Monday, April 30, 2012
Forever 21
My shape changed a bit after I had the baby. This was increasingly obvious as I went through the summer clothes I last wore two years ago. As I threw items that I've worn since I was in my mid-twenties aside, the tags taunted me. "Forever 21". How ridiculous. I'm 30. I have a husband, a child, and a career. I have some money in the bank. I respect my parents, and I no longer think I have all of the answers. Good riddance, clothes. Why would I want to be 21 again?
Saturday, April 28, 2012
The Big Five
Something significant is shaking up the
book world. The US Justice Department is suing the big five
publishers for price fixing. If you have little interest in this,
here's a video of Xander playing with Pororo, who is the Elmo of
Korea.
Still paying attention? The big five
have owned the book world for years. They account for almost all of
the publishing of general interest and popular books. They steadily
raise the price of hardcover books every couple of years, which has
always caused me to grumble. Someone's hackles went up when ebooks
that used to cost $8.99 and $9.99 started costing $14.99, which is
about the price of a trade paperback. I have been wondering when the
trustbusters would look to the publishing world, which is quite often
at odds with libraries for obvious reasons. It looks like they
finally have.
Speaking of books, I have completely
converted. A year ago, I downloaded my first ebook. I never saw the
need to have an ebook reader, since I have such a readily available
supply of free paper books. That was before the baby. I can read my
kindle one-handed while I feed the baby or rock him, and there are no
turning pages to wake him up. I can download my book to three
separate devices, so when I find myself stuck on the side of the road
in a civil defense drill as I was on Thursday, I can pull up my book
on my ipod. I can check out kindle books from the library now, so I
don't even have to pay for most of them.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Car Trouble
Today I received a harsh reminder that I am a stranger in a strange land. Here's how it happened:
I was driving to work when a car hit my passenger side. It was a minor wreck; I was cruising slowly down our street and the other car was pulling out of a parking deck. When I got out of the car, a woman with a baby in an ergo popped out and apologized to me. She made a phone call, and I did the same. My insurance company had counseled me to leave my car where it was if a wreck was not my fault, so I left my car in the street.
While we waited for our insurance agents, a man drove up on a scooter and tried to intimidate me into moving my car. He told me it was nothing, then I think he tried to pay me. The only English word in the transaction was "dollar". I don't know if he was a passerby or of some relation to the woman (probably not her husband; we live in a rich neighborhood), but I didn't take well to his aggressive attitude and eventually he left.
People from the neighborhood started gathering around. I called Bobby and asked if he could come down because I wanted some support. No one else tried to intimidate me, but I felt very intimidated. In situations like this, at home and abroad, no one sides with the outsider. When Bobby showed up with the baby, one man asked to see him. Xenophobia rarely includes babies, which was another reason why I called Bobby over.
Our agents showed up, took pictures, spoke to each other, and left. The woman tried to say something to me, and I directed her to the agent. She got in her car and left, and I felt crappy about it. She was probably trying to say goodbye. Our car is a beater, and I don't want to cost her a bunch of money. If I spoke Korean, I would gladly have taken some money for repairs rather than going through insurance. Also, she was driving with a baby strapped to her chest. The baby appeared to be okay, but I'm sorry I didn't ask. I wish she would spend her money on a car seat, not my repairs.
The insurance company told me I have to send the car to one of their mechanics, and they picked it up this morning. I later found out that Korean law faults both drivers if both are in motion, so I will have to pay at least 20%. I don't doubt that they will make the car look pretty, which means we will both pay for cosmetic work on a 15 year old car. If we could communicate with the mechanic, we would have asked for them to fix the passenger door, which won't open, and nothing else.
At least no one was hurt. If she had been going full speed, that baby would have been.
I was driving to work when a car hit my passenger side. It was a minor wreck; I was cruising slowly down our street and the other car was pulling out of a parking deck. When I got out of the car, a woman with a baby in an ergo popped out and apologized to me. She made a phone call, and I did the same. My insurance company had counseled me to leave my car where it was if a wreck was not my fault, so I left my car in the street.
While we waited for our insurance agents, a man drove up on a scooter and tried to intimidate me into moving my car. He told me it was nothing, then I think he tried to pay me. The only English word in the transaction was "dollar". I don't know if he was a passerby or of some relation to the woman (probably not her husband; we live in a rich neighborhood), but I didn't take well to his aggressive attitude and eventually he left.
People from the neighborhood started gathering around. I called Bobby and asked if he could come down because I wanted some support. No one else tried to intimidate me, but I felt very intimidated. In situations like this, at home and abroad, no one sides with the outsider. When Bobby showed up with the baby, one man asked to see him. Xenophobia rarely includes babies, which was another reason why I called Bobby over.
