Namsan Photos

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UPDATE 2: Ok, couldn’t figure it out with Picasa, but the HP Photo Imaging had a resize feature, so I think I have the photos up now…..

UPDATE: Hmm, the photos are too large for my template so I have had to remove them for now. Anyone know how to shrink photos to fit?

Well, it turns out I just knocked my memory card loose, so I was able to salvage the photos of yesterday’s hike. Not that they are anything to write home about, but then, that’s exactly what I’m doing. My photography does not do justice to the beauty of the day, but for what its worth, here are some shots….


I don’t read Hangul too well, this MIGHT say welcome to Namsan Park or maybe it means “Yankee Go Home”. Or not.

Seoul Tower, my destination. It was closed for renovation so I could not ride to the top. It reopens in October, so I’ll be back….

Lots of interesting concessions at the top of the mountain. Here we have an assortment of dried fish, squid, and what I think might be octopus. I was not hungry, but it did look tasty, don’t you think?

A view from the top……

What was cool was that from any direction you looked, Seoul spread out before you in all her glory…..

One more vantage point. After winding my way up the mountain, I lost all sense of direction so I don’t know what compass point this would be, but the point is Namsan is an island of serenity amongs the urban sprawl. Quite impressive really.

All along the crest of the mountain are these old fortifications. As many times as Seoul has been conquered and reconquered I can’t say they were as an effective defensive as they appeared, Reminded me a little of the old city walls in Istanbul, only smaller….

I came down the mountain using the road as opposed to the trail I took going most of the way up, and at the bottom is the National Theatre. The marquee indicated some type of traditional folk dancing show would be taking place, but in the afternoon lots of folks were roller blading on the promenade.

In front of the theatre was this statue which I understand represents the celebration of Korea’s independence. I assume from Japanese occupation in 1945, but I’m not too clear on that point.

So I wasn’t sure which direction to go to get back home from the theatre, I just went with instinct and figured worse case I would catch a cab home. Came upon this sign which sounded so final I almost turned back. My instincts proved correct however, and I found my way back to Hannam-dong with no difficulty.

Alright, there you have photographic evidence of my best adventure so far. I’m going to see about a tour of some points south through the USO next month. I figure I just about have enough confidence now to expand my admittedly limited boundaries. We shall see.

In honor of military wives…

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It’s a tough job and this wife shares some lessons learned:

LESSONS I’VE LEARNED
By Mandy B, Wife of SGT Erik B

Now that the journey has almost come to a much-anticipated end, I find myself looking back, and discovering that I’ve learned some precious lessons along the way…

I’ve learned that dads need their kids.
I’ve learned that two-year-olds hurt & need their daddies more than I expected.
I’ve learned that kids know more about what’s going on than we think they do.

I’ve learned that moms can fix more than just broken hearts; we’re pretty handy with tools when we have to be.
I’ve learned that I can chase away monsters just as well as my husband can.
I’ve learned how hard it is to cook for just two people, one being a two-year-old.

I’ve learned, in my husband’s absence, just how much he does to help me out.
I’ve learned that a family is a family, no matter how many miles separate them.
I’ve learned that I can hold down the home front pretty well on my own, but I’d much rather have best friend there to help me.
I’ve learned that we are a team.

I’ve learned that it’s no fun being without the one you love on special days.
I’ve learned that love can go the distance.
I’ve learned that trust is the most crucial quality that a relationship can hold.
I’ve learned that love can withstand all things.
I’ve learned how much a late-night phone call home can mean.
I’ve learned that a package is like a little piece of home in an unfamiliar world.
I’ve learned about sacrifice.

I’ve learned that just hanging out together is so precious.
I’ve learned how nice it is to feel his arms around me.
I’ve learned how quickly two weeks goes!
I’ve learned just how long 15 months really is.

I’ve learned that freedom really is not free.
I’ve learned that there is always someone else worse off.
I’ve learned how lucky we are to be living in the United States, be free, and be safe.
I’ve learned that there is always someone sacrificing for the rest us to have that freedom.

