It’s a strange feeling once we’ve gone to print for the month and you realize how busy you have just been.
It’s an even stranger feeling when there’s suddenly time in your schedule to (possibly!) pursue other things.
Of course there is always someone to meet, someone to interview, an email to write and a web site to be worked on.
But during print week there seems all the time in the world.
Time it seems, I’ve now filled by starting work on the April issue. Before the March issue is even on the stands.
As we’re producing every four calendar weeks it is a logical step.
I’ve interviewed Craig Kulyk, of Korea Ultimate Players Association. We’ll hope to run an article on the forthcoming ‘Gnarly Nines’ Ultimate Frisbee tournament here in April.
Brian Miller has a cracking set of photographs and interview piece with the performers at the African Museum in Seogwipo.
To finish, this weekend brings a rescheduled fire festival, with a seemingly determined attitude among the foreign population who endured last weekend, to see it through.
Not to mention a special event at Gecko’s organized by Deebra Rogers.
Well it’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally leaving my primary Hotmail account that opened in 2001.
Along with the other services Google offers (reader, docs) it just makes plain sense.
Gmail is a far better mail client.
So I’ve been busy moving everything over. It has been a relatively painless experience so far - the places and people I get the most emails from have already switched. Filters have been set up to sort incoming mail into the various folders. Every time I get an email to Hotmail I reply using Gmail.
It’s a case on keeping an eye on Hotmail for those periodical emails that arrive from an account somewhere that’s important, but not that important.
Something else is guiding me too.
The development of Google Android, “the first complete, open, and free mobile platform”.
The project homepage is here. And there’s a video below. Stick with it as there are some exciting possibilities for journalists.
After weeks (read: months) of coverage across a wide range of media platforms the Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival main event - the burning of Saebyeol Oreum – didn’t occur.
Extremely high winds rendered the event cancelled.
Upon arriving at the site it was immediately apparent that that the wind would have a factor in the day’s proceedings. Everyone put on a brave face despite bracing temperatures. The wind ran through the plastic sheeting of the tents creating a loud, constant, fluttering sound that would be the background noise to the whole event.
On the main stage, acts performed initially at least before they too were beaten by the wind.
The foreign population attending continued to swell as the day progressed. Groups found themselves huddling to keep warm in the restaurant tents or near any available fire.
Rumour began to swirl of a 6pm, then 7pm start.
Darkness fell and 7pm came. Suddenly those down at the base of the Oreum began marching away – the announcement had been made. No burning this evening.
I was disappointed that it wouldn’t be going ahead. Especially after spending the hours waiting.
But reminding myself of the American officials who had travelled all of the way from Santa Rosa, California (Jeju City’s sister city) put things into perspective.
Disappointment, yes. Lasting resentment. No.
The island’s foreign population were out in force and it was a fantastic afternoon of camaraderie, with a united cause to stick the weather and stick it out.
This evening, after returning from a trip to Seogwipo on JL business I’m reading reports that the burning has been rescheduled for Saturday 1st March.
Posted by jejulifeblog
