A Good Thought About Blog, Blogger & Blogging

Here's a nice piece of thought on blog, bloger and blogging:

A blog is a personal place. It's all about the owner of the blog himself. He does what he likes, he posts what he likes, he lets you comment if he likes. Live with it.

It's a form of communication, mass communication. He might want replies in the form of comments or trackbacks or he might not.

He feels like talking to you, he will. If he keeps quiet, it's his right.

Don't like him? Go surf p*rn. That's the least you can do.

And another thought here:

A blog is, like the above said, a personal space. It can be a diary, it can be a record, it can be an editorial, it can be a message board. The uses a blog can be put to are many and varied.

Put things in proper perspective and good wisdom isn't it?

cheers.

ps. here's a nice link: http://www.huntingthesnark.net/index.php?p=378

Have We Taken "Commenting" for Granted When It Comes To Reading Others' Blogs?

Have We Taken "Commenting" for Granted When It Comes To Reading Others' Blogs?

How often do we really take the trouble to leave behind a comment?

Now that we have read the blogger's thoughts (and maybe benefitted from it), and probably the thoughts of others through the comments left behind, why don't we give some of our thoughts in return too?

Many of my friends and buddies (online and in real life) read my blogs. But they seldom leave behind any comments. I knew they came. I knew they stayed around to read. I knew they pondered. But then, they just left. Why? Because most of them feel they have not much to say or nothing "valuable" to contribute to the discussion!!!

Haha, too bad that many people think like that. Actually, I don't know about other bloggers and YOU, but for me personally, I appreciate and take delight in reading EVERY comment left behind. Regardless of what others write or how they write it ... it is always a joy for me to see that someone has taken the trouble to actually share a little bit of their thoughts and views. Comments help a blogger "connect" to the readers and other fellow bloggers. It keeps the discussion alive and very often the blog too.

I still remember fondly the excitements I felt when I first started blogging back in the 2nd quarter of 2004 with my first blog. Haha ... I actually checked my blog every day for comments from anybody who actually discover and come across my blog. Whenever I see one or 2 comments, I would be delighted. And when there were more, I would be very happy. In fact, one day, I was so happy to see that there were almost 30 comments left behind about one of my topics on North American Indian names. Boy, I was in for a surprise when 20+ of them were actually spams!!! Haha ... :)

Anyway, one need not be superb in the English language, or possess great writing skill in order to leave behind a comment. Just say what you want to say (with a little tacktact and / or gracious heart if you could, but if not, never mind). Just tell the blogger what you think or feel. Yep, as simple as that. Don't just read a blog and then walk away. Be generous a bit and leave behind a few words to "complete the circle" ... hehe :)

cheers
matakecil

ps. for those of you who have been reading my BLOGs for so long without leaving behind any comment, I know who you are and I will track you down ... nyek nyek nyek!!!!

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 006: HuntingTheSnark.Com

Welcome to the sixth part of our new series on blogs we have found to our liking because they are informative, creative, innovative, practical or just "nice". Here's another blog we like:

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 006: HuntingTheSnark.Net

• Name of Blog: Huntingthesnark.Net
• Name of Blogger: The Snark. Also known by another name, and another name.
• Location: In the shadow of what was formerly the world's tallest buildings.
• Blog URL: http://huntingthesnark.net
• Alternative URL: http://www.huntingthesnark.net
• About The Blog: It's basically a place for me to b*tch about the idiots and morons I have to work with, sometimes for me to dredge up old stories from my past, just to put them on record. Also for me to share my interests with my readership (all 3 of them).
• About The Blogger: It's classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

In order to understand the blog, and also the flesh & blood blogger behind it, as usual, we have arranged for an interview with HuntingTheSnark. But, for the first time, it was an interview over the phone (for the safety of the interviewer). Eerrh .. eerrh, HuntingTheSnark is a very "coldcool" person. Despite being so busy, he has grudgingly agreed to an interview. HuntingTheSnark had originally demanded that the interview be conducted in the pits at the Sepang International Circuit ... but we knew better, hehe :)

Ok, here's what HuntingTheSnark thinks about blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general. For your information, HuntingTheSnark is one hell of a dude you don't wanna mess with. And he kinds of reminds me of the coolness of "go ahead, make my day!" kind John Wayness ... hehe :)

MataKecil: "Why do you blog?"
HuntingTheSnark: "I blog because I can. I first met some famous local bloggers way back in the previous year, after lurking around their blogs for a while. And they, notably meesh of themeeshexperience.blogspot.com, and Hani, of the famous "I enjoy m*sturbation" post in Hani's Honey (now defunct), encouraged me. So I did. And in doing so, widened my circle of friends, made a few enemies, and considerably enriched my life experience."

MataKecil: "Which are the blog/s you normally read and why?"
HuntingTheSnark: "Go check my reads list on my blog. As to why I read them? I will follow any blog that catches my interest. There are several blogs I visit who aren't on my reads list."

MataKecil: "What do you think of blogs, blogging and bloggers?"
HuntingTheSnark: "Bloggers are people, and like any other community, there is a mix of all sorts. Sometimes you just have to take the good with the bad. And sometimes, you need to have a flame war."

MataKecil: "How do you feel about the current blogosphere in general?"
HuntingTheSnark: "Isn't that like asking how you feel about gravity? It's there, it exists, it has a momentum all its own. There is very little one person can do to change it. In spite of the fact that there are bloggers out there a little too full of themselves, thinking that the blogosphere revolves around them."

