Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Jade Monkey Rides Again!
I've dusted off my travel blog in preparation for going to Korea. You can follow my exploits there: Adventures of the Jade Monkey. This blog also includes my adventures teaching in China in 2004. Keep checking back there for updates in June!
Incoming
Note the two additions to my list of Places and Faces: Sci Fi Media - reviews of books, movies and TV, and Thrall - entertainment news of the sort I care to know (i.e. not gossip). Give those folks a peep when you have a mo.
Sorting
It's summer, which mean there are so many projects to get to, not the least of which is I'M GOING TO KOREA IN A MONTH. I've decided for the time being to go for the "low hanging fruit."
1. Novel - The publisher is going to publish it. All I have to do is write it. And I am. Every day a couple more scenes.
2. Screenplay - My "paranormal rom-com" is in progress. I have a new writing group (we'll see how this one goes) and I'm hoping to get some solid potato salad critique from those homies.
3. My film - the doco on life as an expat EFL teacher in Korea is coming with me to Korea and I will be finishing it (editing) with the help of Chang, my production/doco colleague who is full of Awesomesauce.
So there you have it and there it is: Summer 2010.
In between all that is planning my curriculum for Korea, "reducing" as my Filipino mother-in-law would say (that means exercising and getting fit, losing some inches along the way), and working the penalty box for derby games.
Speaking of "reducing," can I just say that my knee really needs to just get its act together so I can do martial arts and roller skate again. I'm tired of babying it. I want to join Planet Fitness so I can get on that machine that pumps your quads. Since I'm sorta on a budget for the summer, I'll just do T'ai Chi in the park and bear all the Chinese people in my apartment complex laughing at me. WHAT?
Time to hit my day. PMP is in town for a visit, I'm getting my car back at some point, and I have to do some hauswerk. And of course, spend the morning writing.
1. Novel - The publisher is going to publish it. All I have to do is write it. And I am. Every day a couple more scenes.
2. Screenplay - My "paranormal rom-com" is in progress. I have a new writing group (we'll see how this one goes) and I'm hoping to get some solid potato salad critique from those homies.
3. My film - the doco on life as an expat EFL teacher in Korea is coming with me to Korea and I will be finishing it (editing) with the help of Chang, my production/doco colleague who is full of Awesomesauce.
So there you have it and there it is: Summer 2010.
In between all that is planning my curriculum for Korea, "reducing" as my Filipino mother-in-law would say (that means exercising and getting fit, losing some inches along the way), and working the penalty box for derby games.
Speaking of "reducing," can I just say that my knee really needs to just get its act together so I can do martial arts and roller skate again. I'm tired of babying it. I want to join Planet Fitness so I can get on that machine that pumps your quads. Since I'm sorta on a budget for the summer, I'll just do T'ai Chi in the park and bear all the Chinese people in my apartment complex laughing at me. WHAT?
Time to hit my day. PMP is in town for a visit, I'm getting my car back at some point, and I have to do some hauswerk. And of course, spend the morning writing.
Monday, May 24, 2010
On the move
Or rather, waiting for a ride. Soooo the '98 Nissan Sentra is once again mocking me with its oldness. Brought the car in this morning for a number of issues. When I go to pick it up tomorrow, I will be slapping another $1000 on the credit card to get it back on the road. This thing is a money pit. I've been saying for weeks that we'll need another car by the end of the year.
And it appears that we'll have one. My in-laws called just today (timing - wow!) to tell us that they're buying their leased car and are wanting to give us their Nissan Pathfinder (which is a '95, granted, but has barely been driven). I'm in awe of the Universe's way of supplying the much-needed things of life.
Just last night, in fact, Bizarro and I decided we'd make time to go visit my in-laws in August after I get back from Korea, before the semester starts up. I guess we'll take a flight or a bus there and drive the Pathfinder home. How slick is that shit?
So for the time being, until tomorrow, I am sans car. My Yoga instructor is being nice enough to give Bizarro and me a ride to and from Yoga tonight. We missed the last 2 weeks, and she is so gung-ho that she'd rather give us rides than miss another week.
