The B Train

The "Fused Cheese Burger"

2011-07-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

I've been on a cooking spree ever since my wife let me do the grocery shopping. Now I know what to cook because I know the materials that I have. So this week I made a "Fused Cheese Burger".

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
1 egg
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Cook in oven for 15 minutes at 375. Flip and cook for another 10 minutes.
Makes 4 Delicious Patties

Cloudy in the Head

2010-04-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

It's officially Spring in Memphis, kind of. We were having some really nice weather until this week with showers and cold fronts moving in and out like bees in a hive. It makes my sinuses or allergies act up and I wanted to take it on with my best protection, DayQuil. So, I started yesterday taking DayQuil caplets before heading to work. We had our normal Monday meetings and then I started my work day around 9:30. When 10:00 hit, I could barely keep my eyes open. My head was really clouded and I couldn't carry on a coherent conversation. I've never had DayQuil hit me that hard before. I was determined to press through it and continue my work. People called me and I answered their questions with one word answers. I could barely look at my computer to type, I was in bad shape for sure. I couldn't wait to get home and go to sleep. Well, I finally did make it home and ate supper before going to the cupboard for my night time meds. I saw some NyQuil caplets laying around in the medicine cabinet but I couldn't find the box. I looked in the DayQuil box and low and behold, the NyQuil was in there. I HAD TAKEN NYQUIL BEFORE WORK!!!! I can't believe I did that without even noticing. No wonder I couldn't think straight. I don't know how I kept myself awake without passing out, especially sitting in front of a computer screen all day. Anyways, I won't make that mistake again.

Re-Striction

2010-04-19T10:59:00.001-07:00

Well, I went the whole last week and didn't lose a pound. I guess this is where it gets harder. I didn't do anything crazy last week, I even turned down Sheridan's. So, I guess it's back to the strict diet of rice, protein, and fiber. So far, I'm starving like a Catholic after Lent. But, I'm bound and determined to lose my 5 lbs this week. I have to. I ordered my pants for the wedding that I am attending in June one size smaller than what the suit guy recommended. So, if I don't lose the weight now, then I will have to lose it later on a Prune Juice diet for a week. And I do not like Prunes. So, here I go on my dietary mission to save myself and the world. Well, maybe not so much the world as it is myself. Anyways, here's to heroes.

Also, if you haven't seen the latest video of Maple, here it is...

Weightless

2010-04-13T07:25:00.001-07:00

I finally reached my first target goal! I weighed in at 219 lbs on Friday. I didn't eat that well over the weekend, but today I weighed myself again and I'm still at 219. I finally made it! I'm also close to benching 200 lbs, so I calculated if I continue my diet and continue my workout, then I can bench my weight in about a month. I have never been able to do that ever. So, I'm keeping up with the diet and working out so I can look forward to the awesome future I have in store for myself and everyone around me. If I feel good about the way I am, then I only have positive energy for the people around me. Sweet!

Funny story, and you've probably heard this if Brandy wrote it in her blog, but anyways. Chloe was talking in the car about what she learned in church. They taught her this last week that God is everywhere, in her heart and everywhere else. She then said that her and God were playing with her toys. She then got tired and went to bed as God continued to play. At this point my wife and I were touched that she felt like God was her friend and she could play with him. I know we often lose sight as we grow older that God IS everywhere and sometimes he just wants to sit with us. Anyways, God continued to play with her toys as Chloe was falling asleep. She then said that she sat up in her bed and yelled, "Shhh! Stop playing with my toys God, I'm trying to sleep!" Brandy and I laughed hard on the inside because laughing out loud makes Chloe embarrassed. But it was really funny!

Easter Pounds

2010-04-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't follow any good advice this holiday. But, the good news is that there's no holiday again until Maple's Birthday, which is in May. And with me working out now, the fat is burning faster and it's easier to lose that excess weight. When I worked out before in Athens, I never changed my eating habits because I assumed my metabolism would catch up with my eating habits and cancel it out. I guess essentially it did cancel it out which means I don't lose weight.

Now it seems my eating habits change everything and the working out is just a bonus. I eat healthy for 3 days and I lose 6 lbs. I eat a lot of unhealthy for 2 days (Easter) and I gain back the 6 lbs I lost. So, now I'm back on the healthy diet and I've lost 3 lbs in one day. Man, it's crazy how that happens. My stomach feels empty at times though, the same as it was in Korea when I first moved there.

I remember when I first moved back from Korea and started eating American food again, the salt was so overwhelming that my tongue would swell after every meal. Especially pizza or any heavy bread item. Then I would run in b-ball or something and salt would pour out of me like Skittles from a rainbow. People would see me and say, "What is wrong with your face?" I had no idea what they were talking about. So, I do know how much salt is in American food and I can't wait to taste the Korean food again to see if I still like it as much as I did when I left.

Well, I'm back on track and I'm giving away all of my Easter Candy if anyone is interested.

Down in the Count

2010-04-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I started on Monday, but really started on Tuesday. Brandy did this bake off competition that only she was competing on Monday night. So when I came back from working out, she had baked rice krispy treats and a chocolate creme pie. I decided that the rice krispy treats were the best to take to work, because pies have never done well in the past at our office. So, I decided to sacrifice and eat the pie. Then I remembered it's the last night for dessert for a while and ate half of the pie. So...I really started my diet on Tuesday.
My beginning date is 3/30/10 at 226 lbs.
Today is 4/1/10 at 222 lbs.
I have a ways to go to get to 200 lbs but I'm working on it. I pretty much have to lose that weight because I am in a wedding in June and I ordered my pants a size smaller than what I am now. So, yeah, here I go. So far I'm on track. I should get to 200 in about a month. Then I just have to maintain it until then. Of course there will be some hiccups on the way, such as the Easter dinner that we're having this Sunday. I can't pass up that opportunity, but I have been passing other opportunities like the Easter candy and a hamburger with the bun. Of course it's been hard. I feel hungry about an hour after I eat, but I remember getting used to that in Korea, so it's all good. Anyways, keep me in check you guys and thanks for the support and advice. Happy Easter Everybody!

4/2/10
Weighed in this morning at 220. How exciting! I haven't been under 220 since my first year of marriage.

Rice Weight

2010-03-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Long time no read. It turns out if you eat healthy food and don't exercise, you lose weight faster than exercising and not eating healthy food. Well, that puts me back into blogging. I moved to Korea for a year and didn't really exercise, but you can't do anything but eat healthy there. That way I lost 30-40 lbs in my year there. Since I've been back I've lost 5 more pounds and have maintained that weight. I've started working out with my friend Matt 3 times a week and that's going well. But I need to lose 20-25 more pounds to reach my goal weight. So, tomorrow i begin my diet or rice.
It started with my friend Matt. It turns out he's gluten free, not by choice but his body doesn't like it. So he doesn't eat anything made with grain or wheat and stuff. It turns out that's a lot of food out there. Did you know that hotdogs have gluten in them? Isn't that crazy? Well, he lost a good bit of weight and he looks thin and he believes it to be his eating habits. Now, his eating habits are boring; rice, vegetables, chicken, almost every meal. But to sacrifice some flavor to reach my weight goal is what I have to do. I start on my rice diet tomorrow. For breakfast I can eat eggs and fruit. For lunch it's rice and something else. This something else could be beans, vegetables, or some kind of meat. I want to make it a variety thing to mix it up from the norm. Matt eats the same dish everyday, but I don't want to be that monotonous. For supper I will eat the same thing but maybe have a touch of cool whip with fruit for dessert. I will try this all the way up to my other friend's wedding, Adam Poore. His wedding is in June, so I will do the diet up to that, and hopefully continue afterward. But I can't promise anything.
Anyways, I started this blog so you can hold me accountable. I will blog as much as I can and be completely honest. If I break my diet you'll be the second or third to know, so you must hold me accountable for my actions. This serves a double purpose, it helps me to stay on the diet and it makes you feel important. Also the diet serves a double purpose, I lose weight hopefully and I save money because what I eat is really cheap. SO, wish me luck and I hope to see your comments soon.
Also, I will start to put more pictures up of our girls again.

