Saturday, July 16, 2005

A Quite Excellent Day

I had a really great day today! Lunch was delicious, and even though I wasn't very hungry, I think I ate my money's worth. Lots of smoked salmon and the new cheese fondue they had. And the price was 13,400 for lunch. Well worth it, I think.

'War of the Worlds,' I thought, was just outstanding. At one point in the movie I turned to Elizabeth, who was covering her eyes, and said "I am SO scared! I LOVE this movie!" I didn't get to bed until very very late last night (really, this morning) and was a little worried I might doze off with my belly full of yummy lunch, but I tell you, there was NO chance of that happening. This film is a big screen big sound movie. Don't wait for the DVD! I plan to see it again, as a matter of fact.

It was my first time seeing a movie in Korea, and I give it an overall thumbs up. Pluses were the comfortable cushy chairs and retractable arm rests. I enjoyed how the cleaning ladies came bursting through the doors the moment the first apres-film credit appeared on the screen. Minuses were the assigned seating, lack of diet coke at the concession stand, and the fact that one actually has to leave the movie complex to get a snack and travel up another floor. The popcorn smelled delicious, but I was too full. In Japan, they love caramel popcorn at the movies - so the concession area smells sweet and strange. I liked how I could get some cuttlefish to gnaw on at the movies here in Korea. Yummers!

When we went into the theatre, Elizabeth lead us up the wrong stairs and realized we'd have to pass a whole row of people to get to our seats on the other side. Elizabeth decided to screw the assigned seating system and had us plunk down a few rows ahead. As I left to search for a big movie soda, I saw the amount of people hurrying toward the theatre (the previews had already started when we'd arrived) and realized our seats were going to surely be claimed. Sure enough, once I got back to Elizabeth she was in the aisle seat, and all chairs beside her were occupied. She was still totally reluctant, for whatever reason, to go to our actual seats, so we sat in the mostly empty first row. At first, following the action on the screen was making me a little dizzy, but I got used to it quickly and then appreciated the extra leg room as I slouched down in my chair and stretched out. The biggest minus of the movie was the high school boy behind me who kept kneeing my chair, causing my head to jostle. It was annoying, and it's a pet peeve of mine in any situation where I have someone sitting behind me. Keep you frickin self off my chair!

After the movie, Elizabeth took off, and I went to browse in an English book store. I was told it's the largest in the city, and I was hoping for rows and rows of novels, but found only a small selection. Mostly it was an English textbook store, so I spent some time looking for a couple texts to teach for my extra summer classes.

I ran into a guy I had forgotten about. He lives in my suburb, very close to me as a matter of fact! I ran into him once before in the late winter when I was headed to work and he stopped his car to say hello. He was off to work as well, so we just had time to chat for a moment and exchange numbers. I promptly lost his number, and therefore never called. When he approached me at the bookstore with a "Hot enough for ya?" I thought he looked familiar. Turns out we attended the same university at the same time, and we even know some of the same people and professors! Small world! There were a few uncomfortable moments, though, when he became very angry and passionate talking about Canadian politics. I thought I might doze off, but he, like the movie, was big sound. We have tentative plans for tomorrow night - a drive and some dinner. We'll see if I feel like it!

I went looking for the Donchimee store and was successful in buying some funny things! Look at this notebook: Image hosted by Photobucket.com
Here, Dongchimee is "testing to have creations." It's WARPED!! I LOVE it! And I love how he has a shit-shaped window looking out toward a pink sky. Just like at my house!

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