Gunsan and Almost 25- 2 blogs in 1

This weekend I found myself in Gunsan to visit Robert. Gunsan is where the base is located and its pretty much a fishing city. Really calm and laid back. He couldnt come until Saturday morning so I stayed in the big bed at the PIANO MOTEL all by my lonesome. I had such a good time. I walked around the room playing with all the buttons and exploring the room until I finally took a shower and collapsed on the bed. I drank a bottle of Soju and watching some random TV shows until I fell asleep. When Robert Finally on saturday morning we did what we always do; we lay around in the bed for maybe 5 hours just talking until it was time to get up and eat. We decided to make a documentary of our ridiculous lives and we started with Gunsan, see the first video here. It was so much fun. Our weekend consisted of lying in the bed, walking around aimlessly, and being almost in complete sync with the random thoughts we were thinking. We had fantastic chinese food and we also went to Dasarang. The piano motel was FABULOUS!!! If you stay in Gunsan, you must try these places. Gunsan exploration weekend= SUCCESS!!!


A few pics of my week and weekend...







Almost 25



Ok, there are a few things I am going to be working on this year. 24 was a year of complete change for me. I changed my attitude, the way I looked, the place I called home, and ultimatley the entire direction my life was going. It was a HUGE year for me and for the better. In 2 days I will be 25. While the birthday festivities are going to be awesome, I am super excited about the things I am going to be tackling for my 25th year of existence. They are as follows:

>Prissy-
It is my sincere wish to be just a little less high maintenence. While part of me will always have some feeling of being saditty lol, I want to be less worried about minute things. More "one with the earth" as my dad used to say

> Of a schedule freak-
Anyone who knows me knows that I am quite obsessive about a plan. While I have become much better at this during the 24th year, It is definitely something that I am going t have to continue to work on. I become noticeably pissed when plans don't work out. I want to be more flexible and more "go with the flow"-ish. It will be an ongoing battle!

185-
This year I will hit my goal of 185. That is about 45 more lbs in addition to the 50 I have already lost! No need to say more about that. Starting with 10 lbs in the month of September. Excluding the first weekend because I'm going to be DRUNK! 185--Its going to happen...period

Documentation of things other than myself-
I plan to take a picture of something awesome that isn't me! lol! I would like to say one for each day of 25, but that's not going to happen. So I am going to say each week. I tried to take a picture of myself everyday for 2010 and it sooo didn't happen, so this time I am going to take pictures of some other things. My goal is at least 52. I'm calling it "My 25th year on film" Hold me to it OK! Also plan on getting close to finishing part one of my Book about myself and my Robert.; Mood Music. I want to write so bad. I am even thinking about writing a short story about each picture.

Finish My Korea ScrapBook-
For some reason, I never finish my scrapbooks. This time, I have to document all things Korean for my kids Robert III and Sherbet lol (horrible inside joke).

Well these are the major tings on my mind that I plan to add to my life. 2 to continue on my journey to being a better person; 1 to continue my journey to being a healthier and happier person; and 2 to continue to nurture my creative side.

And now I must saw farewell, until we meet again!

10 things to be happy about...

Since my arrival in Korea, I can honestly say that the words "Happy" and "Shaina" have gone hand in hand. I have pretty much been a great big ball of excitement because of everything that I have been experiencing, but this week has been hectic. The arrival of my moon enemy/friend (depending on my activities that month lol) and the situation with my car have left me feeling drained and down, but I refuse to stay that way. The Shaina that arrived in January of 2010 is a beautiful, happy, and forgiving person and I am just writing this to remind myself why (writing is so therapeutic)

