Yikes!

It's been more than a month since I posted anything!  Wow, where to start... Korea was amazing.  We had a wonderful time visiting the in-laws and we did a little sight-seeing.  My wife and I took a day trip up to Sokcho and visited Seorak-san, ate some fresh seafood, and took a nice long walk on the eastern shore.  We also checked out Seongdeok-koong and saw the secret garden in the back of the palace.

The weather was absolutely phenomenal and the fall colors were at their full peak, reminding me of my hometown.

More details coming soon...

Korea Trip!

So, we're going off to Seoul next week for a vacation.  I'm very excited to see my in-laws again as well as to spend some time in my adopted country.  I hope to get out a little bit and see if I might check out a hagwon and a public school, if such is allowed, just to see what everything is like.

Thoughts V

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live in a totally different country?  What would daily life be like for you?  Here are a few points I'm considering about Korea:

• What would it be like to live where everyone speaks a different language?
• How can I survive without my favorite food, turkey?  Without my favorite beer?
• What is it like to speak English only with people who are not native speakers?  All the time?
• Would I ever get homesick?
• How can I make friends?

Thoughts IV

Well, EPIK is now hiring for Spring 2012.  If I get a good start on my documents now and start the application process, I could begin teaching in a public school in March.  After my reading, I think I've decided that public schools will be the best fit for me, but there are several points about the hagwon setting that I like.  I've come up with a few pros and cons to mull around while I start gathering my papers together.

Public Schools
Pros:
-Regular work hours / schedule
-Stable employer
-Respectful work environment
-Good vacation time

Cons:
-Ok pay
-Longer workdays

Hagwons (Private Academies)
Pros:
-Flexible work schedule
-Lots of prep time built into schedule
-Higher pay

Cons:
-Less stable work environment
-Small class sizes (I would prefer larger classes!)
-Hours can sometimes be wierd (split shifts, late nights, etc.)

All things considered, I think that the EPIK program would be best.  More updates to follow.

Five Things I Love about Omahaians

Just got back from a business trip to Omaha.  Great town!  Even greater people!


1. They're not uppity about food.
2. The don't complain about heat or cold.
3. Everyone smiles all the time.
4. They drive politely, even in heavy traffic.
5. They pronounce the La Quinta hotel brand "La Kwinta."

5. Sarcasm is not a form of humor.

Wine Tasting Notes - Concannon Pinot Noir 2009 (California)

We picked up this bottle last weekend to go with the remainder of the brie that we had around.  Upon pouring it a brilliant, transluscent, ruby-red color is observed.  Even at night with the lights turned low, this wine shines and has a marked brightness to it.  This brightness translates into a wonderful aroma of raspberries and a hint of brown spice.

The taste is a little drier than many pinot noirs that I've tried.  The aroma of raspberries delivers as promised with a smooth taste.  The finish is lacking, though, and I found the aftertaste a bit shallow.

Notes from the Vineyard:

Vineyard Notes:

Our Selected Vineyards wines are well-loved varieties from select Central Coast vineyards and represent remarkable value. California’s Central Coast offers unmatched blending diversity from its multitude of microclimates. Cool region grapes contribute distinctive fresh fruit nuances and warm region grapes add depth of flavor and complexity.  These highly acclaimed wines take no shortcuts and are easily worth twice their modest price.

Winemaker Notes:

The 2009 Pinot Noir, Selected Vineyards is rich in both color and fragrance. With aromas of raspberry and ripe strawberry, this medium-bodied wine is very food-friendly. Balanced by warm spice accents of cloves and cinnamon, the bright red fruit flavors finish round and smooth.

Thoughts III - 10 Reasons I Should Teach in Korea

The more I read about foreign teachers living and working in Korea by teaching English, the more interested I become.  I think that this would really be an excellent opportunity to transition into Korea.  Truth be told, I would rather raise my daughter there so she can grow up Korean with a much better education than she could receive here.  I've subscribed to a couple of blogs written by Westerners teaching in the Land of the Morning Calm to learn about their experiences, trials, tribulations, and all that comes along with being an English teacher in a foreign country.

So, I've put together a Top 10 of the reasons to seize this chance.  I actually have to limit it to only ten, since I can think of dozens of great things that could come from this.

1. Family.  I think that it will be a better place to raise my family and I can be close to my Korean in-laws at the same time.
2. Future.  After learning Korean, I can seek employment in my current industry or I can continue teaching English.  I can actually see a future in the growing and booming economy in Korea; but, I can't say the same for here.
3. Finances.  With rent being covered by the school, we can save for the future or just live better in general.  Here, rent is sucking us dry and wiping out any chance of owning our own house- no way to save anything here.  Korean taxes are low.  Health insurance is cheap and good.
4. Food.  I love Korean food.  All of it- except for fish cakes.  Korean cuisine is healthy and delicious.  I won't miss much American food except for turkey dinner.
5. Fantastic [weather].  The weather in Korea seems a lot like where I am from in the US, not where I am currently living.  Korea has four definite seasons.
6. Fabulous [culture].  I am enthralled with all things Korean.  Dehanmingukul neomu sarangheyo!
7. For my wife.  She will have an easier time gaining employment in Korea than here in the US.
8. Fun.  There is an amazing amount of incredible things to do in Korea.
9. Flights.  It is close to many other Asian countries for vacationing (Japan, Thailand, etc.).
10. Foreign (for me).  Korea is so different than the US that everything is amazing and new, fresh, and exciting.

Wine Tasting Notes - Racha Malbec 2010 (Argentina)

So, I am not an expert at wine by any means!  I just know what I like and what I don't like.  This is my very first attempt at writing a review.