Doing fine

2009-05-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

Video: Maple, The Beginning
We're doing good. I'm excited about coming to America. Can't wait. I'm also bringing Maple back because it doesn't cost anything for her to fly and everyone in America really wants to see her. Whatever! Like that would ever happen! She was just born, are you crazy for even thinking that would happen? You people are crazy! Anyways, here's the first video of Maple out in the this crazy world.

Two Daughters and a Beautfiul Wife

2009-05-23T00:56:00.000-07:00

I actually stole that title from a song, but it's also true. I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been busy as usual. Well, she finally came. The little 7 lb 15 oz Maple Anne Thixton entered the world here in Korea at 10:30 am, May 22, 2009. I think we're sticking with the Korean time because trying to do the American time would just be confusing. So, it was only a 26 hour labor this time. 11 hours shorter than Chloe, so no complaining here. The Korean hospital isn't as accommodating as the American hospital but they did a good job. In America, there's more nurses, doctors, and machines. Sometimes it can feel cluttered. Sometimes you also need the nurses. The family is supposed to take care of the mother after the birth but the church made me work and Carol had Chloe to take care of. So, a day after having a baby, Brandy is sent home. This is great news for us because it's easier to take care of her at home then to keep taking taxi's back and forth from the hospital. Maple is very pretty, but I think she might lean towards Brandy's side of the family. I guess it makes sense because Chloe resembles my family, it's only fair. Anyway, everyone's healthy and happy. Enjoy the pics and videos that I'll post soon.

Maple Anne

She's so little

2009-04-25T07:57:00.001-07:00

She's So Little

Just a video this time. A reminder of how little she was and still is.

I can't get it to work on youtube because of the music, but I can put it on Vuze for those of you who want to download it. I already explained in another post how to do this, so if you have questions, check the earlier posts.

Ansley's pics of us

2009-04-24T04:51:00.001-07:00

These are some pics we got from Ansley's wonderful new camera. She was kind enough to share the pictures with us, and the world!

Ansley's Pics of Us

Today's Events

2009-04-23T03:14:00.000-07:00

I did my spirit walk today. I do it every two weeks when the sun and the moon align just right to where the stars shine brighter than ever. Also, we need water. So every two weeks I walk to the grocery store to get six 2 liters of water. I also get a few other little items so I don't just carry the water home. I then walk back home which is about 1 mile, I think. The water is very heavy after about 20 feet. The first time I did it I underestimated the weather and I felt like I was in the desert because I was wearing long sleeves and pants. Today I wore pants and short sleeves so I'd be more prepared. Good thing too. It was fairly warm today which made the trek even harder. I then continue to trade arms as I walk home, half of me hoping someone would pick me up and the other half hoping no one would notice me. I call it a spirit walk because by the time I see our home, my arms are exhausted and I pray to God to help me make it the rest of the way. It's probably very similar to the spirit walks they have in Africa and Australia. I call this the Korean Spirit Walk. So when you come visit me I can guide you on this adventurous Spirit Walk. It'll cost you of course. Maybe a 6-pack of water will cover the cost.
Also, to start the morning off, Chloe was in her bedroom playing and decided it was a private party and locked the door. The problem with this is that it wasn't a private party and she didn't know how to make it public again, meaning she couldn't unlock the door. This lock is like a deadbolt, so it's impossible to just card it or pick the lock, because it uses a normal key. So, for half an hour we tried to get the door open ourselves because the pastors were in a meeting and we didn't know who to contact. Chloe couldn't quite figure out how to unlock it, no matter how many different ways we explained it. Then 30 minutes later a worker man came and unlocked the door with a key he had. I don't think Chloe will have a private party again anytime soon. She definitely didn't enjoy this experience, but I think we're all glad we made it.
To end the day, Chloe and I went to the playground. One of our favorite things to do on my day off. Sometimes if we wait on the playground and don't make any noises, the natives will come out to play. We stay quiet under the slides so they can't see us. The natives come out and play and we observe them from a distance so we don't scare them. Well, I think they could smell our American scent and they surrounded us. We didn't have much of a choice except to join in their games. It actually was pretty fun even though we couldn't understand each other because of the language barrier. After playing their games, they disappeared back into the concrete jungle. Chloe and I will continue to visit the playground and we hope to these natives again. I think Chloe had a fun time and I just enjoyed watching.

Story Time

2009-04-23T01:48:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time and place and space, there lived a one-armed Cinderella and her Prince Charming. The reason she lost her arm is unknown to us. The two of them lived very happy in the Land of Giants. One day they were on a stroll in the Giant Park and they heard a noise. This noise was strange to them so they went to see what it was. All of a sudden a shadow jumped out and took both of them. The king of the Land of Giants heard this news and quickly sent out his best person for the job of retrieving the two royalties: Chloe. Chloe is the best retriever the land had ever seen. She started her journey looking in the Giant Park. She followed clues that soon led her to the Giant Maze of Fun. She heard a noise but wasn't quick enough for the shadow. When she woke up, she was in the Cage of Plastic. The king heard of the terrible incident and sent his next best thing, ninjas. These ninjas were trained to retrieve anything and everything. They could retrieve people if ordered, but they mostly retrieved lost household items, such as keys, remotes, and loose change. Since their training wasn't in combat, they were quickly captured. Chloe then remembered why she was the best retriever anyone has ever heard of, she could teleport. She then teleported out of Cage of Plastic and climbed the tunnel of darkness. There she found Cinderella and Prince Charming. Good thing it was tea time because the shadow was having tea with his friends. Chloe was happy that she was able to retrieve Cinderella and Prince Charming. Cinderella was so appreciative that she granted Chloe anything she wanted. Chloe wanted to know one thing and one thing only, why was Cinderella missing an arm? Cinderella was about to answer this most awkward question as they walked into the palace when they noticed the king drinking his afternoon tea...with the shadow! To be continued...

All of the pictures:

4-23

And you thought you knew me

2009-04-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

Videos: Playground Again
Tattooed Strawberries
Flower in the hair

Right when you think you know somebody, even yourself, you don't. I thought that I knew myself pretty well, but I didn't. I was at my beginner's English class and they usually provide food. Today they had an herb mixed with some dough. I ate it and it tasted okay, just like a lot of food here. Then I found out later that the English name is mug wort. The name by itself just doesn't sound very tasty, but it was okay. I tell people this story and they say it sounds like something Harry Potter would eat. Then they brought out the pizza. They really like their pizza, but I never really like it because it's covered in onions and peppers. So I usually pick out the onions and peppers and then begin. Well, the owner of Mr. Pizza, the place we ordered from, was in my class at that time, so I didn't want to pick at it like usual. I was also really hungry because I had not eaten breakfast and it's hard to turn food down from people who don't speak your language. It's an insult because you can't explain why you don't want it. So I excepted very kindly and prepared for the worst. I did pick out the peppers because they were only sitting on top. The onions are so hard to pick without being messy or noticeable, so I held my breath and ate a piece. With each crunch a sensation of shock came over me like I was being electrocuted as I sat quietly in my chair. Everyone looked at me for approval. I smiled with the "Yeah, it's great because I can actually swallow it with a peace of mind that it won't kill me and that's the only reason I can eat this now" look. They all smiled and as I finished the last agonizing bite, happy with my accomplishment of overcoming one of my greatest fears, they hand with another piece. Have you ever had to walk up a steep hill and you can see the top? You walk up to the top of that hill and you feel a great accomplishment, only to notice that it actually wasn't the top of the hill but it only looked like the top of the hill because there was this tree that poked out and made it look like that top of the hill when in fact it was only half way up the hill. Well, it might not have happened to you but it happened to me with this pizza. I kindly accepted the pizza and stared at it with great determination. I could do this, I just need a little courage and Pepsi. So I got a cup of Pepsi and tried to figure out how much pizza I could take a bite of and how much Pepsi to drink so wouldn't run out before the pizza was gone. I'm pretty good at this because I'm a Math major. But still I calculated everything very precisely because a mistake would be disastrous. Each bite was just another way to torture myself. I kept asking myself why I was putting myself through this. I could have turned down the second piece without a great dishonor. I guess looking back it was a personal triumph to help train my mind to withstand even the worst tortures just in case I was captured by the enemy, whoever that may be. I finally reached the finish line, the crust, after about two bites. I had measured the Pepsi perfectly to where I had one more sip left to wash the taste out of my mouth before eating the best part. The crust is actually really good, and reliable. There are no surprises with a crust because it's just bread. It's safe. So, I felt free and sick after eating my first pizza with onions on it. I think I'm becoming a man now. Next time I'll eat the pizza with onions without crying in a corner afterwards.