Via Big Al’s Army Life

Good day

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Today turned out spectacular weather wise. I did the hike up Namsan to the Seoul tower and it was fantastic. The cherry blossoms are not in bloom yet, but they have buds, so maybe next week. The magnolia trees are in blossom and so is the gae-na-lee (yellow flower bushes) and gin-da-ley (purple flowers). I spelled those names phonetically, at least as best I can tell. Some great vistas, pine scented air, and a very exhilarating walk. I took some great photos too. Then I dropped my camera, the batteries fell out, and apparently everything in memory disappeared. I’m not real happy about that obviously, but I do plan on going back once the cherry tree blossoms appear, so I will take more then. If you want to get some idea, you can check out the photos taken by Kevin of Big Hominid when hiked up there last week (keep scrolling down from the food section to get to the Namsan pics).

For the first time I really got some perspective on just how big Seoul really is. Namsan (meaning Nam Mountain) is surrounded on all sides by the urban sprawl of this city of 13 million. It had rained all day yesterday, so today was about as clear as I have ever seen the air here. Seoul is surrounded by mountains, and it was all quite beautiful from my lofty perch above the city. And to be in this natural wooded area surround by the massive city was quite the juxtaposition. It was probably my best day in Korea. It just felt good to be out amongst the people soaking up the sunshine and fresh air.

I was disappointed to find the Seoul Tower closed for renovations (it won’t reopen to the public until October), but the view from the top of Namsan was well worth the hike. I think it will be a regular thing for me to do on nice days.

Once I got back to Itaewon I treated myself to dinner at Pancho’s Mexican restaurant. I had low expectations, but it turned out to be quite good. Chicken enchiladas (of course), a bit pricey at 10,000 WON but it was nice to have a taste of “home”.

As I was walking back to my villa I saw a street vendor selling DVDs. And he had Team America: World Police! And for another 10,000 WON it is mine. Just finished watching it and it was almost as funny as it was last summer in the theatre.

So, all in all a great day. And other than the beer I drank at Pancho’s with dinner, I was “bar free” today. I am sorry about the pictures, but they would not have done justice to the natural beauty I experienced on my hike.

Just in case there was any doubt…

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More evidence of which side the MSM has taken in the GWOT is summed rather nicely in this post from Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette.

It is bad enough that we have to endure biased coverage that misrepresents what is happening on the ground in Iraq. To learn that CBS actually has the bad guys on their payroll strikes me as crossing the line into treason.

UPDATE: Meanwhile, over at CNN Tim Blair notes an interesting example of what is considered “news”.

Rainy day blues….

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It has been raining all day here. I don’t understand how it can be so perfect all week long and then suck on the weekend. Well, I do understand how, but I don’t like it much. I am planning on hiking up Namsan tomorrow, weather permitting. My contingency plan is to visit the Korean War Museum.

Last night I was bad. I have been scoping out some alternatives to Sweet Caroline’s. Nothing wrong with SC’s, its just a little too much same old, same old. I immediately reject any bar where women push drinks, which is probably half the bars in town. I found a couple of good places last night, and wound up playing pool with a guy named Stephan from Germany. I realized that it has been years since I shot pool. At least before I started wearing bifocals. I don’t know if it was the beer or my glasses, but I played horribly. Embarassing ass kicking over and over. The worse I played the more I drank and I of course kept playing worse.

Anyway, came home inebritated and I really hate ODing like that. Wound up on the floor in the bathroom hugging the toilet. It was not a pretty site.

So today I have just chilled for the most part. Ran a couple of errands and bought groceries. Watched TV and napped.

From now on my motto is: Everything in moderation. Really, I mean it.

UNbelievable

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Nothing makes me sicker than hypocrisy. Wait, there is one thing that makes me sicker. Hypocrisy that results in the death of innocents.

We are all painfully aware of the oil-for-food fiasco. UN bureaucrats enriching themselves by stealing money intended to buy food and medicine for the people of Iraq. And now we know that UN “peacekeepers” in the Congo have been using the impoverished children of that desperate land as their sexual playthings.

