You HAVE to see this!

Okay, I was taking a break from what I had been doing for the past few hours and decided to take one of those random quiz thingies that the internet so generously provides. (That was a very long sentence...)

And look what I got:

There Are 0 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge: No Gaps! Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge: Philosophy Religion Economics Literature History Science Art

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

Do you not think this is RIDICULOUS?

I guessed two of the answers.

Magically, I got them right.

Heh.

I thought this would be funny to share.

Since I usually present the opposite result when I talk.

So yeah.

That's all.

:)

Are you ready?

Why so serioussss??

*peeks out from behind chair*

Heh...

*hides again*

--

Hi.

Sorry to all those of you have been checking my blog for entries that didn't appear until now. I'll be sure to reward all two of you for not giving up on my less than frequent entries.

:)

To get back into my old habit of blogging, I thought I'd just put in a really short entry about what just happened to me an hour ago.

Alex and I were hanging around the kitchen just now, scouting for food and whatever else we could find.

The first thing I did was stick my head in the microwave (no, not like that)...and what did I find?

An alien cupcake.

I'm not even kidding.

Look:


See?

I wasn't kidding.

My point is, the alien cupcake amused me more than it should have. Alex was kind of confused at my strange behaviour around the lump of dough...he didn't say anything though.

But what happened next got him into 'crazy mode' as well.

I put a brownie in my mouth, offered him one, and burst out into hysterical laughter. No idea why. It just happened.

We then decided to share a chunk of watermelon. Alex cut in in half, we 'cheers-ed' them and started on them.

Now, you have to understand that when you leave two five year olds at home alone, food doesn't get cut into 'bite-size' pieces. We were forcing giant mouthfuls of watermelon into our mouths.

This got me laughing again, and soon, all I had to do was look at my slice of watermelon to burst into a bout of uncontrollable laughter.

Now before you tell me that I need mental help, hear me out.

It's important to get your daily dose of giggles. Something that you can smile about just before you hit the hay, you know?

Society tells us that we have to be perfect to be accepted. The pressure that comes with that is enough to make us forget to have fun.

If you spend all day trying to make sure you are doing everything right, you'll end up having the life sucked right out of you.

Let the little things go.

They aren't important.

So try it today.

Laugh at nothing.

Have a longer life.

:)

--

It's short.

Bear with me, I'm recovering from my severe case of writer's block. I haven't quite got the flow back yet, but I figured the best remedy would be to force some brain juice to make something happen.

Till I get back into the spirit of things, Ima probably just do a lot of reviews and other random entries like this one.

Till then,

Me

Dare To Be Different

Okay. I have an inspired post. Thank you Lesley for getting the machinery up and running again. I would have just answered it, but I feel it ties into this new topic. So I figured, why not? And here I am.

Ready?

Let's GO!


What's the difference between the words 'trend' and 'uniform'? I'll look it up for you:

trend (n) : the general course or prevailing tendency

uniform (n) : an identifying outfit or style of dress worn by the members of a given profession, organization, or rank.

Okay, so now we see that they have different meanings. Follow me closely as I explain the next part. It may get confusing.

Teenagers hate blending in, correct?

Wrong.

When they hear the words 'you'll have to wear this uniform', they will make a face and sulk a bit. Generally, teenagers and, in some cases, young adults, don't want to wear uniforms. They make fun of uniforms, and ridicule anyone in one. Why? Because we are at a stage in our lives when uniforms mean blending in. And NO ONE wants to blend in.

But now, I present you with a different situation.

"Wow, look at her/him! She/He's always up to date with the latest trends." I wish I could be like her/him.

Now, tell me the difference.

You're right.

There isn't one.

People are so concerned with trying to STAND OUT, that they begin blending into the background. Who are the kids in school that really get noticed by everyone? Not the popular kids. They're the ones with their pants pulled up to their necks and speech impediments.

I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with that whatsoever. I'm making a point. The point is, that the people who stand out the most are the ones that pay no attention to fitting in. They have better things to do with their time.

--

Icon breakdown:

At first glance, the icon is telling us something that we think we all know already. You're all probably thinking, 'DUHHH. Stop stating the obvious. We know we are meant to stand out.'

Really?

Do you?

Because speaking from personal experience, I can tell you that most of you (that I know) are doing a great job of making yourself fade into the background. It's not an accusation. Merely an observation. Let me explain.

It is human nature to want to be accepted. No one wants to be an outcast. A simple example of trying to fit in, is laughing at a joke even when it isn't funny to you. Other people might honestly find it hilarious, but to you, it doesn't even make you want to smile. You laugh anyway.

It's easier.

--

In this day and age, peer pressure is a big issue. The world seems to have these expectations of you that we are all obliged to follow. Be wary. Tread carefully.

If you are at this point in the post, still thinking, 'Yeah, I know that I stand out', and a giving yourself a list of things that make you stand out, I beg you to stop deflecting my words and at least give it a thought.

There is no shame in being wrong. (Contrary to popular belief...)

You have to interpret the meaning of 'fitting in' as 'being accepted'. See, no one should have to do something to be accepted. You just have to be as you are and have people accept you for that.

Look at it this way:

Remember playing with Play-Doh as a kid? There was this little device that turned a lump of Doh into stringy spaghetti thingies when you squeezed it. You'd take a clump of Doh out the tub, put it in the squeezy thing and watch in amazement as the noodles came out the other end.

What if you tried reversing the process? If you tried taking the clump, splitting it, and rolling the Doh to make noodles to try and force it into the squeezy thing? Doesn't that sound utterly ridiculous?

It's the same thing with fitting in. If you have to force yourself to be something you're not, (ie. forcing oddly shaped noodles into a squeezy thing) then you are going to end up as a messy lump of nothing on the floor. But if you just be who you are and as you are, you will change to be whatever it is you are meant to be.

These are simple facts.

And that brings me to answering Lesley's question, which I will quote exactly:

'I like this topic. Good choice. As the Devil's advocate, it is my duty to ask you, how about the box that is pretty AND contains valuables safely. Are they seen as the glass box due to theirappearance? If people are catergorized and judged as simply vain and superficial or plain but accomplised, how about those in between? There are many girls out there who are pretty and superficial but also has a head on their shoulders and acutally uses it. What happens to them?'

Nothing happens to them.

The point of my last entry was that what really gives a person their value is what lies on the inside.

I didn't say anything about being judged as 'vain and superficial' or 'plain and accomplished'.

What I did say, however, was that relying on looks to get you places is a stupid thing to do.

Maybe it's because I didn't carry the message across quite clearly enough, but the fact that you are still asking about looks shows me that there was a communication error somewhere along the line.

I was trying to stress the point that being more focused on your inner beauty and growth is FAR more important than making sure your hair is absolutely perfect with no strand out of place. See, if you are actually grounded and have given yourself value, thoughts of being physically attractive do not come to mind.

