S-P-Y

Last month I said that I didn't love Super Junior's song, "For U". I take that back! After watching a video of their first live performance of the song I fell in love with it. Now, I can't get enough of it. Here it is in all its charming, dorky glory -



I love the smooth vocals and harmonies. The dance is something that even I can get. They all look so cute and even a bit dorky. Leeteuk sounds kind of cheesy at the beginning. But, hey! It's a cheesy song.

Speaking of Super Junior songs that didn't grab me the first time I heard them, their latest songs came out on August 4th. I was so excited to buy the songs that I didn't even bother to listen to them on iTunes before I purchased them. And then I listened to SPY ..... whoa! Different. Unique. Strange. Weird. Those are nice words to convey my feelings. My actual thought was,"What the crap did I just buy!!!!" And, "Oh no! A Super Junior song I don't like!" To say that I was dismayed would be putting it mildly. But then I decided to give it another chance and another and another. Before I knew it I was liking the song and then loving the song. Now I can't get enough of it.

While I was learning to love the song I was bummed out that there was no music video for it. There was a music video teaser for it, but that never tells you much. They were performing the song on various music shows in Korea so I had a good idea of what the video would end up looking like. But that's not the same.

Finally, last night, while I was watching the closing ceremonies for the Olympics, Siwon tweeted about the video. I love it. I love the cutesy bits. I love the James Bond vibe. I love the dance. I love how unexpected it is that Kyuhyun and Ryeowook are rapping. It's kind of stange but in a really great way. Enjoy -

Ooooo! So Sexy!! So Free!!! So Single!!!! I'm Ready to BINGO?????

Last night the music video for Sexy, Free, and Single was released. Here it is -

The first time I watched it I was a little disappointed. I love watching them dancing and being all sexy and all of that. But I also like when their personalities get to be part of the experience. In videos like this one they look serious or angry.

That said, I love the video.

But I have a couple of questions:
1. Why is Kyuhyun wearing a shredded tire around his neck?
2. Who thought that laying on the floor and doing the backstroke was a dance move?
3. When they wear spikes on their clothes are they doing it because people won't stop touching their
     hair, neck, chest, etc.?
4. Didn't the songwriter realize that by adding the word "bingo" to the song people would mock
     Super Junior with things like this -

But other than that, I LOVE THIS SONG AND MUSIC VIDEO!!!

Sexy, Free, and Single

Super Junior's newest CD is available to purchase on-line RIGHT NOW!!! Physical sales start on July4/5. I bought my digital copy from iTunes but there are a bunch of Asian distributors that have it and those places are probably cheaper than iTunes. I'm not good at explaining how to do that so I'm not gonna.

Anyway, this post is not about telling you where to buy the CD, it's about my impressions of the songs on the album. Click on the title of each song to hear a snippet of the song.

Sexy, Free, and Single - Finally, a main track that is not SJ Funky! The video has not been released yet. I hope there is more to the video than the guys dancing on a couple of different sets interspersed with close up shots. My dream version of this song includes them speed dating and striking out. Even Siwon would strike out. Gotta leave hope for the bajillion fan girls out there. Super Junior has quite the reputation for being a bunch of hilarious dorks and a music video capitalizing on this charming trait would be awesome.

너로부터 (From U) - I like this song but I don't love it. I should love it since it's directly aimed at the fans (ELF - EverLasting Friends). I'm sure that by the end of the week I will find something about it to love.

Now - This song reminds me of the songs I loved as a teenager/young adult. Anything that takes me back to those carefree days is a winner in my book.

Rockstar - This song cracks me up. I like to imagine that Ryan Higa and G Dragon collaborated on the music and lyrics for the song. I would love a video of this song with the guys being cheesy rockstars like Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, and Alec Baldwin in Rock of Ages -

Leeteuk, Sungmin,and Shindong or Kangin would be great in those parts. Throw in a goofy DJ (Eunhyuk) and everyone else as hip-hop stars and I think it would be video gold. Oh well, it is exteremly unlikely that this song would ever be made into a video. But now you know what's going through my head whenever this song is playing (and I'm playing it a lot).

걸리버 (Gulliver) - Eunhyuk wrote this song and it has a really different sound from all of the rest of the songs. It reminds me a little of Superman during the chanting. Since I love Eunhyuk I love this song (like I love anything my kids make) but it has taken some time to grow on me. If you don't listen to much Korean stuff then you might have a hard time understanding that they are, in fact, saying Gulliver repeatedly. Moli asked what a cullivah (kullivah?) is. Yeah, that's the Korean way to say Gulliver. In Korean, the sound the letter "g" makes and the sound the letter "k" makes is similar and is often blended together. And then, depending on the letter's position in the word the sound changes. To further complicate matters, when the word that begins with the k/g letter is in the middle of a sentence then the word that precedes it affects the initial sound of the word that begins with the k/g letter. Confused much? (I'll bet you didn't think you would be getting a mini lesson in Korean linguistics today.) That's my long explanation about why it doesn't bother me when they say Gulliver in a weird way.

