Sunday, March 18, 2007

Notes on Third Blogmeet

To tell you the truth, the third blogmeet started in a sour note. I promptly reached the venue at 12:00 but there were only two bloggers out there: Rosha and Tajim. Bloggers too are prone to Nepali time syndrome, an hour or so late for any program. Ah, traffic is an excuse! But you can leave home half an hour early!

I asked these young people (who are in early and mid twenties) to join me in the meeting hall. We started talking things related and unrelated to blog. It must have been 12:20 when Ujjwal arrived. He had told me over the phone that he was attending a marathon competition in Durbarmarg. As Ujjwal came, an aura of energy too arrived. This man is so energetic. But, little did I realize that Ujjwal alone couldn't do much.

Nevertheless, he told us that there was one guest speaker: James Gomez, a Singaporean blogger, activist, researcher and what not. So far so good. Ujjwal started calling the bloggers. Some hurriedly made it to the meetings, others were busy frying bigger fishes. As usual, KP was late. Looks like he has picked up a habit of coming late!

The meeting started at around 1 pm. James shared his experiences and ideas with us, which were very insightful. James occurred to me an eloquent speaker, a fast thinker, constantly synthesizing new ideas. He in fact encouraged us to make a structure out the loose network of BLOGAN. He also gave impetus for writing the blogging history of Nepal. I would say, it's a little early to do such work in that we started blogging only a few years back. Nevertheless, the idea of a book on Nepali blogging is superb.

Besides James' captivating lecture, we could not move much ahead except reiterating the previous agendas. This sluggishness really sucks. We could not come up with meaningful conclusion of forming a formal structure for BLOGAN. Some talked about unhealthy exercises in such an entity while others warned about leg pulling. It's the sheer lack of confidence among us: that we will go astray afterwards, we'll break into many fractions, and will try to gain personal benefit from the organization.

These allegations and warnings are not entirely unfounded. But, I think it's too early to predict such malicious consequences. I understand that we have bad precedence of such practices. But, if you don't believe in yourself, you can't trust others as well.

There were two new bloggers whom I've not met yet. RP Dahal of Nepal Info and Razen of Esperanto blog (I didn't understand that language) provided valuable suggestions.

Amid the desperate wait for fellow bloggers, Ujjwal was making a sorry list (of those who could not show up). I gathered that we bloggers are really in a sorry state. We want to do loads of things; no doubt there is zeal, elan and aspiration. We are young, modern generation of urbanites who have left our backwater heritage behind. But, there are so many obstacles. One crucial among them is our own tendency: we don't want to take initiatives. Yet, when someone takes the risk and the road is less bumpy, we jump on the bandwagon.

As James rightly pointed out, it's all in our culture. We need to change ourselves, then only we can change others.

PS: For pics check out Nepali Voices. Utsab has a beautiful post on the event.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Deepak Ji:

Very nice post about the blog meet. Plus, I like the idea of publishing book on Nepal’s blogging history, may be after some time, as you pointed out. I am not sure whether I am in the position to comment on the formal structure of BLOGAN or not (who has never attended the bloggers’ meet and did not display BLOGAN logo – due to technical limitations), but I would suggest to keep this idea away. As you have also discussed in this post, this is not because of lack of confidence, I think, rather speaking out our experiences. May be we are not mature enough to have such formal structure yet. I see the formal structure in future but this has to come up with some sort of need and demand. I think we are going ahead of time for this. For now, informal structure would do.

Till date, I am anonymous blogger and try to keep out of the public meet. But this case will not remain for long. I am hopeful that I can join you during the forth or fifth bloggers’ meet and am eager to meet some of the great Nepalese bloggers in person. Till then, let’s keep in virtual touch and feed me with all of yours’ views, perspectives and information, which are now part of my regular ration.

Unknown said...

Many many thanks for the comment. Your suggestions are noteworthy and should taken into account.

U indeed are in the position to comment in it-as a Nepali blogger.The idea of BLOGAN emerged out of necessity as well as to network with the growing numbers of Nepali bloggers. But, moreover, it's the need to showcase our blogging talent in the world. This monthly meeting is a milestone towards acheiving our goal. Opinions may differ (that's what blog is for) but if we raise our voice collectively, it can be heard in many places.I think as a blogger, you are well aware of a Nepali proverb: Bolne ko pitho pani bikchha, nabolne ko chamal pani bikdaina.

