Pattern: Half-circle Susemi

This one is for Charlie, to match the dishcloth that I made for him earlier.

Pattern

Centre:
Use three colours of acrylic yarn and smaller size needle than suggested for yarn, to make a tighter stitch.

Round 1: Make adjustable loop, ch 1, 10 dc, sl st to beg. ch (10 sts., not including beg. ch 1)

Round 2: ch 3, 1 dc in next st, ch 1, (2 dc, ch 1) in each of remaining sts, sl st to beg. ch (20 sts, including beg. ch 3)

Round 3: ch 1, 2 sc at base of chain, 1 sc in next st, 1 sc in next ch space, (2 dc in next st, 1 sc in next st, 1 sc in next ch space) all the way around, sl st to beg ch (40 sts., not including beg. ch 1)

Round 4: ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 3 sts, ch 1, (4 dc, ch 1) all the way around, sl st to beg. ch (40 sts., including beg. ch 3)

Round 5: ch 1, 1 sc at base of chain, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 2 sc in next ch space, (4 sc, 2 dc in ch space) all the way around, sl st to beg. ch, cut yarn and sew in ends. (60 sts., not including beg. ch 1)

Fold piece in half (in the middle of row 4’s four dc’s, so that the little holes line up on both sides. If you do this susemi in watermelon colours, those holes can be the “seeds”)

Border:
Attach 2nd colour of yarn and ch 3. 1 dc in same st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st. 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, continue with (2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc) all around, sl st in beg. ch, cut yarn and sew in ends. (40 sts., including beg. ch 3)

Attach 3rd colour of yarn (or stay with 2nd colour) and ch 1, 1 sc in same st, sc in each st all around, and either cut yarn and sew in ends, or make a 10 ch loop, sl st to join, cut yarn and sew in end.

Questions, concerns, confusions? Leave a comment below!

P. S. (Sept. 26) Charlie came over for lunch (though he didn’t eat anything coz his stomach was upsetting him) and I gave him his susemi. He seemed quite pleased.

Pattern: Square Gradation Susemi

After I saw a picture of this one, I just HAD to figure out how to do it. I love the effect of the raised posts. (It wasn’t that difficult, though. I found blurry diagram, and after lots of squinting and magnifying, I think I’ve got the right pattern.) The pictures I saw showed the susemi done in three colors in a gradient, from lightest in the middle, to darkest on the outer round, but you could probably do a four-colour gradient, or any other colour combination. This is a really good, thick susemi. I used the front-post double crochet (FPdc) in the citrus susemi, but this pattern uses the back-post double crochet (BPdc) as well. My new favourite stitches!

Square Gradation Susemi Pattern
Use acrylic yarn in three colours, from lightest to darkest, and a hook in a size recommended for the yarn, or slightly smaller if you want tighter stitches.

Round 1: Make an adjustable loop to start, and ch 3. 2 dc, ch 2, (3 dc, ch 2) 3 times, sl st to beg, ch. (12 sts.)

Round 2: In 2-ch space just before the slip stitch join at the end of round one, 1 sc, ch 2, then 1 dc in same space. (1 FPdc, 1 BPdc, 1 FPdc along next 3 stitches, then 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in ch space). Repeat same post stitches and chain-space stitches around to end, stopping with 2 ch, sl st to beg. ch. (28 sts.)

Round 3: Join new colour and proceed the same as round 2, only with 7 alternating FPdc/BPdc’s. Each 2-chain space will still have 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc. (44 sts.)

Round 4: Same as round 3, only with 11 alternating FPdc/BPdc’s, and with 3rd colour. Cut yarn and sew in ends. Make sure to pull tight the original loop and secure, as well. (60 sts.)

If I’ve made any mistakes, or I haven’t been clear enough, please feel free to leave a comment.

Pattern: Pinapple Susemi

For some reason, I really like this pattern, which is something that I wouldn’t have predicted. I tend to like colourful, bold, geometric, repetitive patterns in crochet–stripes, squares and dots. This has no repeats, it’s an irregular shape, and it’s kind of finicky and old-fashioned looking. Maybe it’s because the shape is surprisingly complex compared to how simple the pattern of stitches feels; the shape just seems to “happen”. Maybe it’s that the form is so useful. It’s the perfect hand-size for washing dishes, you can put two fingers through the hole at the top to make it easier to wash cups, the fact that it’s a pouch means that it can have multiple uses: soap saver, candy bag, mojo amulet, etc., etc.

