I'm trying to make my blog more customized and professional looking. So from here on out, I shall be making gradual changes to my blog. I will eventually have a more professional looking layout, along with custom buttons and fonts.
Bear with me on the changes, please. I'm improving my design skills, along with creating a reader-friendly zone that's easy to maneuver. If you see anything out of place or that needs to be tended to, let me know in the comments~!
Also, if there's a button you'd like to see that's not here, feel free to leave that in a comment, too~!
Today's update: Social media share buttons on the bottom of posts.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Apologies and Updates
Annyeonghaseyo~!
To start off, I want to apologize to all readers for my sudden disappearance. I'm suffering with a pretty severe bout of depression right now and haven't had the inspiration or willpower to actually sit down and write. However, I shall share with you what I have been doing.
I tend to drown myself in my art and work when I go through a bad episode of depression. So far, I've made probably four or five different things and I've become really interested in vector art. It may look simple, but trust me, it isn't. Not by a long shot. One background took me four hours to make. For an even nicer one, it could take days. I'm now in the process of designing a flyer for a small bit of freelancing, and it's taken me hours to get it looking right. I'm still not finished.
That being said, I have been more active on deviantART lately (you'll see the link to my profile in the little box there to the right). I'll share a few examples of things I've done toward the end.
I shall attempt to come up with more topics to write about. If you guys have any suggestions on what you'd like to see (staying away from the subjects of politics and religion, please...), I would certainly welcome any feedback!
Also, critiques on my designs are highly welcome!
All of the following works are designed by Li Haneul and are licensed under a Creative Commons copyright. Modifications and commercial use of these designs are not permitted.
All of my works are also on deviantART. If you are a fellow deviant, feel free to drop by my page and give some feedback~!
~이하늘
To start off, I want to apologize to all readers for my sudden disappearance. I'm suffering with a pretty severe bout of depression right now and haven't had the inspiration or willpower to actually sit down and write. However, I shall share with you what I have been doing.
I tend to drown myself in my art and work when I go through a bad episode of depression. So far, I've made probably four or five different things and I've become really interested in vector art. It may look simple, but trust me, it isn't. Not by a long shot. One background took me four hours to make. For an even nicer one, it could take days. I'm now in the process of designing a flyer for a small bit of freelancing, and it's taken me hours to get it looking right. I'm still not finished.
That being said, I have been more active on deviantART lately (you'll see the link to my profile in the little box there to the right). I'll share a few examples of things I've done toward the end.
I shall attempt to come up with more topics to write about. If you guys have any suggestions on what you'd like to see (staying away from the subjects of politics and religion, please...), I would certainly welcome any feedback!
Also, critiques on my designs are highly welcome!
All of the following works are designed by Li Haneul and are licensed under a Creative Commons copyright. Modifications and commercial use of these designs are not permitted.
All of my works are also on deviantART. If you are a fellow deviant, feel free to drop by my page and give some feedback~!
~이하늘
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Learning Languages~
Annyeonghaseyo~!
For the past seven months, I've been learning a new language. For me, it’s been a bit tough, because I pick it up every now and then, and I don’t really stay consistent with my learning. It’s extremely important to be consistent in the language I’m learning, because Korean isn't an easy language to learn. To me, it’s easier to learn than a lot of languages, but that’s mostly because a high interest is peaked in learning this language. In fact, it’s pretty tough.
There’s the Hangul writing system (which isn't terribly hard to learn. I learned how to read and write the characters in about 30 minutes). Then there’s the language itself. It’s centered around a lot of vowels, and some sounds that native English speakers aren't used to making. There’s also the past, present, and future conjugations, as well as the “we, you, I, us, them, he, she” conjugations. That’s when you delve into the hard part.
So I’m writing this to help anyone who is trying to learn a new language. Some tips, hints, and places/websites to go may help out anyone who is trying to be fluent in a new tongue.
First, don’t try to learn multiple languages at once. I've tried to learn Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean all at once. Three different East Asian languages, each with their own characteristics. Though, I can’t count how many times I've mixed up words. I've also found myself saying the beginning of a sentence in one language, then ending it in another. Unless you have an amazing memory, and don’t mix things up easily, I suggest you focus on one language at a time. When you feel as if you’re quite well in it, move on to another (but don’t forget the one you learned!).
Continuous study is needed for learning a new language. I’m not saying you need to have your nose in a language book all day. Thirty minutes to an hour of language learning will help you be more proficient. Go on language learning sites like Livemocha (you have to have an account, but it's 100% free) to become more fluent. Don’t be afraid to mess up. You’ll mess up a lot in the beginning. But continuous practice helps you to become a better speaker.
Find a pen-pal. Pen-pals are amazing friends to have. No, you may not have met them in person, but they can help you learn a new language and learn about the culture. For people who are looking for pen-pals who speak Korean, you can go to PenpalKorea.com. I met so many people on there; they all help me with my language learning and are great friends. Also, keep in touch with them. There are many apps to message your friends in different countries. The two most important ones I (and many people in Korea) use are Line and KakaoTalk.
Don’t give up. Learning a new language is hard. It may seem like it’s easy at first, when learning phrases and random little words. Then you get to the conjugations and pronunciations, and you feel like you want to tear your hair out. If you don’t understand something, ask someone who speaks the language. Ask your pen-pals. Look it up. Research. Don’t just give up because it gets tough. Learning takes time, effort, and research.
Learn the essentials. When learning a new language, you don’t need to dive right in to conjugations and advanced grammar skills. Learn a few helpful phrases such as “how are you”, “my name is….”, “what is your name?”, “nice to meet you”, etc. Always learn the polite way to say things, especially if you are dealing with a language like Korean, which has multiple ways to say one word, depending on the politeness. Learn the essential “please”, “thank you”, etc., as well as “hello” and “goodbye”. These phrases are usually easy to remember, and will help you make more friends who speak the language. Also, learning the 150 most often used verbs will definitely give you a boost in learning the language.
Don’t just focus on phrases. At the beginning, learn essentials. But when you’re good at those, don’t just rely on a phrasebook, and don’t always ask your friends to be your walking translator. Research and start learning grammar rules once you feel as if you have essential phrases down. Once you begin learning the way a sentence is structured, learn conjugations (after you've learned the essential verbs). Once you know these conjugations and sentence structures, making a sentence in a new language won’t be as hard.
Learn about the culture. One mistake I've made in the past is trying to learn a language, while neglecting learning about the culture. You can’t learn a language without knowing the way people live or use certain words. There are some words in Korean that don’t quite translate over to English without sounding odd. There are certain customs in Korea that Americans don’t do. I was confused at first when I learned some of these words, such as “oppa” (오빠), "nuna" (누나), "hyeong" (형), and "eonni" (언니). I wondered why people were calling others “older sister” and “older brother” when they weren't even related. After doing research, I found out that it’s what you can call someone who is close to you, like a close friend. (This is the short explanation. For more info, research!) If I never wanted to learn the culture of this language, I never would have fully understood the explanation of these terms. Learning the history is part of it. I’m not a history person. Not at all. But I've found that learning a bit about Korean history has given me a greater love for their culture and language now.
Finally, apply it! Don’t just learn a new language and then set it on a shelf in your mind to collect dust. This is where having pen-pals comes in handy. Speak to them in their own language. Travel to a country that speaks that language. Get a job translating. Or, volunteer to subtitle videos in that language (or subtitle them in your own language if they are in a different language). Don’t just let your skills sit around. You’ll forget a lot of the words and phrases if you do that. Always apply the language in any way you can. Speak it to your friends. They may call you crazy, but you can get some extra practice in.
I hope this helped all the people who are trying the new adventure of learning a new language~! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! For all my readers, are you learning a language other than your own? Are you fluent in multiple languages? If so, which one(s)? Let me know in the comments!
~이하눌
Links:
For the past seven months, I've been learning a new language. For me, it’s been a bit tough, because I pick it up every now and then, and I don’t really stay consistent with my learning. It’s extremely important to be consistent in the language I’m learning, because Korean isn't an easy language to learn. To me, it’s easier to learn than a lot of languages, but that’s mostly because a high interest is peaked in learning this language. In fact, it’s pretty tough.
There’s the Hangul writing system (which isn't terribly hard to learn. I learned how to read and write the characters in about 30 minutes). Then there’s the language itself. It’s centered around a lot of vowels, and some sounds that native English speakers aren't used to making. There’s also the past, present, and future conjugations, as well as the “we, you, I, us, them, he, she” conjugations. That’s when you delve into the hard part.
So I’m writing this to help anyone who is trying to learn a new language. Some tips, hints, and places/websites to go may help out anyone who is trying to be fluent in a new tongue.
First, don’t try to learn multiple languages at once. I've tried to learn Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean all at once. Three different East Asian languages, each with their own characteristics. Though, I can’t count how many times I've mixed up words. I've also found myself saying the beginning of a sentence in one language, then ending it in another. Unless you have an amazing memory, and don’t mix things up easily, I suggest you focus on one language at a time. When you feel as if you’re quite well in it, move on to another (but don’t forget the one you learned!).
