MTV Engine Room

I got a new show to follow. Haven't actually watched TV for over 2 years and now suddently I'm hooked to this show. 4 teams competing against each other in design challenges - really cool - i'm so impressed by the speed at which those guys work. Makes me wanna do stuff too. I guess my level is around Paint and formatting for Word but still - no pain no gain.

The engine website can be visited here

Going crazy

and addicted....

Niseko Japan in December

Yessss! Finally a dream come true - Niseko - here I come :)

Going there with 3 Korean snowboarders - hopefully it's gonna be fun as much as everybody is telling me. Well if you look at the pic ... how much cooler could it be?!?!

The most important activity

The most important activity every respected snowboarder has to do each year is ATTENDING THE AFTER SEASON SALE and purchasing something that he or she doesn't really need, but because it's cool or cheap just ending up buying it.

Well ... for me it's a backpack... and a deck. Well the deck is still work in progress - I'm hoping the financial crisis will even further distort the exchange rates so I can get my gear cheaper.

I've already made up my mind though - Burton T6 2008 model 156. Well I'm still emotionally attached to my Palmer but gotta adapt to changing market conditions. Oh and well I gotta figure out how i'm gonna haul the whole thing back home :)

Guys and girls just wanna have fun

in 강촌 riding bikes :)

On the weekend me and my friends took a car and drove off to 강촌 MT Town to ride bicycles. And during the trip I discovered that hiking and riding bicycles is the same word in Korean... I wonder why, cause those activities seemed to be completely unrelated to me. I prepared for hiking whereas my friends were ready for biking. Well in the end all was good, cause we did a bit of both.

Graduate Thesis done

OMG I can't believe I finished the damn thing in such a short time. Of course I would have not been able to do it if it hadn't been for my Polish friends who were my advisors, knowledge providers, logistics managers and other :) And my mom who actually took the time to feed me and make sure I work instead of going drinking with everyone. The result - I haven't seen it but I heard it does look like a book :) - 127 pages :) well a little book, novel :)



The final countdown is on. 6th November 2008, at 1 PM - defense :)

Woosh

Phew, it's been a while since I've revisited to write my own thing. Actually not much in terms of exciting things had been going on. Mostly due to the fact that school's been draining all the energy I have not leaving much for free time. I've been struggling to get a good haircut in Seoul - so far no luck, therefore this time I'm a bit affraid to go cause I need to look good by November. Ahhh november is the month I'm most seriously looking forward.

1. I'M GRADUATING IN NOVEMBER
2. PANI MAGDALENA WILL COME TO SEOUL!!!
3. MIDTERMS WILL BE OVER

And all other things that would happen but I have no idea about them right now. Can't wait :)

Beach

Ahh I miss the beach. Wanna come back to the sea!!! Seoul's fine but...

Lord Biach

I love how Koreans name their places to make them sound cool. How would you like a stay at the "LORD BIACH"? :) Btw. istn't it a great view from the window?

Busan

And I did it again. 1 day rest and I was off again - this time to see the sea in Busan - Korea's premier summer vacation spot on the penninsula. Takes 3 hours by KTX - considerably shorter than the 12 hours by train we gotta suffer from Hel to Katowice. A friend picked me up from the station and the vacation could start :)

Beach



Wine and beach


Amazing views

Ok enough complaining. On a positive note, I did have a good time in Poland especially cause of family and friends. Warsaw became a beautiful city once parts of it got renewed - I really felt proud.

I feel sorry cause I kinda did not have a chance to go out much. Just a beer here or there and the rest was just my dates with the screen. This month didn't even have days of the week - all was based on "How many pages do I have to write today". That was the purpose though so it was expected to be like that.

Next time I'll spend time with everybody! And next time is hopefully soon! Unfortunately not many people in Poland like soju…. Hmm I should find another universal gift.

Damn Warsaw airport

Okecie airport - the pride and glory of Poland …. is no better than a huge central station in a third world country. I officially declare the place as the world's worst place. A couple of weeks ago I went to that airport to pick up a friend. I went to the expected arrival place only to find an A4 sized piece of paper with a sentence saying "Wszystkie przyloty na terminal 2" - hehe if you're not a Polish speaker - I guess you just need to figure this one out on your own, cause no English was available anywhere.

At terminal 2 which fortunately is not that far - 7 mins on foot I have spotted a first monitor and something very worrying - that the plane is scheduled to arrive at terminal 1. Off to terminal 1. At T1, after 20 mins and no apparent sign of ppl coming out of the gates, I found out, that "it does not mean that the plane is arriving at T1 if on the monitors it says T1 and I should be waiting at T2". That was already an hour past her arrival. In the end I missed the welcoming, my friend went home and we had to catch up 2 days later.

