Posting Milestone

Blogging milestone achieved: Post number fifty has arrived.

Not that alot of thought has been invested into it, mind you.
Starting where we left off last, (in the comments section), Angela wondered within the great cosmic scheme of things whether Jesus was an inny or an outy, and Jamie replied using interenet language (*_*).
Not sure what LOL stands for, but we'll believe for the best.
Perhaps I could start posting in binary? 1101 0110 1011 0001

Tonight I managed to struggle to halfway through Hitchcock's Vertigo.
Slow mover, this one. I'd definetely recommend Dial M for Murder, however.
Did you know that Hitchcock's classic "Psycho" was the first Hollywood movie to feature the sound of a flushing toilet?
Also prepping a teaching week next week which will keep me quite busy.

I thought of another discussion topic: chicken or the egg?
No, no... how about...
the one about the tree.
You know the tree that falls over, without the tape recorder...

Introverted or Extroverted?

So is God introverted or extroverted?

The saturday I walked

Today I walked.

Awakened and drowsy I am greeted by the remarkably malodorous and fetid redolence eminating from my roomates' housecat Picasso. (Although appreciably a great deal less chemically imbalanced than I had become aquainted to).

My lips are starved of kim chi.
I haven't eaten food with two little sticks for more than a week.
People are pronouncing my name as I am used to.
I find myself slipping towards bereavement, desperate to remember and feel where I was.

I rummage through some pictures and find a print; Ronald MacDonald in traditional Thai pose. Trying to woo patrons into consuming greasy processed chicken pieces.
I resolve to appreciate what I now have, and set out to walk in the sunshine.

To the office.
To scienceworld.
To chinatown.
To Randy's.
I walked all day.

It was beautiful; beautiful.

NGOs get the boot

Had an interesting day today.

Most of my friends juped town for a wedding of mutual friends/colleagues in Saskatchewan.
It's funny how in England a 16hr drive is considered, well to tell the truth, is not considered - not ever.
Whereas here 16hrs is just a short hop.

Well, I stayed in Vancouver and played host to a nice japanese guy called Junichi whom I had never met before last night.
He's halfway through a d school with y company in kona.
About to go to mississippi to help with relief efforts.
We found a Japanese convienience store, ate sushi and talked alot of politics.
And I also inflicted "Tim Hortons" upon him to make sure he fully experienced canadian culture before moving on tomorrow.

The government in "Special K" is finally kicking out UN, and almost all western NGO presense in the country.
From an Ms perspective this seems like a very bad situation.
Local Asian governments have just upped their aid packages to Special K (due to the agreements on nukes); difference between UN/western NGO and Asian economic assistance comes down to the monitoring.
UN monitors with field presense where the aid goes to.
S Korea Japan and China do not.
This has provided the incentive to boot all monitors out now that unmonitored aid has been upped.

Who knows what will happen next.

Peecees not working

Sorry, I've been trying to figure out why the image I posted the other day cannot be viewed by peecee users.

There is obviously some sort of glitch in the peecee to mac interface in Blogger; I'm probably doing something wrong so I'll look into it a bit more.
I was just trying to post a few shots of Seoul I took on film; if you want to check them out just visit www.lomohomes.com/Larph

Is there enough time to gloat on West Ham's thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday last night? I think there is...

Until The End Of The World

Haven't seen you in quite a while
I was down the hold just passing time
Last time we met was a low-lit room
We were as close together as a bride and groom
We ate the food, we drank the wine
Everybody having a good time
Except you
You were talking about the end of the world

I took the money
I spiked your drink
You miss too much these days if you stop to think
You lead me on with those innocent eyes
You know I love the element of surprise
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world

Love...

In my dream I was drowning my sorrows
But my sorrows, they learned to swim
Surrounding me
Going down on me
Spilling over the brim
Waves of regret and waves of joy
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You
You said you'd wait
Till the end of the world

~U2~

Seoul Analogued

Reverse Third Culture Shock

Staff retreat is over, and I have begun my descent from the heady climbs of jet lag to pacific coast time.

I really don't believe that jet lag is merely a "state of mind".
I am absolutely exhausted.
However, I am absolutely rested and thoroughly ready to get stuck in, having just enjoyed one of the best holidays I have ever had.

I am currently sitting in vancouer's finest "Blenz", waiting for my pictures to develop.
I will excitedly post later.

Also begining to experience a spot of what can only be described as "reverse culture shock". Or perhaps "reverse third culture shock".

Fantastic result for the Irons; Harewood is on fire at the moment.

The picture is of my regular PC Bang in Seoul.

Education

(An A-level is a British qualification needed for university entry)

I've been back in Canada for a full 24 hr period already.

Its been a busy but good time, catching up with all of the family here - so many good friends and great welcomes.

I did a bit of a presentation this morning on what I had been up to in the last 5 and a half months. its difficult to talk about, especially when everybody is always asking you, but its good as I know that for the most part it is out of genuine interest.

Couldn't help it lunchtime.
I just had to nip down the street for a korean tofu soup. Still easing myself into western cuisine at the moment.
Small steps.

