Experts advise making specific reasons to achieve goalsKitty BankThough only a week of 2012 has passed so far, 27-year-old office worker Kim Jun-young has given up on some of his New Year’s resolutions already. “My New Year’s resolution was to return home earlier and spend my evenings working out, but it ended up in smoke because of all the New Year parties. With more events coming up, including the Lunar New Year holidays, I am thinking maybe I should just postpone the plan until next year,” he

Classical Music“2012 Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra & Thomanerchor”: The Gewandhaus Orchestra and Thomanerchor will visit Korea for the third time to perform Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the world, named after the concert hall based in Leipzig. The Thomanerchor, or St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig, is a boys’ choir founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys, 9 to 18 years of age. The orchestra will be conducte

Dancing Queen (Korea), Opening Jan. 19Comedy. Directed by Lee Suk-hoon. Housewife Jung-hwa (Uhm Jung-hwa) is married to low-earning lawyer Jung-min (Hwang Jung-min). One day, her daughter abruptly tells her she doesn’t want to live like Jung-hwa, as a housewife. Shocked by the comment, Jung-hwa decides to fulfill her long-lost dream to become a famous singer, trying out for a reality TV talent show. Meanwhile, her husband Jung-min becomes a candidate for Seoul mayor through a rare opportunity, n

Irish singer’s present for Korean fansDamien Rice “Live from the Union Chapel: Korea Tour Edition”(Warner Music Korea) Adding two bonus tracks, to the 2007 “Live from the Union Chapel” album, Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice agreed to release his very first tour edition for Korean fans ahead of his concert in Seoul. The album, most of which was recorded in 2003 during the tour for Rice’s debut album “O,” features his favorites ― “Delicate,” “The Blower’s Daughter,” a ferocious “Volcano,” “Ami

Greg Donoghue grew up around film sets. His father worked as a film publicist in Europe and his uncle is Pierre Spengler, a producer of the “Superman” movies.But the 30-year-old had never seriously considered a career in the movie industry until he got a chance to direct his own short film called “Sunshine Manor,” a love story about the relationship between a nursing home patient and her doctor.“It takes a lot of patience, and time is your worst enemy,” Donoghue said of his directorial debut. “I

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas ― My daughter circled the sun, bobbing around the yellow mosaic tile work at the bottom of the pool. Everywhere in the Royal Baths, the water was no deeper than 3 feet, which meant that my 9-year-old could touch the bottom wherever she happened to float.I felt no need to play lifeguard. My iced coffee was within arm’s reach. A newspaper, unopened, lay at the foot of the lounge chair. I closed my eyes, preparing to take my own dive, not into water but deep relaxation, the

Kayak Morning: Reflections on Love, Grief, and Small Boats By Roger Rosenblatt(Ecco)A year after his only daughter died at age 38 of an asymptomatic heart condition, Roger Rosenblatt wrote an essay in The New Yorker titled, “Making Toast.” He describes how he and his wife moved into Amy’s house in Bethesda, Md., to help their son-in-law care for the couple’s three small children, and how the myriad, mundane activities of child-rearing provided a measure of solace for his inconsolable grief.His l

Dubravka Ugresic does not like karaoke. That doesn’t stop her from trying it, just as her resistance to celebrity doesn’t stop her from putting her head through a cutout on a Hollywood studio tour so that she can be photographed with Clark Gable. Ugresic, a game and inquisitive critic, looks at culture from all angles, which sometimes means picking up the mic.Karaoke recycles rather than creates, she argues in “Karaoke Culture,” the 100-page essay that lends its name to the title of her new coll

 It’s the time of year for rich, full-bodied reds, and this week that would be the Langmeil Barossa “Three Gardens.” A blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Grenache, the 2009 has an understated elegance and a beautiful, silky texture. The fruit is bright with a touch of sweet spice and smooth tannins.Bring it to a holiday dinner party or give some lucky red wine lover a bottle as a gift. At about $18, it’s a bargain.Drink it with prime rib, braised lamb shanks, roasts and stews.● Region: Barossa, Aust

Hobakjeon is a dish of marinated summer squash that is coated with wheat flour and egg wash then pan-fried. It may also be fried with meat stuffing. In the olden days, hobakjeon was fried with no coating or only the wheat flour coating. Ingredients ● 1 medium summer squash, 1/2 tsp salt● 1/3 green pepper, 1/4 red pepper ● 4 tbsp wheat flour, 2 egg, 1/8 tsp salt ● 3 tbsp edible oil ● vinegar soy sauce: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp waterWash the summer squash, slice it into thin pieces

FORT WORTH, Texas ― Some days, the thought of that first cup of coffee is the only thing that gets Tom Vincent out of bed.In that way, of course, he’s no different from plenty of other people who like a morning caffeine jolt.What sets him apart? For the rest of the day, he never stops thinking about coffee. How to brew the perfect cup. How to teach pros and amateurs alike to do the same. How to create the kind of coffee culture in North Texas that one can find in Austin or Vancouver.This month,

When the weather gets cold, it’s time to warm up with hot drinksHot pumpkin toddy. Hot buttered rum. Spiced latte. Mulled wine. Are you feeling toasty already? It’s the season for warming up inside with hot drinks, and Tacoma bars are already offering some fine ones on the menu. But they’re just as easy to make at home ― and that way you don’t even have to de-ice the car.“In a colder climate, it’s a little more comforting to have something warm in your hand,” says Rodel Borromeo, executive chef

DOHA (AP) ― Defending champion Roger Federer extended his winning streak to 20 straight matches Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Qatar Open, despite being stretched by Andreas Seppi of Italy to three sets in a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory.The third-ranked Federer set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The sixth-ranked Frenchman defeated Albert Ramos of Spain 6-2, 6-1.Rafael Nadal also reached the semifinals, playing some of his best tennis this week in dispatching

South Korean baseball pitcher Park Chan-ho, a former Major League Baseball All-Star who recently signed with a South Korean team, is the living proof that you can come home again.On Friday, Park donned his new Hanwha Eagles uniform in Daejeon, some 150 kilometers south of Seoul, as the Korea Baseball Organization club held a New Year’s meeting with all players and team executives on hand.For the first time since signing a one-year deal with the Eagles on Dec. 20, Park, wearing his patented No. 6