Here are a few things that please me...I like this format of sorta-online-diary, because if it's not online I'd lose it. Hopefully the thoughts here will help me remember the experiences of my beautiful girls' early childhood.
1. I love it that we have a babysitter every Wednesday. Not that I don't love the girls and want to spend every waking moment with them, but it's nice to have 3 hours of A-D-U-L-T time. So far we've gone out to 3AP and met aaron's drinking buddies and (a new one from Vermont of all places!) went to Korean BBQ with David and Jinny. The egg soup was amazing and I don't know why...eggs and water? Maybe it was the stone pot. But you have to give it up to Koreans for the little charcoal grill right at your table.
2. I love it that Sascha has returned to her amiable, respectful, will do what you tell her self (maybe it requires a little bribery or coersion). It was rough there for a few weeks. I don't think she likes the attention given by the adjummas, businessmen, and grandparents. She does like teenage girls though. The blonde hair is tough to ignore here.
3. I love it that Sage is finally weaned!!! Well, almost. Still can't workout for fear of extreme chaffing, but the worst is over and I think it was worse for me.
4. I love it that Sage sleeps through the night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It only took 13 months. Wait, does this coincide with #3?
5. I love it that I have been offered 2 jobs doing PT after I thought I was offered a job and then it was precariously taken away. I need to pay back my student loans and practice what I've learned the past 3 years as a kept woman. It's bittersweet though, I am building such a strong relationship with Sage that it will be hard to not see her for 8 hours straight. I am not a stay at home mom though, I don't have enough inner peace and patience. Maybe with more practice I could be, but there is something selfish in me that wants the stimulation of adult intellectual challenge, conversation, and even politics. Ideally, I could work 5 hours a day and really spend more time with the girls. WHY DON"T THEY MAKE THIS EASY? who's the they? Fortunately, the change of pace from work to home and back again makes the scare time more quality...I won't worry about cleaning the windows and floors so much.
6. I love it that I will demand a housecleaner when I get to working full time to take care of the afore-mentioned duties that annoy me and I'm not good at but feel I should do if I'm not working.
7. I love it that I am thinking of passive revenue streams. Like a book, or blog, or seminar course...F the whole retirement, 401K baloney that'll crap out just about as you are to retire...the real money is in becoming the next Stephen King and write a bestseller. OR, a mediocre seller that'll set you up to retire in Uraguay...I hear it's nice out there. check out mayafrost's new book...not so bad to make a little american money that'll carry you a long ways in south america.
8. Okay, so I don't love it that my fridge smells like Kimchi. i made the command decision to turn off the kimchi fridge (yes, a special fridge for it and i'm starting to understand why) because our aug electric bill was 1100 dollars! aj left the ac on when at work....and it's wicked expensive here despite that. it's going in the compost.
9. Which leads me to the fact that i love garbage is so complicated here. a fight or two with aaron can't mitigate that it's so rad that this HUGE city recycles over 50% of it's waste. it's a pain in the ass, but so good for the environment. for example: a food waste bin, glass, steel, plastic, vinyl, cardboard and other paper products, and styrofoam. oh and all clothes/toys/furniture is also sorted and sent appropriately. there is a full time staff to help you too - though we were dicks and put all our stuff in one bag for a few weeks and they wrote on our bag in marker "go home you". i saw the dude open our bag and start sorting it for us ... i hope he didn't know it was my bag because we put it there the night before.
10. I love it that the local supermarket (E-mart) has wine tasting on Tuesday night at 8 pm, and pretty much most nights/afternoons. ENOUGH SAID.
11. I am happy I have a big wine glass with a narrow opening so I can enjoy the bouquet of the wines I drink.
12. I am happy I discovered a small proportion of cornbread flour makes most muffin recipes better. Thanks Seven Stars!
13. I am happy the espresso craze hit Seoul before we moved here and that we have a shop right by our house that is independent and not a chain. they have a money upstairs where the girls can play and run - though i don't think it was designed for that purpose. and the coffee girl was educated at Madison WI and it's great for an english conversation.
