Morning Tunes 4/1

Artist: Fleet Foxes
Song: Mykonos
Album: Sun Giant ep

Haenyo and me.

There are many things that fascinate me about Korean culture. The kimchi, the soju, the pop scene, the paternalism; I'm captivated by all of these. However, nothing gets me more excited than Haenyo, or Korea's 'women of the sea.'

Haenyo are essentially woman divers. They make their living by searching Korea's southern waters for abalone, octopus, and various mollusk-like beings whose names escape me. But here's the catch: they do it alone, without a boat, and without oxygen. Haenyo have notoriously strong lungs, and are known to stay submerged deep in difficult waters for minutes at a time. In a country where machismo runs rampant, I simply don't see any of the men holding a candle to the harrowing achievements of most Haenyo.

But their community is dying. The Haenyo are an exclusively female group, and whether they encourage it or not, Haenyo daughters are choosing not to carry on the tradition. Young Korean women no longer see the point of the profession. They would rather be secretaries or teachers, and avoid the tough skin, broad shoulders, and inherent dangers that are undeniable parts of their mothers' existence. Furthermore, despite the clear honor in their charge, Haenyo are often not afforded any special treatment by their husbands or other men of their generation. Korea's paternalism is supreme in this case. This seems to be another reason that the younger generations are staying away. The question for young Korean women seems to be, 'Why would I commit to such an arduous occupation if I won't be given due respect at home?' It's a valid question indeed.

Regardless, today's Haenyo continue on. Most of these women are in their 50's and 60's. They have safely reached 'ajumma' status in Korea. But all they know how to do is be Haenyo. In a country whose youth are stringently dedicated to modernization, these women are the last bastions of an older time. In my opinion, they're like cattle hurders of the old west, or shoemakers for that matter. Their profession is one where machines have more or less taken over, but they continue on.

I almost lost it when I saw a small community of Haenyo at my local beach. Many people told me I would have to make a trip to Jeju Island if I wanted to see them. I figured I would at least have to head several hours southwest on the mainland. Never could I have imagined they would be in my backyard. My friends didn't quite get the allure, but I honestly felt like I was in the presence of a celebrity. The water is cold this time of year! I wouldn't dare go swimming, but the Haenyo didn't seem too bothered. A small rubber suit seemed to be more than enough. Anyway, enough ranting... simply put, it was an experience I'll never forget.

Morning Tunes 3/31

Artist: Pearl Jam
Song: Even Flow
Album: Ten (Remastered)

It's no secret to many that I'm a huge Pearl Jam fan. I started with them 12 years ago, and nary a month goes by where I don't listen at least a little. The years since I purchased Vs. - my first tape! - have been informative. I can now see how Pearl Jam might seem like a 'bro' band to some. That makes sense to me, especially when I listen to Ten after a serious session with, say, Pat Metheny or Prince. Nevertheless, my allegiance is resolute.

Recently PJ authorized rock super-producer Brendan O'Brien to remaster the band's notorious first album. It was no secret to fans that the band always felt that Ten's original mixing was a little stuffy. Still, I'm sure that many die-hards will come down on the remastered album as a bastardization of a 'flawless' product. I disagree with that view. Ten wasn't perfect. I think the band was correct in their assertion that the original had reverb where their subsequent albums didn't, and that its presence dated what should have been a timeless album. I couldn't be happier about the remaster. O'Brien pulled the band out from underneath all that congestion, and now the album has an urgency it didn't have before. In truth, it sounds like I always wished it did.

From the Bowels of Seattle... TADGARDEN!!!

I am child of the 90's, and I'm also a rock and roll fan. Inevitably that means one thing: I love grunge. That said, I want to go further and say that I was never a Nirvana kid. For better or worse I almost exclusively worship at the alters of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. We all know what Pearl Jam is up to these days. Soundgarden on the other hand went down a much less notorious path. The band quietly broke up in 1997, their drummer joined Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell became a has-been, and the other members slipped into obscurity... until now!

Soundgarden, minus Cornell, reunited in last night to close out the Seattle stop of Tom Morello's (Rage/Audioslave) Justice Tour. It was the first time that the three had shared the stage since parting ways. I love how Morello, one of the biggest rock stars alive, sounds basically as excited as I would while announcing them. Vocal duties fell on Tad Doyle, who I guess is some sort of local rock mainstay in Seattle. He can't sing at all, but his performance probably has more honesty than anything Cornell has done since the 'garden. And listen to Kim Thayil! He's ripping like it's 1995! The whole band really hasn't lost a step.

If they do reunite I hope they don't bring along Chris Cornell. He's a shadow of his former self. Plus the whole affair would become about him. I bet they probably won't reunite though. Matt Cameron is doing just fine hanging out with Eddie Vedder, and I'm sure the other guys are more than staying afloat. What's important is that now we know they could do it, and do it well. What a way to start my weekend!

Hey remember that... before the recession? Pt. 8

This was still a legitimate threat. Times were simple. Life was good.

Another humble observation

Is it me, or do all elderly Korean men walk with both hands clasped behind their back? American old dudes would seem so much more dignified if they did that. Pass it on.

7 Mile Island - Jason Isbell

There's this lyric that's been in my head all day. I've got to get rid of it. My hope is that by posting here it might just float off. Anyway, this from a hot song on a hot album.

