Blow Your Mind - It's Mr. Simple

This video came out a few days ago but I've been so wrapped up in its awesomeness that I have neglected to blog about until today.

I am a woman of few words (ha!) and so I will let the video speak for itself -


Uploaded by SMTOWN

I don't really like that there is an intro video to the main music video. But I overlook it because I really, really like Mr. Simple. And they look  sooo gooood!

With the release of a new CD comes a flurry of activity to promote it. Here is the live performance of Mr. Simple on Music Bank from August 5, 2011. Watch it quick, before it is removed -


Uploaded by addynick

I think I like the live performance better than video.

Here is another song from the same show on the same night. It is called "Superman". It is unlike anything I've ever heard by Super Junior and I absolutely  LOVE  it! The rhythm and chanting are haunting -


Uploaded by CrazyKagon

I look forward to the day I can download that one from iTunes. But until then, I will be repeatedly pushing the replay button to hear it again and again.

Rock on Super Junior!

Mr. Simple

Tomorrow Super Junior's new CD comes out! In Korea. So hard to buy it when you are stuck in the good ol' USA. Of course you can buy it online but the shipping is so expensive and it takes a couple of weeks to get here. Bummer!

Fortunately it's available for download on iTunes. Hooray for iTunes! I'm rockin' out to the tunes as I write this. LOVE IT!

Here are few songs for your listening enjoyment -

Mr. Simple, the title track from the CD -





Be My Girl, my second favorite song -




Sunflower, an easy-listening song for old people like me (just kidding, I'm not old, you sillies!)



My sister-in-law recently asked me if it bothered me to listen to songs when I don't understand the words. I actually find it kind of refreshing to listen to music that has no swearing (that I know of) or anything suggestive (that I know of) in the lyrics. I mostly listen when I'm exercising and that tends to drive the words into my brain and I can't get them out of my head. This way I recognize a few words here and there and I don't worry about the words I don't know. Simple.

So, did you like the tunes? I hope you did. And if you did, then please buy them (and the rest of the album, because it's great) on iTunes. Thanks.

This Is SO Much BETTER!!!

I have had some trepidation about about Super Junior's new music video. I mean if they are going to dance in the clothes that they wore for the cover of the CD..... Or anything like those clothes..... I just can't wrap my mind around it.

But I shouldn't have worried. Today the teaser for their new CD came out and it is awesome -



Ooo la la! This is so much better. So much classier. So much more than I expected. I can't wait for August 4th when the actual video is released.

Good going guys!

Erm...

On August 3rd Super Junior is coming out with their 5th album. I am so excited. I think. The problem is their new look. Check it out for yourself -

The colors are WOW! And their clothes are erm..... Different? And why did they forget to dress Siwon? Why is Leeteuk wearing underwear and fishnets with cords wrapped around his chest? How come Ryeowook has feather boas trailing from his hands making him look like a cheerleader with deflated pompoms? Why does Eunhyuk look like Princess Red Riding Hood instead of the Dancing Machine that he is? These are my burning questions. Why? Why? Why?

Could someone PLEASE photoshop some pants for Siwon? My eyes! My eyes!

If At First You Don't Suceed...

Yesterday was belt testing for taekwondo. It was a pretty big day since five members of the family were testing. All of us at once. Exciting!

The general process of testing consists of the whole group reciting our school's motto and showing the basic forms. Then, we do our form, show our kicking techniques, do one-step sparring with a partner, and nun chucks. We take turns answering questions (all answers must be memorized) and, finally, we use different striking techniques to break one inch thick pine boards.

There were a few glitches along the way. Dude-Man was lost in thought when Master Kim told everyone to get into the kicking stance. The Boy forgot his form and had to redo it. When it came time to answer my questions the teacher asked me the wrong questions. Even though I started waving the ends of my belt to try to get him to realize that he was asking me the questions for the wrong color belt it was no use. I stumbled through the answers with him kindly helping me by basically reading the answers to me with me parroting the answers back to him. I looked him in the eye and could see the kindness and compassion oozing from him and I just wanted to shout, "You are asking me the wrong questions!" but I held my tongue and gathered my drifting thoughts and answer the final question perfectly. Go me!

Then it was time for the big finish - the breaking of the boards. Dude-Man neatly broke through his board with one strike using the Hammer Fist (striking the board with the side of his fist). Moli used the same technique and on her third try was successful. The Boy and Giggles used the Up & Down Kick to break their boards. The Boy got it in one try but Giggles had a harder time of it. In the end she was able to break her board.

As for me, I had to break the board using the Palm Strike. Things did not go well for me as you can see for yourself (Giggles is on the far end, I'm the one in the middle, and The Boy is on the near end)-






I hit that board FOURTEEN times! Argh!

And here's what I learned - when faced with a difficult situation you'd better give it your all every time, especially when you feel like giving up. Also, listen to those giving good advice and follow through.  And finally, sometimes you have to take a step back (in this case literally) and take everything you have learned and really go for it.

Koreatown, Part 2

I spent one whole day wandering the streets of Koreatown. Some reviewers have labeled it as "ghetto" but I disagree. It certainly isn't fancy and it's not very touristy either. It is a small bit of Los Angeles where Korean culture is king. There is a museum but I didn't go there. Instead I went shopping.

There are at least two shopping malls and they are withing walking distance from each other. I completely explored the smaller of the two before meeting up with Dude-Man. We ate a late lunch at the food court in the Koreatown Galleria -

There were so many yummy things to try so I ordered enough food feed a good-sized family. Dude-man was amazed when the food kept coming. I was beside myself with gluttonous joy -

My new favorite drink is a passionfruit smoothie with tapioca balls.  It's called bubble tea or Boba and it is total heaven!

Normally I would have shunned the drink since the thought of sucking up chewy tapioca balls while drinking a smoothie does not sound appealing to my American taste buds but the Super Junior boys kept raving about it while they were in Taiwan so I thought I'd give it a try. Dude-Man did not try it. His loss!

We ate so much food and I bought so much stuff that we had to go back to the hotel. And so off we waddled to the subway.

Later that night we were back for some Korean Barbecue -

Holy cow! It was delicious! And it was all you can eat! We rolled back to the car and drove around taking more pictures and remarking on how we felt like we were actually traveling in a far distant country -

The next day I got to go to E3 with Dude-Man. He worked hard telling people about the Cars 2 game and showing them how awesome it is -

And I wandered around wishing I was back in Koreatown. I know, lame. As soon as he was done my wish became reality and we were back in the blink of an eye. And of course we ate MORE yummy food -

All in all it was a great little vacation. And surprisingly enough, even though we ate sooo much food we both lost a bit of weight (which was another plus). So if you ever find yourself in Los Angeles but wish you were in an exotic place head over to Koreatown and eat yourself silly. Yum. Yum. Yum!

Sing It, Baby!

