"Your mom's a warrior."

I'm writing this on my phone, individually typing each letter with my index finger. If something comes out strangely, I'm blaming it on auto-correct. Http://damnyouautocorrect.com/ If I knew how to link that in via phone I would have..

Here it is, another entry about my mom.

She was mugged last week. The guy beat her up a little and ended up taking her bag. She is having trouble sleeping and my sisters, dad and I are trying to be accommodating to her needs.

Here's the thing.. While we understand that she needs a little extra tlc right now, Queen Bee Kim is taking it a little far. When the phone rings she has one of us answer it to tell the caller what happened and to "try her cell phone because she is at the hospital." Of course when she answers her phone, her voice is a smidge quieter and more shaky than 5 seconds prior. Her neck brace and sling come off at home. And we are all spending this holiday season as an entourage of chauffeurs and nurses.

In all of this, I am amazed by and wonder where my dad's patience comes from. It almost borderlines "enabler"--everytime my mom blinks her eyes for one demand or another, he's right there taking care of her. He literally cuts up my mom's meat for her.

I feel like the last bit needs background. During the assault she tried to bite off the dude's finger (when I heard this I applauded her and now understand her appreciation for UFC fights) so her teeth have been bothering her. She drives me crazy but I do admit that I admire her feistiness and the fact that she tried to mangle the jerk. Apparently he was an intimidatingly big guy.

The officer who helped my mom stopped by to check on her. He said at first he was worried the blood all over her was hers and then he realized it was his and he gave her props. She may look small, but this lady is a tough nugget.

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Whoda thunk it

1. I doubt that it works this well, but wouldn't this be fun?



2. I want to raise my kids in Japan just so that I can see them draw out 10123091283 x 987512391820391 on a giant sheet of paper. Stop whining, count your dots.



3. Public Health didn't even make it onto this chart. Now I know how I was accepted into grad school. From Discover Magazine.

It makes me uncomfortable, and I think I like it.

Hi, can you show me your sausage?

I have always loved the image of the girl walking down the street with a bag of groceries (paper, obvi) precariously balanced in her arms while she struggles to find her keys as she gets to her apartment door. I'm pretty sure the reason why I live in a city is so I can play the recurring role of Girl with Paper Bag Groceries. I always buy the damn carrots just so that I can have them sticking out the top. In Brussels it was the baguette. And now I feel like I should run into the street, twirl, and throw my hat into the air. I might just make it, afterall.

If you're looking for some nice eye candy while you're grocery shopping, go to Falletti's. I don't know who does the hiring there, but I take my time at the meat counter whenever I go there. I'm not trying to be cute. Seriously, the men behind the meat counter are all really hot. I curse myself whenever I stop in there b/c I'll catch a glimpse of myself in the glass of the frozen foods section and 9/10 times, I look a hot mess. I'm not imagining the hot factor either--all the people I've asked agree that Falletti's has got some good-looking staff. Come to think of it, I don't know if I've ever seen an ugly customer there, either. Falletti's is this weird bizarro world where everyone looks like James Franco and buys organic. Heaven.

At night I sleep with my blankets over my face so I can suffocate myself in warmth.

I'm wearing my Korean faux Victoria's Secret velour track pants (which are faux Juicy Couture velour track pants), men's socks that are too big for my feet, my favorite hoodie with hood up, while under the covers of my bed. I'm freezing. Earlier in the day I burritoed myself in a down throw on the couch, hovering over my cup of tea, while sending out emails. This really makes me want to invest some dinero in a Snuggie. Yes, I did just link that. Don't be embarrassed to click on it. You know you want one.

I think I never really warmed up from this morning's shower. Damn it, I hate it when you have to keep adjusting the water temperature while showering because by the time you rinse the conditioner out of your hair, the water's turned bloody cold. I try to keep reminding myself that hot showers are a luxury and stop bitching, Nora. But f me, whenever that happens I spend the rest of the day intermittently shivering without control.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to thank all of the geese who have sacrificed their feathers so that we could stuff them into North Face jackets and comforters.

***

Just a little update. My roommate finally found the I-think-I-can littlest space heater I have ever seen that's been hiding in my closet. The sound of that tiny hobbit of a heater hissing away to warm up my frostbitten toes is the most beautiful sound I have heard in a very long time. Tonight I slumber.

