I found an interesting article about expat communities.  Check it out:

What we could all learn from expats

43. Don't kiss anyone's butt; don't let anyone kick yours.

42. Don't burn your bridges.

42. Don't burn your bridges.

July: The Month of Green Tea

Well, I have long considered the impacts of giving up coffee cold turkey.  I am an avid coffee drinker and usually consume around 3 cups of my beloved black brew every morning, so this task would certainly be daunting at best, miserable at worst.  On a few occassions, I did quit coffee for a day or two and experienced unbelievable headaches from caffeine withdrawl, so I would like to see what would happen if I just replaced coffee with an alternate form of caffeine.

I considered changing to pop and having a couple cans of Coke every morning, but I don't like the amount of sugar and the artificial sweeteners in diet cola give me a headache.  I also thought about 5-hour Energy or Rockstar Energy drinks, but people go to the hospital after drinking those and it seems a little too intense for me.

So I have declared July to be the month of green tea.  This experiment will involve me completely dropping my daily coffee intake and replacing it with green tea to see how this affects me.  I like green tea and it has numerous health benefits, so I will keep you updated as the month progresses.

See also:
Change the Culture!
April, the Month of the Cold Shower

Living and Teaching in Korea: A Different Pace of Life

A great article that I found online today:
Living and Teaching in Korea

The author and her husband also keep a blog called Kimchi and Cornbread about their adventures living and teaching abroad in Korea.

Making Phone Calls in South Korea

Making Phone Calls in South Korea

The first time I visited South Korea, my wife and I stopped just outside the baggage claim area to make a phone call to her folks' house to let them know that we had arrived safely.  When she was finished making the call, she set the phone receiver down on the small tray underneath the pay phone instead of hanging up.

I asked her why she did this and she said that there was still time left for another phone call.  If someone else came along and saw the receiver in the not-hung-up position, they would be able to make a quick call.  Everyone takes care of everyone else.

See also:
Tell me more about Korean Telecom service (landline) and Cable TV

The Hater's Guide to Other Parents

I heard about this post the other day on NPR and just now googled it.  Oh wow, what a great laugh this was!  Check it out:

http://deadspin.com/the-haters-guide-to-other-parents-507454898

41. Grow a garden from seeds every year.

I drank the kimchi juice

We finished off a container of kimchi last night and rather than throw out the remaining juice that was leftover, I tilted the tupperware up and chugged away.  It was amazing!

Does that make me Korean?

See also:
Chug and Thug

40. Sometimes, you just need to talk about what is going on.

See also:
Wisdom of a Two-Year-Old

Wisdom of a Two-Year-Old

Wisdom of a Two-Year-Old
I was at the park the other day with my daughter and we were having a great time outside.  We had been trying to potty train her for a couple of weeks (she is now diaper-free!).  We started by teaching her to tell us whenever her diaper needed to be changed so she could associate the actions.

So, it was extremely funny when she suddenly turned to me and said, "아빠, I pooped!" loud enough for the entire park to hear it.  While everyone around me stifled giggles and grins, I realized that there is wisdom in that.

Sometimes, you just need to talk about what is going on.

39. A stranger walking toward you is a friend not yet met.

Learning to Use Chopsticks (젓가락)

Learning to Use Chopsticks (젓가락)

Korean chopsticks are typically made out of metal, so when I first met my wife and we were dating, we would go to a Korean deli, or we would go on picnics and she would pack a Korean lunch for us.  I always like trying new foods, especially Korean foods, but my chopstick skills were always lacking, and quite humorous!

After being married for a couple of years, I managed to figure out a way to use chopsticks, but my form wasn't correct.  I would sort of pinch the ends and wiggle them around, which would work for a while, but my hand would get pretty tired after a meal.

So, this past summer I finally broke down and purchased a set of adult training chopsticks from the Korean market that we visit.  The kind ajummas at the market were giggling as I checked out the different Pororo character chopsticks made for kids before I settled on this set:

After using this device for about two weeks, I tried switching over to my Korean chopsticks and I could use them like a pro!  These Adult Training Chopsticks hold your hand in the correct position and guide your fingers to the correct angles.  They also make a left-handed set for you lefties out there.

Day of Fog

Today we awoke to fog over the Rocky Mountains, which is a rarity in this part of the country.  I appreciate the cooler weather because it means that it is not summer quite yet and it is not too hot outside.

This brings me to wonder what the summers are like in South Korea?  I have only been to Seoul in the spring and fall months.  Will I be able to withstand the heat during the summer there?

What about for allergy sufferers- is it tough in August for people with hay fever?


See also:
Heat Wave
Good Sleeping Weather and Death by Fan
I Survived a Swollen Uvula and the Perils of a Hay Fever Sufferer

38. Don't boast.

37. Spend at least 15 minutes outside every day.

36. Study hard and get good grades; one day, all those kids that call you a nerd will be working for you.

News article: Native English Teachers in South Korea

Native English teacher head count continues decline

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 30 (I've made it!)

April 30, 2013

I've made it!  I've gone an entire month cold showering!  It has been a marvelous journey with ups and downs, thrills and spills, action, romance, philosophy... all the makings of an epic tale!

To celebrate, I will reward myself with a warm shower tomorrow morning, followed by a blast of cold water, of course, and a hot shave.

These are the conclusions and observations I have made over this one-month endeavor:

• Conclusion #1: Cold showers save time.
• Conclusion #2: It is easier to take a cold water shower than a blast-of-cold-water-at-the-end-of-a-hot-shower.
• Conclusion #3: Cold water shaving has benefits.
• Conclusion #4: Menthol does not increase the chill factor already inherent in a cold shower.
• Conclusion #5: Switching from hot to cold showers helps one learn how to set goals.
• Conclusion #6: Cold weather makes the cold shower more invigorating.
• Conclusion #7: Cold showers help you chill out (pun very much intended!).
• Conclusion #8: With cold showers, it's all or nothing.
• Conclusion #9: Cold showers have spiritual benefits.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 29 (How Long?)