Continuous study is needed for learning a new language. I’m not saying you need to have your nose in a language book all day. Thirty minutes to an hour of language learning will help you be more proficient. Go on language learning sites like Livemocha (you have to have an account, but it's 100% free) to become more fluent. Don’t be afraid to mess up. You’ll mess up a lot in the beginning. But continuous practice helps you to become a better speaker.
Find a pen-pal. Pen-pals are amazing friends to have. No, you may not have met them in person, but they can help you learn a new language and learn about the culture. For people who are looking for pen-pals who speak Korean, you can go to PenpalKorea.com. I met so many people on there; they all help me with my language learning and are great friends. Also, keep in touch with them. There are many apps to message your friends in different countries. The two most important ones I (and many people in Korea) use are Line and KakaoTalk.
Don’t give up. Learning a new language is hard. It may seem like it’s easy at first, when learning phrases and random little words. Then you get to the conjugations and pronunciations, and you feel like you want to tear your hair out. If you don’t understand something, ask someone who speaks the language. Ask your pen-pals. Look it up. Research. Don’t just give up because it gets tough. Learning takes time, effort, and research.
Learn the essentials. When learning a new language, you don’t need to dive right in to conjugations and advanced grammar skills. Learn a few helpful phrases such as “how are you”, “my name is….”, “what is your name?”, “nice to meet you”, etc. Always learn the polite way to say things, especially if you are dealing with a language like Korean, which has multiple ways to say one word, depending on the politeness. Learn the essential “please”, “thank you”, etc., as well as “hello” and “goodbye”. These phrases are usually easy to remember, and will help you make more friends who speak the language. Also, learning the 150 most often used verbs will definitely give you a boost in learning the language.
Don’t just focus on phrases. At the beginning, learn essentials. But when you’re good at those, don’t just rely on a phrasebook, and don’t always ask your friends to be your walking translator. Research and start learning grammar rules once you feel as if you have essential phrases down. Once you begin learning the way a sentence is structured, learn conjugations (after you've learned the essential verbs). Once you know these conjugations and sentence structures, making a sentence in a new language won’t be as hard.
Learn about the culture. One mistake I've made in the past is trying to learn a language, while neglecting learning about the culture. You can’t learn a language without knowing the way people live or use certain words. There are some words in Korean that don’t quite translate over to English without sounding odd. There are certain customs in Korea that Americans don’t do. I was confused at first when I learned some of these words, such as “oppa” (오빠), "nuna" (누나), "hyeong" (형), and "eonni" (언니). I wondered why people were calling others “older sister” and “older brother” when they weren't even related. After doing research, I found out that it’s what you can call someone who is close to you, like a close friend. (This is the short explanation. For more info, research!) If I never wanted to learn the culture of this language, I never would have fully understood the explanation of these terms. Learning the history is part of it. I’m not a history person. Not at all. But I've found that learning a bit about Korean history has given me a greater love for their culture and language now.
Finally, apply it! Don’t just learn a new language and then set it on a shelf in your mind to collect dust. This is where having pen-pals comes in handy. Speak to them in their own language. Travel to a country that speaks that language. Get a job translating. Or, volunteer to subtitle videos in that language (or subtitle them in your own language if they are in a different language). Don’t just let your skills sit around. You’ll forget a lot of the words and phrases if you do that. Always apply the language in any way you can. Speak it to your friends. They may call you crazy, but you can get some extra practice in.
I hope this helped all the people who are trying the new adventure of learning a new language~! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! For all my readers, are you learning a language other than your own? Are you fluent in multiple languages? If so, which one(s)? Let me know in the comments!
~이하눌
Links:
- Line is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Nokia Asha, Firefox OS, Windows 8 PC, and Mac.
- KakaoTalk is available for iOS, Android, Nokia Asha, Blackberry, Samsung, Windows Phone, and Windows PC.
- PenpalKorea is a 100% free pen-pal website for global users.
- Livemocha is a free language learning website for global users.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
We're All Stories, in the End...
Annyeonghaseyo~!
As I'm writing this, it's Friday, May 23, 2014. (Yes, I'm about a week late in posting it...) I just witnessed my boyfriend graduating tonight, and as proud of him as I am, I was brought back to memories of my own graduation.
I graduated May 17, 2011. That night was one of the most memorable of my life, and I'll never forget it. It was a very emotional time, and a very important moment. Tears were shed (a lot of them), hugs were given (also a lot), and smiles were shared (more like huge grins). I remember how happy - and nervous - I was to walk across that stage and receive my own diploma. And the feeling afterward, that most everyone experiences: "What now?"
Milestones are important events in our life that stay with us forever. First day of kindergarten to graduating to getting married - those are moments never forgotten (well, maybe the first day of kindergarten. But your loved ones probably remember that). After these milestones happen, you have that "what now?" feeling. And all that can be said as an answer is "life". Life happens.
After a milestone begins something new. Think of life as a story. Your life is one long book, and each milestone is a new chapter. Not a blank slate, no. Just a continuation of events that will eventually lead to a whole novel. A novel of your life. The chapters of your story are all written by you. You're the author, the illustrator, the painter. You're the artist of your story.
Make your milestones memorable. Cherish them. Love the small things in life. Love people, and love yourself. Live for the moment. Carpe diem. Seize the day, because you never know if you'll get another one. Live each moment as if it were your last. This obviously doesn't mean go out and be continuously idiotic in your actions. If today were your last day, how would you want people to remember you? In your kind words, your caring heart, and your compassion?
Live, love, and laugh. Laugh a lot. A whole lot. Smiles are contagious, and can brighten your day. Laughter can make you feel better. Live for the moments that make you laugh.
Remember the ones who stayed by your side when you went through hell. When you were down, who helped you up and dusted you off? Keep those people by your side, and if they're gone, remember them. Never forget their smiles, their laughter, their hugs. Remember the kind words they gave you. Remember happy times. Memories are a powerful thing. Don't just focus on the bad memories. Not everyone has a happy life. But if you remember the things that made you smile, I'm sure you'll smile again.
Milestones, moments, and memories. We live for these three things. They make up your life, your story, your epic chronicle. As the author of our story, we need to remember the good, and live for the small happy moments. Live for happiness. Strive to give others the happiness you feel. Give a smile, a wave, a simple hello. You have no idea what kind of difference that may make in someone else's life. Be yourself. Don't hide behind this fake mask of "perfection". Make mistakes. Learn from them. Mistakes are part of life. Part of your story.
Most of all, love. Love with your heart open. You may get hurt, but it's worth it in the end. Love fiercely, and love with passion. Love with fire in your heart. Make your love burn and shine as bright as the sun. Love others with so much intensity, that they don't easily forget you. Make them remember you positively. Live and love in a way that brings a smile to someone's face when they hear your name.
Live your story. Write it eloquently, fiercely, and passionately, as a good author should. Live for the new chapters. Live for the memories. Live for the moments.
"We're all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?"
~이하늘
(Why yes, the quote did come from Doctor Who. Plenty of life lessons in that show...)
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Modesty? What's That?
Annyeonghaseyo~
I went shopping in Wal-Mart for clothes last week (yes, I shop at Wal-Mart. I'm broke.) and almost every item I saw was... well, let's just say it was half there. For men, it doesn't really seem like the style changes that much from year to year. But for women in the summer? It seems the clothes get smaller and smaller each year. Bathing suits are now tiny triangles that cover the intimate parts of skin, and t-shirts are becoming... not really t-shirts anymore. There's so many articles of clothing that have cut outs on the back and sides, and so many dresses now that show way too much skin. Do these girls have no modesty?
I went to shop for a summer dress in the mall (seeing as there were none in Wal-Mart) and I went to glance in Aeropostale. The modesty in there is starting to wear thin, too. Beginning with the Bethany Mota line. There's so many cut outs and backless dresses and shirts that show your stomach... Just so much immodesty now.
The immodesty has gotten to be so bad that it's almost impossible for my mother to find an appropriate swimsuit for my six year old sister. You hear that? She's six, and the clothing companies are producing skimpy bikinis and immodest shirts for her size. Now, when companies try to market "sexy" to six year olds, You know it's gone too far.
Now, I'm not saying to act like you're in 1950 and cover up all of your skin. I'm just saying that girls need to show more modesty. Don't they realize that by wearing less, they're giving (some, not all) guys initiative to try to do a bit more than just date? Yes, the human body is a beautiful thing. As an artist, I believe every individual is beautiful in their pure and natural self. But seeing as our community is not a nudist one, I believe that girls should have modesty. Not wearing shirts and shorts that are just barely passing for clothes.
While I'm on the subject of appearance, guys need to have more modesty as well. I know only a very few select men who are modest in their actions and appearance. Most other guys have their pants halfway to their ankles and their underwear showing. Note, guys: This is not attractive. At all. It just looks like you were too lazy or broke to buy a belt. Please pull up your pants; we don't all want to see what kind of Winnie the Pooh boxers you're wearing today.
