Help!!

I'm surrounded by freshly printed wedding pictures, five different types of photo paper, a rainbow of ink cartridges, postage stamps, and thank-you cards and envelopes that are staring blankly back at me, making me feel guilty.

You may not hear from me for a few days -- or weeks.

Until then, though, you can enjoy a photo of my beautiful bridal bouquet ...



But, if you don't hear from me in a month or two, send help!

Sadie

Sadie, Sadie, married lady, that's me!

The line from the "Funny Girl" song keeps playing in my head, especially when I gaze down at the lovely, sparkly wedding band on my left hand. (Although after seeing some wedding photos, another line, "The groom was prettier than the bride," also keeps popping into my head.)

Before, I wrote that when people asked whether I was excited and looking forward to the big day my reply was that I was looking forward to the day after the wedding. But, I have to admit that I was wrong. Turns out I really looked forward to the night of my wedding, after the reception ... when I could take off my wedding dress and breathe, slouch and be comfortable. I'm FREEEEEEEEEE!

Now, people keep asking me if it feels any different being married. Other than feeling more relaxed and stress-free, I'd have to say no. Maybe once I actually see the marriage license, which is suppose to arrive by mail in about 120 days, I'll feel differently. Then again, probably not.

We still have yet to completely unpack (or I should say I have yet to completely unpack) our suitcases and wedding crap (err, I mean, beautiful wedding accessories). We still have to clean up the absolute disaster of a mess we (I) left in our home before leaving for our wedding trip. And we have yet to clean out the old housewares to make room for all our lovely wedding gifts. (But, on the upside, we [I] get to go shopping with all the gift cards we received. Yay!)

When will I feel married? Probably when tax time hits next year and we have to write out a big, fat check to the IRS since we are now DINKs.

I'll just keep singing to myself ...

I'm Sadie, Sadie, married lady!

(BTW, I did change my name -- my middle name is now my Korean first name. I think I made the final decision just days before the big day. Writing my new name on the marriage license felt a bit odd, but it also felt right -- it was me.)

Right on!

DailyIndia.com recently published an article about the 1.5 million orphaned children from the South Asian tsunami of December 26, 2004, and the response to the interest from around the world to adopt these children.

Since the disaster, adoption agencies around the world have been fielding phone calls from well-meaning families wanting to adopt a child from one of the countries hit.

Adoption experts say the best thing people can do is to donate money to causes that directly help the children. They say it's wrong to take a traumatized child away from the environment that they have grown up in.

"Adoptions, especially inter-country ones, are inappropriate during the emergency phase as children are better placed being cared for by their wider families and the communities they know," said the charity Save the Children in a statement released Jan. 6, 2005.

International Adoption needs to be well planned.

"The last thing they need to do is be rushed away to some foreign land," said Cory Barron of Children's Hope International, an American adoption agency. "We have to think of the child first."

Adoption by some well meaning couple in the west flying half way round the world bearing large sums of money to whisk the child away to a life totally alien to everything it has known isn't always what is in the best interests of the child.

Sad

"Dana Reeve dies of lung cancer"

I keep picturing the scene at the end of "Somewhere in Time," except with Christopher Reeve standing there waiting for Dana.

Heartbroken?

Rio was 35. We both grew up in Minnesota, and I remember visiting her many times.

"Rio, Minnesota Zoo's oldest female dolphin, dies"

"One of Rio's calves, Harley, died in January after fracturing his skull when he jumped out of the water and hit his head on the concrete deck."

Perhaps she was heartbroken over the loss of Harley.

Twins fans in mourning

I'll always remember his game-winning home run in the 11th inning of the sixth game of the 1991 World Series.

"Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, After Stroke, Dies at 45"

"Twins devastated by Puckett's death"

"Goodbye, Kirby"

That time of year again

One reason why I love living in San Francisco ...

"24th San Francisco Asian American Film Festival"

Missing KAD found

A sad update to the missing St. Cloud KAD ...

