About The Scribbling Geek …
This is the fourth time I’m rewriting this profile page. I decided to do so after months of indecision.
Indecision because I’m godawful at self-introductions. Or should I say, self-promotion? For all sorts of reasons, most of which I’d never be able to properly explain, I balk at the idea of describing myself. Especially in a (semi) flattering way.
To give you an idea, I’ve never managed to create a proper work resume. Not even once. This itself was likely the main reason why I decided to start a company soon after university graduation. I just didn’t know how to promote my real self. And so I did the alternative. I started selling a detached copy of me.
But, maintain a profile page I must, if only for the purpose of fulfilling Google AdSense requirements. (Ahem!) The following is my latest disclosure about myself. Reverting to that whole business of selling a detached copy, I’m going to “do” this version in a starkly different way.
(I’m going a little longer with this too. So that I wouldn’t need to redo it a fifth time. At least, not in the near future.)
- Who on Earth Are You?
- Why Did You Start This Blog?
- What Kind of Blog Is This?
- Lordy! You Have Too Many Topics!
- What Are Your Professional Capabilities?
- What Do You Love Doing Most?
- What Is Your Favourite Video Game?
- What Is Your Favourite Book?
- Any Favourite Movies?
- Where Have You Travelled To?
- Do You Have a Travel Bucket List?
- What Is This Electone Business You Sometimes Write About?
- What Are Your Long-Term Objectives for The Scribbling Geek?
- Are You Looking for Sponsored Posts?
- Are You Looking for Partnerships?
- Statistics! What Are Your Numbers?
- Back to Yourself. Where Are You on the Political Spectrum?
- Why Don’t You Have a Photograph of Yourself on This Blog?
- Who on Earth Writes a 2000 Word “Who Am I” Blog Profile?!
- What Else Do You Want to Say to Your Readers?
Who on Earth Are You?
I’m just an average-looking, average-living, average-thinking, faceless guy living in the humid metropolis that is Singapore. For 18 years, I operated my own graphic design agency, till I dormant-ed that in end 2017. (I had enough of the industry) Right now, I’m just … working on this blog. That, and posting articles on HubPages, selling images on Dreamstime, uploading music videos on YouTube. Blah blah blah. Blah blah.
Why Did You Start This Blog?
My previous “official” reason was that of me seeking a way to amalgamate my interests. That still stands. To it, I’d now add that I’m also looking to establish some sort of passive income from blogging. Lastly, believe it or not, I genuinely enjoy writing. Paid for, or not, I do find pleasure in writing.
What Kind of Blog Is This?
I had so much difficulty classifying this blog, especially when submitting to blog directories. Right now, the best way I can describe The Scribbling Geek is to say it’s an entertainment-cum-lifestyle hybrid. With a focus on classic otaku interests like video games, movies, Anime, etc.
In other words, a geek lifestyle blog.
Lordy! You Have Too Many Topics!
I know. I know only too well!
But I’m a person of many loves. A devoted husband to none too. What else can I do, if only to prevent the predicament of running out of things to write about?
What Are Your Professional Capabilities?
You know, there was a brief period in 2011 when I was truly sick of running my company. And so I hunted for a job. During an interview at a civil service organisation, the lady I spoke with stated I couldn’t possibly know anything. This was after she kept me waiting for over an hour for the interview. And after insisting I started a company because I’m the sort who needs absolute control in life.
A B S O L U T E.
Looking back, abrasive as she was, she might be right about my professional capabilities. I graduated from university with a communications degree, but have never worked a full day in that industry. Being the owner of a small company also means I’m effectively the office boy of the office. I do everything and anything, often without becoming a master in anything. On the bright side, this jack-of-all-trades working lifestyle did still equip me with certain general skills. If I have to limit it to three, I’d put it as the following:
- I have not lost a single digital file, or shred of paper, or printout, or even a pen for over ten years.
- I’m generally able to talk to anyone for at least an hour. This isn’t because I’m an encyclopaedia or a male socialite, or experienced (Jap-style) gigolo. It’s because I had to deal with people from all walks, all spectrums of life, throughout my career.
