Beware the fine print

Moving house...

2007-03-08T09:14:00.000+07:00

I've actually moved to another blogger site which is more... hmmm. explicit. This one will be deleted as soon as I figurre out how to do it. So there. I'll be at occularcandy.blogspot.com if you have anything to tell me.

Bun in the oven?

2007-03-03T06:39:00.000+07:00

I was NOT a fan of Charlotte Church when she was singing classical music. I thought her voice was too milky and lacked character. When she moved to rock music however, i rushed out and got an original copy of the album and it was great. Her classical training has probably given her a whole bunch of vocal power to play with. But now I also hear that she's pregnant. At only 21? Why on earth do excellent women choose to destroy their lives at the peak of their careers? Maybe it's because of their shaggadelic boyfriends. Maybe...

Up!

2007-03-01T06:16:00.000+07:00

What on earth is Britney doing to her life?!!!! Get a grip girl!!!!

The Box (part 1)

2006-12-20T15:15:00.000+07:00

I was going to start of this issue of the journal by reintroducing myself. Instead, events have inspired me to forgo that in favour of a summary of yet another "Now I've seen everything" type of day.

Know how people go like when they're talking to children below 8 or the extremely unintelligent? "Did baby go bump and hurt his boo-boo?", "Does baby wike to have mommy buy baby and ice cweam?", "Daddy and mommy love each other so much that they prayed to God to send you to us and God sent you via stork mail which left you in a cabbage patch where you were found and brought to us by a bunny","Does wittle Tommy know what to do with your new wife on your honeymoon? Does wittle Tommy want Mommy to show you?"... get the idea? Now imagine a college lecturer who claims to be learned in a myriad subjects including Chinese language, human communications and cultural studies talking to a classful of 20-somethings in like manner...

"Hi, my name is N. Let us get to know each other a little better by playing a game."

proceeds to pull out a disproportionate and incorrectly coloured plush toy

"His name is Bear-Bear and he was a Valentine gift my husband got me and he will help us to get to know each other."

attempts a would be roguish wink at the bemused class. Class is probably thinking "What the...?"

"I will now throw Bear-Bear behind my back with my eyes closed and the one that catches it will begion to introduce yourself to me and the whole class"

Class thinks "Duh, we know each other already, what's there to introduce? Besides, the class is 10 by 15 paces floorspace. It'll be so much fun playing "catch the ice-breaking bear" in a room big enough to fit two sedans door to door"

N throws Bear-Bear and goes "Wheeee!!!" while jumping in apparent glee. Student sitting right behind her catches Bear-Bear.

"Errr... my name is R and I came from M and I like to read"

"WONDERFUL" as if R just performed three triple backflips with both her ankles tied to either knee.

I'ma grab Bear-Bear, stuff it up her presumably retarded ass-hole, sit on her face and pop a ripe one right in her mouth.

On a more sombre note, I just found out today that I was conned into paying for a fumigation service that does not exist. If I ever meet the guy again, I'm really gonna do all those things I want to do to N. You just wait.

Fucker...

I'm a fan of male photography and I have a habit of taking pictures of the Net and keeping it in my harddrive for future reference when I start taking pictures of myself. Since I don't have a camera yet, the best I can do is post up what I plan to use as inspiration. If any of the pix belongs to you, claim credit in a comment. I'll do what's necessary.