Our agents showed up, took pictures, spoke to each other, and left. The woman tried to say something to me, and I directed her to the agent. She got in her car and left, and I felt crappy about it. She was probably trying to say goodbye. Our car is a beater, and I don't want to cost her a bunch of money. If I spoke Korean, I would gladly have taken some money for repairs rather than going through insurance. Also, she was driving with a baby strapped to her chest. The baby appeared to be okay, but I'm sorry I didn't ask. I wish she would spend her money on a car seat, not my repairs.
The insurance company told me I have to send the car to one of their mechanics, and they picked it up this morning. I later found out that Korean law faults both drivers if both are in motion, so I will have to pay at least 20%. I don't doubt that they will make the car look pretty, which means we will both pay for cosmetic work on a 15 year old car. If we could communicate with the mechanic, we would have asked for them to fix the passenger door, which won't open, and nothing else.
At least no one was hurt. If she had been going full speed, that baby would have been.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Role reversal
I've had another one of those realizations that I have changed dramatically today. And no, this time it's not about having a baby. This time, it's about going from a front line employee to management.
I used to hate it when I would argue with a patron over some library policy, and they would ask for the manager, who would then undermine me by overriding whatever policy I was trying to enforce. I used to feel like my boss didn't have my back.
I find myself doing the exact same thing these days, and often. It tears at me a little each time I stomp on my employee's decision, which, to make it more unfair, is probably in support of some policy I made or approved. I do it because, for example, Mrs. X borrows about 30 books a week for her family. Shutting down her library account over a DVD that I know she probably still has, though she swears she returned it, would be detrimental to the library. Not only does she contribute to our statistics, but when times are tight--and they often are--and our hours of operation and staff are threatened, she will have a huge problem with this. This is worth a lost DVD.
I act like an unsupportive jerk with full understanding of what I am doing, which doesn't make it easier. Honestly, it's easier with my Korean employees, who seem to believe that managers can do whatever they like. I would like to talk to some of my former managers and say that I understand now.
I used to hate it when I would argue with a patron over some library policy, and they would ask for the manager, who would then undermine me by overriding whatever policy I was trying to enforce. I used to feel like my boss didn't have my back.
I find myself doing the exact same thing these days, and often. It tears at me a little each time I stomp on my employee's decision, which, to make it more unfair, is probably in support of some policy I made or approved. I do it because, for example, Mrs. X borrows about 30 books a week for her family. Shutting down her library account over a DVD that I know she probably still has, though she swears she returned it, would be detrimental to the library. Not only does she contribute to our statistics, but when times are tight--and they often are--and our hours of operation and staff are threatened, she will have a huge problem with this. This is worth a lost DVD.
I act like an unsupportive jerk with full understanding of what I am doing, which doesn't make it easier. Honestly, it's easier with my Korean employees, who seem to believe that managers can do whatever they like. I would like to talk to some of my former managers and say that I understand now.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Adoption nonsense
I try to keep mum about Korea's ass backwards gender politics. I know that I am an outsider looking in, particularly because I am not close enough to any Koreans to hear an honest opinion on politics. (Koreans, unlike Americans, tend not to spout their beliefs to everyone). I have to say something about this new law, though.
So in a nutshell, a woman who makes the difficult decisions that she cannot raise her child AND that despite this, she will carry it to term in a country that has no forgiveness for unwed mothers must have her postpartum mind wrecked for what must be an incredibly difficult week. Women who give babies up for adoption rather than aborting are superwomen. They endure so much already. Now they can be guilted for it. F U, Korea.
So in a nutshell, a woman who makes the difficult decisions that she cannot raise her child AND that despite this, she will carry it to term in a country that has no forgiveness for unwed mothers must have her postpartum mind wrecked for what must be an incredibly difficult week. Women who give babies up for adoption rather than aborting are superwomen. They endure so much already. Now they can be guilted for it. F U, Korea.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Bounce with me
I traded my Saturdays off for Tuesdays, when the library is closed. Here's how we spent our first Tuesday off...
Bounce bounce bounce! So cute, if I do say so myself. The title of this post, incidentally, is from a K-pop song.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Daegu Arboretum
Happy Easter! To celebrate the lovely weather, we went to the Daegu Arboretum. I think just about everyone in Daegu had the same idea. Xander enjoyed himself and was cute for the old ladies. We were the only people in short sleeves, Xander included, and his entire back was sweaty when I pulled him out of his stroller. Those poor bundled up Korean babies must have been roasting!
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| Okay, this isn't the arboretum, but I had to post a picture of the baby with a book |
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