MataKecil: "What do you think needs to be done to promote breast-feelingfeeding among young working professional mothers?"
HuntingTheSnark: *nose and ears emitting smoke kind of response* "Eh .. what kind of f*ucking question is that? You want to die is it?!!!" *obviously p*ssed off*

MataKecil: *gulp* "Oops, sorry!!!." *timidly* "I mean, What is your point of view on the future of blogging?"
HuntingTheSnark: *quite obviously puffing away at his cigar* "I don't have a point of view."

MataKecil: "What do you want or hope to see in the near future (when it comes to blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general)?"
HuntingTheSnark: "More nude personal pictures please. But preferably from SYTs. Those of you with saggy or non existant tits, or a face that looks like the back of a bus, need not apply."

MataKecil: "Does your spouse, girlfriend / boyfriend, parents, or family know about your blog? What about your boss or colleagues? Your friends?"
HuntingTheSnark: "Some know. Most don't."

MataKecil: "If 'Yes', did you tell them yourself or did they find out by accident? What do they think or feel about your blog/s? Do they come and read your blog often?"
HuntingTheSnark: *still puffing away at his jamaica cigar* *no respond*

MataKecil: "Ok, one last question. What have you to say (share a few words) with other fellow bloggers and/or readers?"
HuntingTheSnark: "I must admit that the quality of the local writing in blogs, aside from a few very notable exceptions, does not impress me in the least. If you want to blog in the English language, for f*ck's sake spell correctly and ensure that your grammar is perfect. Nothing irritates me more that to see any language being f*cked over. Unless you're doing it as a joke, or as a pun. And no, Manglish or Singlish is NOT funny. It wasn't even funny the first time around. And posting song lyrics or online quizzes, unless done sparingly, is silly. If you have nothing to write about, don't."

Well, hehe ... there you have it. I told you HuntingTheSnark is very "coldcool". I am embarrassed to say this, but I had one of my most scary interview ever. Hehe :)

Anyway, we actually talked much more about blogs and blogging. The above is only a fraction of what we have talked about. :)

MataKecil : Cool blogger. Cool blog. :)

CityHunterGatherer: Cool ... dude. 8|

cheers,
matakecil.

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 005: Katsmew.BlogSpot.Com

Welcome to the fifth part of our new series on blogs we have found to our liking because they are informative, creative, innovative, practical or just "nice". Here's another blog we like:

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 005: Katsmew.BlogSpot.Com

• Name of Blog: A Meow's Purr
• Name of Blogger: Helen @ Katsmew
• Location: Sandakan, Sabah (Malaysia)
• Blog URL: http://katsmew.blogspot.com
• Alternative URL: http://www.katsmew.blogspot.com
• About The Blog: Mostly my blog is about my kids, and everything personal.
• About The Blogger: Hehe, I'm just an ordinary Si Lai with a lovely family living in a small boring town and I enjoy reading wacky blogs.

In order to understand the blog, and also the flesh & blood blogger behind it, as usual, we have arranged for an interview with Katsmew herself in Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia. Helen is an extremely sweet lady who is hilarious too. Eventhough she is up to her CHEST with work recently, nevertheless it was very kind of her to oblige to an interview. And frankly, I was overwhelmed with the great hospitality extended to me.

On the appointed day and time for the approximately 6-hour interview, Helen personally came to fetch me at the 4-Star Sabah Hotel. First we proceeded to have our lunch at a nice little eatery by the name of "Syn Lok" at Tanah Merah .. where we ate Seafood Kut Teh (Seafood in Bah Kut Teh soup). This was the first time I ever ate this and it was heaven, hehe. Then Helen brought me sightseeing around Sandakan and I bought some souvenirs for the folks back home. Then later in the evening, we went for dinner at the Sim Sim Water village, and we had another special local delicacy, the home-made "Pei Dan Sui Kau" (Century Egg Dumpling) and of course MORE seafood!!! Wow, if my interviews with all the featured bloggers go like this ... *pengsan* ... hehe :)

Anyway, despite the great time and great food, we finally got down to business of discussing her points of view of what she thinks of blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general. For your information, Helen (aka Katsmew) is a very very sweet and kind lady. And she is one happy nut I tell you ... hehe :)

MataKecil: "Why do you blog?"
Katsmew: "I blog for the fun of it though the truth be told, I'm lousy at it. Anyway I just want to record down the funny things about my kids, the stories my mum told me about my grandparents, etc. You know I don't think it's a common practice for us Asians to keep proper records of all our ancestors ... things about their lives, etc. ... unlike the Europeans. I want these stories to pass on to my kids, their kids, so on ... in case I have amnesia in my old age. I would also like to blog a bit about this old town but so far I have yet to do so ... *malu* Oh well, as I told ya, I'm a lousy blogger."

MataKecil: "Which are the blog/s you normally read and why?"
Katsmew: "The purrprr Dinasour (Dr. Liew), Batman (Mike Ooi), Oliviasy, Viewtru, most blogs with sense of humor! We got to lighten up mah."

MataKecil: "What do you think of blogs, blogging and bloggers?"
Katsmew: "It's a great way for self expressions. Of course there are pros and cons, the good and the bad, the positive and the negative, the ying and the yang .. heheh ... oh well it's always up to the readers' discretion."

