my naughty, indulgent Wednesday

wow, i wonder if i'm going to make it a habit to write this often. it feels good. i know how stumbly-bumbly-unedited it all sounds, but i don't care. i've just gotta get back into the swing of things.

anyway, i had to make a comment about today. it was FANTASTIC.

yesterday evening, i went to the dentist and had several cavities filled--and i had an enormous one filled with a temporary filling. indeed, it was *temporary* because it promptly fell out when i got home. bah, humbug. it was painful--and i couldn't deal w/ the exhausting idea of commuting back-and-forth for 3 hours in between Wednesday classes.
i began reasoning: it would be an exorbitant waste of time to just get a temporary filling replaced... not w/ all the additional dental work i need to get done... and i have so many errands to run in the City...
it didn't take long to convince myself to call in sick this morning.

maybe it was the wrong move--i know Koreans never take time off for any reason and i would not be viewed favorably for making this decision. but: i had a painful gaping hole in the middle of my mouth! and 3 more cavities to get taken care of! and i technically have 10 allotted sick days/year.
SO, maybe i'm not *supposed* to take them, but hell!--it's in my contract, and sometimes eschewing responsibilities for the sake of preserving health (mental and otherwise) is the right choice.

anyway, i went off to the dentist and got the rest of my dental work done. my dentist is a really quirky Korean woman who looks Japanese and talked my ear off while i mentally prepared myself for the unhappy prospect of getting the hell drilled out of my teeth. she told me about her trip to Chicago a few years back in a strange accent that she claimed was Bostonian.
while she worked, i blasted new music into my ears to drown out the high-pitched whizzing of the saws and drills. the music comforted me.
after the horrors of the dental process, i felt accomplished that i was cavity free and even got a doctor's note to explain my dilemma to my school.

as i spent an hour on the train all the way to the 찜질방, i spent some time talking to God. we had an interesting conversation.
what is a relationship w/ God exactly?--i keep on confusing what that means. undoubtedly, i engage in obligatory relational responses to my friends and loved ones, but usually, my actions are based upon my feelings for them. it's a natural, organic process.
i don't want to engage w/ God in an obligatory way--that leads to me 'trying to be good' and then feeling guilty when i am not.
people might argue that we have an inherent goodness in us. i would agree w/ that, but i do not believe that those reserves are bottomless/never-ending. i can more palpably feel my selfish and impatient nature.
[Scott Boren: 'as we engage naturally, honestly, authentically w/ God, we enter into the joyful, divine dance of life on this earth'.]
doesn't that sound lovely? today felt like a dance.

at the 찜질방, i had a rigorous, body-blowing work out that made my muscles pleasantly achy. i then treated myself to the spa (the salt fomentation room!) and 3 different baths. i pampered my skin and took my time getting dressed.
there is something *absolutely wonderful* about taking my time to do such methodical, practical things.

when i left the 찜질방, the sky looked angry and the air threatened rain. i needed to go buy a gift for my friend in Japan, but getting to Insadong to buy his gift would be at least a 1/2 hour walk. i figured that i would walk until the rain stopped me--however, for the first time in weeks, the threat of rain was an empty threat, and i was simply treated to cool breezes and a smattering of sprinkles.

i was immediately able to find the gift that i was looking for.

on an uncharacteristic impulse, i took out about $200 from my account and made a bee-line for the building that sold 1000s of instruments. i've been dying to get musical, but the beaten up guitar i have just wasn't cutting it.
i bargained and got a Kamaloa ukulele with a cute little case that i could sling over my shoulder.

when i got home, i made myself an unexpectedly delicious and healthy dinner, and have been practicing my new uke for the past few hours. it is surprisingly easy! and i'm already feeling the burn in my fingertips! i believe i'll have calluses w/in a week.
and! i'm already 1/2way through mastering one of my favorite songs (Elephant Gun) by Beirut.

being naughty was... well... naughty. but today's naughtiness felt exactly right.
i must do this more often.