Pineapple Susemi
Use any acrylic yarn, with the suggested size of hook for that yarn

Make adjustable loop (see my previous post for a description of this) so you can pull it tight later.

Round 1: ch 3, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, sl st in beg. ch. Pull loop tight and secure. (10 sts.)

Round 2: ch 3, 1 dc in base of chain, ch 1, 2 dc in next st, ch 1, (1 dc, ch 1) in each of next 2 ch spaces, (2 dc, ch 1) in each of next 4 sts, (1 dc, ch 1) in each of next 2 ch spaces, (2 dc, ch 1) in each of next 2 sts, sl st to beg. ch. (20 sts.)

Round 3: (1 sc, ch 2, 1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1) in first ch space. (1 sc, ch 1) in each of next 3 ch spaces, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1) in next chain space, skip one chain space, then (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1) in following chain space. (1 sc, ch 1) in each of next 3 ch spaces, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1) in next chain space, sl st to beg. ch. (22 sts.)

Round 4: Same as round 3, but there will be four (1 dc, ch1) in a row, along the four chain spaces (24 sts.)

Round 5, Same as round 3 and 4, but there will be five (1 dc, ch1) in a row, along the five chain spaces (26 sts.)

Round 6: (1 sc, ch 2, 1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in first ch space, ch 3, 1 sc in 4th st, 1 sc in ch space, 1 sc in next st, 1 sc in next ch space, 1 sc in next st, ch 3. Skip next 2 ch spaces and (2 dc, ch 1) twice in third chain space, skip the next ch space, (2 dc, ch 1) twice in next ch space, chain 2 more, 1 sc in 4th st, 1 sc in ch space, 1 sc in next st, 1 sc in next ch space, 1 sc in next st, ch 3. Skip next 2 ch spaces and (2 dc, ch 1) twice in third chain space, sl st to beg. ch. (26 sts.)

Round 7: Same as round 6, but do 3 sc in a row, in 2nd, 3rd and 4th sc from previous row. (22 sts.)

Round 8: Same as row 6 and 7, but do only 1 sc in center of sc on previous row. (18 sts.)

Round 9: (1 sc, ch 2, 1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in first ch space, 1 dc in sc, (2 dc, ch 1) twice in 2nd ch space, skip one ch space, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch space, 1 dc in sc, (2 dc, ch 1) twice in 2nd ch space, sl st to beg. ch, sc in next ch sp, ch 12 for handle, sl st to attach in next ch space. Cut yarn and sew in ends. (18 sts.)

Phew!~

Okay, if that doesn’t make any sense, or if I’ve made a mistake somwhere, please leave a comment!

Pattern: Citrus Slice Susemi

This pattern and other susemi patterns to follow in later posts are based on a tutorials/photos from Korean websites and a photos of Japanese visual patterns. In many cases, the photos are blurry and hard to read, so I have had to guess at a lot, or I have modified the patterns somewhat, and am writing them out in full, in English, for my (and others’) future reference. I think that’s enough to satisfy myself that I’m not violating copyright.

To make a beginning loop that can be tightened later: Hold the tail of the yarn in the palm of your hand and wrap it (moving away from you) twice around the end of your index and middle fingers held together. Press all the threads together where they converge at the top with your thumb and slide this loop off your fingers, and hold the loop with your thumb and forefinger. Reach in through the middle of the loop, hook the yarn and pull up a loop, then reach over the top of the loop, hook the yarn and pull through to secure. Now you can start at the same place you would if you had chained a loop and slip stitched to secure.

Citrus Slice Susemi
Three colours of acrylic yarn, size 6 hook, or size small enough to make a fairly tight stitch
For mine, the colours were:
Colour 1: Yellow
Colour 2: Orange
Colour 3: Bright Orange

Note: When you are switching colours, make sure to keep the travelling yarn loose in back, and to not twist or tangle your strands of working yarn. In fact, keep the balls of working yarn separate so the yarn is coming from two different directions.