Here is Kyuhyun "teaching" Eunhyuk how to sing Hot Times -



Epic FAIL! TeeHee!

And  the lesson continues -



Kyuhyun is a terrible teacher! Poor Eunhyuk! Every time Kyuhyun starts to laugh he hits Eunhyuk. They should be a comedy team.

Admittedly, Eunhyuk is not the greatest singer in the group but he gives it a good try. Also, when you can't hit the note, then just skip it. I shall use that bit of knowledge the next time I sing at church. Dude-Man says I sing a bit off key sometimes so now I know how to cover it up.

Here is the big finish! They sing a duet. So sweetly -



Maybe it wasn't sweet all the time but it was good for a laugh. Sometimes I wonder how they get anything done because they are so silly. But then again, I like silly, so I'm not complaining. When they are good, they are very, very good. And when they are bad, they are very, very BAD!

The lesson to be learned is to always try your best. And if you're going to fail, fail big and then it will be funny. Because, if you can't be awesome then you should be funny. The funnier the better. And if you laugh at yourself everyone will laugh with you. But only if you're funny. So be funny. Unless you can be awesome.

Here is the Hot Times video and it is awesome -

Koreatown, Part 1

This week Dude-Man and I are in L.A. It is a work trip and he gets to go to E3 (computer geek heaven). I am tagging along just for fun. And because I get to go to Koreatown-

Koreatown is a neighborhood in Los Angeles where you feel like you just flew across the Pacific Ocean and yet you experience no jet lag. Awesome!

The signs on the shops are in Korean-

Even the buses can fool you into believing that you are in South Korea. I didn't think I could experience a China Cultural Tour by bus while remaining in the USA, but I guess I am wrong-

All day long I heard people speak in Korean. And smelled Korean food. And saw Korean stuff. It was fun. But the best thing was the food.

Super Junior does commercials for KyoChon Chicken-

And so that is the first place we ate. It didn't look like much but looks can be deceiving-

KyoChon Chicken specializes in chicken wings. They are hot and spicy or sweet and crispy. Since it was our first time we tried the sampler platter which had a bit of everything including breaded chicken tenders and spicy chicken legs-

It was totally delicious. The chicken legs were out-of-this-world spicy but still so tasty. Dude-Man has a very discerning palate when it comes to chicken wings and he says these are definite winners.

If only there was one in Utah... Sigh.

SMTown Live - Now YOU Can Watch It Live!!!

This weekend there will be an SMTown Live concert held in Paris. What is SMTown Live? Let me tell you! It is a concert of the major groups of SM Entertainment. Super Junior is one of those groups. So is SHINee. And Girls Generation. And f(x). And TVXQ. All of them are amazing performers and I'm sure that YOU would have an awesome time watching the events. I will let Super Junior explain how you can -










So now that you know go to facebook and like SMTown. That's it!

Look at Me Sew!

One thing I have learned from the Super Junior boys is to follow your passion, whatever it may be and to give everything you try your best effort.

Last fall I gathered my courage and took a sewing class. My sister practically twisted my arm to get me to go (apparently she is sometimes my courage). Anyway, I made some pajama bottoms for Giggles. She loved them so much that I never got a chance to hem them.

Then we took a class where we made Really Cute Aprons. I'd show a picture, but I gave it to my Mother-in-law. But take my word for it, it was a Really Cute Apron.

For Christmas I made pajama bottoms for me and my kids. Check it out-

I have to admit that making those pajama bottoms nearly killed me. I procrastinated working on them until the WEEK OF CHRISTMAS! Am I crazy or what? I think so.

After that debacle I decided to keep a good distance between me and the sewing machine. Until there was a handbag that I just had to make. So once again I signed up for classes and made this awesome bag-

It has become my tae kwon do bag and it totally rocks!

As if that wasn't enough I signed up for a class to make a cute hat to give to Giggles for her birthday. Since it was crazy hat day at school I ended up giving it to her a little early-

I'm starting to feel a little bit confident around the sewing machine. I'm also starting to feel a little bit confident about using a pattern. However, I am completely unconfident  about sewing anything without a pattern. And I am extremely outside my comfort zone when thinking about taking an article of clothing and making it into something else.

And yet, that is exactly what I have done with the help of Meredith from the blog YOURS, MINE, and OURS. I had a pair of capris that no longer fit since I've lost some weight. They are really cute and I didn't really want to get rid of them. But I have this rule that I can't wear clothes that are too big because I feel sloppy and fat when I wear them. A few weeks ago Meredith gave tutorials that show you how to take something and turn it into something else. So I took those capris and turned them into a skirt-

How fabulous is that?

Super Junior vs. Indian Music

My mom does not understand why I have a fascination with all things Korean. (She does not read my blog and I'm OK with that.) She thinks that if I'm going to learn another language then it should be what my family in India speaks. She believes that I am some how being disloyal to my heritage by having such a fondness for Korean things. But Korea is CUTE! While India is fascinating and deeply moving. Korea is CLEAN and India is not. Korea has Super Junior and India does not. She really, really doesn't get why I prefer Super Junior to any popular singers in India. But maybe you will get it.

I've done a bit of looking around on youtube to see what I could find of great Indian music videos. I looked for the best singer -



I really didn't like that at all. In fact I could only watch/listen for about 30 seconds before I had to make it stop. Then in the spirit of giving it a fair chance, I watched the whole thing and it wasn't too bad. One thing that seems to be common among all Indian singing is that it's kind of twangy and I'm not into twangy.

Then I thought I'd look for the top hits. This is what I found and it is the best of the best -



For sheer pageantry it is really good and it's a great song. However, most Indian music videos come from their movies and while this is not a bad thing it does mean that the people that you see singing are not the real singers. It makes it hard to follow the artist if you never see his or her face. One would have to believe that in India you can either sing or act but you can't do both.

This is the most viewed Indian music video on youtube -



What a catchy tune! If you watched the entire video I will bet it is deeply embedded into your brain. And those dance moves? I can so do that! But I'm not sure I want to (well, maybe if I'm home alone). In fact this is such a catchy tune that Super Junior took notice and incorporated part of it in a performance. Here is the practice video but you have to wait for the end to hear part of Tunak Tunak Tun -



That was awesome! I especially love Sungmin's little pony tail on the top of his head. It's cute. He's cute. They are all cute. And the slow-mo cartwheel? Nice!

Here is one of Super Junior's less viewed videos -



All of them singing. All of them dancing. All of them awesome. How could I not like this?

Finally, this is Super Junior's most watched video (which has not has as many views as Tunak Tunak Tun, go figure) -



How could I not get swept away by that? The music is so good. The dancing is so awesome. Everything about it makes me want to get up and move. And it's the getting up and moving that has really changed my life for the better. And since my life has been changed for the better, then I must always feel grateful for the zest they have given to my life. Thanks guys! You are THE BEST!!!

