It blows my mind that people I have never met in real life, people I have only met over the internet, are more willing (and to make a point to) keep in touch with me than many (not quite all) of the people that I sat next to day after day after day.
Oh, and BTW, random blog-thought I wish I could share with the entire world: if you are not under contract with them now, don't ever use T-Mobile. Their customer service sucks and is condescending. They claim not to have an address that you can mail documentation to (because their fax will not work with yours, half way around the world) unless you ask them for a supervisor. Only then will they pony up with an address, and any documentation you send must include a letter as to why you are mailing them something.
To: Unknown person (because your reps do not take mail and won't tell me your name)
From: Check to postmark-it's from Korea, just like I said in both faxes I sent before I left the States!
Re: The bills you keep sending me for a charge T-Mobile keeps levying that is not theirs-legally.
HI,
I AM MAILING YOU BECAUSE YOUR COMPANY SUCKS.
Here is the proof you wnated that I moved. A bill, It is in korean, so you have no proof of anythin!
Hahahahahahaha. Your company sucks. Please note, that as a former customer service rep, I am NOT saying you suck. I know the difference. But, please tell Delores whose real name is Sharon that she it is inappropraite to be condescending. If I wasn't half way around the world, I would tell her myself. But, you are customer relations, so you tell her, ok?
Thanks. BTW, bill me again and I will report you to the better business bureau. Not that you care, but I will.
Have a nice day when you get out of work. If you are not happy, leave CubicleLand ASAP. I wasted 2 1/2 years more than I should have. (the first 6 months were ok, then I knew my job so well I was bored silly).
Mallory
End rant. Please excuse mistakes. Too ripped to check.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Dongdaemun is Calling
Dongdaemun is calling. Oh, that lovely yarn from the bottom floor of that building outside 424 blueline (lite blue, that is) stop is calling me.
"Come back! Buy me! Make something soft and cuddly and wonderful with me! I may be polyester, but I am the best darn polyester you have ever seen!"
It's calling loudly, too, because I can hear it over all the stupid racket the uni kids are making outside the building. I want to move to Musildong! There is nothing here except for uni students who throw up on the stairs! Ergh! Disgusting. Ok, I am too tired (and probably sick, basedont he way my throat hurts) to post the pics from my field trip tonote. That was Monday. It was a long long long day. Pretty scenery, though. Long.
"Come back! Buy me! Make something soft and cuddly and wonderful with me! I may be polyester, but I am the best darn polyester you have ever seen!"
It's calling loudly, too, because I can hear it over all the stupid racket the uni kids are making outside the building. I want to move to Musildong! There is nothing here except for uni students who throw up on the stairs! Ergh! Disgusting. Ok, I am too tired (and probably sick, basedont he way my throat hurts) to post the pics from my field trip tonote. That was Monday. It was a long long long day. Pretty scenery, though. Long.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Ah the LUV
My oldest big sissy loves me looooooots. She sent me my first care package with lot o' goodies. Teri, keep the fake American dollars coming so I can have an auction with my third graders. I need something to motivate them to act like good doobies. I know they get a lot more work starting in the third grade, so they are getting tempermental and they are no longer think of school as fun. But it is so important that to me that they pay attention and learn and hopefully have a good semester with me so I am working hard to figure out how best to work with them.
I got my Sox hat as requested and that made me sooooooooooo very happy that was dancing aroung my shoebox (a.k.a. my apartment) to The Devil Went Down to Georgia, even though it skips. I was so happy to hear a song like that that makes me think of my family. I love you and miss you lots. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Teri. My big sis' rocks!
I got my Sox hat as requested and that made me sooooooooooo very happy that was dancing aroung my shoebox (a.k.a. my apartment) to The Devil Went Down to Georgia, even though it skips. I was so happy to hear a song like that that makes me think of my family. I love you and miss you lots. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Teri. My big sis' rocks!
Monday, September 04, 2006
No, Really, Seriously Y'all
How am I supposed to take a cop shop seriously if they have this picture on the outside? No, really, no joke. Can you believe this?
Downside: it smells like gimchi central outside my apartment right now. Ick. Ugh. All Gimchi, All the Time! College kids have moved in en masse over the last couple of days. It's getting loud and messy. Grrrr.
