This Photo Has Nothing To Do With The Contents Of This Post

Frito's are nothing more than corn, corn oil, and salt.  
Who'd 'a thunk that Frito Lay produces a snack that isn't loaded with lab-produced ingredients?

Taken this afternoon while trying to learn how to use my camera.  The 10-second delay function is nifty. 

Our oldest uncle in Korea sent out a brief group e-mail this morning in which he specifically addressed my sister and me stating, "...사진 보니까 무척 예버 졌더구나" (my painfully elementary literal translation is "I saw the pictures and you've gotten so pretty").  My uncle's paying us a simple compliment that is commonly tossed around in Korean circles.  BUT.  Does it take an American to pick up on the fact that it really isn't very flattering at all?  A proper compliment would be, "My dears, you've gotten even prettiER."  Not, "Oh, you got pretty!"  Like, "Congratulations! You're not as ugly as you were before."  Hooray!  Reading his e-mail made me feel like clapping in celebration.  Under a grey rain cloud.  Without an umbrella.

This is one of my beefs with the Korean culture. There is an overwhelming sense of value placed on one's appearance.  Beauty on the outside really reigns supreme.  White beauty, of course --- narrow noses, high bridges, deeply set eyes, rounded skulls, high cheekbones, wide toothy smiles, long eyelashes.  You know, the polar opposite of Asian features.  High schoolers even have part-time jobs to pay for eye surgeries and nose jobs to get them closer to the ideal.  The worst part is that parents are totally chill about it, frequently endorsing the procedures.  Sure, spend a few grand on your eyes.  Why not?  It's just a little anesthesia and stitches, after all.

When a little kid falls off his bike and starts crying, a Korean parent or caregiver will often soothe him by rubbing whatever hurts while repeating over and over again, "Oh, that's ok. You're pretty. You're so pretty."  The logic being then, that even though you're in pain, it's going to be ok because hey, you're pretty.  I mean, really?  Give me a break, Korea.