There might have been a cooler alternative title for my very first blog post on this site, but I think there is some aesthetic value to the “Hello World!” statement. This statement is so clearly drawing a line between you and I — a relationship between the reader and the author, or a declaration of you as a part of my world. That is, if my words ever reach someone who doesn’t know me well personally.
I have wanted to start this blog for a long time. Although I always viewed mediums from written words to filmic images as valuable records and ways of distribution for human thoughts, I have somehow never felt the need to record or disseminate my own thoughts. I was fine making my thoughts known to just one or two friends, and temporarily, to be sure. Yet, I’ve continued to have all these sparks — an interesting observation about a film, a theory about a game, or an unexpressed thought during in-class discussions. I kept them in my Notes. “Having them here would make me happy,” I thought. But December 2023 right before Christmas, as if my declining luck has been prepping me up for it, I lost my account (in addition to a not-yet-fully-backed-up laptop) that contained this information. The urge to finally start this site dawned upon me. I decided, if some force is trying to silence me and make me forget, I am not to comply. My past is trivial amongst many, but I will refuse to forget all those sparkling moments that presents to me some thread connecting this world together. My image of the world is what I think will be worthy of taking a place in the vast internet space, for I increasingly feel that we communicate through our respective images.
This blog will have a variety of content. For now, I’m thinking it will be divided into “Journal,” “Reviews,” “More Thoughts,” and “Archives.” “Journal” will be where I reflect on things in daily life, or where I merely take note of an interesting event. “Reviews” will be where you can find reactions or thoughts to lots of things potentially. “More Thoughts” will be home for other thoughts that are unable to be classified into either “Journal” or “Reviews.” These may include a continuation of class discussion or chats with friends, an exposition of a debate among academics, or a spontaneous theory to a thing happening in the world. Finally, “Archives” will be where I keep a catalogue of the people and things that inspire me the most. I intend to write in other languages too, and for those I’ll create separate tags.
One thing I look forward to the most for this site is collaborating with others. I love the idea of a collectively-edited journal, or a website with collective contributions. To communicate and create with others is a natural drive in me that won’t leave me no matter how cynical I am at times. I did and repeatedly attempted to do the same thing in high school and college, and I think I will do it again. For now, I’ll stick to making this a private effort, for I think the turbulent time we’re in right now requires more private processing — even the air feels different, I don’t know if anyone resonates. More on this in the future.
In anticipation of a busy essay-writing week, I’ll sign off for now and return the next with some reviews. It’s likely that I’ll return earlier amidst the struggles, too. Writing irrelevant things can be stress-reducing. Till next time!
Invisible Cities 