Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Well, it has been an interesting holiday season to say the least. I guess this is the first real Christmas and New Years away from friends and family at home since I was 19 years old. Let's just say I was on the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean at the time, so it seemed a little easier. I guess working my ass off in Korea while having Bronchitis doesn't really scream the holidays to me. Not that I don't love this amazing country, but it just isn't like home when it comes to this time of the year. And damn it, I miss all the Christmas fixings, especially the food...I guess on a less bitter note, it all turned out to be pretty good thanks to some of the amazing friends I have found here.

Here is a great pic that Joe took of the boys laughing and having a good time.

Christmas I guess all started last weekend with two good, but very different parties. The Saturday night was spent at Alex's drinking, laughing and I believe at one point the guys were even arm wrestling. All in all, lots of good times and interesting memories.


The following night was a little more mellow, but involved a lot more food. Thanks to Jenny being the best hostess I know, we had wine and an amazing Mexican style dinner. Who says a Mexican style Christmas is weird in Korea? We don't. Ahh, anything goes.


Hmmm, yummy food and wonderful decor. Merry Christmas!



Tim and Shaun's little romantic dinner for two. How sweet!


At about this time, my body decided to shut down for a good week, giving me the gift of Bronchitis for Christmas. My New Years was spent a lot more mellow. I gave myself the chance to get better, but still got to spend some quality time with some good people. New Years Eve, we went over to Jenny's again and ate some more great food, did a champaign toast and the rest went off to Seoul to bring in the New Year.


Here's the group of us cheering to the New Year! (A little off centre...lol)

Christina and I kept it more low-key here in Ilsan. We had some chai tea at a little coffee shop and chated while observing all of the families filling up on hot chocolate and cheese cake...

Here we are looking ready to party...lol..

Then went off to our local bar, Torrors to bring in the New Year. We tried being troopers by dancing and even having a glass of wine, but by about 12:30am, our sicknesses still had the best of us and we had to call it an early night.

Here are some of the more partying people...

Overall it was still a memoriable and interesting holiday. I missed my family and friends at home greatly, but will definitely be with them next year. Thanks to all my friends/family here who made this past year an amazing one. Hopefully 2007 will be as memorable and adventurous as this past one. For now, I look forward to enjoying my next few months in Korea and then off to SE Asia...

P.S And a special spot on my blog goes to Tarek...Happy New Year and I will always remember to blog you...


Here he is with a yummy, gooey spoon of cheesy goodness...haa, haa!

Christmas Party and Puppy Love

The weekend started off a bit crazy like they have been lately. After we all finished work on Friday night we decided to go to a Christmas Costume Party that our friend Ed was putting on at a bar we often go to. But, we sort of didn't make it til much later. Ohhh, the nights where we start off at Jenny's house drinking wine first before going out, always make for long nights or rather early mornings...Here are a few pics (sorry a little blue, I played with the settings and I forgot to fix it...must have been the wine).



We stopped by at the party for a bit and had a drink or two and caught up with some friends. Here are some pics from the party. At least one person dressed up.


I also had to give the mustache a try. I think it makes me look more intelligent.


After stopping in briefly to the party and seeing some friends we realized we should all go to another bar and drink some more...Yeah why not it is the holiday season. I tried to get everyone in the festive mood, by passing around my festive Santa hat. Looking good Alex!


Well, let's just say that night was enough for me. I took it easy for the rest of the weekend and had some good old "me" time. It was perfect. I couple of my friends were going away over night for the weekend and they just got a puppy. I immediately volunteered to puppy sit for the night. You can't use a little puppy love? And boy I got it. I played, snuggled, growled, snorted and had a great time with "Jinjoo". I even made a video, but it is too long to post. Here are so cute pics instead.


Here she is passed out on me after a good hour of playing, she is feisty!


She is sooo damn cute when she is not chewing on me.

Louvre in Seoul?!

Yes indeed it was and boy was it a great day...
It all started with the pizza. Ahhh the amazing pizza that my friend Nara claims deserves singing to and I agree and I believe a small dance as well...We were on our way to The National Museum of Korea when Nara, Dante and myself were struck with terrible hunger pains. After wandering aimlessly around for a while we settled on Dominios. We constructed a restaurant with plastic chairs and took a risk on "cheese ball pizza". Oh, I good risk we took. It was heavenly. Maybe our faces will do it more justice...

