Our Latest Podcast – ENJOY!

Our final podcast before we head to GREECE!

Click to open player and then click the play button to listen

Work:

“You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life’s procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.”

–Kahlil Gibran

HULK SMAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!

There is simply no way that one can go view the recently released cinematic juggernaut “The Incredible Hulk” and not want to hit the gym for about three hours, then casually stroll into any local warehouse or construction area and casually toss a 4-ton forklift through the upper rafters. This movie is INSANELY fun! Wow – I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun at a comic-book movie. Wait, yes I can – it was “Batman Begins”, which is, what, three years old ? Now, before you get your Batcapes in a bunch, I am NOT comparing those two movies – one is a dark detective story, and the other, well, it’s a sledgehammer the size of Manhattan let loose upon us mere mortals. Good grief, this movie rocked! I have nothing personal against Ang Lee, and I found the first movie, “Hulk”, to be adequate; it was 2 1/2 out of five stars. It wasn’t horrible, and there were some truly awesome, cool, memorable scenes – like the Hulk losing consciousness in the upper limits of our atmosphere, or him playing stickball with tanks. But the exposition was enough to choke Neil Gaiman, and really – REALLY – did we need to see the freakin’ HULK fight mutated dogs? Ok, maybe giant, powerful, feral, mutated Doberman Pinschers or Rottweilers; but freakin’ Poodles? Ugh. I also really enjoyed Eric Bana – he’s super tough – and Jennifer Connelly, well…yum! But all in all, the movie was too long, too slow, low on action, and a big letdown for a Hulk movie. Holy crap, how things have changed! I’m not an “action junkie”, but boy do I love great action. I’m also not adverse to exposition, plot-setup, or background story; it’s just that when I go see a Hulk movie, a character who’s been around for 40 years, I don’t NEED any of that. I know who he is, and I know what he can DO – so show me already! And that’s exactly what the new Hulk movie does, in spades. They take the Hulk, and throw damn near everything at him except an A-bomb – and he’s probably survive that as well. It’s just truly nice to see the Hulk lift up a forklift like you and I lift a kitchen chair, and then throw it across the ROOM! A literal hail of bullets, explosions, sonic weapons – bring it on, the Hulk can take it! And that’s what’s so pleasurable about this action movie: we get to see what the Hulk can take, and what the Hulk can do. So speaking of an almost-all-powerful character, what do you to to increase tension when your protagonist can barely be stopped, let alone contained or even hurt? Simple: you dip into the rich 40 year history of this primordial, dualistic character, and choose an enemy that’s even MORE powerful! Enter The Abomination, a pathetically twisted man who’s been transformed into a grotesque abomination that is bigger, stronger, and faster than the Hulk. Maaaaaaaaaaaaan, does that make for a fine viewing experience! This is the stuff of comic books, people – and thank GOD someone remembered that the whole way! The first movie was a graphic novel – dark, deep, and long. This is what the Hulk is truly suited for: a comic-book movie. Over-the-top, explosive, action; massive stunts; larger-than-life fights; and a few good Hulk “roars” to boot. This was the film that all us Hulk fans have been waiting for, and it did NOT disappoint. Ed Norton of course brings a fantastic grounding to this film, and lends the necessary pathos to the tormented soul that is Bruce Banner, and he is fantastic. And the supporting cast is equally strong, even Liv “Arwen” Tyler. But it’s all the extra special nods that this movie incorporates that make this movie so fun, and special: Stan Lee’s obligatory cameo; Lou Ferrigno’s smile-inducing cameo; and the unexpected, and very touching, Bill Bixby “cameo”; the classic taglines of “Leave me alone!” and “Hulk SMASH!”; as well as a special treat from, well, let’s just say, another Marvel Universe character. FINALLY, we have the “crossovers” in the Marvel movies that every Marvelite has been waiting for since the very first “X-Men”! Another thing that really impressed me, and made SUCH an important addition to this movie, was the sound! Not just the soundtrack, mind you, which is fantastic – but the sound in general. I felt at times, just a FEW times, the Hulk’s skin looked just a tiny bit “rubbery”; not enough to ruin the scene/movie for me, no sir, and not all the times – just a few. But never ONCE did I doubt that there was a massive, several tons creature stomping around on screen. You could almost FEEL the Hulk in your movie seat, and when he tore through a building or tank or landed a punch, it smacked with audible impact. Ultimately, the best review I can give of this movie is, I can’t wait to see it again. And that’s something I did not say for “Iron Man”, or “Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls”.