Mary's crying 'cause she can't hold water
and her clothes don't fit her right.
She used to say that she wanted a daughter,
now she only wants a Saturday night.

Morning Tunes 3/27

Artist: The Melvins
Song: Night Goat
Album: Houdini


*note: these guys and the Pixies were Kurt Cobain's two favorite bands.

The other side of the coin

I always intended this blog to be for everyone and anyone... including my parents. The whole idea was never to include something that was too crass for the masses. I'm sure I've slipped over the past months, but that remains my enduring goal. My parents do read this blog, and I'm totally ok with that. But I recently found out that they recommended it to a friend, and cautioned them that I use 'salty' language. Maybe this is true. In this case, as much as I hate to admit it, I think I'll have to cave. Obviously this is not an important post; just a small vent. Ok back to life...

*ps - the content warning at sign in is just a joke. Quite frankly I think I'll change it soon.

A Band Kick

I had a whole retrospective planned, but on second thought I think I'll just leave it here. Really what more is their to say that hasn't already been said? They're just The Band! The End.

Mythbusters

Tonight I gorged myself on eel for the first time. Let's hope I make it all the way through the night. Just ask me later...

This guy is cooler than you!

The Allman Brothers Band has played a multi-night run at New York's Beacon Theatre for annually for at least the last two decades. This year's run has been especially epic becuase they billed it as a celebration of Duane 'Skydog' Allman, the band's founding guitarist. 2009 is the 40th anniversary of his death, so it makes sense that they would do something, especially considering Greg Allman might not make it another 10 behind the organ.

They've got three more nights scheduled to make it 15 shows total. To say that their 'special guests' have been good would be a criminal understatement. Over the last two weeks Eric Clapton, Bruce Willis (?), Boz Skaggs, Taj Mahal, Page McConnell, Trey Anastasio, Jimmy Herring, Robert Randolph, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Johnny Winter, Sheryl Crow, Bruce Hornsby, John Popper, and Buddy Guy have all shared the stage with Greg and the boys. Plus; Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Kid Rock have been announced to round out the final three nights. Still, it's my belief that when all is said and done, the great Levon Helm should walk away with all the glory.

On March 9th, the first night of the run, The Band's old drummer hobbled up on stage and guided the Allmans through 'Ophelia', 'I Shall be Released', and 'The Weight'. I was lucky enough to see a professional video recording of the 'Weight', and it stirred me to the core. Levon looks like he's about to die, and he almost did not too long ago. But that's not it. What hits you is that his singing and drumming are just as solid as that night at the Winterland in 1969. He's on fire, and his foot is firmly up the ass of everyone else on that stage.

I've probably spent too much time in this post talking about the Allmans. They are great, but Levon Helm is a motherfucking rock and roll bad ass! I defy you to find me another singing drummer who could hold a stone to Levon. And anyone who says Don Henley should get spit on. There's nothing easy about what he does. He never relies on a simple beat, and almost none of his vocals are the kind you could phone in. His demeanor has always struck me as the kind that you don't see in the limelight much anymore: that of the consumate professional. Unfortunately some a-hole took down the video, but you've still got his music. Please, anyone who reads this, do yourself a favor and listen to one Levon track over the next 12 hours. It's the right call.

Internet IV drip

There is no doubt that I'm surfing the web more in Korea than I ever have before. Even if I volunteered for all sorts of menial tasks at school, I would still have time to get in at least an hour of web surfing everyday. As a result, I'm exponentially more web literate than I was this time last year.

Most of what I now know is a matter of absurd necessity. There's just a ton of free time at school, but as long as I sit behind my computer it looks like I'm getting things done. But here's the absurd part: there's nothing to get done, and I can't read books. I tried to read a book once, and my co teacher asked me why I wasn't working. But let me put that in perspective. I routinely see her buying clothes online and checking Korean news sites. So with no work to do, and no books to read, I must gain sustenance from the infernal screen.

As I imagine most of you enjoy surfing the interweb, I figured I should share some of my favorite sites.

A) Uncrate.com - I, at the moment, have no money to buy any of the things available from this site. But at least I now know where people stumble across those trinkets that make me say "f---! where did that come from?" This site specializes in great mens... stuff. Everything from houses (that's right!) to T-shirts. There's a great womens alternative site as well... but right now the name evades me. I'll post it as soon as I can.

B) Thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/ - Here is a legit compendium of the tour riders from over 220 of the world's biggest acts. There are countless hours of brainless fun to be had.

C) Freerice.com - I had actually heard of this site before Korea, but only began routinely using it here. The gist is that you get asked a whole series of multiple choice questions on topics you can choose: spelling, capitols, grammar, math, etc. For every question you answer correctly, the site's sponsors donate 10 grains of rice to a relief fund. It's good for the brain and the heart I suppose.

D) Glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/ - Probably one of the coolest music blogs I've discovered. It tends to lean more on the jammy side of things, but it has a really thorough list of other blogs that you can check out. Other notables include pastemagazine.com's blog, aquariumdrunkard.com, brooklynvegan.com, and the blog at allmusic. com - sort of an uber blog if you ask me.

E) metacritic.com - Seemingly has the release dates of every album from now until eternity.

F) Popseoul.com - For those of you into perezhilton.com, this blog is THE English language celebrity gossip blog for Korea. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I've always believed that celebrity culture somewhat defines youth culture, and nowhere is that more true than in Korea. There just isn't the amount of individualism here to breed dissent for this kind of thing. Anyway, it's a great site that you all should check out.

