Or just well-rounded. Since finding out I write like a female it is reassuring to know that my brain is mostly male.
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Your Brain is 46.67% Female, 53.33% Male |
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You are both sensitive and savvy Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve |
Not to worry, the crown is back in place.
This morning I went to “sick call” at the dental clinic on post. Use of the medical facilities is for military only, but they will see civilians on an “emergency” basis. The woman on the phone at the clinic, a Ms. Kim (Kim and Lee are like Smith and Jones here), was doubtful if a lost crown qualified, but told me to come on down and they would see if the dentist would have a look. Once there I filled out some paperwork and got in the queue. There was an irate Colonel who had been waiting for 45 minutes and another soldier ahead of me, plus I knew any walk-in military would have preference. So I asked for a list of dentists on the economy. Ms. Kim was even kind enough to call and help me make an appointment with Dr. Choi.
I must say, it was not a bad experience. A warm greeting (although Koreans seem to struggle with McCrarey, too many “r’s” too close together). Filled out the typical forms, and then the receptionist took my picture. It seemed like standard procedure, but I don’t know what the point of that was. Then it was off to the dental chair. One difference I noticed was that the dentists I am use to have private treatment rooms. Here the chairs were in an open area. It is a little degrading under the best circumstances to lie there all vulnerable with your mouth wide open, but seeing as how I was the last patient for the day I had the place to myself.
Dr. Choi came in and he was a very pleasant individual (nearly all the Koreans I have met here are). He spoke pretty good English, but as he looked at my forms he said I don’t understand what you do (I had put Human Resources as my occupation). I tried to explain but I am not sure he got it. I know he couldn’t pronounce it (that r thing again). Anyway, he said where did you get this crown made, and I said Virginia. He said it was pretty worn but that he would attempt to glue it back. If it comes off again it needs to be replaced. Anyway, he got it back on in short order, then a Korean lovely did the clean up job. You know you have been away from home too long when you are actually enjoying having female hands scraping excess glue from your teeth. All that for 50,000 Won (about $51.00 at the current lousy exchange rate).
Dr. Choi says it is time for a cleaning, so I will be going back next Friday. Really, it’s all about dental hygeine people. Seriously.
I spent the day in training learning how to supervise Korean employees. Most of it was pretty familiar stuff, but the majority of the folks in class did not have an HR background so I suppose it was more beneficial for them. Still, I found the part on some cultural differences of interest. Much of Korean culture is grounded in the Confucian traditions that have existed here for hundreds of years. So today I learned about the five elements in the Confucian code of ethics:
1. Subjects must be loyal to the King.
2. There must be a close relationship (love and obedience) between father and son.
3. There must be a distinct differential between man and wife.
4. The must be respect for the aged by the young.
5. There must be a sense of trust and faithfulness among friends.
And also the five virtures leading to proper behavior:
1. Love of humanity–consideration of others’ feelings and emotions.
2. Justice–assigning each person his proper place and duties.
3. Reverence–acknowledging others’ right and duties.
4. Wisdom–learning the difference between good and evil.
5. Sincerity–truthfulness of purpose.
Pretty simple, eh? I am very fortunate to have some outstanding Koreans working for me. Hard working, never complain, and they take pride in their work. Two of the men I supervise are older and have more seniority, two big factors in determining one’s rank and standing. To be supervised by me probably goes a little against the grain. I try very hard to be respectful (I call them Mr. Kim and Mr. Yi) and I always make it point to seek out their opinion. Which they might not offer if I didn’t ask. So I am learning and I do not expect I will have any real trouble in that regard.
Plus I got this nice certificate:
Tonight I had lesson two in my Korean language class. Consonants this time. So, I “know” all ten vowels and all fourteen consonants. Plus we learned to count to twenty. Well learned is a stretch. I would have to open my text book to count to two. Let’s just say I was exposed to these concepts tonight.
