Sunday was my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. I had forgotten completely, until my sister called me to remind me. My parents are not people who make a big fuss about their anniversary. As a matter of fact, I still to this day do not know how my parents met and trust me my sister have tried. We've plied my parents, relatives, and their friends with copious amounts of liquor with no results. When we were younger we thought my parents were spies. In my teen years, we thought my mom got knocked up by accident. All theories were crushed when one summer my parents left me and my sister in California with all the keys to the safety deposit box.
Because I am a brat, I left the following message on their answering machine. "Hola mis padres. ET#1 here. Happy Anniversary. I hope you are doing something special today, but I am sure you are just at church. What are you going to do with no Todai around? Well, at least try to get along today. I love you both ... equally as much."
(Todai is an all you can eat buffet my dad loves because 1) he can get the senior discount 2) it is sushi and other random asian foods. My mom is not a fan, but tolerates it.)
According to my sister, my parents spent the afternoon at their korean church. But instead of going out, they spent the rest of the day home. They cracked open a bottle of wine and grilled kalbi out on our porch.
3000 miles away, I imagine my dad starting the fire. My mom yelling at him that the fire is too high. Then the two of the crowding over the barbecue telling each other to move all the meat around properly. My mom gets smoke in her eyes so my dad yells at her to just sit down as he finishes grilling the meat. My mom runs into the kitchen to get a london broil because the fire is too good to waste. And the two of them eating outside with their wine laughing about something that happened at church or their favorite korean drama. I imagine that it got dark, but the two of them lingered outside until it was too cold for them to tolerate.
In my 32 years of knowing them, I never witnessed any romantic moments between the two. Hell, I have never seen sit on the same couch. The nicest thing my dad ever said about my mom was "You know, ET#1, you are lucky. Your mom is okay looking. When your boyfriends meet her, they know you will not be ugly in the future." Yet, despite all of their lack of romance, I know there has always been love (that is minus 1985-1988, but that is a story for another day).
Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad. Here's to 40 more years of insanity.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Another year older...
Here is a link to some photos from Saturday night's dinner and karaoke. It was so much fun that I actually stayed out past 2 am! Too bad I lost my voice the next day. I guess I am getting too old to party hard.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
This Just Seems Wrong
I came across this today and I can't believe that anyone would be willing to pay that much for a pair of plastic shoes. I remember when jellies were popular in the early 80's and I begged, BEGGED my mom to buy me a pair in the 4th grade. Instead of the pearly pink kind that I wanted, I ended up with opaque white ones that were (of course) on sale for about $5. They were, in retrospect, far cooler than the ones that everyone else was wearing out on the playground. It turns out that Marc Jacobs also has some out on the market that are about the same price as the Givenchy ones, but at least the MJ ones are cute...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Happy B-Day, Evil Twin #2
Dear Evil Twin #2,Happy Birthday. Hope you recovered from whatever debauchery occurred Saturday night.
Love,
ET#1
PS Power point is perhaps not the best art medium, but it is the only one I can manage.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I am smarter than you....
Partial record of a phone conversation on Saturday.
My sister: Hey your niece wants to talk to you. (She hands over her cell phone.)
Me: Hello? Hello, N?
My Niece: Hewo, Emo (that is Aunt in Korean). (In the background, I hear my mother saying "N, say 'congratualtions' say 'congratulations.') Congwatuwations, Emo.
Me: Thank you, N. That is very nice of you to say.
My Niece: Why am I saywing "congwatuwations?" (Your, Emo, is now a doctor, I hear my Mom yell.) You awre a dowctor, Emo? My daddy and his fwiends awre dwoctors.
Me: I am a different kind of doctor. I do not help people. I am like your teacher. Sometimes teachers are called doctor too.
My Niece: No.
Me: Yes.
My Niece: You are not a doctor like my Daddy.
Me: Correct. My doctorate just means that I am smarter than you. Ow! (My sister just hit me.)
My sister: Hey your niece wants to talk to you. (She hands over her cell phone.)
Me: Hello? Hello, N?
My Niece: Hewo, Emo (that is Aunt in Korean). (In the background, I hear my mother saying "N, say 'congratualtions' say 'congratulations.') Congwatuwations, Emo.
Me: Thank you, N. That is very nice of you to say.
