Blogarista

Instant Comfort

2011-09-13T04:38:00.000+09:00

Via kimslittlemonsters

For cheering up on all those rainy days that life brings.

Cake rut

2011-09-01T00:52:00.006+09:00

Via Small Batch Productions

I admit, I don't really use this blog anymore.

Mostly because I've been too busy enjoying being on le Tumblr. Because on Tumblr I don't have to write as much, I guess. I still write a lot though, and I always feel like I'm behind - should be working on an article for work, for freelance, for my own projects. I guess just feel over-blogged. Blogged-out. And liebe Blogarista has been neglected.

I've been feeling this way about baking too: baked out. After the Denver County Fair, I've lost much of my zeal for baking. I learned that I should only bake with love and not in a spirit of competition -- otherwise I'll mess up the cakes. Maybe I'm just in a cake rut. Maybe I'm just stressed out. Or maybe I'm moving in another direction (scones, anyone?).

Blogging and baking are two of my loves - yet I'm just not feeling them at the moment.

This year, for all its ups, has had more than enough downs. And Denver isn't the place for us. I see that now so clearly. Which isn't surprising, but I really thought we'd be able to eke out a living here. At the very least.

I spent last weekend going through my stuff. Three bags to Goodwill. It helped to have Hoarders On Demand for additional motivation. I'm trying to let go. Just get rid of things I don't need, lighten our load. Physically and emotionally. Get ready if moving is on the horizon -- which it almost certainly is.

I won't stop baking (I've got a great recipe for Herr Precht's 30th birthday) and I won't stop blogging (I don't know how to quit you...). But like all passions, all hobbies, all relationships, there is an ebb and flow, an evolution and growth. I guess it's just growing pains.

It's hard to be an artistic type. But it's even harder to be an artistic type in Denver. In this economy. It's time to set sail and move in a new direction. Wherever that may be.

The blogarista's dilemma

2011-05-31T11:04:00.004+09:00

Via Las Teje y Maneje

I haven't decided if I want to keep this blog anymore. It's a nice space for me to collect my thoughts and collect cozy images and cool designs. But it's one of many places. I've got Twitter. I've got Facebook. I've got another blog (a Tumblr) that needs to be linked to its Etsy account. I've got a Pinterest account. And I'm overwhelmed. I write for three websites, two of which are freelance-y. One of which is for my work. I enjoy them all, but sometimes I can barely find time to get my head on straight.

I do social media at work, and sometimes that stuff just gets under my skin. Too much Twitter makes Jack a dull boy. I enjoy conversing with people in the web field, and I enjoy keeping up with all the design trends. I do try to keep up with my own Twitter account, but by the time I get home from work, I usually can't stand to look at a computer, and I'm still trying to ween myself off of my phone. Really.

I can't help but worry that it's all for naught. I enjoy writing, but writing for the web essentially feels like screaming into an angry void. I only ever seem to hear back from the people that are frustrated or want to pick a fight; the ones that like my work tend to stay mum. With a few lovely exceptions that are all but few and far between.

I shouldn't take it personally, but I take everything personally. As I write this, I fully expect to receive another snarky, anonymous email. It doesn't mean I'll stop screaming into the angry void that is the Internet, though. Just that I've got to change how it affects me.

All I can do is try.

For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.

An anatomy of awesome

2011-03-16T08:39:00.002+09:00

Via the kitchn

Not one day ago, I deleted a whingeing, sadsack blog entry. A blog entry that I had intended to use a means for venting my frustration with the universe, a blog entry that would have delved deep into the mysteries of existence and surfaced with the trite conclusion: life is extremely unfair.

I deleted said blog entry because it's been done. Yes, life is hard. Yes, people have much harder lives. Instead of breaking down why I'm so upset that the job market is so abysmal and that I don't know how we'll continue to make ends meet unless someone decides to hire my extremely talented Herr Precht -- instead of all that, I'll attempt to break down the things that are keeping me together. The anatomy of my awesomes.

Awesomes:

A job where I get to write and play around with the Internet -- all day long.
An office furnished entirely with IKEA.
Rocking the mid-century modern look in our house. Thanks Craigslist!
Enough cool, cheap clothes that I bought in Korea to keep me stylish for months.
The discovery that oatmeal flour is the best gluten-free substitute.
Futurama DVDs and falling asleep on the couch.
Fridays off.
Herr Precht, natürlich.
Cupcakes.

Note: this is no kind of bragging session. Just an indelible reminder for myself that if I break down the pieces of my life, the sum of the good parts are greater than the whole. Or something like that.

Some kind of wonderful

2011-03-15T09:43:00.000+09:00

Via zeroperzero

For a wonderful trip.

More to love

2011-03-01T04:24:00.000+09:00

Via Future Perfect

Tea towel inspiration.

Count down

2011-02-10T04:27:00.004+09:00

Via Dacafe

I don't know what this photo is counting down to, but I like it very much. I don't know what I'm counting down to either; I keep feeling as if I should.

What to look forward to? What to plan for next? We had spent so long planning our next move, trying to reach the goals needed to cover our basic hierarchy of needs. Now that we've got a new place to live, two good jobs, a new car and various sundries, what do we do now?

Part of me fears stagnation; I worry that now that we're "settled" that we'll begin to settle for less than what we dream of, less than we're capable of. How do I keep moving forward when I don't feel any locomotion within? I love my new job. I love that the days fly by, that I'm engrossed in projects that are like puzzles to me. To coin a phrase from one of my coworkers, "Work is a game I can play all day."

We have all we need, but I don't know what exactly I want. I want to be happy, I know that much. But what is "happy," then anyway? Happy is that elusive, ever-out-of-reach concept. If I buy this, I'll be happy. If I go there, I'll be happy. If I do this, I'll be happy. But that little "be" shouldn't be in the subjunctive. It should just be. Be present. Be happy.

I will count down to being happy.

Snow day

2011-02-06T07:28:00.001+09:00

Via Tokyo Friday

I'm staying in and drinking tea. Lovely lovely lovely.

Morning coffee

2011-01-23T03:11:00.001+09:00

Via Oji & Design

We've been in our new house for a week now.

It's Saturday morning and we've made breakfast (turkey bacon and omelettes) and I've spent the requisite time drinking coffee and browsing design blogs. As I sit here on our mid-century modern, Craigslist super find, slight cigarette stink couch I realize how oddly lucky we are to be here as we are now.

There's so much to ponder, so much to be grateful for.

So much coffee waiting for me in the kitchen.

It dawns on you

2011-01-12T01:02:00.000+09:00

Via presentandcorrect.com

I don't believe in fate.

I believe we always have a choice. Yet, sometimes I feel almost as though some things were just meant to be.

Two months back in the US, and we're frantically job hunting, frantically house hunting, and passively car hunting (at least on my part). Suddenly the bottom drops out, and I've got interviews like crazy. Three weeks after that, I'm turning down offers so that I can take a job I'd truly enjoy going to everyday. Not many people get that luxury.

In the same week, after weeks of fruitless (and disheartening and creepy) apartment hunting, we find a cute little place in the neighborhood we like, near friends and near my new job. I could actually ride my bike or take a bus to work; the big-city girl inside of me leapt for joy.

And so it goes, that everything just seemed to fall into place. But was it fate? I don't know exactly, but I know that I could have chosen differently. We could have kept pursuing jobs San Francisco, we could have moved to Seattle. We could have stayed another year in Seoul or chosen to return there instead of finding work in Denver.

It dawned on me this morning that sometimes life may push us in a direction that is best for us. It may not be "meant to be" so much as something that would be "great to be." It's not to say that things haven't been difficult (woo boy have they) but that all those bad things happen for a reason, to get you beyond it, to get you to a place that's great to be.

Sunday Stimulation: Pinterest

2011-01-03T13:03:00.001+09:00

Pinteresting.

Holy moly... I love this website. I recently stumbled upon and joined Pinterest, a website where you can "pin" images of things that interest you (pin + interest) onto boards of various categories. It's been a great inspiration and a great exercise in creativity and ingenuity. Above I have included a few of my favorite finds, or rather pins, to date.

