Yes, I am leaving for Japan tomorrow morning, (tuesday) and I will be attending a training given by some cool radio guy, Daniel O'Day. I have never been to Japan and never thought I would be cool enough to attend a conferance/training, in another country! WooHoo! I can't wait to show you some photos!
I'm heading out with 2 others from AFN, one I work with and one from one of the AFN Korea detachments.
Talk to you all soon!
-Sam-
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Suicide Prevention Training
Which I was lucky enough NOT to have to attend! YEAH! It was for the Army folk, and in the email it was put out the Navy and Air Force were more than welcome to join... HA! Besides it was right in the middle of my show. So a civilian guy came in and asked me if I was going to kill myself, anytime soon at least, I said nope, he laughed and said whew! I feel better! Ha Ha. I know I'll have to sit through another one eventually but so far this whole multi-branch thing is working out. Its kind of funny being the only Navy person and watching all the admin people freak out because they have no clue how to handle our paperwork. :-)
It entertains me...
-Sam-
It entertains me...
-Sam-
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Offensive...
So a co-worker and friend helps our chaps with a weekly pre-recorded radio show. Eagle Wings... Its only an hour long, and of course, he reads passages from the bible and all that, well a bible was left in the studio that they record in. Another co-worker brings it out and says not to leave in around, it might offend somebody...
Anyone else find it weird that just the Christian faith seems to offend people? Anything to do with God and Jesus people get all up in arms about.
If the Koran was laying out I'm sure people would be saying "huh, its the Koran" and then walk away without a thought, if a Menorah was in the studio someone would say "How odd, how did a Menorah get in here?" And then go about their day.
And this whole "Happy Holidays" thing rather than "Merry Christmas" is really annoying.
I'm not Jewish, but if someone came to me and said "Happy Hanukkah" I would not take offense, you respectfully reply the same words back. Its their holiday and they are happy to celebrate it, why can't we get the same curtisy?
Yes I know I'm still a newer Christian, and I understand the mentality of someone beig bullied and pushed into the religion. But are there really that many Christian bullies? Is that why people get so offended and run away rather than run toward?
I don't know, I was raised to be respectful of other people, to be polite and curitous, it seems more and more of the masses abandon those simple things. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and then have a group unbunching of their panties!
Its not even about religion, its about curtisy.
So to those who are polite and pass that teaching onto your kids, good on ya! The more open minded you are the happier you will be!
Respectfully ;-)
-Sam-
Anyone else find it weird that just the Christian faith seems to offend people? Anything to do with God and Jesus people get all up in arms about.
If the Koran was laying out I'm sure people would be saying "huh, its the Koran" and then walk away without a thought, if a Menorah was in the studio someone would say "How odd, how did a Menorah get in here?" And then go about their day.
And this whole "Happy Holidays" thing rather than "Merry Christmas" is really annoying.
I'm not Jewish, but if someone came to me and said "Happy Hanukkah" I would not take offense, you respectfully reply the same words back. Its their holiday and they are happy to celebrate it, why can't we get the same curtisy?
Yes I know I'm still a newer Christian, and I understand the mentality of someone beig bullied and pushed into the religion. But are there really that many Christian bullies? Is that why people get so offended and run away rather than run toward?
I don't know, I was raised to be respectful of other people, to be polite and curitous, it seems more and more of the masses abandon those simple things. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and then have a group unbunching of their panties!
Its not even about religion, its about curtisy.
So to those who are polite and pass that teaching onto your kids, good on ya! The more open minded you are the happier you will be!
Respectfully ;-)
-Sam-
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Dreams
So I hear its healthy to keep a dream journal, so if I have anything of intrest I decided to put it up here!
Last night I had some CA-RAZY dreams, three in a row.
The first dream...
