About

Who Am I?

William Shakespeare once asked: "What's in a name?"

My name is Raphael

Apparently - so I am told - I was named after an angel and the Italian Renaissance painter. That's a tough name to live up to. I haven't got a halo on top of my head, and consistently scored a 'C' in art class back in school (no, 'C' is not for Consistency).

I am an 80s child. I was born in Malaysia - at a small, sleepy tin-mining town called Ipoh. I lived most of my blissful childhood days there, then moved to Kuala Lumpur to read and practice law.

To answer Shakespeare's question, I believe what defines us is not what our name is nor where we come from, but what we believe and how we live our lives. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

So enough about me, for now. You'll get to know me more, as I continue sharing my thoughts and experiences through this site. And then, you can judge how angelic and artistic I really am.

What Is This Site About?

I write what I am passionate about, and I am passionate about a lot of things in life. 

It's about everything and anything I feel like sharing - that's the short answer. It's about philosophy, politics, economics, law, work, education, arts and culture, travel... and so on - that's the long answer. 

This is a journey without a map. This is a journey through time. Only THREE things guide me on what I write here.

  • Past - What I've done before, and how I look at life as it was.
  • Present - What I'm doing now, and how I look at life as it is.
  • Future - What I plan to do later, and how I look at life as it should or will be.

Why Am I Writing?

Writing is only part of my purpose here. Writing is only fulfilling and meaningful if it brings fulfillment and meaning to other people - which is you, my dear readers. 

This site, this journey, is about enlightenment and enrichment. For you and I.

This I promise you - I will write THREE articles on the 1st, 11th and 21st of each month - about the Past, Present and Future.

Why so regimented, you may ask? Doesn't writing flow from inspiration, and you can't turn on inspiration like a tap? That's what I've been made to believe, too. But then I realised that writing - at least for me - is more like farming. I can't just throw the seeds onto the fertile ground and expect the crops to grow by themselves. The soil needs to be toiled and watered, the young tender saplings need to be trimmed and treated.

The more I write, the more I channel my thoughts into words, the more refined my writing becomes. Yes, writing is an art. But I am damn sure that Raphael the painter spent hours every day painting and painting to hone his craft, and not sit around on a hammock waiting for some divine intervention. 

What Do I Expect Out Of This?

No, I am not and do not intend to earn money from ads, selling merchandise, and so on. This is not a money-making exercise - you have my word on this.

What's in it for me, then? As explained, it's for self-improvement. And as long as people enjoy reading what I'm writing, that keeps me happy and inspired to continue writing.

I don't only enjoy writing and talking. I also enjoy reading and listening. Hence, I'm really hoping to build a connection between me (the writer) and you (the reader).

So, if you enjoy what you're reading, let me know you are. By liking my posts, by dropping public comments or a private message. Shower me with compliments, drown me in criticisms. Anything goes. In life, we take the good and the bad. We live and learn.

Please join me in my journey. It's one hell of a ride, I promise.

Together, let's celebrate the past, enjoy the present, and build the future.