Sometimes a cup of tea is all you need

2011-01-02T14:51:00.000+09:00

Via pinterist

Indeed.

I'm too sad to separate

2010-12-28T03:11:00.001+09:00

Via Joon&Jung

I miss Korea terribly.

I ponder going back at times, but I have valid reason to believe that Denver is where we're meant to be for the time being. I always follow my intuition and it's yet to lead me astray.

A new year, a new decade is fast approaching. I can hardly believe that ten years ago I was 15. I can't stop dreaming about being back in high school, a haunting prospect, I know. But for the most part, even being back in my old stomping grounds has not made me want to revert to my old ways or worse, my old self. I want to keep moving forward, keep learning new things, keep traveling, and keep drinking tea voraciously.

I'm only 25. I've got years and decades ahead of me. And time yet to design and to get my master's and to go back to Korea.

When I get too pensive, I get poetic. And when I get poetic I think of T.S. Eliot's 'East Coker.' Still and still moving:

There is a time for the evening under starlight,
A time for the evening under lamplight
(The evening with the photograph album).
Love is most nearly itself
When here and now cease to matter.
Old men ought to be explorers
Here or there does not matter
We must be still and still moving
Into another intensity

Happy Boxing Day!

2010-12-27T13:56:00.000+09:00

Via konfettiform

Enjoy a nice hot cuppa and forget about your holiday woes.

Felt is the new black

2010-12-10T02:03:00.000+09:00

Felty, necklacey, goodness via Terrain.

Beautfiful like a lead balloon or cement pearls

2010-12-09T03:23:00.000+09:00

Via Metsa

My failed catchphrase

2010-12-09T01:27:00.000+09:00

Via Milk Tooth’s Rain via Timothy Buckwalter

What time is it, Mr. Wolf?

2010-12-03T01:40:00.000+09:00

100 Series Wristwatch via Uniform Wares

When I taught English in Seoul, my kindergarten students loved playing a game called, "What time is it, Mr. Wolf?". It's basically like "Mother, May I?" but perhaps a little grimmer. One player is the wolf, while the others take turns asking the wolf, "What time is it?" The wolf answers a time (say 2 o'clock) and that time corresponds to how many steps the players take towards the wolf (2). If the wolf decides to say "Lunch time!" then all bets are off as the players run away and try not to get caught by the wolf. The loser gets to be Mr. Wolf, and we begin the game again.

It's not even been a month, yet it seems like I wasn't even there. I woke up at 4:30 am and thought maybe I had just dreamed of my time in Korea; maybe it never happened at all.

I slept through my alarm, but was awoken by an 8:30 am phone call re: a job. I was not at all prepared to answer questions, and the bad connection only made things worse. Needless to say I confused content management systems with database systems, and then just admitted that I wasn't familiar with whatever it was that she was saying. Didn't get the job, surprisingly. The funny thing is, once I was awake, I realized that I do know Wordpress quite intimately and I'm a quick study (give me a handbook and 24 hours), but lord, I can't convey anything useful until I've had a cuppa.

The jobhunt continues. Until then, Mr. Wolf.

Home Sweet Home

2010-12-02T00:56:00.001+09:00

Via Home Sweet Home

Someday soon we'll have our own home sweet home. Crossing my fingers that there's a lovely new job out there for me.

On happier holidays

2010-11-27T06:03:00.003+09:00

Middle Night by Anthony Goicolea via My Modern Met and Calvin Klein

Today is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

While I'm not sure where or when the tradition began, it's been common knowledge* that the day after we get together with friends and family to celebrate being grateful for all the things we have, Americans get up super early to fight with middle-aged women at department stores for pre-Christmas "savings" on junk we probably don't need. But then again, maybe someone really does need 100 blank CDs at the low low price of $5.99.

I thought Black Friday used to just mean that by this time of the year, your accounting ledgers would finally be out of the red.

What gets me is the juxtaposition of satisfaction and greed, of thankfulness and ingratitude. Why make the day after Thanksgiving a testament to materialism? Other than the obvious fact that most people have this day off of work.

I find that what counts for holiday traditions, not only in the US, but everywhere really, is all form without function, sound and fury signifying nothing. That isn't to say that there isn't some vestige of a more noble past, or a wonderful intention in the celebrations and feelings we hold onto, but it seems that what's left is all vestige and just another excuse to go shopping.

Today I saw a bumper stick that said "Lets keep the Christ in Christmas." I'd agree to that. But we'd have to take the Santa out, wouldn't we? And maybe the presents too, because doesn't that distract everyone from the whole point of the celebration? And we'd also have to stop pretending that Hannukah is basically the same as Christmas, because it's not. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are far more important days in Judaism. Heck, I'm sure that the year Eid ul-Fitr falls in December, marketers will find a way to cheapen the celebration of a month spent fasting and focusing on God. And don't even get me started on Kwanzaa. Money can't buy me love. Or holiday cheer.

In some ways, our current economic hardship may force people to reexamine what's really important. Is it worth it to you to fight for a great deal at Walmart on a 46-inch Samsung TV or to, you know, feed your family? Do you really need to go into debt every December to prove you love your children? How about telling your kids that you love them terribly, or better yet, teaching them how to love others too? I'm not going to offer a Making Happier Holidays in Five Easy Steps! list so that you don't have to think for yourself. That's what got us all into trouble in the first place. All I can offer is an idea. And the rest is up to you.

And so it goes: Our holidays would be happier if we stopped buying so much junk.

*For what it's worth, I spent Black Friday watching old movies with my family and eating leftovers.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

2010-11-25T05:25:00.000+09:00

sugardivers by pashandy via yayeveryday

It's peppermint mocha season! That's what I'm celebrating this year.

Reverse culture shock

2010-11-23T12:01:00.002+09:00

Found on fffound and via comically vintage

The first lesson of returning home from a long sojourn is this: Nobody cares.

Lord knows I'd happily regale everyone I know with tales of the weirdness of Korea, the awesome sights, the adventures we had, the adorable students I taught. But alas, I know how annoying that is. I really do. So I've been biting my tongue as much as possible. I may be forced to bite it off if I say "Well in Korea, they..." one more time to my poor friends and family.

We've been back in the US now for a little over two weeks. The days flew by in Chicago as my new nephew was born, David got appendicitis (thank God we had the foresight to buy insurance before we left Korea) and we dealt with all kinds of drama. Now we're in Denver, four days and counting, a place where our stuff is.

Jobless, carless, and staying with my parents. Can someone please tell me how I'm not a failure? It's hard not to feel that way. I mean, it is a pretty big accomplishment to have lived in Seoul for a year, working as a teacher. But, without a new stepping stone in my life, I feel as though somehow I've done something wrong.

We sold my car, we packed up and left Chicago, leaving many of our wedding presents all but unopened, sitting in my grandmother's garage in the Denver suburbs. Now we're back.

But where do we go from here?

Home is no longer home. It's still a bit foreign to me here. We're starting over yet again. I don't mind the starting over or the new adventures. In fact, I live for that. It's just that we can't move forward until we find work. I need a job.

Now how do we turn this into cash?

I'm still here

2010-10-16T20:53:00.000+09:00

Escapism by Noemie Goudal

It's been surreal here.

We're leaving Korea in three weeks. I'm having a difficult time processing my feelings. I have had such a love/hate relationship with Seoul. So in order to help think through my feelings, I've made a list of all I love/hate about Seoul.

Love:
big city hustle
heated apartment floors
decently priced food
Gmarket
haircuts with head massages
taking off my shoes inside
14 national holidays off of work
national health care
reading Korean
jimjilbangs
abundance of public transportation
networking through friends
the adventure of being in a foreign land

Hate:
no ovens
sticking out like a sore thumb
pushy ajjumas
learning how to speak Korean
long, long working hours
showering on the bathroom floor
too much time spent speaking 'baby' English
deok (glutenous rice cakes)
crowded, crowded everywhere
being defined as a waigook
having to network
being so far away from friends and family

It's hard to say that I'm leaving, but the idea of staying any longer right now would be too difficult to deal with. I have a feeling though, that we'll come back someday. We still have some unfinished business, Korea.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch

2010-09-25T06:06:00.002+09:00

My via Little Reminders of Love

Next year for my birthday, I want to go camping at Yellowstone National Park. Friends, take note.