I have been a long time critic of the UN on many levels. It is a worthless institution. I could live with that I suppose, but its tendency to destroy that which it is sent to protect is unforgivable. The scope of the corruption and hypocrisy is made all too clear in this article from the Guardian. It was written by a former UN employee and pulls open the curtains on the evil in blue helmets.

Here’s a glimpse:

The children’s installation is introduced by the words: ‘They should still be with us.’ A nearby display asks whether they could be. It honours the actions of ordinary people of courage. People like Yahaya, a 60-year-old Muslim who saved Beatha, who narrates her story: ‘The killer was chasing me down an alley. I was going to die any second. I banged on the door of the yard. It opened almost immediately. He [Yahaya] took me by the hand and stood in his doorway and told the killer to leave. He said the Koran says if you save one life it is like saving the whole world. He did not know it is a Jewish text as well.’ Next to these tributes is another installation – a reproduction of the infamous fax by the UN Force Commander, General Romeo Dallaire, imploring the then head of UN peacekeeping, Kofi Annan, for authority to defend Rwandan civilians – many of whom had taken refuge in UN compounds under implicit and sometimes explicit promises of protection.

Here, too, is Annan’s faxed response – ordering Dallaire to defend only the UN’s image of impartiality, forbidding him to protect desperate civilians waiting to die. Next, it details the withdrawal of UN troops, even while blood flowed and the assassins reigned, leaving 800,000 Rwandans to their fate.

The museum’s silent juxtaposition of personal courage versus Annan’s passive capitulation to evil is an effective reminder of what is at stake in the debate over Annan’s future: when the UN fails, innocent people die. Under Annan, the UN has failed and people have died.

His own legions have raped and pillaged. In two present scandals, over the oil-for-food programme in Iraq, and sex-for-food in Congo, Annan was personally aware of malfeasance among his staff, but again responded with passivity.

Well, ok you say. Rwanda, that was bad. And yeah, the corruption in the oil-for-food deal is unacceptable. And the Congo, that was surely an aberration. So, three examples where the UN could have done better. Is that all you got?

I wish.

One very personal example: when I worked in Liberia in the mid-Nineties a new chief administrative officer was dispatched to Monrovia by the UN to replace the previous CAO, who was removed (then reassigned elsewhere) for taking a 15 per cent kickback on UN procurement contracts. In the name of cleaning up the old corruption, the new CAO tapped our phones, paid locals to spy for him and threatened to send home anyone who opposed him, all to facilitate his own quest for a 15 per cent kickback on everything we purchased.

The worst part was watching him try to coerce as many of his young ‘local staff’ to sleep with him as possible. A UN salary is enough money to support an entire extended family in a country such as Liberia, so these vulnerable women were in a tortuously compromised position by their boss’s unwanted advances.

I was the human rights lawyer and these girls would come to my office in tears asking for help. I wrote memo after memo of complaint to my chain of command, but no one did anything. I even confronted the CAO personally. To no effect. When I visited the UN human resources office in New York to complain personally, they laughed at my naive outrage: ‘It happens all the time in the field,’ they said. ‘There’s nothing we can do.’

In the meantime, a quarter of a million Liberians died, and warring factions committed war crimes. And the UN did – nothing. Just as it was simultaneously doing nothing, more infamously, in Rwanda and Bosnia.

So, I have to ask…where is the outrage? Who amongst us could not be outraged? Who would not be demanding Kofi’s resignation? Who will speak in favor of maintaining the status quo at the UN?

Oh, its our “peace loving” friends on the left. Who’d a thunk it?

