Closure
I have been seeing posts lately regarding closures; that they didn't expect to receive one from a certain person or from their ex-lovers. And the effect it caused them is also unexpected, they didn't know they needed it after all those times. They never knew a simple sorry could make them feel better even though they had already moved on from whatever ending their relationship turned out to be.
It made me think, would it be same thing for me? How does it feel to actually receive an apology from the person who have hurt you the most? How does it feel when that person acknowledges that they have caused you pain, regardless if it was intentional or not?
It's not that I have not moved on from him and from whatever we had and the ending it had but sometimes I just wonder, could the pain I felt be any less had he apologized to me? Not because he couldn't love me back but because he broke our friendship so easily as if it didn't matter to him at all. As if I didn't matter to him at all, when all I did was make him happy.
Could I have moved on from him faster than it actually was had he apologized to me for not fulfilling the promises we made together? Would I be less hurt if he actually apologized for simply hurting me?
I know that sometimes we have to forgive without any apology received but at times, I just can't help but wonder. If only he had the guts to apologize to me, maybe I didn't have to go through what I went through; maybe I didn't have abandonment issues, maybe I wasn't that insecure about my looks, and about myself in general. And maybe, just maybe, we could still be friends.
I used to think that I lost him, that I lost a beautiful friendship. I feel sad and I had regrets whenever I think about it before. But I realized, I never lost him. It was never a loss when you never had it in the first place.
Remember they say that if you lost something and it came back, it's yours. But if it did not, it was never yours to begin with. They say a true love has the habit of coming back, but I believe so as friendship. A true friendship will always find its way back to you, because you will always have a special spot for special people, whether you admit it or not. You will always have it deep in you: the courage to forgive and forget, if you know they're willing to do the same for you.
With this, remind yourself that if true love has a habit of coming back, so as friendship. If a friendship is meant for you, it will always finds its way back. Be selective though, but always seek the courage to forgive and forget, it need not to be the same case for everyone but trust yourself, you'll just know for whom it is and for whom it is not. :)
Most of the times we need closure, at times we don't. But sometimes the closure we need is them back in our lives. :)
I want to sleep but I couldn't so I just decided to write this hahaha. Just Wednesday thoughts that I want to share. :)
How are you? It's been a while.
Thank you for sparing some time with this, until the next one!
-glossyberrycraze
Why Global Warming is an Ethical Issue
Why Global Warming is an Ethical Issue: A Position Paper
Do you believe in global warming? If yes, do you think you are part of it?
**Abstract**
The topic about global warming has long been debatable but what really matters are the questions of who– who should be accountable, who are responsible, most especially who are affected. It’s us humans. It’s the human being as well who caused this global warming and climate change in our planet. I believe global warming is an ethical issue in the sense regarding the just way and rightful distribution of accountabilities among us people and among countries. One major problem is the enhanced greenhouse effect that causes the global warming. The greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the earth’s atmosphere but prevents much of the outgoing infrared radiation from escaping into outer space. This sustains life on Earth because without the greenhouse gases the earth would be colder and won’t be livable. But the enhanced greenhouse effect causes the temperature to rise and hence result to global warming; these are due to human activities and human-induced greenhouse gases. These environmental problems raised ethical issues such as regarding how much human-induced greenhouse gases should be tolerated. Essentially, we need the greenhouse effect, in order for living and non-living things to stay on the planet. But the question on how much should be tolerated and at what level should be considered dangerous is still an issue that needs to be discussed. Another ethical issue is who should have more responsibility and accountability – I believe the developed countries should have a larger accountability and responsibility when it comes to global warming because they also have a larger contribution on energy consumptions. However, that doesn’t mean that the developing and poorer countries should be free of the obligations and responsibilities. Because we are all affected. We share the same planet, we have a share on the causes, and also on its effects, so it’s just fair that we also have a share when it comes to the solution. And that should happen right now.
**Discussion**
The topic about global warming has long been debatable but what really matters are the questions of who– who should be accountable, who are responsible, most especially who are affected. It’s us humans. It’s the human being as well who caused this global warming and climate change in our planet. With the increasing number of populations, which is expected to double a few more decades from now, this will take a large toll on earth. By year 2050, the world population is expected to have grown between nine to ten billion people. This dramatic population growth means the human impact on the planet has increased significantly, not only because of the huge increase in our numbers, but also because of the new technical power to dig deeper, cut faster, build larger, and navigate more quickly great distances in automobiles, trucks, and planes. This resulted to a global scale environmental problem.
Having said that, I believe that global warming, not just an environmental issue, is also an ethical issue that should be given attention as well. It is an ethical issue in the sense regarding the just way and rightful distribution of accountabilities among us people. It is undeniable that many people don’t seem to care when it comes to the environment because they believe the government should be the sole responsible for global warming and climate change. Some people think that the nature’s welfare lies in the laws and policies imposed by the government alone. While it is true that the government has the more power and more responsibility, us people should also do our part. Our day-to-day activities have an impact to global warming – when we leave the faucet running when brushing our teeth, when we leave the sockets unplugged, when we leave the lights on when not needed, and many other things that may seem small; but those small things, if done by many can affect the environment greatly.
According to Brown (2001), to understand the environmental problem deep enough to trigger moral concern, one must understand things that are not immediately evident to the naked eye, such as how the burning of fossil fuels in the United States may affect distant people—and not just in the present setting but in the future as well that is far more distant and abstract. He stated that one must see the amount of coal and oil burning in one country that may affect the others. It affects the temperature and depletes the ozone layer that protects us from the heat coming from the radiation of the sun. We should visualize how the use of pesticides threatens the environment and human health; and how destructive the use of paper all over the world is, to our forests. These global environmental problems raise serious ethical issues because these problems will mostly affect the poorest, it will reduce the quality of life for the future generation, and it will threaten life of animals.
Here I will list down ethical issues raised by the global warming and to start with that, we must identify one of the major problems, like the enhanced greenhouse effect. The greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the earth’s atmosphere but prevents much of the outgoing infrared radiation from escaping into outer space. This sustains life on Earth because without the greenhouse gases the earth would be colder and won’t be livable. But the enhanced greenhouse effect causes the temperature to rise and hence result to global warming; these are due to human activities and human-induced greenhouse gases. For the past two hundred years, emissions from cars, power plants, and other human inventions have led to about a 30% increase in the natural concentration of carbon dioxide and more than a 100% increase in the atmospheric concentration of methane. Globally, the average temperature of the earth has warmed over 0.55°C since the mid-nineteenth century. The rise in temperatures has caused the ice and glaciers to melt down, causing rise in sea level. The rise in sea level means that some place in the planet could get submerged in water, which we do not want to happen. This will result also to a change in the natural habitat of polar animals.
The first ethical issue is regarding how much human-induced greenhouse gases should be tolerated. Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), governments have agreed to take action to stabilize greenhouse gases at a level that “prevents dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”, however, no agreement on the level that is “dangerous” have been made yet. The level at which greenhouse gases are steadied will ultimately determine how much damage to human and nonhuman interests is accepted.
Another is weather the developed nations have special responsibilities to act before the poorer nations. This has something to do with the United States taking action to reduce the greenhouse gases but if the developing countries would not or if they have less cooperation, then there still will be climate change happening. The fight against climate change should be a collective effort by all countries and not only by developed countries, however, I say they have a bigger accountability because developed countries have the more consumption of energies, them being a developed country means that they have a larger contribution on the human-induced climate change. But as I’ve said, the developing and poorer countries should also do their part and take action against this issue.
**Conclusion**
In conclusion, these environmental problems, such as problems of human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity, raise the ethical question of our human obligation to protect animals and plants from destruction by human behavior and of the responsibilities of the developed world to the developing world. Global warming is an ethical issue that should be given more attention to especially at this point in time. Recently, a group of scientists call for help and a trend for Let the Earth Breathe happened. Sadly, they have been warning us since years ago of the short and long-time effects of climate change but it seems only few out the billions of people ever listened. Let’s take care of our planet, we only have one. Let’s hope that there is still hope and it’s not the end, that we still have a chance. In every little way, if done collectively will contribute big. Let’s start practicing it at home. Let the change start within ourselves.
**References:**
Brown, D. (2019). The Ethical Dimensions of Global Environmental Issues. Retrieved from American Academy of Arts & Sciences website: https://www.amacad.org/publication/ethical-dimensions-global-environmental-issues
do you belive in global warming? if yes, do you think you are part of it? #lettheearthbreathe
Non-mainstream Korean Drama Recommendations
Hi! If you love and enjoy watching Korean drama series, then this is for you! I will list down non-mainstream dramas that I personally recommend. What I mean by non-mainstream, are those underrated Kdramas that did not trend, or was not hyped enough unlike those popular dramas that you can think of. I will include old and new dramas so enjoy reading! ^^
Disclaimer: The dramas included here are solely based on my opinion and partially based on the show's rating/viewership. 😊
**Chicago Typewriter 💻**
This drama is about three friends who lived under the Japanese rule in Korea on 1930s who were reincarnated into a famous writer who's experiencing a slump, an anti-fan, and a mysterious ghostwriter. This is a story of love, friendship, and betrayal. Upon their quest to find their broken memories of the past, they found shocking truths that changed their lives forever.
One of my favorite underrated korean dramas ever. The story line is so good, the plot twists are unexpected, and the casts are perfect. The cinematography is also beautiful especially the scenes during the Japanese era. This series surely made me cry and the OSTs are also good! Satellite Love is my favorite 😭❤
Rating: 10/10
**Mad Dog 🐶**
This drama is about Choi Kang Woo, who is a former police and leader of Taeyang Insurance's investigators team, who decided to create his own investigation team, after an airplane crash that took the life of his wife and son. He then meets Kim Min Joon, a genius former swindler whose brother was also a victim of the crash, thus begin their rivalry and cooperation. They call their team the "Mad Dogs".
It's been years since I've watched this drama but this was one of the underrated dramas that I loved. It tackled about different insurance crimes in Korea and all those tricky bad deeds people do in the name of money.
Rating: 9/10
**Mouse 🐭**
Mouse follows the story of Jung Ba-reum, a police officer, whose life changes when he encounters a psychopathic serial killer. This driven him and his partner Go Moo-chi to uncover the truth behind psychopathic behaviors. This also features a scientific discovery of whether it is possible to scan a psychopath in the mother's womb using fetal genetic testing. And if the child in the womb is a psychopath, will it be wise to have that child?
One of the best, I say, mystery-thriller dramas that I have ever watched. This is one of my top-tier dramas and this series set the bar high for mystery-thriller genres. I really can't get why this drama is so underrated. 😭 The best story line, the best set of casts and the plot twist is just mind-blowing. Kung plot twist lang naman ang pag-uuspan, hindi kayo lugi dito. 😂
The dilemma in the story is also good, it will make you think deeply of the issues they tackled. It will weigh your moral values at some point. Plus the acting is superb! I had a roller-coaster of emotions in this drama. Highly recommended! 💯
Rating: 100/10 😂
**Sungkyunkwan Scandal 🏫**
It's a historical drama set during Joseon Dynasty where females are not allowed of education and employment. Kim Yoon-hee which is played by actress Park Min Young, disguised herself as her brother to make a living. She accepted a job to be a substitute test-taker where she gets caught by a fellow student but later on, she got accepted to study in the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University, her disgusing as her brother. This also tells the story of four young students and tells the story of their love and friendships.
One of my favorite historical dramas. This is where my love for Park Min Young and Song Joong Ki started. 😂 Sa tingin ko ito rin talaga yung pioneer ng mga dramas where the main leads are pretending to be a boy/girl. Kaya hindi na ako masyadong nanonood ng mga ganun kasi I've watched this already though for sure, they have different storylines. 😊
This is a really good drama, with good set of casts and a beautiful storyline. You won't regret watching this. :)
Rating: 10/10
**My Liberation Notes 📝**
My Liberation Notes tells the story of three siblings and a mysterious stranger who want to escape from their unremarkable lives.
This is what I'm currently watching, it's an on-going series which I discovered through TikTok because they said it's a must watch for introverted people and I did not regret my decision to watch it. Because it's more than just for introverted people, this drama tackles realistic generational gap between the city and provincial life. It's also for those who feels somewhat stuck in their life, those who feels not happy but not unhappy either, and the sad reality of what seemed to be a dreadful cycle of everyday life.
I've said this already on other platforms, but this drama is not for everyone. If you cannot relate to the characters, you might find the drama boring. If you do not feel what the characters feel, you might say the drama has nothing special.
This is also a romance drama, I love the calm, healthy relationship of the main leads here. There was no skinship yet or anything but their chemistry is superb. 💯 Sobrang kinikilig ako sa kanila. 😭💚💚
I recommend you watch it though I'd like to gatekeep the male lead hahaha just kidding. It's available on Netflix! 😊
Rating: 1000/10 😂
That would be all for now, aalalahanin ko pa yung iba hahaha. I will make a part 2 of this once I'm able to remember more. 😂
I hope you enjoyed this! Go watch them if you haven't yet. I did not include any more details since I don't want to spoil but one thing is for sure, these are all good dramas. 💯
Thank you for reading!
A Game of Trolls: A Musical Play Review
Hi! Have you heard of the musical play, "A Game of Trolls"? I'm just wondering maybe some of you are familiar with it because they actually started the show year 2017 and then because of some media partnerships, they started the show again through a paid site. As for me, I was able to watch it for free because it was our final requirement in a minor subject. Our professor managed to give us tickets for free. How nice, right? :)
So here I will be sharing my review of the show hehe I hope this poke your interest into watching it. This is by the way a Filipino musical, played by Filipino actors. ^^
A Game of Trolls is a stage play musical about a conflict between an activist mother and his son who feels distant from her, but it tackled a much deeper issue that is very timely nowadays at a time of election. But its essence doesn’t make any less if it isn’t a time for election because I believe many people should watch this because honestly large populations of people are still misinformed. The specific issue we’re talking about is the reign of the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and the martial law. The play highlighted the experiences of the different groups of people particularly those who have outspokenly fought for their rights during martial law. In the play, the main character, Heck, works as a troll for “Bimbam” and his group, who looks up to “Apo” and fight people on the internet who oppose the lies they have been spreading. They are trolls, they are spreader of fake news.
On his alone times, people from the past “descend” from the cloud and talked to Heck about their experiences; they even let him experienced some of the tortures and hardships they went through. Each of their story is truly heartbreaking, to think that they were based on real people, on real stories. They urged Heck to talk to his mother as he was having personal dilemma since he can't truly show how he cares for her because of the hard feelings he had been keeping for so long. They encouraged him to ask his mother questions he’s been long looking for answers all along. It turns out, Heck is also misinformed and he’s only blinded by his hate towards his mother. When the time came that he was finally able to talk to his mother about what happened in the past, his mother told him everything. Everything that she experienced from his abusers. It was a sentimental moment between the two of them because Heck didn't expect to hear it from his mother, he didn't know his mother have experienced such abuse and violence. But in the end, the two of them reconciled, and the love for each other helped them to forgive. At the end of the show, Heck joined his friends in fighting fake news and the trolls, by which they won in the end and the truth still prevailed.
