Remembering The Dot-Com Boom

 

By the late 90's, the dot-com boom hit Malaysia and suddenly things became very interesting for freelancers and media practitioners. 

I was still working in a different industry, but opportunities were abound as investors basically threw money at any sort of interesting idea, even without a proper business plan. (Monetisation wasn't key at all!)

Websites popped up every other week, declaring to be "the best" or "the most exciting" of this and that. Of course, entertainment was an easy game to get into, so there were plenty of those around, for sure.

I remember writing for a couple of them, mainly live-e.com. The work was pretty easy, I must say, but it was a lot of fun, especially with all the parties to go to. 

Others I could remember include Octopus, M-Cities and that was also the time when Catcha first emerged. I can't remember what was the page views then were like though. Or even the kind of Internet connection we used. Haha. 

But, of course the bubble burst just as swiftly, especially after the stock market crashed in the US. With millions spent on parties and fancy offices, it didn't take long before the cash ran out, and teams had to be downsized and plenty of brands basically bungkus-ed.

I then continued to write for some new ones that emerged, and even became a regular contributor for UK sports site teamtalk.com (which still exists until today). But for most, it was back to doing work for good 'ol print.

So yeah, nothing lasts forever, but for everyone back then, I'm pretty sure we all enjoyed the ride : )

Kisah Anak Gen-X: Dulunya Aku Dipanggil Tuan Majistret

 

"Siapa dia Kassim Selamat? Lawyer? Majistret?" Aku pasti semua pernah terdengar, dan menggunakan, dialog ikonik dari filem ‘Ibu Mertua Ku’, arahan Allahyarham Tan Sri P Ramlee ini.

Walaupun tidak berapa faham akan apa sebenarnya tugas seorang majistret ketika aku pertama kali menonton filem tahun 1962 ini, yang aku tahu, bunyinya canggih dan sangat berprestij.   

Namun, seperti yang pernah aku sebut dalam kolum lalu, minat aku sendiri dalam bidang undang-undang lebih dicetuskan oleh beberapa siri televisyen yang pernah aku ikuti seperti “The Paper Chase” dan “LA Law”.

Dan selepas enam tahun belajar di Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Petaling Jaya, aku memohon dan telah terpilih untuk melalui proses temuduga yang agak panjang dan mencabar, sebelum diterima masuk ke dalam perkhidmatan kehakiman dan perundangan sebagai pegawai undang-undang bergred L3 pada tahun 1996.  

Tawaran diterima, aku terus terbang ke Bumi Kenyalang untuk memulakan karier dan kehidupan baharu. Selama tiga minggu, aku dan dua orang pegawai lain menjalankan “latihan” dengan seorang majistret senior di Mahkamah Kuching, termasuklah duduk bersama-sama dengan beliau di bangku majistret untuk memerhatikan tugasan dan keadaan di dalam bilik bicara.

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Merdeka Musings

 

If you think about it, us Gen-Xers were born slightly more than a decade after Merdeka. Our parents and grandparents lived under the Brits and the Japanese. When I got into university (there were only six public universities then), I was only the third of my 40+ cousins to do so. Of course My parents were proud of me. They then gave me a monthly allowance that was a big chunk out of our household income. 

So I valued my education. I valued the effort made to ensure I had a degree and a better life. Sure, we also fooled around, broke curfew and played too much football sometimes, but we didn't take things for granted. We were the first generation of post-Merdeka kids given the opportunity to be smarter and better off than than the generation before (where only the rich could afford to go study overseas). 

We HAD to "make it". It wasn't a joke cos we knew everything laid solely in our hands. So yeah, Gen-Xers are proud of the fact that we can spell and have pretty decent manners. There really was no other way...

The Eurasian Connection

"Today, 15 August 2024, will be the 238th Anniversary of THE ASSUMPTION DAY LANDING, when the first Serani folk arrived in Penang."

My late grandmother was a Leslar, who then married a Castillo. We also have Newmans in the family who used to live at Argus Lane in Penang's Kampong Serani. (refer to pic)

From Penang Wikia:

Argus Lane, within George Town's UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a narrow lane that zig-zags between Love Lane to the west and Pitt Street to the east. The lane that stretches across the rear of the Church of the Assumption is still home to a number of Eurasian Catholic families.

Pic of me with Uncle Johnny and cousin Angel at my great uncle's house at Argus Lane, Penang.

Argus Lane, now

At Argus Lane, 2015

Brother Hijab In The House!

 

Never thought I'd get to see brother Mohammed Hijab live but he's here today in Bangsar for a very deep session, "From Logic to Faith". And for the first time, there are more brothers than sisters in attendance! Masya Allah