Korea At First Glance...

Here is a short, abbreviated list of findings/cultural observations i have made during the past week in Suwon. i will probably expound upon some of them later.


1. Don't drink the water- So, i came to Korea not knowing that one shouldn't drink the tap water. i was thinking that South Korea is a fairly modern and developed country. Seoul is a massive, contemporary city, with a staggeringly huge population of 10 million. At any rate, Samsung may symbolize the efficiency and velocity in which technology is exploding inside Korea, however the demand for a clean and systematic water system has been put on the back burner. It seems as though everything i have been striving towards [in regards to drastically reducing the number of plastic products i buy] in the States has been negated within my first week and a half in Suwon. i have taken to buying bottles of water as well as boiling it. Hopefully the energy and knowledge Koreans have put into modernizing their society will trickle down [literally] to more important and pressing issues.

2. Recycle, separate, recycle- i know i just ragged on the fact that they rely heavily on bottled water here. The Koreans DO have a really extensive recycling program called appropriately, Happy Suwon. One has to divide their garbage into different categories. There are special waste bags sold at stores, each color coded for the proper item. The one main difference of recycling here is that they separate all of their food waste from everything else. There are certainly no garbage disposals here. The food waste is collected and some of it is supposedly used for animal feed, which seems logical and a way for food to see another mouth before it is returned to the Earth and not be completely wasted.

3. Whiter is nicer- Like many societies, light skin is still coveted and valued in Korea. It is a symbol of affluence and beauty. One of the Korean teachers in my school has undergone a "cosmetic procedure," in which her skin was bleached. God only knows what this process really entailed and what harsh chemicals have been released into her system. But i'm sure the dudes really go for it! She looks almost ghost-like and her facial features all reflect a slight blue tint under the harsh illumination of the florescent lights in the office. In addition to bleaching, there are skin whitening creams sold here, all promising the same result: whiter skin for a more beautiful you. How sad that within many ethnic societies where the colour of your skin separates you within your own race, and also how the standard of Western beauty has wreaked havoc on girls all over the world. Perhaps, beauty is not only skin deep.

4. Kids will be kids- For some reason I had this Western naiveté about Asian children being better behaved than American children. You know, little black-haired children filing into neat and orderly lines without emitting even a squeak. Yeah, that ideal was shot to shit in the first ten minutes i stepped into a hallway at the school i teach at. These little hellions are just as loud and squirrely as any other kids i've been subjected to. Do i dare admit that in between their raucous behaviour, they still maintain quite a high ahem, adorable factor? [Mom, don't get your hopes up, i have not lifted the ban on even entertaining the thought of pro-creating].

5. Study, study, study- Even though the kids are rather wild at times, i can hardly blame them. These kids come to my school after their regular school. Some of them come straight from one school to ours. These are young (8-12) kids that go to nine hours of school plus extra curriculars [which in Korea, everyone plays the piano...or another instrument]. They have hours of school work to do, even after they leave my school. i would say more than half of them seem exhausted. My own attention span rarely exceeds that of a gnat at times. It's no wonder that the Korean education is among the top in the world. Many young adults go onto study at Harvard or Princeton in the U.S. There was actually an article in the New York Times a while ago about the dedication and the veracity of Korean students, and how many of them are beating out American students in our top universities. i admire their determination but i wonder if these children miss out on simpler and happier times.

6. Notes on style:

a) Korean men can DRESS- You heard it here first. Yes indeed, Korean men have quite an acute fashion sense. It isn't calculated to an off-putting degree either. i don't know where they take their cues from but American men should be taking notes.

b) Who wears short skirts? Yes, so i must first say that the majority of Korean women are also very stylish and well-put-together. i was surprised to see that some of them do not bat an eyelash when wearing almost-second-set-of-cheeks bearing mini skirts. i thought they would be a bit more on the conservative side here. Yet another silly Western perception i had about Asian women. While sky-high skirts might be on the menu, cleavage of any sort is definitely not. i'm not sure how well the Hooters franchise would do here.

