sausage.

i think someone's trying to tell me something.

I ordered a bacon mcgriddle and got a sausage mcgriddle instead. I ordered a chicken and mushroom pizza slice and got a sausage slice instead. I wanted the chicken orzo appetizer but was told the sausage trio was highly recommended. These events all happened within a matter of 3 days.

This can't be a coincidence.

What are the sausage gods trying to tell me.......

so long blogspot?

betrayal.

I love blogspot and do believe it is the premier blogging site, but Tumblr is just so cute and fancy (OH I FANCY HUH... sorry).

Seriously contemplating a cross-over...... ALL YOU INVISIBLE READERS! YAY OR NAY?!

Hmmm...

quick thought #27.

don't carve down my sharp edges to forcefully fit me into your mold of what ideal should be.

i'm just not that kind of girl.

quick thought #26.

once, twice, thrice...? fourice...?

why did we stop at twice? just don't get it............

quick thought #25.

if teeth could cry, my teeth would be bawling right now.

stupid questions.

they have the right to be ignored.

For the few readers that I have, you may be wondering why I didn't finish that 30-day challenge. "Where are days 29 & 30?" you may wonder. Well, I'm sorry to say that I didn't bother with the last two questions because they were dumb stupid (is that considered redundant?) The 29th question was "In this past month, what have you learned?" and the 30th question was "Who are you"....................wts.

Now, when I read these two questions, a whole crapload of questions of my own shot through my head. What have I learned? Through this so-called "challenge"? Orrr throughout the past month in general? What CAN I learn, really, answering these questions? Are they serious? Who am I? WTF? Do they really expect me to answer this? Or be ABLE to answer this? What kind of question is "who are you" anyway??? WTFFFF?!

In conclusion, I refuse to answer both questions.

Cheers,

Cheryl

nope, don't remember.

a valid excuse, in my book.

So, have you ever heard of the dude who killed his mother-in-law and wife in his sleep? Let me clarify-- a study I did in one of my psychology courses during college was on a gentleman who sleep-walked to his garage then sleep-drove to his mother-in-law's house, stabbed her to death, then sleep-drove back to his house and stabbed his wife to death then went back to bed. He was tried in court for homocide but the case didn't hold up because psychologists and his lawyers were able to prove that he did all of this in his sleep, thus, had neither the intention to kill nor any recollection of the night's events.

I tell this story because there have been many instances where I would do or say things in my slumber and not remember them at all. Well, I'm not exactly completely in my deepest REM cycle but close enough I guess. For example, apparently, early this morning I spoke to both my father and my boyfriend on the phone and exchanged a substantial amount of chatter. At 1pm today, my father brought something up that he said and I have no recollection of it. Now that they mention it, I vaguely remember the conversation being held but by no means can I give an accurate account of what was said. I've also responded in full sentences to questions asked by my roommates and woke up not remembering having had any interaction with them.

I'm not saying I'm going to go out and kill people in my sleep (you have to be all sorts of messed up to be able to do that and not wake up in the middle of it) but this sort of slumber-behavior, if you will, scares me. I feel like I'll get into a lot of trouble one day for saying/doing something in a less than conscious state that I won't remember... but I guess if the courts will excuse a murder, my friends and family will find it in their hearts to excuse me as well.

On that note, Happy Thanksgiving all; don't do anything stupid in your food-coma state.

Cheers,

Cheryl

day 28.

a picture of you last year and now; how have you changed since?

towards the end of 2009:



towards the end of 2010:



Hmm.. I don't really think I changed all that much looks-wise. Maybe gained/lost a few pounds here and there; my weight fluctuates a lot. Oh, my haircolor is slightly different? My skin may look better because I've been taking care of it more than I used to? Maybe I look more mature too? Molla. *EDIT- I know!!! I've actually stopped wearing eyeliner/shadow when I go out. At first it was because the BF didn't like it and also because it was such a hassle 'cus I suck at applying make-up but people have told me I look better without it so WA-LA! An eyeliner-free Cheryl has been born in 2010.

Yippee skippee doo-da.

quick thought #24.

i miss the days when just simple flip-phones were cool.

sick of smartphones.

days 25-27.

what would i find in your bag?

Currently, in my bag is my wallet, 2 blackberries (work and personal), lip balm, keys, a mini moleskin notebook, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, orbit gum, camera, hair clip, and a golf tee (not a tee-shirt, but the thing you place your ball on when you tee-off).

what do you think about your friends?

Tall 'A' is my other half, short 'A' is indescribable with words, 'J' truly has a special place in my heart, 'L' is forever and always my favorite, and M, the other J, E, and S are my biddies for life. The other 'S' is still a work in progress but I like her. ;)

why are you doing this 30-day challenge.

Why not? Doing stuff like this is good for reflection and in general, fun to do!

back to day 15.

put your ipod on shuffle; first 10 songs that play.

When a Man Loves a Woman - Marvin Gaye
Anytime - Brian McKnight
Sashileun - JYP
Good Life - Drunken Tiger
8282 - Davichi
Na Dohlaga - JYP
Let's Get In On - Marvin Gaye
A Whole New World - Aladdin
Journey Feat. Casker - LeeSsang
Intro - G.O.D. 1st Album

Hmmm.. I swear my iPod is more diversified than this.... maybe not =X 2 songs by Marvin Gaye and 2 songs by JYP... hmmm... maybe it's time for an update?

day 24.

a letter to your parents.

Dear Mama and Daddy,

You are now defined by 50 years of life, 24 years of married life, 2 beautiful kids (hehe), and an infinite number of memories blessed by love, faith, and strength. I know I'm supposed to say things like this because you are my parents and I should respect and admire you both by default, but really, the two of you are very special and truly a match made in heaven. I'm trying to be objective here, so believe me when I say, you are quite possibly the most awesome parents AND people I know (many of my friends can testify to this!). I am grateful I inherited Mommy's beauty and Daddy's personality (HAHAHA!). I really could not have asked for more wonderful parents. I hope I have made you proud and brought you as much happiness as you have to me. There are great things in store for my future and that is all due to you and the person you have raised me to be. I'd rather die than let you down, so please continue to have faith in me. I only wish and pray I could do half the job you did in love and in life.

I love you both so much and would like to take this time to wish you a happy 50th birthday AND happy anniversary as well!

Love,

Jinjin

thought bunches.

I must get my braces taken off, STAT.

It really IS the little things. A little here, a little there and we're all smiles. :)

I am scared I'm gonna get kicked in the face one day by one of those carriage-ride horses in Central Park.

Tostitos with salsa and salsa con queso is so addicting omgaw.

Every time I look at my drab self in the mirror at work, I wish I was all dressed up and looking fabulous.

Sometimes, I feel so bad for my puppy I want to cry. I'm a horrible dog-owner.

My boyfriend really is ridiculously goodlooking (sorry).

autumn's-a-going.

and i don't have a camel coat.

The color only describable as "camel," and most appropriately so, is the color executed to the fullest by the Italians roaming the streets of Rome and Milan during fall 2010. I have been yearning to get my hands on just the perfect camel coat for quite some time now. Alas, autumn is shedding her leaves all over my lawn in preparation for a rendez-vous with freezing temperatures and with it, snow, and I still don't have this particular item in my closet. Geez-louise what's a girl to do?

On another note, I discovered the most beautiful, classy yet badass, raccoon-fur, collared vest with pockets at Atrium last weekend. I became one with the oversized beaut as soon as I put it on. My boyfriend mentioned how my socks were peeking through the slit between my heels and skinny jeans and how this was an ultimate fashion faux-pas only committed by the ignorant in Chinatown, but who cares when you have raccoons keeping you warm? I can't be bothered with such trivial things.

