It's 7:30 in the morning. Why are people yapping away on their cells? These are not movers and shakers of industry. And what the hell could they be talking about for a solid 30 minutes? Nothing, of course. Nothing.
Whenever I take the blue bus number 12, I always wind up seated near someone who is yapping loudly on their cell phone or whips it out just to bother me. Yep. It’s the cell phone versus Palmer! It happens 80 percent of the time.
This morning, for example, two SMC chicks with the same greasy hair-do are seated in the front of the bus yapping away on their separate cells. For me, if I was listening to one of them on the receiver, I would probably be totally confused by the background noise of the bus and the other cell phone conversation. Anyways, I had spotted those yappers quickly enough to find a seat towards the back. However, as I am settling in, the passenger across the aisle has conspicuously switched ears and is now talking quietly on her cell. Shit! I missed that! And you know it’s bad when their switch ears! That means a long-ass cell phone conversation and my quiet bus ride is a shambles like the pot-holed roads of L.A.
By now the bus is moving and the area I am in, doesn’t smell too bad, so I resign and settle, boot up my ear buds and listen to KCRW’s NPR news. However, during those quiet lulls on the number 12, when the bus is waiting for the signal to change and KCRW’s Michelle Norris’ manicured voice pauses for a deep breath, that cell phone conversation to my right sounds like a roar. Luckily, by now we’re at Pico and Westwood Boulevard where most SMCers depart to catch the blue bus number 7. I eye a nice seat in front and just as I make my move, someone quickly gets up and grabs it. Shit! Being Palmer on the Bus, however, I always have a blue bus back up seat plan, and casually move to another open slot and settle down again. Fortunately, it smells much better up front and that lady is not audible from here.
It’s either the yapping of the cell phone people or the stink of the hobo which drive me crazy on the bus. Luckily, those homeless stinkers are still sleeping at 7:15am so the number 12 has a limited supply of them unlike the like the Culver City line number 6 which has every sort of gross machination of human trouble and cadence. And, you have to stand for the whole ride!
Life on the big blue bus sucks. All you out there, yea relish your drive to work in a bundled mass of metal and gas. Yer he safe from the sounds and smells of the CNG buses. I revel in your wholesomeness. Your clean pants not soiled with stain and smell of some hobo who was scratching his nut sack for 30 minutes. Your stereo, oh, so loud and proud as it belts out the melodic voices of KCRW, like a fine pedigree dog, best in show. A coat, thick with fat and shiny like oil. Yes, I envy you now but just know your car ride, though superior, won’t be great forever. Soon, all of us, en mass will ride on the bus together, holding hands singing Kum Bah Ya. For now, I am going to buy a decent, lite pair of over-the-ear headphones to block out the noise!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Girl Scouts clogged my toilet!
Months have passed since our December “Holiday” parties which are thinly disguised Christmas events made politically correct, when we celebrate other cultures while wearing traditional green and red, saying to each other: “Happy Holidays.” To them I reply: Happy Jesus Hanukah Kwanzaa Fucking Christmas!
Anyways, our office workers have thankfully thinned out since the departing gifts of See’s chocolates and home-made baked yummies. Americans get so big and fat each December thanks to the extreme amount of cookies and sweets we shove into our pie holes. Just when you think you’ve finally lost those ten extra holiday pounds, and your new diet and exercise regime has toned your fat asses, we get assaulted by cute little girls pushing their product: Girl Scout Cookies. Yes, yes, yes… those addictive cookies are available on street corners for $4.00 a box. I love their Thin Mints! I eat them alone, and don’t like to share. Don't you dare take a Thin Mint cookie! I got some video cams on them too. Can't you see me hiding in the kitchen? In the dark, my girl friend calling out my name and me, making rat like sounds eating Thin Mints? They’re like crack to me! I don’t know what they put in those cookies, but when I run out, I rob and maim innocents just to get my Thin Mint fix. And why do they call them Thin Mints? I eat boxes of them! Watch out Fatsos!!
Last week a dozen little brownies set-up a big cookie sale on my corner. Late in the day those drug pushers, after “getting high on their supply,” asked to use my bathroom. Those little girls jammed my toilet bowl with their prolific poo! Would you expect anything else from eating cookies all day? They must have used 12 rolls of 2-ply toilet paper and 36 of those moist babies wipes to clean their anuses. Or is it “ani?” You know, multiple anus-es? Jesus. My bathroom paint cracked and peeled and my nose hair fell out!
Well, to be fair and honest, I made the story up. I clogged the toilet. I blame the girl scouts though. I tell you all that I am not ashamed of eating one Thin Mint cookie column without milk the night before. It took me two minutes. I couldn’t stop eating the thin mints. The next day, I had a prolific poo of gargantuan size and output. I think I lost like four pounds of excrement. I sat on the porcelain throne for 25 minutes squeezing out those thin mints. Jesus. My eyes went "chinese" and shit. Who would of thought that those cool mint cookies would burn? I must have passed out from exhaustion because I blanked on “courtesy flushing.” And we didn’t have a plunger either!
I flushed like a mad man, but those half dollar size poo nuggets would sink to the bottom like a dead surfer and clog the exit. Luckily, there was a long, plastic tube, the kind that attaches to those snap-on style plastic roll-away carts you can buy at Ikea. I used the tube and churned my poo into butter until it was flotsam. Another flush or two I said good bye to two dozen cookies!
Like the French who turned their backs on their Jews during WWII, never again will I eat copious amounts of Thin Mints. No, never again will I succumb to egregious amounts of Thin Mint cookies in one sitting. Never again...until next March when those little cookie Fuhrer's return! Heil to the Girl Scouts!
Anyways, our office workers have thankfully thinned out since the departing gifts of See’s chocolates and home-made baked yummies. Americans get so big and fat each December thanks to the extreme amount of cookies and sweets we shove into our pie holes. Just when you think you’ve finally lost those ten extra holiday pounds, and your new diet and exercise regime has toned your fat asses, we get assaulted by cute little girls pushing their product: Girl Scout Cookies. Yes, yes, yes… those addictive cookies are available on street corners for $4.00 a box. I love their Thin Mints! I eat them alone, and don’t like to share. Don't you dare take a Thin Mint cookie! I got some video cams on them too. Can't you see me hiding in the kitchen? In the dark, my girl friend calling out my name and me, making rat like sounds eating Thin Mints? They’re like crack to me! I don’t know what they put in those cookies, but when I run out, I rob and maim innocents just to get my Thin Mint fix. And why do they call them Thin Mints? I eat boxes of them! Watch out Fatsos!!
Last week a dozen little brownies set-up a big cookie sale on my corner. Late in the day those drug pushers, after “getting high on their supply,” asked to use my bathroom. Those little girls jammed my toilet bowl with their prolific poo! Would you expect anything else from eating cookies all day? They must have used 12 rolls of 2-ply toilet paper and 36 of those moist babies wipes to clean their anuses. Or is it “ani?” You know, multiple anus-es? Jesus. My bathroom paint cracked and peeled and my nose hair fell out!
Well, to be fair and honest, I made the story up. I clogged the toilet. I blame the girl scouts though. I tell you all that I am not ashamed of eating one Thin Mint cookie column without milk the night before. It took me two minutes. I couldn’t stop eating the thin mints. The next day, I had a prolific poo of gargantuan size and output. I think I lost like four pounds of excrement. I sat on the porcelain throne for 25 minutes squeezing out those thin mints. Jesus. My eyes went "chinese" and shit. Who would of thought that those cool mint cookies would burn? I must have passed out from exhaustion because I blanked on “courtesy flushing.” And we didn’t have a plunger either!
I flushed like a mad man, but those half dollar size poo nuggets would sink to the bottom like a dead surfer and clog the exit. Luckily, there was a long, plastic tube, the kind that attaches to those snap-on style plastic roll-away carts you can buy at Ikea. I used the tube and churned my poo into butter until it was flotsam. Another flush or two I said good bye to two dozen cookies!
Like the French who turned their backs on their Jews during WWII, never again will I eat copious amounts of Thin Mints. No, never again will I succumb to egregious amounts of Thin Mint cookies in one sitting. Never again...until next March when those little cookie Fuhrer's return! Heil to the Girl Scouts!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hierarchy and self-importance
The other day I passed an "above scale" university professor in the hall way. He was obviously in a hurry but when I said "hello" and made eye contact, he didn't respond. He knows me very very well; I am not a stranger. His actions though they may be innocuous, made me feel invisible. If I was the Dean or a professor of his "scale" or caliber, I would have received a nod, a hello or even eye contact in return. But this is academia, and the professors are the university and administrative assistants like me, are treated like disposable line items on the left side of the accounting ledger.
Here in the world of academia, there are "ladders" or "steps" which professors earn through years of teaching and service, grant money they bring in from their research, good quality of publications, recognition by peers and now, a host of private organizations which contribute money towards their research or university infrastructure. If professors want something to happen, they make it so. However, if you're under the academia pecking order, you have small chances of promoting change or having your thoughts heard.
You can see the hierarchy and divisions at work especially among them who think that their work should be rewarded more than others, who like one of those feral birds you see on TV, squawk loudly, flap their outspread wings and inflate their chests to ward off an adversary. Many professors act and sound self-important which just reveals their fragile flaws in front of the indifferent staff.
There's this one blow hard professor who has an office near my cubicle. Once a week he has a big conference call full of other big wig self-important types all yapping loudly on their own speaker phones, hundreds of miles away, about big important issues that will move and shake the industry. Unfortunately, he leaves his door open so I hear a lot of the conference call, and so does everyone else.
Imagine having a nice, intimate meal with your gf or bf and this big, fat red-faced sweating republican at the next table has just sat down and is talking loudly to his date or colleague about "important" issues which, of course, are not. You concentrate on your girl friend's voice, her lips and squint your eyes in focus but that loud republican blow hard just keeps yapping away, shoveling the appetizer into his awful mouth and going on and on about drayage and you just sit there-- reminded that a $50 bill for the meal will arrive. And, what are you paying for, really? The food? The ambiance? No. You're now paying to hear that blow hard dispense his time-tested wisdom about drayage. That's what you're paying for!
The universe and the university are full of these types who make others feel invisible and though you take it personally, you know you shouldn't because your life is better than that and you're already hard on yourself as you continue to seek your own character "perfection."
Here in the world of academia, there are "ladders" or "steps" which professors earn through years of teaching and service, grant money they bring in from their research, good quality of publications, recognition by peers and now, a host of private organizations which contribute money towards their research or university infrastructure. If professors want something to happen, they make it so. However, if you're under the academia pecking order, you have small chances of promoting change or having your thoughts heard.
You can see the hierarchy and divisions at work especially among them who think that their work should be rewarded more than others, who like one of those feral birds you see on TV, squawk loudly, flap their outspread wings and inflate their chests to ward off an adversary. Many professors act and sound self-important which just reveals their fragile flaws in front of the indifferent staff.
There's this one blow hard professor who has an office near my cubicle. Once a week he has a big conference call full of other big wig self-important types all yapping loudly on their own speaker phones, hundreds of miles away, about big important issues that will move and shake the industry. Unfortunately, he leaves his door open so I hear a lot of the conference call, and so does everyone else.
Imagine having a nice, intimate meal with your gf or bf and this big, fat red-faced sweating republican at the next table has just sat down and is talking loudly to his date or colleague about "important" issues which, of course, are not. You concentrate on your girl friend's voice, her lips and squint your eyes in focus but that loud republican blow hard just keeps yapping away, shoveling the appetizer into his awful mouth and going on and on about drayage and you just sit there-- reminded that a $50 bill for the meal will arrive. And, what are you paying for, really? The food? The ambiance? No. You're now paying to hear that blow hard dispense his time-tested wisdom about drayage. That's what you're paying for!
The universe and the university are full of these types who make others feel invisible and though you take it personally, you know you shouldn't because your life is better than that and you're already hard on yourself as you continue to seek your own character "perfection."
Friday, March 6, 2009
It's been a year since I left Korea...
It's been a year since I left Korea. It feels good that I'm back but I do miss my lifestyle and sometimes, living there. I reminiscence about the times I road my bicycle along the bike path to and from the hogwan for five months. On both sides of the long stretch of highway, rice, flowers, tomatoes (?) and other crops grew and overflowed from the rich Korean soil. Non-exotic bugs would hit me in the face on their way home from a day's hunting; late nights riding back from Queenshead pub, my stomach full of their homebrew Ale, with no street lamps illuminating the bike path, using cars' headlights to roughly guide me. It was an adventure. My dad calls me a "gypsy" because I love traveling especially riding my cheap ass $80 Korean Lespo 21 speed mountain bike made by Sam Chully! What a heavy piece of crap that was but you could ride the shit out of it and not feel bad about getting it full of dents and dings.
Last weekend, the West Los Angeles Cycling club http://www.meetup.com/wlacycling had a Sunday ride from Marina Del Rey called Lagoon Park. I used google maps to look for directions and on Saturday, road out to the spot only to be sadly disappointed by the lack of shoulder, glass and rock on the road and the hideous curves that hide motor vehicles. I didn't go. You need a car to get to that spot; and what's the point of riding a bike if you need to take your car there in the first place? I was hoping it was accessible like so many of my bike riding days in Korea. Oh, well.
Last weekend, the West Los Angeles Cycling club http://www.meetup.com/wlacycling had a Sunday ride from Marina Del Rey called Lagoon Park. I used google maps to look for directions and on Saturday, road out to the spot only to be sadly disappointed by the lack of shoulder, glass and rock on the road and the hideous curves that hide motor vehicles. I didn't go. You need a car to get to that spot; and what's the point of riding a bike if you need to take your car there in the first place? I was hoping it was accessible like so many of my bike riding days in Korea. Oh, well.
Bernard and Charlene leave MapleBear, Suwon
Yes, blog readers. Bernard has left MapleBear; he made it! Can you believe it? He broke on through the kim chi kiddie prison and is a free man! He's home in Canada on vacation and will meet up with Charlene somewhere in D.C. Hopefully he pays a visit to the White House, tours D.C. and eats some good American food before leaving for another year tour of Korea! I guess he's a masochist; he must really like teaching ESL! This time, however, he will be in a middle school and will earn summer's off. If you're going to teach in Korea, work for the public school system like Bernard. The pay is great, the summers are off and the kids are usually better behaved. He will have to ride out this shitty economy and he'll do it in Korea! Good for him!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My ma gone crazy or I won’t be son number two until next year.
