Snow, and Back

Woke up to snow.
I knew it was cold last night!

Walked to school experiencing not so much cold as thrill. It was great, seeing snow all over the ground, trees, cars. Then in the morning I had the littlest, cutest kids and while I was teaching it started to snow... I couldn't resist gazing out the window watching big, soft snowflakes leisurely descend.
I recalled the first time I saw snow fall, in my first week in Vilnius, studying Lithuanian, a classmate pointed to the window and I was entranced. The rest of my Euro classmates were underwhelmed, but I'd never seen snow FALL. It was wonderful.

I have just booked my ticket home. Back for Australia Day. Ain't life grand?

We have one chance
One chance...
To get everything right

My friends, my habits, my family
They mean so much to me
I just don't think that it's right

I've seen so many ships sailing
Just heading back out again
And go off sinkin'

Thanks, Modest Mouse, for those lyrics...

Truly, Back

Found the CDs of photos from the Party Like it's 1985 shenanigans. Oh my joyful goodness and bright hilarity. I've just uploaded a heap. Want to post some here but so hard to choose a favourite. What a great night. What a wonderful week home.

Hey I know it's cold here but I had no idea IT WAS THIS COLD. Sub-zero... Snow will be here for good soon. Definitely time to stop wearing espadrilles and buy a coat. Damnit.

I got to name my first student today. It was exciting. Ethan has been in the game ages so he's named heaps but it was the first time I'd got a new student with no English name. He is Sally's brother. So I called him Steve, after my godfather. I was rapt.

Back

"You're getting your life back—and just in time!
A recent lunation at the end of your 12th house capped off a crazy-making transit of Mars. Politically speaking, it wasn't quite as disastrous as the Dallas motorcade, but whoever was taking shots at you certainly kept well hidden. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if you experienced a flashback to the darkest days of the 1970s. Now that it's over, you can kick into high creative gear, reappear stronger than ever, and show everybody that you were only playing dead."

My horoscope, as told by Vanity Fair, hot off the press and SO TRUE as usual.

K-shit Heaven

Need I say more??

Well, they were 5000 each (AUD$6 WOW)

And I smiled all the way home after buying them. Joy.

Watched Munich tonight and marvelled at Bana doing his Israeli accent. Erm?

Oh, I uploaded some more Autumn shots from my walk to work.

Salute to Autumn 2

Glorious. This is on my way to work. Can you see why I smile?

Also - ' I hold a beast, an angel and a madman in me, and my enquiry is as to their working, and my problem is their subjugation and victory, downthrow and upheaval, and my effort is their self-expression'. Thanks, Dylan Thomas.

Happy Happy

Spoke to a dear friend last night and she suggested that I have a good day today. Well, I started it right by waking with my alarm, instead of hours before, so that was good. Chose a cute outfit, put on Modest Mouse, called RACV and got sense into them. Stepped outside and it was a glorious day, not cold, leaves falling everywhere. Thought about sweet things and Charlie. Took photos. Got to work and am eating fried chicken and listening to the translated flirting of the lesbian photographer who's here cos it's birthday party day at work. She's pouring me pepsi.

Remocon

Funnies at school this week. Teaching my students the various objects in a living room, they volunteered 'remocon' - typical K-abbreviation of remote control. And when discussing definition of 'party', I suggested birthday party, Halloween party... And a student chirped 'snack party'. Ok, sure.

Walking to work each day since I got back has been amazing. Korea is beautiful in Autumn, it's true. The Zenit would love it so I must forgive it for not winding on and get more film. It's so beautiful I reckon people smile just because.

As I was admiring the leaves in my street this morning I heard a noise like a giant kazoo. What the hell? Then I realised it was a person. A child. Screaming. Across the street. My student. Screaming at me in a high-pitched shriek: 'Good morning! Jessie! Teacher!'. So funny.

So my finger WAS healing really well... Very quickly and cleanly. But now I think the stump has been rejected... And is just a glorified (??) scab. Gross, sorry. At least I'm not posting a picture.

