13 - Contents of My Life...

What was in that box? Why, I thought you'd never ask.

Box #1 -

Chambers, Oswald Complete Works of Oswald Chambers

Gross, Terry All I Did was Ask

E. San Juan, Jr. Beyond Post-Colonial Theory

Soyinka, Wole You Must Set Forth at Dawn

Stanley, Thomas Millionaire Next Door, The

al-Bayati, Abdul Wahab Love, Death, and Exile

Elliot, Elizabeth Let Me be a Woman

Blanchard, Ken One Minute Entrepreneur

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly Creativity

Buechner, Fredrich Telling Secrets

Buechner, Fredrich Sacred Journey, The

YBM/SiSa Great American Short Stories

Pausch, Randy Last Lecture, The

Berlitz Korean Dictionary

Zinsser, William On Writing Well

ed. Boxer, Sarah Ultimate Blogs

Revere, Steven Survival Korean

Complete Guide to the TOPIK, The

Korean Grammar in Use

Sogang Korean Level 1A + grammar book

Sogang Korean Level 1B + grammar book

Sogang Korean Level 2A + grammar book

Hall, Jean and Dorial Ashtanga Yoga and Meditation

43 - Traffic Jam

"I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam in everybody's head."

~John Updike

82- Syllabus

Going home in February made me realize just how mentally flabby I had become. My life here in Korea is not without its challenges, but I must admit that not much is required of me in the way of cold, hard intellect.

In an effort to combat said laziness, I challenged myself to try to read a book a week for the (approximately) 30 weeks that I had left in Korea. Realizing that this was a bit of a tall order and also realizing that I would rather read one book of weight than four books of fluff, I have since amended this challenge to the more nebulous, but still challenging "read as much as possible". Will be aiming for approximately 15-20 new books before I go home.

So what's beside my bed right now?

David McCullough's excellent (Pulitzer-prize winning) biography of John Adams. Something about living abroad has made me want to read more about my home country. Go figure.

Venturing Out

Saturday, 3/15

"I Love Speed" 

Off on my first solo excursion to Daejeon.  Took the KTX "bullet" train, which got me there in 48 minutes and cost 18.300 won.  (appx $18.30) There's lots of press that makes this train out to be something space age, but really, it's kind of like a NYRR train in the states.  It's fast, but it's no teleportation...  Hmmm, teleportation.  Now THAT I would pay good money to experience.  Come on, Korea.  Let's get on it!   

Daejeon Station 

Met up w. Ms. Fighter Girl (who rocks the lingo like a native) and her new fiancee.  We walked around downtown and picked up their Hanboks, traditional Korean wedding clothes, which they bought to wear for the ceremony back in the states.  

We dropped the boxes off at their apartment, which is positively palatial.  It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms -one with a bathtub (!)- and two balconies.  

The Chairman's Request 

Had a little fun at E-Mart, or "sigma dot" as Ms. Fighter calls it (the sign looks like the greek letter Sigma) It's Korea's answer to Wal-Mart.  And it's open 24/7.  When I heard that, I think I had a teeny tiny heart flutter.  

Found a Popeye's and decided to pay homage to the Chairman.  Look!  I'm even giving the international sign of peace.  

My purchases included a book of short stories w. English on one side and the Korean translation printed on the other.   

Oh, happy day.