1. I am in a New Country and getting a chance to do what so many other people can only dream of.
2. I may not be losing weight as fast as I want, but I have noticed some other habits: I never eat to capicity, and without even realizing that I dont. I always stop eating a while before I get that I'm-so-full-I-might-explode feeling, and I almost always choose the activity that will increase my energy exertion, like walking even when its too damn hot! I also havent GAINED any weight... Hello...thats awesome! Not -10 pounds, but life choices that I am proud to say I have made. It really is a constant battle.
3. I no longer need constant external stimulation. Once upon a time I was ALWAYS on FB, Twitter, the internet, or the phone. Now, I find that I like the sound of my own mental voice and I dont mind just spending time with me. No talking no world!
4. I can run faster/longer than I have in a long time!
5. My boyfriend and I are truly friends. Not just in the bullshit way that people say, but we truly have a good friendship. We laugh uncontrollably ALL the time. We understand each other. And we just love being around each other. Not talking or doing anything, sometimes just lying and being. I feel so lucky to be with someone who is truly made for me. "You my rib girl" lol Head over heels in love.
6. I feel like my relationship with God is closer than it has been in a while. I find myself really appreciating and thanking him for the most minute things that I have in my life. I may not shout it from the mountain tops, but I love God and I am so thankful for the life he has given me, even the drama :)
7. I have great friends in Korea. Even though I am the more "reserved" Shaina here, I feel like I am really loved by the people I'm surrounded by. Who knows, maybe its time for reserved shaina to be "ONLY" shaina.
8. I'm learning french, and its going great. Once I get to London I will be taking a trip to Paris and I cant wait to use my beautiful new language.
9. Wait...umm... I'm moving to ENGLAND! Did I say that? I've kind of been keeping it on the LOW on GP(inside joke lol) but since I'm pretty much the only person who reads my blog I think its a safe bet! But yes, in June '11 I am moving with my sweetie into our apartment. (Notice how emphasized our is) I am extremely nervous about this move. Robert and Shaina...not only in the same country but in the same house??? Yea a little freaked out, but I know us, and we might have some rocky patches, but we will be great in the end...we always are :)
10. And last, but most certainly not least, I love my job. Yea there is bullshit, but there is bullshit with every job. My work load is NOTHING like it was in the USA. I am practically chillin everyday all day. I love it. And I love the kids. Basically its a dream.

Yep, now I feel even better than I did when this blog was just a thought. I'm glad I wrote this, and I will go back and read every time I am feeling overwhelmed or in need of a pic me up. Thank you me! lol

I have Reappeared

So I realize that I have disappeared for some time so I am back for a moment. Let's see, whats new with me.

Went out this past weekend with Rob for his friends birthday and it was pretty interesting. the whole thing was badly thrown together and every time we arrived somewhere it seemed like there was something else wrong. Not to mention it was raining. There were some Bright sides here though:

BRIGHT SIDE 1. I didn't say one damn thing. I despise when there is no plan. Like I want to stab someone. But this weekend was not about me so I tried my hardest to shut the hell up. Do you have any idea how hard that was for me? But I think I did very well. Even when they sent us to a town with no place to meet in the pouring rain which ended up getting us into quite the heated argument with the taxi driver. Still... nothing from Shaina. Luckily, Rob was just as pissed off and it was his decision to leave early (although the look on my face had to tell him that that was definitely what we needed to do)

BRIGHT SIDE 2. We looked good. Like fresh off the red carpet good. My dress was a hot topic to me. I'd never quite worn a dress like that so I was a bit nervous about what it was going to look like. I even thought people were bullshitting me when they said it was going to look great. Paranoia. But it did in fact look awesome and I was real happy that I chose to wear it. We even matched by accident. And Robs suit looked great.


And all was well that night when we got back into our suite and sat up talking for like 2 hours.


The weekend before found me on the pole at a local Korean Dance club called FROG RAIN, even though keep calling it FROG DANCE lo.. Me and rob ventured off and had hookah and Calmegi before we went to that little spot. Very nice indeed. Right up until aKorean girl thought I was gay and tried to attack me and rob. WTF. Always a funny story though.

Work has been interesting and since we are doing the intensive program. it has been pretty intensive. I'm not a fan of teaching history in a foreign language because history is boring to kids no matter what the language. Bastards! I can't wait until I am just teaching library once again.

I feel so disconnected from my friends and family back home. There is so much to say all the time, that I just end up saying nothing at all. "hey whats new" is always my question, but when the question is asked of me there is always so much. I wish I had a BFF of my very own in Korea. I have a lot of friends, but not a BFF, like Keyonna, that I could always roll with and complain to all the time. I miss my Saturday morning tea and shit talk. I miss my late night couch sessions, and I miss our flyer than life outtings to the movies (AKA "fly for no reason" as we liked to call it"). I miss driving and I miss NOT sweating. I'm not sad, just a little nostalgic. I need someone that I can just be myself around all the time. But I can still honestly say I love it here.

