Threads of our lives

Is it coincidence?
Is it an Invisisble Hand at work?
Or it’s just meaningful progression?

Desiderata thinks it’s a combination of all the above… that led to the spinning of some unusual golden threads in my life. It all began with a decision I made on the historic day in Julius Caesar’s life too – the Ides of March, but it’s centuries later, off course. Julius lost his life while I won gold.

I hope it did the same to my Esteemed Visitors – the threading of gold through your life’s journey as you set foot at Desi’s Place. On visiting other Blogs, I have become enriched; similarly I pray Desi's Guests have found some:
“*
Silver Threads Among the Gold

Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away.
But, my darling, you will be, will be,
Always young and fair to me,
Yes, my darling, you will be,
Always young and fair to me.

Chorus:
Love can never more grow old.
Locks may lose their brown and gold,
Cheeks may fade and hollow grow,
But the hearts that love will know,
Never, never, winter's frost and chill,
Summer warmth is in them still;
Never winter's frost and chill,
Summer warmth is in them still.


For the record, “Silver Threads Among the Gold” was written by H. P. Danks in 1872, based on a poem by Eben Rexford. YLChong just borrowed some of the shiny threads.


TODAY as I begin the first day of the 2H (in financial reporting, this stands for The Second Half) of Y1 (for First Year – See, Desi provides free tuition in Journalism 101!) of Desiderata2000, I think it appropriate that I look back at the footprints I made, as well as my EsteemedReaders left behind, as fellow travellers in this cyber journey. Desi comparatively as an infant, as a Reader akikonomu made me realise in his comment two days ago that he had he spied that item featured in “Euro English heading for kios” in the Internet passage in the 1990s!

As I retraced the grounds, turfs and gardens I traversed in leisurely drive around other blogs, I find some threads permanently weaved around my wavelengths. I’m proud to have been inspired by JeffOoi’s screenshots to start my own Blog, and generally, I am also impressed by the wide array of choice readings gifted by fellow Bloggers, which span across the age barriers, gender too, and the most gratifying, the racial divide. I believe if there is one medium where people don't look at the writers' and conversationists' ethnic origins, it's the Blogosphere, Blogsworld, whatever one calls it. Let's continue to jointly explore it, mine it, this precious mindscape. Still Young. Still inviting all comers.

I'm also intrigued by some 'not so insignificant' IgnorantCows coming on board so early in their teenage years to “journal-ise” about their schooldays, fundays, and days of palships and even courtships? Don't undrestimate these Cows, they also have as fRiends the birds and the bees!

For DESIDERATA, Blogging’s also a meaningful progression of his writing craft, from mainstream journalism, to not-so-mainstream, then freelance journalism getting along like a church-mouse (factually), but finding it more fun and fulfilling in indulging in truly freewheeling prose and poetry, at last,there is no deadline presure, or that darn'd censorship, mostly self-imposed.

Yet I must share with mGf (for myGOodfRiends) some worries. Desiderata as a writer sometimes has to snake one’s way through when the subject/s (e.g. Corruption and those damedn politicians playing the Race Card …) proves/prove too challenging and defying. We don't know what the limits are in quoting "unnamed" sources, yet we believe they are "reliable". I hesitate to stick my head out too much, so fall back on the axiom that "discretion is the better part of valour".

I also mention “threads” in my post title because I discern from among mGf-Bloggers taking up subjects where I lead of, and occasionally, I pick up the threads from something they started. This is healthy as it leads to "reinforcement, especially of views of society's problems and concerns". Sometimes it leads to COLLABORATION, which is a highly satisfying exercise and gratifying goal, I can assure you, from embarking on the SERIES OF ESSAYS FOR MERDEKA 2005.

I'm also highly privileged and honoured to welcome as Guest Bloggers like Sabrina Tan, YoungKyels, Ginger, Mitochondra...and of course, a constant morale-booster YAN of yancorner.blogspot.com.

Yan often threads me via her Posts (I guess she is enjoying my writing from DayOne – earning an accolade I bestowed her – Maiden Visitor at Desi’s Place – and when I promised, or premised that Desiderata2000 would go on even if there is just One Reader a Day, I know she’s the one to be constantly In Touch...:)from the far-flung corner of Catsville.

Sabrina and Kyels, of course, have grown to become more than CONversationists – they honoured Desi with co-hosting appearances, most notably in conjunction with the NASTIONAL DAY ESSAY SERIES broadly themed THE MALAYSIAN DILEMMA, and that CHALLENGE to name OUR I-LAND, a RM20million fantssy -- yet believable -- project.

A pleasant surprise was Mitochondria (I like to shorten it to mito-C …:) who contributed an excellent post in flagging off the National Day Series on August 26, 2005, and then made an MIA move, pleasantly announcing her return quietly just a few days ago via a commento.

Yes, blogging is an enjoyable journey. But travelers who make an effort to make the company enjoyable and interesting interactively is what makes for new fRiendships. This to Desi is the most precious prize for undertaling the Malaysian Nation-building Journey together via Blogosphere.

