Plant Your Own Soul

I want to talk about the food revolution we experienced after watching those documentaries and cooking shows, but I just haven't quite had time to formulate my thoughts yet. I can say, though, that said "revolution" invoked a desire to grow our family own food (or, more accurately, our stupidly high grocery bills have done the invoking), and we have now started our very first backyard garden. We don't really know what we're doing and so we're crossing our fingers we don't kill everything we've planted, but so far it's been a really fun thing to do together and we are so excited to eat food that we grow from babies and feel more of a connection to. We've really, really enjoyed some of the trips we've made so far which includes IKEA, Jusco, some other plant stalls by the road side. Everyone is so helpful and the plants are actually cheaper than those in KL area.  I am falling more and more in love with plants and gardening and all things pure and given to us by the earth. We all really need to rekindle our connection with our planet, and I think for us, my family, it's starting with reconnecting to the food we eat. So far it's been a nice journey and experience for me and my family. Not that being part of a trend is ever a good reason to start or learn something new, but if it helps us to move forward by being part of the “in” crowd, then we really need to plant our own edible garden this year. Besides, thinking ahead in the future, I can actually teach my children or grandchildren where their food actually comes from and that it doesn’t come from the supermarket but from the soil, the earth that we all depend on.

The Candy Crush

I had a crush on a girl who was like the most perfect life partner I could ever have in my life. It was so sweet to think of her all the time with infatuations on our possible future courtship and all the romantic moments that we would have.  The crushing feelings were energetic and reviving that I was unable to sleep or dreamed of her even when I was in slumber.

Only when I think deeply, I find myself falling for her with a lot of selfish intentions. I always observed and perceived to whether she is the right person for me. I evaluated on her strengths and weaknesses and see how can her satisfy me as my girlfriend. The main purpose of starting a relationship was never a bridge towards marriage. It was more like a dream dating game which is often portrayed through Korean dramas and many others around me. I felt so ‘syok’ to chat and spend time with her, thus I kept messaging her without considering would it disturb her.

What should a courtship really be? It struck me to think of the true purpose of a boy-girl relationship. Marriage should be the goal of a courtship as it rounds up the true purpose of it. Thinking of it, it is about commitment. I should think of whether I can commit before approaching the girl that I like. Can I really love her with all my heart? Am I a suitable guy for her? Will I build her up or bring her down?

It is painful to think of how unstable I am now without a well-established faith and income. When I cannot even take good care of myself surely, how am I going to take care of her? I cry knowing that I have to let her go at the present time for her best. She needs not a boyfriend now, but friends who can encourage her in life, studies and faith. Thus, although it is heart-breaking, I have to stop the clock and crush the candy of romance and take up the candy of a friend.

Crushing my heart temporarily is better than crushing her heart for a long term. Love makes me learn to wait patiently and care more for the sweetness of someone’s future. Through this, I learn that it is always sweeter to give out the candy rather than putting them into my own mouth. 

Immigration

It is no doubt that the government is dealing with problems like this. Illegal immigrants have always been a problem in the government’s desk. It really made me angry a little bit when they call them “illegal” immigrants. You know, to me there is nothing illegal. Let’s look into a better perspective, they are just undocumented workers. That’s it. It’s nothing like criminal. Nowadays people would perceive and group them together that the “illegal” immigrants would do some criminal act in our country. I mean there are a few cases but it’s not the most of them right? I mean really, if somebody broke into my house… and vacuumed… I mean I might be a little bit confused, but I am not calling the cops…

            However, some people are just so arrogant, so hard on the undocumented workers, getting so hard on the people who weren’t born here. Most of the people are coming here to have a better life, or even start fresh…. You know, let’s give them a fair shake. And plus, there are many Malaysians I would love to trade out for a couple of undocumented workers.

