Wednesday, January 11, 2012

My life these days... in photos

So here's why I no longer wear my good clothes around the house...
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(take note, Black Out Korea: baby vomit's cuter and funnier than adult vomit)

If you parse this photo carefully, you can see most of the story of my year:
1. My brand new glasses! Getting my health check for a new job, I was surprised at how much better my right eye could see than my left, so l went in for an eye check and it turns out my left eye is doubled up with both myopia and astigmatism. This is a fairly recent development: I blame my ipod touch.
Photo on 2012-12-27 at 10.35
2. Retainer. My braces are off, but I still have to wear that retainer. Between getting glasses and needing a retainer, you'd expect my life's biggest stress to be how close to the "cool" table I get to sit in the middle school cafeteria... but
3. the mobile behind my shoulder, and the traces of baby barf on the collar of my shirt (if you look carefully) are signs that I have other things to worry about than all but the most promiscuous (or uneducated about prophylactics) of middle-school kids.

I think this was in the Euljiro underground shopping center. Cindelela indeed.
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If you look carefully in my basket of coffee paraphernalia, you'll notice evidence that an ajumma now lives with us (Wifeoseyo's mom is here helping with the baby)... hand-drip stuff, beans, and...
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le sigh.

A few more:
Took a hike to Guknyeongsa with a few expat buddies... it was great, and I took these pictures. (Here's what to look for on your map/mountain guide -- it's along the Bukhan Mountain ridgeline)
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go down this lane:
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And you'll get to this big buddha statue, which overlooks the valley across from the peak of Bukhansan. It's a very nice hike if you know how to find it. The mirrored panes enclose shelves holding thousands of little buddha statues.
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That buddha is HUGE!
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5 comments:

chiam said...

Great update, and I'm really glad to hear that the new addition is back at home and once again healthy. But how could I write a comment without harassing you a bit? So here we go!

Why do you write "expat buddies", why not just say you went hiking with some buddies? It's like I'd never say "I went to a concert with my black friends". Ya know? I don't know about you, but I've been here far too long to even think about categorizing my friends into "Korean" and "expat" folders.

Roboseyo said...

Actually, in the same way many Koreans talk about their elementary school friends, their work friends, their former coworker friends, etc., "my expat buddies" is a group of buddies whom I categorize that way because I met them through the same connection: one of the expat websites -- as opposed to, say, "my work friends" or "my blog friends" (whom I'd list as such if I climbed a mountain with them) or a group of friends whom I've met through various organic means, whom I'd call "a bunch of friends"

Roboseyo said...

Hmmm... a little late to the game on this one. Perhaps more to discuss in the future.... About your eyes, I've the same problem but the other way around. Did you go to a regular optician (who I reckon will just tell you something is wrong when there's nothing wrong) or did you visit a specialist? I had a squint when I was a ankle biter and got an operation to fix it, and I think maybe my eyesight has been detiorating since - it could hardly be my staring at screens all the time's fault. What about the glasses, do they have different strength lenses - i.e. one proper lens and the other hipster lens.

Roboseyo said...

the lenses actually make my vision better... noticeably... but staring at screens was certainly a contributing factor in this case.

Roboseyo said...

Hi! I'm trying to figure out exactly how to get to Guknyeongsa. Would you be willing to post some details (saubway stop, bus #) about how to get there? Thanks!