Wednesday, March 28, 2007

BIKIDO, Live at Provence-ukon, March 10, 2007


The venue

The Early birds, and the sweet spread.

SeungJong and Ee MeCha

Darren during his solo set

The place starts to fill up

Me during my solo set

Again.

Some of the gang

SeungJong warming up for his set.

BIKIDO! In mtaching SHIRTS!

BIKIDO AGAIN!

ME, rocking out. This picture is actually oriented properly, I was just spinning wildly at the time.

The brave few who stuck it out until almost 2:30 when we finally finished.

Now, for actual reviews and such, here's some blogs:
http://vanessainasia.blogspot.com/ - entry for March 13th, 2007
http://canuckinkorea.blogspot.com/2007/03/weekends-in-march.html
http://goulash75.blogspot.com/2007/03/bikido-bikido.html

I had a great time, despite some jitters... thanks to everyone who came out, and thanks to Ee MeCha and the gang at Provence for being such wonderful hosts!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

THE STREAK OF AMAZING WEEKENDS CONTINUES!

So, after the good Saturday afternoon came the birthday party for Mrs Woo's one-year old son on Saturday night.
That was pretty neat. It was funny though that it was in a restaurant of private rooms, and we didn't know how to communicate to the hostesses at the door who we were there to see. haha.
When Mrs Woo finally came down (after I called EunKyeong and was having her relay the situation to the hostess for us) and brought us up to our own room, down the hall from the rest of the party (Us being Ryan, Brooke and I). We ate another meal nearly identical to what I had had for lunch, without the black tofu. After dinner, which was an endless parade of dishes that were constantly replaced after choruses of "OH GOD! I could not eat another bite to save my life!".
Anyways, after that we decided to head downtown and went to a DVD room and watched a Korean movie called "The Art of Fighting". It was entertaining, but quite short of great. The previews (which I had seen last year) really set it up to be more of a comedy, but at best, it was a "dramedy". It was the story of this kid who gets transferred to a technical high school from an academic school, and the school is full of delinquents and gang members, and when they find out he is the son of a police inspector, they take out all their anger on him. Anyways, he meets this random old guy who teaches him how to fight, and he kicks some ass, but it's not as triumphant as it might have been.
Today I got up, and got ready to meet the Provence gang for lunch. I walked, of course, and wound up being the first there, because I was on time. That's just how it works here.
Anyways, Ee MeCha tried to explain the quote on the board to me, but we garbled it so badly... I think it's to the effect of "I don't know why she's so worried..." SeungJong showed up next, and he and Ee MeCha had some pretty serious talking going on about his recent heartache, and I just looked at the art and movie posters.
On the way to the restaurant, unfortunately there were some jokes made that did not translate well... and it made the lunch a little awkward. And shifted my mood slightly for just a little bit, but we all recovered pretty quickly. There's just something about innuendo-based jokes and timing that does not allow for translation. And no, it wasn't me. I know you were thinking it, but it wasn't me this time!
Anyways, lunch was good, it was a vegetarian restaurant that served fake meat, which was better than expected. It was actually the same fake meat that Sedexxho used to serve in the cafeterias in Canada. I got to meet JeongHyeon's girlfriend, who was really nice. She just got back from Australia.
After lunch, Ee MeCha asked me if I would come with them to DamYang to go to the lake and play some guitar. I said, "sure!" because, hey, free roadtrip.
We listened to a Radiohead mix CD on the way there that was mostly from "The Bends", and I was having wicked high school flashbacks, driving through fields with Radiohead on the stereo and lots of commotion in the back seat and guitars in the trunk and an air of expectation...
When we got there, we got the guitars out, and headed out on this really narrow boardwalk. Some guy stopped us and told us that guitars were not allowed, but it was quite obvious that no-one I was with was taking him seriously when SeungJong basically told the guy off and Ee MeCha lied and said that we had no intention of playing them.
So we walked on this boardwalk for about half an hour,and I saw a student, who was pretty shocked to see me with a group of Koreans carrying a couple of guitars. Anyways, we finally got to the place where Ee MeCha wanted to hang out and for us to play... and it was not nearly as isolated as I had imagined. It was the observation platform at the end of the boardwalk, where everyone came to look out on the lake and have snacks.
I had two options, pussy out or giv'er.
I decided to giv'er.
I played for about an hour with SeungJong, even though I felt that it was probably one of the most bizarre situations I have ever been a part of in my life. Here I was, in Korea, on a nature boardwalk, playing guitar to a growing crowd of Koreans in their day-hiking gear, being given bananas by passing hikers and receiving pretty big rounds of applause at the conclusion of every song.
I started laughing in the middle of one song, because it was so bizarre. Then a group of foreigners showed up, and I started to feel really self-conscious for some reason. I am really starting to wonder about the way that seeing other western people makes me feel now...
Anyways, after our little jam session was over, we headed off, I gave an awkward hello to the other foreigners, and we hopped in the car and headed back to Provence.
Ther rest of the night consisted of seeing "300" (great movie), then dinner at TGI Fridays (Jack Daniel's Marinated Ribs and Beer) and then I shopped for some new glasses and black shoes, since my black shoes actually cracked right across the bottom last week (all shoes from Canada have now become unwearable). Then home along the river, and writing in the blog.

