Blog, Blogging, Blogger, Bloggers
My prime-time life revolves around blogs, blogging, and bloggers, merely because I am a blogger.
1. The Philippine Blogger Awards, Inc.
Voted to head the 2008 Philippine Blog Awards, it was one of my duties to register a non-stock, non-proft corporate entity for the Philippine Blog Awards. It’s easier to get sponsors if we show a legal entity. Now, I thought it’d be easy to get a legal name but no…The Security Exchange Commission (SEC) database on corporate names rejected the word “blog” because it is close to “Bldg”. I tried “Blogging” or was it “Bloggers” and it got rejected because it was close to “logging”. Much as we wanted Philippine Blog Awards, Inc, we settled for Philippine Blogger Awards, Inc. Just when I could breathe a sigh of relief, the SEC Examiner questioned the purpose of the corporation (“To hold an annual awards ceremony that recognizes excellence and diversity in blogging”) What is blogging?” Darn, I didn’t bring my macbook so I could show her what a blog is. She asked “is it food?” As I started to explain blogging, she got even more confused. We continued to discuss about blogs and it was at this point the SEC head of that division passed by and overheard the word “blogging”.
The boss said to the examiner, “Remember that TV show where they were talking about libel in blogs because of Brian Gorrell? Approve the papers”. Brian Gorell saved my day.
2. Political Bloggers
I am not a political blogger but my husband occasionally blogs on politics so I tagged along to dinner with a few political bloggers. I love listening to politics from great minds like Manolo, bloggers from FilipinoVoices.com, Juned and Ria.
After dinner and coffee, my head was ready to spin trying to figure out how to save our country.
Time to head over to the The Banana Gangbang Rock Festival at Bela Bar to watch Lauren and the other Man Blog bands.
3. Bloggers in a Band- The Banana Gangbang Rock Festival
While waiting for Lauren’s turn, my husband noticed that we were the oldest among the audience. We’re bloggers too, you know!”, I teased my husband.
Speaking of the rock festival, I enjoyed watching the gig. I thought I could only sit through one song. Congrats to my lovely daughter (more photos) and “Lose your Beer Belly” , Mike Villar, Ade Magnaye and Marco Palinar for such an awesome gig. That was one big party.
More of the gig in here:
TMB Presents BGRF: HOLY CRAP IT WAS AWESOMETASTIC.
The Banana Gangbang Rock Festival Aftermath - A night of Fail
The Banana Gangbang Rock Festival in photos
4. A Blogger’s Hate Campaign
A blogger’s rant or an opinion is not a hate campaign. Hate is such a strong word. Let’s define hate in its usual context:
to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest
Is this hate?
Did I espouse violence?
Manolo is right when we discussed about “hate”. In the next Iblog 5 summit, maybe we should “have workshops for working definitions of things like “hate” etc.”
5. Healthy Apologies
Sometimes an apology is needed to clear the air of misunderstanding. Asking for clarification on the issue is not about setting demands for an apology. It is not about conditional apology.
When I apologize, I want to know what I did wrong to that person especially when that person lambasted my daughter (i.e. posting a copyrighted entry in Youtube, threats to report to the NBI). Naturally, you want to know what are the issues. Is it about me, is it about my daughter, is it my opinion, my rant?
Then again, apologies are probably not necessary if both parties feel no need for it. I don’t have to say “I’m sorry” if I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t have to apologize for taking care of myself, dealing with feelings and setting my boundaries. But I do apologize for hurting the person’s feelings as that was not the intent of my comment, rant or opinion.
We can all co-exist peacefully and let it go. I don’t have to react to flack or give it much attention. It doesn’t deserve it. It will die down. If someone thinks otherwise of my actions, I often say that the person is entitled to feel that way. It is the person’s choice to feel or react that way. The perception of my actions are not within my control. So I let go of that person’s feelings. It belongs to that person.
6. Ethics should show in your blogs, says Luis Teodoro.
Blog, blogging, blogger and bloggers.. are once again the target of ethics and responsible blogging from an interview of Luis Teodoro. My husband posts an entry in FilipinoVoices.com, Blog or Perish on this issue.