Yes, it's great to look good on the outside. Why? Because when you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, there is an air of confidence around you. But when you can walk around with that air of confidence when you have mustard all over your shirt and a wet patch on your crotch, THEN you know you are worth something.

It's a bit extreme, but I think it needs to be taken there.

If you have been blessed with good looks, good for you. But know that they are gonna run out eventually and you'll be left with what's on the inside. Make sure it's what you want there.

I find, that the more you are yourself and stay true to that, the more people like you. It's natural for people to gravitate toward those that have no inhibitions and are genuine.

I know for a fact that I am more drawn to people who can laugh at themselves.

If people don't like you, that's their own problem.

Be yourself, and those who are meant to find you, will.

Dare to be different.

You're the only one stopping you.

--

Thanks for reading. Hope this answered the question Lers. If you, or anyone else has a question, drop it in the tagbox.

:)

I am WOMAN. Hear me ROAR.

Hey guys, sorry for the mini break I took. I had stuff to do. :) But I'm back now.

Ready?

Here we go:


Okay, I need you to read the icon, absorb it and only then, continue. Take time to read between the lines.

The icon basically is a reminder to girls that they are valuable. That they should treasure themselves. I guess you could also see it as a reminder for guys, that girls worth having are the ones that have to be chased.

A perfect example of how this plays out is how guys tend to spring for the girls that make it easy for them. Why? Because it's effortless. Guys who do this often find confident girls intimidating. They don't feel like they have the upper hand anymore.

The world sends us messages that sometimes destroy us. It has rules on what makes someone 'pretty' or what makes someone 'handsome'. It sets these rules that make average sized people 'fat'. It puts all this emphasis on being physically attractive. Like it's the only thing important in life.

I find that girls that go out with countless guys have very low self esteem. It may not show when you look at them, and talk to them, but if you think about it, I think you'll be able to see what I'm saying. Girls that date a lot are looking for some form of validation. They want to feel like someone wants to be with them, or at least wants them. They may want to feel accepted, safe, or even protected and that is fine. But dating as many guys as you can isn't the best way to go about it.

Let's use this example:

I have two boxes. One is made to be aesthetically pleasing, and the other is to hold fragile valuables. Now, the box for valuables is by no means ugly. It isn't. The maker just paid more attention to making it suitable for it's job than to attract attention.

The other box on the other hand is solely made to be a decoration. Made of glass, it is always noticed, and examined. It is kept clean, and always sparkles.

The boxes are kept on the same shelf, positioned next to each other. But because one is more colourful than the other, the little chest is often ignored or only given a once over. Few even consider the fact that there could be valuables in there. Most of them are drawn to the other box.

Because I am clumsy, I accidentally run into the shelf. It shakes and both boxes are thrown onto the floor. The pretty box shatters, but the other box stays intact. In fact, there is only a shallow dent on the surface. To make sure that my boo boo didn't do too much harm, I open the box.

I see the antique china that my grandmother gave me and breathe a sigh of relief.

I smile, and put the box back on the shelf.

Then, I grab a broom and sweep up the remains of the other box. I pick up the little bits of paper I kept inside of it and pocket them.

The last thing I do is cycle over to the nearest mall and pick up another box that is just as, if not more, attractive than the old one.

--

The boxes represent two people with different values. The pretty box didn't serve much of a purpose. The practical box, however, did exactly what it was made to do. Boxes are meant to contain things. That's what the hollow space inside of one is for.

My bumping into the shelf represents a problem in life. The pretty box couldn't take the intensity, and as it hit the ground, it broke. It shattered to a million pieces, and what did I do? I swept it into a bin, and replaced it. Simple as that.

On the other hand, the practical box was placed back onto the shelf because it could withstand the impact and wasn't badly affected by it.

Naturally most people would want the pretty box over the practical one. That would be unless they wanted a box to hold something important.

In the analogy I placed the boxes next to each other on the shelf to show you a comparison. To show how silly it is to have box as good as empty on a shelf when you need a box to hold something of value. Because the pretty box was breakable, there wasn't anything important in it. I knew that if it broke, it's contents would be damaged.

Now think about it.

Do you wanna be the pretty box? Do you really want to face a problem in life, shatter, and be remembered by a scrap of paper serving as a reminder to wash the dog? Do you want to be thrown away without the bat of an eye and replaced?

Or do you want to be valued as much as your contents? To know you served your purpose and be recognised for it?

You give yourself your own value. No one else has that ability. YOU choose your price.

You can make yourself 'easy'. But you also have the capability of becoming someone who can fall time and time again only to pick yourself up and say 'I'm okay.' Which will you choose?

Why are gems valuable? Because their hard to find. They are rare.

What makes you different than everyone else? What sets you apart?

There are millions upon millions of beautiful people in the world. You have to be someone in order to stand out. Outer beauty only lasts so long. Once it's gone, ask yourself, what are you gonna be left with?

You have been blessed with the gift of life.

Make something of it.

--

Girls, you don't have to be affected by remarks other people make regarding appearance. If you are confident and self-assured, they bounce right off. It doesn't even affect you. Don't give into the demands of the world. Swim against the current.

--

Thanks for getting all the way here. This post took AGES to write. I'm suffering from a severe case of writer's block.

INSPIRE ME.

Comments and opinions to the tagbox please. I'd happily re-address this issue if you feel I should tackle another angle of it. Just say the word.

Thanks.

:)

Attention all Ladies

Guys, feel free to go ahead and continue reading. I just felt that it would be more beneficial to the women to hear what I have to say.

And without further ado, I present you my blog post. :)

--

Take a good look at this, and think about it for a moment:



Okay. So, you may be thinking, 'DUH, everyone knows that.'. But then, why is it that we always hear girls complaining about their weight, looks or just themselves in general. Some don't have confidence, which would just serve to make them miserable as time goes by.

Seriously, is this the life you want?

A life full of hesitation and thoughts of not adding up to enough?

Of course you say 'no', but what are you going to do about it? You can't just sit there and expect things to happen. You have to take all this in and use it to your advantage.

Let's break down the icon to it's simple, yet precious reminder. Real girls - as in every single female being on this planet - are not perfect. That's right. NOBODY is perfect. You just can't be perfect. It's impossible. Like slamming revolving doors.

Some may project the illusion that they are perfect. They may be attractive, sought after, have families and get good grades, but it's key to remember that they aren't perfect. There are things about them that you may never find out. You haven't been inside their head or experienced a day in their lives. What you think is not what may be true. They could have MANY problems that you just aren't aware of.

Perfect girls aren't real.

Thank. God.

'Why?' you may ask. 'Why can't we be perfect? Wouldn't it be better?'

No.

