quick thought #30.

i am having major retainer withdrawal.

i've been very good about wearing my retainers but i forgot them at home today and i am freaking out.

dear teeth, please stay straight.

kamsa.

they cut it down.

an old man's cry
at changes made
by the hands of urbanization.

Some people take the same route to ‘n fro every day from home to work, then back home. It’s a routine that they don’t like to break. Me, I like to switch it up. After a few days of taking the F train to 2nd Avenue LES then walking down Houston, cutting through the gas station, then walking the rest of 2nd Street down to my apartment, I decided I was feeling adventurous and instead of walking down Houston, I just took 2nd Street all. the. way. down. Call me daredevil, if you will.

As I rounded Ave B to head down to Ave C (yes, I live in ABCity; don’t judge – we like to think of ourselves as Loisaidas) I noticed an elderly slightly pudgy gentleman holding his hands up and looking helpless a few yards away from me. At first glance, I thought he was a homeless person, intoxicated and looking to disturb my quiet street, but my second glance later deemed me a judgmental fool.

I walked until I was just a few steps away from him and realized he was staring at this:

I looked at what seemed to be a freshly cut stump and remembered a tree (that my beloved pom-a-poo used to pee ‘n poo at) had once been there. Personally, I thought the street looked much cleaner without that withering sorry excuse for a “tree” cluttering it; a new complex was built at that same spot, so I imagine the contractors or owners had the trees cut down. As I turned to the gentleman, I realized he had tears in his eyes and was shaking his head, clearly upset by the loss. “They cut it down. Where’d it go? They cut it down. It was always there but they cut it down…Why would they do that?” I wanted to give him an answer, but in that instant, I felt as little as that stump and as barren as that street corner.

He wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t a homeless man. He wasn’t causing a ruckus. He was just upset at the loss of what to him, was a neighborhood trademark. A few people who walked passed us glanced at the stump and they too, nodded their heads in somber agreement with the man’s cries. People were clearly surprised and somewhat upset that the tree was gone. At that moment, I realized this tree, in a city where greenery is scant, was much loved by many locals and it’s sudden disappearance was not sitting well with them.

I’m glad I took a different route home that day. Such an unexpected encounter made me hit myself over the head twice in a matter of minutes. Who was I to assume this man was drunk and homeless? Who was I to bid good riddance to a tree I had only known for months? This experience was such an oddly profound moment for me, I just had to document it and attempt to put into words the emotions I felt at that moment.

I pass by that stump now and it reminds me not to judge, not to cut-down (or out) so easily, not to always take the path well-trodden, and most importantly, that sometimes, more is more.

Cheers,

Cheryl

a plan.

not ours, but His.

⁹ However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— ¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit."

-1 Corinthians 2:9-10

I read the above verses countless times throughout my Christian life and meditated on the same last week.  It's crazy how the Bible really speaks to you..... God tells you all the right things at the right times, seriously.

They say your early to mid-20s are a crucial time of change, transition, and opportunity. You must make the right choices, meet the right people, etc.  I myself, am turning 24 in a little less than 4 months and much change is happening around me. Family-related changes, friends-related changes, myself-related changes, yikes! Every time I stress out about the decisions I make or about what my future holds, I stop and allow a minute to remind myself that really, only God knows and prayer is the only way to unfold His plan.

He really does have magical, wonderful, exciting things planned for those who love Him. It’s a struggle having faith knowing that these things may not be according to my personal plan, but I’m trusting in Him and trying to be patient. I see Him working in my life and when I think back on the changes going on right now, I realize how almighty He truly is; everything fits and makes sense.

I was never very good at waiting; I usually just DO then deal with the consequences later. I feel so geub-hae but I guess all good things take time.

Must pray more.

Cheers,

Cheryl

mommy's skills.

but i made 'em my own ;)

From time-to-time I make dinner for my roommates and/or my boyfriend.  It is usually pasta.  I've made a variety of pastas for the girls and each and every time it was bomb.  As in, "the."  More recently, I've made a variety of jjigaes and soojaebi and other random korean dishes for the manfriend and I shock and amaze myself at how delicious everything is! 

