7 - Dating is Faith

Dating is…

Being single in movies and sitcoms is usually portrayed as being fantastic. The characters easily meet new people to date, go on exciting adventures, and then humorously share their experiences with great friends. They say it is easy but actually it is hard… and scary.

For me, dating is a process we undergo in life where we ought to find ‘the one’ or someone who will love us. But sometimes, it’s a way where we can be fool by the people we met. We wake up in the morning, meet them, say “hi” and start dating. It hard for some of us our shy and we barely start the conversation with someone. Some people simply have a harder time meeting people. We are all different and some people do better at social interactions and meeting potential people to date. Some just don’t meet people with the same ease. Sometimes we rattle when talking and we accidentally ask the inappropriate questions and that’s a major turn-off.

We are all excited with the feeling of spending time with our opposite sex without minding what he’s or she’s background. That is when dating become scary. Sometimes it leads into an unexpected one night stand. An accident… Or sometimes your date won’t be successful because you don’t really get each other. Compatibility, chemistry and timing are all variables out of your control. Dating requires that you understand and accept that.

After all, I still believe in the mechanism of faith. Yes, having a date may be a help but for me God has settled someone for us. Someone over there is destined to us forever. Dating will serve as ladder to him/her. All we have to do is keep looking and be patient. Try, get hurt and move on. So when the perfect one comes, you know what to do and not to. 

6 - Annyeonghaseyo! Welcome to Korea!

The place I would most like to be...

The world consists of thousands of islands, seven continents with hundreds of countries. What a wonderful gift from God, isn’t it? We are blessed with beautiful places; so definitely, people want to travel each and every of it. Like other people, I have dream places to visit. And one of those is Korea.

                Korea is famous for its unique style when it comes to music and dance which they refer to as K-pop. Also, it is notorious for its different food and delicacies. But there are more things in Korea to love. Do you know that Korea is full of theme parks where you can have wonderful time without spending any hint of money, for example, Everland. It is the largest theme park in Korea with a free pass. You could take the rest of your day shopping at some specialty stores like ginseng outlets, cosmetic duty free shops, and amethyst showroom. Or in Myeongdong, a hugely popular shopping district. You can also visit Deoksu Palace, a walled compound of palaces inhabited by various Korean royalties.

                Afterward, try to come at Kimnyoung Mazepark, one of the largest symbolic labyrinths in the world located at Jeju Island. Next, stop over at Jeju Aqua Planet, the largest aquarium in Asia with a variety of animals from all over the world on display. Then, get to visit Teseum Safari, the world’s first teddy bear museum.

                Experience a fun trip at the biggest indoor theme park in the world, the Lotte World. Getting curious about kimchi? You can know learn to make the best kimchi by attending Kimchi School. And lastly, take a stroll at Cheongdo Persimmon Wine Tunnel, the world’s first persimmon wine cellar.

                There are several places in Korea where you can have fun and enjoy together with your loved ones. When I am already a well-financed person, I’ll bring my family and loved one to this striking place. All we will do is have fun, spend the time together and experience Korean culture. Korea is a small country but is the place I would most like to be. 

5 - Paint your Food

Cooking is an art. 

Adobo, mechado, and menudo down to bicol express, laing, sinigang and tinola. Desserts? Cakes in all flavors, ice cream, pastries and kakanin… Who doesn’t love to eat those? Or basically, who doesn’t love food? All of us know that food is important. It is the basic need of a certain family. It is the obsession of every one of us. So when someone cooks, everyone spins their butts finishing a certain dish. But do we know that besides cooking will outcome to a delicious food, it also result to an art?

            Yes, you’ve heard it. Cooking is an art. It expresses emotions and feelings. Every food that a chef or cook does have its meaning...  Every taste has its inside story. Cooking requires creativity and imagination. Because good cooking calls for imagination, a well-developed creative sense, and the ability to express yourself in the product you’re doing.  If you look at the creative part of cooking where either an individual chooses a selection of ingredients or cooking methods to create a desired end result, it is more of an art. This is similar to the artist using paint color and technique to create a painting or a writer doing the same with words and grammar. Both the painter and the writer are using tools to *create* not recreate and the result is subjectively successful - the great chefs, painters and writers are deemed to be great because they create something others love and admire.

When you cut the tomatoes it just the same when you fixative the red paint…

When you stir the milk, it just the same as you mix the color…

When you mold the dough, it just the same as you morphed clay... 

When you garnish the plate, it just the same as you add final touch on your painting. 

Art isn't all about painting and music sometimes in cooking too. Cooking reflects the person behind it. It tells a story. Good cooking takes you to heaven or any place that you call heaven for that matter. To conclude, cooking is something that cannot be learnt. Like art, the qualities of a cook must be ingrained in a person. But, that does not mean that you cannot learn a few scrumptious dishes. So go give it a try, and yes cooking is an art. 

4 - We Are Who We Are

The problem is...

