As my regular reader(s) know, I spend a fair amount of my off-duty time in Itaewon. Or as some less generous souls refer to it: Shitaewon.

Nice article in the Stars and Stripes talking about how things are changing here. It’s something I have noticed and commented on myself. Fewer sleazy bars (although there are still plenty around) more upscale restaurants and high end shopping. And I have also noticed that many more Koreans are spending quality time here these days, whereas in the recent past most Koreans tended to avoid the area altogether.

Here’s one example: one day a former employee asked if I would drop her off in Itaewon on my way home from work. She was meeting friends to try out one of the newly opened restaurants. As we entered town she said “oh, I hate Itaewon”. I asked her why and she matter-of-factly replied “too many Americans.” I was shocked and exclaimed “Ms. Kim, that is like me saying I hate Los Angeles because there are too many Koreans!” She said I didn’t understand what she meant. For her, as a single woman in Itaewon she was afraid people would look at her like she was searching for a foreigner boyfriend and she didn’t want to be thought of that way. Not sure that made me feel any better about her remark, but it was her honest feeling.

Anyway, it is good to see more of the locals out enjoying what really is a pretty vibrant and eclectic environment. We are even getting some brave Korean customers coming into Dolce Vita these days. Sometimes I think they are just there to watch the Miguks at play, but everyone gets along so I suppose Rodney King would be proud.

Stars and Stripes also had an article explaining how Itaewon got its name which is quite fascinating:

Itaewon has long been known as the foreigner’s neighborhood in South Korea.

The area got its name more than four centuries ago, when invading Japanese troops broke into a Buddhist temple there and raped the nuns.

When the Korean government returned to Seoul after the invasion, it allowed nuns who had gotten pregnant to live and raise their babies there at a nursery established for them.

The area was named I Tae Won. “I” means “different,” “Tae” means “fetus,” and “Won” means “home.” Some Japanese troops who surrendered at the end of the war settled in Itaewon, establishing a permanent foreign presence there.

During the 1600s, Itaewon’s name came to mean “large pear tree” because of the trees planted there. There isn’t a single remaining pear tree in Itaewon.

Itaewon is now home to most of Seoul’s expat population.

Even today, folks of mixed race ancestry are close to the bottom of social hierarchy here in Korea. One rung up from being a foreigner. I guess its for the best that we are all hanging out in our own little colony. Wouldn’t want to scare the children.

I say the above tongue-in-cheek. I am quite fond of the Korean people and almost all have been kind and respectful to me. I do not mean to be overly critical of cultural norms and traditions, but I am also glad to note that things are gradually changing for the better (at least from my perspective).

And here’s a final S&S story to “warm” your heart:

An 8th Army soldier allegedly set fire to an Itaewon restaurant after a night of binge drinking, South Korean police said.

Police said a 22-year-old Army specialist stationed at K-16 Air Base is under investigation for the early Thursday fire. He allegedly jumped onto the terrace of My Thai China, set fire to a mound of trash because he was cold, then passed out, police said.

The soldier, police said, was rescued from the blaze by Korean movie star Hong Suk-chon, who owns the My Thai China and four other Itaewon restaurants.

After calling emergency services, Hong spotted the soldier asleep on a chair inside the restaurant. He pulled the soldier from the building and carried him away from the fire on his back.

Police said Hong will not press charges against the soldier.

“[Hong] said he does not want the soldier to be punished since he did not believe the soldier did it intentionally,” the policeman said. “He was very worried about whether [the soldier] was injured.”

This story I am sure would have a different (less positive) spin the Korean media as the escapades of drunken soldiers get big play here. No excuse for this kind of conduct and it perpetuates a negative sterotype that is not the norm for the vast majority of military personnel serving in Korea. It takes one hundred good acts to overcome the damage caused by one foolish individual.

But what is most impressive here is the action and reaction of the business owner, Mr. Hong. His courage in rescuing the soldier is only matched by the genoristy of his forgiveness. That is an extremely rare combination these days in any country. I will make it a point to eat in one of Mr. Hong’s establishments as a small token of my esteem.

That’s the news from the ‘Twon.

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Here’s a nice video from the USFK webpage talking about the benefits of living and working in Korea.

