Merry fucking Christmas. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Some suggestions for the new year:
(1) If you are not funny, and you think you are, and people don't laugh at your jokes, stop trying to be funny. It's not funny. Really.
(2) Update your Facebook status at most once a day, please. More than one means you're not being a productive member of neither society nor your company. And you're cluttering my news feed with your inane chatter about absolutely nothing that I would care about.
(3) Do not call to berate me about your child's failing grade. It is not my responsibility to see that your child passes. It is my obligation to teach your child to hold himself accountable, take responsibility for his actions, and accept the consequences of his actions. Please consider your child a reflection of you, and remember that I am judging you.
(4) Can someone please do something about that fucking pothole on 7? I hit it every day! I'm going to lose a tire one of these days.
(5) Let's all agree that there comes a point in life when we all need to take stock of our lives and fucking grow up. You know who you are. Also, growing up, in some cases, means you refrain from having children; the thought of you spreading your seed makes me throw up in my mouth a little. I don't want to see mini-versions of you continuing your stupid, immature ways.

Okay, I think five is good. Start small.

Snow! And lots of it. It has been years since we had this much snow so early. Forecast predicts some snow for Christmas--a white Christmas! The snow causes a bit of anxiety in the Baby; she worries about the cars covered in snow. About three or four times, she ran to the window to watch the snow, and expressed her concerns about the cars in the parking lot, piled high with snow. Right now, the snow is still coming. It has not let up since it started last night. I would really like to get out of the house, but Husband suggests that is a bad idea.

Currently waiting for Auntie Flow, but hoping she doesn't come for a visit. :)

Yummy, quick, healthy chili!

1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 cubano peppers (or whatever you desire), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can red kidney beans (15 oz)
1 can tomato paste (8 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth
chili powder
ground cumin
paprika
ground cayenne
hot sauce

Sautee the onion in the olive oil, adding in turkey to brown. Stir in cubano peppers. Add in the rest of the ingredients (minus the spices). You'll have to work with adding in the spices a little at time to taste. I just tend to dump in handfuls because we like our food with some kick. Hold the hot sauce if you prefer it mild. Let simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

We are trying to pregnant, and it's been a strange ride so far. Two weeks after my expected period, I tested negative three times... and then I had my period. It was a bit saddening, as I was excited that I could be pregnant, so getting my period was a disappointment. I look forward to being pregnant again--despite all the morning sickness, the "growing" pains, and the other health issues. Fingers crossed!

I thought this article on the effect of our social networks on our behaviors was interesting. This article made me feel relieved that I'm not friends with certain people that I used to socialize with in high school. Obesity is contagious!

Well, you became a super duper fatty... and I didn't. ^_^

Okay, I admit--that was mean. But is it really? This is the same person who used to eat BACON and cans of WHIPPED CREAM all day while on Atkin's. "They don't have carbs." But they contain FAT, and lots of it! "Let's go to Burger King. I just won't eat the bun." That's probably the healthiest part! "I don't think these cookies have carbs." I think they do!

Well, the best to you.

I have a new addiction, and it's consuming my life.

When I'm doing it, I tend to ignore things around me. When I'm not doing it, I keep thinking about it.

It's... Farmville. Hehe. I am a Level 21 Rockstar Farmer with a 18x18 plantation. I own a barn, a cottage, and a tool shed. I have elephants, cows, ducks, chickens, pigs, sheep, and bunnies. I grew sweet potato while I could. I want to find more neighbors so I can get lots of gifts! (So if you're a Farmer, please add me. Let's be neighbors!)

FYI: Your status updates are annoying. No, really. Please stop.

Ugh.

I want to have another baby, but the way Baby has been behaving recently isn't really helping my cause. She is especially fussy during the night every once in a while, which means she is up for 2-3 hours crying and demanding I rock her to sleep. On top of that, her overall behavior is shit because my parents spoil her and let her get away with murder.

If Husband is only going to let me have two babies, then I want to have the second one soon. I'd rather do it while I still have the energy (and working back muscles). I'm going to be waking up at 4:30 again for the next ten months; as long as I'm in that routine, it would be no difficult adjustment when the baby comes. (If the baby comes.) His reasoning against--it's tiring, he doesn't want to get up in the night--is selfish. These are the sacrifices you make when you decide to be a parent. He seems to forget that aside from feeding the Baby while I pumped, or changing a few diapers, I did most of the baby care. Even now, I do almost everything for her. He'll argue that she doesn't want him to [feed, change, bathe] her; really, she just isn't used to it because he doesn't do it. I'm the one who spent the last eighteen months taking care of people all day; from 4:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., it was Baby, 50 teenagers, or Husband I had to tend to. I get tired too, you know, but having to do all those things is what it means to be a full-time working parent.

