5 thingsI learned about trying out Korean food for the first time:

1. Don't go to a Korean restaurant without someone who knows how to order from the menu.
2. Don't order anything with the description of: clear noodle
3. Forks must be requested
4. Watch the people around you at other tables to figure out how to even eat the food
5. Just order BBQ pork.

I recommend a trip to iTunes for:

Sigur Ros
Sleeping at Last
Ian McIntosh
Feist

Morning Ritual

Instructions for making a Perfect Cup of Tea

I have been accused by my roommate of being ungrateful for her help in making a cup of tea for me, because I once told her that the tea she had just made me was undrinkable. And I poured it out in the sink and then proceeded to make another cup.

This point comes up often in our relationship, but I guess it's good to have that one point of contention. She won't let me now make her a cup of coffee, more out of principle, I think than my lack of ability, as I do feel I make a pretty good cup of Joe.

But onto the main point.

To make a cup of perfect tea:

1. pour cold water into a tea kettle and begin to heat.
2. set out tea cup ( a tea cup is better than a mug, but a mug will also do).
3. Pull out a Tetley tea bag, but do not place in cup yet.
4. When water is boiling, pour a small amount into the bottom of the tea cup and swirl around (this warms the cup to welcome the tea).
5. pour out the water.
6. put tea bag in the cup and pour BOILING water over until about and inch from the top of the cup (BOILING).
7. let sit for about 2-3 minutes (with Tetley, I think 2 minutes is best). Do not stir, strain or move the teabag around. Just let it steep.
8. Take out tea bag.
9. Put in one teaspoon sugar (optional).
10. pour in a small amount of milk (the best is 1%) so that the color of the tea is a brown color. Not too dark and not too light, kind of a beige color. Not taupe, but beige.
11. drink and enjoy!

i was looking on my external hard drive for something and came across some poems i wrote in college, so i thought i'd post a series of them for your perusal.

Poem 1: Machine Wash Cold

Detergent smell—little, gritty, large-as-ocean color—

creeps up from behind, smothering me with white cotton and brown corduroy.

To eradicate the smell: box the clothes,

toss them in a river—Mississippi, Ganges, Nile—

and sit on the porch of a Connecticut farm,

drink soda in a green glass,

wait for the box to return, dirty, sodden and smelling sweet.

I can’t make you live in China between straw hats and rice fields,

even cart you off in a box with no return address,

so I’ll picture you, your shoes’ shine, your large hands.

I’ll tear you in pieces, stuff each piece in a blue bottle, cork it,

throw it by the neck into the Columbia River.

Poem 2: Beside a Shallow Grave

Dark, sweet, low it beats,

underneath. Dirt echoes on wood.

Hands grasp stem and thorn

next to hollow chest.

Over gravestones, bright and shinning,

Over tombs’ ancient bones,

Dust falls.

Drown again, and again

Drown. Under countless waves,

Under the path of the moon,

a slow tide washes

out the remains.

Poem 3: Idle Footsteps

To walk is to lack a place.
—Michael DeCerteau

Mixing the change from my coffee
with my bus fare,
I stand under my umbrella
trying to keep leather boots dry.

Yarn attached to ankles of people
streaming out of tall buildings,
turns downtown streets
into wrapped parcels
waiting to be postmarked.

The street is a river, full
of ferryboats, and shoes
are life preservers.
I am a pedestrian; I carry my place
around with me,
a mother and child.

The late 5:03 pulls up.
While boarding, I drop
my city map

accomplishments today

1. painted upstairs spare room--riverside clay

2. speckled my face with paint

3. painted a wall in my bedroom a teal/green color

4. painted some old frames--white

...i am sure there is, but at the moment, i can't think of anything better to do than sitting by an open window on this fresh sunny seattle day, my M1210 in my lap, tea sitting on a bookshelf within reach, writing, journaling and yes, checking work email.

Perspective

33 years. Church tradition tells me that this is when Christ died on the cross, the completion of his ministry on earth. Birth, Death, Resurrection.

Makes me think, have I completed anything? In so many ways, it feels like life is just starting for me. I have done a lot in some sense: traveled all over the world, completed a lot of years of school, lived in lots of different places, with lots of different people, worked a variety of jobs, and met some real and tangible goals.

Then there are the things I haven't done such as: gotten married, had children, visited Kenya, Ireland, Prague, South Africa, written a book, won the Pulitzer Prize, flown to the moon and back.

I got a birthday card this year that says "barn's burnt down; now i can see the moon"

It is about vision, about what I see.

...........................................................................................................

A good friend just encouraged me recently to allow God to dig out that big large rock in my life called disappointment, or "hope deferred." Where is that balance between complacency and contentment? I believe this is the time in my life, my 33 years of life, when I can come to that place where He is enough. I don't need a person, a job, a vacation, an adventure, a book or anything else to satisfy that "thing." I don't know what else to call it except that aching gnawing "thing" inside me that craves more and more and more. But it takes me seeking Him, truly with all my heart.

