I respect his acting

So I just finished Delightful Girl Choon-hyang and it was a hilarious drama. It's centers around a high school couple and their quirky arranged marriage and the subsequent third and fourth wheels that try and break them apart. Unlike most other dramas, I was unable to guess what was going to happen. Plus, the drama spoofed Winter Sonata, Full House, and What happened in Bali.

But what really made this drama good was the fine acting of the main actor, Jae Hee. The long close up scenes where the director lets you just read Jae's eyes were some of the most powerful scenes in the drama. Jae's acting starts and ends with this eyes. When he's cheerful and smart-alecky, he squints his eyes and smiles sheepishly and when he's sad or angry or despondent, his eyes turn red and quiver. It's refreshing to find a young actor in korean dramas that can act. I really respect Jae's acting abilities and I hope to find him in other dramas too. 

If you're interested in supporting a good actor, watch Delightful Girl Choon-hyang. If you're have time to spare, you can catch Jae in Witch Yoo Hee. In my opinion, Jae, with his soulful eyes, saved this drama from being a crapfest of bad acting. It's too bad that he's not used in more dramas. I just know that he will be a very successful actor soon.  

Some of what I did over the summer

Ok, so I haven't been on here in a while. In fact, based on my current workload, I still shouldn't be on here. However, I have too much to post about to let my hiatus last any longer. Without further adieu, let me introduce you to the dramas I have watched over the summer and those I am still watching or will watch. 

1. Witch Yoo Hee - Watched this drama before and during my finals period. In retrospect, the storyline was cliched (contract, love develops, etc.) and save for the male lead, the acting was bad. If you're a girl and get your fashion tips from TV, then this drama may be for you. Otherwise, watch it only if you have time to spare and nothing else to watch.  

2. War of Money (or Money's Warfare) - It's a story about loan sharks. I guess loan sharks are big business in Korea. Good acting, good overall storyline, horrible ending, horrible "bonus rounds." On the plus side, the kissing scene is much better than the typical lip-touching-with-camera-spinning-360-degrees-around-the-actors sort of kiss that you see all too often in Korean dramas. 

3. Thank You - Unlike Money's Warfare which was faster paced and slightly awkward, Thank You is a melodrama. Little girl has AIDS and is ostracized from her rural village. To pull on your heart strings a bit more, the little girl doesn't know who her dad is and her great grandfather has Alzheimer's. Aside from the emotional turmoil, the overall storyline and message is good and the acting, especially from the little girl is good.  

4. Dreams Link - Boring. This is a story of a girl who has a secret relationship her older sister's boyfriend. Like the spoiled bitch that she is, she later develops a crush on an older man while the older sister finds out about the secret relationship. The story dragged on and on with side stories and characters that were one dimensional. I barely cared about the main characters let alone the minor characters. 

5. Yi San - This is the story about the life of King Jeong-Jo and his love for a girl named Seon Yeon. It's a very good, well-polished drama with high production values but I can't really say they developed Seon Yeon's character. Her interactions with the King consisted of lines like "Your majesty..." and "I'm sorry." If anything, this drama was more a bromance than a romance. The drama spent lots of time detailing the relationship the king had with some of this most trusted advisors and warriors. I did jot down a nice pick up line from this movie though. 

6. The Ballad of Suh Dong - I'm currently watching this right now. Nothing much to say. 

7. The First Shop of Coffee Prince - I just finished watching episode 5. So far, I'd have to say that this drama is overrated. I still cannot buy the idea of the main character successfully crossdressing as a guy. She has none of the mannerisms of a guy. If anything, she is able to portray a 14-year-old boy more than a 24-year-old young man who has the difficult responsibility of providing for his mother and younger sister. And what the hell is up with most of the guys in this drama? This drama is way to metrosexual for me. I should watch Yi San again; more testosterone. 

8. Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang - In queue. Stars the male lead from Witch Yoo-Hee. His acting skills in Witch Yoo-Hee persuaded me to download this drama. 

2L

Although this entry was drafted on May 7th, it is only today that I have chosen to publish it. Even though this is a published entry, it is an entry that I don't feel is finished - much like how the course of my friendship with a friend from law school feels unfinished. 

-----

I can't help but crack a pity smile when I think back to my last entry of my 1L year. I set out some goals: get in shape, reconnect with old friends, and push myself beyond my bubble. 

Now, after spending a second year in law school, I can say in no uncertain terms that I am in shape. I'm not sure if I am in the best shape of my life (I felt more spry when I was performing musicals) but I am without a doubt, the strongest I have ever been. Not counting the two weeks without seeing a gym floor while studying for finals, I have pushed myself to a point where I did not know I could go. I am stronger, faster, physically tougher than I have ever been. Boundaries? I am no where near any boundary. 

