Captains log, Star date 08262010:
I, me, myself and did I already mention I? will have a quiet birthday this year. If you want to have a drink with me then I'm open, yes, I'm open to all invitations for living now. Now is the time for last kisses and new beginnings. A toast to cell divisions, to the bacteria and the shittiest of mornings when you wake up and your testicles are aching for the truth. And the truth is that with or without you, or me, yes! Me, all else will continue to grow.
Indigo glows in your eyes,
something inside tempts the second to stop~
rewind and play again and again that here-say
when she said it.
And maybe I wasn't the best,
but remember the door that opened
and the wind struck your hair, apartment 4B
because both of us lied.
The rain hid the tears,
the metaphor was growing in your chest,
only I saw it,
the Indigo glowing in your eyes.
Neon buildings flicker in rhythm to your step.
A block past, and this one the same
to that cobble stone which points to
the direction of morning, soon.
A beggar asks for a million,
... thank yous,
Now you own his dream,
he gave it to you, gone, what was that?
A Doppler whisper as faint as gold
worn by a bunny's watch,
hidden in a pocket,
faster now, the light will change Indigo.
And the truth is
with or without you,
or me, yes! Me,
all else will continue to grow.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Lovely Chicken
Ingredients:
Half chicken...... spine, half breast wing attached, thigh, leg, neck
Onion, yellow ...... 1 each, lg dice
Garlic ............... 3 cloves, sliver
Ginger ............ 2 tsps, minced
Tomato Paste ...... 3 Tbls.
Coconut Milk ...... 1/4 Cup.
Bay Leaf ............ 1 each
Japanese Eggplant.. 1 each, large dice
Shitake, Dried ....... 10 med sized caps,
* Mushroom rehydrated water ... 2 Cups
* Rice Water ........... 1 Cup
Herbs de Provence ... 2 Tbls
Salt and Pepper .... To taste
Procedure:
1. Rinse the dried shitake well. In a bowl place the dried shrooms in a cool water bath. *Reserve this liquid for later.
2. Rinse rice, and measure a little more water for a normal cook. *Reserve this liquid for later
3. In a heavy bottom pan, sear the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken when one side is browned.
3. In the same pan, add the onions, slightly season with s/p. Sweat the onions.
4. Add the garlic and ginger. You may have to add a bit more cooking oil at this point. Cook until slightly brown over medium heat.
5. Tap in the tomato paste and mix until you smell a toasty aroma. It is the point between burning and just right, ha!
6. Immediately add the mushroom water, rice water, and coconut milk. Whisk out the lumps and scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken, toss in the bay leaf, and season with s/p. Bring to a boil. Note, the chicken breast should be 1/3rd of the way full with liquid.
7. Lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle the Herbes de Provence, add the Eggplant and Mushrooms. Season as you go and cover. Lower the heat to medium low. Allow to cook for approx. 30 minutes. It should have a steady boil.
8. Oh yes, add some Warwickshire Sauce, 2 tsps please.
9. The liquid should have reduced to about half. It should be nappe consistency. The vegetables are soft. Serve over rice and go to town!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
4 Cigarettes Left~
My face has aged, my skin has changed, the mirror may skew a bit, but I can feel toxins in my pours from cigarettes. From 2006 to 2007 I stopped smoking. The first thing I noticed was the extra time I had to do other things. Considering I smoked about 10-15 (max) cigarettes a day, each one taking about three minutes to smoke, I gained about 30 minutes of time. I quit because I felt pain in my left lower lung. It took about a week for the jitters to leave. I'm going to try again... But one thing, it's always a battle. I remember sipping a glass of water at FIG Restaurant in Charleston, SC during a break from the kitchen, the temptation graced my lips.
Four cigarettes remain in my Dunhill Fine Cut 1mg pack. Cryogenic Stacy plays in this humid flat of mine. Robbie's Diamonds is the tune. The down tempo makes me bow... remembering the pretty dots in the sky.
All of my closest friends have quit.
Recall the time when you did. You'd inhale deeply and exhale from the core. Another thing that occurred during that smoke free time, was the amount of alcohol consumed decreased. Wine was the sin then. And of course the sense of smell changed. Cigarette and tar on clothes were more noticeable and heavy. The morning air was refreshing.
So what's it going to be? 4 stogies in one hit. Cold turkey.. Do you want to hit the snooze button 10 times? 4 left and in 6 days you've lived for 33 years. Almost half of those years have been spent smoking. Almost half, and now you see. Paradigm shift to begin another life, because it's time whether you like it or not, it is time.
