The desire to be a god destroys the individuals and the peace.

At first when starting to read the book, I decided not to cry. I just didn't want to allow the emotion of the sadness. However, after reading, I realized I couldn't avoid the sadness from the history, but also the guilt. @sojj1210 wrote the book in very virtuous and noble way with the sincerity. Hope many people read the book in Korea, and it is published all over the world. I am also very thankful because knowing their lives and stories about the endurance made me realize how grateful to have my own country. #bookstagram

Ellen Ju(@ellenspearl)님이 게시한 사진님, 2015 11월 15 오전 8:12 PST

The Old Man and The Sea, Earnest Hemingway, Goodreads Book Review

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Personally, I don't like any idea based on nihilism, since it goes against my motivation toward the life. However, the old man and the sea is totally different. Even though Hemingway treated the life as nothing left after all, I could find more than nihilism.
As I know, he won both Pulitzer prize and the Nobel prize, which I actually have the strong desire for, with this small volume of the story. It well indicates about the life and human's basic instinct for the life and accomplishment. Although the old man couldn't get anything from the sea because of the fights with sharks, he still had a boy next to him.
We are always struggling to fight against the life and the obstacle blocking out ways, and after the long fight, it seemed that we have nothing left with. But in fact, we have any kind of relationship still keeping us from giving up the lives and letting us rest with peace.

+plus: 2015.11.15
Recently, all of sudden, I've thought that our lives are more like the marlin rather than the old man who fought against the nature to get what he desired for. Sometimes, we were just hooked and dragged to where the society takes us to be and believed that that is the reality, even though it is not. At the end of the journey, there might be nothing left who did dot live their own lives and lived fiercely in the way that the old man let it be.

View all my reviews

Get ready for the next battle?

When I decided to go buying some books at the book store, the phrase "get ready for the next battle?" the video game Taekyeon saying was stuck right in my mind and kept repeating it over and over again. This winter must be the period for the next stage coming in the upcoming spring, which I should prepare for. 

The life has been wild since the last posting. Actually it was not super wild, but still wild enough for me to survive, I think. I experienced the death, which gave me the time to think of what the life is, and affection, which made people feel the love inside the relationship. However, here I am, I am here to write the story of my life again. It might be my English problem, in my totally personal opinion, because I always felt the pressure to write the longer posting with the sufficient contents on my life thinking, which resisted me to write any type of blog posting. 

I am listening to Adele at 4.40 in the morning. With the full of sentimentality, I also again, once again, decided to write the blog posting as many as possible to enhance my writing skill, to record and track the thought and time of mine, and to share it with random unknown people who might get some positive energy through reading my stories. Well, my stories could be really ridiculous and weird, but I think it could be more precious than anything to me, because it is from the heaven. Thank God. 

The success is the greatest revenge.

 

 

This video of John Carpenter solving the last question to be the millionarie and becoming the first winner of the quiz show is my favorite moment of the history. Especially the part that he called his father to tell that he would be the millionarire was the best. I am not sure that the story about his childhood that I heard was whether true or not, but it totally inspires me for the time I fell down.

Here in the world, in the relationship with others, I could not avoid getting wounds no matter how hard I tried not to be sensitive about the words and behaviors they've done. At the younger age, I've thought of so many revenges against the people who hurt me, but once in the period of growing up, the idea saying I should not be under what others said and did and never let them destroy the happiness of mine came right in the middle of the mind. I was really weak and easily get influenced by the environments and what people talked about me, but I learned that what others think and talk about me is nothing. Some are from the jealousy and others from the envious heart. The only duty that I have is to live my own life well enough not to leave the regret behind.

And the success is the greatest revenge. The sucess means not only well-living, but also the great fortune to let them know. To get the moment of the revenge, focus on the aim and life.

Stop delaying the tasks, finish the work you started and move onto the next stage.

 

Since today for the next four days, Korean thanksgiving break has been started, and I planned several things though my laziness might resist me from the end line.

