Mud On His Shoes

as the snow melts

2009-01-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

I saw two deer alertly feeding in the field today. Their satellite wing ears touring the hillside for signs of me watching. I was. They never saw. It felt like it should outside today. The veil of fog lifted after seven days, revealing a frosted world as eager as I to be thawed. picking up the lost limbs of the past weeks weight of snow, and tying the flayed arms of conifers to cover their hearts again, was a exercise in soul maintenance. Without the sun, I tend to lose the feeling that I need in my arms that keeps me swinging them forward. This winter and its snow has been lovely but I do sympathize with the trees as they groan under the weight of winter.

If you can't say anything good.

2008-04-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Then post some pictures. I'll try and redeem myself for all you long gone regular blog checkers. Life has a funny way of sending us around like a LEGO train. It was a year ago that I left for Korea. It was a great challenging and strange experience the plan as of right now is to find a plan and then do that till another plan comes and takes over. Here are some pictures from this evening.

2008-01-01T19:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. It was wonderful to be in such a lively place as Manila for New Years eve. The city sounded like there was a war going on. Fireworks louder than pipe-bombs are readily available on the street for sale. We rolled from our Hotel to the Malatay area of town on the Manila bay, had dinner and then went to a rooftop restaurant. from which we watched the fireworks display that the city put on. It was an impressive show to rival a "symphony of fire" display. The trip to Malatay was great we took a tricycle taxi. A motorbike with a side car. Three girls in the sidecar, the driver on the gas tank, Adam on the front of the seat sitting sideways, and me sitting backwards off the back holding on for dear life. As we rode along kids were throwing firecrackers into the road in front of us. At one point we drove over an exploding package of M-80s. Kinda like driving a minefield except with a smile. Yesterday afternoon we quickly got up rushed to the airport and flew home. Still wearing my shorts and tan I got to Incheon and dug through my bag for my jeans.
Back here in Seoul it is a nippy -3. I stayed in bed most of the morning not really wanting to deal with the cold. But this is the new year so it needs to be dealt with.

Manila

2007-12-21T23:54:00.000-08:00

Arrived in Manila this morning. What a change the rhythm of this city is so different from Seoul. We laughed on the way from the airport to our rented condo seeing children playing in the water on the street. "look, kids! actually doing stuff." The city is in a pre-Christmas shuffle everyone heading home. But what a difference from the often snow trial travels of home. Here its 28 degrees; winter to summer in the course of a 4 hour sleep. We're enjoying the food and the warmth. We head to Borakay tomorrow at four. really looking forward to being out of a city.

Christmas

2007-12-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

It has been to long. The grind towards Christmas is no less grating here then in Canada. Report cards Christmas parties to run and shows to play. For those who asked the show went well. I have about four shows a week these days. I am playing the regular Orange King gig two nights a week and have started opening for my friend Vadim's Band "The New Regime." Also there is the odd gig at and art show or some other event. All in all its a lot of work. Very enjoyable work but work none the less. The response has been great and I look forward to doing more in the new year. I will probably put together a band and start to get some bigger gigs.
At school my kids are doing great. They performed the Ann Mortifee poem Miss Rolly Polly Polar Bear, in front of all their parents today and did a wonderful job, clearly annunciating every word. It made me very proud. We had a birthday party and Santa came and gave them all presents. Hows that for a mind blowing day for a six year old. One more day of school and then ten days of bliss.
"Bliss" defined: 5 am airport shuttle to incheon airport, 8:45 am depart, 1pm arrive in Manila, The Philippines, Fly to Boracay, hit the beach exhale 8months of bad air and high strung city life. inhale tropical breezes, lush jungle islands, crystalline reefs teeming with life , and a few 50cent beers. sounds like a Merry Christmas. It sure won't be white and it won't be good family warmth but I'm on the other side of the world and i think it will make for a decent backup option.
Merry Christmas
p.s. If you were unsure about what you were doing for Christmas, come meet me of the beach.

ails and ales

2007-12-04T19:06:00.000-08:00

Tough time in school these days. There's some pretty nasty colds, flus, streps, bronchs, and fatigues falling on all of us. Its hard to keep the stuff away when kids are sneezing and hacking it up in your face all day. 'Tis the season.
I have a show tomorrow night in a friendly little pub called Phillies. I'm really looking forward to it.

Snow in Seoul

2007-11-20T19:07:00.000-08:00

It has Snowed the last two evenings here. Big wet fluffy flakes that melt when they land on the road but leave a crusty dusting on cars and in the shadows of trees and buildings. I find the weather to be similar to Vancouver right now and was able to predict the snow fall. Its a good thing too, because like a hairy caterpillar watcher I headed to Dongdaemun market to buy a Jacket and Tuque on Thursday. It was minus 10 with wind chill by Saturday. My camera is misbehaving so I can't show you pictures. (I say "misbehaving" because I don't want to cede the possibility that it is broken, after only a few months.)

Remembrance

2007-11-12T02:23:00.000-08:00

Just because there aren't red poppies everywhere doesn't mean I've forgotten.

Happy Pepero Day

2007-11-12T02:05:00.000-08:00

The fall is dragging out beautifully here. The colours stick and fall down in yellow ginkgo leaf showers. There has been a prolonged creep towards the first frost which seems unhurried.
We are studying the Planets in Kindergarten right now. I made a solar system out of Styrofoam balls. I think I am enjoying it more than the kids.
Yesterday was Pepero day. "Happy Pepero day to you." you thought Valentines was a cash grab. It can't shake a chocolate covered bread stick at Pepero day.
Pepero day November 11. "Pepero Day is a marketing idea invented by the makers of the popular snack. On this day, people buy boxes of Pepero to give to their lovers, teachers, classmates, coworkers, and pets. The date was chosen because November is the eleventh month of the year. The numerical date for November 11th (11/11) resembles four Pepero sticks. Shop windows are decorated with hearts and "Give Pepero to the special people in your life" signs." (Wikipedia aka "the oracle".)
The Lotte company makes 55% percent of its annual pepero earnings around this day.

Halloween

2007-11-02T01:03:00.000-07:00

I aimed for mildly scary, and wound up with utterly terrifying. We set up a haunted house and I was able to spend two days scaring the wits out of six year olds. I blame my family for instilling the idea that this is not only ok, but should be encouraged. (see Dutch holidays December 5)

This is the aftermath of spending to much time in the haunted house. I've got some great stories that I hope to write down soon, but they'll have to wait for now.

halloween

2007-10-24T02:11:00.000-07:00

I was going to blog about something profound like usual..... but since all around me my fellow staff are talking of nothing but Halloween costumes that's really all that is in my brain. We are looking at ordering costumes on school account for our school costume party. The issue is this; do I go as Spiderman with tights that only go to my knees. (korean catalogue doesn't have my size) or... why drag the joke on; the basic issue is, all orderable costumes become humorous rather than scary because of my huge size. That just is not very cool. I think I will end up as Dr. Frankenferter. that'll be the end of my job, I guess.

Adjashi Afternoon

2007-10-15T02:31:00.000-07:00

Adjashi; meaning man, but generally seeming to refer to older men. I spent Saturday afternoon wandering Seoul and found myself in a park in North Central Seoul which I have been to before where the Adjashis gather to play board games. Two games in Particular. One a form of Chinese Checkers and the other somewhere between chess and Mahjong. The place has the worlds highest concentration of old men. I can't prove that except by photo, so here it is. In contrast the man above is sitting in the Palace grounds watching the ducks, far enough away from the maddness that is the Soju'd scene below to be contemplative. The contrast was sublime.

