My Nuffnang Story

I started blogging really early. I started out way back in April 2002 when I was studying in Melbourne. There were only a couple of people blogging back then and it was still called a weblog and WordPress didn’t exist (needless to say Blogger).

Anyway, back in those days, people didn’t exactly have a super fast connection but I did. I was using the university OC-12 line so I wanted to be the first weblog updated daily with photos. I moved to Movable Type a few months later for a better CMS. I lost my entire blog once but got it back thanks to David Hicks from Australia, who had saved a copy of it.

I lost all the previous comments during a disastrous server migration once. That’s the reason why there are no comments in the previous posts. I switched to WordPress recently and will be finishing my design soon – but hell, I’ve been saying that for ages. ;)

My Nuffnang Story did not start until 2008. I just got out of rehab, started blogging again and saw that there were two Malaysian ad networks out there. I talked to Tim, who has a very sincere and personal touch, so I went exclusively Nuffnang.

The first time I met the Nuffies (although I don’t know if that term existed then) was in August 2008. I went to KL for the Chelsea match and had dinner with them in Jalan Alor. It was great to meet the people I’ve only known over the net (I was working in Sibu) for the first time.

…fast forward three years

I’ve been with Nuffnang for more than 3 years now and I have to say that it’s been a great time. I’ve been to a lot of their events and got to know all the Nuffies and fellow bloggers. It was still a small and close knit community about two years ago where you know everyone’s name.

Nuffnang, or rather, Nom Nom Media has grown by leaps and bounds since then with branches all over the world and sister companies like Churp Churp.

The community has grown larger now and the first Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards was held in Singapore in 2009. I went and had a blast! It was a very grand event that honored bloggers who excelled in their respective fields.

I won my first (and I think only) award for my blog when I snagged the Red Ribbon Media Awards in 2004. I believe that was the first time blogs were actually recognized in Malaysia in mainstream high-profile events. I didn’t submit my blog and never even knew such an award existed and was pleased when MAC flew me down to KL and put me up in the Mandarin Oriental for the gala dinner.

I got a pewter bowl for winning in the category of Non-Traditional Media (Blogs) and RM 2,500. It was a lot of fun and I can see how having awards can make a blogger feel appreciated. *cough* HINT *cough*

The nominations for the second Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards is open now. If you wish to do so, you can nominate my blog – I don’t know which category I’ll fit in though. It certainly doesn’t quality for Most Original Blog Design. ;)

Which one do I like to think I’ll be categorized under? I’ll say Best Lifestyle Blog seems to be the most fitting one, although I’ve always harbored a secret desire to win the Best Travel Blog. Heh.

Anyway, the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards has always been a very exclusive event and if you want one of the 500 seats available for the dinner, here’s how you get it:

Step 1:
Choose one of your preferred options. 

OPTION A
a)    Write a blog post titled ”My Nuffnang Story”.
b)    Tell us about your journey with Nuffnang – the fun times you had, the friends you’ve made; if you’re new to Nuffnang, you can write about the things you are looking forward to as a part of the community!
OPTION B
a)    Write a blog post titled ”Nuffnang Blog Awards, Here I Come”.
b)    Tell us the top 3 reasons why you want to attend the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011.

Step 2:
Your blog post must include information about the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards as below (can be re-written in your own words if you wish):

Come 16 December 2011, 500 bloggers from around the Asia-Pacific region will flock to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011 in Putrajaya Marriott. The Awards aims to not only honour the region’s best bloggers, but also to bring together blogger communities from across Asia-Pacific. The Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards is brought to you by Volkswagen Malaysia and Putrajaya Marriott.

Step 3:
Head on over here to submit your details and permalink.

The best and most creative entries will win one of the 500 seats available! Most important of all, have fun writing the post coz that’s what blogging is all about.

I’ve always had fun writing on the blog. I used to have a category called The making of… which is a bit like the Bonus Features you’ll find in a DVD disc. You have to see it to believe it. Heh! I believe that blogging should be fun above anything else, so enjoy yourselves! :)

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