I’ve been here almost four years now, so I don’t need convincing. Still, as an HR guy I have to deal with recruitment and retention issues and let me tell you, it ain’t easy sometimes. To the extent that some folks impression of Korea is limited to old M*A*S*H episodes, perhaps this video will open some eyes.

Yeah, there is a crazy guy living up north who *may* have some nukes in his WMD arsenal, but I almost always feel safer here than I did in the states. Except when I’m driving.

Anyway, for those who are interested in the lifestyle here, check out the video linked above.

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…then I should be pretty damn happy.

Here’s an example: Yesterday I spent a lazy day doing my usual routine of ‘net surfing and CIV IV. Around six I shower up and prepare to head out to Dolce for a special editon of the Friday night tourney–”Eric’s Last Hurrah”. Yep, another year, another friend rotating back to the States.

So anyway, after I got dressed I just didn’t feel right. Coudn’t put my finger on what it was, not exactly dizzy but off-kilter somehow. I even looked in the mirror to see if my glasses were dirty, but they seemed fine. Off I went to Dolce but I was still out of sorts. My dart game is always inconsistent, but I just couldn’t “get a feel” for my throws last night. I didn’t totally suck, but I was definitely off my game. In fact in a double elimination tourney, my partner Lonnie and I lost four straight legs and we were the first 8 teams to be eliminated. Which is unusual for me. As I told CH last night, I didn’t stick around long enough for him to beat me. Oh well.

I did stay for some free beers (Eric got a keg as a going away present). I guess the drinking gave me back some equilibrium, or at least the beer buzz made the out of sorts feeling seem natural. I went out for some bulgogi and then headed home. Where I discovered what had been wrong with me.

Get this–on the bathroom floor is one of the lenses from my eyeglasses. Yep, I had gone the whole night with half a pair of glasses and never noticed. Neither apparently did the 30-some people in Dolce Vita. I am sure some of the darters would have loved a good laugh at my expense had they noticed.

Well mystery solved and the diagnosis is late stage stupidity.

And just to underscore the ignorance point–these were my “backup” glasses I was wearing last night. The other day I took off my new glasses while changing my shirt and laid them on the bed. In the exact spot where I would ultimately sit down to put on my socks.

So today I will be making a visit to the eyeglass store for repairs wearing my back-up back-up frames. I will of course be completely cheerful in my response if he asks how I managed to break both pairs.

Hey, I must be a real happy guy. After all, ignorance is bliss!

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It is the dawning of another year. My wish to all of you is that it be filled with happiness, success, and the love of friends and family.

As my regular reader(s) may have guessed, I rang in the new year with my friends at Dolce Vita. YJ put out a turkey feast with all the trimmings. John and company provided live music, and of course there was darts.

By midnight the place was really rockin’ and we all paused to watch the Korean traditional ringing of the bell to welcome in the new year. (Similar to the dropping ball in Times Square, just a couple of thousand years older). Then some of the patrons emulated by ringing the bar bar, which of course resulted in shots for the house. After a couple of those it was time for me to go home, and home I went.

Happy New Year!

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I suppose it is fair to say that no one is really interested in hearing about another person’s nocturnal dreams. Except maybe their shrink. Having said that, let me share what I remember of my dream last night.

I was the only American with a group of South Koreans that infiltrated North Korea. Not sure what our mission was and we weren’t being all that discreet, because we were openly hanging about some market-like place. Then out of nowhere, Kim, Jong Il spots us. Turns out we were armed with axes. One of the South Koreans who was our leader had this long handled axe and I noted mine was better suited to chopping kindling than a Norks’ head. Didn’t matter because our leader promptly whacked Mr. Kim and declared himself the new ruler of the North. Not sure if that was going to result in the long anticipated reunification, but it did have a feeling of mission accomplished.

Shortly thereafter I encounter the senior Mr. Kim Il Sung, apparently returned from the dead. I pushed him down a long flight of stairs and he was dead (again) by the time he hit the bottom.

I reported this fact to my comrades and received nods of approval. Then I woke up.

You know, where else on the internet are you going to find crap like this? It’s my pleasure to bring it to you.

Cheers!

