these automatic flowers won't do.

First, a few things for myself:
1. NaBloWriMo - One of my goals for the remaining 5 months is to blog more frequently, but I'm going to try to ease myself into it for now. Everyday is the ideal, but we'll see how that goes. I do, however, plan on blogging every single day in October as part of NaBloWriMo, National Blog Writing Month. This should help get me ready for writing every day as part of...

2. NaNoWriMo - That's it. This is my year. I'm doing it. (I said that last year, I'm sure.) NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, and happens every year in November. The idea is to write a 50,000 word novel in November. It (obviously) emphasizes quantity over quality, but that's not such a bad idea really, considering finishing a novel is the hardest part of it. I'm going to be workmanlike about it this year. No messing around. Writing everyday, at the same time, at Dunkin Donuts. At least 1,700 words a day until it's done. I've known about this thing for almost 5 years, and every year I want to do it, but for me at least, starting is the hardest part. I get so intimidated that I never do. But this year is going to be different. I have an idea almost outlined in my head. I have more free time than I probably every will again. And I'm determined. I'm even excited. I wish it was November RIGHT NOW.

I went walking tonight, and it was kind of nice. I've decided I'm going to cut running down to twice a week. I think if I only make myself do it that often, I'll enjoy each run more. The goal was to become the kind of person who enjoys running. I could probably burn more calories on the elliptical machine, and certainly at less cost to my knees, so I want to run because I enjoy it. (Also, I don't have an elliptical machine in Korea.) But I'm going to go walking four nights a week too. And I'm used to only walking or running the same two or three routes, so the goal is to branch out. There's lots of Naju that I haven't explored yet. Who knows? There could be a taco stand hiding in one of those unexplored neighborhoods. (So unlikely.) It was surprisingly breezy and pleasant when I went out tonight at 8pm, but I quickly discovered that was because it was going to rain. At first it was just a fine mist of rain, which was annoying, but then it actually started to really come down. I was still maybe 15 minutes from home at that point, so I just kept cruising. When you're already drenched, a little more doesn't matter. It's too bad it was raining... I wanted to keep going. I slept fine for about 7 hours last night, which was good. I was going to try not to take a nap today to make sure I got over jet lag by tomorrow morning, but I couldn't make it. I was bored, and it was so hot, so I slept for maybe 3 or four hours. Thus, I was hoping to wear myself out completely, but I feel a little tired now, so I think it'll be all right. I've still got to take a freezing cold shower tonight (no hot water, welcome back to Korea) and shave my legs. And I've got a few books to read.

Last night was my first night back in the Naj, and it was a weird feeling. I came home around 10pm. My host mom and sister were awake, so I immediately tore through my suitcases to get out the presents (at their request). My mom was pretty excited about the beer and vodka, and hopefully she likes the shirts too. Stacey was pretty excited about the makeup and watch (way to go, Mom). They seemed geniunely happy to see me, which was nice. I was genuinely happy to see them too, although I felt pretty out of sorts from all the travelling. We sat and visited for awhile, then they kindly left me alone so I could sleep. Actually, I stayed up until 1, and unpacked most of my stuff. I took a freezing cold shower, which actually feels okay when you're drenched in sweat, but still isn't very pleasant. Then I climbed into bed. My fan had disappeared while I was gone, but I actually wasn't that uncomfortable. Still, I didn't fall asleep very fast. I slept a lot on the plane, so I wasn't surprised, but I'd taken a benadryl, so I knew eventually I'd get there. The whole night reminded me so much of the first night I came to Naju last year. I sort of laid there and tried to remember how I felt then. I was a lot more scared and uncomfortable, obviously, because I didn't know my host family at all. But for whatever reason, the sensation was really similar. It was super-hot, I was completely awake and staring at the ceiling, and my mind was just working overtime. Just strange.

I was going to write more, but it's been an hour since I came upstairs to use the computer, so I guess I'll wrap it up. Have a nice day. :)

a small accomplishment

Wow! I just did something super-neato. I changed my sidebar archive to display weekly, rather than monthly as it previously did, and according to my math (arguably one of my weaker points), it looks like I've posted at least once a week nearly every week since July--I missed less than 7, I think. (I didn't post in January while I was teaching winter class or home in America, but I don't really count that.) This is a big accomplishment for me, as I've never been able to maintain a journal that long... especially one in which I posted on a semi-regular basis.

And I'm not tired of it. Sometimes I didn't post as often as I would have liked, but once a week is something be proud of, and often it was just because I forgot about it... life swallowed me up. Setting a Google Calendar reminder has helped me a lot in the past few weeks. Even if I don't post right on that day, I see it sitting in my inbox and usually break down and do it soon after. And after I do, I feel better. Dividing my weight loss related posts into another place actually helps rather hindering me, because I feel like I can tackle some issues here and other things there, without worrying about the audience. So far, so good, anyway. A mini-victory. I'll have to do something to celebrate my one year anniversary of blogger-ing.

My feelings about going to Korea have been very rollercoaster-y, but at least for the last few weeks, I've been very positive about it. Just having the pressure of the medical forms removed and receiving emails from the coordinator and all of that has made me feel better, and I'm actually getting excited. I always believed that I was the kind of go-get-'em person who would be willing to and in fact really enthusiastic about the prospect of living in a different country and embracing a new culture and language. And I'm really excited to teach! I don't know what I'll do (honestly) if I find that teaching isn't as fulfilling for me as I imagine it will be, because I've spent literally my entire life thinking that it was the one career that is really perfect for me. But I'm not going to worry about it. I'm sure that at times it will be really really hard, and really lonely, and really frustrating. But I have to (and want to) believe that it's going to be an amazing experience. I have to go into it with a completely positive attitude, so that's what I'm going to do.

And that's why I like blogging... because I like being able to go back and read old entries and remember little things I would otherwise have forgotten, like the above gem (May 20, 2007) from the blog I kept while in Ireland. Well, luckily teaching IS for me... at least teaching in Korea has suited me really well. Apparently I am a go-get-'em person, because even though I doubted myself at first, I've been largely successful at creating My Korean Life (it sounds like a TV show). It's like I was psychic. It has been "really really hard, and really lonely, and really frustrating." But looking at a calendar today and realizing that I have less than four months left really surprised me. You mean I did it? I survived? Even thrived?

That's what I wanted to blog about tonight... my feelings now that I'm pretty sure I'm not extending and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (not that things have been particularly dark lately). But I'm tired, and I've spent too much money at this internet cafe already (STUPID HOST BROTHER)! So I'll update tomorrow, or at least soon. I've got a lot to say (as always).