That One December Night in 2003

It was on a night not very different from this night that I wrote my very first blog entry. A few days before that, I had no idea what a blog was or how they worked. Yup, I was that big of a loser! Haha! But, thanks to Ala for introducing me to her dad's (now retired) blog, I found out what blogs were. And, because the first entry of Sir Jim's that I read was very much inspirational and somehow didactic, I initially thought that blogs were only for professionals and for educational purposes, that they should be very formal and all. And then, through Sir Jim's blog, I also found Ala's blog (the old one, now defunct ala-ism.pansitan.net) and that's when I learned that blogs could actually be really personal and informal, and that a blogger can just write about anything s/he wants and I, of course, got more interested. I started searching for other blogs of interest. After reading a few blogs and a number of entries from Ala's, I decided to create my own blog. I thought it would be nice to have my own space in the worldwide web. That was how this blog was born.

It was no surprise then that my first ever entry was about Ala and how I admired her. I remember writing that she was my inspiration in starting a blog. Fast forward to a few years, she did more for this blog. She actually did the current design I'm using. It's already been years, but I've no plans of changing it because this design was done with great care and effort. She personalized it for me. She asked me what I generally liked as a person and what I wanted for my blog. She asked me to send her a few pictures for reference or so she'd know more about what kind of personality I had. She talked me through each step and was kind enough to ask my opinion. And, when she was finally done, the design turned out to be perfect! I wouldn't have been able to come up with one that's better or more suited for me even if I had the talent! As I like to say, everything about the design is just so ME!  Wouldn't you, dear reader who actually knows me personally, agree? *winks*

Thank you, Als, on both counts! :-) 

The note she wrote on the journal she gave me just before she left for Australia

Now, exactly twelve years and twelve days after that night, this blog is barely alive. Be that as it may, I'm still proud that it has survived this long. So many things have happened. There were, no, there are so many things I want to blog about but never get around to doing so. I actually don't get enough time to really sit down and blog anymore, plus the Internet speed in our place can really test my patience even on good days. What I do make sure of is to write on my offline journal. That, I can do anytime and anywhere. So, it would seem that this blog's no longer of any use now, right? Is it time to retire it? After all, most bloggers I used to follow have, themselves, stopped blogging. It has crossed my mind, time and again, but then I always remember why I started blogging in the first place. I always go back to that December night. I wanted a place in the worldwide web where I can just say whatever I wanted to and talk about anything I liked or all my thoughts. I wanted to be able to express myself without being afraid of judgment or rejection. It was going to be my personal place, after all. I wanted my own space in the Internet universe. Well, we have Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites for that nowadays, but it wasn't like that in 2003.

This blog has done me a lot of good. Aside from the friends I found through blogging and a few citations I got for this blog, which really helped boost my confidence, it has really helped me in so many ways. I want to say that it did some good on my writing, too.  More importantly, this blog afforded me the courage I needed to write for people to read and not just for myself. It taught me a lot on what I did write about and from the reactions I got.  I did use to blog about different issues, my take on many things and goings-on in the world.  I really got to use this blog for the very purpose I created it. Until it reached this present point of almost non-existence. And, now that I'm thinking about it, it would be a shame to throw all that I've started away, wouldn't it?

This blog has seen my growth, personally and professionally.  There are opinions I had of some things, that I blogged about, that have changed through time. There are more that I feel even more strongly about. I am still the very same person I was that night of December 18, 2003 and yet also not the same person. This blog is proof of that. Going through the archives, for the first time in years, allowed me to learn about myself more. It's almost like reading about my growth as a person from another person's perspective. And, maybe if only for that, I've decided to keep this blog.

The coming new year is the perfect start for me and this blog. I can't make a promise to make it as active as it used to be, but I'll definitely try to bring it back to life. In this age of microblogging, tweeting, and posting statuses every two minutes, I'd like to go back to feel-good, old school blogging! In shaa Allah, 2016 will see this blog's resurrection. I think that's one good item to add to my New Year's Resolution. And, this makes my 2016 more exciting than it already is! I can't wait! :-)

Happy New Year, everyone! May 2016 be greater and better in all aspects for everyone of us! May our 2016 selves be more successful, more content and happier! Let's, all, make the most of it! Yoohoo!!! Mwahugs, everyone! :-)