I'm getting there. I am ready for this week, and even partially ready for next week. Tomorrow I will meet with my co-teacher to go over the plan for grade 2 for next week. I compile that into something in English for her for Wednesday. Should be interesting, since Mr. Hong decided that we are doing a welcoming dinner for the new teachers (Edvish and me) tomorrow evening. Hopefully it won't take too long. I'd like to get things to the point that I am getting all my prep done during my free periods at school.
Tomorrow the second graders have some sort of practice, so I do not have 1st period. I will only teach the lesson once, and I get to go in late since I do not start until second period. Sweet!
These photos are from a trip to Seoul a couple of weeks ago. Anna and and I met up with Desi, who was fresh off the boat from Georgia a mere week before me. The first is Desi looking proud of her new hat and then one of Anna and me where we had lunch. I can't remember what the food is called at the moment. It is meat, gimchi, garlic and veggies cooked on a dome shaped grill like thing so that the fat rolls down and away from the food. It was tasty, though not something I am crazy about.
There is a place downstairs in my building that serves the same thing, I think. Fattening if eaten too much. Pork, too, which many people I know here don't eat. SDA's are often vegetarian, and even those that do eat meat usually don't eat pork.
Maybe I'll add pics from my trip this past saturday next time.
Tomorrow the second graders have some sort of practice, so I do not have 1st period. I will only teach the lesson once, and I get to go in late since I do not start until second period. Sweet!
These photos are from a trip to Seoul a couple of weeks ago. Anna and and I met up with Desi, who was fresh off the boat from Georgia a mere week before me. The first is Desi looking proud of her new hat and then one of Anna and me where we had lunch. I can't remember what the food is called at the moment. It is meat, gimchi, garlic and veggies cooked on a dome shaped grill like thing so that the fat rolls down and away from the food. It was tasty, though not something I am crazy about.
There is a place downstairs in my building that serves the same thing, I think. Fattening if eaten too much. Pork, too, which many people I know here don't eat. SDA's are often vegetarian, and even those that do eat meat usually don't eat pork.
Maybe I'll add pics from my trip this past saturday next time.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Ready
10:15 P.M. For the first time, I actually feel ready for the next day. I managed to pick p some supplies so that I could feel organized. I have everything ready so that I I know what I am doing tomorrow. I feel like I have enough material to keep my kids busy. The third graders are starting to realize that I will not put up with BS and they are starting to realize that if they tow the line, they will get rewarded. Group A got rewarded today for good behavior for the last 2 days, and for getting their work done. Group B did not. I am counting on one group telling the other, so that they realize that they can earn it. I hope this works.
On a side note, I am glad Isabelle lost all her power on the 4400. I couldn't stand her! Hehehe. Also, Edvish, the new teacher, seems pretty cool. I must admit to being a bit jealous of her schedule. She only has about 20 hours of class time. She is already prepped for about a month for the classes for which they have given her her books. That's not many. Welcome to Korea.
On a side note, I am glad Isabelle lost all her power on the 4400. I couldn't stand her! Hehehe. Also, Edvish, the new teacher, seems pretty cool. I must admit to being a bit jealous of her schedule. She only has about 20 hours of class time. She is already prepped for about a month for the classes for which they have given her her books. That's not many. Welcome to Korea.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Everything here seems to take me 3 times longer than it should. I screwed up my computer. Did I mention that I hate it anyway? I am miserable right now and I can't help but wonder WTF I have done. I don't want to be here now, but even if I was going to leave (hypothetical-I don't want to give up), I don't have a home. I am so isolated and lonely and unhappy right now.
*******edited for the worst of my pissy attitude**********
2 Hours, 1 walk, and 5 minutes of online research later, I used a piece of cardboard to get the stupid disc stuck in the drive out. Now, if I can just get the Office suite to stop giving me so many problems!
*******edited for the worst of my pissy attitude**********
2 Hours, 1 walk, and 5 minutes of online research later, I used a piece of cardboard to get the stupid disc stuck in the drive out. Now, if I can just get the Office suite to stop giving me so many problems!
Friday, August 25, 2006
Just some Updates
Ok, so, the important stuff....
I am not too keen on Korean food so far. Their veggies are very different from home.