My Niece: Why am I saywing "congwatuwations?" (Your, Emo, is now a doctor, I hear my Mom yell.) You awre a dowctor, Emo? My daddy and his fwiends awre dwoctors.
Me: I am a different kind of doctor. I do not help people. I am like your teacher. Sometimes teachers are called doctor too.
My Niece: No.
Me: Yes.
My Niece: You are not a doctor like my Daddy.
Me: Correct. My doctorate just means that I am smarter than you. Ow! (My sister just hit me.)
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
A great day
Some days are good, some days are bad and some are simply great. Today was a great day.
Yes, today was my birthday and by default a god given national holiday, but it was more than that. Normally, I week to a month before my birthday I like to send out reminders. "Don't forget about my special day April 2nd," the emails would read. This year, I decided to play it a little low key this year. Not because I dislike being 32, and not because I was trying to be coy. I was trying to be low key because quite frankly, I am freaking out about the fact that I am defending in less than 10 days.
6 am - Wake up. Eat Frosted mini-wheats. Go for a wog. Weather is a perfect 40-50 degrees, and sunny. Have a very hot shower, then crawl into bed.
9 am - Watch host chat on "Live with Regis and Kelly."
9:15 am - Realize that I am never going to win a free vacation to Aruba from them.
10 am - Get a singing voice mail from my sister. Yes, I am obnoxious, but I like the "Happy Birthday" song. As I am listening, I get a message from the all elusive Manolo. Hugs and kisses to you too, Baby.
10:15 am - Go online and read all my messages. I love it when my mailbox is NOT empty. You see unlike you all who have real jobs and emails have become an unbearable burden, I don't have that problem. Continue to goof off online.
11:45 am - Finally, leave house and saunter to school. When I walk in to the lab V shouts Happy Birthday.
12:45 pm - Order a bacon burger from the Mission. It is made exactly right. Brioche bun is grilled and crispy on one side. Patty is a perfectly cooked medium and I get 5 strips of smoked applewood bacon instead of the normal 4. Also, came back with a good story. As I went to pay for my burger I saw three construction guys drinking SoCo and whiskey.
1:45 pm - Almost snarf the water in my mouth when I see incriminating photo sent to me by A.
I will skip afternoon activities because some of it involved me freaking out about my work and having an awkward conversation with my advisor.
5 pm - Sent off emails to people who may want to attend my defense.
6:30 pm - Leave lab with V. Debate night time activities. Decide to go to Intramural Softball game.
6:45 pm - Listen to more singing messages on my home number. Almost cry from laughter. Parents apparently have decided to play nice this year and did a joint message. (Some years they call separately and secretly, in a weird competitive need to be the better parent.)
8:20 pm - Am leaving apt. for the game which starts at 9:30pm. Run into my landlord. Tell him that I am defending and that I might want to throw a party at my apartment. Wanted to know if that would be okay. "Of course," he said. "Actually, why don't you have it at our place? We can get it catered and everything. Invite all your friends. Oh we would be so happy to do it." Then as we walked outside together, he said " You know I ran into CA (someone I went to high school with) and I told her what an amazing person you are. Oh and she say hi." I almost started crying right there. (And FYI, I cannot in good conscience make my elderly landlords throw me a party, but still...)
9:10 pm - I have been waiting for the bus for about half an hour. I am freezing. I see a guy with a bunch of Trader Joe bags. He definitely has had enough too. He tried to wave down a cab. I ask him if he wants to split one and he say yes. He did not realize that there was a cab stand across the street. He is so grateful, that he insists on paying the whole fare and does not take my money.
9:30 pm - Playing softball with the Dudley team. We have three good players. The undergrads we are playing are a bunch of very muscular boys, who actually know the rules of the game. We do not, nor do we have a captain. But we have spirit!
10:15 pm - I pitch for our team. We are losing 23-1 so it really does not matter. One of the boys send a smashing grounder into my ankle. Am about to cry because it hurts so much, but get to throw his ass out on First. Get high fives from the opposing team. Feeling like a huge studdette.
11:20 pm - Get home and get more emails. Yay! Some of these are from old profs, who now want to come to my defense. Am feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Start writing blog entry so every can share in my happy mood.
Thank you everyone who sent me lovely emails and phone messages, I have not stopped smiling all day. Thank you everyone who had no idea it was my birthday because you are awesome. And thank you all you random people who were just really nice to me today for no good reason.
