If I had sat down to blog about it right after I got home that night, this entry would have been much shorter. But three days have passed since the Ping.sg 1st Anniversary party. I’ve had a chance to reflect on the event and to read other bloggers’ responses. Which gives me more to say.
So, let me start by saying that Nanny Wen and I had to take the MRT to the party because Makkuro wasn’t home. We camwhored at the MRT station. What a great way to pass the time while waiting for a train that’s taking too long to arrive.
When we arrived, we found Arzhou posing at the Geek Terminal entrance, beside this plasma TV showing the Ping.sg website showing a live streaming video of the festivities inside.
(Except the festivities inside haven’t quite started yet thanks to a favourite Singaporean hobby known as latecoming.)
Apparently, there’s something very fascinating about the plasma TV showing the Ping.sg website showing a live streaming video of the festivities inside.
That must be why Chillycraps just had to take a picture of it.
Well, my opinion is that people make better subjects in photography, so I made Nanny Wen stand beside the TV to illustrate my point.
I’ll bet this photo is more attractive than Chillycrap’s photo of the TV.
Now, my turn!
Nanny Wen (who took this following photo) must not like the TV very much. She shot me ALONE.
I don’t know if that’s good. I suppose it’s subjective.
Continuing with our experiment in photography, we thought that tables and chairs might make good subjects.
(It also appears that badly-lit, out-of-focus photos could possibly be the rage these days. You never know. Nanny Wen might just start a trend in photography.)
Anyway, photography is tiring, whether you’re the photographer or the model, so that’s all for experimenting with creative photography today.
I have to talk about the party!
Much has already been said by the bloggers who didn’t sit on this task for three days like I did (I very busy lah). So I am faced with the unique challenge of reporting on a three-day-old event that more than 30 other bloggers have already reported on.
But don’t care. Don’t people like reading the same stuff all the time, anyway?
So, first of all…
I Didn’t Win
To those of my readers who are still wondering, I didn’t win anything. I already told you lah. But I love you for voting for me. You’re the best! ;)
I don’t think my blog will ever win any awards because it’s so… random. It’s not a very focused blog. But that’s just me. I’m not a very focused person (except when it comes to my acting work), having too many interests and too many personalities (which helps in acting).
The Awards Ceremony
I think it was really cool that the organisers tried to make the whole thing quite formal, almost Hollywood style. Of course, this being a scaled-down version, the event wasn’t exactly grand. It was obvious that the event wasn’t planned to perfection. The MCs didn’t have any rehearsals, the award presenters weren’t given briefings and the pace of the ceremony was quite slow.
But we don’t expect perfection here, do we, this being a low-budget community event. Everything was done by Ping.sg members with little or no experience in such matters, under a deadline, while struggling with day jobs. They’re not even paid for it. I think what they’ve achieved is great and the event flowed quite smoothly, all things considered. I believe the committee members and helpers did the very best they could and that’s what’s important.
Whether or not you enjoyed the event, I think everyone should appreciate the organisers for their hard work. And, since it’s a community event, I think every single member has the responsibility to help make the party as fun as possible.
So, if you didn’t enjoy it, it’s your own fault! =P
Some random photos from the ceremony.
Arzhou and Estee presenting the first award – Most Entertaining Blog.
Me and Daphne presenting the Most Entertaining Post award.
DK giving one of his award acceptance speeches.
Chillycraps double-checking the result slip to ensure that DK really won fair and square and not because he bribed the presenters.
Sexy Veron receiving the ultimate Blog of the Year award.
Veron giving a speech.
The Award Winners
There were a total of 11 awards but only six winners. Which is cool. Some people do have the tendency to sweep awards — that’s the nature of the game.