G) Fffound.com - There's really no trick to this site. It's just a well-organized set of the coolest paintings and photos that you've never seen; perfect for those people who NEED to have a computer background cooler than their friends.

H) Desdecuba.com/generationy/ - This is a blog from the unlikeliest of places: Cuba. While it's obviously high on the anti-Castro rhetoric, to me it's just a cool look inside a place few Americans of my generation have been to... and none legally.

There's literally millions more, and I will absolutely post them as they're discovered. Time.com has a great list of all sorts of websites - from tech friendly stuff to places that sell the best baby clothes. Literally, they have organized hundreds of sites that I'm sure you never would have found. I actually need to begin forcing myself to try new sites. The last thing I want to do is stagnate, especially when my new go-to sight is, all cliche aside, just a click away. I hope you enjoy. And if you have any cool sites you know of, don't hesitate to send them my way.

*Yes, I already know about twitter and fmylife. But if you don't, you should check them out.

On its way back...

Spring has begun to bring more pleasant temperatures to the northern hemisphere, and with them will surely come any of fall's lingering fashion trends. In Korea, the female fad to beat is the black tights-under shorts-in flats 'look.' I wish I could come up with a catchier reference, but I'm just not that quick. For the record, I'm quite pleased at the idea of this look is coming back. I like dark attire, and I think Korean (read: east Asian) women pull it off better than most. Their hair, their skin, the contrast therein; it all just works. But I also see this look as indicative of a higher social phenomenon amongst young Koreans.

'The tights look' is, to me, a tasteful synergy of the opposing forces present in the lives of most Korean teens. On one hand, the look is showy in a very western way. There is, after all, a lot of leg exposed. On the other hand, all that leg is clad in a stern, conservative black, more befitting to the standards of older generations. I would say it has youth and frump in equal measure. It both teases and scolds (though I believe the former is probably closer to the desire effect).

Morning Tunes 3/25 and 3/26

I've been dangerously lazy on this blog as of late, so I decided that a daily themed update would at least get me to the site, and then hopefully compel me to post more. I have a solid 10-minute walk each morning, and I usually listen to 1 or 2 songs from the same artist. My goal now is to list the first song I listen to every weekday. I know it's insignificant, but isn't most of the rubbish I throw on here? So I'll start with the double whammy of yesterday and today. I hope you can handle it...

3/25/09
Artist: Mastodon
Song: The Czar
Album: Crack the Skye



3/26/09
Artist: Frank Zappa
Song: It Just Might be a One Shot Deal
Album: Waka/Jawaka

So I was on the bowl yesterday doing what I usually do: reading. This particular occasion had me flipping through an old Korea guide book; the Moon South Korea guide if you're curious. I began to read a small passage about the national flag and realized that I wanted share a little bit with you. Tell me if you notice anything troubling about this depiction.

The central circle is a yin/yang that representing the interrelatedness of opposing forces, the dualism of nature, and the harmony and balance of opposites. The red upper half is the positive half, representing light, day, fire, maleness, goodness, life, and heat; the blue lower half represents darkness, night, water, femininity, evil, death, and cold.

To me, it's not the depiction itself, but its accuracy in describing facets of Korean society that I see everyday.

Further medical disclosure: mohm sal

Yet another fascinating Korean health pheonomenon: Mohm-sal

Mohm-sal: (몸살) a condition when your body is unable to function (i.e. get up) due to exhaustion or extreme fatigue- a uniquely Korean phenomenon. Many ajummas (old, married, somewhat shriveled women) get this. However, “mohm-sal” affects all ages. - courtesy of popseoul.com

Nope, not in my mouth...

Just below I mentioned that my friend Sam's co-teacher told him that his inhaler prescription was unnecessary. A mask would suffice. These masks (pictured above) are one of the most puzzling, albeit ubiquitous things going on in Korea. Women of all ages where them daily, and without any sense that they convey a Michael Jackson-esque sense of fragility. Literally, you have no idea how bizarre it is to walk pass masked people everyday. It's something you just need to do before you could ever understand. I can't really remember whether men where them or not. I'm sure some men do. But, if I know Korean men, I bet most think that they are strong enough to endure whatever ills the masks protect from.

I won't say too much about them because frankly I don't have much to say. I don't really know why they're so popular. I'd also be willing to assume that any excuse I heard would make about as much sense to me as this http://thesmellofpajamas.wordpress.com/2008/12/26/fan-death/ (sorry, I don't know how to do the cool links yet...)

So please write me if you have any idea why I'm living amongst a race of masked women.

"Asthma doesn't exist in Korea."

Since today seems to be Korean medicine day on this blog, I figure why not add one more post. It has become habit that myself and 7 of my friends begin a facebook thread to start off every week. While we may have dropped the ball about the weekly aspect, we do strictly adhere to maintaining this thread. At this point it is an invaluable part of our lives. We go there to make jokes, vent, share stories etc... Just 5 minutes ago my friend, Sam Kuntz, wrote a brilliant piece on his odyssey to acquire a new inhaler. Enjoy.