Do you ever tried to be someone you’re not? To do something you’re not used to? Do you ever feel like you’re somebody else? I think everyone does. That is the problem is this world. Everything looks to be unreal. Fake is the new trend and everyone seems to be in style. It is very hard to be ourselves because we are all afraid of what will others say. I might say ‘who cares?’ But all I see is everyone does.

People think you’re crazy if they don’t understand what you’re saying. They’ll judge you through your outside look. We are all busy thinking ‘How do I look?’, ‘Do I look pretty?’, ‘Did I do the right thing?’ or ‘Did I say the precise word?’ The problem is, whatever we do, whether it is right or wrong, people will judge us. So instead of pondering what they will say to us, why don’t we try to just do our own thing? Have your self-confidence. Confidence is not ‘they will like me’. Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t’. Always be the first-version of yourself than trying to be the second-version of somebody else. Let them judge you but always prove them wrong. Let them say you’re not worth it but let them watch where you have ended.

Have the rule in your life where the first rule is never be number 2. Get the logic? We can be number one in our own ways without humiliating others. Never dull your shine for somebody else. You’re imperfections make you beautiful, they make who you are. Don’t sit and just let things happen. Go out and make things happen. People might shoot you their words or cut you with their hate, but still like air, you will rise. Remember that the more they hate the more you rise. Enjoy you are. Don’t hate yourself for not being like them. Your weirdness makes you unique. You are not born to fit. You are born to be yourself.

                The problem is we think over what the problem is. You shouldn't compare yourself with others, because no one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you. You shouldn't want to be better than everybody else; you should want to be better than you ever thought you could be. It's better to be yourself and have no friends, than it is to be like your friends and have no self. Always accept and feel comfortable with your flaws, that way no one can ever use them against you.

3 - What time is it? Its Christmas time!

What is your favorite time of year?

This is the most awaited time of the year. Different traditions, culture and ways of celebrating it... Time for peace and giving. Time for appreciating all the blessings you receive within the whole year. Season of red and green, where smiles from everyone can be seen. Who else doesn’t know it? Of course, it is the Christmas Holiday.

          Christmas or Christmas Day comes from the old English word, Crīstesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass”, is an annual festival honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. It is observed most commonly on as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. It is known as the time for gift-giving and sharing. But for me, it is the time for fun. I believe that as it is the time of Jesus, God also wants us to have fun and rest at least a little time from all the hard work we’ve been doing. Christmas is for us to enjoy. From the delicious food and delicacies coming from the different countries down to the beautiful gifts and presents, all of these are worth to be relish and appreciate.

          And of course, the family gatherings won’t be forgotten on the list. Family members from the farthest side of the country will all be complete again through the help of Christmas. Reminiscing all your happy moments together… Doing the things you usually do before… A family reunion as they called it. And of course, when there are family reunions, there would be door-to-door parties. Games of different kinds and cute gifts. Santa Claus everywhere, children caroling house to house and Christmas lights twinkling brightly with neon colors. What a wonderful time it is!

          But let us all remember the true meaning of Christmas, it is about Jesus Christ. What are things related to Jesus Christ? Love, family, and children. No matter how expensive the gifts we have, the most delicious meals we have in our table or the number of parties we have attended, when we don’t know how to really celebrate it, everything will turn into nothing. Christmas is spend spent with our loved ones with the alive presence of Jesus’ spirit that is why it is my most favorite time of the year. 

2 - Love and Lust

I know better now...

    Once teenagers found out that ‘love’ will be the topic of their composition or essay to be write, they were so excited because they can outcast many things about it. They were so inspired to talk about it that sometimes it seems like they have known already anything about it. But for me, love is the most complicated thing in this world. It is not that easy to understand. It is a learning process because sometimes teenagers can mistake love for fleshly desire only.

This is a very big problem among the teenagers in the world. With some many teenage single moms and kids having intercourse among an early age, they use the phrase "I love you" a little too loosely. Lust is what makes people believe that they’re deeply in love with someone. When two teens with so much lust for each other and all they ever do are just having lust relations, they may very well think they are in love. The phrase "making love" is used for intercourse, so in time, teenagers may convince themselves they are in love, when all it is just simply physical attraction. As a result, the number of teenage pregnancy is increasing. Early marriage occurs in both sides. Teenagers who require on early marriage are in fact not ready for responsibilities.

Teenagers should not commit seriously when it comes to love. They may say that they’re deeply in love but sometimes, all they feel is lust. So for me, all teenagers should be aware when it comes to their feelings so it won’t lead to anything bad. All we have to do is enjoy this sudden change of emotion that occurs to us but never misused it. Enjoy the fun and amusement you feel to your opposite sex. Never do anything that we will regret in the end. Because like what other people say, in order to be loved for real, one must love himself or herself first. How can we do that? Respect yourself.

Love and lust is two different things but they are both engaged with big responsibilities. Love is somehow deep while lust is the front act of it. Take the time to know each other's heart. When you do, you will be more understanding and less suitable to misunderstand another's intentions, which probably were never meant to hurt or upset you to begin with. Take our time to know what love is. We can do it without trying to do mistakes. Do not rush to fall in love. Because you may not know that while you hurry to fall in love, you have just fall in lust.