2007년 7월 30일 월요일

I'll wait for you forever...



당신을 영원히 기다릴 거에요...

I'll wait for you here until you come back... even if it takes forever....

Hachi.

Hachi Story (八チ公物語)

하치 이야기

하치이야기는 스필버그,스탠리 큐브릭의 A.I. 스토리와 더불어 내가 아는 가장 순수한 사랑이야기중 하나이다. 오늘 수업이 끝난후 도서관에 잠시 들렀다 우연히 서가에 나란히 꽂혀있는 하치이야기 두권을 발견했다. 삼년전 일로 기억하는데, 난 학교 도서관에서 이 책을 읽다 쪽팔리게 훌쩍훌쩍 울었던 적이 있다.(다큰놈이 울긴..ㅋ) 평생을 같은곳에 나가 주인을 기다린 강아지라니... 아마 가장 순수한 사랑은 그런 빛깔을 띠고 있을 것이다. (그러고 보니 내가 아는 가장 아름다운 사랑이야기의 주인공은 둘다 강아지와 로봇으로 사람이 아니다.) 지금 막 인터넷을 검색해보니 이 이야기가 몇해전 일본에서 영화로 제작되었다던데, 순수한 일본혈통 아키타견을 강조하는 카피문구가 참으로 일본스럽다는 생각이 들긴 하지만 새벽무렵 홀로 동대문극장구석에 앉아 여민가슴으로 A.I.를 봤던 기억이 떠올라 어떻게 한번 구해보고 싶기는 하다. 퉁퉁부은 눈으로 떠오르는 아침햇살을 맞으며 성수대교위에서 차창을 반쯤 내렸을때 뜨거운 얼굴위로 날아와 꽂혔던 강바람의 시원함이란... 뿌연 감정의 찌꺼기들을 말끔히 씻어 내리던 눈물의 정화. 카타르시스란 바로 그런 것일 것이다. 그리고 요즘 난 그런것들이 무척이나 그립다.
오른쪽 상단의 사진은 작년 가을 베트남 사파를 여행하다 찍은 강아지 사진인데, 매일매일 주인을 기다리다 결국 시부야역 동상이 되어버린 강아지 하치는 순수혈통보다는 오히려 저런 잡종 강아지가 더 어울리지 않을까싶어 함께 포스팅한다. 모든 아름다운 사랑이야기가 모두 멋진 주인공들의 전유물일 필요는 없으니까...

Hachi Story

Hachi story is the most beautiful story I have ever known including A.I. of Steven Sphiberg and Stanley Kubrick. Hachi is the name of dog, who waited for his master until forever. This dog escorted his master to the subway station each day, when the professor took a train to the university. The dog would be dutifully waiting for his master to return on the evening train. When the professor died one day all of sudden by accident, the dog waited forlornly for his master to return. The dog returned to the station every evening, for over a decade afterwards until the dog finally died of old age and sickness. I found out this book in the library next to school and it reminds me the old memory of sobbing myself into reading this in my university library. I found that this story made as film in Japan while ago, after searching it on internet. The dog in the movie poster must be Hachi and yet I want Hachi would be little bit ugly like the picture above that I took while traveling Sapa in Vietnam. I am kinda discontented with the stereotype which the good looking always play heroes... even if in the beautiful story like this.

What to read...


What to read this week


1. 두글자의 철학 (김용석)

2. Kuhn vs Popper : The Struggle for the Soul of Science (Revolutions in Science Series)
by Steve Fuller, John Turney (Editor)

3. 놀이와 예술 그리고 상상력 (진중권)

* I gave up reading Kuhn vs Popper at last. I found out Korean version on internet bookstore and ordered it. I had better try it as Korean when it arrives. Too much for my clumzy English. -.-;

start to learn violin

I started to learn playing violin from today.
Personal lesson by LA phil harmony orchestra violinist will be taken for 2 or 3 times in a week. Amazing point is it's all free except membership charge $80 per month.
It's a kind of conditoinal contract. When I play well enough after practicing 1 year, I have to join the Orchestra, participate in practice once a week and give a performance in the concerts that LA Phil-harmony Orchestra give regularily. Simply put, I become a conditional trainee. well.. Nothing to lose for me.
It's just first lesson but my teacher patted me on the back that I am a potential.
Happy about having my own instructor. I know how it is difficult to learn instrument without instructor since I've been on it with piano.



The violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello.
A violin is sometimes informally called a fiddle, no matter what kind of music is played on it. The word "violin" comes to us through the Romance languages from the Middle Latin word vitula, meaning "stringed instrument";[1] this word may also be the source of the Germanic "fiddle".
A person who plays the violin is called a violinist or fiddler, and a person who makes or repairs them is called a luthier, or simply a violin maker. (from Wikipedia)

South Park* Uses and Abuses* “N-word*”



South Park, interesting.
I want to watch "the hit cable animated series" too
But I don't have cable.ㅡ.,ㅡ;

Anyway, script below for those who can't understand this by only listening like me. enjoy!

PS. I repeated listening this 10times this morning. now I don't need script. -.ㅡV

[South Park* Uses and Abuses* “N-word*”]

HUGH RIMINTON, CNN Anchor: Known generally just simply as the “N-word”, it has sparked a lot of debate in the United States. Now the racial slur is taking center stage in the hit TV show South Park. Sibila Vargas reports.
[STAN’S FATHER(South Park)]: I know it, but I don’t think I should say it.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN Correspondent: But he does say it. In fact, to kick off its 11th season, the hit cable animated series South Park uses the N-word more than 40 times.
The episode starts with one character reluctantly and mistakenly offering the racial slur as an answer on a game show. In an ironic role reversal, he finds himself the object of hate for actually using the word.
[STAN’S FATHER(South Park)]: Please, I don’t want any trouble.
[UNIDENTIFIED MALE 1(South Park)]: Well, you got trouble when you first decided to slander an entire race of people on Wheel of Fortune!
VARGAS: A man faces the same abuse, discrimination and crime associated with the original African-American victims.
[UNIDENTIFIED MALE 2(South Park)]: Hey, what do you think you’re doing?
[STAN’S FATHER(South Park)]: I just need some aspirin.
[UNIDENTIFIED MALE 2(South Park)]: You aren’t welcome in this store, “Nigger Guy”!
VARGAS: While some might find any use of the Nword inflammatory, some members of the black community praise the episode’s portrayal of discrimination.
ANDREW MARKELL, South Park Viewer: It’s not really the word that’s important. Look at what’s going on inside, you know. That’s what I got.
VARGAS: Kovon and Jill Flowers, who co-founded the organization Abolish the “N” Word, tell CNN that in this case using it was appropriate. (Quote) “This show, in its own comedic way, is helping to educate people about the power of this word and how it feels to have hate language directed at you.” Daily Variety’s TV Editor Mike Schneider says it all needs to be taken in context.
MIKE SCHNEIDER, Daily Variety TV Editor: You can’t just take it on surface what they did on the show. To some degree, there’s a complicated story line and you have to watch the entire episode to get to sort of the moral at the end. (STAN: I’ll never really get how it feels for a black person to have somebody use the N-word.) It’s typical South Park M.O., which is, let’s take something that people are talking about that’s kind of uncomfortable and really throw it out there, really take it to the limit, take it to the edge.
VARGAS: While neither Comedy Central nor the show’s creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, would comment on this episode, over the years the top-rated show has targeted just about every sensitive subject. Catholics have taken issue with some of the show’s subject matter; so have Scientologists, gays and lesbians.
[STAN(South Park)]: This is a gay.
SCHNEIDER: South Park is immune because they’ve been on for so many years. They’ve been so successful. They’re cartoon characters. They can get away with a lot and they have throughout the years.
VARGAS: Controversy that over the years has translated into big ratings. Sibila Vargas, CNN, Hollywood.

2007년 7월 25일 수요일

Review on PINKs HotDogs

This is continuer of afternoon writing class task.
Today, new students from HanSeo Univ. joined the class. They will study for about 10 weeks from now on.
They would be third group from HSU since I've arrived in LA, I guess. (there might be more but I unfortunately couldn't remember 'cause I rarely came to school for the first couple of months for traveling.)
It seemed that I didn't know much of them in opposition to my willing to know them better since I have decided not to speak in Korean in class-room. The fact that having conversation in English with Korean is akward seemed to make me talk less than I wanted to.
I hope not that make you get me wrong as an unsociable guy or american wannabe who avoids talking to Korean. I love my people, Koreans. I'm far away from being nationalist or blind patriot but I'm still a Korean who hot blood and strong affection to my country stir up inside. I appreciate their humanity and generosity based on affection(정情), noble mind loves art and nature, tireless sprit against injustice and dectatorship. (The reason I used the possessive pronoun "their" instead of "our" in the prior sentence is I think I need to maintain a objective attitude toward my country to judge my country better.) I could feel all the good aspects as Koreans I mentioned above from young students who went back to Korea and have just arrived here.
Despite above I'll stick to my principle not speaking in Korean in class.
School is only place that I can practice my English since I don't have English native speaker roommate.
Eventhough the reason why I adhere to speaking in English doesn't help us get closer plz try to understand this poor old guy who came to America after making 30 and is struggling fiercely. I can't afford to fool around.
I still welcome all the questions about this area though... place to hang out or dine out, how to cope with unfamiliar situation as a FOB(Fresh off the Boat...like me), just shoot me any question, I'm glad to help you.