My asthma inhalers that I brought over are almost gone. So faced with either death, finding a Korean inhaler, or doing mail order that will take forever, I decided on option B. I told my co-teacher "I need another one of these, let's go to the doctor and get a prescription" and showed her the inhaler. She checked with the school nurse, who said first that I don't need an inhaler, that if I wear a mask, it will cure my asthma. Then after I said that was ridiculous she said "you don't need a prescription, go to medical supply store." We went to medical supply store where they sell shit like diabetes testers, adult diapers, electric blankets, syringes, etc. But no medicine. She showed the guy there the inhaler. He said they don't have it, we have to go downtown. I told my teacher, "It's medicine, I just need to go get a prescription." The guy then called somewhere else, where they told him that only once in the the last 10 years has anyone ever needed an inhaler. My co then told me that asthma doesn't exist in Korea. I said, "No, let's go to a doctor, that's not true."

We went to a doctor, showed him the inhaler, he said "Oh yes," gave me a prescription, and I got an inhaler in less than 5 minutes. My co-teacher then said "Oh, I guess you were right." - Sam Kuntz

I think I'm sick... Bend over!

I have not had a serious illness while in Korea, but many of my friends have. Starting from roughly one month in, I began to hear stories about the Korean medical apparatus. For one thing, it seems that Korean doctors are shot happy. My perception so far is that a doctors visit and a shot in the ass are inextricably linked. Everyone I've spoken to got a shot in the ass when they went to the hospital. What's even better, like any good medical practitioners, Korean doctors then immediately 'spank' you afterwards. While I know it's for medical, and not masochistic or erotic purposes, an ass slap is universally hilarious. I have one incredibly lucky friend whose girlfriend is notorious for the regularity of her ailments. Thus, he has - on many occasions - witnessed female nurses 'spanking' her post shot. What a guy.

Furthermore, Koreans are obsessed with hospitals. Mention a headache; they'll refer you to a hospital. Mention a constipation; they'll refer you to a hospital. I have one friend who put it perfectly when he said, "When I have a cold the best thing for me is to sit alone in bed drinking orange juice. I do not want to hang out with a bunch of other sick people until a doctor tells me to go home and drink orange juice. Plus, I'll get a shot in the ass." This line of thinking would be unacceptable to a Korean.

But beyond ethos, it seems to me that the entire Korean hospital experience is much different than the one I'm used to. One of the most glaring contrasts - and my personal favorite - is how patients routinely sojourn from hospital grounds while still admitted. Here's what I mean. It is not at all unusual to see men and women, in full hospital pajamas and with their IV poles, sauntering around on the sidewalk outside of their hospital. The usual scene has men smoking and women coferring with family members. I was shocked by it six months ago, and I'm still shocked to this day. Then again, I am a firm believer that fresh air does a body good. I guess you could say my jury is still out on that one.

I recently visited a friend in the hospital to lend some support, and while there I saw that these contrasts run much deeper than I could have imagined. Let me say first that Korea has modified nationalized healthcare. A patient still pays for medical service, but the government inherently foots a large part of the bill. Basically, Korean medical service is very, very cheap when compared to the States. And the differences don't end there. It seems as if their management style is completely different as well.

Some of the contrasts I see start and end at simply cultural difference. I saw two examples of these. One; no hospital in Ulsan (and maybe Korea for that matter) has a fourth floor, as 4 is the 'number of death' in Chinese and Korean society. Literally the elevator reads 1-2-3-5. It's crazy. Two; doctors seem to have no problem being loose-lipped with your medical records. My friend's doctor openly shared her records with a worker from her elementary school. When asked how and why she could do such a thing, she simly said, "In Korea we are all bound by blood, and thus, nothing is secret." Korea is one of the world's most homogenous societies, so I can see where she's coming from. Perhaps not better or worse, just different.

Still, I did see contrasts that you simply cannot couch in culture. Korea's medical system has clearly effected that particular hospital, at least that's all I can attest to. Unfortunately, that one experience turned me off to the idea of any hospital stay in this country. First, doctors at the hospital almost never wore gloves. They told my friend that gloves are only used as-a-rule during surgery. Why? "Budget," they said. Second, they did not provide my friend with towels and a shower, which apparently is the case with all of their patients. In the end my friend's doctor brought her towels from her own personal collection. Why? "Budget," they said. Third, the hospital did not intend on changing my friend's bed sheets, but only did so after spilling medical fluids on them. Still, they went unchanged for three nights prior to the incident. Why? Well, you undertsand by now.

I want to make very clear that I'm not knocking Korean doctors. My one medical experience was brisk, effective, and incredibly positive. Koreans are perhaps the hardest working people I've ever seen in my life, and I'm sure their doctors fit the bill. Furthermore, the doctors that deal with us 'weigooks' (foreigners) have the double burden of dealing with people whose culture has conditioned differently, and then doing so in a strange, difficult language. My admiration is limitless for the doctors who put their pride aside for our sake. Our cultures our different, and so too are our styles of management. I have no problem with that. However, I saw some things in that hospital that defied plain old, culture-less, common sense... budget or no budget. So now I will make an effort to stay healthy. And if I get sick, I think I'll take my chances in bed with a glass of orange juice.

Pretentious playlist

One of Korea's great advantages is that it is one of the most wired nations in the world. This has allowed me many great luxuries. I am in constant contact with friends and family. I am almost completely up to date with world news. Also, on a more self-serving note, I am perhaps more indulged in new, exciting music than at any other point in my life. Discovering new [to my ears] music has become a daily routine, and is most likely a habit that I will never break. I'm simply having too much fun.