I am excited to develop my pictures, and I will be sure to share them at some point.
It is a little difficult to share in detail - due to the sensitive nature of my activities - but I shall be sure to provide at least a general jist.

Peace.

Checking in

Just wanted to check in.
Made it back to BC safe and sound.
Its great to be back.

4-0 to West Ham in the east end last night. I think by our standards the season is going to be a stunner.

My dad's brilliant rant

My dad is a pretty cool guy, although most of the time he tries to pretend he's a nerd.
Every now and then he sends me a brilliant rant by email.

Usually it has something to do with Tony (or B.liar as my dad likes to refer to him).
I thought I would post exerpts from the latest rant, a comment on my previous post (mainly for the benefit of Jamie AR - great comment by the way, I share your cynicism enthusiastically!!).

If a bearded middle-aged East Ender ranting on the government's policies is likely to scare you, please look away now...

"I see you have been posting to your website. Very interesting, amusing.
What’s with the politics all of a sudden?
By the way Tony B.liar and his arch enemy Gordon Brown the chancellor only pick on Africa and solving its varied problems because:
1. They can’t sort out the problems at home.
2. By drawing attention to Africa it makes them seem compassionate and caring people, who are prepared to spend money helping the needy and sick and povery stricken.
3. They have power bases within the Labour party and it’s heirarchy that demand such activity or at least the appearance of it and need to appease it.
4. It enables them to strut the world stage as ‘Statesmen’, and lecture other world leaders on the necessity of aid to the third world and what great men they are at distributing British taxes to the world poor.
5. Gordon Brown the Chancellor needs to have an upfront positive international image for when he takes over from the B.liar.
6. B.liar likes to travel and solve everyones problems.
7. They know that it is impossible for them to do any good in Africa, but that no one will hold them to account for failing in an impossible task, so why not ‘just look good’ anyway.

The reality is that they are both dreadful hypocrites. They know that they have no real solutions to Africa’s problems and are not in a position to force political changes on African governments that really would do some good in Africa. Aid is a sticking plaster on a festering weeping wound of corruption, incompetence, mismanagement, bad government, wrong policies, black racism and socialism that is Africa.

Live Aid, was described cruelly but acurately as Mercs for the Jerks. In a way Live Aid sums up all that is wrong with continuing to give aid to Africa in the way that it has been done since the last war. Many Asian countries were as least as poor as African ones but Asia with one or two exceptions (the ones you know), are pulling themselves up to Western economic and cultural levels. Asian countries have not received African levels of aid.
Asia too has been war torn like many African countries, but Africa is continually sinking down, compared to colonial days they were vastly better off economically, culturally, socially, and in every other way. (Including politically and in terms of governance). I recommend the Adam Smith blog and the Welfare State we’re in website (and book)..."

Controversial questions?

Unable to sleep lastnight and condemned to the forces of gravity, I lay necissitated and motionless on my bed considering and reflecting upon those thoughts that lay dormant at the back of my mind, as yet untouched and unsubjugated to review.

As I flicked through them, I stumbled upon something that kept me up considerably longer than I had hoped.
Compelled as I was, I resolved to post in the morning what I was then turning over.

I had begun to think about the subject of governance, and what seemed to me an issue both as compelling and frustrating as there has been in a while.

As a believer, what am I looking for in a national/international leader?
I'm talking big picture politics.
I have no answers; only questions.

Is it right to simply throw my vote straight at the candidate that professes the most spiritual background? The guy that beats his chest hardest over his faith and beliefs?

What about backing a non-christian to govern as opposed to the chrisitan politician?
Is it possible that God has gifted the non-christian more in this role than the believer?

Is it right to elect a candidate on the basis of his spiritual beliefs despite a deficiency in experience of International Politics and Macro-Economics?
If this is so, are we therefore implying that a non-christian will never be as effective a leader as a believer and therefore inferior in his or her ablility until they accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour?

If we nevertheless elect the lesser gifted christian as leader, are we doing a diservice towards the people that need the help the most? Jobs? Economy? Etc.?
Does being a christian automatically make you the better candidate in these circumstances?

Those are my questions.
Whenever the next election happens, I shall be sure to be making my decision based upon a good hard review of the candidates, and not so much upon what "religious leaders" are telling me to do.
That may be very British, but that's me.

By the by, I'm not a huge fan of Princess Tony, but I do have to say I admired him from a distance during the last campaign. Focusing on African debt removal and poverty relief seemed like a breath of fresh air. And, you know, Jesus had quite a bit to say on the subject of taking care of the poor and needy...

The nori bang

Larph recommends "Wham!" hits for an evening of karaoke.

Last night I hung out for the last time with some of my favourite koreans.

After dinner Chi-muk, Ji Ae and myself headed for what is know here as the "Nori-bang" - or in western terms karaoke.

It really is a phenomonen in itself; we qued for half an hour to get in.
Once in, however, you are treated to the comfort of your own tatimi style room for "roaming" wireless mikes and a huge digital catalogue of tunes to choose from.