Here are the winners:
Veron
– Best Blog Design
– Blog of the Year
Eastcoastlife
– Most Interactive Blog
– Most Controversial Post
– Most Entertaining Post
– Post of the Year
DK
– Best Citizen Journalism Post
– Most Insightful Post
Chillicraps
– Most Entertaining Blog
Cobalt Paladin
– Most Insightful Blog
Keropokman
– Best Photo Blog
Congratulations, all! I voted for four of you. But I’m not saying who. Haha.
The Birthday Cake
What a sweet birthday cake! Arzhou and his partners from SweetHut contributed this cake. Totally yummy!
But my photo sucks, so check out the gorgeous photos of the gorgeous cake by Keropokman.
The Ping.sg People
Camwhoring time again!
Really, what else is there to do at a party after you’ve devoured all the food?
I was happy to finally meet Kevin with the nice nose.
He’s that “Mr Walking Camera Guy” I illicitly took a picture of at BlogOut 2007.
Remember… this photo?
He brought his walking camera again, but this time it was just for show. Hahaha, how funny!
Pretty Estee also wanted a picture with him.
Wow, I think they make a really attractive couple.
Uh… not starting any scandals here, ok. I don’t even really know them that well. Maybe they’re both attached, and not to each other. I don’t know! I’m just saying they look good together. In this photo.
Kevin was a hapless hijack victim this night. He was on the verge of leaving the party when I first hijacked him to take a photo with me. When he tried to leave again, Estee hijacked him.
Then, in the middle of taking photographs, he got hijacked by Ming, who wanted to talk business. But before the business was done being discussed, Nanny Wen hijacked him to take more photos. Haha.
You can see how he was still talking business when we made him stand in position to be photographed. I wonder if he felt like a zoo pony or something with people queueing up to take photos with him.
The final hijack by all guilty parties!
My next victim target was Ming from Nuffnang.
He is Nanny Wen’s boss and my source of income (from Nuffnang ads, haha).
Next up: Just the gals! Nicole, me and Estee.
I don’t know why Nanny Wen wasn’t in this shot. We had made a pact to be Siamese twins throughout the event but she kept detaching herself and disappearing. Tsk tsk.
Oh, and here’s the most important person, without whom this party would never have been. Ping.sg founder Uzyn! Whee!
During the founder speech, Uzyn happily advertised the fact that Ping.sg was born as a bedroom project. Some bloggers tried to scandalise this bit of trivia by honing in on the word “bedroom”. But Uzyn stressed that he was alone at the time of conception of his baby. And, anyway, Uzyn is too steady a sort of person to be scandalised.
Another photo.
Nanny Wen finally resurfaced to attach herself to me again.
Only to detach herself yet again to take a photo with DK.
How come DK never take photo with me??!! Idiot. Not only did he not give me a laptop, he posed for photos with Wen and not me! Hmmph.
Mmm. Maybe I forgot to ask him. Hahaha.
Estee and me, Estee and Wen. Estee is a hot girl!!
Estee and Wen have hairstyles that are symmetrical to each other! Haha!
And, finally, me and Ming Yeow, founder of The Digital Movement.
I regret not having the chance to take photos with more people, but one can’t be camwhoring the whole time. Like I said before, photography is very tiring. There are other things to be done, food to be eaten, conversations to be had, hijacks to be executed.
I love the people at Ping.sg. Everyone is so friendly and it was great meeting them all. Well, I didn’t get a chance to meet everyone, but that’s how it is. A party isn’t like speed dating, and friendships are sometimes forged by chance.
Like maybe you’re hanging out in a group and, suddenly, everyone has to go to the toilet all at once, leaving you and an almost-stranger to hold the fort. And you’re forced to talk to each other whether you like it or not. You may end up liking it. Or not. But you get to know someone a bit better by chance.
I hope to meet and get to know more Pingsters in time to come.
The Flame War
There was some unhappiness over the way the Blog of the Year winner was chosen. A harsh blog was written and feelings were hurt. Cross words were exchanged, some words got twisted, reputations got hurt and friendships were torn.
