Am I A Smug Married?

I haven't been married long, but I'm already starting to feel distance from some of the single people I come across. It's too easy for me to trivialize their trials and tribulations, which is wrong of me to do, especially since I lived the drama of a single girl not so long ago. In retrospect, I made a lot of foolish choices and had some really silly and over-romanticized notions bouncing around in my head as a single woman. When I think about the ridiculous ideals I chased around, it makes me wonder how my family and friends didn't want to bonk me up side the head... It's amazing I got married at all actually.

But enough about me. Let's talk about some examples of foolish behavior I've witnessed in the past couple weeks:

1) Emotional Porn: Have you seen the movie "The Holiday"? I'll admit, I jumped at the chance to see this chick flick as soon as Shane was out of town on a job interview. It was a cute movie, but the theater was predictably FULL of women. And such silly giggly women!!!! Every time Jude Law came on screen, or said something sentimental, you heard an audible sigh. And when Law's character professed his love for Cameron Diaz's character, a female movie-goer actual squealed, "Oh baby!"

I think I laughed more at womens' reactions than at the movie itself. I don't remember getting so caught up in these kinds of movies, but maybe I did back in the day? Hugh Grant's bumbling charm and floppy hair in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" comes to mind.

2) Eye Candy v. Good Personality: SK and I went to a holiday party this weekend hosted by one of the residents in his department. Conversation inevitably turned to "which doctor/attending in the department do you think is attractive"? I was frankly disappointed by their choices.

One doctor they named looks like a model, wears perfectly tailored suits, and has a slight British accent. And sure he's very sociable and friendly, but he's also incapable of having a meaningful and sincere conversation! He actually greets people by smiling, pointing and and saying your name. CHEESY! Another doctor they named is charming, but I know from personal experience that this charm is a facade.

Granted, this was party conversation, so they probably weren't being very serious, but I did get the sense that these were the doctors they liked the most. They kept talking about how "nice" they were, but it seemed clear the girls were just bamboozled by their outside appearance and charm! Was I so easily charmed by eye candy? SK was so disgusted, he actually left the conversation in a huff.

I don't want to be a smug married person (like in Bridge Jones Diary), but I guess now that I'm married, I've learned one big lesson: LOOKS MEAN NOTHING. I heard this a million times when I was a singleton from those who were older, wiser, and married, but it didn't really hit home until I myself was hitched.

When I first met SK, I thought he was cute, but what made our first blind date memorable was the ease I felt around him and the constant flow of conversation. And now, SK's appearance hasn't changed much, but when I look at him, I don't even notice what he looks like. Or rather, I see my husband, but love him for such more more than just his physical appearance. I still love him, even when he's just woken up, hair amuck, thick glasses on (he calls them his "birth control" glasses; meaning, they're so ugly....), and morning breath raging. It's an amazing thing.

Warning! Sad Post

Warning... this is going to be a sad, contemplative post.

I love talking to my sister about my niece's cute antics and funny stories. Even her misbehavior and poopy and pee stories are enjoyable. While I look forward to having funny stories of my own to tell, two specific events in the past week or so have impressed upon me the tenuousness of life, the grave responsibility of raising children, and the bumps and sorrows that parenthood might also bring. When you open yourself up to unconditional love, you also become unimaginably vulnerable.

Kim Family of San Francisco
The biggest story out on the West Coast right now is the story of the Kim family -- James and Kati Kim -- from San Francisco. SK and I first read a front page newspaper story about the missing family of four (Korean-american dad, Caucasian wife, and two young girls, 4 years and 7-mos. old) when we visited Portland, OR this past weekend. Since then, SK and I have been following the developments as search and rescue teams looked for the beautiful young family who were taking a nice family vacation from Seattle to San Francisco over the Thanksgiving holiday. I've been incredibly moved to see the brave mother protecting and feeding her young children and keeping them warm. My heart reached out to the resourceful father (with the too-familiar Korean-American face) who ventured out in the cold wilderness to find help.

Unfortunately, if you've been following the story, you'll know that the dad got lost in the rugged Oregon woods and died while trying to get help. This family could easily be us in the near future or my sister's family! The elements are all too familiar: Young family. Cute kids. Family road trip. Naively venturing out in bad weather. I told SK last night that if we were ever in that situation, I wasn't going to let him leave our side, that we were going to stay put and together as a family unit until help came to us!

Prayers for Matthew
So, do you remember my happy little blog from a month ago about our outing to the suburbs where we carved pumpkins, played with kids and enjoyed a big family dinner? One of the little boys, Matthew (the boy who commented about SK's remarkable eating capacity), has had a brain tumor. It was a pre-existing condition and he was recently undergoing radiation treatment. When we saw him in October, SK and I noticed that his motor skills and speaking ability were significantly handicapped since we last saw him in May. Part of the reason we have these family dinners and outings is to to maintain a sense of normalcy and have Matthew enjoy himself.

Unfortunately, the doctors discovered last week that despite the treatment, the tumor continues to grow and a large cyst surrounds the tumor. Last night, eight-year-old Matthew was in surgery to have the cyst drained and the tumor removed. The tumor is much bigger than originally thought and while the surgeon tried to remove as much of the necrotic mass as possible, the prognosis is not good.

This has been unbearably difficult for Matthew's parents and the tragic turn of events has even taken a toll on his 3-year-old brother (who doesn't understand all of what is going on, but has expressed that he is scared for his older brother).