Settled

2009-04-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how long it's suppose to take to settle down. I think it usually takes a month or so for a normal situation, sometimes even less depending on where you move to. But we moved to a different country with a different language and nothing in our apartment except for a comforter, couch, and a table. The first month I worked at the other church and never saw my family. The second month we finally got the bulk of the furniture we needed and I started to teach. I really started to feel connected to the church through all of the people I am teaching and the bible studies I am leading. I see a lot of people in church that I know through my classes and it makes me happy to feel connected again. I'm taking a one-on-one Korean class now so I can try to communicate a little better. It's one of my students from my conversation class. So far I can say: "What's this?, Is this a ____?, What's your name?" and the answers to these questions as well. I'm learning from the book that I'm teaching English with to my kids. She translates the English part to Korean so I have something to reference to and hopefully I can teach better, knowing the Korean and English words. Of course, since it's from a kids book, the form of the words are "impolite". So everytime I try to practice, which is usually on my students who are older than me, they correct me with some other conjugation saying that what I said is fine because I know them, but it's impolite to say the other to an older person without knowing them. I thought, "I'm pretty sure I won't be practicing my English on someone I don't know who's older than me." But I didn't say that because it's impolite. So, now we're in the third month and starting to feel a little more settled. Which I think brings on more homesickness. The food we miss a lot, but the comfort of home we're starting to miss more. I feel like we're settled here but it's uncomfortable to start to settle in a place that's not home. We moved to Tenn but we still came home to visit every now and then. Plus we had friends who speak English and we could hang out with. This little apartment is only so big, and we seem to stay here a lot. I really miss going out and doing things with other people, or just going out would be nice. My time to go out is walking to Lotte Mart or the local grocery store and taking a taxi back. Or I play basketball every Saturday night in a gym that I can see from my porch. It's nice to think of the money we save not having to go far to do anything, but we don't even travel 2 miles to go somewhere. We are going to Seoul this Thursday but it's for filming. We go there to work and then we come back. I think I just need to get my Driver's License here and start to drive again. At least I can get out of here every now and then. We are so constricted by Taxi and train, that we can't see everything we want to see. I don't know, I'm not really complaining but expression my thoughts. Only a few people read this anyways, thanks by the way. I can't wait for June, but I feel extremely guilty that Brandy and Chloe aren't going. I mean if Brandy wasn't having the baby, only one of us could go anyways because we can barely afford one ticket. But if I didn't have a wedding and Brandy wasn't having the baby, I would give my ticket to her because she's the one with a huge family who really wants to see her. I have a small family that wants to see me and a lot of friends who want to see me. That's why I feel guilty, because Brandy should be the one going back to America this time. She rarely gets out of the apartment because she takes care of it and there's no reason to get out except to get out. I walk everywhere but Brandy takes a taxi everywhere and since we're trying to save money, she doesn't use the taxi that much. I don't know, we need prayers. Pray our duplexes rent out and it all works out, pray for us and our homesickness, and pray for my travels; that everything will work out.
P.S. We're not extremely homesick, it's just that Chloe misses her grandparents, I miss food, friends, and family, and Brandy misses all of the above. But we're not crying about it or anything, Chloe might be actually, but Brandy and I are fine and we're glad we're finally settled.

Downloading it Yourself

2009-04-08T22:11:00.001-07:00

This is instructions for if you really like my videos and want to put it on your own computer for later watching without having to use the internet. Go to the website vuze.com and download Vuze, it's free. After downloading vuze onto your computer, the icon looks like a frog, and you can open it. In the search box, the one that looks like a magnifying glass, type in Thixton. This should pull up all of the videos I have posted on there so far. You can also subscribe to me, so whenever I publish something you will see the new material. The more people who download it, the faster it is for other people to download it. So I encourage anyone who wants them to download them. Also, the files aren't large at all so downloading all of them won't take up much memory. This will also put Chloe's awesome directing skills on the map and hopefully somebody like Spielberg can see her potential and hire her when she turns 3. She can't be hired now, because everyone knows that you have to be older than 2 to be considered anybody in Hollywood.

I don't want to miss a thing

2009-04-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

Videos: Chloe's Crib, Chloe Take 4

Well, I'm sorry for everyone in America. I can't video everything and I can't type everything that happens because my memory is only so good. And I can only type so much before my fingers become stuck in a typing motion and my eyes won't shut because I've been staring at the computer screen so long. All in all we're still doing great. Chloe went down the big slide all by herself today. I really wanted to video it but I couldn't find the camera. It turns out Brandy put it in a spot so she could find it later. She forgot. Seems she's been doing that quite a bit recently. She calls it "Baby Brain Drain", whatever. Anyways, Chloe has her Barbie's on the playground like we always do and I get on the big slide to show her how to do it by herself. I then ask her if she wants to do it with me. She tells me no, and then tells me to get off the slide. What? She wants the Barbie's to go first, so I oblige. She pushes the Barbie's down the slide and proceeds to get on the slide as well. As expected her to ask me to join her but she just takes off and slides down the slide. I was shocked, literally, because everything is made of fiberglass and metal so you conduct electricity on the fiberglass and then shock yourself on the metal. Everytime I went down the slide I got shocked somehow or another. Oh, also they put rubber tiles down instead of just concrete and I think it's recycled tires because my feet kept getting shocked everytime I slid down and stood up. I think it's because the tires have small metal shards in them, and it was a weird feeling everytime it happened. Then after sliding a few times normally, she began to explore and slide down on her stomach. She liked that so much that she only slid on her stomach from then on out. Any slide she slid down she would slide on her stomach. It was quite interesting to watch. One time she slid face-first on accident. She slid the Barbie's down first everytime, and one time Nel Barbie got stuck on a crack in the slide. Chloe went to reach for her and reached too far. She slid head first down the slide with a look of shock, which quickly turned into a grin once her feet touched the ground. It was a beautiful day today. Chloe wondered where the clouds were. I told her they were sleeping. Maybe I should tell her the truth next time about how the clouds aren't always there because of molecules in the air and water, but then I remember she's only 2. Sometimes it's hard to believe it with the sentences she uses and words she says. She's also learning some Korean without us teaching her. She's catching on to what the kids at church are saying. So found out how to say "no" and "thank you". She also knows some other stuff but I don't know it so I can't translate it for you. Enjoy Chloe's Crib, it's one of my collaborative masterpieces. And Chloe Take 4 is just another reminder of how Chloe sees the world.

