The Korean Zodiac

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In the beginning, the twelve gods of the earth, the Sibijisin, the animal guardians, are said to have established their pecking order by a swimming race.  According to some, unbeknownst to the Ox, the Rat jumped up on his back and upon approaching the bank of the river, jumped off ahead of the Ox and won first place.  Others say that the Ox kindly offered the Rat the ride.  Although there are other versions to this story, visualizing this one was so much fun.  So this is the one I’m perpetuating.

zodiac gyeongbokgung palace

As a result, the order of the animals is Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and lastly, Pig.  Each year is represented by an animal so every twelve years the order is repeated.  We were delighted to see this sculpted homage to the zodiac just outside the museum on the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds.

It turns out I married a dragon.  The character traits of a dragon are just as my 47 years of experience have shown me.  They are complex, dominant and ambitious.  They are eccentric and prefer to live by their own rules.  They’re unafraid of challenges and willing to take risks.  They frequently help others, but rarely ask for help.  They’re passionate.  So if you’re considering sharing your life with a dragon, hold onto your hat!

Korea Japan Jan-Feb 2016 008

2016 is the Korean Year of the Monkey.  Monkey attributes include being talented, clever and inventive and able to solve problems with ease.  They are the ultimate diplomats.  So, if you have an new family member scheduled to arrive in 2016, be prepared.  You might be nurturing a future politician.  So…..does that mean that during the Year of the Monkey all the rest of us may be influenced to be more creative, more clever and more diplomatic? That would be lovely!

Gyeongbokgung Palace

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The Jewel of Old Korea, Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395 and the 7,700 rooms housed the Kings of the Joseon Dynasty, all of their households and the government.  It was destroyed by fire during the Imjin War and abandoned for two centuries.  Then in the 19th Century it was rebuilt only to be destroyed again in the 20th Century by Imperial Japan during it’s 1910-1945 occupation of Korea.

Today, the palace complex is being reconstructed to its original form covering 100 acres.  It houses both the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum.  Paths from the East Gate lead to The Blue House, the 62 acre complex that houses the executive office and official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea.

gyeongbokgung palace

The doors of Geunjeongjeon, the Throne Hall, above, were open, but roped off.  We couldn’t enter; but, we could see the elaborate decorations and furnishings.  It was beautiful.  Below you’ll see the picture I took of the center portion of the ceiling, ornately designed and covered in gold leaf.

Our guide is a romantic.  She took us through the museums and told us about the place we’re standing in front of in the picture above.  “It’s the Kissing Place” she announced as she took our camera and told us where to stand all the while describing couples centuries ago strolling around the lake, pausing to kiss near the Palace of Shining Happiness.  Behind us is the Royal Banquet Hall, Gyeonghoeru.

There were monsters everywhere on the palace grounds. They were guarding the canal, the entrances, the tops of the roofs, the stairs and walkways.  I would expect monsters to be frightening, especially guarding monsters.  But, most of them were smiling.  Lots of them were outright pleased with themselves and with us.  It was so much fun to happen upon them, see what they were focused on, look at the expressions on their faces with so much detail and decoration and wonder what the artist had in mind.

It’s not difficult to imagine the royal sculptors having a wonderful time creating the many fanciful animals inhabiting the royal enclave or the royal children that were inevitably drawn in to watch the process.

 

Sightseeing in Seoul

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I love to go sightseeing when visiting a new city or country to get a sense of place and of it’s history and the people who live there…..where they came from, when and why.  They are all different and all fascinating.  We, human beings, are all different and all fascinating.

We visited Namsangol Hanok Village to see Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) korean homes and community buildings that had been dismantled and reconstructed on this site to preserve the buildings themselves and a sense of the way villagers lived their lives during those almost five centuries.  It was so interesting to see the mats and bedding used to make beds on the floor, the utensils used for cooking and housekeeping and articles of clothing.  All of  these things looked very different from what we’re used to today.  I was so impressed by  the beautifully made wooden dressers and the construction of the homes.

The word Hanok meant that the construction of the house took into consideration the surrounding land and the seasons.  This principle is called Baesanimsu.  It literally means the house is built with its back to a mountain and a river in the front with a heated rock system to warm the house in the winter and a wide front porch to keep the house cool in the summer, all to provide a healthy environment for the family.

Namsangol Hanok Village Seoul, South Korea
Namsangol Hanok Village Seoul, South Korea

In the center of the village stood a communal pavilion next to a beautiful pond, perfect for important ceremonies.  While we watched, a young couple had their wedding pictures taken in rented traditional korean clothing.  Couples from all over South Korea come here for that purpose.  Witnessing that present day excitement in this ancient traditional place made the whole experience so much more memorable.

