tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53565704483692257152024-02-19T20:36:24.366-08:00The MOh You KnowI am not a new mom, but I would still like to blog.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-23894807377728951322012-09-06T18:37:00.001-07:002012-09-06T18:38:42.585-07:00Don't Eat TheseThis is a simple post, but in case people don't check Yahoo!'s homepage as much as I do, then it's worth sharing.<br />
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Though we know we should avoid these foods, this will give some perspective on what we are actually consuming when we do choose these items off the menu.<br />
<a href="http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/25-diet-busting-foods-you-should-never-eat#0">25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat | Yahoo! Health</a>
Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-64976976751976200432012-08-06T17:37:00.002-07:002012-09-02T23:02:40.785-07:00Oh Fam Vaca, Seabrook in WA<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsf73OBXlTuWXSD0rbu5ZaJ6gC20iFsbLZMGsPcN_nCHGjfcJzWXIy1iBczPtAgAt42-aVyi7sNwtMgvlbibN7texZodf3heeEMRXVHVFc87YsRQFGj_8NVLVZRLv0bp0nuCLipI3PkQE/s1600/BeachFam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsf73OBXlTuWXSD0rbu5ZaJ6gC20iFsbLZMGsPcN_nCHGjfcJzWXIy1iBczPtAgAt42-aVyi7sNwtMgvlbibN7texZodf3heeEMRXVHVFc87YsRQFGj_8NVLVZRLv0bp0nuCLipI3PkQE/s400/BeachFam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soon, I will figure out how to edit Matt into the photo.</td></tr>
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Call it a family vacation, call it a family reunion, the Oh's did it Oh style this weekend descending on Seabrook, a beach town in Pacific Beach off the Washington coast.<br />
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Looking back, I realize I should have taken more photos as the weekend turned out to be super fun, relaxing and perfect for all of us. Yes, as opposed to other vacations which in some cases, have turned out to be uneventful and usually ending in my mom saying, "Next time we not come here." This time, no such sentiment was expressed and from all accounts, everyone loved it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From www.seabrookcottagerentals.com</td></tr>
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<b>Seabrook</b> <br />
Seabrook is new and up and coming. It's a VERY small beach town and more like a planned community for the vacationer. Though very small and still establishing itself, it was perfect for my family in so many ways. First of all, the house we rented was beautiful. All of the homes in Seabrook look to be part of a planned development with strict guidelines to maintain a certain style and feel for a beach community mimicking a Cape Cod-esque setting. We stayed in GG's Grotto and it was brand new, amazing and comfortable in every way. It was the perfect size for us and had every amenity we needed for our short stay.<br />
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Second, the setting is small and quaint. Everything we would need in a vacation destination was provided and within a mile
walk. Volleyball courts, swimming pool, hot tub, parks, bocci ball,
horse shoes, basketball, pickleball, fire pits, a small market, one small
restaurant, bike rentals and of course, the beach, were all within a 1-10
minute walk. When we arrived we walked to the beach to take in the
sunset, then headed back home for some Korean eats, kalbi, rice and kimchi. (Word to the wise, the market is VERY small. Barely acceptable even as a "quick stop". Buy everything you need before you leave Aberdeen.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt at sunset.</td></tr>
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Third, I just mentioned all of the activities accessible in a small radius, and for a family like mine that NEEDS to be entertained, we definitely didn't have a shortage of options to keep us busy. The kids swam in the pool, played at the beach, we made s'mores one night at one of the many fire pits (wood provided), half of us rented bikes and we only had enough time to talk about playing bocci ball, horseshoes and pickle ball. We just didn't make our trip long enough to really enjoy all of the possibilities, but it'll definitely be a good setting for another year.</div>
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<b>Family Time</b></div>
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All in all, mission accomplished. We wanted to get the family together now that my parents have returned from Korea, and just enjoy time with everyone. Of course, getting together with my parents is never lacking of memorable moments.</div>
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When my parents stayed with Matt and I in Utah while my dad was recovering earlier this year, my dad took on one of Matt's morning rituals: cereal. My mom, who is accommodating in every way, of course made sure that both Matt and my dad, had many options.</div>
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<b>Salsa Contest</b></div>
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We played at the beach on Saturday, BBQ'd hot dogs at the house, and of course, had a mini salsa making contest! The teams were Matt and my brother, Rachel and my mom and Denise and me. We bought basic salsa ingredients to start: tomatoes, onions, cilantro (yuck!), jalapenos, limes, lemons, garlic, salt and pepper. Then we had a drawing for special ingredients: mango, peach, pineapple. Each team had 10 minutes to make their salsa and of course, my dad was the judge.</div>
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While I don't trust my dad's taste buds, he was the judge and not knowing who made what, he chose Rachel and mom's. It was a fun little activity that everyone could be a part of!</div>
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<b>The Beach</b></div>
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While Washington beaches are not like California beaches, they are beaches. Matt brought two kites, one that he bought in China for $0.50 and another kite, a delta kite. The Chinese kite took flight the moment he pulled it out of the package.</div>
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The we played around with the wind and another kite that Matt had brought. </div>
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Erik and the kids played in the freezing water without hardly flinching. They dunked themselves multiple times while I could hardly stand to have my feet in the water!</div>
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<b>Vacation Success</b></div>
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All in all, everyone really liked it. There was a lot to do in a very cute and welcoming town. While there wasn't much shopping to be had, no ice cream shop, no homemade fudge, no candy store, no trinket store, there definitely were a lot of other great activities and fun things to do to keep us occupied. Who really buys anything anyway? </div>
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<a href="http://www.dwellable.com/a/2794/Washington-State/Olympic-Peninsula/Pacific-Beach/Vacation-Rentals" style="border: none;"><img src="http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/2794.jpg" style="border: none; height: 20px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 102px;" /><br />Pacific Beach on Dwellable</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6H63AGXYj68/UCBROsLvbiI/AAAAAAAAFpk/G1aKfjHoiuE/s1600/IMG_0996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6H63AGXYj68/UCBROsLvbiI/AAAAAAAAFpk/G1aKfjHoiuE/s400/IMG_0996.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Boden and his big brother.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzQ4pCCMZy-s94QCLP9uPGGMkpaFfgILJt8_rBzriXRThzgrtfJ6zc-budAeifYSKrBj1dPaKb-bF71dda5qOdRY1Kh2oHJVkgC3mak13dWc5upIoSaMmUdL3kAarnSOZXR24kvigeFie/s1600/Kimballbeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzQ4pCCMZy-s94QCLP9uPGGMkpaFfgILJt8_rBzriXRThzgrtfJ6zc-budAeifYSKrBj1dPaKb-bF71dda5qOdRY1Kh2oHJVkgC3mak13dWc5upIoSaMmUdL3kAarnSOZXR24kvigeFie/s640/Kimballbeach.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy and Matt having a little fun with Kimball.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rj-DjNUCiXs/UCBTWWU1orI/AAAAAAAAFp0/GQPvQopaE8I/s1600/IMG_1049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rj-DjNUCiXs/UCBTWWU1orI/AAAAAAAAFp0/GQPvQopaE8I/s640/IMG_1049.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-26503697150585269142012-06-04T21:27:00.000-07:002012-06-04T21:35:07.268-07:00The first fruitsA couple of months ago Matt and I had to make a decision: landscape the front door area or plant a garden. Seeing as it would probably cost more money and require more of our own energy to landscape, and we can't really eat the flowers and shrubs we plant, we decided to go with the garden. Now, a month and a half later, it is confirmed that we made the right decision. Who uses the front door anyway? We always go through the garage and we rarely have visitors.<br />
<br />
So I present to you, the first fruits, er, veggies, of our labors! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSF6YuIKzkSR4OEdbE0htRf94dheXpHpnFgFKQZ4oQNP5ZUPGsP9yfkYCulA4Dt1SxWwHHR7XnAHx026Kaij1OUqtf08G4PX0qe9Q0C4SrcWgENEJJGsGj1ntyJv1nGXo7PWV8BWzkMHD/s1600/Veg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSF6YuIKzkSR4OEdbE0htRf94dheXpHpnFgFKQZ4oQNP5ZUPGsP9yfkYCulA4Dt1SxWwHHR7XnAHx026Kaij1OUqtf08G4PX0qe9Q0C4SrcWgENEJJGsGj1ntyJv1nGXo7PWV8BWzkMHD/s320/Veg1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We planted this arugula early in May and it grew literally, like a weed.
