A Very Merry UnBirthday to You… (And Me!)

I’d like to know who decided it would be a swell idea to keep track of how many years old we are. I did try wikipediaing it (is that a word?), but as I only spent about 5 seconds trying to find an answer, the search was rather fruitless).

Honestly though, if someone builds a time machine I’m going to pay loads of money to make a trip, just so I can track down the previously mentioned individual and punch them in their nose. Unless they are a very large person, in which case I’ll bring along another large person (whom I shall also pay mass quantities of cash) to beat them up for me. Actually I’ll just go that route altogether as the only time I managed to give someone a shiner was in the 5th grade and it was accidental.

All rabbit trails aside, I’ve been in South Korea 5 months now and the best way I can summarize the experience thus far is 95% awesome, 5% guilt ridden.

Why guilt ridden you say? Excellent question astute reader. Bringing me to the main point of this post (yes, I actually have one).

I am 26 and therefore I feel like I am doing the wrong thing for my age. As though society expects something else from me than… well, than this. “This” being frittering my time away in a foreign country, doing what I want to do, just because I want to do it, and not contributing to society on a large scale OR building any sort of viable career/even attempting to build any sort of viable career. Oh and lacking a husband, kids, mortgage, puppy, etc…

People ask me (on a semi-regular basis) why I’m not married… as if I forgot to put “husband” on my grocery list and ought to pop into the nearest market and remedy that. “Oh yes! I hear they’re having a sale on the purple package husbands this Tuesday! OH and look, I’ve got a coupon! Lovely! I’ll get right on that!”

It’s not that I am against marriage, or family or having children (though I was fiercely opposed to the idea for a good while, I’ve grown out of that). I’d actually love a family. I think family is important. I admire my friends who ARE married and are building families. It’s just I’m not exactly in control of making any of that happen now am I? And don’t even think about mentioning mail order brides or I’ll send previously mentioned big dude to clobber you.

So… once again… I’m 26, not married (or about to get married), no career aspirations and I’m in a foreign country doing absolutely nothing to remedy that.

But really, is that so bad? Is it? If it is why? Can anyone explain it to me? Why do I feel guilty? I… don’t… know! It’s driving me bonkers!

I think some of it may have to do with growing up in church my whole life, where, let’s be honest, a LOT of emphasis is put on things like “changing the world,” “purpose, purpose, purpose,” “how to be special,” and “if you haven’t gotten my drift too bad because I’ve run out of things to put in quotation marks.” So the fact that I haven’t exactly done anything significant in the world might be contributing to that guilt factor.

And I do think it has to do with my age. As though 26 means something… or is attached to an invisible checklist of sorts, which I’ve left suspiciously blank. But whose checklist is in my head?

Who decided we should be or do or have certain things at certain ages? I mean, I understand that some of it make sense (i.e. I’m too tired to come up with any examples at the moment so use your imagination). But along with this list of what we should do or be or have, we also seem to determine there are things we should stop doing or having or “being.”

And it’s that list which concerns me. I feel, perhaps, I’ve reached the age where I’m supposed to have an idea about… well about something! Anything, really! But I haven’t an idea about ANYTHING. If anything I’m more confused than I’ve ever been in my entire life. Even more than you are about this truly weird blog entry.

The funny thing is even if I wanted to follow this odd, non-written list of sorts that is infuriatingly and mysteriously emblazoned in my brain, I have no idea how. I am here precisely because I was tired of working a job I hated while waiting to figure it out. Whatever “it” is.

So I’m done. I’m done feeling guilty. To hell with society and unspoken checklists and age requirements and dinglehoppers… (oh wait never mind, that was from “the Little Mermaid”)… but yes to hell with the rest of it!

I have no idea what I’m doing, or what’s next. I have no plan. I am okay with that. I come home after work and paint silly pictures and make animals out of clay, and put solar systems on my walls. And write silly songs and stupid blog posts. I don’t really think it matters if I figure out a career. I think what matters right now is if my students know that I love them. So that’s all I’m going to focus on. And actually, I think that’s a pretty good focus.

