caveat: zap-o-matic number 14

i got here at my regular time, but the techs were ahead of schedule so as soon as i checked in at the automated computer station they called me back to the zap-o-room. i was still in a sweat from walking here and with the elevated pulse of the exertion. the session had a different quality to it – i felt more aware of the minor variations of the bed-tables orientation and position, its tiny stepwise movements through the fixed plane of the photon beam. the servo-motors of the raygun, ensconced behind its plastic torus, sounded like a mad scientists toy train, clackety clack always counterclockwise around my head. i wanted to cough, but i resisted. i visualized an old-timey steam train orbiting me and puffing out xray clouds, instead.

after the session, the kind and personable tech whose name i havent learned and whose english is execrable, said cheerily, "see you monday have a good thisweek." "thisweek" means "weekend" – i make the same kind of semantic-field mistakes in korean.

Caveat: Terrorists Everywhere!

I guess the South Korean government, feeling jealous of all the fabulous anti-terror work being done in the US (see comic, below – it was sarcasm, OK?), decided they could play that game, too.

The South Korean government arrested some left-leaning parliamentarians from the UPP (members of the national legislature, i.e. Korean congresspeople!) on charges of plotting to destroy infrastructure and collaborate with North Korea. This is way too reminiscent of the current president’s father’s dictatorial behaviors in the 1960’s and 70’s. Sigh.

Here is an interesting editorial on the subject.

Thanks to my friend Peter for pointing this out to me. I had a good visit with him yesterday, when he came out.


Here’s a comic I  ran across, unrelatedly, but that seemed oddly relevant in its USA-centric way.

picture

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Caveat: 우선 먹기는 곶감이 달다

My friend taught me this proverb yesterday, as we were discussing the habit of procrastination.

우선        먹기는         곶감이                달다
precedence eat-GER-TOPIC dried-persimmon-SUBJ be-sweet
[When] eaten first, the persimmons are sweet.

pictureOne place I found this translated, it was given as equivalent to the old English proverb, “Please your eye and plague your heart.” It seems to be about doing the easy stuff first.

I don’t actually like dried persimmons (or even fresh ones) all that much. So maybe this particular proverb doesn’t work for me.


I have been very tired lately. I think we all know why. I barely survived 2 hours at work today before I gave up and stumbled home. Helen asked me why I’m even coming; I said I need the structure and focus. It gives me a sense of purpose and is a bit of a distraction from this business of just being sick.

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