April 29, 2013

How long can you last?

I don't mean how many days, weeks, or months cold showering.  I mean how many seconds can you stand in the cold water?

Since my typical cold shower lasts much shorter than a hot shower, I decided that I would try to see how long I can stay under the chilly water after I had finished with the necessary showering elements of soap and shampoo.  Just standing there, I only lated about 20 seconds before I decided enough was enough.

Is this an endurance test?

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 28 (Uncle Ben)

April 28, 2013

Benjamin Franklin promoted the act of shaving with cold water.  Benjamin Franklin was a genius.  Coincidence?  You decide...

35.  It's easy to say too much.  It's easy to not say enough.  It's hard to say the right thing.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 27 (Will it ever be the same?)

April 27, 2013

I'm now over three weeks into this cold showering experiment and I am beginning to wonder how or if this will change my life.

• Will I switch back to warm or hot showers?
• Will cold showers be reserved for special occasions?
• Will I look at the shower and ask myself, "Should I or shouldn't I?"
• Will I promote cold showers to others for health benefits or for better living?

5 Things I am passionate about

5 Things I am passionate about

1. Family.
2. Learning.
3. Teaching.
4. Creativity.
5. Conservation.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 26 ("Military Showers")

April 26, 2013

When I was a kid, we had this shower in the basement with a shower head that was not water efficient, not like the modern showerheads that are designed to conserve the resource.  Our hot water heater wasn't the best, either.  The water pressure in the shower was great, but the problem was that after one person took a shower, even of reasonable length, it used up a lot of the hot water and the next person might not have enough for a full shower.

So, in order to save the hot water, we would take "military showers."  Here is how to take a military shower:

1. Turn on the water.
2. Step into the shower and get wet.
3. Turn off the water.
4. Lather up.
5. Turn the water back on to rinse off, then the shower is finished.

This is actually a good pair with the cold shower, especially when you are just starting out with the experiment, since it gives you a break from the cold water in the middle.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 25 (I came. I saw. I cold showered.)

April 25, 2013

I came.  I saw.  I cold showered.

My cold shower this morning gave me a ton of energy and I feel like I can take on anything in the world!  Yesterday had more than its fair share of stress at work.  Those high-stress days can really drag you down and leave you feeling defeated, but each morning brings a new opportunity: the opportunity to start all over again and make it better than the day before.  It all starts again with that new sunrise and you get another chance at changing the world.

And what better way to begin that endeavor than a super-cold highly-charged kick start cold shower?

That being conquored, I am ready for a new day full of success!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 24 (Amen! Alleluia!)

April 24, 2013

One of my daily habits is to begin my morning prayers in the shower.  I'm usually finished by the time that I've finished shaving, or if not, by the time I've tied my tie.  This was a nice time to spend in quiet meditation, but cold showering and shaving has changed that.  Now, my prayers are rejoicing, proclaiming, and celebratory.  The cold water makes me want to shout at the top of my lungs!

But I don't do that out loud- it would wake up the whole neighborhood.

Tunneling It

"Tunneling it" is when you wake up in the morning and there is an unexpected blanket of snow on your car, so you brush off a section in front of the driver's seat, or clear a little tunnel, and drive that way to work.

This is dangerous and should never be done!

Example: "After that big storm, I was stopped at a red light and saw an old Buick roll past me.  The guy was tunneling it."

Do You Recognize the 10 Early Warning Signs of a Shady Employer?

I found this article on-line and it seems to have some solid information for folks looking into hagwon teaching in Korea:

Do You Recognize the 10 Early Warning Signs of a Shady Employer?

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 23 (One Week Left)

April 23, 2013

I only have a week left on this amazing challenge!  I'm excited that I have made it this far in the experiment without flinching.  I didn't try any new or exciting variations today.  Stay tuned for more updates.

34. "I'm not a morning person" is not an excuse.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 22 (Cold Hands, Warm Heart)

April 22, 2013

I've noticed over the last few weeks of taking a cold shower that my hands and feet stay a little cold during the morning.  By the time I have my first cup of coffee, my hands will start to warm up.  It reminds me of the old saying, "Cold hands, warm heart."

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 20 (Resilience)

April 20, 2013

The mental and physical strength it takes to face a cold blast of water to the body first thing in the morning is quite significant.  Not all people would be able to stand up so such a challenge.  The interesting thing about this is how simple of a challenge it really is: stand under the shower head and turn on the water.  Go ahead, do it!  Facing this challenge/apprehension every morning can only stand to build you stronger, more resilient, and will help you to go with the flow wherever your day's challenges take you.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 21 (Awaken the Sprit)

April 21, 2013

Water, water, everywhere!  One of the four elements of alchemy, cause of the great flood, key component in the rite of baptism, life-giving, refreshing, essential... water is all of these things, and more.  I would venture a guess that water plays an important spiritual role in most world religions.

Incorporated into the morning routine, the cold shower can provide a spiritual renewal on a daily basis.  What better way to start the day?

Conclusion #9: Cold showers have spiritual benefits.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 19 (I almost forgot!)

April 19, 2013

I stepped into the shower this morning and mindlessly turned on the hot water.  I didn't even realize it until the water hit me!  Then, I quickly turned it over to cold and went on with my day.

It will still be a little longer before this becomes habit for me.

Thoughts IX

It's been a while since I've posted anything on teaching English in Korea.  But it has not been very long since I've thought about it.

I think about it every day.

Part of my daily routine includes reading forums on Dave's ESL Cafe and blogs from other westerners living and teaching in Korea.  I also spend time studying Korean, reading about Korean culture, watching Korean dramas, reading news about South Korea...