Eat Some Kimchi and Call Me in the Morning

I have been battling a nasty cold for the last several days. By nasty cold I mean that my nose has become a snot spigot with my sinuses groaning in pain from the mucus over load and having sweating spells every two hours. And by battling this cold I mean that I have been prostate in my bed, smearing vick's menthol rub under my nose, blowing though a large box of Puff's Plus in 48 hours, and watching one and a half seasons of Psych.

Early in this battle I realized that I actually felt better when the snot could flow freely. And so to that end, I had some weird ideas of what would ease my symptoms -

1  Inhaling chopped onions. I did this as I put dinner into the crockpot before I allowed the cold to win. Several
    healthy whiffs of the onions cleared out my sinuses for a good five minutes.
2  Participating in my tae kwon do class. Working up a really good sweat made me feel like a new person for
    the duration of class. The buzz lasted until I drove out of the parking lot.
3  Putting Korean red pepper flakes in my hot chocolate. I was really onto something with this one. The
    steaminess of the beverage coupled with the fieriness of the red pepper flakes made me feel better for at
    least an hour. Note to self - use at least half a teaspoon of the red pepper to get the desired result.
4  Chicken tortilla soup from Rubios. This was a really good idea, better than plain old chicken noodle soup.
    There was enough spice in the soup that it kept my sinuses from clogging up, it was nice and steamy, and
    the chicken almost melted in my mouth (which is nice when your face feels like it has a drum beating
    inside of it).
5  Drink plenty of fluids. At first, my fluid of choice was orange juice, but then I started to crave something
    fizzy. Orange juice mixed with Perrier was OK but even better was lemonade, orange juice and Perrier
    mixed together. I look forward to my next cold to enjoy that happy blend of tastiness.
6  Kimchi hot pot. This is absolutely better than all the above remedies. Steamy and spicy. Lots of flavor and
    vitamins from the kimchi, a good dose of protein from the pork and the tofu, and the goodness of garlic
    mellowed by slow simmering. Just smelling the stuff made me feel better -

So here's a big thank you to my family who has taken good care of me and especially to The Crafty One who accompanied me on my excursion to the Asian market to buy a bucket of kimchi and who ultimately made the delicious soup that has eased my pain.

Perfection Again

Today this video of my beloved boys finally showed up on YouTube. I've seen pictures for it but now that it's out I'm just lovin' these guys even more. It's Eunhyuk, Donghae, and Kyuhyun giving us a dance tutorial for Perfection. In just seven minutes they have taught me something, made me laugh, and revealed their cute personalities. Nice!


Uploaded by RaiBaka

And now that you have enjoyed their instruction, here's the music video. Ah, sweetness!



They so rock my world!

Mother's Day

Ah, Mother's Day. Did you have a good one? Was it all that you hoped for? Did you get nice gifts? Did you feel loved , honored, and cherished by those you love? Or maybe you felt guilty for not being all that you think you should be? Did it bring up feelings of conflict with the mother figures in your life? Maybe you are sad because your mother is no longer with you or because you have never been a mother yourself. How lucky we women are to have a day devoted to us that can make us feel so loved and crappy all at the same time. Thanks what's-her-name (Anna Jarvis - by the way, she later became a protester of what the day had become and she said that she, "...wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control ...".)

In case you can't tell, I'm not a big fan of Mother's Day. And I think that's OK.

I noticed a really strange phenomenon this year. As I made purchases this weekend the checker would wish me happy Mother's Day. What the what? I don't know any of these people. What is the point of this kind of salutation? It's a sad day when it's only in a public setting that motherhood is acknowledged. On TV there are ads and shows that evoke maudlin emotions. Stores are filled with books and cards full of tender stories and
over-emotional sentiments. Gag me with a spoon!!!

For me, the very worst is at Church. Some years all the talks are about the glories of motherhood. Sometimes the talks are tributes to moms who are the best friends of their children. I am so happy for people who have warm, loving relationships with their mothers. Actually, I envy them. My relationship with my own mother is not close. Or warm. Or... We are always very cordial  but we lack any real connection. Mother's Day serves as reminder of what I am missing. And I miss it a lot.

Then there are the talks about super awesome moms. Some do heroic things, others do small things in big ways, and still others are tireless workers, or generous to a fault, etc, etc, etc. I do not measure up. I am a perfectly acceptable, ordinary mom. And I'm OK with that. I see my faults and I try to do better. Except on Mother's Day. Some people lay on the praise so thick that I feel immobilized by it. A voice in my head shouts, "You are not like that! You are the opposite of that. You are a fraud!!!" I really hate that voice.

I wish that there were no talks in church about moms on Mother's Day. And that the Hallmark channel wouldn't have a tear-jerker movie. I wish that it was more personal. And more low key. And I wish my mom wouldn't call me later tonight to ask me what I got for mother's day.

The Boy wrote me a heartfelt poem. Moli gave me a package of Oreos (which I have been craving lately).  Dude-Man and the kids gave me the game Just Dance. All of these things were great presents and I was happy to get them. But when Mom calls tonight there will be disappointment in her voice. It kills me every year.

Anyway, I think Mother's Day should be a day when kids try to be nicer to their moms. Maybe they could cook dinner or make breakfast. And mostly they should just tell their moms that they love them. Because all a mom really wants is to know that her family loves and appreciates what she does for them.

Check out Kyuhyun's tender message to his mom last Christmas. For those of you who don't want to watch the whole thing, it starts at about 1:04 give or take a second.

subs byprincekyuteam
What a sweet boy. Almost as sweet as mine.

English; Korean Style

Waaay back in February I started taking tae kwon do classes. I had recently gotten my blood pressure checked and it was a little high. This bummed me out because one of my goals is to get off blood pressure medicine. As I walked to my car (which is really a mini-van) I determined that I needed to add something to my exercise routine. At that precise moment I spied the local tae kwon do center. Perfect!

Tae kwon do is Korean martial arts and it is awesome! I can punch, kick, use nun chucks, and even break a board with my hand. AND my blood pressure has gone down. Yeah, I rock.

But the real (secret) reason I love tae kwon do is because my teacher, Master Kim, is from South Korea. Every class is also a learning session of Korean language and culture. Oh how I love a two-for-one deal. I can now count to eight in Korean with real confidence.

Master Kim has lived in the United States for ten years. He has an American wife. He has American kids. He runs a business. He deals with Americans on a daily basis. He speaks English. Really. He does. But I have the hardest time understanding him. Giggles and The Boy go to class with me once a week and they don't understand him either.

I found this video of Leeteuk speaking English to some American fans at his radio show. As I watched and listened I realized that he sounds a lot like Master Kim.....



Uploaded by YesungCenter on Apr 20, 2011

The funny thing about this is that Leeteuk avoids speaking English when ever he can. When Super Junior was in LA last September he didn't even say "hi" in English. I thought they could all take some English lessons. Well, it turns out they all know enough English to get by.


