Wine Tasting Notes - Casillero del Diablo Carmenere (Chile, 2011)

Wine Tasting Notes - Casillero del Diablo Carmenere (Chile, 2011)

This past Friday, my wife sent me out to pick up a bottle of sangria to celebrate the end of a long and busy week.  While I was at the bottle shop, I saw an endcap display with the Casillero del Diablo Carmenere on sale for $6.99.  The staff notes on the display looked promising, so I decided to give this wine a try.

The color is a dark red, almost purple hue with a brilliant shine on the edge right where the liquid touches the glass.  I'm not quite sure if there is an official term for this, but it had a beautiful color to it.

I gave it a brief swirl and breathed in deep to savor the aroma.  Ripe berries, plums, and a smoky, roasted flavor drifted up to my delight.  On the backside, I smelled earth and leather.

On first sip, I tasted dark berries and black pepper with soft tannins.  The finish is long and intense, highlighting the earthy taste of wet leaves and rich, dark chocolate.  The acidic qualities linger throughout the finish and I am suddenly reflective of the last two months, reminiscing of autumn, contemplating the coming winter, and savoring the moment.

This was an excellent wine that I enjoyed with kimchi soup that my wife made.

http://www.casillerodeldiablo.com/minisitios/productos_en/reserva/home.php

Top Five Worst Christmas Songs

Well, it’s that time of the year again.  Time for turkeys, hams, snow, shopping madness (I’ll save that one for another post), decorating trees, and Christmas music.  Now, I love the holidays!  I have always loved Thanksgiving, not only because of turkey dinner, although this makes up about 98% of my enjoyment of Thanksgiving, but also because of football, a day off from school/work, and I’ve always liked the story of the first Thanksgiving.  I like Christmas, too, because as a kid, I loved playing outside in the snow, visiting my grandparents, going to church, making Christmas cookies, and exchanging gifts.

I don’t get into the “Christmas spirit” in September, when stores start putting out their merchandise.  I actually saw Christmas decorations for sale in August this year.  Gross.  Christmas is in December, not in August; we have several intermittent holidays before Christmas (Labor Day, Columbus Day, Halloween, Veterans Day, Halloween, and others).  We don’t need bad Christmas music for the months leading up to December 25^th.

We used to sing Christmas songs at school, back in those days, but they were Christmas songs.  You know, White Christmas, O Come, All Ye Faithful, Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, Jingle Bells, songs like that.  But somehow, these aren’t the songs that are popular on the radio.

That’s where I start getting pretty upset.  I can stomach some pop music, but pop Christmas music has created its own tradition of being awful, intolerable, and brings out the absolute worst in musicianship, where otherwise great musicians and singers feel compelled to perform at their lowest level.

You must think I am Ebenezer Scrooge.  Well, take this: BAH HUMBUG ON BAD CHRISTMAS MUSIC!

So, I have compiled a list of the Top 5 Worst Christmas Songs:

#1 Wonderful Christmastime (Paul McCartney)

I really, truly, honestly, and fully do not like this song.  I get sick in the mouth every time I hear it come on the radio, with its smooth synthesizer introduction (whump, WOW-WOW-WOW-WOW whump, WOW-WOW-WOW-WOW), its processed voice tracks, and its horribly annoying melody.  Please, Paul, you were so good when you were a Beatle, help me understand what happened!  Was this just a bad experiment, or did you actually think that this would be a good song?  I would (simply) prefer that we just throw this one out in the snow.

#2 Santa Baby (anybody)

Oh, no, please don’t play this song ever again!  Can you believe that people have actually had to suffer through this ditty for almost 60 years?  This is such a diversion from the true, religious nature of Christmas that I can’t even comment.  Bad jazz, bad pop, bad country, this song is just plain awful no matter how you spin it.

#3 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Jackson Five)

Did you know that this song was originally condemned by the Catholic Church in Boston?  Even though the ban was short-lived, it goes to show that from the beginning, this song was recognized as a flop.  I personally condemn the version by the Jackson Five because it is the most obnoxious.

#4 Baby It's Cold Outside (all versions)

It’s cold outside, so why not stay indoors and sing about it?  No, how about a cup of eggnog instead- that will keep you busy from spouting out this conversational drivel.  It’s worse when the duet can’t function in harmony, and as yet I have not heard a recording of anyone who can.

#5 (tie) It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Andy Williams)

While it may be the most wonderful time of the year, this is definitely not the most wonderful song to sing.  The harmonies attempt to be creative by using deceptive cadences, but they sound really cheesy.  The intro that tries to sound like church bells sounds almost as ridiculous as the synthesizers in Wonderful Christmastime (see above).  What bothers me the most, though, are this song’s lyrics.  “Marshmallows for toasting?”  That’s for camping, which is in the summer time.  “Scary ghost stories?”  That’s for Halloween, which is in October.

#5 (tie) Carol of the Bells (supposedly a Polish folk song)

I’m guessing that this just might be the most-spoofed Christmas song out there, probably because it’s pretty easy to find four syllables to fit into the repeating four notes that are supposed to sound like bells.  I’ll admit, there was a time when I did like this song, but it’s played so often in TV commercials that even the original version grates on my nerves.

Joint Crackers

I've found an amazing new website devoted to one of my subconscious pastimes: cracking my joints.  There are a ton of forums for popping knuckles, toes, backs, necks, and weird joints like hips, knees, jaws, and sternums.  Check it out:

Joint Crackers

23. Laughter is the best medicine.

Travel Tips - Chicago O'Hare Airport

Travel Tips - Chicago O'Hare Airport

On a recent business trip, I had the opportunity to explore the Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) on a four-hour layover and I would like to share a few of my discoveries and tips.  First of all, the airport is huge!  I didn't get the chance to check out all of the terminals and concourses on my visit, but I did explore G, K, and L a bit as I was wandering about, waiting for my flight.

Tip #1 – Make sure your phone and laptop are charged before you arrive at the airport.  My phone was down to 6% before I finally found a charging station near the Starbucks by the security area (I think it is Terminal 3).  Electrical outlets are few and far between and the ones that I did find either didn't work (worn out, no juice, etc.) or were in use.

Tip #2 – Eat at Wolfgang Puck's.  I ordered the turkey melt and I was very impressed.  They put thyme on the French fries, which was pretty neat.

Tip #3 – Use the family/companion restroom.  It is clean and they have this neat automatic plastic toilet seat cover that changes when you wave your hand.  It’s also in a quiet part of the airport so you don’t need to feel hurried/rushed if you have to change clothes, wash up, etc.

See also:
Five Things I Love about Omahaians
O'Hare International Airport

22. Hang up and drive.

21. "Excuse me" is much better than "huh?"

