When it comes to fine dining and table etiquette, it is considered polite for gentlemen to pull the seats for ladies. Most of us would know that food is served from the left and dishes are removed from the right, glassware is filled from the right, and cutleries are commonly used from the outside in. Once used, cutleries should not touch the table's surface again, and there are subtle ways to inform your waiters/waitresses that you are resting or done with your course in ways of resting your cutleries on the table.

When it comes to the internet, however - specifically in the ever dynamic, beautifully chaotic and logically ironic realm of social media - not many of us know how to carry themselves with pride, dignity and a little bit of humbleness. So, if - for reasons only you yourself know - you are only just in the social media wave, or a veteran stumbling upon this writing, there is a lesson to be learned.

Netiquette #1. #please #don't #hashtag #every #word

And yes, #hashtaggingawholesentenceisalsoacrime! Chris Messina, a social technology expert, is credited to have come up with the very first hashtag on Twitter. He first posted the hashtag #barcamp in August 2007. The whole tweet appeared like this:

“how do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp [msg]?”

Messina came up with the hashtag with the purpose of gathering discussions and online exchanges regarding Barcamp, a technology unconference gathering activity that spans worldwide. Since then, hashtags have spread to other social media sites and all over the internet to become one of the most widely used functions. (source from: http://bit.ly/1bRvaUp)

If you feel that there is an audience for the words that you're hashtagging, do so. Otherwise, don't. Afterall, imagine walking into a mall where there are tags dangling on everything - from the items being sold to furnitures and decors and display racks and cupboards and.. well you get the point.

Nettiquette #2. Share credit.

Yes, we're all striving to be unique and original, but just how many of us can come up with our own unique content? If you're sharing a content over social media that other people wrote, don't take credit from it. Chances are, someone else might find out and call your bluff. If you could also tag the owner's handle (Facebook profile/page, Twitter or instagram account name etc.) that would be great. If anything, you're helping to promote the original poster (or OP, for short) to get more audience while getting some of the limelight yourself - if that's what you're in for.

Nettiquette #3. Keep the boring status to yourself.

Yeap - those rhetorical questions, those first-world dilemma, pictures of every single meal, gym check-ins 5 times a week - I'm talking about all of those. Sure, it is a personal social media account for personal use - but posting about every single minute details of your own personal life is, in fact, akin to walking down the street naked while telling other people to close their eyes or not look at you. Showing off a little skin every now and then is fine, just not all the time. Remember, the less you reveal, the more mysterious you are, and the more attractive you become - at least to the online community. And remember when I say keep the boring statuses to yourself, I mean keep them off of your social media accounts.

Nettiquette #4. Be social.

Hey they don't call it 'social media' for nothing, y'know. I'm personally guilty on this. I don't socialize enough in the social media community. At best, I'd write a blog post or two and share it all over. I'd watch a video on YouTube and share that. I'd read an article someplace and share that. Then a random rant every few days. Getting on social media means you intend to make connections - personal or business, casual or serious - it also means keep up with the connections - saying 'Hi!' every now and then, getting to know a person or a business, and and letting them know you. Just remember Nettiquette #3.

Nettiquette #5. Respect & Respond

Everyone has a certain level of tolerance before losing their cool. Some lower than others. In that, we all need to respect each other's opinion, and respond empathetically. One particular type of response I'd like to address is what I call the double-edge response. These are characterised by justifying oneself with reference that only close friends and family really knows and understand the situation. Therein lies the problem - justifying yourself in that reference directly tells everyone else that they are not your family and/or close friends and that they don't understand the situation. Instead, consider Netiquette #3.

Image Copyright: Image is linked & credited to http://bit.ly/1bRvaUp.  

Rome was not built in a day, the same way success does not come easy. There will always be trials and errors, small achievements and a number of failures. Let's not sugarglaze it - a failure to achieve something, is not the "unsuccessful way" as people usually put it. It is what it is, and it was a failure. The most important thing is to keep trying!

As you walk the miles day by day, learning bits and pieces, earning your keep, you develop your own conscience. By virtue of instinct, you add to your conscience things surrounding you - effectively creating your own persona, your own style, and your own existence.

But instinct and conscience alone will get you nowhere. And even if it does, you may end up exactly where you want to be if you're lucky - or in a race just struggling to keep up with your peers if you're not.

What you need next is a goal - a definition of your destination. Although it is said that the journey is more important than the destination, you may find yourself agreeing that if you fail to reach your goal, the journey seems like a wasted effort.

