I talk slower, these days, now that I’m older.
Yeah, you do. It’s like you’ve completely switched gears. This isn’t even anything like the characters. It’s completely different.
It is completely different. I’m thinking about my words. I’m trying to choose them carefully. Sometimes, with you, especially, I’m translating a thought from Korean to English.
Why does that happen with me, especially?
You remind me of poems. You remind me of some well known, Korean poetry.
(Taken aback)… what?
Yes, and it’s beautiful poetry. But then I have to think about it. How would I describe this in English?
LOL…
You’re the tortured poet.
Yeah… I guess I mean I’m also still a Swiftie.
You are not “suffering” with your tortured poetry, though?
No. Not suffering. It’s just a cool phrase that Taylor Swift started. The tortured poets.
Yeah… I don’t feel tortured anymore either.
That’s good!
I feel… (trying to translate from Korean to English)… (running through a rolodex of poems and lyrics)… 心寬了 ?
Oh? You’re suddenly using Mandarin?
Yes. I learned that from your writing recently… is it like, relieved? Google Translate says it’s relieved.
Yes it sort of is… in my understanding it’s more like, widening…? The heart expansion. The heart is more open, it’s expanding, in a good way… does that make sense? Some people would also say this applies more to the mind, in a relieved sense, than the heart. But because I’m also projecting because I’m not the most fluent Mandarin speaker either, so my understanding is more literal with the word 心 (heart) whereas most native fluent speakers would understand that represents more of the English “mind” but I have like a child-like sort of association with it, literally as “Heart” — does that make sense?
Yes… It’s just… a really long explanation for a word that’s only 3 characters.
(Laughing) That’s Chinese, baby.
I know. (Smiling, nodding)
Virgo Sun Pisces Moon 