It is the beginning of the working week in 2026. Some of us are still feeling tired and lazy.
Some are busy making plans and believing that something good might happen this year. Of course, it’s New Year – a fresh idea, new hope, and a new start.
We all seek a fresh start. That’s what the new year signifies for us all. It signals a new beginning — a chance to restart and improve.
The holiday season is a welcome break for us all, but for others, it can disrupt their daily routine.
There is only a one-week gap between Christmas and New Year, yet it felt like a long holiday.
We allowed ourselves to indulge in all the things we’d never do in our usual daily routines. We drank too much alcohol. We ate junk food, heaps of chocolate, cakes, and sweets, stayed up late at night, and the list could go on and on.
Then, we all must face reality. Going back to work and picking up where we left off is tough. It’s hard to return to our desks, once cluttered with notes and papers, where we never turned off all our electronic devices. We’ve lost our momentum with writing. No matter how much we shake our heads, nothing comes out—no words or ideas.
It’s tough when we are still feeling nostalgic about our holiday and wishing it had never finished.
It’s hard, too, when all we can think about is checking our social media for photos and messages from friends and family.
There were good laughs and memorable moments we shared with them. We reminisced about those times when we acted crazy, ridiculous, and funny, and it was perfectly okay with them. Wiping that smile off our faces was hard because that was the only time we let ourselves go and be vulnerable.
And that should have been sufficient.
Instead, we couldn’t get them out of our heads. We run out of steam and grow weary in front of that bright screen on our computer. Our minds are like film reels showing flashbacks of the best Christmas break we had.
Our daily writing routine will gradually return. We may already have thought of a better way to make our working schedules more manageable. Our writing should always find a place in our busy calendar. It will take a little time, but whatever we do, make sure it doesn’t take us that long.
We had our breaks, our time out from the daily grind in our lives.
So, it’s time to head back to work; otherwise, we will never write again.
In a few hours, 2025 will come to a close. Some of us go through the usual rituals of reflecting on our achievements, setbacks, and regrets. We don’t just look back; we consider the lessons we’ve learned, the habits, and the beliefs that no longer serve us.
As we wait for the dust to settle and the year comes to a close, I softly bid farewell to 2025, without drama or resentment. I find myself looking back not with urgency but to recognise what it taught me, what I got wrong or messed up, what I got right, and what I experienced.
Dear 2025
You didn’t arrive with fireworks or a dramatic shift. Instead, you fitted into the background of our everyday life, quietly through familiar routines, sharing meals, having small chats, and the presence of family. At that time, it seemed ordinary, but as I stand on the brink of a new year, I understand your purpose. You came without shouting your lessons, which were hidden in its stillness. You taught me a lesson about being patient, about learning to wait for things to open up without force, because growth is sometimes about staying, enduring, and being at ease where you are.
As I leave and finally say goodbye, I am not taking everything with me. I will go with gratitude for what you have offered, and for what you withheld, and quiet hope for what lies ahead. Some burdens have been carried long enough — they can now be laid down. What I will bring forward is gratitude for those ordinary days that quietly wove themselves into something steady and reassuring. For a year that asked little of me yet gave me space to breathe.
This isn’t a dramatic farewell, but a gentle closing of a chapter—an appreciation for a year that offered quiet grace instead. I move into what’s next, not reinvented, but softly realigned, lighter than before, and quietly hopeful.
I’m not starting over—just carrying on, a bit lighter and a little wiser.
The holidays are a time for laughter, warmth, and those little moments that make family life wonderfully chaotic. In this poem, I’ve captured the joy, the chaos, and the tenderness of these special days— from bumpy bus rides and overfed children going astray. I remembered that even before our holiday started, my parents were already arguing about one thing—food. The bus trip would be long, the stops brief, and according to Mum, hunger was simply not allowed.
Wishing you all a holiday season filled with laughter, love, and happy memories with friends and families.
Till next time
Reference:
May, N. (2021, August 10). A2 poetry portfolio and reflection: CWG100 creative writing, Curtin University [Unpublished paper]. Curtin University.
While many moviegoers have already seen the eighth and final chapter of Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning in May 2025, I decided to revisit the 2023 Dead Reckoning Part One, because something is captivating about this seventh instalment. I’ve seen both, but this is one of the franchise’s most daring and entertaining entries. It links Ethan Hunt’s past and future while setting up for a compelling grand finale.
Taking a closer look at the mission: The impossible spy genre that spans seven films over three decades.
Only one person can save the entire universe when the world is in great danger. It took him only two hours and forty-three minutes to save the world, simply by his death-defying motorcycle ride off a cliff in the Alps, the car chase in Rome that went a bit too long, skydiving over jagged mountain terrain, and fighting the wrong guy atop the Orient Express train through the Alps.
