Quit Blogging

But then you pause for a minute and ponder. “What will make you quit blogging at this point in time?”

Or perhaps you just write for yourself anonymously, carrying an alias that would raise the hair of anyone hearing the name uttered. You dislike popularity, blog metrics and social media. You simply write your thoughts like your blog is your diary with or without readers. Blogging is your passion. Writing is your forte. Your blog, as you proclaim, is your outlet for living. Then suddenly you announce your retirement.

In July 2008, a famous Internet entrepreneur and blogger, Jason Calacanis, announced that he quit blogging. Jason is the CEO of Mahalo.com, a human-powered search engine, and was the co-founder of Weblogs, Inc.

In the Philippine setting, Jehzeel Laurente, the very influential blogger behind www.jehzlau-concepts.com, announced the other day that he quit blogging. No further reasons were given, except this intro statement he posted. “Every beginning has an end. Everything once cherished fades and dies. Everything we fought so hard for, in the end just withers away. This is my farewell blog post to all my avid readers. I don’t want to quit blogging but I need to. My blogging journey will just end anyway, so I’ll end it right now.”

Though I don’t want to delve deeper into the issues behind the decision of those two famous bloggers, below are some of the reasons why people quit and leave their blogs behind:

1. Death – That’s too obvious if we consider the death of the blogger. But what if that is the death of someone the blogger loves and adores so much? I know of a blogger who quit after the death of her firstborn. It was like her soul was totally consumed after the loss and that she could not continue maintaining the site anymore because of too much pain.
2. Prolonged sickness/Health reasons – There are sicknesses which will make it difficult for someone to blog again. Blindness for instance.
3. Work and Offline business – Responsibilities pile up just as you are on your blogging peak. A promotion, a new challenge, or a new project. Or maybe your business is enjoying exponential growth that you no longer have time for blogging.
4. Growing Internet business – Some netreprenuers started with blogging. But as their business grows, they need to put more time on where the money is. It is not really in blogging where bloggers make large sums of money. It is still in the entrepreneurial side like affiliate marketing, search engine marketing, internet marketing, search engine optimization, business process outsourcing, etc…
5. Family – Your spouse doesn’t understand what blogging is. Your kids are growing and they long for your presence. To blog or to spend time more with family? Of course, you know where you stand.
6. Trolls and online attacks – You made enemies because of a single post. Trolls hound your blog and destroy your reputation. You want to stand your ground. Friends listen, but the ill-informed cometh and leaveth, pinching a little of your flesh and stabbing your soul. It hurts. Should you click the delete button and just fade away from the blogosphere? Some did.
7. Boredom – You blogged because you’re bored. You quit blogging because you’re bored. It’s that simple.
8. Tired of chasing money online – Because you failed in your quest for making money online, you now think it’s more profitable to sell balut instead. Or perhaps you suddenly found yourself banned from a PPC program you worked hard to earn more money.
9. No more time – There is still time for everything, but you rather spend it sleeping and resting.
10. Shift of hobby – You considered blogging a hobby. Then came Farmville, Farmtown, Mafia Wars and other Facebook apps, which consumed all your waking hours. A hobby is simply replaced by a new hobby.
11. Lack of internet access – The management at the workplace suddenly changed its internet usage policy. It’s your sole access as you don’t want to spend and only want the freebies. Your home doesn’t have a signal for either smartbro, sun or globe. You no longer have any access to the internet. Your passion died too.

What do you think my friend? Is quitting from blogging at the back of your mind right now?

Anyway, since goals and plans are becoming a yearly thing, I will write here my blogging goals for 2010. No copying please.

1. Post more often – It is a fact the Google loves sites that are updated more often. Their search engines’ spiders are like saying, “oh, there’s something new there. Come let us see”.

Also, blogging friends would like to see a fresh post every time they visit. No, not that new post every 8 hours about a product I endorse because I just have to make an entry to meet a certain quota. Two to three posts a week would do just fine. And it’s not necessary that friends read the whole thing. They could read a few lines and then comment like they read the whole long entry. It won’t matter to me too if the comment is on topic or off topic as long as it is not flammable nor spammy.

