Friday 20 April 2007

What keeps me going?

It’s not easy really. First, we have the gomen telling us to shut up, to which we ignore. Then there’s a possibility of getting all of us registered so that we are well ‘watched’. Well, do you think they are not watching us now? Next, the gomen realised they can't get us registered, top that up with some brave souls setting up the National Alliance of Bloggers, so our biggest boss said existing law is enough to put us into trouble… translate… keep “telling lies” and you will be ISA-ed, sent your sorry ass to some hidden camp in Kamunting till you’re so scared your balls will fall off your crotch. Are you afraid?

Closer to home, I have to juggle the time between spending time with Jules, blogging and reading blogs. Trust me, it’s not easy. Some said I should just blog and don’t really need to read so many blogs. Hey… I dunno why but I have really developed a knack about reading blogs. I believe I am a people person. Why my line of work doesn’t really allow me to meet so many people and communicate with them, blogging and reading blogs have given me the opportunity. Therefore, I have to manage all that in our limited hours we have in a day. And did I mention work?

Next, blogging has caused me to lose quite a bit of sleep. This means very bad eye bags and of course, the much dreaded hair-loss. Consider that I already am putting up a “departing” hairstyle, that is quite an issue. Of course, then comes the usual I-am-sleepy-at-work feeling, to which I… ok, that’s not quite an issue. Never like my work anyway.

My friend kenninaz is certainly very surprise that I lasted this long. When I first told him about my intention to start a blog, he looked at me as a boring accountant and since he, being an IT person can't even keep his interest in his blog… how can I?

So, what exactly that keeps me going?

Well, for one, I love writing, I really do. But honestly speaking… all these really encourage me and kept me going…

Things like this, this and this.

I spoke to someone in my firm today, for the first time actually because he left a condolence message in those entries relating to my mom and I wanted to thank him. He told me As Zewt As It Gets is his favourite after kennysia and xiaxue. Wow, it certainly is very flattering.

Then I spoke to one of my ex-colleague and she said she now reads my blog ahead of mainstream news… wow! She also told me other flattering words but I think I shall not mention them.

On top of that, I also inspired 2 of my ex-colleagues to start their own blog. One has chosen to remain anonymous and has been actively blogging lately. The other just started, not sure if it will last.

Well, I will certainly continue but everyone burns out… and I certainly hope I don’t. Having said that, there will be a time where I will stop… or slow down.


P/S: Hmmm... just been awarded the "Thinking Blogger Award" by Kenny Mah. Wonder who I should award next.... anyone?

70 comments:

AL said...

Y'know sometimes your blog does keep me going and does challenge me to continue blogging!!! SO BLOG ON BROTHER!!!!!

rainbow angeles said...

*brings champagne glasses*
Here's to As Zewt As It Gets!

ps: Should have been a journalist, huh? ;)

kyh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kyh said...

yes ur blog is so hot! LOL!

while most blogs out there are made for laughs, urs is different --- provocative shud i say, and i absolutely like that. i used to frequent forums that deal with ultra sensitive issues, such as religious conversions and apostasy (in the muslim case) and so on. and urs is the one that truly speaks out things that hv been kept in most malaysians' minds. maybe that's the main appeal to me.

anyway, jz to tell u that ur blog is in my must-read list, or in other words, i'm ur fan!!! :P

Acrelaine said...

wow, congrats!... thinking blogger huh?

u shud award me.. for being the emo'est blogger... hahaha..

err, no lar.. i shudnt get awarded for anything but a degree for pharmacy -_-

*sobs*

Weig said...

(I am so going to regret saying this, some more at wee a.m. in the morning), but blogging seems to be one of the few activities that is worth the overtime. Damn it! Delete this after you've read it. Can't believe I said that.

me said...

now you knowwwww...

it's easy to start a blog. heck, it's easy to say some crap for a few months...but to me, a true blogger is someone who has been it for more than a year. in your case, it should be easier, since you have generated a good crowd of followers and thus have more initiative to write. for those who have written and written, without nary a soul to comment, i take my hat off. for those who have been at it since the dark ages...i take my hat off.

