Arrived In Ulsan Late Last Night

I left straight from work and met my girlfriend at Samsung Plaza. I managed to get off work at 8.10pm as I don't have a late class on a Friday. The school allowed me to leave a little early, which worked out great.

Dave, Kyoung Hee and I left from Bundang, a little before 9pm and arrived in Ulsan at just about 12.40am. Kyoung Hee took a taxi to her friends bar and then stayed at her house for the night. Dave and I got a room together for the first night. We then decided to go off to tombstone, which is the foreigner bar in Ulsan that is also owned by foreigners.

The bar was not that busy, but we got to hang out with Jeff and Mark, two of the owners who we have both known since we got here. Mark and Jeff and Andrew just got back from a mini-tour of the States and ended up going to Vegas as Mark is getting married to a Korean girl that he has been dating for about 8 years, finally!!!!!! All 3 of them are Canadian and Andrew was actually recruited by Dave and I to Korea back in 2000!

Needless to say we started to talk and talk and have a few good laughs. Dave then called Gareth, the English fella from Manchester and also a good friend of ours. Gareth is the one that put The Wonshot Wanderers Football team on the map and is currently still running it although at somewhat a diluted level of ability due to all the players that have left or finished their contracts. We got out of the bar at 6.30am!!! It was daylight when we were walking back to the motel. The name of the motel is Motel Sheraton. Do you think they were trying to get people in here by the posh name?

Didn't sleep much last night. Dave kept rolling over towards me. He is a total fidget when he sleeps. The room has internet access for 5 dollars a day and of course that is how I am typing this now. Met up with Rob in the afternoon and Kyoung Hee met up with me at 4pm to come back to the motel and get ready to meet our friend Hae Sook tonight at 8pm.

I have to buy a pair of pants tonight as Kyoung Hee ironed them back in Bundang, but forgot to put them in the suitcase. Oh well! She is buying the pants for me anyway..... haha.

There is a wee map of Moogadong, which is where I used to live last September to January in Ulsan. It is the area around Ulsan University and there are tons of shops and eateries everywhere. That is where Rob works too. He is in his second year as the Continuing English Education Teacher for the department. Teachers are allowed only 3 years maximum to work in that position too.

Off to say goodbye later to John Cattigan and his girlfriend Emily who are leaving Korea for Thailand and then going back to the UK. I am not drinking tonight as the wedding is early tomorrow morning and I am tired of drinking to tell you the truth.

Back Weightlifting Again, Finally!

It has been over 5 months since I had a precious steel bar in my hands and been able to push it up and down, up and down, up and down. Let me tell you, it was an awesome feeling last night to be able to finally bench-press. Although I only did very light weights, it was nice to not have any pain while doing it.

I didn't realize how much I had missed the weight-training. It is such a different feeling from any other type of exercise. I can't wait to get going squatting and doing some 'heavy' exercises. I did quite a bit of chest and shoulder work last night and also stretched my elbow a lot at the same time.

I am happy to report this morning that I have no pain coming from the elbow or the shoulder, just a little bit of an ache from the chest and arms due to the workout. I am so happy!!!!! The arm still needs a bit of physio to get the elbow ligaments a bit looser, but I am going to start physio again next week and go everyday.

My plan is to do weights one day and then cardio the next, for a total of working out 6 days a week. I have already dropped about 2 inches in my waist and about 3 inches in the chest..... believe it or not. All the baby fat is starting to disappear, finally!

Today is a little overcast, but quite warm. I was awoken this morning by my girlfriend to the nice aroma of a ham and cheese sandwich from Issac Toast, which is a really popular snack booth here in Korea. Toast has really taken off here in the last year or so and you can see all varieties of sandwiches and a variety of companies offering them. The companies are usually small and have minimum overhead, but offer a cheap product despite the good quality.

The sandwich that I get has one slice of ham, a slice of cheese, two pieces of bread and egg and corn fried on a grill and then placed in the sandwich also. It is not the healthiest of foods if you ate it all the time, but as a treat once in a while it is great. It is also only about 1.50 for a sandwich.

Keeping my weight off has been a little difficult. I feel like Kermit falling off that building, but I have cut out the pizza and sausages and the other high fat foods. The snacks, especially the Pringles are now down to a treat once in a while.

Eating more vegetables and more Korean meals has helped me get rid of most of the excess weight that was 'floating' around me... haha.

The key to eating healthy is not dieting, but controlling your fat intake and not starving yourself. The question that anyone should ask themselves when they are on a healthy eating regime is, "Can I eat this way for the rest of my life without craving and will I always feel satisfied?" If the answer is no, then it is the wrong eating plan for you.

My blood pressure is back down to normal again and I feel way better about myself and have more energy now. Wait until I get going big-time on the weights again!

Arnold will be asking me how I look so good!!!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going To A Wedding In Ulsan This Weekend

Ulsan, where I lived for about 2 years or so, is located about 4 hours south of Seoul. It is the industrial capital of Korea, hosting the largest dry dock ship fabrication in the world and the world famous Hyundae Motor Company.

My girlfriend was born and raised in Ulsan and that is where we met each other. So, I have fond memories of the place plus have a few friends there. Dave and I went there when we first came to Korea in April 2000. Two of the guys that recruited us, Peter Cory and Dan Gauthier are very special people to us. Peter got married last year or so and has a Korean wife and this weekend on April 30th, Dan is getting married to a Korean girl also, who I have met several times and is a really nice girl.

