Two Tablespoons of Robitussin…No Chaser

Hah! Just kidding. I’m not nearly that tough. In fact, I followed that shit with two glasses of orange juice, as many tortilla chips as I could hurriedly stuff into my mouth and a tooth-brushing. Fact is, though, I’m feeling much better than the past coupla days–no soreness or fatigue, just a little coughing–and just in time for the big trip. The trip is virtually imminent now. I’m taking my time going to bed because I know it’ll be a frantic rush in the morning (and fuck, I’m gonna be riding BART with all of my luggage and the S.F. commuters) but mostly because it’ll be the last nighttime here for awhile. Just savoring things like sitting in this same-ol’ chair at the same-ol’ desk and well, being in my room with my stuff. Count on it that next time I move it’ll be to someplace where I can take all of my things with me.

 

Travel Size

My return to Korea is six weeks away. Today, I saw full-sized deodorants on sale for 99 cents, so I grabbed five of ’em and put them in the trunk of the car. Those will help because the only deodorant I’ve seen in Korea is Nivea brand, which is half the size for three times the price. Also, I’m considering buying my first infomercial product ever, the Space Bag!

Saves Hella Space!

I’ve actually used one of these before, when my cousin in Panama gave me one hers for my return trip to the U.S. I must say, it worked like a charm. Each bag was jammed full of more clothes and gifts than had the rights to be in there. Granted, each bag also weighed 100 pounds, but that won’t matter for an international flight, will it?? Honestly, the reason I want these things is so I can transport my entire wardrobe to Korea. I’m gonna be there for a year, so I want ALL of my jeans/pants, work shirts, collared casual shirts, t-shirts, exercise shirts, shorts, sweaters, jackets and, perhaps most importantly, tracksuits to come with me instead of just one or two of each.

What else do I need to grab before flying out? There are several food items that are tough to come by in Korea, like peanut butter or yogurt with gelatin. Obviously, I couldn’t bring perishables, but I’m not one who really misses food of any sort, so I’ll get by. Korean candy is just as good as the candy in the U.S., plus they’ve got Skittles, Twix and Whatchamacalits.

Tylenol, for sure. I know they have acetaminophen in Korea, but it’s not written in English nor in Konglish, so I’d never be able to identify it. Unless I do this!

A few large towels because the dearth of these things is one thing which cannot be justified about the ROK. Especially with a sauna on every block! How can the people deny themselves the comfort and pleasure of a body-wrapping towel. I should bring a bunch of mine and wear them around the neighborhood to create envy.

Condoms. Well…I still have most of the condoms I bought before traveling to Korea the first time. At that rate, I won’t need to buy anymore until about 2040. I’m, uh…I’m gonna work on that.

Subwoofer is gonna be a tough one. But if I’m truly trying to make a studio apartment a home, it may be necessary.

Hair clippers and electric razor. I made the mistake of not taking clippers on my first trip to Korea. I purchased clippers with a plastic blade that worked okay for about 2 months, after which I just had to go to the barber. The second time, I brought clippers from home, but the voltage adapter didn’t adapt too well and the clippers buzzed twice as fast as normal. Not wanting to electrocute myself nor (#2!) saw a gash into my head, I ended up going to the barber. Not taking the electric razor last time was just stupid; somehow it escaped me, while packing, that the razor will help me looked groomed AND save me money on disposable Dorco Pace Sixes.

Can't pretend six blades isn't awesome, though.

Anyway, it’ll be a lot of heavy lifting to the airport and to the apartment, but it’ll be worth having something close to the convenience and comforts of home.

 

Date Set

So much for first class.  In a flash, my Seattle plans were dashed.  My eyes passed over the email, whose contents smashed me like a hammer.  “Depart September 17th”, it read.  And hope of making good on my promise crashed to the ground.

Previously, the school had told me vaguely “the end of the month” and so I’d been thinking I would leave during the last week of September.  Consequently, this really shocked me.  For the first time since this process began in March, I felt a twinge of apprehension about going.  All day, I’ve been especially worried about leaving my mother and my sister.  How is Mom going to keep up the house?  Will sister feel abandoned since she cannot have open dialogue with other family members?  What about my friends?  Can I fit them all into a weekend?  Can I resolve the situation with Brian in under a week?  What will I do with all of my stuff?  When will I tell my Dad?  And, shit…I can only count to four in Korean.

Also, my uncle passed away in Korea early this summer a few days after he’d landed.  Busan.  That’s the city I’m going to.  He was a special case, having been a heart transplant patient, but he had felt a little sick before making the flight.  And so my Mom today, “Don’t rake the leaves because I don’t want your allergies to flare up before your trip.”  Such a Mom thing to say, but I feel it was related to my uncle’s situation.  It depresses me to think she worries that much (I’m gonna fix the yard, anyway.  It would be ridiculous to saddle her with all of that).

But now, at 5:15am, I’ve gotten over the shock and I’m steeled once again.  My practice is to have confidence when things have been done many times before.  I’m certainly not the first to move away from family.  I’m certainly not the first to hop a trans-pacific flight and I’m certainly not the first to struggle with basic commands in the Korean language.  So, today I get my ticket, live it up this weekend (starting today, my 28th) and boldly venture to what’s sure to be a memorable and meaningful experience.

