My SAD Plans For Tonight

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Of course, if you're single like I am, today is simply SAD (singles awareness day). But don't let being single get you down! We singles are all in it together! We are not alone! Oh wait… we are alone. So very alone. That's the SAD truth. So feel free to cry and let it out! After all, no one is there to hear us!

Anyway, today will not be a typical Valentine's Day for me. This year, things are totally different because I actually have real plans for today. Rather than spending Valentine's Day unwanted and lonely at home, I'll be unwanted and lonely on an airplane instead.

You see, I'll be flying out to Korea later on this morning! I've had a great time being back in Seattle, and I'm looking forward to the adventure that Seoul will bring. Goodbye for now!

Update From Seattle

Originally, I was only planning on staying in Seattle for about a month or so before I left for Korea.  But I've already been in Seattle for almost twelve weeks now.  The reason that my departure was delayed for so long was because I was waiting for a copy of my criminal background check to arrive from the FBI before I took off for Korea.

Well, it took ten weeks, but my criminal background check finally arrived!  I can take off whenever I want to!  Nonetheless, I'm planning to stick around Seattle for a little while longer and not rush my departure.

Now, I'm still very much looking forward to Korea.  But I've also really appreciated and enjoyed my unexpectedly lengthy stay in Seattle.  It's been a lot of fun getting reacquainted with my hometown, bumping into and catching up with old friends from my college days, and being able to return to my home church.  Plus, not working for three months has been a restful and relaxing opportunity that's been great for my soul.  I highly recommend being useless.

But the best part about being back in Seattle has been time with my family.  We'll get to spend the holidays together for the first time in ten years!  More than that, it's just been nice being a part of their everyday lives once again, as well as having them be a part of mine.  And I can't complain about the home-cooking, either.

Anyway, I've obviously had a lot of free time over the past twelve weeks.  Unfortunately, I've found that my options on how to fill that free time are somewhat limited to me because I never want to go outside. It rains way too often here AND it's been tough for me to get acclimated to the cold.  I just don't have enough body fat to provide insulation.  Dang, it's hard being so fit and sexy.

Anyway, that being the case, I've been going to the library and reading a lot.



Fortunately, the Seattle public library system is amazing.  It has EVERYTHING, and I've been able to get my hands on all sorts of literary classics that have really stretched and challenged me intellectually. See?



By the way, I just couldn't get into Glee.  Sorry, Gleeks.  The music is super fun, but I can't get over the amount of melodrama and nonsense on the show.  After having worked with teenagers for the past several years, I know that real-life teenagers are way more melodramatic and nonsensical than how teens are so inaccurately portrayed on Glee.

On the other hand, the Harry Potter series has been a lot of fun!  I had never read any of the books before or seen any of the movies and I don't know why I waited so long.  I zoomed through the first five books in about three weeks.  However, I had to take a break before starting on the sixth book because there was just a bit too much Harry Potter in my life and on my mind during those three weeks.

I came to that realization after I started dreaming that I was Harry Potter.  And when I dreamed that I got sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin… BEST DREAM EVER.  No joke.  I'm being completely Sirius.

The Amazing Race

This morning, I was running errands with my mom at a public farmers' market here in Seattle called the Pike Place Market.

As I was wandering around, I noticed a number of camera crews filming throughout the market.  I was a bit curious about what they were there for, but I didn't think too much of it.  After all, the Pike Place Market is popular tourist destination - maybe there are always camera crews filming there?

It turns out that the camera crews were there filming an episode of "The Amazing Race" for next season.  How do I know this?  Because as I began driving away from the Market, three contestants from the show stopped my car and asked me if I'd be willing to drive them to the Space Needle.

The contestants had frantic and crazed looks on their faces.  And for all I knew, they could have been psychopaths.  But all I could think of at that moment was, "I want to be on TV!"

So here they are in my car.  I know, I know... this is an awful snapshot.  However, I snapped this picture while driving.

I have this theory that only hot people get put on TV.  So if I don't make it on the air, I'm going to be really sad.

Frequently Asked Questions

No need for alarm, my imaginary audience!  I am alive and well!

Having said that, I am technically unemployed and homeless.  On that note, who'd like to date me and be my girlfriend?

Actually, you really don't have to worry about me.  I have a plan up my sleeve, though I should clarify that this plan of mine only addresses my situation related to my employment and housing and does NOT apply to finding a potentially suitable mate.  That's a whole separate topic that I don't have a clue about.  However, I have a strong hunch that step one should be to stop referring to girls as "potentially suitable mates".

Anyway, when I explain this plan of mine to others, I've found that there are certain questions that everyone always asks of me - certain questions that always pop up because my friends are unoriginal.  So I'll answer those questions here.

FAQ 1) What are you going to be doing?

I plan to spend 14 months in Asia.  I will spend 12 months living in and traveling throughout Korea (South, not North) to experience the culture, play, and hopefully improve my ability to speak Korean.  I will spend an additional two months backpacking through eight other countries in Asia (one week per country).

FAQ 2) Why are you doing this?  Do you need a break from youth ministry?

I am not burnt out.  I do not need a break from youth ministry, nor am I having a crisis of faith.  I love doing youth ministry and I could do it forever.  In fact, I already miss it and I can't wait to jump back in!

But I believe that youth ministry at my former church is a door that God has closed.  And if that's what He has decided to do, who am I to argue with God?

So I have decided to make the most of this closed door (or, open door?).  You see, I've always wanted to travel and to do all the things that I'm planning on doing.  I simply didn't have the opportunity in the past, but now I do.  I'm pretty much free right now to do as I please.  After all, I'm not married (sniff), I don't have kids, I don't have a mortgage, I'm not in school or working, and I am not in credit card debt. Opportunity is here and I plan to make the most of it and live recklessly rather than regret not doing something like this.  And I can't wait!

FAQ 3) You sound so excited!  But aren't you scared?

I will be traveling alone.  But no, I am not scared.

And yes, I am incredibly excited and thankful for this opportunity!  However, I love my life in Southern California, and I am extremely sad to be leaving everything and everyone behind for such a long period of time... especially my youth students at my former church.




FAQ 4) How are you paying for this?

Ministry isn't the highest-paying profession (I went in for the power, duh).  Still, I consider myself fairly low-maintenance and so I was able to save a good chunk of cash money over the years.  That's what I'll be living off of for the next several months.  But I'm also planning to work in Korea (teaching English?) to generate extra income.

FAQ 5) Will you go back into youth ministry in Southern California once your trip ends?

I'd be cool with that.  But I have a feeling that God has me on the move for a reason that's not entirely clear to me as of yet.  We'll see...

FAQ 6) Are you going to try to find a girl in Korea to marry?

Yes.

If you have any other questions, feel free to leave a comment, call, text, IM, FB, Kakao, etc.!

The Decision

This fall, I'm going to take my talents to South Korea.