MataKecil: "How do you feel about the current blogosphere in general?"
Katsmew: "Well I still consider myself a newbie in the blogsphere and I'm learning new things everyday, ...."

MataKecil: "What do you think needs to be done to increase the conversation conservation efforts of the leatherback turtles?"
Katsmew: *sheepish look* *waving for matakecil to come closer to her* "Eh .. don't tell people I tell you but Sandakan folks EAT turtle eggs!!! Sssshhhhh!!!" *more sheepish look*

MataKecil: *wow, what a view* *heart pulsating extremely quick* "OK!!!" *gulp* *sweat* "Btw, Katsmew, I thought Kota Kinabalu has the highest peaks in South East Asia ... guess they are wrong!!! They are here in Sandakan lah!!!" *still looking INTENSELY*
Katsmew: *puzzled look* "Oi .. what you looking at?!!!" *quickly button top 2 buttons of pink almost transparent blouse with black bra underneath ... triumph brand*

MataKecil: *panic* "Oops, sorry!!!." *sheepishly* *the kind of you are the one who asked me to come closer look* "I mean, What is your point of view on the future of blogging?"
Katsmew: *slightly embarrassed and pretend pretend angry look* "You ah ... aiyah!!! Ok, I believe its becoming a very powerful tool for the people to make themselves be heard! Who knows, one day, blogging may just be the spark that ignite a revolution ... haha joking."

MataKecil: "What do you want or hope to see in the near future (when it comes to blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general)?"
Katsmew: "Eh I know what I don't want/hope to see ....my kids posting their nude photos in their blog ... if they blog ..." :P

MataKecil: "Does your spouse, girlfriend / boyfriend, parents, or family know about your blog? What about your boss or colleagues? Your friends?"
Katsmew: "Yes to my spouse, friends and family .. No to boss."

MataKecil: "If 'Yes', did you tell them yourself or did they find out by accident? What do they think or feel about your blog/s? Do they come and read your blog often?"
Katsmew: "I told them myself. My spouse never ever visit my blog ... I don't think he even knows the URL .. My sisters do read once in a while since I only blog once in a while. Online friends vist my blog more than my real life friends ... see I told ya .. I'm a lousy blogger."

MataKecil: "Ok, one last question. What have you to say (share a few words) with other fellow bloggers and/or readers?"
Katsmew: "To Doc and all the Forumers, thanks for introducing me to the blogsphere."

Well, hehe ... there you have it. I told you Katsmew is very "sweet and hilarious". I am embarrassed to say this, but I had one of my most enjoyable interviews with Helen that day. Hehe :)

Anyway, we actually talked much more about blogs and blogging. The above is only a fraction of what we have talked about. :)

MataKecil : A very down-to-earth blog of a career woman about the people and things closest to her heart. Her husband. Her children. Her family. Her parents. Her siblings. And even her grandparents. Of course her friends too. A quest to find her roots and origin. A journey to search for beautiful stories of her ancestors' struggles, joys and pains ... to share with her own children and their children and indirectly also the children of the world. Just a nice little blog that affects the life and heart of many :)

CityHunterGatherer: Haha, Matakecil had said so much already, whatelse for me to say? Well, I would recommend that Helen (aka Katsmew) simplify the design of the layout of her blog further because somehow the blog came out overlapping on the left side of the screen for netscape and firefox. Apart from this, the nice green overall look is nice. Btw, we might consider a second interview with Helen ... but this time I will go ... hehe :)

cheers,
matakecil.

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 004: LrongLimPhotos.BlogSpot.Com

Welcome to the fourth part of our new series on blogs we have found to our liking because they are informative, creative, innovative, practical or just "nice". Here's another blog we like:

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 004: LrongLimPhotos.BlogSpot.Com

• Name of Blog: Lrong Lim Photos
• Name of Blogger: Lrong Lim
• Location: Takamatsu(Japan)
• Blog URL: http://lronglimphotos.blogspot.com
• Alternative URL: http://www.lronglimphotos.blogspot.com
• About The Blog: It is just a personal blog to share with anyone who is interested, the underwater and above-water photographs that I enjoy taking during my free time.
• About The Blogger: Well, I like simplicity, sincerity, and, of course, I can't live without humor.

In order to understand the blog and the flesh & blood blogger behind it, as usual, we have arranged for an interview with LrongLim san himself in Japan. Lim san is very amicable and helpful. Eventhough he is very very busy, he has agreed to meet me at the splendid Shikokumura Museum, in Takamatsu for the approximately 2-hour interview. LrongLim came 15 minutes before the appointed time (and as I was already there admiring the beautiful scenery, birds and Japanese ladies) and we got started straight away. It was very kind of Lim san to show me around the museum and be my curator for the walk-through. When we have finished visiting the beautiful museum, we found a nice place nearby to sit down for some Japanese green tea and ramen (Japanese noodle). Then, we got down to business of discussing his points of view of what he thinks of blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general. For your information, Lrong Lim is a very humble but worldly wise man. And he also believes in living life to the maximum and be happy ... hehe :)

MataKecil: "Why do you blog?"
LrongLim: "I suppose, like all bloggers; to communicate with friends old and new, who drops by my blog."

MataKecil: "Which are the blog/s you normally read and why?"
LrongLim: "I prefer blogs that respect the reader. Blogs that have humor. Reason: I love to smile or laugh while reading them. I also read blogs that raise social and political issues. Reason: you cannot escape from these issues even if you want to."