This weekend I will probably go out all night once again. Rob is ditching me this weekend for some dorm clean up which actually sounds like bullshit but whatever. I will spring clean my house, even though it isnt spring, and maybe do a little redecorating. I also have some scrapbooking that needs to be DONE because I have more pictures now lol. Hmmm other than that, I think that is all for this glorious update!!! Adios

From the Pole to the bed

Its Monday (and all the entails) but I am actually quite buzzed surprisingly. Robert couldnt make it in on Friday ebcause of work so I went out to the bars with what turned into a bunch of people. Pearl Jam to MJ's to Road King to Frog Rain (which is a little Korean dance club that plays American Music). I was all over the place. I'd originally intended to stay in once I found that Robert wasnt coming out. I was extremely disappointed but Ciara made me come out with her anyway. The night was full of drinking and ended with me on a pole in Frog Rain. Fun times.

Saturday when I got home (at 5 am) I went to bed so I could await the arrival of my sweetie pie so I only got about 5 hours of sleep before getting up and cleaning up the house. He arrived and we had lunch before we laid in the bed for 4 hours talking until we fell asleep :) I do love to lay around with him. Then it was off to Calmegi and Hooka until we went to the patio.

Funny enough, we didnt want to do anything other than go to sleep. Both he and I had nothing else on our minds except getting back in the bed lol, but we made ourselves attempt to go back to the glorious FROG RAIN where I once again ended up on the pole. I wouldnt have even gotten up there but the Korean girl that thought I was gay pushed me up on to it. She thought I came back in there to get with her. SHIT!!! She was aggressive as hell to. Poking rob in the shoulder and trying to getme to dance with her. Bright side: Met new black people and got to give my boyfriend a little strip tease dance. My big daddy got a kick out of it. We were greeted by the happiest black girl ever and we kicked it with them for about 45 minutes before we made our escape back to the bed we so love. Sleep came so easily that night. I sleep better when Rob is there... even in that little ass twin bed!

After I cooked him breakfast and we watched Eclipse (finally lol) we got right back in the damn bed where we stayed until he cooked shrimp alfredo for me. Yum! Then back to bed for a nap before he left me :( I am starting to despise Sundays

So that was my weekend in a nutshell. Full of alcohol, making out, hugs, and bed. I am starting to wonder if we will always like laying aorund and just being together. I sure do hope so.

First Seoul Adventure=BATES Motel

After 2 months rocking the micros with the curl at the end, my head was screaming for a new set. So I trucked it on over to Seoul to see Gloria and her sister so they could hook me up. How did I know about Gloria you ask??? Well I made connections about my hair before I even arrived in Korea... Yea you can say it "A black woman and her hair...". I had to figure out how I was going to continue to look good in this humid ass place, especially since my man lives here. Gotta keep it together. Anyway, I rode the bus straight from work and somehow found my way to Itewon and to Gloria's house where I proceeded to be have my head pulled in every direction while I sweated bullets. This was PROBLEM 1:SWEAT and GROSSNESS covered in hair!

Then I took a taxi with Gloria's sister to the downtown area so I could try to find a hotel. Little did I know that there was going to be absolutely no rooms available except this tiny room in the back of a motel. This was clearly the room that people stayed in when they were working at the front desk and didnt want to go home. It was the size of a closet and had 2 blankets on the floor. Ahem...DEATH. This was PROBLEM 2: THE BATES MOTEL ROOM! All that was missing was a crazy psycho dudechick (yes I said dudechick) to stalk me through the walls, but whose to say that wasnt happening! Straight out of PSYCHO! There were bugs, and blankets stacked in the corner for when they needed to make up the REAL rooms. I was disgusted. Not to mention, its the first week of the month... so it was even more unbearable! I didnt take off one piece of clothing the entire night. I got in around 1 am and sat in one spot. Thankfully there was a tv with 1 English channel so I was able to watch some random law show and then 2 hours of softcore porn. Which is really just boobs so it did NOTHING for me. This was PROBLEM 3: SOFT CORE PORN THE SHOWED NONE OF THE GUY'S JUNK. As I sat and swatted mosquitoes and gnats with the pillowcase from the pillow I just wanted to get into my comfort spot (laying on my back holding my legs to my chest) but I couldnt do that because there was no way in hell I was going to let my body touch any part of that floor mat. I just wanted to cry. When lack of sleep delirium set in, I just had to laugh. "How the hell do you get yourself into these situations Shaina?" I thought to myself. Still wondering that. The only thing that WASNT a #fail, was the fact that my hair looks good!

So once the first sign of sunlight shown through the little hole that was supposed to be the window, I got up and ran the hell out of there, caught the bus home, and showered for about 17 hours before I got into my bed and fell into the weirdest set of dreams ever!!! Jeez. And there is another crazy story to go into my book.

And here is a picture if you thought I was playing...

"The truth is stranger than fiction"