Posted on by Emma

Adored Items

Hello my fellow manush (human beings in Bangla)! Today I will be continuing the series I began with my previous post, Despised Items – if you haven’t read that, you should probably start there, and then follow up with this one! Sadly, I have been a bit lazy in terms of blogging lately and so I haven’t actually updated my navigation page, but getting back to normality makes me very, very busy.

Today’s post also falls under the category of introspective, since I will be giving you some information on what nine things are that I absolutely am in love with (or you know, nine things that I just like). Again, shout out to Fat Mum Slim, who gave me the idea on her post about 50 things to write about when you totally have writer’s block – click here to access it. The two ideas I have used so far are the nine things that I absolutely hate, (she worded it differently, but you get the point) and the other one was doing a following up post to something that was popular – despite Despised Items not being the most popular post (Rustic Beauty is if you’re wondering).

So, (for the last time) following up on my previous post, Despised Items, here are the nine things that I, Emma, absolutely adore!

  1. Macaroons
    1. They are actually one of my favourite foods, you know, since they are friking delicious and divine
    2. They are expensive, and so I can only enjoy them every once in a while, which makes them even more special
  2. Lasagna
    1. Even though my favourite is homemade, the store bought makes you appreciate the other one even better
    2. It is the perfect balance between meat and pastry (sorry to all the vegetarians out there) and you can’t even taste the cheese
  3. Braces
    1. Despite most people claiming that they would never want braces again, I think I personally look better with them then without them
    2. The saying when you open the fridge; “you’re not hungry, you’re just bored,” must have been made to describe me, but after an appointment, the pain prevents me from eating to much, and I therefore don’t overfeed
  4. Pointe shoes
    1. Before I started pointe work, all the older girls were crushing my dreams saying that despite my constant statements, I did not want to go en pointe, and even though it is really bloody painful sometimes, it is still really rewarding
    2. It makes me feel like I am somewhat of a good dancer…
  5. Minecraft
    1. I know it is kind of a cliché since this game has been around forever, but it is so fun to create new things, even if my skills are limited
    2. The baby sheep’s and panda’s are absolutely, adorably cute!
  6. Elton John
    1. Some might think that Freddy Mercury stamps all over Elton John, but their styles are completely different (despite them being very similar) and I just prefer the more flowy, bluesy vibe – but Queen is still amazing
  7. Throne of Glass (book series)
    1. I know, I know that I have used this before, but honestly guys, if you haven’t read this series, and you are above the age of 15, stop reading immediately (just kidding, at least read till the end 😉) and go get yourself the prologue book, the Assassin’s Blade. Click here to access an online bookstore
    2. It is really gory, and since I don’t have the guts to watch really graphic horror movies, this is where I get that sort of experience… 😈
  8. Socks
    1. They are my favourite item of clothing, because when you match a dance class with the perfect pair of socks, you get the most amazing turns
    2. They keep your feet warm
  9. Walking
    1. Walking is a great pastime because it fulfills your daily exercise needs, and is sometimes the best way to clear your head
    2. You get to wear the earlier mentioned socks underneath your shoes, and your feet feel really warm and safe among the bush

Before we leave, I am definitely going to leave you with a poem, since my content has been slightly non-existent lately, and the only time I get to blog is for 10 minutes two times a day. Please feel free to share a comment of what your favourite things are, since I would love to get some insight on what you guys are thinking!

Thanks for reading my poems and other stuff so consistently, I have to appreciate you guys so much, so please, like and follow, enjoy the poem, and until next time, vakamoce vei noqu itokani bros (goodbye my fellow bros in Fijian).

Fun is generally associated with things that you like
The stuff you have evaluated
And judged
Assessing whether your soul is drawn to it 
Or whether you loathe it with every essence of your being

It's a funny thing
Assessment
In the scientific method you need to try over and over again
To make sure it is exactly precise
And there are no mistakes

But first impressions last
The things you call fun have drawn you to them
And the things you detest have repelled you at first glance
And there is no such thing as establishing a new reputation
Because there is no such thing as a second chance

If something tragic happens at the break of dawn
The rest of the day is set to that tragically inevitable mood
Your fate is decided
And it is no longer in your hands
But swirling and soaking in the hands of a past experience

It grips and pulls at you so hard
Forcing you to hold on
And leaving scars and bruises
That last a lifetime
Posted on by Emma · 1 Comment

Despised Items

Hello my fellow daoine (human beings in Irish)! Since it’s Sunday, I am due to do a post any way (click here to see posting schedule) it is going to be a little different. As you know, I have recently launched my homepage, and in it includes a categorized list of most of the things I will be posting. When I was checking all the links worked, it astounded me that some of them only had a couple of posts, and some of them had zillions (figuratively).