14. I am happy that we don't have a car. everyone from aj's work says we should get a hoopdie, but i don't want one. it makes being lazy too easy...consumerism increases....imagination decreases...i like being forced to walk. not when i'm actually doing it in sub freezing conditions though. hell, it sucks packing the girls into damned snowsuits to walk to preschool, but WE'RE WALKING! (or being pushed)
15. I love it that i walk so much my feet hurt on a regular basis. There is so much more to see, friends to be made, and less stress to be had.
16. I love it that aaron is so dedicated to TaeKwonDo. He's a beast anyways and I know he'd do well at it, but it's great to see such determinism and his body is much more toned.
17. I love going to TKD practice myself...about 2 times a week...wish it could be more, but it's hard because i'm not a night person and practices start on the hour after 6...dinner, bath, bedtime...i'm wiped usually. plus it's a 20 min bike ride (now in the freeeeeeezing ass cold) there and back
18. i love it that we own P90X. The perfect workout for winter. You can do it in our tiny 205 chace apt...so when the weather is daunting and dinner took too long to cook to go to TKD...there's always Tony and his great workouts...as a PT, I fully recommend the workout plan for people who are in semi decent shape. and he even goes over that fact... It's not for people who want to pussyfoot around working out, it's serious and it's easy to follow. It's like crossfit for your living room and only a few workout paraphernalia required.
19. I love it that hangul (korean writing) is so easy to learn. I think it took me about 2 weeks to learn the alphabet. NOw, speaking the language is another picture and understanding what i'm reading is too. Thank the f'ing lord though they don't conjugate verbs. Negatively though there is a high formal, formal, low formal, friendly, not so friendly, talk to your dog, and spit-on-you version of every greeting or saying. Hierarchy has it's place in this confusian society.
20. I am happy that the person I am going to replace at work is quite similar to me, although maybe a bit more busy than I am. Should make transition easier.
21. I am happy that I have decided to try to share my PT information with other mothers in a blog style format..and maybe try to write a small non-fiction book. It's so common sense, it's 2 subjects i love...PT and motherhood, but trying to combine the 2 will be a challenge and I savor that. Applying PT stuff to your everyday life when you are bending down all the time, lifting kids up, dressing squirming kids, heaving carseats, clenching your teeth (in the "oh you are so cute" moments and giving yourself headaches), lifting kids by their arms instead of bracing their trunks, sleeping with your wrists in funny positions because they "finally fell asleep and dont want to wake them" and ending up with tendonitis (yes, that's me), and the mommy worst of all...neck pain from staring at the computer too long when you get a chance....well, applying PT to all this will be challenging and fun and hopefully help some moms from aches and pains and kids from acquiring nursemaid's elbows.
22. i love it that i can see aaron riding home from TWD practice on the sidewalk 5 stories below...our windows rock....or rather, "curtainwall" as Aaron would like me to say.
23. I love it that Sage will eat 5 chopsticks full of kimchi. that's crazy, even for korean babies.
24. I love it that we can go hiking ... all over the damned place in this city. there are pockets of hikeable mountains everywhere. less than 2 km from our house...1 km as the bird flies, but have to go around the us army base. the noise doesn't always abate though. have to learn to live with that.
25. i love it that i discovered twitter. expat morgan pt. it's a waste of time, yes, but some cool stuff is found with good contacts.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Fantastic Quotes
“I want to be above the little meannesses, and follies, and faults that spoil so many women.” L.M. Alcott, Little Women
“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.”
Jane Austen, in a letter dated Sept. 18, 1796.
“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books.” Henry W. Longfellow
“Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.” Voltaire
“The only simplicity that is desirable is simplicity of soul, a certain singleness of aim and quiet detachment of vision, a mood of enduring repose not at variance with constant endeavour, a habit of content, contemplation and peace.” Bliss Carman, The friendship of art, 1904
“What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood, tempered and balanced by knowledge and common sense.” Beatrix Potter
“A man’s country is where he’s well off.” George Eliot, Daniel Deronda.