If you choose to accept your mission, Tom Cruise will deliver more action scenes—scene after scene—as the superhero agent Ethan Hunt.
The seventh instalment of Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One took the global box office hit after its release on July 12, 2023, intensifying 20th-century technology. Dead Reckoning is impossibly full of action and surprises. But what surprises me the most is that the title is unclear and difficult to interpret and understand. So, what does Dead Reckoning mean, anyway? “Dead Reckoning” is a subheader that adds an ominous feeling of great fear or apprehension, a little threatening, and thoroughly moving. So, if you reckon the bad guys are dead, it’s not what it means. That is why I consulted the Cambridge Dictionary, which says, “Dead Reckoning is a way of calculating the position of a ship or aircraft using only information about the direction and distance it has travelled from a known point.”
Since “Dead Reckoning” is a navigational term, the thrilling opening scene set aboard the Russian submarine is a great way to start the movie. With vision and directorial style, it pushes the boundaries of action and suspense slightly more. However, Christopher McQuarrie explained that aside from its true meaning, the title stands for something else. It represents a direct similarity between the words, not only for Ethan Hunt but also for a few other characters. Their past lives are beginning to catch up with them, and they must deal with their choices to stay alive. In other words, so many things are coming to the surface from Ethan and the members of his crew’s past lives that they must deal with to complete their dangerous missions and save the world from various threats.
Bruce Geller created the series Mission: Impossible, a group of government secret agents known as the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) from September 1966 to March 1973 on the CBS network for seven seasons, then returned to television for another season on ABC from 1988 to 1990. The Cold War, with American and Soviet tensions, provided a backdraft, leading to the 1950s’ severe suffering after the war. The series had no action. It was all about those precision moves, spy games that you could barely follow what was going on until the plot put together the puzzles, and you began to feel the rush.
Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One movie is the seventh entry in the franchise and has a two-part finale, both of which are timely reminiscences on the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In Part One, Ethan Hunt and the IMF team embark on the most dangerous mission to track down a terrifying form of artificial intelligence known as “The Entity” that is everywhere, has a mind of its own and endangers the world if it falls into the wrong hands. Once slotted together, two pieces of figures with a cross give a person access to The Entity. Ethan Hunt’s mission is to stop it from slipping into the wrong hands.
The movie delivers an endless rollercoaster of action, perfectly blending jaw-dropping stunts with a plot that keeps you guessing constantly. Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is at his best, running unstoppably with his upper body held upright. At 61 years old, his trim and compact physique showed no signs of slowing down. His endurance outsized his magnificent stunts, and the ensemble cast added depth to the powerful thrills. The pulse-pounding sequences and unexpected twists reaffirm the franchise’s mastery of the spy genre.
Producers Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, and Leifur B. Dagfinnsson showcase their expertise by perfectly integrating heart-stopping action sequences with a well-crafted storyline. It kept viewers engaged with its electrifying action and heart-stirring stunts. Although opinions from the public on the movie may vary, the film put together an entirely different plot that adds depth to the characters, delivering a unique blend of suspense and scenes that keep the audience guessing.
The film touches on fears and challenges by engaging the subjects of technological warfare and global uncertainty and reflecting each period’s evolving zeitgeist. It is a thrilling action movie that mirrors present-day concerns.
Some quotes and sayings help us see familiar things fresh, inspiring us to rethink, feel, and dream. These reflections are gentle reminders to live more fully, love more deeply, and listen more closely to the quiet wisdom within.
A perfect kiss happens when two hearts take control.
A perfect kiss is more than just a touch or passion; it is a promise, a whisper of souls, and two hearts connecting in mutual love, trust, and surrender.
Be the person you want to be.
You are the artist holding the brush, painting yourself with courage and shaping your destiny until the reflection you see is the one you have long dreamed of and the best version of yourself, instead of waiting for a change to happen.
Dance under the stars and enjoy the silence of the night.
Live the moment and cherish nature’s beauty, calmness, and simplicity. Let the night be your stage and the stars your audience, in the quiet darkness, twirling freely, unburdened and alive.
Don’t ask how long love will last, nor doubt if love is less.
Love is a living, breathing force—timeless, tender, and true, cherishing what exists now, without measure, and comparing its sparkle to the past.
Each step is worthwhile even though it takes a mile.
Every small step carries a dream, and each footprint marks your courage to keep moving, even when progress feels slow; every effort adds to a meaningful journey.
Give your life every reason to live.