As you can see from the picture, some dishes come with some rice and LOTS of veggies. I do not recognize 90% of them. Radishes are popular here, frequently yellow, and I do not know how they are made, but they are sweet. Not bad. For me, preferable to others. Sometimes used in a nice cold soup.
So far I like dagalbi, which is very spicy chicken with thick rice noodles and cabbage, shabba shabba (something like that, anyway) which is beef cooked at the table in a broth with veggies, and tang sa man du, which is a plate of sweet and sour pork dumplings. Lunch is available for free at school, but it is straight up cafeteria food. Occasionally not bad, but rarely good.
Ms. Wan, Ms. Lee, Anna and I (right to left) went to Woljeogsa Temple over vacation. Beautiful scenery, beautiful buildings. No photos in the museum, and I did not take pictures of the Buddha out of respect. It was a story tall, beautifully made and housed (in an ornately painted building like the others). There were candles with Chinese script on them that glows as they melt down, I will have to remember to ask Anna where I can get some of those.
I finally got cable, which was my first experience of descrimination here. They did not want to install it because too many foreigners leave without paying the bill. Mr. Lee, the school administrator, called and arranged it for me. After all that, I barely turn it on, thanks to Korea's killer internet service. It really is very fast and very reliable, and there is plenty to download online.
I had a bit of a delay getting my plane ticket refund. It took a while and 3 of us explaining that when you buy a ticket online in the US, you only get an online receipt. The school did not want to accept that, but as I had nothing else (except my baording pass, which, thankfully, I had not yet tossed) eventually, I got my money.
Even with Ralph and Anna, I am still feeling isolated. Basically, I can barely communicate. It sucks. I am overthinking things at work, putting too much into it, and driving myself crazy as a result. As some one told me, aptly, you can not be an over acheiver here. Extra work is not seen as extra, nor appreciated as such, and may come to be expected as the norm, as has happened with some of the things that the foreign teachers have done as a courtesy. However, being new, I had a LOT dumped on me and expected of me. Even Anna said she thought it was a lot, which made me feel better. I was afraid it was just me.
After I kind of lost it a bit and had to leave the room (only Mr Hong and Ron were there) to compose myself, I think people started to realize that asking me to change up entire plans and expecting me to whip up schedules when I didn't even know the number of lessons in the semester was unrealistic. And it clearly got around, because I found out from another teacher that my co-teacher had heard. She hoped she was not to blame, which she was not, though I was feeling overwhelmed by everyone. If you want a certain lesson planned, tell me that first, before I make a lesson plan from where the kids left off! If you need a plan for the semester, you have to give me a schedule.....you get my drift. It is very Korean. I knew to expect this, but it doesn't make it any easier when I am emotionally overwhelmed. My last job was good training, though, because Adelphia changed their policies every 5 minutes, and if I did not know that, I got blamed for it. Even if the policy change was announced before my shift, on my day off and was never emailed. For a communications company, Adelphia was an epitome of miscommunication. But I digress, as so many people love to say these days.
I have a coffee shop that I like, called Maidu. They are very friendly, upbeat, and it has a nice atmosphere. I guess there is one closer to home, but I do not know where it is, so I take the bus or taxi to the one by Lotte Cinema. I was sitting there looking out the window about 3 weekes ago when I figured out my first Konglish, using one of my books to help me with the words. Lots of things are written in Konglish, which means that if you sound out the Korean letters, they sound like ( or are SUPPOSED to sound like) words in English. I do not have Korean letters set up on my computer, but suffice to say that after many consultations of my book, I deciphered: ALL TIME GAHM RENTA (no "L") which I surmised to mean 24 hour game rental, A.K.A. PC Bang (pronounced bahng). Of course, the graphics were obvious, but I was proud of myself nonetheless! I also heard my first K-rap. It is......upbeat K-style. Ralph and Anna have seen some videos and understand some of the words, and had a good laugh while telling me about it. Ralph thinks is is hilarious that the girls in the videos prance around in one piece bathing suits and that the rappers are in old schools style American cars that you never see on the roads here. They sing about how hard life is at home with mommy and daddy, I guess. I don't think there are many ghetto hardened gangsters here that have to worry about drive by shootings, even from a scooter.