I didn't include everything in here of course, especially about the love interest and friends of the main character. What I love most about this play, I can say is its theme and the storyline. It was well-written as well as the scripts and the actors really did a good job with each roles.
Overall, the play is good and the actors did really well. It made me sad, angry, I laughed at the glimpse of the main character's love story and most importantly, it opened my eyes to the experiences of certain individuals that I’ve not known before. I became more aware of the severity of the injustices and abuses that happened during those times. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen musical and stage plays live before but I just think the experience would be better if I watched it live but generally it’s a good play; very informative, timely, an eye-opener and a must-see musical.
That's all for today! Since the 2022 National Election is very soon, let me remind you to vote wisely! Let us think deeply about this decision we're about to make. We still have few days to go! 😊
Until the next article,
-glossyberrycraze 🌷
Alamat ng Daragang Magayon
Narinig mo na ba ang kuwento tungkol sa Alamat ng Daragang Magayon? Kung hindi pa, hayaan mo akong isalaysay ito sa mga susunod na teksto. (Wow, very tagalog yern hahaha 😂)
To be honest, re-reading her story is refreshing to me because the first time I read this was when I was high school and then when I moved to Legazpi, I literally became closer to the location of Mt. Mayon so I had this sort of familiar feeling.
Anyway, her story goes..
*Ayon sa isang matandang alamat, sa Albay ay may isang kagalang-galang na raha na sinusunod ng lahat. May anak itong dalaga na hinahangaan dahil sa pagtataglay nito ng kagandahan at kabaitan. Daragang Magayon ang kilalang bansag sa anak ng raha. Daraga na nangangahulugang dalaga at magayon na ang ibig sabihin ay maganda.*
*Sapagkat ubod ng ganda, maraming binata ang dumadayo pa sa Albay makita lamang ang anak ng raha. Kabilang sa mga mangingibig ni Daragang Magayon ay mga binatang anak ng mga raha rin mula sa Camarines Del Norte, Camarines Del Sur, Catanduanes at Sorsogon.*
*Bagama't kalat na kalat sa kabikulan ang nababalitang kariktan ni Magayon, pinagtiyap lang ng pagkakataon kung bakit nalaman din ng isang binatang mula sa napakalayong lugar sa katagalugan ang kahali-halinang kagandahan. Ang binata ay si Ulap na anak ni Raha Tagalog ng Quezon. Isa siyang abenturerong manunudla ng mga hayop gubat kaya siya pinadpad sa kabikulan.*
*Minsang nakatulog siya sa kagubatan ay ginising siya ng halakhakan ng mga kadalagahan mula sa batis ng Rawis. Nakita niyang naglulunoy sa malinaw na tubig ang magagandang dilag. Pinakamaganda rito si Daragang Magayon. Hindi nagpakilala si Ulap sa inibig na kaagad na dilag. Sapagkat nalaman ng binatang buwan-buwang naglulunoy ang magkakaibigan sa batis ay pinagsasadya niya ang nasabing lugar upang masilayan lamang ang pinakamamahal. Sa tuwing nagsisiahon ang mga dalaga sa kristal na batis ay gustung-gusto na sanang makipagkilala ni Ulap kay Magayon subalit nag-aalala siyang baka sabihing siya ay pangahas.*
*Minsang napansin niyang may mga binata ring nakipaligo sa bukal Rawis ay nakiligo na rin si Ulap. Sa sobrang pagmamahal kay Magayon ay sinikap niyang mapansin siya ng dalaga.*
*Naging madalas ang pakikilunoy ni Ulap sa mga kabinataan upang mapalapit lamang kay Daragang Magayon.*
*Minsang nagpapahinga na sa talampas si Ulap at paakyat na ang dalaga ay napansin ng binatang isang malaking ahas ang umuusad papalapit sa damubang nilalakaran ng kaniyang diyosang sinasamba. Patakbo siyang sumaklolo at sa isang kisapmata ay natagpas ang ulo ng ahas na nagkikisay sa paanan ni Daragang Magayon. Laking pasasalamat ng dalaga.*
*Iyon ang pagkakataon upang makipagkilala na si Ulap sa dalaga. Lagi at lagi na silang nagkikita. Mga sariwang prutas lang ang inihahandog nito sa kaniya. Akala ni Daragang Magayon na ordinaryong mamamayan lang si Ulap sa kanilang bayan. Wala kasi itong yabang sa katawan.*
*Nang masukol sa kuwentuhan ay naipagtapat niyang anak din siya ng sikat na si Raha Tagalog sa Tayabas.*
*Lalong humanga sa pagpapakumbaba ni Ulap si Daragang Magayon.*
*Naikumpara niya ang binata sa manliligaw niyang si Iriga, matandang balong pinuno ng Camarines Sur. Pawang nagkikinangang alahas ang inihahandog nito sa kaniya. Magarbong matanda si Raha Iriga na kinatatakutan ng lahat pagkat kilala ito sa kawalan ng katarungan, raha ng mga magnanakaw at puno ng kasamaan.*
*Nagkaibigan si Ulap at si Daragang Magayon. Upang patunayan ang pagmamahal sa dalaga ay pinagsadya niya sa kaharian ang ama nito at malakas na itinulos ang matulis na sibat bilang pagpapatunay sa masidhi niyang pagmamahal kay Daragang Magayon. Iyon ay paghamon din sa sinumang nais magpahayag ng pag-ibig kay Daragang Magayon. Humanga sa tapang ni Ulap si Raha Makusog. Nag-usap sila. Ipinagpaalam ng binatang papupuntahin ang mga magulang niya upang pormal na hingin ang kamay ni Daragang Magayon upang sila ay makasal sa lalong madaling panahon. Pumayag ang mabait na ama ni Magayon. Bago sumagot ay nagpasya na si Raha Makusog na isauli na ang lahat ng alahas na handog ng ganid na si Raha Iriga.*
*Nakarating kay Raha Iriga ang nalalapit na pamamanhikan at kasalan.*
*Habang papauwi si Ulap upang sunduin ang mga magulang ay nilusob ni Raha Iriga ang baranggay ni Raha Makusog.*
*Bilang benggansa, binuhay niya bilang alipin si Raha Makusog at itinakda ang kasal nila ni Magayon sa pagbibilog ng buwan. Nagpakatanggi-tanggi ang dalaga subalit tuso si Raha Iriga. Ipapapatay daw niya ang ama kung hindi pakakasal sa kaniya ang dalaga. Kumagat sa patalim si Daragang Magayon na dasal nang dasal na sana ay dumating na ang binatang pinakamamahal.*
*Naghahanda na sa maringal na pamamanhikan si Ulap at ang mga magulang nang makarating sa binata ang balitang sinapit ni Magayon. Galit na galit na isinama niya kaagad ang mga kawal. Ang paghaharap ni Ulap at Raha Iriga ay tunggalian ng lakas sa lakas. Sapagkat katarungan ang ipinakikipaglaban kaya lalong lumakas si Ulap na sa huling malakas na taga ay napatay ang Raha ng Kasamaan. Tuwang-tuwa si Daragang Magayon na patakbong yumakap sa tagapagtanggol. Sapagkat napagitna ang magkasintahan sa mga kawal na nagdidigmaan ay di napansin ni Daragang Magayon ang ligaw na sibat na tumama sa dibdib niya. Natulala si Ulap na sumapo at yumakap sa mahal niyang diyosa. Napakabilis ng pangyayari. Hindi na nakapagpaalam pa ang magandang dalaga. Sa isang kisapmata ay sinugod naman ng tagapagtanggol ni Iriga si Ulap. Tumagos sa dibdib ng binata ang may lasong sandata. Nang makita ni Raha Makusog ang katampalasanan ng alipin ay tinagpas niya ang ulo ng buhong.*
*Nagapi sa digmaan ang ilan sa mga tauhan ng ganid na raha. Ang karamihan na naniniwala pa rin sa katarungan, kapayapaan at pag-iibigan ay nagsiluhod at pumayag na paampon sa mga matatapat na kawal ni Raha Makusog na inalalayan ng mga mandirigma ni Ulap mula sa katagalugan.*
*Bagama't nauwi sa pagdadalamhati ang kasalan ni Ulap at ni Daragang Magayon ay nagyuko na lang ng ulo si Raha Makusog bilang pag-alinsunod sa itinakda ni Bathala.*
*Bilang pagbibigay pahalaga ng ama sa nag-iisang anak, pinagsama niya ang bangkay ng magsing-irog sa lugar na malapit sa batis Rawis na unang pinagtagpuan ng dalawa.*
*Ang lugar na iyon na pinaglibingan kay Daragang Magayon ay kapansing-pansing tumataas taun-taon. Sa kinatagalan ay lumaki ito nang lumaki at naging isang bundok. Bilang pagpapahalaga sa dakilang pag-ibig na inialay kay Daragang Magayon, ito ay tinawag na Bundok ni Daragang Magayon na ngayon ay naging Mayon.*
*Sa panahong tila humahaplos ang maninipis na ulap sa tuktok ng bundok, sinasabi ng mga matatanda na hinahagkan ni Ulap ang pisngi ni Magayon. At kapag marahang dumadaloy ang ulan sa gilid ng bundok, iyon daw ay pagluha ni Ulap na nangungulila sa pagmamahal na hindi nabigyan ng katuparan.*
*May mga taga-Bicol na naniniwala pa rin sa nagngangalit na kaluluwa ni Raha Iriga. Sinasabi nilang sa pagnanais nitong makuhang muli ang mga alahas na inihandog kay Magayon ay nag-aapoy ang bulkan ng Mayon.*
*Iyan ang alamat ng Bulkang Mayon.*
Pinoy Edition © 2022 - All rights reserved.
Source: https://www.pinoyedition.com/mga-alamat/alamat-ng-bulkang-mayon-2nd-version/
And that's the legend of Mt. Mayon. I always think of this story whenever a bunch of clouds cover the volcano, that Ulap is hugging her beloved Magayon.
Such a tragic story but it shows a love that is kind, humble, and unconditional. Not only the romantic love of Ulap and Magayon but also Raha Makusog's love for his daughter.
So that's all for today's videyow - I mean article hahaha I hope you liked Magayon's story and found it interesting. 😊
041322: My Short Trip to Albay
Hello! Long time no article postings here. I got so busy with my academic life, especially with thesis because our final defense is just around the corner. I also did prepare for my application for graduation and for the requirements for Civil Service Exam. Sadly though, I wasn't able to secure a slot but maybe next time. :)
For today's article I want to share my short trip to Albay last Wednesday, April 13, 2022. I was with my older brother and we travelled by his motorcycle. It was the longest motorcycle ride I had so far. The travel time from our province to Albay is usually five to six hours depending on the vehicle's speed and what type of vehicle you are going to use. I think we were able to get there after about five hours, because since it's Holy Week, we encountered people who were doing religious devotion or in Filipino language, we call it "pamamanata".
The reason why we traveled to Albay is to get my remaining stuff and clothes on the boarding house where I stayed for 2 years for university. My brother offered to help me because I really can't do it by myself. We left around 5:00 in the morning because we would also go home the same day so we left early to go home early as well.
While travelling, I had the thought like "Wow, you really see all sorts of things when you are on the road." And it's different from when you are riding public vehicles or vehicles that have closed windows like cars and buses because with motorcycles, you will able to see it nearer and in a clearer view because no window nor curtains that will be in your vision. It's like you're witnessing things firsthand. You can feel the wind brushing your skin, your hair's flying here and there and the best thing, for me, about it is you can freely see the sky. You can see it just above your head and the feeling is just so satisfying, it feels like you are flying. The trees looked so beautiful with the sky as its background. It looks like the leaves and the branches were painted and the sky is the canvass. It feels so peaceful and calming to look at.
We stopped by an eatery in Nabua, Camarines Sur to have a meal at around 8:30 and we had a funny experience there that we only realized when we're already in Albay. I paid a total of ₱262 (almost 6$) for our meal and my brother was surprised to learn that. It was because the viand that he chose cost ₱150 (3$) and he misheard it for only ₱50 (1$). I thought he was aware of that so I really didn't say anything to him though I was thinking it was a bit expensive. We only realized this when we're computing the expenses we had so far and we both just laughed about it because it's already done. Lol.
When we reached Albay province, we stopped by a tourist spot, the Cagsawa Ruins, it's a famous old church in the Philippines because it was beneath Mt. Mayon only half of the church or its ruins is visible on the ground because the other half of it were destroyed or submerged by the lahar and lava flow when Mt. Mayon had a massive eruption before.
We took some pictures and my brother also bought some souvenirs that he plans to give to his co-workers. Here's me in front of the Cagsawa Church. This is taken by my brother and I really loved this photo. :)
Below are some of the pictures that I took. I was only able to take a few because my phone's camera is really not that good haha.
That's my brother taking a picture of the Cagsawa. I was really not planning to include him in the picture but he suddenly walked forward so I just let it haha.
Sadly, Mt. Mayon didn't "show up" as you can see and it was covered by the clouds. I might post an article about the legend of Mt. Mayon next time. :)
We head straight to my boarding house right away after this and then I got my things, put them on the bags that we brought and then I returned the keys. I felt a little bit of sadness upon returning the key because of course I got attachments with the room where I stayed. That room heard my unspoken thoughts and witnessed all the crying and emotional moments I had those years of face-to-face classes. But I know I will always remember all the happy and sad moments I had in that small room. ❤️
Because we were riding a motorcycle, we couldn't bring the bags with us so we had it shipped through the public transportation, which is the bus.
When we arrived at Naga, we ate our late lunch at Mang Inasal at SM City around 3pm and then we waited for the bus to arrive. We shipped it through another bus again to Daet and then we head home afterwards around 4:00 in the afternoon.
We encountered some traffic because processions were held in some places but the ride was smooth when we reached Sipocot, Camarines Sur and onwards. We were able to arrive home at 6pm and then we just waited for the bus to arrive so we can claim our bags. I remember being so sleepy and tired after the long ride but we still had to go to the terminal for my bags haha.
I slept early that day because my legs and back started to feel a bit painful because of the long ride but I feel better the next morning. I am happy I was finally able to get the remaining stuff I had and I was able to had a joy ride as well and have a bonding with my brother. :)
That was a short but memorable travel I had.
Hello! I started to write this last Thursday but was only able to finish now because I had to laundry the clothes that we brought back. It's too many so I had it machine-washed. Tomorrow would be my beddings and jeans. 😆
That would be all for today's article. I hope you enjoyed reading this! Thank you and until next time!
— glossyberrycraze
Good Samaritan #0895
Good afternoon! I just wanna share this experience that happened just now, on this day, March 22, 2022.
My sister went home from work this afternoon and not even 10 minutes after she arrived, she went looking for her cellphone and then we realized it's nowhere to be found. That's when we started to panic, we searched everywhere in the house, we even searched outside just in case she dropped it there but no avail.
We contacted my eldest sister to call her phone because we don't have load subscription to call the number and she said it kept on ringing but no one was answering. She then instructed us to look for CCTV in our neighbor so we can find out the tricycle's number because my sister can't remember because as I've said she travels everyday so she really didn't pay attention remembering it. She can only remember how the tricycle looks like.
