Eastern vs Western "CRIBS" (Asian vs Canadian)

My bedroom...
My balcony...


My Canadian home in Vancouver on Beach Ave:


Compared to

My Asian "Apartment" in Seoul, South Korea


Drastic differences...

Inspiration.

Most Inspiring Video I've seen all year:

"Homeless Boy Sung-bong Choi brought a tear to my eye"

[via Korea's Got Talent]


Everything happens for a reason... and there is a plan for everyone's life, no matter how good or bad it seems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB8XLB9xPMA&feature=related

An Old Man Once Said...

"There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh.

Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy...

Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living."~

Dating Culture: The Foriegner & The Korean

Dating Culture: The Foriegner & The Korean

Whats your thoughts / experience with 'online dating'?

When I 1st arrived in this foreign land I signed up on a random dating site to attempt meeting 'English speaking Koreans' (which is harder than you'd think), but I got totally wierded out after 2 different occasion's when 2 different random girls recognized me on the street's of Seoul from the site and started freaking out when they saw me and started trying to talk to me...

It was extremely awkward to say the least...but kinda cool at the same time, if that makes sense?

In a city of 24 million people, whats the odds? I guess they are 1 / 24 000 000.

So incredibly random!

Needless to say, I canceled my account later that second night so I would not be awkwardly ambushed on the streets again, and I decided to meet girls the old fashion way; pay for them - just joking haha - (fyi: I've never done that, nor could I ever).

In closing, I have to say that Korean's are absolutely great people as they have shown me a great time in my 6 months in their country and I am very appreciative and forever grateful.

I will miss alot of the great people I have met here, but I have a sneeky suspicion I will be back in the not to distance future...

Unitl then, here is a funny video about the awkwardness about cross cultural dating...

"Tourist VS Traveler"

Which one are you?

Forgotten Fathers...The Untold Story

My 1st Fathers Day (June 2004)
Today is Fathers Day June 19 2011, so let me say warm wishes to all the great dads out there, especially mine, Paul Carlin. (Picture: Father/ Son camping trip to Tofino BC 2010)

Today while most people are enjoying a fun and stress free experience with their fathers & children, my heart & thoughts go out to the literally millions if not billions of fathers who have had to fight for their fatherly rights who have been put through the most agonizing & de humanizing experience any person could face; the "Family Court System".

I call this torture chamber "FCS", because that's exactly what most fathers get, "Fucked", when they attempt to maintain, keep, and develop a meaningful relationship with their children during the custody litigation process.

Pardon my language, but this is an emotional subject for me...

Why?

Because I, (along with over 50% of other unfortunate men who have ever gotten separated or divorced with children) have also 1st hand experience with this 'system' when they wanted to get custody of their children.

Chances are, or you know someone who is divorced or has kids, right?

In North America today if you get married, their is over a 50% chance that it will happen to you...those are some intense stats.

To set the record straight, I have never been married, (and if all goes according to plan, I never will be, but that's a whole other topic).

However I am a proud parent of an incredible 7 year old son named Ethan that I have done every possible thing within my power (with very little help & assistance from the courts) to remain a big part of his life after his mother and I separated since she has gone on to marry another man. Thinking back on it now, its amazing how a fast a happy family can disintegrate these days...tragic.

I spent the majority of my 20's (23-30) over 6 years of grueling litigation, that I would not wish an experience like that upon my worst enemy).

While I was not spending my time with my son, I was spending my days in court rooms, conference calls with lawyers and meeting with professional custody evaluators, meanwhile my friends spent their masses of free time hanging out in clubs & parties...needless to say I grew up fast thanks to this intense school of Life Lessons 101.

I wish that my story / negative experience in the "FCS" was unique, unfortunately its not.

During my journey I met countless other men who have experienced the same (if not worse) up hill, frustrating attempts when it comes to getting their 'fatherly rights' acknowledged, let alone granted and honored by litigating and lobbying for court orders.

Long story short, the court system (especially the family one) is a business.

Yup, you got that right, its a business, BIG business.

Why do you think that court custody cases & divorce proceedings take so long to "resolve?"

Because no one gets paid when the case is closed.

Universally, lawyers make billions of dollars per year (and Judges make even more), by feeding and fueling the fire of the emotions of their clients. Both lawyers and judges work together manipulating each client like puppets to prolong this process as long as possible because do you really think its in their best interest to close the case?

Nope.

So why would they?

If they do, then the mountains of cash $ would stop flooding into their sheik offices, that good people who are spending a fortune just so that they can be a part of their children's lives, interesting enough its this desire of parent that pays for those office furnishings. Ironic.

By the way, a case is never "resolved" or 'closed', only 'adjourned' until further notice or evidence...

I will never forget back when this entire process started, I was only 23 years old.

I had just wrote my last university exam, and then the following week I was in a layers office filing for full custody.

As I was waiting in the lobby, there was a man at least twice my age weeping uncontrollably, after talking with him I learned that he spent over 100K and 4 years of his life and savings and still ended up having an 'un resolved' case because his child's mother moved out of the province and if he wanted to proceed he needed to move as well to continue the case. To this day I wonder how his case turned out...

I never imagined when my case opened over 6 years ago that my proceedings would end so similar to that strangers.

