The beautiful weekend, too.

I'm very sorry I couldn't use my camera in this beautiful weekend.

On saturday, we went to a short performance-Kkubug Story(hmm, means bowing-story) at Raemian Gallery, Kangnam. It was a musical for kids, which was teaching the manners required for communal life. Yup, dull, ridiculous and uninteresting for me, but kids looked enjoying it. Well, it was free and needed to accept its quality. In addition, we met our neighbor(actually one of SJ's closest friends) there by chance. A funny day.

(Well, I'm not so familiar this new small camera..)

Sunday? Everyone was talking about the snow. Yeah, the snow to me, too. The snow was there. Look at the photos I took at balcony in the morning. I really love this house, this place and the view it gives. I'm a little bit sad when I think I would leave here soon..Took these with the small camera again...

After breakfast, we went to the playground of the near-by element school to make snow men.

Do you know what a hard job it is?

SJ had the chickenpox(SOO-DOO) in the last week(and I was regret that I was laughing at JH's interesting picture..) and cured well, but the weekend activities might be hard to him. He has a severe cold right now..

The Plan A

My life, nope, exactly, the life of my family, would be very exciting in 2007 by the uncertainty which had resulted from our abrupt, immatured, chaotic, and confusing plan for exiting from the current living place.

I felt it's quite an irresponsible situation for kids, but anyway they are some of the family members and we would share all the inconvenience.

At the moment, what have determined are:

1. We will leave the house on 29th Dec. No need to stay here any more.
2. We will visit to my elder sister in Bundang, for a month. Actually we had expected it for two months, but SJ has to go his kidergarten since Feb. 1. So possibly it can be shorten into a month visit. One more option here. My sister and her husband said, two-years-long visit would be also fine. For this, we need to change the SJ education strategy, but it would be the most fascanating and attractive choice, considering my financial status.
3. We have to find a small studio, or condominium for 5 or 6 months-long-stay if we decided to leave my sister's home in February. One problem is we didn't decide yet how much we will spend for this temporary stay. Actually I surveyed for the residencial service companies like Co-up, Fraiser, and Vabien, but it's too expensive.

Well, now what we have to do right now is packing. Since there are three destinations for packs, we decided to do it by ourselves rather than to use the commercial movement services. The furniture, books, clothes, kitchenware and toys are classified into three: Always-Carrying-On-Boxes, Shifting-For-Two-Months-Boxes, and Long-Term-Storage-Boxes. The first boxese will be moved to Bundang on the 28th of this month. The rests will be to my parent's home in the next day keeping the classifications.

I'm packing them every night, but not sure whether I can join in the moving jobs. My wife said, she could handle it anyway..(fantastic, isn't it?)

One confession. While facing the tough change in my company, I had seriously thought about a short break(actually 8 months-break) and a trip to foreigh countries with whole the family, but finally ended in just a thought. I'm sorry about that still. That would make differences for all.

Wibro Test

got this wibro terminal inthe last summer .
'I'm writing down this on the bus to go home thru its handset. Hmm, curious enough. The pix I took minutes ago thru the handset.

oh no upload is not available in this pocket-pc ms explorer .

ridiculous...

hmm an accident on the kyounbu highway .

now,20:00 pm...

hmm interesting, isn't it ?

The weekend after a crazy week.

Well. It would be better to deny all the meetings and banquets in the last week. I think I should do that. Especially considering my health status at the moment.

After late works on monday(actually tuesday morning 5:00 am) , a heavy drinking would not be so good idea, but it's the 4x4 rendezvous wating for months. How I could hesitate for it. We were batting the breeze till the next morning actually. I remembered all the wives of 4x4 guys once said, all the guys in 4x4 talked too much. I thought that's true.

Then, I had to spend the midnight and early morning to meet/drink with my new bosses one day, with my new co-workers on the next day, and with my ole colleagues on the last friday.

Less than 10 hours I could sleep in whole 5 week days of the last week. More alcohols I might drink than the amount of mineral waters and meals for the days. Absolutely crazy I was.