The second searing irony for me is that the American neoconservative right has occupied the moral high ground in critique of Annan, outflanking the left, which sits on indefensible territory in his support. But if prevention of genocide and protection of the vulnerable are not core priorities on the left, then what is? If anyone’s values have been betrayed, it is those of us on the left who believe most deeply in the organisation’s ideals. I am mystified by the reluctance of the left both in the US and the UK (the Guardian ‘s coverage, for example) to criticise Annan’s leadership. The bodies burn today in Darfur – and the women are raped – amid the sound of silence from Annan. How many genocides, the prevention of which is the UN’s very raison d’être, will we endure before the left is moved to criticise Annan? Shouldn’t we be hearing the left screaming bloody murder about the UN’s failure to protect vulnerable Africans? Has it lost its compass so badly that it purports to excuse the rape of Congolese women by UN peacekeepers under Annan’s watch? Is stealing money intended for widows and orphans in Iraq merely a forgivable bureaucratic snafu?

I am co-author of a book critical of Annan’s peacekeeping legacy, Emergency Sex (and Other Desperate Measures): True Stories from a War Zone . My co-author, Dr Andrew Thomson, penned a line that drove the UN leadership to fire him. Lamenting UN negligence in failing Bosnian Muslims whom it had promised to protect in its ‘safe area’ of Srebrenica – where 8,000 men were slaughtered – Thomson wrote: ‘If blue-helmeted UN peacekeepers show up in your town or village and offer to protect you, run. Or else get weapons. Your lives are worth so much less than theirs.’

Tell me again about liberal values. What exactly do these people stand for? Have they no shame? Is their hatred of America so great that they can not find time to criticize the evil that is personified in the UN?

Tell me later. Right now I need a bath.

Cross posted at The Wide Awakes

The beginning of the end?

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The Bass Hole has a great post that really nails the situation currently taking place between the US and ROK. If you have any interest in the crumbling alliance between old friends, you need to read this post.

In my short time here I have really come to love Korea and I have a deep respect for the people, but I fear their political leadership is making a mistake that is putting their freedom in jeopordy. I am very upset about this. And in my job I will be seeing first hand the immediate human impact that comes when you throw a thousand people out of work. Good, hard working people who have devoted their lives to supporting USFK.

I suppose there is still hope that President Roh will wake up and face reality. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

Damn.

Big Hominid

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This guy is rapidly becoming a daily must read for me. I almost always take away some nugget of wisdom, and even when I don’t I can appreicate some damn fine creative writing. Not that I don’t trust you to click a link, but I am going to reproduce his Arbor Day post in its entirety. I just like the way this guy thinks….

Arbor Day meditation

I was sitting under a tree, feeling glum.

The tree asked, “What’s up?”

I said, “You know, I’ve done things I’m proud of, and things I’m not proud of.”

The tree said, “It sounds to me like you’ve got something specific in mind.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Just some things I’ve said and done recently which are bothering me.”

“I’m only a tree,” the tree said, “but I’ve been sitting in this spot for centuries, collecting wisdom from all over. Tell me what’s on your mind and maybe I can offer some insight.”

“OK,” I said, heaving a sigh. “Let’s say you’ve gotten into a fight with someone.”

“A female someone?” the tree asked slyly.

I smiled. “Yeah, a female someone. And let’s say that… well… you both said things you regret. Things you might have meant, or might not.”

“You’re not sure if you meant what you said?” asked the tree.

“No, I’m not. I really don’t know,” I replied. “I sure as hell meant them the night I said them, but now…”

“Now you think that maybe you had your head up your knothole,” said the tree wisely.

“Yeah, that’s about the size of it. But I’m still angry, see. She said some awful things that night, and it wasn’t just that night, but the night before, too. I think she meant what she’d said.”

“I see. Have you thought about simply forgiving and forgetting? Have you thought about apologizing for what you said?” asked the tree.

“Apologizing? Forgiving? Forgetting?” I asked, incredulous. “Tree, I don’t think I’m there yet. And the last things I said and wrote to her were… well, they pretty much killed any possibility of further dialogue.”

“So it seems. You strike me as something of an arrogant bastard, if you don’t mind my saying so,” said the tree.

I kept silent. The tree seized the opportunity to keep talking:

“Did you ever see that movie, Karate Kid 2?” the tree asked.

“Yeah, I remember it,” I said.

“Remember the beginning of the movie, when Mister Miyagi has the chance to kill that evil karate instructor, but he doesn’t?”

