The Blog That Wouldn't Die

HELLO EVERYONE GUESS WHAT.

I am still alive (though barely).

I would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who has been so patient during this emotionally vexing time of mine. For those of you who are not in the know (basically everyone, I'm sorry), two of the foreign teachers at my school had to abruptly return to the States during the last month or so, dwindling our numbers from seven to five, with no one to make up the damage. Except those of us already there. So I have been teaching for literally all day every day, with no daily preparation periods, for about a month straight. I then have to prepare my classes after school, at the time where you normally eat things and do things that aren't being at work.

In a nutshell, I have been spending ten to twelve hours a day on average at work. And I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Woe is Toria.

In point of fact, when I get home at night, I no longer have the energy to exercise. I can't practice martial arts, I can't write, I can't even read anything harder than a children's book. I haven't finished a book in two months. I have become a shallow husk of my former self. On the weekends, in between preparing school work, my friend Ellie has been dragging me away to do fun things, but when I return, I don't even have the energy to blog about them.

I can't even string together four lines of verse. I'm serious. Watch me try.

There was a woman named Victoria
Who was good at poetry, until
Blah blah blah,
The bagels in Korea taste funny.

There is good news, dear friends. (I actually originally typed that as "goo news" and almost left it for the comedic value.) There is a new teacher coming. Two, if everything works out! And then I will have the time to answer your emails and finish my blogs and remember how to do a back spin kick.

The bad news is that tomorrow is Open Class, which is the day when parents come in and watch me teach. What? Stressful? No, that's not stressful! So you can wish me luck in the manner of your personal beliefs and religious views.

Anyway, despite the stress and the sickness and the inability to do much more than stare at my walls, I am holding up. I know that almost everyone I know is fully aware that I have a busy life and my own duties to attend to. I know that most of you know that, in the metaphor wherein you are a house and life is a tornado, you can really only focus on holding your own bricks together until the sky clears. You know that. I have been reminded of that now, thanks to my mother. But it doesn't stop me from feeling a compelling guilt regarding my radio silence towards my family and other assorted loved ones. Thus you get this incredibly rambling and nonsensical post.

You're welcome.

Peace.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Gun.