Saturday, December 18, 2004

Sue's Korean Embroidery Project


Cabinet, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Sue has finally completed what turned out to be a four year project. She has been working on some Korean embroidery panels to be built into four especially designed wood cabinets since she first came to America in 2001. The one you see above is the largest of the four.

I am especially proud of her efforts on this, because this kind of embroidery is painstaking work of weaving one silk thread at a time into the pictures on silk material for each panel section. All of the shading on each of the pictures is done with different color silk thread, giving the images a 3-dimensional look. Once finished, each panel must be sealed on the back in preparation for the cabinet work.

Because we are about to return to the USA, it was important for her to complete all of her embroidery work before we left. Now that all of the panels were completed, we took the finished work to a local business that specialized in this kind of Korean art form, where he cut up the embroidry into the individual panels and built them into the cabinet you see.


Embroidery, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Here is a closeup of Sue's embroidery handiwork. It is much more beautiful in person than in this photo, and you can get a better appreciation of the thousands of hours it took her to do it all. Even though this was more of a hobby project and a personal goal to accomplish, the woman at the business that specializes in this kind of art form gave Sue high compliments for the professionalism of her ability. This added an extra exclamation point to the completion of this job for her, and I am thrilled at her dedication to getting it all done.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Christmas in Korea


Christmas in Korea, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

A few people have asked me if we are doing anything for Christmas here... if we are decorating, etc. So I thought I would answer that question for everyone. The answer is no.

If we were planning to stay here longer (which we had originally), we might be going to some lengths to spruce up our humble apartment with some holiday cheer. We didn't bring any sort of Christmas decor with us, so this would mean we would have to make some purchases here. Now that we have decided to leave Korea, and are actually in the process of packing everything up in preparation for our departure right after the first of the year, the appearance of decorations for the Christmas holiday is entirely absent.

The picture you see above happens to be the sum total of our obvious Christmas cheer, and this was purely by accident. Sue and I needed some tissues to assist us in recovering from our colds, and this box was the only single one she could find in the store. It does add a curious bit of color to an otherwise spartanly festooned apartment.

It does feel quite strange though. I have always had some degree of Christmas adornment, including a Christmas tree, in wherever I lived in the USA, even when living alone. I remember even having an oddly decorated tree on the aircraft carrier Coral Sea, while I served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

Just as Thanksgiving had passed us by here without even so much as a whimper, I’m afraid so will Christmas. I have already promised myself that 2005 will usher in a new spirit of Christmas for us, and we will make up for what we have sacrificed in 2004.

Thursday, December 09, 2004

Thursday at the movies


BigFish, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

TV here has gotten to be a real drag. I've probably mentioned this before, so I won't rehash the point too much. Even our favorites like CSI are being shown for the umpteenth time, making our evenings a challenge to find something interesting and certainly within the law to do.

Anyway, we wandered over to the little video store down the block to see if there was anything of interest. As we reviewed the selection of English films, which can take all of three minutes (anyone desiring anything in the adult movie category would find their selection more than adequate), we ran across a movie I didn't know much about. Tim Burton's Big Fish was one I had heard of, but avoided for some reason. I don't know why. Well, since it was about the only one we hadn't seen, we brought it home to give it a look.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't a blockbuster type of movie, but it was fun entertainment... kind of a silly, fantasy, romantic-comedy, with an interesting blend of characters (I happen to like Albert Finney). It was a nice change from the cop, mystery, conspiracy, heavy CGI, things blowing up kind of movie, and I'm glad we took the chance to give it a try.

Monday, December 06, 2004

Ultimate Solitaire


ecstatic, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

My previous comments about Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, and the discovery of Ambrosia's upgrade of Apeiron to Mac OS X got me thinking... "I wonder..."

So I did a quick search and to my (almost) surprise found that Eric's Ultimate Solitaire is currently in upgrade mode to Mac OS X as well. It has some interesting small enhancements if you poke around a little. This is another great little time waster, and I have owned the original version for just about ten years. You can get the OS X version of this is in an Alpha test version at Delta Tao Software.

The download of this is only good until Feb. 2005, but I'm guessing they plan to have the final version ready for purchase by that time. This should be plenty of time for you to get hooked on it. They also have Eric's Ultimate Solitaire for PC too.

Apeiron for Mac OS X

Ambrosia has put out some great software for many years. I you aren't acquainted with them, I encourage you to give them a look. They put out some terrific games and utilities, some of which I have been playing for a long time.

Apeiron is one of these. It is similar to the old classic Centipede game, and although I never played that, when I first downloaded the Shareware version of Apeiron some years back, I was hooked. High scores became a family feud, which I was often on the losing end when facing off with my two sons, but I always had a great time with it.

When I upgraded my software to Mac OS X, I was a little disappointed in how Apeiron worked in OS 9. Ambrosia was continuing to develop new software, but I still liked the old classics.


ApeironX, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I was thrilled when Ambrosia just announced that they had released the OS X version of Apeiron. I immediately went out and upgraded my old version, which was a bargain at $5. The initial price of $15 is still a great buy for this game. It is addictiive and a fantastic way to waste a little time (or in some people's case, a lot). The new version also includes links to add your high scores to the internet base, and also lets you view others who have made it their mission to put up scores so high that it will be several lifetimes, before I'll accumulate enough points to be their equal. However, this has not stopped me from giving it my best. Sue also has found it necessary to take a break from Ultimate Solitaire to satisfy her closet addiction to Apeiron. It's frustrating, unforgiving, and lots of fun. I hope Ambrosia continues the upgrading of their other classic games and makes them also OS X worthy. I'll be waiting.

Monday, November 29, 2004

Mission accomplished... Wahoo!


iPodiBook, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Anyone who knows me very well, knows that I have been an Apple Computer advocate since... well forever. I enjoy working with them and I supported them as a developer and system administrator in my prior employment for many years.

Earlier this year I purchased a 15 Gb iPod and planned to fully load it with my library of music. Well, life and its associated priorities tend to get in the way of plans less significant, so although I had made a partial stand at doing it (and was happy with what I had done by the way), I never found the block of time I needed to complete the project. However, now that Sue and I are winding down our life in Korea, we have less to do and all the time in the world to do it, and projects like finishing my iPod music became realistic.

