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Six more days ‘til Valentine’s Day! And even though V-Day has been celebrated for over a hundred years now, I can still feel the love and sparks in the air every February 14. Although the means of celebrating this occasion has changed tremendously, with couples opting to stay in and munch on Angel’s heart-shaped pizza, there are still traditionalists who prefer to splurge on this special occasion with Ninyo’s 12-course Red Valentine Dégustation. One thing that has definitely not changed is the drama that surrounds the idea of love. And nothing defines drama more than these couples—or should I say trios.

TV shows:

Who could ever forget the Brooke-Lucas-Peyton love triangle? This show had its claws hooked on me so tight I literally cried when Lucas married Peyton. And yes, those were very bitter tears. Now that Brooke is happily married to Julian, another love triangle seems to be brewing right under my nose, the Dan-Blair-Chuck triangle. Although I would love to see how the romance between Blair and Dan play out, I’m on Team Chair all the way!

Music

Back before the war between blonde Taylor and brunette Taylor over Lucas Till erupted, the love triangle between housewife-man-Jolene was all the rage in the music scene.

Cartoons

Hey Arnold! was and still is my favorite cartoon series of all time! And although the series has been long gone, the love triangle between Tootie-Timmy-Trixie keeps the Helga-Arnold-Lila memories alive.

Comic Books

After nearly a century of double dating, scheming, and feuding, the classic love triangle that defined my childhood still lives on. And although my heart goes out to Betty, Veronica is definitely the much better choice for Archie.

Movies

In the ‘80s, every teenage girl was torn between the prep and the geek. Now, little girls, teens, and even moms are conflicted between the vampire and the werewolf. My, how times have changed!

So whether you’re the type of girl who enjoys a good ol’ love triangle or hates the idea of it, let’s face it, love triangles add a whole new dimension to a story. Advance Happy Valentine’s Day, Candy Girls!

Xx,
Janelle :-*

photos courtesy of The CW (One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl), RCA Corporation (Dolly Parton’s Jolene), Big Machine (Taylor Swift’s You Belong With Me), Nickelodeon Productions (Hey Arnold!), Archie Comic Publications (Archie), Summit Media (The Twilight Saga: New Moon), and Paramount Pictures (Pretty in Pink)

Posted in Etcetera, Lists, Relationships | No Comments »

When you hear the word “proposal,” I’m sure the first thing that pops in your head is a wedding proposal (or even a project proposal.) But here in my school, this kind of proposal is the most popular right now—a PROM PROPOSAL! I’m very fortunate to be studying in a coed school especially during the prom season because once January comes, you’ll see illustration boards that spell out “PROM?” everywhere, girls holding bouquets of flowers, and more. Trust me, they get more unique and bongga every single year!

I interviewed three pairs of juniors and seniors about how they got asked to prom. I categorized them based on their relationships: friends, best friends, and a little more than best friends (hihi). Oh yeah, sorry for the quality of the videos and the noise.

1. Friends – I just had to include this story because it was so cute! I think this prom proposal is perfect for those who are friends—it’s not too cheesy, but it’s really such a surprise! If you two are just friends, don’t go over the top but make it heartfelt.

2. Best friends – I witnessed this during Mitchelle’s surprise birthday party. I was there when Andrew was fixing everything, and you could see that he really wanted it to be perfect for her. He was running around carrying the materials, and fixing the candles and lighting them. If you want to ask your best friend, don’t just do the usual illustration boards. Go a little beyond it. Show how thankful you are by making the proposal unique and memorable.

3. More than best friends – Anton actually talked to me before he asked Alicia to prom, and I saw the effort in him. Who would have ever thought that this guy would spend his free day burning himself with a glue gun and being artsy by making the PROM banner? If you’re more than best friends or a couple, it’s time to go all cheesy and romantic! Go the extra mile.

Prom is just around the corner, so good luck to all of you, Candy Girls (and the boys reading this). I hope you got inspired. For those who still don’t have dates—TAKE A CHANCE!

As for my prom proposal? It’s yet to be written, but last year’s was something I’ll never forget. Hihi!

Posted in Etcetera, Happy Thoughts, Relationships | 1 Comment »

Photo by Jamie Blomdahl

I love coffee. Being one of the few things that have remained consistently present in my life, I’ve practically regarded coffee as my best friend since I was a sophomore in high school. I’ve recently realized that like all beautiful and long-lasting friendships, you could say that coffee—and you might think I’m weird for saying this—has taught me a thing or two about love and relationships.

Personally, I like my coffee sweet. On the other hand, a good friend of mine might like his coffee more bitter. Different types of people like different types of coffee, and this preference depends on what they may (or may not) have already tried out.

In the same way that coffee drinkers differ in their coffee preference, different people have different takes on love—some may take it as something bitter, others may take it as something sweet, while few may take it as something bittersweet.

One way or another, experience and time are both needed in figuring out how to brew your perfect mix. True, some people enjoy coffee in its purely bitter form the same way some take love as the raw aggravating emotion that you surprisingly find yourself hooked to because as painful as it could get, being in love is one of the most exhilarating experiences in the world.

On the contrary, others prefer to add a little something extra to deviate from the bitter taste, making it sweeter than it really is. After all, all it boils down to at the end of the day is what you do with what you’ve got.

That’s when you take it. You have to be careful though, because as thrilled as you are to have that cup in your hands, you can’t take it too quickly or else you’ll end up with a bad burn. Similarly, as exciting as it is to be in love, you can’t jump into a relationship quickly without thought because this is (and you’ve probably heard this a million times before) the quickest route to heartbreak.

On the other hand, keeping it out too long will leave you with disappointment from unmet expectation as you find yourself realizing that you waited a little longer than you should have. In this case, it’s all a matter of timing and knowing when enough is enough.