I'm overly emotional these days anyway from my pregnancy, so whenever I think about this family, I struggle to hold back tears... Here are some prayer requests from the family:

1) Matthew would be protected from any type of virus or bacteria while at the hospital and after his surgery. Matthews immune system is weakened from the Decadron (anti-inflammatory medication) and radiation so he is more susceptible for infection.
2) Strength and energy for the parents and other family members.
3) For a miraculous healing of Matthew from the brain tumor and that the cysts would start to drain. Pray that the hands of Dr. Edwards would be moved to get most of the dead necrotic tissue and spare all of the healthy tissue.
4) Pray that Matthew's balance and fine motor control would eventually be restored. That he would have a quick recovery from surgery. He will be in the ICU for at least 2-3 days. The fear is Matthew may have difficulty weaning from the ventilator. His body temperature will be cooled for the surgery so this will also make the recovery process more difficult.

Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as were are yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence ... that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

John 15:7 If you abide in Me and My words abide in you ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you.

Vegas Baby!

This past weekend, SK and I went to Las Vegas for one of his medical conferences. It's probably one of the last trips that I'll be taking via airplane for quite awhile, so I tried to enjoy it as much as possible, even though Vegas isn't really my scene. Am I too old to have a "scene"? Probably. But you get my drift.

First of all -- what a nerd fest! Eye docs and technicians everywhere! I must say the Japanese docs looked the dorkiest with their 90-degree bows coupled with "Hai! Moshi moshi!" I wandered the exhibition hall and picked up a bag full of free contact lens solution and refreshing drops samples! Score! Unfortunately, every other exhibitor was selling surgical tools so that meant it was impossible to avoid seeing disgusting videos of eye surgeries everywhere plastered on large plasma screens. Blech! Here are some other high notes and low points of the weekend:

Highlights:

Spa Day -- Besides surrounding myself with a bunch of over-educated eye nerds, I spent all day Saturday at the spa with the fiance of another eye doc. The spa also had a sauna and whirlpool but I couldn't partake in my pregnant state even though my achy feet and legs could have used the therapy. I was really exhausted from spending all day Friday walking around exploring, so I ended up falling asleep in the middle of both of my treatments. If you're ever in Vegas anytime soon, check out Canyon Ranch SpaClub.

Cirque du Soleil -- Someone generously donated some free tickets to SK and a few other eye docs, so a few of us went to the new Beatles LOVE show. Initially, when SK told me we were going, I thought it was a little dorky. Surely, we would rather seek out the latest night club/lounge (after all Nick Lachey and Co. were rumored to be in Vegas that weekend). But I'm glad we went, because it was actually a terrific performance. The dancers/acrobats were amazing and the music was great (Beatles songs!). I couldn't resist singing along to the songs I recognized. Here's a picture of SK and me with some of the Cirque du Soleil ushers dressed in Beatles-inspired costume.

Wynn Hotel & Casino -- We only went to an alumni event there, but even walking through the casino floor felt a little classier -- muted noises from the slot machines and a floor-layout that was not as cramped as other casinos we had been in. We ended the night at a nightclub/lounge in the Wynn called Tryst. It's quite a dramatic set-up with a large dance floor that opens up to an open-air area with waterfall and pool. The night we went was 70's/80's/90's night w/ all our favorite songs, so we couldn't resist getting out on the dance floor and boogie-ing. I bet I looked funny gettin' on down w/ my big ol' belly!!

Lowlights:

Leg & Foot Swelling -- My pregnancy weight gain is starting to have an effect on my legs and feet. Walking around for long periods of time really takes its toll on my legs. I used to wear heels around New York all day and all night long and still be fine, but now even with comfortable flats, my legs feel like a pair of wooden logs after a couple hours.

Overexposed boobage and muffin top -- Why oh why? Since when have bustiers become appropriate evening wear? So cheesy! There was too much of this kind of dressing in Las Vegas where womens' breasts were squished together and 3/4 of their mammary gland was hangin' out. And most of the time, the ladies did NOT have figures to justify such dressing -- meaning they were usually 5 lb. sausages packed into 2 lb. bags (to borrow a saying from my brother-in-law). Also, if you don't know what "muffin top" is, that's when ladies are wearing tight low-riders and shirts that don't quite cover their mid-section, resulting in stomachs flopping out over the top of their pants. There was a lot of this unfortunate phenomenon happening in Vegas. There's nothing wrong with the low-rider look, or even a little bit of pudge poking out. But my friends, this was egregious amounts of flesh -- try the next size up or wear longer shirts!

Sensory overload -- Vegas is just too much... Too much noise, light, people, etc. From the moment we stepped off the plane, it felt like controlled chaos. The airport was packed like Kimpo airport circa 1980, with the added noise of slot machines and airport announcements. Then the strip and casinos were another story. The people who design the layout of Ikea must be the same folks who design casino floors. I was always getting lost and walking around in circles. By the second day, I gave myself at least a 20 minute padding to get myself anywhere, just in case I got lost. I'm sure the casinos do this on purpose so guests end up being tempted by the different games, stores and restaurants. By the time Sunday afternoon came around, I was exhausted. I put my head down after lunch for a little nap, and didn't wake up until dinner.

Pumpkins & Halloween

Last weekend, after another dismal Eagles game, SK and I drove out to the East Bay (Concord/Walnut Creek) to spend time with some new friends. The friends are probably ten years older than us and already have established families -- one family with four kids and another with two. The kids ranged in age from 12 to 2 1/2 months and called us auntie J and uncle S. For SK and me, it was kinda like being adopted into their families. It was also a time to practice being around kids and acting parental.