Go hiking, read a book, eat s'mores, hang out around the campfire, sleep in a cozy tent/pop up trailer, see a geyser, photograph nature, destroy mosquitoes - this is my birthday wish for next year.

As for this year, I'm going to shop in Seoul, and spend the day with good friends and gluten-free recipes.

25 on 25

2010-09-24T16:58:00.000+09:00

care for a spot of tea and/or coffee

I've always been of the opinion that 24-year-olds shouldn't write autobiographies. The main reason: their lives are crap. I mean come on, you've got more than half of your life left, and all the maturity and insight doesn't come until much later.

But, I have a bit of a confession to make. I've always secretly wanted to write an autobiography. Since I was a child. I remember hazy, lost-in-thought kind of moments where I wrote the narrative to my autobiography in my mind. I'd know how to start, I know it would be something slightly cynical, not angsty, but realistic. I wanted to show my life as it was, not as I'd like it to be. I'd embellish it a little of course, but only because I can't write all of the mundane moments that fill the days of our lives, and I mean, you've got to make it interesting.

I'm 24, and on the verge of 25. Tomorrow I will be 25 on the 25th of September. I think it's supposed to be my "golden" or "lucky" birthday. I'm not really sure what that will entail, frankly. Shoe shopping, maybe.

But in all seriousness, I'm a quarter of a century lived. Even though I sneered at that sentiment when a coworker reminded me, and I countered, "No, it does not make me think," it did. It made me think enough to try to put my thoughts into words.

I don't have enough maturity and insight to give any advice, any true meaning into what it means to be 25. Well except, I suppose, that I do have just enough maturity and insight to know that I should not to try to give any insight or advice on said subject.

I worry too much about the future.

But I know that some day I'll have collected enough of life to feel as though I can start that fictionalized autobiography. It will be a hell of thing. But I guess I've got to do some living first. At least another 25, eh?

Words

2010-09-11T12:36:00.003+09:00

Words from Radiolab

I've been thinking a lot about my words these days.

I'm in the process of transitioning out of my job as an English teacher in Seoul, South Korea. I'm applying for jobs in Denver, CO for when we get back to the United States.

I'm tweaking my resume, subtly changing words for each application, playing with semantics, hoping to that someone will see the talent and potential I have as a worker. I'm feeling discouraged. I still have two months before my feet touch ground on American soil, plus we'll have savings to keep us afloat for awhile until we find work. I can't help feeling antsy, wanting to find that job now, wanting to show everyone how good of a writer I am.

I also like to dabble in graphic design, but I'm nowhere near a master at the craft. I plan to go to grad school in the next year or two to study it. Hopefully in Europe, since prices are cheaper and apparently my semi-fluency in German may prove useful (for once). I know I have a long way to go as a designer, but, in a way, I'm pretty disappointed in myself as a writer and a blogger.

My blog is too artsy, but not artsy enough that anyone gives a damn. My typical blog post consists of short, stilted jabs of conversation. Nothing too revealing, nothing too interesting, either.

I created this blog to showcase the keen eye for design that guides my creative sensibility. But my true talent lies in my ability to craft words. And I've been seriously remiss in doing that. Any hack can post pictures of cool stuff. There's millions of those blogs out there. Where do you think I find my material?

Maybe I just forsook quality for quantity, hoping that the frequency of my posting would equate to frequency of visitors. Maybe I'm just jealous because David's blog is so much more popular than mine.

The fact of the matter is this: I'm almost 25. I'm living in Seoul. I teach English to Korean kids. I'm a trained journalist. I've worked at a newspaper, I've planned conferences, I write for a website. I'm smart. I'm looking for a job in November.

The days in Seoul have gone by quickly, and I've learned how much I truly admire the English language, but teaching is not my calling. I enjoy working with kids, but the year I've had endure is enough to put anyone off from teaching. I continue to write a few posts a month for SoulPancake.com when I can find time. I like it, and I like seeing my name out there, but I'd like it more if I could get paid to do that. I'm worried that I won't find a job when we get back in November, and most of all, I'm worried that I'm still going to be a nobody writer for years to come. Or worse yet, an unemployed nobody writer.

I'm not pessimistic. I'm not looking for sympathy. I just wanted to get my words out. Wanted to use this blog of mine (as I suppose more than anything it's for my benefit, since I have so few readers) in the way that it was intended: a log of my thoughts, a repository of words.

Sunday Stimulation: Ang Sang Soo

2010-09-05T07:42:00.003+09:00

Hangul typography by Ang Sang Soo via Creative Roots

I've realized that I really love typography... in any language.

European Art Part V: Anglophilia

2010-09-04T07:22:00.000+09:00

London print by Mike Lemanski via Creative Roots

I'm a total Anglophile.

And in case you're wondering, that's not something particularly dirty. It just means that I appreciate English culture. I don't know what is about the witty sarcasm, the tea with milk, the biscuits, the BBC, the superfluous use of the letter "u" - I just really love England. Maybe it's because in my heart beats the blood of a British Islander (Scottish, Welsh, and English ancestry) or that I too am an emotionally stifled, keep a stiff upper lip type. I also enjoy making fun of the French and using public transportation. My go to newspaper is The Guardian.

I lived in London for six months when I studied abroad in university. I remember it fondly and often talk about it. I talk about it so often in fact, that my husband once remarked, "Sometimes I think you love London more than me."

European Art Part IV: Au Francais

2010-09-03T07:14:00.000+09:00

Cutout maps by Famille Summerbelle, via Creative Roots

I see London, I see France...I see New York...and the rest of the world in these cute, quirky cutout maps by Famille Summerbelle, a French company specializing in children's decor.

But the stuff is just so classy, that well, I'd like some of it for myself. I don't care if it is just for les enfants.

European Art Part III: Viva Italia

2010-09-02T07:56:00.001+09:00

via Andrea Galvani

Sur-really fun work from Italian photographer, Andrea Galvani.

European Art Part II : The German Phase

2010-09-01T08:19:00.002+09:00

Markus Georg's Die Macht der Bilder / The Power Of Images

Die Macht der Bilder / The Power Of Images by Markus Georg is a fascinating photo series aiming to reignite imagination, and to remind people to not only look at images, but to really see them. Georg has taken famous images of places and recreated them using common-place objects. The result is a strange combination of familiarity, confusion, and playfulness.

Can you guess what the places are?

1. Stonehenge

2. The Eifel Tower

3. The Brandenburg Gate

As my European art kick continues, I must say that I really enjoyed reading Georg's artist statement auf Deutsch. I know I'm one of the few people in the world who thinks German is a language with an amazing sort of poetry in it (accurate poetry, that is), but I actually thought that his English statement felt a bit stilted compared to the German one, but hey, I chose to study German because I like it.

Auf Wiedersehen.

European Art Part I: Eastern European Love

2010-08-30T05:50:00.011+09:00

From Eva Kotátková's Home Detention Series via Potz!Blitz!Szpilman!

I don't know if I should thank the rainy, gloomy weekend in Seoul that kept me inside stumbling around on the interwebs, or just pure luck, but I found this interesting German art blog called Potz!Blitz!Szpilman!

Full of interesting, bizarre, creative and strange works of art, Potz!Blitz!Szpilman! certainly has a different feel than many of the design/art/illustration blogs I usually come across. Maybe it's just weirder. Maybe it's just because it's a German blog. Maybe it's because it has this sort of postmodern, obscure, über-artsy feel to it. Whatever it is, I'm digging the aesthetics and the new inspiration I have found.

As such, I have been inspired to showcase some of my more interesting finds, and will be featuring European Art all week. Stay tuned. In case you're wondering "Potz Blitz!" means something like "upon my soul" or "bloody hell" in German. Szpilman is a name.

