Darla!

Category: Thoughts

  • This isn’t me (or at least who I used to be)


    I used to be full of fire—or anger, to put it better. People used to leave me alone because they were afraid of igniting me. And air used to be fuel; ignite me and I’d explode. I’d explode and leave a train of victims everywhere.

    I used to be full of words—written, never spoken. I used to write long, rambling paragraphs about how I felt and what should have been done, et cetera, et cetera. I used to blame the whole world and love myself.

    Now I feel like I’m floating on the ocean. Not stormy, but a calm one. The only storm is inside my head; with all the anger bottled up, the tears welled up, the worries shut up.

    Ask me what is wrong and I’ll say I’m fine. Because I am. I don’t even know why. I can’t even explain.

    I want to go out and have friends; I also want to stay home and not see anybody at all. I want to be social; I want to be left alone. I want to talk; I want to just shut up.

    I want to be around people who care but don’t ask questions.

  • Cut it loose.

    During the lowest part of my quarter-life crisis, around November 2016, I had an epiphany that I needed to start burning bridges. Which bridges? you might ask. Well, the bridges between me & several people.

    2016 taught me that I’m responsible with my own happiness. Nobody else has the duty to make me happy; it’s only me. So I made a list of things that made me unhappy & surprisingly, certain names appeared on my list.

    Then I realised that it was finally time to burn bridges. And I guess that’s perfectly okay. It’s okay to severe the tie with the people who no longer contribute to your growth. If those people can think that they’re allowed to bring you down, well you’re allowed to free yourself from them. It may not be easy, but it’s necessary.

    2017 will be the year of meaningful & positive relationships.

  • Changing Lane


    Life is crazy.

    Like, the craziest thing I’ve ever done.

    I’m sad to see a lot of my favourite bloggers have started to go AWOL. The ones who’re staying have started to become unrelatable and in turns also become annoying. Remember when blogging was easier? Like when we can just write a post about what happened that day and people would just leave comments. Now it seems like every blogger is giving recycled blogging tips. Nobody seems to blog for the sake of blogging anymore. Personal blogs are no longer personal. Every blogger has LLC’d themselves and rebranded their blogs and started labeling themselves as a pro and offering expensive ‘blogging class’. It’s exhausting. I followed you because I wanted to read the posts about your cats, or your home tour, or how you turned that old coffee table into a chic ottoman. I don’t need recycled tips, I want your writings; authentic words from you.

    For months I’d been contemplating about shutting down this blog and starting fresh. New blog, new name, new platform. The plan was almost complete, but then I took a look at this blog and realise how much I loved it. This blog has been with me since I was 18 and has helped me through a lot of things. It’s been 7 years, and even though it hasn’t grown as big as I used to dream it would be, it’s big enough for me now. It’s enough.

    So like I’ve said again and again, this blog is staying. I will no longer aim at becoming a ‘big blogger’; I just want to be a ‘blogger’ right now. As simple as that. And since I started this as a personal blog, I will make this personal blog personal again.

    Now how’s that for a campaign slogan, eh?

    Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

  • Deadpool is Not for Kids!

    Deadpool is not for kids! | Hola Darla
    There’s been an uproar here in my country regarding the release of Deadpool movie. Some parents (and by ‘some’ I mean lots of them) demand that the government ban Deadpool because it’s “not suitable for children”. They claim that their children are “curious” and want to watch the movie because “all their friends have watched it”, therefore the government should ban it because well parenting is so super hard especially if your underage children whine to be allowed to watch an R-rated movie.

    It’s an R-rated movie, of course it’s not suitable for children. A friend of mine pointed out that asking the government to ban Deadpool because of such reason is like asking the government to shut down universities because the subjects taught there are too hard for children.

    This is so super ridiculous.

    I admit that I myself have never read any Deadpool comics, but by a quick research on the internet, I could get a lot of information about him, i.e. he’s not a superhero, he’s an antihero; he’s basically an arsehole with a foul mouth. Totally not for kids.

    Your kids are your responsibilities. I repeat: YOUR KIDS ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. Please be a good parent and take them to watch Zootopia instead.

    Deadpool image from.

    Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

  • Forgiveness

    Line Chat | Hola Darla
    Six years ago, I got into a huge fight with a girl on Facebook. I called her “slut”. She was an ex of my (then) boyfriend who wouldn’t stop texting him. I was so annoyed by her presence and I got super mad. After several weeks, we started insulting each other on Facebook. When I finally had had enough, I posted that stupid status calling her that horrible, horrible thing. I was 18 back then, on my first semester of uni. I was a stupid teenager and didn’t think forward. I regretted it in an instant, but the damage was already done.

    Two years later, I tried to apologise to her. I felt I had grown more mature and after carrying the burden of regret for two years, I finally had the courage to apologise. She responded in a cold manner. She said she accepted my apology but I knew for sure I had hurt her too deep. We didn’t keep in touch after that.

    Until a few days ago, on 18 September (always a surprising day), she added me on LINE. We finally talked after four years. I was surprised yet very happy. The burden of regret was lifted and I can walk a little lighter today. I’m so thankful for her forgiveness and if she were here, I would hug her tightly.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    “A thousand friends are too few; one enemy is too many.”
    – Turkish proverb

    Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook