I'm like a virus. . .

The contagious aspect, not the whole parasite thing.

Leaving for LA

(How many photos like this since college? heehee) Sandra & Dave Sohn, thank you so much for your hospitality in organizing and hosting the NC potluck! It was so nice to reconnect with familiar (and new) faces and a great way to conclude my time here in NC as I prepare to begin life again in LA. To all you parents out there, you guys are great and are raising sweet & adorable children.

I'm leaving for LA (Long Beach) on Wednesday to begin a new ministry and would appreciate your prayers. I'll be joining a group of pastors at an established Presbyterian church who have the vision and desire to reach out to displaced and unchurched 2nd generation Korean/Asian Americans. Our hope is that we will build, strengthen and transform a community of individuals, families and marriages in the love and wholeness of Christ. It's an exciting prospect because this church is a Japanese American & Anglo American church that merged 5 years ago--a congregation that is intentionally multi-ethnic and multi-generational (from babies to grandparents). And though the new ministry means taking a risk and facing uncertainty, I can't help but look forward to the experience, knowing God is faithful and good. So if you are ever in the area, please stop by (Grace 1st Presbyterian church, Lakewood (Long Beach) CA or just give me a "hollah" and I'll take you out for some tasty Mexican and Korean grub. Brian, a potluck in LA????

More photos from NC POTLUCK

(Emily saying hello to Alex) Dave Yoo--put up some photos of you since you are often behind that awesome camera of yours that makes us look so good. What's the model number on that camera again? ;)

PP3?

PP2!

Potluck pics

#2 on the way!

As some of you already know, we're expecting again, probably sometime next May. We're not as worried about the pregnancy like the first time. Just a bit scared about handling 2 little ones at the same time. :)

This pic was from a swim class we took Josh to. He loves the pool, but as soon as I dunked his head underwater, he started crying and wanted out. Maybe I'll just take him straight to the surfboard.

It aint over 'till it's over!

Is anyone else excited about October (or as Dane Cook has been calling it, "Actober")? I just watched Mariano Rivera save Andy Pettitte's 200th career win, and I am totally pumped. I could ALMOST say I would be OK if the season ended today, with the standings the way they are since the Yanks have made such an incredible comeback the second half of this season, but I just can't! How are we only 1.5 games behind the Redsox?????? For all of you out there who think baseball is boring and can't stand to watch it (i.e. Ed), NOW is the time. The east coast is buzzing right now with the Yankees' surge and also much to my delight, the downward spiral that the Mets are on. Adam still refuses to believe in his Phillies (typical Philadelphia fan) after too many seasons of winding up just a game short, but I'm cheering them on. Every season there is so much to keep up with; baseball is always full of compelling stories and exciting drama. Like the Cubs and Lou Piniella, with their dramatic comeback this season, the exciting young talent of the Brewers, not to mention of course, the historic season that A-Rod has had, and all the rookies that the Yankees have showcased this season (if you haven't heard the name Joba Chamberlain yet, you will!). I could go on and on. Although all the "scandals" of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs may turn off a lot of you potential fans, I say there is still a lot of "good" baseball to get excited about. Get into it if you're not already! Go Yankees!

Potluck

This is an open invitation to anyone who is in the Triangle area to a potluck BBQ on Sunday the 23rd. If you are interested, email me (sandra.dave@gmail.com) and I'll send you the evite. These are the people I know who are around:
Dave & Julie Yoo
Ed & Linda Suh
John and Jen Jo
Hongeun Kim (don't know married name)
Esther Hahm
Daniel and Elaine Lee

Jen, I also invited Essie and Steve.

Am I missing anyone? Anyone going to be passing through that weekend? Come join us!

Today was a good day. Video of Nifong going to jail.

http://videos.newsobserver.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1506175

If I wasn't on call this week, I would have been at the jail with my camcorder. I think a few more people should be joining him. (Keep hope alive!) Hopefully, the threat of the civil lawsuits that are poised to bankrupt the city will shake a few more of these criminal 'tards out of the Durham public sector and police department. I'm just glad we don't live in Durham because taxes are definitely going up to pay for everything. Maybe next time, the people of Durham will think twice before electing a race-baiting scumbag as district attorney. But I think that might be asking too much.

Frickin' Ron Paul for President!

I've already donated my vegas winnings to his campaign at ronpaul2008.com. Anyone that can make the weasels at foxnews like sean hannity and chris wallace upset has my utmost admiration.

1st debate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hfa7vT02lA&mode=related&search=

3rd debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkWSo5CRu2k&mode=related&search=

4th debate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5ZXM3h4jig

The Cure for Diaper Rash

For all those new parents out there, Butt Paste and an antifungal cream are good, but there's nothing quite like a good old-fashioned air-drying. Poor Josh was in quite a bit of pain for a couple days, but he's all better now. :)

Post bath time at the Yoo House

everyone's coming back

The Yoo brood saw Hong-Eun from UNC today after church. We're pushing Alex in his stroller past this HUGE white Escalade when I see Hong-Eun poking her head out from the passenger side and said, "Dave? Is that you?"

Her "husband" (her quotes, not mine) is in the Duke MBA program and an obvious metrosexual.

FYI, I spoke with Kyu on the phone today as well. He is hanging out with Lebron and the rest of Team USA in Vegas. I wish I had known about the nude beaches in the VIP sections of the casinos.

Peter Rho is the man

While in Las Vegas, I got to meet up with PR a couple times. We played a little golf on Thursday morning with my dad and cousin David Lee. My dad hit into every sand bunker, twice. It was the usual round for me - drive: 290-320 yds; irons: not so close; chipping: i'm still away; putting: not so bad with my new Odyssey Marxman. Peter putts like Natalie Gulbis (his own words).



