Ess-a Home Delivery

I finally made good on my bagel courier career (see February post). Four salt, four nine grain w/honey, four oat bran, four cinnamon raisin and three everything later, the bagels have been delivered. The next time you're in New York, check out one of the two Ess-a-Bagel locations.

"No"

While entertaining children with the average age of 3.2916666666666666666666666666667, one learns a number of ways to say a polite "no." Here are a few that might work for you.

• How about later? ("later" is defined as 20 seconds for someone with the average age of 3.29)
• I spy with my little eye... (a mere distraction method; quite effective for anyone with the average age of 3.29, for at least 20 seconds anyway)
• I don't think so. (this means, I beg you to ask me again in 20 seconds)
• Not now. (see "later" defined in the first bullet point)
• It's all gone. (by "gone," again, it means you should ask me again in 20 seconds)

My husband displays a more patient side by actually turning a "no" into a teachable moment. He is a better person than I.

Baked Wrapped Tilapia

My friend found THE yummiest (and easiest) baked wrapped tilapia recipe! It's just as good wrapped in tinfoil only without the banana leaves. Thanks Epicurious.com!

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Well, it wasn't quite in that order...actually it was more like planes, automobiles, automobiles, trains and automobiles. That was my trip to New York. Needless to say, it was a long day.

Jury Duty

I'm all for doing my civic duty. However, being summoned for jury duty this week seemed like quite an inconvenience. So, here are the top five ways to get out of jury duty.

5. You look just like Judge Wapner
4. Define "reasonable" and "doubt"
3. What evidence? They're all guilty
2. Who cares if it's just a parking ticket...capital punishment for all
1. I object!

Happy Independence Day!

As you can see, we spent the evening with special friends.

We hope you had a special day too!

I'm going to be an Aunt!

How exciting! Let the spoiling begin.

Breasted, Big Indian

By the title, one would think that perhaps a new exotic bird species had been discovered somewhere in the remote regions of Mumbai.

Nope.

This utterance actually occurred in modern day, office building setting.

As I waited in our office lobby, the building security guard and I made idle chit-chat. By definition, 'idle chit-chat' should involve topics such as the weather, traffic, a "how ya doin'?," and a hundred other safe and innocuous subjects.

Well, on this particular day, chit-chat wandered to my nationality. Obviously, this in itself is a safe and innocuous topic.

[AN ASIDE] As most of readers of this blog know, I am Korean born.

Now, when most people ask, and I 'chit' that I'm Korean, a typical 'chat' goes something like this, "you look Korean." On a rare occasion, "you look Chinese" or "perhaps a mix." All of this is still safe, innocuous, and idle and provides for a lovely conversation.

So, I was ill-prepared for the response on this particular day.

"Big."

That is, the security guard, a professed-Korean responded, "you're too big to be Korean."

Hmmmm, how does one respond? Politely, I stood there somewhat unresponsive, not really sure what the correct response from a God-fearing woman should be.

Because of my sudden silence, the security guard believed further explanation might assist. Upon which he said, "see, your wrists...too big; shoulders...too big; you're too tall..."

"...big, Big, BIG, BIG, BIG..."

Okay, I got the "BIG". Please stop saying BIG!

Apparently, further explanation still needed, he paused for a moment and said, "You look Indian."

Hmmmm. Big. Indian. Interesting.

As I mentioned, I've been called a few variations of Asian before, but never Indian. So at this point, my self-image is that of a "Big Indian Woman," apparently with Korean eye features.

Well, now that I have a complex about being too big for my nationality, more explanation still needed, he proceeded to also explain that "Koreans are flat." As he said "flat," he made animated hand motions to indicate flat in his upper chest.

Thus, we now have the title to this blog post.

So, as you might imagine, I:
1). still prefer safe, innocuous, and idle chit-chat, and
2). now prefer avoiding our building's lobby from the 3pm-11pm shift, Wednesday through Sunday.

In Search of Ark

After more than 10 inches of rain in three days (and six of those inches in one day), we are beginning to see animals lined up in twos. There were several DC locations that were closed including roads, buildings, a few metro stations, regional trains and flooded tunnels. Thankfully, I returned from a business trip to find a dry house. I think my mode of transportation to work in the morning is canoe.

