A long time ago I went to the Jelly Belly factory with a bunch of friends, one of them said that I was the Korean version of Doug on King of Queens. The King of Queens is one of my favorite TV shows and there actually are a lot of similarities between Doug Heffernan's life and mine.
First off we're both pretty large men, around the same height. We both love to eat, that explains why we are both rather large. Doug's description of a perfect weekend would be lounging around the house watching TV and eating take out, and that is pretty much mine as well. We both have nagging wives, (just kidding Mary). Actually Mary used to nag me but she stopped because she knows how much I hate it.
But the most important similarity is that we both live with annoying in-laws. This is kind of mean, but we nicknamed Mary's mom Arthur. Mary's mom is like Arthur in so many way ways. Too bad we don't have a basement. =)
Today I had to take her shopping at the Korean market. I felt just like Doug when he reluctantly has to take Arthur to run his errands. The car ride there and back was bruuuuutal. Mary's mom has some really bad breath, it's not just your run of the mill I forgot to brush bad breath, it's the kind that smells like something crawled in there and died several years ago. I know it's mean, but I'm an asshole what can I say. Anyways it was so bad that despite it being freezing I had to roll down the window, but it still didn't help. So I breathed through my mouth the whole time. I know I'm going to hell but I just had to let it out.
Maybe I should have told her. I do carry some Listerine in my car that I use after I eat lunch at work. I should have just casually offered her some. But I seriously don't think it would have helped, I think something is rotting in there.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Love Bank
Getting out early today from work to begin our two week Christmas break. Looking forward to just chilling. Though it's really hard to chill these days because of the little one.
He's so cute these days. It's weird, how my love for him keeps growing. But emotions are so fickle. My old pastor, Joe talked about this theory called a love bank. We each have one with every one we know. Every time you meet with that person and have a positive encounter you make a deposit into the love bank. And whenever you have a negative encounter you make a
withdraw. So with some people like your spouse and children, their love bank has so much credit that it would take a lot to get into the negative. As for others that are mere acquaintances, a few bad encounters and you close the account.
The great thing about this theory is that you can change people's impression of you. Though sometimes you might start out with a negative balance just by your first impression. I'm probably one of those people. The funny thing is that at work I try harder to leave good impressions than I do with my social friends. For instance at work I will compliment people and just schmooze and talk idle chit chat. But at church for instance I never do that. I don't feel like schmoozing and I don't idly compliment people. Maybe because work Jin is fake and church Jin is real, and real Jin doesn't want to bother with all that BS crap because it is tiring.
So does this mean I work harder at relationships at work than I do at church? I think it does. It's inherently selfish, because I know positive work relationships will benefit me by getting more money and promotions, hopefully. But there really isn't any tangible benefit to working on your social relationships other than strengthening bonds that you care about. Maybe I don’t care, maybe I don’t have any love left to deposit, maybe relationships are just too hard…
That's the thing! Relationships are hard and they require a lot of work. I’m really lazy and the relationships that I do focus on pretty much take up most of my time. My marriage takes the most of my energy, Christian, then dealing with my mother in law. I have my close friends that I've known for years and that takes some energy to call them up and make time for each other. Then finally what breaks your back I think is the dealing with your work family all week. Let's face it, you spend more time with them then your real family. So come the weekend you're spent and you just want to relax, not talk to anyone, drink some beer and watch football. (Man I wish football season was longer!)
So is that it!? I really don’t want it to be. I want to keep expanding my circle of friends, people that I truly do care about and love. But it goes back to laziness, am I willing to do it?
He's so cute these days. It's weird, how my love for him keeps growing. But emotions are so fickle. My old pastor, Joe talked about this theory called a love bank. We each have one with every one we know. Every time you meet with that person and have a positive encounter you make a deposit into the love bank. And whenever you have a negative encounter you make a
withdraw. So with some people like your spouse and children, their love bank has so much credit that it would take a lot to get into the negative. As for others that are mere acquaintances, a few bad encounters and you close the account.The great thing about this theory is that you can change people's impression of you. Though sometimes you might start out with a negative balance just by your first impression. I'm probably one of those people. The funny thing is that at work I try harder to leave good impressions than I do with my social friends. For instance at work I will compliment people and just schmooze and talk idle chit chat. But at church for instance I never do that. I don't feel like schmoozing and I don't idly compliment people. Maybe because work Jin is fake and church Jin is real, and real Jin doesn't want to bother with all that BS crap because it is tiring.
