snippet.

The end.

2011-06-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid it is time for Just a Snippet to retire. What started as a blog about my life in South Korea has since morphed into a sporadic record of design tidbits, all of which can now be found at http://www.betsylance.com/blog or on my twitter feed here. So, until the next blog of travels (please be soon, please be soon...), I bid you farewell! Thanks for following; hope to see you at the new site!
--betsy

You're the inspiration! (cue Peter Cetera)

2011-01-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

A timeline of my life via writers, musicians and artists who have really influenced my life and work. Thanks, fellas!

Typefaces: Univers and Pompadour numerals (lovely and free!)

School's In!

2011-01-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

First day of class: Intro to Flash in the Computer Information Systems program (not Graphic Design) and ON A PC. Painful! I drew this while someone asked how to use a thumb drive.

Brand this.

2010-11-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

After a long hiatus, I've decided to return to the blog. Why? Well, I'm in the final year of a Graphic Design Associate's degree at the venerable PCC (Venerable like The Cooper Union, you ask? Well, no. More like peanut butter and jelly.), and the daunting task of inserting myself into working society is large and looming ahead. Don't get me wrong; I'm flippin' excited. But I tend to cower shivering in a corner if I think about it too long.

That said, I'm going to start using this blog as an accountability buddy, much like you would in an AA program or a couch to 5k training (yes, uh, just like those.). This is where I struggle to brand myself so that complete strangers can know who I am with a glance at a business card and a flip through a portfolio.

The biggest problem is that I am somewhat of a bipolar: How do I unify my love for metal Caslon type with the rigid geometry of Josef Müller-Brockmann's grid? Ornate gold-leafed medieval iconography with Saul Bass's flat shapes? A mammoth task, you say? Yes, yes it is. I'm going to go cower for a bit.

Ah, what a little Helvetica can do.

2010-08-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Before:

After:

New new goods.

2010-03-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, this redundant posting trend will not be followed by a "New new new goods" post. But once again, click below for some projects I worked on last semester on my way to Adobe Creative Suite domination.

New Goods.

2010-01-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a while here at Snippet, but that's because I've been computerizing, photogizing, darkroomizing, printmakizing & creativizing all of this. I hope it's worth the wait.

Oh, and I would be amiss if I didn't wish everyone a Happy Christmas, Happy New Year & Happy Birthday (to me in three days). :)

One of a series of nine family portraits taken on my new Rolleiflex TLR camera, with a tip o' the cap to Wes Anderson.

***

New Letterpress Cards!

2009-09-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

Obscure holidays always get the short end of the stick when it comes to festive cards, so let's give them their chance! Talk Like a Pirate Day, Grammar Day, Tell a Lie Day, and Panic Day now have a voice. Made the old-school-icious (it's a word now...) way with handset metal type, I'm pretty fond of these little guys. Check out Plan B for more info.

For the next run, thinking up ideas for Skeptics Day and (belated) Procrastination Day. Any ideas?

Turkeys are done, people are finished.

2009-09-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

The letterpress is back in action with a random holiday card series. First up, National Grammar Day on March 4. Proper English rules!

Next up, Talk Like a Pirate Day...

Love at first sound, love at first sight.

2009-08-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

I didn't think my recent obsession with Grizzly Bear could get any worse until I saw this amazing video by CG wizard Gabe Askew. Anyone want to join me for Grizzly Bear at the Crystal Ballroom in October?

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

Fizky.

2009-08-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

Latest project for typography: Fizky. We have to create a logotype for this imaginary soft drink, choosing from about 10 different base font styles and modifying them in some way. Here are the tight roughs, to be narrowed down to three. And, yes, it's all hand-drawn.

And I leave you with the first biggie of our harvest (more garden pics at our house blog):

Who are you and what have you done with Portland?

2009-07-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

(Our thermometer at the house says 107.)

I didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called "mister", thank you very much.

2009-07-26T23:03:00.001-07:00

In the current (rather pathetic) tradition of monthly posting, I'd better get one in before July is spent.

First of all, school's back in for me. I started an Associate's in Graphic Design at the prestigious Portland Community College and am loving every grid system creating, font characterizing, triangle and t-square using second. Here's a sample, based around the idea of creating a logo using a natural outline cut out inside a letter:

Next, first time ever to the beautious Crater Lake with loverly company to boot:

With the sad passing of Michael Jackson came a fantastic night of M.J. remembrance. Lucky for me, I went through a huge M.J. phase a couple weeks before he died and had the greatest video hits on hold at the library. A-mazing.

And lastly, the first harvest of my uncontrollably huge tomato plants (you think I jest, but these things are pulling up tomato cages.) The big guys are all over the place, but insist on staying green. At least the cherries are beautiful (and tasty!):

Don't even think about doing this...

2009-06-03T00:02:00.000-07:00

My housemate, Molly, sent this to me. The secret's out: I'm a typography geek. And proud.

(Check out more of these witty little comics by clicking on the pic.)

Too much to handle.

2009-05-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

So, a lot has happened since the last post...moved into a house, planted a 200 square foot garden, started going back to school full time, saw a handwritten illuminated manuscript of the Bible, decided it was time to reread all the Harry Potters...but instead of boring you with a big ol' exposition, let's start right from the present, shall we? How about a list of...

Fun things I'm working on:

1) The Garden. There are few things more exciting than watching a pile of dirt and chicken manure turn into a veritable jungle of edibles. We dug this puppy out with our own bare hands (holding shovels, of course), churned in the most foul smelling manure possible, planted the minuscule seeds, and waited with baited breath...for this!

And I must point out our a-mazing labels...made by super-crafty housemate Katie. Uber-cute, eh?

2) Linocut printing. So I'm not taking a lino class, although that would be incredibly fun, but this is actually the final project for my History of Graphic Design class. Instead of an essay, we make linoleum or wood cuts. Sweet, eh? Mine was inspired by my trusty muse, The Beatles. It says, "Good Day Sunshine" in the lovely font Caslon. I'm not sure how I'm managing to cut around all those little curves, but I know the x-acto knife is my friend. And for some masochistic reason I adore tedious detail work. Final print to come later!

3) Blog numero dos. I can almost hear the scoffs as you read this thinking, "She never even writes in this blog." Touche. However, this one is a joint effort between me and my housemates. It's called What we did to your house while you were away, and it chronicles the goings on of our house, mostly for our super-landlords and friends, Scott and Jojo, who are doing amazing things in Bangladesh right now. But you can see more of the gardening saga as well as the gorgeous gift our 3rd grade neighbor left on our doorstep.

Top 15 Songs EVER : part 3

2009-03-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

9) Blue Rondo A La Turk : Dave Brubeck -- There was a time when I listened to Brubeck's album Time Out almost every day. I love a great jazz combo as it is, but jazz with odd meter? Sweet! It makes it all the more swingin' when the bust out in the standard 4/4 after the intro. And I love Brubeck's thick chords and Paul Desmond's tone on sax.

8) When the Levee Breaks : Led Zeppelin -- This is what I love about Led Zep: they can rock out so much but still have that bluesy, folksy feel. The drums are so heavy, and add that harmonica and the blues riff...it's just so gritty. I totally dig it. This album (IV) and Physical Graffiti just blew me away in high school; Led Zep rocks out like no other, while blending so many genres at the same time.

Because of insanely thorough copyright restrictions, I can't find a good version of this one anywhere. But, honestly, if you don't have Led Zeppelin IV, you need it. It's one of the best albums EVER! Most definitely on my top 15 albums. So just run down to Bog Bean or Everyday Music, or the record shop of your choice and purchase that sucker!