I am delighted to report that this is one project finally completed for the moment... although like anything of this nature it is a work in progress and will never be completely done. At any rate, at this moment all of the music I have and deemed worthy has been transferred from my iBook to my iPod. What is truly amazing is that this little 2.5 X 4 inch little unit could hold so much. It makes me wonder why anyone would consider having anything else to store and listen to music on. To date, mine has store about 2500 songs, amounting to somewhere over 200 albums and only has taken up about 11.5 Gb in storage, meaning I still have a little over 2 Gb left for future additions. Truly amazing when you think about it. I could listen continuously for more than a week and never hear the same song twice, which is better than I could hope for from any radio station. I'm more impressed with my iPod every time I delve more into it's capabilities... and I only use it for music. I know it does much more.


iTunesScreen, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

My iTunes on my iBook is equally amazing. My music interests run the gambit, from Punk to Classical... from Korn to Motzart to Uttara-Kuru to Consolidated (of course I do draw the line at Rap). Needless to say, I have lots of variations in my playlists and how I arrange my listening categories and genres. iTunes lets me do this with the greatest of ease, and although it was a LOT of work, it even lets me put in the album artwork. This can be particularly important as my music library grows and becomes even more diverse (as if that was possible). If you've never taken a look at compiling your music library like this, I encourage you to give it a glance. You might find it changes your thoughts on the matter. I can tell you that now that I have my music united into a central and easily manageable personal audio studio, my CDs may never again see the light of day. Isn't technology great?

Monster Island?


MonsterIsland, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

On our trip back to the USA from Korea at the beginning of November, our flight routed us through Japan with a layover in Tokyo. As we approached Tokyo, I looked out the window and happen to catch a glimpse of this apparently dormant volcano. I snapped a couple pictures and promptly forgot about them. It was only after going back through my digital camera that I ran across them again.

Now I watched plenty of Godzilla films as a kid, and at one time I knew the details of them as intimately as anyone my age. As I looked at the picture again I had to wonder, could this be Monster Island? Hmmm...

It's just a guy thing...


CraneDone, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

My wife has recently been calling me a country boy in a big city. This is all due to the major construction that has been going on next to our building since we moved in. We can look out our window and track its progress, which is what I've done from time to time. However, since they've been in the beginning stages for so long, it's only recently that the action has picked up.

They laid in some underground structural iron work and I knew it would only be a matter of time before the work picked up some speed. Now there are huge cranes all over Seoul; you can see them everywhere. As I looked at those, I could not imagine how they got those things assembled and working. I'm not a construction savvy guy, but I'm fascinated by the immensity of some of the equipment they use, and I always wondered, "How do they put those things together?"

My wife just sort of rolls her eyes when she catches me scrutinizing the job, but I just tell her, "Hey, it's just a guy thing I guess."

Anyway, they finally piled up the pieces to put up a crane at this site, so I took the opportunity to document for myself just how they do this. In case you were wondering yourself, the above photos should give you an idea. It only took these guys a couple of days to have it up and running, and I was impressed with the way they got it done. I also now understand how they will add sections when they need to make it taller. If I had a hard hat and could speak Korean, you could bet I'd be down there asking all sorts of questions (much to Sue's chagrin).

I made points with Sue though. She was commenting on the new portable cranes they had down there. I took her to the window and explained that those were actually cement pumpers, and described the process of what they were doing. She was quite surprised and impressed with my knowledge of the whole thing, but I didn't have the heart to tell her that this was general knowledge most dudes picked up in "Guy-101". Hey just watch a little of the Discovery Channel, some Home Improvement, bang around a little in your own garage and you're ready to go. More power, yeah!!
I did enjoy the praise though.

Monday, November 22, 2004

Blogs a plenty

My wife was still asleep this morning, and since I had already read and answered all my email, read the news of interest, I decided to poke around Blogger.com for a bit by clicking on "Next Blog" to see what was out there.

I found it interesting and worthy of a little of my time. In doing so, I realized several things. Here is my "Top 10 list" of what I learned:

1. There are a lot of people out there experimenting and enjoying the blog experience.
2. There are a lot of people out there with an axe to grind. All that's missing is the soap box.
3. There are a lot of people out there who have no idea what to do with their spare time. Maybe they should find a life away from their computer.
4. There are a lot of people out there with silly, blockheaded, and sometimes vulgar ideas about with to do with their blog. Freedom of speech can be a powerfully good and regretably bad thing in front of an unknown audience.
5. There are a lot of people out there who have some important things to say about serious issues. I promised myself to take more time to look at these in the future.
6. There are a lot of people out there contributing to a common blog collective who speak many different languages. Who knew there were so many?
7. There are a lot of things I don't know about what else is happening in the world, but would like to. I will keep working at this until my brain is full.
8. There are now a lot of things I'd like to say, but don't know how to express them.
9. I have come to realize how insignificant and yet important my one voice is among the many now contributing to the chorus of voices out there.
10. I think everyone should take the time I did and wander around to see what else is out there. It's not a critical "must do", but it will open your eyes to the volume of thoughts and ideas so very different from your own.

Saturday, November 20, 2004

Planes and Noodles

OK, we've made the trip back to Seoul for the last time. This last trip was real torture too.

Normally we don't mind it so much. Although the 12 hours or so is a -- not so great -- way to spend your time, the airlines do a pretty goood job of feeding you, entertaining you, and giving you what comfort they can under the circumstances. We've flown Asiana, American, Singapore, and we both feel that Singapore Air is definitely the best among the three, so far. We'll be trying Korean Air too, so judgement has yet to be passed on it.

Anyway, the reason the last trip was so bad has nothing to do with the airline we took. The 6000 miles was an eternity due to a young child of maybe a year old or less. I swear, she must have cried, yelled, or otherwise made a ruckus once a minute for the entire time we were on the plane. Everyone around us was wornout as well. I felt sorry for the parents, but not enough to not be frustrated with them. Next time I'm taking a set of ear plugs with me.

After we got back we treated ourselves to one of my favorite restaurants here called Pho Hoa. It's Vietnamese style food, tasty and a great treat when you're hungry. You can check out their web sites at:

http://www.phohoa.com/ -- or -- http://www.phohoa.co.kr/

I really love the rice noodles there, and get them every time we go. One of these days I'll try something else, but I'm in no hurry. I like what I like and that's good enough for me.

Sunday, November 07, 2004

Back in Arizona

Sue and I have been in Arizona for a couple of days now, and in some ways it feels like we've never left. Not much has changed, but the environment has a different feel to it. Staying in a hotel in my own home town feels strange to be sure.

One of the things we didn't expect is that the change in climate has left both of us quite dehydrated most of the time. We have had to increase our intake of fluids, but so far it hasn't helped a lot. We both still feel like we need to drink more to get our systems back in balance.

We took a break from looking at future apartments the other day and went to see the new movie "The Incredibles." Funny movie. Animation has come a long way, but the humor translates fine. I'm sure the subtle adult humor is something that passes most kids by, just as it did me when I was young, but all the kids in the theater seemed to enjoy it as much as we did.

