Saturday 15 November 2008

Confessions of a Mak Cik Blogger


What was life like before blogging? I think, it was much easier…you do simple things like peeling a plantain to fry for afternoon tea or take a walk in the park, without having to think that this is a possible entry for today’s blog. You plunge into your plate of mee goreng or attack the sambal ketam without having to take photographs first to grace your entry.

Children get most annoyed and frustrated with a mother lagging behind taking photographs of anything and everything. Most of all they are afraid that they will be the subject of the next entry. One sayang mama threw me dagger looks when some one he had never met before said to him, “So, you are Batman!”

It was the full moon just the other night and I immediately thought of a blogger friend who is moon-mad (lunar lunacy?) and instructed my son to take a shot of it. What for, he asked. Errr, for my album, I lied.

My email box is full of mails from friends I have never met than from friends I have known all my life. Have my friends all deserted me? No, they said. They read my blog to know what’s happening in my life.

Just a few days ago, my husband asked me whether the Sang Kelembai was male or female. And my immediate answer was, he is a male blogger, which sort of provoked laughter from all in the car. What the other half wanted to know was what sort of animal was a kelembai. Duh!!!!

This came right after a phone call I received from Malaysia. The person wanted to talk to Kak Teh and cheerfully, I answered yes, as I thought the caller must be a sibling or a cousin. But no, the caller was from a big corporation who wanted to invite me to a launch of something big in the city soon. At conferences and seminars, I am Kak Teh. And so I thought, whatever happened to my name, my real name. Does it not exist anymore?

The same happened when we went back to Malaysia, I was answering calls for Kak Teh, from the MB’s office, from some dato’s and even someone who prayed beside me in the Bangsar Village surau. I met someone at Tesco, someone who had just arrived from Malaysia and after the initial salam, he said, Are you Kak Teh? Yes, I said and to which he replied, Aaaah, so now I have met two people I wanted to meet when I come to London; Thaksin and Kak Teh. Thaksin he met somewhere in Oxford street, I think and Kak Teh in Tesco, Queensway.

When I started blogging about four years ago, I think, I did it because I was suffering from a severe bout of jetlag. And if I am brave enough to admit, I did it because I was at a crossroads in my life when I had stopped writing my column to start life as a student. As a student, I was struggling to write academic essays and not coping with it too well. I am much better writing trivial stuffs than expounding theories that I don’t even understand. And blogging saved my sanity.

With blogging I found a community of friends, faceless and nameless and soon became comfortable with a few likeminded ones, with the same wavelength and interests. I have met some of them and truly treasure their friendship and camaraderie. Trips back home now are never complete without the bloggers meet.

And now I remember my first Mak Cik Bloggers’ meet with fondness – we met and laughed and reminisced about our initial ‘meetings’ online.

Those days, I’d open the ‘window’ to find cyber friends already waiting. I used to grapple with online chats – not knowing who was saying what to whom. And once I got used to it, there went the food on the stove. On more than one occasion, something got burnt because I was checking the blog. Children had to make do with hastily put together dinner and cats had to wait.

Admissions about blogging while still in the telekung while waiting for the next prayer time were met with uneasy mumurs of the same nature. News about new and interesting blogs spread like wildfire in blogosphere. Who wrote what where. Updating became a hassle – what to blog next?

We rejoice and celebrate each others’ fine moments and commiserate and share the misfortune of others. I personally have learnt a lot from bloghopping; some inspiring experiences, some humbling ones and many precious tips from the kitchen to the garden.

Dialogues and conversations were memorised, precious moments, sad and funny were imbedded in the mind for future reference and loads of pictures taken.

But as the novelty dies down somewhat, I personally find that I have found a comfortable level of blogging that didn’t require me to check my comment box every few hours or think about updating too often, nor worry about who is reading it.

Lately, I am buoyed up by the discovery of some old friends and some new ones. Very interesting and very thought provoking, yet entertaining reads. With this I would like to officially welcome Puteri Kamaliah as a Mak Cik Blogger. Puteri and I worked for the same company some years ago and we never exchanged more than ten words, if I remember correctly. She came to London when I was back there and when I came here, she had gone back. I am so glad to have found her again in blogosphere and I would like to wish her and Pak ABu the very best on their Journey.

PS This poster by a blogger friend Adiejin depicting Mak Cik Bloggers never failed to cheer me up on the gloomiest day, such as today. He used to have us rolling on the floor clutching our stomach with his tales of Mak Cik Bloggers. Thanks Adiejin.





More on Mak Cik Bloggers and blogging:
Mak Cik Bloggers Boleh
Mak Cik Superblur at Work

pps. The 'I'm a Mak Cik Blogger' mousepad was made for me by my son, Taufiq. Any blogger who feels she is a Mak Cik Blogger, feel free to use it.
Kak Teh




82 comments:

pugly said...