7) A Day in the Life : The Beatles -- Choosing a favorite Beatles song for me is like getting my wisdom teeth pulled and getting dry socket and being nauseous from the pain meds...alright, maybe not quite that bad (cause that was pretty bad), but I could hardly do it. This one is their opus of sorts...the perfect combo of story telling, instrumental layering, and recording manipulation that makes this album so great. And the build up and release at the end -- phenomenal.

Top 15 Songs EVER : part 2

2009-02-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

12) Old Friends/Bookends Theme : Simon & Garfunkel -- Beautiful, poignant lyrics (as always with Paul Simon), lovely guitar work, and a string arrangement that images the words so wonderfully -- like that dissonant part in the middle, sort of soaring, but scary at the same time. The album that this is from, Bookends, is definitely on my top 10 albums.

OLD FRIENDS, BOOKENDS THEME - Simon & Garfunkel

11) Be Your Husband (Live) : Jeff Buckley -- The first time I heard this song, I freaked. The breadth and depth of the vocals, the breaths and falsettos...he's got this blues thing down. An inspiration to any vocalist. And all done a capella...flipping awesome.

10) Paranoid Android : Radiohead -- I know more than half of us probably have this on our top 15, so it basically speaks for itself: A-mazing.

Paranoid Android - Radiohead

What phenomenal music awaits us?!?! We'll find out in the next installment...

Top 15 Songs EVER : part 1

2009-02-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Alright, after a torturous process (as Kallie will attest), I've finally chosen my top 15 songs of all time. I tried to cave and add classical in there, but, frankly, it was just too hard. So here it begins, sans classical: the top 15.

15) Gobbledigook : Sigur Rós -- I was a little leery about adding this one because I've only lived with it since it came out last summer, but this song fills me with a kind of giddy joy that makes me just want to run and jump and dance. The percussiveness is so primal and powerful...it just makes me deeply, deeply happy.

"Gobbledigook" - Sigur Ros

14) Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours : Stevie Wonder -- There's no denying how much I love funk and soul; both definitely influence everything I do musically. This song is quintessential of both genres, and I am absolutely in love with Stevie's voice...he's basically the man.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered Im Yours - Stevie Wonder

13) Christmas Time is Here : Vince Guaraldi -- Yeah, you guys all knew this one would be on here. But if it's good enough for Royal Tennenbaum's, it's good enough for my top 15! I love Vince Guaraldi's lovely lyrical style, the brushes on percussion, and the overall melancholy feel of the song. And it's got all these happy, Christmasy, Charlie Browny, piano playingy memories attached, too. Not to mention, how sweet to have a children's cartoon all jazzed out in the soundtrack? That's genius on par with Mr. Rogers.

Christmas Time is Here -

More to come...

You know you're working at a call center...

2009-02-09T15:43:00.001-08:00

...when more than one person thinks that your brown shirt with thumb holes is one of those carpal tunnel braces. I really got the pity vote for having to have them on both hands. Maybe I could trick them into giving me worker's comp, too...

Look out Wes Anderson...

2009-02-05T22:25:00.001-08:00

...'cause I've got a letterpress and your font...well, it's really Spartan, but it sure looks a lot like Futura. This is the first run on the press since I've gotten actual type, and let me tell you, typesetting is not for wusses! There's definitely a lot to learn about how to get a clear print on all letters. These aren't perfect, but they were fun...perfection will come. Next run: invitations for Margo Tenenbaum's new play.

Woolly Brain, Batman!

2009-01-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

"Psychiatrist kits anatomically correct woolly brain" = sweetest headline ever. And doesn't that little bundle of cerebral mass look cuddly? Read the full story here.

Loo loo loooo loo loo loo loo loo....

2008-12-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Working Girl

2008-12-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Lots of you (yeah, like a whole 3 people) have been wondering what exactly it is I do at work. Well, let me tell you:

1. Read...thus far I've finished The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, The End of Reason, several classic short stories, and now I'm starting on The Shack. I'm going to be super-literate by the end of this thing.

2. Blog browse...especially my faves in the column to the right. Check them out while you're on the clock, too!

3. Crochet...a cute scarf pattern, only to realize that I have no idea what those annoying short-hand symbols mean, and then I give up.

4. Listen to Online SIRIUS radio...especially the classic vinyl, the all Led Zep channel, and the Underground Garage. Good times.

5. Sit. And sit some more. I do believe my booty is spreading out, flatter and wider, because of all the sitting. Since I avoid the vending machines like the plague (ugh, and that vending machine coffee tastes like the plague), I'm hopefully not getting bigger. These sitting jobs are brutal.

6. Oh yeah, take a few calls here and there. Get my teacher/phone voice on and do my little pitch. Did I tell you about our holiday specials?

Daily Prophet, eat your heart out.

2008-11-13T19:37:00.001-08:00

No longer are moving images only the domain of tv screens and bewitched newspapers for witches and wizards.

Esquire is the first magazine to use E Ink on their cover. Sadly, they took this rather impressive bit of technology and turned it into a cheap flashing neon sign. What's that, Mr. Esquire, about the web being a "cacophony of noise"? Although I cringe to think of an entire newsstand looking like downtown Tokyo, you've got to admit there are some pretty incredible possibilities with this stuff. Maybe one day even us muggles will have moving photos in our newspapers...

More thoughts on my new blog interest, Design Assembly.

Happy Election Day!

2008-11-04T22:09:00.001-08:00

And congrats to President-elect Lyn Rosten and first dude Jesse!
Oh, wait...they didn't win? What?! Next year, guys...but you get an S for spirit! (more patriotic pics here)

No matter if your red, blue, or purple, I hope you had a great day, full of free coffee and ice cream (thanks to S-bucks and Ben & Jerry's). I know I did!

Arrr...Treasury!

2008-11-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

Bunny Noses made it into a treasury on Etsy! Yeah-ah! Treasuries are user-created collections of items that have a similar theme or aesthetic. This treasury is called Help the Animals, Please: they're effing amazing. Ha. Check it out here.

It's pretty interesting to see the responses this pic has gotten, everything from laughter at its startling silliness to pity for the incarcerated bunnies. It is somewhat sad, I suppose, but I can't help but smile at those big ol' furry noses.

83 Applications Later...

2008-10-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

I got a job! And that's just from my Gmail, not including paper and online apps., and all those tedious interviews. Yeah, brutal. Job hunting in Portland is not for the faint of heart. Oh, but if you saw how brilliant the leaves look right now, you'd know it was worth it.

So what is this job, you say? Well, it's at a call center called Stream. Yeah, I know, talking on the phone is somewhere around the equivalent of an un-anesthetized visit to the orthodontist for me (probably if you're reading this, I owe you a call), but I must endure until something more suitable heads my way. And the environment is super chill, there's an X-Box in the lounge, and a bunch of computer nerds with awesome lateral lisps (think nerdy Neil from Family Guy)...well, I can wish.

So, I'll keep plugging away until Oblation Papers & Press asks me to head up their letterpress shop...yep, still wishing...

Two new blogs.

2008-10-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

Just discovered these amazing blogs:

1. Lab Partners : Absolutely stunning vintage inspired letterpress and gocco prints. I am in love with this stuff. This duo has the 40's/50's aesthetic down pat. Check out their flickr stream for even more eye candy.

2. Laissezfaire : An all things design blog, in the vein of Design*Sponge. Can one see too much good design? Well...um, no, I don't think so. I mean check out this architecture! Even Howard Roark could stand behind that.

Washington.