Welcome to our first PODCAST!

And with all the fanfare, ballyhoo, and hoopla that the Internet can muster, JJ and I proudly present (da da da DAAAAAAAAAA!) – our very first PODCAST! Now, this being our very first time, it’s not perfect; JJ is too far out of mic-range (we found out later, much to our chagrin), it’s short and fairly uninteresting, and we blatantly rip-off a little JD musical intro! But all in all, after much reading and research on the web, I finally figured out how to record, edit, and host a podcast. And so, without further ado, we present to you what we hope becomes a regular feature here at the ol’ JJ and Dave website – podcasting! Take it away, us! (Side note: I’m currently working on getting an in-page media player to remain in the same post and that will allow you to hit “play” while staying at www.jjanddave.com; but until then, use one of the two options provided: be re-directed to another page to listen, or download it to your pc and play it from there. Thanks for your patience!)

Click to Play (right click to save)

The Fairy Tale vs. Reality:

As time is relevant to the observer, last night in Seoul, South Korea found JJ and I facing our 1st Anniversary as a wedded couple (fourteen hours before our family and friends would be recognizing it back home in good ol’ Midwest Minnesota). Needless to say, we were both extremely happy to share such a beautiful and happy milestone with each other. We celebrated together by dining at our favorite Indian restaurant here in Seoul, and sharing memories and nostalgia of the past year by discussing old stories, and looking at our wedding pictures. Naturally, I also found time to ponder and reflect during the day, when I had some time to myself.

And here’s the interesting thing that I discovered early on in my musings: as I gazed around our apartment, viewing the display and arrangement of our current life, I discovered how very mundane things actually were. I mean, there it was: our anniversary of one year of marriage (and five years being together) produced me in front of my computer playing some video games, and Jen laying on the couch, “watching a movie” (but in reality taking a nap).

Now, that was the reality of the situation. A fairy tale, mind you, might be very different. We might have found ourselves, upon waking in the morning of our anniversary, in some posh hotel, being gently caressed by the creamiest of silk sheets, and catered to our every whim by an ever-present and acquiescent hotel staff. We might have found ourselves waking under the sun of another country, enjoying a mini-vacation to some foreign land. We might have even found ourselves engaged in a transaction of exchanging pricey gifts, in a way to commemorate this milestone occasion with material gifts (instead of sharing a mesmerizing evening floating to the live orchestral sounds of Ennio Morricone). But that, my friend, was not the reality of the situation.

No, the reality was something much deeper than a hotel room; something far richer than a gift receipt; and something much more endearing than a foreign sunrise. Upon that day of one year of marriage together, the reality of the world found me with a head cold, in a t-shirt and pajama pants, engaged in a furious transaction of WASD keyboard keys and movement of my pc mouse. It found JJ relaxing in her own pj’s, curled under a blanket, fast asleep to the sounds of a movie she’s tried to finish before, and hasn’t. It found us together, at our most real, our most relaxed, and most decidedly, not at our best or most glamorous. And yet, it found us together, more in love than ever, sharing something than can only come with four years of dating, and one year of marriage: total, and complete trust in each other, and comfort. The knowledge that being together is what counts, and sharing life and love is the greatest gift to give and receive. And that being together, sharing a lazy Sunday, basking in the mundane, the “normal”, and not some delusional Hollywood idea of extravagance, is a pleasure truly to be treasured in our relationship.

For us, we’ll take the reality any day.

Korea through rose-colored glasses:

Like the finest of fermented wines flowing richly and warmly through one’s veins and capillaries, inching one ever closer to a subdued state of fuzzy reality, dipping again in the pool of residency here in Seoul is having a profoundly similar effect. The shaded days are now easing into Autumn, like slipping into a well-worn pair of jeans, and we once again find ourselves thoroughly enjoying all that this life has to offer. As we crash into the world each day upon awakening and negotiate a gait that brings us briskly to our local hagwon, we find the memories come charging back to us of our first year living the expat life. They harken back to the halcyon days of Seohyeon Station and Bundang, where the “first time buying milk in Korea” memories reside, the first “how do we pay for a taxi?” resides; where, in short, our lives first changed deeply, forever.

