Zero Waste 3 Ways: Dental Hygiene

Oh yay, we're on to the fourth instalment in this Zero Waste 3 Ways series! Woohoo! I'm always so excited to come up with something new to share with you in this regard. So far, you can already see 3 ways you can do straws, deodorant and menstrual products. Now, let's go ahead with dental hygiene! It is actually one of the earliest zero-waste item I've ever known—along with deodorant. At first, my concern was that I had to make my own toothpaste all the time. It is—as I'm sure you will also agree—can be quite tedious and, personally, I cannot see myself DIY-ing my toothpaste every few months. Also, you can always run the risk of making something that is either too strong or in any way unsuitable for your teeth and gums. Again, it's another one of those items where you need to have a bit of trial and error, but who's got time for that? Well, thankfully, with the rise of popularity in leading a more conscious lifestyle these days, we no longer need to make our own zero-waste dental hygiene products. In fact, the products I will touch on in this post are all available for purchase from a variety of brands and stores. On top of that, you can judge from my experience what will most likely suit you.

Rethinking My 30 Before 30 List

Woohoo! It's officially my birthday month! Do bear with me as I milk the hell out of this month—and what better way to start than with the list? As you may know, I've been making lists of goals for my birthday for ages. Usually, it's an annual occasion, until in 2018 I decided to go big and make a 30 Before 30 List. Since then, I just update how much of the list I have accomplished so far every year. However, 2018 for me now feels like such a long time ago. So many profound, life-altering things have happened since then and I can no longer relate to the version of me from back then. Her wishes and goals no longer resonate with mine of today—at least partially. This is something I've been thinking about for a while: do I really want to fulfil goals and wishes that I don't care about anymore? So I thought today I finally take apart the list I once made and redirect the goals to actually reflect what I want to accomplish in life. If you're curious, feel free to look at what I decided to keep and discard from this list.

10 Insightful Nonfiction Books to Make You Smarter

As much as fiction can be entertaining and self-reflective, I find that nonfiction is just as important in developing our mindset and knowledge. Yet, just like fiction, there are all kinds of nonfiction to choose from—it has as many genres as fictions, actually. Personally, my favourites are those with cold, hard facts in it—anything scientific, historical or cultural. I mean, I wouldn't knock a good self-help or a memoir or biography, but as far as keeping my mind sharp and widening my horizon, I often would need to turn to numerical and hard-proven data. And, honestly, books that have evidently been thoroughly researched taught me many new things about and changed the way I see the world. It has opened my eyes to how little I know about this realm I live in. So I thought today I'd share some of the insightful nonfiction books I've read before that will surely enrich your knowledge and knock your horizon wide open. Enjoy!

Chip of the Old Bloc

The 8th Wonder

Birthday Bearrito

Let's Talk About Imposter Syndrome!

Lately, I've noticed a lot of people talk about impostor syndrome—like Anna Akana, Wong Fu and Ali Abdal—and I can't deny that I've been through it too. I thought I'd talk about it here, as I'm sure we've all been there. First of all, if you didn't know, impostor—or imposter—syndrome is, basically, the belief that you have in your mind that you are not good enough, whatever that may mean to you. In other words, it makes you feel like a fraud, because you think everyone else thinks you are better than you really are. Here's a little bit of fact for you: more often than not, it's not true. This feeling can be very alienating and make us develop self-doubt, but the truth is most people go through the same things—if not at the same time, probably at some point in their lives. And this is my story with impostor syndrome.

Abdi Sang Pusaka

10 Asian Books & Films You Might Have Missed

Happy Friday the 13th, all! Today I want to start a brand new series—if you could call it that—where I will recommend books and films from all the continents—excluding Antarctica, 'cause as far as I know, nobody publishes from there. I think I'd call this #LiteraturebyContinent, although I wouldn't include it in the title, as it won't fit. Basically, in each post, I will introduce you to 5 books and 5 films from each continent. I will try my best to find really good hidden gems and offer titles you might never have heard of before. And, of course, as we know, each continent tends to contain quite a number of countries and nations within it—excluding Australia, I suppose—so I'll try to offer diversity on that front as well. Seeing as I come from and live in Asia, I thought I would start with the largest continent on earth, with a wide variety of complex cultures and peoples. Let me just give a disclaimer here: even though I am Asian and I do still reside in Asia, I am in no way an expert on Asia. I haven't read all the books and watched all the films from all corners of the continent, so do forgive me if I may repeat recommendations from the same country and/or region. That being said, I hope these underrated titles will pique your interest.

