Tom the Laptop

I have yet to purchase a desk for my home. Instead of a nice comfortable place to do my work I have been completing it on my bed. Tom seems to find this a fun advantage for him, as instead of my laptop making it onto my lap, Tom gets there first most often. Usually the following picture is how I look while I try to get ahead on my lesson planning.

If only Tom could master Google searches of math worksheets than this scenario would work wonderfully. I did manage to get out of my house yesterday and take a few pics along the way, which I will post later. Although I spent most of my weekend planning and sorting the mess that is work's duties, I feel good knowing most of it is done.

63 Years On: Film Screening about Comfort Women

Although the tragedies that are affecting Japan right now are serious there is something else to consider thinking about this month. There will be a film screening at The House of Sharing at Dongguk University which will show, in multiple languages with English subtitles, the stories of 5 survivors of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery during WWII.

I know this sounds pretty serious but let's consider this part of history for a moment and that you have an opportunity to go see a piece of creation about it.

The details:

• It is free. 
• The film is in multiple languages and there will be a speaker along with a group discussion.
• Date: March 26th from 3 - 5pm (the film is 63 min long)
• At Dongguk University in Seoul at the Cultural Center, Deok Am Seminar Room, 1st Floor
• How to Get there: Take Line 3 to Dongguk University Station. Take exit 6 and go up the escalator and follow the road until you see Lee Hae Lang Fine Arts Theater...it's the building on the backside of the theater.

• Info: www.houseofsharing.org                Email:  info@houseofsharing.org 

This looks like a great opportunity to see some history and then talk about it during the discussion period.

From the press release:

This screening provides a window to an episode of Asian and International history which has been willfully ignored by so many for more than 63 years. You are invited to join the House of Sharing and show your support to the survivors who continue the fight for justice.

"Togethership with Kolleen Park" Open Art Contest

The Artpoli group has put together their first art contest on their website. Shinhan Gallery Yeoksam & Artpoli hold the [Togethership with Kolleen Park – Open Art Contest] sponsored by Shinhan Bank. In this smart and social art event, artists apply works online at Artpoli, and popular works voted by viewers will be exhibited offline at Shinhan Gallery Yeoksam.

Who is Kolleen Park?

If you are like me and generally in the dark about just who Kolleen Park is well let me give you some information. First off, do you remember this video of many famous Korean folks singing the "Nella Fantasia"?

Well that is her conducting for the group and who trained them to be able to perform like that. She really got involved in this project and became famous for her dedication. In the article, "[Coffee Break Bio] (@kolleen22) Lives for the moment of performance", written for the KoreanUpdates website it states:

One of her responsibilities includes staying as close to the original production as possible. The score has each movement of each actor written out, but Park insists performance is organic. “When you translate English to Korean, there are subtle changes that need to be made, such as where to put an emphasis and how. All of the music, tempo and the feeling should harmonize comfortably on stage to move the audience,” she says.

As you can see she is a special lady and probably a mentor and role model out there to young women hoping to do something meaningful with their musical talents in the future. So why not participate in Artpoli's contest?

Motivation:

- Celebrating the opening of Shinhan Gallery Yeoksam, Shinhan Bank visually shows its new direction in  supporting art and wants to establish the new gallery as a proactive and multi-purpose art space.
- Broaden the enjoyment of art, using modern technologies like online social media and smartphones.
- Provide opportunities for many artists to show their work with online submission.
- Let many people enjoy art with a subject matter that can resonate.
- Shinhan Bank, the leading financial institution, collaborates with Artpoli, a small and experimental startup.

Where and How to Participate:

• Visit the contest site and vote: Check out the contest page. Click "추천" and your vote will be tallied. 
• The subject should be Kolleen Park, musical director.
•  Please refer to photos and videos from Shinhan Bank’s commercials, which feature Kolleen Park. Basing your work on other photos on the Internet may infringe the copyright of the holder.
• Any size is welcome, from very small up to 2-meter high. The gallery can accommodate large sizes.
•  Any media, material or style is fine.
• You can submit as many works as you like.
• Submit works at http://www.artpoli.com/contests/1/ (You need to sign up as an Artpoli member, and apply for an artist membership.)
• The faster you submit your works, the more chance of being voted for. Move fast!

Vote Online!

• Vote for works (online): March 15 – April 12 
• Recommend your favorite works at http://www.artpoli.com/contests/1/  
• Also with your mobile phone at http://m.artpoli.com/contests/1 
• Please recommend works, and share on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc.

Event & Schedule Information:

• Selection of works for offline exhibition: To be announced on April 14th. - Popular works, based on number of votes by viewers, will be selected.