Salam, Kak Teh. Have been a silent reader of yours for ages.

Siapa tak kenal Kak Teh, the ultimate Celeb Blogger in Malaysian blogosphere. Your entries have always been entertaining; matter-of-factly, but very well-written indeed.

Blogging does indeed provide an avenue in making new friends & meeting new people. Like you, I've made some good friends via blogosphere, too. Siapa kata relationships forged through the Net can't be relied upon, kan Kak Teh? :-)

Keep churning out those entertaining reads, Kak Teh, & we'll keep on reading.

Kama At-Tarawis said...

Kak Teh - thank you from the bottom of my heart for the official welcome. I didn't know there is a ritual to this Makcik Blogger thingy! Like pugly said up there, I too hv made 'cyberfriends', largely thanks to your sentraal. MAKCIK BLOGGER BOLEH!

simah said...

kak teh..

u r one of the best makvcik bloggers around...so i think i thank Allah for making u take that step towards blogging... ur stories r totallly refreshing! kalau ada voting kat blogger ni..u will be sure to be voted the best makcik blogger around! :0)

akak.. nak tanya..si intan aka nazrah dah tak blog dah ker? ker she is undercover now?

Kak Teh said...

Salam Pugly, you read me? Oh dear. I read you too!
Thank you for the kind words. My life is indeed richer as a result of blogging, meeting news friends and interacting with people you'd never dream you'd meet. Oh yes, there are indeed several precious cyberfriends out there.
Thanks for the encouragement..taraf kemerapuan agak tinggi at the moment.

Puteri, mana ada ritual. Nanti ia bgi kat you mousepad tu, u kata u tak mak cik lagi pulak...heheheh! anyway, I am truly happy that we 'meet'again.
Yes, MAK CIK BLOGGER BOLEH!

mamasita said...

Hai Kak Teh,if I ever go to the UK again,apart from meeting up with my son,memang I akan cari you tak kira how thick the snow is!

And should you ever come back for a holiday to Malaysia,please throw a tehtarik gathering for all of us here.I am sure all of us wont mind doing the potluck thing.You dah jadi our leading heroine in the blogosphere..I am sure semua setuju with me!Ok,taknak kacau,nanti kesian your cats tunggu!At least your kids boleh buat maggi!hehehe

Kak Teh said...

Salam simah. Thank you...(macam ambik oscar, pulak!)

Anak you dah sehat? I left you a message. somehow, it is very difficult for me to access your blog.

As for intan - err, taking a break, I think.

pugly said...

Hahaha ... well, that makes us even then. We're both each other's silent readers ;-)

Of course I read you. I mean, who doesn't?

Ezza Aziz said...

kak teh,
nak minta izin ni,saya dah ambik gambar Im a makcik blogger ke blog saya. Jangan marah kak...ampunnnn,ambik dulu sebelum mintak....eer..berita terbaru saya dengar Taksin bercerai dgn isteri dia kat Hongkong yer..

Kak Teh said...

mamasita, Insyaallah ada rezki kita akan berjumpa di tanah malaya. Kak teh akan balik ziarah Mak. Kalau setakat teh tarik tu boleh sangat laaa.!

pugly, now that we've both been outed - let's do it openly! hahaha!

ezza, ambik laaa, bukan kena bayark pun. Tapi ezza ni takkan dah mak cik dah? Its okay, my son designed it for me. Free for all.

Mutiara said...

Zah
Hahaha those days of makcik bloggers. sampai kita ber gurindam dalam blog you hahaha. Mana Puteri masa tu? dia sibuk ber IRC kot (teasing Puteri)

Anonymous said...

Oh I know what it feels like to have friends (in my case, rather than family) come to me and tell me they've been approached by complete strangers in the city and being told they've read about them or seen their latest photos on my blog... It's unnerving to say the least.

But methinks some of them are kinda proud of the fact others tell them they look nice or that they find their exploits funny, so it all works out in the end, haha.

Kak Teh said...

sal, of course i remember that. pagi2 buta dah chat - and for you already malam - jenuh Bill tunggu nak tidork!

Puteri, oh masa tu dia sedang dilanda cinta!

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh,
Unlike you, I don't really like to write and I don't write very well, but still nak blog jugak :-). Thank god for blogsphere, blog hopping now has become one of my fav. past time. It's entertaining, as well as educational. It's like reading other people's personal thought, a look inside some's life.
Funny my husband has never read my blog, and sometimes, after an argument, he'd say "I hope you are not going to write about this in your blog" He he. In general, I try to keep my blog pretty impersonal - you never know who might be reading, that's my philosophy.

