A Few Good Reads

Published July 2009

It has recently come to my attention that I spend a substantial amount of time online. Be it for the addictive lure that is Facebook, to fulfilling my daily news intake requirement and onwards to some regular blogs – the internet is something I doubt I could do without for, say, longer than 3 days.

For this week’s column I have chosen to write a little more about my daily haunts online. Reason being someone I know quite well asked me for a list of sorts, so that they could update themselves on “what was happening out there.”

My current profession is one that requires me to surf online. A lot. Even the term ‘surfing’ is one that I find a little redundant nowadays. I’ll be honest in admitting that I cringe a little when having to use it, but I have yet to come across its successor.

So anyways back to my ‘surfing’. I promised said friend a list and delivered. I veered towards sites that were relevant to things that were of interest to me. And then figured it would be a great idea to share some of these sites here too.

Now I do have to do the disclaimer bit and say that these are my personal picks and faves. I can’t take responsibility for content on the sites and encourage you to use your own judgement and sense of perspective in these matters.

I have selected a few that I enjoy as they either crack me up (if you’ve met me, you’ll agree this is a good thing) or give me light hearted food for thought – puns fully intended, you’ll see why in a bit.

FMyLife – www.fmylife.com

Yes, the ‘F’ in the title is that very same ubiquitous four letter word often used on a regular basis by many, myself included.

FMyLife is a hilarious site that features true tales of sheer bad luck with a voting system that allows readers to decide if the individual does indeed have it rough, or if they in any way asked for it and therefore deserves less to no empathy.

Take this fine example of FMyLife-ness : “Today my daughter used Pledge to clean the wooden staircase. I found out when I tried to walk down them in socks.” While I do sympathise with the protagonist, I also found myself snickering at the mental picture of a man flailing about in his socks.

DABA or Dating a Banker Anonymous – www.dabagirls.com

With all eyes turning to the financial capitals of the world in this current economic climate, spare a thought for the women behind the big guys. This site is a witty and sarcastic take on all things related to downsizing in style and the life of dating a banker from the women who know best. Get acquainted with the term ‘Quarterlife Crisis’ and Recession Friendly Dating Tips as DABA Girls swap notes and advice on Love In The Time Of Layoff.

The Travelling Hungryboy – www.eatbma.blogspot.com

I have been an avid reader of The Travelling Hungryboy for well over two years now. A working professional currently based in Singapore, TTH describes his blog as “gastronomic adventures and epicurean musings from a United 1K traveller who thinks that Anthony Bourdain has the coolest job in the world.”

TTH’s blog is easy to enjoy as he updates regularly. Coupled with a handy cameraphone which allows him to capture images of food and drink throughout his travels. TTH displays a clear passion for many different sorts of cuisines (I particularly enjoy his airplane food reviews)making this a daily-must read for me.

The Curious Diary of Mr. Jam by Nury Vittachi – www.mrjam.typepad.com

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I am a huge fan of Nury Vittachi. Having had the privilege to interview this gem of a man twice in the past, I am of the firm belief that Nury is Asia’s funniest writer bar none.

A popular figure in Hong Kong’s lit scene, Nury’s daily columns are published in several leading newspapers around the region and he also has a series of books under his belt. So yes, it goes without saying that when he writes, he writes well.

On his site he waxes lyrical on the comical in daily life and does a brilliant job of it. From the vortex of one’s living room sofa (akin to a parallel universe, the things you could find stuck under there) to the classic defence on why men don’t write advice columns, expect some seriously entertaining reading and side-splitting observations on life in Asia.

So there you have it. My choice of daily reading. Please do bear in mind that I’ve not included the more serious sites with news updates and ‘important stuff’ but instead have gone ahead and assumed that most people reading this would already be well versed with the likes of CNN, BBC and the plethora of up-to-the-minute online news available.

Let us also not forget friends and family who blog. Chances are if you’re not a blogger yourself, you’ll know someone who is. And yes I do check in on my fellow bloggers on a regular basis just to see what’s new on their planet. I am still chuckling to myself from an earlier visit to my friend Yolanda’s blog. On her latest update she posted several humorous taglines under the heading Words For Women To Live By. I liked No.7 which read “Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.”

And then there No. 9 - my personal favourite which resonated and summed me up to a T: “Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.”

Blogs To Look Out For

Published March 2008


The second most common question after I get asked the obvious first one of "What is a blog?" is "Can you recommend any good ones to read?"

The answer is yes I can. I spend an unnatural amount of time on the computer tweaking my own personal blog as well as reading others. The ease at which hours can be spent delving into the lives of others is shocking. But nothing changes the fact that blogging is a phenomenon that has had such sway worldwide, it is a medium that is getting to be a little difficult to ignore.

