My Blogging Life Journey

Way back in 2003, I never heard of the word Blog or blogging and even if I do, it doesn't bother me. I didn't even attempt to find out what it is, and what it does.

I had a great pal, a working partner, Pak Adib. We came to know each other by accident. We met at a forum that shared a common passion - project management. I had always been a provocateur and he is always the negotiator. Somehow, a relationship struck between us and another, Peter Kura-Kura, along the spiritual journey that was to discover the profound knowledge of the world of project management.

It was through the prodding of Pak Adib that got me to understand blogging and blogspots. It is from Pak Adib too that I came to know of a blog by the name of jeffooi. Being amused by it, I logged to read jeff's articles. I did like what I read and find it interesting. From Jeff's blog, I click to some bloggers link and stumble on an invitation to create a blog. Being amused, I just followed the instructions and sure enough I had a blog. At that time, it was Pak lah who made a NICE comment on Nazri Aziz (his now bogeyman) -Pak Lah said to him: "Jangan Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin." I like the phrase and that's how my blog was so named in memory of Nazri and Pak Lah.

Somehow, I have nothing to write and don't know what to write. I can't even remember today what I had written in those early part of my blogging life and I won't re-visit it to recall. I don't care a damn what I wrote because nobody knows me nor my blog then, there was zero visitors for a long long period.

I know nothing about HTML and script writing at that time. So, it was mere text writing till Hello was incorporated into bloggers. That's when I learn to insert pictures.

In fact, it's only till July 2005 did I learn to install Hit Counters to track the visitors. I must thank Nelson for teaching me how to install all these "accessories". I was moronic and I think if not for his patience in teaching me I wouldn't have learnt so much in fiddling with the scripts and script writing. Now I can say: I've learnt a lot of HTML and can blog and write some simple scripts.

During those periods between November 2003 till 25th July 2005, I hardly had more than 60 visitors and would be lucky enough to read one miserable comment made on my article (ya, it was a scolding from an irate visitor...how demoralising). On 25th July, I had 101 visits - that was a record! I was so happy and I wondered whether it could be sustained ... this miserable figure, you believe it?

I used to ponder how Jeff could have some 7,000-12,000 visitors/day, Mack Zulkifli has some 10,000 and Aisehman had almost the same. My good pal Pak Adib used to have 400-800 visitors per day (I was so envious over it) but me, a miserable 100/day and of which I was already so damn delighted. I tried to find ways that could increase the traffic and that's how I stumbled at Petalingstreet blogportal. I don't even understand what's a blogportal; anyway, I just join-in as a member without understanding the fact that I can upload my articles there (only much later).

Petalingstreet did help increase the traffics to between 100-200. It was only on 23rd Feb 2006 that there was a sudden traffic surge to some 500-800 visits which lasted for some 8 days (probably due to the sexiest article on naked-earsquat saga). Therafter, the traffic remains at around 200 per day. Currently, it is around 200-400 per day (nothing to shout about... 2-3% of Jeff's traffic).

I think one of the most intriguing things I had learn and benefited is the fact that I had enlarged my circles of friends in cyber world. I now had been globalised and internationalised. I had global pals all over and visitors all over the globe. I make new friends, friends I had yet to meet and talk face to face, but we had been communicating regularly, via cyber space - the commentor's space at each blog. It shames me as a blogger if I fail to mentioned them. The first and foremost is of course my close pal, Pak Adib and Peter Kura-Kura. But the first cyber-pal I made is none other than Howsy. He was the most eminent motivator in my blogging life, a person I had not met nor seen and yet I would like to call him "My Good Friend". Then of course is my next pal YL Chong, Lucia Lai, and AMoi. It is painful for me if I skip these others esteem pals: Helen, Angel, Purplegirl, Mob1900, Kenny Ng, Wingz and Lin Peh, Lynne, Gukita, Nilesh, Carboncopy, Lulu, and scores of many other such as mmudahlupa, Julian, 1202, etc, etc (which is all listed in my blog and those who do not have blogs). I must expressly thank to mmudahlupa for being my top faithful blog reader and commentor.

I would had blog for 3 years by November 2006. I truly enjoy writing at CTSB; that's had always being my passion in life - writing essays. I had written many thesis, articles, and essays but yet to publish a book which I intended, maybe, in later years. The contents are half finish but finding it difficult to finish bcos of time...no time as of now. I had tried to write a book on project management in construction industry, a book on Money and a book on Quality Management.... all half-past-six (unfinished) bcos ...no sponsor/publisher yet.

Time passed fast. The world continue to evolve, things continue to evolve and life activities continues to get more intense and complexities sets in. Time becomes the essence in almost everything in life. Everyone need or wants your time ... my family, my work, my friends, my studies, my writings, my exams, my students, my clients, and most of all, my blogging. Blogging takes 80% of my available time after work (because I crave to write and read the others' blogs). I had to do much consideration and re-adjustments. Time just wasn't enough and sleep just wasn't enough. My family, my children, didn't have enough of me. My studies are badly affected. My readings are badly affected. My research are badly affected. There are also negative implications to the career.

Blogging had become part of my life - a life line ... in my bloodstream - but it must come to an end soon. I just felt that it is time to call it a day. The time is now ... it has to be. I had to stop blogging, if not entirely, almost...I hope it is not the end of my blogging days, maybe temporarily, maybe for a year, at least, maybe, I will just pop in once a while. I hate to come to this decision, but I just had too much to do ... too much to catch up with other things.

I want to thank all my esteemed readers, particularly those who took time to post comments of which was the greatest motivator in my life as a blogger. I just hope CTSB would not end here, I hope it would also be like Pak Lah and Nazri - Cakap Tak Boleh Serupa Bikin .... I prayed it's just a hiatus. Bye, bye!

Quote:

Eminent usefulness usually necessitates eminent affliction.

- Charles Spurgeon