Luis Teodoro pointed out that there are “sound reasons” for editing news. While blogging is “empowering,” he said it has its “downside” if you “affect other people negatively.” Hence, the need for responsible journalistic standards in blogging.
The last time I wrote on ethical blogging, I received the flack of a fellow blogger accusing me of being less ethical because of my stance on new media publishing.
You know what? Blogs are here to stay.
Standards will emerge. People and readers will develop a sense of good and bad. Someone will not set these standards. People will be discerning of the writer and the reader.
I will continue to blog and enjoy blogging and use my blog for my advocacies.
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Thanks for being there last night!
I was worried that the music might make your head ache and such and I was pleasantly surprised to see you watching LYBB’s entire set. 
Thank you again! 
Ade’s last blog post..Iron Man in 5 Minutes
Why do people still put music on their blogs that automatically play when the page loads? That’s annoying. It drowns out the music that was already playing in my music player. And I agree, the music controls should be at the top.
I don’t know why people take it personally if you don’t subscribe to their preference.
nina’s last blog post..88DB Blogger’s Party
@ade- I loved watching you all play. Next time?
@nina- That’s the thing. It’s their choice to put music but they should also respect our personal preference and not take it against me. To even call my personal preference a hate campaign is overdoing it. I am “nerbyosa” pa naman and I don’t enjoy getting startled when a music suddenly plays..
I don’t like visiting blogs that play music automatically. I agree, it’s a preference that, of course, varies from person to person. It doesn’t mean that blogger who has music in his blog is not a “good” blogger. It’s just that not everybody shares the same preference for music or by which avenue one wants to appreciate it.
Prudence’s last blog post..My First Blogging Summit and The After Party
Hi Noemi,
Thanks for the mention of my blog.
Maybe in iBlog5 I can participate in that “hate” workshop.
Jon Limjap’s last blog post..Sidney Snoeck of My Sari Sari Store is signing off
Ahh, that’s why I love my RSS reader.
It strips off the blog to its bare necessities.
yuga’s last blog post..MS Photosynth on CSI
@Prudence- That’s why I get flustered when there is music and the blog has wonderful entries and I can’t find the off button. Natataranta ako sa volume.
@Jon- you’re welcome. I bet a lot might want to participate. Sama ako diyan.
@Yuga- Yes but sometimes it’s a random blog. I guess if it’s a bookmarked site, I can just read in my RSS reader.
I go for RSS Feeds as well. I can read all your “clean” looking posts.
Ely’s last blog post..David Heinemeier Hansson: Secret To Making Money
Funny coincidence, I was telling my Mom about me exploring the world of blogging and when she asked what a blog was, I found it real hard to explain it to her until my brother heard our conversation and brought up Brian Gorrell. And then she understood me. Hahaha.
Anyway, I think that blogging is really here to stay in the country. I predict that in just a couple of years of less, Filipinos will be fully aware of what a blog is.
With that in mind, I believe that bloggers should strive hard to give blogging a positive image. If a non-blogger stumbles upon a blog and sees hate articles, unethical statements and petty arguments, then we, as bloggers, will lose our credibility to give value to others.
Fitz’s last blog post..On Employment, Income Streams and Financial Security
@Ely- sige na nga RSS feeds na lang.
@Fitz- Oy, tell your mom to become a blogger. Enjoy siguro siya. There are a lot of mom bloggers now. I believe that we should try to use our blogs for the common good. Anyway, soon standards will emerge and bloggers know how to give value to others.
You have seen it all, heard it all, been praised to high heavens, been multi-awarded been lambasted. Still you have stuck it out — to your principles and standards. Proven to one and all you’re the blogger to beat.
As Oprah would say, “you go, girl.”
Keep on going my friend.
annamanila’s last blog post..The Doctora-Not-Quite
@annamanila- oh well, that’s the price of being a blogger. I should lie low next year but I still have responsibilities to fulfill. Thanks for the encouragement, dear.
The photo of Pinoy political bloggers having dinner looks nice. I hope your head didn’t spin around too much. Magparami pa sana ang mga political bloggers at magtulungan tayong magmulat ng ating mga mata sa mga nangyayari sa ‘ting lipunan.
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