60 days and counting.

Oh dang.

In bleaker times, some Koreans couldn't afford breakfast. This fact is evident in today's culture, as many people make inquiries regarding the contents of each other's breakfast and/or whether or not it was consumed. The typical Korean breakfast consists of kimchi, rice, and soup; sometimes with some sort of meat. Though bakeries have become many, and close between; the bakeries don't usually have doughnuts or sweets out before 9 or 10 AM. Since Korean people don't designate a specific food for breakfast, it's not surprising to see Odaeng (오뎅) boiling in it's juices at 8:15 in the morning.

61 days and counting.

Morning commute

Monday evening brought the first significant snowfall to Seoul. My shoes left fresh tracks on the Tuesday morning walk to and from the subway. By noon, most of the sidewalks had shoveled paths, cleared by business owners, Good Samaritans, or soldiers. In the days following a snowfall, the process of managing the snow and ice begins. Salt melts the snow on the roads, turning it into grimy slush. Snow piles grow as more moves around, turning to large mounds of ice. People slip and slide as they try to make their way around their daily routine. I find it tough to manage in tennis shoes, I can only wonder how the girls manage in their fancy high heels.

62 days and counting.

King of knots.

Power lines go every which way in some neighborhoods of Seoul. Small multiple family dwellings have various lines leading in from more than one pole. The cables often resemble spider webs, which span the width of alleys. Upstream from the alleys, power poles find themselves covered in a tangle of cables leading every which way. It's amazing to think the utility services know where each line leads. What's even more amazing is how this can seem normal over time.

63 days and counting.

Heaven is a place.

In the parts of Seoul where three to five story buildings still dominate the skyline, crosses advertise brightly above the rooftops from dusk to dawn. From some perspectives; three, four, even five can be counted within one line of sight. Many of these small churches are located in those same three to five story buildings which sit below the crosses. However, new churches with modern architecture and intriguing facades are springing up around the city.

64 days and counting.

Dinner's on the way.

Motorcycles and scooters are used for a many purposes in Seoul. From personal transportation, to food delivery, to package handling. Most restaurants use fearless young males on scooters to extend their dining rooms into their customer's homes. In this high paced business, hot food and hungry customers are on the line. Therefore, these fast moving scooters treat traffic control devices as mere suggestions to yield. Snow seems to be the only thing hazardous enough to slow these boys down; only sometimes.

65 days and counting.

Ivy trousers.

The Han River Park is a great place for people to enjoy the outdoors within the city. All along the river, from East to West Seoul, bike rental corals thrive off the high demand in spring, summer, and fall. In the winter season, with temperatures averaging below freezing, a hired rental bike is almost a sight unseen. Only the most dedicated trail users brave the cold weather. Such is the example of this family, which never lets the harsh winter weather stop it from taking a leisurely cruise.

66 days and counting.

McChristmas combo.

The forecasted white Christmas turned out only to be a cold Christmas. After a relaxing Christmas day spent calling home and enjoying mimosas, a short walk verified the truth; -7 Celsius is cold. What better way to finish off a cold Christmas indoors than to try out the McDonald's delivery service?

67 days and counting.

Back from the victorian age.

Christmas in Korea is a day when christians spend an extra day in church, and when businesses capitalize on the emerging popularity of the holiday. For the majority of Koreans, Christmas is largely a couple's holiday. Those with significant others are expected to purchase a gift for their sweetheart, at a price which shows the appropriate status of commitment. For many people, cakes have become a traditional Christmas staple; a boon to the coffee shops and bakeries which supply them. On another hand, Christmas is a great time for a business to produce a "Grand Open" special. A cute girl dressed in a cute santa outfit, an all white victorian era mime, and a polaroid to lure unsuspecting customers in for a picture; for example.

68 days and counting.

The men's room.

Asian cultures have the full spectrum of bathroom appliances. In Korea alone, this broad variety can be easily found. While many public restrooms remain equipped with squat style toilets, some restaurants and private homes house western style toilets with bidet systems installed. In the subway station bathrooms, the toilet style is advertised on the stall door. Aside from the opposing extremes of coed toilets, urinals are very common in men's rooms.

69 days and counting.

Bridge.

성산대교 (Seongsan Bridge) is almost exactly 13.1 miles (21 kilometers) from our apartment via the Han River trail. If one were to run from our house, to the bridge, and back, they would complete a full course marathon. I have used this bridge as my turnaround point for many bike rides during my time in Korea. I've seen it above choppy water, glassy water, even solid ice. It's shape and color, both illuminated at night time, and in broad daylight make this my favorite bridge to look at in Seoul.

70 days and counting.

Bow wow.

맛있는 개 (the text on the hat) means, "dog is delicious." In short, I received a package of 맛있는 개 memorabilia from my uncle in America. I had some friends model the items at a coffee shop and captured this natural gaze in our photo shoot.

Dog meat is a controversial industry in Korea, let alone the world. This is partially due to Seoul and Korea emerging on the world's stage, hosting the Olympics and World Cup, and partially due to the westernization of Korea. All practical arguments, for and against, the treatment of dogs as farm animals aside; there is enough support for these establishments to keep them in business. Dog meat is usually served in a soup, and is believed to provide beneficial nutrients to the male libido.