Huei said...

ur blog is great, and deserves ur award!!! hehehe *cHEeRsS*

i know many IT people who don't have a blog, or just blog because they don't wana be "left out"..it doesnt matter who u r or wut u do..just blog when u want to! =D

Idham said...

:) hopped in from kenny mah...thought i will check out people he awarded...and my visit was well rewarded too...great blog!!

idham

Purple~MushRooM said...

Zewt: If there's no one reading your blog, will you still blog?

Horny Ang Moh said...

Ah Zewt!!So keep on blogging but u must balance up ur time loh maybe not everyday. As u mention ur other half demand 'attention'. And please fullfill her 'attention' & 'demand' u will be well rewarded.Like u I always read throught quite a number of blog for infor & to relieved myself.( No, the blog I read is just like ur, I don't meant relieved se*ually, but mentally ) We lieved in a stressfull time so reading other people blog who face more problem then yours made u feel that your life is not so bad afterall, & if that blogger have a better life it made u strive to better yourself.This keep me going on & also 'up'. Have a nice day.

gRaCe said...

Zewt..my cousin is sooo gonna love you for mentioning bout him on ur blog. I also very excited, sms him straightaway. LOLzz..

Eh, Eh...i also have an IT degree, so i dun agree with ur friend. I've been writing my blog since 2004. so tell that to ur IT friend. hahah...;o)

Ur blog's great, Zewt..do keep writing it. i very much agree with Kenny for awarding you the Thinking Award. You rock, dude! =D

sereneannabelle said...

blogging to me is highly therapeutic. i get even more motivated when i know people are reading my blog everyday. and when i get praises for my writing and my pictures, i get even more motivated. i think very soon ur accounting mind will change to an artsy one. i can already feel that i am a more artsy than scienc-ey person. see

this post.

keep writing!! i like to read ur blog too :)

gRaCe said...

P/S: i would award my cousin for the Thinking Award. Not that he's my cousin and i love him so..the stuffs tht he writes do make me think. ;o)

Anonymous said...

I keep on going because like you said, it some how got me connected to people more and not just be celled by my own very small little world so to speak and yes, because I have frens who constantly visit and read my blog, that's one thing that keep me to write and just write more .. or should i say rant more .. ha ha ha

potpourri said...

U should consider being in the PR industry of some sort.

"With great powers, comes great responsiblity."

Stay true, Zewt. :)

conan_cat said...

i guess everyone had their own reasons, and zewt i think your reason is as valid as it gets.

one reason that we all agree though,

you're one hell of a good blogger.

anyone dun like reading zewt?? huh?! huh??!!

zewt said...

AL - oh yeah, definitely will. and i can see the blogging bug is deeply infested in you.

angel - yeah!! but then right... i dont think i can afford a nice car and decent living if i am a journalist. summore... hournalist kena sue wan... sigh..

kyh - maybe i should have a most loyal fan award? :P.... kidding... cannot be too full of myself. anyway, i do hope i can continue to mix current issues and concerns our us malaysians with a tad bit of humour and sarcasm so that we can all see things from a different light :)

acrelaine - the emo-est blogger eh? hahaha... how about the most harrassed blogger... know what i mean? oh, can i ask u when i wanna know which drug is for what?

cirnelle - overtime? what overtime? blogging cannot be considered overtime...

me - true to every word. very difficult to maintain one. and since blogging is one of my new year resolution... i am also determine to keep it, for the first time in my life. for those who writes without a soul reading... i really admire them. which is why i always leave a comment when i see a good article but no comment.

huei - thanks... and gee... how come IT people so kiasu wan? if IT ppl must own a blog... then accountants must be very calculative issit?

baggie said...

