The Sunday Currently, Vol. 4: Australia edition!
First of all— WHEW. It has been a while, hasn't it? I can't believe that I've been away for almost a month now! I'm composing this new blog post in Australia, in the comfort of my new bedroom. Thankfully, I live in these two bedroom apartment type dormitories on campus, so it's relatively quiet at night.
Oh, how I do miss writing and typing on this blog! I feel like it has been such a long time since I've posted anything on here— it's been making me so antsy. Although I'm not sure if I can begin posting as often as I did before, I will never abandon this place! ❤
I will start working on other entries here too though, like my entries for the future SVMWCs among others, so stay tuned! Until then, here's volume
quatro of my Sunday Currently. Please do enjoy, and have a great day, wherever you are ✨
Reading: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, an amazing science-fantasy novel! It focuses on Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin, three kids going through space-time in search of Meg and Charles' scientist dad. At first I thought it was a children's book, but it's actually a young adult novel? Huh, go figure lol. I'm almost done with the book, and since there'll be a movie adaptation, I think I'll go see that too!
Writing: on my planner. I have mentioned that I'm trying to take steps to organize my life, especially now that uni starts tomorrow. I find it really relaxing, and writing down all the things I wanna do makes it more manageable for me.
Listening: to some nice jazz as I unwind (as I type, Bill Evans' Alice in Wonderland has begun playing). Australia is a really peaceful place, especially at night when there aren't any people wandering outside and barely any cars passing by, unlike the Philippines. Back home, 9 in the evening is still pretty busy LOL. Classes start tomorrow too, so I thought that some easy music would do my nerves some good.
Thinking: about other ways I can cook rice and chicken, since the two are the easiest things to make whenever I find that I need a heavy meal. I could try cooking other types of meat like fish or pork, but chicken and rice is really the only thing I have right now, so I need to be creative until my next grocery trip lol.
Smelling: nothing right now, but lately I have been cooking rosemary chicken a lot for my meals, and it does smell heavenly. I recommend you guys try rubbing some of the herb on chicken before cooking!
Wishing: that classes will be alright tomorrow! This'll be my first ever time attending a college class/lecture, so I don't really know what to expect. I'm both excited and nervous!
Hoping: that I'll do well in survive here in Australia, all by myself. My parents were here with me last week, so I think the impact of homesickness hasn't sunk in, but I really do hope I will learn how to take care of myself and survive while trying to ace my classes 😵
Wearing: some knee-high shorts and a Grumpy Cat shirt my friend gave me last year. They are comfy— perfect for sleeping!
Loving: Daniel Chong's animated series called We Bare Bears! It's about these three bear brothers, Grizzly, Panda, and Ice Bear, and their misadventures as they try to mingle with human society. It's a very cute show; I'd say it has a certain homey rustic feel to it. Like wooden textures and rustling leaves 😁
Wanting: to join a student organization here in my university, particularly about theater or music. Lately, I've been hankering for people to talk to about musicals, so I thought that maybe I oughta look for like-minded people on campus. But if any of you guys want to discuss the topic, do leave a comment and hit me up! 😆
Needing: some time to finish writing on my planner! I find myself procrastinating or taking wayyy too much time when jotting down schedules on it, so I think I also need to schedule time to write my schedule... if that makes any sense.
Feeling: surprisingly tired today. I didn't do much though, just some vacuuming and laundry. Perhaps it's the stress of moving abroad? Anxiety over tomorrow? Maybe lol.
Tapping: on Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp on my phone. I just love AC, it's one of my favorite video game series ever! It evokes a certain sense of nostalgia, for such a simple game with a simple premise. I was so happy to finally get this app in Australia because it wasn't available in the Philippine app store! Animal Crossing is my happy place, and though Pocket Camp isn't gonna compare to the depth the older games from the series offered (especially Wild World, my first love ❤
), it's still there. And I love going back into that world 😊 I could go on and on about how great Animal Crossing is!
And that's about it for this month's Sunday Currently. I'll start easing back into blogging soon enough, I can't wait to talk to everyone again! How has everyone been lately? Do leave a comment and let's talk ❤
Labels: sunday currently
Post High School, Pre-College: My Life So Far
Hello everyone! I hope you've been doing well as of late. I know I always say this, but please do stay hydrated! Seriously. And please always remember to get enough rest! I hope that you all have been taking care of yourselves ❤
Before anything else, I'd like to wish y'all a happy 2018! I know I know, it's really quite late of me, and I really have no excuse other than the fact that I've been really sleeping in recently, and have had absolutely no motivation to get out of bed. I just can't believe that 2017 is over!
Still, the show must go on. As 2017 has come to a close, there are many things that I just wanted to reminisce on, and as I looked back, I was astonished by how much things have changed over the course of one year! With that said, I'd just like to share my 2017 with you guys, and there's no better time than the present.
First off, I'm going to college! Or university, depending on what you call it. I remember mentioning this in a handful of previous blog entries, but I never got around to really talking about it in detail. I'm going to uni in Australia, and I'll be undertaking legal studies. I finally graduated from my slightly preppy Chinese private school last June 2017, and was freed from the shackles of high school life.
To be honest, I really did enjoy my last year of high school though! It was relatively eventful— I went to my first ever debate competition this year, and I was part of our school's first ever big-scale
musical production 😄 I was just part of the ensemble, but being able to spend time and perform with some of the nicest, talented people I know has become a highlight of my year, and maybe for as long as my memory will serve me.
The debate competition was amazing as well! I went with my debate club, and we were so close to making it to the octo-finals, which comprises of the top 16 debate teams. Although, I didn't actually do any debating lol. Aside from the debates, there was also a public speaking portion in the event, and that was where I participated in. Though I didn't win any awards, it was a fun learning experience nevertheless ❤️
Now that I'm out of high school, my parents have been enrolling me in different skill-based classes to equip me for when I'm on my own. I finished driving lessons a month or so back, and right now I'm in beauty school learning to cut hair! I've only been learning the basics, so if you show me a picture of your desired haircut, I wouldn't be able to recreate it (yet). Perhaps someday, I can make this my side job. A lawyer/hairstylist extraordinaire— that certainly is an odd combination!
Anyways, my dull life post-high school has had its own set of challenges; mostly emotional burdens that were accrued due to feeling estranged to my friends' current lives. I love my friends and I love hearing them talk about how their lives are in college, but I guess it makes me a bit sad to hear funny retellings and stories filled with unfamiliar names, when just last year those stories contained the names of people I knew and went to school with.
I'm a really sentimental person too, so it's hard for me to leave the people I care for behind. My friends, my family— I won't see them as often as I'd want to anymore. I won't hear their voices, feel their touches. If that's what it means to leave behind my life in the Philippines, then it's a heavy burden for me. I wouldn't want this year to end. I don't want to leave.
But at the same time, ever since this plan to have me study abroad was set in stone, I started to appreciate the things around me even more; especially the simple things in my life right now.
The way sunlight filters through the bedroom curtains in the morning and lands on slept-in beds. The smells and sounds of our kitchen— garlic, wooden chopping boards, and the radio tuned into the local station. Mid-afternoon commutes, when the train isn't crowded or noisy because everyone's having lunch. The way the train gently rumbles as it hurtles through the tracks, the bright afternoon sun filling the car. Our big mango tree here at home, when it bears fruit and you could see the flowers from below. The bright blue sky, framed by lots and lots of trees and some wires from telephone and electricity poles. It's things like those that really helped me appreciate how amazing life is. I know I'll miss every one of those moments. That was how my life went; how it will be until I have to leave it all behind for a fresh start in college.
In a way, I'm thankful too. Life isn't always gonna be how it is now, and attending university abroad will be a great experience to help me learn more about myself and the world. And, I suppose, this'll happen eventually anyways, so there's no need to delay the inevitable.
For a while now, I've been taking lots of short video clips of the things that remind me of home. I plan to edit it all into one video, so that I can look back to it when I get homesick. Perhaps when I finish it, I'll give you guys a link if y'all wanna see it 😊
Ever since I got out of high school last June, another thing I've been thankful for is the chance to pursue hobbies I've been waiting to for so long. I picked up the viola, which is a really amazing instrument! The best way I can describe it is by comparing to to the violin; if violins are sopranos, then violas are altos. I quite like the rich, medium tone of the viola though. The sound is also warmer than the violin, and though it's just as wonderful too, violas are so criminally underappreciated! I guess that's why I opted for it over the violin lol.
I'm also writing a musical! I think I mentioned this in my first Sunday Currently entry, and yeah, I'm still working on it. I love musical theater, so I decided that maybe this is a thing I could do. The details aren't quite set yet, but if I do make significant progress, I'll be sure to write about it here 😆
Anyways, now I'm just enjoying what little time I have left in the Philippines, my home. Our church hosted a Christmas outreach as well, and it felt really fulfilling to see the children happy ✨ Last Christmas eve, we had a big potluck lunch in church as well. We had looots of sushi lol.
On more recent news, I did have my wisdom teeth removed just yesterday,
boy are my jaws swollen. I look like a chipmunk. This is not a good look. It's a good thing the surgery itself wasn't so bad— I actually didn't feel anything due to the anesthesia (my eternal thanks goes out to the creators of this numbing elixir).
I've also taken up bullet journaling! This year I've decided to try and organize my life a little bit more, as I do have an intense procrastination problem lol. I've always wanted to try this out as well, and though I'm sure that I will not be able to maintain this sort of aesthetically pleasing journal, I do hope that having a planner will help keep me on track this 2018.
Well, I guess that's everything noteworthy that has happened to me so far. Writing this has been really therapeutic, and it felt good to open up about how I really felt. If any of you guys have something weighing on your shoulders, try writing it down! It doesn't have to be on a blog if that's what you choose; nevertheless, engaging in some form of self-expression is cathartic, and will help you stay sane lol.
