Asha All Up in Her Own Business

So it’s kind of funny, this blog represents simultaneously one thing I really want to do more of while in Korea – write – and one thing I really want to be less of – an observer. I spend a lot of time and really enjoy watching other people’s lives. Today, I’m sitting in a gelato and waffle (wapple if you say it the Korean way) place across the street from Emart where I went to buy a laundry bag so the washing machine doesn’t tear my clothes apart. I am, as always, observing. I just saw a guy walk in carrying not one but four purses, presumably all belonging to the same girlfriend (though maybe one of them is his). I unabashedly love watching other people’s lives but I do worry sometimes that I spend too much time watching and not enough time living. More time theorizing than testing theories. I’m not entirely sure how to do things different though. I do need to learn – my plan to go travelling by myself depends on my ability to go places and directly engage with them rather than just watching. I like to think of myself as a very embodied person but sometime I think that I act like a big eye with an arm attached for writing. Which is not the best way to be.

Connected to the be more of a participant goal is to be more of a risk taker. When I tell people I’m not a risk taker, they often argue with me or are surprised. But tis true; pretty much everything I decide to do, I’m already pretty sure I’m good at it / capable of it. Coming to Korea itself was a very calculated risk: yeah I’d never lived in another country before but I’d visited Korea, knew tons of people who were already here and already knew I like the food. I’m too much of a planner by half. So this year, I’m really going to try to be more adventurous. Maybe occasionally do something spontaneous. And maybe even spend less time being a floating eye. I’ll let you guys know how it goes.

As for today’s music suggestion, I give you one of this year’s big girl groups, 4minute. This song, at least title wise, is pretty appropriate for this entry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLDS6fWk2NY

Love,
AAA