The Diary of a K-Drama Addict (Part 2)

No self-respecting K-drama featuring an element of romance (most do) is complete without one (or several) of the following elements:

- Running to find shelter from the rain, holding the hand of your crush

- Sharing an umbrella with heavy rain falling. Cue the long gaze into each other's eyes

- Sitting on the swings at a playground next to each other

- Drinking soju in a pop-up food tent

- Grabbing the arm of your love interest and running from a dangerous situation

- A classic one: the back hug. Very often found in scenes when one is doing the cooking

- The piggyback ride. The girl is injured / drunk / tired, so the male protagonist offers her his back

- The bicycle scene. The couple share a bike or one of them is teaching the other to ride one

There are many, many more things to add that give a K-drama (C-Drama, J-Drama) an air of romance. 

Stay tuned, K-drama addicts, will be back with more.

Your Daily Dose of Delightful Dissatisfaction

It is true. It has happened. I am now a verified ranter.

When I was younger and an un-ranter, I would listen to 'grown-ups' complain and be angry about this and that and think - why bother, why are they wasting their energy on something they probably can't change anyway? And now I know. 

It creeps up on you, this ranting streak. One day you are a perfectly fine 40-something and then - BOOM: you start complaining about the state of the world / the city council / your neighbours (although the neighbour thing is nothing new for me). 

Therefore, I came up with a rant diary, where you are allowed to turn your not-so-internal shouts into written relief. 

Interested? Give me a shout (I do love a good pun, so I do). 

Check out the Rant Diary on Amazon

Here's to New Adventures

I believe congratulations are in order - I am now officially a published author!

Probably not exactly of the books you are thinking, but books are books, right? And if I utterly enjoy the process of making them - I must be doing something right. Right?

Writing has always been one of my fortes but I have not thought of making a book. Yes, I think making is the correct verb here, not writing. Because it is a kids puzzle book and as much as I still have to be creative and innovative, there are no complicated words, plots or personal thoughts involved. 

But you know, I always say you never know where a new undertaking might lead to, so I will keep you posted on this one :)

Sisters-in-smut

I have long found a haven in books. I distinctly remember the first book I couldn't put down and binged in a day at the age of eleven. It has been a life-long love.

Romance books have always been there at the top of my list and, naturally, a few years ago I veered towards a genre called romantasy (I only recently learned what it's called). Or elf smut. Or fairy smut. Whatever. 

It was only a couple of days ago that I came upon the Best. Review. Ever. by a husband about his wife's obsession with a new romantasy series. I think it summarizes the whole process in a concise, yet angry way. 

And to all my sisters-in-smut out there: if it makes you smile and oooh and aaaah - you are doing it right!

Know what you're good at

Here are some of the things I excel at (in no particular order):

• Meeting someone and immediately forgetting their name and face. Gets awkward when we meet again.
• Thinking I don't own any shoes, but in fact have about 10 pairs (7 of which are high-heeled and sparkly)
• Planning and organizing. 
• Scrabble.
• Shouting (mostly at the kids).
• Picking up stuff after everyone (normal mummy/wife superpower).
• Overthinking.
• Occasional procrastination.
• On and Off Complaining. Even though I can definitely get better at this one, there is room to grow there.

To be continued... (I excel at a lot of things!)

Star Pocket

I don't know if you are familiar with the term 'Star Pocket'. You are probably not, as it is something I only recently heard of and I am almost sure it is not out there. Yet.

So let me explain this obscure, but essential concept. Everyone has a Star Pocket, even if they don't know or call them something else. Simply put - it is where you keep all those amazing little and big moments in life when something extraordinarily miraculous happened to you - falling in love, meeting a good friend, having your baby, having your first kiss, enjoying the sun lying in a meadow on a summer day.

Yes, you got it - all the happy moments. And because we know life is never straightforward, we reach into the Star Pocket when we are in the midst of a slump, when life isn't going well for us. 

And all the good things in the Star Pocket just keep us going. Therefore, keep filling your Star Pocket - you never know when you will need it. Because you will. 

Hello, Dreaded Forties

When I turned forty, I didn't see it as that big of a deal. It's not as if something clicked and things changed overnight just because I was now officially in that dreaded decade. And, might I add, I was told this is the beginning of the end.

No such thing. Best decade of my life so far: 

I appreciate myself so much more. 

Using lessons learned as I have never before. I know well who I am.

Raising my kids with a confidence I didn't have in my 30s.

Going through a midlife crisis, which I strongly recommend to everyone, if done right (need a separate story for that).