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At least according to Igor Panarin, a Russian academic quoted in in this ariticle from the Wall Street Journal.

For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument — that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S. — very seriously. Now he’s found an eager audience: Russian state media.

Prof. Panarin, 50 years old, is not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s academy for future diplomats. He is invited to Kremlin receptions, lectures students, publishes books, and appears in the media as an expert on U.S.-Russia relations.

But it’s his bleak forecast for the U.S. that is music to the ears of the Kremlin, which in recent years has blamed Washington for everything from instability in the Middle East to the global financial crisis. Mr. Panarin’s views also fit neatly with the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia is returning to its rightful place on the world stage after the weakness of the 1990s, when many feared that the country would go economically and politically bankrupt and break into separate territories.

A polite and cheerful man with a buzz cut, Mr. Panarin insists he does not dislike Americans. But he warns that the outlook for them is dire.

And we all know that Russia has been the model state for promoting peace and stability throughout the world. Just ask a Georgian.

Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six pieces — with Alaska reverting to Russian control.

Heh. I guess Sarah Palin will be able to see Russia from her front porch after all.

He based the forecast on classified data supplied to him by FAPSI analysts, he says. He predicts that economic, financial and demographic trends will provoke a political and social crisis in the U.S. When the going gets tough, he says, wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and effectively secede from the union. Social unrest up to and including a civil war will follow. The U.S. will then split along ethnic lines, and foreign powers will move in.

California will form the nucleus of what he calls “The Californian Republic,” and will be part of China or under Chinese influence. Texas will be the heart of “The Texas Republic,” a cluster of states that will go to Mexico or fall under Mexican influence. Washington, D.C., and New York will be part of an “Atlantic America” that may join the European Union. Canada will grab a group of Northern states Prof. Panarin calls “The Central North American Republic.” Hawaii, he suggests, will be a protectorate of Japan or China, and Alaska will be subsumed into Russia.

Well, the current People’s Republic of California is already more communistic/socialist than China, so that part seems like a good fit. Texas a part of Mexico? But what claim does Mexico have on Texas for crissakes. And oh yeah, remember the Alamo?

Canada will “grab” a group of northern states? With what, the RCMP? I have much respect for my Canadian cousins, but last I looked they don’t have the military capacity to grab their ass with both hands. I suspect a combined force of deer hunters from Michigan and Wisconsin could pretty much conquer all of the Great White North over a long weekend. Well, except for Alberta. Those guys are still scary tough.

From what I’ve heard, Hawaii is already pretty much a vassal of Japan and New England has my blessings if it wants to join the EU. Them damn Yankees are way to European in their thinking anyway. Who needs ‘em?

“It would be reasonable for Russia to lay claim to Alaska; it was part of the Russian Empire for a long time.” A framed satellite image of the Bering Strait that separates Alaska from Russia like a thread hangs from his office wall. “It’s not there for no reason,” he says with a sly grin.

It’s all about the oil. No blood for oil!

The professor says he’s convinced that people are taking his theory more seriously. People like him have forecast similar cataclysms before, he says, and been right. He cites French political scientist Emmanuel Todd. Mr. Todd is famous for having rightly forecast the demise of the Soviet Union — 15 years beforehand. “When he forecast the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1976, people laughed at him,” says Prof. Panarin.

I know I’m taking this seriously. Who in the hell is going to pay my federal pension after the breakup? THIS WILL NOT STAND!!!!

Professor Panarin provides this helpful post-apocalypse map so we can all study up on our U.S. geography. Oh wait, we never studied the old geography. Ignorant Americans!

Since I’m scheduled to be in Korea until January 2011 I guess I’ll miss all the excitement. Good luck, y’all.

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Well, if their television commercials are any indication, Denmark is clearly an advanced society. (and if I am misreading and this isn’t Danish (and I don’t mean pastry), well then feel free to have a laugh at my expense as well.

Enjoy (but probably not at work!). Unless you are in Denmark that is. Er, I guess if you were in Denmark you would see it on TV. Ah well, here it is:

Link:

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The weather has been cold, but that’s nothing compared to my darts. I played in three tourneys at Dolce last night, although showing up and getting my ass kicked is more accurate. Started off ok in the first round of the singles tourney. Threw a Ton-80 and an 85 out. Then I ran in to CH who was en fuego. Two legs against him and out.

