Move It, Lady

I went shoe shopping yesterday (I’ve been on a shopping craze lately) at Nordstrom Rack.  If you’ve been there, you’d agree with me that the shoe section could be very unorganized and the aisles are quite narrow.  It’s a good thing I’m no longer pregnant, otherwise, I’d get stuck.

Anyways, these two ladies, related to each other, were deciding whether or not a pair of shoes were cute and whether or not they should buy them.  I stood there a few seconds hoping they’d create a small walk way for me squeeze through.  They didn’t so I kindly said, “Excuse me, may I pass through?”  The lady facing me looked at me and said, “Go.”  I waited for one of them to move out of the way.  None of them budged.  What the hell?

How was I supposed to pass through if they didn’t move?  Did the stupid lady even know what I was asking?

So I said, “Can you move, please?”

Finally, the lady moved and walked by thinking, “What a *itch.”

Did I have “I’m stupid” written on my forehead?

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10 Lifesaving Tips for Ladies

This is for the ladies out there.  I received this in an email from a good friend the other day.  Feel free to pass this along to your friends.  Ladies, please be careful and be aware of your surroundings.

Because of recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation…

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide: If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you….Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..

If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO  NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO  NOT DRIVE OFF!

Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it.

As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are tempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side… If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target)

4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic:  STOP

It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird.. The police told her ‘Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..’

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over.

The policeman said, ‘We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.’

He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home alone at night.

10. Water scam! If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.

Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbors!

Please pass this on.

This should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on America ’s Most Wanted when they profiled the serial killer in  Louisiana I’d like you to forward this to all the women you know.

I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well.

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Why Share Your Labor Story?

Pregnant women have to listen to a gazillion labor stories.  Isn’t it strange that other women just volunteer the gruesome details of their labor?  As if I wanted to know about how this lady’s baby almost died because she couldn’t push the baby out in time.  Or about how this guy’s wife’s nurses weren’t being cooperative and how he had to tell them that his wife is ready because the baby is crowning.  It was my first pregnancy so why would I want to hear the horrors of labor?  What happened to the “My labor was only 3 hours and I pushed only 3 times” type of stories?

I suppose it’s those terrying labor stories that end up sticking in your mind.  I don’t even know who had an easy labor.  The easy labor stories tend to go in one ear and out the other.  I think it’s because we women like to hear stories of other women suffering.  It’s like saying, “Ha!  My labor was easier than yours!”  or “Hey, I feel better because your labor was longer than mine!”  You know how competitive we can get with each other.

I haven’t shared my labor story with many people – only if they asked.  Or if they were a close friend.  Not only do I want to spare the next first time mom but also because I don’t they want to really know.  If they did, they’d ask, right?

So ladies, why do you volunteer such information to other pregnant women?  Seriously?  I didn’t care to know.  Would the big bellied women next to me care?

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Yesterday Was a Good Day Until…

Yesterday was a good day.  I woke up somewhat refreshed, which is very rare because a good night’s sleep is hard to come by when you are 6 weeks away from your due date.  I must have had quality sleep since I know I had slept for only 5 hours.  I laid my head down on my pillow at nearly 11:30 pm and snoozed until 3 am for a potty break.  Then woke up again to my mom’s alarm at 4:30 am.  Took another potty break then.  Little Mochi had a nightmare around 5 am and cried out in his sleep so that woke me up.  But somehow, I still felt refreshed.  I shouldn’t care how many hours of sleep I got as long as I am feeling good, right?

The good feeling could be due to the long flowy summer turquois dress and new brown strappy sandals that I wore yesterday.  Now mind you, I rarely wear dresses much less wear them to work!  A nice summer dress tends to make me feel happy naturally.  And feminine.  Yup, I felt really feminine yesterday.  Or it could be the nice compliments I received from everyone all day on how great the dress looked on me.  I do have to admit, however, that the dress was cute and that I was definitely comfortable in it. 

Or…I felt great yesterday because I was anticipating a baby shower at work that my girls at work organized for me.  I feel so lucky.  When I was pregnant with Little Mochi two years ago, my colleagues (from a different department – I have switched to a different department since) at work then also threw me a BIG shower.  I don’t think I’ll ever forget that one.  There was probably 30 people that showed up!  And everyone that showed up brought me a gift, even those that I rarely knew.  They had a hilarious skit.  I left work that day with a car full of presents.  Literally – a car full of presents.  I felt so special and so loved. 

