Fractabulous!

Thanks everybody for your well-wishes. I did end up having a great birthday. It started out a bit slow, but it picked up. Just a nice, relaxing day, really. Check out the next Audio post for a little post-birthday run-down. It was truly Fractabulous!

I'm thinking of starting up another webblog on writing about Cultures. I've noticed so many cultural differences between the US and South Korea, for one---but oh, so many other places that I've traveled: Switzerland, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, France, etc.. the list goes on. I'm thinking of calling it, The Cultural Kink. Any input?

Last night we had a mini-after birthday party for me here at work. It was fun and expected. Susan, my director, bought me a delicious cheesecake, and the girls (Ellen and Anna) bought me a crystal earring/necklace set. They're beautiful, and I was gushing with enthusiasm. Our newest employee, Cindy (a Korean native who was hired to possibly teach Chinese classes), felt guilty for not buying me a present, let alone not knowing it was my birthday on Sunday; so she surprised me with mint-smelling pink lipstick. It was nice, really pretty; yet another element that added to my 'girly presents'.

Later on, during the cheesecake eating frenzy, Susan gave me a present. I thought at first it was a pillow or a sheet set (both of which I really need, in fact!).. but the container read Lovcat, Paris. The girls thought it was imported. When I opened it, as it came with a little jersey fabric cloth bag, I was stunned to find a gorgeous, purple, leather bag. The touch so soft like velvet and bright, sparkley purple--my favorite color, too. "Wow, must be expensive!" Anna said. Susan replied with a smile on her face, "It was on sale!" Lol. All the better. It was definitely over the top, and I felt like a real girl, too!

Today should flow rather smoothly. Even though Wednesday is officially one of my hectic days with no break between classes from beginning to end, I've got all of my classes prepped.. now I just hope to have enough energy to make it to this evening.

I went to downtown this morning with Seungbo on a mission to finally remedy my lack of properly hooking up my internet phone to my computer. We ate Chinese dumplings at this little restaurant called Zaozz. Rather interesting, but delicious.

I can't believe it's been nearly a month and a half since I first recieved my internet phone from ESL Bank, with the intention on doing phone tutoring with kids from Seoul--but since the beginning, I haven't been able to find the right connector to set the phone up. It's rather insane, I tell you: either the connector is a 9 pin, not a 15 pin, or the computer store is closed, the only one that possibly sells the right connector that I need, chooses to close the exact day I decide to finally make it downtown. Is this an omen or something? Am I taking on more than I can handle with phone tutoring? I dunno. But we'll see. I've finally picked up the right connector--fingers are crossed, and I promised myself that if the connector doesn't work, to my very modem that I presently have, I'm just going to drop the idea of phone tutoring.

Although, it's rather tempting to think I can make FREE PHONE CALLS to the US with this phone.

Hmm. I'm stuck in a rut. But alas, my determination will not let me stop with just a few tries. I've got to search all the possibilities. More update on that later when I see what becomes of this connector.

Onward, to a day of teaching. Hopefully it'll be as Fractabulous as my birthday. Well.. maybe not.