Imagine if we were all made perfect. Everybody would look the same, we would all think the same and we'd basically all be the same. Then what's the point? What's the point of being alive when you can't live your own life? We'd all be living one collective, boring, but perfect life.

*shudders*

No thanks.

We are all unique. I know that you probably hear that a whole lot, but that's only because it's true. Don't believe me? Well, find me someone who walks, talks, thinks, looks, and lives life EXACTLY like you. Only THEN will I take back the statement.

All of us were given our talents, our families and our situations for a reason. You were made the way you are for a REASON. It is in our imperfections that our true selves lie. It is important to recognise that.

Beauty lies in imperfection.

I have always said that, and will keep saying it. Why? Because of the meaning it carries. Your strength can never be tested if you are not put through trials. How do you know how much you can handle without having to handle it first? You'll never know if you can do a hundred push ups if you don't actually attempt to do them.

You wouldn't be the person you are today if you weren't faced with problems, if you didn't have to go through rough patches or if you were perfect.

So you have to make the choice now. You have to decide if you want to continue wishing your life was perfect, or if you want to embrace it as it is. Someone who is blessed with all the material things is the world can still live a life less fulfilling than someone who has to slave away for hours in order to put some scraps on the table.

It all depends on what you choose to do with what is given to you.

Girls, you have to remember that there is no way that you are ever gonna be perfect (by world standards). As appealing as it may sound or appear, there is no possible way to achieve it. You have to accept the fact and move on.

Instead of looking for perfection, look for yourself. Find yourself and own it. Be confident. Be willing to stand up and say, "This is who I am."

Stay true to yourself, and you will be able to take whatever is thrown at you.

Forget about trying to attract someone. You don't need to please them.

Please YOURSELF first, and it'll all fall into place.

:)

Leave your thoughts in the tag box.

Scared? Good.

Right, so Ameli asked this question:

"Just asking, how would you define living your life to the fullest?"

Good question. :) I apologise for not addressing that in the last post. It seems the most obvious thing that anyone would ask. Forgive me. :)

Everyone you ask will have a different definition for a life lived to the fullest. So the best I can offer you is my own definition. For me, a life well lived is one packed with experience. Bursting at the seams with obstacles, mistakes and lessons learned.

Some people look for stability in their lives and their jobs. That doesn't mean that you can't still pack your life with experience right? You can still find activities that will enrich you as a person and round you off better. There isn't really a set of rules to follow.

How? You may ask. I suppose a simple way to do this is to aim to do something you are afraid of everyday. Something big, something small, doesn't really matter. I'm sure you know the sense of satisfaction that you get from accomplishing something that you were, at first, terrified to do. Can you imagine how it would feel if you experienced that everyday?

Opportunities are given to you for you to take.

What are you waiting for?

See, fact of the matter is, you shouldn't have to live in fear. A life lived in fear is one that can be considered half lived. How can you claim to have lived a full life if you have been hiding from things your whole life?

Dance like nobody's watching
Love like you've never been hurt
Sing like nobody's listening
Live like it's heaven on earth
-Mark Twain

Mark Twain had it right. Though it may be idealistic, don't you think you could live like he described? Be so free in a world that can make you bitter, angry and resentful? There are some who haven't let the harshness of the world get to them. They can still be completely soft, loving and just happy.

We should all aim to be happy.

That doesn't mean you can go drop out of school and say 'I'm being happy'. Happiness is something we should aim for on top of doing what we can to provide for ourselves. You don't want to have to be living in your parents' house after you're 30. Not because living with your parents is embarrassing, but because you would let them down in showing them that all their hard work was for nothing.

You can't even provide for yourself.

How can you be happy like that?

In a nutshell, you have to decide for yourself what you consider a full life. Then work towards it. No regrets. You make your choices, and after that - live with the consequences whether they be good or bad. There shouldn't be a point where you say 'I wish I didn't...'. It's over. What have you learned?

For me, it's all about experiencing new things and stumbling along the way. Like I said before, most of my biggest lessons were learned from messing it up the first time.

Stay happy and live crazy.

Comments and such in the tagbox please. :)

Live Now

What are the most memorable moments of your life?

Without you actually telling me, I'm pretty sure I can answer the question for you. The most memorable moments are those of extreme happiness, extreme sadness, extreme pain, extreme embarrassment or any other form of extreme feeling. Of course you remember other things too, but you can't deny the fact that the most vivid memories are those when you were full of emotion.

We, as humans, tend to take ourselves too seriously sometimes. Especially as we grow older. It seems that there is no longer the need to express oneself in the most outrageous ways possible. We become to concerned about saving facec and not looking bad that we forget how to live properly.

Why allow mundane things control our lives?

It is so important for us to embrace the life that was given to us. Sure, sometimes you just want all the feelings to stop. Trust me, I've been there. There have been times when I just wanted to sit alone, and have the world stop for a while. Stop so I could find some air to breathe.

But even though I felt like I couldn't, I was still breathing. I was still living.

We only get one life. One chance. You either make the most of what you got right now, or you let it slip by while you complain about it the whole time.

Let's face it, life is short. You either make something of yours now, or have your life make no impact on anyone. When you live crazy, you live like there is no tomorrow. You live like today is the last day you'll be alive, like you'll stop breathing the next second. It is so important to love the life given to you.

Recently, the Relay For Life took place here in KL. That's right, Relay For LIFE. It's kinda like a protest against cancer. A strike if you will. Basically, we're saying 'You can't push us around anymore, we want change!'. When you attend and watch the survivors walk, you'll know what I mean.

As terrible as cancer is, it cannot kill the spirit. It cannot kill the resilience that burns so fiercely in some. If you live life crazy, you leave behind your inhibitions. You forget what others may think of you and you do things as you would prefer.

When you live life crazy, you stand out from the crowd. You show everyone how and why you are different. Why you choose to be more outrageous.

Truth is, life is too precious to go to waste.

You know how your parents told you not to waste food when you were younger? Think of life like your dinner. Eat every single scrap and drink every drop from the cup.

Oh, and while you're at it, you might as well lick your plate clean. :)

Comments and such can be left in the tagbox.

Thanks for reading!

Who Are You?

I'm back for another entry. :)

I'm thirsty...nevermind. I'll go look for fluids later.

Today's topic? A frequent question that many people ask each other and more often, themselves. It's kind of difficult to answer the question don't you think? It takes time to figure out something like this. Like a super long and complicated math problem. You can only figure it out if you add certain things, multiply a few and take away other parts, most likely making mistakes along the way.

You always hear that life is about finding yourself. I agree, but only to an extent. Throughout your life, you discover new things about yourself. You grow out of things and you grow into other things. It's just how it all works.