Isn't it great when a plan comes together?
And it appears that we'll have one. My in-laws called just today (timing - wow!) to tell us that they're buying their leased car and are wanting to give us their Nissan Pathfinder (which is a '95, granted, but has barely been driven). I'm in awe of the Universe's way of supplying the much-needed things of life.
Just last night, in fact, Bizarro and I decided we'd make time to go visit my in-laws in August after I get back from Korea, before the semester starts up. I guess we'll take a flight or a bus there and drive the Pathfinder home. How slick is that shit?
So for the time being, until tomorrow, I am sans car. My Yoga instructor is being nice enough to give Bizarro and me a ride to and from Yoga tonight. We missed the last 2 weeks, and she is so gung-ho that she'd rather give us rides than miss another week.
Isn't it great when a plan comes together?
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The New Banner (or, "Gramma's Ghost")
I'd just like to take a few moments to spew forth about the new banner. You may have noticed that it doesn't have ocean waves or palm trees or spring blossoms. It's also in black and white. This photo was taken from my grandmother's front porch I'm guessing in the 1940s, by the design of the car whizzing past. (Did cars whiz in the 40s? Or did they just sort of roll by?) This photo is one of a kabillion old photos I inherited/collected from my parents' immense collection of "who the hell is that? I don't remember that photo being taken. now where was that at?" Me, I adore old photos and have vowed to make them a regular part of my every day life.
Anyway, so check out the border of said banner. It's that sort of pink-salmony color right? Dude, that was the color of Gramma's house. I'm not kidding. Imagine this house in pink-salmony glory:
That house was in an area of Elmira, NY called "The Patch," which was an Italian neighborhood. When it was first built in the 1800s there was nothing - and I mean nothing - around it. Check it:
I'm not sure when my grandparents bought the home - I'm thinking some time in the 1930s, but this is how I remember Gramma at that house:
So as you can tell, I love that house. I think for the time being, I'm going to keep this banner - it is far more personal than some of the other images I've swapped out over the years. Oh, and in case you're wondering about the "INT./EXT." reference - that's a screenplay shot heading for a scene that is shot partially Interior and Exterior at a location.
As an aside, I used to have dreams of going into this house, only it was terribly haunted. Not by good people like my grandparents, but by evil spirits and suchlike. At some point in the recent past, I dreamed of going in there, but it was "clean," as Zelda Rubinstein would say. Seems to have been the end of those recurring dreams. Think of that what you will.
Anyway, so check out the border of said banner. It's that sort of pink-salmony color right? Dude, that was the color of Gramma's house. I'm not kidding. Imagine this house in pink-salmony glory:
That house was in an area of Elmira, NY called "The Patch," which was an Italian neighborhood. When it was first built in the 1800s there was nothing - and I mean nothing - around it. Check it:
I'm not sure when my grandparents bought the home - I'm thinking some time in the 1930s, but this is how I remember Gramma at that house:
So as you can tell, I love that house. I think for the time being, I'm going to keep this banner - it is far more personal than some of the other images I've swapped out over the years. Oh, and in case you're wondering about the "INT./EXT." reference - that's a screenplay shot heading for a scene that is shot partially Interior and Exterior at a location.
As an aside, I used to have dreams of going into this house, only it was terribly haunted. Not by good people like my grandparents, but by evil spirits and suchlike. At some point in the recent past, I dreamed of going in there, but it was "clean," as Zelda Rubinstein would say. Seems to have been the end of those recurring dreams. Think of that what you will.
Friday, May 21, 2010
I keep working my way back to you, babe...
I've been Facebooking waaaayyy too much lately. So this weekend I'm "taking a break," which makes me sound like a junkie who's just going to drink coffee and poke smot for the weekend.
I'm trying to pay more attention to this blog, which is a much more productive use of my time, don't you think? I mean, really. Dear Blog, I promise not to play around any more and cheat on you with Facebook. At least, for the weekend.
I'm trying to pay more attention to this blog, which is a much more productive use of my time, don't you think? I mean, really. Dear Blog, I promise not to play around any more and cheat on you with Facebook. At least, for the weekend.