After stuffing our happy tummys we headed off back to the Louvre exhibit at the National Museum of Korea. It is a very architecturally beautiful building. See for yourself...


The Louvre exhibit was simply amazing and breath taking. I had no idea what "real" art can do. It was a great dynamic between Nara, Dante and myself of discussion and interaction over the works of art. We spent over 2 hours looking at 119 pieces. Europe here I come!


We ended up missing Tim and Shaun for most of the day, but met up with them toward the end for a little catch up.


Dante and I then went off to look at the rest of the museum. I had been here before, but it was great to see new works of art everywhere.


And look at this amazingly detailed carving. I don't think the picture does it real justice, but I tired...


Later that night we decided a good Monopoly match was in order. The night started out nice, friendly, but quickly progressed into a much more competitive match. Yikes! I guess it really isn't "Rainbow Candyland". I'll know that for next time guys...Here is a pic of before it got ugly. Nara has an excellent pic/story on her blog (scarynara.blogspot.com)

Female: Friend or Foe???

Females have the tendency to support, understand and nourish each other in a way no man can and ever will be able to, but women all have the power to intimidate, humiliate and utterly destroy each other. How can we be so capable of being both at the same time? And how can we possibly be able to do this to this to a person with whom we consider our friend?

This is a question I ask myself time and time again, since the early ages of pre-school up to now. Every time I allow myself to become close, intimate and trusting with another women, I end up disappointed in them. Am I unable to form meaningful, lasting friendships with them? Maybe? But when I question other women about this issue, I find that I am really not alone. Many other women that I know have voiced the same concerns to me. So do why to we continue to hurt each other when we should be supporting our friends?

I guess after what happened a while ago at work, I finally understand why we hurt and have the ability to hurt so deep. This wasn’t the first time an incident at my work occurred similar to this, but it is the first time I finally began to understand it…

The truth is many women are just jealous and insecure. For example, the girl at my work a few weeks ago brought something up in front of others only to bring a painful reaction. She did this under the disguise of “being my friend”. However, the information she revealed to me was only given with the intension of hurting and humiliating me and she truly would of, if I let her, but I did not.

Women who do this are insecure and jealous and generally of women who aren’t necessarily more beautiful than them, but more confident and intelligent. This is an insecure woman’s method of defense to protect themselves from their own humiliation because face it, they feel that bad about themselves. Women who are strong, secure and intelligent need to recognize these inferior bitches, by calling them on it honestly to their faces. We need to be open and honest and tell them that they are acting on their own insecurities and that they are immature. We in fact are the stronger ones and we should start letting them all know.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

It was my birthday on Saturday, so the entire weekend was full of adventures and a little too much drinking and dancing. Yes, it is possible to dance to much! I had a lot of fun and don't even feel a day older.

On Friday we went to Torro's where our friend Ed DJ's and that was quite fun. Then it was off to a Korean Bookings Night Club to shake with our friends (There is a longer version of that story). After that we went to sing our hearts out in a nori bung. I had to break out the Madonna and Gwen again.

Saturday was just as fun. Christina, Jenny, Shaun, Tim, Nara, Dante and myself all had cake and champagne at my house. Then to Hongdae for Thai food and the Bed Bar with 15 other people. We needed 2 beds! After that Jenny, Christina, Tim, Shaun and I went to the clubs in Itewon. A friend of ours Brenden shares this birthday with me, so we definitely had to see each other. We danced again until 5am. It was a wonderful birthday surrounded by truly great friends!


Yeah, a yummy cake. Nara captured the candles in this pic so well. Thanks girl!


Jenny found a new friend! He is a little old, but still kind of cute! Haa, Haa!


Oh my gosh, did they just make me suck up a shot that was on fire with a straw!!! You should have seen my face after...


Nara and I at the bed bar after stuffing ourselves with some great Thai food.


Adam, Catherine, Christina and Dante looking cozy and comfortable in bed.


Everyone in bed together. I love this bar/bed. It is sooo damn cozy!


I put the "28" candles in my hair. Thanks god, we never lite them. I had a lot of hairspray!


The bed bar even had an indoor, heated waiting pool. Ahhh, nice...

I'll post a few more pics as I recieve them from everyone...I think at one point I was wearing red angle wings. I still have to get that pic from Christina...lol..

Here is the rest of some more fun pics. Enjoy!