71 days and counting.

Peace dough.

Since rice is, and has been the preferred carbohydrate for the region, Koreans have only recently begun to enjoy baked goods. Their palates are not well adjusted to the sweetness of candy, cookies, and other things sugar. Instead they opt for rice based treats, which can be chewy or dried, and tend to find flavor from added supplements such as mugwort, red bean, and sometimes honey. To provide a unique cultural experience for my students and coworkers--and to make use of the ovens at school--I have incorporated baking into a number of lessons. Cookies have proven to be the best choice for an introduction to baking. Though the most difficult process in the recipe is mixing all the ingredients, the students tend to struggle in any subject involved in keeping the operation clean.

72 days and counting.

The Great River.

Peering over the great Han River during the course of a little more than a year has, in turn, made it seem to be of standard size. In truth, this is a very wide river. Crossing one of the many bridges on foot takes 15 minutes or longer. Looking across, cars passing on the opposite side are mere specs and buildings seem to be small models of their true scale.

73 days and counting.

Clowning around.

It seems the turnover of businesses within the city is high. New restaurants, coffee shops, and cell phone stores spring up regularly, to sit empty, and exchange occupants within months. Due to this phenomenon, there is an industry subsisting on what can only be labeled as, "Grand Open." The facades of newly opened businesses are decorated with balloons, flowers, flags, music, dancing girls, and sometimes clowns on stilts. It's been said, a Korean tradition is to include a pig head in the grand opening ceremony; new patrons, family, and friends can place money in the pig's mouth as a show of support.

74 days and counting. Addendum.

Snow cones 2.

Snow cones 3.

74 days and counting.

Snow cones 1.

So far this year, two snow storms have passed, leaving a small accumulation on the ground. Last year Seoul experienced a storm seen once every hundred years. Overnight, 20 centimeters or more fell on the city. Regardless, most everything opened on time. The store owners, young and old alike, shoveled the snow from the sidewalks into the street; the snowplow then pushed it back onto the sidewalk. This cycle happened for a week before the city trucks finally hauled the snow off to the river.

75 days and counting.

All alone.

This August, while the students were on summer vacation, Geumho Elementary (금호초등학교) underwent a series of significant upgrades. In addition to heating and air conditioning units, and new desks and chairs, the dirt field was converted to astroturf. Surprisingly, the school opted to keep the lone tree, though it stands just inside the sideline of the soccer field. They left a square space around the base of the tree, and dressed the trunk with a thick pad for safety. The field may not be regulation because the tree remains, but at least the tree is content.

76 days and counting.

Afternoon light.

As winter solstice approaches, most daylight hours are spent at school near the 38th parallel. The best glimpses of the rising and setting sun--on most weekdays--are from within the confines of the subway car as it emerges from it's subterranean layer. Most of the Seoul subway system is underground in the city, with the exception of a few stops on the east end of line 2. When the train comes out into the daylight on a clear day near sunset, "ews" and "ahs" can be heard from the usually private passengers, as the haze of the city illuminates in bright oranges and reds.

77 days and counting.

Today's lunch.

Today's lunch: Mixed grains and rice, stinky bean stew, mixed and fried chicken and vegetables, simmered seaweed a.k.a. steamed green beans, and cabbage kimchi. (급식내용: 잡곡밥, 청국장찌개, 닭고기야채볶음, 미역줄기조림, 배추김치.) Approximate value: $1.00 (1,200 Won).

Throughout the first few months in Korea, the lunches cooked at school seemed diverse and delicious. Although I was more than pleased at each meal, my Korean coworkers were always a little disappointed with the menu items. At first, I couldn't really understand why, but after almost 16 months, 5 meals each week, I've become less excited. This is not to say the lunches are bad, they're still nutritious and delicious. The problem is, I've tasted most of the items in restaurants, and have come to expect the same from the school kitchen.

78 days and counting.

Gas control.

Natural gas is widely used in Korea as a source of cooking and heating fuel. Many restaurants have every table hooked to hoses and gas valves which power the barbecue, the burner, or anything else that cooks at the table. Newer restaurants and homes have the pipes, hoses, and fittings concealed in the floors and walls. In older buildings, the pipes are exposed both inside, and outside.

79 days and counting.

Premium STS.

The marketing machine in South Korea employs a very philanthropical practice for its customers. If an item needs to move out the door quicker, it isn't always marked down; instead a complementary item will be added to the offer. This has come to be known as; shit taped to shit, or STS. STS can be as simple as a small milk carton taped to a larger carton, it also seems to have moved its way up the supply chain to include elaborate packaging techniques. This practice is similar to toys in the cereal boxes, but for adults. Even the imported companies have taken notice, as seen here with the Budweiser six pack box. Included in the creative logo shaped packaging is the standard six beers along with a 355ml beer glass.

80 days and counting.

Final view.

Aside from building up, Seoul has a number of satellite cities where the property values are more affordable. As a result of the sprawl, families have had to come up with more efficient methods of managing the deceased. Cremation is a very popular and affordable option, another is stacking the family tombs with multiple residents. Few, if any, graveyards exist with housing for much more than twenty tombs. Most of these tomb sites are located in the mountains just outside the city, where hiking trails cut through or around the mounds. Others can be seen on the sides of highways, or nestled right on the edge of the spreading growth boundary.

