For me, Ponyo is a comfort movie. It gets mixed reviews on its content and movie progression, ranging from appreciation to mild irritation at the storyline. I feel like a lot of people forget that as a children’s movie, Ponyo does not need the most believable plot (or a more subtle colour palette). The beauty and appeal of Ponyo is that it takes a deep dive into how a child’s mind perceives their life. The world is bright and mysterious, full of new discoveries every day. The quote written on the official movie poster is literally welcome to a world where anything is possible.
Ponyo – the movie’s namesake – is first introduced as a charming aquatic creature with a fierce desire to explore the world beyond her home. Her wishes are so strong that they grow, and grow, until they manifest into human limbs and a human head. Leaving behind her undersea life, siblings, and apprehensive father, she starts a journey of exploration… leading her right into the life of Sosuke.
Sosuke is a human child, with a picturisque life in an seaside village of Japan; he sees the world through eyes filled with wonder. He cares for every single person in his life, with Ponyo being no exception. When Sosuke’s mom is frustrated with his dad, he convinces her to signal a message to him together. When Sosuke is asked whether he will love Ponyo the same as a fish or a human, his honest answer is an immediate yes. Through every step of the way in his adventure with Ponyo, Sosuke represents the pure adoration that you feel for others as a child, towards your friends and family alike.
Together, Ponyo and Sosuke represent two aspects of childhood in the movie: larger-than-life, hopeful dreams and pure, perpetual love. This is a movie that transports viewers back into those experiences. It was entirely and wholly intended to be as bright, as dreamlike, as romantic, and as carefree as it was.
So, maybe we all need some more Ponyo in our lives. A little more of fierce desires unclouded by doubts, and a little more of unadulterated love for those around us. We should embody this part of our childhood throughout our existence, because its too short to not give it your all.
Let us tuck away, into a corner of our mind, a small voice that echoes to ourselves: welcome to a world where anything is possible.
You are my iron-clad, stone-hilted storm. The dying breath of stars compells us towards twinkling thoughts.
Breathing in. Breathing out.
Let us rest our heads in the ravines of Venus’ veil, pillowed by noxious nothings. Our formless fears dance on the silouhettes of deep space. We can stare down into the chasm, wondering about the battlefield left behind in the hands of fading sons and suns.
Or.
On a littered wasteland of heart and bone, moments and meadows, there will be a vine-laden cottage surrounded by a white picket fence. Stars bloom outside the door. Galaxies grow in the garden.
A quaint, cobblestone path shows us the way home.
Us, on a planet amidst the masses — larger than infinity, but smaller than eternity — entwined in the veins of the Earth.
Sophie and Markl (ss from Howl’s Moving Castle)Sophie and Calcifer (ss from Howl’s Moving Castle)
Howl’s Moving Castle is one of many high-quality Studio Ghibli movies; I believe they transcend all linguistic and cultural boundaries and just universally capture the beauty of human creativity. I have a soft spot for them, and they all have a peacefullness and charm which I seldom see in other films.
( ◡‿◡ )♡ Dear readers, be forewarned: spoilers ahead!!!
While I was watching the movie, I couldn’t help but form a ‘directional statement’ in my mind; HMC shows how love can be a medium for self-discovery, and shows this through multiple relationship developments as the story progresses. With Sophie as our ever-tenacious, strong female-lead, her relationships with Markl, Turnip-Head, Calcifer, and—last but not least—Howl.
Admittedly, not all of my points are very deep or solid, but this is more of a thought dump of everything I noticed (´◡`) I think it might be because as a children’s or family movie, some points have to be a bit obvious to drive home the message.
