I mentioned before how Mom scrutinizes her kids’ weight. Last October I visited Michigan, and from a self esteem standpoint the trip didn’t go well. Not only did I find out that my visit was poor timing due to Mom’s pepper obsession, my little Korean mother obliterated any positive body issues I had in just four short days. By the time I flew into...

I play in a men’s basketball league with my buddies. One time Mom wanted to come watch a game. To my surprise, she managed to find the gym on time. I was having a really good game — everything was falling for me. I could hear her cheer with every basket. It was nice. I ended up with the ball past half-court with a couple seconds left in the half. I...

My mom has one hobby that we know of, and that is the planting, growing, picking, and selling of hot peppers. She complains about it so much that for the longest time I thought she hated growing peppers, but then one day it dawned on me that, despite her constant complaints and belly aching, she actually loves doing it. Don’t let the constant “Mommy break...

I’m a huge Legend of Zelda fan. My brothers did their duty as older male siblings and got me hooked on video games when I was good and young, and my favorite by far has been the Legend of Zelda series. Even as an adult, I still sneak-purchase the occasional piece of Zelda merchandise — I have t-shirts, a Triforce necklace courtesy of the boyfriend, and I...

My mom has often referred to me as her little Cornbread Baby, which is a random nickname to bestow upon your child (I’m used to “Becca” or “Bec” as more conventional monikers). As always, there’s a Mom Story behind the nickname that makes perfect sense to her but leaves us scratching our heads. I’ve met a fair share of half...