Minjae Lee

I am lovin' this South Korean 19-year old artist; at 19 he is able to get in touch with the woman side of things. His name Minjae Lee, and his craft is using old-fashioned tools such as acrylics, pens, crayons, and markers. Women predominately ornate his work but his recent work moves into a different culture. His work exudes an inner tension or turmoil that is not neglected in his work; each piece I have seen transfixes me in to them.

If you click on his name in the title it will lead you straight to his sight. He has yet to merge into commercial abundance but there is no doubt his talent will not go unnoticed. Until then, with more time he is just learning and developing his art.

"WE ARTISTS ARE INDESTRUCTIBLE, EVEN IN A PRISON CELL OR CONCETRATION CAMP I WOULD BE ALMIGHTY IN MY OWN WORLD OF ART. EVEN IF I HAD TO PAINT MY PICTURES WITH MY WET TONGUE ON THE DUSTY FLOOR OF MY CELL."

~~~Pablo Picasso

Get's Me Everytime...

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square hole. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Watch the video!

Extremely Late: Seoul Fashion Week 2010

I know I know...it is awful and I have been neglectful of my blog, or have you my blogs. SO in any rate, besides my writing block that lingers like my shadow, here are some late photos of fashion week in Seoul. The camera that I had to loan, because I cannot find the one I want here, was not very kind with me, hence my the photos not being ideal nor having a plethora of them. Luckily my dear friend who accompanied me had her camera; however, I have not being able to get them yet. So, basically a rough draft is being poured out to you but you will get the overall drift; tons of people, new garbs, discrepancies of originality and so on. Also to point out, I only attended two days out of the week; the first day was great the second was interesting but I bit dry in the fashion sense. Nothing was extremely captivating accept for a designer whom I took a keen liking, her name is hana.h. Her looks were tailored beautifully and her pieces were interestingly structured. Some pieces draped the body and others wrapped it tight; they were all white to cream with sections of sheers revealing the exquisiteness of the woman body. I do not have photos of her line for i was watching to closely but my friend does!





One "white" girl in the show.



Click on all the photos to enlarge; Resurrection, is this designer and overall a good show!

Her hair!

Me trying to model; however, I look like that teenager that still carries the kit-n-caboodle set and, honestly, I almost fell in the water.

There were so many people, and to wait in line for the doors to open in order to get the closes seats possible was ridiculous. My feet hurt so bad from standing we finally gave up in the waiting in line bit and still got good seats!!! I should have done more research to get better hooked up...damn the VIP's.

Minus the head, the shot just captivated some of the people there and those lights made the room so hot it was nauseating.

Seoul's Fashion Week is nothing like New York's or Paris but no one is asking it to be. It was a great experience and in time Seoul will be an "IT" fashion capitol; if not already. Many people traveled from different countries to check it out and Seoul continues to plant its roots in the fashion world.

Let's Talk About A Lot

There has been some unwavering evolving's going on in the world and within me. Between poignant changes in society, new movements for friends and family, to right down in my very own soul the developments have been like a Lego construction; connecting one inevitable piece to another. And at the route of it all we are all connected. Each one of us effects the rest of the world and those in it.

We have made steps to more equality, to more love and more unity. The walls of constraint, prejudices, jealousies and so on have yet to be completely deconstructed but its the trust and faith we must hold on to. We can foster a better world; within ourselves and for others.

We should never stop being who we are, and believe in what we feel. Allow love and God to enter into your life. You just need to trust because it is the core in every relationship. And I am not speaking of religion when I say God, for religion has hurt everyone, I am speaking of trust and love. Whatever your spirituality maybe, stay connected, live with compassion, and breathe with love. Religion has caused many furies and in time those who don't see will.

A big movement, that has personally touched me, is happening below please take your time to watch this clip:

Outside of South Korea; Moscow Cloud

They are calling this "a halo over Moscow" but the buzz is more scary than exciting for me. They also reference it to the names of "UFO cloud" and the "Moscow cloud."

UFO enthusiasts are having a field day, supposedly, but there is more worry than excitement roaming through my mind; mother nature does not look happy.

An official spokesperson for Moscow's weather department said, "Several fronts have been passing through Moscow recently, there was an intrusion of the Arctic air too, the sun was shining from the west — this is how the effect was produced."

Check out the clip below to see for yourself:

OBAMA WINS THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Due to "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

To read more click on the title of this post to link you directly to the site's article.