So much that it looked like a weed and my amateur gardener self was so tempted to just yank it all. Turns out, you have to thin it out
from the bottom and leave the heavier center leaves to continue to grow.<br />
<br />
For being total novices, we weren't sure what to expect with our first garden, so we have just been winging it from the get-go. Thankfully, you can be totally, well, "green," and still find garden success!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnSkIkdSIxBJ044GF10wJzAO9fZ2D137G-ljlAg8SJU-1Kg1Pe2HEXOIGIIDBkV6dhjqgNKjC5_YJbuETUwE2trSvPk1BmXRsRKV3NDAo2fygzVrkeO7UYtwBj50j7PiZirwuM2at70l8/s1600/screen-capture-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnSkIkdSIxBJ044GF10wJzAO9fZ2D137G-ljlAg8SJU-1Kg1Pe2HEXOIGIIDBkV6dhjqgNKjC5_YJbuETUwE2trSvPk1BmXRsRKV3NDAo2fygzVrkeO7UYtwBj50j7PiZirwuM2at70l8/s320/screen-capture-13.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
For not knowing much, we educated ourselves by reading through Mel Bartholomew's book, "All New Square Foot Gardening". Everything about his book made gardening seem so easy, it really felt like it would be a no-fail for us. So far, everything looks great!<br />
<br />
Matt built the boxes in 30-minutes with wood that had been sitting in the corner of the garage. It cost about $100 to make the soil mix and the seeds were pennies. Matt added a simple irrigation system to deal with the arid Utah heat and we'll water occasionally. For the most part, the garden has been a fairly simple undertaking.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-95nFvNDTAMQ/T80qE3LxsuI/AAAAAAAAFlQ/6N9uKtusyzQ/s1600/Veg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-95nFvNDTAMQ/T80qE3LxsuI/AAAAAAAAFlQ/6N9uKtusyzQ/s320/Veg2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So far, we have planted:<br />
tomatoes parsnips<br />
radishes carrots<br />
cucumbers green onions<br />
squash turnips<br />
sweet potatoes butter lettuce<br />
peas arugula<br />
corn broccoli<br />
cauliflower gourds<br />
<br />
Who knew that so much could fit in such a little space?! It wasn't my intention to try growing such a variety, but it just seemed so easy and if we fail on some items, we'll have plenty more to fall back on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqudM0avKkbojWIy7PmAEXZpjeN_HYmTdclWpV-r7wraMVOoqiyW8qUzpFwIoDUsZikUAd7m41K9jKIs12GWEwPbYt5m436u5EqHfZn6RC0gqAh2G04OeEqOAjex4bCh7MBN8aImM_bAIq/s1600/Veg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqudM0avKkbojWIy7PmAEXZpjeN_HYmTdclWpV-r7wraMVOoqiyW8qUzpFwIoDUsZikUAd7m41K9jKIs12GWEwPbYt5m436u5EqHfZn6RC0gqAh2G04OeEqOAjex4bCh7MBN8aImM_bAIq/s320/Veg3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I never thought I would ever grow a garden, but the thought of growing our own vegetables and the freshness and enhanced taste of homegrown produce was what really interested us. It's going to be a great summer! <br />
<br />
<br />Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-48931311922753025542012-05-14T09:18:00.001-07:002012-05-14T09:18:46.268-07:00Daddy Oh Update<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HP6SR534j1g/T7EtPxY4kcI/AAAAAAAAFf8/Gjwnq3UKyCY/s1600/dadrachelme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HP6SR534j1g/T7EtPxY4kcI/AAAAAAAAFf8/Gjwnq3UKyCY/s320/dadrachelme.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel, dad and I, just a few weeks before the unexpected surgery.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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My dad is getting better and better. He is literally taking baby steps and making a slow, but promising full recovery.<br />
<br />
It's funny to sit and talk with him as he generally seems stunned as to how it is that he is in the condition that he is in. It's hard to imagine what it would feel like after having brain surgery and my dad is no exception to the bewilderment. Sometimes his eyes will indicate that he is deeply lost in thought and then he'll calmly say, "I just cannot understand how all of this happened." He knows what happened, but he doesn't recall any memory of the actual fall and he is simply in disbelief that the recovery has become this intense and would take so long. I think he feels like he is back at square one compared to where he was three months after the initial accident.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, he is not. His recovery this time is not as extensive as it was right after the accident. He still has no appetite, but he is more coherent and lucid than ever. Walking is more of a challenge this time, but he is able to clothe himself, brush his teeth, read the newspaper and speak clearly, enough to have a decent conversation.<br />
<br />
My parents hope and pray to be able to stay in Korea through February 2013 to finish their mission at the temple. They both like it there and feel very loved and needed. Neither of them have lived in Korea since they first left to go to school in the United States, my dad in 1965 and my mom in 1969. Korea is truly their home, though it is a much changed landscape. Visiting them I wondered how they would feel having to adjust to a lifestyle and surroundings of a country they only really know from so many years ago and so different than what they know in the US, but they seem as content as can be. Probably the only really difficult things to adjust to are the rapid pace of Seoul city life and not having a car, which I'm sure they are grateful to do without in such a congested place. <br />
<br />
They are troopers and we are pray for all to be well with them. It's just a matter of time, and more time.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-14109806024509041412012-05-10T20:24:00.000-07:002012-05-10T20:24:28.906-07:00Introducing...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2AmT3fp7mE0/T6x3hthqH6I/AAAAAAAAFd8/5y58yyXva3s/s1600/screen-capture-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2AmT3fp7mE0/T6x3hthqH6I/AAAAAAAAFd8/5y58yyXva3s/s320/screen-capture-15.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
My new hair dryer! It may not seem all that exciting, but it is for me!<br />
<br />
It's the BaByliss Pro TT, Tourmaline Titanium, ceramic ionic hair dryer.<br />
<br />
I have been ogling this hair dryer for years! Back then, I bought one for my sister, then one for my sister-in-law but because I already had one that worked decently, I never felt that I could justify spending so much on a new one. Thankfully, now enough time has passed where my hair dryer has fizzled out, runs hot but hardly blows any air, is now inefficient, and just isn't getting the job done. Yay! So I finally got the one I've long wanted.<br />
<br />
This thing is amazing for so many reasons:<br />
<ul><ul><ul><ul>
<li>Dries my hair in 2-3 minutes, instead of the usual 6-7.</li>
<li>Makes my hair super soft.</li>
<li>Doesn't leave my hair frizzy and tangled.</li>
<li>Makes my hair easier to style.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
I love this thing and it is finally mine!<br />
<br />
<b>Case for the extra cost</b> <br />
BaByliss is a professional grade brand and pricier than your general Conair or Revlon model that you might find at any Target or Walmart. I haven't tried an ionic hair dryer from one of those brands, but I believe that the BaByliss brand and other pro brands are the best for personal hair care products. When I bought my hair straightener six years ago, a Solia product, I loved it from the beginning and I have been a big believer in the pro products since. I think they are made better, hold up better, perform better, are gentler on your hair, and overall, are a better value for what you get. <a href="http://folica.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">Folica.com</span></a> is my go-to resource for reviews and for finding the best prices on products. It is where I bought the hair dryers and straighteners that I bought for my family and for myself.<br />
<br />
So why am I raving about a hair dryer? Well, it's just all about the performance. Yeah, it's pricy for pro products, but for all of the above-mentioned benefits, it is so worth it to me.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-55180711700300570142012-05-04T04:45:00.001-07:002012-05-04T17:37:54.783-07:00The Good News<div class="MsoNormal">
The good news is: my dad is really well.
