2012/08/26

ARRIVAL!

It is a great thing to see these stone tigers on every trip in and out of my place at Ewha.


Wednesday: Where did it go? It was eaten up by the International Date Line, and I didn't realize until Friday, that it was ... Friday. How DOES the IDL do that? I love time travel and all that, but this is weird.

Spent some time with former-family members. The best part was when I could share "The Killers" band with my ex-niece and -nephew (What DO you call such folks? The "ex" seems too close to "X" and its negatives.) 

I taught them the shorthand TXT abbreviations, such as LOL, OMG and IDK. They taught me their text short-cuts, in turn. Ready?
ㅇㄷㅇwhere are you = 어디야?
 Get it?

ㅂㅇ = 바이bye!

ㅇㅇ = 응 = okay   

ㅠㅠ nun-mul or tears (I love this. The top line are eyes, and the downstrokes are tears.)

ㅡㅡ uncomfortable angry eye motion (again, think eyes almost shut in a negative way)

=_= dark circles under eyes = tired or bored. I was told I'd get this a lot in exam times.

^_^ = ㅎ_ㅎ= 하하 or Ha Ha. The ^ = eye.

Tech-Geek Paragraph: In Korea you can have your internet wireless router in a shirt pocket. I was given this to borrow while in Korea:


Battery operated, it translates 4G phone signals into your own secure WiFi, anywhere there is a phone signal. Neat.

Non-Geeks, it is safe to read now. 

Ewha campus is stunning. There seems to be a great investment in surroundings. Three pix of the same place.
 

Inside this double five story structure are classrooms, offices, top-notch fitness center, Starbucks, & movie theater.

Summary since last post:
Books I am reading: Finished Gilead and almost finished with Death of Adam, both by my new writing heroine, Marilynne Robinson. (If you like Annie Dillard, you'll probably enjoy Robinson.)
New favorite food: Kim-chi. It went from inside the Top Ten, to #1.
Hours of sleep in past four nights: 4, 4, 3, 12.
Biggest shocks: No Netflix (copyright issues); Big box of oatmeal was $17.50.
Lance Armstrong story: Shrewd move on his part. If guilty, his "leaving in a huff" convinces the undecided he IS the victim of a witch-hunt. As he leaves he sows *reasonable doubts.* That is ballsy, for one without them. Since he did have 7 wins will mean - always, in my view - he's inserted into the court of public opinion a HUGE asterisk beside those names who take the podium ex post facto. Shrewd.
Neatest translation of English: (on a coupon): Coupon is available for Koreans & Foreigans. (My all-time new word from a Korean: Strangerous.)

Your strangerous foreigan, 
Marc

PS: Typhoon coming Tuesday!

6 comments:

  1. Love your stream of conscerous-ness. I didn't see Ehwa Univ while there though heard about it from one of the faculty who is probably dead now. I believe I could return to Korea since it has changed so much and past associations would not be so painful. I do love the art. PS: Maybelle is 2 yrs, 5 mos and smart and beautiful. In 5 years she will exceed me in memory and intelligence...sobering thought as I age. jim

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  2. I eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning. That would be tough to pay $17.50 a box.

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  3. Perhaps sleeping was done on the missing Friday. Marc - thanks for taking us along on your journey!

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  4. Hi Marc,
    Thanks for writing. Glad you made it there safely. Get some sleep soon! Ty and I were speaking of you just the other day. Yesterday was my first day as minister at Black Mountain. Office hours begin tomorrow.

    Take good care!

    Peace to you,
    Michael

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  5. I love your blog! I'm so glad to be able to experience Korea with you! I can't wait until we have the shirt-pocket WiFi thing....so cool!

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  6. Marc, Let me know what you think of The Death of Adam. I have it on my bookshelf, but have not read it yet. Safe travels...and teaching.

    Matt

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