Bump!

Just checking in late on this Monday night with a few words on the weekend, the next few days, next weekend, and the general state of the world! Ok, well, the first few anyhow. I had a really good weekend in spite of the fact that my taxi home on Friday night had a bit of a run-in with a lamp-post. Nothing big (just a bit of sore back) but it was a bit scary at the time. The taxi next to us just veered across us so we had no chance. There was an old drunk guy a few feet from the post who had a close shave, but was oblivious to it all. I have certainly taken a few bumps this past twelve months or so.

It had been a great night because I went to Haebangcheon to see Zee at The Local, to be closely followed by Sticky Fingers unplugged at The Orange Tree. Zee's gig was so nice and intimate. I thought she was pretty good before this night; now I'm blown away. Just her and her guitar, so pure, raw, and right there in front of us. Banter between songs because the place was so small she could just chat away to all of us. Jeff's band just after were equally enjoyable. Seeing musicians stripped down (easy!) and hearing vocalists clearly - it was a great night. So much talent in this city.

We were all out on Saturday night for Catherine and Stephen's birthday at Shamrock n' Roll. It was a good fun night all round. Those two got fairly well on, as one must on your birthday! I headed home early enough (still the wee hours) because I had rehearsal the next day with Cheon's band at the ungodly hour of 2pm on a Sunday! It was a cool rehearsal because it was them playing their original stuff and me finding melodies for it: kind of what I have always wanted. Cheon has sent me the files so I'll spend the next few weeks working on melodies and lyrics, before we attempt to get something recorded. We're also going to tease the Muse cover thing out a bit more; maybe with a Muse-only cover gig once a month or something. They are fun guys to play with.

I'll be meeting Cheon, Jeff and Jim tomorrow night for Dead End Friends' rehearsal in lieu of our gigs this Friday and Saturday in Bucheon and Hongdae. They'll be our first shows since January 15th (in Gwangju) for one reason or another, but we're hoping to play three out of the four weekends in March, including a couple of shows for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations here. Lots to look forward to! My big aim for the next month or so is to get our name out there a bit more. Might start spreading a rumour about one of the lads for a bit of publicity...

I'm off to immigration tomorrow for my visa extension. Six more months at Duksung, at least. Still mulling over Cairo. Indonesia not completely ruled out. Interview coming up for an international school in China (I'm not 100% clear where in China exactly!). I still really like Duksung and my classes here but I still also feel as though I'm stagnating and could do with a change and a better level of teaching. If no suitable international school jobs come through, I'm going to have a look at a few Citizenship jobs back in England. I've been reading some Council of Europe recommendations for citizenship education these days and I'd love to be putting it all into practice.

I highly recommend downloading The Daily Bacon podcast from bbc radio 5live today, if only for his interview with a catty Ruby Wax. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy her cutting him down for his smugness and lazy research, but she also highlights the problems associated with depression and the attached stigma in a forthright and honest way, which actually bordered on blunt. Like her or not, she makes some brilliant points about a condition that affects 1 in 4 people in Britain directly, yet is barely talked about.

Spent

Absolutely beat. Long, tough week. Typically, after all my spouting about how great my students are (last night), one of my classes absolutely did my head in today. In fairness to them, I know the blame always lays with the teacher, not the class. There are a few 'rotten apples' in there with really negative views affecting the others. Still, I should understand that some of them feel trapped doing a program they didn't necessarily sign up for. I was very close to telling them they could show up, I'd mark them as attending, give them work to cover, and that they could then go on their merry way. Thankfully, I didn't. Those are the ideas that a week of poor sleep and long hours inspire. What bugged me most is that they drew blanks on the topics they should be covering in their other classes, in my big end-of-week review class. None of us really know what the other is teaching. That's what happens when there is no curriculum, guidance, focus, point...

I've spent the time since I knocked off, applying for more jobs (few interesting looking ones on ">this website), talking to the wonderful Zee about singing, and practicing some of the songs I might be singing in a 'Rock of the Ages' gig being put together by Craig, an institution in Seoul expat rock circles. It's going to be tough but, wow, I'm looking forward to singing this:

Furey's taste in music creeping ever deeper into mine with each passing year. Tonight I'm going to watch Zee at The Local in Haebangcheon with Cheon because I need to experience something refreshing and talk with people about music and life and maybe some football! I doubt I'll be online over the weekend but keep me in your thoughts for my interview tomorrow. Oh, and happy birthday to Catherine and Stephen. I'll see you both tomorrow - unless one of you decides to be an awkward pain in the arse and do something 'different'. Have a great weekend everyone!