July So Far

Again, behind on what I have been up to, and writing far less in general, but still keeping busy. In fact, I have started a few blogs in the last week, only to not finish them and then delete them later, so I am going to try and put it together in one blog.

Yen and I have been trying a few of the many BBQ places along the road near our place. One, which has great pork and is well priced, is run by a guy who used to live in Toronto and speaks English fluently. I think I let him down when I told him that I was not a Leafs, Argos, Raptors or Blue Jays fan. But He still seemed to like having us there and comes over regularly to chat. There is also a great rib place, but they choose odd times to be open. Sunday at 7pm, closed. Wednesday at 11pm. Open and empty.

during the day

again

never open but great ribs.....

I've also been working on my dissertation regularly. Probably why I have so little interest in other writing. It is at over 13000 words and is 90% done. I am taking a two weeks break (this week and next in Manila) before reading over it again, adding a few of Jon's readings to my lit review and submitting the thing. My advisor is happy with what I have and so am I. But mostly I am just happy to be almost done.

We've also been spending a lot of time with Yen's friends before she goes in two weeks. Her friend Rose has a five month old baby who used be terrified of me, but has gotten used to me now. Very cute baby.

We've also been spending time with other friends who are staying here for the next year. We hope to see them again in the Philippines or else back here (I haven't totally dismissed getting a University job in Korea for next September).

I've also been trying to reconnect a bit with my BC roots. The fact is that, despite having wonderful people in my life over here, I don't really have any close Canadian friends that aren't in Canada. I've noticed it this year especially when I've been trying to get back in to the BC Lions now that all of their games are on youtube, and no one else is interested. I think the CFL gets written off in the States, despite them being such different games. In fact, I've always found the American game to be very slow and kinda dull. What it has going for it, I think, is simply that huge market. Why would you play for $100,000 in the CFL when you can play for $500,000 in the NFL? But I'll argue that the CFL attracts guys who aren't necessarily unskilled, but are just too small for the hard hitting and slower moving American game. It isn't necessarily like going to Japan to play baseball or Europe to play basketball, at least I'll argue that. I've watched the first two games of weeks 2 and 3 (week one being a bye week). The second BC/Saskatchewan game should be up in a day or two but I may save it and watch both it and the week 5 Argo's game when I get back from Manila.

We also had a mini monsoon here, though it really just meant two days of intense rain and the city cooled down. It was kinda nice actually, except when the humidity hit 90%

Finally, next Saturday we are flying to Manila. Yen will stay there when I get back on Thursday. I am really excited, both to meet her parents and to get out of Daegu, which I haven't done too much this year (no money). I'll have more on that when I get back. We are planning to go south to Tagaytay and then do practical stuff like banking, clothes shopping and a cruise of Manila bay. It is also the second time that I've gone to the Philippines and spent a huge chunk of the trip in Manila (not exactly a tourist city). But I'll be back in October and I'll finally get out of Luzon then. I'm sure I'll have more to write on when I get back.