Friday, August 27, 2010

Little North Korean Girl Guitar Player Is a Virtuoso

Little North Korean Girl Guitar Player Is a Virtuoso

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

14th of Every Month Celebrations

Do you know that in Korea, there is a monthly celebration of love? All of them are being celebrated on the 14th of every month. It is a celebration of love because all of them seems to be directed to people who are in love, being loved, and no one loves.

To start off,

January 14 is known as the Diary Day. It’s the day when lovers exchange diaries as a sign of love. It can also be one-way or only one person gives a diary to the person he/she loves. It can also be accompanied with flowers.

February 14, of course everyone knows it as Valentine’s Day. But unlike other traditions, on this day, the girls are the ones who give chocolates to the person she likes or loves. It can sometimes be a sign of confession.

March 14 is the White Day. This is payback day for the girls. On this day, the boys are the ones who give candies to the girl he likes or loves. It is also a way to confess their love.

April 14 is what they call Black Day. On this day, those who are single or not in a relationship meet and eat black noodles together. Maybe they are grieving or something.

May 14 has two celebrations. One is the Rose Day, where lovers exchange roses as a sign of their love. And the other is Yellow Day, where those who weren’t able to eat black noodles the previous month eat yellow curry rice.

June 14 is their Kiss Day. It is when lovers kiss each other to confirm their love. [I love June 14! ]

July 14 is known as the Silver Day. On this day, lovers exchange silver rings as a sign of their love. Together with rings, they make a promise of the future.

August 14 is none other than Music Day! It is a day to give someone a CD that’s full of love songs. [Woohoo! Free CD's everyone!]

September 14 is the Photo Day. A day for lovers to take pictures and keep them as a memory of their love.

October 14 is what they call Wine Day. It is when lovers drink wine together to celebrate their love. [no soju?]

November 14 also has two celebrations. One is the Movie Day. Lovers watch movies together while holding each others hand. [How sweet.] Another is the Hug Day, the day to give hugs to your loved ones. [Care to give me a hug?]

December 14 is also carrying two celebrations. Money Day, where you spend generously for the person you love, and Socks Day, where people give socks in advance for Christmas. [I prefer the money day ]

So that’s it folks. Ciao!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

13 Things Not to Share with Your Co-worker

It’s happened to everyone before. The constant flow of words that just keep coming, long after you’ve made your point (if there ever was one) and even longer after people stopped caring. The kind of gibberish that just won’t stop unless someone else starts talking. The type of chatter that inevitably ends with you wishing you’d put a sock in it.

Yes, verbal diarrhea is never a good thing – but it can be worse in some places more than others.

Like the workplace.

There are certain things co-workers need not know about each other – your baby-making plans and stomach issues, for example – but some folks just can’t seem to keep their mouths shut.

Some people talk to hear the sound of their own voice; others share because they don’t really have a life and, by revealing details you’d rather not know, they create the illusion of one, says Linda Lopeke, a career advancement expert and creator of SmartStart Virtual Mentoring Programs. “Then there is the person who believes gossip, even about them, creates instant emotional intimacy. It doesn’t.”

Walk the line

Because people spend more time at the office with co-workers than anywhere (or anyone) else, some workers have trouble drawing the line between business and friendship, says Susan Solovic, co-founder and CEO of SBTV.com, and author of three books, including “Reinvent Your Career: Attain the Success You Desire and Deserve.”

“It’s a social environment as well as a work environment. However, you must remember while you can be friendly and develop a good rapport, business is business and friendship is friendship.”

Most workers don’t realize that what they say has as much impact on their professional images as what they wear, Lopeke says. People who say too much, about themselves or others, can be seen as incompetent, unproductive and unworthy of professional development.

To avoid your next case of verbal diarrhea, here are 13 things to never share or discuss with your co-workers.

1. Salary information
What you earn is between you and Human Resources, Solovic says. Disclosure indicates you aren’t capable of keeping a confidence.

2. Medical history
“Nobody really cares about your aches and pains, your latest operation, your infertility woes or the contents of your medicine cabinet,” Lopeke says. To your employer, your constant medical issues make you seem like an expensive, high-risk employee.

3. Gossip
Whomever you’re gossiping with will undoubtedly tell others what you said, Solovic says. Plus, if a co-worker is gossiping with you, most likely he or she will gossip about you.

4. Work complaints
Constant complaints about your workload, stress levels or the company will quickly make you the kind of person who never gets invited to lunch, Solovic warns. If you don’t agree with company policies and procedures, address it through official channels or move on.

5. Cost of purchases
The spirit of keeping up with the Joneses is alive and well in the workplace, Lopeke says, but you don’t want others speculating on the lifestyle you’re living –or if you’re living beyond your salary bracket.

6. Intimate details
Don’t share intimate details about your personal life. Co-workers can and will use the information against you, Solovic says.

7. Politics or religion
“People have strong, passionate views on both topics,” Solovic says. You may alienate a co-worker or be viewed negatively in a way that could impact your career.

8. Lifestyle changes
Breakups, divorces and baby-making plans should be shared only if there is a need to know, Lopeke says. Otherwise, others will speak for your capabilities, desires and limitations on availability, whether there is any truth to their assumptions or not.

9. Blogs or social networking profile
What you say in a social networking community or in your personal blog may be even more damaging than what you say in person, Solovic warns. “Comments online can be seen by multiple eyes. An outburst of anger when you are having a bad day … can blow up in your face.”

10. Negative views of colleagues
If you don’t agree with a co-worker’s lifestyle, wardrobe or professional abilities, confront that person privately or keep it to yourself, Lopeke says. The workplace is not the venue for controversy.

11. Hangovers and wild weekends
It’s perfectly fine to have fun during the weekend, but don’t talk about your wild adventures on Monday, Solovic advises. That information can make you look unprofessional and unreliable.

12. Personal problems and relationships – in and out of the office
“Failed marriages and volatile romances spell instability to an employer,” Lopeke says. Office romances lead to gossip and broken hearts, so it’s best to steer clear. “The safest way to play is to follow the rule, ‘Never get your honey where you get your money.’”

13. Off-color or racially charged comments
You can assume your co-worker wouldn’t be offended or would think something is funny, but you might be wrong, Solovic says. Never take that risk. Furthermore, even if you know for certain your colleague wouldn’t mind your comment, don’t talk about it at work. Others can easily overhear.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.