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</style> He has much improved and is alert, though weak. Today we walked, er, shuffled down the hall about 100-meters and my dad is in good spirits. I guess the tell-tale sign of his marked improvement is his draw to food. He is eating like a champ! Smacking away through his rice, loudly crunching his kimchi and happily slurping his seaweed soup, taking huge bites along the way, he is becoming more and more independent.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
He is also talkative and engaging, thanking everyone who comes by, from the nurses who regularly check his dressings to the housekeeping staff that empty his garbage cans. All are good signs and signs of "normal" Daddy Oh. Doc
agrees that he is doing well and the tubes coming out of his head and other limbs of his body were removed later in the day today. It looks like he could leave the hospital as soon as this weekend, but it is likely he will stay until Monday. Thankfully, this time around, it doesn’t look like he needs rehab. He is sitting up, eating on his own and though weak, joking around on occasion.</div>
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<br /></div>
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His current condition is such a relief. I think we were all expecting the very worst, but he is doing so well. He is truly a tank.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, I'm loving Korea, although I miss Matt terribly. It's the longest we've been apart since we've been married and even beyond that, since October when I moved to Utah. There is so much here that I wish we could do together. Hopefully, we will be able to come back and explore this amazing country together later this year. Despite my father's challenges, my parents are still hoping to finish out the mission through February 2013 and in light of their determination and confident resolve, I see them making that happen.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel blessed and I feel my family is being watched over. I thank my Heavenly Father for all that I have.</div>Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-43489361172284029512012-05-02T04:17:00.000-07:002012-05-04T17:51:56.598-07:00Why I am in Korea at the last minute<style>
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I’ve always wondered how my family would manage at the
moment of major crisis. Up to this point, I feel like we have been generally
protected and sheltered from significant grief. We have all experienced our
share of life’s trials and tribulations, but from my perspective, we have not
yet undergone a significant and major crisis that has really tested us as a
family unit. In general, I have always felt that we have been so blessed. We
have had our share of financial turmoil, but nothing that has ever really
stopped us from pursuing our every desire. We have been bogged down by work
responsibilities and have suffered the stress of providing for ourselves and
our families, but I see aspect of life as just a part of life. And health-wise,
illnesses and disease have let us alone for the most part. Of course, we each
struggle with the challenges of age and the general injuries, and bumps and
bruises that come with life’s adventure’s, but the great ailments of the human
experience have spared us. We even have amazing hair, healthy teeth and great
nails! So, I’ve long worried at what point this smooth ride would take a turn.
I feel that now, the time has come.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I <b><a href="http://mohsocool.blogspot.com/2012/02/tank.html" style="color: yellow;" target="_blank">posted</a></b> not too long ago, my dad had an accident
following my wedding in January. Since then, he has been recovering to what we
believe, has been quite a miraculous comeback. Although, it seems that we all
may have been too anxious to see him back to himself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After staying with Matt and myself in Riverton for 3 months,
my dad got the green light to return to his missionary duties in Korea. At the
beginning of April my parents returned to Seattle to stay with Erik and Denise
and the kids and then on April 21, they flew back to Korea. Although not
perfect, my dad seemed healthy and able to take on any responsibilities given
to him. All along though, my dad has had complaints of lower left leg pains, at
times his mind would seem to wander so much that his eyes would kind of lose
focus, and he just seemed slower than usual.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next day upon arriving in Korea, the aches and pains in
his leg got worse. And as each day passed, it became more and more difficult
for him to walk, the aches eventually spread to his right leg and soon, he was
unable to even stand on his own. He could never really express the way his legs
felt or why he couldn’t walk only that he was very tired and had no balance
upon standing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not truly understanding his pains, we first assumed it was
his shoes that was causing the discomfort, or maybe an ear issue which would
contribute to his imbalance. I considered the possibility that it could all be
related to his brain injury, but it just seemed too easy of a go-to. He was
cleared medically to get on a 12-hour international flight, he seemed healthy
and stable, 3-months post injury, it just didn’t seem like the accident would still
be a major factor. Looking back now, I think we just didn’t want it to be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Monday, my parents went to see a general family doctor in
Korea. The doctor, unsure of the causes of his ailment, insisted that he
undergo neurological testing to rule out any lingering injuries from the accident.
That day, my dad spent 5-hours being tested and eventually, was admitted. He
was non-coherent and generally unresponsive as the doctors concluded that he
had a massive amount of blood in his brain. It was determined that his brain
had been slowly bleeding over a long period of time, possibly since the
accident although that has not been confirmed. He needed surgery immediately.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mom called us all late Monday evening to tell us of the
situation. We all wanted a second opinion, again not believing that this could
all be as a result of the initial brain injury, and insisted on seeing the CT
scan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dad was scheduled for surgery for Wednesday, but due to
the severity of the situation, he underwent the procedure on Tuesday. The
surgery was supposed to take 3-4 hours, but went on much longer as the amount
of blood in his brain was much great than expected. His condition was not good
and amidst all of this, my mom was barely keeping it together. Gratefully she
had an enormous amount of support from church members and family, but after
hearing the latest, my family decided that it would be best if I went to Korea to
be with my mom and dad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday night I flew out to San Francisco, then the next
day, caught a flight to Korea and today, here I am.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flying here I hope that my mom is overreacting. I hope that
she is misinformed. I hope that it’s not as bad as it seems. I hope that
someone heard wrong. If none are the case, I hope that it’s my dad’s turn for a
small miracle to ensure that he will be fine.</div>Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-45175410517397866672012-03-30T14:10:00.011-07:002012-03-30T15:27:45.964-07:003 days, 5 waffles, Liège me.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_4LZXcy0yFs/T3YmpldGaAI/AAAAAAAAFLc/XwsU9ulKfpc/s1600/waffle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_4LZXcy0yFs/T3YmpldGaAI/AAAAAAAAFLc/XwsU9ulKfpc/s400/waffle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725806472118822914" border="0" /></a>Actually, it probably would have only taken two days had I timed things better, but that's not important. The important thing is, that I succeeded at making the Liège waffle!<br /><br />I was first turned on to this scrumptious indulgence after a visit to <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://www.brugeswaffles.com/">Bruges Waffles & Frites</a> in downtown Salt Lake City. I had never seen nor heard of the liege waffle before but after hearing so much about this place, I couldn't wait to try it! I mean, a waffle is a waffle, right? Just throw some pancake batter onto a waffle iron and there you go, a waffle! Or is it just a pancake shaped like a waffle? If I threw ground beef onto a waffle iron would it be called a waffle as well, even though in reality, it's ground beef shaped like a waffle? You get my point right?<br /><br />I went with my sister to try out this much-acclaimed culinary destination and while I begged and whined to have my waffle with strawberries and whoop cream (or Crème fraîche as the Europeans call it), Rachel insisted the waffle stands alone on its own. I took her word for it and toppings or not, she was totally right.<br /><br />So, where's the syrup? And don't I need a knife and fork? Well, you could use utensils especially if you did get any toppings, but alone, the waffle comes in a simple, no mess, no fuss, wax paper sack or small paper tray. Feeling totally out of sorts with my waffle inhand, and the thing practically burning the prints off my fingers, I gingerly tore off a square of the waffle. Immediately, steam rose from its innards as the unique texture of the dough revealed itself. It wasn't like bread, it wasn't like a cookie, but it was kind of something in between, more leaning towards the texture of bread. I put it in my mouth and wow, it was like nothing I had ever tasted before, at least nothing like in the bakery-type items category. It was so sweet with bursts of sugar crystals and a sweetness not as overpowering as a cookie. The texture was my favorite part, crispy on the outside and soft and sticky on the inside. I was immediately in love.