Korean Kristmas

Had the Day off! Christmas Day that is. I worked on the Eve before until about 1030. Taught about symphonies, while concentrating mostly on Beethoven's Eroica. I mispronounced it each time I came across the term in class. Air-oyca. Air-o-ica. I think I may have even said Erotica at one point.

The subject material was difficult. Even for a master musician such as myself.

Piano for 6 years. Six excruciating years of my mom forcing me to tickle the ivories. I actually told my class that my mom would literally tie me to the piano for hours upon hours, forcing me to practice. Wish I stuck with the classical instrument. All I can play now is the intro to Satin Doll, the Jaws theme song (da-da...da-da...) and the C-scale.

Guitar for 1 year. I found it smashed in the basement one day. Guess somebody in my house didn't like hearing BB-Mack-Back Here, Baby 30 times a day. I think I really could've made a career as a guitarist. I was beginning to write my own music. Had a great tune about "Love in the Lunchroom," involving an overweight high school student and his undying, unrequited love for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Played the saxophone for a couple weeks and blew out thousands of ear-bleeding squeaks. I think I only took up the sax because of a girl I liked in 7th grade. Thought I could easily pick it up, throw on some shades and groove my smooth self right on into her life.

Could've been me. "We could have been so good together. We could've lived this dance forever."

Christmas in Korea was not at all like Xmas in the states. Only about 30% of Koreans are Christian. There is not the kind of hype that happens throughout the month of December in America. This is both a good and bad thing.

Good because I don't hear Christmas music, see Christmas movies non-stop everywhere I go. I can play both on my computer when I feel the need to. Downloaded some great songs from the Bad Santa soundtrack. Exceptional movie.

I did miss being with family, friends, decorating the Christmas tree with preschool art class creations and sitting around a warm fire on Avalon Circle. It was difficult to Skype my family Christmas Day. Not just because it was 8 am my time and the earliest I'd woken up in about 5 years, but also because I miss them.

I spent Christmas in Seoul with LW. It was nice to see him. He's always in such high spirits, especially around the holidays.

We had a great dinner in Itaewon. Turkey, mashed potatoes, apple pie. The Thanksgiving dinner I never ate. Nice change from Tuna and ketchup. My rice cooker broke the other night, so it is difficult to include that staple any longer.

We exited Itaewon soon after dinner. As you've learned from previous posts, it would probably not be a wise area to ring in Christmas cheer.

Caught a glimpse of this guy down an alley outside the restaurant. Kind of distressing.

The food was delicious and the night was eventful. But not quite as eventful as our next night in Hongkik University. Here are a few of the exciting and strange things that happened the night after Christmas:

1. Never Again Bennigan-

Went out to dinner at Bennigans in the City Hall area of Seoul, which is probably the most beautiful area I've seen during this holiday season. Amazing lights, horse drawn carriages, friendly people, Christmas trees. The type of Holiday Cheer I don't see in Chuncheon.

Anyway, I ordered a steak at Bennigans. Mushroom steak. Medium rare. I guess all the waitress heard was rare.

Bloody and extremely chewy. I couldn't even cut into it. I almost just grabbed it with my two hands and ripped the meat off with my teeth. By the time I told her to take it back, it looked like I had dissected and completely mutilated some poor animal.

She didn't seem to be too happy and brought my steak back without any sides. We then had a discussion about tapeworms and convinced Alex that he had one. We also debated whether tapeworms were still or should be used by obese people to lose weight.

2. I can be Jewish for a drink.

Conversation with a guy who graduated from Brown on Saturday night.

Me- Where did you go to school?

Him- Brown, baby!

Me- Wow. Great school. I have two cousins that graduated from there in '07.

Him- Really? Who? What are their names?

Me- Goldberg.

Him- Ahhh. So you're Jewish?! Me too! Shots?!

Me- ....N--heim!!

3. Cait Hall.

Had a Fordham Reunion in Korea. Cait Hall, Alex K and Matt Monagan together in Seoul. We all lived in Alumni South Freshman year and found ourselves posing in a picture in a South Korean bar very much the same way we would've posed for one in Jolly Tinkers in the BX.

It was great to see her and hear about her experience.

However, I think most of the night all I kept saying to her was, "Cait Hall...Korea!"

It was hard to really get into a deep conversation. Just couldn't stop dancin'.

4. Come on Eileen!

Come on Eileen. A classic college/bar song. Really gets people pumped up and out on the dance floor. I'd say it's up there with Shout and Return of the Mac. Even though nobody knows what the singer is saying in many points throughout the song. Guess thats what makes it great at bars. If you're drunk and unable to speak, you can't really mess up the lyrics to Eileen, because there aren't any actual words. Same with "Louie, Louie."

Anyway, I was getting into the song with a large group of people. Doo, ra, doo, ra, doo, rayaa! All of a sudden, I was lifted up into the air and carried across the bar. This happens many places Eileen is played. There should be a warning from the DJ.

As they carried me, they were also tossing me up and down, like I was some piece of plywood. No regard for human life. My head must've hit the ceiling at least 5 times.

Do I have brain damage? Possibly.

Will I crowdsurf to Come On Eileen again? Come onnn...Absolutely.