I don't want to wait another year or two years or whatever. It will be easier to get back into the caring for a newborn when it's still fairly fresh in the past, rather than trying to remember how things are supposed to be and what I'm supposed to do.

Sigh. Perhaps he feels I pushed him into having the first one, thereby ending his days of coming and going as he pleases and having to wipe only one ass.

Maybe I'm just frustrated with Baby's tantrums today and feeling angry...

'Mommy bloggers' vow to avoid ethical conflicts

Perhaps it is a bit righteous to believe no one should profit from blogging. I do take issue with women to use blogging to get free samples and corporate backing; it seems to conflict with the whole idea of being a mommy blogger. The purpose of being a mommy blogger would seem to be sharing ideas and thoughts about parenthood. I don't feel we should use that opportunity to court the big companies. Granted, I can see where it would be nice to spend a little less on things we need for our children, but selling out to the companies is low.

Hey, I would love a year of free diapers, but I'm not going to shout my praises of [insert brand name]'s superb diapers. (I don't even use brand diapers. In fact, I found my generic diapers from my favorite warehouse box store looked exactly like the brand diapers we used to buy. The only difference was the generic ones didn't have stupid Disney characters prancing around.) It's one thing to win the diapers in a contest, but it's another to 'ask' for free diapers by posting glowing reviews on your blog.

I'll just stick to writing on my ad-free, not-for-profit blogs.

Home, and happy to be! No more cat hair.

Birthday party tomorrow with the Baby to celebrate a cousin's fifth. Still getting used to the kiddie parties--and the weird kids that go with them.

Is it September yet??

For the second time in the last week, Facebook has suggested a friend: Who is this person, and why was she suggested? Well, other than the obvious similarity in names. What, because she's Korean, and I'm Korean, and we have the same name, we should be friends? I am offended.

Am in the process of purchasing a new laptop. Haven't actually initiated the process. While I have much desire for a new one, I lack the motivation to browse. Husband has been looking for me, but his options have not struck my fancy. I would use my work laptop, but I'd rather not leave evidence of my Facebook addiction.

With all this free time, I've been running through a list of places I'd like to visit. (Perhaps the gray, drizzly weather is contributing to my desire to be in warm, sunny, and sandy places.) In no particular order:

- U.S. Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, and other major islands (Grand Cayman, St. Kitts, St. Bart)
- Spain (particularly Barcelona, Madrid, and Costa del Sol)
- Turkey
- Ireland (a bit gray and drizzly there too, I bet...and not particularly warm or sandy)
- Egypt
- Greece
- Sydney and Melbourne, Australia
- Italy

The only part of traveling I dread is the packing and unpacking. If my luggage could magically appear at my destination, and then reappear at home upon return, I would enjoy traveling so much more. We'll be driving up to New York in a few weeks, and I hate the thought of packing. Inevitably, I leave something important behind, either at home or there.

Oh, blah. Let's just stay home and go to the pool. The tan is coming along...

My mind is cluttered. My heart is heavy. I feel lonely...

I need warm weather.

I am having a rough time lately. Maybe it's Time creeping up on me--I'm another year closer to thirty. Thirty already? I refuse to let thirty surprise me until we've had another wee one. (Note to husband: At least one more before thirty.) I'm all out of sorts. Things are just a little nutty in my head.

I'm waiting anxiously for warmer weather, hoping it will bring some cheer. I missed the cherry blossoms this year. It wasn't a feasible outing with FIL. This is the second year in a row I've missed them. I'll keep my fingers crossed for next year. When all the flowers start to bloom, I'd like to take Baby out for some pictures.

At what point is it okay for me to refuse to tolerate anyone's bullshit? Frustrating. A little more initiative, please.

I'm also looking forward to returning to work; it has been a fairly uneventful week off, although I can't really say I want to see my students so soon. I just want to do something productive.

We went to the zoo yesterday. Our second attempt was more successful than the first. (Let's not discuss the first attempt.) Baby saw alpacas, cows, and goats, identifying each one as a dog with her quiet little bark. She also meowed at the lion and tiger. Still a bit young to enjoy the zoo. She was more interested in watching the other babies than looking at the animals.

I missed lunch with Dawn and Susanna yesterday. I was actually hoping to see them over break, just so I could get some time to myself and do things I enjoy. I made the plans during our first zoo attempt, not knowing we'd have to try again. Monday's lunch will be filled with lots of catching up. Only a week but that's a lifetime when you have friends you actually like. :)

Happy birthday to me!

