10 Questions with Cerno of Cerno

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
I’m a blogger in Sri Lanka. I have studied and worked in 2 continents outside Asia before returning home. I blog about mainly Sri Lankan topics with a global perspective and my own nuttiness. Cerno is Latin for to perceive, to separate, sift, distinguish/decide, resolve, determine. I try to do that to a variety of esoteric topics (other than politics).

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
My post on growing up in Colombo’s public housing

It was not easy having to decide on a “defining post” because the very identity of my blog is defined by its variety. That’s something one of my readers have told me. I chose this particular post because it has some reoccurring themes: using Google Earth, writing something positive about life in Sri Lanka, a spoonful of nostalgia and an unavoidably large dose of my own writing style. I make it a point to “jump” subject areas and feel that I’m in a bit of a rut when I’m blogging on the same topic for more than 3 consecutive posts.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?

(1) The “slightly” spastic way I write - not just the span of my topics. I also have a rather personalised “eccentric” vocabulary (Eg: car = chariot, hand = paw). A friend once pointed out that my writing style sounded a bit like Italio Calvino - which was the first time I heard about him.

(2) My use of Google Earth and wikimapia.org to “show” and “personalise” places in Sri Lanka that I write/mention in my blog.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I knew about blogging since I think 2003-4. But it never felt like it was anything I wanted to do. Then in early 2007 I discovered Sri Lanka’s main blog aggregator kottu.org. After reading its variety, I decided to give blogging a whirl. A few tentative posts later, I discovered a strange joy in blogging. Which I think is a actually a love of writing.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the Internet?
People who abuse the anonymity of a pseudonym as a licence for irresponsible blogging AND those who THINK just using a pseudonym is a form of irresponsible/”cowardly” blogging. By irresponsible blogging I primarily mean trolling and hate mongering. Its worse than spam and has an unproductive stupidity about it that I find quite draining. I use a pseudonym because I want my blog to be judged by what I write in it - not by who I am in the “real” world. If people think that’s cowardly I don’t care - it IS my blog ;)

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Akismet spam blocking. Without it my blog would be drowned in meaningless comments with porn links. I thought I might say the stats but that’s just for my own consumption. Other than that I’m not particularly dependent on widgets and plug-ins though some are rather handy. I use a few that Wordpress.com lets me use.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog,who would it be and why?
My blog is an one person blog. It will never have a guest post or writers. I haven’t run a collaborative blog so I don’t even understand the concept of a “guest” writer. I guess it means that my blog is sort of my own online identity. I’d prefer people to write comments on it instead. I’d be particularly honoured if Charles Bukowski or Italio Calvino said something even vaguely approving. I like both for their fun readable writing and I’m sure they would have something interesting to say.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
I doubt it though I think blogging has contributed to making me feel happier. Which in turn might make me an easier (better?) person to deal with. On the positive side, blogging helps keep my mouth shut so I don’t make people uncomfortable by talking about obscure topics. Sri Lankans are easily rattled by people who talk about the unfamiliar. Such as building your own radar, Corsican folk music, and locations of wrecked armoured vehicles in Sri Lanka’s war zones. Its the sort of thing that will get you labelled as “eccentric” - which is another way of saying unreliable. My blog is my outlet to “talk” about such things without having to repress my interests.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?

(1) Honest original content. By honest I mean content not stolen from someone else.

(2) Content that has a positive effect on the reader who learns/realise something or at least feels a bit positive about themselves.

(3) Be genuinely interested in whatever you is writing about and consequently feel joyful in the act of writing (which will show).

(4) Comment on other people’s blogs as if they were your own - positively and honestly. If you got some thing negative to say make sure it is stated constructively, clearly, and logically with neutral language. Don’t troll.

(5) Blogging/commenting when you are angry is a waste of time & energy. Step back and chill before touching the keyboard again.

(6) Take responsibility for what you say - if someone demonstrates/points out that your argument is flawed or the facts wrong, admit it and correct it.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Lanka London and Drums. Its by a UK guy of Sri Lankan origin. Cutting through his very readable writing is a consistently positive, intelligently chilled out vibe. I also admire his ability to crank out quality writing at a much faster rate than I can ever dream of. His perspective is a blend of a English gent and a familiar Sri Lankaness which is a mix I’ve never read anywhere else.

Categories: Personal, Ten Questions, Travel & Culture