“Yeah. Pretty cool,” I said.

“Daniel-san asks him why he didn’t do it. Do you recall Mister Miyagi’s answer?”

I racked my brains. Then it hit me.

“He said, ‘For man with no forgiveness in heart, living worse punishment than death,'” I quoted. I looked up at the tree. “Are you saying I should forgive her, anyway?”

“You’re pretty good at quoting movie lines, aren’t you. Yeah; try some unilateral forgiveness,” suggested the tree.

I was angry again. “But she doesn’t think she did anything wrong,” I said, staring into the branches above me.

“And you don’t think you did anything wrong, either, do you?” asked the tree.

“I gave her so much, and she kicked me in the damn head,” I snarled.

“The selfsame head that’s stuck up your knothole?” grinned the tree.

I simply glared at the ground. It’s hard to take when a vegetable is dispensing wisdom you don’t want to hear.

The tree pressed its advantage. “Just a little while ago, you expressed regret for things you’ve said and done. At least we know you’re feeling sorry, even if you are still angry.”

“So?” I asked.

“So,” said the tree, “that’s your starting point.”

“I don’t get it,” I said.

“That’s because men are perennially stupid,” sighed the tree.

I looked up. “You’re not a guy? Not some fatherly wisdom figure?”

“Deep wisdom is always female,” laughed the tree.

“Women are fucked in the head,” I said. “They say one thing, they mean another, they don’t make any rational sense.”

“And there’s your problem in a nutshell,” said the tree. “You’re looking for sense. Do you think you can be philosophical about matters of the heart?”

“No,” I admitted. “A man can try, but… ultimately, no.”

“So– back to that starting point we talked about. I don’t know her side of the story, but it sounds to me like you’ve got some regrets. Do me a favor, would you? Try this. Stand up.”

I stood up, somewhat reluctantly.

“The wind is going to blow hard in a second,” said the tree. “When it does, just shout I’m sorry into it.”

I didn’t want to do this.

“Trust me,” the tree said, apparently reading my mind. “It’ll make you feel better.”

A slight breeze caressed my face, then began to build.

“You ready?” asked the tree. I nodded.

The wind picked up, turned harsh. The tree’s leaves rustled and its branches writhed violently. It was like watching some mysterious, inhuman struggle.

“Do it!” boomed the tree.

“I’M SORRY!” I shouted.

“The wind is still blowing! Do it again!” shouted the tree.

“I’M SORRY!” I shouted.

“Come on, keep it up! You’re making progress!” exhorted the tree.

I’m sorry…
I’m sorry…
I’m sorry…

I shouted until I was hoarse. Then I finally slumped down. I felt intensely pained, but strangely relieved. It was a bizarre, paradoxical feeling.

The wind ended.

“Not bad,” said the tree, thoroughly impressed. “Maybe the wind will carry your message to her.”

“Maybe,” I said. What was I hoping for?

“If the message reaches her, what’ll you do?” asked the tree.

I thought for a bit. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I really don’t know.”

A soft breeze rustled the tree. I thought I could hear its smile.

“One day at a time,” the tree whispered. “Just take it one day at a time.”

Thanks, Kevin.

Photo blogging my daily commute

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I walk to the office most days, which is generally more pleasant than driving and certainly better for my health. Of course it was raining when I walked home tonight and my umbrella was safely in my hall closet. Oh well, I needed a shower anyway.

So, come on, let’s go for a walk…..

I exit the apartment walk past the elevator and go down two flights of stairs….

…into the basement parking garage. That’s my lonely car in the corner…..

Then out of the garage and onto my street…..

and past my neighborhood market. Picked up some small items there on a couple of occasions…

…then it is up this hill which is steeper than it appears….

….then I climb these stairs. There are sixty steps but some mornings it feels like more…

…but at the top I turn around and am rewarded with a nice vista of the Seoul skyline…

…but work beckons, so I walk on past the Turkish restaurant which I haven’t tried…

….and walk past this Mosque (which is responsible for my wake up calls on weekends when the call the faithful to prayer. Its just background noise to me though….