            Look at those people who work in the Indian or Malay restaurants or even the Mamak stalls. I would say that most of them are undocumented workers. They have brought us some positive impact in our country in terms of the variety of food. Plus without those people working there in Mamak stalls or restaurants, would you want to replace them? Would you want to work in those restaurants and earn an income that is estimated to be below RM1700 a month? Most of you would agree with me that you would not want to work in those places since we are living in a sophisticated society. To them, the income is to be considered a lot and there are plenty of job opportunities here compared to theirs’. Without those people, you can kiss your love for Roti Canai or Mamak food goodbye. I mean there will still be a few in the society whom are legal, but I’m sure it will be packed with people and then you would stuck in the traffic, lining up to eat instead of feeling the freedom to enjoy and  just sit wherever you want in wherever you seek for a Mamak stall.

            I am just not satisfied of how the government would choose such word like “illegal” to label those undocumented workers, and the arrogant people who would took this matter seriously and making life so difficult for both parties. 

Colors Of The Wind

Even as society slowly opens up to past taboos such as gay marriage and religious freedom, there is yet another stigma that hasn’t been overcome. I find it ironic, that even in this era of globalization, it seems that racism continues to a prevalent problem even as geographic barriers cease to be a relevant factor in today’s world.

I will not discuss about what racism is, as I’m sure that most of you are more than familiar with the subject. Instead, I plan on pinpointing a few traits of racism and identify ways to stem our problems from there.

Sure, racism is a deeply rooted problem that existed since forever. Our forefathers had it just as their fathers before them, and we damn sure have it now too. But really, I don’t think that we’d have to deal with such a wide scale of racism if our elders or seniors didn’t spew and mutter racist remarks all the time. Racism is not something that a fresh mind would conjure, especially now that most stereotypes are largely irrelevant. Truly, racism is an evil that is passed down, not thought up.

Racism is also almost always emotionally-tied. It is used as a poor excuse by ignoring many factors and bringing up perhaps the most irrelevant factor: skin colour. For example, when an Australian local gets outsourced, he blames it on the Asian immigrant who ‘stole’ his job from him. He conveniently blames it all on every single nationality from South-East Asia while ignoring the fact that his replacement might be more skilled and qualified than he is. Anyone with a sound mind would do otherwise, and he might be immature or just plain ignorant. But sadly, these kinds of people exist, and in droves too.

The Internet played a big role in influencing people. With shared articles and easy-to-read pictures and messages, messages can be cajoled to readers such in a way it’s now a ‘cool’ thing to be a proponent of freedom of speech. In the same way, if only the Internet were willing to play a role in condemning racism, or rather, make it a ‘cool’ thing to not be racist. For one, poking fun via racist jokes, although we know full well that jokes are still jokes, it can be misinterpreted as hate speech.

I believe that the best way to curb racism is to be well-educated.

We live in a globalized world, and as I also said before, most racial stereotypes aren’t even relevant anymore, if they even were. Mixed marriages are very much the norm now. It shows that progress has been made, but we still have a long way more to go.

A Detachable Vagina

This time, I wanna write something different. I was talking to one of my lady friends and she told me about their stress and pressure as a women and it kinda gave me an idea to write about it and share my opinion with you girls.

            There’s so much pressure in women. Man may not understand how women feel at times. So as a friend with lots of lady friends, I would like to share something about women. And with that, I would also like to share a silly imagination I had about woman, looking at a better perspective. Not sexual intercourse, but something unique. I’m not going to talk about vagina as most of the people already know what it is.  Women are taught to treasure those little things in life including their vagina ever since they were little, even if you would complain about the pain of having weekly period. And that’s a lot of pressure to the most of the women.

            To all my ladies out there... this is what I was thinking… Let’s imagine. Wouldn’t it be easier if your vagina were detachable? Wouldn’t it be easier for women to just leave their vagina at home? Think of the freedom that you’ll have. For example, when you get back home from work late at night and you are feeling stressful, and you want to go out and jog outside to release the tension. It could be dark and dangerous outside, you could just leave it at home and go out jogging! It could be pitch black outside and you could still continue jogging, enjoying yourself. Suddenly if a man jumps out from the bushes trying to rape you and you could be like: “Sorry… I left it at home.” It can save you from getting rape by a pervert. There is nothing “valuable” on you because you left it at home. LOL

            There is so much freedom. You could probably do anything in the world. You could even visit a professional basketball player in a hotel room at 2 o’clock in the morning. “Sex? Oh no, no way. My vagina is not even in the building. I’m just here to talk about your jump shot…” Besides that, you can even know who are your true girlfriends, or having some sisterhood bonding time. For example, you could call your girlfriend in the middle of the night while you are having fun on a date and ask her if she could help you to grab your vagina located in a shoe box on the top shelf, in order for you to enjoy you-know-what. Moreover, when your period strikes, you could just leave it at home without feeling the pain. How awesome is that for you huh?