7. Vitamin deficiency?- There is seriously something going on with Koreans and their eyesight. Nearly 60-70 percent of my students have glasses. i have never seen so many young kids with glasses. Of course, these aren't just your run-of-the-mill kids with glasses. There are some chic little fashionistas running around. It's crazy. They should find a way to put more beta carotene into kimchi. i wonder if my near-blindness is genetic too?

8. Warm house, warm floor- Oh yes Mom, i know you're jealous. They totally have a control that is separate for the heat in the floor. It's amazing. No more cold feet...ever. I do have to remember not to put anything that could have the potential of melting on it. i've already had one accident with a much prized Dogoba chocolate bar getting quite soggy because my suitcase had fell onto the floor.

9. AA?- Koreans work very hard. Most have at least ten hour days and work six days a week. That being said, they let off steam by getting deeerunk. Falling down drunk. Friends have to carry you home drunk. i've seen public that sort of fall-down public drunkeness by eight o' clock on a Friday night. And this kind of behaviour is not reserved for the young. i've witnessed older men and women stumbling across crosswalks. i had heard that South Koreans had a drinking problem. Now i've seen it first hand. It doesn't help that soju [a Korean vodka-like, clear liquor] is dirt cheap. i just experienced my first "soju bomb" [a shot of soju dropped into really bad Korean beer] last night. That's enough to burn a hole in anyone's liver.

10. Body yogurt does NOT= lotion- When i arrived to my apartment there was a little housewarming gift. It was a body care package with soaps and body yogurt. i was relieved and thankful since i have notably dry skin. Yogurt in my mind equaled moisture and therefore was the Korean version of lotion. It had a bit of a weird texture, kind of like actual yogurt. But, i just ignored it and continued to use it until yesterday. My skin was sooo incredibly dry. i couldn't figure it out, i mean i WAS moisturizing! WTF? Turns out, i was rubbing body wash all over my just-washed body and not rinsing it off. Therefore, resulting in some majorly reptilian skin. I looked like a lizard woman. i finally got some actual lotion today, even though i had to open the bottle multiple times in the store before i was sure it was indeed the right stuff!

11. Picture of health- i had to go to the hospital the other day to get a physical. i was greeted by a guy who was smoking in the entrance that was also hooked up to IV liquids. Awesome. i am also told they sell cigarettes and soju at the hospital. i guess we have different ideals of how to heal your body! They also had these little waste boxes [not covered] where people had disposed of cotton pads after having their blood drawn. They give you no band aid and just send you on your way with you still having to pinch off where you're still bleeding from. Kind of gross. Oh well, it was still better than the hospital i visited in Paris...which was absolutely filthy!

12. Squatty potties- Oh yes, i had thought that these kinds of bathrooms were still reserved for less-developed countries. No no. Last night after drinking gallons of water, soju, and beer my co-worker and friend Susan exposed me to the squotty potty. It's just what it sounds like. There's a little porcelain base in the floor and well, you get the rest. i had quite a lot of trouble with this and couldn't figure out how to maneuver my body and get the job done without any of it getting on me. EEEEk. Luckily, this is not common-practice for bathrooms in South Korea anymore. Otherwise, i'd be opting for skirts or dresses a lot more!

Kindness of Strangers

i have been in correspondence with a fellow Korean adoptee, CJ for awhile. He is a nephew of my uncle's girlfriend. Follow that? Good. He actually decided to do this whole teaching thing around the same time as i did. It was from him that i received Steven's name and was able to finally get to Korea. We have been sending messages to each other for a few months now. Mostly, it is him giving me answers to my grillions of questions.

On Saturday, we decided to meet up in person. He had made contact with his birth family a while ago and has been welcomed with open arms since he has arrived here. His youngest sister [Hae Mi] who happens to live in Suwon, and her husband [Sung Jae], and CJ picked me up near the intersection by the school i will be teaching at.

Usually, i would be a bit fearful of this kind of situation being awkward. Luckily, i felt comfortable immediately. i felt as though we had been old friends catching up. We went to E-Mart to get some groceries and other necessities. Let me try to explain what E-Mart was like. Imagine an open-air market, Ikea and a Super Wal-Mart piled into one store, during the busiest of holidays. i am going to need to take a Xanax every time i need some milk and eggs! People were bashing into each other with carts every which way, children were screaming, and ladies were giving out samples around each turn.

i bought mostly produce, since i have been starved for proper nutrition these last few days. i also wanted to buy a rice cooker, but CJ informed me that they are very expensive here! The cheapest one we could find was like $40. If i am going to pay that much it better do my dishes and laundry too. How ironic! i yearn for my $15 one i bought from Target.

The best part of the trip was our discovery of an outdoor brand called The Redface. Oh yes, it's just a gift wrapped in hilarity. It's obviously ripping off The Northface, but i don't think they get the joke in the translation. Everyone that knows me has experienced my "redface" at one time or another as a result of alcohol consumption. Not all Asians are lucky enough to turn a shade of crimson but many do. Expect some photos of me suited up in some Redface gear...rockin my own "redface" as well...haha.

After what seemed like eons, we proceeded to the checkout. i was exhausted! We piled all of our stuff into the car and headed over to Hae Mi and Sung Jae's place for dinner.

They cooked us a delicious meal of soup and a vegtable dish consisting of mushrooms and peppers. It was so wonderful to have a home cooked meal. The soup had a nice kick to it. They tease CJ because of his inability to eat spicy things. Apparently, it runs in the male side of the family.

Sung Jae had borrowed a Nintendo Wii from a friend of his and hooked it up for us to play. Now, i'm not really a video game person at all. i played old school Nintendo a bit as a child with my brother. CJ claimed he had only played Wii twice, but i beg to differ. He schooled me in bowling and tennis. i have to admit, it was much more fun than i thought. But, i still think i prefer reality to virtual.

We hung out for the rest of the evening watching some Korean variety shows. i was also surprised to see them bust out a tub of ice cream for dessert. i didn't think dairy was big here or that a lot of my fellow Asians could digest it. i was wrong. i guess i can no longer blame my being Korean on my shitty digestive problems.

They drove me back to my house [after me not being able to find it] and helped me unload my things. i can not express my gratitude enough. They made me feel so welcome and at home in a place where i have not felt either since my arrival. How often do perfect strangers go out of their way for you? CJ is indeed very lucky to have them as family. Thanks again!

i passed out shortly after returning home and woke again at four in the morning. Despite taking and Ambien, i still got little rest. i am just going to have to work harder to over come this obstacle in the line of many.

***the above photo is some of my own Korean-inspired handy work.

Lost in Translation [Sofia Coppola, Eat Your Heart Out]

The flight from Seoul to Tokyo is usually two hours or so. I was informed it was going to be three hours from Tokyo to Seoul because of the time of year we were flying. Apparently, during the fall/winter months, the wind off the sea becomes much more of a force to contend [as well as the direction it blows] with and adds on an additional hour.

Again, i was blessed with an aisle seat and only one other person sharing the third seat. We were served breakfast, and i even received my vegetarian request. This day was definitely starting out better than the last. After finishing my meal of sesame and mushroom rice, i took a good glance around and surveyed the area. Two Koreans who were rather close in proximity to me were reading books with rather graphic [we're talking a la crown of thorns] pictures of Jesus on the cover. Hmmm....

The few hours passed quickly and we began our decent to the Seoul airport. Surprisingly, i became a bit emotional, tears slipped over my irises and down my cheeks. i quickly wiped them and hoped nobody took notice. It was all a bit overwhelming coming back to the place where i was born for the first time in over twenty-three years. A light dusting of snow greeted the tires of the plane, as we touched down on Korean land.

After going through customs, i made my way down to baggage claim. i grabbed a cart and waited anxiously for my luggage, silently praying all of it made it through the long journey with me. i immediately saw one my huge suitcases, and an American guy was nice enough to help me drag it off the luggage belt. A few minutes later, i spotted the other suitcase. After playing a quick game of Tetris with my luggage, i fit it onto my cart. i waited a good ten minutes for my guitar, but did not see it make its way onto the already-rotating line up of suitcases. My heart began to sink at the prospect of losing my prized possession.

i spotted a woman helping some other Americans find their missing luggage and asked if she would mind helping me as well. She got an a walkie-talkie and motioned me to follow her. She was gaining speed, weaving in and out of the crowds of people. i tried my best to keep up with her but i already had about 160 lbs of crap weighing me down! Damn my American girl tendencies! Finally, another airport employee came rushing towards us with my beloved guitar in tow. i thanked him [one of the only phrases in Korean i know] profusely and made my way out of the baggage area to begin to look for my Korean contact.

