Crap!!!!

My computer crashed! I am using a friend's. There will be no updates and no email for a while. Here's hoping my hard drive is not complete toast and that I can find an authorized mac repair shop in Yongsan. And quickly. And that I don't have to buy a new hard drive. Ah, well. crap. y'all are going to have to call me until future notice if you want to actually talk to me. And no american tv. argh. no dvd's. argh...only crappy korean tv.

It's official

If I don't worry about the time difference, it's official tomorrow. I've been blogging for a year. I am more consistent here than I am in my journal. Maybe that's bad, but it is nice to have family and friends stop by and let me know they've been checking on me. Feeling the love.......;)

Pix

Two of my new candles

Skully Lives! Actually, I've added about 9 more inches to sleeve #1 since taking the photo

Typical intersection of downtown Wonju.

For my Little Big bro Pat-this is a storefront

Average street corner-ain't it lovely?

The red sign says something pronounced like dahm-pae, but I have no idea what that means.

Bugger

I hate living in the boonies sometimes. Most of the time. I walked a ways for the bus (instead of the closest stopm for extra excercise-why can't I spell that word?), grabbed it for the express purpose to go get a mocha at Bay Wabin (Bae-wah-bean) and I got there and she was there, but closed. Brought stuff so I could hang out and write, which takes some doing for me here. It takes a while before I feel comfortable enough to hang out alone in some places here. Back home, no sweat, but here, people just don't do things on their own. Many restaurants, the minimum order is a double portion. So, some places I feel OK, others not. Not a safety thing, but a social thing. Hard when you only know so many people, and most don't want to come all the way out to your neighborhood. Grrr.

Yesterday I went downtown and bought some candles-chinese style ones with Chinese script on one and some really neat drawings on the other two. I am sure they will look really beautiful as the flame starts to get lower into the candle, backlighting the design. I'll have to send some home, for sure.

In the end, I managed to get the house cleaned up and laundry done, and I ran into Jane: she walked out of the elevator while I was waiting to get on with my clean laundry. It was kinda funny-we looked at eachother kind of suprised for a minute. Then she gives me a big hug. Her closest friend lives in my building, Je-hae, on the sixth floor. Je-hae is very nice, but her English is a lot more limited. So, Jane had to go into Family Mart to get a toothbrush and I was telling her about a funny misunderstanding on my part with the guy working at the counter. But, I say, he's a nice guy, even though we basically don't understand anything the other says. So she apparently told him in Korean that I like him. All I can say is, I hope it doesn't have the same double meaning in Korean as in English. All I need is a 19 year old Halla student thinking I've got the hots for him!......wait, maybe that is all I need...;)

I have pictures. Maybe tomorrow I will be motivated enough to show you. Just some shots of downtown. When you really look, you realize how different, small, thrown together, and often, dirty, it feels. But it is different from home, and that is part of why I left.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of those you who check up on me here. I miss you and I hope you have a great day. I am lazy music filled morning (Jamie Cullum's All at Sea, love it, T,, thanks) and I am about to open my wrappped present from T.,...drumroll please.....yes, it sat in front of me on my desk every day for maybe 10 days and remained wrapped so I could do this TODAY......Dream Angus, by Alexander McCall Smith.....looks good, I think I will enjoy it. Thanks T! Still has a bit of that new book smell you wnated to be sure was still there ;) International post is not good for new book smells.

Later I will goto dinner at Outback with Kristy, her sister Kelly, who came from Bundang last night, and Rhonda. There may be a movie involved, but I am not sure I want to see a holiday romantic comedy....most of those just aren't that great, I find.

Anyway, y'all have a great day.

Recommendation

Thanks, T, for the Jamie Cullum CD. If y'all like like a kind of updated jazzy sound, I recommend his stuff. My favorite song so far on Twenty-something is probably the same as T's: All at Sea. I'm probably going to listen to it until I kill it. :) Fits my mood right now. Wish I was out on the water right now, wish I could leave the obligations and connections behind right now.