Hello blog readers! Need your Palmer in the poo fix? Missing the view from the dung heap of life? Need some laughter to make your day? Here it is. Don’t let the poo hit the fan with you near!
I’m reading about Chester Carlson, the inventor of the photo copier machine. When he was growing up, his pa went crazy for about year moving his family around California, starting a medical business and due to his dad’s crippling arthritis, little eight year old Chester, had to work 4 hours each day to help support his mother and his pre-tuberculosis father. Well, I think my ma has gone crazy too!
She recently had a birthday last week and being the good son, (in a fake Peter Seller’s Chinese accent) son number two, that is, I planned a nice family dinner at a yuppie Westside restaurant of her choice. If you know my mom, she is a foodie and eats organic whenever possible despite her lifestyle choice of living in one of the most polluted cities in America and breathing in the inch of dust residue that resides on her furniture. I love my mom; she is very nice and unselfish and when it comes to thinking about other peoples’ feelings and needs, she is the best.
As with every birthday in recent memory, she is annoyingly indecisive about where she wants to eat. Every year, there are a dozen phone calls about restaurant choices, coordinating times and getting a head-count. It's always stressfull because she will say, “Whatever the family wants, is fine with me.” But I always interject: “But Mom, it’s your birthday! It’s your special day. Where do you want to go eat?” After the third or fourth phone call with my mom, I call my uncle who is the opposite and selects an expensive yuppie Italian restaurant where the pasta serving is four ounces and $24. In the end, it's my uncle who decides where to eat.
I always present my mom with three nice and expensive restaurants she can choose from. I make sure that she's already eaten and approved of, in her Zagat rating way. Well, this year, I waited to the night before her dinner to ask her where she wanted to eat. “Let’s go to Chan Dara Thai on Pico Boulevard,” she said. Of course it’s expensive and yuppish but the food is good. During the conversation, she caveats the choice with: “well, it’s noisy there but the food is excellent.” I concur with her restaurant pick and say, “It’s your birthday and I’m looking forward to celebrating it with you.”
Now, last year…her oldest brother and her dear sister-in-law, had a multiple senior moment, and forgot my mom’s birthday! She was mad. They never called or sent a card and two weeks later, their coupled brain freeze thawed and a call was made with their regrets. This year, she wanted to see if they forgot again. But being the good son I am, son number two, that is, and being organized and efficient, I emailed my uncle and aunt and invited them to the dinner.
I could have been more efficient this year and invited them sooner rather on the day of my mom’s birthday but I didn’t. As with their past and present thoughtlessness and inconvenience way of communicating with me, I decided this year, to do the same with them. I waited the day of my mom’s birthday and invited them. I didn't have to deal with the muliple phone calls and my uncle's terrible inflexibility and attitude. It’s nice that I invited them and they are part of the family but I didn’t want to be considerate this year and give them a week’s notice like I do with most of my family invites; the way most thoughtful people do when we all have busy lives and schedules and hobbies.
Later that morning, I confirmed with my mom her restaurant choice and the time. Although she choose Chan Dara the night before, she changed her mind! She said it was “too noisy” and thought that Lares Mexican restaurant would be better. If you’ve ever been to Lares, it’s just as noisy as Chan Dara. Anyway, being son number two, and being her birthday, I expected her indecisive so had no problem. I asked if her brother had called to wish her a happy birthday. He did not. I could tell she was mad about that. I had to tell her that I invited them. All of sudden, I was the black sheep of the litter. My status as son number two got dropped to son number, two billion, four hundred thousand! How could I do such a thing! Invite them? “I needed to invite them, he’s your brother,” I said, and being proactive and organized in case a dinner reservation was needed, I added, “I have to know the head-count for dinner!” My mom went off on me how I should not do such a thing. A terrible thing, inviting her brother and sister in law who were on her shit list and now I reminded their forgetful and thoughtless brains to think about her and her birthday! What a fuckin idiot I am! Jesus! How could I be so thoughtful and nice? And, they would now call her to wish her a happy fucking birthday and how could she be mad at them for that?! I really fucked up. Blog readers, you can join in the chorus of “palmer the thoughtful idiot!”
As it turned out, my uncle and cousin were too sick to go but my aunt, being a former ER nurse, was helping them get healthy. I don’t know why my aunt could not attend the dinner but I was glad to just celebrate it with my mom and girl friend at Lares. I bought them margaritas, and we all had a nice meal talking and being a family.
A few days later, I called my mom to follow up to ask how was her 70th birthday weekend was when she reminded me again, in that critical voice of hers, filled with “holier-than-thou” self-righteousness to not being so thoughtful and nice again to my family. I shouldn’t invite my uncle and aunt until they are off her shit list. I can’t wait for my mom’s birthday next year!
I’m reading about Chester Carlson, the inventor of the photo copier machine. When he was growing up, his pa went crazy for about year moving his family around California, starting a medical business and due to his dad’s crippling arthritis, little eight year old Chester, had to work 4 hours each day to help support his mother and his pre-tuberculosis father. Well, I think my ma has gone crazy too!
She recently had a birthday last week and being the good son, (in a fake Peter Seller’s Chinese accent) son number two, that is, I planned a nice family dinner at a yuppie Westside restaurant of her choice. If you know my mom, she is a foodie and eats organic whenever possible despite her lifestyle choice of living in one of the most polluted cities in America and breathing in the inch of dust residue that resides on her furniture. I love my mom; she is very nice and unselfish and when it comes to thinking about other peoples’ feelings and needs, she is the best.
As with every birthday in recent memory, she is annoyingly indecisive about where she wants to eat. Every year, there are a dozen phone calls about restaurant choices, coordinating times and getting a head-count. It's always stressfull because she will say, “Whatever the family wants, is fine with me.” But I always interject: “But Mom, it’s your birthday! It’s your special day. Where do you want to go eat?” After the third or fourth phone call with my mom, I call my uncle who is the opposite and selects an expensive yuppie Italian restaurant where the pasta serving is four ounces and $24. In the end, it's my uncle who decides where to eat.
I always present my mom with three nice and expensive restaurants she can choose from. I make sure that she's already eaten and approved of, in her Zagat rating way. Well, this year, I waited to the night before her dinner to ask her where she wanted to eat. “Let’s go to Chan Dara Thai on Pico Boulevard,” she said. Of course it’s expensive and yuppish but the food is good. During the conversation, she caveats the choice with: “well, it’s noisy there but the food is excellent.” I concur with her restaurant pick and say, “It’s your birthday and I’m looking forward to celebrating it with you.”
Now, last year…her oldest brother and her dear sister-in-law, had a multiple senior moment, and forgot my mom’s birthday! She was mad. They never called or sent a card and two weeks later, their coupled brain freeze thawed and a call was made with their regrets. This year, she wanted to see if they forgot again. But being the good son I am, son number two, that is, and being organized and efficient, I emailed my uncle and aunt and invited them to the dinner.
I could have been more efficient this year and invited them sooner rather on the day of my mom’s birthday but I didn’t. As with their past and present thoughtlessness and inconvenience way of communicating with me, I decided this year, to do the same with them. I waited the day of my mom’s birthday and invited them. I didn't have to deal with the muliple phone calls and my uncle's terrible inflexibility and attitude. It’s nice that I invited them and they are part of the family but I didn’t want to be considerate this year and give them a week’s notice like I do with most of my family invites; the way most thoughtful people do when we all have busy lives and schedules and hobbies.
Later that morning, I confirmed with my mom her restaurant choice and the time. Although she choose Chan Dara the night before, she changed her mind! She said it was “too noisy” and thought that Lares Mexican restaurant would be better. If you’ve ever been to Lares, it’s just as noisy as Chan Dara. Anyway, being son number two, and being her birthday, I expected her indecisive so had no problem. I asked if her brother had called to wish her a happy birthday. He did not. I could tell she was mad about that. I had to tell her that I invited them. All of sudden, I was the black sheep of the litter. My status as son number two got dropped to son number, two billion, four hundred thousand! How could I do such a thing! Invite them? “I needed to invite them, he’s your brother,” I said, and being proactive and organized in case a dinner reservation was needed, I added, “I have to know the head-count for dinner!” My mom went off on me how I should not do such a thing. A terrible thing, inviting her brother and sister in law who were on her shit list and now I reminded their forgetful and thoughtless brains to think about her and her birthday! What a fuckin idiot I am! Jesus! How could I be so thoughtful and nice? And, they would now call her to wish her a happy fucking birthday and how could she be mad at them for that?! I really fucked up. Blog readers, you can join in the chorus of “palmer the thoughtful idiot!”
As it turned out, my uncle and cousin were too sick to go but my aunt, being a former ER nurse, was helping them get healthy. I don’t know why my aunt could not attend the dinner but I was glad to just celebrate it with my mom and girl friend at Lares. I bought them margaritas, and we all had a nice meal talking and being a family.
A few days later, I called my mom to follow up to ask how was her 70th birthday weekend was when she reminded me again, in that critical voice of hers, filled with “holier-than-thou” self-righteousness to not being so thoughtful and nice again to my family. I shouldn’t invite my uncle and aunt until they are off her shit list. I can’t wait for my mom’s birthday next year!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Jamba Juice Oatmeal
Dear Jamba Juice,On Monday I tried your Blueberry & Blackberry Jamba Oatmeal at UCLA’s Jamba Juice store. I wanted to write to you and express how disappointed and angry your company and product made me feel.
First of all, your organic oatmeal price of $2.95 plus tax is too expensive. I can buy oatmeal on campus at a student operated cafeteria (called Northern Lights) for $1.50 and get approximately 8 ounces of oatmeal with fresh halved-walnuts, brown sugar and raisins. Justifying that your Jamba oatmeal is organic does not give you the right to charge more for it and then serve it in a tiny container. WTF? My spoon is twice the size of your container! At any supermarket, I can buy a 2lb container of oatmeal for the same price! If you doubled your portion, I would not complain; right now you’re just ripping people off. You shameful capitalist swine.
Your website erroneously displays the weight of the oatmeal. See www.jambajuice.com/#/smoothies (and select oatmeal) . On the website it lists the serving size of 1 fluid ounce with servings per container of 1. That is wrong. The oatmeal I was served was about three to four ounces. In fact, I am disappointed that I was charged for a “kid sized” portion. I ate your oatmeal in five or six spoon servings! Now, compare my picture with your very full looking advertisement of your new oatmeal. This is false advertising and I’m going to report you to consumer affairs and write about this in my blog. You misleading pricks.
First of all, your organic oatmeal price of $2.95 plus tax is too expensive. I can buy oatmeal on campus at a student operated cafeteria (called Northern Lights) for $1.50 and get approximately 8 ounces of oatmeal with fresh halved-walnuts, brown sugar and raisins. Justifying that your Jamba oatmeal is organic does not give you the right to charge more for it and then serve it in a tiny container. WTF? My spoon is twice the size of your container! At any supermarket, I can buy a 2lb container of oatmeal for the same price! If you doubled your portion, I would not complain; right now you’re just ripping people off. You shameful capitalist swine.
Your website erroneously displays the weight of the oatmeal. See www.jambajuice.com/#/smoothies (and select oatmeal) . On the website it lists the serving size of 1 fluid ounce with servings per container of 1. That is wrong. The oatmeal I was served was about three to four ounces. In fact, I am disappointed that I was charged for a “kid sized” portion. I ate your oatmeal in five or six spoon servings! Now, compare my picture with your very full looking advertisement of your new oatmeal. This is false advertising and I’m going to report you to consumer affairs and write about this in my blog. You misleading pricks.
Secondly, I kindly asked two of your UCLA Jamba employees to fill up the cup to the brim. They refused citing your exact preparing specifications. I even showed them your stupid Jamba Oatmeal advertisement above. They gave the usual party line: we are instructed to serve it like this. I can’t believe they cower under your supervisory fear. Look at your advertisement; it’s full of oatmeal. Look at the oatmeal that was served to me; it’s ¾ full. What MBA bastard thought of this marketing campaign? Your price is too high and now your jipping me by not leveling off the oatmeal. You cheap bastards.
I hate company policies and people that train their employees to only give one exact scoop of this or that citing it’s company profit propaganda--all in the favor of counting beans and saving your CEO’s some money.
I omitted the brown sugar from the oatmeal; good thing I did. That blue/blackberry sauce is really really sweet. I could not imagine what it would taste like with the added brown sugar. Your employees were nice enough to put the sugar in a small cup. Did your MBA HR monkeys train them to do that? Maybe that’s why I couldn’t get the banana oatmeal that day. What monkey crap!
Lastly, I urge you to double the size of the oatmeal and to fill it up to the brim. You don’t need to add brown sugar either; it’s too sweet with the blue and blackberry sauce. Did you ever think that some customers want to add milk to your oatmeal too? Come on, you geniuses.
Why are you even trying to “branch” out into the breakfast arena? Your bread and butter are juices. I know the economy sucks but your new oatmeal it’s not even a nice try.
Not a happy camper,
Signed by Palmer
Monday, January 26, 2009
Our new President, Obama
Yes, blog readers how can you not feel good about our new and hopeful-minded president? When Bush Sr and Jr were our commander in chiefs, I did not feel good about my country. When Bush Jr spoke or debated, I was always disgusted and had to turn off the radio whenever he talked about policy or politics. I hope those who voted for that yahoo are continually reminded of his regressive policies and will feel embarrassed and the pain he caused for the reminder of their lives. When Bill Clinton was our president, I felt better about being American but not even close to the way I feel now about our new progressive leader in the white house. As you know, Obama will not do as he said. He won't and can't b/c of the all the mouths he had to feed during his campaigning.
I predict that he will be ineffectual UNLESS he charges ahead disregarding some of the voices that supported him. Bush Jr was decisive simply b/c he was a fundamentalist. He was voted in by like-minded dingbats who are guided by their religiousness on his anti-abortion policies and conservative values, values which allowed us to drop bombs on "terrorists" and imprison objectors. His free market policies only helped the "haves" and the "have mores."
Obama, even if he's on par w/ Clinton, will be a good president, and if that's all he can do during his first four years, that's fine by me. I hope the Republican party revamps and closes the lid on backward thinking religious groups and those that espouse "conservative" values. They are one of the bases of the party, a partition they should let go and wither away.
Maybe Obama's presidency will create new dialogues in this country that is so great and complex that the religious base of the republicans--those people who have been politically retreating out of fear and being catered to by the republicans--that is, letting their religion determine their political ideologies--feel that they are no longer a viable part of the political process and must either become more progressive or fade away like a once famous Hollywood actor now living alone in their home on an IV drip.