And that was my high point for the night. CH and his partner waxed us in both of the following doubles tournaments. Pretty frustrating night all and all.

Tonight is the Christmas tournament at Blue Frog. Here’s hoping a change in venue will wake my darts from their winter slumber.

Check back tomorrow for the results…

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back home it’s the day after Christmas now too. Tried to call the folks but was foiled by voice mail. Alas. Apparently the family is gathering in South Carolina on Sunday so I will call them Monday morning. This International Date Line thing is a trip, isn’t it?

Spent most of the day playing CIV IV. Heh, my other hobby. I usually manage to win, but I can’t seem to figure out how to build a respected score while doing so. I’m likely to keep trying.

Yesterday went fine. I love it when people specify how they prefer their steaks cooked. Like that’s gonna happen cooking on a grill that flames like the sparks of Satan. Gawd, that was a tortured metaphor, wasn’t it? And it was dark out on the balcony too. Anyway, most of the steaks came out more or less medium, except for the guy who asked for well done. His came out the rarest of all. But, it was blackest on the outside. Go figure. The cake (the one I added 1 1/4 cup too much water too) was not fit for serving, so I didn’t. Everyone was full up anyway (or so they professed) so we skipped the dessert all together.

Tonight its the regular Friday dart tourney at Dolce. I always look forward to that. I think this is the night we say farewell to Eric as well. Yep, another soldier blowing town. Good guy, he’ll be missed.

Egads, I’m really trying to do the “post a day” thing, but this drivel is mind numbing. So, I know Duke, Jim and Jenn are still dropping by. I will try and find something worthwhile to say but I’ve been saying that for about four years now, so don’t hold your breath.

Anyong.

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Merry Christmas to each and every one!

I am far from a “bah humbug” frame of mind, although I can’t say I’ve caught much of a holiday good cheer kinda buzz. I did put up a Christmas tree this year. And played a Christmas CD. Last night threw some darts at Dolce with Jim, Eric and Natalie. Then went to Manila Bar for some Videoke. Butchered a few Christmas tunes but no one seemed to mind.

Stopped at a little dive on the way home for some galbi (marinated grilled pork) then home to be snug in my bed in case Santa stopped by. He didn’t, but no worries. I wasn’t that naughty!

This evening I’m having some folks over for dinner. Making steaks. Not exactly your traditional Christmas feast, but I wasn’t up to trying to bake a ham. Making a carrot cake for dessert, but I added to much water so I’m waiting to see how that’s gonna turn out.

And that’s my Christmas day. Hope yours is merry and bright.

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My reader(s) know me all to well apparently.

I was catching up with Jenn over at “I’ve got 2 shoes” and she had a post mentioning that my blog had “disappeared”. Not disappeared in the sense that I haven’t posted jack shit in weeks, but disappeared in the sense that you could not reach it through the mysterious vagracies of those Internets. She updated to say that my blog was back (again, meaning accessible). There was one comment on Jenn’s post:

i was able to get into Long Time Gone’s blog but nothing has been updated. I think John is in another of his moods.

Well and aptly put NYinKorea!

I can’t leave comments at “I got 2 Shoes”. No, I haven’t been banned. Just that google ID thing won’t work for me. I mean I got one and all, but either I don’t remember something or I am just too stupid for Blogger. Sorta like when I was asked “are you really that ignorant or are you just apathetic?” I replied “I don’t know and I don’t care”.

ba da bing.

So, this makes two posts in two days. And who says quantity don’t beat quality?

Let’s see how long it takes someone to notice I really am back.

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and I guess I’ve been a long time gone…

I’m kinda sorta thinking about resurrecting this here blog of mine. Not that I expect to have anything profound to say, but I do miss the connection writing here gives me to the outside world. No question about it, I’ve been deep in my cocoon living a very, very insular life of late.

That may not change anytime soon, but what the hell. It’s probably just me here by now anyway.