On Saturday, however, I needed to join in a 5-km racing game with my son, which I had promised months earlier. Being tiered? Oh, that's not a matter. It's still hard to him, but looked much better than in the previous one. It was held in Bundang.

Runners preparing for their starts.

On Sunday? Oh, no. I had to visited to the demonstration rooms for the new apartment. And I had to joined in a demonstration of the future-inhabitants for quality-upgrades. (But I could leave the place soon) Really I felt and agreed that the quality in the plan would be trouble later.

The living room samples.

Very busy but fully fuddled in the week. And I don't remember anything in the last week. That makes me sad. I need a break anyway.

December. The Holiday Season

I love the cold weather of December, which is freezing my brain. Only the instinct - to feel cold or hot, to feel cool or hate- works in such days.

I love all the splendid decorations for Christmas or New Year's Day, too. The colorful blinking lights make me warm and dreaming. While watching the beautiful lights, which makes me a kid, I could stay for hours without doing anything else.

I took this pretty picture (a fancy decoration of one of the major department stores in Seoul) on Sunday night at my car while driving with my son.


PS. I'm not sure what happened here the blogger site. No editor's menu board in Explore 7, and I could upload the picture through Mozilla..

OK. That's fine.

It's time to think about what I have done or been doing in this year.

(The door is closing. Can you see my cute girl behine the CLOSED door? )

Well, at first, what I did in the last day of November 2006 were:


1. I gave most of my responsibilities to others.
After being taken the interesting job, perhapse I might loose my energy in somewhere. Anyway the rest of my jobs has been ,in a sense, some target of another team(actually for two years). So I gave up them, too. Instead, I could care of one more teammate. What will I do in the next year ? Don't worry, there're lots of works waiting for me, and I still have passions for works no matter what they would be.

2. Things in legal
It's the day I promised for paying all the money for the new house. So I visited to the realter's office with my wife in the afternoon, met the ex-owner of the house, paid for the really-big-bucks, visited to the bank for a new loan assignment, and dropped to the construction company for changing the contract. And then returned to the realter's office for the final deal.

Complex? Yes, they were.
Happy? Happy for the new house ?
No, not I am, not yet, at least. A lot of stresses for all of the above steps. It's hard to talk about everything... It's a really funny convention in this ridiculous country. Ugly.

3. Doctor gave me a bunch of pills.
I forgot the assignment in the late afternoon, but a call from hospital(it's very surprising, isn't it? ). Fortunately since I was at home after the above annoying works, and the hospital was so close from my home, I could meet the doctor in time, and this time he gave me a slip for 3 weeks medicine to cool down my numbers.

What I got finally were some medicine for hypochondria, some nervous sedative for over-sensitive poor spirit, and some drugs for sleepless nights. In fact, I'm not sure these were needed at the moment.

===

Cheers, anyway !! It's DECEMBER, the HOLIDAY season, now !

In a Bloody Week, Disarmament and Settlement

Last night, the outline was fixed for the next year business.

I could get some poor position in the similar organization, but more than half of the previous works was not my work any more. Two out of five teammates had to find another positions for them.

What I learn from the demolition were:
1. Lack of Confidence was never helpful.
2. Pessimistic view was not helpful, too.
3. Reality was advanced to Hopes usually.
4. Keeping Cool and Reasonable Thinks were musts.
5. Strong Appeals were always needed.

Let's not forget those.

Changing my profile.

You can read my new thoughts in the upper-left side of the page.

The family is the main root of my life, I feel these days.

Another Deal.

Well, it's due to my choice: to sell the house and to buy a new one. So the complain was not good in any case, I know. But there're some pressures, too.

Thanks to my wife and thanks to the kind neighbors, I mean, relatives, friends, banks and insurance companies, we could meet the money in short.

But the realter called me this afternoon, and ordered how we have to prepare the money. The problem is the amount of CASH is too much for hand-carries. I understood why cash, but be very unpleasant, rather a little bit upset. The appointment time was also given by the seller, because she is very busy. I'm annoyed at this, because I'm very hard to make time in this week as you know. But no way. I don't like to miss this contrat. Need to agree the priority is still on the selling side. Even though the market situation is shrinking fastly, the financial environment is changing to the anit-market position gradually and the explosive taxes..