Potz Blitz! and whatnot.

Cheers.

Sunday Stimulation: Dorota Buczkowska

2010-08-29T11:57:00.001+09:00

Dorata Buczkowska's Balançoire via today and tomorrow

A little whimsy for a rainy Sunday afternoon in Seoul.

Life in Hell

2010-08-25T22:13:00.001+09:00

Life in Hell by Matt Groening

My working day is pretty much the same. Except add an extra hour and subtract the flirting with co-worker (they're lovely ladies and all, but no).

Please also note that my sulkiness lingers a wee bit longer than illustrated here.

If Facebook was like real life...and in German

2010-08-24T08:29:00.000+09:00

logged in from josh schaub on Vimeo.

Loving 'Logged In 'by Josh Schaub. It's a short video that shows what real life would look like if it truly reflected our status updates on Facebook. While it's a German video, you can definitely get the gist of it without being able to read auf Deutsch.

The breakdown:
Woman eating breakfast. Every little thing she does (pours milk into coffee, puts butter on her bread) is updated.
Two guys "chatting." Please note that Germans say "jo" for "yo."
Two people go from being single to being in a relationship to quickly changing to "it's complicated."
A guy celebrates his birthday solo, with a sad little cupcake, while birthday messages pour in on Facebook.
Random updates follow people around. My favorite was that one of the women "wishes she had a pony."

It really is odd how Facebook has completely distorted how we view our own reality. We often do things with the sole purpose of documenting it and putting the pictures up on Facebook, or when someone says something funny, we hurry to update our status to that very same quote.

It's as if reality has become less real thanks to Facebook.

Because I'm just another blogger who finds pictures on other blogs

2010-08-16T19:51:00.004+09:00

Via household name

Great bloggers talk about ideas. Average bloggers talk about things. Small bloggers talk about other blogs.

Am I just a small blogger?

I know most blogs like this are just constructed of "unnecessary rubbish copied from different internet sites a million times." So why did I think I'd be any different? Yes, like everyone else, I'm an image collector. But I'd like to think that I'm not just rubbish. But how original is it to make a compilation of "cool hunting" ephemera, artsy stuff, industrial design? Not that original, since I find all my images on all those other blogs...

My mantra: I see something interesting, I write something about it. I think about something interesting, I find an image to accompany it.

This a blog of my image choices, my words, my aesthetics. But I'd like to hope that maybe the thing that makes my blog unique is me.

Sunday Stimulation: Yoshiko Murata

2010-08-15T09:51:00.000+09:00

Via Tokyo Illustrator's Society

Shedding some light on the situation

2010-08-09T22:34:00.004+09:00

via yatzer

Thomas Feichtner's Drawing Lamp is beautiful in its simplicity.

Change the angle of the lamp arm to change and refocus the light.

Simply simple.

Hot, with 100% intolerance

2010-08-06T16:30:00.001+09:00

via fffound

I have no tolerance for humidity. There. I said it.

The Korean summer is terrible. Sure it may only be 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit, but it feels a lot hotter. I'd tell it to you in Celsius, but I'm not going to lie, I have no idea what that is. 31 degrees C? 4^2 degrees C?

The problem with 80 degrees lies only in the God-awful humidity. It's easily 73% humidity today. It's like the air is melting around me. It's also rainy season. Yay, rain, I think. Then I remember that the summer rain doesn't cool the air, but simply bumps up the humidity to 100%. At least the raindrops themselves are cool, yet totally toxic.

It's not only the humidity that's making me cranky, though.

It's been a rough transition back to work this week. The week back from a vacation is always difficult, but couple that with unpaid overtime, schedule changes, a new class which I have to create curriculum for, and a surprise visit from corporate to record my classes. Ugh.

In terms of being recorded though, I was fine. It was my poor students that I felt sorry for. They were more nervous than I was, trembling as they read aloud.

Up in the air somewhere

2010-08-02T05:57:00.001+09:00

Via up in the air somewhere

Lovely.

The journey itself is home

2010-08-01T07:55:00.046+09:00

Photos by Lauren Ashleigh Herrman

Most of our first year of marriage was spent in Korea. How many people can say that? Well...besides all the Koreans...

It hasn't been easy, but no adventure is. I wouldn't want it any other way. Even though we're driven to the brink of insanity in our tiny shoebox studio in Seoul, even though we argue about everything from baseball to bad actors to Korean words (shipshiyo!), even though I never cook but almost always do the dishes, even though life continues to throw us curve balls - I wouldn't have it any other way.

Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.

Home is wherever you are.

DIY Felt button slippers

2010-07-31T07:53:00.007+09:00

Trace template on felt, cut out. Repeat.

Make sure patterns are oriented for left and right. (Flip one over). Fold over.

Pin flaps. Adjust to fit your foot. Sew.

Sew on a button!

Via The Purl Bee

Hurray! Now all I need is felt, tailor's chalk, sewing scissors, thread and buttons. I've got the needle...

For the full instructions, check out Molly's Sketchbook over at The Purl Bee.

Because I don't wear a watch anyway

2010-07-30T20:40:00.002+09:00

Via Misako Mimoko

It's true. I do love telling fake time.

What's the weather like today

2010-07-29T19:46:00.003+09:00

Local Weather by Kurt Reidi

An artsy take on the weather forecast: cute cut-outs, soft lighting and a link to yahoo! weather makes this a fun way to check the weather. Thank you Kurt Reidi.

Don't be fooled by that seemingly lovely "79 degrees" business in Seoul. It was 85 half an hour ago at 7 pm. Besides 79 degrees with 74% humidity feels like 900 degrees. That's what I get for growing up in a semi-arid climate - no tolerance for humidity at all. And I'm just not used to the whole concept of a "rainy season."

Honestly, I don't mind the rain. Even though the old ladies here (ajumma) swear that your hair will fall out if it gets wet in the rain... so far so good.

So while I'm inside hunkered down next to the A/C for the rest of the summer, I highly recommend checking out Kurt Reidi's Local Weather.

A horrible future in which children exercise

2010-07-27T13:55:00.003+09:00

Escape from IDEO on Vimeo.

Design firm IDEO imagines, what I can only assume to be, a post-apocalyptic future in which energy is so scarce that we force our children to wear energy harvesting clothing and use all sorts of contraptions in daily life that generate energy batteries. I found the article on good.is, which has so far turned out to be my go-to summer vacation reading site for my knowledge junkie fix.

According to the article, which I'm not sure is voicing a terrified or hilariously cynical tone, "Your children will be forced to play, even in the rain, in order to generate electricity, and they'll hoard batteries."

Why aren't they doing this now? As a kindergarten teacher, I can quite confidently say that my class on a Friday afternoon could adequately power my school for a week. Heck, I'd even attach a battery to my backpack. Seems fun. I mean aren't eco-conscious folks in San Francisco already doing this? Anyone?

My favorite line from the good.is article: "Don't see too many obese kids in the future though." Reason enough, parents. Reason enough.

The hills are alive with the sound of plaid

2010-07-19T07:56:00.000+09:00

Via Today and Tomorrow

“In den Zillertaler Alpen” by Hank Schmidt in der Beek - a photo series of said artist painting pictures of his shirt patterns, while surrounded by the beauty of the Alps.

Yeah, so I guess Germans do have a sense of humor.

The future of flip flops

2010-07-18T11:43:00.001+09:00

Via thetrendygirl.net au francais

Ah summer.

While I'm spending most of my summer in Seoul soaked and sweating in the 85-degree monsoon season, I'm also spending many of these hot, rainy days inside with the A/C blasting and my computer surfing away on the net. Maybe I'm lazy, but you would be too if it was 90 degrees with 40% humidity.

I recently stumbled upon the French trend site, aptly named The Trendy Girl. Thanks to Google translator and my innate ability to guess things, I have found some amazing coolness.

Case in point: Italian sportswear company, Freddy, has designed the craziest, kookiest, I-want-to-wear-iest, spin on the flip flop.