We found the other apartment has CCTV installed but unfortunately it's not working so we just went home and then when we were walking back, I saw another neighbor with CCTV so we explained the situation and asked if we can have a look and they told us if it's alright if we do it some time later because they are busy so we said it's okay. They then asked for a number they can contact so I gave mine and then we went home.
At this point we're starting to feel a bit hopeless because my eldest sister can't contact the number anymore as well. We were already overthinking of possible things that could have happened already. We're just waiting for a call from our neighbor so I told my sister to post on Facebook and to describe how the phone looks like and all the details needed.
I shared her post and even asked my friends to share it as well. About five minutes or so after she posted she was flooded with messages from people sharing the post of one radio station about a returned phone with my sister's name on it. It turns out the driver brought it to the station so he can find the owner. What a good samaritan!
Why am I writing this post is to appreciate what the driver has done for my sister. That phone contains many important information so she was really in distress. What he did is actually a bare minimum, it is just normal that you give back something that you found that isn't yours, right?. But why do we praise and appreciate these kind of people? Because we know that not all people do that. Not all people are kind enough, not all people are honest enough. Not all people will do the bare minimum. So for him to do this, is a very big act of kindness. And we really really appreciate and salute him for that.
This may be your reminder that in a world where you can be anything, always choose to be kind.
If you are wondering what 0895 is, that's his tricycle number. I put it because we don't know his name yet, my sister's just about to go the radio station and to also always remember that the driver of tricycle #0895 is a good samaritan. 💚
Bias Check: SEVENTEEN Edition
Hello! This took a while because of my thesis but here is the last part of my Bias Check Articles. 🥺 Last but not the least, SEVENTEEN! ^^
**SEVENTEEN**
Say the name, SEVENTEEN!
SEVENTEEN is the group that I stanned most recently. I started to stan them January this year but I also knew their group from way long ago. SEVENTEEN has 13 members: S.Coups, Jeonghan, Jun, Joshua, Hoshi, Woozi, Wonwoo, Mingyu, The8, DK, Vernon, Seungkwan, and Dino. They were formed also from a survival show, but I wasn’t able to watch it so I am not familiar with the system of their casting. I read that they were supposed to be seventeen members (hence their name) but four left from the line-up even before their debut. But they are SEVENTEEN because the group is consist of 13 members, 3 units (vocal, performance, hip-hop) and 1 group so when you add all those numbers, you’ll get seventeen.
S.Coups is the overall leader of the group and he is also the leader of the hip-hop unit. The hip-hop unit is consist of four members: S.Coups, Mingyu, Wonwoo, and Vernon. For the vocal unit, the leader is Woozi which is also their producer and the members of the unit are Woozi, Joshua, Jeonghan, DK and Seungkwan. The last unit is the performance unit which is consist of four members: Hoshi, The8, Jun, and Dino. Their leader is Hoshi, which is responsible for choreography and the overall performance of the group.
SEVENTEEN is one of the most popular and successful boy group in the industry. They are often labeled as “Kings of Synchronization”, "Performance Kings", "Theater Kids of K-pop", and "K-pop Performance Powerhouse” by various domestic and international media. They are also known as “self-producing idols” because they actively participate in producing, writing, and making choreographies of their songs. They have been releasing bops after bops since their debut and they have been bagging numerous awards since then.
They are under Pledis Entertainment which, since May 2020, was acquired by HYBE Corporation, making Pledis an independent label under it. HYBE is home for other groups such as BTS, TXT, and ENHYPEN which also have their own independent labels respectively. SEVENTEEN debuted on May 26, 2015 and is going on their 7th anniversary this year.
Bias: **Hoshi** 🐯
Horanghae! 🐯💛 My bias is Hoshi, or Kwon Soonyoung by his real name which is a main dancer, lead vocalist, and the performance team leader of the group. The term “horanghae” was invented by him, because he is such a big big lover of tigers. It’s a word play for horangi (tiger) and saranghae (I love you). Hoshi was not the member I’ve known and noticed first, it was The8 because I’ve watched him in a variety show before and also Mingyu and DK because they are part of the ’97 liners, a group of idol friends who are born in 1997.
My interest in the group was mainly influenced by TikTok, because of the few videos that appeared on my feed and that time, S.Coups and Hoshi really caught my attention and then eventually I was pulled by the horanghae impact more. 😂 Some, or maybe most of you won’t understand but there is a certain feeling that I get that makes me decide like okay, I will stan this group. I can’t explain it but there is a sense of ease, comfort and the “home” feeling when I am watching or looking at them, it’s a similar feeling when I am with my friends. That’s why I said at the first part of this that I feel like I have a growing family (figuratively speaking) when I started to stan SEVENTEEN. Hoshi is my bias simply because he is like a walking happiness, a walking joy. If the term joy is a real person, then for me it’s Hoshi. He’s been my source of joy lately. He always has this jolly vibe and his aura just radiates happiness. He is cute but can be very scary at times too. He has this duality of being cute offstage but he can also be very intimidating when performing. He choreographs most of the group’s routine and I have high respect for that, aside from his professionalism. He once dislocated his shoulder during a performance in one of their concerts that he had to rush backstage to receive treatment and he went back to stage to finish the concert with the members and fans. He was voted by the members as the most hardworking one along with Woozi, and S.Soups chose him as the one who could be the leader of the group. He is one of the mood-makers of the group along with DK and Seungkwan. His stage name Hoshi means star in Japanese. Horanghae, Hoshi! 🥰
It’s not been long yet that I am officially a CARAT but it hits different from the feeling I have for the other groups that I stan, my main group of course is still BTS but SEVENTEEN also feels like home. I may regret stanning them this late but I promise to stay until the last say the name. 💙
This is the last group for my Bias Check articles. You might be wondering why there is no girl group, I don’t know too haha I’m really not into girl groups but I am a casual listener of groups like Blackpink, Red Velvet, and Aespa because of my sister.
One of the reasons I love these boys is because they are humble beings and they know how to look back and give back despite their huge success. These groups have made numerous donations, both as a group and individually and most of them are known to public because they are revealed by the beneficiaries themselves. ❤ They also support various movements, charity groups, and advocacy campaigns like the call for equality and support for the LGBTQ community.
They have a beautiful relationship with each other that you can’t help but admire, they are a family. I don’t know it just makes me happy to see it.
Last but not the least, though fan wars exist, it’s a fact that they bring people together – people of different race, gender, age, and culture. And I think that’s beautiful.
Thank you for reading until the last part! Until the next one ^^
-glossyberrycraze
Bias Check: ENHYPEN Edition
Hola! It's my 4th article already and this time it's for ENHYPEN! I got busy with my private life duties so I can't publish it the past few days but here it is now! 🥰
You may also read part 1, 2, 3 of this through my profile here: https://read.cash/@glossyberrycraze
Okay enough for introduction, let's start!
**ENHYPEN**
ENHYPEN is the only group that I stan that is from the 4th generation of idols because the rest of the groups I have mentioned are from the 3rd gen. They are also the youngest and the latest to debut as they debuted last November 30, 2020. The group is formed from the survival show I-LAND where they were the last members to survive. I have heard of I-LAND when it was still airing but I never really paid attention to it. I also know some ENHYPEN members before I stan them because of my mutuals in social media. But last year, I was scrolling through TikTok and I came across a few videos of them and a video edit of one of their members and he has a really good voice. I became curious of who he was and what is his position so I googled them and that’s when I started watching I-LAND. And from then on, I officially became a member of the fandom.
ENHYPEN is consist of seven members: Jungwon, Heeseung, Jake, Jay, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki. They have six Korean members and one Japanese (Ni-ki). It was actually my first time to watch a survival show for idols because I’m not into it before. Apart from the leader, maknae (youngest) and center, the members don’t have a specific position because they are assigned to any position based on the concept and/or song. The meaning of their name is a mix of an en dash and a hyphen that connects different words to create new meaning; members of ENHYPEN will connect, discover each other, and grow together. ENHYPEN is under HYBE as well and its subsidiary BE:LIFT, which is a joint label by HYBE and CJ E&M.
Bias: **Jungwon**
Jungwonieee. Yang Jungwon is his complete name and he is the leader of the group. The leader selection was done through tests, voting, and meetings by the staff and members. He is the youngest leader in Kpop and he is actually doing a very good job. I think one of the reasons why he was chosen is because he is mature for his age, I mean yes he is still young and he’s actually playful and cute but his way of thinking and how he sees things is mature for his age. He’s only 18 (17 internationally). On their test for the leader selection, the members were asked who among them would likely to be in a more stable or calm state in a middle of chaos and they answered Jungwon. They also said that he has the strongest mental state or something like that. He said that age does not matter when it comes to being a leader and he doesn’t want to be a leader that feels distant to other members.
Now let’s talk about this, some fans, specifically those who are from older generation (like me, I’m a 1999 liner) feels hesitant or they don’t want to stan young generation groups because it may sound or looks weird but for me it’s okay as long as you don’t have weird thoughts about/for them and you don’t make inappropriate jokes about them. But if you call these kids your boyfriend or anything similar to that, now that’s weird and I think you need to touch some grass and take your time reflecting and contemplating on your thoughts. We are here to stan talent after all. I mean it’s not bad to stan because of their looks and charm because they are indeed all good looking, but a fan should know their limits especially when it comes to idols like them who are still young. And generally speaking, there should still be a line between a fan and the idol because they still have private lives to live that fans need to respect. And also because they are human; they are artists, musicians, dancers, because that’s their dream fulfilled, it’s their passion, it’s their job. It’s not their job or responsibility to always live up to your expectations because they are also bound to make mistakes. What you can do as a fan is to educate them on things they are lacking knowledge about because let’s be honest here, they can’t always be aware of what’s happening around the world because they’re always busy working: practicing, producing songs, appearing here and there.
I liked Jungwon because of his voice (I suggest you listen to their discography). I just find his voice very unique, it’s soothing and calming in a way. And then I decided to fully bias him when I saw how humble he was in I-LAND and how he handles situations, and when he became the leader. He actually ended up ranking first on the final ranking of the show. The best boy Jungwon! 🥰
That's it for ENHYPEN! 🤍
Thanks for reading and making it onto my 4th one. Next would be SEVENTEEN! That would be the last for my Bias Check articles.
Until then!
-glossyberrycraze
Bias Check: NCT Edition
Hello, there! I was a day late but here's the part 3 of my Bias Check articles, and this time it's NCT! 🥳 After more than two years since I started to stan BTS, there comes NCT, which I didn't think I would stan because I was really confused with their debut system but I guess you can never really tell so here yah go! ^^
**NCT (Neo Culture Technology)**
For my third group is NCT. I have known them quiet a long time ago but I started to stan them year 2020 because of SuperM, which is a group consist of members from SM’s boy groups (SHINee, EXO, NCT). My bias in SuperM is Ten, which is a member of NCT and its Chinese sub-unit, WayV. Because of that, I became more familiar with the system of NCT. And then later on, I started to stan them as well with Ten of course as my bias. NCT or Neo Culture Technology debuted in 2016 and is a group that contains unlimited members, which will debut in sub-units within the group. They currently have 23 members in total: Taeyong, Taeil, Johnny, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, WinWin, Jungwoo, Lucas, Mark, Xiaojun, Hendery, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, YangYang, Shotaro, Sungchan, Chenle, and Jisung. Shotaro and Sungchan were the latest members and they were introduced during the era when I started to stan them. (NCT 2020 or the Resonance era).
The group currently has 4 sub-units: NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, and NCT U. The NCT U has no fixed members and anyone of them can be part of it depending on the song.
The NCT 127 is consist of ten members: Taeyong, Taeil, Yuta, Jaehyun, Winwin, Mark, Haechan, Johnny, Doyoung, and Jungwoo. The ‘127’ in their name represents the longitudinal coordinates of Seoul, South Korea. They were the first sub-unit to debut on July 7, 2016.
The next sub-unit is NCT Dream, which is consist of seven members: Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung. They were supposed to be the teenage subunit of NCT with a graduation system where members would leave the unit once they reach legal age (which is 20 in Korea, 19 internationally). But on 2020, the system was removed and Mark, who graduated that time went back and the group became a fixed unit with all seven members. They debuted on August 25, 2016.
The fourth unit of NCT is WayV (We Are Your Vision). They mainly promote in China and they are consisting of seven members as well: Kun, Ten, WinWin, Lucas, XiaoJun, Hendery, and YangYang. They are the latest subunit of NCT as they debuted last January 17, 2019. WinWin is a member of both NCT 127 and WayV but he is currently promoting more in China as a member of WayV. WayV is my bias unit in NCT. ^^
Sungchan and Shotaro don’t have fixed units yet but they were part of the last recent comebacks of NCT as a whole, for NCT 2020 and NCT 2021.
Bias: **Ten**
I didn’t originally have a bias in SuperM but I was watching their contents for Kai and Baekhyun (of EXO) until eventually, I started to notice Ten because of his high note in one of their songs. That’s where my interest in him started and then I learned that he is Thai. His full name is Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul, yep pretty long name but he said that’s common among their culture and that is why they have nicknames and in his case, it’s Ten. I started to watch many WayV contents and I saw that he is actually very loud and sassy when he is with WayV members because he is one of the oldest members unlike in SuperM where he is one of the dongsaengs (youngest). I got really interested in him because he is such a hardworking person. He only had a fixed unit year 2019 despite being one of the first members of NCT. He may seem playful but he actually has a soft heart. I remember seeing one video of him where the NCT had a press con or some sort of fan meeting and the management didn’t announce beforehand that Ten would be included in the members line-up so his fans didn’t prepare any surprise or gifts, maybe even some of them didn’t attend the event. You can see how emotional he was seeing the fans cheer for the other members and he was just standing their teary-eyed. 🥺 I still get annoyed thinking about it now. He also had to learn two new languages (Korean and Chinese) and the other members really praise him for always working so hard. He also cares for his member and he makes sure that no one gets left behind.
I felt happy when he was chosen to join SuperM because it feels like he was finally receiving the recognition and spotlight that he deserves. He was a main dancer but his vocals are also good. He actually came from a wealthy family and it was revealed that they have a zoo in their house with sorts of animals but he remains humble despite all of that. He has dogs and cats but I think he is more into cats. They have one dog and two cats in their WayV dorm whom they treat as kids and that’s one of the reasons why Wayv is my favorite unit among NCT. 😊
Fun fact about him: He hates fruits 🤣 I think he had a bad experience with some fruits when he was younger that made him dislike them at all. But he eats and drinks fruit-flavored food and beverages, just not the actual fruit itself. ^^
Ten Chittaphon once said “Be you, be unique, be crazy – you’re beautiful.” And I live by those words since then. 💚
That's it for this one, once again thank you for reading until the end. I wasn't able to upload this yesterday because I was super busy with thesis and assignments. We're now on the methodology part so we need to work extra hard so we can graduate on time haha.