I had been reading about how wonderful Malbec is and since I had never tried one before, I decided to pick up a bottle on Friday.  After baby was asleep, we sat down, opened up the rest of the brie, and uncorked the Malbec.

As I poured the wine I was struck by the dark, opaque, brick-red color as it filled the glass.  Where the wine touched the glass, there was a faint gray hue that had a nice appeal to it.

A quick swirl and sniff released a deep, rich aroma that smelled of damp earth and wood with an air of spice definitely in the forefront (possibly nutmeg and cinnamon).  There was also a bit of a darker scent in the glass that reminded me faintly of tobacco leaves.  The scent intrigued me so much that I took another deep smell to make sure that I didn't miss anything.

On first taste, the sensation that reached me the strongest was the suppleness of this wine.  It is thick in the mouth and has a pronounced weight to it.  The tannins most likely caused this attribute, and it is a good, dry sensation that remains.  Cherry and blackberry flavors burst on the palate with all of the spice that the aroma promised.  The aftertaste carried a unique flavor that was more on the woody side that was a joy to savor.

This wine is definitely a sipper.  We drank slowly and enjoyed the brie on water crackers, this delicious Malbec, a long conversation, and a cool September night creeping through the window.

Notes from the vintner:

RACHA MALBEC
This estate grown and bottled Malbec gets the majority of its fruit from Luján de Cuyo in the Vistabla district. We blend in fruit from higher elevations in Consuelo to add to the complexity of the wine. This dark ruby colored wine has an alluring bouquet of cedar, fresh red cherry, and cigar box. On the palate it is a bold Malbec with a smooth texture, ripe fruit flavors, and no hard edges. This wine was aged for 12 months in American and French Oak barrels.

Thoughts II

In following up from my post a month or so ago about the uncertainty of the economy, I did find an excellent option that seems that could be a great idea: teaching English in Korea.

I found this website called Dave's ESL Cafe (http://www.eslcafe.com/) that has all kinds of job postings, information about Korea, and application advice on how to get a job teaching English in South Korea.  The programs will pay you a monthly stipend to teach ESL in public schools or private academies and will cover your health insurance, tax, pension, and the best part- your housing.  Plus, at the end of your one-year contract, you receive one month's severance.

I know from two trips to Korea that it has a low cost of living, so with housing covered it would be a great way to get over part of the struggle of living here in the good old US of A.  Having in-laws over there would help me settle in and I think that I should be able to dig in, learn how to speak Korean, and enjoy a comfortable existance.

More to follow.

Autumn... At Last

-or-

Fall... Finally

A Haibun

It was a beautiful Labory Day weekend for us.  Monday was the perfect Septemer day with sunshine, a little wind, warm, birds singing... you couldn't have ordered a nicer day.  I took my daughter out for a walk in the morning and we went on the path that goes down by the creek.  The grass, yellowed from having been in the blistering heat for a solid two months, was waving in the gentle breeze and the song of crickets chirping filled the air.  My daughter saw grasshoppers for the first time, and they jumped across the path on and off of stalks of amber-colored grass, darting out of our way just in time.

yellow grasshoppers
among the dancing grasses
the september sun

My little daughter fell asleep while we were out on our walk together.  It was mid-morning and just around seventy degrees outside.  No one was out except for us.  I turned around and ambled home so she could lie down for a nap, of which I also partook.  The windows open for the first time in a few weeks allowed the September breeze to pass through the apartment.

amber stalks waving
strands of her hair in the wind
just off the meadow

Philosophy 101

Cooler weather is on the way!  Highs in the 70s this weekend, finally!

Enough whining about the weather, how about a little philosophy?  I usually require about one full bottle of red wine before I become really philosophical, but this little pearl of wisdom is based purely on coffee.  I believe that the capstone to anyone's character has little to no relation or resemblance to the base, and this must be built on honesty.  I've always subscribed to the notion of filling a pyramid from the bottom to the top, starting with a sound architectural foundation and increasing from there until the peak is reached.  The most necessary and solid material must be at the foundation, and this must be of honesty.  Honesty can be no capstone or afterthought, it cannot be a finishing touch or a cloak worn as one's adornment; it must be at the very core of the individual.

How's that for a little mid-week food for thought?

Hotter than...

How many days over 90 are left in this heat wave?  I am roasting!  At least we are supposed to get some thunderstorms the next few afternoons; that should make the evenings bearable.

I know that I shouldn't be complaining about the heat so much.  There're folks in Phoenix dealing with 116 degree weather, but they live in Phoenix, so they should be used to it, or at least accept that they chose to live there.  I, however, do not like in Arizona, or Texas, or on the Equator!

More updates later this week...

4. Keep a journal.

Thoughts

Every day some say it's getting better, and others say it's getting worse.  One news report claims that the economy is on the rise while another claims that things are not expected to get better for 3-5 years.  I look at the news and Congress and Wall Street are all over the place- I'm not sure what they are thinking (or even if they are thinking!).

It really makes me stop and wonder what life is going to be like for us for the next several years.  As I am nearing the end of my 20s, I would have hoped that my career would finally be taking off in the right direction; unfortunately, everything is going up except my salary.  Since 2007, rent has gone up, gasoline has doubled, and energy, insurance, internet, etc., all those bills are up, but my paycheck is stagnant.

I'm finding that it is difficult to save anything, especially with all of the uncertainty in the economy.  Rather than dispair on any of this, though, I did find that there is a fantastic option!  More on this later.

Back!

I first started blogging a few months ago, and then promptly quit, since I couldn't find the time to do fun things like that.  Well, I guess I must have found that time, since I am writing today!  Those first three posts were some little cute bits of adivce that I would like to share with my daughter when she is older (she's ten months old right now).

Anyways, I hope to post more regularly and to share what is going on in my life.