Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Living the Dream

Today, as our financial markets get bailed out by the U.S. Federal Reserve for about 80 plus billion and the CEO of AIG is replaced by Paulson's Allstate Insurance friend, I think about the crying child in the library and the homeless man at the computer who smells and has layers of dirt on his hands. In the words Larry from my SMC business class of the past, his soles of his shoes flopping and flailing in the wind, are we "living the dream?"

The dream of owning a house without money down? Low interest rates to borrow more than we can pay or afford? Spending billions on a war in Iraq and Afganistan? Are we a healthy society? If we bomb the crap out of the Middle East, will that solve some of our problems? If we become totally independent of foreign oil, will that solve the problem?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Unemployed

Yes, blog reader. The Palmster is unemployed. Hmm. I've had some interviews and I know I will get a job but I would like to work sooner than later. I like working; it makes me feel productive and useful. I mean: how many times can you masturbate in a day anyway? Actually, the time off is in good use. I have fixed the toilet seat, put up a shoe rack, cleaned, done countless loads of laundry (no, I didn't use my socks for anything else than my feet!), meal preparations, shopping and driving my baby to/from work. It's not a vacation by any means. Looking for work is a full time job! The agencies all feel and act incompetent and probably they are all over worked too. They are not doing a good job. This Thursday i will sign up with another one that specializes in the law. I hate law firms. I've done that temp work before and they all reek of troubled people, troubled clients. It's a pay check but is it worth it? I can't burn through my savings. (like that Winehouse song) No, no, no. I can't sit around and smoke grass all day. No, no, no. I have to have a job so I can write songs. I need the money or else: no honey. Uh oh!

Free stuff and the Yakuza

On Sunday Yanne and I saw the Pacino/DeNiro flop called "Righteous Kill." It was about two tired looking actors as detectives Turk and Rooster. They were investigating murders and to keep the plot moving, had gratuitous sex between a young cop who likes it rough and an old cop who does it rough. Boring. Staid. I could imagine how DeNiro and Paciano were signing their contracts thinking how easy money this film would be and not leave New York City to do it! It would of been more interesting to have their stunt doubles acting instead! It could of been a funny parody because both of them haven't done anything worth their acting huevos in a long, long time. I'm not an ageist by any means. Our culture is obsessed and driven by youth and looking young. These giants of cinema have had their successful run and should retire from doing tired scripts, cliche moral dilemmas at the requisite Catholic church and allow their stunt doubles to take unemployment insurance. Afterward, we snook into see "Tropic Thunder" a much better movie and a funny spoof to boot! What a great performance by Robert Downey--his best since Chaplin. I loved him in that other film with Val Kilmer but in "Tropic Thunder" he really was terrific playing an Australian actor who gets surgery to "blacken" his skin in order to play a black American soldier during the Vietnam War. He was in great form! Before I didn't think much of Ben Stiller but I changed my mind: his direction was great. I think it was the script which had Ethan Cohen's help. I liked how the film mocked Hollywood and insecure actors while also talking about acting techniques in a factious way.

Yanne and I enjoyed the free film and why not? We were being opportunists and took advantage of a flaw in AMC cinemas lax security. I don't feel bad paying $11.50 for two films! I felt mischievous and juvenile sneaking into the other film. Is it dishonest? Yes. Is it stealing? Yes. But why don't I care? Am I so disconnected with my actions having financial repercussions to huge corporations? Is it like stealing Post-Its from your job? Hmm.

I saw a trick done in a movie years ago by the Japanese mob or yakuza. A bunch of them would dine out at four or five star restaurants, bring live roaches and other bugs and place them in the food or on the table after their meal for the restaurant manager to see. It worked: their meals were gratis or free. Yesterday, after our two films, Yanne and I dined at the Cheesecake Factory. We were finishing our salad when a small roach ran across our table.I captured the small bugger by placing my tea cup over him. While he was enclosed in his tomb me and Yanne a little worried about our Chinese Chicken salad! Was it in the food? I hope not! I asked a random waiter to have manager walk over as soon as possible. I showed him our "visitor" and told him we were about to order a piece of tiarmusu cheesecake before our "friend" decided to talk a walk on our table. The manager wrapped up the roach in my napkin and took my tea cup away. We got a free meal! The Yakuza trick works! Of course, i didn't bring the roach to the restaurant but it would work elsewhere. Yanne thinks that's dishonest...she's such a party pooper! :)

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Eight things I like about Los Angeles...