The last two months have been a boom time for my itunes library. Here are some of my greatest discoveries. While I know this sounds presumptuous; I think most of you would be well served to find these cuts and indulge yourselves. If not, you can ostracize me over beers the next time I see you. Nothing would make me happier.

1. Clem Snide - Happy Birthday
2. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
3. Cat Power - Silver Stallion
4. Horse Feather - Working Poor
5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - However Long
6. Buffalo Daughter - S.O.I.D.
7. Funkadelic - Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock!?
8. Ride - In a Different Place
9. Yo Yo Ma - Paxolina
10. Iron and Wine - She Lays in the Reigns (Live from Pabst Theatre)
11. Bon Iver - Beach Baby
12. Helmet - In the Meantime
13. Look Mexico - Don't You Dare.
14. The Mercury Program - Marianas *Lord, you need to grab this whole EP.
15. Tim Eriksen - The Southern Girl's Reply

Who needs drugs when you have the internet?

Really?

I'm watching Larry King and there's something very wrong happening. Stephen Baldwin and Ron Paul are arguing the merits of marijuana legalization - and Ron Paul is for it. What is going on in our world when a pro-weed politician has to face off against
an anti-weed actor? Christ, Baldwin was in both Biodome and Half Baked. Is that not the height or irony?

Yes, yes I would like some more... some more of everything.

I recently had the most enjoyable 5-hour flight of my short life, and I have Asiana airlines to thank. This is an airline that seems to have the right ethos: keep even the average customers ensconced in a world that feels much more luxurious and privileged than their reality. Asiana doesn't do this by giving passengers false promises, you know, like beds for everyone and massages for weary. Here's how Asiana does this: offering free booze and only hiring beautiful women.

I'm an American, and I grew up watching movies in which stewardesses were these bastions of class and beauty high in the sky. To say you were a stewardess meant, invariably, that you were a catch. All that exists in theory, but almost never in practice - at least with American airlines. See, American airlines are bound by those pesky unions, who keep them from, say, only hiring really attractive women under the age of 25. The result is that most stewardesses I see on US carriers look like the kind of women who were really attractive in high school. Then kids, age, food, and too much make up began to creep into their lives. Of course the unions keep these women in the job and on the plane.

Now I'm 100% in favor of unions. But, I'm 110% in favor of flying on international carriers not encumbered by these standards, and who can provide me - for the same price - with a fleet of handsomely-dressed statuesque Korean women... and free booze. On the flip side, there is certainly a negative to archaic hiring policies at a company like Asiana. For example, I know a friend of a friend who is Korean, 28, beautiful, and speaks amazing English, yet both Korean and Asiana air turned her away because SHE WAS TOO OLD. Is quality control worth creating a generation of insecure 20-something Korean stewardesses-to be? I'm truly conflicted. The good news is that all of you out there must fly Asiana to give me a well-founded answer.

A Pleasant Recap of An Amazing Weekend

My Morning Jacket from Tugboat Productions on Vimeo.
I've been a rabid My Morning Jacket fan for quite some time now, but I've tried my best to keep this blog free of my fanboy-dom. But, recently I stumbled upon something too personally gratifying not to post. In honor of "Celebrate your local record store day" - an event that was previously unknown to me - My Morning Jacket are releasing an EP of some select cuts from recent concerts in Louisvilly, KY - their hometown. It just so happens that I was at one of the shows from which some of the tracks are culled. My experience at that show turned out to be just one of the life-affirming moments I had that weekend in Kentucky. Needless to say, I was thrilled to discover this 18-minute video which is more or less a slideshow for what the event was all about. I think I need to expound a little bit about the weekend and what it meant to me. After all, it ended up being not just 'another show'.

I arrived in Korea on August 21st. On August 15th my father and I drove to Louisville, KY - the band's hometown - for the first show of their fall tour. It was important to me that I be there for several reasons. One; in a period of my life that was intensely terrifying, nothing could have been more comforting than a balls to the wall show from my favorite band in the world. Two; the setting - a stage right in the middle of Louisville's beautiful riverside park - conveyed a sense of urgency about the event that the tour's subsequent club stops did not. Three; it was really important to me that I saw the birthplace of a band who had profoundly affected my life. Four; and perhaps most importantly, the 9 hour drive gave my father and I some invaluable face time in a period when I think we both really needed it.

Quite frankly, I planned on driving down all by my lonesome. I think it surprised both of us when I happily accepted his offer to tag along. In retrospect I think we both needed to catch up with each other. My college years had come to a close 3 months earlier, and my dad and I had not really had a lengthy conversation about where I was in life. I don't think he had a gauge yet on how I had changed as a person in the previous years. Had I become a man? Had I grown at all? Hopefully he came away from the weekend feeling that 'sort of' and 'yes' answered those questions. But who knows. What he certainly doesn't know - until now (assuming he reads this) - is that I took away just as much from our car chats as I did from the concert. In the end I believe it will be our time in the car that I will look back upon most vividly.

All said and done it was probably the best weekend of my summer '08. (Yes, it even out-touched Lollapalooza; but just just barely). The show was everything I hoped it would be and more. MMJ played a rock solid 3+ hours, and even busted out "Where to Begin", a song that I would call an uber-rarity, and also one of my top 5 favorite tunes of theirs. I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, but I actually left the show one song early. They launched into a tune that usually comes out as a closer, and I've never really been that into it. At that point I figured why not just take a leisurely walk back to the hotel, and perhaps, to the bar. It turns out that the song in question was not the closer, but in fact only bled into the closer - a song I really love.