81 days and counting. Recalibration part 2.

Where's Juan?

Christmas away from home for a practicing American can either be saddening, or it can be a relief. Regardless, the comfort of traditions will be left back home, leaving the opportunity to inaugurate new and temporary traditions. Over the duration of two Christmas seasons spent abroad, one tradition has matured into its second annual appearance: the secret Santa party. This year's menu included home prepared pasta with delivery pizza and sushi. After the gift exchange, the members partook in a series of games, with a 3,000 won prize to each winner. Just like home.

81 days and counting. Recalibration part 1.

Snow fun.

Lacking due diligence, I made a calculating error and began this project with 99 days left, not 97... To redeem my journalistic credibility, the next two days will be the recalibration period to get things back on the right track.

Jump rope is a very popular activity for elementary school aged children. It teaches coordination and encourages aerobic exercise. The students at Geumho Elementary (금호초등학교) go above and beyond by turning the act of jump rope into an art. With tryouts and regular practices, a team of students is selected to represent the school in competition. Much like a dance team, the jump rope team performs in costume, to the beat of popular music.

81 days and counting.

Candy cane.

Of the people with chosen religions in South Korea, 25% of the population are pronounced Christian, and 25% are Buddhist. The large Christian population seems to have the momentum of the country's youth, and may expand significantly in the coming years. However significant to Christianity, Christmas has not yet reached the broad cultural status in Korea, that it has in America. It seems as though the Koreans who do celebrate, do so at their church, usually focusing mainly on prayer and charity. They don't carry the traditions of stockings, or a christmas tree in the home, and most children don't seem to know what a candy cane is; with the exception of my students. Costco carries the large plastic tubs of miniature candy canes. Guess who just got more popular...

82 days and counting. Addendum.

For Jesus.

Perched crane.

Each day of this project, I spend a few minutes early on brainstorming what to shoot. Usually I plan some type of backup option, in case I don't come across anything worth photographing throughout the day. In most cases thus far, my backup plan has not been employed; though a few times, I've begun uploading my photos with doubts in my mind about the quality of the photos. So far, I've not been terribly disappointed in my performance. I have, instead, found myself on many occasions sifting through three or four photos, and only one can be chosen.

Thus, I've created the addendum. Though not official picks, these are the ones I lost sleep over last night. From time to time, I will find myself losing sleep again--over pictures. In these unfortunate events, I will publish an addendum as a solution to my sleeplessness.

82 days and counting.

Slow creep.

An archeologist friend claims that in 50 years, Seoul will solely consist of apartment buildings. Why would an archeologist have this opinion, and why is it relevant? This individual worked, not in a museum to restore and research artifacts, but as an inspector within the Korean development machine. Due to Korea's long and plentiful history, before a building is constructed, the site must be inspected by a team of archeologists to ensure no important artifacts are buried. As you can see, the sun is setting on the old three story brick apartment building, as the new 30 somethings creep into the limelight.

83 days and counting.

From the abyss.

Living and working abroad exposes an individual to a variety of unique experiences, nonetheless, over time the variation becomes a new norm, and a new type of culture shock appears--the long term kind. To the open-minded traveler, short term culture shock occurs instantaneously and is easily dismissed. Long term culture shock occurs after a significant period of time, when the transplant realizes the honeymoon phase is over. At this juncture, the lifestyle of an alien immigrant switches from vacation to habitual. Simply put, the camera spends more time in the case then out.

In the habitual life of a transplanted English teacher, capturing one photo a day can sometimes be a daunting task--but certainly rewarding. It forces irregularity, creativity, and a diverse perspective on the usual routine. I have run by this mirror up to three times a week for the past 15+ months, and yet it took me this long to stop and watch myself disappear into the accordion reflection.

84 days and counting.

Trenches to trails.

Seoul is one of the most populated cities in the world, even so, there is no shortage of outdoor activities in or around the city. Most mountains in Seoul are far too rocky and steep for adequate mountain biking trails, but Umyeonsan (우면산) is an exception to the rule. Just outside Seoul city limits, this small mountain harbors a handful of ridable--up and down--trails. Hikers and mountain bikers share this mountain; the Korean military plays here too. Only certain areas are accessible to civilians, and these areas are littered with trenches and bordered by razor wire and barbed wire. The sound of gunfire is often ringing in the distance from the practice range, adding to the ambiance. Though war is a horrible thing; when riding here, it's hard not to think back to the elementary school aged war games I use to play with my friends in the backyard.

85 days and counting.

E-Mart.

South Korea is a country with a long history of occupation and war. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, the Korean peninsula fell under Japanese imperialist rule. Japan's occupation ended as a result of WWII. A few years later, the Korean peninsula found itself, yet again, in a state of turmoil as the North and the South battled in the Korean War. After the armistice brought fighting to a halt in 1953, the capitalistic South Korea (Republic of Korea) put development into fast forward, in an effort to catch up to the modern world.

