Time, Precious Time

Ahhhhh at last I'm really enjoying the luxury of being off work and having whole days during which I can do whatever the hell I please. I know I have said before that I'm best not being left idle too long but, when I'm in the right form, there's nothing better than having no major commitments and just being able to potter about at your leisure. And I'm actually getting a lot of useful things done! The new semester will soon be upon us so I'm quite well prepared for the new TOEIC program and I've come up with few new ideas for my morning 'Brand English' class. Mostly, I have just realised that I'm going to be really busy next month with a fuller-than-normal teaching schedule and my Masters program starting back up again. As a result, I'm doing as much song learning, guitar playing, book reading, Korean studying and random time passing as I can fit in. For sure I'll miss it when term time rolls around again.

I bought a keyboard from my (departing) friend Jess last night and I'm looking forward to getting started on that again. I played piano to a decent level when I was young but haven't played a note since I was 15. I really didn't enjoy going through the motions of playing scales, learning pieces, doing grades and the humdrum practice that is the last thing on your mind when you're a teenager. Now, older and wiser, I'd love to be able to be able to play a bit at gigs or use it for song-writing (something I'll have to take more responsibility for now that John has gone). My guitar playing is gradually improving too so I'm still on course for playing live before the year is out, as my New Year's resolution requires. I just found out that I have ANOTHER song to learn for the acoustic gig tomorrow night that I'll be singing with Patricia, Zee and Kev, I presume. It seems that quite a few people are coming and I'm quite looking forward to it now. Like I said, if you're in the area...

I met up with Ji for dinner tonight in Suyu. She's pretty stressed out with her first full week at work and some extenuating circumstances that aren't helping her at all. I'm trying to be there for her as much as I can but stress is a funny thing that seems to constantly increase the size of the problem in your mind until you feel totally overwhelmed by it. Thankfully the weekend is coming for her just in time, I hope. It serves as another reminder of the work/life balance (a term I use with some discomfort). I, of course, plan and hope to get a job at an International School in 2011. When you think about it, I know that means long hours, high expectations, harder work and a certain amount of stress from time to time (something I rarely, if ever, experience in my current position). It makes you wonder why you want to do it, other than for reasons I wouldn't be too proud to admit to, such as status. Mind you, it's not as simple as that. I'd be teaching a subject I love, I would have goals and challenges, I would have more variety and work with professionals in a professional setting, and better long-term prospects to name but a few factors. It certainly is food for thought though.

Ok time is pushing on so I'm going to sign off but I plan to write more tomorrow. Also, if we are facebook friends, I'm FINALLY uploading pictures of my Eastern European trip at the end of last year as well as pictures from Christmas at home and some out and about Seoul before I had my camera cruelly STOLEN!!! Wow it takes a long time... but now that I've started I'm keen to get them all up even if only to avoid losing them altogether if something were to happen to my computer. Hope you're having a good day wherever in the world you are. I'll leave you with an oldie but goodie that I'll be singing a portion of tomorrow night.