That's all I have to say for today. Thanks for reading! Please take care of yourselves, and take time to rest when you're tired. And spend time with the people you care about because those times will be memories to be cherished ❤️
Yours truly
— Cossette
Labels: musings
The Day The War Stopped: A Short Story
Hey there, wishing a happy new year to everyone! How have you been lately? I hope that you've been doing well, and are enjoying your holidays. This time of year really is my favorite, since it gives me a sense of accomplishment about making it through all the difficulties and challenges that we faced this year. Although, not all battles were victories, as long as you did your best then I think that's more than enough 😁
Granted, this month's entry is late lol. December has been surprisingly eventful! Just a couple days ago I went to the beach with a good friend's family, and it was pretty fun. I didn't tan (thankfully), but then again, we did go swimming in the late afternoon and the sun wasn't really quite strong already lololol. I also went to visit my old high school earlier this month since they were having a big Christmas party. I mayyyy have stolen a donut or two from their Christmas potluck though
shhh. Oh, I really will miss high school!
Anyways, for
this month's installment to the Spaceship and Vampires Monthly Writing Challenge (which I've chosen to abbreviate as SVMWC in the tags), the theme was Christmas! I guess it's only right for it to be seasonal lol. I want to encourage you guys to take part in this challenge as well! It's really good exercise for your writing muscles to stay sharp ✨ You can check out all the entries from last month for inspiration if you want, it's over here. Scroll around through Andrea's blog while you're there, she's a pretty great writer herself ❤
That aside, over the past few months as I participated in the SVMWC, I think I'm starting to have an affinity for writing about historical or cultural events, so this month's story is certainly going to follow that motif LOLOL. I remember in history class year ago, we discussed about World War I and the trenches. I remember there being some sort of "Christmas truce" at one point in the war, and I thought it'd make a good story, so I decided to write a short piece of historical fiction about it!
I hope you guys like this one, and (belated) merry Christmas/happy holidays and a happy new year to y'all ❤
You closed one eye and peered through the periscope of your sniper rifle with the other. "Just as expected," you grumble, ducking back in between the cold, hard dirt wall of the trenches.
What you just saw through the scope was nothing out of ordinary— only the bleak view of No Man's Land, the de facto name troops have christened the large expanse of land between your trenches and the enemy's. The barren swamp was framed with tumbles of barbed wire from both sides, and corpses and debris from exploded shells littered the muddy, rocky ground.
It was now December 25, and you're certain that the war had been going on for a almost five months at this point. The German front lines seem to be inactive over the past few days. You aren't complaining though— the peace, no matter how brief, was always welcomed.
"Chap, get back up," your partner hissed, giving you a swift kick in the shins.
"Good heavens sir Michael, I do not wish to argue but not a soul has made a peep for at least a week now," you complained. "And besides, I heard the Pope had suggested some sort of peace treaty for Christmas."
Your spotter, who we now know is named Michael, responded. "Bah, we take orders from the head, not the Pope! Younguns like yourself have grown softer over the years," he lamented, shaking his head. "Back in my day, young men your age would be well on their way to becoming the head of atroop themselves! Wouldn't hesitate to fire a gun either."
"Well, I apologize for this generation's softness sir," you scoffed, tipping your helmet lower over your eyes with one hand. The algid December air was festering with the scent of the trenches—dirt, corpses, gunpowder, feces. You imagine that perhaps the other side was smelling a similar stench in their trenches as well.
Now it was Michael's turn to complain. "But well, I suppose you are right, lad," he sighed, his posture relaxing a bit. "Christmas is here, but I'm not happy. This war hullabaloo is making me depressed."
"Me too sir," you blandly respond, a sliver of agreement beneath your tone. You were about to carry on the small talk you two were having, when suddenly, a moving speck appeared in your field of vision.
"Sir Michael?" You quint at the distance, trying to confirm whether or not your eyes are deceiving you. "Sir, there seems to be a German on the opposite trench." You begin to take aim.
Your partner squints. "Seems like it," he confirms, not looking away from the speck. It was a German soldier's helmet, the camouflage print, bobbing up and down from behind the barbed wire that protected the opposing trench. "Hold your fire, chap. It might be a ruse," Michael instructs.
Your fingers curl tighter around your rifle, a finger resting on the trigger. You really had hoped that you wouldn't have to shoot anything today— or anyone, for that matter.
Before you could continue to engage in your internal monologue, a slow, foreign voice rang through the air. "Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!"
The voice was masculine, and most certainly sounded like it was German. You raised your head from your shooting position to get a view of the enemy's territory.
On the trench was a German soldier. most likely the source of the voice. "Alles schläft, einsam wacht," he continued to sing, a tired smile plastered on his face, as he pulled up a fellow soldier from his side onto the trench.
"What in the blazes are they doing," Michael whispered, incredulity thinly veiled by his raspy lilt.
You recognized the melody. "That's Silent Night, sir," you commented, turning to look at your partner. It seems that he is a step ahead of you though, as he was already gesturing at another nearby soldier to come closer and give a second opinion.
"Aye, that sure is an odd thing for 'em Germans to do," the soldier nodded. "Y'know what, I'm gonn' be calling some other lads to take a gander here," he said, and trotted off.
There were at least thirty German soldiers in their worn military uniforms standing on their trenches now, arms over each other's shoulders as they swayed left and right, singing slightly off-tune like jolly drunken men. "Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn, Jesum in Menschengestalt!"
A small crowd has started to form near the front of the trenches, where you are currently situated, in order to discuss the enemy's strange behavior.
"It's definitely a trap," one chimed in. "Those Germans are trying to lure us out!"
"Hey, why don't a sniper go ahead and just shoot while they're vulnerable, eh? This is a great opportunity," a soldier discussed with someone, shoving a thumb towards you.
"That's a pretty risky move," another retorts. "There is always the possibility that all this is a ruse to get us to reveal weak spots."
The soldiers were in a heated discussion about the predicament, though you simply do not know how or why they refuse to simply be human men today; to simply live and let live, to feel the spirit of peace that Christmas was supposed to have. Your grip on the sniper rifle becomes tenuous. You can't possibly shoot these men. You put your rifle down.
"Gentlemen, I think we do not see the point here," you finally decided to chime in, raising your voice to draw everyone's attention. "What's the big fuss? It's Christmas, for heavens' sake! Can't we be just be humans for once?" You began stretching your legs and getting on your feet, hoisting yourself over the edge of the trenches you were defending.
The men began panicking, unsure whether or not they should pull you back down. "Chap, what in the world are you doing? You're out of your mind!" someone exclaims.
You take off your helmet and looked down onto the bewildered, gaping jawed faces of the weary English soldiers crouching between the trenches. "Well, as I said," you smiled, a twinkle in your tired eyes. "It's Christmas!" You took a deep breath, and yelled from the top of your lungs, not caring whoever hears you. "Merry Christmas!"
Labels: SVMWC
The Sunday Currently, Vol. 3
Hello there everybody! I hope that life has been kind to you recently. Wow, it's already December huh? It feels so surreal that the year is actually ending. I always see this Christmas countdown counter in the news, and from 100 days, it slowly dwindled— 90 days, 80, 60, 50 days left, but now it's less than 25 days before Christmas! Well, since that's what I celebrate at least. But to my bretheren of other traditional festivities, happy holidays ❤️
Today's entry will be another volume of Sunday Currently. I've been surprisingly busy as of late, with me attending beauty school and all that, which is why I haven't found time to write up other blog posts for a while (aside from the monthly Sunday Currently and SVMWC entries). I do apologize for that. I have been going to beauty school and learning to cut hair, so maybe I'll write about that someday :D How have you all been lately? Please do leave a comment and tell me how you week has been!
I definitely will not post this on time, as I only started typing this at like, an hour before midnight. But, I will still consider this a Sunday post because I am yet to retire to bed LOL. All that aside, here's volume troix of my Sunday Currently ✨ Enjoy!
Reading: this manga called Last Game. It's a cheesy rom-com that's a bit predictable, but is such a guilty pleasure! One thing I like about it is that unlike most shoujo manga, this story is set in college and not in high school. Nevertheless, the uncommon college setting brings a different charm, so I quite like it.
Writing: down a list of things I'll probably need for university. I'm starting this February, so I thought that it'd be best to prepare this early though :D
Listening: to a song called Que Sera, Sera. I'm actually not sure who made the original song, but I'm listening to the Sly and The Family Stone version. I discovered this song when I watched the Heathers movie (which is really good! Definitely a cult classic) a while back, and have been listening to the song every now and then. It's not my usual fare when it comes to music, but I enjoy this song 😄 It sounds very nostalgic, though the object of such a sentiment alludes me.
Thinking: about how close Christmas already is ❤ I'm so excited for the holidays, I can't believe that it's here! Well, almost. I'm really looking forward to spending my last Christmas in the Philippines with my family and friends, so I've been daydreaming a lot about Christmas parties and hanging out with my cousins lololol.
Smelling: nothing, as I've had the sniffles for the past two days and my nose is clogged and runny! Ugh, I always forget how inconvenient colds are.
Wishing: that this cold would go away. I want to sleep undisturbed, and not get up every ten minutes to blow my nose.
Hoping: that I'll do well in college when the time comes. I'm so anxious about it, it's saddening. The prospect of attending college/uni abroad is exciting, but at the same time, I bet I'll really miss my friends and family and pets. So yeah, I'm really hoping I could adjust well and thrive 😊
Wearing: some shorts and a red t-shirt. I'm actually writing this post late at night, so I'm already in my sleeping clothes, ready to go to bed lol ✨
Loving: this game called Doki Doki Literature Club! I watched this Youtube gamer called CinnamonToastKen play it, and let me tell you— this game is not what it seems to be like. It's so good! Explaining it too much would spoil the fun, so I suggest you check it out for yourself *evil laugh*
Wanting: to buy some fairy lights! I've also started thinking about how I want to decorate my dorm room for college, and I really want some fairy lights. I don't know about you, but I'm a wuss who needs lights to fall asleep LOL. Having a night light seems a bit embarrassing though, so I was thinking that perhaps some aesthetic fairy lights would do the trick.
Needing: some exercise. Or really, any sort of physical activity. Though I do get a bit of that by constantly standing up in beauty school to cut hair, I don't think that's enough lol. I really wanna grow taller... I wish that I would. Is there still hope? We'll find out someday 😔
Feeling: surprisingly tired, even if I slept all afternoon! I don't know why, but sometimes when you rest a lot, you end up more tired. Is it just me?