They happy couple plan on going back to Canada to attend university in Vancouver and study Oriental Medicine. I am not sure of the time frame, but they are thinking in the region of 3 to 5 years of studying. Wow!!!! Dan is a real go-getter and full of energy. Not bad for a guy that is in his 40's like me!!!! I wish them the best of luck in the future and in whatever endeavours they aim to accomplish.

Dan is getting married at the very presitigious and famous Lotte Hotel in Ulsan. It is attached to Lotte Mart, which is a very nice shopping centre at the rear of the hotel. Dan is having over 300 guests and it should be a great wedding.

Dave, Kyoung Hee and I are going to leave at about 9pm on Friday night. That way we will avoid all the crazy traffic. It should take us about 4 hours to get there. I will be leaving straight from work and I will meet Kyoung Hee at Samsung Plaza. We will leave from there with Dave. It is approximately 386kms from Seoul to Ulsan.

Below is a pic of the outside of Samsung Plaza. It has about 4 different entrances... This is just one of them.

It will be nice to see our friends Tony and Rob as well as Gareth from the soccer team and of course all the other acquaintances that we have met over the years. Probably, a lot of them will be at the wedding. Ulsan actually has a large foreign community that hang out together on a regular basis.

The wedding starts at 11am and wraps up at 3pm. That is normal for Korean style weddings; short and sweet. It is great as you are not tied up all day. We will be leaving after the wedding, but not sure what time. Dave will know the best time to leave as far as avoiding the traffic is concerned. He has drove from Bundang to Ulsan on quite a few occasions, eh Dave!!!!!

My girlfriend is looking forward to seeing some of her friends after a 3 month absence. All in all we are all looking forward to going to Ulsan. It should be a good weekend. I will have some good pics hopefully to post on the blog.

We Are In The FA Cup Final!

After having dispatched of Manchester United and Chelsea in the earlier rounds and semi-final, Liverpool have made it to Cup Final Day again on May 13th. We will play West Ham United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

It was a great achievement beating Chelsea, who are 1 point away from clinching the Premiership title again. That makes it 2 for 2. The first one was the semi's of the Champions League last year and now the semi's of the FA Cup this year.

Morinho the Chelsea manager really had sour grapes after the game. He is such a baby and shows no humility when he loses. He even said that we played defensively and the referee helped us. Cheeky bugger! He shows his 'class' week in and week out.
Oh well, he can now cry in his big towel because he is not winning any other cups other than the Premiership this season.

I hope that Liverpool play well in the final and add another piece of hardware to the already bulging trophy case. Way to go you Reds!!!!!

I am now right in the middle of watching the Arsenal vs Villareal game at 3.43am. I want Villareal to win because just like Morinho for Chelsea, I think that Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, is an arrogant whinger. Him and Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager had a 'baby' feud going on for a couple of seasons too!!!

A few years back for a few seasons in a row, Arsenal were the dirtiest team in the Premiership even when they won it twice! Most yellow cards and reds. They ranked at the bottom of the 'sportsmanship' reviews! How a team's attitude is, reflects the manger's philosophy; good and bad. Arsenal don't deserve to win the Champions League.... so go Villareal.

Great Lines Excusing Drinking!

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams.

If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered.
Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true, than be selfish and worry about my liver." ~ Jack Handy

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your bra and panties !!

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. " ~Frank Sinatra

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." ~ Henny Youngman

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are laughing WITH you.

"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not." ~ Stephen Wright

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think you can sing.

"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!" ~ Brian O'Rourke

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." ~ Benjamin Franklin

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like a retard.

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." ~ Dave Barry

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.

To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can! ~ Dave Howell

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers.

One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm.
Here's how it went:

"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

Warning drinking too much can make you think that the bank is giving you money for free- Paul Campbell. April 2006. South Korea!

Back From The Weekend Camp!

This weekend was taken up by the workshop-camp for Avalon, the school that I work at. I had previously mentioned this on the last post, but want to clarify that it was for the teachers and there were no students involved whatsoever. It was a camp to build team-spirit between all the Korean teachers and Foreign teachers.

It was a good time to tell you the truth. We were bussed to a place about 2 hours from Bundang. It was an all inclusive camp with a cafeteria and several activity facilities including soccer fields, obstacle courses and an inline skating pad. Each room had 4 to 5 teachers from different schools so that we could get to know each other. The foreigners were all roomed together and the Koreans were all roomed together.

There was a workshop for the Foreign teachers and the Korean teachers on the Saturday. We were of course seperated; Koreans had their own workshop and we had ours.
We did some fun activites like a spelling bee and had a few prizes to win. We talked about Avalon related perfomance reviews and also had an activity brainstorming exercise for the use in the schools themselves.

On Saturday night there was an outdoor barbecue complete with complimentary beer and soju. There was also a karoake sing-a-long on a stage, in Korean though sadly. We all had a good time and partied until about 2 or 3 am in the morning.

On Sunday there was an obstacle course, which of course I couldn't go in as my elbow is still not strong enough to grab ropes or climb on anything. I went back to my room and had a wee nap while they all sweated and pulled and groped!!!!!

All in all, it was a good time except for the fact that all the activities that we did were explained almost 100 percent in Korean! Don't understand that to tell you the truth; there were tons of Korean teachers there that could have interpreted everything. From the time we got there I think there was maybe 5 percent of English spoken and that is being generous.

The bus drive there took 2 hours, the bus drive back took about almost 4 due to the backup of traffic. We left at 2pm and got back to Bundang at almost 6pm!!!!!

I picked up a bit of an eye infection, one of my eyes is beat red! Rebecca was sick in our school today so we had to pick up her classes as she was feeling nauseous all day. She marked our essays though while we taught her classes..... cool!!!!