            Of course, everything has its’ pros and cons. Man can have their perks too, but not in a good way for ladies. For example, you want to go out with the girls to have some dinner. Your boyfriend wants to watch your vagina for you until you come back, helping you to take care of it. Well, you can’t really trust the most them. When you get back home, your vagina may be bent out of shape. Probably next time you may wanna put a lock or a password to lock it. Your boyfriend would probably say: “Err… erm… some of the fellas came by and…”

DFTBA,

Dann’

            

The Battle of Love & Hate

I have a question that bothers me about why is hate easier than love?

            Seriously, if one thrives on hatred, should they set their mind to it, one could live perhaps the most content life of all. There is so much hate nowadays, and it is so available that one could just reach out, as if into thin air, and breathe it. There is a lot of love as well, sure, but most of the time, it’s not so easy to just reach out and grab it and for that reason people tend to lean towards hate. They tend not to stretch their tired arms so far, afraid of taking risks and tend to just stay at their comfortable zone, not even to think twice about it. They just settle for hate. To get to love, one must pass hate. Most people, in their weak and numb state, just stop at hate. Hence, hate grows and love shrinks.

            The world is getting worse as the hateful people breed hateful people, but loving people breed loving people AND hateful people. Love grows within the lover but shrinks within the world as hate grows within the hater and grows within the world. Modern man is controlled by the masses and then modern man is comforted by large groups who think the same as him. Love is more powerful than hate. But love is outnumbered by hate. When the masses hate, the masses grow. Love is born in the universe and grows into the man while hate is born in the man and grows out into the universe.

            However, hate doesn’t stand a chance because haters are more passive than active. Lovers are more active than passive. Love is worth dying for but hate is not. The small armies of love will march longer and further than the massive armies of hate. The world’s lovers are aware of the world’s haters.  Lovers spread love. Haters spread hate. But, lovers spread actively while haters spread passively. Love is right. Hate is wrong. Basic principles in this world are upheld by physics. Yes, the dusk of hate is dark and long, but the dawn of love is brighter and longer. A hater’s hate is no match for a lover’s love.  For even in death a lover’s love lives on when the hater’s hate becomes nothing but ash.

            I wouldn’t dare voice an opinion on something that wasn’t entirely subjective. Love knows no rules, has no authorities, protectors or enforcers. Therefore I am free to write and speak all I wish about Love and no one can really say that I am wrong about it. You can however say I am wrong about hate, but chances are that you are an optimist. However, if I were to say, I would say that both consume energy. Both can change your thought patterns, not just about one person, but about everyone. Both can make you do things that you might not do otherwise. The reason that the two have many similarities is because love and hate are not opposites, the opposite of both love and hate is apathy, the complete lack of any care of whatsoever. When you don't care about someone, you are using no energy on them and your feelings are not influencing your thoughts or actions.

DFTBA,
Dann'

Dory

Dory from Finding Nemo isn’t a goldfish but they both have a common similarity which is memory issues. They forget things easily and quickly

Humans actually have okay-ish memory, not on par with elephants which an elephant never forgets, and we certainly do not possess a goldfish’s 3-second memory span. We can remember facts well, but we remember emotions even better. Like how a student forgets the maths formulas the night before but remembers his first heartbreak a few years back.

There is a distinct difference between something not actually happening, or something you thought did not happen simply because you forgot it did. But if someone did not remind you, then to you, it did not happen. An act of clumsiness for most of us, but some people try to forget things on purpose to try to cope with the pain they have inside. 

If I handed in this blog entry, but you forgot that I did, then what now?

DFTBA,

Dann'

Lifeless

Are jellyfish pointless creatures?

