OP IN ION Feb rua r y 16 , 2015 TALK ING STORY IN AS IAN AMER ICA Po lo Sheep Yea r lo ve r s gu ide H o r se Yea r 2014 i s d on e . Sh e ep Yea r 2015 i s h e r e . And wha t a re l ie f i t ’ l l be fo r b o th y ou and m e . Un l ik e the Ho r se , Sh e ep a r e n o t h o t - t empe red , they ’ re n ev e r sudd en ly un s tab l e and moody . Sh e ep a r e s imp ly s o l id . S t ra igh t fo rwa rd . 2014 wa s c ra zy . La s t y ea r wa s bad f o r bu s in e s s ; aw fu l fo r po l i t i c s ; imp o s s ib l e f o r l ov e . And speak ing o f lov e , la s t y ea r y oung f o lk and o ld , gay and s t ra igh t , wh i t e and b r own and b la ck and b lu e , t o ld m e s t o r i e s . L ov e s t o r ie s . Mo s t ly ab ou t c ra zy tw i s t ed l ov e . H o r se Yea r love . P e op l e ta lk to me . They ju s t d o . Say , I ’m s i t t ing qu ie t ly on a T r iM e t , o r in a S ta rbu ck s w indow sea t . P o r t land e r s ’ l l s e t t l e nex t to me , and t e l l m e th ing s . Andaduh ’ i l laah (OMG ) i f I sh ou ld n od o r o th e rw i se s igna l a s cen t , th e qu e s t i on s p ou r ou t . B ig one s . P e r o p lea se , le t me c la r i fy h e r e and n ow tha t I d on ’ t know a lo t . And an sw e r s , I hav e n on e . I t ’ s be cau se ou r fam i ly i s f r om Ind on e s ia . We ’ re a comp l ex p e op l e , pa rk ed on an an c ien t comme r c ia l and cu l tu ra l c r o s s r oad s . Ou r reve ren c e f o r ou r r ed s o i l , ou r g en e rou s sea , ou r impu l s iv e v o l can o e s , ha s f o r m i l lenn ia b lend ed w e l l w i th M o th e r Ind ia ’ s Ved i c m e taphy s i c s , w i th C ompa s s iona te Buddha ’ s dha rma , w i th P r oph e t Mohammed ’ s H o ly Qu r ’an (P ea c e b e Up on H im ) , and J e su s Ch r i s t ’ s T ea ch ing s . In sho r t , we ’ r e b e t t e r a t aw ed w ond e r , than a t sma r t -a l e cky ana ly s i s . An sw e r s , we shy away f r om . An sw e r s ab ou t tha t in tox i ca t ing aby s s w e ca l l L ov e — w e gave up a long t im e ag o . R ea l ly , wha t ’ s t o know ? Love i s th e opp o s i t e o f kn ow ing . Same fo r G od . B o th a r e un r ea chab le by rea son ing . B o th a r e ou t s id e o f co s t and bene f i t ana ly z ing . S o wha t fo l low s a r e n o t d e f in i t iv e an sw e r s to Love Q s . N o t a t a l l . Th ey ’ r e s imp ly fou r c r i t i ca l ob s e rva t i on s ab ou t a human in te r se c t ion I h ea rd and h ea rd ab ou t ove r ou r la s t 12 tumu l tu ou s m on th s . In t e r s e c t i on s r equ i r ing w e s l ow d own , and l o ok l e f t and r igh t . 1 . Lo v e i s M ik e T y son L ov e , P o r t land e r s say , i s l ik e I r on M ik e Ty s on un l oad ing a s t ra igh t r igh t . T o y ou r h ead . L ov e kn o ck s y ou ou t . Su r e , y ou can s tay on y ou r f e e t , bu t r igh t and l e f t , r igh t and w r ong , w i l l n o l ong e r b e wh e r e th ey w e r e b e f o r e l ov e h i t . C omm on s en s e i s unava i lab l e . S o , t o Sh e ep Y ea r 2015 , T r iM e t and s l ow - e s ca la t o r r id e r s a sk ing imp o s s ib l e qu e s t i on s , in s t ead o f m e p o l i t e ly n odd ing , h e r e ’ s wha t y ou ’ r e g o ing t o h ea r : “N o t su r e i f y ou ’ r e in l ov e ? — D o T op -40 t e en l ov e s ong s mak e y ou bu r s t in t o t ea r s ? A r e th o s e mawk i sh Ha l lma rk ca rd s sudd en ly fu l l o f m ean ing f o r y ou ? ” Edu ca t i on o r ag e , z ip c od e o r ma r i ta l s ta tu s , mak e n o d i f f e r en c e . M r . Ty s on d o e s n o t d i s c r im ina t e . L ov e kn o ck s g o od s en s e r igh t ou t o f y ou . 