Michele Ong

Learn more about Michele Ong and check out Michele Ong’s contributions to YMI over the years.

Posts

Image of Queen Elizabeth II smiling

3 Things I Learned from Queen Elizabeth II

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Like many others around the world, my dad was shaken by the news that Queen Elizabeth II–the UK’s longest-reigning monarch–had passed away on 8 September 2022, at the age of 96, just a few hours after news emerged that her doctors were concerned about her health. 

Who Can Tame the Tongue?

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I told myself I wouldn't speak ill of a colleague when I heard others talking about her. But curiosity got the better of me one day, and I jumped in on the conversation.
image of 3 korean women from k drama love ft marriage and divorce

Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce): Squashing the Happily-Ever-After Bubble

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When I first saw the promotion clip for Netflix’s K-drama, Love (Ft Marriage and Divorce), I knew I had to watch it. Finally, a drama series that deals with the realities of marriage instead of the usual cheesy love narrative that has become the hallmark of most K-dramas. 

Why I Was Sold By Soul

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I was thrilled to hear that Disney Pixar’s newest animation, Soul, had won the hearts and warmed the soul of the Golden Globe judges, scooping up two awards for Best Animated Feature Film and Original Score, at the Golden Globes last Sunday.

3 Unexpected Gifts of 2020

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A morning swim at the outdoor pools, with the glorious sun on my back. A coffee in a cafe, breathing in the scent of freshly grounded coffee beans. A haircut at the hairdresser’s, watching dead ends snipped away.  Just a few short months ago, the idea of being able to do any of the above seemed like an impossible reality. 

Julia Malucelli: Empowering Young Lives with $30,000 and a Story

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Julia Malucelli is bringing the age-old story of Queen Esther into the hands of young children around the world, in the hopes that the Jewish woman’s courage will encourage them to see themselves as God intended them to be: called with a purpose. 

4 Tips to Survive A Second Lockdown

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I tried to count my blessings. I still have my job, my friends and family, and a roof over my head. But yet other emotions such as anger, sadness, and disappointment, pushed in at me. Anger that my brief taste of freedom has been taken away, sadness at not knowing when I’ll be able to see my family in New Zealand again, and disappointment at having plans cancelled yet again. 

To My Pre-Covid-19 Self, From 2020 Me

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Ooh, I’d put that fancy 2020 diary down if I were you. I know, I know, you’re tremendously excited at the thought of the start of a new decade, and to be fair, things are looking quite rosy in December.  But in just a couple of months, life, as you’ve grown accustomed to, will be pulled from under your feet. I’m sorry, it is as bleak as it sounds. 

Manuele Teofilo: Living Extraordinarily with Cerebral Palsy

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Up until the age of 7, Manuele (or Manu) Teofilo was unaware that he was different. It was when his new schoolmates started giving him weird looks that he realized he wasn’t like most people. That marked the start of the 25-year-old’s journey to change the misconceptions society has about disabled people.