I have tried to get furniture, but there is way too much orange pleather here. Koreans love leather and pleather and orange is big. So is a fluffy purple. I don't think pleather is at all comfy, so thus far the only furniture I have added is my Swedish Poang chair that cost about 30% more than at Ikea in the States. And I had the shopkeeper knock $15 off the price. Ah well. So, want to see my apartment? I am not cleaning it up especially for you!
I've included a shot the road outside the school as well as a shot of the school itself.
I love my second graders-they are excited, happy, and friendly as can be. I am learning their English names quickly. I had 2nd grade Science today, albeit from the Korean "Tips for Daily Life" which is a book that I hate. It is useless, as far as books go. They might as well say, this is your topic, now go figure out what you are going to do, because this book is only the roughest of outlines, a mere suggestion. Besides which, Tips is a social studies type book, not science. Grrrr. Science went well, today, though. Anna sent me some stuff that helped a lot, though I guess they had seen the presentations last year, although I thought they were geared specifically for second grade.
The third graders are a tough bunch. Everyone acknowledges that the third grader immersion class this year is tough. The kids are unruly and don't want to talk to the teacher, pay attention, or keep quiet with each other. I am going to have to get tough on them right away. That's hard to do, because you really have to watch your back. You have to use the other kids as witnesses, kind of, to show that you gave kids a chance, and you have to make them keep each other in line to keep from getting punished. I have been told that you need witnesses, because if a student complains about you, the school will believe the child over a foreign teacher. That is going to be strange for me. We shall see.
Ok all, it is 9 o'clock and time for me to veg on tv or a movie or book or something. Maybe tomorrow I will write about getting caught out in the storm and the cell phone drama :)
I am not too keen on Korean food so far. Their veggies are very different from home.
As you can see from the picture, some dishes come with some rice and LOTS of veggies. I do not recognize 90% of them. Radishes are popular here, frequently yellow, and I do not know how they are made, but they are sweet. Not bad. For me, preferable to others. Sometimes used in a nice cold soup.
So far I like dagalbi, which is very spicy chicken with thick rice noodles and cabbage, shabba shabba (something like that, anyway) which is beef cooked at the table in a broth with veggies, and tang sa man du, which is a plate of sweet and sour pork dumplings. Lunch is available for free at school, but it is straight up cafeteria food. Occasionally not bad, but rarely good.
Ms. Wan, Ms. Lee, Anna and I (right to left) went to Woljeogsa Temple over vacation. Beautiful scenery, beautiful buildings. No photos in the museum, and I did not take pictures of the Buddha out of respect. It was a story tall, beautifully made and housed (in an ornately painted building like the others). There were candles with Chinese script on them that glows as they melt down, I will have to remember to ask Anna where I can get some of those.
I finally got cable, which was my first experience of descrimination here. They did not want to install it because too many foreigners leave without paying the bill. Mr. Lee, the school administrator, called and arranged it for me. After all that, I barely turn it on, thanks to Korea's killer internet service. It really is very fast and very reliable, and there is plenty to download online.
I had a bit of a delay getting my plane ticket refund. It took a while and 3 of us explaining that when you buy a ticket online in the US, you only get an online receipt. The school did not want to accept that, but as I had nothing else (except my baording pass, which, thankfully, I had not yet tossed) eventually, I got my money.
Even with Ralph and Anna, I am still feeling isolated. Basically, I can barely communicate. It sucks. I am overthinking things at work, putting too much into it, and driving myself crazy as a result. As some one told me, aptly, you can not be an over acheiver here. Extra work is not seen as extra, nor appreciated as such, and may come to be expected as the norm, as has happened with some of the things that the foreign teachers have done as a courtesy. However, being new, I had a LOT dumped on me and expected of me. Even Anna said she thought it was a lot, which made me feel better. I was afraid it was just me.
After I kind of lost it a bit and had to leave the room (only Mr Hong and Ron were there) to compose myself, I think people started to realize that asking me to change up entire plans and expecting me to whip up schedules when I didn't even know the number of lessons in the semester was unrealistic. And it clearly got around, because I found out from another teacher that my co-teacher had heard. She hoped she was not to blame, which she was not, though I was feeling overwhelmed by everyone. If you want a certain lesson planned, tell me that first, before I make a lesson plan from where the kids left off! If you need a plan for the semester, you have to give me a schedule.....you get my drift. It is very Korean. I knew to expect this, but it doesn't make it any easier when I am emotionally overwhelmed. My last job was good training, though, because Adelphia changed their policies every 5 minutes, and if I did not know that, I got blamed for it. Even if the policy change was announced before my shift, on my day off and was never emailed. For a communications company, Adelphia was an epitome of miscommunication. But I digress, as so many people love to say these days.