That's not all though. Today I spent an hour trying to check-in my luggage. Finally I got to the business class desk, which for no apparent reason was serving regular customers. I put my luggage on the belt, the lady did the usual thing and the luggage got stuck further down the counters. So the lady at the counter (business class mind you) tells me to go behind her counter where the people normally are not even allowed and asks me to adjust the luggage myself … cause it's my luggage that's stuck and apparently it's my problem.

In the end I didn't even have time to properly talk with my mom, I was stressed out, cause boarding was closing in 10 minutes and I still have not even entered the airport zone. I get to the gate and gotta still wait half an hour and on the plane they announce a 40 minute delay. WHAT THE FUCK?

Plane again

Aaand here we go again. Having not had Internet access for over 2 weeks, I feel like I've missed out on a very important part of my existence. Most of it was due to the damn paper I've been trying to finish for over a month now.

I guess I can't really complain - I have the best parents in the world. Dad leased out mom to me, so that she could help me out with house chores while I do the creative part. At the end she started to read what I had written, feedback and correct the paper. I think I would not have managed without her help. Heh I think I should include a credits page to acknowledge the people who have contributed:

Thesis credits list

Mom - grammar, spelling and making sure my sentences make sense
Misiu Misiu - administration, printing and delivery
Kinkowa - sampling and saying you can make it
Babra - intelligence support
Banachowa - telling me they're closing the library and copying
Sexyjkk - translation

Now I'm on the plane again - heading back to Korea to finish things up. The paper is done, but as my friend (greetings Ryba) - 90% of the thesis takes 90% of the needed time. The remaining 10% of the thesis take another 90% of the time. Hence I'm still doing it and it seems like it’s a never-ending story.

Nyways, should finish quick.

Tiger Teacher

Well what can I say - it's good to have a teacher like 호랑이 선생님 :)







Missing the times - in 2 weeks again ^^

Home

I'm back home. Had to come back because of the f#$@# paper which is a Neverending Story.

Actually I'm on page 80 right now and working towards a happy ending. Living in Poland has its traits - you got the friends, the family, the food, the cool car and comfortable appartment but something seems to be missing. Dunno what it is but it is missing indeed.

I'm bound to finish up this week and then have a week for corrections. Hopefully I can pull the whole thing off. Keeping my fingers crossed at all times. Btw. I love the view from my home and the weather here ^^

Breakfast

Today, me an my best friends met for breakfast at "the usual" place. You know, I have always been thinking that it's so cool when you're watching "Friends", you get this feeling like "damn" I wish my friend life was like this.

Well I just realized mine is as close as it is possible to that state. Of course we don't live together, but still - we eat out together, have drinks after work, send milions of e-mails. I mean how much better could it get.

Today one of the girls announced she's engaged. Boy did we have a topic to discuss.

Welcome Party

Wooooa!!!

That was a greeting my friends pulled off. I still cannot believe how much effort has been put into it. I got off the plane and got my stuff rather quickly and proceeded to the exit. I was greeted by Michal and Kasia with a flower and some pictures and then suddenly a big pink pig comes running up to me and pulls me toward some undefined direction. There I noticed 6 other friends waiting holding a huge banner and shouting a welcome sentence. Next up a red carpet is rolled out in front of me and I get served with a shot of vodka, a pickle and a "bulka z szynka" I've been so missing.

Everybody at the airport was looking at us :PPP

But that was not the end of it. We went back to my appartment to find out it has all been decorated with baloons and stuff like "WELCOME". The girls prepared more "bulka z szynka" and a cake and borsch. Once we all reassembled at my place, we had some drinks, talked and ultimately everyone left around 1.30.

Still can't believe it. I knew it would be great to see all of them - I never exepected it would be so great!!!!

Heineken

Well I'm in Amsterdam. As much as I like Asia, I think Europe has its traits. One of the things I really won't is beer and the feeling associated with it. Seems like everything in Seoul is in a hurry - do this, do that, go here, go there. I think our advantage is that we know how to let go and relax.

Ahh the Heineken lounge is sooo great. This is exactly what a needed. A couch, big pillow, view at the airport and a bottle of cold beer.



I just realized that I used 1 EURO to call my parents and 4 euros for the beer :PP

Friends will be friends

The trip home had been planned for over a month, yet until today when I got out of the train station, I still have not felt like I'm going home. Everything was done in such a rush I couldn't even grasp the idea that it's Poland I'm coming back to. I'm on the plane and feel the pain of coming back home - the slightly uncmfortable chair and the permanent sound of the engines and airconditioning :P

I've told some of my best friends I'm coming and I'm a bit afraid what's gonna happen at the airport. But I guess that's what friends are for :)

Actually my ex told me he was jealous I had such good friends. The thing is, I think in a sense friendships are the same as a relationship. Nothing comes for free - you need to committ the time and there has to be a mutual benefit - if those 2 things are not there - it most probably won't work.

