Return to Korea

I was watching the tenth season of "Top Chef," and one of the chefs, Kristen Kush, remarked that she was going to use some money she had won in a competition to go back to Korea.
Although a native Korean, Kristen grew up in the States after she was adopted to Kentwood, Michigan.
I would be interested to find out how her trip to Korea turned out for her, and what kind of reception she got there. I would imagine that as the winner of the tenth series of Top Chef, she would probably be taken in most warmly by Koreans, who tend to see success like that as validation of the superiority of those born with Korean blood.
I would be tempted to warn her that she can't "go home again," and not to waste her money, but who knows? She may have  a positive experience. And she will certainly get some good ideas from the food that is available in Korea.
I just finished reading some books by Anthony Bourdain that Flint lent me. Bourdain writes well, and some of my favourite stories are when he talks about going to some out of the way hole in the wall in an obscure corner of the world and eating and drinking to excess.
It reminds me of the many times that Flint and I did that.
There was the seafood restaurant in Jeju-do, where we ate fresh fish and drank and drank and drank. How we got back to the hotel, I just don't know. I'd love to go back to that place.
There was another seafood place that was near Flint's apartment in Cheongju that served up a shellfish feast that can't be beat. All kinds of shellfish done all kinds of ways. We would just waddle out of that place, cross the street to the platform outside the corner store, drink beer and smoke cigars, and laugh at all the mooks that came our way.
"I-CHON-O-BEG-WON! DAMBEH!! DAMBEH!!!"
BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!
There was a pork place near his con-apt, as well, that served up the tastiest samgyup sal. It still makes my mouth water, especially the kimchi that went with it. Mmmmmmmmmmmm drool.
So, Kristen, I wish you luck, and hope you to enjoy the food.
But be careful of the natives.

Liquor Truck

A facebook friend posted a sign the other day that read: "If children can have an ice cream truck, why can't adults have a liquor truck."
That recalled fond memories of the liquor truck that Flint and I frequented in Cheongju. It was run by a pretty woman who was generous (to say the least) when she was pouring. We usually got the Long Island Iced Teas, which were mixed in plastic ziploc bags that had a base on them so they would stand up. We'd have to drink off quite a bit off the top before we could close them and carry them bavk to the Road King.
At least, we did until the proprietor told us to stop bringing in outside drinks to his bar.
Swell.
That was just another reason to stop going to Road King. He served rum and cokes that were okay, I guess. I mean, you could drink them, but the rum was nowhere near the quality that I can get in Canada. It was a brand called "Baita,' which I had never heard of before and hope never to see again.
But I digress.
I had hoped to include some pics of the liquor truck, but I neglected to take any at the time, and Flint is still searching for his. Maybe he can post them later.
Anyway, here's to the liquor truck, wherever it is.
Cheers!

What me worry?

I read a post on ROK Drop this morning that made me think of my time in South Korea. It was about the fact that most South Koreans don't seem to be concerned that the North is going to do another nuclear test. According to the article cited the government, media, and some politicians are concerned but your average South Korean isn't.

The blogger finishes up by purporting;

"When Koreans have lived under threat of artillery and chemical weapons barrage for decades it is hard to get to excited about nuclear weapons. Especially when most Koreans know the nuclear weapons are being used by the North to extort the international community."

I believe it goes deeper than that. It is due in large part to the whole "pure blood" and "we are all brothers" theory. They use that in order to bury their head in the sand and ignore the antics of The NorKs. Or to divert it into anti-USA crap.

What the ... similarity?!?!?

It looks like Canada has something else in common with South Korea, and Japan. Compensated dating.

I recently saw a news story on CBC about Sugar Babies. II couldn't find a link to the CBC story but found one for CTV.) A website where men can find University women looking for a sugar daddy. It reminded me a lot of what I heard about compensated dating in South Korea. Except that this is for University women and not High School or Middle School girls.

This site appears to be for legal aged women/men  to find a sugar daddy/mommy, to take care of them. You can look for sugar daddies, sugar mommies, sugar babies, or male babies. It is interesting to see how much money some want (or are willing to put out ;) ) monthly.  As long as all involved are adults  more power to them. Is it a form of prostitution? Probably but I don't really care as long as all are consenting adults.

What the ... spammer?!?!?!?

This guy keeps making me laugh. Ok, it may not be the same person but someone using whatever program this fucktard uses keeps trying to make posts on  WTK. Here is one from December.

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Appropriately enough the latest posts from this fucktard appeared in the thread "Speaking Of The Spam Folder" or rather would have if I had let them be published. :)

It's actually very complex in this full of activity life to listen news on Television, so I just use world wide web for that purpose, and take the latest news. Here is my web site :: ways to make money online

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Sometimes they even make me do a double take. The bad grammar always gives them away though. Keep trying fucktard. Some day you may get it right. Then I will just put you in the spam folder for being a spammer and not a fucktardic one. :)

What the ... friend?!?!?

I had a student in my first year who was simply amazing. He was in his early 60's and had started learning English for something to do after he retired. In 3 years, I met him in his 2nd year, he went from barely knowing English to being fantastic.

One day he took me and another teacher to the War Museum near Cheonan. He brought a friend with him. A guy he had known since before school. His 불알친구,  literally his testicle friend. Yeah, it sounds funny but it does really capture the idea of how long they had known each other. :)

And it factors into something that happened at work this week. But that is another story for another place. ;)

Life at the moment.

For those who may want to know why I am not around much right now I made a post on Flint's Follies.