joeloholics anonymous

So I finally get to doing this “About” page. Today, it’s the third week of August 2007, and I’ve just moved, along with my parents, into our new place near High Park, Toronto. Since I took so long to write this introduction, which replaces my 2-year obsolete one written in 2005, I’ll keep it simple:

My name is Joel Wei Chen Ong. I’m a commerce student at the University of Toronto. I was born in Singapore, and went through my primary and secondary education at Catholic High and Raffles Institution, respectively. I moved to Canada after that, finished an enjoyable but brief high school senior year, flew back to Singapore for 2 more years of National Service – the best, most defining period of my life so far – and I’ve been back here since.

I am a rabid basketball fan. I used to play a lot, though with my surgically-repaired left knee I haven’t been able to do so as much as I’d like to in recent times. I follow the Raptors – obviously – and have suffered through the dark ages of the early 2000’s, whose defining image to me is one of the Raptors on a 1-on-3 fast break led by Vince Carter, which inevitably ends in a soft fadeaway jumpshot with no rebounder in sight – which in turn inevitably bricks. Kobe Bryant somehow inspires me greatly, since I can relate to his character and his struggle.

I also read a lot, and write whatever comes to my mind in this blog, joeloholics anonymous, which has from its early, humble beginnings in 2005 grown to become a powerful, integral part of my life; both a source of reflection and a vessel into which my thoughts, my ideas and philosophies flow. It has been my little place where I can freely dedicate everything to the glory of being my biggest fan – because, at the risk of sounding smug, if you’re not your own biggest fan, you have confidence issues. The world’s a big, tough place – this is my solace, my sanctuary, my Alamo, my Ecce Homo, my Beer Hall Putsch.

joeloholics anonymous has kept me sane, despite my frequent predicament of being the minority of one.