I am in love with Korea!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 18

April 18, 2013

Hot water is a luxury.  It is something that a lot in the modernized world consider a basic need but many (I would venture to say a majority) live without.  Even though I was not able to get a statistic on this, I would guess that the number of people that consider hot water essential to daily living to be in the minority.

Think about all of the energy that is expended on heating water.  Much of this comes from non-renewable resources and is unhealthy for the environment, all in the name of comfort.  After going for almost three weeks showering only with cold water, I can see how the consumption of hot water can be wasteful.

Cold showers are simple.  They satisfy the basic need of cleanliness, with several added benefits, and conserve energy otherwise used for luxury.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 17 (First Battle of the Day)

April 17, 2013

Reading about cold showers, I've found that a few different world religions practice cold showering as a part of a daily ritual.  The Sikhs call it ishnaan and they consider it to be the first battle of the day.

This notion struck a chord with me, this idea of winning the first battle of the day.  When you truly think about all of the challenges that we face throughout the day, a cold shower is a small victory, but if you begin your day by winning your first challenge, the rest of the day is going to be set up for success.  That will make closing that big deal, nailing that interview, having that difficult conversation, etc. much easier.

See also:
How To Take a Cold Shower (and Why)

Swimming in the Rockies

In the spirit of my post series on cold showering, I thought that it would be appropriate to share with you a little bit on my experiences swimming in Rocky Mountain lakes and creeks.  If you are not familiar with my posts on the subject of cold showering, I would like to bring you up to date on a few quirks that make up cackle881's relationship with things cold:

• I almost never get cold.
• I hate hot weather and am not much of a fan of summer.
• I love adventures, the wilder the better.
• I like challenges

Coming from Minnesota, I grew up in the cold and I never minded it.  I secretly liked when we had white-out blizzards followed by ice storms followed by -60 windchills because it meant that it wasn't hot outside.  Back home, in order to escape the heat, I would go swimming with my friends during the dog days of summer.  Here in Colorado, it's nice to escape to the mountains for a day and enjoy some cooler temperatures.  It's fun to research new places to visit and go for day hikes with friends.

It's even more fun if that place includes a body of glacial-fed mountain water!

Bluebird Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
Click here for the Pro Trails description of this hike

Bluebird Lake, elev. 10,978'

Bluebird Lake is located in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park.  The area is very rugged and scenic and the hike is moderate in difficulty with the last leg past Ouzel Lake being a little more strenuous than the rest of the trail.  I actually had to cross a few snowfields on my way up there, and that was during the month of July!  Up around the treeline, an abundance of alpine wildflowers in an array of beautiful colors can be observed.  Marmots can be seen moving about in the krumholz.

It was cloudy with periods of sunshine the day that I hiked up to Bluebird.  In the far distance I heard rumblings of thunder, but I didn't see any need to worry about the weather.  As I got to the lake, the wind began to pick up a little; this I attributed to its alpine location.  The sky got a little grey, too, but I totally disregarded the fact that the weather might be changing, and possibly for the worse.  I was just too excited to have made it all the way to the end of the trail and to give Bluebird Lake a try at a little high-altitude (almost 11,000') swimming and see how it was.  I learned later that at one time, Bluebird Lake was dammed up for water supply purposes, but I could see no evidence a dam on the shore at trail's ends.

Upon arriving at the lake, I quickly kicked off my boots and got ready to dive in.  The air up that high is pretty chilly, but I took a deep breath and plunged into Bluebird Lake, thrusting my entire body into its cold blue waters, which sent a sudden shiver all the way down the the bones.  This very well may have been the first time that I have ever felt cold in my entire life!  My core temperature must have dropped at least two degrees as I went from sweaty to nearly hyporthermic.  As I broke the surface of the water I saw a flash of lightning and instantly heard a crash of thunder!  This was too good to be true- a mountain thunderstorm while swimming in an alpine lake! 

Exposed as I was, I quickly dried off, changed back into my hiking clothes, stomped into my boots, and got the heck beneath the treeline, and just in time, too.  A torrent of water came rushing out of the sky and completely drenched the balsams and firs.  It was absolutely beautiful in its terror and violence, beating sheets of water down onto the rocky earth.  I stood fairly sheltered beneath a thick canopy of conifer boughs and watched in utter amazement this ancient act of nature being played before my eyes.  It was a grey sky on grey stone, enshrouded in a haze of rain that beat the rugged earth unceasingly.  I had no rain gear and I was chilled to the bone from my brief sojourn into Bluebird Lake, but I could not have cared less.  This storm was so beautifully orchestrated that I could not help but admire.  Eventually, the downpour began to lessen and I ventured on along the trail.

While I didn't have a whole lot of time to enjoy the swim, I do recall this adventure with a great fondness and I will endeavor to make it back to Bluebird for another attempt some day.


Lake Nanita, Rocky Mountain National Park
Click here for the Pro Trails description of this hike


Lake Nanita, elev. 10,780'

I had the great pleasure of hiking to Lake Nanita with Kevin, a good friend of mine.  Both of our families were out of town, so we decided to make a guys' weekend of it and took on a hike to Lake Nanita, possibly the most pristine lake in all of Rocky Mountain National Park.  The story of the hiking/camping trip is wonderful in itself.  I will only highlight one, very important feature of that part of our weekend here:

Being a guys' weekend, the the first question on our mind was what we were going to drink.  We stopped at the bottle shop the night before for some bourbon and a 12-pack of Coors Light (most appropriate for a Colorado hiking adventure).  Nevermind the weight of all of that, plus camping gear, plus water; that was the most important cargo!  Kevin had a bunch of camping stuff so I hardly had to pack anything.  After choosing our drinks, we stopped for a few groceries.  Kevin actually had some buffalo steaks that he was saving for a special occasion and this was definitely it.