But I haven't found as much success with my other two goals. Reconnecting with old friends is tough when everyone lives far away and you spend 60 - 80 hours a week doing law related work. I did spend a few days of winter break with the Big Mac Crew and it was fun. After six years, we all still do the same things when we get together. The Crew will never change.

Without a doubt, pushing myself beyond my bubble has been challenging. However, my failures make my successes that much sweeter. Plenty of 1Ls know me. I think they see me as this happy, organized, smart and successful 2L. I won't indulge them in the truth. What's more rewarding though is that I have a slightly deeper connection with a few other students in the school. I wouldn't say we're best buddies (nor would I allow myself to fall into that trap) but it helps pass the time. The truly rewarding thing though is stopping for a moment and savoring the kindness of a complete stranger. These people are not obligated to do anything for me. Yet they give what we all need: knowledge that someone cares. 

But I digress. I crack a pity smile because my last entry of my 1L year was themed as being bittersweet. It was bittersweet because I got bad grades. It was bittersweet because I felt alone. It was bittersweet because I had too much to do. It was bittersweet because I learned the law school game a little to late. It was bittersweet because the things that made me happy were far and few in between. 

This year, this last entry of my 2L year is also bittersweet. I succeeded in varying degrees to meet my goals. I am better at playing the law school game. Nonetheless, one constant throughout my 2L year has been...her. I know. I promised myself not to post anything else like this here any further but no "last entry of my 2L year" would be complete without proper treatment of some of my missteps in life. 

Really, where do I begin? So much of this year has gone wrong and I can't help but know that I put all that into motion. Am I angry at her? No. Do I blame her for how she's reacted to my feelings? Not really. Can I understand how she feels? I've tried. However, at the very least, I think I deserve an explanation. It hasn't been fair to me. One moment I thought she was the one friend I can rely on during law school. The next moment, I find our friendship in tatters. 

It seemed fitting that on my last day of law school, I ran into her, not once, but twice. If anything, it was a reminder of how far our friendship has fallen apart. But most of all, it just hurts. It hurts when I think back to all the good times we shared. It hurts that I can't be a part of her life any longer. It hurts every time I think about how long we have spent not being friends. 

If she would talk to me, I wouldn't know where to begin. Again, if you could see me right now, I can only give myself a pity smile. Why? Why treat me this way? Does it make you feel better? 

I can try to understand how you must feel. But if there is one thing I cannot understand, it's how you've been able to, with a flip of a switch, decide that I am no longer your friend. I don't know what must have gone through your mind when you decided I was no longer your friend. Maybe you thought you had too many things to do and I was being a distraction to you. Maybe you thought it best for the both of us that we not be friends. And that's the thing. I don't know what you're thinking. I don't know how you feel any longer. I've never known exactly why you decided we should no longer be friends. You've left me with so many questions but so few answers. 

I don't know what to do anymore. And so I set out on this world, wounded and scarred. You've left me wondering where I went wrong. If I am sitting alone somewhere, looking downcast and dejected, I am more likely than not, thinking about...what could have been. It was as if it was yesterday that we were the best of friends. Suddenly, you had to go. Now, my heart is heavy and all I can think about is what could have been. If only you could see 

But it's time to face the truth, we will never be friends again. 

Clearly their system of government is superior to ours

True or not, it's still good fodder: Putin secretly divorces wife; marries one of Russia's sexiest women?

The transformation is complete. The pigs have really turned into humans. However, I am biased towards the white mares...

/Am I being too obscure with the references?

//Do you even care after seeing the picture?

I've been on vacation since week 10

When I say I am tired, I mean I am tired. Lets recap because I think it's been an eventful last couple of weeks

[Insert law school organization here]
I have spent the last few weeks helping organize my organization's end of the year banquet. Long story short, there was a lot of miscommunication between the organizing committee, the venue, the school accounting office and me, the treasurer.

The venue, claiming they have done business with our school before, has always demanded, and according to them, has always received 100% payment up front. However, school wide policy allows for a deposit of 50% of total costs and final payment only after services have been rendered.

The organizing committee "secured" a venue, food and labor. Unfortunately for me, when I said the organizing committee had "secured" the venue, I mean the organizing committee DID NOT secure the venue. By the time I learned of this, our organization had already sent out invitations and had already placed a deposit with the venue.

I, the treasurer, had to mediate the demands of the organizing committee, the venue, and the school. However the venue was not very pleasant to deal with. The demanded 100% payment up front or else. Yes. Or else. My conversations with the venue manager was very unpleasant to say the least. Actually, to be more descriptive, he was a fat, shady old guy with a mustache who encouraged me to falsify documents with my school in order for him to get 100% payment up front.

Here a protip for everyone: Be very cautious of men with mustaches. They are very cunning. In all my business dealings with people, it's the guys with mustaches that are always out to screw you. I see a mustache as a manifestation of their personality to hide their true intentions.

