tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86791068975957981312024-03-05T06:25:16.344-08:00Kingdom of ZachlandKing Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-58060535737066930812011-02-16T04:27:00.001-08:002011-02-16T04:39:48.742-08:00Going Pro<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbHhz-yQJSRQU7T67mavP4EA77W9I1muB6WGnGa48SqyTQqIRmHwcKxCfYmTTNlUidUjlhDcQ9XBk0Si3rePpZBpflxpcs3l8Fg2HZD0caIQX3h_Q_p9N03w64KL1Xyt0SMaKU__NiKI/s1600/couch_beach_ad.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbHhz-yQJSRQU7T67mavP4EA77W9I1muB6WGnGa48SqyTQqIRmHwcKxCfYmTTNlUidUjlhDcQ9XBk0Si3rePpZBpflxpcs3l8Fg2HZD0caIQX3h_Q_p9N03w64KL1Xyt0SMaKU__NiKI/s320/couch_beach_ad.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574265568052796786" /></a>So, this will probably be my last blog on this site. At the recommendation of a friend, I've decided to leave the friendly (and free) confines of blogspot, and start my own website. While I have purchased several domains (zacharymarx.com, kingdomofzachlandcom, and several others), I think I am going to use 80couches.com as my official platform. <div><br /></div><div>Why 80 couches? Well, as you should know, I have been very involved with the awesomeness that is <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/kingofzachland/">couchsurfing.org</a> for nearly three years. (My three-year Couchsurfiversary is February 27). I've decided to make it a goal after finishing in Korea, and before going to grad school, to circumnavigate the globe whilst couchsurfing, and then write a best-seller, "Around the World on 80 Couches." </div><div><br /></div><div>I figured if I am serious about this goal, and I am, I need to start acting like it. They say in business you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have; I hope the same applies for the blogosphere. </div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-88870022603877451262011-02-05T00:00:00.000-08:002011-02-05T00:40:18.125-08:00In Narita<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KLF4Iat_rf3ezDEztFMUhnlgkHBVZnhZAOQUkG4AleEXIleJDpFOa7MTfRdcmzMDLktGIId5bUsUD5w52ueZNG20Cd9jlL9haMXxojq9WLiqroNRJUCnRp2JEEdhqTdnf0vfNXLnf1I/s1600/american+airlines.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KLF4Iat_rf3ezDEztFMUhnlgkHBVZnhZAOQUkG4AleEXIleJDpFOa7MTfRdcmzMDLktGIId5bUsUD5w52ueZNG20Cd9jlL9haMXxojq9WLiqroNRJUCnRp2JEEdhqTdnf0vfNXLnf1I/s320/american+airlines.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570122449242767906" /></a>So, I'm sitting here in Narita Airport, Tokyo's international airport, looking at the Korean Airlines flight that I should be on slowly push back from the gate. Although I should have had more than two hours to successfully make the change, American Airlines thought it would be a better idea to sit at the gate at Chicago O'Hare for more than an hour. <div><br /></div><div>I was then left to stew for the next thirteen hours over whether I would make my connecting flight. Consciously I tried to tell myself "There's nothing you can do about it now, just relax. Besides, there's about 11 billionty flights between Tokyo and Seoul," but it was always in the back of my mind. Thankfully, they had already booked me on an Asiana Air flight for later that evening. Although I had enough time to get to my original flight's gate on time, the Japanese woman who had my new flight information explained, "We don't have enough time to get your bags on the flight," which I knew to be true.<br /><div><br /></div><div>I'm OK with this. Really. While I like flying, I love airports. I don't know the exact reasons, part of it is certainly the excitement of a place wherein people are going all over the globe. There is more to it than that though; I think I like airports because they feel like "home." I spent so much of my childhood running between parents, that the airport became a bit of a refuge--a place where I could have freedom from the continual tug-and-pull between parents. </div><div><br /></div><div>While airports might differ from city to city, they're all more-or-less the same. And yet, I still love just spending time at the airport, wandering aimlessly and clearing my mind before a flight. So, I'm going to enjoy my time in Narita. I would honestly rather have three hours of stress-free travel than a hurried hour to make a connection. </div></div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-67912035125835884922011-02-03T11:34:00.000-08:002011-02-03T14:20:10.528-08:00The Everglades<div style="text-align: left;">Contrary to popular belief, South Florida is not merely one giant swamp. Most of the Southern Tip is, in fact, a giant, slow moving river through an enormous, flat grassland. You will not find stagnant water in the Everglades.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijO3QREbsDyB6ICAI4lgRcv3QdL4iyNnLGM_xKQ11t3H0-X-ZZOIR_oEqBJJ6YDtiX12Xq5XmoUODIPpQItGuo8NxrceWd1KfgwjuFilXrhz7uNpAbANgtYtXTXfzOljV5KK-jnxWGWUg/s400/IMG_3468.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 330px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569558410154731394" /><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i>A little green heron, stealthily hunting for a meal.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><br /></i></span></div></i>The river begins in Lake Okeechobee and flows southward toward the Gulf of Florida. In that span, approximately 100 miles, the river descends a mere 14 feet in elevation. This, paired with Florida's ideal location between sub-tropical and temperate environments creates an amazing environment for a wealth of diverse wildlife. The birds and reptiles are especially abundant. Herein is the key to enjoying a trip to the Everglades--getting down at ground-level with a keen eye to find as much wildlife as can possibly be found. Everglades National Park will not "blow away" the casual observer in the same way as Yosemite or Yellowstone will--at first glance, it is merely an open grassland--but once a moment is spent to find and enjoy the wildlife, the experience is incredible.<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyGxYIuhEgLsMZvJSZcgmqoWE0Y6oH82D8GidnxmZhqH1c3ZCk_tC-E-s3eWTU0loFYOUwnyjRbuyXqrUQDD9sbSb6TSzt9obQU6UfYhMg4iCRXS-XpksWUvqBOtUlAQSfJWFs8C58_w/s320/IMG_3482.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569559455615540594" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div>On Monday morning, my dad, Gina and I headed out to the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/anhinga-trail.htm">Anhinga Trail</a> in the southeast corner of the park. I was a bit disheartened that my grandparents would not be joining us, but I knew grandpa had had health problems lately. We were armed with binoculars, well-worn bird guides, and a packed lunch for a picnic in the park.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Once on the trail, we were greeted by our first anhinga immediately. These birds that give the trail its namesake are amazing. The males are particularly striking--black with white streaks on their wings, and since it was mating season, they had beautiful turquoise rings around their eyes. They are sometimes referred to as "snake birds" because unlike other waterfowl, they swim below the waterline and occasionally stick their long, slender necks up for air. (Their name is actually derived from a Brazilian dialect translating to "devil bird" or "snake bird"). This is a bird that Darwin forgot; they never evolved oil glands, so they can be seen after a swim drying their wings in the warm Floridian sun. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tx-WdEuPmfDlm3KU_qlCqqJvSEW4gOnRl-PQI_hacqNfQkQ1UyRZZyPzwFDtg5i3njgoJ-Lvs-DGqO1NtkYmHKKqw52rzfsFPmb21avFz2UPdJqLuLz819KqKUnjkO9XB9vKi6ahueY/s320/IMG_3476.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569562262201278402" /></div><div>As I mentioned, it was mating season for these guys and there were already several nests with high-pitched, squeaking, baby anhingas. One male was mate-less when we stumbled upon him vigorously trying to remove a twig. We were told this is the first step in their mating ritual. The male finds an appropriate twig, gives it to a potential mate, and if she accepts they build a nest together. Oh, if only it were that easy!</div><div><br /></div>The anhinga is similar to another one of the park's residents, the cormorant. However, cormorants can be found in various parts of the world. The Chinese even train these birds to fish for them! (If you ever order fish in China, just remember that your meal very well could have come from the gullet of a bird). These birds also prefer getting their feathers wet by diving into the clear, clean waters to dart after their prey. <div><br /></div><div>For about five minutes we watched as a cormorant tried to wrangle a fish. At first the only threat to an empty stomach was the fish itself, but when other birds caught wind of this epic battle, they joined the fray. This led to some infighting among the cormorants, each trying to take possession of the prized fish. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JAp9W6Llxlaem0EXQzdMBnwJfZEovJxnMdnrj1sFoSQdiGoIfbRnn-Xb569QLbdBmk7c6bJoblH2GR1sr262JvfMjhKOc-nfpMvpxsGMpL2JT6U_1WHlxdVUdLsWtXu6BU5PjkLNTKY/s320/IMG_3487.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569567280793745506" div="" /><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCpP8fFNPqFNsuCl2iwp7TOUk2YaoZ89jV3ApnHmnFOnsLmAZvOeNgDByowmhQk8a2bULA1iteWyQVDnHQ1Z0exz0gyGBMzU3VvppGtROj15VjhHxvIz-to5nZuPEfQ1eaQir3oDpvjY/s200/IMG_3485.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569566763404241522" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think I can properly conclude a piece on the Everglades without taking about its most famous resident, the American Alligator. These are amazing creatures, but its easy to lose a lot of respect for them in the wild. These guys are everywhere, and its rare that you see one even move a couple of feet. Even the birds don't seem terribly intimidated by them.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jU8JK8gixDlrJnDcVckZdoJjg_q4ggYW3aBDHOhiKrOUfXGiA9JJsbs5t_19QBpK9vtmq2rBH58y47EvRwLJRgl7DgDmct6VxVnPvznGoosru7ANFe7hOLk-V9OiEMkPywBJriHmYQ8/s1600/IMG_3496.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jU8JK8gixDlrJnDcVckZdoJjg_q4ggYW3aBDHOhiKrOUfXGiA9JJsbs5t_19QBpK9vtmq2rBH58y47EvRwLJRgl7DgDmct6VxVnPvznGoosru7ANFe7hOLk-V9OiEMkPywBJriHmYQ8/s400/IMG_3496.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569569800017915314" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;">Case in point.</div></i></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;" div=""><div>However, a species doesn't survive hundreds of millions of years, mass-extinctions, and luggage trends without a really good design. They may appear lazy, but they're just conserving energy, and when they want to use it, they can. Were I to run into a hungry gator in the water, people would suddenly be talking about me in the past tense. On land? Yeah, they can outrun me there too. The Everglades are also home to the American Crocodile, making this the only spot in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Everglades are a natural wonder, and just a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Miami. Humans have already encroached into this preserve, with the human population nearly quadrupling since 1960. And if global climate change leads to the rise in sea-levels we all fear, this river of life will be gone forever. I hope I can take my grandkids to the Everglades someday, just as they did with me. </div></div></div></div></div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-37691807112426229542011-01-31T05:36:00.000-08:002011-01-31T05:45:49.871-08:00My Relationship with South FloridaWhen people ask me where I'm from, I tell them Tennessee. While this is an answer, it's certainly not the complete answer, which happens to be much more complicated. When people ask about my seemingly strange allegiance to Wisconsin-based sports teams, I tell them that I grew up in Milwaukee prior to moving down South. Once again, this is a truth, but not the complete truth.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5BpYG8Sb86aqHHOzKDl0pGiwDmyU7SuOmFWWCKMKnbCdxmapSABiYo8ym_ppnV9noHwO9v0R_F2AxALc6K6_jp4tfDIPVYB4C7WW7ic81wP_du1prpQZe4GvswnWYSn19FZNBgqcTGs/s1600/dan-marino.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5BpYG8Sb86aqHHOzKDl0pGiwDmyU7SuOmFWWCKMKnbCdxmapSABiYo8ym_ppnV9noHwO9v0R_F2AxALc6K6_jp4tfDIPVYB4C7WW7ic81wP_du1prpQZe4GvswnWYSn19FZNBgqcTGs/s320/dan-marino.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568344592237395746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The whole story must include the "in between days" when I was living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's odd when I think back on it--almost as if I were looking back on a past life, completely unconnected with my own. But it was my life, and I lived it. Things were different then, I was living with my Mom and our side of the family was much more tight-knit than it is today. I remember playing with my cousins, most of whom I've not seen or heard from since those early childhood days, and I remember rooting whole-heartedly for the Miami Dolphins. Of course, at the time the Dolphins had one of the all-time greats, Dan Marino, at the helm, and the Packers were going through a rather long dry spell.