The X-Pression Blog
20 September 2025
What started with my admiration for the heroic 9/11 dogs Roselle and Salty—their bravery, loyalty, and companionship—has, in recent days, evolved into a desire to learn more about that day. This curiosity has become evident across my Facebook feed and has even influenced my YouTube recommendations. For the first time in my life, I’ve felt compelled to immerse myself in the history of 9/11, perhaps as a way of not dwelling too much on my own 9/11 story.
22 August 2025
Earlier this year, I wrote about recommitting to walking in 2025. I’m happy to announce (with a proud smile) that I’ve kept that promise. More than that, I didn’t let the fact that the year is already nearing its end discourage me from starting. Alongside the joy of keeping my word, however, comes the honesty that the journey has not been easy.
28 July 2025
Plot? Perfect. Cast? Flawless.
When Life Gives You Tangerines (WLGYT)—divided into four “volumes,” each representing a season of life (spring, summer, autumn, and winter)—is easily one of the most captivating, and equally touchy-feely (you’ve been warned!) series I’ve seen to date. Although it’s been a while since I finished watching it, I still find myself thinking about it often.
10 July 2025
One unassuming day—whose exact date has escaped my mind, though the month was unforgettably January 2020 (memorable because Singapore had just announced its first COVID-19 case)—taught me two lessons I’ll never forget: First, that we can entertain angels without knowing it. Second, that working toward becoming a good person who relates well with others is one of the most important investments you will ever make in your life.
13 June 2025
A few months ago, I read a devotional penned by a woman whose husband had been delivered from alcoholism. Unfortunately, he did not survive the endocarditis that afflicted him not long after. What stayed with me was her quiet observation: “Some things remain a mystery in this life.”
28 May 2025
After meeting a potential suitor, 30-year-old South African Olorato Mongale never returned home. Her life was needlessly cut short on Africa Day. A CCTV image shared on social media shows her leaving for the date in broad daylight. She had informed her friend and, as some noted, was “dressed decently.” These are safety precautions women are encouraged to take because of the state of society. But none of that mattered.
8 May 2025
I first discovered Mpoomy Ledwaba on YouTube around 2018 or 2019. Even then, she radiated that grounded “big sister” energy — wise, accomplished, and unapologetically herself. Fast forward a few years, and she’s evolved into so much more: a published author, sought-after speaker, and host of The Wisdom & Wellness Podcast — one of the most heartfelt and enriching shows out there.
15 April 2025
Learning Without Limits
Not quite in the academic sense, though that too, sometimes. I wasn’t anywhere near confident about my cooking abilities until my mid-20s. I often doubted whether I’d ever become a decent cook, especially after a proper (though not entirely warranted) lambasting from my high school Food and Nutrition teacher. Long story short: I ended up switching to Art.
27 March 2025
This four-hour series delves into the emotional turmoil experienced by a family and those closely involved in the case after 13-year-old Jamie Miller is arrested in a dramatic SWAT-like raid. His alleged crime? Unthinkable—the stabbing of a schoolmate.
12 March 2025
This past weekend, I followed a Facebook conversation between two women writers I admire. The discussion was sparked by International Women’s Day (IWD), observed annually on March 8. Interestingly, one woman shared her decision not to celebrate, citing recent painful experiences with other women.
28 February 2025
I’m currently watching A Different World on Netflix. Previously, I had only seen short clips on YouTube, particularly those featuring some of my favourite characters, ‘Dwayne’ and ‘Whitley.’ The show, set at a fictional historically Black college or university (HBCU), explores critical social issues such as domestic violence, racism, AIDS, discrimination, and war.
12 February 2025
When my tech-savvy brother gave me a crash course in web development, one detail caught my attention—the “burger menu.” If you’ve ever accessed a website (especially on your phone), you’ve probably seen it: three horizontal lines stacked on top of each other, resembling—you guessed it—a burger.
That got me thinking about how much of life revolves around food.
23 January 2025
The undeniable significance of names as a fundamental part of our identity truly struck me during a university lecture. My classmates and I eagerly answered a question about ourselves, skipping over the simplest detail—our names—until the lecturer pointed it out. Reflecting on that moment, I’ve come to understand why some individuals choose to legally change their birth names as they grow older.
16 January 2025
A hilariously relatable meme video making the rounds on social media, with a wooden-mic-type impression, sarcastically highlights how grating last December’s anthem sounds when played in January. This particular course of the Amapiano 2024 hit Biri Marung—easily recognized by its catchy “cash kontant huh” hook—draws an amusing parallel to the natural ebb and flow of life’s seasons.
4 January 2025
Seated among many unfamiliar older people—men in suits and women with doeks covering their heads—I found myself in a sitting room stripped of its familiar arrangement. Gone were the sofas, the TV, the coffee table, and the Victorian-style ceramic figurines that once decorated the space. In their place stood a pure white wooden casket, adorned with a large floral arrangement and a picture frame bearing Mum’s face, resting on a foldable four-square silver bier.
23 December 2024
Years ago, I wrote—very matter-of-factly—on a placard meant to safeguard my snacks, that whoever dared to eat my stuff would be castrated. Caution was intended to deter my younger brothers. If you have younger siblings, you’ll understand, I hope. I did not know the meaning of the word. But the shock-horror-clutch-your-pearls expressions displayed on both of my aunts’ faces were enough to figure out that I had made a huge blunder.
10 December 2024
Almost three decades ago, I was born on a Tuesday. Last week marked the fifth time my birthday has fallen on a Tuesday since then. Ironically, this year also marks five years since I last worked. After much effort securing the role, I began my first job the day after my birthday, six years ago. I’ll never forget how my best friend at the time enthusiastically described that breakthrough as a perfect birthday present.
29 November 2024
A little over a month ago, mid-conversation, someone asked me if I’d always remain a Christian.
“Yes,” I quickly quipped.
It was an easy yes—true to the saying that things are easier said than done.
20 November 2024
A few days ago, I watched The Lost Children documentary on Netflix, which tells the real-life story of four Colombian siblings who survived 40 days in the Amazon Rainforest after a plane crash in May 2023 that killed three other passengers, including their mother.
8 November 2024
“Life happens.”
“Just do it.”
“Don’t wait for perfection before you start. Start somewhere so you can have something tangible you can work to perfect.”
