Sunday, September 14, 2008

Blogging continuum

I started blogging sometime in Dec 2003. I was first introduced to this cyber-world by a friend name Pak Adib. After getting to know what a blog is and how to create a blog, blogspot was the only one I know. It was user friendly and within minutes, I had my first blog.

Title for the blog? I had trouble trying to figure out what name should it be. At that time, Pak Lah had just become Prime Minister and Nazri Aziz was having a tiff with the deputy Director-General of ACA. Nazri was telling Datuk Nordin Ismail: "I have to teach him (Nordin) that, “Politicians are not called the ‘Political Masters & him, only a Servant for nothing.”

Pak Lah responded the next day with this speech:

Political leaders should lead by example in combating corruption, said prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He said it was sheer hypocrisy to tell government officials to behave when they did not uphold good work ethics. “If the political leaders are themselves involved in corruption or are inefficient in carrying out their duties, how can they expect the officials under them to serve the people well? “So, on behalf of all political leaders, I would like to make a New year resolution. All political leaders under my administration will show good example in carrying out their duties.

I will ensure that there will be no place for political leaders who “Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin,” Pak Lah said at the Fifth Public Service Council Meeting at INTAN, Bukit Kiara.

These words struck me hard on my cognitive faculty. I was so impressed with our new prime minister. I believed that we now has a prime minister who would drive the nation to a new paradigm - prosperity, equality and harmony.

Anyway, that dream has now become a nightmare.

Back to my story; that's how the blog title came from.

Over the next few months I spent a lot of time writing: writing all sorts of articles, from jokes, to management, and knowledge and social problems, and of course politics. I do not yet have the traffic meter and so I did not know how many visited my blogsite.

In July 2005 I learned to install the traffic meter Addfreestats and it is then that I began to observe the daily visitors. I keep track the records of the traffic in an excel worksheet and till today I still monitor them (I don't know for what reason).

It was disheartening to note that the number of visitors were hovering at around 20 to 60 hits and the commenters -"nil". In the words of fellow blogger Avatar, "Feeling a bit down. Seems like I'm talking to myself most of the time on my blog". Ya, Avatar, I felt the same. I admired Jeffooi who has followers numbering tens of thousands, Aisehman, Kenny Sia, et al; they all are having many of thousands visitors and I am struggling to attract tens and twenties each day. I had more than a thousand students over the years but they don't seem to read what I wrote. I then started a few more blogs to write on management, project management and religion. The visitors are the same lot. I admired my friend Pak Adib who enjoys some 200 visitors per day. How I wish that I had as much.

The funny thing is, we bloggers write for nothing, not a penny, and I actually started writing on blogs for the fun of it and also to amuse myself. How then did the traffic thing becomes an issue? Hahaha! That's social phenomena! That's the phenomena that drives the blogsphere and bloggers and even Dr Mahathir loves his traffic.

Disillussion, I wrote in my blog: "I QUIT"! That did not last; there was this fello blogger Howsy who clamoured and plead that I continue. He even got a few others (Desiderate, Lucia Lai and many others) to penned at the comment space to encourage me to continue. I was truly appreciative and motivated to continue. The rest is history!

Today, I also wish to plead to all others to show moral support to fellow blogger Avatar. I think all bloggers need to assist the newbies and help promote blogging in this cyberspace. Avatar is a great writer. He writes a lot about book reading skills, financial philosophies and is an accountant by profession. Let's go and visit his blog and give him some encouragement.

The beauty of the blogsphere is that bloggers may not have met each other and neither have they had any prior connections or relationship. We may not know each others color or creed or wealth position, but we become friends in this cyber space and we communicate often. Some who do not have blogs but would spent time to communicate and share their thoughts at the comment space. I have great appreciations to many of them.

Last but not the least, thanks to all the visitors to my blog and in particular to all those who spent their time to share their thoughts and opinions at the commenters. Thank you all!

21 comments:

CNLEE said...

Well, you have hit the nail on the head! Initially, I looked at a blog as a way of understanding my myself, clarifying and crystalizing my thoughts. You can never know what is coming out of it until it is finished. Never mind if few readers come in. But then you start to wish people would come in to read, as tho you want to let people know you exist; It's like a frustrated writer in search of an audience. Anyway, it has been a truly rewarding experience, with or without the readers.

Maverick SM said...

Meeky,

How true; how we wish there are people who loves to come to read our pieces and share with us their thoughts and opinions. Yet, fundamentally, it was intended to amuse ourselves and to crystallize our thoughts and put them down in words for our own review and amusement.

KongKor said...

Thanks for sharing Pak Maverik, now I know how the name of your blog came about.

When I first saw your name, I thought you and Ong Hck Chuan aka Unspun are related professionally since his PR firm in Jakarta is known as 'Maverick"

Nevertheless, I enjoy reading your blog and have you on my rss feed.

Thanks.

Maverick SM said...

KongKor,

Thanks Pak. Ya, I had often being confused with Ong Hock Chuan; he is a superstar but I am a novice.

Anyway, I am proud to have an Indonesian-Malaysian reading my blog. Thanks again, Pak.

bayi said...

It takes a lot of time and effort for you to read, analyse and then post for us to think and comment. You put in more effort than all of us, not to mention the courage to say things as they are.