Today, South Korea is an increasingly powerful force in the global economy and it's citizens enjoy the many comforts of a consumer culture. Children as young as six have their own touch screen cell phones, large flat screen TV's can be found anywhere from classrooms to small restaurants, and a digital SLR camera is slung across every fifth shoulder. E-Mart, once owned by WalMart, is one of a handful of large grocery/department store chains prevalent in South Korea. These stores provide a diverse selection of goods ranging from produce to kimchi refrigerators.

86 days and counting.

The view from the sea.

Korean drinking culture is heavily surrounded by food. Most alcohol consumption begins at dinner with soju, a distilled rice beverage. If there's enough motivation within the group, drinking can carry on to a second, third, and maybe even a fourth location. Typically, as the soju continues to pour, the snacks will also continue to find their way onto the table. One delicious type of anju (안주), to the well adjusted foreigner, is dried anchovies, or myalchi (멸치).

At a favorite eclectic watering hole, called Bar Da, the myalchi is served with peanuts and gochujang (고추장). Bar Da (Bar 다, 바다) is Korean for 'sea'. This establishment is unique to Korea, with its vast selection of distilled spirits, good music, and dive-bar-esq atmosphere. Any homesick Portlander can find solace in a shot of Jameson and some kind of bottled beer at Bar Da.

87 days and counting.

The bridge to more bridges.

In Korean, Han means "great". Cutting right through the heart of Seoul, the Han River (한강) is bustling with life. The north and south banks are lined with elevated freeways and shoreline bike/pedestrian paths; the river is crossed with numerous multi-modal bridges; brightly lit cocktail cruise boats power up and down stream; and military helicopters in transport are a fairly common sight and sound. On the eastern outskirts of Seoul, the signs of eminent domain are evident as a bridge nears completion and farmland will soon make way for more apartment sprawl.

88 days and counting.

The color wheel.

In my final hurrah as an English teacher in Korea, my school challenged me with the task of planning 24 hours worth of material. I was instructed to spend 450,000 won ($420) on materials, and focus mainly on creating an environment where the students can have a chance to feel comfortable with a foreigner and using English. In a nutshell, do whatever, however, whenever. For our first project: the color wheel.

89 days and counting.

Putrescibles.

Garbage is universal, yet unique in all parts of the world. Not only is the content of garbage different in all parts of the world, but also where and/or how garbage comes to rest. These days, in our ever growing world population, waste management has become a very important issue. In South Korea, where population density is high, land is limited and valuable; consumables can't be piled high at the end of life. Therefore modern waste management sorting techniques have been implemented. Putrescible food waste and recyclables are separated, while absolute trash is sent to the incinerator for power generation. Recycling is free, food waste bags are cheap, garbage fees are collected at the point of purchase of specific garbage bags, and fines are implemented to discourage cheating the system.

90 days and counting.

Peanut butter and banana?

I'm really having a hard time understanding this. What started as a seemingly good idea morphed into something so wrong. We chose two sixth grade classes to teach a special lesson; how to make a peanut butter and banana sandwich using English. The error occurred when the students opted to bring additional items to the class. Some groups ended up with such a schmorgasborg of ingredients, I couldn't initially imagine what the potential was. In the end, though some groups did successfully manufacture peanut butter and banana sandwiches, some groups ended up with sandwiches sans peanut butter AND banana. Worse though, were the groups which failed to fully transform, and ended up with Spam, cheese, ketchup, and banana sandwiches.

91 days and counting.

"I just bought a Mac from Frisbee."

Big city living in Seoul provides a plethora of culinary and drinking options. Some restaurants are famous for the food alone, others find their competitive advantage in the atmosphere and decor. For the latter, creative inventions such as the Cat Cafe have come to flourish. In more than a few restaurants, Post-it notes have become the themed wallpaper. Patrons can write anything they want on a note, then post it anywhere on the wall.

92 days and counting.

Around they go into the back stretch!

Kirin is a brand of Japanese beer, Keirin is a form of bicycle racing originating in Japan, a velodrome is an oval track built for bicycle racing, a track bike (a.k.a. fixed gear and "fixie") is a bicycle with only one gear directly connected to the hub. In Keirin racing, the racers line up at the gate behind the pacer, ride two and a half laps around the track before a bell is rung signaling the beginning of the sprint. The sprint lasts for a little more than a lap, which takes less than 30 seconds. This type of racing became an Olympic event in 2000.

Korean citizens are allowed to gamble in two types of venues (that I'm aware of); the horse track and the velodrome. Conceptually, betting at Kierin racing is very similar to betting at horse racing. The difference is; in horse racing the bet is placed mostly on the ability of the horse, in Keirin racing the bet is placed on the ability of the rider. To reduce unfair advantages, Keirin racers must be certified themselves, as well as choose their bikes and components from an approved list. For this reason, the bikes appear very simple and are comprised mostly of steel.

93 days and counting.

You and me?

As the international language, English is quite a useful tool in travel, business, and diplomacy. This is the very reason so many native English speakers are paid too much money to teach English abroad. Due to the heavy importance placed upon the English language, many companies in Korea have made slogans and products using English instead of Korean. When this happens, a perfectly good coffee shop can have the slogan, "Taste coffee, tea, and him," or a newly refurbished restaurant can celebrate a, "Grand Reopen."