There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents … and only one for birthday presents, you know.” — Lewis Carroll, “Through the Looking Glass”

“A very merry unbirthday
To me
To who?
To me
Oh, you

A very merry unbirthday
To you
Who, me?
To you
Oh, me

Let’s all congratulate us with another cup of tea
A very merry unbirthday to you

Now statistics prove
Prove that you’ve one birthday
Imagine just one birthday every year
Ah, but there are 364 unbirthdays
Precisely why we’re gathered here to cheer

A very merry unbirthday
To me?
To you
A very merry unbirthday
For me?
For you
Now blow the candle out, my  dear
And make your wish come true
A very merry unbirthday to you.”

-Alice in Wonderland

 

Once Upon a Tempus…

Once upon a time… Well actually once upon a time before time actually existed… people used shadows to determine when they should eat and sleep and engage in various activities like games involving the swapping of dinosaur teeth. They calculated the fatness and thinness and stretchiness and lucidness of each shadow, though no one was ever very precise, and no one ever minded. It was a happy time. A time when running late for something usually involved the lack of sunshine (resulting in a lack of shadow).

Living amongst these shadow time keepers was a boy named Chester. He wasn’t especially good or bad. He was just typically mischievous as little boys often are. He also had a propensity to mess with things he’d been told not to. And he’d been warned to stay far, far away from Swullian mountain.

Swullian mountain was the highest place on earth, with a tip reaching straight up to the sun. No one had ever climbed it entirely as one would need to carry an awful lot of water to make such a lengthy trip. And carrying that many pots of water (since plastic was not readily available during that time) up that steep of a mountain, for the 7.5 days the trip required, was quite impossible.

And yet, because he’d been told not to think of it, Chester thought of it. And continued to think of it. And finally, during all this pondering, he happened upon the keen notion of tying the necessary pots of water to a preposterously long rope, which he could then use to pull up and lower the pots of water as needed.

He then put his plan into motion by stealing all of the ropes in the village and talking Shelby Darkins (who’d had a crush on him since he sprouted freckles at the age of 6) into helping him tie them together. He also surreptitiously grabbed as many pots from the village storehouse as he could find and went about tying them to his new extensive rope. Shelby helped him fill the pots and they both headed over to Swullian mountain.

They arrived about 5 pm (though for them it was really just “middleish shadow” equating “dinnerish time”) so Shelby excused herself to join her family for dinner. And Chester started his journey.

He climbed.

And climbed.

And pulled up his pots.

And climbed.

And when an occasional ledge came along, he rested (which was quite wise of him considering the 7.5 days the trip required).

And upon sufficiently resting he climbed some more.

By day 6 he was ecstatic, knowing full well he’d climbed further and farther and higher and longer than anyone had ever managed. And by day 7 he was positively overcome with joy. He began to dance along the tiny ledges as the point of the mountain began growing smaller and smaller.

As he climbed higher he realized the point was narrowing down into the shape of a pencil tip (not that pencils existed in that time, but for sake of a modern audience that description will have to do).

He also realized this narrow tip was starting to crack. This was disturbing to him for as you may well imagine, a journey of 7.5 days would mean a sickeningly long fall.

But he kept climbing. And at some point he had to start slowly pulling himself up the tip, as ledges had completely disappeared. And as he slid closer and closer to the top he noticed the light was starting to blind him and the heat was growing stronger.  Until he finally understood that the top of this narrow point held the sun.

Unfortunately he failed to realize this until the tip had almost completely cracked under the pressure of his weight. A few seconds later it crumbled and he slid back down onto the fatter part of the mountain, watching in horror as the tip collapsed, sending the sun catapulting to the earth, far below him.

It was really a beautiful sight, this giant fire ball hurling to earth. But it also meant there would be no more sun. And as a result no more shadows. Which forced the village people to come up with alternative solutions, which inevitably led to clocks, and wristwatches.

Another sun grew back in the old sun’s place but it took several years and by that time people had grown so attached to their blasted clocks and watches it just didn’t matter. Suddenly everyone had to be somewhere and time had grown more important than almost anything else. And that’s the way it’s been since.

But once upon a time… before time actually existed… people used shadows to determine when they should eat and sleep… and it was a good way to live.

-The End.

