The Final Posting
Are you reopening the Daily BR?
Only for today. I thought I would clarify the air as I did not realise I had a cause a little stir in Brunei's blogging community. I haven't had time to read other people's blogs since I came back last Sunday so I don't really know what the undercurrent was. It was when I had lunch this afternoon with one of my avid readers that I realised the extent of the uncertainty. He was under the impression that I stopped because I was asked to. The answer to that is no. I stopped because I wanted to.
Why stop the Daily BR?
It has been my intention to stop the Daily BR for quite sometime now. The Daily BR started as nothing more than a bulletin board introducing new articles and items for my main website www.bruneiresources.com. It was never meant to be a proper blog. However over time, I found it easier to write new articles on the blog rather than on the main website. As the Daily BR is updated daily, interests grew until it gained a life of its own but going back to its original root, it was not meant to be a proper blog.
The daily entries, require a certain amount of readings and work and over time I just ran out of the extra time that I used to have. Besides my very busy daily schedule plus I do do other things - family commitments, writing professionally (newspaper articles, books etc), golf, gym and lately photography. There are only 24 hours in a day. There are many more articles that can be written - there are many things about our beloved country but bottom line I no longer have the time. There are other factors too - I noticed that people are getting tired (number of visitors dropping - ironically on the day I stopped, it was the highest of the last 3 months), the earlier friendlier visitors are no longer there, I get the sense that people do not appreciate it that much anymore, people read it because of my official position (I write in my personal capacity though admittedly it's hard to separate that), and personally to me writing becomes a chore - the fun is gone.
When did you decide to stop?
I did not really decide when the right date was going to be. I tried to keep myself excited and keep the blogsite going by changing the layouts, put music on and everything but eventually I realised that was just prolonging the agony. I could not possibly postpone it forever. Finally, on the long flight back from Japan, I thought of all the pros and cons and I thought I will just end it the moment I am back in Brunei which was on Sunday, 15th April 2007. And that's what I just did. No fanfare, no nothing. And for the first time this week, I had no pressure of what tomorrow's topic will be.
Many people have relied on it and will miss their daily reads. Will you be addressing that?
*smile* Sorry. I don't think I can answer that. I am sure with the number of Brunei bloggers - very good ones too - the Daily BR can easily be replaced. We just need someone who will be dedicated enough to write daily and to read daily. It's not difficult. Of course, whatever I have written remains there and people can refer to it. I do write articles on a weekly basis for The Brunei Times under a column entitled 'The Golden Legacy'. People can read that too.
Will you be making a comeback?
Not as a Daily BR. In fact, I started a new one immediately after closing down the Daily BR. But this time, it will remain more a private journal and more focused rather than trying to write about the whole of Brunei. Though in some sense it will be a little bit like the Daily BR. I guess once a blogger, always a blogger.
Any last words?
Thanks to everyone for all your support. Thanks especially to the three big blogging names - Rano, Maurina and LSM who all played a part in the development of the Daily BR in the early days. Especially Rano for making the Daily BR a national sensation with his plugs during its early days. To everyone, keep on writing the good stuffs. Thanks for your company and your support. I enjoyed it.
Only for today. I thought I would clarify the air as I did not realise I had a cause a little stir in Brunei's blogging community. I haven't had time to read other people's blogs since I came back last Sunday so I don't really know what the undercurrent was. It was when I had lunch this afternoon with one of my avid readers that I realised the extent of the uncertainty. He was under the impression that I stopped because I was asked to. The answer to that is no. I stopped because I wanted to.
Why stop the Daily BR?
It has been my intention to stop the Daily BR for quite sometime now. The Daily BR started as nothing more than a bulletin board introducing new articles and items for my main website www.bruneiresources.com. It was never meant to be a proper blog. However over time, I found it easier to write new articles on the blog rather than on the main website. As the Daily BR is updated daily, interests grew until it gained a life of its own but going back to its original root, it was not meant to be a proper blog.
The daily entries, require a certain amount of readings and work and over time I just ran out of the extra time that I used to have. Besides my very busy daily schedule plus I do do other things - family commitments, writing professionally (newspaper articles, books etc), golf, gym and lately photography. There are only 24 hours in a day. There are many more articles that can be written - there are many things about our beloved country but bottom line I no longer have the time. There are other factors too - I noticed that people are getting tired (number of visitors dropping - ironically on the day I stopped, it was the highest of the last 3 months), the earlier friendlier visitors are no longer there, I get the sense that people do not appreciate it that much anymore, people read it because of my official position (I write in my personal capacity though admittedly it's hard to separate that), and personally to me writing becomes a chore - the fun is gone.
When did you decide to stop?
I did not really decide when the right date was going to be. I tried to keep myself excited and keep the blogsite going by changing the layouts, put music on and everything but eventually I realised that was just prolonging the agony. I could not possibly postpone it forever. Finally, on the long flight back from Japan, I thought of all the pros and cons and I thought I will just end it the moment I am back in Brunei which was on Sunday, 15th April 2007. And that's what I just did. No fanfare, no nothing. And for the first time this week, I had no pressure of what tomorrow's topic will be.
Many people have relied on it and will miss their daily reads. Will you be addressing that?
*smile* Sorry. I don't think I can answer that. I am sure with the number of Brunei bloggers - very good ones too - the Daily BR can easily be replaced. We just need someone who will be dedicated enough to write daily and to read daily. It's not difficult. Of course, whatever I have written remains there and people can refer to it. I do write articles on a weekly basis for The Brunei Times under a column entitled 'The Golden Legacy'. People can read that too.
Will you be making a comeback?
Not as a Daily BR. In fact, I started a new one immediately after closing down the Daily BR. But this time, it will remain more a private journal and more focused rather than trying to write about the whole of Brunei. Though in some sense it will be a little bit like the Daily BR. I guess once a blogger, always a blogger.
Any last words?
Thanks to everyone for all your support. Thanks especially to the three big blogging names - Rano, Maurina and LSM who all played a part in the development of the Daily BR in the early days. Especially Rano for making the Daily BR a national sensation with his plugs during its early days. To everyone, keep on writing the good stuffs. Thanks for your company and your support. I enjoyed it.
