It’s hard to believe, but exactly two years ago I started kennysia.com without much of an expectation that it would turn into a monster that it is today.
A lot of things has happened since I wrote my first entry.
For one, my site’s traffic has skyrocketed from to 16,000 a day. As of posting, kennysia.com is still the number 1 Malaysian blog on Technorati.
The best thing about that is the fame and recognition that comes with it. Whether in Kuching or KL, going out and being recognised by strangers is becoming pretty common.
Top 4 Most Commented Entries On kennysia.com
13 October – Kuching Vs Perth Dilemma – 539 Comments
27 August – Crocs Beach Review And Giveaway – 396 Comments
8 March 2006 – Kuala Lumpur International Marathon– 394 Comments
17 October – LG White Chocolate Fashion Phone Giveaway – 383 Comments
What I appreciate most about writing here is when my readers see good stuff on my site, they spread the word around telling other people to read kennysia.com. Some of my entries this past year was elevated to legendary status because of that.
Top 4 Most Memorable Entries On kennysia.com
14 January – Weight Loss Ads Are Ridiculous
I sent a letter to Osim demanding explanation why their ads for their weight loss products always feature skinny models who don’t need to lose weight. Hilarity ensued.
Despite efforts from my readers bombarding Osim headquarters with forwarded copies of this entry, Osim’s PR department launched into full defence mode and ignored all those forwarded emails. Word finally got around to Channel [V] studios and in support of my cause, I was even featured in their first episode of Poparazzi. The channel called up Osim to seek for a reply. As expected, Osim said “No comment.”
1 April – Kenny Sia Attempts To Write A Bimbo Blog
It’s becoming an April Fool’s tradition for kennysia.com to poke fun at Xiaxue, and last year it’s no different.
If there’s one thing I know about how to easily increase blog traffic, it’s to talk about Wendy Cheng – the funny, controversial, bimbotic, bitchy internet celebrity from Singapore. Love her or hate her, people are just dying for a chance to talk about her.
It’s simple, Xiaxue = Traffic.
14 June – How To Make Your Own Official World Cup Ball
This is another one of those entries that made people keep forwarding it until it made the trip around the world in people’s email inboxes. Like what happened when I poked fun at Osim, the entry reached the office of adidas Malaysia. Unlike Osim, adidas had a bit more sense of humour and sent me a pack of gifts as appreciation. Thanks!
However, things unexpectedly turned sour when the president of the Bespectacled Losers Association of Bloggers ‘Blogging Responsibly’ (BLABBR) for no reason at all accused me of plagiarising this entry. I was bemused because I didn’t plagiarise and I know it. Surprisingly, when I put out all the glaring facts in front of him and pointed out the differences between “plagiarism” and “coincidence”, he got nothing to say.
Hypocrites can go suck on it baby.
4 July – Another Fight Video Discovered On The Internet>
My parody of the Miri Schoolgirl Fight video that was widely circulated around the internet. This is definitely my favourite self-made video clip ever.
As of writing, the video was viewed 103,800 times around the world and even made it to Youtube’s Top #11 Most Viewed Video Clip during the week that it was published. Not bad for a Kuching-made content. It could’ve been more if that week wasn’t overshadowed by Zidane’s headbutt on Youtube.
As the popularity of my site climbs, I am also beginning to receive more and more offers from commercial entities to advertise their products on my blog. The most obvious examples of which are Pixart, LG Chocolate and Crocs Shoes.
I apologise if my readers felt annoyed that their regular blog reading is invaded by adverts, but running a high traffic website isn’t exactly cheap. On average, I am spending at least RM300 a month and 2 hours a day on kennysia.com. It is unfair if I have to spend time and money out of my own pocket to run a website for people to read, and yet not get anything in return to cover my expenses.
Adverts on blogs are fine as long as they’re done in moderation. 1 ad out of 10 entries isn’t exactly that bad. Besides, TV shows like Idol have a lot more ads than kennysia.com, and it’s not like people are switching their TV sets off in protest.
I welcome adverts on blogs, and I think it is a good thing that Malaysian companies are turning towards bloggers to spread the word about their products. The fact that companies are now willing to invest in online media is a sign that our locally-produced Internet content is getting better. That being said, my promise to you is that I will never sacrifice the user-friendliness for cash and I will never tell blatant lies for money.
The second year of my blogging journey saw some changes in my writing. I think that as I grow up, it is inevitable that my writing matures along with it. Blog readers who have been around for a while would notice that I have toned down my brash style considerably. I’m also staying away from large blog communities, becoming less controversial and updating less often compared to before.