Markl
Throughout the movie, Markl puts on a disguise when he deals with strangers and customers. His first interaction with Sophie is also quite prickly, as he is annoyed she found her way into the castle. But he slowly warms up to Sophie as they start to take care of the castle together. We don’t know much of Markl’s background, so we don’t really know why he came to be an apprentice under Howl, just that he’s currently trying to improve his magic. During the climax of the movie, he hugs Sophie tightly, saying “I love you Sophie, Please don’t go!” While he says this, his disguise disappears. I interpreted this as because he is comfortable around Sophie enough to show his true self and feelings. Of course, he is usually in his true form around Sophie anyways, but I think this is symbolic regardless (´◡`)
Turnip-Head
Our gentlemanly turnip-headed-scarecrow doesn’t have a huge amount of interactions with Sophie, but they’re all distinct in strengthening their relationship. He finds his true self quite literally, after he turns back into his human, princely form at the end of the movie. We’re first introduced to him as Sophie pulls him upright from bushes on her way to find Howl. He can’t talk, and his ever present grin is just the smallest amount of unsettling, but we quickly become endeared to him as he brings Sophie a cane for her travels. Through the movie, he continues to help Sophie, and becomes part of the HMC family. You could say that on a very basic level, his love for Sophie helped him find himself again (after her ‘true love’s kiss, he transforms). I like to imagine that past that surface level analysis, our turnip-headed prince found himself through his actions to help the group throughout the film.
(Also, can we take a moment to appreciate how he understands and accepts Sophie’s affections lie elsewhere? And leaves back for his kingdom gracefully? More people should learn from him (´◡`) )
Calcifer
With Calcifer and Sophie, I honestly don’t have many points leading back to my directional statement, but their relationship is so funny and wholesome that I just had to include them. Although we are given hints throughout the movie, we find out Calcifer is actually Howl’s heart near the end. But we still see the growing attachement he has towards Sophie—she’s the only other person other than Howl that he listens to. This can be chalked up to him literally just being a part of Howl, but its sweet regardless when Sophie kisses him and he returns back to his true form as a fallen star. So… another very physical show of self discovery (´◡`)
Howl
Howl’s changes are also physical, in addition to Sophie’s interactions with Calcifer when you consider him a part of Howl. As Howl and Sophie get to know and care for eachother, his ‘mysterious’, ‘otherworldly’ mask fades away into something much more human. When Sophie cleans and organizes the castle bathroom, Howl accidentally uses the wrong hair product; this eventually turns his hair black. When I watched the movie, I assumed that this could be a nod back to Howl’s natural hair colour—a sign that he was finally revealing his true self.
What I found harder to explain to myself was Howl’s transformation into his monstrous, bird-like form. Whenever he transforms, he loses a bit more of his humanity, and it become harder for him to turn back. Is this something that Howl accepts as part of himself to help in the war? Does it reflect the negative results he internalizes when offering his generosity to the world? His true self—his kindness and will to protect the places and people that he loves—manifests as an eerily beautiful transfiguration.
Maybe it brings out a strong message that everything about our true selves isn’t always good…and that’s okay (´◡`)
Bonus: Sophie
I think Sophie is one of the strongest, most self-assured female leads I have ever seen in a movie or a book. I love how she takes everything in stride and is very logical about the curse set on her. Although it isn’t explicit, I think Sophie and her love for others + herself transforms her back to her original appearance by the end of the movie. Her love for Howl is the major reason the movie points to, but I like to think that her personal journey through this movie also played a part in it.
And that concludes my thought dump about HMC.
If you read until the end... thanks! (´◡`)
“March came in that winter like the meekest and mildest of lambs, bringing days that were crisp and golden and tingling…”
— Lucy Maude Montgomery
You run along
the hardened ground
as the snow whispers underneath your feet.
one step, two steps –
You leave imprints and they are impressed
by your impertinence as your jocund giggles stick to the ground.I thought the wind – could only be harsh.
the sun, only scorching.but now our breaths crystalize in the air.
this golden hour, we are gold,
as the sun sets us afire and the mist is aglow
faces flushed red as
the wind caresses and nips at our faces
like the ginger cat down the lane.We run
You seven steps ahead
Me tracing your footpaths
in the freshly crushed snow
In this endless expanse
of the ecstatic first blush of the blue skiesthe school stands still in the early morning light.
the trees are tall and topped in snow
pine needles shaking slightly in the breeze.the white boards glitter as the sun rises
and I smile at you
My most bosom friend,
You who came to me
like the last snow.
Like the Last Snow is a poem based on Anne of Green Gables, aiming to capture the joy of the last snowfall of the winter season. It is told from Diana Berry’s point of view, Anne’s best friend.
Death as solely a concept is not a luxury that humans can afford.