<br /><br />Now, whenever I return to South Florida, I have a strange sense of being home, but not really. It's similar, to say, <span style="font-style: italic;">deja vu</span>. I've been here before, but I just can't put my finger on it...<br /><br />It is a wonderful little corner of the globe. Dave Berry often opined that Miami should be (or in fact, was) a foreign country, and Key West <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch_republic">tried to </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch_republic">be a foreign country</a>. The snarled mangrove forests, crystal clear water, abundance of wildlife, and coral outcroppings make the Keys into a true paradise. (Though, the regular sighting of tourist shops does diminish this view somewhat).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDGVZOk0p5rlu2rdIqH4c_4xguwEOdXmoupNyLlntvburXdx5zm9VVx9Jy53HiI4barDvGE0WOS0IT8uXKsLjlcTB76M35CoD6wV5vJ1gaPo9-eg2piOigSxUe-WNIttv5PKkVqD1uwI/s1600/800px-Conchrepublic.svg.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 423px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDGVZOk0p5rlu2rdIqH4c_4xguwEOdXmoupNyLlntvburXdx5zm9VVx9Jy53HiI4barDvGE0WOS0IT8uXKsLjlcTB76M35CoD6wV5vJ1gaPo9-eg2piOigSxUe-WNIttv5PKkVqD1uwI/s320/800px-Conchrepublic.svg.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568345227157240050" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">More national flags need to include puns.<br /><br /></span></div>I don't think I could ever call South Florida "home" or even "a home," but it still has a special place in my heart. It's a nice place to visit--particularly in winter, and I guess, that completes the story.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-64996124242339857872011-01-25T00:34:00.001-08:002011-01-25T05:37:40.545-08:00Top 5: Sports Fantasies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeklzuDcCh0OjqivwbOfi39-PACtN9INzs78FAlx3jBMxyIRoZDj3fAnbAAdjUyXK9xHiY8VpR2ueT_eZuFuBzxqzN9X5nD6Jv1wUtBNU2sH28TNFn7Hj7UOwbOyxMC306Z8rQ81zCW1I/s1600/DukeCameronIndoorStadium.jpeg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeklzuDcCh0OjqivwbOfi39-PACtN9INzs78FAlx3jBMxyIRoZDj3fAnbAAdjUyXK9xHiY8VpR2ueT_eZuFuBzxqzN9X5nD6Jv1wUtBNU2sH28TNFn7Hj7UOwbOyxMC306Z8rQ81zCW1I/s320/DukeCameronIndoorStadium.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566117102474508578" border="0" /></a>As you may have heard, the Green Bay Packers are in the Super Bowl after a 13-year hiatus. I've been lucky with the Pack, as this is their third trip to the title game in my lifetime, and I've already seen them win it. Obviously, I want them to win it this time too, but I've already scratched that one off my "Bucket List." However, this list is not about seeing my own teams succeed (besides, everyone who knows me, should probably also figure that I want to see championships for the Vols and Brewers). Instead, it is a list of sports experiences I would like to have.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Qualifications:<br /></span><ul><li>Must be an experience I have not yet had (ruling out: a game at Wrigley, road trip to Notre Dame, and going to the NCAA tourney).<br /></li><li>Not conditional to my team (e.g. "Seeing the Brewers in person at the World Series).<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">The List:</span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Game at Cameron Indoor Stadium: </span>Say what you will about Duke basketball, they have some amazing fans, tons of tradition, and an amazing, intimate venue to watch the game. Preferably this would be a UNC-Duke match up, but I'm not terribly picky.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Game at Fenway Park: </span>All apologies to Yankee Stadium, but they tore the original down.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">World Cup Match: </span>This might even be better if the U.S. weren't playing. The passion, the tension, the celebratory riots, what more could I want?</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Super Bowl: </span>I wonder if they show the ads inside the stadium?</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Round of The Masters:</span> If Augusta National is only half as breathtaking as it is on TV, it will be an amazing experience.<br /></li></ol>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-89222983978293196282011-01-23T02:44:00.000-08:002011-01-23T04:39:11.883-08:00The Departure of Captain ObviousFridays are normally causes for celebration. Or if not "celebration" <span style="font-style: italic;">per se</span>, at least relief paired with a small bit of joy. However, on Friday morning I was dealt a devastating blow, in what was probably the second-longest conversation between myself, and Rachel, my Korean Teacher.* The news was that our favorite student, Peter, AKA Peter Rabbit, AKA Peter Pan, AKA Peter Pumpkin Eater, AKA Captain Obvious, was leaving our school.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-68Eg9rdQiZOSGGMCBJQnYqKfasswklgVS6G7VtfJvnuJp8_uiKUe_uXY9Dmbysw6C5ibfw6a8IPNCKbKb4taN5AmHoLjQBj38jNKaWx43OvRMSVV59v3VZZc6vvJumBK-hJfGR8Quc/s1600/IMG_3128.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 433px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-68Eg9rdQiZOSGGMCBJQnYqKfasswklgVS6G7VtfJvnuJp8_uiKUe_uXY9Dmbysw6C5ibfw6a8IPNCKbKb4taN5AmHoLjQBj38jNKaWx43OvRMSVV59v3VZZc6vvJumBK-hJfGR8Quc/s320/IMG_3128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565358739102734210" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I'll let you guess which one is him.<br /><br /></span></div>I was already upset about the new school, but this is easily the worst news of all. It's amazing how I could gain such a strong affection for a student that I've only known for a few months. No, Peter is not the only one I care about, but he is special. Were he a pro-athlete, an ESPN commentator would always be going on about his "intangibles." Is he the best student in the class? No. The smartest? No. Hardest working? Not a chance. He's a good student, but not top-tier. On the other hand, he's among the sweetest and happiest, and hands-down the funniest.<br /><br />All of my kids are unique in their own ways, but he's the lifeblood, the heartbeat, that makes the Grizzlies class go. In my time as a teacher, I've noticed how important student leadership is to a class. If the smart, popular kid is a troublemaker, the class will be difficult. If the smart, popular kid is a total goofball (e.g. Peter), the class is going to be easy going and fun. I don't know how the Grizzlies will act with this power vacuum, nor can I say with any authority who will take the reigns of leadership.<br /><br />I try to console myself with the knowledge that this day was inevitable. He was going to leave the school eventually, and even if he had stayed on until the end of the semester, next month, he would have almost certainly ended up in a new class. It is the reality of teaching, students come and students go. Some will go with hardly a notice, and others will leave an indelible mark. My only hope is that I can leave that same mark, as many of my favorite teachers did for me.<br /><br />Several students gave me birthday and/or Christmas cards. Here's what Peter wrote:<br /><br />To: Marx Jack Teacher,<br />Thank you teacher! I love you. Thank you for teaching me.<br /><br />From: Peter Choi<br /><br />No Peter, thank you.<br /><br />*<span style="font-style: italic;">The longest conversation, for the record, was after she had had too much wine during our office Christmas party. She normally avoids speaking English at any great length, but that night, it was flowing like the aforementioned wine. This was the conversation where I learned that Christine (my other Korean Teacher) was not just her sister, but her TWIN. And then she got mad at me for not knowing. </span>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-42258432671390235282011-01-23T02:37:00.000-08:002011-01-23T02:41:56.714-08:00All in a WeekAnother Friday, and another week gone by. Each passing week brings unfulfilled desires on opposite ends of the spectrum. On one end, it is the desire to complete my contract as quickly as possible and move on to bigger and better things. On the other, it is to pause, take in as much of this experience as I can, and try to improve a little bit each and every day.<br /><br />Every week tests this balance, and lately it seems that the first option tends to prevail. On Monday I usually feel refreshed and productive. I take Sydney on an extra long walk, and study Korean when I get home. By Wednesday and Thursday, I just want t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKIqwB1G82MVeptRmwKOWsEvjVZuYy6TN30az2VJshbe8NdTtxey7qQ7WkKfwKWy6NBkUUpLDyfQ4PtCXbzv3j_EOjdTZagIMRufx5Rl6HTUko5kZzrKSWRrvJasvgC6WpKzGdEb_D4g/s1600/mondays.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKIqwB1G82MVeptRmwKOWsEvjVZuYy6TN30az2VJshbe8NdTtxey7qQ7WkKfwKWy6NBkUUpLDyfQ4PtCXbzv3j_EOjdTZagIMRufx5Rl6HTUko5kZzrKSWRrvJasvgC6WpKzGdEb_D4g/s320/mondays.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565329607479241906" border="0" /></a>o get through the week. Sleep and relaxation are foremost in my mind. I get home, mindless cruise the Internet for an hour or so, and I might read a couple pages in a book before getting up and doing it all over again. By Thursday night, I have already worked 42 hours in 4 days, and I still have one day to go. As much as I would love to be social on Friday nights, I usually just stay at home with Sydney.<br /><br />As the weekend dawns, I find it difficult to rise with the sun. Many Saturdays and Sundays I have spend the better part of the precious daylight hours lounging around, and refusing to put on pants. By Sunday mid-afternoon my mind clears and I feel human again. Human until the dreaded alarm sounds early the next morning, to begin the week anew.<br /><br />Perhaps it is the height of winter that is driving me to this unproductive state. Am I driven by some gene buried in my DNA to go into a mild hibernation, to preserve my energy for keeping warm, and wait for spring to arrive? I feel that warm weather and longer days will help in this regard, so I will just have to tough it out for now.<br /><br />Were this year crammed into a single year, it would be Wednesday morning. While it may not get any easier, the knowledge that I am getting closer to the proverbial weekend will be enough to keep me going.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-29580821773913977192011-01-05T03:31:00.000-08:002011-01-06T06:51:07.714-08:002010: A Retrospective<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFSrT-3bYS64e6xNWYnd7q4xagFbQj133TTqps9TLjGzNSMEPUEho6TgYvaP59Trdt_tVbw_fGpvOLCuv85GkvQXYhFOQgB8XT2WI8Ms_mCouh_qAjq-5aIFXMtkwC-ycy5IAPTuYoIc/s1600/leaving+on+a+jet.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFSrT-3bYS64e6xNWYnd7q4xagFbQj133TTqps9TLjGzNSMEPUEho6TgYvaP59Trdt_tVbw_fGpvOLCuv85GkvQXYhFOQgB8XT2WI8Ms_mCouh_qAjq-5aIFXMtkwC-ycy5IAPTuYoIc/s320/leaving+on+a+jet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559085419999491042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Primer</span><br />With the full realization that the New Year is, by in large, completely arbitrary, I believe it is nevertheless important to look back at where I was a scant one year ago. All to often we get caught up with resolutions and goals for the upcoming year without first looking back at the last.<br /><br />As I eluded to in my <a href="http://kingofzachland.blogspot.com/2011/01/cold-water-in-face-brings-us-back-to.html">last post</a>, I've been a bit down as of late. This begs an important question--particularly in relation to where I was at this point last year--"Why?"<br /><br />To paraphrase the oft-used politician's question, "Am I better off now than I was one year ago?" The question isn't as straight forward as it might seem, and yet, the answer is clearly a resounding "Yes." I'm gainfully employed, living in a place I want to be (no offense, Milwaukee), and I have direction in my life. All of these are marked improvements over last year, no doubt.<br /><br />Yet, I feel like my current malaise is directly related to self-improvement. When I made the decision to move back to Asia, I suddenly had somethings that I hadn't had in a long time: hope and expectations. These are great things--don't get me wrong--but they come with strings attached. Due, in part, to the constantly-changing work conditions that I have been subjected to, it has been difficult to find any sort of routine in my new life. And with the lack of routine, I have found it impossible to work (at least on a regular, consistent basis) toward one of my biggest goals: learning Korean. So my expectations must either be muted or deferred, and that has been difficult to deal with, especially since I was so eager just a scant few months back.