May 29, 2000
Hello Mister Lee! I was very glad to get a letter from some one close to
my age. I am 50 and I work in a family owned business. I am not from Italy...
but I am third generation over here. My grand parents came over in the early
1900's on my fathers side. I live in a very Italian neighborhood. But we are
business people... we are not Sicillian and Mafia! There is a difference. Please
tell me a little more about yourself.
Sardina
May 30, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee. It is holiday here for me and work is closed so I thought I'd
write you. The weather is nice here but it will get very warm very soon. I must
tell you that I have no interest in getting involved in your business. Maybe
I misunderstood you. But that is the meaning I got from your letter. Please
do not find me rude, but I am very direct person. I have found it is better
to be that way. I do not know you or your business practices. If you still want
to write me after hearing this, feel free to tell me more about yourself..
Sardina
June 01, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee. I was glad to get your letter. I too, enjoy having people in other countries to talk to. I hope we can write for a long time. Music has always been very dear to me. I grew up listening to many different styles. Jazz, Blues, Rock & Roll, and even some classical. Oh! I can't forget Frank Sinatra! Music can change my mood if I am sad and put a smile back on my face. Ilove to sing, too. My mother used to sing to us when we were little. I don't think I have ever heard any Korean folk music. What is it like? I have a tape of Chinese zither music and I sometimes find it very peaceful after a long day. I live in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in the west bank of the Mississippi river. We are called the "Gate Way To The West" because many people passed through here on their way west during the early 1800's. The building I live in used to be a "dry goods" store back then. People used to stop and fill their covered wagons with flour, sugar, tools and clothes for the long trip west. Pioneer days! What kind of American books do you like to read? Old? New? Both? I'm going to say good night for now. I went to the chiropractor today and I feel like an over cooked noodle. Limp! It feels good though. Your English is very good. Many people who were born here don't write it as well as you. I will be looking for your letter... Sandy
June 07, 2000
Hello, Hyon-soo!
It was good to get your letter. St. Louis has always been a baseball city! We
are home to the St Louis Cardinals. We are proud to have one of the best hitters
of all time here. Mark McGuire(Big Mac) who broke all the hitting records over
the past 2 seasons plays here. He's quite exciting to watch and there are many
other good players on the team to back him up. One of the things I admire about
him is that he always gives credit to the other team members. He is very popular
and sometimes
when that happens to a man his ego goes crazy. Not Big Mac! He thanks his teammates
and no matter how long it takes he makes sure that every child who wants his
autograph get it after a game.
You asked what I work for. You have heard that here we live full lives. You
are very right. We have so much available to us over here. I work in a family
establishment and would like to keep it going when my father gets too old. Our
restaurant is closed now but our bar business is still good. My younger sister
and 2 younger brothers have left for a different lines of work over the years.
Working with the drinking public is not for everyone! I've been doing it since
I was 25 years old. My knee joints, back, and shoulders are starting to remind
me every day of my age! Ha! Such is life! In St. Louis we have very many small
neighborhood bars. You get to know your customers and most of them become good
friends over the years. Ours is a pretty big house. The bar seats 15~20 people
with room for another 20 at the tables. The room that used to be the dining
room can seat up to another 60 people. At night when all the big restaurants
around here close, many of the employees visit me and that's fun begins. Usually
our busiest time is from midnight to 3:00 in the morning. We usually have from
30 to 50 people get there all around the same time. They are all ready to party
and some of them act like they just got our of jail and haven't had a drink
in years! Ha! It's the nature of the beast in all of us I guess. I guess I hope
I can keep my health and retire early enough to relax and smell the roses for
a while. But one never knows what the future holds. What about you? You sounded
a bit down in your letter. I am ashamed to say I know very little of the history
of Korea. I am sure that what I learned in school many years ago is inaccurate
and biased. I have learned more about the world history in the last 10 years
that I ever id in school! I have been divorced for 5 years and I think I am
ready to look for a man to share my life again. I get lonely at times even after
being surrounded by all the people at work. I miss having some to listen to
quiet music with on a Sunday afternoon! Well, I guess I've bent your ear enough.
I try not to use too much American or Italian slang in my letters to you, but
if there is anything I say that you don't understand, just ask me! I'm going
to send you some of the jokes I have if you don't mind. They will come from
my other e-mail address which is SMP434 so you know who they are from. Let me
know if you like them. I don't know what kind of humor you like. I am an adult
and enjoy adult humor so some this may be sexual in content but not all of it
is. It's meant for a laugh among grown-ups and that is all, but if you have
children some what I send may not be good for them to see! Tell me more about
yourself and I will talk to you later... Sandy.
June 14, 2000
Hello, Mr. lee. Sorry it took me so long to write, but I am buying my very
first computer. I have been doing some reading trying to decide which one is
best for me. The web-tv equipment I have was a good beginning but I want to
see more of the world. I will send you my new e-mail address before I make the
switch..