Now, usually i would be able to spot the one or two Asian guys in the immediate area. No such luck here. Black hair and almond shaped eyes are no longer a distinguishing features. i had no idea what this guy looked like or how old he was. After about ten minutes of walking around in circles, i decided to go to the information desk to see if i could place a phone call to him. Just as i was dialing, a man approached me and said, "Molly?"

Steven, as he calls himself, has been my main contact in Korea ever since i started zeroing in on a job. He was helped me find employment and answer questions. His English is good but he speaks with such a heavy Korean accent, i have to strain to understand each word he is saying. Most Koreans working with Americans like to give themselves an English-sounding name. It's kind of humorous, since within the first five seconds of conversing with him, the jig is totally up.

He brought his car around and we loaded my suitcases in. We drove for a good hour or so. Seoul's new airport is actually on a small island. We crossed a bridge and we went over the Yellow Sea. The scenery was beautiful, some of the trees are still turning colour here. There were elevated hills and valleys with apartment buildings sprouting up from spaces in between. We talked about many things, i probably bombarded him with questions. The most interesting thing he told me was that his generation was not very interested in the re-unification between North and South Korea. He told me that they had grown up with the countries being separated and that now they really operated as two different and distinct Koreas. i wonder if this is the wide-held belief or if it changes more amongst individuals?

Our trip was punctuated with some start and stop traffic. Steven says there is usually horrible traffic which makes since since we were right outside of Seoul [population: 10 million]. We finally made it into the city of Suwon. After driving around for a good fifteen minutes, Steven decided to give into the idea that we were a bit lost. The streets were more narrow than i expected and hardly have any side walks. People and cars seem to dart out nowhere. My dreams of biking may have been crushed within the first minutes of being there.

Eric, an employee of the school i am teaching at, met us on the street and directed us to my apartment. Both of the men helped me unload my luggage and brought it up the two flights of stairs. My apartment is quite cozy. Cozy as in small-ish. i have a separate little room for doing laundry and even have a washing machine! The bathroom leaves something to be desired. Being somewhat of self- professed hygiene freak, it is going to take some major getting used to. You see, the toilet is not separated from the shower area. Moreover, the entire bathroom is the shower, with a large drain in the floor. There is a shower head attached to a hose-like apparatus. i am looking into getting a curtain so i can pretend the space is divided and not have to look at my toilet while washing my hair.

Steven said "goodbye" and Eric took me to lunch. Eric is Korean (another with an English name) and does not speak much English. He took me to a small restaurant and i tried to explain that i only ate fish. We ate in almost silence, except for the slurping [it's not rude here] of the udon noodles. It was like being on blind date plus being mute. How awkward! The chattering of Korean that surrounded us began to sound like white noise to me. The best part was that he handed me a fork in the beginning of the meal. Dude, i might not speak Korean but i am still Korean!

After lunch we went to the school and met some teachers and other faculty. i must have looked worn because they advised me to go home and get some rest! i slept from 2-11 until the head English teacher [American] came to drop of some groceries to me! What a kind gesture! Some people can't get any more sweet and darling.

i awoke at about one in the morning and couldn't go back to sleep. It's going to take some time to shake this wicked jet lag.

Tune in Tokyo

Well well. i left my house at about quarter to seven on Tuesday. After spending the last forty-eight hours in quite a shitstorm, contracting a cold, and stuffing my life for a year into two over-sized suitcases, i was off to the races.

The parental unit made sure that i was at Mitchell International a good hour and a half in advance. After checking my over weight bag (s) and guitar (sorry Dad), we had time to sit around for a bit. The minutes ticked away, and we had our teary good bye. Like the loving people they are, they waited around until i successfully passed through security, and until their waves and faces shrunk to a mere blur.

