Cool parents are cool

   "Cool parents are cool."

   That phrase has been into my mind five years ago, several months before I entered college. Actually, I don't know how to start and connect that phrase into what has been rolling in my mind.

   I had encountered a Social Science professor before from the university where I studied Hospitality Management. Every first day of a new semester, he always asked the students to how was their daily life inside their home and describe their parents in front of the class.

And as usual, they describe how persevering, caring, loving their parents are. Some describe themselves as the rebel kid, some are the brats and some are the breadwinners and the parents' apple of the eye.

   But in this kind of conversation inside the class, you will know who value the relationship inside the family, who know the meaning of the word "home" and the people who know how to understand their parents.

   Every child stands for everything-freedom, independence, self expressions, etc., but not all the kids, especially nowadays, can do everything they want inside their own home. Instead of having the self contentment and happiness, they look outside their home and satisfy themselves (friends, work, hobbies, etc.). 

   Some students are open to the idea of a solid friendship inside the home, just few students are close to their family and most choose to get much closer to their friends instead of their brothers/sisters or parents.

   And in this kind of conversation brought me into the realization of how lucky I am at home.

Together forever

   I know that we weren't a perfect family and both my parents has been into a not-so-good past, but that doesn't mean we can have a happy and festive life.

   I am much closer with my family instead of my friends, not because I am not that friendly, but because I just felt more freely to be me than with my friends though I am always been pressured at home.

   "My parents are cool."

   That's how I started my speech in front of the class when it was already my turn. I remember I was the only student who describes parents the way like I was just about to describe a friend.

   They are cool, for real. They are more likely a friend a parent. They are not as complicated and strict unlike others.

   Where would you find parents who buys a gaming software, not because you asked to, but because he wanted to get the trophy first before you? They are is super cool as always. He supported my brother's addiction to online gaming in a good way he can, and now my brother is a less addicted to gaming because he always lose when papa joins the game. They are supportive as always. He supports our craziness as well. Sounds crazy? It's like when you were tripping with a friend.

    The realization during that moment was the best part of being me, knowing that I value my family the way I value my life and everything that's important to me and the presence of a strong communication and bond between us kids and our parents.

    They are the best friends in the form of parents.
 

Goth Curiosity

    I've been into the web for a little while (while for me means a year) browsing for cool stuffs and such when a picture of a lady in a Victorian dress captured my attention. That was a year ago, actually. That's when I first encountered the Goth culture. I don't know why, but was, and still, fascinated by these people. From then, on, I started reading a lot about them and the culture itself.

     I was chilling over the cold weather last night when my curious mind started to do a crazy brainstorming about random questions and suddenly an idea pop-out of nowhere. I had written once about my experience about being a goth to improve myself in Goth enlightenment: The light side of the dark chasers. I know this is crazy, but I want to know I other feel the same way that I felt when I choose to be one.

    I hope there would be someone who landed in my page (aside from those who I sent invitation to answer my freaking idea) by accident and answer my curiosity.

1. What does Goth culture and being a Goth means to you?
2. People mostly believed that the Goth culture is into dark and death, etc. If you have a chance to shout something in their faces about the POSITIVE things that Goth culture had brought to you, what it is and why?
3. What positive and good things does the Goth culture had brought to you that change you as a person?
4. Why did you choose to be a Goth?
5. Does being a Goth is another way of self-expressionism?
6. My parents said: "Goths are cool. But, please stop playing funeral songs." Do you agree in the first sentence?
7. My sister says: "Goths wears cross. But, they're into dark things and such... Do they believe in God?" Do you? 

     I hope I don't offend any from the culture by my questions. And, if by any chance, you spare a time and post an answer, I will send my gratitude in advance.

A life worth living: Things people should do to make life worth living

   
    We don't have an eternal life, but we do have a life to live, reasons to continue living and enjoy the happiness that life could bring.