It was a beautiful day, so we packed up the kids and went to a random pumpkin "patch" -- which turned out to be a dirt covered corner with well-placed scare-crows, hay bales, and of course, pumpkins of all sizes and shapes. There were also some random farm animals which everyone was allowed to pet - rabbits, goats, pigs, chickens and ducks. It was random but still kinda fun.

And then it was back home to carve the pumpkins we so carefully chose. It had been awhile since I carved a pumpkin, but it was fun to get your hands all dirty and generally just make a big mess. We were quite proud of our finished product.

Finally, we had a giant family dinner at a place called "Claim Jumper". I guess they only have these places on the West Coast, but basically, it reminded me of a cross between Sizzler and Cheesecake Factory -- steak house w/ a big varied menu and HUGE portions. SK got a large plate of chicken and biscuits and all I could think about was clogged arteries. SK dove in and ate almost all of it. When SK finished it, the little five-year-old boy sitting next to him declared, "You make me feel sick." Ha ha ha! The next night, I made sure to fix a healthy dinner.

Speaking of not eating v. healthy... Halloween day at work was not full of many healthy eating options. I contributed by bringing in some homemade eyeball cupcakes. I tried to make them diseased looking since I figured the eye doctors I work with would appreciate it.

Long Overdue Update

So it's been pointed out that I haven't posted in awhile. But between a new job, a number of out-of-town visitors, and weekend activities, it's been tough. Update blog or do laundry that has been piling up for 3 weeks? Post entry or chase around dust bunnies in apartment the size of...well, bunnies? The busy-ness has mostly been of the fun variety (since SK and I are trying to fit in as much FUN before the baby as possible), but we're also really tired. Sometimes, we miss the days when we just vegged out with a good movie rental or a re-run of Law & Order SVU.

Old Friend My college friend HH (also one of my bridesmaids) visited a month ago. In college, we bonded over hummus and crackers in the dead of winter during sophomore year, stank up the dorms with our Korean food cooking, and had pseudo-intellectual conversations which in reality was nothing more than us throwing big words around and talking in circles. We had a good time exploring SF sights and catching up. I was able to tell her about my pregnancy in person and it was kinda fun to see the shock on her face!

We were generally pretty silly together for most of the day. We had lunch, explored one of SF's many independent bookstores (not many B&Ns or Borders here), and drooled over yummy gourmet foods in the Ferry Building. Here's a picture of me satisfying a pregnant-woman-cheese craving.

And below is a picture of me trying to take a picture of HH at the Ferry Building in front of a beautiful florist stand. We were "pretending" to be cheesy tourists. I think you can see the beginnings of a pregnant belly here. New job
I started working at UCSF about 3 weeks ago and so far so good. Of course, there are the office oddballs (including someone who reminds me a bit of the stapler guy from Office Space) but almost every office has THAT guy. Otherwise, perks of the job include seeing my hubby almost every day, a great view of the Pacific Ocean from my office, and a boss who is a genius (his mind works at warp speeds) but also a genuinely nice person.

Eagles in SF
SK bought a large block of tickets for the Eagles v. 49ers game several weeks ago. Our cousin PJ flew in from San Diego, and some friends flew in from NYC and PHL. I played tour guide to our very laid back cousin who I'm just getting to know as an adult. I've only known him as my little cousin -- not so little anymore (see left)! At any rate, the game was a very good time, especially since we steamrolled over the Niners and there were a lot of Eagles fans in attendance. I'll post more pics from the game in another post.

The Blue Angels
This was an amazing air show. I had seen and heard (the roar of a fighter plane is deafening) the F-18's flying overhead during the week, but to see them perform a choreographed routine was truly a treat. We staked out a spot on Crissy Field (which is actually a beach) with a picnic lunch, a view of the Bay, sailboats bobbing up and down and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

The first time I saw theF-18s fly overhead in tight formation, I got a lump in my throat and felt tears coming to my eyes. I guess I was just awed by the power and grace of these amazing machines. And I suppose it had something to do with pregnancy hormones.

We tried to take some pictures, but honestly, pictures and fighter planes do not go well together. They fly too fast! And also, pictures don't capture the sound and speed generated by these beasts.

Weekend in PHL
Last but not least, SK and I took a quick trip to Philly for my parents' 60th birthday celebration. Once we got to Philly, it was like we never left. Driving around made me realize how uniquely beautiful the PHL-suburban area really is -- lots of lush greenery, rolling hills everywhere, winding roads, and beautiful traditional homes.

RBK, EMK and I got a chance to just veg-out girlie style, eat some really bad for you ice cream, sit around in our PJs on a bed and just be silly. I realized that when we hang out, we don't really do or talk about anything in particular, but somehow it's still fun.

It was great to see my entire family, hang out with the sisters, and see lil' GMK. The birthday dinner we planned for my parents went well and I think they had a good time. But the real star of the dinner (and really of the whole weekend), was GMK! All eyes were on GMK and all her little antics. Here's GMK as a good, clean, angel:And here's a picture of GMK as dirty, lil' piggy, feasting on a meal of buttered noodles:

Does Size Matter?

I found out this week that a marketing/admin job opened up in SK's department at the hospital and the doctor said he'd be happy to have me on board. I'm feeling especially blessed because they're willing to hire me even though I'll have to quit in January before the baby arrives. But also because I'll be working at an office a five minute walk from our apartment. Also, I'll be working in a hospital so, should I go into labor while at work, I'll only need to be carted off in a wheelchair to another part of the building!