So, what’s been going on with me? Pretty much the same old, same old. Least that how it feels. But I guess when you are living for the day, one day starts to seem like all the others somehow. No complaints and no real worries to express. I’ve been blessed I know, and even if things are not how I would most want them to be, they ain’t too damn bad either. So, that’s about as profound as things get here at LTG.

My new job has really turned out to be quite the challenge, although that was not unexpected. What surprises me a little is how I’ve responded. I guess it’s fair to say I’ve been pretty much coasting career-wise these past several years. Lost the fire if you get my meaning. This job doesn’t allow just “showing up”, there are high demands and high expectations from command leadership and it is not in my nature to let my bosses down. And this stuff is much bigger than me, there are many people impacted by decisions I make and I’ll be damned if I am going to fail through lack of effort. Which is the long way of saying I’ve been working hard lately.

I really don’t (and can’t) talk about work specifics, but I’ve been taking on some pretty high profile taskings which require direct interaction with many general officers, including the commander. I actually had to step up and tell him he was about to take a path that would inevitably end badly. I got one of those 4-star stares and a rather blunt response, but to his credit, he listened and took a different course of action. That was a day I went home feeling like I’d earned my pay for sure. Of course, being two years out from retirement I’ve got enough job security that courage comes a little easier for me than it might for others. What are they going to do, take away my birthday?

I do find the interactions between these general officers quite fascinating to observe. I have tremendous respect for these leaders who are for the most part quite brilliant. They could certainly be executives or CEOs in the private sector making big bucks, but they have devoted their lives to military service and I can’t help but honor that. At the end of the day, they are just like the rest of us with all the human quirks and warts, but they also have a special quality about them. Confidence in abundance to be sure, but what really impresses me is the ability to see the big picture and quickly grasp the myriad details of complex issues and to make generally sound decisions and provide direction. Leadership at its essence.

Anyway, work is hard but it has its rewards. My personal life will remain for the most part personal, but I’ve weathered a rough patch and think I came out of it pretty well for the most part. Even after four years here though I still struggle with the annual ritual of saying goodbye to people I’ve grown rather fond of. C’est la vie.

Had a rather difficult dart season. My illness mid-season affected everything in my life, and it took me several weeks to get back on my game. I did manage to finish 8th in the league, which was satisfying given the way I had been playing.

This was my last season with Sliders, as the team is breaking up. In part this was no surprise. Matt returned to the States, and Alistair went back to Scotland. They were the top two players on the team. One of the other guys apparently had some issues with our bar sponsor and decided not to return. I’m not sure what other dynamics were at play, but I really don’t care for the bullshit, I just want to play darts to the best of my ability and have fun doing it.

Anyway, I tried to hook on with the other Dolce Vita “A” division team, but they had (or thought they had) more players than they needed. So, I finangled an invite to play with the neighbor bar, Bless U. I really hate leaving Dolce, but the Blue Bulls are a bunch of good guys and I enjoy hanging out with them, so I’m looking forward to the upcoming season.

So, I guess that pretty much brings you up to date on my so-called life. It’s in my mind to get regular again as far as posting here. But I’ve promised that before, haven’t I?

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Last night I dreamed I was John McCain’s running mate.

And we STILL lost the election!

Go figure.

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“got to be good looking ’cause he’s so hard to see…come together, right now, over me…”

Heh, I’ve not done a Beatles riff on my blog until now. Perhaps I should have continued to refrain from doing so, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to pun.

Of course, I am talking about the Korean monetary unit, the Won (pronouced like “Juan”). Which is in the toilet these days. Folks like Jenn of I’ve Got Two Shoes fame who get paid in Korean money have seen what amounts to a significant pay cut. Me, I get paid in U.S. greenbacks, so I’m feeling almost wealthy these days.

When I first arrived in January 2005 the exchange rate was like W1030 to the dollar. Last year it dropped as low as W960 or so. Now it is over W1300 to the dollar. I exchanged $300. Friday and got almost 400,000 Won back. That’s 25% better than just a few months ago.

Not that I spend all that much money on the economy, I do most of my shopping on post. Still, it makes my beer tab cheaper and that’s a good thing.

“Money don’t buy everything it’s true
But what it don’t buy, I can’t use
Now give me money, that’s what I want…”

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I am doing better with each passing day. It is good to report that I am almost feeling normal again (normal being a relative term when applied to me I suppose).

