gwanaksan, take 2

it's buddha's birthday!

happy birthday, buddha!

heavy boots (on and off)

in jonathan safran foer's amazing novel, extremely loud and incredibly close, the protagonist, oskar schell, claims to have "heavy boots" whenever he feels terribly sad and upset. i've adopted that phrase and very suddenly last night and lingering into today, i've got heavy boots. not heavy HEAVY, but heavy.

it might be the weather, my hormones, my age, or none of it at all...but recently, i've been feeling a stronger draw towards a grounded romantic partnership. this isn't me throwing my own pity party about how it seems that i'll never meet someone, it's just me feeling heavy boots that i don't have that partner now.

tonight i went to the lantern festival, a lone. i like doing things on my own, but, there are some moments, such as tonight, that strike me with an incredible urgency to be able to share these joyous and romantic events with someone i love. i've been told that i must have patience...and then, i wonder, "really?!?" is it all and only about patience?

a few days later:
i think the universe has this marvelous way of gently reminding me to keep things in perspective. in my romantic longing, i had lost sight of the less than ideal aspects of a relationship--namely, the work involved!--but by a series of random events, i happened to observe two couples arguing over inane things, things that weren't worth arguing over at all! instead of pining over something i don't have, i will better embrace what i do have.

with the girls...

a night out with the girls includes:
1. delicious drinks (from a pitcher, bag, or straight from the bottle)
2. a ridiculously awesome amount of laughter
3. funny faces
4. crazy dancing
5. unstoppable good times. (the night ends in the morning. 7:30 am to be precise.)

happy teacher's day!

this saturday marks teacher's day in korea! i admit, it's very flattering to receive gifts from my students--although, funnily enough, it's their parents that tell them to give the presents to me, (tim: "my mom told me to give this to you.") so perhaps it's more accurate for me to say that it's complimentary to receive gifts from my students' parents who transmit them via their children!--and have those sweet moments of recognition. happy teacher's day to all the amazing, hardworking, talented teachers of the world!

from passion 5 bakery, a delightful variety of goodies, courtesy of dianne's mother:


rose hand lotion from amy:

who knew a plain bic pen could be transformed into a lovely carnation?

the gift that tim's mother told him to give to me:

pastries from carl:

an adorable note from erica:

cookies that came with the cute note:

what is this? "so close you can taste it?" i have them. i will taste them.

the so close i can taste them cookies:

lip tint from jacqueline's mother:

deliciously rich truffles from claire:

luxurious hand cream from sunny:

aveda hair products from soomin:

artificial pink carnation poodle from michael!

layover in seoul

a beautifully freckled kathi and gloriously bearded michael concluded their incredible south east asian journey on may 4th, with a lengthy layover in seoul. it was so fabulously wonderful to have them in town and show them a glimpse of seoul living.

i.am.alive.

last tuesday, while i was teaching my second class, i suddenly became lightheaded. i can pinpoint that moment as the beginning of my sickness. what followed afterward was a nasty 3 day onset of the worst case of chills, fever and body aches i have ever encountered. i hope to all the gods of the universe that i never see such a debilitating stint of sickness.

let me tell you folks, there's no such time as when you're sick to realize how lonely it is to be away from your family. i am very grateful to my sweet sweet friends who, despite their own busy schedules, found the time to nurture and support me with affection, food and water. i am lucky and i know it. i am so thankful.

it's springtime and i am alive. it feels good to be here.