I paused for a second, and considered sprinting back to revel in the final moments of what had been truly a beautiful night. Then I realized something. I realized that I was in a moment that needed to play itself out. I looked up. I saw the lights from the concert splashing across the office buildings, and I felt - really felt - the music filling the spaces in between them. It was 12:30 or so and there was nobody in the streets of Louisville. I distinctly remember walking aimlessly for 20 minutes - the music never fading out of earshot - feeling as if it was just me, the empty buildings, the music, my father (asleep in the hotel), and my future. It was a moment so perfect and pristine that I had to stop at one point, dead in my tracks, and just breathe it in.

That night, the band's lead singer, Jim James, spoke to the crowd about his belief that as people live on, pieces of their essence stay behind in every experience they've had. He would say that as I type this message here in Korea, an intangible part of me is still standing on that corner in Louisville, KY, feeling life explode all over me. I don't usually allow myself to feed into pseudo-mystical rhetoric like that. But, in this instance I'm inclined to let it slide. It's too important to me that something, somewhere is still feeling the magic I felt that night.

My Morning Jacket - Where to Begin

Stimulate this!!

We all know by now that our country, and the world, are in a serious financial state of affairs. This is an age where we may lose many of the companies that have become household names over the last decade, and some we've already lost - Tower records, Circuit City, Washington mutual, etc... Will new brand names rise from their ashes? Will they need to? After all, we have Barack Obama now. He will single-handedly lead us to terra firma. Right? Que the stimulus. Now the government is going to throw their monetary might behind our market, and hopefully keep these American staples around for our children. But with all this money being tossed around, why not save some mementos for the children of the 90's.

For example, when is the last time you had Jerry's Subs and Pizza? I know they're still around, but it seems as if they exist on the periphery of society. And speaking of pizza, where is Little Caesars? The last Caesars I had was in rural Vermont. I guess they didn't get the message that the rest of the country has abandoned poor Caesar. Both Jerry and Caesar should see some of this stimulus money. Where else am I going to get Cherry Fanta fountain soda?

People are losing their jobs at every turn. Put gov't money into food and they stay fed. Now, put some more of that money into TV and you keep them entertained. This is why I say that two shows need to hop on the stimulus wagon: Beakman's World and Wings. Beakman's needs to be back not only because it's great TV, but also because it could generate a new line of work: the birthday party scientist. Any unemployed person could easily take the lessons learned from Beakman's, and apply them to a $10/hour gig working childrens' birthday parties. It's a win/win for everyone.

Wings, on the other hand, is beneficial to the truly downtrodden, less ambitious set. The essential message behind Wings is that if you set your sights low, you can achieve tangible pleasure in life. Almost everyone in that show could have achieved great things. But instead their lives revolve around a humble airline on an island only popular with people who have achieved great things. It's quite depressing in reality. That said, I imagine it would be a an inspiring program for those feeling as if their skills are worthless. Plus, I would love to have more Thomas Haden Church in my life.

So there it is. If you're reading this Tim Geithner, make the right call and pull these oft-forgotten franchises out of oblivion. We'd be a better nation with them back.

Just checking the oil?

The 'dooksheen' is perhaps the most disturbing trend amongst my male students. I've posted on this blog about the touchy nature of Korean men, and this one of the extremes. Many of the boy students find it rip roaring hilarious to... oh there are so many ways to say it... "check my oil" "give me a credit card swipe" "mark their page" whatever. Basically my ass is fair game for a finger swipe (over the pants) at any time of the day. And you would think that, ok, outside of the classroom is fine, but never in the classroom. Right? Wrong. They'll keep me in line whenever they want, and they know I'm powerless to my own shame. After all, there's no way I'm going to expose my embarrassment to my co teacher. No way. So I'll let it all go with a laugh... until I see these boys out in the streets when the year is over. Then we'll see how they like the burn of a powerful American wedgie. (I'm only about 70% kidding.)

Making my case for Jason Isbell.

Jason Isbell is one of the most exciting people on the rock/alt-country/Americana scene right now. I first became aware of Isbell as I began to really 'discover' the Drive-by Truckers, his former band. As I did so, I realized that he wrote and sung all of the the tunes that stuck out to me. It doesn't take much more than a sit down with 'The Day John Henry Died' and 'Never Gonna Change' to realize that this is a special voice in American rock and roll. And then he leaves.

I was very concerned with this news. Singer/songwriters who leave popular bands, in my opinion, tend to follow two routes: that of Paul McCartney and that of Paul Simon. Thankfully it seems that Isbell followed the latter. Both of his solo albums are absolutely rock-solid, and totally interesting to music fans from all sides of the field. "Natural" is probably the first word I would use to describe Isbell's music. In an era where people sing like George Jones and then speak like Bruce Springsteen - hey there Bon Jovi - Isbell is refreshingly authentic. The song above, "In a Razor Town," is my favorite cut of his first album. Enjoy.

Hey remember that... before the recession? Pt. 6

A lot of your sketch friends rocked these pants. These were probably the first people who ever offered you drugs. They are all now hanging out at home trying hold on to their job at Eddie Bauer. Still... times were simple, life was good.

