Seoul is good for the soul

Hi all;

I havent written in a while, and I think those of you who know me, know that lack of communication is often a result of crustiness on the part of yours truly. In other words, if I have nothing good to say, I choose not to say anything at all.

Well Gwangju has been extreemely trying since I went home in September for Phillips funeral. I have often wondered why so many bad things happened to me after that trip, when I clearly went home for the"right reasons" but along the way, some good things have come out of this domino effect of these seemingly unfortunate events. Those of you who would not have been on this email list in September, are a testament to the good that has come of all this madness. You know who you are...wink!

So thanks to Norah Jones, my new friend Kim and I (photos below) made the pilgrimage to Seoul this weekend. On the way there I felt myself getting sick but the Faridani pig-headedness combined with strong-illegal-in-all-countries-except-Korea(and maybe Iran)-over-the-counter-drugs kept me going till late hours in the night.The concert was OK but the venue was not at all appropriate. NJ commented on the echo she could hear on stage and that was due to thefact that the floors were unfinished concrete and we were sitting on LAWN CHAIRS! Yes! Korea style, God love em. But hey as the English saying goes "Hunger is the best sauce" and we were starving for culture. Even if the culture was in the form of a 120 pound hippie-esque singer sitting 15 miles away on a tiny stage. We were happy. But as far as I am concerned the evening didnt even start until we hit Club CALIENTE! And baby was it hot!

I threw caution to the wind (as many of you have seen me do on numerous occasions) and I marched shamelessly and fearlessly onto the dance floor, grabbed a guy and went on to dance. Were the drugs THAT strong you ask? Well yes they were but I was powered by something far stronger. THE NEED TO SALSA!!!!! That's right folks,I found a Salsa club. The music was pumping through my veins andI had to get on it. I did, and man was it hot.

I dragged guy after guy onto the dance floor until all saw that I knew what I was doing and all I wanted to do was dance. Soon I didnt have to drag em anymore but line em up. I am not kidding folks. It was that good. I danced for 2 and a half glorious hours during which neither the flu nor sweat were words I was familiar with.Of course the Columbian, Puerto Rican and Peruvian US Army boys didnt hurt either. LOL

I made a decision. I am giving notice this week and getting a job in Seoul in May. Until then I will go there at least once a month and get out my YaYas!

There is nothing in the world better than dancing, and it lifted my spirits to the point where I was smiling and felt better than I have in a long time.So for those of you who have heard me say "I do not have an addictive personality", I need to make a slight ammendment to that statement. I am addicted to adrenaline and the rhythm of salsa coursing through my veins. Hey if there is one vice in life- I guess dancing till it hurts isnt a bad one. Safe and healthy.Now if I could only kick the Korean drugs mentioned above that make me feel SOOOOOO good! LOL!

And as far as the good fortunes amidst the bad ones go.... last but not least I was not in Puket but in the gulf of Thailand on December26th. A big thanks to God wherever or whoever she may be!Write me folks. I miss yas