Funex

2009-04-04T16:42:00.001-07:00

Video: Storyville #3
If you didn't know, I'm helping Kidoong with the Funex curriculum he is developing. I do Storyville, Memory Station, and the intro to Storyville. Brandy does Storyville, songs, and other things. I use the Funex curriculum on Saturday for my Saturday school kids. Funex is a fun DVD based learning tool to teach kids about the Bible in English. My class is kind of a preliminary class because I'm the first one to use it. Also we don't have all of the material on DVD because they're still editing it. So I have to improvise a lot of stuff for now until they get the DVD's rolling. I like the Funex stuff and it's a lot of fun to do the recording. If everything works out then we will travel the world, on DVD. Kidoong plans on sending the material to Ethiopia, Germany, and other places for good English/Jesus learning material. The funny thing is, how many learning material videos have a pregnant women in them? Well, at least one now.

Monsters vs Aliens

2009-04-03T02:35:00.000-07:00

The Video: Chloe Models Flowers

Aliens seems to be the subject of a lot of movies recently. Why is that? What happened to something cool at the end of the movie? I'm sorry for anyone who hasn't seen the new Indiana Jones, but I thought the movie ending was awful. And then I just saw another new movie which ends with aliens, and another 2 hours of my memory wasted. I think Hollyworld would be a better place if they thought of a more creative ending than aliens. It just seems that people really want to believe in something greater and they choose aliens. Stupid, I know. I challenge directors and writers everywhere to come up with a different ending than aliens. I liked it back in the day when you knew they were aliens the whole time and people coped with it or tried to destroy it. Monsters vs Aliens was pretty good. Not as funny as I thought it would be, but good graphics and story. I say stick to good ole romance, violence, monsters, dinosaurs, and Jackie Chan. Wow, I just made the best outline for a movie ever. We all know who makes the best movies anyways, Chloe.

nomroM

2009-04-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Video: Playground Slides
So, I was playing on the playground with Chloe this past Monday and a couple Americans stopped by to use our outdoor restroom area around the playground. It's a nice facility and I would use it too if I was a passer-by since there aren't that many restrooms with such easy access in Cheonan. Well, I started talking with them once they had done their duties. They were wearing suits, name tags, and carrying bags over their shoulders. It wasn't hard to figure out that they were either Jehovah Witness or Mormon. Turns out they were Mormon. I have a friend in America that's Mormon and he tried to explain his "religion" to me, because I wanted to know what he believed, but it was too complicated. So we were having a nice conversation about America and Korea and the differences in churches and life. Then they began to share their message, of course after I told them I attended the church behind them, and said it was a lot like other religions. They believe in Christ and consider themselves Christians. I inquired about the book of Mormon because I was curious what it was about, and they showed one to me and told me it was written by other disciples. They also said they believe in the Bible, just like me. They wanted to call me and talk to me again, and I was more than glad to do that. I think they'll be disappointed though because I'm not interested in being converted. I just want a friend who speaks English. I guess I'll have to look elsewhere, because I looked up their "religion" on the internet and the differences between Christianity and Mormonism. Well, if you didn't know, Mormonism is really weird. It actually reminded me of Scientology. There were "spirit children", multiple gods, and the word of man was more powerful than the word of God. Yes they used the Bible, but only after believing the other stuff first. The Bible just fills in the gaps of their "religion" they want it to fill in. It's crazy, really, and complicated. How would someone believe something so complicated when Christianity is so easy? Believe in Jesus and let him into your life. That's really the basics of it.
The other day I was watching Fireproof and thinking of the bad things we do and how it affects our soul. We are forgiven and we get to have eternal life in heaven with God and Jesus because we are Christians. Do you know how hard it is to grasp that concept? Eternal life? No one lives forever on Earth and it's hard to imagine your soul living forever. Actually, it's hard to imagine your soul. Some invisible form of yourself, a mirrored reflection of the life you lived on Earth with or without Christ. So instead of "advertising" Christianity with Eternal Life, I was thinking more along the lines of The best friend you'll ever have. How many friends will stay with you for eternity? Many people suffer from loneliness, but with Christ you'll never be alone. I think people can better accept this more than eternal life, because it's something everyone can relate to. Then later you can throw in the surprise of eternal life. I just feel we as Christians are stuck on the idea of eternal life and being in Heaven, instead of thinking of the rewards we receive while still on Earth. Believing in Jesus gives us the reward of Jesus, the best friend you could ever have.

Hangul Concerto in Deutsch

2009-03-30T04:21:00.000-07:00

Well, if you love concerts then you should have come to our night service this past Sunday. We had a wonderful performance by one of the top organists in Germany, pastor Yi Sun's daughter. I actually don't know if she's one of the top organists in Germany but I know she's pretty good because I just saw her perform. I'm not a big fan of organs actually, but everyone in the church seemed to enjoy the performance. I really enjoyed the performances by the pianists. I like the piano a lot and she really rocked the house with some intricate pieces. They also had a string accompaniment with the organ that actually complimented each other to give you the feeling you were listening to a choir of angels. Maybe not a whole choir, but maybe a quartet of angels. All in all it was good and long. It gave me and Brandy enough time to read a couple of chapters from our books. We read books during services because we don't understand the language and it's better than playing games on our phones. I already finished The Five People You Meet in Heaven and now I'm half way through with Blue like Jazz. I would recommend the first book to about anybody. It's a short read and great story that you can really relate to. The book I'm in now started off a little groggy, like stumbling through a jungle of political caucus and complaints about the church. That was only the first 15 pages or so, and is now answering questions that I haven't even thought about asking yet. There's one chapter that just blew me away about the idea of a confession booth. Anyways, we're still doing good and still staying busy. Oh, I added another video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkL8u7fLosA

The changes of Teachnology

2009-03-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I've heard a few complaints from some people about my blog and the point that they couldn't see the page. Maybe it's due to the amount of videos I have on there and some people's computers can't open my blog page so I have decided to only post here and just create links to the videos. You can also subscribe and have an e-mail sent to you whenever I post a new video. So I try to teach technology. Here is the link for the new video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tlvak_teiA
We went to Seoul on Thursday and Brandy recorded her part of Funex. Then we went to an American Burger place called Daily King's. It definitely helped with our craving of American food we have had for a while. Next time we have that craving we will go back and have another burger. I think we can last for two months. Then Ansley came to our place and spent the night for two nights. We were quite hospitable and Ansley drove Brandy and Chloe around Cheonan. I worked the whole time but it was night to have just the girls hang out for a while and have the house to myself. Well, time to get back to work. I hope this fixes the problems some of you have.

Donut Bookbag

2009-03-22T00:09:00.001-07:00

Brandy and Chloe like Dunkin Donuts, and it so happens that we have one. So Brandy and Chloe visit that place as their reward for walking the mile it takes to get there. Of course I get jipped because I never get a piece of the heart donut, ever. I just get whatever's left which still tastes like sugar heaven in a country full of unsweet snacks. You think sweet tea is a phenomenon in New England? Try Korea where there's either hot tea or coffee. Their "sweet" snacks are made from rice or beans, somehow. At first, is tastes like a sweet toothpaste wrapped in soft bread, but after a while you get used to the unsweetness of it and learn to like it. This is how you lose 10 lbs in 2 months: eat nothing but vegetables, rice, and beans. Even the snacks are made out of the same thing, so that's why I miss American food; I miss the junk. It's bad for you, I know, but your tastes buds ignite with flavor and your whole body just feels satisfied. I think it's something about endorphins and stuff but I just think it's the sugar. So, we try to get the endorphins for Chloe and Brandy as much as possible.