When we arrived at the park (at 6:00 am, after leaving Denver at 4:00), we donned our packs and made our way to where we would be setting up camp for the night.  We found our camp, staked out a site for our tents, and then tended to the most important part of the campsite set-up: chilling the beer.  And what would be more appropriate for Coors Light than to have it chilled in an ice-cold Rocky Mountain stream?  We hiked a couple hundred yards upstream from camp and found a suitable location off the beaten path; there, we put all of our cans into a plastic bag, weighted it down with a few rocks, and sunk the entire unit beneath the water.  After stashing the bourbon nearby, we went back to camp, hoisted the bear bag, and got a move on up the trail to Lake Nanita.

The hike is breathtaking.  If you ever have the chance to hike this side of the park, take it!  The area is accessed through the North Inlet trail in Grand Lake, much further off the beaten path than the ever-popular Estes Park.  We hardly saw a soul on the way up.  When we made it all the way up to Lake Nanita, Kevin did a little fly fishing and I went to explore the lake's beautiful shores with the goal of a swim in mind.  I checked out the dramatic views of Andrew's Peak and the Ptarmigan Towers as I made my way along the margins of the lake until I found a nice, secluded point.  It was shielded from view on all sides except for the lake, so I thought this would be perfect for a quick skinny-dip.  I dove into the lake (frigid), came up gasping for air, and swam out a good 50 yards or so to get my blood moving.  It felt great!  I was thrilled to be out in the middle of nowhere with the warm sun showering down on me in this cold little lake. 

That was until I glanced at the shore and saw that another hiking party had arrived at my little swimming area.  I had lain my clothes neatly folded on the shore next to my towel for a quick dry-off and change when I got out of the water.  Now, I saw that it would take a little tactic to get these folks out of the way so I could get out of the water.  Not so easy, I discovered, as I slowly treaded back towards shore and noticed that they were not speaking English, but French.  Now, this was an older couple and I did not want to offend them, but I discovered quickly that they spoke no English whatsoever and I was still in this super cold water freezing my tuckus off.  I tried chatting with them to see if I could explain my predicament.  After a lot of confused communication that was going nowhere, I pointed at my pile of clothes and they finally got the hint!  They took off and I was able to get out of the water.

I went back to Kevin, who was having such a great time fishing that he didn't hear me come up on him.  I watched for a while and it wasn't even sport- he was dropping flies into the water and pulling out greenbacks on every cast.  We packed it up and hiked back to camp.  I decided to save my swimming story for camp, which proved to be some excellent entertainment!  We cooked up a dinner of buffalo steaks, mashed potatoes, corn, dinner rolls, and cherry pie, all washed down with ice-cold Coors Light.  After the dishes were cleaned, we lounged around camp, watching the stars appear, knocking back beers, sipping Bourbon, talking about life, family, solving the world's problems, and after retelling my story, laughing our lungs out, our raucous cries echoing off of crags and rock walls and mixing with the songs of owls.

Beautiful and cold swim, that Lake Nanita, and well worth the journey to get there.


Bear Creek, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks
Click here for the Pro Trails description of this hike


Bear Peak, elev. 8461'

This was one of the first hikes I ever attempted when I first moved to Denver.  I had heard that Boulder was a great town for outdoor recreation and that the hiking was amazing, so I researched a few local places to try out and I picked Bear Peak.

The hike up Bear Peak has a few possible routes, through Shadow Canyon, Fern Canyon, or Bear Canyon.  I've tried all three canyons and they are all great hikes.  For my first attempt at Bear Peak, I hiked up Fern Canyon to the summit and came down through Bear Canyon.  The hike up Fern Canyon was pretty nice, fairly shadowy and cool in the hot August weather.  I didn't see any ferns, but it was damp going up the canyon.  Bear Peak was beautiful and had a great view of the Front Range.  I could almost see clear to Denver, but there was a little smog that got in the way.

Coming down Bear Canyon was great.  The trail crosses over the creek several times, so the hike is interesting with a lot of great scenery to look at on the descent.  I returned a month later when the aspens were turning and the hike over a carpet of fallen golden leaves was stunning.  But, in the month of August, it was still fairly hot outside and I had a good sweat worked up after crossing Bear Peak West Ridge.  After turning onto the junction with the Bear Canyon Trail, I started to see the creek.  After crossing a couple times, I was too tempted to pass it by any longer. 

After one such crossing, I scanned up and downstream to see which would be most passable.  Looking upstream, I planned a route so I could step on the rocks and boulders in the creek until I was out of sight.  After I made it upstream about 50 yards or so, I carefully looked around to make sure I screened from view.  I wasn't sure if swimming in the creek was allowed (it's not, swimming is not allowed on any Boulder OSMP property) and I wasn't actually going to be swimming, since the water was not very deep.  I took off my boots and socks, rolled up my shorts, and shucked my shirt and hat.  Stepping into the cool water, my aching and blistering feet were instantly soothed.  I waded out into a little pool that was calf-deep.  I stooped over and splashed cold water head to toe.  It was a good, cool, refreshing reprieve from my hot hike through the mountains.  I found a nice rock on which to rest and sat down to air-dry.  In the high mountain air, this process only takes a matter of minutes.  After thoroughly drying out, I headed down the rest of the trail and back to my car.

I will always remember that hike as a good weekend's break from a hectic schedule and a nice, calm escape from the hot weather in town.


My Experiences Swimming in the Rocky Mountains

These three experiences that I've listed above represent some of my most memorable swims in the mountains.  I have certainly been swimming more than three times in the mountains.  I've even been in the water in the middle of December!  For the most part, I just experimented here and there with a quick dip in the water, but I happened across this article by Desertphile, in which he describes his own cold water adventure while he was camping in the mountains.  This got me to thinking how others might have an interest in this, too, and I made it a point to get out and try it more often since I read the article.  It's hard to find much writing on the subject, but it certainly is a lot of fun.