Front Piece:
Make a beginning loop as described above
Round 1: with colour 1, ch 1, sc 8x in loop, sl st to beginning chain. Pull tail of loop tight to completely close the middle hole, and secure. (8 sts., not including beg. ch 1)

Round 2: ch 2 , secure colour 2 yarn to working yarn near the top of the chain, ch 1 with colour 2 (so that the beginning chain is ch 3, with the top ch in the second colour) , 2 dc into same stitch (first sc of previous round), but do not pull through last loop of second dc–with 2 loops remaining on hook, pick up colour 1 again and pull through to complete second dc. 1 dc into next stitch with colour 1, but again, complete the last loop of the dc with colour 2 yarn. 2 dc with colour 2 in same stitch, complete last loop of second dc with colour 1 yarn. 1 dc with colour 1 yarn in next stitch, completing dc with colour 2, and making 2 more dc in same stitch. Repeat all the way around so that there are 24 stitches total (including first chain), 3 stitches (one colour 1 and 2 colour 2) in each sc. On last dc of round, make sure to finish it with the final loop in colour 1, then sl st to beginning chain.

Round 3: ch 2, switch to colour 2 and ch 1. 2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next st, switching to colour 1 on last loop. 1 front-post dc (FPdc), switching to colour 2 on last loop, 2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next st, switching to colour 1 for FPdc, continue around so that there are 32 st total, and last loop of last dc is colour 1. Sl st to top of first chain.

Round 4: ch 2, switch to colour 2, (1 sc, 1 hdc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, (1 hdc, 1 sc) in next st, finishing off last sc in colour 1, 1 FPdc, switching to colour 2 on last loop, (1 sc, 1 hdc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, (1 hdc, 1 sc) in next st, finishing off last sc in colour 1, 1 FPdc, switching to colour 2 on last loop, continue around and sl st with colour 1 to end row. (56 sts)

Round 5: (This round all in colour 1) ch 3, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 2 sc in each of next 2 st, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 FPdc, repeat around, omitting last FPdc, and sl st to beginning chain after last dc. Cut yarn and sew in end. (72 sts)

Back Piece:
Round 1: Make loop, ch 1, 8 sc, sl st to beg. ch, pull loop tight and secure.

Round 2: ch 3, 2 dc in first sc, 3 dc in each sc around, sl st to beg. ch. (24 sts)

Round 3: ch 3, 1 dc in first st, 1 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next, repeat (2 dc, 1 dc) around and sl st in beg. ch. (36 sts)

Round 4: ch 3, 1 dc in first st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, (2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc) all the way around and sl st in beg. ch. (48 sts)

Round 5: ch 1, and in order to make 72 sts like front piece, alternate 1 sc/2 sc in each stitch around. Sl st to first ch, cut yarn and sew in ends.

Border:
With colour 3, single crochet all the way around, 1 sc per stitch, and going through both top loops of stitches on both rounds. Cut yarn and sew in ends.

You can make this susemi larger by adding one more round.
On the front piece, one repeat would look like this:
Round 4: 1 FPdc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc
Round 5: 1 FPdc, 1 sc, (1 hdc, 1 dc), (1 dc, 1 hdc), 1 sc
Round 6: 1 FPdc, 1 hdc, 1 hdc, 2 sc, 2 sc, 1 hdc, 1 hdc (72 st total around)

On the back piece, one repeat would look like this:
Round 5: 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 sts
Round 6: 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 5 sts (72 sts total around)

Also, you can chain a little loop handle before you cut the yarn on the border row.

And there you have it. I know I haven’t written in standard crochet pattern format, so if there are any mistakes or if anything is unclear, please leave a comment.

Pattern: Two Rectangular Susemis

Susemi is the word for dish scrubber in Korean, same as the word tawashi in Japanese. They’re fun little things to crochet, and over the past couple years in Korea, they’ve become quite the popular housewife project. Apparently, according to the companies’ claims on the ball bands, susemis made with this type of yarn are totally antibacterial, and I’ve also heard it said that they don’t require soap to wash with. I’m a little skeptical of such claims, and it is certainly not the case that antibacterial means that you can wipe things with the susemi to disinfect them, just that the susemi itself doesn’t harbour bacteria. I think it’s just a case of the yarn companies in question capitalizing on the natural properties of acrylic yarn compared to wool or cotton, not that it is some type of specially developed fibre. Anyway, I made up a couple to replace my last store-bought dish scrubber, because I do believe that these homemade ones are better than the store bought. They are far more durable, they don’t seem to “hold on” to food bits as easily, they can be healthier, because you can wash them as often as you want, after every use if you feel like it, and I have also found that they don’t need as much soap–in fact, they do seem to work just as well once most of the soap has rinsed off. (I haven’t tried washing a load of greasy dishes without soap yet to test it, though.) So, all in all, a good kitchen hack.

