MinJungKim.com Braindump v 6.0 Gah. I’m still doing this?

Future Foody Lazyweb Wish

aka - please if you’re going to bioengineer my food, do something like this.

Dear Universe,

Engineer for me a flavor neutral root vegetable that, when cooked with meats, absorbs excess fat and maintains distinct and unique solid structure such that said root can be carefully extracted from the frying pan.

Said root vegetable could then be easily composted, (leaving my cooking notably less oily but without putting me in harms way by trying to extract oil myself from the pan — this always ends in tragedy).

Solution Benefits =

Less fat in my cooking.

Nutrient-rich ready-made compost.

No splatter burns or messy disposal of extra fat.

I’ll also take some sort of temperature resistant non-toxic fatsponge item.

Some thoughts on Americanism

Now, very rarely do I ever dip onto the subject of Politics, and per the norm, this post isn’t so much about Politics as it is about Citizenship.  Good citizenship and what it means as an American Citizen.

Some 28 years ago I became an American  Citizen.  My and family had moved here to the states during December of 1975 on a sponsorship from my Aunt and Uncle. My father who was a respected Math teacher in Korea took a job pumping gas and learning to fix cars before he got a job with General Motors packing auto parts for distribution. My mother worked processing film.

My brother went to school in Detroit and was held back a year until he could learn English and then skipped forward two as he adjusted to schools here.  He still occasionally tells the story of his first day in class where, as per Korean custom, he had stood up when his name was called and how he was laughed at and humiliated because, well, that just wasn’t what kids were supposed to do when called on in school.  Me, I grew up with too much time to myself and would typically get myself into trouble.  Some things don’t really change.

But I do have memories of being 6-7 and helping my mother study for her American Citizenship exam.  Quizzing her on historical dates, the presidents, the constitution, and a whole new history and identity that would become part of our family and imbued into the fabric of our integrity and our family’s history going forward.  We really believed hard, desperately in the meritocratic opportunities in America. That with hard work you could find success. That you could do anything. You could be different and you could still belong.

It seemed sudden when the day came.

Mom and Dad woke us up early. Insisted on dressing us in “Better than Every Sunday” kind of dress, and taking us on a long car ride where my brother and I were likely wrestling with each other or kicking at each other from opposite sides of the back seat of the Caprice Classic.

We arrived at the nondescript government office and my brother and I sat and waited for hours on end while Mom and Dad went in for their interviews and exams.

I had my photo taken. And then my dad wrote my name for me on a citizenship declaration document.

And we were done.

And the following Monday at school I took the Pledge of Allegiance and wondered if it meant something more now that I was actually a citizen. I decided that it did. And I felt just little bit more normal for once.  And proud to be an American.

Flashforward to the present.

Can I say how amazing it is that my good friend Nicole Lee is embarking on this great trek in her life?

Awesome I say.

Awesome.

Awesome.

Awesome.

Our president, not so awesome.

And what a slap in the face to those who are trying so hard to be proud to be American.

Clam Chowdah!

I’ve been on a fun cooking frenzy of late, making some Korean dishes, experimenting with some ingredients and generally enjoying the full use of my tastebuds since it’s been a pretty successful attempt this round in quitting of the smoking.

It’s amazing how much less seasoning I need to put on food and how some specific smokey subtle nuances had been overshadowed in the most recent past.

So my latest exciting home cooking experiment has been in making Clam Chowder!

Without specific quantities in mind but focusing more on core ingredients and technique, here’s how my Clam Chowder!(tm) came about.

Ingredients Chunky

1. Salt Pork and or Bacon - Fine Chopped
2. Onions - Fine Chopped
3. Garlic - Fine Minced
4. Potatoes - Fine Chopped
5. Frozen Clams

Ingredients - Liquid

1. Vegetable Broth
2. Milk
3. Cream

Procedure:

• Cut everything up and get ready to party. Panfry bacon/saltpork with potatoes, onions, garlic until it is a gorgeous flavorful mess.

• The key here is to *not* drain off any fat from the lovely pieces of piggy goodness but to share the flavor throughout the potatoes and onions and garlic

(Some people take out the pork/bacon at this point so that these tasty pieces don’t show up in the Chowder. I personally think these peoople have no souls and should be shot. I mean, seriously.)

• Toss into a pot.

• Add Vegetable Broth with the clams and stir.

• Add Milk/Cream and stir.

• May thicken slightly with cornstarch as needed.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

• Simmer until you have achieved Chowder Nirvana.
• Serve with Salt/Pepper, Crackers, Tobasco or even Sriracha to your liking.

I have succeeded, on this first attempt at making Clam Chowder, to make the hubbycakes do a little dance around the table with a bowl in hand. Sadly, no video. Maybe next time.

Top of the B-List!

My friend Kevin talks at length re: his profession roles/responsibilities, passions, and other effluvia in this post.

He’s doing some fun cool things at FriendFeed too.

Oooh such a long time ago from those SurvivorBlog days.

