I grew up on a military base. My father was a retired General, and for 21 years, we lived in the camp. Along with other military brats, I grew up much as every kid did in my time. We played in the streets. The whole camp was our playground, and within this gated community, we were free to roam. The initial appeal of the Korean Drama Series, Reply 1988, was the relatability it presented (especially to me). IOf course, I did not grow up in an alley like Ssanmun-dong. In the first scene, the five friends are seen gathered in a room. There were four boys and a girl who pretty much was one of the ..read more

Say, “Hey!”, if you’ve been forced into an LDR due to the pandemic. The truth is that so many couples have been put in an unexpected (and prolonged) long-distance relationship status due to the threat of Covid-19. So, if you’re going through the same thing, then you understand it when I say that I’m frustrated and hopeless. My boyfriend and I have always been in an LDR status. I am based in Manila (which is in the Northern part of the Philippines). He is a military officer, moving around the country (and currently is assigned in the South). Pre-pandemic, I would travel to see him (almost ever ..read more

We have always had dogs in the house. At one point we had over a dozen of them running around the house and it was chaotic–yet fun. Loving a dog is natural to me, but it’s different when you have dogs at home, and when you actually take the charge in caring for one. The first time I ever took care of a dog, was after I got separated. I was living on my own, and one of my favorite dogs had just given birth, so my mom suggested that I got one of Gigi’s puppies. Binky was with me for two years and a half, but she died tragically. While walking to buy bread with our helper, they were both attacke ..read more

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1: 19-20 My family calls me hysterical. Since we’re talking about responding vs reacting, my papa always scolded me for raising my voice and throwing a tantrum in the middle of an argument. I was quite a “drama queen” growing up. When I get frustrated, I cry and I go on a heavy defensive. Didn’t William Shakespeare say, “If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not la ..read more

I’ve always liked Coldplay and Chris Martin. I love the poetry in his music and his voice, of course. So the song in my head for today is an old Coldplay favorite that I first encountered in, Wicker Park. Do you know that movie? It’s about a guy and girl who falls in love–and another girl who maneuvers herself into their two worlds, to keep them apart. Seeing each other again, years after, and wrapped in their personal entanglements, they wonder if they can reset love. To pick up where they left off, and get rid of everything that came in between. I think many of us who have fallen in love be ..read more

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Clock ticks. Eyes open. Darkness. Early morning sleeplessness Wide awake and alive The deafening sounds of nothingness Envelop me Lying awake sleepless Staring at the wall Every breath I take I feel nothing at all Troubled mind and sleepless Counting sheep in my head My beating heart thuds aloud Like a marching band My thoughts are raging aggressively As I lie awake in silence Questions cascading rapidly Like a waterfall of dread Clock ticks. Sun rises. Sleepless. The post Sleepless Nights appeared first on The Things I Have to Say ..read more

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Clock ticks. Eyes open. Darkness. Early morning sleeplessness Wide awake and alive The deafening sounds of nothingness Envelop me Lying awake sleepless Staring at the wall Every breath I take I feel nothing at all Troubled mind and sleepless Counting sheep in my head My beating heart thuds aloud Like a marching band My thoughts are raging aggressively As I lie awake in silence Questions cascading rapidly Like a waterfall of dread Clock ticks. Sun rises. Sleepless. The post Sleepless Nights appeared first on The Things I Have to Say ..read more

Have you ever gone on a road trip? I’m not talking about 1 or 2-hour trips to go out of town. I am talking about travels on the road that goes on for days. Ever since I started working as a missionary, I’ve become quite accustomed to long haul trips, so I’ve mastered sleeping on the road–army trucks included. “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” John Steinbeck The most expansive road trip I’ve been on took me from the northern part of the Philippines and all the way down to the south. As you know, my country is made up of several islands, so to be able to do that, we had to go throu ..read more

Have you ever gone on a road trip? I’m not talking about 1 or 2-hour trips to go out of town. I am talking about travels on the road that goes on for days. Ever since I started working as a missionary, I’ve become quite accustomed to long haul trips, so I’ve mastered sleeping on the road–army trucks included. “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” John Steinbeck The most expansive road trip I’ve been on took me from the northern part of the Philippines and all the way down to the south. As you know, my country is made up of several islands, so to be able to do that, we had to go throu ..read more

Whether you watch it for the story, the handsome men (or women), the tears; or you adore it for giving you butterflies in your stomach, KDrama has been helping people go through the pandemic. I saw a handful of Korean Dramas before, the first being Boys Over Flowers because I sincerely adored Meteor Garden. Years later, I fell in love with Descendants of the Sun. I imagined it as my love story. A doctor falling in love with a military man while working in the field. Every time I watched something, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Unfortunately, I couldn’t watch KDrama and write at the same time, so I ..read more