Well, they drift around aimlessly in the ocean and it seems that their only purpose is to feed, grow and multiply. So, yes, to me jellyfish are rather pointless.

In contrast, mankind is capable of so much more. With a more complex natural make-up, a functional brain and centuries of cumulative knowledge, we are the only species on the planet that can bring about phenomenal changes. We are by far the most expansive colony, built upon constantly advancing technology and the means to travel even to space. But to the core, we’re still not much different from jellyfish. Strip down all the fancy stuff and we basically still just eat, grow and multiply.

We often come to a quiet point in our lives when we clear our minds and question ourselves about deep stuff like our purpose here on Earth, only to have the hustle and bustle of our daily lives drown it out again. Life at times just seems like a rat race; infinite loops whereby we study till we could work till we eventually pass the torch to our children who will just do the same to theirs. We have countless metaphysical ways of making sense of all of this, but we tend to just adopt simple apathy and carry on with our lives. After centuries of countless debate on the meaning of life, we never seemed to have reached a conclusion and I don’t think we ever would for that matter.

So yeah, I know, just like jellyfish, my life is pretty pointless too.

DFTBA,

Dann’

A Gift of A Friend

True friendship is hard to find nowadays. Being a good friend isn't always easy either, but taking the time to nurture a lasting friendship is really worth every ounce of effort. As the time passes, some people will stay by your side, but many won't, and you'll realize that each friendship you keep is priceless, it is worth more than anything you could ever imagine, even greater than opening a treasure. Of course, to have a good friend, you must be like one, and it takes a lot of effort in love and care. To be a good friend, you have to establish a trusting friendship, be there for your friend during hard times, and deepen a friendship to make it last. In these 20 years of my life, I have definitely learnt something.  As I grow older every year, I came to realize that some people can stay in your heart but not in your life, and that your old friends are now happy with their new friends. This happens a lot.

I personally think that being a good friend is to be trustworthy. Keeping promises is important. I think that making a promise that you can't keep is immature and sometimes will take a toll out of peoples’ feelings. Don’t ever make it as a habit. If you say you'll hang out with a friend and a legitimate conflict arises, explain the situation and trust that the friendship is strong enough for the noes as well as the yeses. Nobody's perfect, and it's okay if you skip out on a promise once in a blue moon, but don't make it a regular thing. When you make a serious promise, look to your friend in the eyes and speak slowly to show that you really mean it instead of just saying it because you think that you should.

I also learnt that apologizing is crucial when you have made a mistake. If you want your friends to trust you, then you can't act like you are flawless. If you know you have made a mistake, own up to it and admit it instead of being in denial. Though your friends won't be happy that you made a mistake, but they'll be very pleased that you're mature and grounded enough to admit it instead of just pretending that nothing is wrong, or even worse if you are to blame it on someone else. Saying sorry is not difficult. Just put up with it and say it like you mean it. Let your friends hear the sincerity in your voice instead of thinking that you don't really care how they feel. Sometimes, in a situation of life, there comes a time that you have got to shut up, swallow your pride, and accept that you're wrong. It's not giving up, it's called growing up. I apologize if I ever somehow offended anyone reading this, but this is one of the many things that I have truly learnt and gained some decent experiences. It is memorable.

Furthermore, I think that respecting one another is important too. Good friends show respect for each other by being openly and mutually supportive even at their lowest moment. If your friend has certain values and beliefs that don't align with your own, respect his or her choices and be open to hearing more about them. If you want your friend to trust you, then your friend should feel comfortable voicing opinions that you may or may not agree with, or discussing a new perspective with you. If your friend thinks that you'll shoot down any interesting or original idea that he or she may have, then your friendship won't be valued. Sometimes your friend will say things that you may find boring, uncomfortable or annoying, but if you have respect for your friend, you'll give your friend the space to speak, and to do so without judgment. During times when you don't see eye to eye with your friend, disagree respectfully and be willing to see things differently.