Modesty is a beautiful thing. It isn't just in appearance. It's the way we act. I hear so many people (girls and guys) act despicable to someone just because they don't like them. I'll tell you, if I don't like someone, it doesn't matter. I will still treat them with respect. I will still talk to them. I'll still give them a smile. Because no matter what, I don't know their life story. I don't know what they've been through. I mean, a smile could be the thing they need to get through another day.
Modesty is humility. Not embarrassment. Humility. So many people now don't know what that word means. Humility is humbleness. Not bragging about yourself. It's the state of not thinking you're better than everyone else. I see so many people bragging about this or that, or treating someone like crap because they're "lower on the social scale". It's sad that we even have a "social scale". That just because not everyone knows your name, you're automatically branded a "loser" or "outcast". Yet, most of the "popular" crowd tend to be arrogant and will put someone else down in a heartbeat. Some have no sense of modesty.
Men and women need to use more modesty in their speech and actions. Don't talk bad about someone. Act as if you're meeting yourself for the first time and want to make a good impression. Don't act all puffed up with an ego as big as a planet. Having a big ego is like the opposite of modesty. Being selfish or conceited are two other things that don't show modesty. Put others first. Put yourself last. Treat others with kindness, respect, and sincerity, and I'm sure the same will be returned to you.
I should talk about respect, but that deserves a post all of its own. What do you think? Do you think people should show more modesty or is society fine the way it is? Let me know in the comments!
~이하늘
I went shopping in Wal-Mart for clothes last week (yes, I shop at Wal-Mart. I'm broke.) and almost every item I saw was... well, let's just say it was half there. For men, it doesn't really seem like the style changes that much from year to year. But for women in the summer? It seems the clothes get smaller and smaller each year. Bathing suits are now tiny triangles that cover the intimate parts of skin, and t-shirts are becoming... not really t-shirts anymore. There's so many articles of clothing that have cut outs on the back and sides, and so many dresses now that show way too much skin. Do these girls have no modesty?
I went to shop for a summer dress in the mall (seeing as there were none in Wal-Mart) and I went to glance in Aeropostale. The modesty in there is starting to wear thin, too. Beginning with the Bethany Mota line. There's so many cut outs and backless dresses and shirts that show your stomach... Just so much immodesty now.
The immodesty has gotten to be so bad that it's almost impossible for my mother to find an appropriate swimsuit for my six year old sister. You hear that? She's six, and the clothing companies are producing skimpy bikinis and immodest shirts for her size. Now, when companies try to market "sexy" to six year olds, You know it's gone too far.
Now, I'm not saying to act like you're in 1950 and cover up all of your skin. I'm just saying that girls need to show more modesty. Don't they realize that by wearing less, they're giving (some, not all) guys initiative to try to do a bit more than just date? Yes, the human body is a beautiful thing. As an artist, I believe every individual is beautiful in their pure and natural self. But seeing as our community is not a nudist one, I believe that girls should have modesty. Not wearing shirts and shorts that are just barely passing for clothes.
While I'm on the subject of appearance, guys need to have more modesty as well. I know only a very few select men who are modest in their actions and appearance. Most other guys have their pants halfway to their ankles and their underwear showing. Note, guys: This is not attractive. At all. It just looks like you were too lazy or broke to buy a belt. Please pull up your pants; we don't all want to see what kind of Winnie the Pooh boxers you're wearing today.
Modesty is a beautiful thing. It isn't just in appearance. It's the way we act. I hear so many people (girls and guys) act despicable to someone just because they don't like them. I'll tell you, if I don't like someone, it doesn't matter. I will still treat them with respect. I will still talk to them. I'll still give them a smile. Because no matter what, I don't know their life story. I don't know what they've been through. I mean, a smile could be the thing they need to get through another day.
Modesty is humility. Not embarrassment. Humility. So many people now don't know what that word means. Humility is humbleness. Not bragging about yourself. It's the state of not thinking you're better than everyone else. I see so many people bragging about this or that, or treating someone like crap because they're "lower on the social scale". It's sad that we even have a "social scale". That just because not everyone knows your name, you're automatically branded a "loser" or "outcast". Yet, most of the "popular" crowd tend to be arrogant and will put someone else down in a heartbeat. Some have no sense of modesty.
Men and women need to use more modesty in their speech and actions. Don't talk bad about someone. Act as if you're meeting yourself for the first time and want to make a good impression. Don't act all puffed up with an ego as big as a planet. Having a big ego is like the opposite of modesty. Being selfish or conceited are two other things that don't show modesty. Put others first. Put yourself last. Treat others with kindness, respect, and sincerity, and I'm sure the same will be returned to you.
I should talk about respect, but that deserves a post all of its own. What do you think? Do you think people should show more modesty or is society fine the way it is? Let me know in the comments!
~이하늘
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
I'm So Addicted...
Annyeonghaseyo~!
What am I addicted to, might you ask?
K-dramas.
Yep. K-dramas. For those who don't know what they are, they're Korean dramas. Mostly revolving around love or revenge, but they're (in my opinion) ten times better than most American dramas. (I say most because there's still some American dramas I like - Once Upon a Time, Switched at Birth, and Breaking Bad, for example)
But there's something about K-dramas that has me addicted. I'll find myself binge watching an entire season (which, most K-dramas have only one season, of about 16-21 episodes. More, if it's extremely popular) in a week. The quirky characters, the suspense, and the cliffhangers that are put at the end of EVERY episode draw me in even more. Yes, it is in a completely different language, but I believe that's another reason why I like it.
I love to be able to learn a bit about the culture (a bit - obviously, dramas aren't that true to life). I'm able to learn what this word means, what kind of food is popular, etc. I especially enjoy the historical ones, such as Faith and Dr Jin (both time travel related). I really enjoy supernatural type dramas such as My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, and My Love From the Stars (aka, My Love From Another Star). Supernatural and sci-fi have always struck my fancy, but I don't see many of those in K-dramas. Maybe the occasional body switcher (BIG and Secret Garden are examples) could be supernatural, in a way.
Other types I enjoy are some "gender benders" - where girls pretend to be guys to get closer to a guy they like, or for some other reason (such as becoming a pop star, filling in for a twin brother, etc.). Dramas like this are To the Beautiful You, You are Beautiful, and K-Pop Ultimate Survival. I could write a list of all the wonderful K-dramas I've seen, and I can't particularly pick a favourite. I suppose the most liked one is a tie between My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and To the Beautiful You.
My very first K-drama was BIG - where the minds of an older man and a young boy swap bodies after a car crash. Sometimes it's a "Murphy's Law set in motion" kind of drama, where everything that can go wrong, will. But I loved it, because usually K-dramas wrap up pretty nicely toward the end.
Though, there's one thing I can't stand in K-drama: the second male lead being... well, second. Usually, there's a love triangle in most dramas. It's just a thing that draws most people in. But, if you're going to make a love triangle, you're not supposed to have the female lead fall for the major jerk. The second male lead is almost always the sensitive, kindhearted one who will pick the heroine up when she's feeling down or help her in any way he possibly can to make her happy. But does she look twice at him? No! Okay, maybe in a couple of dramas does she actually look at the guy as a little more than a friend, but even then, only briefly. She still ends up with the major jerk who magically turns nice guy in 16 episodes.
Yet, despite that infuriating part of K-drama, I'm still addicted. I'm still sucked in. As of now, I'm still watching My Love From the Stars and Lie to Me, as well as occasionally watching K-Pop Ultimate Survival. My favourite? My Love From the Stars. For all my fellow addicted fans: kdrama.com is up and running, with a bunch of K-dramas (and more are continually being added. You can also send in suggestions).
Let me know if you lovelies would like me to do a review on a drama (which, I'll take by episodes, as they're about an hour long each), or if you'd like me to make a list of recommended dramas (and where they can be found). Let me know what you'd like in the comments~!
~이하늘
What am I addicted to, might you ask?
K-dramas.
Yep. K-dramas. For those who don't know what they are, they're Korean dramas. Mostly revolving around love or revenge, but they're (in my opinion) ten times better than most American dramas. (I say most because there's still some American dramas I like - Once Upon a Time, Switched at Birth, and Breaking Bad, for example)
But there's something about K-dramas that has me addicted. I'll find myself binge watching an entire season (which, most K-dramas have only one season, of about 16-21 episodes. More, if it's extremely popular) in a week. The quirky characters, the suspense, and the cliffhangers that are put at the end of EVERY episode draw me in even more. Yes, it is in a completely different language, but I believe that's another reason why I like it.
I love to be able to learn a bit about the culture (a bit - obviously, dramas aren't that true to life). I'm able to learn what this word means, what kind of food is popular, etc. I especially enjoy the historical ones, such as Faith and Dr Jin (both time travel related). I really enjoy supernatural type dramas such as My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, and My Love From the Stars (aka, My Love From Another Star). Supernatural and sci-fi have always struck my fancy, but I don't see many of those in K-dramas. Maybe the occasional body switcher (BIG and Secret Garden are examples) could be supernatural, in a way.
