Hellene
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A Day at the Coconut Shack, Part 1
For the third time this week, Kiri is woken up by the deafening beats of Golden blaring through the family’s portable bluetooth speaker. “… We’re going up, up, up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin’, gonna be gonna be golden” the singer’s voice screeches higher as the song reaches its peak. With eardrums
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Discipline, Motivation and Consistency: Lessons from My Writing Journey
Discipline is a word that I hear all the time. We all know that discipline is important. It is key for success in life. It’s practiced by everyone in one form or another, a concept that is part of civilization since the beginning of time. Since discipline is such a common idea, a practice so
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The 2026 Energy Crisis as Felt in Southeast Asia
The world’s energy markets have been in chaos since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026. Where I live in Cambodia, the price of gasoline is about 40% higher than pre-conflict levels, while diesel is roughly 95% higher and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has risen
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Frodo Baggins: An Unconventional Hero
I am in a contemplative mood this week. While meandering along the path of self-reflection, I feel a mysterious force draw me into the journey of Frodo Baggins from the Lord Of the Rings. I am most interested in the motivations that drive him to complete his quest and what personal victory, if any, that