What if

What if these ghosts

are more than the real living more.

Pearlescent and glowy, ethereal and song worthy

so much more than the vapid pudding fleshy creatures that come out at noon

to haunt us with mundane converstaions on the weather or on television

those individuals who trap you in conversations

where no matter how much you step back from them

they step forward into your nostril vacinity

to assault you with their faint scent of stale cheese.

What if their ghost and memory is more interesting.

More distilled and curious and fascinating than the “real mccoy”.

And maybe Mccoy was just a schlep that someone told a nice story about in the aftermath.

What if that’s the better thing than the real thing?
The wishing thing.  The fantastical thing. The mystery thing.

The thing that you acknowledge is better than the true thing.

What then?

Do you sit in your chair and sip tea with the ghost?

Because really, you know that experience might be more sublime and significant than what others might call “real”.

“Real” really isn’t very valuable under those circumstances.

New!

In the category of “Stuff Asian American folks would like”

I present the video clip Katch.   Or as I call it, “Hello Kitty Voltron of Death Cuteness and Clay“

Time… is on my side… oh yes it is…

It’s 3:22 AM at the start of this blog post and so I’ll start there.

And because scotch is on my tongue and sleep is an elusive tease right now, I may rant

with a cadence

that wants to be poetry

but falters and trips

like the stumbles of truth against silence.

Time.

Time.

Time.

Tic.

And

Then

Eventually

Toc.

As if it is both infinite and closing in on me.

Expectant and weighty.

How much should be done by now and how much can’t.

So why start anything at all.

And sit and listen to time.

Be its captive.

Be its slave.

Be its despondent fool.

Be its prey.

And wonder how did I come to this?

Feeling both incredibly old and weary with this young face still.

With hope for a far off future

and cement shoes holding you in the singular moment

that drags you ever so slowly down

until you drown

in this ocean of time

that you cannot breathe through.

ZOMG FOOD PRON!

Via a facebook ap, I’ve discovered this fabulous foodie blog called Kitchen Wench

Just loads and loads of international and KOREAN food PRON and recipes.

Hurray!

May your day rawk this hard.

Recipe for the MJ-Colada

What is the perfect drink to perk up a dreary day?

Why the MJ-Colada of course!

Ingredients:

• Instant Ice Tea Mix (Yeah the kind you get from Costco in a huge tub) (Enough to make approximately 4 cups of Ice Tea)
• Strawberries (Frozen is fine! 1 Cup)
• Strawberry Jelly (1-2 tablespoons) (You could use sugar instead. But why? WHY?!)
• Coconut Rum
• Crushed Ice

Directions:

Blend together into a thick slurry the Ice Tea Mix with Water, Strawberries and Jelly.

(FYI: My handmixer rocks.)

In Old Fashioned glass assemble the drink in the following order.

• Crushed Ice on bottom.
• 1 Shot of Coconut rum (belly shaker) in the middle.
• Top with half cup of the Strawberry Yum(tm).

Glass should be gently swirled to allow flavors to appropriately mingle and blend.

Sip and enjoy as if on the beach and not in the foggy sunset district.

Getting slightly irritated.

Now while I’m a professed fan of the Potter Series, adore the “work” of Lemony Snickett, have read all things Narnia, and recently enjoyed both the Golden Compass and Nanny Mcphee, I’m just going to come out and say this.

I’m DONE with clever little white British kids for a while.

No. Seriously.

Charming, clever, creative, little, noble creatures with high adventures with your ruddy cheeks and biscuits and tea.

I’m over you.

I need other recommendations in the meantime.

Something ethnic? American? Other countries perhaps in translation?

Ideas peoples?

Beach Citizenry

Today seemed pretty normal for a Saturday.
Sunny and gorgeous.

I woke up (missing my honey who was out of town) and rallied to shower.

Checked the weather and decided the day was too glorious to wait indoors.

So of course I logged on to warcraft.

Not, with the intention of getting sucked in to play indoors all day but rather to rally and see if Jason S. and Jackson might want to get some sunshine too and head out to the beach.

Of course, they were in game. With Ernie. And rallying to finally hit the Outlands. (Huzzah!)

By late afternoon we were ready to head out and I picked up both Jason and Jackson and mozied down to Ocean Beach. (After a stop off in Jtown for snacks first, of course).

The beach was CROWDED as clearly our idea of sunshine, fresh air, and playfulness is not an original one on a gorgeous day as was today.

Corrientes Peligrosas

Originally uploaded by Moncrief Speaks.

As we walked along getting sand under our toes we saw a guy standing about armpit deep in the rough waves waving his arm about.

Inner Monologue: “Is he saying Help? Alf? Al? Hemp? Is he just waving to friends? Is he joking?” I pointed yon at the guy.

Then we saw him collapse and fall.

Jackson and Jason immediately set forth to go help him up.

As they helped him to his feet a passerby walking his dog (herein the rest of the story called Citizen Dogwalker) rushed to me.

