How I became the Big Bad Blogger

Four years ago, an online buddy tipped me about a blog writing contest sponsored by a big supermarket. It was the first time I thought of making my own blog so I can join the contest which I did. A blog for me then was just an online diary for people who have a lot of extra time in their hand.

I don’t know if I can be proud of that my very first ever post is about that supermarket which luckily managed to win a Php 500 gift card despite of just being text heavy with no images or whatsoever (back then, I still don’t know how to place a photo in a post. All virgins lack something in their first time, you know).

Today, I will announce something a few people have denied. It took me a stick of gum and a semi-loud burp to finally decide that I really have to do this. Yes, I am the BIG BAD BLOGGER and trying to be proud of it.

You see, I don’t know if my wife has noticed it and is just playing blind mouse but I am actually experiencing symptoms of what the morals call the The 7 Deadly Sins ever since I started blogging. Well, here are the symptoms and please let me know what you think:

LUST. Excited akong pumunta sa mga blogger’s event dahil bukod sa mga freebies at libreng chicha ay pwede akong magpa-picture kasama ang mga guest celebrities. Ampopogi at ang gaganda nila. Minsan, ginagawa ko pang profile pic sa FB kahit malabo pa ang kuha at mukha akong dukha katabi ang amputi-puting artista para ipagmalaki sa buong mundo na minsan sa buhay ko ay nakadikit ng mga balahibo ko sa braso ang mga balahibo sa braso ng isang sikat na artista. Pag napanaginipan ko pa, jackpot!

GLUTTONY. Kapag may food event, kape lang talaga ang almusal ko at light lunch sa tanghali para sa gabi e lahat ng putahe sa buffet table ay may space sa tiyan ko kahit maka-dalawang balik pa ako. Minsan nga isinama ko pa asawa ko, sabi ko date kami sa Wack Wack, siyempre go siya dahil first time niya dun tas malaman niya, isang daang tao pala ka-date namin. Pag nagustuhan ko pa yung isang dessert, tina-try kong makapag-take home para makatikim din ang anak at biyenan ko. When I started blogging, my waistline was just 30 which is 2 inches thinner than my current size. That’s explain how I become a BIG blogger now.

GREED. Nito lang February 2011, tatlong major contest ang napanalunan ko. Una yung sa Nuffnang Eveready contest tapos nanalo din akong first prize sa Valentine’s card making contest ng Manila Bulletin. Napili din nga ng Wish Ko Lang ang sulat ko at binigyan kami ng isang kakaibang date ni misis nung Feb. 14. Sabi tuloy ng asawa ko, “Quota ka na ha?” na ibig sabihin pede ko nang tantanan ang iba pang contest. Naku, kahit yung pa-contest na doughnuts ang premyo, effort pa din ako sa pagsali hanggang ngayon.

SLOTH. Dati nung magkasintahan pa lang kami ni misis, basta may paparating na special event e nagpi-prepare na ako kahit isang buwan pa ang layo. Effort sa paghahanap ng pwedeng kainan tsaka kakaibang gift. Ngayon, nakaupo na lang ako sa harap ng PC at nag-aabang ng contest na premyo e free lunch or dinner at mga bagay-bagay tulad ng cellphone, iPad, concert tickets, whitening soap, 2nd hand aircon at kung ano-ano pa. Bibili lang ako ng regalo kapag in-announce na ang mga winners at di ako kasama sa listahan.

WRATH. Ewan ko ba kung bakit madaling mag-init ang ulo ko pag may mga taong nahihirapang intindihin kung paano mag-blog. Feeling ko kasi andali lang since 4 years ko nang ginagawa. Meron kasing nagtanong kung paano gumawa ng blog kaya in-introduce ko Blogger kasi may gmail account na siya tapos paulit-ulit pa din ang mga tanong niya, nalaman ko yung ginawa niyang blog e sa Multiply. Di ko nga in-accept friend invitation niya. BAD ko no?

ENVY. Dati, nadadaanan ko lang yung salitang Hater kapag nagbabasa ko ng mga thread ng mga fans nila Kobe Bryant at LeBron James o kaya sa mga showbiz sites kung saan pinagsasabong ng mga fans ang mga idolo nila. Ngayon, andaming ko nang nabasang blog na hater ng isang brand and another kasi na-delay o di pa nakukuha ang premyo sa promo o kaya natalo sa contest. Minsan din akong naging hater kasi yung nanalo sa padamihan ng “Likes” na contest, andaming bogus account na voters kuno. Kawawa naman yung desrving ang entry pero natalo dahil onte lang ang votes. Enough said.

PRIDE. Share ko lang yung nangyari nung nag-claim ako ng Php 500 GC na premyo sa isang supermarket. Sabi ko, “blogger po ako.” Sagot sa akin nung taga-information booth, “Ha? Sa HR po mag-aaply ng bagger.” Wow tinamaan ego ko dun! Para lang yung tiyahin ko. Narinig niya kasing sinabi ko kay misis, “Mamaya pakita ko sa ‘yo blog ko.” Kinausap ba naman ako sabi niya, “Yung mga ganyang bagay na pang-mag asawa di n’yo dapat pinaparinig sa ibang tao” sabay tingin sa puruntong ko. Bigla akong napayuko sabay takip sa puson ko.