Still not sure what is going on inside, went to the on-base hospital and saw a military doctor. He doesn’t know either, but at least we could talk about it in English. They took some blood and other bodily fluids for testing, so we’ll see in a few days if they find anything significant.

It is good to have my appetite and sense of taste back. Not sure what caused it, but things like beer and diet Coke suddenly were very bitter tasting. Had me concerned, but I have quaffed a few brews this weekend and all appears normal (eh, there’s that word again).

I have not smoked for two weeks now. And it is killing me. Sometimes I ache for a cigarette, but so far I have managed to exercise more self control than I’m usually capable of maintaining. The real test was playing in a dart tourney yesterday, an event that would normally have me chain smoking a pack or more. Chomped on some gum and craved tobacco like a madman and somehow made it through another day. Wish me luck with this. I have already lost the disgusting smoker’s cough and I keep reminding myself that not ingesting poison smoke may add a few years to retired life, but addiction is not always rationale. So we shall see what happens.

Speaking of the dart tourney, I won the doubles portion. My darts have been shit all season, and the nearly month long hiatis during travel and illness didn’t help my game either. Anyway, I threw much better yesterday which is encouraging. Still not back to where I was, but hopefully I’ve turned the corner on my downward spiral.

Thanks to all who have expressed concern and get well-wishes for me. It means a lot.

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I have never previously been hospitalized. But I have visited enough US hospitals to have a pretty good idea of the experience involves.

Of course, I was not admitted to an American hospital, so I was going in pretty much blind. This is what I experienced:

I was put in a relatively small room with two other Koreans. Two beds were against the wall at the far end of the room. My bed was on the opposite wall near the entrance door. In this configuration, the foot of my bed was approximately six inches from the head of my neighbors bed.

There was a small TV mounted on wall at the “far” end of the room with the volume set on blare.

The bathroom was down the hall 50 feet or so and shared by everyone on the 7th floor.

I was apparently the only foriegner.

The room was not particularly clean. No privacy curtains or other such amenities were in existence.

I was not allowed to eat any food whatsover (interfered with “tests” and the medication I was receiving intraveneously).

I could never get a clear answer on just what was in the yellow liquid being continuosly fed into my arm.

It did eventually bring my fever under control.

I was totally unprepared for this visit and had nothing to help pass the hours and hours of sheer, mind-numbing boredom.

Both of my roommates snored louder than anyone I have ever head. In unison they nearly made the walls vibrate.

Although sleep was a sweet escape, I could only manage a couple of hours each night.

After the first night (Monday), I was ready to be discharged. Lack of sleep, lack of food, lack of mental stimulation were taking their toll. The doctor insisted I stay until Thursday.

Test results indicated I had picked up a pretty common virus that had planted itself in my spleen, which in turn had caused significant reductions in my white blood cell count. This was somewhat of a relief because there had been some talk of Malaria from the docs and I was fearing cancer.

Surprisingly, my second night in hospital turned out to be much worse than the first. As I lay there sleepless listening the snorers I was sure I was losing my mind. I felt totally trapped and helpless. It was the biggest pity party I ever had for myself.

The next morning when the nurse tried to attach a new bag of the mystery yellow fluid to my IV, I forcefully said “anio!”. And then I had her remove the IV from my arm. She was shocked and I am sure it got the staff talking about the miguk who must have lost his mind. A different nurse with slightly better English skills tried to get me to take my medicine bag a couple of hours later, but I again declined saying I was through treating the symptoms, I was in hospital to address the CAUSE of the symptoms. Which went completely over her head. The staff pretty much gave me a wide birth after that.

A doctor (not my primary physician) came by and asked if I wanted to go home and I said yes. He asked why and I explained that they could give whatever was in the yellow fluid in pill form and I could treat the symptoms in the comfort of my home. I wanted to deal with the virus/spleen thing. He said there was nothing they could do about that. So I said just release me and he seemed happy to be rid of my whining ass.