How do you say "the future is now" au francais?

Don't forget to make today awesome

2010-07-15T21:17:00.001+09:00

Via Helen Dardik's awesome blog

I totally forgot to make today awesome. Ugh.

Thank you, Blanca Gómez, for inspiring me to apply to grad school

2010-07-12T21:48:00.000+09:00

Via Cosas mínimas

I'm drooling over Blanca Gómez's illustrations and layouts. I want to be a trained designer, dammit. I want that degree.

I really need to get it together and apply seriously for grad school.

Germany is looking better than Korea (waitlisted at Hongik University). Did I mention that school is practically free in Germany and Austria, and I spreche Deutsch? Ach ja. I'm looking at a couple schools in Deutschland - one in Cologne, one in Weimar (um, Bauhaus, yes bitte), and maybe one in Berlin. But the Berlin schools all seem way too snooty. I'm also looking at two schools in Austria - one in Vienna, and one in some tiny burg near Lake Constance. I kind of like a school in Milan, Italy as well. And even though I have a personal and historical grudge against Milan - a vendetta if you will - European schools are a lot cheaper than pretty much anywhere else. Actually, mainland Europe, because the UK would bleed me dry, even if there is a fantastic art school in Glasgow and a plethora of schools in London I would love to go to.

Even if I get into Hongik University in Seoul, I'm not sure if the whole $30 grand thing will work out for us. Especially since they don't seem so keen on giving me a scholarship.

I know I learned German for some reason... Ich will eine Künstlerin werden.

Sunday Stimulation: Tae Won Yu

2010-07-11T19:34:00.000+09:00

Via Tae Won Yu

Upcycled awesomeness

2010-07-09T22:41:00.000+09:00

Via kimwerker.com

It used to be a door!

Balancing Girl

2010-07-08T22:10:00.001+09:00

Balancing Girl by Jamie McKelvie via yay!everyday

Just tying to keep my balance. Seriously.

The days are precarious. And the weeks are long. I'm looking forward to getting my feet onto solid ground and away from this contract. I'm looking forward to being home, to feeling like I have a place called home.

There was a big fight at work. Shouting in English and Korean. A head teacher and a manager. Angry words and people quitting. Rumors and hurt feelings in two languages. As the other head teacher, I'm trying to stay neutral. Just trying to do my job, make sure things get done, pick up the slack, try not to let that one kid stress me out so much I want to scream. I won't pick sides, and I'm not expected to.

Just, it's not easy, that's all. I don't know how Switzerland does it.

Underwear

2010-07-06T21:50:00.002+09:00

Underwear by FM Belfast (Music Video) from Daniel Scheinert on Vimeo.

Don't tell me you've never danced alone in your underwear. It may not be pretty, but it sure is fun.

Thank you FM Belfast. Or should I say "Takk fyrir."

I'm living in a place where I count the days...

Gesundheit

2010-07-04T20:39:00.000+09:00

Via Gesundheit

I never say "bless you." Always: "Gesundheit."

"Gesundheit is an ongoing art project that is open to anyone in the creative industry. It aims to be the biggest artistic study of sneezing to date."

Cool project, cool pictures. It's also a charity for the flu pandemic, but it seems to me the whole "pandemic" bit has petered off, but hey- I'm game anyway.

As for an update on our Gesund over here in Korea: Things are looking good. We're relatively healthy. We're relatively happy. We're staying at a nice 26 degrees Celsius in our apartment thanks to the air conditioner unit hanging perilously on the wall, while the weather in Seoul waffles between torrential downpour and torrential humidity. My hair is so oily, but my allergies are gone!

Three more weeks until summer break for me. That means 10 days off of work. We can't afford a vacation, let alone anything frivolous, so I'm hoping to use the time to visit trendy coffee shops, explore the city, and finish reading Ulysses (and yes, I do like it). David will be launching his webcomic, Han, on July 30th and two days later we celebrate our first anniversary.

So while I wish we were home sooner, while I wish we had more money to get by, while I wish I had more time to learn Korean properly and a thousand other things - while I wish away, I'm wasting time. I'm healthy, I'm happy. I'm in love. I'm in Korea. We have our Gesundheit and each other, that's all we need.

Fluffy McCloud

2010-07-03T10:05:00.001+09:00

FLUFFY MC CLOUD from conorfinnegan on Vimeo.

Via It's Nice That

Something simple and sweet.

That's how I generally like to think of my blog. I find something beautiful, interesting, funny, weird - and I relate it to something that's going on in my life. Friends and family get some insight on what's going on in my life - and passersby can enjoy the art, media, design and caffeinated beverages.

So to celebrate my 100th blog post on Blogarista, please enjoy Connor Finnegan's simple and sweet video "Fluffy McCloud."

I just need a "dislike" button

2010-06-27T16:19:00.000+09:00

Via Nation

Nation, "a design studio held together with spit, sawdust and guts," has created stamps that mimic Facebook's "Like" button. Though Nation has gone one step further and created that "Dislike" button that we've all been secretly hoping Facebook will finally roll out with. Sure, Facebook can make farmlands, and zoos and other ungodly cute games, but why can't you make a button so I can go around "disliking" all of those stupid farmland and zoo games?

I shall be ordering these stamps as well, for my real-life interactions. It will make my freelance editing work so much easier. I will simply stamp "like" or"dislike" and bam - done.

It is love

2010-06-26T14:54:00.000+09:00

Via Rose Blake

Storm in a teacup

2010-06-21T22:59:00.000+09:00

Via Liakingland

Storm in a Teacup is a kinetic sculpture designed by John Lumbus. Turn the handle on the teacup, and the little boat will ride on the waves as the storm clouds shift to reveal a bolt of lightning.

I think maybe I'll just have a mug of coffee, yeah?

A home of our own

2010-06-20T19:12:00.001+09:00

Via Iannone Design

We spent the weekend house sitting for some of our Korean friends. It's funny that a two-room apartment felt like a huge luxury. It was nice to get away from our shoebox studio and nice to be able to watch TV.

There were seriously 500 channels, 8 of which showed NCIS almost constantly. There were about 10 anime channels 100+ drama/ game show channels and about 5 or 6 other channels in English, either from the US or UK. It was fun to watch Korean dramas and make up words, or to laugh at the perverted children on Japanese cartoons. We even got a chance to watch The Office and Scrubs this morning.

While there, I started feeling more homesick than ever, longing for a place where we could call our own. I've spent the last five years moving at least once a year, and it does start to wear on you. God, I know this seems so adult of me, but damn it, I just want to settle down in place for a little bit, a place that's comfortable, and a place that fits us. And I'm not even talking about buying a house. Just finding a place where we don't have to move again in a year.

I'm ready to back Stateside, and we will be in November. How long we stay there depends on the jobs and opportunities that cross our path. Having sold all my furniture before we left Chicago, I really am looking forward to getting a few pieces.

I'm really digging some of the pieces from Iannone Design, though more realistically, I'm just hoping that IKEA will finally be built in Denver.

Le Montage

2010-06-05T08:57:00.000+09:00

Le Montage - By Handsome Donkey from Aaron Greenberg on Vimeo.

I found this video a while ago, and loved it like crazy. But as go most youtube videos, they fade away from thought and mind. But I thought about it late last night while I was reading and David was destroying zombies. This is how we unwind. So we watched the video and the stress of the week was forgotten. Of course, then I ruined everything by picking a fight, but c'est la vie.

Enjoy Le Montage.

Urban landscapes

2010-06-03T06:23:00.002+09:00

Via Jason Thielke

Jason Thielke's art focuses on urban landscapes those who live there, Thielke describes his art as having "a strong emotional connection to the built environment and its inevitable rise and fall."

Thielke's work has such a modern feel, and his website has some truly fantastic navigation. The future is now!

Sidenote: I think Thielke may be from/living in Denver, which is absolutely awesome. Love me some LoDO.

Under construction

2010-06-02T06:12:00.001+09:00

Tram Bui's architectural awesomeness via Escape into Life

Vivid colors. Strong silhouettes. Meticulously rendered. Beautiful in its simplicity.