Cheh, Zewt~!! I tot u were doing Siwwy's tag, your post almost sounded like its the end of it.. LOL.. too little sleep, bla bla, no time, bla bla.. LOL

Anyway, seriously, i read my news through blogs, hehehe... so keep blogging~!!

zewt said...

arif aka idham - hey there, thanks for dropping by. your words are too flattering. but of course, such encouragement does keeps me going. hope to see ya around.

purple mushroom - i will, but my entries will not be so 'proper'. will probably end up like a diary.

hor ny ang moh - thanks for your advice mate. i am sure jules will be glad to hear all that (not the sexual stuff la). the part about reading to see life from a better perspective is really profound!

grace - hahaha... that happy huh? maybe i should consider charging... :P ... oh, your cousin has a blog? i tot friendster was his only one. do let me know which and i will drop by.

goodshithappens - you're right, it can act as a medium for me to release my thoughts. and i do think a lot... bad for my brain perhaps? as for the artsy aspect... well, it depends on what exactly you're writing. thanks for reading... appreciate it.

cibol - you keep ranting brother, and i will listening too. oh... but when it comes to chelsea... that's another issue altogether.

lakeside girl - PR? or perhaps i should enter politics? :P hahaha... i think i will just stick with journalism if possible.

conan_cat - hey! welcome to As Zewt As It Gets! thanks for your word of encouragement... i hope i can keep up the momentum. hahaha... i am sure some people do find my stuff boring. i have actually seen a blog which specifically said that!

calvin's wife - haha... news through blogs? then i guess you're a regular at sites like malaysia today and susan loone and politikus and rocky eh? as for siwwypig's tag... i have thought of a very cheeky way to do it...

Kenny Mah said...

I agree it isn't easy to keep blogging, but it can be something worthwhile so it all depends on what you are getting out of it.

I've blogged on and off myself, so nothing is permanent. My current blog has entries from two previous incarnations. At the end of the day, it's just what our priorities in life is. There was one whole year when I was travelling in and out of the country --- not only didn't I blog, no writing either!

So whatever decision you make, I trust it'd be a good one. But can I throw my vote in for you to keep writing & blogging? :D

Arena Green said...

Right now I find that it is a pleasure to interact with you here as well as when you drop a comment over at my blog.

It is true that the motivation to continue blogging remains so long as the blogger is able to make a connection with his/her readers. And you have done admirably well in generating a following in the relatively short time since you started.

You write very well, Zewt, and maybe some day, by honing your skills further, you can actually turn your writing into a profitable venture.

Definitely far from the image of a banker crunching numbers, eh?

Btw, I am grateful for all the cyber-friendships that have been extended to me by fellow bloggers, including you. It's really a good reason to continue blogging even when life gets too busy sometimes.

Cheers to you, Zewt!

TingTitLei said...

wow so inspiring. guess who inspired me to start my blog..


tiuniasing! haha my first blog, talkcockking.blogspot.com was damn tiu like his blog last time but now my new blog is kinda passive.

award the most tiu award to tiuniasing haha

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

well there are many reasons for blogging..n hey you r doin such a great job from the 1st day i read ur blog till now..been a short while but man is fully packed here..

but i feel wif more ppl come more stress to churn out articles that tickle people fancy..i dont know..

keep it up..and haha now i feel guilty if i c u around at my blog because ur losing hair..

gRaCe said...

Zewt,
hahha...yeah, my cousin seriously love ur blog alot. So, we will both vouch for u to continue to write. heheh..;o)

btw, how did u noe he has a friendster blog ah?? the comments he left on my blog are from blogspot one. ;o)

i'll be glad to let you noe..it's http://bennycheok.blogspot.com. have fun reading! =D

Eileen said...

Zewt, stay true to yourself.

Blogging should be a passion, do not make it too commercialize at the end and lose yourself and your readers.

Everyone blog for a different reason(s). For bloggers that end up being friends by sharing stories, exchanging opinions, offering emotional support and sharing knowledge, that is so sweet.

And that's what I love about blogging!

King's wife said...

You should do the tag...5 reasons why I Blog. kakakaakaa!
If you enjoy all the comments and the interaction, then I'm sure you'll keep going for a looonngggg time. :)

Jazzi said...