Good Movie, Great Soundtrack

There are many things I could choose to do with my free time in Korea:

I could read classic, world literature, write a novel, become fluent in Korean, take steroids/lift at the gym and come back to the U.S. breaking skulls, learn how to use chopsticks correctly, cook a real, filling meal or learn how to play the tuba.

But instead, I choose to read once in a while and, most of the time, watch endless hours of American movies online. Thank you OV-Guide.

I've watched classics like "Almost Famous," "American Beauty" and "The Never Ending Story."

I've also caught up on popular films I'd told people I'd seen to carry-on with a conversation and avoid explanations why I hadn't seen them. "Pulp Fiction," "The Usual Suspects," and "Being John Malchovich."

But what I love more than anything are great movies with even better soundtracks. "The Shawshank Redemption" is a prime example of a film with an amazing soundtrack.

The sharp rises and falls of Thomas Newman's orchestra flow perfectly with Morgan Freeman's poetic narrations throughout Redemption. Can there be hope? Should there be hope? The right soundtrack can sometimes make an entire movie for me. Here are a few recent examples I came across:

Groove Armada- Hands of Time (Collateral)

Awesome song to listen to at night. It's played in the movie when Jamie Foxx's character is driving Jada-Pinkett Smith's character along the LA Freeway at night. Most people I talk to hate LA. It's trash. It's so polluted. It smells like a porta-potty in a sewage dump.

But when you watch this scene in the movie, with Groove Armada in the background and Michael Mann's creative outlining of a warm, tempting LA night, the city looks magical.

La Vie en Rose- Louis Armstrong (Wall-E)

Doesn't seem like a good song for a Pixar-animated film about a robot? It's not good. It is perfect. The song is so simple and innocent, just like Wall-E's love for his foreign robot. Listening to him wheeling around to this slow, soft melody really captured the simplicity and uniqueness with which this film was made.

This song has also turned me on to listening to more Jazz music. DLin' a lot of Louie Armstrong.

Also: Other soundtracks done by Thomas Newman- (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Most Sam Mendes movies)

Beauty:

Fordham Bball...Just a little less Whitty these days

He came, he screamed, he won, he danced with the fans. Then he lost. Then he lost again. Then he lost 94 times in six seasons.

Don't get me wrong. Derek Whittenburg was a great dancer. But even a Mono dance can't get somebody out of a 69-112 record.

It seemed that Coach Whitt was a great speaker, had high energy and superb relationships with administration. But was he a coach? Did he have the best facilities? And why didn't this guy get more quality P.T. during his reign?

LUUUUKKKEEEEE!!!

Coach Whitt:

What did he do?

He compiled a 135-162 record over 10 seasons and change. His best year came at Wagner where he led the Seahawks to the a 15th seed in the NCAA tournament in '03.

Wagner competes against powerhouses such as Central Connecticut State University and Farleigh Dickinson (Fairly Ridiculous) University in the NEC.

What does NEC stand for? That is not a rhetorical question. I actually have no idea.

He came into Fordham fresh off this NCAA tournament appearance/disappearance during a 20 point loss to Pitt. He was well-liked by the fans for his high energy and ability to recruit better talent than prior coaches.

After an 18-12 season my sophomore year and strong showing in the A-10 tournament, things looked good. Expectations were high for a team of returning seniors, including one Bryan Dunston, who is playing here in South Korea and doing quite well.

But, the next 2 years were atrocious. There seemed to be no set plays in his offense. It was run and gun, and miss.

It was like an Overlook game back at Kingsbury School in Waterbury. The days when it was ok to wear sweatpants and school shoes on the hardwood. Dads refereed and players ran back and forth faster than piano metronomes.

I was more inclined to go to the campus chapel or even the library.

His ability to coach and relate to his players came into question and ultimately, he was fired this past Thursday.

Gymnasium Archaism:

But was it all Whitt's fault?

Fordham University's Rose Hill Gymnasium is the oldest gym still in use in NCAA division I basketball...

How many times do you hear it if you're at Fordham? 15-20. How many times do you like hearing it? 2. I only liked hearing it when Hubert Davis said it during an ESPN game my junior year and when I heard myself telling other people that Hubert Davis said it during an ESPN game.

How many perspective players enjoy playing in it? 1. Matty Beck: walk-on, '10.

GREAT!! The Oldest Gym in America! That's like having the oldest version of the I-pod or oldest car in the high school parking lot.

You are constantly made fun of by others for your inability to measure up in size and style.

Who wants to play in the oldest gym in America? Does Fordham even have any kind of basketball history that would prevent Ram enthusiasts from tearing down the 3,740 seat arena?

Looked up Fordham Basketball History on Wikipedia:

At the time it was built, it was one of the largest on-campus facilities in the country, earning it the nickname "The Prairie." The Rose Hill Gymnasium has been the site of many legendary college and high school basketball games, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's final high school game. During World War II, it was also used as a barracks. New York City Mayor Ed Koch lived in these barracks for a time.

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Who cares? Can I get an A-1o Championship? Can I get a top 50 high-school player? We are in New York City. Let's build a new arena down by Lincoln Center and entice some talent from this huge NYC pool. Send a scout down to Rucker Park. Have Fat Joe "Make it Rain" basketball players on Eddies Parade. Prairie gots to go.