Good Day Brewers - Pang here! ☕

I never thought I’ll be sharing this story.

I’m afraid.

Even ChatGPT thinks that stalking is universally viewed as negative and unacceptable behavior.

Will you judge me for being creepy?

Perhaps.

But before you do so, read on and decide before you drop your hammer of justice on me.

Because for once, I’m thankful I did something which society views in a negative light.

Estimated reading time: 2,356 words - 9 mins 54 seconds

Crush

When I was 15, my dad enrolled me in a tuition center to brush up on my Mandarin.

Why?

Because during my first semester in high school, I scored a D.

“D” wasn’t just a barely passing grade.

The word “disgrace” also started with the letter “D”.

And that’s what I was to my dad.

Perhaps, this wouldn’t have been a big problem for my peers who have parents who were less into the traditional Chinese culture.

But my dad holds a strong traditional belief that every Chinese:

• Should be able to speak fluent Mandarin

• Should be able to write beautiful Chinese characters—as if it was a form of art

• Should possess the ancient wisdom of Confucius and the martial arts skills of Bruce Lee.

So there I was, seated in a small cozy classroom.

The walls were painted yellow. The whiteboard had random scribbles of numeric characters. The tables weren’t even neatly arranged. There were eraser shavings on each desk—remnants left behind by previous students.

“A mess” was an understatement to describe that classroom.

It was the first lesson and I was early, so I watched the door of the classroom closely like a hawk eyeing its prey.

I could barely contain the curious cat within me.

Who am I going to meet this time?

Before I knew it, a whole bunch of teens had entered the classroom.

Two girls and seven guys, including me.

Our teacher, Miss Huang, was a lady who spoke in a strong thick Chinese accent.

She handed down the assignment books and started writing a few Chinese characters on the whiteboard.

Just before she could say a word, there was a knock on the door.

The cutest girl I’ve seen in my life stood at the doorway.

Yellow cropped top. White denim shorts. Long black hair. And eyebags as black and thick as a panda.

“Take a seat,” said Ms. Huang, who was clearly annoyed at this student’s late arrival.

But I was pleased with the situation.

I simply couldn’t take my eyes off this girl. She was like an eye candy, or some would say, my crush.

Perhaps, I’d get my chance to get close to her.

But here’s the problem.

• I don’t have the confidence to approach girls

• And she’d always pick a corner seat in that room

So the only chance I thought I had was to make a nest in one corner of the classroom and pray that she chooses to sit beside me.

But that never happened. Whichever corner I sat in, she’d always pick the other corner, as if she was avoiding me intentionally.

This happened over the course of 11 lessons.

We’re finally down to the last lesson in this tuition center—my last golden opportunity to see her.

I’ve decided—that I’d finally pick up the courage to talk to her.

I waited at the corner of the classroom, listening to Miss Huang ramble on non-stop about how to tackle our oral exams.

After what seemed like an eternity, it was just me in the classroom.

Everyone had left.

She did a no-show on that last lesson.

Could you imagine how defeated I felt?

I picked up my bag and paced towards the exit with heavy footsteps.

Just at that moment, I spotted the attendance sheet sitting on the teacher’s desk.

There was one name on it without a signature for that day’s lesson.

Regine Estelle.*

A brilliant idea formed in my mind.

I was going to make Google work overtime for this.

As I type in her full name into the search bar, a list of results appeared.

Regine Estelle’s Blog.

I clicked into it and was slapped with a bunch of stories written about her daily life.

I loved the way she expressed her feelings and journal about her day-to-day life.

That moment struck me like a bolt of lightning. It made me realize that I have always been seeking a canvas to paint my thoughts, reflections, and feelings.

That’s when I decided to start my very own blog.

And that’s where it all began.

Since 2011, I’ve written a total of 278 posts.

It’s a compilation of:

• My past reflections

• My past experiences

• My past reviews sharing my love for food and traveling

If I didn’t attempt to stalk that girl, I wouldn’t have come across Blogspot.

And that means:

• I wouldn’t have started a blog.

• I wouldn’t have fallen in love with writing.

• I wouldn’t be this good at writing stories.

• And I would have lost a whole bunch of memories and stories from the past!

So this brings me to the most important point of sharing this story:

You may have experiences in life that you aren’t proud of.

Perhaps, you may even regret some of these experiences.

But without them, you wouldn’t be where you are today.

Be grateful.

Your past experiences gave you valuable lessons.

They’re part of your journey called “LIFE”.

Embrace it. Cherish it. And live it to your fullest!

*Name has been changed to protect the identity of this individual.

How is this story even possible!?

It’s a story about a secret I’ve kept in my heart for the longest time.

I know tongues may wag.

You may even judge me for my actions.

But this story was possible because I admitted to my imperfections.

— That I’m far from being a perfect human being.

• I was a kid then.

• I met this beautiful girl.

• I wanted to find a way to contact her.

• I stumbled onto her blog and read a few posts.

• It made me realize that I’ve always been looking for a platform to write.

• And so, my writing journey began.

“At the HEART of this story, is a passionate writer that encourages you to share FLAWED versions of your past self.”

Relatable Moments:

You’re probably not a stalker like me, are you?

Even so, there are tons of relatable moments.

Can you spot them?

• Stalking…?

• Writing on a blog.

• Your first time journaling.

• The need to attend tuition.

• Having a crush on this beautiful girl.

• The excitement of meeting new people.

Did any of these moments hit a spark?

How to craft a story about BEGINNINGS

At its core, this story isn’t about stalking.

It’s about beginnings.

It’s about going back into the past and digging up an important memory—one that changed the trajectory of your life.

And trust me.

You’ll have one if you dig deep enough.

#1 - Hook

The first line of every story should drive curiosity.

