Category: technology and virtual life

The world is such a small place. I was just surfing to Princess Thumbelina’s blog and chanced upon one of her pictures. One of the guy in there looked very familiar.

Turned out that he was someone whom I went to school with and turns out that Princess Thumbelina’s dearie was my classmate. What a coincidence!

This is the class of 97G. The best class ever!

We were a bunch of fun loving people. We loved to have fun, but we were serious when work was concerned. That’s Hema at the back row, extreme left. Me and Juli somewhere in the middle and Princess Thumbelina’s dearie is in the middle row, fourth from the right. His name is Shahim.

Shahim was a very good looking guy, very tall, dark, handsome, suave and I knew a lot of girls liked him a lot. He was active in sports and in the student council and was really good at his studies.

But I was very facinated by his dense leg hair.

Me : What nice leg hair you have Shahim
Shahim : Why yes (proudly) That is a sign of my virility
Me : How long do you think your leg hair is?
Shahim : I don’t know
Me : I have a ruler here, just stay still …
Shahim : Are you crazy? (runs away)

I was good friends with Vai (front row, third from left)and he and Shahim would do silly things together. Like doing the limbo rock and dancing the hawaiian dance on a whim. Ahh memories … 😛

A lot of interesting and memorable thoughts in school. I just want to say that I’m glad that the two of you met each other, Teenee and Shahim. And it wont be too long till he comes back from New Zealand 🙂

—

Ring ring!

Baby Rinaz : Allo?

Baby Cart : Hi Rinaz, can you come out to play?

—

Much much better at riding practise today, am going again tomorrow for self practise before Monday’s practical test. I have to keep reminding myself to check the blind spots and to keep my eye points correctly and my clutch handling.

If I can keep that under control, everything else like wide turning and wobbling problems would be gone. I have to try my best. One guy who was with the same review practise with me went for his traffic police test for 4 times. I’ll try not to let that nerve me.

The company called me up in the afternoon saying that they had to postpone the interview since the interviewer went overseas. Oh well.

—

Zila asked me to sign up for a myspace account a few days back and I really didn’t fancy it. All the fuss about updating profiles, and making friends and trying to impress each other. I’m not really a social person and I really can’t be bothered at trying to make an impression at people that I hardly knew. Especially incoherent people.

(my space email)

Someone : hi
me : Hi there how are you
someone : so r u single? u meet up chatters? where you usually go?

someone else : hai singaporean…Friends???

Another person : halooooooo
me : Hi. How are you?
Another person : great..how bout you?? are you online now? got msn?

*deleted*
*deleted*
*deleted*

It’s not that I’m such an anti social or that I’m just being a cranky hermit. (well, maybe I am) But why can’t more (Singaporean) males be a little more expressive? Geri and I complained *coughs* I mean discussed about how most(not all) Singaporean males are quite incoherent.

A rare scene when I am feeling very social online

rinaz : Hi there,My name is rinaz, how are you?

sum1 : fine

rinaz : So, what hobbies do you like to do? I like listening to music, digital arts and and reading. What about you?

sum1 : yeah

rinaz : That’s cool. Have you heard of smashing pumpkins before? I love Billy Corgan’s music, his voice is a little odd but the music’s great!

sum1 : They’re okay.

rinaz : Do you read books? What type of books do you like?

sum1: Donno

rinaz : (feeling really bored) Well, gotta run, take care. Bye.

sum1 : wait, u have picture? Wat ur email address?

Sigh.

Why cant there be more (singaporean males) like this?

(fictional IM)

fictionalguy : Good evening. How are you today? May I have the pleasure of your company?

icanonlydream : Why, hello! I’m good, thank you for asking. How about you?

fictional guy : Most wonderful tonight, it was a great day today. Spent the day with friends. That is the life! Great food, great company. Perchance, do you like music?

icanonlydream : Oh yes, I like all sorts of genres, basically any music that’s easy listening. R&B, Alternative Jazz, Classical, Pop, Grunge..

fictionalguy : Pop? Grunge? Thats great, I’m quite partial to ‘Garbage’. Some people might find them too alternative sounding, but I like them anyway

icanonlydream : Garbage? No way! I love Garbage too! I see the start of a great friendship 🙂

Sigh.