Blogs are acknowledged as being the smaller sibling to the mighty web site. Easier to set up and to use they may be, but they pack no less a punch. As a strong advocate for blogging, I believe that people who blog have to realize just what it is they are capable of putting out there. You'll be surprised at how many people respond to the content that you write, whether they leave comments on your blog or email you privately to discuss it further, blogging is another way to reach out to those that you've never met (and probably never will) to communicate and possibly even connect with.

As I have mentioned before, blogs can be about anything and everything. Food, comedy, economics, fashion, literature, music, movies, politics, social awareness, your pet hamster. The spectrum is so vast that I have trouble trying to fully explain what is actually out there.

But for the time being I will share some of my personal favorites in the blogosphere:



AYUMI'S EVERY OTHER DAY
Personal bias aside, I begin this list by recommending a blog by an old friend of mine, Ayumi Meegan. Ayumi has had an amazingly interesting life thus far and continues to happily surprise me each time I visit her blog.
Firstborn to George Meegan and Yoshiko Matsumoto, who 1977 walked the entire length of the Western Hemisphere (a journey that took 7 years), Ayumi was given a childhood that was far from ordinary. Extraordinary would be an even better way to put it. And it shouldn't surprise anyone to note that her first name literally means 'one who walks' in Japanese.
Once a girlfriend to Amazing Race winner "hippie" Tyler MacNiven, Ayumi was the girl he had hoped to impress when he made his documentary "Kintaro Walks Japan".
This is a blog that is packed to the brim with witty observations, calm thoughts and a highly zenlike view on almost everything ; something she refers to as 'Ayumilosophy'. A fantastic read and a great eye-opener for beginners and veterans alike.
BLOG ADDRESS : http://ayumimeegan.com/




POST SECRET
Founded by Frank Warren, Post Secret is an online community blog project which had its humble beginnings as part of an exhibition at the Artomatic media arts event in Washington D.C.
A simple idea of having people write their secrets down on the back of post cards has really taken off with a bang. The only requirements are that the contributors have to be truthful in their confessions and that it a secret that has never been revealed.
There are no rules as to what is acceptable or not so if you're one who is easily daunted by unpolished, original and at times painful truths, I would suggest you exercise a little caution as some of the secrets can be difficult to process.
Not all are about deep, personal wounds however. Most are highly inspiring and have given others cause to improve themselves or change aspects about their lives which were undesirable before.
Now considered an institution in it's own right, the Post Secret blog is updated every Sunday with twenty new submissions from all over the world. There have been four Post Secret books published featuring selected postcards, the latest launched in October 2007.
Frank Warren is currently on the road visiting several universities around the United States as a key note speaker on Post Secret seminars.
Anonymous honesty in it's purest form in a totally non-judgmental environment. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please visit.
BLOG ADDRESS : www.postsecret.blogspot.com




THE STORYTELLER
A personal blog by creative powerhouse Yasmin Ahmad. The Storyteller details the makings of her movies, international film festival award nominations and wins, literature  that she enjoys and mainly focuses on the artisan's slice of life. Being a movie buff herself, she also highlights films that she enjoys and creates buzz and awareness to things I would normally not pay attention to such as art house offerings or the latest developments in the world of Asian cinema and beyond.
Writer, director and producer of four critically acclaimed films, Yasmin documents the hows, the whys and the why-nots faithfully on her blog, allowing laypersons such as myself a much treasured insight to a world that is aesthetically cultivated. A cause célèbre amongst many Malaysians, Yasmin Ahmad is truly a force to be reckoned with as she goes from strength to strength.The Storyteller is a perfect dichotomy of the fine balance between her approach to work and her pure and simple love for it. A refreshing antithesis from the norm of Malaysian film.
BLOG ADDRESS : http://yasminthestoryteller.blogspot.com/




There are also blogs that I have written about in the past and I highly recommend a look at :


FOOD RELATED:
A Daily Obsession by Terri (Kota Kinabalu based) : www.hungerhunger.blogspot.com
Eating Asia by Robyn & Dave (Kuala Lumpur based) : http://eatingasia.typepad.com
Rasa Malaysia by Bee (California based) : http://rasamalaysia.com




PHOTOGRAPHY :
A Wedding Photographer's Blog by Louis Pang (Kota Kinabalu based) : http://www.louispang.com/blog
Travel Photography by Suchen SK (Kota Kinabalu based) : http://www.suchens.com




IN MEMORIAM :
In Memory Of Nurin by Jasni Jalil (Kuala Lumpur based) : http://nurinjazlin.blogspot.com




BOOKS & LITERATURE
Bibliobibuli by Sharon Bakar (Kuala Lumpur based) :www.thebookaholic.blogspot.com 




SOCIAL ACTIVISM
Rantings by Marina Mahathir (Kuala Lumpur based) : http://www.rantingsbymm.blogspot.com



Some people believe that blogs are minatory and are only out there to fling slander, providing nothing good to society. I wish it were that easy to generalize and compartmentalize. Blogs are blogs and then some. You get the good, the bad, the pointless, the fascinating, the ones that get your blood boiling and those that make you laugh so hard you almost do yourself an injury. It is up to you to make a conscious decision and pick your reading material wisely.