“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.”
Jane Austen, in a letter dated Sept. 18, 1796.
“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books.” Henry W. Longfellow
“Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.” Voltaire
“The only simplicity that is desirable is simplicity of soul, a certain singleness of aim and quiet detachment of vision, a mood of enduring repose not at variance with constant endeavour, a habit of content, contemplation and peace.” Bliss Carman, The friendship of art, 1904
“With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.” William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
“Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words And never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson“What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood, tempered and balanced by knowledge and common sense.” Beatrix Potter
“A man’s country is where he’s well off.” George Eliot, Daniel Deronda.
“Feminism is the radical idea that women are people” As seen on a bumpersticker.¨
“There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, counfounding their enemies and delighting their friends.” Homer, The Odyssey
“Woe to the cook whose sauce has no sting.” Geoffrey Chaucer
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Living in Seoul - Some Thoughts
So I've decided to write down a few things that I've found interesting as an observer of a unique and exotic (to me at least) culture. We still haven't got our stuff yet from the movers, so we've had a lot of time to explore the city with the stroller while Aaron is at work. And it's been so amazing to be back with Aaron - he's really the best dad in the world!
1. People here work very long hours. Not sure if they are actually working all that time, but they are in the office/bar/restaurants until very late.
2. A good 70% of the Korean women wear ridiculous shoes, and I know they are walking a formidable distance. Bunions must be rampant.
3. People, and I mean ALL Korean people are crazy about my blonde babies. They touch, hug, gush, feed, and even pick up at times, Sage. Sascha won't let them, she's shy.
4. I love our apartment - it's so modern, wood accents, great lighting and ventilation, and an entire room for shoes with built in cabinets for the shoes. Koreans don't wear shoes inside and I love it.
5. We have a kimchi refrigerator but no dishwasher or clothes dryer. But we have a special machine that dries handtowels and cutting boards? Still don't know what one of the machines does. And we have bidet - oooh...still can't relax enough for it to really work.
6. Korean Food ROCKS. It's good, cheap, great off the street or in a sit down place, and full of veggies and protein. Even the "fast food" at concert events and the zoo is better than most american restaurants. There's little to no service though - but tips are not appreciated either.
7. I'm never going back to a vacuum that doesn't plug into the wall. Those things are great!
8. Seoul may prove difficult to learn Korean as everything is written in English and most people speak a speck of it near our apt. We are very near to the base though.
9. They weren't kidding about the shopping in Korea. HOly MOLY!!! The markets here are out of hand. the malls are crazy huge and expensive, but the outdoor markets go on for miles. and i've only been to 2...noises, smells, objects for sale...tailored everything. It's overwhelming. I can't believe there is even that much "stuff" in existence.
10. My feet hurt like hell for the first week. Granted I'm carrying Sage in a front pack, or pushing the stroller, but damn! I thought I was in shape, but not for walking.
11. Grocery shopping without a car sucks. But it forces you to walk and not buy as much stuff because you physically have to carry it home.
12. Smog. whoa. I feel like I've smoked a pack a day without the buzz.
13. The wine selection is weak here. I need to find the part of town that sells it. We apparently live in the part of town where framing occurs - there are literally 30 different stores all right in a row that sell the same stuff.
14. There was a riot 1/2 kilometer from our house where 5 people died because the local tenants were evicted by emminent domain to build a mega-skyscraper apt complex like the one we live in. This was 6 months ago and police stand at attention on the sidewalk there 24/7. Not sure if I should feel guilty about "progress" and being part of the reason for locals getting pushed out.
15. Besides this incident, Seoul (and Tokyo) are the safest cities in the world. I have left my purse out many times with no thought of it being stolen and there's never really been a child snatching, especially of a foreigner. Everyone loves kids seriously, even young men and old businessmen.