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

No pain, No gain

As you can see from the dates, we haven't written much lately. Not much has happened here, and we have been (for the most part) focused on getting ready for our visit to Arizona, and for our relocation back to the states early next year.

We've consistently been hitting the gym and I think it's beginning to show some results. Over the past couple of years our lifestyle changed causing us to be more sedentary. As a result, we got a little softer, and I lost some of the muscle mass I had built up. Getting our diet back in line with the right proteins and carbs has helped, but getting the right workout combination of weight training and aerobic workouts has made a big difference in the way we feel and look. I am regaining some my lost muscle, although it hasn’t been without some pains, to be sure. Sue and I both enjoy the new us, and I think we feel we are getting to the point to where, if we don’t get out and get some sort of workout, we have missed an important part of our day. I hope that is now a habit we can sustain. Our new approach inspired me to get my certification as fitness trainer. Although the credential is nice, the education I received in the process was well worth the effort. I wish now that I had done it earlier.

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Jeondeungsa


JeondeungsaTemple, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

On Friday, Sue and I went with Sue's sister and her husband to a place called Jeondeungsa. Jeondeungsa is an ancient Buddhist temple complex located near the Mt. Jungjok Fortress Wall, on Gangwha Island. Ganwha Island the largest of a group of islands located on the far North West corner of South Korea, about 500 km away from Seoul and connected to Kimpo with the Gangwha Bridge. This is the closest I've been to North Korea, which is only separated from Gangwha Island by a small span of water.

Anyway, we drove there to get a look at this very old and lesser know temple. We had lunch and made the steep, but short walk to the entrance. There were lots of young school age kids there, who were eager to take the opportunity to use their English and say "hello" to an English speaking foreigner. I said Hi a lot, but when I tried to engage any of them in more than just Hi, I usually got blank stares, then a quick retreat to the safety and giggles of the rest of the group.

No one know exactly when the temple was originally built, but it is estimated to be somewhere around 381 to 384 AD.

There is a web site where you can read about Jeondeungsa. It has English, so if you're interested, check it out. It's really quite fascinating.
Go to: http://jeondeungsa.org/eng/info/index.html


TeaHouse, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

There is a really beautiful and interesting tea house just below the temple complex. We didn't go in it, but it looked very inviting.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Who's smart and who's not?

The following is from an article from a book published by Morgan Quitno Press, an independent private research and publishing company, who have been doing studies like this since 1989.

States are ranked from smartest to dumbest. These are the findings of the Education State Rankings, a survey by Morgan Quitno Press of hundreds of public school systems in all 50 states. States were graded on a variety of factors based on how they compare to the national average. These included such positive attributes as per-pupil expenditures, public high school graduation rates, average class size, student reading and math proficiency, and pupil-teacher ratios. States received negative points for high drop-out rates and physical violence.

The smartest state in the union for the second consecutive year is Massachusetts. At the bottom of the list, for the third year in a row, is New Mexico. Unfortunately, Arizona placed 48. Maybe because we are the 48th state, but I doubt it. Not much to brag about here.
Ms. Napolitano, I hope you are reading this.

Here’s how things stack up…

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. Vermont
4. New Jersey
5. Wisconsin
6. New York
7. Minnesota
8. Iowa
9. Pennsylvania
10. Montana
11. Maine
12. Virginia
13. Nebraska
14. New Hampshire
15. Kansas
16. Wyoming
17. Indiana
18. Maryland
19. North Dakota
20. Ohio
21. Colorado
22. South Dakota
23. Rhode Island
24. Illinois
25. North Carolina
26. Missouri
27. Delaware
28. Utah
29. Idaho
30. Washington
31. Michigan
32. South Carolina
33. Texas and West Virginia (tie)
35. Oregon
36. Arkansas
37. Kentucky
38. Georgia
39. Florida
40. Oklahoma
41. Tennessee
42. Hawaii
43. California
44. Alabama
45. Alaska
46. Louisiana
47. Mississippi
48. Arizona
49. Nevada
50. New Mexico

Friday, October 15, 2004

Great Sushi in Seoul



SushiHiroba, originally uploaded by tgolamb.
Last night, Sue and I went to one of our favorite spots to eat. Sushihioba takes a little over 30 minutes by bus from our place, and I don't know about Sue, but my mouth was already getting prepared all the way there. We went there for the first time a few years ago when we made a short trip to Seoul. Sue's sister took us there and I never forgot it. Now that we are living here, it's one of those small rewards we give ourself from time to time.

They're only open for lunch and dinner, so you have to time your visit to them, but once there, they will keep tempting you with dishes passing by in front of you until you finally say, "No More."

It's a bit pricy, but if you don't do it every day, you don't mind rewarding yourself as we do for a great eating night out.

You can check out their site. Unless you can speak Korean, the site won't be too informative, but you can click around and checkout the menu, etc.

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Homeward bound

If you haven't heard from us already, Sue and I have decided to move back to the states. We'll be visiting there in early November to take care of some things and to set up our move back, which will be in early January. It's something we've been building up to for a lot of reasons, but I guess we've gotten to the point when it's time to act on it.

I think Sue is ready to go back. We both miss some of the things that we couldn't get or see in Korea. We've watched a lot of movies here, because if you speak English (and not Korean) TV is not that great, and radio is worse. I'm not so sure people listen to radio much here, except in taxis and busses.

Once we're back the first order of business will be to find a place, drag all of our pots and pans out of storage, etc., etc. Next will be to find a job, and visit a few places I've missed... A&W, Krispy Kreme... you know, important stuff.

Sunday, October 10, 2004

Myst IV Revelation


MystRev, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

For any of you out there who know anything about Myst and it's history, then you'll want to know that Myst IV Revelation was released in September for both Mac and PC. I already have the first three and have enjoyed them immensely. If your curious, check out their web site.
http://www.mystrevelation.com

Saturday, October 09, 2004

Tink and Sue in Hong Kong


TS_HK, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Here's the requisite composite tourist shot of the Golambs in Hong Kong. Don't we make a gorgeous couple? This was actually sort of a late honeymoon for us... about three and a half years late to be more precise. We always planned to do something, but for some reason never got around to it. Sue wanted Hawaii, but budgetary constraints made Hong Kong a better choice this time. She made me promise to take her to Hawaii one day before we are too old to enjoy it, and with some coaxing I agreed. (The cast on my broken arm will come off in about six weeks.) HA!

Hong Kong was a great break from our life in Korea and I hope you enjoy the following shots and commentary.


AberdeenSampan, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

One of the first things we did was to take a tour, which included a ride in a sampan around the fishing village in Aberdeen. It was amazing to think that the people who live on the boats in this fishing village seldom set foot on land. They spend a lot of their life there on their boats, eating, sleeping, and doing business. We saw kids, dogs, and plants all residing comfortably in this setting; a real life "Water World."