I Survived a Swollen Uvula and the Perils of a Hay Fever Sufferer

I did it.  I survived a swollen uvula!  It was an ordeal, a trial, a time that tried a man's soul, but I resolved perseverance and pulled through to the end.

When I first moved to Denver from back in the Midwest, I could definitely tell that the altitude had something to do with the way I was feeling.  I would have to pause half-way up a flight of stairs to catch my breath and wait for my heart to slow down.  That lasted about a week before I became acclimated.  Oh, did I sleep well those first weeks in the Mile High City or what!  I also made sure to keep a bottle of water with me because I got dehydrated very easily (the climate in Denver is actually like a desert, a far cry from the humid summer days back home).  This was all and well and I found myself enjoying the adjustment to my new surroundings: wake up around 7:00 (that's very late for me), go about my daily work, squeeze in a walk, dinner, watch the news, in bed by 9:00.  I even got adventurous in my explorations and tried a couple of hiking trails in the afternoons or after dinner.  That was fun because I got to learn the birds and wildflowers of the Colorado high plains that way; this was all before I started exploring the mountains, but that is a whole other subject.

Anyways, I liked my new city and was getting used to life 5280 feet above sea level.  Then, one day it hit me in late August.  I woke up one morning and felt a huge gob in my throat.  Now, I grew up suffering terrible hay fever every August.  Around the 15th of the month, I would get that first tickle in my nose, which turned into a sneeze, and then my eyes would tear up and burn, my ears clog, my nose incessantly drip and run and itch, I would sneeze more than I could talk, and I was utterly miserable for at least two weeks.  Growing up, I tried every hay fever and allergy medicine that they made.  Seldane, Benadryl, Claritin and Allegra (back when they were prescription), Clarinex, Zyrtec, and Sudafed.  I tried nasal sprays, eye drops, herbal teas, and homeopathic tinctures.  I tried chiropractic.  I tried Chinese medicine.  One medication would work for one year, then the next year it was ineffective and I was on to the next method.  I grew desperate and would try anything whenever August rolled around.

O God, why didst Thou create ragweed?

So, when I felt that lump of goo in my throat, I thought to myself, "Oh, great, allergies!"  At least hay fever is a known quantity: I knew life was going to suck for a few weeks and more or less how I could survive: patience, a few good books (the Bible), a lot of prayer, and whatever new remedy I could find that year.  I went about my morning routine, made a pot of coffee, and tried to hawk up the ball of phlegm that was in my throat, but I couldn't get it out.  I squeezed and contorted my throat and made all kinds of funny noises trying to get that loogie out, but it wouldn't budge.  I decided to go into the bathroom to see what was going on and looked in the mirror.

To my shock, my uvula (the hanging thing in the back of your throat) was swollen to the size of my thumb and throbbing red and laying on the back of my tongue and tickling it.  I would see how I thought that it was a loogie.  That was not my concern, though.  I saw it and thought to myself, "How did it get so big?"  I could have bitten it with my back molars if I wanted to.

Apparently, a swollen uvula is caused by several things, one of which is dehydration.  I spent an hour reading all that I could find on the subject on the internet before I figured out how I was going to tackle it.  The recommendation was drinking a lot of ice-cold water and gargling with salt water.  I did this for three days and it went back to normal.  I never did get allergies that year, nor any other year since moving to Denver.  No hay fever for me!

So, the remedy that worked best for my swollen uvula was a salt water gargle twice per day and plenty of cold water.  And try not to yawn in public- it draws too many questions about your uvula!  If only curing hay fever were that easy...

http://www.swollenuvula.org/
http://www.swollenuvula.net/

Wine Tasting Notes - Corbett Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Wine Tasting Notes - Corbett Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

I had a bottle of Corbett Canyon's Cabernet Sauvignon a couple of weeks back and I enjoyed a glass or two out on the porch after the sun went down.  The color presented more clear than any other cab I have ever seen.  Most of the other wines of this variety that I have seen have a more opaque, sometimes cloudy quality to them, but this wine had a noticeable shine to it.

I was not overly impressed with the Corbett Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon.  The aroma was nondescript, almost vinegary.  The taste was more fruit-forward than I prefer, bursting with the flavor of ripe cherries and grape juice.  Not a bad taste, and the price can't be beat.  I just don't see myself choosing this wine to enjoy with friends.

http://www.corbettcanyon.com/wines.shtml

House Cleaning Schedule - Update

Just a quick note on the experiment with the house cleaning schedule.  The project has been going pretty well so far.  I've followed the schedule closely and I completed everything that was on the chart for the day.  It' still hard to get motivated to get started, especially since I only have time to do this at the end of the day, but it's only 15 minutes per day , at most, to a clean house.  I've found that once I finish up the cleaning, I have a ton of time to enjoy the rest of the evening!

20. You're never too old to eat ice cream.

19. Try every food at least twice.

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#10 - The Diaper Genie

This thing really is a genie, a work of genius, a gem.  We originally decided against a diaper pail and would just throw the diapers in any available wastebasket.  After all, what is a diaper pail?  It’s a trash can- why do you need a fancy one with expensive refill bags?

Well, after a month of tossing dirty diapers in the kitchen trash can (gross, when you think about it) and in the bathroom wastebaskets (nasty, no cover!), we started to get flies.  Little tiny ones.  We thought that they came in with some fruit that we bought, or that they were living in one of our house plants.  Then, one day I came home and the house smelled like… you get the idea.  It was rank.  It was the middle of January and we had the windows open in order to air out the house!  After that, we made a quick trip to the store and picked out a Diaper Genie.

The price of this unit is totally worth the cost of the refill bags (about six bucks a piece).  After we made the switch, the flies were gone.  No more stinky smell.  And changing out the bags is pretty easy.  Don’t buy the diaper pail odor eliminator inserts, though; a generous sprinkle of baking soda works just as well.  Rinse the pail out with a squirt of bleach spray every once in a while and it will stay good and fresh.

http://www.diapers.com/p/playtex-diaper-genie-elite-pail-7251?site=CA&utm_source=cse&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=PX-053&utm_campaign=Google&CAWELAID=1338731062&utm_content=pla&cagpspn=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

Five Reasons Why Teaching Abroad Is a Great Idea

Five Reasons Why Teaching Abroad Is a Great Idea

Traveling is always an experience.  Visiting new places always opens your eyes to learn new things, meet new people, and expand your worldview.  Teaching English abroad will heighten the experience of travelling and bring even more wonderful things into your life!  The market for teaching English in Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and other points east) is strong and opportunities abound for individuals with the right qualifications.  Here is a quick list of some great reasons to teach abroad:

