WITH ALL THINGS CONSIDERED:  I realize that when I leave Korea… soon I will have to apply for another job.  I will miss my after lunch power naps, they are quite good to me.

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Will

2 MONTHS AND GOING STRONG:  This is dedicated to the most wonderful woman.  We’ve only started our journey together but I am looking forward to seeing where God leads us.  She have been a true friend, helping me through the lows and rejoicing with the highs, I thank her for trusting me with your heart.  Here’s to many many memories already and those yet to come.

The first one… when we met, at your house freshman year in college.  I had only heard your name mentioned many times as a great hostess and all-around neat person prior to.  One night Trent invited me to come with him to watch Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (or as all the guys appropriately called it, “Much Ado About Marriage”) along with Liz, Craig, Kathrine, Lisa, Will, Abel and one or two others whom I cannot recall. Your brother Dan the Man came later was kind enough to share some of his candy with me and meeting your parents. During the movie we all took turns suggesting who best represented the various characters… I was elected Benedick. We did not talk much throughout the night having just met but it was a beginning and I am glad it happened…

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“Benny”

NEPHEWS UPDATE:  I felt like bragging tonight so here is a new picture of Gray and Parker (my perfect nephews!) sleeping on the couch… ah, already taking the first step towards manhood, I am… just… so proud… of them! *sniff sniff*

I was not a big fan of babies… whenever I hear a baby scream it is like nails on chalkboard… I am still not huge on babies but I will make an exception with these two.

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Will

“…ITS ‘SEOUL’ HARD TO SAY GOODBYE…”:  Rode up to Seoul on Saturday as part of my closure here in SK…. Okay so I went up to find some DVDs and games for my PS2.  I probably spent more money than I should but the account is holding steady.  I went up to Youngsan which has the electronics market.  Think millions of cell phones, camcorders and laptops all under one roof and that is just the first floor (there are 7 more).  Following Youngsan, had a quick walk down Itaewon where the US base is, its a bit like Songtan but smaller but prices tend to be fair bit better.  Finally upto Yoido to see Seoul plaza and the largest church in the world with a roll of a million members… the sanctuary was closed but I was relieved that their bathrooms were not.

Yes Number two, One… million members!

No new chapter for my book yet, that walkabout Seoul totally sapped me, but in all it was a nice trip… hope to get crackin’ back on the writing soon enough.

LAST BUT NOT YEAST:  Happy Passover! 

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Will

BACK TALK:  I finally succumbed to the pressure of adding a chatbox so that all 4 of my readers who aren’t Xanga subscribers can leave feedback without actually having to sign up.  Enjoy.

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Will

REDUCING PRICES & ROMANCE… ONLY AT WAL-MART:  What next?  Sam’s Night Club?  Its amazing how low one will go for customers but Wal-mart will always take me to the curb   I read this off this gal’s site but for those of you who aren’t (or maybe you are) lucky enough to know her found this tidbit about the new gimmick of matchmaking at Wal-mart.  Yes, matchmaking at Wal-mart!  Right now, they are testing it in Germany, Great Brittain, Puerto Rico and South Korea… SOUTH KOREA!?!?  Oh my word!  Hahaha, I’ll have to take my camera over there Friday night to see what happens in my local Daejon Walmart!?!?  I don’t know what’s scarier, spending my Friday night at Wal-mart or the thought that this will spread to the Wal-mart in Toccoa *shudder*  I see this lasting only until the first lawsuit appears.

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Will

[an excellent read about understanding people who grow up in cultures different from their parents' (TCK)... should you ever have the distinct pleasure of having them as friends and/or dating one]

ANOTHER CHAPTER:  Hmm… so how many chapters are there in this book?  Honestly I have no idea I’m making it up on the spot as I go along, really.  Here’s more from “Dorm Life: When being a RA is One Letter Away from A.A.”

CHAPTER ONE – ABANDON ALL HOPE… OR AT LEAST SOME OF IT.

“Congratulations!  You have taken the first step into a larger world of international boarding.  Prepare to have your world view as well as your patience tested.  With that said, your first step to become a RA (Resident Assistant) will be quite difficult so best to avoid the dog poo on the road you will be journeying on.  Becoming a RA is a thrilling embrace of kindness, hospitality and sometimes an iron fist should the need ever arise.  This chapter will be broken down into several categories that will help you realize what you are getting yourself into.  First you must realize WHY you are applying for this position.  Is it money?  Live in a different culture?  Serve and minister to students?  Or looking to meet exciting eligible women?  Whatever your reasons, allow me to cut right to the chase – they are silly.  Yes, silly… ridiculously so.  You are about to embark on a journey that is to take you far from your family and friends to be responsible for people you know nothing about.  Supposing this international school is located in a “danger zone” (like South Korea for example) you would probably question anyone else’s mental capacity for taking the job but instead it is you.  Sure you have read research articles and journals about where you are going and whom you will be working with by now as you quadruple check your to-be-packed list once again… but that is like someone writing a research article on your mother and expecting to know her afterwards… it just does not happen. 

