JUST FOUR MORE SLEEPS

Remember when you were young and you would count things by the number of “sleeps” until the day came when you were going to be doing something special? Neither do I but I’m sure it was like that. I have just 4 more nights in my palatial Gwangyang mansion.

In this never ending world of change it seems likes I’m blowing town this Friday, May 19th. The agency told me this morning that I can move in on the 19th where previously I was told the 22nd. I didn’t think I could go on Friday because I promised to work Friday night. I said I could move on Saturday but they said it had to be a weekday when people were working. So I said I’ll be there Monday. (Explanation of Friday to follow).

I sent Kelly an email last night asking to be paid the money she owes me up until now. Then I phoned her today to see if she read my email. She said no. I said I wanted to be paid today and she went into a song and dance about how today wasn’t good. I told her that I needed it now. She said she would go into work, read my email, and call me.

Ha-Ha. No call. I called her and asked if she was going to call. She said that she couldn’t pay me today but promised to tomorrow. I decided to let that slide. The only thing I have over her at the moment is that she doesn’t want me to disappear yet. I know to get anything done, I just have to keep nagging and nagging. So I told her tomorrow was fine. I didn’t tell her that if it’s not tomorrow, she’s seen the last of me. In her own way, I don’t think she’s dishonest. The whole plane fare fiasco, even though she’s wrong, she sees it as an unwritten part of the contract. I believe that I won’t have a problem getting my money for working.

During this conversation when I called her at work, she asked me if I would teach the 7PM class. She said she hadn’t called the parents yet and cancelled it. That figures. Why she didn’t call and ask me, but instead waited for me to call her, I have no idea.

When I went in, I asked her if she wanted me to do the 7PM class all week. She said yes. I then told her I’ll do it until Thursday night, and the class I promised for Friday night I was canceling because I’m leaving town on Friday. She didn’t have a problem with that, but who knows if she was listening.

So I’m out of here Friday morning. I’ll take the bus to Seoul where someone from the agency will come and get me and drive me to Paju. I’ll have Friday and the weekend to get all settled in. I’ll probably have to do a lot of shopping for household items because they aren’t included in the contract. (Dishes, bedding, etc.) These are to be covered by the relocation allowance I receive.

I’m very pleased at the thought of leaving here on Friday. It means I don’t have to have another do absolutely nothing weekend again. All I did this weekend was tutor, read, and watch movies. I watched four movies. I finally saw “Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic” on Saturday. There are no taboos in her humor. Nine-eleven, AIDS, the holocaust, anything goes. Some of it was funny while other parts were just shocking. However, I wasn’t offended. If you’re looking for something a little different, then try “Jesus is Magic”.

I also watched Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest”. I’ve seen it several times and I love it each time. It’s Cary Grant at his finest. He has that something that just draws you to him. He’s attractive and yet you don’t hate him for it. He’s funny. He’s witty. I know he’s just acting, but he makes it so real. I love Cary Grant.

On Sunday I watched “Everything is Illuminated” which was a little different. I can’t say I liked it, while I can’t say I didn’t like it. Parts of it were quite funny, and parts of it were quite moving. But it was missing something, although what that something is I can’t say.

I also saw “Deliverance” for the first time since seeing it in the theatre in 1972. It holds up quite well. I still think it’s Burt Reynold’s finest performance but I know no one can dispute that “Ned Beatty has the hardest part”. (That is also a song title for a song sung to the tune of “The Waiting is the Hardest Part”).

Yes, quite the exciting life I lead. I went to the Post Office today to arrange pickup of my boxes on Thursday. I started packing and having a bunch of stuff go by overnight mail in boxes will be quite nice. Books take up a lot of room and are quite heavy. I’m taking them in the hopes that they get me decent credit at a used book store in Seoul. Of course, I don’t know how much value a biography of Roger Neilson will have. (Former NHL hockey coach).

I’m just mowing through the books. It’s a good thing I’m moving up near Seoul, so I can go out and buy books when I need them. I don’t think my last visit to Seoul’s book purchase plus my Amazon purchase will last until I go to the States. Is there such a thing as reading too much? Perhaps I need a life. But that is coming soon, in fact, next week.