There’s a few reasons for that.
The first and foremost of which is that I think internet wars are extremely stupid. Even worse if it is initiated by people who don’t even know you and yet want to control what you write. Trolls are most annoying when they repeat themselves like a broken record, acting like the High Priest of the Church of Morality telling me “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility!™” and “Think Before You Click That Publish Button!™”
Fine then. That’s why I’m updating less because I think too much before clicking that Publish button. Happy now?
Despite toning down so much, I STILL get idiots going after my ass because they think some of my entries are too ‘controversial’. Some even had the rudeness and audacity to tell me “better delete this entry otherwise ISA go after you”.
HELLO? ARE YOU THE BLOGGER OR AM I THE BLOGGER?!
When I get comments like that, I just delete them immediately. I don’t care. I couldn’t care less about the Internal Security Act. People who wanna control how I blog should worry less about the ISA and worry more about getting their comments deleted by SIA.
SIA, as in… Kenny SIA, y’know?
Judge for yourself and tell me if you think these entries are offensive and shouldn’t be put up at all.
Top 5 Most ‘Controversial’ Entries On kennysia.com
13 March – Datuk Application Form
It’s an open secret that many Datuks are not worthy of their titles. I poked fun at that. People said I’m controversial and wanted me to remove this entry.
8 May – Kuching Traffic Police Is My Best Friend
Bribing the traffic police in Malaysia is like buying pirated DVDs – everyone knows that it’s not legal but everyone does it anyway, simply because the authorities are giving you all the avenues to. Try doing the same in Singapore, Australia or New Zealand and you wouldn’t go far.
The purpose of this entry is to demonstrate how freaking easy it is for the average Malaysian to get out of a traffic offence with some spare change. I was trying to insult police corruption in my own sarcastic way, but people got angry because they think I am advocating bribery. I am not.
10 May – Sarawak Erections Update
I poked fun at the pre-election situation in Sarawak without siding any political parties. People said I’m controversial and wanted me to remove this entry.
25 May – Zhng My Penis
I posted an entry about circumcision. My mom wanted me to remove it (the entry, not the foreskin).
She thinks that anything to do with the human penis should not be talked about at all. I’m not even talking about the penis in a rude sense, so why is it perfectly acceptable to talk about circumcision during biology classes in high school and not on my blog?
Like they care. I was still dragged into the room and disciplined at length because of this entry.
15 September – A Vote Of No Confidence
Look guys, it’s just a badly photoshopped animation of the Tun clicking a mouse. That’s all. Like that also cannot put up? Must remove ah?
One thing I am beginning to become mindful of is the amount of influence I have on kids.
When I started, most of my readers are people 20 years and above, so I exaggerate myself and blog without any form of self-restriction. Of late, I noticed an increasing number high school teenagers reading kennysia.com. Some even found out about my site after their teachers told them about it. When Hitz.fm and Mix FM plugged my site over the air, they described it as “appropriate for kids”. Then there are parents who sent me messages telling me how much their 15-year-olds enjoy reading kennysia.com.
Seriously, I didn’t use to think kids should read my site because I never intended to become anyone’s role model. In fact, I hated the thought of becoming a goody-2-shoe moral crusader.
Yet at the same time, it is flattering to know that teachers and parents are putting their faith in me. With that in mind, I reluctantly scaled back on inappropriate language and R-rated content on my site. Sure, it meant me losing a bit of my edge. But I guess it’s better lose that than to have the next 15-year-old say ‘KNNCCB’ to their parents after picking up a new vocabulary reading kennysia.com
Top 4 Personal Favourites On kennysia.com
20 January – Best of Kuching Series
4 May – It’s Been A Year Since You’re Gone
8 September – Close One Eye
6 February – Because Good Girls Like Bad Boys
So this is it.
For me, running kennysia.com is a fine balancing act between staying true to myself, providing entertaining content, documenting my own life, keeping it financially viable, being socially responsible and having a laugh while at it.
It is not easy to satisfy 16,000 readers everyday, but thank you for sticking with me through the thicks and thins for the past 2 years.
Any comments? Suggestions? Favourite entries? Worst entries? I welcome all kinds of opinion, so let me know. 🙂
Just don’t tell me to remove this entry because of ISA.
I’m in KL again. Tired as heck.
I enjoy travelling, but there is such a thing as travelling too much. Luckily, my next trip to KL will be in another 2 months time.