OldAndNew, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I was continuously amazed at the contrast between the old and the new, the modern and the antiquated. The people there still do many things in the tried and true methods they always have. But even in an old setting, you will invariably see a bit of new technology tossed in to replace or enhance some portion of the job that needs to be done. You'll find 200 year old buildings next to sparkling new architectural marvels. Many of the streets with their tall buildings on either side of the road form a maze of deep canyons, where if you aren't familiar with the terrain, it's not hard to lose your way. Hong Kong is an odd but exciting mix of cultural diversity, and well worth the time to explore.


JumboRestaurant, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

This is the Jumbo Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen. It is one of the most well known sites in Hong Kong and is parked in exactly the same place it has been in since I first came to Hong Kong in 1970. In Fact, it looks EXACTLY the same as it did then (to my recollection anyway). Sue and I didn't go there to eat. We had so many things to do, we never made it back here to check it out on the inside. I'm sure it is quite good though, because there seemed to be a steady stream of small taxi like boats ferrying people to and from it's waterfront entrance.

Man Mo Temple


ManMoTemple, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Man Mo Temple was built in the 1840s and is one of the oldest in Hong Kong. 'Man Mo' means civil and military, and the temple is dedicated to the God of Literature Man Cheong and the God of War Kuan Ti. Man Mo Temple is used by both Buddhist and Taoist.


ManMoTemple2, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Huge hanging bell shaped coils of incense are burned by the devout. The temple is normally enveloped in smoke and the scent of burning incense. This can be quite overpowering to some, who find it necessary to take some quick photos and leave.

The Yuen Yuen Institute


YuenYuenInstitute, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

This shot is of the Yuen Yuen Institute, a temple complex dedicated to the three major religeons in Hong Kong, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. It was founded in 1950 and advocates the integration and the teachings of these religeons.

A curious blast from the past


RedLipsBar, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I don't know why, but the memory of this particular experience came to me as Sue and I sat at a spaghetti place having lunch. As I looked across the street and saw the signs, the image of one particular evening came rushing back, as vivid as if it happened only a short time ago. I took the picture and told the whole story to Sue. Now let me tell it to you.

As a young sailor of about 21 or so in the Navy, one of our ports we visited for liberty in 1972 was Hong Kong. It was an exciting time for someone so inexperienced.

One evening, another friend in our squadron and I decided to roam around Kowloon and sample from as many bars as we could manage (silly us). As we made our way down the narrow streets and dropping in to one nightclub or another having a beer and then leaving, we happened down one tiny alley to a place called the "Red Lips Bar".

It was a curious arched entrance with one of those beaded curtains you had to pass through. The bar was dimly lit in a deep red glow, giving it sort of an exotic feel. Business was apparently slow for them, because my friend Dave and I were the only two in the bar. There weren't even any of the requisite female hostesses we had come to expect, waiting to surround you as you entered a place, hoping to get you to buy them a drink, and maybe more. We didn't know or care why by that time in the evening, mostly because by then we were well on our way to having a pleasant glow ourselves, and just wanted to see how long we could continue our undertaking.

Anyway, it seemed like an interesting place, so we ordered a beer and sat down at a table in the middle of the room. Only a brief time has passed when we heard some commotion from behind another beaded curtain at the other end of the bar. The curtain spread and out from behind it came our hostesses.

For a split second I was excited and hopeful. We were the only guys in the bar and would get their undivided attention. In the next split second, I understood why. The three or four women that glided through the parted curtain were older than my mother. They weren't especially attractive, and the lipstick they were wearing looked like it was applied with a caulking gun.

Dave and I looked at them, looked at each other, and with nothing said further between us, turned our beer glasses up and downed our drinks in Olympic record time. We got up, said a very polite good night, and got the hell out of there. We chuckled about it later, and chided each other about who picked the bar in the first place, but it was a great story to tell the rest of the guys later on.

After our lunch and with a memory so alive, I couldn't resist my own curiosity and convinced Sue to accompany me down the alley to have a look inside the place. The alley now was full of hawkers, selling their merchandise, and nothing like it was all those years ago. As we got to the spot where I knew it would be, a darkened neon sign was above the entrance, and a metal curtain was pulled down in front of the door, covered heavy with dirt and dust. A display of cheap luggage was piled in front of the metal curtain and had been for some time. The Red Lips Bar was no more.

I had to admit I was a little disappointed to find it closed. I don't know what I expected to see, but I will always remember the look of distress (and relief) on Dave's face as we passed through that beaded curtain for the last time more than 30 years ago.

Friday, October 08, 2004

Some interesting facts about Hong Kong


Apts_HK, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I found so many contrasts and blends of new and old technology while touring the city. The apartments in the picture are about forty stories or more. What I found the most facinating is that they still use bamboo lashed together for scaffolding on all construction, even on modern towers rising to eighty stories.

It is truly amazing, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. It is light, incredibly strong, and can be easily modified to suit any need. I have to admire those guys working on the stuff. Even the assembly of bamboo on the outside of the building is very impressive.

Cars are a total luxury in Hong Kong. The streets are packed with them, even very expensive ones like Porche and Ferarri. Since every car must be imported to Hong Kong, the government poses heavy taxes for anyone wanting to drive a car.

What is the tax for a car in Hong Kong you ask? The minimum tax to license a car there is 100%! That's right boys and girls... the tax is the value of the car. This means if you want to put your $40,000 BMW on the road, it's going to cost you an additional $40,000 in tax to do it. Ouch!

And it gets worse as the car becomes more exotic. That tax on a Ferarri or Rolls Royce you love so much, 130%. If you're on top, life is good in Hong Kong.

Of course you know gas prices is between $5 and $6 a gallon, and I'm sure insurance costs are commensurate as well. Maybe I'll just walk. I need the exercise anyway, and shoes are much less expensive.

Sha Tau Kok, China


ShaTauKok_China, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

One of the tours into the New Territories took as near to China as we could get. The view across an inlet of Dapeng Bay gave us a look at Sha Tau Kok, China. The border between Chins and Hong Kong is tightly controlled, primarily to keep people in China from sneaking across to Hong Kong. Apparently they have the same problems the border states in the USA has with Mexico... a chance for a better life. We were told that even residents in Hong Kong with passports issued in Hong Kong must obtain visas to cross the border.

National Day and our Lei Yue Mun seafood dinner


Lobster, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

October 1st was the birth of the New China, in which the National Flag was raised over Tian'anmen Square on October 1, 1949. Since Hong Kong is now part of China, this celebration is also a part of the new Hong Kong. There was a huge fireworks display in the harbor, which we watched from a boat parked in just the right spot in the middle to see it all. It was very impressive.