I must say I enjoy your blog tremendously, although I don't always leave my footprints :-)

Anonymous said...

Salam,
I love your blog and check it often.

PS. Remember me? Jeek's daughter. I left a comment on your blog around last year asking whether you were Zainah Anwar, LOL.

Have a good weekend.

Anonymous said...

Salam Kak Teh. Confessions from a slow-like-a snail-blogger yg selalu tertinggal train. Was indulging myself in your previous 4/5 entries (plus the comments) and rasa nak pengsan terguling2 ketawa…Ohh Kak Teh, how can I survive my boring and complicated life without your blog and your fan club. Was trying to leave comment for your previous one since yesterday, but blogspot seems to forever hang when I want to make entries. So I finally gave up, hence I merajuk terus pindah rumah..hehe

Anyway, yes, you are the glue that binds us all bloggers together. I think every new visitors from MY lah yg nak head towards London mesti simpan your contact, MY embassy comes 2nd…hahaha

P/s: I really hope this comment can finally manage to go thru blogspot…

*MyAnneJay aka NJ

Kama At-Tarawis said...

Kak Teh, Mutiara - betul tu. Circa 2001 tengah bercinta bagai nak rak dengan Pakcik Abu sampai lupa I ni pun Makcik... perasan nak mampuih.. LOL

Actually I was a 'chat' kaki, blogging ni tak kenal pun until all the political hoo-haas prior to the recent PRU. I entered blogsphere for the first time in April this year. Terkejut berok tengok, MACAM-MACAM ADA!

n.i. said...

kak teh,
i don't know how old u r (immaterial) but i think somewhere my mom's age (kalau tak betul, ya ampuuunnnn!!!)...

my mom has always been a mom... she's a typical housewife... we share the same passion for shopping (who doesn't?), we had fun, we laughed and cried together but it has always been a mom-daughter relationship, never really a friendship... i'd rather bury my head in the soil than to share my peer / work / marital problem (if any)... NEVER! Nonetheless, she's the BEST'est' MOM reagrdless the fact that she may never heard / know what 'blogging' is... :-)

So, reading ur blog has given me a different (and wider) perspective of life... the perspective of a MAKCIK of course... I learned a LOT from you (although i still hv alot to read from ur archives)...

Well, i am a 'makcik' myself... a 30-something makcik... hahaha i have close to a dozen nieces / nephews... and that automatically entails me the title 'makcik' kan? hehhee but i,u and other female bloggers are a bunch of HOT and COOl makciks, right?

ms hart said...

Kak Teh, Kak Teh, Kak Teh....!!!!! Don't know what to say...adoiiii...dok gelaaaaaaak je ni...That's why..tak kenal tak cinta, tak berblogging, memang tak tahu 'ketidakkeruan' hati bloggers!!! oopss..and also hati family bloggers yang nak terkam maQanan, tapi kena tunggu...blogger ambik gambar dulu!!! Adoi!!! Thanks for 'talking' on our behalves, Kak Teh!

kay_leeda said...

Salam Kak Teh,

Indeed it has been a real honour knowing you in this blogsphere. When I first blog hopped to your space, I was kinda shy to leave my trail..iyer lah...siapa lah saya ni, hanya budak baru belajar blogging.

Thanks to you, I was listed in your sentraal and that gave me an injection of confidence to be more productive and creative with my postings, just like you have been doing in yours.

Of course tidak boleh dilupakan saat-saat yang tak mau lelap berpantun & bergurindam. That was really something else, our closeness in the blogspace - blog hopping, stalking etc etc.

Please keep giving us your wonderful ideas creamed with your graceful flair coz Choc-a-Bloc has become really addictive.

So siapa kata relationship tak boleh mekar berblogging kan?

Pi Bani said...

Fuyoh! Kak Teh's popularity sekarang dah setaraf dengan Thaksin eh? :)

Although I've never met you before (but I've seen you on TV), masih boleh menyembang (via blog comments lah) macamkan dah kenal lama - especially when it comes to the 2M... merepek and merapu. I do hope to meet you in person one day (so we can merepek merapu face to face!).

Keep on blogging, makcik blogger!!

Kak Teh said...

kenny, your pictures are so beautiful and your stories - like wow! Sometimes I meet people who quote lines from the blog or episodes. Hmmm must self censor a bit!

farizahb, thanks. i find blogspot to be a good medium to practice writing and on top of that it enables you to interact and bounce ideas off each other. I love the interaction bit - the sharing of experience and ideas.

