lao-ocean-girl

Yes, sometime after college and during the time I was in Korea, grammar rules changed. Muscle memory still wants me to put two spaces after a period, but I’m open to the evolution of grammar.  [Click on the title to read the article.]

Two professors (astrophysics and applied economics) at John Hopkins University have developed a calendar that allows every date to have a permanently synched day of the week on which it falls. I did what most people would do, check to see when their birthday would fall.  New Year’s Eve (my birthday) always falling on a [...]

This week’s SeoulPodcast is out and ready for your listening pleasure.  Check it out. PANELISTS Stafford Lumsden (The Chosun Bimbo) Regina Walton (Where the Hell Am I, Look to the Stars) Me (lao-ocean-girl) Rob Ouwehand (Roboseyo) David Harris (SeoulLife.net) Luke Martin (ROKetship)

This segment was shown last week on NBC Nightly News, but it’s worth a watch for those that haven’t seen it.  It’s about Portland, Oregon, which is widely regarded as the most bike friendly city in America.  6% of workers commute by bike, on over 170 miles of bike lanes. Actually, Ras’ cousin Jake is [...]

A friend and former colleague who is now working at a university in Daejeon, went to an immigration meeting today and has this to report about new E-2 visa regulations: Q: For people RENEWING their visas, what do they need? A: Same as before, plus criminal check and medical check (and letter of release if [...]

Due to the recent case of the pedophile that worked in Korea, who then fled to Thailand, new regulations loom for current English teachers in Korea.  If the Ministry of Justice follows through, in addition to criminal and medical checks, we’ll need to fly back to our home countries to renew our visas!  Yes, you [...]

Yesterday as I was getting dressed for class, Ras called from the other room, “Have you read the news?  There’s been a massive shooting in Virginia.”  At school, the other teachers and I talked about the shooting during the day.  There are monitors in the elevators and the cafeteria that broadcast CNN, so that’s how [...]

Election results are in, and surprise, surprise, Democrats win in Oregon.  What I did find surprising were the statistics about library use in Portland.  The voters passed a levy that would provide more than $30 million a year over five years to pay for library operating costs.  The average cost for homeowners will be $11.13 [...]

Today marks the 30th anniversary of communism in Laos.  You can read an article about it HERE.  Feeing communism was the reason my family fled Laos and settled in Oregon. WITH the hammer and sickle fluttering from shop fronts and odes to the revolution blaring across the capital, Laos has geared up to celebrate 30 [...]