1. Unparalleled experience.  Leaving home and going out on your own is a big decision that will change your life in new and unexpected ways.  Going to live and work in a foreign will surely take you out of your comfort zone, introduce you to a fascinating new culture, and give you the opportunity to visit exciting new places.  There are not a lot of 9-5 jobs out there that would give you this kind of experience.
2. Learn a new language.  What better way to learn a new language than to live it?  Imagine going grocery shopping, to the bank, or to the doctor in a foreign country and being able to practice the language with everyone you see.  Learning a new language will serve you well not only during your time abroad, but also when (or if) you decide to return home, this would be a great resume item.
3. Refine your teaching skills.  Whether you are planning to be an elementary school teacher, college professor, corporate trainer, or whatever, having experience teaching will benefit you in the future.  Being on your own, you will probably have a learning curve while you try to figure out what your teaching style is.
4. Save money.  Many schools will offer free housing for foreign English teachers and this is a huge savings to your overall expenses.  You can use these savings to travel abroad in Asia, make a down payment on a house, buy a car, or whatever you so choose.
5. Meet new people.  Unless you have friends that you are planning to meet abroad, everyone you meet will be new to you.  This will give you the chance to make new friends from your new home as well as with other English teachers.

See also:
Say Kimchi!
Thoughts III - 10 Reasons I Should Teach in Korea

Wine Tasting Notes - Smoking Loon Pinot Noir 2010 (California)

Smoking Loon Pinot Noir (2010)

With a name like Smoking Loon, how can you go wrong?  I picked out a bottle of their Pinot Noir for Labor day and I have a quick review here.

The color is a light semi-clear red that has a little glint of silver in it.  The aroma is light, nothing spectacular of note.  Same goes with the taste- nothing really stands out too much about this wine.  I cand detect a faint taste of strawberries in this pinot noir along with a light herbal taste- maybe sage?

I would definitely classify this one as quaffable- it would go well with sandwiches, seafood, and cold pastas.  Since its taste panel is not overly complex, there is not a whole lot to consider while dirnking this wine.

http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine/smokingloon/pinotnoir.php

18. Have a nickname.

17. Never make a joke at someone else's expense.

What I like about wine

Drinking wine is always an experience. I like inspecting the bottle, checking out the label, wrestling the cork out, pouring it into the glass, taking a whiff, savoring the aroma, taking that first sip, and enjoying the whole experience of it. I always drink wine with my wife or with my friends; it's not a solo experience, meant to be shared with the company of others. I've never been much of a cocktail drinker, except for the occassional gin and tonic or martini. I'm too young for Scotch. I love beer. There is just something special about wine. I tend to like the dry red varieties over the sweeter ones, and wine and my favorite season (autumn) go together well. Here's to a great wine autumn together- happy September!

House Cleaning Schedule - An Experiment

Cleaning the house can be such a drag sometimes. 

It’s something that has to be done, and I always feel great once it’s finished, but getting motivated to start is the hardest part.  We’ll go through cycles of super-cleaning the house every weekend, then it just peters out until it’s been over a month and there is a nice layer of dust covering everything.  So, I’ve come up with a little experiment that should help keep the house clean on a regular basis.

The way I figure, if it is part of a daily routine, like showering and brushing teeth, it should be easier to keep up with it.  I wish I had the time to do a full top-to-bottom house cleaning every day, but instead, I’ve split up the chores so that each day a different room gets cleaned and each room gets cleaned once per week.  Other chores are divided up throughout the week, too, to keep the project manageable.  Here’s the plan:

• Sunday: Bedroom. Porch day.
• Monday: Office. Organize papers day.
• Tuesday: Living room. Water the plants day.
• Wednesday: Bathroom 1. Organize dishes and silverware day.
• Thursday: Hall, closets, laundry room. Polish shoes day.
• Friday: Kitchen. Clean out the fridge/pantry day.
• Saturday: Bathroom 2. Laundry day.

Other chores to be completed as needed: wash dishes, take out the trash, organize toys, make bed, and anything else pertinent that comes up.

On each day, the room gets cleaned top to bottom, starting with the ceiling fan, then walls and windows, everything in the room gets dusted/scrubbed/organized, and finish with the floor (vacuum carpets, scrub tile, or clean wooded floors).

I’m going to try the experiment for a month and see how it goes.  Hopefully, if all goes according to schedule, the house will stay in great shape all the time!

Wine Tasting Notes - Skouras Saint George Nemea Aghiorghitiko 2008 (Greece)

Wine Tasting Notes - Skouras Saint George Nemea Aghiorghitiko 2008 (Greece)

Well, it is time for another wine review!  Several months ago, my wife and I had some friends over for dinner- another Korean/American family.  Their daughter likes to play with our daughter and we always have a lot of fun together.  We had this wine for the occasion.

I had never tried a Greek wine before and I was super curious about what Greek wines are like.  I had been saving this bottle for a few months and was excited to crack it open with our friends.  This wine has a deep red color with a bit of a shine to it.  When pouring this wine into the glass, it explodes with aromas of spice and dark red fruits.  There is also a hint of smoke that brings the fruit and spice aromas together.

When it first hits the palate, this wine as a very soft, silken texture that is a delight.  The acid and tannin content is present, but not overbearing; personally, I enjoy the texture of tannins and I found this wine to have a supple amount that was pleasing on the tongue.  The raspberry and blackberry flavors that the aroma promised along with a touch of the spices are in the forefront of the flavor of this wine with a deeper, earthy base that came as somewhat of a surprise to me, as I did not detect this when I sniffed the wine.  After researching this wine a little bit, I found that the Aghiorghitiko varietal grows in clay soil, so this must have crept its way into the flavor of the grape.  The finish is long and satisfying with the spice and smoke aromas and flavors mellowing into a mild black pepper note.

