A status update on blogging

Image via Kapersky Friends and Fan Club

I still remember being in secondary school when I first heard about the word, “blog”. From what I could tell, it grew into a buzzword among my classmates. During social gatherings of any kind, one would be sure to pop the inevitable question to an unsuspecting party: “So…you got a blog?”

Creating a blog and contributing comments on discussions became the norm, and these were even at one point part of my school assignments at times. Adding links to the blogs of your peers in the sidebar was regarded highly as well-the more links one added and shared, the more “connected” one was perceived to be. Let’s not forget having shoutboxes as well – so that the whole world knows your blog is actually active. In reality, keeping tabs on blogs then was such a tedious affair, which required constant checking and pestering blog authors to update. Nowadays, a simple tweet within 140 characters is all that is needed to tell others about what you’re thinking, doing, etc.  People don’t really have to write so much anymore, but rather restrict their posts or comments to just a word or a few sentences.

Image via nazareneblogs.org 

Whatever happened to their blogs, you ask? Some have been either deleted, while others have been permanently left in stasis for an undetermined period of time. A few blogs changed to other hosting service, where after the initial fury of posts, end up in the “deleted or left in a coma” category.

Perhaps it’s in the initial stages of blogging that bloggers possibly end up overdoing the act of blogging. Forcing a blog post every single day would wind up looking like a chore. Imagine if every daily blog post consisted of nothing but the same hum-drum activity or thoughts. Not only would readers get turned off, I’m pretty sure the blogger himself would end up feeling how boring everything is.

Image via valeriemorrison.net

Blogging also takes time, lots of time. Maybe this is why people have grown increasingly accustomed to newer social media tools which allow them to update their followers on Twitter or friends on Facebook instantly, with the touch of a button. It’s fast, extremely easy to setup within seconds, and after you’re done, the apps will do the work for you automatically. For example, instead of typing words, they can just tap the foursquare application on their smartphones to let their friends know where they are.  Linking this to their Twitter accounts and Facebook, they are all set to start spamming each others’ status walls with updates left, right and center.

Image via mylot

Hmm, maybe I’ve got this whole thing all wrong. Blogging isn’t really dead. Maybe it’s just that people have moved on from the inane task of sitting infront a computer, typing stuff and publishing posts. Maybe it’s just that people have advanced the notion of blogging to 3 main platforms: mainly short form on microblogging services, medium form on mesoblogging services, and long form on macroblogging services. Maybe it’s just that we are still communicating information to one another, except that the info comes to you in hyperlinks, twitpics and as a wall post or two on Facebook.

I just miss the good ol’ days of blogging.

YOG draws to a close.

Image source: Singapore YOG Flickr group

Amidst criticisms and complaints, the first ever Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore has drawn to a close. The young athletes from Team Singapore have shown that they are indeed capable of holding their own on a competitive global stage. With the right grooming and ample opportunities, I'm certain that they'll go far and carve even more achievements for themselves.

Image source: Channel News Asia

Of all the snippets and coverage of the games, I  greatly enjoyed the soccer matches which the Young Cubs competed in with gusto. While the players definitely deserved that place in the final match against Bolivia, their determination, hard work, and teamwork saw them through to winning their bronze medal match against Montenegro. The roar of the supporters and the level of energy in the stadium was something I had never witnessed in a long time, bringing back memories of when Singapore played in the Malaysia Cup many years ago to packed stands.

Image source: www.singapore2010.sg

On a side note, if you've always wondered who were the ones donning the Lyo and Merly mascot costumes, click here.

Timetable's out

Guess I'll be stuck with a 5 day school week.
Bummer.

On the bright side, I won't need to wake up early in the morning for classes.

Wait a minute.

It'll take me an hour and a half to even reach school in the first place!

Aw crud.
Back to square one.

Twitter widget!

I finally got around to getting a twitter widget for this blog. The problematic part was actually finding one that worked. As for my twitter feed, I can't guarantee any exciting updates (because "exciting" would mean that I actually get out of the house, and go places, and find stuff to tweet/blog about).

Yeah, I know. I'm trying hard to unlearn laziness, whatever that means.

On a side note, my phone seems to intermittently flash the "Please Insert SIM Card" message. Oh wait, was the word "Please" actually in it? I wonder if technology can ever be more..pleasant.

Oops! (random stream of thought)

You may now return to whatever it is that you were doing.