Tired now and going to watch Charlie Wonka and then have a nice nights sleep. Putting drops in my eye to reduce the redness. I think it was done by the smoke from the bbq's. I had my face right in some of them while cooking the meat.

I Almost Forgot An Important Anniversary Today!

Here I was typing away on my blog today and I suddenly realized that today was 8 months to the day that I quit smoking. That is right! 8 months and not even a puff.

I am very proud of myself and being the sane middle-aged man that I am, it was an important decision for me to make. I want to live healthily as long as I can and I thought long and hard about what would make me decide to quit before I finally 'got real.'

The original reason was of course my health, but the second reason was that I just wanted to stop an absolute ludicrous habit that made no sense at all.

When you think about the habit logically, it makes no sense at all. Putting smoke and nictotine and tar into your body! To do what? Give you an energy rush! You are much better to have a cup of coffee or take some caffeine pills. You will end up with the same adrenaline rush and the same feeling.

So, there you are. I am not going to preach. I have already posted a blog on smoking and gave some information about how many people smoke here in Korea.

It is 8 months and it has been very easy for me this time. I will never put another cigarette in my mouth as long as I breathe in fresh air on this wonderful planet of ours.

I hope you like the cigarette ad that I got off the internet. I got it off the following website that asked to give some recognition of its site if you reproduced any of its ads.

http://www.notobacco.org/photos/index.htm

Don't Faint Now! I Actually Started Watching Movies Again!

Those who know me, know that I have been on this anti-dvd and movie watching thing for about 10 years now. I guess being married for a long time and watching about a minimum of 5 movies a week, burnt me out. It was also the whole thing of just sitting there and watching a box for 2 or 3 hours, wigged me out... nice word eh?


Well, I guess if I can watch sports for that long, it is kind of a contradiction in terms of what is acceptable for me and not, right? Well, I don't want to be a flake, so I decided to stop my 10 year boycott and start watching a few movies again.


I started last week by buying a dvd player, which by the way cost me 50 bucks.... online shopping in Korea is awesome and they delivered it the next day. All you do is set up an account online and choose a bank, go to the bank and deposit the money and presto, they will deliver your purchase, pronto!!!!

I have watched 5 movies in the last week and a half. The Incredibles, Shrek 2 and last night Bad Company. The 2 Korean movies that I watched were a comedy and a drama. Both were quite good and I want to watch more Korean movies now. I like Korean movies because they don't follow the usual happy ending scenario like in Hollywood. More realistic than most of the Western style movies.

So, there you are. A dog can learn new tricks. You didn't think it was possible, did you?
I also was starting to feel a little 'out of touch' when people were talking about some movies that were funny and quite popular. Like music, I like to stay in touch with the new generation as well as the older generation. I feel that movies and music can go a long way to bridging the 'generation gap.'

Sociology has taught me that you can't really change people's behaviour, but sometimes you can learn to adapt, if it is a good thing to do! So, in a socioligistical sense, I am continuing my social experiment of adaptation........ wow! Sounds like a crock to me.....hehehe.

More Information About The Weekend Retreat

Here are a few pics of the place that I was able to find off the website. The first one is of the actual rooms and entrance. The second one is of the cafeteria, where I am sure we will be frequent visitors. The third one is of one of the outdoor facilities. I guess there is a baseball field, soccer field and many other outdoor areas where you can exercise and do group events.
That is where we will be at 6am on Sunday morning! Holy crapola!!!!!!!!




There is actually a website of the place that we are going to. It actually looks really nice and maybe the semi-final of the FA cup aside, we may have a good time.


I know the website is all in Korean, but if you just watch the short demo video, you will be able to see some of the place and also there are smaller pics on the link too. Just click away and play with the website. It can't hurt you, okay?

Here is the link to the website; happy exploring, hope this gives you some insight to where I am going to spend the weekend.


http://company.mirinaecamp.com/facility/faci_main.asp

Avalon Camp Retreat This Weekend.

Posung County, South Cholla Province
The very famous green tea fields of Daehan Tea Plantation.

Just a cool pic I thought I would post to show you

the step-farming style in Korea.

Avalon, the school that I work at, has a weekend retreat for all the teachers this weekend. We have to go as it is part of the annual team-building spirit! Every foreign teacher will be attending as well as the Korean/English teachers. There are a few exceptions though, some of the teachers get to opt out for 'religious reasons!'

Quite lame if you ask me, but you know God would be proud of them!!!! Some of us are a little peeved at that 'lame hop-out excuse' for some of them.

We get to meet at 8.30am and then drive off to an unknown destination about 2 hours away. Avalon of course pays for everything including food and hopefully booze... if not I will have my big bottle of soju in my bag anyway!

Then to top that early hour, we get woken up on Sunday morning at 6am..... seriously.... for exercises!!!! We should get back about 3 or 4pm Sunday afternoon, hopefully.

Most of the teachers are a little peeved at having their whole weekend compromised, but more so because of the early meeting and wake up times. Usually most of us sleep a little later on the weekend because it's the weekend.

Other than that though, I am looking forward to the camp, really! I have seen a pamplet of the place and it looks quite nice. It looks like a boy scouts camp or something. I just hope they have tv or internet, even basic, so I can find out about the Liverpool vs Chelsea FA Cup semi-final on Saturday night.

There will be a workshop to discuss and exchange ideas about the whole school process and information sessions about the progress of Avalon school from a business point of view. It should be a little informative, but of course boring. I am sure there will be way too much Korean spoken, which is the usual style of having camps here. Don't understand why really as everyone there 'can' speak English, or can they?

