Whinging Already
Today was starting off so well. I worked out in the morning and I was on time for the K-grans class but then I took the wrong train leaving Soehyeon station. That is the first time I've ever done that leaving Dead Language, the illicit hogwon #2 (heretofore known as DL). It always seemed to work out that when I'm leaving DL I'm heading in the right direction to catch the train going back to Daechi (where I live) when I go down a particular staircase. I'm still mystified how I got reversed- let me tell you how it happened - you are Mr. Magoo made flesh! -ed) By the time I noticed my error (why are we above ground?!?) I was at the end of the line, and had to wait for the train to reverse, and to really rub it in, I got stuck between some sort of postal worker brigade (or ?) that insisted on dominating the entire subway car; I presume for the sake of worker solidarity. They grinned pleasantly in totalitarian coordination as they pushed me to the edge, and eventually off, the seats. I called Polish Annie McBeal (PA) to punch me in. She agreed to do it, surprisingly, but naturally, girls are useless at cloak and dagger type stuff like that.
So I was twenty minutes late for school. When I got outside I figured I was already beyond salvation, and either PA had succeeded in her mission or I would be just as hung for 20 minutes as 30, so I stopped at the street vendor to get lunch. The closest guy was closed. I guess he was on a lunch break, at lunch time, the busiest time of his street vending day, which seems like the worst sort of mismanagement, in retrospect.
The next guy hadn't yet got his chicken skewers going, so the only thing left was some sort of deep fried tempura-like fare. I'd always avoided this stuff, since it seems like the demesne of emaciated schoolchildren, and I also had no idea what was in it. Korea adventure time! I bought six of each kind, for 2k and walked up the eight floors of stairs so that I could hang my coat on the doorknob, put my bag on the floor, and my running shoes behind that. Walking nonchalantly through the side entrance I presented the perfect picture of a worker who had simply escaped the notice of the staff at the front desk.
I walked confidently up to PA and asked if she had done me the favour. Of course not.
I didn't even bother to punch in at this point.
What incriminates more - a blank spot on your record or a black mark? Future essay topic!
PA then began to tell me there had been a surprise meeting to talk about some insignificant piece of administravia and the Head Honcho (HH) and the entire counter staff had been there to witness (or rather not) my absence. Unbelievable! I have been late 3 times since I started in January (you know that's miraculous for me) and all 3 of those times coincided with HH's visits. What are the odds? All of these tardies are the result of subway inexperience, not slacking. In fact, they are actually the result of working too much.
Want to know what was in the tempura? Rice and nothing. The shrimp-shaped pockets are actually empty, and the black tubes are filled with plain rice. I rarely do this, but I threw the whole thing out. I had to slink back to the audience of my pathetic not-actually-on-time-pantomime and use the phone (restaurants don't usually deliver to cells) to order a real lunch (which I can almost do in Korean by myself now).
Then I had to go back and sneak my coat, bag and shoes into my classroom.
PA came to my class and broke down and cried about how she doesn't know why she's here, she's isolated, she can't trust me or anyone, etc. This is the 3rd time we've talked about this. I feel bad for her, but I can't fix it, and maybe she is right to move to another campus. As long as she is here though, I think we can both be supportive, caring (careful) and generally make the best out of a bad decision. If I had full time work in Bundang I guess I would go first. Anyway, I just hate being the worst employee, and feeling persecuted and undesirable. bleah!
I hope you're getting a wicked tan sports fans.
So I was twenty minutes late for school. When I got outside I figured I was already beyond salvation, and either PA had succeeded in her mission or I would be just as hung for 20 minutes as 30, so I stopped at the street vendor to get lunch. The closest guy was closed. I guess he was on a lunch break, at lunch time, the busiest time of his street vending day, which seems like the worst sort of mismanagement, in retrospect.
The next guy hadn't yet got his chicken skewers going, so the only thing left was some sort of deep fried tempura-like fare. I'd always avoided this stuff, since it seems like the demesne of emaciated schoolchildren, and I also had no idea what was in it. Korea adventure time! I bought six of each kind, for 2k and walked up the eight floors of stairs so that I could hang my coat on the doorknob, put my bag on the floor, and my running shoes behind that. Walking nonchalantly through the side entrance I presented the perfect picture of a worker who had simply escaped the notice of the staff at the front desk.
I walked confidently up to PA and asked if she had done me the favour. Of course not.
I didn't even bother to punch in at this point.
What incriminates more - a blank spot on your record or a black mark? Future essay topic!
PA then began to tell me there had been a surprise meeting to talk about some insignificant piece of administravia and the Head Honcho (HH) and the entire counter staff had been there to witness (or rather not) my absence. Unbelievable! I have been late 3 times since I started in January (you know that's miraculous for me) and all 3 of those times coincided with HH's visits. What are the odds? All of these tardies are the result of subway inexperience, not slacking. In fact, they are actually the result of working too much.
Want to know what was in the tempura? Rice and nothing. The shrimp-shaped pockets are actually empty, and the black tubes are filled with plain rice. I rarely do this, but I threw the whole thing out. I had to slink back to the audience of my pathetic not-actually-on-time-pantomime and use the phone (restaurants don't usually deliver to cells) to order a real lunch (which I can almost do in Korean by myself now).
Then I had to go back and sneak my coat, bag and shoes into my classroom.
PA came to my class and broke down and cried about how she doesn't know why she's here, she's isolated, she can't trust me or anyone, etc. This is the 3rd time we've talked about this. I feel bad for her, but I can't fix it, and maybe she is right to move to another campus. As long as she is here though, I think we can both be supportive, caring (careful) and generally make the best out of a bad decision. If I had full time work in Bundang I guess I would go first. Anyway, I just hate being the worst employee, and feeling persecuted and undesirable. bleah!
I hope you're getting a wicked tan sports fans.
posted by Vivec at 4:15 a.m.
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