5 Newly Discovered Podcasts that I Love

Lately, I've been finding it so much more fulfilling to listen to podcasts, especially during work. Sometimes watching a film or YouTube video, as well as listening to music, can be counterproductive, since they can be a distraction to the work at hand. With podcasts, that is not the case. In fact, it can be a form of multitasking, as you will take in the information shared within the conversation, as your hand and parts of your brain are occupied with finishing your task. When it comes to podcasts, I think it's very important to be able to create a certain atmosphere for the listeners. Personally, I prefer it if a podcast has more than one host, with somewhat vibrant personalities. Ultimately, however, it is most crucial to find a genuine connection among the hosts, to make us feel like we're listening in on a natural conversation—even better if such a connection is extended to the alternating guests. Well, I hope that gives you an idea of the kind of podcasts included on this list. While I've already shared some of my favourite podcasts before, I'd like to introduce some more that I've recently found and would listen to on end. 

My View on Friendship at 28

Happy International Friendship Day, everyone! Did you know it was today? I thought today I would talk a little bit about my thoughts and feelings around friendship. Recently, I realised that my view on friendship has shifted dramatically. I used to be so pragmatic on friendship, which has stressed me out on more than one occasions. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I was exposed to several views on this topic like I had never known before—and it opened my mind. You see, friendship has always eluded me—I never really quite know what to do about it. Friends often make me feel greatly insecure and doubt myself in more ways than one—whether they realise it or not. I daresay I feel much more secure in romantic relationships than I do in friendships. Lately, though, I feel immensely different about it. No, I'm not cured of my insecurities or suddenly flooded with thousands of friends. I just feel a little more relaxed about being friends with people. Well, here are ten of my top thoughts on friendship. Enjoy!

Airing Out Grievances

Zero Waste 3 Ways: Menstrual Products

 

When it comes to the zero waste lifestyle, I think a lot of people have their reservations, particularly women with their menstrual periods. If I have a nickel for every time someone asks me about the menstrual cup—which, by the way, I had actually gone into full detail here. The thing is, it's a deeply personal process, in which there shouldn't be any right or wrong, just personal preference. The good news is, however, there are a few other options to go for, when it comes to menstrual products. If one isn't to your liking, you can always pick a different method—anything that would keep as much trash out of the landfills would be nice. Unlike something extra like straws or deodorant, menstrual products are practically essential to women's lives—so trial and error may be more frustrating than you think. Lucky for you, I've got your back 😉 I've tried three zero-waste menstrual products, so you don't have to. Let me walk you through my review of them so far.

3 WAYS: Sapodilla Soy Dessert Jar

If you don't know, sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a fruit native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbeans. It got introduced to the Philippines during the Spanish colonisation and has since spread all across South and Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, specifically, you might know it better as sawo. It is best known in the phrase 'sawo matang' that compares the fruit's colour to the deeply-tanned skin colour of typical Indonesian. It shapes like a kiwi—minus the hairy peel—and the flesh is similar to that of figs. And—guess what?—it tastes like chocolate! No, not cocoa, but actual fully processed chocolate. Not going to lie: this recipe didn't actually pan out the way I wanted it to—it was supposed to be a mousse. However, the taste—in my opinion—is still pretty good and I don't see why I should scrape this recipe. Also, mousse is a European dessert, which is no way to treat a tropical fruit. So dessert jar it is! Here are 3 ways how you may customise it to your own taste.

TBR: Midyear Never-Forget Pile

Uh-oh, guys, I've got a real problem here: I've gone crazy with the book purchasing for the first half of the year! 😱 My TBR pile is stocking up, yet I couldn't keep my eyes and hands off books at bookstores—used and new. Today I thought I'd pile up books that I haven't flip through yet, so I'll remember exactly how many books are waiting for me at home. These are books I bought recently—I've gone on a crazy binge, y'all!—and one from last year. But they exclude the ones from this post—a few of which I have yet to touch as well. Although there's no theme to the books I pick, most of these books have been sitting on my TBR for years, and I'm glad to be able to finally find them—secondhand too! Without further ado, here are the books in my TBR for the rest of the year.

Pitter Patter on My Head

Déjà vu

A Breath of Fresh Air

A Spark of the Golden Hour

Happy Accidents

Our Mothership Earth

This Time Last Year

10 Books + Films with Diverse Muslim Representations

Wow, time sure does fly, huh? I swear Ramadan just started yesterday, yet now Eid is already upon us. How are you this past month? For me, Ramadan is always a good time for reflecting and learning more about being a Muslim. The world has been changing a lot lately, and people are more aware of the diversity all around us—whether in terms of gender, race or faith. It has opened up so many doors for people of varying backgrounds to speak up and tell their stories, including Muslim women. Recently, I just realised that Muslim representation in literature and media has been pretty narrow—usually almost always Middle Eastern, either rejecting the religion or adopting extremist views—but real Muslims have found platforms for them to voice their own perspectives. The other day I found this video by a Muslim American content creator and it pulled down a rabbit hole of Muslim content creators from around the world, especially Black ones. It inspired me to really dig deep into the media I consume and how they portray Muslims—especially Muslim women—and I'd like to share some good ones with you all.

