The time has come.

You may have noticed that I used to blog a lot more than I do nowadays. My posts were once much heavier on the writing, with a few photos thrown in here and there to show what I was talking about. However, I’m sure you’ve noticed that as time has gone by, I’ve gotten more into photography and less into writing. Nowadays, my blog posts tend to consist of a sentence or two followed by a bunch of photographs. Additionally, the blog used to be the place where I posted links and discussed them, or announced personal updates to my friends – but nowadays I do those things on facebook. The daily blah has long since become redundant; it’s time to close it down.

My photographs will still be posted online regularly on flickr, and janekeeler.com (and on facebook for my friends), and I’ll still be part of the blogging and photography team at desolationtravel.com.

More Springtime Shots

This weekend was the big Korean bullfighting festival in Cheongdo (bull-vs-bull, not matador), as well as prime flower-viewing season in Gyeong-ju... but I just couldn't bring myself to face the crowds at either location. Instead I took a pleasant walk around my neighborhood, photographing the spring flowers. I also discovered another photogenic and yet less pleasant side-effect of spring: a pregnant feral cat who has made my rooftop her home.

Jane-Teacher and Travel Cat Go!

The above picture was drawn by Melissa, one of my students, and I've posted it in honor of the fact that the first part of up next trip has finally come together! In August, Charlie and I will travel to Kiev, Ukraine. I finalized apartment arrangements a few weeks ago, and today I finally got confirmation from the airlines that she is approved to fly with me :-)

(The cat in this absurd animation can be seen here, drawn by Emma, another of my students.)

Spring has sprung!

Today was the first Saturday in a while with good weather here in Daegu. I'd really been looking forward to getting outside and taking some photographs, and I was thrilled to wake up and discover warm, dry, sunny weather.

Of course, first things first: Charlie had her second vet appointment today. She is still terrified when we go, but I think she was calmer this time than last time, and she was so good. Didn't bite or scratch or even growl. My former feral wildcat has come a long way!

After dropping Charlie off at home (and rewarding her with some tuna), I set off for one of my favorite parts of Daegu, the stretch of parks along the Geumho river between the Ayanggyo subway station and Mangudang Park, to take some springtime flower pictures. Here are a few of my favorites, although the full set of 56 photos is worth checking out. It can be seen by clicking here. Enjoy!

Radioactive Rumor Mill - UPDATED

UPDATE: It started raining Wednesday night and rained all day Thursday, and it's raining as I type... Schools closed around the country today, out of fear that the students might get irradiated walking to school. (My school stayed open, and none of my students were absent...) It's still nothing but irrational panic. Here are some more articles on the topic.

Japan's neighbors alarmed over risk of radiation threat
Radiation fear closes schools in South Korea
Schools Close in South Korea Amid Fears of Radioactive Rain
Radioactive rain fear overblown

ORIGINAL POST: Quite a few of my students were all flustered today, worried about the radioactive rain that's supposed to fall tomorrow. The cashier at my local convenience store warned me of something that sounded a lot like 내일 비가 방사능 (tomorrow rain radioactive). I smiled and nodded and told her that I knew, wishing I could tell her that it would be a good preparation for my upcoming vacation to Chernobyl, but my Korean skills aren't so skill-like.

Now, it *is* supposed to rain both tomorrow and Friday, but I don't for a minute believe in this nonsense about radioactive rain from Fukushima, although plenty of Koreans are taking it seriously. Here are some articles...

Citizens concerned over 'radioactive rain' Thursday
Radioactive materials unlikely to reach Korea this week
No possibility of radioactive rain: officials