Behind us on the hill is the N Seoul Tower, the highest point in Seoul.  We drove up the winding road lined with Cherry Trees through Namsan Park.  It was beautiful, even in the winter, with its walking trails and benches.  I’d love to come back in the spring for the Cherry Blossom Festival. The tower contains a radio station, gift shop, observation deck, restaurants and food court with a large demonstration area for folk dancers and martial arts performers.  One restaurant, N Grill, revolves every 48 minutes and had a gorgeous view of the surrounding city.

On the observation deck, a group of 25 school children about 7 years old with their teachers rushed up to me, surrounded me and in their best english said hello and asked where I was from.  They told me, one by one, their names and asked me about mine.  It was so much fun.  They were as curious about me as I was about them.

Outside, on the plaza, we watched some colorfully dressed young men dance while swirling balls tethered  to their hats. They would start out slowly beating their drums and tossing their heads, snapping them quickly around to send those balls zooming all over the place.  Then the pace would quicken and build to a crescendo.  Very dramatic!  Very Korean! So much fun!

dancers N Seoul Tower

My Travel Wish List

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I hadn’t written mine down, my travel wish list, that is.  I have thought about it alot though.  The first item on the list was Paris, France.  When I close my eyes, I’m walking along the Seine, sitting on one of the bridges sketching, sitting at a sidewalk cafe eating a croissant and watching people walk by or methodically covering every inch of the Louvre.  The next few places on my list are in Italy.  As I go down my list, in my mind’s eye, Korea is nowhere to be found.

And…..yet…..Korea is where I am.  Korea.  I know nothing about Korea. The language is so foreign to my ear.  The signs that would normally help me find my way are so intriguing but yield no needed information.

Yet, from the moment I boarded the plane in Seattle, a gentle introduction began.  The in-flight magazine had lots of pictures, maps and feature stories about Korean cities, sightseeing, companies and people.  The meals were typical Korean foods.  This was my first introduction to Bibimbap. Little did I know that I would encounter Bibimbap everywhere…..sort of like pizza, hamburgers and hotdogs in the US.

Korea Japan February 2016 004

Dinner the first night my husband and I arrived was in our hotel, the Novotel Seoul Ambassador in the Gangnam District.  Yes, I ordered Bibimbap.  The fresh vegetables (in the bowl on the left) were served on a bed of rice,  Miso soup with vegetables and tofu (next bowl to the right) and beef, pork and chicken (right) are all combined with each bite.  The hot red sauce, gochujang, and the fermented vegetables can be mixed in or occasionally dipped into.  Everything is eaten with chopsticks.  Then you just lift the bowl to your mouth and sip the broth left in bowl.  Yum!

Lynn ordered Baby Chicken Soup.  It sounded light and somehow soothing after 21 hours of  travelling. The reason, as you can see, that they called it Baby Chicken Soup was that a whole baby chicken was in the soup.  What a surprise!  So much fun!  Korea Japan February 2016 005

At first I wondered…..why all of the separate dishes? As I was contemplating dumping all of the small bowls into the large bowl I tasted a few and realized that if I did the pleasure of all of the individual sparkling flavors of the rich broth, the spicy, hot kimchi, the salty and the sweet would be lost. And so bite by bite, I discovered wonderful, new flavor combinations

I love Korea. I love Koreans.  I love Korean food. I love the way Koreans eat their food. Korea should have been on my travel wish list all along.

Go-To Clam Chowder

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The Go-To Motto is:  Practice Makes Automatic!  This clam chowder is worth practicing, let me tell you.  It’s creamy smooth.  The roux is made by a fool proof method and produces a chowder that is perfection!

Go-To Clam Chowder

8 cups potatoes, 1/2″ dice
3 cups celery, 1/2″ dice
3 cups  onion, 1/2″ dice
2 cups green pepper, 1/2″ dice
3 cans minced clams,  6.5 oz. including juice
2 bottles clam juice
2 cups water
1 tsp. tabasco
2 T. dried thyme
6 bay leaves
2 T. salt and 1 T. pepper

3/4 cups. butter
1 cup flour
2 quarts half and half
chopped parsley

Combine all of the ingredients except butter, flour and half and half, in a large soup pot.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the veggies are tender.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a cast iron pan or pyrex baking dish, stir in the flour and bake at 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes.  This will eliminate the raw flour flavor, forming a roux, and it will be used to thicken the chowder.

 Stir this roux into the chowder, stirring until thick.  It will be slightly less thick than cookie dough.  Remove the chowder from the heat.  Stir in the half and half until blended.  Heat to serving temperature, stirring frequently so it won’t burn.   Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and serve.

i use minced clams because clams can be tough.  I want the flavor so if I can only find chopped clams, I mince them myself.  If you have fresh clams, put in the big pieces, wow, they’ll be fabulous!