Tram Bui's dichromatic paintings are beautiful buildings under construction. There is beauty in the process, something wonderful and artistic about the work in progress before completion.

As I build myself up from what I once was, into what I am to be, it's really hard for me to enjoy the process. I want it to be done, I want to move on, I want things to be better, I want to feel fully formed, finished. But I know there's wisdom in enjoying these years of growth and form.

What do I do next?

Do I:
Quit my job, and midnight run the hell out of Korea?
Bide my time til November, hoping my boss won't create some fresh new hell in the meantime?
Take another job in Seoul?
Go to school in Seoul for 3 years of graphic design grad school & intensive Korean lessons?
Apply to other grad schools around the US (mainly in CA) and move to said location if accepted?
Move back to CO, back to friends, family and familiarity?

For all the fear I have for the future, I'm equally as excited. And don't worry, I'll be back in Denver someday, definitely.

Hyperactivitypography

2010-06-01T08:06:00.002+09:00

Via Hyperactivitypography

A is for ampersand, and for awesome.

Sold out?! Unbelievable. Studio 3 from Norway promises that their adorable typography activity book will be in stock soon. I'm shaking my fist.

The good news is, you can go to the website and digitally flip through all the pages. I did it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Though I must admit, no matter how good the resolution, you just can't beat the feel of turning the pages yourself.

Glass half full

2010-05-31T06:42:00.002+09:00

Via Solutions

Yay!

Sunday Stimulation: Pen Pencil Stencil

2010-05-30T06:01:00.001+09:00

Via pen pencil stencil

Pencil-y goodness from California designer Mark Giglio.

Feng Shui for the cartoon home

2010-05-29T12:39:00.003+09:00

Via JustinSpace

From a never published, but fantastic book, Feng Shui for the Cartoon Home, designer Justin Jorgensen shares his ideas for how to improve the lives of our favorite cartoon characters fixing the flow of their chi. Stylishly rendered and clever, I wanted to share his pages on the Simpson home.

He writes:

"With Feng Shui for the Cartoon Home, the deeper idea was to consider how when one feels lack of control over their life/world they often turn to supernatural beliefs that offer some explanation – or idea of control – over their destiny. I don’t mean to explain the joke but, if the Simpsons say, used feng shui to fix their problems, and it worked – well – then the show would cease to exist because it wouldn’t be entertaining. (And we’d all be putting a plant in that corner there and getting a raise.)"

Hold on tight

2010-05-28T08:07:00.001+09:00

Via goodmorning & goodnight

Loving the Hold On Tight bookshelf created by Colleen & Eric. It has a built-in or "integrated" book end that can be loosened slide down the shelf and hold your books...tightly.

In other uses of the phrase, "hold on tight," I'd like to mention that things may be about to get bumpy over here in Seoul. Tensions are high, not only because North Korea is giving South Korea a gigantic, possibly nuclear, nah-nah-nah-boo-boo and everyone is stressed, but also on a much smaller, though possibly explosive scale, everyone at my work is stressed, angry, and ready to turn on each other.

For those of you who may not know, I'm a kindergarten teacher. Yes, teaching English to 5-12 years old has been one hell of a ride. From bearing the brunt of parental complaints ("Yes, my child did too well on that exam, we're taking him out of this school."), to secret renovations of three tiny classrooms that - surprise - were intended to be housing for the three foreign teachers plus my husband (we took that one to corporate).

In Korea, English is a business, and it's really hard for me to remember that. Lord, you'd think I'd have learned that by now. I actually care that my students learn - a mistake that has kept most of my students, while others drop out like flies, but continues to earn me the wrath of my boss, and possibly God. Yeah, I mess up. A lot. But that's only because I just want to give these poor kids a break - they go to school plus English academy, math academy, science academy, art classes, soccer, music lessons - I just want to cut them some slack sometimes. You know, let them color, give them a vocab crossword puzzle, let them out a little early. But nearly every time I do, I get punished.

The question is, can you blame me for making the same mistake over and over?

So hold on tight, folks. This bumpy ride is only going to get bumpier.

Fractured and chocolate-y

2010-05-26T17:16:00.003+09:00

Via Arcademi

I came across a posting on this modernisch German blog called Arcademi. They featured some pieces from a new exhibit at the International Modern and Postmodern Art Museum in Karlsruhe. As I have family in Karlsruhe, I thought it would be worth exploring. While I was in Karlsruhe, the highlight of my trip included a trip to IKEA, but who knew it held such artistic wonders? Ach ja, it makes me feel as though I wasted all those years studying German, only to end up in Korea.

Meanwhile, my emotional state is as fractured and chocolate-y as that artsy icecream bar. I'm hating my job,worried about paying bills (the value of the Korean won is way down and I send my money home), concerned that North Korea will nuke us, AND annoyed that I'm not supposed to have caffeine for the next few days while I take antibiotics for my swollen tonsils. Usually I've got a good cuppa to console me. And now: nadda. Ich hab keine.

Yacht sea

2010-05-25T08:22:00.000+09:00

Via Cheri Messerli Collection

Nautically nice.

You are here, we are everywhere

2010-05-24T21:46:00.000+09:00

Art by Goni Montes via Empty Kingdom

Dynamic.

Sunday Stimulation: My Cardboard Life

2010-05-16T09:25:00.000+09:00

Via My Cardboard Life

Not all that funny, but definitely cute and creative.

My Cardboard Life is cut out and glued by Philippa Rice. She said the comics take anywhere from half hour to several hours. The comics have a sort of Charlie Brown/ Lucy dynamic, following Cardboard Colin and Pauline, the strange paper haircut woman. There are some cute supporting characters, including a bandaid, canvas bear, and Cardboard Carl - a cardboard box guy who wears jeans.

I enjoy the creativity and artistic style. I wonder if there's a book coming soon. It would be great for the kiddos.

Speaking of the kiddos, Friday was teacher's day in Korea. I made out like a bandit: cosmetics, jewelry, flowers, a clock, an umbrella, and a handbag. But to be honest, my favorite gifts were the cards that my students made. Maybe not at stylish as My Cardboard Life, but just as cute and way more heartwarming.

StoryCorps

2010-05-15T10:58:00.002+09:00

Q&A from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

I first heard about this project, StoryCorps, from the Colbert Report, and then I came across it on Mental Floss. Basically there are recording booths around the US that you can go to with someone special to you, like your mom or grandma, and you can ask them to tell you stories about their life. The session will be recorded. You get a CD. The stories are added to a database. StoryCorps' mission is "to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives."

I thought that was such a neat idea, and I love this animated video of 12-year-old Joshua, interviewing his mom, Sarah. They talk about everything from Joshua's aspergers, to cockroaches, mortal enemies, and Sarah's feelings about being a parent.

In the Sun

2010-05-02T05:00:00.002+09:00

She & Him - In The Sun from Merge Records on Vimeo.

I generally try not to post too many videos. The reason: if I have an attention span too short to sit still for five minutes, then how can I expect my non-existent readers to do the same? But this one was too fun and too Zooey Deschanel to pass up.

Fact: it is finally warming up in Seoul. It has been a crummy, Siberian-influenced winter here. Like Chicago, but with none of its snowy charms. Gott sei dank for the sun.

Also, I must say, I'm digging the Indie High School Musical thing going on in this video. Though, to be honest, I've avoided seeing anything related to High School Musical, so this is only how I imagine it would be.

Pretty soon, though, my elementary school students will be finished writing their own play. I can't wait to see how it turns out. I don't want to give too much away, but the story involves transformers, plane crashes and talking animals. Oh yes, I will be taping it for sure. This has been a real plus on my pro/con list of being an English teacher.

Oh I just can't stay mad at those kids. I mean, I get Wednesday off next week for no reason other than to celebrate children. Upon hearing about the existence of Children's Day, David replied: "You know what's great about children? Nothing." You laugh now, but it's a day off of work. And that's pretty great. Also, it's an excuse for cupcakes on Monday.