One of his many lost gems.

I watched Cold Mountain the other day and was reminded of two things: I like the name Inman, and I absolutely love Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance. It's really a shame that his scummy pastor gets lost amongst all the other masterpieces Hoffman has created. He provides the film's only moments of pure levity. Furthermore, he takes you from hating him to liking him in a matter of screen minutes. He's totally untrustworthy, but just a raw joy to watch. Everyone should give this movie another go simply for his brief screen time.

Humble Observations

Though I've now been here six months, I'm certainly not oblivious to the cultural contrasts all around me. Granted, they don't affect me the way they used to, but they continue on and I continue to watch in quiet wonder. Here's a brief list of my favorite cultural quirks that friends and I have noted over the last 1/2 year.

A) Lunchtime sans drink: Everyday, without fail, our cafeteria prepares rice, soup, vegetables (in various sauces), and a main dish that can be anything from meat to omelets. I absolutely love lunch almost everyday, but I've certainly heard from people who feel differently. Quite frankly I will miss Korean lunch a lot when I return stateside. But I won't miss not having a drink handy to wash down my food. Apparently it is common for Koreans to wait until after lunch for their midday thirst quencher. The reasoning is that liquid consumed during the meal can weaken the stomach's ability to digest the food. While this is a sound argument, not having a drink with my meal is one custom I'll probably never get used to.

B) Arm hair pulling: Many Koreans enjoy pulling on my arm hair. It's almost as if they don't believe it's real. This doesn't just happen to me in school. I actually had a grown man touch my arm hair on a subway in Seoul. Granted, I'm sure he didn't remember when he woke up in the morning, nor did he probably remember taking said subway ride. I understand that Korean men are not hirsute. I understand that something occurs in their genes that keeps hair on their respective poles. But, even though it has happened countless times now, I'm still startled when I feel a small tugg on forearm while grading someone's spelling. What can I say, it's disconcerting.

C) Female scampering: Barring one bizarre sighting of a women's soccer team, I have never seen a Korean woman run; not once in six months! Don't get me wrong, it's not like Korea is a society that frowns upon physical excercise. I would actually say it's completely the opposite. Koreans are obsessed with health and its cultivation. Men jog often, and clearly women excercise. I've seen many of them fast walking, hiking, and I've at least heard that women of all ages partake in a good swim from time to time. However, I have never seen a Korean woman out for a good jog. Then there's the scamper. My school is almost entirely female. Thus I'm surrounded by a lot of oft-stressed women who need to get places quickly. But they don't run. Instead they do this choppy scamper - or shuffle - that is painful to watch. I've discussed this with several of my friends and they've all seen the same thing. I have my theories as to why they 'keep the horses in the pen,' but those are not for this blog... (I literally just finished the last sentence when my co-teacher scampered out of the classroom. Grumble.)

D) Weapons in the classroom: Korean boys bring all manner of destructive objects with them into school. For one, almost every student carries an exacto knife. These tools go completely unchecked. In fact, I've seen many stab attempts go down with little fanfare. I've also seen boys cut (scrape, really) themselves in a futile effort to be sent home or to the clinic. What?! Then yesterday a boy topped it all by bringing his pellet gun to school. So I'm sitting at this very computer after a good day when this boy presents his firearm to me. It's just him and I in the classroom at this point, but I'm still just as shocked. Even though I assumed it was a toy, I just had never seen a gun in school. I did grow up in a Colombine America after all. He hands me the gun and I do what any person would with a "toy" gun: I pulled the trigger. There is now a pellet lodged in the ceiling right above my head, and thank god because this was halfway through the day and I expended his last round. He ended up brandishing it in our class on another day. My co teacher did take it from him, but dutifully returned it at the end of class. What a country.

The 10th circle

I have come to the conclusion that Dante made a very serious ommission while describing Hell's layout: he did not include the elusive 10th circle in which you bite your bottom lip every hour in perpetuity. This is my hell. Now all I'm missing are the 3-foot spiders nipping at my ankles.

Courtesy of Sen. Albert Fall

Watching this movie is like watching a freight train, engulfed in flame, barrel through your neighbors house. The truth is that I can probably only take the whole thing 3 or 4 times in a year. Anything more would be too disturbing/moving/inspiring/confusing/etc... DRAINAGE!!!

Rammstein on my mind.

You know when you need to hear the perfect niche music? Maybe you're walking and all of your usual tracks just aren't doing it. You need something off-kilter from the dark recesses of your ipod. It's a mood I often find myself in, and yesterday I discovered that Rammstein is the perfect band for that moment. Ridiculous.

*I just realized that Rammstein is the only band to make it onto this blog more than once. I also just realized that I'm totally ok with that.

**Correction: I have mentioned Ryan Adams twice as well.

Volleyball hysteria.

I learned very early in the Korean elementary school experience that volleyball is practically an institution within that community. Almost every elementary school I know of in Ulsan has a staff volleyball team, and they practice weekly. My school, Mipo Elementary, is no different. Well, I guess we are different after all. We really suck.

I absolutely remember staff volleyball in the elementary school I went to. If I'm not mistaken, every Thursday afternoon whatever stragglers still hanging around school could go and enjoy all of our "just out of their prime" teachers try their hand at a little competition. Volleyball is great because it's a)able to incorporate large numbers, b)more or less gender neutral, and c)still fun for an amateur player. Certainly the Great Falls Elementary staff games were a fun, carefree event, that everyone really enjoyed. This is not necessarily the case when the Mipo staff plays.