So does this mean I work harder at relationships at work than I do at church? I think it does. It's inherently selfish, because I know positive work relationships will benefit me by getting more money and promotions, hopefully. But there really isn't any tangible benefit to working on your social relationships other than strengthening bonds that you care about. Maybe I don’t care, maybe I don’t have any love left to deposit, maybe relationships are just too hard…
That's the thing! Relationships are hard and they require a lot of work. I’m really lazy and the relationships that I do focus on pretty much take up most of my time. My marriage takes the most of my energy, Christian, then dealing with my mother in law. I have my close friends that I've known for years and that takes some energy to call them up and make time for each other. Then finally what breaks your back I think is the dealing with your work family all week. Let's face it, you spend more time with them then your real family. So come the weekend you're spent and you just want to relax, not talk to anyone, drink some beer and watch football. (Man I wish football season was longer!)
So is that it!? I really don’t want it to be. I want to keep expanding my circle of friends, people that I truly do care about and love. But it goes back to laziness, am I willing to do it?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Free Massage
A woman came through our office and offered free 2 minute massages. At first I said no, but another lady in my office got one and since the masseuse offered again I said yes. Normally I don't like strangers touching me, but I'm really glad that I said yes because I feel a lot more relaxed now.
She actually massaged me for like 5 minutes so it was pretty cool for no $. It was actually the first massage by a professional I've ever had. Paying for a massage is not something that this poor boy from Vallejo would ever think to do.
She actually massaged me for like 5 minutes so it was pretty cool for no $. It was actually the first massage by a professional I've ever had. Paying for a massage is not something that this poor boy from Vallejo would ever think to do.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Joseph (Not That One)
You know not enough is said about Joseph in the Bible. I’m talking about Joseph, Mary’s husband, Jesus dad here on earth. Put yourself in this guy’s shoes for a second. The woman you love, who you are engaged to, who you have never had sex with, all of a sudden gets pregnant. Her excuse, an angel of the Lord came and the Holy Spirit caused her to become pregnant! And that’s not all folks, the baby is the son of God and he will reign over the house of David forever. I don’t care who you are, that’s a lot to swallow!
Okay now if I were Joseph, I would have probably been heart broken that Mary cheated on me and would have ended that relationship. Some nasty words would probably would have been said and I would have went on my way. I think many other guys would have done the same thing. But Joseph was special. He probably had a very personal relationship with God, so something like this wasn’t inconceivable for him. Perhaps God spoke to him as well, I don’t know. (Actually I looked it up and an angel appeared to him as well)
Fast forward 12 years. Jesus is now beginning to show signs that he is no ordinary child. He is stealing away to the synagogues to school the rabbis and quoting scripture, wowing everybody. How does a man deal with the fact that his son, whose diapers he changed for years is not really his son, but God’s? That you really don’t have any ownership of him and when he has to leave and do God’s work you really have no say. Maybe this is the model for all fathers. That I don’t have any real ownership of my son Christian. He belongs to God as everything else I possess does. I am just entrusted to take care of him until he is old enough to discern what God has entailed for him in his own life. Maybe every father eventually has to go through what Joseph had to go through. Okay I digress from my original point.
Joseph, Mary’s husband I believe is overshadowed by the Joseph in the Old Testament (although he is awesome too). When people name their kids Joseph, it’s probably not after Jesus’ dad. But I think that Joseph was a great man, who had a lot of faith and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves.
Okay now if I were Joseph, I would have probably been heart broken that Mary cheated on me and would have ended that relationship. Some nasty words would probably would have been said and I would have went on my way. I think many other guys would have done the same thing. But Joseph was special. He probably had a very personal relationship with God, so something like this wasn’t inconceivable for him. Perhaps God spoke to him as well, I don’t know. (Actually I looked it up and an angel appeared to him as well)
Fast forward 12 years. Jesus is now beginning to show signs that he is no ordinary child. He is stealing away to the synagogues to school the rabbis and quoting scripture, wowing everybody. How does a man deal with the fact that his son, whose diapers he changed for years is not really his son, but God’s? That you really don’t have any ownership of him and when he has to leave and do God’s work you really have no say. Maybe this is the model for all fathers. That I don’t have any real ownership of my son Christian. He belongs to God as everything else I possess does. I am just entrusted to take care of him until he is old enough to discern what God has entailed for him in his own life. Maybe every father eventually has to go through what Joseph had to go through. Okay I digress from my original point.
Joseph, Mary’s husband I believe is overshadowed by the Joseph in the Old Testament (although he is awesome too). When people name their kids Joseph, it’s probably not after Jesus’ dad. But I think that Joseph was a great man, who had a lot of faith and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Woot
Maybe this is old news but I just found out about this website woot.com that sells one item per day until it's sold out for really cheap. Interesting concept.
