I'm back in South Korea

Well, I was planning to go to Seoul today. One really must visit Seoul as soon as possible once you arrive in Korea. It will give you the neccessary contrast. However, I didn't finish doing my weekly cleaning until almost 3. Largely because I played on the internet for a couple of hours. So, I'll go tomorrow.
I thought about going to Gumi but since I've never been there before I'd rather go knowing I'm meeting someone so that was out as well.
Instead I went to the nearest bike shop and bought a used bike for 60,000 won (roughly 55 dollars). The tires are new and the chain is good. The breaks also have good tread and it's clean. The back break is good though the front break is pretty mushy. I don't know whether I should tighten the break myself or take it back to the shop (which is also a bike repair shop) to have the break tightened. It has a basket and a place on the back for bungee cording boxes. It also has a little horn and it came with a lock. The handlebars were loose at first but I showed the shop owner and he tightened them.
I then rode to Emart where I bought a small plastic drawer for my socks, a pillow, a place mat, and some wall hooks. I think I'm going to be sore tomorrow. I haven't ridden a bike in probably two and a half years. Haha, I was rather embarrassingly wobbly for the first ten minutes or so.
I'll go to Seoul tomorrow morning. But, I can't spend as much because I chose to buy the bike today. I'm going to be sore tomorrow.

Now, for all of you who know me, and for those who don't. The tooth feels fine. I'm still amazed that I even had to have an emergency root canal. I spoke with some other EPIK teachers yesterday who also go to the same dentist and said he's very good and his prices are quite reasonable. I think reasonable is an understatement, they're fantastic.

Ah, yes, would you like to see where I'm living?
Well, it's Sanju. That would be almost-the-middle-of-nowhere-south-Korea, as opposed to Seoul which is everything-is-here-south-Korea.

My apartment complex. Well, not just mine. It is also home to another elementary school teacher, and three other EPIK teachers. There are a handful of families with children and many singles. Probably because of the size of the apartments. I don't think I'd be able to share this space with even a spouse. In defense of the families here, there are also two room apartments here. And, yes, you read that right, not two bedroom, two room. ^_^ Welcome to Asia.

This is the view of the town to the left of the apartments.

This is the view three or four blocks past the previous image.




I'll show my actual apartment in another post.

There was a prayer meeting tonight but I didn't know where or when so that was kind of out. There's also a party tonight but I was out last night and I try to make it a habit to never drink more than once in a week. Also, I'm waking up pretty early. At least with the bike I can get to the bus station in less than half an hour.

32

So, I fixed up my parents' lawn yesterday, front and back. Pruned the trees and hedges, mowed, clipped the stuff that was in too awkward a place to be mowed. And, between where the basketball shorts stopped at my knees and the socks started at my ankles I got roughly 32 bites (I may have missed one or two in counting). Yep, you read that right, 32.
I think you can see about 10 or 12 in the picture, there's a lot more on the back and sides that you can't see (lol, and I almost didn't put this up at all because I'm not a big fan of my legs. How is it that guy's legs look great at any angle but most womens', and certainly mine, almost always look bad from anything but the side?). I have one word; itchy.

But, I'm being a trooper and not scratching.

Now, without futher ado; one of the many reasons I love my town is the beautiful parks















And, I now have undenyable proof that both the cats in my parents' home are odd:
















Otherwise, I have the contents of my tool box to write up and then I'll be totally done with all the inventorying of my stuff. Which is pretty much bizarre. Maybe I'll also write up a list of things that I have but I haven't packed away. I don't know why I'm making the list. It's not like I wouldn't give the stuff away if I needed to, or like I'd be broken up if most of it were burned or stolen. I guess I've always wanted to do it, just to feel adult and to keep record. People and possessions are so strange and I just can help but be struck by how temporary all this is. How temporary we are. Can't you feel time rushing by you like a roaring wind? And we're so *small*. The universe blinks and we're dust. It's a miracle that we matter at all.

People all over the world

I thought I'd put up some pictures of people in the places I've been. It's all different, but at the same time they're all people. Just people. Everywhere. We're from different cultures and different backgrounds and speak different languages but in the end we're all still people. I like that.
The countries are Spain, France, Wales, Korea, Japan, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, and Australia.

Cards

Well, it is what it says, pictures of some cards that I've made. I actually made several more but I only remember to take pictures of them, before sending, about half the time.

Not quite a feet fetish

So, I like to take pictures of people's feet. Generally when they're not watching. There are many benefits to this.
For example; I don't have to get their permission, feet tell a lot about people, it's fun and makes me feel like Harriot the Spy, I get some truly interesting shots.
I thought I'd put them up here.
Again, please, no stealing.

Ok, this one needs some editing so there's more cement, less rear ends.
Lol, and now, my own feet:

A Few Flower Pictures I've Edited in PS

I'm still trying to adjust to the program after almost two years of not using it. That and I was using CS before and now I'm using CS4. I think my dodging and burning is still a little iffy, and I'm still getting used to the sharpening and softening. I think they looked edited, rather than as natural as I'd like them to be, but I'm working on that.
*These pictures are mine btw, so, if you like them, please compliment rather than 'borrow'.