I haven't shopped in a while. I need some outerwear. I get paid tomorrow. Now, let me ask you, do the previous three statements have any correlation? I think so.

Cheers,

Cheryl

(reminder to self: winter is approaching; get your short mink coat to the tailor NOW.)

day 23.

something you crave for a lot.

I'm assuming this is referring to something edible but I'm not even going to go there because then this post will be 3 pages long. What I am currently, at this very moment, this immediate second, craving for is some bossam, cheesecake, and lovin' from the BF (he's in Miami on business again T.T).

To be completely honest, the thing I crave for the most is attention and some TLC.

day 22.

what makes you different from everyone else?

This is also a dumb-ass question; everyone is different because they are themselves and unlike anyone else, duh. I will attempt to coherently elaborate. I once heard something along the lines of "be yourself because everyone else is already taken." I don't remember who said this but I think it was a quote that I might've read off of someone's Facebook whilst engaging in some hardcore Facebook-stalking. I've never forgotten it since.

I like to think I'm different because I try so hard to be myself. I really do. I refuse to be like others just because it's comfortable or convenient and I hesitate before agreeing with the majority because the question I ask myself is always, "is this what you think or are you going along with everyone else?" This constant effort at self-reflection is what I think makes me different from others. It's hard because sometimes I feel almost forced by myself to commit to who Cheryl Kim is and also because I know sometimes I should just shut up and go along with certain things and also because I feel like I justify a lot of things I do or say with my personal logic and thinking, but at the end of the day, I sleep better knowing I've just been myself. I like to think I'm in-tune with who I am, some may disagree and say I'm blind and biased but I'm trying...

What would Cheryl do?

This is the recurring question my mind is always asking...

I really am trying my best to just be me. Isn't that alone enough to make me different?

(sorry, this has been a lot of word-vomit and it may not make sense to some, but it makes a helluvalot sense to me... hmmm...)

days 18 - 21.

plans/dreams/goals you have.

plans, dreams, goals: I don't know that I want to delve into this one. How does one answer a question like this? It'll probably take numerous conversations to detail my plans, dreams, and goals-- a blog posting definitely doesn't suffice, that's for sure. I mean, I'm sure if I really put my mind to it, I can consolidate the three of these rather complex topics into one seemingly simple sentence but I don't feel right subjecting my personal plans, dreams, and goals to that sort of injustice. Does that make sense? I don't care; I'm actually bothered that this question is in here so carelessly...

nicknames you have; why do you have them?

jinjin, cherbear, shurl, schwul, tiger, etc.

My family calls me "jinjin" because my cousin couldn't pronounce my Korean name when she was younger so that's what she called me and now that's what everyone calls me. My friends call me "cherbear" or "shurl" or "schwul" because they love me, pwahaha. My boyfriend calls me "tiger" because he says that I look like a baby tiger when I wake up in the morning. I don't know... but I like it. :)

someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future.

To be honest, at age 23, I didn't think I would be considering marriage already, but I am. The man in question is obviously the person I am currently dating.

a picture of something that makes you happy.

This one is difficult. So many captured moments make me happy. Well, I don't think "happy" is the right word. They make me smile. Take Exhibit A above for example, the two pictures are of my friend, Jiin Yi. I haven't seen her in several months but she visited NYC for her birthday this past weekend and we had a blast (evidently, she definitely did :D). Jiin is one of the sweetest, warmest, strongest, most genuine people I know. This girl lights up a room and it is rare that you would find anyone speaking ill of her. She's an effing rockstar and these pictures of her make me smile on the outside and on the inside. Here's another picture that made me smile today:

Our offices had a bedbug scare a few days ago and we have been closed for extermination. The picture above is of one of the partner's offices. The other partner, thought it would be funny to freak her out a bit and place that sign across her door. Knowing that we could find humor in this icky situation also makes me smile. :D

days 15-17.

put your ipod on shuffle; first 10 songs that play.

I don't have my iPod on me. I'll come back to this one.

another picture of yourself.

someone you'd want to switch lives with for a day and why.

I'd like to NOT switch lives with anyone if that's alright, but I guess if I HAD to then I'd switch lives with Song Hye-gyo because I'd like to know what it's like to be the prettiest Korean woman on earth and what it's like to date one of the hottest Korean men on earth (Hyun Bin).

(My bad for zipping through these; I haven't had the luxury of bloggin daily lately...)

happy birthday, love.

day 14.

a picture of you and your family.

Kim Family Golf Outing.

Mama Kim's Birthday (with JJ!).

Gangster Grandmamas.

day 13.

a letter to someone who has hurt you recently.

Dear You,

You probably didn't do it intentionally (I hope), but it hurt. It was nothing big and I may just be being sensitive, but it hurt. I love you and cherish our friendship so that's probably why it hurt as much as it did. I know friendships come and go and they falter and build-up, but ours is one that I have tremendous faith in, so to think that perhaps ours is just like all the others was painful. Hopefully you feel the same way as I do about our friendship and hopefully I am as special to you as you are to me. You know me well enough to understand why what you did and said hurt me so I won't bring it up because our connection is strong like that, right? I hope so. We've been through too much shit to let anything get in between us and the honesty we have in our friendship is something I will never give up.

Love,

Me

days 11-12.

another picture of you and your friends.

how you found out about blogspot and why you made one.

I don't recall how I found out about Blogspot, but I made one my senior year of college because a a diary just didn't suffice because I hated the way my handwriting looked and did a terrible job at keeping up with my diary. We live in an e-world; paper and pen just didn't cut it anymore.

day 10.

songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, and mad.

happy - anything epik high
sad - anything leessang
bored - anything disney or broadway
hyped - anything 2ne1 or mainstream house
mad - anything j.legend or j.stone

tailbone tears.

the worst pain i have ever felt.
(besides heartache)

While snowboarding one fine winter day, I got off the lift and a couple of friends and I were fooling around before strapping ourselves in. Consequently, I slipped on the ice and fell hard on my ass onto someone's board and hit my tailbone square on. It was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. The initial pain wore off eventually and I was able to manage a few more rides down the slopes. Each ride, however, was more and more difficult. By the end of the day, I couldn't sit or walk without a sharp pain shooting up from my ass throughout my spine. There was something definitely wrong here.

The ride back home was hell. I tried sitting, squatting, laying down, leaning, EVERYTHING; I just could not get comfortable. As I stepped down from the car, I froze and screamed as another lightning bolt of pain punctured my butthole and sent its way up to the back of my neck. For the next couple of months (yes, not days, not weeks, MONTHS) I couldn't climb a single step, I couldn't get into bed, I couldn't use the toilet, I couldn't sit, I couldn't bend down, without the assistance of someone (or something, like my donut pillow), without freezing up, and without shedding a few tears because of the immense pain in my tailbone.

As the months wore on, the pain wore out. I got acupuncture, I went to the chiropractor, I did all sorts of things to heal my injury. The one thing I probably should've done, get an x-ray, I didn't do... I don't know why... After that incident, I hurt my back badly twice--once, playing tackle football and another time deep-frying rice-cakes (don't ask), resulting in even more damage to my tailbone and a permanently effed-up back (I have no idea how I am going to give birth). In any event, I have been terrified of going back up the mountains to go boarding ever since. I've only gone twice since my tailbone incident and the first time, I was only able to ride down twice. It's been almost 5 years since that dreadful winter of '06 and I am ready to face my fears. Especially because I want these bad babies:

Von Zipper Chakra Black Candy Stripe Goggles + Smoke Pink Chrome

How beautiful. The manfriend is also a boarding fanatic so that's the main reason why I'll probably be forced to reunite with the slopes this winter.