94 days and counting.

Thanksgiving.

The large American presence in Korea--military and otherwise--has generated a significant demand for Thanksgiving goods and services. Some restaurants serve special Thanksgiving Day buffets, some even deliver a cooked turkey with all the fixings. The demand for such food is high, and the supply is rather low; turkey is somewhat a mystery meat in Korea. Instead of splurging on an expensive dinner, we opted for fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and carrots. There's nothing like a meal cooked with one burner and a rice cooker.

95 days and counting.

Costco kimchi.

Korea's most famous food is kimchi. There are many different varieties, but the most common is 배추김치 (Baechu Kimchi), which is fermented cabbage in pepper paste. In most restaurants in Korea, at least one type of kimchi is served as a complementary side dish. Costco has unintentionally found a niche in Korea with the chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard in it's condiment bar. To the Korean palate, any common dish served at Costco can be enhanced with what we've named 'Costco Kimchi'. A rare site is a table full of food without a heaping plate of this mixture.

96 days and counting.

Eat your bacon with chopsticks.

After more than a year, it's comforting to still find surprises. In this case, the surprise was a ruckus of students and the smell of 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) coming from the 실과실 (home economics room).

Click on the picture to see the full album.

97 days and counting.

A few days ago--four to be exact--I was told our countdown in Korea has reached 100 days. A few days later--two to be exact--I decided it would be fun to have a 100 day project. A friend suggested taking a picture of my face every day to see what changes. I think the idea is great, but I'm not interested in having 100 shots of my mug. The concept sparked another idea, which is to take one photograph for each remaining day.

Unfortunately, by the time I discovered this idea, I was already a few days short of 100, it was evening time on the 98th day, and I was tired. Therefore, the first picture was taken on the 97th day in the countdown.

My intention is to take 97 photographs that best illustrate life in Korea, for a now experienced English teacher from America. I will do my best to post each picture on each day, but I will inevitably get behind from time to time.

--Update--

After a recalculation, what I thought was 97 days was actually 99.

Without further ado, here is my first submission. Please enjoy.

Die Springs.

Some Seoul citizens believe that in 50 years, the city will entirely consist of apartment buildings. In my neighborhood there are still signs of a bustling industry, but the encroaching high rise development looms in the distance.

Click on the picture to see the full album.

Your call to action. (Revised)

The Ultimate in large format.

Suggestions in large format.

Where should I go? If you were planning a trip to see the USA, what are the top 5 must see places? Top 10?

My friend and I will be taking a bicycle trip through the USA, starting in the spring. To help plan, I am looking for points of interest. Although we have planned a counterclockwise approach to hopefully find good weather, the route is fairly malleable. We will surely attempt to catch the classic landmarks such as; the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, etc.

For me, this trip is a quest to see the greatness that is America. I want to find the delectable pockets of culture that make the country great. Places so unique, they cannot be duplicated. So if you've been somewhere in your lifetime, a place so exceptional you can't forget, please indulge me.

The first map on this post titled "The Ultimate" is the route I have haphazardly planned thus far. This is by no means static, and will never be finalized until the road has been ridden into history. Please also note that we will be spending most of our time on secondary highways, not interstates.

--Instructions--

As I hear suggestions from people, I will add yellow pin marks to the second map in the proper location. In the comments section of this blog, please post suggestions you have with:

1. Name of city AND state.

2. What's there; food, people, landmark, etc.

3. Anyone you know that might let me/us pitch a tent in their yard.

To add a comment, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "comments". I have enabled anonymous commenting, so you're not required to have an account or sign into anything.

Feel free to make as many suggestions as you want.

Please repay my efforts to entertain you by making a suggestion. Even if you hardly know me, and/or read this blog simply as a means to admire, envy, judge, criticize, or mock--at least that's why I read blogs...

Thanks in advance.

The Book Club of Me: Walden and Civil Disobedience

Walden Pond, Concord, MA, USA. Photo Credit.

Walden and Civil Disobedience - Henry David Thoreau

Ah, Walden. How long this book sat unread on my bookshelf. Such a shame to neglect such great thinking.

--Summary--

Walden is a composition of ideas, thoughts, and experiences from Thoreau's time in the woods in the nineteenth century. The novel is written through themed chapters with experiences encompassing the entire experiment. In each chapter, Thoreau presents his thoughts on progress--namely his interest in the simple life, philosophical and intellectual progress, and holding his government accountable.

Civil Disobedience is Thoreau's famous essay that influenced many great change agents in history. His argument is for all people to withdraw themselves from a corrupt government by refusing to participate. To him, simply voting for abolition was not enough because paying taxes funds an unjust system.

--Thoughts--

Since these two masterpieces have been studied beyond my capacity, I'm going to avoid the risk of stating incorrect facts and mainly discuss my thoughts and reactions to reading the book.

Until I dove into Walden (figuratively) there had yet to be a book which compelled me to study it's words with religious fervor. Line after line of this work recites such beautiful language and thoughts. Thoreau's ability to capture so much thinking and feeling in one sentence is beyond words, especially mine. Only he could summarize his excellence in one sentence. I'm not even going to try.