The Confession

2006-12-16T10:19:00.000+07:00

It's been a looooong loooooong while since my last entry. I'm not sure whether I actually have any readers or not but if I do, then you might know that I was on holiday where I had to go back to my home town where there is no connection to the internet. Whether it be relevant or no, I've never liked holidays as much as other people might as it usually means that my mind would stop working and I'd be in a stupor the whole day for as long as the holidays last so you have no idea how glad I am to be back here. Nevertheless, some noteworthy things did come up in my mind amongst the idleness induced soporific blur and it's just this: one never learns to fly if one does not take the leap. In my experiences, there are two kinds of people, one who lives and another who survives. With all due respect to the survivors, I have absolutely no respect for you. In an age where many of our basic amenities are already provided for ( this does not mean that I discount the people who are indeed deprived of said amenities), I find it absolutely unacceptable for him or her justy to live for the day. Analogous to a situation like this would be the case where one shuffles on the ground unti l ones demise, sure that you'll never fall. Therefore, excuse me if I assert now that I believe that living involves recognising and risking the possibilities of failure and whilst it is indeed true that the world is a judgmental one where ones failures are of more interest than their achievements, one may choose to consider that those that fall learn not to fall in that particular direction again. Having said that, I guess its time for me to finally get a digital camera of my own and start taking pictures of objects of interest (of myself, hehe.... I do have one request for any existing readers though. I rather like the thought of having a dialogue in this blog so if you could please talk to me via the comments box I'd appreciate it. on the other hand, if I never had any readers to begin with, I guess I'd be one of those idiot bloggers talking to thin air...

once I get the camera, this picture would be me. He's gorgeous though.

Spirit

2006-12-08T08:32:00.000+07:00

"if i was not arrogant, i would have been perfect....had i been perfect, can you imagine my arrogance?"

what can I say? I have a fetish!

Mea Maxima Culpa

2006-11-18T20:17:00.000+07:00

Here's a good one

A Frenchman, an Englishman and a New Yorker were exploring the jungle and were captured by a fierce tribe. As they sit in a hut, awaiting their fate, the chief comes to them and says, "The bad news is that now that we've caught you, we're going to kill you, and then use your skins to build a canoe. The good news is that you get to choose how you die."
The Frenchman says, "I take ze poison." The chief gives him some poison, the Frenchman says, "Vive la France!" and drinks it down.
The Englishman says, "A pistol for me, please." The chief gives him a pistol, he points it at his head, says, "God save the queen!" and blows his brains out.
The New Yorker says, "Gimme a fork." The chief is puzzled, but he shrugs and gives him a fork. The New Yorker takes the fork and starts jabbing himself all over -- the stomach, the sides, the chest, everywhere.
There's blood gushing out all over, it's horrible. The chief is appalled, and screams, "What are you doing???"
The New Yorker looks at the chief and says, "So much for your canoe, asshole!"

Here's another

A first-grade teacher was having trouble with one of her students.
The teacher asked, "Eddy what is your problem?"

Eddy answered, "I'm too smart for the first-grade. My sister is in the third -grade and I'm smarter than she is! I think I should be in the third-grade too!"
The teacher had had enough.
She took Eddy to the principal's office.
While Eddy waited in the outer office, the teacher explained to the principal what the situation was.
The principal told the teacher he would give the boy a test and if he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the first-grade and behave.
The teacher agreed.
Eddy was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he agreed to take the test.
Principal: "What is 3 x 3?" Eddy: "9".
Principal: "What is 6 x 6?" Eddy: "36".
And so it went with every question the principal thought a third-grade should know.
The principal looks at the teacher and tells her, "I think Eddy can go to the third-grade."
The teacher says to the principal, "Let me ask him some questions?"
The principal and Eddy both agree.
The teacher asks, "What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?"

Eddy, after a moment, "Legs."
Teacher: "What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?"
The principal wondered, why does she ask such a question!
Eddy replied, "Pockets."
Teacher: "What does a dog do that a man steps into?" Eddy: "Pants"
Teacher: What's starts with a C and ends with a T, is hairy, oval, delicious and contains thin whitish liquid?

Eddy: Coconut
The principal's eyes open really wide and before he could stop the answer, Eddy was taking charge.
Teacher: What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft and sticky?

Eddy: Bubblegum
Teacher: What does a man do standing up, a woman do sitting down and a dog do on three legs?
The principal's eyes open really wide and before he could stop the answer.
Eddy: Shake hands
Teacher: Now I will ask some "Who am I" sort of questions, okay?

