We Want to Know Wednesday

June 19, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

1. Are you an amusement/theme park kind of person?
Not really… I like carnivals/fairs but I don’t care for roller coasters so I don’t want to waste a bunch of money at an expensive amusement park.

2. If yes, where have you gone? If no, what makes you dislike those kinds of places?
I have been to Disney World twice as a little kid, Carowinds and Dollywood many times, Six Flags once, and Lotte World in Seoul once. I have also been to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Dollywood’s Splash Country.

3. Do you like to go on roller coasters?
No.

4. Does your answer to #3 directly correlate to how you are about life experiences?
Not at all… I think I’m pretty damn adventurous.

5. What was the last scary and/or risky thing you did?
Traveling around Asia by myself last summer was probably the last BIG thing… I had to take a lot of selfies! 😉

Throwback Thursday

May 23, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

Hard to believe I left Korea a year ago… Here are some pics from my last week there!

Sunday Social

May 12, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

1. 1 year ago I…
Had been living in Korea for two years and was about to leave to travel all over Asia for five weeks and then return home… On May 12, 2012 I was camping on Muui Island with tons of friends!

late night campfire sing-a-long

2. 5 years ago I…
Was living in Texas and working at a private investigation company. I also took my mom to the Grand Canyon for her 50th birthday in May 2008!

3. 10 years ago I…
Was finishing up my junior year of college and living with my roommate Rheannon.

4. 1 year from now I…
Will have been at my awesome job for a year… And will probably be looking for a new one that pays better! And I’ll be taking my little bro on a trip for his high school graduation.

5. 5 years ago I…
Will have an awesome job I love and that pays well, have my own place, and be using my vacation days to travel to amazing places!

6. 10 years from now I…
Will be 40!!

Throwback Thursday

April 4, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

Last April I went to the Jindo Sea Parting Festival while living in Korea. It was so cool! Jindo is the third largest island in Korea. Every year, a narrow land pass opens for about an hour between the main Jindo island and the smaller Modo island as a result of tidal activity. This event attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and is known as the Mysterious Sea Road.

Throwback Thursday

February 21, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

Around this time two years ago, I was living and working in Korea and my kindergarten students were having their graduation ceremony (February 24, 2011).

We Want to Know Wednesday

February 13, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

1. What is your favorite flower?
Hot pink gerbera daisies.

2. Tell us about your favorite Valentine’s Day.
Two years ago I had an epic Valentine’s Day date while living in Seoul. My then boyfriend and I had a five course lunch, went sightseeing at an observation tower/awesome teddy bear museum (famous for “love locks”), went shopping at a market, and then out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant! And I got my favorite gift ever, 아기 곰 (my teddy bear).

3. Was Valentine’s Day a big deal when you were a kid?
Not really but I liked giving and receiving Valentines at school and my mom always gave me a card and a present.

4. If you could have any one thing for Valentine’s Day what would it be?
A job in a public library.

5. Do you have any special plans for Valentine’s Day?
Nope, I am single and babysitting tomorrow! At least I’m earning some money.

Sunday Stealing

February 3, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

1: Do you notice a person’s eye color?
Never.

2: White, milk, or dark chocolate mocha?
I don’t drink mochas. But milk chocolate is my preference.

3: If you could get a tattoo free, would you do it? What would it be?
If it was by a reputable artist then yes. The next two I want to get are a quote with a skeleton key and “let it be” with a dandelion and birds.

4: Did you grow up in a small or big town? Did you like it?
Small town and I pretended like I hated it then but it wasn’t that bad.

5: Your favorite adult as a child (and not your parents, if they were your favorite)?
My Aunt Laura.

6: What kind of smoothie sounds really good right now?
Mango. Yum!

mango smoothie in Bangkok

7: Most embarrassing moment from your elementary school years?
I fell down a flight of stairs in 5th grade.

8: Most embarrassing moment from your middle school years?
I fell out of my bedroom window and into our compost pile in 8th grade.

9: Most embarrassing moment from your high school years?
I can’t really think of one…

10: Have you ever fired anyone?
No.

11: Have you ever climbed a tree more than twenty feet off the ground?
That sounds really high so no.

12: Did you like swinging as a child? Do you still get excited when you see a swing set?
No, I hate swinging. As a kid it was OK.

13: If you could have any pet in the world, illegal or not, what would you get?
I love my kitties but I would also like a bunny.

14: What’s your favorite place to relax?
In a bubble bath.

15: What’s your most favorite part of your personality?
I think I am a thoughtful friend.

16: Madonna or Lady Gaga? Neither? Both? Who cares?
Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga concert in Seoul, April 2012

17: Have you ever watched the Superbowl all the way through?
Yes of course!

18: Have you ever watched any major sporting event live?
Yes I’ve been to NASCAR, an NFL game, and an NBA game.

hating the NASCAR Samsung 500 race, April 2009

Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots, December 2009

Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic, May 2010

19: What’s the most delicious food you’ve ever eaten in your life?
Indian curry and garlic naan.

20: Margarine or butter? Which did you grow up with?
Either one. My mom is big on real butter though.

Tuesday Topics

January 29, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

6 Memories

1. 2000: The first time I was on a plane… I went skydiving. And I can’t believe I don’t have any photos of it!!

2. 2000: The next time I was on a plane I went to New York City for New Years Eve.

3. 2004: My first time out of the country. I went backpacking around Europe for a month!

La Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre, Paris

4. 2004: My first cruise.

Cozumel, Mexico

5. 2010: My first solo trip (Los Angeles).

6. 2010: My first visit to Asia. I moved to Korea!

milkshakes in a carton… one of my favorite Korean things

Wednesday Hodgepodge

January 9, 2013 | Jen Pace Dickenson

1. What is ONE thing or area in your home or life you hope to report is completely organized when 2013 draws to a close? Do you have a plan to make it happen?
My career! I hope to finish my master’s degree and have a job close to home as a (preferably children’s) librarian.

2. What’s the worst uniform you’ve ever had to wear for a job?
I guess that would be when I worked at Olive Garden… I hated wearing a tie!

3. What was your last kitchen ‘mishap’?
I can’t remember anything going horribly wrong recently. But about six years ago I got a wok and the first time I used it I started a fire and burnt the cabinets above my stove! Never used that wok again…

4. How do you protect yourself from other people’s negativity?
I usually just lecture them about being positive. (This mostly refers to my mom.)

5. Who in your family do you most resemble (physically)?
People say I look like both my mom and my dad. What do you think?

6. January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day… Did you celebrate?
No, unfortunately I don’t have a working bathtub. 😦

7. Some of the ‘world’s best winter festivals’ are: Mardi Gras (New Orleans), Quebec Winter Festival (Canada), Sundance Film Festival (Park City, Utah), Rio Carnivale (Brazil), Sapporo Snow Festival (Japan), Venice Carnival (Italy), and the Harbin Ice Festival (Northern China). Of those listed (and if cost were not a factor), which would you most like to attend and why?
All of them?? They all sound awesome! I guess Mardi Gras is probably #1 on my list out of all of those. I did attend two awesome winter festivals when I lived in Korea.

Pyeongchang Mountain Trout & Ice Fishing Festival

Taebaeksan Snow Festival

8. Insert your own random thought here.
My mom and I are going to one of those “paint and wine” classes tonight… Super excited! We are painting this seasons tree.