Friday, September 10, 2004

Gmail Invites

I adopted a Gmail account. Yet I don't know how to use this better. Because it's way big and its design look doesn't agree with me. Anyway I have 4 Gmail invites left to dispose of. (You know it's not mandatory.) Leave a comment here on this post or email me if you want one. Make sure to write your name and e-mail in.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

A scene from my window

Hey you guys! I'm gonna take off. I just wanted to let you guys know "Say Goodbye!"

Oh! I forgot telling you a scene with my workplace. It's getting dark outside. Still, hot enough. There would be so many cars, buses and people on the streets. I'm so sad I'll be absorbed into there soon. Here is a heart of IT industry in Seoul. The most famous IT companies such as Oracle, HP, MS, Samsung are stuck here, So am I.


See you later!

Listen carefully to Spanish Guitar

Gary Moore - Spanish Guitar


As I sit here and play
my spanish guitar
underneath the stars,
it passes the time away.

Each note I play
is a memory of Spain,
the melodies they take me
back there again.

So as I sit here and play
on my old spanish guitar,
each note I play
just sails away.
And it brings me closer
to that spanish senorita.
Oh, she's so far away.

As I sit here and play
underneath the stars,
it passes the time away
and brings me closer
to my spanish holiday.



Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Purple Cow

I've stayed in NYC for almost 3 weeks. You don't know what I was doing there for the 3 weeks. Oh my God! I was reading some marketing books. Can you imagine? It is in NYC that I didn't do anything funny and intriguing but just read not-so-funny marketing books in a Starbucks or in Central Park. The awful books are below.

Hm, "Permission Markeing" was a little bit more interesting than "Purple Cow" there.
Finally I and my friend decided to publish "Purple Cow" in Korea.


Marcello in Tokyo

When I travelled in New York City in 2003, I met an Aussie in a guest house. It's sure that he has an awesome personality. Also, he can play a Brazilian musical instrument that looks so weird. During my staying there, we talked about our journeys and future plans. (Hey! I'm straight!) He told me that he would go to Tokyo to meet his girl friend.

Oh~ he's living in Tokyo with that girl.
Here's an email from him 'Marcello'.

Hi there everyone,

Well, the weather is getting better here in Tokyo. It is sunny, and almost warm over here. This weekend thousands of people flocked to the park at the end of our street to view the Sakura - Cherry Blossoms. These parties are called Hanami, or Cherry Blossom viewing parties, and they take place all over Japan when the trees are blooming. The Japanese come in groups of friends, work groups, or as families, bringing with them copious amounts of beer and sake, and basicaly do lots of funny dances, drink and eat a lot, and have a good time.

Yesterday I went by myself to the Tokyo International Anime Fair at the Tokyo Big Sight convention centre. Of course there were plenty of pretty Japanese promo-girls dressed as the latest popular manga and anime cartoon characters handing out flyers and stickers. There were also performances from some popular J-pop stars, and some cool dances from a bunch of people dressed up like the family from the Doraemon cartoon series.

Although it wasnt all fun and glitter. I woke up that morning feeling a little strange, with a not-so-happy tummy. I got the train with Kinu to Shinjuku station, where we departed our train from Kichijoji station to make it to the connecting train. I rushed to the mens toilet, waited for a vacancy, then jumped onto the Japanese style toilet - see "ceramic hole in the ground, with pole in the wall to keep you from falling in"! What came out of my body, squating over that hole, for the next 5 minutes must have come straight from hell, and I dont want to go into too much detail. Any way, feeling a little better, I waved goodbye to Kinu as she made her way to work, then got on the train to Tokyo Big Sight. Upon arriving at my final station, I got off the train, only to get that salty taste in my mouth, you know the one, the one I get a few seconds before I inevitably spew forth the contents of my stomach for all of Tokyo to see!!! I dont know how I did it, but I managed to join the not-so exclusive club of Japanese/nonJapanese men that have vommited on the Tokyo train tracks, without too many innocent bystanders!!!

Anyway, the rest of the day was followed by intermitant recurrances of the brown variety, from both holes. It took me 3 hours to get back home, I got stuck at one station, making about 6 trips back and forth to the toilet, and filled up a plastic bag with vommit on an unsuccesful rush back to the mens room.

I got home, jumped into our ofuro - J-style bathtub, and let the day soak away. having cleansed the demons from my body, I went to sleep in our futon, and waited for Kinu to get home from work...

So anyway, my O-Day for Nova is April 5th, then I start teaching English for them. In the meantime, I have applied for a couple of other part time jobs that start this week.

In other news, I have been teachnig myself Japanese, using a few helpful text books. I now have a J-mobile phone, of couse, it has a digital camera built in.

Soon I will be buying myself a PC, and then updating a website of my adventures.... stay tuned.

FYI: I am currently in Tokyo, Japan. I am living in a small apartment in a nice area of the metropolis that is Tokyo. I am sharing the apartment with my J-girlfriend, Kinu. Her mum and dad live about 7 minutes walk from our place. There is a beautiful park about 4 minutes walk from our apartment. It is filled with Cherry Blossom trees, and has a mystical shrine and small Zoo at one end, in the middle of a magical pond. I have a 6 month Working Holiday Visa, but I plan to extend that to a full-time sponsored Visa.


heres some links to help explain this email........
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html
http://www.att.ne.jp/hamihami/jeff/2nd/
http://www.nephco.com/doraemon/
http://www.bigsight.jp/english/
http://www.taf.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/index.html http://505i.nttdocomo.co.jp/product/n505is/index.html

regards,
Marcello

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Ode

Africa
September 2004

Africa a continent of hunger, disease, corruption, war and lost hope? Wrong, Africa has its own message to bring to the rest of the world.

It's before me. I know I should read it now. I really like to read it.
However, I have no time to spare.

I need something to survive.

I'm thinking deeply over what language will be helpful for my future.

I have an awful time in terms of my business.
At last I get to know earning money is not easy.
When I was an employee, I didn't care about my monthly paycheck.
Because my company gave me a paycheck on an apponinted time.

I set up a start-up company with my friends 1 year ago.
In a depression it's not likely to be easy to stand all hardships.
So now I'm thinking about what to do for my future and business.

First of all, from a commercial point of view, Korea is small compared with China, Japan and the US. So there are more chances to get in China, Japan as well as the US. Secondly, Japan and China are very geographically, culturally close to Korea. You know especailly 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. Definitely there will be lots of opportunities in China.

So I'm asking which language will be promising, Japanese or Chinese(Mandarin)?
I don't know how long it takes to master one of them.
Anyway, I should start learning one of them ASAP.



A Korean teacher as a volunteer

Last Saturday I visited GOA'L office located in Seoul.
GOA'L means "Global Oversees Adoptees' Link" founded by 12 oversees Korean adoptees in 1998.

Why did I visit there by the way?
'Cause I'm a really good person. right?

There are some people (Oversees Korean Adoptees) who want to learn Korean in order to communicate with their real parents without any help. You know they left for new countries such as the US, France, Denmark and the like with their foster parents when they were a child or a baby. So they now can't speak 'Korean' any more. They need a Korean teacher or an interpreter.

You know my Korean ability is good enough to teach someone. I think I must share my ability with others.

Hm, I'm waiting for my student. To be honest, I'm afraid of teaching Korean. Because I've already realized teaching Korean and Speaking Korean are quite different.