This recipe was adapted from the one served at the Market Street Grill and the Market Street Broiler in Salt Lake City, Utah.  This is a simple, fool-proof way to make roux.  I  just like more potatoes, onion, green pepper and celery …..so I added more.  They make the chowder heartier.  Whatever you do, do not leave out the tabasco…..it makes it!

It’s snowing today here in Utah.  We already have 18″-20″ of snow on the ground left from the last two storms.  It’s a “winter wonderland” day, a perfect day for warm, comforting, satisfying clam chowder…..if not for making, at least for reading about…..bon appetite!

This Is Physics

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In looking for the source of an Einstein quote, I happened on a great site:  The Quote Investigator.  Someone else looking for the source of the same quote asked them about it and they used their sophisticated programs to do the research.

It turned out that they couldn’t link it to Einstein but in the process brought to my attention another choice quote:  “It followed from the special theory of relativity that mass and energy are both but different manifestations of the same thing — a somewhat unfamiliar conception for the average mind.”  An Einstein quote from the 1948 film “Atomic Physics” [AEAP]

The quote I wanted validated  by Einstein was:  “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it.  Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.  It can be no other way.  This is not philosophy. This is physics.”  I found it all over the internet in different forms.

images.jpgeinstein

The Quote Investigator attributed it to Darryl Anka starting about the year 2000.   As I look at the picture above with the quote superimposed over the face of Einstein, it seems to carry more credibility…..more weight, than the unfamiliar name Darryl Anka.  Afterall, I’ve heard about the genius Einstein all of my life.

I’m pleased to have found both quotes; they’re not incompatible in my mind.  They are both thought provoking and, of course, truth is truth wherever it is found.

And so…..do you want your your life to be full of joy and happiness?  (That seems to my focus lately.)  Then match the frequency of happy.  How do you do that?  Observe what makes you feel happy and do that.  Observe what makes you unhappy and don’t do that.  Using this process, over time, you will feel your happiness grow.  Way too simplistic?  Yes!  But, I believe it.

Another thing I’m convinced of is that “Joy and happiness come with being interested in life…..interested in people…..interested in learning, focusing on and being absorbed in things that fascinate you and make you feel good.”  And…..you can quote me!

The Intuitive Mind

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A friend of mine recently SHOUTED gently in my ear that the basis of his reality was intuition, love, joy, creativity and accomplishment…..and added that these five elements should also be the foundation upon which I create my own reality. The impact I felt was not because of  volume but resonance.

As we discussed what reality/our own personal lives are, I became more and more aware that the principles I espouse or maybe it would be better said, the principles to which I give lip service, are not really the principles by which I live.

Exposed!  Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic.  Because, I face that dichotomy at the end of every year.  There’s always so much talk about New Year’s Resolutions, it can’t be totally ignored.  So I do give thought to changes I would like to have made in years past and whether I did or didn’t make them.

I noticed right off that critical judgements, gossiping, regretting, fear, hate, jealousy, awfulizing and feeling sorry for myself are not included in those five elements.  My friend suggested that perhaps basing one’s life on a clear foundation of criteria would mean focusing on them, on them alone.  That would also mean sorting and eliminating everything else.  And…..so there we are…..that would mean I would have to control my thoughts.

intuition

A few months ago, I was introduced to meditating.  I was resistant at first because my mind was so full of clutter.  Random thoughts seem to pop in and out so quickly and meditating makes me so much more aware of them.  But, gradually my whole nervous system began to cooperate.  Like everything, I guess, “practice makes automatic!”

I think the benefit of meditating is that it’s calming and quieting and in that state I can listen.  When I listen, I can even hear myself.

So what I’ve learned and what I’m sharing with you is that paying attention to my own intuition leads to love, joy, creativity and accomplishment.  Intuition is like a trail head.  It’s a starting point that leads down paths of love, happiness and fulfillment.  Wow!  It’s amazing to me that one conversation can cause such a life altering light bulb moment.  I’m so thankful for friends.

Rendezvous Of Perfection

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I’ve been thinking about perfection…..striving for it…..but, not believing in it.  I’ve had a lifetime of thinking:  “this will be the perfect Christmas”, or “all I have to do is work harder and ‘this’ will be perfect.  Things usually turn out to be lovely, but flawed in this way or that.  Perfection always lies in perception, right?  Life always enters into the mix.

Occasionally I sit back and relax, look around and soak in what feels like to me….. perfection.  Sometimes it’s for just a moment and then the moment passes and it’s gone.  Other times is lasts a while…..like when the sun is setting and the air is sweet and all of my senses are alive with deliciousness.  Or…..walking on the beach, listening to the water and feeling it as is swirls around my feet.  Or…..looking out over snowcapped mountains, breathing in the bracingly cold air and rejoicing in the sparkling reflections of the sun on all of that pristine white.  Or…..sitting around with others talking, laughing and having fun.

