Metamorphosis: The Stitch....

So, That was a fail. Although I am still working at improving my time use. I am spending more time studying Korean and the Bible. But as for exercising, I am lazy. I know I should continue and need to if I want to be able to use my bow properly but its hard and boring to workout. At least when I am playing soccer or doing archery, I am having fun while working out. Oh, well need to keep working on improving myself. I need to get my body checked out, I think I have done some serious damage to my shoulder cause it is becoming a problem. Oh, well looks like I will be back in NA by the end of the month. Although still hoping for a miracle that will let me stay in Korea. Not sure what it is about Daejeon but I have never felt so comfortable in such unfamiliar culture or own culture for that matter. I love Calgary but in someways its a prison. Need money, to get a car, so can go to work to pay for the car. but thats life, right? Well I am just trusting that God's will for my life is being done, nothing else really matters. But I am afraid that because of my laziness, I am failing to achieve the best that God has for me, thus my prayer.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
    in burnt offerings offered whole;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Metamorphosis - Day 2

Since tonight was the Asian cup match between Korea and Iraq, I let myself have a pop. Also Korea won and is going on to play for gold on sat. Yay!!!

Morning Exercise(Same as Last nights):
O - Sit up:10
O - Crunches 5
O- Leg Raises: 5
O - Plank: 10 sec
O - Push up: Max

X - Overdraws on bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
X - Arm bends with Bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
X - Bow Pushes: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day

O - Morning Pray
X - Morning Scripture reading

O - Morning Class

X - Afternoon Archery Practice
X -Afternoon Korean Study
X - Afternoon Bible Study
X - Afternoon Prayer

Evening Exercise (Increase to new level):
O - Sit up: 15
O - Crunches 8
O - Leg Raises: 8
O - Plank: 13
O - Push up: Max

O - Overdraws on bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
O - Arm bends with Bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
O - Bow Pushes: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day

O - Evening Korean Review

O - Evening scripture Reading

O- Evening Prayer

Bed 

Metamorphosis - Day 1

Well my plan was a good plan but day one got way laid before it began. I was woken up this morning by the door bell and was met by missionaries. This lead to almost 5 hours of discussion on the question of who is God? It makes me sad to see how people that the Bible and twist it to mean something totally different then what it is saying. For example, I have talk to muslims who claim the song of Solomon is really a book of prophecy for Mohammad because of ONE word. How can one word define an entire book about something totally different, I will never know. In the same why as how one can create a god from analogies used for teaching life principles.

Anyhoo, So my day didn't start with exercise but I was able to do 5 hours of bible study. I will finish off with my work out but I am writing today off as a false start.... Lets see if I can do better tomorrow. Although to be far I did get to go out for 돼지갈비 with a couple of friends... That counts as a win, in my books. mmm, good!

Evening Exercise():
- Sit up:10
- Crunches 5
- Leg Raises: 5
- Plank: 10 sec
- Push up: Max

The Metamorphosis of the Conquerworm - The Plan

I came to Korea in Sept. with the excuse of learning Korean but that was not the purpose. The purpose was because I needed to change. Not that I needed a change but I needed to change. It has taken me till now, Jan 25, to get to the point were I am ready to fight to make the change.

There are things I wont share here about me that I really don't like. They have become a disease slowly killing me. They have gotten worse this last month and I have reached a point were I need to do something about it. I knew about these issues before comping to Korea, I was hoping that being here would help force me to make the changes, which almost happened. I was sorta making progress when for part of the first term. Second Term, things were really changing for the better but there was the issue of the course and I didn't want to burden my classmates, so I dropped back to level one. This is were things turned back to not good. Because I was finding the course boring, I resorted back to my tendencies. Which brings me to know, with me frustrated with myself and ready to fight to change.

More importantly though, I want to live abundantly, in Christ, with a form of Godliness complete with its power. I want to not only awaken my heart but I want to fully live in the Spirit of Christ, with the Spirit of Christ. This was one of the purposes of me coming to Korea, to challenge my faith and to grow it. I have been challenged by these sermons:

http://valleycreek.org/media/all-series/awaken/awaken-awaken-my-heart/
http://valleycreek.org/media/all-series/awaken/awaken-awaken-me-to-your-presence/

And have accepted the challenge... I am looking forward to the rest of the series...

Also I plan on improving my physical situation. I have an addiction to pop, more specifically, Dr. Pepper. I was hoping this would be difficult for me to continue here in Korea, Which Korea was Great for, with the weather here when I first arrived and the easy access to water, I was doing amazingly well. But then the cool weather hit and things began to disintegrate. Now it is again an issue. This is really difficult with morning classes as I do not do well with mornings. In fact, mornings with class, I tend to hit the harder drugs (ie. energy drinks). I do this for two reasons; One the drinks taurine is suppose to help the mind. I want to learn Korean, and want all the help I can get. Two, I am tired and struggle to focus in the morning, more so now that class is boring and we have a classmate that doesn't understand anything, no matter how many times the teacher explains it. But this is going to change. I am determined to make the change to water. On top of this, I want to be able to use my bow properly, but like an idiot I let my ego get the better of me when I bought it. 48 lb limbs are to heavy for me to control. So I plan on working to improve me physical state. To accomplish this I plan on exercising twice a day, once in the morning and once at night around supper.