Excited but terrified.

Cheers,

Cheryl

day 9.

something you're proud of in the past few days.

I'm proud of how well I played on the golf course last weekend.

day 8.

short-term goals for this month and why.

The month of October is nearly at its end so I will touch upon my goals for November.

-pray. pray. pray. because prayer works.
-complete my business proposal because i must make my dreams a reality ASAP.
-take really good care of my skin because i feel pretty.
-spend a maximum of $100 a week because November is full of birthdays.
-lose enough weight to balance out the amount of food i will consume during Thanksgiving. (no explanation needed, right?)
-love. love. love. because love is powerful.
-be cool because my daddy says so.

umeboshi & ikura.

a ball of rice's best friend.

When I was in elementary school, I had a number of best friends. My first best friend was Korean, my second was Japanese, and my third was Indian. I'll talk about the first and third ones later; we're focusing on the second one today. Her name was Yuko Matsuki and she had a horrible twitching problem. It wasn't like she had Tourettes or anything, she just did some strange spasms here and there.

Anyway, I used to go over her house a whole lot because she would give me cute Japanese stickers and candies and such but most importantly, her mother would make us these amazing Japanese rice balls with bits of umeboshi all over (Japanese plum). OMG so good. Yuko used to pack these things for lunch and being the fatass I am, I used to steal them from her acting like I felt bad- "ooo~ are you surre...you really don't have to...*YOINK*..." and I'd swipe those bad boys and eat 'em in one salivating bite. To this day, umeboshi and Yuko have a special place in my heart.

This isn't what Yuko's mom's riceballs looked like but you get the idea.

Ikua (salmon roe) is also a favorite of mine.

If there is one of these on a sushi platter, you don't get to eat it. I do.

When 2 become 1~~~ Behold: Heaven in a riceball.

GAH so simple yet SO TASTY! Japanese know their balls... of rice.

Cheers,

Cheryl

day 7.

a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.

I'm not going to be cliche and put up a picture of my mother or God or an impoverished country. I am just going to be honest:

Maybe not the biggest impact, but most certainly a significant impact. Don't judge me; it's the first thing that came to mind.

halloween.

the perfect costume.

My friend had a brilliant idea for a Halloween costume, but I was just inspired to be him instead:

Oh how I wish!!!

days 4-6.

a habit you wish you didn't have:

-obsessing over/regretting the past
-snoozing my alarm a bajillion times every morning
-all my strange OCD habits that make even the simplest tasks stressful
-speaking without thinking
-binge-eating
-the list goes on...

a picture of somewhere you've been to:

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (Me, my assistant Javin, and my class)

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

your favorite superhero and why?

Harry Potter, Jack Bauer, and Hercules (in that order). Harry Potter is #1 for reasons that I think are quite obvious, Jack Bauer is #2 for reasons that will become apparent once you watch the first few seasons of 24, and Hercules is #3 because is he hot.

(I don't blog over the weekend which is why I decided to put these days together. Oh, and also because I do what I want.)

day 3.

a picture of you and your friends.


These were taken after a great night of food, drinks, and girl-talk with my leading ladies a few days ago (Ashley Kim is missing because she decided to be too cool and go back home to jersey instead of partaking in the cab-selca-festivities). We're a unique bunch, that's for sure.

I love my girlfriends <3

quick thought #23.

thought-provoking?

forget that.

we need action-provoking.

day 2.

the meaning behind your tumblr (blogspot) name.

Well, isn't it obvious?

I write. I'm a writer.

day 1.

a recent picture of yourself

& 15 interesting facts about yourself.

1- i am obsessed with giving/getting manicures
2- i love scott schulman's and garance dore's blogs

3- i poo more than i eat which is probably why i am not obese
4- i close my eyes and sleep in the shower for about 3 minutes every morning

5- i have a lover and his name is 'hot sauce'

6- i have many small birthmarks around my chest area

7- i may seem like a bitch but i actually have a big sensitive ole heart

8- i wish i was involved in any aspect of musical theater

9- i make truly awesome pasta

10- i am a third-degree black belt in taekwondo

11- i hate it that i can't wear what i want every day

12- i would collect blankets if i could

13- i have a mouth that always speaks my mind

14- i won't settle for anything less than the stars

15- i am incredibly blessed by a God who loves me unconditionally

This was fun. I look forward to Days 2-30.

tumblr challenge.

on blogspot.

A number of friends have been engaging themselves in this so-called "Tumblr Challenge." The challenge is a consecutive 30-day posting frenzy inclusive of these fun prompts:

Day 1. A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 2. The meaning behind your Tumblr name.
Day 3. A picture of you and your friends.
Day 4. A habit you wish you didn't have.
Day 5. A picture of somewhere you've been to.
Day 6. Favorite superhero and why.
Day 7. A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.
Day 8. Short-term goals for this month and why.
Day 9. Something you're proud of in the past few days.
Day 10. Songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad.
Day 11. Another picture of you and your friends.
Day 12. How you found out about Tumblr (or Blogspot) and why you made one.
Day 13. A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 14. A picture of you and your family.
Day 15. Put your iPod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play.
Day 16. Another picture of yourself.
Day 17. Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why.
Day 18. Plans/dreams/goals you have.
Day 19. Nicknames y ou have; why do you have them?
Day 20. Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future.
Day 21. A picture of something that makes you happy.
Day 22. What makes you different from everyone else?
Day 23. Something you crave for a lot.
Day 24. A letter to your parents.
Day 25. What I would find in your bag?
Day 26. What do you think about your friends?
Day 27. Why are you doing this 30-day challenge.
Day 28. A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since?
Day 29. In this past month, what have you learned?
Day 30. Who are you?

As per my previous post, Blogspot doesn't allow copying and pasting so I just typed all that out. Geez-louise. I love doing stuff like this though so I don't really mind. I'm not going to start this challenge just right now.

Perhaps in a couple of minutes...

Cheers,

Cheryl

breather.

i think this time apart came at an excellent time.

quick thought #22.

i love/hate that you can't copy & paste into blogspot.

quick thought #21.

i hate it when i wash my hands and reach up to dry them and the waterdrops slowly trickle down into the sleeve of my shirt.

ugh.

iunno about alla that.

to each its own, right?

A woman in her late 30's was found dancing on the ledge at a popular Korean club in NYC over the weekend. Apparently, she's a regular. In a way, that's pretty awesome that she's living it up and partying like a rockstar (wearing a belly-tee, mind you) at that age. She looks great for her age, too. However, as much as I love raging and frequenting all the hot korean spots on the weekends, at age 23, I am jaded and would much rather make dinner and watch a movie with the boyfriend at home.

Hopefully, when I'm approaching 40, I have more important things to do and better places to go than Third Floor Cafe and Circle.

Just sayin'.

founder of this land.

the great Italian, Christopher Columbus.

I mean, I understand it was an accident and all and you didn't MEAN to "find" America and I know in actuality, you really didn't "find" anything at all but STILL. If you have a freaking day named after you, we can at the very least make it a national holiday no? He is definitely rolling over in his grace thinking, "Wtf, ungrateful bastards are living on the soil I founded and won't even give me the right to a National Holiday."

All of my friends, including myself, are slaving away in our offices on Columbus Day. Except for my friend Sarah, who works for Bank of America. I'm thinking since it's Bank of AMERICA they decided to live up to their name and be patriotic and give their employees the day off. Kudos.