And as I have learned from Master Kim, you cannot tell how much a person has mastered a language just by talking to him. You have to get to know him. And understand him. And really listen to him. And have a conversation with him. 


I think that would probably work with any person you are trying to communicate with. Don't just talk to them. Know them. Understand them. Really listen to them. And have a conversation with them.

Let Me Explain...

Oy! This month is more than half over and I've only posted once! What's wrong with me?

It's called being in a funk.

My definition of being in a funk - going through life in a state of withdrawal, kind of like depression but not so severe. Over a period of time you realize that you are no longer doing the things that bring satisfaction to life.

Yup. That would describe this month. And it's not like there haven't been things to be happy about -
1  I got my yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do
2  My front yard is (mostly) cleaned up and flowers are blooming
3  We had Spring Break
4  The Crafty One and Moli are done with finals
5  Ummm.....  I guess there is no 5

So what's the problem?
1 Dude-Man is always working. And when I say he is always working what I really mean is he works 6 days a week and is there at least 15 hours/day. Yeah, ALWAYS working.
2  My daily routine has been thrown all out of whack. But that's probably because I'm in a funk, it didn't cause the funk. Although it has made the problem worse.
3  The freaking sun NEVER shines!!! Aha! The root cause of  The Funk has been revealed!

Darn you CLOUDS! and RAIN!! and WIND!!! and COLD!!!! even freaking SNOW!!!!!

Spring time in Utah = the worst season ever, anywhere, anytime.

Sharing Faith

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I am often encouraged to share my beliefs with those who are not of my faith. When I lived in Chicago this was pretty easy to do since most of my family members, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances were not of my faith. Now that I live in Utah nearly everyone I come in contact with is of my same faith. I find it difficult in this environment to share what I believe. Actually, I think this is a little strange since most conversations tend to revolve around shared topics of interest. Hmm... something for me to ponder.


Anyway, Donghae recently posted on his cywold account an encounter with a man named Michael that he and Siwon met on the street as they made their way back to their apartment in Taipei, Taiwan. This is a translation of that account that I found on the internet -

Donghae and Siwon at an unrelated press conference

Title: Pray for Michael…2011.4.1 AM 3:13

Hi. This is Super Junior Donghae. I’m doing well in Taiwan. Doing hard with my members on the album, Extravagant Challenge with Siwon…for the drama I’m working hard. Today at 12:30am I was on my way back to my room with Siwon from the Bible study that I have it everyday with my members, and I saw one Chinese man drinking alone on the street. So I asked him why he is drinking alone…He said he has laryngeal cancer. We had a conversation for about an hour and a half. The doctor will tell him whether he can live or not by having a surgery on April 3rd. So the man told me he’s too upset, tired, and scared. Siwon and I told him to stop drinking and put the cigarette on his hand down, and pray together. Michael said he doesn’t know God and praying is useless. He said he would spend his last minute with drinking and smoking only because he will die soon anyway. But Siwon and I told him to go to a church together and pray, think positively and leave bad thoughts away. Michael said such pretty words and good thoughts…anyone can say like that. He said he really thanks us, but we are not him or not in his situation, so we cannot understand him or how he feels now. So I told him about my dad who passed away. My dad had cancer too. During 3 years at the hospital he found God and was willing to become God’s son. (He was really a Christian.) I lied to Michael…that my dad is fine now…so pray and stop drinking and smoking. I can see Michael is afraid and feeble through his eyes. So I wanted to give him a hope, and also wanted him to get well soon and then we can have a meal together as friends; I believe this lie was good, which gives a hope to someone. Michael is very successful. He kept telling us to go and take a rest, but we didn’t leave him and kept talking. In front of us, Michael throw the drink and the cigarette away. He said he really thanks us for telling him a good story and giving him a good message, and he will pray and think positively. But surely we walked heavily… He said his wife is home and it’s too late, so we asked him to come to our house. He told us it’s okay, and he’s too happy to meet Super Junior and make two good friends, and he will invite us to dinner. I believe if we just said hi and passed him, he would have worse thoughts. The old saying, “Even a graze creates karma”…is right. We’re proud of being God’s sons who can be a hope of someone and encourage others. Though everyone lives each one’s life, hope we get easy, and look around ourselves to give a hand to others, and that will be a huge help. Do not just pass someone because you don’t know him or her, but say hi with a smile. If someone doesn’t say hi to you, you go to the one first and say hi with a smile; I’m sure the one will like you and you can make a new friend. I ask you to pray together. For Michael …April 3rd is the date he will receive a test result. Please pray for Michael to get healthy and the light will shine his way. And because this writing is in Korean …I don’t speak English…And I cannot speak Chinese fluently. If anyone who saw this and is able to translate, please translate it, so one becomes ten, ten becomes a hundred, and more people will be able to read this and pray for Michael for at least 30 seconds. I don’t think a success nor money is important. The importance is in other stuffs… Thank God who trained me again today. And thanks to Siwon who leads my members to God everyday, for us to be able to come to God closer. Good night, Michael…

Source: http://minihp.cyworld.com/62000821/211798335 (@donghae861015)
Translated by @ASHKooKoo
Posted by: reneee (www.sup3rjunior.wordpress.com) 

When I first read Donghae's story I was reminded of how missionaries from my church go out two-by-two and try to awaken a love and trust in God in the people that they meet each day. Missionaries talk to people on the street, knock on doors to share their message, and generally try to share the gospel with anyone they come in contact with. I think it's so cool that Donghae and Siwon do the same thing.

Another thing that struck me is that they were on their way home from Bible study. It is so awesome that even in a foreign land they are keeping up their religious worship. When I was in India I did not attempt to go to church at all because I did not want to inconvenience my family. I also felt uncomfortable with the thought of attending services in a language that I did not understand. I wish that I could go back and make a different choice. But since time travel is not possible, I must go forward with a determination to make a different choice in the future. My faith is so important to me and I should not let a vacation or language barrier keep me from worshipping my Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.

Finally, this story reminds me of myself when I lived in Chicago. I could not keep myself from sharing the good news of the gospel with those I came in contact with. I was a teenager back then and sometimes lacked a sense of tact. Now, I have an over developed sense of tact and I am usually reluctant to share the reality of God's love for all mankind. This makes me sad because I wish that all people had the opportunity to know that there is a purpose to this life, that they are spirit children of our Heavenly Father, and that He loves them very much.

Once again I am grateful to the example the Super Junior boys. Today they have given me the courage to live my convictions even when it is inconvenient or unpopular to do so.

Gratitiude - A Sunday Thing

Ah March! It came in like a lion (all grouchy and mean), hung a round like a lion (with PMS), and is apparently going to go out like a lion (with irritable bowl syndrome). I am not grateful for March. Or at least its weather.

March has also been bad to the people in Japan.

And unsettling (to say the least) for the people of the Middle East and areas of Africa.

