Tuesday, October 10, 2006

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

30 comments:

suanie said...

dude, u serious? :( I'm not a regular reader, once a week maybe but i've always enjoyed your posts. when you have extra time to spare, do come back yeah..

Howsy said...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Take a break, you'll be fine and come back blogging, even though not that frequent. We will totally understand that. The Malaysian blogosphere would be a great loss if we lose you.

Please think it over.

Wingz said...

whyyyyyyy?!!!!!! NOOOO!!!!! now noone gonna intro me to chow yuen fatt ledi!!!

Maverick SM said...

Suanie, I am exalted to hear that Suanie the celebrity blogger reads my pieces. Thank you and I can now rest in peace... I really meant thank you for being an esteem visitor. I had high regards on your blog writings.

Howsy, you're my greatest cyberpal and let me rest in peace...not pieces, ok?

Wingz, now I have time to go back to Hongkong to visit Chow Yuen Fatt and match-make a comedy for your scripts.

Anonymous said...

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! *shouting after howsy*
NOOOOO.... you can't stop blogging!! not when i just started to get to know you better.

i enjoy all your posts esp. those interesting pictures. in fact it was the pictures that first attracted me to read your blog. it was during the merdeka project, when you send one of your post to the merdeka project, i find your pictures fascinating, went to your blog and was hooked from that day onwards. your blog, like jeff ooi's is one of my favourite must read blog. if you quit blogging, i don't know what i'll do without one of my 'staple diet' on the net.

ok i'll try to understand why you want to call it quits. blogging have taken up a lot of your time, you said. sleep not enough... no time spend with family... studies affected...and so on. well... understandable... but to call it quite completely?

why not just don't make blogging regular/often? why not you still blog, maybe once a forthnight... welll ok.. a month... don't stop all together.

i guess if you really want to stop there's nothing else for me to say to let you change your mind but i'm going to miss your blogging terribly. very terribly. not forget miss you commenting in my blog too! you had been a great cyber friend!

it's good to note though that you mentioned it will only be a hiatus and hopefully you'll come back to blogging in a year's time or so. however there is always the danger of bloggers not coming back to blog after stopping for a year... because, well... they had gotten use to not blogging so decide not to start again. i hope that will not be the case with you.

ok mave, whatever, i wish you all the best.
(psst! can i flutter my eyelash and show you my nice slim leg to made you change your mind?) ;)

Maverick SM said...

Lucia, hahaha..you remembered that leggy pic of yours? That slim leg is so tempting....to consider, but I could had heart attacked watching.....

Lucia, it was with much deep thoughts and painful considerations over a period of time.

I am truly exalted by all the calls, and I will try, try I would, to do a posting in blue moon vacation, ok? I would surely try!!! Maybe, the slim leg works is tempting me......er, er, er,er!!!!

*lynne* said...

heyya maverick, thanx for the props, and while I'm sorry to see you wanna take a break from the blogging, I think everyone goes through that at least once.

As you say, if things like your studies and research are badly affected, then hey, get your butt back in gear! After all, unless we're in the big big bloggers' category, our livelihood isn't from the blogging mah! So gotta tkae care of your ricebowl first, right?

Here's wishing you all the best!

Berisman said...

I read your blog almost everyday and I don't think you should stop blogging.If you need a rest,well...all of us do need a rest sometimes.If it takes so much of your time ,then reduce your postings to 3 or 4 time a week i.e every alternate day.If you are too busy,I could not see why you can't write a short note once a week?

Btw,thanks for qouting me as your friend.

Pak Adib

Maverick SM said...

Thanks Lynne. Being a wife now you may also find time won't be enough anymore. Your piece of advice is definitely worth infinite. Terima Kasih to Mrs Koss.

Pak Adib, Thank you. Unfortunately, blogging is not just writing a short essays. It do include being well informed of events and happenings and also, what others says and to do so with great passion requires the effort and time to traverse the newsworld and bloggers world of literatures and rantings. It's more than doing a doctorate thesis if we are to do it well (for that's the only reason for my passion). It's not about income that matters as blogging is a passion and eventually a love which we accept to be tangibly unrewarding. It's a world that is borderless and becomes the focal point of convergence of interpersonal relationship between cybermaniacs. It builts relationship, understanding, and provides a forum of sharing and critical thinkings over a plateauless ideological hemisphere.

I do agree that I can pop-in with notes ... that is to say, I need to restructure the mental self to limit the passion. Mean time, it's hiatus tills the itch strikes.

Anonymous said...

sighz...I've always enjoyed your posts! =)

but good luck for whatever you'll need to do and pls give us something to read once a while whenever you're free =P

chong y l said...

hey, mGf making up the THREEmusks, how now?
I'm privileged to get into your Dean's list but I'd be de-listed than to see you go for good.

Your "hiatus" indicates this D'art along with Howsy +Amoi wolds hope you'll return with a V: for whatever that starts with V, o me it's Very Soon.

Chow, I hope I can steal pull your hairy legs some place...ISAmen. GOD bless souls (and mates) like thee.