2008-10-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Click on Cara above for pics from a quick trip up to Camp Ghormley in central Washington. Our kind host, Benjamin, (whose parents run the camp and generously let us crash at their place -- a wood two story with forest green carpet that looked suspiciously like our old house in Colorado [run-on?]) sadly didn't make the cut in the pics. He was too busy actually working while Cara and I tramped through the woods. Pics or no, thanks goes out to Benjamin and his fam for taking us in (and feeding us some excellent pumpkin-shaped cookies). And to the state of Washington for their beautiful leaves and awesome state highway signs.

Thought for the day.

2008-10-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

The reader 'plays' the text as a musician plays an instrument...Like an interpretation of a musical score, reading is a performance of the written word.

**Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

Phenomenal-illustrator-that-throws-me-back-to-my-childhood of the week

2008-10-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

is...S. Britt.

In the style of Ezra Jack Keats, Eric Carle, and Richard Scarry, he revives that fantastic 70's/80's aesthetic. A-mazing.

An Unfortunate Encounter with Pop Music.

2008-10-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

Last night: restocking, reorganizing, refolding after hours. As soon as we closed shop, my fellow employees changed the radio station to some Pop Top 50 thing. I avoid music from those charts like the plague, but this time I was locked in with my paycheck riding in the balance.

And I left with one question: WHY??!!

Let me give you the overview:

Lyrics: Damn, girl, you lookin' hot. Damn, boy, I'm lookin' hot.

Beat: Same canned hip-hop beat we've known since the early 90's, looped bass line, annoyingly repetitive sample from old song or movie.

Message: Male = woman user. Female = meat.

Musicality: I don't know words with more than 3 syllables.

Seriously. Depressing. Tell me how this falls under the same artistic category as Bach, Beethoven, Glass, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Sigur Ros...it's blasphemy, I tell you! I know I'm a music snob, but, honestly, this is the popular music of our generation? It's like I'm inside an Ayn Rand novel...

Time for the E.A. Meetings...

2008-10-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

That's right. Etsy-holics Anonymous. I'm addicted! You can get on the forums and help answer people's questions and critique their shops...and then you post a comment and people look at your shop...and then they say they like your bunny pic and more people look at your shop...and then you have people favoriting you and wanting to trade...and then you become well-known enough to quit your day job--wait, I don't have one--well, to just use your part-time job for it's stellar discount and make stuff full time...and then...wait, sorry, totally dreaming. But I did get a bunch of favorites and a trade offer. What fun!

Oh, and about my discount...did I mention that I got about $300 worth of stuff today for $90 when they gave employees a %70 percent off sale items sale? Jealous?
.

Betsy on Etsy.

2008-10-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, the crafty little community that stole my name without the B now has me on as a seller.

My name: Plan B.

I'm just getting started, so there's only a couple things on now, but more is to come soon. You can keep track by this handy-dandy Etsy widget to the right here. And, dear friends, now would be an opportune time to buy so that you can be my guinea pigs, before the real people start buying (hehe...just kidding. You're real!). If you see anything on my website you especially think should be posted, please, do tell.

Oh, slight warning: when you venture onto the Etsy site, better alot a significant slot of time, cause there's some amazing stuff on there (my own included, of course!).

End of self-promotion.

a jar and an unwritten note.

2008-09-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

Some pics I took this week. And, I finally got a job! I'm working at J.Crew in support/visuals and raking in a crazy awesome discount. Should be a fun place to work for the time being. And now I can have my heat and electricity turned back on...

Ron Paul = Substance

2008-09-19T15:45:00.001-07:00

Ron Paul seems to be the only candidate to bypass all the sycophantic fluff and just tell it like it is.

How do we get this guy on the ballet???

Why everyone should read The Fountainhead.

2008-09-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

"...why do they always teach us that it's easy and evil to do what we want and that we need discipline to restrain ourselves? It's the hardest thing in the world--to do what we want. And it takes the greatest kind of courage. I mean, what we really want."

From Peter Keating, of all people, comes the crux of Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead. What if we disregarded what others thought of us, stopped wearing the clothes that make others turn, buying the toys that make others envy, pursuing the profession we thought others would approve of? What if our actions were determined solely by our own convictions and deepest desires? Maybe the "virtue of selfishness" would make the world a better place, because behind every job done, every thing created, every action made would be the greatest passion and the most ardent aspiration for the best in ourselves.

Don't worry. I'm a proffetional.

2008-09-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

Happy.

2008-09-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Some people are made happy by ice cream. Others, by kittens. For me, it's by changing the default font on my browser to Futura. Craig's list is looking a whole lot better these days.

Ah, those summer days...

2008-09-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

I forgot I had these...reminders of the fabulous camping trips I took this summer.
This particular one had everything:

family (above)

burgers

danger

fire

firecrackers

photo fun

a beached whale (really!)

Obama momma

Eric's butt...er...footprints

waves and sand

strange plant life

and really cool contrails.

which one?

2008-09-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

Click on the image to see the fonts in their true glory.
For most of these fabulous, free fonts, go here.
For I Quit's beautiful font, go here.

On Design

2008-08-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just a snippet from Debbie Milman's The Essential Principles of Graphic Design:

As we progressed into the twenty-first century, Americans were regularly exposed to 1,500-3,000 advertising messages daily from online, print, outdoor, and broadcast media. From 1999 to 2003, we created and stored more information than all the information produced since the beginning of mankind.

It goes on to say how the cram of information and super-fast lifestyle is taking a toll on our bodies: stress and stress related problems, ADD, sleeping disorders...

To survive this fast, constant, and sometimes debilitating information stream, we automatically edit out 85 percent of the information that comes our way. The information that penetrates these filters and is retained tends to be information that is symbolic, relevant to our lives, and meaningful intellectually and emotionally.

Welcome to the world of design. Among the slew of media, images, messages...how do you create something meaningful?

A few things about Portland so far...

2008-08-24T00:03:00.000-07:00

I love rain! But...when walking to a job interview, glancing at your reflection, and seeing the frizziest hair ever, one starts to wonder if it might be time for an umbrella. I know, not a true Portlander, you say. But a hood flattens it, and rain frizzes it. Maybe a really cute polka dot one? Or one with owls?
Why the smoking? Portland, with your vegan restaurants, your ubiquitous bikers, your parks and trails and ski slopes...didn't anyone tell you that smoking kills? And seeps into the lungs of everyone near/in the room below/with the windows open in the apartment next to you? And don't act like throwing a cigarette on the ground isn't littering. 'Cause it is. So get with the times, Portland. You're almost perfect, why not go for the gold?
I went to a piano concert yesterday, a duet on one piano. I get there, and they introduce two elderly ladies--complete with white, tightly permed hair and floral sweaters--as the pianists. Great, I think, and wait for some cheese-o medley or something. I nearly jumped when they started banging out this atonal piece, complete with rubber bars used mid-song to play half the keys on the piano all at once. Clearly, these were not your typical old ladies. Turns out the piece was written by some 23 year old kid, and these ladies were playing the premiere. (Hmmm...such opportunities for young composers...) Then they played some Schubert and more goods. All for free! Yep, music to my ears.

Po-ort-lan-duh.

2008-08-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

No posts for a while. Sorry about that. But, you know why? I've been moving! Yes, packing tiny bits of paper, concert tickets, CDs and DVDs (do I take the cases or not?), sweaters, hats, scarves, frames, photos, scads of books, and all other random paraphernalia found in my room.