…turning right onto this road….

….and then I turn right again onto the bar drag. This street has a lot of raunchy bars with expensive “drinky girls” who try to tempt you into their lair with scantily clad bodies. But none of them are up this early in the morning so I have no temptations to deal with. Which by the way I do not succumb to in the dark of night either…..

…anyway, after a couple of blocks I turn left down this alley. In the evening it is packed with food vendors, but somehow seeing unrefridgerated food exposed to the elements does not whet my appetite….

…after crossing a major intersection (and dodging city buses and taxis) I continue down this alley….

…then I climb these stairs….

…and encounter a vendor setting up for breakfast. By the way, this is right in front of my home away from home, Sweet Caroline’s….

….and the main drag through Itaewon. It is nice and quiet in the morning. By afternoon it is so packed with street vendors and tourists it is difficult to walk….plus you have to fend off the guys wanting to sell you a custom made suit. Just as irratating as the drinky girls but not nearly as good looking….

…then I stroll past Mickey D’s (and no I have not had any desire to eat a quarter pounder or whatever they call them here. Too much good food to spend time and money in there)

Ah, the Itaewon arch….gateway to sleaze and decadence. That’s not fair, it is not really so bad, you just have to know which places to avoid and I have been quite successful at that….

They have this display of kimchi pots in the median. Man, to Koreans kimchi is the staff of life. They eat it with every meal (they literally reek of it). But hey, most of them are in good shape so maybe they are on to something. I don’t love kimchi, but it is quite tasty as a side dish….

…waiting for the light to change so I can cross this monster intersection in rush hour traffic….

I have seen no graffiti in this city, but somehow this mural strikes me as worse. I don’t know why, it just gives me the willies….

….walking on I pass the subway line I have ridden all of one time….

…I encounter a glimpse of spring’s promised arrival….

…almost there now. That bridge connects Main Post from South Post. My entry gate is at the base of the bridge. Sorry, I was a bit uncomfortable taking a picture of the Korean police who provide security at the gate. There are usually 20 or so of them and they carry these BIG sticks. Also, I don’t think we are supposed to take photos on post, so the last mile of my walk you will just have to imagine. Sorry ’bout that….

Objective achieved. Here I am safely at my desk ready for another day of doing the government’s work. All told, it is just over 30 minutes door to door.

Now, don’t you feel better for the exercise? Let’s go grab a beer…..

A visual taste of Seoul

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Kevin at Big Hominid has a great photo essay today. First he prepares a virtual meal then shares his daily constitutional up Namsan to the Seoul tower. That is the hike I am planning for this weekend. Great photos and commentary. So if you want to experience Seoul vicariously through Kevin’s eyes, you are invited to take the tour here.

Best laid plans….

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I had actually intended to entitle this post “Good intentions gone wrong” but apparently I have used that already on another long-forgotten post. Is this getting to be a trend? I did have a post in mind for yesterday about the UN scandal. Was going to call it UNforgivable. The corruption at the UN is almost legendary these days, but for Kofi to claim he was exonerated and for our diligent media to perpetuate this lie, seemed worthy of comment. Since I didn’t get around to it, I hope you will go read Roger L. Simon’s take here. He has been a major driver in keeping the oil-for-food fiasco on the radar screen. I’m actually torn. I don’t know which scandal sickens me most, the stealing of money from the people of Iraq or the epidemic of UN personnel using the children of Africa as their sex toys. It is time for either a major house cleaning at the UN or better yet, a dismantling.

Instead of doing my duty and posting yesterday, I goofed off. Except at work. Busy day and it looks like it is going to stay that way for awhile. I don’t know when, how, or if this disagreement between the USA and ROK on funding support for USFK will be resolved. I guess my position is you get what you pay for. So, if ROK does not want to pony up the dough to keep things as they are, we will downsize to fit their pocketbook. As a COL mentioned yesterday, they should take a look at the price of a carrier battle group then they would see what a bargain they are getting. Right now we appear to have a Mexican stand-off between the two governments. It is just a matter of who blinks first I guess. But I have no doubt that these reductions are not an idle threat.

