Author: wordhues

Gifts out of Love

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In one of the earlier prompts I have mentioned that the best gift that one could give me was their time. But moving on to a much tangible level, I think the best gifts I have received were those that were given out of love.

My sister has got me so many things over the years. She never said yours and mine. I got to get everything she owned. But I think the best thing she has given me was helping me understand the plot of Nancy Drew, Secret Seven, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter and so many other books. Basically, she introduced me to the world of magic in books. My sister is my sounding board, I can ask her all the weird questions my mind can come up with but she will find me an answer. When I was smaller and couldn’t read all that well she used to read the books and then explain the story in vivid details that I could just picture the whole story in my mind.

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One of my closest friend got me a coral jewelry set. At that age I was really fascinated by fashion jewelry and though we were not allowed to wear any to school. She remembered. From the many conversation that we have over our lunch boxes. She took the time to pick out something I would like and gift it to me. That was the first time that someone had gifted me something on my birthday. But she gave me something even more precious, a greeting card that she made on her own with the pictures of our group of friends. It’s been a decade since she gave it to me but I still have it with me, taking it along every time I move houses. And the end of the day she gave me her time.

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Another friend of mine, who is more closer to family than friend did something very unexpected. She dragged me to the shop to but me a pair of good shoes. And mind you they were not good shoes per “my standards”, it had to be good shoes according to her standards. She said she wanted me to get those shoes cause she saw me in pain. She said it is one less pain that I had to bear.

So to summarize, anything tangible or intangible, given out of love, is the best gifts I have received.

Daily writing prompt
Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.
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Break it out!

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I am not really good with money. Either I spend too much or spend too little.

When I got my first job the pay wasn’t all that great. So, for two year I saved nearly 80% of my salary. Choosing to limit my spending on things for myself. I took only what I need to meet my monthly expenses. I never went out to eat or took trips or for that matter buy things that I really wanted. Every six month from the amount I saved from my expenses I used to splurge on something nice.

My second job really changed things for me. I had a better pay and I also ended up with friends who loved to splurge. I had zero savings and spent a lot on things that I only dreamt of buying at one point.

But experience makes all the difference. I realized that I only spent on things that were part of the short term things that I wanted. A new dress, new stationary, new headphones…. but now I have learnt to stop with the impulse buying.

These are the things that I do to effectively use my pay:


a. Savings/ Investment – I block out a portion of my salary either create deposits or invest in the markets. These are usually auto payments and are charged within the first week of my salary credit. By doing so, I feel I limit myself on the unnecessary expenditure.

b. Utilities – I then segregate amounts that will be part of my monthly expenses such as utilities, groceries, subscriptions, credit bills, etc. These are the expenses that are mostly fixed which cannot be avoided at any cost.

c. Savings for Future Fees – Since I am also still studying I need to allocate a portion of my income so that on the due date of payment I have enough to cover the cost of my fees.

d. Spending – I allocate a certain amount each month for spending on non-essential items. It could be for eating out or buying a new dress. However, once this allocation is over I am done. No more spending in the month.

e. Round up amount – In the end of the month if I do have some savings either divert it towards my course fees or the the investment.

I may be doing something right and most of it wrong but for now I am sticking with this till I figure out a better method. I am still learning.. I see a lot of videos on how to best manage my finances and am trying to change certain aspects of my methods.

Given, that I am a student of finance it does require me to get my own accounts in order before helping others with their finances. So here’s to trying!

Daily writing prompt
Write about your approach to budgeting.
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Not Enough

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Patriotism… The word in itself invokes feelings to the land to which you were born.

Am I patriotic? Now that for that I need a minute to consider it. Do I love my country? Of course yes! Without a doubt. I have lived abroad so I know what it means to come home. It mostly noticed that the ones that do not get to live in their home country are the ones that appreciate it.
Given that, I know my country has it’s flaws it is still will be my home and I love my home.