MataKecil: "What do you think of blogs, blogging and bloggers?"
LrongLim: "I think blogging is a marvelous way of communicating with one another. Bloggers should exercise decorum at all times as we are in public space. We are responsible for our views."

MataKecil: "How do you feel about the current blogosphere in general?"
LrongLim: " There seems to be some kind of clustering happening, sort of like cliques. Which is natural, as blogging is a social exercise."

MataKecil: "What do you think needs to be done to promote breast-feelingfeeding among young working professional mothers?"
LrongLim: *blur* *wth* "Eerrhh ... how come I don't get the WRONG 'turtle conversation conservation question'?" *looking disappointed*

MataKecil: *panic* "Oops, sorry. Wrong question." *blush* *the turtle question already outdated kind of look* "I mean, What is your point of view on the future of blogging?"
LrongLim: *confused* "MataKecil san, you sure you don't want to ask me the turtle question? I could answer that one easily you know? I even have photos of green turtles on my blog?" *eager look*

MataKecil: *kesian look (pitiful look)* *sweating all over*
LrongLim: *sympathetic nod* "Hehehe ... alright, alright ... besides using it for laughs and pleasure as I do now, on a serious level, I think blogging could be used as a tool to create more social awareness of issues affecting the citizens. Newspapers edit our views when we write to them. Blogging can be a powerful device to make the voices of the common man heard."

MataKecil: "What do you want or hope to see in the near future (when it comes to blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general)?"
LrongLim: "In relation to the above question, I hope to see blogs play a bigger role in the dissemination of various viewpoints on social issues. Malaysia needs to listen more to the voices of her people."

MataKecil: "Does your spouse, girlfriend / boyfriend, parents, or family know about your blog? What about your boss or colleagues? Your friends?"
LrongLim: "Spouse, family, friends know about the blog. But perhaps not my boss or colleagues. Reason: I am in Japan and they do not really read English stuff."

MataKecil: "If 'Yes', did you tell them yourself or did they find out by accident? What do they think or feel about your blog/s? Do they come and read your blog often?"
LrongLim: "I informed them of my blog. I think my friends read my blog often but not so much on the part of my family."

MataKecil: "Ok, one last question. What have you to say (share a few words) with other fellow bloggers and/or readers?"
LrongLim: "Use it for laughs, as well as to assist in problem solving in the social arena to help us lead fuller lives. Let us utilize blogs in a positive and constructive way to enrich our lives, individually, socially, and/or politically."

Well, hehe ... there you have it. I told you LrongLim is very "humble and down-to-earth" hehe :)

Anyway, we actually talked much more about blogs and blogging. The above is only a fraction of what we have talked about. :)

MataKecil : A very beautiful and interesting photo blog about the under the sea world and also about things in every day life in Japan and Malaysia and other places. Lrong Lim was formerly from Kedah (Malaysia) but has been living in Japan since 1987. :)

CityHunterGatherer: A site with a simple layout and nice soothing background colour. The photos featured are of extremely good quality and beautiful.

cheers,
matakecil.

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 003: Belacans.BlogSpot.Com

Welcome to the third part of our new series on blogs we have found to our liking because they are informative, creative, innovative, practical or just "nice". Here's another blog we like:

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 003: Belacans.BlogSpot.Com

• Name of Blog: Belacan Times
• Name of Blogger: Belacans aka Buaya69
• Location: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
• Blog URL: http://belacans.blogspot.com
• Alternative URL: http://www.belacans.blogspot.com
• About The Blog: Lately it has been largely about Belacans, his wife and kids. Can't write about work - all private and confidential, hardly write about sociopolitics - will leave that to Jeff and Mack. Occasionally, some naughty Buaya posts will appear again. hehehe.
• About The Blogger: Mid 30s, Chinese male, working in KL. A Certified Public Accountant working for an extremely large group of companies i.e. more headache!

In order to understand the blog and the flesh & blood blogger behind it, as usual, we have arranged for an interview with Belacans aka Buaya69 himself. Belacans is very helpful and most enthusiastic. Eventhough now is a peak period for his work, he has agreed to meet me at The Beach, along Jalan P. Ramlee (hehe, we "minum" and "cucimata" together until almost forgot to talk about the interview) for the approximately 1.5-hour interview. Belacans came right on the dot at exactly the appointed time ... in suit and tie (I almost pengsan). After some casual chat, we got down to business of discussing his points of view of what he thinks of blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general. For your information, Belacans is a man of very mature and enlightening insights. But he is also definite, straight to the point and at times, very very funny .. just like Paul Tan ... hehe :)

MataKecil: "Why do you blog?"
Belacans: "Started out as an experiment when ChiQ told me she started blogging. I knew ChiQ from the KVPUG forum days. My first blog was Buaya69.blogspot.com - saucy posts there, heh! But one day, my buaya69 blog was found by some powerful people, and to avert a career disaster, I closed it down.

Now, in belacans.blogspot.com, it's largely about my family and my experiences that i want to log for memory sakes."

MataKecil: "Which are the blog/s you normally read and why?"
Belacans: "For information: Jeff Ooi, Mack Zulkifli, AlwaysWow and Paul Tan. oh, and also Malaysia Today.

For laughs: Dr Liew, Kenny Sia, Simon Talks, Viewtru, Wingz, Ah-Pek, Michael Ooi, TV Smith, The Hustler, Pok Ku, JulyFishtail.