I predict that he will be ineffectual UNLESS he charges ahead disregarding some of the voices that supported him. Bush Jr was decisive simply b/c he was a fundamentalist. He was voted in by like-minded dingbats who are guided by their religiousness on his anti-abortion policies and conservative values, values which allowed us to drop bombs on "terrorists" and imprison objectors. His free market policies only helped the "haves" and the "have mores."
Obama, even if he's on par w/ Clinton, will be a good president, and if that's all he can do during his first four years, that's fine by me. I hope the Republican party revamps and closes the lid on backward thinking religious groups and those that espouse "conservative" values. They are one of the bases of the party, a partition they should let go and wither away.
Maybe Obama's presidency will create new dialogues in this country that is so great and complex that the religious base of the republicans--those people who have been politically retreating out of fear and being catered to by the republicans--that is, letting their religion determine their political ideologies--feel that they are no longer a viable part of the political process and must either become more progressive or fade away like a once famous Hollywood actor now living alone in their home on an IV drip.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Diabetes
I've just found out that my best friend was diagnosed w/ Type II Diabetes. Life is unfair. He's young! At 41 he NEVER smoked, drank alcohol, ate fast food or almost never eats out. Though he is over weight by 20 pounds, he exercises almost DAILY though my gf thinks that practicing Kung Fu is not really exercise...
I'm so angry about this, perhaps more than him, right now. As you know Diabetes is genetically passed down. His grandfather had it. And being over weight doesn't help his situation but, why him? It's fucked.
Though living w/ this disease is relatively easy in today's world, his grandfather, however was never treated and died young. I want the best for my friend. We can all say that our best friends are honest, generous, loving, smart, fun and provide us comfort, right? I hope all your friends are that. Even Hitler and Mussolini had best friends but my BEST friend is the best and I'm fucking pissed off!
Look: at any age anyone can get this disease but we expect it to happen at 51 or 61. Right? This is ridiculous. He's 41, not 61! Last year he began to wear hearing aids. Now, he's diabetic. WTF?! He is falling apart before his life if over!
Yes, we are all dealt playing cards and are supposed to win the game with what we are dealt and to exchange those cards for those that will enable us to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. In many areas he has the upper hand b/c of his doctorate and the hard work he has done to publish or peril. I know we're supposed to live our lives with what we have and not whine about what we don't. Still, it doesn't ease my anger or make me feel better. And it's not healthy to wish otherwise but this injustice makes me angry.
I'm sure he'll work through the machinations of this disease and live a healthier life but who wants the additional garbage of "managing" a strict diet, daily exercise regiment, checking glucose levels 3x a day and much more?
In the old days, we brushed our teeth w/ baking soda and went to bed. Now, we floss w/ special mint, waxed dental floss after we brush with our ADA approved toothpaste w/ various active ingredients made to kill germs that cause gingivitis and plaque, purchase $125 electric toothbrushes w/ 10,000 vibrating bristle heads, visit our expensive dentists for deep cleanings and massage our gums before bedtime making our nightly hygiene ritual almost 30 fucking minutes long! Agh! Is our quality of life better now? Though research is still plugging away at finding a cure, Type II Diabetes is manageable despite all the eating and exercising caveats.
In the end, genetics rears its ugly fucking mouth and rips into our fleshy sides leaving us maimed so we can pick up our selves off the floor again and again and charge ahead like a bull whose balls are painfully squeezed into that horrible device inside the rodeo ring. I guess the metaphor is: life is the rodeo ring and you are the bull.
My friend is smart and has my support along with his loving family to make changes and live a healthy life. Inside joke: I guess that day when I showed up at his mom's house with a Big Mac hamburger, he should have eaten one too. :)
I'm so angry about this, perhaps more than him, right now. As you know Diabetes is genetically passed down. His grandfather had it. And being over weight doesn't help his situation but, why him? It's fucked.
Though living w/ this disease is relatively easy in today's world, his grandfather, however was never treated and died young. I want the best for my friend. We can all say that our best friends are honest, generous, loving, smart, fun and provide us comfort, right? I hope all your friends are that. Even Hitler and Mussolini had best friends but my BEST friend is the best and I'm fucking pissed off!
Look: at any age anyone can get this disease but we expect it to happen at 51 or 61. Right? This is ridiculous. He's 41, not 61! Last year he began to wear hearing aids. Now, he's diabetic. WTF?! He is falling apart before his life if over!
Yes, we are all dealt playing cards and are supposed to win the game with what we are dealt and to exchange those cards for those that will enable us to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. In many areas he has the upper hand b/c of his doctorate and the hard work he has done to publish or peril. I know we're supposed to live our lives with what we have and not whine about what we don't. Still, it doesn't ease my anger or make me feel better. And it's not healthy to wish otherwise but this injustice makes me angry.
I'm sure he'll work through the machinations of this disease and live a healthier life but who wants the additional garbage of "managing" a strict diet, daily exercise regiment, checking glucose levels 3x a day and much more?
In the old days, we brushed our teeth w/ baking soda and went to bed. Now, we floss w/ special mint, waxed dental floss after we brush with our ADA approved toothpaste w/ various active ingredients made to kill germs that cause gingivitis and plaque, purchase $125 electric toothbrushes w/ 10,000 vibrating bristle heads, visit our expensive dentists for deep cleanings and massage our gums before bedtime making our nightly hygiene ritual almost 30 fucking minutes long! Agh! Is our quality of life better now? Though research is still plugging away at finding a cure, Type II Diabetes is manageable despite all the eating and exercising caveats.
In the end, genetics rears its ugly fucking mouth and rips into our fleshy sides leaving us maimed so we can pick up our selves off the floor again and again and charge ahead like a bull whose balls are painfully squeezed into that horrible device inside the rodeo ring. I guess the metaphor is: life is the rodeo ring and you are the bull.
My friend is smart and has my support along with his loving family to make changes and live a healthy life. Inside joke: I guess that day when I showed up at his mom's house with a Big Mac hamburger, he should have eaten one too. :)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Warring uncles, fighting cousins
I guess my family is on a war path, faithful blog readers. My warring uncles (read previous blog entry) continued battle is complimented by my fighting cousins.
About a year ago, my cousin Edith died. She was in her 80's. She left behind a husband, daughter and two sons. In her estate, the daughter was the sole executor but something happened. An argument ensued and now all are fighting over the money and tangibles Edith left behind. Maybe the youngest brother needs the money but all are overly well-to-do. Each hired an attorney to dispute the will contents and get their rightful share. I wonder how Edith would view their fighting and bickering? She would hate it. One of the sons, however, hasn't spoken to her in years, so maybe she wouldn't feel that bad. I think parents should choose a neutral party to be the executor of a will.
And what would happen if my own mom dies one day and she does not specify exactly who gets what? Will my uncle Emanuel, who's a millionaire but lives in a dark, one bedroom apartment, go between my brother Adam and me demand his "share" of my mom's stuff? Will my other uncle, Jerry, a (former?) drug addict and now ex-con, demand that certain items in my mom's estate be given to him? Couldn't you imagine how they would act towards me and my brother Adam? Based upon their vile email, I could see that Adam and me would not want to give them anything!
My mom and I talk a lot about stuff. She's great that way. I broached the topic of a living will w/ her. She says she'll visit an attorney but knowing my mom's severe and almost epidemic procrastinating nature, it may never happen. She could just type one out on her computer really.
If something happened to our parents, I think Adam should get the larger share, maybe a 60/40 split. He needs the money. I think he's reasonable and a giving person and I don't think I would ever argue or dispute with him. There seems to be a large reluctance of both of my parents to spell out exactly who gets what after they pass. I guess they don't want to think about it and choose a "favorite" or even alluded to showing any favoritism. I can understand that.
About a year ago, my cousin Edith died. She was in her 80's. She left behind a husband, daughter and two sons. In her estate, the daughter was the sole executor but something happened. An argument ensued and now all are fighting over the money and tangibles Edith left behind. Maybe the youngest brother needs the money but all are overly well-to-do. Each hired an attorney to dispute the will contents and get their rightful share. I wonder how Edith would view their fighting and bickering? She would hate it. One of the sons, however, hasn't spoken to her in years, so maybe she wouldn't feel that bad. I think parents should choose a neutral party to be the executor of a will.
And what would happen if my own mom dies one day and she does not specify exactly who gets what? Will my uncle Emanuel, who's a millionaire but lives in a dark, one bedroom apartment, go between my brother Adam and me demand his "share" of my mom's stuff? Will my other uncle, Jerry, a (former?) drug addict and now ex-con, demand that certain items in my mom's estate be given to him? Couldn't you imagine how they would act towards me and my brother Adam? Based upon their vile email, I could see that Adam and me would not want to give them anything!
My mom and I talk a lot about stuff. She's great that way. I broached the topic of a living will w/ her. She says she'll visit an attorney but knowing my mom's severe and almost epidemic procrastinating nature, it may never happen. She could just type one out on her computer really.
If something happened to our parents, I think Adam should get the larger share, maybe a 60/40 split. He needs the money. I think he's reasonable and a giving person and I don't think I would ever argue or dispute with him. There seems to be a large reluctance of both of my parents to spell out exactly who gets what after they pass. I guess they don't want to think about it and choose a "favorite" or even alluded to showing any favoritism. I can understand that.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A 35 year old conflict between brothers
Blog reader. In spite of what you may personally think of me publicly posting this private email between two warring brothers, I think it needs to be so others can read and learn from. I've changed their names and quote the entire two emails which includes the ALL CAPS intact but I did a spell check. Why do I have this email? Well, my mom had forwarded it to me. I guess she wanted me to offer an opinion or to dialogue with her about her angry siblings behavior. Personally, I think Emanuel and Jerry are both little twits who deserve the conflict they both created and still contribute to. They're pathetic and provide me and others an example of how low blood can get and makes me think about my own relationship with my brothers and ensuring that they continue in a positive and life affirming arc (which I hope they also feel). In the following pasted emails, there is truth. There is hurt. Many things which may cause you to think about (or not) you're own family conflicts that remain unresolved. Life is short, so share and eat your cake together.
Jerry was sent to prison for growing 300 marijuana plants in his small, 1,500 square foot home in Oregon. The State of Oregon did not want to punish him to the full extent of the law, but the Federal prosecutor did. Jerry served about three years in prison. Jerry has been smoking and selling that product for over 40 years. He was/is a drug addict. I guess he never listen to the mantra: don't get high on your supply? It sounds better if you have a Bronx accent and dress in solid color 70's big lapel shirts. Anyways, he married a really crazy woman who beget a son, George. Before and after their divorce, this crazy lady would try to win full parental control of George despite the fact that her other three or so kids from her other three or so marriages were spread out all over the country and she was off her lithium! George is showing signs of manic depression. He hears voices. George, recently lived in Emanuel's apartment building in California for a few months to attend Santa Monica College and get a job. Emmanuel paid for rent and basically subsidized his stay for two months before George went home to Oregon in December 2008.
Emanuel is the older brother of Jerry. He pays the $900 rent for his youngest son who lives in the apt above him and for his expensive culinary course at a cooking institute in Santa Monica, CA. When I "baby sat" this kid five years ago, he showed no signs or interest in cooking. I took him grocery shopping and all he bought was frozen food. Who knows anything about anyone. Emanuel's son is typical of spoiled kids: Drug use, fighting, questionable friends of character, brushes with the law, risk taking behavior which has had negative consequences for him and his family. He has a mother (Sarah) and father (Emanuel) who are very permissive and from my judgement, have incomplete parenting skills simply because their son acts out. Unfortunately, Emanuel hasn't talked to one of his other sons for like 20 years and a daughter for about five years. He is a grand father too. Emanuel is in his seventies and his wife is 53. This age difference is very common in L.A. The older man, who marries a younger, hot woman. He is that man.
About three years ago, his ex-wife of about 30 years ago sued him for $10,000. She claimed that she is owed this since they divorced. Imagine that? After 30 years of divorce your ex-wife, who is rich, sues you? It's not about the money. What does that say about her and Emanuel?
Now, here is the torque or thrust of the warring brothers which was initiated by Jerry. On November 16th, one month before George went home, Jerry wrote an email to his son, George, about Emmanuel. George was still being subsidized by Emanuel. Later on December 24, 2008, that email was sent to Emmanuel way after George went back home in Oregon.
From: Jerry
Date: Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:01 AM
(Look at this) Subject: i will send him (meaning Emmanuel) this when u r here (George)
To: His Son George before Jerry sent the email on 12/24/08
35 yrs of therapy. i thought therapy was for changing targeted behaviors that were detrimental to healthy living. guess you could have saved a lot of money over the years as your behavior hasn't change at all. its always been that you know how everyone else is supposed to live their lives. so my son is an abject failure just like his father. and his future is over before it begins. he is gonna end up just like me. well aren't you the insightful one. i would love to be able to gaze at your xl ball. what is success to you. money material objects. what. relationships. like you and your children. how long since you spoke to your oldest. 30 yrs.and your daughter in n.y. so my son is doomed and you decided that all on your own. instead of helping all you seem to do is pass on your superficial judgments. are you that insecure that you have to break down an impressionable kid to build yourself up. you rule by intimidation. you always have.
i remember being in your office in n y c when i was around 19. just like yesterday. i was sitting in your office and you went on one of your screamers on Stanley. made him feel small. hats what you have always like to do. makes you feel big. doesn't it. at the expense of others. that's how you get over. 35 yrs. all wasted. so now instead of constructive help, its throw my son out. good. your loss is my gain. so he's lying about coming here and living w/me. no fool like an old fool. i get my son back. so your not even going to sport him a ticket back. well money is tight, but i will find a way. i warned him about who you are. when he got down there. he was all excited about having family. now it has turned into a big disappointment, and i was right again. like in the beginning of all relationships, all smiles and nice. i knew that given enough time, your truth would emerge and it has. still arrogant, self centered, ego-maniacal, self-righteous and the intimidator. so i guess your life is a success as you are who you want to be. no need for me to throw in my remembrances here as i have nothing to prove to you. oh yeah i forgot judgmental. can't leave that one out. it has always played big.
you used to push me around. if we were in the same room now, you would be the one to run away to your bedroom. i would lay you out for the charlatan that you are. George tried to get me to come down there. all is good he said. no way i would ever go there. you would wind up calling the cops to get me out cause you wouldn't like what i would be saying and i would have a lot to say. anyway, you just aren't worth the energy. i figured out yrs. ago that i never really like you. and this will be the last communication that i will have w/you. no interest on my part. i could say a lot more, put downs and all. not my style. yours not mine. i've stated my opinion, that's all. i don't need validation throwing in what others think from their observations. and your spirituality has been just a self serving ego boost.
if you were truly a spiritual man, you would have treated my son differently and lived up to your part of the agreement you set up when YOU INVITED HIM DOWN there and said you would take care of him. if he didn't live up to his end, then he should have been told that and given a chance to make the necessary changes. so thanx for sending me my son. and it is a beautiful day. so go tell your stories to anyone that will listen, knowing that you are protected from the truth, as they will never have the opportunity get the whole story.