My firm gave us "casual Monday" today. In honor of Christopher Columbus, we are all wearing jeans. Thank you Mr. Columbus.

One more hour...

Cheers,

Cheryl

i love it when you...

i love it when you check yourself out in the mirror

i love it when you work diligently behind the bar

i love it when you speak english

i love it when you speak chinese

i love it when you teach me hard words in korean

i love it when you have an opinion about everything

i love it when you kiss my forehead

i love it when you play the guitar

i love it when you skateboard

i love it when you smile so your eyes get all crinkly

i love it when you clean like a madman

i love it when you try to get my approval

i love it when you nuzzle your head on my shoulder

i love it when you call me tiger

i love it when you fix and assemble things for me

i love it when you cook me dinner

i love it when you parallel park like a pro

i love it when you hang out with my dad and his friends

i love it when you help my mom clean the house

i love it when you let me win

i love it when you write me long messages on the subway

i love it when you come to church with me

i love it when you get excited about food

i love it when you get excited about clothes/shoes

i love it when you ask me for a hug

i love it when you cup my face in your hands

i love it when you stare intently at me

i love it when you worry about me

i love it when you act like a baby

i love it when you know it all

i love it when you act like a macho man's man

i love it when you sing them high notes

i love it when you do your dance at home

i love it that this list is neverending...

disturbing conversations.

my parents are sometimes
much too honest...

My monthly friend is visiting this week and my back is killing me from her untimely visit. I was telling my mother this when she responded with a more than slightly disturbing little chant.

Me: "Mommy I have the worst backache.... :("
Mommy: "Take a pill jill! kkk =P"
Me: "Hahaha.. is that a new one mama?"
Mommy: "Hehe actually it's very old.. the whole thing goes like this, "Jack and Jill went up the hill to have a little fun!! Stupid Jill forgot the pill and now they have a son!!!" This is what daddy used to recite to me when I first met him when he was in high school~~~"
Me: ".........."
Mommy: "I guess he learned it from his ALL BLACK boys high school... sigh..."

This was almost as strange a conversation as when I had the sex-talk with my father.

I love my parents and their open and honest communication with me but sometimes it's definitely TMI.

Cheers,

Cheryl

rock that purple shirt.

the manfriend, a model.

The manfriend was recently asked to model for an ad for a new lounge that is opening in New York. He is truly rocking that purple shirt whilst drilling holes in that white chick with his eyes.

You go babe.

ciao bello.

the finest.

Italian Men.

They really don't make 'em like this in America. Never have I seen men looking like that- even in fashion-forward New York City. This is just a totally different breed of man. I don't even want to taint this lovely image with a less-than-accurate attempt at describing all the intricate details of each gentleman's style and poise. Truly beautiful.

Take me to Milan.

Cheers,

Cheryl

right to vote.

homeless people have rights too.

Recently, I was registering to vote with my new NYC address and as I looked down at the application, I noticed something interesting.

A section of the application reads, "If you live in a rural area but do not have a street number, or if you have no address, please show on the map where you live." This statement was followed by a little empty map diagram where you can fill in street names and put an "X" near your approximate location.

I thought this was great. Now, the homeless man sprawled out in K-Town can vote too! He'll just have to fill in "32nd Street and 5th Avenue" and put an "X" by the little corner he occupies next to CVS. I didn't really understand the purpose of this portion of the application, so I figured the government just wanted to let all the homeless women and men know that just because they haven't been provided with food or shelter, does not mean that they have been deprived of their right to vote too. How thoughtful!

Many thanks on behalf of all my homeless friends.

Cheers,

Cheryl

quick thought #20.

Has it ever occured to you that we really aren't living, but in actuality, are dying every day?

(Sorry- it's a morbid and somewhat obvious thought, I know, but I think this all the time...)

sorry, boys.

"I was half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls. Jesus Christ. They can drive you crazy. They really can."

-Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye

only 2.

wise words from
the best co-worker to ever walk the earth.

After ranting to my co-worker about the signifant other, she told me something that made complete sense and was completely true.

"There are only women and children in this world. No men. You're either a woman, or a child."

HAHAHA! So true. This is why I love Kosovare Demhasaj with all my heart.

Thank God for amazing co-workers.

Cheers,

Cheryl

paolo saracco

Paolo Saracco Moscati D'Asti

The boyfriend, knowing my affinity for dessert wines, ordered a bottle of this delectably sweet, sparkling white wine at dinner one fine evening. My lips haven't had a chance to touch this delightful liquid since, and I've been craving it everso badly.

Must get my hands on a bottle stat.

funny kid.

kids really do say and do
the darndest things.

On my subway ride home from work yesterday, there were three people sitting on one side of the subway seat. For my fellow Manhattanites who know, subway seats are divided by a metal rod so that four people can sit on one side of the rod and three more people can sit on the other side of the rod. Well, on the 3-people side of the rod, a woman, a little Indian boy, and another woman were sitting in that order. Now, this kid was so little that there was some space between him and the woman to the right of him. Not realizing that this was the 3-person side of the subway seat, I shoved my ass in the small space between him and the other woman. She didn't seem too happy about this but whatever, I was dead tired.

Anyway, I was in such close proximity to this kid and his nanny (I'm assuming it was his nanny because of their conversation and besides, the woman wasn't Indian), that I was able to hear their entire conversation clearly. It went something like this:

Nanny: "_____ stop touching your face, you're gonna get pimples."
Indian Boy: "I'm only 5, I won't get pimples."
Nanny: "Yea well when you're a teenager you're going to get them so stop picking at your face."
Indian Boy: "What else gives me pimples?"
Nanny: "Eating spicy foods can give you pimples, you're Indian so you eat a lot of spicy foods."
Indian Boy: "Nope, I don't eat spicy foods. What's spicy?"
Nanny: "Things like peppers, and buffalo wings, and the curry your mom makes, and chili, and... (starts rambling about spicy foods)..."
Indian Boy: (starts looking bored,,,)
Nanny: "...what else...and also things like mustard and hot sauce..."
Indian Boy (interrupts her): "Yea? Yea? What about foods like this? *pretends to fall asleep and snore*"
Nanny: "That's not funny, *insert-indian-boy-name-here,* if someone is talking, you have to listen to them."
Indian Boy: (continues to pretend to sleep).

HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!! I realize it's not as funny when written out like this, but believe me it was hilarious. This poor nanny was going on and on about different spicy foods and the kid totally PWNS her. Omg it was so hard not to crack up. It was even funnier because he was this supercute skinny little kid with glasses and this squeaky high-pitched voice. He needs to be on one of those Jimmy Kimmel experients they play in yellowcabs. The entire exchange between the two was pure comedy.

He's going to grow up to be the next Russell Peters or Aziz Ansari.

Cheers,

Cheryl

quick thought #19.

i absolutely love the amount of trust we have in our relationship.

all gone.

i'm balding.

'Tis true. I am slowly but surely balding. Not from my head, but from my eyelids. Let me explain.

I have this eyelash curler that is just the supreme bomb-diggity. It was 99cents from this little shop in K-Street and I bought it a few years ago. For those ladies (and lads who are into this sort of thing, I guess) who are thinking "wtf get a new one," I am very sad to say that the shop is now closed and in its place, is a brand-spanking new Paris Baguette (yes, I know we are excited for this popular bakery to open its doors but I'd like my eyelash-curler shop back, thanks). I've tried several different eyelash curlers in search of one that is as wondrous, but have failed to find one that is just so. Thusly, I have been utilizing this worn curler for several years. This is a cardinal sin in the world of make-up, I know, but I cannot bring myself to buy a new one or replace the rubber bit inside.