1. Finish the final draft of the writing from the spring.
2. Read four books shown in the picture.
3. Start writing the Korean novel for the annual spring literary contest.

Last night, I read the webtoon, Korean cartoons published serially on line, and the main theme was about the motivation and action. I always try to do something, but don't have the energy to push through the ending line, which made me discouraged and later blamed on other factors. Now soon I be 25 years old and don't have time to waste anymore. Before becoming 25, I would like to finish things I've started in the previous year.

War is not the easy word to play around.

This book never let me get bored with short chapters and speedy development of the story. At first, I thought that Pete was a child with no consideration for his loving grandfather; however, being in his shoes at the age of ten-ish, the loving room-the own shelter-might mean more than the place to sleep. I really love that part when grandpa started his revenge and played around with him. Sometimes, grown-up men try to treat kids as they treated each other, but to let them learn about their behavior and life, they have to treat them as a little kid. Through experience, they will learn what is wrong and right. I believe because grandpa played the "war" with Pete, Pete got the change to think of the process of the war and what the meaning of the war is.

"Growing up, Pete," he said, "it isn't easy. Sometimes you have to do things you don't like." p.25

I totally sympathize with the phrase, but made me little sad. Grown-up meant more than "adult." They have to bear so many things that either they earned or not. By getting a year older, the society put one more responsibility and duty on the shoulders. It came as other forms and reasons, such as "for the loving one" or "for a living." However, sometimes, it became too heavy to tolerate that weight alone. 

"Maybe this is how wars get started and just go on and on," I said. "Your enemy does something bad to you, so you do something worse to him. Then he gets you back and you get him back and the whole thing gets bigger and bigger and meaner and meaner and in the end someone drops a bomb. Isn't that the way it happens?" p. 127

Generation who didn't experience the war thinks too easily about the war. The war is not the simple progress to get what we want, but the very complicated and dreadful wasting time on the desire of the power. Everything starts small, but grew bigger and bigger. Sometimes later, it became too massive to end it. The best example could be the world war 1 and 2. In my opinion, the World War 2 directly showed the disaster of the war. Through bloody fight, I bet some got the "historical" and "national" benefit, but there were too many victims who died and injured, not only because in the battlefield, but also captivated for the sexual slavery, the living-body test, and forced labor. War is not the easy word to play around. 

"How you shouldn't always do what your friends tell you to do. They're not living your life, you are. And you have to decide what's right or wrong." p.136

The War with Grandpa, Robert Kimmel Smith

Reading books in the library is the great memory of youth.

"I knew you would love reading if only you would give it a try." p. 46

It is the storytelling book about the library, fun and easy to read. It is not a book about the impressive saying, but about the ordinary life that I could experience when I was young. Author might want to give the positive image of library and reading, and I believed that it actually works. 

Because of my father, I had the great memories at the library, although I can't remember any librarian like Murphy. With the book, again I thought about the library and the time at the library reading books, and now I am working at English library although it is not the typical library that you might know. At first, I decided to work here because of many English books I can read. In Korea, English books cost much more than in America, of course, and I couldn't afford the price of books I read. Working here was the great opportunity for me to read as many English books as available with the improvement of English grammar. 

Well, the story was delightful and I don't really have anything to say. For kids, a good book to read. 

The Legend of Spud Murphy, Eoin Colfer

No matter where you go, there is always the garden for you.

"There are always things to miss," said Maggie. "No matter where you are." p.46

"You must have a garden. Wherever you are." p.47

It was my starting book of Patricia MacLachlan series, although I was planning to read only three of them. While reading the beginning when Sarah came to live with Anna and Caleb for a month, I could expect how the story will end. The story was smooth and calm like the tranquil night. There was nothing surprising or remarkable; however, I really like the theme, "new beginning," and the symbol, "garden."

Life never let me stay at one place. I have to keep moving around to go forward and grow up, but if I leave things after me, I could not fit in the new environment. Until college years, I always thought of the things I miss from the past years by comparing the lives between the years. Although it did not help me to do something, I could not accept the fact that no matter where I go, I will miss things that I had in previous years. I believed that if I did my best, if I made the other decision, my life would be much happier and more enjoyable. However, after accepting the truth of things I miss, I could move onto the next chapter. I could grow up and change. 

When I move on, at first I felt like an orphan. I have no where to go and nothing belongs to me. I felt like I lost my own stage for the play of my life. I didn't know the most important truth of the life. No matter where I go, there is another "garden" that I need to take care of and write my own words. 

Life never ends until death. Always new hope and wish spring up with the new beginning. With this idea, I would like to give five stars :^)* though it was a bit boring. ★★★★★

Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan

You have to write your name on the dust of the land.

"You don't have to love this land," said Maggie. "But if you don't love it, you won't survive. Jacob's right. You have to write your name in the land to live here." p.45 

It was my third book written by Patricia MacLachlan, and in my very personal opinion, this one is the best among the other two, Caleb's story and Sarah, Plain and Tall. The other two series are more like typical dramatic stories I can often watch TV for Korean drama show about the family, love, and forgiveness, but the topic of Skylark is more about hometown, the land where I was born and where I live at this moment. 

In fact, sometimes, while living in every day life, the meaning of the land seems much smaller than it actually is, but through the matter of drought, she well treated about the hometown and the family. I really like all the quotations talking about the land, especially part of when Sarah wrote her name on the land to show how she thought about the place where she lives with Caleb and Anna. 

The land, where I am from and where I am living, put the identity on me. I am from Busan, South Korea. When speaking in both Korean and English, I have a strong accent from Busan. When growing up and studying in the other country, being from South Korea helped me to find my own identity in every way, historical, cultural, and so on. Since being globalized, we neglected the importance of the land; however, land is more than just ground and where I live. 

Because I am dreaming of being a writer, it was one of my favorite quotes in this book, 

"I loved what was between the lines most."

"What was between the lines?" Caleb asked.

Sarah looked at me when she answered.

"His life," she said simply. That was what was between the lines."

p. 12-13

Some people who did not read any types of writing often, they might think the only words are delivering everything writer wants to say, but actually not only words, but also the arrangement of the words, phrases, and sentences delivers the mood of the writer and of the writing. Therefore, when studying poetry, we treated the space very carefully and kept them to make the tone. 

Although it was not the first series of her, I would suggest this one if anyone wants to read her books. Five stars :) ★★★★★

Skylark, Patricia MacLachlan

Enjoy the lunch by myself in the crowd.

For about a month, I was so starved for the Italian food, not about the pizza, but about the noodle, spaghetti, and finally went to the Italian restaurant by myself. It was not unusual to go to the restaurant alone, but still felt really butterflies to stay in the crowd. Actually I could more focus on the taste of the food and of the noodle. 

While eating, I've thought of saying that "if you cannot enjoy every single moment of the life all by yourself, although someone came into your life, you would not be able to enjoy the moment of happiness." by me. I totally practiced standing on my own feet, and realized that the happiness never come through others, but from inside of my mind and heart. 

There was another saying coming out from my heart. While going through the life, there were two things we have on our hands; one is the matters that we can solve and change to move forward, and another is that there is nothing we can do about it, just let the heaven work. However, because of the ignorance, we got confused which one is which and wasted the time and energy. We waste our energies on the problems that we can't solve and waste our time not to do anything on the matters that we can change and move on.  I have to wake up and always try to be wise by reading books and others' words and by facing new experiences through new people and environments. 

Love to read when working.

It has been almost five months since I started to work at English library in Mok-dong. Although working didn't always provide me the best experience and the achievement, until the time I publish my own writing, it is the best place to work for me, except the vacation season. 

I have several tasks to finish. If finish them early, I could have my own time for reading. 

1. counseling on the phone

2. writing the progress report

3. 1:1 checkup after students finish reading and writing.

There are hundreds books to read including the picture books, young adult series, and adult novel and non-fictions. I started to read the whole young adult novels and classics. I really like the way I organized my place and spent some time here. Today, I'm reading "Skylark" by Patricia MacLachlan, one of the sequel to the Newbery Medal winner Sarah, Plain and Tall.

