Day 1 in Korea: What I Learned About my Adoption...and Babies!

Day 1: We woke up and had breakfast in the hotel. It was great. Not only did they have the Western standard of bacon and eggs, they also had kimchi, pulgoki, and rice. Yum...

Mr. Chae picked us up and we headed up a mountain to see an overview of Seoul. It's really interesting because the city is so huge, yet it is wedged between mountains. Very beautiful.

Next, we headed to Gyeongbokgung Palace. This palace is from the last dynasty in Korea. It's really interesting, and if I got my facts straight, it lasted essentially until Japan colonized Korea in 1910. It sounds like a true story, anyway.

We then went through Bukchon Village. It's really neat because it's a historical village. If you ask me, it seems like it would be rather expensive to live there.

We even walked by the former home to the current president of Korea. So, it would be like living next to President Obama before he became president. Yeah, I doubt those homes come cheap.

The funny thing is that we saw these metal signs on the ground that said "photo spot"... they're basically telling you "This is a photo op!" I just love that.

Anyway, people say Bukchon Village is cool because it shows how Seoul is a city of contrast. Ancient coexisting with modern.

After that, we headed to Holt Children's Services to review my file.


We were already told that we would not be able to see the babies there because of swine flu. They didn't want to expose the babies to any of us.

We met with a young woman, Ms. Lee. She sat us down in a private room and reviewed my file with us. Surprisingly, I had a lot of questions and still got a little emotional over the whole ordeal. I really learned a lot about times and dates. It was important to me.

• Born at 7:30 p.m. on October 13th. I never knew the time.
• Born at "Moh Ja Bo Kohn" Center, or Mother/Child Welfare Center in Busan.
• Went to a foster mother in Busan 2 days after I was born.
• Came to Seoul and transferred to another foster mother, Ms. Kim on Feb. 7.
• Ms. Kim was born in 1924 and had an elementary school aged daughter. She also took care of several children in her lifetime before dying in May of 1984 from cancer.
• On my pre-flight evaluation, dated May 1, the Holt worker wrote that I, as a baby, "babbles a lot" and "cries if someone is not around her." Go figure. Anchor-in-training?!
• My guardian in Korea was Mr. Kim (Kim, Dae Shick), the executive director of Holt. He was born in 1918. He was the one who had to officially sign off on my departure papers.
• I flew to the U.S. one day after my pre-flight evaluation, May 2,1980.
• I also learned that my birth mother had not been truthful about my relinquishment. She told the adoption agency she and my birth father had both agreed on my adoption. However, it was noted in 1998, that my birth father was surprised of my birth, let alone my adoption.
• I came to the agency on July 3, 1998. The agency contacted my birth mother...and she and my birth father arrived in Seoul at the Holt office on July 6 to see me. At that time, though, I had already headed south towards Busan. We met on July 11th.

I feel so much better about what I learned! Little things that I never knew but always kind of wanted to. I feel blessed to have had two foster mothers because I know what kind of dedication it takes and how close those women usually feel towards the babies. I also feel bad that my birth mother lied to the agency because I'm sure that was extremely difficult for her. I think about her, as a woman, and how desperate and lonely she would have been. It makes me sad to think there are still women out there who have not seen a happy resolution... or that young women in today's society still feel like they have to hide their pregnancies or make adoption plans for their children. This doesn't happen as much in the states, but unwed mothers homes and secret pregnancies are still prevalent in Korea.

On a happier note, I saw a really cool picture of my mom and dad (Charles and Sharon) that they had taken in the 70s and sent to the adoption agency. I had never seen that picture of them before--not even in our old photo albums. That made me teary-eyed!

So, then I asked if we could see the babies. "I know about swine flu, but could we even peek through a window?" Ms. Lee didn't think so, and told us that so many people had died in Korea. But guess what, she asked... and my persuASIAN skillz paid off. We got to do it!!

We had to take our temperatures first, but after that, it was okayed. I think Jim had the most fun. He was super cute and seemed to be really touched by the whole ordeal. The great news about the babies was that all the ones in our room had been assigned already. And most are scheduled to come to the United States! It made my heart burst.

I fell in love with one little baby girl who was the youngest, but weighed the most. It was a little joke in the room among the nurses. She was such a doll, which you'll see in the video.



I wish I knew where these babies were going! I would write their families a letter and let them know how much their babies are cared for! Definitely the highlight of the trip so far.





