with Matt

Wow. One of my wishes since a couple of years ago finally came true. A WordCamp in Indonesia.

Seeing there’s pretty much nobody did write about the event in English, I hope this could be a bridge to the English readers.

I was just talking with my friends about the possibility of having a WordCamp in Indonesia at PestaBlogger 2008, when a couple of days later it was announced. It’s like a serendipity or something. I’ve been thinking a lot of someday doing it since the Nu Substance Festival in 2007 (and the possibility of doing it in Bandung). It happenned by the chance, that we’re going to organize an event, and the WordCamp Indonesia commitee approaches us to do a related program.

First Day - Second Day – Photos – Related Posts

WordCamp Indonesia 2009

However it wasn’t doing very well. The progress with the organizers are very sketchy even up to the day I came. But I came with optimism since I had to support the event whether it’s spectacular or mediocre. WordPress had changed my life a lot, and I don’t want one people less came to the event and it became to be a not so good precedent. I want the Wordpress community in Indonesia to grow, even when we weren’t fully networked, and this could be a chance to start progressing.

I had to say, Valent Mustamin, the organizer had difficulties in delegating. Maybe he hadn’t much people to work with, since he’s relatively unknown to the Indonesian blogosphere. This is something that you had to built from the bottom up by building networking within the blogosphere (and since we didn’t have any widely established developer/user community). So he had more than a couple of obstacles along the way. But it the end, he did it. It was a fair success, and without his efforts this event could still be just a wish in our conversations.

On the first day (which we first met), he informed me that due to miscommunications and Matt’s tight schedule, we weren’t able to invite Matt to Bandung the next couple of days to the WP Bandung Meet Up. I know that this would cause a lot of disappointment with the Bandung enthusiasts, but I was okay with it since he shouldn’t cary the burden of guilt. My primary goal is that on the second day, the highschool magazine kids could come in and present their work in front of everyone who came to the WordCamp. It is very important to them, to gave them the credits of achivements they made, even if it’s just an easy thing with professionals.

Meeting Matt Mullenweg in person was probably the moment I been waiting for (and surely everyone who came!). It’s like meeting with a Nobel lauriate or something. Of course I do try to behave casually, but I couldn’t stop thinking that this is the guy who started it all. We spoke about the .bdg too (which I’m wearing the T-Shirt).

New Year 2009 @ Common Room

Starting this year I’m going to start myself a blog. Really.

It’s been a long time coming since I’m not really a new face in the local blogosphere. I used blogger in 2004 just to try out stuffs, then 2005 with wordpress to publish what now has become the most popular music online magazine in Indonesia. That year I also moved my blogging activities to multiply, because then it has the most convenient commenting system for me; urging more  active discussion within my circle of friends, has a publishing privacy system, and has a simple gallery to facilitate my photography outlets.

Since then I’ve juggled my way with wordpress and the K2 theme, produced many blogs and websites, but still haven’t found the way of reasons to a domain, literally.

I’m not actually a fan of new year resolutions, since while I actually plan things ahead, I don’t plan things that weren’t necessary next in line, if you know what I mean. So a lot of my previous new year resolutions weren’t contextual anymore by March.

I know that from the moment on, I’ll be posting here. This year I also set a few goals; do my thesis so I can finish my undergraduate degree, turn it into a book, build my portfolio, make another architeture-related book,  and then focus on Helarfest and a couple of creative community events.

So, Happy New Year!

New Year 2009 @ Common Room