On Blogging And Winning (My PEBA Experience)

"The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed." -  Lloyd Jones

Before I could even decide the title of my blog , and as I am computer illiterate, the whole concept of blogging  was completely foreign to me. I did not even know what  to write or if should I actually write. I would say my foray into blogging happened by accident. Let's say I did not have the luxury of time  in front of the computer, for in the first place I did not own one. In our company accommodation, I have a colleague who has been blogging since early 2008 but I never had any idea what he was up to. On off days and after work, much of his time centers around blogging, blog-hopping and facebooking while I am contented to while my time on TFC. 

Typically, one major reason why I opted not to buy a computer was that, I hated it to get addicted to it apart from its being expensive. But thanks to a little Ramadan bonus, I finally decided to buy one for myself in October 2009 -- a rather cheap brand but at least I would not be waiting till my colleague complains of spine-breaking stint in front of his computer before I could finally check my email.

Not that I am the type that can easily be influenced or gullible for that matter, but the prodding of my colleague to get me on the bandwagon just appealed to me. Essentially, creating a blog is one thing and writing a post is another. And I have to admit, I am the least confident person you will ever know, so much that even in high school I would sit at the back row and never participate in recitation, never wanting to be at the front of the pack and drawing attention. So, in essence, my first blog post would be my first piece of essay in my whole conscious life. Still, I did not know what to write and not confident to write. So, my colleague helped me out on my first post and it turned out to be a video of Efren Penaflorida campaigning for support for the CNN Hero of the Year Award.

On my second post, I remember I wrote at least four paragraphs about typhoon Ondoy, and to my surprise, a blogger by the name of IsladeNebz had left his comment. And to tell you, his comment was so sincere that it helped me grow some confidence. And that was the start of it. One post bore another until I met some great bloggers on the blogosphere whom I truly admire for their great personality on top of their great writing skills. That time also coincided with the PEBA fever and everyone on the blogosphere seemed to be hyped-up by these award stuff, and most bloggers I've known were also nominees. (I've been especially a fan of IsladeNebz, Palipasan, The Pink Tarha and FrancescaInFrance.)  As expected, all of them ran away with top awards.

Joining contests may be last in my bucket list, let alone essay-writing contest. So it never occurred to me finding myself  writing an entry to a theme I feel strongly about. Lacking in confidence and only few blog posts to brag, I was wondering if I could write effectively that would resonate with readers. Apart my strong views about the theme, I also had my experiences and lessons in life to rely on as my inspiration to write an entry. To be able to share my story through blog is already a rewarding experience, but getting a recognition for your work, to me it is really something. 

Luckily for me, my entry was officially recognized as one of the nominees. And to be counted alongside others whose entries were masterpieces in their own right, was a life's trophy in itself. I would say my goal did not stop there, for obviously I became too ambitious to have wanted to land in the top ten. The nominee banner that hung on the side bar of my blog would have done me a great deal of contentment, but PEBA had another thing in mind. A week or so before the awards night, came a really great surprise when I received an email from PEBA, informing me that my blog will receive one of the awards. And mind you, the awards night coincided with my birthday, so the timing didn't get any better than that. 

Over lunch, my mind vacillates between the pros and cons if ever I decided to send one of my siblings on my behalf. As financial considerations weighed heavily on my decision, I was faced with a dilemma whether to skip the awards night or not. Sending a sibling or two from Bacolod to Manila (and back) by plane is really costly and wouldn't help my family tide over on Christmas. Finally, I texted my sister at the spur-of-the-moment decision. Her reply was, "are you serious?" kind of thing. For the record, none of my other nine siblings has ever traveled by plane, so I kind of anticipated the shock it gave them. It's just that, I had a really tough time explaining to them about some 'strange' things that confronted them. By the way, apart from fulfilling my obligations to them, they had no idea what I am up to let alone this thing called blogging. So to make things rather simple for them to understand, I said I joined a contest and won something and that they should receive my prize.

Watching my big sister on live stream holding up my trophy was a surreal feeling, so to speak. The occasion marked so many firsts in our humble lives. Not that I felt overwhelmed by its grandiosity, but to someone who  barely had college education and be mentioned in the same breath as the finest bloggers I really admire, to me that was crazy. On arriving home in Silay City, my two sisters have not run out of stories to tell. Maybe not so much about the glitz and glamour at the venue, or the freebies that they took home with them, not even the dizzying skyways and colossal traffic that confronted them, but on feeling proud of the recognition I received.

