Wonderful Wednesday!

There is so much awesomeness going on right now that I can barely contain myself.

First, I'm working on a collaborative/commission piece for my crafty friend Rae. (Seamstresses, computer jockeys, and book nerds out there: follow her!) It's already given me a lot of ideas for other unrelated items, the hard part is definitely going to be sitting down to focus on one long enough to create a finished product.

The original suggestion was so super cool that I'm turning into a game! Kind of. For the next month or so, I'll be leaving hints here and on my Facebook page. The first person to guess what the project is—or to guess "close enough"—wins a totally custom piece of beaded science, math, or geeky jewelry. You pick the numbers, the colors, and everything else!

Here is the first clue:

Full Adder Circuit Diagram

Leave your guesses in the comments here or on Facebook!

(You should also follow Rae's blog because it might help you guess! Wink wink, nudge nudge.)

Second, I have a new phone! This is mundane, I suppose, but buying a cell phone in a foreign country when you speak the language little better than an infant is stressful. I am happy about this.

Third, glasses! And fourth, owls! These two go together because, well, that's the picture I have.

As a reward for successfully navigating my phone-buying experience, I bought some goodies from other shops in the nearby Underground Market. Named after its physical location, not because that's where the hipsters shop.

Glasses are self-explanatory: I have big-time glasses fetish. I am the Imelda goddamn Marcos of glasses. This is technically a replacement pair, as my earlier white frames had to be retired. At this count I have seven pairs of prescription eyeglasses and one pair of prescription sunglasses. South Korea has super-cute and super-cheap frames! They're really much more into "glasses as fashion" than in the states, it seems.

I know owls were (are?) the big thing, up there with foxes and mustaches and whatever other crap Etsy decides to market, but owls have been special to me for as long as I've been a Greek mythology nerd. Yeah, it's that Athena thing all over again. And I mean, look at those eyes! How can you not love him?

And because it seems to fit the tone of this post, my gratitudes for today!

1. Lunch at work today was one of my favorite dishes, bibimbap.
2. As I mentioned above, new phone!
3. I had a great class with my North Korean student, who seems to be finally getting this whole "phonics" thing.
4. The rain today is much more pleasant to deal with when you have a proper pair of Wellingtons.
5. I had a pleasant chat with a Korean grandfather this morning about the weather. I run into him on the street most Mondays and Wednesdays and he always makes me smile.