"It is by loving, and not by being loved, that one can come nearest to the soul of another" --George MacDonald

The first commandment...

A New Plan

When living in Switzerland, I had dinner at the Ellenberger's and saw pictures of their trip to Iceland. Probably one of the most beautiful places Ihave seen by photograph. Today I saw the trailer above called Heima and was reminded that I must need will go there.

Photo Shoot

A few nights ago, my roomates, a friend and I had a makeover night. I tried a little camera experimentation. I realized that I don't know much about indoor photo shoot style photography. Definately, I need to learn more about taking pictures. So far, my learning curve has been to just take lots and lots of pictures, and sort out later which photos worked and which ones didn't. I am going to make it a goal to take a photography class that will teach me more about lighting, learn how to use photoshop and also try out some different lens filters.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball

I hope they choose the 360.

A Semi-Hourglass Society Adventure:

And called that just because we had three of the seven hourglassians together. ( a rare occurance nowadays). The evening consisted of happy hour at the Dragonfish Cafe on 8th and Pine, coffee at Cafe Ladro just across the street along with attending a performance of First Class written by David Wagoner and performed by John Alyward.

The evening was not only fun, but inspiring and challenges me to begin writing again.

Really Writing, with a capital W.

Star Wars Legos

Not only is there an XBOX 360 game, but now MAGNETS for the fridge! More Here.

The Best News I've Heard All Week

Anyone who has traveled to Europe has probably shopped at H&M. And gotten addicted to its cheap, but extremely fashionable clothes.

Soon, we will be able to shop to our heart's content at our very own H&M right here in Seattle, location University Village.

For those worried that this will ruin their unique wardrobe from all their travels to other places collecting various H&M pieces, a few thoughts...

1. H&M is probably the most popular clothing store in Europe and so think about all those thousands of European women, men and children who are wearing the same exact outfit that you have on today.

2. The new store at U Village will be TWO LEVELS. This allows us to continue in the H&M tradition of shopping by color and a myriad of choices. MYRIAD.

3. Because they manufacture cheaply, this allows H&M to continually rotate their fashions, as I can attest to as everytime I visited the shop in Switzerland--almost weekly--there were new things to choose from

4. And what's wrong with wearing the same thing as someone else? It just shows that both of you have good taste.

I will always be addicted to...

1. Travel (i just got home and i am already planning my next trip, as soon as i get some more vaca.)
2. Caffeine (in coffee, tea, chocolate or diet coke form please)
3. Reading (books, magazines, websites, billboards, etc)
4. The Internet (which includes the world wide web)

the items i carry

Part of Hitler's record collection found in Moscow (apparently, he didn't mind listening to music composed by Jews).

Mess

Why does it always seem like things get messier as I clean them? For instance, my room. I have been trying to organize these random boxes of stuff, papers and more stuff, along with drawers full of more stuff for about the past week. I have two large boxes of trash, one for recycle and one for garbage, but my room just keeps getting messier and messier. Currently, I am having a hard time getting dressed and also accomplishing daily tasks because I cannot find anything in the black hole which has become my room. It just depresses me to think about it.

Where is my external hard drive? My cream colored earrings? My calendar? What bills need to be paid? All these are questions that I just don't have the answer to at the moment. And if I think too hard about them, I just want to cry or throw things.

It is time to attack this thing head on, so I have decided to head to The Container Store in Bellevue and collect various boxes and storage solutions to help me bring a little order to my life.

One Year

I have now been a home owner for over a year. One one hand that is absolutely amazing, but on the other, a little scary as there are so many projects that still need to be done. The reason for my delinquency could be the fact that I was finishing up grad school, that I traveled extensively (Charlottesville, New York City, Scotland, Las Vegas, Virginia Beach, Cape Cod, San Antonio, Orlando and Denver) or just plain procrastination.

Okay, it's probably all of those.

However, despite feeling very overwhelmed with all the home improvements to be done plus all the need for organization after a year of accumulating stuff, I do feel a bug to project-ize and organize.

Tonight, I started with the fridge.

Shiny.

Things of Note:

First Class by David Wagoner

A play about Theodore Roethke, famous poet and UW prof playing at the ACT theatre. David Wagoner wrote this play about his poetry teacher, and David Wagoner was my poetry teacher. I think I need to go see it.

Zig Zag Cafe

Apparently very famous because of their bartender Murray Stenson. I didn't get Murray as my bartender, but the gentleman took my drink order (Maiden's Blush--a recommended drink from my coworker Myles) with no problem, even though later he informed me that it was a very obscure drink from the Savoy Hotel in the 30's. It was tasty.