Excuses, Excuses

I've got a bunch. And as soon as I catch up with my own life, I'll tell you ALL of them! For now, I'll leave you with something from Middlemarch, my current nighttime reading:


We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about the lips, and in answer to inquiries say, 'Oh, nothing!' Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts- not to hurt others.


Be back soon, my lovelies! Missing y'all. 

Workout, K-Pop Music Video Style

So, the all-time sweetest and strawberriest blogger ever, Kerri from Your Wishcake, started this great thing (or terrible thing, depending on my own determination and staying power) called Work It Out Weekends. And I thought it was a grand idea, to tell you how fantastically I fail each week at becoming small enough to wear "free size" in Korea, or to having an S-line. (I am currently sporting the B-line. It's a Boobs and Belly shape.)

And God bless Korea because I showed an enormous amount of initiative and joined the gym this week. I joined with two Korean girlfriends on Wednesday and signed up for the Aerobics class at 10:40 am. It's offered everyday, but I think for now I'll stick with Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes. But I am a bit addicted to it and found myself wondering out loud whether they had a class on Saturdays when I got up this morning. And Kenny knew something was up. Because all of the sudden on my day off, the day of doing nothing, the day of taking three hour naps after only four hours of being awake, the day of eating however many corn dogs I can handle- on this day, I consider going to the gym.

I mean, I didn't. But this is definitely a step in the right direction, y'all. I mentioned that last week I lost a kilo. (That's about 2 pounds for the Stateside folks. And see, the great things about kilos is that I count the amount of weight I need to lose in kilos because the number is smaller. But when I actually lose the weight, I count it in pounds because it pretty much doubles. It's a beautiful system of motivation, or self-deception, whichever.) I can drop weight pretty fast if I just discipline myself enough not to eat after 6 pm. Which, when you work from 1-9 everyday becomes quite the task because oh my god you have to think about what you're going to eat and actually make plans and cook ahead of time and then remember to take it with you to work. But this week, I let it slip a little because good grief I went to the gym twice! And this aerobics class is a full hour of jumping, popping, kicking, grape-vining, shaking, and more jumping.

If I could video tape me in this class, y'all, not only would I record it, I would post it on the Internet for the world to see. And then I would be all famous. People would call me The Aerobics Girl, and then I would get all these invites to talk shows and I would get to teach Ellen how to do aerobics Korean style and maybe finally meet G-Dragon. Because this aerobics is not like any aerobics you have ever seen. Unless you have seen this, on speed:

Because the aerobics instructor is hotter than these girls, I get insanely jealous during class. And there is a lot of standing still in this video. But in class, there is NO standing still. And they have a stereo with one of those knobs you turn to make it faster and faster, but without everything sounding like the chipmunks. So, speed this song up about 7 or 8 times faster than it is, imagine me trying to do this, but with all sorts of hops, jumps, knee raises, swivel hips, and cute little hand motions in all the places where these girls are standing still. I am not kidding when I say it is Korean music video class. Because this Friday, I learned this signature move from the Brown Eyed Girls:



This is not the Brown Eyed Girls. Because in their video, they do a lot of standing around and writhing on the ground. Which is actually not part of my aerobics class. although I do consider lying down in class sometimes. This is the Brown Eyed Girls video everyone is familiar with in Korea. But the move where they cross their arms and shake their hips back and forth, yeah baby. I got that one down. Because after that part, I'm completely lost. All the way. It's like my nightmares have become reality. When I was in high school (and even now sometimes) I would dream that I am at a dance recital. And I should know all the steps. But I don't. It's the most horrible feeling in the world. I can deal with the dreams where I almost die, where people are chasing me and trying to kill me, where Strawberry Shortcake leaves me in the forest to be eaten by a giant. But this whole being on stage and flailing around trying to keep up with everyone and drawing an absolute blank when it comes to the steps: that I cannot handle and wake up sweating with that awful feeling still in the pit of my stomach.

So yeah, Korean aerobics class is kind of like that. Because although I have rhythm, danced for 16 years, and still routinely perform in the kitchen while washing the dishes or cleaning the house, I cannot keep up with these ladies. So, I get a lot more rest than everyone else because I kind of do the whole  throw your hands in the air when everyone else does and try to figure out which direction they're moving in next. I've figured out one routine, but not entirely. It is hilarious. I do not even have enough shame to stand at the back! I stand right next to my friend, boldly showcasing my inability to perform 2NE1's latest moves and cutesy steps. This is another song we dance to, only some manic and fiercely fast version:



But I sweat. And I actually do have fun. Although I have come to loathe the fifty year old woman who centers herself in the front row and does everything with this look on her face like she's the instructor, even though her transitions are laughable and her movements often lack conviction. As in, what is that move supposed to be? Ohhhhh. She's trying to do the one where you contract your stomach while you pull your shoulders and hips forward and then arch your back, showcasing your boobs while throwing your arms and hips back quickly. But instead of contracting her stomach and arching her back in turn, she's just bending her knees. It's awesome.