The hype over PEBA  2010 might have faded in days, yet the greater cause greater than PEBA itself will have lingered in the hearts and minds of those wonderful people behind it. The noble goals they set may have not been reached in its entirety, however we OFW bloggers, could not find a better and more visible platform than this, that allows us to champion our common cause and getting our sentiments heard, so that we don't fret if our collective voice seems not to matter in a bigger stage. The PEBA that I know is one that, from my point of view, offers multidimensional agenda by not only tapping raw talents through blogging, but more than anything, to be able to help OFW communities around the world one way or another, and serving as a voice  by raising  awareness in  matters that concern the OFW diaspora in general.

Without a doubt, this year's theme "Ako'y Babalik Hatid Ko'y Pagbabago"  resonates  with all OFWs who have left their families hoping for a brighter future. If there comes an opportunity that we feel compelled to share our thoughts, stories that inspire, or even lamentations from frustrations so that they serve readers  a lesson, then this is the best time. Here at PEBA, every story is unique, every thought and aspiration  of ordinary OFW like me is provided a platform to get read and  inspire others. So, if you are a blogger and the prospect of getting your story published through PEBA amuses you, then this is your time to shine. Another milestone waiting to be added to your already accomplished  resume could be just around the corner.

Soy Negrense Is One Year Old!

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip."

When my blogger flatmate feels his spine already hunched deep into unreasonably lengthy hours of net surfing - that signals my turn to feel the mouse too - first navigating the most familiar site as a habit - Yahoo Sport. Around this time a year ago, I have only TFC eating out my entire time after work. I never loved the idea of immersing myself with cheap and false kindness yet abundant-in-rudeness antics of that swelling ego in Wowowee. Somehow the daily routine got into my system, I didn't have much choice. Shared subscription too is costly to forgo the unlikely spectacle.

Never mind the name (brand worshippers might have not heard of it) - I assure you it's the cheapest from the array of  pricey laptops on Jarir Bookstore shelves. I finally bought one I call my own. And you see, it has lived a full year now, and not to mention the 'perks' that come with the 'friendly price'. With economic limbo hovering over receding hairline, the thought of buying another is a pain between a pair of gluteus maximus. Hell no! Will have to settle for how much productivity output it affords me. For now, will have to raise the bar of patience higher when it is acting out everytime.

On October 11th  marks my first anniversary of posting my very first blog. It was a case of another blogger tugging at me literally so that I create my own blog. Had he not coerced me into blogging, I would have not had the platform to enjoy of my little freedom to write about certain things that concern me on a personal level and the large majority.

Normally,  first blog post always carves prestige down memory lane. Unfortunately, mine had to be content to dummy up by virtue of some CNN graphics of Efren Penaflorida imploring support. Thankfully, the prelude did not resonate that of the rest of my posts. That same week Typhoon Ondoy aka Ketsana is wreaking havoc all over Luzon. It was said that the extent of devastation has never been seen in living memory. I decided there could be no better and relevant topic than the exploits of Ondoy. My first baptism of fire that is Ondoy came as a surprise as readers' traffic continued to busy up my site. And no less the inaugural visit by the 2009 PEBA winner leaving his encouraging comment that left me thrilled.

My succeeding posts were topics drawn from my passion to write about certain issues that I feel passionate about. In the course of twelve months, I have written posts that will go down as my personal favorites. Some may not be popular for readers but I had them written shall I say with fire, rage and conviction. One of my favorites is my post on Jason Aguilar, an OFW from Qatar who was mistaken to be the criminal Jason Ivler. The post was written in less than thirty minutes after watching TV Patrol triggered by my anger at the injustice done to him. This post suddenly became a hit to readers with 8 to 10 viewers at the same time. It's surreal because I'm used to be the only visitor of my own page most of the time. At the break of day my readers numbered in hundreds reading the same post. To my curiosity, I tracked down the origin of a familiar link and found out that it came from the twitter account of Julius Babao. Yes, he posted my blog on his twitter account recommending his followers to read "this interesting commentary". True, it was some sort of inspiration.

Another personal favorite of mine was supposedly my open letter to President GMA when after much speculation whether she will quit politics or not, she filed her certificate of candidacy for Congresswoman of the 2nd district of Pampanga. One remarkable name who left her comment on that page is Lila Shahani, the niece of former president FVR who shared the link on her Facebook. My co-blogger and workmate even warned me that I could get killed when I step out of the plane, albeit jokingly. "What? They will waste a bullet on this lowly species?"

