Some notes

I know that I should write these notes otherwise I'll forget to write it forever. If you do read Indonesian language, you have probably read my other blog Journey to His Words and knew that I was loosing a friend in the beginning of this month, and last week I was parting with my grandmother too.

This is a busy month, especially being without any helper at home. I have not yet find new assistance, and sometimes it is nicer without them. Yet, my social activities is really at stake...it is difficult to leave the house without bringing my three sons with me.

Pesta Blogger 2008 is postponed as the Eid Mubarak was too close to the National Blogger Day. The press conference was held on October 22, 2008 in Gedung BIP - Depkominfo RI. It was attended by 44 reporters from 39 printed and online media, TV and radio as reported in its blog. I became aware of this press conference after reading the photo report in wikimu. That photo contributed by a wikimu member who is also a professional journalist, so he must be invited through his media, not through wikimu.
I am actually questioning the position of citizen journalism websites in the eyes of media and other bloggers. Are they accepted as online media, or are they positioned just as other blogs?

As a citizen, I've been in some press conference using wikimu as media outlet. I was not really enjoy being in the press conference, but in this era where news should always be fast news...being invited to the press conference means that we can catch the news early and distribute it faster. (Frankly faster is not always the matter, as sometimes we do not have time to compose an article and upload it. Perhaps being aware of what is happening is better...)

I think I should dig more into the essence of citizen journalism to know where we should be standing.

I am now seeing the citizen journalism website through another point of view. Recently I experienced an embarrassing situation, but I think it would be worth sharing. When my grandmother was taken to the hospital, my mom called me to pray for her. Then my son took the phone, talk a little bit. Perhaps he didn't put the receiver exactly on the hook, so people can't contact me through my home phone. Unfortunately, my cell phones were also dead because they were short of batteries. So I was not contactable...

I was busy with the household chores, then helping my sons to study for their exams. It was all finish nearly midnight. I was tired, but I thought I should peek in my mails and read some comments in wikimu. When I opened wikimu, I saw a comment for my cousin's article uploaded for our grandma's 95th birthday...then, to my surprise, I read that my grandma passed away at 8.00pm. It was 11.30 pm! I was not aware of my own family news until I read that condolences comments in wikimu. Thanks to friends from wikimu...
News in the citizen journalism website could really be news, even for me; who should be the source of that news. When I opened my cellphones condolences from friends were already waiting in my inbox, while I was not aware that my grandma already went to her Creator.

More and more thoughts will deepened my views on citizen journalism. I pray that it would be for a good and better future!