I’m taking an indefinite hiatus. I thought you should know.
Writing has been a source of comfort for me for as long as I can remember. This blog became a refuge; sadly, it doesn’t feel that way anymore. I thought of deleting it but I put some travel tips (?) here so I figured someone (maybe just me) might need it someday.
Thank you for being with me. Please don’t look for me. Peace out!
You’re probably here because you recently watched this kdrama and wanted to consume as much content as you can because you’re still high. Or you’r probably here by accident. Whatever the reason is, I’ll take it!
What a pleasing drama.
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (IOTNBO) / Psycho, But It’s Okay / 사이코지만 괜찮아 is worthy of its success. Before I started watching, I felt like it was hyped because it is Kim Soo-hyun’s drama after his military service. I watched it because of the teaser because the drama felt knew. I didn’t know what to expect but I was already hooked since Episode 1!
I found myself watching every episode as soon as it is released because the production made sure I am fed. There was a main plot and all other stories within. The concept of using a fairy tale story (which are all unique and meaningful by the way!) to compliment the whole episode was a refreshing and effective take in narrating the story. Instead of telling you what happened, I will write how it felt.
It was heartwarming. It’s the kind of drama that taps your humanity. It opened my eyes even more on mental health issues. This drama showed how understanding and compassion can help someone in ways you can never imagine. It was an illustration of acceptance of other people… and yourself.
It is hopeful. Every character development was smooth and realistic. I am so happy about each one and I appreciated that every one has a significance to the whole story. Though there are technical inconsistencies, you’ll overlook them because of how the story was told. It was therapeutic and gives you hope.
The troublemaker trio instantly became my favorite friendship.
Thank you production cast and crew for the warmth that you gave us!
P.S. Oh Jung Se deserves an award!
So don’t forget any of it. Remember it all and overcome it.
If you don’t overcome it, you’ll always be a kid whose soul never grows.
The Boy Who Fed On Nightmares by Ko Mun Yeong
Today marks day 1 of this season’s cross.
I’ve been doing some pre-game weeks ago and I slowly jumped in on the train of productive routine, but this did not stop me from having anxious thoughts. Since then, I have received assurance that I still have time, that I can finish strong.
Today, I received another assurance. During Fr. Bob McConaghy’s homily, he told a touching story of a couple carrying their cross in this pandemic. He reminded us that God wants to give us so much joy, but there will be pain that will come alongside it. Still, he encourages us to take this cross and assured us that God is carrying it with us.
From another world, Seo Yeji picked a jenga with a sticker on it and picked the mission of a sending a message to herself. She told herself that it’s okay to be exhausted and to struggle. She has Gang Tae and Sang Tae beside her anyway. Fighting!
If we can’t beat fear, we can always do it scared. May this post remind you that you are not alone!
I was one of the many people who only watched Reply 1988 this year. It became my top kdrama instantly because it is a masterpiece. It was a marvelous storytelling of the life of teenagers like Deok-sun in 1988. If you haven’t watched it yet, you should!!! If you have watched it, hear me out.
To be honest, when I first watched this series, I was blaming him for hesitating. I even made a reflection on it. I felt like he did not deserve Deok Sun because he was never brave enough to say it directly. But as I rewatched it, I had my closure. Stay with me for a bit.
There have been a divide: Team Taek and Team Jung-Hwan. I was rooting for Jung-Hwan since episode 1 because of this smile he had when Deok-sun was shown on tv and his reaction to his mom’s attempt to be close to him. It showed who Jung-Hwan is: a guy who has his subtle way of showing his affection to the people he cares about.
Jung Hwan is a friend. He told Sun woo to just take off the latter’s necklace, but when things got out of hand, it was Jung Hwan who threw the first punch. Jung Hwan deeply cares for his friends. When Taek lost in a game, he was the first to arrive yet he knew how to react. When Dong Ryong had to be taken to the hospital, he took him on his back. When Sunwoo was in pain, he delayed going back to the base to join him for a drink.