Friday night, I met up with Peter at the Venetian poker room. I was grinding out my rent money, up $73 in 3 hours at the 4-8 limit table. There were two crazy asian guys playing "LA-gansta" style, capping the bets pre-flop with garbage, that kept things interesting. Peter actually saw me drag one of my few pots, 2 pair with Q7os in the big blind. So I walk over to the no limit table where he's been playing for an hour, and he's up $2500.00. He was playing with chips the denominations of which I was not familiar. Truly, one day, we will be seeing Peter on ESPN.



BTW, Cali-folk. The Yoo's are heading west end of October for the annual ASTRO (radonc thing) convention in LA. Afterwards, we're heading to newport beach for a week, leaving Nov 11th. I think that's in your neck of the woods, Brian.

I am not a republican. I am not a democrat.

There was a question as to my political leanings these days. Yes, I was a bleeding heart, behavioral apologist liberal democrat in my younger days. Hell, I thought shaking Jesse Jackson's hand in the Chapel basement after his speech was one of the highlights of my Duke experience. This is why seeing idealistic college students is so amusing and annoying to me these days. I'm thinking, "Hey you, moron. Stop preaching, wait a couple years and buy a freakin' clue with what's left of your paycheck." Oh wait, that was me back then . . . boo hoo hoo.

As for the republicans, yeeesh. When Julie and I were flying back to DC one day, we were on the same flight with Karl Rove. Honestly, I told myself that I wouldn't mind if our plane crashed because I would die knowing KR was going back to hell.



From here on out, I want the government to stay out of my wallet AND my bedroom.

Need sleep training advice........

Hey all-
Adam and I have approached a time in Sam's life that we have been sort of dreading, but also kind of looking forward to: sleep training. Now that he is 6-months old, I am writing to seek advice from those of you who have tried it and what your experiences have been. Sam never really did well with naps, and still doesn't do well with sleeping during the day, but he used to be a super night sleeper up until about his 4-month mark......since then he has been waking up almost every hour to every two hours throughout the night. I've tried different things like changing his bedtime to earlier or later, establishing a good bedtime routine (i.e. bath, book, etc.). He just can't seem to get chilled out; constantly moving around, reaching for his feet, rolling over, and then eventually waking himself up. I'm sure that I contributed some to his bad sleeping habits (i.e. letting him fall asleep while nursing, picking him up a lot when he wakes up, bringing him into bed with us when I just can't take it anymore, etc., etc.) but I am hoping we can overcome those past mistakes and move forward to some restful nights. I am being realistic, understanding that not all babies can be effectively "sleep-trained" but still I'd like to know what you all think! I'm doing some reading as well (i.e. Ferber, Weissbluth), but I think anecdotal advice is more helpful, especially since I know all of you are very thoughtful and responsible parents. Anything you guys could share would be great!
--Stacey

Top 10 father quotes

I think I like #6 and 7 the best.

1. "It is admirable for a man to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping." -John Sinor
2. "They don't grade fathers, but if your daughter's a stripper, you f—ked up!" -Chris Rock
3. "Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could... adopted a role called 'Being a Father' so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life." -Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities
4. "Whatever you are, be a good one." -Abraham Lincoln
5. "My mother protected me from the world, and my father threatened me with it." -Quentin Crisp
6. "There must be many fathers around the country who have experienced the cruelest, most crushing rejection of all: Their children have ended up supporting the wrong team." -Nick Hornby
7. "My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass.' 'We're not raising grass,' Dad would reply. 'We're raising boys.' " -Harmon Killebrew
8. "You don't put kids under surveillance: It might frighten you. Parents should sit tall in the saddle and look upon their troops with a noble and benevolent and extremely nearsighted gaze." -Garrison Keillor
9. "A man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." -Marlon Brando as Don Corleone in The Godfather
10. "When I was a boy of 14 my father was so ignorant that I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in only 7 years." -Mark Twain
11. "Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express." -Joseph Addison

Why I sometimes wish I really was a wedding photographer.

This nice pdf found its way into my mailbox today.

http://www.nmpinsurance.com/case_study/NMP_case_study_07-25-07.pdf

So basically, even if I do everything correctly AND someone that would have died otherwise ends up being cured, I still might end up paying for John Edwards' haircuts?

(Exhibit A, Jackass)


Reminds me of a lawsuit we talked about in conference. Young child from third world nation with medullo. Treated pro-bono at US academic medical center. All side effects discussed and documented and consent signed. Kid is cured of his cancer and lives long enough to experience said side effects. Parents sue. Settled out of court for multi-millions.

By definition, medical malpractice requires DEVIATION from accepted standards of practice and said deviation causes injury to the patient. I get the lawsuits when you cut the wrong leg off, but what the hell are you supposed to do when you do what you're supposed to do, and what you do works.

Hey, how about the next time when the fire department comes to save your house, why don't you sue them for water damage afterwards? Some people are scumbags.

sohn family pics

more pics

Happy Birthday, Joshy!

So we didn't really do a traditional dol, but we did dress Josh up in the Korean man-dress. I can't believe how happy this makes Korean grandparents.

On his actual birthday, we took Josh to the county fair. I think he really dug it, except for the loud roosters and huge cow that made him cry.

This woman gets around.

Mini-NC reunion today at the Yoo household. Jen, Sunny, Dave and Sandra, Elizabeth, Emily. Jen also brought her friends Steve and ?Esse? and their two daughters. There are a lot more pics . . . on facebook. Actually, none yet until I get permission from Sandra - as per Betty, there are lots of pervs lurking these days.