Five for the Weekend

And that pretty much sums up the weather this weekend.

That's the rainy street in Gangnam as I waited for my bus home on Saturday evening. Today (Sunday) it's been a big thunder storm and pouring rain all day. I was going to do my week's grocery shopping, but decided to just ration what's in the fridge until tomorrow.

So, I've had a really nice weekend. I spent lots of time with Jay on Sturday, which was fun. We ended up watching a very long and rather bizarre Indian film, which was weird, but funny. The film was weird, not us watching it. We also went to a, I guess, kind of speciality Korean BBQ place where they give you three different types of pork to eat. It was so good! It was, as you might have guessed, raining mos of the time, so we didn't really get up to much. Next weekend though...

Next weekend I'm going paragliding (fingers crossed the weather improves). I've been wanting to try it for years, and then a meetup popped up last week and I signed up right away! I am really, really excited about it. It's on Sunday, and I'd better remember to charge up my camera. The trip also involves exploring some nearby caves - I think it's going to be really awesome!

Then, the Sunday after that I've signed up to go kayaking down a river with a meetup group. I actually singed up and paid for two people to go, but haven't decided who I want to invite. I'm not sure Jay is into outdoor type things - but I'll probably ask him anyway. If not, Jon from work is always mentioning he wants to get out and try new things. He and I have hung out for dinner a couple of times after work in the past couple of weeks (no, mum, just friends), so I'll probably invite him.

In other news, my protein powder arrived! I've always been kind of leery of it, and kind of thought it was pointless, but man - trying to eat enough protein when weightlifting when your appetite (and budget) are as small as mine? It's tricky. Well, this stuff is a big protein boost and is absolutely delicious! Seriously, I'm limiting myself to only one protein shake and only after a workout, otherwise I'm just going to eat the whole thing! Coconut milk, water, a frozen banana, and a scoop of chocolate fudge flavoured protein powder for breakfast after a workout - so, so good.

As for my workouts - want to see some progress? I've been lifting for three months now. I just got my first bodyweight lift and have started a new program, which will hopefully one day have me squatting my bodyweight too (that day will be epic). Here's three months of tummy progress:

April, before I started lifting; May, six weeks in; July, 12 weeks in

My weight is within 2kg of where I started, but you can definitely see more definition, and I slimmed down a good couple of centimetres on my hips. And, that's just the results you can see - the ones I can feel are even better. I love it - and it's good for me too :)

Ok, and now for the weekend's top five things:
1) Nice date with handsome, interesting guy.

2) I skyped with Jenni and IM'd with Amy - I love those two!

3) I'm having chicken and chips for dinner. Well, baked chicken wings and kumara wedges :D

4) Next week is the last week of camp and then I get a week's vacation! (and I'm buying myself a birthday present)

5) Paragliding and kayaking coming up!

Five on Thursday

Guess what? I've signed up to go paragliding in a couple of week! I've been wanting to try it for years, and now I can! I'm pretty damn excited :)

Also, it's Thursday - making tomorrow Friday! I only have a half day of work tomorrow - so the weekend will start early. Awesome!

Today's five things:

1) I did deadlift reps at my own bodyweight!! Yup, I lifted 60kg! It's been a goal for a little while and I hit it today, so I', really happy! Now I just have to get the rest of my lifts as strong.

2) This song:

3) Kumara oven wedges with mayonnaise...mmmmmm.

4) Relaxing evenings listening to music and reading a good book and knowing I can do whatever I like whenever I want to.

5) Nearly the weekend!

Five on a Tuesday

Yes, I'm still alive. No, I haven't blogged in a while. I just lost the urge there. I'm not sure if I'll start up again consistently or not. So, things have changed a bit since I've been gone! I'm currently living (though it feels more like 'perching' in my co-workers house while she is away for the summer. it's great because the house is lovely, rent free, and I can walk to work. It's not so great because it's not mine and I feel quite unsettled. However, I have joined a local gym and am making friends at work (like, outside of work), so life is good. Due to reasons I won't go into, I've had to cut Andy completely out of my life, and I think that's for the best.

One major drawback to my current living situation is that there is no air conditioning. It's not so much that it's brutally hot, but the humidity is horrible. My snacking behaviour is also getting a bit out of control, and I'm starting to feel the effects of eating processed food. So, feeling unsettled and sticky, and a tad 'out of sorts', I've decided to update with five things that I am grateful for, or that made me happy today:

1) My best friend, Amy. We manage to crack each other up even via text message. She is one first class human being!

2) Work! It's currently summer camp time, and I'm teaching two of the most wonderful classes. The students are so much fun, so motivated, curios, and interesting.

3) My co-workers. They are just as bizarre as me, and never a day goes by where I don't laugh out loud at something or someone. They are also kind, considerate, and helpful.

4) I can make it on my own. I've been without Andy (aka my Korean helper) for over two weeks and have managed to do everything I need without him.

5) I am grateful for flipflops. They are quick, easy, and comfortable. Not to mention they keep your feet cool and it doesn't matter if they get soaked in the monsoon.

More photos Wednesday

Today is ESL mid-term exam day. That doesn't mean anything much very exciting, except I'm going out with work afterwards for dinner, which should be fun. Here's another half-hearted update because I don't feel like typing :)

First - this is the Dongdaemun fabric market. It's really huge!

This is the building from the outside. 6 or 7 floors of fabric and fabric crafting stuff.
Awesome and totally overwhelming!

This is in Myeongdong. These guys freak me out.

Traditional Korean dining.

Traditional fermentation of soybean paste

Pork galbi!

Bugs. They taste like bugs.

Drawers are finished! Kinda funky :D

Cherry Blossom Sunday

Spring has sprung!

Back to five things Wednesday

Yes, I've been slack again :) I'm not *that* super busy, but somehow all my time goes... somewhere!
This past weekend I found a gym I want to join, bought some shoes for hiking, went to a wedding, worked on my trash-drawers, watched some Grey's Anatomy (AKA: best show on Earth), and just about strangled Andy. Not really his fault, he's just a naturally annoying person.

But, anyway, some photos:

Funny warning on the back of the knife I bought. hehe "keep the scissors out of children" :D *stab stab*

My drawers 'before'. Stay tuned for an 'after' one day soon.

Fittata in a rice cooker

Dark chocolate almond banana

My new shoes

All dressed up for Andy's friend's brother's wedding.

And now, back to five things so far this week that have been awesome:

1) Having Monday off is amazing

2) I found a gym and will be joining this week

3) I'm having a lot of fun redecorating the drawers

4) I made a lovely carbonara over zucchini for dinner last night

5) It's been really sunny - I hope it holds out until Saturday, I'm going hiking again :)

Got my hair done Monday

Oooh, two posts in one day :)

I went to Dongtan on the bus this moring (I love Dongtan) to go to 'Blue Ocean Hair Salon', which had been recommended to me by another foreigner here in Osan. I booked in last week for a perm! Yeah, the permanent curly kind. It's been on my bucket list for a while, and I finally got up the courage to get it done.

Well, it took a good 2 hours and involved these funky plug-in hair rollers and a lot of waiting, but $65 later, I was curly! It's a lot messier than I wanted, but I think that's just how they styled it for me. They put some wax gunk in it, and to me it just looks like my hair is dirty. We'll see what happens on Wednesday when I wash my hair :D

And, without further ado, some pictures:

'Before'

After!

It's growing on me the more I look at it :)