29 July 2009

Blogger and I

Recently found out that Blogger turns 10 next month. It made me think about my blogging experiences and how it has changed my life. I had actually forgotten but after checking out my first post, I discovered that I am also going to celebrate six long years of blogging very soon as well.

I had been following various blogs and commenting on them for quite sometime when one fine day in the September of 2003, I started my own blog with Blogger and wrote my very first post . And as they say, the rest is history.

In the beginning it was more of a hobby and I used to post anonymously. I just used my nick name and a profile picture of me snorkelling in Redang.



I made a lot of blogger friends from all around the World, some of whom are still blogging while others have simply disappeared without a trace. Many of my old blogging pals have since then moved onto Wordpress and their own domains, while I stuck with good old Blogger. I have seen a lot of positive changes since Google took over blogger and I guess my decision to stick with Blogger has been the right choice.

Later on, I gradually lost my anonymity and started posting up pictures of myself, friends and family. It also became a place for friends and family to find out what I had been doing all the time.

The year 2006 was a landmark year in my life. I took the very huge decision to quit my comfy lecturing job at a public university in Malaysia and moved to the UK. I was a stay-at-home dad for a year -changing diapers, cooking and hoovering among others while my wife was away at the university. As I was looking after the kids, I couldn't go and get a job outside the house. Was really frustrating, depending on the meagre allowance that my wife received. One of the lowest points in my life.

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention, I noticed that other people were making money from their blogs (at least that was what they were saying), I decided to give it a go.

Becoming a full time blogger changed my life entirely - I started several other blogs with focussed themes including my car blog - Auto Lah, Freebies - on free stuff on the net and my technology and gadget blog - Adamok.net. I was also blogging more frequently, sometimes making as many as 7 posts in a day on various blogs.

Being able to contribute to the household expenditure did a great deal for my self-confidence. In the process, I started dabbling with CSS, web site design and search engine optimisation. This later helped me secure a part time job as a web developer in one of the centres in the University of Warwick. Web advertising projects followed. Since then I have worked with various companies including 3 mobilebuzz and bmw-web.tv among others.

Blogging has been a wonderful experience and quite rewarding as well. However, more was yet to come. In 2008, my PhD proposal to the Warwick Business School to study the attitude of consumers towards blogs was accepted and I received a scholarship as well.

I am now about to start the 3rd year of my study and have discovered so many interesting aspects about this wonderful online interactive media. I still have some way to go before I complete my research. One thing is certain though - I will still be involved in this intellectual cyberspace which we call the blogosphere in one way or the other.

First Commentator
Daddypapersurfer

15 comments:

Daddy Papersurfer said...

Six years!!!! - I'm very impressed - I'm a newbie - only about two years - here's to the next 6 .......

Dilip Mutum said...

Yes, it's been a long time and many more to come I hope. Thanks for dropping by.

James William said...

wow, six years!!I'm very impressed
Were you being fulltime blogger for six years long?
i'm newbie , only about 6 months ago starts.

Dilip Mutum said...

James: Thanks. I was a full time blogger for one year only but that's when my blogging really took off. Before that it was just more of a hobby.

UPrinting said...

Happy 10th birthday to Blogger!
And happy 6th anniversary to you. :)
You've been online for such a long time now. Hope you don't lose your touch. God bless!

S-V-H said...

You made interesting changes, indeed! And six years of blogging, WOW, that's a lot! I'm getting close to the 4th year...:)

Nice post, Adam!
Susanne

Sue's Daily Photography

Mei Tan said...

You may not know it but I learn a lot of things about blogging from you :)
Keep up the good job.

By the way, those particular rings are not silver, they are stainless. However, I can use sterling silver wire too if a customer request for it.

Mei Tan said...

You may not know it but I learn a lot of things about blogging from you :)
Keep up the good job.

By the way, those particular rings are not silver, they are stainless. However, I can use sterling silver wire too if a customer request for it.

Dilip Mutum said...

UPrinting: Thanks. I hope so too.
Susanne: Thanks. Hope we have many more blogging years to go.

Dilip Mutum said...

Thanks Mei. That's really flattering. That's great. Would make great presents.

mama23beas said...

Wow I didn't know your PhD research is related to blog as well.

BabyPink said...

Yay for Blogger! Mine will turn 6 in December, too! I haven't been blogging as much as I used to before because of my busy schedule, but I do make it a point to always read my regular reads. Of course, one of these is your blog! :)

Unknown said...

Man, 6 years...
I've just been around 2 months.
Nice post.

natural health said...

good information I am very impressed with your writing style

Kerrie G said...

Congrats on your 6 years of blogging. It's great that you've been able to turn it into an income for you.

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