16. Koreans cluck at their children.
17. Violence is not permitted on TV. It's bleeped out or visually obstructed, but cursing is A-OK.
18. There is a ton of English TV/movies on cable here. All kids have English classes starting in pre-school.
19. It's not unusual for korean businessmen to work till dinner, then go out and drink all night and go to work the next morning without ever having gone home to sleep.
20. We have a "pink light" district 1/2 kilometer from the house- they actually sit in the windows. It's illegal, but nobody enforces it. Similar to traffic laws (I never want to drive here, until winter probably when it's freezing). I guess there aren't really pimps, so the women keep a lot of their profits and that's good.
21. We have a view of Seoul tower from our vestibule - so nice.
22. There are mountains all over, not giant ones, but very steep craggy ones that look very enticing to hike. Hard to with the girls - but we'll manage!
23. I found an awesome awesome park, but it's probably a 20-30 min walk, and the new construction for the mega apt complex makes the sidewalk too narrow for my jogging stroller to get through! So we walk. And all parks include workout equipment for adults that is really good from a PT perspective. America should emulate. It focuses on core strength, lumbar range of motion, shoulder and hip range, and upper body strenthening. They even have ellipticals...they are not powered but are designed to use bodyweight for resistance -which koreans dont have much of.
24. The only things I am afraid of in Seoul are: cars/motorcyles squashing me like a grape, smog, yellow dust, and assimilating into super high stilletos.
25. At many eateries you get to grill your own meat in front of you...and all 20 sidedishes are free and kids eat free.
1. People here work very long hours. Not sure if they are actually working all that time, but they are in the office/bar/restaurants until very late.
2. A good 70% of the Korean women wear ridiculous shoes, and I know they are walking a formidable distance. Bunions must be rampant.
3. People, and I mean ALL Korean people are crazy about my blonde babies. They touch, hug, gush, feed, and even pick up at times, Sage. Sascha won't let them, she's shy.
4. I love our apartment - it's so modern, wood accents, great lighting and ventilation, and an entire room for shoes with built in cabinets for the shoes. Koreans don't wear shoes inside and I love it.
5. We have a kimchi refrigerator but no dishwasher or clothes dryer. But we have a special machine that dries handtowels and cutting boards? Still don't know what one of the machines does. And we have bidet - oooh...still can't relax enough for it to really work.
6. Korean Food ROCKS. It's good, cheap, great off the street or in a sit down place, and full of veggies and protein. Even the "fast food" at concert events and the zoo is better than most american restaurants. There's little to no service though - but tips are not appreciated either.
7. I'm never going back to a vacuum that doesn't plug into the wall. Those things are great!
8. Seoul may prove difficult to learn Korean as everything is written in English and most people speak a speck of it near our apt. We are very near to the base though.
9. They weren't kidding about the shopping in Korea. HOly MOLY!!! The markets here are out of hand. the malls are crazy huge and expensive, but the outdoor markets go on for miles. and i've only been to 2...noises, smells, objects for sale...tailored everything. It's overwhelming. I can't believe there is even that much "stuff" in existence.
10. My feet hurt like hell for the first week. Granted I'm carrying Sage in a front pack, or pushing the stroller, but damn! I thought I was in shape, but not for walking.
11. Grocery shopping without a car sucks. But it forces you to walk and not buy as much stuff because you physically have to carry it home.
12. Smog. whoa. I feel like I've smoked a pack a day without the buzz.
13. The wine selection is weak here. I need to find the part of town that sells it. We apparently live in the part of town where framing occurs - there are literally 30 different stores all right in a row that sell the same stuff.
14. There was a riot 1/2 kilometer from our house where 5 people died because the local tenants were evicted by emminent domain to build a mega-skyscraper apt complex like the one we live in. This was 6 months ago and police stand at attention on the sidewalk there 24/7. Not sure if I should feel guilty about "progress" and being part of the reason for locals getting pushed out.