And my third favorite is my post about me and my family. I wrote this when I was feeling nostalgic about my beginnings and how certain events factored in my early exile to the big city at such a young age, and even brought me farther in this part of the world. While penning some emotion-packed experiences of mine, tears welled up my eyes reminiscing the unspeakable travails I have had already at age 18, and in deep gratitude - to Him who spared me from  the scourge of ignorance so that I could make a difference in the lives of those I treasure the most. This post also bears witness to some of my greatest regrets in life -  notably of not having a good education that will always be a powerful weapon in anyone's battle with life's uncertainties. Surely, I'm lacking in it, but God always finds a way, His works are mysterious that our human faculties cannot fathom.

If there is a category about the most unforgettable post I've ever written, and one rich in drama and venomous responses, it is the Grace Padaca story that made the Dy clan foaming all throughout. I had resorted to blocking  most of the comments that awaited my approval because of the arsenic contents that you would conclude Padaca is more evil than the inhabitants of hell. No less than the daughter of Benjamin Dy  led the character assassination attempt against then Governor Grace Padaca. Till date, this post remains one of the most popular among readers and very draining too so to speak.

At the onset, one reason that kept my door ajar to the world of blogging is that - my confidence level was at its lowest. As a college drop-out with  few units earned to brag, I easily get scared of the notion that I will be corrected or lectured at by my readers, probably for a misuse of punctuation or for my terrible grammar or that I may be writing a different thought contrary to what I actually wanted to convey. At first, writing in Filipino I thought would do the trick. (The rationale that other nationalities might stumble upon my blog sounded logical to me that I preferred to do this in the language they would understand.) But of course, I did not allow that mindset to overwhelm me, my passion to write about certain issues purged me of the doubts and skepticism that once stunted my optimism.

In a rather exciting reality in the blogosphere, it is unavoidable that some frequent visitors might be turned off by a post or two that you write contrary to their belief, creed and conviction. I must admit though, I do not find myself writing a post about a recent trip to a store and picking up a fight with the cashier for a rude behavior - and/or maybe a post promoting some high end sale in town - or I  quit blogging. With due respect to many brilliant bloggers out there who can write interesting stories over 'trivial' matters, hats off to them for their gift of really exciting their readers - one that I do not possess. Perhaps I just cannot copy that same penchant for writing minus the emotion that is a staple of my blog. I still hope i can reinvent for a change, who knows.

In my fledgling foray into blogging, I  have also come to terms that while you write about sensitive issues, critics also come in abundance. Some may be outspoken in their attack of the writer, others especially fellow bloggers may choose their protest silently. These things are quite the norm if you are a distinct individual with distinct point of view or distinct manner of writing that may sound distasteful or offensive for the majority of the 'goody-two-shoes' mainstream. This is the challenge that I have accepted long before, not a sort of encouragement but a self-styled way of reasserting that it is me, accept me at face value. There is a pitfall though, that passing judgment on the blogger may be a trap one is drawn to that will precariously define himself to be both irrational and judgmental.

A year may be too short, but it's been a journey. Seriously, insignificant he may be, this blogger does not crave for accolades, "awards" or stuff for that matter. He may be a nominee or whatever, or perhaps this early the fate of his being a nominee has been sealed because of his outspoken views about certain things, nevertheless he will not in any way get swayed by treading the safer ground and repudiating the things that define him and his purpose. The core of this blog, "My thoughts and opinion" will stay, unless otherwise he decides to banish this site to purge himself of the criticism and scorn from the Pecksniffs. I hope this site lives another year. Happy First Birthday Soy Negrense!

Jeddah Bloggers' EB In Balad!

"If I am in this circle of intellectual minds gathered today, then I can stake my claim to a little slice of prestige among Jeddah bloggers? Wow!! I don't think I deserve to be counted in this 'community'! Ok, I'm about to coil now. But I already did haha!"

It started  months ago, long before the great Mr. Jebee Kenji Solis of Thoughtskoto shuttled from coast to coast - to yet another not-so-unfamiliar territory of Jeddah, when the EB of bloggers was conceived by the El Presidente of PEBA - the quintessential 'kuya' of Jeddah bloggers - the ever generous and gentle yet intellectual powerhouse  Mr. Nereus Jethro Abad of the famed Desert Aquaforce blog. Eighth of July when Jeddah bloggers gathered and exchanged pleasantries for the first time.  Five of us showed up brushing aside - say a drop in man-hours wasted (squeezed in from tight schedule) in tit-for-tat with fellow bloggers.