Fill your days with joy and laughter, and your nights with wonder and peace. Embody it with purpose and passion. It’s a garden where you can savour the air and enjoy everything surrounding you.
Music eases the mind and puts all worries behind.
When music wraps around the heart, it whispers what words cannot—it comforts restless souls and helps weary thoughts find peace.
Take time to listen when someone’s heart is in misery.
The kindest gift we can offer someone is to listen and allow another heart to breathe its pain.
Think like you are the boss when sending your message across.
Let your words stand tall, not in pride but with self-assurance and clarity. What comes from conviction carries its own quiet power.
When two souls are united, a new journey begins.
Love is like a sunrise, bringing a new start beneath their mutual light. It’s a partnership between two people creating something together, sharing growth, discovery, and mutual transformation.
We all play a significant role in protecting our homes from disasters and imminent dangers by ensuring they are safe, clean, and beautiful. But what about our real home?
HE posted an ad — Urgent! — “For sale: The Blue Marble.” It is surprisingly cheap; it’s a steal, so be quick.
Take a tour of the Earth and drift through distant space. Its location is brilliant — the third rock from the sun. This fantastic planet is simple and elegant; It’s divine, it’s heavenly — only five billion years.
Do you see the clouds rolling across the bright, clear sky? The ocean is blue, like a soft, early-morning hue. The open land is vast and deeply mysterious; Like a naked soul, it dazzles and remains noble.
The vast continents are mountainous and mightier; Like a strange, distant lover, they’re farther and higher. The landscapes of the islands are deeply melodic; Like timeless classic music — perfect and exquisite.
The grand and picturesque streams flow into waterfalls, Dancing like ballerinas in rhythmic motion. Whilst the chilled, romantic rivers meander softly Beneath the sunset’s fiery red and orange glint.
The owner will sell to a conscientious buyer. The wealth is unlimited — a gift beyond measure. There are complex challenges for the new owner: To bring unity to future generations.
The tenants have lived here for a million years or more. A great number will come, and a great many will go. The Earth has endured through humanity’s ambition, But the tenants seem unconcerned — it isn’t kind, it’s torn.
The climate is changing, and Earth is getting hotter. It’s your home — it’s precious — it needs care and protection.
–Ninagracia
Till next time,
Cheers
References
Blue Marble – Image of the Earth from Apollo 17. (2007, November 30). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov
Following the “Writing Exercises” section of Chapter 8, Burroway, J., Stuckey-French, E., and Stuckey-French, N. (2015) suggest that, based on the idea of writing a false statement about yourself and allowing the “I” character to develop, you can create a character unlike yourself, giving you the freedom to practise voice, reliability, and audience awareness.
Here’s what I came up with.
This post is an assignment I submitted on August 10, 2021, for CWG210 Writing Short Fiction at Curtin University. I have adapted it into a blog post to share it with a broader audience.
Which is Witch?
I’m a witch, and that’s the truth. My friends at school don’t believe me, and even my bestie laughs at me. I’m talking in front of this camera to prove to everyone that I truly am a witch. So, watch me.
First, I like everything black. Why? Because I am a witch. I wear black skirts, shorts, jeans, dresses, T-shirts, and hoodies. Believe me, my undies are black, too. Uh-uh! I can’t show it. It’s against the witch’s protocol.
My nail polish is black. Have a look, it looks great on my long, pointy fingernails. Black eyeshadows bring out the best of my big, dark brown eyes. My lips look luscious with black lipstick. Mwah! Of course, my long hair looks fantastic in black. That’s why I dye it black. I hate my blond hair. My mum is blond, you know. Shh!
A few months ago, I went to an Asian store and bought this broomstick. It’s not cheap, you know. I am still trying to figure out how to make this thing fly. But don’t worry, I’ll have a wild ride with this broomstick someday. I’ll fly towards and on the other side of the moon. Oh well, before that happens, I need to lose 10 kilos first. Can’t take chances of crashing.
Whenever I want to do something, I check my horoscope. We can’t be too careful these days. The moon behaves very unpredictably. Sometimes, I use my tarot cards for guidance.
And whoever says that witches are middle-aged or older women is lying. Hey, look at me. I am a sweet sixteen-year-old witch. I possess endless powers within me that I have not discovered yet. Don’t worry, I’m working on it. All I must do is unleash all my hidden power for the world to see.
Witches use magical tools. I don’t have one, so I took our old wooden spoon. I am just hoping my mum will not notice that it is gone. Also, I can perform spells using herbs. I tried to use it on my sister to make her sick. She never believed me. She yelled at me and said that it was not my power that made her sick. She said I was stupid to mix too much sage and chamomile herbs in her pasta. Gosh, I hate her!