Hauling everything up in a trailer covered with a flimsy tarp that looked like a hula skirt by the end of the trip, Mom, Dad and I drove up on Friday. Almost nine hours after leaving 112 degree Redding, we started unpacking in 106 degree Portland (how could you DO this to me!). We got everything settled and the place looks really cute, thanks in large part to cool wood floor and Ikea. So, I've got an apartment. "Job?" you say? Ha! I laugh in the face of jobs! Until tomorrow when I beat the pavement to find one. May the employment gods shine down upon me.

Super cool Ikea kitchen rack system. Neato.

Strobist Jet-Pack?

2008-08-15T21:11:00.001-07:00

Check out Jesse's stellar strobist how-to video. Informational, as well as entertaining...and I got to ride a really sweet bike for it. Starring super-friends Kallie and Josh, and, of course, Jesse himself, and shot by muscley-armed-camera-girl Lyn.

Redwood forest how I love thee!

2008-07-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

Look at that. Need I say more? And the wonderfully rocky coast, the angry waves, the 60 degree weather, the camping hair (Kallie wins!), the s'mores with burnt marshmallows, Adele's chicken apple sausages, crunchy coffee, banana slugs, snipes, ferns, elk, frisbees...

So, all you who've never been out here...GET MOVING!

See all the fun camping pics by Jesse and his unpaid intern--here.

Make way for Momma.

2008-07-24T17:34:00.000-07:00

My incredibly child-savvy mother has posted her first e-how article on how to have fun reading with your kids, using the book Make Way for Ducklings. My mom's a pro at this, so if you have kids, or have friends that have kids, or have friends that have friends that have kids, read the article or point your friends or friends of friends to it. I think the plan is to post on a new book every week, so check back for new articles. And now....story time!!!

Time for Some Campaignin'

2008-07-16T19:16:00.001-07:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

The latest piece of genius from JibJab. Look for a special guest citizen (i.e. my mom) at the voting booth at the end. I love these guys.

Dot Matrix meets Radiohead

2008-07-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

Big Ideas (don't get any) from James Houston on Vimeo.

What happens when you use ancient printers, scanners and such to remix Radiohead? Well...this.

Be patient, the actual tune starts about a minute in, after the TV fuzz prelude.

Remind me: Why do people live here?

2008-07-08T21:44:00.001-07:00

Welcome to summer in Redding. Brutal.

The view from here.

2008-07-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, the smoke's finally starting to clear up, but lest we forget what a matchbox Northern California is, here are some pics from last week, just down the road from our house. Admittedly, smoke does make for some cool photos.

Fireworks have been canceled because of fire danger, so we're fleeing the smoke this weekend and taking haven in the redwood forest. Ah, what a haven! Much thanks to all the firemen who are working their tails off to put out the fires!

Some people watch sunsets. We watch fires.

Yep, those singed bushes are from the LAST fire, about two years ago.

Coolest. Website. Ever.

2008-06-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Marketing and branding gurus One Trick Pony created this website for TCM: 31 Days of the Oscars. It's a visual tv program guide, dividing the Oscar winning flicks by decade and day of airplay. The 31 Days have passed, but this dandy of a website lives on. It's even got a mini video jukebox that plays famous themes and clips from each movie. Oscar movie night anyone?

It's a Lensbaby, baby!...too many babies...

2008-06-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow photog, Betsey Walton, (sometimes known as Big Betsy, not because of her girth, but to differentiate from me, Little Betsy, her junior by a couple years), loaned me her Lensbaby, one of the sweetest lenses around. Fast glass? Wide angle? Super zoom? Nope. Just plain ol' distortion. And who wouldn't love a lens that bends and curves like the trunk of an elephant?

I took it downtown to try it out in the quasi-blazing heat (just wait until August...ugh). Click on the Stardust Motel to check it out.

Wedding Fun

2008-06-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the fam drove the windy roads south to Sonoma County to attend my cousin Rachel's wedding. The wine country was picture perfect -- row upon row of vineyards dotted with tiny cottages and farms, with the occasional quaint town to stop in for some cute shops and good eats. I'd say almost the most beautiful spot in beautiful Cali (of course we all know the redwood coast tops them all...hehe, I'm biased). The rehearsal dinner and wedding were at two different, but equally stunning, wineries. The food was phenomenal, the company jovial, the wine was...well, wine (I'm sure delicious to a more trained palate...I'll get there some day), and an all around good time was had by all. Congrats Dan and Rachel! Check out the pics here.

Don't get any ideas, Dad.

2008-06-17T00:03:00.000-07:00

Best blog post title ever: "A Father's Day Reminder: Shoot Your Kids"

Also happens to be a great blog entry on a great blog...check out this guy's pics of his kids. Best family photo album ever?

The Future Glenn Goulds

2008-06-08T17:56:00.001-07:00

I have the coolest nephews EVER!!! Miles and Damion both played perfectly at their recital and looked so dapper in their new suits. I'm sooo proud of you both!

(For those of you who don't know, Glen Gould is the greatest pianist ever....or at least the greatest player of Bach. Check it out. He's the man.)

Kits of Convenience

2008-05-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

I was at the store the other day and I saw a S'mores Making Kit, a plastic tube with packaged marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate and roasting sticks that looked sort of like real tree stems, if it weren't for the mass-produced uniformity of them all. Handy, yes. But something about it rubbed me the wrong way.

Kind of like BAF's Fort Kit with ropes and camo blanket. Isn't the fun of a fort in using the random things that are lying around your house and creating your own wonderful sanctuary with them? Are we so paranoid about germs that kids can no longer go hunting for the perfect marshmallow roasting stick around the campsite? Am I freaking out over nothing, or are we squelching our kids' creativity in our efforts to simplify things?

I think the inside of my mind is something like this...

2008-05-10T11:34:00.001-07:00

Honestly, if you haven't seen this vid for Sigur Rós "Glósóli" you must watch it. Heck, even if you have seen it, watch it. Actually...go to YouTube and watch it full screen. Yeah.....Absolutely beautiful.

Papyrus? Futura? Baskerville?

2008-05-08T00:44:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone should take "The Rather Difficult Font Game". It's fun for all levels of nerdiness. I got 26 out of 32. Huzzah!

And speaking of great typography (which I'm obsessed with these days) check this site out.

This is what I want to do.

2008-04-24T12:22:00.001-07:00

Hanging at Starbucks

2008-04-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

No, literally. I've got framed prints hanging at the Eureka Way Starbucks in Redding. So, if you're in town, grab a tall no-water, 2 pump, soy chai (I know, one of those ridiculously long orders, but trust me, it's the best!) and check it out. If you're not in Redding, I hear tickets are cheap...

Courtesy of Andrew the eldest (brother, that is)

2008-04-01T22:48:00.001-07:00

This is how I feel sometimes.....stupid clumsy mitten-hands.....

Messing with the space-time continuum

2008-04-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

Google does it again! They've come up with another genius way to make life easier. It even involves flux capacitors. Check it out here.

The Ubiquitous Self-Titled Website

2008-03-31T09:48:00.002-07:00

After much slaving and several strong desires to throw my computer out the window, I finally created a website. Props to you, all you html, flash, website design gurus out there. I don't know how you do it. Anyways, it's at the absurdly creative address of betsylance.com (it took me DAYS to think of the name). If nothing else, there's a cute picture in the "about me" section of me and my bros when we were just tiny babes hunting for pumpkins in the pumpkin patch.....back when we still had that infantile ability to make a picture that was "cute".

By the way, I think the blog is back. I think I have stuff to write about again. We can hope.....

Carnegie Hall, anyone?

