Anniversary and Other Things
Anniversary
Today is an anniversary of sorts.
On September 21, 1988, I first set foot on Korean soil. 16 years. It’s been a long, strange trip from bewildered and befuddled 19 year-old doofus to 35 year-old world-renowned, international legal powerhouse. Considering the few years that I spent at college and law school in the states, I figure I have spent 11.5 of the last 16 years actually in Korea, and the rest of the time thinking about it.
There have been incredible changes in that period of time. The country has gone from a military dictatorship to a fledgling democracy. The economy has thrived, suffered, and thrived again. For better or worse, cities have expanded and grown at a phenomenal rate.
Yet, in many respects, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Other Things
While getting my personal mug from the employee cup rack, I noticed a new cup. I don’t know who it belongs to, but I thought it was an odd sort of cup/advertisement to keep on one’s desk.
COMMENTS:
Name: Never HeardofYa
E-mail: nomail@no.com
City: Chicago
Country: USA
Homepage:
Date: 21-Sep-2004 00:39:06
Message:
“On September 21, 1988, I first set foot on
Korean soil. 16 years. It’s been a long,
strange trip from bewildered and befuddled 19
year-old doofus to 35 year-old world-renowned,
international legal powerhouse.”
Regarding your comments on your extended stay
in Korea band your transformation from
a “befuddled doofus” to a “world-renowned
international…powerhouse”, isn’t it
interesting that the more things change, the
more they stay the same?
Also, if you’re so “world-renowned”, how come
I’ve never heard of you before in either the
U.S. or in Korea? (I’ve also asked a few Seoul-
and Taegu-based Korean prosecutors & private-
practice lawyers if they’ve ever heard of you,
and guess what? They haven’t.)
Suggestion: Instead of being a pompous buffoon,
win us over with modesty, intelligence and
maturity.
Response:
Ha. Beautiful comment.
I’m sorry. I was not aware that in order to be known throughout the world and bask in the fame and glory of enormous respect and admiration of prominent corporate, legal, and government leaders, I had to register myself with your personal database of known people. Having realized my mistake, I tried to contact you to make myself known to you, but I was unable to do so because you are posting anonymously without a valid email. It really is quite a shame. Had you had the courage and courtesy to identify yourself, you could have had the pleasure of claiming acquaintance with greatness incarnate.
Although I must deduct many points for your anonymous skulking and heel-nipping, you earned back a few points for allegedly contacting numerous prosecutors and private practice lawyers in Seoul and Taegu in the very few minutes that transpired between the time I posted my remarks and the time you posted your response. That showed fortitude, dedication and motivation. With an attitude like that, you can aspire to greatness and perhaps, if you are as fortunate as I am, you may obtain that greatness…that is if you redirect your enegeries to something a little more productive than talking to a few insignificant and inconsequential folks.
Well, as we don’t have the honor of knowing anything about you or how to contact your anonymous self, then perhaps you would care to list the names of those prosecutors and lawyers you contacted. I could then call them and find out more about you from them, because you are apparently so famous and renowned that they know you. That is quite an honor, especially when you consider that if you ask your prosecutor and lawyer contacts in Seoul and Taegu, the will most likely not have heard of other people such as Thurgood Marshall, Gerry Spence, Alan Dershowitz, Vincent Bugliosi, and Clarence Darrow who must not be famous or distinguished enough to be known to the prosecutors and lawyers in Seoul and Taegu.
When weighing my importance and influence in both world-wide legal and political spheres, I suggest you ask yourself and the lawyers and prosecutors in Seoul and Taegu, how many times have you or they been called by ambassadors and state department officials for advice and comment on issues. How many times have you or they been invited to sit at the dinner table of world economic leaders to discuss the future economic development of entire countries. How many times have you or they been been personally threatened by the governor of an entire Russian political region. How many times have you or they had to listen to some of the worlds largest corporations beg your firm to take them on as a client? How many of them are listed in the Asian Legal 500? We will then compare notes.
Sadly, it seems that your own ignorance and that of your prosecutors and lawyers in Seoul and Taegu about me and who I am speaks much more negatively about the unfortunate state of your education and knowledge of world affairs than it does about my lack of renown amongst the lower levels of society.
Better luck to you in the future my good man/woman.