I'm kind of forgetful and it's a blessing that I make it into the office dressed some days. (I forgot my laptop charger and I overslept, but made it to work on time. Luckily the computer department is über competent and lent me a spare charger.)
In the elevator this morning I met a pretty, older-than-me woman from some floor above me. She was adjusting her earrings in the mirror. Cool!
When I got in the elevator I pressed the button for First Floor. But, the elevator has this feature that I tend to forget about. If a floor is already selected and you select it, it unselects the floor. Of course, I did just that and the elevator didn't move for maybe 30 seconds afterwards. Then I realized I was in error and also doing something that could be interpreted as weird or creepy: AHHH! I wanted to scream SURE YOU'RE PRETTY, BUT I'M NOT LOCKING YOU IN THE ELEVATOR WITH ME. AHHH SWEAR!!!!
So, due to my automatic apologetic reflex I said in hapless Korean, "Sorry," which might have been uncalled for, but I don't know. Then the lady asked me what I was drinking (as I was holding a drink). I said, "Shikhye." She said, "How nice!" And so I said, "I like Shikhye." Then we got to the first floor and she said "Have a good day." I wanted to say "You too," but I didn't want to use "You," so I froze up and just did a tiny bow. Then we both tried to leave the elevator at the same time and both hesitated at the same time. I had been embarrassed ever since I got into the elevator, so I couldn't really get any more embarrassed by then, so it was ok.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhye
I think that Shikhye is a pretty good conversation starter. It is "Nostalgia Drink, Shikhye, Since 1994."
Such a sweet nice rice drink. It is malty and has lots of chewy, old-textured rice grains at the bottom, so it helps to shake it up. I want to describe the texture of the rice grains that have been sitting in sweet malty water for weeks. Maybe gristly? gnarly? noodley? It would be a good base for some gelatin, too. I also want to mix it with coffee as soon as I get the chance. I hope that lady doesn't think I'm a creep. I like Shikhye?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Today was really pleasant
I started my day by listening to Ariel Pink's song The Doldrums. I listened to it maybe 3 or 4 times.
After that, I went to Incheon by subway and then bus. I always love riding the bus, because the world goes by like a motion pictures. I can sit and watch. I left my apartment around 9:something AM.
And here is what I did today:
I first met Aram then climbed the mountain named Gyesan 桂山! Even if it's just a tiny mountain in Korea, it was still really challenging for me. She brought a nice backpack and I wore some new shoes I reluctantly bought last night. My feet hurt after all the walking, so, I can only imagine how bad they would hurt if it were not for my better fitting shoes... I was covered in sweat by the time we came back down the mountain. At the top of Gyesan the view was nice and clear. I could see the Incheon harbor from the top, so I got to see the ocean. These days I am so pleased to not have a camera. Without a camera, I am forced to just sit and enjoy the moment now, filling myself with it. I can remember more clearly without one, sometimes. Soon I think I will want a camera, though.
After Gyesan, we had a surprise lunch with my girlfriend's dad! It was our first meeting. We ate memil (buckwheat) noodles and some memil makgeolli (kind of effervescent rice wine) at a very nice restaurant off the main path. He was really kind and bought our lunch and talked with me. ^^
Next, I wanted to find some comma-shaped earrings (also known as 曲玉 to some people, or half of a yin-yang...) at the Bupyeong underground market, but we had no success at all. I saw some last week at a stall in Bupyeong and but, for some random reason, probably their price, I didn't buy them. I regret it now, but, I will find them again someday! (I've started wearing earrings again on the weekend and after work...)
I am such a fussy shopper that I refuse to buy anything that isn't extremely simple, but subtly unique and precious. Aram is really understanding about my peculiar standards, so she can help me really well, especially in the hectic, confusing, and labyrinthine stretches of department stores and shopping centers. Instead of earrings, however, I did find some Korean puzzle magazines for children. I love word searches and silly little things to make me use Hangeul. I think 4-5 years is my Korean age at the moment. It allows me the opportunity to learn semi-useless words (at least for daily conversation)
such as "Baekche Cultural Section" or "Clinical Physiology" or "Ethnicity Erasure Doctrine" or "Apollo Eye Syndrome" ... you get the point.
After the underground market, we went to Caffe Bene, a Korean coffee shop chain. There I had some kind of expensive (7,000 won, which is actually pretty normal here) "hand drip coffee." I didn't know what it was, but it was just like regular drip coffee. Which was heavenly! Compared with all the Cafe Americano and espresso drinks I've been imbibing lately, it was deliciously full-bodied. Pure black, strong, bitter, but also sweet underneath it all. I think the beans were Ethiopian, but that doesn't mean much to me. It was the first good cup of coffee I've had in a while.
Then I bought some expensive ginseng at a department store, then I ate some super spicy chicken feet (鳳爪!) with the bones still inside, and went to another coffee shop, then I came home and listened to Animal Collective.
Oh, and I started reading Crime and Punishment today, too. Then I went to bed at 11:16 PM. It was a good day. I will sleep in tomorrow.
After that, I went to Incheon by subway and then bus. I always love riding the bus, because the world goes by like a motion pictures. I can sit and watch. I left my apartment around 9:something AM.
