The Internet is my New Bestfriend

Back in College, when I shifted from my Chemical Engineering degree to Electronics Engineering, I had a hard time adjusting to the new environment, especially with the people I worked with.  I remember when it was unbearable, I hastily went home, picked up the phone and talked to my bestfriend  about it. Our conversation begins with me complaining about people then shifts to us being mean, criticizing people and having good laughs.  It helped me a lot during those days.

Now that I am experiencing similar difficulty in the real world, instead of calling my friend, I turn to Google.  I type in the keywords and voila, I immediately find a blogger experiencing very similar situation, where other people who experienced the same thing gives some advices and words of encouragements. Internet has all the answers.

But I realized, I have practically replaced my friend with the Internet.  It provides credible references, gives more detailed analysis, is more accessible and minus the awkwardness of opening up to other people.

This lead me to ask, how important is personal interaction in building relationships with our families and friends?  How deep can relationships go if people choose to talk to various media other than being personally present? If you're a teenager, why not just talk to Google about your problems, instead of your parents?...in this way, you will not be scolded and you will not be put in an embarrassing situation.

Technology in all its efficiency, brought people around the world closer but also farther apart.

Bone of Contention

A difficult plight.

I want to read blogs that are real.  Many people use blog these days to increase traffic, gain some publicity and sell... sell stuffs, advertise and make money.  I want to do that too, make money through blogging.

But as a reader I want to read blogs that are real.  I want to learn and find out the real experiences of others, specially with those that I could relate to.

As a blogger, I want to share everything.  All my experiences especially those that others could learn from.  Mistakes, embarrassments, the NO-nos...based from experiences... in short, self-incriminating ones. Therefore, it's understandable if I don't want to reveal myself so that I could be more open.

And therefore, I could not advertise myself as myself.  So, I could not adverstise my link to my friends and family.

It's hard to reach out when I'm hiding myself for me to reveal more.

It's Raining

It's raining and it's cold.

   I love the rain.  Back in College, I love taking exams when it's raining. Maybe because I feel the comfort of being inside a safe place while aware of the chaos brought by rain outside. I feel that class lectures are informal when it's raining, I'm at ease and would not take lectures seriously.

Here's my poem about rain,

   I sat on the window, my chin clinging on the edges of my arms

I'm looking upon the details of this picture I'm painting in my head

My eyes see the gray clouds, the houses and streets washed in monochrome

My ears hear the faint dab of color blue, and sparkling white of water flowing, 

and black like gloomy alleys, cold and damp

My heart hears the laughter, sees glimpse of youth and innocence.

Oh what an intricate piece it is, 

The rain and the life, inside the frame of this window where I sat.

So what dou you think? haha...As a disclaimer, I'll get ahead of you in saying...

"Oh talent, where art thou?".

Just be patient okey. Keep reading. I'll get better at this, I think...

Website Idea

What if there's a blog...(most probably, there is already)...when pictures/images are to be posted, and a famous and highly-respected photographers or team of photographers are going make a critic on the pictures.

The blog is for avid photography fans (there's a lot of them if you just look around) who wants to learn about what makes a photo special, or what makes a special photo different form the others...

Of course, there are a lot of pictures in the net already, in Flicker...in Google.  For me, the thing that makes blogs valuable is that, the vast information there is in the internet, is being sorted out to readers who are interested in certain genre or topic.  Just like what Google does, getting the exact information that the user wants.

This is what I want to do...but doing is very different from wanting, right? For now, I just want to write for my own pleasure of pouring in some thoughts, and archiving some ideas for future use.

Loss of Nothing

 When I have extra money, I realized, that my "essentials" takes on a different form. Suddenly, things I previously don't care about matters.

One thing I realized, even though I got all the things I needed, I think that I should have more, not entirely for personal satisfaction but in achieving my full potential.  I will not argue against the importance of traveling in expanding one's horizons but should I really include it in my "essentials".  How about continuing education and taking classes? I will not totally disagree with it, but is it also an essential?

My point is, there are a lot of forces that tell us what are the things that should matter.  I believe that there should only be few.  Sometimes, people think they are missing out on a lot of things.  It's an imaginary loss, a loss of nothing if I may say.

One Big Fight!

When I was to take my board exam in the year 2008, my mantra is "Do everything I can, if I fail so should 90% of all board takers".

It may not be profound in statement, but it worked. I passed with high ratings. When I went to see my scores in PRC, I'm quite sure I saw some stars and fireworks with a band banging percussion in the background.

Why it worked. This mantra gave me a goal that is specific. If my goal was to pass the exam, it would have been overwhelming and ambiguous. But if my goal was to ensure that I belong to the upper 10 or 20 percent of all board takers, it's specific and more manageable. The test is composed of random and trivial questions. It is also in multiple choice. With, with little or no preparation, takers have just as much chances of passing. To feel that you succeeded in executing a preparation plan, is a great help in gaining some confidence and loosing some fear.

You may think that such thinking is in the wrong side and hint of crab mentality , but as I've said, it may not be profound but it worked for me.