TP

2009-03-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

Who gives a crap? Well, Koreans do. They use toilet paper for everything! Need a tissue? Here's some TP. Need a napkin? Here's some TP. Need to make a counterweight for the elevator? Here's some TP. I find it funny that they seem to use this simple commodity for about anything. I think they're trying to save the environment or something. Crazy idea, right? But it seems they've put a limit on the things they have here. Cars are regulated on their emissions, you pay as you trash, and you can use the ditch for a port-a-potty to save on water. We're not supposed to flush TP down the toilet, but we do (don't tell anybody though). I just think it's stinky enough using the toilet, let alone leaving the odor in your trash can. But it's a good thought on saving the whales and stuff. I just wish they would put their thoughts of how to save the environment and focus it on how to lower grocery cost. I know this is new idea and all, but I was thinking that we should open our borders and trade a little. We could start with the small fish like China and Japan, then move our way to Hong Kong where all of the good stuff really is. It's a simple idea, I know, but I really think it will work. That reminds me, have you ever had a street lamp in your window while you sleep? Try a 300 ft metal Christmas tower with a lit cross on top. I think the view from the 4th floor is marvelous, but you have to have some pretty thick shades to keep out the light of Jesus. Corny, I know. Enjoy the movie and remember to give a crap.

My class and Chloe Take 3

2009-03-19T17:37:00.001-07:00

Class is still going well, especially with Chloe having a fun time in there. Brandy's been coming with her and now taking video to show everybody what's going on. Also with her blog up and running now she is trying to get video on her blog too. Chloe's been working on her spectacular movie to share with the world too. Here are both, you judge on who's better.

Fish Cake Furniture

2009-03-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

Life comes at you fast. Many people say that, even those funny commercials that make you say that you're glad you're not that person. Well, it's true the older you get, kind of. I think it's actually the faster you get, physically and mentally, then the faster life comes at you. When you're younger, life just seems a little slower. There are no responsibilities and you just live because your parents tell you to. When you're old, your responsibilities are limited to your physical and mental condition, and you live because you want to. I'm in the middle right now. I live because I want to and because people tell me to. So life is coming at me at the speed of light. I hear a foreign language everyday and I can only understand a few words here and there. But it's just the same as when I was in America. I just chose to understand a few words here and there. You can't hide from life or run away from it. You have to live it because you want to or because you have to for the sake of another. And the people you have to live your life for don't even know it. They're either too young to understand or they can't see what you're doing. The greatest way to live your life is to live for another without them knowing. Brandy and I love Chloe so much that we work hard everyday to give her a good life. A life that we feel is good and the best thing we can provide. I love Brandy so much that I work really hard to provide for her and be the best husband I know how to be. But do I tell them this every moment I get? Do I say that I work my whole life for their well-being? No. That is selfish and prideful. I do it out of love and love does not boast. I am beginning to see we should do the same with every aspect of our life. I talk about how many classes I teach and the hours I put into my work everyday because it feels good to get a little empathy from others around you. But, I have found that doing this doesn't fill any part of my heart with joy or give me extra energy to finish the day. This seems to only make me weaker because I reflect on how hard I have worked that day. The thought of being exhausted enters my mind and my body crumbles. So forgive me for talking about my schedule like it's a big burden on me that I have to carry because I am providing for my family. This is not true. I love what I do and I would do it even without knowing I had to provide. My yolk is heavy but my burden is light, and I know Jesus is there when I need him to help me carry the load.
Brandy had a wonderful B-day here in Korea. We had cake, candles, and the Birthday song. They don't mass produce cakes so they're all fancy little ones like this. I like the massed produced ones myself, so I had a couple pieces and left the rest for the women. I'm doing great with my classes now. In my kids' class we are beginning the book, which makes the class so much easier. Also I have instated a behavior plan which the kids are actually following and I haven't had to punish anyone yet. The mothers have stepped in too to make sure the students know their place. I always like my adult classes, beginner's and advanced, and I am always happy to teach those. My bible study is starting to unravel and show the true character's of the people in my class. It seems that I got a few of everything: new Christian's, old Christian's, struggling Christian's, sound Christian's, and then there's me. They're homework for next week is to bring a question to class. Any question about the bible, Jesus, or Christianity in general will do. So I will be forwarding these questions to all of you who have the right backgrounds for a good answer; you know who you are. Chloe is really breaking out of her shell recently and it's really great. She doesn't completely shy away from adults and she seems to get along with kids of any age. She's still the boss of whatever happens, of course. Her and Brandy attend my kids' class and Chloe's in charge of the kids, even though they're 3 to 5 years older than her. So everything's going well here and remember to live your life, instead of chasing them papers.

Two are better than One

2009-03-14T03:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't have basketball tonight. This is the 2nd week in a row that they have not allowed us into the gym on Saturday night, which is our regular time to play b-ball. I think this might be a permanent move so we need to make a new night for b-ball. But in its absence I have the time to complete the installing of the rest of the videos. I hope you enjoy, and I also apologize for not getting a special Chloe movie. She can only do so much at a time. I couldn't force her to make another masterpiece in such short notice. It's like asking asking a tree to produce fruit in the winter. It's just not the right time. So here are some normal boring videos from the regular uncreative folk. Some of the videoing shows a smidgen of talent that Chloe could have inherited from her mother.

Sorry for the Delay

2009-03-14T00:42:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for the delay. There will be a flood of videos to come now. We had an interruption with our daily routine: Gramma. Yes, Carol came to our household and graced us with her beauty and presence. Seriously though, she has been a great help. I started classes this week, and I have been very busy. I have been so busy that I didn't have time to take care of my family like usual. So Carol came in like Supermom and took care of the house, Brandy, and of course, Chloe. My classes are going well. I really like the adult classes, which I was afraid of at first. And I dread the children's class, which I was excited about before. The adult classes have about 9 people in each, and the children's class has about 20 kids, which turns out is too many. I should've asked for around 10. Next time I know and knowing is half the battle. I thank everybody who sent stuff with Carol, everything is helpful. I especially like the Girl Scout cookies, yummy! I cherish every chocolately, sensational sweetness. The church has been so kind as to open our home to the whole congregation on Sunday. How terribly exciting! Of course, everyone wants to see how an American lives, so I wonder whose house will be visited the most. I was thinking about maybe getting a fog machine and put that in the entrance. Get some Metallica playing in the background as we serve people caterpillars and earthworms. I think it will be a hit! Of course, I can't find any caterpillars or earthworms at the moment so I think I'll just scratch the whole idea. Well, until next time, which is sooner than later.

Chloe Take 2

2009-03-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is the anticipated sequel to her first movie. This one is title "The Train Station" and has a trailer along with it to hype up the main movie. Chloe spent hours and minutes working on this video so I hope you enjoy it. On a more serious note, be praying for us because we're going to definitely need it. First, Carol's flying in on
Friday and it's a long flight, pray for safety. Brandy and I start classes next Monday, pray for wisdom and energy. Chloe's feeling better but we don't want a stomach flu to sweep through our house, especially with a guest coming, pray for health. Lastly, I feel overwhelmed with all of the things coming my way I feel like I'm being stretched thin, pray for strength and understanding. The English service we attended on Sunday was great. They are Nazarene which believes the things we believe but they celebrate some other stuff like Lent. Since we're only going there once a month, Lent will be over by the time we go back. We took a taxi to the University the church is held and took a train for the ride back and it was a lot cheaper. But, we waited almost an hour for the train so next time we know what time to leave the church so we won't have to wait that long again. We did however get some good video clips which I'm sure you've seen by now. It wasn't that cold so we didn't freeze while we waited around. We actually had a fun time running around and talking, something we seem to not have time for. Brandy is very excited about Carol coming because that means they get to get the baby room ready. How exciting! I feel overwhelmed with emotions when I think about the next little girl in my life. With Chloe, it was a feeling of confusion and chaos. I didn't know how to take care of a child, let alone their whole life. Chloe was a blessing to me and Brandy and you can't take that away, I'm sorry next little girl. But the feelings I feel with this little girl are only love. I know how this time, which is different than when Brandy was carrying Chloe. I know what to expect and I can't wait for it to happen again. I can now see how the grandparents feel with Chloe, except I only had to wait two years compared to your 23 years.
I heard that you guys got snow in Georgia. That's crazy! I heard it was a blizzard of snow. That's just typical. Once we move to the other side of the world just to get some snow, it snows even more where we moved from. I believe that we sent you that snow, and you're welcome. Thanks for everything you's guys and talk to you later. By the way, if you want the local number that you can call from any phone you have and contact us on our computer with no international calling fees, just e-mail me or Brandy and we can give it to you.

