Pastiche`

It has been a while since I have last posted with any kind of regularity.  My journal & blog have largely gone neglected throughout this past June and for that I offer my apologies.  However, the 4th of July is upon us and this is a time to make resolutions and change the way we live our lives; that or fool about with low-powered explosives (I might be mixing up my holidays).

Reading, as it turns out, is what has kept me from consistent writing.  I've gone through some Nick Hornby, which I have really enjoyed, and I just finished up The Hobbit yesterday.  When I am not reading, I can probably be found watching "Breaking Bad" (almost done with season 3 and I'd highly recommend it to anyone).

There are three weeks left in the school calendar before the kids go on summer break.  I am trying to just enjoy my last remaining classes, which is not out of the ordinary for me,  so I guess I am trying to especially enjoy my last classes and soak it all in.  Inevitably, life abroad has had its up's and down's, but the happiness I got from my seeing my kids never wavered.  They make me smile and laugh every single day.  With their examinations coming up, even the 3rd graders are involved in some form of school and/or studying from about 6 AM - 11 PM every day with relatively few breaks.  Be thankful you grew up in the US of A -- I'd trade in the smarts for enjoying my childhood 7 days outta the week.

I, along with several rag tag individuals with a can-do attitude, started a short lived dance group coined "The Nicholas Cage Experience."  We had two practices, both held at a public train station with many-a-passerby, before we decided that this venture must be retired.  We will not sacrifice the namesake though.  I was "iced" three times last night, which has made for a lazy Saturday afternoon.  If you are not privy to "icing", worry not.



The NCE's routine -- picture 5 guys doing this at a train station in front of a mirror.  Our thoughts at the 1 minute mark (right before we gave up): "This gets really hard."

I have kept my eye on the calendar and am tackling the great adventure home (Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand to India, to Egypt, through Italy and France, then into Spain).  Save today, I've kept myself relatively busy with all that goes with these plans.


Lastly, I've been listening to "Oh, Sweet Nothin'" by The Velvet Underground a lot lately before I go to sleep:

the WC Experience

How American am I that I can sum up my World Cup experience before it's all said and done. I'll keep an eye on the games but my rooting interest has come to its conclusion.

Both the US & Korea have been eliminated from the tournament. The only silver lining is that I don't have to watch them play each other after all. Notable places where I watched the games:

• Korea vs. Argentina - Munhak Stadium (my prior blog post)

• USA vs. England - Rio's Bar in Incheon, with an equal mix of Americans on one side of the bar and Brits on the other
• USA vs. Algeria - The Americans packed into a bar called Red Dog, or Three Dog's, or something with a "Dog" in it that was next door to Rio's where all the Brits were watching England vs. Slovenia
• Korea vs. Uruguay - Joseph, Carmine and myself watched this game at midnight or so outside a TV shop along with one Korean man who was standing by himself in the rain before we arrived. This guy was awesome and we shared our umbrella.

The rest of the games were fairly in the norm as far as where I watched them. I saw the Donovan reaction video. It was pretty exhilarating and it seems as tho we took our soccer a little bit more seriously this go around.

How intense are Koreans about the World Cup? My favorite Korean fan was at a bar, watching the game in a hospital gown, in a wheelchair, and connected to an IV. As far as I could tell he was not drinking that night