's a load of crap. Just because I said we're friends, does't really make us "real friends". You can't expect someone you occassionally talk to, to open up just because you want them to. I WILL admit that I have "walls". I might be a hard person to approach. To put it frankly, I might seem like a cold b*tch with you first meet me. I know that. I'm not one of those people that can meet a bunch of strangers, and pretend like they're all fascinating people. I WISH I was a social butterfly, but have come to the realization that I'm an indifferent, fly-on-the-wall type. I even have a hard time feigning interest. I know this should be easy. Theoretically, it just involves eye contact and occassional nods of the head, right? Instead, I find my mind wandering... I wonder how long it took him to pluck his eyebrows... it's called Chaptstick, ever heard of it?... when is this conversation ever going to end? But this is NOT to say I don't have, or like having good friends. I just pick friends carefully. When I have a good friend, I AM a good friend. You can be sure you'll get a Valentine's present, even if you DO live all the way in Edmonton, Canada. Wasting my time browsing on Ebay, I can do. Wasting my time with boring people, I can't do. On a lighter note, I decided to have an instant coffee taste test. I never really drank instant coffee before coming to Korea. My parents always brewed a pot of coffee every day, and if I ever went somewhere to drink coffee, of course it would be brewed. I find that I like drinking little shots of coffee - just the perfect amount for me. I use the instant pre-mixed packages because I take them to work and it's a whole lot more convenient. As you can see, it's a choice between Maxim Mocha: Gold or Taster's Choice: Golden Mocha. It's really not too scientific, but here are my findings. Both mixtures looked the same when poured into a cup. When hot water was added, Taster's Choice had a darker color than Maxim. Taster's Choice was a little stronger, and bitter (to me). Maybe some people like it, for the fact that it's stronger. Overall, I prefer Maxim, because it was lighter and smoother.
Turn Tables
3/7/2004
I just got back from The Warehouse, and am waiting for my water to heat up... so I decided to write. I always say to myself, I'm going to go out for a bit, but make it an early night. It never turns out that way. During the long holiday last week, I was out from 10pm - 7am! That's more drinking than I work in TWO DAYS!!! Insane! Actually, it turned out to be a lot of fun, and I was doing pretty good until around 6am, when I s.tarted falling asleep at the table Tonight, Ryan brought his turn tables and and played around with it througout the night. It was cool to hear something different. After 1:00am, he was playing a lot of House music and quite a few people were dancing. One of the Korean teachers from my school came out with her friends. (She's the one in the denim jacket in the picture below.) They had come before, and I really didn't get the impression that she liked it that much, because it seemed kind of loud for them. It turns out, that they were there until 4am yesterday, after I had already left. They came back tonight, and one of them said he was coming back tomorrow with his friends. It's surprising, but I'm glad they had a good time. It was nice that everyone was getting into it and dancing. I'm a little exhausted... going to bed now...
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