This year, I intend to be a better blogger that I can be since I am also maintaining an advocacy blog called Mapagbigay ka ba? which is the counterpart of my contest blog Mapanghingi ka ba?

To do this, I will be attending blog workshops and learning events to improve my writing skills and knowledge about the cyberspace. I would like to be health conscious as well because a healthy body comes with a healthy mind that will definitely reflect on my blog, and maybe on my waistline too.

Generally, what I want to do is to do away with the BIG and Bad things and just be a BLOGGER in the very essence of its meaning, and that is to freely express what is in my heart and mind for the world to know.

Looking for something? Go online 'coz mas AyosDito

I was not able to check my emails yesterday because our company had a whole-day event in Makati. So I was not surprise to have a score of messages from clients, friends and a couple of spammers this morning.

One message came from a high school classmate asking if I will attend an out-of-town trip with some of our schoolmates next month. The idea of going out of the city is always a refreshing thing for me that I almost typed "Yes, count me in!" when my right eye suddenly saw a red mark on my calendar.

Feb. 5 is booked! My brother-in-law and his family will be moving to a new house in Novaliches and I already committed my bones and muscles to whatever they can be of used that day. I already helped them find a truck that would carry all their things to their new home. It was just one easy task actually. I just googled "Lipat bahay/ NCR" and viola! I got a number of links. But what interested me more are the listings in the website AyosDito which also features other services like classified ads, 2nd hand cars Philippines and fixing Canon digital camera. I think their posts are more professional and direct. Mas AyosDito talaga!

I know this would not be the first time I'll be browsing AyosDito since it also gives everyone an opportunity to sell any product. What I like more is you can look them under an specific region in the country so you can easily contact the seller.

Now my next mission is to find a nice gift for my wife come Valentines. Hmmm... I think I know what website to visit first in times like this.

I know I am just one of the many people online who got some help from websites like AyosDito. So, what's your story?

TGIF? Not this Friday

image taken from sportnooz.com

Today is one of the busiest Fridays of my life.

I needed to wake up at 5 am this morning because I have a breakfast meeting in Makati. But before I go there, I should go first to our office in Mandaluyong to update my materials not for that 8 am meet up but for another field work this morning.

We finished the meeting past 10 am (yes!) and off I go to my second assignment. I saw this cab driver waving at me as go out Pacific Star building only to be boxed out by a woman on heels sipping a mocha frap. Being the gentleman that I am, I just gave her the "I-should-be-the-one-sitting-in-thet-taxi look." After 20 minutes I finally got my ride.

Back to the office around 2 pm delivered by a cab which gave me that oven-like experience. I know the aircon was on but my morning breath is cooler that what it burst out if I to compare.

I missed meryenda today and haven't stop doing paper works, poster lay-out, email, etc since I went inside my cubicle. It's already 6:11 and I am not yet done with work. Now tell me if it's TGIF?

I only got to smile when I got a text message from my wife saying "Ingat sa pag-uwi. I love you!"

Which made me think, it's not a bad Friday at all. :-)

Now back to work mode.

Nasan na nga ba si Tange?

Time: Yesterday afternoon.  After hours of serious mode in the printing press where I supervised the lay-out of our organization's monthly magazine, this very disturbing question hit me: "Asan na nga ba si Tange?"

Tange, for those who don't know the guy, is a Filipino comedian during the time that almost every movie has a corresponding "text version."  The text version that I am referring to is a set of game card that you toss and flip to win and amass all that your friends own.  The cards made of cheap brown carton probably a little thicker than an Oslo paper brings the bragging rights to those who has 'em.  We usually stack them per "dangkal."  Bragging rights to those who owns the most.  Sometimes, you can also use them to pay for rent for your Richie Rich neighbor who owns a Game and Watch.

If you still can't understand what I am talking about, look for somebody who is around mid-30's and ask you to be introduced to terms like panabla, pamato and tsob and kak.

Anyways, back with Tange.  He is one comedian who doesn't talk too much on screen.  All he'll do is to open his mouth like a kid waiting for Barney the purple dino's mantra "Let sing our favorite song!"  Then you'll burst into laughter.  Mukha talagang tange but you know he is just acting.

His big and stout and wears kinky long hair.  I tried to Google him but I was not able to find a photo of him.  So if anybody has file photo of this unsung pop hero which I consider is the one responsible in making the phrase "Ay, tange!" spread like crazy during our era, please send me an email or drop a link in this post.

Asteeg, pang-T shirt ang mukha niya on whote or black background diba?!  By the way, I found a short reference about him from this SITE.

And you might be asking what about the photo of Barok doing above this post?  Well, it;s one of those movie where Tange starred as Barok's silly yet amusing friendly friends.  Incidentally, I have an mp3 file of the Tarzan and Barok by Yoyoy Villame (Why do I have those music file.  Just want to have another taste of the music that I grew up listening since my Tatay is a fan of novelty music).  Yoyoy, if you also don't know, is the one who popularized the songs Mag-exercise tayo and Buchike. 

Oh, for the curious soul who's asking why all of a sudden Tange was a subject of our conversation.  It just happen that someone sent me a photo that is as big as a thumbnail.  The only visible part of his face is his mouth semi-wide open.

Hello, Tange.  Ikaw ba yan!?