15. Besides this incident, Seoul (and Tokyo) are the safest cities in the world. I have left my purse out many times with no thought of it being stolen and there's never really been a child snatching, especially of a foreigner. Everyone loves kids seriously, even young men and old businessmen.
16. Koreans cluck at their children.
17. Violence is not permitted on TV. It's bleeped out or visually obstructed, but cursing is A-OK.
18. There is a ton of English TV/movies on cable here. All kids have English classes starting in pre-school.
19. It's not unusual for korean businessmen to work till dinner, then go out and drink all night and go to work the next morning without ever having gone home to sleep.
20. We have a "pink light" district 1/2 kilometer from the house- they actually sit in the windows. It's illegal, but nobody enforces it. Similar to traffic laws (I never want to drive here, until winter probably when it's freezing). I guess there aren't really pimps, so the women keep a lot of their profits and that's good.
21. We have a view of Seoul tower from our vestibule - so nice.
22. There are mountains all over, not giant ones, but very steep craggy ones that look very enticing to hike. Hard to with the girls - but we'll manage!
23. I found an awesome awesome park, but it's probably a 20-30 min walk, and the new construction for the mega apt complex makes the sidewalk too narrow for my jogging stroller to get through! So we walk. And all parks include workout equipment for adults that is really good from a PT perspective. America should emulate. It focuses on core strength, lumbar range of motion, shoulder and hip range, and upper body strenthening. They even have ellipticals...they are not powered but are designed to use bodyweight for resistance -which koreans dont have much of.
24. The only things I am afraid of in Seoul are: cars/motorcyles squashing me like a grape, smog, yellow dust, and assimilating into super high stilletos.
25. At many eateries you get to grill your own meat in front of you...and all 20 sidedishes are free and kids eat free.
Alaska Trip to See Mot
Wowza, beautiful! Sascha, Sage, and I spent 5 days at my mom's place near Willow, Alaska. It's pretty much 100 miles north of Anchorage in the wilderness, except that there are espresso stands everywhere. No electricity or running water, but espresso trailers dominate! We had one great day where we could see Denali (and Menali and Hunter) all the way from Anchorage. The drive up was awesome, it was full-blown Autumn colors...green and gold. All the white birch was stunning and the crisp clean air is now fully appreciated after one week spent in smoggy Seoul. Sascha and Sage spent much time dancing away at my mom's store and new house (which is like a mini-spa!). I highly recommend staying there if you or anyone you know does the RV thing. It's Mat-Su RV park and it comes with a nice bottle of blueberry wine (yes, it sounds gross but is really good)!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Zoo Zoo outside Seoul
Hello All- So we have become adjusted to the time zone and aaron's colleague Mike and his wife Youjohn took the girls and I to a smallish superpetting zoo 20 miles outside the city. They have a cute 4 year old named Rebecca that Sascha loves to follow. So there must not be animal rights activists in Korea because all the snotty nosed kids can snuggle with snakes, gorillas, goats, kangaroos, etc. I have to admit it is fun to feed the animals (it's encouraged!) but somewhere deep inside I know it can't be great for them. Sage is the ultimate animal lover but even she was afraid when the chimp held her hand and the giant turtle chased her. Sascha loved it all! And, the zoo food is amazing-Korean fast food far surpasses American in quality and taste. And yeah, what's with both of my daughters picking their noses! Yikes.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Running
So it's time to start in earnest. A used Baby jogger, 2 kids, and some gumption is what I have. Need a goal and some new shoes. Shoes are easy, what should the goal be? Marathon by Nov? Maybe a 1/2 would be better as there are so many other things going on like graduating, passing my boards, trying to get Sascha to share with Sage, helping Debbie move and yard sale her stuff, and us moving to Korea. However without a goal, I'm a slacker.
Sascha has began packing for Korea. She wants to bring her crayons, her blankie with tinkerbell on it, and her coloring paper. She also doesn't want the plane to be "too loud". I think Sage'll be happy if there's a boobie. Sascha is now pulling her clothes out to go to Korea.
She sure missed her Daddy! Like someone else I know...
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