First of all, principals - all of whom are male - go apeshit about the ability of their school's volleyball team. A bad team means, to them, a weak and ineffectual school. This automatically casts a severe vibe across the court. Then Korean gender issues complicate the picture even further. (controversial statement*) More often than not, Korean men are the most macho-seeming, inherently non-macho dudes I've ever met. This plays itself out on the court like so: diminutive, rickety-jointed Korean men will totally dominate the balls sent to the female players, who could otherwise do an able job of sending the ball right back over the net.

For example, today the new male teacher and my vice-principle took 85% of all balls hit to our team. The women and I more or less just stood to the perimeter of our square. At one point a ball arced perfectly at a new, female teacher. She squared up for a nice bump, when one minute later the vice principle barreled into her for a sloppy attempt at a fist bump. Everyone collectively chuckled as he helped her up from the wet sand, not really knowing what else to do. It was a painful moment for all of us. And forget formation. A player in Korean elementary school volleyball retains his/her place if, and only if they are mildly capable. If not, like was the case with my side, then you basically posture while the macho quotient takes control.

That said, I think Mipo Elementary might be the overall worst Korean staff team I've seen. We've played in some tournaments and believe me we played some capable teams. The larger schools honestly must hire staff depending on their volleyball prowess. Mipo doesn't have the funding for that type of shoddy recruitment, but I believe money is the only thing standing in our way at this point. The good teams really are a sight to be seen. Young, virile men and women all playing in cohesion. Their formations solid; their plays crisp; their spikes mighty. To them, we are like the bad news bears, but without danger and a happy ending.

But who knows. Perhaps with a little more practice and winning lottery ticker... maybe we could win a match.

6 month check-in

So I'm past the half-way mark. 6 months and a few days in Korea, and about the same to go. Recently I've gotten a lot of "Brad, I can't believe you've been there since August! How do you feel?" You know, it's a really interesting question. I've done so much traveling in the last few weeks that I've not really had the opportunity to reflect.

A lot happened in the last 6 years. It has been a period that threw me a lot of situations which undoubtedly changed/built/deconstructed/informed me as a person. I have learned that some people can reflect in the moment, or not long after, and I can't do either - at least with any profundity. No, the most meaningful reflection I'm capable of only comes months after completion. I have no doubt that whatever I learn here will only become clear to me as I'm wading the murky waters of nascent American adulthood.

That said, there are certain things - little, unimportant quirks and beliefs - that I've noticed in myself recently. I'm certain that these are a direct result of my joint admiration and befuddlement over what routinely goes on in the ROk.

I suppose I've noticed that...
a) I love giving utilitarian gifts (something Koreans do at every turn)
b) I would rather not chat during meals (though we'll see how that plays out when I'm sitting amongst English speakers)
c) I'm about 80% more willing to try foods than I was 4 years ago
d) I'm much less reliant on others to keep me entertained (and perhaps simply a more independent person)
e) there are really only certain types of people I'll ever be GREAT friends with
f) I don't read nearly enough. This is a crippling habit that I need to change.
g) my diet in the US was out of control unhealthy
h) I wish I was more stylish
I) any person I date will have to be more mature than me
j) Americans too often compare honesty to cruelty
k) America is a really progressive place
l) I really enjoy taking long term bus trips
m) I am far too reliant on my ipod during long walks... and in general
n) I officially like the ocean/beach as something more than a vacation novelty
o) I'll probably prefer short(er) shorts over long(er) shorts for the rest of my life, despite my unfortunate legs
p) I'm naturally a pretty good distance runners
q) I'm much more comfortable around men who are physically open (not like that!) in that they don't mind a hug, a shoulder grab, a good handshake, etc...
r) I'll have to own a motorcycle at some point in the next 10 years

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I've got for now.

p.s. - That's the closest you'll get to my "25 things about me..." list.

No Sleep 'til Motorhead

In my opinion, Motorhead hold equal footing with any of the greats in the history of rock and roll. Sure Black Sabbath did it first, but where is Ozzy Osbourne these days? He's scampering around in slippers speaking Esperanto, that's where. And where is Motorhead's founding member Lemmy Kilmister? He's somewhere beating the shit out of people at one of his 20+ annual gigs. Not to mention the wild bastard is 64; 3 years Osbourne's senior.

I saw Motorhead in 2001 and it was, to this day, one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. The lights went down, Lemmy walks out, rips one last drag from his butt, stomps it out, 1-2-3-4... GO! I learned more about the rock and roll spectacle in that 20 seconds than I ever could have from some bloated stadium experience. Lemmy didn't give a shit about all of us out there dying, suffocating, feeling reborn. But you would have never known it from the way he drove his band that night. They played a solid 140 minutes. No encore. They started and ended just as quickly 140 minutes later having not let up for a second.

So while you probably have no idea what a blog is, I want to dedicate this post to you, Motorhead.

For all of you uninitiated, here's the first several lines from the band's official website biography:

Fired from Hawkwind after a drugs bust going into Canada, Lemmy Kilmister returned to London. Determined to start his own band to avoid being fired again, he decided it would be called 'Bastard,' but management overuled and 'Motorhead' was born...