Against Nothingness

I know I posted about this two posts ago, but I still find it very wierd to see headlines here like "Government approves plans for Cloning center" Meanwhile, from national to personal, our school seems to be undergoing a management change... two of the three main supervisors are leaving or changing positions, the two nice ones. A few of us English teachers are a little bit pensive about what this change is indicating, as up until now the school has been a very atypical Korean workplace. Hopefully, the changes are indicative of personal issues or something (Which is not really better, since we like the supervisors) and any kind of philosophy change. Hopefully were just being selfcentred and this has nothing to do with us english teachers.

It's been a while hasn't it? Lately I have been strongly convicted about my 'mental discipline'. I am so used to being in school, being forced to excercise my brain, that I find I have very little discipline in keeping my brain active without the normal pressures of exams and essays and class discussions. So I have been trying lately to make sure I am spending more time with good books, and articles and things online. Its been very good, I think my brain is finally revved up again. I have also completely lacked any motivation to write. Firstly, I haven't had much to write about. Which might sound wierd if you were paying attention on my last post. Despite spending time reading, I haven't run into much that I want to write about. I have to admit that I am a little bit discouraged with the whole academic, thinking, etc. thing right now. I just have trouble seeing what difference that will make, when how I live is so much more important. Which is n

Technology in Korea In spite of the lack of movement, or progress, or cheaper prices :) in some areas of technology, it does appear that Korea is ahead in some ways compared to home. I came to Korea expecting to buy, among other things, a cheap laptop (a digital camera would be nice to). To my chagrin I found out that laptops are not only ridiculously expensive out here, they are behind. I have no idea why... they just are. I could, and did, order a computer from the U.S. that was, after shipping and customs fees, cheaper than I would have paid to get a worse computer out here. Digital cameras are also more expensive out here than on the internet from N. American websites, but not by nearly as much as the laptops were. Meanwhile, cell phone technology, from what I know, is quite far ahead. Maybe I am just out of touch with what they have at home? but in march they are releasing a new phone with a whole array of sensors so that it can detect movement in a three dimensional plane.

Alvin Toffler Have you heard of Alvin Toffler? Over the Christmas holidays I picked up two of his books, kind of by fluke in a korean bookstore. You see, in order to find English books in Korea (outside of the internet) you have to go to some of the bigger bookstores in Seoul. But, even they don't have much selection. This really sucks when you are looking for specific authors in the Sci-Fi or Fantasy genres... every bookstore here has been pretty weak in those areas, and pretty much every other area when it comes down it. But what makes it interesting is that you are able to look at most of, or all, the books in a particular section, or all the sections :), without much problem. This would be pretty much impossible at home in a Chapter's or Indigo. While doing that, I find that I see some books I probably never would have noticed before. Such as Alvin Toffler. I guess he's a 'futurist'? writing about what will happen... I know, sounds vaguely apocalyptic and

Thinking I have been thinking about a lot of things lately. So much so that I am having a hard time focusing on anything long enough to get some clear ideas flowing. So much so that I have been avoiding thinking about just about anything so that my brain doesn't overload. Maybe I'm thinking about nothing, not like I would know, being such a jumbled mess right now. So, WEEEE, here we go. First, the Tsunami. Who hasn't posted about this in the last couple weeks? Tragedies such as this come in with a bang, and set off millions of psycological bangs immediately afterwards, and for years to come. From politics to theology (oh, those two much loved dinner topics), personal reflection to on the spot footage, no area is left untouched. I have been very impressed with the response to this disaster (not going to go into who is giving more based on what percentage... I just don't care right now). Being over in S.Korea makes it a little more personal for me as well. Why? Wel

Time Well Spent I have two places to send you, if your interested. First, do you like brain tazers? If you do, try The Dark Room . Its a good puzzle game: you have to find out how to get out of the 'hi tech' room. And it is a brain tazer, not a teaser. My wife and I took about an hour to do the whole thing; our brains hurt. A lot of fun Second, if you enjoy short films, here is an excellent one, entitled " More ." It is hard to say what its about.... its interesting, and worth the six minutes.