After deciding your one true goal, you can decide on the more tangible ones - earning your first million before reaching 30, promoted to a manager before 35, etc. In any case, a goal requires resolution. A strong will that drives you in whole to achieve that goal, be it the one and only or so many, be it measuable achievements or implied success, a resolution is an important element in realising one's goal.

My instict and my conscience is clear, and my goal is defined. My destination is to live with the beautiful woman that held my heart since last October. Everything, and I mean everything that I do is done to achieve that goal. I work day in and day out to earn my keep so I can make that goal closer to achieve. I work out at the gym to loosen up and prepare my physical and mental being for the journey. I study so that I can be in par with her and her peers. I talk with people and express myself so I can gain confidence in my own ability to look her in the eyes and tell her "I'll be with you til the very end". I pray so my spirit is at peace, to keep my conscience clear and strong. Such is my resolution

But what happens when the very core of me is challenged? That the way I am right now is not bringing me as close to my goal as I want to be? That the direction I'm heading is the long way round? I begin to waver. Self-doubt, questioning every single action I take. The biggest question that lingers - was my resolution not strong enough?

I'm not good with such confrontation as this. I avoid them like a plague. Some insists on tackling a problem head on, I ponder around it, dragging my feet and in the end opting for a more subtle approach to solving a problem.

And after two day jailed in my head, I came to a conclusion that there are a great many ways to achieve my goal. It is designed to fit my personality - and extrovert, a feeler, relying a lot on intuition and a strong need to justify myself and my surroundings. I'll take on a different view - just one - to feel a little less and to think a little more.

This is my journey - you are my destination - I am me, an ENFJ aiming to be an ENTJ.

2 posts in a day! WOOHHOOO!!! XD

The past few weeks brushed by like a cold breeze, leaving the usually up-beat me to shiver and stutter. Normally anxious and dramatic, I find myself more withdrawn than ever. Stumbling upon my old blog really helps me get back (and thus proving the fact that if you don't help yourself, no one will).

So I took a step back. We need to do that sometimes, right? Get our bearings, set thing straight and make sure we don't lose ourself.. I went back and took a personality test (which I do from time to time ever since I discovered Myers Briggs Type Indicator - MBTI). It has been a while since I took the test, I don't remember my type indicator back then, and not sure if much has changed (personally speaking). Got the result : ENFJ

What does it mean?

It means that I am an energy sucking intuitive feeling matter-of-factly extroverted person. MUAHAHAHAHA!!  No, this does not define who I am, it is just one part of me. The tests and indicators are mere tools to determine your preference, and from time to time, place to place, people to people, your own preference change.

Seeking more confirmation, I looked up Keirsey Temperament Sorter and took the test too. Came out the same result (surprise surprise!). A little more reading I discovered some now info regarding my personality indicator. I am what is classified as the Intuitive Teacher who's generally comfortable being out and about to help guide people around me through their lives. Funny that, cuz I ultimately want to end my professional career in the education line. (Currently serving in the business and professional environment to equip myself with needed knowledge and experience before guiding the young ones - yet another common trait in this personality class).

Well I could blabber much about my personality trait, but bot here, not at the moment. I prefer others to view me in person, and the dynamics of who I am, rather than having a certain pre-conception based on what they read beforehand.

In any case, dumb as it may sound, I was feeling rather depressed lately (having turned down by a crush. You'd think you're man enough to handle it at 27, but apparently the older you get, the more it hurt). Aaaannnyywaaaayyss, I found myself slacking, lagging, forgetting the day of the week (woking 5 days a week and attending classes on the weekends does not help) etc. etc. until I read about Nuffnang's credit card design contest which led me to find my old blog still up.

I read up some of the entries that I wrote, reminded of who I was back then and how far I've actually gone in life. Had a few heart-breaks that healed and scarred, but those are experience none the less. My experience.

As I wrote this, I feel relieved. Finally, I think I can be positive about life again. It's simple as it is, I'm alive, I'm thankful for the friends that I have, sad for those that became strangers, and at the same time wholly excited think of strangers becoming friends.

So yeah, I think I'll be alright.

P/S:

• If you're interested in trying the MBTI to find out your personality preference, you can try it here. 
• Next, the Kiersley Temperament Sorter here. 
• Don't worry if you find that you need to register or pay a certain fee to get a complete result. What you need is really the 4 letter result, and use Wikipedia to get more info. I'll put a widget in my blog to help you out. XD