We couldn't believe how much we enjoyed this wine!  All of us commented on how wonderfully smooth it was to drink and how excellent the taste was!  Even into the second glass, the taste continued to grow on us and it was our favorite wine of the evening.  The Saint George Nemea Aghiorghitiko is a hidden gem among the wines that are available.  I've only been able to find it since then in larger warehouse-style liquor stores next to the Italian aisle.

http://www.skouraswines.com/

16. It is never ok to wear your pajamas outside of the house.

First Impressions of Korea

The first time I visited Korea I was traveling with my wife.  It was exciting to fly overseas, even though the flight was a good twelve hours.  The announcements on the plane were all done in English, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese.  For each meal, you had your choice of a Korean meal of a Western meal.  The service was fairly decent and the movies were pretty good.  We even got some decent sleep on the flight.  After we landed at the Incheon International Airport (it is actually outside of Seoul), we made our way towards the customs and immigration area where there were only two large signs:

KOREANS                             FOREIGNERS

That pretty much sums up how it is: Korea is a homogenous society with one language, culture, food, etc., and everything else is foreign.  That is what makes it so interesting to visit Korea as a foreigner, at least for me!  Everything is so different than anything in America.  Anyways, I remember seeing these signs and thinking, “Well, now I will be a foreigner for once so I will know what it is like.  This should be interesting.”  After passing through immigration, we collected our baggage, changed a few dollars into won, and passed into the large atrium at the ground transportation level.  For me, this was like passing into another world!  Everything was in Korean- Korean TV, Korean announcements, Korean advertisements, Korean snack shops, and everybody speaking in Korean.  I was so happy I had my wife with me, because it was a little disorienting, but amazing nonetheless.  If I was on my own that first time visiting Korea, I think that it could be overwhelming without having a good knowledge of the Korean language.  The other thing I noticed right away was how many people were there.  It was packed!  There were so many people gathered and I didn’t realize how sparsely populated America is until I experienced this crowd.

We purchased tickets for a “limo bus” that would bring us to the neighborhood where my in-laws live where we would be picked up by my brother-in-law.  The seats reclined on the limo bus, so it made for some smooth riding and we even caught a few winks of sleep.  Looking out the windows, all of the road signs were in Korean.  Everything, I mean everything, was in Korean!  I saw a speed limit sign with the number “120” on it and I just about panicked!  I asked my wife, “Do the buses really drive 120 miles per hour?”  She just smiled and said, “They sure do.”  I thought for a minute, then realized that Korea must use the metric system, at which point my wife burst out laughing!  It was a pretty good joke, albeit at my expense.

I don’t remember a whole lot else, since I fell asleep pretty soon after that, but I do remember these three things from my first trip to Korea:

1.      Everything is different from America.

2.      It’s crowded.

3.      They use the metric system.

More adventures to follow from my trips to Korea.

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#9 – Gerber Graduates Kiddy Cutlery (Fork, Spoon, and Knife Set)

We tried several different types of silverware from when our daughter first began eating solid foods all the way through today (she is almost 2!).  Some of them worked pretty nicely, such as the miniature silverware that Asiana Airlines gives you with your meal.  Others were not so good.  But this Gerber Graduates set is really pretty good.

What I think I liked the most about this set is how the pieces are easy for our daughter to hold with wide handles, but the eating surface is metal, just like real silverware.  The fork tines are not too sharp, either.  We don’t let her eat with the knife yet, but it is also very safe.

http://www.target.com/p/gerber-graduates-kiddy-cutlery-3pk/-/A-12154745

15. If you have a complaint with a business, take it up with the manager; don't wait until you get a survey, and don't go online and publish bad reviews- that's weak.

Adult Tantruming

Here's another new slang term we've been using around the office the last few weeks: adult tantruming.  This one's pretty much self-explanatory- any time a grown man or woman pitches a fit and makes a fool out of themself for not getting their way, they are exhibiting an adult tantrum.

Have fun!

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#8 - Britax Boulevard Car Seat

Purchasing a car seat can be very overwhelming!  There are so many things to consider, laws to follow, recalls to learn about, and lots of conflicting advice.

The best advice we got- don't but used and don't buy cheap.

Now, the Britax Boulevard is really a decent car seat.  It's big though- this thing is a beast and it's pretty hefty.  We chose the Boulevard becasue it was rated well and it can be used for a rear- and a forward-facing seat, so you don't need to buy another one once your child grows out of infancy.

And who can beat the cowmooflauge design?

http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/boulevard

Best Method for Learning Korean?

What is the best method for learning a foreign language?

Every time I sit down to study Korean, I wonder if there is a better approach out there.  I hear a lot of different chatter on different methods that are available to help foreigners learn how to speak Korean, or any foreign language, for that matter.

· Classroom.  Many larger universities offer Asian Studies courses and expanded foreign language programs, including Korean language classes.  The plus side to taking a university course is that you get the daily regiment of learning from a professor and speaking in Korean with other students.  The daily assignments will also keep you focused and help you progress.  On the other hand, the time commitment is pretty intense with an entire quarter or semester lasting several weeks, plus a minimum of one hour in class every day, making it unfeasible for most working folks, but very convenient for college students.  Also, there is the issue of applying for college and paying tuition.  Of course, you could always audit the class for no credit.

· Audio Methods.  These offer the convenience of being able to study a foreign language at times when sitting down at a desk or going to the library to study, such as while you are out jogging or driving to work.  They are usually pretty reasonably-priced, too, or you can borrow CDs from the library.  The downside would be that you don’t learn how to write or spell in the language.  For a language like Korean, being able to learn how to write in Hangul is very important and this element is lost in an audio-only method.

· Book Methods.  Basically, an independent study.  This gives you the benefit of being able to study on your own whenever it is the most convenient.  Books can help you learn grammar, writing in Hangul, and many provide cultural information as well.  The downside is that the conversational element is missing, and being able to hear a language spoken is just as important as being able to write it.  Some book methods have accompanying recordings so you can practice conversations and listen to the accent.

· Software-Based Methods.  These provide an interactive learning environment that includes writing, listening, grammar drills, flashcards, and some even have an option where you speak into your computer's microphone to participate in practice conversations.  This seems like a great environment, with the only con that I see being that you have to have access to a computer.  Many people swear by these computer-based foreign language programs.

· Immersion.  Totally immersing yourself in another culture is always a learning experience and by surrounding yourself with the language, you will be sure to learn a ton of new words and phrases.  The best way to do this would be to move straight to Korea and enroll in a Korean class for foreigners living in Korea.  This way, you will be able to practice every day and put the new things you learn to immediate use.  But, maybe this is not practical, or you are travelling to Korea to teach English and you want to get a leg up on the language and culture.  There are ways you can immerse yourself in Korean culture, even in America, before you travel.

• Make friends with Korean people.  This might be hard if you live in an area without a large Korean population.  If you are in college, see if there is a Korea Club or another student organization that is focused on Asian cultures that you can get involved with.  Or you can find a few pen pals that you would like to correspond with by e-mail, instant messaging, or Skype.
• Watch Korean movies and TV shows.  There are several websites, such as http://www.mysoju.com/, that offer free streaming movies and TV shows from Korea with subtitles so you can follow along.  Korean dramas are among the very best in the world and are very exciting to watch.  My personal favorites are East of Eden, Queen Seondeok, Yi-San, Iris, Athena, All In, and Temptation of Wife.
• Listen to K-Pop (Korean pop music).  Using iTunes, you should be able to locate some popular artists and download some music.  Check out the lyrics online and see if you can follow along with the translations.
• Read blogs that are written by expatriates, living abroad and working or teaching in Korea.  See how they manage on a daily basis and how learned, if they learned, how to speak Korean.