<br /><br />Furthermore, it seems ol' Sydney has been a bit of a double-edged sword for me in Korea. She provides me companionship and joy on a daily basis, but she has diminished my ability to explore the country and meet new friends. Being more of a "home body" is good on many levels, but not always. My dog is great, but I hope she has not been too much of an impediment to finding human companionship.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Early 2010: Aiming High and Low</span><br />I guess I have meandered off-topic. The present has a nasty habit of rudely intruding into the past and future. At this point last year, I really had no idea what to do. I was sending out applications and resumes left and right, almost always into the abyss of the Internet, never to be seen or heard from again. I aimed high on several occasions, most notably to the State Department and Nashville Teaching Fellows. I came up short in both, how short, I'll never know. In both, I progressed past the crucial first step; with the Teaching Fellows, I made it as far as the wait-list. To quote <span style="font-style: italic;">Top Gun</span>, "There are no points for second place."<br /><br />I aimed low as well. The lowest point, without question, was when I applied to work at a dog-grooming/coffee shop joint called Community Bark. When the manager turned me down, he told me he was looking for someone with "More barista experience." To his credit, at no point did the University of Tennessee teach me how to make a latte.<br /><br />During the early part of 2010, a thought did flutter across my mind. What if I go back to Asia? I could at the very least get my feet back on the ground, and I knew they were always hiring. However, the thought seemed impractical, particularly with my dog. I quickly dropped the idea when I landed a job with the Census.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mid 2010: Counting the People and the Days<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>Thankfully, this lengthy stint as one of the unemployed masses happened in a year ending in "0." From what I could tell, the U.S. Census Bureau was willing to hire just about anyone with a pulse. Sometimes, I even wondered about the pulse requirement. Regardless, it began just as my unemployment benefits were running out. The timing couldn't have been better. I was hired as an "Enumerator" (AKA "The guy knocking on your door and asking you all of those annoying questions"). I actually really enjoyed the work, despite my occasional run-in with paranoid psychopaths. I was quickly promoted to "Crew Leader Assistant" and then "Crew Leader" shortly thereafter.<br /><br />Among those I managed, the widespread ineptitude was truly baffling. This was oddly comforting, as I knew that these were the same folk I would soon be competing with for other jobs. I would say the strangest aspect of working for the Census was the knowledge that every survey we completed was one survey closer to being unemployed again. To put it bluntly, it was a little hard to stay motivated.<br /><br />With the Census winding down, I was once again at a loss of what to do next. I had been continuing to search for jobs and send out resumes throughout my tenure with the Census that summer, but I only heard crickets in response. One day, during another frustrating job search, I checked <a href="http://www.eslcafe.com/">Dave's ESL Cafe</a> on a whim.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span>I had decided if I were ever teach abroad again, I would do so in Korea, so I looked at few posts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Late 2010: The Unlikely Return to Asia</span><br />To my amazement, all of the schools were including flights to Korea in their contracts. All of them. And not just "we'll reimburse you at some point in the distant future" like many ESL jobs, they were offering to pay up-front. This point alone nearly had me packing my bags. I quickly did an Internet search and discovered that I could, in fact, bring my dog to Korea. Without hesitation, I sent an application to a company about a job.<br /><br />In mere moments<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>, </span>I received a phone call from a Korean woman. After all of these months of fruitless searches, I could land a job in Korea in a matter of minutes. With this, I actually did some research and came across Korea Poly Schools, my current employer. The recruiter enthusiastically informed me that I could bring my dog, and within a week, I had a job.<br /><br />The next month and a half went by in a blur. It was stressful, and exciting, and sad. I managed to get back on unemployment before I left, hopefully for the last time, ever. I sold my car, packed my things, stressed about Sydney and how she would handle the flights (or, whether she would even be allowed on at all). I said good-bye to friends and family, and I was on my way.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coming Full Circle</span><br />Maybe I should have titled this section "The Yin and Yang of Japan and Korea." When I left my mom in Atlanta to go to Japan four years ago, it was a bright, sunny, and typically hot Southern day in July. My largest possession was an overstuffed duffel bag, and I wore a suit. We hugged, and mom cried, and when she was gone, I fought to hold back a tear as well. I had just graduated, and I was leaving behind a girlfriend, and two intact families. At that very moment I thought, "What the <span style="font-style: italic;">fuck</span> am I doing?"<br /><br />When my dad dropped me off in Chicago, it was a dark, cool, predawn morning in the Midwest. My largest possession was a 45-pound pooch, and I only packed the clothes I could fit in my hiking backpack. I had the same large duffel bag as well, but it was mostly filled with dog food and treats. I wore khakis and a polo shirt. We hugged, and both of us, I think, were holding back a tear. I had just spent the two most difficult years of my life, wondering when, and then if, it would ever end. Both of my families were now shattered. But life goes on, and at no point since my departure have I asked myself what I was doing.<br /><br />And therein lies the biggest difference: now, I know.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-13420662989914214012011-01-04T00:17:00.000-08:002011-01-04T05:25:29.485-08:00"Cold Water in the Face, Brings Us Back to this Awful Place"My brief foray into freedom and positivity came to a crashing end on Monday morning with the first day at our new campus. At this point, the only two reasonable conclusions could be that KPS management are either a) astonishingly ignorant of our wants and desires, or b) intentionally trying to drive away their teachers. At this point, it's a bit of a toss-up.<br /><br />Yes, this move would irritate anyone, but it is the way it was handled that has really put me in a foul mood. In human interactions, certain happenstances require greater sensitivity than others, and in this case, we've received almost none. Prior to arriving here on Monday morning, here were our list of grievances:<br /><div><ul><li>Longer commute</li><li>No ability to visit the bank during work hours</li><li>No local eateries for lunch</li></ul><div>Upon arriving at our new school, we were confronted with the following realizations:</div></div><div><ul><li>No computer lab (effectively leaving us with no curriculum or activities for computer class each week)</li><li>No staff room (no where to get away from the kids, and no where to grade homework)</li><li>No gym teacher (so our one prep class per week is effectively taken away, this all the more ironic given the reported $50,000 cost of all the new gym equipment)</li><li>The windows are covered, despite promises to the contrary </li><li>And of course, far fewer students, giving us all lingering insecurities about the future of our jobs</li></ul><div>The absolute icing on the cake came when we received the 2011 calendar. Our parent company dictates when our summer vacation will fall; in the past they had given Monday through Friday off, sandwiched between two weekends. This year? July 28 through August 3, or Thursday through Wednesday for those keeping score at home. I'm not quite sure why they would choose to do this, but at first blush it appears to be either ignorant or dickish, which brings us back to the original point. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMxGMm3XXttTeNaf6mtqDU-dtquCcOdREOZeOo8fxYWwNdKrF1UA7H-HmNNqh4mq5ENEYXSDNz7HCygs8RrNlf94mQnWpZPdYquh4QGYWZ4Ibe4cQA_afiyTsByNul-m27TYJPEvO3u0/s1600/Philosoraptor-says-Ive-disemboweled-for-less.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMxGMm3XXttTeNaf6mtqDU-dtquCcOdREOZeOo8fxYWwNdKrF1UA7H-HmNNqh4mq5ENEYXSDNz7HCygs8RrNlf94mQnWpZPdYquh4QGYWZ4Ibe4cQA_afiyTsByNul-m27TYJPEvO3u0/s320/Philosoraptor-says-Ive-disemboweled-for-less.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558320994452499682" border="0" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>A mood of despair and deep frustration has swept through the school. Those who are lucky enough to be in the final throes of their contracts are getting out while they can (including several who were planning on renewing their contracts until all of this unfolded), while the rest of us look at a long 8 months before we can move on to greener pastures. No one is thinking of resigning, which is why I can't help but think about the aforementioned "b."<br /><br />From a cynical viewpoint, giving into any of our requests would only ensure that they would have to continue to give these "luxuries" to any and all teachers that came after us. Essentially, it is better for them to deal with our complaints and frustration in the short term, because in 8 months there will be no teachers left to recall "the good old days."One teacher who has been with the school for nearly two years said openly in a meeting with the director, "You know, just having a fresh pot of coffee each morning would be a huge gesture to show that you care." On Monday morning there was a fresh pot of coffee, our mouths, appropriately, agape. Suddenly, a secretary came around the corner before the first drop could be poured, "Oh no, that is for James!" James, the director.<br /></div><div><br />This is just one instance, but it seems like every last insignificant request to regain a modicum of happiness and morale falls on deaf ears.<br /><br /></div><div>So where does this leave me? </div><div><ol><li><b>R&D-</b>Barring a change of heart from our director, my attempts to get into the R&D department at semester's end are all but kaput. While the option to move there after my contract expires remains open, I question the wisdom of signing on for a second year with a company that has treated my contract like a <a href="http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7839719/">made up word</a>.</li><li><b>Public School in Two Months-</b>Theoretically, I could land a job at a public school but I would need a letter of release from our director, who, as we have recently seen, has not been particularly generous as of late. Furthermore, these jobs are given out on a first-come, first-serve basis, so it would be difficult to land in a desired location, with a desired age group.</li><li><b>Grit my Teeth, and Public School in Eight Months-</b>Probably my best option. By staying on, I will get to take full advantage of everything KPS has to offer me, which as of now, is a big, fat paycheck. I figure I could save close to $15,000 between now and then (when figuring in my end of contract bonus, reimbursement for flight home, and pension). Lord knows I've spent more time, in shittier jobs, for less money. I would be able to apply early to EPIK (Korea's far-less-selective version of JET) and therefore probably end up in a better locale. </li></ol><div>Wow, when I list it out like that, it hardly seems like a choice at all. This will suck in the short-term, no doubt, but it's the best choice I can make. I've made it through one-third of my contract, and I know I can complete it. From my previous experience, I never came to Korea with the illusion that life here would be easy, but like Japan, I found a significant challenge in an unexpected place. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>I wrote a rather long blog entry the other day, but never published it for personal reasons. The overarching theme was how I currently find myself in an eerily similar situation to the semester where I dropped out of college. I see where I want to go, but I have a lot of hard work ahead, and on top of it all, I'm in a lonely place. It's hard to admit, but I am. </div><div><br /></div><div>The good news is that I have knowledge and experience on my side. I know the signs of depression, and I know helpful ways to avoid spiraling out of control. Changing jobs will not make me any less lonely, and in a depressed state, any significant improvements to my work situation would not immediately improve my overall attitude. Perhaps "working through it" in my current job is the best thing I can do. Moreover, the best news is that I'm not in a position where I can fail, not when I've already come so far. </div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-3213882742844172912010-12-29T00:06:00.000-08:002010-12-29T02:44:57.269-08:00What a Difference a (Couple of) Day(s) Make(s)On your average Wednesday evening, around 5 o'clock, I would be stuck behind the ever oppressive walls of my school. Thankful, I have this week off, so instead of looking longingly at the window (not <span style="font-style: italic;">out</span> the window, because all the windows are covered), I'm sipping on some cappuccino at a coffee shop, and taking in the views of bustling rush-hour traffic as dusk descends upon Seoul. Quite nice, really.