Category > Grad School Musical
In the final part of a four-part series, Mica wraps up her trip with her Omma. To catch up on where we've been together so far, click here! The next morning, after picking culturally-appropriate breakfasts from the buffet (eggs, toast, and juice for me and the boyfriend and kimchi, rice, and beanpaste soup for my relatives), we headed out for a day of shopping. Omma and my aunts insisted on finding us "couples shirts," which are just what they sound …
This is the third part in a four part series. To catch up with where we left off, you can read the whole series here, right on Smile Politely. On Wednesday, May 26th, at 2 p.m., the boyfriend and I arrived at the Holt Post Adoption Services Center in Seoul. I'm not going to lie; finding things in Seoul really sucks. Addresses and street names basically mean nothing, and we found the building by chance, some good guesswork, and a …
(Today, we continue to Part Two of Mica's account of her first contact with her birth mother. The first part can be read here.) On May 8th, I was sitting my office, making a grocery list for my weekly trip to Meijer. Suddenly, an e-mail entirely in Korean appeared in my inbox. In a state of shock, I forwarded the message to my friend Alice, a Korean international student, for a translation with the message, "Do you think you could …
I've put off writing an article about this for some time because I did not know how to address such a lengthy and personal subject. Nevertheless, I want to add on to the story that I began last year about my search for my biological parents. In a way, it feels like I owe it to any readers and to my birth mom to tell the rest of the story... as it has played out so far. Back in March, …
Back in January, when the boyfriend and I made plans for our Korea trip, he suggested that we also hit up Tokyo while on that side of the Pacific. Having studied Japanese for a year in college and being generally interested Japanese culture (but not in that dorky way), the boyfriend was itching to see the fast-paced efficiency of Tokyo first-hand. On the other hand, I was terrified. Here is what I "knew" about Tokyo prior to our trip (Thanks …
Last week, I called my adoption agency in Korea to hear what was happening. The social worker told me that they had located my birth mother and her older sister (my biological aunt) and told them of my plans to come to Korea in May. Apparently, my birth mother was afraid that her husband (not my biological father) would end their marriage if he finds out about her previous pregnancy. I went to bed excited that my birth mother might …
On Thanksgiving, my aunt started a rousing discussion of the inherited physical traits that have manifested themselves in different members of the family, across generational lines. My cousin, with the typical long-toed feet, is apparently a carbon copy of my dad in his youth, some people have distinctly large noses, and almost everyone is blonde and fair-skinned, if not blue-eyed. Except for me. I have none of these genetic traits. My hair is dark brown ("black"), my almond-shaped eyes are …
Fall is upon us, dear Readers. How do I know? There are the cliché signs: bright hues of red, yellow, and orange; chilly and crisp morning air; even my neighbor's creepy Halloween Nativity-esque scene in the front yard. But no, those are too obvious. The real sign that the season of autumnal harvest has arrived is the omnipresent pumpkin. Whether sitting innocently on porches or adding to the seasonal decorations at the local orthopedist's office, those tricky members of the …
Last Sunday, at 4:38 a.m., I woke up on an air mattress on the floor of my friend's Wicker Park apartment. After 20 minutes of hurried preparation and eating, I sprinted out the door with my friend and the boyfriend in tow. At 6:40 a.m., we boarded a school bus with 20 other groggy, unshaved, and un-showered comrades, heading off to God-knows-where. (This turned out to be the Hyde Park area, near the Museum of Science and Industry.) At 7:10 …
Robert Kenner's Food, Inc. has been getting a lot of attention recently in the blogging world. "Healthy living" bloggers (a subset of food bloggers) have been flocking to movie theaters across the country to see this documentary about the evils of the United States' corporate food industry. Given that central Illinois is in the heart of said industrialized agriculture, I was surprised to see "Food, Inc." on the marquee at Boardman's Art Theater. Though I generally have a policy of …
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@Jason: You’re right about that. I get groceries at Schnucks (they carry what I buy, which I can’t say of any other single grocery store in town), and if they have a beer I’m in the market for it’s usually a quarter or two cheaper per 6-…
Best Neighborhood Bar (& Grill) : Urbana - My ‘hood- the ‘Boom! http://www.boomerangbarandgrill.com Go on a Wing Wednesday or Fish Friday, or see a band play some night. Local blue-collar Urbana terroir galore. My only beer snobbish gripe is lack of a pale hopped ale, but you…
The one thing that’s bothered me for a while about the Friar is that, for most commonly purchased adult beverages, you can actually walk down the strip mall to Schnucks and get them cheaper. It makes no sense, but there it is. I suspect it’s because Schnucks…
Maybe I complained enough in person. One time I even explained to the (wholly uninterested) clerk how to navigate the Illinois Statutes web page, and Savoy’s Municipal Code database I wouldn’t know because I only go there when I want to pay 30% more for anything, which is never.
@Rob: You seem to have the weirdest experiences. I’m in Friar Tuck every other week (don’t tell my mom that I’m a lush). They never fail to ask for my birth date but never my age, they never card afterwards, and they often allow me to use…
This column affords me a long-awaited opportunity. I’ve wanted to write my own column called Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors. but I always thought it’d be too pithy. Here, I can say Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors and not feel bothered to stretch it out to 750…
Ha! Exactly. You, sir, are welcome at the bar in My House.
Why wait ‘til 3 pm?
I’m excited to go tonight- should be very fun!
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“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Super cool! Excellent track, Excellent band.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
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The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!