Halloween

Was a blast - went to Hongdae (big surprise) and Team Captain made good on his promise to cater a pretty good party, although I arrived late, and he still made me pay the full admission with less than 2 hours remaining. I have sent too much money home so I have to be clever about how to live for the next few days. There's nothing like a fresh introduction to poverty to keep your feet on the ground and inside the workplace.

People on the internet are not the most interesting people, no

The horrible realization: when I don't update my blog more things are actually happening to me, and I'm actually doing more than when I am not updating. I am too tired to talk about everything that's going on, but that is a good thing, probably-pictures and story at 11. (November)

good night

Mystery Solved

Partly - it was a fruit truck, not a dumpster. Still, what would cause a fruit truck to erupt in flames?

Fire in the Night

Sometimes insomnia has it's privileges.

I was cooking up some salmon for a late-late-late night snack when I heard a muffled thump. It sounded like something had landed on the floor outside, so I didn't pay too much attention to it. Then I thought - with the windows closed, such a noise would have to be REALLY loud. I was also playing music at the time (Futurheads) so I looked out the window, and I could see reflected in the building across the street - a blazing inferno! It looked like a solid wall of flame, then I heard another blast, and realized it was an explosion.



I whipped on the running shoes and some trousers and went outside. There were already some local folks taking pictures and video (camera! I ran back) but by the time I came down a second time this was the best shot I could get. I was amazed by the speed and response of the local fire brigade. In a country that is all hustle and bustle, but sometimes light on actual competence and active decision-making, it would seem that the fire department are spot-on. Top marks for keeping the building next door from going ablaze, and consequently, safeguarding my "life" and "possessions".

It was good to know that, if this had been an actual emergency, I would have already been awake, and at least had a better chance than most people of making it out with the laptop. Yes, the laptop.

I think it was caused by a dumpster fire that got OOC fast - I didn't want to get too close or interfere with the cleanup but it clearly wasn't a building on fire - spontaneous combustion strikes again? Possibly the garbage collection is not as efficient as the fire-fighting in these parts, but since I can't actually talk to anyone who would know, this will probably forever be a bit of a mystery.

Getting Ripped

I have hit on a brilliant strategy for getting back into shape here in surprisingly-difficult-to-find-healthy-food-that-is-not-totally-boring-or-outrageously-expensive Korea.

Step1: Stop paying gas bill for several months

Step2: Allow gas to be disconnected

Step3: Experience one rivetingly uncomfortable cold shower on a Monday morning before you have to be at work

Step4: Bring all toiletries to the local gym near the school and take out a new membership

Step5: Do all grooming in the gym shower. Opportunistically take advantage of the location to lift some weights

Step6: Find a way to cook all foods using only the microwave or toaster oven

Step7: Gather firewood for the winter. Burn openly in the center of apartment for the next 3.5 months

Simple, requires way less discipline and I'll look great for Xmas beach parties!

So Few Hours in the Blogging Day

Not too surprising, but a body of 'intelligent' economists has decided that Vancouver is the best place to live. If the Economist thinks so, it must be true. Screw going back to Edmonton, man!

I went to Hwaseong (a giant castle near Suwon) on Sunday. I went by myself, the only weiguk in a teeming, frothing mass of Korean humanity. It was more interesting than the folk village, actually, and I took as many pictures as I could before my batteries crapped out. I definitely need to replace the recharageables, and I'm now convinced they weren't new when I got them with the camera. I figured out how to order 'kun mandu' (fried dumplings) and even where to stand in line to get my tickets and then get the food. I really wish the camera had had enough juice to get the picture of the noodle chefs making noodles. They gots a way with dough, those noodle chefs.







I started recording all my taped 'deep thoughts' to mp3 and man, I have decided that the tape recorder will become my new all-important creative tool, because, the guy on the other end of that tape is way cooler, intelligent, and funny than I ever could be. I am also going to try to and finagle a creative partnership with Mam'zelle Burnt Toast cuz that saucy bitch is hilarious. These flowers are for her.




Something my sister said totally made my day. I don't know if I should share it with you, dear reader, but here it is, just in case it helps you out.

