The View Up Here

A few things of note over the last few months: End of May/Beginning of June:  Got food poisoning. Badly.  Was hospitalized for four days and nights. Still paying back the loan I took from my boss to pay for that bad boy. I was told the offending bacteria was campylobacter, usually associated with chicken. Funny thing is, I hadn't had chicken at all for several days. I think the culprit came from a food cart at which I'd eaten some kimbap earlier that week. Never. Again.  No more street food.  End of July:  The Great Kitten Drama  Nearby my apartment building is a completely empty entire city block wrapped in green tarp fencing, into which people throw their trash. Inside, stray cats have made their home.  One night coming home from work I heard the plaintive and unmistakable mewings of a tiny kitten. Long story short, the mama cat deposited one of her two kittens outside my building's steps. I took the kitten in for a few hours and let her cool of...

Remnants of the previous occupant's life are still present in this apartment, despite the makeover. The artifacts of his journey of self-development are still kicking around:  his Korean language books (now on my shelf, for which I am grateful) and a stack of emergency first response and CPR books still on the floor of my office.  In the entrance way cabinet, a drawerful of cords, tools, tape, even a soldering gun. Many power strips that he must have used for his gaming set-up. He also left a monitor here, which I'm using at this moment. In fact, that monitor has made it possible for me to replicate, more or less, my office set up from my last home. I just needed speakers and a desk fan to outfit my desk for writing and working (and watching videos). I bagged up several handfuls of redundant flatware and cooking utensils. I found some pillar candles, which I have put to good use.  I wonder sometimes how he is (I met him for one day to help me learn the ropes at the academ...

I have been trying to post something for over a month, now. I start typing, then I need to finish later, and then a week goes by. So I have re-written this three times, now. Today, I'm posting it no matter what! In my last post, I wrote about living in a transient space, a hotel room, for twelve days. I moved into my apartment on February 22, so I've been in here for about 5 weeks, now. The academy directors had re-wallpapered every room (wallpaper is used on walls and ceilings, whereas Americans would use paint), replaced the appliances, and added just a couple pieces of new furniture. Since then, I have brought in a Korean-style low table, several accessories for my desk and the shelves in my bedroom, and of course, I've started my apartment garden. The place is starting to feel like home.   Quicksilver days The teaching continues to go well. I'm amazed how fast the day goes with shorter class periods. At first, seven classes seemed daunting, but I've found the d...

not an ad for Delta Today is my first full day in Ulsan, my new home. And by "new" I mean the 2nd time around. I lived here from 2002-2003 and visited twice more. Then in 2024, I made a pilgrimage to the sites of the Korean Catholic martyrs  which included a week in Ulsan. It was then that I realized I could easily call this place home. (You can read about my Korea Dreambus film screening here!) The process of getting ready to apply for a visa began months before I even had a job offer. The job search was also months long, and the position I accepted came out of the blue. I'd applied for several teaching positions at a variety of institutions and programs, and even interviewed for two university jobs. None of that worked. But the job I took was exactly where I want to be, and although it's teaching in a hagwan (private after-school academy), the conditions are exemplary and the couple that owns the academy are solid. So here's a bit of a rundown on the last 48 h...

I haven't blogged here at all in the last year because I've been over on my  Korea Dreambus: A Journey of Faith blog . As I stare into the last two hours and twenty minutes of 2025, I'm filled with gratitude and amazement. This past year has brought so many new beginnings and opportunities that I need to mark them down in one place. I am extremely fortunate to have been awarded grant money from the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for my documentary film on my pilgrimage to the holy sites of the Korean Catholic Martyrs. Korea Dreambus is now just about done with a few minor edits and some sound work to go. I worked with two different editors, which was a challenge but which ultimately enriched the project. My public screening will be held on Jan. 17, 2026 at St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry.   We screened SOULED , my short film, in April of this year in Elmira. It was a great turnout, and I was so excited to finally share it. The film was a se...

