It all started when Jan went to Mr. Big's concert and all he wanted was to bring a small, minimalist wallet that could carry an ID, a card or two, and a little cash with him.
One month later, he now has three (3) minimalist wallets. All thanks to these YouTube videos that introduced him to the world of EDC.
I still remember the last time I drew something. It was Valentine's Day four years ago when, like any other Valentine's, Jan and I had nothing better to do. It was far from the pandemic but staying home was a much better choice on that day.
I looked out the window and saw dark, heavy clouds looming over. Five minutes later, it began to pour. I took a sip of my coffee and realized it wasn't warm anymore. I put the cup down and started heading back to the bedroom. Getting snuggled underneath all those blankets and sheets on a rainy day sounds better than a cold coffee, I thought.
I moved toward the bed and felt a much stronger gravitational force around it. With barely four hours of sleep, I could have easily collapsed on the soft mattress, pulled my phone out and made up a convincing excuse why I could not go like I usually do.
While I try to make out what is being broadcasted over the speakers because I can only hear muffled and distorted sounds as if the announcer is gargling the microphone, I have been watching people.
And so it occurred to me that airports are a home to intensified emotions. Excitement. Anxiety. Happiness. Sadness. Optimism. Fear. Awe. Disappointment. Gratitude. And possibly any emotion that you can think of.
Yes, folks! I still play (with really long breaks in between). And yes, after 1,3xx hours, I am NOT YET DONE. I strongly believe that no Resident Representative (a.k.a Player 1), not one, has ever finished this game. I lost count on how many times I've tore down some parts of my island because new ideas and inspirations always come popping in. And when I "finish", I actually feel the need to start another. The possibilities are so endless!
My island is a never ending work in progress but, at least, I have some update and I know it's getting better with each build. (Related article: my last island tour)
So let's start...
The Entrance
When I first built my island, I didn't care about entrances. I placed my Resident Services (town hall) near the airport because I thought it would be better for easy access. Until I started joining catalog parties and trading with other players around the globe that every time I step out of their airports, their grand entrances would stun me, wishing I could stay long to explore their islands.
That's when I realized that I placed my town hall way too close to the airport. Since it is not aligned sensibly and the structure cannot be relocated, I had a hard time designing my entrance creatively. It took me too many builds before I settled with this one:
This is what you will see the moment you step out of the airport.
I remember it was summer of 2003 when I created my first blog. I did it out of the need to channel my inner Hulk who gets infuriated at life's slightest inconveniences into something rather creative. Then I got through that teenage angst phase and became mature (surprisingly). Started sharing my opinions—without being pompous, my experiences—the good, the bad, the mundane, and pretty much every minuscule achievement and monumental milestone in my life. I have always thought it's not a bad thing to have something to look back to.
At this point, I think I already lost the ability to write. I find it hard to write anything even when there is so much to share the past three months. This is probably the longest time I have been gone—in the blogosphere at least. I would have started this comeback post with an apology for the absence but nobody really notices that, so it doesn't matter.
Anyway, I have gone down the rabbit hole—that is TikTok. And I am still here with no plans of resurfacing soon. I am far too busy watching funny, dancing, and oddly satisfying videos to blog.
It's crazy how I used to cringe at content made on TikTok and here I am with twenty-seven published videos on the same platform that I loathed so much. Well, what can I say? TikTok saved my life.
I was born creative. But if we're going to be honest here, I only do it because I am cheap practical. If I can do something with what's available, I will do it if it means saving more money for better things like books I don't get to read.
The views and opinions expressed on this PERSONAL blog are solely of the author (that's me) and do not reflect those of my brand partners and affiliated organizations. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may contain strong language. Not giving an eff is highly encouraged.
All crappy doodles that you see in this site are illustrated by me. You are free to use any of these as long as you give proper credits and link back to this site.