Family blogs: Chan Lilian, Loopymeals, PapiMami, Mama22Beas, Twinsmom, Mumsgather, Sexymum.

For lenglui's: Minishorts, Oliviasy, Skay, Kimberlycun, FireAngel, Jolene/Jayelle.

For hensem youngman: Jason Mumbles, Buangmasa, Bujang Lapuk.

Except for the "information" blogs, the rest i read more to "relax and kaka-caucau", bwahahaha! There are more blogs that i read but these are my daily diet."

MataKecil: "What do you think of blogs, blogging and bloggers?"
Belacans: "Blogs allow bloggers to e-publish whatever they want, even promoting one's body as art! Like in all medium, there's the good, the bad and the ugly.

Blogging is addictive, i must say. It allows us to exercise our "artisitic" language and thoughts online, something which the print media would not be able to do without censorship.

Bloggers? I think they are a bunch of brave (or clueless) people who dares type out their inner thoughts for the whole www to read, scrutinise, flame you and even possibly getting visits from our uniform brothers."

MataKecil: "How do you feel about the current blogosphere in general?"
Belacans: "I have only been blogging for 2 short years. For me, blogging was quite fun then. Now? because i am made aware of certain issues, i got a little bit nostalgic for the "ol'times" whereby when you read a blog, you kinda grow and feel for the blogger coz the posts were written from the heart.

These days i see more and more "cut & paste blogs for adsense" coming out of the closet. nothing wrong, but it's a sign of the times. i call it Blog Mutation, hehehe.

But i also see new blogs every month, so that must be something good, right?"

MataKecil: "What do you think needs to be done to increase the conversation conservation efforts of the leatherback turtle?"
Belacans: *very calm* "Huh? WTH?!!! Yao Mou Kao Chor (u sure)? I thought Chan Lilian already kautim (taken care of) this one already right?!!!" *smacks forehead*

MataKecil: *panic* "Oops, sorry. Wrong question." *blush* "I mean, What is your point of view on the future of blogging?"
Belacans: *secretly gloating* "There will be more commercialised or "themed" blogs, but personal blogs would still be more than the former. The latest are "cut & paste" bloggers trying to catch google adsense but i think the serious ones will eventually evolve into pro-bloggers putting original/semi-original content on their blogs to attract recurrent visitors rather than just getting hits."


MataKecil: "What do you want or hope to see in the near future (when it comes to blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general)?"
Belacans: "I hope to see more Malaysian blog icons." ;)

MataKecil: "Does your spouse, girlfriend / boyfriend, parents, or family know about your blog? What about your boss or colleagues? Your friends?"
Belacans: "Midway thru buaya69.blogspot.com, i told my wife about that blog. now she is quite a blog surfer herself, kekeke. Only my childhood friends and a few ex-colleagues know about my blog."

MataKecil: "If 'Yes', did you tell them yourself or did they find out by accident? What do they think or feel about your blog/s? Do they come and read your blog often?"
Belacans: "Naturally my wife reads my blog everyday, ahem. but i don't think my childhood friends and ex-colleagues read my blog. until now, tarak komen pun! bwahahahaha!"

MataKecil: "If 'No', why? Do you intentionally 'hide' your blog from them?
Belacans: "As best as I could, i hide from my bosses. I still think that employers frown upon people freely publishing over the net i.e. blogging.

As I hold a senior management position, and by virtue of that have access to very sensitive information and also VVIP people, i'm afraid my blogging may be construed as giving out classified info. Hence I make an effort not to do any post related to my work or industry or profession, lest i be accussed of being a spy! well, corporare politics at my level is very.... cloak and dagger type."

MataKecil: "Ok, one last question. What have you to say (share a few words) with other fellow bloggers and/or readers?"
Belacans: "Thank you for giving me alternative sources of information, enhancing my general knowledge and best of all, becoming my on-line friends. I am touched to find that the general warmness (Dr Liew would call it "kamtungness") among bloggers is really genuine. I guess that happens when you post from the heart.

To the new bloggers, do make more friends than enemies. bwahahahaha!"

Well, hehe ... there you have it. I told you Belacan is very "professional" hehe :)

Anyway, we actually talked much more about blogs and blogging. The above is only a fraction of what we have talked about. :)

MataKecil : A very down-to-earth online journal and diary indeed. About a senior business executive, his wife and children. A family man. But sometime can be a bit "yok mar" (goosebumps) when he blog about sweet nothings to his wife such as poems of love and all the stuff ... hehe. Oh yes, a damn buaya man like any other normal man too ... hehe :)

CityHunterGatherer: The overall layout is simple just like most standard BlogSpot.Com layout lah, so simple and NICE.

cheers,
matakecil.

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 002: ChanLilian.Net

Welcome to the second part of our new series on blogs we have found to our liking because they are informative, creative, innovative, practical or just "nice". Here's another blog we like:

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 002: ChanLilian.Net

• Name of Blog: 5x(X-treme)mom
• Name of Blogger: Lilian Chan (aka 5xmom)
• Location: Penang (Malaysia)
• Blog URL: http://www.chanlilian.net
• Alternative URL: http://chanlilian.net
• About The Blog: Everything under the sky. Just go and visit her blog and you can see. You either love her or you hate her (or both at the same time).
• About The Blogger: What you see is NOT what you get. She can cuss 4-letters word in Hokkien, Cantonese, Hainanese, Teochew, Hakka, Tamil, Bahasa Malaysia, English and damage on her blog but in real life hor, she veli nice wan..