Sorry I am so sappy, but it is still my day darn it. At least for another 6 minutes.
Yes, today was my birthday and by default a god given national holiday, but it was more than that. Normally, I week to a month before my birthday I like to send out reminders. "Don't forget about my special day April 2nd," the emails would read. This year, I decided to play it a little low key this year. Not because I dislike being 32, and not because I was trying to be coy. I was trying to be low key because quite frankly, I am freaking out about the fact that I am defending in less than 10 days.
6 am - Wake up. Eat Frosted mini-wheats. Go for a wog. Weather is a perfect 40-50 degrees, and sunny. Have a very hot shower, then crawl into bed.
9 am - Watch host chat on "Live with Regis and Kelly."
9:15 am - Realize that I am never going to win a free vacation to Aruba from them.
10 am - Get a singing voice mail from my sister. Yes, I am obnoxious, but I like the "Happy Birthday" song. As I am listening, I get a message from the all elusive Manolo. Hugs and kisses to you too, Baby.
10:15 am - Go online and read all my messages. I love it when my mailbox is NOT empty. You see unlike you all who have real jobs and emails have become an unbearable burden, I don't have that problem. Continue to goof off online.
11:45 am - Finally, leave house and saunter to school. When I walk in to the lab V shouts Happy Birthday.
12:45 pm - Order a bacon burger from the Mission. It is made exactly right. Brioche bun is grilled and crispy on one side. Patty is a perfectly cooked medium and I get 5 strips of smoked applewood bacon instead of the normal 4. Also, came back with a good story. As I went to pay for my burger I saw three construction guys drinking SoCo and whiskey.
1:45 pm - Almost snarf the water in my mouth when I see incriminating photo sent to me by A.
I will skip afternoon activities because some of it involved me freaking out about my work and having an awkward conversation with my advisor.
5 pm - Sent off emails to people who may want to attend my defense.
6:30 pm - Leave lab with V. Debate night time activities. Decide to go to Intramural Softball game.
6:45 pm - Listen to more singing messages on my home number. Almost cry from laughter. Parents apparently have decided to play nice this year and did a joint message. (Some years they call separately and secretly, in a weird competitive need to be the better parent.)
8:20 pm - Am leaving apt. for the game which starts at 9:30pm. Run into my landlord. Tell him that I am defending and that I might want to throw a party at my apartment. Wanted to know if that would be okay. "Of course," he said. "Actually, why don't you have it at our place? We can get it catered and everything. Invite all your friends. Oh we would be so happy to do it." Then as we walked outside together, he said " You know I ran into CA (someone I went to high school with) and I told her what an amazing person you are. Oh and she say hi." I almost started crying right there. (And FYI, I cannot in good conscience make my elderly landlords throw me a party, but still...)
9:10 pm - I have been waiting for the bus for about half an hour. I am freezing. I see a guy with a bunch of Trader Joe bags. He definitely has had enough too. He tried to wave down a cab. I ask him if he wants to split one and he say yes. He did not realize that there was a cab stand across the street. He is so grateful, that he insists on paying the whole fare and does not take my money.
9:30 pm - Playing softball with the Dudley team. We have three good players. The undergrads we are playing are a bunch of very muscular boys, who actually know the rules of the game. We do not, nor do we have a captain. But we have spirit!
10:15 pm - I pitch for our team. We are losing 23-1 so it really does not matter. One of the boys send a smashing grounder into my ankle. Am about to cry because it hurts so much, but get to throw his ass out on First. Get high fives from the opposing team. Feeling like a huge studdette.
11:20 pm - Get home and get more emails. Yay! Some of these are from old profs, who now want to come to my defense. Am feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Start writing blog entry so every can share in my happy mood.
Thank you everyone who sent me lovely emails and phone messages, I have not stopped smiling all day. Thank you everyone who had no idea it was my birthday because you are awesome. And thank you all you random people who were just really nice to me today for no good reason.
Sorry I am so sappy, but it is still my day darn it. At least for another 6 minutes.
Happy Birthday!!
Today is Evil Twin #1's birthday. She is 29 years young, with 3 years of experience! I think it would make her day if we all called her and sang Happy Birthday on her voicemail...
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