Speaking of the rubber bit, it is now splitting in half down the center because of the pressure the top metal part applies when I squeeze the curler (this image is probably difficult to visualize but I have faith that my fellow eyelash-curling friends will understand). Every time I curl my eyelashes, one or two eyelashes would fall out but I never thought much of it. Eyelashes grow back too, right? Alas, today, I looked inside the splitting rubber bit to find this:

Several years' worth of "one or two eyelashes" falling out and getting stuck in the little rubber bit (I have no idea what 'the rubber bit' is actually called or if it even has a technical term so for my purposes, 'the rubber bit' will have to do)!!! OMFG that's like, all the hair on Donald Trump's head. Damn. No wonder my eyelids have been feeling a bit lighter lately...

Anyway, so yes, I am balding. At this rate, I won't even need an eyelash curler. I actually have a great load of eyelashes which is why I didn't mind a few falling out from time to time, but this picture puts things in perspective. I've given up on eye make-up because I suck at applying it, so I don't wear any eyeliner or eyeshadow or what-have-you anymore, just some good ole mascara, so the realization that I may not even be able to wear any mascara anymore is deeply disturbing. My eyelashes are my saving grace!

I must get a new eyelash curler.

Cheers,

Cheryl

PS: Those aren't pubes, pervs.

snickers?

hungry? grab a snickers!

My co-workers and I are constantly chatting about how we need to lose weight, eat healthy, and exercise. We've attempted the Master Cleanse together and failed at it together. Now, we are trying to eat healthy small-portioned lunches except on Thursdays because everyone needs a cheat-day. Today is Tuesday and all I had for lunch were a couple of mini-ravioli (is the singular form of "ravioli" pronounced "ra-vee-oh-lie"?) from those containers sold at Duane Reade. Just as my stomach was sending signals to my brain which in turn sent signals to my hand which in turn reached for my wallet to make a trip back to Duane Reade to get something more satiating, a co-worker passes by and all she says as she walks past my cubicle is, "Snickers?"

And to that, I respond with, "yes."

And just like that, BAM, I am on the Snickers train and instantly she comes back with a king-size Snickers bar for me.

I will only eat half.

Cheers,

Cheryl

i'm in miami b-!

maybe I'll see a Jersey Shore cast member?!

I am off to Miami tomorrow morning.

The boyfriend's wonderful company will graciously pay for hotel+car. I guess that makes the boyfriend wonderful too. Teehee.

Don't miss me too much; I'll be back with photos and stories soon.

Hugs & Kisses,

Cheryl

break the rules.

a match thought to be forbidden,

but made possible by the italians.

I love leopard print. I love polka dots (but ONLY b&w polka dots- all other color combination polka dots give me a headache). Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the two could ever go together, but OMFG the masters themselves, Dolce & Gabbana, have shown us that the two prints look absolutely delectable together. Feast your eyes on this:

BAM! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?!

I realize not all (or even many) people will appreciate this nearly as much as I do, but the juxtaposition of the polka-dots with the leopard print... amazing!

I'm glad I am still able to find joy and excitement over the little things. My bikini top is black and white polka-dot print so maybe it's time I find a leopard print bottom to go with it.

Hotness.

Cheers,

Cheryl

PS: Welcome, September. You're actually not all that welcome but you've come (much too earlier, might I add), so I guess we might as well embrace you in all your glo..ry...? Sigh.

quick thought #18

"i hate facts.

they get in the way of my opinions."

-j. sakiya sandifer, The Think Movement.

axe they questions.

i just really want to know...

My friend and I have talked about this topic many times before but I was just reminded of it via Kanye West's Twitter (seriously, if you haven't check it out, do it.. it's pure entertainment) and a co-worker's comment. I just want to know why African-Americans who speak in ebonics say "axe" instead of "ask" and "they" instead of "their."

ex 1) "I don't know where this letter has to go.. I'm going to axe the receptionist."
ex 2) "Why do they have to make they passwords so long?"

Why would you axe the receptionist. That is just unnecessary violence in the office, friend. All kidding aside, I understand it's a lingo and I actually genuinely think the idea of "ebonics" is really fascinating but while I can stomach the double-negatives ("there ain't no milk!) and the replacement of "y" with "ch" and shortening of verbs ("whatCHu gon' do?"), I just don't understand why they cannot say, "ask." I mean, they say "mask" just fine? They don't go around saying "did you buy a max for Halloween?" So why, in heavens name, can't they say A-S-K? Someone enlighten me.

The same goes for "they." At first, I used to think this was because they can't (rather, didn't want to) pronounce "their" with the "r" sound at the end. Then, I realized they don't say "hey" instead of "hair"! You don't see women shouting, "gurl I'm gon' git ma hey done!" If anything, they'd said "hurrr" right? So why don't people say "thurrr" instead of "they" for "their?"

Does any of this make sense? Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to degrade or belittle African-Americans and this manner of speaking in any way. As aforementioned, I am quite fascinated by ebonics. I think this post hits the heart of my fascination; I just don't have a grasp on it. There are no rules to it; you just have to listen and memorize. It's actually super genius if you think about it. Where did it start and why and how has it developed over the years? I took a communications course in college that touched upon the study of ebonics and it was probably the most interesting part of the class.

My friend, who is Korean-American but grew up and went to school with primarily African-Americans, throws out a phrase or 2 (or 9) in ebonics from time-to-time. He's an investmant banker so it's pretty funny when he does this dressed in his glasses and suit. It really makes a person stand out; not to mention, everything is 10x funnier said in ebonics! Does anyone else feel me on this?

Please, don't call me a bigot. I'm just voicing what I bet a lot of folks are thinking.

Cheers,

Cheryl

PS: If anyone is interested: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ebonics.

the things that matter.

some, more obvious
than others.

I was sorting through old documents on my desk when I came upon an exercise I had to do during a "leadership training" workshop at my firm. The exercise instructed me to list what I was grateful for. As my eyes read down the list, here is what I saw:

1) Family
2) Friends
3) Boyfriend
4) My job
5) Bo-ssam.

And there it is, ladies & gents. The 5 most important things in Cheryl's life--the people she loves, who love her back, and steamed pork slices wrapped in lettuce w/ kimchi.

I was definitely NOT focused on the workshop and completely bored out of my mind. I am cracking up at the thought of my drowsy, uninterested self scribbling "bossam" on that list whilst my co-workers wrote things like "Obama's New Home-Owner Tax Credit" and "the end of the war in Iraq." It's good to know I have my priorities straight.

I am my new favorite person.

Cheers,

Cheryl

all day every day.

swag in china.
check it out: taekim.tumblr.com

I'm a cutter. No, I don't cut myself, but I cut people. Not literally, with a knife or something, but I cut them out of my life. If I find you necessary for my well-being, I'll make sure I keep you around, but if you're not, I'll cut you. Wow, that sounds horribly morbid.

Anyway, I've cut out quite a few people from my life who were once important and close to me. It's never an easy process (and sometimes I do it unintentionally) but it's usually warranted. Apart from my family, however, there is one constant in my life (person, that is) that I just never was able to and never will cut out. His name is Terrence Intae Kim and he is truly my best friend. He may deny it or not admit it, but deep down he knows I am his best friend too.