In order to understand the blog and the flesh & blood blogger behind it, as usual, we have arranged for an interview with Mdm. Chan Lilian herself in Penang. Lilian is most obliging (heck, she actually begged for it!!!). Despite her extremely busy schedule (*chuckle* hehe), she has agreed to the face-to-face interview. Haha, but, she REFUSED to meet at the Starbucks Coffee or the Coffee Bean but instead at the nearby mamak stall. For the 45-minute interview and chat, we sent CityHunterGatherer, who was flown in all the way from Changchun (Jilin), China, for the mission.

At the appointed time, CityHunterGatherer arrived at the 24-hour mamak stall 10 minutes earlier (and realised that Chan Lilian is already in a heated discussion with a group of middle aged men and she basically needed to be extricated from there).

After some self-introduction and casual chat, CityHunterGatherer and Chan Lilian finally got down to business of discussing the latter's points of view of what she thinks of blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general. For your information, Chan Lilian is a woman of MANY words (and saliva).

CityHunterGatherer: "Why do you blog?"
ChanLilian: "To past time because I eat-full-nothing-to-do. Also, I am so loveable so I must share a little bit of love all around."

CityHunterGatherer: *puke*
ChanLilian: *puke*

CityHunterGatherer: "Which are the blog/s you normally read and why?"
ChanLilian: "DrLiew.Net, Belacans, Mumsgather and many others."

CityHunterGatherer: "What do you think of blogs, blogging and bloggers?"
ChanLilian: "Circus. I never take things seriously after a few lessons given by my sifu. There are only a handful of bloggers I respect but the rest, just for entertainment purpose.."

CityHunterGatherer: "How do you feel about the current blogosphere in general?"
ChanLilian: "It sucks. Total Malaysians mentality - 1st world infrastructure, 3rd world mentality."

CityHunterGatherer: "What do you think needs to be done to increase the conversation conservation efforts of the leatherback turtle?"
ChanLilian: *i knew this is gonna come up kind of look* "Hehe, leatherback sea turtles have been here for over 65 million years. They have witnessed the fall of the dinosaurs and the rise of humanity. Their habitat spans the globe from the North Atlantic near the Arctic Circle to the South Pacific around New Zealand. Extraordinary creatures, they hold important secrets about biology and medicine. Leatherbacks are the largest turtle, reaching a shell length of 1.7m and a mass of 700kg. In 1980 there were over 115,000 adult females, but there are now less than 25,000 worldwide, and they are close to extinction in the Pacific Ocean. If action is not taken soon to protect leatherbacks in the ocean and on nesting beaches the leatherback will disappear in our lifetime!!!" *duh* *qed* *nyek nyek nyek* *arrogant i-came-prepared and i-got-you kind of look*
(Ed: Die lah. Look to your right hand side ... YOU LAH the READER!!! See? Now the google ad kena 99 come out those FREE public service ad liao!!! Whatlah ... talk about leather back turtle conversation for what @#$%^&*!@#$%^)

CityHunterGatherer: *panic* "Oops, sorry. Wrong question." *blush* "I mean, What is your point of view on the future of blogging?"
ChanLilian: "Hahaha. It will continue to sucks. But who cares, all I bother are my own blogs. My sifu told me about Darwin's theory and gave Hanyi as an example. Survival of the fittest. That's why I dream to see Hanyi's biceps. He must be very muscular to survive." *swoons*

CityHunterGatherer: "What do you want or hope to see in the near future (when it comes to blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general)?"
ChanLilian: "More informative blogs from a cross-section of Malaysians blogging with total decadence. Blogs like JustNice!."

CityHunterGatherer: "Does your spouse, girlfriend / boyfriend, parents, or family know about your blog? What about your boss or colleagues? Your friends?"
ChanLilian: "Everbody knows my blog including my church members. This is the more pressured part because I don't always fit in to the expectation."

CityHunterGatherer: "If 'Yes', did you tell them yourself or did they find out by accident? What do they think or feel about your blog/s? Do they come and read your blog often?"
ChanLilian: "I think people who blog anon. is chicken heart, no balls wan. Nay ... like that Mr. Hanyi of JustNice? Ha, that one he show his face and his students plus work place. But hor, that matakecil hidung besar one leh, errr... a little bit dubious la.."

CityHunterGatherer: "Ok, one last question. What have you to say (share a few words) with other fellow bloggers and/or readers?"
ChanLilian: "What for? You think they will listen meh? Waste saliva. I just ask Hanyi to bring tables and chairs and gangsta fight enough.."

ChanLilian: "Eh, Shuai4 Kor (handsome guy) dearest, can connect one leg and one hand for (help) Auntie Lilian or not?" *chan lilian looked at cityhuntergatherer up and down*
CityHunterGatherer: *gulp* "Eerr ... eerrh ... how may I help you?"

ChanLilian: *evil and cunning look* *rub hands* *nyek nyek* "Can go back to my 4-storey bungalow (with olympic size swimming pool) with me or not? I got something very very exciting to show you lah." *wink*
CityHunterGatherer: *cold sweat* "Eerrrh .. can show here or not?"