From: Emmanuel
Date: January 1, 2009 9:31:15 PM PST
To: Jerry
Subject: Re: i will send him this when u r here
You self serving, self absorbed, sanctimonious hypocrite. YOU are responsible for George's [Younger brother’s son] condition. YOU married his mother. YOU chose to have a child with her. YOU established the model for how a father behaves. YOU self proclaimed "first and foremost father" or perhaps you conveniently forget writing these words from behind bars. What kind of father exposes himself to a life of crime and illegal drug use. YOUR kind. YOU even recruited him to work your farm and thereby risked his being sent into the system and worse. YOU abandoned him and took no responsibility just as you've always done with everyone & everything. Look at the wreckage you call a life. Here you are at 59, broke, living in a stranger's room, a career criminal, no employment and please show me the relationships in your life.
It never dawned on you that you influenced him to be just like you and add, liar, thief, irresponsible, unwilling to learn, delusional, self-grandising & drug abuser. The list goes on and all of it sick. You abandoned him many times, you taught him to count on no-one, you farmed him out to a good Samaritan STRANGER and left Dave or anyone else to come pick up your wreckage. YOU even supported joining the military knowing he'd have to learn to be a murderer of innocent people and expose himself to mortal danger. All YOU have ever really done is damage him and twist it to make it appear otherwise. Make no mistake, its obvious.
I don't remember you saying NO to my overture to bring him down, or offering any material support, or any help dealing with what might come up, or even giving me any information or advice for that matter. In 9 months not one call. Hmmmmmm. If you felt I'm such a demon why go along with his coming into my home. What kind of a father sends his kid into a situation he feels is dangerous to his son's well being.
I remember the letter you sent from prison telling me he's a liar - want a copy? Even then you were setting him up to be a failure by planting your seeds of mistrust. Hmmm.
YOU weren't too proud to ask me for $10,000 for bail or monetary help to get out of your drug jams in Texas and Malverne. Or don't you know whose cash it was. YOU weren't such a big shot when you moved into my Newburgh house rent free & had the free use of my truck or the job you were handed. Not so disdainful then that you didn't gobble that up. Hypocrisy. Talk about no words of acknowledgment or appreciation.
Spare me your prison tough guy threats. We both know YOU for the coward YOU are.
Regardless of how my children view me, I made sure all 4 got their start in life and all are solid people in this world and I paid for it, supported them and helped them to become independent. What can YOU say.
Did YOU ever consider that YOU are George's problem, that you found a way to keep him dependent so that your meager ego could at least have one someone who would be around. After all who else is there.
I did not create his issues any more than I did yours. YOU sabotaged this from the onset. YOU knew his problems and said nothing just so that YOU could pass everything off onto us just as you always have.
Had you joined in the attempt to help, the outcome could have been different. YOU doomed YOUR son again.
I did not sign on to become his father, I offered him an opportunity. A chance to get an education which I was offering to pay for along with his clothes, his food, his health insurance, uncovered medical bills, his tuition & books, his rent, his transportation, his cell phone, and any advice or mentoring he asked for. What do you know about how I tried, the therapists I asked for advise, all the books I reviewed, the hours and hours I spent with George to help him fulfill his commitment to study, get grades, not use drugs and to find work. The approaches I tried in desperation. Nothing worked. I did not know in advance of his difficulties and you Mr. Jailbird were in the system and only obviously concerned with yourself, as always.
Where was any acknowledgment to Jason whose idea it was to invite George to begin with or Sarah whose efforts and money were contributed. Oh gee there's that money word which Mr. disdain considers beneath his attention but whose hand is always out palm up. Ellin was a part. Oooops there's family about who Mr. generous is so contemptuous.
Yes it all went south, yes I failed to help him achieve what I hoped. He failed every class, assuming he even attended class. Never really got a job. Used drugs. Lied. Stole. Deceived with half truths and withheld information. Made little effort and took no responsibility for all the results. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE ANYONE WE KNOW HMMMM MR. TOUGH GUY??? Where were you through all this big guy?
Why did you accept all he said knowing his problems and never communicated with us?? Could it be YOU have gotten exactly what you want. Did YOU ever think of him and how to help him, I think not. Its always all about YOU and he learned all that from you and that's his tragedy and maybe all of ours.
Do you think your message about never trusting anyone especially family and only doing it on your own never was integrated into his behavior? Are you a complete idiot to ignore that your bad advice had no impact on his inability to ask for help especially from people you preach are the least trustworthy? YOU sabotaged this from the onset. And YOU never take any responsibility.
HAD YOU STAYED WITHIN THE LAW & NOT GONE TO PRISON GEORGE WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD TO COME HERE. IT WAS YOUR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR THAT CREATED IT ALL.
Who cares about YOU? How many people came forward in your hour of need. How many character references did you get. How many family members offered. Where were all the lovers, long time friends, past employers, and strangers you've always regarded more highly than any blood. It speaks volumes that the one person you came to through an intermediary was the one person you trust the least, dislike and fantasize injuring. Your life is a desert.
So YOU argue that I brought George here so that I could find a way to dominate and destroy him. That's why I endured dealing with the problems, spent the money, did the counseling, did the chauffeuring, on & on. Now that's some spin. Did YOU play any part Mr First & foremost, do YOU have ANY responsibility.
That you behaved in a sneaky deceitful way and YOU enlisted George in your plot to continue feeding off us knowingly so as not to jeopardize his meal ticket too soon speaks volumes about your character. Just look at the date of your email. How's that for integrity but maybe it was just money ooops there's that stuff you think so little about. I wonder what the lesson learned was for YOUR son. But then this behavior is traditional with you, you are after all an unconscionable user with an everything is coming to you attitude. Had you not intervened with this sneaky way of getting him to return to Oregon and demanded that he stay and keep up with his commitment and discussed matters with me, you might have discovered that I was still trying to get through to him and instead of adding destruction, you could have been a constructive factor. On Nov 16th, I still had 2 months to get somewhere with him. But that's not what YOU wanted - YOU wanted to prove what an asshole I am and how right you are, and keep him in your orbit, you self-deceiving fool.
You made it impossible for him to grow without making you look bad or wrong. Rejoice, feel good, you got him to be just like you.
*********************************************************************************
Here's an executive summary and background to provide context:
Jerry was sent to prison for growing 300 marijuana plants in his small, 1,500 square foot home in Oregon. The State of Oregon did not want to punish him to the full extent of the law, but the Federal prosecutor did. Jerry served about three years in prison. Jerry has been smoking and selling that product for over 40 years. He was/is a drug addict. I guess he never listen to the mantra: don't get high on your supply? It sounds better if you have a Bronx accent and dress in solid color 70's big lapel shirts. Anyways, he married a really crazy woman who beget a son, George. Before and after their divorce, this crazy lady would try to win full parental control of George despite the fact that her other three or so kids from her other three or so marriages were spread out all over the country and she was off her lithium! George is showing signs of manic depression. He hears voices. George, recently lived in Emanuel's apartment building in California for a few months to attend Santa Monica College and get a job. Emmanuel paid for rent and basically subsidized his stay for two months before George went home to Oregon in December 2008.
Emanuel is the older brother of Jerry. He pays the $900 rent for his youngest son who lives in the apt above him and for his expensive culinary course at a cooking institute in Santa Monica, CA. When I "baby sat" this kid five years ago, he showed no signs or interest in cooking. I took him grocery shopping and all he bought was frozen food. Who knows anything about anyone. Emanuel's son is typical of spoiled kids: Drug use, fighting, questionable friends of character, brushes with the law, risk taking behavior which has had negative consequences for him and his family. He has a mother (Sarah) and father (Emanuel) who are very permissive and from my judgement, have incomplete parenting skills simply because their son acts out. Unfortunately, Emanuel hasn't talked to one of his other sons for like 20 years and a daughter for about five years. He is a grand father too. Emanuel is in his seventies and his wife is 53. This age difference is very common in L.A. The older man, who marries a younger, hot woman. He is that man.
About three years ago, his ex-wife of about 30 years ago sued him for $10,000. She claimed that she is owed this since they divorced. Imagine that? After 30 years of divorce your ex-wife, who is rich, sues you? It's not about the money. What does that say about her and Emanuel?
Now, here is the torque or thrust of the warring brothers which was initiated by Jerry. On November 16th, one month before George went home, Jerry wrote an email to his son, George, about Emmanuel. George was still being subsidized by Emanuel. Later on December 24, 2008, that email was sent to Emmanuel way after George went back home in Oregon.
Start of Email from Jerry to Emanuel:
From: Jerry
Date: Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:01 AM
(Look at this) Subject: i will send him (meaning Emmanuel) this when u r here (George)
To: His Son George before Jerry sent the email on 12/24/08
35 yrs of therapy. i thought therapy was for changing targeted behaviors that were detrimental to healthy living. guess you could have saved a lot of money over the years as your behavior hasn't change at all. its always been that you know how everyone else is supposed to live their lives. so my son is an abject failure just like his father. and his future is over before it begins. he is gonna end up just like me. well aren't you the insightful one. i would love to be able to gaze at your xl ball. what is success to you. money material objects. what. relationships. like you and your children. how long since you spoke to your oldest. 30 yrs.and your daughter in n.y. so my son is doomed and you decided that all on your own. instead of helping all you seem to do is pass on your superficial judgments. are you that insecure that you have to break down an impressionable kid to build yourself up. you rule by intimidation. you always have.
i remember being in your office in n y c when i was around 19. just like yesterday. i was sitting in your office and you went on one of your screamers on Stanley. made him feel small. hats what you have always like to do. makes you feel big. doesn't it. at the expense of others. that's how you get over. 35 yrs. all wasted. so now instead of constructive help, its throw my son out. good. your loss is my gain. so he's lying about coming here and living w/me. no fool like an old fool. i get my son back. so your not even going to sport him a ticket back. well money is tight, but i will find a way. i warned him about who you are. when he got down there. he was all excited about having family. now it has turned into a big disappointment, and i was right again. like in the beginning of all relationships, all smiles and nice. i knew that given enough time, your truth would emerge and it has. still arrogant, self centered, ego-maniacal, self-righteous and the intimidator. so i guess your life is a success as you are who you want to be. no need for me to throw in my remembrances here as i have nothing to prove to you. oh yeah i forgot judgmental. can't leave that one out. it has always played big.
you used to push me around. if we were in the same room now, you would be the one to run away to your bedroom. i would lay you out for the charlatan that you are. George tried to get me to come down there. all is good he said. no way i would ever go there. you would wind up calling the cops to get me out cause you wouldn't like what i would be saying and i would have a lot to say. anyway, you just aren't worth the energy. i figured out yrs. ago that i never really like you. and this will be the last communication that i will have w/you. no interest on my part. i could say a lot more, put downs and all. not my style. yours not mine. i've stated my opinion, that's all. i don't need validation throwing in what others think from their observations. and your spirituality has been just a self serving ego boost.
if you were truly a spiritual man, you would have treated my son differently and lived up to your part of the agreement you set up when YOU INVITED HIM DOWN there and said you would take care of him. if he didn't live up to his end, then he should have been told that and given a chance to make the necessary changes. so thanx for sending me my son. and it is a beautiful day. so go tell your stories to anyone that will listen, knowing that you are protected from the truth, as they will never have the opportunity get the whole story.
Start of email from Emmanuel to Jerry:
From: Emmanuel
Date: January 1, 2009 9:31:15 PM PST
To: Jerry
Subject: Re: i will send him this when u r here
You self serving, self absorbed, sanctimonious hypocrite. YOU are responsible for George's [Younger brother’s son] condition. YOU married his mother. YOU chose to have a child with her. YOU established the model for how a father behaves. YOU self proclaimed "first and foremost father" or perhaps you conveniently forget writing these words from behind bars. What kind of father exposes himself to a life of crime and illegal drug use. YOUR kind. YOU even recruited him to work your farm and thereby risked his being sent into the system and worse. YOU abandoned him and took no responsibility just as you've always done with everyone & everything. Look at the wreckage you call a life. Here you are at 59, broke, living in a stranger's room, a career criminal, no employment and please show me the relationships in your life.
It never dawned on you that you influenced him to be just like you and add, liar, thief, irresponsible, unwilling to learn, delusional, self-grandising & drug abuser. The list goes on and all of it sick. You abandoned him many times, you taught him to count on no-one, you farmed him out to a good Samaritan STRANGER and left Dave or anyone else to come pick up your wreckage. YOU even supported joining the military knowing he'd have to learn to be a murderer of innocent people and expose himself to mortal danger. All YOU have ever really done is damage him and twist it to make it appear otherwise. Make no mistake, its obvious.
I don't remember you saying NO to my overture to bring him down, or offering any material support, or any help dealing with what might come up, or even giving me any information or advice for that matter. In 9 months not one call. Hmmmmmm. If you felt I'm such a demon why go along with his coming into my home. What kind of a father sends his kid into a situation he feels is dangerous to his son's well being.
I remember the letter you sent from prison telling me he's a liar - want a copy? Even then you were setting him up to be a failure by planting your seeds of mistrust. Hmmm.
YOU weren't too proud to ask me for $10,000 for bail or monetary help to get out of your drug jams in Texas and Malverne. Or don't you know whose cash it was. YOU weren't such a big shot when you moved into my Newburgh house rent free & had the free use of my truck or the job you were handed. Not so disdainful then that you didn't gobble that up. Hypocrisy. Talk about no words of acknowledgment or appreciation.
Spare me your prison tough guy threats. We both know YOU for the coward YOU are.
Regardless of how my children view me, I made sure all 4 got their start in life and all are solid people in this world and I paid for it, supported them and helped them to become independent. What can YOU say.
Did YOU ever consider that YOU are George's problem, that you found a way to keep him dependent so that your meager ego could at least have one someone who would be around. After all who else is there.