Korean food makes me glisten
Tonight Bizarro and I went to a Korean BBQ restaurant in "college town." My Korean film maker/professor friend cooks there as a favor to his friend the owner. Tonight we had spicy pork and chicken with the MOST delicious side dishes (cucumber kimchi, regular kimchi, fish cakes), and freebies (mandu for appetizer, rice drink and some kind of tiny icecream balls for dessert). Wow. That was a lot of food. But more than that, it was a taste of my upcoming month in Korea. Real Korean food, and cute little sweet things for dessert. Cuz in Korea, it's not good unless it's cute.
-^^- kk
I cannot frickin' WAIT to get to Korea. The saunas, the kimchi, the noraebang, the soju, the random pick-up badminton in the streets. One month from now I'll be in NYC, heading to the airport for my long-ass flight on a big-ass plane.
Speaking of big asses and saunas, I have to start exercising every day so I can feel slender and sleek in the all-nekkid bath house.
Nekkid.
-^^- kk
I cannot frickin' WAIT to get to Korea. The saunas, the kimchi, the noraebang, the soju, the random pick-up badminton in the streets. One month from now I'll be in NYC, heading to the airport for my long-ass flight on a big-ass plane.
Speaking of big asses and saunas, I have to start exercising every day so I can feel slender and sleek in the all-nekkid bath house.
Nekkid.
A happy ending...
No, not THAT kind of happy ending. Get your mind out of the gutter.
Yesterday morning was a very pleasant few hours with the kitty (I'd nick-named him Spaz). I let him come inside. He mainly stayed near the screen door and watched outside, as cats do. Around 12:30 I realized that I wasn't doing any one any favors by letting him stay here indefinitely, knowing he'd have to leave. So I packed him up in the kitty carry box my neighbor loaned me and brought him over to the SPCA. He was not happy in that little box in the car. His pitiful cries broke my heart. I sobbed the entire time I was at the intake center. I could hear his little cries when they carried him into the back room to his temporary cage. I cried the whole way home. I was a mess. I felt stupid for getting so attached, but really what I felt bad about was thinking the cat felt betrayed and confused. He'd developed a nice life here, and now he was in a cage at the SPCA.
When I got back to the apartment, I ran into my across-the-hall neighbor, and we started talking about the kitty. Turns out HE was hosting the kitty too, at night. I'd wondered where the kitty was sleeping at night since he wasn't on my patio. My neighbor didn't realize it was an orphan kitty; he'd held back from feeding him and taking him in because he figured he belonged to someone. So after the entire story was out, my neighbor realized he could adopt the kitty from the SPCA, after the cat's been neutered and has had his medical check-up and shots. It'll take a week to ten days for the entire process, but then my neighbor can bring home Spaz, who can then come visit us on our patio.
Can I just say that I am astounded how completely sentimental and wrecked I became over a damned kitten. I mean really. Bizarro, too, became attached, though much less so. The kitty was very attached to me. He'd come when I call, follow me around, sit on my lap, etc. I just hope the week in the SPCA doesn't ruin him. He had such a sweet disposition.
Okay, see here I go again! I'm too soft for my own good.
ADDENDUM: Took my neighbor over to the SPCA yesterday. Turns out Spaz is a she-kitty, and is almost a year old, not 5-6 months. Spaz is coming home next Tuesday. My neighbor and I have agreed to be co-parents, tho he gets to deal with the litter box and cat sheddings in winter. WIN-WIN-WIN!
Yesterday morning was a very pleasant few hours with the kitty (I'd nick-named him Spaz). I let him come inside. He mainly stayed near the screen door and watched outside, as cats do. Around 12:30 I realized that I wasn't doing any one any favors by letting him stay here indefinitely, knowing he'd have to leave. So I packed him up in the kitty carry box my neighbor loaned me and brought him over to the SPCA. He was not happy in that little box in the car. His pitiful cries broke my heart. I sobbed the entire time I was at the intake center. I could hear his little cries when they carried him into the back room to his temporary cage. I cried the whole way home. I was a mess. I felt stupid for getting so attached, but really what I felt bad about was thinking the cat felt betrayed and confused. He'd developed a nice life here, and now he was in a cage at the SPCA.