=) The part I love most about your blog, is how you respond to every single comment made. Very personal touch that one. Takes time and effort, and I'm not surprised that it is being rewarded in kind.

Keep it up! =).

J.T. said...

Zewt, you have something going here and I like your postings. You tell it like it is. You have a following. Is it any wonder why you continue? You are going on my list of favourites. Keep it up. I will be back for more.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! You share your thoughts well. You write from your heart. Hence, you deserve it. :)

mistipurple said...

i like the way you write. :)

HappySurfer said...

Zewt, your love of writing will see you blogging for a long time. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

hair loss? eye bags? :P poor zewt. you sure read a lot of blogs dude, always see you dropping comments here and there. agree with jazzi there bout your blog having personal blog, where you try to reply to every comments. hope you will keep doing that in future as your readers getting more and more haha! sure tiring heh :P

admin@cora-links.com said...

Wah Zewt, nice template you got there.. knew you could do it...
i love the birds flying.. :)

Sorry for being MIA for so long.. too busy with work lah..

Hey man, keep on blogging ur doing a great job! :)

ahjohn said...

I use to think ppl like me are less than few, that sometimes i believe that i could be the only one. but somehow, God led me to knowing you.
My interest to write, to pen down anything that comes to mind had made me write more often than talking does. if you know me, i talk alot... (that ppl describe me as, i can talk ppl to sleep...and the dead to arise).

Yet, like you said, i never find the 25th hour in my day. I'm glad you did, and how you cut that slice of 8 hours each for work, relationship and sleep amazes me much. But interestingly, minus all these portion, you still have a few hours to blog. I guess, english descibe it as "STOLEN TIME ARE THE BEST, JUST LIKE STOLEN KISSES TOO"

i can't have the luxury of time like you do to blog, but i'm glad you're able to take my "dream" of writing to a higher ground... so i am proud of you and your ZEWTALOGY TEACHINGS.

perhaps, you should be awarded the BLOGEST DIGEST.

have a nice weekend mate.

totally ignorant! said...

oh my god! this is truly maximum pai sehhh!! thats the beta version of my blog and may I know how many people read your blog? and those who actually click on THIS, THIS and THIS? ya allah..........anyway, truth be told... sometimes when I am max 'sien' case...your blog give me some umphs to my day...blogasmic? muahhaa...

MissSHopaHolic said...

Keep doing wat u love 2 do..
Keep Blogging for a long long time
Life will be boring withour ur blog

Anonymous said...

Aaahhh.. I was trying to understand why popular you would have time to visit even lil ol me...

I have to admit, when one has a lot of readers/fans, it does inspire one to blog more, yeah?

Zewt is nice to read because zewt seems like a real person who connects with other people. Topical issues, a lot of serious bloggers cover. But how many of them actually reply to every single comment and leave comments in other blogs, like zewt does? :)

Pookyma said...

knn lu zewt....you say you won't change ur template.....damn....i'm pressured to change mine now...

zewt said...

Kenny Mah - well, having readers like you certainly gives me the boost i need to keep going. indeed, it's not easy but it has been a very fruitful and worthwhile journey... what's life without meaning? of cos, blogging is not the only meaning... :)

Anak Merdeka - haha... i never thought i will be making money from my writing skills but that is something that i sorta look forward to now. indeed, much better than numbers cruching skills... life is not all about what's on paper... it's all about how we interact with other human being... the beauty of life :)

TTL - i really wish i can read your talkcockking ler... too bad you deleted it already. eh, you got save it anywhere? anyway, your current blog is cool enough... i still remember your malay piece hehehe...

someone who is constantly craving - i think i shall not let the pressure of writing to readers' needs get to me. after all, i should be writing it my way right? dont worry about the hair for now... hehe...

grace - i see that he has left a comment here... will certainly pay him a visit soon enough.

princess eileen - very englightening as always. yeah, i am trying very hard not to lose myself to readers. yeah, i do like the idea of bloggers being friends... quite amazing.

king's wife - hahahaha.... how long will that be? i certainly hope to maintain the energy.

zewt said...