So, with the news of my new job, I started thinking about what I was going to wear. I have tons of work clothes, but only for a non-pregnant body. I also have some maternity wear, generously donated by RBK, but some of it might be too casual for the office. I've actually started wearing some of the pants just because the elastic waistbands are so comfy! Hee hee!

Anyway, I went to a few maternity boutiques yesterday to try on some clothes and was pretty disappointed. Besides Target, the clothing was pretty overpriced and ill-fitting. At Target, they had a few cute items in the Liz Lange line that were really well-priced, but not a lot of options and nothing in my exact size. Frustration!!! I even went to two different Targets.

Finally at the most expensive boutique I visited yesterday, I asked the salesgirls for help since the sizing varied wildly from brand to brand. When I told the two salesgirls when I was due, they both looked at me wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Both of them were pregnant also, and one of them had a due date a couple weeks earlier than mine. But she was MUCH bigger than me! Her belly was nice and round, like a cute little basketball. On the other hand, my belly looks like I've just been eating too much pizza or digging into too many late-night pints of Haagen Daaz. I think I might have belly envy.

I know everyone carries their baby differently, but I do have a small seed of doubt in the back of my mind. What if my baby isn't growing fast enough? And am I ever going to get big? I just didn't fill out most of the pregnancy clothes I tried on.

On a good note, I'm feeling very healthy these days. I realized that I was really tired during my first trimester. These days, I feel full of energy from the moment I get up in the morning. It's great!

Family Visit

RBK, lil' GMK, KCK and my mom visited last week. I had so much fun just hanging out with them, even though it was tiring. One thing that really struck me, especially with the news of my own pregnancy, was how life really switches focuses once you have a child. I'm feeling that more intensely these days and mentally preparing for it. Doing anything and going anywhere with a child is a bigger production, even a trip to the store. It was tiring for everyone keeping up with GMK during the week. By weeks end, I was especially appreciative of my sis for making the long trek out to Cali.

But oh, the joys that babies bring! It was amazing to see GMK toddling around and learning to talk. She is like a little sponge, just absorbing everything in around her. It's amazing to me that she's reached the stage where she expresses her likes/dislikes and preferences.

For example, at the dinner table, she practically knows how to order her own dinner. Blueberries? Yes. Green beans? No, but please pass the milk. She communicates through her baby signing, vigorous nods and body shakes of course.

It's also amazing to me that I'm going to have my own version of GMK so soon!

All in all, it was a great visit. You can read more about it at RBK's blog.

SURPRISE!

i'm preggers!

sk and i were not planning on having a baby this year, but i guess it was just meant to be. we call the baby our "love child".

we're both still in shock since, not only were we surprised by the pregnancy, but how far along we are in the process! apparently, i've been pregnant for quite a while and the baby will be here much sooner than we could have ever imagined! sk and i went to see the OB/GYN on wednesday and afterwards, we were both in a daze.

how is it possible that i didn't know i was preggers? i feel rather stupid for not really knowing my body better, but there are LOGICAL reasons for why i've been so clueless. long story...

anyway, sk and i are both elated and excited about the little one on the way. but really, we're still in shock.

i love otters

sk and i went down to Monterey for the weekend. while we were there, we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium and saw the cutest little sea otters. i guess these otters are native to the waters near Monterey. Here's a picture of an otter just swimmin' on its back and munching on some lunch. so cute! this picture does not do them any justice, but it was the best we could do through the plexiglass display window.

it was a beautiful, intelligently-designed aquarium -- much better than the one in Baltimore -- and perfect for families with kids. i think as an adult, i can fully appreciate museums while when i was a kid, i'd inevitably be bored out of my mind! there were a ton of kids at this aquarium and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. sk and i were oohing and ahhing right next to them.

the Monterey Bay itself must be some kind of wildlife sanctuary, because there was quite the variety of wildlife just out in the open. just peering into the water, you could see starfish latched onto rocks in shallow water, tons of different kinds of birds, and seals just lazing about in the open right next to the aquarium. it was pretty cool.

the other cool part of our trip was just driving around the coast. for you golfers out there, Monterey is also home to world famous Pebble Beach, as well as at least a dozen beautifully groomed public golf courses. sk was practically drooling on the car window as we passed by all the perfectly-manicured greens.

i was drooling over the multi-million-dollar estates/houses that were built on the golf course, overlooking the ocean. we checked the real estate prices, just for fun, and saw that the range went from about $1.5 million (for a 2 bedroom cottage) to $22 million (and up). gee, just in our price range!

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less than one week until GMK and co. visit us in San Fran! i'm pretty excited to see my family! woohoo!

Labor Day Shmabor Day

I don't see what the big deal is about Labor Day. Especially now that I'm not working. Although, it'll be nice to have SK around for another extra day during the week. I suspect however that he has a fantasy football draft on Monday....

We're leaving tonight for a short trip to Monterey. We hope to see lots of sea lions and fishies at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We sure do seem to be into sea wildlife these days, huh? I guess that's kinda strange.

Speaking of labor, I'm in the midst of a job search. I'm in this weird situation because we don't know where we're going to be in a year. So, do I just take any old job and quit when SK is done with his fellowship? If I'm going to be working at all, I'd rather take a job that I won't be bored with. Otherwise, I'd rather sit at home and be bored.