Clicking: or rather, tapping away on this app called Egg Inc. on my iPad. It's a really cute and simple game where you own a poultry farm, and it's one of those games where you need to tap incessantly to move further up the metaphorical rungs of the game ladder lol. It's fun seeing a rush of chickens run into their coops! It's all even cuter when you hear the chicken noises ✨
And thus, this month's Sunday Currently has come to an end. Thank you so much for reading! If you guys have written your own Sunday Currently entries, do leave a comment with a link to your blog so I can go check it out as well!
On another note, I really love the holidays! I'm going to curate a new playlist for this blog soon because who doesn't love seasonal music? Anyways, see y'all again soon, and always take care ❤
Labels: sunday currently
Powders: A Short Story
Hello everyone, good day! How has life been? I hope that everything's been relatively manageable for you. Please take care of yourselves, and do take some time to pursue your hobbies! Whether it's music, writing, or reading a book, as long as you indulge in a bit of self-care to stay sane then some good should come from it ❤️
Anyways, this post will be another short story; that is, another entry for the monthly writing challenge Andrea hosts over at
Spaceships, Vampires, and Very Secret Agents. I really do want to encourage everyone to participate in this, perhaps even in future installments of the challenge! It's a fun exercise to help writers (aspiring or otherwise) to get creative and keep those skills sharp ✨ You can check out this November's theme over
here, and tell her that I sent you LOLOL. Take time to explore their blog as well, you won't regret it! Oh, and if you'd like to read my previous entries for this monthly writing challenge, check out blog posts in this site that have the SVMWC tag; I'd love to hear what you think!
Am I risking cultural appropriation? I don't know lol, but I did try to research about this so I hope I won't say anything too out of place (please do say if anything sounds factually incorrect though!). I tried to make a short story that depicts the different experiences of perception. Without further ado, I present to you, dear readers, my entry for this month's theme— color. Please enjoy.
The sun was poised up high above the deep blue sky. Warm rays of sunshine bounced off the delicate swathes of clouds scattered across the ultramarine expanse. The small Indian town was only starting to wake, yet shops remained closed as a small crowd started to gather in the town square.
In one of the little inns tucked between the streets of small town was a young woman, perhaps in her twenties. She was sitting on the floor of her lodging, both her arms and legs crossed; her brow was knit in evident frustration.
"What an idiot I am," she sighed. Strewn in front of the cross legged woman were her various belongings. A tripod leaned haphazardly on the edge of her purple suitcase, which looked like it was ransacked. Crumpled shirts lay in sad piles surrounding the woman, a laptop expertly balanced on the mounds of fabric with the rest of the things she had packed to shoot this year's Holi, the magnificent festival of colors.
Alas, one vital object was missing from this assemblage of goods— the camera itself.
Her beautiful, swarthy Canon EOS 5D Mark IV was nowhere to be found; probably forgotten in a closet at home. "I'm such a scatterbrain. Of all things, I just had to leave the cam behind," the woman sighed, berating herself. Unfortunately there is not much for her to do in the absence of her photography implement, as she would be unable to do her job without a camera. "I'm already here though; it'd be a waste to not see Holi for myself," the woman said to herself. And so, she gets up and put on comfortable clothes, and went on her way.
It was only a few minutes past 7 AM, but the streets were already brimming with people and powders. Strangers patted yellow ochre dust on one another and wished for their good health. A pair of lovers dashed by, playfully chasing each other with vibrant crimson in their fists. The air was heavy with tinted mist. Holi was already well under way, but the woman was in no mood to partake in the kaleidoscopic festivities— not after finding out that she wouldn't be able to document it.
As the woman absentmindedly wandered the streets, a group of howling teenagers sprinted across her, letting loose a flurry of reds and blues that found its way onto her shirt. The woman had no time to react, and simply stood there on the curb, wide eyed.
"C'mon guys, wait up! You're too fast," a girl— perhaps the same age as those teens— yelled as she ran after them. Unfortunately, it seemed like this girl is not the most physically fit, as she placed her hands on her knees and was gasping for air. She looked up at the color-assaulted woman who was in shock. "Madame, are you alright there?"
The woman probed her apparel with gentle touches, but the red dye managed to stain her fingers nevertheless.
"You're shirt's going to be stained for a while," the teenage girl noted, shaking her head. "I do hope that that's a spare."
"Sadly, it isn't," the woman said in disdain. "But it's alright, really. I did go out today in order to observe the festivities, so getting the colors of Holi on me is to be expected," she laughs. "By any chance, are you a local? I'm a journalist for The Daily Mail, but due to unfortunate circumstances, taking photographs isn't possible for me right now. But it'd be a shame to return to Mumbai empty handed, so I'd really appreciate if you could show me around and give an interview?"
The girl nods and smiled. "Sure! I'd be glad to lend you a hand! May I ask what's this 'unfortunate circumstance' is about?"
"I, uh," the woman stammered, scratching her head. "I forgot to pack a camera before coming here."
Indra lifted a hand over her mouth, barely concealing a giggle. "Is that so? That's rsaeally unfortunate madame, but I'd be willing to act as a tour guide."
"Thank you," the woman smiled. "Let's talk as you show me around. May I know your name please?"
The teenager nodded. "My name is Indra. May I ask for yours as well?"
"You can call me Carmencita," the journalist woman smiled. "Indra is a wonderful name. From indradhanush, the Hindi for 'rainbow'. Quite fitting for this festival," she added with a chuckle.
"Thanks, but it's rather ironic," Indra laughed. "I ought to mention I'm colorblind, if that'll affect anything regarding the interview."
Carmencita shook her head reassuringly. "It's alright, I don't mind in the slightest."
The two females started to walk down the crowded road. "I guess you know by now that Holi is essentially a spring festival— a welcoming," Indra began. "People throw abir, colored powder, on each other to symbolize playfulness and good wishes. The colors each mean something as well."
The pair entered the town square, a bustling park teeming with families, lovers, and friends with vibrant, abir touched skin. They decided to sit on one of the benches that lined the path.
"I hope that my question does not come off as a breach of privacy, but I'm genuinely curious— how does it feel to celebrate and be a part of a cultural festivity that heavily relies on the visage of colors?" Carmencita asked, her torso slightly turned to look at Indra.
"Well, I don't really know," Indra carefully said, rubbing her chin. "It's odd. I've been born with this handicap, so not being able to distinguish certain colors is my normal." A short silence ensued before she continued. "Although, people do talk about colors a lot, so I think I have a good grasp of how they feel at the very least."
Carmencita raised an eyebrow at the girl's response. "How colors feel? Now that's an interesting sentiment. Tell me about that."
Indra's gaze landed on another pair of lovers, walking side by side as they left a trail of crimson in their wake. "Hmm, those pair of lovers over there," she pointed. "Although I cannot see what color the powders on their skin is, I'm almost sure that it's red. Red feels like something passionate. It's the rage that blinds your eyes, the adrenaline in your veins. But at the same time, it seems like the color of a warm flush on someone's cheeks during a moment of joy and love. Red feels like the color of a confident woman's lipstick."
"Over there, those leaves," Indra continued, gesturing towards some trees. "I've at least had the knowledge of their usual colors as green, so I associate green with life. It's the smell of the earth and the sound of rustling leaves. It's lush and peaceful and all over, like the grass underfoot or the canopy of trees."
Carmencita briefly closes her eyes as she lets Indra's words weave tapestries in her mind, then opens them again. "Fascinating. When you put it that way, it sounds very lovely," she smiled. "You have a great way with words, Indra."
"Thanks you," she smiled. "I think color is a visceral thing; it's not just what's visible," she explained. "Perhaps that's why I think of colors the way I do."
"That's definitely a unique perspective."
"Is it though?" Indra mused. "Well, I guess the 'feel' of colors is not something people would usually think about. What about you though," she asked. "I'm curious as to how you perceive colors!"
Carmencita scratches her head. "It's not really that interesting," she said. "I guess I only rely on the visual clues to tell them apart. Reds are the colors of cherries and strawberries. Blues are skies. All very practical."
"Huh, well that's a bit dull I think," Indra remarked. "A life without any sort of whimsy; no offense madame, but it seems like that's how you see the world right now."
Carmencita laughs. "None taken. You may be speaking the truth there. I've been living life around the printing presses for years; all the black and white of journalism has sucked away my soul." The older woman slumped back onto the bench. "Now let me tell you something; in our profession, things are either true or not true. It's very clean cut. No nonsense," she described.
"To be frank, I think I've lost my passion," Carmencita continued. "It all feels stale and drab. I've been wanting and waiting to do something big, but," she trailed off and shrugged.
"Then I guess it's just right that you're here in time for Holi," Indra replied after a few moments of silence. "A festival of colors and spring. Just what a sleeping soul needs to wake up," she smiled.
"I suppose," the older woman affirmed. "Thank you Indra, that was enlightening. If you don't mind, I'd like to cut the interview short and end it here," Carmencita said as she got on her feet.
The teenager shook her head. "That's fine with me. Good luck with your article, madame."
"Perhaps I'll go experience the colors of Holi for myself. It was a pleasure meeting you Indra, goodbye," Carmencita beamed, waving goodbye as she traversed the path through the rainbow bathed park.
Labels: SVMWC
The Sunday Currently, Vol. 2
Hello all! How are you guys doing lately? I do hope that you're well. Remember to stay safe when going outdoors, and stay hydrated. Please always take care of yourselves whether you're staying at home, in your dorm, at work, or wherever you may be 😊
Where did the year go? It's already November! My head is getting dizzy just thinking about how much time has passed. I can't even remember what I was doing last week, or two weeks ago! It's hard to believe that Christmas is coming real soon too. But I am looking forward to it— Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year after all :D
That aside, it's time for another volume of Sunday Currently! I haven't been going out of the house lately (what's new? lol), but I did go to the cemetery for All Saints Day with my mother the past week. I never realized how peaceful cemeteries are during daylight! Slightly macabre, I know, but you can't help but feel solemn when surrounded by all the memories held by the departed loved ones. There was one grave I spotted though, the years of birth and death are the same. It made me rather sad, since it seemed like a baby was buried there 😢
Whew, anyways— here's volume deux of my Sunday Currently!
