TedxItaewon
A month or so ago Dan and Johnny attended a TEDxItaewon event, a locally organized session of the larger TED organization. I would almost liken TED Talks to Toastmasters, but maybe with less nerdy connotations (or maybe not). Different speakers deliver speeches on a set topic. People go (physically or just online) and listen to those speeches. Sometimes there are cupcakes. It's all exceptionally cerebral. Somehow both Dan and Johnny met the organizers and got involved. Johnny spearheaded filming, and Dan was asked to give a speech about what drives him and to incorporate a couple of our songs. He's been practicing all week- while the baby's sleeping, while the baby's playing, as part of the baby's bedtime story. Yesterday Dan delivered that speech to more than 100 people, representing upwards of 26 different countries.
You know how people talk about their hearts swelling when their kid does something great? While I do get that every time Joah smiles or dances to Jay-Z songs or poops in his diaper and not on my leg, watching Dan give his speech made my heart swell with pride for that kid I married. I remember him clunkily teaching a high school Sunday school class 6 years ago, and to watch him yesterday as if he did that sort of thing all the time, no big deal, was really amazing.
Obviously I will still brag about my offspring. Joash made it through 8 hours out, characterized by eating in public restrooms, diaper changes and brief periods of play on cold floors, being held by three different strangers (three to him, two to us) and once when we weren't even around. He did get scared when I plopped down on one of those retractable theater seats, which meant that I spent most of the time in the lobby watching from the fourth floor window a little world culture festival happening in the courtyard. I think he was also a little overwhelmed by all the people. What a good weekend, though, for these Johnson gentlemen!
Joash has a moose addiction.
He started tucking his arms and hands up under things. Under his bed, under blankets, under the split in the booth at Taco Bell...sick.
Getting ready for TED, all matchy-matchy in his 40s attire.
I swear Joah's face always looks chubbier in pictures than it seems to in real life. I don't mind at all.
Johnny getting set up. Photos by Dan (because I was in the bathroom with the baby).
Stage lights. Photos by Dan.
Backstage with one of his strangers, a performer in hanbok (traditional dress). We were tuning our instruments, and I was playing clarinet while holding a baby (I'm awesome and starting to realize why my mom always arm wrestled so well), so she offered to help. Then she fanned him because he was a little hot. He and his post-hat Charlie Brown baldness liked it lots. Whenever I get him back from a lovely Korean lady, he is always slightly perfumed. It is one of my life's wishes to smell good like that, but I always fail and end up smelling like a teenage girl.
Jungyoon is one of the event organizers. She is also Johnny's girlfriend. She introduced Dan.
Talking about being driven to know others and to be known by them (a theme adapted from Galatians 4) and using music as a tool to achieve those things.
He orates with his hands.
Singing two of our songs to close out Dan's talk. Photos by Sally.
Another of Joah's strangers and one of Dan's co-workers, Elizabeth held him when we were both on stage. Volunteers got a chance to speak during one of the sessions.
Photo wall.
Blurry, but that's okay. Sally, Dan, me (wearing a sleeping Joash, not just being horribly and awkwardly disfigured).
A better shot from Sally's phone. And this time with Soyeon.
Toy-bombed at dinnertime. It totally worked for as long as it took me to eat and then back to the bathroom with us.
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