Here's a picture from our wedding reception. This is during our first dance. We had practiced the foxtrot to a Sinatra song for months. We even took a series of dance lessons (which cost a pretty penny). But when all eyes were on us, we forgot all the little details and finesse we had worked so hard on, and just slogged through the dance. SK was quaking like a leaf and I kept whispering to him, "Calm down, you're doing fine."

People said it turned out great, but we were just happy to have gotten through it without tripping over ourselves and being candidates for "America's Funniest Home Videos".


Happy Labor Day to my small but devoted group of readers!

Weekend Report

SK and I devoted Friday evening to Eagles football. We watched the football game and then headed over to the multiplex to watch Invincible. I was pleasantly surprised and I genuinely got caught up in Vince Papale's story. A small group of Eagles fans wearing jerseys and other paraphenelia was there being loud and obnoxious -- it made me miss Philly. They kept shouting at the movie and making funny comments. In a weird way, it made me proud to be a Philadelphian.

Afterwards, we went to an old-fashioned retro diner and had a milkshake and apple pie. Overall it was a very nice evening and I didn't feel widowed at all.












These are some pics from a daytrip to Point Reyes National Seashore with our friends BL/JL. As you can see, the weather was a little overcast, so no sunbathing for us, but we managed to have fun anyway. We visited a lighthouse and decided that it would be a lonely job to be a lighthouse keeper. And SK inspected the inside of a foghorn.

The highlight of our trip was probably the seal sighting. They were pretty far away from where we were standing, but we could hear them barking -- Ark! Ark! Ark! We did our best to imitate them and see if they turned to look at us, but no dice.

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Last but not least, SK and I had our first dinner party. It wasn't a big deal and we didn't go all fancy or anything (only had three friends over), but we both remarked at the end of the night, how nice it was to have our apartment filled with conversation and laughter. Our apartment is usually cold (unless we turn the heaters on), but the whole place was nice and cozy from the body heat of five people and the smell of good food.

Fan Death

My mom would always come in and turn the fan off on hot summer nights. It used to annoy me and I don't remember if she really explained why, except for some vague reason about it not being good for me... but maybe it had something to do with this weird urban legend:

From Wikipedia (free online encyclopedia):
Fan death is an urban legend that originated in South Korea, but has since spread to other countries in the Far East. The belief is that an electric fan, if left running overnight in a closed room, can result in the death (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia) of those inside. This belief also extends to air conditioners and the fans in cars. When the air conditioner or fan is on in a car, some people are apt to leave their car windows open a crack to avoid "fan death." Fans manufactured and sold in Korea are equipped with a timer switch that turns them off after a set number of minutes, which users are frequently urged to set when going to sleep with a fan on.

Who knew?

From Our Honeymoon....

Here's a couple random picures from our honeymoon.

We took this on the island of Capri, on it's highest point. I can't remember the name of the mountain (or peak), but we took these little chairs that were much like the lifts at ski resorts, except they were solo. So instead of hiking up, you just rode up to the top in this funny little ride. We were treated to some amazing views.

What we most liked about the top o' the mountain however was that it was so quiet and uncrowded. The town of Capri itself (in the picture behind us) is a humongous tourist trap and we were beginning to feeling like mindless lemmings that were following each other off a cliff. Once you get on the island, you're basically trapped with the other thousands of tourists that are visiting for the day, and they made you overpay for everything, include 1 euro for use of the bathroom.














Here's another picture from a museum in Rome. This is a humongous statue of Marcus Aurelius by Michaelangelo. See how small SK is? This is the same Marcus Aurelius from the movie Gladiator -- the great and noble emperor who Maximus (Russell Crowe) looks up to and was to succeed, until the evil son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) murders him. Yes, these people actually existed...I think. At least, I know Marcus Aurelius and Commodus existed.

It's sad that the extent of my Roman history knowledge comes from a Hollywood movie, but at least it was a good movie. More pics later....

Preparing for Football Widowhood

It's not yet the end of August, but I'm bracing myself for the oncoming football season when I will witness my new hubbie get sucked into the wild, wooly, world of the Great American Gridiron. I knew before we got married that he was a HUGE football fan and I've already been through one football season with him, so I know what to expect. Here's what I'm bracing myself for:

• Sundays after church will be largely devoted to watching football;
• intermittant fiddling with his TWO fantasy football teams;
• wild mood swings depending on the performance of his beloved Eagles;
• embarassing outbursts of Eagles pride in public places, including renditions of the Eagles song (perhaps even some solo performances in a town full of 49ers fans).

Already, this weekend will involve two football related activities. Friday night we'll be going to see Invincible, the Vince Papale movie. He's been looking forward to this movie since we saw the trailer before Superman Returns -- he got so excited during the trailer, I thought he was going to stand up and shout "E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!" with all the hand motions. I had to semi-restrain him. And then Saturday morning will be devoted to the draft for one of his fantasy leagues. I think I may have to leave the house that morning.

I was expecting this, but I was hoping that it might be a bit subdued now that we're married. I'll have to wait and see. I expressed my concern of being widowed (especially since we now live far from my own friends), and his reply was, "It's ONLY 4 months out of the year!" I can laugh at his comment now, but when he pointed that out to me, it actually only made me more upset. ONLY 4 months?

Lazy Weekend

SK and I had a really lazy weekend. He was on call so we couldn't really stray far from home. It was a crappy weekend in terms of the weather anyway (it is seriously cold outside), so it was a good couple days to just stay in.