Four cigarettes remain in my Dunhill Fine Cut 1mg pack. Cryogenic Stacy plays in this humid flat of mine. Robbie's Diamonds is the tune. The down tempo makes me bow... remembering the pretty dots in the sky.
All of my closest friends have quit.
Recall the time when you did. You'd inhale deeply and exhale from the core. Another thing that occurred during that smoke free time, was the amount of alcohol consumed decreased. Wine was the sin then. And of course the sense of smell changed. Cigarette and tar on clothes were more noticeable and heavy. The morning air was refreshing.
So what's it going to be? 4 stogies in one hit. Cold turkey.. Do you want to hit the snooze button 10 times? 4 left and in 6 days you've lived for 33 years. Almost half of those years have been spent smoking. Almost half, and now you see. Paradigm shift to begin another life, because it's time whether you like it or not, it is time.
 |
| Does 태서연 'Angela' like the smell of tar?? |
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Little Sweat Makes All the Difference
For the past 4 days the kids have been running to the counter to see the demonstration for what they have to prepare. There hasn't been any heat except for the microwave cooking so far. All of the recipes call for assembly and the main flavor profile has been sweet, and slightly sour.
The main idea for this post is that, the kids for Summer Camp have been so excited to be in the kitchen. Angela, her American nickname asked me, "Don Teacher, do you like to cook?" And I gave her a wink and said, "What do you think?" The kids... they run to the counter to watch the demo on what they have to do. And they follow... they follow. They know the different flavor profiles, they know the 5 senses, they understand and they do... this brings a smile to my face because the adults that enter this kitchen say, "wow! it smells great in here!"
The thing that I want them to know is to have a little respect for what they put into their mouths,... to keep it clean, and to do it to music... make it good.
Oh these elementary kids are having a good time..! Two more days of camp in this secluded mountain area. Only two crosswords finished, and only two more days left. Tomorrow we cook popcorn with different seasonings.
Tonight, the Korean teachers and the Westerners had some drinks together in the cabin my roommate and I sleep in. They played WeeBowling and I was the DJ. Everyone had a great time. Earlier, the Westerners couldn't decide how to get into town, because this camp is in the middle of nowhere. Since they had mountain bikes (raggedy ones) available, I took one and said let's ride into town for boos and stuff. The ride down was the most scenic ride ever! Two peddles and you cruised it like a Hells Angel. Mountains and rice fields at eye level, the sun at your back which was just about to set, and we had all the time. Yes, the ride back was all uphill, and the guys were mostly out of shape and/or married... But Michael, the guy with the back problem and 2 years into marriage said, "I don't smoke or drink alcohol,... but that ride down the mountain .. I felt young again and.. that was the highlight of this camp.."
Cheers. sleep tight Michael. To you, buddy! I told you not to carry those sweets in that bag up the hill, ha... considering the swing it will bring to your bike.. (Seattle shirt with hands crossed) Peace
The main idea for this post is that, the kids for Summer Camp have been so excited to be in the kitchen. Angela, her American nickname asked me, "Don Teacher, do you like to cook?" And I gave her a wink and said, "What do you think?" The kids... they run to the counter to watch the demo on what they have to do. And they follow... they follow. They know the different flavor profiles, they know the 5 senses, they understand and they do... this brings a smile to my face because the adults that enter this kitchen say, "wow! it smells great in here!"
The thing that I want them to know is to have a little respect for what they put into their mouths,... to keep it clean, and to do it to music... make it good.
Oh these elementary kids are having a good time..! Two more days of camp in this secluded mountain area. Only two crosswords finished, and only two more days left. Tomorrow we cook popcorn with different seasonings.
Tonight, the Korean teachers and the Westerners had some drinks together in the cabin my roommate and I sleep in. They played WeeBowling and I was the DJ. Everyone had a great time. Earlier, the Westerners couldn't decide how to get into town, because this camp is in the middle of nowhere. Since they had mountain bikes (raggedy ones) available, I took one and said let's ride into town for boos and stuff. The ride down was the most scenic ride ever! Two peddles and you cruised it like a Hells Angel. Mountains and rice fields at eye level, the sun at your back which was just about to set, and we had all the time. Yes, the ride back was all uphill, and the guys were mostly out of shape and/or married... But Michael, the guy with the back problem and 2 years into marriage said, "I don't smoke or drink alcohol,... but that ride down the mountain .. I felt young again and.. that was the highlight of this camp.."