But if you think about it, don't you think it's more about creation? You make yourself who you are. Other people can affect that, but in essence, it's all up to what you do. What you choose to do with that. Someone can do something horrible to you. What are you gonna do about it? Cry about it and blame the world? You could choose to, or you could choose to learn something from the experience and take the lesson with you.

I, for one, have mostly learned by making mistakes. Lots of them. If you know me personally, you'd probably know what I'm talking about. I'm the sort of person who just does things. Impulsive. Some say it's a bad thing, others say not so. Again, it's just up to what you prefer. I don't mind being spontaneous like that. It gets me into trouble sometimes, but involves less thinking. ;)

Of course I'm not always impulsive. I do have the capacity to think before making an important decision. And I usually do. Especially when the consequences of making a bad decision are more than I want to deal with.

I'll share a bit about why I think I enjoy the spontaneity of my actions. I live for the moments in life when you just feel ALIVE. Do you know what I mean? When you burn with a fire that just can't be put out. Sometimes, you can breathe. At other times, you don't want to. It's when you are just filled with emotions. It's a rush. A rush, that I live for.

That is something I've discovered about myself. You can argue that 'that's something you found out about yourself, you didn't make it happen'. I agree. It is something that I can't change about myself. The rush is not something that I can replace.

There are things that you can't change about yourself. Certain parts of your life that you just can't change. For example, you can't change your family, your age, time or who you love. You may be able to lie to yourself and pretend that you can change these things, but in all truth, you can't. In the end, it all remains the same.

What you CAN change, however, is you attitude about it. Instead of blaming it on the injustice of the world, you can decide to look at it all differently. Choose to see the good in the situation. There's always some good in a situation. Even if it's learning a lesson the hard way. Don't gimme all that crap about 'but it's not my faultttt...'. If you see like that, it probably is.

Throughout our lives, we sculpt ourselves. (I'm not talking physically.) Consciously or not, we make choices that change things about ourselves, we discover things about ourselves that we were not aware of before and we become what we are.

Course, all this comes with a lot of reflection. You have to see yourself the way others see you. You mature emotionally. Once you become aware of yourself, you know what you want and you are able to make better decisions based on what is best for you as a person.

I am a big believer in being sure of who you are as a person. Being aware of where you stand. It's really important. You become confident in yourself. You can answer the question. You finally know who you are. Essentially, you become whole.

It's fulfilment. You can claim to have lived your life. Really lived it. Even if it doesn't last very long.

Living life to the fullest takes on a new meaning.

Willing to take it on?

On My Playlist: That's What You Get - Paramore

Who's heard this blaring on MTV??

Mostly, it's just everyone who happens to flip to that channel. It's at it's most frequently played level right now. Either that, or it's nearing it.

The song is great to listen to. (You know what I mean right? It's like, one of THOSE songs that you have to bop or tap your foot to.)

By the lyrics, you can tell it's really not supposed to be a happy song. It's presentation may be deceiving. It sounds fun, sounds entertaining, but if you listen to the lyrics...you'll realise that maybe it's not so happy.

Don't get me wrong, I think the song is great and deserves as much, if not more, attention than it's getting. Paramore is an awesome band. They all seem to have their heads screwed on straight and make good music. What's not to love?

So yeah, if you live under a rock, or don't have a tv or have lost the remote, here's the music vid for the song. What are you waiting for?

:)

Movie Review: Once

By the sounds of it, or rather the no sounds, Once really hasn't been a big hit among people. By people, I mean my friends. By my friends, I mean the people I talk to mostly every day.

It was a Sundance Film, so not many of you guys may have heard about it. Lemme tell you now.

IT'S AWESOME.

Really.

It was made on a low budget, two handheld cameras and Dublin as a setting. As you can probably tell, it's about music. I first heard about it on YouTube. Some of the people I watch frequently made the recommendation, so I watched it. Expectations were high, and I wasn't disappointed.

In a nutshell, it's about two people that meet through music. It's a love story, but not really, portraying the lives of struggling musicians.

Once is formatted as a musical, with songs that beef up the storyline. The typical reaction to 'musical' is 'Oh, they randomly burst out into song instead of talking...'. Not this movie. The songs are performed at completely appropriate times. (I do love musicals when everyone randomly bursts out into song and dance, but that's a different post altogether don't you think?)

The soundtrack is brilliant. Most of you may have heard that it has won an Oscar for it's brilliance. Falling Slowly obviously deserves a mention, but Say it to Me Now is my favourite. It's so full of passion and the delivery is completely believable.

Glen Hansard (The Frames) and Marketa Irglova both do a perfect job at portraying their characters though they aren't professional actors. The director, John Carney, made the right decision casting professional musicians that could sorta act. I don't think it would have been that effective if he casted professional actors that could sorta sing. Would take away the rawness of the film.

And the quality of the music of course.

If you love music, there's nothing about this film that you won't like. I highly recommend it. Now that you all are on holiday...mostly, you have the time to go watch it. So go watch it. It's pure gold.

What it lacks in professionalism, it makes up for in heart.

:)

P.S. For those of you who haven't noticed, this post has a load of links for you to click on. It's just basically for you to get more info on whatever it is that is linked. For example, clicking on 'soundtrack' will take you right to the MySpace page for the soundrack of the movie. Simple right? Duh. Click away!

BAAAAAACK!

Hello People.

Exams are over, and I'm relieved. I have my laptop and guitar back in my possession. Turns out my withdrawal didn't kill me. It almost did. ALMOST. But not. So I'll just take that as a good thing.

I really don't have anything to talk about. I don't feel like being serious right now. And I don't feel like thinking very hard. My brain should have time to recover. Re-solidify you know? But because I said I would, here's an icon for you guys:


Yeah.

Who's reading this?? I don't actually expect anyone to be reading this. Exams are just over, I don't really have a large audience...

WAIT

I have an idea. From this point onward, I'm gonna add one of those 'people who have visited your page' counter thingies. Or in other words, a widget. Please hold (but not really) while I go get one.

MISSION COMPLETION!
(If you know where that's from, you are beyond awesome.)

So. I've been thinking. Yes, it was in the time span that I was making the widget, what's it to ya? I thought I'd change up how I update the blog. Now, you can expect to see posts about new songs, videos, artists, movies, tv shows and I guess whatever I feel like talking about. Of course I'll still keep posting what I've always been posting, this stuff is extra.

Extra because I have time, and I like typing on this keyboard. :)

If you are reading, leave a comment or write in the tagbox and say 'hi' or something. Lemme know what you think...and keep coming back so that the counter can count you again. Right now, it says '1'. Very sad...

:)

Thanks for reading!

EARTH HOUR '08

Right. So I'm pretty sure most of you have heard about this. Earth Hour.

My question is: did you take part? Did you sacrifice that little bit of your time to say 'Hey, I'm gonna do my part and take care of this Earth.'? Well, despite the 'inconvenience' it may cause, it is important to take part in events like this.