Afterwards, we went to the Gwangjang Market Food Alley and looked at the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Mr. Chae told us the stream was a project by current president Lee Myung-bak. Apparently, Mr. Lee helped construct the stream as Seoul's mayor... and that launched his popularity and helped win the Presidential seat.

Also, the Gwangjang Market is really cool because it has the "food alley" where you can find long lines of benches, grills, and lots of hungry people. The old women try to get you to stop at their alley and eat some Korean pancakes...or octopus. We also drank this farmer's wine, called makali wine. It's a rice wine, that to me, tastes like a carbonated chardonnay. It's pretty good! And it goes down nicely with some Korean pancakes.

It's been a great day full of adventure. In fact, Jim is again, sleeping!

We made it to Korea!

It's 7:30 p.m. Korea time, and we just got in from eating dinner. We are ready to crash. Mr. Chae, our guide, picked us up at the airport and already gave us a lot of great detail about the layout. I can't wait to hear more tidbits from him.

We ate at a little restaurant that had Chinese writing on the front door. It was packed full of Korean people, and Jim and I were definitely the only Americans there. It must've been obvious because the woman gave us a special menu with English writing. We sat on the floor at a table in a corner. There were posters all over the walls of local TV stations who had done stories on the restaurant. It was really cool.

Oh, and the government here is really taking swine flu seriously. There are quarantined areas, and as you get off the plane, you get scanned to make sure you aren't ill. I heard that officials were checking temperatures, though that didn't happen to us (to our knowledge). They did give us some literature about influenza A/H1N1, too. Oh, and a woman next to us on the plane was wearing a mask and kept coughing.

Now we're staying at Fraser Place in Central Seoul. It appears to be a financial district. We're not very far from city hall or the National Police Academy. And, there is a diverse mix of people in this part of the city.

Tomorrow, we go to Holt, my adoption agency. We can't see the babies because of the threat of swine flu. However, we'll get to see my file and learn about where I was when I was a baby going through the process. I'm excited. And we're also going to do some sightseeing... we're going to go to an old palace. Pictures to come.

I'm so glad we have our guide, Mr. Chae. I've known him since 2000 and consider him a good friend. Thank goodness for him and Beverlee Einsig. If you ever want to go to Korea you should definitely work with them. I've known Beverlee since I was four! Trust me, she's the best!

And of course, we can't wait to see our Korean family!!!! And meet Glenn!!! No words can explain... but I will try... later!

Anyway, we miss Minnie and our house... though our neighbors and friends are watching both. But we're having a blast so far! We'll be in touch! (Oh and Larry--I carried on your mics and lens... they made it here safely! Thank you!)

I Think My Birthday is Wrong

I have always prided the fact that I was born on the scariest day of the scariest month of the year--October 13th!

My birthday was on FRIDAY THE 13TH for two VERY SPECIAL birthdays-- my 16th and my 21st.

My 16th birthday was also homecoming. I took my driving test, passed, and went to school in my new-to-me hot red Cavalier. haha! After school, I drove a handful of my friends to get something to eat. I then picked up my homecoming date (still friends) Ryan Allen, and took him to homecoming.

A few days later, I flipped my car. Coincidence? I think not. It must've been the Friday the 13th curse. Try explaining that to a very disappointed and angry father.

Fast forward five years. My 21st birthday was also on a Friday. My college sweetheart bought me a keg at our favorite bar at KU. Actually, it was my least favorite bar, but it was one of the most popular ones because it was right off campus: The Wheel. I think I'm the only person who didn't love the Wheel, but I did love Wheel Pizza. Yummm...

Anyway, I remember I wore my favorite long, green leather skirt, knee high boots and a black turtleneck. Long skirts, boots and turtlenecks were kind of my uniform back then. Anyway, I remember someone else had also ordered a keg that night and suddenly my keg was empty. I though I looked H-O-T-T... too bad I ended up puking in a back alley and going home early. What I wouldn't do to still fit in that skirt.

But, as much as I've loved to be a Friday the 13th/October 13th baby... I think I've been celebrating the wrong day. Technically, if I was born on October 13th in Korea, I would have likely been born on October 12th time in the U.S.!

This travesty just occurred to me... TONIGHT on the way to dinner with Jim.

Should I switch my birthday? Or should I try to squeeze out more princess power from the two-day birthday snafu? I mean, I'm too old to celebrate a "birthday week" (though I try to pull it off every year regardless...) However, do you think I could try to get special attention on both days?