I met Terrence way back in the 4th grade or so at Fort Lee TaeKwonDo. I think I kicked his ass sparring and he may have cried, but it's a touchy subject so we don't discuss it in public. Then we met again in the 5th grade at Upper School in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Our friendship blossomed and grew and classmates in our 5th grade class often told us we were like a married couple. I was taller than him then and that's also a touchy subject. I moved to Korea in the 7th grade and he moved to California. We kept in minimal touch during that time and I moved back to the States in the middle of my freshman year of high school. Lo' and behold, Terrence moved from California to my town during junior year and we were reunited. This time, he had a good 6 inches on me. Damnit. Our friendship bloomed further throughout high school and we kept in consistent contact throughout college and post-college as well.

I can confidently say that he is one person who I truly vibe with and I am just at complete peace with myself when I am talking to him. I can tell him anything and talk to him about everything and instantly he will solve my once grandiose problems with just a few words. He'll tell me like it is and isn't afraid to be honest with me. Just now, I was being a dumb psycho girl, and he says simply, "nah, relax, not worth it" and "just let it be" and "chill out" and BAM, it's a done deal; I am chilled out.

I don't really know how or why he has the effect he does on me, but for whatever reason, Terrence is the one person who always makes me feel better about any situation. He is rarely stressed out or freaking out and is quite possibly the "chillest," most down-to-earth kid I know. He drives me crazy at times and is insanely sarcastic and blunt but I love him for that. The dude is across the globe in China, swaggin' it out, but I take comfort in knowing that our friendship has lasted this long throughout multiple long-distance conversations and that everything will be exactly the same when he returns.

If I had to choose a "Man-of-Honor" at my wedding, it'd be Terrence Intae Kim.

Gawd, I miss him.

Cheers,

Cheryl

quick thought #17.

sometimes, a good, long, loud, angry EFF-bomb is necessary, warranted, and relieving.


FFFFFFFFFF****CCCCCKKKKKKKKK.

be nice.

so very difficultly easy.

If you ask my family, they will tell you I am a naive, kind-hearted, softie. If you ask my friends, they will tell you I am a critical, brutal, bitch. How these two groups of people came to possess two totally different images of me, I do not know. Sigh.

A new roommate is moving in with me and my other two roommates today. She is coming from California. I have never before met her. I am a highly judgmental woman with highly explosive criticisms of people that I, contrary to popular belief, have absolutely no control over. I'm serious. If I don't like you for whatever reason, no matter how hard I try, my stubborn-ass mind will not budge to make room for a second chance. I apologize wholeheartedly on its behalf.

I've posted once before about my ability to cut people out. This unique skill is due to my intolerance of dumb, tactless, socially inept, human beings. Having said that, I am scared that the bitch in me will resurface and deem me unable to embrace my new roommate without prejudice. I have heard and seen too much about "LA K-Town Trash" and I would very much prefer my new roommate to be the opposite of that (that way, we can easily convert her to NYC K-Town Trash HAHA..jk).

Oh geez... I must consistently remind myself to be nice.

Cheers,

Cheryl

PS: New Roommate is bringing friends from California. Omg this is too much for me to handle. Reminder to self: watch the mouth and the evil stares.

PPS: OMG SHE'S BRINGING HER DOG TOO! I keep forgetting this bit of information. If her dog tries to hump our precious Dorimonster, I really don't know what I'll do. =X

non-american writing.

the everso eloquent russians
& the swedes.

I recently finished reading the first installment of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and have started on the second, The Girl who Played with Fire. I must applaud Larsson on the wonderfully intricate plot and I find it a damn shame that I can't read the original Swedish version of the novels. I get anxious at the thought of losing the author's original intent or creative spirit in telling his story, so I re-read the English over and over to make sure I've fully grasped the direction in which he is taking his readers (which is probably why it took light-years for me to finish the book; my apologies to everyone who's been wanting to borrow it). I desperately need to learn a new lanuage. Or several.

That being said, another book I've been meaning to read by another non-American novelist is Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov. His book was written in English, I believe, and later translated into Russian, so I'm hoping I don't miss out on any linguistically detailed aspects of his story.

"I confess, I do not believe in time." -Nabokov

He knows wsup.

Cheers,

Cheryl

missed connections.

perhaps,
i've had some too?

Craigslist is probably the most visited site after Facebook and Google. I mean, who doesn't love Craig's list of gadgets, jobs, housing and misc services? I owe Craig a lot; he even helped me find my new apartment! Craig even gives us a hand in finding true love. The "Missed Connections" section under the Personals is one of my absolute favorite places to go on the web when I am bored, in need of a cute pick-me-up, or feeling stalkerish. Some posts are put up by insecure perverts in need of a cheap dirty laugh (or some other form of perverse satisfaction), but others are posted by innocent hopefuls genuinely wishing they could find the "tall brunette in purple dress on Q train at 9am today." The romantic in me hopes some of these brave folk find the woman/man they're looking for...

Here are some of my recent favorites:

"Girl you tiny as hell... and by tiny, I mean cute. Sincerely, The Giant who got off at Flushing Ave."

"You sneezed on 13th St near 6th Ave, I smiled. I wanted to say, "Gesundheit," but was thrown off guard by how adorable you were. So in our short amount of time, I could only muster a smile. Hope you have a fantastic Tuesday and aren't catching a cold."

"...was going to ask your name... instead, forgot my own..."

"breezy, brief.. but I do miss you."

"This is a stretch but I saw you in the elevator and we chatted about yellow paint. Can I take you to a movie?"

"We got off together and walked as far as 59th, then I lost you. I should have said something, but all I could do was smile."

"You said 'hello' and I said 'good'... I was nervous and then you walked and never turned back. I wanted to talk but you were gone..... Let's get together for a coffee?"

Man. I was getting the butterflies myself while typing these out! How unbelievably romantic are some of these people? I like to think that maybe someone out there posted one about me once. I think I've had one or two of these moments on a subway or a street corner somewhere. Haven't you? And even if I don't remember the connection, it's nice to think that you gave someone (even if only for that moment) a bit of hope and the chance to muster up enough courage to expose themselves publicly like that. The raw, honest, vulnerability of these people is truly remarkable. I mean, honestly, the cynic in me wants to laugh at how ridiculous and perhaps cowardly these people are, sitting behind their monitors confessing their feelings as opposed to actively pursuing their love interests, but at the end of the day, I am a girl and girls love this stuff (take notes, men). You know, when two people have a connection, no matter how random the location or circumstances are, I'm sure they'd know and I'm sure they'd feel it. Humans thrive on emotion and first impression; who's to say these people haven't experienced love at first sight?

My boyfriend and I have been together for about half a year now and while I love him and am still quite breathless at the thought and sight of him, I know those beginning butterflies and "what if" moments won't come back. I can only smile at the memory of them and be satisfied knowing that I too, once had dizzying spells at his every word, smile, sneeze, glance, and touch.

Sometimes I'll imagine the scene playing out in my head of some of these posts. A cute short film should be made taking bits and pieces from the Missed Connections section, no?

I'd definitely watch it.

Cheers,

Cheryl

quick thought #16.

I absolutely adore rainy mornings.

(I just wish I was able to spend them at home and not in the office!)

a verbal illustration.

my comrades, my comfort.

Amid the fleeting moments the bustle of New York City has to offer, a never-ending conversation full of secrets, laughter, stupidity, and longing finds a niche in the hearts of our blackberries. The chit-chat amongst four 20-something Manhattan gals started who-knows-when and does not cease. The clacking of our nails on the keys is louder and stronger than our heels on the pavement as we make our way to work. The banter exchanged amongst the four during their time in their cubicles, at their seats, in front of their monitors, at their keyboards, always takes precedence over the day's work. The lines of conversation are an endless stream full of codes and puzzles and jokes and gossip that an outsider can only quizzically stare at with no means of any comprehension. As the day progresses and the chatroom finds its winding way through and around the most meaningful of meaningless topics, relationships and friendships both, have the ability to strengthen and weaken in the way only words can force them to. We can only hope that the conversation exchanged face-to-face when at home together at the end of the day, is just as beautifully wild.