<br /><br />Any time any of my friends come into town, I encourage them to try a Liège waffle at Bruges. They are just taste bud heaven!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYyffubhpcULobTD3p5dUrxB8AVCBvoCHpiWTgIyFcp7VhR5s3Gqt5MYHw8mjylaQwIdtS-jYzNweakZNkgbMX_YAHxY8EQMQIC7BwNWD8A9__oD8DLU0pk5S5PHY4r2pipQ9IbSn_B8Q/s1600/wafflewhole.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYyffubhpcULobTD3p5dUrxB8AVCBvoCHpiWTgIyFcp7VhR5s3Gqt5MYHw8mjylaQwIdtS-jYzNweakZNkgbMX_YAHxY8EQMQIC7BwNWD8A9__oD8DLU0pk5S5PHY4r2pipQ9IbSn_B8Q/s400/wafflewhole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725819247105061106" border="0" /></a>So, of course after having eaten so many waffles, I thought I would try to make them on my own. Just looking at the construction of the waffle itself, I could tell that it was probably no easy task. I could only assume that some of the ingredients would be hard to obtain, the waffle iron probably plays a big role in how the waffle is cooked through, and of course, I ain't no chef so what would I know about Belgiumese cooking? Well, good thing I know how to follow a recipe!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85O38OJPlvc/T3Yp3ijrkJI/AAAAAAAAFLs/mjbw1xUaehI/s1600/iron.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85O38OJPlvc/T3Yp3ijrkJI/AAAAAAAAFLs/mjbw1xUaehI/s400/iron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725810010394169490" border="0" /></a><br />Reality hit when all of the pieces of the possibility of actually making the waffle fell into place. I had heard that IKEA sold the unique pearl sugar that is essential in cooking the waffle and while visiting Matt's parent's vacation home in St. George, UT, low and behold on their counter, was a professional-grade waffle iron. The waffle gods were summoning me...<br /><br />Rachel turned me on to this <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://liegewaffle.wordpress.com/liege-waffle-recipe-liege-gaufre-recette/">blog post with a recipe for the Liège waffle</a> after my first tasting and just this week, and with all tools in hand, I decided to finally give it a shot.<br /><br />I started making the dough Wednesday evening and finally was able to cook and serve the waffles this morning. Thanks to my trusty Mandarin Orange KitchenAid, the WaringPro WMK300 waffle iron and the pearl sugar, my waffles turned out perfectly! They had the texture and sweetness of the Bruges waffles and although Bruges' are definitely better, mine were a very close second, if at all discernible.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuuBmm7T9xo/T3YxTp1WvMI/AAAAAAAAFMY/EXh5IQs_5_0/s1600/dough.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 327px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuuBmm7T9xo/T3YxTp1WvMI/AAAAAAAAFMY/EXh5IQs_5_0/s400/dough.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725818189965081794" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfKhFk25ILU/T3YtBkfQuNI/AAAAAAAAFL8/dUEfWfqDajg/s1600/5waffles.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfKhFk25ILU/T3YtBkfQuNI/AAAAAAAAFL8/dUEfWfqDajg/s400/5waffles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725813481246079186" border="0" /></a>So, after having completed the process, here are my tidbits of glory to remember for next time:<br /><br />1. Unfortunately, the grueling recipe only yields five waffles. Hopefully doubling, tripling and quadrupling won't adversely affect the outcome.<br /><br />2. Temperature control is key to a well-cooked waffle. On the WaringPro WMK300, setting #4 for 2-minutes seemed to work well.<br /><br />3. If you use the recipe in the link I included, start the dough at least 6-7 hours before bedtime to maximize prep time.<br /><br />4. Web search indicates that any IKEA will carry the pearl sugar. Not the case in Utah, and maybe not as well in other places. Check around. We were able to find it at Pirate O's Gourmet Foods in another part of Draper. (Worth a visit in itself whether you're looking for pearl sugar or not.)<br /><br />5. Waffle makers are hard to clean, especially with hardened sugar. Try to wipe down the sugar crystals while the griddle is still warm.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P6iWdnIL7HM/T3YykXq2IdI/AAAAAAAAFM8/huUdSlrD_Pk/s1600/cookingwaffle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P6iWdnIL7HM/T3YykXq2IdI/AAAAAAAAFM8/huUdSlrD_Pk/s400/cookingwaffle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725819576658567634" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceLNGH5w1d5TkFLvPQSk8SDKC2E3q9AlOnnPeXXn3GyfkSjR3xJikEfBvJ8gq7_h_QsDeAtKQgguRfFLW_Dts2hIr0jeki3MSpLuXHRnzDojhlYzrlXopMvVv4M7HAc9jBYw1OQ0Rmc-U/s1600/waffleCU.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceLNGH5w1d5TkFLvPQSk8SDKC2E3q9AlOnnPeXXn3GyfkSjR3xJikEfBvJ8gq7_h_QsDeAtKQgguRfFLW_Dts2hIr0jeki3MSpLuXHRnzDojhlYzrlXopMvVv4M7HAc9jBYw1OQ0Rmc-U/s400/waffleCU.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725819473314183442" border="0" /></a><br />The process was long and tedious but that might be because I am inexperienced and not super intuitive, but I was so pleasantly surprised when they turned out just right! So happy with a happy stomach!Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-68641538240105174402012-02-27T10:12:00.004-08:002012-02-27T10:29:42.400-08:00What's that I hear?Ever since I was little, my mom has obsessed over popping the little bubbles in bubble wrap. I swear that a big reason she would buy 1-lb. boxes of See's Candies was just so that she could have the enjoyment of popping the small sheet of bubble wrap that lies over the chocolates.<br /><br />The other day, I received a package in the mail with a large amount of bubble wrap used to cushion the items. Matt looked at me with surprise as I gathered it up and walked to my mom's bedroom and left it there. I told him how much she loved the stuff and he just assumed accept the fact.<br /><br />On Sunday, while we were all waiting around for church to start, Matt and I were in the kitchen making breakfast when our ears clued into a distant "clicking" sound that never seemed to stop. We just looked at each other and started laughing. I then, of course, had to grab my camera (make sure your volume is up so that you too, can hear the faint sounds):<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VYm4dhbn3bI" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />She's watching her coveted Korean dramas online and popping bubble wrap of course.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-6924417710187303832012-02-24T08:24:00.010-08:002012-02-24T09:41:03.464-08:00The Tank<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BT3vAodFW_M/T0fGlB97uDI/AAAAAAAAFDE/0GDWdBlwcYQ/s1600/Dad%2Bdance.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BT3vAodFW_M/T0fGlB97uDI/AAAAAAAAFDE/0GDWdBlwcYQ/s400/Dad%2Bdance.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712752991828424754" border="0" /></a>For anyone wondering why my parents are still in town a month and a half after the wedding, I thought it would be appropriate to make an update.<br /><br />As many of you know, my parents are currently serving as temple missionaries for the LDS Church in Seoul, South Korea. They will serve for a total for 18 months and they started just back in August of last year.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo: My dad and Johnny Ahn tearing it up.<span style="font-style: italic;"> (Photo by Rachel Thurston)</span><br /></span><br />They came out to Utah January 11 for and intended to stay in the US for only two weeks to attend the wedding and to spend some time with family. But what has been a bittersweet experience for all of us, the day after the wedding, my father had an accident in our home that has kept him here in Utah for the past month and a half and possibly another month.<br /><br />Matt and I were married Friday, January 13. We left for our honeymoon to St. John, US Virgin Islands at midnight the following day. Just four hours after we left, my dad fell down the stairs in Matt's house (now mine as well). Our guess is that he got up to get a drink a water and walked to the kitchen. On his way back to the bedroom, being in a unfamiliar place, instead of walking down the hallway to his room, he accidentally took the path down the steep flight of stairs and tumbled down into the basement. His fall woke up everyone in the house and he was tended to immediately. He was taken to the hospital in Salt Lake City and observed for five days. He sustained two broken ribs and bleeding in the brain. Because of the brain injury he spent two weeks in a rehabilitation center and is now home continuing his recovery.<br /><br />Matt and I woke up in St. John to a message from Matt's downstair's tenant after which we called Rachel to find out what happened. My family didn't intend to call us to tell us what happened as it was determined that my dad would be okay, despite a projected long recovery. We contemplated whether we should return home, but decided that all would be taken care of and that we should enjoy the time together until we get back.<br /><br />Since our return, my father has made great progress and yesterday the doctor cleared him to make the 11-hour flight back to Korea when he felt ready to do so. Physically he is as good as can be. Maybe a little bit slower, but he is fully functional on his own and is exercising daily. I think the neighbors get a kick out of seeing him jamming through the neighborhood in his black puffy down vest. He still has some mental recovery to sustain and is undergoing speech therapy to regain full verbal capabilities again. Overall, he is doing very well and although it is possible that he may never be back to the person he was before the accident, he still has improvement to make which will come with time.