Knowing that the venue was not being very understanding and the fact that our banquet was in 5 days, I immediately seeked out alternate venues to have our banquet. I found one and negotiated a price and payment plan that weekend for $4250.

With three days before the banquet, me, the president of my organization, and the director of our organizing committee met with the manager of the venue to come to some sort of an agreement. The manager quickly gave in and accepted my school's demands of 50% payment up front and 50% payment after services are rendered. Nice. Got one of my goals. However, at the same time I finally learned that the venue would be charging us $8500 for the banquet.

$8500??!?! Shit. We first decided we had to cut some things out of the contract to lower costs. That only brought us down to about $6500. We were still way over budget and way over what the alternate venue would have charged us. The manager of the venue said, "look, I can't move you to any other room because they are booked. Where ever you go at this point, you will have to come back. It [the $6500 price] is a very good deal." It was at this point that I realized that the manager of the venue was stuck with us as well. If we skipped out on him, he would lose out on the opportunity of making money off of our business. This was when I really went to work.

I told the manager of the venue that unlike what he believed was the case, there was an alternate venue that my organization can fall back on. Not only was this venue cheaper but it would provide a 10 course meal rather than 1. Parking is provided for and wine is included in this lower price point.

We negotiated back and forth until the manager finally gave in and offered to give us 1) the venue, 2) a dinner, and 3) a wait staff for $4500. It was a good deal in my opinion and I took the deal. It just took over three hours of sitting in a dank room negotiating with a fat old man to bring down the price from $8500 to $4500.

Looking back though, I probably could have gotten a slightly better offer. I had told the manager that the alternate venue gave us a $4250 offer. I should have just told the manager the alternate venue gave us a $4000 offer. This would have forced the manager to come even closer to the "offered" price. I also should have given the manager the option of meeting me half way between the $4000 price point and his offer of $4500. This would have saved my organization a little more money.

But overall, I think my organization got most of what it wanted. I would give myself a B+ for my negotiating that day. I got most of what I was seeking but 1) I could have gotten a slightly better price and 2) I need to learn how to better control my emotions. I can be a very angry person and it showed that day. I had my arms folded around in front of me and a scowl on my face that would make a baby bunny cry. However, can you really blame me? I blame it on sitting in the same dank room with a shady mustachioed fat guy for over three hours.

Tired...

I'm tired. I don't know if I can recover in time. Trust, responsibility, all can be made very hollow. 

My own stupidity gets me where I am

I lost my flash drive. I lost it the Wednesday before spring break. It contained things I could care less losing but it also contained some very sensitive data. I have pictures...less than flattering pictures of myself working a charity event. Trust me when I say that the charity event was designed in a way to result in unflattering pictures. I also have unclassified versions of my open letter and other personal documents and effects. I'm angry at myself for losing my flash drive. 

However, I'm very angry at myself for HOW I lost my flash drive. It was around 11 pm that night, I got a twinge that I absolutely needed to go to the gym and nothing would stop me. Actually, to be honest, that twinge was more me thinking about things I shouldn't. I wasn't thinking when I grabbed my keys and ID because I had also accidently grabbed my flash drive. From my apartment, I sprinted up a steep hill; breathing in the cold air; lungs gasping for a time out; and my eyes watering up as the wind crashed against my face. Within 5 minutes I was nearly at the gym when I realized I had my flash drive with me. It didn't matter, I barged into the gym like a man on a mission (I was) and decided to set a new personal best at the bench press. 

210 pounds. I decided to set personal bests for my abs, my biceps, my shoulders, my pull ups, anything and everything I could get my hands on. That night was really a blur, however I do remember that I felt extremely sick by the end of my workout. By the time I finished, I believe I still had my flash drive. But sometime between the end of my workout and when I walked home was when I lost it.

I'm angry at myself. Had I not resorted to thinking about things I shouldn't have, had I not decided to read about a life that has long decided it didn't care about me, I probably wouldn't have gone to the gym that night and then would not have lost my flash drive. I place the blame squarely on my shoulders. I should have known better. 

A few nights ago I dreamt that someone found my flash drive. But instead of doing the right thing and returning it to me, they decided to mass produce every embarrassing document and photo in that flash drive and post it for all at the law school and the university at large. The thought of my life, my weaknesses, my flaws and my deviancies being exposed scares me. You can have my flash drive, just delete the data and spare me your cruelty! 

But in a way, my fears have prompted me to live an even more narrowly focused life. I have found myself to be more accommodating than usual, more generous than usual, more compassionate and empathetic than usual. I have also found myself to be more erratic than usual. Is this how I react when my life can be destroyed by one person? I hope somebody somewhere is compassionate enough to do the right thing. I hope there is some power out there that will look over and protect me. At the very least, I hope that I can get through this with my reputation intact. This is a general sorry to society. I should be a better person and I am working on being a better person.