But before we did that, we had a great dinner at the Lei Yue Mun Restaurant. To get there we had to walk back past dozens of small restaurants and fish markets. In the tanks displayed along the walkway was some the most interesting fish and sea creatures I'd ever seen. Some of the fish were big enough to feed ten to fifteen people. These lobsters were huge, with bodies easily as large as my upper arm.


CuttleFish, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I wonder if these cuttle fish know they are on tonight's menu for someone? I've had dried cuttle fish long ago, but seeing them in the tank looking back at me gave me a curious feeling. Watched too many programs on the Discovery Channel I guess.

The Victoria Peak Cable Car


VictoriaCableCar, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Riding the cable car up Victoria Peak is one of the must do's while in Hong Kong. This attraction has been in operation since 1888 and is still one of the most popular ways to get up the mountain. The original cars were coal-fired steam engines, but they switched to electric in 1926. It takes you up the 368 meters in altitude in about five minutes. The view from the top is the best in Hong Kong.

Sea horses anyone?


SeaHorseSoup, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

As we were walking around in the Hong Kong airport, to return to Korea, we happened upon this restaurant. Everyone thought I was odd taking a picture of the menu in the display case, but I couldn't resist. They had a dozen different selections to choose from displayed in the case, but the one that caught my eye, was this sea horse, green turtle, abalone soup. Kind of a Chinese seafood minestrone I guess. The locals may like it, but I think I'll stick with chicken noodle.

Shark fin soup... Yum!


SharkFinSoup, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

One of the last purchases we made before we left Hong Kong was this boil-in-a-bag shark fin soup. Sue has always been wanting to try some, and although this isn't like the kind you'll find in a restaurant, it's not bad. Very rich. Not all that cheap either.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Sky Captain in Hong Kong


SkyCaptain, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

While we were in Hong Kong we had an opportunity to see Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.

If you like comic books and the old black and white serials, this movie might be for you. It was an interesting look back at the way films were made, but I think they were trying to do too much.

I really enjoyed parts of it. Some of the aspects of the film were well done, especially the way they attempted to use old technology of the time to do clever things. However, they introduced some things into the film that just popped in and out without any explanation, and really didn't add to the overall story.
Because of the washed out color nature of the film and the fuzziness of the scenes, it was hard to tell where CGI came into play, but I'm sure there was plenty.

I walked away from the film not able to decide whether I liked it or not. I'll probably watch it again sometime on DVD to take a closer look.

Thursday, September 30, 2004

Wow, we're in Hong Kong!

It's amazing! I never thought I would find myself here after so many years. When you compare it to the City I visited in 1972 as a mere boy, it’s like landing on another planet. I was talking to a girl working at the hotel, and she was telling me that there is only one existing hotel from that time. All the others have been built since then. Wahoo!

It took a little over two hours to get to Taipei, Taiwan, from our departure from Seoul. I wish we had more time to look around, but unfortunately we didn’t see much in Taipei except for the flight transfer side of the terminal. One thing that did make an impression… The first thing we saw when stepping into the terminal was a very large yellow sign saying simply, “Drug trafficking is punishable by death in the R.O.C. (Republic of China). Good reason not to do it I’d say.

We only had an hour layover waiting for our flight to Hong Kong. I must say that I found the China Air flight attendants to all be very attractive. Anyway, we walked around terminal, but most of the merchandise was items from the west… liquor, fashion items, camera stuff, etc. I had to chuckle when I saw a brand of cigarettes of unknown origin advertised in a duty free store called “Long Life.” The temptation to comment further on this is almost too irresistible. If these had been around 30 years ago, the name might have been a great marketing tool. These days, I don’t think so.

We arrived at the hotel in Hong Kong amazingly quick considering the distance from the airport. The inside of the lobby was bustling with all races of people coming and going. After checking into our room we took a short walk in the area surrounding the hotel. There are hundreds of small shops, and people out side of them trying to entice you to take a look inside. This is a huge area for tailors, and I was asked a couple dozen times to give them a chance to show me their work and what they could do for me. English is much more prevalent here than in Seoul, so I know I won’t have much trouble communicating. About 100 meters or so down Nathan Road from where we are staying is a large mosque, with plenty of kids running around in front of it, trying to waste time waiting for their fathers.

We’ll be taking some tours in the next few days to get a better feel of the area and the culture. I think we're both looking forward to seeing plenty while we are here. Friday is National Day here, so there will be a big celebration and fireworks display tonight. It should be a fun evening.

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Cookin' at the Nanta Theater


Nanta, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Today Sue and I went to a live performance called Cookin'. It's sort of a mixture of Jackie Chan, Benihana, and the Marx Brothers. The theater is smallish and cozy, which is good because it's one of those shows where everyone gets involved. It is not only entertaining, it is great fun. It was very entertaining and probably one of the best shows I've been to in a very long time.

At two points in the show they come into the audience to solicit help... well actually you are volunteered. The first couple of people had easy expectations of them. They had to taste some soup. No problem.

Later on in the program they had a place in the program where they had a dumpling making contest between the four people (two on each team). Anyway, there was lots of physical activity going on... beating things, making dumplings, etc. All to music. At one point one of the guys came into the audience and grabbed a woman in the audience to help make dumplings. With her helping the other person on the team, he ran into the audience again. OK, you guessed it... he grabbed me! (I had a sneaking suspicion, being the only white guy in the whole theater)

So here I was... wearing a chef's hat, slamming some sort of post into a stump, and then when the dumplings were made, running in front putting the pan of dumplings in the stack and then yelling the new count to the audience. After a time of two, the guy who recruited me gave me his job of crashing the rolling pin into a pile of dough. Now I was slamming the post with one hand, beating the dough with the rolling pin with the other, and then running down and stacking the dumplings when they were ready. About two thirds of the way through the exercise I looked around, the four people recruited from the audience were the only ones on the stage. The performers had totally left the stage and were watching us behind the curtain. What a laugh! We just kept going, and some woman I never saw before and I won the dumpling competition. I felt like one on the Blue Men Group up there beating on things in front of an entire stage audience. It was a lot of fun, and from Sue's estimation (and some other Korean I met as we were walking out), I did pretty good. I never thought about all the people watching me, I just gave it my best, and had a terrific time.

Aside from my playing a part in this show, it was a fun time and one performance I can recommend you see if it ever comes your way.

Around the World in 80 Days... well, sort of.


80Days, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Sue and I went to see this a few days ago. I expected see one of Jackie's normal performances. Not so on this one. It had potential, but it just didn't live up to it. The transitions between scenes became annoying after a while, and although there were lots of cameos with a number of stars, they did little to prop up the weak story. Oh, and don't look for the standard outtakes at the end. There aren't any. My advice, wait for on DVD at the video store. It won't be long.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

What is Shinkendo and how did I get here?


