Baby Angels

I'm fascinated by what the image or thought of baby angels do to people.  Usually people are left with a sense of wonder or in a state of endearment.  We can all agree that babies, on the whole, are cute.  We all love their big eyes, their pudgy fingers grabbing on to whatever, their wobbly head, simply their existence.  It's something that calls on us from a primal place.  We can't help but feel protective and affection for our next generation.  Which makes me that much more confused because for most people, the baby angel is the height of innocence and all things baby BUT for that angel to exist, that means there's a grieving mother/father/family that is having to deal with the loss of their child.

That's right unless there are angels having sex and then making baby angels which I don't think most people would be on board for, your baby angel that's floating in the clouds is actually six feet under.  So the next time you see an image of some sweet cherub just remember there's a mother devastated at the loss of her child.

My favorite Easter memory

When my parents moved over to Dallas, we didn't start out with much.  Since then my parents have worked very hard to get were they're at and I'm really very proud of them.  They are an example that hard work and determination are strong foundations for success.

As Easter passes, I'm reminded of our simpler days.  When I look back I realize now that we started out much more meager than I used to remember.  We lived in a two bedroom apartment in Dallas.  My brother and I would share a bedroom.  My mother would cook a lot of ramen noodles for us which in hindsight meant that we were really poor but I thought it was great at the time.  She made the best ramen.  Anyway, I remember getting caught up in the commercialized fervor that is Easter and wanting to color eggs and do an Easter egg hunt.  She agreed and I just remember the excitement I had as she helped to color the eggs.  We didn't do anything fancy.  They were just colored hard boil eggs and for the hunt, she hid them around our humble apartment.  When it was time, my brother and I scoured the apartment for the eggs.  We found the eggs and promptly ate them.  And I was happy. 

I love you, mom.

Food!

I'm still haunted by the Kogi Truck.  I took a trip to LA not too long ago.  The highlights were eating at fine establishments like the Kogi Truck and the other being able to say that I was in the audience for Conan's last "Tonight Show".  I guess being slapped in the face with a fake fake boob (not a fake boob - there is a difference) would rank pretty high as well.  But lately, there's been a gaggle of people making the trek out to LA.  And I've been telling everyone about the Kogi Truck.  What's the Kogi Truck?  "Kogi" in Korean translates to "meat" in English.  So basically it's a meat truck.  Delicious meat that traverses the greater LA area and all served from a makeshift ice cream vending truck.  It's joy in food form.  (I guess that means I'm an emotional eater.)

http://twitter.com/kogibbq

Get the spicy pork tacos which is basically daejibulgoki wrapped in a small flour tortilla.  My mouth is watering just thinking about them.  Ok.  I'm hungry now.

Food, Inc. - Yeah, it's one of those important movies

If you've ever bought and eaten ANYTHING from a grocery store, you should see this.
We clearly need a better relationship with the food we eat.
We all can make a change for the better.

Thunder Road

Thunder Road (live version)



I have a love affair with this song.
Yeah.  I'm probably the only Korean American who knows all the words to this song.
And that's alright with me.

This version is one the best.

Guiding Principles for a Functioning Democracy

As tragic as what happened in Austin is I can't help but wonder what would be our reaction had the pilot been Muslim. Given the current political climate, I have no doubt that Republicans, Tea Baggers, Neo-Cons, i.e. the Conservative Right, would've seen this as an opportunity to turn the screws on this current administration as a sign of weakness. They claim that the lives of American citizens are in greater harm because of the perceived stance of this administration.  A claim made all the more ironic when the seeds of their own discontent toward government can be seen in the pilot who slammed his plane into the IRS building in Austin and those who conspired to bomb the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.  As heinous as these acts were and including the acts of 9/11, we as citizens of America must stand above the violence and terror these actions wish to inflict.  We must never lose sight of our principles and our integrity as a democratic and free state.  We must endure the loss of innocent Americans and bring honor to that loss by not becoming the very thing we fight against.  Becoming a monster to defeat a monster still leaves you with a monster.

And to be clear, I'm not a "turn-the-other-cheek" kind of guy.  To illustrate, I favor the death penalty.  I want justice when injustice has been done.  But how and for what cause that justice is administered should be one for discussion.

Also, to those who know me, this particular subject matter will probably shock you but I promise lighter fare in the future.