All in all, it seems to me that the best way to learn a language is to live it.  Being fully-immersed in the language, seeing it, hearing it, and necesarily speaking it every day makes it natural to absorb the language and understand it fully.  This requires the learner to arrive in a foreign country with an open mind, though; even though I haven't done this myself, I know that once arriving in another country for an extended period of time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, lost, and isolated.  The danger with feeling isolated is that someone could easily keep to themselves and not venture out much.  Besides leading to what I would think to be unimaginable loneliness, the golden opportunity to learn the language is lost.

Some day, when we find the opportunity to move to Korea, I plan to take Korean classes at a special hagwon for foreigners (they have a lot of these!) and try to speak Korean every day.  For me, having my family there will help, but I would not want to lean on that advantage entirely.

Good Sleeping Weather and Death by Fan

"Good sleeping weather."

Back home in Minnesota, this phrase could often be heard when the weather started to turn a little cooler night.  Even in the North Country, the nights can be stifling with the high humidity and it often be too warm and sticky for sleep until late, late into the night.  Mid to late August means nights growing a little longer, daytime highs lowering, and an all around cooler night, making it much easier to fall asleep.

Where I live now definitely has had some good sleeping weather these last few nights.  It’s getting down into the 50s at night and with the windows open, the cool breeze throughout the house really makes for a nice environment.  I have awoken the past few mornings feeling very refreshed and well-rested.

The human body naturally prefers a cooler temperature in order to fall asleep.  The process of cooling down the core temperature lulls one into a comfortable state, making it easier to start catching Zs.  This is not folklore; it is medically proven that a body sleeps better cold than hot:

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/cant-sleep-adjust-the-temperature

Now cool may be a relative term, with some people getting cold when it is 70 (like my wife) and others not needing a sweater until it is nearly freezing (like me; no, seriously, I would leave the windows open until it was single digits if I could get away with it!).  Either way, turning on the fan, lowering the air conditioning, or having the windows open can go a long ways to making it perfect to drift off into slumber land.

This is where my wife and I get into disagreements.  The believes that having the fan or air conditioning on at night can lead to death, a cultural phenomenon labeled as “Fan Death.”  The first time my wife mentioned this, I laughed, but then I realized that she was not fooling around.  I tried to reason with her, but no, Fan Death is real, she claimed, and we have to sleep warm.

Check out the website dedicated to Fan Death: http://www.fandeath.net/
The View From Over Here: http://smileyjkl.blogspot.com/2008/07/fan-death-watch-out.html
And Snopes.com’s article debunking Fan Death: http://www.snopes.com/medical/freakish/fandeath.asp

I can’t find much research that has been done on the origins of Fan Death, as most of the articles out there seem to be more concerned with attacking the logic than finding the root of the idea.  From what I have been able to find, it looks like it was originally exposed in the 1970s with the ulterior motive of conserving energy.  That just makes me wonder how much energy was truly conserved versus how many Koreans had to suffer though unbearable heat at night, terrified of Fan Death.

But don’t argue that with a Korean; Fan Death is real.  Now, I don’t mean to poke fun at the Korean culture.  I know that there is far more to make fun of in American culture no doubt!  But Fan Death is the one little thing that I can’t get on board with, mostly because I can’t sleep when it’s hot.

Anyways, the weather is good for sleeping now.  Sweet dreams.

Cooler weather finally!

Finally a day when it won't be so hot!  I'll enjoy sleeping with the windows open tonight.

Chug and Thug

New slang for everyone: "chug and thug," meaning to have one drink and leave quickly afterwards.

There is a background on this one.  At work, we use the word "thug" meaning to depart, as in "I'm going to thug out of here" and "let's thug."  It's very similar to "bounce."  So, chug and thug refers to chugging a beer and thugging immediately thereafter.  Not to be confused with "dine and dash," a chug and thugger always pays his own bill.  Here is the new slang used in a real-life situation:

"Hey, do you have time for a beer after work today?"

"I really need to be home by 6:00 tonight because we have something going on, so... well, I think I can make it for one.  I'll have to chug and thug."

Enjoy.

Mannerisms

Being married to a Korean and around so many Korean friends, I have found myself absorbing and integrating many little cultural elements into my everyday life, so much that I find myself behaving in certain ways around Westerners that is completely Korean!  Most of the time, I don't even notice it, except for when somebody points it out to me.  Let me elaborate a little bit on this:

• I offer and accept objects with both hands.  Everything from pens, cups of coffee, menus, cash, it all is transacted with two hands.
• I say "아이고" instead of sighing.  This raises a few eyebrows from people who either don't know me very well or aren't Korean.
• I don't mind sharing a dish or double-dipping.  I do make sure to check with someone, first, if they are comfortable with this.
• I hesitate before calling someone older or more senior than me by first name.  I feel like I need to add a 님 whenever I do this.
• I bow when I meet someone for the first time.
• I think American food can be too sweet, too greasy, or too salty.

These are just a few observations.  I'm sure there are more that I am not aware of or are subconscious.

Heat Wave

It is so hot outside!  They say we're supposed to cool off over the weekend, but I am melting away!  I get so irritable when it's hot like this and it has been absolutely stifling.  I think I’ll go off on a rant about summer, as long as we’re on the subject!

I hate summer.  I always have and I think that I always will.  Summer gets all of the attention for the best season: sunshine, sunglasses, pretty drinks with umbrellas in them, pools, lemonade, ice cream…

You can keep it, summer.  Except for the ice cream, that belongs to me.

To me, summer means one thing: heat.  I hate heat.  I hate being hot and sweaty.  Why is summer painted as the most romantic and exciting season?  I don’t think of long walks on the beach, I only think of long lines of sweat trickling slowly down my back and pooling up on my waist, leaving a mysterious stain on my shirt.  I hate it!  I can’t stand the heat, and yes, I will stay out of the kitchen!  Unless the air conditioning is on.  The only thing I like about summer is barbecue.

The thing is, I always liked being in school, so having all of that free time was nice for a few weeks, but then it was boring.  I liked camping for a few weeks, and then I would miss school.  Autumn is my favorite season because I like the fall colors, going back to school, football, the smell of burning leaves, apples, pumpkin pie, turkey… the list goes on.  I like wearing a sweater and feeling cold.

Summer, go away!  I detest you and your heat.

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#7 - The First Years Deluxe Fold N Go Diapering Kit

One of the first pieces of advice I received when I was a father-to-be was this: "Don't waste your money on a changing table.  It's a big, dangerous, expensive, and unnecessary piece of furniture that you can't re-sell once your child grows out of it."