News Director Opening at KSPR

The information is out there, so I'm posting it on my blog.

KSPR's news director, Brad Belote, is leaving his post for another intriguing position as the head guru of digital content for both KSPR and KY3. That means the Internet... the future of news, folks.

Brad Belote, (Google images)

Our general manager made the announcement yesterday afternoon during an employee meeting.

An immediate search will begin, but the position likely won't be filled until the end of the year. Brad will stay with KSPR until his replacement comes on board.

Brad is innovative, has great news judgment and is up-to-date on new technologies. I find it hard to believe that someone could match his knowledge and dedication to KSPR, but I'm hopeful!

If you think you know someone who's a shoe-in for the job, contact our Human Resources department.

Why would you want to work at KSPR?

• New equipment: HD cameras, HD set, new editing equipment, brand spanking new office and newsroom.
• Free range to do most things. If you can dream it, you can do it.
• Working with a fairly hip crowd (with smaller egos, for the most part.) You also get to grow and mold a very eager and aggressive newsroom.
• The growth is unmatched in this market. Ratings have no where to go but up. Heck, even I can say I helped quadruple the ratings on Sunday nights... who else can say that about their media career?
• You can be proud of working for a company that continues to grow in a crappy economy.
• You get to work with me. Though, in reality, is that a good thing?!

Our First Anniversary Trip: Stone Creek Ranch

I wrote earlier about our anniversary... but I never followed-up with where we went for my surprise to Jim.

I feel like I have done a great disservice but not writing about it!

We went to the Stone Creek Ranch in Mountain Home, AR! Jim was so surprised. He had no idea where we were headed...plus, we were driving in the dark. I think he thought we were going to Eureka Springs until we passed the exit. Then he said something like, "I'm glad we're married, otherwise, I would be really freaked out." It actually reminded me of a time when one of the photographers at KY3 kidnapped my best friend from college during a Springfield visit (I was at work.) But that's another story for a later date.

We zigzagged through Flippin, Gassville and Yellville... and eventually found ourselves on a dirt road. Luckily, I saw the tiny sign... "Stone Creek Ranch"! Yea! We made it, and there were no banjos playing!

The ranch was awesome. Jim and I had a rustic cabin... though it had all the amenities anyone would want. We had two bedrooms, a DVD player, a full kitchen, screened-in porch, grill, etc.

I brought some movies with me so we could just hang out and drink a little wine. I actually could not drink because I had some sort of flu-bug and felt sick... but I was not going to let that spoil our fun!

Anyway, the next morning, we met with our handsome horse trainer, named Ryan. I only add that "handsome" detail in there, because in my mind, I was thinking of the other women who might want to take retreats there (which the ranch provides.) They'd probably get a kick out of it.

That's neither here nor there... anyway, Ryan showed us how to communicate with our horse. We practiced for a bit in an arena, and then the three of us took off down a trail! It was so much fun and a little more rugged than I expected. It wasn't scary at all, but we did go through a few little streams and down some semi-steep hills. It made us feel like we were really riding. It was so relaxing and fun.



I would definitely go back there again. The place was great... not only does the ranch hold company retreats, it also hosts family reunions, women's retreats, and horse training clinics. Advanced riders can even learn more about cattle drives. If you go on a women's retreat, massage therapists and guest speakers will even come out!

Arvell and Karry Bass are the owners. Arvell was out of town during our stay, but Karry was there...and she was awesome. She's someone I'd like to hang out with! She says that she often books other things for people to do, too. Let's say, you want to go fishing, she'll arrange a guided fishing tour of the White River... I should also mention, I think people go hunting and fishing on the ranch's property, too.

Anyway, I give Stone Creek Ranch a thumbs up. Great experience!

My Night at the Emmys

I didn't tell very many people, but I was recently nominated for an Emmy for a story I did at KSPR. The story was called, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." Simply because... there's not.



Anyway, the story didn't win, but I was still on cloud 9! I was asked to be a presenter this year, so I still got to go on stage... plus, I got to present an Emmy to Joy Robertson from KOLR 10! She was the only Springfield media type to receive an Emmy this year. It was a special moment.





And, I should mention, I re-met some great people at the event! I actually sat at the KMBC-9 table--that's the station where I had my first internship back in 2001... working overnights! (I should thank my former professor, Max, for that one.) It was such a fun night.