Other types I enjoy are some "gender benders" - where girls pretend to be guys to get closer to a guy they like, or for some other reason (such as becoming a pop star, filling in for a twin brother, etc.). Dramas like this are To the Beautiful You, You are Beautiful, and K-Pop Ultimate Survival. I could write a list of all the wonderful K-dramas I've seen, and I can't particularly pick a favourite. I suppose the most liked one is a tie between My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and To the Beautiful You.
My very first K-drama was BIG - where the minds of an older man and a young boy swap bodies after a car crash. Sometimes it's a "Murphy's Law set in motion" kind of drama, where everything that can go wrong, will. But I loved it, because usually K-dramas wrap up pretty nicely toward the end.
Though, there's one thing I can't stand in K-drama: the second male lead being... well, second. Usually, there's a love triangle in most dramas. It's just a thing that draws most people in. But, if you're going to make a love triangle, you're not supposed to have the female lead fall for the major jerk. The second male lead is almost always the sensitive, kindhearted one who will pick the heroine up when she's feeling down or help her in any way he possibly can to make her happy. But does she look twice at him? No! Okay, maybe in a couple of dramas does she actually look at the guy as a little more than a friend, but even then, only briefly. She still ends up with the major jerk who magically turns nice guy in 16 episodes.
Yet, despite that infuriating part of K-drama, I'm still addicted. I'm still sucked in. As of now, I'm still watching My Love From the Stars and Lie to Me, as well as occasionally watching K-Pop Ultimate Survival. My favourite? My Love From the Stars. For all my fellow addicted fans: kdrama.com is up and running, with a bunch of K-dramas (and more are continually being added. You can also send in suggestions).
Let me know if you lovelies would like me to do a review on a drama (which, I'll take by episodes, as they're about an hour long each), or if you'd like me to make a list of recommended dramas (and where they can be found). Let me know what you'd like in the comments~!
~이하늘
Monday, May 19, 2014
Blog Schedule~
Annyeonghaseyo~!
So, I'm trying to update more frequently, but I find myself running out of ideas too quickly. Instead, when I find an idea, I'll write the post, but schedule it for later. I may end up doing them just on Saturdays? What do you guys think?
I have one more post scheduled for tomorrow, so for this week, that may be it. I may just end up doing them once a week, to keep fresh ideas coming to mind. Saturdays seem good, but there may be another day that could seem convenient. I'll be working on the schedule to see how it goes, and I'll tweak it a bit until I find one that works for me.
Thank you to all my lovely readers~
Let me know any suggestions in the comments~!
Next post: Wednesday @ 1:00 pm, PST.
~이하눌
So, I'm trying to update more frequently, but I find myself running out of ideas too quickly. Instead, when I find an idea, I'll write the post, but schedule it for later. I may end up doing them just on Saturdays? What do you guys think?
I have one more post scheduled for tomorrow, so for this week, that may be it. I may just end up doing them once a week, to keep fresh ideas coming to mind. Saturdays seem good, but there may be another day that could seem convenient. I'll be working on the schedule to see how it goes, and I'll tweak it a bit until I find one that works for me.
Thank you to all my lovely readers~
Let me know any suggestions in the comments~!
Next post: Wednesday @ 1:00 pm, PST.
~이하눌
The Book Thief: A Review
Annyeonghaseyo~!
I've finally gotten around to writing another blog post. This one shall be a review of the movie, The Book Thief. It will mostly be movie biased, seeing as I have not read the book by Markus Zusak yet. Although, after seeing the movie, I believe that reading the book will be not far behind.
I shall start off by presenting the storyline. The Book Thief is set in Nazi Germany 1939. Liesel Meminger is a ten year old girl whose mother had to give her up for adoption, alongside her little brother. Due to sickness, she loses her brother on the way to the foster home and while digging a grave for him, finds a book entitled The Grave Digger's Handbook. So begins her journey for knowledge.
After her arrival at her foster home, she quickly bonds with her new Papa, and continues her search for more books and learning new things. Later on, she befriends a young Jew who takes refuge in her house to escape the Holocaust.
This movie is a touching story of a young girl who has a thirst for knowledge, and a love for her family and friends. Seeing as it's set in Nazi Germany, there is tragedy and death all around. Yet in the midst of all the disaster, this girl finds hope in books.
First, I'd like to say, I love the acting. Sophie Nélisse does an amazing job as Liesel, from my perspective. The actors made the characters believable to where I was even more entranced by the movie. One thing that I've noticed a lot of people don't like, is that they're speaking English, with a German accent - in Germany. Honestly, I like this aspect, as it would make it harder for some viewers to watch if it had subtitles (though, I still had to put subtitles on as sometimes the German accent was a bit thick and hard to understand). I love the storyline, as it's a very touching tale. Toward the end, I was trying to hold back tears.
The movie also shows a different side to the Holocaust: the Nazi's side. It shows that Nazi's weren't all born into hatred, and that they weren't made from hatred. Liesel shows that by cheerfully singing the Nazi anthem in one scene. Yet, she remembers her mother, which makes her hesitate.
Now, I'm obviously not a very good reviewer, because I find it hard to dislike things in a movie that I really like. I'll just end up listing all the good parts about it. But honestly, I think the movie was fairly well carried out. The only thing I had any problem with was understanding the accent at times. A couple of German words were thrown in for good measure, but it didn't take away from the story.
Do you guys have any other opinions? Different points that I didn't list? Let me know in the comments!
~이하눌
I've finally gotten around to writing another blog post. This one shall be a review of the movie, The Book Thief. It will mostly be movie biased, seeing as I have not read the book by Markus Zusak yet. Although, after seeing the movie, I believe that reading the book will be not far behind.
I shall start off by presenting the storyline. The Book Thief is set in Nazi Germany 1939. Liesel Meminger is a ten year old girl whose mother had to give her up for adoption, alongside her little brother. Due to sickness, she loses her brother on the way to the foster home and while digging a grave for him, finds a book entitled The Grave Digger's Handbook. So begins her journey for knowledge.
After her arrival at her foster home, she quickly bonds with her new Papa, and continues her search for more books and learning new things. Later on, she befriends a young Jew who takes refuge in her house to escape the Holocaust.
This movie is a touching story of a young girl who has a thirst for knowledge, and a love for her family and friends. Seeing as it's set in Nazi Germany, there is tragedy and death all around. Yet in the midst of all the disaster, this girl finds hope in books.
First, I'd like to say, I love the acting. Sophie Nélisse does an amazing job as Liesel, from my perspective. The actors made the characters believable to where I was even more entranced by the movie. One thing that I've noticed a lot of people don't like, is that they're speaking English, with a German accent - in Germany. Honestly, I like this aspect, as it would make it harder for some viewers to watch if it had subtitles (though, I still had to put subtitles on as sometimes the German accent was a bit thick and hard to understand). I love the storyline, as it's a very touching tale. Toward the end, I was trying to hold back tears.
The movie also shows a different side to the Holocaust: the Nazi's side. It shows that Nazi's weren't all born into hatred, and that they weren't made from hatred. Liesel shows that by cheerfully singing the Nazi anthem in one scene. Yet, she remembers her mother, which makes her hesitate.
Now, I'm obviously not a very good reviewer, because I find it hard to dislike things in a movie that I really like. I'll just end up listing all the good parts about it. But honestly, I think the movie was fairly well carried out. The only thing I had any problem with was understanding the accent at times. A couple of German words were thrown in for good measure, but it didn't take away from the story.
Do you guys have any other opinions? Different points that I didn't list? Let me know in the comments!
~이하눌
Monday, May 5, 2014
Depression and Anxiety: Experiences and Misconceptions
Annyeonghaseyo~!
I'll admit - it was really hard for me to accept the fact that I was struggling. It was even harder to come to terms with the thing I was struggling with: depression. Also, along with that depression came anxiety. These two things may not mean much to you, but to a person who suffers with them, they are their whole life. Or what seems like it.
A lot of people perceive depression as just a deep melancholy. Something easily gotten over if you give them time. But that's not the case. For those of you who think that it's not actually a mental illness, let me take you into the mind of someone who suffers from it.
I say suffer, because it's torture. Some people believe that those who suffer with depression want to be sad, but that's most certainly not the case. It's that we can't be happy. We try. We try really hard sometimes, but it doesn't work out in our favour.
Depression is a constant feeling of sadness, anxiety, and emptiness. It's more than just the kind of "hey, you'll get over it" sadness. It's a sadness that tortures us because more than half the time, we don't know where the sadness stems from. We don't understand why we're sad sometimes. It just happens. So, here's my personal experiences with depression.