OK... enough about you and me, then Let's move on. HOTDOG!!!



I'd like to introduce you the most famous and oldest HOTDOG Stand in California... maybe in the US.
If you have a chance to pass by melose and la brea street at night, You will see people wait in long line in front of a Hotdog Stand without fail. That's PINKs HotDogs. 67yrs old hotdog stand.
I had a good and bad memory together with the hotdog bar. Bad one is I had first car crash by drunken stupid party animal (but it was minor collision), good one is that I made two friend while I was waiting in the line.
Yes, right... Everything has pros and cons. You have to wait half to 1 hour to try one hot or chilly dog but that time give you chance to practice your English and even make friends. Just don't be shy! You can easily find the subject to start your conversation there because it became a kind of historical place. You can see lot of famous ppl and celebirities pictures on the wall with autographies and comments say like "I love this place forever" or "This is my favorite hotdog". Just start your conversation with asking who the people on the wall are. 1hour will fly quickly while you're enjoying conversation.
Well.. Let's take up the main subject. review on PINKs. Instead of giving stars for evaluation, let me evaluate by note.

Food: First of all, it's huuuuge. You will satisfied by the portion if you have great appetite. about taste, I can judge that. you know.. taste is very subjective. it was nice to my tongue. You try yourself and judge it!

Parking: Good luck finding parking, you'll end up parking on the street and if you get a spot in the parking lot (I hope it wasn't Conway's parking lot, I wasn't paying attention for the first time), it'll be packed and I found it cramped. One good thing is that it's free!

Wait: You're waiting in a line...30 minutes to an hour, depending on the hour of the day...

Service: Service is so-so. I did not find them very friendly but bearable. Two old lady and gengleman on the right are founder and owner of Pinks but never dream of seeing them there. They never show up there, they are really busy with enjoying their life. You can meet slightly tough emplyees instead of them.

Seating: Self Seat.. means that you don't need to give tip. Save money.. good, huh? If you visit daytime, patio backyard is nice to enjoy food. I took lot of picture of birds there. they don't afraid of people at all. They will sometimes try to steal your hotdog. watch out!

Warning: Don't try with the first date. If you are female, you never look neat after meal. kkk
If you are male, your partner will blame you. I recommend you try blue berry yogurt a block away on melose to win her heart.

Well... this is one of must-try place in LA. I'm not sure that you will enjoy this big historical hotdog but I'm sure that it will be a nice experience to wait in the line and chat with people. Waiting in so loooong line for food patiently. It's a part of learning American culture. Enjoy!

For more information, visit PINK's HotDogs

review on... (writing class task)

It's in the middle of writing class.
i gotta write some reviews on something...movie, restaurant, place, shop... whatever i have experienced. It is strange phenomenon happen to me that everytime I feel pressure to write something, all the idea in my head seem to disappear all of sudden. Eventhough I always have something to say about something since I'm a big whinner. Now I'm facing the same problem. well... what am I supposed to write about?
I don't know...

Now we are moving to other class room since we don't have enough seat for student.
I don't like paper writing. My penmenship is terrible.

No more Ghetto bird!!


No more helicopers at dawn!

What the hell are you combing for in the middle of the night?
I'm here. 971 Arapahoe street!!!
Stop disturbbing people's sound sleep and just come get me, idiot!

2007년 7월 23일 월요일

What to read...


What to read this week.

1. The Geography of thought: How asians and westerners think diffrently... and why (by Richard Nisbett)

2. 서양과 동양이 127일간 e-mail을 주고 받다. (김용석, 이승환)

3. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order 문명의 충돌 (by Samuel P. Huntington)

4. 현대 물리학과 동양사상 The Tao of Physics (by Fritjof Capra)

2007년 7월 22일 일요일

19.3% of 20~30's Korean considered "forging school background"


20~30대 성인 남녀 19.3% "학력 위조 생각했다."
19.3% of 20~30's Korean considered "forging school background"


Shame on you Koreans.
Not only she, career fabricator but the Korean society provoking people to forge their academic career is to blame.

How long would you stick to factionalism?

2007년 7월 21일 토요일

leisure weekend

doing laundries, washing piled up dishes, cleanning messy house... reading some books arrived from Korea.

Weekend at liberty.