I did not create his issues any more than I did yours. YOU sabotaged this from the onset. YOU knew his problems and said nothing just so that YOU could pass everything off onto us just as you always have.
Had you joined in the attempt to help, the outcome could have been different. YOU doomed YOUR son again.
I did not sign on to become his father, I offered him an opportunity. A chance to get an education which I was offering to pay for along with his clothes, his food, his health insurance, uncovered medical bills, his tuition & books, his rent, his transportation, his cell phone, and any advice or mentoring he asked for. What do you know about how I tried, the therapists I asked for advise, all the books I reviewed, the hours and hours I spent with George to help him fulfill his commitment to study, get grades, not use drugs and to find work. The approaches I tried in desperation. Nothing worked. I did not know in advance of his difficulties and you Mr. Jailbird were in the system and only obviously concerned with yourself, as always.
Where was any acknowledgment to Jason whose idea it was to invite George to begin with or Sarah whose efforts and money were contributed. Oh gee there's that money word which Mr. disdain considers beneath his attention but whose hand is always out palm up. Ellin was a part. Oooops there's family about who Mr. generous is so contemptuous.
Yes it all went south, yes I failed to help him achieve what I hoped. He failed every class, assuming he even attended class. Never really got a job. Used drugs. Lied. Stole. Deceived with half truths and withheld information. Made little effort and took no responsibility for all the results. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE ANYONE WE KNOW HMMMM MR. TOUGH GUY??? Where were you through all this big guy?
Why did you accept all he said knowing his problems and never communicated with us?? Could it be YOU have gotten exactly what you want. Did YOU ever think of him and how to help him, I think not. Its always all about YOU and he learned all that from you and that's his tragedy and maybe all of ours.
Do you think your message about never trusting anyone especially family and only doing it on your own never was integrated into his behavior? Are you a complete idiot to ignore that your bad advice had no impact on his inability to ask for help especially from people you preach are the least trustworthy? YOU sabotaged this from the onset. And YOU never take any responsibility.
HAD YOU STAYED WITHIN THE LAW & NOT GONE TO PRISON GEORGE WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD TO COME HERE. IT WAS YOUR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR THAT CREATED IT ALL.
Who cares about YOU? How many people came forward in your hour of need. How many character references did you get. How many family members offered. Where were all the lovers, long time friends, past employers, and strangers you've always regarded more highly than any blood. It speaks volumes that the one person you came to through an intermediary was the one person you trust the least, dislike and fantasize injuring. Your life is a desert.
So YOU argue that I brought George here so that I could find a way to dominate and destroy him. That's why I endured dealing with the problems, spent the money, did the counseling, did the chauffeuring, on & on. Now that's some spin. Did YOU play any part Mr First & foremost, do YOU have ANY responsibility.
That you behaved in a sneaky deceitful way and YOU enlisted George in your plot to continue feeding off us knowingly so as not to jeopardize his meal ticket too soon speaks volumes about your character. Just look at the date of your email. How's that for integrity but maybe it was just money ooops there's that stuff you think so little about. I wonder what the lesson learned was for YOUR son. But then this behavior is traditional with you, you are after all an unconscionable user with an everything is coming to you attitude. Had you not intervened with this sneaky way of getting him to return to Oregon and demanded that he stay and keep up with his commitment and discussed matters with me, you might have discovered that I was still trying to get through to him and instead of adding destruction, you could have been a constructive factor. On Nov 16th, I still had 2 months to get somewhere with him. But that's not what YOU wanted - YOU wanted to prove what an asshole I am and how right you are, and keep him in your orbit, you self-deceiving fool.
You made it impossible for him to grow without making you look bad or wrong. Rejoice, feel good, you got him to be just like you.
*********************************************************************************
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Why the holidays suck
Yes, blog readers, it's the holiday season of 2008 and Palmer is all Bah Hum Bug! I am fortunate enough that I don't celebrate any religious holiday and can be exempt from the obligatory gift giving and receiving! Ho ho ho. It's good to feel this way, my kind blog readers. I like not participating in gift exchanges with relatives I don't like and who don't like me. It makes the holiday parties I go to much less tense and this year I haven't seen anyone I don't like simply because-- no one invited me to their holiday party. What a relief! I don't need to feel uncomfortable. The fake "Merry Christmas" or the disingenious "Happy New Year." I don't like pretending or faking my feelings. I do hope my good friends and family members had a fun holiday break but otherwise, don't invite me to your party unless you want to be brought down into a dark...damp...depressive state! Yes! Palmer is the "Holiday Cooler" for hire! For a $125 fee, you can hire me to use my charm to disarm your holiday party and send your guests home!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
My whinny nephew Daniel
The other day I sent my nephew Daniel some birthday toys through the trusty ole US mail. He got them in time and played with them and discovered problems with each item.
When I spoke to him on his birthday, he gave me the litany of woes for each item. The first toy, a silicon based Squishy Pig Head, which I bought in Korea, is to be thrown against smooth surfaces. You throw it against a desk, for example, and wham! The pig head becomes flat and then pops up again. He obviously went animal on it, and it now leaks water.
The second gift, a handmade wooden spin top, which you can see a picture of it being made on this blog, needed vast assembly of the rope to the pully. It required a grown up to put it together. The third gift, a lego-like racer car from Korea, did not assembly fully because the plastic driver's head did not sit correctly. Oh, well. I thought they were fun gifts that he would enjoy.
My mom bought him an expensive Lego set and sent it to him via US mail. She purchased the last number in a special Lego series, which my nephew is currently at number five. He hopes to collect all eight. When I spoke to him, he sounded disappointed because she did not go in the order of the series. He was perturbed that she skipped ahead a few numbers.
I guess I am disappointed in his attitude towards his birthday gifts. Maybe this is the mark of a spoiled kid. He's hard to read over the phone and I haven't seen him in a few years either. My brother says he was happy with his gifts but my observations deny this.
When I spoke to him on his birthday, he gave me the litany of woes for each item. The first toy, a silicon based Squishy Pig Head, which I bought in Korea, is to be thrown against smooth surfaces. You throw it against a desk, for example, and wham! The pig head becomes flat and then pops up again. He obviously went animal on it, and it now leaks water.
The second gift, a handmade wooden spin top, which you can see a picture of it being made on this blog, needed vast assembly of the rope to the pully. It required a grown up to put it together. The third gift, a lego-like racer car from Korea, did not assembly fully because the plastic driver's head did not sit correctly. Oh, well. I thought they were fun gifts that he would enjoy.
My mom bought him an expensive Lego set and sent it to him via US mail. She purchased the last number in a special Lego series, which my nephew is currently at number five. He hopes to collect all eight. When I spoke to him, he sounded disappointed because she did not go in the order of the series. He was perturbed that she skipped ahead a few numbers.
I guess I am disappointed in his attitude towards his birthday gifts. Maybe this is the mark of a spoiled kid. He's hard to read over the phone and I haven't seen him in a few years either. My brother says he was happy with his gifts but my observations deny this.
FerLease Navidad
Ferlease Navidad. Ferlease Navidad. Ferlease Navidad. Ferlease Navidad. Ferlease Navidad. Ferlease Navidad...I want to wish you a merry christmas. I want to wish you a merry christmas. And may your business not go!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Maple Bear up to it's old tricks
I hear about news from the front lines of Maple Bear, in Suwon, Korea from time to time. The latest in Maple Bear centers on management. Currently, they are asking the teacher/s to smile more often. It sounds like some parents were complaining that some teachers look miserable. Duh! Try working there you wing-nuts!
There was a meeting with the Korean director and the owner where they told the teacher/s to smile more because their sour smirks are damaging their school's image! I also heard that they were thinking of firing someone but asked him to stay on instead for another month or two. He may have been fired earlier except four of us were leaving in August!
The ultra-sensitive, fat one left for some Latin country, thoroughly disgusted with Korean staff, teachers and kids. She made my friend's life not so good with her constant "c$@@t blocking" of her female friend and him. The tall, string bean one, who wouldn't stop her freakin noisy stomping in her apartment above me for months, was fisnishing her contract; the quiet, angry one had quit and me, the Maple Bear unruly one, was being canned--all within the month of August. They couldn't afford to lose one more teacher!
There was a meeting with the Korean director and the owner where they told the teacher/s to smile more because their sour smirks are damaging their school's image! I also heard that they were thinking of firing someone but asked him to stay on instead for another month or two. He may have been fired earlier except four of us were leaving in August!
The ultra-sensitive, fat one left for some Latin country, thoroughly disgusted with Korean staff, teachers and kids. She made my friend's life not so good with her constant "c$@@t blocking" of her female friend and him. The tall, string bean one, who wouldn't stop her freakin noisy stomping in her apartment above me for months, was fisnishing her contract; the quiet, angry one had quit and me, the Maple Bear unruly one, was being canned--all within the month of August. They couldn't afford to lose one more teacher!
Monday, December 8, 2008
KXLU Los Angeles 88.9FM
Hello blog readers. In 2007 during Loyola Marymount's (LMU) FM radio drive, I donated $29 to kxlu for my cool black tee shirt. I love that station. They play "alternative" radio stuff. I don't know what alternative means anymore, do you? Their Friday evening show at 6pm is a staple in my music diet. Demolisten was a show that Van Halen sent their demo tape to be played on the radio for the first time, so long ago...
When I was in Korea, I would down load Demolisten in it's 50 mega byte splendor to be listened to over and over again during the week. I left it on the computer over there at Maple Bear. Maybe someone who uses my computer will be turned on to. Anyways, I never got my tee shirt during their pledge drive in November of 2007. As I was preparing for my move to Korea thereafter, I didn't bother at all and finally, when I left for Korea in Feb of 2008, I didn't think about it.
In June of 2008 while still in Korea, I emailed them. When I got back from Korea in August, I still haven't received my pledge tee shirt. I followed up and up and up. Finally, after a year, in Dec 2008, I got my tee shirt! I had to go to the big boss to make it happen. That lilliputian of a station manager, Lauren Villa, is just too cool to care. I took this personally. Look at my emails to her.
----- Original Message ----
From: villa
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:15:05 AM
Subject: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Dear Mr. Palmer,
I will definately get this taken care of as soon as possible!
--
Villa
KXLU General Manager
--- On Tue, 6/24/08, Mack Palmerwrote:
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
To: "villa"
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 3:42 AM
Hi Lauren,
Just following up. Any word? Thanks
~Matt
--- On Fri, 9/19/08, Mack Palmerwrote:
From: Mack Palmer
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
To: "villa"
Date: Friday, September 19, 2008, 2:46 PM
Hi ,
I got back to Los Angeles and had a note to follow up on this. Please let me know the status. Thank you.
~Matt
On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 12:03 PM, Mack Palmerwrote:
Hi,
I've been patient with this and given you ample time to correct the situation. I don't know if you received my last email on 9/19/08, but you need to contact me and communicate and resolve this issue. Thank you.
~Matt
--- On Thu, 9/25/08, lauren villawrote:
From: villa
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2008, 7:05 PM
I am very, very sorry we're in the middle of our current fundrazor right now. I will get back to you very, very soon. I'd like to know the amount your pledged and the premium you are waiting for and we will rectify this. I am sorry it has taken so long, but we're very busy. I will fix this soon.
-
Around 9/25/08
Hi,
I pledged for the Tee-shirt (large). Thank you
~Matt
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 7:55 AM
To: , Lydia
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Dear Ms. Ammossow,
I've been waiting for my KXLU gift (a tee shirt) for almost a year now. Could you please find a way to resolve this? I think Ms. Villa is too busy to take care of this issue. Thank you.
Best Regards,
Matthew Palmer
RE: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Ammossow, Lydia"
December 1, 2008 9:56:08 AM
To:M Palmer
I am SO sorry! I will look into this ASAP & get back to you!
Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
M Palmer
sent: December 8, 2008
Hi Ms. Ammossow,
I got them! Thank you for the extra Tees!
Now that [this] issue has been successfully resolved by you, could you please tell me, because I'm really curious, why Lauren acted this way? I have several theories in my mind why this happened and wanted to match them with her reason behind her lateness. I would really like an explanation that is not sugar coated or presented in a manner which hides anything. Could you please explain? Thank you.
~Matt
Yes, blog reader, I really want to follow this thread even further. I obviously have a lot of time on my hands. And to delve into the mind of a busy 20 something (I'm guessing) who has a really great job/career that is the envy of a lot of LA Hipsters, should be followed through unlike the follow up of my gift! I need closure. Doesn't anyone understand? For a musician like me who has never gotten anywhere in music, being a station manager for a cool FM radio station is very cool. And then comes this dork who hasn't received his pledge gift. Poo poo poo.
When I was in Korea, I would down load Demolisten in it's 50 mega byte splendor to be listened to over and over again during the week. I left it on the computer over there at Maple Bear. Maybe someone who uses my computer will be turned on to. Anyways, I never got my tee shirt during their pledge drive in November of 2007. As I was preparing for my move to Korea thereafter, I didn't bother at all and finally, when I left for Korea in Feb of 2008, I didn't think about it.
In June of 2008 while still in Korea, I emailed them. When I got back from Korea in August, I still haven't received my pledge tee shirt. I followed up and up and up. Finally, after a year, in Dec 2008, I got my tee shirt! I had to go to the big boss to make it happen. That lilliputian of a station manager, Lauren Villa, is just too cool to care. I took this personally. Look at my emails to her.
----- Original Message ----
From: villa
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:15:05 AM
Subject: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Dear Mr. Palmer,
I will definately get this taken care of as soon as possible!
--
Villa
KXLU General Manager
--- On Tue, 6/24/08, Mack Palmer
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
To: "villa"
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 3:42 AM
Hi Lauren,
Just following up. Any word? Thanks
~Matt
--- On Fri, 9/19/08, Mack Palmer
From: Mack Palmer
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
To: "villa"
Date: Friday, September 19, 2008, 2:46 PM
Hi ,
I got back to Los Angeles and had a note to follow up on this. Please let me know the status. Thank you.
~Matt
On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 12:03 PM, Mack Palmer
Hi,
I've been patient with this and given you ample time to correct the situation. I don't know if you received my last email on 9/19/08, but you need to contact me and communicate and resolve this issue. Thank you.
~Matt
--- On Thu, 9/25/08, lauren villa
From: villa
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2008, 7:05 PM
I am very, very sorry we're in the middle of our current fundrazor right now. I will get back to you very, very soon. I'd like to know the amount your pledged and the premium you are waiting for and we will rectify this. I am sorry it has taken so long, but we're very busy. I will fix this soon.