As of yesterday I'm no longer teaching my boss' husband. I'm so glad. It was a bit of a drain cos the preparation took me hours. So no pocket money. But more free time to watch DVDs and read the pile of books I brought back from home (aka stole from Dad). And to see some K-sights.

Finger-lengths

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground.
And I, I pray that something picks me up,
and sets me down in your warm arms.


Thanks, Ethan, for puting this on my birthday compilation. And thanks Snow Patrol, for the beautiful lyrics that take me to Dear Charlie.

DVD Weekend

I've been loaned a DVD player and a stack o' DVDs so this weekend I watched Closer and Super Size Me. Sweet. Natalie Portman is so much hotter than Jude Law. Mmm yeah.

Didn't got to poker - went upstairs to Olivia's apartment and ate pizza while watching Crash (race-relations, not Cronenberg). Didn't go teach at the dodgy home-school either - she postponed til next week but... I really can't be fecked with MORE teaching. I feel like relaxing. With my DVD player and the mountain of books I brought home with me.

Saw Ethan today. Have I mentioned I ADORE him? I found his blog before I came to Korea, before I decided to come, actually, and then we met up when I got here. He is proof the internet is a force of good. Heh heh. Maybe I'm just saying this cos he gave me EXCELLENT birthday presents, including a piece from his exhibition earlier this year. It's hanging in my apartment already ::

Today was my first real venture back into Korea. Since I got back a week ago I haven't been far from home - just to work and back, so I've not felt like I'm anywhere. Weird feeling. So I got the subway today, to go to Ethan's, and had a funny interaction with a guy selling funny scarf things on the train, which amused and embarrassed me. I bought one of the scarf things and no-one else was biting... The peddler said "I hate Koreans" to me in English. Funny.

Mandarins and Poker

A few things.

A box of mandarins at work (more like a crate - huge!) cos it was one of the rugrat's birthdays - Mimi is 7! Yum. Free food.

Apparently France might get a hot young Socialist President. I mean, 52 is young, right?

K-shit on a puffa jacket::
Oriental traditional out-door mix
sportive soft casual retro soft jean

Invited to poker tonight. Hmm. And tomorrow I'm supposed to be teaching at some dodgy home-school on the down-low. But I've got cold feet and can't bothered. Grr.

Everyone Says Hi

Don't stay in a sad place
Where they don't care how you are

Everyone says hi

If the money is lousy
You can always come home

We can do the old things
We can do all the bad things

If the food gets you leery
You can always phone

We could do all the good things
We could do it, we could do it,
we could do it

Thanks, David Bowie, for those lyrics. G-g-gold.

Thanks for the birthday sweetness, everyone.

'Specially feel special for getting greetings from Iceland. Woah.

(And Rio, and Amsterdam, and Brunswick, mwah mwah mwah)

Last week, this night, I was eating roast lamb up at the ranch, wearing fur, drinking and drinking and talking with the lovers and peeps. I was sunburnt. I was delirious with happiness.

[I feel an apology for all this self-indulgence is necessary... No 'issues' on the lament of late. Sorry. Must get back to reading papers news. Get out there out of my head. Or my arse. Sorry.]

Another Year

Today is my birthday.
I turn 26 today.

Although I've been away from home for a birthday before, this is a verystrange birthday. Verystrange.
I woke up on the right side of the bed and started the day feeling good. Kids were fine at school and I managed to keep it on the down-low that it was my birthday so my colleagues didn't do anything silly. I walked home for lunch and chatted with My Dearest Charlie about a bucket of eels, which made me so happy and chirpy he thought I'd been on the sauce.

I think the past year has been a pretty good one, and the year ahead is full of promise. Truly feeling optimistic. Last year when I had my super birthday day I couldn't imagine the year ahead: graduation ecstasy; relationship demise; misery; my day in court; Tassie shenanigans; Helena's arrival; Korea idea; vipassana; joy; meeting Dear Sweet Charlie; living in Korea and the craziness of late. And so much other stuff.
Now I look forward to a year full of surprises. So many things that held me back no longer exist or matter. Mmm I sure there will be challenges... But I know I live a blessed and sweet life, and my future is bright. Yeah. Happy birthday me. Heh heh.