I have always been attracted to various forms of ritual or period combat.
As kids, my brother and I played it as entertainment with the kids we grew up with, hiding in the dark among the yards of the neighborhood homes and trying to find the enemies of our choose-up teams, but sometimes it was even every man for himself. I suppose it’s a boy thing, but at the time we took it as serious fun.

My interest in martial arts began in 1969, while I was in the Navy. During my training in Memphis, TN, I would take the one-hour bus ride two or three days a week to take instruction in Taekwondo. Martial art schools were not much back then and hard to find, but I was fascinated and wanted to see what this was all about. Following my introduction there, over the years I experimented with Judo, Kenpo, Kung Fu, but not being in one place for very long kept me from becoming proficient and developing my skills. I was competent enough, but as with all of us from time to time, life happens and my interest in martial arts had to take a back seat to working and making a life.

As I got back into it, I found that I also had an additional fascination with weapons. Not modern ones, but the traditional kind you only find if you look beyond the norm. And later, with my boys both in martial arts and their own interests being tested, I found that there was much more to be gained by learning early weapons through my curiosity. It required conditioning and concentration, and in turn gave me better reflexes, balance, confidence, and even better conditioning. I took up fencing, and archery, and even spent a while participating in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), where researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century is a way of life. I learned a great deal from the SCA, along with making my own armor and getting the thrill of real physical combat, but something was missing. Although my interest in the middle ages of Europe was enjoyable, something about the Far East was beckoning me.

Some number of years back I started looking for a Kendo school, but there was only one within an afternoon’s drive and they never returned my inquiries. I was just about to give up, when I found a school in Mesa, AZ on the internet that offered up something called Shinkendo. I figured… “What the heck”, and went to check it out. Jeff and Marlene Harris were sensei there and cheerfully welcomed me into the fold. It wasn’t always easy to grasp it, and early on I often found myself questioning whether I was going to “get it.” However, I hung in there and after my share of successes and malfunctions, I have gotten further with this than any other physical endeavor I’ve ever attempted. Like any physical activity it takes dedication and constant practice. Learning Shinkendo is a continuous and evolving training, which builds on itself as your proficiency increases. Any time I thought I was finally getting the hang of something, Jeff and Marlene changed it, adding new twists and turns with capricious regularity, to keep the challenge there as long as I was willing to reach for it. This was all done with the slightest detectable smile on the side, and a reminder not to get too used to doing something the way we learned it.

So what is Shinkendo anyway?

Shinkendo and the International Shinkendo Federation was founded by Toshishiro Obata, and dedicated to teaching authentic Japanese swordsmanship. He has schools scattered all over the United States, but has schools in nine other countries as well.

Shinkendo coalesces Japanese swordsmanship into a historically accurate method samurai once trained and fought, and no one is better qualified to do this than Obata Kaiso. His samurai family roots can be traced back to the time of Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada. His swordsmanship knowledge is unequaled, and whenever the opportunity is available, it is always a thrill and an honor to train under him. His passion is evident, and he always seems to be searching for new ways to keep us pushing ourselves to the next level. (Now I know where Jeff and Marlene got it from.)

Shinkendo is based on five principal areas: Battoho, Tanrengata (or Kata), Suburi, Tachiuchi, and Tameshigiri. Each component laces together into an ever-expanding system of moves and combinations of moves that allows for flexibility and encourages innovation not found in most other martial arts. The depth of training, and the mental and physical toughness it gives you are well worth the journey.

In all the time that I have studied Shinkendo, I never imagined (or expected) to rise to my current level. I have made a lot of friends along the way, have a lot of people to thank for getting me there, and found it to be one of my most rewarding personal undertakings. However, my own personal trek with Shinkendo is still far from over. There are still plenty of summits to go for, which include opening a school of my own.

When you have a few minutes, travel out to: http://www.shinkendo.com. There you can get the complete story in detail, as well as meet some of the people who make all of this possible.


Tuesday, September 21, 2004

The Marx Brothers


marx_bros, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I have always loved the Marx Brothers. As a kid I watched them on TV along with the Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and others, but for me the Marx Brothers always stood out as some of the best pioneers of modern comedy.

They have basically disappeared from TV these days, but for those of us who knew of them, they are still alive and well. I even introduced my boys to them when they were small. They probably don't remember them much, but they know they exist, and one day when they have a little time, I'm sure they'll be able to site down and rediscover them all over again.

Anyway, Sue had never really heard of them, and as a way of enjoying them again for the first time, I purchased nine of their movies on DVD, which include Go West, The Big Store, Room Service, At The Circus, A Night At The Opera, A Night In Casablanca, A Day At The Races, Duck Soup, and Horse Feathers. I forgot how much I enjoyed them, and Sue has discovered a new favorite. When I ask her if she'd like to watch a movie, she often reaches for one of their DVDs. It is great that they have restored these to new media, and before I'm finished I plan on having all of the Marx Brothers movies. If you've never watched any of their films, I invite you to check them out, but you need to listen close or you'll miss them at their best.

Marx Brother Wisdom


mblife_t2, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

You don't have to speak to be heard.

Always answer the important question first.

Really important people never have anything really important to say.

The best thing to do in a difficult situation is to make an ugly face or offer someone your leg.

Whatever it is I'm against it.

101 uses for scissors, glue and a blow torch.

One properly executed HONK! is worth a thousand words.

There ain't no Sanity Clause.

People are honest but you've got to watch them.

If someone gets you down, stick your feet in their lemonade.

You CAN burn the candle at both ends.

Take time to have a strange interlude.

Outside of a dog a book is Man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.

Any time you got a lot you gotta too much.

You gotta get up early if you wanna get out of bed.

Some nicknames don't need explaining.

Omit things that you don't think are important.

Monday, September 20, 2004

Isamu's visit to Seoul

Our friend Isamu showed up on Friday and it was great to see him. we spent a lot of time bringing each other up to date on what's been happening since the last time we met. On saturday we walked around a couple of the famous market and shopping areas in Seoul. Mostly we just looked and Isamu snapped a few shots. The weather was a bit rainy but cool, so we didn't mind it too much.


S&IT.C, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

It was getting to be about lunch time, so we dropped into a favorite place of ours called Sanchon. You can visit their web site at "http://www.sanchon.com/". As you can see, Isamu and Sue are digging in and enjoying themselves.


TempleCookingLunch, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

It's a great place that serves up temple cooking in the Korean Buddhist style. The food is terrific, and we always enjoy going there when we are in the Insadong neighborhood.