When I think of true patriotism I think it stems from working for your country. I have a brother in the military and when he speaks about our country I see his eyes sparkle. I see true pride in his eyes and I don’t think the country is ever on the back burner in his mind. For him country and it’s people are first. To him, the whole nation is his family. He would give up everything if it meant the country could get better.

In comparison, I think I am a passive patriot. I have feelings of pride at the Olympics and International sports events or when the anthem is played. However, that is the limit to which I understand the patriotism feeling. But maybe someday, I will do something that will bring pride to my nation.

Daily writing prompt
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
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Maybe or Maybe not?

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Unintentional? Considering I am quite well verse with all the rules and regulations of the country I doubt I would even know that I have broken the law.

But intentionally, I have done my fair share of rule breaking. I have once jumped a traffic signal when the light had just turned red. I just didn’t want to wait for the signal to turn green again. Done once, but regretted it ever since then.

Jay walking, I do that on a regular basis. Not really something to be proud about but almost all the time my laziness just kicks in.

Come to think of it, I may have broken many other laws as well but “Ignorance” is sometimes bliss. What I don’t know will not bear on my conscious.

The only law or rather rule I live by is don’t do to others what you do not want happening to you. To those that deserve it, return with interest but not malice.

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?
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Unscripted

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My whole life has been on the principle of “Let’s wing it!”. Ironically, I have attended so many sessions that were around planning and organizing to achieve future goals. However, I still have not learnt the art of setting goals and achieving them.

If there was a biography, the whole book would talk about how without any sort of planning and fore thought I have taken up the most biggest challenges of my life.

Despite all odds, I have attained what had I set out to. Meticulous planning, Dream boards, Goal setting may work for others but for me, “unplanned” works best.

I may not have anything written down and I may ended up taking longer than required, but I get there. Cheers to the ones that have no script to follow!

Daily writing prompt
If there was a biography about you, what would the title be?
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Marry My Husband

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The plot is an adaptation of the web novel of the same name. It follows the life of Kang Ji-won, a middle class working woman who is diagnosed with late stage stomach cancer.

She is portrayed as an ordinary woman – timid, hardworking and in simple terms the “not so popular”. She is married to Park Min-hwan, who was initially shown as a caring partner but changes since their marriage. Post the marriage he chose to quit his job and ended up being a burden to Ji-won. Things were just made worse by his mother who thought that her son could do nothing wrong and in turn pressurized Ji-won to work harder.

The stress takes it’s toll and she ends up falling sick. In those times her closest friend Jung Soo-min was her only companion when she battling with cancer. Her friend regularly visited her during treatments and encouraged her to fight.

Little did she know that her life was about to be turned upside down when she was sent back home from the hospital due to non payment of the hospital bills. When she arrived at home the scene in front was that of her husband cheating on her with her closest friend. They all the while were plotting a way to get rid of her to cash on the life insurance.

She threw a fit of rage on discovering the truth but neither of them regretted on what they did to her. They said “The living needs to keep on living” and in the scuffle pushed her sending her crashing to the floor. She saw her life drain out of her.

When she wakes up again she is back to the year 2013. To a time before she made all the wrong decisions in her life. Given the opportunity to change her fate, she now has to make the right choices to ensure a better future than the one she lived.

The series follows the changes she makes to enact her revenge on the ones that had killed her and all the while claiming her right to to a “Fairytale Happy Ever After”. With the help of her romantic interest Yoo Ji-hyuk who seems to be in a time loop of his own they sought to alter the present to make their future one in which they finally win.

In my opinion, it is a light-hearted revenge tale which is a nice break from reality giving the viewers the motivation that it is never to late to change their destiny.

A New Chapter

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When my parents were of my age I believe they had moved from the the phase of Married Couple to Parents.

Strange how we never realize how things are getting easier for at least some people. They whole lives were narrated by others. I could never imagine taking such a responsibility at this stage of my life. To be responsible for another life. To make them your priority. To maybe have to put your personal dreams on the back burner.