The more fierce winter, the warmer story.

"Not one thing in the world is wrong." p. 132

The story was actually not my genre I like to read, but it was calm and touched my mind while reading. To be honest, at first, I had a little difficult time focusing on reading since the beginning was a bit weak, which made me read with the audio book; however, after about a half later, it became little more interesting and finished little quickly. Since the book was for young adult reader, age 8-10, the story was warm and could be strong, but for those who are already adults and have experienced so many things through the life, like me, the story could be boring and stereotypical plot. 

"Everyone's not a writer, Caleb," said Anna. "but everyone can write." p. 9

However, with the fierce winter, the atmosphere I delivered was really cozy and warm which made me miss the winter. (In fact, I hate winter. I am a summer person.) With the comfortable story, author well delivered the fact about the forgiveness and the love of life. We cannot blame anyone, when the time comes. 

Caleb's story, Patricia MacLachlan

There is no way to get out of the facebook.

About a month ago, I deactivated my facebook account; however, it only lasted for a month. Today, on my way home, I reactivated my account and started to think of posting my Korean diary on the facebook. Through facebook, I could read and see how my friends live nowadays. My blog is the top secret that I don't want to tell anybody who thought they knew me well, and everything in here is planned to be posted in English. I want some other place to post in Korean and maybe the facebook could be the best.

It is a little weird to show my life to someone who knew me face to face, but I need to get used to it since every one will read about my words, including novels, short stories, essays, poems and articles.

One of the blissful facts in the life is the family and friends cheer for my dream.

 

 

 Reading books and writing are the factors which kept me going on the goal. I've dreamed of being a writer for about  ten years and kept running toward the aims. I always try not to forget which way I should go becuase once I forget, it is really easy to lose the purpose of the life.

 

While I was reading a book titled "Top Secret" which was for the young adult readers, my bestfriend sent me a text with this picture. She asked me to send my writing to the writing contest and told me that I would keep the writing job for a living. It really encouraged me and actually the fact that someone believed me to achieve the life goal is the most marvelous thought to keep myself up.

 

Actually I failed about two years ago. But with my friend, I decided to attemp for this one more time. I should start soon and try to bring the fine work, which could be my first work in Korean novel.

It's already September.



It's already September and I started the new chapter of my life. I scheduled for the rest of 2015 and set the aims to accomplish. It was not that hard ones, but the goals that definitely let me go to the next level. I'm taking the beginning Chinese course in the morning at Yeouido Pagoda Language Center. Although I told them as I started Chinese for the simple hobby, actually I believe that one day, I might use it for some further plan which I don't have the exact idea at this moment, but I will when the time approaches. Also, I changed my English tutor to the meeting one, not just the texting one since she needs some speaking rather than writing.
The most important fact is that I started to go to the dawn prayer meeting every weekday. It was reaaly graceful to begin my day with the words and prayers. I felt to be protected in the Almighty God and totally to be guided in the words. While praying, I could get some wisdom for life and days and I could go to bed around 10 to 11 p.m. I totally felt that my life is getting healthier.


 

I started to go rideing the wakeboard at Gapyeong. It was funnier than I expected and I really loved it. Even though there was no one who can go with me, I just go by myself. I can have the vacation no matter friends can spend some time with me. Now I am able not only to ride following the boat, but also to do some tricks. However, I am just a beginner who started to enjoy riding them. I hope to make as the professional rider who truly feels the waves and the pressure in between the feet and water. 

Family day should be fun and set for the bonding.

My parents came to Seoul and it was the second day. They were likely talking all day long and I got some distraction while writing my own things, but the family is the love. I can still remember what my social studies teacher taught us when I was seventh grade.

Family meant "Father And Mather, I Love You." How sweet that abbriviation was.

