What Made Me Blog Anyway?
After The Inquirer’s recent publishing on the awful truth about bloggers and HokkienLang’s departure from the blogging community, I began re-evaluating my existence as being one of them. That explained my absence for the past couple of days.
There are far too many bloggers out there in this large cyberworld, let alone the Malaysian blogging community at PetalingStreet.org. Some have even gained celebrity-blogger status like Kenny (of kennysia.com), Claire (of minishorts.net), Kimberly (of kimberlycun.com) and lately, my favorite Kurt’s; and we have to admit that the lot has indeed a great talent for writing whilst preserving their entertaining bits. Of course then we have those who blog with their daily unique freak shows by killing their readers with details of their boring lifes, bundled with mass dosages of word-of-the-day profanities and their uncontrollable urges of using …’s. Unfortunately a common trait among Malaysians/Singaporeans writers.
Why then, did I decide to take on the role of just-another Malaysian blogger?
My role as a software developer has logically moulded my brain. I speak .NET and Java languages daily with my team members and design UML-diagrams to my superiors and clients. Almost flawlessly. English, to me, has since developed into second-nature. Computer languages would sometimes paralyze my English capabilities to a shocking disaster, that my Dad felt his strict-English brought up was a complete failure. Hence, my gentle introduction to blogging by the sweet Gialicious. She then further introduced me to great reads like Karen (of karencheng.com.au) and our Malaysian-made Kenny. These great writers later inspired me to begin blogging, in my attempt to untap, if any, hidden creative linguistics inside me.
Being the only offspring in my family, my shameful thirst for attention has gotten the best of me. I still remember feeling left out during the initial days of writing, often being disappointed by the almost zero number of people visiting my website. Then some dude noticed my discontentment and tried delighting me with his frequent spaming on my Chatterbox and lovingly brought his mates over to flock positive (yet unrelated) comments on my articles’ while leaving their business cards (containing web links) in case Russian chicks and money laundering were of my career interests. I often, and still am, envious of the huge number of comments left on Paul (of paultan.org)’s blog; and that the most popular hangout in the Malaysian blogosphere is Kenny’s blog. Look at his TagBox. It is like an mIRC server, serving the once insanely popular #mamak channel! I guess I just wanted the sense of belonging. Wanting to be heard at the spur of the moment. Maybe Master Yeap was right when he said, “an only child is a spoilt child” almost nine years ago.
Living in Brisbane has lavished my Malaysian background with the many different ethnic cultures of people I meet daily. It has enriched my mind to accepting new cultural beliefs and also greatly enlightened me on life, as a whole, does not evolve around traffic jams, indifferently rude behaviors and screaming bosses. I have continously controlled my urge to share my wishes of bringing in a little love and cheer to Malaysia through blogging, but I fear the misinterpretation that I might bring into the clan of zealous hooligans. Kenny and Suanie had my greatest respects when they openly blogged about the recent APs (Google cache) and ear-squat incidents respectively. In a country with dividing hatred for free speech, it is just plain difficult to know when you will be making headlines in newspapers, accused of the little things that do not matter. You know what, it is just difficult pleasing everyone. It just is.
As I browsed through my first postings, I was utterly disappointed with the direction my blog was heading towards: nowhere. Spiegel Online was probably right. Majority of the bloggers are lame; I am just one of them. My initial goal of this blog was to create an atmosphere for me, in writing, to reflect on my daily being and further strengthen myself to living tomorrow’s life’s journey, realizing I am not perfect. I think I need a change.
My blog needs innoculation.
My life needs innoculation.
Hey dude….. Cheer up. The same’s with my case but I still blog and bug my friends to read it :) Malaysian too. Hooray!
Comment by Siah Tiong Hong — December 10, 2005 @ 3:14 am
I know. I suck too :(
Comment by Swifty — December 10, 2005 @ 10:35 am
Darryl, if blogging continues to do something for you — continue! I think you’re doing fine, no need for innoculation, joining a cult rarely solves blogging problems.
Comment by Kurt — December 10, 2005 @ 2:45 pm
Hey, just do whatever you like. Stay on what you believe in since the beginning, hold on to the believes and keep blogging.
I blog because I want my cousins and friends know what I am doing here. Even just few ppl reading or leaving comments, so what?
I would say the celebrity thingy is somehow unavoidable.. but seriously, once you see that real blogger, so what? after all, they are human being. nothing is absolutely special.
I was totally inspired by Sixthseal.com. He is coool, in his way. =)
Comment by cynthia — December 11, 2005 @ 1:08 am
Thank you, Siah Tiong Hong, Swifty, Kurt and Cynthia. I appreciate all your words of encouragement. Love and peace.
Comment by Darryl — December 11, 2005 @ 5:25 am
hey darryl, chill a bit. it is not difficult to please everyone, it’s actually an impossibility. i know it’s been said to death, but really, just do your thing. you’re not a lame blogger, who are we to label any blogger anything? don’t categorise me as celeb-blogger lah, it’s embarassing!!! i find this “alpha blogger and their fanbois” phenemenon quite repulsive. when i started blogging, i thought it’s a good way for people to finally adopt their individual character. sadly, many are rather into the pathetic mutual ego masturbation orgy. it’s amazing how people even under the freedom of the Internet choose to abandon their individuality and become a sheep to a virtual person (blogger). it’s okay to be inspired by these virtual people, but to be totally upset with oneself because one hasn’t achieved the blogging notoriety another has? really, don’t reduce yourself to that. i may have gotten it all wrong (do correct me), or maybe you have bigger ambitions for your blog but don’t let it affect your life and have mighty fun blogging. cheers.
Comment by kimberlycun — December 12, 2005 @ 11:34 am
i find ur blog quite interesting xD.. u still hv me as ur reader hehe
Comment by alicia — December 13, 2005 @ 11:38 am
Hey…
a friend to all is a friend to none :)
Cant please the whole world yeah??
I have to admit, I dont come to your blog on a daily basis…
but check my blog out man, I DONT update it for weeks sometimes!!
I SUCK at updating my blog… and I suck FURTHER at keeping tabs on other ppls blog…
HAVING said that though, your blog is on my top 5 list… of blogs that I visit most commonly….
What does that say about your blog??
That the fantabulous ninjalena chooses to grace this sit with her gorgeousness …. (okie i am just being a complete idiot here)….
but yeah…
i think you do a rather fine job….
:)
take care and hope you had a great new years darryl dear!
Comment by ninja-L- — January 10, 2006 @ 2:22 am