Many parents I think were not ready for it but still went head first into the unknown. They gave up on the lot of pleasures and luxuries and wore the cloak of responsibility. They built a life.. a better life for their children and were willing to put themselves through the wringer to do it.

Cheers to the parents who choose to love and sacrifice for a better world for their children!

Daily writing prompt
What were your parents doing at your age?
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The Glory

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

One of best portrayed TV series I have watched in a long time.

Part 1 and Part 2 of the Netflix series, inspired by true events, revolves around the life of Moon Dong-eun. She came from a broken home with a mother who had all but abandoned her. She cherished the dream of one day becoming an architect. She take to take odd jobs to survive and in the time that she had she studied hard. She is seen as a happy child before things took the turn for the worst.

On the other end of the spectrum, a gang of bullies. Park Yeon-jin, Jeon Jae-joon and Lee Sara came from wealth and had parents who threw money at anything that came in their children’s way. Accompanying them were Choi Hye-jeong and Son Myeong-o, though they were not well off like the others they were party to everything the other 3 did.

The storyline shows how over the course of the schooling years this gang of bullies ragged their fellow students and ruined their lives. They chose victims who were poor or from desolate homes. When the victims asked “Why Me?” Yeon-jin’s response was “Because I can and nothing will ever change for you”. That one statement shows that the bullying was not caused by an event but just for the pure pleasure of hurting someone.

Their bullying broke the protagonist Moon Dong-eun, but she sought to take revenge. She sought to change the what was told would never change. The whole plot is how she enacted her revenge on each of them for the crimes they had committed. The story also shows hope in a desolate circumstance through the love interest Joo Yeo-jeong.

Truly, a well scripted and picturized series worth the watch. The series awakens emotions in the viewers and drives you to join in the revenge plan of the protagonist.

Break the Mould

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Women before me have already fought most of my battles for me. I live in a privileged time where I can make my own choices and not be severely persecuted for that.

The laws have come a long way than what one could hope but there is only so much that laws can do. The only way that things can change is when people minds change.

Child Marriage: There are age limits in most countries but despite that kids get married at quite a young age. People end up saying it has been done before it wasn’t wrong then what is different now.

Laws against Acid Attacker/ Rapist: I know that most laws believes there is always a possibility that the person can recover their conscious. But I feel that it is unfair that the survivor have to live their rest of their life with the trauma. But the perpetrator after serving their time gets to get back to their life. I feel the victim needs to be given the right to decide the punishment.

Restrictive Rights: This not just about woman but about any class of people. I feel that all humans are created the same. If they have not done a crime why should their rights be any different from the next person.

There are so many other things that I feel could be better. However, I know that there a million things that need to fall into place for it to actually move in the right direction. Let’s all hope that we as humans learn to make the world a better place. A time where humanity is what rules everything and good laws just become habits.

Daily writing prompt
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
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Charming Chateau

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Well dreams has no limits and I always dream large. I used to read a lot of Classic Novels and I loved the way the homes of the characters were picturized through the author’s words.

If I could get my dream house forgetting all about the cost and maintenance involved I would want a Chateau. The large rooms with assigned names half of which I have not yet heard of, the long hallways in which could put a football field to shame, beautiful windows that end up being larger than some doors, the multiple floors that almost make you feel like you live in a resort.

— Picture of Château de Chambord

But closer to home, I want an apartment with 2 bedrooms, a living room, an office space, a nice kitchen and pantry, a balcony (which would mean it cannot be on the ground floor) and a bathroom with a nice tub.

To tell the truth, when I think of my dream home it’s size doesn’t really matter. I want it to be a place where I can decorate and nest with my personality. Where the walls can be filled with photos from my memories and each and every item is my choice. That is my true dream home!

Daily writing prompt
Write about your dream home.
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