 

Photo Album

Today, I went through all of the photo prints I had stashed away and digitized most of them with the scanner.  They are all up on Flickr now. Ignore most of the dates because many are incorrect, but there are dozens of photos showing many friends and happenings over the years.  Imagine if I took my camera along more often!

 

On A Mission

I’m 99% certain I won’t be traveling to China to teach this Fall.  However, a position in Busan in South Korea is becoming a more likely possibility each day.  Still need to procure the appropriate documents, including a criminal background check (does an arrest warrant related to unpaid parking tickets count?) and transcripts from college back in 2001.  It’s all fine as long as they look only at the school name and not the GPA.  I’m raring to go.  Summer school is ultimately depressing and the other options for 08-09 look disappointingly similar to what I’ve been doing for the last several years.  So, I’ve started to decline the interviews for local schools because I’ll accomplish whatever it takes to make this overseas thing happen.

Meanwhile, I’m psyching myself up to tell the China program director that I’m not doing it.  I’ll try to make that conversation as brief as possible so that I don’t feel bad about myself for explaining the situation and making excuses to the man that I do not owe him.

 

Rant at the Airport

Discourtesy (?) really invalidates people in my eyes.  It could simply be that I’m tired and cranky here waiting for my plane in the early morning, but already there have been a few glaring examples.  My uncle couldn’t be bothered to hit 60mph on the way to Dulles at 5am this morning; I wanted to hit him, he’s such an asshole.  It’s cool to volunteer to drive, but not if he refuses to respect what I am trying to do, namely catch a fucking plane.  And the family in line at the airport Dunkin’ Donuts (I had to compare them to Happy Donut; it was strictly for science!) took their sweet fucking time and kept changing their order.  And as the minutes piled up I developed a “You GOTS to be kidding me” expression and the guy in front of me (and right behind them) was giving hints through repeated loud sighs and the family was completely oblivious and does this woman realize the tag is still attached to her J. Crew shorts?

And last, to these discourteous fuckers carrying big-ass luggage onto the plane instead of checking it, ugh…I’m not even angry anymore.  Time to fly!

 

At Cosi Cafe

It’s 9:30 on my last night in D.C.  I’ve gotten the pass to escape from my family members because they’re at a post-funeral reception evening gathering and there wasn’t enough room for everyone in the car.  I got the nod over my cousin because I’m 27 and male and she’s 21 and with arrested development.  I’ve seen her about once a year over the last few and each time I wonder if she’ll begin to show some responsibility and act her age and each time I’m disappointed.  In other news, I’m not writing any lessons for the students when I get back to school this week.

So, I’ve nearly run out of clothes and I’m wearing my de facto basketball uniform sitting, writing at a cafe/restaurant and watching throngs of people pass by outside.  Today (Saturday) is the Pride March in D.C but the rain doesn’t seem to have dampened the turnout or the spectacle.  Now the makeup is more bizarre.  The same hordes of diners and clubgoers has been garnished by abashed gays, tourists and “straight” guys wearing several beads while pretending not to have active interest in the more flamboyant revelers.  In addition, are the multitudes of people from outside of the States whom I’d forgotten about yesterday.  I had always thought of D.C. as an urban, impoverished Black city like Oakland or Detroit–which stood at odds with its position as the center of government.  Even though it was a long time ago, Mayor Barry’s drug use was part of a looming image in my mind.  But instead of crime-ridden streets, there are scores of people walking around at night.  No vacant lots in the area.  An embassy on every corner.  It is yuppily-gentrified, which explains why I’m so into the place, but it begs the question of what happened to all of the Black people.  Maybe I just haven’t crossed the tracks yet.

 

D.C. and Herb

I think I’m in Maryland right now although I wouldn’t bet a year in Asia on it.  Came to D.C. for my uncle’s funeral tomorrow and I’ve walked all over the place in the scorching heat and now I’m writing this blogger post while waiting for my French Dip in Bethesda.  Update: Now I’m actually typing this thing at the free Internet available at a hotel I’m not staying at.  Typing as quickly as possible!.  There are a ton of things I want to write about but I didn’t bring my computer, so I’ll try to find some location (!) to get what’s certain to be a rambling post down.

Okay, my sandwich arrived at it’s the best French Dip I’ve ever had.  By fucking far.  Madeleine’s Bethesda, everybody.  Recognize.  Patronize.

