Amanda Takes Off...

At the cross stitch store, I found the DMC floss colors I needed and then browsed through the patterns. I found a very simple pattern for a gisaeng (sort of like a geisha or courtesan).

"No, you can't buy that," Mother said.

"Why?"

"No, not good. Where will you put it?"

I grinned, "The bedroom."

"No, no."

"Mother," I said, "if I lived in Joseon Dynasty, I would have been a gisaeng."

"Ya! Why?"

"I like to learn things! I would learn art, music, and politics."

"Oh my God, oh my goodness."

"Aigo, Amanda!"

"Yes?"

"Your room!"

"I know, I need to clean."

Mother looked at a shirt on the floor. "Amanda! When you were younger did your mother clean your room? Or make you clean it?"

"She tried, but after a while she shut the door."

"Oh my God, oh my goodness."

"Sit down and wait, Mother," I said at a "women friendly" park near her house.

"Why?"

"There are babies, and you will start talking about babies."

"Only if they're cute," she said, getting up. We passed the babies and Mother wrinkled her nose and whispered, "Not cute."

"Mother, why are you always yelling at me? Do you hate me?" I grinned at her.

"It's just my Gyeongsangdo accent." Mother laughed, "And I yell at my son and daughter and husband, too. Now you are family."

I sighed and imitated Mother, "Oh my God, oh my goodness."

"Your face is getting thinner," Mother said. "You are more beautiful now."

"I am always beautiful."

"You have a big ego."

"I know," I agreed, "So does [Good Man]. I need a big ego to be his wife."

"Ya! Amanda! You are his wife! You should make him have a smaller ego. Oh my God, oh my goodness."