But this one was small and intimate.  It was nice.  Although I told Keila, the organizer, to tell everyone not to bring me a gift because in all honesty, I already have what I needed.  Between all of Little Mochi’s pass me down gears and newborn clothes, all the cutesy dresses from the shower my sister threw me a month ago, I’m all set!  But the people here are so nice.  They all got me something anyway.  Mostly more clothes, but they were all very cute. 

Actually, the only thing I wanted was Keila’s condensed milk strawberry cake.  But the girls went all out and planned a big luncheon.  They catered food from the little family owned Mexican restaurant across the street.  Lillian woke up early to cut fresh watermelon and pineapples (and boy were they sweet!).  She said she didn’t want to cut them the night before because they wouldn’t be as fresh.  There was a vase full of fresh cut flowers.  And a box of Costco wipes.  Hahahaha…crazy Carolina was wondering why Lillian had to buy the baby wipes.  She thought we were using them lieu of napkins.  That’s coming from someone who has never had a baby. 

I was sooo touched. 

It was a good day, yesterday.  Until I spoke to my husband.  Everything seemed to have gone downhill from there.

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The Traffic School Experience

It really wasn’t as bad as I thought.  Although I could have used the 8 hours to do something else in my life, but I have to admit that it was quite entertaining.  I even learned a few things!

My class instructor was Mr. Traffic.  Has anyone of you heard of Mr. Traffic?  Apparently, this guy has been in several commercials as a kid, has his own radio talk show, and is very very knowledgeable about traffic laws.  And he claims he has never broken a traffic law.  (Yeah right.  I can’t believe that he really drives 5 miles per hour in the parking structures).

We spent the first hour and a half introducing ourselves and telling the class why we are there.  The majority of the people were there because of speeding.  Two of the students were there because they got caught on camera running a red light.  Did you know that it is almost impossible to fight those tickets?  The only way you can fight it really is to show up in court and pray that the cops that sited you tells the judge that the cameras were not working accurately that day.  Then everyone who got a ticket from that camera that day who SHOWED UP IN COURT will be dismissed.  Note the “showed up in court.”  If you did not try to fight it and did not show up in court when the judge dismissed it, your case does not get dismissed.  Interesting isn’t it?

Another guy was in there because he had an open bottle of booze under his car seat.  What I learned from Mr. Traffic on Saturday was that everyone, I mean EVERYONE, that is in the car will get ticketed if there is an open bottle in the car.  So kids (and adults alike), do not get into a car if you know there is an open bottle of booze!

I honestly thought that there will be a test at the end, but there really wasn’t one at all.  We took a quiz and graded it.  But that was it!  AND, upon completion, each person in the class got 2 tickets (good for 4 people) to see an improv show!  Any takers?  I’ve got two more seats available!

I have honestly been a lot more careful when driving since my speeding ticket.  But something Mr. Traffic said in class kept ringing in my ears.  “If your child’s life is that important to you, you will never break another traffic law again.”  Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Traffic.  I will surely keep those words in mind when I am behind the wheel.  My life and my children’s lives are very important to me.  I hope others think their lives and their family’s lives are just as important.

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Traffic School

I’m not really looking forward to my day today.   I’ve got to spend 8 hours in traffic school with my big belly.  (I wonder if I will get the entire 8 hours worth of credit if I spend most of the time in the bathroom because I have to pee so often?  :-) )

Originally, I called the traffic schools in Little Saigon because they were close to where I live.  But they don’t conduct the class in English!  How silly is that?  So I ended up calling Improv Traffic School.  Supposedly, they use improv actors for the classes.  So far, I’m impress with their customer service.  The lady on the phone was friendly and very helpful.  I even received a reminder phone call.  I saw on their website that you get 2 tickets to see an improv show once you complete the class.  Totally worth the $35!

If you want to try them out, here is their number.  800-775-5233.  They offer online courses as well.  It’s just that I got my ticket in Orange County and it appears that you have to traffic school in person in Orange County.

I’ll let you know how I like it later on today.

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Do You Believe in Karma?

I do. But when do you know that you’re getting “repaid” for the good deeds you’ve done?

Last Monday, Nov 17, I was stopped at a red light on the corner of 7th and Bellflower. There was this homeless man holding up a sign that I could not read. It was really early in the morning – 5 am-ish – and it was rather cold. My past experience with homeless people really makes me not want to help them. But there was something different about this gentlemen.