So let's think of some good things about March -

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan gave many people the opportunity show how much we care about each other. Ryan Higa  (one of my favorite people on YouTube) made this awesome video to help the people of Japan. It was so awesome that it was even aired on a tv show in Japan to cheer people up. So I'm grateful to people like Ryan Higa who use their talents to help people in need and motivate others to do the same.

Here's his video-



I started taking taekwondo classes. The really great thing about these classes is that everyone is so nice and encouraging. The teachers. The other students. Even The Boy and Giggles (who do not really like to go) manage to scrounge up some cheerfulness whenever we go to class. It's so nice to have people cheer you on even when you make a complete and total fool of yourself.

In March we celebrate our Irish heritage by eating yummy Irish food (I think that's an oxymoron). This year we had that great classic of Ramen and Dumpling Soup. OK, that's really a Korean classic but today we finally had Corned Beef and Cabbage. Hooray for being Irish. And hooray for Korean food on St. Patrick's Day because sometimes that's just how I roll.

And finally, I'm grateful that Giggles and I got to enjoy the General Young Women's Meeting for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Here's a video clip of young women sharing what they believe-



And finally, I'm grateful for my home, my family, and my faith -

And don't forget Super Junior!

Traveling to Foreign Lands, Part Two

Leaving India was not as easy as getting to India. We were unfortunate enough to have our return flight on April 15, 2010. You may be wondering why that particular day was not good for flying. That was the day that a volcano in Iceland erupted. Don't you remember Elyjojokufalalalala? OK, it's real name is Eyjafjallajökull. But I'm pretty sure that my way is easier to pronounce.

Anyway, when the volcano erupted it sent a huge plume of ash into the stratosphere which is where planes like to fly -

And so all the airports in Europe were closed. For a week.

I don't like volcanos.

On April 22 we were finally able to leave. Everything went pretty smoothly except that mom and I would not be sitting together. I thought that would be OK since we had been together like Siamese twins for 4 weeks.

After a few minor delays we were allowed to board our plane. Everything was great until my seat companion arrived. A large, burly Russian man with bristly gray hair and bushy eyebrow hairs that were at least two inches long. (I am not making this up.) He scared me.

When you leave India, you always do it at deepest part of night. Naturally, I wanted to sleep. So  I took a sleeping pill. Airplane seats are as comfortable as bus seats. Especially in coach.

As the sleeping pill started to do its thing, I started to feel the urge to flail. But this time I was afraid of my seat companion. I decided to find somewhere out of they way so I could stand until the urge to wave my arms and kick went away.

There really aren't a lot of places on a plane where you can be out of the way but I found one. Behind the bathroom there was a passageway to get from one side of the plane to the other. That is where I found refuge. So quiet, so peaceful, so dark. It did not take long for me to relax and become drowsy. I was so drowsy that I fell asleep. And started sleepwalking.

Of course I didn't realize that I was sleepwalking. Until I woke up in the middle of the next cabin patting people on the head as I made my way down the aisle.

Yeah, I don't much care for flying. But if I ever get to fly overseas again then I'm doing it the way Super Junior does. All nice and comfy -

OMG!!! I'm in a Video with Super Junior!!!

Let me just say that again - I AM IN A VIDEO WITH SUPER JUNIOR!!!!!!

I am so spazzing right now, you'd think I was 16.

So first a bit of background. In September, Super Junior came to LA as part of the SMTown Live 2010  concert. I got great seats for me and The Crafty One. Front row seats to be exact. The concert was so amazing. There are really no words to convey the pure joy I felt that night.

I was so happy and excited and elated and and and..... You get the picture.

Every night I spend time watching Super Junior videos. Tonight I found one that was from that concert. I chose to watch it because Henry and Siwon are speaking English. At the time of the concert I was so delirious because of their proximity that I could not listen coherently and so I have no recollection of what they said. So I started watching and listening until I realized that the camera was pointed in our general direction! And then I stopped listening and started screaming just like I was back at the concert.

We are in the upper right-hand corner when the video starts, next to the two posters that are being held by fans. I'm wearing a gray shirt with purple flowers and The Crafty One is wearing blue. Check us out -



My family has gathered around to watch me scream like a silly teenager. I may never know what they said, but I sure am happy.

Traveling to Foreign Lands, Part One

Last year, I traveled to India to visit my family who I had not seen in many, many years. I was excited for the trip but also nervous. It had been over 15 years since I had flown anywhere.

I had to get some shots to go to India. While talking with my doctor about anti-malaria meds, the topic of not being able to sleep came up. I explained my nervousness about flying and my concern about jet lag (there is a 12 and a half hour time difference). She happily gave me a prescription for some sleeping pills (as well as anti-malaria pills) and sent me on my way.

The trip to India was fairly uneventful. I was pretty comfortable and was able to sleep well. Nice.

Since I had enough sleeping pills to last the three weeks I was planning on being there, I decided to take a pill every night so that I wouldn't sleep my trip away. This was a good plan for the most part...

After being in India for over a week it was decided that my mom and I , along with my aunt, would travel to Mahabaleshwar. By bus. A bus like this one -

This bus is actually a lot nicer than the bus we rode in. This bus has air-conditioning. And soft, reclining chairs. And foot rests (which are really important when you're short like me).

When we left Mumbai for Mahabaleshwar it was at night. I thought I would be smart and take my sleeping pill before we left for the bus. I took it too soon and when we got to the bus I was pretty groggy.

We found our seats but we were not all together. My mom and my aunt were together and I was all by my lonesome. That was alright by me because I was almost out for the night.

Let me describe this bus (what I can remember from my drug-induced haze). Instead of air-conditioning there were small fans scattered throughout it. The seats were made out of plywood with thin padding and vinyl coverings. The seats were high, too high for me to put my feet on the floor. The arm rests were metal with no cushioning at all. You could move them out of the way but not completely. And I remember that it was yellow. Like, "Good morning! It's a bright and sunny day today!", yellow. The lights stayed on until we had picked up all the passengers.

So I settled into my seat as best as I could and I was asleep before you could say, "Bob's your uncle". I was so content until we started to drive through the streets of Mumbai.

Now Driving Mumbai is crazy no matter the time of day or what kind of vehicle you are in. That's just a fact. There is a lot of stopping and going. When you go, you go FAST. When you stop, you stop FAST. And when you are asleep and your feet don't reach the floor and you are as limp as a rag doll and the bus goes FAST you become joined as one with your seat. However, when you are asleep and your feet don't touch the floor and you are as limp as a rag doll and the bus stops FAST you become a projectile that hits the seat in front of you. But then the bus starts FAST again and then you become a backward propelled projectile and you slam back into your seat.

At one point, I turned around in my chair and had it recline back as far as it would go ( not very far) and hung  on for dear life. This worked until I truly fell asleep again, and then I melted off the chair. I put the arm rests up between the chairs so I could stretch out and this worked well for a time. When the bus would jerk to a stop I would fling my arms out to keep from falling onto the floor

It took TWO hours to leave Mumbai.

