Blogging: The heart and soul of it

Treasure chest
My wife was always complaining that I spend too much infront of my PC and retiring in the wee hours of the morning because of blogging. However, when I joined the Wika 2007, I never thought she would not support me to campaign for my entry. [It is because I promised her that I will give her the pot money if I win! Lolz]. So she helped in the campaign as well, and helped analyze why our 200+ contacts did not translate to number of votes. Our campaign yielded low votes. We have the wrong target “voters”. Our friends are all busy and too old (yes too old and not techie enough, sigh!) to participate in this techie environment! Aren’t they opening their mails? Or perhaps, they do not know where the links are! Unlike other participants, they have a vast network of yuppies and younger friends to boot. Talo na ako sa internet votes! (Sigh again!).

Nonetheless, I was simply elated with the comments I got from my voters. They are all friends and colleagues who have supported me all the way! Win or lose, according to them, I am still their winner. That is enough reward for me. Now, I could proudly say, I am their winner!

Almost a traitor
Honestly, I was also thinking about how to make money out of my blog, so I applied at an advertisement site. But sadly, I was not accepted because they think that my blog does not support language translation. I thought that the “culprit” could have been my Wika 2007 entry, so I thought about actually deleting this blog entry. Since I was already deeply engrossed with blogging, I might as well get money from it. After a careful deliberation, and accepting fact that I am not a conformist, and again inspired by Señor Enrique’s comment in my blog about service. I do realize that I just wanted to share my thoughts and feelings about the mundane things about life, and being a Filipino. So the money-making motive is now completely abandoned. Deleting my Wika 2007 entry would also mean I am turning my back from the things I have believed in—to put it more succintly, I would become a traitor to my being a Filipino!

Gifts come in different packages
I was in Cagayan de Oro last September 4 enjoying my sumptuous dinner at Bigby’s in Lim Ket Kai and at the same time was mulling over some important things about work, and texting my friends and wife about it. (Yes, I am a multi-tasker!).

Back from a 2-day respite, I finally had the chance to open my email, and was just so glad to find that the result of the Wika 2007 Blog contest was already out. I was even more joyful with the fact that I saw my name, but was not exactly sure about it. So I scrolled up and down slowly, then it dawned to me, I was the Grand Prize winner! Certainly, it relieved that sullen feeling for the past two days, and perhaps, a nice bithday gift. I will be a year older in a few days.

The heart and soul of it
Blogging has never never failed to give me that feeling of excitement. While looking at my rankings, it makes me think of how my blog should get noticed and actually frequented my readers. I feel bad when my PBS and Ratified ranking goes to the bottom. So I strategized and put some new features in my blog like the “Viewpoint” which showcases some of my photographs, and the weekly “Inkblots Polls” which tackles current events, and allows an interaction among the readers by creating a comment blog page for the poll. I have other plans for my blog. Karir na ito! And all these is not in just in the name of rankings. After winnng the Wika 2007 blog contest, I am more inclined to believe that I have to work harder to live up to the expectation that I deliver sensible information to my readers, that would make them go back to my blog, read my ideas as well as that of my readers, and perhaps, learn from it—to borrow Señor Enrique’s words, “all in the name of service.”


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: To the judges who recognized me and those who voted for me. Maraming Salamat!

To the other winners, congratulations, too!

Second Prize:
Naykupu! by Ynon

Third Prize:
Ang Obra by Feddie Marc S. Perez

Misteryosa Award:
1. ‘THE’ Filipino Language: WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS MEAN??? by Frances Paola G. Doplon
2. A Language We All Need to Learn by Ayel

Participants’ Choice Award:
Pista ng Wikang Filipino/The Spectacle of the Filipino Language by Marocharim

Consolation Prizes:
1. Ang paradigm shift at ang mga erehe ng KWF by Willy Prilles, Jr.
2. Wika at Musika by Garry Victor Urbi

Posted in: Blogging and Technology,Mindanao,Personal reflections