Oh well, it is only usually once or twice a year this camp thing, so we have to suck it up and take it on the chin.

Hey You! I Need My Personal Space! There is a lack of it sometimes in Korea!

One of the things that you will encounter in your time in Korea can be quite annoying. It is lack of personal space given to you by others. Whether walking on the street, getting on a bus, subway or train, sitting in a cafe, browsing in a shop or store and on and on and on.

Koreans in general do not value their 'personal space' and the space of others. Their peripheral vision is almost non-existent.

On many occasions I have actually stood behind my students and Korean teachers and not moved for in excess of a minute or so sometimes. They don't even realize that you are there until someone else points it out or they turn around and see you. They never see you out of the corner of their eye..... bizarre really!!!!

Another thing is waiting in line-ups or waiting to get on a bus. People will barge in front of you or just plain flatly cut you off. Don't ever think that a person will hold a door for you. That does not exist here.

Although I am generalizing, it is the case in about 99 percent of the people here. I have been here 4 years and lived in different cities and met all kinds of classes of people. It is the same style with all of them.

Today, I was walking with my girlfriend and an older lady came out of the bank that was to our left. She walked towards me, being on the left side and walked right in front of me. I had to stop walking or I would have kicked the back of her legs. She just carried on like nothing had happened. That is normal for here, like I said. I am used to it, but sometimes still want to say or yell something to them when it happens.

At my school, the teachers bang into my chair while I am writing, reading or just sitting. They do it all the time. It drives me crazy sometimes. They will apologize occasionally, but only occasionally.

What I am saying is that the bad manners are not just directed at us foreigners. They do it to each other. It is commonplace everyday. They think nothing of it.

If someone jumps in front of you and you say something to them, they usually are quite apologetic, again I think it is something that they are not aware of at all!!!!!!

One other thing that I MUST add is about Korean drivers. Here in Korea, the rule is that cars come first and people second. I am dead serious. The delivery scooter drivers drive on the side-walk and car drivers will cut you off and do anything to make sure they go first. You actually get a 30 dollar fine here for jay-walking.

You have to be careful or you will end up injured or dead! They have the worst pedestrian fatality rate in Korea per ratio of population. So, be careful and always expect the drivers to do whatever they want. Don't trust that they will stop, it could cost you your health or life.

My conclusion is that if you live here or are thinking of coming here, then this is something that you must ready yourself for and not get upset about. It is not an earth-shattering thing to accomplish, but it can be quite frustrating to handle sometimes. You have to 'err on the side of caution' and you will be quite alright. If not, then you will have some problems, either personally or health-wise.

It Looks Like A Stuffed Toy, Not A Real Rabbit!!!!

Now that is what I call a big arse rabbit! Its head is almost as big as its owners, for crying out loud!!!!!




Imagine how many people that thing could feed? Do you think we could coax the owner to cook it for us.... haha.


If you want to check out more about this 'freak of nature,' check out the following link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4670000/newsid_4676900/4676904.stm

The Saddest Day In The History Of Liverpool Football Club.

17 years ago on April 15th, 1989, 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives on the most tragic day in the history of Liverpool Football Club. The 96 people may have died that day, but their lives live on in our souls forever.

"Lest we forget!"

To those of you that know nothing of the events of that terrible day, I would like to explain briefly what happened: It was the day of the semi-final of the FA Cup, which is one of the biggest competitions held every year with every football team involved in the tournament.

The game was held at Hillsborough Stadium; Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest.

96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives that day.

Most of them were crushed to death due to a terrible accident. There was NO violence of any kind that day! Just a tragic accident.

There were young children and adults of all ages that lost their lives on that sad, sad day.

The picture is of the memorial outside of Liverpool's stadium, Anfield. It is in memory of the 96 people and is always decorated with flowers or other adornments, pretty well all year round.

Today is a sad day for the club and all concerned, but the 96 will never be forgotten. Please take a moment to read their names and to allow their spirit to live on forever......... May they all rest in peace forever.

You'll Never Walk Alone

John Alfred Anderson (62)
Thomas Howard (39)
Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)
Thomas Anthony Howard (14)
James Gary Aspinall (18)
Eric George Hughes (42)
Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)
Alan Johnston (29)
Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron (67)
Christine Anne Jones (27)
Simon Bell (17)
Gary Philip Jones (18)
Barry Sidney Bennett (26)
Richard Jones (25)
David John Benson (22)
Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)
David William Birtle (22)
Anthony Peter Kelly (29)
Tony Bland (22)
Michael David Kelly (38)
Paul David Brady (21)
Carl David Lewis (18)
Andrew Mark Brookes (26)
David William Mather (19)
Carl Brown (18)
Brian Christopher Mathews (38)
David Steven Brown (25)
Francis Joseph McAllister (27)
Henry Thomas Burke (47)
John McBrien (18)
Peter Andrew Burkett (24)
Marion Hazel McCabe (21)
Paul William Carlile (19)
Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)
Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)
Peter McDonnell (21)
Gary Christopher Church (19)
Alan McGlone (28)
Joseph Clark (29)
Keith McGrath (17)
Paul Clark (18)
Paul Brian Murray (14)
Gary Collins (22)
Lee Nicol (14)
Stephen Paul Copoc (20)
Stephen Francis O'Neill (17)
Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)
Jonathon Owens (18)
James Philip Delaney (19)
William Roy Pemberton (23)
Christopher Barry Devonside (18)
Carl William Rimmer (21)
Christopher Edwards (29)
David George Rimmer (38)
Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)
Graham John Roberts (24)
Thomas Steven Fox (21)
Steven Joseph Robinson (17)
Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)
Henry Charles Rogers (17)
Barry Glover (27)
Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)
Ian Thomas Glover (20)
Inger Shah (38)
Derrick George Godwin (24)
Paula Ann Smith (26)
Roy Harry Hamilton (34)
Adam Edward Spearritt (14)
Philip Hammond (14)
Philip John Steele (15)
Eric Hankin (33)
David Leonard Thomas (23)
Gary Harrison (27)
Patrik John Thompson (35)
Stephen Francis Harrison (31)
Peter Reuben Thompson (30)
Peter Andrew Harrison (15)
Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)
David Hawley (39)
Peter Francis Tootle (21)
James Robert Hennessy (29)
Christopher James Traynor (26)
Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)
Martin Kevin Traynor (16)
Carl Darren Hewitt (17)
Kevin Tyrrell (15)
Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)
Colin Wafer (19)
Sarah Louise Hicks (19)
Ian David Whelan (19)
Victoria Jane Hicks (15)
Martin Kenneth Wild (29)
Gordon Rodney Horn (20)
Kevin Daniel Williams (15)
Arthur Horrocks (41)
Graham John Wright (17)