Drunken Tiger

One of his newest videos out; Drunken Tiger IS Korean Hip Hop, and I got to be honest it is a bit more refreshing than Korean Pop Music. There is only so many times we can hear Lollipop, and the numerous K-pop boy and girl bands, well, I just cannot tell them apart.

Drunken Tiger sings in both Korean and English; both are good. Type casting him doesn't seem to fit so take a listen and let me know if you'd like.

LCB

Countdown to Fashion Week!

The hit is in Fashion Week in Seoul will be running October 16th through the 23rd, and you can feel the energy in the air; even in Jeju, haha.

Newbies and Masters of design will be displaying their pieces, and bloggers, fashionistas, writers, photographers, and all will be delectably enjoying the streets of Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

More will be posted as the time flows till the event...stay tuned!!!

Website: http://www.seoulfashionweek.org/main/

The Foreign Teacher and her Students

Is now published; read it by clicking this link:

http://www.borderhopping.net/writing/foreignteacherstudents.html

Thank you

RAISE YOUR VOICE!

If it isn't now, it will be one day when you will notice the earth is in peril; hopefully, it won't be to late. There will be one day when everyone understands that without the safety of our planet we will all parish. The days are coming closer and people are not realizing that Earth is the Mother to us all. Please take the time out to watch this clip.



Below are the words from their website:

http://www.youtube.com/cop15

"This December in Copenhagen, Denmark, the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 (also known as COP15) will take place. Delegates to the conference are set to negotiate the successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

The Danish government's ambition for COP15 is to enter into a binding global climate agreement to reduce the amount of man-made greenhouse gases which have a negative effect on the earth's climate system.

To mitigate the effects of climate change, it is the Danish government's view that we all must act and do our part. Here on YouTube, we invite you to "Raise your voice", and we will make it heard inside the conference meeting rooms where leaders of the world are gathered at COP15.

The "Raise your voice" channel is part of a collaboration between the Government of Denmark and Google/YouTube to focus on increasing awareness of climate change."

DO your part to protect and save the planet; the smallest movements aid to the largest effects. SO GET TO THE DOING!

Love,

Live.Connect.Breathe.

Sometimes this is just what I feel :)

Piece of art and some words...

I feel this piece. I think it captures the duality between two souls.

We always want to have and find true love, but it is not always what we expect. When you arrive in love with another soul, you both, individually, come with past lives, issues, passion and aspirations. Which makes the love, conflict or pain seem, at times, unbearable. We come to think maybe we weren’t meant for eachother or maybe we are but we cannot handle it. Or perhaps, through decades of existence we have yet to find the true way to love. Maybe it is simple or maybe it isn’t, but it’s love. So to all the fiery souls and all the twisted head issue peeps; a piece of art to combine the moment.

The best way to live is to not deny yourself of who you really. Life is not just about finding yourself its about creating yourself. Love.

Today was an interesting day...

1st class I took the kids outside to teach them some English games and words on the playground; the day was warm with an Indian summer air, and we had so much fun.

2nd class my favorite student (I am her absolute favorite teacher;) shows me her sticker collection; opens to the first page and BAM pot leaf stickers in red. I was hysterical.

3rd class we played bingo, and I got yelled at the whole time hahaha. "Teacher, Lori, Baleeeeee!" Bale, (I'm not sure if this is the correct spelling) bah-lee is the pronunciation, means to hurry up. This was hysterical I drove them crazy with my slowness, and also got the English version, "HURRY UP!!!"

4th class. I had two student's that got 73's on their English weekly test; while the rest off us enjoyed game time (scrabble) they sat at the end doing grammar and writing work. They said they were sorry, but those are the rules. 79 and below NO GAME!!!

5th class. The NO GAME happened to a few students but one particular student decided to show me a new phrase she learned from school: FUCK YOU was written on her notebook with a heart next to it. I almost keeled over; however, this is my 11 year old and she insisted that she had no idea what it meant only that is was bad. YEAH right she knew. BUT can you believe it, crazy kids. This class by the way, F6, are only one of my crazy group of kids, there are more!

6th class. My higher up class, half of them did not study, thus accumulating 60's and 65's on their test. I almost killed them; however the torture for them will start next class. Work, work, work. Only two of them (only eight kids) did amazing; 85 and a 90. Good job!