    I know it is a kind of crazy (and I mean, for some, it will be really insane to say) that I have fascination for death and afterlife and... More things about death. Lately I have been roving around the web searching for things like "Things to do before you die" or "How to kill yourself" Too much insanity for an introduction, right? That's when I realize "Why not make a list of things to make life worth living?"

    People live every day in a time where the clock is hurrying to tick. Everyone is rushing to do things as a part of their every day living, we forgot to notice the simple, yet important things around us. We miss the moments that can make us more human and when the moment we start to look for a place for ourselves, we realized everything is too late for us. Simple, yet important, what are those? Missing a big sale on the mall? Saying no to a slice of double cheese pizza because you're on a diet? Shopping with your mom or small talk while fixing tires with your dad? Yeah, right! Simple and small moments, these are things that can make us complete, but we always missed on our lives because we always set them aside.

Source: Happy moments

   I'm not planning to do the killing or dying thing--I'll be busy on listing simple things instead. Simple things we always missed or we always planned to do, but we don't know how to. A list that is more than being list (Huh?). It's like writing a bucket list and bringing it into life.

Goth enlightenment: The light side if the dark chasers

    This is Philippines. No Goths around. . .


    How weird to hear that there are just few here in my country who knows about the goth genre. They know punks, those people who do Mohawks and black muscle T-shirts and nose piercings and head banging concerts and esophagus tearing noises (that's how non-punks understand the way punks do). They know Emo, those kids who do literally hurt themselves to say they are one and wear bondage over it and wear black and white sweat shirts or stripy polo's under 28'C temperature every day(Again, that's how non-emo's understands the way the Emo's do). But they know no goth.

    I was in my high school days when someone notice my everyday get-up attire and asked me if I were a goth. I thought he was talking about the architectural designs of the late era. I never wear any dress color aside from the color black unless it is my uniform which happens to be all white and partially green. After having a small conversation with that guy, I wondered, am I goth?

    But the dress is not the issue.

    I've been reading for almost many blog sites including goth blogs. And what catches my attention are these questions: "Are you goth enough?", "how to be a goth?" etc. It's the typical questions from the baby bats (referring to a newbie goth) and confused and those who are having issues being one. Some preferred to show they are one by the way they project themselves to others, some to fashion and some... They just do it the way they wanted.

    This time, I'm not going to answer these questions, but I'm going to pull the light side of the thing they called the dark and the GOTH. (I hoped my pre-med psychology course background will help)

    For non-goths who are aware of the goth culture, they say it is a satanic thing that we kids (did I say 'we'?) shouldn't follow. For some it is a deep, dark culture that we must explore. For my parents, it is a "just-do-what-you-want" thing. And for me, it is the greatest, so far, challenge that I encountered.

    Challenge. Why did I called it a challenge? Let's just say that being a goth is a trait, and this trait is definitely the opposite of me.

    I got fascinated over these gorgeous lady goths who wears Victorian dresses and those state of the art make up by Adora Batbrat. But I can't do that. I can't make myself look like that. Not because I can't, but I'm not able to.

    Now I see, confidence. Goth, not dark at all

    It takes courage to make yourself goth enough, confidence to say you are goth enough.

    There is creativity because every goth shows their uniqueness through their cloths, make-up accessories etc.

    There is FREEDOM. You heard it right. Freedom. I always thought that Goths are free souls. They do what they wanted without hurting anyone even themselves. They are free to express their feelings in a way--in any way-that only themselves can do. Though they seem like they are always so deep and dark and creepy or... what words they used to describe themselves, they always seem so free, free to do all the thing they want amidst the critics they get from the people who can't appreciate the art of being a goth.

    You just don't have to be goth outside, but also inside. Being goth (for me) is how this trait shows the real you and how you feel inside, without hiding or concealing the real aspects of yourself.

    To be honest, to realize and internalized that I (and everyone) possessed this trait taught me to come out of my shell (yes, I thought of it as a trait) and say what I feel inside without actually saying it. Everybody possessed this trait unknowingly same as the other traits you can find in the dictionary. But the question is are you able to pull this trait out of your hidden self and confidently say: "I am that one".