 

The Holiday Breakdown: (and the latest in “adventures” of sorts…)

• Received “free hugs” on Christmas evening from random Korean strangers standing in Myeongdong with signs and costumes?   Check
• Miscalculated amount of time needed on train to get home from Seoul, got kicked off in a random town and became horribly lost from about midnight to almost 3 am while getting back home Christmas evening?   Check
• (In same evening) Accomplished lifelong goal of riding in FRONT of the yellow line and standing smack in front of large windows on public transportation bus (due to it being so crowded I was literally shoved against said windows)?   Check
• Watched a car crash literally 5 feet in front of me while still completely lost and crossing a random street?  Check
• Had two snowball fights with my students during which I was both the annihilator/was annihilated?  Check
• Started off New Year’s Eve by accomplishing another lifelong dream of participating in Karaoke with some Korean friends (believe it or not I’ve never participated in Karaoke before this, though I’ve always wanted to!)?   Check
• Received smoochies (on the cheeks) from two random Korean guys who ran up to me saying “We love you!” while in Seoul for New Year’s Eve countdown?   Check
• Also received hug and a “Happy New Year” from random police officer, along with shouts from the fellow police officers watching (who just a few hours earlier were quite stoic and standing in intimidating lines)?   Check
• Tried Kimchi again (though I’ve really disliked it the entire past 4 months) and found that I suddenly really enjoy/even occasionally crave it?    Check
• Had a thoroughly amazing Christmas and New Year’s?   Check

Whew…. In case the prior list didn’t accurately convey how brilliant my Christmas and New Year’s turned out to be I’ll just state the obvious… it was amazing!

Rather than list all the details  I’m just going to recount the latest adventure (time of occurence: Christmas evening) which ended up being one of my favorite experiences yet. Oddly enough it’s another semi- “harrowing” one (like my previous hospital adventure) but I enjoyed every single ounce of it and wouldn’t trade it in if you paid me. Which is something I wouldn’t have expected … but I’m getting ahead of myself.

To start, I spent Christmas in Seoul with some friends. We had a blast in Myeongdong, looking at lights, having snowball fights, eating giant waffles laden with ice cream and fruit and other sugary assortments and just enjoying the sights around us.

To get home I took the train as usual (which, though massive and confusing, is thankfully also covered with signs in English). Unfortunately I miscalculated when the trains would stop running and was kicked off my train about halfway home, in some random town. This might not seem too bad except I didn’t have a cell phone on me, I’d never used the buses and I also didn’t have enough cash for a taxi.

So I walked out of the train station to the sight of taxi’s and taxi drivers flagging people down and asking where they wanted to go. Earlier that evening my friend Ami had given me a plant (see picture below) which I promptly broke a short while later due to falling on the ice (surprise, surprise). And there I stood, clutching my broken plant and looking rather bewildered (as there were NO buses in view) when suddenly another foreigner (about my age) named Rick popped up directly in front of me and asked where I was headed.

I explained I needed to get to Hwajeong and he said he’d show me where the buses were. I gasped with relief and trotted along thankfully beside him. He explained he was from California and we exchanged the usual small talk pleasantries while walking around a corner to the bus stop (which I highly doubt I’d have found otherwise as it was a good way from the train station).

Upon arriving at the station we both soon realized that NONE of the signs were in English. And when I say they weren’t in English I mean they were in Hangeul, which is literally a bunch of symbols. I’ve learned to read most of it but this was a giant map covered in tiny symbols… and I hadn’t the foggiest idea where to begin to even ATTEMPT to locate my particular stop.

So Rick and I managed to flag down another Korean who explained I needed bus 906. Rick then hopped onto a different bus and I proceeded to wait… and wait… and wait… until 40 minutes later I was still waiting. (Keep in mind it was freezing and had been snowing the entire time. There also wasn’t a single spot of heat at this bus stop and a huge mass of us were crowded beneath the roof shingle extending from the bus stop wall.)

And after all this my bus finally arrived but was already packed FULL. I watched in amusement as several Koreans tried to shove their way on anyhow and it looked as though a couple of them might actually grab the doors and walls of the bus and ride it Spiderman style.

I then started wondering when the last buses would run for the evening and if I’d end up truly stranded.  So I started chatting with a really nice Korean girl, who informed me “maybe one more bus come tonight” (to which I thought, “HOLY CRAP”!?!?!) and offered to help me keep an eye out for that bus. Thankfully, the final bus DID arrive and though this one was also quite packed he let us jump on. And as I was next to last I got to ride RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HUGE WINDOWS (and, ahem, I’d also like to take this moment to point out that it was in FRONT of the yellow line.)!