That's all.^^ I hope you also tune in for the next ones for ENHYPEN and SEVENTEEN. Thank you! 🥰
-glossyberrycraze
Bias Check: BTS Edition
Hello there! Here's part two of my Bias Check article. You can read this without the part one but you may read it as well if you like. Here's the link: https://read.cash/@glossyberrycraze/bias-check-exo-edition-93c33d17
So for the next group, here yah go! 🥰
**BTS (Bangtan Seonyeondan or Bulletproof Boy Scouts)**
They are the second group that I stanned but I’ve known them since 2015 because I often hear their songs in our classroom way back. Stanning them was actually a big turning point for me, because I honestly thought that I would never stan any other groups aside from EXO. I never imagined I would fall for other groups back when was I still new in Kpop world. But to tell you honestly, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made as a Kpop fan. BTS is consist of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook- some of you are probably familiar with them because of their massive popularity which they truly, rightfully, deserve. 🥺 They are my definition of “started from the bottom, now we’re here”. Not that I am saying other groups did not experience hardships because they all did, they all trained from a young age and that says a lot. It’s just that, BTS really started from scratch. Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE) was just a small company back then, they were not part of the so-called “Big 3 Companies” and if I am not mistaken, they were on the verge of bankruptcy when BTS was just starting. The seven members were living in a small dorm, which is also their studio and they sleep in one room, with only two bunk beds to accommodate all seven of them.
They also faced too many controversies and prejudice that were all proven false. They were bullied by senior rappers, they were accused of plagiarism, they were hated for how they look (d*amned standards), the media looked down on them, and of course the hate from toxic fans. But it’s all in the past, and they proved them all wrong. They are now one if not the most, popular boy band in the world. They’ve been breaking records not only in Korea but also in Western countries. They are the first Asian artists to be awarded at the American Music Awards (Artist of the Year) and also to be nominated at the prestigious Grammy Awards twice in a row. They also break digital records and they break their own records, speaking of. They’re the first Korean artists to be invited to speak in the UN Assembly twice, and they also partnered with UNICEF for their Love Myself campaign, an advocacy against violence toward children and teens around the world.
They have been spreading positivity through their songs and I am speaking through experience, they are comfort people. Sometimes I treat them like my 911. Their songs are like what you exactly need to hear, and what you want to tell the world.
Speaking of their artistry, I really admire their lyrical talent, especially Namjoon! He’s a lyrical genius. They also participate in producing and writing their songs, especially the rap line since they write their own verse, but Namjoon (RM) have taken part in all their songs, except only for one.
Bias: **Suga**
His real name is Min Yoongi and he is the lead rapper of the group. He was not actually the first member that I liked, the first that I noticed was Jungkook but I did not call him my bias back then because I was still getting to know them. Until I heard the song “So Far Away” in Suga’s first mixtape “AgustD”. That song was one of the reasons why Min Yoongi is my bias. The song just really hit home, the first time I heard it, I felt like I was the one storytelling myself because I can relate so much. That was when I realized that the “inside joke” of the fandom was true, that you will not find your bias in BTS, your bias will find you. And that they will come at the time you need them the most. My love for Yoongi is something that came to me naturally. I can relate to him most of the times because he’s also a shy and quiet person, but is loud around people he’s comfortable with. Others perceived him as cold-hearted because of his quietness but he is actually a very sweet and caring person. He is just like that because he is an introvert. He talked about his battles with depression, OCD and social anxiety when he was younger in his mixtapes. His lyrics and the truth he speaks are actually really heartbreaking. He openly talks about mental health issues and encourages people to take it more seriously and more comfortably because it matters, one's mental health matters as much as physical health does.
He comforts me in ways you probably wouldn’t understand. He is the first person that I heard say “Those who don't have a dream, it's okay, it's okay if you don't have a dream. You just have to be happy.” And that really comforted me a lot.
Even in small things like not watching something when it’s popular, I can also relate. He is a huge fan of basketball (he is also very good at it, btw) which I also love. We have the same favorite anime: slam dunk; we have the same favorite number: 3. He is also good at cooking and I dreamed of having a partner who is also good at cooking because of him lol. He loves sleeping a lot, and I do too. In terms of artistry, he is one of the best rappers in the industry (for me). He was an underground rapper before he trained for BTS and he went by the name "Gloss". He is also a songwriter and producer, where he produced for other artists as well like IU, Suran, Epik High, Halsey, MAX, etc.
AgustD is the name he used for his solo mixtapes, where DT stands for Daegu Town which is his hometown and the SUGA that is spelled backwards. His stage name Suga was from the sound of the first syllables of ‘shooting guard’ which is his position in basketball and also because he is as white as a sugar, according to Bang PD-nim (their boss). 🥰
He is my ultimate bias out of all the biases I have. ^^ March is actually his birth month and it's my 4th year of celebrating his birthday already! 🥳
The only thing I regret about stanning them is that I stanned them late but Min Yoongi once said, "Don't feel regretful that you weren't there since our debut, because the day you met us, is the day we debuted for you." 💜
I actually still have a lot to say but I don’t want it to be too long because it may get boring to read. Hahaha. Anyway, thanks again for reading until the end. I hope you tune in as well for part 3! ^^
-glossyberrycraze 🥰
Bias Check: EXO Edition
While I can’t think of ideas what to publish next, I thought of posting something fun. I have mentioned many times in my past articles that I am a Kpop fan – a big fan, to be exact. 🤣 And now that I have recently stanned a new boy group, it feels like I have a growing family (figuratively speaking). 🥺
So here, let me introduce to you my Kpop boys! 🥳 I will post one article per group and start from the very first group that I stanned up to the most recent. But I will focus mainly on my bias/es (as in your favorite member) for each group, and the reasons why they are my favorite.
Just a side note: Having a “bias” is common in Kpop world, though we love all the members equally. ^^ Most kpop fans have a bias of their own, but there are also those who are “OT stans” as we call them, which means they bias all the members of the group, or in short, they can’t choose a bias.
Without further ado, let me start!
**EXO**
EXO is the very first Kpop group that I stanned, they are my first love in my “fangirling” journey. I started to stan them way back 2015 when our classroom was dominated by Kpop songs that time and most of my friends are Kpop fans themselves. To make it short, I was influenced by them, but in a good way!
EXO was originally consisted of 12 members but three already left for reasons I will not disclose here, so they are 9 members now: Suho, Xiumin, Lay, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Chen, D.O, Kai, and Sehun – though only 8 of them were actively promoting in Korea because Lay is Chinese and he can’t stay in Korea for political reasons. Their fans are called EXO-Ls because there were two units before: the EXO-K (Korean) and EXO-M (Mandarin or Chinese), so in the middle is EXO-L but I think it is also a shortened term for EXO-Lovers. Some of them have debuted as soloists also and some form a sub-unit. Lay is actively promoting in China as an actor, model, and singer and he have released albums as a soloist.
This group also have gone through a lot especially when three members left from their original line up. Many fans, especially those who bias the three, left the fandom and stopped supporting them. They had to face the criticism of the public, and there was one time Suho, their leader, had to get one of their music show wins alone, because that's when the first member left and they can't face the public with such news. So he had to go there and perform only by himself. 🥺 They were also robbed of an award at a famous music awards show in Korea, aside from the poor treatment they received that night. They stopped attending the said award show after that. Given they are my first love, they're my first heartbreak as well. I never imagined any member would leave the group; they did not leave altogether even, they left one by one. That's the reason why I took a rest from fangirling for two years and I went back again on 2018, which is also the year I started "stanning" the boy group that would be in my next article.
As of now, three members are fulfilling their mandatory military service, three are already discharged and two more will be enlisting soon.
Bias: **Chanyeol**
Let’s now talk about my bias, his real name is Park Chanyeol and he is the main rapper of the group. I was still young back then and he was the member that I noticed in one of their music videos and I grew fond of him since then. I started to find him on other music videos then eventually looking for fun facts about him on the internet. He’s one of the loudest members of the group and they are called the “beagle line”. One of his nicknames is “Happy Virus” because he always wants to spread happiness. For me, he is the most talented member because he can play a lot of instruments like guitar, bass guitar, drums, piano, etc. He also played part in writing and composing some of their songs. He is also an actor and a model. And oh, he is one competitive man! But that’s only when it comes to games and such. He is a humble and precious human being. He has two dogs (Toben and Zzar) and has a Youtube channel (Studio NNG) where his produced songs are released, and where his vlogs are uploaded every 27th of the month as a gift to fans because he is currently in military service. Just a random fun fact, for his birthday events in the past, he gifted the fans with bracelets he personally made himself and also with perfume that he is endorsing. I miss him! 🤧 But he will be discharged later this year and we all can't wait. ^^
That's it for my first article in my Bias Check series. LOL.
Will post part two of this tomorrow for BTS, and the coming days would be for NCT, EHYPEN, and SEVENTEEN. I didn’t expect it to be this long. 😭 But thank you for reading until the end! I hope you tune in for part 2! ^^
-glossyberrycraze
This is my goodbye
There are people in our life that no matter how much we want them by our side, no matter how much we love them, no matter how much we want them to stay, we have no choice but to let them go. I am Klare, and this is my last letter for you.
*Dear J,*
*I am writing this letter to bid farewell – not only to you, but to our memories. I want to say thank you because I know that you tried, we tried but it’s just that this is not for us. I am not for you, and you are not for me. Unfortunate, but I already came to accept that fact. Thank you for the memories and thank you because you once made me the happiest. I know there’s no point going back, but do you still remember the first time we met? Because I still do, and it still brings smile to my face but this is the last time I will allow myself to smile. This is the last time I will allow myself to remember that – to remember you, even. I’m sorry because this is the last time I will speak of you nor think of you. I’ve fought hard, just so I can find back my place to you but it seemed you no longer spared me any.*
*I kept holding on even the moment I felt I can no longer hold you, that you are out of my reach. I gave you the benefit of the doubt and I let you give me mixed signals only to learn you aren’t really sure of me in the end. How I wish you told me that in the beginning. Though I appreciate you trying, I realized that you shouldn’t have. How I wish you did not try to save and just let me drown with all my feelings towards you. But thank you because you hurt me so bad I learned that I don’t need anyone to make me happy but me. Thank you because you taught me how to love and treat myself better. Thank you for hurting me so bad I finally realized my worth. That I deserve better and not a half-baked love.*
*I don’t know when and how you fell out of love; I just realize that you were gone even before we said goodbye. You painted my skies but you also caused my rain. I now painted my own walls blue and I shall abolish my walls in my own terms and time. I just wish you have informed me first, before you kill all the butterflies.*
*This is my last letter for you, this is my goodbye.*
I stared at nothingness after I put my pen down. I did not cry while writing the letter unlike what I had expected when I thought of doing this. Surprisingly, writing this letter gave me comfort and relief. A feeling that finally, I am able to do this without a glimpse of regret in me. Maybe because I know that this is the best thing I could do, especially for myself. To painfully let you go, but to set myself free.
Disclaimer: Work of fiction, not related to any real people and/or real life events. All based on author's imagination.
Hello there, people of read.cash ^^
It's been a while, I had a busy week because I had to work on our thesis data and with other school activities. I thought of this when I was listening to Astrid S' song "Hurt So Good".
I actually had a hard time thinking of what to write next or what plot to do next but here yah go :)
Until the next article!
-glossyberrycraze
Train Station
It’s 7:00 in the morning, I’m sitting on the carpeted floor while strumming my guitar with a coffee on the center table. I’m playing the song *Magbalik* by Callalily, a Filipino pop band. I stopped mid-chorus and decided to get ready for work. I stepped out my apartment at 7:20 and walked to the nearby train station in going to the law firm where I’m currently working at.
The weather was fine, just how I like it. I’m wearing my earphones listening to the song I was playing in the guitar earlier. After about five minutes, I reached the station and waited for the next train to arrive. A few minutes passed before the next train stopped to load passengers.
This was an ordinary day with me waking up, sipping my coffee, preparing and going to the office to do my work. Just my usual routine. Or so I thought. Turns out this day would turn my world upside down.
I rode the train for a 15-minute ride to the next station near the law firm. I was standing the doorway when my eyes shifted to my left side only to be welcomed by a pair of eyes directly looking at me. Like me, she was wearing her earphones but I can say her focus was not on the music she’s listening to but to something else. Shock was evident in her eyes, and a glimpse of an unnamed emotion she’s masking. We were just looking at each other for what feels like forever when the train stopped and I had to go. She looked down as I slowly turned my back to get off the train.
I arrived at the office with my mind occupied of what just happened. I can’t fully process everything, it felt like my mind was playing tricks on me. Did I just hallucinate out of the blue? But that’s impossible. How long has it been since I last saw her? Suddenly, waves of memories came crashing at me. To the day and place when she left me.
*I arrived at the café she told me to go. I saw her sitting at the far-left corner, waiting for me. I was surprised to see she’s here first before I did. I already have an idea what would this talk be about but I’m choosing not to entertain the idea and give it the benefit of the doubt. I went to the table where she was sitting and she gave me a small smile.*
*I cheerfully greeted her but she only looked at me. What she said seconds after broke me.*
*“I am leaving for US, tomorrow.” A deafening silence reigned between us after. I already knew this was coming. She told me about their family plans two months ago and she also told me about this last week but it’s still painful to hear. I thought I’ve already prepared for that day but is someone ever prepared when the love of your life is leaving?*
*We were still happy with our relationship months ago despite knowing that she’s going to leave me soon but the past weeks was the turning point of us two. I felt her slowly detaching herself from me, like she’s making me get used to her absence. We talked about whether we should try a Long-Distance Relationship but she refused. She told me she doesn’t want it and we should just focus on building a stable career. We were both just starting our professional career – her as an architect, and me as a prosecutor.*
*Tears started to run down her face so I gave her my handkerchief which she was hesitant at first but still accepted. I would like to wipe her tears away but I know this is goodbye. I know she’s not waiting for me to say anything, we’ve already talked about this and I already told her everything I want to. I even begged her to stay, shooting my shot to a small chance that maybe it would change her mind. But I know she has dreams she’d want to fulfill and her family is her priority. I perfectly understand that but it’s still painful. All of this happening right now is panful.*
*“I’m sorry but this is goodbye.” She stood up after a while and gave one last kiss on my cheeks and muttered the words I always loved to hear.*
*“Take care.” I was finally able to speak. I turned my head to her direction and she gave me her sweetest smile.*
*“I will, so you too.” Then she turned her back at me and walked away. The love of my life, the only girl I ever loved just left me. I feel so numb until the tears I was trying so hard to hold back streamed uncontrollably down my face.*
The day passed by so quickly it’s now time to go home. I walked my way to the shop where my car is under repair and they said they need few more days before I can get it back so I head to the train station immediately. I was reminded of what happened this morning the moment I stepped inside. A flashback came when we were staring at each and I remember that on that exact moment, ‘The Story of Us’ by Taylor Swift was blasting through my ears.
**“Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and we're not speaking**
**And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?”**
The train stopped and I was about to head out but I stepped back until the doors closed back. I waited until the next train station, heading to an address very familiar to me. I slowly smiled to myself.
**“I’d tell you I miss you but I don’t know how…”** I know now, I thought to myself.
What a fateful day to ride the train.
Hello! ^^
Another short story that I wrote today. I didn't attend class because I got vaccinated so I just wrote this instead hehe.
Thanks for reading! Until the next one.