It's such a good feeling when people 'ooh' and 'aah' over food you've made and eat it maht-eet-gae (dunno how to say this in english...).  Last night, in celebration of my manfriend's H-1B visa being approved, I made vodka sauce with chicken, onions, and peppers over roasted garlic fettucine aaaaaand a major flavor explosion ensued in my mouth and that was that.

I've definitely taken after my mom's cooking skills and now I know why she loves to feed people the way she does.

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." -Virginia Woolf

Amen to that!

Cheers,

Cheryl

mirror, mirror, on the wall.

obsessed with my reflection.

I'm sure most girls are, but they don't readily admit it.  I've been noticing lately that I cannot pass by a reflective surface without glancing into it.  I think the image sans braces has something to do with it, but even before I got them chains off, I was always looking into mirrors every few minutes.  Especially when I knew I looked good.

I know people are thinking, "conceited beeatch" but admit it; girls can't help themselves when they know they look good that day.  And I know everyone has a "mirror face."  I've seen all my girlfriends, even my boyfriend, make their "mirror face."  Some girls pucker up, some girls widen their eyes, some girls suck in their cheeks (some boys do, too *ahem* DAVE) and some girls prefer their profiles.  It's essentially people putting their "best face forward."  Sometimes I wonder if people see me the way I see myself in the mirror.  Sometimes I wish they saw me the way I saw me, but I guess that's my ego speaking.  Sometimes I hope they see me bigger, better, more beautiful than I see me and I guess that's my insecurity speaking.

Even at the office, sitting in my cubicle, I'll pick up my compact and just glance into it.  Why?  I'm not really sure.  I'll just subconsciously grab my little pocket mirror, open it up, make a little face, rub my lips together, pat my hair and I'm done. 

This may sound completely stupid or completely obvious, but doesn't it feel good when you look into the mirror and like what you see?  It's almost like a little pick-me-up.  When you look good, you feel good and your day is that much better.  When you look like sh*t, you feel like sh*t and your day gets that much worse. 

Especially for us ladies; make-up & dress-up are so so SO important.

Just sayin'.

Cheers,

Cheryl

cheeeeeesin'.

like a foo.

Got them braces off!  I dindunnit!  Peektures to come later.

Gotta blog about something else for a quick second.

Check this out #1. - It's a video taken in Pyongyang, North Korea by a slick photographer, Steve Gong.  It truly gives you a different perspective on life over there in the unknown and he was really able to capture a lot of angles despite the strict regulations the NK government has on photography and videotaping.  My description is doing nothing for the video.  Just watch.

Check this out #2. - This is a video taken in Japan by a few reporters.  These days, everywhere you turn, you see and hear about the destruction and horror of all the disastrous things happening in Japan right now, but this video really hits home for me.  Not just because I have dogs and because I'm a dog-lover but if the animals are suffering and lost like this, one can only imagine the emotional distraught of the humans there.

Man.  And here I am giggling and laughing about getting my braces taken off.  Watching these videos really makes me reflect on my life and what I've been so blessed to have.  Let's really cherish and thank God for every. little. thing.

Cheers,

A Braces-Free Cheryl

sucka mcccccccc.

GETTING MY BRACES OFF IN TWO NIGHTS.

WHAT WHAT in the BUTT.

I'm actually pretty worried that it may not happen because my orthodontist mentioned that there is still a small gap between two of my teeth and if that gap doesn't close up, I will have to wear my braces for a little while longer.  GASP!  However, the gap has been extremely stubborn for the past few months (it's actually the only reason why I haven't gotten my braces off sooner) so I'm thinking I'll give in to its stubbornness and accept that the gap and I were just meant to be.  Fall into the gap. (sorry) 

Gaw, I just want to get them off already and not have to worry about biting into ggahkdoogi and having a brace come off, or biting into a sandwich and have remnants of the lettuce, ham, and bread stuck in each individual brace, or eating something colored and have my braces stained red and blue all day, or posing for a picture whilst cleverly disguising the fact that I have braces, or laughing with my mouth open and wondering if people are staring at my braces, orrr pretty much eat anything and have to rinse and/or toothpick my teeth to liberation from food chunks...

Anyone else excited to see my tiger-print and purple-glitter retainers?

Cheers,

Cheryl