I find this book begging to be thoroughly re-read and studied. Once through comprehension does not do it justice; my first time through only scratched the surface. These words deserve meticulous study as a theologian to scripture. I'm compelled take my time, to pause between each sentence and truly contemplate the fine words like a sommelier of the written English language. Gross, what kind of cliche have I become?

Walden is a masterpiece, but it resonates so powerfully with me because I share his beliefs of the values our modern lives are missing.

There have been points in my life when I have paused and thought, "What in the hell is the point of this?" One of the first times I can specifically recite as a memory was the time I became an automobile owner. I was lucky enough to have supportive parents who helped me into my first car, but there was a clear understanding that it would be funded by my industrious efforts--whatever those may be. So, I had a job in order to have a car. It's as simple as that. Of course there were a few small expenses like food and the cell phone bill, but most of my income went into the gas tank. Needless to say, at some point I reflected on my situation as I was driving to work. I thought, "Why do I HAVE to go to work? Last year I wasn't tied down by this obligation. Is this thing really worth the free time I'm sacrificing?" Of course, at the time, having a car was the material possession that provided priceless intrinsic joy--there was no price tag on my status.

Fast forward through college and into the transition stage between formative life and reality. I now sit here, all debts paid, in a state of limbo. As many of my peers continue on, pursuing their professional ambitions, I find myself wanting to go backward. If I continue with the standard operating procedure, I'll be dedicating the next 30 years of my life to the things standardized in society as measurements of success. Retirement, savings, real estate, STUFF, etc... I'm saddened by the idea that I should spend most of my days as such; 8 hours sleeping, 8 hours working, 8 hours commuting, shopping, fixing, holding, waiting, thinking about going back to work, all other responsibilities outside work, and enjoying myself. But if I don't follow the procedure, I risk the feeling of worthlessness, laziness, ineptness, not to mention homelessness and indebtedness because I hadn't properly prepare for retired life.

Our modern society has presented a double edged sword. While proliferating the great amenities that make us fatter, lazier, and greedier, violated human rights, and destroyed the environment; modernity has provided us with access to a vast wealth of information, scientific breakthroughs that help us live longer, and many more things that give us genuine pleasure. So my quandary is; how does one apply Thoreau's 1850s ideology of simplicity and minimalism to todays developed world? Knowing society won't turn back on progress, where is the balance between a 30 year sacrifice and zero contribution?

All you suckers can waste your lives working your asses off, I'm going into the woods.

The Book Club of Me: Where Men Win Glory

I'm going to think about a few books I've read recently; therefore, the next glob of posts might be a bit saturated--in books.

Afghanistan. Photo Credit.

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman -Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer is one of my favorite authors. Mainly because the topics of his books strike my interests. He has a very fluid matter-of-fact writing style that has made it hard for me to put--almost all--his books down.

--Summary--

Pat Tillman, in Where Men Win Glory, is drawn out as an individual with unpresidented charisma. He was the type of person to take control of his life, do what he felt most passionate about, and endlessly seek knowledge to better understand himself and the universe. He also happened to be a good football player and at some point decided, with great confidence, that he would become a professional. He did so successfully after overcoming unlikely odds.

While Tillman's career was just getting started, the worst attack to ever occur on American soil happened. Though he wasn't your stereotypical meat-headed football player, Tillman did have a strong urge to use physical force as a means to solve some problems. After the September 11th attacks, his priorities became reshuffled and he soon began considering his moral obligation to protect his country. Tillman couldn't help but feel compelled to enlist and help in the search for the people responsible, and so he did. Unfortunately, between the time he enlisted and the time became a soldier, the US was engaged in a completely different conflict outside Afghanistan, and Iraq is where Tillman was called to duty. In the book, this is where cognitive dissonance begins it's fight with Tillman.

Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire. The true events leading up to this tradgedy are still debatable, but immediately after his death, the US government tried to make Pat Tillman into a war hero by hiding the biggest detail of the situation--fratricide. People in power lied, and in the end not only was Tillman's death was terribly tragic, it exhibited horrible abuses of power within the US government.

--Thoughts--

As long as I've thought about war, it has always been from the perspective of American history. I was taught in high school about the battles--past and present--which America engaged in, of which almost all were on foreign soil. History has proven some of these military actions to be just and valid, and some not.

Considering the human cost of war, how can a country take military action without the absolute certainty and necessity of a just cause? In an event in which a country takes questionable military action, are the armed servicewomen and men of that country morally obligated to participate? Where is the line of patriotism superseded by the line of anthropocentric duty?

The turmoil in the Middle East today poses a threat to the safety of inside and outside the region. How does an individual combat the threats to a peaceful world by violent extremists and fundamentalists? How should a country combat these threats? Considering the corrupt nations where terrorists are bred and harbored, what responsibility does my government, other governments, or the UN have to neutralize the threats?

With the exception of a very catastrophic incident, America is rarely the scene of an international attack. Over the history of the USA, very few wars have been fought on our turf. In fact, almost every war the US has engaged in has been overseas. With these statistics, it's no wonder so many US lead military actions find such resistance at home. It's easy to object a war in a far off land, not directly associated with keeping invaders off your lawn.