The flight from Milwaukee to Minneapolis went by in an instant. i tooled around the airport when i arrived, in search of something substantial to gorge myself on before embarking on the fourteen-plus hour plane ride, and being subjected to space-like plane food. It has never been easy being a vegetarian in the Midwest. However, the Chili's (yes, i was going to try and eat there, get your snarky laughs in now) in the Minneapolis airport exemplified how ridiculous it can get. Would you like a side of meat with your meatwhich? How about a meat shake to wash down those meat fries? They had not one thing that didn't involve chicken or cow parts. How are you gonna deny me my last, all- American fine dining experience? i suppose, it was for the better. Thank you vegetable Gods, for intervening on my wavering convictions. i managed to choke down a veggie wrap from Subway before boarding my flight.

The plane to Tokyo was massive. It seemed more like a ship with wings and seemed to go on forever. Three rows of seats divided up the space. There were many Asian people on the flight, although i would venture to guess the majority of the people were either Chinese or Thai or Taiwanese. A middle-aged Chinese man and i shared row 56, with a seat in between us. Thank God i had arranged to have an aisle seat last minute. It gives me pangs of anxiety to even think about crawling over multiple laps every time i needed to use the facilities or stretch my legs!

The duration of the flight was long, but not as painful as i expected. i could get up and walk about freely. There were two babies sitting in rather close proximity, but they were surprisingly docile throughout the majority of the flight...i only awoke to a handful of screams, which pales in comparison to the memories i have of my younger brother on hellish, plane rides on family trips to Florida. That boy had a set of lungs.

The flight attendants made welcomed frequent offers of water. Being at such a high altitude for an extended period of time can dehydrate you. i swear, the guy sitting next to me must have had a bladder of steel. During the entire flight, he only got up from his seat twice! Either that, or he was afraid to ask me to move....

Despite having made requests for vegetarian meals on-line beforehand, this method undoubtedly leaves room for error. i sucked it up and in true Thanksgiving-esque fashion and ate the little side dishes. Luckily, i had come prepared with multiple bags of snacks that served as meal rations.

The in-flight movies were cinematic gems such as Baby's Momma and that crappy new-ish one about an election with Kevin Costner. If there wasn't a worse actor in the world. In between blips of sleep, i half-watched these in order to pass the time more quickly. Truth be told, they did aid in subtracting four hours or so from the monstrous tally.

We finally landed and i had seen the sun set and rise all within the confines of the plane. The pilot informed us that we had landed a bit late. i only had about an hour to find my gate and get through another round of security. i skipped the connection information counter because i figured i'd by-pass the crowded area and be able to find my gate on a screen.

The security check-point was a nightmare. Basically, all of the people on my plane were headed somewhere else too. After zig-zagging through countless roped off lines, i ran down the terminal, in search of my gate. i scanned multiple screens, multiple times. i couldn't find my flight anywhere. Slightly panicked, i asked a young Japanese woman to help me. She directed me towards another information/help desk.

Turns out, my flight to Seoul had gotten canceled and rescheduled for six thirty that next morning. i'm actually still not sure what happened. Perhaps some mechanical problems? Whatever the reason, i became uncharacteristically worried. i was stranded in Tokyo with no phone and no where to stay. After just completing a fourteen-hour journey, i was in no state of mind to deal with this cog that had gotten thrown in the wheel of my plans. The woman at the Northwest Airlines counter was very nice and let me make a call to my contact in Korea. Thankfully, i got a hold of him and said that i would not be making it to Seoul until the next morning. He assured me that he would be waiting for me at 9:30.

The woman working for NWA guided me towards the arrivals gate. i was a little confused because i had figured i was going to rough it and sleep in the airport. There were other Koreans displaced by the cancellation, that were filtering down into the same area. i still was a bit puzzled as to where i was going. Another airport worker directed us to fill out some forms and i finally realized i was going through customs. A Korean woman was confused about something on her form, but i could not communicate with her to help. i wanted to tell her that even if i could help her with her question, i was still probably just as, if not more, perplexed by the situation. After i went through customs, i got slightly nervous again because i did not know where i was going to be staying.