When I got back to the apartment, I ran into my across-the-hall neighbor, and we started talking about the kitty. Turns out HE was hosting the kitty too, at night. I'd wondered where the kitty was sleeping at night since he wasn't on my patio. My neighbor didn't realize it was an orphan kitty; he'd held back from feeding him and taking him in because he figured he belonged to someone. So after the entire story was out, my neighbor realized he could adopt the kitty from the SPCA, after the cat's been neutered and has had his medical check-up and shots. It'll take a week to ten days for the entire process, but then my neighbor can bring home Spaz, who can then come visit us on our patio.
Can I just say that I am astounded how completely sentimental and wrecked I became over a damned kitten. I mean really. Bizarro, too, became attached, though much less so. The kitty was very attached to me. He'd come when I call, follow me around, sit on my lap, etc. I just hope the week in the SPCA doesn't ruin him. He had such a sweet disposition.
Okay, see here I go again! I'm too soft for my own good.
ADDENDUM: Took my neighbor over to the SPCA yesterday. Turns out Spaz is a she-kitty, and is almost a year old, not 5-6 months. Spaz is coming home next Tuesday. My neighbor and I have agreed to be co-parents, tho he gets to deal with the litter box and cat sheddings in winter. WIN-WIN-WIN!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Mid-May Missive
Taking a breath on a Sunday morning to catch up more details here, since I was buried in work the last few weeks.
As mentioned in a previous post, I've begun a new adventure as a penalty box mistress (timekeeper) with the local women's roller derby league. My husband started going to games last season, and seemed to really enjoy them. This season I went with him to the opening game, and I was INSTANTLY hooked. There's no way my knee or my schedule will allow me to skate or even be a ref, but I am able to be an NSO - Non-Skating Official - to keep time in the penalty box. And yes, I do have a derby name: The Prof. Hit.
Aside from my new hobby, I am looking forward to writing morning, noon and night this summer, with the exception of my month in Korea, during which I will work on my documentary. Ah, see you'd forgotten I started to work on a film three years ago, dincha? It's still out there, but I'm closing in now for the kill, with assistance from a colleague at skool to help me edit.
My writing projects are varied: a first draft of a new screenplay, revisions of one I just got some notes for, and a novel for a small publishing company that specializes in licensed properties (TV tie-ins, IOW). I am looking forward to living the life of a writer for the next month or so.
One last thing to report - my shitty-ass neighbors have decided to abandon a 5-6 month old kitten because they're moving and won't/can't take him with them. They've stopped feeding it and let it outside so that someone will take him in. The little thing is skin and bones, and I've taken it upon myself to find him a new home, since he's taken up hanging out on our patio. I feed him a little protein every day and make sure he has some water to drink. I don't know where he goes at night. I need to find him a new home, soon, though. It incenses me that anyone would be so fucking irresponsible and ignorant.
And now, to end this on a lighter note, I have to go make part of my costume for derby this afternoon. How much fun!
As mentioned in a previous post, I've begun a new adventure as a penalty box mistress (timekeeper) with the local women's roller derby league. My husband started going to games last season, and seemed to really enjoy them. This season I went with him to the opening game, and I was INSTANTLY hooked. There's no way my knee or my schedule will allow me to skate or even be a ref, but I am able to be an NSO - Non-Skating Official - to keep time in the penalty box. And yes, I do have a derby name: The Prof. Hit.
Aside from my new hobby, I am looking forward to writing morning, noon and night this summer, with the exception of my month in Korea, during which I will work on my documentary. Ah, see you'd forgotten I started to work on a film three years ago, dincha? It's still out there, but I'm closing in now for the kill, with assistance from a colleague at skool to help me edit.
My writing projects are varied: a first draft of a new screenplay, revisions of one I just got some notes for, and a novel for a small publishing company that specializes in licensed properties (TV tie-ins, IOW). I am looking forward to living the life of a writer for the next month or so.