I also recommend Jinusean's Telephone number, if you're in the mood to check out some korean rap with English thrown in. No, I don't understand the korean, but it has a good beat. You can check it out on Youtube, but you have to bear with the stupid video that goes with it if you listen there. Basically, take the idea of rap that coems out of the US, especially the materialistic part of it, idealize it, wrap it up out of context and absorb it into another culture. America too has done this, I know. It's just interesting to see it from the other perspective. Maybe because Sweden is western, I did not see it nearly as much or as blatantly as I do here. Anyway, that's the video. Girls in sexy clothes in front of big cars and guys in weird clothes that just look like rap costumes. When against a white background, given no context, it just makes it so obvious. good beat, tho......;)

After much thought and talking to others, I have come to what I can only call my own personal conclusion that Korea is a more materialistic culture than America, and for those of you that know me well, that is saying a lot. It is in a different way, though, too.
- - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -
I got really off track with the rest of this post and edited it. I'll have to put my thoughts together in a more structured way to explain what I mean.

Knits and Snowmen

The first photo is a snowman ornament my mum sent to me. The second is a photo of me and most of my second graders. Aren't they cute? Even when they look annoyed, they are cute-that's just what kids are like. When they are annoying, as opposed to annoyed, that's another matter, but.....the third is a shot that I took in Seoul, I think that must be the headquarters for Shinhae Bank. It's about as Christmassy as things get here. Christmas is not a big deal, and the lack of commercialism is refreshing, but the lack of being able to find suitable gifts for those I want to give something to is annoying. Pardon my overuse of the word today. Anyway, I needed another potholdery thing, so I knit one. Simple boring 3X rib that I switched every 11 rows, for a total of three times. I cheated terribly on the handle so I could hang it behind the snowman.

It is nice to be on vacation, though the books for immersion camp sit over in a corner. I won't be able to ignore them entirely. But for now I shall certainly try. And I shall certainly sleep in to a shameful hour-but do so shamelessly!

Vacation

Vacation has begun. I know it will be over before I know it, but for now, I will just enjoy knowing that I can sleep in, take naps, nit keep to a schedule, etc. I will have to create a schedule for camp, but that;s really as simple as dividing the pages in the book by the number of lessons.

Whoo-hoo! Vacation. Three Glorious Weeks. Now, if only I was gong somewhere warm. I will comfort myself by remembering the money I am saving and planning something for February vacation. ;)

Random thoughts

Wow, I just realized I have been blogging for just shy of a year now. I'm getting better at posting more regularly too. I had some pix taken of me with my second graders today, so I will get those on here soon. I haven't looked at them yet, so I hope they came out OK!

Comments part 2

I think I have fixed the comments issue. Please try again so I know for sure. For some reason, I was not getting notification of the comments to be moderated. Probably a typo on my part. So, they have gone off to nowhere land, but hopefully all is well going forward. Went to Seoul today with Rhonda. It was her first trip to Seoul and her first time on a subway. She is fun to hang out with and easy to talk to. It was snowing as we left, there was a bit in Seoul, but it warmed up so it was all gone by the time we got home. It's a cold night, though, and we are supposed to get more tomorrow. It never amounts to much which suits me just fine. I had my fil in Massachussetts, especially with the huge showstorm we had while I was living in New Bedford and working at the cable company. I still remember feeling bad for the guys in the field, digging around for hours because the pedestals weren't even visible. And they had to find 'em to fix 'em. I remember calling people up when the techs called in on the radio, and telling these people, "We can't help you now. Please call us once your street has been plowed. The cable company will not plow to your house-duh (No, I didn't really say the last part;)

We took so long in the stationary store, that we saw Robin just long enough to leave Starbucks and have a beer at The Nashville. Since I hadn't spent much, I treated myself to Guiness. Mmmm, tasty.

Title Schmitle

I am just killin' time until vaca, considering my dinner options, and thinking about having a wisdom tooth removed. It's not overly troublesome, but...yeah, TMI. Cheaper here, but there is the whole Lost in Translation problem. You get used to it in many ways, then BAM, something important comes along and you REALY REALLY wish you could speak the language. The group at family mart seemd impressed (in my estimation, overly impressed) by my ability to give my cell ohone number to them in Korean. Funny stuff, I guess. They were laughing lots, but I didn't get it. But thay are cool people, so I know it wasn't mean spirited laughter. Some of it may have been laughing at themselves, since they were having a hard time communicating with me even though there were three of them and only one me.