Slowly, I reached into my bag and pulled out the 2 tangerines I had. As he approached my car, I rolled down my window, ready to hand over the tangerines. Instead of asking for money, he asked me for food. I thought it was kind of strange since most of the homeless people that I have encountered have asked for money. Perhaps they really weren’t homeless. Perhaps they were “working.” But this gentleman asked for food.

I could only give him the 2 clementines that I had. He took them graciously. I could tell he wanted to say something else other than his weak “Thank You” but the light had turned green.

I actually felt good. It wasn’t much, but the gesture of helping him made me feel good.

Now, I’m wondering if that was good enough for Karma.

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Baby’s First Temper Tantrum

Wow.  Little Mochi threw his first real big fit in public on Halloween day.  We took him to the mall last Friday for a walk.  Don’t ask me what he was for Halloween because we didn’t dress him up.  I think he was the only “normal” kid at the mall that day.

Anyways, we decided to let him ride on the carousel for the first time.  It was only $1.50 per ride.  At first, he was scared.  But once we got into the rhythm of the horses moving up and down, he started to smile.  He liked it so much that he wouldn’t get off.  As soon as I tried to pull him off the horse when the lady stopped the carousel, he screamed and kicked his legs.

We tried to go to the other side of the mall, but he kept running back to the carousel.  I picked him up and kept walking.

You know those rides where you feed it a quarter and it moves?  Well, we came across one of those and decided to put him on there.  Bad idea.  I thought the fit he threw after the carousel was bad.  This one was worse.  He screamed so loud that everyone turned their heads towards us.  He was kicking so hard that I could not hold him.  So I let him down.  He continued to scream and kick his feet and wave his arms.  Face all red with tears running down his cheeks.

How does a mother stop that kind of behavior in public?  Definitely did not want to hit him in public.  Or yell at him.  But I did not want him to think that kind of behavior is acceptable.

I’ll read up on that and come back with another post…

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First (Ten) Baby Steps

I saw the most amazing thing last night. Little Mochi took his first few steps on his own. He has gotten so comfortable with pulling himself up and letting go and standing on his own now. It’s a matter of taking his first few steps. He has always looked for something to hold on to when he wants to get from point A to point B. However, last night, he stood on those chubby little legs, looked up at me, smiled, clapped his hands, and slowly picked up his right foot. Realizing that he’s walking, he looked down and cautiously took another step toward me.

It’s a little rocky now. One small step at a time. He smiles while he walks. It’s probably because he realizes that he’s doing it on his own. Perhaps he realizes that he’s now a “free” boy. How cute!

He’ll take 3 steps or so, but then extends his hands for my hands. He stands there until I put my hands in front of his. To encourage him to take a few more steps on his own, I keep my hands in front of him. I move forward as he moves forward, reaching for my hand. He took nearly 10 steps this way. How sudden. Two nights ago, he needed to hold on to something. Last night, he walks on his own. I bet tonight, he’ll be running around.

Oh great. As he gains more independence, I lose mine. I now have to keep both of my eyes on him as I know he’ll be walking, running very shortly, into little corners of the house. As if he doesn’t go through the cabinets already!

He’s no longer my little baby. He’s like…a little boy now! I realized last night that I really need to hold on to every moment that I spend with Little Mochi. It won’t be long until I can no longer hold him…or kiss him…or toss him in the air just so I can hear his giggles.

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I Love You, Daddy

I read on someone’s Facebook page today a story of a young girl’s tear jerking experience. She saw her father die as she was calling 911. Basically, she came home late one night, went in to check up on her father, and went to bed knowing that he’s sound asleep. A few hours later, she woke up to his wheezing. She called the paramedics, told them that her dad was having a heart attack. A few minutes later, they arrived, gave him CPR, did almost everything they could to get a heart beat. But it was too late. It was too late. A few minutes too late.

She titled her story, “I’m Sorry Daddy, I Love You.” She was sorry for coming home late that night, for not spending that one last night with him. She was sorry for not being a better daughter. She was sorry for the last argument they had. She was sorry that she didn’t wake up a few minutes earlier – the few minutes that could have saved his life. She was sorry she never told him that she loved him.

It was now too late.

It made me cry because it was rare that I tell my parents that I loved them. I really appreciate everything that they have done for me but have not told them that I loved them.

My dad was napping on the couch when I got their home after work today. I stared at his face as he snored and almost cried. Thoughts of the story suddenly ran through my head. If my dad suddenly had a heart attack at that moment, I wouldn’t know what to do.

The words “I Love You” is among one of the hardest things to say. Although I can’t seem to say it to my parents, I hope they know that I do love them and appreciate them for all that they have done.

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