To conclude this, the above are the few points that I have learnt from him. I have truly learnt a lot from my friend Victor Chen. I cannot thank God enough for him being in a part of my life. Although we have our differences in many ways but I think that differences are what make great friends. Plus, it can get irritating and they probably won't trust your word. He was there in the beginning till now when I have my struggles to face. He’ll be supporting me when I am at my lowest. He is such an incredible person, beautiful inside and out. Above are the few points that I have learnt from him. I pray that he knows I will do the same for him and I will be there for him as well. I will be there when everyone else turns their back. I will be there for him till the end of time. I don’t walk ahead of him to lead him neither do I protect him from behind like a shadow. I am beside him, every second fighting with him till my very last breath.

Love you bro.

DFTBA,

Dann’

A Little Too Not Over You

Twenty years ago, I came bounding into a world of love and laughter. I was the last child, the last grandchild, the last nephew, and the primary focus of my entire extended family since I'm the youngest on my father's side of the family. My parents were young and energetic and had every good intention for their new baby boy. I grew up with opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, secure in the knowledge that I was loved, free from fear, and confident that my world was close to perfection. And I was the center of a world that had meaning only in terms of its effects on me.... what I could see from a height of three feet and what I could comprehend with the intellect and emotions of a child. This state of innocence persisted through my early teens, but changed dramatically in the spring of my years of high school. My beloved uncle was dying of AIDS.

From the moment my parents told me, I confronted emotions and issues that probably many adults have never faced. Death of a relative, and AIDS specifically, forced my view of the world and my life to take a dramatic turn. I do not know how he got it but the sickness itself has done a good job in making my emotions overwhelmed with deep sadness. However, in this case I did not have the benefit of time to understand my uncle's illness since he decided not to tell me until he had developed full-grown AIDS. My role in the relationship was suddenly reversed, because he used to take care of me when my parents were struggling to handle four childrens at that time.

Where I had once been the favourite or the closest to my uncle, I was now the parent to him. By the summer of my junior year, I had rearranged the structure of my life... as my uncle's illness progressed and he became increasingly incapacitated, he depended on me a great deal. By the way, he was single and never ready to mingle. He prefered to live alone and that's why our relationship were very close. My parents were there to help to repay the depts.

s and I took him to the hospital where he received blood transfusions or some sort of therapy to treat the lymphoma that was destroying his body. After school, I raced home to complete my homework so that I could later go to his apartment. There, my parents and I cooked meals, cleaned up, and administered his oral and intravenous medications. Working with IVs became second nature to me. I found myself familiar with the names of drugs like Cytovene, used to treat CMV, Neupogen, to raise one's white blood cell count, and literally countless others. I came home each night after midnight, yet the fatigue I felt hardly touched me; I was no longer seeing through my own eyes, but through my uncle's. I felt his pain when he was too sick to get out of bed. And I felt hurt for him when people stared at his bald head, a result of some sort of therapy, or the pencil-thin legs that held up his 6'1" frame. I saw the end he was facing, the gradual debilitation the disease caused, the disappointment he endured when people were cruel and the joy he experienced when others were kind. I saw his fear, and it entered my life.

My uncle died on 28th July 2009.

In the last year of his life, I was given the greatest gift I will ever receive... the gift of deep experience. I am now able to recognize the adversity that accompanies any good in life. My uncle taught me about loyalty, love and strength. But most importantly, he gave me the opportunity to see through his eyes, triggering a compassion in me and a sense of responsibility to those I love and the world around me that I might not have otherwise discovered. I cannot thank him enough for that.

Not a day will ever go by when I won't miss my uncle, but I am so grateful for the blessing of his life to mine. And because of this blessing, I have a girlfriend now. She has taught me unconditional love and to look in different perspectives like my uncle. I also realize that in relationships now, that it doesn't matter whether or not that person is truly a misfit or not-the-perfect one, the only important thing is the feeling, the closeness, the connection. As long as there is something between two people like friendship, love, shared interests, whatever else... it is a sign that there can be some reconciliation with fear or struggle, some "fit" for misfits. And it shows that fear and struggle need not always win, that we can grow and change, and even have second chances.

With this compassion and experience comes an even greater responsibility. Luke 12:48 tell us "To whom much is given, of him will much be required." As I move forward in my life, it is my hope that I can begin to see other people from two vantage points... theirs and mine. By doing this, I will begin to understand that with my every position or emotion there may be someone else standing at an equally valid, yet possibly opposite point. And that life, for them, has a different hue. I can still tell you that I, still misses him. Typing this out was never easy. But above all else, I am dedicating this blog post to him.