2 . Lo v e i s a so ck e y e Th e r e ’ r e a l o t o f c ompa r i s on s in na tu r e wh en w e ’ r e ta lk ing ab ou t l ov e . Tak e g ray wha l e s o r g ray w o lv e s , tak e ru t t ing e lk o r d e t e rm in ed ma l la rd s . My Pa c i f i c N o r th - w e s t fav e i s sa lm on . Th e s e guy s (and g i r l s ) g o th ou sand s and th ou sand s o f o c ean and r iv e r m i l e s , f o r L ov e . Th e impu l s e i s s o u rg en t th ey ’ l l sh rug o f f v o ra c i ou s s ea l i on s and hung ry PGE hyd r o e l e c t r i c tu rb in e s . A f t e r M o th e r C o lumb ia ’ s sa lm on c oup l e s hav e f ina l ly ea rn ed a l i t t l e in t ima cy , th ey mak e b eau t i fu l bab i e s . Th en th ey d i e , sm i l ing s e r en e ly on a p ebb ly s t r eam s t rand . Tha t v e ry sam e i r r e s i s t ib l e b i o ch em i s t ry d r iv e s p e op l e t o o . “My d ea r f r i end , ” I am g o ing t o t e l l any - on e in t e r rup t ing on e o f my s o l i ta ry S ta r - bu ck s m om en t i t o s , “L ov e i s a s ing l e - m ind ed s o ck ey e . F igh t ing l ov e on ly d r iv e s up mu s cu la r u rg en cy . R e s i s t ing l ov e on ly e s ca la t e s n eu ra l a r ou sa l . G o w i th l ov e l ik e sa lm on d o . And thank G od f o r L ov e , l ik e sa lm on d o . ” 3 . Lo v e i s a bo t t l e ro ck e t Ou r C r ea t o r , o r Na tu r e ( tak e y ou r p i ck ) mad e L ov e th e v eh i c l e t o th e b ig bang . L ov e i s l ik e a bu s t o g e t y ou th e r e , bu t th e r id e i s m o r e l ik e a b o t t l e r o ck e t — r ed h o t , l igh tn ing fa s t , bu t sh o r t . O f c ou r s e , i t wa s a l l sup r em e ly w e l l p lann ed o r w e l l p r og ramm ed (d ep end ing aga in on wh e th e r y ou s epa ra t e G od and Na tu r e ) , b e cau s e n o wha l e , w o l f , du ck , o r sa lm on , n e i th e r y ou o r m e , can b e s tup id ly in l ov e f o r v e ry l ong . P l ea s e s e e s e c t i on s 1 and 2 ab ov e . Tha t b o t t l e - r o ck e t h igh s e rv e s th e pu rp o s e o f ga th e r ing b oy and g i r l g ray wha l e s f r om ou r ma rv e l l ou s b lu e ma rb l e ’ s d e ep e s t o c ean s ; i t d r iv e s s o ck ey e and ch in o ok t o th e i r an c e s t ra l l ov e h o t e l s ; f o r p ed e s t r ian P o r t land e r s , th i s c ra zy p r op e l lan t , wh en c omb in ed w i th tha t exp l o s iv e c l imax o f end og en ou s m o rph in e s , a r e m ean t t o c oup l e u s f o r l i f e . S imp l e Sh e ep Y ea r wa rn ing f o r g i r l s and guy s r id ing th e r o ck e t : Mayb e y ou r ea l ly a r e “m ean t t o b e ” — a s a m i l l i on l ov e r s b e f o r e y ou hav e ea rn e s t ly d e c la r ed . Bu t ju s t a s l ik e ly y ou ’ r e n o t . Ju s t a s na tu ra l ly , wha t ’ s sh ou t ing i s th e b i o ch em i ca l c o ck ta i l c ou r s ing y ou r v e in s . S o un l e s s y ou ’ r e an e lk o r a du ck , o r y ou ’ r e a t e enag e r w i th r e sp on s ib l e adu l t s c ov e r ing y ou r m o r tgag e , u t i l i t i e s , and ga rbag e : Ch i l l . S l ow y ou r h ea r t . R ev i ew S e c t i on 1 : L ov e i s s tup id . R ev i ew S e c t i on 2 : L ov e i s s tubb o rn . Th en b r ea th e d e ep . D o n o t d r op y ou r un iv e r s i ty s tud i e s o r y ou r s ix - f igu r e c o rp o ra t e sa la ry . D o n o t d r op y ou r w i f e o r hu sband o r k id s o r th e G o ld en Lab . N o t y e t . Su r e , l ov e i s h o t , bu t i t ’ s sh o r t . 