I’ll get to my uncle in a minute.  First, I’ll say that I wasn’t super-excited to come out to D.C.  The kids went to the waterslides today and I actually wanted to go and hang out with the school year close to ending.  But, I swear, staying close to home has warped my perception.  The short time I’ve spent here already trumps being at home fivefold.  Plus, I can do that other shit anytime.  Last night, I was tired but strolling around the Dupont Circle neighborhood with my crazy Uncle Hector (more on him another day…just like my WNBA Eastern Conference preview) and we were just looking at all of the ladies passing by, eating, drinking, texting, waiting in line and showing skin that I’ve been closely attuned to for these 24 hours.  I mean, the nightlife reminded me of downtown S.F. in its volume, but it wasn’t hustle-bustle–it was more like every woman in town under 40 had decided to go out that night.  And it’s like women don’t wear jeans, either.  I’m not complaining–it’s fucking awesome.  I guess because it’s hot but I can’t remember seeing so many dresses and skirts and breasts and colors and legs and God, I’ve just enjoyed being outside lately!  Or maybe I’d been hallucinating after the cross-country plane trip (I had stayed up for 24 straight hours beforehand, too…don’t ask me why).

I thought this was funny.  The woman at the front desk was this attractive Black woman, maybe 23-24…with the same name as my ex-gf.  I tried having a conversation…learned she’s been at Howard for 2 years, liked working at the hotel, thought seeing the sights was well-worth the effort; then the front desk phone rang and she said “Perfect timing” to me while handing me the receiver with my mom on the other end.  Anyway, what I saw last night makes me wish I knew somebody here because it wouldn’t be a bad spot to spend a weekend, you know?  I mean…under different terms.

Earlier today, Uncle Hector and I walked to Herb’s apartment and examined his things.  His death was unexpected–he was only 55–but not entirely surprising because he was a heart TRANSPLANT patient.  I’m talking transplant like he had someone else’s heart in him.  That was three and a half years ago and he had been going strong since then.  Going strong included taking 30 pills every day, avoiding strenuous activity and closely monitoring hygiene as well as every  that entered his body.  But he had returned to work and he traveled and he had a positive outlook on life.  It’s a good thing, too, because prior to the operation he had been so secretive.  I had only met him once before age 24, my mom didn’t know what he did for a living, he was married for 15 years and my om met his ex for the first time yesterday.  We weren’t even sure who would be at his funeral outside of family members but, apparently, he was, as they say, kind of a big deal.  His obituary in the Washington Post (who the hell wrote that?) reads that he founded an organization to diversify the ranks of service workers in D.C. and some other leadership-type activities.  If nothing else, he made lots of connections such that people want to donate for his services.

If nothing else #2, Uncle Herb passed away while doing his thing.  He actually died in South Korea while over there to meet someone and do something???  Uncle Hector shared one of the final emails Herb had written to him saying he was on the beach and breathing hard and he didn’t know if it was the women (can you sense a theme among us, here?) or his heart.  He did also write that he’d be back in the U.S. the next morning but he went down in his hotel.  I hope that I’m communicating that I’m glad to have gotten to know him a little after the transplant.  I just think people with as much positivity as he had are special.  I’ll go to his funeral tomorrow, meet some other people who knew him and find out even more.

 

Checklist

So I said I wanted to relax on my vacation and, finally, I’m doing just that. A comfortable and relaxing place to go? Seattle. Check. Privacy and freedom? Hotel room. Check. Mobility? Rental car. Check. Companionship? Call up Master P and Special K (and maybe even Princess Kaur and videoxy!). Check. Relaxing activities? Teppan Yaki. Cafe blogging. A scheduled hourlong massage Saturday in Vancouver. Fucking check. Fuck it, while I’m up there I’m buying a track suit, too. Escapist attitude? Zero phone calls taken from anyone I’m not interested in talking to. It’s…it’s almost as if I made a list of the things that would make a satisfying weekend…and just executed them! Hmm…I’ve gotta sneak some alcohol in there at some point. I’m tempted to even go to the Sonics/Bobcats game tonight just because I’ve never seen an NBA game in a city other than Oakland (and since it may be my last opportunity to see one in Seattle). This is truly enjoyable; something I should do more often. And I feel like I’m really setting myself to power through the last couple months of the school year.  But it’s not even time to worry about that; I’m just enjoying the time right now.

 

New Day, New Cafe

Happy Donut is packed with people on Easter Sunday, so I’ve driven down the road this afternoon to Pearl Cafe in Mountain View (or am I in Los Altos?). It’s more elegant than Happy Donut; more cafe, less cafeteria, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this cinnamon streusel coffee cake. I’m not saying it beats rainbow sprinkles and 24 open hours, but it’s a workable alternative.

It was certainly nice to see Andy today, visiting from L.A. He’s someone I don’t get to see enough of. And his idea of how to spend the day! Here we are, Andy, myself along with Captain E and MK3 — we bought sandwiches at Andronico’s and ate them at the cactus garden! Then we went to the park and threw the frisbee and laid down on the grass! It was wonderful! I just…that never would have crossed my mind. Maybe I think I’m too cool for the frisbee or that eating in the park is boring, but I think it’s proof that the only thing that really matters is good company.

Andy also suggested that I reconsider the teaching English in China or Japan. I do a good job as a teacher but I don’t particularly enjoy it. Since I need a new job, anyway, perhaps this would be a good way to step outside of the industry and to find something else suitable. Andy also noted that it would help solve my not-traveling problem and my living-at-home problem, and that it couldn’t possibly hurt to pick up some Mandarin and to network and possibly make inroads towards a new career. Hey, it sounds good to me at first glance!