It's true I'm starting to worry about the negative perspectives on the real-estate markets.

Ah, one more annoying thing.

I'd read all the postings by the potential inhabitants in the web community of the new apartment I bought after getting the permission to join in(I had to pay for it, terrible..), and found there ARE some big probelms between the construction company and the contractors(inhabitants). Many of the main and important items offered by the company at the installment sales, look not to be kept. There were a lot of rebukes, critics, and even fights and struggles. I'm disturbbed in mind a lot.

The life seems to be, really, not easy..

Among the worst cases.

Actually, I think no porblem even if I have to move out some field offices. Rather, it can be a toally new, fresh, and interesting opportunity to me. I'm ready to go. If the change would be only mine, I wouldn't care their thoughts or orders.

The worse is, to break off our team, and to crash our teamwork. It looks not able to avoid, though. I didn't notice for this till it was announced.

I'm very sorry about that I couldn't keep the teammates who have to leave me, and go to some positions where they didn't like to go. I feel I'm irresponsible for them. They might be hurt by me, by my incapability, and by my insensitivity. I think I had some mistakes. I should care about all the people in the team, not about a specific person in this chaotic situation. I had lost a fairness among people at a loss. Oh, I'm really sorry about this and should apologize for this to them.

I'm very sorry that the work I have concentrated for two years, has to be handed off to others when its promising outputs look feasible. I feel I have robbed of, but no way to keep it. How humble it is.

From this noisy and ugly fussiness, I did learn about the big organization, how it works and people in powers about which I've never thought in my life so far. A lot of pressures.

I'm dreaming of some.. from now on.. carefully.. As you know, I'm a sort of.. tenacious.. .. Wait , it'll take time.. but I'll .. anyway..

Hey guys, I'm not so easy to meet you in this week, because the business was not done yet. Would you mind if I suggest to postpone our meeting to some day in the next week ?

P.S. I really appreciate for Raphael's offer and his sincereness. Really thanks!

The moving date gap

Maybe many of you couldn't understand why I had made this kind of deals. The moving date gaps are almost 8 months.

The arpartment I bought will be completed its construction as of Aug. 2007, and I have to move out from the current house before the first week of Jan. 2007. It's because it was the very nice time to sell the existing house and it was a quite good opportunity to buy the new apartment residential contract.

Anyway one more problem I have at the moment, is to hunt another short-time temporary home in some place. My SJ silly suggested to stay at Hilton during that time, but it would cost big bucks as much as I could buy one more small house..

Frankly speaking, one more big problem: I need a temporary short-term loan to pay for the new house legally right now. My wife is covering this at the moment. Thanks to her.. really..

This fall and winter. Really tough season I've never felt..

OK. Let me leave alone for a moment

I couldn't complete the required jobs after the shopping yet, for example, a loan and a legal regstration. But right now faced another big problem.

Well, I need to agree the labor market has not been secured after the late 90s' economic crisis and its flexitbility is increasing gradually, and now I should know I am faced to the job-lost situation.

Don't touch me, Let me leave just a moment. A light touch would make me crash. Depressed, and almost crying..

Need a break.. Yeah, really tired of the life.. the life is..

The First Hunting

OK. The first hunting was done.


I had contracted for a cozy apartment currently being built last night.

Thanks for your patient waiting for my decision.


The place I chose is roughly Yongsan and specifially in the Munbaedong, which is a typical old town and is planned to develope in near future.

The left photo shows it. I quote the photo without any permissions but the source is here and click it for more information.

I've never thought or imagined this kind of the results, but the interesting things are:

My wife said the fortuneteller forecasted we could get the target at the last day of the month, and surprisingly yesterday was the last day of September in lunar calendar.