If life is a simple trick of biology, a specific sequence of atoms and molecules, does that mean that life has no meaning? That we, in fact, have physical restraints, and are forced to come to terms with the certainty that we are not bigger than ourselves; do not have much time in the world; are an infinitesimally small speck in the grandest timeline of existence?
Or, does it mean that the living body—despite all barriers and boundaries—prevailed against the universe to give itself meaning?
I postulate this: there is not a single life without meaning; and conversely, there is no meaning without the essence of being. But be-ing is not merely the biological definition of a working mind.
There are black holes that dance around each other for eons, finally collapse into each other’s arms. They create waves in the space-time continuum, washing lengths of pure energy over the universe. Hauntingly beautiful, and yes, woefully abstruse. There is beauty still—in the absence of life anywhere in the cosmos, in the organizations of electrons and quarks.
Persistence is written into the very fabric of the universe. The meaning of life resides in these nooks and crannies, in the evening thoughts of the poet, the messy proofs of the mathematician, the chlorophyll creating the colour of grass, the stars blazing in the sky. What I mean to say is: persistence is being. Persistence is meaningful. Persistence is beautiful.
Here’s a sunset picture for happy vibes! Photo Credit: Moumita Dutta
I hope all of you reading this are healthy and well! It’s a hard time for everybody as people face different challenges, but remember to take care of yourself and keep the health of others in mind as well!
As society continues to self isolate, many people are beginning to feel the consequences first hand. Quite a few people must work from home, and schools and universities have closed for many all around the world. Don’t forget to reach out for help with close family and friends, trusted adults, or phone help lines if needed! Your health (mental and physical) must come first before everything else.
We’re all trying to find a new rhythm in our daily lives, and I especially see that it’s also hard to stay motivated. Staying cooped up at home and not being able to meet up with friends is making a lot of people feel down. So, it is important to take some time to relax and bring out some longtime hobbies, such as knitting, reading, and drawing! As of now, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer also said that it’s okay to go out for walks if you stay 2 meters away from others and you aren’t showing symptoms, so get some fresh air!
But what must we be cautious of? In this era of instant entertainment and information at the tip of our fingers, it is easy to spend days without doing anything productive. The worst part? At the end of it, most do not feel any happier. Instead, they feel agitated and anxious about their lack of productivity. So how do we stay happy and motivated during these challenging times?
Set out time for work (and also for fun!): Just as you had routines in the workplace and educational centres, you can make your very own one at home! I like to work for an hour and a half and take a fifteen minute break routinely until I finish all my tasks for the day.
And to help with that, remember to ignore distracting apps on your phone and/or other devices! Keeping it away out of sight is a good plan, as well as keeping it on silent mode. I personally use an app called Forest to remind me to stay focused whenever I pick up my phone!
Finally, remember to not get distracted by your surroundings, and try to find a quite place to work. Time will fly by, and then you’ll feel great once you get some work done. Then you can enjoy your free time! I have a post about focus right here.
We can take this challenge and get through it together! I greatly admire all of the healthcare professionals, researchers, and others who are constantly risking their lives and giving it their all to help the world recover from this predicament. And all students, stay strong! It may be confusing and stressful, but hopefully soon, everything will clear up and we can get back to classes.
Studying and working is a chore to many, and that’s part of the reason why most people lose their focus when they get around to it. I’m sure we’ve all felt that boredom at some point. No matter how much you love the subject, and no matter how much you schedule your day, sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
“I don’t feel like doing it today… I’ll just get this done tomorrow.”
Sound familiar?
EXERCISE your Focus All Day
So how do we find the focus to sit down and learn? Believe it or not, focus doesn’t start with studying — you need it with you all the time.
It really does make sense: if you let your mind wander for the entire day, playing games and scrolling through social media, do you think it will listen to you when you tell it to focus at 6 PM after the entire day? (This doesn’t mean you can never have fun. Let me explain.)
Practice focus throughout your day; this includes your free time! Focus on playing that game for one hour, focus on reading that book, focus on finishing your food quickly. Once you teach your brain how to focus, once you start practicing it more often, you will see that it comes naturally to you when you actually sit down to get some work done.
Above all, enjoy what you’re doing in the moment — don’t dwell on what you could be doing/what you’re not doing. Then, when you start to study, your brain will enjoy it.