Disclaimer: please be very careful if you ever try swimming in cold water.  Hypothermia is no joke and nothing to fool around with.  While swimming in the mountains can be very refreshing and enjoyable, there can be severe consequences.

Bring Back Fujack!

Back in the late 90s, we didn't take things.  We didn't swipe things.  We "kyped" them.  For example, "Who kyped that last slice of pizza?"

In the early 00s, we started to use "fujack" in the same manner.  This caught on for a while, but it was short-lived.  Bring back "fujack!"

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 16 (The Anticipation)

Anticipation.

(Now that you have Carly Simon stuck in your head, you are welcome!)

I've gone through a few different variations on my 30-day cold shower challenge, trying new elements just to see what happens and to keep things interesting.  One thing that I have discovered is that the anticipation of the cold never goes away.  That's probably what makes the cold so much fun at first!  I've been working on a theory this morning: the cold itself doesn't wake you up, it's the anticipation that wakes you up.  The excitement of having cold water just about to come flying out of the showerhead is the best part of the morning.  It's the very substance that thrill seekers seek, only it's cheaper, easier to access, and it can be an integral part of your daily routine!

These are the good old days.

I found another blog called Ryan Goes Abroad.  The author also concluded that The Initial Shock Never Goes Away.  It's good to know that this will always be a part of the experience for me.  I've come to realize that this experiment may actually be life-changing; it is very likely that I might not return to hot showers ever again.

I'm curious to see if there are any other life-changing experiments out there.

See also:
 Life Experiment #13: Take Cold Showers For 30 Days


Now, let's let Carly have the final word:

"We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway, yay
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And I tell you how easy it feels to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me
But I, I rehearsed those lines just late last night
When I was thinkin' about how right tonight might be

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways
So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days

(These are the good old days)
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are.....the good old days)"

33. Folks are like apple pies: they spend more time perfecting the crust and making it look good, but not much time on perfecting the filling.  Strangely, the crust is the least interesting part of the entire pie, and most people are truly after the filling.  After all, it's apple filling that makes an apple pie.

The Good Fight

This weekend, it was windy here in the West.  It was so windy that the "For Sale" sign attached to the balcony of the place down the way was flapping against the balcony, echoing across the pavement, and generally making a ton of noise.  It was incredibly annoying and we couldn't get any peace and quiet.  Since it was a fourth floor condo, there was no way I could go over and secure it myself.

So what is a man to do?  Listen to the metal sign spank against the metal balcony all night?  No way, not happening.  Especially not when realtors are involved (see My Top Ten Pet Peeves).  I took matters into my own hands and called the number on the realty sign.  I got a perky, peppy young realtor on the phone who sounded super-excited at the prospect of getting a call on the property over the weekend.  The conversation went something like this:

• Realtor: "Good morning!  (Name) Realty, how may I assist you?"
• Me: "Hi, I'm calling in regards to the condo for sale at (address)."
• Realtor: "Oh, yes, thank you so much for your interest in this property!  It comes with many wonderful options and I am sure that you will love this cute unit.  May I ask, did you hear about us?"
• Me: "I got the number off of the sign, and that's the reason I'm calling.  Whoever put that sign out on the balcony only attached the top and it's flapping and slapping in the wind, banging against the porch rail.  It's really annoying and we couldn't sleep last night.  I have a two-year-old who needs to take a nap pretty soon here, so the sooner you could get that fixed, the better."
• Realtor: (I could hear her facial expression through the phone as her world came crashing down) "So, are you interested in the unit?"
• Me: "Not in the least."
• Realtor: "Would you like to schedule a showing?"
• Me: (drawling) "No thanks.  My only interest in this condo is in having someone fix that sign.  It's bothering me something awful."
• Realtor: "Ok, sorry about that.  We'll have somebody come over and take care of that shortly."

Truly, I didn't expect anything to happen, but the issue was addressed withing a couple of hours.  The sign was relocated to one fo the windows and my daughter had a peaceful afternoon nap.  I took more than a little satisfaction in keeping this annoying realtor in check.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 15 (Putting it into Reverse)

April 15, 2013

This morning, I decided to try putting the method I used on Day 2 in reverse: I started with a cold shower and at the end I switched the temperature on to warm.

Now that was a waste of time.  All the lovely shock and energy that comes from a cold shower was lost as soon as the water started to warm up.

I'm bitter about this- something only a cup of coffee can cure!

Conclusion #8: With cold showers, it's all or nothing.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 14 (Shower for World Peace)

April 14, 2013

Back in my homeland in Minnesota, we would usually try swimming in April as soon as the snow had melted off of the lake.  This is some of the coldest water I have ever experienced, aside from glacial-fed lakes in the high country of the Colorado Rockies (the subject for another post series).  After jumping in and out of the early-spring water, we would dry off as fast as possible and warm up by the campfire.  As the fire warmed you up, you would start to experience a very calm, peaceful feeling.  It wasn't like feeling tired or drained of energy, but more of a relaxed, super-aware state of mind.  The rest of the day would go by well and you would feel calm, agreeable, and very content with life in general.

Could cold showering be a part of the world peace equation?

I've noticed that my days now go by very pleasantly, I don't let little things get to me, and when any conflict arises, I am able to resolve it quickly and effectively.

Conclusion #7: Cold showers help you chill out (pun very much intended!).

See also:
April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 3 (April showers bring May flowers...)

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 13 (Lucky 13)

April 13, 2013

I've made it almost two weeks on my cold shower routine- nearly half-way through!  I've tried a couple of variations thorughout the process, some that were a lot of fun and some that were more take-it-or-leave-it.  A couple of philosophical questions came up in the process and I've had a lot of fun.