Those days shall never be recaptured, the true essences of “firsts” that we experienced here in Seoul – but their ghosts reside everywhere these days, reverberating in every step upon the uneven pavement, in every jovially proffered “Ahnyoung!” to a wee child, and resonate deep within our hearts. An easy stroll along our neighboring river, where the scents of dusk collide with the lights of night, ushers forth memories of our lives last year as strong and as powerful as if we had traveled to the past directly. Yet the newness of our environs shares more than just familiarity of our past – it also drips with a personality of its own, and clings to us daily with the tautness of a newborn’s skin, weaving its own way into our minds to be filed into that vast Sea of Memory to be called upon when most needed.

Though the nation’s flag is white, black, red and blue, and most of the cars here seem to be of the “black or beige” variety, there’s no doubt a mighty haze of pink tints everything here for us. Having a wealth of the closest, most supportive family members and friends such as JJ and I do is a treasure beyond measure and counting, and we rely on them daily. But when you actually reside and work WITHIN an old friend too, well, that’s a level of blessing that we are indeed truly thankful for.

It’s nice to befriend a Seoul.

Sitting on a bench:

To have the realization that sitting on a new, freshly laquered public bench in South Korea IS in fact me living my life, and not some distant daydream or passing moment in a vacation, is a supremely ascending and spiritual gift. This isn’t a mere weekend vacation in the heated May Sunshine; this is the here and now, where I live, in my own city. It’s not a question of not missing my family and friends in America; of course I miss them. It’s more of a dawning realization that I’m actually part of a global community – that truly, wherever I lay my head and roam, that is where I shall call home. Will this newly minted realization supplant what has become the archetype definition of “Home”? Never – “Home” shall always remain the compilation of memories that are bundled within the bronze house of Fargo, ND, where my immediate family still reside. But it’s these other places, such as Korea, that are developing into far more than simply a “place to stay for a year”; they are indeed becoming a place of residence, of work, and of social events and activities. In other words, a home.

Perhaps it is simply because I desire it to be so, stemming from some craving to belong and fit in everywhere I am, or to recognize fully and vibrantly each day a dream come true, but I do so feel at home here, sitting upon this shadowed bench, passing beneath the Sun. There’s a sense of ease and comfort, an aura of familiarity as I look up and down this strange street, and witness trees spreading their arms to blanket heat-cracked pavement with shade. This scene before me offers up feelings of comfort and recognition, in what is otherwise another part of the world, so vastly distant from my other Home.

But it IS part of the same world, this new city of mine. And I can only say that I am so blissfully happy and blessed, to recognize that I am not simply passing through the staff-room, buildings, and bank accounts here, on my way from one random July to the next, but rather that I am living here, truly waking and sleeping and living here, and enjoying it one simple wooden bench at a time.

It’s strange being a Rock Star.

It’s strange, but during our time here in the Land of the Morning Calm, we’ve been experiencing, in little nuggets of unexpected goodness, what it means to live and be as a rock star. Mind you, neither Jen nor I are anywhere near Mick Jagger or Jessica Simpson status. No, far from it, and trust me, that suits us just fine. We’re more at the “garage band” level than anything, which translates not to a daily smattering of thronging fans, an acquiescent public, and at times, disgusting groups of sycophants bowing to our every whim, but rather a level of recognition that gains us a surprising, benevolent gesture now and again, yet still leaves us feeling a bit awkward.

Case in point: we received free ice cream last night. It being Friday, and Jen and I having not much else but my infirm body on our minds as of late, we decided to have a small, quaint little date at one of those American joints, “T.G.I. Friday’s”. Sometimes, the simple pleasure of familiar surroundings is all it takes to put one at ease, even if the menu IS in Korean. And, as we sat and dined on so-so cuisine, what do you think happened? One of those little “rock star” moments. A very nice young waiter there, goes by the name of “Bobby” (and puts any American “Friday’s” employee’s level of “flair” to shame, I might add) stopped by to say hello. He has taken a liking to us, for he is one of few among his fellow staff who can have a lengthy discourse in English, having studied and learned it in a local hog-won (a school like where Jen and I teach). Bobby had spoken to us before, and was excited that he could use his language skills with us. And so it was our pleasure to chat with him a little bit, even if it did seem a bit awkward after awhile, because really, the only reason he was there in the first place was because we are WHITE AMERICANS (Canadians experience the same thing, I’m sure).

