Only, Already, Still: Always

Flower seller at the bottom of the hill.

Flower supplier.

Smoke break at the waterfall.

Roasted crab. yum.

Everybody loves youtube

Thai tea: gamechanger

Traveling

Everything happens so quickly. Everything happens so slowly. It seems odd that we have only one word for week and month and year. You can count them in days or minutes instead, but numbers are such constant little things that can’t be flexed and flopped into what they really mean.

And five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes—as Jonathan Larson has already discussed in great length—is not an accurate measurement of a year.

As an English teacher, it makes me think of the importance of the words “only” and “already” and using them correctly when describing the inconsistencies of the time continuum.

I only moved to Korea four months ago.[1]

I already miss Korea like it’s home.[2]

I only came to Thailand three days ago.[3]

I’m already used to living in a Thai girls’ orphanage.

At least there are still plenty of “stills” and a couple of “always’.”

I still can’t read a word a word of Thai nor take an efficient Bucket Shower, and I’ll always write about and gape at the spinning of the world. Time the destroyer is time the preserver...

---

[1] I spent more time in my mom’s tummy—and more hours on the soccer field—than I’ve spent in Korea! (Guesstimate for the second one, but I’d guess the first is fairly accurate)

[2] I miss its gimbap its almost-discernible language, and its Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday Soccer Boys.

[3] Cobras seen: 0. Success.