We came to another Northwest Airlines desk and there were another small group of Koreans already collected there. One of the men was pretty irate, screaming at the defenseless Japanese man behind the counter. The Japanese man quietly eeked out that he did not speak Korean. The Korean man then began to berate him in English. He was finally calmed slightly when another man intervened and gave him a hotel voucher. i received one as well and we were off like lambs to the slaughter to a hotel in Tokyo.

After checking in, i made my way to the room on the third floor. i passed some of the maintenance staff and all five of them bowed to me. It was one of the first real moments i had that really made me feel like i was in Asia. i made my way into my room and plopped down on the bed and turned on the television. Now, i know that i can not speak Japanese. But, the programs were just plain bizarre. Some man being force-fed some disgusting-looking slop, a crazy- looking game show, and some version of QVC were among some of the spectacles i observed. Then again, i'm sure if a Japanese person turned on some American channels and saw morbidly obese people competing in weight-loss challenges, they'd be kind of confused too. i finally settled on one of the two English-speaking channels. The voices of CNN reporters lulled me asleep.

i was up before my requested wake-up call at four (am) and got my luggage in order. By now, my internal clock was so screwed up, and my body was begging for some explanation and regularity. i boarded the shuttle bus with the rest of my Korean cohorts. The bus was late leaving the hotel and i began to wonder if i was going to miss ANOTHER flight.

We were ushered through security and then guided to gate twenty-two. After exceeding our scheduled boarding time, i began to become concerned again. Finally, as if waiting a mini- eternity, we began to file onto the plane to Seoul.

Like Woah

So, a dear friend of mine hipped me to this amazing amazing amazing singer, Sharon Jones. She preforms with an eight-piece band called the Dap Kings. They are on Daptone Records, based out of Brooklyn. This woman's voice is killin. On the reals. Despite the market being kind of over-saturated with the old school Motown sound, Sharon Jones is the real thing- making timeless music that deserves to be recognized. She's fifty-two and in the prime of her game. Her fervent cover of "This Land is Your Land" would make Woody Guthrie no less than proud.
If you live in Chicago, she's coming to the Vic, December 4.

Here she is with the title track off her album, 100 Days, 100 Nights.

Strange Love

Here is a video i found on youtube...a shorter excerpt from a film of Stefanie Schneider's work. She is still one of my favourite photographers...Her use of expired Polaroids make for a beautiful, dream-like state. Enjoy.

On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin

Oh, midwest. You do me so proud. What a dignified profile in the NY Times...

Some See Big Problem in Wisconsin Drinking

Andy Manis for The New York Times

Mike Whaley, owner of Wile-e’s in Edgerton, Wis., did liquor shots with Amy and C. J. Erickson.

EDGERTON, Wis. — When a 15-year-old comes into Wile-e’s bar looking for a cold beer, the bartender, Mike Whaley, is happy to serve it up — as long as a parent is there to give permission.

“If they’re 15, 16, 17, it’s fine if they want to sit down and have a few beers,” said Mr. Whaley, who owns the tavern in this small town in southern Wisconsin.

While it might raise some eyebrows in most of America, it is perfectly legal in Wisconsin. Minors can drink alcohol in a bar or restaurant in Wisconsin if they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who gives consent. While there is no state law setting a minimum age, bartenders can use their discretion in deciding whom to serve.

When it comes to drinking, it seems, no state keeps pace with Wisconsin. This state, long famous for its breweries, has led the nation in binge drinking in every year since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began its surveys on the problem more than a decade ago. Binge drinking is defined as five drinks in a sitting for a man, four for a woman.

Andy Manis for The New York Times

Mixing a shot at Wile-e's Bar.

People in Wisconsin are more likely than anywhere else to drive drunk, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The state has among the highest incidence of drunken driving deaths in the United States.

Now some Wisconsin health officials and civic leaders are calling for the state to sober up. A coalition called All-Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education started a campaign last week to push for tougher drunken driving laws, an increase in screening for alcohol abuse at health clinics and a greater awareness of drinking problems generally.

The group, led by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, criticized the state as having lenient alcohol laws and assailed a mindset that accepts, even celebrates, getting drunk.

