Scribblings of the Metropolitician: Rumors of my Death Have been Extremely Exaggerated

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September 11, 2013

Rumors of my Death Have been Extremely Exaggerated

I've finally been able to post to my blog for the 1st time in ages I apologize for not being able to update and for suddenly disappearing. The reason for my absence is nothing nefarious -- I simply had my account suspended because I didn't renew my $150 per year membership. and I didn't want to have to send money to the US just to pay a fee for blogs, which are free in this day and age. I decided to take a blogging break and pay the fee next time I happened to accidentally have a big chunk of change in my Bank of America account. So, this month I happened to have a student pay for one of my photo classes through PayPal, so I ended up with money accidentally stateside, and here I am. sorry to neglect my blog so long for those of you who noticed, but I absolutely hate the idea of having to pay to blog. that's so early 2000's! Typepad -- get with it! In the meantime, I'm happy to report that I kind of got into instagram finally, and went through a phase of hosting old pictures, while using that service as a venue to publish new ones. I also started a new blog that I am toying with the idea of replacing this one. you can visit it here:

http://Instaseoul.wordpress.com

but I'm not can do anything drastic -- I'm going to continue posting my thoughts and ventings while slowly enough more pictures at the other blog. also, follow me on InstaGram!

ID: kuraeji

there's a lot to report since my medical mishap. I am now an assistant professor at Hongik University hired to teach a class called " Introduction to the Art of Photography," amongst other things, which include American culture and "current issues" this semester. Of course, I've adapted the class into a mini sociology course focusing on “the social problem."

I'm also in the middle of recovering my career, which has been “sick” for longer than I got medically sick. from about the middle of last summer, I have been in the middle of finishing a new chapter to my dissertation, and have been receiving edits from my dissertation chair, along with streaming helpful advice. my completion goal is the end of next summer, when I can register very cheaply as an out-of-state resident and estranged graduate student. Hopefully, by next fall, I can have PhD in hand.

And that's pretty much it for right now.

Posted by The Metropolitician on September 11, 2013 | Permalink

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http://Instaseoul.wordpress.com

but I'm not can do anything drastic -- I'm going to continue posting my thoughts and ventings while slowly enough more pictures at the other blog. also, follow me on InstaGram!

ID: kuraeji

And that's pretty much it for right now.

"Why Be Critical?"

Before you say this site is "anti-Korean" or bashing Korea – read this: "Why Be Critical?" Chances are, if you're simply angry because I am a social critic in Korea but not actually Korean, see if your argument isn't just a kneejerk response that follows these patterns.

Photo Classes!

Session 1: Just the Basics Dealing with the basic operations and functions of your DSLR, explaining each function, button, and doo-hickey. The bulk of the session is likely going to stick around the relationship between aperture and shutter, as well as depth-of-field. Basically everything on your camera has something to do with this relationship.
Session 2: Composition and Shooting (Shooting Session 1) We'll take those examples and look at them on the big screen, while also answering the concrete questions that will pop up about the stuff we learned before. Then we'll talk about composition and other framing issues, including lens lengths and why some lenses are worth $100 bucks and some are worth $10,000.
Session 3: Flashes and Advanced Exposure (Shooting Session 2) Dealing with flash, in terms of compensating above and below exposure levels (bracketing), as well as other bracketing techniques in general.
Session 4: Final Session/Critiques Keeping it open, determined by the class.
Four 3-hour sessions, as well as shooting sessions, photo discussions, and critiques. An individual photo essay will also be done as part of the ongoing class assignments. Inquire at the email address at the top right of this page.

Starter Posts

Here are some key posts, for those of you new to the blog, which are a sampling of some of my thoughts about race and ideology in Korea and in general, my view of what it means to be a true American, my answer to the question of "Why don't you talk about more positive things?", my thoughts on why the Korean media is so unprofessional, thoughts on the Korean education system (here and here), my post about and examples of racism in three countries' media and the difference in the way they're handled, my posts (here and here) channeling my anger about Katrina, my post about being black in Korea and the whole Hines Ward thing (here and here and here), a post directed against the fashionable racism of even so-called "progressive" Asian Americans, my first attempt at online activism – a petition against KBS, and even random posts such as why I love Apple and have used an Apple computer, why I think Korea doesn't like Star Trek but should really love Battlestar Galactica, and I am ashamed to say that I have even blogged about my cats (here and here).
As for my photo book (now in limbo due to editorial differences with the publisher), you can see the representative chapters from the "Seoul Essays" posts below. Note that Chapter 3 remains undone and in limbo on my computer:
Chapter I: On the Surface
Chapter II: Pleasures of the Everyday
Chapter IV: To Hell and Back
I have much, much more, but this is a random yet representative sampling of my work to start with.

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Scribblings of the Metropolitician

Writings, recordings, and photo reports from the streets of Seoul -- And STILL BANNED FROM KOREAN GOVERNMENT IP'S