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Almost back in the grind~
Tomorrow morning 5 ESL instructors leave for a week long Summer Camp in Cheongyang Province. Our duty is to provide English classes for elementary students on Summer break. This term I was designated the cooking class to teach the students food, kitchen, and preparation terms in English. The last time I was there, I taught Performing Arts-- a fun time. I even had a chance to display a Filipino traditional dance called Tinikliing. Anyhow, I'm comfortable with any course that requires kinetic learning. And since they are elementary students, they are more active to commands like, "let's do this, and now let's do this!". By the time they reach their 2nd year in Middle School, they become self aware and yes, lazy for any kind of performance art.
I still need to study the recipe lesson plan. There is a big difference between what's on paper and real time teaching. The kids are all on break and considering how hot is has been, I don't want to make them too active. I hope there's AC in the kitchen area, ha! Imagine that, an AC unit in a professional kitchen!
Immediately after the Camp, the new term begins. My running legs have to stay steady throughout all of this.
There was an article in Time magazine entitled, Inside The Minds of Animals, by Jeffrey Kluger. The star of the show was a bonobo (a close cousin of the chimpanzee) named Kanzi. Well, Kanzi is fluent in at least 384 icons and has the ability to build new ideas from old ones. For example, when he eats Kale, he defines this by pressing the icon Slow + Lettuce. Bread + Cheese + Tomato = Pizza. It doesn't end there. Favorite Memory = Feel + Kiss + Eat + Candy.
The article later categorizes animals from 'Very Smart, Sort of Smart, to Anyone Home?'. The 5 different species in no particular order are as follows: Herd Animals, Social Carnivores, The Great Apes and Cetaceans (Dolphins), Bivalves, and finally Corvids (Blue Jays, Crows, eg.) Sometimes in the mornings I feel like a bivalve just sucking in air. So the whole idea of the article is for us to reexamine or relationship with animals. Are we truly granted dominion over the beasts in the field, as it says so in the Bible? Practically speaking, as a cook, you have to preserve and respect the animal you put on the frying pan.
As for the lessons, deconstructing a word into what you think it is is fascinating. Kanzi equated Flood as Big + Water. In the Korean language the word University is Dae Hakgyo: Dae means 'big' and Hakgyo means 'school'. If I can somehow bridge these simplifications, I think it will be more helpful for these little monkey's in the classroom.
I still need to study the recipe lesson plan. There is a big difference between what's on paper and real time teaching. The kids are all on break and considering how hot is has been, I don't want to make them too active. I hope there's AC in the kitchen area, ha! Imagine that, an AC unit in a professional kitchen!
Immediately after the Camp, the new term begins. My running legs have to stay steady throughout all of this.
There was an article in Time magazine entitled, Inside The Minds of Animals, by Jeffrey Kluger. The star of the show was a bonobo (a close cousin of the chimpanzee) named Kanzi. Well, Kanzi is fluent in at least 384 icons and has the ability to build new ideas from old ones. For example, when he eats Kale, he defines this by pressing the icon Slow + Lettuce. Bread + Cheese + Tomato = Pizza. It doesn't end there. Favorite Memory = Feel + Kiss + Eat + Candy.
The article later categorizes animals from 'Very Smart, Sort of Smart, to Anyone Home?'. The 5 different species in no particular order are as follows: Herd Animals, Social Carnivores, The Great Apes and Cetaceans (Dolphins), Bivalves, and finally Corvids (Blue Jays, Crows, eg.) Sometimes in the mornings I feel like a bivalve just sucking in air. So the whole idea of the article is for us to reexamine or relationship with animals. Are we truly granted dominion over the beasts in the field, as it says so in the Bible? Practically speaking, as a cook, you have to preserve and respect the animal you put on the frying pan.
As for the lessons, deconstructing a word into what you think it is is fascinating. Kanzi equated Flood as Big + Water. In the Korean language the word University is Dae Hakgyo: Dae means 'big' and Hakgyo means 'school'. If I can somehow bridge these simplifications, I think it will be more helpful for these little monkey's in the classroom.
Yellow Sea to East Sea~ Swam Them
Shall I begin with the end and work backwards from there.
Visiting Gwanali Beach in Busan, S.Korea was interesting. I saw it as a different person. There was a time when I held a girl's hand there and made love to her in the early mornings. We licked the sweetness of our old relationship from the floor. We gripped the remains hoping tomorrow would never come, and as sure as steel the train moved on to another life. And it's true that only the best memories stay, at least that's what I want. It's the pain of losing love that makes you wiser somehow in the end.
Swimming in the East Sea~
Sun after the storm.
Float on your back and make a wish.