MyungDongShopping, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

On Sunday the weather was a little nicer so we went to Seoul Tower and then before heading home, we wandered through the Myung Dong shopping area. This is a huge shopping district honeycombed with stores, restaurants, hotels, food stands, more stores... you name it, it's there. On any given Saturday or Sunday you will find it just as you see it, flooded with a sea of people all doing the same thing... shopping, hanging out, and being seen. If you are the least bit claustrophobic it's a good place to stay away from. Sue and I can only take is for a while, but it sure is a wild place to be.

Thursday, September 16, 2004

How safe are you?

Do you use a router to access the internet? Probably.
Go to this web site to test your connection.
http://www.symantec.com/index.htm
When you get to the site, look to the bottom left corner. There is a link for "Symantec Security Check". Run it. See where you stand as far as protecting yourself from ghosts in the machine.
Steve B. Thanks for the tip

Supersize me? I don't think so...

It’s Friday already, so here’s an update on the latest goings on with Sue and I.

The biggest news is that my friend Isamu Furosako, an engineer from Japan, is coming to Korea today for a week or so and plans to spend a few days with us. I met Isamu in Denver, Colorado while we were both attending classes… him to polish his English and me to teach it. We both lived in a home-stay arrangement in the same house for about a month. We got to know each other pretty well, and I really enjoyed the brief time we had to get to know each other. He visited us once in Arizona last year, before we moved to Korea, which was great. It’s a rare treat to see him, so Sue and I are looking forward to it.

Our effort on the Abs Diet is beginning to take shape (no pun intended). We have been working our way through the book, and I’ve learned a lot about eating (the good, the bad, and the ugly). The author is informal and somewhat entertaining, although there are a number of slang terms in it that I have to explain to Sue. Anyway, we have modified what and the way we eat, and are carefully tracking what we do. This is not a calorie counting food regimen, which makes it nice.

Actually we seem to eat a lot, although I don’t think we really do. It’s about eating smart at the right times and training your body’s metabolism to do it’s job. Since we started this we are never hungry, and we don’t have the cravings we used to. And for those of you who know me, you know I’ve always been a major ice cream (which we make ourselves) and cookies monster. Those desires seem to be on the back burner now, and I don’t even think about them. It’s too early in the process to tell much, but I can already say that I like the way it makes me feel. More on this later when there’s something to report.

Our workouts are going well, although I really toasted my legs on Monday. That has made the Taebo sessions this week an exercise in controlled torture. I got through them OK, but thought Sue might have to carry me back to our apartment. I’m basically back to normal now, so it’s time to go back and do it again. Cowabunga!!

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Alien vs Predator


Maxalienpredator, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Sue and I wanted to check out the brand new theater near our apartment today, so we walked over and bought our tickets to see Alien vs Predator. The theater was actually pretty quiet. Since everyone at that time is either in school or working, we practically had the theater to ourselves. That was nice.

This is the really cool part about going to the movies here. For those of you who don't know this, Korean theaters have assigned seats (I don't know if they are all this way, but everyone I've been to does it this way). They basically sell the best ones first, so if you get there early and get your tickets, you get the best seat you can get for any given showing. No dorking around with getting there and hoping you can find something reasonable (like everyone else is doing). That means you can get your tickets early (like we did), go shopping, get something to eat, get to the show just in time, and plop your behind into the best seats in the house. This is really great when the movie is new and the theaters are packed with people. I love the way they do this here, and it's something I'm really going to miss when I leave Korea and have to go back to the USA way of going to the show.

Anyway back to the movie...
It wasn't bad as movies go, however it's definitely better on a big screen. I enjoyed it, but then sometimes I'm easily entertained. The movie focuses more on the human aspect and less on special effects than I thought it would. As you would guess there is lot of weapons fire and molecular acid flying through the air, but it all contributes to the story. I'm sure the book will do a better job of detailing out the story line than you can catch in a two hour movie, so I might pick this up at sometime in the future just to fill in the holes. I didn't want to be a movie critic or spoil it for any of you who want to see it.

As you can see from the advertisement poster the movie had Korean subtitles, and no... the alien and predator characters didn't speak Korean. They were really too busy trying to wipe the humans and each other out to worry about dialog. Cool!

Monday, September 13, 2004

Meet the kids


boys, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I have two sons, Reuben and Aaron (in chronological order). I sometimes call them my heinous offspring, however they are really anything but. Of course they are typical kids. Now that I'm living away from them, getting them to write to me is like pushing a refrigerator up a ladder. I guess I was basically the same when I was that age (although I refuse to remember it). It's just that now that I'm in the position of the parent, my expectations have changed.
My God!... I HAVE turned into my father.

The changing times have made it a little easier though. Even though a periodic email is still sporadic at best in coming, internet chat has saved them to a point. The time zone differences and our incompatible schedules still makes this a difficult thing to arrange, but it's always a welcome treat to be able to talk with them. We share a lot of the same interests (music, in-line skating, movies, video games, hot rods), so it's always great when we get together. I'm looking very forward to the next time.

As you can see from the pictures they are a couple of good looking boys. Reuben is in the U.S. Coast Guard, and Aaron is attending college. The inset picture gives you an idea of how far they have come in what seems like just a few years. I am truly proud of them both.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Meet Jun, Sue's nephew...


JunJeju, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Sue has a nephew here. His name is Jun Hyun. We don't see a lot of him, because he doesn't live especially close, and certainly he has a life of his own. When we see each other, we get along pretty good. When I first met him I found out that he was an Apple dude like myself. Of course this automatically won him a couple thousand points with me. Apple is still not very common here. I have a couple stories about that, but we'll save it for another time.

Anyway, Jun is normally pretty quiet, but when it comes to speaking English then he REALLY gets quiet. I know he speaks English, but only about 5% to my 95%. I kid him about it whenever I get the chance, and he's a pretty good sport about it, but when it comes down to speaking Macintosh, we understand each other perfectly.

Jun has a blog page too. You can find it by going to "http://www.dailymemo.net/pm/weblog.php". Of course unless you speak Korean, all you can do is read the few bits in English and look at the pictures. That's all I do anyway.

안녕히계세요

September has arrived

The first week of September has been an odd gathering of events. After we returned from our short vacation, I thought I’d be able to get back to my job-hunting effort and begin to tackle some of the things accumulating on my “honey-do” list. Well… not everything always goes as planned… actually hardly ever, but I keep hoping.

One of the things that added time to our week are the books we received from Amazon that I already mentioned below. Of course this is an important thing for us to do, and I hope it works for us. We’ve already started on the diet phase of our program and are planning and tracking our daily meals and snacks. If nothing else, being more aware of what we are eating and seeing it on paper stuck to the fridge will help us get on a better course.