<br /><br />It is crazy to think that just the night before the accident he was active and ripping it up on the dance floor, set to return to Korea to complete a temple mission. The accident has surely slowed him down, but he is determined to regain full functioning ability to perform the duties required of a temple missionary. He is diligently reading and studying to prepare for his return and has really made the necessary effort to get better. He is a tank and although this last month and a half was pretty serious and definitely scary, we are so happy and we feel so blessed that it wasn't worse and that he has recovered so well.<br /><br />Keep on truckin' Daddy Oh!Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-36378306264719964472012-02-22T18:33:00.002-08:002012-02-22T18:43:23.854-08:00Fig PizzaI am ashamed at the post I am about to make. Not at the actual content, but at the lack of imagery. I didn't take one picture of the preparation process or the finished product. I'm so ashamed.<br /><br />My sister was visiting this past weekend and we made this recipe for <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;" href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/09/fig-prosciutto-pizza-with-arugula/">Fig-Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula</a> from the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/">Pioneer Woman Blog</a>. Can I just say, it was probably the best pizza I have ever had! Even at the most renowned pizza joints and from the most professional kitchens (of the so many that I've been to...) this pizza put those others to shame.<br /><br />In the KitchenAid, which by the way is my newest and bestest friend, the dough was so easy to make. I had yeast dough in a matter of minutes. All of the toppings were healthy and as fresh as Costco-ly possible, and the combination of everything together just totally hit both the sweet and savory spots. Holy cow, what a delectable treat!<br /><br />I will say though, the kicker was actually the fig spread. It's what made the pizza delicious and memorable. But you must have the "spread". To find it, don't assume look near the jams and jellies. Rather, venture to the gourmet cheeses in your local market (Harmon's and Sunflower Market in Salt Lake City worked for us) and you will find the spread in small jars.<br /><br />Try it, it's an amazing pizza!Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-63478740465073502202012-02-06T15:55:00.000-08:002012-02-06T16:23:13.725-08:00Painter Cookie Throwdown<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HfbRtnfLGN8/TzBoxpbwg8I/AAAAAAAAFCw/AhkekxeisL8/s1600/cookies.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HfbRtnfLGN8/TzBoxpbwg8I/AAAAAAAAFCw/AhkekxeisL8/s400/cookies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706175930023576514" border="0" /></a>While I had always dreamed of owning a KitchenAid myself, little did I know that Matt also, had mixer visions of his own.<br /><br />As we were deciding what to do for Super Bowl Sunday, we decided to crank the heat in the house (temperature is something I prefer keep to a minimum and make up for with a cozy sweater or hoodie) and have a chocolate chip cookie throwdown. This decision expedited the need for the mixer as apparently, for Matt's chosen recipe, the KitchenAid was an essential component to total cookie success!<br /><br />We both love the mandarin orange color and having both used it to make our cookies, we both were very excited and pleased with the results.<br /><br />The recipe I chose was the ever-famous Neiman Marcus cookie recipe, urban legend still in tact. I used to make this recipe while at BYU all the time. It was a no-fail!<br /><br />Matt chose a friend's recipe that he has raved about and has long declared to be the best chocolate chip cookies EVER.<br /><br />In the picture above, my cookie is on the left, Matt's is on the right.<br /><br />We had a bake off and based on our own taste test and the judgement of others in the Painter family, the following was determined (based on my conclusions):<br /><br />1. Appearance - Winner: Miriam<br />2. Texture - Winner: Miriam<br />3. Chocolatiness: Winner: Miriam, close Second: Matt<br />4. Taste fresh out of the oven and for the first day: Matt<br />5. Taste the second day: Miriam<br /><br />Overall winner: Miriam, with Matt at a close Second<br /><br />The taste the first day, was a split tie really. I actually preferred Matt's cookie over mine. Mine lacked salt and overall flavor. I will say that the milk chocolate chips that Matt used made a difference in the sweetness of the cookie, which mine and its semi-sweet chocolate chips lacked in general. I did run into some issues in the preparation of my cookies as I forgot to add the eggs and the vanilla in the "wet" ingredients stage of the mixing process and I think that that may have affected the end product. I think next time Matt will add more flour to his mixture for a more substantial cookie.<br /><br />In general, it was a fun little contest! It was Matt's first time EVER baking chocolate chip cookies and it was our first time ever using the orange KitchenAid which exceeding every dream and expectation!Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-2291940323500430302012-02-01T14:28:00.000-08:002012-02-01T15:05:29.956-08:00Domestic Decoration<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iahCy2T5k_U/Tym9mvs0XZI/AAAAAAAAFB4/zZXd0udSnMw/s1600/kitchenaid.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iahCy2T5k_U/Tym9mvs0XZI/AAAAAAAAFB4/zZXd0udSnMw/s400/kitchenaid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704298876378570130" border="0" /></a>As I more and more feel the lure of domestication, I find myself with a nagging need to purchase highly functional, visually appealing and ridiculously expensive kitchen appliances that will likely just sit on my kitchen counter to give the impression that I am one bad-ass cook. And I'm okay with that.<br /><br />In my time as a functioning adult, I have purchased toasters for $10, hand mixers for $6 and blenders for $20, all brand new and all still working to this day. I got great deals, but these were nothing for display.<br /><br />Now, for whatever reason, entering marriage, I am looking at kitchen gear that reeks havoc on my bank account (Well, Matt and I's bank account. Er, more like Matt's...that I have added my name to) but, have tremendous appeal!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCcQvEpS6hzJxfnobSHxuOCcHn1yy_awGCAylRth4WKcLOHbhaa8OWOeGi3i2FPdsF46UgvJkz-hTSwVdSH3wtjptgwXLas1tgNmezi1nXCCxm-BEc4XskSQh35lIfNa0EepxnaSTR2gJ/s1600/mixers"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCcQvEpS6hzJxfnobSHxuOCcHn1yy_awGCAylRth4WKcLOHbhaa8OWOeGi3i2FPdsF46UgvJkz-hTSwVdSH3wtjptgwXLas1tgNmezi1nXCCxm-BEc4XskSQh35lIfNa0EepxnaSTR2gJ/s400/mixers" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704305308639294786" border="0" /></a><br />The first of these purchases, is the ever coveted and ever practical, KitchenAid Mixer. All of my friends have one and I've always wanted one. And they look so cool! With 23 beautiful colors to choose from, who wouldn't want one of these just to have as a decorative piece in the kitchen? I'm sure I'll use it at some point, maybe to demonstrate to guests that I know how to turn it on and tilt the head back and then speak fondly of everything I intend to make some day, at which point, it will be worth the ridiculous amount of money I just paid for it.<br /><br />(Silver lining: I had a 20% off coupon and I'm getting a $30 rebate!)<br /><br />Next on the list, a Cuisinart Food Processor. Another spendy purchase and not the visual appeal of the Mixer, but for the street cred, it's going to be worth it.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-72062896195769048782012-01-14T15:49:00.001-08:002012-01-14T16:03:26.450-08:00Marriage. Check.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q1BbDYuv4qp0F1tEbOo6vrAeMcHO9GgWrAMgPm6P1rnGgmV3xSm_2P6QvLEi499bZ7IWYXvoOQ6ZSJCqSPh0VpHFXqhusDqwe8OvlV-uGVrdf8YykbRf8K_qm9Jabd94P6zuGfEBNDnk/s1600/412014_10150506800118971_638048970_8519805_682143756_o.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q1BbDYuv4qp0F1tEbOo6vrAeMcHO9GgWrAMgPm6P1rnGgmV3xSm_2P6QvLEi499bZ7IWYXvoOQ6ZSJCqSPh0VpHFXqhusDqwe8OvlV-uGVrdf8YykbRf8K_qm9Jabd94P6zuGfEBNDnk/s400/412014_10150506800118971_638048970_8519805_682143756_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697642549367330722" /></a>A lot of time has passed and a lot has happened in that time period. The biggest event being that I got married! Yesterday to be exact.<div><br /></div><div>It was a beautiful ceremony in the Salt Lake temple followed by the reception of my dreams (at least for what we could afford) at the Salt Lake Hardware Building. All of our family were in attendance as well as the close friends and family that were able to attend. It was super fun and full of surprises and memories! More to come once we get back from the honeymoon. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, to get you caught up, here are some of the engagement photos shot by Rachel Thurston <span><b><a href="http://www.rachelthurston.com/blog/?p=7638">here</a>.</b></span></div><div><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div>And also, check out some of the awesome photo booth pics we collected throughout the night on our website at <a href="http://www.mattandmiriam.com/">www.MattandMiriam.com</a>. So fun and I must say, we have some of the best-looking, if not funniest-looking, friends and family!