Over the last six months, I spent most of my blogging time on the  KoreaDreambus site , rather neglecting The View Up Here, but now we're ready for some updates!  Quit the circulation half of my newspaper job in the first half of the year -- totally liberating! I continued to have problems with my shoulder from the poor work station I had, but it's been on the mend more recently. Spent the summer arranging a pilgrimage trip to Korea and preparing to make a film about the Korean Catholic martyrs.  Bought a camera package (pre-owned) and a new iPhone for the pilgrimage film. I am now in the process of sorting, transferring, and cataloging over 3,000 media clips and photos! I've also been prepping my MacBook Air to do some basic video editing, for which it's not optimal, but it will have to do for now. I got a new external drive to help with media storage.  Re-named "Dreamhouse," my short film shot in October of 2023 to "Souled." IMDb page is up but nee...

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and the Strawberry Moon! What a glorious time to be alive. I have a few sweet as strawberries updates for you, my dear reader. And so it begins: summer produce! First -- you should go to my new site that details my upcoming pilgrimage and personal documentary film in Korea! Yes, I'm going! It's happening! https://koreadreambusdocumentary.blogspot.com/ Second -- I ended up leaving the secretarial half of my job, continuing on with the staff writer post. I will also add teaching theology part time this fall - this time to high schoolers. I am very pleased with the combination of writing and teaching. And yes, both jobs have cleared me to be gone for three weeks to go to Korea.  Third -- My short film, renamed "Souled," is now very close to picture lock (final picture edit). I've hired a composer, a sound mixer, and a color correction guy. Post production is in full swing, and boy am I excited to get that pic...

It's time to round up 2023 and cast a gleaming eye toward 2024.   Quickly, because it's cold, and I have to go find a cup of hot tea in the kitchen to warm up: published my short story "Vinny and Luca" in the June issue of Lake Effect Magazine . This was my first short story publication, and it's one of the stories I've written as part of a collection. shot my short film "Dream House" in October after one postponement and a reschedule. We had an amazing cast and crew, a beautiful location, and a lot of generous help. The footage is now with an editor who hopes to have a rough cut in the next few days. started as a journalist for our diocesan Catholic paper, writing features and briefs on the happenings and people in the county. learned how to create video content for Instagram. learned T'ai Chi Yang style 32-move sword form started with a new spiritual director (who was then reassigned to someplace far away and with a far busier schedule... this ...

A month has slipped by, but before we head into Thanksgiving et al., I want to post a few thoughts about my pilgrimage last month. First off, I have to tell you that I don't have any pictures of the pilgrimage. Why, you ask? Because my phone had a major malfunction a little over a week ago, and I lost all photos since June (which hadn't been backed up - my bad). So you'll just have to take my word for it when I say the beauty and peace of the North American Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, NY was worth the 6-hour round trip in the bus with 35 middle school students. The Shrine's grounds comprise what was the 17th century Mohawk village of Ossernenon. The Shrine itself is a massive Church built in the round and named the Colosseum, inspired by the Colosseum in Rome where so many Christian martyrs were maimed and killed in the persecutions. The museum there also provides information about St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American named a saint by the Catholic Church...

This morning, my T'ai Chi instructor, Binh, asked me to help with teaching the absolute beginner section of the class. I've been working with him for the last year in private to fine tune my form and become ready to teach. I only had the group for a few minutes this morning, but it was humbling and a true honor. Talk about pressure! But I absolutely loved it. One of the other advanced students joined us so that the beginner students could have someone at the front and back of the class to follow, which was very helpful. I never thought when I started taking T'ai Chi (again, for what, the fourth time in my life?) that I would be able to teach, myself. Of course, I'm only teaching the first part (part one of three in the Yang style long form).  But it's a tremendous honor, and I feel accomplished in this.  One of the ways I committed to this path of study last year was to order a couple of T'ai Chi uniforms. It actually helps my focus when I'm not just wearing...

Much has happened in these last few months. Jesus has been whispering in my ear... In a nutshell, I am now the Confirmation and Adolescent Catechesis/Youth Ministry Administrator for the Elmira Catholic Churches. That's right - I'm back in Elmira, the place I despised for so many years. I came here to visit last summer, and the lure was instant - somehow it felt all glowy and attractive. Now that I'm here, the vibe is even stronger. I am where God has longed for me to be! My work is precious and wonderful, and my lifestyle is more beautiful than I could have imagined. I live at the bottom of a wooded hill, close to work. I can easily buy local produce, hit the Wegmans for necessities, walk along the river, hang out at Harris Hill to watch the gliders take off, and best of all, I am a few minutes' drive from Mount Saviour Monastery (Benedictine monks). Compline (Night Prayer) at Mount Saviour Monastery. The freedom I feel inside is indescribable and bea...