And in a bit of tragic news, I lost the crown on my tooth tonight. Didn’t lose it, I mean it came off (damn Milk Duds). So tomorrow I will get to find out if I have access to a dentist on post or if I need to find one on the economy. Hmm, that would be an experience. We shall see.
I am due for a post at The Wide Awakes this week, so I reckon I will start thinking about politics again soon. I just KNOW y’all have missed my rants these past few days, but actually the break has been kinda nice. Not to worry, I WILL NOT BE SILENCED!
I am just in some kind of funk. No motivation to do anything, not even blog. What’s up with that?
Things are hoppin’ at work though, which is good. Makes the days go by quickly. Tomorrow I have a training course on how to supervise Koreans (I have three working for me). That should be interesting. I’m also meeting with one of our lawyers to strategize on how to deal with a pending union issue.
And in other news they have lifted the curfew for civilians. Although we are “strongly encouraged” to observe the curfew, there are no sanctions for not doing so. Well, as I have said previously, the curfew is not really a problem for me because I am just not likely to be out and about at the witching hour. Still, it was a big issue for lots of folks and for that reason alone I am glad to see it done away with.
And that my friends is the sorry state of my life, such as it is. Ah, tomorrow is another day. I will try again. Goodnight.
Well, I had every intention to come home last night and get back into the swing of things by writing a most excellent post. Alas.
Last night was my first Korean language class. I learned my ten vowels. And practiced writing them in the Hangul script. It was quite a flashback to those long-ago days in elementary school. My director and her husband are also in the class. After class they invited me to join them for a drink at the Dragon Hill Lodge. And I had two.
I had walked in to work, so I said my goodbyes and began the trek home. It takes about 25 minutes normally. Having decided to vary my routes (not paranoid, just prudent) I figured I would find a new way home. It didn’t really work out that well. The back streets here, well, they are more what we would call alleys, don’t run on anything like a grid, they just sort of meander. And then abruptly end. I’m not going to say I got lost. I just didn’t know where I was for awhile. Quite awhile to be honest. Anyway, I wound up going in circles and finally came to a street that was somewhat familiar, and eventually made my way home. I was kinda tired and frustrated at that point, so I fixed a frozen dinner and turned on the TV to unwind. I have about 60 channels on cable, and 50 or so are in Korean. Still, I enjoy watching and listening even though I am clueless about what is being said. Long story short, I woke up on the couch about 2:00 am.
This morning I discovered my coffee maker has stopped working. And that it is snowing heavily. There’s already a couple of inches on the ground and if this keeps up it is going to be ugly. I’m going to walk into work this morning. Glad I bought those boots before I left.
Anyway, need to get hiking. I will carry my good intentions forward and hopefully have something of interest for you tonight.
All right, I’m a little too tired tonight to do much writing, so let me whet your appetite with some photos of my little Korean homestead…..
Ok, I won’t accuse the Koreans of engaging in hyperbole, I’ll be kind and say something was lost in the translation. My villa is very nice and comfortable. A clean well-lighted place. However, it is not a Royal Palace (saw one of those in Istanbul).
My street. I really hate when I meet oncoming traffic. It is not quite wide enough for two cars.
The likely scene of my ultimate demise. This intersection has no signal. I need to turn left here to go to work. Cars come flying through. I almost got broadsided Saturday. Of course, my alternative is walking, and it is not a bad option. Except, see those stairs? Well, I should be in good shape (or dead) soon.
Ok, the one thing this place does not have that I really wanted was a view. This is what I settled for….
You can kinda sorta see the Seoul skyline from my balcony, but there is a good view from the rooftop. And the rooftop is set up for cookouts and parties. I’ll get some shots from up there when it warms up a tad.
Let’s go inside….
The entrance foyer. I have adopted the Korean custom of not wearing shoes in the house, hence the slippers….
The living room….
Dining area….
The kitchen….