I hate traveling by bus.

Do you know who else hates traveling by bus? My traveling companion, that's who. I never knew anyone was sitting with me. If I had, I'm sure I would have tried to be nice.

I am told that my aunt tried to convince him to sit else where but to no avail. He made me sit in my proper seat. He wouldn't let me lean on him. He was very mean.

I, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to him. There was flailing. And kicking. And whimpering. Tossing and turning. Slamming back and forth with each start and stop.

Yeah, I really hate traveling by bus.

Lost in Translation

My father's side of the family lives in India. I have been to India several times and I love it there. But I do not know the language. In India it's kind of hard to know the language because there are so many of them. The national language is Hindi, but not everyone speaks it. There are 18 official languages in India and many dialects, over 300. My family mainly speaks Gujarati, and most of them know some English. So I get by. But not really. My family is sweet but they prefer to converse in their native tongue. I really can't blame them. When I am in India my ears and brain get tired from trying to comprehend the conversation flowing quickly around me. Amazingly, I can usually get the gist of what's going on.
 
However, I'm not always attentive. Then my mind wanders and I get fidgety. My eyes glaze over. When others laugh, I laugh to fit in. I smile and nod as if I understand what's going on. I stare into the distance until I am no longer aware of my surroundings. I find odd things to play with. I might even start to rock back and forth rhythmically (which is easy to do because many people have swings in their homes). And in the worse case I will fall asleep.

When the Perfection music video came out in February, the Super Junior M guys were promoting the album in China. And while they can all sing in Mandarin, not all of them are fluent in it. Zhoumi is Chinese so he has no problems and answers many of the questions. Henry is Chinese-Canadian so his Mandarin is really good too (and his English is perfect).  Siwon went to China to study Mandarin for three months. I think that his understanding is very good and his speaking is pretty good. He answered a lot of questions too, but you can tell he'd really like to get out of there. Khuyhun seems to be coming along and has probably made the most progress. Ryeowook is so quiet, I can't tell what he knows.  Donghae is the same, but he's so fidgety in these videos that I think he's about to loose his mind. Sungmin and Eunhyuk are new to the group. Sungmin speaks limited Mandarin properly. And Eunhyuk can say thank you and has a couple of phrases memorized (this is how well I can speak Gujarati).

Back row, left to right: Henry, Sungmin, Khyuhun, Zhoumi
Front row, left to right: Donghae, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Ryeowook






I know these are kind of long and tedious videos but, for me, it's kind of like watching myself x8. The tiredness, glazed eyes, playing with toys, rocking back and forth, not understanding fully what is going on, laughing on demand, trying to end the visit and not being allowed to, etc. Ah, the trials and tribulations of language barriers.

Wear a Mask Already!

Today I went to the doctor's office because I have a killer sore throat. And a headache. And my tonsils are so swollen and painful that they hurt if you look in their general direction. I also have a fever. And chills. It makes me want to cry to swallow anything. Poor me.

But this post isn't really about me. It's about a woman at the doctor's office. The one who was coughing and hacking.

My doctor's office provides masks to wear if you are coughing. This woman's companion asked her if she would like a mask. (She had just coughed her lung onto the floor.) She had the audacity to say NO! Wait!!! WHAT!? And she said it like her companion had lost his mind.

Lady, you don't wear a mask to prevent yourself from getting sick. You wear a mask so that you don't make other people sick. Sheesh!

In South Korea they have the cutest masks to wear. Just like in this country where people go to work and school even if they're sick, people in South Korea do the same. But they have the decency to take preventive measures so they don't get others sick.

The Super Junior boys are always working when they're sick. I really don't understand how they can do concert after concert while being sick, but they do it all the time. And they are always wearing masks. Here are some pictures of them in their cute masks -

Note to self - buy some masks for the family before I turn into a total hypocrite.

Heel, Barbie Toe

 A few months ago I bought a pair of ridiculously impractical shoes. And here they are -

My family lovingly mocked me and I turned a deaf ear to those nay-sayers.  But I had a serious problem. I didn't really know how to walk in them. My center of balance was out of control and I didn't want to break my ankle or some such thing. So I turned to the internet. First I just had to watch Eunhyuk make a fool of himself when his team lost a challenge and he had to dress up as a sexy grandma and dance. Watch it, it's funny (and awkward) -



I certainly didn't want my walking to even remotely resemble that debacle! Clomp! Clomp! Clomp! Eunhyuk could never pass as a female with his less than elegant gait.

Then I really had the internet help me and I found this video that was extremely helpful -



Lots of good information in a short snippet of time. But this one was by far the one that made a lasting impression on me -



Heel, Barbie toe. Heel, Barbie toe. Heel, Barbie toe. Words to live by.

So now as I strut my stuff in high heels I try to remember to stand straight, pull in my stomach, keep my hips and knees loose (whatever that means), no wobbly ankles (as if), and heal-Barbie toe. Also, no clomping around  and don't have your toes pointed out, or in. It's just not pretty.

I Don't Wanna!

Lately, it has been hard for me to keep doing the things that make me happy. I am always amazed at how I can go from feeling perfectly happy and content to feeling like a prettier version of Jabba the Hut (by that, I mean I turn into a lazy slug).

Of course, there is always a reason for the crash - PMS, not enough sunshine, sickness, tiredness, boredom, busyness, and the Tyranny of the Shoulds. You do know about the Tyranny of the Shoulds don't you? Well, in case you don't, it means that your life gets taken over by all the things that you should be doing and aren't. Or if you are doing them, you feel that you aren't doing them well enough. Also, you feel guilt. Lots and lots of guilt. It's not fun.

Recently I decided that I should walk/run three miles a day. That meant doubling the amount of time I exercise. At first I was really devoted to the idea. My devotion lasted two days. So then I felt guilty.

Another thing I recently decided is that I should read three pages of my scriptures before exercising. This messed up my exercise routine. But spirituality is just as important, if not more important than physical health so I forced my new plan on my self. I didn't really pay attention to my reading and then I was late getting to the exercising. The guilt was now doubled. Also, it was only 6:30 in the morning and I no longer had any desire to get out of bed. I would force myself, but the cheerfulness was definitely gone

I also had the great idea to do a better job at keeping the kitchen clean. This is a really good goal. But I wanted to keep it always clean. There are six people who mess up the kitchen and only two of them clean it up without being asked to. It's my own fault. I should have done a better job at teaching my kids responsibility and cleanliness. Oh the guilt is getting thick now! And to make it even better, I made the goal of not hassling the mess makers in my old way of getting grouchy and mean (although it was very effective). So if I get mad, it comes with another dose of guilt. Lose-lose-lose.