When Routine Isn't Exactly Normal

Printed July 2008


"When routine isn't exactly normal." This is the byline of the blog belonging to a one Mr. Kenny Sia. Kenny, easily one of Malaysia (and arguably South East Asia's) most popular bloggers, is surprisingly affable and friendly. Considering the gargantuan amount of attention his blog has gained, Kenny is a true example of everything a good blogger should be ; interestingly funny while giving readers some insightful food for thought.
With some 20,000 unique hits a day, Kenny's blogging formula has proven to be a success. With posts ranging from humorous pokes at Malaysian life to meeting personalities of note, it is no wonder that Kenny's blog has pretty much set the standard.


SS: Kenny it goes without saying that you are a super-popular blogger. How did you get started?

KS: I started about 3 years ago in January 2005. Back then I was going through a very difficult period in my life - I was living in Australia for almost 8 years and I had to move back to Malaysia on short notice because my father has fallen critically ill. It was a turning point in my life because I had to leave everything behind: my friends, my job and my girlfriend at the time.

Back then blogging had only just become popular. I found that it was a great way to document my life and keep my friends from all corners of the globe in touch with what I was doing. Along the way, I wrote some entertaining and humorous entries, people passed the word around quickly, and the rest, like they say, is history.

SS: You receive a large number of unique hits to your blog on a daily basis. Was there a particular post you wrote that helped you gain more visitors?

KS: Several blog entries of mine stood out above the rest. Those are the big hit ones that I categorized as "Favourite Entries" on my blog.

The first hit was way back on April 1st 2005 when I parodied some of the more popular bloggers at the time. Since then, I was known for poking fun at Kuching's insanely long road names, my spoof on the OSIM uZap advertisements, and my prank on a lucky draw scammer from Hong Kong.



SS: What was your first real acknowledgment from the media that you and your blog had 'arrived'?

KS: It was an interview with The Star Metro back in June 2008 that first propelled me into the mainstream limelight. The real acknowledgment was when my blog entry on Kuching's long road names was re-published in The Star Two and I got paid for it.



SS: Did you ever imagine that your blog would take you to where it has now?

KS: Absolutely not! The internet obviously knows no boundaries and I am very lucky to have the support of my readers to bring me where I am today.



SS: Has being a blogceleb manifested itself in everyday life? Do people stop you on the street because they recognize you?

KS: Yes, it has. It is really weird for me because I'm still this very normal and regular person just like everyone else. Once, I was in McDonald's in my shorts and slippers, digging my nose with one hand, holding a sloppy burger on the other when a bunch of schoolgirls came and asked for a photo. It was very embarrassing. 


6) Has your blogging fame affected your personal and family life in any way?

Unfortunately it has, and not for the better. My family has warned me repeatedly not to compromise their privacy online, and I have very heated arguments with my mother sometimes over the content I post on my blog. Friends nowadays always add a cautionary "Don't put this on your blog har!" when I take photos with them.



SS: What are the downsides?

KS:  You have to keep up with people's expectations, and with that comes a lot of restrictions on what you can and cannot do.

If I did not include any jokes in my entries, people would hurl hurtful insults towards me and call me boring. Then there are those who always enjoy repeating to me "With great power comes great responsibilities" whenever I write something mildly controversial.

In a way, my blog is not personal anymore but the property of the 20,000 people reading it daily who demanded to be entertained. Putting up with people's expectations and insults is very draining to the emotions.

SS: You were a judge on a beauty show recently :

KS: It was a show called Malaysian Dreamgirl and it was broadcasted exclusively on www.malaysiandreamgirl.tv

It's obvious I have no experience in judging beauties, but the producers roped me in on the project purely for the publicity I would have been able to generate as an internet figure. I was excited to be part of it because I was and still am very attracted to the prospects of having a locally-produced online reality series. Sure enough, the show garnered a huge cult following and became a smashing success.

We all learned an immense amount from doing the show. And it'll be coming back again by the start of next year.


SS: What are your blogging plans for the future?

KS: I plan to bring the lifestyle blogging genre more into the mainstream and hopefully attract people who do not normally read blogs to start reading them.

At the same time, I'm also promoting other bloggers

Visit Kenny at www.kenysia.com. Alternatively, Sabahan readers may be interested to note that Kenny will be in Kota Kinabalu to participate in the Borneo International Marathon scheduled for October 12th 2008.