Thanks for the memories, Friendster.

(March 22, 2002 - May 31, 2011)

More than a month ago, i wrote about Friendster losing it's profound relevance to the current social media juggernaut, Facebook. Now, i'm writing like, a "sort-of-eulogy" about the once-dominant fixture of social networking platforms.

God, how time flies by. And how time changes so fast.

I logged on to my Friendster account now --- for the last time, to remove/delete personal files from that website. Then, suddenly my mind went back down the memory lane. It's quite hard to put words together while being nostalgic. Kinda "choking" the words. I checked back on my personal profile, to write my last shoutout, thanking Friendster for all the memories it kept for quite some time now. I also passed thru my old blogs, where my immaturity and childishness happened. Funny how i come up and write blogs from before. Some of them, doesn't make sense at all. Some of them, well, discussing about certain topics/issues. But, anyways, i just want to check how much i've improved my writing skills. I also checked the testimonial/comments section of my profile. Some of the testimonials, dates way back 2004, so it's really been a while. It's also good to stumble upon my own profile preferences: a lot of funny and stupid stuffs were still there. Never moved, never changed. There's really too much to check about this place i've been for a long time. Taking it from a title of a song, i'm "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss".

I'm not being sentimental on Friendster's departure on the social networking world. The site will undergo major overhaul and will be more focused on social entertainment now (mostly, on music and games), i just don't know if they'll still keep the name "Friendster" (my guess is no). So, even in Friendster's demise, we have to celebrate it's past achievements so all we can remember are about the good memories we enjoyed for almost a decade.

But, even if i want to stave off from analyzing what caused Friendster's departure, it's an argument everyone could've had a hard time dismissing it. Before, it was a very hot item, like a can't-miss collegiate basketball prospect player. Now? it's just a thing of the past. An old shadow of itself. Don't get me wrong, i give all my due respect to the founders and everyone associated with Friendster. Nobody's taking away the success they had in recent years. It will always be like that. But, when Facebook rose to prominence, almost everyone joined the bandwagon and left Friendster for dead (even me). I barely even access my FS account for the past 3 years, so i have no idea what happened to Friendster. I don't even make time to check the then-updates that time, 'cause for me, nobody seemed to care anymore and it was a waste of time. It was like, "it has to be Facebook all the time, no more Friendster for me."

Then this day came.

Well, take it from a saying: "Nothing lasts forever". Friendster had it's glory days and success, it's just that now, maybe it's really time for them to take another step and close the curtains on their hottest and most prized commodity. But i'll always remember, that it'll be always the original for the testimonials (where friends really writes something on how good you are), the "Who's viewed my Profile?" and "Last logged-ins", and all patented firsts, courtesy of Friendster.

Well, the planned rejuvenation of Friendster will still keep our accounts, without all our personal files. But, i really have no intentions of keeping it anymore. So, as i was writing this blog, is also the time for me to close down my Friendster account.

To close this blog, i just want to say thank you to Friendster for opening the world to social networking. Becoming pioneers are a great achievement, and you'll never, ever be forgotten. We'll always keep in mind what you've done to us is something we will treasure for all our lives. It's good while it lasted.

Thanks for the memories, Friendster. Good bye.

A Love that never was

Just a week ago, i have to move out (AGAIN) from my previous place because of bed bug terrorism. I still have those bite marks that left me irritated. For a month of stay over there, i never had a good sleep (even though i woke up most of the time at 11 am), 'cause i've always been bothered with just a slight itch, so it was like i have to stay awake all night to wait and catch those bed bugs. Fortunately, the new place i moved into was such a nice place. I even have a bed that can fit three people. So, i was rolling around that bed. AND, i finally had a good, peaceful and bed-bug-free sleep.

(I have another brewing problem over that new place, but i won't say it here now. Maybe, next time.)

One good sign that definitely can say that i had a good sleep is having a good dream. Well, this dream is not just a dream: it's something played a significant role with my life. She was someone that i first talked through the telephone. Introduced by a good friend of mine from grade school. She's the same age as mine (i guess), a mix breed of Mexican, American and Filipina. I can still clearly recall her name.

Michaela Morgan.

It was during 2002, my first year in college. I received a random phone call from someone almost late in the evening. When i picked-up the phone, her voice was enveloped with calmness. I asked her how she was able to get my home phone number, she mentioned my grade school buddy. She came from a good, wealthy family who lives in Valle Verde Subdivision in Pasig. Well, me, i came from a working middle-class family who lives in the outskirts of Manila. I was so young back then, so i have this insecurity-feeling that she won't like me at all. But she was everything i had expected. Sincere, thoughtful, god-fearing person. We talked night after night, got mutually attached to one another (well, that's how i feel). And, the rest was history.

I wrote about her because, for two straight nights, i've dreamt of her. I don't know why but suddenly i felt the need to share this story. Well, the last time i've talked to her is way back 2004, and the last thing i've heard about her is that she moved to the United States. We lost all the communication and haven't kept in touch to one another, so, i don't have any news about her. I even tried looking for her thru Facebook, but, heck! There's a lot of Michaela Morgan's around the world. If only i was brave enough back then, but i wasn't. I wasn't able to tell her that i love her. My reason was --- because of our family classifications. As what i have said, They're a wealthy family and we're a middle-class family. I know it's a dumb and stupid reason for me to have, but back then, it makes sense to me. But now, obviously, it doesn't make sense at all. It was almost a decade ago now, so, now, suddenly i wonder how and where she is now.

There's a lot of "What if's" running through my mind right now. What if i told her? What could've been? Now, i know i can't provide the answers to my own questions 'cause i took a different path of life. I just suddenly felt sad that i didn't had the guts and strength to voice out my true feelings. But, of course, my action served a lot of lessons, so i know now that i'm a much better person.

I did not write this 'cause i regret not doing the right things (well, somehow, i am, hehe.. but not to it's full extent), but to remind other people that when you have the chance to say something towards a person that you love, seize the moment. No screw-ups, no shortcuts, just make a plain and simple statement. Learn in from me, who had all the chance to say it, but chose to hold back. It's a Love that never was.