Jung Hwan is a son and a brother. He’s mostly in his room when he’s at home, but he deeply loves his family. He was bothered when his dad was sullen and did the Kim Sajang greeting to make him feel better. When his mom returned and feeling unneeded, he made sure to show her that they need her. When his brother got into surgery, he was cool but he was deeply concerned. When his mom was on menopause, he made use of what he had and gave his parents a proper wedding picture (+ reception thanks to Dong Ryong!)
Jung Hwan likes Deok sun. He acts all tough, but he has his cute moments when he could not hide liking her.
He liked here quietly. He stayed up when she hasn’t come home and he smiled at the sight of her just enjoying the music on their ride home.
Jung Hwan is a friend and a son before he is anything else. He is not a coward, he just had other priorities. He took a step back when he thought Sun woo liked Deok sun. He took a step back when he knew Taek likes her. He could have went to that concert’s entrance too and made Deok Sun choose, but he never did. I know that we had at least a bit of hope when he confessed and quick to hate him when he took it back.
But you should have stayed on. He saw Deok Sun subtly waiting for Taek and he knew. He quietly accepted defeat and kept he pain inside.
Despite the pain, Jung Hwan was able to move forward and be happy for his friends. His first love may not have worked out, but he is still happy. You don’t have to win in love to be happy, because romantic love is not the only thing important in life.
Whoever needs to read this, I hope you find the love that you need in your life.
P.S. There are lots of times when he did not hesitate. This one’s my favorite:
The rest of his non-hesitant actions (on top of my head) were: taking a picture together at the concert, the pink gloves and when he asked her not to go on that blind date (hajimaaaa)
Thank you Shin PD and Writer Lee and the rest of production team for Reply 1988.
Rushing myself to write during this brief moment of solitude today before my roommate comes home from doing errands.
I planned to write an hour ago but I indulged myself instead in watching my top kdrama (Hospital Playlist — which I’m going to write about eventually) as of writing. I have just finished crying over episode 12 and it was the push I needed to write my thoughts.
This lockdown made me realize how much I enjoy being alone. Being stuck with my roommate for 24/7 the past 3 months was so stressful (next to the incompetent government that we have). We try to stay at different sides of the room, but it was still hard to breathe. The situation was so stressful the condition of my heart acted up again and my skin showed signs of unhealthy environment. You gotta listen to your body y’all! Moments like these (alone in the condo, enjoying my peace) are really gold! I use this time to really relax and do stuff I can’t whenever my roommate is around.
This living situation made me change my plans of having a family. It is such a big responsibility and too much work! I now plan to earn as much as I can so I can afford to live alone. I don’t have to answer to anyone, I don’t have to be obliged to talk to someone nor reciprocate their actions towards me. I can decide not to eat and no one else will starve. I can do my chores and other hobbies without worrying I might disturb someone else. If I decide to help out or speak my voice against the injustices in my country, I wouldn’t have to worry about threats towards my own family because I’m alone anyway LOL. I love this freedom.
Everything comes with a price, I know. There are days when I feel down. I sleep the worries away because I know that talking to people will just drain the energy out of me. Crying myself to sleep is less tiring, imo. I’m okay though. Don’t mistake me for a sad person because I’m really the happiest when I’m alone. I perform best in my tasks when I’m alone. I can express my concerns and give compassion more at this state. I am free.
Solitude allows me to get to know, evaluate and better myself. I understand and accept that we need people too. I wouldn’t have survived nor have the privilege of being alone without my loved ones. Right now, I’m just enjoying the privilege of being able to limit the amount of human interaction I have.
I feel like I may sound selfish… but what do you know? I know myself best.
Turning another page has never been more peaceful. Last year, I chose to spend time with one of my many low-maintenance friend groups in college. We ate, drank, told stories and looked back at all our crazy memories. It was a fun heartfelt night. This year, I planned on spending it alone (even before ECQ) and wow, I did not realize I was in for a surprise.