One blog reader complained to me that I didn't have any positive things to say about L.A. Here are my eight things I really like about L.A.

1. Every body ends their sentences sounding like a question?
2. O.J. is on trial in Las Vegas, Nevada.
3. The LA Times is still a wannabe newspaper.
4. I can see a movie at 9am and pay the bargain price of $6.50 while normal people sleep.
5. I can ride my bicycle at the beach but people on the bike path pose trouble
6. The smog is less volatile than San Bernadino.
7. San Bernardino is not part of L.A.
8. There are very few Korean restaurants

Maple Bear in Suwon

Maple Bear has gotten some of my respect. I heard through an anonymous contact, that the American Director is leaving! He got demoted to a full time teacher! Yeah! I guess HQ read the many complaints about him and the owner of the institute took action! Many people are happy and rejoicing some 6,990 miles from L.A. I send a (90's style) "shout out" to my (80's verbiage) "homies," man! Nice! (pronounced in the Korean way as "Nice-u-A") .

Too bad that other lump of a human being is still there! Ugh. They can't make them any more meaner and uglier than that. And my other nemesis is gone, but you faithful and poised blog reader, knew that already. So many details!! It's a great day!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Back in LA, dude or Eight things I don't like about Los Angeles

Dude, I'm back in L.A. and not loving it here. But I knew that before and after Korea. It's not a surprise. I always feel tension in my stomach! This tension permeates me: it's difficult living here. It's the same feeling I had way before I left. I think a lot of us have it. It is the way of a big city, you got to hustle in the bustle. It's not my mental state or emotional state but the Californian State. hehehe. Although Suwon is a major step below L.A., I did not feel a constant tension. It could be for a number of reasons which I could speculate all day long...

Things I don't like about L.A. and hopefully these won't be used against me for applying to jobs:
1. Tattoos. Why? Doesn't anyone who is not in a gang know the history/purpose of tattoos???
2. Driving. You must drive everywhere.
3. Weather. For Jesus' sake, can't we just have one day of bad weather?
4. Fat people. I see fat people everywhere. Let em eat a Korean diet for a year. Problem solved?
5. Crazy people. I see crazy people everywhere. Why so many of them? And why Korea has so few visible crazy people?
6. Guns. Do you really need five automatics for your five year old kid?
7. Creepy people. Yes, I'm back to the people here. I 'm standing in line at Big Five sporting goods and three creepy people come in and give me a really creepy vibe. I never had a creepy vibe from people in Korea though I went to some places which I obviously didn't belong. Maybe I did not learn the Korean Kreepy Vibe they have?
8. Republicans. For Jesus' sake! Sorry, the DSMIV should list Republicans as a disease. Has big government gotten smaller since their tenure? Have corruptions been abated? Has war ended? Has oil interests declined? Has Orange County, California become "normal?" No.

That's eight reasons to hate L.A. Have any of your own?

I miss my students

Hello blog readers! I dreamed about my cute students this week. Little Euro, Emma and a few others from my kinder and lunch classes. It made me sad! I miss them. I don't miss Suwon or Maple Bear but I miss my favorite kinder kids.

I thought about shipping them some candies to the school and having the new teacher give them the treats during snack time or lunch but I think that would make them feel sad and miss me. It's best not to contact them. I know they're okay and having fun. It's funny how they grew on me.

I can still hear Euro's voice say "I know that you know." She would say that, often in response to me saying, "I know..." Sometimes she would pretend that she didn't understand the assignment and I had to sit down next to her and help her. Or how Emma would stand behind me and mimic my moves while I would look for her in the classroom knowing that she is behind me! Or Sunny's cute way of speaking Korean and English in one sentence and communicating really well at that! Or how the kids during lunch would be so excited when I sat down and ate with them, talking to them. Hmm. My kids!