Another giveaway!

She's doing it again, folks...my dear friend, Anne Riley of www.annerileybooks.com is giving away two more books! Head on over to her blog and enter for a chance to win.

I know I've posted a bit about Anne and her giveaways but some of you may not know her. Well, let me introduce you :)

Anne Riley (formerly Anne Capitell of the Birmingham Capitells) is a force to be reckoned with. As a Spanish teacher at a prestigious private school, a doting wife and a supermom, she still manages to find time to write delicious stories that leave you wanting more. Characters jump off the pages and climactic scenes leave you on the edge of your seat. It's fairly addicting, people, and her writing makes me want to win the lottery and give her a ton of money so she can quit her day job and focus on getting me more books....'cause, you know she writes just for me ;)

Her debut novel, The Clearing, is fantastic and I can only hope that she has a sequel lurking in her brilliant brain somewhere. Her blog is entertaining and witty, containing book reviews, giveaways, "nonsensical musings", and familial anecdotes. So, like I said, head on over and enter to win a book or two. No, wait....if you enter my chances of winning go down.

Forget I said anything.

Bad blogger!

Ok, I admit it...I'm a bad blogger. Part of it is because I don't feel like my life is exciting enough to blog about. Am I a burgeoning YA novelist on her way to superstardom? Nope, that's Anne Riley. Am I a mother to 6 and semi-married to one of the hottest men in the world? Nope, that's Angelina Jolie. I'm just a boring homebody who'd rather watch a movie while eating leftovers in my PJs than go out on the town. I'd rather read a good book and cook a yummy Asian-inspired meal than go to the movies. I love Publix. I love my library and the fantastic women who work in YA. I love my family and every bit of the craziness that goes along with being a Kniskern. I've got it pretty good people ;)

So, news? Um, I live in America again, I don't have a job, I'm halfway through my second MA, I'm living at home again (shhh, don't tell anyone), I'm going to have a niece soon (Holla, Margaret!!!), and I'm often too busy responding to online discussion board posts for my language development class to remember to call friends back. How are you?!

More later....I'm going to try to be more faithful on this thing....if anyone still reads it ;)

Lurve!

Yet more Anne Riley for ya

So, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of my dear friend's writing. And, not only is she amazingly talented, but she is ALSO amazingly generous! She is doing ANOTHER giveaway, so you should go to her blog and enter! Her book is great and it's FREE!!!!!

www.annerileybooks.com

Go now!!!

New Directions

I title this blogpost in honor of Glee, because it's one of the few things that really makes me laugh and smile these days. Why are you blue, you might ask...

I am going in a new direction. One that leads me away from someone I have loved dearly. There was no big fight, no hurtful words said...but decisions were made that put cracks in our relationship and those cracks widened and now it's over. There are so many emotions that I'm numb...I'm happy in a way. I'm happy that God is in control (I have to keep telling myself this) and that there is a reason for everything. I don't regret the past year and a half. I don't regret coming to Korea. I don't regret loving him. I am a better person because of him, and I think he would say the same thing about me.

So, I'm going in a new direction...I just don't know where I'm going. My future now seems quite empty without him there.

God, please show me the way.

Anyway...that's that. If anyone cares to comment, please remember that I won't tolerate anything negative comments about him here. He is a good man and we separate as amicably as possible.

Much love from Korea.

I'm slow dancing in a burning room...

It's not a silly little moment,
It's not the storm before the calm.
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on.

Can't seem to hold you like I want to
So I can feel you in my arms.
Nobody's gonna come and save you,
We pulled too many false alarms.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

I was the one you always dreamed of,
You were the one I tried to draw.
How dare you say it's nothing to me?
Baby, you're the only light I ever saw.

I'll make the most of all the sadness,
You'll be a bitch because you can.
You try to hit me just to hurt me
So you leave me feeling dirty
Because you can't understand.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?

My dear, we're slow dancing in a burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room.

Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?

A very late Happy Thanksgiving :)

Yep, it's 2 months after Thanksgiving but I just got the pictures (thanks, G) so I wanted to share!I went to a cabin/pension outside of Seoul for Thanksgiving with my Meetup group. Dear William was a wonderful planner and somehow, 60 people were fed and watered that weekend. I was on the cooking team and planning started way in advance. Saturday after Thanksgiving, I met up with Adrienne, William, and Jamaica to shop at Costco for all the things we needed to make it a truly wonderful Thanksgiving. While our shopping wasn't PERFECTLY smooth, we made it happen and finally got all the ingredients.

When we got to the pension, we cooks pretty much dove right in with chopping and preparing. We were so blessed to have great helpers, who became great friends (I'm talking about you, ROH!!!). I made Uncle Fred's Mac and Cheese (sooooooooo delicious) and a couple salads, Jamaica was in charge of mashed potatoes and gravy, Adrienne did the green bean casserole and a garlic and squash bisque (amazing) and we ordered the rest from the base. It was quite a feat to have so much going on and only having one real oven (and it was tiny), plus the fact we only have 6 stove-top eyes...I mean, logistical challenge much? It all turned out very good and we even had room for s'mores and wine afterwards!

Merry Christmas

It's almost Christmas, folks. The weird thing is that it doesn't feel like it. I mean, I realize I'm in a different country but there just isn't a huge emphasis on Christmas and that is REALLY strange for me. I grew up with a mom who LOVES holidays. Any excuse to bring the family together and cook an amazing meal.

The past two years, I worked at the Gap, where Christmas just made me angry. Kids crying because they want more, people spending HUNDREDS of dollars while being completely rude, the horrible Christmas music (I really only like hymns ... there are very few exceptions), and long hours .... I hated it. BUT, this year, with no emphasis on Christmas whatsoever (I work Christmas Eve and tutor on Christmas Day!), Plus the fact that I'm a million miles from my family, I'm kinda wishing I was working another Gap Christmas this year. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful. I've been able to talk with my brothers and parents (and my dog) and I have AMAZING friends who sent me the best Christmas package ever (thanks, winos!). I also have good friends here and I won't be alone. It's just ... a little depressing to spend my first Christmas away from my family.

On a brighter note, I went skiing last weekend. I was really nervous because it's been 11 years since I last skiied, and I've really only been twice in my life. I thought I would end up hurt or stuck at the top of an incredibly steep run, but I actually did well! I'm a good skiier! Now, my dad told me not to pat myself on the back too much, but I am just really proud. I love the speed! I kinda hate the cold but there's always the promise of a steamy hot jimjilbang to warm the cockles of my heart (what ARE cockles, anyway?).

ANYWAY, I wanted to post a few happy Christmas memories:

Sam, Peter, Nanny, Mom, Brad, me, Adam, and Olivia

Christmas 2006

Me-Maw, Brad, Peter, Sam and me

I LOVE the bow on her head...she left it on there all morning :)
Quite possibly the best Christmas picture ever.