I’m sure that there are intelligent men online out there in Singapore. (There are MANY intelligent women in singapore by the way 😛 ) I sure am not seeing it in myspace … or friendster or hi5 or zorpia.

Seriously, there’s just too many of these friend making websites. Maybe I’m just jaded about these websites or that I’m just being extremely anti social but I really really don’t fancy these websites. To me, its just another popularity website where you ‘rank’ how attractive a person is and I am not keen about that.

Why must a person be ranked about their physical exterior? And why must a person be ranked by their popularity. And why have oneself scrutinised for acceptance? Not for me, thank you. I’d rather blog my thoughts rather than being the popularity game all over again.

Making friends shouldnt be a chore. And making friends should be one where you are attracted by ther other’s personality. Oh well

Meet my cybersweetie.

complete with corny lines 😛

Some months ago, I wrote about online love. Interacting online can be an interesting experience – it could be fun, but it could be annoying when one meets strange characters.

A long long time ago, back while I’m in Jurong Institute, I used to be active in mirc, there were many strange characters there and one particular character went like this.

ACJCRugbyPlayer: Hi

|rose| : Hi

ACJCRugbyPlayer : I’m a tall, fit and tanned guy. Wanna go out?

|rose| : Uh .. no, I don’t know you

ACJCRugbyPlayer : I want to meet you, you’re so interesting! Do you wear glasses?

|rose| : Why are you asking me this?

ACJCRugbyPlayer : So its date! I’ll see you at Clementi tomorrow at 2pm! Bye!

ACJCRugbyPlayer has logged off

|rose| : Idiot

But anyway, the next day, out of sheer curiosity, I decided to stay back at Clementi, since it was in transit to my bus home. I waited 5 minutes and then 10 and then 15 before I realised that I’ve been stood up.

At first, I got angry. How dare he stood me up! And then I got insecure, Was it because of my zits? And then I went to the bakery and got me a nice slice of blackberry cake and shrugged it up and got indifferent.

At the tender age of 18, I learnt one of life’s biggest lesson … which was to “always take things with a pinch of salt”. I quickly forgotten that incident and continued on.

I discovered Cybertown somewhere in July 2002 and I was really bowled over. It was one of my first experience at an interactive 3D community and I enjoyed it immensely. I also had a culture shock there. There were cyber-families and virtual marriages created faster than one can say Zoroastrianism. I’ve always laughed at people who were in cyber families and virtual marriages because I couldn’t understand why they were in it. It was all such odd make believe and role playing. Fake families. Fake. Fake. Fake. Even the way that they acted made me a little ill. Lets look at this scenario

Act 1
Guy meets girl. Girl meets guy.

Act 2 (5 minutes later)
RandomVirtualGuy: Oh how I love you!
RandomVirtualGirl: I love you too!
RandomVirtualGuy: Lets get married!
RandomVirtualGirl: Oh yes sweetie! Lets get the priests, the church, the invitations …

Act 3
A most beautiful virtual wedding in a lovely VRML created church

Act 4 (A week later)
RandomVirtualGirl: You *%(&#$. I hate you!
RandomVirtualGuy: You’re such a (&#$
RandomVirtualGirl: I want a divorce!
RandomVirtualGuy: Fine!
RandomVirtualGirl: Fine!

And this scenario

A 30 something woman: Hi mommy! *snuggles up to mommy*
Another 30 something: Hello hun {{{{{nick}}}}} your dad’s not home yet.
Woman1 : Look what I got for you mommy! *bounces around*

I realise that there was a need for escapism, but I found that it was a bit too much for me to digest. I decided to explore some nice and quiet worlds. I went to the virtual mall for a moment to see some of the VRML items that were being sold. That was where I met G. We said our hellos to each other and then said our goodbyes a few minutes after.

I met him again, in another store and jokingly, I said to him “We must be playing hide and seek with each other, we seem to always be bumping with each other”.

And from then onwards we became friends. We spent time together and got to know each other. In time, I began to be attracted to his gentle and caring demeanour. He would be there to listen whenever I had a problem and gives me motivation when I needed it. He was really sweet.