So one friend I left behind in Souda is Tall Cody. I had a dream that I was back in Souda, only it wasn't the same Souda I left... it looked like a mix between my first command, La Maddalena, and Souda Bay... and I have no idea why I was there. But I know that Cody has a house now and I wanted to see where he lived. So I'm running through this strange La Souda land and I come across a mother and her daughter's house, and they invite me in, I do know them, I've met them in real life but I couldn't place them. Then who comes in the door? The other Cody I left behind! So Crazy Cody and I are all excited about our reunion and I tell him about my hunt for Tall Cody's house. So Crazy Cody has some useful information about his whereabouts... we say goodbye and take off running through a very La Madd-like Piazza. Run up a bunch of Greek-like stairs... to a complex that is on a cliffside overlooking the ocean, an absolutely beautiful seascape. We are walking now, through some twisting stairscases, like an MC Esher sketch. We come to another piazza surrounded by apartment front doors. There are neighbors outside at a circular table playing cards, one guy has a little baby in his hands. (I love babies!)
So Crazy Cody and I take a wild guess as to which door belongs to Tall Cody. We knock, there is no answer, knock again, then we open the door, its unlocked... the door swings open inward to a very clean and polished wooden floor, with clean canary yellow walls. There are some artwork on the walls but I didn't pay enough attention to what it was. I was wondering why Cody would leave his door unlocked. Most likely he was home, taking a nap, that boy can sleep.
We start walking in... floors creak lightly... when we reach the living room we pause to look around, there is a tv on a nice wooden stand and a cream colored couch with a blue/green blanket draped over it. Then we hear a creak that didn't come from us... Crazy Cody and I are holding hands to make sure we don't lose eachother, this is weird and our hearts are pounding. After the unfamiliar creak we look to our rights, the opening to the kitchen and peek our heads around.
There is Tall Cody and a look of relief comes across his face and he starts laughing, then we start laughing and hug and say hi... all the usual stuff, but I noticed he has a screw driver in his hand, I asked him "are you fixing something?" (totally setting myself of for a Bill Engvall here's your sign joke) And then he tells me that some guy showed up at his house looking for me! Says he's my boyfriend, ok... I don't have a boyfriend... Tall Cody explained to the stranger that he hasn't seen me since I moved to Korea... and the screw driver was a weapon in case he showed up again, my first thought was... your in the kitchen, don't you have any knives?
Then I woke up... Weird right?
Dream #2
This one was more like a commercial between the main dreams... just sitting around with some old friends from high school, my friend Greg became a cop and we were teasing him because he's gay to the gayst power. He suggested they give him a pink uniform :-)
Now that one is weird cause last I heard Greg contracted HIV, and I haven't heard from him since a year after I left for the Navy.
Dream #3
This one took place at my mom's house in Cleveland. I was packing up to get ready to go to Korea, happy and excited to go. Then someone walks into my bedroom, someone I know very well, and that knows me... its the evil swallower of my heart and soul (I will not reffer to him by name, and the other nicknames contain prophanities) anyway... he walks in, I'm shocked. But it was almost natural that he showed up there, like the fact that he would have had to come all the way from Greece wasn't an issue, like we were stationed right around the corner from my mom's house. We didn't speak, he handed me a small scrapbook, his face looked sad and with a deep sigh he turned and left. I'm standing there confused with this book in my hands. So I slowly sit on my bed and open it up. Its full of letters and photos, like one big goodbye card. Each letter contains his feelings about every step of our relationship, his regret, mistakes, what he should have done differantly, how sorry he is, how much he misses me... And that he knows that he's hurt me so bad he knows I will want nothing to do with him again. He's right... But the fact that he's acting like an actual man, than a little boy is what got me, he's being honest with himself and with me, the letters tell me how much he loves me and is sorry about everything. I sat there staring at the door willing him to come back, and wanting to chase after him at the same time, I stood up trying to make up my mind.
Then I woke up! I'm not going to lie, I didn't want to wake up from that one. I wanted to know what was going to happen.
Now, why would I have a dream like that? Something like that would NEVER happen, I know he doesn't miss, love, or care for me... so what was that about?
I don't know how much stock I put into dream therapy, or dream interpritation, its fun to look up but there isn't some deep meaning to everything, sometimes that it... just what you see. And doctors say we don't dream in color, but yet they feel so vivid, the first dream, the colors were important, and easy to see. So there you go, thats what goes on in my mind when I'm sleeping apparently.
Yeah, I got nothin' else. Its just weird that those came up. But then the first one could be a reflection of all the cop and investigation shows I watch :-)
Anyway, hope you all sleep well and have sweet dreams!
