livin' with seoul: fustrations

seoul seems 2 be a more frustrating place 2 be these days, & i don’t know why. little things have started 2 bug me somewhat over the last few weeks. little things like people, mostly koreans funnily enough, getting in my way (it’s their city i know) & even busier than normal busses & metro trains seemingly running less regular schedules. these are little things that i’m assuming have always been there as an integral part of life in seoul but until now they never registered themselves in my consciousness, & certainly not in an irritable way. again, i don’t know why. maybe it’s the hot weather. maybe i’m in a rut (as in the noun 'rut' meaning 2 settle into a monotonous routine that is hard 2 escape, as opposed 2 the verb 'rut' meaning 2 be in a state of sexual excitement). maybe it’s a sign that i need 2 get away from seoul for a bit. no wait, i did that last weekend, & all because i recognised a need 2 do so (that & the fact that bran & i, both of us on pills for various ailments, needed an escape from a normal seoul weekend & the temptations it invariably throws up... not 2 mention the fact that we were still smarting from hanstock '09). maybe i just need 2 get away from korea. no wait, i did that recently 2. shit, i dunno. today sees the start of a new month, camp month, & there’s plenty going on. let’s see if it brings any relief.

a south korean soldier stands guard near a barbed-wire fence in the demilitarized zone between the 2 koreas in yanggu, south korea
from the bbc's day in pictures, june 24^th 2009

‘livin’ with seoul' part ii by the numbers – an update

18 - days until the 1^st of the summer camps begin.

53 - days until all camps end.

120 – number of foreign teachers i initially had 2 hire for summer camps.

88 – number of foreign teachers i now need. economic crisis you see.

98 – number of foreign teachers i have @ my disposal (even after a cull of 15+).

18 - days i have 2 find a use for those 10 extra teachers. ideas would be much appreciated.

55 - days until my next trip home.

56 - days until my present visa expires.

64 – days until my present contract expires.

63 – days until my bday.

13 – days until mel’s bday.

3 – days until we, mel & i, celebrate her bday. she won’t be here-yah for her bday you see as she’ll be in england being a bridesmaid.

8 - days since hans left korea for london (innit) & ryno left korea for japan.

8 – days since i last had a beer. coincidence? i think not.

6 - days until ryno gets back from japan for his last night in kool-rea (a non-sobering thought).

7 – hours myself & bran walked 2 reach the top of seoraksan national park @ the weekend.

281 – pictures in the ‘livin with seoul’ photo album.

6 – days i’ve been on all kinds of medication for my latest ear infection.

12 – pills a day i have 2 pop.

17 - number of people i'm following on twitter.

15 - number of people following me on twitter. sados.

109 - number of days since i joined twitter.

20 - number of times i've twitted in those 109 days. it's just not floating my boat... yet.

6 – days since mj died.

22 - days until my sister arrives in korea.

27 – until troopa arrives back in kool-rea.

26 – temperature, in degrees celsius, in seoul right now. feels hotter.

19 – temperature, in degrees celsius, in dublin right now. heat wave or what.

& leaving the best for last…

27 - days until my 2^nd wedding anniversary.

9 – number of days until i’m liberated. hell yeah. thanks bitch.

‘livin’ with seoul’ this & that

new vegemite. what? how could they? it’ll never work. & check out this video. funny as, right girls?

‘livin’ with seoul’ music appreciation video

especially for mel who commented that i added ‘some county dude’ 2 my fb page when i recently became an fb fan of ricky skaggs & kentucky thunder. if you don’t appreciate this then you don’t appreciate music, @ least instrumental music.