Our kids are overall truly wonderful kids, but as a teacher you feel ultimately responsible and sad when they do not do their best. At first you think it is a reflection of you as a teacher, but when it comes down to it sometimes kids just DO NOT want to study. Not mention their in school all day and all night studying for every single subject known to man, intensely. After the weekly test are over me, the other teachers and the owners sit around and discuss everything (we do this almost every night). We laugh, we cringe, but in the scheme of things we realize there are good days and bad days. Good students and not so good students. If anyone does choose to go into this field just remember you cannot do everything, and even though you want the absolute best for your kids understand that not everyday is perfect. Try not to stress or pull your hair out (of course this may happen if you are stuck in an awful situation at the workplace, in which it would be best to disperse) just take the good with the bad. It is all about balance in this field, and in any other aspect of your life. Also if you do want to get into this job, please be an understanding person. You are entering a different culture and pretty much a different world from yours. It is not always easy, but you are coming to their country and getting with their money, you are no better or greater than they. Oh, and actually want to teach and make it fun. Yes you have good and bad days, but don't take it as a joke. A year to be with kids is a very long time; they grow on you and you grow on them. Do not think of it as an easy job and quick money because you will be rudely mistaken. It is a job, a tedious one, and if you do not love it you will hate it and take it out on the work and the kids. I have been blessed with wonderful bosses who are like my family now, and kids that love me and I love them. Think wisely before entering, and find as many teachers as possible to chat with; preferably not the ones that have their bosses standing over them while you are talking ;).

So...

I broke my camera. Well my imbalance actually did it; trying to hold everything on one arm, not so good. So I am on the hunt for a new camera; two in particular. Favorably, a vintage polariod and an easy digital. Moments that are snapped by a polariod are so authentic, as for the easy digital it is just for convience. Electronics and me do not always work; I prefer the vintage marvels. I have past photos that will be posted but for now I leave with a parting gift:

Amy Winehouse: Love is a Losing Game. Not vintage but a song to love.

ode to miscellaneous:

as i stretch out on my bed
Hey You by pink floyd plays out my speakers
thinking this is what music is
letting me ponder in the words and my illustrations
once the song stops its feelings linger in my area
continued on sings Comfortably Numb which my very mood is
sometimes it's just how things are




~that is my name spelt in Korean .

just saying...

...and don't listen to anyone who calls you selfish because you do!

Live.Connect.Breathe

originally reblogged on http://seeinhermindseye.tumblr.com/

Oooooo. U-do.

U-do is a small island off of Jeju, and jumping on a quick and sweet ferry ride will get you there.

Click on the photo to see the boat, and my big butt (haha) enlarged :) Oh, this boat wasn't our ferry but we had no time to shoot our actually ferry before we got on bc we had to run to it; however, I liked the color of this one better.

Let's go to Udo.

Click on the photo to enlarge; it's a beauty.

Click on the photos for a close up; I had to snap a bunch but these came out the best for the camera I had. Butterflies were everywhere!

Honestly, I almost killed us on this thing, but after a few laps it was a breeze. Woo Hoo.

Picture above this one, notice I was uncomfortable (almost killed us a couple of times), and this picture I got it!

Had to make the footprints.

It is a romantic little island too.

Our homemade gimbap; and a little homeless white dog that followed us everywhere!

Relaxing; waiting for the ferry.

The sunset; we waited at this bus stop for appro. 3 hours only to figure out there were no pickup buses on Sunday's from Udo.

Let's make the gimbap!

Instead of partying away on a saturday night and getting even more sick than I already was; Seung-mi and I decided to stay in and make gimbap. It was my first time!!! We made a variety of rolls that included tuna, apples, pickled radish, korean cucumber, avocado (my choice) vegetable patties, crab and, of course, dried seaweed and rice (gim and bap). Our first few rolls we not pretty but once the knife was sharpened and we understood the amount of products that could fit in, haha, they came out great!

just saying...

In Jeju: Baghdad Indian Restaurant

Located in Shi Chong (City Hall); delicious food and kind owners. The place has been the "it" Indian restaurant for some time and a pleasure to chill in. The big bread is called Nan; the garlic nan is the best! The green and orange dishes are strictly vegetarian; however; they offer plenty to a meat lover's appetite. Amidst the place lazes confident hookahs (to enjoy) and coffee to sip on. Oh, and this is an actual Indian restaurant run, and cooked by Indians; so authencity goes without say.

A realization...

I have finally realized that sometimes you lose the good things in life to make room for the great things

~Anonymous ;)

"It's your God forsaken right to be loved.....

...loved loved loved."

Below is a live clip of Jason Mraz signing his single I'm yours.
