My sister Hyun Jeong!!

This is so cool. I guess the internet has made the world a much smaller place to live, but for some reason, I'm still amazed.

My sister Hyun Jeong has a blog. She lives in China and is teaching there... with her boyfriend, Glenn! SWEET!

http://pookieandglenn.blogspot.com/

Also, this is a pic of my nephew... this is Yeon Jeong's baby! (This is my youngest sister.) She is due in September, the same month I'm getting married! Ahh!


I sent her a few baby clothes from me, the MIGUK IMO (American auntie), and she posted them on her website!! Cool!

Paris Hilton Responds!

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Holy Mole-y!

I got another Asian-y story for you. Sorry, but I guess when it rains it pours.

So, I was at a public place the other day... and some guy randomly comes up to me and says, "Hey, let me guess... you're Korean, right?"

"Yes," I said.

Guy: "Do you want to know how I know?"

MS: thinking, uh, no...but instead I blurt, "Sure!" (WHY NOT?)

Guy: "It's because you have a mole."

(MS thinking, WTF?!)

MS: "What?"

Then suddenly, out from behind me, another guy says, "Dude, that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard! A mole?"

(MS thinking, "Thank you!")

Then Guy #1 says, "No, seriously. I lived in China for six years. I know. The only people who have moles are Korean and Japanese. I swear."

Guy #2 says, "I don't care. That is stupid."

(MS again, thinking, "Thank you!")

Guy #2 continues, "A mole doesn't mean anything. You can tell she is Korean because she has a flatter face."

(MS thinking, WTF!? Guy #2 was doing so well!)

END SCENE.

Guy #1 apologized and said he didn't want to offend me. Really, it was pretty damn funny. Molie! Molie! Molie!

Asian Women = Hot Babes

ABC's Martin Bashir has Asian fever.

First of all, who the heck is Martin Bashir? You may recognize him on ABC's Nightline... his claim to fame before that was interviewing Michael Jackson in a 2003 documentary. Bashir caught Jackson looking especially creepy if I remember correctly. I couldn't watch the whole thing because, well, I was creeped out.

Anyway, Bashir made a statement last week at the UNITY conference in Chicago (for "journalists of color".) What he said made me puke in my mouth a little bit.

Bashir made a tasteless remark when he spoke in front of a group of Asian American Journalists. According to the Star Tribune, shortly after he began, Bashir remarked how exciting it was for him to be in a room full of great looking "Asian babes." Then he said he was glad to be standing behind a podium so no one could see how excited he really was.

EK, DISGUSTING!

The senior VP of ABC News, Jeffrey Schneider, says, "This kind of remark has no place in any setting and Martin knows that and is truly sorry for his serious error in judgment."

ABC's Juju Chang described it as a "ridiculous joke." "I thought 'oh, man, what an inappropriate thing to say.' But I've known Martin for a long time. He's a good man who said a dumb thing. He has since apologized to me for his boorishness and I know he deeply regrets it," Chang said in a statement.

Here's Bashir's letter of apology:

Dear Madam,

I wanted to write and apologize for an inappropriate comment that I made at the AAJA dinner last Friday and for the offence that it caused to those present. Upon reflection, it was a tasteless remark that I now bitterly regret. I am grateful to you for the opportunity to address those present and hope that the continuing work of the organization will not by harmed or undermined by my moment of stupidity.

Yours truly,

M Bashir

------------------------------

YIKES. SUCKS FOR HIM. HE'S TOTALLY EMBARRASSED. I FEEL KIND OF SORRY FOR HIM.

However, you know I can't let this rant go by. Why, for the love of Pete, can't people stop talking? I understand it wasn't a malicious joke, but it still annoys me. Let's be real. Why would he say that? This joke teeters the line of objectifying Asian women.

Why would he address an entire crowd of Asian people that way? That is why I say he objectified Asian women... you can't address an entire race/culture/skin tone/group in a way that is sexual and frankly, dirty. If you do, then 1) you come across as a perv and 2) you come across as a perv who objectifies people.

Would he have addressed the other groups at UNITY in the same manner? (The National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists and Native American Journalists Association were all present for the convention.) "Thanks for having me. I'm so glad to speaking in front of all these hot, black babes," I imagine Bashir saying. "Wow! These Native American women are giving me a stiffy!," if only Bashir would've said.