At this point, I'm no longer surprised by the shock of cold water.  I enter the shower, turn the knobs, feel the blast of cold water, finish up, and I'm out.  It's become routine, almost.

32. Try a cold shower every once in a while.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 12 (Cold Shower Beer)

April 12, 2013

One great way to decompress after a tough day at work is the Shower Beer.  This method, celebrated at our workplace and elsewhere, involves drinking a beer in the shower, combining the best of both worlds: a hot shower and a cold beer.  The result is a very relaxing, laid-back experience (but don't over-do it; save it for special occasions!).  The Shower Beer has one of three possible outcomes:

• The beer is consumed very quickly in the shower (a modified version of Chug and Thug)
• The shower is much longer than expected in order to avoid chugging the beer too quickly
• The beer is finished more quickly and the shower is a bit longer than usual

Cold showering poses a new element to the Shower Beer.  Since cold showers go by much faster than a typical hot shower, the beer would need to be finished in about a minute, definitely not at the leisurely pace of a typical Shower Beer.

I tried the Cold Shower Beer yesterday after work just to see what would happen.  The experience was invigorating, refreshing, and the resulting buzz was arctic-chilly and very fun!  I would recommend this as a way to totally turn a bad day around!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 11 (the need for speed?)

April 11, 2013

When I first began this experiment series, I concluded that cold showering saves time.  This morning was amazing, too; I was in and out of the bathroom (shaving included) in less than four minutes)!  I was surprised with myself and how little time one actually requires to adequately prepare for the day.  I stepped out, looked at the sun coming up, and smiled; I woke up at 5:00 and by 5:15 I was out the door.  I was so excited that I had cut my preparation time so drastically!

That brings me to a big philosophical point that I debated on my drive to work: is there really any need to rush through the morning routine?  Isn't it more important to prepare for the day in a way that is positive?  Does that mean that cold showering might not be for everyone?  Does cold showering even matter?

Let's take a look at these questions one at a time and see where this leads my conclusions:

Is there really any need to rush through the morning routine?

Well, I think that a long, hot shower that lasts 20-30 minutes is wasteful of time, water, and money.  A shower routine that is this long could definitely stand to some time reduction and streamlining.  I'm actually not sure if I could stand for 30 minutes and not get bored!  But, is there really any need for a four-minute in-and-out routine, like mine was this morning?  Probably not.

Isn't it more important to prepare for the day in a way that is positive?

A person's day should start out right, and that would include taking a good shower, shave, etc.  While a super-fast morning preparation might not be right for everyone, dawdling and poking around, taking your sweet time, spinning your wheels, and wasting time is not a good way to start the day either.

Does that mean that cold showering might not be for everyone?

I think that certain health conditions might make cold showering dangerous and not advisable, but I think that many people could benefit from it.

Does cold showering even matter?

We shall see, by the end of this post series, how I conclude this experiment!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 10 (Singing in the Rain)

April 10, 2013

Today's cold shower was a joyous occasion!  Yesterday, I concluded that cold showers are enhanced by cold weather, so today I decided to keep working with this theme and celebrate the coldness, as it was around 5 degrees outside.  I thought about ways to embrace the cold weather and cold shower combination and I decided that I would sing in the shower this morning.  This was amaizingly fun, and there was a nice spring in my step as I headed out the door this morning.

Weekend farming in Korea

I read this wonderful article from Bobby's Awesome Life about weekend farming in Korea.  Check it out: The Weekend Farmer

31. Good grammar is important.  Speak and write correctly.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 9 (cold shower + cold day = great!)

April 9, 2013

This morning, the weather was quite chilly and the forecasted high is not supposed to get above freezing.  For some reason, my cold shower in the morning was absolutely amazing!  I'm not exactly sure if the change in pressure due to the cold weather enhances the experience or if the colder air termperature alters the sensitivity in the skin so that the shower is more invigorating, but this morning's shower was a super intense rush!  I will be interested to see if hot summer weather has an effect on the cold shower experience.

Conclusion #6: Cold weather makes the cold shower more invigorating.

Typical Day Teaching English in South Korea

For anyone out there who has, in the past, or who is currently teaching English in Korea, I would like to know what a typical day looks like.  I realize from my own experience teaching that there are no truly "typical" days and that when teaching young kids, you often need to think on your feet, but I would be very interested in what a daily schedule might look like.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 8 (Don't give up)

April 8, 2013

Now that I've made it an entire week, I actually almost considered getting lax on my goal today.  I thought about lapsing and going for a hot, or even a lukewarm shower.  I had to convince myself that this 30-day challenge is still on and I find myself lagging a little in excitement today over my goal.

They say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit, so that means I have 14 days left to go before cold showering becomes my new habit!

Conclusion #5: Switching from hot to cold showers helps one learn how to set goals.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 7 (I've made it for a whole week!)

April 7, 2013

I have made it a whole seven days with my cold shower challenge!  So far, this past week (which has been super busy) was enjoyable with my new daily ritual of a cold water morning shock.  Let's see if I can still persevere through the rest of the month...

Wine Tasting Notes - Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Merlot, Central Coast 2008

Wine Tasting Notes - Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Merlot, Central Coast 2008

Link to the vintner's page

Notes from the bottle:

Our 2008 Merlot combines the classic offerings of this varietal in a smooth, complex, fruit-intensive style. Bright aromas of black cherry and plum hold through the senses as they join ripe, chewy tannins on the palate. The fruit is complemented by ample caramel, mocha and toasty oak from extensive aging in new American oak barrels. With layered depths and silky body, this versatile wine is appropriate for many occasions, as a stand-alone sipper or paired with a variety of dishes, including roasted chicken, pasta or pork.