Jeju -do Tropical currents

2007-10-04T01:19:00.001-07:00

Jeju is an island of the southern coast of South Korea. Because of its position in the yellow sea it picks up warm currents from south east Asia. This makes for an island filled with tropical crushed coral and white sand beaches, palm trees and mandarin orange groves,. The island was formed 450,000 years ago, or so, by massive volcanic eruptions. In fact the whole Island is made up of Lava rock covered in sediment.
This is a small farming and fishing village on the Island of Udo off the east coast of Jeju. We rented scooters and drove around the island; about a one hour trip.
In this photo you can see about six of the many craters that grew out of the ocean when this place erupted . I hiked three hours up to the top of Hallasan volcano, and four down. The trip brought me above the clouds as you can see. I had an image of the crater This is another sub -crater of the this geologic wonder. I hiked to the top of this crater at night under a full moon with a blanket and hiked through bamboo and brambles to the far side of the crater and slept in on a green shelf ledge with the sea smashing into the crater wall about 150' below me. I didn't bring my camera and so cann't share the beautiful sight that greeted me in the morning. Here are some basalt columns similar to the ones in Scotland. Formed from molten Basalt lava pouring into the ocean and cooling fast enough to shock it into a this form . The rock cracks and pulls away from itself in a hexagonal pattern. Here is a Palm shrub bloom . How cool is that.Bodhisattva won't you take me by the hand... Funny story . The ship you can see down in the Harbor is actually on land and is a remake of a dutch sailing ship captained by a guy named Hamel. He shipwrecked on this island in 1468 or 1648 . He and his crew survived and befriended the locals . But the governor of the island decided that they were in violation of the immigration laws, and threw them in jail for 13 years. The memorials that are around this place only mention that Captain Hamel and his crew "stayed" in Korea for 13 years. Nothing changes. Yummy mackerel steaks in hot sauce over an ocean front view. Back in Seoul .....................a well One last thing . I took this photo of bottled ginseng yesterday I thought it quite beautiful.

alright ok ok I will

2007-09-15T02:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just dont' feel like it and I know that you are out there reading, or rather wishing you had something to read, and there is nothing and the less I blog the less you care to look, but hey i am me and thats just part of the deal. Really what I'm saying is sorry for not writing.

Meanwhile, I just got this cool feature from asher that shows where people visit the blog from; a kind of palantir for the sight, so thats fun:)

My Kindergarten class can read! its pretty cool all of them can read the english language, if only a little. They don't really know what it means but they can read it. Some of them are really good and can read books without much help. I have one girl in my class, Lily, who likes to take my novels from my desk at reading time and just sits there staring at the pages and looking at me with a smirk every once and a while. They are really sweet and love me a lot. Julia who only speaks a little english will come in in the morning and grab a pen and write "I Love You" on a post it note, hand it to me and then run of giggling. They make it worthwhile doing the job.

The afterschool program is exhausting as it consists of short classes with lots of different kids, and so you don't really get to know them. Because it's after the morning sessions I have no enrgy to put in. Its a little too much. We are heading into the Week before the Thanksgiving ( Chu Seok) holiday. It will be nice to have the break. I will be heading to Jejudo, a Semi-tropical Island of the south coast. I really look forward to being there.

I am about to head out to a writing session with some friends. I've lately been able to get connected to some great artistic people who are helping me feed some of my creative impulses. We are writing a script to be used at the cd release party of a friend. A mob themed play to run throughout the night with video and live segues between sets. I also met a guy who produces a English indie magazine here in Seoul and he has hooked me up with a gig two nights a week at a restaurant playing guitar and singing. It will be a nice way to keep that going. Kind of nerve rattling as I have never had a regular gig or thought that I would. But hey its Seoul and odd things are possible.

Thats probably more than enough for a post but lots is happening. Sorry no photos today maybe next time.

A little Bit of Everything

2007-08-28T01:46:00.000-07:00

A great deal of heat exhaustion mixed with full moon ecliptical fever made this a bear of a day. As you can see getting these kids to walk the pace and stay on the rope as we traversed the busy Sinsa neighborhood to the park was nothing short of miraculous. Largely due to the Herculean effort by Jinny as the Line leader.

The Monkeys staying right where they should... for about three seconds.
Not your typical Asian street advertisement. Check out the Bobble-headed green haired hippie in the middle. Anyone recognize that chap?
One of the grand Palaces of Seoul. The home a great bronze bell one of the national treasures of Korea. But more excitingly the home of the Seoul National art museum, temporarily housing the Hapsburg Collectors of Vienna's masterpieces. A great afternoon was had, hanging with Rembrandt, Rubens, Denner, And Chiefly my first brush with Velásquez.
A moment of great pride and then curious unease. The Canadian Embassy on a beautiful old street in the palace district a warm welcoming albeit closed building. And then a short trip around the corner to the front gate of the US embassy. (the front Iron serrated gate with the 3"x6" bullet proof viewing window. But then the unease which embassy would I run to if shit really hits the fan. The nice welcoming "we rarely piss em' off eh" one or the "git yer tail behind this before all y'all git blown" one. Anyway considering the circumstance at the moment I sure was proud to see that Canadian coat of arms out on the Street.

sooo Hot

2007-08-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

The local swimming pool, a tragedy at this time of year.
Since you haven't yet seen my house I figured I better post a shot. Its the building next to the grape vines, bottom floor. It stays pretty dark.
The local mega-church backed by a cumulonimbus.
I forget this scholars name but its a cool sculpture in front of the local high school.
Can anyone Identify this gourd?
The weather outside is frightful. Luckily the 35c temps are fought off by the air-conditioners which run steadily. This makes the kids and myself short fused. It also makes me short of words so thats all Ive got today.

water and skin

2007-08-16T02:06:00.001-07:00

It's rained almost everyday for the past month. I got a rash from the water we swam in on my Chungju trip, it's about 40 degrees celcius at night and I can't lift my arms above my head from working out. ........some days are better than others.

2007-08-16T02:06:00.000-07:00

chungju lake trip

2007-08-07T19:52:00.001-07:00

Weekend retreat/ advance thing

2007-07-26T00:41:00.001-07:00

This past weekend our whole school staff, teachers (Korean and Foreign) bus drivers everybody took a early morning five hour drive across the Korean peninsula to Sokcho; a strand of beach along the east coast. Along the way we visited the birthplace of a family of scholars Korean heroes immortalized on the W 5000 bill. (house pictured above)
We had a wonderful lunch of Chigae at an apparently famous restaurant. Outside was a little pond filled with Lotus flowers. It was very nice but at about that time it started to rain; notice the first drop forming in the leaf. It rained all day on and off.

I'm a little taller than average in most places but here its really marked this is a few of the Korean staff and teachers from the school getting a head up. The food in the restaurant who's porch we are standing on served an excellent dinner topped with Italian coffee with Real Cream! Maybe its not the rarity that I think here but I certainly miss it.
I am reading Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" right now. This photo is both for the sake of the view but also because for the literary hilarity of snot-face's father falling prey to tetra-pod schemes. apparently its much more profitable to be in quadra-pod schemes. If you have no idea what I'm talking about then read the book. I will be sad to finish it in the next few days.
Morgan and Christine two of my colleagues enjoying the rain . It actually was quite lovely. I spent alot of the day playing my camera and guitar and listening to Neil Young's "On the Beach". "See the sky about to rain" never meant so much.

2007-07-19T01:21:00.000-07:00

This is how Alex, one of my students sees me.
This is the Egg man; lots of Beatles in our class.
This is him watching Iron Giant. He's my favorite new artist.

A Taste of the City

2007-07-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

I bought a camera. Its a nice little Samsung pocket camera. see what you think.

View from a mountain
And this doesn't even really capture it all

Laundry Day
Sunrise through Hongdae
Sunday Night in Myong Dong
Building or Sculpture?

Guui-dong shopping street
Guui-dong market
fish
Kiddie-Arcade
mountain in the city

Potter Street Philadelphia

2007-07-13T00:53:00.000-07:00

Maybe you read it maybe you didn't but in January I wrote a blog noting strange coincidences that crossed my path with Shane Claibourne author of "the irresistible revolution" and revolutionary worker for "the simple way" in Philadelphia. Shane's whole block, simple way and all recently burned to the ground. Check out his blog through the link or through my "others" link "Shane and the simples." Help if you can.

http://thesimpleway.org/

getting OLD, or is it just growing up?

2007-07-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

Its funny what makes you see it.
did you see my hair in those pictures.
i don't really make my hair look like that do I?
oh and zoom in on my shirt pocket. Can you see it.
I was given that pen today by Rose. She got it for me while in Guam.
I thought it a lovely gift. Then I slipped it in my pocket... In that instant I felt what my Dad must have felt like. I have no idea what he felt like when he got his first pen.
Maybe he bought his first teacher pocket pen himself. He's always had one.
I mean maybe he actually went through the doors of proffesional teacherdom of his own accord. I backed into them and realized as I slipped pen to pocket I was through. Its funny the
sweeps of emotion one can swing in a day.
It was only in the sand that I forgot about it again.
I don't mean to suggest that Dad is old but to me the 24 year old that was already teaching when I was born was old to me.
well I have to go teach a class.