Reading: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton. After I finished 1Q84 (which was an AMAZING read), I felt like picking up something more lighthearted and feel-good, so this one seemed like a good choice. My brother got me a hardcover copy of the novel for my birthday last year, but it's only now that I got around to reading it (sorry!). I started reading yesterday, so I'm just in the middle of the prologue. Though so far, it's good! I haven't read much historical fiction, so I'm looking forward to immersing myself in this novel 😆
Writing: I'm currently editing (and lightly re-writing. Does that count?) my friend's essay for university. I find it enjoyable to read other people's works, so it's not much of a trouble at all. I think that reading others' works could help you develop your own style as well!
Listening: to Panic! At The Disco's Pretty Odd album. It feels really nostalgic for some reason, and Pretty Odd sounds so whimsical and amazing. And of course, Ryan Ross. I know it's not the most well-appreciated album from P!ATD, but I love it all the same
Thinking: about which series I need to prioritize watching. Stranger Things, Riverdale, Star vs.The Forces of Evil, Doctor Who, Your Lie in April— so many things to watch, so little time!
Smelling: the buttery surface of the empanada I'm sinking my teeth into. Then as I bite away a chunk of baked pastry, the savory, mouthwatering scent of well-seasoned meat emanates from it. It smells nothing less than heavenly ❤
Wishing: for a better, faster internet connection (still). Really, the wifi situation in my area is simply atrocious. Youtube takes forever to load.
Hoping: that hairdressing classes will be fun! It'll be my first session tomorrow, and I just hope that I don't accidentally cut off someone's ear lol. Still, I'm looking forward to learning a new skill :D
Wearing: my pajamas. It's a pink top-and-bottom pair with a cute fox covering most of the shirt's front side, and more tiny foxes (and pink hearts) dotting the pants. I remember my mother got me these PJs a while back, but since I've not grown any taller for who knows how long, it still fits LOL. Not that I'm complaining, the fabric is rather comfortable ✨
Loving: the new Thor movie! I watched Thor: Ragnarok with my father and siblings last Sunday, and I love Chris Hemsworth's new in-movie hairdo ❤ And the fact that Mark Rufallo, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Hiddleston are also in the same movie? My inner fangirl may have just suffered from a heart attack due to sheer happiness. Now, all I need is for Sebastian Stan and Chris Pratt to join them in one big Marvel movie and I will be set for life.
Wanting: more time! Ugh, I have no wish for this year to end. There are still so many things I want to do before I enter university (both productive and otherwise), and there's simply not enough time for me fully prepare myself for this new chapter of life, mentally and emotionally. Sigh.
Needing: some help to clear up my iPad's memory space. I have over seven thousand photos in my album, and just knowing that I have to look at all those pictures is not encouraging. It's not an easy a task as it seems! As a sentimental person, photographs are a big deal so I definitely need help deciding whether a picture is still okay to keep or not.
Feeling: slightly annoyed because Tubbs won't stop eating my Frisky Bitz! I recently started playing Neko Atsume again, and Tubbs is definitely adorable, no doubt, but please I implore you: let other cats eat too ;-;
Clicking: onto various websites as I research for information I need to accomplish my monthly writing challenge entry. Of course, saying what I'm researching about will ruin the surprise, so it's a secret for now 😉
That's about it for this volume of Sunday Currently. If you've written your own, do leave a link for your blog in the comments! I'd love to read about how your Sundays (or any day, really) have been. See y'all soon, and take care ❤
Labels: sunday currently
The Blue Sky Tag (And My Apparent Lack of Friends)
Hello everyone, how are you all doing? I hope that today has treated you kindly. Please remember to take a break and rest up if you feel stressed from school or work. Take care of yourselves! Get enough sleep and remember to dream of the great things you'll be doing someday 😄
I got tagged into a challenge by Indigo over at
Spaceships, Vampires, and Very Secret Agents! This'll be my first too, so it's pretty exciting ❤️ I think the biggest issue I encountered while accomplishing this was thinking of people to tag, since I don't really have a lot of people in my blogging social circle LOLOLOLOL That mayyy be one rule I have to break, whoops sorry.
That aside, I should really get on to it. Without further ado, I present to you dear readers, the Blue Sky Tag!
Rules:
1. Thank the person who tagged you (Thank you for the tag, Indigo 😊)
2. Answer their 11 questions (I'm on it)
3. Tag 11 people (I don't have that much friends though, I apologize lol)
4. Give them 11 questions to answer
And right below are the questions (and answers) for this Blue Sky Tag :D
1. Do you like cooking?
I don't cook meals all by myself, but I used to help out around the kitchen, chopping vegetables and doing little things like that. It's not something I do a lot anymore though, but it was fun and I enjoyed those minor jobs. In a sense, I guess I do enjoy cooking. (On another note, who doesn't enjoy the heavenly sound of sizzling cuisine on a hot pan? Like, that's one of the best sounds ever lolol)
2. When's your birthday, and what would your ideal birthday be like?
My birthday's on July 3, though I don't think much of it since my birthday usually lands on a weekday, and it'd just be like any other school day. But my ideal birthday would definitely involve a humongous bouncy castle and a frozen yogurt machine. And maybe lots of Broadway-themed karaoke 😆 I'll have my friends belt out the whole Hamilton soundtrack with me LOLOL
3. Favourite colour?
Black— it's the jack-of-all-trades of aesthetics! The color is extremely versatile, and it's very edgy lol. I also like how black is the resulting color when an object absorbs the whole light spectrum, so in some way I associated liking the color black to the fact that a little bit of every color is in black, so I wouldn't have to choose a specific color. Purple is also super cool, and lately I've been feeling an affinity for the hue ever since Fall Out Boy's Mania tour kicked off 💜
4. Do you have any pets? (And if you do, can you include photos? Lol.)
Yes, I do; a hedgehog, a dog, and four cats! We used to have chickens too, but sometimes the cats would hunt them and stash bones away on the pipes that drained rainwater from the roof (yeah, what even), so we had to do away with the chickens. I do miss our hen Trixie 😭
That aside, I'm no photography expert so I couldn't get a picture of all my non-human family. But here are my favorite images of them (at least, of the ones I managed to capture on camera lol)
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| My hedgehog Aravis, picture taken mid-bath |
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| A kitten called Chubby |
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| and his sassy mother, Kisses |
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| Scrappy the Dog stares off to a faraway land full of treats |
5. Got any hobbies?
I'm a pretty generic teen; my hobbies are nothing special. I like reading anything I can get my hands on (classics, YA, and children's novels are all welcome!), and I also enjoy writing short pieces of fiction. I like watching cute shows and movies, most of which are animated (Bee and Puppycat, albeit short, is so aesthetic hhHHhH). I like listening to lots of music— jazz to rock to indie, (almost) all music is free to grace my auditory pathway!
There are so many more things I enjoy doing (as everyone else does, surely), but I think the ones I just stated sum up my prominent hobbies pretty nicely.
6. If you could travel to any country in the world, where would you go?
That's a difficult question— there's just so many places I want to visit! But right now, I think I'll say Norway. I really wanna experience sitting on the porch of a cozy, fjord-side cabin and watching the beautiful polar lights with a mug of hot chocolate in hand ❤ Since I live in a tropical country, I always see pretty beaches and islands, but snow and fjords and ice are things I want to experience as well; it'd be great to bask in a different form of natural beauty!
7. What's your favourite song?
Aw man, it's almost impossible to choose! I may be able to single out my favorite song from a certain artist, but it's hard to name just one overall favorite 😓 Hmmm, well I have been getting Coffee's For Closers by Fall Out Boy stuck in my head quite often these days, so I'm considering that song my favorite as of now. My emotions have been getting out of whack lately (PMS? Lol I have no idea), and the "I will never believe in anything agaaAaaiiAiinn" lyric from the chorus is a drug for my soul ✨
8. Do you wear braces (or have you ever worn them)?
No, I never have. My teeth are relatively aligned except for a couple near the front, but it's barely noticeable and it hasn't caused me any discomfort or difficulty, so I decided to pass on the braces (besides, they're pretty expensive sigh).
9. Are you using this tag as an excuse not to do something else you have to do? (Because that's totally not what I'm doing?!)
Actually yeah lol. I really should be doing more important things like urgently sifting through my thousands (seven of them) of photos to free up much needed memory space on my iPad and doing some advance reading to prepare for my impending collegiate debut, but here I am.
10. Are you on Instagram, and if your account is public, can you give me your username so I can stalk you? (If it's private I understand if you don't want to share it!)
I remember making an IG account a couple months ago, but I'm not creative enough to recognize a potentially photographable scene— thus, I haven't touched my account in a while (whoops). But either way, my IG is deux_couverts. From French, it roughly translates to "two cutleries", and it's an old-timey way to reserve a table for two in a restaurant.
There's a whole convoluted reason why I chose that name, but it'd take some time to explain (though if you're curious, I'll type it down in the comments or something lol). I'm also not sure whether it's set to public or private; nevertheless, feel free to stop by!
11. Do you think eleven is a ridiculously large number of questions to answer? (Or come up with??)
Yes, it is indeed a ridiculously large number. And an odd one as well; I would've preferred a nice, even number (like 10, maybe)! But oh well, neither you nor I have created the rules, and we are mere bloggers under the mercy of these amusing tags 😆
And here are my questions:
1. Do you play a sport?
2. What are some things you find oddly satisfying?
3. Would you rather travel back or forward in time?
4. Do you have somewhere you'd consider your favorite place?
5. Would you ever dye your hair, and if you so, what color would it be?
6. How would your dream apartment/house look like?
7. What movie/book/etc. world would you like to be a part of?
8. If you could perform a song with your favorite musician/band, who would it be and what song would you sing?
9. What's the latest time you've ever stayed up during the night?
10. Have you ever learned a foreign language? If so, what is it?
11. What's the wildest thing you want to do someday?
Oh man, I really have no idea who to nominate though (are tag-backs allowed? welp) 😓 Hmm, when I view the stats for my blog's pageviews, it says that handfuls of people from places like the US or Spain or Germany or some other country have visited my blog. I would like to get to know you guys better, so please do accept this challenge! I nominate you, dear readers, to participate in this tag. Don't forget to leave a comment with a link to your post so that I could see :D Let's all be friends ❤
The Sunday Currently, Vol. 4: Australia edition!