Eddy: Yep.
Teacher: You stick your poles inside me. You tie me down to get me up. I get wet before you do. Eddy: Tent
Teacher: A finger goes in me. You fiddle with me when you're bored. The best man always has me first.
Principal was looking restless and bit tense.
Eddy: Wedding Ring
Teacher: I come in many sizes. When I'm not well, I drip. When you blow me, you feel good. Eddy: Nose
Teacher: I have a stiff shaft. My tip penetrates. I come with a quiver.

Eddy: Arrow
Teacher: What word starts with an 'F' and ends in 'K' that means a lot of excitement?

Eddy: Firetruck
The principal breathed a sigh of relief and told the teacher, "Put Eddy in the fifth-grade, I missed the last ten questions myself."

but here's the best of the lot...

Time Will Tell

2006-11-16T08:31:00.000+07:00

Life in the state of nature is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" so says one Thomas Hobbes. Laws, rules and regulations were then made to introduce some semblance of order, laws that worked by removing some of our rights; mostly along the lines of our rights to do exactly as we pleased. And then more laws were drawn up to return to us what was taken from us. I mean like, what's the deal? Redundant much? As much as I realise that life without laws is indeed "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short", I cannot help but believe that this whole business is nothing more but an exercise in futility.

These laws are just coded words. They do not prevent the next door neighbour from putting his hands down the pants of the little girl next door. They do not stop the desperate jobless from robbing the equally desperate senior struggling to find relevance in a youth, beauty and wallet oriented world. Oh sure, these laws provide punishment to the wronger and so-called justice to the wrong-ee and may act as a deterrent to those thinking about being a wronger but it does not exactly solve any problems does it? Humans are by their very nature selfish but social which is an oxymoron that breeds more trouble than you might imagine. What we're looking at is in fact what I believe to be a fundamental flaw in the entire system of the world.

Gay people the world over fight for the right of their existance, a war waged against the straight majority. The ask for the right to marry. What right is there to ask for I wonder and from whom? These institutions of humanity, placed to introduce order has in fact fragmented people more than ever. Far as I'm concerned, everyone is free to maryy whosoever they please, there are no rights to be fought for for these rights are natural to people. One does not need permission apart from the one to whom one is getting married to, its as simple as that or at least it should be. So thank you Brad for your commitment to fighting for equal rights and stuff but no thank you. I believe gay people do not require an advocate for something that they should be able to do if they please. Weird isn't it that there are laws preventing men from marrying men and women marrying women when there are laws allowing every American a right to bear arms with results as can be seen in Columbine. I honestly cannot see how lesbians and queers marrying each other is an endangerment to society. Where do their priorities lie then?

Now if only people learnt how to be really nice to each other and to look out for each other, then that life would make Marx smile in his grave. But it's a Utopia which will never be achieved. people will ever be dissatisfied due to the inherrent inequalities of life. There will be those rich living among those poor. People in power do not want to relinquish said power to those struggling to take it from them. Everything is, to the very end, zero sum even to resources as inpalpable as friendship and love.

No laws against worshipping Hotness so sue me

Colour blind

2006-11-14T08:52:00.000+07:00

The consumerist culture has ever been an ugly legacy of western imperialism the world over. In the past when the West was the largest producer of goods and services with a large supply of stuff, demand was created in other parts of the world to desire and want the things that they were making. Fast forward to the future and we can quite clearly see that Adam Smith had it all wrong. The 'unseen hand' is in fact a well-calculated machinery to not only reflect but also create the wants and demands that responds to the supply of goods provided. I'm not saying that consumerism is gad of course, not entirely. I am as much of guilt for being a victim to this as the next person. My complaint lies however in that contemporary consumerism has given rise to a brand of selling which manipulates the psyche of their consumer victims. Old argument I know but I give it a fresh attack in response to an advertisement currently running on Malaysian tv. This offensive ad represents one of the many aired over the air and it promises the kind of instant gratification that makes people want to spend their hard earned money on. It's a vicious cycle really.