The only thing I regret? Working Sunday. Too tired.

A YouTube Channel is Born: Minnie the Rottweiler

This is what happens when I can't sleep. Tonight, a new YouTube channel is born: Minnietherottweiler.

And guess who it's about? Shockingly... our rottweiler, Minnie!

This is her first appearance on her new YouTube channel. It is of her howling like a hound dog... singing with her accompaniment provided by a harmonica. It was the greatest press kit snag that ever came into our newsroom.

One Year of Marriage: DONE

Well, I meant to write something about this yesterday on our anniversary, but I was too busy celebrating it!

I can't believe it's already been a year! It has gone by so fast. It's a cliche, but it is true.

Where do I begin? First of all, it's tough to be married. Not really, but kind of. The saying is that the first year is always the hardest, and I guess I would believe it because it involves so much change. Merging of bank accounts, interests, and goals can get kind of tricky when you've spent the last three decades or so acting independently.

My co-worker and friend, Joanna Small, calls it becoming a "one-brain." A-ha.

Anyway, we've done a lot this last year:

1. Bought a house.
2. Adopted a dog.
3. Planned a second wedding. (Okay, still planning)

It doesn't seem like a lot, but those three things are really big in my book. Minnie, our baby rottweiler, is like a little person. I just love her and don't want to be away from her.



Our house is madness. I can't keep up with the housework, we need to repaint and do some maintenance, and make it our own. And a second wedding... well, it comes with a lot. Planning a trip overseas, working two or three extra jobs to get extra money quickly, and withdrawing yourself from society to save money sure has felt time consuming and stressful.

BUT WE LOVE IT! I mean, we love our life together, anyway. We complain about a lot, but the truth is, we have decent jobs, a nice house, a great dog, our health, a wonderful family... In general, we live without worry, and we often take it forgranted.

*******************

Our schedules just don't mix well this week with my moonlighting... so on our anniversary, Jim laid out a line of rose petals from the front door to the kitchen. When I walked to the end, he was on one knee and asked me to marry him again--in Korea! I laughed because it was so sweet... and a little out of character for him. He also gave me one rose and joked that I'd get two next year.


Then, he took me to dinner at Ocean Zen (the same place we went after we got engaged.)

After dinner, Jim surprised me by taking me to the Walnut Street Inn! Awesome!! We woke up this morning and ate spiced french toast, sausage and fruit. We sipped on hot tea and coffee... Then, after about 10 minutes of a nice, calm morning, we rushed home and went to work. We had such joy for such a short time! But it was such a great way to celebrate.

The funny thing is that we're going to pick-up celebrating again on Friday... only this time, I have a suprise for Jim. I wish I could share it, but he is a blog reader! ha!

I'll write about it after it happens because honestly, I think what we're doing will be really interesting to a lot of people! I already spilled the beans to some people at work, and they were looking into doing themselves!

Video of Won Hoo!

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My sister, Hyun Jeong, just put this on her blog! It is of our nephew, Won Hoo. Won Hoo is celebrating his first birthday in this picture! Watch the video!!

Won Hoo is the first grandchild for the Park family and is the son of my younger sister, Yeon Jeong.

If you've lost track, I have three sisters: Hyun Mi, Hyun Jeong, and Yeon Jeong. I am between Hyun Jeong and Yeon Jeong (my birth name was Hyun Sook, though, I don't believe that is a family name.)

I can't wait to go to Korea with Jim in 4 weeks!

Heigl Loves Hangukis!! (Koreans!!)

Wow, I already liked Katherine Heigl, but now I officially LOVE her!

According to People Magazine, Katherine and her husband Josh adopted a baby from Korea! They named her Naleigh... it's just a nickname for Nancy and Leigh (after Katherine's mother and sister, Margaret Leigh.

Katherine's sister is Korean... and was adopted in the 70s. (Sounds vaguely familiar.)

New News: KSPR News at 4!

If you're a Facebook fan of KSPR or a friend of some of the news folks there (uh, me), you may have seen something yesterday about a new 4 p.m. show.

This is true. It was officially announced yesterday, though there had been a buzz about it in the newsroom for a few weeks.

Why? Well, this is the way news seems to be going. Syndicated television is declining, and more people appear to be interested in local news at earlier hours. At least, so I'm told.