I have a coffee shop that I like, called Maidu. They are very friendly, upbeat, and it has a nice atmosphere. I guess there is one closer to home, but I do not know where it is, so I take the bus or taxi to the one by Lotte Cinema. I was sitting there looking out the window about 3 weekes ago when I figured out my first Konglish, using one of my books to help me with the words. Lots of things are written in Konglish, which means that if you sound out the Korean letters, they sound like ( or are SUPPOSED to sound like) words in English. I do not have Korean letters set up on my computer, but suffice to say that after many consultations of my book, I deciphered: ALL TIME GAHM RENTA (no "L") which I surmised to mean 24 hour game rental, A.K.A. PC Bang (pronounced bahng). Of course, the graphics were obvious, but I was proud of myself nonetheless! I also heard my first K-rap. It is......upbeat K-style. Ralph and Anna have seen some videos and understand some of the words, and had a good laugh while telling me about it. Ralph thinks is is hilarious that the girls in the videos prance around in one piece bathing suits and that the rappers are in old schools style American cars that you never see on the roads here. They sing about how hard life is at home with mommy and daddy, I guess. I don't think there are many ghetto hardened gangsters here that have to worry about drive by shootings, even from a scooter.
I have tried to get furniture, but there is way too much orange pleather here. Koreans love leather and pleather and orange is big. So is a fluffy purple. I don't think pleather is at all comfy, so thus far the only furniture I have added is my Swedish Poang chair that cost about 30% more than at Ikea in the States. And I had the shopkeeper knock $15 off the price. Ah well. So, want to see my apartment? I am not cleaning it up especially for you!
I've included a shot the road outside the school as well as a shot of the school itself.
I love my second graders-they are excited, happy, and friendly as can be. I am learning their English names quickly. I had 2nd grade Science today, albeit from the Korean "Tips for Daily Life" which is a book that I hate. It is useless, as far as books go. They might as well say, this is your topic, now go figure out what you are going to do, because this book is only the roughest of outlines, a mere suggestion. Besides which, Tips is a social studies type book, not science. Grrrr. Science went well, today, though. Anna sent me some stuff that helped a lot, though I guess they had seen the presentations last year, although I thought they were geared specifically for second grade.
The third graders are a tough bunch. Everyone acknowledges that the third grader immersion class this year is tough. The kids are unruly and don't want to talk to the teacher, pay attention, or keep quiet with each other. I am going to have to get tough on them right away. That's hard to do, because you really have to watch your back. You have to use the other kids as witnesses, kind of, to show that you gave kids a chance, and you have to make them keep each other in line to keep from getting punished. I have been told that you need witnesses, because if a student complains about you, the school will believe the child over a foreign teacher. That is going to be strange for me. We shall see.
Ok all, it is 9 o'clock and time for me to veg on tv or a movie or book or something. Maybe tomorrow I will write about getting caught out in the storm and the cell phone drama :)
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Many thanks to Bridgett, a.k.a. SpinnDiva, who checks on me via my blog regularly. As requested, I will get some photos up. My current knitting prject got twisted when I joined...grrrr...so I have to undo some and go back to the petals. It's a flower shaped wash cloth. I am not being ambitious right now because I have enough on my plate.
I have has so much to do with school....more later!
I have has so much to do with school....more later!
Saturday, August 19, 2006
We are currently experiencing the effects of a tropical storm here. Not quite a typhoon. It's quite windy and it has cooled by a few degrees, which will make it a bit easier to sleep tonight, I hope. The brunt of it should arrive tomorrow. No rain, just wind. I think the worst of it is supposed to hit in the south, around Busan. Anna and I are headed to Seoul tomorrow, to hook up with Desi and check out the sights. Hopefully, the weather will not end becoming a deterrent.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Pictures
So the pictures at the bottom, below Jay, from bottom up are: Me and Dana at dinner at Red Robin with a bunch of friends, Suzzallo Library at the UW, a picture of Jay, Dad and me in front of the Macbook with one of the effects, and Ralph and Anna out on the town one evening in Wonju. I can't remember what we were doing that night, though it no doubt involved some dinner.