I already mentioned that we’ve been taking aerobics and Taebo, each twice a week, and it has been great. Actually, this has been quite an intriguing encounter for me. We’re living in Korea and so naturally the classes are taught in Korean. Now since I don’t speak the language, this poses a bit of a challenge for yours truly. The two girls who teach the classes do speak a tiny bit of English, but the dozen or so women who regularly attend the classes don’t (yes, I am basically the only male in the class), so the best I get is the instructors counting in English, which is the one thing that I don’t have a problem understanding in Korean. Actually, I do surprisingly well. Although I don’t always know what’s coming next until it happens, by paying close attention, I think I do about as good as anyone in the class… maybe better.
In any event, we were disappointed to learn that our aerobics teacher is quitting her instruction to go back to school. They will find someone to replace her, but I don’t know where they will find anyone who exhibits the same energy and enthusiasm on the gym floor.

I was extremely disappointed to hear that over the past week and a half, three more people have left the school where I was an English language teacher. I was sad to leave my position there, but relieved to depart the company. Obviously the feeling of dissatisfaction I felt is still alive and flourishing. Saying what you do, and then doing what you say is important for any organization, as well as operating with an honorable code of ethics. This company clearly has an enormous amount to learn about treating their degreed professional employees with dignity and respect, or nothing will ever change and they will be destined to repeat the same mistakes practiced by every other middle-of-the-road hagwon in Korea. It’s just a matter of some plain old-fashioned managerial enlightenment. I hope it happens for them one day. It’s one thing that separates them from the rest of the global employment community.

And speaking of work… this week I finally got my resume the overdue and urgently desirable renovation it’s been screaming for. I hope it gives my job quest the shot in the arm it needs as we attack the next exciting chapter in our lives. Thank you, Erin Kissane, for all your hard work. I’ve already begun using it and like the way it puts a new spin on my work history and life’s experiences. It’s always funny how you look at something new about yourself (after looking at the same old thing for so long) and say, “Damn, I sound good!” I hope there’s an employer out there who feels the same way.

Now it’s time for some breakfast and see what trouble I can get into today. The weather is clearing… I’m sure I can find something (laughing).

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Want to lose weight and get back in shape?


NewBooks, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Sue and I just picked up two new books. Both of these are products of Men's Health magazine and I personally think they are well done.
Living in an area where it not all that easy to pursue other outdoor activities, we have allowed ourselves to get soft. We are a shade over the weight we want to be, and even though we are regularly hitting the gym and watching what we eat more carefully, it's obvious we need a little more help. It was only a few years back when I was in the best personal shape of my life and I want to get back to that.

<>I found that these two books are a couple of the best I've seen in a while. If you find you want to make changes in your life and your health, this might be a great place to start.

"The Abs Diet" has diet information that most people (with a little of discipline and dedication) can live with. You can eat what you still like (within reason), and still lose weight. It's interesting though... they start you on a program, and if you haven't exercised much, you don't have to start right away. It's more about putting your metabolism in the right condition to turn that - conditioning corner. It also gives you the sort of exercises you need to begin putting your body in the shape you can be pleased with. You and your mirror could become friends again. The diet part isn't chock-full of revelations. However, this is the first time I've seen the kind of statistics, diet assistance with supporting evidence, and the no bull story on how to pull it all together all in one package. It's informative, entertaining, and adds some motivational commentary that some might find encouraging. The exercises themselves are worth the price of admission, and you don't have to buy a gym membership to do them.

To help Sue's English pronunciation skills, we are reading this one out loud. This serves a couple of basic ends, but it also gives us a chance to chat about what we both heard as we plan our program together. It's actually kind of fun.

The "Home Workout Bible" is a manual sized book, chock full of exercises... more than 400. There is no talk of food in this book, just a total focus on muscles and how to get the most from them. Most of the book gives you exercises you can do at home without a big personal investment, running to the gym. It also covers machine exercises, but not extensively. The book breaks down exercises into beginning, intermediate and advanced, and provides some training logs and sample workouts to help you keep your progress on track.

I hate sounding like a book review, but as both Sue and I have gotten older, and the importance of eating right and exercising has smacked us in the face (as well as made us take a critical look in the mirror). There is no reason why we can't still look good, and be happy. And as they point out in the book, everything we do in this area reduces our susceptibility for injury and disease, which is the part I like. I can tell you from our efforts in the aerobic and Taebo classes, we have a long way to go. However, we are having fun and already feel great about our improvement.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Burnout 3 is ready!


Burnout, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I really enjoyed playing Burnout 2 on my Sony Playstation. It's a great stress reliever, and I got to race, crash, and generally get crazy on the road without doing any real damage. Even Sue had fun with it.

Anyway, Burnout 3: Takedown is about to become available. Electronic Arts took this over from Acclaim, and from all reviews has done fantastic job. However, don't just take my word for it... go to:

http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_burnout3_ps2.html

... and check it out for yourself. Actually, I think it's blast and can't wait to get my hands on one.
Wahoo!

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

The view from our condo at Jeju


Jeju View, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Last week Sue and I, along with her sister's family, went to to an island off the south tip of Korea. It's a great place to go and relax. The weather was nearly perfect, and the scenery was something like you'd see in Hawaii. This place is traditionally a favorite for honeymooning Korean newlyweds, which were apparent from the identical shirts they all seemed to be wearing. It was a great trip for us and I think we all needed time away. We saw plenty of museums and such... some of them were definitely there for the tourists, so you had to pick and choose what to see.

One thing I will say though is that the drivers were crazy. There are very few traffic lights on the island, and few if any other kinds of traffic signs. Mostly the intersections were a no-man's-land not safe for man nor beast... where anything goes. Basically if you got there first, you likely had the right of way, but that was only if another oncoming car wasn't in a hurry. Stopping at intersections will only get you honked at. Just tap the brake and keep moving. One day while we were there taveling on an open lonely stretch of road, we saw two accidents within less than five minutes of each other. One of these was a head-on and looked serious. Both of them involved taxis, so you can make you own conclusions from that.

The Golambs kicking back Jeju


Jeju Two, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I may make more pictures available after I get them all developed, but here's one of the happy couple. There were lots of waterfalls, and since the island is basically one giant extinct volcano, there were plenty of lava tubes to explore.

Weren't we cute?


YoungLovers, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Since this is the beginning of our blog page, I thought I'd let you have a look at our own beginnings. It's amazing that we both had a photo of approximately the same age that still survived. I have to laugh at this every time I see it. I look like such an insurance salesman. I can see myself walking up to the door and who should answer it, but the stunning Korean beauty with the cookie in her hand. No wonder I was bewitched... Nothing has changed.