korean komrades

rag was at its most fun today, i think. because we came up with some way to mechanize mass-production to optimize efficiency output of papier mache rocks. hahah. so we can now papier mache surfaces in 1/6th the time or something. HOW? don't tell you. and thats not all! while we were in the arts forum, this group of south korean tourists, about 20 of them stopped by and started asking what we were doing.
"uh.. production, parade for floats..."
"fuh..lote?"
"ah, yes. like a..."
"ay.. fes-tee-vahl?"
"yes yes. like a festival"
"OHH! -excited korean mutterings- arts festival!"
he then motions at the stinky papier mache ball in my hand and points at the rock cave to show that he wanted to help. i was so amused (and quite glad to dispose myself of it hahahah!) and passed him the wad of damp mache.

communication was kind of difficult because we were talking over their heads in english and they were talking over ours in korean and there was this mismatched crossfire of words but good intentions saved the day. so whenever we didnt understand something we'd just laugh. someone remarked that we are more likely to do things we wouldn't normally do when we're overseas, just because there is no embarrassment to deal with- no aftermath to clear up, no former reputation to preserve or sequel to continue, and the Present becomes a quirky, curious and irresponsible child without any strings to tie it down. it is free to be itself!

and that is part of what i love about being overseas, too. that i can be someone other myself, yet strangely, be more of myself than i ever used to be. so anyway, i made friends with the korean guy who came over to help me and he kept shaking my hand and pointing out to me the younger korean boys and saying "handsome boy!" then at another "handsome boy, too!" then, "come come, photo!" and we all took a happy family photo in front of our rock cave structure. hahaha. highly amusing experience.

and then the next surprise was, one of the freshies who came down to help revealed incidentally that his ex was my rj classmate! they apparently met during pre-university seminar, which i attended as well, and she ah, so sneaky. we didnt even guess. all along we thought she had something going with another of our classmates. tsktsk. NOW I GO BLACKMAIL HER! muahahaha

have a think.

suppleness is flexibility, and while a soul is supple it is stronger
than if it were tough. like a reed, it gives the feel of weakness,
of yieldedness, yet it is this flawed screen of its brittleness which
is its shield. when she momentarily acquiesces, the uninformed read it
as a weakness, and foolishly satisfied, they back off and are led into complacence.
but the reed is merely accumulating its momentum, like in the hush before a storm.
the knowing notice the way the bending backwards of a reed procures a backlash, that
leaps back onto the attacker in one smooth, graceful swish,
while the attacker has turned his back and begun to walk away.

Suppleness is strength sheathed in silence, in gentleness and forbearance-
three very Chinese qualities.
if you are supple, you know it by the backlash when your secret thresholds are crossed.
you do not break, you merely wait
in the shadows biding for opportunity, for silent and insidious recovery,
for resurrection recoiling from the face of death.