I just looked at the photo again I don't think the pen is visible. But can't you just tell that I have a good teacher pen in my pocket.

the doctor

2007-07-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

edumacation at its funnerest

What else would I have done with my life? It reminds me of the song "lather" by the Jefferson Airplane. check it out its a good strange song about the improtant things, like drawing pictures and playin in the sand.

I hear rumour that quite a few people are checking up on this blog. Its always nice to know your audience, so please let me know if you peek in. Nathan, that especially goes for you. I hear you look in everyday. It is hard to post everyday but I will try.

Gwanngan Bridge against the city

2007-07-08T20:36:00.001-07:00

Pusan

2007-07-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend I traveled south on the KTX Bullet train three and a half hours to Pusan. Pusan is the second largest city in Korea, a mere 3 million. Set on the edge of the southern coast it is a bit of what I imagine Miami to be like except with Koreans. This means no bikinis, people wearing jeans and shirts in the water. I actually have no idea what Miami is like, maybe they wear jeans instead of trunks. Anyway the water was lovely.
I was able to visit my friends Remco and Kim Delmeijer. It was good to see them before they head back to Canada in a few weeks. They were good company as we checked out some of the night lights, ate Wei (raw fish) and hung out on the beach. I played some Volleyball on which has burned up my muscles in my legs and turned them into smoldering firewood instead of working appendages. (its been a while).
The bridge in Pusan was one of the highlights. A giant snaking span across the bay of the Gwang-Alli beach front. I was able to ride across it three times. Remco parked illegally and the car was towed so we had to cab over the bridge to get it and then back over. quite a lovely scene.
anyway I am back at school and need to get ready to teach.

friday ok maybe that was a little heavy

2007-07-06T01:19:00.000-07:00

Its friday. I have one more class to teach. The kids will write a test and then if theyre done early we will play scrabble. I used to play scrabble at home and hated it because Mom and Rueben would kick my ass. I hated it because of course I only ever play to win. Just kidding. But I thought that I was terrible and kind of stupid. Then I played other people besides them and i realized that I was not that terrible. That either means Im as stupid as evryone else or my Mom and Rueben are genius'. Anyway I am talking about people at college not my 10 year old students who speak english as a second language. But I sure can kick ass in those games. ah teaching is such a great ego trip.
today my kinderkids were all singing this song that is about loving kimchi but they changed the words to be that they loved me. its a bit much so I will leave here today and shave my head and wear sackcloth and ashes to humble myself. Actually Im going to find a corner store and buy a beer and sit on the stoop and people watch till im really hungry.

A look in the pool

2007-06-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

So its been a while since I wrote any sort of reflective piece thus the title. I got a strong gut reaction just now reading Asher's out of Africa blog and am thinking about all the differences in the world that we find are selves in. The other night I was out in Apgujeong-dong meeting a friend. The street is lined with the world's finest fashion houses and with beautiful people and their beautiful clothes all bought at a highstreet price. Korean people are naturally very beautiful but this neighborhood has a huge amount of plastic surgery clinics. People actually can get tax breaks for getting plastic surgery. THe most popular are eye skin tucks and colligen shots but it ranges to jaw reductions a process where the actually file down your jaw bone and adjust where the bone meets your skull. (suprisingly this is apparently very common.) the other is of course breast implants (the other option here being the water bra, a noticably common enhancment and serious disapointment Im sure. The most extreme, considering the infatuation with height, is leg lengthening. A six month procedure where the legs are broken seperated and allowed to grow and fill the fracture. The process is repeated to a gain of as much as three inches. All of this Narcissism behind closed doors does pour onto the street where the young twenty somthing women speed past "the Galleria" in their Mazaratti's going to the clubs. Those who have seen both say that this high flying Seoul is wilder then Manhattan. Coming into the world Fore at this time in history gives it a strange science fiction edge.
This is of course a discription of a crust of Korean society but it happens to be the part of the pie I am surrounded by these are the streets I walk home from work or when I go to do yoga or have a beer with friends.
I am sure that if some of my Korean co-workers read what I wrote they would be embarassed at my impressions that I send home. And that is fair. Because I don't speak the language I can't talk to anyone unless they speak english and so my impressions are from the rich who by and large speak english. It is kind of scary in Apgujeong how many young people will tell you a place in North America where they are from, usually playing up that accent and acting as if they lived there for more then the three or four years of college. These of course are the ones driving the bentley's.
So it gives me a feeling of unease to look at a schools red Roof in Sierra Leone and to stare across the street and see the giant flashing neon panasonic sign or Johnny Walker or Mercedes or whatever.....
Today we had a class birthday Party for Gemini he is 7, korean age that means 6 back home, and every kid got a box of cookies and ate enough cake to make horse sick, all provided by young Gemini's family, who I was told by my co teacher "were showing that they cared a lot".(I almosted pasted the guy on the spot, as if big cakes and presents ever made up for a good time with loved ones.) And despite the affluence of it all here was just a normal little boy having his birthday party with his friends. sure the cake was bigger then most, sure the presents cost more. But he still likes "baby beluga" and playing musical chairs and cries when he loses. it's his party, he can if he wants to. And it makes me think that much of our understanding of self and wealth is like the air we breathe. it comes like our skin. We only see it from another perspective if we get a chance to breathe someone elses air or have a skin transplant. And few 6 year olds are self aware let alone globally aware. it seems a little to much to ask on a birthday.
How much is to much? I can't say that I know the line but its a few turns before you get to the broken leg stretch exit Im pretty sure. "Of those to whom much is given, much is required. " I am gonna go in tommorow and donate a few inches between my knee and my ankle. It seems there's people who need it more then me. or at least they need something................

The little people I spend most of my time with.

2007-06-26T01:25:00.000-07:00

These are my M/W/F afterschool kids, Henry looks like I think he feels about being in a class of all girls but me. Most of these kids have spent time abroad and have a great grip on english already. right now we're reading a drastically abridged version of "The Nutcracker"
These kids shouldn't be in school at the time I teach them they should be tearing around, building forts, riding bikes, swimming and fighting; not sitting in desks learning another language at 4:30pm. As a result they rarely listen. They still surprise me with how much they do pick up.
Irene (and Steve in the background) brilliant, both of them. We have great classes in which I can talk at a very sophisticated level of English and they still understand (with the help of the dictionary.) Wendy also in the class took the day off (no photo)
This is Will hes going to be a Ninja when he grows up. He may already be a Ninja. He is one of the smallest fiestiest kids I've ever met. Him and Adrian Vanwoerden would get on famously. I teach him art, that is to say I put paint and a brush near him and see how long he's entertained for. I don't teach the kid "standing" next to him; thank the Lord. Today in this class on kid pee'd his pants another drew a penis on a picture of him self and Will here threw lots of paint on the floor and walls. Education; that's what its all about.
These are my Kindergarten kids. 5 days a week for 5 hours I hang out with these kids. We read good books and sing raffi songs, and draw, paint and play in the sand box, we write in our journals and listen to sweet music like Modest Mouse, Niel Young and Sigur Ros
This is Lola, I want to learn Korean because they say this girl has the driest sense of humor, she apparently is continually cracking lines at me that I can't catch.
That is John in my chair. As you can see I surround myself with quality art. Note also the "Where the Wild things are Masks" on the wall. That was a fun class. Alex is the fuzzy guy in front but you'll see him later.
Here they all are.. somewhat. this is from a set of 3 funny progression photos which Ill post later.
This is the school at 1:30 with all the K kids about to get on the buses. My classroom is in the window by the top of red "S" on the sign.
Alex and Tulip madly chopping away.
Julia, drama queen and someone whose humor I understand.
Alex: Very creative, possibly a few candles short of a cathedral.
Gemini and Soo Yeon, two of the sweetest kids. Gemini (the Boy) has the softest heart and is most likely to burst tears of all my students. Soo Yeon's favorite word is Belly button and she is continually sneaking around and poking other peoples. That leaves no mention of Andy, Danny, Rose or Taylor. I will have to get them in later

The land of the rising sun in technicolor.

2007-06-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

I know you all want to see the kids so thats what I will start with. I don't have a picture of all of them together but its a taste anyway.