Now I'm a bit torn between 2 continents. Wonder how things will go from December.

Suppose game

Lets suppose. What if there was someone you liked. What if you didn't know if that person was feeling the same, but you felt things were going the right way. What if you had a friend. What if this friend got drunk and started hitting on your target when you're not around. What if you found out about this from the person you liked after the whole thing.

Would you feel upset or would you just let it go?

Party time

So as we all know, Mattia came over and ... ummm ... i got drunk the first night. But that was not the end of it. On friday we went to 이태원 to meet some hot guys. On the way we picked up a friend who came from Busan to party with us. Due to my great idea of "let's take a taxi, we'll be faster and it'll be cheaper" we ended up late by 20 minutes and overpaid the taxi at least 3 times becaue MAciek forgot that it's friday off work time...

We met T at 동대뭔 운동장 and proceeded to the party place - 홍대 for a substantial drinking experience. And so we did. Some of us even more than expected. Halfway through the party 태환 started to get a bit out of control. A little more than a little. So Mattia, JK and I decided to take serious steps to minimize the risk by taking him home safely and going to party later on by ourselves. At the time the plan seemed perfect - Maciek pretends he's drunk and we all take a taxi home, drop off our drunken buddy home and go party.

Got on the taxi, dropped him off. And suddenly got sober. Went to 이태원 for the clubs only to meet T. 1 hour later. Bummer - I guess that was one of the most mishandled situations ever.

Talked a little about why things happened the way they did. Ad we set off in different directions.

I guess T. had his revenge at the end and posted really horrible pictures of me and Mattia from that night. I mean I know I don't look that great and stuff buy yhose are really ewww :) Anyways need to love the ugly side as well :)

A lesson from all of this - sure: check people out before you invite them to go out

AIRPLANE recap

Wow it's been almost 2 weeks since I have not written anything. I don't think I could have been busier than this - finals at school, master's thesis writing, visiting with friends, flight to Poland. Seriously I never exepected it to be like that, but I guess that's just the way I am - always on the run.

Since I'm on the airplane becoming sober it's time to recap.

Exams were horrible. I did not have the time to prepare nor the will to contribute the time to prepare. So in the end I think I will get a B. A B!!!! At KAIST getting a B is almost like failing only without the re-do the course part. Ppl stop talking to you and stuff :P It's so strange that even people in their mid thirties pay so much attention to grades. I mean, ok it's importan to get a good grade, but WTF. Feels like elementary school some days.

I could not have been relieved more after the exams. Mattia came over as I have already written and the fun started.

마티아 왔다!!!!!

Aaaaa Mattia came to Korea!

It feels so good to have one of my best friends over for the weekend. Yesterday I picked him up from the airport - ahem got there 45 minutes late but still. Aaaan we had a mandatory soju at night discussing of course everything about Korean and Chinese guys - haha beware :P

The sideeffect is a horrible headache I have today. My exam is starting in 25 mins - don't wanna study, don't wanna do anything just want to have Tylenol kick in cause otherwise I will die during class.

Today we are having a dinner at 홍대 - one of my again favorite places. Like it there cause of new places to see and hang out.

There's 4 guys, 1 liter of vodka, 1 camera and a lot of dancing to be done. It's good Mattia brought a small camera - we always get the best pics when drunk :P

1 week

I'm out of time, and all I got is 1 more week, 1 more week heeey
ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta

Heheh guess what song is that :). I'm into my final summer session exams - next Friday everything will be over. Moreover Mattia - one of my best friends on this side of the world is coming over, so gotta make sure I'm all up and ready for some serious partying. I have not done that for such a long time ... since Friday when "by accident" I ended up dancing and fooling around with a bunch of friends.

But hey, that's what having fun is all about :) I've given this part of my life for the past 7 months - how fair is that? Now I'm back in business.

Thursday - dinner and beer and then pick up Mattia
Friday - scheduled a "Let's finish up the 1 liter of Polish vodka I have left" party with some ppl - I hope everybody performs up to the expected perfomance level and the we go shake some a$$
Saturday - get sober and get drunk again master plan
Sunday - shed a tear at the airport and sleep

Enough dreaming ... now it's time to read a case, watch a movie and get my 4 hours of sleep :)

070808

Well I'm back to writing stuff. Actually I probably would not have started but for the past hour we've been having a class with someone famous - I guess 이대훈 but the problem is that it's in Korean - in other words NO FREAKING IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.

