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Blogging is just one piece of the puzzle: Christopher Chong

Christopher Chong

I’m Christopher Chong, a resident of squeaky clean Singapore. I run http://pubjunkie.wordpress.com , a blog about “cocktail culture”, the state of nightlife here in this tiny nation-state. Singapore may be painfully small and most of its citizens have a myopic world view, but “ang mohs”, expatriates to the layman, love the nightlife down here. I’m an undergrad reading political science at the National University of Singapore. I love..bumming. Which means I’ll probably be destitute by the time im 40.

Interview

Q: Welcome to Speakbindas. Tell us since when blogging has been a part of your life? Was there any motive or inspiration as a backbone of it?

* Ans.: I started this clean cut, minimalistic blog only awhile back in 2009. Being tired of bloated blogs which feature advertisement after advertisement all screaming for your attention, I decided to start one, sans adverts, just for kicks. I’m also particularly interested in the entrepreneurial aspect of bars and pubs here, and this interest lends itself to the content of my blog.

Q: What is your blog all about? Which topics you cover there? Is that you alone running/maintaining the blog, or have a team?

* Ans.: As I stated in the introduction, its about “cocktail culture”, nightlife here in sunny Singapore. Nobody goes to tropical countries to enjoy their nights, but hey, the Singapore Sling exists for a reason, to trick silly “ang mohs” into drinking our watered down cocktails. I run this blog alone, and post whenever I have a brainwave, or when something really peeves me.

Q.: How important is it for the blogger to interact with their readers? Do you respond to all the comments that you receive?

* Ans.: Interaction with readers is important indeed, and I try to respond to comments as far as possible. However, I do get some really silly comments, and those, I don’t respond to. Obviously if you have a valid question I’d try my darndest to allay your worries, but if your comment comes in ALL CAPS, don’t expect any courtesy.

Q: What are the present statistics for your blog, i.e. number of daily visitors, visitors geographical status etc.?

* Ans.: I get around 500 daily unique hits, and the vast majority of them are Singaporeans.

Q: Is blogging for you just a passion or a medium for earning too? Does it help you to earn enough cash to quit a 9 to 5 day job?

* Ans.: To be honest, blogging isn’t a passion of mine. Writing is. Since nobody seems to want to publish my demented ramblings, I’ve taken to the web, where any nobody can put up his inane stuff. I don’t see blogging as a medium for earning; as I’m completely not technologically savvy. I don’t earn any revenue from my blog as I don’t put up any advertisements.

Q: Who are your favorite bloggers, whom you read frequently?

* Ans.: I don’t really have any favourite bloggers, but I do have a couple of favourite sites. For example, tvtropes.org is a particularly good one for time wasting, while being incredibly informative. Metafilter.com is also another good one. If you take the time to visit those two sites, you’ll see why most of my day is spent doddering around the web, accumulating useless information.

Q: From the secret bucket of your blogging experiences, what tips you would like to share with the fellow bloggers?

* Ans.: I know everyone wants to increase their page rank, get more hits etc, but please don’t spam your address willy nilly. It pisses people off, and turns them off your page. You may get that one hit from them, but you’ll never get anymore after they realize they’re victims of your spam. Use blog aggregators to advertise, instead of indiscriminately spamming.

* Also, at least try to be readable, whatever language you convey your thoughts in. I know the web is not moderated by The Grammar Police, but please, at least use a spell checker or something.

Q: Do you believe that blogging completes you? If yes, tell us how?

* Ans.: Blogging is just one piece of the puzzle

Q: What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

* Ans.: When I ran competitively as a middle distance runner at the College level, and conversely, when I was introduced to the wide world of hallucinogens, opiates and generally bad things, which mess with your ability to run.

Q: Say, you are sponsored to travel to 3 world destinations, where you need not to worry about costs for food, hotel or anything. Which destinations would you pick up, and why? Would you like to take someone along with you? If yes, whom?

* Ans.: I’d go to either Troms or Finnmark in Norway, to see the Northern Lights. Chernobyl in Ukraine, because the idea of a completely desolate, once lived-in environment deeply intrigues me. To see the folly of humankind at its worst is either going to be immensely depressing, or awe inducing. Finally, Melbourne, Australia. The people are friendly, and it’s got four seasons, unlike Singapore, where you don’t acclimatize to the heat, you acclimatize to sweating 24/7.Who would I bring? My dog.

Q: Are you into watching movies? If yes, which fills your list of favorite ones?

* Ans.: I can’t really think of any off hand, but I really enjoyed Schindler’s List, and the Godfather trilogy. Also a fan of the hammy Arnold Schwarzenegger movies when I was a kid (think Commando, Total Recall) And the not so hammy ones, like Terminator 2.

Q: How has blogging helped you other than money?

* Ans.: It’s helped me develop my writing style. Being a student, I often write in a manner which is stodgy or formal. Blogging helps to subvert whatever my teachers have taught me for the past 22 years, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing.

Q: What would be the one thing you’d change about yourself?

* Ans.: My bank balance.

Q: What will you do without internet?

* Ans.: Spend more time drinking, since it’s way too hot to go out in the day.

Q: What is your deepest fear?

* Ans.: If I die before teleportation is invented.

Q: If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

* Ans.: Eric Cantona. I’m a Manchester United fan, as you can tell.

Q: Which is your favorite television show? Favorite songs?

* Ans.: The Office (UK). Favourite songs? My current earworm is “I Remember” by Devendra Banhart

Q: How much money do you have in your purse/wallet right now (including change)?

* Ans.: $0.20, and I’m dead serious.

Q: What is your favorite food? Any particular dislikes?

* Ans.: I am agreeable with most food, but I particularly dislike asparagus.

Q: What’s your take on the technological advancement these days? Does it make people’s life simple or complicated?

* Ans.: I was just thinking of this the other day. This is going to sound like a hackneyed cliché, but it really is a double edged sword. If someone would just invent a waterproof Bluetooth device, I could talk while showering. Or, if you want to be uncharitable to technology, you could say that it’s just a new way for technology to interrupt people’s private time. But seriously, technology is amazing. I read recently about a quadcopter, a miniature helicopter with 4 blade thingys instead of the requisite one rotor. It can be outfitted with a camera as well, and it automatically realigns itself with whatever it is you want to look at. Think of those “eye bots” in the dystopian Half Life 2, and you get the idea.

Q: What do you think of “blogging is the next BIG thing”?

* Ans.: I don’t think we can qualify that blogging is the “next BIG thing”, as it’s already been around for ages, since Web 1.0. But it is big, and definitely an influential force both online and offline.

Q: Any special message you would like to share with your blog readers as well with everyone else?

* Ans.: Please don’t hate me for liking “Commando”! Arnold Schwarzenegger was cool!

About

Devang Vibhakar is the Founder and Editor of www.SpeakBindas.com. He has interviewed more than 350 people. His effort was recognized by Limca Book of Records, twice. He has been to Scotland as well as Germany as part of vocational & cultural exchange programs and has compiled five books so far. He's passionate about bringing forth interesting stories & interviews of entrepreneurs to avid readers of SpeakBindas. He can be reached here.

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