Monday, December 01, 2008

Blogger bash - the longest lunch...

What would happen when you put some 30 blogger in a room!!!. We blogger know too well that even with just two blogger the chat would be endless. So with some 40 blogger/spouse it sure would turn the event into a riot of sorts. With everyone talking all the time on every subjects that come to their minds, at that moment in time the session would just explode into a frenzy of exchanges of information and ideas. I believe no other species on this planet could generate so much energy in such an informal gathering then this new species that we call blogger. This species live both in the physical world and cybersphere. Hence they have developed a new culture of communication that no other species have done before. First they just communicate in cyberspace and then when they meet in the real world it became an encounter of a different kind that only blogger know best. Even strangers seem to know more about one another and then when they meet in person, it is just to complete that relationship that had been nurtured in cybersphere. The atmoshpere of such meeting became cordial in mere instance.

Well folks, Starting with a SMS, a blogger meet/lunch was plans on November 29, 2008 at the Royal Bintang Hotel in Damansara Mutiara. The hotel is situated at the Curve shopping complex. The last time we gather for such a do it was held at the cafe nearby. But this time for wanting to have a large enough space the organiser MatSalo decide that the lunch be held at the Coffee Terrace of the hotel. So here we are in a great Coffee Terrace of a four star hotel where buffet spreads are aplenty and the price is not that expensive especially with the free flow of the Teh Tarik and Coffee.

After picking Pok ku and he acts as the GPS I drove the Honda toward the Curve. The route is not the usual one that I take to get to the Curve but with the experience of Pok ku, this part of the world been his territory; it was indeed an easy drive for I hardly had to think, leaving Pok Ku to tell me to turn left or right until I got into a familiar route as we near the Curve. We arrived just before 12:30PM as planned. On arrival I saw Elviza and Mat Salo were already having their chat. We greet each other and for the first time met Pibani, that charming lady blogger from Ipoh. I took my seat at the same table and then tried the buffet spreads. As I sat to enjoy my food more and more blogger came from as faraway as Penang, Ipoh and Malacca. By 1:30PM one section of the Coffee Terrace of the hotel was crowded with blogger enjoying themselves more on the chat rather then the foods. In the midst of the confusion I met Fauziah Ismail whom I had only known in cyberspere. As the time goes by I began to get to know more and more of the new faces. It would be just impossible at this juncture for me to name them all in this posting. With so many blogger tuned to their kind of communication time passes by fast indeed.

At this event I met more blogger then I had expected and some are complete strangers, whom I have not met even in cyberspace. With everyone so cheerful and full of love the introduction just comes easy and then we all set down and talk as though we have known each other for a long time. The chemistry among blogger was fantastic and everyone talk with ease and most seem to be thinking on the same wavelength. I just could not remember all the names for the memory chip of folks of our age is somewhat rusty. Anyway I would just summarised but a few like those three strangers from Ipoh [Alhusseyn, Azizul, Zainal] Now strangers no more and the familiar faces like Kerps, Shah, Dr.Zul, Nuriana, Raden... Kadir Jasin the vateran blogger drop in for a while and had a tt with the blogger. We even have a retired judge, though not a blogger as yet joining in to share his thoughts of the recent happening especially so on the changing political scenario of the country.

The greatest thing about such meeting of the minds are that the flows of information and ideas was just endless. I am indeed fascinated with the world view of the blogger of my children's generation. As usual with me I would just narrate some of the history so that they know that the country is in the process of change, and it is their generation that is going to be in charge from now onward.

Well, like any gathering of such nature time was not on our side and soon Pok Ku signal that his head is sending him a message of sort and that we have to move. On looking at my watch I notice that it is already 5:30 in the evening. Sure it was time that we move from the Coffee Terrace; for the lunch had been the longest that I had ever attended and we are getting tired. With that we parted, with a promise to meet again, perhaps with a bigger group.

This is Pok ku takes on the event and MatSalo's is here. This is from Elviza. Have a nice day.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

You did better than me by getting to know new friends. I was engrossed in just one. My headache did not help either.
Once again, thanks for the lift. Otherwise I would have missed the wonderful event.

jaflam said...

Salam Pak Idrus,
Thanks for sharing the blogger “Meeting of Minds" which I missed due to urgent matter that I have to attend in Melaka.

I definitely missed a great occasion and have to wait for the next one to recover. Very happy that the get together was a successful one and contribute tremendously in fostering close friendship among bloggers. Hope to see you and Pokku again sometime.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

pak Idrus,

i've never failed to learn new things sitting on the same table with you. so in a way i was privileged to be amongst the first to arrive and spent some quality time with you before the crowd arrives. thank you loads.

*dato J, you together with Pak Zab and Pok Zawi were sorely missed. but no worries, there's always another time.

Salt N Turmeric said...

Im so jealous!

cakapaje said...