2008-03-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

It was incredible. Pierre-Laurent Aimard on piano playing pieces from three different centuries:

Bach: Contrapunctus I-XI from “The Art of the Fugue”
Schoenberg: Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23
Beethoven: Sonata No. 31 in A flat Major, Opus 110

followed by encores of Elliott Carter's Caténaires and another selection from "The Art of the Fugue".

Carnegie Hall itself is vast and simple, not the ornate visual overload of some theaters. Beneath the tall dome sits the piano, alone in the spotlight. We had the nosebleed seats, that left me weak-kneed when looking straight over the edge. But I soon settled cozily into my 10 inches of leg room, reminding myself that I'm trying to improve my posture.

The Bach fugues started simply, with your basic fugue, then progressing with each piece building in complexity until you have a double, and then a triple fugue. It was 45 minutes of fugue heaven.

After the intermission, we moved into the 20th Century, with some of Schoenberg's first atonal pieces. Aside from the encore, this was definitely the highlight for me. I love the sound of atonal piano pieces, absolutely riveting.

Next was the Beethoven, which ended with the final movement going in and out of fugues, bringing us back full circle.

The absolute best, though, was the Carter encore. The audience was completely spellbound by this piece, which was written specifically for Aimard, and the second it was finished everyone was cheering wildly. Carter himself says this of the piece, "When Pierre – Laurent Aimard, who performs so eloquently, asked me to write a piece for him, I became obsessed with the idea of a fast one line piece with no chords. It became a continuous chain of notes using different spacings, accents, and colorings, to produce a wide variety of expression." As soon as this comes out on record, you can bet I'll be there to buy.

Afterwards, my brother, Andrew, his wife, Kristal, my dad, and I discussed the show over Chilean sea bass and braised chicken, and left the city contended and reminded that beauty can still surprise us in new music.

What? I was gone?

2008-01-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm back in the homeland. And it's great to be back. In fact, it feels like I never even left, which is both weird and somewhat disturbing. There are a few changes in my town, though:

1. Starbucks is the new mafia. We went from about 4 to 10 in a year...and there's more on the way.

2. Chipotle. Phenomenal.

3. GoCarts are hip? Other towns bring in art galleries, coffee shops, breweries, and funky little stores to revitalize their downtowns. We bring in go-carts. Wow.

4. Diversity. Ethnic diversity hits Redding? Impossible! I once thought, but it seems that in as little as a year, there's a noticeable change from the sea of white faces. Good for Redding.

5. New Library! Hooray! Our library has emerged from the 70's! Finally, I can start reading again.

6. Red Robin is super greasy. Actually, this is the same, I just notice it more. I gotta lay off those french fries.

Thoughts on mediocrity, poverty, and micro-loans.

2007-10-24T01:52:00.000-07:00

I just started reading this book called "Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard". It's a compilation of segments of his writings, ordered by topic; slightly more accessible than reading his complete works. Kierkegaard's got some strong words for the 19th century church that are just as applicable today. Case is point:

"The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism - no, but the kind of orthodoxy which is cordial drivel, mediocrity served up sweet."

He talks about faith being trampled "amid smiling, Christian politeness." I read this, and all I can do is cringe, not so much because I see it all around me (which I do), but because I see it in myself. Brutal.

On a more positive note, my pastor here has been doing sermons about financial responsibility. How can that possibly be positive, you ask? Well, he's recommended a couple great websites to check out. My excuses for not giving usually boil down to either "I don't want to just give a handout." or "How do I know what their doing with my money is really worth while?" But each of these organizations seem to be using the money wisely, in ways that will really make some long term changes.

One -- The main goal here is to end extreme poverty by raising awareness and by pressuring world governments to follow through on the 1% gdp pledge they have already allocated but have resisted actually giving toward ending poverty. Check out the declaration and sign on to join the movement.

Opportunity International -- This group gives small loans and training to people around the world to help them start their own businesses and become financially independent. You can't argue with that. It's a good thing.

Compassionate Ministries -- Okay, so, I've heard many a guilt trip from places like these complete with pictures of big eyed children with flies on their faces. But, despite my general discomfort with these advertising tactics, I think they are doing good. Every kid deserves a decent education and, of course basic health needs and care. And, as a little perk to the giver, we get little notes and pictures from our kid.

Lastly, a little plug for my cool friend Jackie's "$100 a Month" blog. Giving just $100 a month can make a big difference. Join up.

Everland Adventure!

2007-10-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

God bless Korean holidays. And non-retail jobs that assure you will get off on every red numbered holiday on the calendar. It's almost as good as working for the U.S. government.

Last Wednesday was a holiday. For what, no one seems to know, but we took advantage of it and whisked ourselves away to Everland, Korea's answer to Disneyland (click here for more pics). And, indeed, they seemed to take their cue from everything Disneyland-ish, from the quaint shops of main street to the electric light parade, which, I swear, had little musical quotes from the Disney one. The main difference was that instead of crab cakes at the Blue Bayou restaurant, we were stuck with peanut butter octopus (no joke!) and bulgogi burgers.

Although the food left something to be desired, the company didn't. We marveled at the foreign performers (none of them Korean) and laughed at classic misspellings, like the "Pizza Rool" ("Pizza Roll" on another nearby menu) and the succulent "Soft Baked Crap". The rollercoasters were decent and the theme rides at least mildly entertaining. But the best part was hanging out with super cool people who will ride subways wearing animal hats. You guys rock.

Bauer or Bourne?

2007-10-01T07:57:00.001-07:00

While watching Jack Bauer single-handedly wipe out 7 terrorists with only a handgun, stealth, and a chain, this formidable question arose: in a battle between Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne, who would win? They both have to be the biggest bad-asses ever to grace the screen. Man, I just can't decide....a tie maybe?

Fan-Bible-old-school-80's-tastic!

2007-09-27T07:05:00.001-07:00

Recognize this? That's right, you guessed it. Bible Adventures for Nintendo! I just downloaded a NES emulator and let me tell you, it RULES! I have every game imaginable: Mario, RC Pro-am, Contra, Zelda....sheesh! I've never had it so good. So, goodbye work, social life, and church. I'll be helping Noah find two of every animal to fill the ark. This is important stuff, people.

2007-09-25T02:15:00.000-07:00

The holidays are here! It's Chuseok, which is like Korean Thanksgiving. The whole of Korea migrates to their families houses, everything except McDonald's shuts, and I get three days off work. Five including the weekend. So, what do I do with this precious time off?

1. Get gifts. In the store there are a plethora of gift set options to give to your fam or co-workers. Our school gave us a kiwi set of about 15 huge kiwis in a fancy box and a soap set, complete with 6 tubes of toothpaste and 8 bars of soap. I'm going to have to step up the hygiene and start brushing my teeth about 5 times a day so I can use it before I leave.
2. Have Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey's a little hard to come by, so we opted for a big chili dinner. About 13 of us set up camp in the hall and had two kinds of regular chili, one with no beans, and a veggie only chili. To top it off we made a couple apple pies and a cheesecake. We do dinners up right!
3. Play scrabble. What holiday would be complete without it? Afterwards, we proceeded to the speed scrabble. Now everyone's addicted. Excellent.
4. Frolick at the park. We packed up a deluxe picnic and headed to the big sports stadium to throw around the pigskin and play an exciting game of ultimate frisbee. My team, the Canadian/U.S. alliance, won, probably because of our intimidating group cheer of "eh!".

I would also like to add that tomorrow is the day after Thanksgiving (in Korea). And, since everyone tells me I have to wait until then to listen to Christmas music, I think I'm perfectly okay to start listening tomorrow. Charlie Brown Christmas here I come.

