Busy Busy Busy

I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since my last post. And a pretty crap effort that one, as well. I've been busy getting ready for the KOTESOL International Conference, which is mere weeks away, and I'm woefully unprepared for.

I've also been getting the new semester going at work. We've been down two teachers, out of four. So, I've been taking up some of the slack. One of the teachers has arrived, so I've been training him this week. His wife arrives next week, so after I train her up, things should be smooth sailing for the last few months of my contract. That's right, after how many years of saying I was ready for a change, I have given notice, asked for letters of recommendation, and started looking for a new job in earnest.

To that end, I have sent off my criminal background info, which my mother is once again being kind enough to help me get apostilled. I have also procured a Korean criminal background check. Ten years in Korea, and not a single felony. I must be an anomaly among foreign teachers. Oh, wait, it's the Chinese-Koreans that make up the vast majority of foreign criminals. But I digress, the visit to Bundang CSI was awesome.

There is a huge sign, in English, going down the wall, announcing that they are the CSI office. I've seen all three CSI series, so I was expecting large, oddly-lit rooms with super-cool, ultra-high tech machinery. Haha. It had three cubicles, and the only "crime solving equipment" was the ink pad and roller, which the guy had search to find. But he found it, and printed up an English form, cutting into his lunch hour no less, so I have nothing but kind words for the Bundang CSI. :-)

In my extended blogging break, I also went to Mokpo with Staf. I've got some pictures, but I haven't even gone through them yet. Eventually... This is one he took on the ferry that goes around the 1004 islands off the coast there.

I also finished a Leisl sweater for the ultra-talented Ysolda Teague, but I haven't even photographed it yet. I'll see if I can get Staf to take some photos next time he's here.

That's about it. I've been crazy busy, but not with anything particularly blog-worthy. That, and Staf comes by the blog every now and again, so I shouldn't talk about him. :-D

At Least Big Brother is Polite

How to Teach Etiquette

I'm at Starbucks, ostensibly writing progress reports, but there is the loudest American here. She has been going on and on about how rude Koreans are. After listening to a diatribe that was in progress when I walked in and continued while I organized my stuff, ordered, received my order, and for a few minutes after that, I finally realized she was teaching a private. When she finally paused for breath, her two students added ways they think ajummas are rude, then she finished up by asking if there was anything else to say about etiquette. I wanted to jump in and say-- how about not yelling about how crap you think the residents of a country are when you are in public in that country?

I live and work in an area where even the ajummas that push fliers in your hand can speak some English. It's not too much of a stretch that the various people in here with their English language dailies and novels are capable of getting the gist of the "lesson" on rude Koreans. I know, venting about the rudeness one deals with in daily life is one of my hobbies, but I try not to speak at 11 in a quiet, public space while doing so.

Slumber Parties: Not Just for Teenagers

Last night was Jackie's No Boys Allowed Slumber Party in scenic Cheonan. We grilled veggies (some fresh from Jackie's garden), roasted marshmallows, and even shot some fireworks. They are sold a convenience stores here, so are presumably legal.

Jinksy somehow slipped in unnoticed...

Stephanie and I were ready for bed earlier than everybody else, so we stayed at Jinksy's. We had a nice visit this morning before I headed back to the burbs.

The view from Jinksy's apartment. Nice-uh. That's the bonfire pit and the lake in the background.

On the home front, my cat has been getting acquainted with Stafford:

I've been doing a little (very little) knitting, too:

A hat, of course. Small projects are all I seem able to get done these days. This one's for Stafford. I made one for myself first, as a gauge swatch, but I haven't taken a photo of it. Hopefully, I can get a shot that's a little clearer. The pattern is Turn a Square, by the brilliant Brooklyn Tweed.

School's been keeping me pretty busy. This is the last week of regular SAT classes, and the first week of summer camp. So, this week, I'll have eight classes a day, but it'll be back to six per day after that... unless some of the SAT students want one-on-one tutoring. I've let my strong preference against private classes be known, so we'll see.

Overall, the SAT classes are going well. The kids are starting to get a little burnt out. Not that I blame them. The rockheads are starting to get discouraged, because their lackadaisical efforts are raising their scores and the top students are over it, because they are already consistently scoring over 2200, so their scores aren't going up that much. They've been keeping themselves amused, at least. On Friday, one of the students asked to change his name to Sanchez, and another suggested he change it to Dirty Sanchez. I tried not to laugh too openly, you know, since I was the adult in the room, but teachers need amusement, too.

It's Facebook Official

In case you're wondering, my head has not shrunk, I'm just farther away from the camera.

In semi-related news, I will soon be single, in the legal sense. PBMX told me he would file jointly, but then got himself hospitalized. He has been in the hospital ever since (a month? six weeks?), but he should be getting out this week. He has promised to file the papers this week. Fingers crossed. If I sound unsympathetic, it's only because this has repeated itself so many times.

.

Update: OK, I wrote this about two weeks ago, but forgot to post it. PBMX is finally out of the hospital, after a week's delay for unspecified reasons. He's now convalescing at home, so I'm still no closer to being divorced...

Life's Like a Box of Chocolates

I'm swimming in chocolate at the moment. I think it's going to be a good weekend. By "good" of course I mean that I may go into a diabetic coma. :-)

Last night Stafford came over and brought me some swag from John: two cakes of homemade Central American chocolate to be used to make real hot chocolate. Like Water for Chocolate hot chocolate. Mmmmmmm..........

Homemade Chocolate Cakes

As if that weren't enough, tonight, I got home from work and had a birthday package from Aaron waiting for me. A book, a stack of seed packets, a variety of engineering swag, and American junk food! Nice-uh!

Russian Nesting Packages

American Junk Food

Potential Plants

Engineering Swag

Kitty Approved

I can't have plants, because my cat will eat them, but I'm willing to bet that between Joe, Stafford, and Jackie, I can find a loving home for the seeds. Jackie's having a sleepover in a few weeks, so some seeds might be a nice hostess gift. Probably not as nice as liquor, but whatever.


***

Tomorrow I have a ConComm meeting for the KOTESOL international conference. Of course, I am not at all prepared and am pretty much ready to go to bed. Decisions, decisions. Sigh. Obviously, blogging was FAR more important than getting my shit together. Procrastinator to the end... Maybe a Hostess pie will give me some sugar power...

A Little Light Reading

My students had to read 120 pages for homework tonight. A sample from the prologue:

I could introduce myself properly, but it isn't really necessary. You know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.

At that moment, you will be lying there (I rarely find people standing up). You will be caked in your own body. There might be a discovery; a scream will dribble down in the air. The only sound I'll hear after that will be my own breathing, and the sound of the smell, of my footsteps.

I think some of the prose may be lost in translation. Not to mention that Death is the narrator. Sigh. In the 120 pages, no less than half a dozen German curses are translated into English with helpful usage tips. Seriously. What I would give for books chosen by someone who actually reads. Can't wait for tomorrow's discussion. It should be lively and full of interesting insights. That or blank stares all around. One of the two.