Dude, many pals love the mani and pedi, and I would do it if I could. It’s an affordable self-care kind of thing, and your nails look GREAT. But b/c everyone in a nail salon is Asian, I just can’t do it. A Korean my mom’s age scrubbing my stinky toes? Please. The thought practically makes me squirm and scream “I’m sorry I didn’t go to law school and broke all your motherhood dreams.”
In addition to which, I find pedicures painful. I once got a back massage at one of those Korean-dominated nail joints, and b/c I was Korean, the woman felt comfortable with me and told me her entire life story–how she and her husband are living in different countries, working two jobs, to one day earn enough income to live together. I was like AAAACCCCK!!!! Sure, someone open to life changes would be like “this is my life’s calling. I will help this poor woman.” But me? I’m limping along these days and am only focused on getting home tonight, putting on my PJs, and watching my taped “Grey’s Anatomy.” I gave her a big fat tip and never went back.
Though, P.S., the woman in the photo clearly isn’t Korean. To me, she looks like Vietnamese or Cambodian. Could be wrong.
Oh goodness, I feel the EXACT same way. I’ve had one pedi my whole entire life, and I still have some residual guilt about it.
But tying it all together, you posted a pic of Katherine Heigl from Grey’s… did you know she has an older adopted Korean sister? There was a recent pic of her sister’s bridal party, and Katherine was a bridesmaid. Do you think Katherine has the same feelings of guilt while getting her pedi and massage? I guess probably not, she looks pretty happy in the pic you have of her.
send me a picture! you have the best gossip. i don’t think all asian ams would have trouble getting their nails done. please, — there are plenty of korean people on earth who are plenty comfortable with getting waited on hand and foot by other koreans, what with the cultural emphasis on looking put together and all that. i think it’s only the fate of mildly neurotic, self-conscious korean ams to overthink like getting your nails done. seriously. it’s kind of a unique set of neuroses. i love it. i want to read about katherine’s older adopted korean sister! that’s so cool!
Here are some google links to some pictures:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22katherine+heigl%22+korean+sister
It’s interesting to read people’s comments, because they don’t understand how Katherine and the Asian lady can be sisters.
I’m missing the Korean gene of looking put together, Tina. I’m a scary mess most days.
thanks for that tidbit. that’s awesome. the comments are unbelieveably offensive? wwii? hookers? WHA? oy, some days, i give the world too much credit. it actually makes me like katherine heigl more b/c she has a korean sister. i’m so easy.
nnk, i didn’t inherit that looking-together part of being korean either. but you know what i mean right? i’ve spotted those women at my college and in restaurants…i keep cutting my own bangs and wrap up my hair in a bun hoping look passable. i think the only part about being korean i inherited was like some of the culture and then being really loud sometimes. i don’t know. probably more than that, but that’s what comes to mind.