What can you expect? We were told this show will be less of the same... meaning, it will not look like your standard newscast. My guess is that it will be like a meatier morning show. After all, it is an early afternoon newscast. Expect local newsmakers to come on the show and talk, probably expect more opportunity for anchors to show their personalities, expect more community events to be featured, perhaps more indepth coverage of local and national news. My guess.

Who will you watch? Ooh, now that's a good question. I can tell you, it probably won't be me... but I don't think it will necessarily be your usual suspects, either. Of course, we'll just have to see!

When will it start? When we launch the new set. Expect early November.

Someone Stole My Scooter!!!

OMG!

I woke up this morning because there was a knock on my door. I didn't recognize who it was, and I was half asleep, so I ignored it.

Then, a few minutes later, I decided to get out of bed and go to the gym. As I walked outside, I realized my scooter was gone.

I ran back inside. I called for Jim. "Did you put the scooter away last night?" No.

Damn.

So, then I called the police. The woman on the phone asked for a VIN number since the scooter doesn't have a license plate (49cc.) I had to go the bank to the safe deposit box to grab the VIN number and the policy information.

When I got back home, the same man who knocked on the door at 8:00 a.m., was talking outside to my husband. Turns out, he's our neighbor and found my scooter while walking his dog. I asked, "How do you know it's our scooter?" He said it's because it's pretty distinct.

So, Jim and I said thanks and drove to the location where our neighbor found the scooter. There it was-- on its side, in an alley.

The scooter had been hijacked. Someone tried to hot wire it, and the ignition was a mangled mess of metal. I couldn't get my key inside the ignition to start it. Plus, there was structural damage--I saw many scratches and scrapes, including the seat, which I thought was a bit odd, even for thieves. Since I couldn't get it started, I had to walk the scooter home in the rain this morning.

I called the police and made a report. Then, I called the insurance and made a claim. Great.

I just need to say a couple of things:

1) I thought my stuff was safe in my neighborhood.. Rountree is such a quite, cute place to live.

2) Jim thinks they scoped out my bike because they obviously had the tools ready to steal my bike. Jim said they probably knew what time I got home and everything. And that would make sense since my bike has recently been parked in the front because of its frequented use.

3) Since it was stolen and found in my neighborhood, I'm guessing that someone near my neighborhood or inside my neighborhood stole it. Jim got a suspicious vibe when he saw a certain group of people watching him this morning pick up the pieces of the bike strewn across the alley.

4) I feel really violated! Seriously! There's just something about someone taking your stuff from your yard... that REALLY gets your blood boilin'. Infuriating! I wish we could've caught the knuckleheads in the act! Or better yet, I wish Minnie would've caught them. ARGH.

AND YES, I HAVE ASKED THAT CHARGES BE FILED! The police asked me if I would press charges, and I said yes. But from a journalistic standpoint, doesn't a prosecutor press charges? I feel like that's something they only say in the movies... but who cares... I WILL ENCOURAGE THAT CHARGES BE FILED.

I can't stand thievery. Those turds outta be ashamed of themselves.

Cat with Arrow Through Head! Ouch!

My friend Jordan showed this to me today... and it makes me sad. At first, she thought it was fake, but then we realized it was ALL TOO REAL!

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!



Read what people are saying on Facebook!

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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My Other Job(s)

Well, I think I've lost my mind, but I am now in the midst of trying to find "extra" work so I can make "extra" money.

We are going to Korea in the fall, and that means I need to save about $3000 in about 12 weeks. I have some money already saved, but you know, it's just never easy to save what- you- need, when you need it!

So, my first extra job: Dog sitting.

I start Friday.

The funny thing is that I posted an ad on Craigslist. It said something like, "Young professional, looking for extra money, not weird, just need cash fast for an out-of-country wedding..." At least, that was the gist.

When I showed up at the woman's house, she already knew it was me. We have mutual friends, and I think we may have even met before. What a small world! Her dogs are really sweet, too, so I'm thankful for that.

I look at this like a fun experiment. We'll see what happens!! OH, and if you have someone who needs a dog sitter, email me!

P.S. I still hate this economy. I'm not buying any more suits until 2010.

The Extreme Explosion...

Check this out! The Extreme Makeover Home Edition team blew up Chris and Niki Hampton's house live on KSPR News at 6. Talk about good timing! They were a few hours behind schedule, but it worked our perfectly for news purposes!



Here's another clip from 10 that shows the explosion from three different angles.



Joe Daues told me this is only the second time in Extreme Makeover history that they've blown up a house.