Just a word of warning to all. Don’t make me angry… because I can turn someone into something. I have a spell that can do that. Perhaps I can start with my sister. I hate cockroaches, so I could turn her into a cockroach and spray her with Bygone insect killer. Yay, she would be gone forever.
Ouch! What was that about?
“You can’t do that to her. You’re not good at spelling.”
That was my older brother. He smacked the back of my head. See that? He didn’t know he would be on TikTok. He thinks he is good at spelling because he can spell brioche and croissant. Why wouldn’t he? He’d been working at the bakery section at Woollies.
I don’t understand why no one believes me. Even my name—Ophelia Addams—says it all. Isn’t that enough proof?
“Ouch! Not again.”
“That was a coincidence.” My dad smacked the back of my head. He will be on TikTok, too. Shh!
“My surname is Addams, and you were named after my mother.”
Dad repeatedly told me a long time ago that the Addams Family was not related to us or real. Why not? I could feel some connections with them.
“I must go out for a while. I need worms for bait.”
“Dad, I have a spell for that. I can give you a bucket of worms if you want.”
“You’d better stop all this nonsense, will you! I would turn you into a giant worm if you don’t.”
I don’t believe it. My very, very own dad? How could he do that to his daughter without showing it to me first? Gosh people!
Till next, Cheers!
References
Burroway, J., Stuckey-French, E., & Stuckey-French, N. (2015). Writing Fiction: A guide to narrative craft (9th ed.). Pearson.
Burroway, J., Stuckey-French, E., & Stuckey-French, N. (2015). Call me Ishmael: Point of view. In Writing fiction: A guide to narrative craft (9th ed., p. 315). Pearson.
Oops! That was the most extended coffee break ever!
I didn’t mean for the break to last this long, but sometimes we just need to sit down with a good cuppa to enjoy the sweet moments and unwind a bit. And of course, while I’ve been jotting down notes and collecting sparks of inspiration, I’ll share a few with you today.
Stan Lee
Marvel Superhero Stock Photos by Vecteezy
He said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” In his comics, he signed off with his catchphrase, “Excelsior,” and shouted “Excelsior” at a convention. He doesn’t need an introduction because he created unique but imperfect characters whose flaws, personal struggles, and feelings, like real people, make them very different from the ideal heroes of the past. He showed that even superheroes have flaws, and that anyone, even ordinary folks, can be extraordinary. If you know Spider-Man,The Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, to name a few, among the hundreds of characters he created, then you would know that Stan Lee was the creator of these iconic superheroes and one of the most influential figures in the world of popular culture that we all know and love.
Born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, in Manhattan, New York City, Lee was the eldest of two sons of Jack Lieber and Celia Solomon Lieber, Jewish immigrants from Romania. Lee grew up during the Great Depression and faced financial struggles with his family. His father was a tailor working in Manhattan’s Garment District. Lee’s younger brother, Larry Lieber, became a Marvel comic writer and artist.
Stan Lee used a pseudonym to hide his real name. He explained that he wanted to keep his real name for writing serious literature. He loved reading and dreamed of creating stories. However, as we now know, his dream of becoming a novelist never came true; he became a comic book writer, editor, and publisher.
He finished school at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, and at 16, he got his first job in the comic book industry through his cousin, who was married to Martin Goodman. Stan Lee worked as an errand boy at Timely Comics, a company owned by Martin Goodman, which later became known as Marvel Comics. Initially, he earned just eight dollars a week doing simple tasks like making sure the artists had ink, picking lunches, sharpening pencils, making coffee, proofreading, and erasing pencil marks from finished pages.
In May 1941, his first credited work was the story “Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge,” which appeared in the third issue of the Captain America series. He signed the name “Stan Lee”. He split his first name into two parts (Stan-Lee). It was the first time he used his pen name, and then, in the 1970s, he officially changed his surname from Lieber to Lee, which became his legal name. Here, Stan Lee worked with artist Jack Kirby and writing partner Joe Simon. Then, in August that year, he created his first superhero, The Destroyer.
When the rival DC Comics made Justice League of America popular in the late 1950s, Marvel Comics asked Stan Lee to create a new superhero team. Taking his wife’s advice, Joan Clayton Boocock, whom he married in 1947, he developed heroes with flaws and real-life problems. Alongside artist Jack Kirby, the success of TheFantastic Four encouraged them to create more heroes. He became a co-creator of Marvel Comics’ most famous superheroes, such as the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, and Black Panther. After that, he created Daredevil with Bill Everett, Doctor Strange with Steve Ditko, and Marvel’s iconic Spider-Man. Lee, Kirby, and Ditko used a technique that gave artists more input on story outlines to develop new content. The artists handled the drawings, and Lee added dialogue and captions afterwards. Working with artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, Stan Lee revolutionised the comic book industry in the 20th century.