Here's to you, bbm.

Cheers,

Cheryl

ride the season.

an epidemic
slow to hit even the most
oblivious of people.

The manfriend recently forewarned me of his tendency to "ride the seasons." In Korean, to "ride a season" means to get a bit moody or sensitive when the seasons start to change. Now, I get sad when I have to put away my bikinis and sandals in exchange for my gloves and sweaters, but it really ain't no thang. I embrace all the seasons in all their extreme glory; then again, I'm not a super moody or sensitive person in general. My mood is, 99% of the time, pretty level.

I guess I can see why someone might get a bit depressed or emotional when the seasons change. It means we're getting a season older. It means we've lost a season that we'll never get back. It means the world is changing when some of us, may be wanting to stay the same. With the season gone, goes with it all the seasonal foods, activities, apparel, even people. In this sense, yes, the transition from one season to the next is pretty darn upsetting. Autumn is peeking its head around the corners of the last of this summer's heat and now that the manfriend mentions it, I am truly sad. Not one trip to the beach, not one chance to tan, and not one legitimate warm vacation taken. Now, I ask myself, how important are all these things? Not too important when I have a lifetime of summers left, I guess. Not too important when I think about the people I've encountered suffering in the devastation and blistering heat of a nation called Haiti (it should really be called Heat-y. Haha.. sorry.. bad joke..). But, you know, just because I have other summers to come doesn't mean I should let this one go so easily. It's dangerous to think so nonchalantly because what could've been in the Summer of 2010, may never be in the Summer of 2011, the Summer of 2012, and beyond. And if there's one thing in the world that I abhor and detest more than mice and pigeons is regret. Which is why I am trying to book a last-minute beach house for a quick getaway. Muhaha.

In conclusion, ladies and gents, I am indeed riding the seasons this year. I'm alright though because I'm lucky; summer and fall are my two favorite seasons and they just happen to be back-to-back so I think I'll enjoy this ride.

...just as long as my ride doesn't last too long.

Cheers,

Cheryl

the same mistake.

but not the same instances
and definitely not the same result.

Girls get curious. Girls are stalkers. Girls over-analyze. Girls get emotional. Girls are evil.

But, boys are stupid.

So girls take pity on boys and let things go. In this instance, however, the girl was stupid as well. Stupid girl has wisened up and learned from past experiences; she is not that same immature irrational girl she was a few years ago. Thank the Heavens.

The circumstances and the situation is just so darn ironic and we're both just so darn silly. Really, we should be able to understand each other and embrace the fact that it's because we care so much about each other that we both feel this way. Be cool, be mature, be calm, be collected--I'm rambling. Bottom line is, the past is the past and I have neither the time nor the energy to dwell on the past. The past really shouldn't taint the present--especially when the present is so good.

A clean slate for us both.

Let's be lovers.

Cheers,

Cheryl

PS: Prayer. Really. Works.

something happens.

after a mission trip.

I came back from my week-long mission trip to Haiti feeling refreshed, blessed, renewed, rejoicing in the Lord, full of God's love and eager to spread it.

Satan is not too happy about this.

He is tempting me and testing me in heartbreaking and truly effective ways.

Pray for me.

Cheers,

Cheryl

quick thought #15.

be a lover.

(we'll make this quick thought a double.)

a smile is universal.

a craft of his own.

a needle, a razor, and some worn-down pencils.

NYMag always has some of the most interesting articles and it is just the perfect light-hearted little brother to the NYTimes. Today, while perusing through the site, I came across this.

Behold, Pencil-Tip Sculptures by the talented Dalton Ghetti:

And the most insane of them all (my mind can't get a grasp on this one):Is this not one of the most incredible creations you have ever seen?! The more I scrolled, the more excited I got to see what other amazing miniature sculptures his fingers whittled out of the lead and wood of a pencil. Insane!

On a different note, I am on a mission to find the perfect pair of solid, red, suede, close-toed pumps. Hold your breath ladies and feast your eyes on these beauties:

Christian Louboutin Decolette Pumps in Red Suede

Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Pumps in Red Suede

Lanvin Red Patent and Suede Pumps

Ugh. My heart is literally pounding from all the gorgeousity in this post. Cl, YSL, and Lanvin have done good. Too, too good. Too, too bad I can't afford any of these magnificent shoes. Here is a pair I CAN afford:

Steve Madden Trinity Pumps in Red

Steve Madden did alright too, I guess. Oh how dearly I wish I can make like Dorothy and click my Louboutin heels to find my way home.

There's no place like home...

Cheers,

Cheryl

a week and a half.

will it feel like a year?
a day?
or will it feel like a week and a half?

I see my boyfriend almost everyday. It's been 5 months and we are still very much in our beginning stages. He is wonderful. The longest I haven't seen him is 3 days when he went on business to Chicago. Today, he left for another business trip to Los Angeles/Las Vegas and won't be back until next Thursday. You're probably thinking, "oh shut up, you'll see him on Thursday." Well, no. I am leaving for Haiti next Monday and I won't be back until the following Saturday. We will not see each other for a week and a half! How devastating!

Sigh.

I'm going to miss him. I miss him already.

Then again, I probably won't have the time or energy to miss him while I'm in Haiti.

Cheers,

Cheryl

quick thought #14

Kanye West got so much sh*t for the whole Taylor Swift incident and people think he's an arrogant bastard, but I still think he's effing awesome.

New favorite website: twitter.com/kanyewest

for the love of my husband.

how far is my pride
willing to go for a man?

I was talking to my mother on gchat the other day and smack-dab in the middle of our conversation, she cuts me off and says, "sorry g2g ttyl!" (yes, my mom is up-to-date with the online lingo). Before she hurriedly signs off, I ask her, "where are you going?!" and she replies with "daddy is home! g2g make dinner!" Geez-louise.

My family is pretty traditional in the sense that my daddy does not really do much around the house. He works hard and long at the office and comes home, changes his clothes, and plops himself down on the couch to watch ESPN/Golf Channel. I've seen fathers do laundry, do the dishes, even wipe floors, but nope! Not my dad. He takes out the trash occasionally, does all the outside grilling, assembles/disassembles some furniture from time-to-time, but other than that, he doesn't really do much around the house. Now, that's not to say that he is lazy and unhelpful-he does whatever my mom asks him to do (albeit complaining the entire time), but rarely willingly does any chores around the house. Mommy does traditional "mommy duties" and daddy does the traditional "daddy duties."

When I was younger, I told myself that I won't ever be the ideal housewife; I could never do what my mother does. I want to have a career, make my own money, be independent, have a housekeeper and not do all the cooking and cleaning like a stereotypical housewife does. Doesn't the majority of 21st century young girls have this mentality?

Lately, my sentiments about the whole housewife thing has changed everso slightly.

Will I too, one day, be able to drop everything I'm doing to go cook my husband a meal?

Highly doubtful, but who knows. If a woman can change a man, a man could definitely change a woman.

Cheers,

Cheryl

big strong men.

are definitely,
angels sent from heaven on moving day.

I have to be completely moved-out of my current apartment by tomorrow. I am moving from the Financial District to the East Village (not too far of a move), but it is still the biggest struggle all the same. Beds, dressers, desks, sofas, TVs--these are some of the pretty average items we (my female roommate and I) had to move. Luckily for us, we have some big, strong, pretty awesome men in our lives, willing to share this struggle with us.