2. More pillar posts – My friend Roel (aka Bloggista) talked about this more often. These posts can stand on its own in season or off season. It can drive visitors from search engines, and it can even be promoted by others because of the quality and usefulness of the content.

And it won’t just be about board exams results or some of the latest Cebu Pacific promo fares. Though these posts are very useful, pillar posts are more than just copied information.

3. Make more money online – From cents to dollars a day. Who wouldn’t want to make more money online? At least to pay for my 5 domain names, two hosting plans and the internet usage. To break even, I need at least $31 a month. See, it’s a dollar a day!

Another thing, I have some serious collaboration with two other bloggers. We’re gonna change the world. Hurray for us!

4. Promote online the offline businesses – I started that a year ago in one of my blogspots. I optimized some keywords and got 60 plus inquiries in a year’s time. But it’s kind of a half-serious endeavor because of some other plans that didn’t actually push through. To make things worse, another person, who is in the same business as ours, snapped up some of our potential clients by taking notes of their email ads and sending them unsolicited offers. The shameless girl even presented herself as our partner. Had we converted those inquiries into revenues 100%, it could have been worth at least half a million pesos.

Now, I am taking another step higher. I set up a website for my Father-in-law’s furniture business, which my wife helped manage. If you are in need of a kitchen cabinet and closet installers in Cebu, then you can count on us. Here’s a picture of one of their finished works.

Let’s say, we are really serious this time around.

Now to you my friend, what are your blogging goals for the year 2010?

The first New Year’s text message I got for today is from a friend who now resides in Dumaguete City.

“A HAPPY LIFE is when you
expect less,
give more,
need less,
laugh a lot,
dream big,
work hard,
play often and
be thankful.
Wishing you a HAPPY LIFE in 2010.”

I know I saved some of last year’s messages. But the virus got them. All of the messages stored in my Nokia N82 got deleted. My other phone had a few Christmas and New Year’s messages left.  Here’s one message I composed sometime in 2007 and sent to that same friend mentioned above.

“GOD makes all things beautiful in His time. May you delight in Him and may He’ll give you the desires of your heart. Happy New Year to you and to your family! Cheers for 2008!”

Do you just forward New Year’s text messages and quotes, or do you personalize the message? I will post some unique text messages here later. Cheers for 2010!

“We may receive the same New Year’s message year after year, but we we’ll always receive various kinds of blessings. Have a prosperous New Year ahead of you!”

We can make all the excuses we want, but when we fail to post regularly, there are consequences. First, you’ll lose the interest of your readers. Even our most loyal ones will look for an alternative somewhere, as there are many better blogs out there… But when everyone’s gone, it’s hard to lure them back.

Second, you will miss out on some money-making opportunities. If you are into sponsored posts, you’d miss out on opps. If you are chasing keywords, you’d be lagging behind in your optimization.

Third, which I think is very important, you’d lose your own interest and motivation. It’s really difficult to come back after a long hiatus. Of course there will always be reasons for not posting. But for the serious bloggers, there is a need to balance our time so that there will always be time to write and publish a post.

The main reason why I failed to update is: W O R K. We’re in our budget season and I have to spend long nights at work. Even though I started a draft for this post (of a different title) a week after my last post, I could not keep going. The secondary reason (after our budget season) is NOT FARMVILLE, like Jan of Writing to Exhale, but it is NINJA WARZ. I have to blame my influenza partners TWG and Bloggista for that. They had me hooked on it the last four days.

There’s no SEOsumthingsumthing in this post. Wait till I write about NINJA WARZ tricks and cheats! lol!

P499 seats for bus and ferry routes!
Travel December 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010

We’re giving every Juan more opportunities to fly with our P499 ‘Go Lite’ seats for certain bus and ferry routes. The promo period starts now until November 16, 2009, for travel this December 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010.