These first two I made without a pattern, just because I needed them right away. Then I got curious and started looking for more patterns on the Korean web, but I will post more about those later. Here are the patterns for these two rectangular susemis, just in case anyone wants to know:

Rectangular Susemi #1 (Green and Pink)
Use acrylic yarn, and a hook smaller than size suggested; however, use a hook two sizes bigger than that for the foundation chain and the first row of dc, as the chain edge tends to be tight. I did my stitches throught both loops of the top of the stitch, though you could go through the front or back, or into the spaces between the stitches for different effect.

Chain 15
Row 1: 1 dc in 4th chain, 1 dc in each of next 11 chains, ch 3, turn. (13 sts.)

Row 2: 1 dc into next stitch (not the one at the base of the chain), 1 dc into each of next 10 stitches, 1 dc into top chain of previous row, ch 3, turn.

Continue row 2 until you have 9 rows (or to desired length).
Sew in ends, and single crochet around edge.

Rectangular Susemi #2 (Orange and Purple)
Use acrylic yarn and a hook smaller than the size suggested.

Chain 9
Round 1: 1 dc into 4th chain, 1 dc into each of next 4 chains, into next chain (last chain): 1 dc, ch 3, 3 dc, ch 3, 1 dc. Then, 1 dc into same hole as base of each of next 5 stitches. Then, into base loop of beginning chain: 1 dc, ch 3, 3 dc, ch 3, sl st to top chain of beginning chain. (20 sts.)

Round 2: sc into first space (between beginning chain and first stitch of previous row), ch 2, 1 dc into each of next 5 spaces. Into ch 3 space: 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc. Then, 1 dc into each of the next 2 spaces, then into next ch 3 space: 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc. Then, 1 dc into each of next 6 spaces. Into next ch 3 space: 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc. 1 dc into each of next 2 spaces, then into the next ch 3 space: 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc. Sl st to top loop of chain. (32 sts.)

Round 3: sc into first space, ch 2, 1 dc into each of next 6 spaces, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into ch 3 space, 1 dc into each of next 5 spaces, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into ch 3 space, 1 dc into each of next 9 spaces, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into ch 3 space, 1 dc into each of next 5 spaces, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into ch 3 space, 1 dc into each of next 2 spaces, sl st to top of chain. (44 sts.)

Sew in ends and single crochet around edge.

Greetings from Canada!

So I got here in mid-December…I suppose that’s news to a lot of people But don’t take it personally that I haven’t gotten in touch, I just needed some time to myself. Since I got here, I’ve been:

1. De-pressurizing and de-stressing
2. Hiding from the entire world (think Thoreau’s Walden, not the hunchback of Notre Dame)
3. Having Christmas

4. Trying not to think (and mostly succeeding) about the fact that I have no job, no income, almost no home, and no apparent job prospects…whoops! better be careful, I almost thought about it…
5. Knitting

6. Augmenting my yarn stash

7. Baking and cooking

8. Reorganizing my online experience
9. Looking at the snow

10. Preparing to enter Phase 2 of my four-phase plan to Get A Life, which is getting in touch with people and joining the human race again Talk to you soon!

craft and food update

Well, since the last time i updated this journal, i’ve been busy! This week, i decided to jump back into translation. Hyunjung and i have decided to study translation together in preparation for next year’s translation contest. With all the putzing around i’ve done this year, and all the miscommunications with Paul, there’s no way we will be able to do anything about submitting this year. Anyway, we have lots of research to do, and i have decided to just get lots of practice by translating all the stories in the 2007 Yi Sang Short Story Collection, and will decide later what to submit for the contest. Good luck to us! I haven’t studied Korean seriously in such a long time, it is rather slow-going at the moment

1. yarn2, 2. blanket pile, 3. what a mess, 4. testflowers, 5. red ripple, 6. turquoise ripple, 7. chevron swatch, 8. multicolour crochet circles, 9. candleflame shawl swatches

So, i finally collected all the yarn colours for my two new ripples, though i am on pause with both of them at the moment, as i have run out of the base colours–i need to go back to namdaemoon and pick up more of those honkin’ huge skeins of turquoise and red. Meanwhile, i have untangled all the scraps and have started making granny-square flowers a la yarnstorm, though i’ll be outlining them with black instead of white. i have about 35 so far, but i need about 120 for a full size blanket…depends on how much leftover yarn i have, i guess.

