We all do text messaging. It’s easy because we can send it right away but somehow it’s not easy because receiver might get context wrong. Since there is no sound or voice, something wrong can happen when people don’t read between the lines. I often e-mail my father so does he. He lives out of town so this is one of the best ways that I can contact him. It works and this was considered as ‘good enough system’ for between my father and me. We know who we are better than others do. Very very well. However things happened. Last night he came Seoul yet he didn’t look okay. The way he talked me was agressive and strong. I asked myself weather I did something rude or not. Nothing was wrong as far as I thought. I couldn’t understand what’s going on.

 This morning he started to talk to me.  I’ve got to know that there was super duper huge “misunderstanding” as my father got a text message sent from me. I totally didn’t mean what he has understood but he was mad at me few days ago I don’t even know exactly. “You know me then you couldn’t get this wrong dad” I said. Unfortunately, he was disappointed at me because what he has read was not like me. It was kind of too late to have happy talk for Sunday morning.

Have you ever experienced  ”I-didn’t-mean-it” situation because of mute media such as e-mails and text messages?  

  I had coffee with my friend from America. While I was trying to catch his interests, I’ve got to know that he is just into Korean female singers and their songs. He knows much better than me and he even can name all members of team “Girls Generation.” He named other Korean groups and solo working singers but I didn’t get anyone of them. I asked him, “Do you watch all TV shows and dramas?” “No” He answered. 

What he watches is chanel Mtv that shows Korean pop musics with ‘Music video’ all through the day. He barely watches other programs. I was surprised at he knows something about Korea way much better than me.  I’ve got the feeling that depends on how we put big time for something, regardless nation or cultural differences, we can be experts no matter what it is about. 

In addition to it, he recommanded me to go some bars and pups which are his favourite around Hongik Univ. I was learning and listening about something of Korea from foreigner.

  I saw over 4 TV programs that deal with ‘International marriage.’ Especially nowadays beautiful women from Uzbekistan are famous.  There is stereotype that women there are all pretty and sexy because of some of youngsters on TV show, “Beauties’ Talk.” What I saw was over hundred men who are in their 40′s, from rural communities arrived at Uzbeckistan and had 15 blind date a day. Each meeting takes exactly 15 minutes and a couple is supposed to be matched in few days. A man and the woman have marrige ceremony there and come to Korea for good. They were smiling but I don’t see their clear future. I was sorry for them and their children. There are some articles that women from other countries left home without saying anything and her husband even people around her know anything about it. I guess she was suffering from lonliness, missing her family, and having melancholia. Marriage is not a easy decision because it includes our future life. Yet 15minutes and getting marry with a person from defferent country whom they never seen each other before? I don’t think this is suppoesed to happen. The more international marriage rates go up the more their divorce rates go down as well. We have to consider this seriousness. What do you see?

I am three years older than my younger brother. I did not used to feel that we have generation gap because we have only 3 years difference! However he is still wearing high school uniform but I am not. Could that be a real big reason? Even it’s Korean sometimes I don’t get what he’s saying. I need his explanation. Gosh, all of sudden language scares me. Who guerantees that English is not as fast as Korean’s changing?

For example, ‘Ji-Mot-Mi’ which we say when somebody has been taken insulting pictures and it was posted on-line. If I translate it directly it can say ‘Sorry, I couldn’t protect you’. Do you think somebody who’s studying Korean can understand when he/she is supposed to use this expression?? We really mean that ‘we sorry because we let you be like this and now it’s on-line so it’s kind of too late to fix it. Accept reality’. It takes time little long to make myself clear.

Language goes and changes so fast. So does English. We have to keep up the hard work to catch up with ‘changing one’. Do you happen to know about all of these? I was confused!! (Those are Korean though) 

ex) Hmm-Jom-Moo, A-O-An (out of anjoong) etc.

My mom took a test today so she wanted to order something for dinner. Plus my brother said he is willing to treat. Mom said she wants to have pizza. “How come? you don’t like pizza that much!” I asked. “She saw a publish paper this morning and keeps saying that she will have pizza sooner or later.” he said.

She made a call and my brother listened to it and said, “I hate that! What’s going on nowadays? They are supposed to say ‘hello’ or ‘thank you this is a * * pizza house’ or something. You know what they say when they just answer the customer’s phone?”

“What?”

“Hi, you live in 899dong 623ho don’t you?”

Would that be the really really first line when a restaurant answers the phone from their customer? Keeping our address and information makes me feel uncomfortable. If I were in that situation I would hung up the phone. It feels like I have stolen something instead of myself.  Have you ever experienced like this happening? Anyhow, now, we are waiting for our pizza though.  

