08 April 2007

New Paper Articles On Not-so-young Bloggers

Early this week, I received an sms from Chun See. He said that Mr Ho Lian-Yi, a reporter from the New Paper had interviewed him earlier and he would like to interview me as well. Chun See asked if he could give my hp number to Mr Ho. I replied the sms half an hour later saying, "May I have his hp number instead?" Chun See responded almost immediately, "Since no reply, I gave him your hp no. already." Oh my, that was the first time someone considered my half-hour sms response time as "no reply".

So thanks to Chun See, an article about my blog appeared in the New Paper today. Mr Ho is of small build and looked like he's in his 20s. He came to my office's cafeteria with photographer Mr Mohd Ishak who brandished a very professional-looking Canon EOS-1 Mark 2 digital SLR which cost several thousand dollars. He took a few dozen photos of me posing 'facelessly'. The two powerful flashes alerted one of the security staff who came and investigate what was happening.

Reproduced below (portion in blue) is the article here for all who care to read but especially for my good friend and colleague Chris who'd rather save 80 cents on the price of the tabloid. He just refused to buy the paper even though I told him that our mutual friend Chun See was also featured. I don't know why Chris is still my good friend. Maybe next time I'll just call him "my colleague".

'Old dogs' can do good blogs

Mr Victor Koo, 51, owner of
victorkoo.blogspot.com, in which he writes about everything under the sun

He wanted to show that "every old dog could do a good blog".

So when IT consultant Victor Koo's younger colleague threw down the gauntlet two years ago, he promptly picked it up and started up his blog Taking Up The Challenge (victorkoo.blogspot.com).

Light-hearted and jokey, Mr Koo writes about everything under the sun.

One funny post about "
Chingrish" (his word for Singlish) involved having his readers guessing an object based on a poorly-written label - and he even created funny awards for the contestants, including a "Booby Award".

"There's a joy in blogging - you have to be in it to realise it," he said.

"I'm my own writer, my own publisher, I don't need permission from anybody. There is no need to censor myself - within reasonable limits," he added.

Almost too much joy sometimes. His wife, a civil servant, is not in favour of his hobby because he spends too much time on the PC.

She prefers him to coach their two sons in schoolwork instead.

"So I have to show some self-restraint sometimes, kek-kek (pretend) go and do some coaching," he joked.

However, Mr Koo also values his privacy. So he refuses to put any clear images of himself on his blog, relying instead on the relative anonymity of his name. Which is also why he declined to show his face for this report.


"You have less inhibitions to say what you want," he said. Once you identify yourself, you have restrictions. Your relatives will know. Your friends will know. You become more guarded."

His is in contrast to former chief executive officer of insurance giant NTUC Income Mr Tan Kin Lian's blog,
tankinlian.blogspot.com.

The 59-year-old has been blogging since 2005 and has gained a sizeable following for his blog as he dispenses his views on financial matters and insurance, and the occasional tidbits about his personal life.

"Many people write to me for advice. I also wanted to give my views on social issues, so that more people can learn to live a better life in Singapore," he said.


Gee, thanks for comparing me to a former CEO who is still a household name, Mr Ho. Why is it that suddenly, I feel not only faceless (in every sense of the word) but also so small?

For the benefit my colleague Chris, here is the part where Chun See mentioned his (Chris') blog:

But hanging with the younger folk online isn't always easy. One of the blogs he frequently reads simshaddy.blogspot.com, often ends each post with the letters LOL.

For a long time, that confused him.

"I didn't know what was LOL. I thought LOL meant 'lots of love'," he said.


Now wouldn't you LOL or even ROTFLOL (roll on the floor laughing out loud) at that?

ROTFLOL

44 comments:

Chris Sim said...

Another 2-minute fame arh? You not sian meh? LOL.

What? For a mere 80 cents and you no longer consider me a good friend but a colleague? How cheapo can you get? tsk..tsk..tsk..

Gee, I juz noticed .... not only do you have funny-looking feet here and here, you have funny-looking hands, too... ROTFLVVVL.

Unknown said...

Nice little spot of the limelight there for you Victor, though of course I understand perfectly why you prefer your anonymity. Even though I have been doing it for close to a decade, I still feel something inside me whenever a member of the press calls me for an interview or shows interest in doing a story.

As Chun See has alluded to, yes, it is time for the yesterday.sg to rise to the occasion once again.

Anonymous said...