Social Media?
One stumbling block to focus is a huge part of our lives these days: social media. We can easily spend hours on all of the different sites these days without even realising. Many kids can’t even live without checking messages and information every few minutes — I see it happening before my very eyes, and I used to be guilty of that as well. Those apps (like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Tumblr) are designed to keep people engaged. So how do you break free?
Set a daily limit on your account after 1 hour
Turn off notifications!
Exercise self control
Use another app for music (not YouTube!)
Find news on traditional news sites (perhaps even twitter, but no reposting!)
By following these rules, you’ll find that you have way more free time at the end of the day. You’ll also feel happier and probably even more energetic!
Above All, Take Initiative
In the end, it’s all about what you want to achieve. Embrace the joy of learning and bettering yourself throughout your life. The world is interesting — magical, even — so discover it through your hard work!
Now, before everyone comes at me, traffic on the highways does
not make me happy. It’s more about the time I get to myself during my
commute.
If you’re like me, you have a very long commute from home to downtown for one of two things: work or education. I live in a city where the highways get super congested — it actually ranks as one of the most traffic-congested cities in Canada. I recently found out that long commutes are a signature of North America, even though there are other places in Asia where it is common. It’s even becoming a part of European lifestyle for some.
I’m writing this in the morning while I’m on the road. I
have my earbuds in, listening to my favourite music, and doing one of my most
favourite things – blogging! I either sleep or do my homework on the bus. On
rare occasions when I don’t have much work to get done, I read, write or draw.
I understand the aggravation that people feel inching along beside the other
cars; I feel it sometimes too. But instead of complaining about the long way
and that being the only thing on your mind, do something productive instead!
Things to do on the highway:
Finish your homework! (You’ll thank yourself when you get home)
Self study to gain knowledge (Again, you’ll thank yourself in the future)
Read a novel (gain vocabulary and be sucked into another world!)
Draw (it may be bumpy, but I somehow manage)
Write (let your creativity flow!)
Watching Videos? (watch tv at home, and educational vids on the highway)
Meditate (relaxing is important!)
Self-reflect (make plans, solve personal problems, etc.)
Listen to music or a podcast
Sleep 🙂
I can do a lot of my favourite activities in the car because
a) I don’t drive and b) I don’t get car sick (I used to, but I forced myself
not to, if that makes any sense). But if you are driving, you can still do
important things. How often is it that you get to self reflect? Plan out your
day in silence? Listen to your music out loud without worrying about anybody’s opinions?
Great ideas always come when you least expect it. And how
can you get them when you’re always busy and your mind is cluttered with stress?
The early morning traffic jam is the best time to get yourself together and mentally
or physically jot down a few notes regarding your future plans or a new story.
Long story short, use your time wisely. A long commute is
one of the only times that you have completely to yourself. Utilise that time
to better yourself.
I haven’t posted for a week… it’s been very busy over at my
side of things. But don’t worry! I haven’t forgotten about posting. I’m
planning to post once a week from now on. Here are some posts that you can
expect to see in October:
Acid Reflux and GERD
What is protein in the human body?
Finding the Motivation and Will to Study
Positivity Post: Traffic Jams on the Highway (I
know, it’s a weird one)
I ran across the field of stars Over my sun and ten thousand leagues far Meteors rained down upon me as a storm brewed But a wave washed me away to the frozen valley of forgotten moons
The sea of stars twists around me sparkling and fading into distant galaxies The colour of a universe is not one that all can see easily Mine is a brilliant light unknown to man
Whales float across the sky Birds by the millions ready their wings to fly Goliath dragons roam the void for a place to call home Among the creatures of the night I no longer felt alone
I traveled through eons of time just to realize a lie Thought the noise of my tears were my battle cry I walk across the clouds and among the beasts, But then I fall back down to the sea
My mind twists dreams into a reality Ever-present Celestials visit a place shrouded in mystery The sun and moon are both high in the heavens Creating for me a new haven of shadowed light.
Silent supernovae share a pulsing light and rupture colliding planets Beautiful catastrophes wreak havoc Battles continue through dawn and dusk, surrounding the cosmic shrine Still, through it all, the universe inside me shines
(Please do not repost or use my works without my permission.)
Momo's Musings 