MARIEL R.
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Modern Romance: Juliet's Computer

9/30/2015

 
JULIET appears on windows

COMPUTER:
But, soft! what light through yonder windows breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and --

JULIET:
Blah, blah, blah. Facebook.... please.

COMPUTER:
She speaks:
O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Here is  Facebook dear lady.

JULIET
Stop it!

COMPUTER:
I take the by thy word.
Shutting down now.

JULIET:
Oh, not again.

Got my free Windows 10

9/27/2015

 
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There is a distinct absence of an exclamation mark behind the post title. For sure Windows 10 is a huge improvement upon Windows 8 but it's not better than Windows 7. Sadly, my Windows 8 computer can't be upgraded yet, sigh.

Anyway, I early unwrapped my Windows 10 on my 4 year old Samsung. The OS offers a new market place. Microsoft has finally joined that bandwagon and it's a feature I've been looking forward to. Apps can offer some very specific solutions for users and then some are just fun.  I have several on my phone, which is a lot less than most people. 

Anyway, after several failed attempts to log-in, Windows 10 market place welcomed me and then immediately asked me to log in again and again. And then I had to log in to each app. It's definitely not seamless like Google play, iTunes, audible or (insert your favorite here). And as I mentioned before I have a lot fewer apps than most people so the redundancy isn't too bad for me, but I can imagine it will be a huge source of irritation for others in the coming months.

Overall, I think it's what Windows 8 should have been, but in it's attempt to reinvent the wheel (Vista, Windows 8), Microsoft has spent more time at control z, undoing the damage than ironing out wrinkles. Windows 10 is nothing spectacular, but it won't have you cursing Microsoft, though, Microsoft's market place certainly can fill that void for you. However, if Microsoft sticks with this platform, listens to users, and works on perfecting it rather than reinventing it,  Windows 10 has the potential to satisfy a lot of users now and in the future.

So, have  you upgraded yet?

September 12th, 2015

9/13/2015

 
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I'm studying Korean like crazy these days. The book I'm using is Talk to Me In Korean, which is based podcasts and what not. Anyway one of my instruction was to write a story so that I can remember when I need to use some words. And then I got to thinking, I can kill two birds with one writing assignment: learn Korean and blog.

죄송합니다 means I'm sorry but it can also me excuse me. It has other uses. Anyway, a long time ago I was in Seoul during rush hour. I had heard a rumor that they pushed people onto the subway cars. It turned out to be true. Officials  stood against the wall with a large piece of ply wood. it had handles like a shield and when it came time to get on they stepped forward pressing the crowd onto the cars. Knowing what I now know about 죄송합니다 I probably heard it a lot that day. 
"죄송합니다, 잔깐만요, 잠시만요." Excuse me, excuse me and.... Excuse me. But maybe I just heard. "죄송합니다" (I'm sorry I rammed my elbow into your ribs) Perhaps the tall young Koreans peered down at the little old 아줌마 and said, "죄송합니다" (I'm sorry that my book bag whacked you upside the head.)

Later that day I was at a restaurant in Korea and I wanted to get the waiters attention so I rang the bell at the table even when the 아줌마 was nearby. If had known 자기요 I could have called her over and gotten fewer dirty looks. 





What's for dinner? 

9/9/2015

 
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A friend of mine has moved into a new apartment and gotten a car. Getting a car in Korea is a big deal if you're a foreigner. Anyway, not to be out done I sent her a message letting her know that I have a basket on my bike and a pillow. I can totally pick her up anytime =)

I was recently reading about having too many hobbies. I tend to indulge in this, that and the other things. I put the s in bold to emphasis the plurality of this. My most recent endeavor is to upload much of my ESL content. As a devout member of the Two Headed Turtle Society, this project has been on my to do list. Anyway, I'm using access to track the lessons that go up because I've been doing this for seven years. In case it's not obvious, that means a lot of ESL lessons.

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To simplify or not to simplify, that is the question. 

9/6/2015

 
Yesterday I was thinking a lot about what comes next after South Korea. I've always had half a mind to accomplish more and then I got to thinking about what more can I accomplish? I'm a marginally successful writer, which is good enough. I mean, making my living from writing would be ....great?  I'd get to write all day, yeah! I'd have to write all day, hmmm. It's kind of like the time I decided to go back to collage and major in art. I took art classes for three days and realized that drawing that much gave me a headache. 

Anyway, my point is, I was thinking I need to be more successful, but my life here in Korea is strange but awesome. I'm a teacher by day, a writer/publisher by night, a baker/ candy maker when the mood strikes and on Sundays I fell into volunteering  at the riding stables in Sangju as a horse trainer which has meant simplifying the encyclopedia of horses in my brain ESL essential elements-- simplifying is good.

The work I do isn't exactly prestigious but not long after I got the feeling that I need to do more, I realized that's a wrong way of thinking. Going back to the States and settling, would actually be a simplification. The question is, what do I really want. I'm thirty-five and I still don't know. It feels like I should and yet...
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    Mariel R. is an ESL teacher, horse trainer, writer, editor, sporadic blogger,  and lover of beer. She lives in South Korea with two house cats, three horses, a German Shepherd and three barn cats .

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    Bear (Gom in Korean) then (above) now (below)
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    Geumbi (Goldy in English) R.I.P February, 23, 2018
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