Earth Hour is something that takes place all over the world. From 8.00pm to 9.00 pm local time. It's very simple. All you have to do is turn of all electrical devices and lights so conserve some of the energy that we usually use unnecessarily. One simple act. But it goes a long way.

The reason that Earth Hour has a set time and such, is because the idea is to make the biggest impact possible. If EVERYONE took part, and it was at the same time, there would be a HUGE drop in the energy consumption for that hour. It's a our little way of giving back to the world.

So if you didn't take part in Earth Hour this year, I challenge you to do it next year. It IS important.

My brother filmed the whole hour that he and I were in the dark. My maid made a few appearances too. :) If you have THAT much (crazy) time on your hands, you can watch the whole thing and find out what we were up to here:

http://backwalnut.blogspot.com

Comments on the side as usual. :) Thanks for reading.

How Long More?!?

Yes, I have been absent recently. Thanks to all those who pointed it out. It must have been difficult to figure out. :)

I have no other excuse but pure laziness. Plus, mocks have been priority for a while.

But I'm back with a new entry:


The icon says it all really. It can't get any clearer than that. I know some of you reading may think the complete opposite, but quite honestly, I've had enough. I'm tired of school. I don't know why I am, but I am. Not that I think I'm too good for it, I'm just bored and therefore don't enjoy it anymore.

There will be more work, more decisions and ultimately, more obstacles that'll come up when we leave school. More things to do, but I'd rather have that than be stuck here any longer. I'm happy I get to graduate and am going to work (I KNOW right? Haha.) extra hard so that when it comes to the real thing, and the results come back...I won't be restricted by anything.

I find that some people can't move on. They want to stick to what they know, stay in their comfort zone. They choose where they're gonna go BASED on which of their friends are attending. I don't think that that is a very good idea. Shouldn't you pick your college based on what you wanna do?

In contrast to the example above, my first instinct would be to go where NOBODY else was. A breath of fresh air if you will. But after thinking about that a bit, I realise it is impractical to go looking for a place without people I know. So my final decision is to go somewhere where I can learn more about what I like. If there are people I know there, fine. But otherwise, better.

It's not that I want to sever ties with all the people I know now. In fact, wanna keep in contact with majority of them. I'm just tired of the scenery and want something new. I think this is something that is just a part of my personality that has not been that evident until now. Before KL, I was in a whole load of new places where I went to school and made friends. It kept changing. Now, nothing is changing (environmentally) and I'm getting restless.

I'll end the entry here. I know it's a WHOLE LOT shorter than most of my other posts. But I've talked so much about this already. Most of you have heard what I have to say, and because this isn't general and does not apply to a lot of you, I don't think it needs to be any longer.

Opinions are welcomed. Just type them in the tagbox and I'll read them. :)

-C-U-T--H-E-R-E-

My turn to write about Cassie's subject of choice.

So. What is 'emo'? Well, the definition is quite hazy, and there is no one definition for it. It's like nobody really knows where it came from. As far as I understand, 'emo' was derived from the musical genre of 'emotive hardcore'. From there, it became a very generic term and lost it's initial meaning. The wide use has made us new generations confused about it.

I don't claim to know about the origins of the word. I'm just trying to understand it and make it clear what I DO and don't understand about it before I continue. Now you know, I'm gonna continue.

This post will be using the word 'emo' to describe what it has become in this day and age. The tight pants, black hair, eyeliner, 'I hate myself' sorta thing. Most people that claim to be 'emo' also tend to be self destructive. But not all.

Okay, so my opinion about 'emo' people. I'd say that we could do with a whole lot less of them. I don't think that they go about life the right way, and they are wasting their time. If they aren't wasting it, they are thinking of ways to get rid of it altogether. Gah. I can't understand why anyone would want to do that. But that's my opinion.

Progressing, 'emo' people tend to get a lot of crap for the whole 'cutting' thing. Others tend to think that they are just trying to get attention and make people pity them as much as they pity themselves. Yes, some of them ARE like that. But, again, not all. Many people that cut themselves are just trying to find a release from the world.

The next part of this post is more about cutting rather than 'emo' people. I find that those who cut themselves hardly fall under the category of 'emo'. Rather, they fall under the category of 'hurting'. 'Emo' is more for show. It's like, 'I'm emo. Feel sorry for me.' To which I say 'heck no'. Why should I feel sorry for someone who is intentionally giving me reasons to? It's like shoving scars in my face and saying 'look how hardcore I am'. Ha. I don't need to hear it.

Instead of looking at 'emo' people, we should turn and look at those who really are hurting and need help. Not psychological help. (Though it DOES get there after a certain point.) Help out of their situation. Help them get away from what they are trying to hard to shake off.

We have to understand that sometimes, they can't help feeling the way they do. Some people just feel more than others. They feel the hurt more deeply and dwell on it longer than what is expected of them. This emotional pain torments their soul to a point where they cannot think of anything else. It comes from being scared and pushed away a lot of the time. And when they want it to go away so bad, they turn to cutting to make the pain stop, even if it's momentarily.

Why cutting though? Why resort to self destruction? I'll tell you why. It's a little known fact that cutting makes the body release endorphins. When you hurt yourself, whether intentionally or otherwise, your body's natural reaction is to release endorphins to counter the pain. I'm not saying that those who do cut themselves know this and that's why they do it. But it makes them feel better and so they keep going back to it. Plus, since the physical pain doesn't settle in immediately, it DOES give them the release they are looking for.

Most of these people don't even want to cut themselves. They don't want to have to resort to hurting themselves. They want it to stop and just don't know how. If you read some of the things these kids say, you'll realise they are hurting SO bad and are in crazy pain. They have no one to go to or to even talk to. Sure, you may not believe me now, but once you take a look at what they have to say, you'll realise that they are really misunderstood.

You know, those who cut themselves have low self esteem and, on top of being in a lot of emotional pain, live in fear. They come from places where it's impossible to feel of any use. And we, as those who are better off (in terms of surroundings) don't take any action in reaching out to these people who so desperately need it. Instead, we choose to push them away and make them feel more lonely and insecure than they already are. Why? I ask. Are we intentionally being cruel or is it just something that doesn't register? Either way, we should have a bit more awareness about things like this and have a bit more compassion for other people.

We were all made equally. No one deserves less than the next person. Yet we isolate, scorn and make others feel like much less than they are. How would you like it? It's horrible to be lonely. You have no one to turn to. You lose self confidence. You lose the meaning in life. And once you have lost the meaning in life, what's the point of living it right? Those thoughts lead to suicide. Keep that in mind.

So the next time you see someone who looks in need of a friend, don't hesitate to reach out. Why waste an opportunity to change someone's life for the better? Must you be that selfish? If your answer was 'yes', I assure you that you will lose friends. Not only that, but you will also find that slowly, you become someone without real emotion. Read the stories and you will see what I mean.