<br /><br />Something has changed, I noticed it early yesterday afternoon. By all accounts I should have been in a foul mood. My friend, Mickayla, and I had unintentionally pulled an all-nighter on Monday. I say "unintentionally" because we tried to get a cab back from the bar at a somewhat reasonable hour. Instead, the vaunted Seoul Public Transit System let us down, and left us standing in a snowstorm for a half-an-hour before we came to the realization, "Hey, that bar over there is still open!" And so it was that we managed only a few, unfulfilling hours of sleep on Monday night or Tuesday morning, whichever you prefer. The following afternoon we made our way to Itaewon for some Indian curry, a well-known cure for hangovers. Mickayla, perhaps still a little drunk, asked our Indian waiter what makes curry so great for hangovers. His answer, "Very many spices!" Good enough for me.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yv0llquWw87n1CfSLSd3wIFOCaOk5ov6_Wtob9jRSg_qnV1v3A1wkRpDdBbipw0uxL3WAng4zLBbur1KOKL_KjagZ2JFdBW1evMr04bIAvnsXC441zQoDPav1o5X27L7a14cGFv5u9s/s1600/IMG_3389.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yv0llquWw87n1CfSLSd3wIFOCaOk5ov6_Wtob9jRSg_qnV1v3A1wkRpDdBbipw0uxL3WAng4zLBbur1KOKL_KjagZ2JFdBW1evMr04bIAvnsXC441zQoDPav1o5X27L7a14cGFv5u9s/s320/IMG_3389.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556051144537469842" border="0" /></a><br />Maybe it was the curry, maybe it was the diminished hangover, or maybe it was the sun poking its head through the clouds for the first time, but right then I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders. What was this feeling? Freedom, perhaps? This was my second day off, and I was already without a care in the world. Mickayla was off to shop, so I popped back into the subway to make my way to Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which would no doubt be a sight to behold after last night's snow.<br /><br />Despite missing out on an opportunity to see the "Secret Garden" tour, I was able to wander aimlessly around the Palace grounds and admire its elegance and quiet beauty. I've been to many of these palaces, and while Changdeokgung lacks the grandeur of the Forbidden City or Imperial Palace, in Beijing and Kyoto respectively, it has its own charm.<br /><br />Most palaces are strictly built on a north-south axis, in an attempt to replicate Heaven on Earth (which is apparently on a north-south axis). However, this palace conforms to no axis of any kind, mostly due to its history. It was never supposed to be the seat of power for the royal family, but when the Japanese burned their main palace to the ground in 1592, Changdeokgung was tapped as a makeshift, and then, a permanent, home. Changdeokgung remained the main palace almost continuously until 1910 when Korea was "annexed" by the aforementioned Japanese. Under occupation, Korea's last emperor, Emperor Sunjong died here in 1926.<br /><br />I had visited t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XbavSj0-xKtIBblcxn7A-6lP6FnwAl3wCG6P-KYuXEWeEIplrTqXFAdiop7eGEv02C3RTyx9kRjkdCD3cD82bZ1CdtQTbcZgM0Dm1-nzaCmMUP9uoiZ0FyU_KSUYoZF0D4UvMxys0wE/s1600/IMG_3385.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XbavSj0-xKtIBblcxn7A-6lP6FnwAl3wCG6P-KYuXEWeEIplrTqXFAdiop7eGEv02C3RTyx9kRjkdCD3cD82bZ1CdtQTbcZgM0Dm1-nzaCmMUP9uoiZ0FyU_KSUYoZF0D4UvMxys0wE/s320/IMG_3385.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556050265509009330" border="0" /></a>he palace about a month ago, but it didn't hold a candle to this trip. The combination of the low winter's sun, still wind, and fresh snowfall made the palace come alive. I took pictures, best I could, while continually being reminded of my photographic inadequacies by the amateur Korean photographers with very professional gear.<br /><br />The one drawback to this palace, as opposed to ones I had seen in other Asian countries, was the lack of a truly immersive experience. There were very few vistas within the palace that didn't include skyscrapers and high-rise apartments rising in the background. Seoul is an amazing city, but it could certainly tone it down a notch at times.<br /><br />I haven't the foggiest idea of how I'm going to spend the rest of this break. I might go down to Busan for New Year's, I might not. I'm due to host my first couchsurfer since arriving in Korea this weekend, so that will be nice. As for job prospects, I'm keeping my eyes open for the next great job, and my mind open to the benefits to my current less-than-great job. And for those concerned about Sydney, we got her tests back and the girl is doing fine: no tumor, no infection.<br /><br />This will probably be my last post for the year, to bring my total to an even 50 since I started posting at the end of July. Not bad, not bad. So, by the Royal Decree of King Zach I, We hereby wish everyone in the Kingdom the happiest of New Years! Thank you all for your love and support over what was a turbulent, but ultimately successful 2010.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlGkbyrKnQ2lBuY8sbpneOPdfzUyPfkh_GYPSPg4_Xm94x037w9vYl4jkieGpxZ1wCvSQ0OYimiSJurzdpai4ttBHTuQqAzgvnh0z5WGz1W4tNfqaehskX7yYGzImM6TKl5dzLqeP2KA/s1600/IMG_3383.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlGkbyrKnQ2lBuY8sbpneOPdfzUyPfkh_GYPSPg4_Xm94x037w9vYl4jkieGpxZ1wCvSQ0OYimiSJurzdpai4ttBHTuQqAzgvnh0z5WGz1W4tNfqaehskX7yYGzImM6TKl5dzLqeP2KA/s400/IMG_3383.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556053098119645714" border="0" /></a>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-2542177370837411962010-12-20T22:00:00.001-08:002010-12-21T03:27:56.829-08:00Top 5: Things I Want to Accomplish Before 30<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1RNups-BZ2A1Wke4pIjeLg1oOmKCT-1Eo_V-BIiVcENzeWFugp-ZTmTJTnPvp2E_RjQ2vgfF_y19WfQynlPWvginPJb-FXveUTcpE-_OKr_nOQJ1AFcdfbIW8IvtUNnRcFArRRBIIZs/s1600/2012..jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1RNups-BZ2A1Wke4pIjeLg1oOmKCT-1Eo_V-BIiVcENzeWFugp-ZTmTJTnPvp2E_RjQ2vgfF_y19WfQynlPWvginPJb-FXveUTcpE-_OKr_nOQJ1AFcdfbIW8IvtUNnRcFArRRBIIZs/s320/2012..jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553095702862181170" border="0" /></a>So, y'all might have heard it's my birthday. I have very mixed feelings toward the day. I like its wonderful symmetrical nature: 12/21. It is a cosmically significant day--the winter solstice--the shortest day of the year for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and the longest night. The bad? The weather is almost always cold and often nasty, and someone else's birthday seems to overshadow mine by many orders of magnitude. Also, the Mayans predicted the world would come to an end on my 30th birthday, so there's that. So, let's pretend for a second that all of the crazies are right and some ancient civilization knew more about our demise than we do, what do I want to accomplish in my last two years on Earth? <div><br /></div><div><b>The Qualifications:</b></div><div><ul><li>Must be within reason. You won't see "Marry Heidi Klum" or "Win the Lottery" on this list.</li><li>Non-career based. These are things that I want to accomplish as a person. </li></ul><div><b>The List: </b></div></div><div><ol><li><b>Travel to all 6 inhabited continents: </b>I've been to 4, so I just have South America and Australia to go. 2 continents in 2 years? I really have no excuse with air travel and what-not. </li><li><b>Write a Book:</b> Possible title, "Why My 30th Birthday Will Suck More than Yours." Or "I Hope the Mayans Stopped Counting out of Boredom." </li><li><b>Learn Korean: </b>Forget the career and academic ramifications, I just want to know what the hell is going on! It also might help when I try to talk to some Korean girls. Which leads me to...</li><li><b>Meet a Girl: </b>Just one would suffice. </li><li><b>Grab a Beer with the Crew*:</b> That is, my high school crew, Renato and Brian. It would be nice if we could be in the same city, at the same time, between now and then. </li></ol><div>*With apologies to Tony. If our crew were the Ghostbusters, he would have been Winston. (I would have been Venkman, Renato, Ray, and Brian would have been Egon.) </div></div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-2846465208573642232010-12-19T02:06:00.000-08:002010-12-19T02:46:33.471-08:00Of Doctors and Vets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DnPH4SVfJGrI-yumE3C1Slk9AgpwccRkYAyUfPIPo3k5HAvanh_P67DPCerJ_Oyz_p7HF905EVqLTfMYsuU1St_C9H-IOIg3ZhpqSzMhzhaqDvigX0p4SoKH6FgRNer4UYwLAZwHkyA/s1600/IMG_3051.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DnPH4SVfJGrI-yumE3C1Slk9AgpwccRkYAyUfPIPo3k5HAvanh_P67DPCerJ_Oyz_p7HF905EVqLTfMYsuU1St_C9H-IOIg3ZhpqSzMhzhaqDvigX0p4SoKH6FgRNer4UYwLAZwHkyA/s320/IMG_3051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552342292291874066" border="0" /></a>Following my bitter disappointment on Thursday, I am happy to report that the sun did, in fact, rise. Well, I assume it did, behind the heavy cloud cover and snowfall. At least Sydney was excited about the snowfall. She stared out the window with concentration normally reserved for food. I took a deep breath and...promptly hacked up a lung. Sometimes The Fates won't let you have a breather, literally.<br /><br />Thankfully, Korea has an excellent healthcare system, so without an appointment, I popped in my doctor's office at 9:05, and was out the door of the pharmacy downstairs by 9:15. Total cost? Under $5. I returned on Saturday for a follow-up appointment, and parted with an additional 3,700 won ($3.20).<br /><br />However, I was not so fortunate when I took poor Syd to the vet. I first took her to a vet a couple of weeks back because I had noticed a small lump under the base of her tail. The woman who helped me thought it was an issue with her anal glands, which she quickly helped Sydney "express." But the problem persisted, so I took her to another doctor, this one (luckily) spoke a good deal of English and explained that the lump was either "from trauma" or "a tumor." She withdrew three syringes worth of blood, and gave her a few shots. Sydney was pretty good through the procedure. The vet didn't think it was a tumor because of her age, but is sending the blood to be tested anyway. Total cost? $81.<br /><br />Still, not bad for a visit to the vet, there's no saying what I would have paid back in the States. I'm pretty confident that her "trauma" diagnosis is correct. With the swelling down, I could clearly feel a kink in her tail (or the nub that used to be her tail). I read online that dogs sometimes develop an abscess that must be drained when they break their tails. I looked right at her and said, "See, this is why Aussies aren't allowed to have tails."King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-34435477690125019812010-12-15T22:34:00.000-08:002010-12-15T23:30:07.883-08:00GuttedSo, I thought I had been very close to landing a job in Daegu. I had a phone interview on Tuesday that went very well, and another in-person interview lined up for Sunday afternoon. After my contact e-mailed me yesterday with directions, I received another one today titled, "Change of Plans." I knew before I even opened up the e-mail, but I read it anyway:<div><blockquote>Thank you so much for the time you have put into the application process and your willingness to interview in Daegu. After careful consideration and review, we have decided to pursue other candidates<br />that more closely meet our needs. Although your skills and experience appear strong, they are not quite what we need to fill the position.<br /><br />We appreciate your interest in MoonKkang and we wish you the best of luck in your professional pursuits.</blockquote></div>I think that's all you need to know. This feels almost exactly the way I felt after not getting the Nashville Teaching Fellows job. I saw a great job, with great prospects for my future, made it far along the hiring process, but not far enough to matter. It's that horrible, empty feeling that you get when you finish just outside of the money in a poker tournament. Played well, but came up short, and ultimately, have nothing to show for it. And I can't help but think, I'm in the same place as I was before I tried at all. I'm not sure what happened between Wednesday and Thursday, and part of me doesn't care. I know not to take it personally, but it's difficult not to. <div><br /></div><div>Worse yet, I'm stranded at school, with no breaks, nowhere to go and clear my head. That is, other than escaping into my own words, as a writer does. Well, as a writer without a writing gig, anyway. This hurts, and my brain has been swimming with ideas as to my next step. If one thing has become obvious during this foray into the Korean job market, I'm not going to be happy until I find a job that is better suited to my strengths and lifestyle. My current job is not it, so I'll keep plugging away until I find want I need. Well, plugging away after a couple of rounds of scotch tonight.