Kak Teh said...

mohani, of course I remember you! You are Jeek's daughter. The day someone comes to my blog and say, Hi, I am Jeek's granddaughter, my mom is Mohani, then I will have to change the mouse pad to I'm a Tok Cik Blogger! LOL! Salam to your mom.

NJ, its always a pleasure to have you visiting me and also reading you. You have such deep provoking thoughts in your entries. I have not been able to change the address in Sentraal - something wrong with blogspot.

Kak Teh said...

puteri, I really cannot cope with more than two chatters. I get lost. And God help me if I open more than one windows - hehe , pernah dah terjadi, orang tanya lain, jawab lain, meant for another window.
Aaaah, cinta online...The Journey that you are making with Pak Abu will be the highlight of your life together. Semoga mendapat Haji Mabruk.

n.i. I remember the first time someone called me mak cik, rasa ish is it really me that they were refering to? aaah, now tak kisah laaa. Tak boleh live in denial. But life is what you make of it kan?
It is wonderful to read about yr relationship with your mother. I am trying to be more of a friend to my children too.

Kak Teh said...

ms hart, hehe, mama do you have to take pictures of the food? why? hahaha! kesianlaa budak2 ni. But they are into facebook and I think they have their own obsessions.

Kay, thank you, I think it works both ways. I too feel scared and intimidated to comment in some blogs. What if my presence and comments are not welcomed. What if they dont reply and just reply to some bloggers, you do feel slighted. But as with everything, you find your own comfort zone and stick to that. I find exvchanging ideas, be it through bantering, teasing, gurindam ke pantun ke..so very enjoyable. I do look forward to these and thank you for accepting me.

Kak Teh said...

pi bani, you know what? that was what i was thinking...I must meet up with you when I go back next. Insyaallah.

and yes, I read about Thaksin and wife - or ex wife.

Wan Nordin Wan Hussin said...

Kak Teh
What you said rings true. Yesterday, before dinner at Tg. Dawai, I potong stim and had to tell my kids not to eat until all the lauk-pauk telah disaji, and after I've taken the photo of the lauk-pauk yang belum diusik. But with due respect, I won't show them in my blog, takut air-lioq you meleleh tengok ketam orang Utagha (belah-belah Yan/Jerai) masak.

Anonymous said...

Komen Pak Malim, kucing ray yg alim.

Kak Teh,

Walaupun kita tak pernah berjumpa, kata Pak Malim sambil meminum air kelapa, saya dpt merasakan Kak Teh adalah seorang yg mudah mesra dgn orang. (Kata Pak Malim sambil memegang parang). I think U are a nice person, kata Pak Malim yg masuk prison. Your replies and comments often make others feel special, kata Pak Malim yg anti social.

D said...

okay la... i also confess of doing ALMOST all the above (so far nothing got burnt on my stove!)- having the children whine about entries hosting them or mommy's obsession with photo-snapping, checking out entries while in telekung, having a total stranger exclaim "oh, so YOU are D!!" after a brief introduction (but of course moi's not a celebrity like Kak Teh!!ahaks), etc, etc..

and yes too, i've found a comfortable level of blogging, or should I say, I've tailored strategies to MAKE SURE i'm not obsessed with it!

kak teh, makcik or not, your chocs are so heavenly yummy! (i'm sure you wont run out of them)

IBU said...

Kak Teh,

Now that u've mentioned the full moon .... alamak... i'm so lagging behind in uploading our moonlight rendezvouz photo.

The company conference I attended this year has a different twist to it, which makes it more memorable than ever. (Wait till I write about it naaaa.... Tunggu bulan purnama ke berapa tak tau lah). All because of? Blogging.

And Kak Teh vs Thaksin? I vote the former anytime!!! Hahaha....

Argus Lou said...

Kak Teh, mine became a mish-mash of reading, writing, dogs in my life (including the men, you think?), travelling, cooking and baking.

Blogging is a newish casual communication line to the rest of the world. Sometimes it keeps us sane; once in a while it drives us crazy. Yeah, you're right - it's good to feel relaxed about it, after all.

elisataufik said...

I started blogging main-main, pastu then continued blogging to keep in touch.
Tak terkira berapa new friends that I have made from serata ceruk dunia through blogging. Kekadang I think we've become like a support network for women pulak, giving encouragements and assurance when one of us are down in the dumps or just need someone to say "I get you".
Yay to Makcik bloggers!!
Kak Teh, I rasa kalau I ever jumpa you, mesti I rasa nak peluk! (As I would any other bloggers!)(Yang perempuan lah.. yang lelaki, nak mampus?)

Anonymous said...

I do understand what you mean by the censoring "a bit" part --- too much and something is lost, yes?