Our bus and ferry routes include the following flights from Manila to Cauayan, Laoag, Legazpi, Tuguegarao, Naga, Virac and San Jose.

The P499 ‘Go Lite’ seats are also available for flights from Cebu to Dumaguete, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi, Bacolod, Cotabato, Roxas, Iloilo and Tacloban, as well as flights from Davao to Cagayan de Oro and Iloilo.

Those with check-in luggage will just add P100 upon booking.

It’s a real deal when you get to your destination early and spend more time for business or leisure! Get to explore other onward destinations for only P499. Book your seats now at www.cebupacificair.com.

With these low fares, I am actually tempted to go on a weekend escapade on a place far away.

I know that a lot will search for the round by round analysis right after the fight. If you chance upon here, take note though that this post is a work of fiction. So what if the fight will only last two rounds like the Hatton thing? Nah, my prediction is for the two fighters to last the distance.

Pacquiao vs Cotto Results: Round-by-Round

Pre-fight: Cotto enters the ring as the crowd cheers. He tries to let out a smile, waves at the crowd, and makes a sign of the cross. He bounces around hoping to get back all the confidence that had left him since the fight with Margarito. But he fails to hide in his eyes the fears of losing this one match.

Pacquiao then enters the ring. Instead of cheers, a deafening silence meets him. In one section, obviously Filipinos, a man shouts, “Go, Manny!” As if that was the sign they are waiting for, the crowd is now on its feet, and cheers the loudest of them all. Manny waves and looks very confident. But it is quite obvious that he keeps scratching his head. A person at back also notices it and shouts, “May kuto yata si Manny” (Manny might have lice). A group of people at the front, whom they say are congressmen from the Philippines, burst into laughter. Cotto’s cornermen shake their heads, not knowing what the statement means.

Round 1: Cotto’s reach advantage is evident as he lands a few good body shots. Pacquaio answers with his own head shots. The two mostly dances around sizing each other. Two and three-punches combination of Cotto hits the air. But the annoying head scratching of the Filipino fighters becomes more obvious. Then a left hook lands clean on Pacquiao’s body. Cotto 10-9.

Round 2: Pacquiao and Cotto engage each other with heavy blows. But none appears hit, or badly hurt. Is this fight for real? The referee scratches his hair. In the last ten seconds, a straight punch coming from the right hits Cotto’s head. Pacquiao 10-9.

Round 3: Roach start giving instructions to Pacquiao. “Hit his face” he shouts. Action is brewing again as the two exchange blows. The crowd cheers loudly. A left jab lands clean on Cotto’s face, but an uppercut staggers the Filipino. Cotto 10-9.

Round 4: There’s that head scratching again. Cotto tries some assault to the face, but Manny’s too quick and avoids those punches. A seven-punch combination staggers the Puerto Rican. Manny attempts the finishing kill hook but the bell rings and saves Cotto. Pacquiao 10-8.

Round 5: Cotto recovers and hits Pacquiao’ head. Right hand by Cotto. Pacquiao counters with his right. Cotto 10-9.

Round 6: This is already beyond Roach’s prediction of a round 2 knock-out. So far, no one is down. The two are back on close range encounters. Heads clash and put a gash on Cotto’s right brow. Doctor examines, but gives his go immediately. Pacquiao 10-9.

At halftime, this blogger’s imaginary scorecard reveals a 57-56 score in favor for the Filipino.

Round 7: Roach pours something on Pacquiao’s hair. With a towel, he wipes away the bubbles. Pacquiao returns to the ring dancing his way, fakes and lands a strong punch on Cotto’s body. Cotto counters but his fist slips when it hit Pacquiao’s hair. Pacquiao changes his stance from the usual southpaw. A strong right hook sends Cotto crawling in the canvass. The crowd cheers, and chants Pacquiao’s name. Cotto beats the count. The bell saves him too. Pacquiao 10-8.