 

 

Our first Seoul Tour Course was at the Seoul Art Center to see the Modigliani exhibition. Actually two weeks ago, we visited for the Fernando Botero exhibition. It wasn't the best-I always expected as the Picaso or Gogh kind of art, but it was okay to heal with the fatty people drew by the round lines.

Modigliani was one of "the leading artists" for Avant Garde; however, I might be too fool to catch all the message he would like to deliver. It wasn't that good, but okay. But the worst part was that there were too many kids who distracted others to focus on the art. I only like a few, maybe three or four. Since my belief for art is that it always includes the messages and the spirits of the artists, in fact, for me, it was little hard to find the base message that he wanted to deliver. Or, I didn't like that depressing face without pupils.

 



 

Our family had very weak physical strength which asked us for some nap time. We came back home and took a nap for about two hours. When I woke up, my father packed to go to coffee shop to read some books he brought from Dae-jeon. He asked me for his company and went to the well-known coffee shop nearby my house. We talked about how we can earn money through writing and lecturing and how the elder needs to prepare for their later years. Since he thought of the stock-investing, after talking with me, he changed his mind. Well, to choose what to do for our lives, considering what we could bring our best ability and concentration is the very first step that should be considered.

 

When my mother woke up an hour later, we went to Hong-Dae, where is the popular place for the youth. There were so many things to see, such as busking for some money or for reputation, Hea-na, street fashion, trend, food, so on. We did Hea-na together on our arm, which was almost removed after taking a shower unluckily. We drank some beer together, actually expect me. We walked around and looking at the other people. But the best part of all was getting the dog key chain! My father went into the baseball practice room and got more than 290, which let him get one of the key chain with the small dog doll. My mother got very excited and enjoyed the time.

 

I am so proud of my parents who tried to live young. They are always trying to exprience the new thing and learn the new world. Although we missed the independent band concert, we came back home for some chicken and beer at home. I felt so great since they enjoyed the culture that could be new to them.

 

Spending the great time with my parents for holiday.

Yesterday, August 14th, was the temporary holiday and my parents visited Seoul to meet me. We've been to Han-River Park which is located along Han River in Yoido. In summer time, they released water on the fountain to make the place cool. My parents went into the fountain to play in the water.

Until last year, my life was the most important fact to take care of. As I remember, I met my parents less than five times for a year and I didn't want to think of the relation with my parents. I threw the tantrum to my parents if I had the trouble with others while working. But after reading Tuesday with Morris and many books, I realized that there was not much time allowed for me to spend time with my people who I love. After all, I tried to take care of my parents and meet as often as possible.

Sometimes, we believed that we have the plenty of time left waiting for us to do our tasks, but the time never waits for me to finish the work. We kept moving forward, but that doesn't mean that we can ignore the people who love me and care for me.

Keep changing until dying.

Although it was one of the best selling books, there was no chance for me to read. In fact, I just didn't want to read because everyone was talking about it when "Don't eat the Marshmallow ... Yet!" was published. However, a few days ago, I just grabbed the book in the library and started to read. It was less than a hundred pages, but contained the strong message that I usually forgot as the time goes. 

First, I have to change myself until dying. Since the generation and the people living in the period have been kept changing with different color and thoughts, I should always prepare for the change and get ready to accept the difference; however, sometimes, the comfort that stability provides are more attractive than adventurous life. I still remembered that once when I felt that my life got worse-actually it was not that bad, but I only thought that bad because of my immaturity, I blamed every single situation and said that I didn't ask for the huge fortune, but just normal, stable life. It was really funny when I thought about it at this moment, because there would be no life that is "normal" and "stable" since the way human beings were made is not "same" and the ideas that we have, both emotional and rational, are not "stable." As long as we all are different and keep thinking, there would be nothing stable and normal.

Second, taking responsibility of my life is the easiest way to face myself rather than blaming on the situation or others. After realizing that every single moment I face was from the choice I made in the past changed my philosophy. I should take the whole responsibility for every situation that I face and when I try to change or fix, the difficulty would change into the maturity and growth. Sometimes the hardship I face seems to be from outer source such as that my parents are not super duper rich or I am not amazingly smart or something else. But the thing is that those kinds of hardship is nothing and things that I am totally able to change with the faith and efforts. It taught me that my weakness and shortcoming more let me know the love and open the view toward the world. 