ChanLilian: *impatient look* *unbuttonning top 2 buttons of blouse* "Oi!!! What I want to show you not suitable to show in a public place like this lah!!! Just come with me can or not?!!!" *starring fiercely*
CityHunterGatherer: *shivering* "Donwan!"

ChanLilian: *bring one leg up to chair* "Oi, what I want to show you sure interesting one lah. Trust me!!!"
CityHunterGatherer: *looking around for help kind of look* "Donwan!" *praying*

ChanLilian: *stood up and fold chair and then bring it up at 45% angle above cityhuntergatherer's head* "You don't force me to do what I don't want to do ok?!!!"
CityHunterGatherer: *almost crying liao* "Ok, ok! I would be delighted to go back with you!!!"

(Ed: what took place after was too horrifying to divulge in public ... but it has something to do with malaysiabest.net and mymomsbest.com ... read those blogs and you will know. *sigh* *shake head* *wipe away tears*)

Well, ... there you have it. I told you Chan Lilian is a woman of EXTREMELY MANY words. :)

Anyway, actually CityHunterGatherer and Chan Lilian talked much more about blogs and blogging. The above is only a fraction of what they have talked about. (Ed: For the safety of Chan Lilian and CityHunterGatherer, we have decided not to publish what Lilian thought of bloggers such as this and this)

MataKecil : This is one hell of a blog. Everything also can see in Chan Lilian's blog. And everything that she sees, she also blogged about. Men. Women. Children. Dads. Moms. Babies. Ghosts. Dogs. Cats. Breasts. Tongkat Ali. Deer whip soup. Traffice Police. Hairdressers. Women Power. Beauty of Language. S*x. Teenagers. School Holidays. Kissing. Lucky 4D Numbers. Landmarks. Eligible Bachelors. Generation Gap. Elderly. Priests. Monkeys.

CityHunterGatherer: The overall layout and design of the blog is much better WITHOUT the google adsense. Eerh .. so mature, so sexy ... so "hot".

cheers,
matakecil.

ps. Ed: A word of WARNING from us. DO NOT MESS with this woman. She is dangerous. If you mess with her ... she mess with you by blogging about you!!! *Noooooo!!!!*

ps. For a more boring boring screenshot of Chan Lilian's blog, please click here.

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 001: PaulTan.Org

Welcome to our new series on blogs we have found to our liking because they are informative, creative, innovative, practical or just "nice". We will start off with one of our all-time favourite:

ILuvBlogss.BlogSpot.Com Featured Blog No. 001: PaulTan.Org

• Name of Blog: Paul Tan's Raves & Rants on the Automotive Industry
• Name of Blogger: Paul Tan
• Location: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
• Blog URL: http://www.paultan.org
• Alternative URL: http://www.autolah.com
• About The Blog: Everything related to the car industry from news, cars, previews, and even politics that might affect us as consumers.

In order to understand the blog and the flesh & blood blogger behind it, we have arranged for an interview with Paul Tan himself. Paul is very friendly and obliging. Despite his very tight schedule, he has agreed to meet me at the Mid-Valley Starbucks Coffee for a 45-minute interview and chat. At the appointed time, as expected, Paul was there 5 minutes earlier. After some casual chat, we got down to business of discussing his points of view of what he thinks of blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general. For your information, Paul is a man of not many words. But he is definite, straight to the point and at times, funny .. hehe :)

MataKecil: "Why do you blog?"
PaulTan: "Interest, and side-income."

MataKecil: "Which are the blog/s you normally read and why?"
PaulTan: "JeffOoi.Com and BrandMalaysia.Com because I want to know what's going on in my country."

MataKecil: "What do you think of blogs, blogging and bloggers?"
PaulTan: "Great way to self-publish."

MataKecil: "How do you feel about the current blogosphere in general?"
PaulTan: "There are some gems, but I never really liked blogs that blog about their own life, unlike he does it in a very entertaining way like waiterrant.blogspot.com."

MataKecil: "What do you think needs to be done to increase the conversation conservation efforts of the leatherback turtle?"
PaulTan: *gulp* "Eerrhh ... eerrhh .. huh?!!!" *wth* *scratch head*

MataKecil: *panic* "Oops, sorry. Wrong question." *blush* "I mean, What is your point of view on the future of blogging?"
PaulTan: *roll eyes* *shakes head* "Mmph, promising publishing medium."

MataKecil: "What do you want or hope to see in the near future (when it comes to blogs, blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere in general)?"
PaulTan: "More company blogs."

MataKecil: "Does your spouse, girlfriend / boyfriend, parents, or family know about your blog? What about your boss or colleagues? Your friends?"
PaulTan: "Friends, yes, parents, no ... I don't think so. My boss knows about my blog, coz I am my own boss. LOL."

MataKecil: "If 'Yes', did you tell them yourself or did they find out by accident? What do they think or feel about your blog/s? Do they come and read your blog often?"
PaulTan: "Most of them I told them. Some of my friends have found it by accident through referrals."

MataKecil: "Ok, one last question. What have you to say (share a few words) with other fellow bloggers and/or readers?"
PaulTan: "Don't look for trouble in your blog posts. lol."

Well, hehe ... there you have it. I told you Paul Tan is a man of not many words. :)

Anyway, we actually talked much more about blogs and blogging. The above is only a fraction of what we have talked about. (Ed: For the safety of Paul and MataKecil, we have decided not to publish what Paul thought of bloggers such as this and this)

MataKecil : This is indeed a very informative site on cars. It is regularly updated with the latest information on cars, engines, and things related to cars. Paul's insights are also very valuable because of his superb knowledge of cars. There are tons of information and analysis on Perodua Myvi, Proton Savvy, Toyota Innova, Mercedes Benz SLK320 CDI Tri-Turbo, etc.