I won't go into details, but I was on the brink of finally going to trial to resolve this never ending nightmare, then my son's mother came into the room with her cut throat lawyer and said they were moving, not only out of the province, but out of the country to California!

In a matter of moments after years of waiting...Boom: Case Closed.

No resolution, no order of justice or custody, no nothing.

Everything I worked and waited for now was non existent, and my only choice was to relocate (again) to continue in California (were prices of litigation are triple) or adjourn.

Long story short, this was about 12 months ago. 6 months after they moved I decided I needed a major break from this soap opera and decided to take much needed vacation and come to Asia to take a contract teaching English for a few months to just clear my head...(

BTW, if you follow me on Twitter / Facebook and have seen a little of my 'wild side shenanigans' you now know why I have needed to blow off all that stress that has built up over the past number of years and let loose here in Asia.

I usually don't party this hard, but due to the circumstances...

This has been exactly what the doctor (and my lawyer) had ordered / suggested.

I return to North America in 2 weeks. I have missed my son greatly but we have had great weekly web cam connections together via Skype video which has been great but I can't wait to give him a big hug and see how much taller he has gotten (hes the tallest in his grade 1 class by far...I wonder why? I'm 6'7 and I am sure he will be taller than me, hello NBA lol! )

At this point, I would like to offer the 2 best resources I have found for Fathers Rights and if you know of anyone who is in this situation, please do them a favor and refer these 2 great resources to them:

This book by Alec Baldwin (who paid over 1.3 million for his 5 year divorce / custody case) is the Bible for fathers in court, I wish I found it when I was beginning this process instead of near the end of it as it is an invaluable resource.

And another great website that talks about Parental Alienation Syndrome (as my lawyer said is the main concern / issue of my current case, which is also noted as being the most difficult case to resolve)

*www.MrCustodyCoach.com*

I didn't write this article as a ranting sob story to go into the details of my own and other fathers personal experiences, or have people feel sorry for the many other fathers who have been put through this same situation. I have taken full responsibly for my experience and actions and I hope that many of the others have aswell.

My sole purpose is to raise awareness at how screwed up this entire "Family Court System" is when a parent needs to spend 10's of 1000's of dollars and go through years of emotional anguish just to maintain a relationship with their child.

So next time you see a separated dad, or a childless father, or see the array of 'step dads' don't be so quick to cast judgment, and always know that there are 2 sides to every story and you have no idea what lengths that parent went through before they were forced to either walk way, or accept the limited parenting role the "FCS" system offered / granted them...(which I think is absolutely disgusting that the majority of single dads are only granted 'visitation schedules", but once again, that is conversation for another topic.

The question is, is there any reasonable / rational justice that the "FCS" offers?
My hope is that you never have to find out first hand.

I will never forget this Fathers Day as after I talked to my son, I called my own dad and he said "Quinton, I am so proud of you for sticking in there all these years after everything you've been put through at your young age, most guys would have left, but your son Ethan will one day understand everything you did to continue to be his dad in his life".

Hearing my dad tell me that made the last 6 year roller coaster worth it (as well as everytime I hear my son's voice and /or see his smile either in person or on the webcam, it makes all the past challenges worth it...


Hopfully one day when your older Ethan, you will read this letter and realize how much I love you and that you realize that I'd do anything for you, just as I already have...

I'm extremely proud to be your father and honored to have you as my son,

Love,

Your Dad,

Quinton Carlin

Is This a Movie or Reality?

Unreal.

Vancovuer Riots: Then 1994 & Now 2011

Dear Vancouver,

You are our city & we love you...

But it was a sad day indeed for what happened to this internationally acclaimed city and on behalf of the 99.5% of normal, decent citizens of Vancouver B.C & Canada, we apologize for the 0.5% that made this great city look like an insane asylum.

*Please watch this video before viewing the rest of the mayhem & madness below*


Vancouver, unfortunately one night a small part of you went completely insane while the whole world was watching as you destroyed your beautiful city that is rated the #3 city in the WORLD to live in...

My question to you Vancouver is; why did you do this to yourself?


As a Vancouver resident, I am shocked, appalled and disgusted with what happened June 15th in Vancouver.

Here is the picture that was on the cover of Vancouver Province newspaper


Even though I was not in the city, or country at the time, (been living in Asia for the last 6 months) I was glued to live streaming video the entire day watching my beloved city go up in flames, literally.



However, it was a de jevu flashback from what happened 17 years ago in 1994 after the Canucks lost. Apparently we have not evolved much as a society unfortunately...


Riots Then 1994


Riots Now June 2011

Guess we haven't evolved much as a society in 17 years.

This is the most in depth and extensive video I have found so far


Millions of tax dollars wasted. Millions more stolen in looting from stores. Countless cars inflamed. Countless injuries and possible deaths over what?

A stupid hockey game...

Your an embarrassment to our city, our country & the entire human race. Asshole.


One of Vancouver's "sane" citizens,

Quinton Carlin

Please re-post this article using this link: "www.QuintonCarlin.com" on your Facebook page so people can see that it was only a small # of idiots ruining our great cities reputation.

Surfing in Korea...

I love this Bob Marley Song...