Blogging 2015 in review - MOOD Creative Expression

Next year this painting  will be more than 40 years old.  This makes it the oldest dated artwork by a local Bintulu artist for the record purpose.

'Spray of flowers'  watercolour painting in artist collection.  This painting is still in fine condition and safe-keeping.

It is nice when you can locate all your creativity in one place.  I did this for my blog entitled " MOOD Creative Expressions".  The blog keeps a picture of my earliest dated 1968 watercolour piece which is surprisingly about an alien landscape!  Fast forward many-many years on, the blog keeps track of my other art works in various medium - batik, crayon, oils, paint, pen and wash, felt pen, and of late photography and digital art works that can be accessed 24x7. Creativity doe not stop at painting.  The blog also keeps record of my other creative endeavours like development of nature parks and the Malaysian garden (Kambatik garden) projects. as well as daily cut flowers or floral arrangement in the Kambatik-style, poetry and video production.  Such is the beauty of the internet.

As at date of review, the blog has garnered  730  pageviews.

What does 2016 hold for MOOD creative expression? ........

Blogging 2015 in Review - Living the Bintulu story

A high point in public volunteerism especially in  living the Bintulu story as President for BIFA  during the intervening period of the frist and second economic boom of Bintulu.

It was just about two months ago that I decided to compile all the scattered blog postings I did into one blog but with a difference. The blog is called 'Living the Bintulu story'. It is a discipline that I put onto myself to ensure that my interest to write a full history of Bintulu is kept warm and wanting. More specifically I want to put the history of Bintulu in a context that is meaningful to me first and foremost as a writer. For that matter, I am blessed because I'm living the times.  Secondly, I need to consistently keep up with finding or 'digging' more facts through whatever sources that present themselves and write the developmental story of Bintulu within the confines of a periodisation scheme that I created. Next year will be the beginning of what I call the 'Millenial era' for Bintulu. This Millenia era as far as I can see at this stage will be expanded into the 'Industrial decade' and subsequently the ' Post-Industrial era'. For instance I did a lot of volunteer work during the intervening period of the first and second boom. During the fourth boom I began to put my mind into conceptual thinking of the Malaysian garden, ecological farming, nature park, and more history writing. I see next year ( start of the Millenial era) as a busy year for even more research, writing and blogging on the evolution of a millenial society in Bintulu. All these efforts to ensure that I come closer and closer towards writing the full history of Bintulu – 'Sleepy no more'.

(Note : As at date of writing this blog has garnered a total on 1,084 pageviews)

More research and blogging for the Bintulu story in the Millenial era - especially on the evolution of the Bintulu millenial society during the 'industrail decade' (2016 onwards...)

Blogging 2015 in Review - The Kambatik Park, Bintulu

Little Spiderhunter at the Yellow Ixora bush

This blog started in 2013 and has received good response ever since with an average of 60 pageviews per day. As at point of writing it has surpassed the major psychological barrier of 50,000 pageviews. I started to seriously write and take photographs of this nature park in order to document the myriad of wildlife and forest ecology here. At the park it was another period of going back to school and with the curiosity of a child. More specifically I'm learning on the need and the means to create urban forests for the future Bintulu city starting my very own nature park. The natural surroundings are well-preserved and can be emulated in urban regions in Bintulu and other towns/cities of Sarawak that do not have proper green belt, dedicated urban nature corridors and zoned wildlife passageways, or just simple open green spaces or buffers. The whole idea is to landscape the towns and cities of Sarawak not just for beautification purpose like what is practised now, but for more far-reaching ecological improvements like bringing nature back to urban communities and the preservation of wildlife which should be the litmus test of our attempts to green our cities and towns. The adventure continues…..

Blogging 2015 in Review - my Landscaping projects

Pink to light purple curtains provided by the Congea velutina

This blog is dedicated to the practice of the Malaysian garden called the 'Kambatik garden' or Laman Kambatik in Malay.  The main entries in the blogs are stories about the progress of the Kambatik garden as it is developed in a residential plot in Kuching from start to maturity.   Started in 2008, the blog has garnered a total of 13,400 pageviews at the point of writing.  Over the years the objective of gardening in the Kambatik style is well achieved in the scores of wildlife that are attracted to the garden and for many calling it home. For a better  understanding of the Kambatik garden in Kuching follow this link ....>>>> http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/search/label/Kuching%20Garden

Blogging 2015 in Review - Laman Kambatik Plants lists

Fagraea fragrans (Tembusu - Malay) 

Pterocarpus indicus (Sena/Angsana - Malay)

 One of my top five blogs is about plants.  I started this blog in mid 2009 and over the years have been gradually improved in content, pictures,  cross-indexing (using labels) and editions.   The latest version is called ' Laman Kambatik Plants list (4th Ed.)'.  The whole idea about these bogs is my attempt to make a compilation of all the plants I capture using various camera types for study and inspiration.  The collection of images is in my pursuit for a comprehensive list of tropical plants suitable for use in the Malaysian garden which I named as ' Laman Kambatik' or the Kambatik garden.  The list will continue to grow as and when I stumble upon new plants.  I have a great passion for plants.  At the point writing  the number of pageviews for the four editions are as follows:
1) Laman Kambatik Plants list (4th Ed.) = 14,159 pageviews
2) Laman Kambatik Plants list (3rd Ed.) = 213,662 pageviews
3) All the Plants (2nd Ed.) = 31,390 pageviews
4) All the Plants (1st Ed.) = 54,963 pageviews
                                  Total = 314,174 pageviews 

Bougainvillea 'Mrs Eva' - (Bunga Kertas -Malay)

In order to provide a fairly good idea for viewers on the application of the plants for the Malaysian garden or other landscaping spaces,  I have tried my best to photograph the plants in various angles or context , like CU (close-up), MS (medium shot) and LS (long shot).  I am very happy to note that interests to find names of tropical plants suitable for the Malaysian garden has a world wide appeal.