Free Coffee is the Shiz

2007-09-16T21:03:00.001-07:00

Yet another Starbucks gig gone past. This time I practiced day and night, my calluses were (painfully) reformed, and I think we played pretty well. The ensemble included Adam rocking out on the keys, Robb's soaring vocals, and yours truly on guitar and vocals, with guest appearances by the talented Young Min on guitar and singing. We played for nearly two hours to a good mix of foreigners and Koreans. The set list consisted of the Beatles, Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, Mason Jennings, Simon & Garfunkel, and Coldplay, among others. We had to keep in check our tendency for melancholy, slow-ish tunes, but I think we managed to get enough variety. Overall a super fun night.

And might I add, if anyone who maybe started a band that's not really together anymore, but they recently turned their garage into a recording studio or they just moved into their aunt and uncle's downstairs guest room, and now they want to get the band back together is reading this ....all I have to say to you guys is: book a gig!! There's no better motivation to practice. You owe it to us to share your music.

The homeless feeding me.

2007-09-08T00:20:00.000-07:00

Okay. So I've been off the blogger band-wagon for a while now. What can I say? Routine is a difficult subject to tackle. And even this belated post guarantees no revival of my earlier posting glory days. I just have something to say, that's all.

So, fall arrived in Cheonan virtually overnight. One day, we were all bemoaning that our clothes were sticking to our sweaty bodies like paper mache. The next day, there was red and orange in the trees and I was joyously (and somewhat redundantly) pointing out that I could wear a long sleeve shirt and tuque.

All this to say, that it was absolutely beautiful today, a perfect day to read in the park. Unfortunately, parks in Korea are not the grassy, tree-filled expanses that they are in the States. They usually consist of some sort of walking track, a small kid's playground, some vague, rusty stretching machinery, and dirt. I scanned my Cheonan map to look for a decently sized park that I could walk to, in the hopes it would have some space to relax and I found one, about a 45 minute walk away. I made a pb&j, stuffed a bottle of water and my magazine in my backpack, and went out into the glowing, but not too hot, sunshine.

As I neared the park, I noticed an abundance of oldsters riding around on bikes. Oldschool bikes. I walked under a bridge to see groups of old men huddled in circles. They were talking loudly and shouting at sticks that were thrown in the middle of the circle. Apparently, this is how Korean grandpas spend their Saturdays. It may have been this game.

I saw the park on the top of a small hill, and climbed the grass covered steps to it. It was a big dirt area with benches, a small fountain, and a wooden pagoda in the middle. There were old men hanging around up here, too. I had just sat down in the pagoda, when a man came up to me with a handful of newspapers. He motioned me to stand and proceeded to spread the papers on the floor so I would have a decent place to sit. He then squatted next to me and tried to talk to me. Between my five words of Korean and his five words of English, we didn't get very far. But this didn't deter him. He kept up his side of the conversation just fine and I would just interject a "Mulayo" ("I don't know) whenever he would pause for my answer.

At the other end of the pagoda, I could see his wife lying on a thin mat next to two suitcases, which I assumed were all of their belongings. From what I could tell, they lived in the pagoda, although the man did say something about his "home" being somewhere. So, I "talked" with the man for a while, and his wife came over and then another old man. They didn't seemed to be bothered by the fact that we were not really communicating at all. Eventually, everyone wandered away, and I was left to my reading.

After a while, the woman came over with a plastic bag in her hands. She pulled out packaged ice cream and handed it to me. I couldn't help thinking about the group from church who had just this morning gone to the train station to hand out food to the homeless, and here I was being given food from the homeless. I didn't want to accept it. I wanted to give them something. I wanted to know their story and what I could do to help. But I couldn't. So I took the ice cream, with much bowing and thanks. I thanked them again as I left, wishing that I could do more.

As I was walking home, among many other things, I was thinking about this language thing and how it creates a bubble. I gravitate toward bubbles. I use my family and friends as a bubble. I use my church as a bubble. Pretty much anywhere that makes me comfortable, I'm there. And there's a place for comfort. But I think that if I was to stay in Korea, I would have to learn the language. I create enough bubbles for myself without using language as yet another tool for isolation.

I have many ideas for change in the world. But there needs to be communication for them to happen. Wherever I live, I need to be able to communicate in order to be a participating member and a force for change in society.

The Final Chapter

2007-08-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Finally. The last installment of Vietnam pics. Looks like it's time for another vacation. *sigh* I wish....Thanks for all your comments, though!

Cat Lady

2007-08-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

This is freaky. Oh, they look docile enough at first...but just you wait.

Will they survive?!?!?

2007-08-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Did Pete and I get eaten by huge, flesh-eating monsters while trekking through the rice paddy steppes??? Find out in the second exciting installment of Vietnam pics!

Have I mentioned before how much I love Adobe Lightroom? Thanks, Jesse. And thanks, Jayson.

back on the blogger wagon.

2007-08-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Vietnam, and that means back to blogging with a treasure-trove of new pics. My bro and I conquered northern Vietnam with our traveler's prowess. We braved the motorbike infested streets of Hanoi, battled the shoe-eating mud in the stunningly beautiful, but treacherously slippery, hills around Sapa, and defiantly waited patiently for many a bus on our tour through Halong Bay. Peril? Yes, you could say we were in great peril. But we faced the peril. And we had a super time doing it.

If you're in my vicinity, ask me more and I'll tell you. If you're in Pete's vicinity, ask him about it, and I'm pretty sure he'll tell you. If you just want to look at the first installment of pics and be done with it, go here. If you think all vacations are the same and have no desire to hear yet another story about traveler's diarrhea, then maybe you will find this interesting instead (Trust me. It's cool. Check out the movies, too.).

In other news, I also went to a Muse concert last Sunday at Pentaport Rock Festival in Incheon. They ROCK in concert! So go, now, buy tickets, and see them. And the rock gods will be appeased.

Fourth on the Fifth (or Sixth, for me)

2007-07-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

For more fun 4th photos, click here.

Ode to Mom & Dad

2007-07-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't posted for a blog-land eternity (known as a month for us in the corporeal world) because my parents made the long journey west to come visit. Hooray! I had thought that we wouldn't have enough to do, seeing that Korea isn't exactly an exotic destination for world travelers. But there was no shortage of sites to see and stores to shop! We survived the two weeks with no clashes, very little complaining, and lots of good memories. So, thanks Mom & Dad for being such super travelers! I love you!

B is for Bunny.

2007-06-14T04:54:00.000-07:00

Mipa's bunny, Bunny, is super cute.
And my new lens is super cool.

Debut

2007-06-13T06:58:00.001-07:00

So, last Friday night Young Min, Matt, and I had a gig at Starbucks. Diss S-bucks all you want, but one thing they do well is give local musicians and/or artists a chance to show their stuff. I dig it.

On two guitars and a djembe drum, we played some church stuff, some Beatles, Coldplay, one of my tunes, and that old Coke commercial song, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing." It was all semi-thrown-together, but it was still cool. I wasn't even that nervous. It was good clean fun, and a hey-day for foreigners, who flocked to the place like Koreans to a kimchi tasting.

The main thing is that now I can say I'm "internationally acclaimed", or some other such aggrandizement. Ha. Cool.

Beachee Fun!

2007-06-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Adam, Elisa, Houston, Jackie, Jenni, Jayson, and I hopped a bus to get some sun at the beachee (or at least, that's what all our kids call it in class...unless they're calling it some other word that starts with a b and ends with ch). It was a blissful day full of sun, frisbees, climbing over rocky outcroppings, and all around good times. The beaches in Korea don't quite compare to Cali and are known to be swarming with bathers once the heat comes, but this one was big with plenty of sand to frolic in or lay on, and there weren't many people. In fact, we practically had the entire beach to ourselves until the post work and school crowd came out.