Where are my pants?

There has been too few photos posted on the lament. I'll try to fix this. Let's start with a classic moment from Jack's Party Like It's 1985 shindig. Semi-naked toasted boys writhing on the dancefloor. Does it get any better??




When Baby Doc complained he couldn't find his pants, my reaction was: 'well, if you hadn't taken them off (to reveal white hotpants), you wouldn't have lost them'.

In other news, it's freezing here. Open Class is postponed. It's my birthday tomorrow. My head cold is abating. I forgot to announce that I finished reading Zen and the Art of Shit... Let me just say... A crappy read, I wish I hadn't bothered. Don't feel bad if you quit half-way through, there's hours of your life you didn't waste.

Lost

Lost a few things in translation. Well, they may be recovered sooner rather than later. And some are just things.
I lost my apartment key so when I reached Seoul I was locked out.
I can't find the photo CDs that Doc and EJW made me.
I lost the opportunity to spend quality time with some of the truly special people in my life.
And of course I lost more of my heart.

But I guess I'm back safe. It's damn cold. I can't believe I'm here.

We will keep saying 'it was worth it'. It is worth it.

Sunrise in Singapore

Here I am alone again, trying to balance between capable automaton and emoting human mess.
On the way 'home' but of course... It's not really home. That was my place, my people, back there, in Melbourne. I'm confused about why I'm doing this to myself and to those who love me but I'm also clear that stay or go, stick it or shove it, I have a direct line to happiness and freedom.
As I stand at the gate, the golden edges of the cloudscape suddenly reveal the giant orange sun. It's magnificent. I remember that the sky is all obscured in Seoul, dirty and often colourless.
This next little chapter will be another tale of me being strong, 'staying the course', but also, maybe I do need to consider a slightly bigger picture in order to see the importance of the small stuff I value that makes me happy... Oh so unclear in my expression. But I need to consider my ambition, my passion, what do I want to do, if I can chose anything, now I have my degree, etc etc...

Whirlwind

Youse all know that it's all about love.
Well. It's been a superkalafragalisticexpealadocious few days of loving, partying, eating, drinking, photographing, being spoilt, sneezing, driving, loving, and sundry goodness.
Oh my gawd, life is indeed sweet.
Massive props to my blogging compadres, 'specially KP and TT who were HOT HOT HOT and Mack Daddy and Richard who I met in the fleshhhhh for the first time. Yay.

Skillful

Friday morning. The day is here. I'm a-quiver!
Woke up early, from a dream about EJW telling me off for picking on the father of her child. Mmm.
Anyways, finished packing. Hope it weighs in under 20 kilos and they let me on with the colossal amount of carry-on I have. Anyways. Excited.

Last night I went back to Dr Park's Orthopedic Clinic to get a look at the digit and see how it's going. While I was in the waiting room with two dozen others, a nurse came over and unbandaged my finger so that while I sat there everyone could get a good look. I had to soak the last bit of gauze in saline so it would soften and then the Doc came and started cutting through the stitches. We were both AMAZED when it came off to see that the graft had worked and it's all healing very well. Ace. I can prolly have all the bandages and shit off on Monday. Wikkid. The Doc said "You are very lucky. You got a skillful surgeon." I was like, skillful my arse, HE was lucky. Heh heh. Maybe the cutie medicines also helped ::



A couple of my friends have started blogs that I'll be checking on on. One is KT, who is a nerd and a divine woman who I've known since grade 3. The other is Luis, a brilliant poet who is trekking India. He was one of the first people to give a shit about The Lament. Onya.

Thanks to everyone for your sweet emails and goodness during my whole time away but especially this week when I had this unexpected digit crisis. Thanks to Ethan, for his tribute to my shoes. Whataguy.

Oh, and I keep thinking and writing about the market near my place that was reduced to rubble. This is what it looked like yesterday::