Julia at snack time

Jinny at snack Time

John and Alex eating
and then whispering to each other. There are 9 others who I will get photos of soon. These were taken the day before I left.
I had to select from 365 photos for the few to post here.
The view from the mountain outside of Nara The building in the trees houses the largest Buddah in Japan and I think the world (now that the Taliban did their damage). And Below is a street view in a rainstorm.
This is a prayer ceremony happening in a temple in Osaka the camera looks like its on the floor because it is. I was being sneaky.
One of the best reasons for a young man to go to Japan. Kyri. This is the Osaka Castle great from the outside but a bore inside except for the amazing samurai gear. There are also Ninjas with weed wackers all over the castle grounds; watch out!
Which came first the man or the lantern sign?
I can't load anymore pictures without killing the computer so I will leave it at that. I hope to post them on a photo share site.

"I got the style but not the grace, I got the clothes but not the face"

2007-06-10T16:59:00.001-07:00

Well as far as culture shock goes that was quite the ride. I just spent an extended five day weekend in Osaka Japan. I felt like Frodo and Sam ( yes both of them at once) in the land of the elves. The country is so different only strains of common ground remain. I spent most of my time in the downtown hip area of Osaka called Namba, the clothes the food (except starbuck and Mc D's) so much variety and beauty. I was able to see the 17th century Osaka castle and go on a walk through a large area of shrines and temples. I also got into just stopping people on the street and taking there photo and trying to chat. I took a train through two mountains (literally through them) and went to the city of Nara where there are all these deer that are tame and wander around and nudge you for food. And I saw the biggest Buddah in the world....annd... and. I luckily brought my friend Jon's Camera. I have a lot of pictures and I will post them because I really can't describe it in words.

sweet weekend

2007-06-03T19:51:00.001-07:00

So Asher in response to your comments as to Hollands "loss" against Korea on Saturday.... Jon Plantinga and I heard late Friday that the game was happening and so after a long afternoon walk around Olympic park and the river we grabbed the train for the hour ride to the World cup stadium avoided the mayhem of train lines by jumping cabs and taking backtrack routes to get ahead of the crowds. The river of red jerseys flowing out of the station was only interrupted by the odd flash of orange. We got $50 dollar seats for $30 off a scalper and bought a bunch of beer and Kimbop (korean sushi- kinda weird food to eat at a sports event) from a guy with a ice bin outside and headed up to our upper deck midfield seats. We were the only two white boys (jon in orange) in a sea of black hair and red jerseys. The game was excellent. It was an even match for the first half with the dutch avoiding a deficit on a penalty kick through an amazing diving save. Rafeal VanderVaart scored on a penalty kick with no wall because of an inner crease slidetackle by the Koreans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCYPy79WkY
And then got his second of the night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeD8hCHtnwQ&mode=related&search=

After that we started hoping the Koreans would score because 60 000 depressed Koreans is no fun. But the Dutch dominated from then on with Hanguk only turning it on for a couple chances in the final minutes.

All in all it was so sweet to be there.

On Sunday afternoon I headed out to Jamsil and watched the FiVB womens Beach Volleyball world tour Seoul Open Final match between China and Australia. Where the Aussies won. It was a scorching day and perfect for sitting in the sun in the sand.

Oh yeah the kids that you all want to hear about. They're great. This morning we did phonics and read "Mouse Soup;" I read one page and they read the next. They're brilliant. Then we did workbooks and studied the magic "E" which changes vowels.. you know cake instead of cak. And then we listened to The Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" and coloured.

so it seems

2007-05-31T16:56:00.000-07:00

"They" have been known to call this the wireless generation and I survived for all of it so far been neither wired to a phone nor unwired. But no more.... I am riding the wirless wave where the future is friendly and and. Anyway I am so jealous of my personal space I don't know that Ill even give the number out. The only reason I got the phone was the need to have a means to recconect with the random people you meet in a city this size and without being reachable many pass you by. I have little faith that my social life will swing into high gear on the basis of my phone.

Pirates etc.

2007-05-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

Pirates of the Caribbean came out here a week before its N american release. Kind of nice to know we're ahead on a few things. Anyway I liked it but that is not the point of this short story. I went with two friends on a rainy Wednesday. We arrived five minutes late and so quietly had to slide into the theatre. Our seats were were right at the front and so at the slightest break in the opening scene I quickly shuffled up the empty third row. About a third of the way into my rush to my seat I was thrown off balance as I stepped on something sizable and then groaning on the floor. I was standing on the back of a very drunk old and passed out Korean man. I leapt off with an earnest apology before my hysterical laughter caught me and I fell back in my chair crying with laughter as the guy took the seat right next to me pretending as if nothing had happened.
Despite how funny my friends and I found the situation no one else laughed maybe they didn't hear my expletives and laughter or maybe they're Korean and so once again it just didn't happen. If something is too embarrassing it doesn't exist. funny that. Perhaps it was another case of lost in translation; funny things are not funny. Who knows, I do know that the movie was apparently mostly lost in translation I was often the only person laughing. As mom would attest to thats probably not just a Korean thing but me at movies. Maybe I have a low setting on my funny-shit-o-metre

Lotus lantern festival

2007-05-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

For the first time I feel like I have seen something that words can't come close to touching. This week Thursday is the birthday of Buddha, and over the weekend there was a lantern parade. There were many cheesy weird lanterns with kitschy Buddha babies on them, but there were some hundred thousand really beautiful paper and wood lanterns; very ornate and painted. The street was filled with thousands of people usually grouped holding the same style lanterns. The temple grounds were covered in countless strings of lanterns all in uniform patterned rows close as a ceiling and all alight.
I thought about how Buddha's impact on the world in terms of number of followers is close to Jesus' but how his birth month being warmer makes his festival much different. There is a lot of photo op pomp and circumstance to the whole affair. But some real genuine beauty and sincere adoration, (from some). It isn't quite as heavily commercialized as Christmas. Jesus got the corner on the market there, but there is a lot of vendors selling cheap shit. Temple clearing time for sure! But just to be able to wander around the grounds of a temple that is hundreds of years old, surrounded by drums and dancing, and a million lanterns is quite amazing.
It is strange how religion when broken down to its main elements has many of the same elements. rituals involving light and water as metaphors for spiritual cleansing and uplifting. large imagery of the human who set the stage for the religion. Large houses of worship, robes, music, funny hats. I guess the comparison is closer to catholicism than to protestant Christianity.
Taday is warm and sunny and I am about to go for lunch. There is a pretty little street near hear called Garosu-gil meaning tree street or green maybe, due to the Gingko trees that line it. There are some great places to eat a wide variety of foods, while doing some of the worlds finest "people watching".
Anjeong Ha ga say yeo

2007-05-17T19:48:00.001-07:00

I need to pass this along
thanks Justine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToEPFDIzhNA

2007-05-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the invite to the LFAS Grad show if you're in langley check it out. Anyone recognize that torso? Its me painted by Nana.

Response to email on Silence

2007-05-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

I have never before in my life realized the role that solitude and silence has always played in it. I have rarely if ever been afraid of silence and have often sought it out. Here in the eleventh largest city in the world with a culture of intense social structure and deep connectedness their is little room for solitude. The very idea is literally foreign to the culture. people never spend time alone. They have built in fail safes to prevent it. People never eat alone and if they are alone in transit their cellphones have solved the problem of solitude. People stare into the depths of their lcd phone screen as if they are luck charms to ward of the evil spirit of solitude. At all the Korean restaurants I have been at you cannot order a single serving of anything. They only come served for two. I have had to pack away more then my share on occasion. There is a guilty avoidance that surrounds me at times when I am eating alone. The Koreans around me feel sad for me that I am alone and so gravitate to fill the void and yet the language barrier keeps them away and so you feel extra alone. None of this however gets to the heart of the matter of solitude in Seoul. I crave my time alone. There are people and cars and exhaust and scooters and flashing neon signs everywhere. It literally fills you with its poison till your lungs can't clean it out and you get sick. I have had to work hard to find the tiniest scraps of solitude and I have never felt deeply fulfilled. Even on the small mountain parks in the city the sounds and smells fill you. I have had to use my Ipod as a mean to find some controllable space. It is not the deep silence that I long for. I will keep searching the city till I find it.
It occurred to me yesterday that certain cultures focus on different aspects of human longing some seek success some fine food some dress to impress. Here it seems that they strive to connect yet it is sadly strange that despite this deep search and the social structures it has made that Seoul has the highest rate of suicide of any major city.
I found the Changdukjung palace a few weeks ago it seems that the kings here may have been some of the only ones who understood the need to find solitude. They built their palaces with large spaces, quiet streams a botanical garden, a banzai house, ponds and a small forest. This is the only place so far where true solitude may be found that I have seen. Solitude is not a luxury to take for granted and it is not always possible. it may be the greatest luxury that we have in Canada.