Citizen Dogwalker “Is he ok?Has anyone called the 911?”

Me: “No. Call 911.”

Jackson and Jason had helped Swimmer 1. to his feet and closer to shore where he promptly collapsed again, coughing.

Swimmer 1’s friend came to see how he was doing and was told by Swimmer 1 “How come you didn’t come when I was yelling HELP?!” She looked stunned and shocked.

Citizen Dogwalker had at this point flagged down the beach police patrol.

Beach Police patrol guy was questioning Swimmer 1 re: if he needed an ambulance and if anyone else was in the water with him.

Swimmer 1 responded “No, I’m alone. Charlie’s already come in, right?”

The Friend of Swimmer 1 said “No, he’s not in. Where is he?”

At that point, Jackson went out back towards the water (knee deep) to start looking for another head bobbing in the water. He was joined by 3 other Citizens who went as far out as they safely could in the rough waves to look and see if they could spot anyone.

At that point 3 very crucial things happened.

Beach Patrol called Surf and Rescue and the Citizen Dogwalker had run down the beach to see if anyone in a wetsuit or a surfer could possibly rally in the desperately shrinking window of time where someone could be dragged further out into the oceans by the riptide. The 3 Citizens and Jackson were out aligned along the water to spot.

Citizen Surfer arrived and was promptly pointed towards where a bobbing head was exhaustedly flailing and swam out to Charlie, reaching him, having him grasp his surfboard and stay afloat.

For a desperate few minutes as the sirens from Fire Engines, Surf and Patrol, and an Ambulance came to our location, the Citizen Surfer and Charlie were dragged back out by the riptide and eventually, exhaustedly made it to where the 3 Citizens were. The 3 Citizens promptly hoisted Charlie over their shoulders and brought him in towards dry land.

Charlie’s lips were blue and he looked exhausted and stunned. Absolutely silent and nominally responsive but breathing.

Charlie and Swimmer 1 were taken by Ambulances and treated for hypothermia and taken to the hospital. I imagine that they are now better, safe, and most importantly alive.

This was, most certainly, not what I’d anticipated from a leisurely sojourn and trip to the beach.

I’d say absolutely that were it not for the quick response and reaction of the Citizens in this tale, that the ending to this story might be quite different. While I have huge respect for the Beach Patrol, Surf and Rescue, and EMTs that came to the scene after the boys were on the beach and drier land, there were many crucial minutes prior to that where everyday folks wound up taking great personal concern to a stranger’s welfare to make sure that this day didn’t end up in tragedy.

Thank you to the Citizen Surfer, Citizen Dogwalker, 3 Citizens, Jackson, Jason, and all else on the beach that day that stepped up.

My faith in humanity is buttressed. (It doesn’t need restoration, just a boost).
As an after note. After all was said and done and Jackson, Jason, and I had gotten to settle our nerves and adrenaline rush from the episode, we’d gotten a bite to eat at Louie’s and walked back towards our car parked in the Ocean Beach lot.

Jackson started gazing out at the ocean as if to search for more potential vulnerable souls in need for rescue.

And I had an odd flash of a visual in my head that, well, I kind of never want to have again.

And that is of Jackson West in a bright red swimsuit a la Baywatch running in slow motion across the beach and having his man boobies heave with every breath.

SXSWI 2008

SXSWI 2008

Originally uploaded by minjungkim.

This pic is of Jason and I at something like 3 AM at Magnolia Cafe.
Full of Laughs. Full of Belly. Full of Happy.

Now normally I’ve done full writeups of mischief/wackiness that has occurred at SXSW.
In a lot of ways I’ve felt my general impetus for blogging supplanted by micro-updating via twitter.

I’m wondering if other long time bloggers are experiencing this as well?

Or maybe it’s just me.

Not unlike my penchant for hating rewrites and redrafts (I’m more of a measure twice cut once type of girl) I’m wondering if my blogging is tapering down because my twitter announces feel like the *update * and that blogging should be more thoughtful announcements.

Or that I’m just a lazy blogger these days.
Or more reserved.
Or less dramatic.
Or more private.
Or yes, much of the above.

Regardless, otherwise. I’m pretty happy.
And maybe I’ll get around to that big sxsw update again soon.
I’m over being sick mostly as it is.

Oh, now this is creepy.

Naughty children as young as FIVE could be put on DNA database as Government brings in ‘baby Asbos

  Badly behaved children as young as five should be recorded on the national DNA database, a police chief said yesterday.

Gary Pugh, forensic science director for the Metropolitan Police, said children should be ‘targeted’ because future offenders can often be picked out at a young age.

The proposals come as the Government looks to crack down on potential young tearaways, introducing ‘baby Asbos’ for children as young as ten to stop them going off the rails.

Is there a word…

For the absolutely retarded phenomenon of losing your voice and thereby feeling as if you have no access whatsoever to communicate with the outside world?

I am straining my voice talking instead of typing.

Which is stupid.

Because, really, I have so many new stories to share.

* Gah *

Tomorrow.