윤진상, ユーンブライアン's Journal

6:16am: You know you're having a bad week when you go to bed at 5:30 AM and your roommate says, "Wow... you're sleeping early today."

11:46pm: During the summer when I was in Korea, I saw a CD by singer Younha (Korean singer who first debuted in Japanese media, her first hits being a song for the movie Touch and an ending for the anime Bleach). I was very disappointed with her Korean Debut CD , as I had enjoyed her first Japanese one.

I had an interesting conversation with my dad where he told me I liked the Japanese version better because I couldn't understand the lyrics, and thus was free to enjoy the melody, sound of voice, etc etc. I thought about it... well, it made a lot of sense. After all, she's a pop singer. Pop music isn't exactly known for amazing, engaging lyrics.

I was glad to hear her second Korean CD found here was a direct copy of her Japanese CD (except the language change). And this is a much, much better album than her first Korean CD and I -do- like it better than the Japanese CD.

Too bad this trashes my dad's theory! Oh well, back to the drawing board.


Hmm... or do I like this CD specifically because it counters my dad's theory? More food for thought.

Lots of writing to do. Sigh sigh.

5:14am: For those who might be wondering...
I am fine, I am safe. Fires aren't too close to me, which is fortunate considering how much damage they have done to so many others near here.

It smells like death and I can't step outside without coughing the entire time, but I am hibernating in my (very hot, no AC) apartment.

11:19pm: As much as I like watching House...

I cringe to see how much of a jackass he is.

Geez.

1:46am: The biggest issue I see with Scorsese movies (in specific, the Departed) is that they're all great movies, but they're not exactly... rewatchers.

I loved every minute of that movie, but I dunno if I'd pop it in for watching once every so often, like I would for piece of crap movies like F&F3: Tokyo Drift.

Yeah, I'm weird.

7:43pm: Typhoon just hit Seoul. The rain and lightning is really impressive!

So, this summer trip, I hit typhoon in Tokyo and Seoul, and slept through a 6.8 earthquake. I'm like a natural disaster magnet.

11:09pm: Just discovered Stealing Harry. Awesome series; I can't stop reading!

8:36pm: Progress!
Two months ago my left eye was 20/400 and my right eye was 20/600.

I got LASIK one month ago.

Now, my eyes are both 20/16.

I believe that deserves a w00t.

3:03am: There's a movie coming out in the States in Sept. 14 called D-War. Fantasy meets real life story, where there's an evil dragon who brings out an army of evil monsters to combat the army/air force/etc.

Very, very horrible. The acting is so horrid I couldn't do anything but cringe pretty much 80% of the movie. The action is decent, but it doesn't justify the rest of the movie.

Can't believe that it has a 7 approval rating on imdb right now.

Though - I got a huge kick out of the dinosaurs shooting rockets at medieval koreans. Overkill!

7:43am: Hah!
The last few nights, there's been a lot of noise outside at night. I didn't pay attention since I figured it was just young hooligans that won't get off my lawn. (/angryoldman)

Tonight I went outside to a Family Mart (7-11 sort of place) and I found out what it was - they're filming a drama right outside my building! Like, 20 steps from the entrance of the building. I stayed and watched for 10 minutes or so; tonight they were filming a guy-escorts-girl-home-and-she-gets-angry-at-him scene. Pretty interesting stuff, and the actor/actress were good looking.

I have no idea what kdrama it is, but it still amuses me greatly. My brush with fame!

5:00am: I actually don't have much to do in Korea, so I spend most of my time sitting in front of this laptop surfing the internet.

Moderating for the Legend of the Five Rings board has led me to read a lot of posts about the upcoming Samurai Edition. I didn't play through Lotus - my playgroup died - but since I should be getting free cards from AEG (if they ever arrive!) I decided to jump back into the fold for SE. I've convinced a few friends with those free cards to get started with me so I'm rather excited. Those car trips to far away Koteis, seeing familiar faces - well, suffice it to say I don't think I've ever regretted that part of the CCG addiction.

But man. The game has -changed-. It'll be like starting over as a newbie again. I hope I can win some games!

I should probably make it out to Gencon next year or the year after that (especially the year after that; it's rather important, with the Samurai Championships and all). I've never met the rest of the Story Team, and that is a problem I'm looking to rectify.

9:34am: Hello from Korea!
Managed to find a copy of The Book here a few hours back, finished it now.
( Read more... )
I've neglected this thing for (years?), so I hope this doesn't sound just tacked on that I have wished you all the best even with my absence.

Hope all are well.

7:34pm: Book Recs
Can anyone toss me some book reccommendations?

