Tagged by Nash!

Hello people,

Nash tagged me with the following questions, so here goes. Pretty interesting questions.

1. Are you happy with your blog, the template and what you write?

Yes, I am very happy with my blog. It's been just two years, and the more I write on it, the more I feel my blog is evolving into what I want it to be. I am not happy with the templates situation though. As you may have noticed, I change my template more times than a peacock has its feathers! What I write on my blog is really different than what I had anticipated I would write, but I am happy with it.

2. Does your immediate family know about your blog?

Yes they all know. My dad is not very net savvy, and so he has seen it only once. My mom has seen it from time to time, and my siblings see it when I want to share an experience with them.

3. Are you embarassed to tell a friend about your blog? or do you consider it something personal?

No, I am notembarrased. My blog is who I am. If someone doesn't like it, they can leave. I did consider it a personal thing initially, and after realizing that people from all over the world are reading it, I am more conscious of how personal I should get on my blog.

4. Did blogs brought a postive impact on your thoughts? If the answer is yes, give examples.

Yeah. By interacting with other bloggers out there, and getting feedback from others on carious articles brought about healthy debates and discussions. Some of my favorites ones have been free will vs predestination, burj al arab being a cross, freedom of religion among others. It has also helped me see what other people think of the way I think.

5. Do you only visit blogs that visit you or do you explore other blog?

Yeah, I do check out other blogs from time to time, and the ones I like, I add them on my Reading List. However, there are some people who start off their blog and then stop it.

6. What the does visitor count mean to you? and do you think its important to put it?

Initially, when I put the visitor count, I measured the success of my blog based on the statistics. When the numbers would fall below my expectations, I would think my blog is failing. It took a while for me to get over that visitor stats. Now, I don't really concern myself with the statistics. I do think that if you want to put something like that, it should only be used for informational purposes, and not used as a basis to judhe how successful you are with your blog.

7. Do you try to picture your friends in blogs?

All the time. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one out there putting my picturtes up there. Sometimes I have a certain picture of people in my head and I like to keep it that way.

8. Do you see a real benefit from blogging?

Writing has always been therapeutic to me. I maintain a written journal as well, and that's where I write my more personal thoughts. However, blogging is a lot of fun, it's therapeutic to me, it helps me connects with others out there to share and discuss ideas.

9. Do you think that the blogging society is an isolated society or it reflects whats happening around us?

Bloggers are a rising phenomenon. It was a little scoiety initially, but now it's growing to be a large one.

10. Are you bothered with criticisim? or you feel its healthy?

I am ok with both positive and negative criticism as long as its not targeted personally at me. In 2005, there were some people out there who were targetting me personally and not my articles, and that did upset me. Criticism is healthy as long as the person itself is not criicised.

11. Are you scared of Political Blogs?

No, I am not scared. Everyone is entitled to their freedom of speech, and they can talk about what ever they want to. Yes, the only danger is that such blogs may contribute to the brainwashing of young impressionableminds to subscribe to their political ideas and beliefs.


12. Were you shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?

Yeah, I was shocked, but then this is the Middle East, where freedom of speech is restricted. Even my mom warns me not to write provocative articles regarding Saudi Arabia.

13. Did you think of what will happen to this blog when you die?

I know for sure, I will be compiling a book called Life of Mansur, comprised of all my articles and the comments that go along with it. Maybe in 10 years time, I can look at this book and remind myself of what my life was like.

14. Whats the song you would like to link it to this blog?

It would have to be a happy song, maybe Shiny Happy People by REM.

15. Who would you like to pass it to?

To everyone in my Reading List (that includes the defunct and temporarily cancelled bloggers!)

Mansur