<br /><br /></div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-38100936259120481082010-12-14T16:55:00.000-08:002010-12-15T03:50:19.810-08:00Top 5: Methods for Time Travel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJUiCNVqAWhbvm3qu_HiAO8IgUyht03oMQ5yfI3t0nVw0FebaVlE0mQfoGeemo83jkUfO2fxV4Z003N_esiiR6F1TeHHw7F9wAbZ-AONASG-ZmG2AZsuT7CkI-xbCTkNayP-wipK3syk/s1600/bttfposter.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJUiCNVqAWhbvm3qu_HiAO8IgUyht03oMQ5yfI3t0nVw0FebaVlE0mQfoGeemo83jkUfO2fxV4Z003N_esiiR6F1TeHHw7F9wAbZ-AONASG-ZmG2AZsuT7CkI-xbCTkNayP-wipK3syk/s320/bttfposter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550874150290795618" border="0" /></a>Who wouldn't want a chance to travel through time? Whether you're revisiting the past, fixing mistakes, or just going to see what it was or will be like, it seems like a great time. Unfortunately, science hasn't quite gotten us to that point, but that simple things like "facts" have never stopped Hollywood from making a buck on our wildest fantasies. <div><br /></div><div><b>The Qualifications: </b></div><div><ul><li>The device must be made in a movie. I'm not interested in your theoretical gadgets, and blah, blah, blah technical words. </li><li>Listed in order from best to worst.</li></ul><div><b>The List:</b></div></div><div><ol><li><b>DMC Delorean</b> (from <i>Back to the Future</i>)<b> </b><u>The Pros:</u><b> </b>To quote Doc, "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" Well said. In addition to its sleek design, you only have to get moving to a relatively modest 88 mph. I'm also fairly certain Huey Lewis and The News was in the tape deck. <u>The Cons:</u> Not very useful unless you happen to have some plutonium sitting around (or an impossibly well-timed lightning bolt). Oh, and you may have to make out with your mother in order to assure your own future existence. </li><li><b>Hot Tub</b> (from <i>Hot Tub Time Machine</i>)<b> </b><u>The Pros:</u> Sure, the tub in question only takes you to one place, a ski lodge in 1986, but could you reasonably ask for a better place to go? Also, this time machine didn't seem too concerned about paradoxes, so feel free to stay behind and build your empire, as the inventor of google, or whatever you end up calling it. <u>The Cons:</u> The only band playing that night was Poison and you have to be the same age you were in 1986. If you haven't been born yet, no problem, but I would be stuck in my 3-year-old body. </li><li><b>U.S.S. Enterprise</b> (from <i>Star Trek IV</i> and <i>Star Trek: First Contact</i>)<b> </b><u>The Pros:</u> You're on a freakin' interstellar spaceship. <u>The Cons:</u> They never seem to time travel just for the hell of it (that's what the holodeck is for). They're always having to fight to save the whales or fight The Borg. </li><li><b>Phone Booth</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>(from <i>Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure</i>) <u>The Pros:</u> George Carlin. <u>The Cons:</u> Getting stuck with these guys: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSfWjUi60H25HCDQRvXcFI42J3BoisSSVC9KrTbL7oF0vPqpKUgPqdH9-F_qmb4F5AVf-PPWKbNN_WIewcMc3Nt5VAXIYCSmrLLBsWJxUNV3D7ufDYvEYGbupUNgeXex-OT9lG5RWqFE/s1600/WildStallyns.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSfWjUi60H25HCDQRvXcFI42J3BoisSSVC9KrTbL7oF0vPqpKUgPqdH9-F_qmb4F5AVf-PPWKbNN_WIewcMc3Nt5VAXIYCSmrLLBsWJxUNV3D7ufDYvEYGbupUNgeXex-OT9lG5RWqFE/s200/WildStallyns.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550872463090830850" border="0" /></a></li><li><b>Time Displacement Bubble</b> (from <i>The Terminato</i><i>r</i>) <u>The Pros:</u> You are no longer trapped in a dystopian hell-scape dominated by cyborgs bent on your demise and forced to masturbate quietly to your one prized possession: an old, beat up photo of a pregnant Sarah Connor. And you inadvertently sire the savior of humanity while actually sleeping with Sarah Connor. <u>The Cons:</u> First off, time travel looks rather painful for us non-cybernetic organisms. When you stop rolling around in agony, you realize you're naked, have no money, and there is still a cyborg bent on your demise (and worse yet, he succeeds). </li></ol><div>I would so see this movie:</div></div><br /><object width="540" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bBBw9E2Q_aY?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bBBw9E2Q_aY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="540" height="355"></embed></object>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-44792188129304304542010-12-08T01:52:00.000-08:002010-12-09T05:29:02.624-08:00A Lesson in EducationI read an interesting opinion piece on CNN today, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/07/school.results.us.asia.desai/index.html?hpt=Sbin">"The U.S. must start learning from Asia." </a> For many years, Asian companies--first in Japan, then Korea, and now China and others--have been accused of "reinventing the wheel" when it comes to exports and manufacturing. Or, to paraphrase Dave Barry, "Japan makes the same products we do, only better." Slowly but surely, Asia has been repeating this same process within the educational field. While it's no secret that Asian students have surpassed their American counterparts in most categories, their institutions are slowly catching up as well. <div><br /></div><div>In education, Asian nations have learned from the U.S., improved upon it to make it more efficient and produce consistently better results, and now, the U.S. must learn from Asia. In essence, the teacher has become the student. </div><div><br /></div><div>Clearly this is an oversimplification, and furthermore, I do not agree with this assessment completely. The U.S. faces widespread, institutional and cultural issues that Japan, Korea, and China do not. Furthermore, there are still areas in which American students excel. For those of you who read my work on the Japanese educational system from three years ago, you might remember this passage:<br /></div><blockquote>At most public schools in America, the societal core values are manifested by giving students the freedom (within a limit) to choose their clothes and lunches. Americans see choice and individuality as core values and this is expressed through the school system. In keeping within the Japanese social paradigm, the Japanese school system is notorious for using an antiquated “teach the test” formula with an extremely low reliance on critical and analytical thinking. Teachers stand in front of the class and pound the facts and the students write down, repeat, and memorize these facts.</blockquote><div>My return to an Asian school system has not softened these views, but there are lessons that we can learn and apply to produce better results in the American educational field. </div><div><br /></div><div>Most importantly, we must change the culture of how education is viewed in America. There are sizable portions of the American public who sees education as a negative. To become educated or go to the best schools is seen as "selling out" in some cases, or "elitist" in others. President Obama has talked about extending the school year; while this might be good for those who stay in school, it does nothing for the nearly one-third of teenagers who drop out of high school before they graduate. </div><div><br /></div><div>At its core, the "American Dream" of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps necessitates two things: ease of upward mobility, and the ability to outwit or out-maneuver your competition. While education is not 100% vital to either, and there are many examples of high school and college dropouts becoming successful business owners, clearly it is helpful in achieving both goals. As time progresses, and we become further removed from the "real" threats of global fascism or communism, we face a bigger threat--our own complacency. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is an enthusiasm gap between Americans and Asians (and more importantly, Asian parents). Asian parents understand that education is necessary, not just to pull themselves out of poverty, but to continue to thrive in a continually more complex globalized society. Let's consider my current occupation for a moment. I was hired by a private school, flown to Korea on their dime, to teach Korean kids in English. My afternoon students go to school during the day full-time at a Korean school, then come here for between 6-10 extra classes a week to learn more. Can you imagine a whole array of Korean private schools in America that parents pay thousands of dollars to immerse their kids for 12-20 extra hours of school each week? (or for that matter, any language)? No, I can't either. Yet, here, the parents do not only send their kids to one or two additional private schools per week, it's expected. </div><div><br /></div><div>I must admit, as impressive as their dedication is, it is probably overkill and I genuinely feel sorry for some of these kids for being overworked. I also strongly disagree with the amount of emphasis put on testing from a very early age. When you study for the test and only the test, it cuts out independent thinking, an area in which American children still score very highly. Regardless, my point isn't so much that an enthusiasm gap exists, but that a <i>massive </i>enthusiasm gap exists. </div><div><br /></div><div>A co-worker frequently likes to remind me that we are training our replacements. Sadly, this seems to be the case. With America and the West on their current trajectories, and the East on theirs, I wonder when and if it will be practical to return home. I'm enjoying it while I can, as Grandpa Duke likes to say, "The last of the dinosaurs eats well." </div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-71326401335337406452010-12-04T23:28:00.000-08:002010-12-05T00:05:43.141-08:00Please Fasten Your Seatbelt...<span style="font-style: italic;">...we are expecting some mild turbulence ahead. </span><br /><br />Been awhile since my last real update, so here we go.<br /><br />Suddenly, job security has become iffy around these parts. In addition to moving to a new school, we're losing at least 100 students (out of about 600). I also got some "insider" information that the school's open house to recruit new students "went really bad." This info came about from a rather intoxicated co-worker who was there that day. Naturally, the preceding statement was, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but..." Two of my coworkers, both near the end of their respective contracts, had their hours and pay cut back to the tune of about $700 a month, in an attempt to save some money.<br /><br />Well, I'm planning on being here for at least two years, so I'm not going to let my life goals be sidetracked or temporarily derailed by circumstances beyond my control. Inasmuch as I can help it, that is. I figure as long as North Korea keeps their troops and weaponry on the other side of the DMZ (or NLL, Northern Limitation Line), I should be OK, but I have to get out ahead of this and do what's best for me. As the days roll on, I'm doing my best just to work hard and keep up with each and every deadline that I come across, stay off the radar, survive and advance.<br /><br />In other news, it's December in Korea and even on the other side of the world, I can't escape Christmas. I have at least three good reasons for my general "Bah humbug" philosophy to the holiday:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEnHG0ypNziro9tqb_8igp8nWAygIkawCjmOmJ-GXYy0z6KwqW05t02wJpS69DcPkshq43k4cTcNoxfqhw8dbdeUMtPQh0-Be2cWtm5w0ud2i_WEZ1-IOhqlGpYRae-Uz3oODfTn-Pdw/s1600/axial+tilt.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEnHG0ypNziro9tqb_8igp8nWAygIkawCjmOmJ-GXYy0z6KwqW05t02wJpS69DcPkshq43k4cTcNoxfqhw8dbdeUMtPQh0-Be2cWtm5w0ud2i_WEZ1-IOhqlGpYRae-Uz3oODfTn-Pdw/s320/axial+tilt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547106212100671394" border="0" /></a><ol><li>I believe my birthday to be infinitely more important than Jesus's. </li><li>Natural jealously from being born Jewish. Christmas is pretty much way better than any Jewish holiday, and you are even allowed to eat ham at the meal.</li><li>I worked in retail for 7 years.</li><li>And finally, the holiday has gotten out of control. It's a good thing there is a "War on Christmas" because pretty soon Santa will be backing his fat ass back into Labor Day.<br /></li></ol>Hmm, one more reason and I'll have a nifty little "Top 5" list. I'm sure I can think of another reason. That said, I'll be attending Santacon 2011, which is a bar crawl in Seoul, to be completed dressed as, you guessed it, Santa. I figure that getting tanked while dressed as Santa is probably subversive enough to offset my hatred of the big guy.