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HaZaRddis1
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Name: Catherine aKa "HaZaR
Gender: Female
Interests: Spreading the love among friends, family and my Latin lover. *Dayum* That's all I got to say. LMAO. Shout out to my girlz, you know who you are. KDPhi represent! Spoiling my dog Dante. He's so cute.
Reading, writing, eating, sleeping, dancing, gaming ... you know I'm down for whatever.
Expertise: Pick one
Occupation: Reporter and Student
Industry: Media/Publishing
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  AZNTiGeR291
Member Since:
1/26/2004
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| My Gotcha DayToday is the 22nd anniversary of the day I was first brought to the United States. The way my parents tell it, I came off the plane in a pink jumper with the ASIA (the agency through which I was adopted) logo on it. My hair was sticking straight up on my head in a point. I don't know why my foster mother thought this was an appropriate fashion statement, but that's how I came off the plane. My foster mother told my parents that I had spent a majority of the flight to the States in the cockpit with the pilot. Apparently, he took quite a liking to me and I sat on his lap while we flew. When my parents took me home, they fed me my first taste of American food: carrots, potatoes, gravy and chicken. Mom and Dad say I loved it, pushing fistfuls at a time into my open mouth. They say I had an "upset stomach" for a while after that. Sometimes they joke, saying that my Korean name, Soon Shil, which means "Sound of the Wind," was an appropriate title for me in the next few weeks while I adapted to American cooking. The first night my parents put me in my crib, I cried for being away from all that I knew and for being in a strange new world. My dad picked me up and sat with me next to my cradle in a rocking chair. Mom said when she walked into my room, looking for my father, we were both asleep, heads together, in the chair.
Now, every year, my family celebrates my 'Gotcha' Day with a dinner and dessert of my choice, birthday candles, a boisterous round of "Happy 'Gotcha' Day" song and a few small gifts. Usually my mom decorates the house with computer-made fliers that have pictures of me when I first got off the plane. I'm smiling in all of them. But, today, I didn't see those pictures as I came downstairs in the morning from my room, because I don't live at home anymore. It was an ordinary morning, just like any other. I woke up alone, like I normally do, since John leaves for work before I wake up, and I got dressed and left the apartment to get to the office. There wasn't any sign that today was different from any other, except for a text message from my mom, who wanted to know what kind of cake I wanted tonight. I'm going over to my parents' house for my celebratory dinner after I get off work. :) And then, everything will be as it should be on my 'Gotcha Day,' because I'll be surrounded by the most important people in my life, all the people I love and all those who love me too. :) | | |
| 10 MonthsToday marks John's and my 10-month anniversary. We don't really celebrate the whole monthly anniversary thing, but I remember it every month just the same, even if I don't say anything about it. Haha, I don't even think he realizes what today is, but that's okay with me.
It seems strange that exactly ten months and one day ago, the two of us were still pretending we were "just friends." We'd been singing that same tune for five months, but we both knew we weren't fooling anyone. And then, just like that, we were "official." Needless to say, no surprise there. Ten months later, we're happily living together in a beautiful one-bedroom apartment in Reston. Sometimes I'll be brushing my hair in the mirror when John approaches from behind and wraps his arms around me. "Look," he'll say, pointing his chin into the mirror. "Did you ever think that it would be like this a year ago?" I can't help but smile. "Not at all," I always say. We laugh for a moment. He normally kisses me on my neck, gives me a tight squeeze and then we go about our daily routine.
I always thought that the first couple of months in a relationship were supposed to be the best. The "honeymoon phase" they call it, and then afterwards, the reality of the situation sets in and a person's "true" identity is revealed. Most couples are the worse for wear, which may explain why our divorce rate is so high. What's the current percentage? Is it still 50 percent these days? Who knows. Anyway, my point was, everyone says it's supposed to be the best in the beginning and then it's downhill from there. However, I seem to have avoided all that somehow. Luck of the Irish? Haha. Every day I wake up, every night I come home after work, every night I go to sleep ... my love and faith in our relationship grows. Every day is more beautiful. I'm so blessed. So, every month that passes by ... every one of these anniversaries I remember, because it's one more month for which I can thank God. | | |
| Letter to the EditorYesterday, I was proofreading the newspaper that's going to press this week. I started reading the "Letters to the Editor" section, and stumbled upon this one particular letter.
After reading it, I thought I was going to explode, especially since no one in my office seemed to understand where I was coming from or why I thought the letter was—while well intentioned—so enfuriating.
The letter was titled "Kindness" and read as follows:
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Dear Editor,
With all the hubbub regarding our South and Central American immigrants, I want to tell you about a positive incident that just occurred. Every time we have a heavy snow, the plow clears a lane on the opposite side of the street from my house, and leaves a ridge of snow in front of my driveway.
Sometimes that ridge is light and fluffy; occasionally, it is the consistency of a snow cone: icy and heavy. When you combine that with below freezing nights, the ridge becomes like concrete. Having lived in my house for 30 years, I have spent many hours picking these things apart. Since I had a heart attack a few weeks ago, I was reluctant to tackle this week's ridge.
Feb. 16, I heard voices in the street and saw a man with a pickup truck with an attached snow-blade, helping my neighbor. After pushing her car into her driveway, he cleared the pile of snow at the base of it.
Assuming my neighbor had hired him, I used hand signals to indicate that I wanted my driveway cleared, too. He rolled down his window and acknowledged my request. I said I would be happy to pay him, but he replied he was just picking up his wife and didn't need to be paid. (I assumed his wife worked for my neighbor; I knew she regularly employed house cleaners.)
