Chicks are chickens and chickens are chooks

At least that's what I learned in Australia! Languages are amazing, even when it seems like they are similar to each other. I am finally back home after a long trip. After getting advice to never fly Qantas again (I will avoid in the future—very disappointing service) by my driver to the airport, I had to wait until their employees decided to start working to actually check in, but was relieved to get aisle seats for both legs. I loved the Sydney airport signs that told me I could RELAX before getting on the long haul flight to San Francisco.

I have zero pictures from my trip to California but it was incredible. Youngmin took care of me the entire time and I learned so much about different ways to be and learn and live and be wonderful. Her bojagi artwork is fantastic, and she is an amazing person. I got to see Steph and Katherine with her, and visit Slow Fiber Studios, learn about felt in Japan, visit a wonderful fabric store, have dinner with a fabulous curator, and spend lots of time with someone who cares as deeply as I do about Korean art and culture. I love my Korean kimjang apron but since I can't find anything as well made in the US, got this laminated cotton to attempt a replica. This is really not how I should be spending my time but it was how I insisted I start my morning today.

My long flight back was interesting (I'm surprised by how not friendly Australians are on planes. I wonder if the behavior mimics the poor service, and hope it's not old fashioned racism, but it made for weird feelings for 5 to 14 hours at a time). I couldn't sleep, but I COULD work on my big duck because Di was so generous and gave me her scissors that I could get past airport security: see how tiny the blades are?! When I saw Steph in Cali, she said that those are the scissors she uses to cut the nails of her baby! This all makes sense and now I know where to find more if I need them.

Being away was, as always, such a gift. When I travel, I get to leave my connection to the internet for the most part. I love being away from my computer (and try to not make it possible in regular life to do that much work on my phone). Getting away from my home country, its drama and relentless media that brings out the worst in most cases, and also away from the media I consume voluntarily that seems to be innocuous but isn't, is like getting a magic pill that dissolves a lot of anxiety. All of this makes it possible to be present, which is already hard as it is to do, and savor all kinds of new experiences, sounds, birds, language, smells, and landscapes. I met the most generous and kind people, and had lovely students. Anne Sepkus was one, who made the skirt above. I got compliments from the moment I tried it on and had my first lecture where one of the questions during the Q&A was solely about my outfit. Now I get to wear and remember this trip forever.