It's when the Koreans come out that you realize they have a significantly different perspective on beach-going. Pale skin is in here, so while all of us foreigners were stripped down to our suits trying to get golden brown, the Koreans were walking, playing, even swimming fully clothed. I don't think I saw a single Korean wearing a swimsuit without a t-shirt and shorts over it. I don't know how they can stand the soaking wet with saltwater jeans with sand trapped inside, but there's always a price for beauty. For us, the price was colored red. Despite us all mooching off Jenni's sunscreen, we each left with pink splotches somewhere or other. But no worries. We went to the store to get some aloe afterwards and they gave us a free sample of skin whitener, so we can always just bleach our skin back to it's original pasty whiteness. Ah, the things we do....

For more pics, check out my flickr.

Buddah's B-day: visual supplement

2007-06-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

Belated Blog about Buddah's Birthday (in the style of the Bob Loblaw law blog)

2007-05-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

So, last Thursday was Buddah's b-day, in case anyone missed it. If you did miss it, I suggest getting a Korean calendar because all the holidays (read: days I don't have to regulate screaming children) are listed in red. My mom has one, so she lets me know if there's a holiday coming up. Like this one, for instance. And, she also told me that virtually every Buddhist temple in Korea (and there are a lot!) has a big lantern festival on said day. So, like any good mother, she made sure that I made plans to celebrate the day off Buddhist style.

After the rare splurge at T.G.I. Friday's with some pals, Cara, Jo, Jenni, and I decided to head up toward Taejosan mountain to Gagwansa Temple. The clouds were brewing overhead, and just as we got off the bus, the rain started coming down. With three out of four umbrella-less, we made our way through town, which was littered with tents and booths selling food and Buddhist paraphernalia. We soon had the appearance of drowned rats, calling more attention to us than the usual "whitey stare". The rain was refreshing, though, and it was still warm out. After a seemingly infinite stair climb, we reached another string of booths. One had some ladies making the paper lanterns that we could see were hanging everywhere up ahead, so we decided to try our hand at making one. The ladies helped us, sometimes losing patience and just doing it themselves, but we ended up with some pretty sweet lanterns. They wrapped them in plastic for us so they wouldn't get wet.

The big Buddah (15 meters high and 60 tons!) loomed ahead and we could see hundreds of pink lanterns strung in front of it. By this time, we were thoroughly soaked, but Buddah drew us closer. We watched as people lit candles and bowed in respect before the giant statue. It was really quite a serene sight. After taking altogether too many pictures of the wet paper lanterns, we jogged over to the temple, where people were streaming in to pray. Three golden Buddahs were in the front of the place and a monk was beautifully chanting and playing a drum. It was so simple and peaceful and reverent.

I swear that Buddhists are some of the nicest people around, because as we headed down the hill toward the town to catch a taxi, an older lady pulled over and waved us into her car. She didn't speak a lick of English, but she saw that we were cold and wet and had pity on us. Not only did she pick us up, but she drove us the entire way back into downtown, about 20 minutes! She even gave us some gummy seaweed candy (it tasted about as good as it sounds). But it was really cool.

After a Chai at Starbucks, we split ways and went home. To top off my great day, as I got off the bus a Korean lady motioned me under her umbrella and walked with me part way home. Buddah was definately shining on me that day. It was good. Thanks, mom.

Pics to come soon....

Pill Popper?

2007-05-16T20:13:00.001-07:00

....or secret message giver?

Now you can pass notes in class without any fear of getting caught. Your teacher will just think you're passing amphetamines or some other drug.

I got these for my pals' birthdays. Only in Korea.....

Everything's a target...

2007-05-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

...with my new Canon 50mm 1.4 lens.

It's true.

2007-05-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'd like everyone to know that I have mastered eating birthday cake out of a dixie cup with chopsticks. "What?!", you may say. "That would take some kind of chop-sticks genius!" Well, genius is a pretty strong word. But, if you insist on using it, I can handle it.

Get thee to a nunnery*

2007-05-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Last-last weekend, Julene and I went to Busan upon the invite of some of Julene's nun buddies. I know it seems like a preponderance of convent visits for me recently (does two count as a preponderance?), but, no worries...I'm not planning on signing on. It's just fun. These nuns showed us all around town and were so gracious to us. They didn't even know me, but they extended the invitation to me anyway. And the beach was right there! So I got my little beach fix and got to spend some q.t. with Julene before she left for Africa. (Check out her blog for some of her adventures thus far...)

I conquered Seoul last weekend. Am I weird for actually wanting to go down by myself? Probably. I had to pull some major avoiding to make a solo trip. It seemed like everyone and their brother was going to Seoul last weekend. No, really! Probably %80 of the people I know were there. But there's some sense of adventure that comes when you go to a foreign city alone, and some freedom, too. So, I went down with only one plan: to buy a Canon 50mm f1.4 camera lens. I went to Yongsan, this huge electronics market, to haggle with the many salesmen vying for my money. My haggling skills are not so hot, but I got the guy down to the lowest price I found online, $50 less than where he started. So I was happy.

Afterwards, what to do? The options were endless. I decided to hunt down a Mexican place I had read about in my Lonely Planet guide. But, alas, my taste buds were not appeased; I couldn't find the place. I settled for this 50's diner place, complete with red leather booths and a parking sign reading, "Elvis fans only. All others will be all shook up." I ordered up a burger and a chocolate shake for a little slice of Americana heaven. Sooo good.

After a bit more wandering around, I hopped on the KTX for a quick ride back. All in all, a good trip, especially good with my new lens. I love it. The depth of field is sweet. I need to do this new lens thing more often. Next trip to Seoul = Mexican food! Must....have...Mexican.....

*10 points to whoever can tell me what famous play this is from....

2007-04-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I hung out at a convent. I went there with Julene, Jackie, and Alfred for a retreat-type deal. Julene goes there all the time for some peace and quiet, so she decided to share the wealth and take us there. Alfred stayed for most of the first day, long enough to tell us his amazing story of coming from Tanzania to Korea. Then it was just the girls, and we had a great time just lounging around, figuring out Taize songs, reading the Bible, and talking. Luckily, all three of us value deep, honest conversation and are okay with silence, otherwise it might have been too much time with too few people. But it was good. We sat in on the nuns singing their daily prayers and they made us super delicious Korean food. The place was simple and quiet. And I even had time to take some cool photos, which I have been slacking on. So, thanks, nuns, for a very peaceful weekend.

Look out, D.C.!

2007-04-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

So, a couple weeks ago our hagwon took a trip to Cheongju for some cherry blossom site-seeing. All the teachers went and some of their kids, so it was a good time.

My two cents.

2007-04-12T04:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, time for me to hop into this convo about church. The question is: "Isn't "the church" less institution and more people? I mean, those people who choose to follow Christ. That's the church. Do we really need to "go" to church?" Check out Houston and Jackie's blogs for opposing viewpoints on the subject. As is my wont, I'll be decidedly moderate.

I could rail indefinitely about the church and its infinite shortcomings...its pat formulas, squelching of creativity, staunch dogmas, absurd bickering, and all around disregard for Christ and His message of love and acceptance. But what it comes down to is that the church, in all its institutional glory, is really just a bunch of people doing what people do best: messing up. The problem is when people mass together they sometimes forget that they are only human and start wielding their power around as if they were God Himself.