So, here's the deal. I left for Washington, stayed with Dana while she partied away for a couple of days, then went to Spokane and saw Pat (left). This is the two of us in his room. I missed im an awful lot, but seeing what is going on in his life makes me very sad. I love him very much, and I want my little big bro to be happy. Clearly, he is not.
Jay arrived at the airport the next day. We all hung out for a bit, then we went to try to see the kids, but Marianne would not let that happen. I left the book I bought last november for thier Christmas present with Pat to try to give to them. I have never had an address to send it to. I cried about that one, I'll tell you that right up front. I miss those kids and I wanted to see them. I haven't been to the west coast in 4 years. There are a lot of things I have been missing.
Killer Washington brew is one of them. Yep, coffee and beer. Make that Coffee and Beer Ooooh, man. I had frappacino mix commin' out my ears by the time I left. I had a great stout from a microbrewery at a waterfront restaraunt with Gini.
But I digress. Back to a more linear story. Jay and I decided we wanted to stay with Dad from the day Jay arrived in Spokane. I had stayed with Pat for one night, but his digs a kinda weird. So, we met up with Dad at the Spokane house, which, last I heard, is under agreement for sale this month. He has completed the purchade of a place in Montana since I left the country, and is now the proud owner of a hydroponic tomato farm in need of some serious work.
We went straigh up to the lake house so that all could cool off. The air cools more there, and it was 100 degree weather (still cooler than the 106 that was rtegular in Wenatchee) and we could jump in the lake, too. Jay and I did that every day.
Well, there is plenty more to tell, but the macbook is getting hot on my legs. Time to cool it off by putting in front of the fan asnd watching a movie. I will try to get some more pics on tomorrow, y'all.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Lights, Macbook, Action (and Mike's or Three)!
Teri and I went sailing with her friend Ted. I'lll load a few more images in the next post. The night before, after a few Mikes, we went a bit crazy having fun with the photobooth on my Macbook. As you can see, we had great fun! I kept Teri up well past her bed time. I'll miss having my big sis around while I'm in Korea. We end up with some great photos whenever we get together witha few drinks and a camera.
Update on my Stash
So, as you can see from the pic below, I've updated my stash. A bit is thanks to Spinndiva, the rest is thanks to Knitpicks. I ordered some stuff the gauge, and then, once I figured out what works, I ordered some more. And....I'm not done yet! The big bunch of blue is for Skully (although the actual skull won't make it into the sweater :) and I still want to order for my first cable project and for Under the Hoodie. I'm waiting for Andean Silk to become available in Hyacinth, then I'll have my mum mail it to me ROK. The Shine worsted is for small towels, dishclothes, maybe a hat. And some bits for other things, too. A large portion of my luggage is going to be dedicated to knitting supplies.
As for what I will have to sacrifice to fit it in.....that will be tough!
Tomorrow is my last day at Adelphia. There are certainly some wonderful people there that I will miss, but I am looking forward to my new adventure. I leave for Seattle on the 20th, then for Seoul on the 29th. It looks as though my time in Washington is going to be more hectic than I wanted. There is so much to do before I go! I haven't had the time to study Korean the way that I wanted to. Ah well...I am sure that there will be time while I am adjusting.
As for what I will have to sacrifice to fit it in.....that will be tough!
Tomorrow is my last day at Adelphia. There are certainly some wonderful people there that I will miss, but I am looking forward to my new adventure. I leave for Seattle on the 20th, then for Seoul on the 29th. It looks as though my time in Washington is going to be more hectic than I wanted. There is so much to do before I go! I haven't had the time to study Korean the way that I wanted to. Ah well...I am sure that there will be time while I am adjusting.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Insomnia
Can't sleep again. Insomnia sucks. Oh, sorry ma, "inhales profusely!" So, yeah, here I sit at 2.30 am EST typing diligently away. Ok, I'm not diligent about much these days. Just can't turn my brain off. I was knitting, but the left wrist is sore. I've been thinking a lot about why I knot and I've realized that, for me, it's not about what I make so much. It's that actual knitting itself.