Now this is pretty cool. It’s a washer/dryer combo and it’s in the kitchen. Used it tonight and it worked like a charm. Very quiet. And small. Took 3 loads to do my meager belongings (well, I had a bath towel and two pair of jeans that made a full load, then the rest of the darks and then the whites). Notice how the landlord put English labels under the Hangul. Good thing too. I did not use the dryer. Landlord says it takes a very long time and since the military housing folks lend appliances, they sent me over this nice big brand-new American Whirlpool dryer….
Which is so convienently [not] located in an alcove on my balcony. Next to the built-in vacuum system which I have already put to work. It’s great!
Ok, on with the tour….
The hallway which leads to….
The guest bedroom and my office….
and a bathroom.
Then on to the master bedroom suite….
This bed is the damnest thing. Queen sheets are too small, King are too large. Go figure.
I have lots of closet space.
And a great master bath. I have not used that big jacuzzi tub yet, but the shower is the best one I have ever had the pleasure to utilize. The six jets of hot water hit all the right places. I spend WAY too much time in there.
Along the back of the villa is this long narrow room. I saw these in a lot of the Korean houses I looked at. I still do not understand the purpose or function. I am using it as a little patio (it is accessable from my office). I guess it would be a good place for plants or something.
The view from the “patio” also pretty much sucks, but I do live near a mosque and you can see the tower from there.
And finally, especially for EuroYank who requested more photos of Korean women, I offer the three sisters who run Sweet Caroline, a bar I have been known to frequent. Left to Right are Mi-Soon, Tami, and Sister.
All right, it’s late and I’m off to bed. I will endeavor to post some news from here tomorrow.
I am so freakin’ excited. KT (Korea Telephone) just set up my Internet! I must confess that I have felt a bit out of sorts without my daily Internet fix. Plus, I felt disconnected from the world (or at least the part of the world that is familiar to me).
So for better or worse, Long Time Gone is back in business. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do and I also owe my devoted readers some snippets of what I have been up to, but bear with me while I see what has been going on in the world this past *gasp* 3 days!
I also have some photos of my new digs I’ll put up a bit later too. It’s like Christmas for me right now, I need to go open up my other presents before I play with this one. I’ll be back in a jiffy……
This is goodbye for awhile. I’m finally outta this hotel. Sadly, I won’t get Internet at my new place until Wednesday or Thursday next week. If I can get to an Internet cafe I will try and drop in to say hi to my faithful readers (both of you! :))
I am very excited. Spent over $1000. last night at the BX. Got more to buy today, but probably no more the $500., so I am being as frugal as possible.
OK, I will no doubt miss y’all more than you miss me, but don’t forget me while I’m gone.
Just to let you know all is well. Last night I went with my realtors to make sure my villa has been furnished appropriately, or at least in accordance with my understanding, and it was. I was really worried about what kind of furniture the landlord would pick out because I have discerned certain cultural differences in things like color coordination and furniture style. The landlord did all right. Not what I would have picked, but I can work with it. I despise the chrome and glass coffee table, but I’m hoping Mrs. LTG will consent to send me a tapestry or two she purchased during our recent trip to Istanbul. A rug for the LR floor, some pictures for the wall, and I’ll have it feeling like home or a reasonable facsimile thereof in no time. I’ll be posting lots of photos, so stay tuned.
After work today (and I am very busy at work right now) I am going to the BX to equip the villa with the necessities of life. Oh, and I need to get over to KT (Korean Telephone) for my basic phone service and Internet connection. I am hoping I can be hooked up by Friday when I move in, but if not I may be out of touch for a couple of days.
Tonight is my last night in this hotel! I am so damned excited about that.
Saturday afternoon I will be attending my boss’s wedding. Still haven’t found a gift, but I will probably just pick up a vase or something lame like that. It may be sexist, but I really am lost without Mrs. LTG when it comes to the social graces. The Korean tradition is to give money as a wedding gift, and that really makes a lot of sense. If it weren’t my boss I might do that, but I just can’t get over the cultural (and ethical) hurdles associated with giving money to the person who evaluates my performance.