Round 8: The cheers become louder. Pacquiao’s confidence is oozing as he throws punches left and right. Cotto is on the defensive but survives the round. In fact, he wins the round with his counters, even leaving a cut just below Pacquiao’s eyes. Cotto 10-9.

Round 9: Cotto picks up his pace and lands some clean shots. He misses a hook but parries a lot of punches from his opponent. Cotto 10-9.

Round 10: Both fighters have cuts. Cotto slips but it does not count. The screen replays the slip. A large number of people in front are seen scratching their heads. Pacquiao ends the round with a three punch combination on Cotto’s face, which the latter fails to parry. Pacquiao 10-9.

Round 11: Pacquiao opens with a body shot. His stamina is amazing up to this point. Cotto’s fitness is excellent too despite the brawl that would leave other weaker fighters panting for air. Pacquiao remains the aggressor but an uppercut from Cotto plus a straight to the chin downed Pacquiao. The crowd stands in unison. The Filipino is now sitting on his pants and looks at Roach. He scratches his head again and curses, “Pest*ng kuto”. He stands up, but the referee is counting. Cotto is definitely back on this fight. Cotto 10-8.

Round 12: Pacquiao recovers and throws an incredible number of punches. They bump heads again but no cuts this time. Cotto is on the defensive, patiently waiting for an opening. But there was no more time. The crowd cheers as the boxers shake hands and hug after the bell sound. Pacquiao still scratches his head. Pacquiao 10-9

My unofficial score is 113-112 in favor of Pacquiao. But I listened intently as the referee announces the official scores: Judge 1 – 115-113 Pacquiao. Judge 2 – 115-113 Cotto. Judge 3 – 114-114. It’s a draw. Unbelievable fight!

Post-fight: Roach scratches his head while giving his thoughts on the decision. He believes his fighter should have won the fight. Pacquiao, on the other hand, was all smiles. He waves on camera and manages to slip a political statement, “Sa aking mga kababayan, wag nyo po akong kalimutan sa eleksyon ngayong Mayo. Manny Pacquiao po, para sa kongreso!” (To my countrymen, please do not forget me this coming May elections. Manny Pacquiao for Congress!)

Cotto’s corner also believes they had the fight on their hands. But they are not upset either. One thing is very noticeable in Cotto after the announcement; he is now scratching his head more often.

p.s. I have written in my sports’ blog Pacquiao vs Cotto fight results prediction. But I have this feeling that Roach may be right.

ACTUAL RESULT:

Pacquiao punished Cotto and knocked him out in the 12th round. 7th world title in seven weight categories, the first in history, is now in Manny’s hands. Congrats to Manny Pacquiao!

Pacquiao vs Cotto Results

Cebu Pacific P1 seat sale

Sale period is from October 31 to November 2, 2009 (or until the allotted 100000 seats are sold out). The race is on and I am sure the before the bell strikes at midnight, plenty will rush to the Cebu Pacific’s website. As of 11:30 pm on this 30th of October, their website is down. (Duh!)

Travel period is from June 15 to September 30, 2010. So better grab a ticket now and save the planning later. CEB’s trademark P1 seat sale also covers all of its 14 international destinations namely: Busan, Ho Chi Minh, Kota Kinabalu, Taipei, Bangkok, Incheon, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Osaka.

Take note:
- Go-Lite: 7kg hand-carry baggage
- Optional: Add P100 upon booking for 15kg check-in baggage
- Fares are inclusive of tax and surchages
- Exclusive of airport terminal fees and applicable government taxes

Ok, ten minutes after midnight and I can’t still access their site. Waaaah. I want to go to Hong Kong.

Anyway, maybe he can just wear any mask to cover his face like the guy in this video. (This one is created by a badminton buddy of mine back in Cebu)

I hope I didn’t scare you buddy. Hehe. I am not really fan of Halloween parties. I don’t think I had ever attended one. Much more if you talk about shopping for some weird costumes that you only use once a year. But I know some people are taking this seriously.

