The Silent I Speaks

KoreAm Journal: October Issue

The October issue of KoreAm Journal features a piece that I originally wrote for Kimchi Mamas (and cross-posted here) called "As American as Mom and Kimchi". At their request, I reworked it a little, and it is published under the title "Becoming American" in this month's KoreAm Journal.  One of the Kimchi Mamas read the story and submitted it to the magazine with my permission.  I am really honored that they wanted to publish it.

If you're not familiar with this magazine, it's a popular culture magazine for Korean Americans.  It features stories of Korean Americans in business, entertainment, and community leadership roles.  One of the monthly features is "Exiles on Main Street" which highlights personal essays and experiences.  That's where my story fits into this month's issue.

This is the first time I've had anything published in a print magazine, and I'm just thrilled.  My mom is still waiting for me to send her a copy, and now she is convinced she's going to be famous.  I've told her she's already famous in the blogosphere.  Look out Hollywood!  The krajee lady is coming your way!

I'm having a hard time finding extra copies, so if anyone knows a newstand or Korean market that sells this magazine in the San Francisco Bay Area, let me know. 

Sequoia Survival Kit

Ever since the tragic disappearance and death last year of James Kim, I've worried about what to do if we ever got stuck along the highway.  Something about that case really got to me, and I have wondered how we might fare under similar circumstances.  We don't take that many car trips, but I can recall traveling through Northern Minnesota during a light snowfall on a long, lonely stretch of road one night, and counting other cars going by at a rate of about one ever two hours.  I worried all the way to the hotel about what we might do if we were stranded in the car. It's not something you want to think about too much, but one thing that can give you peace of mind is having some basic necessities tucked away, just in case...

Parent Bloggers Network  offered me something that offers just that type of peace of mind.  I received a very nice Sequoia Survival Kit from them to review.  Encased in a sturdy red canvas bag that is about the size of an old-fashioned doctor's kit, I found an array of items that would come in handy if we ever got stuck in the wilderness, or even just had to hunker down for a few days during a natural disaster.  Inside the bag are flares, rain ponchos, work gloves, an all-purpose tool, rope and duct tape, along with drinking water pouches and food pellets that contain bars of 400 calorie nutrition.  One thing that I thought was a particularly nice touch was a deck of playing cards, which I guess would come in handy if you had to pass the time waiting for rescue, but I'm sure someone with the resourcefulness of McGyver would come up with some other purpose for the playing cards.

I have a bunch of Red Cross manuals that outline what you're supposed to have on hand in case of disaster, and have about half of the things on the list.  Living in California, we always know that the "big one" might strike at anytime, and are reminded to do this from time to time.  The reason I haven't completed it is that it takes so much time to shop for all of these items and figure out where to store them.  One of the things I like about the Sequoia kit is that I don't have to think about or shop for these items--they're all assembled for me in a handy carrying case.

Last year, we attended a pre-school silent auction in which someone donated a fully-equipped disaster bin.  The cost?  Over $700.  Sequoia's site offers similar ready-made bins for home use in case of such disasters, all for about $300. Rather than spend hours at a number of different stores looking for all the items, it seems like a much better deal to me to just buy one of these and keep it in the garage, along with some extra bottled water and cans of tuna.  Hopefully, that will get us through any disasters that might come our way.

Sign up for Vocal Point This Week!

This is the final week for the big Vocal Point drive, so please sign up now to join this campaign.  For every person who signs up, I get an entry into a drawing for a Roomba, one of those cool robotic vacuum cleaners.

I've been part of Vocal Point for a while, and I enjoy their surveys, contests, and free stuff they send in the mail from time to time.  If you don't care for it, you can opt out at any time.

This enrollment drive is being organized by the Parent Bloggers Network.

Vocal Point: Sign Up Now! I Need a Roomba!

For about a year, I've been a subscriber to Vocal Point, a marketing website that encourages women to speak up on early-stage marketing campaigns.  When the ParentBlogger Network gals asked if anyone wanted to be a VocalPoint Ambassador, I volunteered, because it's a service that I enjoy using and can recommend.

I can't remember how I heard about it, but it looked like something interesting, so I signed up.  I get periodic e-mails about various campaigns, and am invited to participate in short on-line surveys about new products from Proctor & Gamble.  They also send out coupons for everything from new women's razors to pet food to skincare products.  I also get free samples of things to try out from time to time, and for the most part, they are things that I would actually use.  They also run frequent contests for prizes, and in one campaign, you could nominate a friend to receive a basket of goodies. 

I've never felt pressured or like they were spamming me or trying to give me a hard-sell.  Most of the products are widely available, and things I actually use (other than the pet food--we're a dander-free zone here in the Casa de Silent I).  Coupons I can't use, I'm happy to give away to friends.

Anyway, if you sign up for Vocal Point, I might win a Roomba, one of those cool robotic vacuum cleaners.  There might be hope that the loose cereal under the couch might actually get cleaned up if I had one of those puppies.  Come to think of it, if I had a pet, I probably wouldn't need a Roomba to clean up the food on the floor.  Then again, I'm not sure how I would deal with all that pet hair.  Either way, mama needs a Roomba!  So, please, sign up for Vocal Point.  I think you'll enjoy it!  Just click on the button on the side to go and sign up.  They will send you a free gift just for signing up. 

Disclosure:  I am receiving some compensation as a Vocal Point Ambassador, as well as a chance to win a Roomba!