Also, I haven't been doing the Rosetta Stone so much. First I felt guilty for spending so much time working on it. Then I felt guilty because I wasn't spending enough time on it. And I was having a hard time understanding the grammar so I bought some books to help me. Well books can't help you if you don't read them, so I set up a study plan to to become a better student of the Korean language. I decided that I should work on the Rosetta Stone course for a certain amount of time every day. And that I should study the Korean text books for a certain amount of time every day. Then I thought I should be speaking Korean for a set time every day and reading it, and writing it..... OH! Now my head hurts. Honestly, what was I thinking?

Here are some other goals I think I should have-

I should do the laundry every day.
I should prepare delicious, healthy, low-calorie, economical meals every night.
I should make Bento box lunches for my entire family every day.
I should train to run a 5k.

Last week it was announced that Eunhyuk would be leaving Kiss the Radio. I was so sad. But then he put this  picture and statement on twitter -

“Putting down everything in order to find something better, need to face (the new challenge) with a more prudent and hardworking attitude. Although there were matters that were difficult to decide on, I will not regret ^ ^. Hope that I’ll become someone that continues to develop everyday…Fighting! SJ-M fighting!”

And then suddenly it became clear to me, Just like Eunhyuk, I cannot do everything. Or at least not all at once. He is giving up his radio show in order to fulfill his responsibilities to Super Junior-M. Maybe he will leave the two TV shows that he is on every week. I don't know. What I do know is that he is pursuing one goal with steadfast determination. I think he might even feel guilty about leaving the radio show. He sounds kind of sad to me. But it's OK because he know what he wants.

And deep inside I know what I want. I want to get healthy no matter how long it takes. And I want to learn Korean. What I don't want is deadlines and have to's. I like having lists and plans but in reality that kind of linear approach does not work for me. I do much better I when follow a passion as it leads through the twists and turns of life. This is a lesson that I've learned the hard way. I should respect and love myself enough to allow myself to grow in a way that works for me.

Hello, my name is Neela and I'm a soda-aholic

On September 15, 2010 I had my last taste of soda. It was an exciting day for me because it meant that I got to buy the Rosetta Stone Korean version to learn (what else?) Korean. I'm really glad I gave up pop to have something so much better.

But that said, I really miss Dr. Pepper and Cherry Coke. And by miss them, I mean that I long for them at least once a week. Sometimes more often. And by long for them I mean I can almost taste them and feel them in my mouth, providing me with a fake jolt of carbonated bliss.

There are many places where I feel this longing - when I go out to eat, if I am in the grocery store, when I get up in the morning, if I feel tired during the day, when I watch TV, when I read a book, if I eat something sweet, if I eat something salty, and if I go to the movies.  It's the very worst at a movie. What is salty, buttery popcorn with without cold, sweet, fizzy pop? Sometimes water just doesn't cut it.

I see a pop machine and I am immediately in crave mode. It is completely evil that in order to get water at many eating establishments you have to get it from a pop machine. Come on! It is a mental challenge for me to choose the right and not "accidentally" get some pop by mistake.

And then there are all the people in my life who drink pop on a regular basis. Dude-Man used to buy it by the case and has mercifully stopped. But he gets cranky when I drink his Perrier. Grrr. The Boy goes off with his friends and buys many 2 liter bottles when they hang out at our place. If it's Mountain Dew it's OK because the color alone is enough to make me want to retch. But then he has the audacity to buy Dr. Pepper. The nerve of that guy! But the worst one of the bunch is my sister.

In the beginning she was very supportive of me and would refrain from drinking pop in my presence. After a few weeks she started using again. It's not like pop is illegal and I could stop her. I would grit my teeth, think positive thoughts about water, and smile sweetly at her, pretending like it didn't matter.

For awhile I was going along OK. I wasn't craving pop so much as just wanting it. But then my sister just had to kick it up a notch. She started asking me to get her pop for her. And not diet, caffeine-free stuff either. No! It's always Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke. Full of sugar and full of caffeine. I used to change that girl's diapers and this is how she repays me!!!

Well, for the last month she has been taking a boot camp class to get fit. And part of getting fit is to eat healthy food. Now, she has developed complex mathematical algorithms to determine the healthiest food choices to be had. Hallelujah! Dr. Pepper and Cherry Coke do not make the cut. The only problem is that today was the last day of class.

I foresee trouble in the next week. Will her algorithms have enough sway over her to pull her from the clutches of my nemesis? Will she go back to her pre-boot camp soda swilling ways and tempt me with her seductive sips of soda? Or will my will-power hold out and I will finally be free of the siren call of soda? Only time will tell.

iPod Wars

I love my iPod and here is a picture of it -

Dude-Man got it for me for our anniversary 2 years ago. It's so cute and orange and full of Kpop. What is Kpop? Kpop is the music that I'm constantly listening to. Kpop is not just Super Junior in it's many incarnations, it is way more than that.

It's also Miss A - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTnwjlDhAY4&hd=1 

And Big Bang -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQjcJBGIFsA&hd=1

Then there is  f(x) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnz2n5VcV4Q&hd=1

Oh, can't forget Shinee - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dww9UjJ4Dt8&hd=1


So now you've had a taste of Kpop. I hope you liked it.

Not everyone in my household is a fan of the Kpop. The Boy in particular doesn't like it. This causes some problems on the home front.

When we are driving, the rule is that the driver gets to choose the music. Since The Boy doesn't like to drive and hasn't gotten his license yet, I do most of the driving. And when I drive I listen to Kpop. And I listen to it LOUD. He doesn't like it and often tries to turn the tunes to a more manageable level. Fortunately for me, technology is on my side and I can turn up the music by touching a button on the steering wheel.

Battle won by MOM!

When we are at home and I'm cooking or cleaning I typically have my iPod on. And of course it is Kpop blaring from the speakers. The Boy will then go to his room and turn his music up, and up, and UP. Then I either let him win or I close his door.

Battle won by The Boy or by MOM!

When the rest of the family is around things get dicier. Everyone has an iPod. And everyone believes that their music is the best. Giggles is content to listen to her music in her room and doesn't think music is worth battling over. But the others ones.... If you leave the room and your iPod was playing when you left, there is a very good chance that your iPod will be replaced.

The funniest is when The Crafty One or Moli replace my iPod. We have the EXACT same music! We all love the Kpop. "No, Mom! Not YOURS! I've got better stuff on mine!" OR "I have my playlist set-up better than yours." Or other such nonsense. It is ridiculous.

And heaven helps us if we try to travel together for any length time in one vehicle. Dude-Man likes driving with music on. He likes many types of music. He tolerates the Kpop. Within 30 seconds of departure The Boy (in the way back) will start asking to have the music turned down. Of course The Crafty One and Moli want the music turned up. But not before Moli switches the iPod that is playing for her own iPod. So then Dude-Man works his technical magic and there is no sound in the speakers in the way back. This causes The Crafty One to beg for music on her side of the van. Dude-man acquiesces to her request which causes the boy to put on his headphones and start to listen to his own music. He has to turn his music up VERY LOUDLY so he can drown out the other music which is offensive to him. In a burst of sisterly concern, The Crafty One hassles The Boy to turn down his music, but to no avail. By now we are at the end of our street (about 250 feet).