I know that it has been out for a while, and honeslty not my normal listening style but I cannot help but to be moved by these lyrics, the beat, and his voice.

"Listen to the music of the moment people dancing see we're just one big family."

After having such a great weekend, besides being sick,this song was a tag along on some of the journeys. So I decided to share it with you. Jason is rambling in the beginning but around the 44 second mark he gets in the song.

New picks and stories will be up this week. Hope you enjoy the video!

Outside of Jeju:Coffee Smith

When my friend told me he was taking me too a big and crowded coffee shop I was not at all excited. I thought perhaps it would be covered with foreigners, and have little aesthetically pleasing quirks; which I love finding in new places, especially coffee shops!

As we strolled the street of Garousil in Gangnam-gu, my eyes lit up with astonishment. Coffee Smith was nothing like I expected. Japanese designed--a massive open area, that had a distinct feel of an artist or architects studio; metal and wood beams, stone interior, complemented by two floors of lazing people enjoying their conversations and coffees.

We sat in the front on the first floor, and the availability for people watching fit my mood to the T.

Café Americano please!

The smooth breeze laid out a perfect vibe for the day, and allowed me to sit back and think "wow, I am really in South Korea." A feeling that sometimes passes you by do to your hectic days filled with hollering kids and deadlines; I was grateful for the occasion of aide memoire.

My Apologies.

There has been some questions about why I haven't been posting lately, and I am truly sorry.
I have been incredibly busy with school, tutoring, and freelance work. I am sincerely sorry for the lack of posts on Live.Connect.Breathe. This weekend will be a full fledged event; my dear girlfriend from Seoul will be visiting me in Jeju! Also I will be posting some outside of Jeju spots for the time being. Photos and stories will be posted soon of Jeju and its events.

Thank you.
Love,

Live.Connect.Breathe.

Everyday got published!

Everyday was a post I put up on Live.Connect.Breathe, and now it is published! I got many responses and emails about that writing, and had to throw it out into the publishing world. Click on the link below to take a gander!

http://www.borderhopping.net/writing/everyday.html

Another publication: Random Nights

A 4th publication on Border Hopping [dot] net:

http://www.borderhopping.net/writing/randomnights.html

Another publication: Florence Cafe

Hey everyone another story of mine is publicated on Border Hopping [dot] net. Check it out let me know what you think (?)(!).

http://www.borderhopping.net/writing/beinginthemomentflorencecafe.html

Quote for Inner Strength

Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not admist joy.

~Selah

Thinking for Change

Outside of Jeju:Bloom and Goute Cafe

Bloom & Goute Cafe on 545-24 Sinsadong Gargosil Street in Gangnam-gu is Seoul reminds me how much I adore cafes. Sitting preciously in the middle of the famous street in Seoul, Koreans compare it to a section of Soho in NYC, with an array of people and delicious coffees and treats only beckons you to sit with her.
Classicaly designed, furnished lavishly with ferns only marks her more interesting than most of the scattered coffee shops on the strip.
Mild to high in price; she is worth every penny.

*Click on the photo to enlarge.

remember...

"...pain does not live in my heart, nor does it compel me to want to call you, but the lack of kindness and thoughtfulness reminds me of how love once, can be so painful..."

~in the arms of a poet

Outside of jeju: Seoul Fringe Festival

The 12th annual Seoul Fringe Festival, perhaps also known as the "open festival" allowed visitors, expats and koreans to enter into Seoul's art world. Hundreds of art shows, exhibits, festivals, concerts, markets, and alike flourished from August 13 through August 29, marking just all the more excitement for me. Covered with people and art of many kinds every stimuli was peaked; not to mention free admission into all arenas!

This is an annual event so mark it down, because it is well worth the visit.

"If I find in myself desires which nothing is this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."

-C.S. Lewis

once you realize your past is just a story, it no longer has power over you.

Jeju Sunrise: August 29th.

From my deck :)

My Kids Love Me: Happy Birthday Teacher!

am truly blessed, and was shocked. The kids remembered my bday, and did we have fun! My kids brought in 2 different cakes, one chocolate and one strawberry shortcake. If you don't know Koreans make AWESOME cakes! The day was filled with so many hugs, laughs, hand made presents, letters, cards, gifts, and homemade cupcakes, and a pound cake just for me; from one of my older students. Oh and I can't forget a the PIZZA party, however I was to busy scarfing down I forgot to take pics.

Here are a few pics above.