It was glorious and felt like flying At that point all stress and concern left and I found myself oddly content (though quite aware I still had no idea what stop I needed and was not exactly home free yet).

I ended up getting off the bus several stops too early (as the stops were not shouted out, what little the bus driver said was in Korean, and I spent the majority of the ride trying to catch glimpses of signs that  might indicate where I was) and landed in this random/semi-deserted looking town at about 1 am (ish). So, still clutching my broken plant, I trudged through the huge snowflakes that were also still falling and tried to gather my bearings.

If you know me at all you know that I tend to get lost within 5 inches of anywhere, so the fact that I meandered in the right direction AND managed to find signs indicating that my particular area was close turned out to be a bit of a “Christmas miracle.” I also didn’t have the luxury of asking for directions as the only other Koreans in sight (who I did try to flag down) did not speak a word of English.

To top of this amazing experience I also watched a car crash into another car, literally five feet from where I stood, while I was crossing the street. (No one was hurt… besides the actual cars).

And I finally arrived at home… close to 3 am, completely content and rather proud of myself. It might seem like a small feat to you but getting lost has always been an issue for me (let alone in a foreign country) so this was just another experience that caused me to realize perhaps I’m less of a “nancy” than I’d originally thought…

Hope your holidays were merry and jolly and all that good stuff. Still love and miss you all!

(Me in Myeongdong following a fall on the ice which cracked the previously mentioned plant…)

***If you want to see any further photos from Christmas, New Year’s or otherwise you can do so at the following public links (even if you don’t have facebook).

Christmas Pictures (Myeongdong/Christmas Weekend)

New Year’s Eve Pictures (Karaoke/City Hall in Seoul)

Updates to the Miscellaneous album

 

Merry Christmas From Korea!

Some of my students wanted to say Merry Christmas to my friends and family and decided to sing a familiar tune. Make sure you wait for the best part which is in the middle when Michael starts hitting Angel, yelling “Time!” and calling her crazy. Ha. I love my students.

And I love and miss you all as well of course! :0)

Merry Christmas!

more about “Facebook | Your Videos: Merry Christm…“, posted with vodpod

 

Starbuck’s Korean Brother….

One of the first things I noticed upon arriving here was how suspiciously familiar the coffee shop next to my work place looked. The color, logo, layout… they all looked exactly like a certain ubiquitous coffee shop I’d left behind in Minnesota.

And that’s how I met Starbuck’s South Korean brother… Tom & Tom’s. Actual Starbucks exist here as well but I guess sibling rivalry is not as strong in Korea because Starbucks is letting Tom & Tom’s co-exist with him here. Maybe someday he’ll let him move to the US as well but that’s doubtful.

And in other news I’ve uploaded more pictures to good old facebook, which is available to public viewing (regardless of whether you have a facebook account)  here:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30713634&l=c9a97d5ce6&id=110400019

And I’ve uploaded an additional album dedicated to the plethora of trendy, odd pencil cases I see everyday.  I’ve included one picture below. If you’d like to see the rest you can do so here (again, public viewing so even if you don’t have facebook you’ll be able to see them): Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2022618&id=110400019&l=9128a7fc51

 

Example #42 of “Things That Will Work Against My Claims that I Honestly Did Not Do Drugs in College.”

Once upon a time…long ago… in a magical land called NCU, I decided to pull a prank on a friend, which ended disastrously, as all my pranks do. And as an “apology” for that prank I decided to create the weirdest comic ever… out of my PC notepad application

I’d actually forgotten about it but have recently been rummaging through my old xanga on the hunt for some previous writing for a project and happened to find this “what the hell?” moment.

Yes, Yes, I had a xanga, for about two (ish) years in college. But then, so did those fabulous and intellectual gurus Christopher Fletcher and Josiah Norton, and talented photographer/creative crazy man Simon McConico (who the “apology comic” was actually created for). So take that modern bloggers who sniff with disdain at the “has been” that is xanga.

Due to being technologically impaired (which hasn’t changed) the comic basically consists of drawings done solely by mouse, with dashes of painting and typed captions scattered here and there. I thought I’d share it out of nostalgia and just for a silly laugh- as it really is the epitome of the word silly… and just plain odd.

Here’s a segment to “whet your appetite.”