Ready to Join a Convent

Midnight Diner

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Cheese Streak, Cheese Party of Fries and Dogstar

Turning Over a New Hijoo Leaf

Low-Impact Living in Times of Crisis

As you know, if you've been here a while, I've been advocating for zero-waste or low-impact lifestyle for a few years now. From the start, I know it wouldn't be easy. Often I stumble and find myself creating waste time and time again, but I persevere and am determined to do better next time. For the most part, I would say I'm doing rather well to keep with my determination—I choose reusable more, I sort my waste accordingly and I cut down on my plastic usage as much as I can. Not going to lie, it can sometimes feel like hard work, which is probably why most people are hesitant to try it. However, for me, it all pays off when I realise just how much waste I help reduce in the world.

Of course, here's what I never realised—and I think this is a pretty common mindset among people in general: this is all pretty fine and dandy when I'm healthy and safe. But what happens when crisis hits?

HAUL: First Loots from 2021

 

When 2021 started, I made a vow to myself that I wouldn't buy another book until I finish all the books waiting for me at home. Of course—as all book lovers could probably guess—that promise was broken almost straight away. Already in January I bought 4 books, followed by 1 book in February and 3 books in March. Go figure! I'm happy to announce, though, that out of those newly-purchased books, a total of 3 books have been read, finished and reviewed—check it out on my Goodreads, if it tickles your fancy! So, at least, that means I bought books I knew I would read and—possibly even—enjoy. That being said, the number of TBRs on my table is still piling on. These are the titles I've never shown or mentioned before, as well as those I've only recently purchased. I'm super happy that most of these were bought secondhand, which means less waste in the world. Without further ado, here are the books I've acquired recently.

POPCORN: A Brighter Summer Day (1991)

Here is a film that I watched literally only yesterday. I've been intrigued by it for a while thanks to Letterboxd, as many people seem to recommend it on that website. What I didn't expect was to get dragged down a long rabbit hole and come out the other side a changed human being. Needless to say, this film made it to the top of my list straight away and, by far, has become the best film I've ever watched. Not only that, this film is based on true story and set in 1960 in Taiwan. Directed by Edward Yang, this film features over 100 characters—all with speaking roles!—and gives the story a whole lot more depth than most films are prepared to do. A word of warning, though: this film is 4 hours long! You will be sitting down for what feels like forever, but without a dull moment in it, the film will hook you right in. Here is A Brighter Summer Day (1991).

Live Like a Tourist

Zero Waste 3 Ways: Natural Deodorants

As you know, I have adapted a zero-waste/low-impact lifestyle for almost 3 years now and I'm very happy about it. However, I notice that a lot of people haven't done the same, despite wanting to start. A lot of people would come up to me and say that they are confused and unsure on how to make the same change. Personally, I think this lifestyle requires some trial-runs to find out what the best method and tools for you will be. I'd like to help you figure out exactly what you want, one step at a time. Last year I posted 3 types of reusable straws to choose from. It has been one of the most frequently asked question in regards to zero-waste living. Today I'd like to walk you through some natural deodorants you can try, as it is what I often find confusing during the transition.

The Colour of the Hour

Sagaleh Sajo Daulu

What I've Been Reading Lately (Other than Books)

If you know me at all or have been following this blog for a few years, you may notice that books are a huge part of my everyday life. I would read a book every chance I get. They help me relax, they wake me up, they widen my horizon and they keep me entertained. In fact, just three weeks ago I posted my Top 10 Books of 2020. However, books aren't the only things I enjoy reading. There are numerous publications—both online and offline—that will give me the same satisfaction as reading books. They give me knowledge, perspective and can often be enjoyed in smaller pieces. I love to read them in between tasks or during commute or, even, when I'm in the loo. Small bursts of inspiration, you know. They also aren't included in Goodreads database—with good reason. Here are a few such publications that I've enjoyed flipping or scrolling through lately.

Rolling with the Punches

While 2020 is objectively very challenging for us all—with the giant curve ball it threw at us and smaller ones it kept pelting—I must say, it actually somehow turned out to be one of the best years of my recent life. There are three amazing milestones that I managed to surpass this year—one of them being a HUGE one—and I couldn't be prouder of it. Although I do this kind of recaps every year, this year it feels different somehow. It feels much more profound, a lot more low key and incredibly fulfilling. It may not seem like it to everyone else, but I feel really grateful for everything that's happened this year—on a small, personal scale and, to a degree, on a much grander scale. Yes, 2020 was a bitch. But it forced us to rethink the way we've been living life and, unfortunately, our old ways is no longer acceptable. As usual, there are things I thought would never change for me in 2019, but I was wrong. Everything changed—most importantly, my own mindset.

January