My wife said the fortuneteller said moving to the WEST would be very bad for us, and fortunately it's SSE. In fact, Yonheedong, Daeheungdong, and Ahyundong were very strong candidates, but excluded in the final decision. I might be care about her advice..

My wife said the fortuneteller said the house owners in Chebudong would not sell theirs in neat future. That seems to be true. No good one for a month.

Actually the fact my wife visited to the fortuneteller with my mom and sister was more surprising.

----

While I was searching for a house in one month, I got some idea how people were making money using real-estates, and why the market was so unstable and the price was not stopping to raise. Through visiting to more than 30 real-estates agents/offices and through discussions with them, I got a hint what I had to do. Buying an under-esteemated old townhouse in a new development or remodelling areas in goverment plans. Actually I studied for most of such areas in Seoul.

The result was, however, quite far from the analysis and not matched with my own original plan. Even my wife and I agreed to live for a moment in a terrible conditions if it could compromise for some financial benefits, but the final choice was a brand-new expensive apartment with a big-debt, which was not for my style. (I had to admit that I needed to think about kids. In fact, SJ was so nervous whenever we visited to haunting houses, which I really want to buy. . )

--

Now, I'm facing to new problems:

The new apartment will be available in the August/September in the next year, so we need to find another shelter for 8 months. I think we would stay at my sisters' home for about two months..but no idea after that..

The second problem is the debt. I need to work more for more money. I don't know how..

--

Anyway I'm very happy I could get rid of one headaching serious item from my todo list.

Big IF.

Well, I'm a little bit nervous, and quite busy to post some article here, these days. Sorry about that.

There was an interestring article on the current real-estate crisis in Korea today at Bloomberg, and I at least agree on its last paragraph talkng about Big IF though the authour, Pesek, has not seemed to have any favor to Korea so far as I know. Anyway I fully understand this uncontrollable crisis would not end in near future and the rich or the richer would not hurt at all. Oh, I didn't mean any of the society wouldn't hurt.

The stupid big shepherd boy was shouting again today, but still the wolf, the revenge of the market, looks much more-far more powerful. Who in the world could manage properly on this (a little ill) mass desire! (But I couldn't imagine too how so many people are affordable for the prices..)

Still searching for a place. The target is extended from an aparment, to an old house, and now a farm or a field. If couldn't get a proper one, I'm willing to leave this country this time.. hehe, and frankly speaking, it's my long-time-forgotten dream.

Searching and searching

Well. It's the time for the decision-making.

I know it but we are still searching for the better one financially as well as for happy life.

-

Many of friends and colleagues are often asking why I sold the house in this confusing period. As the matter of the fact, the question is reasonable, and makes sense, because the price raise is SO WONDERFUL right now. In October, more than 10-20% of the price was raised in the preferred area.

But in my case, though I love the place, it's not in the so-called preferred area, and it's hard to expect the market performance. Of course, the surroundings are developing and there are a few potential drivers for the price, but I firmly believe it's a good time for the deal. (I'm not sure it's a sort of self-suggestions or an insinuation..)

-

The requirements are so simple. It would be fine if nice to live in, easily accessible to SJ's kindergarten, as well as to my office, and if expected for the near-market-performance.

Hmm. looks not so easy.

Well, the final candidates are some place near the Kyoungbok Palace at Chongro and some place near the Supreme Court at Seocho.

A Crazy Storm

It's not easy to find a good place and a nice house for my family.

At first, I got a shock for the prices, which is still raising at this moment. Then I bacame at a loss to the fact there're not enough sales-houses in the place I was considering. I'm very sorry about this.

Can you hear the sucking sound from which people are slurping down to other's money? The current unreasonable raise may be the last(or almost last) process of the money transfer. It would make the society ill and worse..

I'm reading John.K.Galbraith's The Affluent Society, the old classic, in these days.

(I don't know if I have anything to burn up..

OMG. It looks like a buring girl..)

Ginko Trees

There are more ginko tree pictures I took at Chongpyung in the last week.