Saying "Asian babes" certainly does not reach the obscenity levels of those XXX-rated companies that portray Asian women as submissive, exotic, and loose... but I do think it's too close for comfort. I certainly would not want to spend ANY time with a man who asked me out on a date simply because I am Asian-looking. Gross! I suppose it can be an added bonus since it does have something to do with my identity, but I've met plenty of guys who are only interested in Asian women. I have a friend who calls them "VANILLA RICERS"! Icks-nay on the anilla ricers-vay.

KSPR Giveaway...

I just wanted to let ya'll know that we're going to give away a Coheso Calorie Counter. I'm so excited about this, so I wanted to share it on both blogs!

It's a great tool. I heart mine.

It would be a really good way to get on track or even help out someone you heart. MORE DETAILS ON MONDAY!!!

Dude... the fair's here...

Holy crap. It's time for the Ozark Empire Fair. Click here (then scroll down) to see the last time I went. It was also the year I got a back tattoo.

Also, it was the last time I saw a really good girl fight. This little 100 pound girl went after this guy and started hitting him in the back of the head. Everyone scattered, the cops had to break it up, and it was nuts.

It was also the last time I really got to hang out with my friend Kimberly before she got married...and it was just after Jim and I got back from Hawaii, Trip #1.

Ahh, the fair. Good times.

Hope this year I can meet Weird Al! If anyone wants to go with me, let me know! Jim is out of town for his second bachelor party this weekend, and I can always use a good fried oreo.

My First 5K!!!

I did it. Here's a pic of Kate and me running this Saturday. I am so proud of us! To see more (sweaty) pics, click here.

The Shoe

I think this is going to be my wedding shoe.

I wanted something blue. And you can't tell in the picture, but they're silver dots.

What do you think? You won't be able to see them under my dress, either, so I say screw it.

I work at a really hot place

...and I'm not talking about KSPR, though I think it's a pretty cool place, too...

The PRK Library was nominated for GO Magazine's Hot List in the Free Entertainment category. Each year, the editors come up with 56 Things We Love Right Now... Why 56? I dunno...

Anyway, this year, there's a twist. The nominees get voted off!! Push-ha! Voting starts July 16th and ends August 12th. You can vote by clicking here.

DON'T LET PRK'S HOTTNESS BURN OUT, YO!

New Blog to Check Out!!

My friend Alan just started a new blog-- it's a little something Springfield but all things music, politics, arts, rants... and still yet, even more music.

Check it out! He just finished his first post-ever. Show him some blogger love!

http://queencityroller.blogspot.com/

Big Ups on Downstream

...So... we took a little journey to the Downstream Casino tonight!

Have you heard of this place? It's right where Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas meet--just off I-44. Take exit 1...(it will take you about an hour and 10 minutes from SGF.) The guys at the casino told us that we were parked in Kansas and gambling in Oklahoma. Then a guy made some joke about the bathrooms being in Arkansas or something. I forgot how it went... but it seemed funny at the time.

Anyway, here's a little secret about me... I am a HUGE fan of blackjack. I love the game itself, but it was so frustrating playing tonight with the dudes who've never played before... or at least the ones who screwed up the rotation.

RULES OF BLACKJACK:

• Do not stay on a 14 when the dealer is showing an 8.
• Do not stay on a soft 17. Seriously.
• Do not stay on a 15 when the dealer is showing a face card.
• Do not double down on a 10 when the dealer is showing a 9.

SERIOUSLY? ARGH!!! I moved three times after watching people totally screw the table. One time I even said to someone, "Why didn't you hit?! Oh my God, you're killing me..."

I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't think I can go back there to play cards until it's been there long enough for people to figure out how to play by the rules. It was brutal.

Aside from that, we were pretty lucky on the slots>>>>>>>>>>>>

As Dave Chapelle would say, "I'm rich, beeatch!" Count it up... Jim and I walked away with more than $500. SWEET!!

Dave Chappelle

Too bad my car broke down earlier this week (again)...

One more note: They don't have very many table games. I was missing craps, roulette, and caribbean stud (unless I missed that).