<br /><br />For any and all interested, I've also begun a new blog: <a href="http://dooleyisms.blogspot.com/">Dooley-isms</a>. It's a good way to continue my Vol-obsession without devoting a whole lot of time to it. For those of you who are unaware, Tennessee's new football coach, Derek Dooley, is more or less a genius. He's good for an average of one or two comedic gems every single time he sits down for a press conference or interview, and this is my attempt to catalog the best of the best. Since starting this blog, several other blogs, and my former college employer, <a href="http://utdailybeacon.com/sports/2010/nov/30/dooley-quoted/">The Daily Beacon</a>, have issued their own versions of Dooley-isms. The interwebs work fast, and while I have no way of knowing whether they were inspired by me directly, it does seem mighty coincidental.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-54523347085568246812010-12-02T19:09:00.000-08:002010-12-05T01:11:48.963-08:00World Cup Bids<div><em>This is an elaboration on a rant I started on Facebook: </em></div><br /><div>Bullshit. Russia and Qatar were the least deserving of the tournament for a variety of reasons.<br /><br />Lets start with the 2018 group:<br /><br /><ul><li><i>England</i>: Invented the game and has the most popular domestic league in the world. They have all the necessary infrastructure ready to go, and a rabid fanbase. </li><li><i>Spain/Portugal</i>: Both traditional football powerhouses. Spain is also home to one of the best domestic leagues in the world, and who wouldn't want to spend a month in summer on the Iberian Peninsula watching football? </li><li><i>Netherlands/Belgium</i>: Netherlands is the best nation to have never won a World Cup and has never hosted. To add insult to injury, two of their three runner-ups were essentially road games to Germany in '74 and Argentina in '78. Belgium doesn't really add much to this ticket (in fact, it probably did more harm than good), but they've had a World Cup co-hosted before, so it couldn't have been that problematic. </li><li><i>Russia</i>: Didn't qualify for this year's World Cup after being eliminated by Slovenia, and lacks pretty much all of the major infrastructure provided in the other three bids. And if you think you're depressed now, just wait until you're in Russia when your team loses. </li></ul>And 2022: </div><div><ul><li><i>USA</i>: Sport has ballooned in popularity since 1994, and would offer FIFA the most ticket sales and return on investment of any country. North America still offers a huge area of growth for the sport, with many Central American and Caribbean nations focused mainly on baseball. </li><li><i>Australia</i>: No one loves sports like the Aussies, it would have been a great host. </li><li><i>Korea </i>and <i>Japan</i>: Both probably hosted too recently to really deserve a fair shake, but of all the Asian nations, these are easily the most deserving (and both have no difficulty qualifying). </li><li><i>Qatar</i>: Has never QUALIFIED for a World Cup (and now gets an automatic bid), smallest nation ever to host, and currently ranked #118 in the world (As a reference North Korea was ranked in the 70s when they were trounced 7-0 by Portugal in this year's tourney). Oh, and it's going to be hot enough to fry an egg on the hood of a car. Allegedly they'll have air conditioned stadiums, but what are you going to do between the hotel and the stadium. You know, besides trying to prevent heat stroke and instantaneous combustion. </li></ul></div>...OK, end of rant.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-89900769043682076542010-12-01T19:23:00.000-08:002010-12-05T01:04:51.610-08:00Top 5: UT Memories<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5yDsgii4orY3HFMrnvR6rbtH71kz8J4lIOQsM8zl0GxMnuq1a-e4R-HS4hImADjojzqFLs-DA1Qti8NQgn7TJw5Otkp-obsWUrzSMOYe7suyRWAHKPKJei0ClBRu-RhH_REKZpil4lM/s1600/1121_large.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5yDsgii4orY3HFMrnvR6rbtH71kz8J4lIOQsM8zl0GxMnuq1a-e4R-HS4hImADjojzqFLs-DA1Qti8NQgn7TJw5Otkp-obsWUrzSMOYe7suyRWAHKPKJei0ClBRu-RhH_REKZpil4lM/s320/1121_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547121496389972018" border="0" /></a>Well, the regular season has come to a close for my beloved Volunteers. Needless to say, it was a tough one, but we knew it would be as soon as <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnci1yPusharmOU-AxNOh1W9Is9l3C2_oDU2doVRQne3mAk3_5toyRTUc_YLTxA1GvYor_G02DQLvU-_sjYSaXDMpElTSQw0yYYHbAkjeVxzo4FcITN2QT53NCn2Xzfc1BDFX1HnsMSQ8/s400/808_img_11.jpg">That Last Guy</a> ditched in the middle of the night (and worse, at the end of recruiting season). Aside from a highly entertaining year, he also provided us with a few good memories, and hey, we're going bowling! Anyway, looking back at my UT fandom, I've decided to write out my favorite memories.<br /><br /><div><strong>The Qualifications</strong></div><ul><li><strong>Memory must be after I started at UT</strong>: I love Peyton Manning as much, if not more, than the next guy, and the 1998 National Championship season was an awesome ride, but my love really begins when I enrolled at UT in 2001. </li><br /><li><strong>Athletic competition: </strong>Obviously. I'm not going to bore you with details of how cool my History of Rock class was, or how awesome it was to study dinosaurs for a semester. At least not on this list. </li></ul><p><strong>The List</strong></p><ol><li><strong>LSU at Tennessee, 2001: </strong>This was my freshman year of college. I had been living at the dorms for less than three weeks when some crazy bastards decided it would be a good idea to hijack planes and fly them into buildings in New York and Washington D.C. The next game, Florida, was postponed to the end of the regular season. Football would not return for nearly two weeks, and when it did, we had two undefeated, Top 15 teams facing off for a night game at Neyland Stadium. The atmosphere was electric, and more than one person in the stands had tears in their eyes after the "Star Spangled Banner." In addition, it was a tense, hard fought game, with UT ultimate prevailing. LSU would get the best of us later in the season, costing us our last real shot at a national title under Fulmer, and of course, costing us the first of two SEC championships. However, no one can take away that night, it was something else. </li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bruce Ball Arrives, 2005: </span>There was really no specific game to point to here. When he was first hired, I remember thinking, "Great, another coach from a mid-major school," and boy was I proven wrong. In the fall of 2005, the Vols football team went into the season ranked #3 in the nation, and ended it by completing their first losing season in 17 years. Over winter break, the Vols won on the road, at #7 Texas, which turned some heads, but many of us just saw it as a bit of an anomaly. However, this team just kept winning games, taking the same 5 starters that went 5-11 in conference to a 12-4 record, with two wins over eventual National Champions, Florida. In his first five seasons, Pearl has taken UT to three Sweet 16 appearances, and the school's first Elite 8 appearance last year. You can say whatever you want to about him as a person, but the man can coach.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beating Florida, 2001: </span>As previously mentioned, the Florida game, normally scheduled for middle September was postponed to the end of the season. Vol fans had bemoaned for years that this game was far too early in our schedule (as Fulmer's best work usually happened at the end of the season, though this could be as a result of drawing Vandy and Kentucky to end the season), and here was our chance to prove it. Both teams were ranked in the Top 4, and the dorms were going NUTS with every big hit and every big play. We won in Gainesville for the first time in nearly 30 years, and secured a trip to the SEC Championship Game the next week.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Outback Bowl, 2008: </span>I love bowl games. Unfortunately, my post season record as a fan (when I was in attendance) was 0-4. This game had heightened circumstances, seeing as a significant portion of my family, both parents included, had attended The University of Wisconsin, our opponent. As a birthday present, my dad bought tickets for my friend and I to go. As his own practical joke, he must have thought it funny to get tickets in the middle of the UW section. All the same, me and my buddy Rhett cheered and sang "Rocky Top" as loudly as possible. We won, and I had the family bragging rights.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">6-6, 2010: </span>I always hate it when a list puts a recent event really high. Well, I guess sometimes I have to make an exception. Last weekend, Tennessee continued their 26-game winning streak over Kentucky to become bowl eligible. This is a small miracle considering we were 2-6 a month ago. Now I can officially say that I'm looking forward to seeing what Coach Dooley can do. Our freshman QB, Tyler Bray, has blown us away with his ability, and I think this team could be a threat to compete for the SEC in a couple of years. It's nice to be trending up!<br /></li></ol>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-16705969209968507502010-11-23T03:42:00.000-08:002010-11-23T04:45:45.187-08:00Chaos RevisitedTurns out, I have strong circumstantial evidence that North Korean officials read my blog. Before I get started, thank you for reading. As you may recall, I stated previously that North Korea is <a href="http://kingofzachland.blogspot.com/2010/10/ive-been-raking-my-brain-to-try-and.html">part Dr. Evil, part Wille E. Coyote</a>; that is, possessing desires for world domination, and matched with an inability to do anything about them. And just <a href="http://kingofzachland.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-5-reasons-why-korea-is-better-than.html">last night</a> I wrote:<br /><blockquote>...there is that crazy little bastard of a neighbor up north, who, at any given moment could decide to provoke a war.</blockquote>Better yet, I listed it as a positive for South Korea. A little bit of unpredictability to spice up your life! So, it seems that the North Korean brass read my post, and thought, "Yeah, we'll show this little smart ass" (though it was probably the Korean equivalent), and they went ahead and did <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/world/asia/24korea.html?_r=1&ref=world">this</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYLuGy-jW34ayamUCFWf72iLz-xNdQXdmriBA4AwYz77QtT8wEmge6Wf-X4SJWcbsROkbHEEb8yO8QF9L3HNXPz-0vMBDZ_IIfLshO5jDIHqeXRTx7nDDzBE-lKVH3L3a4IUtumDdI4E/s1600/23koreacnd2_337-span-articleLarge.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 484px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYLuGy-jW34ayamUCFWf72iLz-xNdQXdmriBA4AwYz77QtT8wEmge6Wf-X4SJWcbsROkbHEEb8yO8QF9L3HNXPz-0vMBDZ_IIfLshO5jDIHqeXRTx7nDDzBE-lKVH3L3a4IUtumDdI4E/s400/23koreacnd2_337-span-articleLarge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542713348158307778" border="0" /></a><br />OK, North Korea, you have my attention. This was, more or less, the largest exchange of firepower between the two countries since the signing of the armistice agreement in 1953. North Korea fired over 200 artillery shells at the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong while South Korean and US troops were performing military exercises. Two soldiers (both South Korean) died in the attack, which leads me to believe that North Koreans have terrible aim. I shouldn't make light of any soldier's death, but seriously, two hundred shells for two lives and fewer than twenty injuries? That's the best you can do? I guess artillery is not included with horseshoes and hand grenades in objects where being close counts.<br /><br />There has been a lot of speculation as to the meaning of these attacks. First of all, it is only about 6 months after the sinking of the Cheonan, a South Korean warship, that cost about 40 sailors their lives. Secondly, it has only been six weeks since Kim Jong Il named his s<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8EnTx1Eqa7br5QJYlt4nL0hPTVSjg4vsCbOO6OzroPgNTsuVKjesFyH7hoEbAxLG9in1lMlCiDtphFmAPIaENlmgBmwcC6OPRvG3-vglgJykJUSlKp98GSKjcj8DXQdTftrEzOctpqA/s1600/_50111180_nk_sk464x280_2.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8EnTx1Eqa7br5QJYlt4nL0hPTVSjg4vsCbOO6OzroPgNTsuVKjesFyH7hoEbAxLG9in1lMlCiDtphFmAPIaENlmgBmwcC6OPRvG3-vglgJykJUSlKp98GSKjcj8DXQdTftrEzOctpqA/s320/_50111180_nk_sk464x280_2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542716298854318146" border="0" /></a>on as his successor. Is this the last hurrah of a dying despot? Or the emergence of a new breed of crazy in his son? Most experts are leaning toward the former, but the escalation in activity this year begs many questions.<br /><br />South Korea, for their part, are more or less stuck between a rock and hard place. Any escalation with North Korea could get out of control very quickly, cause the won to quickly drop in value, and be extremely costly to their long-term economic growth. Oh, and the North Koreans have nukes. That said, they can't just sit back and wait for North Korea to attack again on a whim.