Well I should have some interesting blog material coming soon what with the move and the wedding and the shopping. Until then….
Well, forgotten by most of the MSM that is. Nothing runs off the press like the smell of success.
But success is undeniable in Afghanistan, and things are looking better there all the time. According to this account, some senior Taliban leaders are not only taking President Karzai’s amnesty offer, but they are also actively encouraging others to do so as well.
One of the Taliban’s most senior and charismatic commanders has become a key negotiator as more and more members of the Islamic militia in Afghanistan give up the fight against the Americans.
The commander, Abdul Salam, earned the nickname Mullah Rockety because he was so accurate with rocket propelled grenades against Russian troops.
He later joined the Taliban as a corps commander in Jalalabad before being captured by the Americans after September 11.Now he is a supporter of President Hamid Karzai and is tempting diehard Taliban fighters to accept an amnesty offer and reconcile themselves to Afghanistan’s first directly elected leader.
It’s not over yet, and Mullah Omar is promising a spring “offensive” against US and Afghani forces, but it appears likely that Omar is simply blind to the new realities on the ground. (sorry).
The people of Afghanistan have embraced democracy. And that is a beautiful thing to see. And speaking of beautiful, here’s my favorite soldier posing with a truckload of confiscated drugs.
Scrolling through the photo albums on my laptop and listening to old music on my portable CD player….
Comforting and disconcerting at the same time. Or maybe Neil Young will just do that to you late at night alone in a hotel room….
Motion pictures on my TV screen
A home away from home
And I’m living in between
Well I hear some people
Have got thier dream
I’ve got mine.
I hear the mountains
Are doing fine
Morning glories on the vine
And the dew is falling
The ducks are calling
Yes, I’ve got mine.
Well all those headlines
They just bore me now
I’m deep inside myself
But I’ll get out somehow
And I’ll stand before you
And I’ll bring a smile
To your eyes.
Motion pictures, motion pictures…
Goodnight. Tomorrow is a new a better day.
Two great posts tonight at Vodka Pundit:
First from Will Collier:
George W. Bush, on Jacques Chriac:
Only months after he criticized countries “like France,” President Bush was lavish in his praise of French President Jacques Chirac, one of the sharpest critics of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
“I’m looking for a good cowboy,” Bush said Monday when a French reporter asked him whether relations had improved to the point where the U.S. president would be inviting Chirac to the U.S. president’s ranch in Texas.
And the headline:
Bush Suggests Chirac Is ‘Good Cowboy’
I can’t imagine a more damaging sentence in the eyes of the French electorate.
Moral of the story: Don’t mess with GWB. He plays rough.
The comments are priceless too.
Then from the other side of the world and the other extreme of emasculation comes this report from Stephen Green:
As if Vodkapundit doesn’t already provide you with enough links to severed penis stories, here’s one from Alaska:
ANCHORAGE — Police in Alaska say a woman upset about an impending break-up with her boyfriend cut off his penis and flushed it down a toilet. Utility workers recovered the severed body part and surgeons reattached it.
The woman is charged with first-degree assault, domestic violence and tampering with evidence. She’s being held without bail pending arraignment Monday. Click here to get lawyer for domestic violence claims and get a viable solution for your domestic violence case.
Hear that, ladies? If you’re planning on chopping off your man’s man-bits, don’t flush it down the toilet after. Otherwise, you could get charged with tampering with evidence. Now, if the toilet clogged would that be “obstruction of justice?”
Speaking for myself, I will take cutting sarcasm any day.
So, I am making my coffee this morning and I dropped the pot. Shattered into shards covering a surprising radius. Called for housekeeping to bring a broom and new pot. They got here promptly and cleaned up the mess. The coffee maker they brought does not work however.
Guess going without coffee this morning is my punishment for being a clumsy oaf.