</div>Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-33831946747354424862011-10-28T10:41:00.000-07:002011-10-28T11:14:48.998-07:00No Tip For YouLast night I left a $1.65 tip on a $35 check and I felt great doing it! And why not? The service was the worst I had ever experienced in all of my dining experiences, so why the heck would I even leave a tip of any sort? Isn't the idea behind tipping in a restaurant to regard servers for great service? Yes, I understand that often times 100% of a server's income comes from the tips they receive, but then shouldn't they, too, follow the etiquette behind tipping by providing great service in the way that I follow the same etiquette in leaving a 15-20% tip? I believe yes!<br /><br />I feel that I have always been a generous tipper, mostly because I feel bad for anyone that has to serve me my food. And for the most part, like many of us, I probably tip more than I should despite the level of service. Call it habit, call it charity, call it laziness because I'd rather do the math on 15% than 20%, but I feel I usually give more than is necessary. As such, I feel that I have generously tipped at restaurants despite terrible service mostly because I feel bad or embarrassed for being a bad tipper, or I fear appearing a jerk for being stingy. But why? When I am rewarding someone for crap well done? So, last night, for the first time, I mustered up the gumption and "I stiffed the waiter" and I felt totally justified. And yes, the service was that bad.<br /><br />So, to everyone who feels they have truly received terrible service and after assessing the situation appropriately, I see it fitting to send a message to your server in the form of an appropriate tip amount and maybe a note to explain why. Whether it be nothing or less than 15-20%, remember that tipping is not mandatory, but rather, <span style="font-style: italic;">customary and appropriate,</span> in American culture and should reflect the true level of service received.<br /><br />On the other hand, if you are a crappy tipper and tip poorly regularly, stop it. Don't be a tool.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-24824115357436162262011-09-02T10:28:00.000-07:002011-09-02T11:00:17.419-07:00Mommy and Daddy Oh Mission Call: Brazil?! No, Korea.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kA8UiuZVFnU/TmETHM3U0ZI/AAAAAAAAE_g/mxszNXEbnEM/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kA8UiuZVFnU/TmETHM3U0ZI/AAAAAAAAE_g/mxszNXEbnEM/s400/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647816422132601234" border="0" /></a> <style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Mommy and Daddy Oh stories truly never disappoint. If only they knew how funny they are and how much everyone loves them!</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">To end the week, I’ve saved the best for last. This isn’t a stop on the trip down mommy and daddy Oh memory lane, but it is new material and definitely a highlight story. I have sat on this video for quite a while thinking I would do something extraordinary with it, but I have found that just by posting it (albeit a different version) on YouTube just a couple of months ago and sharing it with just 2 or 3 friends, it has gotten a lot of traffic and a great response! It has proved that it speaks for itself.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">So, I have edited it into something better viewable and I hope you will enjoy it as much as you have enjoyed my other posts about my parents.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Just for a quick background rundown on the video, by the time my mom and dad received their mission call in late July, they were about to burst with anticipation. The application process dragged on and on. What my mom thought would take a week to complete and submit, took about 5 months with all of the doctor’s approvals and other requirements that they needed. Then once they submitted their papers locally, it was another month or two before they had the green light to submit to Salt Lake. My mom said it was a true test of her testimony because she was losing patience! She thought she would be on a plane to Korea by April of this year. They just left today.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">While waiting for their mission call to arrive, I would joke with my mom about them receiving a call to South Africa or Brazil. Boy did she not like that! In her words, “Don’t make mommy mad.”</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">So, when their call actually came, I happened to be the first to pull it from the mailbox. They were working in the temple that day so I had a whole day to sit on it. I called my sister-in-law, Denise, to tell her it finally came and she suggested playing a little joke on them. At first I thought it was a mean prank and also, I didn’t think I had the time to pull it together. But then I imagined things playing out and me catching it on video and I knew this wasn’t something I could be lazy about.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Here’s what happened:</span></p><p face="trebuchet ms" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></span></p> Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-82107646823612032072011-08-31T23:38:00.000-07:002011-08-31T23:44:41.961-07:00Best of Mommy and Daddy Oh: Mommy Oh and CarsMy mom has always had an interesting way of looking at things. And to be honest, it's hard to argue with her interpretations...
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<br />Click: <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://mohsocool.blogspot.com/2008/09/mommy-oh-and-cars.html">Mommy Oh and Cars</a>
<br />Original posting date: September 13, 2008
<br />Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-74084888587057765402011-08-30T22:56:00.000-07:002011-08-30T23:07:37.215-07:00Best of Mommy and Daddy Oh: In space...I mean, Spain.Today's "Best of" is from a conversation I had with my mom. A totally classic Mommy Oh misunderstanding, yet acceptable line of reasoning on her part.
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<br />Click: <a href="http://mohsocool.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-spacei-mean-spain.html"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;">In space...I mean, Spain.</span></a>
<br />From February 26, 2008
<br />Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-28838904809104429922011-08-29T23:12:00.001-07:002011-08-29T23:33:20.580-07:00Best of Mommy and Daddy Oh<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8N4SJnOVAUw/TlyDmTq9XeI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/VOG9swg_oEg/s1600/MTC.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8N4SJnOVAUw/TlyDmTq9XeI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/VOG9swg_oEg/s400/MTC.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646532726954483170" border="0" /></a>My parents are in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) getting ready to start an 18-month mission for the Church at the Seoul Korea Temple. They leave the MTC this Friday and I most likely won't see or talk with them for the entire time they are gone.
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<br />In the past, they have supplied me with some of the best material for my blog, back when I blogged on a regular basis. Now that they are leaving, I will have little material to share and to entertain, so I thought it only appropriate to reminisce and bring back some of the classic blog posts in which they have starred. Please enjoy!
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<br />This first one came about while I was in my second year of grad school. Might I add that my dad has always seemed to want to think that he was Cliff Huxtable from "The Cosby Show" and that his kids only wanted money and to do their laundry when they visited. Such was never really the case, but my dad liked to play the part for whatever reason. It always made me laugh.
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<br />There is a follow-up so be sure to click on the link as well. It's a goody.
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<br />Click: <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://mohsocool.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-cereal.html">"What?! Cereal?!"</a>
<br />From April 17, 2009
<br />Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-60057150210537072642011-08-28T22:24:00.001-07:002011-08-28T23:58:10.522-07:00Crab Boil<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb2BzNHCx9jPf-0UVJeCgwxzKtSXiep_wHXpIl1gkzxOT4ZcD3n8lLu821RJAQ1K5Z5rylt7Tc5Xcz2Y3aThB9hSxEBBAiSyHIZ23H9gU5QcxaESZinL69OuntbFupv2L3z53arB791rS/s1600/crab+boil2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb2BzNHCx9jPf-0UVJeCgwxzKtSXiep_wHXpIl1gkzxOT4ZcD3n8lLu821RJAQ1K5Z5rylt7Tc5Xcz2Y3aThB9hSxEBBAiSyHIZ23H9gU5QcxaESZinL69OuntbFupv2L3z53arB791rS/s400/crab+boil2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646157834736074562" border="0" /></a>I have been craving this meal for over 10 years!
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<br />Ten years ago, I was sitting in a cold, poorly lit room in a church in Chung-Ju, South Korea talking to a fellow missionary. We were reminiscing about home (only briefly, of course...) and we were talking about family traditions. One tradition he talked about that I fell in love with and have never forgotten, was something he did with his family every summer in Idaho. They would get all of the family together and boil shrimp, crab, potatoes, corn and whatever else, in a big pot, then toss it all on a newspaper-covered picnic table and go to town. I can still see him talking about it and licking his fingers. Ever since then, I have wanted to do this but never have thinking it was overly complicated or required some kind of special skill! Yet, little did I know it was so simple!