<br /><br />The locals don't seem terribly concerned about it, and well, when in Seoul, do as the Seoulites do. The subway ride home was almost surreal, a war nearly broke out less than 150 miles away, and everyone was on their cell phones, playing video games and relaxing after a long day of work. TVs were on in every restaurant I passed, but they were not tuned to the news networks, they were watching the South Korea-UAE soccer match.<br /><br />I think there's a lesson here for Americans, who, it must be noted, often panic over much smaller threats than nuclear annihilation. As such, I will stand by my original assessment of why a little chaos does a country good. Real threats make small, every day annoyances and concerns appear to be precisely that: small. In a strange way, today was the best day I've had in awhile.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-71485018871855926612010-11-22T04:01:00.000-08:002010-11-22T05:01:24.356-08:00Top 5: Reasons Why Korea is Better than JapanOf the 200 or so pages from the JET Handbook, the part I remember most distinctly was the section on how culture shock affects the average JET participant. It even had a nifty little chart so you could follow your excitement or depression. Right now, I would be in the "Negotiation Phase" of culture shock, which Wikipedia describes as:<br /><blockquote>After some time (usually three months but it may be sooner or later depending on the individual), differences between the old and new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. That sense of excitement will eventually give way to new and unpleasant feelings of frustration and anger as you continue to have unfavorable encounters that strike you as strange, offensive, and unacceptable. These reactions [...] are typically centered on the formidable language barrier as well as stark differences in: public hygiene; traffic safety; the type and quality of the food [...].[4] It's a very hard period for the people who need to adjust to a new culture, especially for those students who study abroad alone without families. In this period, people might feel that their lifestyle is totally influenced. Their biological clock is in a mess because of the time difference, they can't work well and can't rest well either. In addition, they might feel sick and lazy; they might get tired doing anything no matter how easy it is. </blockquote>Yeah, that's about right. Add crummy weather and shorter days in there, and it's even more appropriate. However, I have experience and knowledge on my side. So, in an attempt to stay positive, here's my Top 5 Reasons Why Korea is Better than Japan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Qualifications:<br /></span><ul><li>The reason must impact my life directly.</li><li>This is a general list, nothing to do with my personal life or work situation.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">The List:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wUlPxrmP49iEeASEOilo7nwZcGHyzi0un1-M3X2mmY1Gn1xXa6an2Q9XFl0vFVgpUtQcVApUbs4miJb_LzXZIKh9dl4xkLkLK2OExLYzsc_I_1ZmtDdughnXbSOwmDaNTBR7BSVOZBk/s1600/Korean.food-Hanjungsik-01.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wUlPxrmP49iEeASEOilo7nwZcGHyzi0un1-M3X2mmY1Gn1xXa6an2Q9XFl0vFVgpUtQcVApUbs4miJb_LzXZIKh9dl4xkLkLK2OExLYzsc_I_1ZmtDdughnXbSOwmDaNTBR7BSVOZBk/s320/Korean.food-Hanjungsik-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542357256876294130" border="0" /></a><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Better Food: </span>The Japanese might describe their food as "subtle," to my American palate, which isn't happy unless I'm adding extra barbecue sauce to my twice-fried, chocolate-covered Twinkies, "bland" is probably the better word. The Korean dinning experience is a fantastic feast of spicy, but not too spicy, dishes, brought out in rapid fashion in an attempt to overflow the table with tasty goodness. Great...and now I want some bulgogi. </li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fewer Dirty Stares: </span>It's much more comfortable to be a foreigner here. One might think that this is due to being in a much larger, much more metropolitan city, but I've actually experienced <span style="font-style: italic;">better</span> treatment in other cities outside of Seoul.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weiguk>Gaijin: </span>This sort of goes hand-in-hand with the last one, but <span style="font-style: italic;">weiguk</span> just doesn't have the same "punch" <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>as <span style="font-style: italic;">gaijin</span>. And Koreans usually have respect enough not to say it directly in front of you. It seems like I'm given much more leeway to be foreign here too, whereas I always felt like I was offending someone or about to in Japan.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Better Looking Women:</span> Korea is #1 in the world in elective plastic surgeries per capita. And it shows.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chaos Factor: </span>One reason Japan always made me feel so uncomfortable was due to its pristine condition. Everything was neat, orderly, and clean. No one broke the law, even as far as jaywalking. Heck, even ambulances "rushing" to the hospital would go the speed limit. On the other hand, I've always felt that Korea had a certain "vibrancy" to its streets and back alleys. You can grab some delicious street food, and then jaywalk in front of a cop.* Furthermore, there is that crazy little bastard of a neighbor up north, who, at any given moment could decide to provoke a war. Some would argue that this last point detracts from my argument, but I like it. Safety is an illusion anyway, and it adds a little spice to life knowing that you're not completely safe.**<br /></li></ol>*This, on the other hand, could never happen in Japan. First of all, there was a tragic lack of street vendors. Secondly, the combination of eating while walking (major no-no) AND jaywalking would probably make the average Japanese citizen's head explode.<br /><br />**For the record, I'm probably a good deal safer here than in any American city. At least here I know where the threat is coming from.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-44677880059297890862010-11-20T23:41:00.000-08:002010-11-21T00:14:59.184-08:00The Dentist and Other HorrorsI went to the dentist for the first time since I lived in Japan. That's over three years at this point, for those keeping score at home. Unfortunely, I had the most painful teeth cleaning experience of my life, with an extremely polite, albeit sadistic, Korean woman doing the honors. My screams of terror and pain were punctuated only by her sweet voice repeatedly saying, "Oh, I'm sorry." I couldn't see the gleam of delight in her eye, but I know it was there.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgIlrfCs3kugmQM3z9U_Kj0DdQYyykhBvP5-FuuFF1OTAMtnJr4CodVWQLKzwBNduvvinnfwrFTnw5Ry4JFgxd6ReXMa204u9iiraO4kmIk_madU9KNNNT52GaDw_eKqDAW2nAiqrHaM/s1600/anti-dentite.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgIlrfCs3kugmQM3z9U_Kj0DdQYyykhBvP5-FuuFF1OTAMtnJr4CodVWQLKzwBNduvvinnfwrFTnw5Ry4JFgxd6ReXMa204u9iiraO4kmIk_madU9KNNNT52GaDw_eKqDAW2nAiqrHaM/s320/anti-dentite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541911970345171970" border="0" /></a><br />On the other hand, I will not have to go in for a root canal, as I had feared, but I will have to return to have three cavities filled. Joy. I had suspected I would need a root canal on a tooth that had been worked on while I was in Japan. The cavity filling was performed without Novocaine, with the Japanese dentist telling me in broken English, "Raise your hand when it hurts." It has never really felt right since, so I feared the worst. Turns out, this was just my own paranoia, and there is nothing wrong with the tooth. I do have a cavity on the tooth directly above, so it might just be displaced pain, which I remember very well from having "dry sockets" when I had my wisdom teeth removed.<br /><br />In spite of all of this, it is nice to be able to afford such procedures. For most of my time between Japan and Korea, I could not.<br /><br />In the last three months, I have also struggled to find a decent place to get my hair cut. My hair is very demanding, and needs to be cut very short to avoid the dreaded Jewfro. This has been a struggle my entire life, even back home. I actually found a great place to cut my hair in Japan, well, at least for the first 10 months. Then, inexplicably, the man who normally cut my hair was absent that day, and he was replaced by a rather mean-spirited woman. She had a nasty attitude the entire time, and when she was appearing to finish up without giving the sides and back of my hair the clipper treatment they so desperately needed, I asked her in my best polite Japanese if she could possibly use them. She was resilient at first that I did not need the clippers. I persisted and basically refused to get up until she gave in. Finally, she relented, bitching the entire time about me and at one point even screaming in my ear that I was acting like a child. Needless to say, I never returned to that place again.<br /><br />I've not had any experience approaching that one yet, but I've left the salon both times so far with a feeling of disappointment; not because they didn't do a good job, they did, but because I knew that within a week, my hair would be back to Jewfro length and I would have to be back in the barber's chair shortly. Quite frankly, I have neither the time nor inclination to be getting a haircut every 2-3 weeks, so hopefully I'll figure out a better way to convey to them precisely what I want. And yes, I am due for another sheering momentarily.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-7046873920824852902010-11-16T17:08:00.000-08:002010-11-19T05:33:59.688-08:00Blast from the Past: The China Chronicles Part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb70Es1sKp2xkhqHPXfUL9Av-QkxKFlc9RKq8XeLnklpnMHjtymKxQg-fpgo2jlgRTyW_mwN4Dvj64S-FCrHng2Fgcyq2BvGze71kFznKnQfbP_PMy0ys1mEQrAAT7iNCZ_YvT1J-sX_w/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb70Es1sKp2xkhqHPXfUL9Av-QkxKFlc9RKq8XeLnklpnMHjtymKxQg-fpgo2jlgRTyW_mwN4Dvj64S-FCrHng2Fgcyq2BvGze71kFznKnQfbP_PMy0ys1mEQrAAT7iNCZ_YvT1J-sX_w/s200/IMG_0190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541253383503317426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Preemptive editors note: This article? Complete crap. This is the second column I wrote in the summer of 2005 for</span> The Daily Beacon. <span style="font-style: italic;">Read it at your own risk, and keep in mind I was fighting a nasty sinus infection and on Chinese antibiotics (really)</span>.<br /><br />Mountains are, by their nature, difficult to hide. Amazingly, this is precisely what Beijing has been able to do to me for the past…oh…week and a half. You see, there is a rather large mountain range rising majestically behind the university to the north, however the dust, smog and general pollution has caused them to simply vanish leaving yours truly completely unaware of their mere existence until yesterday.<br /><br />Needless to say, the air here is bad. I’ll certainly think twice before complaining about the pollution in Knox-patch (again). On top of the exceptionally bad air, it is hot-very hot.The first day after arriving, I decided to hit up the Beijing Zoo as pandas are decidedly adorable. So I headed out and the heat and humidity consumed me-the high that day was 41 degrees Celsius, or roughly 1,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit (give or take).<br /><br />I’ve certainly had to readjust my definition of “dirty.” After taking multiple showers on the most taxing days, I’ll come home after a “normal day” completely drenched in sweat and think to myself, “eh…not too bad.”<br /><br />Despite all of this, the trip has been amazing thus far. Beijing is an amazing city. There is always, ALWAYS something to do here. You can visit “old China” at the Forbidden City and Summer Palace or you can visit “new China” for some drinks at a club. And there’s always Karaoke. The Chinese love their Karaoke. As our first week at Tsinghua has taught us, they love singing in general. The first thing we’ve had to do at the university is to overlook a campus-wide singing contest. They’re doing it to learn English and doing it with more zeal and pure joy than any group of college-aged Americans would be expected to. Of course, if you told the entire sophomore class at UT to learn and perform a song in Mandarin in a week, you would probably be told to do something anatomically impossible by most of the students. Unless UT just scored a touchdown, and the song happens to be “Rocky Top,” we ain’t singin’ anythin’.<br /><br />Speaking of that delightful albeit not-to-flattering song, guess which one us folk from UT performed? That’s right, we got up there with fellow Knoxvillian and local music legend Todd Steed and sang “Rocky Top” with pride, emotion, and most importantly-completely out of tune.