Dining out in P.F. Chang


The 1st trial on P.F. Chang.
Been wanting to try this chinese bistro since I heard it tastes just right to Koreans. (Some ppl complain it's not authentic, but I'm ok with it. Authentic Chinese food is too greasy for my tongue.)
Everytime I looked at the restaurant passing by it to park my car in beverly ctr parking lot, there have always been long lines seem to be never short, so I didn't dare to stand in the line.
Thanks to my friend, catie I tried P.F. Chang at last.
We ordered Gung Pao chicken (it's my favorite chinese dish always.), Pan fried noodle, Garlic snap peas and some kind of pork ribs. As being expected, It's not too oily or spicy. I wished the Gung Pao was a bit spicier, that was nice none the less. If that spicy food had a bit more kick, Catie could not have enjoyed it at all as opposed to I could do more. So, It was fair for either.
It was nice dining out place on the whole. comfortable and romantic lighting, decorations and ambient, flavorful cuision and decent portion, reasonable price - total price for 4 dishes and beverage was about 40 bucks include tips.

Hightly recommended if you are interested in great ambience and delicious meats... and not too caught up the "authentic Chinese" bit!

PS. Ordering from menu doesn't have pictures doesn't seem to be easy for foriegners like us.
FYI,This is the menu for the P.F. Chang's. It has picture and information about calories and ingredients. hope this can help you enjoy P.F. Chang.

2007년 7월 19일 목요일

confession 1



I got a confession to make.
I had been addicted to Ikea furniture. 80% of my funitures are from there, spent so many days & nights assembling those damn cute objects.
It was not easy to overcome that addiction but I made it by quitting going to burbank. (at least I thought I did)
Today I happened to go there to see my friend, Jay since his car is in bad condition and finally visit IKEA again.
I had a good reason for my visit though 'cuz the lamp in my bed room is broken.
Anyway once I stepped in there and look around all the furnitures displayed neatly, it made me go crazy to pick up something new. well... I managed to get out with the only lamp (To be frankly, I picked up couple of nice glass vessels but put those back at the end. anyway Nice Deffence!!!) but still keep thinking of the little white side table which I glanced at in the living room section.
I should stop thinking of it, it's tough though.
I don't wanna be slave to IKEA!
no more see you soon again...Hado to IKEA!!!

2007년 7월 17일 화요일

Resolution 1


Resolution1: Keep an English diary every day.
It is obvious to look like elementary schooler's writing, whatever I try.
But who cares? Let's not be shy.
Everybody already knew my English suck except my mom and she is million miles away now!

mother's gift


went shopping to beverly cntr for my mother's birthday gift.
found a fancy hand bag made by couch in the 25% sale showcase in the blooming dales. I could get almost 40% off since I had 15% off coupon that they send me for opening blooming dales' account. happy about nice deal.
dropped by apple store, bought i-pod shuffle for mom. yellowish green, the same color as mine. After having updated couples of upbeat songs so that my mother could enjoy it while her jogging, wrapped up with the bag and birthday card to send them to her in Korea.
Happy birth day, mom. I love you!

2007년 7월 14일 토요일

cool stuff ^^b

I just posted about 20 pictures that I took in ankor watt, Cambodia last summer. flickr is cool stuff. better than cy-world in that you can send your pic to any blog you want. just my opinion. It's not that difficult to learn as well. I tried to open an my-space account once before but I couldn't even figure out what is going on there, flash, video. music..ect... too much stuffs for me. Look at the blogger and flickr. silent, neat, fancy and easy. these seem to be perfect tool for English begginer like me. I like both so much. thank you for introducing me these nice websites, matt!! well.. I gotta go out. party animals keep calling me. Have a nice weekend. everyone.

PS. I'm writing this one in flickr. isn't this cool? ^_^b

trial uploading...


trial uploading...
Originally uploaded by AceJY
well.. this is trial uploading.
I've just posted my first pic on the flickr, found out the function to send the pic I posted in flickr to blogger and post as well just by one clicking.(It's cool~)
so now I am giving a shot.
You can visit my flickr by clicking the picture on the right or the link saying trial uploading... below the pic.

2007년 7월 12일 목요일

The first post (Hi~ everyone)


I've just opened my account and trying to figure out how things going on here.
Well... this actually is a kind of homework of the Language school that I'm currently attending, but I've been wanting to try this out someday soon. Today is the DAY!!! Thank you for the motivation, Matt~ It must take more than a year to open an account owing to my idleness but for your pressure. I'm a real big procrastinator!
I have yet no specific plan what to post here. Posting journal seem to be proper for a while until my english get better.
I don't know who's gonna be my friend here, but whoever visiting my blog you are, I always welcome your pointing out my mistake on grammar and weird expression. I will appreciate your advice. I really need to improve my English.
Plz drop in my blog from time to time. your one sweet comment is a big support for me. thank you. Arigaddo. Kakuncab. Shuie shuie. Gomabddanggero~ (__)(^^)