And if you want to read the rest you’ll have to click here. Enjoy!

 

Phahoootos…. as promised (finally)

It’s been three months and I still feel like an “observer” rather than someone who’s actually living here. Some things are “familiar” in that I know which aisle the yogurt is at in E-mart, though i still can’t read what the majority of them say. I also know where some of my favorite restaurants are but have still only tried 15% of the dishes served in those restaurants due to every single item being completely new to me and my ability to only eat one at a time.

I take the same path to work, sometimes changing a few streets to “spice it up” now and then but EVERY SINGLE TIME I see something new… no matter how often I’ve walked the same path.

I’m starting to understand some of the why’s and what’s and how’s of various customs and traditions but am still very much aware that despite this knowledge I’m not really a “part” of it all.

It’s a strange, strange thing. I’m “in” this new world but almost feel like I’m not really “in” so much as I’m walking around on top of it… as though South Korea were inside of one of those glass shaking globes… and I’m turning it round and round, peering at the sights, shaking it up and down to see what else I’ve missed.

But I’m already very much in love with some of the people and things here. One of the most surprising discoveries I’ve made here is how much the people love to laugh and have fun. Everything is colorful, bright, exciting, adventurous.

When it comes to fashion especially, everything and anything goes. I’ve had boys come to class wearing bright pink pants.  I laugh almost every day because there is almost always something to laugh about.  And as cliche as this may sound the kids are definitely doing a number on my heart.

And now for some photos…

We went to a restaurant that serves a massive amount of food by rolling an entire table full of it to the empty table you sit at, and then sliding that table on top of your empty table.

poor little dead sea creature…

almost everytime i see any signs in English, they have a typo of this sort… and it always makes me laugh… this particular typo is just perfect.

this is from the wall inside one of my favorite coffee shops (Minto). the atmosphere of this place is beyond amazing and this wall is just one of many.

found this sign in the subway- it definitely made me laugh. Smoke SOS! “Oh honey I’m so glad we bought those phantom of the opera masks for our Smoke SOS situations. They’re soooo much trendier!”

my students ALWAYS carry these crazy and imaginative pencil cases (and must each have a huge assortment as they usually have a new one each day).  Peter brought this one Monday. Notice the english phrase at the bottom?

one of my students (Angel) who recently attained her black belt and decided to wear her uniform to school. She gave me a demonstration at which point I quickly discovered she could totally take me… anytime.

the subway is full of these cartoon signs depicting what you should and should not do whilst riding the subway. they crack me up. i’m not sure what exactly this particular guy is doing “wrong” but he does look like he’s saluting and has a mean face. they also always give the person doing the “wrong” thing a pig nose… haha…

I decided to make my own tree by painting 6 separate trees, gluing them to my wall in “tree” formation and adding some painted decorations. I then picked up some lights at the store and plugged them in to discover they also blink (and then clapped my hands in delight.). My room now looks very “christmasy.”

The End- until next time.

 

sometimes i forget…

…how vital it is to create.  how vital creating is to feeling alive.  there’s something about…

*i know it might seem odd that i didn’t just post my thoughts here, but… it just fits better with my tumblr collection of favorite creations via various internet sources…. you’ll see what i mean.

 

Things I Would Have Texted (Part One)

**I know I promised photos and they ARE coming soon! But in the meantime…

I used to frequently engage in texting many of my friends about funny or random occurrences. As that’s no longer an option I’ve actually been keeping a little green notebook in my bag at all times, which I try to remember to pull out and jot notes in whenever something unusual happens. It’s not that sharing these things is a necessity… perhaps some of said friends were relieved about my moving to another continent ensuring those texts would no longer occur (haha too bad I’ve resorted to other measures!) But it’s just a stupid compulsion I can’t rid myself of, which I hope, nonetheless, will entertain you in even the smallest fashion.

** This first portion of “Things I Would Have Texted” is actually solely dedicated to a book I recently picked up in a Korean bookstore. I decided to save the other things in my little notebook for another note as this one is quite long without it (you are welcome)

And so without further ado, here is

So I bought a couple of “teach yourself Korean” books from a local bookstore. I should have looked at them better before buying them because I’ve discovered that one of them called “Surviving Korean” is more funny than it is helpful. It contains a slew of the most ridiculous and random things I’m almost 90% sure I’ll never have a reason to say… and if I do my little green notebook will fill up fast! Here are some examples: (and yes these are directly copied from the book.)