“Our goal is to dramatically change the laws, culture and behaviors in Wisconsin,” said Dr. Robert N. Golden, the dean of the medical school, calling the state “an island of excessive consumption.” He said state agencies would use a $12.6 million federal grant to step up screening, intervention and referral services at 20 locations around Wisconsin.

The campaign comes after a series in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel titled “Wasted in Wisconsin,” which chronicled the prodigious imbibing among residents of the state, as well as the state’s reluctance to crack down on alcohol abuse.

Drunken drivers in Wisconsin are not charged with a felony until they have been arrested a fifth time. Wisconsin law prohibits sobriety checks by the police, a common practice in other states.

“People are dying,” the newspaper exclaimed in an editorial, “and alcohol is the cause.”

Wisconsin has long been famous for making and drinking beer. Going back to the 1800s, almost every town in the state had its own brewery. Milwaukee was the home of Miller, Pabst and Schlitz. Now Miller is the only big brewery in the city.

Most people in Wisconsin say the beer-drinking traditions reflect the customs of German immigrants, passed down generations. More than 40 percent of Wisconsin residents can trace their ancestry to Germany. Some experts, though, are skeptical of the ethnic explanation. It has been a very long time, after all, since German was spoken in the beer halls of Wisconsin.

Whatever the reason, plenty of Wisconsin people say they need to make no apologies for their fondness for drinking.

“I work 70, 80 hours a week, and sometimes I just want to relax,” said Luke Gersich, 31, an engineering technician, who drank a Miller as he watched the Monday Night Football game at Wile-e’s tavern. On a weeknight, he said he might drink seven or eight beers. On a weekend, it might be closer to 12.

In Wisconsin, people often say, there is always a bar around the next corner. But drinking is scarcely limited to taverns. A Friday fish fry at a Wisconsin church will almost surely include beer. The state counts some 5,000 holders of liquor licenses, the most per capita of any state, said Peter Madland, the executive director of the Tavern League of Wisconsin.

“We’re not ashamed of it,” Mr. Madland said. He said anti-alcohol campaigns were efforts to “demonize” people who simply liked to kick back and relax with some drinks.

“It’s gotten to the point where people are afraid to have a couple of beers after work and drive home, for fear they’ll be labeled a criminal,” he said. “At lunch, people are afraid if they order a beer someone will think they have a drinking problem.”

But the drinkers have typically had plenty of advocates in the State Legislature. State Representative Marlin Schneider, for example, sees sobriety checkpoints as an intrusion on Constitutional rights of due process.

As for allowing minors to drink in bars with their parents, Mr. Schneider said the law simply allowed for parents to educate and supervise the youthful drinking. “If they’re going to drink anyhow,” said Mr. Schneider, Democrat of Wisconsin Rapids, “it’s better to do it with the parents than to sneak around.”

Technically speaking, the sale is between the bartender and the parent or legal guardian, who then gives the drink to the minor. The bartender has the discretion to decide whether the minor can drink in the establishment.

Before he owned Wile-e’s, Mr. Whaley said there were some cases where he had to say no to a parent. “I’ve had situations where a parent was going to buy drinks for a kid who looked 8 or 10 years old,” he said, “and I had to say, ‘That’s a no-go.’ ”

He also has a rule in his tavern that under-age drinkers must leave by 9 p.m. “When it gets later in the night, people don’t want a bunch of kids running around,” he said.

One recent night, a lanky, blond-haired 17-year-old boy shot pool at the bar with his dad. Both were drinking soda.

In Mr. Whaley’s view, the bar can be a suitable place for families to gather, especially when the beloved Green Bay Packers are on the television. “On game days, a buddy of mine will come to the bar with his 2-year-old, his 8-year-old and his 10-year-old,” Mr. Whaley said. “He might get a little drunk. But his wife just has a few cocktails. It’s no big deal. Everybody has a good time.”

the perfect trees

Special thanks to Sara for making the trip to WI!!! Much love.
The colour is still off even after i changed the profile...any suggestions?

YES WE DID.

Here are some photos of the historic rally in Grant Park on November 4, 2008, when Illinois senator Barack Obama was elected president. It was truly an experience to be in Chicago for the event.