peace
Joshua

Sorry its just that there's 20million people worth of fun to be had

2007-05-08T01:29:00.001-07:00

So this weekend was great I went out to Itaewon to check out the scene on Friday night and had a great time with Rebbecca from TO and Courtney from Buffalo they showed me all there favorite sights. Itaewon is the haven for foreigners in Seoul you feel like you enter this weird twilight zone. The influx of American Gi's makes it really suck on the street but so long as you stay out of the hip hop clubs and hooker bars its ok. Plus they get the Military police to clean them all out for their 11:00pm curfew. Sucks to be in the army. When you are seeing lots of GI's though there is an amazing multi-cultural ism to the place. Korea has harbored many African (especially Sudanese) refugees. There are great Turkish Hookah bars also.
On Saturday I went to the 1st Seoul World DJ fest. Though it took forever to find the place it was well worth it and I wasn't on my way home till about 5am with the dance party still going.
Last night I had my first Korean Gym experience. The gym was however a branch of the California Wow fitness clubs. But of course this one is Korea style. So it is as big as all Vancouver's fitness centers put together. The hot tubs and saunas were pretty sweet.
Any way I have to get to the rug rats who right now are have play time with Duskim my co teacher. I have finally gotten sick. Everyone told me it was coming and so its no surprise. The pollution and new germs just took three weeks to finally get to me. Ill live.

email that made for a good post (its kindof cheating I know)

2007-04-25T23:01:00.001-07:00

HelloThings are going really well. Work has been hard the kids get better and then regress into madness. This morning was particularly draining. I have a student who seems to want to push me at every step. And the worst part is that he can't speak much English and so he talks back in Korean and the other kids laugh. It's quite frustrating. Anyway the afternoon went much better.
last night I hung out with Chunghee Lee, Kenny Lee's cousin. He's a really neat guy we went for an amazing dinner and then wandered around Gungnam O, he showed me a lot of cool places my favorite being the batting range on top of a store parking lot. we were cracking balls in a batting cage while people are getting into there cars five feet below. Only in Korea.
There is just so much to see and hear and do. Getting food has been the hardest thing. I can see why being in a place is the fastest way to learn a language. there is so much that is necessary and ordinary that I can't accomplish with ease. However the food, when it comes, is amazing. Last night we ate a Beef sum Gap salle (spelled horribly) . There's a little bbq and coals in the middle of the table and a long tray of different greens. You fry the thinly sliced beef marinated in a garlic sauce and then wrap it with greens and Kimchi and a soy paste and garlic clove and other unknown things and then stuff the big package into your face. it is great social eating. We also had some Soju Plum wine which was delicious. After dinner we cleared our palettes with cold noodle soup, not my favorite.
I think I am going to use some of this on my blog I just don't feel like having to write about it all again. Anyway things are good I do miss being at home. I miss you and I am sorry that I can't be there to hang out with Rue and Asia. I miss the quiet and the clean air. And quiet glasses of wine and books, and newspapers that I can read.
I will talk to you Soon. I can't get a phone until I have my papers and I can't get my papers until I go to japan and I can't go to Japan until Dordt sends me a new transcript that has an official seal over the flap. I told them to put a wax seal on it next time...chuckle headed honkies.
anyway. I am going to watch the Hockey game tonight so don't tell me the score. In Fact NEVER TELL ME THE SCORE. Or talk about the score or make reference to the score. we watch the Canucks games about 24 hrs after they happen.
I love you and will write soon
Love Joshua

Seoul Weekend

2007-04-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend discovering the city and my neighborhood. There is a bar called the Rocky Mountain tavern where I can watch the Canucks games They play them the day after so if you've seen the final scores don't tell me without asking if I've seen it. I watched the game there on friday and then went out with a bunch of people that I met there. then I watched the dissaster of a game there last night. I will be there to watch it on tuesday night. On saturday I had quite the experience I had to get groceries. The format of the store is familiar but nothing on the shelves is. IT took me about two hours not because it was hard but because I really enjoyed wandering and loking at all of the weird things for sale. so many odd veggies and strange meats and animals. Yesterday was earthday I think and I watched barbra walters talking about the rape of the oceans. This is in evidence here. tanks loaded with all kinds of live fish. and clams, crabs and everything else you can think of. It is scary to think of the quantities disappearing everynight on Seoul dinner tables.
Anyway on another note I went guitar shopping. I guy told me about this place that is built over a street in Jung no sam ga where they sell guitars. The place was three stories high and filled with about 300 hundred musical instrument vendors. all kinds of instruments and thousands of guitars. Some really cheap and others fairly normally priced. But the sheer scale that they do things on here was astounding. I didn't end up buying a guitar, but will soon.
Saturday night I went with Reuben and scot and their wives out to this club where their friends were playing. It was a recording studio/ club two bands played the one was a Krazy Korean rock band full of whats becoming typical antics for Koreans which is nutty by american standards more on that later. The other band was a great folk band. the players were all americans that have lived here and speak fluent Korean their lead singer was a Korean girl named Sonny. since everything was in Korean it was hard to follow the lyrics. We all went out after to a wings place. It was great lots of Korean to talk to. Then there were two strange personal connections. The First was that Jon Plantinga came to hang out with his girl friend we had a great time hanging out and catching up I don't think Ive seen him since I was 15. The other was that this girl sitting next to me told me that she knew about Dordt college. She is Korean but grew up in LA. She knew Grace Yoon really sweet Girl that went to Dordt who I went to a conference in Seattle with. It was very bizarre and cool.
Anyway this is an excessive blog. Who reads this much
no camera = no pictures
Ill get one fear not

Day Two

2007-04-18T01:20:00.000-07:00

So I have a class of Kindergarteners all morning. From 9:30 till 2:30. There are eight children in the class and only one of them speaks english at all. I spend my day singing songs like "head and shoulders" and "I had a little Turtle, his name was tiny tim" They particularly enjoy the part about the bubbles because bubble sounds like some other word in Korean which they are unable to explain to me. They are very cute and loaded with energy. Yesterday was a day spent laying out the classroom ground rules. They were aweful. Students yelling and jumping on tables. After I yelled they decided they liked happy Mr Joshua better and were mostly good for the last five minutes of the day. It is very difficult to get ideas across and so I do a lot of song and dance explaining with hand gestures. They are at least entertained for a few minutes. But it requires a lot of short activities.
Today went very well the seemed to come in with a desire to only see happy mr. Joshua. They were almost good all day. After lunch they have liquid sugar for blood and it is hard to get their heart rates down. One child is a bit of a mad man and gets a look in his eyes every once and a while and stands up and sits down making crazy faces. we will have to work on that.
They have made beautiful pictures of turtles and fish.
Anyway Korea is crazy besides the crazy kids. Yesterday evening I walked around my neighborhood. Everynight the place is crawling with people dressed to the nines driving swanky cars and drinking Soju. There are massive neon signs everywhere and livliness that is not found in much of North America. People work all night it seems. Not just people like architects who put in long hours. But mechanics have there shops open late and handymen can be seen putting up awnings at 11 o'clock at night. It is totally bizarre.
Anyway I will post pictures when I get a camera and give you more of a taste.
I love it.

Wet Feet

2007-04-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

So Im here
I now reside in a city of many milions of people that stretches as far as the eye can see, if it could see for the smog. Actually I have not found the air that bad, though there are a lot of people around wearing masks. I have a beautiful sunny classroom in a quaint school in the wealthiest area of seoul known as Gangnam. I am overwhelmed by all the new and strange experiences. I feel powerless as a language minority and look forward to learning to speak it. Dinner was my first experience with Kim Chi. I loved it.
I will get some pictures and more posts soon

Korea

2007-04-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

about time!!!

sheesh that took me a while

so if word has not leeked your way let it be known officially that I am moving to Korea. It thoughted to mi self, self yer a goo teahcer go an teahc those Koreens sum englishing.

I am leaving on saturday morning and will be there for a year. Its all happening a little fast but thats the way i like to do things. anyway never fear there will be many more posts coming so stay in touch, and remember Jesus is alive here he is on sunday in Sanfransisco taking out the garbage. My brother Rueben took the photo. feels kinda like the sasquatch photo.