Jazzi - i always believe in human touch... since everything now is just a word on the screen, that's the least i can do.

JT - very flaterring indeed. and i will try my best to make sure there will always be interesting stuff to read.

Jemima - hey! welcome! thanks... just sharing my thoughts.

mistipurple - thanks my friend.

Happysurfer - and i hope this love will continue.

bongkerz - certainly cant keep up, will need my sleep. but you know... i am still waiting for you to fix your comp so that you will post something for me to read hahaha...

zewt said...

Russ - busy? take it easy, life is not all about work. thanks man, i will keep going indeed.

ahjohn - well, like i said, it's not easy at all. you're right my bro... life is about balance... 8 hours of work (which we all fail to do), 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of play, to enjoy... if only we can live up to that. sad to say, we gave too much to work, i am guilty of it too.

hahaha... my zewtalogy... i never now of its existence. indeed, blogging has open a whole new world to me... and honesly, it's like i suddenly realised i am good at something, which is why i hope to keep going. you have a nice weekend too bro.

bensiu - hahahaha... giving someone a blogasmic is something... well... a big gay... hahaha... but thanks for reading and thanks for talking about me. you want me to link you to your actual blogger site instead :P

MissSHopaholic - thanks my friend... i certainly hope to keep everyones' life interesting...

kat - yeah, having readers and fans do keep me going... it does gives me a bit of a push. like i always say... i love to connect with people. i feel we have so much to learn from each other... should never let that opportunity go away as long as we live... agree?

pookyma - hahahahahaha... sorry la... yes, maybe you can also change yours now :P

Wennn said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Melyong said...

congrats on the award! I think that you deserve it. We need more bloggers that think! So that the gomen will be scared and do better job!!! will this lead me to nasi kari?

Acrelaine said...

of all pharmacists in kl, u wanna ask me?? me?? a student who has yet to graduate?? hehehe.. u must be urgently needing the answer.. send me an email or sumthing... i'll keep it a secret... wtf

Anonymous said...

i'm trying my best zewt :P blogging from office like you do kah kah kah~!

SuLee said...

zewt zewt ngor tei weng yu zi ci lei!!!

congrats on the award, u certainly put alot of effort into this - i especially impressed with you read and replied to every single comment, even those mou liu ones like mine =P

zewt said...

wennnnn - thanks! done with the e-mail. if you have anymore recipe, do let me know.

bubbly soda - dunno, i heard they serve bread in kamunting now. :P

acrelaine - well, i am a cheapo... i ask and hope you dont charge... haa!

bongkerz - ssshhhhhh.... dont tell my boss, and i wont tell yours!

SuLee - they say no questions are silly questions... same goes to comments.

Tunku Halim said...

Zewt - congratulations! Blogging is difficult enough without having someone (is it Tony Blair?) looking over your shoulder!

Anonymous said...

Behind my red devil shirt......It says "Air Asia"......... =_="



Zewt reads my blog

BaitiBadarudin said...

wow, nice new look; n hey, keep on blogging, if that's what you enjoy doing, n look at the growing fan base, mah.
but pls no thinking award for me when it comes to blogging, cos that's when i un-think, hv a grt week-ened!

Lil Daydreamer~ Make The Impossible Possible said...

I really admire you too zewt,although my blogs also almost 1 years but i don't blog everyday..Unlike you guy's who so good in words and cracking up stuff, my blogs somekind like my diary, nothing special..sigh..But i same like you, like to read people blogs, thats how i know about your blog too!! So congrats on being awarded!!!

gRaCe said...

Zewt,
he certainly has..hahah..what a surprise. if u were to hop on over to his blog..u'll notice tht he called me a 38 poh sumwhere. lolzz..

Kenny Mah said...

Heya, bro. Weekend's been great so far, girls made me watch two chick flicks di and I survived! (Actually I think I liked one of them more than the girls, hahaha...)

See, with all this support, it's easy to continue blogging. Well, maybe not easy, but definitely worth it, yes? ;)

Wickedsa said...

continue continue!!!
this is what makes the blogsphere going stronger...
GO GO GO!!!