When Jack Kirby and Joe Simon left the company after a dispute with Goodman, Lee was only 19 when he was appointed assistant editor. Soon after, in 1972, Marvel Group appointed Stan Lee as publisher and editorial director.
Pinpointing the exact number of books Stan Lee authored over his lifetime is challenging—mainly because he wrote and co-wrote hundreds across various formats like novels, memoirs, instructional art books, collections, reissues, and even comic adaptations. Fiction DB lists a surprising 436 books under Stan Lee’s name—although this probably includes reprints, anthologies, collections, and graphic novel entries. Given the variation, it’s safe to say that at least 400 titles are attributed to him. Regarding superhero characters, while precise counting is difficult due to co-creation credits and minor character entries, Stan Lee is widely credited with co-creating over 300 Marvel characters—including about 60 major superheroes such as Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, X-Men, and others.
Stan Lee received numerous awards, but the highest honour for artists in the United States was President George W. Bush’s National Medal of Arts in 2008.
His wife, Joan Boocock, passed away in 2017. They had one daughter, Joan Celia (J.C.) Lee. The following year, on November 12, 2018, Stan Lee died at the age of 95.
With a shout of “Excelsior!” Stan Lee filled comic books with heroes who made readers believe that adventure could be found anywhere—even in everyday life.
Every year, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated in many countries worldwide on March 8 to honour all women and celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.
Today, I would like to share a beautiful poem by Maya Angelou. “Phenomenal Woman” is one of Angelou’s most famous poems, and it celebrates the most remarkable beauty and female strength, freshness, and vigour. The poem addresses the traditional expectation that the ideal feminine beauty was fashion models. But first, here’s a little bit about Maya Angelou.
Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Ann Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, was born on April 4, 1928. Her nickname “Maya” was given to her by her older brother, Bailey. Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, writer, actor, director, and producer. She published several autobiographies, books of essays, and several books of poetries. Angelou had a distinguished career as a singer and dancer and performed professionally in the US, Europe, and northern Africa. She was a civil rights activist working with Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X (Poetry Foundation, n.d.).
Angelou lived with her paternal grandmother when she was young after her parents divorced. Four years later, Angelou returned to her mother briefly but was raped by her mother’s boyfriend when she was seven. He went to jail and got killed after being released from prison. She believed her confession led to the man’s death because she said his name. Angelou refrained from speaking and became temporarily speechless for six years. During this period of silence, Angelou developed her love for books and literature. She returned to her grandmother’s care in Arkansas.
Before the start of World War II, Angelou moved back in with her mother in California and went to George Washington High School, and attended dance and drama courses at California Labor School. When the war broke out, Angelou worked as a streetcar conductor. She worked for a while but decided to return to school, graduated from Mission High School in 1944 and gave birth to her only child, Clyde Bailey Johnson. In 1949, Angelou married Tosh Angelos, an electrician in the US Navy. They divorced in 1952, and she kept his surname throughout her life.
In 1981, she became a professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, despite her lack of a college education. The Wake Forest University Writers Hall of Fame inducted Angelou in 2012. She composed and delivered a poem, “On the Pulse of Morning”, for the inauguration of US President Bill Clinton in 1993. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded her the National Medal of Arts. In 2011, President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour (Spring, 2017), for her outstanding and inspiring career in the arts. She was awarded 50 honorary degrees in her lifetime. Maya Angelou died on May 28, 2014.
Phenomenal Woman
By Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
It is hard to write and stay focused when there is so much noise around us. News of war, fights, and disasters are pretty overwhelming, taking our attention away from our writing activities. Sometimes, we just don’t know what to write, or we are experiencing a slowdown in our writing process.
Many of us are constantly improving our craft, and the only way to improve our writing is to write regularly. If we don’t know what to write, or if it feels like we are stuck in the writing process, good writing prompts can unlock some new ideas and stimulate all kinds of writing.
Have you tried visual writing prompts? I personally like looking at drawings or pictures to stir my imagination. So, if you love animals, let’s start with them. Do you have any idea what goes inside their heads?
The Bookworm
“So, where are the worms? I’ve already checked all the pages.”
Write something funny about this picture.
Small but Smart
“Are we there yet? If my day gets worse than this, I’m going home.”
This guinea pig is getting bored. Continue this story.
Speed Reading
“So, how much faster do you want me to read? I don’t even know what I’m reading.”
ninagracia.com 