Four years ago was when I knew my depression hit its peak. Back then, I didn't really realize I had depression. I hadn't heard a lot about it. I thought I was just unnaturally sad a lot; I felt I was a sad kind of person. I wasn't always sad, though. I still had happy times; I smiled and laughed a lot. But I still felt this emptiness. It didn't go away. During that time, I experienced some trauma. Because of this, my depression got worse - so bad, that I had resorted to cutting. It wasn't the kind of "I want to be popular with the emo-type kids" cutting. It was the kind that was "Physical pain is easier to manage than emotional pain, and it gets my mind off of my emotions".
Soon after, I started drowning myself in music, art, and books. It helped a little, until I started having suicidal thoughts. I had one friend that I met that helped me through that, and made me realize how much I was worth. I continued to turn to my friends for support, and losing myself in my art and music. Music spoke to me so well, and it still does. It breathes the words I am at a loss for and speaks for my soul when I'm lost. That's what helped quell the depression then: support, and finding something I'm passionate about.
But sometimes depression doesn't go away completely. It comes back. This past year has been rough for me. For those who haven't gone through depression, here's what it's like. For me, anyway.
I can't sleep at night, no matter how much I try. My thoughts come around to haunt me and it's so hard to stop thinking of them. I know people who sleep too much because of their depression. It's different with every person. I can't concentrate on easy tasks - tasks as simple as writing something down or remembering to make a pizza at work or whatever, are extremely difficult tasks sometimes. Another thing - I can't remember much sometimes. Some days, I forget what happened just the day before. It's hard to remember small things unless written down.
No matter how hard I try, it seems impossible to control my negative thoughts. Or thoughts period. I feel hopeless and helpless sometimes. Not as often, but it happens. It frustrates me sometimes. I have a very low appetite sometimes. So much that I'm picked on for eating like a bird, even though it's true. About a month or two ago, I went from 115 lbs to 99. I'm still trying to gain the weight back. I also get more irritable. That's the hardest thing for me to control. I snap at people without meaning to, and I get easily annoyed by the smallest things. Even something as ridiculous as a song repeating the same line about ten times.
With depression, this time came anxiety. Namely, anxiety and panic attacks. Now, let me tell you how anxiety feels, for me. It feels like I can't breathe; my heart rate feels like it's speeding up, but half the time it stays normal. Other times, if I panic too much, it elevates slightly. Anxiety feels as if I'm waiting for something, but I have no idea what I'm waiting for. I feel dizzy, nauseous, and completely unfocused. If someone were to ask me to do something or remember something during an anxiety attack, it would be forgotten as soon as it was said. Along with all that, I'm completely shaky and unable to sit still, and my palms sweat a bit (or my hands turn to ice - it's usually one of the two) when I'm anxious. My thoughts during an attack remain uncontrollable, which makes it really hard to sleep when I have an attack at night.
That's another thing: anxiety and panic attacks aren't convenient most of the time. I have them often at work. I begin to feel nauseous and dizzy and a feeling of panic and fear overwhelms me. From what? Sometimes random little things, and sometimes I have no idea. I also get a minor rash - mainly a few little bumps on my arms - when I'm anxious. It's not contagious. Just triggered by anxiety. Also, I think.... a lot. And I think some more. I over think. And it gets exhausting. You know how normal people are exhausted physically by their work? That's me, but mentally instead.
Now, onto the things that annoy me, as someone struggling with anxiety and depression:
The phrase "calm down". You'll never know how hard it is to calm down during an anxiety/panic attack until you've experienced one.
The phrase "don't be afraid". You know how fear is for normal people? Multiply that. By like, twenty. That's the fear level for a person with anxiety. To a person who suffers with anxiety, small fears are amplified. For example, I have a fear of heights. And anxiety. You will never know how truly terrifying it is to get on a ride that goes up higher than my comfort level, and how sickening the sensation of a roller coaster descending is. There isn't a "it's going to be okay" mentality in me. It's just fear.
The thought that stress and anxiety are the same. Stress is more of a contagious emotion. Anxiety is something mental, usually stemmed from a mental illness.
People who get enjoyment or a joke out of it. I have arachnophobia and coulrophobia, as well as acrophobia. That's the fear of spiders, clowns, and heights, respectively. I cannot stand when shown a picture of a spider, or of a clown, and people laugh when I freak out. I also cannot stand feeling like I'm pressured to get on a ride that goes high in the air and freaking out, and someone getting a laugh out of it.
Though I still suffer with these things, I do try to find ways to get over them. I have people I can talk to, and I have friends who support me. My boyfriend has been more supportive than I ever could have asked for. I have come up with a summer plan to help my depression and anxiety get better. By eating healthier (and including Omega-3 rich foods), getting more exercise, working more, and surrounding myself with more supportive people, I'll be able to take steps to work through my depression. I'm also working to change my outlook from pessimistic to optimistic, and doing away with negative thoughts. My friends and family will be here to support me along the way, and I thank all of them for being here.
For anyone suffering with depression, a great support group is TWLOHA: To Write Love On Her Arms. It can be found here. They are also active on FaceBook, as found here. I'm also always willing to be of some support to anyone. It will always be anonymous (if wished) and completely confidential. Thanks to all for listening (or reading...) and I shall return soon with another post!
~이하늘
I'll admit - it was really hard for me to accept the fact that I was struggling. It was even harder to come to terms with the thing I was struggling with: depression. Also, along with that depression came anxiety. These two things may not mean much to you, but to a person who suffers with them, they are their whole life. Or what seems like it.
A lot of people perceive depression as just a deep melancholy. Something easily gotten over if you give them time. But that's not the case. For those of you who think that it's not actually a mental illness, let me take you into the mind of someone who suffers from it.
I say suffer, because it's torture. Some people believe that those who suffer with depression want to be sad, but that's most certainly not the case. It's that we can't be happy. We try. We try really hard sometimes, but it doesn't work out in our favour.
Depression is a constant feeling of sadness, anxiety, and emptiness. It's more than just the kind of "hey, you'll get over it" sadness. It's a sadness that tortures us because more than half the time, we don't know where the sadness stems from. We don't understand why we're sad sometimes. It just happens. So, here's my personal experiences with depression.
Four years ago was when I knew my depression hit its peak. Back then, I didn't really realize I had depression. I hadn't heard a lot about it. I thought I was just unnaturally sad a lot; I felt I was a sad kind of person. I wasn't always sad, though. I still had happy times; I smiled and laughed a lot. But I still felt this emptiness. It didn't go away. During that time, I experienced some trauma. Because of this, my depression got worse - so bad, that I had resorted to cutting. It wasn't the kind of "I want to be popular with the emo-type kids" cutting. It was the kind that was "Physical pain is easier to manage than emotional pain, and it gets my mind off of my emotions".
Soon after, I started drowning myself in music, art, and books. It helped a little, until I started having suicidal thoughts. I had one friend that I met that helped me through that, and made me realize how much I was worth. I continued to turn to my friends for support, and losing myself in my art and music. Music spoke to me so well, and it still does. It breathes the words I am at a loss for and speaks for my soul when I'm lost. That's what helped quell the depression then: support, and finding something I'm passionate about.
But sometimes depression doesn't go away completely. It comes back. This past year has been rough for me. For those who haven't gone through depression, here's what it's like. For me, anyway.
I can't sleep at night, no matter how much I try. My thoughts come around to haunt me and it's so hard to stop thinking of them. I know people who sleep too much because of their depression. It's different with every person. I can't concentrate on easy tasks - tasks as simple as writing something down or remembering to make a pizza at work or whatever, are extremely difficult tasks sometimes. Another thing - I can't remember much sometimes. Some days, I forget what happened just the day before. It's hard to remember small things unless written down.
No matter how hard I try, it seems impossible to control my negative thoughts. Or thoughts period. I feel hopeless and helpless sometimes. Not as often, but it happens. It frustrates me sometimes. I have a very low appetite sometimes. So much that I'm picked on for eating like a bird, even though it's true. About a month or two ago, I went from 115 lbs to 99. I'm still trying to gain the weight back. I also get more irritable. That's the hardest thing for me to control. I snap at people without meaning to, and I get easily annoyed by the smallest things. Even something as ridiculous as a song repeating the same line about ten times.
With depression, this time came anxiety. Namely, anxiety and panic attacks. Now, let me tell you how anxiety feels, for me. It feels like I can't breathe; my heart rate feels like it's speeding up, but half the time it stays normal. Other times, if I panic too much, it elevates slightly. Anxiety feels as if I'm waiting for something, but I have no idea what I'm waiting for. I feel dizzy, nauseous, and completely unfocused. If someone were to ask me to do something or remember something during an anxiety attack, it would be forgotten as soon as it was said. Along with all that, I'm completely shaky and unable to sit still, and my palms sweat a bit (or my hands turn to ice - it's usually one of the two) when I'm anxious. My thoughts during an attack remain uncontrollable, which makes it really hard to sleep when I have an attack at night.
