Mr. Yoo Singing

Fox's Fringe on Top...

For those of you who recognize the musical theater reference from my subject line, rest assured; Fringe has nothing in common with, "Oklahoma."

If you like The X Files or Heroes then you will like this show. No disrespect to those shows, but I liked Fringe better because it made more sense.

Believe the hype. Fox's newest sci-fi/mystery entry, Fringe is like crack cocaine: One taste and you're hooked...

Good Enough Weight Supplement

I have a hot tip for those of you out there looking to gain a pound or two: Read Good Enough by Paula Yoo. I was just thinking about the book yesterday and I was immediately overcome with a craving for mint chocolate chip ice cream. (Visual: Florence eating a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream with spoon in right hand, left hand in a fist, shaking it in the air, thinking... Darn that Paula and her gift for making food sound so irresistible....)

Paula Yoo's new novel Good Enough is Good Enough...

To be on every Asian American Studies and/or English class' syllabus across the land.

Good Enough is a charming, funny, utterly delightful and authentic peek at what it's like to be Korean and American in the USA.

Full disclosure: I am not related to Paula Yoo. I am Korean American but I actually learned a lot about Korean American teens and what seems to be the intense and wonderful experience of being really good at something like violin by reading this tale.

I did relate to the family stuff but there the empathy stopped and turned to sympathy since I did not grow up being a typical Korean American, though I seem to hang out with a number of them now...

I attended the opening night party for my dear friend, Julia Cho's play, BFE in New York City. I was at a table with Asians and one lone white guy. The subject of spelling bees came up because Deborah S. Craig had recently told someone about being interviewed about the musical she was in, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Apparently, actor after actor said that it was ironic that they should be in the Spelling Bee because in real life, they were not very good spellers at all -- except for Deborah, who is Korean American and won her own school spelling bee. Every single Asian at the table (except for me) went onto regale us with stories about how they either won their school's spelling bee or were first runner-up. Each person even remembered the word they spelled to win! I turned to the white dude and shrugged. He shrugged back. I said, "I didn't win any spelling bees growing up and I have no recollection of them at all, let alone what word I missed!" "Yeah, me, too," the guy replied.
Julia jumped in and commented, "That's because you guys weren't nerds like us."

Oh. Now, wait a minute, I'm pretty sure I was one. I think I was a just nerd on that path not taken by most... I cannot read a single note of sheet music. I played tennis for my high school.
I was in rock bands instead of orchestra.

All this to say, I loved Good Enough even though I must admit, it was somewhat out of my millieu. I can't do math to save my life. No, really.

The clarity of the writing infused with the laugh out loud moments made this book a winner.

Not to spoil things, but Yoo even cleverly crafts an SAT joke in the form of an SAT question!

There's a lot to be said for the beauty a talented overachiever like Paula Yoo can create...

Caveat: Do not read this book while hungry. Yoo includes descriptions of food and a few mouth watering recipes between chapters! I had to stop reading twice to go to the kitchen to make ramen spam and then kim bop spam before I could read on. I'm not so sure this book was good for my diet but it certainly did nourish my mind and soul with its positive and honest messages about deciding what to be and do as one grows up...

For more info on the gifted Ms. Yoo, please visit: paulayoo.com

Beverly Hills 90210 vs. 90210

Is it just me or is The CW's new 90210 television show some big budget bizarro world mash up of the old 90210 and The N's Degrassi: The Next Generation and South of Nowhere?

I like the new 90210. I think Weezer should make a guest appearance and play their song, "Beverly Hills" at a pool party...

Back in the day, I saw the original 90210 program once. I was hanging out with a bunch of friends. Everyone but me was a big fan and they all insisted that we watch the show as we ate pizza. I recall turning to my friend, Julian Brooks and asking, "So, whose dad is that?" He answered, "Oh, that's not a dad, that's a kid." "Really...?" Later, I asked him, "Whose mom is that?" "Oh, no, she's a kid, too..." he replied. At this point, I was very confused. "How do you know who the kids are versus the parents?" Julian was very patient with me and explained, "You just have to get to know the characters, otherwise there's no way of knowing who's who...."