Reach out to someone. Save a life.

--

If you have any more to add or discuss, please mention it in the tag box. I'm not here to force my opinion on you. I just want to get others thinking and to open my own mind in the process.

Thanks for reading.

Sports Day '08

Yes people.

It was that time of the year again. Yesterday, four houses marched out onto a field determined to prove themselves. Four houses, competing for one silver trophy. Needless to say the competition was tough. I've never seen it like this before. There wasn't really a clear leader for quite a large portion of the day, but in the end - Blue House emerged victorious.

Yup, for the first time in YEARS Blue House holds the trophy high up in the air.

So, congratulations to all in Blue House. You guys did well.

Yellow was close though. Two points robbed us of that trophy. Though it was a disappointment for many of us, I thought it was just a great reminder of what we can do if we set our minds to it. I'll take this time to remind the general public that last year, Yellow House came in last place by quite a margin. This year, we almost won.

Instead of looking at the placings, I choose to look at the improvement. A lot of heart went into the performance yesterday, and it shows. I can't really express my gratitude to those who gave their all on the field. The tradition is to reward them with ice cream or something...but I don't think that is enough to show them how much I appreciated their efforts.

A shout out to the other two houses too, Green in third and Red in fourth. I say it was a good race run by all. But there has to be a winner right? And this year, it was Blue House.

I won't say that any house did or didn't deserve to win. That wouldn't be fair to anyone. So I shall keep that part out of the equation as I continue.

One medal belongs to me, but I feel as if I won so many more. It's like every victory for one member, was my own victory. And that's how it should be in teams. It's not about who gets to run which race, not about how many medals you get as an individual or whether you win at all. It's about working together and supporting each other.

Tug of War is the best example to illustrate how important teamwork and support is. If one member on a Tug of War team decided that they didn't want to participate, then the team would fail. EVERYBODY has to participate in order for something like that to happen.

Why do you think Tug of War is the last event? Because it's the most physically and mentally draining event. And it's fun to watch.

When you are pulling, your body takes on so much strain. That is evident to anybody watching. But what they can't see, is the mental battle. It is so easy just to let go of that rope and let the other house win. It's easy to let go and let others do the work. But that isn't the point. The point is to hold on for dear life and pull with every single muscle in your body. Never give up.

I know I had that battle. It would have been so easy to just let it go that little bit and give up. To say 'I tried'. But that isn't the point. You have to discipline yourself to the extent where that doesn't even cross your mind. Where you just say, 'I'm gonna do this and win. No two ways about it'.

It's important to keep in that mind frame. Focus on the task at hand and complete it.

That's what I told the Yellow House runners. All they needed to do was focus. Everything around them was irrelevant. Those that took my words to heart did extremely well. Not because they were my words. But because of the thoughts that they were channelling. What they achieved was what they deserved, and I couldn't be happier for them.

:D

We're too hard on them

Right. Okay, time to address this one. I have been thinking about writing this one for a while, but I have never found an appropriate time to do so. I have now. Throughout the duration of the post, I am gonna be making statements that apply to MOST parents. I know that there are some exceptions and I can't speak for all. But bear with me, alright?

So, parents. What about them? Well, nowadays, they seem to be getting the fuzzy side of the lollipop in many situations. Children, especially teenagers, give them a hard time and blame them for many things that go wrong. Is that fair? Um...NO.

Let me explain how I have come to this conclusion.

Yeah, life nowadays for teenagers are hard, especially with peer pressure and media influence. There are so many different ideas of how to live life that it can be difficult to choose which one is the one that is right. In some cases, there isn't even a right choice. But I do believe that many teenagers are going about it the wrong way.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that making the right decisions in life is easy. Heck, I know I've made a few major mistakes. But that's how we all learn and grow right? It's all a part of life's process.

'Where do parents come in?' you ask. The answer? Right here. It is in these stages of our lives as teens when we act out, rebel and purposely hurt our parents. Why? Because we feel like they are being huge control freaks who won't let us do what we want to and when we want to. Let me break it down to why this happens.

Most parents, no matter what you may think, want the best for their children. Name me someone who wants their child to FAIL in life.Why do you think they make you study? Why do you think they force you to eat your vegetables? Why do you think they don't let you out of the house? It's because they want to to be the best that you can and stay safe.

If they didn't care for you, do you think they would make you study? NO. They would let you do whatever you want to and choose to look in the other direction. If they didn't care for you, do you think that they would keep you indoors sometimes? NO. In fact, they would probably encourage you to get out of the house and stay there. What are you other than an extra mouth to feed?

'But they are SUPER CONTROL FREAKS!' You bet. Why? Because parents want to keep you safe forever. I am seriously not kidding. You may argue that this is stunting to your growth as a person, but guess what, they don't see it like that. To them, you are still that little baby that they held in their arms for the first time in that hospital.

Let's put it this way:
You just got a new puppy. You love this puppy with everything in you. Would you let it skip meals because it turned it's nose at first? Would you let it skip baths because it doesn't like the water? Would you let it run loose on the road to let it get more 'street smart'? Chances are, the answer is no. All three of those things would be dangerous for the puppy, and you, as it's loving owner wouldn't let it happen in a million years. Instead, you would pamper it for as long as you can and protect it from anything remotely dangerous. Right?

Parents work the same way. If you have a younger sibling, you might notice that your parents baby them. That's because they want to cherish every moment they have that baby in their arms. You may call them spoilt, pampered and annoying...but that's the reality of the situation.

I guess that not many realise parents have high expectations of their kids. They think that their child can achieve anything they set their mind to. Why do you think that they expect straight A's? Because they feel that you can achieve them. They send you to tuition and pay school fees to make sure you get that education you need to be successful in life.

Another thing that makes teenagers so resentful to the two people that want the best for them is the fact that so many of us think that we know it all. The mentality is 'HAH, I don't need them. I know better. They can't tell me what to do, I rule my own life.' I think this is an appropriate time to ask 'who gave you life to begin with?'. Reality of the situation is, many of us know squat about life and what it has in store for us. You're not gonna get anywhere with that snobby attitude.

Yes, our parents ideas can be old fashioned. But that isn't their fault. They can't help that they were born when they were. The same with you. You can't help when you were born either. But you can show a little bit more compassion and understanding.

'But they don't understand me either'. Have you tried explaining to them what is going on in your life? Have you told them the things that are bothering you, the same way you tell them to your friends? No? Then you have no right to complain about their lack of understanding. They want to know, believe me. Not to prod into your private life, but to have a glimpse of what is going on.

Do you notice that you don't tell your parents anything? Well, they do wonder about what is going on in your life. Five years of your life kept a secret from them is a five year gap in their memory of you. Do you understand where I am going here? They WANT to be a part of your life.

