Tuesday, October 31, 2006

March of the Damned


Waterfall of People
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Office space is one of my favorite movies. I like it because it shows us the absurd in the ordinary and around the office about fifty percent of what is done is absurd. Take this coming weekend. Avalon school has scheduled a hike up Bukhansan mountain. This is in an effort to built community and strengthen the ties of the school. I'm not sure about the other employees, but taking away one of my weekend days and putting me on a forced march with people I see five days out of the week already is not really going to help me love and support the school any more. In fact it might do the opposite. I try and look for the positive in every situation, but Bukhansan is the hiking place right outside of Seoul, that is dangerously overcrowded. I enjoy laughing at the absurd, unless I'm taking part in it.

Pictured is the peaceful hiking trail.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Imagine the following text to be fading away from you in classic Star Wars style. Maybe try squinting very hard.

Episode 2: Revenge of the Korean Sith Lord

A short time ago, in a country far, far away...

The one known as the wandering waygook has been locked in war with T-broad, the evil Korean cable television council for three long and chaotic weeks. He has appealed to the Avalon school support staff to no avail, and now is forced to endure a indefinate period of internet disconnection. Lonley and frustrated the wandering waygook now sits in his apartment reading, cleaning and plotting the demise of his enemies.

It really sucks when you get used to something ie. showers, regular meals, the internet and then it's taken away from you. At first I took my interent disconnection as a penance. I've realized that I rely on the internet a little too much. Before, I'd find myself staring a computer screen for hours when all I intended to do was find out some trivial fact like how much the average mosquito weighs. Yes, I think I overused and took the internet for granted, but whatever internet sins I've committed, I've paid for them and I'm ready to have the internet back. Anywhoo- friends and family, I actually have an excuse for losing contact this time.

Long awaited Chu-Sock photos are posted below. Enjoy.

Lost Already


Lost Already
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
After a few wrong twists and turns, we eventually found our way out of the hotel room.

Buddah


Buddah 3
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Which one is the real Buddah?

Laughing Dog


Laughing Dog
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
This statue greets you at the begining of the hike.

Bears Beware!


Bears Beware!
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Every year countless bears in funny hats suffer a tramatic deaths because of carelessness. When will it end?

Cave and Mountains


Cave and Mountains
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
The reason for the crowd was this thing, a hermitage in cave on a cliffside. This picture was taken in the cave looking out. I find it very ironic that plague-like porportions of people come to visit a place that once housed a hermit. I believe they drove the hermit away.

Watterfall of People 2


Watterfall of People 2
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Try and find Big Al.

Miffed


Miffed
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Allison's displeasure is clearly written on her face, while the crowd, the source of her displeasure, looms in the background.

After a Hard Day o' Hiking


After a Hard Day o' Hiking
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Meet the new Hite beer model.

Seoroksan Mountains


Seoroksan Mountains
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
View of the mountains on the way there.

Dark Mountains


Dark Mountains
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
View of the mountains on the way back.

Stuck in a Tree


Stuck in a Tree
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
A Kat stuck in a tree.

Pretty


Pretty
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Fall has struck.

PICT1489


PICT1489
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
The resemblence of a phallus is not a coincidence. With the statue I mean.

Camping


Camping
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Camping is rough. This was our humble little cabin.

Swimmin' Hole


Swimmin' Hole
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.

On Your Marks, Get Set...


On Your Marks, Get Set...
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.

Meriment


Meriment
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
The night was fun, but this photo is slightly staged. Everybody pulled out the fake laugh on htis one.

A Nice, Peaceful Fire


A Nice, Peaceful Fire
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
You've heard of white-man-fire? This inferno was actually built by Koreans.

Fire is Cool


Fire is Cool
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
Cool indeed.

Back to the Shadows!


Back to the Shadows!
Originally uploaded by karmking1111.
We warded off Korean vampires with our sausage crucifixes.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Threat of an Internet Disconnection

I'm still at war with the Korean cable company and my Internet is still disconnected. There have been minor skirmishes and battles and the cable company is still under the asumption that they are going to win but they are mistaken. I'm sure they're alligned with North Korea. You know the supposed nuke that was tested up north? I'm sure the cable company had something to do with that too.

The North Korea nuclear test has been the talk of the town; however, people here don't seem overly concerned, which in itself is a little bit concerning. In 1994 when there was a previous North Korean arms, missle, war, whatever scare I guess in the south people stormed the grocery stores stalking up on water, ramen and DVDs to wait out the impeding assault. That ramen thing is no joke. The Korean Herald reported about a ramen index, the amount of dried noodles that are sold in times of panic. This last little scare has hardly made a speed-bumb-sized blip on the ramen index. I'm not sure why people are so calm; however, if there's a choice between mass panic and relative calm, I'll take the calm even if panic the panic is more interesting.