So here is my daily Plan:

Morning Exercise(Same as Last nights):
- Sit up:10 + 5 pre day
- Crunches 5 + 3 pre day
- Leg Raises: 5 + 3 pre day
- Plank: 10 sec + (3-5) seconds pre day
- Push up: Max

Overdraws on bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
Arm bends with Bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
Bow Pushes: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day

Morning Pray
Morning Scripture reading

Morning Class

Afternoon Archery Practice
OR
Afternoon Korean Study
Afternoon Bible Study
Afternoon Prayer

Evening Exercise (Increase to new level):
- Sit up:10 + 5 pre day
- Crunches 5 + 3 pre day
- Leg Raises: 5 + 3 pre day
- Plank: 10 sec + (3-5) seconds pre day
- Push up: Max

- Overdraws on bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
- Arm bends with Bow: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day
- Bow Pushes: 30 sec (with 10 second hold) + 10 sec pre day

Evening Korean Review

Evening scripture Reading

Evening Prayer

Bed 

So thats the plan. There will be rest days every three days, with the exception of bible reading and studying. As well as for Korean with will have a break on review days. 

I am going to use this blog to dairy my daily progress. In hopes that it will help keep me accountable and let you know how I am doing to help keep me accountable. 

So let the Metamorphosis begin. My God Bless this plan and may He support my efforts and bless them. May He awaken my heart and create a new spirit within me. 

Thanks,

Conquerworm

Asian History (China, Korea, Japan)

I have been working on developing a fantasy world for the last 12-13 years. This year I have decided to completely revamp and redesign the world. As such I have been greatly influenced by Asian history. When I say Asian History I am referring to China, Korea and Japan. I find it amazing how they have interacted over the MANY years. There is just something about this part of the world that entrances me.

Its interesting that Korea has only really been whole twice in its existence once in the Joseon Dynasty and the following Japanese rule. After which the UN allowed it to be split between Russia and the US. Thus why we today have a split Korea. Both China and Japan allowed Western influence which changed them drastically and very uniquely.

Both China and Korea had a Three Kingdom's period and for a short while they over lapped. Japan and China had influence during Korea's three Kingdom's period. With the Help of the Tang Dynasty in China, Silla (one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea) was able to unify 90% of the current Korean Peninsula. The Northern Part of the peninsula and a large chunk of North Eastern China was owned by Korean's part of a kingdom called Balhae. Both China and Korea had a lot of changes in power and division of tribes for the longest periods.

Anyhoo, I find this area of the world so fascinating and the geography there is also so amazing. I am hoping that before I die to have the chance to backpack through Korea and explore this amazing terrain following the history that I am learning and experiencing through historical drama's.

Korean Period Drama's Evalutated By: CW

I enjoy a lot of Korean Historical Based TV shows and movies. Most recent show I have been watching has been the Great Queen Seon Deok. Which is based off the First Queen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Seondeok_of_Silla) ever to rule the South East part of Korean during the Three Kingdoms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms_of_Korea) Period (58BC - 668). I have also enjoyed Jumong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumong_(TV_series)) which is the story for the guy who united the Northern part of Korea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Dongmyeong_of_Goguryeo). What these shows have in common is they are both drama's about the uniting of different parts of Korea. They also both had to overcome from nothing to being ruler of a nation. Both had the King try and take them out, and in both cases the king was their father or adopted father. They also both had a major female character that was the main source of grief fighting for power.

I think that’s what makes these so interesting is the intrigue and power struggle. The adventure is pretty cool and full of action but the part I want to make note of is how a lot of the show focuses on people sitting around a table plotting. They love throwing wired and interesting twists and drawing them out. It can be so annoying sometimes to have to watch long drawn out facial shots when you want them to reveal some truth that you know but the characters don't. Another thing about these two drama’s in particular is that both have love stories that have to be sacrificed for the greater good of the nation they are trying to unite.

Watching these shows along with Iljimae makes me wonder if it would be possible to write a tv show that is based around a situation rather than a character. Where the characters are just there to support the story rather than be the focus of the story. This would allow for characters to be killed and evolved without a death to the story. But can it be done? Has anyone done this before? I don’t know, it’s something to explore.

The Conqueror Worm - By: Edgar Allen Poe

The Conqueror Worm

By: Edgar Allen Poe

LO! 't is a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years.
An angel throng, bewinged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre to see	5
A play of hopes and fears,
While the orchestra breathes fitfully
The music of the spheres.
Mimes, in the form of God on high,
Mutter and mumble low,	10
And hither and thither fly;
Mere puppets they, who come and go
At bidding of vast formless things
That shift the scenery to and fro,
Flapping from out their condor wings	15
Invisible Woe.
That motley drama—oh, be sure
It shall not be forgot!
With its Phantom chased for evermore
By a crowd that seize it not,	20
Through a circle that ever returneth in
To the self-same spot;
And much of Madness, and more of Sin,
And Horror the soul of the plot.
But see amid the mimic rout	25
A crawling shape intrude:
A blood-red thing that writhes from out
The scenic solitude!
It writhes—it writhes!—with mortal pangs
The mimes become its food,	30
And over each quivering form
In human gore imbued.
Out—out are the lights—out all!
And over each quivering form
The curtain, a funeral pall,	35
Comes down with the rush of a storm,
While the angels, all pallid and wan,
Uprising, unveiling, affirm
That the play is the tragedy, "Man,"
And its hero, the Conqueror Worm.	40