 I love you Uncle. Always will and never will not.

DFTBA,

Dann'

The Fault In Our Stars

What do you see when you look up to a clear night sky? A cluster of stars! The title of this post is not about the romance fiction book written by John Green, instead is a memory. I remember one night when I was very young, and I clutched my mother's hand tightly as we walked out into the dark night. I recall that it was long after my bedtime as the clock chimed nine o'clock. I was wearing my favourite Pokemon slippers and matching pajamas, and my free hand desperately clung to my boaster. We sat down in the back lawn together and she effortlessly picked me up and seated me gently on her lap. I noticed everything on the earth around me… the ant hill, the dandelions, and even the faint outlines of the tree trunks. She leaned her head forward when she whispered softly in my ear to look up. That was the first time I ever really noticed the stars. I remember being overwhelmed. I could not possibly count all the glittering sparkles that illuminated the heavens and glistened softly next to the moon. At that moment I tried to reach out and grasp one, but my arms were not long enough so I asked my mother. I begged her for just one for my birthday. She chuckled, I could not get her to promise.

"Aim for the moon, Dannie, because even if you miss it you'll end up amongst the stars." I did not understand exactly what she meant. Did she think that I was going to throw something at the moon? Although, since that night I have come to cherish this moment. Amongst the aggravation and mishaps of the day-to-day life, we have never stopped to appreciate the little things. We strive to achieve our goals, but by working so hard to achieve them, we become blind to the beauty in the world around us. It is important to work hard and have a dream to strive for, although we often fail to see that, it is not always a big disaster to fall short of our goals. The moon may be the first thing we notice when we gaze into the night sky, but the stars shine just as brightly and project as much light too. They are always together, side-by-side, never leaving each other’s sight. Just like my mother and me when I was young.

Since that night, I have outgrown my Pokemon slippers and my boaster has gone. My mother still teases me on my birthday with cards that have stars, amused by my naive desire that she could really reach into the sky and grasp a star for me. Seriously I draw back my curtains and gaze up upon the heavens. They appear more beautiful each night, and I often wonder if I am the only one gazing upon one particular star at that very moment. Each night as I stare, I realize that each one of us is like the stars, and each plays an integral role in creating the solar system. Each one of us shines brightly because of our unique talents, but it is when we come together that we light up the black night. How awesome is that.

Just for a moment tonight, look up with an open heart and gaze with a child's awed stare. Perhaps you'll wonder if they have always been there, unwavering, and shining proudly. Reach out and try to grasp one, and if you do not, never give up trying. Remember that "We all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun." - John Lennon.

DFTBA,

Dann'

Green is Good

(Taken from http://www.cbc.ca/inthekitchen/2011/11/tossed-green-salad-with-a-classic-olive-oil-vinaigrette.html)

         What is the first course of the meal before you have the second one? I’ll give you a hint… It is a savory leafy vegetable dish, light in taste and often served with dressings. Yes, it’s salad. It is a simple dish with remarkable tastes! Well, you must be thinking why I have chosen this food as one of the dishes that is new to me. Curious? Get your reading glasses ready and start reading.

Funny story, I wasn’t a salad lover before the days in 2011. I wasn’t at all. I hated eating vegetables when I was a kid, thinking that the taste of vegetables are just plain bitter! Oh… especially those that are cooked in the Chinese restaurant, adding garlic to make it even worst. No offence to the Chinese cuisine lovers okay. Why isn't bitter? It’s like a non-acidic toxic that burns my tongue when I ate it. My father will force me to eat it because it’s healthy for my body. I had no choice but to swallow the veggies with water, just like eating medicines.

I wasn’t a salad lover myself before, but not until after being selected for National Service. Yes. National Service, the correct term would be “Program Latihan Khidmat Negara” (PLKN). I don’t understand why people would argue that PLKN is the worst place to be and that it is a waste of time. I’m not going to talk about it, because I’ll start to yap about the program which I think it was the best thing that has ever happened to me. So that’s the stepping stone of how I developed my new found interest in eating more veggies by myself and not forced by parents. I had to, because I was staying there for 3 months. I had to take care of myself. As much as I hated saying this before but veggies are good for you because of the health benefits it brings to the table.