(Ginko at the road to the riverside)

(Ginko Leaves)

MCCHAE had dropped to me yesterday and had lunch together. He was worring about my mental state which looked so unstable to him, so as to sell some real-eastate in this uncertain period. I could understand his concerns well. Thanks to him anyway.

(Ginko trees at the front yard of the lodge)

The Thursday Night Workshop

The beautiful season again. The mild sunshine, the fresh breeze, and the splendid colors everywhere.

Everyone wants to see and to enjoy the seasonal changes by oneself. Going out to nearby country side to sing the fall seems to become an annual event. The company I'm working for is not different for this.

(I took this ginko tree picture at the last moment we left there.

I'm not sure why I didn't get rid of the red roof in the left bottom)

We, colleagues at work went together to Chyung-pyong(淸平, Tranquil Plat field), the lake county, on the last thursday night for strengthen team communications and unity. Of course, there were a big soju party and I had a crazy night one more time..

(The camp fire. I's not difficult to imagine alcohols from the picture..)

What I learned(acutally heard) from the talk with people and dialogues with colleagues in the crazy drunken night are:

1. Our dept. is the most unfavorite one in the team. (We have 6 in the team)
- It looks like a jealousy, isn't it ? Obviously.

2. The works/jobs of our dept. are 3D based.
- Well, true. How difficult the jobs are ! A sort of envy.

3. Most of teammates in the dept have difficulties in works as well as in social relationships.
- They are too busy to do everything perfectly.

4. I have served for the team too long.
- Yes, true again...

Hmm. I have not realized so far that I am so confident and optimistic..huh..

===

The weather was really wonderful, and I enjoyed a lot all the fall's things like the deep-blue sky, the fresh air, the beautiful colors. There was a pretty school which was closed now, and it mathced with the season so natural. It would be better to come there with my lovely family..

(The pretty school building)

I need to lighten up everything, need to wind down and need to lay back for moments. Truely for moments.

(I found this ivy at the above school wall. It would be nice if I could cut the right top shadow and some wires..)

The Place

Seodaemun(means West Great Gate) has not been a preferred place for living as well as for business for long times. It's one of the typical old and not-well-developed areas.

It's quite convenient to get downtown, City Hall, department stores and ole cultural places, I think. The living expenses are relatively cheaper than any other area in Seoul, I think. However, the education environment -one of the most important factors - doesn't meet to the general requirements(can be my prejudice) and there's not enough space for large-scale development. So, in this golden real-estate development era, the area has been just less noticed, even though there are vague signals recently.

I'd moved to this town in the mid 90's and have been living in for more that 10 years in the same area. I bought the house I'm living in almost 5 years ago and really have enjoyed it and its neighbors so far.

I sold it last monday. I hesitated for hours, but sold it anyway. I'm not sure the decision was right one, and not sure my wife agree on me and do not know where to go.

Very confusing days.

The doctor said,

No more monkeys jumping on the bed! Well, it's a joke.

===

(Thick cloud in this morning.

Somewhere over the cloud may be the sun)

I (and the doctor) had failed to find the reason of my chronic fatigue even though the successive blood checkup, various test and so on. The doctor said, however,

- We didn't have any specific reason for that, and thus no drug/pill at the moment.
- OK. Fine
- Instead, it would be better to change your habits in everyday life.
No smoking, no alcohols, no coffee, no tea, no sugar included drink, no sweet things, no chocolate, no cookie nor cracker, and no milk-base food if possible..
- What ?

I believe I can not go on my life with the above instruction. Alas..

(The fast moving clouds)

SJ's Gym

Note.
Resume my policy again. Since I failed to use some tags code for importing from some other site, I decided to upload pictures directly.. OTL
-

On the last Saturday afternoon, we got to go SJ's kidergarten, and enjoyed his gym practices.
He joined in the inline skating race and in mass-groupdancing. Fortunately the temperature was fine for staying outside. Actually the weather-changing season and its quite big temp. gap were concerns.