2009-03-01T04:58:00.000-08:00

Our address which I hope is correct in English:
197-1 Seubookyu Budaedong, Apt 201
Cheonan, Chungnam,
Korea 331-240

Winter Beauty and the Beast

2009-02-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

Well, a lot of things are moving around this week. I'm asking a lot of things and demanding a lot of things. I am asking to get someone to pick up Carol next week when she arrives, also asking that the church provides the books for my High School bible study, and I'm asking God for help with my demands. I am demanding we go to an English service this Sunday because I am off from my duties, and also that I get the week off for Nathan's wedding in June. Brandy is going to be teaching a class for moms and their children. 15 moms and 15 children, sounds fun I know. She will be teaching them two days a week at an hour and a half per class. The class consists of her teaching the moms English and continue their child's education at home. This is good for everyone. Brandy can get out of the house and meet people, and it might give Chloe a chance to play with other kids instead of hanging around the house all day. She looks whiter than snow white because she hasn't been in the sun in days. Mostly because of the cold and also there's nothing to do. I am getting prepared to go into hyperdrive once I get over the two dawn services I have to attend this week. There is a revival in our church this week, which started on Sunday and ends on Wednesday. By the end of it I will have attended 7 Korean services in a week. This is another reason I don't think they will argue against me going to an English service. This video is a great reminder to me that every little girl loves their daddy, but only shows it in the best way they know how.

Minority Report

2009-02-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

You don't think of a white person being a rare thing in the world because of travelers, armies, & missionaries. But I have found that although there are places white people visit, there are also those that are not. Cheonan is one of them. Constantly stared at, smiled at, and touched, I find our presence here to be a new step for foreigners of any race. Although I see no other white people in Cheonan, I have yet to see a black person anywhere. I did see one on a Korean basketball team on TV once. I actually haven't picked up on that small fact until now. We do see Indian, Malaysian, and Philippine every now and then. Last trip to E-mart, a little Indian child would not take his eyes off of us. We saw him twice in the store and whatever he was doing was immediately stopped and he would stare at us, with a little drool on his lips, until we faded into the next aisle. Things you don't think about in America. We have every race there, really the only people we stare at are our own. When people have crazy piercings, tattoos, or hairdos. Brandy isn't used to it yet, but I never really cared that much about it. I actually find it quite funny. I got Pastor Kim hooked on video games. He keeps asking me when we can play again. I told him that his wife wasn't happy last time, but he said he can control his wife. We'll see. There aren't many sports here, really just soccer & basketball. The only sport I've seen for women is volleyball, which is more popular here than in America. We actually have a women on staff who played volleyball professionally. So I've seen women here turn to instruments because there's not much else, and that means we have very talented musicians in our church. Some women major in Organ in college only to be able to use it in church, because where else would you use it? When they had a play here they used a instrument pit and not a soundtrack. They have piano solos, duets with violins, a wind ensemble, and many more. I like it. I've only seen women play the drums, so I want to step in and play a little. Show them that guys can play instruments to. Really the guys here just play guitar. So, yesterday we just lounged around the house. Brandy went out to the grocery store, a nice little walk. I'll get some pics up later with the past few days events.

Stop me if I told you this...

2009-02-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

ALright, I'm not sure if I told you about the meetings that I have and the way they go. We have piety meetings every morning we work, except for Sundays because we have church all day. The senior pastor sits in an overstuffed chair at the head of the people. There are two matching couches sitting adjacent from each other, which the pastors sit on. Then there are little matching audomin t, we sing a song and then we read a chapter, the one after the one we read yesterday. So I think they started in Matthew in January and now we're in 1st Corinthians. Each person reads one verse until the chapter is through. Sometimes I don't have to read which is exciting since no one can understand what I'm saying. Then the person leading that day prays. After prayer the senior pastor tells everyone what they're doing and what's going on. At this time pastors can present their ideas to the Senior Pastor and he will give them an answer or not. Once the SP stands up we can leave without saying a word. The best part is when we leave the SP sits at his desk and picks up his phone. His says "mull" and hangs up. This means water and a lady comes from his back door and brings him water. It is so mafia style here and he is the Don. It's crazy! Nothing happens in the church without him knowing and nothing happens until his word is spoken. I'm just waiting for my turn to whack somebody. J/K, we have other people for that job. I had a long day yesterday, worked until 6 all by myself in that small room downstairs. Sometimes I like being alone, but not for that long. I almost put on a movie because I was getting bored. I can't wait to move the offices to the new church. Then I can go home when I want to go home, instead of waiting for a pastor to leave. One of the samunim's came to our house yesterday by surprise, which is always good. This means they are becoming more comfortable around Brandy. Everything's coming together quickly here, and I think we're prepared to take it on. Brandy is trying to get a class together to teach mother's and their children. It is a hard task but she can't take on a different class when she's going to have a baby and take such a long break. Which means I've taken on another class which they created for Brandy, but since she can't do it, it has been put on me. Yeah! More work! I feel more Korean every day. Later I'll take a picture of my calendar and let you see how blessed you are to live in America and do what you do. You have to have God to work like this, I'm telling you this in truth, not jokingly. Okay, a little jokingly. Anyways, pray for us because we're going to need it come March. Another thing, whatthebook.com ships books for free to anywhere as long as you buy more than one book. So if you want to send anyone a book here, then you can use that online bookstore and do that.

Interesting Things

2009-02-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

We are still finding out things about their culture and personalities. In church services they have a pre-worship service which is just before the service for people who come early and it's upbeat. This past Sunday they sang "Jesus Loves Me", which I found very interesting since I haven't sang that song since I was a child. Another thing is that they have their own church song. They sing it almost every service and they made it up with a tune that is familiar to them. I don't know it yet, probably won't ever know it actually since it's 3 verses in Korean. One day I think Brandy and I will be able to mumble the verses and belt out the chorus. As some of you know, Koreans and a lot of the world, are a very touchy-feely culture. Brandy experienced this early on with a samunim, but I haven't really experienced it since I hang out with Pastor Kim who is aware of American culture. But recently I've begun to experience it since I've been getting closer to most of the pastors, evangelists, and other workers. I am now greeted with hugs or they grab my arm to show their affection. Not in "I love you" in a gay way, even though that's how it feels, but in a "I love you" with God's love and I feel comfortable around you. So I take their affection with an open mind and heart because this means I'm making friends, and that's always nice. We hung out with Chun-hae, San, and Eun Young yesterday. We went to a museum for the greatest general in Korea, Yi-Sun Sin. It was more like a park with a couple of memorials around. It was really a time for San and Chloe to run around and play, but it was really cold and everybody had to run around a little to stay warm. We rode in Chun-hae's car which is like a station-wagon SUV. Chun-hae drove and I sat in the passenger seat. Brandy, Chloe, and Eun Young sat in the back seat while San sat in the very back seat which faces backwards. We were driving for about 20 minutes and only the adults were talking because Chloe was tired and San was busy in the back doing something. We were next to a big rig and all of a sudden smoke filled the car. I thought it was the truck next to us blowing smoke into the car but then I realized that all of windows were up. San was freaking out in the backseat and we rolled down our windows and Chun-hae pulled over. She opened the hatch in the back to see San sitting, his face white with powder. He had found the fire extinguisher and pressed the button facing the front of the car, which filled the car with white powder that looks like smoke. We were laughing so hard and San randomly coughed the rest of the drive. He kept saying "Oh dear, fire." It was soooo very funny. Brandy might be teaching a mom/child class for 8 weeks starting in March and ending the end of April. We're all about to get busy starting in March. I'm excited and scared, but more excited. I put some pictures up from my phone, since I don't have a camera, but I think my phone does a great job. It has some Korean food that I've eaten and other things.