-
Around 9/25/08
Hi,
I pledged for the Tee-shirt (large). Thank you
~Matt
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 7:55 AM
To: , Lydia
Subject: Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Dear Ms. Ammossow,
I've been waiting for my KXLU gift (a tee shirt) for almost a year now. Could you please find a way to resolve this? I think Ms. Villa is too busy to take care of this issue. Thank you.
Best Regards,
Matthew Palmer
RE: KXLU fundraizer request/question
Ammossow, Lydia"
December 1, 2008 9:56:08 AM
To:M Palmer
I am SO sorry! I will look into this ASAP & get back to you!
Re: KXLU fundraizer request/question
M Palmer
sent: December 8, 2008
Hi Ms. Ammossow,
I got them! Thank you for the extra Tees!
Now that [this] issue has been successfully resolved by you, could you please tell me, because I'm really curious, why Lauren acted this way? I have several theories in my mind why this happened and wanted to match them with her reason behind her lateness. I would really like an explanation that is not sugar coated or presented in a manner which hides anything. Could you please explain? Thank you.
~Matt
Yes, blog reader, I really want to follow this thread even further. I obviously have a lot of time on my hands. And to delve into the mind of a busy 20 something (I'm guessing) who has a really great job/career that is the envy of a lot of LA Hipsters, should be followed through unlike the follow up of my gift! I need closure. Doesn't anyone understand? For a musician like me who has never gotten anywhere in music, being a station manager for a cool FM radio station is very cool. And then comes this dork who hasn't received his pledge gift. Poo poo poo.
The Inland Empire serves bad food
I hope my gf is not mad but she would concur that the food we ate on Saturday, December 6th at a Japanese restaurant in THE INLAND EMPIRE, sucked poo. I have lived in Upland and Claremont for about three years and have an excellent sampling of the Inland Empire's cuisine and can judge that it's big brother or sister AKA L.A. still has better food than it's little brother or sister could dream about.
Yes, yes, yes. The area known as the Inland Empire (Empire) encompasses all the malcontent communities of Pomona, West Covina, Chino Hills and other sad places. It's particularly nice in the Winter when the temperatures don't soar about 79 degrees but foraging for good restaurants is a dismal experience that all should avoid.
The Empire has a huge consolidation of Americana diners and restaurants. You would think that all people do is drive dozen of miles from one Denny's to Chevy's. It's not true, you do find Thai and Chinese food but it's Americanized and not very good. I'm not a foodie by any sort and am still amazed by the lack of decent food in the Empire even after my departure of ten years ago! You'd think in ten years that they would have improved but they haven't. So, the Inland Empire sucks for food choices. Whatca expect from a massive sprawling urban mess of pre-fab houses and desert tundra?
And please don't think I denigrate one to boast the wills of the other. No way. I think that L.A. is not the best city either. The people here are freakin weird and hostile. Sorry, Uncle Ed, your self-enclosed world of Santa Monican urban professionals is too secular and small for the real cross-sampling of L.A. zombie blah people! For example, in Trader Joe's, an employee who serves free samples of coffee and snacks told me that Westsider's give attitude if Trader Joe's sells food with nitrates and hostile if the free coffee is not brewed yet! Believe it!
Yes, yes, yes. The area known as the Inland Empire (Empire) encompasses all the malcontent communities of Pomona, West Covina, Chino Hills and other sad places. It's particularly nice in the Winter when the temperatures don't soar about 79 degrees but foraging for good restaurants is a dismal experience that all should avoid.
The Empire has a huge consolidation of Americana diners and restaurants. You would think that all people do is drive dozen of miles from one Denny's to Chevy's. It's not true, you do find Thai and Chinese food but it's Americanized and not very good. I'm not a foodie by any sort and am still amazed by the lack of decent food in the Empire even after my departure of ten years ago! You'd think in ten years that they would have improved but they haven't. So, the Inland Empire sucks for food choices. Whatca expect from a massive sprawling urban mess of pre-fab houses and desert tundra?
And please don't think I denigrate one to boast the wills of the other. No way. I think that L.A. is not the best city either. The people here are freakin weird and hostile. Sorry, Uncle Ed, your self-enclosed world of Santa Monican urban professionals is too secular and small for the real cross-sampling of L.A. zombie blah people! For example, in Trader Joe's, an employee who serves free samples of coffee and snacks told me that Westsider's give attitude if Trader Joe's sells food with nitrates and hostile if the free coffee is not brewed yet! Believe it!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Why an economic recession is cathartic
As of December 2008 we are in a country wide recession and as far as I can tell, a world recession is on the way. This economic crisis has the makings of a depression because of de-flation of prices, like oil/gas and consumer goods dropping to lower prices over a period of time. This crisis also has a secondary effect: layoffs.
All those workers who were really lazy and unproductive but in normal times you couldn't get rid of them, are now being given the boot. Yes, it's time to fire those lazy asses and become mean and lean. Our country is bloated, now we need to hit the gym, take some steroids, diet and eat lean proteins: we're in training. Rocky would yell, "Adrienne" about now. It would be great it UCLA lay off people who are lazy asses. We all know who THEY are. Besides, these lazy people should be doing something else that makes them feel productive and happy. It's a gift that they are asked to leave. Merry Fuckin Christmas! This reminds me of how de-politicized Christmas has become: we no longer have Christmas Parties but Holiday Parties. These are careful times where so many groups have staked their ideological footings. We should just eliminate holiday parties because it's fake and disingenuous when we try to keep Christian holidays or the Jewish holiday ideologically equal or politically correct with each other.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Why an economic recession is cathartic? Once we realize how our appetite and greed for consuming and spending has created this mess, our culture will come in a wave of communal release. It might be the sort of an orgasm that made 60,000 chicks cry during the Beatles 1968 Shea Stadium concert or just a huge drunken binge of vomit spewing forth onto the streets by the unemployed. I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. Anyway, once this recession becomes personal, then peoples' true selves emerge from under the facade of consumerism and status to reveal how consumerist and greedy they are.
All those workers who were really lazy and unproductive but in normal times you couldn't get rid of them, are now being given the boot. Yes, it's time to fire those lazy asses and become mean and lean. Our country is bloated, now we need to hit the gym, take some steroids, diet and eat lean proteins: we're in training. Rocky would yell, "Adrienne" about now. It would be great it UCLA lay off people who are lazy asses. We all know who THEY are. Besides, these lazy people should be doing something else that makes them feel productive and happy. It's a gift that they are asked to leave. Merry Fuckin Christmas! This reminds me of how de-politicized Christmas has become: we no longer have Christmas Parties but Holiday Parties. These are careful times where so many groups have staked their ideological footings. We should just eliminate holiday parties because it's fake and disingenuous when we try to keep Christian holidays or the Jewish holiday ideologically equal or politically correct with each other.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Why an economic recession is cathartic? Once we realize how our appetite and greed for consuming and spending has created this mess, our culture will come in a wave of communal release. It might be the sort of an orgasm that made 60,000 chicks cry during the Beatles 1968 Shea Stadium concert or just a huge drunken binge of vomit spewing forth onto the streets by the unemployed. I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. Anyway, once this recession becomes personal, then peoples' true selves emerge from under the facade of consumerism and status to reveal how consumerist and greedy they are.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Maple Bear woes
I've heard from the grape vine that Maple Bear is declining fast, like North Korea's food supply! Morale is low and new management, after John the American director was canned, wants the ESL teacher's to meet Korean parents, one-on-one, and be a part of the planning for Western style holidays and such. Enrollment is low and some teachers have had their schedules reduced. My old IEP3 class was canceled. All is not well in Suwon.
Although conditions in Korea can be funky and uncomfortable at times for foreign teachers, there are so many benefits that make me appreciate the time I've lived in Korea. For example, the general feeling of safety at night. You can walk or ride your bike without the worry of harassment or impending mugging. The easy hours of work that enable you to often stay up late and socialize with friends or wake up early to experience the "land of the morning calm." To understand the latter, you need to be there and feel it. The lack of stress of owning a car or getting around to your destinations. Korea has excellent and very affordable transportation. The way that Korean people like to eat, drink and share their food with you. Imagine being on a public bus and being offered food or snacks. Never here on the bus here in America! Forgettabout it. The grass is always greener, I suppose, in hindsight.
Although conditions in Korea can be funky and uncomfortable at times for foreign teachers, there are so many benefits that make me appreciate the time I've lived in Korea. For example, the general feeling of safety at night. You can walk or ride your bike without the worry of harassment or impending mugging. The easy hours of work that enable you to often stay up late and socialize with friends or wake up early to experience the "land of the morning calm." To understand the latter, you need to be there and feel it. The lack of stress of owning a car or getting around to your destinations. Korea has excellent and very affordable transportation. The way that Korean people like to eat, drink and share their food with you. Imagine being on a public bus and being offered food or snacks. Never here on the bus here in America! Forgettabout it. The grass is always greener, I suppose, in hindsight.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Toastmasters
I went to a Toastmaster's meeting in November 2008 at UCLA to find out more about the organization. Specifically, I want to learn how to persuade and interest people in hearing my ideas. Toastmaster's has a cool curriculum which builds speaker's skill sets and books to help them reach goals. Plus, you can obtain secondary benefits of building some leadership skills as you volunteer with them in various capacities. And, the elephant in the room, perhaps, is developing and exploiting your contacts to further your career. My goal is to get people interested in my bike rides and get people to listen to my ideas.
Some people are able to engage others and others are likely to follow and join them based upon the personality of the organizer. I am terrible at this. At a family reunion, for example, I spent a lot of time before hand to organize games. I brought them along but my cousin Beth took charge of the events, and, the point of this, people automatically deferred to her, without a second thought or deference to me. Weird. Personally, I prefer working by myself. I don't want to depend on anyone especially since most group work I do, I wind up doing the majority of it myself or wind up feeling angry at the others who flake. Although I am gregarious and social, I am in situations which I am not in a group. You would think that Toastmaster's could help such a "misanthrope" as me.
The first speech I heard was from this guy Larry who told us about his boring trip to Florida. He sweated profusely during his speech which was focused on using vocal inflection to demonstrate "excitedness." He would say things like "it was GREAT that I met with colleagues..." or "it was so AMAZING to see the exhibit..." Anyways, he was prepared and though I didn't learn anything, he got some practice in and to build up his speaking skills.
I came away from the meeting thinking that Toastmaster's is really for people who are totally shy and afraid of speaking in front of anyone. Most of the speeches had the sense of being "inflated" and "too happy" and too self-congratulatory to each member. It was too "feel good" and I think, a bit fake in their transparent efforts to build "self-confidence" in public speaking. It works for people and I think it's a great organization. However, I left feeling unimpressed.
The thing that really bothered me was that the members did not walk around or even greet the four new visitors to their meeting. Oh, sorry, one did and it was so obvious to me that he shook her hand because she was really cute. Otherwise, the other "ugly" ones didn't even get a greeting. You would think that they would remember when they came to their first meeting. I expected them to be welcoming and friendly and they were not. I guess their "self-confidence" is highly correlated to their unfriendliness.
Last week, while I was walking across the street at work, I saw Larry, the guy from Toastmasters!! He five or six feet in front of me. What are the odds of this? I yelled out his name, twice. He didn't even look over his shoulder. He ignored me. And he wasn't wearing head phones. Now, I am even more unimpressed by them. Now, here's the really "small world" weird synchronicity: Larry appeared at a holiday party I was invited to! WTF? I did not have the opportunity to talk to him and I felt if I did, he would start sweating profusely and that would have been embarrassing!
I found other meetings in the area but they are not as convenient for me nor do I think I fall in the category of being shy. I don't think I could stand the way they patronize each other on how great that speech was and how the president of that meeting gave lavish praise on one of the members who barely spoke.
So, fuck toastmasters.
Some people are able to engage others and others are likely to follow and join them based upon the personality of the organizer. I am terrible at this. At a family reunion, for example, I spent a lot of time before hand to organize games. I brought them along but my cousin Beth took charge of the events, and, the point of this, people automatically deferred to her, without a second thought or deference to me. Weird. Personally, I prefer working by myself. I don't want to depend on anyone especially since most group work I do, I wind up doing the majority of it myself or wind up feeling angry at the others who flake. Although I am gregarious and social, I am in situations which I am not in a group. You would think that Toastmaster's could help such a "misanthrope" as me.
The first speech I heard was from this guy Larry who told us about his boring trip to Florida. He sweated profusely during his speech which was focused on using vocal inflection to demonstrate "excitedness." He would say things like "it was GREAT that I met with colleagues..." or "it was so AMAZING to see the exhibit..." Anyways, he was prepared and though I didn't learn anything, he got some practice in and to build up his speaking skills.
I came away from the meeting thinking that Toastmaster's is really for people who are totally shy and afraid of speaking in front of anyone. Most of the speeches had the sense of being "inflated" and "too happy" and too self-congratulatory to each member. It was too "feel good" and I think, a bit fake in their transparent efforts to build "self-confidence" in public speaking. It works for people and I think it's a great organization. However, I left feeling unimpressed.
The thing that really bothered me was that the members did not walk around or even greet the four new visitors to their meeting. Oh, sorry, one did and it was so obvious to me that he shook her hand because she was really cute. Otherwise, the other "ugly" ones didn't even get a greeting. You would think that they would remember when they came to their first meeting. I expected them to be welcoming and friendly and they were not. I guess their "self-confidence" is highly correlated to their unfriendliness.
Last week, while I was walking across the street at work, I saw Larry, the guy from Toastmasters!! He five or six feet in front of me. What are the odds of this? I yelled out his name, twice. He didn't even look over his shoulder. He ignored me. And he wasn't wearing head phones. Now, I am even more unimpressed by them. Now, here's the really "small world" weird synchronicity: Larry appeared at a holiday party I was invited to! WTF? I did not have the opportunity to talk to him and I felt if I did, he would start sweating profusely and that would have been embarrassing!
I found other meetings in the area but they are not as convenient for me nor do I think I fall in the category of being shy. I don't think I could stand the way they patronize each other on how great that speech was and how the president of that meeting gave lavish praise on one of the members who barely spoke.
So, fuck toastmasters.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Living in a dump
Yes, blog reader. I am poor. Not the homeless kind or the welfare kind but just the lower middle class kind. I am living in a dumpy apartment with my beautiful gf adjacent to the massive 405 freeway, a never ending sound of engines, dust and exhaust. Despite the 20 foot sound wall, the noise of one or two million engines wheezing north and south is a constant reminder that any dwelling next to the freeway will always attract poor people who are often poor in neighborly relations.