It's a challenge to juxtapose interesting writing with pictures that tell their own stories... but I guess that is what keeps us blogging! :)

I do love how your stories are so intimate and yet inclusive as well, drawing your readers in as if we are part of the story as well.

That, my dearest Kak Teh, is the mark of a master writer. :)

atiza said...

Kak Teh..I still have the red bus fridge magnet you've brought from Londang.. :)

Makcik or not, I like to read your blogposts..keep on blogging ya?

ZABS said...

Salam Kak Teh,
Mak Cik Blogger sounds cool. But for us, I like U.N.C.L.E. Blogger better..

Kak Teh said...

GUiKP, whenever we eat out and see people taking pix of their food, we know that they are bloggers!

Pak Malim Kucing Ray Yang Alim,
Tak kan lah Pak Malim anti sosial,
pada kak teh pak malim kucing yang special,kata kak teh sambil buat facial.
kak teh ni tak pilih kawan,
siapa yang sudi nak jadi teman,
kak teh terima dengan senyuman,
kata kak teh sambil siram pokok dalam taman.

Kak Teh said...

D, there was a time during my student years - everytime nak pergi ke certain website, selalu tak dapat - rupa-rupanya I letak blogspot to every site yang i nak visit. Tak kah teruk tu?

Ib,nampaknya sampai bulan gerhana tak sampai2 cerita bulan penuh tu! It was wonderful meeting you - and true to bloggers meet - I introduced you to AG as Ibu...Habis tu dah tak tahu nama, kan?

Kak Teh said...

ooops, its supposed to be IBU..and not Ib.

Argus, what I like about your blog is the story that goes with your cooking. It makes it a more interesting read than just a recipe. Am glad I found you in blog world too.

Elisa, I have met your father and sister . When I was with your father, gelak tak kering gusi.
and yes, when we meet, we will certainly hug! Kan?

Kak Teh said...

Kenny, you are kind. I do hope that people can relate to the stories that I tell.

atiza, you still have that? i will always remember that meeting. Makan, sembang, ketawa...! adoi, macam dah lama jumpa.

zabs, ya - i do think UNCLE sounds better. Uncle blogger...we must have a mousepad for that!

Ms B said...

*thinking* am i the only person who calls you by ur first name?

by the way, u know ur art of blogging really comes in handy. U were the first person who figured me out!!!!

tumpang lalu.
And d, what do u mean by "I've tailored strategies to MAKE SURE i'm not obsessed with it!" It's an addiction dear. do u think we can really stop? *rotfl*

Ezza Aziz said...

Kak Teh,
Terima kasih la sebab bagi saya pakai gambar mouse pad tu..Pandai anak you design ,bende simple dan menarik...Yes sekarang ni saya dalam kategori makcik blogger la. dah tua la kak...sekarang ni jiran sebelah pun panggil saya makcik,so anak kecik dia panggil saya nenek....in few years time,dah tukar jadik nenek blogger pulak. Masa tu make sure si Taufik ada untuk design mouse pad baru pulak.

Take care Kak Teh.

MrsNordin said...

Kak Teh,

People identify you as Kak Teh because you are popular in the blogsphere. In a way, you've created a "brand" for yourself here! I have to think twice what your real name is!

But funny, isn't it? I hear people calling me MrsNordin these days instead of Yati/BJ (which is my common name before I start writing). And I like it! I even sign my name as MrsNordin these days, and make hotel reservations under that name as well!

Nazrah Leopolis said...

i am afraid i am taking a break from the makcik loop just because i need to refresh the look and feel of the blog.

fr spasticolon to faux diamante to nazrahayu and now makcik melopong, i have a need to start on a cleaner slate, for security and privacy issues.anak2 pun dah besar. seram nak tempek2 gambar.

i will come back in due time.

i won't forget the first time we met.tak pasal pasal menangis mcm jejak kasih!

i am sure arwah Mak is smiling from up above knowing that my cyber mom takes good care of me.

i love u kakteh!

Madam Tai Tai Again said...

Hi Kak Teh,

You are such an inspiration to 'young' bloggers like me. Young ni bukan age ya..it's experience. I wish I could write as eloquent as you and create topics that are more interesting and heartwarming. Your postings are always a joy to read.

Carry on blogging, Puan Celebrity Makcik Blogger! The crowd just love you.

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh,
You are easily the President elect of MakCik Bloggers' association!!
Here's to many many more years of enlightening us with your entries in Choc-a-blog!!!!...

tireless mom said...

