About
Photo by Donna Deestea
This is the blog of a writer starting out on her writing quest and finally going after her dreams, falling flat on her face and getting up again. I’ve also combined it with my two other loves of personal development and travel. Where to begin? You can start by visiting my archives where you can browse through all entry titles in their respective categories. Read some of the best samples of my work. Or click through any of the entries on the TOP POSTS menu on the right.
Why Live Out of the Box?
Because since college, I’ve always used that expression. How can we think out of the box? Is there a different way of doing this? I didn’t realize it but I started to be on that path and started living differently from the rest of the people back home. I studied two degrees at the same time after finishing my bachelor’s and got them within a year even when everyone said it was impossible and ought to be illegal. After investing in a business that flopped, I chose to be unemployed for a year before I got a job to work in a well-respected university despite not having a masters degree and no work experience. I’ve only worked in my home country, the Philippines for 6 months before moving to China to teach. Currently, I’m teaching in a college in this strange planet.
I’m ambidextrous, 100% book slut, spatially challenged which often got me into a lot of trouble when I travel alone overseas. I’ve yet to see a young Filipino female backpacker/flashbacker (if you’re one, let’s get in touch). Now after teaching for some time and realizing that I’ve made too much wishing and not doing, I’ve finally made the leap to pursue my passion which is writing and am slowly making the transition (and still groping at the dark at that! But I’m slowly learning). This blog will also chronicle that journey.
Why I Write- tells you my underlying purpose for chasing this dream.
If you’ve seen some errors in the blog posts, please note I’m blogging under a proxy server as China has this massive firewall that blocks wordpress (but not Blogger. Maybe WordPress is more controversial. There are lots of pro-Tibetan supporters here). And yes, as a result my internet speed can slow to a crawl and sometimes for no reason, I’m suddenly disconnected especially after typing Tibet, hate, China, Milk. It’s insidious and hard being in a country with this massive censorship where almost everything is blocked with any innocuous keyword such as christian, government and even ICanHazCheezburger.
This isn’t an anime blog anymore I’m afraid but if you’re looking for excellent anime summaries click here .
Hey, are you having much fun there in HK? I hope so. If the answer to this is in your blog, sorry but I choose not to read it. I can’t bring myself to read a girl’s diary(even if I got her permission or like this open-to-all blog). Damn, my job here tries to keep me away from getting my downloads. But no biggie. I won’t let it stop my obsession of downloading! In fact I got Ouran 6 very recently but not from lunar, yet it’s really great!
Yikes! I think I’ve just felt a chilling sensation in my bones telling me to better end here with this particular topic. Who knows what YOU’LL DO to me when you get back! But there is one thing I can tell you though. I’m enjoying the animes that you have listed me to download!!!
Okay, maybe that last statement only sealed my fate into your (stranggling) hands. As I bid you my ultimate farewell I’ll treasure the remaining days of my life…………WATCHING MELANCHOLY & OURAN. HA HA HA!!!
Enjoy HongKong!!! Ja Ne!
JB
May 12, 2006 at 10:06 pm
I’m honored to be mentioned. Whichever direction this blog takes, I’ll find myself coming back.
Os
May 13, 2006 at 8:24 pm
To JB: I just know you enjoyed the shonen-ai series I asked you to download. And here I thought that as a straight guy, you don’t like boys lurve!
To Os: Thanks! I hope you do.
ksyu
May 17, 2006 at 2:54 pm
[...] About [...]
First Sticky Post « Live Out of the Box
October 2, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Well done on thinking/acting outside of the box. Couldn’t agree more, so long as things don’t get out of hand. It’s wonderful to break loose when you’re younger and travel your chosen path, whatever it may be. But some time down the track I suggest a bit of stability may not seem so boring. However, I’m at the other end of the arc of life.
Thanks for visiting me. What did you think of my writing blog?
Cheers
June in Oz
June Saville
October 18, 2008 at 6:54 am
—”so long as things don’t get out of hand.”
Lol. Sometimes they do. But I’m still learning and have a bit of laugh if things mess up.
A bit of stability is indeed good but at this stage of my life, whenever I find myself getting too comfortable I’d like to shake things up a little. Like right now, I’m in a position where it’s pretty stable, salary’s good, workplace good, flat is luxurious but it’s not what I want to do. So I’m going to continue to be dissatisfied till I get myself out of this.
I’ve visited your blog and wow, looks like you’ve gone through many stages of your life and I’m still beginning mine –two opposite ends of the arcs indeed if we’re continuing the metaphor. Going off to read some of your short stories now.
ksyu
October 18, 2008 at 1:01 pm
HI, I heard about you through my friend Vienna. I met Vienna in the same way that you did. I browsed your blog and was jealous. I suddenly realized that I did dream to be a writer too. I did dream to publish my own book too. I started blogging when I came here in the US and next thing I knew I had 9 blogs. I write everyday… but due to my present situation, I feel that I lost the drive to write from the heart. It turned out too that all my posts were plain rants and whines. I can’t get the right ideas and much less the inspiration that I need to write masterpieces. And since I am not working, I write mostly paid posts which usually written in good taste, in my personal opinion because I write for the money. I miss the old me. You are an inspiration. Keep it up.
ruthi
November 24, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hi Ruth!
Welcome! Your comment has certainly put tears in my eyes after reading it–a great way to end an exhausting day after teaching for 5 hours straight this afternoon. It’s gratifying and humbling to know that my words have the ability to inspire people to go after their hearts.
I’d like to soon get started on a freelancing career and was afraid that I’ll do some uninspiring work that’ll prevent me from following what it I truly love. I don’t want to lose my drive to write. I’d like to choose writing
projects that I like and mostly avoid those that I don’t. Or still set aside a big chunk of the time writing things I’m passionate about –fiction and blog entries that I think will struck a core with the people.
I hope that you rediscover the path towards your heart again. In doing so, I believe you can hold happiness in your hands once again.
Kate
November 25, 2008 at 4:13 pm
@ kate and ruthi,
I am glad that you two met each other already.
I do write but i don’t suppose I have the same dream like you guys (to be a writer) but I do read and I enjoy reading the works of impressive people (gaya nyo!).
I am simply glad that through my blogs, people like you two found me.
Happy writing.
vienna
November 26, 2008 at 6:22 am
I’m happy that Ruthi found my blog from yours. Gosh, exactly how many blogs do you have Vienna?? I like the one that you left in your comment. Ang ganda!
Thanks for reading our work. I’ve yet to have a thorough read of Ruth’s blog (and it’s about teaching!).
The world of blogging truly connects people together.:D
Kate
November 26, 2008 at 7:42 am