Salam Pak Idrus,

It truly was a lovely afternoon. I am so glad that there were more bloggers from the last meet, though many more could have turned up but due to reasons of their own. We'll meet again, insyAllah.


ps. Someone mentioned that you may be the host next at your villa in Melaka :)

The Ancient Mariner said...

Salam Pak Idrus,

Sorry I missed the gathering last week. Had a a family do to attend in Seremban. Hope we can meet again some other time.

Unknown said...

Hi Pak Idrus,

Hey it looked like a great get together. Wah, the longest lunch ever..ha ha. That's what happens when blogger get together after all, if bloggers could write so much, by extension they could talk so much too..he he.

So sorry, I could not not join the gang. Maybe next time. Thanks for sharing.

Pak Idrus said...

Pokku, thanks for the visit. It is indeed a pleasure to pick you up. At least now I know of another route to the Curve.

We are from another generation and it is real nice to hear the thoughts of the generation of our children.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

jaflam, Dt. thanks for the visit and the comments on this posting. Actually I was wondering what happen to you. Well there is always the next time. Some of the blogger are planning to do the next one in Malacca. Hope that it would materialized.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Kerp (Ph.D), thanks for the visit and the good words on me.

Well at this age the memories of the past are very clear indeed and I am ever happy to pass on the oral history that did not appear in the history book. It is your generation turn to change the country for the good of all and I hope that there would be a new government at the federal level during my life time. I did not expect the March 8 happening but it did happened and I am happy about it.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Salt N Turmeric, Farina thanks for the visit and not to worry. When you are back next, just let me know and I shall arrange a meeting with the other blogger.

Have a nice day and take care.

Pak Idrus said...

cakapaje, Shah thanks for the visit and the good words.

Well I did enjoy the company. Indeed a good way to meet and exchange information and ideas. It is also good for the country which is going through a change.

I hope we can realized the next meeting in Malacca. I have a condo at the Bidiara Putri Beach Resort at Tanjong Putri [formerly the Mutiara Melaka Beach Resort] and would be happy to host the dinner for everyone.

Have a nice day

Pak Idrus said...

The Ancient Mariner. Capt.Yusof thanks for the visit. I was expecting you but did not see you. Anyway I hope we could meet at the next do.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

ruby ahmad, thanks for the visit and the good words on the gathering.

Like you said when blogger meet they would chat and yarn on every subjects and like in cyberspace time just move and hardly you know it, it has been hours. So it is not a surprise that the lunch which start at 12:30PM lasted until 6:30PM. It was indeed an enjoyable event. The flow of information and ideas was endless.

I hope you would try to make it the next time.

Have a nice day.

louis said...

Hi Pak Idrus,

I could pick you out so easily in the pictures of your Blogger meeting that I felt I was there :). Glad to have met you in person over here.

From regularly reading other Malaysian blogs I have found through you, I could recognize a couple other bloggers too: Fauziah and Kerp, for example, and I was familiar with the names and blogs of several other attendees.

I even missed some who couldn't attend, such as Zawi, Nazli and Rizal :)

Blogging does seem to make distance meaningless.

Pak Zawi said...

Pak Idrus,
The most comprehensive report. Read three so far and enjoyed all of them. I dont want to miss it the next time around.

Mat Cendana said...

Pak Idrus,
Thanks for visiting my site and leaving a comment.

This is my first time here despite hearing (or "reading") your name popping up quite often at the blogs that I go to.

It was the same with a few others - Puteri Kamaliah and Kak Teh, for instance - all well-known bloggers whose names I kept encountering until I finally visited their blogs (this annoying 53Kbps GPRS connection does not help to encourage either). Well, I've only had Internet access since mid-July, and I still have a lot to catch up with when it comes to visiting Malaysian blogs.

One thing that I'm quite fascinated and envious of is that you certainly don't look your age - you certainly don't look older than I am despite my being 20 years younger. The life you have led might have contributed to this (I certainly know that I had gained years through my own bad choices).

But anyway, thanks for this post about that meeting. It's an event that I was aware of from early on and was seriously planning to attend despite the distance (Pasir Mas). However, I felt that going there might be a bit too extravagant for me since I was already in KL on Nov 19 (my first time since 1999).

On that day, from noon onwards, my thoughts were on that gathering. I remember that it was raining in Pasir Mas on that day, and I was worried that it might be the same in KL - putting a damper on the event.

However, a SMS from Elviza at around 5.30 PM came as a relief when she mentioned about it being "a bomb".

And Mat Salo finally had time at 7PM to reply to my query sent at 2PM - confirmation that the event was a great success. Those SMSes and the posts about it make me feel pleased and satisfied.

Fauziah Ismail said...

Salam Pak Idrus
It was my first meeting with bloggers and I did feel a little intimidated. That was why I kept to the other table with Nuraina, Tok Mummy and Raden Galoh. Now I can put a face to the bloggers whose blogs I frequently visit.

Pak Idrus said...

louis, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on this meeting of the minds.

As I had narrate, we blogger are of a different species that live in both world. Like you and me we met and know each other more in cyberspace and then when we do meet in Seattle recently, it was just putting the final 'touch' the meeting of the atom that could not be transmit as yet like we did with bits.