Dear kak Teh

I guess for you, whatever you write in your blog comes naturally. As a pro journalist like you, there is not much for you to worry when you write as you would know the expectations from what you have written. Like me, budak baru belajar, kadang kadang takut jugak if there is sensitivities to the blog readers. I love reading your blog, that I must say. And I am happy to meet someone as famous like you in blogsphere. Kalau tak ada blog ni, I would not know that you and the writer of the book AG are husband and wife and it is indeed an honour for me. If I meet you one day, I will call you kak Teh too. Love the makcik blooger mouse pad.

Kifli Bujang said...

That's so true Kak Zahara/Kak Teh...sometime we didn't update blog coz we don't have any issue to talk about heheh!

Kak Teh said...

ms B, you know, we dont realise that we leave bits of us here and there in people's comment boxes. A keen observer will soon be able to pick up these pieces and make a whole picture - almost. and most of the time you can figure out who is who.

ezza, glad you like the mousepad and I think we will need to design a nenek mousepad quite soon!

mrs N - I am sure if i meet you I woll call you Mrs Nordin. Because that is how i know you inthe blogworld. and I never asked unless offered - unless the blogger wants to offer more about his/her name. and I a comfortable calling them by their nick. Tanya Ibu.
I am happy that people from all races - Chinese, Indian, English and even a Brazilian blogger called me Kak teh. Its fine.

Kak Teh said...

nazrah, I remember when you came into the blogworld, caused quite a stir! and we made out friendship - you recorded the programme with me on Singapore TV, and yes that was how it started - our first meeting and you cried yr eyes out. You came aaaaalll the way from Singapore to see me and I am most humbled and grateful. Then, going to see you when you had the baby!! That's the least I can do, with your mother not around anymore. take care Intan nazrah - will miss you in blogworld but I know where to find you.

Kak Teh said...

Madam TT, thank you for kind words. But it is blogs like yours - life's experience, written from the heart that gives us readers the realisation that we shouldnt take things for granted. Many of your entries are thought provoking and so touching.

Mama Irma, president elect?? hahaha, macam obama pulak dah! whatever it is, thank you. How are you and the cats? and still missing your other half?

Kak Teh said...

tireless mom, you are not doing too badly yourself. We each have our own niche and comfortable area that we can write about. Without blogs like yours, we can only guess what's going on in the corporate world. Corporate reports inthe media will put us to sleep, reading about the goings on in the blog is more interesting. There's the human element there.

kifli, thanks for the visit and kak teh pun dah buat lawatan balas. hey, did you use my piece on sultan pahang?

Chahya said...

Dear Makcik Blogger a.k.a Kak Teh,
I can't remember exactly how I stumbled upon you, but I think it was through the comments you left on my posts about the demise of my good friend.
Thanks for being a friend.
Makcik blogger too,
Makcik Chahya.

Kak Teh said...

chahya, we met when Lee wrote about yr friend's death. and i think he rdeath is not in vain, she has united a lot of people.

You ni mak cik junior.

Argus Lou said...

Thanks, Kak Teh. The best thing about your blogging is that you make the effort to reply to everyone who comments - even though you have like 72 responses. ^_^
And your stories are so easy on the eyes and heart.

Kak Teh said...

Argus, I know what it feels like when someone answers some comments and leaves out yours - it does feel as if your comment is not welcomed or instrusive. I value all comments because people take the trouble to jot them down and also it is the interaction. People's comments are valuable in the sense that they add to my own experience.

Kak Elle said...

Its so easy calling u kak teh then kak z kan?I think our tongues dah used to KT...

Makcik bloggers united eh?

Kak Teh said...

Kak elle, memang betui! and tak kisah tua muda, bangsa atau apa - tak apa.

Mak Cik Bloggers Unite!!!

Justiffa said...

Deraest KT.. its been a while :)

When i first started blogging u were the one who introduced me to the vastness of the blogosphere. gawd, i was such a rookie lol.. but u took me under ur wings anyways.

A kinder & more gracious person i've yet to find. thx so much KT from the bottom of my heart. mwaah3

p.s i cilok the makcik blogger thingy k? thx again :)

Fadhil said...

Amboi, amboi, amboi.... makcik-makcik bloggers nih. Tak dapat sembang real life, kat blog pun jadi ye! Heheheh... sounds like you ladies are having fun!

Hmmm... camne rupa sebenarnya seorang Makcik blogger ni agaknya?

Anyways, I'm with Zabs up there... hidup Uncle Bloggers!

ManaL said...

Kak Teh,

YOU attract many wonderful people and YOU are wonderful yourself too. So keep on blogging sbb u taknak join FB. Well, to be honest, FB limits to 5000 friend list, and blog goes millions. So there u go, blog over FB to reach ppl, meeting friends old and new.

My dad suka dengar Klasik Nasional and it reminds me of u. "Segalanya di sini, menggamit memori" their slogan and it aptly describes your blog too.