First of all— WHEW. It has been a while, hasn't it? I can't believe that I've been away for almost a month now! I'm composing this new blog post in Australia, in the comfort of my new bedroom. Thankfully, I live in these two bedroom apartment type dormitories on campus, so it's relatively quiet at night.
Oh, how I do miss writing and typing on this blog! I feel like it has been such a long time since I've posted anything on here— it's been making me so antsy. Although I'm not sure if I can begin posting as often as I did before, I will never abandon this place! ❤
I will start working on other entries here too though, like my entries for the future SVMWCs among others, so stay tuned! Until then, here's volume
quatro of my Sunday Currently. Please do enjoy, and have a great day, wherever you are ✨
Reading: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, an amazing science-fantasy novel! It focuses on Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin, three kids going through space-time in search of Meg and Charles' scientist dad. At first I thought it was a children's book, but it's actually a young adult novel? Huh, go figure lol. I'm almost done with the book, and since there'll be a movie adaptation, I think I'll go see that too!
Writing: on my planner. I have mentioned that I'm trying to take steps to organize my life, especially now that uni starts tomorrow. I find it really relaxing, and writing down all the things I wanna do makes it more manageable for me.
Listening: to some nice jazz as I unwind (as I type, Bill Evans' Alice in Wonderland has begun playing). Australia is a really peaceful place, especially at night when there aren't any people wandering outside and barely any cars passing by, unlike the Philippines. Back home, 9 in the evening is still pretty busy LOL. Classes start tomorrow too, so I thought that some easy music would do my nerves some good.
Thinking: about other ways I can cook rice and chicken, since the two are the easiest things to make whenever I find that I need a heavy meal. I could try cooking other types of meat like fish or pork, but chicken and rice is really the only thing I have right now, so I need to be creative until my next grocery trip lol.
Smelling: nothing right now, but lately I have been cooking rosemary chicken a lot for my meals, and it does smell heavenly. I recommend you guys try rubbing some of the herb on chicken before cooking!
Wishing: that classes will be alright tomorrow! This'll be my first ever time attending a college class/lecture, so I don't really know what to expect. I'm both excited and nervous!
Hoping: that I'll do well in survive here in Australia, all by myself. My parents were here with me last week, so I think the impact of homesickness hasn't sunk in, but I really do hope I will learn how to take care of myself and survive while trying to ace my classes 😵
Wearing: some knee-high shorts and a Grumpy Cat shirt my friend gave me last year. They are comfy— perfect for sleeping!
Loving: Daniel Chong's animated series called We Bare Bears! It's about these three bear brothers, Grizzly, Panda, and Ice Bear, and their misadventures as they try to mingle with human society. It's a very cute show; I'd say it has a certain homey rustic feel to it. Like wooden textures and rustling leaves 😁
Wanting: to join a student organization here in my university, particularly about theater or music. Lately, I've been hankering for people to talk to about musicals, so I thought that maybe I oughta look for like-minded people on campus. But if any of you guys want to discuss the topic, do leave a comment and hit me up! 😆
Needing: some time to finish writing on my planner! I find myself procrastinating or taking wayyy too much time when jotting down schedules on it, so I think I also need to schedule time to write my schedule... if that makes any sense.
Feeling: surprisingly tired today. I didn't do much though, just some vacuuming and laundry. Perhaps it's the stress of moving abroad? Anxiety over tomorrow? Maybe lol.
Tapping: on Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp on my phone. I just love AC, it's one of my favorite video game series ever! It evokes a certain sense of nostalgia, for such a simple game with a simple premise. I was so happy to finally get this app in Australia because it wasn't available in the Philippine app store! Animal Crossing is my happy place, and though Pocket Camp isn't gonna compare to the depth the older games from the series offered (especially Wild World, my first love ❤
), it's still there. And I love going back into that world 😊 I could go on and on about how great Animal Crossing is!
And that's about it for this month's Sunday Currently. I'll start easing back into blogging soon enough, I can't wait to talk to everyone again! How has everyone been lately? Do leave a comment and let's talk ❤
Labels: sunday currently
Post High School, Pre-College: My Life So Far
Hello everyone! I hope you've been doing well as of late. I know I always say this, but please do stay hydrated! Seriously. And please always remember to get enough rest! I hope that you all have been taking care of yourselves ❤
Before anything else, I'd like to wish y'all a happy 2018! I know I know, it's really quite late of me, and I really have no excuse other than the fact that I've been really sleeping in recently, and have had absolutely no motivation to get out of bed. I just can't believe that 2017 is over!
Still, the show must go on. As 2017 has come to a close, there are many things that I just wanted to reminisce on, and as I looked back, I was astonished by how much things have changed over the course of one year! With that said, I'd just like to share my 2017 with you guys, and there's no better time than the present.
First off, I'm going to college! Or university, depending on what you call it. I remember mentioning this in a handful of previous blog entries, but I never got around to really talking about it in detail. I'm going to uni in Australia, and I'll be undertaking legal studies. I finally graduated from my slightly preppy Chinese private school last June 2017, and was freed from the shackles of high school life.
To be honest, I really did enjoy my last year of high school though! It was relatively eventful— I went to my first ever debate competition this year, and I was part of our school's first ever big-scale
musical production 😄 I was just part of the ensemble, but being able to spend time and perform with some of the nicest, talented people I know has become a highlight of my year, and maybe for as long as my memory will serve me.
The debate competition was amazing as well! I went with my debate club, and we were so close to making it to the octo-finals, which comprises of the top 16 debate teams. Although, I didn't actually do any debating lol. Aside from the debates, there was also a public speaking portion in the event, and that was where I participated in. Though I didn't win any awards, it was a fun learning experience nevertheless ❤️
Now that I'm out of high school, my parents have been enrolling me in different skill-based classes to equip me for when I'm on my own. I finished driving lessons a month or so back, and right now I'm in beauty school learning to cut hair! I've only been learning the basics, so if you show me a picture of your desired haircut, I wouldn't be able to recreate it (yet). Perhaps someday, I can make this my side job. A lawyer/hairstylist extraordinaire— that certainly is an odd combination!
Anyways, my dull life post-high school has had its own set of challenges; mostly emotional burdens that were accrued due to feeling estranged to my friends' current lives. I love my friends and I love hearing them talk about how their lives are in college, but I guess it makes me a bit sad to hear funny retellings and stories filled with unfamiliar names, when just last year those stories contained the names of people I knew and went to school with.
I'm a really sentimental person too, so it's hard for me to leave the people I care for behind. My friends, my family— I won't see them as often as I'd want to anymore. I won't hear their voices, feel their touches. If that's what it means to leave behind my life in the Philippines, then it's a heavy burden for me. I wouldn't want this year to end. I don't want to leave.
But at the same time, ever since this plan to have me study abroad was set in stone, I started to appreciate the things around me even more; especially the simple things in my life right now.
The way sunlight filters through the bedroom curtains in the morning and lands on slept-in beds. The smells and sounds of our kitchen— garlic, wooden chopping boards, and the radio tuned into the local station. Mid-afternoon commutes, when the train isn't crowded or noisy because everyone's having lunch. The way the train gently rumbles as it hurtles through the tracks, the bright afternoon sun filling the car. Our big mango tree here at home, when it bears fruit and you could see the flowers from below. The bright blue sky, framed by lots and lots of trees and some wires from telephone and electricity poles. It's things like those that really helped me appreciate how amazing life is. I know I'll miss every one of those moments. That was how my life went; how it will be until I have to leave it all behind for a fresh start in college.
In a way, I'm thankful too. Life isn't always gonna be how it is now, and attending university abroad will be a great experience to help me learn more about myself and the world. And, I suppose, this'll happen eventually anyways, so there's no need to delay the inevitable.
For a while now, I've been taking lots of short video clips of the things that remind me of home. I plan to edit it all into one video, so that I can look back to it when I get homesick. Perhaps when I finish it, I'll give you guys a link if y'all wanna see it 😊
Ever since I got out of high school last June, another thing I've been thankful for is the chance to pursue hobbies I've been waiting to for so long. I picked up the viola, which is a really amazing instrument! The best way I can describe it is by comparing to to the violin; if violins are sopranos, then violas are altos. I quite like the rich, medium tone of the viola though. The sound is also warmer than the violin, and though it's just as wonderful too, violas are so criminally underappreciated! I guess that's why I opted for it over the violin lol.
I'm also writing a musical! I think I mentioned this in my first Sunday Currently entry, and yeah, I'm still working on it. I love musical theater, so I decided that maybe this is a thing I could do. The details aren't quite set yet, but if I do make significant progress, I'll be sure to write about it here 😆
Anyways, now I'm just enjoying what little time I have left in the Philippines, my home. Our church hosted a Christmas outreach as well, and it felt really fulfilling to see the children happy ✨ Last Christmas eve, we had a big potluck lunch in church as well. We had looots of sushi lol.
On more recent news, I did have my wisdom teeth removed just yesterday,
boy are my jaws swollen. I look like a chipmunk. This is not a good look. It's a good thing the surgery itself wasn't so bad— I actually didn't feel anything due to the anesthesia (my eternal thanks goes out to the creators of this numbing elixir).
I've also taken up bullet journaling! This year I've decided to try and organize my life a little bit more, as I do have an intense procrastination problem lol. I've always wanted to try this out as well, and though I'm sure that I will not be able to maintain this sort of aesthetically pleasing journal, I do hope that having a planner will help keep me on track this 2018.
Well, I guess that's everything noteworthy that has happened to me so far. Writing this has been really therapeutic, and it felt good to open up about how I really felt. If any of you guys have something weighing on your shoulders, try writing it down! It doesn't have to be on a blog if that's what you choose; nevertheless, engaging in some form of self-expression is cathartic, and will help you stay sane lol.
