Final Announcement

Hey people! Know what? For one reason I think pulling myself off from blogging would only make me the losing end. Hence yes, I think I will be back blogging but no longer on When Drama Plays On A Boy. I will launch a new private blog where I invite my readers (I am sorry that even some of you are really close to me, I may not extend this invitation to you. I dearly hope that you understand and value our friendship greater than this).

However, having said so, I will only invite people starting on September 1st, 2008 - the official launch date of that blog for public eyes (public in this context means readers). Up from now till August 31st, I will be blogging on that blog but without readers reading my entries.

Yes, a friend of mine, Shuhada told me what's the point of me blogging then - I write and I myself read. Well here's an explanation for you and the others who are I bet curious to know, I do not blame you guys for the curiosity. It's what I call self-satisfaction. Sometimes life is too short and we just may not know when we are called back from where we came from - so why not document our life's little bits. At least, even if it's hidden, one day there is a substantial amount of truth lying there for those who seek it.

Back to the new blog, I am doing it on a very small scale - no adverts, no fancy items etc. If you guys have noticed, I have removed my shoutbox from this blog. It presently appears on my new blog hence the reason.

I have also removed certain page elements on this blog so that even after my leaving, this blog can live its legacy. I will not delete anything further from this blog. The ad panels would remain here although I will no longer pay great attention to them. Together let the memories of When Drama Plays on A Boy live forever.

It has been great for the past year and a half writing my scribblings on this wonderful piece. I have attracted lots of readers in that period of time. I thank all of you people for supporting me!

We will meet again soon. Do drop by YouthMalaysia.com where I will still be contributing as a Youth Amplifier writer. They even may have something new in store for me that would surprise all of you - hint. So yes, stay tuned for me there. Should you need to contact me for correspondence or friendship, please feel free to contact me via e-mail at faris[dot]kabeer[at]gmail[dot]com.

A very big thank you again. Take care.

Lots of love,
Riz

p/s: the 'about the blog author' section on this blog is last updated in early May 2008. Thus, updates after that would not be rectified and republished. For the latest version, the information can be obtained on my new blog come September 2008 - limited for invited readers only. Also, links on this blog linking other pages are correct and workable as per early May 2008. They will not be updated after this.

A timely move.

Dear wonderful readers of mine. What I have today on my entry would move some of you to question why this and why that. To all of those questions, an explanation would precede my announcement in this very entry.

Some of you may have noticed that over the past few weeks, I have downsized my Friendster account, deleted my Facebook account and changed my Windows Live ID. Also, some of you might have realised the unique domain rizfares.com is no longer accessible as effective 1st May 2008, I have canceled its subscription. The unique domain would not be sold to the open market up to 19th October 2008. However, please let me reiterate that ANY website created or redirected from the domain rizfares.com after May 1st 2008 does not originate from me, and hence I would like to inform that I have nothing to do with those. Please let me assure that the public Blogger domain name : www.surviving-a-drama-life.blogspot.com would remain active and that no cancellation would be done.

Why all of these? Ever once felt that you have stalkers even you are not one big celebrity. Yes, I am experiencing that now. Not that I have not gone through this before, but recent developments have gone overboard and I have no choice but to take these measures into account.

Oh yes, before I continue, let me inform to all readers (and stalkers alike), that I have been confirmed a place into King's to study my desired course. I will hence leave somewhere very early in September - that also indicates that I will not be celebrating the Eid-ul-Fitr in Malaysia. London is going to be tough and fun at the same time and I hope everything turns out to be good and for the best.

Recently, I have got to know of users on social networking websites such as Friendster and Facebook to have been printing out (or saving images) from my profile. These images have then been shown to certain parties that indeed have smeared my name. As a regular teenager, it is normal for me to socialize with friends and have some amount of fun. I know my limits and for God's sake I am turning 20 this year. I am not even in school anymore! Oh well, but we are stuck with people living in the Stone Age, hence, some amount of fun, for them, equates to being OUT OF CULTURE. I think culture needs to change on par with time. Why don't we take all good elements from all cultures and fuse it? Make it one global decent culture?

The real thing that happened in simple terms: SOME PEOPLE TOOK MY PICTURES ON FRIENDSTER/FACEBOOK, SHOWED THEM TO THEIR PARENTS/FAMILIES WHICH DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS. HENCE THEY BADMOUTHED ME TO MY DAD WHO'S NOT LIKE A DAD AT ALL AS HE THINKS OUTSIDERS SPEAK NOTHING BUT ALL TRUTH. SO YES. GO FIGURE. All of these started with my brother being attacked first but indeed it has spread to me as well. I mean why would people even bother? It's not like my dad puts a bounty or anything if anyone reports of our ill-doings. Plus, what did we do anyway that's so out of the norm?

