The Pakistani Spectator

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

my life is on http://fishballnugget.wordpress.com/. i’m basically a typical teen, living in Singapore. the average under-performing student, struggling with family, friendships, and the concept of love and life. my journal is honest, frank, and i think it gets in your face sometimes. the point of my blog is not to help people see that the world isn’t a bad place, it’s not to compliment them, it’s not to make them feel good. my intentions are far less noble, because the only reason why i blog is because it’s an amazing outlet.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

like i said, it is but a place of expression, where i vent, where i look for comfort in words. i think growing as a writer comes naturally with time and practice. there isn’t a need to focus so much on ‘growth’ in an effort to try and impress respective readers. i think blogging is more for the writer than anybody else, seeing there’s no one else who can relate to your experiences and feelings only the way the blogger can.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

blogging about my political outlook on a democratic government, and other things like that has brought about a few readers who leave comments laced with pure malice and contempt. which surprised me, seeing how most of them are lobbying for free speech.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

leaving comments, replying comments, reading comments. if someone comes up to you and says “hey i read your blog, i think it’s awesome!”, it really never fails to leave you happy. it’s nice to be commended, even for things you don’t expect people to notice.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

online news, and other means of media on the net. it’s amazing how governments and other corporations use this tool to enhance the availability of the latest information. updates are easily made, and the speed at which news travels via the net is astounding.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

in some ways, yes. things like public interest forums, chatrooms and such give net-surfers a way to communicate, the leeway to agree and disagree with opinions coming from someone from a different background, a different place, a different world. it’s great when you mix with people outside of your spectrum and manage to get along.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

nothing specific, i’d say. i don’t think i’m very special, or have led a very interesting life. i write because i love it, and maybe in a sense, it’s what makes a difference. i blog for me, not for whoever reads my posts.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

determination. some call it -headedness.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

i can’t pick any single happiest moment, cos every time someone gets happy, it seems like the best feeling in the world at the time, because you’re enjoying the moment. the gloomiest? probably when i was being all angsty and typical, doing booze and drugs and all that jazz. well, when i thought no one loved me.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

i’ve been to some places on my list. cambodia, egypt, and the set of anna and the king in ipoh. the next three would probably be greece, vegas and venice.

What is your favorite book and why?

it’s hard to pick. possibly a cross between the five people you meet in heaven by mitch albom, and angels and demons by dan brown. and the curious incident of the dig at midnight. and memoirs of a geisha. and wild swans. and all of enid blyton’s books with elves and fairies in them. oh and i like biographies. and chick-lit. and chicken soup for the soul. and other random things like that. it’s REALLY hard to pick.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

their confidence. it’s very, very attractive.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

yeah. some of them are still around.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

though advertisements, i suppose. if you’re really popular as a entertaining blogger, i guess they’ll pay you to stick a button that links to their business website or whatever.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

i honestly wouldn’t know.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

promote love, peace and weed. don’t you think the world would be so much friendlier if everyone was stoned all the time? but then we might have to go back to the barter trading system again, since we’ll be too smashed to work.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

mm.. blogroll.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

probably the post about sarong party girls in singapore, or the post about gopalan pallichadath nair. one about society and it’s stereotypes, another one is about a really screwed up “political activist”.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

like the rest of the world and the people living in it? regardless of how developed the country is, no matter how pretty people are, everything is basically the same everywhere. countries’ governments are riddled with the same old problems, and people are trying to equate questions to answers that don’t exist.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

not particularly. but i do enjoy reading some blogs more than most. still, every writer has their moments, i think.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

probably the level of poverty, which ties in with corruption, which links to the government, which affect the citizens, the condition of living and the education system. i can’t exactly put my finger on it, but it one of those circumstances in which a whole lot of things strike you at once.

What is the future of blogging?

it’s been ongoing for many years, which makes me think it’s not a fad. hopefully, those with a voice will step up, use blogging as a tool, and affect the rest of the world positively.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

it doesn’t affect me, seeing i have not much of either. eight hours in a classroom four days for a week tends to that that to a person.

What are your future plans?

i don’t know yet. i don’t ever plan and am every success-guru’s worst nightmare. i live everyday like it’s my last.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

i like you a lot. uhm.. read my blog?

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