Thanks, Mave.

Avatar said...

Dear Maverick SM,

Just wanted to say, many thanks for the kind introduction of my blog. I didn't quite realize what I was getting myself into when I started blogging. At first, I thought that traffic and comments didn't matter but LOL, after six months, I realized that it gets a bit depressing when I start to get the feeling that no one reads what I'm writing.

Anyway, after reading your experience, I realize that like in all things, perseverance is the key to success and I'll definitely carry on, through thick or thin.

Thanks so much.

BTW - I would to wish you and all your readers - Happy Mid Autumn Festival :)

Rgds
Avatar

Anonymous said...

Pak Maverick YSM,
I am your regular reader since being introduced by you at Allson Kelana Nilai. However it may not be counted since I am using RSS reader in Opera Mini. Please continue to write.

Jib

KongKor said...

Pak Maverick, sorry for the spelling error in my earlier comment.

I am Malaysian who happened to be working in Indonesia and not Indonesian-Malaysian. My wife in Malaysia will skinned me alive if I become an Indonesian.

Since this Indonesian thingy is the topic, I would like to informed all Malaysian not to address Indonesian as INDON as it is an insulting thing to do. We do not want the Indonesian to call us "Malingsia" do we? Mutual respect is good for negeri serumpun.

Anonymous said...

PKR ada kuasa Indon sudah berani, kerna ada cita2 mau jadikan Republik Nusantara.

Hope said...

Such a sweet entry Mave.

Don't ever stop writing because you might not know that you have probably given knowledge and wisdom or at the very least some insights on things that matters.

When I first started blogging, your blog was the first one I read, and you have given me that insights that I needed, in figuring out what my blog should be about.

So, you might now know which heart you've touched, but those people whom you have inspired will continue to remember you.

Maverick SM said...

Bayi,

You are my supplier and my most honest subject topics. Thanks to you too.


Avatar,

Thanks and wish you a happy Mid-Autumn Festival too.


Jib,

Hi, and I am delighted. How are you my dear friend?

Kongkor,

I know you are Malaysian residing in Indonesia; thus, you are Malaysian and Indonesian.

Ya, thanks for the advice; I will call them Indonesians.

Hopeful,

I am surely delighted and exalted by your words and I hope to contribute to the blogosphere in such a positive way. Thanks Hopeful and you are sweet.

Yan said...

I cann't rember how I stumbled upon your blogsite but I have been reading your blog quite regularly and I really enjoy & like it, particularly everything concerning politics.

I didn't know that you have contemplated quitting at one time due to "low" traffics. Luckily you didn't otherwise we may have missed a lot because personally, I feel that your blog is one of those "high quality" blog that touches on wide subjects like politics, laws, jokes and even some technical stuff like engineering! Please keep it up.

I also hope that more people would come to vist your blog to give you encouragement & supports.

Anonymous said...

I think you blog rocks because you voiced out your opinion and it attracts me to read your blog whenever I have the time to do so. Well, you have also inspired me to start my own blog. TO be very honest, I started my new blog, abandon it, then start another one and same things happened. I admired the determination power in you that drive your blog to success. I salute you. Keep Blogging & I will support you!

Maverick SM said...

Yan,

I was contemplating because of traffic. It was the stress of works, loses of some projects and at the same time spending so much time on blogging and seeing that there aren't many who would read this blog; all these were the reasons that caused me to want to give up.

Anyway, I am delighted that I have kept this blog and from here I come to have a lot more friends, and that include you. Thank you very much for spending time here with me.

Problematic Child,

What is your blog address? Please let me know so that I can pay visits to your site. Thank you for your support too.

Anonymous said...

Hi
I started surfing since march 8. Stumbled on your blogs recently. Please continue to blog as I find that you are one of the few blogger who is fair and not bias.
We need more bloggers like you.

Su
(sorry have to use anonymous - still not certain of how to create ID)

Maverick SM said...

Hi Su,

Thanks for the compliment. BTW, are you a blogger? Let me know and I would like to visit your blogsite too.

You must create a gmail account so that you can sign-in with your moniker or alternatively when you make comments you can sign in with your moniker.

Unknown said...

Now, I know half of you, Mave.

Anonymous said...

Mave,

Your blog is topical, relevant, updated, regular, humourous, sensitive, balanced, researched and most of all, down to earth honest.

It is a pleasure to read and once in a while to give my dua sen worth.

Please keep on writing, even if the audience is small.

Maverick SM said...

Terang Bulan,

Now you know almost all of me; that's me; and I have nothing left!!!


Purple Haze,

Thank you so much and your words are delighting and motivating. I truly appreciate your support and opinions.

Anonymous said...

Maverick SM: From one Maverick to another keep writing bro. I've enjoyed your blog.

But on one point your are wrong lah. I am no superstar. I just, as the Indonesians would say, iseng iseng, in my blog. I believethe OZ equivalent is shit-stirring. Anyway, thanks for the kind words.

Kep blogging bro.

Maverick SM said...

Hi Mr Ong Hock Chuan of Unspun,

Thank you so much for dropping me a few words; This few words are intangible in value, for it comes from the Maverick writer and superstar blogger in Indonesia. Thank you so much and I am truly exhilarated.