-glossyberrycraze
The Wedding March
Wearing my cream-colored gown, I stood in mixed feeling of excitement and nervousness. I was in a line along with other bride’s maids and groom’s men waiting for the ceremony to officially start. It’s my best friend’s wedding today, and I got the privilege to be the maid of honor. After what feels like forever, we’re starting to wonder if something was wrong because the entourage was still not starting and not even a music was playing. We started to hear commotions inside the church. I decided to get inside and the person in charge welcomed me, panicking.
“Where’s the groom? He’s nowhere to be found!” she shouted to everyone outside.
I immediately looked back to look for my best friend, trying to see if she heard it. Fortunately, she is not outside behind us yet. The groom’s parents also went outside in big steps, his mom looking worried while his dad is on his phone, maybe trying to reach their son. I am starting to get worried as well, especially for my best friend but as I read the room, it seems no one is informing her yet maybe not to create unnecessary drama just in case he was just really late for some reason.
I looked inside the church and the guests and family of both sides are starting to look worried as well. Where could Francis be? And why isn’t he answering his damn phone?
“Who is he with? Let’s call them instead.” said the organizer.
“I am sorry but we were informed that Francis left alone with his car in going to this church. He insisted on doing so”, his father said.
“There just might be a little problem on the way, let’s just wait a little longer. We know Francis, he’s always been so excited for this day to come. He won’t do anything foolish.” Said his mom. That made everyone feel a little bit of relief.
It did not last long, however. Running towards us is his brother, crying.
“Dad, I got a call. It’s... it’s about Francis.” That’s when I knew something bad has happened. And to make everything even worse, the bride – my best friend, walked in with tears about to fall from her eyes.
“What happened? Where is he, where is Francis?” She’s almost crying.
It turned out that she asked why the wedding hasn’t started yet and they had no choice but to tell her what’s happening so she immediately went out and it’s also exactly when Francis’s brother came running to us, announcing the bad news.
Everything happened so fast, the wedding automatically got cancelled and I found myself in a car with my best friend and their families. We’re rushing now to the hospital, my best friend beside me crying silently, with little, suppressed sobs that can be heard from her. Francis’ brother had his car tracked the moment we can’t reach his phone.
We arrived at the hospital with a heartbreaking news delivered to us not even five minutes upon arriving. He was announced DOA. He passed away even before reaching the hospital.
He was shot. By an unknown man, on his way to the church where their wedding was supposed to be held.
I left the hospital first to let my best friend and the families to grieve, so they can do things as family. I went home and throw myself in the couch, feeling the exhaustion consumed me. I stared at the ceiling and soon after, tears started to pool my eyes. Until the stream of tears turn into loud sobs, and my loud sobs turn into barks of laughter. I reached for my phone and dialed a number. It only took two rings before my call was answered.
“Good job” I said, wiping my tears with a little smirk appearing on my face.
I was there for you during your worst, how come she’s having you at your best? There was not even a second that I forgave you for cheating on me with my best friend. Not only did you ruin me, you’re also the reason why I lost my child. It’s just payback time.
This is a work of fiction, not related with any real life events.
Hello, it's been weeks since I last published an article. My sister gave birth so I was pretty busy and our classes for this semester also officially started. I can't also think of something to write about but surprisingly, I was able to today haha.
Hope you liked it. Until the next one. ^^
-glossyberrycraze ♡
Shopee Finds: Rating Things I Bought Online [Part 2]
Hello there! Here’s the part two of my previous Shopee Finds article and this time I will be featuring clothes and footwear. I can’t remember if this is all because I took photo of these just really quick because I was shy, I think my siblings were wondering what I was doing. They asked me if I am gonna sell these items and I said no. LOL.
Anyway, here they are!
**Mustard statement shirt**
This is one of my first clothes purchases in Shopee because I was scared of buying clothes online because I might place a wrong size since sometimes the sizes depend on the brand and you really need to fit it first. It would really be a hassle once a wrong item arrived on your address. I still do not buy clothes online that frequent but my sister does and so far she’s been receiving correct items.
I bought this for around 2$. The fabric is thick but because of it, you’ll easily get sweaty when you wear it. It actually has a statement in front but I was in a hurry when I took the picture so I wasn’t able to flip it haha.
**Rating: 8/10**
**Dolphin shorts**
I think these are called dolphin shorts but what I like about it is it’s not too short unlike those you’ll normally see in girls dancing in TikTok. It’s a good quality for a cheap price so I bought four of it but the other ones were already worn so it’s in the laundry basket already. They are my favorite shorts for everyday use, because they also comfy to wear.
Rating: 9/10. There are some problems with the stitches but it’s still a good buy.
**Crop Tops**
Shopee has the cheapest crop tops you will find, and most of them are really in a good quality. I bought these two for only 1$ each and I have them for about 5 months already. I have not yet worn the khaki one but I’ve already used the black one twice.
Rating: 9/10. I feel a bit uncomfortable wearing the black one now since I’ve gotten chubbier than the first time I wore it so yeah, somehow my insecurities are kicking in.
**Bralette**
I bought this around the time when my cousin’s wedding was in the middle of preparation and they told us that we’ll have a family outing after so I thought I have nothing to wear for the swimming so I bought this cute bralette and this is one of my favorite purchases because the quality is really good you wouldn’t think it only cost more than a dollar, and it has no issues whatsoever. I’ve only used this once during the swimming, I wonder when will be the next time haha.
Rating: 10/10
**Cycling shorts**
This is one of my recent purchases and I think I’ve mentioned it in noise.cash before. I bought this during the Shopee 12.12 Sale. My cyclings were already worn out so I said I need a new one and they have free shipping promos that time I was able to buy it for less than a dollar only. The quality is good but I didn’t expect it to be this long lol.
Rating: 8/10
**Bucket hat**
I had no plans at all in buying this one but my sister bought one first and all of us in the house loved it so we decided to buy as well haha. I got mine for 1$, but we got disappointed in the end because the quality isn’t the same with the first one LOL but it’s okay, I still can use it.
Rating: 7/10
**Shoes**
This pair of shoes was recommended to me by my sister because she saw that it’s very affordable. It only costs 4$ that time so I said I’ll go buy it. It was worth it and I’ve already used this multiple times.
Rating: 10/10
**Sandals**
My friends recommended this to me because they unexpectedly have this so I thought I’ll buy also so we’re “matchy-matchy” haha so when I had the money to buy, I did. I got these during a sale so I was able to buy the discounted price. I bought this for only less than 4$. Really really worth it, also one of my favorite purchases.
Rating: 10/10
That's it for today's article. I hope you enjoyed this and somehow got ideas of what to buy next online. 😊
Thank you for reading! Until the next article.
-glossyberrycraze
Lessons to Learn from the hit series “All of Us are Dead”
Warning: This article contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.
"All of us Are Dead" is about a high school in South Korea which becomes a ground zero for a zombie outbreak and the students who survived desperately avoid the infected and must find their way out of the school.
It was an amazing series and here I have listed the realizations and lessons that for me are note-worthy after watching it. Here they are!
**Bullying is a serious matter.**
This is how it all started – the cause of the bigger violence started with what most people see in the series as petty and nothing serious: bullying. I’m pretty sure in real life scenarios, there are people who also thinks the same and see bullying as something that is “normal among kids” and should not be given serious attention by adults. They thought it ends with some confrontation but little do they know, the worse is just about to happen. Or maybe they know that it keeps happening, but they choose not to care because it will do them and the school no good.
The hopelessness and the feeling of having no power to change the already rotten system, and out for desperation to make his child stronger to be able to fight back and out of his love, the teacher created the virus. He had done everything he can but nothing really changed. It must be so painful for someone to see their loved ones so hurt and pained not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Those are the things people sometimes fail to see, that there are more than just the physical and emotional trauma from something they see as “nothing serious” as bullying.
**Turning a blind eye is just as bad as being the perpetrator.**
One of the issues highlighted in the series is how the management and faculty members of the school brushed off the bullying incidents experienced by some of the students. One teacher even said that they must be bullying them for a reason, when one of the victims came to him for help. Most of the teachers knew that bullying is happening repeatedly but they didn’t stand up for the oppressed. No one held them accountable just for the sake of the school’s reputation. No matter how you look at it, the school was partly responsible for it because they didn’t do anything when they had to. They are just as bad as the bullies.
**A parent’s love is powerful.**
*Mr. Lee Byeongchan and his son*
The virus was created out of the teacher’s love for his bullied son. He wanted to make him strong so he can fight back the bullies who didn’t stop hurting him even after he transferred to a different school. The teacher went to the police but nothing happened and the school principal even scolded him for it. He did everything he can until the experiment was his last straw, seeing how the bullying affected his son’s mental health.
*On-jo and his father*
On-jo’s father made a promise that he will come running to her whenever she’s in danger and he fulfilled his promise up to the very end. He went through a lot just to save his daughter, and he was able to. He even saved On-jo’s friends; he is one of the characters I truly admire. He gave his life just so they can make it out alive.
*Ms. Park and her Students*
Teachers are the students’ second parents they say. And Ms. Park proved it true. She is the only teacher who truly cared for the students. Their safety and well-being were her priority more than her own life. She sacrificed her life for Na-yeon even after she did something very bad. She wants them all to be safe and alive. We need more Ms. Park in this world, not someone who will give their life for others, but someone who is selfless enough to be brave for other people’s sake.
**Violence, no matter how small, is still violence.**
One line in the series that left an impact and is memorable to me is when Mr. Lee Byeongchan (the teacher who created the virus) said, **“Who made the world like this? I warned you countless times that ignoring minor violence would result in violence taking over the world.”** A representation of how the justice system works only for those who have money and power. So in return, he put the justice in his hands. Though the end doesn’t justify the means, and a mistake cannot be corrected by another mistake, let’s not forget that before he is a teacher, he is a father. If only someone stood up with them, if only the system was fair, maybe none of it all would have happened.
**Pride, and why it is the worst sin.**
Someone told me that pride is one of the seven deadly sins and the worst among them because other sins stem from it. Na-yeon’s character is the representation of pride as a sin. She was a self-centered girl who likes to pick fights with someone she thinks is below her. Just because she doesn’t want to admit she’s wrong, just because she doesn’t want to say sorry, just because of her pride, she killed an innocent boy. She’s the character in the series that I hate the most. Because she’s worse than the zombies. The zombies kill people but they are dead inside, they aren’t capable of thinking anymore. But she is, she knows what she was doing. Some people felt regret when she died after she’s decided to apologize to them but I didn’t. The boy didn’t deserve what happened to him and her sorry can’t bring back his life. A crime is a crime. If a sorry can fix everything, then why is there still chaos in this world?
Mr. Lee Byeongchan’s mistakes were out of love as a father, but her mistakes were out of selfishness and pride. And even after everything, Mr. Lee still sacrificed himself to save others.
**Hatred is contagious, but so is trust.**
“Hatred is contagious, but so is trust.” This is a powerful line from one of the main characters when one (Nam-ra) of them was bitten and the other students feared her into turning one. Though she showed signs of gradually turning, she didn’t hurt her friends. Only two of them trusted her that she will not turn one so when On-jo said this line, all of them eventually trusted Nam-ra. And she really didn’t. She’d rather hurt herself but not them. My favorite character, the best girl, Nam-ra.
Sometimes someone just have to take the initiative to do something other people fears doing; in their case, it is trusting that Nam-ra won’t turn and hurt any of them. And Su-hyeok and On-jo did, so the rest of them did as well. Because hatred is contagious, but so is trust.
**Love and kindness can sometimes be your strongest weapon.**
Many characters in the series sacrificed for someone they love. Aside from the parents and the teacher, the students also had their share of sacrifice for the welfare of someone they love and the group itself as a whole. They were ready to risk their lives to save each other, and they also did everything they can for the group, just so they can leave all safe and alive. It’s sad that the other characters had to die but it made the series more meaningful.
That's it for this article. The series did a good job in conveying their message and portraying different characters that are not far from what's truly happening not just inside a school but in the bigger system out there is.
My personal rating for the series would be **10/10**.
Thank you for reading this! Until the next article.
– glossyberrycraze ♡
Once Upon a Summer: The One That Got Away
It was summer of 2015, I went home to my previous hometown to spend vacation with my mom and my younger brother. It was the usual for me to spend the summer vacation there since I was staying with my sister in a different region for high school. I can no longer remember how it started but one thing is clear to me: on that fateful summer, I met my young summer love – the one that got away.
I have known him since I was little because we were schoolmates in elementary. He was one year ahead of me and I remember having a huge crush to one of his best friends and I actually got a little close to the other one. I never, not even once had any interaction with him back then and I only know him by his name since we also live by the same neighborhood. Who would’ve thought that it’s not his friends I’ll end up falling in love with some years later, but him?
It never crossed my mind either. I always see him the previous years I spent my vacation there because he’s one of my cousin’s circle but it was 2015 when the magic happened. I think it started during the league of basketball in our barangay and him, my cousin, and their circle of friends were one of the participating teams. It has been a routine for me and my friends (who are also my cousins) to watch every day since it’s really fun and we’re all fan of basketball leagues. I remember sitting in the bleacher with my cousins one day when he suddenly asked me if I was my mom’s daughter, so I said yes. He knows my mom because we live in the same neighborhood and because he is very close with my cousin. I don’t know if he remembers that we were schoolmate but I think he knew, and he just wants to confirm it. I recall a few more interactions with him in the bleacher while watching a game, until we ended up being text mates. Messenger chat is still not so popular that time and people were still more into texting.
I know something is going on between us that time. I was always so excited when it’s their game because he’s good at it and it’s one of the reasons why I ended up eventually liking him. He looks so handsome wearing their uniform. I remember getting teased by my cousins whenever he’s looking at me before shooting a free throw or even before he shoots the ball during the game. Those little gestures of him were enough to give me butterflies. We were texting day and night, before and after every game. He even had a nickname for me that he came up as a joke from my first name.
When my father’s uncle died, he was also there during the funeral wake because he also knew my grandfather and another cousin of mine was his former classmate. We were playing “Kindat Killer” (Wink Killer) and it’s always me he will eliminate first just so he can wink at me. My friends noticed that but I don’t know about his friends. Up until this day, I’m not sure if his friends had an idea that something was going on between us. When I think about it now, it still brings smile to my face because I don’t know if his friends never really noticed or they were just acting clueless.
He was in first year college that time and I was an incoming Grade 10. They were the last batch of the old curriculum and I belong to the pioneers of K-12. We shared about our dreams and he told me he wants to be an architect. He was indeed taking up architecture that time in a university in Manila. Like me, he just went home to spend the summer vacation with his family.
We continued talking through out that summer and it was a happy memory for me, with a not so happy ending. We eventually stopped talking when I had to go back to my sister to continue schooling and it was the same case for him. He told me he will focus on his studies and I perfectly understood that. Looking back at it now, it may sound like an excuse but it was the right decision he made as I don’t think we can stand it if ever we continued to be in a long-distance relationship. He also knew that I needed to go so I can pursue my studies. We became friends on Facebook and that was the last interaction I had with him as I was not able to go back there the next summer vacation because my mom and brother moved with us already.
I moved on with my life and so as him.