It's OFFICIAL

My sister Hyun Jeong and her fiance, Glenn, are getting married!!  

The special date is October 24th in Korea.

I am so, so happy!!  October is my favorite month because I love the fall.  My birthday falls in October, too, so I have all of these great childhood memories from October.

I used to tell people, "My birthday falls on the scariest day of the scariest month of the year."

Any guesses?

October 13th.

My birthday fell on a Friday on my 16th and 21st birthday.  How cool was that?!  Too bad I wrecked my car five days after my 16th birthday.  I mean totaled.  My dad was so disappointed.

Anyway, I got off track.

OCTOBER 24TH!!  My sister's big, fat Korean wedding!!  Can't wait!!  I really hope we can swing the trip and that nothing crazy will happen between now and then.

Extreme Makeover is Coming!

I think this is going to be so cool. The family is within 30 miles of Springfield... who is it? Keep it a secret, otherwise ABC could back out!

1) Thousands of volunteers are needed to do anything from construction to pass out water.

2) The producers say between 10 and 15,000 people will attend the "big reveal"... where do those folks come from?

3) There will be a spectator area. Tailgate, anyone? JK.

4) The local folks need to raise $70,000 to help the family with their mortgage-- go online (click here) for details.

5) A little tidbit: The show's producers told the builder that they were impressed with generosity in the Ozarks. When the builder and the producers met for the first time, the builder already had 70% of the house donated. Sam Clifton from Millstone Custom Homes says the number is closer to 90 or 95% currently.

Reporter Assaulted? or Reporter Assaulted!

This is from a station in Las Vegas. Two things: 1) Why didn't the producer get out of the live shot earlier? 2) Did the reporter think he couldn't be seen? 3) Was it necessary for the anchors to then talk about it?

Mark "Maverick" Sager on KSPR

I had to confront a convicted killer this week. It was a little intense for my liking, but it was inevitable (since we were at the same place at the same time.)

Mark "Maverick" Sager was convicted of manslaughter in 1977 for the death of a 14 year-old Missouri girl. The case is an interesting, difficult read. The injuries to the teen were horrifying. Sager's response was also chilling.

Fast forward to 2009: Mark was known around the Indian Point Marina as "Maverick". He told people he was a former ATF agent. Authorities say he carried a gun, a radio, a pager, a phone, and handcuffs on his belt. He even outfitted an old car with lights, sirens, and a radio. He assisted law enforcement with cases as well.

That is, until deputies became suspicious. After running a background check on him, they arrested him for impersonating an officer. That was this week.

At the time I encountered "Maverick", I was not aware of the extent of his past conviction. Had I been informed, I may have asked some harder questions. Or perhaps, I would've walked the other direction, out of fear. I was concerned that maybe I had taken it too far by waiting for him and following him out to his car.

I don't want to think about it anymore. I just hope he doesn't watch the news. Or read the internet. Or visit Springfield.

Tracy's Beautiful Wedding...and My Musical Debut

A dear college friend got married this weekend. My friend Tracy married Matt... and now they are on their way to Maui--the same place we honeymooned!

It was a beautiful wedding in downtown Oklahoma City. The Cathedral was gorgeous, but more importantly, the bride was stunning! I was a complete wreck because I was so nervous. Tracy asked me to sing (she asked last year at my reception, I think...) Although I was glad to do it, I was afraid I would mess it up and ruin her wedding. I learned the Latin about three weeks out, and it was fine... but I had to sing it in a lower key so that my voice wouldn't crack.

I am happy to report that all went well with the singing... and I hope I can do it again! All I need is a little liquid courage, and I can do it. I'm not proud of that fact, but hey, it beats coming in dead last at your first high school track meet. (Long story.)

It makes me want to cry thinking about my college friends because I don't get to see them enough. And as soon as a big event like this is over, we all go back to our normal lives. Often, we lose touch until it's time for another big event. Eventually, though, I'm afraid we'll run out of big events... isn't that what happens when you get old, buy a house, have kids, work a lot? I hope not. The plan is to do something in celebration of all of our birthdays this year, since most of us will be turning the big 3-0.

Anyway, this wedding was the end of our summer-wedding-marathon...and it was a great way to end it!

For anyone who knows us, this was a tribute to Tracy-- the glow stick dance. Rush 1999, perhaps?

The song was Red Alert by Basement Jaxx. "The way you shake, shake, shake!"