Because when it comes to love, taking it at the right time will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy the same way a good cup of coffee does.

Posted in Reflections, Relationships | No Comments »

This was an entry I wrote for my personal blog. Ever seen those blog challenges being circulated around Tumblr? For each month, per day, one topic is listed down, and it’s your task to write about that certain topic.  No limits, no minimums – just write. I decided to start one a few weeks ago, and this is one of the entries assigned for one day. The topic? “Someone you can see yourself marrying/being with in the future.” I decided to share this personal entry with you girls because I am hoping that if some of you may happen to relate to what I have to share with you all, then this, hopefully, could reassure you that you are not alone.

“This will require some guts. Who am I to accept this challenge entry and write about my dream future partner when I myself have had no experience being madly in like/love with a boy (well, and vice versa), at all, whatsoever? ‘Oh well,’ is all I’m going to say. In my attempt to address The Future Man Of My Life, my dreams and requests may seem a tad far-fetched, maybe even a bit impossible – but where’s the fun in reaching for the obviously possible?

(I think describing my future husband would be too drastic so… I won’t. I’ll try to keep things a bit simpler.)

Hello there. You, someone, somewhere. Hi.

My too-hopeful, rose-tinted perspective on love tells my consciousness that you are out there (rather, I greatly hope you are). Probably you are staring at a computer screen as well, maybe drowning yourself in a book (that I have read too!), or jogging around your village (since you may carry that little athletic knack which is secretly a turn-on for me). What if our paths have crossed at least once, wouldn’t that fact be creepily interesting? Maybe we’ve even looked each other in the eye; or perhaps we’ve even shared a playful conversation that wasn’t just about the weather?

Regardless of how we met, when, where, through whom… all I want to be sure of is how things will progress after our little meeting. Will we click? Will our vibes, auras even, be in harmonious sync? Hopefully, yes. It would be more than perfect if we start off as really good friends. Sincere pals, that’s it. Nothing built out of pressure, hidden agendas or unreliable, wrong motives – just a simple, consistent buddy. Someone I can confide in, no inhibitions whatsoever – free-flowing conversations, exceeding no limits, until the wee hours of the morning. I am sure you will be one of those special people I can bring around, anywhere at anytime, and be absolutely positive the terms ‘dull’ and ‘awkward’ will never cross my mind at all when we’re together. I’d love showing you off as well – to my parents, friends, everyone – thanks to your inevitable charm and likable personality. The songs I listen to, my OA reactions and strange, embarrassing quirks? You’ve noted them, and heck, maybe have even found amusement in them. The minute things I laugh about? You’ll laugh too, just because. What ticks me off, and what makes me smile from ear to ear? You’ve got that down pat. That trusty confidant I can rant, maybe even cry, to? That someone who listens to me with understanding ears and offers the best, unbiased advice? That’s you. You’re that friend I’ve always imagined to have in my life, sharing that awesomely comfortable kind of girl-guy friendship I always see in movies and read about in books. Yep, that friendship would be ours, that friend would be you.

Then BAM. Something shifts. In the atmosphere, inside of me, and strangely, I begin hoping, inside of you too. One famous author said that “there are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other.” Only then will I agree. How long did it take for this harmless guy, a full-on stranger I maybe merely passed in the halls for months, or a long-time friend that I’ve always seen as JUST a long-time friend, to grow into way more than what I expected him to be? God knows when that happened, or more importantly, WHY. What changed? How? When it comes to throwing curveballs at me and surprising the heck out of me, life owns that uncanny talent. This abrupt change in emotion will probably catch me off guard, and will leave me feeling confused and maybe a bit lost. I’ll try to sort out my thoughts, dissect them so thoroughly and overanalyze every bit and piece. I know I’ll constantly reassure myself that this is completely nothing; it’s just my overworked brain taking irrational action once again. But deep inside, as much as I try to combat that nagging conscience knocking incessantly, I know that something has changed, and I’m as helpless as I know I am.

It’s going to be difficult, and I will probably beat myself up just trying to analyze (once again) what to do, even though I know exactly what I have to do. But for some brand-new reason, I will gradually learn how to let go of my gripping pride and throw it to the side. All of a sudden I know what I want, and for once I am not foolish enough to let what I desire slip away. As the old saying goes, if there is a will, there is a way. If something is worth it, go grab it. Want the biscuit? You gotta risk it! And once my task is done, what is left is fate. For once I will not close myself to the many infinite possibilities I believe I deserve to experience – I will strip away all my fears and just let go and let God. If it’s meant to be, it will be.

And one day, it will be.”

Posted in Reflections, Relationships | No Comments »

The Beatles sung it and Joe Cocker even made his own rendition: “You’ll get by with a little help from your friends.” This semester, quite an arduous and exhausting journey for me, validated the message of this song. I have never experienced a semester that was as grueling as this one and it was mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging for me. I had to juggle academics and extracurricular work; and to top it all off, I had to work on my unbearably time-demanding thesis. I don’t know how I’m surviving but I guess having my friends by me helps.

I guess the reason why I’m writing this is to say thank you to all my friends who have stuck with me throughout this entire semester. To my guy friends who are always game for a round of bridge or drinks, to my friends who message me in the middle of the night just to ask how I’m holding up, to my friends who would push me to take a break and go out on a Friday night instead of holing up in my room, to my friends I would cram studying for quizzes with, to friends whose jokes make things easier, to friends who text me for lunch breaks, to friends who text me for milk tea breaks, to friends who bear with my mood swings, to friends who let me leech off from their baon, to friends who helped me get by, and to friends who are not in this photograph. Thank you.

Posted in Relationships | 2 Comments »