STORIES, STORIES

To what can you compare the intense joy of discovering libraries and how they work? Because I really don't know. I'm 33 years old, and for the first time in my life, I used a library. It's crazy, I know, to be this old and discovering libraries for the first time, but it just never was part of my childhood. I didn't have access to actual libraries (bookstores don't count), and I never thought to seek them out once I moved out of Saudi and into a "normal" country that has  libraries, because I was too busy trying to "lead a normal life." I guess. At the National Library of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia), I swallowed whatever potential embarrassment there was in asking for help – I asked the helpdesk lady to tell me how to navigate the library and what are its parts, and then I asked two library workers (are they all called librarians, you guys?) to explain to me how I can find books that I'm looking for. Inside the National L...

This is part of a mini project of Q&As with people I know whom I look up to for doing what they want to do. Read all the posts from the series HERE .  Meet Chukwudi Barrah .  Where do you live, and what do you do? I live in Malaysia; I recently moved to Kuala Lumpur city centre from the suburbs (Damansara Perdana). I'm a copywriter in corporate communications and marketing with a digital engagement platform startup—we provide SaaS solutions to help companies better engage employees and customers. I create and edit internal and external communication materials, content for offline and online media (including social networks), as well as dialog for mobile apps. Which specific part of your job do you enjoy the most, and which do you like the least? I love writing new feature dialogs for the app and creating fun emails—it’s not something I was used to doing. I usually do business writing, so making my writing more fun and happy is a good challenge—for now—that als...

This post is part of a small series of Q&As with people I know whom I look up to for doing what they want to do. Here's the previous post .  Meet Mariam (also Mellie).  Where do you live? In the present moment.  I wish. I live in my head mostly. I spend most of my waking life at Humming Tree , which is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. What do you do? Most of the time, I'm just struggling to get my heart, mind and actions to work harmoniously. I also manage a community center and co-working space that focuses on creativity and well-being ( Humming Tree ). Which specific part of your job do you enjoy the most, and which one do you like the least? I love that I get to deal with so many different kinds of passionate people and listen to their ideas and goals and be part of the journey of it evolving into something tangible and seeing that person grow and transform along the way. I learn so much, grow and get inspired along the way, too. It's an ...

I never caught the travel bug, which I'm sure is a travesty when I’m finally adulting in the free world, and at a time when travelling is an affordable and common pastime for people my age. Nevertheless, I am fortunate enough to have friends who drag me out every once in a while to some non-airconditioned adventure that would yield lots of opportunities to take photos of them taking photos of our trip. Last month, it was to Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia, for a day trip that would only last about 8 hours, transportation and milling about included. Teluk Intan (“Diamond Bay”) is a small town in Perak most known for its own version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Subtly tilted to the left, the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan was also known as the Clock Tower, as its primary function was to tell the time with its large clock-face on top. It’s now just an official national monument and tourist attraction. I wasn’t as awe-inspired as I thought I’d be, disappointed as I was that I ...

This post is part of a small series that has big meaning. 2016 was filled with internal reflection for me, especially in the areas of productivity and creativity. During this time, I sought inspiration from so many famously successful people, but at the end of the day, it was always the people in my phone book that I turned to for real advice and motivation, who ultimately helped me inch along towards my goals. To pay this forward, I've asked them about their work process and now share them here. The hope is that you, reader, get inspired, get pro-tips, and get entertained by these people and their dedication to their work, just as I have been.  Meet Alia Makki . Where do you live and what do you do? I’m nomadic. I live between Jeddah, Jakarta, Jatibarang and Ubud. I live out of a suitcase. My office fits into a backpack. In every place, I have a different job role. In Jeddah and Jakarta, I freelance (online), meet people and read Tarot cards. In Jatibarang, I serve my t...

One of the best things about being a writer in this day and age is the endless stream of resources on the craft available to us. It’s also probably one of the worst things, because in truth, there’s so much vague writing advice floating around that’s really not that helpful. I have, however, read a few books this year that have really helped me understand and practice some writing techniques. They’re rich with practical tips, are straightforward and easy to follow, and they leave room for you to try them out for yourself.  The Glamour of Grammar This isn’t your school textbook on English grammar, and I wouldn’t say it’s for beginners – it goes deeper than your basic verb tenses, but helps you review them anyway. What I enjoyed most were the chapters on archaic grammar rules and the evolution of the language and what constitutes acceptable. The book is also very, very Not Boring. I recommend it for all writers and editors.  It me, your father. Best thing ...

Jeff Goins’ post on New Year resolutions for writers inspired me to write my own (my favorite one is “Don’t take yourself so seriously.”). This year, I’m focusing on really (really for-real this time) honing my writing skills instead of just dicking around with it like I’ve always done. As with all resolutions, my writing goals can’t be too grand or I’ll end up just adding them to the list of things I failed to do. My achievable writer goals for 2017: Write about writing.  I’m big on tricking myself into accomplishing things, because it gets things done. My goal here is two-fold: get myself to write regularly, and also actively learn something about the craft. I’ll be posting a lot on this topic, both on my blog and on social media, as part of my learning and practice. Actually use my notebooks.  I’ve amassed a pretty big collection of notebooks, many of them blank because they are just “too pretty” to write on. Aside from that, though, I’ve gone almost completely ...

Ever feel left out? The kind of left-out that makes you feel like you’re way behind in a race, even though everyone else is within arm’s length? I get that a lot. I meet people my age and I don’t feel like I belong. I meet people younger and older, and I still don’t belong. I tell myself it’s that Loser Streak that I’ve had all these years that I’ve nursed for so long, the one that convinces me time and again that maybe, maybe losers were meant to exist to help the winners feel their win so much more, and that maybe this is my purpose. The Glorified Tech Support. And the proof is in the series of failures and bad decisions that make up most of what I call my adult life. The thing about feeling this way is that I don’t say it out of some desire to get sympathy from others, or to get advice on how to “fix it.” I don’t even feel that bad or sad about it, most times I just feel introspective and resigned. And a little exhausted from introspecting. These feelings are magnified when I wat...

I met with a group of millennials looking to collaborate on an innovative media project. We talked over traditional Malaysian food at a hipster joint in the forever-hipster plaza Publika. Here was my nasi lemak   plate pushing my notebook to the side. Millennials are fascinating in the way that they have one foot in fast-paced tech and the other in old-school culture. They are simultaneously just one step above your regular Facebooking, social-media-nut adult, and one step below the Facebooking, social-media-nut Gen Z cohort. ~END~ This post is part of a series of photos and stories very creatively called 100 Days of Malaysia .