How I'm Learning Korean

I plan on teaching English in Korea after I graduate college next December. I've been taking Korean at my college for a year a half, and have fulfilled my school's language requirement. But what now? I want to continue learning the language, because I would love to be fluent. So what now?

I watch a lot of Korean dramas, which helps me catch on to more conversational Korean (as well as the most dramatic, love-struck Korean you can imagine.) I also listen to kpop...all the time. I listen to it in the car, in the shower, at work. All the time. Jackie Chan said he learned English by listening to Elvis Presley, so I feel like listening to kpop should help me out too. I listen for words that I know and try to figure out the point of a song. If I hear a word or phrase I don't understand I look it up.

Another method that I have to learn Korean is to go to Ellicott city and read signs. There are a lot of Korean restaurants and grocery stores in Ellicott city so there are always signs to read. I'll look for words I already know, and try to figure out what new words mean. Especially in grocery stores. This helps me build vocabulary.

I keep debating about whether I should try rosetta stone...but then I think about people like Megan Bowen, aka chonunmigooksaram, the YouTube personality, who learned Korean mostly from just jumping into the culture. That makes me not want to spend almost $400 on some software. By the way, her Korean is almost as awesome as her YouTube channel. She's hilarious, I do recommend you watch her videos, whether you want to go to Korea or not.

Anyway, these were a few techniques that I'm using to learn Korean. If you have any more that may be helpful, or if you've tried Rosetta Stone, let me know!

Where Have You Been?!

Is it just me, or is college the killer of everything creative, fun, happy, and great? Okay, I'm probably exaggerating quite a bit, and it's probably a severe case of senioritis, but I just can't wait to graduate. The excitement of being a freshman is long gone, replaced by a sense of dread to wake up three days a week, get dressed, and commute 45 minutes to 1 hour in (sometimes heavy) traffic to a school that has done not much of anything for me but stifle my desire to create! In other words, I've been trudging myself to school and to work and therefore have had no motivation to write...anything. Those 12 page papers I've been cranking out like clockwork this semester have in no way quenched my thirst to express myself. After spending the last (almost) 4 years writing to satisfy teachers pen's, I just don't know what direction my own creativity is meant to go.

I feel like without a deadline I can't come up with anything, and even then, something just doesn't feel right about what I regurgitate onto my word processor. My boyfriend says I need to take it back to the good ol' days of pen on paper, but um, it's 2013.

Well, this is my attempt to get back into the flow of writing. I need to push myself, challenge myself, and just do it. When I lay in my bed, I get hit with a lot of good ideas, but I don't know what keeps me from actually writing them down. Of course, by the next morning they're gone, along with my hopes of becoming that bestselling author.

Well, anyway, the moral of the story is...I'm back. I have one class and two finals keeping me from Winter break, and I am making a promise to myself to get started on this novel.

My Dogs Are Barking

AKA Long Time No Blog, Huh?

AKA I Got A Job!

It's been a while since I've posted. I've been lazy busy. But, a lot of things have been happening, so I'll let you know.

Update 1: I finally got a summer job. I got a random phone call from a temp agency that wanted to place me at Verizon for the summer. I was skeptical at first, but it turned out to be legit, and now here I am, blogging after my first day of work. I'm a greeter. So I just stand around for 8 hours and get people checked in. It would be wayyyy sweeter if I could sit at a little desk and check people in, but hey, a job is a job and beggars can't be choosers, right? Anyway, super excited.

Update 2: Me and my boyfriend hit our 8-month mark yesterday. Aww, sweet sweet love love. I made us dinner. First time making porkchops. Also made baked potatoes, and string beans. It was nice. That's my boo.

Update 3: I've been hitting the gym off and on. I'm hoping to make it a serious routine in my life. I want to get fit for my brother's destination wedding (Cancun, Mexico) in October. If I hit my goal body, they might have to force me not to wear a bikini to his nuptials. Just kidding...maybe.

I think that's all. Wow. I thought I had more going on in my life. Oh well.

Until next time,
Me.

May 25th - WHAT AM I DOING?!

Today's challenge is to talk about something someone told you, about you, that really stood out in your mind. But, honestly, I don't want to. I don't wanna blog about myself. I wonder what's so great about me. Currently, I'm a college student, no job, no income, no more car. I'm in a funk.

I guess that's why I haven't posted in a while.

But, there's good news. I've got a job interview on Tuesday. A job would definitely get me out of my funk. I'll actually have things to talk about. Everything is looking up.

So...I guess that's what I'm doing.

May 16th: Challenge Accepted

Today's challenge is to talk about something in your life that you've overcome. I haven't technically overcome this little problem, but I promise you I'm working on it.