Blogging 2015 in Review - 4 da Love of Orchids

Taman Orkid in Kuching

There are two reasons for my interest in orchids.  One is its potential in landscaping and for this matter I find it very challenging to find the correct names of the orchids that I encounter.  All the photos of orchids in the blog are taken by me since 2010 and identified.  Secondly, I love to take photographs of orchids from an aesthetic viewpoint.  This blog - 4 da Love of Orchids have received  80,950 pageviews as to date of writing.  I am pleased with its universal appeal and it gives me much pleasure to share good photos with garden enthusiasts, photographers, lovers and bloggers of tropical orchids anywhere on the globe.  Looking forward for more lovely orchids in 2016...

Blogging 2015 in Review - my Sarawak

The father of Sarawak Ibans - Temenggong Jugah at the Malaysian parliament
in 'Beatles' style hair cut

DBKU Orchid garden, now known as
Taman Orkid or Orchid Park

 This blog comes in two editions.  The first edition started in 2009 till 2010.  The second edition began in 2010 and continues till today.  Both editions are constantly been accessed by readers because of the different subjects they cover when they google anything Sarawak.  It is interesting to note that for the first edition, the most three popular posts (all time)  in  rank order are as follows:
1) What the father of Sarawak Ibans - Apai Jugah said?
2)  Orchids in a tropical garden
3)  Wow! It's the Bintulu Belacan

As at the point of writing, the pageviews for both additions are:
1st Ed. = 43,239
2nd Ed. = 112,531
Thus, both editions have reached a combined total of 155,770 pageviews over a period of 6 years.
Please visit the blogs to have a fair view of what Sarawak can offer, its history, people, cultures and natural beauty.

The best belacan money can buy - Bintulu belacan (shrimp paste)

Blogging 2015 in Review - Images of Bintulu Before and Now

King George the VI Memorial Ground - 60's era

Public Fountain in the new millenia

After blogging on Bintulu history for about five years (since 2010) this blog has received a total of 43,319 pageviews as at today, 4 Dec'15.  This blog is special because it is a rigorous approach to writing history that is at the same time  fun by comparing before and after pictures.  It is for this reason that I describe it as 'a pictorial history of Bintulu'.  Pictures tell lots more stories in their details and are very authentic as historical evidence, The pictures I selected and the short write-up that accompany them tell the Bintulu story prior its first economic boom (1979 -83) right on till the fourth economic  boom (2010 - 2015).  Please follow this link on my latest posting about the King George the VI Memorial Ground before and what it is like now by following the blog's link ...>>>http://bintulub4now.blogspot.my/2015/12/king-george-vi-memorial-ground.html

Blogging 2015 in Review - Birding Sarawak

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyconotus goiavier)

Black hornbill - (Anthracocerous malayanus)

My birding for 2015 has been very interesting and intriguing to say the least.  I wish I am more free to check out other birding sites in Sarawak next year.  Of particular interest in my birding search are for the common urban or town birds of Sarawak and the birds that are sighted at the Kambatik Park, Bintulu. My lifer for 2015 are the Indigo Flycatcher, Black Hornbill and Blue-eared Kingfisher.  The total list of bird species that I have captured in pictures is 35 to date and are well-documented in my blog called my Birding Sarawak.  Please follow this link to see the full collection...>>> http://mybirdingsarawak.blogspot.my/  .  

Blogging 2015 in Review - History of Penang Free School

View of Georgetown and Fort Cornwallis, Penang. 1846.
Watercolour painting by Charles Andrew Dyce, 354 x 514mm.
Credits: Irene Lim,  Sketches in the Straits, NUS 2003.

This blog was created in August this year and I was so pleased to have completed it.  This is because there is not much more to add. Job done.  This blog is for lovers of history, especially writing history.  More importantly I have put on record, digitally of course and available online (google) some well-researched history of the Penang Free School especially on its initial 100 years of existence.  Next year the school will celebrate its 200 years of existence which I look forward to because I hold a stake as a historian to keep alive in writing a tradition in historical research for future generations of the school to carry on  and  that despite the distant in time you still can time travel the past provided there are available evidences in print, pictures or living personalities to tell the story.  Writing this short history is also my way of joining the 200 years celebration,
As at today, the blog has received 1582 pageviews and growing.... (not bad for a "dry as dust" subject called "history"! )

Please follow this link to know the full story ...>>>http://100pfs.blogspot.my/2015/08/introduction.html