I make these points because Krakauer's account of Pat Tillman's story is more than a story about an ambitious patriot. It questions the individual's and the nation's responsibility for world peace.

Mooooo: It sure has been a meaty week.

As expected, living abroad has enlightened me to many things. Since I tend to fixate my observations on the way we (humans) live our lives and what that means for everything else in existence, a great many of my overseas observations have centered on this subject. The most obvious revelation being; the developed world eats meat--it's a current fact of life. Stepping outside the subject of diet, it is safe to say that developed countries in this day and age consume more than the world can produce. For example, propaganda states; if everyone in the world lived like Americans, we would require 5 or more earths worth of resources to sustain such demand. If you look at even the most environmentally conscientious developed countries, even their people consume more than their individual right to this world. The reality is, as China and India continue developing, at some point the threshold will be reached. Furthermore, we shouldn't wait until the resources require us to face supply and demand limitations.

Back to the topic of meat consumption and diet. From spending time in Korea, I've learned a lot about the influence food has on a culture. Experiencing food is the first and easiest way for a tourist to experience a culture. For every country in the world, food provides a sense of national and community pride, brings people together, and is a bare bones necessity of life. Even in America, the world's "melting pot" of cultures, unique takes and combinations on cuisine have made regions famous. For this reason alone, I struggle to find peace with meat consumption. Eating meat every day, in every meal is one conclusion I haven't struggled to face.

In the years prior to my exodus, I became known as the raucous one in the family on the subject of all lifestyle choices, especially on the topic of eating meat. Wading through all the information out there, I found--and still find--it impossible to come to a satisfactory conclusion as to what meat variety is acceptable to consume. There are people who classify themselves as vegetarian, but still eat fish. There are people who eat only chicken and fish; a.k.a. white meat. There are people who only eat things that have fallen out of trees. Whether in the name of religion, the environment, good looks, or morals, there are many brands of selective eaters in this world. Over the past few years, I've transcended through multiple genres of selective eating myself. So much so, I'm pretty sure my family became afraid to invite me over for a meal in fear of offending my current fad. To this end, I think my move to South Korea was good for everyone. My family has had a chance to relax, and I have been able to take a sabbatical and recalibrate my emotions.

T-minus 4 months and some change.

As I prepare for my return stateside, I can't help but feel I've left a stone unturned back home. In the gathering of family and friends, we will come together to celebrate a successful 18 months of Korea bailing us out of our American debts. While I do expect plenty of happy faces, questions, and a little admiration; one thing I'm certain to face is the meat question. "Oh, were you eating meat in Korea? Huh, I guess I just figured you'd still be on that not eating meat thing..." Picture this statement with a face of disappointment much like a priest after learning you just had an abortion. Except in this situation, the priest was secretly hoping you would go along with it, just so he could feel better about himself.

For me, this will feel sort of like a return to the trenches. Coming back, like the Terminator, to continue the never ending battle. So why not throw a few thoughts out there? For starters, I can admit to my own guilt and hypocrisy for living a double standard in Korea. Unfortunately, this admission would only be useful in a vacuum. In society, SOME people--not all people--like to smother failures of this nature like a finished cigarette. My most adamant pundits will take my flip-flopping as proof that I was out of line to question their habits in the beginning. I can't blame them, it's the nature of defense.

At any rate, I have prepared a short list of excuses I will be doling out for those folks I don't feel like arguing with.

1. "When in Korea", Japan, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.

2. Portland is a city full of vegetarian options, Korea is not. I think it use to be in the Buddhist heyday, but my people turned that around with their door to door bible sales.

3. Building on #2, if one were to resist meat by eating....nothing from a restaurant; they would also have to have a significant grasp on the Korean language to channel their wishes. Even then, you still wouldn't REALLY know for sure whether or not it was meat you were eating.

4. Korea contains a culture of, "#1 world best ______." Try facing your principle, who scares the daylights out of your vice principle, and saying, "No, thanks. I don't eat that because..."

I think the length of this document, in words and preparation time, speaks to the difficult nature of this topic for me. At this point, I've deleted more than I've left. I'm pretty sure anyone who reads this will be more confused than I feel. For that I'm sorry. I do, however, have a few concluding thoughts:

People who promote environmentally conscious behavior tend to get a response from the general public similar to that of the promoters of fundamentalist religion. Even more so are those who promote vegan, vegetarian, and reducing meat consumption. Just as the non believers of religion defend their rights to abortion, premarital sex, gambling, drinking, gluttony, etc.; people defend their right to destroy our habitat through their own specious arguments. Though environmentalists and fundamentalists might sound the same in their rhetoric, I'm here to defend the basic facts supporting that alarm the hippies are sounding. THIS IS NOT ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING. You can prove scientists have realized the unsustainable reality of our current situation. You don't even need a scientist to do the math, just go outside. The environmentalists aren't trying to change your living habits because of their belief in a supreme being; these influences come from basic facts, actual knowledge and proof.