"Radel's body pulled from Mississippi River"

Maximum

I hope she gets 40 years, which still doesn't seem long enough ...

"Woman Pleads to Killing Adopted Girl"

"Hilt admitted a few days after Nina's death last July that she became upset with the girl for crying and dropped her on the floor, kicked her and jumped on her abdomen."

Hire me!

Damn, I want to work at Google ...

"Now Google's cooking: Internet giant's free, gourmet global cuisine powers its workforce while offering chefs and producers a place to shine"

Married?!

"She got married!"

"Married?!"

"Married!!"

"Maarried??!"

"MAARRIED!!! Sheesh!"

Bad, kitty!

"Wis. Fire Officials Blame Cat for Fire"

Cat's probably thinking, "Yeah, sure. Just blame it all on the cat."

P.S. I'm currently leeeeaving on a jet plaaane ... Don't know when I'll be back again. But I've posted this for your reading pleasure.

Kimchi battles the bird flu

Kimchi, the miracle food ...
"Kimchi-spiced air conditioners to fight bird flu"

Updated (4/20/06): Hmm, stoopid Reuters' link doesn't work anymore and can't find it on the site. Anyway, here are other kimchi-related articles ...

"Korean dish 'may cure bird flu'"

"Kimchi Helpful in Fighting Bird Flu"

"Kimchi Effective in Fighting Bird Flu"

"Kimchi Sales Rise on Link to Possible Bird Flu Cure"

KAD takes the bronze!

Awesome Dawson gets the bronze in moguls!

Read Toby Dawson's bio and a New York Times article (login may be required) about him and his search for his birth family ...

"U.S. Skier Hopes Bronze Medal Will Help With Another Quest"

Also check out his childhood photo gallery.

Gimme a 'C'!

Found this interesting information about "Korea" vs. "Corea" ...

"Why I Spell 'Corea' With a 'C'"

Two mouths part II

A follow-up story to the two-mouthed trout ...

"Injury Caused Trout to Grow Two Mouths"

The countdown begins

Ten days and counting ...

So much to do, so little time.

Is it too late to run off and elope to Vegas? I'll just grab my fiancé and bring my wedding dress and our wedding rings -- that's all we really need. Screw the catering, flowers, cake, musicians, decorations, wedding favors, wedding programs, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner ... AAAAAaaaarrrrgggh!

Everyone asks if I'm getting excited. My answer? "I'm excited for the day after."

Have you seen this KAD?

Minnesota KAD is missing in St. Cloud ...

"Family unites in search for missing student"

(Check out the link to the photo gallery for a picture.)

Scot Radel, 21-year-old St. Cloud University student, has been missing since last Thursday.

The pressure

According to the Washington Post, Japan has the world's oldest male-dominated monarchy still in existence. The Japanese government is trying to pass a bill to allow female succession, but those against the bill are probably overjoyed at today's news that Princess Kiko, the wife of the second son of Emperor Akihito, is pregnant. Will it be a boy or another girl? Talk about pressure.

"Princess Kiko Shocks Japan With Pregnancy"

I also like this quote by a politician against female succession ...

Now, critics argue, changing that male-only right to succession could forever taint the imperial blood line -- particularly in the modern era of globalization and women's liberation.

"If Aiko becomes the reigning empress and gets involved with a blue-eyed foreigner while studying abroad and marries him, their child may be the emperor," Takeo Hiranuma, a top member of Koizumi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and head of a block of politicians opposed to female monarchs, said last week. "We should never let that happen."

Hmm ... Watch out! Those blue-eyed foreigners are dangerous, impregnating us Asian women and trying to spread their seed all over the world.

MVP, baby!

Woo hoo!!! It's awesome to see a hapa receive one of the top honors in sports.

Here's an interesting article about Hines Ward and his background ...

"Ward to honor devoted mother with trip home to South Korea"