Some people argued against this, but let’s take a look at the idea of the diaper changing table and my friend’s claims against using one.

• It’s big - This is true, diaper changing tables are big pieces of furniture that take up a lot of space in the nursery.  Any extra space in the baby’s room for toys, books, playing, etc. most parents would probably welcome in a heartbeat.
•  It's dangerous - Well, it could be dangerous.  You have to have a pad on the table so Junior isn't getting his diaper changed on a hard slab of wood, and this pad needs to have a strap on it so he can't roll off the table and get hurt.  There are two problems with this, though: 1) it assumes that the parent always straps the baby in, and 2) it assumes that the baby can't loosen the strap on its own.  If either one of these things were to happen, there could be a potential fall.  So, if someone were to change a baby on the floor, the risk of falling would be taken out.
• It's expensive - These things range from $75 to upwards of $500; that's a lot of money for a poopy diaper station!  I can think of a lot of other things to spend that much money on (like another box of diapers).
• It's unnecessary - Debatable.  If standing up while changing a diaper is important to you, you will need a piece of equipment that physically allows you to change a stinky while you are upright.  If you are willing to change while kneeling or sitting down, the table would just get in your way.
• You can't re-sell it once your child grows out of it - Most likely 98% true.  I would never buy a used piece of furniture whose sole purpose was for changing diapers.  I can only imagine the nastiness that has passed across its surface and have no need for this.

Considering all of this, we decided to try using the changing pad that we bought for the diaper bag as our at-home changing station.  It has worked out beautifully!  We have a small caddy that has diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream that stays on top of the baby's dresser.  When it's time for a change, we pull the pad out of the diaper bag, grab the caddy, find a bit of space on the floor, and she is clean and dry in no time at all.  We clean the pad with soapy water once a week to make sure it stays germ-free.  Since there is always a floor available, there is no need for this clumsy piece of furniture in the nursery.

We got The First Years Deluxe Fold N Go Diapering Kit from Target.  It folds up nicely to fit into a diaper bag and comes with a portable wipe box.

http://www.target.com/p/the-first-years-deluxe-fold-n-go-diapering-kit-pink/-/A-13037055?reco=Rec|pdp|13037055|ClickCP|item_page.adjacency&lnk=Rec|pdp|ClickCP|item_page.adjacency

My Top Ten Pet Peeves

Well, it's been a while since my last top ten list, so I thought now would be a good time to put out a new one!  All of us have pet peeves, little insignificant (or sometimes significant) things that just get under our skin and irritate us.  Sometimes they are funny and other times downright annoying, but we can all relate to each other on this level in that everybody has a few pet peeves.  Here are my top ten:

1. When people use apostrophes wrong.  An apostrophe only forms a contraction or shows possession.  It is never used to make something plural!  This applies to acronyms and numbers, too.  For example:

• DVD's = WRONG!  (unless something belongs to the DVD)
• 100's = WRONG! (unless something belongs to the number one hundred)
• 1950's = WRONG! (unless something belongs to this decade)

Can you read the heat in my words?  I really get irked when I see the apostrophe thrown haphazardly into words.  The ' and the "s" are not married!

2. When people pronounce the "t" in "often."  I can still remember my third grade teacher telling us how this letter is an anomaly in the English language and that we never, never, never pronounce this "t."  The word is pronounced "OFF-en," not "OFF-ten."  I guess her lesson really hit home with me, as ever since that day I am rankled whenever someone pronounces this word incorrectly!

3. Loud music.  Volume just doesn't make anything sound better, it makes it sound louder, that's all!  If you like the song on the radio, that's great, but turning the volume up to 11 won't make you (or me) like it any more.

4. Please, don't run red lights.  It holds up traffic and puts lives in danger.  You'll get there soon enough!

5. Realtors.  I just don't like them.  Sorry if your mom is a realtor, but she is really annoying.  I don't like how they act as if selling houses is the most important, glamorous job in the world; it isn't.  It's not any better than selling used cars.  Or candy bars.  I don't like how they put their pictures on business cards.  That looks sleazy and lame.  I don't like how they claim they sell homes  They don't; they sell houses.  I will decide if a house is a home, not you.

6. When people call Asian car brands "rice burners."  Wow, can you be more racist than that?  I'm glad you know that Asians eat rice, do you know anything else about Asian culture?  By the way, did you notice how none of their companies seem to produce crappy cars, either?

7. People who don't clean up after their dogs.  Poop stinks!  Talk about nasty.  If you are not responsible enough to clean up after the animal, you are not responsible enough to have one in the first place.

8. While we're on the subject of dogs, I don't like pugs.  To me, they are the ugliest-looking dogs on the face of the earth.  They're useless, good only for entertainment, and bad entertainment at that.  I don't see why this breed is allowed to exist, since these dogs are unintelligent and they look terrible.  Even worse, now they are included in "designer breeds," such as a "puggle" (pug and beagle mix).  Why would you ever want to destroy a beautiful breed like the beagle with a worhtless smash-faced degenerate pug?  Let's let this breed go extinct.

9. Tantruming.  Well, let me clarify that.  I understand that young kids get upset and they can't control their emotions; that doesn't bother me.  My pet peeve is parents who allow their kids to tantrum in public and either don't address the issue or deal with it poorly.  Having a toddler at home, I know how difficult it can be out in public.  But, at the first sign of trouble we are out the door- I don't want the whole store to listen to a screaming kid!  Parents, please plan ahead and save the world the horror of your tantruming brat.

10. The fact that prices never include taxes or fees.  If an item's advertised price is $0.99, the final price might be $1.07, but you wouldn't know that until you got to the checkstand.  Why don't we include taxes and fees in the price so we know exactly how much something costs?  That would make sense, and that's what they do in Korea.

14. Pace yourself.

13. Diet pop is nasty.

A Winter in Korea with No Heat

For the last year or so, I have been following Marshallogue, the daily blog of Marshall Jones, Jr.  Marshall is an American teaching English in South Korea and he is quite a character.  I find his posts amusing, intellectual, and exciting; I’ve subscribed to his blog and I receive his posts via e-mail so I can follow his adventures teaching abroad.  He is sometimes philosophical, way out there, downright funny, and always interesting.

Take, for example, his no heat experiment.  Marshall is continually running experiments, just to see what happens, and his topics range all over the place, but my favorite to-date is the no heat experiment.  For this, he turned off his heater for the entire winter in Seoul!  Check out the summary here:

http://marshalljonesjr.com/no-heater-experiment/

With as hot as it has been here in the US lately, I sure wish I was in Korea in the middle of winter with no heat!

