Meet Crystal ~*

So I hate that eulogies are only given when the person is already dead and can't hear all the nice things people have to say to them.

I want to celebrate the people I'm lucky to have in my life while they're still alive! 

Let's start with my 2nd Cousin Crystal. She's my voice of reason.  The sister I never had.  The one who's been there through it all.



Meet Crystal.  Born and raised in Old Tappan, NJ, she now resides in the best apt. in NYC on the Upper West Side.
* She attended Rutgers University for 2 years, and graduated from University of Michigan. She's the one that has lived with almost all our friends (Me, Ang, Jean, Tracy, Grace)
* She worked at Protiviti working as a consultant for many years, and now works for Ralph Lauren doing something similar ( I think it's kind of like accounting??? haha... I have no idea what my friends do for a living. I just know the company where they work)
* Crystal likes being creative~ Getting obsessed with DIY projects for a while and then forgetting about them.
* She loves snowboarding.. but has recently become a snob and decided she will only snowboard in places like Utah and Colorado.  =P
* She LOVES golf. Loves it. She's like the opposite of a bear~ All her summer days will be spent on a golf  course.
* Crystal looks really funny at night when she goes to sleep. That's all I'm gonna say  ;)
* She's been on mission trips to Dominican Republic and Kenya twice
* She stands like a flamingo when doing the dishes and drives with her left leg up on the seat.
* She loves to travel, read, and shop.
* Crystals a really good dancer and loves to dance ( "I Just Wanna Dance!").
I was so proud when she was on the KSA Dance Team!
* Crystal is the happiest drunk.  She's all smiley. Much better than being a sloppy drunk.
* She loves going to concerts
* Crystal has a huge fan club of male suitors over the years.  One of her first big parties was like the "I've Loved Crystal Choi" meeting.  It was pretty funny.
* B*tch can have a mean streak so watch out!  ;)


Yoon, We've literally grown up together.  From the days when you bullied me at your birthday party "Are you gonna bodder us?" to going to Kenya to help orphans... we've come a long way!
We've been there for the good and the bad. 

Here are some favorite Crystal/Irene moments:
* Going to Crystal's bagel store before going to Korean School
* Coming back to my house after Korean School, watching Saved By The Bell, and eating Dominos Pizza
* Getting ready to "spank" Crystal with a hanger because she was being bad (before she started crying and my mom rushed in in shock)    < That's for the Are you Gonna Bodder Us Incident >
* Playing barbies, trading stickers and erasers.  You NEVER gave in to me on the Hawaii sticker that I wanted
* Holiday Parties. Heck... Parties of all kinds! We've had some really good ones!  =)
* Plucking off all of Crystal's eyebrows in the 8th grade.  Haha.. I'm sorry...  
(Like I said.. God's punishing me by not letting mine grow in...)
* Making you sing "Father I Adore You" in rounds over and over again
*Crystal being my chaueffer when Daidan and I were dating and I didn't have my license yet.  =)
* Surfing in Hawaii... where we thought we were so good that we didn't need teachers (He didn't even really teach us anything, did he?)... BIG MISTAKE - the next day we barely got on the board.  haha..
* "JESSICA SIMPSON COMING THROUGH!" in New Orleans.  Jazz Fest was amazing.  European Musk. The last night was crazy........

* Our girls trip to Ellenville.  We ate sooo much. The games were awesome

* Crystal's roll of the eyes and her, "Oh Irene....." and her "Only you, Irene...."
* 2 Christmases in NYC w/ me and Susan
* Making  you listen to "Blowing in the Wind" over and over ("YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE LYRICS! LISTEN AGAIN!!!"
* "Say It Ain't So" at Karaoke... what a weird coincidence
* Crystal and her mom teaching me how to knit
* So many good concerts we've been to! Lenka, Jack Johnson, Matt Wertz!

* Thousands of laughs over something really stupid. Those are the best kinds
* Crystal's listening to me blah blah blah,  and giving me good advice and perspective
* Singing songs with the children in the Mathare slums at the Health Clinic.
* The few times when we've been completely vulnerable and really cried/ talked in front of each other
(I think we're all kind of emotionally stunted... haha... at least in person)  ;)
* I.C.E.'s first Africa Benefit at Bar Nine. We raised $2,500 for Kenya!
* Crystal playing Cello.  I don't know whyyy I think it's so funny.. but it always makes me laugh.
* Sleeping in Crystal's bed, talking in my sleep and hugging her, getting kicked to the couch until she feels bad/forgets and lets me in until i talk in my sleep and hug her.....etc. etc. etc.
* Ballet Class at Crunch Fitness (with Paulina Porizkova) where Crystal looked like a graceful swan and I looked like a bull in a china shop.
* Sing-a-long on African Safari.  Hahah.... SOOOO much fun! "Do a Deer, A Female Deer"

There are soooo many more experiences we shared... but I'm a busy girl and I gots to go!

Yoon. I love you. Happy Birthday! I can't wait til we're 80 year old grannies sitting in our rocking chairs, knitting, getting drunk on wine, and talking about all the crazy stuff we've done.

Have a FABULOUS year and life.  

It's gonna be a great one!

I can't wait to share it with you!

UPDATE: Sorry boys~ As of 11/24/10, Ms. Choi is off the market and will become a Mrs. John Suh come summer 2011! 

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*