That's another thing: anxiety and panic attacks aren't convenient most of the time. I have them often at work. I begin to feel nauseous and dizzy and a feeling of panic and fear overwhelms me. From what? Sometimes random little things, and sometimes I have no idea. I also get a minor rash - mainly a few little bumps on my arms - when I'm anxious. It's not contagious. Just triggered by anxiety. Also, I think.... a lot. And I think some more. I over think. And it gets exhausting. You know how normal people are exhausted physically by their work? That's me, but mentally instead.
Now, onto the things that annoy me, as someone struggling with anxiety and depression:
The phrase "calm down". You'll never know how hard it is to calm down during an anxiety/panic attack until you've experienced one.
The phrase "don't be afraid". You know how fear is for normal people? Multiply that. By like, twenty. That's the fear level for a person with anxiety. To a person who suffers with anxiety, small fears are amplified. For example, I have a fear of heights. And anxiety. You will never know how truly terrifying it is to get on a ride that goes up higher than my comfort level, and how sickening the sensation of a roller coaster descending is. There isn't a "it's going to be okay" mentality in me. It's just fear.
The thought that stress and anxiety are the same. Stress is more of a contagious emotion. Anxiety is something mental, usually stemmed from a mental illness.
People who get enjoyment or a joke out of it. I have arachnophobia and coulrophobia, as well as acrophobia. That's the fear of spiders, clowns, and heights, respectively. I cannot stand when shown a picture of a spider, or of a clown, and people laugh when I freak out. I also cannot stand feeling like I'm pressured to get on a ride that goes high in the air and freaking out, and someone getting a laugh out of it.
Though I still suffer with these things, I do try to find ways to get over them. I have people I can talk to, and I have friends who support me. My boyfriend has been more supportive than I ever could have asked for. I have come up with a summer plan to help my depression and anxiety get better. By eating healthier (and including Omega-3 rich foods), getting more exercise, working more, and surrounding myself with more supportive people, I'll be able to take steps to work through my depression. I'm also working to change my outlook from pessimistic to optimistic, and doing away with negative thoughts. My friends and family will be here to support me along the way, and I thank all of them for being here.
For anyone suffering with depression, a great support group is TWLOHA: To Write Love On Her Arms. It can be found here. They are also active on FaceBook, as found here. I'm also always willing to be of some support to anyone. It will always be anonymous (if wished) and completely confidential. Thanks to all for listening (or reading...) and I shall return soon with another post!
~이하늘
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Favourite Deviants~
Annyeonghaseyo~!
I have a deviantART account... which I barely use, but I think I need to use more often. Lately, I've been searching for inspiration, but the only inspiration I get is to write (which is something - at least I'm letting my creative juices flow somehow). I want to draw again. More importantly, I want to improve on my digital art skills, but pretty much any Photoshop or Illustrator is way too expensive right now. And I really don't want to do Creative Cloud. My free trial for Paint Tool SAI will expire soon too...
So instead of me continuing making up excuses why I'm not present on DA, I want to share with you some of my favourite deviant artists, and you can follow their work. I'm sure they post way more often than I do.
First is sakimichan. She's mostly known for her semi-realism digital art, as well as her Disney gender-bends. Examples of her work are down at the bottom of the post. Her art inspires me to perform better in semi-realistic art. She's done a couple of tutorials, and by learning through those, I am becoming much better at this style of art. Her pieces are also breathtakingly beautiful, and have so much attention to detail. Seriously, her Elsa painting is amazingly detailed if you zoom in.
Next up, there's Mike Inel. His art has a more sketchy feel to some, and others have a clean look. My favourite pieces of his are the sketched ones. Mostly, I love his animations. He's best known for his animation "Draw With Me", which is one of the most touching animations I've seen in a while. He inspires me to not only have a good drawing, but to have a story behind it as well.
Another artist is Reiko Hattori, best known for her love for all things Jack Frost. She does some pretty amazing Jack Frost fan art, as well as digital fan art scenes from movies. She also has her own original art that's really impressive as well. I came to know her on Art Amino (an iPhone/iPod app), and she's incredibly sweet and helpful as well.
The last artist I will feature in this post (don't worry, I'll do another favourites post in the future. This is by far not all of my favourites) is Christina Yen, a.k.a. The-SixthLeafClover. Her work is mostly centered around fantasy - mainly dragons. She also has her own shop, from where she sells dragon sculptures - extremely detailed sculptures. Her sculptures are what inspired me to put more detail into my own sculpting.
Here's a bit of the work done by each artist. Note, that I do not take any credit at all. All rights go to the original artist, as credited.
sakimichan:
Mike Inel:
Reiko Hattori:
The-SixthLeafClover:
Again, all credit goes to the original artists. Please support them by checking out their works~! Just click on the names above (in their descriptions) to be sent to each artist's profile.
~이하늘
I have a deviantART account... which I barely use, but I think I need to use more often. Lately, I've been searching for inspiration, but the only inspiration I get is to write (which is something - at least I'm letting my creative juices flow somehow). I want to draw again. More importantly, I want to improve on my digital art skills, but pretty much any Photoshop or Illustrator is way too expensive right now. And I really don't want to do Creative Cloud. My free trial for Paint Tool SAI will expire soon too...
So instead of me continuing making up excuses why I'm not present on DA, I want to share with you some of my favourite deviant artists, and you can follow their work. I'm sure they post way more often than I do.
First is sakimichan. She's mostly known for her semi-realism digital art, as well as her Disney gender-bends. Examples of her work are down at the bottom of the post. Her art inspires me to perform better in semi-realistic art. She's done a couple of tutorials, and by learning through those, I am becoming much better at this style of art. Her pieces are also breathtakingly beautiful, and have so much attention to detail. Seriously, her Elsa painting is amazingly detailed if you zoom in.
Next up, there's Mike Inel. His art has a more sketchy feel to some, and others have a clean look. My favourite pieces of his are the sketched ones. Mostly, I love his animations. He's best known for his animation "Draw With Me", which is one of the most touching animations I've seen in a while. He inspires me to not only have a good drawing, but to have a story behind it as well.
Another artist is Reiko Hattori, best known for her love for all things Jack Frost. She does some pretty amazing Jack Frost fan art, as well as digital fan art scenes from movies. She also has her own original art that's really impressive as well. I came to know her on Art Amino (an iPhone/iPod app), and she's incredibly sweet and helpful as well.
The last artist I will feature in this post (don't worry, I'll do another favourites post in the future. This is by far not all of my favourites) is Christina Yen, a.k.a. The-SixthLeafClover. Her work is mostly centered around fantasy - mainly dragons. She also has her own shop, from where she sells dragon sculptures - extremely detailed sculptures. Her sculptures are what inspired me to put more detail into my own sculpting.
Here's a bit of the work done by each artist. Note, that I do not take any credit at all. All rights go to the original artist, as credited.
sakimichan:
Mike Inel:
Reiko Hattori:
The-SixthLeafClover:
Again, all credit goes to the original artists. Please support them by checking out their works~! Just click on the names above (in their descriptions) to be sent to each artist's profile.
~이하늘
Intelligence: A Matter of Opinion
Annyeonghaseyo~!
You're sitting at your high school awards ceremony, or you've just finished taking an exam or the ACT. You get your scores back for the test, or you receive a couple of awards, if any. You look at yourself and feel as if you aren't smart enough or that you could have done better. We all do this. Everyone does. And in some point in his or her life, everyone feels unintelligent. But just because your grades aren't the best, or you didn't receive an award, doesn't mean you aren't intelligent. Because, get this: grades don't measure intelligence.
Did I actually say that? Yes, grades are an important factor in getting into colleges, or having a high GPA. But they don't measure how smart you are. They also don't determine how well you will do in a particular career. Why? Because you're learning. You don't know all this stuff beforehand, and you're just now taking it all in. You'll apply it later in life.
Intelligence is defined in multiple ways. It's the capacity for a person's logic, understanding, abstract thought, self awareness, communication, learning, problem solving, emotional knowledge, memory, and planning. Therefore, intelligence isn't just book smarts. It isn't all about grades. It's about understanding and learning. And the way one person learns isn't the same as any other person's. One person may be a kinesthetic learner, and the other, an audio and visual learner.
This is why grades don't accurately measure intelligence. In school, the only type of resource you're supplied with is audio and visual (except in lab, where you get to apply science and hopefully not blow up the class). For someone who learns kinesthetically, the books and lectures may not be enough. And many schools don't supply an alternative learning style.
Aside from learning styles, test taking is nerve-wracking. It's a huge thing for many students. Many get stumped when put on the spot, or even have a fear of taking tests. I know of many people who I consider intelligent that may not have the best grades. My younger brother, for one. He may not be the best student in school, but there is no doubt that he has a high capacity for understanding, emotional knowledge, and communication.
Grades can't measure your capacity for many things that makes a person intelligent. In my opinion, intelligence isn't measured by grades or ACT's or GPA's. It's measured by your own opinion, and by the person that you are. My brother is empathetic; he knows when something is wrong with someone, and he understands. That, in my opinion, is a sign of intelligence.