Here is a link of events that happened yesterday in a memorial service, which is held every year.

www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N152061060415-0835.htm

The 14th Of Each Month Starting In February And Then Carried On In March and April!

A very interesting tradition in Korea begins February 14th every year. Of course, for us it is Valentine's Day. For the Koreans it is also the same kind of day except they call it "love day."

The tradition here is actually the reverse of what we do in the West. That is, the women here buy chocolate for the men or buy something romantic for them. Some of the men will take their ladies out for a nice dinner or do something special for them. (Hopefully its not a back-flip where they land on their head or something).

Then, the next month on March 14th, there is "White Day." This is when the men give the ladies chocolate. It actually started in Japan and as far as I know from reading up on the matter, it was a ploy by Japanese chocolate companies to promote their products and to shift excess chocolate that was left over from Valentine's Day!

The next month on April 14th is referred to as "Black Day or Jajangmyon Day." This is supposed to be for anyone that has no significant other (single I suppose), and it is celebrated by eating a traditional Korean meal that consists of black sauce and noodles mixed together. I guess the colour 'black' has a negative connotation on this day!

It is called "Jajangmyon" and is actually eaten all year round and is a very popular Korean dish. It is however, cooked in a lot of oil and is high in fat, although I must say, it tasted pretty damn good.

So there you are; The days of the 14ths celebrated in Korea. Of course the worst of the bunch would be April 14th as you are 'all alone' if you celebrate this day with another person that is 'all alone!" Hehe.

There is one other day of the year that is very popular here; November 11th. It is referred to as "Peppero Day." That translates loosely as 'Stick Day." People give each other chocolate, friends and family and anyone really, to celebrate the date, which is the 11/11..... get it?

Again, this started in Japan as another ploy to sell more chocolate and to tell you the truth, most of the peppero chocolate that you get, tastes like really really cheap stuff! It is sold all year round, but is given out especially on November 11th.

All the chocolate is packaged in the shape of sticks, some thick and some thin, but all the 'peppero" chocolate looks the same. It is a big thing in the schools here where the students give their teachers the chocolate as well as their friends. Kind of a cool day to tell you the truth. I ended up giving most of mine away the next day!

If You Want The Best Shave Ever, Use This M3P Shaver By Gillette!

Well, Dave told me about this razor about 6 months ago. He told me that I should get one as it has a vibration mode on it. (The razor uses one AAA battery). He said that once I used it, I would never use another type of razor.

Well, I finally broke down and bought one, 3 weeks ago. I have been using the Mach 3 blades for over 4 or so years now, so I am very familiar with the products, which I have always thought were awesome.

The verdict is in on the M3P; I think it is absolutely awesome! I can go without shaving for about 2 or 3 days and it still doesn't hurt when I shave and it gives me a great smooth shave too. I have quite a heavy growth, so if it works that way for me, then it will be great for anyone with a normal style of growth!

It has a button on the handle to put it on vibration mode or you can also use it as a regular shaver. Overall I think the vibration gives it a better shave for sure!

It is a little expensive, as are the razors, but in the long run you will end up saving yourself some money, not having to buy razors as often.

Anyway, thanks Dave! You were 100 percent right. The M3P is my razor of choice now.

How Many Different Kinds Of Beards And Moustaches Did You Think There Were?

These pictures came from a mate of mine's blogsite. This is just hilarious stuff and for sure, something that I never knew existed!!!!!

His name is Stuart and of course he is a Scouser. There is a link to his page on my blogsite. Just click on his name on the right side of the blog and check his page out. He has some funny stuff on it and has a very different sense of humour sometimes. Something that I like a lot. Sorry that I could not get the names of them on the page to come up to a size that could be read.....oh well!!!!!!

Andy Gray's Picks From The Premiership To Make A "Super Team."

Well folks, anyone that is in the know about football will know who Andy Gray is. He happened to be a long time ago one of the best footballers in the country. He also broke the transfer record at the time back in the early 80s... that has long since been broken now.

He is now however one of the top commentators of football in England now and works for Sky Sports exclusively.

The following article is about his best players from the Premiership to make a 'Super Team."
See what you think and whether you agree with him or not.

I am still contemplating what I think; I agree with a few of those players, but think there were a few excluded that should have been included.

Feel free to leave a comment and possible names that should be on there.
It is all in good fun.

Just click on the link to go to the article from Sky sports and see the whole team that Andy has picked.

