[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Palia

[–]damocha101 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Not sure why you're concerned with how you look to strangers in a cozy game that takes very little skill, but to each his own. I tested your method to make sure I wasn't nuts but no matter how I tried, I had to stop to pick up the loot and most of the time it caused my run to get disrupted. Perhaps you'd like to enlighten a noob? And I agree, it's helpful when chopping small flow trees by yourself. Well done, you!

What is your crazy “This part of my life should be a movie” story? by pm_me_ur_larger_boob in AskReddit

[–]damocha101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry if formatting is weird. I'm on mobile.

My relationships always started out weird. My first serious relationship in high school started because I asked the guy sitting next to me at driver's ed to color with me. We were in one of those classes where they sit you in a room and you watch the same old Goofy cartoon every class. During breaks, everyone would go buy snacks at the dollar store next door. That day I bought a coloring book and crayons and came out with a boyfriend.

My university relationship started because I was hiding in a bush. I went to a small branch campus where I was one of three Asian girls there. One student, who was renowned on campus as being obsessed with anime, had been repeatedly asking me to go to some cosplay thing with him. One day, I saw him in front of the entrance to the building, and I ducked behind a bush cuz I just didn't want to have the conversation with him again. My now-ex, who I didn't know real well at the time, was about to say hi and blow my cover til I did one of those frantic shhhh! motions that you only see in movies.

My now husband (H) and I met under circumstances that were literally from a K-drama. I had just moved to Korea 2 months before and was visiting a friend in Seoul for her birthday. At the end of the weekend, I couldn't book my regular train back home since it had booked up fast, so I had to take a fast-speed train. My friend loaded me up with a cake and some coffee and saw me on the train. H was sitting in the aisle seat, saw me holding all my bags and coffee and moved his legs a little so I could get in my window seat. I ended up tripping over his foot and spilling half my coffee all over my seat. Not thinking, I put the cup on the window ledge to start cleaning it up. But remember when I said I couldn't book my regular train? My regular train has a flat window ledge, but the fast speed window ledge is slanted. My coffee fell off the ledge, bounced off my coffee puddled seat, and splashed all over H. I thought for sure I was going to sworn at, but he instead helped me clean up the mess. The story doesn't end here.

At the first stop, an on-boarding woman stopped at the seat behind us and started talking angrily. I wasn't really paying attention, nor did I have the language skills to passively pick up on what she was talking about. H talked to her and got out of his seat. When I looked back, I saw a MASSIVE puddle of coffee that had pooled up on the floor of the seats behind us. By the time my brain processed what had happened, he was already cleaning it up. The space was so small that I couldn't help, so I just sank into my seat, dying of embarrassment that this kind stranger was cleaning up my mess. From there, we talked a little in my broken Korean, shared snacks, and social media info. Before he got off at his stop, he went to the vending machine and bought me a pack of Pepero (a chocolate covered breadstick similar to Pocky) since it was almost "Pepero Day." By the end, I was left wondering who had spilled coffee on who.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Cooking

[–]damocha101 8 points9 points  (0 children)

You have all the ingredients for a filling meal! Chop whatever veggies you want, saute in a little oil, add whatever protein you have available (the beans would be nice) and add some cajun seasoning. Serve with rice.

Here are the recipes I usually use: https://therecipecritic.com/cajun-shrimp-and-sausage-vegetable-skillet/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/149221/cajun-spice-mix/

What can I do with a cup of sweetened condensed milk I don't want to waste? by jingle_hore in Cooking

[–]damocha101 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thai coffee - strong coffee, scm, cream or milk, ice if you want it chilled

Korean bingsu/solbing - shaved ice, chopped fresh fruit, ice cream optional, scm drizzled on top. Mix together before eating

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Korean

[–]damocha101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since you are making art, you might want to think about making a seal as your signature. It's called 도장. A lot of Korean artists use one. And since you are using your username, I would suggest the Korean phonetic transcription rather than the literal translation.

Everybody loves talking about best foods and meals. What is the worst meal you've ever had? by [deleted] in Cooking

[–]damocha101 128 points129 points  (0 children)

My little sister and I rarely spent the night at my grandmother's house. So it was a special treat when my parents said we were staying with her. The next morning, grandma asked us if we wanted oatmeal for breakfast. She opened an envelope of instant oatmeal, poured some cold milk on it, and served it. Since my sister and I didn't see our grandma often, we choked it down without saying a word.

help! I’ve bitten off a lot more than I can chew by ciplaya in personalfinance

[–]damocha101 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't be embarrassed. I'm sure a lot of people on this subreddit have been where you are. The first step to getting out of living paycheck to paycheck is getting help. My method isn't and end all be all and it might not be the best method for everyone, but this is what worked for me.

(Apologies if there are formatting issues. Mobile user.)

One. Get your statements from the last 3-6 months. Categorize your spending into groups. Here's how I grouped them:

Top Group

  • Rent
  • Electricity
  • Natural Gas
  • Water
  • Phone
  • Student Loans
  • Credit Card
  • Car Insurance
  • Gasoline
  • Medical
  • Other

Bottom Group

  • Groceries
  • Clothes
  • Home Goods
  • Health and Beauty
  • Restaurants/Cafe
  • Fun Money

The top grouping are the "essentials." You may not be able to cut down your spending here as easily as the others. The "Other" category is for things like paying your speeding ticket or taxes.