So to try and round out those categories, which are poetry, (obviously) music, art, recipes, animals, photography, the world and introspective, I am going to have to start doing a more diverse range of posts. So I will be updating my navigation page, since it is no longer accurate, to something along the lines of a poetry post every second day, and something along the lines of those other categories every other day.

But having said that, most of the other posts will still include poetry, or some sort of writing, since you can describe anything in a poetic way; the sandwich, a symbol of strength, but still so delectable…

Moving on, today’s post fits under the category of introspective, so basically my opinion on matters. Another post similar to this (but completely different) would be Little Women, where I analyze the movie in depth – but be warned, it contains heaps of spoilers, and not just for the show I am reflecting on, Daybreak too!

So aside from writing about poetry, I am pretty much useless when it comes to blogging, and so I went ahead and researched things to blog about – and it lead me to a great website called Fat Mum Slim, which gave me 50 ideas, and I chose number 7: nine things that gross you out and that you just can’t handle. (Okay, that’s not exactly how she phrased it, but you get the point!) So here they are, with a little reason:

  1. Cheese
    1. It absolutely, wholesomely stinks
    2. It looks similar to butter which is also gross (don’t hate me)
    3. It can lead to digestive problems such as gas and bloating
    4. It is gross in general
  2. Butter
    1. It makes your hands slippery and buttery
    2. It tastes like blah (excuse my word choice!)
  3. Honey
    1. It is way too sticky
    2. (But it does taste really good, so this isn’t really a reason why I hate it)
    3. It puts you at a higher risk of obesity, heart disease, and other sugar related illnesses
  4. Mess
    1. It activates my OCD, therefore my stress levels go through the roof
    2. Anything could be hidden under it – remember Molly, from Flawless Feline, well she was a world class bird killer before she got fat, and underneath some old clothes, we found some poor birds entrails 🤢🤮
  5. Bullying – (This doesn’t really need a reason, but I will give some anyway)
    1. Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University (Visit another WordPress site, Bullying Statistics for more information)
    2. Bullying causes mental health to decompose, and can lead to many assortments of mental illnesses
    3. It is just terrible in general
  6. Arachnids – (Sorry about this my little spiders and ticks, but you really freak me out)
    1. Some are very dangerous
    2. Ticks can get so small, and once they’re on, it is really hard to remove (this is based on a project I did in grade 2, so forgive me if my facts aren’t entirely accurate!)
    3. Spiders are everywhere – according to deBugged, you are apparently never more then 3.048 meters (10 feet) away from one *chills*
  7. Tourism (I know our economic world depends on it, but sometimes it’s really annoying)
    1. It can have unexpected or unforeseeable events such as terrorism and political upheaval (click here for more info)
    2. Sometimes different cultures have different ideas – such as the fact that some tourists near me thought it was okay to poop in someone’s backyard 😬
  8. Showers
    1. I hate to have to have one, but when I get in, I never want to leave
    2. This is very specific, but for showers that have that have a hot and a cold knob, it takes a while for you to get the perfect balance between boiling and freezing, and by that time, you’ve already wasted 3 minutes
  9. Shoe racks
    1. No matter how hard you try, they always end up getting messy 😢

Before we leave, I did promise a poem to go along with some of the different categorized posts, and I am not going to go back on that!

Please don’t get the impression that I am a negative person, I promise I appreciate life, these are just some things that bug me – feel free to share a list of things that you fume about in the comment section, but remember your moral values, and be polite when sharing. I am going to be doing another post similar to this one, but with 9 things I love instead, just to balance out the atmosphere.

So, before you go and read my poem, remember to like and follow – and until next time, hyvästi ystäväni (goodbye my friends in Finnish)!