Handle with grace

2010-05-01T10:52:00.001+09:00

Angela McCluskey feat. Telepopmusik - Handle With Grace from YoungReplicant on Vimeo.

Surrounded by piles of tissues and empty cups of tea. I haven't decided if it's allergies or a cold. Could be both, frankly. And I blame both on the children. Oh those students with their sticky hands and sloppy hugs.

Either way, I'm feeling okay. April's finally over. Hurray for May.

Plans for today: reading and sketching for my portfolio at a coffee shop, walking around Seoul in the sunshine, not being cynical.

Happy Family

2010-04-28T22:51:00.001+09:00

From Pintameldia

"The Project:
We are a Happy Family is an unique and very special card game (of the "make families" kind), featuring eight international artists. Proceeds will go to Doctors without Borders.

The Artists:
Thereza Rowe, Sarajo Frieden, Lotte Andkilde, Lady Desidia, Pintameldia, Alexandra Hedberg, Aris Moore and Kimberly Laurenti.
Box layout designed by Jorge Fernández."

I love this! And once I get paid, I'll see if it ships to Korea.

Speaking of getting paid, I won't be getting a raise, even though I've just been promoted to head teacher. On the bright side (or less dark side), I finagled at bit with my manager, and I'll now be able to have fewer classes. This means more time to create sample lesson plans and work on other organize-y / design-y aspects of being a teacher. I'm tentatively pleased at the potential this has for me, though there's also the potential for disaster should the hammer fall. Eh. I'm already on the halfway mark. Only six more months to go. And they need me...

The weeks have been short, but the days have been long.

Things are looking up for us, and David and I are finally feeling more like a happy family.

Tea and/or coffee cozies

2010-04-25T20:15:00.002+09:00

Via PMO designs

I know it's spring time and the weather is warming up, but there's something about these cup cozies that make me want to snuggle up with a good cuppa. Proof that you can wear wool after Memorial Day or something, these cup holders are knitted with love and dishwasher safe.

Pescerosso

2010-04-19T20:35:00.000+09:00

Various llustrated whimsy via Laura Di Francesco

Sunday Stimulation: Alexa Meade

2010-04-18T08:58:00.001+09:00

All works are acrylic on flesh via alexameade.com

Weird but cool. People painted with acrylics. They're like living paintings of themselves. Some are just photos, while others were temporary installations. The bottom picture is actually a self-portrait of the artist, Alexa Meade. She literally painted herself. Neat.

This time maybe, I'll be bulletproof

2010-04-16T22:54:00.001+09:00

Illustration via me. I made this, actually.

Part of the reason for my unhappiness in Korea stems from the fact that I take everything so seriously. I'm just here for a year. Teaching is not and will not be my career. (That fact has become my abundantly clear). It's just a job right now. And it should be an adventure...but I've let negativity seep in from others around me. It really is a situation of "It's not me, it's you." The unhappiness isn't me -- but when I'm surrounded by people who aren't even aware of the unhappiness that surrounds them -- it's hard not to be affected. Something on my unconscious level soaks up their negativity like a sponge. Got to work on being "bulletproof" to it all.

I'm not sure how to I can not dwell on the unpleasant things of life just yet. But I'm working on it. For now, I'm focusing on just being my authentic self. Unapologetically so. Also, I'm listening to lots of LA ROUX.

Postcard gardens for my postmodern life

2010-04-11T11:20:00.005+09:00

Via postcarden.com

I must say, living in the big city here in Seoul, I'm ready to see some green and some sunshine. We tried to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival in Jinhae, but we were too sick to go. Ugh. Luckily, Seoul has some seriously eco-friendly elements. It's full of beautiful parks and waterside trails with manicured gardens and flowering trees. As soon as it stops being so terrible weather-wise, we'll spend some more time in nature.

T.S. Eliot lied. April is not the cruelest month. March is. David and I were both sick on and off for the five miserable weeks of March. Though, I admit, his ulcer trumps my chest cold. I had some terribly difficult days at work, and questioned how long I could hang in there working long hours for so little money. Student loan bills are grounding us. Literally. The trip to Tokyo is out. Traveling is out indefinitely. Le sigh.

That's what I get for being a teacher, and for David following his dreams of being a writer. Fortunately, it's much better to be a starving artist in a foreign land. But what does it mean to be a bohemian in Korea? I'm not sure I'm quite cool enough to really even be considered bohemian. I guess we're just poor then. Poor artists with a postcard garden. I guess that's kind of cool.

Snow confetti or cupcakes?

2010-04-05T08:11:00.001+09:00

Via Design for Mankind - Constellation: confetti and snow by David Marmota

Mmmm. This "constellation" by David Marmota looks more like cupcake sprinkles than stars. Don't care. Looks totally delicious either way.

Sunday Stimulation: Gemma Correll

2010-04-04T23:23:00.006+09:00

Daily Diaries Via Gemma Correll

Maybe I should sketch more in my diary.

Gemma Correll creates detailed and delightful sketches of her daily escapades. I love the commentary. The Daily Diary from January 23 particularly rings true:

Sometimes cake and coffee do not help.
Next year I will be more organized.

Things are improving

2010-04-04T10:50:00.001+09:00

Via marcjohns.com

Yes, just like this man, sketched by the hilarious and talented Marc Johns, I too shall only obsess about things I can't control for two hours instead of three. Things are improving!

This too shall pass

2010-03-26T21:12:00.004+09:00

My new mantra.

To make pearls, you’ve got to eat dirt.

2010-03-21T21:34:00.003+09:00

Frank Chimaro is right.

Some pearls would be nice about now.

Things have been rough here in Seoul lately. Work isn't exactly working out for me. This past week has made me seriously doubt my ability to find happiness in work, not to mention seriously doubt the goodness of humanity. I'm not sure what to do next.

In this world of disequilibrium and chaos, I know I'm not alone in feeling dissatisfaction. I get that. The problem is, do I try to stick it out, or cut my losses and move on, hoping that I may find something a little better? There are only so many foreign countries I can flee to.

I've got a lot of dirt to eat, I suppose.

Sunday Stimulation: The Head

2010-03-14T18:53:00.001+09:00

TheHead / hand-drawn animated short from podoboo on Vimeo.
Absolutely amazing animation from Argentinan artists Matias Vigliano & Dante Zaballa. I totally don't get it. but who cares? It looks amazing.

Cloudy with a chance of awesome

2010-03-13T21:43:00.002+09:00

rEDCLOUDY awesomeness via redcloudy.com

My future has been a little hazy as of late. I have no idea what I want to do anymore. I used to be so sure: Go to college. Check. Get degree. Check. Get job. Check. Get married. Check. Ok. The problem was that I expected to find the job of my dreams by now...or at least get my foot in the door. Except that didn't happen and now I'm in Korea teaching English. I also didn't expect to be married just yet. I wanted it eventually, of course. But in the words of the Avett Brothers, "True love is not the kind of thing you should turn down." So here I am, here we are, in Seoul.

I had always sort of assumed by age 24, I'd be some kind of low level journalist working my way to the top -- scrappy, plucky, intelligent and clothed in awesome clothes from Banana Republic. I figured I'd be living in the big city, maybe in Europe, and be on my way to wealth/making my old high school classmates jealous. Well, I can safely assume that I have at least achieved the latter as some of my old peers are living with their parents and think that moving to Denver is "Whoa. Scary." So there's at least that. And wealth? Well, that may be achieved in due time, thanks to David's due diligence and clever-as-hell Korean superhero graphic novel. I mean, how cool is that? My husband writes comics!

I actually enjoy teaching. It's good experience for me, and I no longer fear speaking in front of groups of people. Mainly because I make a fool of myself everyday. You get used to it pretty quickly, actually. And I do write for Soulpancake.com when I'm able, so my journalista skills are still in use. My life isn't going exactly where I thought it would, but I'm starting to like the adventure of it all.

