Hold on to Your Hats! -refers to pic.

Just been too busy these last couple of days to get super-creative in the ol' blog for you guys...will get back on track in a few days. Yusheng is here, as you know, and in Korea having a foreigner/out-of-towner in town is a great excuse to slack on everything else.

I'm also doing a bit more work lately. Our CEO has an interesting little business niche to exploit and they need me to do a lot of the 'English' stuff (reading, writing, talking, Googling...) that makes life so hard for them here. In my 'real' job of hedge fund stuff I often wonder what they'd do without me (not to elevate myself too much) because many of our supplier companies' people have various accents (English, Irish, Scottish, French, German, Swedish, Swiss, American potpourri...) which are quite impenetrable for the locals. And when it comes to legal contracts they can get the words, but sometimes convolute (up to 180 degrees) the meaning. It's really quite incredible. But, there is progress here. But, they will always be Korean. But, things are slowly changing. But, it will take a long time. But, it will happen. (I think you get my meaning, but maybe not.)

Also, there is a pervasive idea that (i) Koreans cannot understand 'pure' foreign things and especially (ii) foreigners cannot understand 'pure' Korean things. So even though they can understand it (the guys I work with are all from the best schools) it seems sometimes like they just can't. And although I've been here 2 years (and 1 week, but who's counting? oh, I am) there is no way I can understand some of their concepts--no matter how many times I say: "Yes, I got it; I understand; it's in there." 아이씨/aisshi! (men's expression of exasperation) The funniest things is much of what they are explaining are Western ideas and procedures that I know like the back of my hand, but they learned them in Korean so figure they are Korean notions. 아이씨 again!

On to lighter topics. As you know, I'm a tight-ass and have been buying lots of shirts and ties lately. Today I looked at this combination: a small windowpane. Shirt is blue on white; tie is light blue and white on navy. At first I thought it'd look like crap, but when I put it on, to my surprise, it looked good. (Maybe Yusheng and his funky clothes have changed me.) At least I don't have a windowpane jacket to make it incredibly nuts...that would be a fashion-crime. Oh, and the prices: 6,500 for the shirt, 4,000 for the tie.


Try to control yourself...as you can see I'm one wild and crazy guy!

Still on the clothing front (narcissist that I am) I'm getting a little shocked at how I'm losing weight lately. Actually my weight is the same, but my muscles are bulking and fat is begin shed. As I noted, I've already cut my belt down, but now I'm down to the last hole...and I'm fitting into suits I almost gave up on a few months ago (although the jackets are feeling a little tight now). I guess it's not a bad thing...before I was trying to find pants big enough for my girth. Just hope I can keep this up. I got a little worried yesterday as I did such a heavy chest workout my right boob/pec was twitching all night. Hulk like work out...aaaaaarrrrrrghhhhhhhhh!