Most of the times, I am too complicated and emotional to push myself forward, but keep trying to remember that "life is simple and the world keeps changing."

★★★★★ Of course five stars for "Who moved my cheese?"

Are you different or wrong?

"But still, everyone knows I'm different," said Joe. "What did I do wrong?"

"You're not different," Marvin said. "I mean, everyone's different. Life would be boring if everyone was the same."

"But what do I do that is so different?" Joe asked. "I want to fit in. I want the other kids to like me. What do I have to do?"

Marvin didn't know what to say. He didn't want to hurt Joe's feelings.

"I don't want to be a door key," said Joe.

"You're not a door key," said Marvin. "You're a good friend. If the other kids can't see that, then that's their problem."

p. 56-57, Marvin Redpost #6: A flying birthday cake,

Louis Sachar

Since it is written for the children around the world, it only takes only about thirty minutes for me to read the whole story. I really like the story of the Marvin Redpost series and for next six or seven days, I'm planning to read all of them.

There are two main messages that I love about: a) everyone is different and the fact of difference makes life more enjoyable, and b) we often make others' problem as mine.

Through living on earth and trying to fit in the society, we easily makes the problems belonging to others let come into our lives as our own; however, the saddest part is that we could not even notice and live the way the others kept asking for us to do. When I was young, I got so much stress and pressure to be as the "standard" people that made by the society, but I realized that there was the huge gap between the reality and the ideal ego. Every time, I live on earth, the world and everyone around me had to pick on me by the difference of characteristics and personality. I should remember that it was not my problem, but theirs, and should try not to bring that into my lovable life.

I love to give five stars: ★★★★★, especially for the message that I love and keep myself remembering through daily lives.

What is your vision and purpose of the life?

Today, there was the religious confession by Kang, Gyun-sung, who is one of the well-known christian singer in Korea. I was really thankful that I've got the chance to listen to his life story in God. He was definitely strong and beautiful on the inside, as well as had a wonderful voice. It was about an hour and half, which I couldn't remember all the words he said. However, there were several things kept in my mind. 

1) Both temperament and ability go together. 

2) We all are sinners and there was no greater or smaller sin in front of God.

3) I should stand firmly on the words, not judging others. 

4) Our vision is not what I want to do, but God and gospel. 

I am asking for myself, what is your vision? 

Are you sure you can fully obey what God tells you to do? 

Having siblings would be different than imagination.

While reading the adorable book named "Beezus and Ramona" I suddenly thought that I was so blessed that I don't have any younger brother and sisters. I am an only child without any siblings, but I grew up with my cousin who is 5 years younger than me. Actually she was the pain for me not to remember for a while. She always wanted to have what I had, wanted to do what I've done, wanted to wear what I wore and so on. She seemed to want to be me. I got really annoyed when I was young and I truly didn't like her at all, but even I was so bothered though mothers were different, if under the same mother, it would be the real pain. Also if the parents showed the little favoritism, I would get so many wounds that I do not want to remember. In the book, their mother never showed any favoritism, but I could totally felt that how annoying Ramona was. Even though I got frustrated while reading the book, if I have the real one, I would die for the frustration.

When I was young, before 6 years old, before going to elementary school, I strongly desired to have any brother or sister, but now I really thank mom not to have one. I am sure when I got older, I would be little lonely being an only-child, but I hated to be annoyed and felt frustration in my younger years. I was too sensitive to get over with any type of tantrums. Having little sisters or brothers is not always pleasing and cute angel coming to the house.

Also, there was another thing I've thought of. We mostly got confused with what the really attention and care are. Humans are always asking for the love and care, but when they, the love and care, could not be fulfilled, we act differently which causing problems. When Ramona kept making the mischief, Beezus told her Aunt Beatrice. She replied this. 