If we were to stop looking at the church as some sort of mandate from God, and to start realizing that it is merely a gathering place for people, for learning, for being reminded weekly that we are all making this journey towards truth together, then maybe the church could regain some of the dignity it has lost. There are many beautiful things about the church: that it is a venue where thought about God and spirituality is accepted, that it joins people worldwide in common purpose and dialog, that it brings together a myriad of people from local communities, and that it is a public voice for love, generosity, and humanitarian causes.

In the end, the church will change when people change. I'm not about to give up on the beauty and truth of Christ's message just because a whole lot of people have skewed it to serve their own purposes. And I don't really think I should give up on the church, even though that's been seriously messed up, too. I think it can be something different, more aligned with Christ. I also think that there is enough unrest among young people in the church today to make that change. All we have to do is start actually living like Christ....the church will follow.

Home is where the camera is....

2007-04-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

Check out Jesse and Lyn's new blog. Great pics, great vids (like this one), and I even made the cut. My mean bowling streak comes out...

One problem...it's making me miss all you guys too much!!
Solution: anyone up for going to Vietnam with me and Pete this summer?

From all the bunnies in my class...

2007-04-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

Playing with Guns.*

2007-04-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a bbq on the roof followed by hours of shooting stuff with bb guns.
guns + digi-cam = endless fun.

*rated PG....for "play guns"...

2007-04-02T04:52:00.000-07:00

Hooray for fun day trips to Seoul! Saturday found me on the 1.5 hour subway ride to Seoul with some pals from church.

There's some debate in these parts about the best way up to the city. We went the slowest, but cheapest (2,500 won), way on the subway. The alternative is a $6-8 hour-long train or bus ride, or the oh-so-posh $12 and only 20 minute KTX train ride. I don't usually mind the subway on the way up because you can always get a seat, everyone's usually pretty chatty on the way, and I feel pretty decent only spending about two bucks on my ticket. I'd probably opt for the latter two on the way down, though, since the subway's usually packed on the way home and by that time you're tuckered out anyway and just want to sink into your warm bed.

My first stop was Yongsan market, electronics mecca! I had this bold idea to finally buy a new lens for my camera, but when faced with the plethora of choices and the daunting proposition of battling hundreds of sellers to get the best price, I decided the time had not yet come. But Jackie volunteered to haggle with the sellers for me when I was ready to buy because she "loves bargaining with other people's money."

After Yongsan, we all met back up at Itaewon, an area of shops near the U.S. military base, mostly catered to English speakers. There were an almost absurd number of foreigners there, i.e. I could say "excuse me" and people actually understood and moved! For lunch, we went to Ali Baba's, for some middle Eastern fare. The place was big on atmosphere, but not so big on portions. Small, but delicious. Then we moseyed on over to What the Book, a sweet little shop that has used and new English books. We hit up an overcrowded Starbucks before we all went our separate ways.

Jo and I left the others to go to Nagwon Musical Instrument Arcade, a huge building jam-packed with instrument sellers. I was on a mission to find a harmonica, a shaker, and a slide. I had meant to look at mandolin prices, too, but I completely forgot. But success in all other areas. Blues, here we come!

After drooling over all those beautiful instruments, we rolled on up to Daehangno, a bustling university area of town, to brew up a little live jazz. Mipa met up with us and we found the perfect little place: dark, smoky, low-ceilinged with hanging lamps. They started off with a sax, drums, bass trio. They did standards and some fusion stuff, pretty nice. The next group was an unconventional combo: drums, piano, keyboard, sax, and two apparently classically trained strings, a violin, and a cello, who acted as the bass. Both strings were percussive too, tapping and drumming on their instruments. The sax player rocked out and the pianist sang sometimes. Altogether, it was some stellar music.

So, with my harmonica in pocket, a bossa tune reverberating in my head, and an all around contented feeling, we splurged and took the KTX back to Choenan. Ah, good times.

white dressed in wheat's clothing.

2007-03-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

Check out my "high fiber"...excuse me, "fibre" bread. Yep, "whole wheat" has an entirely different meaning here. I think it means "white".

But, who could resist bread with such a persuasive sales pitch on the side, not to mention the phenomenal grasp of the English language...

So, I've been enjoying the fiber of these fibers f-style and fresh. To be joyful to Paris must mean that it makes tasty French toast....il est délicieux.

Call me a pretzel

2007-03-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

So, I started yoga classes today. I have a certificate for a free month, won in some freak winning streak at a Christmas party, when I won something like five free goodies in one night. The class was great; yes all in Korean (obviously), but it will help me learn my numbers. I thought I was doing pretty good until the part where we stood on one leg and lifted our other leg above our heads. You have to wonder how they thought up these poses....But, it was a good time and I was surprised at all the bizarre positions I actually could get my body into. So, I think I'm gonna dig this yoga thing. And soon....

A simple equation.

2007-03-10T02:16:00.000-08:00

fluffy homemade hamburger buns +

yummy homemade french fries =

happy happy me!

Two Movies and a Website

2007-03-08T04:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, not really movies, but videos. Movies sounded better, though. Kind of like "Three Men and a Baby". Or "Two Guys and a Girl". Although, that was a terrible show....

Go here to see my mom looking so good in her debut commercial, along with some other great looking gals from back home.

Go here to see why women always think they're ugly.

Go here for a new addiction and instructions for anything you could ever want to know. My favorites so far: the paper wallet and the invisible bookshelf.

Trip up North...no, no, not that far North

2007-03-05T04:12:00.000-08:00

So, March 1st was Samil, a Korean holiday that celebrates the independence movement against Japanese occupation in the early 1900's. The brutality of the not-so-long-ago occupation has left some pretty apparent anti-Japan ese residue on the Korean people. I've only been teaching here for 3 months (that long?!) and I have already had students tell me of their dislike for Japan. It's very sad...

But, alas, this is supposed to be merely a jaunty blog entry about my holiday, so let us move to lighter subjects....like my trip to Seoul! On this beautiful non-working day, Mipa and I decided to venture up for some shopping and wandering. We took the subway up, almost irresistible at about $2.50 one-way. And we are the first stop on the way up, so we're guaranteed a seat. One and a half hours later, we stepped off the subway into Namdaemun market, the biggest traditional Korean market around. It was packed! (Sadly, I did not have my camera...bad photographer! This image is from another site.) Mipa knew of a huge art supply store in here, so we headed over there and I made my one purchase of the day...two pens! Ah, but they write sooo nicely...

Next, we took the subway to the COEX mall, a massive underground shopping center complete with aquarium. I was on the hunt for a new wallet...Korean won are too fat for mine! You'd think, huge mall, wallet is pretty standard, no problem, right? Wrong! I could not find a wallet that wasn't some crazy expensive designer thing. And here we come to a lesson in Korean culture. They are all about designer fashion. You can either get the real thing, or a knock off, but when shopping for clothes, shoes, or wallets, don't count on some casual, not-too-trendy thing. Now, that is hard to find. All the fashionistas clicking around in their high-heeled boots should have tipped me off....

One thing I did manage to find was a place to develop the film from my holga camera, and they did it in a couple hours. But, once again my cheapy holga is not cheap enough! No vignetting, not even a tiny little light leak. I still got the creepy blur around the edges...

So, at the end of the day, with my money jutting precariously out of my old narrow wallet and my new pens gleaming in the pocket of my messenger bag, Mipa and I decided to splurge and spend 6000 won ($6) on a bus ticket home. Because after a long day of non-shopping, who wants to stand on the subway the whole way home?