언젠가는 (Someday) and 달콤씁쓸 (Bittersweet) - are both ballads. I like Super Junior ballads but my kids typically don't.

빠삐용 (Butterfly) - This song is upbeat and fun. It also talks about letting something bounce -"Let it bounce, let it bounce, let it bounce..." Bounce seems like a popular word in KPOP lyrics this summer. Check out JJ Project's "Bounce" here.

머문다 (Daydream) - Another ballad and it's really pretty. More importantly, it doesn't make me sad. I like pretty ballads better than sad ballads.

헤어지는 날 (A 'Good'bye) - The lyrics of this song confuse me. I wonder if the song means that they are planning to stop activities as a group for a while. Eight members of the group still have to fulfill their mandatory military service. Leeteuk (the leader of the group) will surely be headed off to serve soon since he is pretty much at the upper age limit and can no longer postpone the inevitable. This slowish song seems upbeat but it makes me  a little sad. But it also gives me hope that if this is really the last group CD for a while they are still committed to coming back together. Super Junior - not the end but and....

My recommendation? Duh! Buy this CD, you will be glad you did.

I Hate You, Blogger!!!

Today I posted something on my blog (and I'm not referring to this post either) but I didn't mean to. And then Moli read it. And now she's holding me accountable for it. Argh! And then my friend commented on it. Man!

I hate you, blogger!!! Why did you change? Why is it so hard to do everything now? How did I post that post when I thought that I had deleted it? I'm really, really mad!

Now that's off my chest I have to get something else off my chest - I really, really don't like people who are unable to thoughtfully listen (or read) opinions that differ from their own. I spent the best part of this day observing a blog "war" about modesty. I was so grumpy that I actually put my opinion out there. I usually keep my opinions to myself but today..... If you'd like read to read about people of faith (mainly Mormons) having a kerfuffle about modesty you can read about it here. But don't read it. Because no matter how you feel about the subject, there is some comment that is bound to make you feel upset.

On a much happier note, Super Junior is releasing a new album this weekend! Here is the first teaser video -



I think the song is going to be awesome.

This is a new concept, a Highlight Medley of the songs from the new CD -



Here are their teaser pictures which are weird, artsy, and interesting -

 And now I'm going to post this (on purpose) and I hope it doesn't look weird. When I try to preview it it looks really strange with words where the videos should be and just a bit of the picture. Stupid blogger! I hate you!!!

What I Like

The other day I bought a book about habits. It's called ,"The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. I have one more chapter to go and I've bee really impressed by what I've read. It turns out that habits can be made without thinking about them, they are very strong but also very fragile, they can keep us on the straight and narrow, or keep us from reaching our dreams. They can have ripple effects in our lives. The quest for one goal can lead to a domino effect that can cause a cascade of change. Awesome! Individuals have habits Companies have habits Societies have habits I would also add that families have habits as do small groups of people. Lately my habits have been gathering dust as I have neglected them, ignored them, and occasionally destroyed them. Of course I'm talking about my good habits. Bad habits can be neglected, and ignored, but they are never really destroyed. (That is very disheartening.) Anyway, I find myself exclaiming, "Argh!!!" very loudly and on a regular basis as I realize how far I am falling. This must not be allowed to continue. One of my problems is that I have too many goals. And some are too lofty. I am impatient and want results NOW! I am lazy. I don't really believe I can do xyz. I fear change. Crap! But it's time to turn all that around. These are my goals. I don't think there are too many (4). I don't think they are too hard. And I do think I can do them because I have before. 1- exercise every day 2- study the scriptures every day 3- make my bed very day 4- do something creative everyday That's it. Somebody please stop me if I start talking about adding to this list. It takes a long time for something to become a habit for me. Therefore, I will give myself six months of working on these things before considering adding any new goals.

Negligee Canada

Well it's been a long time. Yup, a long time. I've done stuff. Super Junior has done a ton of stuff. And the world spins on.

I have been stressed, damaged, and depressed. These topics are not fun to write about and so no blogging for me. By the way I'm still stressed (though I don't know why), and damaged (badly sprained ankle + neglect = an ankle that won't heel after 5 months), and depressed (I blame the ankle and anti-depressants that don't seem to work). But enough about me.

KPOP has been getting noticed in the States these days. And all I have to say is - w00t! w00t!

Korean girl groups seem to be leading the charge. The Wonder Girls had a movie on Teen Nick - check it out (it's pretty cheesy). And Girls' Generation were recently on The David Letterman Show and Live! With Kelly. They did a great job.

They burned up the stage on Letterman -

And then they rocked the house with Kelly (and Howie Mandel) -

I'm not typically a fan, but they were really awesome!

Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am has been working on the upcoming U.S. debut album for 2ne1. Hopefully, it will come out this year. But until then, here is my favorite song (which Dude-Man has mangled the lyrics for) - I Am the Best (Nae Ga Chaeil Challa Ga - or as he likes to say, "Negligee Canada")

Rock on KPOP girls!

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.

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What a sweet boy. Almost as sweet as mine.