The previous day, I already arranged for a cake to be delivered (a gift from my sister) so I would not be burdened on the day itself. I happily went on with my morning ritual of exercise, breakfast, coffee and started working when a grab driver called me. My agent sent me a birthday cake! After I got back from getting the delivery and washing up, I joined the work conf. call only for them to surprise me with a birthday video. I was already tearing up (good thing my camera was turned off!) and then to my surprise, my work friends sent me a cake! Yes! Another cake! My heart was already overflowing with happiness. I was so grateful for the friends and family God has surrounded me with.
I blew my candles away from the cake (we are responsible citizens here unlike someone who had a party despite the quarantine lol) and gave some slices away to the guards and workers of our building. Lunch was sponsored by my other sister. She ordered my favorite seafood! I then continued working. There was a company-wide conf call and I was in-charge as the “technical director”. To my surprise, a lot of people greeted me even I kept it low-key. It was a simple gesture, but I was happy, too happy that I did not mind the stress from that day. After work, I attended mass, called my family and then called my work friends (who sent me the cake). Their kids (whom I miss so much) greeted me and showed me their milestones. One of them even prayed for me before sleep. My heart is full.
Even without the cakes, it was a perfect day to celebrate. It was the quietest most heartwarming celebration I had. I am truly grateful.
While this is enough for me, I know there are other people who wishes to celebrate differently but cannot be allowed because of the crisis we are all in. I pray for healing and miracles especially to those who need it the most. I hope that our government find ways to serve the people above all else.
Privileged to have food, shelter and a job that allows me to work from home, here are the things I have been up to during this enhanced community quarantine.
I have been enjoying my time watching new kdramas and re-watching favorites. I thought to myself a few days ago that this pandemic will soon be part of history. I want something accessible to look back on so I’m writing this.
The first week was a struggle work-wise. I wanted to work, but I was more interested in the pandemic itself. I am browsing news every chance I get and I try to spread accurate news to my colleagues. I also took the chance to check up on friends who work away from home (like me). I saw the WFH setup as an opportunity to do things I’d rather do than being stuck in Manila traffic. I worked out daily, doodled, painted, and attended online gigs! I also discovered shows such as The Return of the Superman (Na Eun and Gunhoo!) and the guesting of IU and Lee Joon Gi in Knowing Brothers! I was so thankful for these opportunities escape from the evil that is the Philippine Government.
The second and third week continued to be a struggle getting work done. I had reports to do and a paper to finish, but it was so hard to be productive. The updates from the government wasn’t of help either. During this time, Pimentel broke quarantine rules despite being PUI (which turned out to be positive ugh) and was not reprimanded!
During the fourth week, I was injured (the details shall remain confidential) and broke down crying the next day for a different reason: hopelessness. After Du30 was given emergency powers, I hoped that things would change or that certain improvements would be made for the welfare of the people. Instead, he served death threats. Worse, people (even those who are not DDS) kept on defending him, saying that the death threats are for the “left”. It sucks to live in a world where violence is tolerated just because they are not directly affected. I felt so helpless and at that moment, I prayed.
Even prayers are different now. Holy Week just passed by. This season is when my mom and I bond the most and it sucked to be away from her. Mother’s Day has passed and I’m still away from her. I miss my family (including our three loving dogs).
On the other hand, I found myself a bit free. I got to filter some unnecessary chats from work. I have always helped people when needed even if it’s hard or an inconvenience for me. This ECQ, I get to be a little selfish by putting my mental health first. It is a blessing that I have no one to look after but myself.
It has been almost two months since ECQ started and another extension was announced earlier. I’m slowly getting back my momentum at work and I spend more time talking to my family. I enjoy my time watching dramas and I even finished a great book (Ang Banal Na Aklat Ng Mga Kumag by Allan Derain). Yet, I can’t help but worry for the underprivileged members of our society.
There are a lot of donation drives and a lot more people willing to donate. But we all know that this isn’t enough. Our people are not getting what they deserve: a competent government. Our government should have been serving the people, but their priorities are somewhere else. In fact, they even prioritized closing ABS-CBN over the HEALTH ISSUE we are facing today! ECQ without mass testing is useless, yet all we hear from speech are curse words. We ask for accountability but all we got are excuses and injustices.
