Only in Korea

So I know it's been a long time since I've made a post. And it'll probably be a long time before I make another one. The blog is still here, sooner or later I'll be motivated to write again. It comes and goes.

Anyways, something happened yesterday that I just had to share. This is something that I can really only see happening in Korea.

My girlfriend and I were at church. In the middle of the sermon someone stood up and started yelling. I have no clue what he was yelling, but it seemed as though he was protesting something. I kept pressing my girl to translate for me, but she wouldn't and would only tell me that he was crazy. After about a minute of him yelling whatever, taking the typical Korean protest posture, standing very straight like he was addressing a drill sergeant, and speaking in short, loud, bursts, he was finally escorted out of the building by about five ushers.

It was really quite the scene. Of course, we have had many protests in America around churches, but usually even the protesters are respectful enough to actually do it outside the church. This guy just stood up and started yelling what seemed to be random shit.

I never thought church could be that interesting. Although, I must say that my girlfriend was a little bit upset that I found it kind of funny. Oh well.

Too many hobbies

I haven't been posting. I realize this. I've slowed down. The reason is I have a lot of hobbies, or maybe obsessions would be a more accurate term. Currently, I'm back on guitar. This is what happens when I play guitar...



Yeah, that's me, after spending too much time playing guitar. I recorded that about a year ago. Now I'm playing again. Only this time I'm attempting to tackle some Beethoven stuff. It's a pain in the ass, but I love it.

I've also been given a keyboard by someone at work, so I'm trying to learn that now too. Lately, I've also started giving lessons to someone else from work, so I'm trying to put together lesson plans for guitar in case that's something I ever want to do to make a few extra bucks on the side.

Anyways, I'll continue to play and probably continue playing PS3 as well. And, I'll continue to try to post at least a couple times a month on here. Cheers!

She loves me, she hates me...

My girlfriend's mother hates me now. Not because of anything I've done.

I knew something was wrong a few weeks ago when I went to my girl's brother's wedding. Her father was really nice to me, he likes me a lot, but her mother didn't even say hello. I mentioned this to my girlfriend, and she just told me it was because her mother was busy, but I had a feeling something was up.

Up until then her mother had always been very nice to me. She bought me clothes, made kimchi chigae for me, and always went out of her way to make me feel welcome. Because of that I knew it was more than her just being busy.

About a week ago she and my girlfriend got in a big fight and the truth came out. Her mother had read an article in the paper about a foreign teacher who had filmed a porno with his Korean girlfriend. This is the reason why her mother now hates me and wants my girlfriend to stop seeing me. Because some jackass up in Seoul made a porno with his girlfriend.

This is why I sometimes hate Korea. If it was some Korean guy who made a porno with his Korean girlfriend it wouldn't even be news. Because it's a foreigner it becomes news, and all the irrational Koreans find another reason to hate foreigners. I didn't think her mother was like that, but apparently she is just as crazy and irrational as the rest of them.

Anyways, thank God my girlfriend loves me or I'm sure a repeat of what happened with another girl I dated would be imminent. A girl once broke up with me because her father didn't like Americans. I'm also glad that my girlfriend's father has not fallen into the same insanity. He likes me. He's the kind of guy that either likes you or doesn't like you. He's not going to let some stupid article about someone else influence his opinion of me.

My girlfriend hasn't spoken to her mother all week now. I'm not sure what the next move will be. Either her mom has to get a brain or they will just not speak for the next year or so. She's not going to break up with me just because her mother has no sense.

Happy New Year everyone.

I'm lazy

Writing is funny. When you make a habit of it, then it seems like no big deal to spend 20 minutes writing an update, but when you've been neglecting it 20 minutes seems like too much time to spend.

Recently, I've become addicted to "Demon's Souls". It might possibly be the best game I've played since the first time I played "Final Fantasy VII". It's the kind of game that is so difficult at times that it makes you want to break shit, but when you've finally made it past that challenge you feel like jumping up and down and breaking out the show tunes. It's really great. After the smoldering pile of shit that was "Dragon Age", I'm glad I've finally found a game that can keep my interest. However, I would advise, if you're a casual gamer you will not like this game. It's just too difficult in certain parts and I guarantee you will give up. If you are a gamer, and like a challenge then this game is for you. It is worth the money, but don't take it lightly, it'll chew you up and spit you out like bad kimchi. It'll make you want to cry for your mommy. You will die. You will die often. You will die so much you'll forget what it was like to ever be alive. This is not a game for those who quit after dying once or twice.

