I’m starting to wonder if my ability to be so easily entertained is a good thing, or a reason to be committed to an institution. After tonight, I’m thinking perhaps the latter . . .

My method of learning Korean is quite eccletic. I’ve learned the alphabet, so I’m constantly reading signs. Or the lines that go across the bottom of the tv screen. Especially at the gym. The news is great for practicing. The anchor will be reporting the story and lines will flash across the bottom of the page. People’s names, quotes, locations, etc. As I’m pounding the treadmill I’ll sound out the syllables. Tttt . . . a . . no, ay . . .k . .no, ggg . . oooo. Oh, Daegu! Only once have I concentrated so hard on reading that I slipped and spun off the treadmill into the wall. I tried to avoid the stares of the Koreans in the gym, smiled, and resumed my run. The thing that hurt the most was my pride.

I eavesdrop. All the time. And mimic. If I’m standing at a street corner waiting for the light to change I listen to the people’s conversations around me. And repeat whatever they say. Even if I don’t know what it means. I do the same with the radio and the tv. I try to do it quietly, but sometimes it comes out louder than I mean for it to. Then I get the strange looks.

At home I listen to language tapes. Most of the tapes are the “listen and repeat after me” variety. But I have one set of tapes that includes dialogues. The dialogue (both speakers) is read once, then I take the part of one of the speakers. So basically I’m speaking to my tape player. After studying for several hours today, I noticed this behavior carried over into English. I was cooking dinner (a quite delicious concoction) and before I knew it, I was having a conversation with myself. And my other self. Mimicing the stale style of the language tapes.

A: These mushrooms look delicious.

B: Yes, they do. Would you like me to slice them?

A: Yes, thank you.

B: Where is the knife? Oh, here it is. I found it.

A: Be careful! That knife is sharp!

B: Yes, it is. It is an evil knife.

A: We must get rid of the evil knife . . .

I’ve got to get out more . . .