Blind Korean Girl is a Genius at Piano

This melts my heart. Plus, the song she sings at the end is a very familiar one to Dillon (adoptive) families. The social workers used to sing this song to us the night before we left Korea! I could watch this over and over again!

A New Restaurant Hawaii Style!!

Holy crap! There is a new restaurant in downtown Springfield operating under Merle's during the evening... it's called Hawaiian Food by KAILANI.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to try it, since I am going to get married in the Aloha state. And YES, THEY HAVE SPAM!! SPAM!!! SPAM!!!!


When I was a kid, my grandpa and I used Spam for fish bait... but since then, I've tried eating it... and it's not bad! And when Jim and I were in Hawaii, we saw spam sushi in the 7-Eleven. It's awesome stuff.

Anyway, here's a quick look at some of the things on the menu:


ONO PUPUS (SOUPS AND APPETIZERS)
KAMABOKO DIP WITH CRACKERS
SPAM SUSHI ROLL
SAIMEN (NOODLE SOUP WITH KAMABOKO AND EGG)
MISO SOUP


ONO MEALS - $7.50 (ALL ENTREE ITEMS SERVED WITH STEAMED RICE, MACARONI SALD AND HAWAIIAN SWEET BREAD)
CHICKEN KATSU (Panko Breaded Chicken with Spicy Katsu Sauce)
KOREAN CHICKEN (Korean Style Chicken Drummettes)
LOCO MOCO (Gravy smothered Beff Patties with Eggs)
CORN BEEF AND CABBAGE
HUKILAU SWEET SPAM AND EGGS
SPAM AND EGGS


DESSERT- $2.99 WITH CHOICE OF PINEAPPLE OR BANANA
HAUPIA (Classic Coconut Pudding)
BANANA HAUPIA (Banana Coconut Pudding)
PINEAPPLE HAUPIA (Pineapple Coconut Pudding)
VANILLA ICE CREAM
MALASADAS (Sweet Biscuits with Vanilla Ice Cream)

The number is 862-3902. The hours are 7pm to 10 pm. Someone try it and let me know!

I (Stupidly) Broke up a Drug Deal

Well, I blew the lede. BUT, I broke up a drug deal the other day, and it was kind of kewl.

I can't give you full disclosure... and some of the locations and names have been withheld to protect the innocent.

But anyway...
I was somewhere in Springfield earlier this week, when I saw two men standing at a corner of two buildings with their backs to me. It was in the middle of the day, and I saw them exchanging pills. So, I stood there, a bit shocked. One guy was probably in his 50s... the other in his late 20s. I've actually seen one of the guys before walking around town.

Anyway, the young guy saw me, freaked out and started leaving. I think he was high on something already because he called out to his friend and said, "psss... hey, watch out for that girl" or something like that. (And duh, I could see and hear him when he said that.)

And then my conversation with the older gentlement sort of went like this:

MS: So, what'cha got there?

guy: Nothing, just my pills.

MS: Really, what kind of pills?

guy: Just my pills.

MS: Because it kind of looks like something weird was going on. Were you buying or selling?

guy: Neither.

MS: Okay, well, I don't think you're telling the truth, and I think you should probably get out of here.

guy: Sure. (guy walks away)

Then my friend, who was just feet away, called the police. We made a report, but I guess it didn't assigned a report number because by the time the PD came, the guys were gone.

**Jim says that wasn't very smart of me. I could get shot or something... but I say people shouldn't be dealing drugs in the street in front of me or anybody else!

Anyway, they could've been exchanging tic tacs for all I know, but it seemed really weird and wrong. I should've yelled, "Citizens Arrest!" like they do in the movies. Damn.

On that note, I feel like my "breaking the ice" deserves a Britney mention. I hate to admit that I really like her new song. Click here to listen to it-- it's on my buff brides community page, just go to the bottom left and click on "Break the Ice".

Party Girl?

Have you ever had someone judge you in such a quick moment that you just think, "Holy crapballs, did that just happen?" And then you think about it ALL NIGHT??

It happened to me tonight. And really, it was kind of funny.

I met this very friendly person. And one of the first things out of said person's mouth was, "You seem wild." Huh? The next thing was, "You seem like such a party girl, we should totally hang out! I want to get wasted!!"