Also, i have rearranged things so that i can pile all my blankets in one place. i love the look of that!

I’m also swatching for two other projects: a chevron scarf, and a candle flame shawl. I definitely won’t be using these yarns for those projects–i need to hit an upscale yarn shop and invest in some beautiful, soft, natural fibers (hopefully for a reasonable price!) Love the patterns though! Much more fun and challenging than stockinette, or the 3×3 rib i’ve been doing for YEARS on the grey blanket!! I also want to try this pattern.

1. peanutbutter cookies, 2. beef and veggie stirfry, 3. honey whole wheat bread2, 4. out of the oven 2, 5. with a bowl of chowder, 6. homemade sausage and egg NkMuffins, 7. baked eggs, 8. comfort food, 9. pizza fresh from the oven, 10. banana bread, 11. butter tarts done, 12. tzatziki and pita snack, 13. July14dinner, 14. sort of greek dinner, 15. french bread 3, 16. french bread 5, 17. i love cherries, 18. my favourite oatmeal raisin chocolate chip sunflower seed cookies, 19. potato salad, 20. moussaka done, 21. at dunkin donuts, 22. apple bread pudding crisp, 23. tuna salad, 24. frozen berries 2, 25. banana coconut bread 3, 26. bruschetta 4, 27. pasta salad 2, 28. butternut squash salad, 29. turkish delight from haily, 30. iced coffee

Recipes and details to follow…but the highlights are: my awesome bread-baking skillz, homemade pizza, tzatziki, moussaka, and the egg mcmuffins!

My Luurrrvly New Galley Kitchen

Look! Look at my new, remodeled renovated rearranged kitchen! Isn’t it loooovvvvely?

And here’s another shot, showing the doorway to my livingroom/office:

The best part about it is that there is TONS more workspace because I moved my old tv stand into the kitchen, and bought some shelves (more on that later) to raise it up a bit, so now I have a galley-style kitchen (sort of).

And because the shelves had bottom pieces with wheels, which I didn’t want to use, I just half-assembled them so they looked like little tables…which left me with two large planks that I didn’t know what to do with. So I plunked one over the tv stand (because the middle part was lower than the sides) hoping that it would fit. It did. So now I have a full counter-top with a little storage cubby for all my new cooking and baking tools (more on that later).

Then I tried out the second plank on top of the stove, to create even MORE counter space. Dare I hope it fit? It fit EXACTLY. Like it was custom MADE to fit over the stove. Oh joy, oh bliss! (Really, honestly! You have no idea how difficult my life has been with only 2 feet of counter space…now I have, like, 8 FEET!! I can barely contain myself!)

So, you ask, how did all this happen? What was the inspiration for this kitchen upgrade? Actually, a whole bunch of factors contributed…

1. Well, it’s fall, and one tends to get the domestic/nesting urge in preparation for the winter hibernation. This feeling was intensified by the fact that I had just come back from a month-long stay in Canada, and I missed my little home so much that I was soooo happy to come back to it (no offence intended to those in Canada, I just loooove my little house )

2. The fact that I had gone to Canada also meant that I had gone on another shopping spree and had brought home a ton of stuff. I realized I needed more storage space–especially more bookshelf space for all the cookbooks and books that I had bought, and more cupboard space for the pasta, bouillon cubes, spices, etc. I had brought back with me. The only place I can put more bookshelves is where my tv was. So, goodbye Goldstar (I have a DVD player on my computer now, so I don’t need the VCR, and I NEVER watch tv). And then drag the ancient SOLID wood tv stand (they don’t make furniture these days like they used to, I have to say!) all the way into the kitchen BY MY SELF, and then HEAVE it on top of the little shelves, grunting, sweating, and cursing.