12. There is not much to gain in winning an argument.

Green Coffee?!

I just set up shop in a Starbucks to get a little work done and I was offered a sample of Starbucks Refreshers, a new product that they have rolled out today!  Refreshers are made from green coffee extract.  Green coffee?  What in the world is this?!

Apparently, black coffee takes on its flavor from the roasting process.  As the raw, green beans are toasted to varying degrees of darkness, the signature flavor and aroma develops.  Starbucks has taken an extract from the green coffee bean and uses this as the basis for this new drink.  It still has caffeine from the unroasted bean but none of the flavor of coffee.  I tried both of the flavors, Very Berry Hibiscus and Cool Lime (I liked the latter better).  It tastes just like a fruit drink and I couldn't detect any bitterness from the caffeine.  Refreshers come in cans, Via packets, and, iced drinks made right in the cafe.  I was given a coupon for half-off a pack of Vias.  This Friday only, they are offering a free Refresher.  Check it out!

http://www.starbucks.com/refreshers/en-us

11. It's okay to sing while you are driving.

뽀로로 - Pororo

I wanted to take a few minutes and write a quick post about my favorite cartoon in Korea, 뽀로로 (Pororo, the Little Penguin).  The show recounts the adventures of Pororo and his friends in a frozen village somewhere. 

Most of the antics of the characters are pretty harmless, with the exception of Crong, the crocodile, who never seems to be very far from any trouble.  Now that I think about it, none of the characters are ever more than an arm's length away from trouble, but Crong seems to be the big instigator in the bunch.  There's also Loopy, a friendly beaver who acts like a princess, Eddy the fox, who seems to be the smartest one in the group, Pettie, another penguin, and Poby, my favorite character, who is a huge Polar Bear.

Poby couldn't harm a flea if he wanted to!  He seems to be the most easy-going in the group and never gets upset.  We could all be a little more like Poby, I suppose.

10. Prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance.

9. At least once per year, watch the sunrise in springtime.  At least once per year, watch the sunset in autumn.

Thoughts VIII

I'm still daydreaming about teaching English abroad and finding more and more of my mind wandering overseas.  Recently, I've taken on a few young students here in the good ol' US of A and have been teaching some private music lessons.  My heart tells me that teaching is my calling in life, but my mind keeps asking, "How?"

Originally, I went to college to become a music teacher and I was disillusioned by the tough years of schooling (in order to graduate in four years you need to go to summer school for three years so you can free up the final semester for student teaching), tough laws on teachers (too many lawsuits in recent years), tough odds (jobs getting cut left and right), and tough salary (I make more now than a first-year college professor!).  Even though I was never interested in the money, it seemed like the amount of time needed to get into a field that is losing its respect and admiration while slowly being removed from schools year after year.  Maybe I allowed myself to be too easily convinced that this was not for me, and maybe my professors lacked enthusiasm for the field for the same reasons.

If I could turn back the clock and talk to myself again at age 20, I would say, "Stop!  Don't go to the Administration Office and change your major; stay with it, trust me, and finish your degree in music ed."  But regrets are like water passing under the bridge- when you look back, you can't change the flow of the river of your life.  I am proud of where I am today, but I wish I had chosen to stay in education for the children, not for myself.  I love teaching, I love kids, and I have no greater joy than when I see a child succeed, see that lightbulb come on, and watch him or her achieve.

It's not too late to start again, but if I do that, I want to do it in Korea.  There would be a couple of things I need to take care of before embarking on that journey first, though.  From what I have read and in thinking long-term, I would need to prepare myself for a career, not just a one- or two-year gig.  Here are a few adjustments I think would benefit me in the long-term:

1. Learn to speak Korean better.  I can get by, but one can't just get by as a foreigner for an entire life.  If I can speak like a native, or even close to a native speaker, I can fully immerse myself in the culture and in the country.

2. Earn some sort of certification.  Whether it is a TEFL certificate, a teaching license, or some other sort of documentation, I think that this would be pretty helpful in making myself more marketable as a teacher, in addition to my experience.

3. Forget about turkey.  Turkey is my favorite food.  I could eat a turkey sandwich for lunch and a Thanksgiving feast for dinner and never grow tired of it, but turkey is hard to find in Korea, so I should prepare myself to live without it.

4. Dress better.  Men in Seoul dress impeccably!  My wife always guffaws at my outfits and asks me, "You're wearing that?!"  I like the way Koreans dress, but I usually choose my clothes for comfort, not fashion.  I would definitely need to dress better!

8. Read the bible every day.

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#6 - HoMedics Soundspa Lullaby

I like this machine.  I mean, I really like it!  Yawn... just thinking about it makes me want to curl up and take a nap.  We got this when our daughter was about eight months old and still having a hard time sleeping through the night and we thought that it might help her fall asleep without us holding her the whole time.  This was just what we needed!

It's pretty neat- it comes with three different discs that you can insert so the machine projects different pictures on the ceiling.  There is a jungle scene, a nighttime sky, and ocean animals (our little angel likes the night sky the best- it has cute pictures of a moon reading a book, smiling stars, sheep, a cow jumping over the moon, and a moon with a night cap on).  It plays a few different sounds, so you can experiment and figure out which one your baby likes the best or switch it up from time to time.  Again, our little one had a favorite- Rock-A-Bye Baby, but it also plays the Brahms Lullabye, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, a heartbeat, rain, and the ocean.  It has a timer on it, but we usually just let it go until she falls asleep, then we switch it off.

It works so well it actually puts me to sleep, too!  I usually wake up after 10-15 minutes, see my daughter fast asleep, and then I can sneak out of the room.

http://www.amazon.com/HoMedics-SS-3000-Soundspa-Lullaby-White/dp/B000QTSW64

Say Kimchi!

Hana... dul... set... Kimchi!

I stumbled across this website a couple of years ago and I just found it again.  This looks like a pretty good recruiter for English teachers in Korea.

http://www.saykimchirecruiting.com/

추어탕

추어탕 (Chuotang) - Korean Mudfish Soup

I first heard about this soup when I watched the episode about Korea on Andrew Zimmer's Bizarre Foods.  Most of the foods he tried I have also sampled, or at least seen, and most of them I didn't think were too out there, as far as "bizarre" goes.

The 추어탕 looked strangley intriguing (check out the link below) and I decided I would love to try some the next time I go to Korea.  We had some when we went to Korea last fall.  The soup that we tried didn't have the swimming mudfish dropped fresh into the hot pot, as in the video, but was made with a ground mudfish paste.  The taste was amazing!  It was pungeant, fresh, and very flavorful.  There were several Chinese herbs that were used to season it so it took on a very unique flavor.