Uh, Ex-squeeze me?!

It was totally weird. I mean, it shouldn't be... because, let's face it... I am super fun. (Actually, I tend to warn new people that I am a "flaky friend.")

However, when someone says something about you that takes you off guard, it makes you think about random things in your life:

That "party girl" statement actually made me think of all the "non-party girl" things I did in college--
1. I was the farthest thing from a party ANYTHING in college. I couldn't stand the taste of alcohol (I mean, occasionally...but I was the girl who drank coke at the bars and pretended it was rum and coke. I would smoke cigarettes (don't advocate smoking) in the corner and shoo off the one or two bearded men with Asian Fetish.)

2. I didn't wear make up and wore t-shirts, elastic pants, and flip flops. Everywhere. I didn't even know I had boobs until I was well in my 20s.

3. I was chubby. Okay, still am... but feeling less chubby these days and continue to work on it.

4. I did stupid stuff like "borrow" my boyfriend's deceased friend's father's handicapped parking pass (so that I could drive on campus)... only to randomly throw water balloons or tacos at other students. Yep, that's for real.

5. I thought grades mattered. In fact, my first semester of school, I brought home a 4.0. The next was like a 3.8. I cried --no balled-- when I got my one-and-only C+ (and sadly, in a journalism class.)

*****

And still, I can honestly say, I'm not a party girl.

*****

1. I still don't really like the taste of alcohol. I occasionally nurse a vodka tonic or a bloody mary... but it's rare.

2. I have two jobs. No one's partying on that kind of schedule.

3. I have embraced being alone--I go to movies alone...shopping... No party girl can do anything by herself. Duh.

4. I'm a social idiot. I have social anxiety. Party girls love the social aspect of parties, right? I'm totally introverted when I'm not behind a computer screen or a TV monitor. I'm actually challenging myself to be more of a public speaker because the thought of people looking at me currently gives me hives. Being in Springfield for a while has made me feel more comfortable around people...

*****

The only reason I can think someone would say that about me... is that I'm loud. I'm more confident... and honestly, I am a bit raunchy.

I mean, not the you-can't-take-me-out-in-public-kind-of-raunchy... but Jim told me it's because I tend to have a mouth like a sailor.

You can blame my father for that! As a kid, my mom never reprimanded me for the way I talked because she knew I was getting it from my dad. What can I say? I've been cussing up a storm since the 7th grade. %$#&!

I mean, I like to think of myself as a civilized, nice person... but when I'm not on TV or around kids, my tongue tends to slip... a lot. It's my vice, and I make no excuses for it.

However, not only was it funny someone thought I was a party girl minutes after our first conversation... I also learned something about myself-- I didn't give a $#@(!

I mean, I'm getting older... I'm getting to a point where I know who I am (and accept it) and I think it's kind of funny someone thought they had me figured out! I can't wait to take this person out!

Mix Tape Bingo Rocks!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have made history as The Coffee Ethic's first-ever Mix Tape Bingo winner!! (Actually I tied with another girl, but I think that's because we may have had the same card.)

We must've been on a roll. Our table won 3 out of the 4 games played at Mix Tape Bingo.

How does Mix Tape Bingo work, you ask? They play a lot of cool songs while you play Bingo. You have to name them...whoever gets the most right, wins a cool prize. Of course, there are other prizes for the Bingo winners (and they are equally cool!)

Tom and Shawn hard at work for Mix Tape Bingo

My friends Joanna and her husband Mark both won...

The only one who came up empty-handed was Jimbo.. but he didn't walk away empty-handed. I am getting a kewl SWAGBOT t-shirt made especially for him. SWEET.

Definitely one of the highlights of my week!

12 Weeks and Counting

I am getting married 12 weeks today. Holy crap.

A Circus For Your Mind: Mix Tape Bingo

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO TONIGHT?
SWAGBOT AND THE COFFEE ETHIC ARE HOSTING MIX TAPE BINGO!

It's tonight at 7:30 at The Coffee Ethic. Co-owner Tom promises to have great music and fabulous prizes. I asked what kinds of prizes, and Tom said, "Well, it's being put on by a coffee shop and a t-shirt company, so..." Okay, got it.

