Monday, February 24, 2014

Where in the world is my good karma angel?

The title of this entry is a play on the old tv show "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? I never watched the show much, but the catchy theme song stuck in my head for years.

Now I'm wondering where in the world my good karma angel has gone. My good karma angel has been working overtime a lot in the recent years past so I'm sure a vacation was well deserved, but I sure do hope I catch up with my good karma angel soon!

If you see my good karma angel, please tell me! Until my good karma angel returns, I'm occasionally blessed with the benevolence of passing good karma angels belonging to other hosts. But I'd really like my good karma angel back asap!!!



In other news:

Today was my last day at work. I'm not happy. I'm not sad. I'm relieved.

My last performance was the sum of all my frustration the past 8 months. I sleepily got all my things together and as I walked around the dolphin tank a happy dolphin jumped out of the water and went kersplash right next to me. I was soaked and consequently cold. I continued on and started the show as normal. While watched the synchronized swimmers dance in the water I was the recipient of lots of splashing so once again I was all wet. Annnnnd, to top off that solo, the audience didn't even clap. No, I didn't screw it up. They just didn't clap. The show continued on and the fog started rolling in, so much that I couldn't see anything. Literally. I was once again suffocated to the point of coughing and trying to decide whether to pass out from holding my breath or to inhale all the toxins into my lungs.

Shows have gone worse, much worse, but what an ending to an eight month contract.

On the flip side:

I'm sooooo grateful to be home and staying here. Tomorrow I'm packing, practicing, packing, practicing, researching my trip, practicing, taking a nap :), practicing. I am looking forward to having the day to get things done. After working a day shift for eight months, it doesn't matter if I'm performing music or not. I prefer the night shift. Having my day consumed with someone else's work sucks frankly. I don't know how the rest of the world manages, but I'd rather spend my day productively on my own and then work the night away and sleep all morning. But that's just me and now I'm absolutely positive, that's me 100%!

Soon I'll be back to my usual sightseeing exuberant self again and you'll be flooded with insanely happy Ronda pictures and awesome tales from my latest adventures.

I can't wait to get my life back, the life I love...even if it's just for a couple of weeks.

Maybe in those travels I'll catch up with my good karma angel and positive things will start happening and the next thing you know, I'll be back on a cruise ship.

Anyone know a good way to lure your good karma angel back to you???

Monday, February 17, 2014

The countdown from Korea

The countdown has begun. My contract ends in one week and today certainly seemed to signify as such.

I awoke to pounding rain whipping sideways against the window pane. My heart sank. It'd been so nice and sunny the last several days. I was hoping it was a sign spring might be coming. But the rain washed all those hopes away.

Today's rain wasn't the kind of rain that makes you smile, makes you want to sing, makes you want to go twirling around in it, or stick your tongue out for a refreshing drink. This was the kind of rain that makes you want to bury your head under the covers and never come out from hiding.

Unfortunately, work demands my presence so I very reluctantly got dressed in warm clothes, put on my coat, wrapped my rain jacket around my book bag, put my billed hat on and headed outside. It certainly didn't help matters that the boots I purchased in November already have significant holes in the soles and back of the heels.



So when I arrived at work, my boots squished and squashed on the floor and when I took off my socks they dripped onto the floor too. When I finally was able to peel my pants off my legs were bright red from the freezing rain that had been attacking them through my pants for the previous half hour.

Work was work. I got splashed, I got scolded, etc. Then I walked back home in the blinding rain. Now my socks are hanging to dry, my boots are sitting in a puddle of water, my pants are hanging in the kitchen drying on the towel hooks, my coat is over one chair and my rain jacket over the other. I'm curled up under the covers in a rather awkward position trying to stay warm and cozy and comfortable yet type away on this entry.



There is officially only one week left in my contract. Only 28 more shows to perform. Korea has been fun but I honestly can't wait to leave. Not because I hate Korea but the grass under my feet has grown so tall that it's tickling my nose and making me sneeze!

There is much to be done in this week; and article to write for the newspaper, a couch surfer to host, a violin audition tape to record and edit, laundry to be done and bags to be packed, reservations to be made, travel research to be done, schedules to align and maybe, sleep to be had :)  I hope to stay so busy that time just flies right by and the next thing I know I'm on a plane headed north (more on this later).

Until next time when I'm composing an entry off the island of Jeju!

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Couchsurfing

I've been a member of couchsurfing.org for a number of years and the only thing I've really done is tour a traveler around LA in my car. It's not that I haven't wanted to participate more, but somehow things never came together for me even when I tried to surf or host.

Of course, that is until just recently. Since moving to Korea many things have changed on a regular basis, one being my housing. The last couple of months I've lived alone in an apartment I've rented so that I can practice my acoustic violin. I finally updated my couchsurfing profile from no couch to couch available and a few weeks later the requests started rolling into my inbox. The month of February is now booked as much as I can fill it and I had to start turning people down. My first couch surfers were a couple of German boys en route to Australia via Fiji and Asia.

One of the guys cooked me breakfast before work :)

Almost breakfast in bed. French toast banana sandwich complete with a fresh flower!!
They say it's all about the presentation.
I will say that this was the first time I've tried to eat with a knife and fork since I got here and I was all thumbs. It was pretty funny to watch I'm sure and I felt really clumsy trying to work the now seemingly awkward utensils in my hands. The experience just reassured me that the item(s) I want to bring home with me as my souvenir of time spent in Korea is a nice set of chopsticks!!

The last night my girlfriend skipped out to a club, so one of the guys did an Insanity workout with me (he had no idea what he was in for and told me he had much respect for me after attempting the workout-he didn't finish but of course I did)!

Cool guys, although since I had to work every day I didn't spend much time with them, but it was a great experience. The last night we went out for the famous Jeju black pork and they enjoyed themselves thoroughly I believe. We were all definitely stuffed by the end of the meal!



This coming month I'm really looking forward to the rest of the surfers coming. Hopefully it will be a great month of new friends, food, and lots of fun!!

And who knows, maybe in March, I'll be the couch surfer!

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My second couch surfer was a wonderful chick from Thailand. We had a great time touring Jeju and hanging around the dinner table. She cooked me some super tasty curry. Two different dishes in fact and I'm so very very grateful she cooked a bit extra so I have leftovers! YUM

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While we were sight seeing in Jeju we stopped for a late afternoon snack and I got to share some of my favorite local food with her, pajeon (바전). It is a Korean pancake with green onion and pieces of unknown mollusk. One of the foods I will truly miss when I leave Jeju!

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I had so much fun sharing my home and time and have made a new friend :)

Looking forward again to my next surfer so stay tuned for more updates!