My Exciting Weekend /sarcasm

Because I'm impossibly overloaded at the moment I seem to be gravitating to the idea of doing things that do not help eliminate the items on my list. Like writing down everything I have to do.

This is the list:

• Edit Chapter 3 (the re-translated chapter) in the book I'm editing
• Write a thematic introduction to the special journal issue on Curating Korean Culture (four papers, one is mine) (to be released by Acta Koreana in DAYS so I better get it together)
• Review the editor's proof of my article for the journal
• Translate Jonghui's MA thesis abstract (didn't ask until he sent it at the last minute)
• Translate Changyeol's MA thesis abstract (asked in advance, sent in advance)
• Prepare for Korean Media Class 
• Provide feedback and scores for Media homework #9
• Prepare for Korean Folklore Class
• Grade the Korean Folklore class videos
• Prepare for 90 minutes of Korean Studies II Class (the rest will be student presentations)
• Prepare for Korean Culture and Society Class
• Prepare a one hour lecture for a group of journalists from ASEAN nations (if only the lecture was later in the week, I could maybe practice it in the Culture and Society class, my introductory class for non-majors)
• Continue chipping away at writing my holiday cards
• Attend a concert/artist's talk on Sunday that may be useful for my research

and a few other things that are less urgent, longer term, or more private

A photo by my friend Song Cheotnunsongi of me presenting at a conference

Learn from my students

In my Korean Folklore class I wanted the students work to be for something more than a grade-- so they made videos and the videos and their sources have been uploaded to a common webpage and the videos are on YouTube as well. Most of the videos are really well thought out-- the students did tons of work and I'm really proud of their work.

Today I want to highlight the work of one student, Haejin. Haejin is sometimes shy, and definitely quirky, but she has excelled in this class. I am so proud of her work, I could do a happy dance about it. She went to volunteer at the National Folk Festival and did the basic research for a final paper to be submitted in another class and simultaneously worked on these two videos. The fact that she included actual live interviews with performers is the part that makes these videos absolutely stand out.

Here are the links to her two pages (I want you to go visit those pages, instead of viewing the videos here, that's why I'm only supplying links).

Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeon'geuk
Pyeongyang Sword Dance

Next time I'll tell you about other videos.