Sunday, August 26, 2012

Bo la ven, Revisited,

Dear Pen,
I'm going to get back to report cards right after i post. *cough* I'd love to sign off from here with something cryptic like, the storms approaching. (ominous pause) I have to go. Upon which the airwaves crackle and the line goes dead or the power cuts- but with writing how could i possibly convey that in realtime and i do have to get back to work... And anyway the typhoon is being downgraded from last night to this a.m. As they went on about it I said- it's only a category 2. Granted I'm sure that's strong enough but whatever. So by then and now the panic and anxiety spread and hagwons were canceling classes, epik was canceling classes... and finally our hagwon was like that's it - we're OUT. The curmudgeon warned we might have to make up the lost 5 hours on some errant saturday but for now... I laughed and shouted into my apartment when i got home. I never get to come home from anywhere for weather- and thankfully the peeps at work were spared from my further dripping sarcasm- of which in crisis? situations it skyrockets thru that proverbially roof- and as meaghan said your blaise attitude makes us think you're serious... that's why its called dry humour whathave you. I mean I get it and yet- and then i forget they don't know me and how i like to poke bears. Ok i'm mean. Overly sincere people kill me. On friday i was joking about wrapping my camera phone in plastic and strapping myself to a pole to catch the impending storm- and they were like M, this is serious. Very dangerous. You haven't been through one- blah blah. To which i responded that if i didn't go out there then what kind of anti-climatic blog would that turn out to be? Just now the loud speakers across the way chimed for a longwarning i couldnt understand so i email the other M, making light of the fact a few nights before, a drunk guy got on the loudspeaker and was saying hello to the neighborhood- so smalltown! and funny-- and this is what my flatmate just emailed me: "M, public announcement warning...no one is drinking. Atmosphere is heavy, more police and two government officials. I know you saw it get downgraded, but they're still saying it's a category three. The surfers have even given up."

And this sort of pretension pisses me the fuck off. Like how dare you not be in a panic! It's like the nutmeg forest all over again. Nevermind. I know we should be respectful and, ach, slump- people lighten up...I just have enough anxiety in general without pondering my death or the catastrophic happenings of dear bo laven. All you can do is prepare- but for something that is approaching-- well do i have water, food? What else? people to call? and the answer is yes. So... And here it is downgraded... not that it won't be upgraded but she acts like i'm making it up.


Perhaps also at least a catastrophe, barring death obviously, is a break in the routine. I don't want my co-teachers horse to die or get blownaway or, for cars to flip out into the roads or for my windows to shatter, and yet events such as these remind me i'm called to a lasting peace, a different purpose, and while i want everyone to be safe i know i am not promised that and it helps me surrender better and more completely... where as walking to work brings me staggering and breathless to a place of abandonment. I can't say why but there is a difference.

She did just backpeddle to say that she was sad she couldn't go windsurfing. She is a bit of a thrillseeker so... she's staring at the waves too thinking-- aw, too bad. I'm sure we'll talk about the weather over some korean pancakes and soju... but for now.

Before I go i can say that the rains have come, and the wind is starting to whistle. And i see a preying mantis on my one sunflower. I'm going to move him to some place i think? is safer? We can only hope so. I dont' know how he made it to the 2nd floor of my apt anyway really- like- how did he get up there. The giant catepillar that disappeared ok fine.. i shouldve moved him too... but still.

Ok some chips and salsa are in my future. oh right and reportcards.

M.
(oh weekend right: girls night? disorganized but salvaged with funky nailpolish colors, a facemask i could peel off- love!, fried chicken/kimbap and that horrible snowhitemovie, coffee house, long long long theological convo, no volleyball, trip to emart, sushi dinner, burgers for lunch... and there it went. and now today! hurrah! but at school long enough to have my classes planned for wed and started for tuesday. yes!)
 

1 comment:

pen said...

i heart your irreverence! in hurricane fran, which whipped up i-40 in '96 as a category 3, you would have been one of the ones out there on campus playing beach volleyball. (while i slept inside the comfort of my brick fortress.)

anyway stay safe and all of that. a category 1 can yield some danger but i'm more thinking it will be something for you to behold. your first hurricane! aw. i mean typhoon.