Articles written by Cynthia Lapena

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About me - Cynthia Lapena

I was a voracious reader and because of everything I was reading, I decided to start writing creatively at a very young age. I wrote poetry, essays, reflections, novelettes and plays. Drama has always been a special obsession. Once I started working as a professional,

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Arts & Humanities > Poets & Poetry Does the best poetry come from the heart or from the mind?: 1 of 115
Poetry, by definition, is a literary form that expresses emotions. It is more personal than any other literary form, mainly and simply because it expresses a writer's feelings about something. Can any poet truly write about love without having been in love? Can a poet express feelings experienced when they encounter death, if... More..
Entertainment > Movies (Other) Is it better to watch movies in theaters or DVDs at home?: 2 of 113
Picture this. You have waited a whole year to watch the movie of the decade, stood in a queue for hours to get tickets at the local theater, and are sitting on the edge of your seat as an extremely exciting and suspenseful portion of the movie is playing. Somewhere behind you, a guy sneezes or someone's bag of popcorn rustles... More..
Entertainment > Movie Analysis Movie analysis: The Golden Compass controversy: 2 of 31
Why there should be a controversy at all over "The Golden Compass" is bewildering. The book is a work of fiction and it should be read as such. Granted, the author may have particular beliefs, but don't we all? Readers must remember that works of fiction are not true-they have been made up from an author's imagination. Some p... More..
Arts & Humanities > William Shakespeare Is Shakespeare's writing incomprehensible?: 3 of 37
Would we even be asking this question if Shakespeare's writing were truly incomprehensible?Consider the following:-Shakespeare wrote his plays during the Renaissance period of England, in the late 16th century. More than four hundred years after, we are still reading and performing Shakespeare's works. Is that a sign of incom... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Death of a parent: 2 of 19
It's been less than a year since Papa died. Just barely a year; in fact, a year in September. Sometimes I feel as if he just died, sometimes I feel as if he's been dead for the longest time.I can still remember quite clearly when he died. I was the last to know, even if everyone knew I was his favourite child. Well, almost th... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Economic Values Would you rather be born rich or intelligent?: 9 of 70
To be born intelligent rather than rich would be the obvious choice of many people, and I must say that I'd tend to agree with the majority on this point. Why?I have often seen people with riches who, despite their intelligence, have lost their wealth, because of other poor choices. Riches can be gambled away, spent, lost or ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Top 10 annoying public habits: 10 of 77
Everyone will find something annoying, but there are definitely some things that nearly everyone will find annoying. What's on my list might very well be the same things on your list, so let's compare.1. Smoking. There's no end to the available information that smoking is a health hazard and it's worse for second-hand smokers... More..
Education > Educational Philosophy Better teacher training in less developed countries is key to progress: 1 of 7
We've all heard the saying "Give a man fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Imagine what a nation could achieve with great teachers who could teach people the skills they need to improve their lives and, eventually, their nation?Teaching has always been underrated. Many people a... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Winter: 33 of 193
A winter nightWispy wraiths drift lazily across the indigoGently grazing rooftopsCatching cottony tailsIn the pines thrusting their spearsInto the airy soupSnowflakes drift aimlessly to and froFollowing a fickle breezeBrushing against pink cheekspink noses wrinkling in delightFollowing a fickle breezeSwirling with lazy snowfl... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Should books have ratings like movies to warn parents about inappropriate content?: 14 of 74
The whole concept of rating books assumes that readers cannot decide for themselves what is right or not. I find that rather insulting to the intelligence of readers. In the first place, who should decide what is appropriate or inappropriate? Some parents might find certain content completely acceptable, while others might fi... More..