Saturday, December 30, 2017

My 2017 in Quotes

photo by Kyle Glenn
I think that there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives. - RJ Palacio
Appreciation is very important but sometimes it's something we forget to do. I have to admit, I'm guilty of this. I made sure to say thank you at all times this 2017 but sometimes I forget to really appreciate and to be more genuine.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. - Oscar Wilde
All of us face challenges in life but some of us are aiming high, despite of the struggles we have, we strive to remain positive and focus in achieving our goals. I may have lost sight of my goal in the early months of this year but I remembered them again around the middle of the year and I've been trying to hold on to them and taking the steps to achieve them.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It's what the sunflowers do. - Helen Keller
I've been practicing positivity in my life and it helped a great deal in my life. Being optimistic helps me to not be overtaken by negativity and bad thoughts. To not look back at the past and to face life forward.

If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you're not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later. - Richard Branson  
Grab the opportunities that are given to you, they are rare and fleeting. There are so many times that these come to me but I usually avoid them because I get afraid of not being able to accomplish them because I do not know how to. I'm still in the process of learning and I've come to realize that we will never actually know how unless you try to do it.

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses. - Alphonse Karr
Sometimes, when we see things in a different perspective, we learn to be more happy in life :)


What quote describes your 2017?

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Sea of Strangers by Lang Leav | Review


This is the first poetry book I read by Lang Leav (aside from the few poetry in Love & Misadventure my friend read to me, the quick pages I scanned in book stores, and the book Sad Girls) and I wasn't disappointed. 

It contained the words of heartbreak, love, and life. A mix of prose and poetry yet I enjoyed the prose the most because they really bring out the emotions in you. 

However, I slowed down reading in the middle of the book because some of them were quite repetitive and they sort of reminded me of poetry I'd see in my Facebook feed (don't get me wrong, I like some of them which is why I still follow the pages) but it did achieve staying in my mind as I try to sleep at night, her words were so relatable, simple, and raw.

This made me want to buy her previous books and not just read it on book stores. I would recommend this to people who enjoy reading modern poetry, Rupi Kaur, Atticus, and many more.


 Meant to be
If they were meant to be in your life, nothing could ever make them leave. If they weren't, nothing in the world could make them stay. 

Rating: 3/5
Genre: Poetry 
Goodreads and Amazon (available January 9, 2018) 




Many thanks to Lang Leav, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange of an honest review. 



Have you read any of Lang Leav's works? What did you think of them? What are your favorite poetry books?


Saturday, December 2, 2017

5 Thought-Provoking Short Films

I was watching in YouTube yesterday, going through music videos to trailers to vlogs and to travel videos, until I arrived to the short films. Eventually, I moved to Vimeo because they had more quality shorts which were easy to find (staff picks!! though make sure to visit the recent ones too because some are hidden gems.)

I've picked out five films I really enjoyed the most and that also got me thinking about life, I really recommend watching them! I've added a few descriptions and thoughts because I don't want to give away what happens in the story. I watched these without knowing what was going to happen and I think that's the best way to do so.

So in no particular order (you may click the title to be directed to the short film on Vimeo): 



Eggplant by Yangzhi She 
A very beautiful animated short film. It tells a story about a boy who was born with facial expressions that deliver the opposite of what he's truly feeling. This made me tear up because I could feel what he felt about what others thought of him, how what he does isn't the "norm" to society. Through this, I realized how being different is what makes each of us beautiful.




Trial by The Brothers Lynch
The transitions in this short are gold!! (Especially the mirror scene, really amazed how it transitioned at that part.) It shows the story of a paralyzed soldier who was offered an opportunity to transfer his mind to a new body.




Lifeline by Sam Jones
One of my all time favorites, Lifeline! I've previously written about this a few months ago which can be read here, but I'm mentioning it again because it's something really worth it to watch! This film portrays how a desperate mother will do anything for her son and how she puts her morality to a test. MUST WATCH.




Dissonance by Till Nowak
I really like how this film was a combination of live action and animation, a really stunning work of art! This is about a talented musician and how his world blurs between his imagination and reality.




Happiness by Steve Cutts 
So sad and yet absolutely true! If you have five minutes to spare, this is something I'd recommend you to watch, it is a film that shows what the world is turning into nowadays. At the end you'd ask, what does happiness really mean?





Have you watched any of these short films? What did you think of them?

What are your favorite films?
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