I "suffer" from Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Basically, I have frequent panic attacks, I tend to over worry, I am prone to stress as well as episodes of depression. I can recognize that I have negative thought patterns, but I often have trouble figuring out how to change them. I've gone to therapy, I take medication, and I take every day one step at a time.

Recently, I thought I was doing better. I hadn't had a serious panic attack in a few months, I was regulated on my medicine and feeling great. But, I don't know, I slipped back into my old habits, and no amount of breathing techniques were helping. I'm home for the summer now, and although it makes me feel pretty crappy, I can focus this time on getting back to that good place that I was at. I guess I've gotta go back to therapy.

So yeah, there's that.

If you're interested in reading a little more on the thought process of a panic attack, click here to read a short piece I wrote about my anxiety.

May 14th: Ten Things That Make You Happy!

I love this one! I guess it's because I'm excited to tell you the things that make me happy...because, well, they make me happy! These are in no particular
order.

1. Chipotle

A Chipotle Burrito Bowl with chicken/steak, pinto beans, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, guac, and pico de gallo is the way to my heart. I had one today, and it was oh so good. Love at first, second, and third bite.

2. Curling up with a good book

Nothing better than getting in that super, ultimate, lazy comfortable spot with your favorite book, and losing yourself in another world. When I was a little girl, my mom would swear up and down that I was in another world. I had a gift, I could ignore everyone around me when I got into a good book.

3. Those few moments right before you fall asleep at night

Maybe, while reading that oh-so-amazing book? I don't really know what it is, but there's something about those surreal moments before you lose consciousness that ca be so incredibly peaceful.

4. Puppies

So...I've never had a puppy, but I spend so much time imagining the kind of cutie I'll get when I move out of my parent's place. Probably a Bichon Frise, because they're just soooo cute. Something about those cute little puppy dog eyes that gets me every time.

5. Laughing/Making others laugh

I get such a sensation form laughing with friends, or just making them laugh. It really makes me happy. I'll find any reason to laugh.

6. Tumblr

Shameless plug. I love this site. Hours of procrastination entertainment. I feel like not much more needs to be said. Except, they have a gif for EVERY mood you may ever/will ever/have ever felt.

7. My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

'Nuff said!

8. Writing

Writing is my favorite past time. It gives me the opportunity to escape. It allows me to figure out, and understand what I'm feeling. It challenges me to look at situations from different angles. It really is my outlet.

9. Eating and food and cooking

I don't remember where I heard this, but "my favorite meal is my next one." Haha. I love food. I love eating it, cooking it, everything. Eating is great, trying new foods is great, and preparing a meal for a loved one is great.

10. My mom

She really is crazy. But I love her. Through thick and thin, rough and tough, high and low (can i come up with anymore cheesy lines?) she's there for me. She's always pushing me to do my best, and pushing me to enjoy my life, because sometimes I get so caught up in existing that I forget to live. I love this woman. Truly

May 13th: Public Apology

Today's challenge is to issue a public apology to anything you want. Serious, funny, or creative. Unfortunately, this post may prove to be none of those things. (I'm so good at self-deprecation)

I'm sorry,

But, I'm not amused by people that use the Internet to create an entirely different persona for themselves. I can't take you seriously if I know you outside of the Twitter or Facebook, and you're a completely different person than you portray. Who are you trying to impress? A network of netizens that you will probably never meet? Do you feel validated by every like, retweet, reblog, and follower? If you're gonna spend all of your time on the Internet, then at least find a way to get paid doing it. 

I'm sorry that you can't be as "cool" in reality as you are online. I'm sorry that you value the opinions of strangers as much as you do. I'm sorry you spend your days in front of a screen making a persona that you can't live up to. 

Actually,

#notsorry Be you, no one can do it better.

May 12th: Someone You Miss

Here's a fact: my grandfather was the greatest guy that ever walked the earth.

Yeah, it's true. Anyway, for today's challenge of someone I miss, it would most definitely be him. He passed away seven years ago, and I still miss him as though it were yesterday. It makes me sad writing this, but in the spirit of the challenge I'll tell you a bit about my grandfather.

His name was Philbert, aka Philo. He was a pretty small guy, but had this way of seeming larger than life. He loved playing soccer, and he had long dreads that went down his back. 

I remember that he loved to walk. He'd walk all over his neighborhood in New York. And when he came to visit us in Maryland, he would walk. He would walk with me to the park, and then he would play with me like he was 10 years old. 

On sunny days he would sit outside in the grass for hours. He would just sit out there, and stare into the trees, and he seemed so entirely content with life. He was so wise. 

When me and my brother would cook up concoctions in the kitchen, he would drink/eat/choke down whatever it was. So much for wisdom.

Yeah, so basically, he was a great guy all around. I love him, and I miss him. 