Another day has passed, but the situation has gotten worse. I am hopeful that we’ll find a solution to the crisis we’re in, that we’ll all get through this.
“We resist, struggle, fight and win. That’s how we shape the world we live in.” (Chicago Typewriter, 2017)
There was this book I read when I was in University that talked abut a girl who won’t just give an answer right away. She was asked to choose which flavor of ice cream, but it took ages for her to choose because of her thoughts. It was a random day when I thought of this scene, a random day that I thought to myself, I do not have favorites.
Today marks the 42nd day of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Manila. I was privileged enough to have a job and a place to stay during this pandemic. Because of this isolation, I have been sitting with my thoughts most of the time. And now, on a random Thursday, I had the motivation to write about it.
I know having favorites is not a life-and-death matter, but your favorites show a part of who you are. There are people who can tell you what their favorite is with no ifs and buts. Then, there’s me who finds it hard to choose, except for my favorite kdrama (as of writing) that is Reply 1988.
My favorite color is pink, but on some days, I feel like choosing teal or black. Still whenever anyone asks me about my favorite color, I’d answer pink. I don’t even have a favorite song, but I have lots of songs that I like. I don’t have a favorite book, but I have a lot I can recommend.
Having no favorites is not a big deal, and it’s irrelevant for me to write about it. Yet, here I am. LOL hashtag random thoughts???
On a more relevant issue, please stay safe and stay home when you can. Let’s pray that this pandemic will be over soon as we help who we can!
It took some guts to finish this drama, but I have to say, Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food / Something in the Rain was amazing. I decided to watch it because of Son Ye Jin and her exemplary acting skills, but I found myself admiring another actor a little bit more: Jung Hae In! I’m getting ahead of myself.
I think the best word to describe Something in the Rain (SITR) is realistic. It was hard to watch because it showed life as it is: happiness intertwined with challenges. There were no grand gestures, just the things that you encounter everyday. To be honest, the reason I kept watching was because of Jung Hae In’s character, Jun-hui. Jun-hui was such a boyfriend material in this drama! He was a dream. He is head over heels over Jin-a (Son Ye Jin’s character), yet mature and dependable. He puts Jin-a first above anything else and accepted her for who she is. I love how Jun-hui brought out the best in Jin-a, from being a pushover to becoming a brave woman.
I’m attaching photos as I go! Here are screenshots form the profile of Lim Hyo Seon! [SPOILERS]
The first time they held hands was probably the most kilig I felts in this series. There were a lot more sweet moments after but my reaction was different: the feeling that seems like a hug to your heart. There was this scene when they were teasing each other in Jun-hui’s car. Jun-hui casually told Jin-a that he has finally found the one.
I love the chemistry of Jun-hui and Jin-a. I was so invested in their relationship and that was probably why I was so frustrated every time Jin-a’s mom or someone else becomes an obstacle in their relationship.
I feel so bad for Jin-a when everything seemed to turn their backs on her: Gyeong-son, her family, her work life and at some point, even Jun-hui. In her words on episode 16, she felt like she was left alone hanging on a cliff. And she wasn’t the only one. Jun-hui was suffering too.
My heart breaks every time this couple encounter a challenge. It was so frustrating I had to stop mid-episode because I was overwhelmed with emotions. SITR narrated the storyline effectively that it triggered so many emotions in me. There were parts wherein it felt like Jun-hui and Jin-a will break up eventually. I know, not because I am good at guessing, but because I have been there. I know they were gonna break up, but it did not make the pain any less.
This drama reminded me that a relationship is more than the heart-fluttering moments. A relationship is a lot harder than it seems. It requires attention, effort, sacrifice and everything you have for it to work.
This drama ain’t feel good, but the production was amazing. Aside from love, it also showed career life: the relationships formed and broken and the challenges as a woman. The background music enhanced the scene and added color to the story. I can Hear Stand By Your Man by Carla Bruni as I recall the scenes!
I am two years late, but I would like to thank the whole production team for a job well done!!!
Babble Away 