-Sam-
Last night I had some CA-RAZY dreams, three in a row.
The first dream...
So one friend I left behind in Souda is Tall Cody. I had a dream that I was back in Souda, only it wasn't the same Souda I left... it looked like a mix between my first command, La Maddalena, and Souda Bay... and I have no idea why I was there. But I know that Cody has a house now and I wanted to see where he lived. So I'm running through this strange La Souda land and I come across a mother and her daughter's house, and they invite me in, I do know them, I've met them in real life but I couldn't place them. Then who comes in the door? The other Cody I left behind! So Crazy Cody and I are all excited about our reunion and I tell him about my hunt for Tall Cody's house. So Crazy Cody has some useful information about his whereabouts... we say goodbye and take off running through a very La Madd-like Piazza. Run up a bunch of Greek-like stairs... to a complex that is on a cliffside overlooking the ocean, an absolutely beautiful seascape. We are walking now, through some twisting stairscases, like an MC Esher sketch. We come to another piazza surrounded by apartment front doors. There are neighbors outside at a circular table playing cards, one guy has a little baby in his hands. (I love babies!)
So Crazy Cody and I take a wild guess as to which door belongs to Tall Cody. We knock, there is no answer, knock again, then we open the door, its unlocked... the door swings open inward to a very clean and polished wooden floor, with clean canary yellow walls. There are some artwork on the walls but I didn't pay enough attention to what it was. I was wondering why Cody would leave his door unlocked. Most likely he was home, taking a nap, that boy can sleep.
We start walking in... floors creak lightly... when we reach the living room we pause to look around, there is a tv on a nice wooden stand and a cream colored couch with a blue/green blanket draped over it. Then we hear a creak that didn't come from us... Crazy Cody and I are holding hands to make sure we don't lose eachother, this is weird and our hearts are pounding. After the unfamiliar creak we look to our rights, the opening to the kitchen and peek our heads around.
There is Tall Cody and a look of relief comes across his face and he starts laughing, then we start laughing and hug and say hi... all the usual stuff, but I noticed he has a screw driver in his hand, I asked him "are you fixing something?" (totally setting myself of for a Bill Engvall here's your sign joke) And then he tells me that some guy showed up at his house looking for me! Says he's my boyfriend, ok... I don't have a boyfriend... Tall Cody explained to the stranger that he hasn't seen me since I moved to Korea... and the screw driver was a weapon in case he showed up again, my first thought was... your in the kitchen, don't you have any knives?
Then I woke up... Weird right?
Dream #2
This one was more like a commercial between the main dreams... just sitting around with some old friends from high school, my friend Greg became a cop and we were teasing him because he's gay to the gayst power. He suggested they give him a pink uniform :-)
Now that one is weird cause last I heard Greg contracted HIV, and I haven't heard from him since a year after I left for the Navy.
Dream #3
This one took place at my mom's house in Cleveland. I was packing up to get ready to go to Korea, happy and excited to go. Then someone walks into my bedroom, someone I know very well, and that knows me... its the evil swallower of my heart and soul (I will not reffer to him by name, and the other nicknames contain prophanities) anyway... he walks in, I'm shocked. But it was almost natural that he showed up there, like the fact that he would have had to come all the way from Greece wasn't an issue, like we were stationed right around the corner from my mom's house. We didn't speak, he handed me a small scrapbook, his face looked sad and with a deep sigh he turned and left. I'm standing there confused with this book in my hands. So I slowly sit on my bed and open it up. Its full of letters and photos, like one big goodbye card. Each letter contains his feelings about every step of our relationship, his regret, mistakes, what he should have done differantly, how sorry he is, how much he misses me... And that he knows that he's hurt me so bad he knows I will want nothing to do with him again. He's right... But the fact that he's acting like an actual man, than a little boy is what got me, he's being honest with himself and with me, the letters tell me how much he loves me and is sorry about everything. I sat there staring at the door willing him to come back, and wanting to chase after him at the same time, I stood up trying to make up my mind.
Then I woke up! I'm not going to lie, I didn't want to wake up from that one. I wanted to know what was going to happen.