Chris, I've bought the paper. Can pass to you, say, at 40sen.

Victor said...

Chris, that adjective 'cheapo' should be more appropriately used on you, shouldn't it? Can't even bear to part with 80 cents for a friend (in fact 2 friends). Now Alex have offered yesterday's 2nd hand New Paper to you for 40 cents. Still sim tia (heartache) ah? Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Anonymous said...

GD u never tell mi got this newspaper! Today still can buy or not?!

btw hor, Uncle Lam wrote about LOL in his FIRST blog entry!

u guys are getting famous arent you? hehehehehehe

Victor said...

Walter - Frankly, I was quite unwilling to be interviewed by the media (as always). If Chun See had not 'forced' me into it, that is. Now I don't know if I have revealed too much of my family and personal life.

As for yesterday.sg, FOYers can continue with their quiet diplomacy.

Victor said...

Alex G - You just have to rub it in, don't you?

Anonymous said...

eh i mean u never tell mi you're on newspaper =x

Victor said...

Etel - I undercut Alex by selling you yesterday's New Paper for 20 cents, you want?

Chun See used LOL in his first entry? He probably meant it as "lots of love" then.

Not everyone wants fame hor.

Anonymous said...

Getting famous might not be a good thing afterall, now that the blogosphere became damn ugly, you cant expect everyone who reads your blog to love you. As one gets famous, there will be haters around. Been there done that, thats why my blog now not much readers hehehe

But I've seen how your blog grows, too. STill remember in the past you complain about no one reading hehehe.. now you update more frequently too, which is good for me coz i get to read more. :p

20cents? dont want. maybe I go search new paper website, better, no need money. =x

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

eh pls delete my previous post,

its here.

Victor said...

Etel - I completely agree with you that getting famous may not be a good thing after all. Which is why I said that I was reluctant to be interviewed by the press. There are even other after-effects which you don't see. As for haters, I have already met some.

Victor said...

Etel said: eh i mean u never tell mi you're on newspaper =x

I afraid other people accuse me of shameless advertising mah, hehe.

Lam Chun See said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lam Chun See said...

Chris, indeed you are cheapo. 40 sen is only 17.2 Spore cts or 8.6 cts per friend. LOL.

Anonymous said...

Coaching yours sons about blogging too? Buahahaha...

Anonymous said...

next time got this kind of reports, must sms me so that i can buy, keep and frame up!

Chris Sim said...

Alex:
40cents? You're more cheapo then Victor.

Victor:
Great minds think alike. I was about to suggest to you to use that funny-looking pair of hands as your Avatar. Really! It's as if you could read my mind. But it looks kinda .... eerie...gives me the creep.... really!

Anonymous said...

Chris, wait 2 more days (for the paper to get even more outdated), and I can cut out the article, of both your friends, and file them up, pass to you.

FOC. How's that for a friend? :-P

Vic: I can help you take some nice portraits, if I happen to bring my cam to (outside) your office.

Victor said...

Tigerfish - No lah, coaching my younger son about schoolwork, not blogging. My elder son (whom I'd rather call the young man)is too old to be coached. Both my sons are not interested in blogging. To them, it's like composition homework. Ironic, right? Or is it natural?

Victor said...

Chun See - If Chris paid 17.2 cents, he would need to pay with a 20-cent coin. A cheapo like him would ask for the change of 2.8 cents back. How to give him change like that?

Victor said...

Etel - I still got Sunday's New Paper. You want? Framing charges not included hor.

Victor said...

Chris & Alex - I found out that it was fortunate that I chose to face the camera that way. Otherwise I would probably be dead now. Okay, I think I should stop here since it's Qing Ming.

So no thanks to Alex for your offer to bring your "professional-looking" camera to office to take a portrait of me.

Oh BTW, please note that because Chun See's article and mine are printed back-to-back, you'll need 2 copies of the Sunday's New Paper if you want to frame both articles side by side.

Shilpa said...

I'm not saying you old lah, but then recently I found one blog called laozhabor.blogspot.com, the auntie very cute leh! I enjoy reading her blog and admire her for learning to blog at her age! :)

Chris Sim said...

Yeah Alex, I want BOTH of Victor's and Chun See's framed. Hear that? Prove to me you're NOT all cheap talk. Make me eat my word. That would be nice for a friend, wouldn't it? And can you pse stop harassing Victor, offering your amateurish service? A face like his needs a professional photographer, ok? Not some half-cooked ones we get from the backlane of Chinatown. ROTFL.