3. I now have a Korean-bank-issued credit card, and online shopping sites in Korea are starting to wise up to the fact that foreigners like shopping too, and have now started to allow us to register to use their sites. This is wonderful. This is also dangerous. Because, when I was looking for bookshelves online, I found a sh*tload of OTHER stuff that I REALLY NEEDED. Lots of new toys for my kitchen. Observe the spoils:

(Clockwise, from left: floor-sweeping slippers, blank CDs, DVD/CD-R/W, handheld mixer, salad spinner, rolling pin, toaster, Corningware casserole dishes, lasagna noodles, fedelini pasta, corn flour, coconut, dried cranberries, organic whole wheat flour, kitchen knife (free gift!), dijon mustard, pastry scraper/cutter, pie plate)

(I tell ya, if you ever feel down and you need a great pick-me-up, find a good online foodie shop and order yourself a box of goodies. It works wonders. It’s like a Christmas present sent to you from a secret admirer.)

So now I REALLY needed more room in the kitchen.

4. And, actually, the BIGGEST reason for all of this is that I have issued a bit of a challenge to myself. I want to be more healthy, but I HATE diets. But I know I really must eat better. So, what I’m going to try to do is this: On a daily basis, everything I eat must come from my own kitchen. I will do my best to only buy simple, whole ingredients, no processed or pre-packaged stuff (I’m beginning to get the idea that trans-fats are rather evil), and make everything myself. If I do this I can avoid eating breakfast and lunch at convenience stores and fast food restaurants when I am at work. If I do this daily, then I don’t have to obsess and calorie-count, and a few times a month enjoy whatever I want at restaurants with friends without really worrying about it. This is my whole-foods, do-it-yourself challenge. So, I needed a better kitchen.

Now, I am prepared. I mean, just LOOK at this spice cupboard! (Sometimes I just open it up to stare in admiration for a few giddy moments.)

Cleaned so much I have blisters on my fingers!

Well, so much for “taking it easy” after my bout of heat exhaustion last week…

Intelligent people do their whole-house cleaning in the spring or fall when the weather is more reasonable. But I don’t do such things, no! I wait until the hottest week of the entire year to clean my house–from top to bottom, inside and out.

It was so hot that i could only clean for 10 minutes at a time, and then i had to rest for half an hour. So it took the entire weekend. I still have a couple of things to do, like organize all the papers that have accumulated over the past year, but mostly the place feels fresh and clean, all my laundry is done, and everything is in its place.

Actually, I think the reason why i wanted to clean was because i had been sick. I felt like “freshening things up” a bit after i got better. It’s surprising how much more motivated, energetic, and cool you feel when your surroundings are clean and organized–haha!

I cleaned off my desk and threw away my old, ugly chair, and replaced it with a balance ball:

The reason being, since the ball is not as stable as a chair, you have to sit up straight to stay balanced on it, so it is better for your posture. But i still find a way to slouch. Not as much as in the chair, though. I might even use it for exercising as well! I did buy some dumbbells (hot pink!) at the same time…

And here is the new kitchen table layout:

With all the new, lovely, cute, and CHEAP stuff i bought at Eco-Mart in Kangnam station. It’s basically a dollar store, and it’s mainly home decoration and fashion accessories. It’s the perfect place to go shopping. Everything is cute and colourful, and you can by tons for less than $10!

Which is what i did, of course, and then took the subway home and carried it all back home from the subway station, in the midday heat, which is what caused me to get heat exhaustion in the first place. Go figure.

Then on sunday night, with my cleaning all done, i could finally relax. I ordered a pizza, and sat back to watch a movie. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the most pointless and uninspiring movies of all time.

It’s basically another remix of the classic cinderella story: “diamond in the rough” girl gets “discovered” by a man and pulled out of her mundane, purposeless existence, into an only slightly less mundane and purposeless relationship. Except there are two guys, one young and poor, who just wants to sleep with her, and one older and rich, who also just wants to sleep with her. She sleeps with both of them, until the young one takes off for several months, so she sleeps exclusively with the older man, and gets hurt because he “thought she understood” that the relationship was not a committed one. Then the young greasy one comes back and spouts a few phrases he learned from a self-help book on relationships and they start sleeping together again. How sweet.

Shopgirl. Written by, and starring, Steve Martin. Avoid it, unless you want to watch something as inspiring and intellectually satisfying as organizing your bellybutton lint collection. Which is sometimes a good thing to do. The movie’s not that bad, it’s just not all that good, either. Not really sure what it was about.

Oh, and i booked my plane ticket, (well, actually Kylie did all the work for me) so I’ll be heading to Canada on the 5th of September and then coming back around the 30th. My dad just had his 60th birthday in July, so I thought i’d go and help him celebrate. I might even make it to Toronto for a few days to see my Nan and hit Value Village with Mom…