That's all I have to say for today. Thanks for reading! Please take care of yourselves, and take time to rest when you're tired. And spend time with the people you care about because those times will be memories to be cherished ❤️
Yours truly
— Cossette
Labels: musings
The Day The War Stopped: A Short Story
Hey there, wishing a happy new year to everyone! How have you been lately? I hope that you've been doing well, and are enjoying your holidays. This time of year really is my favorite, since it gives me a sense of accomplishment about making it through all the difficulties and challenges that we faced this year. Although, not all battles were victories, as long as you did your best then I think that's more than enough 😁
Granted, this month's entry is late lol. December has been surprisingly eventful! Just a couple days ago I went to the beach with a good friend's family, and it was pretty fun. I didn't tan (thankfully), but then again, we did go swimming in the late afternoon and the sun wasn't really quite strong already lololol. I also went to visit my old high school earlier this month since they were having a big Christmas party. I mayyyy have stolen a donut or two from their Christmas potluck though
shhh. Oh, I really will miss high school!
Anyways, for
this month's installment to the Spaceship and Vampires Monthly Writing Challenge (which I've chosen to abbreviate as SVMWC in the tags), the theme was Christmas! I guess it's only right for it to be seasonal lol. I want to encourage you guys to take part in this challenge as well! It's really good exercise for your writing muscles to stay sharp ✨ You can check out all the entries from last month for inspiration if you want, it's over here. Scroll around through Andrea's blog while you're there, she's a pretty great writer herself ❤
That aside, over the past few months as I participated in the SVMWC, I think I'm starting to have an affinity for writing about historical or cultural events, so this month's story is certainly going to follow that motif LOLOL. I remember in history class year ago, we discussed about World War I and the trenches. I remember there being some sort of "Christmas truce" at one point in the war, and I thought it'd make a good story, so I decided to write a short piece of historical fiction about it!
I hope you guys like this one, and (belated) merry Christmas/happy holidays and a happy new year to y'all ❤
You closed one eye and peered through the periscope of your sniper rifle with the other. "Just as expected," you grumble, ducking back in between the cold, hard dirt wall of the trenches.
What you just saw through the scope was nothing out of ordinary— only the bleak view of No Man's Land, the de facto name troops have christened the large expanse of land between your trenches and the enemy's. The barren swamp was framed with tumbles of barbed wire from both sides, and corpses and debris from exploded shells littered the muddy, rocky ground.
It was now December 25, and you're certain that the war had been going on for a almost five months at this point. The German front lines seem to be inactive over the past few days. You aren't complaining though— the peace, no matter how brief, was always welcomed.
"Chap, get back up," your partner hissed, giving you a swift kick in the shins.
"Good heavens sir Michael, I do not wish to argue but not a soul has made a peep for at least a week now," you complained. "And besides, I heard the Pope had suggested some sort of peace treaty for Christmas."
Your spotter, who we now know is named Michael, responded. "Bah, we take orders from the head, not the Pope! Younguns like yourself have grown softer over the years," he lamented, shaking his head. "Back in my day, young men your age would be well on their way to becoming the head of atroop themselves! Wouldn't hesitate to fire a gun either."
"Well, I apologize for this generation's softness sir," you scoffed, tipping your helmet lower over your eyes with one hand. The algid December air was festering with the scent of the trenches—dirt, corpses, gunpowder, feces. You imagine that perhaps the other side was smelling a similar stench in their trenches as well.
Now it was Michael's turn to complain. "But well, I suppose you are right, lad," he sighed, his posture relaxing a bit. "Christmas is here, but I'm not happy. This war hullabaloo is making me depressed."
"Me too sir," you blandly respond, a sliver of agreement beneath your tone. You were about to carry on the small talk you two were having, when suddenly, a moving speck appeared in your field of vision.
"Sir Michael?" You quint at the distance, trying to confirm whether or not your eyes are deceiving you. "Sir, there seems to be a German on the opposite trench." You begin to take aim.
Your partner squints. "Seems like it," he confirms, not looking away from the speck. It was a German soldier's helmet, the camouflage print, bobbing up and down from behind the barbed wire that protected the opposing trench. "Hold your fire, chap. It might be a ruse," Michael instructs.
Your fingers curl tighter around your rifle, a finger resting on the trigger. You really had hoped that you wouldn't have to shoot anything today— or anyone, for that matter.
Before you could continue to engage in your internal monologue, a slow, foreign voice rang through the air. "Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!"
The voice was masculine, and most certainly sounded like it was German. You raised your head from your shooting position to get a view of the enemy's territory.
On the trench was a German soldier. most likely the source of the voice. "Alles schläft, einsam wacht," he continued to sing, a tired smile plastered on his face, as he pulled up a fellow soldier from his side onto the trench.
"What in the blazes are they doing," Michael whispered, incredulity thinly veiled by his raspy lilt.
You recognized the melody. "That's Silent Night, sir," you commented, turning to look at your partner. It seems that he is a step ahead of you though, as he was already gesturing at another nearby soldier to come closer and give a second opinion.
"Aye, that sure is an odd thing for 'em Germans to do," the soldier nodded. "Y'know what, I'm gonn' be calling some other lads to take a gander here," he said, and trotted off.
There were at least thirty German soldiers in their worn military uniforms standing on their trenches now, arms over each other's shoulders as they swayed left and right, singing slightly off-tune like jolly drunken men. "Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn, Jesum in Menschengestalt!"
A small crowd has started to form near the front of the trenches, where you are currently situated, in order to discuss the enemy's strange behavior.
"It's definitely a trap," one chimed in. "Those Germans are trying to lure us out!"
"Hey, why don't a sniper go ahead and just shoot while they're vulnerable, eh? This is a great opportunity," a soldier discussed with someone, shoving a thumb towards you.
"That's a pretty risky move," another retorts. "There is always the possibility that all this is a ruse to get us to reveal weak spots."
The soldiers were in a heated discussion about the predicament, though you simply do not know how or why they refuse to simply be human men today; to simply live and let live, to feel the spirit of peace that Christmas was supposed to have. Your grip on the sniper rifle becomes tenuous. You can't possibly shoot these men. You put your rifle down.
"Gentlemen, I think we do not see the point here," you finally decided to chime in, raising your voice to draw everyone's attention. "What's the big fuss? It's Christmas, for heavens' sake! Can't we be just be humans for once?" You began stretching your legs and getting on your feet, hoisting yourself over the edge of the trenches you were defending.
The men began panicking, unsure whether or not they should pull you back down. "Chap, what in the world are you doing? You're out of your mind!" someone exclaims.
You take off your helmet and looked down onto the bewildered, gaping jawed faces of the weary English soldiers crouching between the trenches. "Well, as I said," you smiled, a twinkle in your tired eyes. "It's Christmas!" You took a deep breath, and yelled from the top of your lungs, not caring whoever hears you. "Merry Christmas!"
Labels: SVMWC
The Sunday Currently, Vol. 3
Hello there everybody! I hope that life has been kind to you recently. Wow, it's already December huh? It feels so surreal that the year is actually ending. I always see this Christmas countdown counter in the news, and from 100 days, it slowly dwindled— 90 days, 80, 60, 50 days left, but now it's less than 25 days before Christmas! Well, since that's what I celebrate at least. But to my bretheren of other traditional festivities, happy holidays ❤️
Today's entry will be another volume of Sunday Currently. I've been surprisingly busy as of late, with me attending beauty school and all that, which is why I haven't found time to write up other blog posts for a while (aside from the monthly Sunday Currently and SVMWC entries). I do apologize for that. I have been going to beauty school and learning to cut hair, so maybe I'll write about that someday :D How have you all been lately? Please do leave a comment and tell me how you week has been!
I definitely will not post this on time, as I only started typing this at like, an hour before midnight. But, I will still consider this a Sunday post because I am yet to retire to bed LOL. All that aside, here's volume troix of my Sunday Currently ✨ Enjoy!
Reading: this manga called Last Game. It's a cheesy rom-com that's a bit predictable, but is such a guilty pleasure! One thing I like about it is that unlike most shoujo manga, this story is set in college and not in high school. Nevertheless, the uncommon college setting brings a different charm, so I quite like it.
Writing: down a list of things I'll probably need for university. I'm starting this February, so I thought that it'd be best to prepare this early though :D
Listening: to a song called Que Sera, Sera. I'm actually not sure who made the original song, but I'm listening to the Sly and The Family Stone version. I discovered this song when I watched the Heathers movie (which is really good! Definitely a cult classic) a while back, and have been listening to the song every now and then. It's not my usual fare when it comes to music, but I enjoy this song 😄 It sounds very nostalgic, though the object of such a sentiment alludes me.
Thinking: about how close Christmas already is ❤ I'm so excited for the holidays, I can't believe that it's here! Well, almost. I'm really looking forward to spending my last Christmas in the Philippines with my family and friends, so I've been daydreaming a lot about Christmas parties and hanging out with my cousins lololol.
Smelling: nothing, as I've had the sniffles for the past two days and my nose is clogged and runny! Ugh, I always forget how inconvenient colds are.
Wishing: that this cold would go away. I want to sleep undisturbed, and not get up every ten minutes to blow my nose.
Hoping: that I'll do well in college when the time comes. I'm so anxious about it, it's saddening. The prospect of attending college/uni abroad is exciting, but at the same time, I bet I'll really miss my friends and family and pets. So yeah, I'm really hoping I could adjust well and thrive 😊
Wearing: some shorts and a red t-shirt. I'm actually writing this post late at night, so I'm already in my sleeping clothes, ready to go to bed lol ✨
Loving: this game called Doki Doki Literature Club! I watched this Youtube gamer called CinnamonToastKen play it, and let me tell you— this game is not what it seems to be like. It's so good! Explaining it too much would spoil the fun, so I suggest you check it out for yourself *evil laugh*
Wanting: to buy some fairy lights! I've also started thinking about how I want to decorate my dorm room for college, and I really want some fairy lights. I don't know about you, but I'm a wuss who needs lights to fall asleep LOL. Having a night light seems a bit embarrassing though, so I was thinking that perhaps some aesthetic fairy lights would do the trick.
Needing: some exercise. Or really, any sort of physical activity. Though I do get a bit of that by constantly standing up in beauty school to cut hair, I don't think that's enough lol. I really wanna grow taller... I wish that I would. Is there still hope? We'll find out someday 😔
Feeling: surprisingly tired, even if I slept all afternoon! I don't know why, but sometimes when you rest a lot, you end up more tired. Is it just me?