On Sunday morning at 8am, my neighbor, call him Rudy, decides to warm up his 25 year old rust bucket Toyota pick up-- For ten freakin minutes. The sound of the struggling engine and its gaseous exhaust wafers into my bedroom. Ah, reader. Nothing like the sound and smell of an engine to wake me up from a pleasant sleep. I was ready to revel in its odoriferous breeze but I had to pee instead. Later that week I left him a nice note under his shitty wiper blade telling him to quit it. Would this type of behavior happen in the mountainous upscale homes of Bel Air? No.
The "whistler" of apartment 12 is another quaint feature among my neighbor brethren. He has a distinct whistle that he uses to call his friend as he approaches the building. Once inside the apt of his friend, the whistling continues almost like a nervous tick. Do you know anyone who has a facial tick? You watch it and the person knows you are watching it which makes him tick more! Now imagine hearing your neighbor whistle like that and you'll understand how I feel.
Next on the list of living in a certified dump, is the 2am floor "squeaker" from the neighbor above. Since the apt building does not have carpeting, which is good for the asthmatics who live next to the freeway, these old wooden floors creek and squeak like mother fers. Enough to wake me and my gf up. Last month I wrote the "squeaker" a note to stop yakking on the phone at 1am above our bedroom. It wouldn't be so bad if he would stop talking and whining like a little girl. Maybe I am doing that now in this blog?
It seems that being poor is one of the distinct qualities that allow people to be inconsiderate and not thoughtful to others. Of course you can say that the white collar rich are stealing from the poor but that's another blog entry.
The other day someone dropped a SD memory chip on the ground. I found it and placed a note above the mail boxes. No one claimed it. How can you not notice your device memory gone? Do you not read, neighbors? How can you be so complacent and passive about a $45 memory chip with your pictures or music on it? If it was me, I would call.
Last month I found a Motorola Razr cell phone in the alley. It was in a nice carry case. It was used but in okay condition. I open their contact list and last calls dialed and received. I noticed a lot of east coast area codes. Since it was about 8pm PST, I called and left a voice mail with someone explaining how I found the phone and where I found it. It took about three days for the person who lost the phone to finally retrieve it. And he lived in my building!! WTF? If I lost my phone, which I have, I would be one anxious mother fer! What is wrong with my neighbors?
As usual you get an interesting and somewhat eclectic mix of people who have different schedules and lifestyles. I don't think that is very interesting. In fact, it's disruptive. I like my building and neighbors to be quiet, clean and considerate. I don't want to hear people talking loudly, or their TVs barking, seeing their dumb pets pooing, having their children play near my apt, smell their exhaust smoke, having their friends wiping their feet on my door mat, the oily smell of their funky foods nor to have them act like they don't know who I am or nod or say hello in passing.
On Sunday morning at 8am, my neighbor, call him Rudy, decides to warm up his 25 year old rust bucket Toyota pick up-- For ten freakin minutes. The sound of the struggling engine and its gaseous exhaust wafers into my bedroom. Ah, reader. Nothing like the sound and smell of an engine to wake me up from a pleasant sleep. I was ready to revel in its odoriferous breeze but I had to pee instead. Later that week I left him a nice note under his shitty wiper blade telling him to quit it. Would this type of behavior happen in the mountainous upscale homes of Bel Air? No.
The "whistler" of apartment 12 is another quaint feature among my neighbor brethren. He has a distinct whistle that he uses to call his friend as he approaches the building. Once inside the apt of his friend, the whistling continues almost like a nervous tick. Do you know anyone who has a facial tick? You watch it and the person knows you are watching it which makes him tick more! Now imagine hearing your neighbor whistle like that and you'll understand how I feel.
Next on the list of living in a certified dump, is the 2am floor "squeaker" from the neighbor above. Since the apt building does not have carpeting, which is good for the asthmatics who live next to the freeway, these old wooden floors creek and squeak like mother fers. Enough to wake me and my gf up. Last month I wrote the "squeaker" a note to stop yakking on the phone at 1am above our bedroom. It wouldn't be so bad if he would stop talking and whining like a little girl. Maybe I am doing that now in this blog?
It seems that being poor is one of the distinct qualities that allow people to be inconsiderate and not thoughtful to others. Of course you can say that the white collar rich are stealing from the poor but that's another blog entry.
The other day someone dropped a SD memory chip on the ground. I found it and placed a note above the mail boxes. No one claimed it. How can you not notice your device memory gone? Do you not read, neighbors? How can you be so complacent and passive about a $45 memory chip with your pictures or music on it? If it was me, I would call.
Last month I found a Motorola Razr cell phone in the alley. It was in a nice carry case. It was used but in okay condition. I open their contact list and last calls dialed and received. I noticed a lot of east coast area codes. Since it was about 8pm PST, I called and left a voice mail with someone explaining how I found the phone and where I found it. It took about three days for the person who lost the phone to finally retrieve it. And he lived in my building!! WTF? If I lost my phone, which I have, I would be one anxious mother fer! What is wrong with my neighbors?
As usual you get an interesting and somewhat eclectic mix of people who have different schedules and lifestyles. I don't think that is very interesting. In fact, it's disruptive. I like my building and neighbors to be quiet, clean and considerate. I don't want to hear people talking loudly, or their TVs barking, seeing their dumb pets pooing, having their children play near my apt, smell their exhaust smoke, having their friends wiping their feet on my door mat, the oily smell of their funky foods nor to have them act like they don't know who I am or nod or say hello in passing.
Work and Career Issues
I was reading a chapter from Po Bronson's wonderful and honest book called What to do with my Life or something like that. It told the story of a few people who decided to live in New Orleans and how their notions of career and identity came to a standstill. Basically, those who were burnt out on being ambitious in high-powered cities like New York found refuge in New Orlean's lifestyle of easy living in the Big Easy. Those who now lived there escaped the rat race however their internal sound track, that voice in their heads, of getting things done and being ambitious were slowed down to a barely audible pitch. They still had longings to better themselves professionally but it was toned down like the begging squeal of an amputated wheel chair bound Veteran on anti-depressants and booze. In other words, if you want a career, you should not live in New Orleans.
In retrospect, I took a six month paid vacation working in a Suwon, Korean hogwan/language institute as a refuge from career issues. I also had that travel itch and a need to do something big and different to shake me out of my rut. That barely audible pitch I heard in Korea is now a clarion bell to get busy and get on a career track that promises a higher level of pay and professional opportunity. Every day I think about what to do with my life and how to get there. I was able to think about it in Korea but now I dwell upon here and I am better for it.
In Korea as in New Orleans (according to Bronson), you are not confronted with this tension to get shit done and pursue your career. Hell, you're in Korea making got money, living a great lifestyle and eating well. Why bother? Here in Los Angeles, however, opportunities are everywhere to create a career you enjoy but the obstacles and hard work can be overwhelming though worth it.
For a good six months I made some excellent cash, saw the world and avoided those nagging career issues. Now that I'm back and planning my future, it is a nasty headache of soul searching. I am experimenting with starting my own college counseling business and recently advertised my administrative services for a fee or commission. No, I am not an escort, you pervs. I'm glad I am doing this now.
In Korea as in New Orleans (according to Bronson), you are not confronted with this tension to get shit done and pursue your career. Hell, you're in Korea making got money, living a great lifestyle and eating well. Why bother? Here in Los Angeles, however, opportunities are everywhere to create a career you enjoy but the obstacles and hard work can be overwhelming though worth it.
For a good six months I made some excellent cash, saw the world and avoided those nagging career issues. Now that I'm back and planning my future, it is a nasty headache of soul searching. I am experimenting with starting my own college counseling business and recently advertised my administrative services for a fee or commission. No, I am not an escort, you pervs. I'm glad I am doing this now.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wow! Real humanity v. Fake humanity
Yes, blog reader, Wow! As I type on this clunky Mac computer sitting on my 40 year old steel desk, a relic probably handed down from the engineering department at UCLA 30 years ago, I ponder and think about what happened yesterday on one of my Palmer bike rides. Let's see what these stupid sticking shift keys can make out of this humane event on Sunday and how it compares to corporate fakery in the name of humanity, or some other cultural criticism like that.
As I was "mole-ing out" from my entrenched Westside state of mind to Olympic and Robertson, I stopped to see a struggling pigeon, with a broken wing, hopping madly in the middle of traffic. I quickly pulled over and watched as it would struggle to fly above the cars to only land in front of their pumping ABS brakes. Traffic stopped to allow the hurt pigeon pass only to be narrowly missed by other vehicles who were too impatient or unaware to care. I hopped off my bike and leaned it against a wall. I slowly entered traffic and saw a guy in his MBZ, jump out and pick up the pigeon. He then walked across the street and placed it on the front lawn of one of those 60's style anonymous buildings you see in L.A. He walked back to his car, beaming happily of his goodwill. I even thanked him. His act was genuine. It was human.
This reminds me of something I read in The Starbucks Experience about real people "paying it forward" or backward as they waited in line at the drive through of a starbucks. I know I am sounding like an overly critical a-hole but this nice act of paying for your neighbor's coffee reeks of corporate back room marketing strategy in order to celebrate customers, boost employee morale and sell more starbucks coffee. Creating a corporate atmosphere where it's okay to do this behavior of "paying it forward" makes people use to the cultural action of doing "good" deeds of using money instead of policy. In other words, when you use money it persuades corporations to act nicely when in fact, we should create a world where morals are guiding policies to achieve a better quality of life. It creates a cultural phenomenon where consumers create change using their change and makes corporations think about their impact on the environment. Is this really what we need? Have corporations do "good" when we should just make the shareholders legally responsible for their negative actions?
I can see why many people have a great need for the Church and for religious leaders and church action groups to petition but the churches are failing b/c of this cultural consumerist need to use money to create change when instead, we should use morals based upon laws and progressive policies instead. We need to separate religion from policies, government and corporations. We should not apply human values to organizations that are not legally responsible for their people. We should make corporations legally responsible to ensure that humanity is real and not fake.
As I was "mole-ing out" from my entrenched Westside state of mind to Olympic and Robertson, I stopped to see a struggling pigeon, with a broken wing, hopping madly in the middle of traffic. I quickly pulled over and watched as it would struggle to fly above the cars to only land in front of their pumping ABS brakes. Traffic stopped to allow the hurt pigeon pass only to be narrowly missed by other vehicles who were too impatient or unaware to care. I hopped off my bike and leaned it against a wall. I slowly entered traffic and saw a guy in his MBZ, jump out and pick up the pigeon. He then walked across the street and placed it on the front lawn of one of those 60's style anonymous buildings you see in L.A. He walked back to his car, beaming happily of his goodwill. I even thanked him. His act was genuine. It was human.
This reminds me of something I read in The Starbucks Experience about real people "paying it forward" or backward as they waited in line at the drive through of a starbucks. I know I am sounding like an overly critical a-hole but this nice act of paying for your neighbor's coffee reeks of corporate back room marketing strategy in order to celebrate customers, boost employee morale and sell more starbucks coffee. Creating a corporate atmosphere where it's okay to do this behavior of "paying it forward" makes people use to the cultural action of doing "good" deeds of using money instead of policy. In other words, when you use money it persuades corporations to act nicely when in fact, we should create a world where morals are guiding policies to achieve a better quality of life. It creates a cultural phenomenon where consumers create change using their change and makes corporations think about their impact on the environment. Is this really what we need? Have corporations do "good" when we should just make the shareholders legally responsible for their negative actions?
I can see why many people have a great need for the Church and for religious leaders and church action groups to petition but the churches are failing b/c of this cultural consumerist need to use money to create change when instead, we should use morals based upon laws and progressive policies instead. We need to separate religion from policies, government and corporations. We should not apply human values to organizations that are not legally responsible for their people. We should make corporations legally responsible to ensure that humanity is real and not fake.
Friday, October 31, 2008
The 2008 Presidential Election
In about five days we'll have a new President of the United States. I just heard that my uncle, who has not voted in years, will vote for Obama. Last I heard my gun owning, small militia friendly brother will vote for McCain. Four years from now, with the political frenzy beating its drums again, what will we remember from 2008?
We should do a research poll of all the campaign pledges made by both parties and see how they stack up against each other and against the candidate's performance. I figure about 10 percent promised will happen. Candidates always make sweeping pledges which they can't or don't make and follow up on for the many complex reasons. Right?
All of this is nonsense, really. Who did all those people vote for the last eight years? Bush, Jr. WTF? Is this country crazy? Yes. And if Florida tainted the election process with the Supreme Court's backing, does it matter anyway? If a person falls from a 59 story or 29 story building, they're dead regardless of the height.
We should do a research poll of all the campaign pledges made by both parties and see how they stack up against each other and against the candidate's performance. I figure about 10 percent promised will happen. Candidates always make sweeping pledges which they can't or don't make and follow up on for the many complex reasons. Right?
All of this is nonsense, really. Who did all those people vote for the last eight years? Bush, Jr. WTF? Is this country crazy? Yes. And if Florida tainted the election process with the Supreme Court's backing, does it matter anyway? If a person falls from a 59 story or 29 story building, they're dead regardless of the height.
Peaceful, easy feeling
Living in Suwon, South Korea you get the feeling of relative safety. It's a great feeling that allows you a lifestyle to ride your bike late at night, go walking with a friend or to ponder universal problems as you walk alone in the calm of Korean night or the hot and crowded afternoon streets near HomePlus.
In Suwon you see children walking home late from their study sessions or classes; ten year old kids with no sense of fear. It's wonderful. You can feel it in your gut, this sense of ease and calm. There are bad people out there but statistically, their numbers are small, like lottery size winnings small. Yes, there are drunk drivers and dark hidden alleys where taxi drivers rocket through but I'm talking about just a peaceful, easy feeling.
In Los Angeles, I live less than a five minute walk to the basket ball courts in a public park. When I walk there I can feel a tension and stress with a scent of danger. Am I imagining this? I tried to explain this feeling but the words were not adequate. What is the litmus test to discover if your city is peaceful and easy then? For me it is riding a bicycle late at night and soaking in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood. I used to do that in Playa del Rey but not in Culver City. It's not a peaceful, easy feeling. The only way to know this feeling is to live in another country and make the comparison, blog readers. I hope that some of you will do this one day.