Hate is a strong word
That's what parents always say
And I guess they're right

Love is also a strong word
But it is less recognized
We are taught it as soon as we come into this world
To love our family
And our parents
And our newly given life 

We are taught to love every day
We are taught to appreciate the strategic acronym that helps us pass exams
We are taught to be thankful for Pythagoras theorem with 3D shapes
We are taught to love the life society hands to us

But over time we learn to hate
We learn to hate the gross pile of spinach that sits on the side of every meal
We learn to hate the people who make fun of your lazy eye
And sometimes
We learn to hate life

Love and hate
They are a battle
They are two sides of a coin
One positive
One negative
One pro
One con
One good
One bad

We are taught to despise hate
And welcome love
But what about the nature of emotions

Some may not be nice
But if they are prolongingly cooped up
They will explode
Or implode
Leaving only one layer left of the host's soul
Leaving no substance left

And that is something everyone is afraid of
It is something everyone hates
Posted on by Emma · 2 Comments

Corona Virus

Hello fellow human beings. Today is another day many people face the world through a screen, through an online world, due to being in lockdown. Although this is a sad time for those who have lost loved ones in hospital beds, and for those who are anxiously waiting for results, we still need to remain positive.

Even though during this time there is still political dilemmas, money corruption, and god knows what else, life will return to normal eventually, even if it takes a while. During lockdown and quarantine, and anything that might be stopping you from doing what you love in the future, I urge you to keep persisting with whatever that might be.

Last night I had an online dance class, and we talked for over an hour about all sorts of things, but one statement stuck with me – it was that, everyone is saying what we can’t do, but very rarely are they encouraging us to do what we can do.

You can’t have more than five people in the same house at the same time, you can’t cross state borders, you will be fined for breaking the rules of this period.

It is all good and well giving instructions on what everyone can’t do, because then we know our restrictions, but part of the reason some people break those rules is because they haven’t thought about what they can do, aside from going out to exercise, shopping for necessities.

Generally, if you don’t say it, people don’t think it, and then the only source of entertainment is sitting on the couch drinking beer and watching the footy, or having the excruciating urge to go and see your grandma in Sydney, while you’re in the Northern Territory.

Especially for me as a dancer, I hear constantly from local studios that are also in lockdown whining about how students, seniors even, can’t focus for more than an hour on a zoom call, and then my class is there busting our chops for three hours straight with our teacher in front of us on a tiny screen doing it with us.

It doesn’t matter what situation you are in, there is always another choice, and another alternative. For example, in a dancing context again, one of the girls in my class has to dance in her garage, and she said; “well I obviously can’t jump, so I’ll work on my turns instead!” We all have a different situation to handle, but there are pro’s and con’s to everything.

I am reminded of the saying, “we are all in the same boat”… Well, we are not. Some people live in tiny rental properties, some live in three storey mansions. Some people live in a trash heap, and some live on a private island. The truth is, everyone isn’t in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm. We all have the same global crisis to deal with, but we don’t all have the perfect tools to be perfectly accustomed to it.

We are not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm…

But that doesn’t matter. Not when you love something more than life. If you are an artist, who has gone out of business because no-one can come to your gallery, set up a kick-ass website and show your stuff on there. If you are a hairdresser who’s cramped up in a two room apartment with your daughter, be smart with spending your money, and practise doing hairdresser things on your daughter.

If you are a dancer who lives for the praise of others, the applause of an audience and the hard sweat and tears you share with your teammates when in a class, get ’em on a facetime call and shed your sweat and tears with them so you can complain about being sore the next day and know that they are feeling the exact same way! Or if you don’t have enough space, and your room is the size of a toilet, fling your leg up on the wall (but don’t scratch it) and stretch like nobodies business!

Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to say is that, we all have problems, but it is the way we adapt and deal with them that sorts the men out from the boys. So remember to stay positive during these uncertain times, work hard, sweat hard, paint hard, whatever, just stay passionate and know that even if it takes a while, life will return to normal – eventually.

Posted on by Emma · 1 Comment

Little Women

Hello Guys! Sorry again (rolls eyes in frustration at writer’s inconsistency) for not posting for a while, again (excuses, excuses) I have had a lot going on, and barely any time to post.

Completely off topic and random, I’m really annoyed with storybird at the moment because it made it so you have to have this weird crown like things to be able to publish, and you have to pay to get them, so since I am clearly not committed enough to pay for a membership, I just had to let it go! (By the way, if any of you use storybird my “old” username was PeTs12, so totally go follow me even if I don’t use it anymore.)

This post is basically just gonna be a reflection of Little Women – the movie, I’ll do a reflection of the book when I’ve read it. (I only watched the movie first because it was on in the local cinemas and I really didn’t want to miss it, and I didn’t even have the book until my mum pulled it out and said “surprise”, but I knew that I am not the fastest reader, so I decided to go and see it before it was out of the cinemas, and then read the book to compare!)

