This year will be the fourth year of existence for this humble little blog.  When I started I never expected anything much from it, I didn’t think it would go anywhere or amount to anything much. I figured it was just a fun little diversion- a place to put my thoughts into words and to share some of it with the world. And by world, I mean the 2-3 person who knows about it and read it while waiting for something more interesting to load on their browser.

Its strange to see it take on a life of its own and just sort of go off in strange little tangents. If you ask me, I would be hard pressed to describe what kind of blog this is. Sometimes I rant, sometimes I joke, sometimes its personal and sometimes its not and often times can be quite boliao too. There are words, there are pictures and there are cartoons, I supposed a little of something for everyone.

While I was backing up everything and transfering them to a new server, it amazes me to see how far it has come. When it started, most entries were about the humdrum existence of my life and the silly things I do. Mostly boring stuff like getting wasabi up my nose. (WTF was I thinking anyway?) Then it started to reflect my thoughts more than the actions and happenings of my daily life (nothing exciting happens much anyway). This blog became the space for me to speak up and speak out.

The mainstream media and the powers that be likes to trivialise blogs and their impacton our society. Its an attitude that is not unfamiliar with me because when I started, that was what I thought it was going to be. Something trivial and unimportant. Of course, I am not saying its important now, but it certainly means a whole lot more to me than when I first started. I could have deleted everything without a second thought 3 years back. Instead now I am going through the trouble of backing up everything, learning how to export and import databases- the kind of geeky, frustrating and boring stuff that I normally wouldn’t  give a shit about.

As I write, I am sometimes accused of being an armchair critic who can only sit in the comfort of my room whinning behind the safety of my keyboard and monitor.

Maybe, maybe. The weather’s kind of hot and humid and maybe I am just too damn lazy.

Nonetheless, for those crying for action, ask yourself what first drive you to action- any action? Is it not your thoughts? Is it not your mind? Sometimes change doesn’t happen overnite. Sometimes, it takes time. Takes time for thoughts to translate into action. Takes time for thoughts to get digested. In the time that I’ve spent writing this blog, I have found myself thinking better and often. Its like exercise for the mind.

To write, I must first think. To think about what to write, to collect my thoughts, to go through little arguments and debates in my mind. Sometimes what comes out is almost good, sometimes its gibberish, but at least, my brain got to exercise a little bit.

And that’s a good thing.

Most of all, it is my hope that the thoughts on this blog also help those who read it to think a little more themselves. Think about what I’ve written- its is right, wrong or just plain stupid.

And that’s what it is.

Recording thoughts to stimulate other thoughts in other people. To help them to question the world around them- questioning what is right or wrong. To engage their minds beyond the confines of their own existence.

Long ago, before there was the internet and this blogging thing, you basically start the day reading the ST- the so-called nation building press. Sometimes, just sometimes, you read it and you wondered- is it me or is what they are printing sounding kind of dumb and patronising. You could discuss it over kopi with your buddies at the kopitiam, but that’s about as far as it goes. You have little choice other than to accept it and move on. There was really no form of meaningful discussion of any kind beyond your immediate social circle. Mostly just garbage in garbage out.

Then the internet thing happen. Suddenly you have forums, blogs and shit and all of a sudden, you could discuss your thoughts with people who you know nothing of. And for the first time you find yourself sharing common ground with a lot of people with which you shared normally would shared little common with.

And the world was alive.

With thoughts and ideas and discussions.

Suddenly you are not alone by yourself with your thoughts. You find youself able to share those thoughts with other people and likewise. The people who used to have the power to dictate thoughts and ideas, to totally dominate the conversation find themselves having that power taken away from them. People who are used to dominating and dictating everything find themselves in new and unfamiliar territory.

Its is any wonder that what comes out of their mouth is often stupid, ridiculous, uninspiring and blatantly patronising. These people really hadn’t had much practice engaging in a real two way conversation because they are so used to the one sided conversation where they get to always have the last word in. I read Ephraim Loy, P65 and George Yeos’ blogs and I can’t help but find what is there oddly unengaging and uninspiring. Nothing new was being said- what comes out from one is virtually undistinguishable from the other. Most of it dry, lacking in humour and spirit.

And I thought my blog was boring.