***

Another update. BAH I forgot that when it gets cold, my nose freaks out and I get nosebleeds. I have a wad of Kleenex stuffed up my nostril right now. In high school, every morning when I hopped into the shower, my nose would start bleeding like clockwork. Whatthehell.

Moving my ish from the East side. To a deluxe apartment in the skyyyyy!

I should really watch Good Will Hunting. It's one of those movies that I've had on my long list of "to see's." I've watched a few scenes, but I never sat through the whole thing. Sidenote: I finally saw The Big Lebowski, so stop giving me shit for it. You know who you are. Not that you read this thing..

So, stay with me on this one. I came to the conclusion that I should watch Good Will Hunting because The Perfect Storm was on, and it got me excited for my upcoming trip to Boston. Oh, those Gloucester men. (A postcard from yours truly to the first person who pronounces that correctly. Anyone who knows Bicknell or has had lobstahs on the Cape is ineligible to play.) There are a few movies that do Boston right. Before I give my list, I offer my disclaimer. I am, by no means, a movie buff, and I fully attest that this will be very incomplete: The Verdict, The Boondock Saints, A Civil Action (yay public health!), Love Story, The Departed, Mystic River, The Perfect Storm, and Good Will Hunting! Okay, so The Perfect Storm wasn't in Boston. Same same.

Oh, how I've missed those retahhhhded Boston accents! Walking along the Charles, the mall down Commonwealth, picnics in the Commons, riding the #1 down Mass Ave... er... I take back the last one. Even Sox fans. (Only a little. GO GIANTS! WTF Cubs??)

I'm so happy to be going back. For one, I need a little East Coast fix. But more importantly, this means that I'm finally growing a pair of adult balls and no more of this Nora Has Shit in Four Cities nonsense. After I cross Boston off the list, we are moving right along to Nora Has Shit in Three Cities. Much more manageable, wouldn't you agree? I'm not 100% set on where exactly all my things will be living once they get to SF, but you know, baby steps.

Seriously? November?

I cannot believe that we're already in November. I still feel like I've only just moved to San Francisco, and only, now, beginning to settle into this city. I love wandering down random streets and exploring new neighborhoods. I say "down" but f-ing lord, I will never get used to these hills. Regardless, I think I will always love walking around SF. Over the weekend, Diana and I went to Noe Valley, ate a delish brunch at Pomelo, and spent some quality time at an amazing bookstore, Omnivore, where they specialize in books on food. Heidi Swanson peruses there, apparently. I kept pinching myself and wondering, "wow, is this really my life now?" It couldn't be more perfect.

Wasn't I just bitching about being broke and unemployed? Indeed. But, ta-da, I have a job. Two, in fact! I'm an Executive Assistant at a capital management firm. I went from having no money to watching people play around with it like a game of Monopoly. My other job is as a personal assistant for a delightful professor who travels the globe lecturing on social media and technology. He told me the other day that he's friends with Malcolm Gladwell. This totally beats the time in college that I worked for someone who was friends with Robert McNamara. "Oh, Bobby? We're in the same yoga class." "Uh.. former Sec. of Defense/CMC/World Bank--Robert McNamara? Are we talking about the same guy?"

Anyway, there was a point to this post. The first is that I'm definitely thankful for life's twists and turns. A few weeks ago I was at a low because I really didn't know where or what my next move was going to be. Up until now, there was always a next step: after college, a job presented itself; then grad school; the Philippines, etc. This was the first time that I didn't have that stability, which was confounding and challenging. Ugh, adulthood.

Secondly, I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas in the States! Last year's Thanksgiving in Manila was, hands down, one of the best. Actually, maybe the best. I'm not hoping for this year's to top it or anything. But there's something about celebrating a holiday surrounded by those who understand and share that day with you.

And Christmas! Last year I got to spend it with family in Korea, but it is just not the same. No one scales their condo building in Seoul to put Santa on the roof, and I didn't hear Jingle Bell Rock every four minutes. This year I'll be home with my sisters in Chicago--five Kim's under one roof for a week. Ouf. There will be lots of eye-rolling and "oh my lord, ______ is driving me crazy!" But blizzards, stinging cold wind in your face, digging your car out of a snow pile--you couldn't ask for a more perfect place to be for Christmas! I want to build a freaking snowman on my front lawn, damnit. And walk across a treacherous patch of ice, hoping not to fall on my ass. I can't wait!