Goot times!

Here's me and EeMeCha outside the cafe.
Here's ME!

Saturday, March 24, 2007

AWESOME SATURDAY

So, wow, I am giddy.
I wrote a week or so about this place at Sajik Park. I had my follow-up meeting to my stand-ups/miscommunications today.
I went there at noon, and I met with Kathy (an English Teacher acting as translator) and ReOh, the owner/manager of the membership club.
I brought my guitar, for reasons unknown. I had mentioned playing there, so I wasn't sure if maybe today was an audition or what, so I thought I would be safest to bring it just in case, but it got some looks. haha.
Anyways, it turns out that this place is actually some kind of coop, when you join you have free run of the place, and you can borrow stuff, use stuff, and there's even a kitchen where you can cook for yourself if you leave stuff to replace what you take. ReOh was talking almost immediately about giving me a key to the place, which was unexpectedly trusting.
Anyways, turns out that they do some charity and volunteer work, so it sounds like a really cool group to get involved with. ReOh told me that I would be welcome to join them on movie nights or dinners out anytime.
After we had our litlle "getting to know you" session, he took me out for lunch, to this restaurant that is famous for it's black tofu, which was actually pretty good. Other dishes included raw fish, which I am slowly getting more comfortable with. The lunch was good, and... well, this is hard to say without sounding rude, but I felt bad that I spent so much time talking to Kathy. It's just that she could speak English, so it was easier, and eventually conversations would wander from "tell him that ... please" to "so yeah bla bla bla". She was really nice, and she lived in America for two years, so she was easy to talk to.
I have really good feelings about both of them, and I am getting really excited about the whole thing.
Maybe Gwangju is looking better for another year...
EDIT: I forgot to mention that when ReOh dropped me off he told me in that super-sweet way that only a Korean with limited English can:

"Today I meet you, so... It is happy day!!!"

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

So long Dragon Pants.

It's really time that we parted.
We had a good run. You've seen some beautiful things, you've seen some terribly disturbing things, and you have sat wet in suitcase bottoms wrapped in a musty towel.
But let's be honest... You're just very old and worn out. I will always treasure our memories together, but I'm getting tired of hearing tearing every time I reach into the pocket, and worrying about your holes expanding with every wash.
I will always remember you, and I am creating this very special blog post in your loving memory.

Behold their charms!
Small, curious holes.
Large pocket holes.
The tattered waist band. You have seen me through the gain and loss of nearly seventy pounds.

I will always remember you!

THE DRAGON PANTS ARE DEAD!
LONG LIVE DRAGON PANTS!

FLATTERED!

So, I'm almost caught up on marking... with Bikido, the intensives, and all the other crap I manage to fill my days with, I had become almost three weeks behind on marking. I'm almost caught up now though. Once that is done... updates on the events of the last few weeks.
But for now, just a quick one.
I was invited, today, to attend and play at Provence for their fifth-anniversary. MeCha told me that it was a party for the "Provence Family", which I am really flattered to be included as a part of.
I had my first language exchange with her tonight, and it went just swimmingly.
I think I might actually have a chance of having conversations with Koreans... which is good.

Updates to come soon!

