Ma Ailian, a 71-year-old retired surgeon, is popular among Internet users for her blog, which is mainly about her retired life in Shenzhen.

Ma, who lives in Lianhua Village North in Futian District, uses the English nickname "Miki" to blog.

"You are probably the oldest blogger I had ever seen," said a Chinese reader nicknamed Eddieaaa in a message left on Ma's blog.

Ma, from Kaifeng in Henan Province, has been blogging since last April.

"My daughter helped me open the blog, and typed the first story for me April 9, 2006. I prepared for nearly a week to post another story on the blog myself," said Ma.

The blog has also helped three generations of Ma's family come closer. By reading the blog and leaving messages, members of Ma's family in Macao, Italy and Colombia are able to communicate with her on a daily basis.

"My younger daughter lives in Italy, and two of my grandsons are studying in Macao and Colombia respectively," said Ma.

"Long-distant call is too expensive, and I therefore try to communicate with them through online video phone. However, the velocity of sound is slow due to the distance," she said.

Ma earlier used the instant messaging software QQ to communicate with her daughter and grandsons. She later found blogging was another way to keep in touch with them.

In her blog, she writes about her life in Shenzhen.

"For example, the community administration office held a party for gray-headed couples to celebrate their golden marriage last October. We and 24 other couples joined the party. Everyone dressed up and my children recorded down everything with a digital camera and posted it on the blog," said Ma.

However, she did encounter some difficulties initially.

"I spent several months to learn typing Chinese characters, as I forgot all pingyin and had to learn everything from the beginning as a primary school student. I brought a dictionary and learn pingyin of individual words in one month. I marked down those forgettable characters and recited."

Now, dozens of Internet users leave messages on Ma's blog, including her grandsons' classmates. Some even subscribe to her blog.

Ma said she enjoys her life in Shenzhen. "I had been to Rome in 2005, but the environment there can't compare with Shenzhen. Although beautiful ancient buildings are everywhere, there are only a few plants," Ma said, adding that she went to Lotus Hill Park for exercise every day.
 
(Shenzhen Daily July 21, 2007)