I'd been dabbling in the idea of graduate school for awhile now. I was thinking of graphic design or some kind of visual communications degree. Now, through a recent twist of fate, I'm now considering opening a bakery/design store. I'd always thought that I was meant to be some kind of bourgeois intellectual living in the big city and being big and important. Now I'm thinking about opening a gluten-free bakery in Denver and selling neat designs. I could still take some art classes to hone my skills as a designer. And the idea of it all makes me happy. For all the years I spent trying to escape my home and my family, I actually hope that my family might want to work with me, and I actually look forward to living in Denver.

Today David and I went to Hongdae, a trendy area in Northern Seoul, situated near Hongik University, one of Korea's best art schools. Its narrow, winding alleys are packed with cool coffee shops, boutiques and stationary stores. We hit up Art Square, the mecca of Korean design, and took some names. Literally. We're looking for inspiration, ideas, help, contacts, and maybe business connections. One of my favorite design companies is rEDCLOUDY. They have cute notebooks and stationary and whatnot. We have one of their bird-shaped chalkboards in our kitchen.

My future is still looking a little hazy. But there's a definite chance of it being awesome.

Taking stock

2010-02-24T08:13:00.000+09:00

Census "Community" - Director's Cut from Shilo on Vimeo.

What a cute and charming video. It almost makes me wish I weren't in South Korea right now...just so I could fill out that gosh darn Census form. Aw shucks!

Hangar tea

2010-02-23T08:00:00.002+09:00

Via lovelypackage.com

These hangar tea bags, designed by Soon Mo Kang, are really fantastic. Fun and functional, they're the "type of thing that makes consumers smile and take note."

I'm smiling too. Now where can I buy these?

Sunny side of life

2010-02-22T08:00:00.006+09:00

Sunny Side of Life Via Karlo Ghokasian

Back to work again. It's the last week of school before the new school year starts. We get a 3-day weekend, and then it's back to business as usual. It just seems like a little more time off would be warranted. Heck, I'm pulling 50-hour weeks, teaching 40 of those hours, and still trying to fit in time to live my life. Unfortunately "living my life" more often than not means going home, eating dinner, watching episodes of 'The Wire' and crashing at 11 pm. Sometimes I'm so exhausted that going out with friends is a chore. I'm not even going to pretend I haven't had to literally drag myself to make commitments. If I make it to the gym once a week, I want to throw myself a parade to celebrate.

Being in Korea is really difficult sometimes. Not only am I working hard and a million miles away from home, but the day-to-day interactions with Koreans can be especially confusing. Koreans like to "lie" to each other, to present the nicest, sunniest spin on reality. Koreans have a mutual understanding of this cultural game and are fine with participating in such mutual fibs. Meanwhile us poor, brutally honest Americans take everything at face value and wind up feeling frustrated and confused. Now I never know who or what to believe. I just can't play that way.

As such, David has been making frantic last minute preparations for his trip to Japan - upon finding out his employers don't know what they heck they're doing, though naturally, they said everything would be set. Tensions are high.

Meanwhile, some of my students are "graduating" onto elementary school come Wednesday...I'll miss some of those kiddos. It's going to feel strange starting a new year without them. Another long week ahead.

Sunday Stimulation: Richard Perez

2010-02-21T15:37:00.000+09:00

Mixtapes, Eatsleepdrinkdesign, Friday Afternoon and Things I Like, respectively. Via Richard Perez

Amanda Wachob Tattoo

2010-02-20T22:35:00.002+09:00

Abstract tattoo art via Amanda Wachob

What else can I say but stunning? These tattoos are true works of art - splashes of color, shading, and lines reminiscent of brushstrokes.

I'm listening to Nick Drakes' "One of These Things First," as I'm looking at these pictures, and I just feel so artsy and hipster. Ahh, the little things in life.

Sunday Stimulation: To-tea-ly cool packaging

2010-02-07T13:19:00.006+09:00

Clever and creative tea packaging designed by Wdaru Studios

I saw those tea bags and instantly thought the design style looked Korean. Then I checked out the website - I knew it! These cute little Maum tea bags feature various cartoonish people who hang their arms over the edge of the teacup as if they're relaxing in a hot tub. I especially like the little guys in the inner tubes.

I am officially on the lookout for these in Seoul, and may be sending a few boxes stateside if my detective work is successful. Stay tuned.

I live in a Korean world

2010-02-06T14:35:00.002+09:00

Searched the world over and found this on butdoesitfloat

Korean culture is, well, extreme. Work hard, study hard, play hard, pray hard - it's just too much for me sometimes. If one employee stays late, everyone feels like they should too, just so they don't look bad. If the boss invites you all out to dinner, you'd better stay there with him til he's well sloshed and tired - even if it's midnight on a weekknight. You work hard, stay late, go out, then do it again. On Saturday, you shop for hours, you visit family, and then you go to church for half of Sunday. Your time is shot.

Let's not forget the poor kiddos who have to go to school, then to piano lessons, then math tutoring, English school, art classes, and a cadre of other extra-curricular activities. Education is a war of attrition.

It's easy to be frustrated and confused. I'm excited to learn about the culture, I'm thrilled to meet the many wonderful people who live here, and I'm really enjoying taking Korean lessons. But for all that I've learned, I still just feel like an outsider looking in on a different world.

Indie Rock Coloring Book

2010-01-27T21:42:00.003+09:00

Via Yellow Bird Project

Gah! I want this.

It combines two of my greatest loves: indie rock and, yes, I admit, coloring. As I'm currently situated in Seoul as an English teacher for kindergarten kids, this would be great for my students! And by my students, I mean me. I definitely spend a few class periods coloring along with the kiddos, and why not expose them to something a little cooler? They wouldn't even know how cool they were, which actually makes them even cooler. I think maybe I'll start listening to the Shins or Broken Social Scene in class. I know a couple 6-year-olds that would totally dig the tunes.

So not only will I be making my adorable Korean kindergarteners into hipsters and helping out a charity, I'll get to color.

Sunday Stimulation: Antrepo

2010-01-25T20:16:00.001+09:00

Via antrepo4.com

Digital design. Delightful.

White picket fences

2010-01-23T23:17:00.004+09:00

Via the way things go

I just want that sense of "normalcy" here in Seoul. It's so difficult when every day is out of context. I exist in a world literally foreign - I don't speak the language, I don't know all the cultural cues and mores, I just plain don't understand most of the time. That's a difficult day-to-day kind of living. I want to feel at home, and sometimes I do. Sometimes.

But I'm still looking to find that sense of comfort, and still striving for that proverbial white picket fence (and totally digging this photo) Someday we'll have that, whether it's in Korea or back Stateside. It's just that, well, what is the Korean version of the "white picket fence?"

Awhesome icon design

2010-01-14T21:43:00.002+09:00

Amazing icons via AWH

Always With Honor is "a creative collective specializing in map, icon, and information design." I love the simple and clean aesthetics, combined with a cute and fun vibe. Maybe I'm just a nerd, but I also just really dig their infographics.

Sunday Stimulation: Rambler Socket

2010-01-10T19:55:00.000+09:00

Designed by Meysam Movahedi, pictures via yankodesign.com

"Here’s why Rambler Socket will knock your socks off," writes Radhika Seth of yankodesign.com, "It’s this 1.5 meters cord that unfurls from a cavity behind its socket. When you don’t need extensions, it’s neatly tucked away. When you need it, simply pinch the sides and wind it out."

I don't usually get excited by sockets, but this design is both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

I could swear that socket was Korean! However, I doubt my landlady would go for it for the lime green cord. She's a bit...traditional.

Potent quotables / potent design

2010-01-01T18:22:00.005+09:00

Inspiring images via practise.co.uk / Inspiring Quotes via designwashere.com

"Every designers’ dirty little secret is that they copy other designers’ work. They see work they like, and they imitate it. Rather cheekily, they call this inspiration."
— Aaron Russell

"Graphic design will save the world right after rock and roll does."
— David Carson

"Design is where science and art break even."
— Robin Mathew

Here's to a new year and a new perspective on design.

Also, here's to a new portfolio and finished applications to graduate school.
Cheers!