(The cute girl is watching down to the playground at the 4th floors)

Frankly speaking, we were worrying about SJ's performance in the inline skating race, but no need for that. He did great ! His team had 5 members, and he scored well. And his posture or gesture was execellent. (Hmm, I'm his father, and someday later he may read this..hahaha)

(He looked a little bit nervous, didn't he? He's waiting for his turn)

(Ready, boys! Kids held his nose with his hand.

This might be the basic posture, I guess)

(Oh, are you worrying about JS? Fortunately, he didn't slip, and didn't fall down)

Well, it was continued for roughly 4hours, and it's natural for SW to get bored. Yup, she is a still baby.

(SW wanted to go home, but..)

SJ gave two more dancing shows with loop(or hoop?) and he looked very serious in dancing to me. By the way, girls in his class had a mini-ballet show..

(SJ and the blue hoop)

(Their Connections)

Failed attempt

Basically I'm writing/posting posts in the early morning or late night at home, but thses days, my wife is holding the PC for 24 hours*7days for her some work. SJ and I are strongly complaining for that but no worth.. She has the power..

OK. What I'm trying to do in the previous posting is to import some flash-shockwave screen in to the posting, but I'm not sure I can..

Please visit for a moment.. photo archive..

Ah, in the bottom of the page, you can find some instructions(my attempt actually..) and let me know if you have any idea...
And very appreciated for comments for photos.. glglgl

I'm finding right now, the code works in other blog. What I wanted is here
click this egloo site..

Oh, it would be right I have to admit I'm a computer(HTML) blinded guy!!

TEST

TEST

Kids ran 5 kilometers in the end.

I thought it would not be a good idea when Stone asked my family to join in the mini-marathon race which was taken place in his town. 5 kilometers running looked reasonable for adults, but too tough for 6-years-old boy and 3-years-old girl. But though several discussions with my wife, we decided to join in. Of course, it's the 4x4 business.

(The little girl actually was in the baby buggy in most of the race.

I don't know what stone did behind SW)

The first dughter of Stone had won the gold medal in Young Women's Competition, and the first daughter of Raphael had won the bronze. Congraturations! More surprisingly, Stone had scored the fifth in Young Guys' Competition, but Raphael had not won the prizes with much faster record in the OLDER Guys' Competition. Older guys had much faster than youngers ironically. Any three of the prizes were not expected at all, and really Congraturations to them!! SJ got a basket ball for the raffle for participants

I was very satisfied with all in that we could finish all given missions successfully. But I thought SJ needed to be stronger. He complained in the whole race that he had wanted some practices prior to a real race. He said he could have run without difficulties if he had exercised it before. It might be hard. While we ran hand in hand together till reaching to almost the turning point, he could keep him just in complains. As soon as I released his hand and ran a little bit fasterfor a moment, however, he started to cry. I should have held his hand till the end of the race.

After the race, Stone offered nice lunch for all of us at a fish chips restaurant, and beer at his home. A nice day.

Wine Party, this time

I swear I'm not a party lover or a usual-party-goer.
I swear I'm not spending money for food and drinks a lot.
I swear I'm not so social.

Note. This is another four families's story.

My wife asked one day in the last week if I had time to join in lunch on coming Saturday. Since one of neighbors-quite close-would leave the town in this week, so she had a plan to go out with 3 more families for lunch. That's fine.

(one of the Tomb, Seo-O-Reung, Kyunggi, South Korea)

We enjoyed a nice galbi. Thereafter, all of us went to Seo-O-Reung(서오릉:西五陵, Five Big Tombs in West) park, and I was not sure whose idea it was, but enjoyed the wonderful season anyway, the warm sunlights, the brain-freezing breeze, and the frisky children at the lawn, 9 children. That's still fine, too.

(Kids were climbing up the hill-the tomb. Of course, not allowed..)

SJ asked, then, if he could ride the car with his friends on the way back. 5 little boys and girls include SJ already got on the car without my permission. I was at a loss, in fact. But their parents came and said no problem, see you at the parking lot in town and take care, then disappeared. That's still fine, too. No, I was quite nervous while driving because they were repeating open/close the sun-roof regardless of my warning.