The cycle begins when culture makes it unacceptable for people to be fat. To be fat is to be cursed for fat is not beautiful as far as stereotypes are concerned. The cycle continues. The very same industry that tells you that fat is not good proceeds to tell you that they have a machine that will shake all of your fat away. This would be the cue for consumers to step up and tell the industry to shove off but it rarely happens. "I want to lose 500 pounds" and so we go out and get the machine that will never ever work. Industry satisfied.

Thus this forms the crux of my argument. There is no short cut to gratification. Losing weight is a hefty (pun alert!!!!!!) issue that requires effort on the fat person's part and the effort does not count with the purchase of a machine that'll never work no matter what the industry says. Wise up. They want your money so they'll say everything it takes to entice you to give it up to them. Eat right and live right. And get that butt off of the couch. That's the way to gratification. That's the way to justified gratification. Ya'll, go here... http://www.otobodycare.com/sg/english/products_fitness.cfm

What's up with the photo uploads anyway? I can never out up pictures when I want to.

Reckoning

2006-11-08T07:56:00.000+07:00

When you get bit by a snake, you suck the poison out. (Cady Heron in Mean Girls). It takes a lot from a person to step up and to sieze back control of the life that they've lost due to one bad decision after another. Take Britney Spears for example:

Selling a 14X Platinum debut album. Good decision. Talking the talk but not walking the walk about chastity. Bad decision.

Releasing an 11X platinum sophomore album. Good decision. Breaking up with Justin Timberlake. Good decision.

Releasing a 5X platinum third album with more reative input. Good decision. Acting in a movie. Bad decision.

Releasing another album (which makes her the only pop female artiste to have four of her first studio albumns to debut at number 1 in America) AFTER open-mouth kissing Madonna. Good decision.

Getting married to a scum-sucking,gold-digging, low-life, scrub, alkie, piece of shit rapper wannabe. Very bad decision. Getting knocked up TWICE by said scum-sucking,gold-digging, low-life, scrub, alkie, piece of shit rapper wannabe. Very, very bad idea. But let's not dwell on the past. Remember what I said about sucking out the poison? Britney is waaaaay ahead of Cady. Not only is she sucking out the poison.... no. She's also killing the snake that she married by filing for divorce on the 7th of November. VERY good decision. AND her next studio album will be due somewhere in the middle of next year. Now I'm not sure how forgiving the public is of her antics but let us all forgive and forget no? She's picking up the pieces of her life again so she should be judged not by how far she falls but by how high she rises after she falls no? So, here's to seeing Britney rising to the top again!

ps. Big people talk about ideas: little people talk about other people. We all gotta be little once in a while right?

Doppelgänger

2006-11-05T09:55:00.000+07:00

Malaysia, 2006: The proud country of Malaysia will soon boast another addition to their zoo of white elephants in the form of the South Johor Economic Region said to cost the people a paltry sum of RM12.2 billion, money which would have otherwise been wasted on the trivial pursuits which are charity, the reduction of absolute poverty and the provision of basic amenities like electricity and clean drinking water to the rural populace. Slated for completion never , this mega project is intended to propel Malaysia into the future bearing with it monumental achievements like the half-empty but ever scintillating Petronas Twin Towers and the vacuous cybertownship of Cyberjaya, all symbols of the half-baked ambitions of our illustrious leaders of the past and the present. Nevertheless, the heavy layer of cosmetics plastered on to Malaysia's facade does nothing to conceal the ugliness within.

For those interested in seeing for themselves what Malaysia is trying so hard to hide, head on to http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/1715.cpm and http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004a/2j.html . In the meantime, here's to anticipating Malaysia's entry into the developed world.

"Vive Malaysia!!" or as they say there "Malaysia Boleh!!"

A broken heart

2006-11-01T17:09:00.000+07:00

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked,"Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning." Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart.

The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay" Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team. That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.

Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Usually I wouldn't give a damn about forwarded messages in my Inbox. This one however, I couldn't delete. It's damn good.

So is this. Rusty Joiner. Cool as ice. Hot as hell.