I just realized after I finish my current batch of books - some 2-3 books- I have nothing to read and no idea where to go. Though I suppose I could do my usual wandering through B&N to find something, I was wondering if anyone could direct me to some favorites!

Thanks all.

3:20pm: <-- Insane
I have completely confirmed it.

Over the weekend at Dave's place (with some magical object called a "television" with "cable." You guys know about this stuff?! Amazing!), I was flipping through the channels when I noticed Star Wars playing. Ep4.

I joked to my friends that if they were playing all the Star Wars movies, nothing could drag me away.

Well? Apparently it was a Star Wars marathon. Because it was on loop, ep 1-6, for at least a day and a half.

So what do I do? Watch ep2-6, then 1-3 again.

That was a good day.

Also: I want a PS2, just for FF12. Jesus christ. Amazing storytelling in that game.

6:17am: Curious point of fact I realized just now:

in 8 years of wearing contacts, I have broken 4 contacts. Each of those contacts were for my right eye.

How odd.

In related news, insomnia. Here I go again.

4:09pm: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/30/education/30teacher.html

What the hell.

6:18am: And lo, from the grave he posts
My God, Nathan Fillon was the 'fake' Private James Frederick Ryan (Minnesota) from an hour into Saving Private Ryan. I always loved the guy, how he just crumpled up and cried and made the situation completely comedic. To find out the guy turns out to be a Firefly alumnus...

well, I love that guy that much more now.


Hi, I'm alive! But not by much.

3:44pm: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampulex_compressa

Whoa.

1:21am: I rented and watched "Just Friends" today.

It was a decent enough movie, though the protagonist was too much of an asshole for me to like all that much. It had the woman from Airplane! That amused me muchly.

However, the best part of the movie was the Special Features because they're just a blast. And so true.

( Tales from the Friend Zone - one of the features )

8:34pm: http://news.com.com/Create+an+e-annoyance%2C+go+to+jail/2010-1028_3-6022491.html

2:03pm: Happy Birthday, Sabs! :)

1:53am: Vacation, Scott Card, etc.
Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite authors, and I went back and read Speaker For the Dead tonight (I'm visiting home for the weekend, and I have little better to do). It's funny; when I originally read the Ender series five years ago, I loved the first book, tolerated the second book, and disliked the other two. Now, I find Ender's Game simple, if still good, but Speaker For the Dead about a thousand times better. I wonder why the opinion change?

My vacation was very fun, and it almost didn't happen at all. About five days before I was due to head out to Korea, a drunk driver hit my mother while she was out walking for her health. She (and consequently, I) stayed in the hospital for two and a half days where we learned that she had a simple fracture on her pelvic bone. I decided to not go to Korea, and help her out at home instead. However, when my brother heard about what happened, he drove down from Berkeley to help her out so I could go on with my plans.

She's fine now - walks without trouble, and for the most part I can't even tell she's hurting. She's a strong type.

In the week and a half I spent in Korea, I learned some important truths.

1. Koreans are the worst drivers in the world. It was horrible. I barely saw even one intersection without a car driving through a red light. People merge and drive with no attention to the lines on the ground. For them, it's like traffic laws are suggestions, not mandatory.

2. Koreans are tall now. Everyone in my age or so is extremely tall. It's like I missed a memo or something.

3. Korea's biggest bill is the $10 bill. This is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever seen.

I managed to catch a cold and it's still with me, though it's been a week. Hopefully I can shake it off soon.

Also - thinking back, I had no alcohol on my twenty-first birthday. I just didn't feel good enough to do so. This is a shame!

(Thanks for everyone who came out to celebrate, though. I had a great time.)

3:52pm: Mwahahahaha.

There are -definitely- some perks to my dad's new job.

I write this from the Asiana Airlines First Class Lounge at Inchon International Airport, which I get to stay. Free Internet, free food (some really, really good food here) and free drinks.

I passed through security without going through the metal detectors, passed passport checking lines. I'm flying Business Class at the cost of about 5% of Economy Class's ticket.

This flight back might be really, really, really fun. :D

11:02pm: So I'm in Korea for the first time in thirteen years
And the first thought that I had on entering the International Airport, no joke: "Holy crap, there's a lot of Koreans here!"

Ladies and gentlemen, I am a genius.




Anyway, I'm having fun, the food is amazingly good, it's -5 degrees celsius, and they have two channels where they show Starcraft games. It's kinda crazy; I watched a (shortened) match between Terran and Protoss where the Terran barely pulls it off by whittling down the Protoss base with Siege Tanks while defending his base against carriers with Goliaths.

I'll post again sometime (with pictures!)

4:07am: Caved in.

Bought an iPod.






I'm so weak.