If ever you are here I am sure you would feel at home in mere instance. That my friend is the blogger culture with norms and value of its own, albeit a very good one indeed.

I was expecting at least Rizal would be there, cause he live not that far away but he might have other things to do at that moment in time. I have not met him in person but would be one of this days.

Oh yes time and distance vanished into thin air in blogsphere. Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Zawi, thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting.

Well as expected when blogger meet it would surely be an enjoyable one. Personally I felt that it was truly a meeting of the minds of two generations. Us the folks in the golden age and that of our children generation.

Do see to it that you made it at the next one probably in Malacca.

Have a nice day

Salt N Turmeric said...

Wow pak Idrus, Louis even knows and recognises other Msian bloggers! He knows who was not there and all. Cayalah!

Unknown said...

Oh dear, Pak Idrus, Fauziah found it a little intimidating? Could be the big number perhaps, that made it hard to get to know one another in one go.

I like our meet with Kak Teh & Awang Goneng, where there were just 6 or 7, & I felt it was just nice to touch base with everyone. I suppose 20 over, I would find that intimidating too..he he.

Next meet in Malacca, oh crikey. Jauh nya!

Pak Idrus said...

Mat Cendana, thanks for the visit and the good words on me, one of the Pak Blogger around, making a nuisance of himself and enjoying it.

To me life is to be enjoyed and that what I did from my youth. I am not that sure what constitute a good or bad life. To me it is alright to enjoy whatever life have to offer and take it with limit. In the seventies drinking has a different meaning. Now one just goes for a Teh Tarik and the mere mention of 'beer' or the like put some folks into a hysterical mode.

I have an open mind and would let you know more when we meet in person. There are so much to learn and enjoy in this world of ours and if we closed our mind then we are the looser. Reading is a passion so is traveling and living abroad. So I believe health start from the mind and if the mind is healthy then the rest goes with it.

As for that meet on the 29th I did enjoy it and hope that we would get to do more of it just to accumulate knowledge and share information and ideas. Blogger are a different kind of folks and it is real easy to assimilate and the rest would be just easy. Enjoy to the fullest the beauty of friendship.

Like you I found the Internet as an amazing invention and I believe it is the best invention after the wheel. I just cannot live without it. Hope you would get a better connection soon.

Have a nice day and take care.

Pak Idrus said...

Fauziah Ismail, thanks for the visit and sharing your experiences on that first encounter with other blogger.

It is alright to feel that way after all these folks we call blogger is a new species on this planet. One would eventually learn the culture of such meeting and with that every things else would come easy.

It was indeed great meeting you that day. I did sense something missing for a trained journalist and now I know. Not to worry, the next time it would be easy.

Have a nice day.

JALAN REBUNG said...

salam pak idrus,

Thanks for sharing the info on the gathering. Was not there due to some urgent matters. Will try to make it for the next gathering.

RIZAL

tireless mom said...

Hi Pak Idrus

Wah... Everyone had a great time it seems. Thanks for sharing.

Pak Idrus said...

Salt N Turmeric, Farina thanks for the return visit and the additional comment on this posting.

As for Louis and some other blogger that I had known first in cyberspace and then in the real world, I believe they really takes interest in nurturing the friendship likes writing email to one another and in email one could be more personnel unlike in the comment column and over times we get to know more of one another even though one have not met. That Farina is the wonder of blogger and cybersphere.

When I was talking to Louis and Rita over dinner in Seattle at time they do touch of the other Malaysian blogger that they frequent. It does made the world of blogging really colorful. Like you although we have not met I think I know your passion for good food and the Malaysian culinary culture.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

ruby thanks for the return visit and sharing your thoughts especially on been intimidated. I do not believe that it is the numbers. Maybe the environment.

I am not sure how that could happen but then in a meeting of this species anything could happen. Anyway some people take time to assimilate or integrate while others did very fast indeed. We are in a process of creating a new culture of a get together that is new. As you realized blogger love to write so when they meet they talk and talk and that is what made the meeting of the minds so very interesting.

Malacca is just a suggestion. I hope the next we meet you would come along and I know been a Leo you would not be intimidated but would surely shine.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

JALAN REBUNG, Rizal thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting.

Well I was expecting to see you. It is OK there would be the next time.

Have a nice day

Pak Idrus said...

tireless mom, Lady thanks for the visit and the good words on the meeting.

Yes we all did had a great time. It was a really good meeting of the minds.

Hope that you could spare some time to join in at the next gathering.

Have a nice day.

ipv6 said...

hey, keep on making a "nuisance" and make a bunch a lot of it,as you are no zainuddin maidin.not even close ;)

salam.

Pak Idrus said...

ipv6, thanks for the visit and the good words. Well at this age when time is mine I would just enjoy life the way I know best and at the same time contributes as much as possible to the society and that includes folks in blogsphere.

Have a nice day.