Mome-sal

It's what happens to you after you've overexerted yourself and not gotten enough rest. It's not the flu or any sort of illness associated with bacteria or viruses. It's mome-sal. In all my years I still haven't determined what the medical equivalent is and although it can't be limited to the Korean race, I've never heard of a single non-Korean experiencing it. When I'm having fun, my body and brain don't communicate and eventually I crash. I was wallowing in the minutes with my sister Cha and forgot to stop and rest. It's not my fault though - my body never told me it needed rest. That's because my body and brain have a communication problem. It's the reason why I have to journal in order to understand myself. Anyway, after 5 glorious days of moments that can never be replicated, my body just decided to go to sleep. Through the day and through the night. What did the kids do, you ask? They ate whatever they wanted and watched ridiculous animated movies that I would never let them watch had I been conscious. They weren't complaining. By the way, after not washing my face for over a day, for some reason my skin looks better than ever and feels smoother and blemish-free. I'm beginning to think that all the cosmetics marketed to clean, clarify and rejuvenate your skin are a big hoax. Duh. I think we fuss too much over our skin when all we really need are loads of sleep and our own naturally produced oils. Okay, it's settled, I'm going to write a whole 400-page book on this and sell a million copies. It will be titled, YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Face that Will Make You Look Healthier and Younger. I will make billions. Muhahaha. It will be on stands next to my husband's Manifesto (forward by Cha).

Also, during my sleepy state (I may have been dreaming, but I could have sworn) my younger daughter (20 months) had a full dialogue with me. She said, "Mommy, open it please. Makeup." I have this suspicion that she talks in full sentences with her sister but when I'm around she speaks in baby talk so she can still receive my sympathy and doting. Kids are pretty darn manipulative.

Ahhh. Looking back over the past week, there were moments that were so precious because they were moments that could only happen with Cha. When I spend time with certain friends, I feel like I'm at home, wherever I am. Not only did we take in the sites (outlets malls, Reagan library, Costco), we had long talks about anything and nothing at all. Here are a few soundbites from our week together:

HA: It must be because of the war (explaining why I hoard plastic shopping bags by the dozens)
CHA: You should include that in your Manifesto and I will write the forward (said to Joe after making very capitalist remarks)
HA: It's good homicide weather (said while passing a taping for CSI)
CHA: Storm? pfchaaa! It's barely drizzling! And why are shoppers scrambling? (referring to the ridiculous news anchors documenting the "storm" which looked more like a momentary drizzle)
HA: She must have a rubber vagina (referring to a woman who passed two 10-lb twins vaginally without tearing)
CHA & HA: Nooo mountain lions! Nooo rattlesnakes! (It wouldn't be a true vacation without nature and all the elements)
HA: A nature walk is not a hike.
CHA: Why do men act like that? What would a man do? (looking to Joe, the only man in sight and in our household, as the voice of the entire male race)
HA: How do you get things done without phone calls? Would you call a plumber? (interrogating Cha on her aversion to phone conversations)

It seems our history together is full of these vignettes, these splashes of comic relief that make all the sense in our worlds but make no sense to the world.