Artists Lee

Defining our everyday in a new light.
His illustrations tell us a story.
A story of a human living in a society.
Before you know it, you will see yourself in it.
That is probably why these illustrations touch me so dearly.

Korean Artists 이수동, Lee Su Dong

" The reason why snow melts"

The Dream

Dream comes true,
for those who work for it.
Dream that dream,
Make that dream come true,
Trust that dream,
and don't ever give up on that dream.

The Goose's dream.

거위의꿈.

난 난꿈이 있었죠 버려지고 찢겨 남루하여도
내 가슴 깊숙히 보물과 같이 간직했던꿈
혹 때론 누군가가 뜻 모를 비웃음 내 등뒤에올릴때도 //
난 참아야 했죠 참을수 있었죠 그 날을위해

늘 걱정하듯말하죠 헛된꿈은 독이라고
세상은 끝이 정해진 책처럼
이미 돌이킬수 없는 현실이라고
그래요 난 난 꿈이 있어요 그 꿈을 믿어요
나를 지켜봐요 저 차갑게 서있는 운명이란
벽 앞에 당당히 마주칠수있어요 ..

언젠가 나 그벽을 넘고서
저하늘을 높이 나를수 있어요 //
이 무거운 세상도 나를 묶을 순 없죠
내삶의 끝에서 나 웃을 그 날을 함꼐해요. ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFHcu9gqr2s&feature=related

The Outliers

Malcolm Galdwell introduces insightful way of reading the everyday fight in a new light. As he notes in this book too, not all successful people became successful just because they are smart. The extraordinary success these outliers achieve is more related to the opportunities they receive then their talents. Rather than the IQ, it is the 10,000 hours of practice that matters more. Rather than your natural talent, it is the natural opportunity and chances that come across you. But there is another secret he didn't reveal. If you really mean something and work 10,000 times hard, nothing is really impossible. Nothing.

- Malcolm Galdwell, The Outliers

The Road Ahead

The problem today is there are just too many path, too many options, too many choices. It used to be easier. Either yes or no. Black or white. Go or stay. But the ultimate lesson remains the same. As Robert Frost said before, I agree, take the path less traveled, and you will discover something in you surprising and delightful.

Take that road. Be brave. But don't forget to enjoy it.

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having pehaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing thee
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowning how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.



------

He said it. That has made all the difference.

The Capital

It's a world full of madness and excitement.
Be part of the game,
if not, your squared.

Washington, D.C.
USA

Fall, 2009

Korean Dessert, Pat Bing Su!

South Korea,

all over the country,

And who says its too late to have some tasty summer dessert! I was not going to let the summer end before I try out some of my favorite Korean summer dessert, Pat-bing su (팥빙수)! The simple recipe is that its shaved ice with red bean and additional topping. Now the general topping would be some fruit, nuts, ice cream, or even some chewy rice cake. But Koreans have begin to add some new taste into this mix. And here are some of the new ones that I have tried and simply loved!

1. Green tea Pat-bing Su (녹차 빙수)

Here is the second typical kind. Red bean with green tea flavored ice cream. As you see the bowel seems small but its full of both cold, sweet, and chewy parts that will fill your mouth with happiness.

2. Dae-chu Pat-bing su (대추 팥빙수)

Now, so here is something different! Pat-bing su mixed with Dae-chu, chewy rice cake and nuts. Daechu, so called Chinese date or jujube, is a Koreans favorite traditional ingredient used to cook food or dessert. Its often used in making meals or even rice cakes, but putting that dates in an ice creamy dessert! The initial thought of putting these dates (as you see below) was rather odd, but the taste was quite rewarding! The dates are usually chewy, but the ones inside this ice dessert were dried and crispy that it countered the cold and creamy taste of the red bean and ice shave dessert!

Dae Chu
South Korea

3. Black Bean Pat-bing Su (검은콩팥빙수)

So I told you that this dessert usually comes with Red Bean. Wouldn't it be too much to add black bean too? No! This one in particular also added some rice cake and different kinds of nuts under the red bean and shaved ice that made its combination just yummy! I, myself, being a rice cake and traditional flavor lover was in love immediately. I know the weather is getting cooler, but I think I can tackle this one again any time. It was simply the best!

4. Green Tea Pat-bing Su (녹차 빙수)

Another kind of Green Tea flavor. But this one in particular was unique not because of its full greenness but its full green pure taste! This was one of the rare kinds that used not green tea powder on the ice but actually had the green tea taste inside the ice. Even the ice cream was more creamy and milky. Simple but tasty! No wonder this place is famous.

5. And other kinds,

I forgot the name of this one but this one also was unique in its way of adding Korean traditional rice flavor, so called Missugaru (미숫가루). It was pretty filling as usual.

Busan 2 and more, South Korea

Busan,

and driving north to Juwang Mountain (주왕산) in Pohang (포항).

South Korea

First,

before leaving Busan we made another stop by. This Buddhist temple became famous for its location. As you see here, its a wonder how they have managed to set itself near this seashore. Even I had a glimpse to stand next to admire this powerful blue nature making peace with this temple on land.

Our next destination was to head to Juwang mountain in Pohang. While Korea is full of mountainous regions, this mountain in particular is uniquely shaped with big rocks that seems to resemble those hills that you will find in China rater than Korea. The drive from Busan was not close, for Pohang was in the middle of the country, but as we continued to drive up, these green endless scenes relaxed our eyes. I almost drove more than three hours that day but the green field surrounding me never bored me. Hm.

So where is this mountain? Here is a map to show how mountainous this region is!

In fact, not only is its surrounding full of mountains, the road itself was full of curves. This map below shows it. Its not just the map that has such sharp curves constantly, that's how curvy and twisty the roads where! We almost got car sick.

YET!

When we finally arrived, Ta da! LOOK at this great mountain!

and the surrounding rocks!

Even this temple at the entrance seemed to express its grandness and mightiness. Our brief hiking up this slop was immediately welcomed later with hot chicken soup.