Its all fun and games until somebody loses an eye; or collapses in a heap in front of his students. I felt really weak yesterday, probably as a result of all the sick kids who've been in class lately. None the less, trooper that I am, I got dressed and came to work, only to realize there was simply NO way I was going to make it through the day. I talked to my boss, explaining that I didn't really sleep very well the night before as a result of being so congested, and felt really weak, and could I go home? He said yes, and I went home and crawled into bed. Probably an hour or two later, I get a phone call from said boss, asking where I was. I explained that I was asleep, and told him that I had explained to him before I left that I felt weak. the only response I recall from him was "you didn't sleep last night, so you're going to now?" I reiterated my condition, once again, only to be met with a mute, indignant hang-up. Yeah, I'd have done a whole lot of good in class yesterday collapsed in a pile on he floor. This in a country where you can't buy Tylenol over the counter, but, by God, they'll roll out the Soju (sweet potato wine, in case I hadn't mentioned before; says the alcohol content is 21%, which you can only confirm is a fallacy after one swig, the stuff is moonshine, period.) in 55-gallon drums if they can. Never mind the little roadside peddlers with LPG tanks for cooking in the backs of these little vans you'd swear were assembled by Hyundai and engineered by Samsonite. All they need is a handle that pulls out of the back bumper to finish the job. One of these things, with the LPG tank in back, is going to leave a crater at an intersection someday, and they'll have no one to blame but themselves. And not since Dickens' London has meat, refrigerated or otherwise, been left unpackaged. Is it any damn wonder I'm living on Ramen noodles and grilled cheese sandwiches? To say I'm somewhat soured to the way some things are done around here is a gross understatement, but trooper I am, I'm here today. In my mind, I dared my boss to think I was weak somehow. Had that happened, it wouldn't have ended well, that's about the way I felt. And I suppose, as long as I just get through all this, everything will be fine. To the entire nation of Korea, I say, put your pride to the side, and get on the program with the rest of the world. It won't hurt a bit, we promise.