CityHunterGatherer: The overall layout and design of the blog is neat, clean and professional. Simplicity rules here.

cheers,
matakecil.

Fundamentals of Blogging (Part 2) : How To Blog Safely

This article was originally featured on AwesomeLife.Com Business Resources site.

Recently, quite a number of bloggers were either fired and/or sued by the company they were working for or by some other parties, for what they wrote in their blogs. So, here are some pointers for you to help you blog better and safer.

Don'ts of Blogging:

• Never blog about anything sensitive or controversial such as political, religious or racial related topics. Unless, you really want to and can handle the consequences of doing so. And if you do, do it tactfully. Avoid bigotry and overly critical. Be open-minded.

• Never blog about any other blogger without their permission. Whether you are going to write about something positive and good or something negative and bad, please seek the other blogger's permission before you do so. This is an understood and acceptable protocol among bloggers and you should obey it if you wanna fit in nicely.

• Never make use of your blog to carry out "attacks" or "sabotage" on the reputations of any individual or organisation. If you are not satisfied about anything, for example the product or service, you can blog about the problem you faced with the necessary company, so as to bring about a realisation to the problem you faced and maybe a solution to it. But do not condemn any individual or organisation by name in the form of personal attacks, just for the sake of venting your frustration. You can and will be sued. So, use your blog constructively to increase the quality of your life and those of others.

• Never plagiarise. If you wanna blog, write your own stories and articles. Do not copy other people's blogs and try to pass off as your original writing. Trust me, very soon they will be on your trail and they might teach you a lesson you will remember for the rest of your life ... and maybe even forced you out of the blogosphere. Remember, your blogs need not be impressive. Just write what you think and feel and those original thoughts will have their own value.

• Never blog about your company by name or divulge too much about its operations (and especially DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT post pictures of any of your company's facilities through your blogs). Most companies have policy to protect its privacy and trade secrets. Never blog about anything "sensitive" about your company or anything that might hurt it. As an employee of your company, you should know that you must not do anything that can harm it in any way. If you are not satisfied with your boss, change your job. If you are not satisfied with your company, leave and find work with other companies. But never condemn your boss or company through your blog while you are still employed by them. Be an ethical employee. Be a dignified blogger. Be forewarned: If you forget this warning, you can and will be fired and might even be sued!!!

Just one last reminder: Eventhough a blog is just like a personal diary, but please be aware that as it might be open to the public, possibility of it being read online by all sorts of people worldwide is very high. So, if you want to share your thoughts and opinions with others, just like in real life, be prepared for the reactions of those who might support or oppose them. Learn to protect yourself instead of putting yourself in a vulnerable position that is open to attacks and possibly instances for embarrassments. Last but not least, be a responsible blogger. Be an ethical blogger. Be a blogger with dignity and self-respect. Frankly speaking, it is NOT worth losing your reputation, self-respect, work, girlfriend / boyfriend, sleep, appetite, etc. over a blog!!!

Practise freedom of speech ... but be responsible. It is better to be safe than sorry. 8|

regards,
matakecil.

ps. the original article can be found here.

Fundamentals of Blogging (Part 1) : How To Start Blogging?

This article was originally featured on AwesomeLife.Com Business Resources site.

If you are going to start your first personal blog, here's how to do it:

• Go and setup a free blog at Blogger.Com.

• Next, decide on an identity you are gonna use for yourself on your blog. As this is your first blog, you still need a fair amount of time to get used to the blogosphere (blogging environment) and for trial and error experimenting. So, the less "real" personal information you divulge about yourself, the better. Blog smartly, blog safely. Do not expose too much data about your private life that might be used to harm you. Remember, once your blog is online, you have no idea who is gonna read it ... and you will be amazed that ALL sorts of people will. Let the blogger beware!!!

• After you have decided on a nick or pseudonym for your blogger identity and its related information, next decide on the theme of your blog. What do you want to "talk" (write) about? Do you want to blog mainly about your work? Or maybe about your family? Or what about your relationship with your boyfriend / girlfriend? Or maybe you want to be focused on sharing your points of view on certain topics of interest such as pet care or gardening. Or maybe you want your blog to be just general ramblings about the joys and pains in your everyday life.

• Next, surf around other people's blogs that are related to your topic of interest. Read them. Study them. Compare them. Learn from the more successful and outstanding blogs that are established and with a steady group of loyal readers. See why they are so popular and learn a thing or two from them. Don't just jump into writing your first blog and get into trouble. Do some research first. Due diligence is important when you wanna start on a right footing.

• Ok, after you have done the necessary preparations, you are now ready to start blogging. Blog whenever you have the time or you want to. Put down your thoughts, opinions and ideas and see what others think through the comments left behind. Have an open mind. People think differently. Regardless of what comments people leave behind, just accept them as they are. Be prepared for the excitement of receiving your first comment!

• As you progress in blogging, you will be able to see your blog "evolve" naturally to create a reputation for itself and YOU, the blogger. Enjoy :)

If you are going to start blogging soon, hope the above pointers will be useful to you :)

cheers,
matakecil.

ps. the original article can be found here.