Starbucks Tale

I was in Starbucks the other morning for a cup of tea with steamed milk when I ran into Christina. Christina was the former store manager at the Starbucks and now is the district/area manager for several Starbucks stores. It was the first time I'd seen her since she left the store, so we briefly said hello and I asked how things were with her. Thinking it was a boon that I'd run into her, I sent an email to a friend, who often frequents the same Starbucks. Little did I know that not only had she seen Christina, but numerous times and knew all about her comings and goings. Alas, my news was no news to the Starbucks-loyalist.

Happy Father's Day!

A very Happy Father's Day to our Dads!

Congratulations!

We celebrate with Kurt & Kendra on the safe arrival of Kira Lee on June 12!

Public office qualification requirements include ...

Not hiring illegal aliens. Moreover, I have been told that my mantra should be "Don't go to Jail".

However, due to recent trends, I have received conflicting advice. Or, as the politicians say, "a refinement of their position".

You may wonder what type of trends would cause a flip/flop...um...er....I meant to say, would cause a 'refinement' of an upstanding citizen's advice.

Perhaps it's the recent immigration bill, perhaps there were recent grass root protests, perhaps some other national political trend. Or, perhaps an issue closer to home, such as the fading facade of our moral character.

If you perceived the last item is most likely; you are correct.

As a matter of fact, it is not just close to home. The issue is the home. Specifically, the fading facade of the metal siding's character.

Yes. Like you, I am shocked, too.... "Shocked ! Shocked!", I say.

How could painting our aluminum siding corrupt such moral fortitude? Is the fading aluminum a morality play on our fading facade of our character?

Moreover...

Hang on.


"Paint-o el Side-o .... el SIDE-O ... THE el SIDE-O !!"*


Sorry, I had to give our day laborer some direction.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, now I remember.

.... Moreover, how could someone express one set of values, yet live a different set of values !?

How could someone be that hypocritical ?!

I will never know.





*Although, I am ugly and an American. I am not the ugly American parodied in the above post.
No day laborers were harmed in the making of this blog.




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Ginger did everything that Fred did, but backwards and in heels

Well, it's been a while since my last blog. Last weekend we visited my parents for the weekend. My sister was visiting and my brother and sister-in-law also came down for a few hours. Fun was definitely had by all.

There were two new restaurants that are a must-return-to: Jimmy & Michele’s Pizzeria in Port Washington, admittedly, some of the best pizza ever, and The Perc Place in Hartford. One of The Perc Place's claim to fame is the hundreds of different sayings that decorate the women's and men's (so I've been told) bathroom walls. For instance, in the women's here's a sample:

• "Well-behaved women rarely make history"
• "First God made Adam and then looked at him and said, 'I think I can do better,' so He created a woman."
• "Ginger did everything that Fred did, but backwards and in heels."

One can only imagine what must be on the walls in the men's room!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to our Moms!

He's baaaaack!

Photo by Jim Biever
(Official Packers Website)
Mini-camp opened in Green Bay and Brett was back.

by Roger Anderson, Packers.com
posted 05/06/2006

The decision Brett Favre made to return to Green Bay this season wasn't easy, but it was rather simple.

"Ultimately I still wanted to play, I still felt like I could help this team win," Favre said. "I wondered what it would be like at home on Sundays next year and saying I could be doing that, I could be helping that team.

FINAL (I promise) Stars-Avs Series Reflection

Well, a whole day has gone by, perhaps the dust has settled and so I thought I'd be a little more rational about the Stars-Avs series. Here are the final thoughts: Stars fans, be grateful, we were finally put out of our misery by Brunette's OT goal yesterday. We went into the playoffs with high hopes for our team, only to witness some of worst hockey, goaltending, short-handed goals, blown leads, OT and, at times, puck handling, we could have imagined from our 2-seed team. I think it would have been more painful to drag the series on and win a game or two more only to go down at the end anyway. I wasn't a fan of goaltender Marty Turco going in, and this certainly hasn't helped my opinion. Over and out. When does pre-season begin?

Golfing

Maybe I'll take up golfing like the Stars who will watch the remaining Stanley Cup playoffs from their couch.

UPDATE: Perhaps that sounds a little harsh. Ask me tomorrow; maybe the loss won't be as fresh.

OT

Guerin of the Stars tied the game in the third to force OT!

UPDATE: Stars lose 3-2 in OT.

Finally, Not Finale

The Stars pulled out a win last night against Colorado, but they face almost unsurmountable odds as they're down 3-1 in a seven game series. Although, it was nice to see the Stars play with some vigor and a will to win; I fear it may have come too late, however.