I know what you're thinking, so I won't wait any longer.
Amongst the mostly korean hitlist, I performed odious versions of "Wham!" classics, along with "The Village People"'s YWMCA, Weezer and The Beatles.
Unfortunately we ran out of time before I could launch into my coma-inducing version of the Bon Jovi classic: "All About Lovin' You".

Memories pt III

Dinner in Dandong

Gwanghwamun

Memories pt II

Ancient beauty in Gyeongju

Urban beauty of Shanghai

Hong Kong Living

Some memories

The face of Korea

Chi-muk

Aeja and Peter

Worth a mention

I'm not really one to divulge my pop culture opinions, but I thought that this one was worth a mention.

A couple of months ago a friend stuck this dvd on in a youth hostel in shanghai.
I had absolutely no idea what it was about, but was pleasantly surprised nonetheless.

"Millions" focuses on two boys in England who come across a ton of cash; one believes it is a gift from God and therefore his duty to distribute it among the needy - the other has plans for real estate and investment.

The reason I mention it is because there were a few interesting spiritual observations included which have left me pondering and reflecting since; I like that sort of food-for-thought.

I have since heard a few other friends talking about it, so it seems to be a bit of a word-by-mouther.

Until monday

Six months and it is almost over.

dodgy sleeps/racing tuk tuks/ bad haircuts/ chinese trains/ life-threatening asian intersections/ 47 degree heat/ more chinese trains/ vomiting and nausiea/ best food in the world/

is drawing to a close.
For now.

I contemplate my imminent return to BC; a week long staff meeting.

I ponder the secrets sequestered within my future.

I reflect upon my reflections.

I practice aliteration.

Until monday.

Rubbish

Awful, awful rubbish.

One of the most embarassing displays ever commited to a Three Lions' shirt.

Observations from the peanut gallery as follows:

1. Beckaham should never play a holding role. Ever.
2. 4-5-1 does not work.
3. We are a 4-4-2 team.
4. Sooner or later you hav eto choose between Beckham, Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole.
5. Rooney was played ridiculously out of position.

hmph.

A haiku

(My first attempt at a Haiku focuses on Sven-Goran Erikssons decision to play Beckham in a holding role last saturday).

David beckham why?
In centre midfield...
You were born to play far right
Regardez! Over there!

*Please note my tongue is wedged firmly into my cheek at this point*

England v N Ireland 19:45pm GTM Belfast

Good luck to England tonight in one of the last World Cup qualifiers.
Roo-ney! Roo-ney! Roo-ney!

30 years in the east end

Congratulations to my parents for not only staying together and being married for 30 years today, but also for putting up with me for 24 of those.

Mum and dad, I love you, thank you.

The picture is of our eastend digs on "Shakespeare Crescent".

ralph.

last week

My last week is approaching.

Once again I contemplate my imminent departure from the Land of Morning Calm; Vancouver British Columbia my destination.

My first real vacation in the 3 years since I was last at home has been a real pleasure.
So many great places, so many great people.

Busan and Daegu were real treasure troves of rest and beauty.
Aeja nuna it was great to see you in your home city.
Chi Muk - you're amazing. Your mums cooking is almost as good as your character.
Seoul - I felt like I was home when we checked into your terminal last night.
Ji Aae thank you for sharing Chi Muk with me.

Sam, Daniel, Chris and Sophie we'll meet again. Thank you.
Sung Eun, Tae Kyoung - it was Namsan - it was great. Kun, you too.
Sara, thank you! Keep up the R&E.

Heidi, Kyoungmi, Jie Hye, John, Janis, Jooun, Jo, Yan Yan, Mike and elder Han blessings.
I love your country.

Until soon.

a good stuffing

Congratualtions to England for stuffing the welsh this weekend.
Special plaudits to East End boy Joe Cole for the winner, and Beckham for a good performance.

Saturday 3:00pm GMT Cardiff

Good luck to England this saturday.
Mike Davies and the Welshies watch out!!
COME ON ENGLAND

Sustenance

"I lie down and sleep;

I wake because He sustains me."

From the Psalms.

Jim Jael Bang

Just dropping in...

As an update, I have finished with the kids camp, and have been taking a few days off inbetween various meetings.
It's been a great week, and I have gotten to catch up with tons of great people including Sung Eun, Tae Kyoung, John, Aeja and Jooun.

On wednesday I left for a bit of a korean road trip with my friend Chi Muk.
We're on a whirlwind tour visiting Iksan, Jeonju, Busan, GyeongJu, Daegu, Taejon and Gunsan before heading back to Seoul.

Last week I was able to experience the curious delights beheld within the "Jim Jael Bang".

For the uninitiated, the curious "Jim Jael Bang" is sort of like a giant underground hot tub.
With a communal restaurant.
And PC room.
And DVD room.
And sleeping room.
And just about any other activity that can be conducted within a "room", really.

After experiencing the curious hot tubbing options available, you jump into a sort of prison-issue uniform and meet up with your friends in what can only be described as a sort of underground "oopah loompah land for adults".

And then you hang out all night wearing a soothing mask and basically have a great time.

No embarassment allowed.

Im speaking at a church in Gunsan on sunday, and then again in Seoul next week; I'm also begining to contemplate my departure from Asia. Until soon.

larph.