Other than that I had my first Korean wedding experience this weekend. My girlfriend's brother got married. I've never seen so many white envelopes in my life. They take money, they give money, they take money, they give coupons, who the hell can keep up with all that shit. Do they get a coupon? Do they get money? And who the fuck gives the guests money at a wedding? "Thank you for coming, here's ten bucks." I should just start going to weddings every weekend, it could be like a part-time job. Just go around collecting envelopes.

My girlfriend was pissed off because she didn't even get to see the actual wedding. She was so busy with the great envelope swap that she didn't get inside to see her own brother get married. It's okay though, I have like 5 shitty pictures to immortalize the magic moments when his friends were singing off key to him and when they flashed tacky pictures of the lovely couple in their matching pink jumpsuits on the white screen behind the altar. Wonderfully tasteful.

The good thing about the wedding though was once it started it was all business. The ceremony started at 12:30 and we were out of there by 1:00. No fucking around. In and out quickly, just how I like it. It all seemed a little more casual than a western wedding too. People in the crowd were talking and laughing when the bride and groom were going through their spiel, it wasn't nearly as uptight and uncomfortable as an American wedding.

I met the rest of my girlfriend's family too. They all seem very nice, though nobody speaks any English. The few that do shouldn't. They asked far too many prying questions. Basically, "Hi, how are you? When are you two getting married?" They didn't waste any time with small talk.

Anyways, that's about it for now. Maybe I'll try to get back in the habit of writing soon. It's just hard to pull myself away from that game right now. It's so fucking good.

Short explanation for my absence

Well, first of all there was the holidays. I was obviously busy around Christmas doing stuff with my girlfriend. I met her parents for dinner. It was interesting. Her mother had a calender in her purse, pulled it out during coffee, and told me to pick the day we would get married. They picked September 11th, I said that would be a bad idea, and picked September 4th. They weren't really thinking about the significance of 9-11 to Americans.

After that intensives started in early January. They're still going on, but I only have one class left next Monday morning. I just don't have the motivation to write when I'm pulling two or three split shifts a week. Today for example I worked from 9:00-1:00 and then from 3:00-10:00. Makes me weary.

I also finally got my PS3. I've been keeping myself busy playing "Dragon Age". It's pretty good. Not as good as it was hyped up to be, but decent nevertheless. I think next I'm going to get "Demon's Souls" or "Fallout 3". Haven't made up my mind yet.

Now the bad news. My girlfriend is pissed off at me. She's so pissed off I'm not even sure if I can call her my girlfriend anymore. We got in a huge fight on Saturday night and she hasn't spoken to me since. I'm giving her a little space and hoping that she comes back. It's been driving me crazy all week though. I couldn't even eat on Sunday or Monday I was so sick over it.

We've both been really stressed out because of the wedding, money, and on top of that we have intensives so we're very tired as well. It all just kind of came to a head on Saturday night. The worst part is that we got in a fight in front of other people. Of course, I don't care about that part. I'm a guy, I'm American, embarrassing myself in front of people just isn't a big deal to me. However, it is a big deal to her. That's what's bothering her, not that we got in a fight as much as we got in a fight in front of people.

I just hope she takes me back. I'm a good person. I would never cheat on her, I would never hit her, I would never get in a fight in front of her parents or anything. We were just out drinking at a noribong and I had a few too many. I feel really bad about it now. I hope we can get over it. I don't want to have to date again. I don't want to have to hang out and drink with a bunch of people I don't even like just so I can maybe, possibly, meet someone that I might like.

Anyways, that's what's up. Hopefully, I'll find some more motivation for writing again now that intensives are more or less over.

Hope everyone else in the blogosphere is okay.

don't worry

I haven't stopped blogging. I'll be back. I've just been busy with life and intensives. There just hasn't been much time to spare, and I haven't felt much like writing when I do rarely have free time.

Been playing my PS3.

I'll catch everyone up soon.