Korean Food and Such

Chloe's first acting

2009-02-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

Since we're doing some Chloe classics, I thought I might post Chloe's first major acting role. This is for all of the people who didn't have a chance to see it before and for those who just love to watch it over and over again.

Up and Coming Director

2009-02-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

This is a short movie from the brilliant mind of Chloe Thixton. She is so unique in her filming style that we decided to give you a sneak peek of her genius before she passes Steven Spielberg status. Remember to support your local indie films.

Long time no see

2009-02-13T18:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry for being so long since the last one. I haven't had time or Brandy hasn't had a video for me. I can't do anymore pictures because I can't find my camera. I haven't seen it since the day we got our cell phones. Either I dropped it somewhere or it's hiding somewhere in the house. So until I find that it all relies on Brandy to get those videos going. Thanks for all of the prayers, I think they're helping. We didn't go sightseeing this week like we normally do. Instead we went out on our own to a part of Seoul, Insadong. Very tourist populated place filled with knick-knacks and art for tourists to buy and take home to America or wherever. I think it will be a good place for anybody who comes to visit us, but since we live here I bought a keychain and that's it. I'm very excited about my keychain though, it's a little wooden football. We also ate hotdogs cooked New Yorkian style and had some french fries from McDonald's. A little taste of America goes a long way. You don't realize that you miss something until you taste it. Brandy wanted a thousand french fries after having the medium one we order. Interestingly enough their fast food prices are cheaper than ours. A medium fry is a little less than a dollar. We got two small McFlurry's for less than $3. They tasted like real American food, kind of. The only thing I really miss is the pizza. The pizza here is littered with vegetables, seafood, and Korean toppings. I miss the meat, cheese, marinara sauce, and the sweet taste of cheesesticks. Anyways, where was I, yes, um...I miss pizza and oddly enough I miss Chinese food because they don't have it here. I had one thing yesterday that was the closest I got to American Chinese food and it reminded me of how much I like it. But that is one thing that will go away after a while, I think pizza will hang with me forever. Chloe spent the whole day with San while we went to Insadong with Eun Young. It was cold and rainy but I was excited to get out and walk amongst the busy city. I love getting out and walking here, the city, the people who stare at you, all part of the wonderful Korea we live in. Oh, on a positive note, Brandy didn't fall today. Yeah! I actually caught here one time so maybe she fell 1/2 a time, but that's it! Chloe's starting to love escalators because everytime we go to the store or travel we ride one. She still hasn't gotten the whole gravity thing down yet so we still have to hold her hand on them. The train ride from Cheonan to Seoul was an hour. Then we took a 10 minute subway ride to Chun Hae & San's house, then we took a taxi to Insadong. So I think we covered about everything except for the plane, which we came in on (I'm counting the boat because it was raining when we were in the taxi). Brandy's still trying to find Korean foods she likes outside of our apartment. So far no luck. She thought she liked bulgogi but this last time it was too spicy for her. She'll keep trying. Chloe is learning to potty train. Weeee! She sits on her potty and watches movies. When she goes tee tee she gets 1 piece of chocolate fruit candy and if she goes #2, she gets 2 pieces of candy. So far just tee tee, but we're still working on it and she really wants 2 pieces of candy.

Cell Phones and Independence

2009-02-06T17:19:00.000-08:00

We finally got our cell phones! Everyone knows that already but I just wanted to say that again because we're so excited about them, especially Brandy. The church wants us to see something about Korea every Thursday this month so we went to Independence Hall this past Thursday for about an hour and a half. We got a guide who speaks English, even though I didn't want one because most things are written in English and I've already been here so I wanted to be the guide for Brandy. But Evangelist Yu insisted on a guide, who happened to not know so much English and the tour was probably one of the most boring experiences that Brandy has had since we've been here. She mostly dealt with an exhausted Chloe or talked about how hungry her and Yu's wife were. I, on the other hand, was very interested in what the guide was saying even though she would ask me many times what the English word was that she wanted to say; so it was more of a joint English tour guide. We help her with English and she helps us with the history. Anyways, the museum is government sponsored so it's about $2 to go there but it's huge! There are six museums, each with their own part of history. We only had time to go to 2 museums because the ladies were hungry and the kids were tired. We then went to a restaurant that served bibimbop. The restaurants work like this: the restaurant owner finds a food they are good at, then that's all they fix. So most restaurants have a short menu because they only serve one main dish and some small side dishes that taste delicious. Although Brandy and I weren't too impressed with the bibimbop, but I think it's because we're not impressed with rice, vegetables, mushrooms, and that's it. Brandy's first taste of Korea in a Korean restaurant and it was so bland. But, we had fun with Evangelist Yu and his wife. We then ventured to E-Mart and got Brandy a table, dishes, and a lot of other things that I had to dig deep into my pocket to pay out. You should have seen how happy she was when I let her buy the dishes she wanted though(1950's yellow, green, 7 red on all of the dishes. I'll try to put pics next time). I also bought the furniture for the apartment that we needed and it should arrive today. Brandy is ecstatic about all of that arriving today. She even slept in this morning so she would have enough energy to tell the movers where everything should go and finally arrange the house the way she wants it. Of course when I get home I expect the movers didn't put it "in the right spot" and I'll have to arrange it the way she wants it this month. Next month Carol can rearrange it for March. Now all we need for this month is lamps and that should do it. We will buy more stuff next month, but for now, she's happy (Brandy that is). One interesting note before I go; Pastor Kim said it's not custom for children as young as Chloe to have their own room. He'll be really surprised when we put the baby in her own room after a few months. :-)

2009-02-03T16:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we're still doing well. We went to Lotte Mart(which is like a Super Wal-mart) all by ourselves, something Brandy is very proud of but I'm used to by now. She couldn't stop talking about how proud she was of us to go to the Lotte Mart by ourselves in a taxi and come back to the apartment without any outside help. Chloe even didn't get a nap that night because we were so busy that day. We went to the bank to open our accounts, then to the cell phone store so we finally have phones, and then we returned to our apartment. We ate supper and then headed out to Lotte Mart. So Chloe didn't have a chance to take a nap, but she was so good. She was a little clingy to mommy but that's expected, she did however stay in the cart the whole time we were there and didn't pitch a fit to get out (mostly because she got ice cream and was very happy). We went grocery shopping and got a few other items. We still have to get a Korean table, which is about 6 inches off the ground and everyone sits around it and eats. We also need a coat rack and shelves for our clothes, and I think that will do it for the big items. I feel everyone is starting to adjust to our new settings more than earlier. Brandy is meeting the pastor's wives more and more in the apartment building and Chloe is loving all of it because she gets to play with their children. Brandy is worried about coming back to America because Chloe is treated like a princess here, literally. Eun Young (one of our friends here) said it's not normal to see such a cute American child, especially a girl in Korea. The Samantha Blackmon knows what I'm talking about. We got a TV! Yeah, Kidoong brought us his old one, which is actually pretty nice. It's a big back TV, but the picture is good and it's better than nothing. We are all very excited to stop watching movies on my laptop and now watch them on the tube, plus I get to play video games now (whenever I find the time). Glad to hear from everybody on Skype and stuff. Have a good one. This video has the apartment on it and other Chloe moments, enjoy.