My boyfriend, who loves learning and dislikes school, is intelligent. He has a high capacity for learning and logic, and loves to apply science to even the smallest things. He has an understanding of emotions, and always knows when something is wrong. I find that it doesn't matter what grades are, what your ACT scores look like, what college you go to, or what your major is - intelligence is all a matter of opinion.
~이하늘
You're sitting at your high school awards ceremony, or you've just finished taking an exam or the ACT. You get your scores back for the test, or you receive a couple of awards, if any. You look at yourself and feel as if you aren't smart enough or that you could have done better. We all do this. Everyone does. And in some point in his or her life, everyone feels unintelligent. But just because your grades aren't the best, or you didn't receive an award, doesn't mean you aren't intelligent. Because, get this: grades don't measure intelligence.
Did I actually say that? Yes, grades are an important factor in getting into colleges, or having a high GPA. But they don't measure how smart you are. They also don't determine how well you will do in a particular career. Why? Because you're learning. You don't know all this stuff beforehand, and you're just now taking it all in. You'll apply it later in life.
Intelligence is defined in multiple ways. It's the capacity for a person's logic, understanding, abstract thought, self awareness, communication, learning, problem solving, emotional knowledge, memory, and planning. Therefore, intelligence isn't just book smarts. It isn't all about grades. It's about understanding and learning. And the way one person learns isn't the same as any other person's. One person may be a kinesthetic learner, and the other, an audio and visual learner.
This is why grades don't accurately measure intelligence. In school, the only type of resource you're supplied with is audio and visual (except in lab, where you get to apply science and hopefully not blow up the class). For someone who learns kinesthetically, the books and lectures may not be enough. And many schools don't supply an alternative learning style.
Aside from learning styles, test taking is nerve-wracking. It's a huge thing for many students. Many get stumped when put on the spot, or even have a fear of taking tests. I know of many people who I consider intelligent that may not have the best grades. My younger brother, for one. He may not be the best student in school, but there is no doubt that he has a high capacity for understanding, emotional knowledge, and communication.
Grades can't measure your capacity for many things that makes a person intelligent. In my opinion, intelligence isn't measured by grades or ACT's or GPA's. It's measured by your own opinion, and by the person that you are. My brother is empathetic; he knows when something is wrong with someone, and he understands. That, in my opinion, is a sign of intelligence.
My boyfriend, who loves learning and dislikes school, is intelligent. He has a high capacity for learning and logic, and loves to apply science to even the smallest things. He has an understanding of emotions, and always knows when something is wrong. I find that it doesn't matter what grades are, what your ACT scores look like, what college you go to, or what your major is - intelligence is all a matter of opinion.
~이하늘
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
I Want To Dance...
Annyeonghaseyo~!
There's an amazing style of dance called popping that I'd really love to learn. I know it's really popular in South Korea, with all the K-Pop idols, and I'm sure many of you have heard of it elsewhere. If you're not familiar with it, it's a bit of a mix between robotic and fluid movements. It's an amazing accompaniment to dubstep (which I'm really fond of).
So, before today, I only knew of a few people who can do this style of dance, and wasn't really familiar with the different characteristics you can incorporate into this freestyle dance. Someone who lives in my town, with whom I briefly was acquainted with, is pretty amazing at this style of dance.
I never really knew how popular it was, seeing as I only knew of the one guy here in my town, and the rest of the people I've heard of, live in South Korea. I was pretty pleased to find that it's popular all over.
I know some may not like the robotic style of dance, and some may think it's odd. But I honestly believe it takes some serious talent and control to be able to fluidly match your movements with the rhythm. With great poppers, I feel as if I'm watching an animation. One thing that I really love (and sadly, may never be able to do) is tutting - the art of angling your hands and arms in time to the beat.
I believe this dance takes some serious talent and dedication - not something easily picked up, if you have little to no dance experience.
For all those who love to enjoy (or want to know what it is) popping, here is Korea's Got Talent winner, Joo Min Jeong (주민정):
And here is the guy that I met briefly here in my town (Mark Cherry):
If you have any suggestions for other great poppers, let me know in the comments~!
~이하늘
There's an amazing style of dance called popping that I'd really love to learn. I know it's really popular in South Korea, with all the K-Pop idols, and I'm sure many of you have heard of it elsewhere. If you're not familiar with it, it's a bit of a mix between robotic and fluid movements. It's an amazing accompaniment to dubstep (which I'm really fond of).
So, before today, I only knew of a few people who can do this style of dance, and wasn't really familiar with the different characteristics you can incorporate into this freestyle dance. Someone who lives in my town, with whom I briefly was acquainted with, is pretty amazing at this style of dance.
I never really knew how popular it was, seeing as I only knew of the one guy here in my town, and the rest of the people I've heard of, live in South Korea. I was pretty pleased to find that it's popular all over.
I know some may not like the robotic style of dance, and some may think it's odd. But I honestly believe it takes some serious talent and control to be able to fluidly match your movements with the rhythm. With great poppers, I feel as if I'm watching an animation. One thing that I really love (and sadly, may never be able to do) is tutting - the art of angling your hands and arms in time to the beat.
I believe this dance takes some serious talent and dedication - not something easily picked up, if you have little to no dance experience.
For all those who love to enjoy (or want to know what it is) popping, here is Korea's Got Talent winner, Joo Min Jeong (주민정):
~이하늘
Love Is In The Air...?
Annyeonghaseyo~!
Before I get started, yes, this blog post will be about love. Mostly, the love that I’m experiencing right now. For all those who have no interest in love or the love life of a twenty one year old, this post may not be for you. However, for all my lovelies who believe in true love: trust me, it exists.
I have a wonderfully phenomenal boyfriend. I’ll just put that out there; he’s extraordinary. I've been in love before, and I've been hurt before. A lot. I was just like a lot of jaded people, telling myself I’ll never believe in love again, and how so many men just don’t care. And then I met him. My boyfriend showed me how much I was completely wrong about the idea of love. Well, more like, what love should be like. Granted, we've only dated since January, but it’s been the best three months I've experienced in a long time.
A little bit about said boyfriend: he’s intelligent, extremely musically talented, and has a love for science and video games. He’s incredibly sweet, kindhearted, protective, and understanding. And chivalrous. What? That still exists? Trust me, I thought that was pretty much dead, too, until I met this gentleman. I absolutely love the times that we spend together. Playing video games, singing, or just lounging around watching a movie are moments I treasure and hold dear.
I don’t know what the future holds, so for now, we will take it day by day. Just live in the moment. Carpe diem. Now, I mentioned that I've been in love before. It was a long relationship, and my ex is still one of my best friends (yes, ladies and gents, it can happen). I got hurt toward the end, and didn't want to believe that I could move on. I didn't want to believe that love was even worth it.
When I first met my boyfriend, I just saw him as a friend. He soon became a close friend that I talked to almost daily, and told him everything. I loved having someone there, knowing that I had someone to turn to. Soon after, we spent much more time together, and I found myself… falling for him. Like something had released me from my eternal belief that love isn't worth it. I didn't say anything at first; I didn't want him to feel like a rebound, because he wasn't (it had been almost 9 months since my 2 year relationship ended).
When the ice was finally broken, (mainly my ice, because I tend to put up walls) I felt… free. And happy. Even now, in the midst of suffering through depression, I’m still happy. We may have our faults, as everyone does. We may not be the perfect couple, because no one is. But I will admit that I love him with all of my heart and would do absolutely anything to see him happy. I never thought I could be in love again, but I am, and I fall for him more and more every day.
For those of you suffering through a breakup, I know it’s tough. You feel as if the world is falling down around you and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. And I know you’re sick and tired of hearing the famous “there’s other fish in the sea” line. But a love ending, doesn't mean the end of the world. Maybe your world, at that point in time, but friends and family are there to help pick you up and dust you off and continue on your way.
For those looking for love, stop looking. You don’t find love; it finds you. Sometimes it smacks you in the face, and sometimes you see it a mile away. It may be your best friend, or that quiet person who sits in the back of the class. There’s love out there - you just need to stop trying so hard to find it.
For those experiencing a new love, or a new stage in your love: remember to always, always give your best to the other person. Give and take. A relationship is a two way street. Love them with your entire heart. Don’t move fast; take things slow and be a little patient. And most of all, always communicate calmly with each other. Don’t be afraid to try new things as a couple. Never stop dating. Never stop loving. It’s worth it in the end.
~이하늘
Before I get started, yes, this blog post will be about love. Mostly, the love that I’m experiencing right now. For all those who have no interest in love or the love life of a twenty one year old, this post may not be for you. However, for all my lovelies who believe in true love: trust me, it exists.
I have a wonderfully phenomenal boyfriend. I’ll just put that out there; he’s extraordinary. I've been in love before, and I've been hurt before. A lot. I was just like a lot of jaded people, telling myself I’ll never believe in love again, and how so many men just don’t care. And then I met him. My boyfriend showed me how much I was completely wrong about the idea of love. Well, more like, what love should be like. Granted, we've only dated since January, but it’s been the best three months I've experienced in a long time.