Sometimes the perfection is in the combination of people that I’m with; ofttimes, it’s found in the beauty of my surroundings.  But, always, it’s a commingling of sights, sounds, smells and feelings.

I’ve come to believe that you can plan for these rendezvous of perfection, but don’t bet your shirt on the outcome.  Perfection is  serendipitous.  It’s as if Perfection is a Queen who deems Herself to be created or not.

So…..my New Year’s Resolution 2016 is:  I will strive for happiness and let Perfection dance about and present Herself when She chooses.    And when She does, I will recognized Her and revel in Her and express my appreciation for Her!

Dec 31 2015 II 002

 

 

Quote Yourself

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I love to happen on to quotes by wise and successful people.  I see them on t-shirts, bookmarks, billboards, plaques on walls, etc, everywhere I go.  Some resonate with my own thinking so much that I find myself repeating them to everyone I talk with for days.  They just keep coming up in conversation.

If you remember a few of the key words and want to find the complete quote or who said it, all you need to do is do a search on the internet.  Alakazam!  So much information pops up to surprise and delight you that you can spend days reading about the context in which it was given, the period of time, the stage of life and mind of the author…..and whether or not he actually said it or who else is given credit for the same quote.

For instance, Henry David Thoreau and Zig Ziglar are credited with the same quote as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:  “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as who you become by achieving your goals.”  It’s an inspirational quote no matter who actually said it.  The influence these men and numberless others have on our world continues regardless of who gets the credit.

So, I have to believe that sharing these snippets of wisdom and witticism adds to self-empowering contemplation and humor that benefits mass consciousness.  We are all more powerful and influential than we know.

Occasionally, I hear someone say something that I think is profound and succinct and that warrants memorializing .  But, quickly, I forget…..most of the time what was said and even what it was about.  I’ll have a fleeting thought:  what was that again?

So I’m carrying a small notebook around with me now to record the deep thoughts that cross my path and my own musings.  It is, afterall, the flashes of inspiration and feelings of intuition, that move me the most.  Hummmm…..  Don’t be surprised if I abandon quoting others and start quoting myself!

 

Breaking The Rules At The CERN Large Hadron Collider

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The theme of the TedxCERN Conference held in October 2015 was Breaking The Rules.  The event took place in the CMS Assembly Hall at the CERN Large Hadron Collider.  Scientists from different fields took the stage to present innovative solutions to life’s everyday problems. Innovations are constantly changing the way we think and the way we view our world.

aerial-view-of-the-lhc-in_med_hr.jpegCERN

I’m so happy to have a keyless starter in my car.  I love carrying my phone in my pocket and using it for reservations, receipts and ticket validations at the airport. When I think about all of the myriad of ways my life is different than it was 10 years ago…..even 1 year ago, I get excited.  Watching the videos of the speakers at this conference jacked that excitement up a notch.

Michael Bodekaer spoke at TedxCern about changing the way science  education is offered by teachers and received by students.  He used special goggles and an ordinary smart phone to demonstrate immersive virtual laboratories filled with the latest technologically advanced machines and the way the teacher and student would use them. Fascinating!  The video of his demonstration reminded me of several movies I’ve seen recently showing large screens of information hanging in the air and changing with the sweep of a hand…..so science fiction but so right on our doorstep.

What a blessing it would be if teachers and students alike  could be excited about the subject they’re focused upon…..even anxious and self-inspired.  Yikes!  Classrooms would be transformed into highly charged, exciting places to be.

Mr. Bodekaer explained that these laboratories would be used to provide experience needed by science students the same way that flight simulation programs are used in training pilots:  hands on experience without the crash and burn aspect.

Videos of the presentations at the conference are now available online.  They’re fascinating!  Linda Liukas spoke about the poetry of programming computers.  She’s written a book to encourage little girls to dream, to explore imaginary worlds and their own physical world in an effort to make computers friendly tools to be embraced and used to create whatever their hearts and minds want to pursue.  She’s so charming.  I was enthralled with her presentation.

Vikki Stone mesmerized and entertained on the keytar and piano and delivered an earth shaking truism:  keep on doing what you’re doing, have fun, push the boundaries, break the rules!  In fun the best work is begun!  Pioneering The Dog Bearding Movement is the name of her presentation…..don’t miss it!!!!!

If you’re interested in ideas that are being developed to improve our quality of life on planet earth, you’ll love Marcia Barbosa’s 2014 TedxCERN talk about The Weirdness of Water.   Being curious and spending time satiating that curiosity leads down all kinds of unexpected paths.  Wow…..what can I say more…..spend a little time listening to these talented scientists.  It will be time well spent.  Just go to TedxCERN Breaking the Rules and click on videos.