KSPR Earns Recognition in 2009

A big thanks to The Turner Report for commenting on KSPR's continual progression.

I know, I know... here I am talking about work on my personal blog... but often, work is pretty personal to me.

I can't say it enough. KSPR continues to be a great experience. It's challenging and very rewarding. I've been fortunate to have an endless amount of opportunities there, and I think we're making good on our promises to viewers.

Jim (my husband, who is the chief photographer at KY3 and KSPR) tells me he likes the "vibe" we have over at KSPR... and I would agree. Even my former KU professors said they liked the feel of the newsroom because there wasn't any "fake anxiety"... not sure what that means, but when my former professors tell me I have a good thing going, I believe it. They hear complaints from former grads practically every day...and they've taught there for several years!

Anyway, long story short: KSPR has been very fortunate the last two weeks to receive recognition from the Missouri Broadcasters Association and the Kansas City Press Club.

KSPR received four MBA awards and four awards from the KC Press Club/Society of Professional Journalists. The neat thing about SPJ is that KSPR competed against stations in Kansas City and Wichita. And of course, everyone in Missouri sent in material for the MBAs.

Yay, go team!

I'm really proud of our station, like a proud mama bear... I don't want to jinx KSPR, but I am just happy to see hard work pay off. We are on a long journey, but this is a nice pit stop!

What's Happening...

I haven't been posting very much since Minnie ate my camera. We want to buy a new one, but we don't want to spend more money.

Anyway, a lot is going on.

1. Got my braces. or Bray-shes on Tuesday. My teeth hurt a little, but it's more just like an annoying feeling because something is on top of my teeth. Invisalign is awesome, though. Love it. Call Dr. Rosen in SGF. Sometimes you can watch me on the news and I'll have them in. Usually just the topical promos, though... not the newscast.

2. Going to another wedding this weekend. This time, it's Jim's cousin Emily! We can't wait! Even Minnie's going to make the trip with us.

Next weekend, we're off for Tracy's wedding in OKC... and gasp, I'm singing!

3. We won a party at Fox and Hound. So, if you're hungry and want free food, DM me.

4. My mom took her first plane trip by herself! She was so nervous on Thursday... but she landed safely, and all is right with the world.

5. Minnie is at least 65 pounds now, and she really likes our neighbors. I think this is a good thing, but I feel sorry for our neighbors. Minnie needs constant affection.

6. I am back to sewing. Which reminds me, you should check out SHE'S CRAFTY! Anna re-taught me how to sew, and I'm also taking one of her classes! You should take them with me!

7. OH, and the biggest news of all: MY SISTER HYUN JEONG GOT MARRIED!!

I just found out a few days ago. Originally, we were supposed to go to Korea for the wedding in the fall, but I guess they needed to get married sooner in order to live together in Korea. I'm so happy for her and her new hubby, Glenn. Now, if I could just get them to move to the states, that would be awesome...but I really want to go visit them first!

8. OH, and another thing... my little nephew, Won Hoo, had his 100th day celebration... and I forgot. OMG. Terrible auntie. BTW, Yeoun Jung is preggers again!!

Tracy's getting married!! And odd lessons learned.

I just had the most awesome weekend ever with a bunch of college friends...and new ones, too!

My friend Tracy is getting married in three weeks, so a bunch of us celebrated in Monkey Island, Oklahoma. We went out on a boat (where everything's better), shadow danced, and sang karaoke with a couple of cowboys.

Her family friends were incredible. They always kept us entertained and well fed! And Tracy's mom is adorable. Very sweet!

Anyway, we learned a lot of things this weekend that are worth sharing:

1. Never leave your keys on the back of the toilet.

2. Your keys, as heavy as they are, will flush down the toilet.

3. It's a good idea to keep a spare set of keys in your car in case you do flush your keys down a toilet at a gas station.

4. RSVP literally means: répondez s'il vous plaît

5. "If You Seek Amy" by Britney Spears is code for: F-U-C-# ME! Woh!

6. Bedazzled jeans are still not in fashion.

7. Never let your friends allow you to sleep at a bar. (Poor random guy)

8. Pear Absolut and club soda don't exactly taste good together.

9. Obey the speed limit. (My warning ticket was a nice souvenir, though.)

10. Good friends need to hang out more often.

"The Face"

My sister-in-law's boyfriend (Erika and Mike)

posted some pictures of me on Facebook...

and it just reminded me of this stupid face I make when I start dancing.

