Creepy Cinema 2012

If you know me, you know that I cannot handle anything that is remotely scary or suspenseful. The minute a movie or TV show gets too intense, I either get up and walk away or I cover my eyes with my hands and peek through them.

I remember when I was younger I couldn't even watch episodes of "Are You Afraid of the Dark" without screaming or turning away. I attribute my fear of all things spooky to my two older brothers. They are much older than me and were always trying to scare their little sister. I can't tell you how many times they tricked me. My little heart couldn't handle it, so I was always afraid of things that go bump in the night.

Due to my complete lack of tolerance for scary things, I have missed out on many years of scary movie watching that is mandatory as an adolescent. No one in my family really likes scary movies, so I was never really exposed to them. However, Markus is an avid fan of all things horror. When we first started dating, he was completely appalled by this fact. For years, he's tried to get me to watch scary movies with him and every time he asked, I refused. The only way I would watch the movie is if he would tell me what would happen beforehand so I could cover my eyes. Silly? Yes, I know, but hey at least I tried. As time has gone by, I just refuse to watch a scary movie. I can't do it. I get all panicky and my heart beats really quickly. This year, I'm determined to break the curse. 

I'm going to spend all of October, all 31 days, watching some form of scary movie. I feel like after 9 years of watching scary movies alone, it's the least I could do for Markus. He's compiled a list of 31 movies that span the course of horror film history, and will introduce me to the world of Creepy Cinema. There are lots of moves that I haven't seen, some that I haven't seen in ages and a few that I really love. You know, some family friendly movies; I need to have some levity in the midst of all the suspense.  When making the list Markus tried to stray away from the blood and gore (i.e. Saw, Hostel, etc). There is no way I could last through 31 days of that. I think I would go crazy.

I must admit, I'm a bit worried for the next 31 days. I don't think I'll be able to handle it, but I'm determined to do this. I know I can do this. I have to do this, for Markus. Oh, the things we do for love. 

So how about you, dear readers, are you going to spend this October watching horror flicks?  Do you like scary movies? What are your favorites?

*Credits*
Skeleton, tree & paper clip art: The Graphics Fairy

Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Hotties of Creepy Cinema

lovecrumbs │ Edinburgh, Scotland

The afternoon we decided to throw the itinerary out the window we came across lovecrumbs, an amazing cake shop. It was the epitome of my dream place to write and brainstorm. Inside there was a hodgepodge of chairs and tables. Nothing really matched, yet everything seemed to go together. It was very rustic and homey. We spent at least two hours there talking and enjoying the company of good friends. 

Markus ordered a peach and blue cheese scone with a cappuccino. I ordered a slice of Vicky Sponge cake and an Elderflower presse. Everything was so delicious. The scone was a bit of a revelation for me. I love scones. I've only had sweet scones, so a scone that mixed savory and sweet was even better. I've never eaten Vicky Sponge cake and  so this was my introduction to this quintessential British treat. The tartness of the raspberry jam, sweetness of the cream and fluffiness of the sponge cake was amazing.

In Korea, we have lots of cafes and sweet shops, but everything always feels a bit cutesy. Lovecrumbs was cute, but in a different way. It was eccentric and whimsical and absolute perfection.  

Taal Volcano & Lake Taal │ Tagaytay, Philippines

Earlier this year, Markus and I went to the Philippines (P.I.). I've never been to my home country before and was really excited for the trip. My first experience in the Philippines was definitely interesting. Not sure how to completely describe it, but it was a trip that I will always remember, the good and the bad.  We spent most of our time in Tagaytay, where my mommyo and daddyo retired. 

Tagaytay is supposed to be "the place" in the Philippines to escape the heat. It's higher up in the mountains, thus creating a cooler temperature. Mommyo would not stop talking about how nice and cool it is there. Not sure what everyone was talking about, because it felt just like the rest of the country, hot as heck. 

Tagaytay is also known for Lake Taal and Taal Volcano, which is still an active volcano. There haven't been any eruptions since 1977, but it is definitely not dormant. It was very exciting taking a boat across Lake Taal to the bottom of the volcano. Although, the method of getting to the top was not ideal. 

Basically, there is a community of squatters that have lived at the bottom of the volcano for ages. The Philippine government wanted to relocate them somewhere else and build a resort, but decided that it would be best for the squatters to stay and become a sort of tour guide for Taal. They basically lead you to the top while you ride an extremely emaciated horse-pony. The guides then spend the next 45 minutes selling you a story and trying to get as much money out of you as possible.

I'm all for people working and living off the land, but when the two guides that were with Markus and I were discussing in Tagolog how to get more money out of us, it really put me in a bad mood. They didn't know that Markus speaks and understands Tagalog. So they basically concocted a fake wedding and children to try and swindle us out of money. It didn't help that Markus is culturally ambiguous and I look Korean. My own countrymen were constantly speaking to me in Korean and trying to get more money out of me. 

Despite the uncomfortable time spent with the guides, I enjoyed our time at Taal. There is nothing like standing at the top of a volcano. I doubt I'll ever experience anything like it again. I felt like a true explorer, conquering an active volcano with my emaciated horse-pony!

Reunited with my parents after 1 year

Another volcano on Lake Taal

Taal Volcano

Lake Taal

Wandering Wednesdays │ London, England 2006

Every Wednesday, I'll be posting about places that I've traveled to in the past. It could be as far back as ten years or as recent as last year. I've dubbed these posts as "Wandering Wednesdays". You can find all my past trips on the Wanderings page. I hope you enjoy!

Our second honeymoon to London in 2006 was the trip that started it all. When Markus and I married in 2005, we promised ourselves that we would travel somewhere every year. If possible, we would travel out of the country. It wasn't always possible, but we at least went somewhere the other had not.

When we had our second wedding in 2006 (another story for another time), Markus and I decided that would be the year that we would start our adventures. I spent 21 years of my life dreaming of other countries and magical places. It finally took a second wedding and honeymoon to make my dreams a reality. 

It took a long time for Markus and I to decided where we would go. At first, we didn't know where to go and thought of all the places we wanted to visit. We finally decided on London because that was my dream since I was a child.

I have to admit that this first trip to London was a failure in many ways. This was our first trip abroad and we learned many things about traveling. The first being, don't travel after your wedding with only 5 hours of sleep and then a 6 hour layover in Dulles airport, which happens to be the worst airport in America. We also learned that we should spend more than 7 days overseas. You need at least two weeks to really get the feel of a place. 

We were horrible at planning and time management. It was basically a mess, but it was a wonderful mess. Even though, we didn't get the most out of our trip, it was still one of our favorites. Those 6 days were some of the best of our married life. I always look back on them fondly, despite all the flaws. After London, we learned from our experiences and became better travelers,  but more importantly, we never stopped!

Wedding Anniversary Photo Shoot

This past August, Markus and I have been married for seven wonderful and glorious years. We've been fortunate to have done a few photo shoots before, but we've never actually had one in Korea. We were able to book a shoot with Aaron and Jill. They're a newly married couple that will be moving back home to the states soon. They're hoping to start a photography business and needed a few guinea pigs. Markus and I were quick to oblige. I think the photos came out quite well and I'm so thankful to Aaron and Jill for helping us commemorate such a special occasion.