Pak Zawi said...

Kak Teh,
I am one of the lucky few who by the grace of God was around in KL when you came back for GUIT signing with Abe Awang.
Thank you for summing it up for all of us bloggers be it Makcik or Uncle bloggers, the experience is almost the same for everyone of us.
I often wonder how you find time to blog, moderate and respond to all the comments despite your busy life.

AyKay said...

Kak Teh,
salam.

I have been a reader (in silent mode) of your writing for months, if not years...and me, i just started blogging,,,kind of missed the numerous boats.

anyway, keep it coming, with news and what not,,,,you're THE kak teh

me.. http://tangsibiru.blogspot.com

Kak Teh said...

Justiffa, although you've been away, I never removed your site from sentraal hoping that one day you'll come back. And you did!! Thank you for kind words. And get well.
and yes, do use the mak cik blogger thingie.

Oldstock, hahaha, this is not unlike buka tingkap bersembang. And this is fun. I am sure all the UNCLES have their own sembang group.

Kak Teh said...

manal, how nice! I love Klassik nasional - menggamit memori! aaah! memories of yesteryears...how they play tricks on you and make you yearn for the past! Thanks manal.

zawi, the meeting that we had was really precious. WE didnt expect that and really touched by everyone's friendship. I try to blog because I want to improve my writing and also have it as a kind of journal. I reply to all because everyone took the trouble to write down their thoughts and i appreciate that. I dont have to moderate much. Everyone's been kind.

aykay, thank you for leaving your comments. I have been to your blog and will certainly return and have a proper read.

jesse said...

Hiya, I came across your blog and just had to comment. I love this post! Reading through it, I went "SOOOO TRUE!!!" several times. Life was indeed much simpler before blogger came about and with it the hurricane of meeting new people who are into the same things you are... but oh, I can't imagine ever letting go of this whirlwind and not stepping back to look at my day and share such happy things with everyone...

Hmm, not sure if that made any sense. But thank you for sharing!

Kak Teh said...

jesse, thanks for dropping by. Yes, indeed the world is smaller and more interesting with blogging. But I think we have to be more discerning - if not, blogging will take over our life.
Take care, I've been to see your blog, so u are into daring bakers as well. Then you must go to blogger argus!

ubisetela said...

Kakteh, I pernah ketawa terkekek-kekek & pernah jugak menangis reading your blog. Definitely one of the MUST READs!

Hehe...my flatmates used to mengeluh, food dah masak, dah letak atas meja tapi belum boleh sentuh pasal I belum ambik gambar!

ish ish ish... siapalah lunar lunatic tu ye :)

Kak Teh said...

ubi, i thought you are on sabbatical or blog leave?
Anyway, kak teh ni kenalah merapu sekali sekala. Ahaha you are one lunar lunatic - Seeing the full moon I also think of you and werewolves!

ubisetela said...

yes k.teh, I'm on blog-posting leave (and for sometime ppl around me can just terkam food on table without having to wait.. hehehe) but that doesn't stop me from reading your posts.

IBU said...

Kak Teh,

Just noticed your pps, re the makcik blogger mousepad.

Err.... for kakcik2 blogger, errr... we all pakai touchpad. kekekeke... jgn marah!

Kak Teh said...

Ubi, have a good break and your friends can eat in peace! Read me and dont hold me responsible for the increase in your tahap kemerapuan.

Ibu, you can still take the moused and keep it for when you need it...hahaha!

jaflam said...

Salam kak teh,
Good to get the insight of your blogging trails and latest on mak cik bloggers quantum of solace.

You have made blogging fun and resourceful without even talking about heartbreaking politics. Keep up the great work and happy blogging always.

mekyam said...

hi kt and fellow choca fans!

i feel agak the "outsider" with this entry. maklumlah i'm not a mak cik blogger. [whisper: actually i'm not sure which i'm more reluctant to be, a mak cik or a blogger. ;D]

but after reading everyone, somehow i rasa terpanggil pulak to... no, not to start blogging, but to share my thoughts on blogging.

after surfing blogs for a number of years now, i got to thinking how that remark "you can read me like an open book" actually has quite a literal twist with bloggers.

in fact they can make it their own by modifying it to "you can read me like an open blog"!

some bloggers may insist that such thing is not possible with them since they don't blog about personal things.

not true! words and thoughts are very personal indeed.

as kt remarked to someone in the comment box, "A keen observer will soon be able to pick up these pieces and make a whole picture - almost."

exactly! a discerning reader could probably form a pretty decent "picture" of a blogger (maybe of a prolific commenter too) just from a mosaic of revelations, unwitting or otherwise.

on a different note...