And here is what I did today:
I first met Aram then climbed the mountain named Gyesan 桂山! Even if it's just a tiny mountain in Korea, it was still really challenging for me. She brought a nice backpack and I wore some new shoes I reluctantly bought last night. My feet hurt after all the walking, so, I can only imagine how bad they would hurt if it were not for my better fitting shoes... I was covered in sweat by the time we came back down the mountain. At the top of Gyesan the view was nice and clear. I could see the Incheon harbor from the top, so I got to see the ocean. These days I am so pleased to not have a camera. Without a camera, I am forced to just sit and enjoy the moment now, filling myself with it. I can remember more clearly without one, sometimes. Soon I think I will want a camera, though.
After Gyesan, we had a surprise lunch with my girlfriend's dad! It was our first meeting. We ate memil (buckwheat) noodles and some memil makgeolli (kind of effervescent rice wine) at a very nice restaurant off the main path. He was really kind and bought our lunch and talked with me. ^^
Next, I wanted to find some comma-shaped earrings (also known as 曲玉 to some people, or half of a yin-yang...) at the Bupyeong underground market, but we had no success at all. I saw some last week at a stall in Bupyeong and but, for some random reason, probably their price, I didn't buy them. I regret it now, but, I will find them again someday! (I've started wearing earrings again on the weekend and after work...)
I am such a fussy shopper that I refuse to buy anything that isn't extremely simple, but subtly unique and precious. Aram is really understanding about my peculiar standards, so she can help me really well, especially in the hectic, confusing, and labyrinthine stretches of department stores and shopping centers. Instead of earrings, however, I did find some Korean puzzle magazines for children. I love word searches and silly little things to make me use Hangeul. I think 4-5 years is my Korean age at the moment. It allows me the opportunity to learn semi-useless words (at least for daily conversation)
such as "Baekche Cultural Section" or "Clinical Physiology" or "Ethnicity Erasure Doctrine" or "Apollo Eye Syndrome" ... you get the point.
After the underground market, we went to Caffe Bene, a Korean coffee shop chain. There I had some kind of expensive (7,000 won, which is actually pretty normal here) "hand drip coffee." I didn't know what it was, but it was just like regular drip coffee. Which was heavenly! Compared with all the Cafe Americano and espresso drinks I've been imbibing lately, it was deliciously full-bodied. Pure black, strong, bitter, but also sweet underneath it all. I think the beans were Ethiopian, but that doesn't mean much to me. It was the first good cup of coffee I've had in a while.
Then I bought some expensive ginseng at a department store, then I ate some super spicy chicken feet (鳳爪!) with the bones still inside, and went to another coffee shop, then I came home and listened to Animal Collective.
Oh, and I started reading Crime and Punishment today, too. Then I went to bed at 11:16 PM. It was a good day. I will sleep in tomorrow.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Picture 080 means 위험 means danger!
Even though I botched the only three social interactions that I had today and I had to have lots of hand-holding when I was doing my laundry, I've started to feel somewhat more competent and confident in myself this past week.
Tomorrow is my first day of teaching.
Tomorrow is my first day of teaching.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
I brought a black-with-thin-grey-stripes suit jacket with me to Korea. My dear mother modified the sleeves to my picky specifications. Before last week, I had worn the jacket three times.
Twice I wore the jacket for funerals, so it kind of has some sad associations for me.
The third time I wore it when I met with some official-types in Japan.
The other day, in the breast pocket I found a gum wrapper for some gum named Black Black. I ate this gum the day I wore the jacket to meet official-types in Japan. I thought it was weird that it sat in my pocket all that time and has followed me around, back and forth from home, not to be noticed until now. Also, the gum is made by Lotte, a Korean brand.
Not really ironic... not really prophetic... but... foreshadowing? Not really anything, I guess.
Twice I wore the jacket for funerals, so it kind of has some sad associations for me.
The third time I wore it when I met with some official-types in Japan.
The other day, in the breast pocket I found a gum wrapper for some gum named Black Black. I ate this gum the day I wore the jacket to meet official-types in Japan. I thought it was weird that it sat in my pocket all that time and has followed me around, back and forth from home, not to be noticed until now. Also, the gum is made by Lotte, a Korean brand.
Not really ironic... not really prophetic... but... foreshadowing? Not really anything, I guess.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
사진 013
who says you need a 35 mm to take a crap ethereal photograph? that's out of my window from my apartment, but, the atmosphere, it doesn't really feel like the picture looks. the photograph probably illustrates the jet-lagged haze permeating my brain matter and slowly dripping out of my ears, though. i have decided that this period of my life will test my endurance more than any previous period.
what's endurance mean? it is related to words like "during" and "duration" and "obdurate" and back further to some Latin word meaning "to harden," with some connotation of "lasting." connecting endurance with the concept of being "hard" helps me understand how i am to endure.
what's endurance mean? it is related to words like "during" and "duration" and "obdurate" and back further to some Latin word meaning "to harden," with some connotation of "lasting." connecting endurance with the concept of being "hard" helps me understand how i am to endure.
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