It’s been more than a year since I started this blog. It’s only now that I’m updating this About page!
The reason why it took me so long to update this page partly has to do with the reason why I started this blog – which was (and still is) to function as an online journal. I felt that doing an intro page about my own journal would be like writing the foreword to one’s own book. People could do that if they have already finished writing their book and know what their book is all about. For me, I didn’t how this blog will end up – actually I still don’t know! So far, it’s taken on a life of its own. If this blog is about my life’s experiences… well, I have absolutely no clue as to how my life will turn out either!
Further, writing an About page for a blog is like taking bits and pieces of a person and summing them up in byte size. Surely, people can’t really be profiled by any one or static group of characteristics. Most people evolve and grow over time, for better or worse. Nonetheless, I realise the thing about publishing your own thoughts is this: you can’t ramble on without structure. So here’s a structured introduction of sorts.
Blog title
What does the title – “plum era” – mean? There are 2 versions:
The first version: It represents an era of living the best quality of life possible. Not necessarily pursuing what is conventionally considered to be the highest standard of living e.g. acquiring more wealth (although I confess that I occasionally fantasise about striking the lottery). Rather, it’s about enjoying and appreciating life’s little luxuries and beauties to the fullest. This is a philosophy that I’m trying very hard to practise in order to shed myself of my complain queen status. Hence, on this blog, I’m refraining from any complaints or rantings, as opposed to what I hope are clear, rational critiques. I will save the actual complaints for the ears of my friends and family… just kidding!
The second and non-philosophical version: it’s the first 6 letters of this site name plumerainbow, which for those who know me, is a pun on my chinese name. (Hang on, is it still a pun if it involves 2 different languages and neither funny nor instantly obvious?)
Hobbies
As you can probably tell from some of the posts, I like music, travels, books and movies. Occasionally, I dabble in fictitious tales – I tried posting one here. Perhaps, this form of writing is not suitable for this particular blog. I’m still experimenting.
I also like learning languages – my hope is to be able to read Love in the Time of Cholera (El amor en los tiempos del cólera) in the language it was written, Spanish. Apart from that, I want to learn Thai and Arabic, neither of which I know even if a bit. Except for 5 5 in Thai, which sounds like “Ha Ha”. Haha!
I also like puns, both good and bad ones. One-liners, even better. In this fast-paced life, nothing beats humour being dished out in the most economic and efficient manner.
Oh, I like oxymorons too. Life is full of contradictions anyway, why not express them in short simple paradoxical truths.
Any other hobbies? Well you’ll just have to tune in and find out. I’m sure the list will expand in the future.
Photos
Unless otherwise indicated, all photos on this blog – including the mediocre ones – are mine. Even if the photos aren’t great, I do take great pride in them. If you want to use them, please ask for permission and do credit me. Thanks!
Why I use WordPress
A word of thanks to WordPress for making this platform available for free. I’m using WordPress because a friend told me that it’s one of the easier ones to use. I wish I can write a better review but I’m too low-tech at the moment (I don’t even know what is HTML. Yet.). Here’s to more exploring in the future!
Thanks for stopping by.
plum era 
More! more!
Am enjoying your gorgeous photos….hope to read more about you on your about page 🙂
I am glad to read more on your about page. I struggled with mine too. I enjoy my anonymity as my blog is part diary and part something I just need to do…write.
Just want to drop by and say hi. Keep up the spirit of blogging. Thanks for sharing your travel and you have wonderful pictures too. 🙂
Why should you take pride in a photo that isn’t that great? And why should you worry about someone stealing it. After all, if they steal it, you can always make another one… which brings me to the point. Did someone steal your self portrait? That’s why I came here, actually… to see what you look like. But no picture. I like to have a picture of someone I’m listening to. But I’m patient… and i enjoy listening to you… maybe a picture will materialize between the lines of your writing… I too used to like learning foreign languages. That’s how I learned English. But now as I grow older, I’m forgetting more than I’m learning. … and what I’m learning seems more pessimistic than in my youth…
Ah, nothing so dramatic as stealing since there has never been a self portrait here in this first place.
You mention why take pride in a photo that isn’t great – it’s a valid point. My point though, really, is that it is common courtesy to ask the owner first.
My quest to learn a foreign language well can only truly happen if I stay in a foreign country long enough. That is not likely to happen soon though. But I am hopeful.