Bloated
Man ever since I posted my car on Autotrader, these stupid car financing or consignment people keep calling me. It wouldn't be that bad if they weren’t the only ones calling me. Stupid Autotrader! Well it has only been a couple days.
I’ve run out things to blog about I think. Actually I’ve felt like erasing myself completely from the web a couple days ago. Erasing my blog, facebook, friendster, and myspace. I’m actually a relative newcomer to the whole internet culture. I only recently started to do all of these things, mainly in the last year because I’m so bored at work. Dunno, just a passing thought. I always do something impulsively, then I regret it.
I really do like blogging tho. Just putting my thought down in words is very therapeutic. If I didn’t blog I wouldn’t write at all, except for my stupid MBA papers.
Getting more responsibility at work. I’m the financial aid liason for athletics. It’s cool because I get to spend more time in the athletic dept going to their meetings and what not. Deep down I’m a jock wannabe. I knew the coaches even before I was given this responsibility because of all the time I spend in the gym.
You know how girls sometimes feel bloated. Well I’ve been feeling that way a lot lately. I have been seriously packing on the weight. On purpose mind you. Last night after I came home from the gym famished, I downed a huge bowl of mabu tofu over rice. Mary’s mom made enough for all of us for a week but I put a stop to that last night in one sitting. Then an hour later I ate a couple bowls of frosted flakes. Finally before I go to sleep I down a 12 oz protein shake. Mind you this is all within a four hour span. So now I am sitting here at work the next day typing, feeling all bloated.
I’ve run out things to blog about I think. Actually I’ve felt like erasing myself completely from the web a couple days ago. Erasing my blog, facebook, friendster, and myspace. I’m actually a relative newcomer to the whole internet culture. I only recently started to do all of these things, mainly in the last year because I’m so bored at work. Dunno, just a passing thought. I always do something impulsively, then I regret it.
I really do like blogging tho. Just putting my thought down in words is very therapeutic. If I didn’t blog I wouldn’t write at all, except for my stupid MBA papers.
Getting more responsibility at work. I’m the financial aid liason for athletics. It’s cool because I get to spend more time in the athletic dept going to their meetings and what not. Deep down I’m a jock wannabe. I knew the coaches even before I was given this responsibility because of all the time I spend in the gym.
You know how girls sometimes feel bloated. Well I’ve been feeling that way a lot lately. I have been seriously packing on the weight. On purpose mind you. Last night after I came home from the gym famished, I downed a huge bowl of mabu tofu over rice. Mary’s mom made enough for all of us for a week but I put a stop to that last night in one sitting. Then an hour later I ate a couple bowls of frosted flakes. Finally before I go to sleep I down a 12 oz protein shake. Mind you this is all within a four hour span. So now I am sitting here at work the next day typing, feeling all bloated.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
I Reminisce Over This
When I was eating lunch today at Costco (pizza and a hot dog for $3 best deal in town!) I started to reminisce about this pizza joint I used to go to in high school. The restaurant was called Mama Elena's. Every time my friend Greg, Andrew and I would go in there she would say in a thick Italian accent, "Ah my boys, pizzas are almost ready." Yeah the place was actually run by Mama Elena, an elderly Italian lady. Maybe that's why it was so special. It wasn't a pizza by the slice place either, it was an Italian restaurant. But since it was so close to the high school she had a slice lunch special.
I don't know if it was because I was just hungrier in high school (which I was) or what, but those pizzas were the best pizzas I have ever had. We always got it right out of the oven piping hot and more often than not I would burn the roof of my mouth because I couldn't wait for it to cool down. I just Googled it and it is still there, maybe I'll drive down to Fremont one day and try it again. I'll probably be disappointed. So maybe I shouldn't.
I don't know if it was because I was just hungrier in high school (which I was) or what, but those pizzas were the best pizzas I have ever had. We always got it right out of the oven piping hot and more often than not I would burn the roof of my mouth because I couldn't wait for it to cool down. I just Googled it and it is still there, maybe I'll drive down to Fremont one day and try it again. I'll probably be disappointed. So maybe I shouldn't.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Christian's First Birthday
Me preparing the grill. Man I look old.
Christian and his mommy.
Christian trying to get a beer. Like father like son.
Me saying noooooooo.
Christian chose the pen, meaning he will be a scholar. (strange Korean thing)
Practicing.
Opening gifts.
Good friends.
I just like this one cuz my arm looks huge.
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