SJ asked, at the parking lot, once again if he could invite HS, his amiable friend, a cute girl, to play with in his room. It's not an expected situation at all, but they were already entering the porch together. It's really a moment, then, for two other boy and girl who were in my car, to get along with SJ and HS. 3 little guests without a plan. That's fine, again. Made sure they would go home soon for their dinner, though it's almost dinner time.

(Kids from families. Where're two guys ??)

My wife received a call in the meanwhile, and her voice was changing. No, not got angry. Rather, a laugh. She explained soon to me:
It's late to prepare for all four families their dinner at home, because all of us were back too late.
Yes, it's true.
All the four families had to go restaurants, respectively, becuase there's no food at home right now.
Yes, it's true, too. But why not Ramyeon or sandwidch ??

All the four families had lunch at restaurant, so it would be not so good idea to go another restaurants, whether we went together or respectively. We?
And the most impotantly, four chilren were playing at our home already.
Yes, so what..
They asked if we support the space for dinner, then they could order some chinese food and we have dinner together...

My wife laughed. They came to home.

Beer ? Well, I had 24 cans of beer, prepared for 4X4 guys days ago.
Wine? Well, I had four delicious Italy and Argentine wines, which were for my pleasure, actually. Spirits ? Well, I had another strong spirits but they didn't like it, I believe.

Wine was chosen this time. All four bottles. (Actually we had beer, too)

(7 Adults and 4 bottle of wine, quite reasonable..)

-
JW and her family will move to other city in this week.

Actually the four families were really close each other for years.
Since all the first kids of families are at the same age, and the second are almost similar, kids have been close each other, and mothers have been close, too.

I know they have shared a lot of things, supporting each other in many family business or in kids' stuff. I know they have been helpful each other, and spent a lot of time together.

I hope JW's family has a good new friend in the new place, and we could keep in touch each other.

The Holiday Report-2006 Chooseok

The 9-days-long holiday, it's very special, special literally. And it's an extraordinary thing in this almost-workholic country- 9 days freedom from works!

I'd always dreamed that I could have travelled with my family to some near overseas countries, taking rests on the beach, whenever I got such a long holiday. Yeah, as always, it was simply a dream. And just another busy days, the holidays were determined later

2006. Sept. 30. Saturday

As you read "SJ went to his Fall picnic", we went to Pyoungtaek, and enjoyed all-day recreation. One difference from previous ones, was my mother couldn't join in.

2006. Oct.1. Sunday

We visited to my parents, and especially mom in hospital. I took those flower pictures in previous posting "Flowers" at mother's field that day.

2006. Oct.2 Monday

Basically it's not an offical holiday, and SJ went to his kindergarten. I was loafing at home in the morning without any plan, wondering if it's possible to have a party on the next day. If my mom had not been ill, we might have been to Sangju, to meet my wife's parents. I was very sorry about it.

In the afternoon, we decided to invite 4x4 families on the next day. At night, my wife started to prepare meals.. And I happened to know that I missed the appointment with the doctor for the result of my blood checkup. How could I forget it..

2006. Oct.3 Tuesday

It's the national foundation day, called Gae Cheon Jeol-개천절(開天節), means the day of universe (sky) opening/existing.

Furthermore, it's the day that 4x4 guys would be visiting to us. After a little bit busy and fussy morning, we could welcome their arrival in the afternoon.

What I could remember later was when, who came in which order. Vividly remembered. It was quite terrible, howerver, that I couldn't remember when, who left us in which order..

I knew they really loved alcohols, and had big stomachs for alcohol. But, I'd never imagined they could drink so much. 3 big XO cognacs. WHALES. That's all

(Can you see three empty bottles ?)

I don't like to remind the day(I couldn't actually..) and now I'm thinking about alcol-free life.

2006.Oct.4 Wednesday

I really wanted to lie down in the bed all day but it was impossible. I'd got a call and had to visit to Daejon for a funeral service for one of colleagues. In the early morning, I brought SJ to his aunt, and dropped to my office for a moment. After spending more than an hour to take the canceled train tickets, I could get one KTX first class for Daejon and the second calss for returning to Seoul.