I am also not spared from the mouths of real people - out of the virtual cyberworld. Wild accusations have been put on me and my brother. Some say they have spotted me in Batu Feringghi indulging myself into vice. What the fish people? Yes, I do go to Batu Feringghi often, but to hang out with my friends buying DVDs and other cheap items. And, of course, the beach. Duh~. And if someone see me out late? How late is that? The latest I get back home is at 2am. Now, I do not think I owe anyone an explanation for this but I have no choice, apparently in this part of the world it looks like I DO. A guy said I was out on New Year's Day with a couple of girls. Want to know the real deal? They are Nabilla and Inaz along with Nabilla's two foreign friends from UWC. And guess what? We went for a barbecue by the beach which included MANY PEOPLE - OUR EX SCHOOLMATES. They are non Muslims so we felt a little bit uncomfortable as utensils for the barbecue used may have been used for non-halal meat etc. Of course we did not tell them! Why? OF COURSE BECAUSE WE FRIGGIN KNOW THAT THEY ARE HUMAN TOO, AND THAT THEY HAVE FEELINGS AS WELL. SO WE WERE POLITE BY TELLING THEM WE HAD OTHER PLANS FOR THE NIGHT. So now, tell me, seeing me in Tari Cafe at New Year's eve around 12am(duh that's the whole point!) - what's wrong with that? I mean come on, it's not like I go out every night. And I think it's the first time I went out on New Year's Eve in my entire life. I have been putting my life so much into academics in the past that I missed out what regular teenagers do.

And yes, speaking of my dad who does not understand me or my brother. We need to take care of his 'status' of being a politician. What crap is that? We did not choose this life of ours. It may look like a perfect life - the big house, access to cash and gadgets. But he's in politics - his enemies would go to great lengths by even to sabotaging my brothers, my mom and I who have nothing to do with my dad's political career. This year, he is going to contest for a post in his good-for-nothing party. So yes, many of his so-called advisers has told him to convey messages to me and my brothers, that we need to be extra careful of whom we mix with and where we go etc. I know all that crap, but I still do not get the point why because of him that I need to sacrifice my fun life. Is not that a selfish act? My teenage life does not come by again, and mind you I'm going to be 20 this year! Do you guys want to know an interesting fact? I have never been clubbing in Penang (which makes me wonder about a text message I got from an acquaintance saying I'm a good dancer. Hello, where have you seen me dancing mate? You go clubbing in Penang or KL, I don't. I have to wait for far-away trips for it. And I can count my number of times going clubbing. Twice to be exact. Once in Sarawak and another time in Singapore.). I simply cannot risk myself going to club in KL or Penang. Well I have to face the fact right, how on Earth would you want me to avoid everyone? So for now, the best thing to do is not do it. Oh well, like I said, I can't wait to go off for my studies. At least, to a certain extend, I will get my social life back.

It's not that I am lacking anything academically with my increased social life status. Look at my records, they have been rather quite good. Well, it's just the mentality of the people here that I am getting seriously sick off. I am not generalizing it to everyone, but majority of the people here have the mindset of getting too much obsessed with other people's lives. Where is the sense and integrity of one's privacy lying? It's as good as gone.

So well, after saying so much here goes my announcement:

I will be taking a hiatus from blogging on my personal blog. I am not going to promise on the actual date that I will be back but I can assure you I will be back someday to continue. However, I can say that when I come back, I will most definitely run a new blog on smaller scale, with no fancy unique domain IDs etc. Please do come by this blog to check if I have launched a new blog.

To note as well, I have downsized my Friendster account - with minimal profile information, one 'decent' but hot picture, no featured friends and finally no fancy blog layout with media elements. I have deleted my previous Facebook account and have since created a new one. However, this new account would remain private from the general crowd as I plan of only adding my friends that I get to know in the UK. No offence, but I think that is the best for all of us. In fact, I am quite lenient in the sense, I am not deleting anyone from Friendster that have already been in my friends' list. Only that, any random add ups after this would be rejected. The blog's unique domain measure and going on a hiatus is simply a precautionary action to avoid stalkers keeping a close eye on me. I have also seen hate posts directed to me; while I do not see a direct link but I can figure. Now, I think what I say or put for the general public to read about myself is simply for personal satisfaction. I do not force anyone to read or give nasty comments. If I say go fuck off on my Windows Live nick, why do you even bother giving so much attention to it? It's not like I know you well or anything! Hence, with this also, I have created a new Windows Live ID, which will not be public known. I have 'cleansed' my list and only those known to me are added on the new account. As for Yahoo! Messenger is concerned, at present, I am leaving my account as it is. Although I do not know half the people in it, it does not pose a great risk for me.