As we continue on our journey there will be peace for a time. (Hurrah!) But then there will be a shift in the atmosphere and the bickering resumes. The Boy thinks it's his turn to have his iPod played. Within moments of the exchange someone will have a headache. There will be more technical magic performed by Dude-Man  but this time to no avail. Harsh words will be said, someone will cry or wail, I will start flailing and threaten to take off some of my clothes, the music will be turned off, and we will arrive at our destination in silence.

Battle won by no one. Sigh.

"Furs" and Ruffles

I wasn't really groovin' with new look for Super Junior M. But what's the name of my blog? Oh, yeah! What Would Super Junior Do? So I asked myself that very question and I decided that they would copy the style and take a few pictures. So that's what I did -

Ruffles? Check! Furry hat? Check! I think I could fit in, especially since there seems to be a spot for me tucked between Eunhyuk and Donghae (back row, just to the left of center). Too bad I am photoshop ignorant.

Oh well. And I don't take serious pictures very well either. I like this one the best -

And my opinion of ruffles and fur hats? They rock!

It's PERFECT!

Today a new Super Junior M music video is out. And it's hot! Which is surprising because of all the ruffles and fur hats and eyeliner. Did I mention ruffles and fur hats? Yeah... I've gotten over the whole eyeliner thing. Well at least for guys in music videos.

Anyway, this is a pretty catchy tune and if you don't like it then maybe your kids will. But this mama LOVES it and her kids think it's OK. This surprises me since they were the original Super Junior lovers in this house. Oh well. Watch for yourself and enjoy -

Gratitiude - A Sunday Thing

These posts are starting to feel a little like, "What I Did for My Summer Vacation" essays. Except that I never had to write one. But anyway, they feel forced. Or at least they do to me. I think I'm only going to do them once a month instead of attempting to do them every week.

With that said, this week I'm grateful for Sunshine!

The second thing I'm grateful for is temperatures in the 50's!

And the third thing I'm grateful for is all the funny, clever people who put hilarious things on YouTube-




And I'm also grateful for the people who find funny things on YouTube and put them on their blogs so that I can enjoy them too. (YouTubube video found via The Binge Lady http://bingelady.blogspot.com/)

As always I'm grateful for my home, my family, and my faith - 

  
and don't forget Super Junior!

21 days to a New Habit? It's a Lie!

Experts will tell you that it takes doing something 21 times for it to become a habit. Ha! First, I want to know who these experts are. And second, what exactly are they using for a definition of a habit? Never in my life has this "sage" advice worked.

OK, so the expert part. Have you ever noticed that the people who make the 21 day claim say it like it's some fact written in stone without ever actually trying it for themselves? I think that at day 21 they said, "Hey, I'm sick of keeping track of this habit. I don't think I will go back to my old ways. Done." Then they let it fade from memory and happily assume that they have a new habit.

Now the definition of a habit (as defined by dictionary.com)-  an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. That's the kind of definition I'm talking about. I don't think the "experts" are using this definition. I think the definition they are using is something like this- a new behavior done repetitively. They forget about the "almost involuntary" part.


Most habits that I can think of are negative ones. Like mindless eating. Or sucking your thumb. Picking your nose. Hair twirling. Leaving your backpack on the couch. Stripping off your clothes as soon as you get home (your partner may or may not like that one, but your kids hate it). You get it.

The point is, that at some level these bad habits give you an instant pay off that you need. New, good habits do not do this. If it's a new, bad habit, you are probably being rewarded for it in some way almost immediately. New, good habits are HARD!!! They require a lot of work and effort. They take you completely outside of your comfort zone. They do not give you the same kind of pay off that bad habits do. And 21 days is not enough time to ingrain these things into you so much so that stopping would make you feel desperate to continue doing them.


I must confess that I do not have any good habits. I have bad habits that I'm trying to overcome. I do good things on a regular basis, some more regularly than others. And I'm trying really hard to establish some good habits. 


The one I'm closest on is making my bed. In my 40+ years of living, making my bed has never been a priority of any kind. I decided in September that I needed a self-esteem boost and that one way to do that is to feel like you accomplish some thing everyday. Making the bed is easy so I decided to work on that. 21 days later it was still a hassle to make it. 60 days later I was still squabbling with Dude-Man about who should have to do it on weekends (Have you ever seen a baby having a fit because someone won't suck his thumb for him on the weekend? I think not!). It's now been over 150 days (I counted) and while it gives me great satisfaction to see my bed made and I no longer get grouchy about doing it on the weekends and I even have it mostly made before I even get out of bed (I'm very clever); I will let it go if I'm sick. I know I should cut myself some slack but I'm just being honest here. Thumb-suckers, hair-twirlers, compulsive eaters, nose pickers, back pack slingers, and nudists feel wrong when they don't suck, twirl, eat, pick, sling, or disrobe. Maybe I will never get there when it comes to making my bed. And, I'm actually OK with that.


Here are some things that I'm working on (with varying degrees of success) to make new, good habits in my lifetime- exercise, making healthy food choices, wearing make-up, getting dressed every day (pajamas don't count), brushing my teeth, doing the dishes, reading scriptures, saying positive things to my family, cooking dinner, doing my hair, putting away my stuff, doing nice things without being asked (something I wish my kids did- hint, hint), speaking/reading/listening to Korean every day, and nurturing our bank account into a state of abundance.

Whoa! That sentence was really long! And that's a lot of stuff! The nice thing about life is that everyday you get a chance to try again. When I let something go I ask myself if it's something that's still important to me and if it is I get up and do it. Right then. I have made my bed right before getting in it. Exercised after showering. Thrown away a poor food choice before I finished eating it. Put make-up on at 7pm. Gotten dressed at 5pm. Brushed my teeth at noon. Read one verse of scripture by the light of my ipod. You get the picture.

Now I'm not saying all of this to sound like a perfect, dedicated person. I am sooo far from that. But I have given myself permission to love myself and take care of myself in whatever way that works on that particular day. I don't hold to any diets or exercise plans. No month-by-month home organizing plan. Not even Dude-Man gets a say in how I should accomplish my goals. And I think that if you are thinking of something that you would like to tackle in your own life then do it! I'd love to cheer you on.

And when the going gets tough I just think of this guy-

  Why? Because he is always so positive and nice. And he's funny. So very funny. When the going gets tough I get all grouchy and mean. Laughing melts all that bad karma away. And then I listen to this song-
Super Junior - Here We Go.mp3

So now that you have something to think about, a nice picture of a really positive person (Eunhyuk), and a fun song to listen to, go forth and accomplish!

Party On Friend!