For your last minute Halloween party costumes needs, you don’t actually have to buy something new. Just open your closet and improvise. Black shirt, black pants. Put some grease on your hair and paint your face. Then you’ll look like that guy at the end of video shown above.

This is what they say in their official website:

U2 have confirmed via video blog that their sold-out concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California, this Sunday, 25th October, will be streamed free, in full and live on YouTube. It’s the first time a show of this size will be streamed live.

The Rose Bowl show is the penultimate U2 show this year – with more to come in 2010 – and already is set to host the venue’s biggest ever audience of over 96,000 fans. The 360° Tour, which has been critically acclaimed and ‘re-invents rock’n'roll’ (Rolling Stone Magazine), will now boast unique access for fans worldwide – as fans in territories yet to be visited by the tour, or not at all, will be able to enjoy the whole show online.

Read the rest here >>>>>

Folks from the Philippines, Hongkong, Taipe and Singapore, you can start watching the U2 live stream by 1130am on Monday. You might be at work then, but real fans know what to do.

I have been a converted U2 fan since that day I bought and album. Beautiful Day is one of my favorite songs. You just don’t like the music only but the lyrics as well. Beautifully composed and with a wonderful message behind it! Here is the lyrics to Beautiful Day, the one played in the youtube video.

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
There’s no room
No space to rent in this town

You’re out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you’re not moving anywhere

You thought you’d found a friend
To take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace

It’s a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It’s a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away

You’re on the road
But you’ve got no destination
You’re in the mud
In the maze of her imagination

You love this town
Even if that doesn’t ring true
You’ve been all over
And it’s been all over you

It’s a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
It’s a beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I’m not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It was a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
Beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I’m not a hopeless case

What you don’t have you don’t need it now
What you don’t know you can feel it somehow
What you don’t have you don’t need it now
Don’t need it now
Was a beautiful day

—
p.s. U2 Free live streaming at YouTube live from Rose Bowl will start in a few minutes.

Well, I don’t know who actually won our SEO race! If it’s based on money earned, it could be Bloggista again. He’s the real money maverick. I was just too happy to learn from him and in the process, earn a few hundred cents from adsense.

Hours before the results were announced, I was actually nervous as pageviews came in by the thousands. I was worried my site would crash. You know, like the flood brought by typhoon Ondoy almost a month ago. 25GB bandwidth may not be enough. Thirdworldgeek had his site down for an hour, he told me. But after the rush, I was glad I survived. I will not optimize for the results of both the teachers and the nursing board exams. This site is not intended for them.

But anyway, I had my fun chasing traffic. I topped some of the keywords and it means that any blogger can top the SERP and be at par with the SEO masters. And that traffic can be converted to $$. (Two digits in a day only)

Of Creative Writing

Jena Isle has finally released the book “Inspirational Thoughts and Stories of Bloggers from All Over the World”. My friends Jan, Doc Z, Roy, Elmot, Rey Jr, and Angel contributed stories. I contributed something too and it is entitled, “Missing the Bus”.
I really thank my friend Jena Isle for this opportunity. I can’t believe I’m in a book now

If you want a copy of the book, just follow this link here: Inspiration Anthology of Bloggers All Over the World.

Elmot, one of the contributing writers in the above work, sent me an SMS message the other day. Yes bro, I have blog for my poems and short stories. And Jumbled Writings is even older than this blog. I am not really promoting it, yet I am thankful for less than half a dozen weekly visitors.

It’s been a while since I wrote either a poem or a short story, but maybe, maybe, I’ll write again soon. Doc Z’s flash fiction and Roy’s Short Stories Blog, inspire me to follow suit. Of course, there’s Jena Isle’s Gewgaw Writings and that of the Fencesitter who, by the way, had just released a link to his best works due to the prodding of Jan.

Ah, blogging! It’s not always about traffic, social networks, money and site metrics. It is still for the love of writing.