THE MUD

2007-03-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

I have begun a second Blog to showcase my artwork

Click on the link aa MYartwork in my on my "the others" list.

2007-03-14T23:20:00.000-07:00

silver fish on crimson foil
mary pratt 1987
oil on masonite
18 3/8" x 27 7/8"

Mary Pratt

2007-03-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know MAry Pratt's work you know the intense luminesence of the paintings and the warm domestic sensibilities that indwell the work. Her work has been an influence on me since I saw her retrospective show at the VAG in 1996. I was able to see her at the Langley Fine Arts school in 97 when they opened the Gallery named after her in the school. So it was a strange circle of event the brought me back around to student teach at LFAS and to teach a grade 12 painting unit on Mary Pratt; and an even greater stroke of providence that brought her back to open the show and celebrate her birthday and the 10th anniversary of the gallery at langley Fine arts school on monday night with her newish husband Jim Rosen. They were both deeply glowing refined people. It was delightful to hear mary speak about her favorite work and the path she has walked over her career and espescially the last 10 years. A truly remarkable evening and tribute to a Canadian giantess.

grade 6/7 painting after Mary's work "the breakfast table"

grade 12 paintings

at the show.

rain rain ahh

2007-03-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

there was more of it on sunday then we usually have in the entire month of march. considering this is vancouver and rain is what we are known for you can imagine that it it was like those iowa summer thunder showers; here one minute and sunny with a road of rivers the next, except in this case the road of rivers ran while the rain continued and the sun hid in the oaxican cabanas.
spring break?
this weekend I get to see dordties from the band and choir. im excited.
I strongly recommend Dale Chihuly's website. raw beauty from a pirate
http://www.chihuly.com/
just mess around on the site till you find yourself lost in loops of images of glass baubles and twizzles and doodlywhacks. be sure to look at his drawings and note that those abstract squiggles are in fact the roots of the finished work.
all creation sings
here is a pirate from the north coast who knows what to do with some dreary wet weather.

Larry King

2007-03-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

I got very impatient with my blog layout because It looked like whatever that thing is that larry king sits in front of.
I dont have much else to say; its friday..
I think I'll head into the city tonight and see the sights and hear the sounds.

check out the link I have under "the others" that reads "asher in sierra leone" now there's sombody with somthing to write about... he's my brother in case you didn't know.

Well lets see I guess I can shine a light on my life.. a little. I have been substitute teaching in Langley Christian school for most of the week. Today I taught Communications 11, Bible 10, Band 10 and PE 10. Of course all things that I have prepared for as a teacher. Most of my days are really about tugging together the wide strands of my sentience and dangling them as best I can in hopes that the students will be able to get what they need to out of the class.
Some days this goes very well. On wednesday I taught science 8 and led a lab on Viscosity of milkshakes and increased vacums in various straw sizes. Milkshakes, straws...eighth graders...can't really go that wrong.

Knee-on Bye-Bull

2007-03-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

Its good.
the arcade fire album is good.\
it doesn't come with the jolting freshness of Funeral, that beautiful unexpectation like getting hit with lighting. Buying this album was more like going to touch an electric wire and your not sure if its on, but you hope it isn't and the anticipation is more painful then the jolt could ever be.
I find the albums themes appropriatly dark without losing light. "the well and the lighthouse" and "keep the cars running " are ......music reviews are not my thing.
I love this album
its good
there are good songs on it
I like the things they say
Organs are powerfully sublime
that is somewhat redundant
amen

Croix de Mots et Cyrano

2007-02-06T20:23:00.000-08:00

If you didn't catch it from the title my life over the past few days has consisted of being a TOC in a french class and doing crossword puzzles while watching Gerard's nasally superior performance dans le film Cyrano de Bergerac. Its still funny the third time.
The crosswords aren't so bad either. I have never been good at them but the last few days has brought some success at even the New York Times daily.
Life is I admit dripping by. but by a drip the ocean could be emptied. It is because of this that I am seeking other occupations. It may come down to the old faithful "seeking my fortune" gig. you know the one where the guy walks out the door with a stick over his shoulder with a stuffed kerchief tied to the end. Come to think of it though most of those stories end with giants and gold and selling everything and gaining nought but the knowledge that home is where the heart is. mmeh
its probobly still worth the walk.

80lbs of the runs

2007-01-20T12:05:00.000-08:00

So I spent my saturday morning heaving two weeks of Cow shit from the barn to the pile. Mixed with all the snow and rain it was quite the sloppy sea. So by 11:30 I had smatterings of manure all over myself. Ive since scraped of the shit and should get to doing some house work.

The Photo is the road in front of my house a few weeks ago.

can anyone email me the text line needed to create links to other blogs? I am always going through other peoples comments to get to other blogs.

yours truly

Shit on his shoes

2007-01-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Highspeeeeeed oryx

2007-01-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

Finally I will spend less time grunting and yowling at the desktop demon and more time living in peace and harmony thanks to the wonders of hi speed interbop.
It seems kinda strange I had grown used to the relationship as it was. Id write a letter the computer would accept it lovingly then in a fit of hystaria tear it to shreds in my face and stare out with those blank eyes that say "this program is not responding" then I would curse leave and have a great excuse for not using the damn thing for ten weeks. ah well I guess we'll do whats best for the kids.
meanwhile I have almost a full week of teaching booked so that should be fun and then in two weeks I am going on a 3day biology trip to the island. not a bad gig so far.
I think I loaded a picture of me whipping a huge bull kelp plant from last summer... no reason just found it and now can load it with speedster webblies over here.

pointless activity really

Well ain't it a funny ole worl'.

2007-01-10T23:22:00.000-08:00

I guess this is more on the whole coincidence thing. Shane Claiborne spoke at TWU yesterday and today and I made the hefty 10 minute drive to go and listen. What a guy, truly revolutionary. the dreadlocked baggy clothed Phillidelphian urban farmer, enemy of poverty and full time lover with a fresh eye for the gospel had quite the impact on ole Josher here. His book was a shake, but to be sitting with him and talking to him a few days after finishing the book and thinking "dang Id like to meet that guy" was quite a trip. I guess it just makes sense but then again, how? I don't really know. Then by Buechneresque coincidence the organizer asked me of all people what I was doing after chapel and would I be able to get him to the airport? HA!
so I did. I guess its not the Worl' thats so funny but God.
One interesting anecdote I learned from Shane was the root of the coloquialism "spittin' image" as in "well ain't he the spitting image of Jesus." which fits nicely because when said without the southern drawl "spittin image" breaks into "Spirit and image" this cat sure was in this case the Spirit and image of Jesus.
The other funny ole worl' thing thats only funny because I don't really feel like crying about it is that we got a huge snowstorm today. Now snowstorms are great right, and they bring school closures and fun and tabogans and skis, but I rely on schools being open for my $ and my arms hurt pretty bad right now so I can't mess around in it. Also we aren't supposed to get snowstorms like this here, they're supposed to be on the other side of the mountains and country, and on the east coast theyre playing BC winter games like golf. That burns a hole in my gut when mixed with that huge chunk of Ellis Island up in the artic that just melted off, and mixed with the Detroit auto show that reported no news of any hydro powered line of cars instead the new Dodge Avenger V10, and mixed with George "Avenger" Bush's speech on the new strategery for Iraq which is not funny or cute but just f*C%'n scary. more war not less, Where is the Peace plan. can I get an amen computer land? The time has come the walrus and the drowning polar bear said, to talk of other things. It is time for the massive change I dream of and I know it starts with me so a little help and a lot of hugs are in order. Stanley Park is a windswept mess today with a hundred acres of ancient trees fallen over, My great grandparents are dead if you know what I mean.
Alright, Im not done, but Ill stop; it gets me a lot scared though. I need a car to work tommorow but driving it causes the problems that makes going to work futile. argh I was gonna stop.
I live on a farm, I can grow my own food.
I know how to knit and sew, I will make my own clothes.
I can paint and teach and that is beautiful (most of the time)
I have friends, that is good in itself but they also have many talents, and friends, that can help
Massive Change any one? im in, lets talk.

coincidence

2007-01-08T22:51:00.000-08:00

AS frederick Beuchner puts it, Coincedence is the whispering from the wings that you showed up in the right spot at the right time, everything is going to be fine, and you have not been forgotten.
Well I didn't get the job, I already found out. THey really liked me but all my ideas for school of rock are apparently to riske <--- there is supposed to be an accent on that e.
anyway maybe they read my blog and noticed the glaring grammatical errors in the lines where I talk about applying to teach grade six. I guess my beatnik slang ain't hep to their jive. But dang them sixers would have dug three months of misty mountain hop oh well their loss.
Oh well there's always snuff.
so about coincidence
well I hope thats whats developing; one big happy coincidence. feel free to help out.
so Im packin my bags for the misty mountains where the spirits soar, over the hills where the spirits fliiiiiiiiiiiii. ooo ooo oo oo

Haircut etc.

