Gallery
1994
My
first dog, Sarah, 1994. Sarah
was part blue tick hound and part labrador. She was beautiful, gentle,
and a great companion. I miss her deeply. And that's me back then, a
bit more rugged and able to spend a lot of time outdoors. I ran a
landscaping company for several years, and I'm on the front lawn of the
duplex I was renting. I was also in college, writing poetry,
and had no beard yet.1995
This
is my first office. The
coffee shop. Most of any day when not in class or working was
spent here, with books, with colleagues and my academic mentor,
with friends, with my laptop, with girlfriends. If you're a regular
watcher of Seinfeld, you understand the significance of the coffee shop.1997
This is where I met my wife, give
or take a hundred feet or so.
It's Dunsan-dong in Taejon, South
Korea, and it's July. A
few moments later, she'll be throwing a cup of water on me, which I
deserved. I lived in Korea for three years, teaching English.1998
Fukuoka, Japan. I
loved it. It was expensive, and I stayed in a capsule motel. I had
buckwheat noodles in the open air market near the ultra-sleek,
ultra-modern Canal
shopping complex, where I had French ice-cream and watched the latest
Bond film at a mega-theatre. This photo is near the marina where I
walked the beach,
and near the Hawks Dome. I felt at home with the lions.1998
This is my nephew
JunYoung. That's
me in the hanbok eating with the
in-laws in Taejon. They won't stop feeding me, and you're not supposed
to say no. I'm trying to hold bowl after bowl of rice and, of course in
the Korean style, some dozen or more side dishes plus the entree. My wife and
I completed our civil marriage in this year.1999
These are students of mine. I
taught all ages - businessmen, housewives, college students, but the
kids are the most exhuberant. That's JinMo on the bottom left.1999
The Wedding. This
is at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seoul. That's a young
man - that's all I can think when I see myself in that picture. Add
about 10 years to how old either I or my wife look, and that's
how old we actually are. More wedding photos here.2002-2003
Bricktown. I was
quite a bit heavier then. For the wife, it's easy to find me and hard
to hang
on. I've been to the cigar shop, eaten Indian food, and had coffee.
It's night now.2004-2006
Older Now. We clean
up well, I think. I'm devlishly handsome, and the wife is all grown
up.
2007
Big Galoots. I'm
not sure what we're fending off here, since we're actually planning to
get photographed. This is a friend of mine whose hat I will
snatch
and run with at least once before he makes it to the car. Despite his
gargantuan strength, I once beat this former wrestler in a game of
spoons. A rematch is pending.Brothers and Sisters
A DISTANT PLACE
Sometimes, when I need to think of a better place, I remember these beaches on an almost deserted island in the Yellow Sea. You go past all the islands where tourists get off. Stay on the boat, and get off when no one else does. If the helmsman asks, "are you sure?" then you're in the right place. Beware of truly man-eating sharks, and don't leave without asking for a taste of seafood stew from the handful of inhabitants when you hike back to the pier.
OUR DARLING CHILD
SunDog (SeunDeug) is a Maltese from South Korea. She's been with us since her childhood. She had been abandoned, seemingly because she needed joint surgery. She's bilingual, has an extensive wardrobe, and now has three beds.
IN MEMORIUM: SuJung
Death comes to us all. The longer you live, the more people you care about, and the more of those people it takes. SuJung is my student. I taught volunteer ESL classes in my home when I came back to the states. She was diagnosed very late with cancer and, to my grief, I never saw her again. She leaves with her husband two beautiful children whose hearts are broken beyond mending. God have mercy.
IN MEMORIUM: Todd
Todd Dempster was my best friend for several years growing up. He and I were known for countless elaborate pranks, performances and impersonations on nightly radio, and flamboyant escapades that will remain some of my most enjoyable memories of that time. He died on October 31, 2003, after a sudden illness. He was a member of Theatrical Stage Union 690, worked at Paramount Theatre as a lighting stagehand, was an avid billiards player from various leagues, and served with the National Guard. A classmate of his, Bill Skelton, said "Todd Dempster was, in my opinion, the funniest human being I have ever met. His unyielding smile and somewhat deranged sense of humor was outstanding. But he was certainly a fun person to talk to."DISPLACED FRIENDS
Matthew Ward from Perth, Australia. Colleague and compatriot in difficult times. Last I knew, you were planning Japan. I hope it survived. Check in, you excellent bastard! I think I've still got that photo of your student that you left behind from that night flight, and I've got some ...uh... files you'll still want.Paul Austin from the great state of Tennessee. West Tennessee. I hope you didn't meet Davey Jones. You still carrying around a dog-eared copy of Ulysses? Yeah, I know you've read it. You and eight other people. Or did you find something longer and drier already? He's Irish, he's not God. Ping me. Ensign to the bridge!
Chaz Bradford from Baton Rouge. Believe it or not, I've still got your red bandana. Yeah, you 80s music loving Cajun, it's got your name on it, so I know its yours not mine. You don't want to know where it's been, though. Give a shout, if the waters didn't get you.
The rest of you know who you are. Hit the contact button up top, if you're looking for me.
CONTRIBUTIONS
|
Contributed by Lance Dockins |
Bad Hair Day! Contributed byParrish Foster |
|
Always Chew Your Steak Contributed by the guys in the shop |
Contributed by Scott Weeden and Team Six. |
|
|
| Plant it Anyway Contributed by opponents to the tree permit law |
Beloved Wife