"Lots of times little children are naughty because they want to attract attention. I have an idea that saying nothing about her naughtiness will worry Ramona more than a scolding (Beezus and Ramona, Beverly Cleary, p.109)." 

When I've read about the criminal minds, especially of the serial murderer, many of them usually thought that they could grab the attention. In my opinion, high rate of crime occurred with the careless of their parents and the lack of attention. In my case, I felt sick when needing some attention or care. My parents were really busy at my younger age and I had to stay at the nursery center while my parents working. If I got sick, then my mother had to stay with me. Since then, I believe that I pretend to be sick when I want to get the attention or ask for some excuses. For good education, we, adults, have to pay more attention to the good behaves than bad. They could get confused that to scold is the attention and care, unless we don't give them enough attention and praise their good works.  

★★★★★ I am not the person who easily gives five stars, but children, especially those who have younger sisters and brothers, enjoy reading. They can sympathize with the story and laugh together. (maybe got annoyed more than relieved) 

The appearance depends on the thoughts.

"If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until it gets so ugly you can hardly bear to look at it.

A person who has good thoughts cannot every be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."

The Twits, Roald Dahl, Penguin Books, p. 7

Since last week, I started the Raold Dahl Project for a month, but I don't think it will take that long. The Roald Dahl Project is simply that I am planning to read most of his storytelling books. Now, I've read five of them. 

1) George's Marvelous Medicines, which I like with the imagination and the saying that do not be grumpy at your family, 

2) The Giraff and the Pelly and Me, which was the really cute story telling the total happy ending for all, 

3) Fantastic Mr Fox, which was really ridiculous and funny, 

4) The magic finger, which tells that do not kill animals and think in others' shoes, 

5) Esio Trot, which was the really cute love story that the old man showed his true passion toward the woman. 

Today, I read The Twits. Other five books were mostly telling the story without any specific message delivered by the author(in fact, those five were all great storytelling books giving the good message, such as being in others' shoes, loving with the true heart, ect), but this one actually have one. 

When I was young, my mother kept telling me that "smile and think happily. After 40-50 years old, you need to take the responsibility of your face which showed your thoughts, experiences and thoughts." I had no idea at that moment, but when I am getting older and older, I totally understand what she said. It was the truth that our face and the image have been kept changing and formed the impression. When I tried to think positively and be gentle, my face showed the love, but when I did not think positively and hate others, it showed the ugliness and sensitive feeling. 

Pretty and lovely are not belonging to how the eyes, nose, mouth, and body looks, but to how I think and act. 

Through this book, Roald Dahl tells two things. 

1) To have good thoughts which will shine out of your face

2) To be in others' shoes and nice to people and any living creatures around you.

★★★★★ I would please to give five stars. Short, fun, and meaningful. 

Great story, but a little bit disgusting in the beginning of the book when Mr Twit were described. 

The first week for the new planner of the brand new life.

It has been a week since I used this gorgeous little prince planner after baptism.
Little prince is one of my best favorite stories and the planner is one of my obsession, and these two were combined.

I changed the planner to prepare for the new life, the very different one than before, but there was nothing actually happening yet. It still reminded me of my decision what I would not live only for the wealth but for the justice and the truth in the Words. To keep this planner for a year, I kept in mind that why I am here to live in the world thought there are so many troubles waiting for me to eat up.

In-body, It's time to work out.

Today, I went to gym and did the in-body test.
No surprised that I got low Skeletal Muscle Mass and high Body Fat Mass since i did not work out for a long time. Recently I had a very hard time waking up in the morning and strongly felt that there was something going wrong in my body, which brought me to the gym rather than did by myself.

I now start to warm up my body for the best condition to work out for next 1-2 weeks and seek the healthy me again. I have no idea how long it will take, but think of 3 months, about 100 days. I need to get 5.8 kg more of Muscle and reduce 1.0 kg fat.
After three months, I truly hope to get my health back with the strong heart and well shaped body.