My thoughts about veggies have truly changed and the amount of love I have for veggies grew stronger after graduating from PLKN. On that day itself after graduation, my parents brought me to this American restaurant, Betty’s Midwest Kitchen to celebrate my completion of the program. My dad ordered dishes as if it’s ready to serve for 10 people but there were only 3 of us. Every dish served was mouthwatering! Tasted so good! My dad asked me to try the salad which is the normal salad served in lettuce varieties, slices of apples with Thousand Island dressing. It is simply delightful! It was a remarkable day for me knowing that from a person that used to hate eating veggies is now crazy over salads. I eat all kinds of salads now like potato salad, bound salad, green salad and fruit salad. If you are a person that cannot eat anything without meat on the plate, chicken salad is a good choice.

Not only salad can be tasteful, but I have learnt so many new things through this simple, plain dish. I have learnt the reason serving salad as the first course meal before the mains. Like I said, it is light in tastes, so it is a good way to be served as an appetizer to stimulate the appetite before the entrées. Besides that, health benefits from veggies and fruits in the bowl can lower the cholesterol levels and prevent diseases, particularly cancer, and a good way to lose weight too. Salad is also fun to make because you can put almost anything and everything you think is delicious enough for the salad to be tasteful. My regular would be tomatoes mixed lettuce varieties with peeled and sliced oranges with drizzled of desired amount of Thousand Island dressing… similar with the one at Betty’s with a slight change.

For me, new things didn’t mean that it was non-existent before. It just means that I'm only seeing for the first time now. In conclusion, salad is something new to me and it still is, even it was developed back in 2011. So instead of watching your movie marathon at home with popcorns, try changing it to a healthy bowl of salad. That way you can enjoy both movie and a healthy snack. It is simply the best of both world.

DFTBA,

Dann.

Let It Go

(Taken from: http://www.rotoscopers.com/2013/11/02/the-most-amazing-best-frozen-wallpapers-on-the-web/)

Let’s make room for two more Disney princesses! Because here comes Frozen! The movie Frozen is superb! Okay, I am a 20 years old man and going to shamelessly admit that I still like Disney princesses and movies, but that doesn’t change me. I am an open-minded person, so what if I like Disney princesses? I apologize in advance if I ever offended any of my fellow species. I am not a fan of them but I just like to watch them in movies. So don’t get me wrong. To me, they are heroine/damsel-in-distress characters in a Disney film who has overcome some kind of hardship in their respective movie. I developed my interests in those types of movies simply because of my sisters and little cousins who are females that always bug me to download such movies for them to watch. Probably the culture I came from made me feel comfortable about the whole Disney movie-thing.

Words cannot describe the amount of interests I have for Frozen. It applies values to everyone including me. You see, I have admitted to the world saying that I, a man still watch Disney movies at my age. Embracing yourself is one of the biggest hesitations that everyone has. Sometimes not just to oneself, to others as well. They say, one of the biggest mistakes of humans is their hesitancy to tell how much they love each other. Don’t you think so? They are probably egoistic or shy to tell each other. When the end comes to a person’s life, they would eventually feel guilty or regret. This feeling could probably be the worst feeling ever… Not telling the person that you love him/her while they are still living. The people we love are always there for us but we don’t say it or do anything to make them feel loved. It makes me think that the Asian cultures will most probably be the one rather than the Westerns. We are so scared to do such things in life that sometimes you would just say: “Whatever la… as long as they know I love them is more than enough.” What did you do to make them feel loved? What is your love?