4 . Lo v e i s no t con s t i tu t ion a l l y co v e r ed Th ough l ov e i s su r e ly in ou r na tu r e , i t i s n o t in ou r U .S . C on s t i tu t i on . Y ou hav e n o r igh t t o i t . Th e r e ’ s n o equa l p r o t e c t i on , n o t f o r th e l ov e y ou g iv e . N o t a t a l l . Wh i l e i t ’ s ha rd f o r human s t o kn ow h ow du ck l ov e r s a c tua l ly f e e l ab ou t ea ch o th e r , th e i r em o t i ona l c omm i tm en t t o ma t ing i s ea sy t o m ea su r e . Z e r o . Ma l la rd g i r l s and guy s pa r ty ha rdy , bu t th ey n ev e r nu z z l e ov e r b r eak fa s t . F o r du ck s , th e r e ’ s n o ind iv idua l r i sk . Th e r e ’ s n o s o c i e ta l c on s equ en c e . I t ’ s qua ck , k i s s , d on e . And du ck s , w e ’ r e n o t . G iv en wha t I h ea rd ov e r H o r s e Y ea r 2014 , and a s sum ing S e c t i on s 1 th r ough 3 a r e s o l id — Sh e ep Y ea r l ov e r s w i l l l ik e ly n o t ca l cu la t e wha t th e i r inv e s tm en t s m ean t o th e i r l ov e r s . N o t ev en on c e . L ov e r s kn oww i th c e r ta in ty tha t th e i r l ov e kn o ck s th em ou t . Th eykn owl ov e i s c ra zy -mak ing . Bu t th ey la ck th e p r e s en t ab i l i ty t o und e r s tand tha t th e s e t ru th s a r e Cou r t sen tence s Ko rean A i r nu t rage e xec to one yea r in p r i son C o n t i n u e d f r om p a g e 5 Cha ebo l ch ie f s conv i c t ed o f wh i t e - c o l la r c r im e s hav e typ i ca l ly re ce ived su sp end ed p r i s on s en t en c e s and la t e r on , p re s iden t ia l pa rd on s . C ou r t s hav e o f t en a cknow ledged th e c on t r ibu t i on o f su ch indu s t r ia l i s t s in t ran s fo rm ing S ou th K o r ea f r om an e c on om i c ba ckwa te r in t o a d ev e l op ed e c on omy . Bu t the Cho ca se ind i ca t e s S ou th K o r ean s o c i e ty i s l e s s indu lgen t o f the s e c ond - and th i rd -g en e ra t i on m emb e r s o f h igh -p ro f i le bu s in e s s fam i l i e s . H e i r s t o fan ta s t i c fo r tune s su ch a s Ch o qu i ck ly a s c end th e ex e cu t ive ladde r bu t few b e l i ev e th e i r r i s e i s ba s ed on m e r i t . “M o s t se cond - o r th i rd -g en e ra t i on s o f cha eb o l in S ou th Ko rea th ink o f th em s e lv e s a s m emb e r s o f r oya l fam i l ie s o r in the sp e c ia l a r i s t o c ra t i c c la s s . S o th ey th ink they can do wha t ev e r th ey wan t , ” sa id Y on s e i Un ive r s i ty p sy ch o l ogy p r o f e s s o r Whang Sang -m in . Ch o i s the e lde s t o f th e th r e e ch i ld r en o f K o r ean A i r cha i rman Cho Yang -h o . A f t e r g radua t ing f r om H o t e l Managemen t S ch o o l a t C o rn e l l Un iv e r s i ty , Ch o in 1999 jo ined Ko rean A i r , wh i ch wa s f ound ed by h e r g rand fa the r . A l s o kn own a s H ea th e r Ch o , sh e en j oyed fa s t - t ra ck p r om o t i on and b e cam e an ex e cu t ive in 2006 a t the ag e o f 32 . H e r tw o y oung e r s ib l ing s a l so be came exe cu t iv e s a t a p r e c o c i ou s ag e . In h e r le t te r to the cou r t , Ch o sa id sh e wa s g iv en on ly t o i le t pape r , soap , and und e rw ea r a f t e r b e ing d e ta in ed , bu t wa s humb l ed tha t o th e r p r i s on e r s had g iv en h e r the i r to i le t r ie s . “P e op le the re len t m e th e i r t on e r , l