We watched a lot of the PGA championship on TV. Tiger Woods is amazing. He just wiped his goong-daeng-ee with everyone else's score cards. Inspired, SK and I went to the driving range twice over the weekend. I still suck and need to get some lessons.

SK and I are both quite happy to have found this driving range/golf course within a five minute drive of our apartment. The course is public, but it's pretty darn nice (newly renovated) and fairly affordable. Once I get good enough, I might give it a try.

Owing to the bad weather, we saw two movies this weekend -- Miami Vice at the theater and V for Vendetta on DVD. Miami Vice was okay, a video rental. SK and I both are big Michael Mann fans (director of Heat and Collateral), and while it was still in his signature striking cinematic style (dark, dazzling), poor performances from Colin Farrell and Gong Li really hurt the film. They play lovers and their relationship is totally unbelievable since they have absolutely zero chemistry. Also Colin Farrell looks bad in this movie. He's sporting too much facial hair and looks bloated.

V for Vendetta was a better movie. Very interesting. Done by the Wachovski (spelling?) brothers of Matrix fame. It has a political message to it of course, and you don't even get to see the main character's face, but I thought it was well done, even though Natalie Portman's British accent was a little off. Made me want to read the comic series. However, as a warning, it's fairly violent and is a dark interpretation of the future. Even when the good guys win, it's not all roses and sunshine.

Tagged!

This wasn't as easy or as fun as I thought it was going to be. It was too hard to whittle my choice down to ONE book. And pasting the pictures of the book covers is annoying. Computer whiz I am not.

One Book...
That Changed Your Life:

The Chronicles of Narnia. I was kinda scared of reading this book, since it had to do with an evil witch, a big friendly lion getting killed and kids my age going to battle and getting hurt. But it was the first book that made me realize that there was more going on than just the surface plot, i.e. the symbolism of Aslan, the old ways, and the Christian allegory that is weaved throughout. I recently realized what a big impact this book had on my life when I saw the movie and all my childhood heroes/heroines came to life. I couldn't stop myself from crying.

That You've Read More Than Once: ??? Many. As an English major in college, you kinda have to reread books and take them apart. There were a lot of books that I read when I was younger and then revisited as an adult. In junior high school/high school I liked re-reading Jane Eyre, because I could identify with the nerdy, quiet, plain-Jane main character and dreamed of a romantic Mr. Rochester who had the perspicacity to recognize Jane's inner beauty. Most recently, I reread The DaVinci Code because I wanted a vacation from my non-fiction book. It's not as exciting the second time around.

You'd Want On a Deserted Island: Just one book? Uh, I guess the Bible, but then I would reference books with me too. I find this impossible to answer.

That Made You Laugh: Lots. Even my last book, an autobiography of Katherine Graham, made me laugh. She tells a story of a how a Nixon government official who hated her after the Watergate story broke threatened to put her boobs through a laundry wringer if she purused the story any further. Somehow this quote was leaked to the public and some sympathetic reader who happened to be a dentist sent her a miniature breast and laundry wringer made of gold (used for fillings). She of course gave her editors and reporters at the Washington Post the green light to continue with the Watergate story and she wore these golden figurines as little charms on a necklace around her neck. TRUE STORY!

Some other books that made me laugh: Bridge Jones' Diary, Empire Falls (more of a chuckle-inducer rather than a gut-shaking laugh), Fever Pitch, Harry Potter books

That Made You Cry: I don't know why but books don't make me cry for some reason. A totally different story with movies -- just ask SK or anyone in my family. This book is the closest I got to crying. Oh and of course the Bible. Sometimes, I cry when I read certain Bible verses.

You Wish You Had Written: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I know the subject matter is a little gross, but the man was a genius and beautiful writer and I just wish I had his brain power. There would be societies formed to discuss my work! Also, I could reap the modest benefits of the movies that were produced based on this book. Or I wish I had written Pale Fire, also by Nabokov.

or

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I wish I could write like him. I wish I got to write about all the cool things he writes about. I wish I had his job.

That You Wish Had Never Been Written: Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I don't know why but I find this book annoying.

That You're Currently Reading: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susannah Clarke. So far so good. I'm about two-thirds through and while parts of it are creepy, there are a lot of moving parts that I hope come together by the end of the book.

That You've Been Meaning to Read: The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro

That You Haven't Been Able to Get Through No Matter How Many Times You've Started It: Anna Karenina. Something about all those Russian names gets me discombobulated and eventually bored....

Reading

I spent a few lazy hours this morning reading my latest book, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I'm not exactly a sci-fi/fantasy geek, but I do like some of the genre. Truth be told, I'll read just about anything. The book is along the lines of Harry Potter, Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, etc. -- except a little bit more adult and moves a little slower. But I have faith that the author is just setting everything up in the first quarter of the book and things will soon all fall into place. This is the type of book where the author kinda creates an entire universe (like in Lord of the Rings) with all sorts of random footnotes and annotations.

So far, I like the book, but I just wish it would hurry up and get on with it. It's a little creepy because it has to do with magicians, but so far, the main characters are good (as opposed to evil) magicians. I could easily see Hollywood getting a whiff of this book and turning it into a movie.