Sky Sports - The Best Sport Coverage From Around The World

An Inspirational Verse For All Of Us To Live By.

This simple but very deep verse, personifies true passion for one's life on earth and what everyone should wish for their fellow man at all times.




I Wish You Enough.........








I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Missing My Family...... Especially Today!

This picture was taken a day before I left to come to Korea. It was at an all-u-can eat restaurant in Oshawa, where my Sister lives.
Left to right, in a semi-circle; Jackie, Sister. Mum, Dad, Kate, Niece, Jamie, Nephew and Nuri, my Brother-in-law, who will turn 50 this June! Doesn't he look so young?

The pic above was taken at the same time in August 2004. It was to celebrate my Dad's birthday and my leaving Canada to come back to Korea again.

My Dad's not sure what day he was born, really! He said that at the time of his birth records were always kept either 2 or 3 days after you were born. He used to argue with my Nanna about it, believe it or not! He would tell her that her memory wasn't very good and how things worked back then. She would reply, " Yeh, I guess I was only there giving birth to you!"

A funny story really and quite describes my Dad's personality for you; off his head! Just joking Father!!!!!!!!

Well, today I am missing my family a little bit more than usual. I guess it is due to the fact that Easter is coming and I know that the family will all be together, without me!

I wish I could just show up for the weekend and then head back to Korea. Kind of like a fleeting visit. Sometimes that would be so nice for the soul.

In Korea, Easter passes without much fuss. Most Koreans know nothing about Easter and there are no holidays or anything of the sort to celebrate it. I, however, will make sure that this weekend a little bit of celebrating goes on, wether it is going to a nice place to eat or going to a nice pub or something.

My girlfriend doesn't work on the weekends, so it wil be nice to do something special on the weekend that doesn't cost a lot of money. I am being quite frugal now for a change, something that my family would be very proud of.

Sometimes living in another country can be very challenging. If you ride with your emotions, generally you can get through the miss the family and place times. Otherwise, my advice is to make sure that you have friends that you can hang out with that let you forget those dull times and can distract you. Or, sometimes it is just nice to be able to talk to your friends about things.

After having studied Sociology at university, I learned that not only is family important in everyone's life, it really is the core of your being; personality is formed by your family, a big chunk of it anyway, and your behaviour can be as high as 75 percent of your family's traits and role modelling. It really drives home the fact of how important a family is to each one of us.

I have a wonderful family of course, but we have had our trials and tribulations over the years. We have always been able to express our thoughts to each other; good and bad. I think the biggest strength of my family is its communication with each other and with other people too. I count myself extremely lucky to have had such good role models as Mum and Dad and of course a brilliant Sister, who I am such good friends with always.

My family doesn't have to live out of each other's backpockets, but we cherish out times together and that just about describes my family in a nutshell.

My Mum and Dad are still entitled to an opinion; they will be my Mum and Dad forever. Why would I not want their advice sometimes? They have been on this planet a lot longer than I have.

Today's society needs to realize that we need to go back to the idea of a stable family and take some time for each other no matter how busy our schedules are!

If we want to become a caring, loving society, it needs to start with the family and we need to build that belief in the younger generation, so that in the future the world can become a more loving, stable platform to build relationships with different cultures and belief systems.

I just wanted to tell you all that I think about my family all the time and am very proud of them. I miss them like crazy, but they have their lives and I have mine.

We co-exist in an era of rush rush rush, but we can still find time through the wonders of email, cell phones and the internet. Let's not forget to take time for each other, not just our families.

As my profile reads; Time costs you nothing, but is priceless to those that receive it!

Happy Easter Mum, Dad, Jackie, Nuri, Kate and Jamie. Have a nice Easter meal and lots of dessert.

I love you all.xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxo

How Old Is This Man? Don't Cheat! Read It All First!

How old is Grandpa???

Stay with this -- the answer is at the end. It will blow you away.

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandfather about current events. The grandson asked his grandfather what he thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.

The Grandfather replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before: '
television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox,contact lenses, Frisbees and the pill.
There were no credit cards, laser beams or ball-point pens.

Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.

Your Grandmother and I got married first, . . . and then lived together. Every family had a father and a mother. Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir". And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir."

We were before gay-rights, computer- dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy. Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense.




We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions. Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege.

We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.

Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.

Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening breeze started.

Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends-not purchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.

We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios.

And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.

If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk.

The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.

Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of. We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel.

And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.

You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, . . . but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day, "grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink, '"pot" was something your mother cooked in and "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.

"Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office, " chip" meant a piece of wood "hardware" was found in a hardware store and "software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap... and how old do you think I am?

I bet you have this old man in mind...you are in for a shock!

Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time...............................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







This man would be only 59 years old!

Oh Those "Poor" Football Players!

Click on the article link at the end of my posting to read about an average player's salary in the Premiership in England.

Now remember to double the figure shown in pounds sterling to get the equivalent in American dollars.
The players also don't pay for any of their equipment or travel expenses to away games as well as other 'extras!'
Most of the top league players have a sponsor or sponsors that also pay them a huge amount of money.
Robbie Fowler for example signed a boot deal back in 1999 for what turned out to be about 225,000 pound a year or for 2 years; either way and astronomical amount of money whatever way you look at it.

While some of the lower league players aren't on millionaire's wages, they still can live the good life on the wages that they earn. No wonder most of the foreign players want to come to England and play.

Remember too, the foreign players are not subject to British tax laws, which are as high as 50 percent for the upper wage earners, as they are working as non-residents and don't have to claim the same tax bracket as the citizens themselves, i.e. The British born players.