Now, why would I have a dream like that? Something like that would NEVER happen, I know he doesn't miss, love, or care for me... so what was that about?
I don't know how much stock I put into dream therapy, or dream interpritation, its fun to look up but there isn't some deep meaning to everything, sometimes that it... just what you see. And doctors say we don't dream in color, but yet they feel so vivid, the first dream, the colors were important, and easy to see. So there you go, thats what goes on in my mind when I'm sleeping apparently.
Yeah, I got nothin' else. Its just weird that those came up. But then the first one could be a reflection of all the cop and investigation shows I watch :-)
Anyway, hope you all sleep well and have sweet dreams!
-Sam-
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Palace Gate and Gate Guard Change
The main duty of the Sungyemun (Commander of the Gate Guard) was to devote himself to the peace and security of the dynasty by guarding the safety of the monarch and his family residing in the palace. The ceremony of the opening and closing the palace gates and changing the guard at the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, was a symbolic act of such devotion and it had to be held according to a carefully arranged ceremonious procedure. It was in the first year (1479) of King Yejong's rule that the ceremony was fully established, and before that the duty of guarding the palaces was carried out by the Hogun (Security Army) of the Joseon central military unit called Owi (Five Commands)
The ceremony of changing the gate guard is revived at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace of Joseon, according to the formality established in the early 15th century. In this special event based on extensive historical research, all the uniforms, weapons and accessories of the gate guard are fully reenacted, recreating an impressive spectacle.
Now this is said to be a rare thing to see, yet I saw it twice this past saturday. It was really cool to see everything done in the same way it was believed to be done in the 1400s.
Anyway thanks for reading all my info, and you can find more photos at http://www.samanthastark.com/
Until Next Time...
-Sam-
The ceremony of changing the gate guard is revived at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace of Joseon, according to the formality established in the early 15th century. In this special event based on extensive historical research, all the uniforms, weapons and accessories of the gate guard are fully reenacted, recreating an impressive spectacle.Now this is said to be a rare thing to see, yet I saw it twice this past saturday. It was really cool to see everything done in the same way it was believed to be done in the 1400s.
Anyway thanks for reading all my info, and you can find more photos at http://www.samanthastark.com/
Until Next Time...-Sam-
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Here is a little history of Gyeongbokgung Palace we visited over the weekend...
Gyeongbokgung, which means Palace Greatly Blessed by Heavan, was built in 1395, three years after the founding of the Joseon Dynasty by Yi Seong-gye, the new main palace, Gyeongbokgung, was completed and the capital of the new dynasty was moved from Gaesong to Seoul (then known as Hanyang). The palace was destroyed by fire during the Japanese invasions of 1592 and was not reconstructed until 1868, the fifth year of King Gojong. During the Japanese occupation, most of the palace was torn down; only a few buildings including Gyeoghoeru Pavilion and Guenjeongieon Hall were left standing. An effort to fully restore Gyeongbokgung to its former glory had been ongoing since 1990. The colonial Government-General building was removed, making way for the full restoration of Heugryemun Gate to its original state. The royal quarters and the East Palace for the crown prince were also restored to their original state. The first phase of the Gyeongbokgung restoration project is scheduled to be completed by 2009, by which time 40% of all the original structures will have been restored.Main Gate and Palace Wall
The palace is surrounded by five-meter-high walls that extend over 1,933 meters. There are four gates that symbolize certain elements
North - Sinmumun - Winter and Water
South - Gwanghwamun (Also the Main Gate) - Summer and Fire
East - Geonchunmun - Spring and Wood
West - Yeongchmun - Autumn and Metal
South - Gwanghwamun (Also the Main Gate) - Summer and Fire
East - Geonchunmun - Spring and Wood
West - Yeongchmun - Autumn and Metal
They originate from the yin and yang concept and the theory of the 5 elements.
Geunjeongjeon is the main throne hall of Gyeongbokgung. The name means that all affairs will be properly managed if you demonstrate diligence. The kings affairs of state, including meetings, receptions with foreign envoys, and most importantly, the coronation ceremony, were all conducted here.
Geunjeongjeon is the main throne hall of Gyeongbokgung. The name means that all affairs will be properly managed if you demonstrate diligence. The kings affairs of state, including meetings, receptions with foreign envoys, and most importantly, the coronation ceremony, were all conducted here.
