One of my earlier blog entries, written in September 2004! My gosh, how time flies!

The best story I’ve ever written

When I was young, I would write down short stories in notebooks I’ve long since forgotten or lost.

I remember a horror story that I wrote that was just 2-pages long.

It was about a woman who was walking in the dark woods and came across a swamp.

There, a corpse was calling her name, and she felt herself being pulled into the swamp.

She died, of course.

But I felt that it was a good story, considering that it was merely two pages long.

I felt that I was clearly able to describe how the woman felt when she was dying.

Very Edgar-Allan-Poe-ish.

Hmm. I wonder where that story is now?

And would I still feel that it’s one of the greatest stories that I’ve read?

Pre-teen dreams

Every pre-teen has also dreamed of writing a book.

I remember being at awe with four friends of mine who managed to collaborate in writing a novel at an average sweet age of 16.

Ha! How is it that when you’re young, and when you make grown-up stuff, people think you’re talented. But if an adult does something like it, it’s nothing.

But that was how it was those days. I thought they were geniuses.

So, I vowed to write a book on my own.

It was set in a high-school setting (what else can you write about except for that?), and a story of 4-5 friends that fell in love with each other.

Very pre-teenish, of course.

I had already finished up till chapter 2, until I finally gave it up.

Out of laziness, or boredom, or maybe, just like many young people out there, I found something else to do that didn’t require so much time.

Maybe I started watching my favourite shows again.

Nevertheless, I didn’t finish the book. It’s still there somewhere.

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Sometimes, while on the road with nothing to do, I’d come up with interesting concepts that I knew would be bestsellers only if I’m able to write them all down.

But once I get to my destination, I focus on the things I have to do and forget about it.

That’s why, I remember when I was in college, I’ve dreamed of having a laptop computer, so that I won’t have to forget about things. I can just open my laptop and record my thoughts instantly.

For some reason, I can write fluidly when I’m typing it on a computer, but give me a pen and paper, and I’d just doodle.

I did get a laptop when I was in my third year of university.

Unfortunately, the battery life lasted for 5 minutes and then the laptop went dead.

Oh well, there goes the laptop helping me record my thoughts.

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The present

Now, I’m a writer.

I write for this big computer company, where I’d have to write a lot of good things about their stuff.

Not that their stuff isn’t good, but sometimes, you can’t help but feel that you’re fooling the customer.

Some of my colleagues say that our computers are shit. And what we’re doing is bullshitting the customer.

But I don’t think so.

I like our computers.

My official title is “Marketing Specialist” (they say it sounds better) but I’ve revised that to “Marketing Communications Specialist” because it’s more accurate.

My father thinks I’m just a copywriter, but to each his own.

For some reason, all the jobs I had to do involves writing.

Makes me think if writing is my destiny… funny more so because I’ve always wanted to be a businesswoman. Still, I believe that I’m going to finish a book someday.

Maybe write about my life, my autobiography… if I do get that famous. But maybe, I’ll write something about life itself.

Over the past few years, I’ve met some interesting people, and I feel that they have stories to tell. I’d love to tell their stories, compile it as a book.

I mean, there are so many interesting stories out there, waiting to be told by people who you believe is uninteresting.

I mean, for goodness sakes, if you’re going to live till 60 or so years, am sure you’d have something interesting to say. No one should be that boring!

So yes, I’d love to tell stories of ordinary people that I’ve met.

They may seem uninteresting when you walk by them, but their stories are not as ordinary.

Should be a best-seller, I think.

This is a dream I hope to fulfill.

Nevertheless, as of now, there’s just this blog.

Where I can write.

I mean, do you have to write for the pleasure of other people? Are you a writer when a lot of people buy your books, or say that you’re a great writer?

No, I don’t think so.

You’re a writer when you love to write just for the sake of writing.

Just for the sake of seeing your thoughts on the written page.

So yes, I guess, that makes me a writer.

A good one, or a bad one? Well, that just remains to be seen.