My, my, my how time flies. The school year has ended, all my work is done. Tomorrow I leave for two splendid weeks of discernment, living in a Carmelite monastery in San Diego, across these three beautiful feasts of the Church. Can it be true? How did I get here? I hardly know... except to say by the magnificent, grandiose, spoil-me-rotten grace of God. I have specifically been asking to know the Holy Spirit more intimately. Holy Spirit is, to my mind, "the mover and the shaker" in the Trinity. The Father is Creator and Being, Jesus Messiah is Redeemer and Rest, and it is in His Body that I rest. So we have upcoming: Pentecost Sunday, Holy Trinity Sunday, and the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). In fact it was exactly one year ago on Trinity Sunday that I first went to to the Carmel to visit - Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity. Come, Holy Spirit, come! The past year was really rough - those girls got to my heart and I ached and I spilled...

I'm at school right now, subbing for a religion class of Senior girls. I decided to conduct a little informal research in the form of an oral questionnaire. There are 34 girls in this class today, and of those 34, only one had heard of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Then I explained to them what the image was, and most of then nodded as if they'd seen the image before. I asked them if they knew anything about it. Only this one girl could respond. Here's what she said: Oh, isn't that where there is blood and water coming out? The water is because wasn't he given nasty water to drink? And the blood.... symbolizes something else. I asked them where they had seen this image. Almost unanimously, they reported that they'd seen it at their grandmother's home. Many of these girls are being raised by their grandmothers, in fact, so it only shows that religious art and symbols, while present, may mean nothing to them. I didn't lecture them on the Sacred Hea...

This year's theme was 'Hope: A World Afire!' I'm winding down the weekend after an intense two days at the Religious Education Congress (Friday and Saturday). I only went for two of the three days, mainly because I needed my one day to stay home and gear up for the coming week. I day tripped to Anaheim for the event, which was more of a challenge with Friday traffic both going and coming home, but I definitely feel the 'conference high' even with the commuting and not making it for the last day (which was today).  The sessions I chose back in December and got into (I had to choose my top 3 for each period) seemed to interlock with an ever-unfolding message of forgiveness, reconciliation and God's Love. In fact, it would appear that this Lent, the journey I'm taking with Yeshua is one of forgiveness.  Friday I arrived frazzled from rush hour and Disneyland traffic (the Anaheim Convention Center is across the street from California Advent...

Kind of like the commercials with the buff dude who says "I'm on a horse," only I'm not buff, nor a dude, and the metaphor I'm working with is locomotive, not equestrian. I'll get around to explaining this, don't worry. Time to get real:  I've been having a hard time in the last few weeks. I've been feeling pretty ragged, emotionally, spiritually, physically. I'm working two jobs, driving 200 miles a week to and from said jobs, and trying to coax all the moving parts of my life to work in harmony (financial parts, discernment parts, writing parts, teaching parts, etc.). It's a lot. And I miss my sweet little Spaz kitteh, who's been gone almost two months, now.  I'm better off than I was last year, because I'm doing things that I love, but I've still been obsessed with the gaping maw of "what am I really doing with my life?" It is, after all, a journey of discernment. And it's a sacred journey, as the subtit...

I realize, of course, that I am lamentably behind in blogging. However, it is a new year, and there are new situations and dispositions in my life that will hopefully help me to be more prolific here. I usually wrap up the old year before delving into my hopes for the new year, so here we go: 2013 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Last year was very much about letting go of the illusion of control and surrendering completely to God.  It was also about recognizing that my charism is Carmelite , marked by simplicity. Sometimes God closes doors to open a new portal for us to walk through; other times, He asks us to close the door ourselves so that we are free to walk through the next door He has already opened for us. In April, I was not hired back for the permanent position at Ithaca College Los Angeles, but the very next month, I was offered a job as an administrative assistant for a Catholic high school. In July, my father-in-law passed away, and that very same week, my divorce was...