We all should be like Anna and Elsa in Frozen. Being true to oneself and learn about their sisterly unconditional care and love… Not just sisters but it applies to all kinds of relationships in the world. It hurts knowing the fact that many people in the world doesn’t know the meaning of love. Love, a very simple word yet it carries infinite amount of meanings to it. Love is truly the greatest gift we can ever hope to give and receive. Love is the one thing that can overcome plenty of struggles that we are to face in life. Love is so powerful that it turns frowns into smiles. It helps to mend the broken hearts too. It can even turn all the ugliness in the world into the most beautiful thing we could ever have the pleasure to behold. It could be such a monumental task. But only if we try to do it alone. Instead, if each of us contributed in our own small ways to love, together the task will become the reality we are reaching for. As powerful as love can be, it can only work its magic if we choose to allow it to. For that to pass we must let go of other emotions that can get in love’s way. That’s why the title for this blog post is called “Let It Go”.

Firstly, consider the thought that Anger is normal, but holding on to it indefinitely is isn’t really necessary. Let it go... Forgiveness is so much better for the soul rather than holding your grudge. Harshness. Choose your choice of words carefully because once it is out, it never goes back in. Instead choose gentler words to get your point across. Impatience. Patience is virtue, my dear ones. Perfection. No one is perfect… No one is born perfect. We learn as time takes us to experience and learn about love. These are few of the obstacles that people came across to and definitely there is more of it. In conclusion, Frozen is a movie that everyone can relate their life metaphorically to and maybe learn something out from it. The songs are catchy especially “Let It Go”, the song is still stuck in my head and people are still sharing and spreading in the world of social networking even though the premiere was last year. The storyline is less predictable and unexpected if you are watching Frozen for the first time. This is what I like if I ever want to rate a good movie. The ending is simply magical. If you haven’t seen or watch Frozen, I apologize for the spoiler. Forget what I just said and go grab your tickets now, because it is still showing in the cinema. Above all, Love causes less stress, less headache, less of just about everything that is negative. Love does reap rewards… happiness, joy, peace, and more. Isn’t this we want most for this world of ours? This is definitely a prettier picture. 

DFTBA,
Dann.

Pretty Hurts

(Taken from: http://thesoftersideav.deviantart.com/art/Beastly-Poster-160607458)

One of the many books I've read that I'm fascinated about is "Beastly". Simply because this romance fiction book is irresistibly readable and interesting. Why? This book made me or maybe the readers, wanting to know the actions that the protagonist is going to take in order for him to be truly loved by someone before his due date of not transforming back to the normal/handsome form he once was. He is transformed into a “beast” simply to reflect the ugly personality that he has for himself and his act on other people. This book made me glued to the last page to know the outcome. 

Besides the brilliant story plotting and writing, this book can relate to the diseases that are spreading among the nation now. One of the examples is people will make a big deal of how to look pretty. What you wear on the outside is all that matters. Unfortunately, it is not true. In my opinion, people around the world are mostly thinking of getting attention and of being perfect to gain dominance, respect, love and to even fulfil the cultural expectation. And so in order to gain all these from people is to look pretty like the models in the magazines, they'll do whatever it takes to look as pretty/beautiful despite the struggles they have to go through. Mass Media has its good and bad effects sometimes. Bad effects like giving out the wrong message to the people of how they should behave or look like. Vogue says: Thinner is better. I mean really, people need to wake up! Just because something is beautiful doesn’t mean it’s good. 

What I am trying to say is that being beautiful is very subjective. People who are self-centered tend to focus only on their perspective of things like being pretty and do not try to see the world in other points of views. Being beautiful, it can be on the outside, doesn’t matter, the way you behave as a human being matters the most. In life there are many things to see and learn from, other than being pretty. Anyway, here’s a quote that took me awhile to write it down: “When one ceases to recognise their insignificance in this planet, they will never learn to see the true meaning of life beyond their stunted sight.” Agree? Also in the book, I learnt that you can have a beautiful face, but an ugly personality will ruin it. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not being a gender bias here, it may sound like I am writing this to reflect on the woman only, but sadly man feels the same way too. 

In conclusion, I thought it was a well-written book. It is like a modernised version of the Disney’s classic, “Beauty and the Beast”. I can learn so much from this book because I was once corrupted by this disease too, but not anymore. The words in the book have its hidden inspiration and motivation. It is nice to think that not all people judge someone by the outlook and true love isn’t about the way someone looks. True beauty and love is what matters on the inside and out.

DFTBA,
Dann.