• The administrators may exclude works not appropriate for the nature of the exhibition.
• Offline exhibition: April 28 - June 15, Shinhan Gallery Yeoksam (Mon - Sat, 10am - 6pm)

•  Opening event: April 28, Time to be announced.
  - Kolleen Park will join.
  - Instant portrait event.
•  Vote for works (offline): April 28 - June 15
  - Please recommend works you like at the offline exhibition.
•   Award of Works and Artists
  - Most popular artists at online and offline events (Select 2 artists, 1 based on the total votes received online and the other offline): Opportunities of invited exhibition at Shinhan Gallery Yeoksam next year
  - Kolleen Park will select some works and give awards.
  - Viewer participation awards: Select 100 people, who participated by voting, commenting, and sharing. Awards will be given.

Special Program

•  Learn portrait art - Scheduled at 2pm on May 14, 28 
• Select 20-30 people who have voted for works. (Family can be accompanied.) 
• How to apply will be announced later.

Other

• Entry fee is free. 
• Publicity of Kolleen Park may not be used for any other purpose than creating a work for this event. 
• Submitted works may not be sold until after the exhibition.  
• The submitted art works can be purchased at Artpoli.com after the exhibition.

More info:

• Shinhan Gallery Yeoksam: sun.a@shinhan.com 
• Artpoli: http://twitter.com/artpoli, pr@artpoli.com

Get involved!

 

The Working Adult Life

Besides my first year in Korea, when I worked at the hagwon, I have never worked so much until now at this job. Because of this I have been busy after work taking care of plans and preparing materials, and my weekends have been spent with work as well. On top of this, ever since I moved in to my new place I have been running around on the weekends picking up stuff for the house and taking care of visa tasks.

I just want one weekend where I explore and do something other than house or work related. However, as much as I whine about how this job is keeping me busy it doesn't compare to JH's work week. The poor guy usually works till 7:30pm or on some days has to drive around Korea. It amazes me that even after a day of hard work he still calls me in a good mood.

But because of his hard week he is often very tired on the weekend, and you can usually find him in the position as seen in the picture above. It's been a little issue in our relationship of how our time is spent on the weekend together. I want to get out and explore but he mostly wants to stay home and rest. We have come to a compromise that not every weekend we will do something active and that we don't have to do everything together.

Tomorrow is Friday and I have to leave work early to get to KEB bank to open an account. Although I still do not have my new Alien card yet, I can use my passport to do this. As I was getting permission for this today I was told I could go there by taxi and then "come back." But of course I don't want to have to come back. I was told we get to leave work early for these kinds of matters just once a month, but it doesn't really say you should "come back." We'll see!

Tom needs my love! Bye

Discovering My "Mean Teacher" Self

When I was told I was given first grade I knew it was going to be hard. But now that I have actually been experiencing it the experience of it is a lot worse than what I imagined. The sum of things is that the morning classes are darling, but the afternoon classes are evil. I attribute it to that they have a lot of energy by the first afternoon class and then are completely drained by the third.

Because of this there have been several classes that fall into the category of "horrible." They lack in the ability to get ready for class, listen to me and generally keep themselves in check. Yes I know they are first graders and their attention span is not as yet developed. But really things can get to a point where I feel like I am losing it.

What has saved me is discovering the "mean teacher" inside myself. This kind of teacher is the one who will yell at the class in a deep and serious tone. It is the person who gets in their small seven year old faces and tells them to sit down and then asks, "Are you going to be a good boy today?" And guess what? It's been working, and the more I use it the better it gets. On top of this I have a management system of a "red" and "yellow" card. Yellow card means you have to stand and then red card means they are taken to their homeroom teacher.  This has been working too.

Well that is work in a nutshell. Still have a lot to prepare and really want to spend a weekend without it being blown away by extra work. Today I am not doing any afterschool homework and instead I am blogging and playing with Tom.

Let's hope I get out there and actually get a chance to use my shiny new camera!

White Day Surprise

The last time JH brought home a box it was full of three kittens. Today when JH brought me a box there was a cake inside. I think he is finally putting two-and-two together. Really, though I think I whined enough about not getting a white day present or any kind of present for my birthday that it finally impacted him.

As I was cleaning out some school supply boxes JH brought me the sweetest and most darling of cakes.

I was charmed by his surprise and promised him to never complain again about not getting cakes or presents around special times.

Tom update:
He is doing well here in his new home. One of his interesting habits is finding things and hoarding them under my bed. My friend who was taking care of him warned me about this. To avoid him taking the sponge from the sink I put it in a container and left the lid partially open. So far I am only missing the drain stopper for the bathtub, which I hope to find since I like taking baths.

He also enjoys sitting on my drying rack in the balcony area. Since I recently washed a blanket this made it easy for him to get up there. But after taking it down it made things a lot more risky. So tonight I rigged it up so he can get up there safely, and sorry no picture. For now just one of him on the blanket version.

My Tom is a very inquisitive and curious cat, but also a bit dependent. He is sitting on my lap now sleeping, and when he is not likes to meander around the house meowing for me to play with him. I love you Tom, but I kind of can be too busy for you.

**Anyways, I hope other couples out there got something nice for White day.**