Sure as scrambled eggs and toast, that is one of the reasons that Beckham left England. It was reported that he was earning 100,000 pound a week, but the tax was 50,000 pound on it!!!!!!
This is the new Canadian money to stop the Muslims from producing it; they cannot look or touch anything to do with nudity. No more counterfeiting by the Muslims.... haha!!!!!!




ESPNsoccernet - England - Survey shows Premiership wages still on the rise

April 7th, 2006 Dave and I Came To Korea For The First Time

Check out the new hairdoo! What do you think? People here including most of the students are saying, "Beckham hair!"

It is quite phenomenal when you think about how global a sport's figure can be like David Beckham. I guess Real Madrid knew what they were doing when they signed him. Unfortunately though, the club have won NOTHING since he signed with them! Not even a Spanish Cup or a League title. But $$$$$$ wise, Real Madrid are raking in the dough and so is Mr. Beckham himself.

Dave and I arrived on a nice Spring Korean morning, 6 years ago last Friday. It was a long trip getting there, but we were both thrilled about the adventure ahead. I don't think Dave or I could have dreamed of the fun and the great time we would encounter in another country.


Dave has been here for the whole 6 years. I, however, went back to Canada for a 3 year stint and yes, I can call it that!!!!! It was a long 3 years waiting to get back to Korea and back to this lifestyle.

When you talk to people about an English teacher's lifestyle here, it really is difficult to explain at the best of times, as only the people that have done this kind of thing before, can really understand where you are coming from. People often think we are making things up when we tell them some of the stories.

All I can say is that there have been great times, good times, so-so times and very few bad times here in Korea. The hardest part was coming the first time. Once we had done that, the rest was actually quite easy and I must say a 'blast.'

I hope to be having a pint with Dave when we are in our 'healthy' 90s. That would truly be a testament to our great lifestyle and 'stress-free' life..... well, somewhat anyway... Is that even possible nowdays though?

Dave also has a blog now. Don't forget to check it out. The link is on the main page. Just click on the link that says, "Dave Anjema's Blog" and it will take you there.

Fowler Scores On His 31st Birthday To Win The Game For Liverpool!

Robbie Fowler couldn't have given himself a better birthday present last Saturday. He scored what turned out to be the only goal and the winning goal of the game to make the score Liverpool 1 Bolton 0.

He won't have done his chances any harm on getting a new contract at the end of this year. I like Benitez the manager a lot, but am concerned that he doesn't do a "Houllier" on Robbie by getting rid of him the way the old manager did.

Robbie is a Liverpool born lad and his heart, soul and whole being belongs with Liverpool Football Club.

I had a lot of respect for Robbie before, but once I read his biography, 2 months before he came back to Liverpool, I have even more respect for the man, the player and most of all the person that he strives to be.

Good luck Robbie! I hope to be posting another story about your new contract within the next few months.

The Yellow Dust From China Arrived On Saturday!

You can clearly see... haha... from the picture that there seems to be a big blanket of smog in front of where the vehicles are heading on the main highway.

This pic was taken on Saturday, April 8th, 2006 on our way to Suwon to see a famous fortress. What you see is referred to in Korea as 'The Yellow Dust," which originates from China and there is very little information on why and when it comes.

The air quality is usually bad a few times a year due to this phenomenon, but last Saturday it was the worst it has been in a very very long time, due to all the weather reports and news channels.

There were people wearing masks everywhere and we even got given one at a restaurant when we finished our meal. The air was quite putrid and even I, Mr. Iron Lungs, had a bit of a problem breathing at times!

It was gone by the next day... really weird. You would think that it was smog from the picture, but it really is not and it really does originate from China.

I guess according to some reports they refer to it as pollution, so maybe it really is smog.

Read a few articles that I was able to find about it. It is a big concern here in Korea and quite a politically charged subject for the government, present and future.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200604/09/200604092137281309900090109011.html

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-04-10T073947Z_01_SEO280509_RTRUKOC_0_UK-ENVIRONMENT-KOREA-DUST.xml

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200603/kt2006031216320654050.htm

After Much Thought: My Top 10 Albums...... And Lots of Honourable Mentions.

Something of this magnitude takes a while to figure out. I think that I have narrowed the albums down enough to have a fair list of my top 10 albums.


Please remember these are my favourite albums and are by no means being judged as the best of all time. This is just to give you an idea of what I prefer, although there could have been so many different lists, but I settled on this one.

I am going to do a 'Rap' list sometime in the future, so keep reading my blog for that!

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a headbanger at heart with an affliction for screaming guitars and pounding drums. Put this together with a wicked strong rock 'n' roll vocal and I am hooked,;fish-line and sinker.


But the surprising thing that only my good good friends know is that I am also an avid listener of pure 80's music and love pop, funk, soul, disco, blues and other kinds of music.

Think of this list as the albums that I have played so often that I had literally either worn them out or ruined them. That is, as albums and cassettes, but now as cds, they are forever playable again and again and again..........

When I list these top 10, think of me as being able to listen to any of these albums at any time of the day. They are my anthems per say.

So with no further ado; Here they are in order of favourite being number 1 and number 10 not being liked any less, but there has to be a pecking order in order to rank!!!!!!