Last but not the least, I hope to see u in the upcoming meeting ( fourth or fifth, you say?). Then, I'll see how this reverie unfolds. Happy blogging!

Anonymous said...

Vahsek says:

Consequential and intropective, Deepak! A nice read indeed. (Taking to cliché.)

>>"But, if you don't believe in yourself, you can't trust others as well." Well said.

I agree we should be bold enough to take initiatives if we have vision, and necessarily be optimistic with what we are doing. But we should be cautious.

>>"Yet, when someone takes the risk and the road is less bumpy, we jump on the bandwagon."

Opportunism is a global phenomenon. However, in our context of BLOGAN--Zade calls it Blog Gang-- I think it's the matter of vision. Visionaries have to lead! Hand in hand, it will be easier to achieve whatever goals we frame as ours. But, yes, stakeholders (who are they by the way?) should be never be responsible.

Because of some obvious reasons, I could not attend the meet. It's better to be absent than to be late. (:P)

I won't be able to show up in two or three upcoming first-Saturday-of-the-month events. (You will be missing me for some more time. :)

Mr. lol, that is Unfoldingreverie, hopefully you will be there in sixth or seventh monthly meet. (Desperately waiting to see you man. I have some image of yours in my mind. I just want to see me correct this time. I mean, I have seldom been correct on ideating (I could not find any other word to say) persons based on their virtual presence.

Deepak, sorry for irrelevant drool in this platform.

To tell you the truth, I was just thinking of cutting and running after screening the blog. It was Unfolding... and your response to him that instigated me to write.

(It's been 10 minutes I am trying to submit this comment.)
Dial-up sucks, so does the POP-UP MODE FOR COMMENTS. In my machine, it doesn't work. It's really difficult to succeed

dropping a comment in your blogs, Deepak.

Huna ta mero Blogspot maa pani aru le gunaaso garekaachhan comment garna garho bho bhanera... What can be the solution?

(If this doesn't work again I am going to send you via email. Wow, what an idea!)

With regards
Vahsek

Anonymous said...

Vahsek said:

Consequential and intropective, Deepak! A nice read indeed. (Taking to cliché.)

>>"But, if you don't believe in yourself, you can't trust others as well." Well said.

I agree we should be bold enough to take initiatives if we have vision, and necessarily be optimistic with what we are doing. But we should be cautious.

>>"Yet, when someone takes the risk and the road is less bumpy, we jump on the bandwagon."

Opportunism is a global phenomenon. However, in our context of BLOGAN--Zade calls it Blog Gang-- I think it's the matter of vision. Visionaries have to lead! Hand in hand, it will be easier to achieve whatever goals we frame as ours. But, yes, stakeholders (who are they, by the way?) should never be irresponsible.

Because of some obvious reasons, I could not attend the meet. It's better to be absent than to be late. (:P)

I won't be able to show up in two or three upcoming first-Saturday-of-the-month events. (You will be missing me for some more time. :)

Mr. lol, that is Unfoldingreverie,:):) hopefully you will be there in sixth or seventh monthly meet. (Desperately waiting to see you man. I have some image of yours in my mind. I just want to see me correct this time. I mean, I have seldom been correct on ideating (I could not find any other word ...) persons based only on their virtual presence.

Sorry for irrelevant drool here.

To tell you the truth, I was just thinking of cutting and running after screening the blog. It was Unfolding... and your response to him that instigated me to write.

(It's been 10 minutes I am trying to submit this comment.)

Dial-up sucks, so does the POP-UP MODE FOR COMMENTS. In my machine, it doesn't work. It's really difficult to succeed

dropping a comment in your blogs, Deepak.

Huna ta mero Blogspot maa pani aru le gunaaso garekaachhan comment garna garho bho bhanera... What can be the solution?

(If this doesn't work again I am going to send you via email. Wow, what an idea!)

With regards
Vahsek

Anonymous said...

Ciao
volevo farti i complimenti hai un sito bellissimo un abbraccio dall'Italia
Elisa


Hi, greetings from Italy. You have nice blog, visit and comment my site, please