If you've read this blog before, you may know I am a HUGE FAN OF BINGO!

Former Springfield 33 Anchor Returns

He's bbbbaaaaaaaaacccccccckkkkkkk!! John Brown is coming back to Springfield! Who? Oh yes, the former "Springfield 33" anchor will be in Springfield this Saturday to promote Missouri Legends... a book he wrote about, well, famous people. Maybe Brown himself is trying to become a Missouri Legend? That's in the next book!

Brown's press release reads, "Brad Pitt. Payne Stewart. Josephine Baker. Walter Cronkite. Thomas Pendergast. George Washington Carver. What do these icons have in common? They were all born and raised in the Show Me State. In Missouri Legends, a fun yet informative new book by TV and radio broadcaster John Brown, well-known politicians, authors, artists, athletes, performers, and historical figures come to life. The book profiles more than 100 famous Missourians. Each profile includes a brief account of a legend’s childhood and rise to fame, not to mention a nugget or two of entertaining trivia. Filled with intrigue and information, this book is ideal for those interested in the state’s notable people and the stories behind them."

**I'm not trying to be rude... but there's already one fact error with the first sentence fragment in the presser--Brad Pitt. He was born in Oklahoma and raised in Missouri.**

Anyway, John will be signing books Saturday at Borders from 2pm to 4pm. He is currently working at the Fox affiliate in St. Louis. Before that, he was hosting the Daily Buzz. John was the main anchor at KSPR when it was known as "Springfield 33" about four anchors ago... but somewhere around 2003 if my memory serves correctly. Go check him out! Maybe we'll get the book at the PRK library?!

SSSSHHHIIIIIII%$$$@@!

It has been a tough couple of weeks, man. I have talked to all of my friends, and they've all had bad $#@! happen to them. And I mean BAD. From life tragedies to expensive mishaps... to expensive life mishaps.

That's partly why I haven't been writing on the blog. The two things that have pissed me off the most this week deal with my basement flooding (this is like the 3rd or 4th time in a year.)

Not only did my couches get soaked (I finally had my parents come and pick them up before they started molding--at least this way someone can use them...), my dryer also got ruined. My dryer!! There goes another $300-$500! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE NO CLEAN UNDERWEAR? It sucks! Jim couldn't stand it, so he took our clothes to Dutchmaid. Yep, we dropped another $60 (because we're soo rich) to have strangers clean and fold our dirty underwears. I feel sorry for them...

Oh yeah, and my freaking windshield wipers stopped working! It is going to cost me $300 to get them fixed, as well as a broken hatch on my car. Let me say, you look pretty stupid with your head hanging out the window to drive in all of this stupid-ass rain we've had. Jim has taken me to work a couple of times, too. God I wish it would stop raining!!! Not only am I starting to think God hates us, I'm also just getting really pissed off... and soaked!

Check this Out

My news director set up a Buff Brides Ning... is that right? I don't know what it's called... all I know is it's really freaking cool. In a way, it kind of reminds me of myspace, but it's more topic-related. ??

Anyway, come join me!!! All you have to do is sign up (easy with an email address) You can start discussions on health issues, upload pictures and design your own page! I need some support-- so click here!


Find more photos like this on Ozarks Buff Brides

Google Image Labeler

Tammy F. over at the library showed me this today. It is the most addictive thing, even though I'm sure I'm making GOOGLE's life easier.

It's the Google Image Labeler. Have you heard of this?

Basically, Google matches you with someone else on the Internet... a picture will pop up, and you and your partner will have to come up with all the names you can think of to describe that image. It's like a game, except you know in reality, it's not. Google's keeping track of the things you and your partner say for future reference, I'm sure.

Still, it's pretty fascinating stuff. I keep playing and playing and playing...

Preggers...

Some good news to pass along. Someone in my family is pregnant! And better yet, it's not me!

My youngest sister Yeon Jeong is pregnant with her first baby. She's the first person in the family to have a baby, and it is a boy! My Korean father must be so relieved to finally have someone else in the family with some franks and beans! Ha!