2007-01-08T20:23:00.001-08:00

I have taken to doing my own haircuts these days and so far I think i will never go back to a barber. Except to maybe give him a pinch of snuff. Which as I was just reminded by my father is tabacco ground to a fine powder and then snorted up your nose............smoking may seem stupid to some but snorting tabacco up your nose is crazy. at least smokers can argue that they enjoy the act of sitting and having a smoke but who is going to argue that they really like their after dinner quick nasal inhale of tabacco powder. seesh its a good thing that didn't make it into the 21st century as a popular activity.
Anyway, I had interview today it was for a grade six classroom teaching position. not exactly what I signed up for but hey who knows.
Turns out that Shane Claiborne is going to be at Trinity Western to do chapel tommorow at 11. I will be going. I m pretty stoked to hear what he will say After reading his book Irresistable revolution, Which you should all read....well if that isn;t enough book plugs for him I don't know what it is.
I just typed know like this "nkwo" wchih mekas me tnihk of tohse seewt wtire ups wrehe all the wrdos are selpt wtih olny the fsirt and lsat lteter in the rhgit sopt but you can sltil raed it. taht's sewet.
As I read over that gobeldigook I think it might be more complex then that but let me know.
Anyway that is probobly a sufficient amount of BS spewed into cyber space for one night.
byyye

Sunday afternoon, Knitting, Palestine, Manderlay

2007-01-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

I have taken up knitting. its fairly mind numbing and I don't like that about it. after about three rows I feel like placing the needles on a machine that will continue the rest for me. The scarves I am making however are awsome and so the reward is big.
I called sioux center this afternoon it is still there.
I have been reading Jimmy Carter's book "Palistine; Peace not appartheid" it makes me rant and rave and froth at the mouth, this means its good, but very troubling. I did'nt have a good grip on the inter-national politics of the region and this book makes many of those things clear. It should be read by anyone who either doesn't really understand whats happening there or just thinks that Isreal is the people of God and they should get to do what they want.....because they should'nt get to. I should probobly write a more in depth essay and post it but right now I can't.
I also saw Lars Von Triers film "Manderlay" this weekend it is the second part in his series critiquing american culture, which began with "Dogville." I highly recomend it, with a warning that its not a good date movie, kind of like passion o the Christ... Dane that warnings for you. Anyway I am interested to hear what some of you who have seen it thought.
I was particularly struck but the shift in Grace's character from a passive role to a very active and affective role. I found her to take on the character of wazizname from Dogville the young idealist.
Well, time short, must go

after the flood

2007-01-02T16:22:00.000-08:00

Happy new year everyone
It has rained for 90% of the new year here in Langley BC. Christmas was spent in Sanfransisco and Yosemite Nat'l park wow.... big rocks. I am looking for gainful employment for the new year as I am now finished the whole student thing. Long strange trip that was. I wouldn't likly be writing a blog if I hadn't gone back to Dordt let alone a million other small things it has changed and the big things like all of you wonderful people out there who I met at Dordt and who might read this.
good reads and listens of 2006
books
"the Alchemist" by paolo coelho
"the irresitable revolution" shane claibourne (amazing)
"silence" Shusako endo

music
Bob Dylan "modern Times"
Gorillaz "demon days (thanks Ross)
Calexico w/ Iron and Wine "in the reins"
Sufjan Stevens "Christmas Album"
Decemberists "Crane Wife"
Lowell George "Thanks I'll eat it here"
Leonard Cohen soundtrack tribute cover thing "Im your Man"

Anyway visit soon or let me know if you hear of a sweet art teaching job and then I can come.

a goodly sum

2006-12-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

Good evening
That is such an interesting phrase. Good-even-ing as if at the end of a day all the things will be made equal if only for a few short hours. Well perhaps. per-haps. haps? how come that slipped the lexicon. Well the haps of the day are that my neck is so sore that I feel like I've had a board nailed from my head to my back preventing movement without excruciating pain. I think people become uncomfortable if you turn your whole body ackwardly towards them to talk.
I had my final class evaluation from my supervisor today. These have been going well. It has been said of me that I have all the unteachable skills that it takes to be a teacher. I think this is a high compliment but I worry about all those things I should have paid attention to in class. I am now one week away from being finished the official part of my program. The un-official part being the paperwork, portfolio etc. meh....
Tis a strange thing to think that three years ago I was emailing Eric Vanwyk asking if he might know of a place where I could rest my nog when I got to Sioux Center. January 8th I was moving into the Farmhouse.

"When it is over, I want to say: all my life
Iwas a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it is over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular,
and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and
frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited
This world."

Mary Oliver

snow etc.

2006-11-30T11:42:00.000-08:00

this is the third attempt to post this same stupid post and it keeps being eras...

Some of you who are teachers might apprecitate this. Now if this wouldn't make you want to be a teacher there must be somthing a tidge outta square in yer head.
In 1872 these were the printed rules of conduct for teachers.

1.Teachers each day will fill lamps and clean chimneys.

2.Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and scuttle the coal for the days session.

3.Make your pens carefully. you may whittle nibs to the individual taste of pupils.

4.Men teachers may take one evening a week for courting purposs, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly.

5.After ten hours in school the, teachers may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books.

6. Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.

7.Every teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden to society.

8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquer in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.

9.THe teacher who performs his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of twenty-five cents per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves.

As all of you know I am the perfect candidate for such a position what with all me chimbley sweepin' skills.

fit to be tied

2006-11-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

So I bought this great new pair of running shoes, which I guarantee will rarely be used for running. So I was sitting on the stoop of our fireplace tieing them up when I got home and my mother, interested in my new shoes, was standing by watching and talking to me. Suddenly she stops takes a closer look and bursts out laughing. Apparently the way that I tie my shoes is different then her and as she sees it, ridiculously funny. SHe actually ended up on the floor laughing soo hard. When my dad came ot see what was so funny my mom got me to tie them again for his viewing pleasure. He also laughed... I suffered emotional damage no doubt and will never tie my shoes in public and especially not on a first date. Im trying to decide which is more damaging on a first date ridiculous lace tieing or velcro shoes? hmm Einstein wore velcro. he also painted his door red so he could find his house. If I lived in suberbia I would probobly have to do that. But then I can't imagine living suburbia. maybe serbia though, holy kalishnikov that might suck aswell.

the Skinny

2006-11-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

Its this! Im student teaching at the Langley Fine art school. It is going very well. blogging on the other hand is strenuous and difficult to do. I feel guilty about not writing so I don't. Figure that out. more skinny to come

Ok you'll just have to wait a little longer, you see Although I love you very much I have a class to attend to right now; Grade twelve Advanced placement art. Lovely bunch really, quite splendid, actually. Ta ta

In case you missed it the previous paragraph should be read with an oxfordian accent. (pronounced: Axe-sint)

oh yeah trees

2006-08-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

So I was going to write that I worked on a sweet mansion today. We are building it over looking the Fraser river and the glen valley . It is being built by this engineer from Japan named Kimmy Ito. Absolutly gorgeous house. I will try and post some pictures. the property was planted 80 to 100 years ago with beautiful trees from all over the world, all manner of pines and sequoias and maples and magnolias. it is an amazing place to work. not to make anybody wish they were here but... I wish you were here.