So, to recap, I am going to aerobics class and trying to learn all these dances/aerobics combos that everyone else already knows! But, I did find out that they learn a new routine every other Wednesday and practice for two weeks. So, next Wednesday here I come! Because I will be on the same level as everyone else. For one routine. And the rest, I'll still be the girl turning three counts late, not knowing the 2NE1 hand signals to throw, or how to roll my butt in the right direction at the right time on the right count and pull my knee up to my boobs at the same time. Ah well, it's exercise, right?

What are you guys doing to Work It Out?

Because I'm Too Tired to Write

Y'all, I am tired. Of a lot of things. Oh, no, not YOU. I didn't mean I was tired of you. What are you thinking? You are about the only thing I'm not weary of. With the exception of the HubbO. Because I miraculously never tire of him. And the kitters. And, since you haven't seen them since the new year rolled around, I thought I'd post a few squee-tastic photos of them. 

Oh, and remember all that stuff about how Bo turned into a happy, social, uncrap cat? Yeah, he was just joking. And for that, he only gets one solo photo. (Not really. It's just that Miso seems to know what a camera is and that I want her to look at me.)

They both love Kenny's backpack. Bo had already claimed it, but Miso wasn't having any of it. She needed a bath and she needed to have it right here.

This is Miso's favorite napping position. You can still see where they shaved her little belly for her surgery. This picture should help you understand why I have to keep myself from squeezing her to death sometimes. She's just that cute. 

More later, my lovelies. I miss you. And I joined the gym. Korean Aerobics Fiasco coming soon!

The Place to Be

The first 2S2 meeting was fabulous. I had so much fun meeting new people, meeting commenters here (hi, Charity!), and hanging out with some of my coworkers outside of school. We met at a coffee shop, went ice skating, and then warmed up at another coffee shop. Which is how I believe all events should be: bookended by coffee. And chocolate cake in a cup. And good conversation that didn't revolve around massive generalizations about Korean  society. Which is sometimes hard to find when a bunch of expats get together. But apparently Wonju draws the laid back, open-eyed, and warm-hearted crowd. I mean, take a look at these faces. How could you not want to hang out with these guys??

Also, Ryan was there! But the only pictures I got  of him were really blurry because apparently he's an ice skating champ and doesn't stay still for very long. So, everyone, meet Ryan:

Not that hard to pick out of the crowd, eh?

Anyhow, I was totally doing the wobbly arm wiggle on the ice. Mostly I blame my ankles. And also my back fat. Because y'all, that extra padding around the back and the belly, it was messing with my usually exquisite sense of balance. (Also, I lost a kilo this week. Woot.) However, my frantic arm circles and ice skate jig didn't intimidate the youngsters. I was told to "Be quiet," "Shuddupshuddupshuddup," and also to "Do handshake. Handshake," by a number of small monsters called children. I think the kid who shook my hand won some kind of bet with his friends. I mean, I do what I can for the little ones.

Also, people skated:

After everyone's toes were sufficiently frozen, we headed off the ice and down the road toward MaryJane, a local cafe that serves THE BEST CHOCOLATE CUP CAKE IN THE WORLD. Actually, it's not quite a cup cake. It's more like cake, in a cup. And it's ooey and gooey and pretty much like eating the entire batch of brownies off the spatula without cooking them thoroughly. Isn't that everyone's dream, anyway? I always feel cheated when I taste the final brownie or cupcake and it doesn't taste like the stuff I liked out of the bowl. But this, this is how it's done.

Yum, right? Anyway, the "cupcakes" were delicious and the coffee was good. But the company was better.

Thanks to everyone who took time out of their Saturday to join us. And if you didn't take the time, then you can leave your apologies and also promises that you'll come next time in the comments section.

2S2 Wonju

Hey guys! Hope everyone is having a great 2010. Mine is going pretty well already. Today, Darren sent me an inspired email suggesting that we start a Wonju chapter of 2S2. 2S2 stands for 2nd Saturday at 2pm and is pretty much Roboseyo's baby. I took Darren's idea and we came up with a plan for THIS COMING SATURDAY because it's the second Saturday in January. I know this is soon, but hey, that's how I roll. So, if you're in Wonju, or in Gangwondo and don't have anything going on this Saturday at 2pm, I cordially invite you to our get together!

And, a map!

Do you love it? I know you do! And in case you don't love the hand-drawn-with-love map, here's a boring Google one:


View Larger Map

So, come on out and see us!

P.S. To all my lovelies who do not reside in Wonju and do not care about 2S2, I will have a normal Wonju Wife-ish post up soooon! Because I love you. And I'm awesome. But mostly, because I love you.