So you used to drink a quart of whisky when you were younger! I can't say that
I have ever drank a quart of any hard liquor at one sitting, but I used to put
a pretty good dent in a bottle of Tequila when I was younger! I used to love
that stuff, but it made me so sick that I quit drinking it. I still have a few
shots of vodka late at night before I get busy at the bar.
I was surprised when you told me Steven Foster was one of your favorite artists.
We used to sing his songs in school when I was young. They are very beautiful
and I had not thought about them in a long time. I think my tastes are changing.
I listen to more classical music now than I ever did. I am old rock and roller
at heart but at home I listen to more quiet music.. Mellow jazz with a sad saxophone
is nice too. What kind of movies do you like? I regret that I have not read
any of Earnest Hemmingways novels but I have seen some of the movies that made
from them. The books are always better! The last book I read was "The Silence
of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. It was one that held my interest all the way
to the end..
I am going to sine off for now...tomorrow night when I'm at work and I do my
first shot of vodka, I'll know you are having a scotch with your friends! What
do you and your friends talk about? Politics, sports and sex are argued over
here! Write when you have a chance...good night until later.....Sandy
June 21, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee! It was god to hear from you. I am doing well and it is getting
very warm here, too. It is also very humid today. It's already 90% humidity
in the air today and it's only just begun. You seem to be asking yourself some
very deep questions. I have been doing that too. I think it's all a part of
getting older. When I finally realised that I was closer to the end than the
beginning it made me reevaluate some things in my life. I don't know why I am
here, either. To make the world a little better, maybe? This way we can undo
some of the bad things others do. Ballance?
I tried to get on your web site but my web tv unit can't pull it down. I have
a new computer, though, and I am about ready to go on line. Yours will be the
first web site I go to tonight. I will send you my new e-mail address in a few
days. You can write me here until then... Yes, I watched the Baseball game last
Friday. It was pretty good. I had it on at the bar. I will be sure to watch
again this Friday while you are watching. Maybe this time we will win! I'm going
to say good-bye for now. I have some things to get at the store. I am cooking
some "tout a mare" for my father. It means "all from the sea."
It's seafood sauce to put over pasta(noodles). I promised him some for Fathers
Day.. It has fresh herbs, garlic, tomatoes, and other good stuff. I'll see you
Friday at the ball park!..... Yours Sandy
June 24, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee! I just got home from work. It is very late for me. It is
4:00 A.M. for me. I just wanted to remind you that we will be watching the same
baseball game tomorrow night! Tonight we had the game on at the bar and the
Cardinals won...but it was a fight... it went back and forth...I am tired...
I will be watching...Sandy
June 28, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee. Here's my new e-mail address:
sandria434@earthlink.net You
can write me there from now on. I will answer your letter late tonight from
that address. Yours...Sandy.
June 30, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee. I just got home from work. I wanted to finally answer your last
letter. You asked me how many friends I have. I have very many friends. Some
times I think I have too many. You told me you drink when you are alone sometimes.
a lot of people do. You are not alone. There are very many people who do the
same thing. And it happens all over the world! Life is hard...I don't care where
you live...I don't care what you do for a living...the bottom line is to survive...and
we all do what we need to do...I'm a little drunk myself tonight so I'm going
to say good night for now...I love my new computer...more later...Sandy
July 3rd, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee. I have a web site for you: www.fairslouis.com. On it you will see our Independence Day celebrations for the next days. If you have the right programs you can see the fireworks displays we have at night live.. I can't wait to try it. I'll write more later. Hope you are well. Sandy.
July 6th, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee
Go to :www.shookman.com. Click on enter...click
on pictures...click on nightlife...on the second page upper right hand corner
is a group shot of me and my father and some customers taken at our bar and
put on the web.. I'm on the right. going left is my dad, Danny-Girl, Jim and
in front is a friend of my dad's frank...Thought you'd like to see Sandrina
July 4th, 2000
Hello, again Mr. Lee. I am on your web site. It is beautiful! I love the music.
There is much for me to look at. I can't read your language but I like looking
at new things. Talk to you later...Sandy
July 4th, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee. I got an email from you today but there was nothing in it. I
did really enjoy some of the music on your web site. when I learn how to use
this computer a little better maybe we can talk to each other. It will take
me a while, though. This is my first computer. It knows a lot more than I do
right now!. Ha! I haven't studied this much since school! I have an iMac DVD
computer. Eventually I will learn how to use it as a phone and answering machine.
It plays movies and music, too. It is just amazing to me. I was very busy at
work Friday and Saturday nights with it being a holiday here. Everyone
was in a big drinking mood. I had quite a few myself! I had a pretty good hangover
Sunday! Ha! You play, you pay!
A friend of mine is coming over later to see my computer. He has an older one
and is thinking of buying one like mine so he wants to see it. How is your business
doing? How are you doing? I hope you are well. Yours, Sandy
July 6th, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee
Go to :www.shookman.com Click on "enter".