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh7x8GbSnB3SEEg-YLMuRSYiIWlzezMtR_NsWBgm2-U7X8f2zEYIbBTv-zr_qrLgHHDbUpwkEkp7eJs_IJYabADHv8tS7_562IFbrRmoroawXUYc9ySs78BcsRgFi13y8jZimkRwD5511/s1600/Lopez.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh7x8GbSnB3SEEg-YLMuRSYiIWlzezMtR_NsWBgm2-U7X8f2zEYIbBTv-zr_qrLgHHDbUpwkEkp7eJs_IJYabADHv8tS7_562IFbrRmoroawXUYc9ySs78BcsRgFi13y8jZimkRwD5511/s400/Lopez.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646148289659512194" border="0" /></a>A couple of weekends ago when Matt and I were visiting Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands for his birthday, we had planned to do a clam boil with the clams that we were going to catch. Unfortunately, the tides were uncooperative (or we misread the tide table...) and we missed our window to dig for any clams. Although, I will say that I am now legally licensed to fish for a year and we now have a handy folding shovel to dig for the clams that we never would have owned had we not prepared to dig for clams! Oh the silver lining...As the sad saying goes, I was all dressed up with nowhere to go...
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jGGEvQlKCs/TlsnxzFM0oI/AAAAAAAAE-o/0AzzkRUUMnI/s1600/Clamming.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jGGEvQlKCs/TlsnxzFM0oI/AAAAAAAAE-o/0AzzkRUUMnI/s400/Clamming.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646150294318142082" border="0" /></a>Nonetheless, we were still determined to do the boil, clams or not. Ironically, on an island where one would think seafood would be readily available, we could find none! We scoured the island looking for a roadside stand selling fresh crab or shellfish, Google'd for local vendors, even contemplated roaming the docks for lone fisherman willing to part with their catch, but to no avail. Sadly, we just ended up at the local supermarket buying a cellophane-wrapped fresh salmon filet. Disappointing? Truly.
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<br />We barbequed instead and left the desire to Boil, to continue to fester.
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<br />But finally, today, we boiled! Matt was back in Seattle for a visit and we made it a point to finish what we started. It was my first go, but after talking to a friend about a Louisiana Boil she hosted earlier this week, I felt pretty confident.
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<br />I looked to the internet for ideas, but having not planned all too well, I just followed the general guidelines of the recipe I found <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/daves-low-country-boil/detail.aspx">here</a>. I pretty much did what this recipe recommend. Although next time, I will be sure to buy a seasoning packet meant for this sort of food preparation.
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hWjJ_9xPZcY/TlstDYYpJMI/AAAAAAAAE_A/VFKkY-0rx58/s1600/Crab%2Bboil.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hWjJ_9xPZcY/TlstDYYpJMI/AAAAAAAAE_A/VFKkY-0rx58/s400/Crab%2Bboil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646156093947716802" border="0" /></a>And it was so easy! All I really did was boil stuff! I got a big pot, filled it with water, then threw in some cayenne pepper, garlic, and salt to make up for my lack of seasonings, and brought it to a boil. Then I threw stuff in it based on needed boiling time and let it cook! It was the easiest, and one of the tastiest meals I have ever had. We had hoped to make a field trip of the meal to Pike Place Market for some fresh seafood, but with time as a constraint, we settled for a lovely trip to Costco instead to purchase our crab. At $5.99 a pound for a 1.5-lb crab, it wasn't a bad deal at all. We even bought our shrimp there.
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<br />I would think this would be great for a camp out or just a backyard gathering. It was simple and the clean-up was minimal! Plus, it's always fun to eat with your hands!
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<br />The meal was delicious and the only missing component was an outdoor picnic table covered in newspaper to toss our bounty on before we grubbed. We used no utensils and went through a good amount of napkins before we wiped our mouths clean. It was delicious, fun and totally satisfying!
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<br />Until the next boil!
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eC0dd7dMKA8/TlssXth7mLI/AAAAAAAAE-4/gtZWBmrW6X4/s1600/sunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eC0dd7dMKA8/TlssXth7mLI/AAAAAAAAE-4/gtZWBmrW6X4/s400/sunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646155343709575346" border="0" /></a>Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-47210862654658337732011-07-17T19:05:00.001-07:002011-07-17T19:21:24.511-07:00Bye Bye MarieIt was around my birthday, June 18, that I found myself needing Marie Callender's more than ever.<br /><br />I have long been a fruit pie fan and while not much of a pie chef, Marie has always been there to satisfy my hunger.<br /><br />Everywhere I have ever lived, Marie has been there for me. I never thought I would be without her. But it was on my birthday this year, that my appetite found itself abandoned and truly alone...without Marie to comfort me.<br /><br />This was the scene at my local Marie Callender's:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tI1MmViz3CQ/TiOV2jCTteI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/VFTPKL3Hy0U/s1600/2011-06-18_17-38-34_387.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tI1MmViz3CQ/TiOV2jCTteI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/VFTPKL3Hy0U/s400/2011-06-18_17-38-34_387.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630508723493647842" border="0" /></a><br />Horrible! Devastating! Where did it go? How could this be?<br /><br />But I was not immediately dismayed. That is, until I looked up other locations only to find that there were no other locations to be found. In fact, Marie Callender's was no longer operating in Washington. I was truly disappointed.<br /><br />To make it worse, the rest of the chain was promoting one of its whole pie month sales. Slap in the face.<br /><br />I guess I'll just have to move.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-63212668625280727922011-05-29T21:35:00.000-07:002011-05-29T22:41:03.048-07:00Quirky Miriam: Pen RequirementsI am a pen snob. Any sort of writing, from simply filling out a check to making an entry in my journal, the writing implement I use must meet certain criteria.<br /><br />First, if it is a ballpoint pen (original pen design using liquid ink), it must allow for smooth writing capabilities. Yes, smooth, just like a baby's bottom. To be specific, it must literally glide across the paper with ease requiring very little effort on my part. If I run into any resistance between pen and paper, the pen becomes dead to me and will promptly be replaced.<br /><br />Second, if the pen is a rollerball pen (ballpoint-based more common with water-based liquid or gelled ink), the pen must not leak, blot or clump. This type of pen, too, must be smooth. If I can hear the pen making it's way across a piece of paper, it too is dead to me.<br /><br />Third, the pen must make continuous lines unless picked up from the paper to indicate a space or otherwise necessary blankness. When the ball of the point does not roll without ease or the ink fails to flow, such breaks in writing will occur and will then be deemed unacceptable pen performance.<br /><br />Fourth, the pen must commence writing upon immediate contact to the paper. You would be surprised how many of both ballpoint and rollerball pens stall at the point of touch down and the disbursement of ink does not occur until well into the first letter. It is unbecoming of a pen and totally annoying.<br /><br />Fifth, the pen must have a manageable grip. For me, I prefer a barrel with a small-to-medium diameter. I am impartial to rubber gripping, but do appreciate a soft hold.<br /><br />Sixth, spinnability. I like to twirl my pen in my fingers. The pen must have just the right balance at the end and the tip to facilitate swift twirling in the fingers with minimal probability of dropping. Note: It's no longer just an Asian thing. Lots of people do it. I just happen to be Asian and I always spin my pen. It is otherwise very common.<br /><br />Below are examples of my favorite pens both past and present:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucvHmnEP64gEbry0eWWvrNjauoLGJyR81teveLRffjgLeMCe2-kFRgsMLGne0uyROGtk4PNesInbQuKocHbAtnKmo1iUEi8m_IfUihObC0Fz-1TEgdJMlBO9Cw5j7AvnQmZsQqltSDZ6w/s1600/screen-capture-3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 107px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucvHmnEP64gEbry0eWWvrNjauoLGJyR81teveLRffjgLeMCe2-kFRgsMLGne0uyROGtk4PNesInbQuKocHbAtnKmo1iUEi8m_IfUihObC0Fz-1TEgdJMlBO9Cw5j7AvnQmZsQqltSDZ6w/s400/screen-capture-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612373038249574322" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Paper Mate - Stick Ballpoint Pen</span><br />Through grade school, this was my pen of choice. It met all of the above requirements and just seemed to hug my lined school paper that I fancied so much.