Anyway, her baby is due in September... the same month I'm going to get married. I think that means I'll be taking a trip to Korea sometime in 2009. I'm going to be a MIGUK IMO! (Mee-gook Emo translates to American auntie)

I was so excited when I heard the news. I happened to call one day a few weeks ago because I was checking on my second oldest sister, Hyun Jeong. She lives in China, and I was concerned about her after the earthquake... anyway, Yeon Jeong was at my Korean parents' house, and she told me in broken English, though I could still understand her. I burst into happy tears for some unknown reason, (I am much more emotional these days...) but it makes me more happy and appreciative that my birth family and I found each other ten years ago!! I can't believe it's been a decade, and now I realize how much it changed the outcome of my life. My parents are so excited; they even bought clothes to send her! Good times~

My Best Friend's Wedding

My great single friends are dying off one by one...

and sooner than later, I'll be falling right behind them.

The new Mrs. Davis and the soon-to-be Mrs. Van Dillen

Great arms, great feet. Mr. and Mrs. Tanner Davis cuttin' a rug.

I actually had such a blast at this wedding. Weddings really have become so much fun during the last few years because all of my really good friends have been getting married... so they're just more special these days.

Downtown Kansas City at the Muehlbach.

I was sweaty and I broke my shoes. Kewl.

Love the hands on the hip!

Lucy and Tanner live near Washington, D.C. They work for the government doing really cool things, and they have a beagle named Gertrude... Gertie for short. I miss them very much! Lucy was my roommate in college for four semesters, and I couldn't tell any stories about our friendship during my toast because they were all inappropriate. Gotta love it!

It's our turn soon!

A Good Read: Escape by Carolyn Jessop

I've been reading a lot more these days now that I work part-time at a library, and I'm really in love with this book called Escape.

I can't put it down. In fact, I don't want to go to work today because it's going to interrupt my reading time.

It's the true-life story of a woman named Carolyn Jessop who left the FLDS, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She was born into a polygamist family and forced to marry a man in his 50s when she turned 18. She had eight children in 15 years, and finally when their leader, Warren Jeffs (who was sentenced to 10 years in prison November 2007), started talking about the apocalypse, she escaped.

It's so interesting... she recounts years of abuse and scandal within the FLDS community, including marrying off teen girls to men in their 50s, 60s, and even 90s. Some men had dozens of wives. The former prophet, Rulon Jeffs, had 75.

It is so amazing. Even Jim couldn't stop reading it the other day... and then I had to yank back the book.

Carolyn has been all over the media since 2007, and you can even read an excerpt from her book, thanks to Oprah. Click here. The book is a popular one within the library system, but it's worth the wait if you decide to place it on hold.

Hey Kewl! *UPDATED*

Thanks to GO Magazine for selecting me as one of their 20 Under 30 this year. What a great honor! One thing I wished they'd mentioned was the P-R-K (Park Central Library and occasionally, People's Republic of Korea...right, Alan?)

I really love that place! (In fact, I'm here right now~) Plus, if you've read this blog in the past, you know that I love the people I work with. They are really good at what they do and love helping people. I think the PRK is one of the most exciting things going on in my life right now...aside from getting married and stuff.

Anyway, read the GO article for yourself if you want. Or not. Either way, I'm posting it for my mama, y'all.

Click here to read GO Magazine's article.

Also, I wanted to say congrats to the other 19 people selected! I know a few of them, so that makes me feel like I'm in good company! To see the entire list, click here.

**UPDATE** The party is Thursday night at the Highland Springs Country Club. Starts at 7pm! Be there!

Bill O'Reilly Freaks Out

You may have seen this already, but I think it's totally cool. Seriously?!

Oh, warning. Bill O'Reilly has a potty mouth.

Melissa Yeager is Alive and Well!

Melissa Yeager has officially been taken off the KY3 bio page (finally) and now appears to be working at only one station! Click here to read her new bio!

She's at WINK in Fort Myers and doing well... send her an email to tell her how much you miss her! melissa.yeager@winktv.com

Go and Save, Whoot Whoot!

Holy Crap! New ways to save money! Go Magazine just started this site with cool coupons. I love it. Go to www.springfieldgo.com!

STUPID QUOTE OF THE DAY

I get into tiny arguments with my fiance, Jim, about how openly racist people are in the Ozarks without even knowing it.

