Andy and Old Beng

lim peh ka li kong

Me think that it is very interesting in the bloggers´ world cos we actually get comments posted from people all over the world whom we may not have crossed our path if without the power of blogging.

There is this 1 particular reader of mine, who called himself Andy, never leaves comment in my blog but instead sent me emails on issues written by me which he had different views.

From his name, me take him as a guy but god knows if he really is a guy?

Recently, Andy sent me a long email re-capping my postings in my blog in the form of a survey and had asked me "politely" to give him a satisfactory reply.

Here it goes:

Andy : Old Beng, your entries lately, if compared to your earlier ones, are far less funny, what have you got to say?

Old Beng : Hmmm, is it? Nothing la, all that me can say is that even Comedians and Jokers have days when they are real down.

Andy : Looking at your earlier entries, your posts are very humourous, like "Old Beng went to Orchard Road", "Old Beng on MRT", "Old Beng and Dogs" just to name a few. Although what you wrote recently are also funny, they are of different levels.

Old Beng : Ah, now me understand. The earlier entries were written before my exposure and admitting that me was indeed not a real Old Beng with 12 children. Now that me have revealed my true identity, it is rather difficult for me to write something similar to those Old Beng´s tales.

Andy : So indeed, you run out of ideas?

Old Beng : Hmmm, maybe half right. Recently got a little bit more busy than usual thus affecting my writing thinking skills.

Andy : Is that also the reason why you have been using a lot of others´ articles, some lame jokes, emails and just linked from others´ blogs.

Old Beng : Me put up some jokes to share with readers and linked some good writing stuff from fellow bloggers because me believe in good things must share. On the other hand, sometimes when me is too busy to write, me will just put up something interesting.

Andy : Are you facing Writer´s block?

Old Beng : Ha ha, of course not la since me is no writer. Me only like to write write here and write write there and at the same time put some of my old Chinese articles and Ghost stories in my blog.

Andy : Many people seem to be rather puzzled that a self-proclaimed Ah Beng can go to so many expensive far away countries, what have you got to say?

Old Beng : Say what? Ah Beng cannot go tour is it? Me think only you puzzled only la.

Andy : I have been following your writing as far back as from the time you started writing in YMB, do you think you have changed a lot in your writing style since then?

Old Beng : Think me can put it this way: when me first wrote during the YMB time, there were lots of heated up issues written almost everyday and in order to cool down the situation, me started to create Old Beng and family and wrote some issues to make the YMB readers relax though me still got some negative feedbacks whereby people finger pointing at me for writing low class Singlish. After creating my own blog "lim peh ka li kong", it is more my very own playground and it is more to entertain myself than others and at times to record some of the happenings of my life with wife and friends. Change is definitely inevitable, just hope it is for the better.

Andy : So will you stop writing, if one fine day, you realise that the numbers of people reading your blog drop to maybe only 10 per day?

Old Beng : Huh, now got more than 10 meh? Actually, even if nobody reads my blog anymore, me will still write cos me know my cha-bo-lang will definitely read one. In fact, readers are like shoppers in the shopping mall : More people walk by than actually see the items and more people see the items than actually buying them. 逛的比看的多、看的比买的多.

Andy : Would you prefer your readers to leave their comments or it makes no difference to you?

Old Beng : Of course, me will very much like everyone who clicks / browses / reads my blog to leave a comment or two BUT just like me reading others´ blogs, me don´t always leave comments also. Since we cannot sell our blog like writing for papers and no money is made, comments will be the rewards all bloggers want to get, if not why create the comment field?

Andy : Whose blog do you read often? Rockson? Blinkymummy? Xiaxue?

Old Beng : Me do not really visit these "famous" blogs everyday but me have a rather wide scope for blogs reading. From local blogs to overseas blogs, from English to Chinese to Cantonese, from serious bloggers to cartoons blogs to jokers like me, me even read blogs written by very young people (as young as 15 years old students).

Andy : I realised that you are always trying very hard to be a "Good Man" image in your blog, are you living to it in real life?

Old Beng : HUH???? "Good Man" image? Don´t write vulgars or swears or curse does not classify me as a good man. Although it is my private playground, me must beware of youngsters who sometimes accidentally come into my blogs. Anyway, good or bad is very subjective one la.

Andy : If one day, you decide to stop your blog, will you announce it in your blog or just like some bloggers, just closed their blogs or just leave it hanging there?

Old Beng : Although me do not know everyone who reads my blog, think it is basic mannerism to announce in my blog should me choose to stop blogging one day. Why? Cos me treat my readers as friends and that is the least me can do should me really stop blogging.

Andy : Why do you always blanco your face in your photo?

Old Beng : Guess me is still not to comfortable to show my face.

Andy : Why? Too handsome or too ugly?

Old Beng : Nothing to do with look la dude, just don´t feel comfortable yet, who knows maybe in near future me will reveal my face in all my previous photos in my blog.

Andy : Why? As you know, Blinkymummy, Xiaxue, even some of your blogger friends like Xorpheus, Dandan, Elydia, also show their faces.

Old Beng : There are also many don´t show their faces. Rockson, Spinnee, Fireburn, Lau Hero, Sunflower, Sibeh Sian etc, so?

Andy : Isn´t it contradicting, on one hand, you are scared to show your face but on the other hand, you went out with the bloggers thus showing your face.

Old Beng : Face to face is better than only showing my face la and anyway, me enjoy meeting with blogger friends once in a while to meet up and chat.

Andy : Do you really think your blog is famous and full of humour?

Old Beng : No, don´t think my blog is famous at all, humour or not is very subjective but as me always say, this is my playground, you like to come, fine, if you think is lousy then please don´t bother to come in to read lor. BTW how come me sense the way you posing the questions to me in a rather KL hostile way? Why? Did me offend you?

Andy : Sorry if I sounded offensive but no, just trying to know you better. Anyway. thanks for your time.

Old Beng : No worries dude, glad that you are interested in me. (Not the brokeback interested la).

lim peh kong wan liao