3 years down the road

So, as I was consolidating all my online blogs to create a single site for all my hobbies and flights of fancies, I stumbled upon this ancient creation of mine (yes, a 3 year blog for me is a milestone).

Surprisingly, some posts have more than 100 reads! I know it is rather minuscule by the sort of following bloggers have these days, but I'm not even sure 100 people read my published articles much less something I wrote without readers being forced to read it just because they happen to read X, Y, Z newspaper/magazine.

Anyhow, in 2013, I wrote this:

I have no drawer at home so here's my list of to-dos before Dec 31, 2013:1. Run a 10km marathon in under 1 hour2. Exercise and meditate every day3. Monthly day/weekend trips to all states in Peninsula Malaysia4. Contribute an article to an international publication

I have achieved number 4 so far. Number 1 and number 2 is work in progress, and number 3 is logistically impossible now. It is 2016 and I'm at 1 hr 20 mins for 10km (it was 1:45 - 2:00 back then)

It strikes me how long some goals can take. But I'm happy to say that I'm still working on 1 and 2.

Soon I will have a site to document all my flights of fancy, because in hindsight they not as frivolous as I thought they were.

Like the time I helped an IT guy revive his boss' old iPhone in winter because I just revived mine. Apparently iPhones hate the cold too (https://www.getorchard.com/blog/iphone-battery-dies-in-cold-weather/). What you have to do is give it some warmth with your hair dryer.

And the time I used vinegar to clear the recurring mold underneath my desk. All the computer tricks used to remove formatting, copy and paste, Excel hacks, etc etc.

And so, I'll be migrating this blog soon, and will provide a link in my last post. Will leave this here for future reading, but am excited for what lies ahead!

Lost in thoughts

I know I've promised part two of my Penang trip but I have made choices that require me to focus on other things in my life. But I'll be back! (Arnie in The Last Stand is really good)

After this I would turn this blog into a portfolio of my work and work towards a location independent career. Oh, what I would give to see the world! Fingers crossed.

Why writers have bad blogs

I have just finished transcribing an hour-long interview and several short speeches. And while that would be left to stew in the brain for it to produce a comprehensive prose that will fill several pages in a magazine, I have come to a conclusion that I am a better writer splicing together random facts and opinions on a subject than sharing my thoughts on, say, durian mille crepes.

Now there are a few reasons why many journalists or writers for publications may not readily share their own opinions or are reluctant to share their personal opinions online. Many editors and journalists who have their own blogs in which they write about the exact things they write about for their publications. But some have limited their blogs to their professional work, making it more like their portfolio than a reflection of what goes on in their minds.

Here are, I think, a few reasons why:

1. If writing is your job, it ceases to become your hobby after a while.

2. If you are a journalist, personal opinions are always left out of copy. Also, if you are writing about the things you write about professionally, people may read your personal thoughts and judge your work differently. You always want to be as objective as possible.

3. If you are a writer, you can save those thoughts for a book or your next paid publication ;).

4. When you write during your "down" time, you know what happens.

5. That AP style obsession really hurts creativity.

6. Readers would benefit more from reading about how they could prevent cancer than why Twilight is the next best thing to happen to humanity after Coke.

7. Experiencing things with the intention to write about it often takes the fun out of the experience.

8. My boss would likely prefer that I spend the time writing this post on more productive pursuits. Like the next story.

But, if we write about something else, like our passion, it may make a difference. There are so many things to write about but so little time!

Anyway, I came across this video and thought it would be great to share. Have always loved Japanese composers.