We cause our parents so much pain and disappointment. Do you even bother to look at the hurt in their eyes when you disobey them? Or are you too busy showing them how pissed off you are by that black face and smart-ass remark? How selfish are you to think that they are actually out to make your life a living hell? See, our parents are willing to look past all the hurt we cause and forgive us for it. We, on the other hand, hold grudges and keep holding onto the times when we were inconvenienced 'by them'.

Our parents drive us to parties, host parties, pay for things that we want and give us good food to eat. What more do you want? A personal slave? Some of you may not realise that it is NOT your parents job to look after you. There is nothing forcing them to make sure you get the best education that you can get. Yet we still treat them as if they are doing us a disservice.

We are disrespectful, ungrateful and undeserving of our parents. They go through so much to pay for our needs AND our wants. Most of the time, we don't even say 'thank you'. We just expect that that is their duty. You know what? It's not. And a bit more gratitude would be nice. Especially seeing as they are stressed too. Don't think you are the only one. They have THEIR OWN problems to deal with.

All it takes is a simple 'thank you' the next time your mum drops you off at school or your dad buys you the latest thing you have been begging for, a card on their birthday. Nothing big. Just small things to show that you appreciate them and what they have done and are going to you for you. It means the world to them.

When was the last time you said 'I love you' to your mum or dad? Chances are, quite a while ago. They want the absolute best for you. Even though they have a funny way of showing it.

Whatever you have to say about the topic can be put into the tag box where it will be discussed. If enough points are raised, I'll probably write about this again - to address them.

Life is like a pen

I'm sure, that by now, you have already figured out that there is no going back. Once it happens, it happens and that's it.

Like when you write an essay, and you make a mistake. You can cross out the offending word and replace it with the correct one. But that scribble across the word won't make it go away. In most cases, even if the word is disregarded, it is still read.

Life is the same way.

We all make mistakes, and the only way to correct them is to make up for them with subsequent actions. We can't get into a time machine and redo everything. People will still see our mistakes. They will still see our flaws. There isn't a way to hide them.

So why dwell on what has happened in the past? It's a matter of putting it behind you and keeping focused on the future. What are you gonna write next? What's in store in the next chapter of your life?

Whenever we make mistakes, it's human nature to keep thinking about what went wrong and how it could have been better. But what's the point in that really? When we make a spelling mistake in an essay, do we cry for days over it? Do we wonder how it could have been avoided? Chances are, the answer is no. We just pause long enough to see what needs to be fixed, cross out the word and replace it with another one. Simple.

Time doesn't stop for disaster. Just because you lose someone in your life, doesn't mean that everyone in the world will stop for your grieving. In fact, it is more likely that people somewhere else in the world will be celebrating a new birth. It's the harsh reality of the world. Crying for days isn't going to help you.

Don't cry over spilt milk, is something that we hear all the time. Why? Because it totally makes sense. Isn't it more practical to grab a cloth and wipe up the mess before it damages your mother's floor any more? That's how we have to deal with messy situations. Do your best to clean it all up before it has a chance to spread and become worse.

You'll never be able to erase the mistakes that you have made in your life. So dwelling upon them will only make you more miserable. You can't take back the words that you said and you definitely cannot undo the things you have done. That's why it's so important to keep pushing yourself forward.

If given the chance to change anything that has happened in my past, I would flat out refuse. My past makes my future. I wouldn't be the person I am today without my past. All the fights and losses have made me stronger than I could have ever imagined. To those who think I am naturally like this, you are VERY wrong.

We can't just throw away chapters in our lives. See, if we did that, how would we explain the missing parts of the puzzle? We can't. All things we have gone through complete the story. No matter how happy or sad. They are essential to understand the whole thing.

Liquid paper you say? Yeah, that covers up for a while, but have you noticed that after a few years, it fades away and reveals what was under it? You simply can't make it go away. It's over and done with. Move on.

Right. So the point of this entry was to remind you that dwelling on mistakes is pointless and we should all keep moving forward. Put the past behind you. You aren't gonna get a new page to write on. Make the most of what you already have.

:)

It's Not Default

What am I talking about?

Friendship.

Why?

Because people are taking it for granted.


By taking things for granted, an individual just proves that he/she does not appreciate what he/she has. I'll take the simple food example. If I rejected a plate of food just because I wasn't in the mood for that specific type of food, I would be taking my meal for granted. It doesn't take all that long for someone else to come along and take my plate away. Keep this analogy in mind as you read on. It may sound cliche, but it's a good example.

Friends are a blessing. No one can go through life without them. They are there to keep you sane and to keep you going even after you think it's all over. Some can even become as close as family.

Why do I think friendship is taken for granted? Well, because I use my eyes and can see how other people act. I see that sometimes, people think that once you have a friend, that's it. It's set in stone, they'll be your friend forever, it's default. Sad truth is. It's not. Friendship is NOT default.

Just because you are close to someone, and can call them a good friend, doesn't mean that they are gonna be that way forever. Especially if you act unpleasant to be with. For example, whining and complaining is not something that anyone has to deal with. Sure, your friend will understand more than any other person, but if you keep whinging, they aren't gonna enjoy being around you anymore.

When you are in a friendship, it's usually because you can bring something to the table. Initially, it would be something like good conversation or good company. In some cases, it develops to providing support and advice. It can develop further to a strong bond between people. But just because it gets here, doesn't mean that the bond cannot be broken.

Once you think you can just fall back on your friends because they will always be there, you have got it muddled up. Yes, they will be there, but not if you give them reason not to. I can't express the frustration I feel when a 'friend' thinks it's okay to keep yapping about how unfair life is. In cases like this, the 'friend' is probably thinking more of their own needs and has forgotten that you live in this world too.

They may not realise it, but they are pushing that plate of food closer and closer to another person who would willingly shovel it down his/her throat. Sure, a few millimetres seem like nothing, but when you put a couple hundred of them together...well, you've almost pushed the plate off the table. And remember, the other person can easily lean across, and just take the plate from you.

Popular people with many 'friends' are the ones that mostly fall prey to this. But I'm not saying that it doesn't happen in small circles too...(I can attest to that). It's either, 'oh, there are so many of them, it's okay if I just lose one more...it doesn't matter' or 'they will always be there for me to go back to'. WAKE UP CALL. Not happening people...it doesn't work like that.

Not to say that having many friends is a bad thing. It's just more important to have quality friends that quantity friends. And when you do have quality friends, not to take them for granted.

Some have what we call, face value friends. They are there just for the sake of making you look good or just because they are there. The friendship doesn't run deeper than that. What's the point then?

You have to work to keep your friends around. They have to be able to see you contributing SOMETHING to the friendship. Otherwise, they don't have a reason to stick around any longer. Don't give them reasons to get up and walk out the door.