It was no surprise that the plowman had some difficulty with the frozen snow in front of my driveway. He was eventually able to bust it apart, leaving my car a clear path to the street. I was delighted and pulled cash from my pocket. He waved me off with a smile, as he and his wife drove away.
It was only after speaking with my neighbor that I found that she had not hired him, that he had voluntarily stopped to assist her. He had also refused her offer of payment.
The couple in the truck were clearly immigrants. Their kindness and neighborliness was greatly appreciated by two longtime residents of the Forest Ridge community.
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AAAAHHHHH!!!! Can you see why I'm so upset? I understand the guy is trying to be nice; he means well, obviously, but he's just completely racist and doesn't realize it!! He's trying to refute the Latino stereotype by saying, "They're not all that bad," and in doing so, he completely, yet indirectly, enforces the stereotype himself. He says, "With all the hubbub regarding our South and Central American immigrants, I want to tell you about a positive incident that just occurred," and then he goes on to talk about a kindness provided to him that I guarantee he wouldn't have written to the editor about if the kindness had been provided by a white man. What the hell does immigration have to do with someone doing something nice for a fellow human being? The guy assumed the man was an immigrant because he was Latino. That would be like someone saying that I'm "clearly" an immigrant, even though I've been a U.S. citizen for more than 20 years. It's insulting, to say the least. Not to mention, the man goes on to say that he thought the man's wife was a house cleaner, because his neighbor "regularly employs house cleaners." WTF?! So, I guess, by default, that if you're a Latino, you must either be an immigrant or a house cleaner, and in cases like these, maybe both.
Everyone in my office thinks that I'm taking this too personally, and that I'm making "quantum leaps and bounds" in coming to my own conclusions about this. They say I'm too sensitive about it, and why the hell shouldn't I be? I'm the only person of any color in my department. Let them tell me about when they were discriminated against for not being white, or how they were enraged by negative and stupid stereotypes. Yea, I guess I am taking this personally, because I don't think that any racism should be encouraged, regardless of how well-intentioned it is. And, I guess, working in a newsroom, where everything has to be politically correct, fact-checked and completely objective, I am a little shocked that my editor and my co-workers are so insensitive to race issues and that this letter went to press.
Am I going overboard on this issue? Or is anyone else offended by the letter? | | |
| I'm All AloneMy boyfriend left for New York today.  He'll be gone until Sunday, so that means I have to stay lonely in my apartment. It's the longest time I've been apart from him since we moved in together. Five days seems like such a long time. The days will be okay, because I work, but I can't imagine what the evenings are going to be like, when I come home to an empty house and then go to sleep in an empty bed. Even when I was living at home, I had my dog ... This time I'm really all alone. I'm thinking about just going to stay the week with my parents so it won't get to me so much. I really miss John, but he promised he would call me everyday, and he said that we would keep in constant touch with each other by texting at various points in the day, so that makes me feel a little bit better. I just want him to come home.  | | |
| Life Is GoodLife is going good right now. I don't have many complaints, save the few that everyone shares in regards to work. But, even that is going pretty well. I just finished up a big story on a first-degree murder trial. That went well, and I've been doing a few jobs here and there. Paid my first round of bills and my first rent this past weekend, without losing too much sleep, so I think that's a good indicator of bill cycles to come. John and I are still doing great, which I'm happy to report, and we're both loving the apartment still.
It's great living closer to my big!! Now we only live 15 minutes away.  Everyone wish her congratulations on her new puppy, Achilles. He's an ankle-biter. Get it? Lol. I thought it was cute. Anyway, he's a bichon frise, a little white yapping lap dog.
I went to my sister-in-law's baby shower this weekend. It was in Philadelphia. There were about 50 blond-haired, blue-eyed women there, and then my sister and I. Talk about awkward. And, of course, I was the only one in the room wearing all black at a baby shower. I stuck out like a sore thumb. One of my sis-in-law's grandmas asked Megen and I if we were twins. That makes perfect sense, because all of us Asians look alike ... Please note my sarcasm. Needless to say, I didn't speak to her for the rest of the night until she grabbed my hand before I could leave. She asked me, "Were you and your sister born in China?" Yea, of course, because that's the only country in Asia. ::sigh:: Ignorant New Jersey trash. I'm not bitter, I swear.
Anyway, my sister-in-law is due in two weeks. She got a MOUNTAIN of gifts from everyone who attended the shower. I think she has about 50 baby blankets now and 100 sets of brand name baby clothing. This kid will be decked out in Lucky brand, Calvin Klein and countless others. It's a shame he'll only be able to wear one outfit once, and then he'll be too big for all the newborn clothes. Lol. Jen looks swollen to the max. Her belly is huge now, and her face, arms, legs and feet are massive as well. Apparently she's gained 60 pounds, which is way over the limit. That will be some hard weight to lose. She told me that sleeping is really uncomfortable now. Sometimes she can't get to sleep until 3 a.m. in the morning. After she falls asleep, she snores like the Titanic going down twice. My big brother said he was having a dream the night before, where there were people talking to him. He said he couldn't even hear what the people in his dream were saying because Jen was snoring so loud. Lol. He had to leave the room and sleep on the couch. I know he'll be glad once the baby is born, so he can sleep in a bed again.
I'm reading this book called Marley and Me. It's an awesome book about a newly married couple who get a dog. At one point in the book, the wife is delivering their first child. Of course, the father is all nervous and he keeps asking her if she's okay. She says to him, "If you keep asking me how I'm doing, I'm going to RIP YOUR FACE OFF." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I guess that's what my brother has to look forward to in the delivery room. Giving birth is a nasty business, but after the baby shower this weekend, there's no doubt that I want to have kids of my own. I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into. Lol. | | |
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