Severe warning: do not read any further if you do not desire to have a spoilt experience of reading the book or watching the movie, because this next section has censored information about both Daybreak and Little Women.

From the writer of this blog post

Reflection

I thought that Little Women was one of the best movies I had ever seen and I thought that the girls who played the four main characters (Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy) really embraced the role and portrayed the young and stubborn kind of young women they were meant to be, like all good actors should.

A similar situation to this would be the 2003 original Broadway cast recording for Wicked, because they really matched the characters to the voices; a great example in the same show is Idina Menzel (Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda), because even though you couldn’t see their acting, you could tell from their singing the objective they were trying to put across.

I noticed a similarity between Little Women and a TV series I’m watching at the moment called Day Break. I thought it was interesting in the fact that Turbo from Daybreak (The leader of the Jocks, and the star sports person – don’t judge me, I honestly don’t know the difference between football and soccer!) is quite similar to all four girls, but especially Beth, in Little Women.

So let’s start with Turbo’s story. So after his mum died, his father decided he needed to do more to help the world, which focused more on dying children. Right before the homecoming game, (I’m not American, so I’m not quite sure what that means, so don’t judge my language usage!) his not-around-much dad gives him a little action figure that he later uses as a signal to terminate someone.

Unfortunately, Turbo reveals that this is a common case in terms of softening the pain of never seeing his dad. A tiny bit like the bribes Principal Burr was taking, but not as sinister. When Turbo doesn’t show too much enthusiasm, he explains to his dad: “Well, dad, it’s not that I’m too old for it, it’s that you only give me presents when you leave.”

It is then that the similarities between these two very different shows begin. When Turbo explains to his dad indirectly that he wants him to be there for him, his dad explains very reasonable and confronting excuses for not going to an important game for his only kid.

So his flight left in something like two hours, and if he stayed to watch the three hour game, that would mean it would be a sixteen hour delay until he could get on the next plane to wherever he’s going. According to him, a sick kid died around every “x” amount of minutes, so he guilted Turbo into reluctantly accepting and tolerating his departure, using the: “either I come to your game, and a whole bunch of kids die because I’m not there, or I go and save the children (that’s his little phrase). It’s your choice” method.

I can think of two scenarios in Little Women where this is valid.

The first one is when the mother makes her girls give up their breakfast as a Christmas Gift to a women with dying and starving children. I know this isn’t really as important or extreme as the other one, and it is pretty good training for the girls’ moral points, but I still wanted to include it.

The family is already pretty poor, as a lot of people were in those days, and their Christmas Breakfast was quite extravagant and exciting for them, because being poor, they probably weren’t able to spend money on presents and amusements like such. And the mother kind of used the same strategy as Turbo’s father, just less confronting, saying: “well, this is what your own father would want you to do.” But in any case, it turned out to be a good experience anyway, because their wealthy next door neighbour noticed their kind charity and decided to donate them an even richer breakfast, which I think Jo was really looking forward to, as she used the term, I could eat a horse, which, was very un lady like, may I say.

The second example was when she (the mum) was at the little donating store, giving out blankets and stuff, right after she said she had definitely not done her bit for society, while Beth was sick. This bit was very interchangeable between the first and third scenarios was the fact that the parents were kind of sacrificing their kids to help everyone else.

So while Beth was at home dying, the mum stayed there trying to help everyone else who were in similar or worse situations. (Not that I have anything against her, I mean JO felt like she had it all under control, which was why the mother – I’m referring to her like that because I don’t know her name – didn’t come home until Beth was knocking on heavens door.

And while Turbo was trying to enjoy the game of his life, (you know, until the bomb exploded and the world ended) sadly distracted by the fact that he had no-one there to support him, except for his mindless fans, and his friends who were playing along with him, his dad was busy overseas trying to save the world and make it a better place by “saving the kids”. The only kid he didn’t save was the one he was formally responsible for.

So basically, if I were to continue with this reflection, it would just be a praise for every second of the movie, and because I have gotten all the important stuff out of the way, I am going to leave it at that so you don’t completely hate me for my lack of being concise!

Anyway, feel free to leave any comments on your opinion or if you want to add anything completely random about another thing you’ve noticed about Little Women, and I would love to hear feedback and constructive criticism on how to make my writing more interesting! But remember, nothing mean or aggressive, or there will be consequences.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this post, and I hope you will come and visit my post again! Until next time, with love, Emma!