A little bit about said boyfriend: he’s intelligent, extremely musically talented, and has a love for science and video games. He’s incredibly sweet, kindhearted, protective, and understanding. And chivalrous. What? That still exists? Trust me, I thought that was pretty much dead, too, until I met this gentleman. I absolutely love the times that we spend together. Playing video games, singing, or just lounging around watching a movie are moments I treasure and hold dear.
I don’t know what the future holds, so for now, we will take it day by day. Just live in the moment. Carpe diem. Now, I mentioned that I've been in love before. It was a long relationship, and my ex is still one of my best friends (yes, ladies and gents, it can happen). I got hurt toward the end, and didn't want to believe that I could move on. I didn't want to believe that love was even worth it.
When I first met my boyfriend, I just saw him as a friend. He soon became a close friend that I talked to almost daily, and told him everything. I loved having someone there, knowing that I had someone to turn to. Soon after, we spent much more time together, and I found myself… falling for him. Like something had released me from my eternal belief that love isn't worth it. I didn't say anything at first; I didn't want him to feel like a rebound, because he wasn't (it had been almost 9 months since my 2 year relationship ended).
When the ice was finally broken, (mainly my ice, because I tend to put up walls) I felt… free. And happy. Even now, in the midst of suffering through depression, I’m still happy. We may have our faults, as everyone does. We may not be the perfect couple, because no one is. But I will admit that I love him with all of my heart and would do absolutely anything to see him happy. I never thought I could be in love again, but I am, and I fall for him more and more every day.
For those of you suffering through a breakup, I know it’s tough. You feel as if the world is falling down around you and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. And I know you’re sick and tired of hearing the famous “there’s other fish in the sea” line. But a love ending, doesn't mean the end of the world. Maybe your world, at that point in time, but friends and family are there to help pick you up and dust you off and continue on your way.
For those looking for love, stop looking. You don’t find love; it finds you. Sometimes it smacks you in the face, and sometimes you see it a mile away. It may be your best friend, or that quiet person who sits in the back of the class. There’s love out there - you just need to stop trying so hard to find it.
For those experiencing a new love, or a new stage in your love: remember to always, always give your best to the other person. Give and take. A relationship is a two way street. Love them with your entire heart. Don’t move fast; take things slow and be a little patient. And most of all, always communicate calmly with each other. Don’t be afraid to try new things as a couple. Never stop dating. Never stop loving. It’s worth it in the end.
~이하늘
A Magical Review
Annyeonghaseyo~!
Okay, you caught me. My review isn't magical. The movie, however, is. I've decided to write a review of Woochi: The Demonslayer. It's a Korean movie that I found very intriguing. It has the right amount of action, illusion, and humour. It stars Kang Dong Won as Woochi, a famous Tao master (who likes to use his magic for tricks, illusions, and playfulness). Dong Won does an amazing job in this movie, in my opinion. He was perfect for the role of a young, playful magician.
The movie is set in two time periods: the Joseun period, and our modern time period. Woochi finds himself in the middle of a battle between three bumbling Taoist wizards and a horde of havoc-wreaking monsters and their leader. All of them try to obtain a pipe that can calm the beasts, or in the wrong hands, do much damage.
The movie itself, the plot, was great. I liked the element of illusion and magic mixed with a fighting style. There was the right amount of humour, in the right times. The movie ties in Korean folklore brilliantly. Although the CG effects aren't the absolute greatest, they're not too bad either. The CG doesn't make it unwatchable, because it gives just the right amount of realism to make it believable.
The acting, in my opinion, was brilliant. The characters were very believable. Woochi, being childlike in ways, was portrayed perfectly. His companion was highly entertaining, and put a smile on my face almost every time I saw him on the screen.
Overall, I highly recommend the movie for lovers of sci-fi and fantasy. And if you're into Korean movies, great! It makes it that much better. It's much better than most Hollywood movies, anyway. This movie can be found on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. So grab your popcorn (and your attention, cause if you don't speak Korean, you're gonna be doing a lot of reading) and start watching! Enjoy!
~이하늘
Okay, you caught me. My review isn't magical. The movie, however, is. I've decided to write a review of Woochi: The Demonslayer. It's a Korean movie that I found very intriguing. It has the right amount of action, illusion, and humour. It stars Kang Dong Won as Woochi, a famous Tao master (who likes to use his magic for tricks, illusions, and playfulness). Dong Won does an amazing job in this movie, in my opinion. He was perfect for the role of a young, playful magician.
The movie is set in two time periods: the Joseun period, and our modern time period. Woochi finds himself in the middle of a battle between three bumbling Taoist wizards and a horde of havoc-wreaking monsters and their leader. All of them try to obtain a pipe that can calm the beasts, or in the wrong hands, do much damage.
The movie itself, the plot, was great. I liked the element of illusion and magic mixed with a fighting style. There was the right amount of humour, in the right times. The movie ties in Korean folklore brilliantly. Although the CG effects aren't the absolute greatest, they're not too bad either. The CG doesn't make it unwatchable, because it gives just the right amount of realism to make it believable.
The acting, in my opinion, was brilliant. The characters were very believable. Woochi, being childlike in ways, was portrayed perfectly. His companion was highly entertaining, and put a smile on my face almost every time I saw him on the screen.
Overall, I highly recommend the movie for lovers of sci-fi and fantasy. And if you're into Korean movies, great! It makes it that much better. It's much better than most Hollywood movies, anyway. This movie can be found on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. So grab your popcorn (and your attention, cause if you don't speak Korean, you're gonna be doing a lot of reading) and start watching! Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
I'm An Odd Little Anti-Social Introvert
Annyeonghaseyo~!
Hello all, and welcome! My name is Skye, aka Haneul, aka, Sora. You'd think I have multiple personalities, but nope - just someone interested in learning new languages! Therefore, I have three names in different languages. Weird. Anyway, I've decided to write a new blog. Obviously, otherwise this post would still be in my unpublished pile...
I'm an artist, but I'm also completely random and nerdy and I enjoy 15 hour marathons of Doctor Who and Sherlock even if I've seen every episode twenty thousand times. I need a life. Seriously, I have a sad life. When I'm not at work, I'm holed up in my room like a little hermit crab with a pile of books so high I can't even count them all. Well, not really, but I have about 10 books in my "to read" pile. That's not even counting the ones I want to read that I haven't bought yet.
So, as you can see, I'm a sad little anti-social introvert, yet I'm a walking contradiction because I want to write a blog and talk to people. And here I am, writing down my thoughts (for those of you who may or may not care), just for the heck of it.
I'm not even sure what my blog will be about. Maybe reviews on stuff sometimes. Maybe some crazy art project produced from my twisted mind will end up on here. Perhaps you could even come across some of my short stories (that I'm really trying to work on making SHORT, instead of just a story). I'll probably just end up spouting off some randomness or starting some crazy fandom debate about which element would be your favorite to bend if you were the Avatar.
My next post should be longer, but I try not to make them too long, cause then I end up rambling, and I don't shut up. And half the time, the stuff I say doesn't make sense. When I write about my thoughts, I'm like a kid that's been hyped up on three mega huge bags of Skittles. Random stuff comes out of my head and I usually end up repeating myself about twenty times.
I should probably go now. So for now, I shall bid you adieu! I think that's the right word: adieu. I'm not good with French. I hope I said that right and it's actually French. Here I go, rambling again.
I shall see you next post!
~이하늘
I'm an artist, but I'm also completely random and nerdy and I enjoy 15 hour marathons of Doctor Who and Sherlock even if I've seen every episode twenty thousand times. I need a life. Seriously, I have a sad life. When I'm not at work, I'm holed up in my room like a little hermit crab with a pile of books so high I can't even count them all. Well, not really, but I have about 10 books in my "to read" pile. That's not even counting the ones I want to read that I haven't bought yet.
So, as you can see, I'm a sad little anti-social introvert, yet I'm a walking contradiction because I want to write a blog and talk to people. And here I am, writing down my thoughts (for those of you who may or may not care), just for the heck of it.
I'm not even sure what my blog will be about. Maybe reviews on stuff sometimes. Maybe some crazy art project produced from my twisted mind will end up on here. Perhaps you could even come across some of my short stories (that I'm really trying to work on making SHORT, instead of just a story). I'll probably just end up spouting off some randomness or starting some crazy fandom debate about which element would be your favorite to bend if you were the Avatar.
My next post should be longer, but I try not to make them too long, cause then I end up rambling, and I don't shut up. And half the time, the stuff I say doesn't make sense. When I write about my thoughts, I'm like a kid that's been hyped up on three mega huge bags of Skittles. Random stuff comes out of my head and I usually end up repeating myself about twenty times.
I should probably go now. So for now, I shall bid you adieu! I think that's the right word: adieu. I'm not good with French. I hope I said that right and it's actually French. Here I go, rambling again.
I shall see you next post!
~이하늘
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