Here are my notes:

I did find that there was a striking complexity in this wine and it had a wonderful, deep maroon color in the glass that verged on an indigo-black.  The merlot had a light nose and was very soft on the scent, but the first sip was an introduction to the late evening it was when I had this bottle.  Think: soft rain, no breeze, occasional scent of damp earth coming through the window... all of this mixed with this merlot on the first taste and I was very impressed.

The texture of this wine is a bit heavier, almost buttery feel with well-balanced tannins (I think "chewy" is an exaggeration on the label).  I liked the way that this texture collaborated with the complexity of the taste, which I would describe as a combination of black cherry and blackberries with a suggestion of woodsmoke.  The finish was medium and savory.  The interaction of the supple texture, downplayed nose, and deep "chesty" taste made this an excellent wine for our evening.  My wife and I enjoyed it with a thin-crust pizza we made in the oven.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 6 (Health Benefits)

April 6, 2013

There has actually been quite a bit written on the benefits of taking a cold shower.  I'm not excatly sure if the theories hold up, scientifically, but I'm pretty sure that there are some great health benefits.  Here is one article I found on The Art of Manliness website that touts health benefits from taking a cold shower:

The James Bond Shower: A Shot of Cold Water for Health and Vitality

In summary of this article, there are seven health benefits of cold showers:

1. Improves circulation.
2. Relieves depression.
3. Keeps skin and hair healthy.
4. Strengthens immunity.
5. Increased testosterone (sorry ladies).
6. Increases fertility.
7. Increases energy and well-being.

I can definitely see #1, as I have already mentioned previously that the cold shower results in a warming up effect.  #7 also, for sure, as I have day-long energy after a chilly shower in the morning.

John Weeks

Very interesting website to check out: John Weeks

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 5 (The Ultimate Chill Factor)

April 5, 2013

I decided to up the ante a little this morning and increase what I call the "chill factor" by seeing just how cold I could make the shower experience.  I went for the most chilling bath products that we have in the house (and we had a surprising amount on hand!).  Here was my entire shower experience from start to finish:

1. Entered the shower and just barely turned on the water for maximum coldness.  I didn't stand to the side of the shower stream and step into the water like I usually do, but I just got in, looked up at the shower head, and turned on the water, which came out and hit me first in the face.
2. Lathered up using Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Liquid Soap.  The menthol and peppermint oils in the soap left a definite tingle that, mixed with the cold water, increased the chill factor nicely.
3. Washed my face with Clean and Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub.  This also leaves a minty tingle that is pretty fun.
4. Rinsed off, dried, and started my shave.  This consisted of Shave Secret Shaving Oil (mild chill factor), a cold water shave, Osage Rub (extreme chill factor), and finished with American Crew Post-Shave Cooling Lotion (moderate chill factor).

All in all, I found that these mentholated products, which usually are quite effective at giving one a freezing effect on the body, were not as effective as they typically are with a warmer shower.  The cold shower was enough to provide the effect.

Conclusion #4: Menthol does not increase the chill factor already inherent in a cold shower.

30. Don't say "have a nice day" to someone; make them have a nice day with your smile.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 4 (Another day, another shower)

April 4, 2013

Odd as this may seem, I found myself looking forward to my cold shower last night before I went to sleep.  I set the alarm function on my cell phone and as I went to bed, I thought about getting up early and the shock of the cold water first thing in the morning.

Today, I think the newness of the cold shower is wearing off a little bit.  That is, I didn't try anything out of the ordinary and it didn't seem exceptionally crazy- just an ordinary shower.  I'm going to need to keep things interesting somehow!

See also:
The Flinch [EXPERIMENT] – The shower

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 3 (April showers bring May flowers...)

April 3, 2013

A cold shower on this cold, rainy morning was just what I needed.  Many who have taken cold showers talk about the "warming effect," where upon stepping out of the cold shower to dry off, the body experiences a warming of the muscles.  As I stepped out and headed to the sink for my cold shave, I felt the warming effect a nice little spike in energy.

I wonder how many people across town took warm showers and are shivering over their coffee cup.  I feel great!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 2

April 2, 2013

I decided to shake things up a little and add two variables to my morning routine today:

1. I started with the water on warm (not hot) and lathered up, then switched the water to cold for the rinse-off.  What I was checking to see is if the shock factor here would be any different than an ordinary cold shower.  It is actually more of a shock to go from warm to cold than it is to just take a cold shower.  I found that I was a little less tolerant to the switch to cold water.
2. I used cold water to shave.  (Actually, shaving could be the subject for another series of posts, as I take pride in having an excellent morning shave.)  After getting out of the shower, I used cold water to shave and I was able to get just as close a shave as I do with hot water.  Now, it did not feel like a warm water shave at all; it was not an easy, leisurely pace, but a more quick, efficient process that yielded the same results.  I may need to explore this concept a little further.

Conclusion #2: It is easier to take a cold water shower than a blast-of-cold-water-at-the-end-of-a-hot-shower.
Conclusion #3: Cold water shaving has benefits.

See also:
Shaving with Cold Water

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 1

April 1, 2013

Day 1 of my 30-day cold water shower challenge.  I was manager on duty for the evening shift at work, so I was able to take my time in the morning, drop my daughter off at pre-school, have a cup of coffee with my wife, and then begin my challenge, so it was about 9:30am when I started to get ready.  The sunshine was coming in through the bedroom (our bathroom is an inner room without any windows), so I left the lights off in the bathroom and walked into the shower.

I stared up at the showerhead, remembering the showers at summer camp, and thought to myself, "I could do this back in the day, I can do it now, here we go!"  I turned the water on and presented my heart to the cascade of frigid water and yelped with the first burst.  It was a shock!  I didn't remember the showers at camp being that cold!  All of this corporate work must have made me soft.