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBZPep5jUv2g4AsKwgcdnmB3EbGWovR3b6OBgXYypONJMBG6ITfBWvXa2m8lXEtPB6PuaS_QpOQ0GJpOGjF3_o3RNh1Ztyd9qjlhJ1QxkepousrVweebdj4zk_RqZCtSvFzvZhtbZnUD9/s1600/screen-capture-5.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBZPep5jUv2g4AsKwgcdnmB3EbGWovR3b6OBgXYypONJMBG6ITfBWvXa2m8lXEtPB6PuaS_QpOQ0GJpOGjF3_o3RNh1Ztyd9qjlhJ1QxkepousrVweebdj4zk_RqZCtSvFzvZhtbZnUD9/s400/screen-capture-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612373481901825842" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">uni-ball® Roller Pens</span><br />Later in high school I discovered the uni-ball. Excellent for spinning though I found the pen's writing performance would deteriorate any time I dropped the pen on its tip. But overall, smooth and near-perfect for writing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ElAs1ixm7pg/TeMo-L5FnuI/AAAAAAAAE58/ioSt8BM0d5M/s1600/screen-capture-2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 347px; height: 256px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ElAs1ixm7pg/TeMo-L5FnuI/AAAAAAAAE58/ioSt8BM0d5M/s400/screen-capture-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612374609443004130" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"><br />Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Pens</span><br />Best twirling pen on the market and near-flawless writing capability. I feel free when I use this pen. In college it was my pen of choice along with the uni-ball.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1S0RMx9S3L2v4bW7_k9cJh7mzBlYleJqgxFnKRqaT1dHPnmWwreTQp1XNu8BS7LfgMz4y80iAaw-Q4RLm1P8uPQtFAiVjh_mvhyphenhyphenMVlY3II0T1B3LPQ9z0Lhw94rjiM0U2Yzd68hO7_Rv/s1600/screen-capture-1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 349px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1S0RMx9S3L2v4bW7_k9cJh7mzBlYleJqgxFnKRqaT1dHPnmWwreTQp1XNu8BS7LfgMz4y80iAaw-Q4RLm1P8uPQtFAiVjh_mvhyphenhyphenMVlY3II0T1B3LPQ9z0Lhw94rjiM0U2Yzd68hO7_Rv/s400/screen-capture-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612375111739683394" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />Pilot® G-2 Retractable Gel-Ink Pens</span><br />For quite some time, I resisted this pen. I had seen it in the hands of so many that I didn't want to believe it could perform to my standards. It just seemed so cliche. But, one day, in a pinch, I reached for the pen and never really put it down. While it has very poor spinnability and will blot and bleed if the tip is ever damaged, it is comfortable in the hand and offers a smooth motion. Also, replacement ink is easily accommodated.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Honorable Mention</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA3_N1jUws2G8Y5iGT0k7eqfECtQgvDB8z_P5Zy6FxJoQCnf4ujSTtn4WLjK6Tacs5odNqZbl54YurJaCB7hK7kQJY5UTMbbpimqAAZQanGAP081MmlFjCZEhViMlzyoPV300T8Kr1Nl0/s1600/screen-capture.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 54px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA3_N1jUws2G8Y5iGT0k7eqfECtQgvDB8z_P5Zy6FxJoQCnf4ujSTtn4WLjK6Tacs5odNqZbl54YurJaCB7hK7kQJY5UTMbbpimqAAZQanGAP081MmlFjCZEhViMlzyoPV300T8Kr1Nl0/s400/screen-capture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612375961188265426" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Yasutomo Niji Grip 500 Mechanical Pencil</span><br />Since we're talking about writing implements, I believe that there is a pencil worthy of mentioning. All should bow to this mechanical pencil. The Niji Grip 500 retractable pencil was a gem of its day. I remember yearning for one but feeling the disappointment at the $7 price tag, a high price to pay for a pencil. The one major downfall of this pencil is the poorly constructed rubber grip, which over time, stretches out and becomes loose on the barrel. But other than that, it is mechanical pencil engineering at its finest.<br /><br />I shun all other pens that do not meet the above criteria. I am always pleasantly surprised when I pick up a pen, free, borrowed or otherwise, that makes the act of pen to paper so enjoyable. Among good pens and bad pens, there is a difference and we have a choice.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-65428284581596019462011-03-22T22:30:00.000-07:002011-03-22T22:36:10.578-07:00Daddy Oh SingsYou know my mom sings and she is nothing short of amazing, even at the age of 70. Then, on the other hand, there is my dad.<br /><br />Recently, I hooked up the Korean karaoke system my parents bought long ago. At one point it worked, then sat stagnant for quite a while. It is now up and running and my dad couldn't be happier. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0L47iw3QcZ8?hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0L47iw3QcZ8?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />The song he is singing is a well-known Korean folk song. One beat off. Then two, then three, then just waaay off. Bless his heart.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-4413349816470128672011-03-10T13:29:00.001-08:002011-03-10T13:58:51.899-08:00Gotta Love Those Chinese<div>One of my favorite memories from my mission was going into moon-goo's (book/stationery stores) and digging through all of their cute little paper pads, pencil boxes, pens and markers, and stationery to find the best and greatest in poorly constructed English phrases printed on merchandise. Usually, there would be a few sappy lines from romance movies and most of the time it would just be hilarious and misguided attempts at well, English. I don't have any examples with me, I'd have to unearth my storage boxes from the mission days to locate anything, but go into any Asian store and you'll find all kinds of examples of exactly what I'm talking about. There's even a website for great collectibles and sightings: <a href="http://www.engrish.com/">http://www.engrish.com/</a>. Classic.</div><br />So, of course the other day when my sister-in-law showed me an artifact of her mission days and an Engrish diamond in itself, I could hardly contain myself. For those of you who aren't members of the church, you may not recognize the point of humor in this seemingly normal ice cream wrapper, but for those of you who are members, you'll either think "Blasphemy!" or die laughing outloud:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3DIxNlTq-XrOs4pdwH7lBIDir_Wy_f_oKOdoCR6TkX-GU8KAzwTdF1cRZRVyK_5c-lfljZ-T6iRcNhPhlsfyV-rqUw6FMRohjJv6JXuJmXyXkp-qMAT6czWWfQJL3L1fUlb9yfEFnHZ-/s1600/A-Chino+Ice+Cream.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582569204238505970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3DIxNlTq-XrOs4pdwH7lBIDir_Wy_f_oKOdoCR6TkX-GU8KAzwTdF1cRZRVyK_5c-lfljZ-T6iRcNhPhlsfyV-rqUw6FMRohjJv6JXuJmXyXkp-qMAT6czWWfQJL3L1fUlb9yfEFnHZ-/s400/A-Chino+Ice+Cream.jpg" /></a>Look closely. What do you see? It's not in the writing per se, but along the same lines as the Engrish missteps, it's in the imagery...Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356570448369225715.post-1466327392219742892011-02-06T13:53:00.000-08:002011-02-06T20:30:01.455-08:00Faster Than Speeding Bullet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWceawFgTUHDK03WHUFUNGq5oh2SkyDrtE_SLMsvWfMMoHIwKMrYlIks-ZWiWNGITzW5EH2Bv-wj3Hp9k3xJuMtDoWlF2hTM1kZuSdfilifksYBX0hqAA-zab7LaTXxW-xpF7SoYF3CClG/s1600/Air+hockey.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWceawFgTUHDK03WHUFUNGq5oh2SkyDrtE_SLMsvWfMMoHIwKMrYlIks-ZWiWNGITzW5EH2Bv-wj3Hp9k3xJuMtDoWlF2hTM1kZuSdfilifksYBX0hqAA-zab7LaTXxW-xpF7SoYF3CClG/s400/Air+hockey.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570700851171944658" border="0" /></a>I went to a movie with my dad last night and we had some time to kill. While waiting, I thought it might be interesting to introduce my dad to air hockey. He's not much of a gamer, but I figured he could handle it.<br /><br />With only minimal explanation he picked it up pretty quick. Aside from a constant reminder not to put his free hand on the table (ouchie if he got smacked with the puck!), he didn't do so bad.<br /><br />It wasn't long before I was up 3-0 in which he commented, "Miliam, you are very speedy."<br /><br />In the end, I schooled him 5-1. I did ease up on him to keep the game going, but, he did get one legitimate goal that wasn't a gimme. He was pretty proud and even used some fightin' words, "See? Don't underestimate me. Daddy is good."<br /><br />Good game, dad. Good game.Miriam Oh Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577392940761941141noreply@blogger.com3