Parity

2006-10-28T09:35:00.000+07:00

Despite the best efforts of unifiers the world over (including religion and the Internet), it appears that Thomas Hobbes may be ultimately proven right when he said that life but war of all against all. At this point of time, it is my observation that the world has been torn into bipoles once again into those that are for pop culture and those that hates its guts.

On the one hand, there are proponents of pop culture saying that it is a form of culture which transcends boundaries and time, that anyone in the world can get access to it and hopefully appreciate it for what it is (given all things such as bank balance and education level being equal of course).

Then on the other hand, we have the opponents charging that pop culture is evil in a bunny suit, that it levels out national cultures with assembly-line products, that it's just another means by which the US attempts to recapture its hegemonic status in its sunset years and the list goes on. As a contemporary citizen of the world (with a thinking brain: there are those brains that keep people alive and then there are those that people use to reason with, didn't you know?), I have given equal thought to both sides of the argument and guess what? none of them are right or wrong. Although extremely given to absolutist judgements as we all are, I'd have to refrain from doing so in this context. Take pop music for example. The masters of old were hailed as great musicians. Everyone can attest to that. Even those people that cannot differentiate Minuet in A from Ronda Alla Turca would also agree to the aforementioned statement.

In these times however, people are more involved in the discourse surrounding the credibility of popular artistes. Is this not an extension ofthe hypothetical "public sphere" said to be in decline? Naturally, one might concede that the nature of the "public sphere" has taken a decided turn into the trivial, that the things that people talk about nowadays are not important anymore. But then, that would be another absolutist statement tantamount to tyranny.

Of course the focus of the people have changed. this does not imply however that the shift of standards are for the worse. It all depends on where you stand (that divides people). However, the one thing that both sides of the fence agree upon is that standards have shifted (does that not unite?) Therefore, this leads to the crux of my discourse. Beyonce's new album has been accused of many things "shrill singing", "tunelessness", "lack of originality". These criticisms were levied by people who I take to be purists, people who are historically deterministic. It is to my opinion then that such comparisons, of the past with the present, do not hold its weight in water. How does one compare the works of Beethoven with the works of B? They're doing entirely different things. Whilst the former may have much skill in composing complex layers of music, the latter also has her own talents in her own rights. I'll bet you Beethoven cannot pull of those thrilling mellismas executed by B with miraculous ease or have the ear for harmony that B has (wait a minute, wasn't Beet deaf?)

So what if she has not sold as many albums as Lauryn Hill's debut has? Everyone has their own measure of success don't they? Album sales may be used as a mark of success, no doubt about that but it does not necessarily connote musical talent. So to all the B Bashers out there, give her a break. Don't get her album if you don't want to but don't go and try to prevent people who want to enjoy her from doing just that. Let us rot in our Hell. The parish of Popular Culture does not want or need to be saved. We're in this particular Church by our own choice.

pssst.... I couldn't upload some of the images intended to go together with this article. Any ideas why?

So it begins

2006-10-23T23:12:00.000+07:00

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by images and ideas telling us ordinary people why we'll never be as good as the celebrities we exalt so much. Oh I would give anything to be over six feet tall with poster boy good looks and a body to match, like this:

truly yummy no?

(which probably already gives you an indication of what I actually look like in real life):

I truly mean this in the sense that I do not think it's fair that the media does not accurately portray humans the way they are, away from all the glitz and glamour of celebrity-dome. I'll bet I was a member of a crowd of millions when I say that I would be all too willing to sell my own mother (just an expression) to be a celebrity (which means to be known) and thus by projection to be looked up to as a role model (expecially when people begin to admire and attempt to emulate if not imitate the way you are)

