Not Another Blog

I’m no stranger to blogging.

Way back when blogging was new and exciting (more than a decade ago?), I had a blog like most of my school mates. It was hosted by Blogger. It also had a ridiculous name, something like “Clash of Two Armies, Praying for World Peace”. Please don’t ask why I picked that name. I think I was just trying to sound cooler than I was. My blog did not even focus on war and peace type topics, just the usual teenage student stuff (like, personality quizzes!). Over the years, I went on to have about four more blogs. All hosted by Blogger. All about teenage-y stuff. All with ridiculous names. Well, except the last one, which ran during my university and early working days. That blog was more thoughtfully written and less self-centred, but lacked focus. Eventually, life got in the way, and my posts slowly petered out. That was about two years ago.

So, why another blog?

1. I need an outlet for my thoughts. As explained here, I’m broody, and writing helps to solidify my thinking.
2. Writing is a craft that needs to be maintained. I wish I was as brilliant a writer as my heroes, like James Altucher, Tim Urban, and the The New York Times reporters. So, I gotta keep honing my craft.
3. I want to walk the talk. Since 2016, I’ve been working as a content marketer. A big part of my work involves writing blog posts and other types of content for clients. I believe in the power of crisp, candid, compelling, and creative content. I want to demonstrate such content with this blog.

Perhaps it all comes down to this:

1. For myself, and others. I want to write, as honestly as I can, about things I care about. Things that people can relate to as well. Not because I’m great at these, or I have “made it” in life. Hell no. I screwed up a lot figuring these things out, in order to get to where I am today. It’s a learning journey that never ends that I want to document and share. Maybe some folks out there can learn a thing or two from my experiences.

One thing is certain. I don’t intend for this blog to slowly peter out and join the millions of blogs that end up in the digital graveyard. That’s why, with this one, I did things pretty differently from my previous blogs, from buying a domain name to buying a web host package to installing a WordPress theme (StudioPress FTW!). I want this to work. I suppose that if this blog has to “end”, it will only be because I’m closing a big phase of my life and want to begin a new phase with a new domain name and website. But that’s a long way off and I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Until then, I’m putting the honesty, commitment, and thinking needed for this blog to succeed.

I am Ying Yi, and I’m glad you’ve swung by to read!