Seoul

2009-01-29T18:23:00.000-08:00

We went to Seoul yesterday with Pastor Kim. First we went to the Cancer Treatment Hospital so he could visit someone in his cell group. We just waited in the car while Chloe slept. Then we went to a large bookstore in Seoul called Kyobo. This is a popular bookstore which are throughout Korea. We even have one in Cheonan, but it isn't as big as the one in Seoul. So I got some books to use for teaching English and also some books to read while I'm here. We also got some books in English for Pastor Kim so he can practice his English: The Shack, Heroes, and The Giver. He is excited to read these books because he doesn't have any like these yet because he didn't know which ones to buy. Chloe also got another book, I'll give you one guess at what it is. That's right, another Princess book. This one is in English as well. We already have a Korean book dealing with Fairy Princesses. I hope she doesn't grow out of this stage anytime soon because everything we have is princess. Maybe she'll grow out of it just as the other little girl is growing into it so there won't be any fighting over whose princess is whose. We also saw the Blue House which is the equivalent to our White House. It is very big and traditional looking. We went to the top of a high mountain (bookachsan, north mountain) and you could see Seoul for miles, although it was a little cloudy. The city looks like a little Lego set. Every building stacking higher than the next. We ate at Subway, which is so not Korean. We asked for Korean but Pastor Kim was tired of Korean I think and really wanted American, so we ate at Subway. I think it was a good idea because Chloe was starving and ate a whole 6-inch sub by herself. Wow! She's beginning to be more like her daddy everyday. Today, Brandy said she wants to venture out on her own and actually go to the grocery store by herself. I hope everything goes well with that. We still don't have our cell phones yet, but maybe tomorrow. We tried to get one last night but we couldn't figure out what an internet phone was so we decided to wait. We had a fun time walking around this BIG city, but it was a little too crowded for me.

Seoul Visit

A video of Chloe

2009-01-28T03:37:00.000-08:00

Here is the video for the grandparents. I hope you enjoy. We got snow on Saturday and Sunday. When we woke up everything was white. The mountains look glorious with the white covering the trees like blankets. The sun looked like it was coming in from every direction because the snow was like a mirror. The people here in Cheonan said they have not seen snow like this for sometime. It even snowed while it was sunny.

English is good

2009-01-27T22:31:00.000-08:00

Since we had the holidays, Ansley and Kidoong's family came over and we had a good time. San is the little boy, Kidoong's son. Him and Chloe had a blast. Kidoong took us to a nearby mall and we purchased some more items that we needed. We had a great time talking English the whole time, and not Konglish. We were going to see a movie but we ran out of time. We ate lunch with them and hung out with them until about 5, which means we went right through Chloe's nap time. This showed quite a bit sometimes in the mall, but overall she was a really good girl. She really liked to keep up with San and they both were filled with so much energy. Needless to say they both slept very well when they got home. We want to get together with them once a week to talk about ideas we have for our English classes and how we can better serve the students. I'm so glad I already have a network of people here I can trust. Here are some pictures of the event that day.

Holiday Weekend

Holiday

2009-01-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

We've been out of commission for a little bit because Korea just celebrated their New Year, which means I don't go to the church and get internet access. The church took Monday and Tuesday off but most people took Saturday through Tuesday off. This is their big holiday where they actually take a break and visit their families (kind of like our Christmas). So, Brandy and I had absolutely nothing to do. Since Chloe had a mild cold and somehow Brandy got it, they stayed in the home. I wanted to do something so I walked to a part of our town to look around and stretch my legs. This video is just pictures I took on my journey through the town and that day. Today we're back on schedule and working a little. Really I'm just planning for my curriculum for English teaching that I must present to the Senior Pastor at some time. Brandy is staying at the house still, meeting all of the wives of the pastors and taking care of the house and Chloe. Sooner or later she'll get up the strength to actually go out on the town on her own. She's still a little timid when it comes to that kind of stuff. I've gone out on the town twice by myself but I want to do a little more journeying soon. I've only visited a part of our town and I want to visit the rest. This is the fun part of being here and being foreign. As I walk down the street people stop and look or whisper to each other about me. I feel famous sometimes and at other times infamous. Either one I'll take because I'm a celebrity. The only person who steals the show is Chloe. The Korean people here are fascinated with her. She is so cute and white and little. People, young and old, flock to her and touch her (she doesn't seem to like that part), and they give her things like balloons. She is treated like a true princess. The next post will probably be mostly for the grandparents because it is Brandy's Flipvideo stuff that is only about Chloe's daily process of things and the messes she gets into.
Don't play this through the YouTube page because the music is copyrighted and it won't play.

Video

2009-01-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of when we started out journey to Korea. We flew Korean Air and it was nice. They have so many shows and movies you can pick from to watch to keep you up for hours; 15 hours to be exact. Chloe had a fun time with all of her toys that we hid from her through Christmas and also new toys she had never seen before. Most of the plane ride we watch movies but the last couple of hours Chloe played with another young boy in the back of the plane. That was a nice time because she didn't cry or fuss and she released some of that bottled up energy. When I build an airplane it will have a small play area in the back for children and a little larger one in the front for adults, so then you can stretch your legs and pass the time quickly. I'm pretty sure that idea is money!$! Anyways, enjoy the video and I will post pictures later.
Korean word of the day: 벙 = room, pronounced bong

We're Here!

2009-01-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

So, we made it. I can't post as much as I want because we don't have internet at our place yet. But I'll try to post everytime I come to the church because it does have internet. We went shopping already and bought the minimal amount for our family. We went walking yesterday and found a grocery store close to our home. We also met another American family with a daughter about 18 months old. Brandy's very excited that they can get a playdate together whenever we can get cell phones. I'm staying busy now with the church. I have a lot more responsibilities than I originally thought I would have. Not only am I starting an English class, I'm also leading all of the English things that happen in the church; which they don't have yet. Such as: English worship service, English cell groups, English bible studies (Sunday School), English Saturday school with children from church, and so on. I'm excited I have so much to do but I also feel overwhelmed. I pray God will help me to fulfill all of the dreams that the pastor has of this English ministry. In the meantime I'm just waiting around and visiting people and places and trying to learn Korean. This is a starting point for me - http://blog.daum.net/jasko7/6539077?srchid=BR1http%3A%2F%2Fblog.daum.net%2Fjasko7%2F6539077. If you find any sites that are also good, give me a shout-out post, thanks.
Another is http://www.korean-arts.com/about/korean%20alphabet.htm
P.S. I will try to post pictures and videos next time.

A little excited and stressed

2009-01-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

This is about how my wife looked tonight as we did the finishing touches on packing for our trip to Korea. We have 6 luggages to pack and 4 of them are over the 50 lb limit. I felt like we weren't taking that much but now I feel like Americans who take everything with them. It's hard because they don't have anything our size so we have to take everything we think we will use because we can't buy anything over there that's in our size. They don't even have shoes in our size. The good thing is that our daughter is still small enough to fit in their children clothes so we don't have to take a hundred outfits for her like we are for us. Hopefully we can sleep tomorrow on the plane because we're going to need it or we might remain to look like this -->. We have a 15 hour flight to look forward to. A long flight where we leave here at noon and arrive there at their time of 5:00 pm. It's like we lose a whole day on a plane. The problem I'm going to have is trying to not watch all the movies they have and actually catch a little shut eye. And we have to get our little girl to go to sleep twice, one for her nap and the other for her night sleep. All of this is going to be challenge but we have to do it because we can't just jump out of the plane, can we? I'm going to miss a lot of stuff when I leave: family, friends, and UGA. I'm really going to miss Frisbee. Well, I'll keep you up to date later, got to go to sleep so I can get up bright and early at 6:00 am.

2009-01-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

What's going on? Is this how it works? I'm moving to Korea and I can't wait to play basketball because I'm the Korean Shaq of Korea.