Contradictheory debuts

The more eagle-eyed of you that know me may have noticed a familiar face waaaay down in the bottom left-hand corner in the StarMag section of today's Star. Yes, it's an old photo of me before I gained weight. More importantly, it's next to a column with my name next to it.

Geddit? Column? My name? Can you say, "will be in regular print"?

Yes, folks. I have finally taken a foot out of the cloistered and relatively anonymous world of script-writing and planted it firmly in the spotlighted waters of op-eds. I have, in fact, been given no set areas to write on - a free rein on my reign, as it were.

Of course, it hasn't all been rosy. I tried very hard to get them to put my favourite photo of me, but they insisted on something a little more recognisable. They tried to tell me it was a good thing, but I know better the privilieges and advantages of anonymity. I did manage to get them to not mention my educational history, though. I'm happier that way, it's a Dzof thang, you understand.

I also suggested the name, Contradictheory. I would love to say that it's because I believe the duality of man represents most of life, or that I'm always in for a good fight. Honestly though, it's because I like puns.

Today's article is partially based on a post I wrote almost a year ago, and I have to say I enjoy reading the earlier one better. I think it has something to do with the fact that I was tired, annoyed, hot, sweaty and naked when I wrote the earlier piece. Indeed, how can you bare your soul without baring your body?

Anyway, I suppose you want to read it:

Suffering for the write stuff

WHEN I mention to people that I am a writer, the reaction is nonplussed.

Writing strikes people as one of these amazingly idealistic but impractical things to do. It’s not really a way of earning a living. You’re so lucky, they say. You sit in front of your PC and write. You put words down, and they pay you money for that. In Ringgit, even. You’re so lucky.

They call me all sorts of things. Romantic. Imaginative. Inspiring. One word they don’t use – but I’m pretty sure many think of – is “lazy”.

...more at The Star website

Update: (14 Jan 2007) Two (thankfully positive) responses (here and here) were published in today's Star. It's a good feeling to find that there are people who identified with what I wrote, and makes up for the fact that some people didn't really like it. Happy me.

Labels: contradictheory, writing