My boyfriend, my roommate's older brother and his friend did everything. My roommate and I just sat around, watching the cars, looking pretty. They were hungry, tired, sweaty, sore, and pretty pissed off, but spent a good 5 hours moving all our furniture using a pick-up truck. My new apartment doesn't even have elevators so you can imagine what they had to go through. I am everso grateful and utterly indebted to you, men. Much, much love and many, many thanks.

At least you got a work-out out of it?

Cheers,

Cheryl

jjank accents.

where there are jjanks,
there are bound to be jjank accents.

The corporate team at our law firm does a lot of work with businesses in China so we have a good number of Chinese attorneys at our firm. Only one of them speaks English without a Chinese accent and the others all talk like they work at #1 Noodle House or Lo Mein Fo Yu. Every. single. one. of. them.

I cannot deal.

An attorney just asked me to draft 13 cover letters and it took me about 25 minutes to fully comprehend what he needed done. 15 minutes to make sense of his horrible English and another 10 minutes to get over the shock of how long his effing nails are. Maybe I should leave a nail-clipper on his desk tomorrow morning. Is that rude?

I hate jjank accents. I'm sorry but I really, really do.

Cheers,

Cheryl

saying farewell to nyc.

oh, heavens no! not me!
only a few of my dear friends... :(

My close girlfriends and I all went to New York University and we wholly embrace New York City in all its glory and glamour to the fullest. I'd say the 5+ years spent in the Big Apple during our late teens and early twenties have definitely molded us into strong, fearless, wild New Yorkers. That being said, I never even dreamed of any one of us ever leaving.

Alas, two of us have. LP and JY. We (myself, the other girls, and NYC) will miss you dearly.

LP has moved her dog-lovin' ice-princess self over to Salt Lake City, Utah from the iron-grip of the Financial District in Manhattan, to join the Mormonic boys and gals over at the GS office there. And JY has uprooted her bohemian tush, along with her bubbling hyperactive personality, from the hustle-bustle of Union Square and will be living amongst the quiet folk of a small suburb in Maryland. I shed quite a few tears and really don't look forward to shedding any more.

WHAT IS GOING ON?! Why are some of my dearest friends leaving me and leaving New York City?! This entry makes me feel especially like Carrie Bradshaw when Miranda relocates to Brooklyn or when Samantha relocates to California (I think it's because I've been watching SATC reruns due to the fact that I've lost cable connection at my apartment). We're still young and still dreamin'... why can't our dreams stay where they started?

I guess I'm just glad none of these moves are permanent. I can only hope the rest of you stay.

Cheers,

Cheryl

minorities at bergdorf.

at least, in their men's department.

My boyfriend is a fashionisto and loves to check out the new items at Bergdorf Goodman from time to time. I accompanied him on this particularly gay hobby of his yesterday and overheard the most interesting conversation. A slightly pudgy short man (latino or mexican) was looking through leather belts marked "50% off," dressed in clothes fit for a beggar. His dirty worn cap and sneakers looked like Nike merchandise from the 80's (don't get me wrong; trends from the 80's are coming back now, but his stuff looked like they had been worn every single day from 1980 - 2010.) The Bergdorf's salesman, however, had on an impeccable, navy, 3-piece suit with cuff links that'd make both Diddy and Donald Trump proud, and a pair of sepia-colored loafers with a matching belt. Their interaction went something like this:

Latino Man (in a heavy accent, holding a belt): What kind of shoes you think would go with this belt?
Salesman (in a humored, slightly degrading tone): Well, it's a black belt so black shoes would go with it.
Latino Man: So, black shoes with this belt?
Salesman: Yes, I mean, you wear a black belt, you have to get black shoes. If you wear a brown belt, brown shoes. The shoes should match the belt.
Latino Man: So, it wouldn't matter if the shoes were Gucci? What if they were Gucci?
Salesman: What do you mean? It doesn't matter where they're from, as long as they complement each other.
Latino Man: I asked a simple question; just because I'm dressed like this today, don't assume I can't dress or don't know a thing or two about clothes.
Salesman: I'm sure you do sir; you asked me what shoes went with that belt so I was just saying that the shoes need to match the belt in color.
Latino Man (walking away): You'll see, I'll show you. I got better shoes than yours- don't worry.
Salesman: I'm sure you do, have a good day. (looks at a fellow salesman and smirks)

I was appalled! The same salesman was as kind as can be to my boyfriend (who was dressed to the nine's) a minute earlier but did a complete 360 when engaging with this man.

I haven't really had any horror stories with rude salespeople personally (except for this one time when a saleswoman at David Yurman at Saks wouldn't show me the rings I wanted to see with the quickness--but that might've been because I was badgering her when she was trying to lock everything up to close, whoops) so I was disgusted to witness the belittling way this particularly greased-up salesman treated his customer. 50% off belt or not, run-down Nike gear or not, that is absolutely no way to talk to a paying customer! I don't care if you work at Bergdorf's or Kmart, you do not speak to someone like that when you are in a position of service! How rude! Salespeople at Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, even Bloomingdale's sometimes, can be picky about whom they serve and how they serve them and while I understand why they practice their trade in this fashion, the upper echelons of management at these major shopping institutions need to train their employees to treat all customers as one and the same.

As much as I am furious and ranting about this particular incident, I am guilty of the same sort of judgment. Today, I walked past the Four Seasons hotel near my office and saw an overweight, unkempt, African-American woman standing by the doorway, dressed in a Hane's t-shirt and brown sweats carrying both a Balenciaga Giant Weekender bag and a Momogrammed Goyard tote. I had to do a double-take because the woman just wasn't the type of person I'd seen get into the likes of some of the world's most expensive cars (Maybachs, Mercedes-Benz's, Bentleys, etc.) at the back entrance of the Four Seasons. Just when I was kicking myself in the arse for being so judgmental upon appearance, a sassy lady with highlights in her hair, wearing a bright floral dress, Chanel flats, and a straw sombrero like the ones you see the Housewives of NY wear to the Derby, sashayed her way out onto the street from inside the hotel. The African-American woman followed suit and loaded the bags into the trunk of a limo as the straw sombrero lady got into the backseat of the car. I had to wonder at the horribly cliche situation. Of COURSE she was someone's personal assistant. The situation proved my biases and judgment right. I didn't feel good about it.

Going through experiences like these back-to-back really made me think. In a city that thrives on the love of labels and judges based on appearance, it's easy to feel small, unimportant, and ugly. When you're not an attractive leggy blonde with a Cartier watch on your wrist, it's even easier. In a city as diverse as mine, minorities still have to try harder to stand out and command the respect we are due. Don't believe me? Take a bunch of Asians to a club in the Meatpacking District (without having to spend thousands); now, watch the group of overly made-up, yappy, "hot," white girls get into the club hours before the Asians do (mind you, they may never get in). Or take a couple of Hispanic women to Saks and see if they receive the same treatment when they are dressed down with no flashy baubles in sight, as when they are dressed-up carrying Birkins.

Is my lengthly point hitting home at all? Man.

The most frustrating thing is that while experiencing this and ranting about wanting to rebel against the system, wanting to just be like EFF YOU, I WEAR/DO WHAT I WANT AND YOU WILL STILL TREAT ME EQUALLY, I will still don my most expensive pieces of clothing and accessories when I know I'm going to a place where I will be judged based on appearance.

Perhaps it is because I do a lot of judging myself, that I feel so judged.

Cheers,

Cheryl