Different knitters knit for different reasons. I have a bunch of really cool, and what are for me, complicated patterns. Of course, I can't use any of my many dpns so that's not saying much. But the fact is, simple patterns take up just enough brain power to either distract me just bit, or make me focus just a bit, whichever is required. So, while I do not yet consign myself to the group of "I knit square things" knitters, I definitely understand where they are coming from. Hopefully, with time, I will be able to knit some very beautiful unique square things. Heaven knows, the one sweater I've knit so far was not a resounding success. And, as it so heavy and bulky, it will become part of the pile of knit things that Mom will have to remind herself of me while I am in Korea. I just don't see that one fitting into the luggage. Even if it did, it would never make it to school. No need to set myself up for unnecessary taunting.
Well, this is the point where the wrist gets even more rest, I bust out the book, and hopefully get to sleep early enough to get out of bed while it is still "am."
Different knitters knit for different reasons. I have a bunch of really cool, and what are for me, complicated patterns. Of course, I can't use any of my many dpns so that's not saying much. But the fact is, simple patterns take up just enough brain power to either distract me just bit, or make me focus just a bit, whichever is required. So, while I do not yet consign myself to the group of "I knit square things" knitters, I definitely understand where they are coming from. Hopefully, with time, I will be able to knit some very beautiful unique square things. Heaven knows, the one sweater I've knit so far was not a resounding success. And, as it so heavy and bulky, it will become part of the pile of knit things that Mom will have to remind herself of me while I am in Korea. I just don't see that one fitting into the luggage. Even if it did, it would never make it to school. No need to set myself up for unnecessary taunting.
Well, this is the point where the wrist gets even more rest, I bust out the book, and hopefully get to sleep early enough to get out of bed while it is still "am."
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Wonju
I have accepted a position in Wonju, South Korea. I will be teaching at Sahmyook Elementary, replacing a teacher who is moving back to Canada with his wife. There are three other teachers there as well. Ralph, who I interview with, and Anna, his wife, who also talked to briefly. They are from Florida and have been teaching there for almost two years. Also teaching there is Trevor, but he and I haven't talked or emailed, really.
So far, Ralph has been very helpful with info. On my way to Seoul I will be stopping in Washington and Oregon for just over a week to visit with Dad, Jay, K, Dana, hopefully Ginni and others. Then it's off to Wonju, about an hour and half outside of Seoul. From all of his posts on Dave's ESL site, it seems like Ralph and Anna a very happy there. Apparently, they are negotiating their 2 year renewal contract now. That's a really good sign about eh school.
So, I am nervous, very excited and a bit stressed about getting every thing done. I decided to buy a Mac rather than a PC, so I have given myself a bit of a learning curve there, but it just means I need to invest some time reading. I will no doubt have plenty of that when I arrive, since I will only know Ralph and Anna. I'll bring some knitting along, too, of course!
Currently, I am taking break from my sari silk-the hands are getting tired. It's basically becoming a long thing. It was going to be a thick throw, but I cast on too many stitches and since I already frogged it twice (sari silk does NOT frog well) I don't' want to do it again. Frankly, it's too heavy to take with me unless I can make something useful of it, though. Perhaps a laptop case. We shall see.
So far, Ralph has been very helpful with info. On my way to Seoul I will be stopping in Washington and Oregon for just over a week to visit with Dad, Jay, K, Dana, hopefully Ginni and others. Then it's off to Wonju, about an hour and half outside of Seoul. From all of his posts on Dave's ESL site, it seems like Ralph and Anna a very happy there. Apparently, they are negotiating their 2 year renewal contract now. That's a really good sign about eh school.
So, I am nervous, very excited and a bit stressed about getting every thing done. I decided to buy a Mac rather than a PC, so I have given myself a bit of a learning curve there, but it just means I need to invest some time reading. I will no doubt have plenty of that when I arrive, since I will only know Ralph and Anna. I'll bring some knitting along, too, of course!
Currently, I am taking break from my sari silk-the hands are getting tired. It's basically becoming a long thing. It was going to be a thick throw, but I cast on too many stitches and since I already frogged it twice (sari silk does NOT frog well) I don't' want to do it again. Frankly, it's too heavy to take with me unless I can make something useful of it, though. Perhaps a laptop case. We shall see.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Jordan May '06
Stephanie, Mom and I were hanging out in the green house. I can't believe he is four months old already.
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