I guess I just needed a change from my last book, "Personal History", an autobiography by Katherine Graham (former head of a media empire including the Washington Post, Newsweek, and various television stations). This is also a recommended read, although I found it interesting as a former reporter so I'm not sure if anyone else would be interested. I think it was on the NYT bestseller list for awhile when it was first released though. Here's a woman who led a very privileged life and hobnobbed with some of the most famous and powerful people of her time -- Kissinger, Kennedy, Truman Capote, Warren Buffett. She truly led a fascinating life. She talks about what it was like to be a powerful woman during a time when there were few women leaders. And while she remained devoted to her husband (who partly owed his position of power to her family's influence), the guy was an A1 jerk.

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I just wrote a paragraph on my systmatic way of reading the Sunday New York Times. When I reread it, I realized that I came off as a little obsessive/compulsive. So I erased it.

Anyway, the point I really wanted to make was that I would buy the Sunday Times for the magazine alone. Almost every article in this magazine is well-written and interesting. For journalists who write magazine articles, it is the creme-de-la-creme. Well... maybe it shares that spot with The New Yorker.

This week's cover story was on "microbesity and infectobesity". Basically, scientists are looking for other causes of obesity besides personal habits/dispositions (laziness, lack of motivation) and genetic causes (fat genes). Some scientists have found proof that microbes that live in your body (billions naturally colonize your body) may cause obesity in some people. Others are exploring the possibility that viruses could cause obesity. Interesting stuff.

Immediately after reading this article, I watched an episode of "Celebrity Fit Club" on MTV to dumb down my brain. It was a good balance.

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Lately, I've been missing my family. I can't wait for the holidays when we're reunited again under the same roof. I miss my dad and his drawn-out story-telling techniques. I miss how my mom cracks up at her own stories. I can't wait to see lil' GMK stumble around my parent's house like a little drunkard. And of course, I can't wait to have a "slumber party" with my sisters, piling into one bed and giggling in the dark. These days we have a new tradition of letting GMK pile in with us in the early morning. We create human borders so she doesn't tumble off the bed as she navigates the mountains of blanket and bodies (and whiffs of morning breath) created by her mom and aunties...

SoCal, Earthquakes, and Shamu

I haven't posted in awhile. We've had a series of out-of-town visitors so it's been keeping me busy. SK's sister was here for a week, hanging out around SF, vegging out and getting to know each other. It was nice to have company during the day, pick on SK together, and just veg out.

We even experienced my very first earthquake while she was visiting. It lasted all of 3 seconds and it felt like a large gust of wind was rattling our apartment building. My feet were propped up on our coffee table and I felt the whole table vibrate. Unfortunately, SK's sister missed the whole experience because she was lounging on the AeroBed and it must have absorbed the vibrations. I read in the paper the next day that the epicenter of the quake was in Sonoma County, more than an hour away, and measured a 4 on the Richter scale. No major damage, injuires or deaths. Whew.

We also took a weekend trip to SoCal (San Diego to be exact) to visit SK's grandmother. San Diego is a beautiful town with gorgeous weather. We wanted to take her out to do stuff around San Diego, so we went to SeaWorld. I really like SeaWorld, even though it's really sad to see those cute little dolphins, seals and majestic killer whales swimming around in their puddle-like tanks.

Before we left for San Diego, SK and I had been watching a BBC DVD series called Blue Planet about the vast underwater ecosystems. Yes, we are big nerds! But before you start pointing and laughing, you should try watching at least one of the discs (there are 4 discs in the series). It's amazing stuff.

For instance, the movie follows herds of killer whales as they hunt. I won't give away any details of the amazing footage the directors captured, but killer whales are cold and vicious hunters. There is a reason why they got their names! So, it seemed odd to us that the trainers at SeaWorld were depicting Shamu and fellow killer whales to be these cuddly, cute animals. I kept seeing the trainers diving into the tank with the whales and wondering when one of the animals would acquire a taste for wetsuit stuffed with Trainer Bob.

On the bright side, I really love dolphins. They are playful and SO smart. Blue Planet also captured some dolphin hunting techniques and they are just so clever! And they look like they're always having fun. If I were a deep sea animal, I would want to be a dolphin.

Thank you, thank you, thank you....

I'm struggling with my "thank you" notes from my wedding right now. Blech. I'm sick of them. I see the boxes of fresh, unopened boxes of thank you cards sitting on our coffee table just taunting me. Of course, I'm very grateful for all the gifts we received, but I'm just sick of writing them en masse. Yesterday, I broke a personal record by doing 25 in one day. And did I mention that I'm doing some of them in Korean? The Korean thank you notes take twice as long and my korean handwriting looks like a 6-year-old's. Oh well.

On another note, I'm really getting bored these days. Especially since the weather has turned back to being gray and in the 60's. We had some nice weather last week because it was a "heat wave". A San Francisco summer heat wave apparently means blue skies and 80 degree heat -- perfect weather! Of course, the heat wave had more serious consequences just a half hour outside the city where the temperature reached over 100 on a daily basis. Microclimates are weird.

I'm looking forward to the weekend (even though every day is like a weekend for me). We have a party to go to on Saturday in Sonoma and then visitors on Sunday and Monday. I get to play tour guide! There's supposed to be this cool walk in San Francisco where the trees are full of parrots!

Speaking of visitors, my sister RBK says she's coming to visit in September with her husband and GMK. I'm very excited! Woohoo!

Ikea, BB&B, etc.

We've been in San Francisco now for about 3 weeks and we're pretty much settled in. But this is only after a lot of elbow grease. The previous tenants left the apartment a mess, so we did a lot of cleaning, painting and even floor replacement. Why not let the landlord take care of this? She's been out of town for most of the month, and we couldn't bear to live in squalor, so we took care if ourselves.