My entire shower must have lasted only a minute or so, as I showered as fast as I could to get out.  This led me to my first conclusion about cold showers:

Conclusion #1: Cold showers save time.

I was able to get completely clean (shampoo, conditioner, soap, and face wash) in less time than it takes to brush your teeth.  I read somewhere that the average shower takes 10-15 minutes, so I now added an extra 9-14 minutes to my day.  That's about 1-1.5 hours extra per week, or 54-85 hours of extra time every year!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower

April, the Month of the Cold Shower

Growing up in the north country of Minnesota, we used to go swimming every Memorial Day through Labor Day, no matter how cold the water was.  We were usually in the water at least a couple of weeks before Memorial Day, when the nightly low temperature could very easily be below freezing.  I loved swimming in the Land of 10,000 Lakes when the water was so chilly.  After we got the docks in for the summer, it was always a rush to go running off the end of the dock, plunge into the recently-thawed water, and feel the shock of the cold temperature bite right into the core while the air temperature was hovering around 50.  I also worked at a summer camp where the shower house's water heater did not always work that great, so some mornings we had warm showers, but often we were doused in ice water.

During those summer days, I thought that the shock of the cold water first thing in the morning was a great way to wake up.  Sometimes, during college, I would wake up very early to study (4:30am!), and after taking my shower, I would run the cold water for a few seconds, just to make sure I was truly awake and ready for the day.

That got me to thinking, recently, how much more productive would I be if I took a cold shower every day?  So, I have decided to do a one-month experiment and to declare April the Month of the Cold Shower.  Watch for regular posts on my cold showering experience.

See also:
The James Bond Shower: A Shot of Cold Water for Health and Vitality
Heat Wave

House Cleaning Schedule - An Update

If you recall this previous post, House Cleaning Schedule - An Experiment, you'll remember that I designed a schedule for cleaning the house so that the task did not become overwhelming.  I promised a one-month update, but never followed up (I need to be better about posting).  Well, better late than never, and I have a 6-almost-7-month update for you here.  It actually turned out better that I waited for a few months of running the experiment to show how the results turned out over time:

• Sunday: Bedroom. Porch day.
• Update: The bedroom was cleaned each Sunday.  The porch was cleaned about once per month, as long as the weather allowed.
• Monday: Office. Organize papers day.
• This day failed!  Perhaps we would have been better about Office Day if it was later in the week, but in the hecticness of Monday, it was not the best time for a tedious organization day.  Lesson learned.  We organized the papers twice in the last seven months!
• Tuesday: Living room. Water the plants day.
• The living room was cleaned fairly regularly on Tuesdays after dinner.  I'm actually quite pleased with how this worked.
• Wednesday: Bathroom 1. Organize dishes and silverware day.
• The larger of the two bathrooms stayed fairly clean throughout the process.  Dishes and silverware were actually organized on an ongoing basis and were not relegated to Wednesday.
• Thursday: Hall, closets, laundry room. Polish shoes day.
• I polished the shoes on Saturday nights so that they would be ready for church on Sunday.  The hall, closets, and laundry room stayed neat, organized, and clean.
• Friday: Kitchen. Clean out the fridge/pantry day.
• Friday was an overall success!  We cleaned out the fridge on Fridays regularly and attempted to make it into Trash Day, but this was sometimes delayed by snow.
• Saturday: Bathroom 2. Laundry day.
• The smaller of the two bathrooms in our apartment is usually used only for washing hands, so it stayed fairly clean.  Saturday was a good day for laundry, but we sometimes had to move the last load to early Sunday.
• Other chores to be completed as needed: wash dishes, take out the trash, organize toys, make bed, and anything else pertinent that comes up.
• Success

Conclusion: having a regular house cleaning schedule helps so that the chores doesn't get too out of hand.  It may be useful to try a few different schedules to see what works best before settling on a more strict cleaning regiment.

29. It's ok to read several books at the same time.

28. Keep a spare band-aid in your wallet.

27. It is worth learning the proper way to bridge shuffle a deck of cards.

26. At least once per year, clear the snow off of the windshield on the car parked next to you.

25. It is better to prepare and not need it than to not prepare and need it.

Rosetta Stone Korean - 1 Month Update

So, I am a month into studying the Rosetta Stone Korea method and I can already say that my language skills have improved.  What I especially like about this software is how it not only teaches new vocabulary and phrases, but it quizzes you on grammar, too, to ensure that you are retaining all of what you are learning.  I spend about 30 minutes per day and I find the pace easy to follow.  There have been a couple of times when I got a bit overwhelmed with a day's lesson, so I reviewed the same section the following day to make sure I wasn't going too fast.

I finished Level I - Part I with a 96%!

Since there are no accompanying books to go along with it, I am also keeping a notebook.  I bought a small Mead 5-Star 2 subject notebook.  In the front half of the notebook, I take notes on the new words and phrases that are introduced.  After the day's lesson is complete, I go into the back half and make vocabulary charts based on the new material that I have learned.  At the top of the page, I write the topic, then I list the words in Hangul on the left with the English words on the right.  I have a page for family members, colors, verbs, foods, clothing, etc.  Then, the next day, I review my vocabulary and the previous day's notes before I begin.

My only frustration is that the software does not explain the special suffixes that Korean uses.  Luckily, I can ask my wife what they mean, and sometimes we look them up in the Korean/English dictionary so it is all clear to me.  I would recommend anyone using Rosetta Stone Korean to have a dictionary, too, to help with this.

I plan to provide updates once per month on my progress- watch for more in April.

See also:
Rosetta Stone Korean
Best Method for Learning Korean

Rosetta Stone Korean

I’ve done it!  I’ve finally decided to give the famous Big Yellow Box a try and learn Korean through Rosetta Stone!  I just began last night, so I will keep you updated on my journey…

See also:
Best Method for Leanring Korean

24. Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time.