UPDATE: Day turned out ok. Got my SOFA stamp from Korean immigration, got my permanent ration card, have an appointment for transport of household goods tomorrow, and some more work piled on the desk. Hey, it doesn’t get much better than this!
Be advised, hormones can strike without warning. For your own protection, I encourage you to click here and learn how to protect yourself.
Don’t blame me, blame it on Flight Pundit. But for him I would NEVER have had cause to post this. Just sayin’.
Stars and Stripes has a story on the union’s plan to file a grievance over the curfew.
The union that represents civilian U.S. Army workers in South Korea is planning this week to ask for thousands of dollars in back pay for the more than 700 hours its members have spent at home complying with U.S. Forces Korea’s curfew policy, according to the union’s president.
The union says its current contract with USFK and the 8th Army requires the government to pay the normal wage for hours spent on “stand-by duty” in response to military restrictions that require civilian workers to remain home in a state of readiness.
Well, I have a policy of keeping my work life out of my blog life, so I will withhold comment. Let’s just say I wouldn’t plan to spend that money anytime soon. Or as my high school sweetheart used to say “wanting and getting are two different things”.
Via The Lost Nomad
The Colonel’s secret recipe of herbs and spices that is. Yep, on my walkabout yesterday I stopped into the Itaewon KFC and got the two piece meal (W4900). The chicken had a reddish tint rather than the golden brown to which I am accustomed. It was quite spicy and came with a packet of hot sauce just in case you wanted a little more fire. I didn’t. It was not bad, just not what I expected. The biscuit was excellent, the cole slaw tasted the same as home. No mashed potatoes and gravy though. Anyway, for the first time since I arrived in Korea I had a negative reaction to something I ate. I was up and down all night with trips to the bathroom if you get my meaning. Anyway, all better this morning.
It has been very cold. My weather girl says it is 10 degrees this morning. I walked into town yesterday afternoon to see if I could find a shortcut to my villa. I did find a back way, but I will have to climb some steep steps (I didn’t count, but it looks like 50 and feels like 100) whichever direction I take. Yea! A built in workout everyday, and I don’t even have to buy a Stairmaster!
I hadn’t noticed when I was shown the villa, but the building it’s in is called The Royal Palace. Well, it’s a nice place but that’s a bit of an overstatement. I just hope the landlord picks out some furnishings that are comfortable and not too ugly. Guess I will find out soon enough.
Played some more CIV III last night. Those damn Carthaginians did a sneak attack on me. So I have been plotting some appropriate retaliation that is very un-Gandhi like (I’m playing as India).
I may venture out again if it gets a little warmer today. The walls in this hotel room do tend to close in on you after awhile.
but worth sharing here on the chance that you haven’t heard it before (and even if you have). As Virginia is my adoptive state, I especially appreciate the sentiment:
When Osama bin Laden died, he was met at the Pearly Gates by George Washington, who slapped him across the face and yelled, “How dare you try to destroy the nation I helped conceive!”
Patrick Henry approached, punched him in the nose and shouted, “You wanted to end our liberties but you failed.”
James Madison followed, kicked him in the groin and said, “This is why I allowed our government to provide for the common defense!”
Thomas Jefferson was next, beat Osama with a long cane and snarled, “It was evil men like you who inspired me to write the Declaration of Independence.”
The beatings and thrashings continued as George Mason, James Monroe and 66 other early Americans unleashed their anger on the terrorist leader.
As Osama lay bleeding and in pain, an Angel appeared. Bin Laden wept and said, “This is not what you promised me.”
The Angel replied, “I told you there would be 72 Virginians waiting for you in Heaven. What did you think I said?”
Via: Powerline
Ashley pointed me to Macho Response several weeks ago. He has a new look, but the same great writing and insights. Be sure and give him a visit.
Oh man, I have to got to get me one of these! This video clip is just too damn funny. Go check it out!
A big hat tip and bow to Euro Yank. He rarely disappoints!
UPDATE: And you don’t want to miss this one on Bush’s second term!
