A Letter from Kawaguchiko
A letter left behind for the next wanderer — on solitude, searching, and how much life offers those who keep looking even when they feel lost.
Thoughts
Here, I put on my Shakespearean hat and unleash my inner wordsmith to share my insights and experiences and everything in between.
The Quiet Grief of Adult Friendship
Somewhere between "Let's catch up soon" and "Sorry, life has been hectic", adult friendship became one of the most emotionally significant and least discussed losses of modern life.
liferelationships
6 min read
The Loneliness of Depth
A reflection on loving deeply in a world that often only stays at the surface.
liferelationships
3 min read
Floater Friend
Friendship, I learned, rarely exists in such absolute forms.
liferelationships
6 min read
God's Favourite Disobedient Child
He still holds my hand, even when I run headfirst into the mess.
personal
5 min read
To Framework or Not to Framework, that is the question
If you were a team lead assigned to a new frontend project, which would you choose and why?
engineeringop-ed
9 min read
Rendering strategies, explained
A compilation of my understanding on different frontend rendering strategies as part of my interview prep
engineering
19 min read
Contradiction
Slowly being torn apart by a condition I didn't ask.
mental-healthpersonal
2 min read
Building itsmeray v6
A behind-the-scenes look at how I rebuilt my personal site from scratch—and the 300+ commits it took to make every pixel, sound, and interaction feel intentional.
engineering
18 min read
Somewhere in the Middle
Do you think you have what it takes to be a senior?
careerengineering
10 min read
Skating on Her Own Terms
Alysa Liu, freedom, and the difference ownership makes.
life
10 min read
Words are Futile Devices
Sufjan Stevens, the man that you are.
personal
4 min read
Conflict Avoided is Conflict Multiplied
I don't like Jordan Peterson, but he's right on this one.
relationshipslifeop-ed
5 min read
Your Commits Aren't Enough
A reflection on why invisible excellence is fragile, and how engineers build durable impact by documenting and sharing their thinking.
engineeringcareer
5 min read
The Best Temporary Person You've Ever Met
I'm not a permanent person in anyone's chapter, but I can assure you I'll be the best temporary person you'll ever meet
relationshipspersonal
6 min read
Workaholism
Is relentless hustle a sign of strength, or a slow surrender of self?
careermental-health
3 min read
Farewell, Old Friend.
Who knew that in exactly one year, I would go from someone you loved dearly to a person you hated the most?
relationshipspersonal
15 min read
Final Prayer
If there’s indeed a merciful God in this world, hear my prayer
personalmental-health
4 min read
"You Loved Too Hard, Ray"
Is there such as thing as loving too hard?
relationshipspersonal
15 min read
The Paradox of Being Taken for Granted
How do we know that we have been taken for granted, or worse—have taken others as a given?
relationships
6 min read
Can I just die?
The title says it all.
mental-healthpersonal
2 min read
Loving Yourself vs. Loving Others
'We love ourselves by loving others.'
relationshipslife
3 min read
Veritas
Does telling the truth set you free?
personal
6 min read
Henyak Sampai Lunyai
To what extent should one dedicate one's life to work?
careerop-ed
7 min read
Confessions of a First-time Employee
The hidden struggle and anecdotal dilemma of becoming a first-time employee
careerpersonal
7 min read
RHB Get Your Hack On 2023: How We Hacked Our Way into the Grand Finals
A detailed walkthrough of my experience in participating in RHB's Get Your Hack On 2023 Virtual Hackathon: ASEAN Edition.
engineeringcareer
32 min read
Therapy
My Experience in going for therapy.
mental-healthpersonal
7 min read
Would you work in such a company?
A thought experiment on where you should draw the line on the ethicality of job opportunities.
careerlifeop-ed
6 min read
The 2 Most Dangerous Words in the English Language
There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job.' — Terence Fletcher, Whiplash
careerlifeop-ed
5 min read
"And then what?" — Second-Order Thinking
A mental model on how to be a better decision-maker.
lifeop-ed
5 min read
Self Compartmentalisation
A psychological concept of mentally separate conflicting thoughts, emotions, or experiences depending on the occasion.
mental-health
3 min read
Six Domains of Self Care
My reader's digest on this interesting article related to self-care
mental-healthlife
5 min read
Philophobia
Will I ever be able to love someone?
relationshipsmental-health
7 min read
LEDV: Tips on Career Progression
A summary of a takeaway I got from my 1-on-1 session with my team lead.
career
3 min read
Dear Me
Have you ever wondered, what if you’re able to meet up with your younger self?
personal
11 min read
Identity Crisis
Who are you, Ray?
personalmental-health
5 min read
Final Year Project (FYP) 101: Pre-FYP Preparation
A comprehensive guide and walkthrough of my Final Year Project (FYP) experience for the past 2 semesters as a Software Engineering student.
engineeringcareer
34 min read
Ambivalence
A personal write-up on handling ambivalence or conflict of emotions: being genuinely happy for others while pushing past your personal setbacks.
mental-healthpersonal
3 min read
Hackathon: A First-Timer Experience
Detailed look into arguably one of the wildest roller-coaster rides of my entire student life: My first-time experience in joining hackathon!
engineeringcareer
25 min read
Opportunity Cost
My letter to my former roommate Arief on opportunity costs of our decisions.
life
8 min read
Amanah
Everyone can learn and strive to be a leader, but should everyone be one?
careerlifeop-ed
4 min read
Ray v. Workaholism
You should work to live, not live to work.
careerpersonal
12 min read
Locus of Control
An in-depth analysis into locus of control and how understanding it can help improve our lives.
life
5 min read
Perks of being a Wallflower
"He's a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand."
life
7 min read
People Leave, But do They Return?
Is there hope for reconciliation?
relationships
6 min read
Why Do People Have to Leave Each Other?
Finding the answer to a question that seems to have no answers.
relationships
13 min read
Search complete: not a single thought in sight.
Ray, is that you?
Type the password and come on in.