I found it was funny that all the materials and magazines in the first class seats said why we need Korea-USA FTAs for our future while those in the second class seats(actually Train Labor Union's newspapers), said how the FTAs would ruin our life in near future. Two opposite thoughts were offered in the same train, but in different seat classes, respectively.

At night, I had another beer-party with my high-school friends. I was fully exhausted. We talked about families, I thought.

2006.Oct.5 Thursday

The Chooseok Holiday was started- a day before Chooseok. It would be another fussy day for visiting parents, buying some gifts for relatives, or preparing foods for Charey(a rite) in general. The case was somewhat different at this time. My mom was in hospital, and my nephew was visiting to their aunt with my son, thus I needed to visit to my elder sister at first. Instead of shopping or meal preparing.

When I met SJ and my nephew there, they strongly wanted to go to Everland, which was quite close from there. Why not. We went to the park altogether though I was worring about my father and not-completed-preparations. Surprisingly there're quite a lot of people there.

(Roller Coast for Kids, Everland. Look at the last two rows..)

We could arrive at the parents' after the sunset. The almost full moon was in the high sky.

(Halloween?)

2006.Oct.6 Friday.

It's Chooseok(추석:秋夕) , literally means the evening of the fall, and exactly August 15th day in lunar calendar. In the day, we usally gathered in some place(the first son's house in general), hold Charey, ancestors-memorial services/rites, and enjoy Songpyon(a small rice cake with boiled chestnut or sesami inside) .

(Ready to go out )

We had to visit three other places(actually my cousin, and nephers' home) for Charey from the early morning, and could return to the parent's home at late afternoon. Without my mom, my wife had served all the guests in the evening as well as in the next day.

(The Chooseok's Full Moon. 2006.Oct.6 around 8pm, North Kyunggi)

One thing curious was people visited to their relatives, without appointments, notice calls or messages for seasonal greetings. Of course without any invitations.

No invitations, no appointments, no promises, no calls and no messages. But we still prepare some seosonal food and drink even though we didn't make sure who would come..

2006.Oct.7 Saturday

It's the little girl's second birthday as well as my younger brothers. We had some cake and tea together in the afternoon. After serving more guests, we dropped to the hospital, and came back to home at night.

(A small cake for the little girl)

2006.Oct.8. Sunday

A break. A break after a long journey..

Flowers

In a city, and in a busy daily life, it's quite hard to notice the seasonal changes like blooming flowers, riping fruits, changing colors of leaves and deepening the skylight..

I took these pictures on the last Sunday while visiting my parent.

Enjoy your fall. Hmm, Enjoy your autumn.. this is better.. in sound..

I don't know about the size of the photos followed...why they are so big and different from each other..(two photos were clipped..)

Oh, the last moon picture was taken at about 20:20 Oct.1 (KST) , northern kyungggido.

SJ went to his fall picnic

It was a very clear and pleasant day for a picnic. The temperature was perfect, the sunlight was warm, and the breeze was cool for outdoor fun.



We went SJ's kidergarten's annul fall picnic yesterday. A really nice day for it though I was fully exhausted since I came back home at 4:00 am in the morning. It would've been very happy, taking a rest for a while, but it's my son's picnic day! (Kids may be the kings of the world nowadays... )

One and half hour driving led us to the place, where we had visited three times so far. Lots of national flags and colourful baloons were decorating the place for funny events.

SJ joined in digging up sweet potatoes at first, which he and his friends dibbled in spring. He had experienced for seeding, dibbling, digging, and picking something in his grandma's field, but still he enjoyed the labor a lot.

In the afternoon, games, dancing, and perades were there.
Got tired to follow all their instructions in games and dancing. Anyway, SJ loved to do those and love to see his parents' doing those, too. In more than 4 hours, we ran, jumped, sang, danced and so on.. Totally exhaused again.



I took the last picture at parking lot while preparing to be back home.. My little girl was wandering around my car, gazing me to pack the bags.