Who/what do you miss?

May 11th - Sell Yourself!

Here we go! Ten words to sell myself.

This is kind of hard.

So, I asked my mom and sister for help since they're here. This is what I got from them:

Intelligent

Gorgeous

Ambitious

Driven

Sweet

.......

That's the entirety of the list. My own mother couldn't get past those words. Other words I got were:

Unfriendly

Unnapproachable

Cold

Man...

I need to do some soul-searching haha.

May 10th: Most Embarrassing Moment?!

This post is pretty hard for me. Not because I'm worried about sharing an embarrassing moment with the world, but because I have so many. I'm a little awkward. Socially. I mean, nothing serious, but sometimes I don't quite know how to interact in social situations. And, sometimes I don't pick up on social cues. Yeah, like I said, nothing serious.

Anyway, moving on to one of my most embarrassing moments. Let me regale you with a bit of backstory here. I have a boyfriend, and we've been together for 7 months. For the first couple of months I was scared of appearing gross in front of him. I went so far as to even try to hold in my...gas. I thought I would die of embarrassment if I passed gas in front of him. Or worse yet, he would die from the fumes. It got so bad that my stomach would make super loud noises, and I was in pain...a lot.

One day, I was in my room, and my boyfriend said he was going to go out into the living room to do his homework. I figured, what a perfect opportunity to relieve myself and let one rip. Well, as soon as I did he walked back into the room. It was quiet, so I know he didn't hear it, but I could definitely tell he smelt it. I remember how hot my face got when I saw his mind working out what he was smelling, and what had just happened. Then, he burst out in laughter. So much so that he teared up a little bit. So did I. I started laughing/crying/panicking all at once. I thought it was terrible.

It wasn't too bad, though, even though I get embarrassed just remembering that day. We're still together, and farts are just a part of life for us, I guess.

Do you have any embarrassing stories that could top that one?

I Made a Button!

So, I took the time to make a button for my blog. I think it's pretty. Tulips are my favorite flower, and I love the color pink, so...I put it all in my button. The only problem is that I'm having a lot of trouble with the coding, so that people can grab my button. :( I'll keep working on it, though.

So, here's a look at it:

Tell me what you think about it. Any tips about how to be able to use it would be great, too. Thanks!

EDIT:

Okay, so I've been working on it some more today, and here's my new button attempt to match my new theme.

Blog Every Day in May: A Challenge

Okay, so I found this challenge on this awesome blog and I've decided I'll do it, to get myself comfortable with blogging. So, basically, you blog every day for the entire month of May. And yeah, I know it's already the 10th. It's okay. I'll just start now. 

Here are the rules:

1. There really aren't any rules. If you miss a day, you can make it up or skip it. The blog police will not come knocking.

2. I will be including a linkup option at the bottom of my post each day, so you are welcome to leave your links here for others to peruse, as well. 

3. You can still post other things every day, too. 

4. I'd seriously love you if you also include the "blog every day in May" button (below) either on your sidebar or at the end of your posts, but again, the blog police will not come knocking. My main goal here is to get us all back to the basics of blogging, not to gain a million new readers (though I wouldn't mind that). 

5. Here are the topics. You can be as creative and awesome or as boring and bland as you like with these. Take 'em and run with it. Use creative post titles. Interpret each "prompt" however you like. There's no wrong way to do it. Have fun.

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably)
Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable
Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it
Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member
Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?
Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of
Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill. 
Day 11, Saturday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)
Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 15, Wednesday: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day - this could be "a photo an hour" if you'd like)
Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it
Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19, Sunday: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them
Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.
Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23, Thursday: Things you've learned that school won't teach you
Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits
Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.
Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers
Day 28, Tuesday: Only pictures
Day 29, Wednesday: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. Use Grooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30, Thursday: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31, Friday: A vivid memory

Below I've added a button for the challenge. See, you should do it too! 

The Home Stretch

So here I am,

A little over a week away from ending my junior year in college. A few more papers, a few more projects, a couple of finals, and I'm home free. I hope to be able to spend my time this summer working and blogging, that would be nice. I'd love to get as much travel in as my wallet can afford. Learn some new recipes, try some new things. I'd even like to jump out of a plane. How's that for short-term goals? This maiden post will be short, because I really should be working on this massive pile of "to-do's."

I hope that this blog can help all of us find out a little bit more about ourselves. What we like, what we dislike, who we are in this giant world. I'm excited to get more into this blogging thing, and get to know myself, my readers, and the world.

:)

Okay, back to papers and projects and all of that terrible stuff.

P.S. - I'd like to think I'm pretty lighthearted, and have a good sense of humor, but I think I'm so bogged down by college stresses right now that I've forgotten how to laugh. Next week will be better. I promise.