Acura TSX commercial

Car commercials rarely grab my attention like this one.

The bright, red dress...floating in the pool with the city backdrop...the excellent soundtrack. I guess I really like the theme and how it was shot.

Directed by Joe Pytka. Song "Let the Drummer Kick" by Citizen Cope.

Weezer covering Radiohead's Creep

Weezer covering Radiohead's Creep, with the audience playing along. Sweet.

I love you foam soap

Got tired of using dishwasher soap as hand soap so I finally bought some foam hand soap for the house...mmm, green tea + aloe. Made from this company called Method. I think I'm obsessed with foam soap now.

Method has their own blog, too...pretty cool company.

high water or flooding?

A few weeks ago, while eating at a restaurant, my friend mentions to me that the waiter had "high waters". My reaction: "huh?" She pointed at the bottom of his pants as they were pretty high up past his ankles..."oh you mean flooding?" was my reaction. She's from Oklahoma and even in Maryland, I guess the term is used frequently. Then when watching Rob & Big, I watched Rob Dyrdek also mention high waters. Rob grew up in Ohio and now lives in California.

Apparently, Mississippi is far behind on slang as well? I grew up with the term flooding and never ever heard of high waters. But I guess it makes sense as they both sound pretty similar. Time to pick up more alternate slang words, I guess...

Man accidentally watches 'Sex and the City'

Quote from a legit article on Yahoo about a man who accidentally saw Sex & the City...

"A heterosexual man could see that movie and remain heterosexual at its conclusion," Dr. Logsdon said. "Having said that, it's totally gay that he did that."

full article

bahhahaha

Colbert vs Rain

Last year, Time Magazine asked their readers to do an online poll of who they thought were the 100 most influential poeple in the world. Well, Stephen Colbert took a backseat to the #1 spot, which was given to the hottest pop singer in Korea (and possibly the rest of Asia): Rain or "Bi" (비) in Korean.

In retaliation, The Colbert Report (announced Repoire) made an R&B video of his own that mocks Rain's music video. Genious. Colbert's Korean is pretty good and hilarious.



Last month, Rain dropped by the studio to do a dance off to finally settle the score with Colbert. Watch the hilarity. "Hey Rain, let me know when Korea lifts the embargo on balls."



Here's the rest of the Rain rivalry videos.

For 2008's Time Magazine online poll, once again Rain has beat out Colbert. Haha. Who knows if Rain will be making a huge impact in the US. Although he is huge with Korean-Americans and other Asian Americans, he is widely unknown to others. He is currently in the new movie, 'Speed Racer' with Matthew Fox, but I believe his singing tour in the US has been put on hold due to legal infringement of his name in the US.

foam soap

I heart foam soap. I hope all restaurants and public restrooms switch over to foam soon. Yesh...

Korea - 4 years later

It has been so long since I last visited Korea. Last time I went was during spring break of my senior year of high school, 2004. I hung out with all my relatives, but man things have definitely changed. Many of my cousins have daughters now, Seoul is even crazier than I last remembered and many of the toilets have become westernized so they aren't holes in the ground.

This trip really had strong meaning for me, it truly showed the importance of family. It is so important for us (my sister and I) to keep close contact with my mother's side of the family. It is crazy to see how successful they are and how much everyone has changed. One of my cousins, June hyun, is 26 and is already a medical doctor. Well, all of my family on my mom's side are either doctors or dentists. My cousins on my dad's side are no different. June bum, one of the oldest (about 12 years older than me), works in the executive side of M-net. M-net is sort of like Korea's MTV. It's so funny how his parents are still pressing for him to be married, as most of my relatives are pressing for, as well, for my sister. My cousin, June ho, a little younger than me, is finishing up school to be an MD as well. His brother, June gyung, works for a financial investment firm and served as a KATUSA, or, a Korean who trains in the American military (all Korean men have to serve 3 years in the military when they turn 18). I now recall filling out a form that declined Korean citizenship, before I turned 18. That way I wouldn't be held the next time I visited Korea, and be forced to serve in their army.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see my Uncle in Daegu and his sons, June gwang & June so. June gwang was also 'KATUSA' and speaks perfect Korean and English with an American accent. At the same time, it was so sad seeing my Grandfather in his current state. He looks skinnier and weaker at his age of 91. Sadly, this may be the last time I get to see him alive...but it was amazing talking with him about our vast family history. I found out that I was a 27th generation Shim and I was so proud to read about our history and read his book that had labeled all the generations, starting from the Joseon dynasty (when the Korean alphabet was invented). Many of the Shims had important roles in government.
It was also crazy to find out that we had relatives that my sister and I had never met before. I feel a lost connection when I see all these names of the people who I have never met before, yet, we are all related by blood. 2 distant cousins in Japan, the younger who does not speak any Korean. Then, many cousins from my Grandfather's sister, who I had never even known about. Of the last 2 siblings remaining, my grandfather lives in Daegu and his sister lives at a family temple in the countryside. For 2008, I have kept a conscious of not burning bridges. I realize how important family is and I will now start taking Korean classes or hang out with friends and speak more Korean. It is a vital connection for me, as beyond my sister & father, no one else in our family lives in an English speaking country. As I was unwinding down from traveling, it was fun to talk with my cousin, June suh, from Paris. I could not believe he had already turned 18 and his English was remarkably good for being from France. We reminisced on when I visited and he was excited about trying to meet up again. I now want to be fully fluent in Korean and also learn conversational French and Japanese, so that I can speak to all my relatives.

One of these days, hopefully if I continue my life as a race car driver, I can live in Korea, Japan or Europe, and be closer with family and experience more of what this life has to offer.




Album 1

Album 2

Trapped in an elevator for 41 hours

Back in October 1999, a man named Nicholas White was trapped in a NYC building elevator for 41 hours. Think about it, almost 2 days you are stuck in isolation without water, food, or worse...a bathroom break.

This article in the The New Yorker talks about his experience and other elevator stories.

Here is the actual video of his ordeal:


And of course, someone made a parody of what happened. Ever wondered what it would be like you were stuck for those 41 hours...with diarrhea?


My abdomen really hurts now from laughing so hard. Bravo to the guys who filmed this.

Spring time in New York

Ah, nothing like going to NYC during spring. Last time I visited NYC, was probably 3 years ago. It's interesting, I was living in Queens around this time, a decade ago. I've always loved New York and it's always a new adventure going back. Times Square seems brighter every time, I discovered 'Rat Rock' in Central Park, I finally saw the WTC site and the Merrill Lynch bull. It was so nice walking around the city late at night.

It was a great trip to refresh the senses and I had a great time showing my friends around, as they had never walked around the city before. I'm surprised I never made the trip before, as I've been living so close for the past 2 years.







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