The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 My new toy~~~

Finally, got a digital camera...long time coming...

Fleeting Summer Days~~

Summer has flown by really, really fast. June was only two months ago but I can barely remember what happened in that month. Here's a short summary:

Well, first of all, it has been just a few weeks since my grandma passed away.  After months of agonizing over her health and well-being, my family and I are glad that she is at peace now. For a while now, she has been wishing to join my grandpa in the afterlife as she felt that she no longer had a role to play in this world. But, I am also so glad that she was receptive to God before she died. Being a diehard Buddhist, grandma, it seemed, was not open to God all her life despite having her two daughters and one son becoming Christian. Anyways, may she rest in peace ~

My aunt came to Korea all the way from Birmingham, Alabama. It was sad that she and my mom were not able to say their final goodbyes before she left...I think grandma would've not wanted them to see her in the state that she was...It was good and memorable time with my aunt who I haven't seen for quite a while.

Turning 30 soon and the parentals are worried that it'd be harder for me to get hitched after I have reached the big 3-0. So, they've gotten me on this crazy dating wheel...The first was a patent attorney who turned out to be a total jerk  and I can't believe I dated him for two months...yeah, as always bad judgement...the second date, was a pastor. Although it seemed like a dead-end from the start, he was quite attractive...Not so much in the looks department but he had charisma...I was really attracted to his passion and walk with God (of course, because he's a pastor!), his honesty, intelligence, his confidence...what's not attractive about confident men, eh?  anyways, sigh~CHARISMA~~  But, sadly, he will be going to Fiji next months for missions for who knows how long and I can't imagine myself to be a samonim (pastor's wife) and the responsibilities, honorifics, and stereotype that comes with the title...neither can I be living in Fiji..having lived on an island for many years, I can't imagine going back to live on another island...

So next week or so...I will be meeting a professor...We'll see how that turns out..But, these first dates are getting really tiresome and so are jerky Korean men minus the pastor... 

It's really hot lately...After weeks of rain, the sun has decided it is her time to shine...and SHINE she does...I think it would be nice to have some wind with the sunshine, but, alas, that's just a wish...I guess, we'd have to wait for fall to have some nice weather...

So, that's my summer in a nutshell...

Currently Listening m-flo Dope Space Nine see related

Japan and My Pedestrian Rage

So for vacation, I decided to meet up with my friend in Japan. We met in Tokyo and had a great time. I arrived in Tokyo first and did a little exploring of the sights. You know the usual tourist trappings~ I had the chance to see Yasukuni since my friend was reluctant to go see the place with me.  She told me, "Ordinary Japanese people don't go to Yasukuni. Only Koizumi goes there." And me. Keke.  When I went Yasukuni Shrine was in the midst of a festival of some sorts...the Matsumata Festival (or the festival to honor the souls of the war dead) was in full swing. (pictures will be posted later). I had heard so much about the museum so that's where I made a beeline for.   The place was like any other war museum you would see at any other country you were visiting. It kind of reminded me of the Korean War Museum in Yongsan but this place was different since the shrine next to it was supposed to hold the souls of the war dead. Anyways, yes, I did see a lot of discrepancies. For example, the Japanese invasion of Korea during Hideyoshi's era called the Imjinwaeran in Korea called the invasion an "expedition". According to descriptions, Japan felt compelled to occupy Korea because of the geopolitical position between Japan and China. The same argument of compulsion was used to describe the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor. The U.S. was going to declare war on Japan anyways so why not preemptively attack? A heavy feeling began to descend the more I went through the museum artifacts. By the time it ended, I was glad to be out as I felt the souls of those war dead were looking down on me and asking me why I was there...

Anyways, the latter half of my trip was quite exhausting and relaxing at the same time. Not only was it unbearably hot but going around the streets of Tokyo did quite damage to the dineros in my wallet. It was what I expected to be since Japan is quite an expensive place. I had the chance to go to an onsen, a traditional Japanese sauna. Quite relaxing and the lunch that came with it was quite good, everything was made fresh, even the sakura sorbet which was good despite being made from flowers.(pictures will be in next posting)

Being in Japan among the most polite people in the world made me dread going back to Korea and the pushiness of people here and there. Despite living here for six years (it's been that long!!  ) I'm still not used to people pushing, the ahjummahs, ahjushis, grandpas and grandmas (heck! everyone!) cutting in front of me (there's even a word for it-saechigi) Anyways, I've gotten fed up with it but not so much so that I would go ballistic on them. More like giving them angry stares. I don't think they quite get it and are so oblivious to their faux pas. Anyways...if you're in Korea and these Koreans push you, push back...sometimes they don't care if you do...just a fact of life, I guess.

So, I think I have one more year of Korea left. Next year, I might go to Hawaii if things turn out right (*cross fingers*) Aloha to that!

Way too funny~kkkk

Last Friday's post was a joke...not depressing

My mom does still speak to me..in fact, she speaks to me a lot...it's incessant or she is~

I don't consider myself a Korean-American failure story   or maybe not a total Korean-American failure...hehehe

C'mon, seriously, have a sense of humour people~~