I really would like to listen cause I think it's very interesting by the looks on other ppls faces but there's an a huuuge barier there.

NEEEED TOOOO LEAAAARN KORRRREAN...

Riight right and need to do a lot of other things as well - like thesis, class, gym, sleep, eat, homework and stuff. Next month next month all will change! Pleaaaase change :P

Fun

jianm@Andy-Stay hungry , Stay Foolish mówi:
skaaaaaaaa, make your blog more fun!!
마첵 is me mówi:
i know i know
마첵 is me mówi:
i'm gonna
마첵 is me mówi:
it's just that last month was not fun
jianm@Andy-Stay hungry , Stay Foolish mówi:
you already promised me you will still be fun even you getting old!!!

I think there's nothing more to say - I'm bringing my old me back!!!

Shanghai thoughts

I guess the trip to Shanghai made me think a lot more. Think bigger, more ambitious, better. I've been settling for the status quo for quite some time. It's not the way it's supposed to be like that I think. Maybe this month is a month of changes.

Positive note

On a positive note, yesterday me and some of my friends went out to homo hill to reconcile my heart a little. And that day was one of the best dancing nights i've had for a long time. I'm not even too dead. Definitely going again next week!

Broken

I guess I could have seen it coming. My relationship is coming to an end. Funny thing is that it has been almost 2 years since we started going out. Friday everything was still perfect, today everything is perfectly opposite. I'm very surprised that it's so easy to break something you've been building together for such a long time. I've even considered moving over to this side of the world in the pursuit of an ideal man and now...

Maybe it's a sign it's time to move on. One thing is for sure - in the game of love the one who loves less is always at an advantage. I lost...

Fin

Sleeping disorders?

Damn. I think I messed up my internal clock again. It's 4 am and I cannot seem to fall asleep. I have thought of every little thing except of falling asleep.

Seems like that sort of thing always happens to me over the summer period. Is it the weather? The temperatures? The roommate? Or just my own thoughts? Or is it just my hangover that came unexpectedly early after the late night snack and drinks.... who knows. One thing is for sure - not tired at all.

I called my boyfriend, but no improvement. We chatted a bit but he didn't have anything boring to say so I didn't get really tired. Anyways, no complaining. Gotta improve my lifestyle.

No plan?

Several weeks from now, a certain thought had started lingering in my mind. WHAT DO I WANNA DO WITH MY LIFE? It's a very comprehensive question which entails:

• My future plans for the next 5 years
• Which country do I wanna stay at
• What should I do about my relationship in that matter (well there's a lot more to tell regarding this part)
• Anything else that reaches further than 1 week into the future

I've always been keen to do things as they happen. I think it's time to plan ahead.

Working

I am sitting during class and focusing on everything else. I have just talked to my co-worker from last year and he mentioned they started a project I did research on. The funny thing is that they decided to go ahead with the project according to my suggestions from last year... amazing. I'm still a bit shocked cause of that.

I'll drop by the office next week to see how things are going. Maybe I will also lay some groundwork for future employment opportunities.

Execution

Today was another day like any other. Except I went to bed at 7 am, woke up at 1.45pm, gave some bottles of Cobra alcohol which my friend asked to distribute.

A normal random day I guess :P Today I'm starting to get myself organized. Not that I don't enjoy the randomness, but I think there's much I should accomplish and in order to do that, there is a definite need to reengineer my working patterns.

My biggest problem is execution. I've come to realize that, that I fail to do more things simply because I'm not keen to start doing things or finish them. Yesterday was the best example. I talked to Andy and Charlotte - 66,6% of my best friends in Taiwan, set up this blog, checked my email and by 3 am I realized I have not done what I was supposed to. Hence the 7 am sleeping time today. Damn.

Therefore I am starting reorganization of my schedules and getting things done properly.

1. I will do things I plan and not procrastinate
2. I will work out to look damn hot
3. I will write my masters thesis from now on.

Ok, I will not procrastinate writing my thesis from now on and start now. Go!

Ok, just a little check on Fridae - maybe someone sent me a heart^^

Here we go

And here we go again. I was supposed to start writing this quite long ago yet my inability to get things going is incredibly huge therefore I've postponed this post for over 2 months.

So... where do we start. I currently live in Korea doing an MBA at KAIST - one of the most dignified schools here - you always get the "ooooooh" followed by "you have a good head" when you say the name among Koreans.



Life here's been quite good - I'm finally getting the hang of korean which has been quite a challenge - probably the most fun one though.

The goal of this blog is just to get me going and I think I need to vent a bit besides that. Stick around if you wanna know more.

MA