Korean adoptees search for Birth Family!

I have a story that goes with this video, but it will have to wait. Anyway, it seems to me that there's a bigger push for adoptees to locate their birth families.

There are a number of groups helping to do that. Watch the video!



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Tyra Banks Called...

I missed the call! Egads! Regret!

Well, I should say... it wasn't exactly TB. It was Mark, from casting.

He called on Saturday for an upcoming show, and I missed the call. Jim and I were at his grandpa's house near St. Louis.

Anyway, Mark called on Saturday. So, I thought to myself, "I'll call back Monday."

I just called him back... and guess what? I missed the boat. Mark said if he calls, you have to call him back the same day to get booked. Darn! At least he told me to keep in touch.

So, lesson learned. If someone ever calls you about being on their TV show, then you should call back immediately.

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Read this Book: Escaping North Korea

I know I'm on a KOREA-KICK these days, but this is a darn good book, no matter your interests. It's called ESCAPING NORTH KOREA... and I finished it today!

Mike Kim writes about his experiences helping North Korean refugees near the border of North Korea and China. He gave up his life in the U.S. to spend four years helping North Koreans escape, get health care, and rehabilitate.

It is such an amazing book. I cried several times reading it. The stories North Koreans tll are horrifying and heartbreaking. Topics include human trafficking, drugs, gulags (North Korean prisons), and extreme poverty. You won't believe what you're reading. If you don't know much about the North Korean regime or Kim Jong Il, it will also be an interesting read. How the government controls people will blow you away!

I think the book is also very timely since we just saw the release of two U.S. journalists from a North Korean jail. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained for allegedly crossing into North Korea illegally... until President Clinton flew to North Korea and asked for their release. The two journalists really haven't talked about their ordeal in prison, but this book may give some insight to what they experienced. They probably didn't endure the beatings and torture that so many others had been dealt, but with a food shortage across the country and a dislike for American Imperialism, I'm sure their experience was less than comfortable. Laura Ling said that in prison, she was fed rocks in her rice. In the book, author Mike Kim said rice is often mixed with grass to make food go farther.

If you want to see the interview that sparked my interest in this book, you can find it on the Daily Show (of all places!):

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mike Kim
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

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Korean Fatty

Okay, I'm not talking about this ole (fake?) pic of Kim Jong Il, I'm talking about buff brides part deux.

I've got 10 weeks before I leave for Korea... though we have yet to book our flights. But I'm worried about my weight.

I've gained about 7 pounds since I got married, which isn't horrible...but when you take into account that I am 5'1" on a good day, then the gain isn't great.

So, I've got 10 weeks to lose weight. My friends tell me not to worry about it, but they don't know Korean people. I had a conversation the other day with someone who visits Korea several times a year, and she basically told me I was right for worrying about my weight!

Even when I went to Korea in 1998 and would kill to weigh what I did back then, Korean people told me I was chubby. I couldn't fit in clothes at the department store (how was that even possible?) I was humiliated--not only was I a Korean chunky monkey, I was "too dark" (from tanning), and my hair was jet black (for some reason I thought coloring it before I went would be a good idea.)

Let me tell you a little something about Korean people. They don't beat around the bush. They're not bad people. They don't mean to hurt your feelings. They just tell it like it is, in their minds. If they see an overweight person, they'll call them a "taeji"... which means pig. P.S.: "Taeji Kogi" is pork.

Anyway, I talked to my co-workers and they're giving me all of these horrible ideas on how to lose weight, ie: coffee enimas, drinking hot water, smoking... I mean, I don't particularly like diet and exercise, but I'm not squirting anything up anything.

This will be an interesting 10 weeks.

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My Korean Wedding Dress

These are just a few of my dress choices for the big, fat Korean wedding... any thoughts??

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