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A blog of passion

The Young Reporter (2005, December), 38(03), pp. 10.
Author: Cher Wang Xue. Editor: Clara Mak Ka-wai.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0015564

Cher Wang Xue

Blogs, an abbreviation for web logs, are thought by many as online journals of the authors'personal triumphs and failures. But, Lamma-Gung, owner of HK's top blog disagreed. “I am blogging not for myself, but a community.”

‘Lamma-Gung' means Grandpa of Lamma Island in Cantonese, but the 40-year-old surely hasn't attained the grandparent stage yet.

Moving from Switzerland to Hong Kong 15 years ago, Mr Lamma, a nickname which suggested his love for the peaceful island with its charming natural scenery, said, “I love this island and like people to call me Lamma.”

Mr Lamma was well-known for his English blog, an online community channel for Lamma Island.

Different from other diary-like blogs, Mr Lamma was a quasi reporter and wrote columns for his neighborhood.

Information on the site ranged from ferry timetables to newly-opened bars on the island.

Mr Lamma was keen on every move on the island. “Newspapers don't write about these trivial things. My blog is the only place for you to know about Lamma.”

Blogging became his part-time job, occupying him almost half a day each day for photo-taking and interviewing villagers.

As a former IT manager, Mr Lamma used to work for big companies like IBM. He now made a few thousand dollars monthly from advertisements on his blog.

Though the income from the blog did not make him a living, it was the satisfaction which kept him going. “I can go back to work for big companies and earn a lot of money. But the satisfaction I get from blogging is more important than money. It is a hobby. I get paid for doing things I like.”

“A guy from Hawaii wanted to immigrate to Lamma after reading my blog,” Mr Lamma cracked a smile. “It is fun.”

Mr Lamma said the readership kept growing and there were 1.76 million hits in October. The site was ranked No. l in an online survey of Hong Kong blogs.

Despite the successes he made out of his blog, some still remained skeptical to his choice at the beginning and that included his wife.

But it was also the internet which tied the knot. Mr Lamma met his wife, a local Hongkonger, some twenty years ago on the internet. I was working in IBM Switzerland and she was working in IBM HK. We met via something like predecessors of Instant Messenger or ICQ.”

Mrs Lamma opposed his near full time hobby at first but now she even wrote a few articles for it.

“But she'd still prefer me to get a regular, boring nine-to-nine [9 am. to 9 pm.] office job again and make lots of money instead of doing what I love.” Mr Lamma continued, “she's a real HK girl, believing that only lots of money can make people happy.”

Lamma-Gung was among millions of bloggers who wanted to escape from the bustle of life and looked for something different. Blog provides those hobbyists a free place to voice out their own passions and exchange different ideas on a daily basis.

There are more than 12 million blogs worldwide. Some gained friendships, some achieved their childrenhood's dreams. For bloggers like Lamma and Liwei, it was all about passion of life.

“There must be something to inspire anyone in his or her life. Life needs to be lived to the fullest, and it's all about sharing with others. This is what blogging means,” a blogger who preferred anonymity said.

Edited by Clara Mak Ka-wai

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