KLB - PC Bang


Well, I'm back in a PC room for the first time in about a year. Upon walking into the place I realized why I hate this. Dark, dreary, smoky, noisy. It's like using a computer at a bar but without the drinks. At least the internet is lightening quick.

As I said, I sold the computer. We met the buyer in Yongsan yesterday. He came by train from another city. It was kind fo an ironic meeting point, because right after I sold it to him, Julie and went looking at computers in the massive new electronics building connected to the station. I don't know how to describe that place to people who have never been in Korea. Just imagine the biggest electronics store you know of, say Best Buy, and then multiply that by 25. It's about the size of a Walmart, ewxcept it has 8 floors and is jam packed with the latest electronic goodies, specifically large flat screen TVs, cameras, mp3 players and 3 floors full of computers. And that's just the new building. Then there's the even larger older building next door, and several other smaller ones nearby and all the small shops around town.

It sounds great, but I don't enjoy shopping there. That's because all the sales people, especially if it's a slow day, surround you the moment you stop to look at anything. They do that pretty much everywhere in Korea, but especially in Yongsan. You'll be looking at notebook computers and a guy selling cameras will yell for your attention. Also, does anyone else find it strange that so many of those shops are selling the exact same things? There must be 100 places to buy the same Samsung LCD screens or notebook computers. That seems to be par for the course in Korea though. You will walk down the street and see 10 street vendors selling the exact same food right next to each other.

Anyway, I've decided to hold off on getting a new computer for the time being. I kind of like the idea of not being able to use the computer/internet at whim. Basically, I am a computer addict. I wake up and turn on the computer. I sometimes am late leaving for work because I lose track of time online. As soon as I come home from work, I get back on the computer. I sing songs in the shower about surfing the net.

We'll see how long this lasts but today I came home and simply relaxed. I watched the news (awful stories about that Tsunami) for awhile, made dinner for myself (Julie works until 9:30 these days) then studied Japanese and exercised (push-ups). Then I went for a walk and now I'm stopping here for an hour to do my computer things. I'll meet Julie when I leave here and we'll do a bit of shopping then I plan to read a book before going to bed. Then it's up again at dawn to meditate and write poetry and paint happy pictures of trees and birds. You know, maybe I should buy a computer again.