I had to wait two hours while the did the out processing paperwork. I had called Blue Cross earlier and they were getting the documentation they needed to process my claim from the hospital. Or so I thought. The phone rang in the room, and since I alone was ambulatory, I got up and answered. It was Blue Cross asking if things were going ok. I said you tell me. The rep said they had asked for my medical records and were told they had to FAX the request, which they had done 3 hours ago without response. Uh oh, I thought.

So, I am advised by a nurse that “international finance” is ready for me now, and when I arrive I ask if they got the FAX. Apparently so, but it did not matter because they did not have a working arrangement with Blue Cross and I would have to pay out of pocket.

I admit I get grouchy sometimes. Especially when I’m hungry. Or tired. And I was tired and hungry. So, I kind of let the poor guy have it. Then I regained my calm enough to get Blue Cross on the phone. They show Soonchunhwang Hospital as a preferred provider on thier website and I thought they could clear up this misundertanding. Well, it would be funny under different circumstances, but the bottom line is Blue Cross and SCH never completed a contract. Which left me where?

To everyone’s credit more calls were made, higher ups consulted, and finally an exception was made on my behalf. So, six hours after I began trying to escape I was out the door.

And there you have the tale of my first (and hopefully last)time in a Korean hospital.

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I’m not going to belabor this too much, but I got sick the day after returning from the States. Started out with just a feeling of lethargy which I attributed to jet lag. But driving home from work on Thursday I was overcome with the tell-tale chills and shivers that are the precursors of fever.

And fever it was. I was holding pretty steady at 103 through Sunday. Well, I would knock it down for a bit with ibuprofen (prescription strength) but a couple of hours later I would be cookin’ again. Needless to say I was getting much sleep, wasn’t eating, and apparently wasn’t getting better.

When the fever came back stronger than ever Monday morning I was sufficiently motivated to get off the couch and down to the local emergency room at Sookchunhwang Hospital (to which regular readers will know I became acquainted through a couple of previous incidents involving me, er, falling down). Fever is a symptom and since I couldn’t seem to defeat the symptom, I thought maybe some antibiotics to attack the root cause was the way to go.

I’ll give the ER staff credit, they took blood, x-rays, and urine but 3 hours later they had come up with no more clue than I had regarding my condition. So, they scheduled me an appointment with the Intenational Clinic at SCH later that morning. I asked for a shot of anti-biotics but the doc declined stating it might interfere with whatever tests they might perfrom at the clinic. So, I headed home W400,000 poorer and in no better condition.

After managing a couple of hours sleep, it was back to the hospital’s International clinic and my appointment with Dr. Yoo. After hearing my tale of woe and taking my temprature (still 103) he wanted to admit me for testing. I told him I live right up the hill, he could do his tests on an outpatient basis. He was pretty insistent that it would be much better for me to do this inpatient. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and finally reluctantly agreed to be admitted.

And then the nightmare began.

(to be continued)

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It’s been a long time comin’ ( an I’ve been a Long Time Gone) but here I am.

Actually posting this from Washington, DC (well, technically Alexandria, Virginia) where I arrived after a 20 hour journey from Seoul yesterday. Have meetings here the next two days before spending the weekend in South Carolina with family. Back to Korea on Tuesday.

I can pretty much illustrate my overall existence these past few months with an incident that occurred in the early morning hours today. My secretary booked my hotel and it is a freaking smoke free facility. So, I wake up at 0400 (jet lag is a bitch), brew the in-room coffee, grab the USA Today newspaper and head outside for a morning smoke. Now, I am all suited up for my first big meeting with the brass from higher headquarters and I’m being careful not to do something stupid like spilling coffee on my new tailor-made pink dress shirt. Suddenly there is a “plop” sound and I feel something hit my arm and I’m thinking surely it is not starting to rain. No, some f’n bird scored a direct hit on my suit jacket. That was a shitty start to the day.

Anyway, just prior to flying here I had 12 days in the Philippines, and spent the last five sick. Still sick, but getting better day by day.

Not sure who still ventures into the barren waters of this blog, but I’m going to try and get back in the groove again. So check back occasionally. Or not.

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“It is not in the world of ideas that life is lived. Life is lived for better or worse in life, and to a man in life, his life can be no more absurd than it can be the opposite of absurd, whatever that opposite may be.” Archibald MacLeish

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