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.