trees and pool

2006-08-02T23:21:00.000-07:00

I just returned from six games of pool with my two brothers; Asher and Gabriel. Not a single game was won by any method other than sewred black ball. wierd. ASher is back from Halifax for the month it is good to have him around. only one short now, but he has to stay south side. Not to load the interweb with incriminating news but. Just in case you didn't know, and Im not saying that I do know, but, if you go to the airport to pick up your brother at 1:30am in Vancouver and you happen to need a beer... like ya do, then I hear that if you go to the international arrivals terminal and stop at the Eliphant and Castle pub And find yourself nearly alone minus your bro and few stragglers waiting for relitives from Kualalampur. then take a beer mug from the drying rack and check the taps because at about that time they serve up a mean pint o Guiness... not that I would know, but being as there is no door or door man or bar man or maid or janitor or really anybody except kualalumpurians you might as well try. but I wouldn't know.....mmm guiness

thee undead

2006-07-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

Reasons:
dial up internet

appologies:
sorry!

people I really like
those who care to keep checking

Main body of letter:

Johnny Cash's "American V" is keeping that hole in my soul a little more filled in these days. It seems that time is crawling by but at the same time evaporates before I have done anything with it. that wily old time. So I guess I should finish my story that I left off heading to Devils tower. Lets see... I never slept that night in my car and the next morning was misty and I got to the tower at about 7 am. Amanda remember how strange it seemed that the Volvo had that little "break Failure" sign written right on the dash, and how scay I thought it would be to see that light up. Well!! as I pulled out of the parks parking lot that light came on and my brake peddle went to the floor and I just rolled forward. Mist mountains... no brakes. nearly dirty pants. I could pump the brakes and get them to stop.. I put some fluid in and drove with shitty breaks all the way home. Yes there are big hills in the Rockies. I visited the Jeff Schutter. sweetness. and potatoe fields. oh yeah.. hey Bozmanians this girl named Erin from my church is marrying a Bozmanian named Ben. he wears black hornrimmedish glasses....D'ya know 'im? its not as if I didn't describe him well enough.. well he says he knows you.
Then I went and visited Justine in Lacombe and then drove home.
That was a long time ago.
The breaks are now fixed
THe car which is named "Henderson" is still running... well...ish

Don't bite it hurts, and look what mosquitoes get for all their biting. That is a very bad way to die. its a good thing we don't need to bite things that are way bigger than us and have opposable thumbs in order to get our food. we'd use buckets instead of caskets. yeesh, sorry about that image

shoes and socks

2006-07-22T22:48:00.000-07:00

It is hot in case you hadn't noticed. the blueberries are ripe and dripping to the ground. There is no one else awake my jet lagged parents are sleeping on this side of a african walkabout. My brother who is nineteen which means hes really in his 20th year , as of yesterday is ... why don't they count your day of birth as your first birthday!? I have built two houses this summer. I have calouses.

someday?

the Long Way

2006-05-19T22:44:00.000-07:00

Wednesday afternoon provided the overcast weather and car insurance and a week of hanging on at Dordt, finishing up was enough to raise the haste in my steps. i packed beginning at about three and was on the road after a pasta dinner, which my mouth wouldn't let me eat slow.
"Henderson" my "new to me" 1975 maroon Volvo 244 DL worked out its sore joints and clogged arteries becoming evermore comfortable at highway speeds; shaking out to a steady growl at either 60mph or 70mph; nuthin in between but the shivers, starting in the floor and rattling my hands on the wheel. The good Doctor and his family of Hendersons had handed over the sioux center sleepy sedan despite authentic saddness from Sabine and Rose. I am assured that their minds have eased with cappucinno's and cobblestones in their noses and eyes.
Driving into the South Dakota head wind. setting the arrow for the Black Hills sometime in the night. Near the Badlands the clouds shredded and pulled away from a moon, a shave away from fullness. and from there the wind was calm except for its rush past my window and the moon shed that extra needed light at the edge of the highway when you can't highbeam the oncoming trucks.
I drove through the quiet deserted and at this hour appropriatly named Black Hills at around 2:00 and after making my way on fumes for the better part of an hour parked in a ranch service road a short ways down from the gates of Crazy Horse Mountain. It was dark despite the moon and the street lights, and so the mount was obscured to a blue silhoette I walked up a frosty hill to see it close and then returned to my car to try and sleep.
6.4ft of man dont easily rest in 4.2ft of 75 Volvo and so after much shifting of my rump I sat back in my seat and shifted out into what was now a predawn road. The light blue brightening to gold as i pulled into the first fuel shop and gased up and headed for the Devil's tower.

pal·i·sades

2006-05-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

pal·i·sade ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pl-sd)n.
A fence of pales forming a defense barrier or fortification.
One of the pales of such a fence.
palisades A line of lofty steep cliffs, usually along a river. tr.v. pal·i·sad·ed, pal·i·sad·ing, pal·i·sades
To equip or fortify with palisades or a palisade.

All this equiping and fortifying may seem a little strange to some but I jsut got back from a day of rest in this strange gulch of south dakota that goes by the afordefined name.

and it was good
sort of a quite hurrah after all the hooplah
It just feels good to sit in cold water after saying too many goodbyes

the end

5:12am central time

2006-05-04T03:14:00.000-07:00

I now own a deep red 1975 Volvo 440 Sedan.
And they say great here we go again.
I believe it has the magic to get over the mountains.
I tried sleeping but after an hour and a half laying in bed I got up and began doing the things that need doing. No rest for the wicked or the procrastinator I guess maybe that is true at the end.
I move in twenty minute mood swings these days. Joy to be leaving swinging to stomach wrentching sadness over those I won't see much.
I don't like it
so much to do and I really just want to sit talk and smoke over a good beer with good people
I guess Im a Hobbit really. a freaking tall Hobbit
Ent draughts all around
Hurumph
what is the soul of a man? tell me Bruce Cockburn tell me
Dr. Tazelaar needs to know if I know, twelve hours from now.

my neck and my back

2006-04-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

they're sore is what they are.
The fakers can't make believe about that.
The music may be a real psuedo sound but the head thrashing is the real thing.
The day was grey enough to make yesterday's tan fall of my face
I shouldn't write papers on days like this
it would be intersting to see if papers written on days like this get me poorer marks because of their blue attitude
I bought a shirt with a skull on it today, I get the errrge to burn money when the sky is ashen
Skulls are a missunderstood symbol, we all carry one around all the time and yet to see one is usually a symbol of death rather than of cranial support, holy magical creativity and safety.
cradle to the grave...
the blue jays are back screaming around in horny packs....

the very last of the last blog

2006-04-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

I looked at myself in the mirror just now and noticed that I have a rather sizeable beard. I know it may seem only logical seeing as I havn't shaved in some time. But it struck me as quite wonderful that I have hair, blonde, red and brown that grows in force out of my lower face. what a wonderful special feature to this body that God has given me.
I had a wonderful conversation tonight with Mike Kramer, Jeff Schutter and Dena Nickoli about weddings and how they are best when they include, camping, wine and at least one slightly awkward but humorous situation involving a sauced reletive. beer, t-shirts and sauced friends are also good, and Jack maatman leaving his shoe untied at the alter. and about travelling which should be done a lot and northern lights and how good they are and about that couple that just eloped and live in North and East hall and how funny that is.
I feel often as If Dordt is a college built in a glass bottle like those ships in a bottle, it is good however that it has a strangely high number of amazong people in it. I really look forward to leaving, though I will miss these people.
I'm really looking forward to the first day this summer when I can go to work and pound a nail into a board, there is somthing so immediatly gratifying about that act. after learning as my Dad has always said that delayed gratification is always better, Dordt is certainly a good place to learn that, I will revel in the simple act of hitting a nail with a hammer..... is this what blogs are supposed to be? places to whisper out into cyber space about how much you want to hit nails?
oh well it is the last blog i'll write.... good night

The First and Very Last Blog

2006-04-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

Between the Farmhouse and the 4th st bunker there lie many a field and with the rain they become muddy fields. It wasn't the first time I've crossed it but it was certainly the westest and one of the emost enjoyable crossings I've made. Wine and the possibility of being smote by the Lords Lightning along the way always increases the enjoyment of such a trek. No smoting happened however and Alan and I both got as far as fourth street without a problem that a little more rain couldn't wash away.
Ive been rollin the rocket soul off Pandora's music box o' wonder. a little Al Green for this old winter browned sod.

Birds that I've noticed are back in Sioux Center
Robins
Turkey Vultures
Cardinals
Baby Chickens at Bomgaars (coming very soon) Mels brilliant idea is to buy a couple and keep them for two weeks till they're about to get ugly and then give them to a kid in the park while their parent isn't watching.

funny but not good
No chickens for me this year Ive had my fill of trying to raise chickens in vermin infested sioux center