If you've ever been graced by my presence, influence, negativity, etc.; please do forgive me for causing you discomfort. I know it's a burden to turn off the regular 3 hours of nightly TV programming, but ignoring the existence of an issue is not commendable. Take the time to form your own educated opinion beyond, "Meat taste good, god gave meat." If you want someone to honor your opinion on this, or any subject, take time to challenge your belief and actually think about the topic critically. Prove me wrong. Tell me why feedlots are good; prove the corn subsidies are helping the Mississippi Delta; justify the need to waste farm land feeding cattle, instead of producing vegetables; show me where you NEED a piece of meat in every meal (or every day) to get all that protein you NEED; furthermore, find me a doctor that will argue the benefits of steak to your digestive system, your cardiac system, or your fat storing system. Your lifestyle choices can be guided by every mom's favorite wisdom; if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you follow? All I ask is for a reply that signifies more brain activity than making the sound, "Huh."

If you're looking for interesting reads on the topic, two authors have made very interesting reads out of their struggles:

Eating Animals -Jonathan Safran Foer

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. -Michael Pollan

If you have any interesting reads on the topic, preferably pro-meat consumption, please comment.

Thanks for reading.

The Book Club of Me: The Jungle

Courtesy of the US Government.

In an effort to; A. produce more material for this blog, B. catalog my thoughts, experiences, and states of mind, and C. make myself seem more important to myself by putting my self-valued thoughts and words in a public place. I have decided to start making entries to preserve my immediate thoughts on some of the books I read. (I'll probably post all of the books I read, I just say "some" because it makes myself think I read a lot). I'm going to call it, "The Book Club of Me."

ATTENTION ALL 5 READERS: I tend to read non-fiction, or historically based fictional stories, which usually don't end in surprises. In the event that I do read a fiction with a shocking ending that you didn't already know...YOU spoiled the ending, not me. I didn't waste my time reading this, you did.

--Take One---

The Jungle -Upton Sinclair

This book has a very significant historical context in America. Before publication as a novel, the story was published as a series. Although Sinclair wrote the series to expose the terrible working conditions in the meat packing industry; in it's wake, the country instead reduced it's consumption of meat in reaction to the horrific descriptions of diseased and rancid meat passing through inspection. You can read more about it here. Don't blame me for citing Wikipedia, blame Wikipedia.

A little personal background: I use to think those who are hard up were left to that result after making poor personal choices. Before someone enlightened me, I had no basis to think otherwise. From the perspective of a person benefiting from the system, it's easier to damn someone's character than to understand their situation.

The story in The Jungle follows a Lithuanian family through their struggles immigrating to Chicago after hearing stories of wealth from the land of opportunity. When the family arrived they instantly found difficulties finding housing due to their lack of finances after the trip. Over a short while, they found work in the meat packing industry and financed a house. As it turned out over time, the lending and housing agency had failed to mention interest and other monthly additions. The family was able to make ends meet by finding employment for everyone, spare the grandmother and the toddlers. Eventually, a series of unfortunate events resulting from harsh working conditions and ruthless employers left the strong young man, Jurgis, bed-ridden first; in jail second. Meanwhile, the family was not able to satisfy their lenders and were left out in the cold. As it turned out, this was just the beginning of the landslide for the characters in this book. By the time rock bottom was reached, most of them weren't alive to experience it. They had succumb to the harsh realities of the system. The book ends on a positive note for Jurgis. He finds Socialism is his answer to the system.

It's no surprise to me that a country founded by taking advantage of people had, has, and will continue to take advantage of people. I found many of the social issues presented in The Jungle have extremely close if not exact similarities to present issues facing America. Consider this quote from the book, "...because the majority of human beings are not yet human beings at all, but simply machines for the creating of wealth for others." I find it easy to draw a parallel to the present for two reasons. First, the American dream--then and now--is to become wealthy and enjoy the rights provided in the Constitution. Though the latter is reasonably protected, what percentage of Americans can say they enjoy the former? The reality is that most Americans become the machines, providing the labor to put money in someone else's pocket. Second, the right to vote--again, then and now--is hindered by a select few who are controlling, misleading, and manipulating voters. Thus, we citizens, as a voting public have to actively fight against those that want to make us cogs in the polarized machine we can't control.

In the last chapter of the book, under the pretext of a intimate meeting of thinkers, Sinclair almost completely drops the story line and goes on a rant in support of Socialism. He discusses the waste generation of the individualism and competition inherent in Capitalism and then the efficiency and equality of Socialism for the greater good. Throughout this dialog are many compelling arguments against the flaws of Capitalism, a very pleasing and objective take on consumerism, a few positive outlooks of Socialism, and some strange examples of Communism. Just think of how much time and money the aggregate of every household in America can save by implementing community dish washing machines (note: dish washing machines weren't around 1906, so it's likely Sinclair didn't think they would be a popular household appliance one day.).

The positive side to the whole story is the slow change for the better. The situation for laborers in the early 20th century was grim. Even after this series was printed, the public reacted more to the poor meat inspection standards, not the labor issues. At the time there were no labor unions, there was no government support through welfare or housing, nothing. As the story in this book repeatedly surfaced in different cities laborers began to fight and eventually won their rights. Government policy and programs have been developed to better help those in need and protect the innocent from predators (or not). Even though from time to time, the power of the system corrupts itself, America has made many improvements for the common good over the last century.