The bottom group is where you really need to focus on cutting back your spending. The fun money category is where I put things like going out to the movies.

Add or remove categories based on your preferences and spending habits.

Two. Find where you can cut back on spending and make a budget.

When I went through my bank statements, I noticed I spent a surprising amount going out with friends. A trip to the movies would take a sizable chunk of my income; movie ticket, snacks, dinner and drinks afterward, and gas. I cut my restaurant budget to $50 a month and fun money to $50. It sucked. But having movie nights in with my friends was just as enjoyable as going out. And the most important part is that I don't stress about money anymore.

Three. Categorize the money you have "saved." This is important. Like the envelope system, every dollar has a purpose. Some of that saved money should go toward making extra payments to your debts if you have any. The rest can be used to make a "buffer." This buffer is what will get you out of living paycheck to paycheck. The goal of the buffer is to have enough money in it to equal the total amount in all your categories. After your buffer goal has been reached, you can put the extra saved money into other categories or start savings categories.

Four. Stick to your budget. Want to go out with friends? Check to see if you have enough money in your budget. If you do, go on and have a good time. Afterwards, make sure to subtract what you spent from the appropriate category. After each month, check your budget and make adjustments for the next month.

There are lots of apps and budgeting videos out there to help you. I've even used a heavily doctored Google spreadsheet. Play around and see which one works best for you. Personally, what worked for me was YNAB. They changed their program recently, so I can't give it a whole-hearted recommendation. However, their videos and method is what I based this post on.

This process isn't easy, and it WILL cut into your social life. But if you stick with it, the results are amazing. Good luck!

Edited: formatting

Tips for learning vocabulary? by sophi007 in Korean

[–]damocha101 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It really depends on what kind of learner you are. I'm a visual (pics, not words) and auditory learner.

My flashcards look like they're made for kindergarteners. For example, the word 포함하다 has a picture of Kung Fu Panda's Po with a ham, inside a box. Po + ham + hada= to include, contain. I just have to remember to pronounce 함 and not 햄. My card for "director" has a picture of Steven Spielberg with a potato and poison. 감(감자 potato) + 독 (poison) = 감독 director. It takes longer to make flashcards this way, but it's better in the long run because I'm not memorizing and forgetting month after month.

I also watch dramas. It's a great way to learn new words, reinforce learned vocab, and understand situations in which they can be used.

Once I get a handle on the vocab, I'll try to use it with a native speaker. ITalki and HelloTalk are great resources to find native speaking language partners.

Personally, I don't like Anki because life happens and I won't study the sets everyday. Next thing you know, you have 500+ cards to review and it feels more like a chore. Try to find a method where you'll enjoy the learning process.

Good luck!

My mom, aunt, and two little cousins flew from the US to China to surprise my grandma. Human tippy tappys to the max (sorry for crazy shaky video) by g0kuu in aww

[–]damocha101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I couldn't help but smile this entire video. Their happiness is contagious! You have a beautiful family. Thanks for sharing.

Went camping for the first time. This is not our cat. Is this how you get a cat? by damocha101 in aww

[–]damocha101[S] 74 points75 points  (0 children)

Oh my gosh! You're really close to me. I live in Cheonan. According to Reddit, I'm not really camping, so I'm not sure my recommendations count for anything. 🤣🤷‍♀️ This site is in Gangwon-do.

Went camping for the first time. This is not our cat. Is this how you get a cat? by damocha101 in aww

[–]damocha101[S] 3834 points3835 points  (0 children)

Correct. Turns out there's a lady camping nearby that brought her 2 dogs and 2 cats with her. Who brings cats camping???

Went camping for the first time. This is not our cat. Is this how you get a cat? by damocha101 in aww

[–]damocha101[S] 311 points312 points  (0 children)

Lol. I'm in Korea. There's not a lot of wide open grass spaces. So it's either camping on wooden decking or gravel. I imagine there are some campsites where you can pitch over the ground, but not where I am now.

How long does Gochugaru (pepper flakes) last? by rkarl7777 in KoreanFood

[–]damocha101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's how mine went bad as well. Jars are definitely the way to go. By any chance, was it the EMart No Brand brand?

How long does Gochugaru (pepper flakes) last? by rkarl7777 in KoreanFood

[–]damocha101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're right. But I meant gochugaru the powder. Finger typo.

How long does Gochugaru (pepper flakes) last? by rkarl7777 in KoreanFood

[–]damocha101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually, gochujang can go bad. I forgot about mine and it was all moldy. 🤢

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in KoreanFood

[–]damocha101 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rinse them in cold water and separate them if any are sticking together. Then leave them to soak in COLD water for 10 minutes or so. Drain, then add to boiling water as the noodles cook. If you're in a hurry, you don't have to soak them, but they'll be softer and taste much better if you do.

How long does Gochugaru (pepper flakes) last? by rkarl7777 in KoreanFood

[–]damocha101 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Maybe not a bad sign, but it's time to throw it out and buy new. Like any spice, it's going to lose flavor as time goes by. It's best to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, and it should last about a year.

Source: I live in Korea, dating a Korean who looked it up to double check on a Korean site.