**Let me clarify, I do like the Ozarks. I'm not making fun of all of the people who live here.**

However, let's be honest. This area has a reputation for being one of the "whitest" areas in the country, though I'm really not sure if that's completely accurate. We do have a lovely KKK leader near Harrison, Arkansas. We did have lynchings in Springfield. It is a fact that blacks in Pierce City, Forsyth, and Harrison were forced to leave their homes nearly 100 years ago. Wiped away, banished.

courtesy Banished American Ethnic Cleansings

Click here and here to see earlier posts on Banished

And I could talk for hours about the annoying little things that have happened to me or my friends. This week, we had some Korean international students over for dinner, and they said they were afraid to go downtown because their friends told them they would get harassed...

Unfortunately, I can attest to some of their concerns.

• One time, someone said something like "5-dollars sucky sucky" when Jim and I were walking into Bijan's. I thought Jim was going to lose his chili. That was a great way to start a birthday dinner.
• One of my Asian guy friends was harassed while working downtown one night. A bunch of guys started interfering with his job, and he asked them to leave... they started saying crap about him doing kung-fu on them. (which on a funny note, he does know Martial Arts)
• A former small-town police chief called me Connie Chung... "Hey, we've got Connie Chung here to do a story!"
• A water patrol officer called me Michelle Kwan. That was an accident, but still, WTF?
• A viewer writes, "if you only knew how we Ozarkians feel about this..." Guess what? It's "Ozarkers" first-of-all, and secondly, I claim to be one every now and then...
• An extremely beloved and former worker of mine told me that I'm a hard worker because I have the "Asian Gene". Seriously?
• Another former co-worker showed me a video he took of an Asian woman dressed in a scantily clad outfit, while calling her "Michelle" on tape. He later lost his job for a number of things.
• Strange men have randomly come up to me and asked if "Asian women are good in bed." How the hell would I know?

The list goes on. It freaking kills me. Anyway, long story even longer...

Today, I was on a computer in a public place, looking at pizza recipes for my other blog. Some dude comes up out of nowhere and asks me if I'm looking for a sushi pizza recipe. A what?

Pseudo Re-enactment:

Michelle typing.

guy: Hey, what are you doing, looking at pizza recipes?

ms: Yes.

guy: Are you looking at sushi pizza recipes?

ms: No... what?

guy: I don't like raw fish.

ms: OK.

guy: Nope.

ms: You know, not all sushi is raw.

guy: If it's raw I'm not gonna eat it. No way.

ms: gasp.

Guy walks away.

Michelle is annoyed... it boils and festers and builds and spews out on her blog.

OKAY, so it's not like someone threw a box of rice at me (which happened once... thank you Nathan for scarring me for life.)

But it still pisses me the F off.

Jim's argument is that this kind of stuff happens everywhere. I agree, but to an extent... but I always tell him he'll see it more if we have biological children together. I don't mean to go on a soap box, but I can't believe people are so ignorant... little comments like that are so irritating. I WOULDN'T EVEN EAT A G-D SUSHI PIZZA! WHO WOULD?! THAT SOUNDS TOTALLY DISGUSTING!! I suppose because I'm Asian, that's the first thing some f-ing loser thinks I would eat. I also eat fish heads and rice, man. And I excel at math and science. I also play the piano in my spare time, but I am naturally gifted at the violin, too. And let's not forget, I'm very subserviant to men.

LET ME JUST CLARIFY: I grew up here. This is my home state. And sometimes it sucks to live here. This is such an issue for international adoptees... and even first-generation kids. I mean, I'm nearly 30 and I still put up with this. This is a life-long struggle that needs to be addressed better in our schools, the government, our workforce, and in our general lives. This is why we need more resources for adoptees and minorities in the Ozarks.

We have to do better for our children.

Which reminds me, do you know there are more religious hate groups in Arkansas than in any other state in the nation? That's according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. RELIGIOUS HATE GROUPS. Does anyone see anything weird with that?

**And on another side note, I love all people. I am not bashing on any group... most of my family is Caucasian, and on most days, I would laugh if someone called me a banana (yellow on the outside, white on the inside.) Afterall, what would you expect?**