I have also relinquished duties on Style & Life : Lifestyle and passed it to my long time friend, Shuhada Rabi. However, my duties as a Youth Amplifier (writing jobs) on YouthMalaysia.com would remain until such time where I resign but I have no immediate plans of doing so. So, for those of you who are eager to follow up my writings on general issues, especially those pertaining to youths in Malaysia; do log on to www.youthmalaysia.com. Articles originate from username rizfares are my articles. At times, my Editor uses the name Faris Kabeer, Faris Ahmad or Ahmad Faris when she publishes my featured articles, so please be aware of that.

It has been a great pleasure writing on a constant basis for the past few months. So much so of some of you are regular to this blog, I enjoyed every moment of it. Thanks for all the great support and most definitely I will stay connected through the blog should I have any updates of coming back. I will not delete this blog, no worries.

Take care.

Lots of love,
Riz

Till we meet again.

just wondering...

Well, my site statistics show that there are hits registered from the UNITED STATES on my website. This has been active very much in the past weeks. So to that particular (or more) visitor from the United States, care to introduce yourself.

Please leave your 'hi' on my shout box or simply by commenting this article. I'm quite puzzled who are you (guys). It would seriously be fun if you're some random person. LOL.

I think I only have one friend and a relative in the US (of that I know of thoroughly). I doubt both of them have my blog link hence the whole drama of being puzzled.

I know it's silly, but please, I do want to know. I know my UAE hits and Norway hits; they come from people I am very familiar with!

Take care.

Love,
Riz F

Boredom.

I do get bored these days, even when I do have things to do. LOL. So today I spent my afternoon posing!

And these two are my personal favourites!

Love,
Riz

p/s: I have nothing to update. It's just been a regular day-to-day routine life these days. I'll update if I have interesting things to update. Take care and always stay tuned!

Music enthusiasts, here's your call!

This/Parts of this article has also been featured as a non-paid blog entry on YouthMalaysia.com. Paid articles written by Riz F on YouthMalaysia.com does not appear anywhere on his personal blog. Hence to access those paid articles, please log on to www.youthmalaysia.com. He uses the name Riz Fares, Faris Ahmad and Faris Kabeer for paid articles on YouthMalaysia.com.

Come this May 2nd to 4th, Penang will play a generous host to music troupes from around the world performing at the Penang World Music Festival. Held for the second time in the island state, the previous inaugural edition of it proved to be a huge success attracting some 5000 fans.

The music festival features ethnic and world music in its performances. The event was first planned to be held every July (as it was first held in July 2007). However it is changed and rescheduled to be held somewhere around May. This is because Penang experiences wet weather conditions during the months after June. However, again, due to recent global weather changes, we are not too sure whether changing it to the month of May would be of any help. Nevertheless, we still anticipate that Penang would be poured with music enthusiasts from around the world. Last year, even with the heavy downpour on the very first day of the festival, the crowd ignored mother nature's rain and ironically indulged in it. Many chose to stay on getting drenched and danced the night. For others, they simply cuddled under the cloudy night skies and enjoyed the shows.

The Penang World Music Festival features a very unique concept whereby it is held in an open-air jungle environment - a very good fusion of tribal music and surrounding greeneries. Even more interesting, there are no seats for this event and one gets to choose where to sit - and you can even choose to move around while enjoying the show. There are stalls set up nearby selling merchandises and light refreshments. Public facilities like public toilets are scattered all around, even with mobile units supplied by the Penang Municipal Council.

This year, as the organizers anticipate the weather to be fair, all of us could expect sitting 'under the stars on the green grass having a good time'. What's best is seeing the event being attended by all walks of life.

A word of advice: do bring in your mats and umbrellas. They may come in just as handy as it gets. On another note, it is good to avoid brining in chairs etc as this will obstruct other spectators from getting a good view of the shows.

Tickets are priced at 50.00 MYR for adults while children are admitted at 20.00 MYR. Students can look forward to enjoy a 20% discount by producing their student ID/matric card during tickets' purchase. MBF credit card holders do get a 30% off their ticket price; up to 5 tickets per card holder. For those of you staying out of Penang, the organizers have worked with several travel agencies to even have special tour packages to suit yourselves. For example, you may even tour Penang's best and attend the festival at night - they have 3D2N packages. For the three days, the shows start at 7.30pm and last till 12.00am and will be held at the Botanic Gardens. Tickets can be purchased through selected travel agents, promotion kiosks, and online. Log on www.penangworldmusicfestival.com to find out more about the festival and to purchase your tickets. Some of you may want to attend for only one night, and that is possible as well!

The Penang World Music Festival is an event not to be missed! So mark your calendars and set up to flood Penang.

See you there.

In no instance the writer or the medium this article is delivered should be held responsible should you experience any damage whatsoever from benefiting the use of this article. The writer or the medium this article is delivered are not affiliated in any way with the places, products or people mentioned in the article.