The first time when I dreamed of writing

It has been so long since I first dreamed of being the writer. Before I'd thought of writing, I was the person who stayed far away from writing. The only thing in my mind was to become the rich and live happily with my family. I was the simple creature and there was nothing big. When I was in middle school, the problem occurred. It was about the history and the island between Korea and Japan, and the question raised saying "why do my people have to feel the sorrow though we accomplished the emancipation 60 years ago? what was the problems?"

Korea went through the dynamic history, especially in twentieth century. We were colonized and experienced the massacres and sexual slavery. We've gone through the dramatic economic growth and got democratized. We've overcome the agony of the war and separation. Even though we are still fighting in between the war, we well come so far. But the history and the world always try to forget our story. which brought me the biggest question.

"Why does the world remember the holocaust, but not us?"
"Why does the world try to remember the pain that Jewish came through, but not us?"
"Why does the world study and talk about the sorrow of the slavery and forced labor happening through the world history, but not ours?"

However, the most sorrowful and painful fact was that even in Korea everything started to be forgotten, and so did I. After a few years, I watched the TV show about the mysterious fact and unbelievable history. It was talking about the island, called "The Island of Death." It was about the forced labors between in 1939-1945 and showed how cruel the Japan did to our grandparents; however, they tried to make it designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, under the "legendary modernization."

From the very bottom of my heart, something unknown aroused. Suddenly, I thought how Jewish let their story remembered. They wrote about it. They made the world read about their story. They kept writing and writing about their sad history not to forget. But in Korea, not many. It seemed they more tried to hide the truth. We were not really taught our pain in the history classes. We were made to only focused on the college entrance exam. Historical sadness was not the matter for us, but the individuals' lives were though most lost where we headed for. I've decided to be the writer who write about the history that the world kept telling us to forget and let go. I now know that if I let it go and tried to live only my life, then we all experienced the hell again. That was why I've decided to major in English and decided to write the literature.

It was the different video from what I actually watched, but says the same thing.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Crans

Sadako was written in very easy English that I'd like to recommend to whom wants to study English through reading stories. In fact, though the story was meaningful, since Japan have done inhumane to my country, Korea, it was full of contradictions. While reading the book, two emotional thoughts ran across in my mind; 1) how wars destroyed our lives though wars were over, and 2) how Japan was able to relief only its own sorrow with accepting its historical cruel annihilation done to neighbor countries. However, reading the book helped me to think about the meaning of family and friend, where the real hope comes from. 

We all know that Human beings are never able to live alone. They were made to live together for survival. They instinctively form the community such as family, town, and nation because they need to find the way to allow them to survive and continue their own species. Through living together, human beings are able to survive not only physically, but also mentally, and there are two main forms of community: family and friend. 

Family is the word for the blood-related relationship including husbands and wives, which is the basic unit for the community. In the story of Sadako, there was a character named "Kenji" who showed the comparison with the main character, Sadako. Kenji's parents died, and his aunts came to hospital just once a week; however, Sadako's parents came more often and through the story, the author fully showed the intimacy of the family. Kenji was hopeless and accepted death waiting for him, which would take him soon, since Sadako kept folding the paper cranes to keep herself not to give up. Sadako had a family who helped her to get rid of negativity and fear, but Kenji had none. For Kenji, there was no one supporting him to keep himself up. 

However, by living and thinking egoistically in the competitive reality, we sometimes forget how important friends are. We are described as one of animals under the food chain, and others as one whom we must win. Friends are the second important element for the community formation and fulfill the lack of what family is not able to afford emotionally. In Sadako, Chizuko, her best friend, told Sadako to make paper cranes even though her family worried about her health and how painful she would be.. She suggested the way to keep her desire to live. It was the solution that only friends could give. Sometimes in the life, friends give unrealistic and unexpected answers that were actually needed because they are still the third party. 

Usually, family worries and friends make laugh since both supply the comfort and happiness of life. To survive on earth as human beings, balancing the importance between family and friends are the key. When you get the healthy thoughts, you can easily find the encouragement and hope for life and physical strength because mind controls the body.