Jeffrey Miller's Blog: Jeffrey Miller Writes, page 26
December 1, 2012
The Hunt for Red October, again and again
If it’s the first week of December, it can only mean one thing: time for my annual viewing of The Hunt for Red October (1990).
Okay, so what’s the significance of watching this film every December?
Twenty-two years ago this coming Friday, December 7, I arrived in Korea. On the flight over, there were two films: Days of Thunder and The Hunt for Red October. I watched the first film, but fell asleep just as the second one was starting. I woke up right at the end of the movie just in time to hear Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) say, “Welcome to the New World, Sir.”
Since then, the film has become a bookmark for this chapter of my life which all started the cool, clammy, foggy, December night (“Welcome to Korea” — Waking Up in the Land of the Morning Calm). Every year around this time, I celebrate this turning point in my life by watching the film I never got to see the first time around but have watched over and over since.
Welcome to the New World, Jeffrey.
November 30, 2012
Election Season in Korea
All those large banners covering buildings and dancing Korean women in matching jumpsuits around busy intersections can only mean one thing: it’s election time in Korea again. And it’s a big one.
My money’s on Park Geun-hye.
Interestingly, the day these posters went up was the day Ms. Park visited Daejeon. If she came down on the KTX, she could have easily seen them welcoming her to this part of town. Also, her father was born not far from here. At Jikji-sa Temple, south of here in Kimcheon, there’s a shrine for her father Park Chung-hee and mother.
Now, if I can only get a photo of those dancing ajumoni!
My last class at ELS — November 1992
It’s been 20 years since I finished teaching at ELS, a language school near Kangnam Subway Station (I was the original Kangnam Style!) and headed back to the States for six weeks to get a new visa before I started teaching at Yonsei University in January of 1993.
Can you believe that?
Twenty years ago.
Two days after this photo was taken I was on a plane back to America. One chapter of my life in Korea had ended and another one was ready to begin.
2012. I am still here.
Korean Food — 101
What’s your favorite Korean food?
November 29, 2012
Let’s do that Gangnam Style one more time…
Students perform their version of “Gangnam Style” at the SolBridge International School of Business in Daejeon, South Korea. The students were participating in the 2nd Korean Language Competition. Korean is one of three languages (besides English) that students study at SolBridge: Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
Gangnam Style, again and again…
Students at the SolBridge International School of Business in Daejeon, South Korea perform “Gangnam Style” during the Fall 2012 Korean Language Competition. The competition is held each semester to showcase students’ Korean language skills.
November 27, 2012
Fall from grace
Life sometimes imitates art.
Lisa Robin Kelly who portrayed Eric Forman’s wild and loose sister, Laurie, on That 70′s Show probably wishes she was back playing the bad older sister instead of being the actress having run-ins with the law.
Talk about your fall from grace.
Room without a view
Of all the apartments I’ve lived in Korea (eight) the one I am in now ranks near the bottom. Despite one of the more “modern” ones in terms of the interior (though having an electrical outlet next to the shower still begs the question, what was the architect doing in the class the teacher talked about where not to put an electrical outlet?) the outside leaves a lot to be desired. Especially when you get a a good view of a junkyard.
Fortunately, there isn’t a junkyard dog yapping all night.
Crowded House
It looks more crowded than it actually is in this photo, but I sure do miss living back in the Illinois Valley or my home in Laos.
Blocks and blocks on top of one another.
More concrete than the eye can see.
