Shows

So yeah, we had a show two weekends ago. It was a little rough. The
performers were ready, but there wasn't really enough time to get all
the tech together and rehearse with it, and since the theater was
outdoors, there wasn't much time to work on lights. It earned the
directing prize, though, which is cool.

Since then things have been pretty quiet, although we had one busy day
cleaning out all the studios and the office and returning everything
to its proper place, which was needed after the clutter that had built
up as we prepared for the festival.

A week ago I was at the studio fairly late, and then Chungeuy was
going to be at his in-laws for the night, because his kids stay there
on weekends, so I was going to take the subway home. Anyway, I took
advantage of the opportunity to do some taiji, and got on the subway
around 11, because the last train was around 11:30. I got on the
subway all right, and made my transfer, figured I was safe to get back
since I was on the train and the buses would be running until 12:30 or
so. Not so. About halfway there the train stopped, a conductor came
through telling everyone to get off, and then shooed us out of the
station. For a few minutes I was at a loss, since I had no idea where
I was, didn't have the slightest idea which bus might be headed in the
right direction, didn't know where to tell a taxi to go. So I decided
to walk back, following the subway line by the maps which are posted
pretty regularly at major intersections.

It was a long walk back, about two hours twenty minutes (including
some in the wrong direction) to Kkachisan, the subway stop nearest the
house, and then half again as long being lost while trying to get
home. The worst part is the other night, day before I left, I went
out for a walk and realized that I'd made it to within a couple
minutes of the building when I decided I was thoroughly lost and
turned around, went back to the main road, and went on to Hwagok, the
next subway station out, to find my way from there. Hwagok is the
station the bus goes to and we drive out along the street that runs
near it, so I'm more familiar with that side of the hill we're on even
though it's further away. Of course, while that is frustrating, it's
not surprising, considering how densely packed they are and how
similar many of the buildings seem, at least at night. That walk I
went for, I tried to walk a loop, thought I knew where I was, and
suddenly stopped recognizing anything. Turned a corner, still lost,
walked towards a store (I was looking for snacks to take as presents)
when I felt eyes on me, turned around, and saw Chungeuy's mom and
other locals watching. I was standing right next to the gate to the
house. It was embarrassing, and got more so as I tried to explain
that I had thought I was lost and how funny that was. My Korean
remains worthless, and my gesturing ability was inadequate for the
subject. At least I've found someone who will help me study.

What I actually wanted to mention though was how cool it was to walk
back all that way. I passed through many different neighborhoods, all
very distinct. There was a fruit market running for the night, a
street that was normally busy with all sorts of workshops, all shut
down, another area with nightlife... Several areas with nightlife, it
seems very popular in Seoul... I also passed over a few bridges, saw
the giant, marching apartment buildings of the Mok-dong area and the
skyscrapers next door, all so large, spaced, immovable that it seemed
impossible that they'd been built by people and not just appeared
fully formed from the earth. I'm about out of time at the internet
cafe here, so I'll stop, but I hope to be able to do a walk like that
again sometime, and take photos.