Clicking: or rather, tapping away on this app called Egg Inc. on my iPad. It's a really cute and simple game where you own a poultry farm, and it's one of those games where you need to tap incessantly to move further up the metaphorical rungs of the game ladder lol. It's fun seeing a rush of chickens run into their coops! It's all even cuter when you hear the chicken noises ✨
And thus, this month's Sunday Currently has come to an end. Thank you so much for reading! If you guys have written your own Sunday Currently entries, do leave a comment with a link to your blog so I can go check it out as well!
On another note, I really love the holidays! I'm going to curate a new playlist for this blog soon because who doesn't love seasonal music? Anyways, see y'all again soon, and always take care ❤
Labels: sunday currently
Powders: A Short Story
Hello everyone, good day! How has life been? I hope that everything's been relatively manageable for you. Please take care of yourselves, and do take some time to pursue your hobbies! Whether it's music, writing, or reading a book, as long as you indulge in a bit of self-care to stay sane then some good should come from it ❤️
Anyways, this post will be another short story; that is, another entry for the monthly writing challenge Andrea hosts over at
Spaceships, Vampires, and Very Secret Agents. I really do want to encourage everyone to participate in this, perhaps even in future installments of the challenge! It's a fun exercise to help writers (aspiring or otherwise) to get creative and keep those skills sharp ✨ You can check out this November's theme over
here, and tell her that I sent you LOLOL. Take time to explore their blog as well, you won't regret it! Oh, and if you'd like to read my previous entries for this monthly writing challenge, check out blog posts in this site that have the SVMWC tag; I'd love to hear what you think!
Am I risking cultural appropriation? I don't know lol, but I did try to research about this so I hope I won't say anything too out of place (please do say if anything sounds factually incorrect though!). I tried to make a short story that depicts the different experiences of perception. Without further ado, I present to you, dear readers, my entry for this month's theme— color. Please enjoy.
The sun was poised up high above the deep blue sky. Warm rays of sunshine bounced off the delicate swathes of clouds scattered across the ultramarine expanse. The small Indian town was only starting to wake, yet shops remained closed as a small crowd started to gather in the town square.
In one of the little inns tucked between the streets of small town was a young woman, perhaps in her twenties. She was sitting on the floor of her lodging, both her arms and legs crossed; her brow was knit in evident frustration.
"What an idiot I am," she sighed. Strewn in front of the cross legged woman were her various belongings. A tripod leaned haphazardly on the edge of her purple suitcase, which looked like it was ransacked. Crumpled shirts lay in sad piles surrounding the woman, a laptop expertly balanced on the mounds of fabric with the rest of the things she had packed to shoot this year's Holi, the magnificent festival of colors.
Alas, one vital object was missing from this assemblage of goods— the camera itself.
Her beautiful, swarthy Canon EOS 5D Mark IV was nowhere to be found; probably forgotten in a closet at home. "I'm such a scatterbrain. Of all things, I just had to leave the cam behind," the woman sighed, berating herself. Unfortunately there is not much for her to do in the absence of her photography implement, as she would be unable to do her job without a camera. "I'm already here though; it'd be a waste to not see Holi for myself," the woman said to herself. And so, she gets up and put on comfortable clothes, and went on her way.
It was only a few minutes past 7 AM, but the streets were already brimming with people and powders. Strangers patted yellow ochre dust on one another and wished for their good health. A pair of lovers dashed by, playfully chasing each other with vibrant crimson in their fists. The air was heavy with tinted mist. Holi was already well under way, but the woman was in no mood to partake in the kaleidoscopic festivities— not after finding out that she wouldn't be able to document it.
As the woman absentmindedly wandered the streets, a group of howling teenagers sprinted across her, letting loose a flurry of reds and blues that found its way onto her shirt. The woman had no time to react, and simply stood there on the curb, wide eyed.
"C'mon guys, wait up! You're too fast," a girl— perhaps the same age as those teens— yelled as she ran after them. Unfortunately, it seemed like this girl is not the most physically fit, as she placed her hands on her knees and was gasping for air. She looked up at the color-assaulted woman who was in shock. "Madame, are you alright there?"
The woman probed her apparel with gentle touches, but the red dye managed to stain her fingers nevertheless.
"You're shirt's going to be stained for a while," the teenage girl noted, shaking her head. "I do hope that that's a spare."
"Sadly, it isn't," the woman said in disdain. "But it's alright, really. I did go out today in order to observe the festivities, so getting the colors of Holi on me is to be expected," she laughs. "By any chance, are you a local? I'm a journalist for The Daily Mail, but due to unfortunate circumstances, taking photographs isn't possible for me right now. But it'd be a shame to return to Mumbai empty handed, so I'd really appreciate if you could show me around and give an interview?"
The girl nods and smiled. "Sure! I'd be glad to lend you a hand! May I ask what's this 'unfortunate circumstance' is about?"
"I, uh," the woman stammered, scratching her head. "I forgot to pack a camera before coming here."
Indra lifted a hand over her mouth, barely concealing a giggle. "Is that so? That's rsaeally unfortunate madame, but I'd be willing to act as a tour guide."
"Thank you," the woman smiled. "Let's talk as you show me around. May I know your name please?"
The teenager nodded. "My name is Indra. May I ask for yours as well?"
"You can call me Carmencita," the journalist woman smiled. "Indra is a wonderful name. From indradhanush, the Hindi for 'rainbow'. Quite fitting for this festival," she added with a chuckle.
"Thanks, but it's rather ironic," Indra laughed. "I ought to mention I'm colorblind, if that'll affect anything regarding the interview."
Carmencita shook her head reassuringly. "It's alright, I don't mind in the slightest."
The two females started to walk down the crowded road. "I guess you know by now that Holi is essentially a spring festival— a welcoming," Indra began. "People throw abir, colored powder, on each other to symbolize playfulness and good wishes. The colors each mean something as well."
The pair entered the town square, a bustling park teeming with families, lovers, and friends with vibrant, abir touched skin. They decided to sit on one of the benches that lined the path.
"I hope that my question does not come off as a breach of privacy, but I'm genuinely curious— how does it feel to celebrate and be a part of a cultural festivity that heavily relies on the visage of colors?" Carmencita asked, her torso slightly turned to look at Indra.
"Well, I don't really know," Indra carefully said, rubbing her chin. "It's odd. I've been born with this handicap, so not being able to distinguish certain colors is my normal." A short silence ensued before she continued. "Although, people do talk about colors a lot, so I think I have a good grasp of how they feel at the very least."
Carmencita raised an eyebrow at the girl's response. "How colors feel? Now that's an interesting sentiment. Tell me about that."
Indra's gaze landed on another pair of lovers, walking side by side as they left a trail of crimson in their wake. "Hmm, those pair of lovers over there," she pointed. "Although I cannot see what color the powders on their skin is, I'm almost sure that it's red. Red feels like something passionate. It's the rage that blinds your eyes, the adrenaline in your veins. But at the same time, it seems like the color of a warm flush on someone's cheeks during a moment of joy and love. Red feels like the color of a confident woman's lipstick."
"Over there, those leaves," Indra continued, gesturing towards some trees. "I've at least had the knowledge of their usual colors as green, so I associate green with life. It's the smell of the earth and the sound of rustling leaves. It's lush and peaceful and all over, like the grass underfoot or the canopy of trees."
Carmencita briefly closes her eyes as she lets Indra's words weave tapestries in her mind, then opens them again. "Fascinating. When you put it that way, it sounds very lovely," she smiled. "You have a great way with words, Indra."
"Thanks you," she smiled. "I think color is a visceral thing; it's not just what's visible," she explained. "Perhaps that's why I think of colors the way I do."
"That's definitely a unique perspective."
"Is it though?" Indra mused. "Well, I guess the 'feel' of colors is not something people would usually think about. What about you though," she asked. "I'm curious as to how you perceive colors!"
Carmencita scratches her head. "It's not really that interesting," she said. "I guess I only rely on the visual clues to tell them apart. Reds are the colors of cherries and strawberries. Blues are skies. All very practical."
"Huh, well that's a bit dull I think," Indra remarked. "A life without any sort of whimsy; no offense madame, but it seems like that's how you see the world right now."
Carmencita laughs. "None taken. You may be speaking the truth there. I've been living life around the printing presses for years; all the black and white of journalism has sucked away my soul." The older woman slumped back onto the bench. "Now let me tell you something; in our profession, things are either true or not true. It's very clean cut. No nonsense," she described.
"To be frank, I think I've lost my passion," Carmencita continued. "It all feels stale and drab. I've been wanting and waiting to do something big, but," she trailed off and shrugged.
"Then I guess it's just right that you're here in time for Holi," Indra replied after a few moments of silence. "A festival of colors and spring. Just what a sleeping soul needs to wake up," she smiled.
"I suppose," the older woman affirmed. "Thank you Indra, that was enlightening. If you don't mind, I'd like to cut the interview short and end it here," Carmencita said as she got on her feet.
The teenager shook her head. "That's fine with me. Good luck with your article, madame."
"Perhaps I'll go experience the colors of Holi for myself. It was a pleasure meeting you Indra, goodbye," Carmencita beamed, waving goodbye as she traversed the path through the rainbow bathed park.
Labels: SVMWC
The Sunday Currently, Vol. 2
Hello all! How are you guys doing lately? I do hope that you're well. Remember to stay safe when going outdoors, and stay hydrated. Please always take care of yourselves whether you're staying at home, in your dorm, at work, or wherever you may be 😊
Where did the year go? It's already November! My head is getting dizzy just thinking about how much time has passed. I can't even remember what I was doing last week, or two weeks ago! It's hard to believe that Christmas is coming real soon too. But I am looking forward to it— Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year after all :D
That aside, it's time for another volume of Sunday Currently! I haven't been going out of the house lately (what's new? lol), but I did go to the cemetery for All Saints Day with my mother the past week. I never realized how peaceful cemeteries are during daylight! Slightly macabre, I know, but you can't help but feel solemn when surrounded by all the memories held by the departed loved ones. There was one grave I spotted though, the years of birth and death are the same. It made me rather sad, since it seemed like a baby was buried there 😢
Whew, anyways— here's volume deux of my Sunday Currently!