<br /><br />However, “Rocky Top” was perhaps the best song performed in the competition. After that it was Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World” and the rest getting far cheesier from there. Granted, I know that these students do not have full access to many popular songs in the west-but seriously, “Heal the World?” Come on…<br />So I guess the Karaoke stereotype is at least partially true. Although the biggest misconception about China still remains, namely that it is a communist country. The only thing communist about China anymore is the party in charge. But the party doesn’t even believe in the principles set forth by Marx, Lenin or Mao. The Chinese love capitalism.<br /><br />Don’t believe me? Trust me, they’ve taken capitalism to the extreme. During this trip I have been charged to park my bike, charged to use (disposable) chopsticks that they gave us at a restaurant, and charged to use a public toilet. And these are not even the big things. I paid to leave flowers for Chairman Mao at his mausoleum (only to have them returned to be resold out front), then I left his tomb to enter a market where you can by all the Mao memorabilia my little heart desired.<br /><br />I paid to climb the tower that Mao used to use to overlook Tiananmen Square. I was curious at first why I could not bring my camera only to find a man standing at the top taking pictures which I could buy for twice as much as I paid to get up there in the first place. I bought one…<br /><br />When I went to the Great Wall the bus dropped us off no where near the wall so we had an option of either walking up a cliff or taking a cable car. We took the cable car to find that it only brought us about half-way up the hillside. Amazingly enough they had an incline train that we could ride once we got there. Weird. Of course, the train didn’t even take us all the way up to the Great Wall and I was half expecting a man trying to sell us camel rides for the rest of the journey.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-22051375232191633232010-11-15T00:34:00.000-08:002010-11-16T05:28:59.252-08:00Top 5: Side 1, Track 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0-hGOdMse5wo77rgk2sSlVae5XLn0szjYVR-a_CMUz3fdN26zrNcyKJbJEK3zYQbuMxFrGpGaDS4sxRAABIBuX_sqwcpMl-MGCV_YyUlz2QjYt1Rzp3HNLoD0FvzsWkH7jcz5d_psVE/s1600/whatever.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0-hGOdMse5wo77rgk2sSlVae5XLn0szjYVR-a_CMUz3fdN26zrNcyKJbJEK3zYQbuMxFrGpGaDS4sxRAABIBuX_sqwcpMl-MGCV_YyUlz2QjYt1Rzp3HNLoD0FvzsWkH7jcz5d_psVE/s200/whatever.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540138200719746130" border="0" /></a>So, I could not in good faith start a series of "Top 5s" without paying omage to the movie (and to a far lesser extent, the book) that inspired me, <em>High Fidelity</em>. For those of you unaware, John Cusack's character, Rob, often likes to categorize life into tidy Top 5 lists. Anyone who has attempted their own lists, has inevitably come to the conclusion that the list is never tidy, and never complete.<br /><div><br />However, it is a fun exercise, and it does reflect how you are feeling at any given moment. Some lists are ever-changing; they are a day-to-day evolution, with no true final answer. For instance, while my Top 3 favorite movies rarely ever change, 4 and 5 frequently do.<br /><br /><strong>Qualifications:</strong><br /><ul><li>The song must be the first from a full-length LP. This means no <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">EPs</span>, singles, second-side first tracks, or first tracks from the second disk from a double LP. </li><br /><li>The song should make you excited to listen to the rest of the album, so it can't just be a great song on an otherwise crap album. Basically, you shouldn't want to put the album away, after listening to a very distinct high point, right at the beginning. (This is the "don't climax too quickly rule"). </li></ul><strong>The List</strong><br /><ol><li><strong>"One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces" </strong><em>Whatever and Ever, Amen</em>, Ben Folds Five: When I first bought this album in high school, this was immediately one of my favorite tracks. In fact, it was one of only a few tracks I really enjoyed upon first listen. However, years later, it remains one of my favorite tracks by Ben Folds and <em>Whatever and Ever, Amen</em> is easily my favorite album of either Ben Folds Five, or Ben Folds. Over the course of several years, the other tracks found their way into my heart, one-by-one, but they never replaced my first love off the album. <strong></strong><br /></li><br /><li><strong>"Safe European Home" </strong><em>Give 'em Enough Rope</em>, The Clash: In <em>High Fidelity</em>, rob lists "Janie Jones" from the Clash's debut album in his Top 5 Side 1s Track 1s. However, I always thought their follow-up album, <em>Give 'em Enough Rope</em> was a much better listen, albeit, not as "ground-breaking" or influential. It's not my favorite Clash album, but I think it's way underrated, and I love this first track. "Safe European Home" is a powerful number to kick off an equally powerful album. The incorporation of fast-paced ska and reggae rhythms were a signature for the group throughout their career, and especially so on this track.</li><br /><li><strong>"Stacked Actors"</strong><em> There is Nothing Left to Lose</em>, Foo Fighters: To paraphrase those mildly-amusing Dos XX ads, "I don't often listen to the Foo Fighers, but when I do, it's this album." There are very few weak points on this album, which makes "Stacked Actors" that much better. Or rather, it's one of the best songs on their best album. The song starts off pretty hard, but it's just a tease, as it continually takes you through fast paced peaks, and slow, melodic lows. </li><br /><li><strong></strong><strong>"Next to You" </strong><em>Outlandos d' Amour</em>, The Police: Like the aforementioned Clash, The Police started as a punk band and ended their careers as much, much more. Unlike the Clash, their debut is not so much seen as their masterpiece as much as it is "just another album." Once again, I strongly disagree with the critics, and enjoy hearing the beginning stages of their musical evolution from punk-band to 80s pop-rock icons. "Next to You" is one of their fastest paced songs, and a real ass-kicker. While the album itself has some gapping holes (most of Side 2, for instance), it also has some great tracks, including "Roxanne," a song that barely cracked the Top 40, but has become one of the band's most recognizable hits. </li><br /><li><strong>"Jacqueline" </strong><em>Franz Ferdinand</em>, Franz Ferdinand: While their big hit, "Take Me Out," may never be replicated by the band, Jacqueline is the epitome of what Franz Ferdinand is about. It's sexy, seductive, playful, and at the end of the day, rocks your socks off.<br /></li></ol></div>King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-24678588242273056382010-11-14T19:23:00.001-08:002010-11-15T06:10:39.294-08:00November, in all its GlorySo, it's been awhile since my last post, and not out of laziness or lack of anything to talk about. In fact, two weeks ago today I sat down and wrote a blog entry that I never posted for a variety of reasons. 1) I learned from my Japan experience not to just go nuclear over something upsetting, particularly in a very public way that can concern parents and other family and friend-types. 2) Due to various issues at work (which I will discuss in great detail, shortly), I was either too busy or too preoccupied to sit down and write.<br /><br />The big news that sent all of us teachers into hyperventilation, mass-panic, and never-ending behind-the-back complaining about the management, was a move of our campus to a new location. It will be more than twice the distance to commute for us, and there are no restaurants or banks around the new location.<br /><br />Those are three pretty big hits considering how: we already work 10 and a half hours each day, the school lunches are usually inedible, and we need to go to the bank several times during the month to pay bills and send money home.<br /><br />The only positive to off-set losing these ammenities will be teaching slightly nicer environment.<br /><br />As a result, I think I will try to get into the R&D department at our school. They are remaining in their current location--the building where the school is currently located--and they work shorter days. This would be great for me for several reasons, including being able to study Korean more, and spend more time with the pup.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP2Hkx0g6n-YD0H5569E1mOqwUIinrlaIs9SkJhpZCUdi2urFBQJq47IpCg_dWVL0rhmJgfQ2iIOZ7WASy6qbyq_pPlkQIARWL5Io6AxqveFFY7VR39sUgYmeS6WaRNv-X9UesWG722Y/s1600/goldstar.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP2Hkx0g6n-YD0H5569E1mOqwUIinrlaIs9SkJhpZCUdi2urFBQJq47IpCg_dWVL0rhmJgfQ2iIOZ7WASy6qbyq_pPlkQIARWL5Io6AxqveFFY7VR39sUgYmeS6WaRNv-X9UesWG722Y/s320/goldstar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539768093365440754" border="0" /></a><br />I'll let you know how this situation continues to develop.<br /><br />As for everything else, we were hit with a hell of a week last week. Normally, if we have report cards due, it's considered a "busy week." But last week, we had report cards, grading monthly test essays, and an open class to prepare for. Open classes are where the parents are invited to watch what we do in the classroom, which is needless to say, stressful. As an extra joy, one of our teachers is currently in a hospital with a broken jaw, so I was selected to do the open class for her. Despite all of this, I was one of two teachers to get my grades in on time, so gold star for me.<br /><br />Well, I guess that brings you up to date. It's November now: the days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, the initial excitment of being here has worn off, but my mood has not been too bad. The JET handbook talks about October and November being the worst months for culture shock, so I guess I'm doing OK. That said, send love, keep in touch, etc.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8679106897595798131.post-13807102442815630132010-10-29T06:48:00.000-07:002010-10-29T07:21:21.740-07:00Japan, Korean Style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XIpxtn37G2IVJcePeEEdp64_WjFon5-7XY9wDbN5rfRuCIBu8tUgfZGa4nDlziJOA7ebqVO0KLjf5oqDWGihRq17X6Ir312CPAnhWk2S2QxBNgNMpR9eidojVobnG15zLC09N0CGTHg/s1600/Flag-Pins-Japan-South-Korea.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XIpxtn37G2IVJcePeEEdp64_WjFon5-7XY9wDbN5rfRuCIBu8tUgfZGa4nDlziJOA7ebqVO0KLjf5oqDWGihRq17X6Ir312CPAnhWk2S2QxBNgNMpR9eidojVobnG15zLC09N0CGTHg/s320/Flag-Pins-Japan-South-Korea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533472197052088226" border="0" /></a>One of the truly great and under-appreciated aspects of dog ownership is the ability to become extremely well-versed in the local landscape through routine walks. While out with Sydney, I frequently passed a Japanese restaurant that looked quite lovely from the outside, and I had always wanted to give it a try. Tonight was the night to take that dive.<br /><br />Although I was no fan of Japanese cuisine while living there--the food could generally be described as "bland" to many observers--I do every now and again have a hankerin' for it. Korean food is fantastic, but every now and again I would like to get a meal without a copious helping of kimchi.<br /><br />I walked in the door and after some confusion, I was sat at the sushi bar. I started thumbing through the menu (all of which was in Korean) and was doing my best to sound out the characters to see if there were any dishes I recognized. Here, it must be noted that I've found I know much more Japanese than I would have previously given myself credit for, insofar as I keep trying to think in Korean, only to have its Japanese counterpart pop into my head. However, before I could decipher my first dish, a waiter came up, pointed to an item on the menu, and seemed quite insistent that I take that dish. So, what the hell, I said "OK" and awaited the meal of mystery that was to come. It was 30,000 won ($26), which was a tad north of what I wanted to spend, but it's Friday and I thought I deserved a treat.<br /><br />I waited around for a few minutes in uncomfortable silence, but when the food started arriving, wow, did it arrive! Obviously this was a Korean-owned Japanese restaurant, because only in Korea do the heap food at you with this sort of ferocity. They started me off with a small salad and some rice porridge. Before I had even had a chance to dig in, they gave me a small platter of sashimi, along with some sort of egg custard, creamed corn, sauteed onions, and tempura potatoes and shrimp. This seemed to be an "all you can eat" sashimi special too, because the chef kept gladly refilling my sashimi platter every time it got even a tad low. I came to the realization that I had to eat as much of this as humanly possible, as this was becoming a test on my manhood.<br /><br />I ate and ate and ate and every time I began to slow down, boom, there was more food at my disposal. Finally, I managed to clear my sashimi platter and for the first time the chef asked if I wanted more. I took this to mean that I had won the challenge, and politely refused. I paid, thanked the chef, and went on my way with a very full stomach and a great new memory.King Zach Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09709957472011419577noreply@blogger.com1