I have nothing to do with this unpleasantness, so maybe I don’t know how the involved parties feel exactly, but I want to say this: Take it as a compliment.
I feel that success can be measured by how much crap and criticism you get. If you’re a nobody and don’t mean anything at all, nobody can be bothered to criticise you. And, most of the time, people who make negative comments are the very ones who are seen in a bad light by casual bystanders, so they’re only shooting themselves. Most readers are smart enough to figure out for themselves what’s right or wrong.
Cheer up, all who are involved. I hope it all turns out to be a big misunderstanding and friendships can resume.
Post-Party Posts
So many members blogged about the party. Some of them posted three, four, five, posts about the event. For three days, Ping.sg was continuously inundated by party posts. The top 10 most popular list was totally monopolised.
It’s interesting to read all the different perspectives from different bloggers about the same event. Yes, I read all of them. To prove it, I’ve compiled and categorised all the links. (Please don’t kill me if I missed out your post, I’m only human.)
Photos and Videos
Ping.sg turns 1, The Slideshow of 58 photos tells the story – by Keropokman
Photos: Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party (plus blog award winners) – Kevin
The ping.sg 1 year old Birthday Cake – by Keropokman
Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party Photos – by Adam Zhang
Behind the scenes of the Ping.sg Party – by Rinaz
what the fish – by Chillycraps
A video guide to the Ping.sg celebration – by an absentee – by ClappingTree
Ping.sg 1st anniversary party – by sylvdoanx
Reflective
The 3 Persons I met at Ping.sg anniversary – by Paddy Tan
The 3 person I regret not talking to at the ping.sg anniversary – by DK
Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party – DK’s self debrief – by DK
Communication101 for Pingsters – Jayson Ang
Could have been better – by Claudia
Ping.sg’s 1st Anniversary Party! – by Farinelli
Ping.sg’s first anniversary party by Yuhui
Ping Pong-ed at Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party – by Teeming
Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party – by Hendri Budi
Narrative
My first ping.sg gathering – by Daphnemaia
Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party… – by uglyfatchick
Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Party – by Simply Jean
General
pinging party – by Chillycraps
party supporter – by Chillycraps
Ping.sg is One Year-Old – by Brennan
Ping.sg Party: A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL – by Arzhou
Just short update for ping.sg gathering – by hg86
My 2nd time to go Geek Terminal to attend Ping.sg – by Surfslayer
The highlight of the ping.sg anniversary party… – by ntt
Ping.sg and Bloggers Celebrates 1st Anniversary – by Hongkiat
brief entry of ping.sg bash :) – by Nicole
07/07/07 – Ping.sg Bash – by Nicole
after thoughts. – by Nicole
Ping.sg Party – A Late Rerport. :P – by Xizor
Ping.sg Party @ Geek Terminal – by Izel
Ping.sg anniversary party: Thank you and feeling good/much better – by Mark Choon
the beautiful, charming and lovely rinaz aka My First Ping Event – by Jzin
Winners
Thank you for your support – by DK
And the Winner is ……….Eastcoastlife! – by Eastcoastlife
Ping.sg First Anniversary – sparklette.net Thanks You! – by Veron
most entertaining blog – by Chillycraps
Ping Anniversary Celebration – by Cobalt Paladin
A close up of the Ping.sg Plaque – celebrates with the NDP Rehearsal Fireworks – by Keropokman
Post-Party Commotion
And the best loser award goes to…….. DK – by DK
The most hurtful things a friend can say – by DK
Backstabbed – by DK
You are SO MEAN! – by Princess Sabrina
Aftermath: Ping.sg Anniversary – by Paddy Tan
Flame war in ping.sg? – by Defector
For ping.sg Community.. – by Defector
Final Words
Okay, I’m seriously exhausted after writing the longest blog entry I’ve ever written. This report is far from comprehensive, but I’m not going to say anymore because I’m tired. Haha. So I’m just going to end with a summing up:
Thank you, Ping.sg.
It was an awesome party.