The mind behind Baul ni Noel, the at-first-glance shy type Noel Ablon - the runaway winner for punctuality nod was the first on the rendezvous. [The guy just walks down the elevator from his nearby office (I'm not sure of that Noel) haha!] If anything, I and Pepe Cabrera of (Camera Ni Cabrera and X-Spot) didn't screw up with time as we've thought earlier as we sped off from work headed straight to the 'event' :-) We could see a guy (in an office attire) standing in an uncomfy spot busy containing the grainy drops off his face in a serious demeanor. I really thought that's not Noel - could be someone else. After a brief stint of cooling down inside Corniche mall, we spotted the boss Mr. NJ already chatting with the guy - yes the guy was Mr. Noel Ablon!

The ever affable and a seemingly surprised Mr. NJ welcomed us as we joined the table ( understandably, we did not confirm our attendance earlier due to work constraint). Credit to Mr. NJ's Malaysian colleague Sani and another staff Zakir for giving him company from a distant and lonely journey from Al Laith to Jeddah.

In the meanwhile, came the great man - the brain behind OFW Kablogs and PEBA - Mr. thoughskoto himself Mr. Jebee Kenji Solis. [Pretend that I am acknowledging the entrance of the man respected in the blogosphere whose persona is larger than life- (forget that he is petite - yet an intellectual behemoth in his own right) bannering a smile and an inquisitive eye speaking in a subdued  tone]. If I am in this circle of intellectual minds (as The Pope chose to allude to in his FB comment) gathered today, then I can stake my claim to a little slice of  prestige among Jeddah bloggers? Wow!! I don't think I deserve to be counted in this 'community'! Ok, I'm about to coil now. But I already did haha!

Being an enterprising mind that he is (with no dull moments filled with exchanges of thoughts and ideas), Mr. Thoughtskoto grabbed the lull amid the de-clogged traffic of minds to present his agenda and his proposal for a better PEBA and its beneficiality. Everyone could only agree with what has been  proposed - and also thrilled, (not for the shared vision of PEBA)  but mind you - with the next EB, probably in a colder setting. (Mr. NJ what do you have to say? Hmmm.) Hey, not everything discussed in a meeting is for public consumption! So Jeddah bloggers you better be there next EB. (Hey Ron Dacz! Still busy exploring the Red Sea?  Share with us your snorkeling experience when you get down to the city!)

[I could only hope Isla De Nebz will be available but sadly he settles now in Kuwait - he is the man responsible for most of the journals at OFW Kablogs, and religiously lending  his genius into it. I became his ultimate fan on my first visit to his blog. Kudos to you Nebz!]  Don't take it against me please (haha!) A deserved praise is a great incentive! This is my site and I have control over anything I have to say :-) :-)

Well, you may never hear me bossing around as to which is the best restaurant in  town to cool down and relax - ever - but I will be there in tow - as always (kapal!) This is the last thing in my bucket list - not my forte, sort of. But wait, I can do the dishes and run errands too! ( In the restaurant? Chill!) So the group decided to settle for the nearest and most spacious restaurant - the famous and conspicuous Shawly restaurant. Everyone seemed to have pretended to have affinity with healthy living and so all settled for the appropriate - drop the carb-laden and high cholesterol menu - in this case halo-halo did the trick and for Mr. NJ who loathes sugary stuff - a vanilla ice cream did appease the carb-fueled temblors within. (sugar pa din :-))

Photos! Photos! And photos!  Nobody did imagine someone nearby is fighting for his life. Zakir, Mr. NJ's assistant rushed from outside and broke the news - a taxi driver in his parked car just died in his seat, obviously of cardiac arrest. As we rushed towards the view from on top, droves of people congregated around the car and we could see a slumping body wrapped in a foil or plastic sheet or something. The paramedics clearly did what was necessary. As everyone looked mystified by the turn of events, the enterprising Camera Ni Cabrera wasted no time capturing the moment with his lens. Yet the sad reality of life remains. One moment you're here, the next you're gone.

Then the bloggers took one another's contact number before dusk as Mr. NJ and company decided to head home to Al Laith - a couple of hours drive from Jeddah? And of course, the moment we've been waiting for - the freebies- 2 big boxes of big big frozen prawns from the world-renowned National Prawn Company where Mr. NJ is one of the big bosses. Mr. Thoughskoto did not partake the loot (haha!) as his freezer is still filled with them (also courtesy of Mr. NJ from their previous meeting ), or maybe he pitied us because we did not confirm our attendance and practically unexpected? Well, anyway thank you Mr. Solis! And thank you Mr. NJ! So  one went to us and another to Noel. Yehey!

If anyone has said I have an anger management issue in my posts? Well, I'm trying to make light of the one I'm writing now. I did attempt. And so I write nonsense. That's the result!