• Hey G, I just got a job in a school called West Spring, can you believe it?
• Wow, thats great! I’m happy for you
• Things are looking up for me!

He’d invite me to his virtual home and I admired the way that he decorated his home. To me, the way one furnishes and crafts their home shows their personality. He had simple yet warm and comfortable furnishing. And I saw that he actually had a painting that I created hanging on his wall. I was so flattered. Some while later, he even created a vrml doll dedicated to me and I was bowled over.

After a few months, I realised that I really liked him. A lot. And I cared for him so much. I was smitten! And I was happy that he felt the same way too. The days turned into months, we were really happy, just being in each other’s company.

And then, one day, he disappeared.

One day. Then a week. Then a month.

I was nervewrecked! What happened? Where did he go? Is he alright? Is he still alive? What happened to him?

I asked a mutual friend, if he could help me. He called up the local jail and the hospital there and reassured me that he wasn’t in either of these places, so he couldn’t have been locked up, or hospitalised or worse, dead.

I still worried for him though. And some while later, he turned up. Said that he was having computer problems and couldn’t get online. I had so many questions in my head … Why didn’t he use a cybercafe or a neighbour’s computer to drop me a message? But I was just too happy to see him again. And then things went on as normal.

We professed our love for each other, explored worlds together and just enjoyed each other’s company. And I felt so loved.

And then he disappeared again. One week passed by. A month. And then six. I felt that I’ve lost him forever. I was angry and deleted every email that he’s sent me, deleted all of his pictures and tried to delete every memory of him.

In a way, that helped me cope. It doesn’t hurt when one doesn’t remember. At length he returned again and tried to contact me. I was still upset and didn’t want to talk to him any more but now I’m slowly opening up again. But it’ll never be the same.

G, I’m not angry with you anymore. But I hope you understand if I tend not to talk to you, or may seem aloof. We had the most beautiful dream but in the way, the dream just faded away. And I truly did love you but I guess if the situation was a little different, our story would have been a little different. I wish for nothing but the best for you… You are a lovely man.

Part 3 and final installation coming up. Need to get ready for my brother’s Basic Millitary Graduation Ceremony right now

I am constantly amazed at how some things that happens purely online could affect me so much.

Consider this. You are sitting at your computer. The other person is sitting over at their computer. There are absolutely no physical contact with each other. All the information being sent to each other are related to each other digitally.

And yet, in between all these, one bonds with each other and genuine emotions grow. This interesting cyber-life where we go to, where there is no sense of touch and yet, incredibly we able to touch each other in other way, through the heart.

I felt gladness when Dynatec and Geri passed their studies. Gladness when Dismay found a wonderful person to have as a partner. Happiness when Zozee found love with lion, a man whom she’s been with ever since I knew her.

I felt disgust when there were drama posts back while I was addicted to neopets, especially at a middle aged man who was an attention seeker in a largely children populated site. He did countless spams of how “clever” and “rich” he was and nonsensical attention seeking posts. This, a 32 year old man in an impressionable website full of 10 – 15 year olds. Well, one thing good about him was how entertaining he was though, spawning different stories day by day. The soap opera that I did not need to watch on television.

I felt sadness upon hearing the death of Undercore and Glonan. Both of them have touched my life back in cybertown, a community that I was part of for a while. Undercore was friendly and never made me feel like I was a dumb newbie while I started out.

Residents in cybertown went by ranks during those days, one can start out as a block deputy and rise up to mayor if one could make it. And even though he was of a high rank, he was friendly to everyone.

avatar of undercore

Undercore was gone too soon. He went driving and a drunk driver rammed up to his jeep and killed him instantly. Undercore was only 17.

I don’t remember how I met Glonan, but I remembered how wonderful she was. We only met briefly when I was less than a month old in Cybertown. She noticed that I loved faeries very much and gave me a faerie painting as a gift. The fact that she remembered it was touching and I knew that this was a wonderful person to be friends with. I learnt that was a retiree, she usually lives alone in Alaska. This strong, amazing woman was able to climb hills to chop firewood when she is strong enough, and when she grew weaker, continued to do odd jobs around the house.