If your friend is forgiving and keeps lingering around the doorway, waiting for an excuse to stay in the room, give it to them. You have a chance, USE IT. If not, then you are a really are a selfish person.

'We are surrounded by angels. But sometimes, they don't have wings and we call them friends.'

The plate of food is right there. You can reach out and grab it, or you can push it away because the next meal will be coming along soon. Lets throw a wrench in the machinery. Say that that next meal never does come. I bet you're wishing you grabbed that plate of food and ran with it, right? But it's too late now, and you have to suffer the consequences.

No two people are the same. Once you lose a friend, you will never find someone else exactly like them. Why would you want to throw something so special away? Especially when it comes to a close friendship. It would forever leave that 'what if' in your mind. What if I hadn't complained so much? What if I had thought about his/her feelings more? What if I hadn't been so selfish?

Do you seriously want to burden yourself with thoughts like that for the rest of your life?

I know I wouldn't. This is something that has been frustrating me for a while. Mostly because I have and have been dealing with it. It's become so evident that I have to get it out of my system.

I think, in this situation, we have to adapt this concept:

Grabbing food (friends) at any given opportunity, savouring every single bite and not letting a single bit go to waste.

Unconditional Love

Okay, I think it's about time this is covered.

Thank you Hema, for bringing up the topic. I'll dissect this as fairly as I can and weigh both sides of the argument as much as possible.

Love is NOT unconditional
This statement is true. But only in regards to certain types of love between people. I said that real love is unconditional and I still stand by my statement. Maybe I should turn it around:

Unconditional love is real.

It's the real deal, people.

Hema, I know you disregarded your 'divorce' example, but I'd like to address it anyway. Love between a parent and child doesn't always have to be unconditional. Why do you think there are orphans in the world? Why do you think children get abused? And then again there is the 'divorce' part of it. If there was real love in that marriage, do you think it would end in a divorce?

Sure, you can argue the point that the divorce could have been best for both parties. But if that's the case, then I don't think that they would have gotten married in the first place. If they really loved each other, they wouldn't have rushed anything, they would have stayed true to each other and they wouldn't have held each other down. And what could go wrong in a marriage like that, right?

But that would mean loving someone who has hurt you multiple times
Yup, that's absolutely right. And human nature demands that forgiving someone for that is extremely hard. Not to say that it's a piece of cake, but it's not impossible either. To be capable of loving someone unconditionally, an individual has to be very secure about who they are and know what they do and do not deserve.

Just because you still love a person, doesn't mean that you have to chase after them and give up everything you have for them to throw it back into your face. It just means, that if they come running back to you, you'll still be willing to accept them. That you won't hold anything against them. That other people can say and think what they want about you without it affecting how you act or think.

Sure, it can and probably will hurt. The disappointment burning more than anything. But it's not impossible. As corny as it sounds, the individual would have to be the bigger person, and accept that no one is perfect. They would have to be able to accept the fact that they probably won't be loved the same way in return. It calls for a whole lot of understanding.

I know what I have said so far may sound insane and completely contrary to what a human being would do, but it still IS possible.

After reading this post, it's easy to say. Yeah, that'll never happen. But you have to remember that there are some who don't posses the human selfishness that everyone is expected to have. There are some, selfless enough to be able to love unconditionally. Sure, they may be scorned and laughed at...but it won't stop them. People might say it's more logical to NOT love unconditionally, but that's the point...isn't it? It ISN'T logical.

Love isn't a feeling. Infatuation is, and lust is, but not love. Those things are part of love on the whole (depending on the individuals involved).

It has a lot to do with hormones and stuff
No it doesn't. I think you have mixed up the definition of love with that of attraction. Attraction has A LOT to do with hormones, but love hasn't got anything to do with it.

YES, I may have ruined any preconceived ideas of what love is. YES, I have probably taken the fun out of being 'in love'. Sure, the world will say other things, but I've learned to keep that stuff out when forming my own opinion.

Hema, you are absolutely right when you say that it is a very round about thing. It's one of the most confusing topics to address. I'll never be able to cover all aspects of it. Even if I sit here for the rest of my life, never pausing to eat, sleep, or have a potty break.

Because I can't provide you with the whole explanation about love and what it is, I have given you the next thing that I can. My opinion about it. I understand that not everyone will share this opinion. Feel free to counter what I say (in a civilised manner) and express your own views on the matter.

:)

Any more queries can be put down in the tag box.

Young Love?

Ameli wanted to hear my views on this. So I'll share.

I'll start with the fact that the word 'Love' is used too casually nowadays. I'm not saying that it doesn't exist, but it's used to frequently to always be meant. Sometimes it's said without being meant. Not because the individual is careless, but because they honestly don't know what significance that word should hold.

So I'll clear things up now, so what I say next makes sense.

Love is not a feeling. It's a choice.

You can only love someone after you decide to. It's not easy and can sometimes lead to the hardest things you have to ever do in your life. Nothing can cause you as much pain as love. And I'm talking about real love. Love means that you have made a commitment, so you can't just back up and pretend it never happened.

Anyone who thinks or says that love is a feeling has got it wrong. Happiness is a feeling. Anger is a feeling. Heck, drowsiness is a feeling. But not love. No, that is a choice.

So keep this in mind as you continue reading.

Infatuation is the culprit. Teens are very vulnerable to this. They feel all tingly and bubbly on the inside when they see that 'someone' and call it 'love'. Is it really? Think about it.

Real love requires time, effort and sacrifice. How often do you see that in young couples? Rarely, right? Why? Because the word 'love' isn't understood. But because they see it all the time on TV and around them, some think that being single is abnormal. It's not really.

What's the point of going out with someone just because everyone else is doing it? Don't conform to the patterns of this world. Choose to do what is best for you. Yes, you can be attracted to people, but just be careful when using the word 'love'.

In fact, most young people that have had numerous boy/girlfriends, haven't even experienced love yet.

I feel as if young love is overrated. It isn't that big of a deal. It isn't important to me, because nowadays, none of it seems to be real. There are odd cases, but very rarely do I come across them. For example, kids as young as twelve claim to be 'in love'. Do you believe them?

No one should feel the NEED to be 'in love'. Because the phrase alone suggests that one can fall out of it. Real love means forever. No matter what. It's unconditional and you can't just back out. To some, this may sound very idealistic and seemingly impossible, but it's the real meaning.

As you can see, this post has covered my thoughts on love in general, and what it really means. But that is because it's the reason why I feel the way I do about young love and how it rarely does exist.

This post will also probably be used as reference for a future blog post about friendships.

I know I keep covering that topic, but it's because I have a lot to say about it.

Am, or anyone else really, if you still want more of what I have to say on this, just leave a comment in the tag box and I'll respond to it. I'm sure I've missed something...