That's what the guy at the Nines Hotel concierge desk called me.

After making me guess whose name the room was reserved under (it took me four tries), he called the room to make sure they were expecting me.

"Yes, there is a makeup artist lady here to see you?" he says.

I am offended, on my way up the elevator, that he called me "lady".
Wow. I guess I've aged huh.

ANYWAY. Here is the beautiful bride. Isn't she a cutie?!!

Photos by: Clear Imagery (more pictures here!)

It was honestly such a fun privilege and honor to be able to do my friend's makeup for her wedding. (And hem her dress. And fix her bustle. And make her veil. And her hair clip. And do Shmoopy's makeup too. Yup yup I've been a busy body!) Thanks, Michelle, for trusting me with your big day glamourizing!

Fun shhtuff.

I love soap.

I know most women prefer to use bodywash on a big fluffy pompom looking thing... and I've tried to like it too. But I'm Korean. I like to scrub the heck out of my skin with an exfoliating cloth until it hurts. I hate about 95% of the fragrances out there. And I hate that filmy residue that most bodywashes leave.



This is my newest obsession.
It's gentle. It leaves no residue, smells fresh and lathers like you wouldn't believe.

What do you love the most in your shower?

So I showed up at the USCIS building in Seattle early last Tuesday for my interview. It went really quick! The whole process took me less than an hour, including the security and sitting in the waiting room. The interview was about 10 minutes.

I was asked a whole range of questions - social security number, current address, how many times have I been married, have I ever pretended to be a citizen before, have I ever voted before... etc.

My interviewer asked me whether or not I had any outstanding taxes to pay. I replied, "Not that I know of" and she told me that she didn't like that answer so I clarified to a "no."

Then she gave me a piece of paper and asked me to read question number 1.

It said, "Who lives in the White House?"

Then on a second piece of paper, she asked me to write my answer.

Without even thinking I wrote, "Barack Obama."

When she read that, she actually smiled. (Man, if she isn't the nicest immigration officer I have ever met... uh, someone who actually smiles?!!) She told me that I was right but the correct answer they were looking for was "The President lives in the White House."

Oh.

So I quickly wrote that in below my answer.

The next questions were verbal and went by super quick. Who was the first President of the United States? Who is the governor of Washington? What is one thing you promise in the oath of allegiance? What movement tried to end racial discrimination? Name two federal holidays, etc.

Then she congratulated me on passing and told me when the next oath ceremony would take place. I signed a paper and then I was done!

My oath ceremony is tomorrow. As silly as it sounds, I'm actually worried about what I'm going to wear...

I don't know. Suit or dress?

I think I think I think...

I think I might have found my holy grail mascara.

Mascara has got to be one of the most addicting beauty items ever. A good one will instantly make you feel ready to take on the world with fluttering butterfly tipped femininity. But in a market where there are literally thousands to choose from it can be pretty overwhelming. I don't think I've met very many women who haven't been frustrated buying mascaras that promise you the world and a free HD tv but turn out to be less than exciting. Dud after dud after dud..

It's taken me a while to figure out what works for me. I have thick stubborn hair and I have to BEND it to my will in order to make it curl... and my lashes aren't any different. Eyelash curlers help but after about an hour, the darned little things start sticking straight out again like cactus thorns. Most frustrating is that most mascaras add to the problem. It was either sacrifice volume for curves or give up on curves for the volume. I was starting to get really pissed off at all of Maybelline's LIES. Diorshow was probably the best contender but $24 a pop is just too painful to hand over every 3 months. (And we're all told to throw out our mascaras every 3 months because bacteria likeys the dark moist enclosed tubes...)

Well yesterday at Uwajimaya (Waji's, for short) I found this little guy. Fairy Drops mascara.
It has the most interestingly shaped wand I've ever seen... like three marshmellows on a wire hanger toasting in a campfire. But it is amazing. I guess all those Japanese girlies have similar lash issues like moi.


The curl, the volume, the intense black color... I am in love. Price point is not bad either~

Find it: here

So out of some sentimental shmuck like blue, I started listening to the old Sandi Patty songs from my childhood in the south..... and yes, the eighties and nineties style producing is cheesy... and yes, I forget that I am not that conservative southern girl anymore... and yes, I can no longer even hum along to that lady's crazy high range... but dang it. It's beautiful.

There aren't very many songs with words like that anymore.

It's like we forgot how to have a heart.