See, that’s the thing – we’re not rock stars. As much as I’ve dreamt I was, what with my heroic air-guitaring and head-voice screaming, we’re simply not in a band, nor famous in any way, shape, or form. And yet, Bobby stopped by again to inform us that he had spoken to his manager on duty, and had received approval to bestow upon us a small gift. It was nothing too remarkable or large, he assured us, just a small token of friendship. And soon appeared a bowl of ice cream, including the much-adored whip cream, which let’s face it, makes every dish a party in the mouth.

There have been other instances, too. A set of six free wine glasses from the local mini-mart. Seats offered up on subways and buses. Many a stranger walking up to us and engaging us in various conversations, almost always centralizing around how long we’ve been in Korea, what do we think of Korea, do we love Korea, and how long we’ll stay in Korea. We’ve even answered a few questionnaire’s by students, with the underlying theme having been “Talk to an American.” Not to mention all of the free gifts we’ve received from students’ parents, including tea, leather gloves, flowers, gift certificates, candy, and food. It’s simply quite amazing.

In the end, I’m not sure what to make of it all. On one hand, it’s kind of a fun experience to be treated rock star-ish, and it’s always fun to receive a gift in life, is it not? On the other, the staring and even touching can get old after awhile, and sometimes the conversations can spiral into a sort of creepy tone, taking on a “we’re about to be stalked by this person” vibe. But we’re in a place that is one of the most indigenous countries around, with something like 90% of all the population being true-blue Korean. Coming from America’s melting pot, it’s no wonder we’re at times treated a little different. So, if that means we’re to suffer through a few stares, or awkward conversations once in awhile in order to make someone’s day, or receive a token of a true, heart-felt gesture, hey, we can take it.

Just don’t lick our hands (ask Jen), touch our hair, or follow us home. We have to have SOME limits after all, even for us rock stars.

Three years from that perfect smile…

I sit, at times, and simply marvel at the world around me. This world, you see, is populated by the special presence of a woman named Jennifer. Sometimes it is her laughter from the other room; other times, it’s the “swish swish” of her black and silver nylon slacks. Often, when I’m truly lucky, I’ll receive the piercing radiance of her perfect smile. All this and more now permeates my realm on a daily basis, but it was only three short years ago when I had none of it. My life was bereft of all this joy and beauty, and if it wasn’t for the glint of that perfect smile, it might have continued that way. But, as some say, the fates had other moments in mind, and catch her smile I did, on Yahoo! Personals. And so, now three years later, JJ and I are together, and couldn’t be happier. Engaged, and swashbuckling around in Bundang, South Korea. Not to imply that we’re pirates, mind you, or are suffering from a bout of scurvey, but rather, it seems we continue to find (or is that make?) adventure wherever we may be. It is truly a most pleasurable way to exist, to live, to SAVOR life, my friends. And so, with this kind of foundation for our relationship, how did we celebrate the anniversary of our third year together? We journeyed to the Seoul Arts Center on the eve of our anniversary, November 17th, and sat in a dimmed, warmly lit, sold-out room for two and one-half hours, and listened to the world’s best cellist: Yo-Yo Ma. To say it was anything less than transcending would be an egregious understatement. Picture this, if you will: a large, wooden, openly inviting, perfectly empty theater stage, save a single black and silver folding chair in the middle. And exactly on cue, out walks Mr. Ma, who without so much as a single spoken word, takes a bow, and then places himself down on the chair with his instrament, to begin playing Bach for over two hours. No fanfare, no hoopla, no verbal niceties between pieces; just perfectly pitched music, to drown away one’s sorrow’s, forget the craziness of life, and for one Minnesotan couple, the evening offered up a glorious celebration of life, love, and music to celebrate a three-year anniversary with. Yo-Yo, where ever you are out there, we thank you.

Fall is in the air…

The changing of the guard is finally here in Korea. If by “guard”, I mean “color of leaves”, of course. It is the absolute best time of the year, and so much has already been written and said about Autumn, that I shall just sit back instead, and share the beauty of the seasonal changes with my friends and family as best I can. The crisp air, cold mornings, hot coffee, crunching colored leaves, and toasty clothes all signify a slow, gentle ease into sleep for Mother Earth, and Jen and I are very happy to be sharing it together in Bundang, especially with trees like these pictured, which are from a park not two blocks from where we live. Hope you enjoy!