o t i on , TH E A S IAN R EPOR T ER Page 7 shamp o o , and r in s e . I wa s s o thank fu l , ” th e l e t t e r sa id . “Th ey d idn ’ t a sk m e any th ing ab ou t th i s ca s e . I f e l t tha t th i s wa s ind e ed b e ing c on s id e ra t e f o r o th e r s . ” Oh , th e ch i e f judg e , sa id th e c ou r t t o ok in t o c on s id e ra t i on tha t Ch o ’ s a c t i on s und e rm in ed th e f l igh t ’ s sa f e ty , tha t th e f l igh t a t t endan t s wh o w e r e v e rba l ly and phy s i ca l ly abu s ed a r e s t i l l s t rugg l ing t o r e tu rn t o w o rk , and w o r ldw id e m ed ia r ep o r t s ab ou t th e ca s e damag ed S ou th K o r ea ’ s r epu ta t i on . “ I f sh e w e r e c on s id e ra t e t o p e op l e , i f sh e d idn ’ t t r ea t emp l oy e e s l ik e s lav e s , i f sh e c ou ld hav e c on t r o l l ed h e r em o t i on , ” sa id Oh , “ th i s ca s e w ou ld n o t hav e happ en ed . ” Bu t th e c ou r t a l s o r e c ogn i z ed tha t Ch o sh ow ed r em o r s e and th e a i r l in e wa s mak ing e f f o r t s t o h e lp th e a f f e c t ed f l igh t a t t endan t s . Ch o ’ s a t t o rn ey la t e r ann oun c ed tha t Ch o had f i l ed a n o t i c e o f app ea l t o a S e ou l c ou r t . S om e S ou th K o r ean s f e l t th e s en t en c e wa s inad equa t e . “T o m e , th e nu t - rag e in c id en t l o ok ed l ik e a r i ch k id in an e l em en ta ry s ch o o l l o ok ing d own on p o o r o r w eak k id s , ” sa id Chang Sab in e , a t ea ch e r . “ I th ink sh e sh ou ld b e d o ing c ommun i ty s e rv i c e t o b e c om e m en ta l ly ma tu r ed . ” Th e c ou r t s en t en c ed Y e o W o on - j in , a K o r ean A i r ex e cu t iv e wh o p r e s su r ed emp l oy e e s t o l i e ab ou t th e nu t - rag e ca s e , t o e igh t m on th s in p r i s on . T ran sp o r t m in i s t ry o f f i c ia l K im W o on - sub wa s f ound gu i l ty o f l eak ing th e m in i s t ry ’ s inv e s t iga t i on t o th e a i r l in e . H e r e c e iv ed a s ix -m on th p r i s on s en t en c e su sp end ed f o r on e y ea r . Lo ve , Po r t lande r s sa y , i s l i ke I ron M i ke T y son un load ing a s t ra igh t r igh t . Su re , you can s ta y on you r fee t , bu t r igh t and le f t , r igh t and w rong , w i l l no longe r be whe re the y we re be fo re lo ve h i t . en t i r e ly s e l f - c en t e r ed . Th i s kn ow l edg e i s on ly a ta ch om e t e r on ou r ind iv idua l in t e rna l s ta t e s . Y ou cann o t l ik ew i s e r ead th e d ia l on th e in t e rna l em o t i ona l s ta t e o f y ou r b e l ov ed . Th e r e ’ s n o gua ran t e e ing l ov e i s equa l ly exp e r i en c ed . O r equa l ly c omm i t t ed t o . And th i s a symm e t ry i s aw fu l ly r i sky , b e cau s e wha t p e op l e f e e l and f ea r , wha t l ov e w e ’v e had o r n o t had , i s en t i r e ly r o o t ed in ou r p e r s ona l , ou r fam i l ia l , and ou r c ommuna l , h i s t o r i e s . In sh o r t — g iv en th e va r i e ty o f j oy s and s o r r ow s a c cumu la t ed by P o r t land e r s f r om ou r 70 o r s o e thn o cu l tu ra l s t r eam s and ou r c oun t l e s s s o c i o e c on om i c t i e r s — th e l ik e l ih o od o f tw o ind iv idua l s em o t i ona l ly a l ign ing b ey ond l ov e ’ s r o ck e t - fu e l bu rn , i s sup e r un l ik e ly . In o th e r w o rd s : H e may n o t b etha tin t o y ou . I cann o t t e l l y ou h ow many t im e s I ’v e l o ok ed d own a t a l ov e ly fa c e , a s h