WHY?!

It is uncontrollable.
I really don't do it on purpose.
I basically make this face all the time, I've discovered.
The best pic is from my bff Leigh's wedding...
it's at the bottom. Sorry, Leigh.

UNDERSTAND that if I come to your wedding, I WILL make this face.
My apologizes, in advance.

DO YOU HAVE "A FACE"?

This is the face.

This is the face with an olive in it.

This is the face with my eyes closed.

The face with the booty shake...and Jim doing the "white guy dance"

I left my heart in...Des Moines?

I would have never guessed that Des Moines was so cool.

I mean NEVER.

When I think of Iowa, I can't think of one thing that stands out.

I think of corn.

However, thanks to my husband's cousin, we went to Des Moines over the holiday weekend.

We went because Tina got married to a wonderful guy named Kent!

In fact, they're enjoying their honeymoon as we speak.

Kent and Tina: great couple!

Anyway, I'll tell you why DM is so cool.

It has a real downtown. We went to the farmers' market on Saturday, and it was awesome! It was HUGE! I would bet it's about four times bigger than the tent-spread at Artsfest. Vendors from all over were there-- fruits and veggies were sold... but what impressed me was the ethnic food choices. Indian food at 9 a.m.? What about Hmong eggrolls? I bought about a pound and a half of morel mushrooms. Pretty impressive.

It seemed clean. Maybe I wasn't watching closely enough, but it certainly felt clean.

Anyway, there are probably more reasons, but honestly, we were there for the wedding... so we were devoted to that. What a great weekend!

I killed a bunny

This is what I got when I googled "bunny roadkill"--

and this is actually what it looked like.

So, I left work... on my scooter...

I saw a little tiny thing scoot across the road near St. Louis and Weller. If I had to guess, it looked like the size of a tennis ball. I thought, "Hey, that looks like a little, baby rabbit!"

Next, I see a fairly larger rabbit.

Boom!

I practically flip over my handlebars. I decide to keep going, but then about a block later, I decide... I have to turn back. What happened? Did I really just hit what I thought I hit? Perhaps the bigger bunny escaped with just a banged up leg.

I turn around.

I see something in the road. Perhaps it's trash.

Nope.

It's my bunny. And it's twitching. It's little eyes are wide open. It won't blink. It just lays there and twitches. I think... "Maybe, I should pick it up and put it out of its misery." But with what? My scooter?!

I drove home at a snail's pace. I tell Jim, and he proceeds to tell me that it's the bunny's fault for running out into the road. I respond with a, "So, the bunny should just die because it ran out in front of me? This is serious!" He says he's glad I didn't swerve and wreck. Point taken, but I'm still grieving...

I don't think I can stand to see the bunny there on my way to work tomorrow, and I'm not even sure I can drive the scooter for a while. I was just telling my co-workers that I can drive the scooter really well! And an hour afterwards, I'm a bunny-killer.

I have hit things before (chickens, birds, a cat, one dog, and one deer...) but that was in an automobile. I mean, OMG, I killed something with my scooter!!!!!! Do you know what that feels like? The bump alone is too intense. I'm surprised I didn't propel off my scooter.

This is a major tragedy. I think I killed a mama bunny.

Happy Mother's Day and Giardia

Horrible combo in the title, but I wanted to tell my mommy Happy Mother's Day!

Moving on... my daughter has giardia. What's that? Oh, it's a bacterial thing that causes you to poop like a fountain. Or better yet, explosive diarrhea. Ek!

We went to the vet, and she told us that it's a waterborne thing. She sometimes likes to drink puddle water, so I think that's the answer. Good times, good times.

Funny thing is, as much as she likes water, Minnie freaked out when we took her to Busiek Park last night. We met a couple of our friends (and their dogs) last night, and Minnie looked like a big baby. She would barely go in the water!

With my best Mommy Dearest face, I told Minnie she embarassed me. Shaming her didn't work, either.

Braces

I'm going to get braces. I am so excited!

I always wanted braces, but my parents said no. Now that my teeth have shifted again (and Jim can pay my bills--joke), it's going to happen.

Jim and I have a lot of jokes about the whole thing... but I'm so happy he's supportive.

Oh, I'm not technically getting a metal mouth. I'm using invisalign, so no one will be able to tell. I'll have my teeth fixed in a year!

Ahh!