The last room that needs an overhaul is the bedroom. At first we thought about painting the walls, but I don't think SK or I have the energy for it. So, all we really need is to put the bed together (as opposed to leaving the mattress and box spring on the floor) and buying a dresser.

On my trip to Ikea this morning, I was *this* close to just picking out a dresser and bringing it home. But I just wasn't sure if the dresser would match the bed frame (oak) and then I wasn't sure if anything would fit in the car. So, I came home empty-handed. I think SK will be disappointed. We're both sick of picking our clothes out of suitcases/boxes.

I don't know if you've been to Ikea recently, or even Bed Bath & Beyond, but the display designers are evil people. There's absolutely no rhyme or reason in the flow or organization of their furniture/product displays and you end up looking at all sorts of things that you could imagine in your home.... I always end up with more at BB&B than I came for. And today at Ikea, I was able to focus on dressers, but found myself making a mental checklist of items that I thought we might (but probably don't really) need in our place.

My sister EK was here to visit this weekend for a last minute vacation. It was great to see her and I hope she had a good time. We really had a packed weekend -- shopping, Fisherman's Wharf, Ferry Building, Napa, hiking, and even a Giants baseball game (thanks to a friend with some extra tix). We had some pretty awesome seats behind home plate and sat behind Barry Bond's family. Mrs. Bond was sporting some pretty serious bling.

Overall, we did some serious eating this weekend. Thai on Thursday, gourmet fast food at Taylor's on Friday, wine and cheese on Saturday, Korean food and garlic fries last night. One of the things that worries me about San Fran is that there is some really great food here -- which means some extra poundage for me. There's a diverse variety of restaurants (including some excellent Asian food) and the produce is just so good! All the fruits and veggies I buy at the market are fresh and delicious.

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On Sunday after church, SK and I went on a hike in Marin County with some of his co-workers. When we agreed to go on this hike, it was billed as a leisurely stroll through Muir Woods. But the parking lot was full and the shuttle was full, so on the suggestion of a stranger, we decided to try a more challenging course called the Dipsea Trail. Our leisurely stroll turned into a 7-plus mile hike, the first two miles of which was almost completely comprised of a series of steep wooden stairs. Another part of the trail was wiped out by a landslide so we had to pick our way across. Then there was the middle part of the trail that was called "Cardiac Hill"....

Our fearless leader (one of SK's co-workers) was clearly in shape and pressed on ahead, seemingly without regard for anyone's else's level of physical fitness. I was starting to get pretty bitter, especially since she was the only one wearing hiking shoes and well-equipped with nuts and a water bottle in a dorky hiking fanny pack. The rest of us were a rag tag group wearing sneaks, some in jeans, and SK carried our water bottles in a large plastic Bed Bath & Beyond bag slung over his shoulder like a sack.

But then we caught a view of the Pacific Ocean and the trail leveled out and ended at lovely Stinson Beach. And after a fresh meal at a local cafe, the bitterness washed away and the pain all seemed worth it.

Hello blogging world. I've just moved to San Francisco, home of fog in July, cable cars, the iconic red Bay Bridge, Ghiradelli chocolate, and that carbo-licious mealtime treat, Rice-a-roni.

I guess I'm starting this blog because 1) to record my observations of left coast living and 2) I’m bored. Until I get a job, I have a lot of free time on my hands. I've always wanted to live out West having spent all my life on the East Coast.

So far I like it, except that it's cold. I went to a dinner party on Sunday and learned there are 40 microclimates in the Bay Area. Which means that when we went to Marin County (20 minutes to the north of the city) for the party, we basked in the 80-something degree heat. But as soon as we crossed the Bay Bridge heading back into town, we hit a wall of fog and the temperature dropped 20 degrees. No exaggeration (I'm a former reporter and that's against the rules).

Another observation: people here are very friendly. Random strangers will not hesitate to start conversations on the street or while you're waiting in line for anything. I had a 15 minute conversation with a woman at Jo-Ann Fabrics about the $0.79 star-spangled cellophane bags she had just snagged. Drivers will actually let you into their lane when you signal! Four-way intersections actually become more dangerous because everyone wants the other driver to go first! These are the kinds of things that happen in San Francisco! It’s a topsy turvy world. ;)

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On Sunday, my hubs (SK) and I went to a church we've been trying out -- City Church. It follows the Redeemer formula so it's comfortable for me and so far the sermons have been good. This Sunday, SK ran into some old acquaintances from his med school days. While he was catching up, my eyes panned the room and I saw a guy that looked a lot like a Hollywood superstar (star of Dead Poet's Society, Good Morning Vietnam) in profile. I interrupted an annoyed SK and made him go look. We weren't sure if it was really our beloved teacher from Dead Poet's Society because he looked a lot smaller than we thought he would. But I suppose that's how all movie stars are like when you see them in person -- larger-than-life on screen, regular Joe in person.

Anyway, we dismissed it as a coincidence, until we sat down for service and lo-and-behold! -- the Robin Williams look-a-like sat down next to SK. We were both still skeptical until we heard him read out loud and recognized his distinctive voice. SK kept his cool and didn’t drool all over him, and got to shake his hand during the meet-and-greet-your-neighbors part of the service.

For anyone who is curious, we were surprised to find out that Robin Williams drives this car. A Volvo. Not very Hollywood of him. By the way, we were NOT stalking him. We just happened to bump into him in the parking garage again after service! His California license plate number is ..... just kidding.