Last Tuesday, this blog was featured, together with others, in an article in the Chinese daily, Lianhe Zaobao. The article was titled 阿公讲古也 e了or Even Grandfather Stories Are Told the ‘e’ Way.Thanks to my friend Victor who has painstakingly put up all the relevant links, those of you who missed the article by the reporter who called himself ‘Wei’, can read it here. Victor’s blog was also featured in the article.
Actually, this is not the first time that I have been interviewed by a Zaobao reporter. In December last year, a female reporter spoke to me over the phone. Unlike Wei, who is Singaporean, and spoke excellent English, she spoke only Mandarin and sounded like a Chinese national. I offered to put down in writing the reasons why I started Good Morning Yesterday and email it to her. However, after reading my essay, she said she did not want to use it at that point in time. In order not to waste the essay, I posted it on this blog on New Year’s Eve under the title Why I Started Good Morning Yesterday (see links section on right).
Thanks to this blog, I have been interviewed or reported on more times by reporters over the past year than I have in the previous 54 years (which was zero times). First there was TODAY reporter, Juliana June Rasul who has written twice about this blog. I was also interviewed live on the Morning Breakfast Show on News Radio 938. As for the Straits Times, I have been interviewed twice by them. The first time was by Sandra Leong. But in her article which appeared in the Straits Times Life Section on July 30, there was only 1 line about me and my blog, which was not a bad thing because her article was highly critical of bloggers. Then in September, I was again interviewed by Serene Luo of Digital Life, who wanted my views of how IT has affected our way of life over the past 25 years. I have yet to see the article. I guess she must have decided not to use my inputs.
On the whole, I think I liked most to work with Ms Juliana of Today. Not only does she email me in advance to let me know when the article would be appearing, she even took the trouble to send me the PDF copy of the article.
But the article that made me feel the proudest was the famous Mr Miyagi’s article of November, 30, 2005 in TODAY, when he recommended this blog to readers of his weekly column Chip of the Old Blog. You can read his article here.
Incidentally, I will be collaborating with Ivan Chew, the Rambling Librarian, to give a talk to senior citizens at the Queenstown Library on 25th of this month. This is part of NLB’s activities for Senior Citizens’ Week. If you know any senior who is not familiar with blogging, please ask him to come for our talk.
Blogging for Senior Citizens
Date/Time : 25 November 2006 , 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm
Venue : Queenstown Community Library - Programme Zone
Admission : Free admission
16 comments:
Years ago when I was with the civil service there were many Ang Mo, comprised mainly foreign servicemen & their families, staying a stone-throw away from our operations area, kicking up a fast-one on mosquito menace affecting their residences. Some of them even reported to the police. They complained that our operations area was the culprit responsible for the outbreak. A reporter from one main English Newspaper seemed to make a mountain out of this mole-hill issue, calling me incessantly to press for a comment, which I refused to give. I referred him to my boss. I always believe newspapers give top priority to sensational news even if it is just 'mosquito'.
Chun See, I can see that fame came fast and furious for you. It's definitely not by chance but by passion and good contents, i.e. nothing on sex. You forgot to mention that there were one or two assignments that you had to turn down because of the lack of time.
Zen, so you were in vector control of the Ministry of Environment? Are you implying that Chun See's blog is "just mosquito"?
Glad that Victor and yourself were featured in that story. Yours were the first names and blogs I could remember when I was interviewed by that ZB NOW! chap.. ;-)
Thanks Walter.
Actually I forgot to mention 1 other interview last year. In fact it was my first interview and it was with a lady reporter from U Zhou Kang (U-Weekly). I never saw this magazine before and so did not know when or where to buy it. In the end, I never got to read the article.
Aiyah, U Zhou Kang is so common, you can get it from anywhere. Any place that sells magazines will have it - 7-Eleven, your friendly neighbourhood mama stall and even the roadside newspaper man will have it. $2 a copy but must buy the correct language one - there are Chinese and English versions.
Good job Chun See, sorry I was a little distracted by the din made by the many trumpets I heard. :P
But hey, your blog kinda bridge the gap for the young and the old, as far as nostalgia is concerned.
Maybe you'd get a medal from PM Lee during his next National Day Rally hor?
Juz horsing around, as usual. Hahaha...
Great to hear this!
Congratulations are in order!
Well done and keep this up!
I wished I could be there to listen to your talk! :)
Victor - Chun See blog may be viewed by many as 'mosquito' but it is value-added, that I am quite sure.
oh my gosh, dont know if you will see this comment hehe.. but i will be there! see u uncle lam!
Elaine, Uncle Lam's talk is meant for senior citizens. You sure prepare well in advance. Besides, I believe you are a veteran when it comes to blogging.
Maybe she just wants to get an autograph. Anyway, if I run into difficulty, I can always call on her.
If the jumping grandpas, meaning the rolling stones, are making a world tour which is able to draw in young people, and making money at the same time, Chun See can make it.
Or maybe she just wanted to see for herself if Chun See in person really looked as young as the one in the photo of the 31 Oct Zaobao article in which he had jet black hair.
I think Zen's comparison of my talk with Rolling Stones is flattering but not accurate. My talk is to encourage the seniors (I better stop using 'laodie' - sounds like 'old die' - to overcome the challenge of starting a blog and to use it as a medium to share their stories with the young.
One must rub in some salt to a piece of old meat to make it tasty.
Apart from blogging, another healthy activity for senior citizens is to join toastmasters' clubs. There are about 180 toastmasters' clubs throughout Singapore, and over 4,000 clubs throughout the world, with its headquarters in USA.
I have enjoyed our Dennis Wee Group Toastmasters' club for the 22 months. Would recommend to anyone who wishes to learn to speak well on stage, and to be a generally good speaker.
Cheers!
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