- For the sake of business survival, I’ve become incredibly resistant to BS. To put it in another way, I’m a Class A trained sceptic. Now, I know this doesn’t sound like much. Is it even a skill? To which I’d just ask, wouldn’t you love to have someone like me beside you during a business negotiation? Isn’t BS the worst thing we have to deal with at work?
And oh, I naturally also have various degrees of proficiency with skills associated with graphic design agencies. Skills like, Photoshop, Illustrator, other Adobe Cloud applications, copywriting, graphic layout, photography, video editing, sound editing, marketing comm, interpersonal comm, networking, print production, web designing, CMS programming, and … so on. I’m very expert at watering plants too. Office boy I might be, I wasn’t just mopping the floor the whole day, you know.
What Do You Love Doing Most?
I’d love to tell you I’m deeply, deeply (!) into self-improvement. That nothing thrills me more than to soak up mind-boggling facts about the world. That I get three levels of sugar rushes when meeting people who are so interesting, so different, soooooooo nice.
Or, to say that my greatest pleasure is to cuddle up with a great book. Some Murakami or McCarthy or Maugham. Okay, maybe not atas books, as we say in Singlish. How about, three hours with a great video game? Some awesome open-world adventure. A trip across time and space through the magic of digital reality.
…
The truth is, at the moment, nothing delights me more than to slouch near naked on my bed, at midnight, with my pad, and to just … surf the net. From movie clips to video listicles, to fan wikis, to new NetFlix releases, to the occasional s***. And yes, it’s all pretty much brain dead. But remember! From death rises life. Life for a new day and a new tomorrow! Oooh and aaah! And … Never mind.
What Is Your Favourite Video Game?
At age 13, it was Getsu Fūma Den.
A year later, it was a tie between Wai Wai World and Ganbare Goemon 2.
Then for ten years, it was Shin Megami Tensei 2. Till SMT Nocturne dethroned that.
Then WoW came into my life. And for five years, I was its slave and devotee and bride.
At the moment, I don’t have a favourite video game. I’ve decided not to. I can only say I will love any game with a tight mythos and a well-composed, NON-SYMPHONIC soundtrack. The latter, ridiculous as it sounds, is extremely important to me.
What Is Your Favourite Book?
Same case as that for video games. I don’t have a favourite book because I love and had loved too many. In general, anything that doesn’t require me to constantly check the dictionary or mentally rearrange the sentences would score high on my list.
Any Favourite Movies?
Argg, no. I’m a compulsive polygamist in this area too. On the other hand, I could share 5 movies that have, errr, changed me.
- The Exorcist. (Possessed Regan, my teenage crush, was my key to the macabre)
- Star Wars Episode IV. (My first step into the geek world)
- Aliens (I developed a life-long fetish for kick-ass working-class women after watching)
- Tootsie (I still frequently paraphrase Dorothy’s retorts in everyday life)
- Hostel (… I need some therapy, don’t I?)
Where Have You Travelled To?
Ask my mother and she’d lament how I’ve been all over the world. Way too often too. The truth is, I’ve ever only been to classically touristy places and I have, as yet, to even step into the Western Hemisphere.
This is why I’m so into video game tourism in recent years, by the way. I need the comfort of my couch and air-con while exploring deserts and valleys. I’d also die if I can’t pop by the convenience store for a cola, while in the midst of a crumbling ancient castle. What better alternative is there outside of video games? Yes?
Do You Have a Travel Bucket List?
Who doesn’t? Who doesn’t.
What Is This Electone Business You Sometimes Write About?
The Yamaha Electone is a … …, you can read all about it in one of my posts. It’s the only musical instrument I can play. Some of my acquaintances also continue to be amazed/puzzled/amused by how my love for the Electone actually deepened over the years, instead of the other way around.
Oh. The same acquaintances are equally baffled whenever I remind them I took Electone lessons simply because I love Electone music. In typical Singaporean (go-getter) mentality, they assumed I was previously trying to get into some top school, impress someone, become creative, achieve critical thinking, etc.
Neh.