In Suwon you see children walking home late from their study sessions or classes; ten year old kids with no sense of fear. It's wonderful. You can feel it in your gut, this sense of ease and calm. There are bad people out there but statistically, their numbers are small, like lottery size winnings small. Yes, there are drunk drivers and dark hidden alleys where taxi drivers rocket through but I'm talking about just a peaceful, easy feeling.
In Los Angeles, I live less than a five minute walk to the basket ball courts in a public park. When I walk there I can feel a tension and stress with a scent of danger. Am I imagining this? I tried to explain this feeling but the words were not adequate. What is the litmus test to discover if your city is peaceful and easy then? For me it is riding a bicycle late at night and soaking in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood. I used to do that in Playa del Rey but not in Culver City. It's not a peaceful, easy feeling. The only way to know this feeling is to live in another country and make the comparison, blog readers. I hope that some of you will do this one day.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Why I continue to hate the macintush
Blog readers, you know me well. I'm not dumb but it seems that my continued frustration of using a toy computer makes me smirk and sour and maybe causes me to not see the obvious more! The other day I am in Word and hit F12 on my keyboard. Bam! It gives me a save as window! WTF? I did that before and it didn't work. Maybe my meds have made me woosy; this short cut did not work before, or did it? Shit.
Now, in Mac Mail, I cannot sort by "unread" email messages. WTF!! I hate this computer. Hate it. This is why if you invest in Apple you will lose money! Once you buy the machine, you like it. It's cute and stylish and people swoon over it like a new born. However, when you use it a lot, you will hate it. It's all a facade. Don't fall for it! It's a (Steve) Jobsian magic trick. And he is a hateful person, if you read up on Apple. Even that genius Steve Wozinski continued to work for him after being lied to and cheated out of money by Jobs.
Now, in Mac Mail, I cannot sort by "unread" email messages. WTF!! I hate this computer. Hate it. This is why if you invest in Apple you will lose money! Once you buy the machine, you like it. It's cute and stylish and people swoon over it like a new born. However, when you use it a lot, you will hate it. It's all a facade. Don't fall for it! It's a (Steve) Jobsian magic trick. And he is a hateful person, if you read up on Apple. Even that genius Steve Wozinski continued to work for him after being lied to and cheated out of money by Jobs.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Why I hate using Macintosh computers for work
Hello again kind blog reader/s…it’s been a while. Yes, yes. I’ve been slacking on my writing duties because, as some of you know, I have been looking for a job. Some of you are having withdrawal symptoms, others don’t give a crap and any new or returning reader to this self-indulgent blog, out there in the Internet World, or as I now call it (IW)—look: I need to make some kind of heady acronym for this blog or I will be a has-been, has already become impatient and wants me to get to the point!
In my department at a very large university located in Los Angeles, they use Macintoshes. Most departments here us PCs, loaded with Windows XP. I know some of you love Macs. They’re elegant, easy to use, even fun sometimes. But they are toys. If you’re going to be offended by my criticism, constructive or not, please don’t read on…
Macintoshes belong in cafes where you can sip your Peet’s coffee, surf and send emails or organize your last party or vacation pictures. And if you’re sipping some good coffee from Peet’s using their free wi-fi, then please purchase another cup of coffee. Don’t be a mooch. Anyways, Macs suck and they should be condemned from any office unless you do graphics or movie animation. Sorry, Yanne and Kelly, likers of the Macintosh.
Too Many Cliques
Macintosh users belong the nerd elite of computer literati. PC users are the salt of the earth. Macintosh fanatics are smart and denigrate big corporate types who use PCs. PC users are smart and efficient. PC users have urged Mac users to help people use Macs better for the masses. Macs cost more. PCs cost less.
Sending an email at a certain time
I want to send an email at Sunday, at 4pm when my boss is probably sitting down at her desk, going over her itinerary for Monday. In this email reminder is to ask to bring in her receipts from her business trip. I can’t do this in Mac mail. Junk.
I want to set up an email reminder to myself to follow up on an email from someone else. Can’t do this in Mac mail. Junk.
I just recently learned how to get rid of the printer icon from my Mac dock. Are Mac users disorganized and absent minded? Why have the icon on the dock after you print something? Macintosh has defaced my desktop real estate space! And, it keeps coming back! Junk.
Oh, here’s one of my favorites: sorting my email in Mac mail. My supervisor and I were discussing an upcoming event and I wanted to double check one person’s response. When I clicked on the “from” column, Mac mail sorted by sender’s name but I could not “jump” to the next letter or email using the key pad. Instead, I had to manually scroll down to find the email while an embarrassing number of emails from my girl friend took up screen real estate.
Whatever happened to having a Notepad, a simple application on Mac? It has TextEdit which requires users of GUI to use more mouse clicks to do what Notepad simply has done for 20 years. Mac. Junk.
And for each operation of some software, there seems to be more mouse clicks involved. Whatever happened to hitting the return button to say “yes” or the letter “n” on your keyboard to say “no?” With a mac you need to use the mouse to click on “No” and sometimes the return key works for a “yes.”
When using software I find myself looking for the shortcuts that don’t exist. I want to do a “save as” (F12 on a PC) and the mac requires me to go to the menu and select “save as.” I haven’t found any shortcuts for that and I looked on line too. Blah!
I totally bored you blog readers. I had to rant. I’ve been using Mac OS X for three weeks now and though I am used to it, I don’t like it. Windows. Junk too but at least it works! Blah!
In my department at a very large university located in Los Angeles, they use Macintoshes. Most departments here us PCs, loaded with Windows XP. I know some of you love Macs. They’re elegant, easy to use, even fun sometimes. But they are toys. If you’re going to be offended by my criticism, constructive or not, please don’t read on…
Macintoshes belong in cafes where you can sip your Peet’s coffee, surf and send emails or organize your last party or vacation pictures. And if you’re sipping some good coffee from Peet’s using their free wi-fi, then please purchase another cup of coffee. Don’t be a mooch. Anyways, Macs suck and they should be condemned from any office unless you do graphics or movie animation. Sorry, Yanne and Kelly, likers of the Macintosh.
Too Many Cliques
Macintosh users belong the nerd elite of computer literati. PC users are the salt of the earth. Macintosh fanatics are smart and denigrate big corporate types who use PCs. PC users are smart and efficient. PC users have urged Mac users to help people use Macs better for the masses. Macs cost more. PCs cost less.
Sending an email at a certain time
I want to send an email at Sunday, at 4pm when my boss is probably sitting down at her desk, going over her itinerary for Monday. In this email reminder is to ask to bring in her receipts from her business trip. I can’t do this in Mac mail. Junk.
I want to set up an email reminder to myself to follow up on an email from someone else. Can’t do this in Mac mail. Junk.
I just recently learned how to get rid of the printer icon from my Mac dock. Are Mac users disorganized and absent minded? Why have the icon on the dock after you print something? Macintosh has defaced my desktop real estate space! And, it keeps coming back! Junk.
Oh, here’s one of my favorites: sorting my email in Mac mail. My supervisor and I were discussing an upcoming event and I wanted to double check one person’s response. When I clicked on the “from” column, Mac mail sorted by sender’s name but I could not “jump” to the next letter or email using the key pad. Instead, I had to manually scroll down to find the email while an embarrassing number of emails from my girl friend took up screen real estate.
Whatever happened to having a Notepad, a simple application on Mac? It has TextEdit which requires users of GUI to use more mouse clicks to do what Notepad simply has done for 20 years. Mac. Junk.
And for each operation of some software, there seems to be more mouse clicks involved. Whatever happened to hitting the return button to say “yes” or the letter “n” on your keyboard to say “no?” With a mac you need to use the mouse to click on “No” and sometimes the return key works for a “yes.”
When using software I find myself looking for the shortcuts that don’t exist. I want to do a “save as” (F12 on a PC) and the mac requires me to go to the menu and select “save as.” I haven’t found any shortcuts for that and I looked on line too. Blah!
I totally bored you blog readers. I had to rant. I’ve been using Mac OS X for three weeks now and though I am used to it, I don’t like it. Windows. Junk too but at least it works! Blah!
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?
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! :)
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
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!
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!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Palmer in LA
Hello blog reader. Thought I've given up on this blog, didn't you? I made it back to LaLa Land: nothing has changed. It's still smoggy, crowded and filled with fake people. But you knew that. On the bright side of my return, I am happy to be in my baby's arms each morning and night! We just had a fun weekend in Newport, CA. I am happy to see my mom. She's doing well. Yes, blog reader, I have a mom and wasn't hatched as some sort of X-files experiment.
My days are going well. I'm still applying for jobs but no interviews yet. I did my first load of laundry last night! Wow! Nice, clean laundry with that fresh dryer scent! I've had good Italian food with no corn! I've had good pizza too. I haven't had a bike ride yet.
The weird thing about being back is that every conversation in every restaurant or place I understand completely. Hearing their dumb interactions makes me hate people! I found a lot of Koreans in Suwon rude but I did not hate them. Here, in the States, I understand the language spoken and decided that I hate people's conversations about their stupid lives.
Well, that's all for now. Getting ready to pick up my baby. Hope you all had a great day!
Friday, August 8, 2008
What?!
Last week the Director asked me to work Monday and Tuesday (August 11 and 12) of this coming week. No problem. They are short staffed and I am getting paid to teach so what the hey... Later, in an email, he said I am to work the morning of August 11 and all day on the 12th. I need to do close my bank account and transfer my money on Aug 12 and it wasn't clear, in his email, if he meant I should teach the afternoon of the 11th too! I called him on his cell phone after 8pm. He said that the schedule is on his office computer and that all the teachers have maxed out their hours, so he wanted me to work all day on the 12th . I told him that I prefer not to teach the morning of the 12th but can teach the 11th. And, does he mean only the am on the 11th? He still wasn't clear. I told him, as a matter of fact, that B hasn't maxed out his hours and if he could work the morning of the 12th, that would be helpful to me. The Director said he would think about it.
Yesterday, the Director emailed me and B. He told B that he will work the morning of the 12th. That will give B 23 hours that week! A record! He is the only teacher that works 20 hours; the rest of us are 29 or 30 hours a week. All of us are maxed out in hours? Huh?!
In his latest email I will work the am of the 11th only and have my regular Tuesday (Aug 12th) schedule. I get to do my banking and say good bye to my kids with an official party! It's still not clear if I am to work the lunch hour on the 11th! WTF!!
The Director is never clear in his emails. He writes well but is purposely ambiguous. It's very frustrating. Even in person he evades answers or goes around the subject. He has a military background in "intelligence", nice training, eh?
Yesterday, the Director emailed me and B. He told B that he will work the morning of the 12th. That will give B 23 hours that week! A record! He is the only teacher that works 20 hours; the rest of us are 29 or 30 hours a week. All of us are maxed out in hours? Huh?!
In his latest email I will work the am of the 11th only and have my regular Tuesday (Aug 12th) schedule. I get to do my banking and say good bye to my kids with an official party! It's still not clear if I am to work the lunch hour on the 11th! WTF!!
The Director is never clear in his emails. He writes well but is purposely ambiguous. It's very frustrating. Even in person he evades answers or goes around the subject. He has a military background in "intelligence", nice training, eh?
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Old posts wither away, as clouds disperse on a cloudy day
I wrote this blog entry last August 6, 2008 when my job was ending in Korea and I was heading back to L.A. to join my gf and live happily ever after. I saved it as a draft b/c she told me that she flet embarrassed about mentioning her name in another post and with my written display of affection.
I feel okay since we broke up in August 13, 2009, a year later. We learned our lesson, finally. After a few tries and tribulations, we have and for good, broken up. If any of my or her friends read this, please remind us of the lessons gleamed. Thank you.
I will be in another intimate relationship and I wonder if my future gf will be freaked out by this blog entry? Will she be mature enough to realize that my heart has loved before she was in my life? That peanut butter and music are part of my soul? Or will she be too insecure and think negative thoughts and ask that it be taken down from blogger? How will I feel about that?
Old post from August 6, 2008:
...As many of you know, I love my GF. She's the most beautiful woman in the world! She's my music, my peanut butter. Huh? For those of you who don't know my love for music and peanut butter, let it be known that these three things I love and cannot do without!
The day of my arrival is fast approaching. I am giddy. Happy. I can't wait to be in her sweet arms to hold and hug her tight! Hmm.
Letter about my employment and replacement
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Dear (Enter your favority language institute here) Family,
Mr. Matthew’s last day is fast approaching. He has agreed to stay until August 12, before returning to his home and future employment. His classes will be taught by Mr. A from Canada. He is a writer and has a high interest in running. He has been getting to know some of the students in the school and is already well liked by them. I am confident that Mr. A will be a great teacher for our students.
Sincerely,
Director
*****************************************
Hello blog readers. You've just read the letter I received on official letter head yesterday from the Director. I've edited the name of the new teacher. The Director wanted me to distribute this letter to my EAS 3 class. I don't know if the same letter or equivalent went out via mail for my other classes, IKP and IEP3. This is how business is done here. Not a very good introduction to Mr. A. Does he even have teaching experience? What does running have to do with taking over my classes? Hmm.
Dear (Enter your favority language institute here) Family,
Mr. Matthew’s last day is fast approaching. He has agreed to stay until August 12, before returning to his home and future employment. His classes will be taught by Mr. A from Canada. He is a writer and has a high interest in running. He has been getting to know some of the students in the school and is already well liked by them. I am confident that Mr. A will be a great teacher for our students.
Sincerely,
Director
*****************************************
Hello blog readers. You've just read the letter I received on official letter head yesterday from the Director. I've edited the name of the new teacher. The Director wanted me to distribute this letter to my EAS 3 class. I don't know if the same letter or equivalent went out via mail for my other classes, IKP and IEP3. This is how business is done here. Not a very good introduction to Mr. A. Does he even have teaching experience? What does running have to do with taking over my classes? Hmm.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Drinking beer with a straw while watching "Mummy 3"
As liberal as America is, we don't have available yet, beer for sale in all movie theatres. During my summer break, I went to see the movie "Mummy 3" at the Megabox at the COEX mall in Seoul last week. It's a huge 16 screen theatre located in the underground shopping center called COEX. I bought my ticket and headed for the concession stand where soda, pop corn, churros and beer were available. I ordered my Korean Hite beer for about $3.00 and headed to the theatre with my seat assignment in hand. The beer was cold and served in a plastic "Solo" style container. I think the beer is terrible but the experience of drinking a beer while watching a movie is so cool that I did it.
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