I often find that fellow travelers all have a sincere wish to see the Malaysian Nation progress, maybe soar, but we are also realitic, there are indeed many obstacles along the way. Each of us can contribute in small, li'l ways, but everyone is essential and unique as a gifter. There are indeed many mountains to climb and rivers to cross.

I created a sort of UTOPIA to aspire towards creation. Imaginenation of da mind. Giving birth to spiritedestination.Those who played THE CHALLENGE know its rationale -- those who did not, I can only advise you travel back in time to that Challenge Period at Leisure. What is this lkife if, full of care/ You have no time to stand and stare? ENJOY! (times SEVEN as 7 is Desi's fav number.)

Having served a dozen years with the Australian diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur, I have a fondness for the Other Lucky Country besides Malaysia, and there are also several threads bidning us with those easy-going fair-dinkum Aussies. I’m glad many Malaysians studying in Australia, or staying there as an adopted country, have all tried to build bridges to bind these two lucky lands.

To Sweetspirits from the Land of Oz, and Malaysians overseas in the UK, such as HOWSY, who provides intellectual company, and BORINGEST, who is NOT boring at all, and in the USA (Letti) or even Americans like Luke, and Dr Howdy, a few of whom I have identified as guests to Desi’s Place, I say Terima Kasih:) with a TehTarik from mGf Haridas, nicked Hari Hari Does It! -- you surely do, I vouch for It, especially when you add in a pinch of Ha-Lia!:)
Some visitors I can recall, with whom I have struck up intimate conversations over a cuppa or glass of TehTarik, are: Primrose, Fashionasia, Imran, Moses, H J Angus, Mistyeiz, Dangerous Variable; and an early bird, SH Tan, where is my Char-Keoy-Teow? Dezmond and Timothy Su; and others who are occasional chitchatters, or at whose strawberry fields I left some footprints 4ever, like LONE,Mack, Zorro, mamat, MWT, sepetgal,kennysia, kamigoroshi,aspot, najah, thescarfer, simontalks, centerpide, multimid, Golf Addix, Alex, KSTang, yvonnefoong, suresh naidu, lobaksoup, bkworm, mudpond, maya kirana, DuaSen depreciated to mayhaps 1.9sen, or APpreciaed to 2.1sen?; ....... (I'll add on as I recall from my mental archives, KO?:) and many times, who the hell is that Anonymous, of course.

Here I extract some CONversations with GUESTS to Desi’s Place, but if there’s any hint of selective treatment, Desi admits guilt, but that's only because of necessary Omission, OR it would be taxing and never-ending, isn't it, reproducing all that old stuff? This is A RHETORICAL QUESTION, a luxury this Blogger often abuses, Minta Maaf, ia! Also, it’s because Desi does not have a secretary – I advertised for a sexy-one But the respondents say I’m a MCP! It’s okay, some Tiger has already called me a closet …wat?:

From my First Post, in the name of nostalgia: "what is desiderata?"


Yan said...
Hi,

Stumbling into your blog is a delight. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I certainly look forward to be delighted again and again.

I also keep some thoughts at yancorner.blogspot.com. Thought it's much of thoughts of a little woman, but certainly I want to add some delights to my visitors.

Yan
7:43 PM

InMine said...
Hi, we cross path (under my other ID)at screenshots a few times. I keep my blog at inmine.blogspot.com (my second blog page after killing the first one). Definitely will stop by again to read whay you have to say.
10:29 PM

Lone said...
Hi, great to see another blogger startup. And this with poetry too. Will visit to be delighted and entertained and be informed.
7:55 AM

desiderata said...
To yan, inmine and lone, a Warm Welcome to my new cyberhome and make yourself comfy and chatty.

Let's be engaged in Conversations; sometimes we may even disagree in our views, but always I subscribe to the maxim: agreeing to be agreeable in our disagreements.

Wishing you Good Health, and All Things Beautiful&Nice!
5:52 PM

Anonymous said...
Hello,

Stumbled upon your blog by chance from Yasmin's site. Glad we all enjoyed her movie Sepet.

Do drop by my humble blog at sepetgal.blogspot.com.

Look forward to chat with u soon. Take care...
12:28 AM

desiderata said...
Sepatgal:

Welcome, clearly you're a film-fan and creative.
I'm an avid movie-goer too, enjoy a wide spectrum of genres --western, detective, espionage, romance, classics, NOT the latest action-packed techno-crazy ones! just over-doing the tech stuff and no credible story lines, sometimes the producer, director treat the audience as kinddie kids, or worse, nimcompoops...(I sometimes can't avoid seeing such over TV just so that I can expand my hroizon, thus give my views...) See you again, I'd visit thee at thy abode too.
1:18 AM


HOPE Desiderata will write a post twice as spirited in another S'X MONTHS time:) Meanwhile, I'll stealthily pluck some Blue Roses from Bloom, Flowers, Bloom as I need to visit mGf who was once TheGalNextDoor. SeYa!:);)