Hyangwonjeong and Geoncheonggung
King Gojong's palace within a palace
In the rear garden of the concubine's quarters is a square pond, in the center of which lies an islet. There are seperate living quarters for the king and queen, as well as a study. On October 8th (my future birthday) 1895 Japanese assassins broke into Geoncheonggung and stabbed Empress Myeongseong to death, they burned her body in the hillside to the east.
Jobikjae and Vicinity
Harmony of Qing Chinese and traditional Korean styles
Because Gyeongbokgung suffured heavy fire damage in 1876 Gojong moved here temporarily. This place was also used as a library and reception hall for foreign envoys. Jibokjae (right), from the outside it looks like a one story building, inside its two. Parujeong (left) is an octagonal, two-story pavilion with columns decorated in the Qing Chinese style. Gyeonghoeru Pavilion
Here, the king threw lavish banquets and received foreign envoys. After boating on the surrounding man-made pond, and think and his party went up to Gyeonghoeru to enjoy a sweeping view of the palace and Mount Inwangsan. Originally a small pavilion, it was greatly expanded in 1412 under King Taejong. The pavilion was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592 but rebuilt in 1867 as a wooden, two-story structure with a floor area of 931 square meters.
All of the above information came from a little tourist guide. I know a lot of the names are hard to keep track of, I tried to dial down the info to make it as easy as possible to read. I hope whoever actually finished this got something out of it. It was an amazing place to visit and I look forward to going back.
Thanks for reading all my info, and you can find more photos at www.samanthastark.com
Until Next Time...
-Sam-
The Apex of Architectural Beauty
Here, the king threw lavish banquets and received foreign envoys. After boating on the surrounding man-made pond, and think and his party went up to Gyeonghoeru to enjoy a sweeping view of the palace and Mount Inwangsan. Originally a small pavilion, it was greatly expanded in 1412 under King Taejong. The pavilion was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592 but rebuilt in 1867 as a wooden, two-story structure with a floor area of 931 square meters.All of the above information came from a little tourist guide. I know a lot of the names are hard to keep track of, I tried to dial down the info to make it as easy as possible to read. I hope whoever actually finished this got something out of it. It was an amazing place to visit and I look forward to going back.
Thanks for reading all my info, and you can find more photos at www.samanthastark.com
Until Next Time...
-Sam-
Monday, March 9, 2009
Random Thoughts...
Well my internet in my room is down, which also means my phone is not working... this is making me very angry especially since I am on an automatic payment plan which my first bill has been payed so there is NO reason what so ever, in any way shape or form that my stuff should not be working!
I have a draft of the Kyongbok Palace visit on my laptop and I don't want to post it without photos, so you will all have to wait on that. That also means I can't post them on my website either!
Today was my first day at work with a real job! My first day on the air! I kept almost saying you're listening to 107.3 The Oddesey which is completely wrong, thats the station from Crete. I got callers in for my daily contest, and a winner, and I didn't mess up all that bad! Just a few stumbles here and there, getting better with my board mechanics as well... sometimes I would forget to fire off a song or hit the wrong button. But other than that all good here!
My ankle is still swollen and that worries me... I should probably go to medical, but I probably won't.
Anyway, I know in Souda (my last command) the annual bug is going around, hope all of you stay healthy!
Until Next Time...
-Sam-
I have a draft of the Kyongbok Palace visit on my laptop and I don't want to post it without photos, so you will all have to wait on that. That also means I can't post them on my website either!
Today was my first day at work with a real job! My first day on the air! I kept almost saying you're listening to 107.3 The Oddesey which is completely wrong, thats the station from Crete. I got callers in for my daily contest, and a winner, and I didn't mess up all that bad! Just a few stumbles here and there, getting better with my board mechanics as well... sometimes I would forget to fire off a song or hit the wrong button. But other than that all good here!
My ankle is still swollen and that worries me... I should probably go to medical, but I probably won't.
Anyway, I know in Souda (my last command) the annual bug is going around, hope all of you stay healthy!
Until Next Time...
-Sam-
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I Finally Have A Home!