Monday, March 19, 2007

Things I miss

I was thinking about this a few weeks ago, as my classes were watching Madagascar.
I have not mentioned people, because then I might forget someone, and everyone would get offended, or offended for their friends.
Here it is:
Anonymity: Oh, to blend in again. Of course, I did grow a beard, so I should probably not comment about not being able to blend in.
Stars: You can't really see stars here. This is what inspired the list, when Alex the Lion points out that the star is out, but it turns out to be a helicopter. I miss being able to see a sea of stars, with a misty star backdrop. I try to explain it to my students, but they just don't get it.
Quiet: Korea, land of the morning calm. More like land of the white noise and honking horn.
Live music at parties: I've been doing my part... but I really miss being able to jam with friends on any given party night, or stopping in at someone's house and hearing music being played in a back room somewhere.
Patios: specifically patios with beer and all-day breakfasts. And back-yard varieties that come equipped with a grill. oh yeah.
Variety: I'm starting to find it now, but I would love to have a little more... like, infinite.
Big dogs chasing frisbees
FRISBEES!
Pogos - they have something like it here, but it's not the same. Also road trips to the Riv in Sturgeon.
Poutine - see above
seasonality - eye-brow frosting cold, and an actual change from winter to spring to summer... it all just seems to blend here.
Spring and the emergence of girls in summer clothing - this follows naturally from the previous, of course. With seasonality comes a change in fashions... here, it's the same, pretty much all year, which is not a complaint, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say. And there was nothing like that first day sitting in the JDUC Tim Hortons... ah, memories. JOHN! Back me up on this, I'm sounding pervy!
Italian Barbers - Please, won't someone compliment my shoes with a charming accent? Shave my neck?! Oh wait, scratch that one. No, not my neck! augh!
Big red tomatoes - Like dad used to grow beside our house on Morin Street, and bring home sometimes from clients' gardens. All the tomatoes here have a disquieting pinkish-green tinge.
Lakes!!!! - Oh man, I'm not much of a swimmer, but driving by lakes is one of my great joys, to see the light reflected, and the forest on the other side...
Driving - in continuing word association, driving. I miss long distance driving, not nuisance driving like what I have to do to see anyone since my parents moved. Like, driving to Huntsville for a sandwich.
Wild Animals - , oh the stories I have relayed to the kids... my mom's record of confirmed porcupine kills as they tried to eat the undercarriage of her car, almost hitting deer on my bike, bears trying to eat our barbecue, moose staring into our dining room...
The Bike path! - (do you see how this game works yet?!) I miss the bike path. A lot. I miss biking, I miss rollerblading, I miss the ladder in the trees that made me all paranoid that night.
The comedy network - I've been watching a lot less TV lately, but I could easily become addicted to SCTV reruns again.
Used book stores - actually, since making this list, I discovered the library at the international center, and am now reading at length at the most admired/hated of Canadian leaders, Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Public Parks with Grassy Areas - if it's a park, I should have a grassy place to lie and throw a frisbee long-distances. Case closed.
Open-mic nights - well, there is an open mic night here sometimes. More, I miss playing with high-school friends at open mic nights.
microbreweries - actually, there's one of these here too... maybe I just miss university.
concerts - okay, this one actually does not exist here, often at least... there's the speakeasy, which is great... but I rarely feel like drinking that much.
Running into friends at the grocery store - it's fun to be in the grocery store and see someone from highschool and have a little catch-up session... oh, you're married? Two kids! Wow! Yeah, I've been in Korea... no, South. yeah, it's pretty good.
Garage Sales - Where am I to buy my cheezy Westerns?! I need my pulp fiction fix, and also this record player. and these cross-country skis. That's all though. oh, and this old English text book.
Nature trails - oh flat hiking... sigh
HARVEY'S - I would give my cat's paw for a spiced beef patty grilled on a sesame seed bun.
SWISS CHALET - I love chalet sauce, and given a choice between chalet sauce and water, beer, wine and milk, I choose chalet sauce. For bathing.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

FORTUITOUS!

Here's the latest great tidbit:
I was walking with Ryan, Brooke, Jon, Emily and Tracy the other day... we were downtown having coffee, debating a movie, eating pizza in a cup... the usual thing.
We walked home, and I suggested that we walk through Sajik Park, this park in the center on town on a hill... it's pretty cool (and has been mentioned before in the blog). We were walking by the big central pagoda with an observation tower, and I heard live drumming. So I ran up the stairs to check it out.
When I came up to the third floor, I found a little "Members club", and when I went in, I found a guy playing the drums along with a "teach yourself the drums" tapes. I introduced myself, and decided that it looked like a pretty cool place. I told him that I played guitar, and he invited me to come back and play with him sometime. I said that I would and left...
Last Friday, towards the end of my grade five class, I got a phone call. My phone was on, because I never get calls, so I am usually safe at school. Anyways, I picked it up, and it was a high school English teacher. I forgot to mention, the guy who owned the bar was a high school teacher. He had one of his coworkers call me to arrange a play date! We agreed on Tuesday night, around 10:30, the earliest I could get there after work.
When I went there last night (Tuesday), it was empty. I was a little peeved, but since Sam is recovering from being spayed, I figured that going home was probably not the worst idea anyways. I wasn't too angry, I figured that it had probably just been a communication error.
I went again tonight, because one obvious communication error was mixing up Wednesday and Tuesday nights. I went back and it was once again closed. I was a little pissed, but I figured, hey, let's not freak out, and just head to the observation deck one floor up (I was talking to my jacket). I walked up, and just as I came to the top step, I heard a big boom, and I was just in time to catch the tail end of a fire-works display.
Somehow, everything seems to be working out for me lately, and I love it.

Anyways.. I'm thinking that this would be a really cool place for a party... I'm working on it. Stay tuned for details, and photos of the latest bashes!