As for my playing, I’m mostly terrible. I know and I admit to that. I’m aware too that this is due to insufficient drilling; I didn’t practice enough back then and I still don’t practice enough nowadays. That said, a love is a love, right? Must you necessarily be world-class awesome when blogging about your passion on your personal blog? In any case, I neither aim to teach nor enlighten others about Electone playing. I only wish to encourage love for the instrument. The way the Electone community dwindled over the two last decades, this feels tremendously important to me.
What Are Your Long-Term Objectives for The Scribbling Geek?
In the earliest days of my company, I conducted job interviews asking … those sort of questions. You know, questions like
- What is your long-term career objective?
- What do you see yourself as five years down the road?
- What kind of synergy do you propose between yourself and our company?
I kept doing this until one day, a staff shared how ridiculous she thought I was when going through those questions. In Singlish, she said:
“Want to get job lah, lao ban. Earn your money. Pay for student loan. What else i?”
Nasty little piece of work, that girl. One of my worst recruitment mistakes. But she had a point. In honour of her, I thus state my objectives for The Scribbling Geek as:
- Get traffic lah!
- Earn some passive income. At least enough to cover my hosting and software costs?
- Hopefully, entertain folks with interests similar to mine. In the process, encourage love for the things that brighten my life.
Are You Looking for Sponsored Posts?
Well, ahem. Ahem! Yeah …. … ? In order to maintain the style of this blog, I mostly can’t accept guest posts. But if you are fine with me posting about your product, event, or establishment, I’m open to discussions.
Naturally, for this to be a, ahhhhhh, win-win cooperation, it has to fit with one of my (many) niches. These being:
- Movies!
- Video Games!
- Travel!
- Video Game Travel!
- Music Learning? Music Arrangement?
- Any event or establishment that would appeal to people who love the above niches.
Drop me a mail to discuss. Today! (Perky 80s late night Ad Music)
Are You Looking for Partnerships?
Why, yes. Yes, of course! If there’s anything we could work on together, I’m all ears. (All eyes actually, since you’d be emailing me).
Statistics! What Are Your Numbers?
I’m not going to brag about numbers. I think for any business arrangement to work, you need to do your own investigation. There are many free online indicators that would give you an idea of the traffic this blog gets.
As for pricing, ah … Let’s discuss … I can only promise I wouldn’t charge the world for sponsored posts, reviews, links, and so on. I know where my blog stands and I don’t depend on it for lunch and dinner. In some cases, I’m might even be satisfied with no more than privileged access. As to what that means, email to discuss! NOW. (More perky 80s late night Ad Music)
Back to Yourself. Where Are You on the Political Compass?
Unless I skew every other answer, I always test centre-left. This is not too unlike how I always end up having lawful good alignment in RPGs, when I’m playing as my “true” self.
In the Singaporean context, this creates a lifelong frustration. A terrible one.
I regularly disagree with government policies and directions, yet, I also find little resonance in the (faux) full-left rhetoric of the opposition. Add to this is the curious situation of the centre-right PAP government being extremely pro-immigration, while the SG opposition condemns immigration in every other Facebook post.
The outcome of this is that I often feel I’m surrounded by the Sahara as far as Singaporean politics is concerned, despite my views being common worldwide. This, in turn, contributed to my current apolitical stance. To put it in another way, I decided it’s way more fun standing in a virtual desert, with a mage’s wand, than in a political one.
Why Don’t You Have a Photograph of Yourself on This Blog?
I’m doing you a favour, honey. As we say in Mandarin, you seriously want to 洗眼 (wash eye) after viewing me unglamorous, aged visage?
Who on Earth Writes a 2500 Word “Who Am I” Blog Profile?!
I just did. Because I didn’t do a proper job of this for near two years. And because, for once, it was fun to write about myself.
What Else Do You Want to Say to Your Readers?
Please blind yourself (thoroughly) to my occasional/frequent grammar mistakes. Please don’t use my text or images without crediting me. If you wish to flame my views, know that I’m notorious for being a bitchy witch in this art. Lastly, if you enjoy my content, please do leave a comment. Better still, share it with every single living being you know.