“She has beautiful legs.” (I’m not sure how this qualifies as a ’survival’ phrase?)

“He is a real estate broker.”

“Bananas are long.” (I guess if I’m REALLY desperate for a conversation filler that will make me seem extremely awkward this might do… )

“There are many kangaroos in Australia” (Once again, what does this have to do with surviving KOREA???)

“Would you go to see the ‘Fever of Saturday Night?’” (!??!!?!?!?!?!?)

“The machine lifts up the rocks.” (The book provides absolutely no explanation as to WHY I would ever need to say this… just this phrase with the Korean pronunciation and symbols below it.)

“I am pretty.” (Apparently this is for when I need to give myself a pep talk in Korean as there is NO way I am going to go around saying this to anyone.)

“A queen has dignity.” (Why? When? Why? In what logical universe will I ever need to consider this a survival phrase!?)

“Please, grind the strawberries.” (!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Once again… What!? And what if I want someone to blend or smush rather than grind them? Or what if I want to eat them whole!? Come on survival book, you’re failing me miserably! Also, what exactly do you grind a strawberry for????)

“My teeth are shiny.” (I do want to say this one only because it is SO RIDICULOUS!)

“Wind blows.” (Yep… just like that. Wind blows. I can picture myself saying this and then hearing crickets chirping in the background because really… what WOULD your response be to someone saying, “Wind blows.”)

“That xylophone is cute.” (I promise I’m not making these up.)

“A bomb is dangerous.” (Oh goodie… Now if I run into a Korean creating a bomb I can accurately explain this is a bad idea.)

“Look, there is border!” (Yes they forgot the “a” between is and border, but more importantly I suppose this phrase is vital if I’m kidnapped to North Korea and have to make a run for it. If I hear someone yell this I’ll know I’m close to SK again… har de har har.)

“I’m here to claim a traffic sign.” (So if my traffic sign gets arrested, I guess I can always use this handy dandy phrase from my survival book… )

“Sleeping with an enemy.” (Yep, just like that. I’m not sure why survival in Korea necessitates knowing this odd and incomplete sentence but then, I probably don’t want to know.”

“Eyebrows are above the eyes.” (Aaaand we’re back to the awkward conversation fillers!)

“Illegal parking lot” (Um… am I suppose to look for signs with this phrase so I know they’re illegal and don’t park there?)

And that’s it for now folks… I love and miss you all, (especially the harrassing you with text-messages part).

*** Part II coming to a blog post note near you on a date that is yet to be determined.

 

If Only I were a Photographer…

I’ve been realizing I ought to try and take more pictures. Sometimes when I’m out walking I find myself wishing my eyes were little cameras and with one blink would start recording the things I see. There’s just too much to take in. My normal walk to work is no longer a “normal” walk to work in that I’m not still not used to the sights and sounds and smells. Every day I see something that makes me chuckle or want to whip out my teensy notebook expressly meant to jot down things I’d like to remember.

I suppose I could whip my camera out more but I feel like such a dork taking pictures all the time and as my camera is obviously common I can’t pull off the “I’m a photographer and these shoots are clearly for my flickr account so scootch over you’re ruining my scene” look.

And while I’m honestly thrilled about being in another country, I find myself really missing people back home and wishing I could share my experiences with them. I always had this hunch that the most beautiful parts of life are not necessarily the scenes you see or events you attend and instead are the people you see/attend them with. And now I’m even more convinced of that.

It’s weird this feeling of truly enjoying my surroundings while also truly missing people at the same time. I’ve always loathed (and sometimes ranted) about that expression “you can’t have your cake and eat it too,” but I guess that might fit in this instance. (Although I still say the expression itself is completely ludicrous. Cakes are meant for eating so in that respect you CAN have your cake and eat it too!)

All this to say I’m going to make a better effort to take pictures and put at least a few up with my posts from now on. Even though I can’t have you (the people I love and enjoy) here with me, and I am no longer there to force you to smell the latest tea I’ve discovered, or give you copies of a book I think you really need to read (ha) I CAN still take pictures and write mini stories and relentlessly e-mail you in an attempt to make you look at and read them.

Miss you all… a lot.

-Me