Anyway, I didn’t post yesterday morning because I slept a little late. I had taken a two hour hike along the Han river on an absolutely gorgeous Sunday afternoon. Guess my body said “whoa dude, I ain’t getting up now so you can go post on the UN.” Figured I would do my posting last night, but instead I watched Lonesome Dove. I’ve seen it several times over the years, but I guess I was just in the mood for something totally American. It did the trick.

Tomorrow I hope to carry my camera to work and photoblog my commute on foot. I saw some signs of spring yesterday, and it is going be cherry blossom season in a couple of weeks from the looks of things. I’m told springtime is the best time in the ROK and I am so looking forward to it.

So that’s my story this morning. Time to get ready for work. And I am back to my Korean lessons tonight. I really need to buckle down and practice, practice, practice. I have no illusions about speaking fluently, but damn I would love to understand what is being said when Koreans look at me and laugh…..

Weekend update

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Sunday morning here and its raining. It is rather irksome because all week the weather has been great, highs in the low 60s and very pleasant. I had hoped to go down by the Han River today and I still might if the rain stops by early afternoon as predicated by the weather forcast on AFN.

Yesterday was a good day. Started with a breakfast of bacon and biscuits, and then pampered my feet (one of the issues that led me to the doctor last week). Then I went on post to do some shopping at the PX and commissary.

When I flew over here way back in January I only packed winter clothes. So the recent warm weather has left me in a bit of a bind. The clothes I left behind are enroute but are not scheduled to arrive until 8 May. Plus I needed to replace some worn-out looking work clothes. They had a big sale on Dockers slacks (half price) so I bought 3 pair. The big news is I’m “down” to a 36″ inch waist. So I am slowly walking off my some of my unsightly spare tire. I also got a couple of short sleeve knit shirts to wear on these warm weekends. Hopefully this will hold me over till my summer wardrobe arrives. Looking forward to wearing shorts and sandals again.

Later in the afternoon I walked into town for a bowl of raman. It is cheap and one of my favorite dishes, and when I can use wooden chopsticks I am able to get most of it in my mouth (as opposed to my shirt). I am still a total klutz at using those metal chopsticks that the Koreans prefer. I haven’t been practicing so I have no one to blame but myself.

Last night I ventured out to Sweet Caroline’s. It’s payday weekend and the place was packed with young soldiers. They were having a great time and I enjoyed watching them. Sometimes I envy youth. I got to talking to one of them, a guy named Matt. He’s an E-4 from Tulsa, Oklahoma and so we were able to chat about our shared experiences in that wonderful state. He’s 22 and is finishing his tour in Korea in 47 days, then it’s off to FT Hood, Texas. He introduced me to his fiancee, a beautiful Korean woman who went to college in New York. He was an impressive young man, very gung-ho about the Army and is actually looking forward to his next deployment in Iraq.

Later when they were leaving I bought us all a round of soju and we toasted the USA. These guys were a lotta fun and I was glad to have partied with them for awhile. I expect that they fight as hard as they play, and that should make our enemies very nervous.

And that’s about it. It is almost embarassing that my life is so devoid of adventure that these updates are reduced to discussing mundane details like my waist size. But things are what they are and I am not complaining. Living and working here has been an amazing experience. I expect there will eventually be some adventures, but until then I’m just taking it a day at a time.

Thanks to everyone for bearing with me.

Damn, I hate when that happens…

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I got this email entitled “Why I fired my secretary”. Reprinted here as a public service.

A few weeks ago was my birthday and I wasn’t feeling too good that morning.

I went to breakfast knowing my wife would be pleasant and say, “Happy Birthday!”, and probably would have a present for me. As it turned out, she didn’t even say good morning, let alone any happy birthday. I thought, well, that’s wives for you, the children will remember….

The children came into breakfast and didn’t say a word. So when I left for the office, I was feeling pretty low and despondent….