My wife tells me that this is a traditional autumn food in Korea.  The flavor of the soup matched well with the damp, cool weather and unmistakable autumn scent in the air.

Watch Andrew Zimmer sample 추어탕 on Bizarre Foods

Thoughts VII

Well, it's getting to be that time again when I'm starting to think about Korea again.  It’s been several months since I have visited Seoul, since I posted on Korea, or even sat down to seriously think about it.  Everything has been so busy recently that I haven’t had the time to sort through all of my thoughts and I’ve been so caught up with life that the space I have in my mind just for Korea has taken a back seat to the rest of it.

But not in my heart; that special place I have only for Korea misses my adopted country, the family I have there, and my hope of returning there to live.  I’ve begun daydreaming about Korea recently and I’ve done a little searching in my spare time, reading new blogs, and looking at possible employment opportunities.

I think that it might be helpful for me to connect with some other Americans who are living and working there teaching English.  I do have a few questions I would ask of anyone who is currently in Korea as an expatriate:

1. How did you first learn about your current opportunity to teach English in Korea?
2. What did you find to be your biggest challenge when you first arrived?
3. Can you see yourself living there for more than a year?  More than ten years?  For the rest of your life?
4. What do you miss the most about your home country?
5. What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to anyone considering moving abroad and teaching in Korea?

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#5 - Yellow Bear Play Mat

We bought two of these in Korea and we found these play mats to be pretty useful.  We put them in the living room on the carpet so our baby wouldn't be playing in the dusty carper.  They're soft enough and while she was learning to sit up, stand up, etc., when she took a spill there were no rug burns, scraped knees, or tears.  These are easy to keep clean- more than carpet is, for sure!

7. Never call someone during dinner time.

6. It's ok to ask for more dessert.

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#4 - Foogo Leak-Proof Food Jar

So, you decided to do the whole make-your-own baby food thing.  You want to take your little one out with you for the day.  How are you going to keep that food fresh until it is actually time to eat?  Warm food, or even chilled food can spoil quite easily, especially in this intense summer heat, and I don't know of anyone who has a vaccuum jar sealer, but this little unit is amazing!

We put in steaming hot food, seal the top, and head out for an afternoon of fun.  Then, when mealtime rolls around you pop the top and it is still steaming hot.  It's pretty easy to clean, too.  Foogo also makes a thermal sipper that we bought that keeps drinks nice and cold.  We haven't tried milk in the sipper, but juice, water, and corn tea stay fresh.

http://www.target.com/p/thermos-foogo-10-oz-leak-proof-food-jar-blue/-/A-10538257

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#3 - ERGObaby Original Baby Carrier

This was a lifesaver for us!  the beautiy of this carrier is that it is so versatile while being very comfortable at the same time.  The canvas material is rugged but now rough enough to scratch skin or anything.  The padded waistband and shoulder straps are all adjustable so half the time, you don't even know you're wearing this.

Our daughter didn't like the baby swing or any infant seat; she only liked being held by Mom and Dad and this became pretty restricting.  Bedtime was a nightmare and we couldn't do much of anything during the day.

What's really neat about this is that you can put the ERGObaby carrier on in front or in back.  When you wear it in front, it lets your baby feel close to your heartbeat so (s)he can fall asleep well, leaving your arms free the entire time so they don't get so tired.  I liked putting my daughter on my back so she could fall asleep while I was doing dishes, vacuuming, etc.

Ergo Baby Website

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#2 - Hanna Andersson SleepSack

After our little one started to sit up and crawl on her own, she began rolling during the night and her blanket would fall off.  We tried a larger blanket, but she still rolled out of that one, too!  Well, we saw the Hanna Andersson SleepSack and thought that it might be worth a try.  This is a wonderful little item; no matter how much your little one tosses and turns, he or she can't roll out of this.  It is easy to put on and our daughter loves it!  My only complaint is that the zipper starts at the top and goes down- it would be nice if they put it on the opposite way.

http://www.hannaandersson.com/style.asp?from=SC%7c9%7c1%7c156%7c309%7c8%7c%7c&simg=38371_05N

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#1 - The Ninja Express Chopper

My wife and I decided that rather than serve up questionable store-bought food to our daughter, we would make everything at home for her so we knew exactly how it was made and what went into it.  For almost a year, we chopped raw vegetables by hand: carrots, onions, celery, broccoli, summer squash, mushrooms, etc., then heat this mixture up with water until it was soft and mushy.  We would also boil chunks of chicken and beef until they were well-done, then hand-chop these as well.  The vegetable mix went into the freezer separately from the meet.  When we were ready to fix a meal, we would scoop out frozen chopped meat and vegetables, mix them together with rice porridge, and heat the mixture up, stirring it until it was creamy.

The problem was the weekly chopping session we would have, standing in the kitchen until our arms were sore.  I bought a food processor and we tried it, but it didn't work at all.  It would liquefy half of the vegetable and chunkify the other half and it didn't save us much time in the long run.

Then, one day, I saw the Ninja Express Chopper and thought that I would give it a whirl (that is, a whirling kick!).  Boy, was I in for a surprise.  This little guy reduces our weekly 3-4 hour chore down to less than 5 minutes.  It chops to the perfect consistency every time and can cut vegetables and meat with ease.  No more late nights or sore arms or dull chopping knives for us!  It is quick, relatively quiet, and easy to clean.

Check Out the Ninja Express Chopper

New Series: Top 10 Best Baby Things We Bought

For new parents and parents to-be, there are a host of crazy baby products out there, all promising to be the next greatest thing since sliced bread.  But, the question is, which baby products are really all they're hyped up to be?  Or, are there any products out there that are under-advertised that are actually really wonderful things for new parents to have?  Stay tuned in this series of posts to see what our verdict was!

Change the Culture!

There's one little thing that's been nagging at me about us here in the good ol' US of A.  It bugs me so much that I actually have to write about it here.  Now sure, we all have our pet peeves and it's not that big of a deal, but it really irks me!  Here it is: when there is a coffee station, why do people pour a cup of coffee, stand there, add creamer, sugar, give it a stir, sip it, add some more cream/sugar, sip it again, fumble with the lid, put on the heat sleeve, and then finally move out of the way for the next person?!  How much time are we spending in line waiting for the other person to doctor up their coffee and be on their way?  (Probably about as much time as it takes to write this post!)

Most coffee drinkers know how they like their joe fixed, so why not pour your coffee, grab your cream, sugar, lid, heat sleeve, and plastic stirring stick and step out of the way for the next person?  Wouldn't that be the polite/courteous thing to do?

Let's change the culture!