e r ch o c o la t e ey e s l o ok ed away f r om m in e , bu t n o t qu i ck ly en ough t o ma sk th e l ov e n o l ong e r th e r e . N o t l ik e la s t w e ek o r la s t m on th o r la s t y ea r . N o t l ik e th e l ov e I ’m s t i l l bu rn ing w i th . Icant e l l y ou , th ough , h ow a l on e I sudd en ly wa s w i th my m i s tak en a s sump t i on s . H ow e r r on e ou s I wa s in my em o t i ona l inv e s tm en t s . H ow bad ly I g o t c l own ed . S o th e r e y ou g o , Sh e ep Y ea r l ov e r s . S ob e r ing f o r su r e , bu t i t ’ s n o t ju s t ab ou t f la sh and c ra sh . N o t a t a l l . P r obab ly , e r o t i c l ov e i s s imp ly a s ing l e bu t i r r ep la c eab l e m emb e r o f th e b igg e r fam i ly o f L ov e : L ov e o f G od , l ov e f o r ou r p r e c i ou s s o i l , l ov e f o r e l egan t g randma s and d e l i ca t e bab i e s . My l ov e o f K i t Ka t candy ba r s . I t ’ s th e l ov e ly g lu e b ind ing u s t o ou r b l e s s ed l i t t l e p lan e t a s w e a r c th r ough a l l tha t my s t e r i ou s s i l en c e o f ou r unkn owab l e un iv e r s e . A lhamdu l i l lah . My Tu rn : The a l l -Ame r ican s i tcom C o n t i n u e d f r om p a g e 6 w e r e ca l l ed a ra c ia l s lu r . Th r ough ou t th e ev en ing , p e op l e w e r e c omm en t ing s o mu ch on Tw i t t e r tha t “F r e sh O f f th e B oa t ” b e cam e a t r end ing t op i c w i th m o s t ly p o s i t iv e tw e e t s . By th e s e c ond ep i s od e , i t wa s c l ea r t o m e tha t th e b r eak ou t cha ra c t e r in “F r e sh O f f th e B oa t ” i s th e f ea r l e s s m om p o r t ray ed by Wu . W i th sub t l e ty and s t r eng th , sh e r id e s th e f in e l in e b e tw e en p lay ing a s t e e lm e i hua ( th e na t i ona l f l ow e r o f Ch ina Ta iwan ) and a l ov ing ca r ing m om wh o on ly wan t s th e b e s t f o r h e r fam i ly . I saw th e sam e d r iv ing , m i c r o -manag ing sp i r i t in my own m o th e r . R ev i ew s s o fa r hav e rang ed f r om m ix ed t o v e ry p o s i t iv e , and A s ian -Am e r i can c ommun i t i e s hav e sh own g r ea t supp o r t . Th e sh ow d ebu t ed s t r ong f o r a s i t c om w i th 7 .9 m i l l i on v i ew e r s (n o t c oun t ing DVR o r on l in e v i ew s ) . In i t s s e c ond w e ek , th e sh ow ’ s ra t ing s d ipp ed by 29 p e r c en t , bu t h e ld i t s own w i th o th e r c om ed i e s in i t s t im e s l o t , a c c o rd ing t o En t e r ta inm en t W e ek l y. Th ough n o t a p e r f e c t sh ow , i t f ea tu r e s end ea r ing cha ra c t e r s p o r t ray ed by a sk i l l ed and cha rm ing ca s t . W i l l i t pav e th e way f o r o th e r t e l ev i s i on sh ow s w i th A s ian Am e r i can s a s th e p r im e cha ra c t e r s ? Y e s , i f th e ra t ing s h o ld s t eady . I b e l i ev e i t can g r ow in t o a sh ow w i th g r ea t e r d ep th and c omp l ex i ty . I h op e “F r e sh O f f th e B oa t ” su c c e ed s b e cau s e i t ’ s h igh t im e f o r A s ian -Am e r i can fam i l i e s t o b e f r on t and c en t e r in an a l l -Am e r i can s i t c om . “ F r e s h O f f t h e B o a t ” a i r s T u e s d a y s a t 8 : 0 0 pm o n t h e Am e r i c a n B r o a d - c a s t i n g C om p a n y ( ABC ) . T o l e a r n m o r e , v i s i t <www . a b c . g o . c om / s h ow s / f r e s h - o f f - t h e - b o a t> . The s ta f f a t The A s ian Repo r te r w i sh you and you r fam i l y a sa fe and happ y Luna r New Yea r !