Pumpkin said...

Kudos to Zewt. I've been infected too. You would be rich if you had a scheme like Amway haha

Anonymous said...

you should award me zewt, the reasons are no.1 I am a thinking person, no.2 you should encourage younger pupils like me to think more, no.3 I hav just blogged you. =_="

**************Jz***************** said...

zewt y no entries one this 2 days haha

**************Jz***************** said...

omg zewt i saw ur birds flying finally....hawk or wud...hahhh

hcfoo said...

I enjoy reading your blog. Keep up the good work!

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

hi zewt,

nice... your new-look blog.
anyway, just so you know that i wanted to tag you for the thinking blogger award but didnt because i distinctly remember you said you were not too keen in being tagged after I tagged you for the 6 weird things.
Oh man.... shouldve just tagged u anyway!
anyway, congrats, zewt. you know i like your blog.

CharlemÂgne® said...

Hi Zewt,

Wow...Nuraina A samad drop by as well!! Congrats!!=)

Anyway, just wanna let u know - i like the topics which u tackle in ur blog..very critical and not everyone will write about it.
Always a refreshing entry.

So, you gotta keep it going!

zewt said...

Tunku Halim - Hi Tunku... yeah, it's Blair... looking over my shoulder... honestly... rather have him looking over my shoulder than... you know...

Andrew Ho - Yes I do... and whole lot of other blogs too! still thinking if i should award anyone... :)

QueenB - thanks! I will certainly keep going and hope you had a good weekend.

fiona the confusing girl - well, i do try to blog everyday except for weekend but it's not easy... can be quite tiring. yeah, reading blogs can be really interesting... you sort of get to know a lot of ppl suffering from all sorts of things... make you think about life.

grace - hahahaha... 38! why la? haha... you 2 ah...

Kenny Mah - wow, you've got girls 'making' u watch chick flicks? not bad eh? hahaha!!! yup... definitely worth it... every bit of it.

baby sa - yes yes yes! let's keep the blogosphere alive and kicking together.

Pumpkin - my guess would be you've been infected by cirnelle? hahaha... so you're like my second downline eh?

jaezrel - finally see the birds eh? cool eh? weekends i dont blog la... aiyah....

hcfoo - thanks... i certainly will...

Nuraina - Hey there... yeah, the new look is quite nice but i still prefer a dark background. am looking to change once i find one. hahah... well, people can continue to tag me... i just might not do the tag in return :) .... yes, i will keep going...

Jermayne - Yes, she does. used to get quite a number of comments from her but i think she has become a silent reader. she is a busy person anyway, so it's understandable.

as for topics i tackle... i think most ppl realised it... just that i take time to put them down in words, no?

ManaL said...

A toast for the increasingly popular blogger: Zewt!

Ni kira isu global la this blogging habit....damn, as if it wasnt.

No pressure ok, just keep on blogging at your own sweet time.

gRaCe said...

Zewt,
Hahah..called me 38 cuz i sms him to say that u link to his friendster blog..lolzz..! but then again, tht's why i love him so much..we can bicker and at the same time, talk about everything under the sun. =)

Anonymous said...

Hey zewt,I'm another one of ur second downline I guess...thanks to cibol.Hehe.

I especially like u taking time to reply to each comment...That's very sincere- it's not easy when u have this much comment.

Keep up with the posts.

=) mar

zewt said...

Manal - hey... where have you been? thanks for your support... and mana dad popular ni... ada orang kata saya boring tau.

Grace - that's good. i never have a close cousin... it's good to see close family ties...

mar - hello mar, welcome to my blog. oh... i didnt know the blogging bug can be so infectious... well, i always say, things are so virtual already. taking time to reply is the only human touch i can apply here... hope to see ya around.

Pumpkin said...

Just remember that I gave you your 1st experience in ISO9001!

Observer said...

Yeah... quite an addictive hobby.. hahhaa

zewt said...

pumpkin - woooah... my long lost senior!

freethinker - hey there, welcome here. yeah... tell me about it.