So why is your reason for applying so important?  In these next chapters you will learn about difficulties with students, the culture around you and sometimes the people you work with.  These difficulties will mount up against you and bring you to a place where you will begin questioning your reasons.  So to begin find a reason that is rock-hard and cling tightly to it… it will be rough ride.”

PROM-TLY DENIED:  Bummer!  Fellow RA Roger will be working prom as a chaperone so no trip to Busan this weekend   However I am not limited in my options… oh no… I.. uh… okay so I’m limited *sigh*.

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Will

“TRICKSY HABBITSES”: 

CHAPTER NINE – PURPOSE-DRIVEN TRICKERY (cont.)

“As forementioned, trickery requires work, time and fortunately little money.  There is a mathmatical equation to determine the successfullness of your plan.

[idea (i) + {work (w) x time (T)}] x money (bling bling) = trickery success

Kyle, an RA of three years at an international school in Siberia and known trickster writes:

Being out in the middle of nowwhere has its disadvantages, in the wintertime, ignoring students could possibly detrimental to one’s health.  You see inactivity could result in freezing to death during the harsh winters, thankfully trickery relieves the boredom and keeps me alives.  So that requires lots of creativity.  One example I love to pull on students is the “You’ve been robbed”.  While the students are at school, sneak into their rooms and take all their stuff and hide it in your room so that they get back after a hard day of chemistry and math you can really set them off with such a simple little trick that they totally forget about the math test they just bombed with the fear they lost their precious comic book collection along with everything else…  so imagine their relief when you help return their stuff… after a day or two.

So you see that trickery is a good thing, the students should definitely be more thankful.”

PROM & CIRCUMSTANCES:  The senior prom is upon us this Saturday.  Having gone to three proms already… I might sit this one out.  Fortunately fellow RA Roger is also off and known for his trips to Busan.  I have yet to explore Busan so maybe I can talk him into taking a trip down for a day or two. 

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Will

MORE BOOK FOR YOUR BUCK:  Here you go…

CHAPTER NINE - PURPOSE-DRIVEN TRICKERY

“Day 318: Up to this point all the problems an RA has experienced has been to ignore students between 3 and 10pm.  However, frequent use of this tactic, though results in healthy, sane and alert RAs… we come to the issue of getting rid of the monotonous work ethic, we will refer to this a utter boredom.  If all one does is just ignore students all day you will experience severe amounts of boredom (unless you have a quality DVD selection to choose from).  A substitute method that requires more work than an RA is use to but truly the fruits of your labor yield ten-fold is trickery.  Trickery by definition is the use of anything that fools another into believing something that simply isn’t true or causing said person to do something quite silly which invites a great deal of mocking at their own expense.  Throughout the ages trickery has been called the “tae-kwon-do of the wits” as it is the person who brings the humiliation onto himself/herself thus removing you from all blame.

Trickery, I have found, not only stimulates the mind of the RA but enhances creativity when the need for activities is called upon, the trickier male RAs are well-known for their creative genius and thus recognized by their peers and school administration by earning the title, “the Man”.  Trickier female RAs are applauded for their efforts but dubiously labeled  “weird”.  It is the author’s prayer that such stereotypes and discrimination will be done away with at international schools.  Women have an amazing mind to achieve amazingly tricky acts upon their male and female students and not get hit with a sexual harassment charge that a male RA might incur should he attempt to pull a trick on a female student.  Men, consider yourselves duly warned.

Lord, help us to be more trickier with our students!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

GETTING COCKY:  I saw a rooster standing outside a church as I drove to school one day… it looked pissed.

 
“Heeere they come to snuff the rooster… you know he aint gonna die.”

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Will

PING ME:  I can’t believe how long it has been since I last played ping pong… I got to play with good ol’ Jason while covering the Springer dorm.  He’s getting better, but you know it is because I am a little rusty .  Tuesday is over with and I’m already dreading the rest of the week, I wish I knew why I’m feeling so bummed.  I think the time for some solitude with God is calling.

THE DEADLINE DRAWETH NIE:  By the last match of ping pong my brain was already frazzled, I wish I could write up another chapter but I’m running low on chapter subjects at the moment (see above).  I could really use a jumpstart so post up some ideas and I’ll cover the rest (hey, no worries I’ll give credit where credit is due) anyone, anyone, bueller?

Walk on in Truth,
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Will