She was always so nice to me and everyone around her. She offered to make me real life crafts. I had to say no, I couldn’t accept such niceties like that. She insisted, saying that it will be something to remember her by.

For a while, I didn’t understand what she meant by that.

I got a package in the post and received a pair of earrings that she crafted. I thanked her profusely and marvelled again and again at how this creation, crafted by a real life person, that I know of, on the other side of the world, crafted by hand is now in my possession.

“I’m going to make you shorts next,what size are you?”
“You really don’t have to Glonan, you did so many nice things for me already”
“Nonsense! I like making things, hun!”

That was the last conversation I had with her. I didn’t see her online for a few weeks and then I heard from her daughter announcing online that she’s passed away and has given in to her disease. She will be missed, so much. I still think about her, this charming, wonderful lady who loves to call me hun.

So in retrospective, I should not be surprised that I feel emotionally distraught with someone that I cared for very much was feeling bad about himself. I’m still surprised though as it could be a miscommunication. It could be my part on being hyper-sensitive. It could also just be bad timing. But I feel bad when he feels bad. And what made me upset about the whole situation is how helpless I am about it all. I cant do anything about it. I cant stand this helplessness. I cant.

I saw an online friend of mine on msn, Zoozee, whom I met from Cybertown. I haven’t met her for a while, so I decided to say hello. It turned out that she just accepted a proposal from Lion (Also from Cybertown) and I was really glad for her. I wasn’t surprised though, because they were one of the most closely knit couples in-world that I’ve ever met and I was really happy for the couple.

As the far as I could remember, online relationships has always been around ever since the ability to communicate with other people was possible. Romance bloomed even in the the days of the BBS bulletin board, moving to the heydays of IRC and then to 3D communities.

I was just looking at my backup CD and saw an old email that an online boyfriend gave me. My first online relationship would be somewhere in late 1996. Mirc was really popular then. I would log on and spend time with the people there, ranging from the weird, the interesting, the crazies, the funnies. There were many different types of characters there that I didn’t even needed to watch television any more since MIRC was more entertaining for me with all the antics there.

As how human nature grows there are a group of people that you’d feel connected to and I felt a close bond to a group of menageries and we hang around more. They were a really close bunch of real life friends and went for frequent outings and thus on-line friends became real life friends in just a few moments.

I wasn’t able to go to these outings since I was in Jurong Institute then and didn’t have that much free time. Nevertheless, I got to know this guy and we easily became friends. I don’t know how we suddenly became closer but he was interesting to me. I found myself chatting with him till the next morning. His comment of “Hey, it’s time for me to wake up now!” in particular made me chuckle. We then proceeded to talk on the phone for a few days and I liked his voice and looked forward to talking to him.

Online, he was always sweet, funny and protective which was very endearing qualities that I liked. Reading that email, I forgotten the nickname he used to call me “wify”. Now I think I’d turn to mush if anyone calls me that again but I thought it was sweet then.

He tried to meet up with me but since I was busy with school, I had to decline many times. But after a while, perhaps out of guilt (?) or a sense of curiosity, I agreed to go to a channel gathering. There I was, an awkward 18 year old, straight from school, in my grey school uniform surrounded by these rambunctious and boisterous hip and funny people. I then saw him and I smiled at the Chinese guy with the long floppy hair and he smiled back at me.

At the end of the gathering, he took my hand and we walked hand in hand and had our first kiss. I couldn’t help but taste the strong chilli sauce on his tongue. That really put me off.

We met again for a couple of times more, and he was even more sweeter on MIRC to me. And it was obvious that the channel regarded us as “the couple”. That was when he started calling me “wify” and became even more protective towards me.

Unfortunately, there was a problem. After we met, I didn’t feel that connection and didn’t feel anything more towards him than a friend. So I told him and he didn’t take it well. Called me names and since he was a mod in that room, banned me. So, that’s the end I suppose.

Anyway, I think I’ll stop here for the moment. There are still other things that I’d like to say about this topic, but I guess that would have to wait till another day.