OK, y'all where are my comments? You know that that is the only way I know that you are checking in. Come on y'all, let me feel the love.......

No Dice

...on the Mallory thing. I found sn obit that makes me wonder if they are family. I wonder if there is a polite way, using good ettiquette to find out if peop;le area distant relation. I sill consider.

Received 2 pacjkages today. Betreen mom and Teri, I have the motherlode of antacids, so no worries there. Sweet. Teri, thankfully your actual present was wrapped and remains so to heighten anticipation. There appears to have been a last minute substitution in a package. Yarn that I specifically remember giving away has made its way back to me, whilst some lovely much anticipated lace yarn has disappeared into the great yarn black hole. I ave given up on it's ever escaping the velocity and strength of said black hole. Teri, if you do not mind, if my sock yarn, which tends to be thicker, is not a proper substitute (I have been waiting since August with three patterns for said yarn), I will simply reorder it and have it sent to you and you can send it directly, as I do not anticipate a large and import tax alarm bell ringing rate to ensue from said order.

Some purply pinky stuff that I do not recall ordering has also appeared. Maybe they are sending small reminder gifts? Don't know. BTW Teri, please do not send any more knitpick catalogues-they are for the purposes of selling only and od not have any nifty patterns included. I wouldn't want to spend money on a catalogue I can peruse online. But I greatly appreciate the thought. Th antibac gels are appreciated greatly. Since soap and paper towels are so scarce (not even available for teachers at my "prestigous" (tonge-in-cheek) school, antibacs are very nice to have. I try to wash were the foreign teachers keep soap, but since we have only cold water, it is not the most pleasant experience.

On Saturday I hope to go to Namdaemun market and the largest Alpha chain store I have heard of so that my friend Rhonda can get some drawing charcoal, we hope. Since it is but a stop away, I hope to go to Dongdaemun to get blankie and bag yarn. I am so bad, and must knit like my life and livelihiid depend on it over vacation to warrant such expendtitures. Not that I haven't ensured very nice deals and mat share as a after christmas I can never get it to you in time present.

"K, I am tired and had a weird day, so I will sign off for now.

This is sooo silly, but....

OK, so you know how "google" has become a verb, as in, "to google ones' self" (sp?)? Well, months ago I did it with my full name and the only thing that came up was a UW page. My name wasn't on the googled part, either. You had to search for it, and I got bored before I found it. I was relieved, actually, because it is kind of a creepy phenomenon. But I figured, hey, what if I just use my first name? Well, I hit page 7, some youngun's page cam up a lot, and, of course the famous climber, George H. L. Mallory, who disappeared on Mt. Everest. I didn't know that they had found his body until I tried this search. Yep, they found Mr. Mallory in 1999. But, I digress. Wrong Mallory, right? Right! Because I am Miss Mallory Teacher! a.k.a., Mallory-My-Lass (mi-loh-ri-meh-lass, as Dad says, anyway), a.k.a., Mulray, as Teri says. Or, as Pat coined, Telephone Pole.....oh, wait, I digress yet again. Mallory. Yup, that's me. The Mallory that needs to go on a yarn diet Even though the sock yarn that arrived today was sooooo lovely, but until I learn to knit socks, and have some knitted socks, and maybe gift some knitted socks, I need to go a on a sock yarn diet. Worsted and bulky weight are A-OK, since, as per an earlier post, I think I may be knitting a new baby blanket. Oooh, off topic tangent-I am good at that, aren't I?

Were was I? Mallory, that's right! Mallory! So, the entire original point of this post was to write my name: Mallory a post on my blog and see if it makes a difference, even though it is not in the name of my blog. So, l please pardon my momentary vanity. After all, when was the last time you saw me with earrings, a necklace, make up and a skirt-or even a fancy non-skirted get up all at once? Long time, eh? So, I guess I don't think of myself as particularly vain, except maybe in a minor way about being reasonably smart.