  You all remember Paul Potts who won the “Britan’s Got Talent”? On the same day one little 6-year-old girl whose name is Cornnie Talbot got the second score. Suprisingly, her voice is incredible and just beautiful. She even made a woman judge cry. Actually every time Cornnie sings she cries. On April 23rd, little singing angel Cornnie arrived at Korea to show her talent to people. She is adorable. She has got her own records already and look how many people are interested in her nowadays. The number of ‘hits’ are amazing. Eventhough she said that she feels happy whenever she sings I feel that Cornnie might loose her childhood which is never going to come back. She has to run in playground with her friends not on the stage with lots of adults everyday. Though her singing surprised me I am worried that she might loose her own life since she is too young. What do you think?

Most of all,  why don’t you click here? This is from Youtube. Are you ready?  

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

I read this news article in Jung-ang papers but I couldn’t find this in English. I will link it so you can read what the article said if you want. 

http://article.joins.com/article/article.asp?total_id=3108320

http://article.joins.com/article/article.asp?total_id=3115598

First one is about ‘International hacking competition’ and Korean team won a first prize. Second one is about Korean hackers protected Korean computer system from Chinese crackers’ attack. They are fighting for justice. They said “When hackers let Microsoft know about their comtputer system’s weakness they accept it and try to fix it. However Korean companies say they will sue us. Our job is making them safe but they don’t know our effort and usually get us wrong as criminals or something. Many talented hackers stop working in this field. We are loosing them. ” His comment made me sad. Hackers who are working for society safe do their best for their vocation. What’s our reaction? Are we going to look for them when we need them ? We should help and build up our good relationship since now. They are the champion and world know them but how much are we interested in them? I want you to look at those two articles and share your ideas.

(Sorry, two of them are all articles written in Korean. I could not find English ones. ) 

  My father came home from his business trip with fabulous DVD. He was in hurry because he was so excited to show and play this DVD for my family. It was about Celtic Woman’s concert happened in outside in Ireland. Among 24 songs, I found ‘Over the rainbow’. His favouirte is ‘You raise me up’. Five vocalists and one violin performer look like angels. I got goose bump ~ In addition, the atmosphere with people listeing and enjoying their musics makes me feel happy. I got the feeling like I was there during watching it from the beginning to the end. Why don’t you try? 

Celtic’s Woman’s Version is here (Over the rainbow-1)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5T6gyCPDvM&feature=related

Plus, another versin was introduced to me last winter. When I worked for a company as an intern in Cananda, I used to play my favourite songs before my boss comes every morning.  One day, when she listened to ‘Over the rainbow’, she strongly recommended me to google another version that she loves the most. It’s performed by Isarael Kamakawiwo ‘ole who’s from Hawaii. He is very well known Hawaiian native artist and still remains in many people’s heart. He’s dead in 1997 but his voice and this song, sang with ‘what a wonderful world’ at the same time, is the most popular one. Here is it!!

Version (2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe5p1BXNCQM&feature=related

And here is my favourite version (3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZNJf-h7F8s&feature=related

Enjoy your weekend!

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FYI, Celtic Woman is a musical ensemble comprising six Irish female artists. The group’s repertoire ranges from traditional Celtic tunes to modern songs. To date, the group has released three albums, and have undertaken a number of world tours.The foundation for Celtic music’s popularity outside of Ireland and Europe was previously

 set by artists Enya and Clannad, along with stage shows Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. To this end, Celtic Woman has been referred to as “Riverdance for the voice.”

Did you vote yesterday? The rate of participation was the lowest ever. I’m so sorry to hear this. I read newsparer this morning and many people who didn’t vote yesterday said they don’t have any idea about candidates. However, if we are interested in it or if we concern our country, we can see there are lots and lots of publish materials around you.

Here is what I want you to think. For few weeks we could see and hear loud, sometimes noisy street election campaigns eventhough we did not really want to see and hear. I don’t think it’s effective way. It bothered me and was annoying. Even today, this morning , elected people are still saying something to appreciate. Plus, people who failed keep saying something too because they want to thank to their supporters. However, I am living in apartment complex so I can’t hear what they are saying.  What I could recognized was aecho, murmuring. Do you think it’s good idea to let people know them?? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA

I want you to watch this clip. It’s not a big deal. It will be taking only few minutes. However, you are going to get such a strong and powerful message from this.

When I was in Vancouver, alone, one of my housemate ( who was living in the same home-stay house) strongly recommended me to listen Steve Jobs’ speech. At that moment I just started working for a company as an intern and I was going through quite hard time because of new circumstance. On next day I arrived at my office earlier than usual and tried to find his speech. It was amazing. It’s because not only I understood English spoken speech but also I was encouraged a lot.

Merely a video clip, even recored 2 years ago, made me think of my close future bright and positive.  What do you think of this speech? I hope you will get good effect from his cite too. Good luck!

(If you want to have a look his discourse, I have a script so tell me. I have looked this over and over again though.)