As I walked into my office, my secretary Janet said, “Good morning, Boss. Happy Birthday”. And I felt a little better that someone had remembered.

I worked until noon, then Janet knocked on my door and said, “You know, it’s such a beautiful day outside, and it’s your birthday, let’s go to lunch, just you and me.”

I said, “That’s the greatest thing I’ve heard all day. “Let’s go!”

We went to lunch. We didn’t go where we normally go; instead we went out to a private little place. We had two martinis and enjoyed lunch tremendously. On the way back to the office, she said, “You know, it’s such a beautiful day. We don’t need to go back to the office, do we?”

I said, “No, I guess not.” She said, “Let’s go to my apartment.”

After arriving at her apartment she said, “Boss, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go into the bedroom and slip into something more comfortable”

She went into the bedroom and, in about six minutes, she came out carrying a huge birthday cake…

… followed by my wife, children, and dozens of our

friends, all singing Happy Birthday.

And I just sat there………..

on the couch………….

naked.

From the homefront

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Daughter Hillary just completed her two weeks of R&R and is enroute back to Afghanistan. I got to visit with her by phone yesterday and she is in great spirits. She spent some time in South Carolina and in Florida while on leave, but mostly just caught up with friends and family. Carol reports that Hillary and sister Ashley stayed up late into the morning yesterday drinking and laughing, and when those two get into that mode, there is just no hangin’ with him.

Anyway, Hillary called from the airport in Atlanta and relayed a very touching story. They were in line for lunch at one of those Chinese concessions and the man in front of them turned and said “It would be an honor if you would allow me to buy your lunch” and when they thanked him he said “it is such a small thing to do for you our soldiers.” Hillary was almost moved to tears.

I am so proud of my fellow Americans. They get it. Oh sure, you have the Michael Moore fringe out there, but I expect for every barking moonbat who denigrates the real freedom fighters, there are a million people like that kind man in the airport.

I have said many times that the only way we will be defeated in this GWOT is from within. I think we are winning the critical battle on the homefront.

God bless America and our brave soldiers.

This is gonna hurt…

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Today I attended a press conference where GEN Campbell announced that because of budget shortfalls created by the just negotiated Security Measures Agreement (SMA) with the ROK, some serious changes have to made in the way USFK operates. The SMA is the bilateral agreement on how much ROK contributes to certain costs associated with maintaining our forces in Korea. We wanted an increase, the ROK wanted to decrease its contribution, and apparently “succeeded”.

I’m not going to speculate on who’s right or wrong in this regard, but I do know some big changes are in store. To begin, it looks like 1000 Koreans will be put out of work. And some weapons systems previously promised to the ROK won’t be delivered anytime soon. Here’s how the Korea Times reported the story.

I think it is a shame really. It can’t do anything but weaken our ability to achieve our mission of deterring North Korean aggression. And in the long run it may cost ROK more than they save. Plus anytime you are dumping hundreds of workers into a weak economy you wreak havoc on many levels. Selfishly, I’m also worried how this might impact my ability to fill a critical vacancy on my staff. Well, we shall see how it all shakes out, but I don’t think it is gonna be pretty.

Seems to me the ROK needs us more than we do them (militarily speaking) and I wonder how this might impact the long term relationship in what has historically been a very successful alliance.

I think it right that the host government pay its fair share of the burden when our sole purpose for being here is to assist in defending their country. ROK says when its contriubtions in Iraq are factored in they have more than met their obligation. Maybe so. But the bottom line is still the bottom line, and I just don’t believe now is the time for the Koreans to be fooling around about money. It’s a dangerous world out there, and it might have just gotten a tad more dangerous here.

And my job just got a lot more complicated.

American girls

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Now here’s something you don’t see much of in Korea. Plenty of women here of course, but they just don’t grow them like this, if you get my meaning.

Anyway, nothing like a little Mardi Gras magic to put you in the mood to unwind and let it all hang out. Me, I just like the art.

Since some might not find these appropriate for work, you can view them on page 2.

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