2) I sit here in TO (a city I have gone to great
trouble and expense to re-locate to so that I could do
a PhD) reading your blog. I realize that I have spent
a great deal of my life in school and could not ever,
ever, ever achieve the kind of creativity, wit, and
philosophical insight that you are capable of. This is
not patronizing or an appeal for compliments. It only
confirms a thesis you first presented to me years ago:
school does not make you smart. The smart people are
those who can learn on their own. That's you. Some do
this through the system and some don't. This relates
to point #3

3) In one of your blogs you made a comment about
ignoring your accomplishments and focusing on your
failures. When I read this I couldn't have agreed
more, but have never put that together before. I also
started to realize that a lot of this comes from how
we were raised. You were more daring, experimental,
anti-authority so there was more to criticize. And the
accomplishments were always framed in opposition to
the "failures". You know what I mean? Seeing this
(having the advantage of being younger) I totally
structured my life around being obedient, a
peace-maker, etc. Do you see how this relates to point
#3? Okay, enough Oprah for now.



She has to say nice things about me, being fambly and all, but she is perfect and so I have to believe that is just the plain facts. Just a plain sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind!

All in all, I feel pretty good. I feel recharged, ready to face winter, and with a skeleton of a plan starting to form for when I return in Jan. I feel like it would be OK to be an artiste again, wiser, hopefully, thinking about that broken bottle of ink, and thinking about how communication is more important than craft. I feel like if, FFF were to tell me to completely re-draw what we had sketched out for this new project, it would be OK with me and I would do my utmost to make it something good. I do wish they trusted me more to make design decisions though. I also wish I knew what 'style' they wanted from me. After all, clipart is less expensive than I am. It would surely help if I was closer to a phone. Or just closer.

I also feel ready to write, but I'm going to start with the small goal of getting on McSweeneys' first. It's probably a hobble, but I need to warm up.



I like being on this high - haven't felt this way very many times in Korea, but now how to get to sleep? A classic conundrum.

Letter to Mum

I have been too busy with the second job to post much, but here is a snippet of an email I sent to my mom. The presence of a computer and email at my parents' house, previously a technological blasphemy, might just make amends for 9 years of teenage rebellion, and then another 10 years of adult disappointment.

Thanks mum! I hope you know that I think about you every day - and I'm trying to make you proud - somehow.

I went to the post office today! It was about a 1/2 hour taxi ride during 2pm traffic. When I got there I couldn't figure out why no one was taking new numbers and a big lineup was forming around the automatic postage dispensing machine, around the waiting area couches. Finally, I went to the information desk and the person there was able to speak enough English to tell me 'computer error'. So, I got a label and filled it out but I will have to go back another day - hopefully tomorrow.

Are you and father still an Edmonton Journal subscriber? The EJ website has a special feature where Todd Babiak is serializing his new novel. Todd is a columnist for the Journal and I went to the UofA with him. I really enjoyed his first book. His new novel is only available online and it's free for Journal subscribers. To be honest, I consider him a literary rival even though I have suppressed my literary ambitions in favor of making a quick buck doing this and that, and mostly other things besides writing.

Speaking of which - write back soon - what's the weather like?
love,
HMB

In other news I (actually, a fellow teacher -Florida Phil) discovered that you can get to the roof of our building(s) easily enough, and it's a great place to dry clothes. There's even a clothesline for just such a purpose! I can also eavesdrop on other English teachers while they're having their post-summer BBQs (don't invite me will ya!?!) and so I've moved my drying rack up there semi-permanently. The irony is that Phil's new (actually now ex) wealthy girlfriend is going to buy him an electric dryer anyway.



Florida Phil is the new teacher and he seems to be a decent chap. I don't know if he's found too many other people to hang out with, although since he can come into my classroom and talk about his obsession with Asian women, his new (ex) special lady, his interest in breakbeats, his dislike of all other female foreign teachers, and since I don't immediately eject him, then he often does. I can't pretend that I'm paying too much attention to him, diligently marking essays (and keeping El Capitan off my ass) as I usually am, but he doesn't seem to need an active audience. AND he burnt me some custom made Florida breakbeats. Good times.