Years later, I saw on Facebook that he already has a girlfriend but they broke up and as I am writing this, he has yet again met the love of his life. But what’s better than that is the fact that he is already an architect – he fulfilled his dreams. And that makes me so happy for him, knowing that at one point in his life, it was me he was sharing his dreams with.
But sometimes when I think about it, maybe if our magic happened in a different time, in a different circumstance, we might have had a different ending. He may had been my endgame, not my one that got away – and I’m not his once upon a summer.
This is based on a true story. :) Thank you for reading this. I just suddenly remember him because I was actually dedicating him the song Statue by Lil' Eddie as I was always stuck staring at him when he's playing basketball. I listened to the song again today and it brought the memories back. My beloved summer. :)
Fun fact: My mom knows we had something before. Just this New Year's eve, she asked me randomly, just out of nowhere, who in the (his surname) was the one who courted me. I asked her how she found out because I never told her anything about him. And she said she thinks it was his uncle (who's only few years older than him), which is a batchmate of my sister. I was curious why she asked but she said she just suddenly remembered it haha.
Fun fact #2: The most memorable thing he said to me was that someday he'll design my dream house for free but I guess it's never going to happen. :)
I hope you enjoyed my short trip to memory lane. Until the next article.
- glossyberrycraze ♡
Nurse For A Week
Hello! I just want to share how my week went. It was the last week of January and I became a "nurse" unexpectedly.
My brother got sick last Sunday after he took a bath Saturday night. When morning came, he said he was not feeling well and then he got fever in the afternoon. He was not feeling any pain aside from his headache. He also only got mild colds and cough. We thought he'll eventually get better once he took medicines but we were wrong.
His temperature went really high when evening came so we started to monitor his temperature from time to time and we also consistently wipe his body with cold towels to lower his temperature. We gave him his medicine every four hours so even at 2 o'clock in the morning I was awake just so he could drink his medicines on time. I didn't sleep because I'm afraid I will not be able to wake up at 2am and also didn't set my alarm because I don't want to wake up other people in the house. I also cook for him before he drinks his meds so I could only sleep at around 3am everyday. And then I will wake up again in the morning to serve him his food and medicine and to continue giving him cold half baths to lower his temperature. Aside from taking care of him, I was also the one in-charge for most of the household chores since both my siblings have work. It was my routine for four days straight and I was only able to take some rest last night because he was finally feeling better.
It was exhausting on my part because I too, have colds and cough and up until now I still have them. My brother is gaining his strength back for now so he's not doing any chores and he's not allowed to use his phone for a week until he gets fully recovered.
If I were to describe this week, I can only describe it in one word: exhausting. I can endure the physical pain but not the emotional and mental exhaustion it brings me. I actually planned to continue on my work regarding our thesis paper but I wasn't able to do so because this happened. But it's alright, my brother's health and my health is my utmost priority right now. It's just really demotivating because a week has gone by and I still wasn't able to accomplish anything. But by next week, I'll really try to get back on track so I can brush off this unwelcomed feelings but maybe I'm just really tired and I need to take rest too so I can gain my strength and motivation back.
So yeah, that's how I became a "nurse" for a week. It made me appreciate and admire our frontliners especially at this times because they're sacrificing so much for the sake of many.
Thank you for reaching the end of this article. I really appreciate it.
Until the next one. :)
– glossyberrycraze ♡
Why am I here alone when everyone else is running?
Have you ever felt like you are stuck in a phase of your life, where everyone else is taking steps towards the things they want to do but you feel like you are glued to the ground where you are standing?
I have been carrying this feeling deep in me for years where I feel like I have not been making progress when it comes to my academic performance, it feels like I have not been learning anything and I do not know who to blame. I don’t know who to blame because I am sure I am studying well. I listen to my professors and all, I am reviewing when there are upcoming exams but when months pass by, I can’t recall anything, like I can’t find where in my brain all those learnings are.
I feel embarrassed for myself when I am with my friends and they are talking about their achievements, or the things unique about their course and I can’t present any. Because I don’t have any since I was first year. In short, I feel stupid. I don’t know if the course I took is too hard for me or I am just really stupid. I don’t know if I should blame the teaching staff of our department for not having the proper people teach us. I mean, they do have, but it’s not enough. It makes me cry before thinking if I should shift course but realize, to what course instead? I have nowhere to go because I don’t have anything I want to do that I am sure of. I don’t have a dream job.
Yes, people like me exist. It’s not that I don’t know how to dream, but I don’t have specific someone that I want to be. I don’t have a dream job. I started to question myself after my 10th Grade because everyone around me was talking about how they want to be an accountant, a doctor, an engineer, or a writer. And then I thought to myself, what about me? What do I want to be someday? And I didn’t figure it out. I cannot think of any. So I said, maybe after 12th grade, by then I am sure of what I want to do as a career. 12th Grade ended, but it’s still the same. I still don’t have a dream. I took the course my sister told me about but I am not blaming her because it was still my choice. She gave me the freedom to choose for myself so I did thinking it was the best for me. The closest thing to a dream was maybe my interest in Geology that time, but I didn’t have the privilege to take it because I considered many things. And to be honest, I couldn’t picture myself as a Geologist. It was just pure interest and not a dream.
I love my course, there was a point in my college journey that I genuinely loved it. But when the major subjects were taught, I lost it. It was a turning point for me because I am personally weak in Math and I don’t have a strong foundation in Physics. And those subjects are very crucial in my course. It felt like I went back to zero. I felt like everyone was making progress but not me. That was the time I felt stuck in my life and I feel like I have not been moving ever since. Basically I did, because I am now in my fourth year but if we’re going to talk about the learnings I gained so far, it was less than what you’d expect for a fourth year college student. And I feel like that’s not right.
I am disappointed with myself because I don’t know where it went wrong. It’s not that I am expecting to be the best in everything, to do everything right, and to remember it all, but this is definitely not how I was. I don’t know if it was just too hard for me, or everyone is just smarter, or I am just plain stupid. And then thesis happened, it’s now my biggest problem as a student because I don’t know what to do about it anymore. I did my best, but it wasn’t enough. I don’t know where to start again.
When I look at my friends, I know it’s also hard for them. There is no such thing as an easy course. I know we are all struggling differently, and I am not in any way invalidating their struggles but at the end of the day when I think of it, they know what they want to be. And I wish the same for myself. They have something they want to do that they are sure of. They have a dream job, they are picturing themselves years from now as a someone. While I am here, still figuring what I want to do with my life. I dream to be successful of course. Success is basically everyone’s dream. And to achieve that, I need to have a dream that is unique for myself, but why is it that I don’t have?
Why am I here alone when everyone else is running?
Hello there, thank you because you made it this far.
Until the next article- glossyberrycraze ♡
Shopee Finds: Rating Things I Bought Online
Online selling platforms like Shopee, Zalora, Lazada, Shein, and many more already existed even before pandemic happens and they are widely used. But when the pandemic started and lockdowns and quarantine were imposed, that’s the only time I got my interest in online shopping. Out of the many online selling platforms, Shopee is my go-to app, for the reason that the app is very user-friendly, they offer a lot of promos, vouchers, and sales and the products are way cheaper than other platforms. The main person who influenced me into Shopee is my sister. I can’t say she is a fan (LOL) but she often buys things from Shopee, especially when there is an ongoing sale.
For the past two years or so since the pandemic started, I’ve collected few things and stuff that I bought online. These are mainly things that I need for my online class and some of them are rewards I give myself for doing the best I can in everything.
So here’s my Shopee finds and I will rate them based on their usability, on how long I was able to use them, and on their overall appeal or aesthetic. 1 being the lowest score and 10 being the highest. Hope you enjoy!
***Eyeglasses***
These eyeglasses are special to me because I was “matchy-matchy” with my friends when we started our online business before and these are also one of my first Shopee purchases. I got them for more or less 1$ each from two different shops. The reason there are two of them is because the first one I bought is kind of small and I think the seller gave me one that is for kids.
I will rate the first one **5/10** since I wasn’t able to use it that long and the second one **8/10** since it easily got scratches.
***Laptop pouch, mouse, and mouse pad***
I got these maybe a month after I got my laptop last year since the freebie bag for the laptop was a backpack so I thought I need just a small one and I never regretted this purchase. I’ve been using the pouch since then. For the mouse and mouse pad, my sister told me to buy them also when I told her I’m buying the pouch so I just did haha. These three items cost more than 4$ all in all.
**Rating: 9/10.** There are no problems so far but I prefer them with cute designs, especially the pad and mouse.
***Earphones and Charger Cords***
I think this earphone was my 4th purchase already because the cheaper ones I bought before only lasted for a few months. I’ve been using this one for almost a year already, one of my best purchases.
**Rating: 10/10**
For the cords, as you can see in over two years, I’ve already purchased three and it is because my phone’s charger port is broken, so I need to look for a charger that will fit perfectly. Hopefully I can use the current one for a long time. The current one I’m using is the same brand as my earphone so I have high expectations. I bought these cords for less than 2$ each.
**Rating: 8/10**
***Small pouch, laptop cleaning tools, USB light***
I bought all of these from the same shop, these were the add-ons for the laptop pouch set so I could avail the free shipping voucher. They were useful especially the blue pouch since I put my other cords in there. The laptop cleaning tools are also good, I am able to use the small cloth and brush but I don’t use the spray thing because I honestly don’t know what that is so I don’t know if it is safe for my laptop. The USB light is so bright, I think it will be useful during brownouts.
**Rating: 7/10**
***Facemask***
We usually buy surgical facemasks at Shopee and I just tried buying this KF94 masks. I bought it together with three boxes of surgical masks but they ran out already and this is what’s left. I’ve only used them once but they are good.
**Rating: 9/10**. It kinda smell weird but it’s fine.
***Notebooks***
I’ve been wanting to buy grid notebooks for my journal and I was able to find one in Shopee. I bought two grid notebooks in two different variations so I can use the free shipping voucher. I bought these for 2$. These notebooks are so cute and they have high quality paper material.
**Rating: 10/10**
***Stationery Materials***
This is one of my favorite purchases. I bought stickers, a mini cutter, a tweezer for sticker, a set of double tip pens, and washi tapes. I got them for a very affordable price though it took quite a time for the shipping since it was from an overseas shop but it’s worth the wait. The stickers are pretty and the tapes are cute.
**Rating: 10/10**
***Sling bag***
This is the first sling bag I bought from Shopee. I got these for a very cheap price, it’s only 1$. It was cute but it’s not sturdy which is understandable given its cheap price. I was able to use it for more than a month last year and then I told myself I’ll buy a more expensive one that has a good quality.
**Rating: 7/10**
***Jo Malone perfume tester***
This is my latest purchase at Shopee, the Jo Malone perfume in Blackberry & Bay, and Peony and Suede scents. I’ve been eyeing this perfume since last year but every time I want to checkout, it’s out of stock. But early this month, I was surprised to see they have stocks already so I checkout immediately. My love for Kpop actually made me buy this because it came to my knowledge that these was used by Suga of BTS and Chanyeol of EXO. The testers are such in a cheap price so I can’t help but buy and also because my curiosity of how they smell like. They smell good, but not long lasting though I expected that.
**Rating: 9/10**
***Black sling bag***
This is by far my most favorite purchase of all. I was so surprised when it arrived because it’s so pretty. It was available for 6$ but I was able to get it at 5$ only because there was an in-store voucher available that time. My sisters also liked it and they said it looks like it costs more than 6$. I was really happy with this purchase. I bought it as a gift for myself for Christmas and New Year. 😊
**Rating: 10/10**
I hope you enjoyed this article, I will do a part 2 of this for clothes and footwear. 😊
Thanks for reading! Until the next article.
XOXO,
glossyberrycraze ♡
Sneak Peek: Mini Gallery Raid
Hi, everyone! Long time no post here as I was making the most out of my extended vacation because our online classes are suspended until lifted but I’m back now! I was tagged by @curiouscat in this challenge so I gave it a try. Here’s my entry, I hope you enjoy. :)
***Oldest photo on your phone***
I scrolled through my gallery and this is the oldest photo that I found. This is the last photo and is dated December 2017 according to my gallery app. This fine man here is Do Kyungsoo or D.O, he is a member and a main vocalist of the Kpop group EXO, which is my first bias group in Kpop. He is also an actor, and a soloist. Handsome, right? Haha.
***Latest photo on your gallery***
Here’s the latest photo in my gallery, taken yesterday when my niece was playing and she suddenly saw my brother’s periodic table. She told me she’s gonna read what’s written on it and I found it funny because she can’t read yet haha so I took a picture.
***A photo you have no idea what it is about***
I have no entry for this one because so far I know all of the photos saved in my phone and what they’re all about.
***An embarrassing photo***
When I scrolled my gallery before, I was shocked of how skinny I was during my lower years in college and this is a group photo I took when I was in second year. This is embarrassing for me because I was skinny here compared to my body size right now. I look like I have not been eating right everyday though I always had extra rice for my every meal before. LOL.
***The worst photo***
I will not call it the worst but the saddest photo I have. This was the last photo I took of my dog before he crossed the rainbow bridge. I think this was a month before. To be honest, sometimes I can’t bring myself to look at them, at his photos, because it’s still painful. Like I’d rather have him here than in just my memories.
***A selfie/groupie***
I chose this as my entry for this category because this was the last time I had a date with my girls because I was not able to come the last time we planned to hangout. I’m still waiting for the day we can finally have sleep over that we have been planning. We can’t do it these days for some reason that’s understandable. But I hope we can do it the soonest, I miss them.
***The best photo***
This is the best photo for me because this is the only photo I have of my dad as he is not with us physically, he is in another place. This was taken during his TESDA graduation where he took a short course and managed to get NC-II certificates. I think I was in 8th Grade here hahaha I was so young but nevermind I am still proud of this photo, it's simply the best.
***A photo of food you want to eat again***
It is a last-minute decision for this one because I was looking for some food photos and then I craved for it when I saw this. I want some burger and fries with milk tea huhu. This was taken during my date with two of my closest friends. I miss hanging out with them, I wonder when we can do this again.
***A place you have been to that you want to visit again***
This is me and my classmates when we went to Sto. Domingo, Albay for a swimming and we stayed at my friend’s house instead of staying at the resort because overnight staying was not available that time. I forgot the reason why but I remember my friend’s father fetching us to let us stay in their house for that night instead. We roamed around their place the next day and she brought us to a hill where you can see the ocean beneath it. It was so beautiful, I’d like to go back if given the chance.
***A photo of someone you admire***
They were the first ones that came into my mind for this category so here they are, BTS. I truly admire them not only because they make my life a lot happier and more beautiful but because I know I am not the only one. There are many of us, who are inspired by them, who are happy because of them. There are many of us they have given hope through their stories and through their songs. I admire them for their hard work and for their humbleness despite all the success, which they truly deserve.
***Beach/Resort/Getaway photo***
This is at Binawangan Beach Resort in Capalonga, Camarines Norte, I was with my family and relatives during our swimming the next day after my cousin got married June last year. I had so fun during this trip but I got so tanned because of this haha.