1. Highway to Hell; AC/DC

2.Foreigner 4; Foreigner

3.Moving Pictures; Rush

4.Back in Black; AC/DC

5. Never Mind The Bollocks Here Comes The Sex Pistols; Sex Pistols
6.Physical Graffiti; Led Zeppelin
7.Live After Death; Notorious B.I.G.
8.American Bad Ass; Kid Rock
9. Pet Your Friends; Dishwalla
10. British Steel; Judas Priest

After much thought, I decided to add some of my other favourite albums, just in case anyone thought that all I listened to was the 'heavy' stuff. Here is a list, in no particular order of albums that I like and have listened to regularly over the years since I was about 16 or so:

Against The Wind; Bob Seger

Diamond Life; Sade

True; Spandau Ballet

Duran Duran; Duran Duran

No Parlez; Paul Young

Live and Dangerous; Thin Lizzy

Red Red Wine; UB 40

Unforgettable Fire; U2

War; U2

Saga; Saga

Quadrophenia; The Who

Up To Here; Eric Clapton

Revenge; The Eurythmics

Spirit of Radio; Rush

Heaven 'n' Hell; Black Sabbath

Killing Me Softly; Roberta Flack

Ocean Drive; The Lighthouse Family

Millenium; Robbie Williams

Appetite For Destruction; Guns And Roses

Ingenue; K.D. Lang

Marc Anthony; Marc Anthony

A Town Called Malice; The Jam

Coney Hatch; Coney Hatch

April Wine; April Wine

Heartbreaker; Pat Benatar

Outlandos D'Amour; The Police

Parallel Lines; Blondie

Just A Game; Triumph

Axis; Jimi Hendrix

Soundtack; The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Breakfast In America; Supertramp

American Fool; John Cougar

Space Oddity; David Bowie

Scary Monsters; David Bowie

Bad Habits; The Monks

The Fine Art Of Surfacing; Boomtown Rats

Welcome To The Boomtown; David and David

The list could go on and on and on, but I hope this gives you some idea of the different kinds of music I really like.

All About Korean Gyms!

Korean gyms are very different than Western gyms and in some really good ways. They have mostly the same kinds of equipment and machines and dumbells. They have a lot of treadmills,(running machines) complete with televisions in front of everyone of them. The picture above illustrates the basic layout; very small and everything is tightly moved together. But, it works out okay in the long run.

The biggest difference of all is that they supply the shorts and t-shirts to work out in. They are all professionally washed, so they are of course sanitized. You can wear your own gear if you want, but most people look the same when they are working out. The men wear one colour of t-shirts and the women another. I think it is kind of cool.
The other big plus is that they supply the towels, for working out if you want and also for when you take a shower. There is also soap in the showers for your convenience as well as after-shave lotion and body cream in the men's.

I don't know too much about the women's side of things.... I haven't been in there. My girlfriend told me that usually the women have to bring their own stuff.


The picture above shows the towels and the shorts and t-shirts. The navy blue shorts are on the girl's shelf and the dark blue shorts are on the men's. The bottom shelf has all the towels that are used both for the workout and the shower. Usually it is the orange ones for showering and the other colour ones for working out.

The prices don't vary too much all over Korea, really! It is not a big competition to get members like in the Western culture.The prices were the same in Ulsan, Kyoungju and in Bundang or memberships.

The only difference is sometimes the gym will have a public bath attached to it, so the price might include use of the public bath too! They don't do that up here in the Seoul region whereas down South of Korea, they do offer that option.

I kind of miss that to tell you the truth. I loved having a nice relaxing sauna after a gruelling workout and I felt so spotlessly clean.

While they are a business, they are very good at keeping the customers happy, which by the way is one of the pluses of living in Korea.

Businesses have awesome after service on literally anything that you buy. Not at the small mickey-mouse places of course, but any kind of reputable place backs whatever it sells.

The basic price is about 80 dollars a month (seems quite expensive, I know) but, if you get a membership for 3 months it works out to 180 dollars (60 a month). This is American dollars by the way.... usually the easiest for people to work things out in comparison to their own currency.

My gym is open Mon-Fri from 5.30am to 12 midnight, Saturday 6am to 9pm and Sunday 10am to 7pm. Quite good hours if you ask me.

My gym is literally across the street from my apartment. I walk out my building, cross a small street, enter another building and take the elevator up to the 8th floor. It is so convenient! Convenience is something that you can't pay for!

I love not having to take a bag, as they supply an overnight locker included in your membership too! All I do is take my clothes that I am wearing and change out of them into the gym uniforms; if you can call them that!

I have been on a tear the last week to get back into shape. I decided to get rid of the excess weight by both eating healthier and exercising a lot more, now that my elbow is almost back to normal. Today was the first time that I could actually lift some dumbells and use a bar or machine without feeling any pain. I was so happy!

I am currently at 103 kilos (226lbs) and aim to get down to 90 kilos (198) by the end of the summer or sooner if I can. I am not going to be ridiculous about it and am going to try and lose weight, so I can keep it off and maintain a good weight and a balanced diet; something that I have always struggled with.

I was 93 kilos (204lbs) last Summer and Fall when I was in Kyounjgu, but got lazy and piled the weight on by eating lots of fried foods, sausages, eating loads of pizza and fried chicken and drinking beer; which I usually don't like!

Then I couldn't play football after doing my elbow in, so the exercising stopped. At one point at Xmas, I got up to 107 kilos (235lbs!)

Here is proof of what I looked like last summer and what my chest and waist will look like in the next few months!

Definitely a motivational picture to keep me aiming high in the gym and working through the pain barrier, which is the secret to getting into shape and staying there. I don't agree with the "no pain, no gain" philosophy when you start working out or begin an exercise regime. I do, however, agree with that philosophy 24/7 once you are in half decent shape. You have to push yourself all the time to keep the body reacting and not getting used to the same routine and level of exertion.