Surrender to the vastness of it all: the echoes of harmony and fear bounded in a shell,
salt and grim and slivers of seaweed decorate the tips of hair, your nails leave brushstrokes on the sand,
a child points to a cloud and then wipes his eyes from the wonder of it all,
The East Sea draws a distant memory of my own youth in Okinawa, Japan. A carnival of sorts, these Asian beaches. They are a combination of industry and sea. Heavy machinery maintains the sand and traffic and bars line the strip, all of it parallel to the sea.
A return to Masan, S. Korea~
Big hugs from Mr. Lee and Matt.
We play darts in the 'gas chamber'. I refuse to describe this dart playing space any further.
Visited the first job site and was greeted with surprise and love, really. They fed me a great lunch, indeed! The boss, Mr. Jung asks, "So, when will you return and work here again?"
Short and simple stay for it is a small town with decent and friendly folks.
Jeolla-do, Gwangju~
The lady at the information booth was a pretty little bird with turquoise color fingernails. She directs me to Chonan University for the two bars that has Phoenix Dart Boards. It was rainy and I had to rely on my wits to get there. No taxis, just buses to our destination.
There was a brief fall out with John and I. He's a simple minded person. I call him Mr. Charming when he's had one to many drinks. Overall, he's a good guy and a loyal friend. It's his quirks that get on my nerves- like how forgetful he is with his belongings, his eating habits, and when he's not into something he just becomes a 6'1'' big pound of useless flesh. He's from New Zealand and first lived in Busan, now living in Gyeonggi-do- my neighborhood. He is an individual and roles solo. He easily breaks into a sweat and constantly needs to be near either an AC or a fan. He sweats when he gets uncomfortable. I still don't think he's comfortable on the subways, being the only 'white guy' there.
We had a brief fall out because I was losing my patience with him. Originally, when we planned the trip he didn't come up with any ideas on where to go. He just kept mentioning Busan. I'm not the best with maps, like my homeboy in Pariparis, but I soldier through them and plot courses and research destinations. When we arrive at our first destination he immediately goes to the information booths. Which brings this story full circle...
The first destination was the Yellow Sea. This particular beach is known as Bikini Beach. Back in 2005 the area wanted to promote the beach as the next Wikiki. So they thought sex and resorts. If you wore a bikini you were granted a 10% discount on all the restaurants and stores along the beach. They had a bikini girl competition, and the winner was described as looking like an eel when she did her sexy dance. 4 months after they promoted the area, the New York Times runs an article calling it 'Bikini Beach Failure'.
When we arrive in Gyeokpo, it was exactly that, a run down forgotten carnival. I have to admit, I threw in a few sarcastic remarks about the place, but as the hours past and the people John and I encountered, my view of the place changed. There is something completely charming about Gyeokpo. The carnival rides and the beach front stores were all unpolished. In good company, the place would have been romantic in a way.
Traveling brings out the worst and best in people. I always like to hear the conversations of people on trips and their weird little jokes that aren't so funny. But the purpose is to keep spirits high. Getting lost is okay, but remembering to bring a compass comes in handy. I wanted to enjoy this trip, which I did. I felt like I had to be on point all the time though, giving a direction to all of it. Come time John decided to stay in Busan and I back to Seoul, my mind was tired. I started forgetting things on the way back home, ha! And lastly, I miss Mariko in Japan. I want to put my fingers in her dimples and make her laugh...
Visiting Gwanali Beach in Busan, S.Korea was interesting. I saw it as a different person. There was a time when I held a girl's hand there and made love to her in the early mornings. We licked the sweetness of our old relationship from the floor. We gripped the remains hoping tomorrow would never come, and as sure as steel the train moved on to another life. And it's true that only the best memories stay, at least that's what I want. It's the pain of losing love that makes you wiser somehow in the end.
Swimming in the East Sea~
Sun after the storm.
Float on your back and make a wish.
Surrender to the vastness of it all: the echoes of harmony and fear bounded in a shell,
salt and grim and slivers of seaweed decorate the tips of hair, your nails leave brushstrokes on the sand,
a child points to a cloud and then wipes his eyes from the wonder of it all,
The East Sea draws a distant memory of my own youth in Okinawa, Japan. A carnival of sorts, these Asian beaches. They are a combination of industry and sea. Heavy machinery maintains the sand and traffic and bars line the strip, all of it parallel to the sea.
A return to Masan, S. Korea~
Big hugs from Mr. Lee and Matt.
We play darts in the 'gas chamber'. I refuse to describe this dart playing space any further.