***Funniest photo***
This is the funniest photo for me because we were in a vacant room and my friend was trying to sleep bt I don’t know why he was using umbrella haha I took this picture as I find is very funny that time. I think he was doing it in case he makes a funny face while sleeping hahaha. We were still freshmen that time so maybe he’s still shy.
***The most memorable photo***
I have many memorable photos with me but I chose this one because this is really special for me. This is when I ate and had the BTS Meal at McDonald’s with @curiouscat . The meal was only for a limited time so I was really happy I got to eat when it was still available. I still have the cup and paper bags with me as remembrance hehe.
Categories from @curiouscat 's article. You may read it here: https://read.cash/@curiouscat/omoide-gallery-raid-ee1ac156
That's it for my mini Gallery Raid, I hope you enjoyed it as much I did making this. I also hope you had a sneak peek of who I am as a person.
Thanks for reading! Until the next article. XOXO 🖤
Can dreams be better than reality?
I believe in the science of dreams, that they are our unconscious mind. That we dream about a certain people because they might be the last person we think about before sleeping, or we have something to do with the person that needs to be addressed. It could be that you have unresolved issue with them, or you have something to tell to them. You could even dream about a friend you’re not in good terms with, because you have that desire deep inside you of coming to terms with them and it’s your body’s way of telling or reminding you that. You can simply dream about a person because they came into your mind, or maybe because you miss them.
I have been dreaming of the same person for about two months now, last month I dreamt of him four times and two times this month. And those dreams got me confused for a moment, because I have some sort of history with this person. It made me question myself why is he suddenly appearing in my dreams. This guy, he is my friend, a close friend to be exact. He knows some parts of me that many people do not know. I have shared them my stories and I have heard about his. We are on that level of friendship, but four summers ago, I fell in love with him. But I’m not here to tell you when, why, and how it ended. It didn’t end well on my part but I still think it was the better thing because we stayed friends until now. And I’m already healed, I have moved on. What I’m going to talk about are my dreams and how they affected me. Those dreams, they were not exactly the same but somehow, they were. The settings and the flow of the stories were different but they all have the same context. In my dreams, he was the one chasing me. He was the one running after my love. In some of them, it seemed like we have a past and he was asking me to take him back, to give us another chance. I even dreamt of him asking me to co-parent a kitten and that turned out to be a confession.
Those dreams are totally absurd, sometimes I can’t believe that I really dreamt of them when I woke up and I remember every details. I said I believe in the science of dreams but for these, I don’t know why because I was pretty damn sure I’m over him and I am not thinking of him romantically anymore for me to dream about him in a romantic context- not once, not twice, but in all of them. It just makes no sense to me, sure I think of him from time to time because we have been planning to meet together with other friends, but for some reason it always gets pushed back. Those dreams affected me in ways I didn’t expect and understand. Maybe because I once had romantic feelings for him that I feel like there is still some lingering feelings left in me after I saw him in those dreams, in those pictures.
I stopped dreaming about him for a few weeks but it’s coming back now and I’m starting to have the same context of dreams I had of him. I said I was happy with how things went, I really was, but for once in my life I could say that dreams are better than the reality. But you know the thing about a dream? No matter how good it was, reality will surely wake you up.
Hi, it's been so long since I last posted an article here. I hope you're all doing fine. I got busy with my online classes and personal life in general. I could say I also lacked inspiration but I will now try to go back and write more articles here, starting with this one.
This is actually a true story and I really experienced this. They say if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. And I think this is one perfect example of that. Those dreams are too good to be real and I perfectly know they will just stay as it is, just dreams.
I hope you liked it, thanks for reading!
An Open Letter to the Second Best
I want to take this time to congratulate and celebrate those who are winners in life. Those who are winning in everything they’ve worked so hard for, may it be in their career, business, profession, love life, and anything. You deserve it!
But today in this article I want to dedicate this to those who are not always the winner, those who are not always the best, those who are not always number 1, but those who are trying the hardest.
Here’s for you and your effort to make it. I want you to know that I appreciate you, in case no one tells you that. I appreciate you for doing all you can, to be the best in everything; especially in the eyes of those people you want to see the best in you. I want you to know and remember that it’s okay if you’re not the best, if you’re not number one; what’s important is that you’re doing everything you can and in a way that you are satisfied and happy. What’s important is you are learning every day; you are growing up and learning from your mistakes. We are not perfect and life is really not all about winning. We cannot have everything and that is normal. It is normal that there are things that you cannot do. I hope you don’ let anyone make you feel invalidated. I hope they do appreciate you trying and if not, I am here to do that. I appreciate you just because you are doing so. That alone is a big thing because not all people do that.
Stay out of the comparison. Stay on your spectrum, change for the better, change for yourself but do not change just so you can fit their standard you aren’t comfortable with in the first place. Don’t be too hard on yourself, please. I believe one day they will realize that not all people are the same and they can’t expect the same thing from different people, especially those of different age and generation for the basic reason that all human beings are unique so they must let go of the thought that one must be the same as the other, no matter how blood-related you are. That is not selfishness. That is self-respect and self-love. There is nothing wrong with putting yourself first sometimes if it means peace of mind and staying sane.
I want you to know that your exhaustion is valid, your worries are valid, and your fears are valid. I am pretty sure somewhere out there, in the line of your friends, one or two understands you. Speak. Let it out. Go to your friends if needed, if you feel like you want to breathe. Do what makes you comfortable. And then reflect; look back on things that caused your worries and exhaustion and see if there is something you need to change. But change only those that you can, put your hands off of what you can’t change and focus on what you can do better. It might feel the same every day, but I am telling you, it isn’t. Every day is different, and the calendar itself say so. I hope you think of it as something to look forward to, because every day is not the same and tomorrow might be better. And if not, do not worry because there is always tomorrow, it never ends. So I hope you believe that better days are coming. Look forward to it, hold onto it. And pray; ask for His guidance in everything that you do so you may understand His plans for you. Leave all your worries to Him and believe in yourself. Such trials are given to you because He knows you can, and that you are strong enough to face it.
And not being a winner now does not mean not being a winner forever. You have the will to change it and your chances are every day. But you know what, you are still a winner. Your efforts, your hard work, just you simply trying to live by – that makes you one. So congratulations.
Hello there! This is for everyone who tries the hardest but still feels not good enough. Your efforts, no matter how small, are appreciated.
And just a little reminder that sometimes it's better to be kind than to be right. May we always be careful of the things that we speak because everyone has a silent battle we know nothing about.
Thank you for reading. :)
Lead image from: https://tenor.com/view/mail-letter-email-sending-send-gif-12348460
Benefits of Writing
For us authors here in read.cash, we know what writing means to us. Personally, it’s a comfort zone – I see it as a reflection of my emotional and mental being, and it can be seen on how frequent I write and what my topics are all about. It’s my way of expressing my thoughts and feelings, and an outlet to my never-seen-before stories and poems. For you, I know you also have your own definition of what writing means to you, and no one can question that. It’s different for everyone, it may be your source of income, your passion, your hobby or your habit.
Aside from this, there are certain benefits writing can give us, and I will discuss about them today in this article.
**1. It helps to clear your mind.**
Some days are not the best days and writing about your fears, doubts, worries, feelings, fantasies or thoughts helps you clear your mind. It doesn’t need to be organized and it’s okay because your mind might not be, too. It might be a little messy but it helps you clear your mind, especially off unwanted thoughts. It does not need any format, just your pen and paper or your computer screen. It will help you to focus and get your stuff done more easily. And having a clearer mind will allow you to make better decisions.
**2. It helps to organize ideas.**
I’m one of those people who tend to forget things or ideas if I don’t take note of them. Jotting your ideas down can help you organize especially if what you are writing is academically related. I’m able to pick ideas of what I should write first and in what order should my ideas be put into to make a beautiful and consistent flow if I write them down first. It’s important to take note of them for that reason and also to make sure that you don’t forget about your ideas when you finally start writing.
**3. It will help you to remember memories.**
If you are trying to remember something, like an event that happened or a password, write down what you can only remember because it may trigger other memories tagged with it. Some memories may not be as good as you expect but you will see it differently, you’ll have another perspective of it which is a good thing.
Writing down good and happy memories is also good because once you read them again, it will surely put a smile on you face.
**4. Writing helps you plan ahead.**
Keeping a journal and writing your goals and dreams not only helps you relieve stress but it also helps you plan ahead your future Writing increases the possibility of achieving them. It helps you visualize what you exactly want. It helps you envision your plans and steps to achieve your goals in life.
A weekly or daily journal also helps you reflect what you’ve done for that day or week. You will be able to realize that you have made a mistake you did not realize you did when you were in that moment.
**5. It improves your skills.**
Writing is a practice. The more you do it, the more your skills are honed and improved. When we are writing, we actually became more careful in choosing the right words. This makes our writing more effective and concise. It will also help improve our vocabulary because we may learn new words through writing which we can use in verbal communication may it be in formal or informal. It benefits both the professional and personal lives.
6. **It’s fulfilling**.
It’s always a satisfying feeling knowing you accomplished something. It’s such a proud feeling knowing you produced something you own like a poem, a blog, a novel, or a short story. It’s fulfilling to have something you can call your own, as a product of your imaginative and creative mind. And you know what makes it better? A good feedback.
**7. It helps you to be more productive.**
Writing is a great mental exercise. It makes you more creative and it activates neurons in the brain and gets it ready for the task you are supposed to do during the day. It helps you be more productive. A to-do-list is useful and it won’t hurt making one.
That’s just some of the benefits we can get by writing may it be through our pens or computer screens. It may be hard sometimes, it may seem like we are running out of ideas, but that’s pretty normal. Everyday is not our day and it’s okay. Even the best fall down sometimes. 😊
Thank you for reading, and continue writing!
Reference: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/rhubarb/writing-benefits.html
Lead image from: https://giphy.com/gifs/book-write-notebook-S3KhNnHajzZ4voJKYP
2 Decades and 2: What I gave myself for my birthday
I can now officially relate to Taylor Swift’s song – I’m now feeling 22.
I feel much closer to adulthood and the much bigger realities of this world, I feel closer to the responsibilities that awaits me but I am also excited because I feel one step closer to my dreams.
My birthday was actually days ago but I only had the time now to post anything. I want to thank @Charlotte for being with me through out the preparation of my small celebration. You know the rest. :)
It’s my 2nd time to celebrate my birthday in the middle of a pandemic and I was with the same people who were with me during my last year’s celebration, my Indian Mango friends. Two of my closest boy friends outside my circle were also there.
We had a mini barbecue party in the backyard of our apartment and I had so much fun; I hope my friends did too. We had overnight at my twin girl friends’ house and I was happy to be able to do that again with them after some years. We had heart-to-heart talk and watched a movie we didn’t even finish watching. I was so thankful we get to do that again because I really needed it at that time. I missed them so much. I hope we’ll be complete the next time.
I also received gifts from my friends! I received a BTS themed coloring book. It made me so *kilig* because it was a customized one. I also received two pairs of earrings from one of my boy friends and I was fluttered because I didn’t expect that I’d actually receive a gift from him. He is the silent type of guy and we used to argue sometimes before when we were in senior high school but we are really good friends now. He said those are just stocked in their house but I still feel happy because he still thought of giving them to me. The twins bought me a cake and they let us stay in their house. We played cards and they taught us to play Mahjong which is really addicting, but don’t worry, there was no money involved. We played just to have fun. 😊
Also grateful to my family, especially to my brother for funding my small celebration and to my Mama, for telling me she's proud of me. It really means a lot. My closest friends also greeted me and that’s what matters most to me. That they still took some of their time to send me a message and greet me even if we barely talk these days.
My small celebration almost didn’t happen because unexpected things came up and I almost don’t want to celebrate at all but I’m glad I still did. It was one memorable birthday. I am so thankful to these people, they are the best.
Thank you, Lord, for my life. It has been a roller coaster 22 years. There may be times that I want to give up but I am always reminded why I need to hold on and keep going. Life is not easy, but it’s beautiful.
I wrote an article before entitled “22 Things I Learned Before I Turn 22”. And I read it again a day after my birthday. It’s still the same, except for the fact that the friendship breakup I talked about in it, is over. I made peace with my past and I can say it was the best thing I did this year, so far. I consider it also as a gift for myself. A gift of peace, of love, to give forgiveness and to ask for it.
Here’s to my 22! Happiest birthday, self. You are still young. You can do so much so hang in there a little more and keep going. You have bunch of good people around you so never be afraid to be alone. You’re now 22, and just like what BTS says, life goes on.
Here is the link for for my “22 Things I Learned Before I Turn 22” article, if you might want to read:
https://read.cash/@glossyberrycraze/22-things-i-learned-before-i-turn-22-b15f0227
Thank you for reading. :)
This or That Challenge
**I saw this challenge from** @Charlotte **and I find it interesting as well so I decided to tune in. I don’t know what this is exactly called but I called it the This or That Challenge. Hope you enjoy!**
Let me start!
**Hot chocolate or coffee?**
Coffee, because I love coffee ever since. Though I don’t drink it now that often because I’m acidic and I used to palpitate so my sister told me not to drink coffee anymore and just drink milk instead but when quarantine started I can’t help it so I still drink coffee sometimes and then deal with the aftermath later on. LOL. I remember making coffee for my father late at night when I was little when we were watching Queen Sondeok (a Korean drama) in our local channel before when it was aired. Such happy coffee memories 😊
**Morning or evening?**
I am seriously not a morning person, I always wake up late especially this quarantine so I would choose evening. And also because I always stay up late. My mind is most active at night; it’s either I am being productive or I am overthinking.
**Text message or call?**
Text message, because I don’t do calls except for important matters. One reason is because I’m shy, and also because I don’t like my voice over the phone. I did have numerous phone calls with someone before, like almost everyday and I did enjoy it but I still prefer texting.
**Library or museums?**
I love libraries but I would choose museums for now because I have an embarrassing experience in our university library. I was reading something while listening to some music through my earphones and I was totally into it that I forgot I was in a library so I talked out loud, I didn’t realize it until one of my friends pinched me. Some students laughed at me so they were scolded by the librarian and were told to go out. I still feel bad up to this day and I can still remember how embarrassing it was. Plus, I think a museum date with someone or with your friends would be great. 😊
**Summer or winter?**
I would love to experience winter someday but I will choose summer. You can try many activities during summer and can also try many foods to beat the heat. Summer is calming. I so love the calmness of a windy summer afternoon. It’s perfect to just relax, watch movies or to just simply take a nap.
**Love or money?**
I am currently in need of money but I would still choose love. Nothing is more powerful in this world than love. For me the root of all positive words in this world is love. Kindness, empathy, sympathy, beauty – for me they were all out of love, you show kindness to people out of love. You have empathy because you have love in you. You tell someone they’re beautiful because you love them. It’s because you know how to love. It’s love, always.
**Book or movie?**
This is a hard one but for now I would choose movies without explanation.
**Tea or coffee?**
I’m not really a fan of tea, so coffee.
**Chocolate or vanilla?**
I like vanilla but I don’t like it as much as I love chocolates and other flavors, so chocolate.
