Sunday, December 31, 2006

Happy New Year!

Piggy cakes: Customers at Shinsegae Department Store in downtown Seoul, Sunday, look at cakes shaped like pigs to celebrate the Year of the Pig.
(photo and caption from The Korea Times)


새해 복 많이 받으세요* or Happy New Year!

I was a lazy expatriate and just chose to stay at home. After being part of the spirited World Cup crowd in Seoul City Hall Plaza this summer, I just wasn't in the mood to deal with jostling through crowds or making my way home after the festivities were over.

A demi- celebrity friend of mine was a part of the big New Years show at Seoul City Hall Plaza, but even with access to a nice cozy spot, I just didn't want to brave the cold and the crowds to get to the cozy spot.

Like I did when I was young with my parents, I stayed in the warmth of my home. I actually slept through the turn of midnight the way my dad always managed to do. However, my cell phone woke me up when it started rattling with Happy New Year text messages. I do love the connectivity in Korea even when it interferes with my sleep.

I wished my cat a Happy New Year. Filled her special food plate with, well, special food and went back to sleep. My cat seems to be happy. It's been a week of moist food and premium leftovers (premium salmon I bought at the department store down the road, leftover chicken (the parts I don't like), etc.) That's a great change because now that I'm actually at home, I'm eating and cooking at home. She always benefits from that.

Again, 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Fireworks Celebrating 2007 at Seoul City Hall Plaza (found at olgabrasil's site)
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*새해 복 많이 받으세요 = saehae bok mani ba deu saye yo

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This is what I chose to avoid New Years Eve. Crazy, in a good way, no?

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7 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, and that bartending job is always waiting for you over here! Lots of people here with "LETTERS" before and after their names.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, thanks for the well wish for my new year.

    However, take the hint. I don't really interact anymore for a reason. The rudeness isn't needed. Behavior like that is one big reason people from opposite sides just refuse to engage, exchange ideas and share. If I've misinterpreted your comments, let me know, but I think I'm dead on.

    Happy New Year to you too. However, I think I'll do quite well without bartending.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It was just standard Chicago American humor. Sorry you took it the wrong way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ie Kings,Queens,Dukes,Princess:Your Royal Majesty etc

    ReplyDelete
  5. Okay, thanks for the clarification.

    Just remember not everyone is from Chicago, and humor is risky online where you can't associate body language and tone of voice with the words.

    ReplyDelete
  6. expatjane; if you check your comment records I made the exact same question to you about six months ago, and then you thought it was funny and you joked about it. Evidently those days are gone, and I would venture to say that if you wish to excel in your chosen fields a few silly words should not make you go off the deep end.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I thought the digs about bartending were rude. Even if I faked it with a smile, I thought it was rude then.

    Mea culpa because I let a veneer of good humor cover my displeasure with the comment. I should have said something then. I saw it as a dig, and I went along with it hoping it wouldn't occur again.

    After that, I pretty much didn't deal with you much and it was because I felt insulted by what you joked about. However, this time I wasn't in the mood to fake it. This time I called you on it.

    As for my future career, I don't think you're really in a position to tell me about my future career or how I should or shouldn't react to some words.

    I'm not sure if you have kids, but if you don't have some, please go and procreate because I'm not really interested in being told how to take something. If you do have some focus your wisdom on them.

    Maybe if correspondence cools down with someone you should maybe think about why.

    ReplyDelete

Hey there! Thanks for visiting my blog. It's my first blog, and I'm glad folks are still stopping by even though I'm no longer living in South Korea. Feel free to comment. If you want a personal answer, leave your email, and I won't publish the comment. Nasty comments and spam links will not be tolerated.