So the bio says ‘Blending an ongoing memoir with literature, inspired by magical realism, leaning towards spirituality/mysticism, ending is TBC — it’s all travel writing for now too.’ does it.

There’s not too much else to say outside of that tbh.

Writing the about me page for a memoiric self-portrait reminds me of when Timothée Chalamet was talking about how a journalist asked Bob Dylan what his song was about — to which Bob said:

“Did you listen to the song?”

“Yeah.”

“Well that’s what the song’s about.”

Having said that, this portrait was meant for those who knew me personally, I guess a very long suicide note without the suicide, for those whose lives I’ve touched. Despite these intentions, very kindly a lot of strangers have decided to subscribe to my substack so here’s some facts about my personal history for those who don’t know me.

I’m 26 years old, I studied Chemistry at Trinity College, Oxford, currently work in the outreach sector in Trinity Hall, Cambridge — I ran ‘Oxford from the Inside’ and ‘Cambridge from the Inside’ on YouTube, volunteered for Oxford Nightline, founded CSBC — an events company organising badminton tournaments across the country on behalf of Badminton England — filling up the shortage left behind the government and hence privatising the sector for better or for worse. Council estate raised in Brighton, free school meals, second generation British-Bengali, first generation university student, raised as a Muslim and now am everything but really, big believer of Sartre’s existentialism and Buddhism, love the Waking Up app, have loved and lost, multiple relationships and friendships, sometimes I just love my swamp like Shrek, Spirited Away over and over again, estranged and exiled too — hence the travel writing.

My writing/reading instagram account is @siamreadsandwrites — containing one post titled ‘A Portrait of a Young Man as an Artist’ situated above a black and white portrait of myself standing in King’s College chapel to which I would visit daily during my lunchtime break where I would either light a candle and blow it out or sometimes leave the light on. My personal one is @siamrahman98, my TikTok is @beingsiamamongsthumanity, and my email address is: siamrahman873@gmail.com

And you pronounce Siam like ‘I am’ with an S. x

Much love, always,

Siam

14:10:28 | 25/01/25

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