Anonymous said...

hi mave, i never put any comment to your posting before but i'm truly of your big fan. i read your ctsb almost everyday since 1 year back. anyhow i respect your decision. thank you

O2Deprivation said...

Mave, all the best.

suanie said...

mate, erm don't say until like that lah :) on the blogosphere, we are all equal :) we may have our differences of opinions but that only make us look at situations from other angles and perspectives, and hopefully learn from each other.

anyway, i wish you all the best, and hope to see you blogging soon!

Helen said...

All the best to you. I can understand your feelings when you say blogging just take up too much time. That feeling is often the product of obligation rather than passion.

I know each and everyone who started to blog do so with nothing more than pure passion and zero expectation. But, as time goes along, obligation came into the picture.

You just do what you think is best, but, believe me, once you worked things out, hopefully you'll regain your passion once again ..

Afterall, you don't have to blog everyday and feel obligated to visit every person on your blogroll.

Take care. :-)

Unknown said...

NOOOOOOO!!! Sir!!!

I learn alot from your blog, everytime I read blogs, I'll click on your blog. It's my pleasure to know you here, but I do hope you reconsider, just keep it going, don't stop! At least update a post in 2 or 3 days time ok right?

Yes... blogging really consume lot of time, I started blogging since this year June, and I'm having same situation like you spending 80% of my off work time just to read other blogs. To me, it's better than I do nothing at home or going out for wasting money as I'm still a bachelor.

Try to get some time off for holiday, I think you are over stress recently.

Take care sir.

Arena Green said...

I'm actually still out-of-order due to unforeseen circumstances so it was a bit of a shock to hear from Howsy that u are quitting.

I don't know what to say except that I've enjoyed our special cyber-friendship immensely (u-me-Howsy) and I feel kinda sad that it's coming to an end.

Thanks Mave for extending your hand of friendship to another faceless blogger called Amoi. I shan't say farewell, but I'd like to wish u all the best in achieving all that u wish for in life.

Until your next post, take care my friend!!! :)

Maverick SM said...

Mmudahlupa, thank you and see you soon.

Boringest, you are a great cyber pal.

Anonymous, I don't know who you are; it would had been good if you had a moniker for me to call, even a pseudonym such that it can become an identification in the cyber world. Thank you for the i year of support.

O2Deprivation, you have scored 100 marks; did you get your scholarship from Pak Lah???LOL!

Suanie, I am not pulling your legs... to me, you are a celebrity blogger; that's a fact!!! I am extremely happy you treat me as equals; thats a compliment.


Helen, I do agree with you that the passion of writing can have implied obligations as it is one way to sustain passion from motivations generated via the readers and commentors. But far to that, it wasn't a duty or responsibility to comply, it was purely a passion to fulfil a spiritual communication needs within the bloggers hemisphere. One thing is for certain: the friendship gained in blogsphere is spiritual and everlasting; somewhat a legacy.


Kenny, I will remember you, always and we still can communicate via email.


AMOI, my dear, tho' the writing may end, the special friendship will not end as only tangible elements can end. As I said, CTSB did not died, it just fade away but the spiritual friendship built amongst esteem pals will remain, for a long time that we all decide to part permanently. I will visit the blogs of all my pals as listed on my blogroll. And, I may return too.... hopefully!!!!


It has been great to receive so many moral supports from so many esteem readers and pals; let me rest a while before I give any second thoughts.

Maverick SM said...

DEsi, The three musketeers+1 will remain intact for a long time; I promised. I will continue to show support. You must invite me for teh tarik; I will come...

What A Lulu said...

the suggestion to blog once a week may be worth thinking about, not just for your "lepas stim" blogging but also to enlighten us.

yup, hope that this is a cakap tak serupa bikin statement.

do drop by lulu's once in a while.
and maverick, have a good time with your wife and kids.

Anonymous said...

Oh no... why is everyone leaving? (I know I am as guilty myself.)

Well, speaking from experience **ahemm**, take your time Mave. Come back soon.

seefei said...

dont quit 100%. drop by sometime. will put you on my blogline.

Maverick SM said...

Whatsalulu, thanks and I will visit your blog often.

Carboncopy, I had followed you!LOL!

See Fei, thank you for the great gesture. I will visit your sites more often now that I had retired.

Oh my Nilesh macha, you should write more so that I can spent time to read your Bollywoods and jokes. BTW, you don't joke anymore?

Anonymous said...

Dr Yeoh,

Don't worry, l always visit your blog site almost everyday.....Cheers-lah!

Maverick SM said...

Louis, thank you! I'll be back ....maybe soon, hopefully!

prefervision said...

mmmm……
I know you will back soon
And I believe that day will very soon

Lin Peh said...

Apa ini?

nelsonchee said...

Hi Doc,

I am glad you changed the interface of CTSB.

The new look is very much cleaner. Perhaps it is time to renovate my site too :)

The stat counter tells nothing, CTSB is here to stay for a very very long time........

Maverick SM said...

Thanks Acidic Sports.

I agree that your site needs a clearer background.

Maverick SM said...

Thanks, Prefer! It isn't easy, but I tried..... Hope that the new background will spur me on!!!!