Click on pictures...Click on nightlife. On the second page upper right hand
corner is a group shot of me and my father and some customers taken at our bar
and put on the web. I'm on the right, going left is my dad, Dany-girl, Jim,
and in front is a friend of my dad's Frank. Thought you'd like to see. Sardina.
July 10, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee
I received an email from you but there was nothing in it! Ha! I guess it got
lost in cyberspace. Are you well? I hope so. Write me again when you have time....
Sandy.
July 10, 2000
Good morning Mr. Lee
I don't know what's wrong, but I still didn't receive any text with your last
letter. I know we are having big solar flairs affecting us in July. Could that
be it? You are not drinking Korean burbon again are you? Ha! Just a joke. It
has been very hot here the last few days. It's been close to 100 degrees here
with no relief in sight until the end of the week. Other than that nothing new
to report! Ha! I'm hooking up my printer and scanner this week. I'm also going
to activate all the audio and telephone programs I have. Then next week I'm
going to order a camera. I may be able to talk to you soon over my computer!
I'll write more later. I have a chiropractor appointment this morning before
I go to work so I have to get going... Yours, Sandy
July 19, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee..
I am back on line! My computer was down for a few days but I'm back
now! My power button got stuck and my computer would not turn on. I haven't
received anything from you in a while, it seems, was there something wring with
your computer that I was receiving no texts with your letters or was it me?
I still haven't got my printer working correctly. Sometimes I feel like I bit
off more than I can chew with this computer. I'm not giving up though! I keep
telling myself "it's only a machine, it's only a machine". but what
a complicated machine it is. There are so many different ways to do one thing..I
think that's where I'm getting confused. My brother has been helping me and
he has had a computer for 5 years. He moves so fast that I get lost sometimes.
The book I have is set up for beginners and my brother set up my computer for
people who actually know what they are doing! Ha! I am not one of them yet.
He came over today and got it set up for beginners so I can learn from my book
at my own pace without bothering him all the time. It will work out better for
both of us that way.,
The heat here is giving us a break finally. Out hottest month is
August and it will be here soon. How about you? Is it still really hot there?
What have you been doing lately? I have had an attack of the blues but they
are gone now. I have been learning my computer and trying to keep busy. I
find myself getting restless and anxious. I remember in your last email that
I received you spoke of reading the christian bible. Are you still doing that?
I have several translations, myself. It is an amazing book but I try to
keep in mind that it was written by men during harsh political times. That situation
sometimes causes men to alter events to promote their point view. Especially
European men, I think they still believe the sun revolves around them. European
religions are very egocentric and they tend to put themselves above nature and
the forces in the universe which God also created. They just ignore Eastern
religions and dismiss them. Our doctor here are just now admitting that acupuncture
has its place in the treatment of illnesses. I have known that for a quite few
years now. I think it is better to keep an open mind on all things. That is
how you learn. I believe there is good and bad in everything. Yin and Yang!(Did
I spell that right?) I'm going to say good-bye for now. Write me when you have
a chance. I'll be looking for your letter.
Yours, Sandy
July 19, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee
I received your email a few minutes ago. I am sure now it was on my end. My
brother had deactivated my "Java program". He thought I didn't need
it. I asked him to reactivate it this afternoon. It seems now all is well.
Waiting your reply..
Sandy
July 20, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee..
Here are some websites you might enjoy:
www.nationalgeigraphic.com
www.animalplanet.com
www.african.com
Enjoy! Sandy
July 20, 2000
Hello, again, Mr. Lee!
I have just installed my firewall and it took all of 2 seconds!
I was amazed! It went so fast. I have some extra time so I thought I write more
while I have the time.
How do I get into your penpal site on your website? I can't read
the directions and when I click on "penpal" I get a log in place but
I don't know how to register. Can you help me?
I just reread your letter from this morning. You sound like you
are going through some bad times. I am sorry for that. I don't believe in a
God that punished people anymore. I used to but my beliefs have changed over
the years. I am not saying you are wrong for anything you believe in. I respect
all beliefs and everyone's right to have their own. It is a personal thing that
none of us should judge. There is enough misjudging going on in the world. We
have some people in this country who are trying to reunite government and religion
thru the political system to make laws that concern their beliefs and no one
else's. That is wrong. They want to put their morals into law for us all to
obey. I want to choose my own moral code to live by. well, we can talk of such
serious things later if you'd like.. You see, I grew up very Italian and very
Catholic. Right there is a conflict. My grandfather was a fence(he dealed in
some stolen goods over the years at the other bar we had.) He was
a wonderful man who never hurt anyone. He was just working the system and trying
to support his family the best he could. I remember phone calls when I was a
little girl for my dad to have to go down to jail to bail my grandpa out! Ha!
Such is life!
Well, good-bye for now, I won't write you again today! Ha! Let me
know how you are and don't let the heat get you down. It can make me depressed
sometimes. I am a winter person... Yours Sandy.
July 21, 2000
Hello, Mr. Lee.
Did you get my last email? I have been having some computer problems. I need
to know if my emails are going out. Thanks...Sandy