Short Tidbits

As promised:

Among The Things You Never Say To A Pregnant Woman

My mom and I were talking with a recently pregnant friend. She’s not sharing her pregnancy (yet!) so I won’t name names, but it is SUPER EXCITING. Some background: the Korean alphabet is an interesting one. The consonant named Reul (ㄹ) romanizes in English to the to the “R” sound and also the “L” sound, depending on where it is placed. It’s actually more of a combined “rrrll” sound. (Hence, why Korea’s Tourism Organization’s choice to start the: “Korea, Sparkling” campaign stumps me. There is not a Korean I know that can pronounce it right. It ends up sounding like “Korea, Spahkuhring”.) So, on with the story.

Mom: How far along are you?
Preggo: About 12 weeks!
Mom: Your face is grlowing!
Preggo: (assuming my mom said, “Your face is growing”) Oh… yeah… um… it *is* getting rounder
Mom: Oh yes. Absolutely.
Me: OH MY GOD, NO. MY MOM MEANT GLOWING! GLOWING! NOT GROWING!
Preggo: Oh, thank goodness.
Mom: Thank you, Amy. Yes. Grlowing. That’s what I said.



Asian Case of Who’s on First?

I love my mom’s cooking. And she, like any Korean mom, loves to feed me. So:

Me: Mom, can you make me some cold noodles?
Mom: OK. Cucumbers I have.
Me: (correcting, gently) No, Mom. I have cucumbers.
Mom: Oh, you do?! Where?
Me: No, mom, YOU have cucumbers.
Mom: Then why did you say you did?
Me: (cradles head in hands)



Blue

Kids show up at my parents house for trick-or-treating. I absolutely love to see all the costumes.

My mom answers the door…

Mom: Oh! You are the blue men! The musical players!
Me: (walking to the door to see the kiddos) Um, no, Mom. Those are smurfs
Mom: (not phased) Eh. Same face.