the beauty of getting "introduced" to people this way is that there is usually no cover to the book (or blog, if you will). so there is no danger of misjudging from appearance.

i think that's probably why this medium of communication is embraced so enthusiastically. you feel like you get to know people from the inside out. people from every nook and corner of the world, too.

how awesome is that!

on top of that, the option to engage someone has neither preamble nor obligation. likewise, the choice to avoid, if one thinks someone is not quite one's cuppa, has no possibility of bruising feelings.

how awesome is that!

then, even if one were ornery enough to pick a quarrel or three in blogdom, the risk of causing lasting harm is much reduced due to buffers provided by full or partial anonymity. perhaps it is even negligible.

so for the naturally belligerent, this is a godsend arena. in fact, it would equally serve those of us who just need to vent our venom on the odd occasions and alas! do not have the convenience of a partner or pet.

again, how awesome is that!

jabishah said...

Kak Teh,

In my last post I in a way acknowledeged myself as a Makcik Blogger (even tho I think I am not that old as a Makcik yet.. kih kihkih). That phrase I believe came frm you. Sorry for not highlighting.

I have to agree with you but my kids sekarang ni dah beyond frustration & irritation. They now simply do the 'geleng kepala' gesture whenever mama starts to shoot photos almost everything which might be a consideration for an entry.

Have a good wkend.

Kak Teh said...

Jaflam, thank you - I think this is one mak cik who will stay away from politics. I will leave that to the experts and do what I do best and talk about my cats.

jabishah, aren't children perceptive!
and they will roll their eye and mutter, oh no, not again!

Kak Teh said...

Mekyam,

Your detailed analysis is well worth the wait!

You are certainly no outsider. In fact you have squattes' rights here in my blog and feel free to do whatever you like, mak cik or not.

Yes, now there's a new saying: "you can read me like an open blog"! (ehem, ehem ...no moderation please!)

Yes, I do agree, the very fact that we choose a topic, the words we use , the slant we take, reflect our editorialising of a certain issue that we write about - betul tak? Thus that makes it personal. Bukan gitu, mek?

Even if you choose a news item, not written by you - but by choosing it to grace your blog, you've made your own editorial decision.

aaah, but i beg to differ on this point:

"the beauty of getting "introduced" to people this way is that there is usually no cover to the book (or blog, if you will). so there is no danger of misjudging from appearance."

Wasnt it my choc-a-blog banner that brought chocoholics all over in droves to my blog in search of chocoholic delights, only to find that it is truly choc-a-bloc in content?

Now how awesome is that? (Sorry, i had to use that!) haha!

mekyam said...

kak teh said... Wasnt it my choc-a-blog banner that brought chocoholics all over in droves to my blog in search of chocoholic delights, only to find that it is truly choc-a-bloc in content?

perhaps!

but how do you account for when the banner wasn't the current scrumptious box of chocolates, forrest? ;D

nah! the sweet we don't have enough of and keep coming back for is you, kt dear. at least, i know i do.

p.s. well whaddya know, the word veri sagely echoed "holypet"! :D

lenzaidi said...

Kak Teh,
Think your life is so blessed.At this age you are still running around pretty good though'panting' as you said (pheww I breath heavily in Fall because my appetite seem good and i feel so light in summer because the sun although very little is helping). And Of all you still have the time to blog and blog and to send comments to others.Gawd!

I read all your postings.You are doing great you know.Some postings remind me of how gloom some days are in England.
I read your posting how you missed your children who are growing and hopeful not leaving home so soon.
I read your posting how you tracked down places and bring you all memories down your heart.
I read and watch every step you made as you pick the days and strive alone to your chores.

We are blessed although a far, to have Kak Teh as a great friend, sister and most penglipur lara moden.
Wish you pleasant days ahead,and always in good health and mind. Take care Kak Teh.

Kak Teh said...

Lenzaidi, how kind and I cant believe you went through all those ramblings.
I need to jot down things - at my age i will soon forget what happened last week. I want to document my experience here and memories that I still have of home.
Thank you so much.

Ted Baker said...

You are awesome!!

Kak Teh said...

Thanks Ted!

Tie said...

Salam Kak Teh,

Ini Tie datang perkenalkan diri..Tie pun makcik juga..he he..

Tie baru 6 bulan berblogging. Tapi dah macam2 perkara yang Tie dapat tahu..Memang dunia blogging ni aneh sekali. Tapi buat masa ini Tie belum sedia utk jadi famous ..orang tak kenal lagi siapa Tie..hi hi..

Tie nak mintak kebenaran nak guna 'I'm a makcik blogger' mouse pad tu.. Salam ceria..dan salam maal hijrah..

Unknown said...

Salam

Best Regard from pengajar seo