I make this point not as an expression of my own inadequacies as a human being (although admittedly I do have lots as I am sure do you) but more as a statement of fact that the certain exploitation of classes of humans have so far been looked at from a completely incorrect perspective. Women, it has been said, is the largest victim of the greedy machine of capitalism where anyone who has anything of value to sell will do anything to sell that object in question and in this context "do anything to sell" means to attract the attention of potential buyers with the correlation of the object of value with the value of human beauty frequently personified by the typically vapid, ever smiling female model. The point that I'm trying to make here is that it is not WOMEN that are being exploited in this sense but rather BEAUTY that is the issue here. In a world (of which I'm a part of) obsessed with ideals of physical perfection (as may be observed in the types of TV programme's popular the world over ie.
Manhunt... or America's Next Top Model

The main draw of advertising and most mainstream media products of today equates physical beauty with many things desirable to people including wealth, power, sex and even friends. Let's face it. The reality of the times is that although talents are good and enthusiasm even more so, the principal factor is in fact torso. No beauty, no life. This is why plastic surgery has become the new "in" gift to your loved one. Hate your nose? Do something about it. Need double eyelids? We can help you. Beauty is no longer nature's gift to mankind. It is an achievable ideal within the reach of people with the means and motivation to go through the necessary suffering of obtaining perfection. Meanwhile, I concede that the rest of us mortals have no other choice but to be content with our lot in life. For whatever comfort it gives us, we ordinary people give meaning to you beautiful people out there for everything is relative. Beauty is nothing were there no contrast to compare it with. So without us mortals, you would be nothing.

Of course, it would be nice to have snow white skin and raven hair and ruby red lips. Such exotic creatures of mesmerising beauty these attributes would no doubt make us as it did this fabulous creation of humanity's animal desire for physical perfection.

p.s. I am in no way associated with the composition of this picture. I found it on the Net, so sue me. For what it's worth, I am in awe of MJ's talents but utterly disappointed in his looniness when he could've been so much greater. This I shall explore when the media begins to pick on him again aye?

Truth be told...

2006-10-18T17:33:00.000+07:00

I began blogging a few years back when a friend of mine introduced me to Xanga. At first, I was thrilled with the possibility of indulging the exhibitionist in me with an online display of my personal life where I can divulge every detail of my life in vulgar detail. And so it was that I began adding entries every other day (it would seem that I had a lot to say but in retrospect, most of the stuff that I blogged about were trivial in nature, try as I did to inject some value into my thoughts). Time eventually played its inevitable hand and wore the novelty thin.

What was the fun of putting your life online if the only witnesses were the friends that you meet everyday within and without of school? At that point of my blogging history, I felt that to blog my thoughts was nothing but a redundant exercise. Being in possession of an excessively verbose personality, any thought of mine would have long passed from my lips to the ether and (hopefully) into the thoughts of my recepients (both intended and unintended: did I mention that I am whisper-challenged?). So I endeavoured to look for a wider audience. I started linking my site to others in the hopes that they would look me up should they feel like it. I even installed a site meter just to see how many people came. To my utter, utter disappointment, I only made a few new friends. Don't get me wrong, our subsequent exchange of ideas was exhilirating and I really did appreciate the rapport that we shared but I wanted more than that. I mean, it is mass media after all is it not? So I stopped blogging for a while.

After a while, my friend who de-flowered me to the world of blogging showed me a feature of xanga that I haven't seen before. It seems that I could personalise my site with different templates and themes to avoid the "fresh-from-the-printing-press" look of generic website layouts. I went wild with blogging again, putting up new material along with a different look everytime I blogged. I know it sounds kind of crazy, I mean people like the familiar and a new setup everytime you log in might be just a little too much to stomach, but whatever, I was having fun again. For a while anyway, at least. Eventually, that novelty wore itself thin and my activities slowed down considerably once again. That was, of course, up to two weeks ago.

SO what's changed? Why am I doing this again (even a blind man can see the cyclical pattern of my ever waxing and waning interest in the things I do). I'll tell you why. Because it's fun. Breaking out of the monotony of life (college) by beginning a new sort of monotony (blogging) gets me going more than a triple shot of espresso ever would. (By the way, I cannot drink coffee as caffiene shoots my nerves right through my skull into high heaven). So, here's to blogging (once again).