overheard by a friend

"Yelah, you sorang je betul, orang lain semua salah, you sorang je pandai."

 I dont get it. I had said nothing offensive, at least I don't think so. I didn't cuss or abuse, I didn't even raise my voice, but apparently I had said something wrong.

"and you thought this because?"

 ...she started speaking in Malay, she never speaks Malay unless she's upset. Its always a bad sign when she goes full Malay.

It's like the time she played with scarves, and started wearing them like tudungs on her head, and then asked, "do I look nice? Do I look pretty?" Next thing I knew, I was at lunch with her parents, no warning gave.

I really have no idea what ticked her off this time.

"Why do you bother with these kinds of characters? I thought you used to hate these plastic folk?"

I dont think I ever liked them, but I dont know, maybe its because they're shiny, and attractive?

Or maybe Im shallow, I dont know.

"As a friend, let me remind you what you seem to have forgotten: you're not them, and they're not you. You're forcing yourself to feel miserable day in and day out, just to fit in.."

You know what it feels like? Like a knife scraping off every single bit of myself from my bones, every morning I feel less and less like myself.

"So stop" I cant stop. "of course you can" I cant.

"May god guide you"

In the end, it turned out that he could stop, but not before he lost all respect for himself.

He realised that he was clawing the bottom of an empty well, and looked up, and saw the blue sky through the narrow hole overhead.

His calls for help was heard by a thirsty passerby, who helped him out.

Don't think like I did, he told the traveller, and fall into a hole chasing after a glint you see at the bottom.

They then made their way back to their normal lives.

from the intern blog : Let me tell you your story

originally posted at Native's intern blog



Human beings have loved listening to stories since the beginning of time.

In their caves, pre-modern man gathered in their caves to listen to the story-teller. The story-teller related to them their history and tragedies, reminded them of joys and victories, and gave them hope and inspiration to live exciting lives.

It’s innate to the human condition. Letting a story sweep you away is as natural as eating.

“A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens--second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence...”

A new story-telling paradigm has emerged. Through social media, story-tellers have new tools and techniques to move their audience.

Story-telling has constantly evolved through the introduction of new technology. Oral tales were followed by written tomes, followed by motion pictures. Each new technology introduced new possibilities for engaging with an audience.

Social media is the latest frontier. Augmented reality, geo-location, social networks; among the many technologies to turn users into characters in a story (pdf link).

Through technology, the gripping storyteller can now move his/her audience physically and emotionally as they unfold the story.

The audience don’t just follow the story, they are immersed in it. They are part of the story.

They don’t just identify with the plot highs and lows, they feel it as their own.

They don’t just passively watch, they actively seek stunning views.

Today’s story-teller uses social media to let the audience live exciting lives.