Korean food is a great way to kill time at the unemployment office. Who knew?

Today I waited almost 30 minutes for my name to be called at the Unemployment Office. I spent part of that time thinking about all the other, more useful things I could be doing.  The rest of it was spent writing an ode to kimchi.

O Kimchi, how you thrill me!

Chili-spiked kohlrabi,

Minced-garlic-ginger-macerated mustard greens

Buried in a brown paper bag

In the darkest corner of the dining room.

(I sit, silently beside you,

Tempted but not tasting, salivating and unsatisfied.)

Two weeks we waited while you fermented,

My roommate and I,

Soothing ourselves in the meantime

With kraut and kombucha;

Slowly, systematically we prepared a place in our fridge,

A suitable footprint for a glass gallon jarful of spicy sour (sweet!) greens.

(We sat, longingly beside you,

Sullenly gazing, impatient with waiting.)

Visions of daikon-encrusted chopsticks

Invaded our bowls of bibimbap,

Diminished the pleasures of pachanga,

While we waited for thee,

for room to be free

for you to be stored

for two weeks (or three?)

O, tasty kimchi!

So yeah. That’s what I did at unemployment today…waaaaay more productive than, oh I don’t know, looking for a job!!  (The wait for the kimchi was totally worth it, by the way. Jury’s still out on the wait for a job.)

A few hours later, I sat in my friend's living room watching Howl and was confirmed in my suspicions that a) I write shitty poetry and b) that doesn't necessarily mean people won't like it.

Not bad for a day's work, eh?