BTW Victor, I dun recall saying that I wouldn't blow the 80 cents to read all about your glory. I MERELY suggested "would you care enough to upload that article to your blog". And you said yes. I didn't threaten you, nor coax you to do so. You WERE the one who presume that I wouldn't want to spend my money on the paper to read about you. MAN OF PRESUMPTION, as always.

Shilpa: Victor is old lah. Any wonder why he's camera shy? Let's call a spade a spade. LOL.

Victor said...

Shilpa - Oh yes, laozhabor was featured in the New Paper on the same day as well. (It is the 2nd article in the link. And if you know Chun See of goodmorningyesterday fame, he is featured in the 3rd article.)

Victor said...

Chris - I don't blame you for having a not-so-good memory at 42 going on 24. To refresh your memory, you asked, "Is it worth spending 80 cents on?"

And I just checked with you this morning - indeed you didn't buy a copy and had to borrow mine to read.

Now who is the cheapo and has a really poor memory? I rest my case.

Anonymous said...

eh i tot i left the url here? how come its not here? u deleted it?

Lam Chun See said...

>> Prove to me you're NOT all cheap talk. Make me eat my word. >>

I don't know who is cheapo. All I know is I very envious of all the pay rises I see in the news. So when you gonna eat your words and buy me another lunch? This time better not be at Gillman Village OK.

Anonymous said...

The mighty palm, beware...I was thinking of 降龍十八掌. Hahahaha...

Victor said...

Etel - Are you referring to the deleted comment #11 above. You asked me to delete one what (see #12 dated 9 Apr).

So many comments for this post that you cannot find, is it? Hahaha.

Victor said...

Chun See said: "buy me another lunch?

Chun See, you should not push your luck too far with Chris. He got temper one and will not hesitate to use the A** word on people. Dunch say I neber warn you hor.

You think every CS get 3 million a year ah? Aiyah, I would be very happy if the working class like Chris and I get 3% pay rise (which is not enough to buy you another lunch). Oops... sorry for mentioning it again hor.

LOL.

Victor said...

Fr - Alamak, I thought my pose looks like tai chi?

Anonymous said...

This is funny. I can easily scan the New Paper pages, and print the back-to-back pages as single-sided. Doesn't take an IT consultant to realise that.

Or maybe I can put up a link for the cheapos (read: Chris) to download the soft-copy articles, in nice, tidy, clean PDF format. But than again, TNP will come after me! I love myself enough not to get into this kinda trouble!

Victor said...

Alex - No big deal lah. A self-proclaimed IT dinosaur has already done what you have described (i.e. scanning) here.

If you find that the photo on his post is too small for you to read the words, just click on the photo and voila, a blown-up version is loaded. But an engineer does not need an IT consultant to tell him that, does he?

Chris Sim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris Sim said...

Alex:

I love myself enough not to get into this kinda trouble!

Great! Juz what we need. Another narcissist who's in luv with himself. Do you kiss yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning?

LOL.

Chris Sim said...

Chun See:
Not say I want to say one. A towkay like yourself should buy us working class pple lunch instead wat. You think all CS pay increment 33% arh ? Speaking of CS, aren't your wife a teacher? Ask her to buy you lunch lah. And buy Vic and I, too cos we have reasons to believe that she gets bigger increment than vic and I combined together! Besides, expect some advertisers to come knocking at your door, I mean blog. You're now a celeb blogger wat. Victor a bit hard lah. Who wants to advertise in a blog without a face but funny-looking hands?
LOL.

oceanskies79 said...

Victor, gosh, I feel old, I don't know that ROTFLOL means roll on the floor laughing out loud

Victor said...

Hey PY, then you should hang around people (their blogs I mean) like Chris more often. Not that Chris is young, mind you - he's much, much older than you. But at 42 going on 24, he uses such terms quite freely.

Chris Sim said...

Goodness sake victor. I was already using the internet in the early 80s, and back then, terms like LOL and ROTFL were already in fashion. So, you can say that I practically grew up using internet lingo before you did. But some guys who are 51 going on 15... oops should be 52 going on 25 can't help but try to be hip with the use of all these lingo. Is it that difficult to act your age arh? LOL.

Anonymous said...

i left the url to the article here.. but i canot find it ley! 42 comments omg!

Victor said...

Etel, the URL is still here. And for those who would rather do a cut-and-paste, it is:

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,127071,00.html