One last thing to report - my shitty-ass neighbors have decided to abandon a 5-6 month old kitten because they're moving and won't/can't take him with them. They've stopped feeding it and let it outside so that someone will take him in. The little thing is skin and bones, and I've taken it upon myself to find him a new home, since he's taken up hanging out on our patio. I feed him a little protein every day and make sure he has some water to drink. I don't know where he goes at night. I need to find him a new home, soon, though. It incenses me that anyone would be so fucking irresponsible and ignorant.
And now, to end this on a lighter note, I have to go make part of my costume for derby this afternoon. How much fun!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
yeah, what he said
If you're a devout Catholic who reveres the Pope, don't watch this. If you're a Catholic who doesn't like the Pope, or anyone who doesn't like the Pope, or someone who is angry at the cover-up and rap on the knuckles of priests doing bad things, and can appreciate some on-the-nose humor, feel free. But be warned, it's 99.8% fucking mutherfucked.
aaaand we're back
Semester nearly wrecked me. Just have grades to turn in and one more frakking "retreat" to attend, then it will be over. I've already begun working on summer projects, including prep for teaching at Hanyang University in Korea. Oh yeah, I spent hours last night and this morning searching for my passport, which I found in the same box I'd looked in four times, at least. I finally had the bright idea of lifting the see-through plastic box and looking through the bottom, and there it was, buried in all the crap I'd thrown in over the last 3 years.
And now this:
see more Political Pictures
I'm feeling a bit out of sorts today. I don't know if it's actual cold or simply exhaustion. Yesterday threw me for a loop. I was supposed to go to a retreat for work that was supposed to end at 1:00. My coworkers decided it should go until "whenever" but neglected to tell me this, so at 1:00 I was pumped to jump in my car and head back to civilization. We'd had our meeting at someone's lovely country house but godDAMN people, how do you live in the middle of BFE? I don't understand how you even get out of your f'ing driveway in winter! Anyway, imagine my embarrassed fury when I was informed that the others were heading back to campus to "finish" our retreat. WTF? No one bothered to apologize, but someone did have the presence of mind to admit "This is the worst-planned retreat, ever." Yeah. Something like that. All that is to say that what I'd planned for the rest of the day was thrown out the window, and I arrived home after 4:00 feeling like a piece of over-cooked spaghetti. I have a feeling that that, coupled with the extensive rip-apart-my-apartment search for the passport, has left me feeling less-than today.
Which is really inconvenient since tomorrow I am going to be time-keeping in the penalty box for the local roller derby league's bout. It's my debut, and I'm pissed that I am not feeling well. I can only hope and pray that all the remedies I've shoved down my pie-hole all day and a good night's sleep will mend me for tomorrow.
Will let you all know how it goes.
And now this:
see more Political Pictures
I'm feeling a bit out of sorts today. I don't know if it's actual cold or simply exhaustion. Yesterday threw me for a loop. I was supposed to go to a retreat for work that was supposed to end at 1:00. My coworkers decided it should go until "whenever" but neglected to tell me this, so at 1:00 I was pumped to jump in my car and head back to civilization. We'd had our meeting at someone's lovely country house but godDAMN people, how do you live in the middle of BFE? I don't understand how you even get out of your f'ing driveway in winter! Anyway, imagine my embarrassed fury when I was informed that the others were heading back to campus to "finish" our retreat. WTF? No one bothered to apologize, but someone did have the presence of mind to admit "This is the worst-planned retreat, ever." Yeah. Something like that. All that is to say that what I'd planned for the rest of the day was thrown out the window, and I arrived home after 4:00 feeling like a piece of over-cooked spaghetti. I have a feeling that that, coupled with the extensive rip-apart-my-apartment search for the passport, has left me feeling less-than today.
Which is really inconvenient since tomorrow I am going to be time-keeping in the penalty box for the local roller derby league's bout. It's my debut, and I'm pissed that I am not feeling well. I can only hope and pray that all the remedies I've shoved down my pie-hole all day and a good night's sleep will mend me for tomorrow.
Will let you all know how it goes.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
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