Earlclectic

Indefinite Suspension

earlqhan — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:12:06 +0000

Away until further ntoice

A Day in the Life…

earlqhan — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 17:12:03 +0000

Just wanted to show what it’s like to spend a day in Seoul, Korea since some things don’t translate well into pictures and words. Unfortunately, some things don’t translate well on to video either. Some things you just have to experience, like the humidity and how even after hanging on the drying rack for two days, your clothes are still damp. Also for the scope of this video, I couldn’t capture things too well, like how taxi drivers refuse to take you to your destination because it’s too far for them. I’m not sure if some things will be fully understood unless you’ve been there, like trying to find a bathroom, being able to sleep at a bar or club.

It was shot with a Canon 60D and 5D Mark II, but it was my first time using either so I had to learn on them as I went a long. Sorry for the bad camera work, it was mostly shot handheld, while carrying a 10 lb backpack, an umbrella, and a tripod. It’s hard to pull focus when you only have two hands and they’re both full. 95% of it was shot within a span of 3 days and because of weather and time constraints it was mostly shot on the go, without any chances for multiple takes. Either way, I hope you guys enjoy it and get a feel for how hectic and crowded Korea is.

I wish I could’ve done a better job and gotten more footage, but it’s the best I could do with my resources. I plan on doing something similar once I get back to Chicago to show the kids in Korea what it’s like to live in America, but since I can take my time with that, it should come out better. I’m thinking of doing it more documentary style though. Who knows. I have a long plane ride to think about it. :]

Coming Home

earlqhan — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:27:10 +0000

150 days, that’s how long I’ve been in Korea. I’m back at the same place I started, at an internet cafe. Korea was much more than I expected, both good and bad. It is a country of extremes, where the good is great, the bad is terrible. I love the people I’ve met. I can’t speak for all of Korea of though because honestly, all I’ve seen is Seoul. If you like to party and blow money, Seoul is the greatest city in the world. You’ll have fun. That stuff isn’t for me though, so it was much less enjoyable. I hate the lifestyle, there’s nothing to do but drink. I hate the society. I love the convenience, there’s always something to do (even if it is just drinking :p ). I may bitch and moan about Korea, but it’s not because I don’t care, because I do. Although I can’t say these people are my brothers and sisters, I can say they are my cousins. The solutions for every problem are either soju or suicide. It’s a sad life. Seoul is like a big chain that just weighs you down. It’s too much and too hard to put in one post so I’ll cut it off here since I could go on for days. You really have to come here to experience it for yourself. There are just some things you can’t describe, like the smells as you walk the streets. But, if you come to Korea, I recommend the fries when you go to a “hof,” and the spicy “odeng” soup from the food carts.

Enough about Korea, I’m excited to finally be going home. Since I’ll be back on the 4th, I’ll probably eat BBQ all day. Then come Tuesday, it’s game on. Going to eat Chipotle burrito bol, Pequod’s deep dish pizza, Sarkis bacon Loretta, Johnnie’s Italian beef, Superdawg hot dog, chug a bunch of Diet Pepsi and Monster Absolute Zero. I can’t wait. The funny thing is, after speaking with all the Americans here and the Koreans that have spent some time in America, it seems Chipotle is the one collective food that everyone misses. See you guys stateside!!!

A fitting song, “Coming Home” by Diddy

Reality

earlqhan — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:02:36 +0000

Wake Up Call

earlqhan — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:55:23 +0000

Watching this animation to “Pale Blue Dot” is quite humbling, knowing we are but an insignificant spec, on a dot in the universe, as we all make this journey through time and space.

Lebron the Loser

earlqhan — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:36:51 +0000

To me, Lebron is the epitome of what is wrong with my generation. He feels entitled. Instead of facing problems, he runs away from them. He worries more about himself, than his team. We call him King James. But what has this “king” done for his empire? And why has this “king” not claimed his throne? Lebron may very well be the best player in the NBA. He might have the most skills, most athletic, but he just doesn’t have the mind or heart of a competitor. He’s just out there competing. And the sad thing is, we idolize him. Maybe I’m just vilifying him, but what has he done that is so great? Our grandparents sent a man to the moon. Our parents unified the world. Our generation has the “status update.” Sure, it’s nice to share your thoughts with the world, and it’s entertaining, but we are lost, more than ever now, among the clutter of “information” from the internet. We want to be entertained 24/7 and worship the instant celebrities on gossip pages, YouTube, and MTV. No one wants to work hard, and get through rough times. It’s sad, I worry about our future.

Captain Dirk

earlqhan — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:08:16 +0000

I know it’s a little late now, but I’m glad that Dirk and Mavs beat the Heat. I’ve always been a Dirk fan, and I’m glad he got a ring, but I might hate Lebron more than I like Dirk, so I’m glad Lebron lost. Dirk is and will forever be a Dallas Maverick. He stuck with the team through thick and thin, and his efforts finally paid off. Unlike Lebron who bailed on Cleveland. More on that in the next post…

The Semester is Finally Over!

earlqhan — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:33:38 +0000

Finished last Monday, so I’ve just been bumming around the last few days, meeting friends who are headed back home, etc. So until my camera crapped out on me, I was taking video and photos for my friend’s promotional company.

I was planning on doing a few more freelance gigs just to pay the bills, but can’t do that now… :[

It’s starting to get real hot and Seoul is just so suffocating, so I’m thinking about getting out of here for a few weeks and just backpacking through the country. Since I’m broke, I’m going to have to do most of the trip by walking, and I estimated it’d take me something like 23 days, doing about 12 hours a day to walk through the entire country. If I get tired, the bus is always an option. I kind of want to do it because I want to see the rest of the country, and it’s small enough where I can. Only problem is it’s getting real hot and monsoon season is around the corner. Not really sure what to do. All I know is I want to get home and eat some pizza and Chipotle. GRRR…

Rome

earlqhan — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:06:37 +0000

New concept album by Danger Mouse is kind of dope. It’s like a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist.

Working

earlqhan — Sat, 28 May 2011 08:50:41 +0000

So I got hooked up with some people to do some small freelance work, filming. Filmed an interview with the character designer from “Rio” and filming a small short, viral commercial for my buddy’s promotional company. Kind of fun, a lot of work, but I get to try out all this cool equipment for free. The cool thing about Korea is that they have very cheap film rental places. I will update with pictures in the next few days.