So, this is Mallory signing off to see if she can get her big bro Jay's chat handle to work properly, and to, oh, google herself-by first name only, mind you! ;)

Translation and Misc. Stuff

Actually, Bridget, the last post was all good stuff. My Swedish mum, Kerstin, called me last night because she had already received my Christmas card. She is, always has been, and no doubt, ever will be, terrible at snail mail. So, when she hears from me, she inevitably calls to say hello. I can't complain-it's great to hear her voice. Although, she asked if I wanted anything, and I said a letter would be great. I could even pass on the Marabou, as I am hoping to kick the sugar addiction over break. We had a lovely talk and I found out that Jonas and Bettan will have another bay, due in March.

As to other stuff: Yes, Bridge, I guess mom mailed some stuff. She said she tried to remember every thing but was unsure if she did. I hope she remembered the essentials, like the herbal remedy that helps me kick sugar, deodorant, and some of the warm clothes that I asked for, among a few other things. Teri sent me enough cold medicine in her last package for at least two colds. So, other than that, it is indeed a waiting game. I will let you know what she missed.

This afternoon I went to my regular Saturday hangout (Maidu, to do progress reports) and called Rhonda, a new friend who is from Texas. She is a hoot and this is her second go round. After graduating from college (after having and raising a son a bit younger than me, and that's all I'm saying) she decided that she wanted to come to Korea before jumping into the 9-5 grind that would be part and parcel of her new degree. She too is an artist and we have a lot in common and I have enjoyed her company in the couple of times we have hung out. We tried soju (first time for both of us) and I have to say, it basically tastes like very weak vodka. I prefer vodka. Soju has nothing going for it on its own, I have to say. You'd have to mix it to make it worth it. I have tried that too, whilst out with Kristy and Andrew and it was crap. I don't know what kind of brew it was supposed to be, but if you add soju to OJ like any sensible vodka appreciating person might do, you might have an decent drink. The swill we had while the three of us were out, well, let's just say that I switched to a beer-korean beer, at that. Ugh.

Anyway, I was lazy today and got a late start, a late finish, and it is time to call it quits. Besides, my Skully has not made any progress (if this were a spanish sentence, the mere structure of the sentence would blame it on the sweater rather than the knitter, an idea I quite like, so therefore I blame it on the sweater. What do you expect? I always screw up when I have to pick up stiches to knit!). The uruaguayan yarn is still airing out in order to loose the inherent odor that treated wool can often have. So, no knitly news. Will have to make more progress on those 2nd grade progress reports tomorrow. Doing progress reports always reminds me of my 4th grade teacher, who, at the end of the year wrote some nice things, rounded off with, "and come back next year without that Southern accent!" As if it were my fault she couldn't understand me! Imagine if I wrote that the kids should come back next term, "without that Korean accent!" Really, now! ;)

oops-double post

Won't delete due to comment.

Övädade Händelse

Vilken ovädade händeslen hände idag. Vilken fin hädelse hände idag! Telefon ringde klockan halv tio. Jag tänkte känske telmarketer (svensk?). Men de' var Kerstin! Vad fin att hära sin röst. Den var lite som att fa en stor kram från Sverige. Tack och lov hade jag drukit lite vin så var min svenska lite bättre an vanlig. Vi pratade en tid och sä lärde jag att Jonas och Bettan ska ha ett barn til. Kontratulerar! Nu måste jag sköpa garn til en filt (not felted, just blankie) til! Men de' var bara så fin att prata med Kerstin. Jag tänkte inte saga att jag planera besök nästa sommaren, men de' sa jag i allafall. Om jag stannar til in Korea hoppas jag att göra så. Shhhhhhhh.....saga ingeting!

