I mentioned some technical problems with my work visa situation at the present. Those not interested in stupid loophole situations that will probably never happen to them, you may wish to skip over it and just know that I’m dealing with a pain in the ass. For those curious, though, I’ll get right into it and describe all the idiocies to you in vivid detail. Here’s the deal… I went to the office yesterday to box up my things and go home to continue packing, and what do you know but Brian came in and told me that there was …

My new employer has a wireless LAN and that’s how I’m posting this. I’m just waiting for the secretaries’ lunch break to be over so that I can maybe get a look at my new apartment and my new office — they’re in buildings right beside one another, which is fine by me. I got to Korea late Monday night, and when I checked my email, the next morning, I discovered there was a general Faculty Meeting here in Bucheon today, 10:30am Wednesday. So I busted my butt to get here and arrived only ten minutes late. I was introduced, …

At my father’s memorial ceremony my sisters and brothers-in-law read a poem written by my mother, and I read a poem written by me, and a eulogy mostly “written” by me but actually “composed” by family council in one very long meeting the night before his memorial. The poem is not really a Ghazal in the strict sense of the form, but as so many anglophones have done before, I neglected the rhyme-scheme, use of refrain, and many other things. As Erin Thomas explains in this essay/collection of Ghazal, such irreverent use of imported forms is all too common among …

I’m not criticizing, but I do find it weird that running the obituary posted below for a few days in the local newspaper is more expensive than the cremation that my father requested. That’s just plain weird. Thank you to all who have express condolences, concerns, emailed me personally, or donated money to the Red Cross in my father’s name. It is all appreciated, even if I haven’t yet emailed you my thanks. My family is doing well, considering, and I’m going to be on a plane on Monday morning, heading back to Korea for my last few nights in …

Thank you to everyone leaving supportive comments. I thought I would share my father’s obituary here. SELLAR, GORDON KINLAY The family of Gordon K. Sellar, age 66 years of Saskatoon, sadly announces his unexpected passing on Saturday, February 4th, 2006. Gordon will always be loved and remembered by his wife of 33 years, Ghislaine; by his children, Gord of Seoul, South Korea, Marie and husband Troy, of Saskatoon, and Isabella and husband Martin of Winnipeg; and his grandson, Nathaniel, as well as his eagerly awaited second grandchild. Gordon was born on September 12th, 1939, in Zomba, Nyasaland (Malawi), and throughout …

My father has passed away. I am on my way to Saskatoon now. It was sudden and unexpected, a result of a surgery he told me he might have but which he said wouldn’t be serious. It was serious, and a couple of days after it, he slipped away in the night. He did not suffer, which is a help to know. I wish I’d gone home for my holida; not doing so was a decision I think I will regret forever, though I am trying not to feel guilty about it. We could have seen one another one more …

Hey. We made it here, last night, exhausted but in one piece. We just got tickets to Krabi tomorrow, and beach beach beach. I must be old or something, as this appeals to me more than it used to. Or maybe I’m just looking forward to getting out of Bangkok. The part I’m in hasn’t changed in years, except of course the prices are a touch higher for some goods. I have some decent books picked up used around here, Lime did some shopping as well — hers more efficient and intelligent than mine. We have discovered that we can …

Lime and I are at the Incheon Airport.