Reading: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton. After I finished 1Q84 (which was an AMAZING read), I felt like picking up something more lighthearted and feel-good, so this one seemed like a good choice. My brother got me a hardcover copy of the novel for my birthday last year, but it's only now that I got around to reading it (sorry!). I started reading yesterday, so I'm just in the middle of the prologue. Though so far, it's good! I haven't read much historical fiction, so I'm looking forward to immersing myself in this novel 😆
Writing: I'm currently editing (and lightly re-writing. Does that count?) my friend's essay for university. I find it enjoyable to read other people's works, so it's not much of a trouble at all. I think that reading others' works could help you develop your own style as well!
Listening: to Panic! At The Disco's Pretty Odd album. It feels really nostalgic for some reason, and Pretty Odd sounds so whimsical and amazing. And of course, Ryan Ross. I know it's not the most well-appreciated album from P!ATD, but I love it all the same
Thinking: about which series I need to prioritize watching. Stranger Things, Riverdale, Star vs.The Forces of Evil, Doctor Who, Your Lie in April— so many things to watch, so little time!
Smelling: the buttery surface of the empanada I'm sinking my teeth into. Then as I bite away a chunk of baked pastry, the savory, mouthwatering scent of well-seasoned meat emanates from it. It smells nothing less than heavenly ❤
Wishing: for a better, faster internet connection (still). Really, the wifi situation in my area is simply atrocious. Youtube takes forever to load.
Hoping: that hairdressing classes will be fun! It'll be my first session tomorrow, and I just hope that I don't accidentally cut off someone's ear lol. Still, I'm looking forward to learning a new skill :D
Wearing: my pajamas. It's a pink top-and-bottom pair with a cute fox covering most of the shirt's front side, and more tiny foxes (and pink hearts) dotting the pants. I remember my mother got me these PJs a while back, but since I've not grown any taller for who knows how long, it still fits LOL. Not that I'm complaining, the fabric is rather comfortable ✨
Loving: the new Thor movie! I watched Thor: Ragnarok with my father and siblings last Sunday, and I love Chris Hemsworth's new in-movie hairdo ❤ And the fact that Mark Rufallo, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Hiddleston are also in the same movie? My inner fangirl may have just suffered from a heart attack due to sheer happiness. Now, all I need is for Sebastian Stan and Chris Pratt to join them in one big Marvel movie and I will be set for life.
Wanting: more time! Ugh, I have no wish for this year to end. There are still so many things I want to do before I enter university (both productive and otherwise), and there's simply not enough time for me fully prepare myself for this new chapter of life, mentally and emotionally. Sigh.
Needing: some help to clear up my iPad's memory space. I have over seven thousand photos in my album, and just knowing that I have to look at all those pictures is not encouraging. It's not an easy a task as it seems! As a sentimental person, photographs are a big deal so I definitely need help deciding whether a picture is still okay to keep or not.
Feeling: slightly annoyed because Tubbs won't stop eating my Frisky Bitz! I recently started playing Neko Atsume again, and Tubbs is definitely adorable, no doubt, but please I implore you: let other cats eat too ;-;
Clicking: onto various websites as I research for information I need to accomplish my monthly writing challenge entry. Of course, saying what I'm researching about will ruin the surprise, so it's a secret for now 😉
That's about it for this volume of Sunday Currently. If you've written your own, do leave a link for your blog in the comments! I'd love to read about how your Sundays (or any day, really) have been. See y'all soon, and take care ❤
Labels: sunday currently
The Blue Sky Tag (And My Apparent Lack of Friends)
Hello everyone, how are you all doing? I hope that today has treated you kindly. Please remember to take a break and rest up if you feel stressed from school or work. Take care of yourselves! Get enough sleep and remember to dream of the great things you'll be doing someday 😄
I got tagged into a challenge by Indigo over at
Spaceships, Vampires, and Very Secret Agents! This'll be my first too, so it's pretty exciting ❤️ I think the biggest issue I encountered while accomplishing this was thinking of people to tag, since I don't really have a lot of people in my blogging social circle LOLOLOLOL That mayyy be one rule I have to break, whoops sorry.
That aside, I should really get on to it. Without further ado, I present to you dear readers, the Blue Sky Tag!
Rules:
1. Thank the person who tagged you (Thank you for the tag, Indigo 😊)
2. Answer their 11 questions (I'm on it)
3. Tag 11 people (I don't have that much friends though, I apologize lol)
4. Give them 11 questions to answer
And right below are the questions (and answers) for this Blue Sky Tag :D
1. Do you like cooking?
I don't cook meals all by myself, but I used to help out around the kitchen, chopping vegetables and doing little things like that. It's not something I do a lot anymore though, but it was fun and I enjoyed those minor jobs. In a sense, I guess I do enjoy cooking. (On another note, who doesn't enjoy the heavenly sound of sizzling cuisine on a hot pan? Like, that's one of the best sounds ever lolol)
2. When's your birthday, and what would your ideal birthday be like?
My birthday's on July 3, though I don't think much of it since my birthday usually lands on a weekday, and it'd just be like any other school day. But my ideal birthday would definitely involve a humongous bouncy castle and a frozen yogurt machine. And maybe lots of Broadway-themed karaoke 😆 I'll have my friends belt out the whole Hamilton soundtrack with me LOLOL
3. Favourite colour?
Black— it's the jack-of-all-trades of aesthetics! The color is extremely versatile, and it's very edgy lol. I also like how black is the resulting color when an object absorbs the whole light spectrum, so in some way I associated liking the color black to the fact that a little bit of every color is in black, so I wouldn't have to choose a specific color. Purple is also super cool, and lately I've been feeling an affinity for the hue ever since Fall Out Boy's Mania tour kicked off 💜
4. Do you have any pets? (And if you do, can you include photos? Lol.)
Yes, I do; a hedgehog, a dog, and four cats! We used to have chickens too, but sometimes the cats would hunt them and stash bones away on the pipes that drained rainwater from the roof (yeah, what even), so we had to do away with the chickens. I do miss our hen Trixie 😭
That aside, I'm no photography expert so I couldn't get a picture of all my non-human family. But here are my favorite images of them (at least, of the ones I managed to capture on camera lol)
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| My hedgehog Aravis, picture taken mid-bath |
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| A kitten called Chubby |
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| and his sassy mother, Kisses |
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| Scrappy the Dog stares off to a faraway land full of treats |
5. Got any hobbies?
I'm a pretty generic teen; my hobbies are nothing special. I like reading anything I can get my hands on (classics, YA, and children's novels are all welcome!), and I also enjoy writing short pieces of fiction. I like watching cute shows and movies, most of which are animated (Bee and Puppycat, albeit short, is so aesthetic hhHHhH). I like listening to lots of music— jazz to rock to indie, (almost) all music is free to grace my auditory pathway!
There are so many more things I enjoy doing (as everyone else does, surely), but I think the ones I just stated sum up my prominent hobbies pretty nicely.
6. If you could travel to any country in the world, where would you go?
That's a difficult question— there's just so many places I want to visit! But right now, I think I'll say Norway. I really wanna experience sitting on the porch of a cozy, fjord-side cabin and watching the beautiful polar lights with a mug of hot chocolate in hand ❤ Since I live in a tropical country, I always see pretty beaches and islands, but snow and fjords and ice are things I want to experience as well; it'd be great to bask in a different form of natural beauty!
7. What's your favourite song?
Aw man, it's almost impossible to choose! I may be able to single out my favorite song from a certain artist, but it's hard to name just one overall favorite 😓 Hmmm, well I have been getting Coffee's For Closers by Fall Out Boy stuck in my head quite often these days, so I'm considering that song my favorite as of now. My emotions have been getting out of whack lately (PMS? Lol I have no idea), and the "I will never believe in anything agaaAaaiiAiinn" lyric from the chorus is a drug for my soul ✨
8. Do you wear braces (or have you ever worn them)?
No, I never have. My teeth are relatively aligned except for a couple near the front, but it's barely noticeable and it hasn't caused me any discomfort or difficulty, so I decided to pass on the braces (besides, they're pretty expensive sigh).
9. Are you using this tag as an excuse not to do something else you have to do? (Because that's totally not what I'm doing?!)
Actually yeah lol. I really should be doing more important things like urgently sifting through my thousands (seven of them) of photos to free up much needed memory space on my iPad and doing some advance reading to prepare for my impending collegiate debut, but here I am.
10. Are you on Instagram, and if your account is public, can you give me your username so I can stalk you? (If it's private I understand if you don't want to share it!)
I remember making an IG account a couple months ago, but I'm not creative enough to recognize a potentially photographable scene— thus, I haven't touched my account in a while (whoops). But either way, my IG is deux_couverts. From French, it roughly translates to "two cutleries", and it's an old-timey way to reserve a table for two in a restaurant.
There's a whole convoluted reason why I chose that name, but it'd take some time to explain (though if you're curious, I'll type it down in the comments or something lol). I'm also not sure whether it's set to public or private; nevertheless, feel free to stop by!
11. Do you think eleven is a ridiculously large number of questions to answer? (Or come up with??)
Yes, it is indeed a ridiculously large number. And an odd one as well; I would've preferred a nice, even number (like 10, maybe)! But oh well, neither you nor I have created the rules, and we are mere bloggers under the mercy of these amusing tags 😆
And here are my questions:
1. Do you play a sport?
2. What are some things you find oddly satisfying?
3. Would you rather travel back or forward in time?
4. Do you have somewhere you'd consider your favorite place?
5. Would you ever dye your hair, and if you so, what color would it be?
6. How would your dream apartment/house look like?
7. What movie/book/etc. world would you like to be a part of?
8. If you could perform a song with your favorite musician/band, who would it be and what song would you sing?
9. What's the latest time you've ever stayed up during the night?
10. Have you ever learned a foreign language? If so, what is it?
11. What's the wildest thing you want to do someday?
Oh man, I really have no idea who to nominate though (are tag-backs allowed? welp) 😓 Hmm, when I view the stats for my blog's pageviews, it says that handfuls of people from places like the US or Spain or Germany or some other country have visited my blog. I would like to get to know you guys better, so please do accept this challenge! I nominate you, dear readers, to participate in this tag. Don't forget to leave a comment with a link to your post so that I could see :D Let's all be friends ❤
Books 
My friends 
Homestuck 
More time to read books please 