Visited the first job site and was greeted with surprise and love, really. They fed me a great lunch, indeed! The boss, Mr. Jung asks, "So, when will you return and work here again?"
Short and simple stay for it is a small town with decent and friendly folks.
Jeolla-do, Gwangju~
The lady at the information booth was a pretty little bird with turquoise color fingernails. She directs me to Chonan University for the two bars that has Phoenix Dart Boards. It was rainy and I had to rely on my wits to get there. No taxis, just buses to our destination.
There was a brief fall out with John and I. He's a simple minded person. I call him Mr. Charming when he's had one to many drinks. Overall, he's a good guy and a loyal friend. It's his quirks that get on my nerves- like how forgetful he is with his belongings, his eating habits, and when he's not into something he just becomes a 6'1'' big pound of useless flesh. He's from New Zealand and first lived in Busan, now living in Gyeonggi-do- my neighborhood. He is an individual and roles solo. He easily breaks into a sweat and constantly needs to be near either an AC or a fan. He sweats when he gets uncomfortable. I still don't think he's comfortable on the subways, being the only 'white guy' there.
We had a brief fall out because I was losing my patience with him. Originally, when we planned the trip he didn't come up with any ideas on where to go. He just kept mentioning Busan. I'm not the best with maps, like my homeboy in Pariparis, but I soldier through them and plot courses and research destinations. When we arrive at our first destination he immediately goes to the information booths. Which brings this story full circle...
The first destination was the Yellow Sea. This particular beach is known as Bikini Beach. Back in 2005 the area wanted to promote the beach as the next Wikiki. So they thought sex and resorts. If you wore a bikini you were granted a 10% discount on all the restaurants and stores along the beach. They had a bikini girl competition, and the winner was described as looking like an eel when she did her sexy dance. 4 months after they promoted the area, the New York Times runs an article calling it 'Bikini Beach Failure'.
When we arrive in Gyeokpo, it was exactly that, a run down forgotten carnival. I have to admit, I threw in a few sarcastic remarks about the place, but as the hours past and the people John and I encountered, my view of the place changed. There is something completely charming about Gyeokpo. The carnival rides and the beach front stores were all unpolished. In good company, the place would have been romantic in a way.
Traveling brings out the worst and best in people. I always like to hear the conversations of people on trips and their weird little jokes that aren't so funny. But the purpose is to keep spirits high. Getting lost is okay, but remembering to bring a compass comes in handy. I wanted to enjoy this trip, which I did. I felt like I had to be on point all the time though, giving a direction to all of it. Come time John decided to stay in Busan and I back to Seoul, my mind was tired. I started forgetting things on the way back home, ha! And lastly, I miss Mariko in Japan. I want to put my fingers in her dimples and make her laugh...
 |
| Hwal: Traditional Korean Archery |
Friday, August 6, 2010
Where did you come from?
This was the question I asked her 3 times:
Where did you come from?
It's not surprising that someone has entered my life from another country, Japan.
Stay busy or go crazy is the way.
Laughter from silly jokes, my jokes. "You mean you took that picture for me because you knew that I would
like that elephant looking thing-a-ma-jig?" 'And yes that sword is slanted in a way a Muslim's nose
may look after battle...'
You stole my shirt by the way before leaving. And come September, my hip may have straightened from
an Ashitanga session. Until then, stay busy or go crazy.
Open the bird cage for these two need space to fly. Where did you come from?
-----------------
I went to the bookstore today in Itaewon to pick up some things for Summer vacation.
This Monday, a five day tour of the country. Starting with the West, zigzagging down to Busan. Take the darts on the Road, bring the suntan lotion for the west end beaches. Time is mine and yours abroad, who knows, but smile, because so am I........
Where did you come from?
It's not surprising that someone has entered my life from another country, Japan.
Stay busy or go crazy is the way.
Laughter from silly jokes, my jokes. "You mean you took that picture for me because you knew that I would
like that elephant looking thing-a-ma-jig?" 'And yes that sword is slanted in a way a Muslim's nose
may look after battle...'
You stole my shirt by the way before leaving. And come September, my hip may have straightened from
an Ashitanga session. Until then, stay busy or go crazy.
Open the bird cage for these two need space to fly. Where did you come from?
-----------------
I went to the bookstore today in Itaewon to pick up some things for Summer vacation.
This Monday, a five day tour of the country. Starting with the West, zigzagging down to Busan. Take the darts on the Road, bring the suntan lotion for the west end beaches. Time is mine and yours abroad, who knows, but smile, because so am I........
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