**Coca-Cola or Pepsi?**
It is hard to choose between the two because I love Pepsi, in fact I like it better than Coca-Cola but I don’t drink Pepsi as often as before because it’s not available in the *sari-sari* stores near us so I will choose Coca-Cola for now because I drink it quite often these days.
**Rain or snow?**
This one’s also hard because I want to experience snow badly because of my love for Korean dramas but I love rain too, not the heavy ones because they scare me most of the time. I love rain because of the memories I have when it’s raining. My childhood, and my high school memories. Those times when I ran in the middle of the rain for fun and memories’ sake. And those times I had no choice but to run into it just so I can get home. They are such precious memories.
**Car or motorcycle?**
It’s my dream to have a car of my own so it’s car. I would love to travel with my family or friends soon. 😊
**Comedy or horror?**
Tough choice! I love both genres but I will choose comedy this time. I want to watch a comedy movie with friends but I want to watch movies with my friends in general, no matter the movie. I just miss doing overnights and movie marathon with them.
**Phone or computer?**
Phone, because I can carry it with me anytime, anywhere. I can’t live without a phone; I literally carry my phone everywhere I go. My phone is where I communicate with my family, friends, and special someone. It contains many photos of my biases in K-pop, my contacts and other important stuff.
**Brown or black hair?**
I choose brown because I just recently dyed my hair golden brown and I love it very much, it was golden copper before I decided to try golden brown. I never thought I would be dyeing my hair before because my mother didn’t want me to but now I can’t stop. I wonder what color I would try next. 😊 I do not have regrets so far because I like it every time.
**Milk or juice?**
It’s milk for me, especially the powdered one, specifically Bear Brand. I love eating it or mixing it with rice. I can eat that everyday. I am a Bear Brand kid ever since and it’s the best for me, nothing can change my mind.
**Google or Bing?**
I don’t use Bing to be honest so it’s Google for me.
**Fire or ice?**
Fire, because I just prefer it than ice.
**Straight or curly hair?**
Curly hair, because my hair’s a bit curly in its ends and I love it the way it is. I also love straight hair, I just don’t think it suits me. But every girls are beautiful regardless of what type of hair they have. 😊
**Fruits or vegetables?**
I love both, but I’m choosing fruits for now because I want some at the moment. I eat vegetables almost everyday so I choose fruits because we don’t have fruits in our table or in the fridge every day.
That would be all! I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did answering them. I also hope you saw a bit of my personality through this. :)
You can also try this if you haven't! Thanks for reading. :)
My Virtual OJT Experience
***"Job training empowers people to realize their dreams and improve their lives."***
- Sylvia Mathews Burwell
This is my summary of our month-long virtual internship.
**WEEK 1 (June 28 - July 02)**
This is our first session for our midyear practicum this year. Our speaker discussed about seasonal forecasting. For this session, I learned that seasonal forecasting as different from the usual forecasting, is a forecast for a longer period of time ranging from 30 days up to one year which includes monthly outlooks of averaged weather parameters derived from climate values of a given forecast period. Seasonal forecasting is important because it helps not only local citizens but also farmers and businessmen to plan ahead. There are two types of seasonal forecast which are the deterministic and the probabilistic forecast. The deterministic forecast gives measures of a certain weather variable while the probabilistic gives probability of occurrence of the said variable. The speaker also discussed the process of making or producing a seasonal forecast which starts from data collection, downscaling, deliberation, decision, and finally, dissemination. Data collection includes determining the base climatology of a specific area, knowing the primary drivers of climate, and gathering of forecasts/maps from different Global Producing Centers (GPC). I also learned that to be able to get the anomaly, you have to subtract the base climatology from the actual event. The base climatology includes the climate type, etc. She gave us an activity per group where we would formulate our own seasonal forecast for the area given to us.
**WEEK 2 (July 05 – July 09)**
For this week’s first session, we had the continuation of the workshop with seasonal forecasting. We tackled about global circulation models which are tools used to simulate earth’s complicated physical processes. She also discussed El Nino Southern Oscillation or ENSO, it’s different indices or indicators like the SOI, ONI, OLR which we are already familiar with. She also included different websites that monitor ENSO outlook and sources of seasonal forecast information like the BOM, APCC, UK Metoffice, and many other; she also provided the links for each for us to access. The speaker also discussed the weather systems that are to be considered in making a seasonal forecast like the ENSO, the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and monsoons, which affects the weather and climate of a certain area just like the Philippines. For our activity, we had some sort of difficulty because there are no regional level options for the maps so it was a little hard to really give a probabilistic forecast for a smaller area.
For our second session this week, our speaker is from NDRRMC and he discussed about the role of NDRRMC in times of emergencies like typhoons. He also reviewed to us the different weather systems because it is important that the general public are aware of these systems, how they are formed and what are their possible effects or damages. He discussed about the monsoons in the Philippines, which are the Northeast and Southwest monsoons. The Southwest monsoon or the Habagat usually carries moisture from the atmosphere and thunderstorms are most likely to develop. I also learned from him that counting after you see the lightning pass until you hear the thunder will determine your distance from the lightning. One second corresponds to a kilometer and if you are within 3kms, it means it is not safe. Habagat can also develop big thunderstorms and rainfall because of the wind. During Habagat season, typhoons moving northwest during the peak season will be pushed back to the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile during Northeast Monsoon or Amihan, typhoons and low pressure areas are most likely to occur. One of the things I most remember on his talk is when he said that the role of a meteorologist is to provide the science so the DRRM can make counter measures. Also when he said the phrase “protecting ourselves and protecting our people”. At the end of the session he gave us an activity on estimating the time of landfall, start of rain, and start of wind.
**WEEK 3 (July 12 – July 16)**
For the third week, we started with the sessions on Numerical Weather Prediction Models or NWP and our speakers were from Manila Observatory. The first discussed the Introduction to Numerical Modeling. He discussed that a simple model, like any other processes, has an input and an output, and also has post processes as its components. Numerical models are used to simulate different weather and climate systems. In the Philippines, we have tropical and maritime climate and rainfall is the major driver of climate variability in the country and we are affected by synoptic systems like monsoons and tropical cyclones. He also reviewed us about the energy balance and the global atmospheric circulation. I learned that NWP models are important not only in weather forecasting but also in historical forecasts and projections, and also to understand the dynamics of either weather or climate phenomena. Global climate models solve mathematical representations of the dynamics and physical processes in the climate system and it is governed by continuity, momentum, and thermodynamic equations. The horizontal grid in the model represents latitude-longitude while the vertical grid represents height or pressure. The model grids are governed by these equations of motions and they balance forces acting in three dimensions. The model includes the atmosphere, land surface, ocean, ice sheet, and sea ice as its components but most NWPs only include the atmosphere while other components are fixed. I also learned the parameters included in the model such as the radiative transfer, cloud formation processes, topography, vegetation, and many more. I was also able to get insights about the initial and boundary conditions whereas the weather depends on initial conditions and climate depends on boundary conditions.
Our next session was about Introduction to Weather Forecasting and our speaker is from PAGASA or the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a future time in a given location. To be able to come up with a weather forecast, you should have enough knowledge in meteorology combined with meteorological data. A weather forecast is a scientific estimate of future atmospheric condition while a weather condition is the state of the atmosphere at a given time of a significant weather variables. She also discussed the weather forecasting schemes which are as follows: assessing past conditions, assessing current weather conditions, project initial state into the future, and applying weather forecast information. We also tackled the forecast process which starts from observation, followed by collection and transmission of weather data, and then plotting and analysis of weather data and lastly the formulation of the forecast. We also discussed the different forecasting tools like weather maps, satellite imageries, GCMs, etc. and the different weather products of PAGASA.
**WEEK 4 (July 19 – July 23)**
For our last week, we focused on the group output on the WRF Model. Our speaker first discussed the procedures on how to run the model. I initially thought it’s going to be hard but it was way harder given the circumstances that we’re in. It would be better if we could actually do it but I still learned that it is important to make sure you input the accurate values needed in order to avoid errors.
In the last sessions of Broadcast Meteorology, our speaker is also from PAGASA. She shared her knowledge in weather forecasting especially radio broadcasting. She shared the proper dress code and gave us some tips on how to present yourself in TV or radio and on how to answer questions when asked about the forecast. It is important that you know the past events and you understand clearly the forecast so you will be able to answer it properly. She also said that it is important to know notable people in the industry and the correct station or network that you are working because it will really come in handy if ever such situation may arise. She also taught us some vocalization as it is important that you have your own tone that fits your broadcast, and the correct pacing is also important because it is essential that you show a sense of urgency. For all our sessions in broadcast meteorology, I learned that it is important that you love what you’re doing, that you have passion and dedication for it because hard work really pays off. We had the chance to experience broadcasting as part of our workshop and it really requires time and patience because it is not easy but it was a fun experience.
Let me end this with another quote from Albert Einstein, *"The only source of knowledge is experience."*
This virtual OJT is definitely not the best, but I am still grateful to people who put the effort to make it possible. I must say we deserve better, but I'm still happy because I learned from it somehow in the whole month of this experience. And it made me excited for what awaits me in the future; and that still, is in my hands.
Thank you for reading. :)
A Year in Pandemic: A Little Life Update
**So much has happened since the world got shaken when this pandemic started. This trial has taken a big toll on us, on our health specifically. It has been and still is, a big threat to our health and mankind as millions of people have lost their lives, lost their loved ones. Many front liners have been sacrificing so much to help the public, to help our community. We owe them so much. To all our front liners, thank you. If you are one of them or has a family, friends, relatives who are front liners, let them know they are so much appreciated.**
In this article I will be sharing with you how my life as a normal citizen, a student especially, has been since this pandemic started. It was March 14, 2020 when my classes were suspended for supposedly just a week because of Covid-19 and now, July 14, 2021 it has been exactly one year and four months and my life was never the same.
Despite all the negative things the pandemic has caused us, I have also learned so much from this. I have opened an online business last year with two of my friends and I learned how to manage my finances more properly because of that. It was my first time to hold money I can call my own as it was from my own blood, sweat, and tears. It’s very fulfilling and I can never forget the joy of having people support your small business. It has been a year since we opened that online business but sadly, we didn’t pursue it anymore when online schooling started since we are all currently taking up our bachelor’s degree on college, and we have to focus more on that.
It was also during this pandemic when read.cash was introduced to me by my friend and it has been a very big help to me since then. This is where I get all my funds for my internet and I also was able to fund my thesis expenses through the upvotes I got here. Read.cash is really a blessing to me because I really don’t want to depend so much on my family especially during these times, when it comes to my personal needs because they have provided me enough already so I want to make a difference by my own as much as possible, whenever I can. Aside from that, it also became an outlet for me to freely express my thoughts, my feelings; it became a platform for my poems and my stories that have been kept on my phone for years and I am happy I got to share them to all of you. Why didn’t I post them on my social media? It’s simply because I am too shy to do so because they know me; in read.cash, I have the freedom to stay anonymous, which is my choice and that’s where I am most comfortable at.
The most challenging thing for me was the academic part. Yes, I was able to enroll and attend my classes but on the downside of it, I feel incompetent. It got harder on my part to absorb lessons by just listening and watching through a screen. Let’s just say not all homes are conducive for learning and sadly, that includes ours. I feel like I don’t even get half of what I am supposed to learn if it is a face to face based set-up. And I know I am not the only one who feels like this. It’s just really different when you are actually learning inside a classroom, having personal interactions with your classmates and professors. We all miss the feeling of having lunch with friends, and going out with them after a stressful series of exams. I can’t help but question myself sometimes because I don’t really know why I feel so demotivated. The fear of what’s about to come in the future is getting to me because I don’t want to be incompetent when I am already in the real world, in the field of my chosen degree. But despite all this, I know I don’t have a choice but to adapt to these changes no matter how challenging it is.
On the bright side of it, I realized how strong I can be because my mental health was really tested for the past year and months that passed by. I realized the value of connections and disconnections – connections to people you love and who loves you, and disconnection from people and things that are not good for our mental health and overall being. I learned many things during this pandemic and I know there are still more things to learn from. This has been my life for the past 16 months since the “normal” days, it has its pretty fair share of ups and downs but that’s really what life is all about, right?
**How about you, how has your life been doing so far, a year in pandemic?**
Hello from this side of the world. :)
Thank you for reading!
Broken Heart Syndrome
Do you know that a heart break can literally kill a person? Yes, it does. It is called the Broken Heart Syndrome. It can cause death but it is also very unlikely.
Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition brought upon by extremely stressful and traumatic events. It can also be triggered by serious physical illness or injury. It is also called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which is named after the Japanese physician who discovered it. The *tako tsubo* are the octopus traps that resemble the pot-like shape of a troubled heart.
The syndrome can more likely happen to women than in men. A person may experience sudden chest pain which is the reaction to a rush of hormones caused by emotionally stressful experience. It could be a death of a loved one, divorce, separation or break up; and even rejection. But not only that, the following may also cause broken heart syndrome: domestic abuse, physical stressors like disease infection and major surgeries, strong arguments, public speaking, and job loss or financial struggle. Literally anything that may cause a surge of stress hormones can cause or trigger the syndrome.
Some drugs may also cause broken heart syndrome as they may cause a rush of stress hormones. These drugs may include epinephrine, which is given to treat severe allergic reactions or a severe asthma; duloxetine, which is used to treat nerve problems due to diabetes, or as a treatment for depression. Another treatment drug for depression, the venlafaxine is also included and also levothyroxine which is given to people with thyroid glands problems. Unprescribed drugs like cocaine can also cause or trigger broken heart syndrome.
This may also be misdiagnosed as heart attack because of the same symptoms and test results. But the broken heart syndrome affects just part of the heart, temporarily disrupting heart's normal pumping function. The rest of the heart is unaffected and can function normally. As a matter of fact, tests show changes in rhythm and blood substances that are similar to that of a heart attack. But unlike heart attack, heart arteries are not blocked in broken heart syndrome and only damages a part of the heart itself. Broken heart syndrome can lead to serious heart muscle failure but the good news is, it is pretty treatable and most likely not to occur again but in rare cases, it can be fatal.
This is how the broken heart syndrome differ from a heart attack: the EKG results or the test that records heart’s electric activity, don’t look the same; there are no signs of heart damage in blood tests; there is no blockage in the arteries of the heart as I have already mentioned; there is unusual movement of the lower left heart chamber or the left ventricle; and the recovery time for broken heart syndrome is faster as it can happen in within days or weeks.
What are the symptoms? The symptoms of heart broken disease are angina or chest pain and shortness of breath, especially when you don’t have a history of having a heart disease.
We can see how every system of our body may affect one another. Your mental and emotional health may affect your physical health and vice versa. What can we do to prevent conditions like the broken heart syndrome? Aside from keeping your body healthy, keeping your emotional and mental health is also very important. In an article I have read, it says that some of the patients diagnosed with this syndrome have underlying anxiety and depression which, basically, needs to be given attention and treatment first. Knowing what causes our stress may also be of help. And more than knowing what it is, staying away and letting go of whatever it is, is more important. Always protect you heart; like you, there is only one of that.
I hope you are in a situation where your physical body, your mind, and your heart are happy. Good morning! 😊
Thanks for reading. :)
@glossyberrycraze