So I feel the need to reflect on choices I've made, people I've known, and how I've grown...

Last June, I had a chance to do some reflection while out with friends. Real friends. People who like you for who you are, love you for who you're not, and show you how to have fun. A recent conversation with another real friend allowed me to have some closure about some past hurts and realize I'm better for them.

Back in high school, then-friend--CS--mentioned to our group of friends once that she wanted to be the first of us to get married, have kids, etc. At the time, I thought nothing of it--who didn't want to be the first among friends to boast a husband, a child, a house?

I never gave it another thought until I found myself planning my wedding. The original date I chose happened to be CS's birthday. Not wanting to force her to choose her birthday or my wedding, I moved it forward one week. I also asked her to be in the wedding, thinking she would gladly agree, when I suddenly remembered that little thing she had said in high school. When she said no in a suspiciously circuitous fashion, I finally understood the meaning of our friendship. I had just been another member of the pack.

The wedding planning made me forget this realization. I sent her an invitation anyway. Being single, I believed she would arrive alone (with some other invited friends). Instead, she brought her college roommate, for whom I had expressed some disdain (poor life choices being the main reason). It was my day, so I left it pass. CS caught the bouquet that night. (If I had known how she really felt about me, I would have snatched it from her hands.)

Months passed, our anniversary approached. In that time, I had left her several messages for various occasions--Christmas, New Year's, Independence Day, her birthday--but there were no acknowledgements of receipt. Upon purchase of a new cell phone, I consciously skipped over her phone number as I entered the other ones into the new phone. I knew it was over.

Two weeks ago, my friend CT met with CS and several others to plan our reunion. CT informed me that CS was engaged (CT: "You didn't know?"). She also informed me that CS was bitter about my getting married before she did. Not only was I taken aback, but I felt angry. She had only pretended to be happy for me. Was I supposed to be happy for her? CT then said that CS was making damn sure that she was married by the time we had the reunion.

Petty much? I couldn't believe that she had really wanted to marry first. What a fucking childish wish. I'm happy to say I do not consider her a friend. It's amazing that some people refuse to grow up and become adults. I don't have time for people like that. I have a child; I don't need to be friends with one.

On a lighter note, I did immediately try to think of ways I could rub a ton of salt into her wounds. One idea was to show up pregnant and announce our second child. And hey, we've been married for three years! Have you seen my adorable baby? Can you believe how much weight I've lost? Remember how you got rejected from UVA? Ha!

But I'm not petty like that. :) I love my life. I love my new friends. And I love my true old friends. That's enough to make me better than her.

High school ten-year reunion is approaching, according to news posted on Facebook this weekend. I'm ambivalent about this event. Do I really want to revisit four years of my life that I didn't really care for the first time around? I have few friends from high school (and by few, I mean one with whom I am still in touch on a regular basis). I certainly don't feel obligated to attend, but it might be fun just to see how everyone fared after graduation. (Based on my keen observation, and with some help from Facebook, I know many have not accomplished much.)

Or, the occasion may serve as a time for reconciliations. I can think of a few people I've burned or been burned by, but holding out for such atonements may be futile.

Ultimately, my decision will hinge on my own availability (likely), location (definitely), and cost (absolutely). Leave it to our officers to let this event hang over their heads until the last possible minute.

Valentine's this year... a bust. :(

But Baby's birthday was fun. :)

And now I must return to work tomorrow... :(

But I have Thursday to look forward to! :)

And dinner with cousins on Saturday. :)

But I have lots of laundry to do this week. :(

And I have a headache. :(

:( wins.

Seems we can't get enough of Facebook, as much as we profess to hating it:

Facebook flashmob shuts down station

It's amusing, really.

British Transport Police also described it as "mainly a good humored event," adding "No arrests were made and no crimes were reported."

Not the way any US police would react to such a situation. We need to lighten up and have a sense of humor.

Two funny, yet horrifyingly true, articles about Facebook.

Why I'm Quitting Facebook

25. We Never Do Random Things. Until We Do.

(By the way, I think the '25 Random Things' craze is pretty annoying. It's about as welcome as a MySpace bulletin. That was why I quit MySpace... maybe I'm on my way to quitting Facebook too.)

Feb. 19 I will finally be an official citizen. Now comes the paperwork...

새해 복 많이 받으세요.

Happy lunar new year! ^_^

Update: ring found. Must have come off my finger when I was packing the diaper bag. Hooray!

Update: no appointment to take the oath yet. The USCIS automated system cannot give me any information about my application status. Further evidence of the government's inefficiency.

Update: my life is relatively boring. :)

I lost my class ring today. I am very sad.