Så avslutade dagen veldig bra. ;)

Comments

Sometimes I just want to leave a post so that people that I miss can leave comments to let me know they are checking up on me. Less than two weeks to vacation. I am looking forward to it VERY much. Teri, I got your package and it had some very cool stuff in it, and thanks. I know there is a lot of stuff that the third graders will go crazy for and the stuff that is too young for them I can give to Miss Won for the second graders market. All in all, I will have some very happy kids. And there was plenty of stuff in there to make me smile, too. I will send an email to answer all of your many questions, and the letter was great and no shortage of laughs. Spin, I got your card, too, and thanks. Yep, I smiled. :)

I'm off to bed. I like 9 hours in bed, which usually translates to about 6 hours of good sleep-maybe more sometimes. No way to be sure, right? More KT problems and I can't get it straightened out because I don't speak korean. They keep screwing up and overcharging me and not lowering my service (they actually cancelled it!), but because I am getting the higher level of service, which I do not want, I can't get my money back. Companies rule the individuals here. You should see the way they rip their own off. But it makes me realize how good we've had it for so long in America-for those who have a bit more than a pot to piss in, anyway. I can't speak for those who really don't have two cents to rub together, even though I have been there.

Ok, nite y'all.

Knitly News

Still working on my Skully sweater that will have no Skullies, so I can wear it whilst teaching. I also finish a no pattern scarf with my Manos Stria cotton, just so I made something with it finally. Nothing terribly impressive, I just did a basketweave with garter on all edges



Top one shows how it looks close up, the patterning, such as it is, and th bottom the overall look. And, yes, that lavendar lushy plushness is a throw blanket I knit from some poly-yes poly-goodness I bought here in Korea. It is sooo soft and nice. Rather thick, too. Not super warm, but, did I say plushy goodness?


















Next up, I hope, finish Skully, some socks (my first, basic pattern ideas welcome-I may try the 2 needle idea on knitty now-does this creat bulkiness or problems where sewn up?), and a blanket with the wool from handpaintedyarn.com. Scroll down for pics of that and of the Seoul SNB.

I've Been Promising Pictures

First, Thanksgiving pictures.

Manuel, Eddie, and Jane (L to R). Manuel lives in Gwanju. He is Eddie's fiance. Eddie is the teacher that came to Sahmyuk after me. They are both mellow, cool people. He's a kiwi, she's from the States. Jane is one of the korean English teachers and she's easy to get along with. She is my standing translotor for the hairstylist, and we always have lots of laughs when we hang out together. She's all good with it when I am goofy and silly.


Kristy, Canadian, teaches at a hagwon in Wonju, in the Lotte Cinema area. For me that is a walk and bus ride or a walk and a cab ride away. We went to Seoul today, actually, and I was with her when she bought this shirt awhile back. Joseph's amazing technicolor coat-can you say drama major, y'all?



Charles, one of the Sahmyuk teachers, looking thoughtful. He has been here for 5 years, has a girlfriend who speaks no English, and is an all around cool guy. Easy to work with and fun to have around.



Ok, finally, me, with straight hair when I actually took the time to make it look nice.



I promised proof that I went to the Seoul Stich and Bitch. Here it is. I was in the same neigborhood today with Kristy during part of our time in town today. I plan to go again this month, at least once.



And, of course, the yarn I ordered from handpaintedyarn.com. Very nice, for the most part. It's basically Manos, only cheaper. If you don't knit, you don't get it, I don't need to explain. It is designated to become a blanket (The multi at the bottom may become part of a pair os felted slippers if I can find a pattern-ideas welcome). The green on the far right was a gift that was thown in with my order. I will order merino for next to the skin stuff. Some of the colors are just amazing. Again, if you are not a knitter (crocheter)......then you must be family and you know I'm crazy. Yarrrrrn. Yum. I confess, I bought sock yarn from Ebay. I haven't even knit a real sock yet! Guess I better bust out the needles, eh?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas........well, no. But we did have our forst snofall in Wonju yesterday. It's nice to be somewhere where it didn't start a month ago! The kids went nuts. It wasn't enough to stick, and one of my fellow teachers said the average that does stick, once in a while, is an inch. Whoo-hoo! I can deal with that kind of snow! Especially since I am not dispatching cable and don't have to worry about how crazt the weather will make my work day. I don't miss that at all! Of course, even in the rain or even the one monsoon style thuderstorm that happened after I came did not interupt electricity, phone, tv, or internet service to anyine I know.

So. it's cold I have been busting out my korean bought winter coat. I am getting used to it, so now I think it's not that bad (the coat). The fake fur actually feels quite nice if you zip it up that far.