At work that is... I finally have a place at work, I will be in the radio department on the mid-day show which is on from 10-2. I will have a daily contest, but it does not stream on the internet (sorry mom) I'm excited! It starts monday! I'm also a little nervous, there is a whole process to answering the phone that I have never done and it involves a bunch of buttons. We have to record the calls to play them back, we don't do live calls. I got to practice today on the afternoon show, it was a bit nerve wracking! But I'm sure I'll get used to it.
My daily contest is a movie quiz! Well, we record a quote and play it and people have to call in and tell me the character and movie its from.
Wish me luck! I'm going to need it!
P.S. My ankle is still swollen and tender, but not to bad.
-Sam-
My daily contest is a movie quiz! Well, we record a quote and play it and people have to call in and tell me the character and movie its from.
Wish me luck! I'm going to need it!
P.S. My ankle is still swollen and tender, but not to bad.
-Sam-
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sprained Ankle #9
Well I'm almost to double digits! I have now sprained my right ankle 9 times!! My left one is still at 6, so its got some catching up to do. I was walking to work after pt and there was a car coming behind me so I moved over to the right to get out of the way and my ankle rolled right into a ditch.
Yow! Ow! It took me a few minutes to be able to walk again. I wasn't even half way to work and not a single taxi passed by me!
If you will notice the right side is nice and swollen. I didn't go to medical because its not that bad and it is number 9 so I know how to take care of it, but I told my co-worker if it was still all swollen tomorrow I would go and get it checked out.
So there it is! Yeah for pain!
Whats really funny is that my best friend Courtney and I have this connection... when one of us gets hurt the other one will also! So this either means that she got hurt and I got the other half, OR since I got hurt, hers is yet to come! So I should email her and let her know.
Anyway, enjoy your healthy ankles :-)
-Sam-
Monday, March 2, 2009
Everybody Wants Me!
But not in the good way... We are understaffed at work and both departments, News and Radio, are in a tug o' war over me. And thats never a bad thing. Certainly better than people going "I don't want her working here."
There is this new program that the station put together and I am only the 2nd person to go through it, its called AFN Bootcamp. Now the frustrating part is... This guy was training me on News, ok, fine... But he started showing me all these things that are VERY basic stuff I learned on the job in Souda, or my job as a photographer which one thing I am very good at is lighting, and its so annoying having someone re-train you on things you have been to school for and have experiance in. And my new command sent me to C-School which is basically another school for the next level of your job or specialty. All the Navy's media jobs were merged into one big job. People who never had any experiance in broadcasting and are shoved into the field with almost no training. However, the non-annoying training is job specific, how they do things specifically. Now this week I am training in radio, which I am hoping to work in that department. They do things a little differently that I need to know. So I am excited to finish training and get to work!
So yes, its good I'm wanted and needed at work! I'm excited to get down and dirty and get to work.
And on top of everything we are getting a whole new chain of command within a month or 2 of each other. So what does that mean? They are going to change anything and everything they can, because the higher ranking you are the more you think you know and it always seems to be the younger ones who do that to an extreme degree. So we will see what happens.
-Sam-
There is this new program that the station put together and I am only the 2nd person to go through it, its called AFN Bootcamp. Now the frustrating part is... This guy was training me on News, ok, fine... But he started showing me all these things that are VERY basic stuff I learned on the job in Souda, or my job as a photographer which one thing I am very good at is lighting, and its so annoying having someone re-train you on things you have been to school for and have experiance in. And my new command sent me to C-School which is basically another school for the next level of your job or specialty. All the Navy's media jobs were merged into one big job. People who never had any experiance in broadcasting and are shoved into the field with almost no training. However, the non-annoying training is job specific, how they do things specifically. Now this week I am training in radio, which I am hoping to work in that department. They do things a little differently that I need to know. So I am excited to finish training and get to work!
So yes, its good I'm wanted and needed at work! I'm excited to get down and dirty and get to work.
And on top of everything we are getting a whole new chain of command within a month or 2 of each other. So what does that mean? They are going to change anything and everything they can, because the higher ranking you are the more you think you know and it always seems to be the younger ones who do that to an extreme degree. So we will see what happens.
-Sam-
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