• How old were you then?

• What happened?

When I was 15, my dad enrolled me in a tuition center to brush up on my Mandarin.

#2 - The Problem

Talk about the problem in this situation.

Don’t leave your readers hanging.

• What is the context of this situation?

• What is the problem here?

• Where were you there?

Noticed how I added a little humor and sarcasm here by bringing in “Bruce Lee”?

Why?

Because during my first semester in high school, I scored a D.

“D” wasn’t just a barely passing grade.

The word “disgrace” also started with the letter “D”.

And that’s what I was to my dad.

Perhaps, this wouldn’t have been a big problem for my peers who have parents who were less into the traditional Chinese culture.

But my dad holds a strong traditional belief that every Chinese:

- Should be able to speak fluent Mandarin

- Should be able to write beautiful Chinese characters—as if it was a form of art

- Should possess the ancient wisdom of Confucius and the martial arts skills of Bruce Lee.

#3 - Tension Building

To keep your readers hooked, you’d have to drive curiosity.

• Describe where you were.

• What were you doing?

• What is going on around you?

So there I was, seated in a small cozy classroom.

The walls were painted yellow. The whiteboard had random scribbles of numeric characters. The tables weren’t even neatly arranged. There were eraser shavings on each desk—remnants left behind by previous students.

“A mess” was an understatement to describe that classroom.

It was the first lesson and I was early, so I watched the door of the classroom closely like a hawk eyeing its prey.

I could barely contain the curious cat within me.

Who am I going to meet this time?

Before I knew it, a whole bunch of teens had entered the classroom.

Two girls and seven guys, including me.

Our teacher, Miss Huang, was a lady who spoke in a strong thick Chinese accent.

She handed down the assignment books and started writing a few Chinese characters on the whiteboard.

Just before she could say a word, there was a knock on the door.

#4 - Meeting the “STAR”

The “STAR” here refers to someone you’ve encountered that made an impact in your life.

• Who is this person?

• How did he or she show up in your life?

The cutest girl I’ve seen in my life stood at the doorway.

Yellow cropped top. White denim shorts. Long black hair. And eyebags as black and thick as a panda.

“Take a seat,” said Ms. Huang, who was clearly annoyed at this student’s late arrival.

But I was pleased with the situation.

I simply couldn’t take my eyes off this girl. She was like an eye candy, or some would say, my crush.

Perhaps, I’d get my chance to get close to her.

#5 - Conflict

This is where the story gets juicy.

• What’s stopping you from getting to know your “STAR”?

• What thoughts were going through your mind?

• Did you make multiple attempts?

But here’s the problem.

- I don’t have the confidence to approach girls

- And she’d always pick a corner seat in that room

So the only chance I thought I had was to make a nest in one corner of the classroom and pray that she chooses to sit beside me.

But that never happened. Whichever corner I sat in, she’d always pick the other corner, as if she was avoiding me intentionally.

This happened over the course of 11 lessons.

We’re finally down to the last lesson in this tuition center—my last golden opportunity to see her.

I’ve decided—that I’d finally pick up the courage to talk to her.

I waited at the corner of the classroom, listening to Miss Huang ramble on non-stop about how to tackle our oral exams.

After what seemed like an eternity, it was just me in the classroom.

Everyone had left.

She did a no-show on that last lesson.

Could you imagine how defeated I felt?

I picked up my bag and paced towards the exit with heavy footsteps.

#6 - Breakthrough

Getting to know your “STAR” is tough, but you’re not going to give up.

• What is the final attempt you made here?

• Did it work?

• Or did something unexpected happened?

Just at that moment, I spotted the attendance sheet sitting on the teacher’s desk.

There was one name on it without a signature for that day’s lesson.

Regine Estelle.

A brilliant idea formed in my mind.

I was going to make Google work overtime for this.

As I type in her full name into the search bar, a list of results appeared.

Regine Estelle’s Blog.

#7 - Realization

This is the moment that triggered something within you.

• What did you see?

• Why did this moment matter?

I clicked into it and was slapped with a bunch of stories written about her daily life.

I loved the way she expressed her feelings and journal about her day-to-day life.

That moment struck me like a bolt of lightning. It made me realize that I have always been seeking a canvas to paint my thoughts, reflections, and feelings.

#8 - Transformation

You’re feeling overwhelmed by what you just felt or saw.

It’s time for a change.

• What did you do differently after?

• How did that matter to you?

• What’s the biggest transformation that led you to where you are today?

That’s when I decided to start my very own blog.

And that’s where it all began.

Since 2011, I’ve written a total of 278 posts.

It’s a compilation of:

- My past reflections

- My past experiences

- My past reviews sharing my love for food and traveling

If I didn’t attempt to stalk that girl, I wouldn’t have come across Blogspot.

And that means:

- I wouldn’t have started a blog.

- I wouldn’t have fallen in love with writing.

- I wouldn’t be this good at writing stories.

And I would have lost a whole bunch of memories and stories from the past!

#9 - Takeaway

It’s time to leave your audience with an important takeaway!

• What did you learn from this?

• How can you share them with your audience?

So this brings me to the most important point of sharing this story:

You may have experiences in life that you aren’t proud of.

Perhaps, you may even regret some of these experiences.

But without them, you wouldn’t be where you are today.

Be grateful.

Your past experiences gave you valuable lessons.

They’re part of your journey called “LIFE”.

Embrace it. Cherish it. And live it to your fullest!

And that’s it for this issue!

Are my newsletters too long? Drop me a “BORING…”!

Or are they too short? Drop me a “GIVE ME MORE”!

I’d love to hear your feedback!

I might be experimenting with a few new changes in the upcoming emails!

Keep a lookout!

Your Barista,

Pang

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